Halcyon Halls

Who: Cissy and Ana
When: Monday Evening
Where: The Pool

Being trapped anywhere was never a good feeling, especially when it came to Cissy Vallario. She hated having to sit still as a general rule of thumb, and after having spent a weekend in New York again, she was finding her inability to keep herself from moving around even more prevalent. And tonight just had to be the full moon, one of the times when she, for reasons unknown, always seemed to find herself at her most restless state.

Walking around the house had done little for her. Hanging out in the common room had only made her decide that all the non-weres in her house were dull. Frankie was off doing something with her friends and Vinnie was busy and Xander.. well she didn't want to know what he was doing tonight, and she was just bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Normally she would have gone for a run and that would have helped her out but considering that she couldn't go outside, that idea was shot all to hell.

Finally a decision was made. A swim was in order. It was the best she could come up with to help cure her of her excess energy. A swimsuit was chosen, a towel tossed over her shoulder, and Cissy was on her way. It didn't take her long to find the room in which she was determined to calm down her own "inner beast" as the werecreatures liked to call it, at least enough that she could sleep, before retreating to her bedroom to close her eyes and wake up on a new day where perhaps she would feel less stir crazy.

The pool was empty when she arrived but it wouldn't stay that way for long. Cissy dove into the pool, her lithe body taking to the water with all of a natural swimmers grace. She could have been a professional had she cared to devote the time to it, but she had never wanted that for herself. Still she moved rather gracefully and soundlessly through the glistening pool, to one end and back to the other, each lap swam more quickly that the previous, until she found herself resting at the side of the pool, wet hair pushed back out of her face as the warm water of the pool lapped at her supple form.

Who: Cat, and Wes
Where: The Pit
What: Wes' dream has come true! Vegas has come to the island.
When: Friday night


With his hand tucked in her own, Wes gentlemanly lead the way down to "The Pit". It was hard not to look around, and soak in all the changes that had occurred while the place was closed. It seemed to be more rock oriented, and a little less Goth. It had been great before, but he could certainly see the possibilities of the new change. Plus, there was a fucking strip joint in the place now. How could you beat that? It was as if a part of Vegas had come to the island, and he was happier than fuck about it. Strip clubs were great, and amazingly, they helped keep him in line. Strippers would dance for you, tease you, get you all worked up for the right amount of tipping, but that was it. They wouldn't touch you, they'd have nothing to do with you outside of the gig. So, that meant you had to go home, and relief all that tension with the Mrs. Really, strip clubs were a great thing. Especially if you could get your significant other to come along with you. Now that was a turn on.

"Let's grab some drinks." He yelled over the crowd. The place was packed, not surprising. But between the dj, and all the people occupying the space, holding their own conversations, it was difficult to hear. Wes weaved his way through the crowd, pushing people to the side, so that Cat wouldn't have to bump as many shoulders, before finally finding them a spot at the expansion of the bar. His eyes moved up, and down the thing, seeking out a certain bartender. "Viv!" He yelled, waving his hand to get her attention. The girl was in a hustle, but she nodded, letting him know that they were indeed next to recieve her service. "You've never met Viv, have you?" He asked, turning to look at Cat. "She's the one who usually makes our drinks when we come here. Good kid." When she finally did approach, he gave her a glancing over, "J let's you out of the castle dressed like that?" He said, teasing the girl. When Vivian merely rolled her eyes, he went on. "Cat, this is Viv, Viv, Cat. I'll take a usual, and the lady will have whatever she likes." He pulled his wallet free from the back pocket of his jeans, taking out a credit card, and instructing her to just start up a tab for him.

Vivian introduced herself to Cat, shaking the woman's hand, before moving to get their order ready. Upon returning with the two drinks in hand, she leaned forward across the bar, showing off the pretty ring that Jaida had left for her that morning. Though she didn't say so much as to what it meant, she hinted heavily with a rather straight face what it signified. "Ha ha, very funny. I'm banning you both from the shop." Dull eyes rolled behind dark sunglasses, taking his drink, and offering Cat her own. "You think I'm joking?" He was joking, but honestly, the two were ganging up on him now, and that was not cool. Yeah, the little plan was cute, but he didn't fall for it. At least, he wasn't so quickly going to buy what they were now claiming. Together, yeah, he could buy that. Engaged? Ha, whatever ladies. "Tell you what, never mind the banning stuff. You, and J could have the wedding at the shop." Surly that would throw them off, if he started playing along. He hadn't however, counted on Viv saying they should make it a double wedding.

"Changed my mind, you two are banned. Be sure you tell J." Giving his head a little shake, he looked to Cat once more, "Ready to head over to the sin den?" Whether the strip club area had a name or not, he didn't know. But, that's what he would now be calling it. After all, some people tended to do nasty things in those places.

Who: Cassandra and Mircea
When: Monday
Where: Library


Cassandra wasn't sure she'd ever been so busy! Classwork, classwork and more classwork. Granted the fact that she was having a little more trouble than normal keeping up with her work could have had something to do with the fact that all her time wasn't being spent on working her way through the piles of reading she accumulated. She might have been a little distracted now. Unfortunately distracted by more than one thing. She would have felt a great deal less bothered by this distraction if it had been attributable to only one source.

It wasn't though. Granted, the dark haired demon that had literally swept her off her feet at one point was a good part of it. There was just more. Like the odd dreams she continued to have despite her desire to control them. Or the way that she just felt something prickling oddly at her skin. If she had a better outlook on everything she was capable of, she would have paid attention to those signs and perhaps listened to what her body was trying to tell her. But... she didn't. She didn't want to allow herself to have any premonitions of what might possibly be to come, whether it was for better or worse. The slight ability she'd been able to harness seemed to be only to deny what wanted to come and it was fragile at best, but she embraced it fully.

Or maybe ignorantly was the better way to phrase it. What was natural couldn't be denied forever. That fact sat at the back of her mind always, the far back...

Concerns or no, Cassandra was intent on buckling down on her studies before the week even got started and managed to get out of control. That was why as soon as her classes were done she hightailed it to the library. She carried with her a stack of books to be returned and on her back, the books she needed to be going over while she was there. Somehow she was certain that there wouldn't be enough time but she'd do her darn best to make a dent in it all.

Using her shoulder to open the door, Cassandra did her best to not lose her grip on the tower of books she had. That was clearly her only focus as she stepped inside or she might never have made it another step inside...

Who: Titania and Alice
Where: Meeting in front of the school and off to Imaginarium!
When: Late afternoon

Titania sent her last text message to Alice, before throwing the little phone onto her bed, and rushing off to her closet to pick out the perfect outfit. She didn't really want the attention, but having fun, you always have to dress up for the part. And that pink/black tutu was the perfect thing to wear. She even thought of wearing her four inch flat platform boots. They only went half way, stopping right in the middle of her calves. So, leg warmers were worn. Even though it was summer, she still liked wearing them. Yeah, it got a little hot for her legs, she just ignored it.

With a buttoned up black tank top on, she allowed two of them to stay opened, only to show off the big round pink heart necklace she quickly put on. Before she rushed out of her room, she forgot to grab her purse. When that was finally in her possession, she was off toward the front of the school.

She did feel a little bad that she got there past ten minutes. When she saw Alice, she slowed herself down ( since she was running ), and silently made her way toward the girl. Both of her hands came up and wrapped around Alice's shoulders, only to cover her eyes and pull the girl against her. Wearing platforms gave her the advantage to do this! "Guess who?" She asked, German accent thick, with a little sing-song tone to it.

