here comes the sun;

steal your heart — augustana
[layout -- inspired by @ohofkors, again]
two stories again, whoo!
 
cassandra jorik —
date- june tenth
hair- down and wavy (like the picture)
makeup- natural and shimmery
wearing- chevron j. crew dress
where- cate and josh's home
with- cate, josh, noah, reid, ethan and emilia
collab with @nifty-nikki
 
I leaned over the wooden deck, lighting one of the citronella candles.
Cate is (efficiently) running in and out of her home, with plates and platters and silverware.
 
“Honey, Cate,” Josh makes a (futile) attempt to calm down his wife, she smiles for a brief moment and then turns back into the kitchen.
He sighs, taking a seat on the deck. “I tried.”
 
I sit beside him, “It is Cate.”
Josh chuckles, glancing in on the kitchen —
she’s in the middle of pots and pans, steam rising from the oven.
 

Ethan and Emilia share the swing on the porch,
Noah talks to Cate about her newest recipe,
and Reid and Josh are talking about hockey playoffs.
 
I share a quick smile with Ethan, his pale blue eyes (almost, definitely) rouse some dormant butterflies.
I wave at Emilia and head over to Noah and Cate.
 
“What’s up, babysitter?” Noah teases me, playfully hitting my arm.
 
I roll my eyes (in a grand gesture),
“You know I do have a career…other than watching Disney movies.”
 
“Sure you do, sure you do.” Noah shifts her weight from one foot to another, crossing her arms over her chest looking a little uncomfortable.
“Any more fundraisers planned?”
 
I shake my head no and smile, “I don’t have the sanity to plan a second one.”
 
Cate has left to kitchen mayhem, recruiting Matt to help with her the stainless steel grill.
 
“Well you sure have a knack for planning them,” Noah compliments,
her attention turning to Emilia and Ethan — hard not to, being so cute and all.
“Aw she’s adorable, and she loves you.”
 
I blush, but I could not help smiling. “Emmy is quite adorable.”
 
Em jumps off of the porch swing and out of Ethan’s grasp,
walking (more like sprinting) over to Noah and me.
 
“Hi Cassie!” Emmy (practically) crawls up my leg until I pick her up,
latching her little arms — which happen to be stronger than they look — around my neck.
“Did you know, Cassie is going to my sister with Ethan and take care of me?”
 
I hear Ethan’s laugh, “Emilia, I told you to stop saying that.”
 
“Hi Ethan,” Noah greets him with a smile.
“Your girl sure loves Cass.”
 
Ethan laughs again, “I think it’s impossible not to fall for Cassie.”
 
I blush (again) and Cate finally comes out with the dinner,
there’s hamburgers and arugula salad,
marinated chicken and a tomato/mozzarella appetizer.
 
We all sit quietly gorging on Cate’s brilliantly cooked food,
I sit between Emilia and Ethan.
 
“So Reid,” Josh starts after sipping on his drink, “How do you like Lucky Harbor?”
 
Reid swallows his food (thankfully) before answering, “It’s…quaint.”
“Different than LA, way different.”
 
“How so?” Noah pipes in, twirling her fork in the air.
 
Reid looks over at Noah, like he’s speaking only to her. “It’s faster paced,
the city isn’t as clean as Lucky Harbor, but its home.”
 
“I had an interview in Los Angeles just last weekend,” I say,
feeling Ethan’s steady gaze on me — like he’s trying to figure me out.
“It was for the American Cancer Society-“
 
“But Cassie!” Emmy pleads in a whiny voice, “You can’t leave Lucky Harbor!
Ethan is supposed ‘to marry you!”
 
The table goes silent,
and then Cate erupts into giggles,
and Josh burst out into an echoing laugh,
and Reid starts to laugh lightly,
and so does Noah.
 
I blush and Ethan reprimands Emilia, but even he can’t hold in his laughter
and then I’m laughing.
 
“Any other cities you have to go to?” Noah asks.
 
Em glares over at Noah, like she’s the mastermind behind me leaving.
 
I let Em sit on my lap, “I have a second interview for a company in,” I put my hands over Em’s ears,
“Portland/Seattle, there’s two firms.”
 
“She’s staying in Lucky Harbor.” Emilia states with a pout,
courtesy of six year old pride and being up past her bedtime.
 
I laugh and lean back in the deck chair;
Em’s curly brown hair tickling my forearms,
Ethan beside me, joking with the Matt and Reid,
Noah sitting across the table, a dreamy look on her face,
and Cate, admiring the future we’ve built for ourselves.
 
I feel my heart tug,
maybe,
just maybe,
Cass Jorik /will/ be staying in Lucky Harbor.
 
date- june thirteenth
hair- down and wavy again
makeup- like the picture
wearing- bottom romper and wedge heels
where- the montgomery home
with- emilia and ethan
 
Emilia peers into the stainless steel oven,
asking for the sixth time if the cupcakes are ready.
Unfortunately, the cupcakes were not.
 
I wash the mixing bowl in the (matching) stainless steel sink,
scrubbing the goopy batter off and cleaning the wooden spoon.
 
