Nicholas groaned as he realized he had to return to the main room soon. He didn't want to - didn't want to deal with Wesley. He was too much. Too tall, too funny, too caring, too good. It was impossible to hate the guy. There was no way to hate how he cared for his friends because there was nothing bad about it; he wasn't overbearing and he always knew what to say. You couldn't hate his humor either. There was nothing that he said that was rude, or offensive, or inappropriate in any way. Wesley Meyers was perfect in every way. He was too perfect, too much.
"What are you working on?" A voice spoke up, stopping the sound of keyboard keys being aggressively clicked.
The girl with purple hair looked up from behind her screen, blinking as she adjusted to the lack of black and white in her vision.
"Huh?"
"I asked what you're working on." Simon chuckled as she reached for the empty cup of coffee. "You're typing so aggressively that you might break your keyboard."
Everest Fray's eyes widened dramatically as she imagined a scenario where her computer broke. "No," was all she said before shaking her head to banish that thought from her mind.
Everest stood from her spot, moving across the table to sit next to the boy. She looked at the chair in distaste before sighing and placing her sweatshirt on the chair in a crumpled ball. "I'm working on 'Shadowed Spot Lights." She turned her computer so that he could read what she had written.
"That's the one with all the denial and drama right?"
"That's all of Everest's writing Lewis," a barista laughed as she placed Everest's 3rd coffee on the table.
"That's true," Everest mused. "Thanks Sara!"
"Anytime Everest. Just remember to drink water," Sara reminded her, knowing full well that the girl would go days without water if she didn't remember to.
Everest smiled proudly at the brunette, brandishing her water bottle. Sara and Simon both nodded proudly, before the barista returned to work.
"This is really good Ev," Simon told her.
"Really? Did I use too many commas or too much of the word 'too'?" Everest asked.
It was obvious by the way her face twisted oddly and how her shoulders hunched slightly, that she really didn't think her writing was that good. Simon wondered, as he did every time this happened, why she thought her writing was so terrible. She had been writing for years, and had even been accepted into several literature based schools alongside the Child Care program she had been accepted into.
"Yes Everest. This is great, and you should be really proud of it," he reassured the girl.
Everest smiled, and was about to reply when the door chimed and Clary walked in. Everest frowned at the disappointed look on her sister's face when she noticed the way that Clary's mouth twitched slightly. Everest grinned, confusing Simon and Clary.
"Give me the professors' names and I will end them," Simon told the redhead when she sat down. The sisters shot him a look. "You know, with a scathing email to the dean."
Everest snorted quietly as Clary handed over her letter. She tensed as Clary almost sat on her bag, but relaxed when Clary handed it to her under the table.
"Don't bother," Everest told the boy.
Simon's mouth fell open in shock before he smiled broadly at Clary. "What? Sad face, really? Well played, well played."
"Congrats, Ritz," Everest congratulated her sister with a grin.
"You know, it's weird. They kind of liked my assigned work, but they flipped out over the drawings for our graphic novel." Clary smiled as Sara brought Clary's drink over with a Biscotti.
"You're welcome!" chimed Simon and Everest.
"This day will go down as the greatest 18th birthday I've ever had," Clary declared.
"It's the only 18th birthday you'll ever have," Everest reminded her. "Unless..."
Everest's face lit up and she pulled out a notebook from seemingly nowhere. She reached across the table, pulled the pencil out from behind Clary's ear and started to scribble on an empty page.
"Repeating...cursed...revenge...witches and warlocks..." the other two heard her mumble. Used to her random, and often crazy sounding, mumbling, they continued on with their conversation.
"Which is why we are celebrating tonight. Yes, with Maureen, after our show."
Clary raised an eyebrow. "So...what's the deal with you and Maureen?"
Everest looked up at the boy who seemed to be panicking slightly. The girl shook her head at how oblivious both of them were. Everest placed her hand on Simon's knee, attempting to comfort him. Judging by the grateful smile he sent her, it worked somewhat. But, not enough to make the situation not awkward, or to stop Simon from stuttering and stumbling over his words as if he was a love sick fool. Which he was, just not for Maureen.
"What deal? No deal. We sing together." Simon's eyes darted around, trying not to look at the girl in front of him.
Clary gave him an incredulous look. "You seriously don't know she's been crushing on you this entire time?"
"What? No. No." Everest snorted at Simon's startled expression.
"Simon, how can someone as smart and perceptive as you not realize that the person sitting right there is in love with you?"