Who: Titania and Lily
Where: The Loft and the Pit
When: After dark

Even though it has been exactly a month since Titania has been in this school, she still got lost. Twice now she was late for two classes. The most important ones too. From the beginning it slightly bothered her how everyone turned around and stared at her like she was something abnormal and they had to poke and prod. But as the days went by, she did what she was good at, smiled brightly and walked calmly to her seat.

During the afternoon, the only time she is really able to take a nap or do something crazy before her last class of the day, she gathered the perfect outfit for tonight. There was something going on about this club. One was there before, but someone bought it and redid everything, or something. She didn't really know everything about it, but it still got her curious meter at the highest level it could possibly go.

She kept glaring at the clock, listening to the teacher, and writing down what was needed to be on the notebook. Yeah, she was mostly scribbling, but it was her version of notes. No one else could read them but her. People better get used to not asking for notes from her. And when she was able to be let out, the girl rushed to her room to get ready!

It took more than two hours to be as pretty as she could. Wearing a normal looking outfit, but odd looking pair of heels was the perfect thing for the opening of a "new" club. She didn't feel like wearing a dress, didn't want the boys to peek under and see what flavor of undies. Boys will be boys, right?

Getting lost was a given. Titania was still getting used to this place. But wearing the heels, was taking a toll on her feet, and taking them off would ruin her socks. So, the only thing she could think of was taking them both off and walking around bare foot like a hippie. The looks she was getting made her giddy, no idea why, it made this chill go through her as if there was this big present down the road just for her. When the club was in sight, of course she got her socks and shoes back on, presented that well known ID, and made her way in. She heard the bottom part were for the oldies. That made her pout.

She got a drink and plopped her butt down on a couch that was deserted ( for now anyways ). The place was filling up as time went by, but her attention was on the music and how bad it was. How can anyone dance to something like this? Oh, wait, people were. "I need conversation.." She spoke to herself, slumping down on the couch, and looking about with a straw between those plump painted lips.

Who: Sasha (Open)
When: Monday afternoon
Where: Boxing gym
What: Working it out.
How: The trick is to keep breathing…

A good, really good, heavy bag session was nearly a carnal experience. Certainly there was something satisfyingly primal about the feel of impact, the very sound of it. The snapping crack of a jab. The bang of a solid hook. The smash of a straight right. The heavy bag took it all with nary a whimper. It was primal and liberating, an animal gut-deep gratification.

For some.

For Sasha it was just sweat. Sweat and order, the mathematics of worthwhile physical exertion. Rapt and unsmiling, the petite brunette delivered a concrete uppercut to the bag. The hit landed as it should’ve, quick and firm, wrapped knuckles away from the leather even before the echo evaporated.

She could feel the drill working her arms, shoulders, back, hips and legs. Everything working together as she punched. That unanimity was one of the main reasons Sasha thought to find the boxing gym instead of the fencing strip when the thunder rolled.

“Impact psychology” is what one trainer called it. Modern people had an installed reluctance to defend simply because of the implied risk of being hit. Impact training desensitized against the aversion. Kostya hadn’t wanted to run Sasha through the sore ordeal of grinding out the disinclination, but he hadn’t a choice; no way to learn systema methods otherwise. The practice was above all a method meant to function under fire. The strikes and kicks most applicable to heavy bag drills were gross motor skills: simple, large muscle actions that didn’t deteriorate under stress. It was a lesson in not breaking.

And Sasha was nothing if not a dedicated student.

The gym had a sound system. Sasha had twisted the volume dial demonically high. Neo-tango music tore the room, competing brilliantly with the thunder crackling outside. Sometimes Sasha let her movements take up the rhythm; other times she ignored it with deliberate resolve. Dreizen lay stretched out in a nearby corner. He knew better than to approach his keeper during these moods. The Doberman’s eyes were peaceably closed. He didn’t mind thunder.

Purity of focus isn’t only about what you see and do, Kostya said. It also about what you don’t allow. Concentration without contemplation. Purpose without intricacy. Stay “clean”, don’t get fancy. Chin tucked. Don’t weave about. She sighted down her punching arm as if down the barrel of a gun, and hit. Once, twice, three—back. Repeat. Pour your mind into the moment as you would wine into a glass. Feel the punch’s power come from the ground, through the legs, and off the hips. Jab, cross, jab again. Follow through to the last inch—back. Breathe.

Another bout of thunder burst through just as the tango music ebbed between tracks. Sasha didn’t flinch, didn’t falter her extension, but she felt it lance her stomach. A steady, cold ache had been nestled there since morning. The dreams preceding it weren’t exactly sweetness and light either. Thick, red dreams that sucked the air out of the room and the moisture out of her mouth—it was a familiar ailment.

Sherry. It had to be. Nobody else could poison her blood like this. What are you up to now, baby sister? Sasha leaned her forehead against the bag, feeling the telltale ache inside bloom.

Stuck in her thoughts and running on bad adrenaline, Sasha neglected one of her own key rules; she didn’t pay total attention. So when a polite hand tapped her shoulder, she didn’t think and she didn’t respond—she lashed out.

“Chyort voz'mi!*” The Russian tumbled out before the realization. “I mean, damn. Sorry, sorry, seriously, I’m sor—um, hello? Hey, yo, anybody home? Aw, hell, not again…”


[*Russian, Devil take it! a.k.a. “God damn it.”]

Week Eighteen
Dates: Monday July 30th through Sunday August 5th
Season: Summer 2007
Month: Late July into Early August

Announcements:

Monday
Full Moon: Due to the severe weather and heavy fog over the island the entire day, there is a curfew imposed upon all non-were students against leaving the the school at any time during the day. The chances of becoming lost and left vulnerable out of doors after night fall are too high.

Tuesday
Lammas Eve: Most shops in the city will close early today in preparation for tomorrow's festivities. Lammas, a Harvest Festival, is as ancient a festival as you'll find on the island.

Though the curfew will be lifted today, as always with such heavy fog, students are urged to stay indoors so as not to walk right off a cliff... or worse.

Wednesday
Lammas: No Classes today. All students dismissed in honor of Lammas. Most all of the city will be decked out for the occasion. Students are encouraged to visit and support the local farmers and to take part in the celebration of the harvest, however, they are discouraged from attending the Burning Man Festival that always seems to follow, springing up in some clandestine location.

Friday
Friendship Day: Friendship Day celebrations take place on the first Sunday of August every year. The tradition of dedicating a day in honor of friends began in US in 1935. Gradually the festival gained popularity and today Friendship Day is celebrated in large number of countries including India. On this day people spend time with their friends and express love for them. Exchange of Friendship Day Gifts like flowers, cards and wrist bands is a popular tradition of this occasion.

The Loft and the Pit, previously Heaven and Hell, will open their doors for the first time under new ownership tonight at 7PM

Much like before, the upstairs club is reserved for the lighter fair, dance music with a hint of bubblegum, for those looking for just a bit of easy going fun.

Downstairs, as always, is darker and moodier. Part has been turned into a strip club, very dark with private booths. Sorry kids... eighteen and up only. We don't want any pissed off guide teachers, or demon parents on our tail.

The main dance floor and bar have not changed much. In fact, we've managed to sweet talk the DJ into staying on. Expect more of that driving beat with the dark, nasty flair.

This Friday opening night, no cover. Half price drinks for all patrons displaying a Halcyon Halls Student ID. Remember, you must be at least sixteen to enter.