The oven’s timer beats (finally) and I find navy oven mitts,
sliding the cupcakes off a clean shelf and onto the top,
checking for the cupcakes to be down.
 
Once the cupcakes are properly frosted in princess shades,
Em and I sit in the kitchen enjoying the double chocolate cupcakes.
 
“Cassie, can you go to my Girl Scout’s outing?
Ethan does, but he doesn’t get along well with other Mommies.”
 
“Of course Emmy,” I smile and agree,
getting up to pour us two glasses of milk.
I had been to two of Em’s outing and a tea party.
 
We each have two decadent cupcakes,
leaving two for Ethan and one more for Emilia tomorrow.
 

 
The sugar rush passes quickly and Em passes out during Mulan,
I tuck her into her bed and close the door quietly,
slipping back into the living room to read a new book.
 
A thunderstorm over the Pacific begins with sheets of heavy rain, booms of thunder, and flashes of lighting.
I put the romance novel down, turning on the local weather station.
“—Severe thunder storm warnings are expected in the Lucky Harbor area.”
 
The front door opens and quickly slams with a gust of wind,
Ethan walks in his hair dripping with rain and his paramedic uniform soaked through,
he looks lethargic and drained from a long shift.
 
I slowly reach for my purse and rain jacket,
but Ethan stops me with a gentle hand.
“Cass, it’s terrible out there and I don’t want you driving,
I would drive you, but I can’t with Em asleep.”
 
I raise my eyebrows. “So, what are you suggesting I do, pitch a tent in your basement?”
 
Ethan rubs the back of his neck slowly,
just as another strong boom of thunder rumbles the house.
“…You could just stay here tonight?”
 
I would love to, I think.
“There’s no guest bedroom, but you can take the master,
I’ll sleep out here on the couch.”
 
“Ethan you just worked a ten hour shift, you need your sleep.”
 
He smiles at me, a weary lopsided smile —
a smile that makes my heart flutter, my knees weak.
“I’ll call Cate and tell her I’m staying, thank you.”
 

 
I finish and hang-up with Cate heading back to the kitchen,
Ethan’s sitting by the kitchen island biting into a second cupcake,
he notices me in the doorway, a grin spreading across his face.
 
I take in his (still) wet hair and pajamas — a white v-neck and grey sweatpants.
He wipes chocolate crumbs from his face, “How was Em tonight?
Thanks for watching her, she loves you.”
 
“We made cupcakes and watched Mulan together,
I can take her to Girl Scouts too, Emmy asked.”
 
Ethan looks up from the floral cupcake wrapper, “Thank you Cass.”
 

 
I go change into Ethan’s clothes (an oversized shirt and pair of sweatpants) and breathe in deeply,
it smells just like him with a tinge of fresh laundry detergent.
 
He’s moved to the living room where a late night comedy shows plays quietly,
“You can sleep in the bed Cassie, the couch is actually comfortable.”
There’s a blanket and pillow laid out by the side, and sheets strewn over the top.
 
I shake my head and grab his hand (feeling more confident than earlier),
we walk hand-in-hand back to his master bedroom.
Ethan’s hand is warm in mine, strong and masculine.
 
He opens the bedroom door and shuts it behind him,
slowly (and suddenly, and surprisingly) backing me up against the door,
Ethan’s lips are then on mine, hesitantly kissing me,
his hands cupping my face gently.
 
I wrap my arms around his neck holding him closely —
more like Ethan holding me up —
considering my knees are wake and legs are shaking.
 
Ian had never kissed me like this:
like I was the center of the universe,
yet still fragile and delicate.
Ian kissed me like a teenage boy.
Was this how it felt to be /really/ kissed?
 
Ethan’s muscled arms lift me away from the door and then we’re tumbling onto the bed,
his short is (somehow) lost in the process; my sweatpants kicked off and left on the ground.
Thunder booms through the house and Ethan moves down painstakingly, kissing my jaw then down my neck.
 
“Ethan?” there’s a knock on the door, followed by a whiny creek.
His lips stop moving and we quickly redress — though, a bit more flustered.
 
Em walks in slowly and straight into Ethan’s arms,
salty tears running down her little face.
“I had a bad dream…”
 
He picks her up and rocks her back and forth,
murmuring about how everything would be okay,
and that it was just a dream.
 
“Is Cassie here still? I don’t want her to die too.” I hear Emmy whisper,
Ethan says something calmly back and brings her over to the bed,
she crawls into my arms, her thick hair covering my chest.
 
Emmy nods off (just like that), nestled into my arms.
Ethan slides into the bed beside me,
his long arm wrapping around me and Emmy.
 
“Our parents died on a night like tonight,” Ethan tells me,
“It wasn’t as stormy as it was tonight though, and they went to visit friends just a few streets away.
Cate was watching Emilia and she got worried when my parents didn’t return,
the police came knocking an hour later.”
 
He pauses and I feel him take in a shaky breath, “Hit by a drunk driver,
two streets away from home. The driver said he had hydroplaned,
didn’t see my parent’s car.”
 
