🕊️ create a family w/ a twist

[kitkatcookie]

[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] [name_f]Tove[/name_f] Lindegaard (13) is the amateur sleuth causing trouble in the world [name_m]Urbane[/name_m] and Azadah have created. There’s always been a tenacity about [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f], and since beginning middle school, people have become her greatest source of fascination. She’s determined to become a psychologist - inspired by her mother, who works as a psychotherapist - and this is what’s led her to become so determined to unravel the mystery man that is [name_m]Brad[/name_m] [name_m]Quinton[/name_m]. While she doesn’t know everything about the world of college students - Ophelia’s the elder of two children and her younger sibling is only 4, as her parents moved around a long following their immigration from Birkerød, [name_m]Denmark[/name_m], and she was a surprise they gladly welcomed as they found their feet - something about [name_m]Brad[/name_m] feels very odd to [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f]. He’s a little too perfect for her liking, never mind she can’t help but feel unsettled at the idea of a college kid wanting to date someone her age, and this is why she’s come to suspect Azadah herself actually invented him to come across as more mature, enviable and of status among their peers. There is something odd to [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] though, in how [name_m]Urbane[/name_m] Hatch always seems so antsy when she’s around, and she’s trying to put her finger on the cause of this discomfort too [so far she’s not been able to crack the code].

Although Azadah considers her petty and a bit vindictive for her digging - having confronted [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] once, accusing her of being jealous which was deflected but peace wasn’t achieved between them - it isn’t a place of malice that [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] comes from. She wants to uncover the truth because what frightens her more than anything is that [name_m]Brad[/name_m] could be real and having a thoroughly inappropriate, predatory relationship with one of her classmates, which a lot of her peers seem to find impressive opposed to disturbing. Unfortunately, her blunt form of honesty verges upon rude at times - or confrontational at other points - and it’s led to [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] only having a few close friends, who understand she means well in spite of seeming a bit antagonistic in how she approaches things. While she tries to soften her personality, it’s difficult, and perhaps [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] rejects it because she can’t let herself live a lie and strives to be as authentic as possible. Like [name_m]Urbane[/name_m], she’s a high achieving student who works hard for good grades, and [name_f]English[/name_f] is her favourite subject currently, given she can’t access anything psychology based.

At home, [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] enjoys reading - unsurprisingly detective stories are her absolute favourite, and she’s fond of a thriller too [the sort approved by her father, given her age] - as well as walking the family beagles [name_m]Mungo[/name_m] and Scratch, usually in her dad’s company. He’s overseer of the largest local library and, like his older child, not considered a particularly charismatic personality, but he’s come to not be bothered by this. [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] keeps a large map of [name_m]Denmark[/name_m] on her wall - valuing her dual cultural identity fiercely - and can speak [name_m]Danish[/name_m] fluently, which is actually how she’s been recording her investigation into [name_m]Brad[/name_m], so no-one can read her notes on what she uncovers [and [name_m]Urbane[/name_m] may have tried once when she was scribbling away during a biology lesson]. For as blasé and indelicate as she comes across, Ophelia’s heart is in the right place, she’s just someone who doesn’t have the personality type to convince other’s she isn’t just acting out of a need to feel superior [not helped by her status as a top academic in their year group].

[I_meme_it]

[name_f]Eulalia[/name_f] ’ [name_f]Lula[/name_f] ’ [name_f]Signe[/name_f] Lindegaard (4) is Ophelia’s little sister and the baby of the family, who greatly admires her older sibling and frequently asks to be read to by her - something [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] is always happy to do for [name_f]Lula[/name_f]. She’s definitely a lot shyer than her sister though, and usually hangs back at parties or social gatherings at the side of her mom. Being avid about books is definitely a family trait - their house has a huge library room constantly being added to - and Lula’s passion for painting is the only thing to rival this.

She loves watercolours the best, but also uses acrylics if she’s ran out, and tends to paint butterflies mostly, as they’re her favourite animal. However, for her dad’s birthday she made him a card depicting [name_m]Mungo[/name_m] and Scratch, although any kind of recreation intimidates her a fair bit. It does sometimes frustrate her she can’t walk the dogs by herself like her older sister can though. [name_f]Lula[/name_f] is also babysat by Azadah’s 16-year-old sister when her parents and sister are collectively busy, having a great deal of respect for the young woman too in the same vain as how she views [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f].

[mynameis1]

cw: teen pregnancy

Savannah Victoria Díaz (16) is Azadah’s older sister and Lula’s babysitter who does not know - pretty much anything - about what her sister is getting up to. She wants to ask Ophelia, who she knows because she watches her little sister, but doesn’t want to interrogate a 13-year-old, and she has a feeling Ophelia wouldn’t tell her anyway. She loves babysitting Lula though, as she always loved children. Maybe a little too much.

Even though Savannah cares about her sister and wonders what is going on with her, she has some problems of her own. She and her boyfriend, who’s 17, are having a baby. She understands this is very irresponsible given her age and that she is yet to finish highschool, but she thinks she is mature enough for it. Her boyfriend isn’t aware that Savannah is pregnant, but she has a feeling when she tells him she succeeded he will be understanding. No one knows this is what she is planning, so it seems Azadah isn’t the only one keeping secrets.

Her and Azadah’s father - their mother left when Savannah was 11 - is very concerned as to what is going on with both his girls, especially Azadah, as she was always so open to talking to her father in her past. Savannah knows it may be unfair, but she partly blames her father for their mom leaving, so she has been slightly standoffish towards him for a while. She never told Azadah any of this, but suspects she may have picked up on it and maybe that’s why Azadah has been acting so strange lately. She has no idea what is truly going on, but knows deep down that even if she did know, she’s no role model. Considering what she’s been planning.

