WORSE THAN YOU WOULD EVER KNOW .

[JAXTON AVERY LANDON]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,10,true][atrb=style, background-color: #fff; width: 450px, bTable] THE DASHBOARD MELTED, BUT WE STILL HAVE THE RADIO. The boardwalk was an entirely new world at night. It underwent some sort of transformation with the departing of the daylight, of this Jaxton was sure. Without the harshness of the Maryland sun, the atmosphere felt more relaxed, more like a scene from a movie than a silly tourist trap. The graying sky above gave way to the many lights that scattered the canvas that was the boardwalk. The colorful signs of shops, the dull hue of the tall street lamps, the bright bulbs that lit up the ferris wheel in the distance during the dark hours. Their combined glow illuminated the area in a subtle way, putting the finishing touch on a picture-perfect summer night. There had always been something about nightfall that made the boardwalk more appealing to Jaxton. Perhaps it was because it was reminiscent of the lights of a busy city, such as New York or Boston, the places Jaylee was always begging him to run off to with her. And maybe he would run there with her someday, leaving the looming social scene of Ocean City behind in his footsteps. But for now he was nothing but one of the unpopular kids in high school, and that's the way it had to be. At least for just a little while longer. Some nights, when Jax wasn't watching a movie with Chase, driving around with Jay, or smoking with his friends, he would venture here. Always alone - he preferred to be here by himself. Mostly because it was somewhat of a self-inflicted wound for him to roam the area alone. The nighttime boardwalk's allure was bittersweet to the teenager; he used to bring Lily along with him. Every landmark that lay on the boardwalk caused Jax to recall some memory. The way they would walk hand-in-hand through the crowds, how she would always be afraid of the height of the ferris wheel no matter how many times they rode it together, the caramel apple stand they had went to once. And now here he was, in front of it all, the space beside him that her presence had once filled completely empty. He didn't mind taking the time to remember. It didn't always make him sad. He would sometimes look at the ferris wheel, a small smile playing on his lips as he recalled the times he had shared with his late girlfriend. He liked the memories. He never spoke of her anymore, because no one asked about her anymore. He kept her in his head these days. Now Jaxton sighed, pulling his mind away from the nostalgia and bringing himself back into the present. Of course, he had made plenty of new memories at the boardwalk since Lily's death. He'd come here with Chase and Jay plenty of times as of late. The boardwalk's proximity to the beach provided an easy and quick escape from the retail stores and restaurants whenever they pleased. Jax was currently walking down the boardwalk alone, weaving his way through the clumps of patrons that scattered the area. The dark-haired boy reached into his pocket and pulled out his pack of cigarettes, retrieving one without so much of a glance downward. He brought it to his lips and lit it, inhaling deep as his eyes wandered his surroundings. He didn't expect to run into anyone, especially not this late. During the daytime it was normal to spot some of Manchester Preparatory Academy's royalty roaming the boardwalk, but Jaxton had never run into anyone he knew during his late visits. He approached an empty bench near him, taking a seat. He absentmindedly stared at the view of the nearly empty beach, flicking the ash from his cigarette onto the ground. CODED BY LADY RAINICORN @ CAUTION TAGGED: HAYLEY KESSLER, 619 WORDS, LYRICS BY MODEST MOUSE.