I look over at Ethan, down at little Em sleeping peacefully.
I just wanted to take the pain away from them,
how did they deserve this?
 
“Em’s terrified of thunderstorms,
she had a dream you had gotten in a car accident.”
He’s quiet for a moment,
“I don’t know what Em would do without you now,
hell, I don’t know what /we/ would do without you.”
 
“You can braid her hair,
and make cupcakes that don’t burn in the oven,
and know the difference between justice and limited too,
you can take her to girl scouts and not embarrass her,
and to tea parties where it’s already hard enough,
thank you.”
 
I turn back and kiss his cheek softly,
he holds me tightly as we fall asleep to the sound of thunder,
I can feel his heart thudding in his chest,
my own pumping in a similar rhythm.
 
What I feel for Ethan is so different for what I felt for Ian,
I lay awake in the darkness contemplating Ian and Ethan,
Ian was thousands of miles away (probably) kissing some medical student,
but Ethan was here, here beside me.
And that’s all that mattered at the moment.
 
[type 'beside me' if you read through all that! i've been very inspired with cassie recently — if you want to collab, message me!

song: lady in spain -- ingrid michaelson
[layout — @ohofkors, more inspired by]
two stories in one!
 
cassandra jorik—
date- june seventh
hair- up in a ponytail [like the picture]
makeup- nivea shimmer chapstick, mascara
wearing- top right outfit
where- the montgomery home
with- emilia
 
“…Cassie?” Emilia asks quietly, her bright blue eyes fluttering with drowsiness.
She sits up on the couch, her blankets falling to the hardwood floor.
 
I look over from the flat screen television, the credits of Tangled lighting up the screen.
“What Emmy?” I asked, trying to conceal my yawn.
 
Cate owed me for this.
 
“If I fall asleep and keep my eyes open, can I watch it again?” Em blinks again, tossing and turning on the couch.
It’s just past nine o’clock, but for a six year old, way past her bedtime.
 
“What — Oh, yes Em.” I don’t bother telling her I would be terrified if she fell asleep with her eyes open, or that it’s impossible.
I glance out the bay window, hoping to see the car’s headlights.
 
Emilia cuddles into her butterfly pillow pet and I put Tangled on, for the third time that night.
The opening scene plays out and I relax back onto the couch, closing my eyes.
 

I jump awake at the sound of the front door opening and then shutting quietly, Emilia is still fast asleep.
 
Ethan strides into the living room, still in his paramedic uniform —
he’s tall, broad shouldered, and incredibly handsome.
I have to remind myself not to drool.
 
“How was she?” Ethan questions in a low voice, gently picking his sister up.
She barely stirs, but nestles her head into Ethan’s broad shoulder.
 
“She was good,” I answer, awkwardly shuffling around the living room grapping my purse and jacket.
“I made dinner; there are leftovers in the microwave. I thought you’d be hungry.”
 
He gives me a tired — but appreciative (…and maybe heart-melting) — smile. “Are you safe to get home?”
 
I nod; Lucky Harbor is the safest place I’ve ever lived in;
most residents don’t even lock their doors at night.
 

Cate is lying awake on the couch,
Josh is off doing his ‘ranger-duties’.
 
“Sorry Cassie,” she apologizes, coughing into her elbow and reaching for her box of tissues. “Thanks for watching her, I just feel bad for Ethan sometimes. It’s been hard on him.”
“…How was it?”
 
I drop down next to Cate, stealing one of the afghans. “We watched Tangled three times, played dress-up…and I was asked if I was her new mother?”
 
Cate tries to hold in her laugh — which comes out like a croak. “I might have forgotten to tell you, Em is in /that/ stage where she thinks every woman that watches her is going to be her new Mommy.”
 
“…Cate, the poor little girl probably thinks I’m going to be back to make breakfast and to be there to do her hair in the morning.” I give an agitated sigh and get up from the couch, heading for chocolate.
 
She sighs too — we had known all too well about not having a mother, though we had Neely now.
 
I bite into a Hershey bar, handing Cate the other half. “…How did you like Ethan?” she tries to ask nonchalantly, quickly stuffing her mouth with chocolate.
 
“He’s handsome, and has those grey green eyes, and he’s amazing with Em…” I say, “But I don’t think he’d be my type.”
 
Cate just shakes her head at me,
easy for her to say — she didn’t find her fiancé (of twelve years, well we dated for twelve years) with a topless med student.
 
“You know Cassie, Josh was never my type either.” Cate smoothes over her blanket, “Just give Ethan a shot.”
 
I groan and get up from the couch, “I don’t think he has time to date Cate, let alone find everlasting love.”
“…and, I’ll be leaving soon too. I have a job interview in Seattle next week and the callback for the Portland one, too.”
 
Cate shrugs her shoulders turning the station to an action flick,
giving me her famous, ‘yeah sure, but you know I’m right’ look.
 
date- june eighth
hair- pulled back half up, half down
makeup- like the pictures
wearing- middle outfit/j.crew dress
where- 'the loveshack' bar
with- cate, matt, and ethan
 
“Ethan you made it,” Josh says with his broad grin,
meeting Ethan by the entrance, clapping him on the back. “I was starting to think you had left me alone with them.”
 