[CherryBomb50]

[name_f]Zara[/name_f] [name_f]Anamarie[/name_f] Díaz (49) is [name_f]Savannah[/name_f] and Azadah’s paternal aunt. She’s not really the type to get into her brother’s drama and knows how unsettling his love life is. [name_f]Zara[/name_f] is single and has never married, this used to bother her but she’s now content and enjoys herself more. She has been on dates but nothing lasted long. She’s not sure if she’ll ever find love but she’s perfectly fine if love isn’t for her. Despite her age, she relates to teenage life a lot to her nieces. Admittingly the main reason why she feels this lack of confidence about being single is because of her high school reunions, so many people were married with children which made [name_f]Zara[/name_f] think. However [name_f]Zara[/name_f] does have a stable career as a nurse and enjoys this job path a lot but she’s not the type to open up on her personal life besides that. She personally never liked high school reunions, she finds it obnoxious seeing middle-aged adults try to brag about themselves and outdo each other, even more than they did in high school. Still, she’s inspired by some of her former classmates, especially the ones who weren’t successful in high school turning their lives around.

[name_f]Zara[/name_f] isn’t aware of Savannah’s pregnancy plan and while she isn’t supportive of an intentional teen pregnancy, she would want to know the child. Deep down, if she knew, she’d adopt the baby. [name_f]Savannah[/name_f] may not be willing to give up her child to [name_f]Zara[/name_f] but [name_f]Zara[/name_f] is a caring person and would let [name_f]Savannah[/name_f] see the baby as much as she could and maintain a cousin relationship with the baby. [name_f]Zara[/name_f] has never been too sure of a relationship but she’s always wanted to have a child. She was much too focused on nursing in her 20s and early 30s to have a relationship and dating since then had been difficult. Men got the wrong impression that she was single for so long without children that she didn’t want children, which strained relationships in dating because she would want kids and he would not. [name_f]Zara[/name_f] is too old now to conceive her own child and is considering adoption given that she still wants to have a child in her life. If only she knew what [name_f]Savannah[/name_f] had in store…but the truth is, would that really be what [name_f]Savannah[/name_f] wanted?

[kitkatcookie]

cw: affairs

[name_m]Theodore[/name_m] " [name_u]Teddy[/name_u] " [name_u]Easton[/name_u] Vaughnehan (17) is the father of Savannah’s unborn child, albeit he’s currently unaware of this development. [name_u]An[/name_u] army brat, [name_u]Teddy[/name_u] also grew up with a single father, which was something that led to he and [name_f]Savannah[/name_f] becoming close when he first began attending the same high school as her - actually transferring because he opted to move in with his grandparents rather than remain on the semi-isolated base he’d come to dislike so much. Teddy’s mother left the family for another man - a huge source of contention to this very day between his maternal and paternal grandparents - affer she tired of her husband being away for extended periods, having little understanding it was the very nature of being a soldier. The pair had been high school sweethearts, and [name_u]Teddy[/name_u] was born when they were only 20, being 9 when she walked out. While his little brother - who’s just turned 13 - visits their mother during the holiday season, [name_u]Teddy[/name_u] barely sees her, unable to reconcile her betrayal and abandonment, things he hides with his projection of confidence and carefree outlook on life: traits which made him very attractive in the eyes of multiple classmates, before he asked out [name_f]Savannah[/name_f], who he’d become very close to.

In middle school and his first high school, [name_u]Teddy[/name_u] had a reputation as a player, something [name_f]Savannah[/name_f] is aware of but remains a source of concern for him. While unhealthy - and he loathes to be psychoanalysed by anyone, even his best friend who wants to become a therapist [leading to a few rows over the years when the other boys tried to offer some helpful advice] - [name_u]Teddy[/name_u] admits it’s due to associating this part of his life with his mom, and he refuses to entertain the idea of leaving any children he might have some day…a philosophy [name_f]Savannah[/name_f] knows is on the verge of being tested. Zara’s also vaguely aware of this - as her niece talks about her boyfriend semi-regularly - and an adoption offer would be contested by [name_u]Teddy[/name_u], who’s determined to avoid repeating a cycle with his own family when it comes to confusion and a sense of being unwanted. He has tried to work on forgiving his mother, but currently it’s proving a fairly fruitless exercise. What has eased their relationship is she’s no longer dating the guy who she left his dad for - it fizzled out when Teddy’s mom refused to have more children - so there isn’t the same immediate source of conflict and upset when he goes to see her, albeit remains pretty awkward [until the last few days of his visit normally, and then the cycle resets for the next time].

Another point of frustration for [name_u]Teddy[/name_u] is he doesn’t know what he wants for his future, worsened by being part of a quartet of close friends where the other 3 are very much decided - not that he’d ever hold it against them, as they’re his rocks in terms of the future and discussing his feelings. Two of them - Teddy’s best friend and another - are at the old high school he was at before moving, while the third is at the one he currently attends, and they’re in a lot of the same classes [much to the chagrin of teachers, as [name_u]Teddy[/name_u] encourages and endorses his friends class clown personality at every opportunity]. Owning his own car now - a birthday present from his dad, nana and grandad - he has dinner most nights with his brother and father before going back to his grandparents, where he’ll walk their ancient, exceptionally sweet border collie, Pringle. He absolutely adores his grandparents, who have always supported his interests, although [name_u]Teddy[/name_u] feels they’re over generous when praising his baseball skills, as he belongs to the school team. A professional career is something he won’t consider though, as the intensity is not for him by a long shot, although teaching the sport has started to appeal more and more.

