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Post by beth langston. on May 28, 2008 21:58:12 GMT -5
The hot sun shone down on the desert town of Blue Heights. Beth Langston wore her usual attire with pride- jean shorts and a tank top with her legendary black converse. Heck, no one would have guessed that she was seventeen. Most people thought that she was fifteen, at best. Taking a walk down the road, Beth watched the dust catch on to her shoes and was oddly amused. She was beginning to walk into town and hadn't even looked into Ran's house like she was hoping to. Ah, well. She had plenty of time. School had just let out, and their school didn't have summer school. Not like she would be there, anyway. Hey now, she sounded pretty conceited there.
Beth walked into town and glanced around the eerie desert place. Everytime she looked down the road, she always got a shiver, even though she didn't know why. The black-haired beauty shrugged and kept on walking. The library sign was now in view. For once, Beth was actually going there to look something up. She wanted to see the records for murders in the town. Crazy, she knew. But hey, Beth was a crazy person. She entered the library and began to browse through the shelves, purposely sticking her booty out- for everyone else's pleasure.
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Post by cam hughes on May 29, 2008 21:51:10 GMT -5
The day the storm blew into town... Was it a real storm? No, of course not! It was Camilla Hughes! Cam Hughes in her short little mini skirt and knee-high chocolate brown boots. Her strappy brown tank-top and her layered over shirt. Her muss of brunette locks flitting about in what this dry, deserted little town tried to claim as a breeze. Yes, Cam Hughes brought with her a storm of secrets, lies, deceit, and most of all, drama.
Who would be the first victim to her encounter? Who might be so brave as to address the Cam Hughes? Cam had begun wondering this from the moment she stepped out of the car onto the street of Blue Heights. Yeah, she ahd unloaded some of her stuff into Ran's grungy house and then decided to take her fair peek at what she was being forced into.
So, she'd just begun making her way through town. How many poeple she'd meet, she knew not. It looked like the entire town of Blue Heights was asleep that Saterday morning. Small town life was not for Cam. Where were the busy streets and the fashion models speeding down the freeways to get to their big breaks? Where were the gangster wannabes who only listened to rao? Where were the high-tech corporate clones who only wore suits in designer labels? No, Blue Heights had made a horrid first impression in its sleepy state. Just horrid!
So, Cam tried to take some sort of comfort in a quiet place. Maybe someone had slipped in for reading? Her boots clicked up the steps until she opened the library door and stepped inside ot be greeted by the scent of dusty pages. Then she saw it, some girl who probably thought herself the top of the universe's ranks sticking her butt oout in the aisle.
"Well, if it isn't a little Blue Heights princess?" Cam tested, she loved first impressions, would this girl reach the par at which Cam considered hers? "And here I thought small town kids all slept in this time of day." Her smile was deceiving, any normal person would know that Cam wasn't jsut anyone. Would this girl know that?
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Post by beth langston. on May 29, 2008 22:02:46 GMT -5
Beth finally saw a book titled 'Murder and Mayhem' and pulled it out of the shelf. She was surprised that this dusty old library would have any helpful or interesting books at all. She felt the dirt crawl up in her fingernails as she dug around for another book. She knew that she would finish this book so fast, it would be scary. Beth was looking through the books when she heard a voice behind her and whirled around, a scowl on her face.
Princess? No one had called her that. Ever. Why? Well, Beth had never really lived a princess life. Even before Blue Heights, Beth always lived in small towns with small houses and not much money in her pocket. Besides, what right did this girl have to call her that anyway? "Well, it looks like you've gotten a little confused, barbie." Beth looked at this girl's outfit. No one wore clothes like that around here.
"Last time I checked, Snobbish and Co. didn't have a store in Blue Heights", she tested, putting the book down and setting her hands on her hips. This girl had a look of pure power on her face and Beth wasn't exactly a fan of it. She decided that she should really study what this girl was all about- Beth had a knack for doing that from reading people's expressions.
Then, when she finally looked, she saw something. This girl looked just like...Ran. That's when it hit her- like a speeding six-wheel truck. Her mom had been talking about Ran's long lost siblings coming back to town after his parents died. "Are you Ran's sister?"And, if so, maybe Beth had screwed up her chances by being to un-welcome-y to this new girl.