[Hayley Cameron Kessler]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,10,true][atrb=style, width: 400px; padding: 5px, bTable][cs=2][style=background-color: #eee; height: 40px; padding: 7px; width: 400px; float: right; border-radius: 50px 0 0 50px;][style=background-color: #fff; border-radius: 50px 0 0 50px; height: 40px;] [style=font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 22px; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 3px; font-weight: 100!important; text-align: right; color: #494949;]I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK,[/style][style=font-family: courier new; text-align: right; color: #494949; font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: 4px;]AS LONG AS IT'S ABOUT ME[/style][/style][/style]

[style=background-color: #eee; padding: 8px; width: 240px; height: 400px; margin-left: 3px; border-radius: 15px 0 0 15px; overflow: auto;][style=background-color: #fff; padding: 5px; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 10px; text-align: justify; color: #494949; border-radius: 10px 0 0 10px;][style=font-family: arial narrow; color: #4ecdc4; font-size: 50px; float: left; margin-right: 5px; font-weight: 100!important;]T[/style]he current facts that raced through Hayley Kessler’s mind were simple ones. It was somewhat dark. It was late. The boardwalk was empty. Her new stilettos were beginning to hurt. And it probably wasn’t the best idea to walk home alone. For someone who prided herself in being logical and reasonable, her latest decision was one that questioned her judgment, but she wanted to point out that getting into a car full of drunkards wasn’t exactly a better option. Considering her little town was fairly safe, it felt like she would fare better getting home by herself rather than getting driven by some reckless teenager who likely had a blood alcohol content far over the legal limit. There was always the option of taking the car keys and playing chauffeur, but being sober and surrounded by a bunch of blithering idiots didn’t sound pleasant. She could only withstand so much before her patience was shattered and she consequently threw an angry fit. Now that she was reflecting, Hales recalled that maybe she should have just skipped the party she had attended. The mood had been lacking from the get-go, and then her peers sought the aid of alcohol and drugs to liven the atmosphere. Seeing them sway beatlessly and grind against one another on the makeshift dancefloor got old quickly, and she abruptly left before anyone tried to drag her along. It honestly hadn’t been worth her time. Socialities such as herself were expected to show up to those sorts of events, but it wasn’t as if she would be blacklisted if she chose to skip out on one or two lame social gatherings. She liked to think that the sight of her pretty face would always be in demand, and she would not regret her decision to leave. Taking a deep breath, the blonde tried to calm herself. It wasn’t as if she were panicking because she was alone this late at night, but there were a few worries drifting along beneath the surface. So maybe it was dangerous, but things would only get complicated if she acknowledged the what-ifs threatening to form in her mind. She would not her imagination drive her to the brink of paranoia and insanity. Looking around, Hayley hoped her surroundings would provide her with some sort of distraction. It was a given that she would be familiar with the boardwalk during daytime, but the area was nearly foreign at this hour. Though she lived in Ocean City for as long as she could remember, she couldn’t recall ever seeing the typically popular hangout spot look so empty and desolate. Whenever she was around, the boardwalk was packed with people of all ages. There were little kids who usually had guardians with them because they were young and vulnerable. There were angsty teenagers who wanted to stay busy so they could avoid thinking about how scary it was to face an ambiguous future. There were adults trying to make a living at their respective vendors, and there were elders basking in the typically fine summer weather and the joys of retirement. Voices were always buzzing, people were often restless, and the variety of smells in the air were nearly tangible. But the boardwalk at night was like an alternate dimension. It was quiet except for the soft chirping of crickets, the air was clear and crisp, and the only light came from the moon, stars, streetlamps, and weakened glow of signs for shops in the distance. Was this what it was like to live in one of those bustling cities that never slept? Imagining what life would be like elsewhere was pleasant, but the desire to take a short break from her mini trip home grew overwhelming. No matter how often Hales wore stilettos, they would never make good shoes for long bouts of walking. Glancing around, she noted that there was a bench near-by that offered a good resting spot, but there was someone sitting there already, quietly smoking a cigarette. She couldn’t quite make out the features of the stranger, but the broad shoulders and build suggested that he was a male. Perhaps she should have kept walking, but the ache of her feet reminded her that she needed to sit for just for a little while. Reminding herself to maintain her composure, Hayley headed towards the bench and sat down, smoothing out the wrinkles of her short, layered skirt against her long legs. Being off her feet was a relief, and she took a moment to allow her blue eyes to stray, taking a glance at the man sitting next to her. The combination of dark hair and dark eyes seemed familiar, and it didn’t take long for her to piece together why she felt that way. There were a few instances when she had caught him glancing her way at school, and the idea of being at the receiving end of attention almost made her smile. But what was his name? If she was recalling correctly, then she did ask a friend at some point, and the name started with a ‘J’, didn’t it? She decided to take a gamble and use the first name that came to mind as she asked, “Hey, don’t I know you from school? Your name is Jaxton, right?” [/style][/style][style=font-family: courier new; font-size: 10px; text-align: center;]TEMPLATE BY JOHN OF OTE & BTN[/style]