[mynameis1]

[name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] [name_u]Julian[/name_u] Vaughnehan (13) is Theo’s younger brother, and keeper of a secret he isn’t entirely sure what to do with. See, when he was going to the bathroom one night when [name_f]Savannah[/name_f] was staying at their house, he noticed something sticking out the trash can. It was a pregnancy test! While he wasn’t entirely sure what it was at first, he soon realised after a bit of staring. [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] is a nuisance, and sometimes acts like a bit of a jerk. So he doesn’t plan on telling anyone about this information, at least until he finds some way to hold this information over his brother’s head, and get him to get him something he wants - which will probably be a new pair of sneakers or something.

[name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] only told one person, and that’s his best friend. The best friend was actually the one who confirmed that this was indeed a pregnancy test, and since [name_u]Theo[/name_u] and [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] don’t have any other siblings, he knew it had to be Savannah’s. So now [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] and his best friend are trying to decide out what to do with his precious information.

[name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] isn’t sure what he wants to do with his life, but he has a lot of time. He doesn’t pay much attention in school, instead preferring to focus on girls. Much like his brother was when he was younger, [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] is a bit of a player - if you can even be a “player” at his age. [name_u]Theo[/name_u] tells him to stop being stupid and just focus on more important, not wanting his brother to be like him or do what their mom did; but [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] never listens to what his brother says.

Unlike his brother, [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] often visits his mother and comes over to the house. He doesn’t actually really want to see her, but feels guilt-tripped by his mother and father, and doesn’t want to make his mother feel bad that both her children don’t want to see her. [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] does have a soft side, he just never lets anyone see it, so he pretends like he wants to do these visits and that his mom leaving doesn’t secretly hurt him as well. [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] wishes [name_u]Theo[/name_u] would come on the visits more, but he would never admit this to anyone, especially his brother.

[CherryBomb50]

Koi Daanas Milligan (13) is Cyrus’s best friend and fellow secret keeper. He and Cyrus are in an unofficial music duo called Swordfish although their music is admittedly bad garage band quality and their name was just based off a fish they found cool, inspired by the high school basketball team Barracudas. Cyrus actually came up with it because he said girls like guys who play music and he wants fangirls. Koi himself wouldn’t mind if the baby was put up for adoption given his own life, he is an adoptive brother of Cady and adoptive son of Pearl. He’s of indigenous Choctaw descent and was an unplanned pregnancy, adopted when his birth parents were unable to keep him. Koi’s birth parents were not teenagers and Koi can’t imagine what it would be like for teenagers to balance pregnancy into their lives. However this did help Koi confirm for Cyrus that it’s a positive pregnancy test.

Koi is the more level-headed person between him and Cyrus but he’s fully understanding of Savannah’s secret and won’t tell anyone, especially since Savannah didn’t tell Koi personally. He can’t help but feel odd that he and Cyrus know something important that Teddy doesn’t know. Cady feels Koi is acting strange over something but Koi’s told her it’s not about him, without saying what it is. Cady isn’t so sure if she believes that, even if it’s true, especially since Koi has been hiding a secret crush on a girl in gym class. Cyrus knows about the crush and stopped flirting with the girl after realising Koi likes her, but still has many crushes on other girls. The only person who Koi has directly told his secret crush was his second cousin Porter, who also has a secret crush on a girl in his grade, although Jess also has cracked that Koi likes a girl. The thing that baffles Koi the most about the secret pregnancy is when Teddy will find out…

Pearl was created by @jinxed_peach.

Cady and Jess were created by @kitkatcookie.

Porter was created by me.

[I_meme_it]

[name_f]Lucinda[/name_f] ’ [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] ’ [name_f]Brielle[/name_f] Monkton (13) is the object of Koi’s affections, not that she’s at all aware of his feelings. She wasn’t that interested in [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] when he began flirting with her but did enjoy the game of it, even if she never saw anything deeper beyond what words were exchanged. Lucy’s considered very mature among her peers as she’s dated one boy. The relationship ended when he moved to [name_m]Fort[/name_m] [name_m]Myers[/name_m] a year ago, and while they have continued speaking on the phone, they’re now just back to being friends, which Lucy’s more than happy with. It wasn’t serious - even by the standards of 12 year olds - but she does find companionship very important

Arguably, Lucy’s influenced by her own parents. They’re very much in love and have a devoted relationship, the kind of bond [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] wishes to emulate someday, but she’s not too crazy about pursuing it in a serious capacity. What [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] wants is to become a nurse, something that surprises people as she isn’t from a medical family - her dad’s a professor of archaeology, her mom’s the PA to a local high-flying attorney - but she has a very compassionate spirit, and wishes to help people.

Her interest was sparked following the birth of her youngest brother, who required medical treatment due to complications in the labour process, and [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] saw how the actions of the nurses helped lift her parents spirits so much, prompting her to want to follow in their footsteps. As the eldest of 4, she has played caregiver when her younger sister and brothers have been unwell, mostly to give their parents a break, in the form of taking food and drinks to them. Lucy’s currently receiving maths tutoring from the girl Porter’s infatuated with, which is something [name_u]Jess[/name_u] absolutely intends on using to the advantage of both her brother and cousin.