Saturday
Today Marks the anniversary of the invention of Champagne, by Dom Perignon in 1693. Many local propreitors will comemorate the day in some special way. Rumor has it The Loft has arranged for an extravagant Champagne Fountain as the day amid with their grand opening extravaganza.


Birthdays this Month:
Mirael Gazardiel - Aug 7th
Leilani Pukui - Aug 23rd
Kiernan Gallagher - Aug 23rd



Weather:
Monday July 30th Thunderstorms throughout the day accompanied a heavy fog laying over the entire island. Tonight is the full moon (High: 79°F Low: 69°F)
Tuesday July 31st: No more rain, though we all might wish for it with the temperature and humidity so high. The thick fog continues through the day. (High: 90°F Low: 66°F)
Wednesday August 1st: The fog, humidity and high heat will continue throughout the end of the week. (High: 90°F Low: 61°F)
Thursday August 2nd The fog, humidity and high heat will continue throughout the end of the week. (High: 91°F Low: 60°F)
Friday August 3rd : The fog, humidity and high heat will continue throughout the end of the week. (High: 91°F Low: 66°F)
Saturday August 4th: The fog lifts just in time for the weekend. But don't think that has given us a break from the heat or humidity. Not at all. They have only risen. (High: 95°F Low: 70°F)
Sunday August 5th: Finally a break from the heat and humidity, but only to usher in more rain and thunderstorms. (High: 87°F Low: 69°F)



((OOC: Mods will not be posting for any off campus activities.))

Who: Selene and Jillian
When: Sunday afternoon
Where: Selene's office


Stark raving bitch. That was one way to describe Selene's behavior with most everyone as of late. Did she wish to apologize for this behavior? Maybe someday. But not at the moment. She did wish to curb it, at least somewhat when she was within the school walls. Her bitterness aside, she knew it didn't deserve to be directed toward the student body. She had been a young person once, she had been turned and introduced into a whole new world and did understand how... complicated it could be. Especially for those that lacked the guidance that she'd had.

But such reminders of Cassius only served to set such progress toward tempering her behavior back another notch.

The weekend had been spent with the usual amount of time spent away from the school. As much as was possible that was. She had stuck to her office for the minimum of her office hours, though she was rather certain her surly demeanor in most of her classes had discouraged questions from most outside of class. That was preferably at the moment but she knew it wasn't what was expected and she would have to cease her behavior sooner rather than later. Her agreed upon appointment with one of her neglected guide students was perhaps step one on this path to righting her temperament. Or maybe it would just be a test to see how long it was she could hold her temper in check. Hopefully longer than with that were Sydni.

She had done her part, dressing as she typically did in the school setting. Black pencil skirt, a soft gray sleeveless blouse and black sling back heels. There was something to be said for dressing the part, it was almost half the battle. She seated herself at her desk and forced her mind to settle on reading over notes and assignments from her classes, best to keep the academic mindset as she awaited Jillian.

Who: Starbuck and Kim
When: Saturday afternoon
Where: front lawn outside Halcyon
What: playing football in the rain!

Starbuck was excited about playing football. He missed playing since quitting the club, but it had been the best move for his sanity. He just couldn't stand being around a few of the people in the club unless it was mandatory, so best to drop it and move on. Didn't mean he couldn't still play the sport, he simply had to find some new people to toss the ball around with. And in what was becoming a major trend in his life, he found another woman to befriend. It wasn't just here at Halcyon, he'd had mostly female friends back in Maui too. Starbuck had never really understood it, it was just the way things tended to go for him. Some of them he dated, actually, a lot of them he had dated or ended up dating, but because things stayed fairly casual, there were rarely hard feelings and he could remain close to the woman when they both moved on. He'd wished it could be that way with Kat, but it couldn't. He still loved her, so being near her without actually being with her was far too painful. Distance was the only cure... that and time.

He needed distractions too, and a friendly game of football would help in that fashion. He put on some mesh shorts, an old t-shirt with a few paint stains, and some sneakers that had seen better days. It was messy outside, no point in ruining clothes. He grabbed the older of his two footballs too, not because he was worried about it getting dirty, but because it felt better in his hands. Imitation leather, like anything he owned it appeared to come from an animal, without that whole gruesome killing aspect.

He juggled the ball around in his hands as he strolled away from Aquatic and headed toward the big front lawn. The rain was falling gently, and there were some gusts of wind from time to time, but it wasn't altogether bad out. At least the lightning was in the distance, and the soft roll of thunder had a nice sound to it. The biggest perk associated with this weather was the noticeable lack of people out in it. He and Kim could play football and goof around in the rain without a bunch of idiots giving them shit for it.

Waiting for Kim to show up, Starbuck dropped the ball to the ground and his face to the sky, letting the rain drops soak his skin. It felt wonderful.

Who:  Sydni and Jesse
What:  Snorkeling
Where:  On the ocean
When:  Saturday afternoon

It was a good thing that Sydni had so much extra energy from the full moon coming on Monday.  After passing out from the medicine the nurse had given her, she'd woken up in the middle of the night, with the distinct urge to prowl.  And while her shoulder still hurt, she couldn't suppress that urge and had gone walking, though this time, she stayed on the beach, despite the protestations she felt from her inner wolf.  It would just have to deal - not that she really thought she'd have more knives thrown at her, but she didn't particularly trust her direction sense to keep her from getting lost.  Or protective her from others who felt like prowling in the middle of the night.

As a result, though, she hadn't gotten much sleep and when her alarm went off early for her to go to work, she couldn't help grumbling a bit.  But, her extra energy bouyed her up plenty, and she had no problem running the class.  Well, aside from the fact that she felt like she had ADHD and PMS at the same time.  Not so good for the goofballs in class - didn't take much to piss her off right now.  Or distract her.  Not good for the slow learners, either - she needed to keep moving on to the next thing.  Luckily, she could address any problems next week.  Kyle had given her Sunday off, and it was probably good for the other were or two in class.  At least they were on the same page as her.

After class, Sydni went to go check over The Azure, the boat she always rented, and stow her own snorkeling gear, and the set she'd rented for Jesse.  She had a hard time sitting and waiting for the younger man to show up, so she decided to go get some coffee to calm her nerves.  Riiight.  In any case, it kept her moving.  She had noticed a little coffee place nearby and while it wasn't Starbuck's, it was still coffee.  Getting her coffee and heading out again, she noticed she still had about 15 minutes to kill before Jesse showed up, so she meandered down a few of the roads, just to see what was around.  Unable to stop checking her watch, she nearly drove herself nuts with impatience.  Finally, after enough aimless browsing, she headed back to the docks.

Still arriving before Jesse, she fiddled about on the boat a little, before noticing him strolling down the docks.  "Hey!" she shouted, waving so he'd know which boat.  All her restless energy was now steered into more productive excited energy.  This was gonna be fun!

Who: Frankie and Max
When: Thursday evening
Where: front lawn outside school
What: flying!

Walking Tesla and Hugo was proving to be one hell of a job. No one could say that Frankie wasn't earning the money Wes gave her. The dogs were slightly bonkers, and had her running all over the place every time she took them walking. But, she managed to keep up with them, and they enjoyed her company it seemed. She'd never been licked so much in her life! Ha!

After the hour together had passed, Frankie returned the beasts to their owner and went back to her dorm to clean up. Tonight wasn't a date, at least she didn't think it was. She would have liked for it to be, but Max didn't seem all that interested in her. Sucked big time. She didn't know what she was doing wrong with men. Did all girls go through this when they first started dating? And did it get easier with time?