[atrb=vAlign,top][style=background-color: #eee; padding: 8px; width: 125px; border-radius: 15px 0 0 15px;][style=background-color: #fff; padding: 5px; border-radius: 10px 0 0 10px;] [style=opacity: 0.8; margin-bottom: 5px;][/style][style=background-color: #eee; color: #4ecdc4; font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 2px;]TAGS[/style][style=font-family: tahoma; font-size: 10px; color: #494949; text-align: justify; margin-left: 5px; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 5px; text-transform: lowercase;]Jaxton[/style][style=background-color: #eee; color: #4ecdc4; font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 2px;]WORDS[/style][style=font-family: tahoma; font-size: 10px; color: #494949; text-align: justify; margin-left: 5px; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 5px;]884[/style][style=background-color: #eee; color: #4ecdc4; font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 2px;]NOTES[/style][style=font-family: tahoma; font-size: 10px; color: #494949; text-align: justify; margin-left: 5px; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 5px; text-transform: lowercase;]Sorry I took forever to respond! I hope this post is okay and not too rambly. c:[/style] [/style][/style]

[JAXTON AVERY LANDON]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,10,true][atrb=style, background-color: #fff; width: 450px, bTable] IT WON'T SHOW, AND YOU'LL NEVER KNOW. The gray curls of smoke from his cigarette slowly drifted toward the night sky, their twisting journey illuminated by a nearby street lamp. Jaxton absentmindedly watched them, his gaze following them upward. He was entirely aware of the presence on the other end of the bench, although he did not acknowledge the newcomer. Sharing a bench on the boardwalk was common during the busy hours of daylight. With all the people, noises, and colors surrounding the seats, there were enough distractions to avoid the awkwardness of sharing a seat with a stranger; people generally disregarded the other end of the bench. But underneath the graying sky, the silence hung above their heads, and all Jaxton could do was think about how different it felt. In the light it was so easy to ignore a stranger, but at night the mere proximity of another human being made him feel like they were in their own little world. The dark haired boy didn't look up, didn't glance at her, just kept watching the dancing smoke before him. A hint of a sweet smell interrupted the bitter scent of the cigarette, perfume, and he almost felt the scent was familiar. Where had he noticed it before? It took him a long moment of pondering and cigarette drags to realize he remembered that scent from the hallways at school, when he would brush by that pretty girl in the hallway, muttering an embarrassed apology before continuing on to his destination. Always the same perfume, always the same girl. Realization clouded over his features. Jax was entirely irrelevant to the popular crowd at Manchester Preparatory, and that was the way he liked it. He couldn't stand the lot of them. The obsession with clothes, their appearances, money, gossip, social standing, just everything about the royals and the preps and the cheerleaders and the jocks bothered him. It was all so pointless and he just didn't like them. With the exception of a select few. Chase and Jay, of course. But there had always been another exception, one that Jax had never told anybody else about, one that he never discussed aloud. There had always just been something about her, ever since he had first seen her, back when he was just a freshman. She didn't seem stuck up, or self-absorbed, or concerned about what people thought of her. Yeah, she was pretty, but Jaxton could tell the difference. Stolen glances at her in the hallways revealed her beauty was natural, unlike the other girls who slathered disgusting amounts of make-up onto their faces. Hayley Kessler was Jaxton's secret expception. Yeah, so maybe it was true. Jaxton Landon, some loser pothead, had a crush on one of the most popular girls at school. That didn't mean anyone had to know about it. He would be the laughing stock of the gossip blog. Because he never had a chance in hell. Now he was purposely avoiding her gaze, ignoring her because he was nervous instead of just politely giving a stranger their privacy. Then she spoke, and he couldn't concentrate on her words for a moment, distracted by her voice. He could not help but notice it was really the first time he had heard it. And then he looked at her, his brow furrowed slightly, a look crossing his features that was a mix between startled and confused. "You know my name?" The words came out of his mouth before he could stop them, and immediately he wished he could take them back. He cleared his throat before trying again. "Sorry, I mean, yeah, my name is Jaxton. But... most people call me Jax. But you could call me Jaxton. I mean, if you wanted too." His own awkwardness was surprising himself. He usually never felt nervous when speaking to anyone new, regardless of their social standing. But years of admiring her from afar had made him shy. It was uncharacteristic. He tried to shake it. "You're Hayley Kessler." It was more of a statement than a question. Of course he knew who she was, everyone in the whole school knew who she was. "What are you doing here so late?" He couldn't help but ask, hoping that his words were beginning to sound more confident now. CODED BY LADY RAINICORN @ CAUTION 707 WORDS, LYRICS BY VERSAEMERGE.