[CherryBomb50]

[name_m]Alfred[/name_m] “ [name_m]Alf[/name_m] ” [name_u]Saylor[/name_u] Monkton (6 weeks) is Lucy’s youngest sibling and the youngest Monkton. He was an early birth by barely over a month, which his mother didn’t know would happen when she was first pregnant due to this not occurring with her other children. [name_m]Alf[/name_m] had to have extra monitoring in the hospital before being taken home so despite being 6 weeks, he feels like a newborn to the family, but it’s made them all the more excited to finally meet him! Both [name_m]Alf[/name_m] and his mother are doing just fine now health-wise but he’s expected to have some delays developmentally. His mother believes [name_m]Alf[/name_m] will be her last child given the complications but she’s grateful to be able to have 4 wonderful children. [name_m]Alf[/name_m] is usually asleep but the family loves seeing him when he’s awake and lively, even if what he does is babble most of the time. Most people outside the family haven’t met [name_m]Alf[/name_m] with the exception of Lucy’s tutor and [name_u]Jess[/name_u].

[kitkatcookie]

[name_f]Clarissa[/name_f] " [name_f]Clara[/name_f] " [name_u]Remy[/name_u] Monkton (10) is Alf’s other big sister and the second born of the four children. Next to [name_f]Lucy[/name_f], [name_f]Clara[/name_f] seems much less assured about her future, but it isn’t something that’s bothering her, as she’s got a lot going on. A member of her school’s softball and netball teams, Clara’s very athletically inclined. Her parents can remember her scaling trees and the climbing frame in their garden the moment she was tall enough, and she’s a very strong swimmer, who insisted on helping her younger brother - who’s just turned 6 - when he began going the pool with her and [name_f]Lucy[/name_f]. [name_f]Clara[/name_f] wants to help [name_m]Alf[/name_m] too, when he’s older, and her enthusiastic, high energy personality often hides her sensitivity. She’s a very emotionally aware person - for how chaotic she can appear, always running around, and her room is infamously messy - and seeing her mom and [name_m]Alf[/name_m] unwell seriously upset her, relying more on [name_f]Lucy[/name_f], whose understanding of the medical side of things helped abate Clara’s fears a lot. Due to their different interests, the sister’s aren’t as inseparable as some of their friend’s are with their siblings, but they’re very supportive of one another, and Clara’s constantly encouraging Lucy’s nursing dreams.

Sometimes [name_f]Clara[/name_f] also receives tutoring from the girl Porter’s so taken with, however she tends to take sessions off course by asking questions about the nature of high school and dating. Asking [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] would be terribly embarrassing, so Clara’s glad to have someone else to speak to about such things. She’s not got the same draw towards dating as her sister but is intrigued by it, mostly because of her parents being so evidently in love. Some of her friends are very impressed by the advice [name_f]Clara[/name_f] passes on from these discussions - being much more fixated on the conventions of growing up - but she and her best friend are solid in their belief sports, adventuring [well planning as of now] and perfecting nail painting are what’s to be valued first and foremost. Clara’s also the owner of the only pet in the house: her hamster, Button, who was a 9th birthday present, after some years spent asking her parents for an animal of any kind.

[mynameis1]

[name_f]Scarlett[/name_f] [name_f]Athena[/name_f] Ortez (10) is Clara’s best friend. Wanting to be a marine biologist when she grows up, [name_f]Scarlett[/name_f] loves animals, particularly ocean life. Her favourite animal is the dolphin, and she has so many stuffed dolphins you’d think her room had been taken over by them. Her brother who’s 12 makes fun of her for her stuffed animals and says she acts like a baby, and she also has an older sister who’s 13 that tutors [name_f]Lucy[/name_f].

[name_f]Scarlett[/name_f] often gets bullied by people other than her brother and doesn’t have many other friends besides [name_f]Clara[/name_f], because kids find her weird since she’s always talking about dolphins and other marine animals. But [name_f]Scarlett[/name_f] doesn’t pay this any mind, because she knows one day she will get to be a successful marine biologist, and then she will be happy.

Scarlett’s mom died when she was 9, and she is secretly grieving her loss still, though she only ever talked about this with [name_f]Clara[/name_f] once - the day after the funeral, and it was never brought up again. Scarlett’s dad is trying to get her and all his kids into therapy, but they - especially the older two, are against the idea. [name_f]Scarlett[/name_f] mostly is, but agreed to meet the therapist if it meant her dad would take her to get McDonald’s afterwards.

[kitkatcookie]

tw: parental loss

[name_f]Daniela[/name_f] " [name_f]Danni[/name_f] " [name_f]Cordelia[/name_f] Ortez (13) is Scarlett’s older sister and friend of [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] - both girls being maths students of Porter’s crush, while Danni’s also taught [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] some Spanish. Since losing her mom, [name_f]Danni[/name_f] hasn’t ever wanted to reflect on the pain - it was overwhelming, almost crippling, in how badly it hurt, and this has led to her burying the memories and associated emotions. [name_f]Danni[/name_f] is always keeping herself busy, never daring to linger on what she knows will upset her, and this is why when her dad mentioned therapy, she immediately told him she didn’t need it. Her mom was always the person [name_f]Danni[/name_f] turned to when she wanted comfort or had to ask for advice from, and replacing her with anyone else - even her dad - is something unfathomable right now. She’s definitely considered the authority among the siblings: her brother once tried making fun of Danni’s love of painting her nails - practicing art on them - and she shut that down quickly.

Her strong personality does mean she doesn’t always recognise when her brother’s giving [name_f]Scarlett[/name_f] a hard time, as she’s so used to putting him in his place it feels daresay natural, and this confidence unintentionally means her sister won’t confide in her, as she thinks [name_f]Danni[/name_f] would disapprove of her meeker nature. When the sisters are together, they do have a good time though: [name_f]Danni[/name_f] always encourages Scarlett’s love of dolphins and helps organise her stuffed animals, being unsurprisingly put together in how she conducts herself. She and [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] bonded over being the oldest in their respective families, and [name_f]Danni[/name_f] was very impressed by her brief romance, although it’s downplayed by the other girl now. [name_f]Danni[/name_f] has spoken to her friends about missing her mother a few times - briefly - however is similarly evasive to her sister when it comes to deeper manners. The one positive outlet she has for this is her diary, which is kept under tight lock and key, having warned her brother to never touch it…or suffer her wrath.