She hated her lack of experience and knowledge of this world. She'd been such an outsider for so long, and then was thrust into the normal young adult world without a clue how to navigate it. What was the right way to flirt? How did you go about telling a guy you like him? Who made good boyfriend material? All things she didn't know, and she wasn't sure who to ask. Perhaps everyone just stumbled along, made a lot of mistakes, and eventually figured it out.

Perhaps she should just stop thinking so much about it, and enjoy life. Yeah. Good plan.

She showered (steaming hot as always), dressed in some track pants and a tank top with a low cut back to allow her wings freedom, then grabbed her phone and keys. She snagged a sweat shirt that had holes cut in the back as well, something we wear if she got cold, which was often. All ready, she headed out to the front lawn to meet Max, hopeful she'd at least make a new friend and maybe improve upon her flying.

Who: Kin and Ita
Where: Starting in the kitchen and then off to find somewhere to swim!
When: Evening

If his mirror could speak back to him, he would really, really love for his reflection to say, "Calm the fuck down. It is just a girl!". Saying that out loud to himself was... Weird. Not normal. All because he wasn't much of the cursing type, unless it was needed. And how nervous he was, it was needed to the point his throat got tired; hopefully he wouldn't be able to speak after that.

The swim trunks he purchased during the week actually fit him to a perfect T. They weren't that long, stopped just a little above the knee, and they felt comfortable around his slim waist.

Yes, he literally stood in front of his mirror for two hours in nothing but those swim trunks. Trying to tell himself over and over again they looked fine. He could even get away with wearing a tank top with them, right? ... Maybe. It really all depended on Ita, since she was the teacher tonight.

Oh, look, here came that shudder of anxiety once again. The best thing to do was take in a deep breath, let it out, take in another deep breath, and do so till he was able to escape into his peaceful world. Meditating would be a great thing to look into when he had free time.

Before the sun set, Kin placed everything he needed in a duffel bag: beach towel, conditioning mouse for his hair, a pair of jeans, and an extra tank top ( if the one he was wearing got wet out of nowhere ). He had to double, no, triple check everything before heading out of his room and toward the kitchen. Could you believe he got lost almost twice because of his nerves? Yeah, they really weren't leaving him alone tonight. Hopefully the wine will help him get a little tipsy; he really did need that right about now. But if he remembered correctly - they weren't going to drink till after their lessons. Dammit.

Well, he made his way toward the kitchen ( finally), and let the bag rest on one of the counters. Allowing his eyes to wander in every direction before turning his full attention toward the doors. Only because the sound of feet walking down the hall grabbed him. Was it Ita? He really hoped it was. If she wore perfume, well, he'd have to get used to the smell and remember what it was like. Anyone walking could be.. anyone walking.

Who:  Ita and anyone interested in the cooking club (open)
What:  Cooking club meeting
Where:  Kitchens
When:  7 pm sharp

Ita could hardly focus in any of her classes.  Not that she was all that focused on a regular basis, but tonight was the cooking club meeting, and she really hoped she drew a fairly decent crowd.  As a student, she'd been involved in many clubs, and often she was in some sort of officer's position - she enjoyed being in the thick of things.  Organizing, creating, getting people involved - that was all a part of her personality.  She made sure that those members who weren't there often felt included, often sending out minutes in e-mails, and she made sure that those members were who were there often didn't get stuck doing all the business of the organization.  She was a peacekeeper, too, finding it important to try and work out drama.  It made her sad whenever someone left a club, not because they no longer enjoyed the club, but because of social politics.

After classes, she had rushed back to her room and did what any girl did for an important - checked her closet and became suddenly stricken with indecision.  However, unlike for most dates, she wasn't checking her closet for an outfit.  She was checking her closet to go through the bins of cooking supplies that she'd brought, bought, or received in the mail.  Unsure of how many people would show, she couldn't decide what to bring.  After considerable consideration, and several wrestling matches with items that wanted to remain stored, she finally decided on several mini-loaf stones.  Her favorite recipe was banana nut-raisin bread, and the mini-loaves would be perfect for sharing.  She had a half dozen, and hopefully, if that didn't cover everyone, someone else would have brought something.  Grabbing her home-recipes cookbook - nearly all of the recipes were stolen from Aunt Lissa - she headed down to the kitchens, arriving nearly a half hour early.

Setting her stones and her cookbook on an empty counter, Ita filled one of the sinks and tore a page from her notebook, writing, "Please do not use or empty" in big letters, and folding it so it would stand up next to the sink.  She knew that in a kitchen with too many cooks, it would likely get emptied, or someone would use it for dishes.  She wanted a nice clean sink of water in case of fire.  After getting that all settled, she checked the cupboards to see what other recipes she could make with the supplies here.  Satisfied that she had ingredients for at least two other recipes, and the necessary utensils, she pulled those cards as well and laid them all out nicely on the counter.  She'd pull the ingredients if they needed them.  Settling herself on a stool she found, she titled a page in her notebook with the date and "First Meeting of the Underground Cooking Club."  She had liked Sasha's name better, but she couldn't remember it right now.  She really hoped Sasha would come - she had the best ideas!  That, and she'd brought the cute little half-apron she'd given her from last time.  This time it matched her outfit, though.  Not that much wouldn't - jeans, white blouse, Birkes.  Yeah, not much could clash with that.

Truly settled at last, Ita discovered she had a full 15 minutes until 7.  People probably wouldn't show for another 10.  This was going to be excrutiating.  To entertain herself, she began to manipulate the water in the sink, creating a little story in her head to go with the splashing and waves she was creating.  She even managed to make something that looked rather like a clay horse.  Well, that's what she was going for anyway.  She wasn't too involved in her magical play to hear someone approach, though, and ceased her actions before they even opened the door.  She could hardly stay seated as the first person arrived.

Who: Sasha
What: Sky-scraping/navel-gazing. (Possibly arguing with local crows.)
Where: Zephyr roof.
When: Thursday morning

There are times when a change of scenery is about the only thing you can do. A new view, a different perspective. Teachers keep on teachin’ and preachers keep on preachin’, but, darn it all, Wonder man, was right; sometimes a person must seek higher ground.

And sometimes, Sasha thought, settling back comfortably against the roof’s angle, a girl has to get a little literal about it.

The dormitory roof was a surprisingly comfy perch, she decided. Then again, Zephir House did (theoretically) host the resident flyers and “aces”, so why wouldn’t they have an accessible roof? Well, fairly accessible. Reasonably public, anyway.

(Provided the public, y’know, tried to crack the attic lock, failed, jimmied the garret lock instead and then shimmied up some handily craggy brickwork to find a seat among the antique shingles. And for the record she was totally going to apologize about the gouges and boot marks on the attic door. Later. Really. Girl Scout’s honor.)

This morning Sasha was (as of yet) in unrepentant “off” mode: paint-speckled jeans, yellow polo shirt, reliably soled and distinctly unlovely hightops. The roof was warm from the sun; Sasha pressed her toes against the gutter, wary of the steep incline, and looked. It was a nice view, really: trees and paths, and garden shrubbery, and storybook towers, the ocean’s vivid mantle lying beyond. Very scenic, very good. Halcyon students hurried to and fro below, small as raisins. None looked up. Sasha wondered what that said about human nature—except how many of them were human?

“I am so in the wrong fairy tale,” she said conversationally to the empty, bright air. The crow nearby refused to comment. Smug bugger.

Settling back, Sasha closed her eyes against the cool, early light, and wished for nothing.