[Hayley Cameron Kessler]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,10,true][atrb=style, width: 400px; padding: 5px, bTable][cs=2][style=background-color: #eee; height: 40px; padding: 7px; width: 400px; float: right; border-radius: 50px 0 0 50px;][style=background-color: #fff; border-radius: 50px 0 0 50px; height: 40px;] [style=font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 22px; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 3px; font-weight: 100!important; text-align: right; color: #494949;]I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK,[/style][style=font-family: courier new; text-align: right; color: #494949; font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: 4px;]AS LONG AS IT'S ABOUT ME[/style][/style][/style]

[style=background-color: #eee; padding: 8px; width: 240px; height: 400px; margin-left: 3px; border-radius: 15px 0 0 15px; overflow: auto;][style=background-color: #fff; padding: 5px; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 10px; text-align: justify; color: #494949; border-radius: 10px 0 0 10px;][style=font-family: arial narrow; color: #4ecdc4; font-size: 50px; float: left; margin-right: 5px; font-weight: 100!important;]F[/style]ate worked in strange ways. There were so many variables that led Hayley to being the way she was now, and any change in those aforementioned variables might have created a different result. It was fair to say that Hayley hadn’t always been distant and seemingly snobby. There had been a time in her life when she was full of optimism and friendliness, and if she stayed that way, perhaps she would have been a drifter instead of a cheerleader. She would have roamed the hallways, exchanging friendly greetings with her peers regardless of what their social statuses were. But instead she was sitting in the dark next to a guy she hardly knew, now feeling nearly grateful for the lack of light. All she knew was that his name was Jaxton and that most people called him Jax for short. He smoked, and he seemed like he was a little on the quiet side, but maybe that was just around her. He probably didn’t run with the popular crowd because that was her social scene, and if he was a part of it, she surely would have become well acquainted with him by now. He did run into her often enough that she recognised his face, but he always maintained a certain distance from her even though she was on a greeting basis with most of the other members of the popular crowd. There was always the possibility that he somehow managed to escape her notice, but it was more likely that he simply wasn’t popular, and there was where the problem lay. It was nothing personal, but girls like her didn’t hang out with boys from lower levels of the social hierarchy. While the whole system of cliques wasn't exactly her first priority, she still cared. Even if she had felt otherwise, the hierarchy existed beyond her control and she figured she might as well make the most out of it. Life was, after all, based on one’s ability to adapt and make it to the top to be among the best. She didn’t exert effort and climb the ranks for nothing. So maybe Jaxton may have been a nice guy, but there were a lot of nice guys in the world, and none of them would ever be worth the risk that came with attempting some sort of downplayed Romeo and Juliet type friendship. She didn’t want to be rude, but wouldn’t it be far worse if she made friends with him now, only to snub him at school? Socialising had grown to be a part of her nature so it wasn’t as if she would have trouble conversing with him, but she simply couldn’t envision any sort of blossoming friendship. She knew she would never extend her acquaintanceship with him past the summer because there was no way she would ever allow rumours to surface by interacting with him in front of her judgmental peers. Unfortunately she couldn’t exactly leave the bench the way at the moment. Her aching feet protested against the idea of continuing her trek home, and she wondered if she would be stuck on the bench all night. The notion was silly, but while Hayley waited for the dull pain to subside, she wanted some sort of entertainment. It wasn’t as if talking would result in anything terrible, right? Recalling the attention he gave her during the course of the school year already had her in a considerably pleasant mood, and that was a good sign. Besides, Jaxton seemed like he would be rather fun to tease a bit. Being ignored wasn’t something the cheerleader frequently dealt with, but it felt like the dark-haired teen was doing his best to pretend she didn’t exist until she took the initiative to speak to him. The expression on his face was priceless as he questioned if she really knew his name, but he quickly covered up his temporary shock with an introduction. It wasn’t the smoothest reply Hayley had ever heard, but the way he was acting had an almost endearing quality to it. Sitting back against the bench, she crossed one leg over another and smoothed the fabric of her short, black dress against her thighs. The corners of her mouth curved in a hint of a smile as she replied, “I’ll stick