"I guarantee you Ritz, that he's not the only smart, perceptive person to make that mistake," Everest told her sister. Simon glared lightly at her and she hid her smile behind her coffee mug.
Everest ignored the rest of the conversation around her as she went back to her writing. She vaguely heard something about lattes and biscotti, but she really had no idea. It might have all been in her head. That happened a lot; reality blurring with whatever she was writing or daydreaming, and her not knowing which was which.
...
As the twins entered their apartment building, Everest saw Dot reading tarot cards. She never really understood the whole 'the future is already written' thing, but she found the insane readings Dot would make up entertaining at times.
"Hey Dot!" Everest waved.
"Hey girls," the older woman returned, putting away the cards. Everest noticed a decorative cup painted on one, and wondered if she could incorporate it into one of her stories.
"How's the future looking?" Clary asked.
"Not as good as yours. The tarot cards tell me you got into the advanced program." Everest snorted at the disbelieving look on Clary's face.
"And by tarot cards, you mean Simon's twitter account," Everest mused. She had gotten the notification on the way back to the apartment and had immediately known that whatever hope Clary had of surprising their friends and family with the news had disintegrated into thin air.
"Okay, I follow him. Turns out, predicting the future with tarot cards is very complicated." Dot reached behind the counter with a smile. "But, I do see presents in your futures."
"Dot!" Clary exclaimed. "You didn't have to."
Dot ignored Clary's remark as she placed two bags in front of the girls. The younger girl sighed slightly at the reminder of her birthday, but shook it off.
Everest threw the tissue paper in the air, laughing as a piece landed on her head. She pulled out a massive bag of skittles and a yellow sweatshirt with 'English = not happening' written on the front. She gave Dot a hug before seeing what Clary got. It was a black, mesh top that would have Simon drooling and their mom in lecture mode.
"I'd keep that a secret from Mom if I were you," Everest warned.
"That's what I was planning on doing," Clary nodded dramatically. "I like not being grounded thank you."
Everest and Dot laughed, but Dot didn't look as happy as she had a few minutes before.
"You okay?" Everest tilted her head.
"Yeah," Dot smiled reassuringly. "Go up and see your mom."
Everest cast one last look at the woman she considered her second older sister. She waved goodbye to Dot when she smiled at her again and followed after Clary.
"Mom!" Clary shouted as the two entered the kitchen.
"Yay! You did it!" Jocelyn Fray exclaimed, pulling both girls into a hug.
"You also follow Simon?" Everest laughed, pulling away and sitting on the island.
"He only has 92 followers. He needs the retweets. Congratulations." As her sister and mom let go of each other, Everest pulled out her notebook and a pen before jotting down 'golden chalice-like cup, has some engraving on it in Latin' on a new page.
The girl sighed as she saw there were only two pages left in her notebook. She'd have to get a new one soon. Everest looked towards her mom who was still talking to Clary before scribbling two notes to herself on her arm. She quickly threw her hoodie back on when her mom started to turn towards her, a small box in hand.
"Everest," she started. "I know you're not the hugest fan of your birthday for reasons I don't know, but here."
Everest opened the box, biting back a sigh. She hadn't liked celebrating her birthday much since-no. She wouldn't think about it, not now. She could think and cry about it later, but not now. Not in front of her mom and older twin sister. She pulled out a black and silver twig-like object. It was heavier than something so small had any right to be. She looked up at her mother, confused.
"What is it? Like a bookend?"
Jocelyn laughed. "No, it's called a stele. It's a family heirloom." She motioned to the similar object in the other redhead's hand. "Clary has one too."
"Huh. Didn't you draw something like this Ritz?" Everest placed the stele in her pencil pouch where it was soon lost amongst the colorful pens and markers.
"Girls I need to—" their mom was cut off by Clary's phone going off.
"Simon. He's on his way over."
Everest got off the counter as Clary tried to explain what they were doing that night. She turned on the record player in her room, Queen playing softly in the background as she got ready. As she was curling her hair, Everest's phone rang, Heart Like Mine blasting through the room. Everest dove for her phone, dropping the curling iron on the counter.
"Hey Lyn!" She greeted when she answered.
"Hey Glitz," a girl responded. "We still on for tonight?"
Everest hummed in agreement, before frowning when she smelled a slight burning smell. Her eyes widened when she saw her curling iron was smoking. She swore softly, desperately hoping her counter wasn't burned. "Phew."
"Did you leave your curling iron on your counter again?"
"You know me too well Roslyn," Everest told the girl, resuming her getting ready process.
"Where're you going?"