Because Cate and I were dangerous with our high heels and fruity umbrella drinks.
 
Cate rolls her eyes playfully at her husband,
and Josh apologizes quickly — oh she has him /so/ whipped.
 
Ethan chuckles and shakes his head, taking the seat right beside me.
His paramedic uniform is replaced with a fitted grey shirt and dark washed jeans,
he smells faintly like fresh cut grass and sweat.
 
“How’s Emilia?” I ask Ethan.
 
He smiles and leans back in his chair, “Em has been begging me to have you over
…she wants the three of us to have a beach day.”
 
Cate and Josh share a look,
and I feel my cheeks burn a little bit.
 
“Can’t get girls on your own now,
have to use the adorable little sister, huh?” Josh teases Ethan.
 
I look down at the maplewood table, ripping a tear in the cocktail napkin.
Just as Ethan starts a comeback, my iPhone starts to vibrate right off the table.
 
Ian.
 
I sigh and hit the decline button, sliding my phone out of sight into my purse.
Cate raises her eyebrow at me, “Do me a favor and talk to him so I don’t have to.”
 
She’s right.
 
I excuse myself from the table, Ian’s calling again — his shift must be over.
Usually I just let Cate answer, she tells him to f.uck off at the eighth or ninth call,
it had become our daily routine.
 
“Hello,” I answer, my voice wavering.
 
“Cass?” Ian sounds so hopeful, yet exhausted.
I can’t help wondering how his day was, if he had a tough day or if he saved a life.
if he misses me, or if he talked to his parents, or if he’s seeing /that/ med student now.
 
You can do this. You can do this.
“Ian, I-I think it’s time, I think it’s time you stop calling me.”
 
“But Cassie—“
 
“You have to let me get over you,
Ian you have to get over me.
This calling obsessively has to stop.”
 
Ian sighs, “You never let me explain—“
 
“Because you cheated!” I exclaim,
“You were kissing /that/ girl. In /our/ apartment, she was topless Ian!”
 
I stare out at the main street — the vintage shops, the one restaurant, the diner.
“Bad break-up?” Ethan murmurs, stepping away from the brick wall of the bar.
 
“Please don’t call me again Ian.” I say quietly,
my eyes glancing over to Ethan.
 
“Cassandra, I love you —“
I hit the end call, holding the phone in my hand for a minute,
looking at the call screen.
 
Ethan sticks his hands in his pockets, “If you want my opinion…”
 
“I don’t.”
 
“You deserve so much more Cass,
you’re the type of girl a guy should know he’s lucky to have.”
 
Ethan gives me a brief smile
and stands up, heading back into the bar.
 
I run a hand back through my hair,
why, oh why, did he have to say that?
 
Because instead of thinking Ethan was just a handsome face —
he now also had a heart, and a smile, and…
oh boy.
 
[if you read that, comment 'oh boy' — also, how cassie and your character are connected! I'm excited to collab with everyone soon!]

http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/group.show?id=163565
 
— — —
 
if you are interested in possibly portraying a davenport sister, please comment below!

so easy — phillip phillips
india lee ellsworth
 
remember india? i do. she was one of my favorite characters — now i'm back to write for her
 
the last time you saw India —
india broke owen’s heart (in half, into pieces) when he poured his feelings out to her, india froze — at the same time, zach was being moody and retreating back into depression due to a visit from ‘her.’
owen left india’s hamptons house and went to elizabeth’s bedroom, he slept with her — but then said, ‘i love you india,’ in her bed.
 
what has happened in the last six months —
zach was released from the hospital’s mental ward and returned to st. judes for his senior year, he’s gotten much better in the last months yet he still has scary relapses every so often. owen and zach have become much closer, zach still does not know owen is in love with india.
india has avoided owen, she’ll be out when he comes over or is hidden in her bedroom.
 
december —
 
“…Owen will be over in ten minutes, Inds.” Zach tells me, his blue eyes looking up for my reaction.
For the past months, when Owen’s name was mentioned, it was like fight-or-flight.
 
I bit my bottom lip, “Oh, I forgot to tell you. Mila and I are-“
 
“Inds, it’s been our tradition for years now.” Zach groans in frustration. “You honestly have plans with Mila?”
No, but I was not ready to be near Owen, to talk to him: to pretend everything was okay.
 
“Look— “I stop, hearing the footsteps and the creaking open of the door.
 
Owen.
His bright blue eyes were lacking their familiar spark,
his broad shoulders were hunched over,
dark blue circles tracing the bottom of his eyes.
 
“Hey Zach,” he greets breathlessly, his cheeks rosy from the winter cold. “…India.”
 
I smile weakly, “Hi Owen.”
 
Zach claps his hand together, awkwardly. “I brought some of the ornaments down. Owen, can you help Indie bring the rest down?”
Say No.
Say No.
 
“Sure.” Owen says flatly.
 
I slide out from the living room, Owen following behind me quietly. “Owen…” I whisper softly, “…can we talk?”
 