to calling you Jax. It always sounds so serious to use a full first name. Nicknames are more fun, aren’t they?” It wasn’t as if she expected otherwise, but he knew her name as well. She liked to think that most of her peers knew who she was, but one could never really make sure of it. He then inquired as to why she was roaming the boardwalk during unholy hours, and the question brought back a mental image of the party. Remembering the scent of alcohol and the sight of bad dancing nearly made her scowl. “I went to a party and decided to ditch a little early. It was getting lame, and I hate having my time wasted,” she said. Redirecting her gaze at Jaxton, she added, “How about you? I’m not exactly the only night owl right now.” [/style][/style][style=font-family: courier new; font-size: 10px; text-align: center;]TEMPLATE BY JOHN OF OTE & BTN[/style]

[atrb=vAlign,top][style=background-color: #eee; padding: 8px; width: 125px; border-radius: 15px 0 0 15px;][style=background-color: #fff; padding: 5px; border-radius: 10px 0 0 10px;] [style=opacity: 0.8; margin-bottom: 5px;][/style][style=background-color: #eee; color: #4ecdc4; font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 2px;]TAGS[/style][style=font-family: tahoma; font-size: 10px; color: #494949; text-align: justify; margin-left: 5px; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 5px; text-transform: lowercase;]Jaxton[/style][style=background-color: #eee; color: #4ecdc4; font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 2px;]WORDS[/style][style=font-family: tahoma; font-size: 10px; color: #494949; text-align: justify; margin-left: 5px; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 5px;]880[/style][style=background-color: #eee; color: #4ecdc4; font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 2px;]NOTES[/style][style=font-family: tahoma; font-size: 10px; color: #494949; text-align: justify; margin-left: 5px; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 5px; text-transform: lowercase;]Sorry, I took forever to respond! I hope this post is okay, and I'll respond to our other thread very soon! c:[/style] [/style][/style]

[JAXTON AVERY LANDON]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,10,true][atrb=style, background-color: #fff; width: 450px, bTable] SHE'S GOT YOU HIGH, AND YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW YET. Jaxton's brown eyes remained fixed on the blonde-haired girl in the darkness. It was strange, really. The countless string of stolen glances and endless minutes of wishful thinking had given him a false preconception; he felt like he already knew her. The idea baffled him now as he shifted on the uncomfortable bench. He had spent all this time creating his own idea of what he thought she might really be like. He never thought that the time would come when, perhaps, he might have a chance to catch a glimpse of what she was really like. He didn't know why, but he had a feeling that he wouldn't be disappointed. Jaxton made a mental note that it was absolutely mandatory for him to keep his cool for the remainder of the conversation. The first five seconds of their encounter had been embarrassing enough. Just because a pretty girl was talking to him did not mean it was necessary to act like an awkward kid with a severe case of puppy love. He did his best to collect himself, reminding himself that she was just a girl. A stunning one, yes, but still a girl. Jay was a girl. He talked to Jay all the time. What was the big difference? He glanced sideways at Hayley, and as the nervous lump in his throat formed once again, he remembered the difference. He shook it off quickly, though, bringing himself back to earth just in time to hear her speak. "Fair enough. Nicknames are definitely more fun," he responded with a slight nod. "So, I don't want to sound too serious, you know, using full names and all. Do you have a nickname, Hayley Kessler?" Her name rolled off of his lips once again as if he had said it a hundred times. "I understand. I haven't been to a party in awhile, now that I think about it." He paused, a slight smile dancing on his lips as he opened his mouth to voice his next thought. "But I don't suppose the two of us attend the same sort of parties." For some reason, Jax felt like the elephant in the room needed to be addressed; he wanted to remind her that he was on the bottom of the food chain at Manchester Preparatory before she decided to spend any more time with him. Of course, he wanted nothing more than for her to stay. It had been his desire to get to know her for awhile now, and he still could hardly believe he had the chance. But he also knew how most popular students at their school were, and most of them wouldn't ever risk being seen with a reject such as Jax himself. Jax was nothing special, in fact he was as good as dirt in the eyes of the popular crowd. He liked to think that Hayley was different. But, as much as he felt as if he knew her already, he just didn't. It was as simple as that. She might want nothing to do with him. He wouldn't know. Until he found out. Jax shrugged his skinny shoulders in response to