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Post by cam hughes on May 29, 2008 22:30:54 GMT -5
Cam stared the girl up and down with a taunting smile now, "Aw, the gall to call me Barbie? Do I look blonde sweetie? Someone doesn't quite know the art of insult quite yet. Although 'Snobbish and Co' was half of a nice touch." Her remarks were stinging but not yet what true cruelty looked like. No, Cam was an artist of words. Or perhaps a scam artist at the rate she was going.
"Ew, Ran." Cam sneered slightly. She despised knowing what a failure her oldest brother was. Every family did have one screw-up though and Ran happened to be their's. "Yes, I happen to be related to Ran. Name's Cam Hughes, don't forget it." Cam offered as she let her sneer remain. She wondered where the hell Princess had heard of Ran. What was he, some kind of creepy small town Montana legend?
Cam could already see this coming, Hughes twins murdered by creepy older brother, Ran Hughes in freak basement accident... She could already picture the headlines hitting newspapers nation-wide. Cam Hughes had so much to live up to and Ran was merely a disgrace on the Hughes name. Thank god she had her twin brother Jay or else she'd feel like the only alien in Blue Heights. Obviously, the residents here thought people like came were jsut, out of place. Maybe that was good though. This girl was already noticing that Cam was different and in a way that meant something.
Now came the criticism... Cam stared her down from head to toe. Let's see, shabby clothes and shoes. Small for age but intelligent enough for small town glory. I daresay she's one of the top league in this tiny little nothing town. Maybe i'll recruit her... Cam's thoughts were already moving in ways of manipulation, how would any friendship with Princess benefit her. There was learning which needed to take place. What would Cam make of Princess's character?
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Post by beth langston. on May 29, 2008 22:46:56 GMT -5
Beth rolled her eyes. "Hey, I'm used to calling all the bitches in this town 'barbie'. You're just about the only brunette besides me. Well, I have more of a black color, but whatever." She looked Cam up and down once again. Ran sure wasn't lying the one time when he told her about his old family and how rich they were. She still remembered that conversation to this day.
Ran sat in Beth's room, on her beanbag chair, and strummed on the rotting guitar he had found at the dump. Beth walked in with a tray of popcorn and two cokes. "You always do make yourself at home, Randolph", she said with a smirk. Ran scowled. "Randolph...what the fuck where my brady bunch parents thinking when they named me that?" Beth shrugged. "Maybe they were totally and completely drunk?" Ran grabbed a handful of the popcorn and threw it at Beth. "Damn girl, you sure do make a mess."
Beth smiled, coming back down to earth. All those times in her room with Ran had been so fun. Even though nothing interesting happened in there- as much as she wanted it to happen. "So...you're name's Cam? I'm Beth Langston." Her mom always told her that it was manners over matter. Whatever that meant.
"So, er, what are doing in the library? You don't exactly look the bookworm part." Beth was telling the truth when she said that. Cam looked like she stepped out of Vogue. Leaving the book on the floor, Beth began to walk a bit down the aisle. "I can walk you back to your house, if you want. I live right next to you."
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Post by cam hughes on May 29, 2008 23:03:15 GMT -5
"HAHA, all the bitches you say? Well Little Langston, let me tell you a thing or two about bitches..." Cam's face lit up colorfully, she was a goddess when it came to dramatics. "I come from a bigger 'town' called Los Angeles where the bitches don't just say mean things, they do mean things. If you're not at the top of the food-chain, you're nothing. I was fucking royalty when it came down to bitch society. Trust me, Barbie's got nothing on me. I'd have made her look like a child's toy." Her words were comical. Yes, Cam knew half the population took them to be a sign of ignorance, but Cam knew the difference; comedy and stupidity were a fine line which she knew how to separate with perfection.
"And I don't look like a bookworm? I resent that one. And they say that little small town girls know better than to stereotype from first glance. I'll have you know that I've not stepped anywhere but in advanced placement courses through out the entire span of my education so far. My intelligence level is not something you'd want to play around with." Cam's tone was everything but enjoyable. Her sneere had been lost, but every trace of her face warned Beth not to test her intelligence. She hated others thinking she was stupid merely because her taste in clothing was far superior to theirs.