Who: Ava and Ana
What: Pet shopping!
Where: In town, at the pet store
When: Saturday night

Once she had settled in, Ava was ready to hit the town. She'd been sitting in her room all day, the sunlight blocking her from being able to leave, and she'd spent most of that surfing the internet with Ana and talking to the various people who had introduced themselves on her journal. So far, the vampires seemed friendly enough, which was enough to fill Ava with glee.

Ava and Ana had promised one another that as soon as they arrived at the school they were finally going to buy the pets they had been wanting for so very long. Ava couldn't remember whose suggestion the pet had been, but it had been a fantastic one. The only problem she could think of was the one of where they were going to keep the food for them. There wasn't exactly a good place to keep rats in their dorm room. Ava didn't like rats, so she didn't feel particularly bad about feeding them to her snake.

They'd called the cab and Ava stepped out of their room, decked out in a bright green halter dress with her dark hair piled high atop her head and a pair of designer chic sunglasses that were nearly too large for her face. She'd broken out her new necklace, a parting gift from her Sire, slipped on her Louboutins, and realized that she was likely wearing brands that people here may never have even heard of, except for her sister of course. If they did know of them, then Ava simply had to meet them. She and Ana needed shopping buddies - not that they minded going out together at all, it would just be fun to have a group like they used to have back on Fifth Avenue.

Making her way down the stairs, she saw the cab and then slipped her arm in her sister's. "Shall we, dahling?" she asked, giggling softly as she pushed open the door.

Who:  Sydni and Kenzie
Where:  The kitchen
What:  Belated birthday dinner
When:  After the dinner rush

Sydni was looking forward to surprising her friend with a treat for his birthday.  The last time they'd bumped into each other she'd ended up red for most of the conversation.  Even now when that thought crossed her mind, she blushed a bit.  It definitely showed on he face whenever she thought about sex.  And Serghei was a very attractive guy, and Kenzie, well, she definitely had a bit of a different view of him now.  She'd previously thught of him as a kid, but now she really couldn't think of him that way without being a bit creeped out.

Looking at all the ingredients she'd brought with her, she didn't know how much Kenzie would like to help or not.  It could be fun.  Especially making the dough.  She liked squishing it between her fingers, as childlike as that could be.  She even had fun making funny designs out of the toppings - usually she made a happy face with pepperonis, black olives, and and peppers.  But she'd brought just about every topping she could think of so Kenzie could decide what he wanted on the pizza.  Homemade pizza was definitely the way to go - way healthier if you chose the right toppings.  And, she'd brought some wine in case he liked wine.  Other beverages were already in the kitchen fridge, so she hadn't bothered with those.

Sydni was really never happier than when she was making something for someone else.  She loved to give gifts way more than she enjoyed receiving them.  And while she had no problem hunting down the perfect store-bought gift, if she could make it, she would.  She really believed that putting her energy into something made it that much more powerful.  Especially given her spiritual beliefs.

Looking around at her set up - all the ingredients plus the necessary utensils and dishes - she smiled and nodded a bit to herself.  It was a bit early in the week, but she was feeling some of the pull of the moon.  She couldn't stand still for long, and kept going and checking cabinets to be sure she hadn't forgotten something.  Or she'd start tapping her nails on the counter.  When she heard someone enter, she looked up and smiled.  "Happy belated birthday."

Who: Cassandra and Max
When: Tuesday after classes
Where: Outside
What: FLYING.


Where had she put her backpack! Cassandra flipped her head over and peered under her desk. She'd sworn she'd just had her bag, after all she had just come back from class. Where could it have gone! Milo peered at her curiously from where he was completely ensconced in a circle of comforter on Cassandra's bed. Yes, his owner was completely losing her mind. It had something to do with the large pile of cookies and sandwiches that she'd hurried down to the cafeteria and kitchens to gather up. She just needed to empty out her backpack so she could all that in there. Oh yeah, and go out to meet Max for a bit of flying.

So maybe that was what had her a bit more scattered than normal.

It was in a good way, at least she hoped it was. She would be lying though if she wasn't a little worried. It was warm out, frustrating part of summer! But she worried that leaving hte t-shirt she had on would be pushing the boundaries of what she had worked so hard on. The necklace she always wore was helpful, there was no denying that but... Cassandra just really didn't want to ruin something that was easily the highlight of her week. Hopefully it would be. She just didn't want to turn into the lowlight...

Finally! Cassandra spied the worn blue bag under the edge of her bed. She must have kicked it there in her haste to get ready. She pulled it up and quickly emptied it of the books and notes she seemed to have in excess. The schoolwork was replaced quickly by the food she'd gathered as well as some bottles of water. That seemed the easiest thing to grab. She slung the bag over her shoulder and reluctantly grabbed a zip up sweatshirt. Better safe than sorry right... though being a hot sweaty mess while being held in the air by someone who... even Cassandra could admit it, was attractive.. wasn't exactly high on her to do list.

The experience was more important than that though right? And there would be wind, hopefully! Everything gathered up in her arms, Cassandra hurried over to give Milo a rub goodbye, promising to be back later with treats and she was out the door. Managing not to trip down the stairs with the speed at which she was moving was an accomplishment and she almost gave herself a pat on the back for it! Cassandra pushed open the large doors to the front of the school and took a moment to let her eyes adjust to the sunlight after being inside for so long. Shading her blue orbs she scanned the front of the school looking for Max.

Who: Kin and ( Open? Or it can be narrative )
Where: Trying to find the Surf Shop
When: After the sun sets

He kept looking to the clock during his last class, trying to pay attention as well, but failing miserably. Thankfully he sat in the back and always slouched in his seat. With his height and all, it was kind of hard to make it look like he was listening to the lesson, and not doing his own little thing.

But once that bell rang, and the last little words could be put in by the teacher, he grabbed everything that he had, shoving it into the little backpack he carried around. The first one to leave the class, that's the way he liked it. Sit in the back, mind his own business, and not get all caught up with the other students as he is leaving. Yeah, he'd like to make friends, but were there any on his level of maturity? Maybe some. He hasn't really went out of his way to figure this out.

He didn't even bother going back to his room, all because he really had no idea where the surf shop was and didn't feel like asking for direction. He already felt semi-retarded that he asked someone in his journal if they were open late. So, leaving the school right then and there was the smartest thing to do. Hopefully he finds it before they close. When do they close? Does he even remember the time? Wait, did he even ask? Already he was cursing himself up and down for not asking the simplest question. But then again, you always do forget the simplest things.

After an hour or two of getting lost, Kin finally found it. He was exhausted, slowly getting tired of all the walking around, panicking a tiny bit, and almost about to give up his search. And here he was, standing right in front of it. A deep breath of relief was taken. Few strands of hair being pushed back before slowly making his way into the shop. First glances didn't show him much, which was a slight disappointment. He wanted in and out!

He said his hellos to whoever was working there. Really wasn't paying attention to who was, could be male or female, he didn't look up. All his eyes were on were the swim trunks. Or shorts. Whatever the kids were calling them these days.

There weren't that many to choose from, at least to his liking. Might as well just take the plain black ones, those seem to look the best. "Oh well.." he said, sighing heavily. He'll only wear them once, right? No, wait, he'll be taking more than one lesson in swimming. The black ones were taken to the front desk, paid for, and quickly leaving to get back to the school.

Who: Jillian and Caibre
Where: Woods
When: Wednesday

It was evening, sunset to be precise, and Jillian couldn't think of a better time to go hiking. She preferred dawn and dusk to make her way through the wilds here, the streaked sky casting the forest in a kaleidoscope of colors, bringing out the true beauty of the greenery surrounding them. There weren't many people out and about at those times. Being a Wednesday evening, the chances were that everyone was doing home work or staying in to study. Heh. Which one was the more likely? Probably procrastination.