the girl's inquiry. He wasn't sure how to answer. He felt like perhaps it might be too early to go into something as personal as Lily's death, so he stuck with the simpler answer to her question. "No reason, really. I like this place at night. It just feels... I dunno... different. Without the tourists and everything, it's a nice place to just take a walk, think, smoke, maybe write a bit or something." He sighed, flicking the ashes off of his waning cigarette. "I like going places where I don't think I'll run into anyone. But I don't mind the company tonight." He paused for a moment, his eyes skirting across the barely-there skyline before speaking again. "But, just so you know, you don't have to... I don't want you feeling obligated to stay," he added, carefully, hoping she understood why he felt the comment was necessary. He wasn't trying to be rude. He simply wanted to know how she would respond. He wanted her to know that he understood she was crossing boundaries that weren't normally crossed, and he was okay with her leaving, if that was what she wanted. Since he wasn't sure about her thoughts, he wanted to give her the chance to reconsider. It didn't make sense, considering how much the encounter intrigued him already, and it was nothing but fate that had led her to that spot on this particular bench. But Jaxton usually didn't make much sense. He wanted to know what she was like. Was she the type of girl he thought she was, or was she like the rest of them? He liked to think it was for her benefit, so that she could spare her reputation the humiliation of being seen with him. But maybe it was for his own sake, too. If she left now, he wouldn't have the chance to get his hopes up. CODED BY LADY RAINICORN @ CAUTION TAGGED: HAYLEY KESSLER, 842 WORDS, LYRICS BY MUMM-RA.

[Hayley Cameron Kessler]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,10,true][atrb=style, width: 400px; padding: 5px, bTable][cs=2][style=background-color: #eee; height: 40px; padding: 7px; width: 400px; float: right; border-radius: 50px 0 0 50px;][style=background-color: #fff; border-radius: 50px 0 0 50px; height: 40px;] [style=font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 22px; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 3px; font-weight: 100!important; text-align: right; color: #494949;]I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK,[/style][style=font-family: courier new; text-align: right; color: #494949; font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: 4px;]AS LONG AS IT'S ABOUT ME[/style][/style][/style]

[style=background-color: #eee; padding: 8px; width: 240px; height: 400px; margin-left: 3px; border-radius: 15px 0 0 15px; overflow: auto;][style=background-color: #fff; padding: 5px; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 10px; text-align: justify; color: #494949; border-radius: 10px 0 0 10px;][style=font-family: arial narrow; color: #4ecdc4; font-size: 50px; float: left; margin-right: 5px; font-weight: 100!important;]S[/style]illy chick flicks always suggested that people from lower cliques either wanted to date cheerleaders or they wanted to be a part of the team. There were only a handful of exceptions consisting of wannabe rebels and the hyped up protagonist futilely trying to teach viewers that a social hierarchy was ridiculous. Hayley used to pass time watching those sorts of movies with a couple of her friends, and she sometimes wondered if there was a single ray of truth in all of what she saw. It didn't take hours and hours of concentration and pondering to discover that most details were unrealistically overdone, but some of the more outrageous scenes had to be thought up somehow. Perhaps the human imagination was more vast and creative than she thought. Or perhaps people were just amazingly talented at twisting commonplace occurrences into entirely new situations. Sort of like how the gossip blogger was undeniably gifted at blowing things completely out of proportion. For a moment, Hayley contemplated jokingly asking Jaxton if he ever dreamt about dating her. She knew he would probably tell her she had her head up in the clouds, but it would have been amusing if his answer was the opposite. The thought nearly made her smile, but then she would probably seem odd for smiling for no reason. Although she would never admit it aloud, sometimes it was tough to be popular. Saying so sounded shallow and people would likely question what was so difficult about strutting around with an oversized ego, a sharp tongue, and access to the best parties and most useful connections. Until someone had been in her shoes, it would always be impossible to truly understand that burden that was on her shoulders. For the most part, she didn't regret the steps that she had taken because they were necessary in order to provide the prizes and benefits that she gladly reaped. She wouldn't complain, but maintaining the same act of poise and dignity was exhausting after a while. She wasn't weak enough to think she would ever collapse from the work she did, but sometimes she wanted a break. It sounded childish, but there were occasions when