"Ew, I can tell already! You and Ran, you have a thing, don't you?" Cam's eyes lit up with excitement. She could call silly crushes at a mile away. Every oen of her friend back in LA had a new 'crush' every other week and Cam always knew what was going on. Call it a gift or a cruse, but Camilla Hughes always got the scoop from the source easily. "Do tell, small town drama, I can't wait for a bite of this." Cam was thoroughly enjoying this one. She was absolutely addicted to drama and if she could get a nice big slice of it right off the bat; there might still be a chance for little old Blue Heights.
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Post by beth langston. on May 29, 2008 23:52:43 GMT -5
Beth's eyes widened a bit. She had never been to a town like LA, full of bustle and people and all of that. She had only been accustomed to the redneck life, you could say. The place she she could have compared most to LA was when Beth and her mom stayed in Reno, Nevada for one night. That was about it. As much as she knew it was wrong, Beth was strangely interested in this whole big city business. Maybe someday her and Cam could drive down to see it...
Beth stopped herself. She barely knew this girl anyway. Besides, Cam was just about insulting her and her mind was wandering away, as usual. She listened to Cam's rants and nodded. Hey, sorry about being judgemental. It's just that in tis town...it's hard not to be. We kind of amuse ourselves by trying to be like you big-city kind of people. Although, we never really fit the part. Maybe because if we tried to wear heels, they'd get all dusty before we eveen made it down the street." Beth smiled at her own joke.
But, she frowned when Cam talked about Ran. Beth gulped and looked down at her feet. "Well..." Hey, it wasn't like there was nothing going on between them, persay. They were almost best friends, even though Beth had stronger feelings than friendship. She dreamed about him, for christ's sake. Beth always did wonder what Ran thought of her. That's when it hit her- again.
"Wait, you're Ran's sister!" Beth almost slapped herself. That was pretty obvious by now. Maybe, just maybe, Cam would actually follow her on this. "Er, do you know if he has any...I don't know...interest in anybody?" She smiled coyly and hoped that this 'smart girl from richville' would understand where she was coming from.
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Post by cam hughes on May 30, 2008 12:37:44 GMT -5
Cam could not possibly suppress the laugh which escaped her lips. Not a 'haha, how funny' laugh but a 'good lord, I've stumbled upon genius' laugh. "It's alright Beth, I'm sensing a friendship coming on." Cam smiled, she really did. Anyone who could keep up at her pace and not already be hating was worthy of the time.
"Interest in anyone? Honey, I've only been here perhaps a day. I have no idea who or what Ran likes. He's an oddity to me. I don't even know how he claims to be a Hughes in this place." Her sneere was cruel laughter was turning to curious manipulation. She could use Langston to find out more about Ran. Maybe she could learn the real reasons Ran never liked being with the Hughes family. This could get very interesting.
Perhaps redneck capital of the world had a few little nooks and crannies worth Cam's attention. Perhaps Beth Langston might go along for the ride as well. Who didn't love a good dose of drama anyway? It was time for the games to begin.
"So, tell me about Blue Heights. What do I need to know to get by in this hell hole?" She inquired with wide eyes. It was as though things were already getting rolling. Cam couldn't wait for it to get real. How many people in this little town could she bring down?
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Post by beth langston. on May 30, 2008 20:24:05 GMT -5
Beth smiled. She knew that all the new people in this town never really realized when they stepped into- and she loved it. Some people at school said Beth had a big mouth and love for gossip. Maybe that was something her and Cam had in common? Anyway, she began to pick at a breaking nail and looked back up at Cam. "You might want to sit down for this." Beth grabbed a hold of Cam's arm and practically pushed her into a chair and sat across from her. She couldn't wait for this.
"My, my Cam. You have no idea what you just cracked into." Beth thought about what tell her first. There were so many interesting things that she could start off with, but Beth wan't to keep the conversation interesting. Hey, might as well start with herself. "You wanna know about drama? Well, I don't know if you've met Chase Daniels yet?" Beth didn't really wait for an answer and kept talking. "When I was like fifteen, we started going out and it was kind of on-again off-again until this year. Last year was when I really found out the truth about him. Turns out, he killed his dad." Beth didn't even wait for her reaction before moving on.
"And wait until you hear this; his dad used to beat him and his older brother. Then, one night, when his dad threatened to hurt his little brother, Luke, Chase just grabbed a gun and shot him. He died in their house." Beth smiled, satisfied. She loved this. "Speaking of Luke, he has this romance going on with just about the most popular girl in school; Gabby Farris. Pretty, semi-rich, smart; the whole package." Beth took a break from talking and licked her lips.