Hiking boots crunched over leaves and dead fall, branches crackling under her feet as she picked her way through the treeline. There was a path, but Jillian never followed paths unless she was actually lost, and that didn't happen often. She paused, reaching into her bag for her water, and she glanced up.

The feeling of being watched was one that Jillian got often. Being a psychic, specifically one that couldn't control her own powers, tended to give her that paranoia, but this was far more real. She was being watched. She looked around, her body stiffening, and she cleared her throat.

"Hello?" she called out, her lips tightening as she pushed off of the tree. She tried reaching out with her mind, but she got nothing. Damnit, work for once... Capping her bottle and slipping it into her bag, she started walking again, glancing over her shoulder once more.

Who: Mircea and Sydni
Where: Outside of the School
When: Friday

When he'd finished cataloging the returned library books, Mircea made his way outside of the school. Friday afternoons weren't the busiest at the library, so he'd decided to spend it practicing. Now, his type of practicing wasn't something he wanted to broadcast to the entire school, so he moved to an out of the way clearing and decided to play target practice with a tree.

His throwing knives were some of his prized possessions. They were old, almost as old as he was, and they were in excellent shape. The blades were a dark steel and the handles were delicately wrapped with roan leather, perfectly balanced for weight and speed. He'd picked a medium sized tree with thick bark to throw at, and with practiced ease the knives slid from his fingers to land in the tree with a thunk.

Losing himself in the smooth movement of the steel flowing from his fingers, his thoughts wandered back to his meeting with Cassandra. She hadn't know that the black bird that had alighted on her windowsill was him and she had been just as kind and thoughtful as he had remembered. Despite all that had happened to her, despite her family's rejection, despite the years spent with him, she still trusted too easily.

Everyone he had talked to here trusted fairly easily, though he had no doubt that if he misstepped the administration would see to his removal. He didn't want to conceive of that. He'd worked too hard to make it here, to be close to her. And he would stay for as long as it took for him to get what he wanted.

A sound interrupted his reverie and with no thought towards it, just automatic reaction, he let the knife slip through his fingers towards its target. Damn!

Who: Noah and Nat
Where: Outside school, fields and more!
When: Tuesday


Okay so maybe Noah was enjoying this. Maybe just a little bit. But what could he say, wind sprints were kind of fun if you were sick in the head like he was. And it wasn't like he was forcing anyone else to do them. It wasn't like the football team had a real coach or anything and it wasn't like practices were like the practices that he'd known for the vast majority of his life. Rather it was something that was supposed to be straight enjoyable.

That said, it was way easier to enjoy football if you could run for a while without you know... wanting to pass out. But he'd belying if he said he didn't kind of like that burning feeling that set in your legs when you pushed through the last sprint.

"COME ON NAT. SUCK IT UP." He yelled over his shoulder at her. Smirk on his face. If anyone else wanted to run these at the end of practice with him, so be it but he was going to make Nat do it. It was good for her. Or something like that. It would continue to do great things for her ass. Not that she needed anything done for her ass. Ahem. Moving on.

Noah finally came to a stop, bent slightly at the waist as he caught his breath, listening for the sound of Nat finishing up. Straightening back up he checked that his t-shirt was still tucked into the waistband of his shirts. It was too warm for that shit. Turning around he smiled over at Nat as he walked toward her. "So. Good practice eh?" He stretched an arm up and over his head, swinging it back down. "So you're not working right?" He actually already knew that, had called down to the bar and asked the manager for her schedule for the week, explaining that he was planning something for his best friend at the school. It was required that he have that bit of info. Was there a particular reason for the surprise extravaganza? No. Did he need one? Well maybe Noah just wanted to pay Nat back for being the sane one when he was having more than his fair share of issues. Lord knew he'd be a mess without her and that he couldn't thank her enough for. This was at least a start.

"Well even if you are..." His lips curved into a smile. "You're not gonna make it down there. I've got plans for you woman." The smile had turned into a full on grin. "But it's shower time and no complaints." Seriously was shower time, but that didn't stop Noah from moving forward in one fluid motion and hoisting Nat over his shoulder.

No if's, and's, or but's about the fact that he had an evening planned for her. And it was going to stay a surprise, mainly because he knew that would just drive Nat crazy. Perfect.

Who: Xander and Evelyn
Where: Music Club meeting room after the club, then maybe Kat’s party bar
When: Friday night after the club

For the most part, Xander was fully convinced that most ‘clubs’ were a waste of time. Sure, they gave you extra credit but what did they really do for you in the long run? Not a whole lot, unless you really were planning on going pro in one of the sports clubs, or even the dance club. He would even say the same about the music club, except, of course, the fact he had gone pro in the field would’ve turned his own argument against him.

But even against his better nature, he found that he did enjoy the club quite a bit. There was quite a bit of talent within its membership. Even a few names that he recognized from the game. Still amused him a little bit, that Ada Crowe was at the school, one of those poor victims of an out of control were creature. Her music had helped to inspire his own band’s particular music setup as well. That she was in the club as well, was just another bonus that it had in his mind. After all, if you were going to learn, you might as well learn from someone who was quite successful, right?

Then, there was the view. Even if he wasn’t an Incubus, one couldn’t argue against the view. Some of the best looking girls in the school were musicians of some stripe, it would seem. And that was something that he wasn’t ever going to argue against. In fact, it was one good argument for just continuing his membership in the club. The eye candy was enough to keep him smiling for the entire night afterwards. Although, that particular night he had other plans for ‘eye candy’. A party in a bar, after all, was always good for finding some woman to seduce. Even if it was that loud mouthed Kat who was throwing it. He really needed to ask them to keep it down next door, or at least move the bed so it wasn’t constantly slamming into his wall while they were doing each other.

But, he stayed a little while after the music club had ended. He had found a niche while they were all goofing off. One that his mind had focused on. So, even while the others were getting up and leaving, the demon settled himself into a corner with his guitar and began to play it. He had gotten a tune in his head during the practice, and he was trying to figure out how to pull it off, or at the very least getting it out into the open, and the hell out of his head where it would be stuck all night otherwise. And that got to be even more annoying than anything else. So focused on it, was he, that he didn’t even noticed that not everyone had left just yet.

Who: Henry, and Vivian
Where: The Lux Hotel
When: Friday Night


If anyone touches my bike, I will have to murder something. Oh yes, that was a good way of thinking. It was, however, completely true. She hated parking her price in public places, ones which she knew would have it well out of sight for a time. No, she wasn't planning to stick around the whole night, but she had no way of knowing when he might decided to show up. Henry had the habit of making her wait, so, she wasn't going to rush herself. The Indian purred loudly, as she drove into the hotel parking lot, picking a spot at the side of the building, and then lowering the kick stand with the tip of her booted foot. Once leaning, she turned off the ignition, and plucked her bag from the back of the bike. The sun had been down for less than an hour. The stars were becoming steadily more visible, hovering over the haze still hanging back from the sun. It was the most she could glimpse of the day, without the protection of the schools windows in place. Those warm brown eyes of her watched the horizion, drifting back, and forth as she made her way towards the entrance of the hotel. This was either going to be a long night, or a hellishly short one.