she wanted to just relax and laugh and be around the few people she genuinely liked. Giggling at corny jokes and feigning interest in worthless pieces of gossip spoken by peers she didn't care for was boring. While she was used to the whole routine, it didn't mean she didn't experience moments in which she wanted to just snap and voice her real thoughts. Losing control would put all her hard work down the drain though, and she wasn't about to let years of familiarising herself with the school's social system and making it all the way to head cheerleader go to waste. The only time she could afford to fully be herself were the rare, stolen moments of privacy away from watchful eyes and judgmental peers. "Full names are definitely too serious. It's like how my parents sound when I'm in trouble," she commented. "You can just call me Hales. A lot of people do." It felt odd to sound so casual toward Jaxton when she hardly knew him, but there was something about him that told her he was more trustworthy than the people she typically called her friends. There was absolutely no proof that supported this feeling, but it might have been because of the way his tone was gentle and his gaze was soft. It was a rare find for a girl who had grown used to picking up subtle details that hinted towards flirtiness or crudely concealed dislike coming from the other party. A voice inside her mind warned her not to start trusting him so easily, but she reassured herself that they were just having a simple conversation she could always deny having if the need ever arose. Then he brought up the issue of cliques as if he had been reading her mind, and her suspicions were confirmed. They were on opposite ends of the social spectrum. Her mind started doing flip-flops and somersaults, trying to figure out how she should reply. It wasn't as if she could tell him that he was below her, but Hayley wasn't about to lie through her teeth and claim they would be the best of friends. She wondered if he understood the way she worked. There was a stereotype that suggested that pretty blondes with piercing blue eyes and fashionable outfits would also be snobby, manipulative, and full of themselves. The only people they were willing to be seen with were those of an equal social standing. It was almost disappointing that those first impressions were typically in sync with the reality of what she was like. Obviously there was more to her than the shallowness that was the most easily perceived, but everyone had more depth to them. No one needed to know about how she was persistent and determined or that she had set goals that she had every intention of reaching. If they were satisfied with what they saw on the surface, then nothing else needed to matter. Fixing her gaze upon him, she replied, "It's summer, isn't it? So school's out, and I'd like to think that cliques don't matter right now. Unless you disagree?" It wasn't the straight answer he was probably looking for, but she hoped it would do for now. She listened quietly as he explained why he was at the boardwalk, noting that he paused and added that he would make an exception for her. "I want to stay. You said it's alright, didn't you? Or did you change your mind?" Hayley knew that it was odd for her to stick around, and Jaxton probably thought so too. She knew part of her decision was because her feet still hurt, but there was also something about tonight. Under the cover of the night sky, it felt like there was no such thing as cliques, and they were just two teenagers sitting on a bench. Even if it was just for a moment, she wanted to know what it would be like to be able to interact with others without the constant pressure of being judged because of who she was seen speaking to and acting friendly towards. [/style][/style][style=font-family: courier new; font-size: 10px; text-align: center;]TEMPLATE BY JOHN OF OTE & BTN[/style]

[atrb=vAlign,top][style=background-color: #eee; padding: 8px; width: 125px; border-radius: 15px 0 0 15px;][style=background-color: #fff; padding: 5px; border-radius: 10px 0 0 10px;] [style=opacity: 0.8; margin-bottom: 5px;][/style][style=background-color: #eee; color: #4ecdc4; font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 2px;]TAGS[/style][style=font-family: tahoma; font-size: 10px; color: #494949; text-align: justify; margin-left: 5px; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 5px; text-transform: lowercase;]Jaxton[/style][style=background-color: #eee; color: #4ecdc4; font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 2px;]WORDS[/style][style=font-family: tahoma; font-size: 10px; color: #494949; text-align: justify; margin-left: 5px; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 5px;]1,062[/style][style=background-color: #eee; color: #4ecdc4; font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 2px;]NOTES[/style][style=font-family: tahoma; font-size: 10px; color: #494949; text-align: justify; margin-left: 5px; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 5px; text-transform: lowercase;]iRamble. c':[/style] [/style][/style]