“What is there left to say?” He asks sticking his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “I wanted to be with you, hell, I’m still in love with you. I think I’ll be in love with you for awhile. But I understood that you’re not ready, and I’m trying to accept it.”
 
I took a deep breath.
In. Out. In. Out.
 
“Please don’t make it harder for me India.”
 
He takes a box labeled ‘X-Mas’ picking it up quickly and heading down the attic stairs.
 
I sigh, brushing off the dust and lugging down a slightly smaller box.
“Took you long enough.” Zack jokes when I enter our living room.
 
Silence.
 
I sit beside Zach on the hardwood floor, opening the first box of our Christmas ornaments.
 
It was tradition for the three of us. Zach, Owen and I.
We decorated our Christmas tree together, spent Christmas Eve at some party together, and woke up for presents on Christmas morning.
Part of the workaholic/socialite parents club.
 
I didn’t know what would be happening for this year.
 
Zach hums along with the Frank Sinatra song, finding his favorite handmade ornament. “India, I found the angel too. Do you want to put it up?”
 
I smile and take the porcelain angel from the paper wrapping, admiring the dainty painted features and lace gown. I reach up, stretching on my tip toes to place the angel on the top of the tree.
 
“Here,” Owen murmurs, his face inches from mine. His hands gently wrap around my waist, lifting me easily to the top of the fir tree.
My feet hit the ground and I turn to face Owen, my breath caught.
 
Zach cleared his throat, pushing past Owen to place another ornament on the tree.
 
I step back from Owen’s embrace, my cheeks flushing.
 

Our Christmas tree twinkles in the darkness, the smell of fresh pine encompassing our living room. Zach’s asleep on the couch, a half-eaten sugar cookie on his chest and a milk mustache.
 
“I guess I’ll be going now,” Owen says finally, grabbing his wool coat from the couch. “It’s starting to get late.”
 
I stood up quickly, “Wait, Owen.”
He turns back quickly, his eyes full of confusion.
“Don’t leave-“
 
“India,” Owen whispers quietly, pulling me into the hallway. “Zach’s starting to get better; I know you see because I see it. I…I know how important he is to you. More important than I am right now.”
 
He sighs, “I thought he was going to kill me for just holding you India. And if he saw what I was thinking…”
 
“Zach would kill you, no doubt.” I finish for him, “But, just for me, what were you thinking?”
 
Owen grins, his eyes flickering with a lively spark. “I was thinking-“
 
“Where are you going O?” Zach asks us, looking from Owen to me.
 
“Uh-“
 
“Just stay over,” Zach says nonchalantly, heading back into the living room, Owen following reluctantly behind him.
 
I stood there.
 
It was always Zach and Owen, or Zach and India, or Zach, Owen, and India.
But, for once: what if was Owen and India?
 
———————
 
10:23 P.M.
 
TO: INDIA LEE<3
FROM: OWEN SUMTER
 
…i love u still.
 

TO: INDIA LEE<3
FROM: OWEN SUMTER
 
pls india.
i need u.
 

TO: INDIA LEE<3
FROM: OWEN SUMTER
 
pls give us a chance.
it worked b4
 

I sigh, closing my eyes and shutting off my iPhone. I tell myself Owen was probably drunk, Zach had mentioned some St. Judes party.
 

11:58
 
“Indie, Indie,” Zach shook my body, un-relentless in his effort. I groaned barely able to knock back a hand at him. “India Lee Ellsworth, get out of bed please.”
Uh-oh. Full Name.
 
I groaned (again) stretching my arms, blinking from the unnaturally bright light. “What?”
 
“It’s Owen.”
 
What?
We were just texting-
I check the alarm clock, an hour ago.
 
“Is…?”
 
Zach’s face looks bleak and he shakes his head. “I don’t know Indie. Mr. Sumter just called and said Owen was in an accident.”
 

1:13 A.M.
 
Zach paces back and forth,
back and forth.
back and forth.
 
An older woman cries in the corner; three children bounce around anxiously; a young woman in labor was just rushed through the sliding doors.
 
I bite on my lip, playing my 34th game of Sudoku.
 
“How is he?” I look up at Elizabeth (still in pajamas) frantically searching the waiting room.
I don’t know if she’s talking to me (doubtful) or Zach.
 
“No status.” Zach answered, sitting back down beside me.
 
Elizabeth eyes me, hesitantly taking the seat across.
We don’t talk. Blame Owen
 
“Thanks for calling me…” she says, brushing back her brown-blonde hair.
 

2:07 A.M.
 
Zach touches my shoulder gently, “Indie,” he whispers quietly.
 
I jump up, startling Elizabeth who had been asleep on my shoulder. “…what?”
 
“You can see him now.” Zach says, “I just talked to the doctors, he’s asking for you.”
“…which is weird.”
 
“Oh.” I stood up quickly, enacting a spiel of dizziness and black dots crossing my vision.
He was thinking of me, asking for me.
 

2:18 A.M.
 