The Lux was a nice enough place. Nothing compared to the bigger hotel on the island, but then again, she wasn't about to have this meeting in a place that would likely break her wallet. This was more within her price range, and any other charges that followed, she figured she could handle. Walking into the lobby, she approached the front desk, giving them her name, and asking if he had checked in yet. He hadn't, good, that gave her a bit more time to plan. Handing over her credit card, she charged the room, and took her key card with a thanks. This was going to suck... plain, and simple. This was not something she was looking forward to at all. It read very clear on her face, and by her steps. Moving as if she were walking to her execution. Fuck, maybe she was. There was no way this was going to be a happy ending.

When the light on the lock turned green, she pushed down on the handle, and stepped inside. The first thing that struck her, the smells. It was odd, even in hell, she could pick up on the individual smells of everyone who passed her. Cleanser, and laundry soap stuck out the most, yet, still faintly, the smell of people who had previously occupied the room hung in the air. Some smells she would never get used to. Or, she hoped she wouldn't. Dropping her bag down onto the small sofa, that filled the living space, she moved into the bathroom. "Oh my God..." The shower, huge, the bath tub huge. It beat the hell out of the showers at the school. Okay, she, and Jaida were going to have to spend a weekend at a hotel one of these days. It would be amazing. Sitting on the edge of the tub, she turned on the tap, testing the water until it was near scolding, then pulling the stopper to close the drain. Yes, she hoped he was late now, she wanted to enjoy a bath uninterrupted.

As the tub filled, she made her way into the bedroom, slipping off her boots, and tucking them beneath the bed. Now, he wasn't going to get the show he thought he was, but, she didn't want him to catch on right away. So, she intended to look the part. Having lifted her bag on the way through, she shuffled through it, taking out her dress, and laying it, as well as the thigh high, black stockings upon the bed. The heels, she rested on the floor. After pinning up her hair, she disrobed, and slipped back into the bathroom.

Vivian was thankfully able to enjoy a good long bath, leaving her skin warm, and her body relaxed. She tucked away her old clothes, and quickly dressed, before once more occupying the rest room. It didn't take long to fix her hair, parting it severely to one side, while it set in the thick natural wave of hers. It was as she applied the dark crimson blush to her lips, watching her own reflection in the large bathroom mirror, that she heard someone fiddling with the door. Who else could it be? Her stomach knotted, but she didn't move, just continued on until she was ready. This was going to suck.

Who: Simon and Sasha
Where: Downtown, starting outside Heaven and Hell
What: Getting lost and meeting that dog... and Sasha too
When: Monday around 11:15am

No. Fucking. Way.

Simon stared at the sign hanging in the window of Heaven and Hell with disbelief. Closed for the week. Beat it. Short, crude, to the point. How could it be closed? What the hell?? In fairness, if Simon had bothered checking journals or reading posts the school made at all recently, he would have known this information. He was just so excited about the prospect of rule-breaking that his mind had been all a twitter. He'd pretty much checked out during both his morning classes and raced downtown to scope out the club. He wanted to be sure he knew where he was going for when he and Sydni checked it out. That did not seem to be happening now.

Maybe it was karma. Maybe, since Simon had been neglecting to pray every day like his mother had taught him, he was being punished. Maybe because he planned on breaking the law, God was finding a way to stop him. Maybe this was a sign for him to turn back from evil doings and find the right path again. Or maybe, just maybe, it was just a small spell of bad luck.

"Well that's fucking great," he muttered to himself. "I came down here as fast as I could to stare at an empty building. Great." Well, he supposed he better turn back and get some lunch or something. On the plus side, it gave him more time to find a fake id. He started walking, and all too soon realized he wasn't sure where he had come from or where he should be going now. Fantastic! he thought bitterly. First the club was closed, now he was lost. What other rotten cherries could be placed on this delightful crap sundae?

Who: Jaida and Vivian
Where: The beach
When: Around 9ish

Stupid classes were really starting to get in the way of her social life. Ok, maybe not so much her classes, but the fact that Viv actually seemed to enjoy them definitely ate into fun time. With little else to do, Jaida had managed to drag her sorry ass out of bed and set a pretty good attendance record for the week. It wasn't a habit she was looking to form, but at least it gave her something to pass a few hours of the day with. Thankfully, Viv had sent the note yesterday about meeting up on the beach and she really couldn't have picked a better time. With Heaven and Hell closed for the week, J was utterly and totally convinced she was going to go out of her skull with boredom. Sadly, it was way too chilly at night for her scrawny butt to take a dip, but a few bottles of yummy yummy alcohol would help mend her broken heart at missing out on a swim.

She'd crashed for a few hours since they wouldn't be meeting until late, then crawled out of bed to change clothes. One pair of leopard print leggings, an over-sized black tunic and neon blue belt later and she was nearly ready to go. There was the matter of re-fluffing her ridiculously neon hair, of course, and touching up her make-up for the night. And just because they were meeting on the beach, with sand, didn't mean Jaida planned to forgo her usual sky-high heels. Nope, she simply went with boots, harder for the sand to slip in there. Ha ha. She grabbed a bag and shoved the two bottles of tequila she had inside it, slinging it over a shoulder. So that seemed to be everything....she took a last glance around the room to make sure she hadn't missed anything, then grabbed her keys and locked the door behind her.

When Jaida finally reached the front of the school, she could see a familiar figure outside waiting for her - had to catch a cab to the beach, after all. Pushing out the front door of the school, she hurried over to give Viv's rear a firm smack before she saw it coming. "Hey fuckmuffin, ready to go? The party has officially arrived..." she grinned, tugging her playfully towards a waiting cab.

Who: Charlie and Davia (aka Shaye)
When: Monday evening
Where: Charlie's dad's place

Charlie had slept in this morning and lounged around the house much of the day. He'd not had a chance to get over the jet lag the night before, they'd gone straight from LAX over to Lewis' house. Maggie got to stay up late so she could spend a bit more time with her Uncle Charlie, but soon enough her eyelids were getting heavy, and Charlie read her a bedtime story. She lasted just two pages before passing out.

It was great being with his family again, and Charlie was glad he'd brought Davia along as well. His family, while slightly nervous still about the vampire stuff, was extremely welcoming to the stranger. Well, not so much of a stranger to Lewis, as Charlie told his brother everything about his time so far at school. Lewis was a good listener, and he was probably most happy to hear that Charlie had given up the drugs and cut back on the drinking. Sex was another story, but Lewis understood his brother's addiction to that vice would never fade.

Stretching his feet out across the couch, he looked over to Davia. "So what do you make of your first 24 hours in L.A.?" He was more interested in what she thought of his family, but it seemed like a strange question to ask. Charlie thought he had the greatest family on earth.

And, as if on cue, William walked over and handed his son a beer, offering the other to Davia, "Not sure what sort of beer ya like, Shaye... but I've been a Bud man for years, so it's all I've got. Hope ya like it." William smiled at the beautiful young woman, and Charlie nodded to his father in thanks.

"Dad, I figure here in a bit, we could either head over to Lewis' place, or see if they want to come over here. Looked like Maggie was feeling good enough to want to come play at grandpa's. And Lewis should be getting home from the shop in a few minutes."

Week Seventeen
Dates: Monday July 23rd through Sunday July 29th
Season: Summer 2007
Month: Late July

Announcements:

The study group sign up sheets will remain on the bulletin board outside the library. We encourage all students to take advantage of the many opportunities for learning presented at Halcyon, and also encourage the more senior students to reach out to those less experienced. Any student in need, academically, or otherwise is reminded to turn to their guide teacher. If you are unsure of who your guide is please contact an administrator.