[JAXTON AVERY LANDON]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,10,true][atrb=style, background-color: #fff; width: 450px, bTable] DID MY HEART LOVE UNTIL NOW? 'CAUSE I FEEL AS THOUGH I'VE NEVER SEEN BEAUTY TILL THIS NIGHT. So maybe it was just a tad cliche. Scratch that, it was quite literally a scene straight out of a fucking teen movie. The loser kid sets his sights on the most popular girl, the queen bee, or the head cheerleader, as it turned out to be in this case. And yeah, maybe Jax had his head in the clouds with this whole crush thing. Of course, he had always viewed the feelings as harmless. It wasn't like he had ever thought he would ever really even talk to her, let alone pursue her. It really was just a fantasy, an innocent daydream. But now that the opportunity had presented himself, there was no guaranteeing that he might not attempt to do some damage. It wasn't like he expected her to fall for him all of a sudden. That would absolutely never happen, not in a thousand years; the idea was almost laughable. With pretty much every guy in Ocean City pining over her, Jaxton obviously never had even the slightest of chances. But the idea of spending an evening with her, getting to know what she was really like, it was too tempting to pass up. He could finally stop wondering what she was like. Needless to say, it was not an opportunity that Jax intended on wasting. "I definitely am not interested in sounding like your parents." As soon as the words left his lips he wondered if it was a strange comment. He hadn't been trying to insult her parents or something, of course not, he just would really rather not remind Hayley of either her mother or father. It was a stupid worry, and he did his best to shake it immediately. "I think I'll stick to Hales, then." Jaxton felt her gaze on him then, and with some difficulty his eyes met hers. He was momentarily distracted by the color of her eyes; he spent a moment trying to figure out what it reminded him of, that icy blue, almost like a glowing ocean. But her words brought him back to reality fairly quickly, and he could not stop the smirk from spreading across his face, pleased with her answer. "I agree. I was never fond of the idea of cliques. All the stereotypes, the judgements, the assumptions... I think there's more to people than what's on the surface." His eyes found hers again and a hint of a smile played on his lips. "Don't you agree?" He was unsure if she would realize that he was referring to her. He didn't know if she could tell just by looking at him that he was curious about what she was really like. He didn't know her at all, actually. But he had a feeling she was different than what the rumor mill had made her out to be. He'd heard hundreds of things about her; most of his male friends also found her intriguing, but how could they not? He'd heard that she was manipulative, a bitch, a whore, terrible things that high school kids just thrive on. He'd never believed any of it. Not for a second. It just wasn't fair. He liked to have his own perception of people, uninfluenced by high school bullshit. He wondered if she had ever heard anything about him. It was very unlikely, but he still wondered. She had decided to stay. She wanted to stay, even. The boy hid his surprise quite well. His dark eyebrows raised just a bit, but that was the only indication of his astonishment. "I didn't change my mind. I'm glad you want to stay." It seemed as if tonight wasn't going to be the boring, uneventful night he had had in mind. For a moment he wondered why she wanted to stay. But just as quickly as the thought had crossed his mind, he shook it off. No sense in worrying. Some strange twist of fate had brought them both here, and it seemed inclined to have them stay together for a bit longer. For what reason, Jaxton was not sure. All he knew was that he firmly believed that everything always happened for a reason. Always. He bent down to hastily put what was left of his cigarette out by pressing the ashes against the concrete beneath them. The remains of the cigarette were carelessly tossed onto the ground as the boy stood up. "I have an idea," he announced, and his eyes appeared to light up as the words escaped his lips, or maybe that was just the glint of the street lights reflected on his irises. "You said you don't usually come here at night. Which means, you probably haven't ridden the ferris wheel at this hour then, correct?" Riding the ferris wheel was just about the most touristy thing one could do on the boardwalk; you might as well wear a fanny pack and buy a 'I heart Ocean City' t-shirt while you're at it. But it had been one of Jax and Lily's favorite pastimes. It was beautiful at night, and it felt less cliche and more like flying. "It's open til midnight, technically. It's just, most people leave when all the shops close," he explained, and his mind was already made up, they were riding the ferris wheel, and he extended his arm to her, offering to help her up, remembering that her feet hurt. "Come on, I don't bite." He smiled. "It'll be fun." CODED BY LADY RAINICORN @ CAUTION TAGGED: HAYLEY KESSLER, 908 WORDS, LYRICS BY CHIODOS.