Cheerleading’s her current passion - she just became old enough to join her middle school squad - and this is another reason why Porter’s crush is someone she’s become close to, as she’s a member of the high school team, and subsequently [name_f]Danni[/name_f] loves asking her questions. A certain boy’s name - beginning with a P and ending in R - has come up a few times when she’s heard about the people her tutor’s hoping on getting to know better, but [name_f]Danni[/name_f] isn’t one for gossip [especially as the complex world of teenage relationships really is a headache she can do without]. For her resistance to counselling, she loves her dad wholeheartedly, and tries to protect him from worrying about her in other ways, such as how [name_f]Danni[/name_f] always completes homework, school assignments and chores promptly to give him a breather. Right now, she just wants to grieve on her own terms, even if they’re not the healthiest for her.

[cara_murvolio]

Alessandra “Alessia” Vittoria Tredoni (17) is the tutor of Lucy and Danni, as well as a cheerleader at the local Mountfield High School and the girl Porter has a crush on. An outgoing, bubbly personality, Alessia’s a very conventional cheerleader: popular, fun-loving and quite carefree in how she goes about life, as well as being considered nothing special when it comes to her grades. She’s way more focused on seeing her friends or doting on her family dogs - black lab Liquorice and sheepdog Caramel - than getting homework completed, however is never too bothered if it means the odd detention. After all, it’s not like Alessia getting in trouble a few times is going to impact her drive.

She wants to become a physical therapist, thanks to how sports and remaining active are so important to her; a bit of a contrast with her older brother, a computer programming student and ‘resident genius’ as she affectionately calls him - who’s interests tend to contrast with Alessia and their parents, not that they ever take issue with this. Having been a star gymnast throughout childhood, cheerleading was a natural transition, something Alessia isn’t just passionate about, but she also takes pride in it: supporting the school sports team morale is a necessity after all.

Alessia’s casually dated a few guys throughout the years - having attended a winter dance with the quarterback of the school footbalo team - however she was clear nothing was serious, and never made any unrealistic promises. Now she’s settled down more, she might want to try a longer term, serious commitment, however Alessia hates caging herself when it comes to the future, and is keeping this to herself for now. Her best friends are fellow squad members - one of them used to be her gymnastics rival, but they’ve gone onto form a very close bond since starting at the same high school - with one exception, that being the schools debate team junior captain, who she knows as they’re part of the same Italian-American social circle through their parents. Alessia’s mom co-runs an antique store and her dad’s a mechanic, with her family being small when compared to a lot of her peers. Truthfully, she prefers it this way, as it means closer bonds between everyone, instead of having a dozen cousins to compete with. Her talent at mathematics surprises people given she’s all about pep and team spirit, however her maternal grandfather was a professor of probability, so Alessia credits him for how numbers always make sense in her brain!

Porter Charleston was created by @CherryBomb50

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Merry Christmas to all of you!

[I_meme_it]

[name_f]Jenna[/name_f] [name_f]Therese[/name_f] Denlon (18) is the one of the cheersquad’s two captains who [name_f]Alessia[/name_f] has a good relationship with. Having gotten her college scholarship thanks to her achievements, Jenna’s very enthusiastic about encouraging people’s engagement with the sport, however she has a gentle approach when it comes to new recruits or middle schoolers who hope to make the high school team. A lot of people attribute her gentle nature to being the daughter of a respected nurse, and [name_f]Jenna[/name_f] herself hopes to become a midwife, absolutely adoring children.

Soon she’s going to become an aunt: her half-brother, born from her mother’s’ first marriage, who’s just turned 27, is expecting a child with his wife, who he married 3 years ago. [name_f]Jenna[/name_f] was his best man, something that made her parents very happy (although they aren’t biologically related, Jenna’s dad treats him no differently to her, as her brothers’ father walked out when he was 5 and hasn’t been heard much from since), and they have an excellent relationship. She actually helped him prepare for his first dance, as it’s frequently joked how all the grace went to her, while her brother was diagnosed with dyspraxia at 19.

In comparison to some of her friends, [name_f]Jenna[/name_f] knows she seems a bit unadventurous - she’s happy spending her evenings enjoying old sci-fi shows or walking the family dog [name_m]Corky[/name_m], an Italian Greyhound - but given what her mom experienced with her ex, she’d rather be calm and reliable opposed to living with reckless abandon. Jenna’s dated casually a bit but is presently single and happy that way, although she has recently started to consider she might be pansexual, something she wants to be certain of before coming out to those she knows well.

[nicoleweall]

tw: mentions of missing people.

[name_f]Emmaline[/name_f] [name_u]Love[/name_u] [name_u]Jagger[/name_u] (Emmy) (17) is Jenna’s half-brother’s step-daughter from his wife’s previous marriage. Her and her parents moved to [name_u]England[/name_u] last year where Emmy’s mother [name_f]Vivienne[/name_f] is originally from to be closer to her elderly parents who are yet to meet the new addition to their family and [name_f]Emmy[/name_f] herself. She also has a young full-sister [name_f]Jaqueline[/name_f] (Jacqui) who is 2 years younger than her.