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Post by cam hughes on May 30, 2008 20:37:27 GMT -5
Cam was ready to hear a really good scoop and then she got the details about this Chase kid. That's when Cam freaked out. It was like that night all over again. Camilla Danielle Hughes felt the wave of insanity wash over her as though it was newborn and at full blow.
It was that night again, sitting at that one kid's house. Hell, Cam couldn't even remember his name anymore. It felt like it had happened years and years ago. She remembered being so god damn drunk that it felt like just her hands weighed a thousand pounds to lift. She remembered Tallie handing her a cigarrette before leaving. She also remembered the flash of lights, the stale taste of alcohol on her lips, the scents of smoke and sweat hanging in the air like smog, the blairing sounds of music that was more than her precious pedigree ears could handly. Then, she remembered the sound of her cell phone rining. She remembered seeing Jay's number on the screen and stuttering into the receiver like a toddler learning how to use a phone for the first time.
His words had hit her like the storm she carried behind her every day. "There was an accident. They're.... they're gone Cammie. Don't come home, don't leave. If you can, stay with a friend until you're sober. Just, don't come to the hospital." Jay's words still stung her washed out mind. She felt like a pair of jeans left in the sun too long, worn down to the very last thread.
Then came the days that followed. That horrible funeral. Cam could never hear bag pipes again without thinking of them. Their cold, pale faces frozen over like stone. She could feel the pale in herself too now. Every day from that moment on, she felt that tiny piece of dead inside herself. All she could give back was a stealthy grudge.
"I..i, I'm leaving. See you around Beth." Cam tried to regain composure. She scarcely ever let it drop but that information about Chase was just so unexpected. She headed for the library door not knowing where to go. Hopefully Jay was home or else she'd be on her own, as usual.
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Post by beth langston. on May 30, 2008 20:49:07 GMT -5
Beth looked in awe as Cam began to walk away. "Wait!" God, Cam really did seem the type to want to know about this stuff, and now she was just walking away? The look on her face was guilty, just like Chase always had. That's when Beth realized it. By now, her and Cam were on the front steps of the library. "D-did something happen to you...to your parents?" That's when Beth's brain actually came to play. Why would Ran's siblings come now of all times? Only if maybe something over custody came up.
And, for some reason, Beth started thinking about her own past. With her dad, and her mom. She remembered the one night when she told Ran about her life and he told her about his.
It was a chilly night in the desert, and Beth hugged the leather jacket that Ran had let her borrow. Her mom wasn't home and Ran was locked out of his house- so the two were stuck outside. His jacket smelled like beer and burnt popcorn- the smell that Beth had come to love. He looked up at the stars and watched them glitter. "Why did you come here?", he asked her out of the blue.
Beth looked straight at him, and his gaze turned to her. "Well- I- uh. I guess I need to tell you sooner or later." Beth would have rather chosen later, but still. "My dad beat my mom.", she said flat-out. "And, they fought. And, my mom couldn't take it anymore- so we took a car and drove." She watched his expression change from the hard look he always had to a soft face. "I'm sorry", he mumbled and stepped forward. And, to end the best day in Beth's life, Ran took her in his arms and squeezed her- then she knew that everything was gonna be all right.
Beth came back to reality and looked straight at Cam. She'd about heard all about tragic things...or had she?
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Post by cam hughes on May 30, 2008 20:57:52 GMT -5
Cam stared Beth down. It was like one of those epic moments of truth people only read about in books. Did she trust this girl? Or was Beth just another gossip whoring lunatic who Cam would have to squash out like a bug? The moment of truth weighed out a little longer than Cam anticipated and that's when Cam realized, Beth was so much like her.
"My parents are both... uhm... dead." Cam offered looking down at the ground. She hated awkward moments when she felt that she wasn't in control anymore. What the hell was she doing sharing this with Beth anyway. "Look, I don't really trust very many people with information like this. Maybe I'll tell you about it some other time; if you're trustworthy enough." Her remark was heavy. The weight of it hung in the air like a threat. The fact that she'd brought herself to say that her parents were dead at all was big enough in itself.