Owen was quiet.
Machines whirred and an IV dripped, dripped, dripped.
He looked brutal (would it be ironic to say, like he was just hit by a car?)
 
“Hey,” he croaked as I walk in, my feet dragging on the marble.
 
“Next time there’s a car accident; can we plan for you being hit in the afternoon?” I grumble,
after three hours of (I wouldn’t call it) sleep, I would like to see someone peppy.
 
He smiles meekly, “I’ll try.”
 
I smile too, compelled to kiss his smile.
So I do.
 
Owen pulls away, slightly breathless.
 
“…India?”
 
Zach stands in the hallway, a look on his face a mixture of bemused and disappointed.
 
“How did you wheedle your way past the nurses?” I asked, sliding to sit by Owen’s side.
 
“Taught me well Indie.” Zach replies, a grin on his face.
Did he see?
 
Owen’s cheeks are flushed, “Looks like Christmas might be spent in a hospital.” Zach adds on.
Okay, maybe he was just acting now.
 
Or not.
 
Or was going to beat Owen to a pulp once I left.
 
Or not.
 

3:02 A.M.
 

“He does not have any brain damage.” The ER doctor ended up telling us, his clipboard scribbled over.
Mr. and Mrs. Sumter never showed up,
not surprising
 
“Just a severe concussion and a few broken ribs, we’ll be keeping him overnight for more testing. Obviously.”
 
I peeked into Owen’s new ICU room, he was fast asleep.
He only was awake for five minutes, tops.
 
Zach nodded, acting all adult-like. “Okay.”
 
The doctor heaved a tired sigh, “Would you happen to know his insurance policy?”
 
———————
 
“Merry Christmas!” I say with a smile (trying my best to be cheery & bright),
the Santa Clause hat slipping off my straightened hair.
 
Owen laughs and flips off the television,
what had started as a few broken ribs and a severe concussion had turned into a few more serious medical issues,
none of which I understood — but, Owen was in the hospital for most of December.
 
“Where’s Zach?” Owen asks as I put the presents on the plastic chair,
taking a seat on the hospital bed instead, dangerously close to him.
 
“Out paying the taxi driver, I was in charge of the presents.”
I trace figures in the starch white sheets, making circles and figure eights.
 
My finger caresses Owen’s thigh (‘accidently’) and his breath hitches, his warm hand encompassing mine. “India, please…”
His blue eyes close briefly and he takes a deep breath, gently pushing my hand away.
Ouch.
 
I smile faintly and pull my knees up into my chest,
Owen sighs softly and wraps an arm around my shoulders.
“India, we need to have a serious talk….”
 
Zach strides in through the door,
oblivious to the tension between Owen and I.
 
“How are you feeling?” Zach asks, sitting on the hard, plastic chair.
 
Owen shrugs, “I’m spending Christmas in the f*cking hospital Ellsworth,
how do you think I feel?”
 
Zach rolls his eyes —
like he didn’t act moody when he was in the hospital,
Owen’s reply is tame compared to what I had gotten with Zach.
 
“Why don’t we open the presents?” I jump off the hospital bed,
grabbing the dozen or so presents Zach and I brought,
we had always been elaborate gift givers.
 
I open my gifts —
a new camera from Zach (for my blog posts),
the latest ‘how I met your mother’ season on DVD,
one of those joke books from urban outfitters,
and three train tickets, with Boston as the destination.
 
I grin and thank Zach for the gifts, tucking all the presents in my tote bag.
Zach thanks Owen and me — Owen didn’t get my anything.
 
I hide my disappointment, he must have forgotten,
but he still got presents for Zach.
It’s not like I’m materialistic and need the present…
just, maybe Owen forgot about me.
 
“Are you tired?” I peek up at Owen,
he’s been dozing off and yawning, barely watching ‘It’s A Wonderful Life.’
“You know you can kick us out, or just fall asleep.”
 
I was pretty sure Zach was conked out.
 
Owen kisses my temple softly, “Not yet.”
 
His hand reaches over to the bedside table,
I can’t help noticing him wince, the flash of pain on his face.
 
“Merry Christmas India,” he whispers softly,
handing me a wrapped — if you could call it that — gift.
(I still don’t understand why boys can’t wrap presents.)
 
“…Owen, you didn’t have—“his lips cut me off, taking me by surprise.
Oh how I missed this,
missed his touch,
missed his caress.
(and oh how had he me, yes me, sounding like a romance novel)
 
I slowly tear the wrapping paper, barely ripping the dozens of pieces of tape.
The trademark Tiffany & Co. turquoise box, “…Owen.”
 
A set of beautiful, sparkling silver bangles shines up at me.
It’s perfect.
 