[name_f]Emmy[/name_f] has always been a trouble maker since she was young, this is due to her copying her biological father’s behaviour who has been in and out of prison on various charges. Back in [name_u]America[/name_u], [name_f]Emmy[/name_f] was kicked out of various schools due to her behaviour and moving to Manchester in [name_u]England[/name_u] was meant to be a fresh start. She met members to her family that she never even realised existed most importantly her cousin [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] who is the same age as her which she spends a lot of her time with who is a good influence for [name_f]Emmy[/name_f].

Sadly, [name_f]Emmy[/name_f] has had a tough time since her start at college in Manchester and has already got kicked out due to a fight she had with someone who was mocking her American accent. While having a walk around the city centre, she started talking to a girl named [name_f]Justine[/name_f] and her friends who invited her to a party across town. They exchanged numbers and [name_f]Emmy[/name_f] agreed to come but she was nervous about going by herself so she invited [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] to come along. [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] warned her about [name_f]Justine[/name_f] and her friends but [name_f]Emmy[/name_f] refused to listen. [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] decided to tag along to keep [name_f]Emmy[/name_f] safe however only [name_f]Emmy[/name_f] made it home that night. [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] was reported missing and the case is still ongoing but they have yet to find her. [name_f]Emmy[/name_f] feels extremely guilty for what has happened and she often blames herself.

[kitkatcookie]

cw: hostile divorce

[name_f]Elenoa[/name_f] " [name_u]Noah[/name_u] " [name_f]Magdalene[/name_f] Hepworth (21) is a part of the internet sleuthing community who are discussing the disappearance of [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] Jagger-Lyon, as well as a host a true crime podcast alongside her close friend, having opted to start it while she pursues her degree in journalism. Unlike many others though, Noah’s involvement is more personal: she’s the older sister of one of the cheer squad members alongside [name_f]Jenna[/name_f] Denlon, having been informed of the case thanks to the sports association. Where active cases are concerned, [name_u]Noah[/name_u] and her cohost of The Hopeful Conclusion don’t get involved in discussing theories - it’s not their place and they don’t want to hinder anything - however they’re serious about raising awareness, and this is what they’ve done for [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f], hoping someone will remember something thanks to more voices asking for information to be passed onto investigators. Noah’s desire to pursue information comes from a sociological perspective: she believes in factual accuracy and ensuring the truth is what’s prioritised.

Partly it stems from a childhood growing up between two warring parents in the midst of divorce, with a lot of hearsay and allegations being made on both sides, as winning the approval of [name_f]Elenoa[/name_f] and her two younger sister’s became paramount. The three weathered a lot of cold war tactics and passive aggression, never being to the actual arguments, but getting a clear picture of the anger. Things have calmed down in the subsequent years - while Noah’s parents aren’t exactly fond of each other, they’re able to be civil now - and as she’s grown up she’s come to recognise finances were the heart of the conflict. Her dad isn’t a man anyone would mistake for financially responsible [dealing in impromptu gifts that the girls loved to receive but didn’t understand the consequences of], and it took its toll on their mom eventually, causing her to despair as she was the person trying to save, budget and ensure funds for their children were sorted regarding the future.

Noah’s more similar to her in nature - being a bit brusque in how she conducts herself, wry humoured and very much the sarcastic one of the duo in the podcasting department - which has led to a lot of understanding on her behalf, and she’s always mindful of her not becoming too stressed, as she’s evidently the responsible parent still, who takes on the brunt of what her daughter’s need. They do see their dad often - it’s monthly because of him moving three hours away, after he was offered a better job helping with his alimony payments - and [name_u]Noah[/name_u] isn’t hostile towards him, but they’re not the most warm when communicating [not solely because of the past, he just doesn’t appreciate her sense of humour; often being on the defensive thanks to them spending more of their time with their mother]. Certain events bring both sides of the family together, who have likewise been on poor terms in the wake of the divorce, and [name_u]Noah[/name_u] does her best to ensure her younger cousins aren’t uncomfortable or awkward, as she’s the eldest grandchild of her maternal grandparents and second eldest on her dad’s side.

Living in a small apartment, a 10 minute walk away from her mom’s place, with her podcast cohost, Noah’s the proud owner of a tabby cat she adopted from a rescue centre who answers to the name of [name_f]Tawny[/name_f]. They feature animal cases on The Hopeful Conclusion too - such as the exotic trade and prolific abusers - with [name_u]Noah[/name_u] attributing her interest to her mother working as a forest ranger, having spent a lot of holidays outdoors with her and her roommate also owns a pet, albeit they’re a little more easygoing than [name_f]Tawny[/name_f] who constantly searches for human attention. The two met at the open day of the college they attend, her cohost being from [name_u]North[/name_u] [name_f]Carolina[/name_f], and clicked almost instantly. This didn’t prevent [name_u]Noah[/name_u] from remaining close with her friends from school, regardless of who’s moved where for school. She’s actually done promotional collabs with some of them, and frequently knits little hats, arm warmers and fingerless gloves to send them as gifts, being almost as enthusiastic about fashion design as she is reporting.

[wandering_willow]

tw for brother that’s a suspect of murder

[name_f]Rocío[/name_f] [name_f]Carmela[/name_f] “ [name_f]Rosie[/name_f] “ [name_m]Fuentes[/name_m] (19) is Noah’s online friend and penpal, and is also intermingled in the internet sleuthing community. [name_f]Rosie[/name_f] has admittedly become a little too invested in it, but that’s because she too has personal connections to the murder. While she’s not told many people in the internet community, only [name_u]Noah[/name_u] and other people she’s become close with, she and her family live in Manchester, and she knew [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f]. Not personally, she only ever heard her name occasionally, but they lived in the same area. Rosie’s older brother started mentioning [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] and behaving awkwardly within a few days of the disappearance, which [name_f]Rosie[/name_f] found very suspicious. That’s why she joined the Internet forum the second she heard of it, under the pseudonym “booksandroses, which Rosie’s quite proud of. She is a bit of a reading addict- she loves reading with all her heart and soul, and will often read during her school breaks. She has a reputation as a bit of a nerd, but she doesn’t care- she’s happy, and that’s what matters.