With the departure of Vale Razvan from the Island, the club Heaven and Hell has been sold and is currently under new management. With this transition the favorite hot spot for many students will be closed for a week for renovations.

It's about that time again were-creatures... The full moon falls on Monday July 30th. It’s best that those around the school remember this fact as the week fades into the weekend and nerves get a little tense.

Around the Island

Monday
National Hot Dog Day Bring on the mustard and ketchup! Today is National Hotdog day in the United States. What does that mean here? Not much really, but it can be a nice excuse to get out and have a hot dog. Maybe get a stick and bar-b-que one outside?

Tuesday
Tisha B’Av : Tisha B'Av, the Fast of the Ninth of Av, is a day of mourning to commemorate the many tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people, many of which coincidentally have occurred on the ninth of Av. If you are Jewish and wish to participate in the day of mourning feel free to do so. As always though, be mindful of those that are more sensitive to the holy items that are often attached to religious events.

Friday
National Tree Day: Started in Australia in 1996 it has become the countries largest community tree planting event. So help out the environment and maybe meet a nature nymph or dryad or two who will appreciate your efforts. There will be several tree planting trips in the grounds surrounding the school and the city today. Get out and help!

July is also Hot Dog Month – who doesn’t love a product made up of unidentifiable cow and pig parts. Mmm Mmm!


Birthdays this Month:
Selene Wagner – July 1st
Vincenzo Vallario – July 10th
Serghei – July 11th
Micah Flidais – July 9th
Ayolinda St. Croix – July 15th
Easton Brellick – July 17th
James McCafferty – July 21st
Kenzie – July 21st
Katherine Atherton – July 27th


Weather:
Monday July 23rd No rain today, temperatures are however a bit cooler than they were this time last week. (High: 82°F Low: 68°F)
Tuesday July 24: The mercury is on the rise again, clear skies are expected all day with light winds. (High: 87°F Low: 65°F)
Wednesday July 25: Don't expect a cool evening, with the sunny days the heat is lingering through the evening. (High: 86°F Low: 70°F)
Thursday July 26th High clouds should roll in by the evening but they aren't bringing any rain just yet. (High: 88°F Low: 71°F)
Friday July 27th : The day starts off with fog in the morning in low lying areas but should clear into a relatively nice day. If you don't mind heat and humidity. (High: 93°F Low: 70°F)
Saturday July 28th: The humidity has finally let lose to rain. Expect heavy showers off and on throughout the day. (High: 93°F Low: 70°F)
Sunday July 29th: Showers again today, only punctuated by thunder and lightening. (High: 87°F Low: 73°F)



((OOC: Mods will not be posting for any off campus activities.))

Who: Cissy and Starbuck
When: Saturday - throughout the day
Where: On the way to New York and in New York

The trip was going splendid so far. Cissy had done her best not to pack too much even though she was basically excluded from the whole maximum amount of bags thing and she was rather upbeat considering that she had not gotten nearly enough sleep and had been unable to sleep on the plane at all. Poor Starbuck hadn't gotten any sleep either because she had been talking and talking and talking and shoving her musical taste down his throat. Turns out it was quite eccentric. There was some modern music, mostly boy bands and a little Fergie, but her collection mostly consisted of classic rock, just as she had told him it would. Her three favorite songs of all time were on her I-Pod and she was certain to point them out as well.

They were, as follows, in no particular order:
The Allman Brothers Band - Midnight Rider
Blue Oyster Cult - Godzilla
The Cars - Just What I Needed

Cissy had been very excited to share this music with him and had been equally eager to hear what he had brought along as well. It was clear that she was a fan of music by the passion with which she spoke of it, and she told the whole story about how Massimo had raised her on this and that and how Xander had further expanded her knowledge of music when she had met him and how much of a part of her life it was and how she desperately wished that she could sing followed with horror stories of late night karaoke sessions in downtown Chicago and Brooklyn, New York.

Before she knew it, the trip was nearly over and there was still that one critical piece of information that she had left out because she dreaded his reaction. But it would be better to forewarn him than to have it hit him like a slap in the face, now, wouldn't it? She took a deep breath and then began to wring her hands together as she chewed on her lower lip and started in a small voice, "Starbuck.. I kinda have to tell you something before the plane lands.". She said it like there was a catch, and there was a catch, a big catch, though one she hoped he wouldn't mind too terribly bad.

Who: Kim and Ita
When: Tuesday afternoon
Where: The beach

While most Northerners hated heat and humidity, Kim loved it. Well, maybe not the humidity part, but she loved when it was hot and sunny outside. You’d think that she would be more inclined to liking the cold, but that was far from the truth. She hated it and when she was living back in Massachusetts, she wore layers upon layers of clothing during the winter months even while she was inside. Guess this love of heat could be attributed to the fact that she was a were of the African variety. Who knows.

During her last class of the day, she found herself staring out the window a lot more than she usually did. Not that she usually did that at all in this class, seeing as it was Basic Physical Combat. Let your guard down for a minute in that class and you’d end up on the floor or bruised. Luckily, that hadn’t happened to her yet and she snapped out of it just in time to duck out of the way of her partner’s fist.

Once class was over, she headed back to her room and unloaded her messenger bag on her bed. She walked over to the window and opened it up a little, immediately feeling a burst of heat flow in. It was too beautiful of a day out to spend it cooped up inside. Closing the window, she walked over to her dresser, took one of her bathing suits out and changed into it, pulling a pair of boardshorts on over her bikini bottom. Grabbing her beach bag, she stuffed in a towel, her iPod, a magazine, sunblock, and a bottle of water from the mini fridge. She pulled her boogie board out from her closet and tucked it under her arm as she slung her beach bag over her other shoulder and headed out.

Once outside, she pulled her shades on and started the trek down to the beach. Yeah, she could’ve taken a cab, but it was nice out and she always loved the exercise.

It was only a matter of time before she made it down to the beach which was already pretty full for a Tuesday afternoon. Taking her flip flops off, she held them in her free hand as she walked along the hot sand toward the water. She stopped off almost at the edge of the water and put her stuff down. Pulling her shades off, she threw them in her bag and ran into the water with her boogie board in hand. She dove in with the board in front of her, feeling the warm water crash all over her. Ah, so nice.

Who: Mircea and Kim
When: Saturday Afternoon
Where: That place. With the books.

It was funny, the small things that made one happy. Rearranging the library had been a massive undertaking for such a small prank, but so far it had provided Mircea with an endless source of amusement. Students who were used to the layout had no idea of where to go to find their favorite tomes, and Mircea had even gone so far as to secret away some of the more popular volumes, claiming them 'out' for the moment.

He'd return them in due time, but for now it was just entirely too much fun to mess with the student body, all the while seeming like a diligent and serious librarian. To be honest, the book collection here at Halcyon was second to none. He'd already taken the liberty of skimming over several of the rarer books and found them fascinating. Perhaps he'd stay on longer here than he'd thought he would. Originally, it had been his thought to remain on here at Halcyon Halls for only a few months, but at this rate, he'd be here for much longer. He was surprised at how comfortable he was on an island. His people weren't known for their love of small places.

To him, an island was a small place. After all, it was completely bordered by water. Continents were fine, even if they were bordered by water, but islands? Generally he would have said 'no, thank you.'

Messing with the students was only a small part of his fun here. He'd visited Cassandra in his bird form already. She was entirely too trusting. How could she be, after the years she'd spent being used? It baffled him. Knocked out of his thoughts by the sound of the door opening, he looked up to see a girl walking in and he resumed his reshelving task. He had no question that she'd need help finding whatever it was she was here to get.