I look over at Owen and he smiles sleepily,
“I still love you India Lee, I still do.”

lucky harbor —
 
Cassandra Kaye Jorik
nickname: her friends and family like to call her Cass or Cassie, though she prefers to go by Cass
age: twenty six
 
graduated from: Bucknell University
major: Strategic Communications and Business (with a non-profit focus)
current job: Health Care Service — the new outreach center at the county hospital, helping with teen pregnancy, drug addictions, and crisis counseling
 
bio: America has known Cassandra Jorik as the articulate, well-behaved, and beautiful daughter of their former Vice President. The delicate twenty five year old has spent her later teen years and early twenties in the harsh lights of being a well known politician’s daughter. For eight years Cassie spent her weekends (and even weekdays) at charity events or a rally, supporting her mother and her campaign. But what the public does not know is that Cassie grew up on the streets of California, bouncing from homeless shelter to seedy motels to ramshackle apartments. Her mother was only a teenager and had had two daughters before her twentieth birthday. Cate — her older sister — was five years older; she was more of a mom to Cassie than her actual mother. One night, their mother didn’t return from her date. A day passed, then a week, then month. Cate and Cassie kept quiet, surviving on their own for three months afraid to be separated in the system. Matt and Neely adopted the sisters into their growing family that year and Cassie has tried her best never to disappoint her loving, adoptive parents. With her recent break-up fresh in her mind, Cass had to get away from her life — working with the American Cancer Society, attending social events, and pretending to still be the perfect daughter. Cate — who has always been there for Cassie, and always will be — came up with the idea for Cassie to live with her and her new husband in Lucky Harbor, Washington.

wow! it's been awhile — do I like this set, I still haven't decided, but my editor has been rusty
 

 
lucky harbor —
 
Cassandra Kaye Jorik
nickname: her friends and family like to call her Cass or Cassie, though she prefers to go by Cass
age: twenty six
 
graduated from: Bucknell University
major: Strategic Communications and Business (with a non-profit focus)
current job: Health Care Service — the new outreach center at the county hospital, helping with teen pregnancy, drug addictions, and crisis counseling
 
likes: order, the container store, fresh flowers, sand between her toes, going out for dinner, warm bread, the smell after a rain storm, flip flops, bananas, chocolate, finding new music, tulips, traveling, her summer tan, not having to wear make-up, sundresses, living on her own, smiles, children , cheesy romance novels, running, yoga
dislikes: living thousands of miles from her parents, not being able to find her cell phone, texting, when water gets up her nose, messy situations, sticky spills, the smell of nail polish, paper cuts, licorice, humid weather, not remembering someone’s name, breaking her nails, touching raw meat, liars
 
appearance: Cass has natural honey blonde, light brown hair — sometimes worn straight, sometimes more natural and wavy, depending on the humidity — that is usually parted to the middle, or pulled pack into a sleek pony-tail. Her features are delicate and soft, with warm brown eyes with flickers of gold and hazel. Cass is lean from years of running and yoga, with long tan legs and slightly toned arms. She stands taller than the average woman at five feet, seven inches.
style: Cass only has four pairs of pants in her closet: a pair of khakis, a pair of skinny jeans, navy dress pants, and a pair of black pants. Her wardrobe is full of gauzy cardigans, floral sundresses, maxi dresses, adorable skater skirts, and tights in almost every color. Cass’s go to outfit is a floral sundress and a neutral blazer and either her Jack Rogers sandals or wedges.
personality: Cassie is charismatic, with a bright, contagious smile she was — and still is — the girl you want to be friends with. Her laugh is soft, she giggles often and friends are just attracted to be near her. Cass acts with her heart first, brain second and whether she is aware of it or not, always puts her entire heart into everything and anything she does.
 
family:
 
Dr. Neely Jorik, 54 [Mary Steenburgen] — Neely Jorik is the well-known, respected, and often endeared former Vice President of the United States. With her career in politics happily behind her, Neely is enjoying her stress free weekdays and spending her days with her children and husband. The Jorik family still lives in Washington D.C., where Neely participates in charity events and the occasional political interview, or talk show event.
 
Matthew Jorik, 55 [Stanley Tucci] — Matt Jorik had grown up in a large and boisterous — incredibly chaotic — family of seven. He remembers his childhood fondly, being one of five siblings and roaming freely around his parent’s vineyard and winery. Matt would go on to attend Stanford University, where he met the love of his life, Neely — who shared his cheerful opinion on a large Jorik family. Matt and Neely were unable to have children biologically, but undeterred, the couple adopted five children from foster care.
 
Aidan Jorik, 34 [Chris Hemsworth] — Aidan spent seven years bouncing from one homeless shelter to the next, with a teen mother unable to care for him or herself, Aidan was eventually taken away. Aidan now proudly owns the family winery in Napa Valley and got married four years ago, his wife Kristen just gave birth to a healthy baby girl, Ava.
 
Catherine Jorik-Bowers, 31 [Cameron Russell] — Cate is Cassie’s older, biological sister — technically, step-sister. A dad was never in the picture and fifteen years ago, their mother died in a car accident. For three months Cate and Cassie lived alone in their ramshackle apartment, afraid of the foster care system. Eventually though, Matt and Neely took the sisters in. Cate still always has her eye out for Cassie, wanting the best for her baby sister. Cate now lives in Lucky Harbor, Washington with her husband Josh Bowers.
 