Rosie’s terrified that her suspicions are correct, and her brother did do it- Rosie’s brother is two years older than her, and her only sibling. In childhood the duo was very attached to each other and wouldn’t leave each other alone, but when he was around eight something just snapped. The sweet, lovable and amicable boy he once was underwent a metamorphosis into a vile, hateful child. He’d scream, kick things and even tear off the wallpaper in his room. His parents didn’t know what to do so they put him in therapy, which seemed to quell the intense rage for a few weeks but he returned to his usual self, distant and angry. Because of her brother’s outbursts, [name_f]Rosie[/name_f] felt the intense pressure to be perfect- she would constantly stress over exams and grades as a way to be the “perfect daughter,” to make it up to her poor parents. Despite all the constant problems and issues, [name_f]Rosie[/name_f] never stopped loving her brother. She thinks his behaviors may have been attributed to sudden bullying, but nobody knows, because her brother doesn’t like talking about it.

Rosie’s very close with her parents- they adore her and obviously favor her which is mainly due to her brother’s actions. He may not be as crazy as he was at eight, and he’s more of an angry recluse, but [name_f]Rosie[/name_f] has no doubt in her mind that he had something to do with Evangeline’s disappearance, whether she’s alive today or not. Apart from being a sleuth online, [name_f]Rosie[/name_f] also enjoys writing- she’s often working on twelve stories at a time and sometimes forgets them, but she loves writing fiction. However, she plans to keep that strictly a hobby, though she’d like to publish a book someday she wants journalism to be her main pursuit, which is part of the reason she bonded with [name_u]Noah[/name_u] so quickly. [name_f]Rosie[/name_f] is very intelligent in reading- in fact, she’s in the same grade as [name_u]Noah[/name_u] despite being two years younger. She skipped grades in preschool due to her high intelligence and she’s taken an IQ test and gotten a score in the 140s, which she tries not to brag about but is definitely proud of.

[name_f]Rosie[/name_f] tries not to pay her big brother too much mind, and tries to focus on the good. She’s doing very well in school- she’s going to take next semester abroad in [name_f]Argentina[/name_f], which is where her parents are from- she chose [name_f]Argentina[/name_f] solely for that reason. It’s school funded, which means she doesn’t have to pay for the opportunity- and she admittedly feels a lot safer with the idea of not living with her brother. In spite of loving him, she’s scared of him and what he’s capable of. Luckily, she actually has some evidence against him- her brother and [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] were in the same part of town (Rosie’s brother said he needed to go there to “meet someone” and kept his whereabouts that night discreet, only saying a general area of where he was). He also came home that night with claw marks on his chest and arms, presumably from a fight. [name_f]Rosie[/name_f] wants to report him to the police but she’s too scared- after all, he’s her brother and she shouldn’t want to get rid of him. Right?

[kitkatcookie]

serious tw : attempted murder, description of injuries, age gap arguments

[name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] [name_u]Willow[/name_u] Jagger-Lyon (17) is the girl at the centre of so many questions. After disappearing for two weeks, it was discovered that [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] had in fact been located quickly, it was just that no-one had identified her. In a field beyond the suburbs where Justine’s party was taking place - whatever her intentions were for inviting [name_f]Emmy[/name_f], and if that’s even her real name - a woman going out for a morning run found a girl laying unconscious on the grass, almost two days after the fateful night. She’d been severely beaten and strangled, to the point of losing conscious, at which point the attack had stopped. As police have surmised, whoever attacked [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] that night wanted to kill someone, and she was the first person they managed to get alone somehow. The witness immediately called 999 and the teenager was sent to hospital, where she was found to be suffering amnesia: a combination of the head injuries received and her memory attempting to protect her from the trauma of the attack. [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] couldn’t remember her own name until a week after she’d been hospitalised - and she called herself [name_f]Lena[/name_f], the nickname her mum refers to her by - which made identifying her a difficult process, especially as she dyed her hair on a whim the night of the party but ended up wearing a scarf atop it, meaning people were still looking for a brunette. This was on top of the bruising and swelling from the attacker concentrating on her face and head, meaning her features only became recognisable once her body was properly healing.

Although there’s been rejoice from the community and law enforcement to find that Evangeline’s alive - nothing next to the reactions of her family - she still finds herself frustrated. [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] cannot, for how hard she tries, remember anything about that night beyond a certain point. She became separated from [name_f]Emmy[/name_f] once [name_f]Justine[/name_f] located her cousin, ended up talking to a girl she vaguely remembers having glasses, getting a phone call from her mum and then…nothing. It can’t even be verified what order those events happened in, as locating the teens at the party has proven incredibly difficult, as most of them didn’t want to come forwards in case they were found out to be drinking underage, or considered suspects in Evangeline’s disappearance. The online sleuthing community are certain someone must have seen something [they actually think it was a random act of murderous impulse opposed to a personally motivated attack, given how the person seemed more fixated on quickly disposing of another life], but the current most popular theory is that if there is suspicion as to who’s responsible, the witnesses are too afraid of this person to come forwards…