"What about you Beth? Tell me your family scene? I mean really, it seems like everyone in Blue Heights has a fucked up family, right?" She offered now. It was a bit like calling it even. That was just how Cam's brain worked.
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Post by beth langston. on May 30, 2008 21:05:19 GMT -5
Beth watched Cam stare her down, and her face a little soft. She could tell by Cam's expression that she was comtemplating whether or not she could trust Beth with this information. Maybe Cam didn't she know Beth could just get the info from Ran anyway? She could just ask him and he would tell. But, Beth wasn't that rude. She'd soak up any information Cam told her now.
When she said that her parents were dead, something hit Beth. Not only were Cam's parents dead, but so were Ran's. Something got to her- maybe to her heart or something, but she felt sympathy. "I get that", Beth told her with a small smile. "Half the people in this town don't even know about me- and I've lived here for four years."
When Cam talked about the fucked-up families, Beth nodded. "Well, my dad beat my mom. And, he drank. And, my mom just couldn't take it anymore. So, we took his car and left. We ended up here and that's when I met Ran." Yes, that was Beth's life in a nutshell, and maybe someday she would explain more of it to Cam later.
Later..
If Beth hadn't noticed, the relationship that was building her wasn't just a fake friendship. It seemed more than that. Her and Cam kind of came from the same place- and Beth had never met anyone like that.
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Post by cam hughes on May 30, 2008 21:17:31 GMT -5
"Ouch, what'd I say, most families are fucked up." Cam offered. That was when it really hit her. Beth wasn't just some girl, she was a friend. Not a fake friend either. No, Beth was a real, true Blue friend. It was shocking. Cam had been there a day and she'd made a real friend. Who'd have seen that coming?
"Damn, you and Ran. I'm going to have to do some nagging. There must be some relationship on the rise here." Cam felt free to offer teasing now. She could tell Beth had already fallen for Ran hard. She'd have to play a little match-maker on her new frined's behalf. Now came the time to see if she could keep a new friend though.
"Okay, my parents didn't just up and die though." Cam had to tell the truth. They didn't call them 'true blue' friends for nothing. "Look, bring this to the grave Beth Langston. Ran doesn't even know the full truth to our parents death." Cam swore her to secrecy. It sounded like such a threat. It truly felt like one too. Cam was the kind of girl who hunted and killed over secrets. Metaphorically of course, but the point is still made.
"I used to party a lot back in LA. That night, I'd been out with friends and I forgot to call home and have my twin brother Jay cover for me. My parents found out where I was instead and came to come get me. I was so drunk out of my fucking mind, you have no idea. Anyway, my friend Tallie, she wa sleaving with this random guy we knew. And they were speeding down the freeway drunk. Tallie forgot her purse, they turned back around. Next thing I know, Jay calls me at like three in the morning and tells me my parents and friend are all dead. What are the odds of that one happening?" Cam confessed. Her tone was somber. It was respectfully sorrowful of the lvies lost and entirely devoured in guilt for her having been the cause of it all.
"I'm like the fucking plague! Look at the people who've died because of my shitty luck! Three down, how many others will die because of my petty mistakes?" She sat on the steps, unable to keep herself standing for her guilt weighed her down so heavily. The library steps were cold and her legs wished to reject them, but Cam couldn't bring herself to stand.
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Post by beth langston. on May 30, 2008 21:24:53 GMT -5
Beth listened to Cam's teasing and smiled a bit. She had a feeling that Cam might try and find something with her and Ran- although there was nothing there. Sure, every once in a while they shared something romantic- but nothing to brag about.
As Cam talked about her past, though, Beth felt the guilt in her face. She walked over and sat down on the steps next to Cam. "You really blame yourself for that, Cam? It's not like you told your friend to go with that guy. Yeah, you forgot to tell Jay to cover for you, but it's no one's fault. Some guy up there planned all of this to decide our fates, and you had nothing to do with this." Beth put a hand on Cam's shoulder, even though it was shaky.
"I mean, sometimes I blame myself for my dad's behavior. The way he looked at me; like he despised me. I bet he never wanted me on the face of the earth. I spent all my life trying to impress him- trying to be something to him. It ended up biting me in the ass", Beth smiled a bit before going on, "I should have known that he'd start drinking if I tried to force a relationship on him, it's my fault that my mom has all those scars...",she finished softly.
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