Tara Jorik, 21 [Nina Dobrev] — Tara was adopted into the Jorik family as an infant, never knowing her mother or the difficulties her siblings had went through. She still lives with Matt and Neely and D.C. Tara graduated from American University and works with a local news station, her boyfriend Jack Cullen recently proposed.
 
Madelyn Jorik, 16 [Zendaya] — Mae lived with her grandmother for eight years, her teen mother off living with her newest boyfriend. When her grandmother passed away, her mother refused to take her in — but thankfully, Matt and Neely did. Mae is their youngest daughter and is a junior in high school.
 
Tatum Jorik, 14 [Colin Ford] — Like Tara, Tatum was adopted into the Jorik family as a toddler. He’s quiet and likes to read science fiction instead of talking. Tatum is the youngest of the Jorik brood; his favorite sibling is Cassie, or Aidan.
 
past/currently relationships:
Ian Brandon Novak M.D., 28 [Derek Hough] — Ian Novak had known Cassandra Jorik his entire life; their mothers were best friends in college, ended up living in the same California town, and hoped and prayed that one day Ian and Cassie would get married. Ian was a grade above Cassie and attended the one private school in their small town; he was on the school’s crew team and liked to sail on the weekends. Ian and Cassie began to finally date in her junior year of high school, quickly becoming the perfect couple their mothers had hoped for. Then Cassie’s mother was elected as Vice President and the Jorik family was forced to move to the nation’s capital. Ian and Cassie still talked on Skype, texted hourly, and called each other on the phone twice a day. He would then attend University of California: Berkley as a public health major as Cassie finished her senior year of high school, the high school sweethearts continued to date through Ian’s first year of college. For four more years, Ian and Cassie dated before he proposed a few days after her college graduation. Ian worked on his medical degree at Georgetown as Cass began her master’s degree in business and planning their spring wedding in her Napa Valley vineyard. But Cass walked in on Ian cheating on her with a fellow medical student, she broke off the engagement.
 
living with: Catherine Bowers, her older sister
location: 18 Honeysuckle Street, Cassie is staying with her sister, living in Cate and Josh’s large Victorian home overlooking the Pacific Ocean — the guest room is painted bright yellow, with a lace comforter and a large bay window. Cassie’s suitcase is still open on the hardwood floors as she searches for a home in Lucky Harbor.
 
bio: America has known Cassandra Jorik as the articulate, well-behaved, and beautiful daughter of their former Vice President. The delicate twenty five year old has spent her later teen years and early twenties in the harsh lights of being a well known politician’s daughter. For eight years Cassie spent her weekends (and even weekdays) at charity events or a rally, supporting her mother and her campaign. But what the public does not know is that Cassie grew up on the streets of California, bouncing from homeless shelter to seedy motels to ramshackle apartments. Her mother was only a teenager and had had two daughters before her twentieth birthday. Cate — her older sister — was five years older; she was more of a mom to Cassie than her actual mother. One night, their mother didn’t return from her date. A day passed, then a week, then month. Cate and Cassie kept quiet, surviving on their own for three months afraid to be separated in the system. Matt and Neely adopted the sisters into their growing family that year and Cassie has tried her best never to disappoint her loving, adoptive parents. With her recent break-up fresh in her mind, Cass had to get away from her life — working with the American Cancer Society, attending social events, and pretending to still be the perfect daughter. Cate — who has always been there for Cassie, and always will be — came up with the idea for Cassie to live with her and her new husband in Lucky Harbor, Washington.
 
dating status: Cassie had caught her first — actually, her first and only — boyfriend cheating on her, and had to cancel her wedding just four months ago; she’s looking to get over her fiancé, certainly not a new boyfriend
 
model:
taken by: @withlove-kirsten

http://www.polyvore.com/lucky_harbor/group.show?id=162672
 
Lucky Harbor, Washington
Population: 7, 819
Founded: 1876

Nestled about an hour away from the city lights and hustle and bustle of Seattle lies the quaint, coastal town of Lucky Harbor, Washington. The idyllic town was founded close to one hundred years ago by American settlers, exploring upstate. In those one hundred years, Lucky Harbor has become the boasted, charming place fir young families to grow. Walking down Main Street is like traveling back in time — with diners, ice cream parlors, bed and breakfasts, and consignment shops straight out of a fifties’ photograph. There are historic neighborhoods home to hundred year old Victorian homes overlooking the Pacific coast and newly built suburban neighborhoods with townhouses and a preppy feel. But with recent years, the traditional home-owners of Lucky Harbor have made way for young couples and families. The once sleepy town is quickly thriving, with a newly elected young mayor, and a now boast-able single scene with hipster art galleries and modern and clean cut bars.

Welcome to Lucky Harbor!

for @high-fashionista

@high-fashionista
 
the city of love,
the city of lights.
 
established in 1934 the school of america in paris offers;
an international education,
countless future opportunities,
and an immersion in french life and culture.
 
and that’s just what the brochure says:
to us though, soap means so much more.
 
we live in paris,
we are the elite of american’s society,
and we certainly live interesting lives.
 
what, with galas and cotillions to attend,
who wouldn’t want to be us?
 
I’ll be watching…
 
xoxo