Since she was identified and reunited with her parents, there’s been more discord for [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] to weather. In the aftermath of the shock, a row erupted between her dad and her aunt [Emmy’s mum, her dad’s sister], about what happened that night. There were existing issues between the adults of the family about Vivienne’s second marriage - her husband only being ten years older than her firstborn daughter, and her convincing him to leave behind his close family to benefit herself, seriously upsetting his younger half-sister - but they imploded in the days after [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] was met by her loved one’s once more. It’s now known that [name_f]Vivienne[/name_f] and her husband have separated, although he hasn’t moved out to ensure [name_f]Emmy[/name_f] and [name_f]Jacqui[/name_f] have his support, and things worsened when Ms. [name_m]Lyon[/name_m] [Evangeline’s mother] insinuated he should take the unborn baby back to the States to protect them from being pulled into the conflict. [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] was more aware of these problems than [name_f]Emmy[/name_f], as her own personal life was much more calm: she attended an all girls school on scholarship, enjoyed gardening with her mum and walking the family dogs [golden retrievers [name_u]Nelson[/name_u] and Delilah] with her dad and planning on her next steps in life, wanting to study sociology at university.

Now all of that has been put on hold. [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] spends most of her time trying to wrestle back some normality. She’s not returned to school - and won’t be for at least three months, but her therapist has recommended taking more leave - and feels safest in her room, curled up with [name_u]Nelson[/name_u] and an audio book from her childhood. A few days ago, her best friend from school was allowed to visit, and seeing her familiar face helped tremendously, although reengaging with her full circle puts her on edge currently, as [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] knows someone’s going to ask about the attack eventually [her grandparents tried prodding but it led to another row between them and her dad, who didn’t want his daughter subjected to more pain]. Worst of all though, her relationship with [name_f]Emmy[/name_f] is incredibly strained right now, and she doesn’t quite know how it’s to be fixed. While she tries her best to not hold resentment or anger, [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] can’t help but feel betrayed by how she was left alone - at a party she didn’t even want to be at, one she advised her cousin to not attend - and she doesn’t trust herself in voicing her feelings without thrusting more problems out into her family. What she’s trying her best to focus on is healing, one day at a time.

[jinxed_peach]

cw: PTSD

[name_f]Marjorie[/name_f] [name_f]Helena[/name_f] Friar [23] is the witness who found [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] while out for her morning run. At first she was convinced that she was dreaming, or that Halloween had come early. Through her panic she managed to call the authorities of the girl’s presence. Initially she believed [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] to be dead so she stood back as to not tamper with a potential crime scene. After looking closer though she saw the teen’s ribs moving faintly and didn’t hesitate to get down on the grass and sit beside her. Since she lacked any medical knowledge and believed that the young girl might die before help arrived she wanted to attempt to comfort her in case these were her final moments. She gently moved the hair out of her face, being careful of the wounds on her face, and spoke to her softly while holding her hand. Though she was unsure of the outcome of the situation she found herself calmly repeating “It’s gonna be okay.” and “I’ve got you.” over and over until she realized that there were police officers and EMTs in front of her who then guided her away from the scene.

She watched frozen as they took [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] away into the ambulance, never being religious in her whole life until she prayed that day. The police took her to the station so she could calm down and give a statement, as well as contacting the family members she lives with, her fiancé and her mother. After a long day she was allowed to go home, advised to see a therapist as well. Since then she has been seeing a professional twice a week to work through what she had seen. She’s an avid runner and can’t go more than a day without getting out and getting a few miles down, however since coming across the badly beaten teen she can’t even look at her sneakers without getting a pit in her stomach. To fill her time now she’s been keeping up with the case online and is hopeful that a resolution can come to give her, and Evangeline’s family, some closure.

It feels strange to be so traumatized from an event that didn’t effect her nearly as badly as it had those who were actually involved, but as her therapist has reminded her ‘trauma is relative’ and she shouldn’t discount her own experience just because someone might have it worse.

She also would love to someday meet [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] again. She knows that she won’t remember her, but thinks seeing her healing might help her with her own journey. Though only if she’s ready to see guests. Until then she’s been trying to begin to enjoy her old passions again, starting with a nice slow walk around the block.

[mynameis1]

Luca Timothy Pittman (17) is Evangeline’s boyfriend. He does not know Marjorie personally, but he is still incredibly thankful for whoever found his girlfriend who was distraught over not knowing what happened to her and is currently trying to find the person, but has not gotten far in his search. Now that he knows what happened, he feels a lot of guilt because he feels as her boyfriend it was his responsibility to protect her. He knew she was going to this party and advised her not to, but Evangeline told him she was going anyway. He had let her go, but now he feels like an awful person for standing his ground, or at least going to the party with her and stopping whatever happened that night from ever happening in the first place.

The guilt he feels is making him feel terrified to see her when visitors are allowed because he is worried she either won’t remember him or blame him for what happened, and he isn’t sure what would hurt worse. He is currently trying to cope with feelings of guilt and self hatred by trying his best to find the person who killed Evangeline. He isn’t getting that far in his search but he is determined to find the person and he narrowed it down to a man in his late 20s who had a history of anger issues, and is suspicious of a guy who is the older brother of someone who goes to his school.

His parents and other close people in his life are worried about him, because as well as being obsessed with finding out who did this and whoever found Evangeline - he feels he has gotten so close trying to find her attacker, and knows he is close to cracking the case and that has taken priority until he does - he has become something of an alcoholic as well as a fiend for any drug he can find to help numb the pain he feels. He is getting more reckless as time goes on and isn’t allowed to see Evangeline, and everyone is worried he’s going to do something stupid. Which they aren’t exactly incorrect in thinking, because in his mind when he finds out whoever did this, he is going to make them suffer greatly to make up for his believed errors in not protecting Evangeline.