"Ritz and Rat Boy are dragging me to Pandemonium with them and Maureen."
Roslyn made a noise of acknowledgement. "What're you wearing then?"
"Same as I always do when I get dragged places like that; black jeans, a white shirt, a cute jacket, and boots. With my silver jewelry of course."
"Of course. An outfit isn't complete without it." There was a beat of silence before both girls burst out laughing at Roslyn's use of sarcasm.
The girls spoke about anything and everything while Everest got ready, not only to go out, but also to go to Roslyn's house for the weekend. As Everest finished zipping up her backpack, she heard the front door open and the unmistakable sound of Luke's voice and grocery bags travelled through the apartment.
"I've got to go Lyn. I'll see you tonight," Everest bid the girl goodbye.
"Bye Glitz. I'll see you tonight! Have fun at Pandemonium!"
Everest snorted. "Not a chance."
"Don't forget to put your writings in your safe before you leave. We wouldn't want a repeat of Halloween," Roslyn reminded the other girl before hanging up.
Everest froze before darting around the house collecting all of her writing stuff, ignoring the strange looks she got from Luke and her mom. She really didn't want a repeat of Halloween. She had left her writing stuff out before she went out and when she came back, everything was messed up and out of order. It had taken her days to get everything back in order again. Ever since then, she locked everything in a safe that was hidden behind a poster.
Once everything was back in order, Everest walked out of her room, bag over her shoulder, as if she hadn't just run across the entire house like a mad woman.
"Hey Luke!" she smiled, giving him a quick hug.
"Hey Squirt. Where's your sister?" Luke asked, ruffling her purple hair.
She pouted, but pointed to her sister's room and he nodded. Everest looked at the counter, table, and couch that were all covered in stuff already and then towards the chairs with distaste. Her nose wrinkled and she made the executive decision that she'd rather sit on the floor than the chairs. The adults shook their heads as the girl plopped down on the floor, still scowling at the chairs.
"Sorry Everest. I haven't had the chance to put away groceries yet," Jocelyn apologized.
Everest shook her head, purple curls flying around her head like fan blades. "It's fine, I can sit on the floor."
She was fine with sitting on the floor, that wasn't a lie. But it wasn't entirely okay either. Her mom, Luke, and everybody else that knew her knew she didn't like sitting in chairs or most stools (the ones at her favorite 2 coffee shops being the exceptions) even if they didn't know why, but her mom and Luke still didn't even try to keep some part of the counters, table, or even the couch clear enough for her to sit on most of the time. (Luke did try a little more than her mom though.) Even Isabelle had known that before they weren't able to meet up in person anymore.
"Here Squirt. Got you these," Luke handed her a bag, trying to change the subject. "And I know you don't like your birthday much anymore, so don't think of them as a birthday gift. More of a 'Congrats on getting into the program you wanted."
Everest smiled slightly at the man. At least he understood that much. She tossed the tissue paper in the air, and all three of them laughed as it landed on her head. She pulled out the huge pack of felt tip pens and the 3 new binders with a delighted expression.
"Thank you Luke," she told the man honestly. He grinned in response.
"Hey Luke, what's up?" Clary asked as she walked into the kitchen.
"Hey! Incredible drawings!"' Luke greeted, motioning to the drawings Everest hadn't noticed.
"Thanks." Clary gave her father-figure a hug before she handed Everest her phone that she had left on the couch, probably when she ran around the apartment.
"And I got you these. Spray paint." Luke handed over a colorful box to the redhead.
"Oh they're perfect," Clary gasped.
"If I catch any of that paint on city walls, I will arrest you," Luke warned jokingly.
Clary rolled her eyes. "The paint is for Simon's van. Everest and I are insisting they rename the band." Everest nodded her head vigorously as her mom voiced her agreement.
Luke suddenly spotted something. "You're mom talked to you about that?" He pointed at the stele sticking out of Clary's pocket.
"The heirloom. Yeah, it's beautiful."
Luke seemed to deflate slightly as he cast a glance at the girls' mother. "Clary, Everest, you're 18 now, and—"
"What is with you guys? We're turning 18, not heading off on some epic journey!" Clary exclaimed as she gave the adults a weird look.
"But you are! See, we're going to Lombardi's to celebrate after our gig." Impeccable timing as always Simon, thought the girl on the floor.
Jocelyn was quick to try and shoot that idea down. "You guys should come back here after. The city's not that safe right now."
"Thanks Mom, but we'll be fine," Everest told her mom standing up.
Simon smiled apologetically. "Yeah, we'll take a rain check. Wait, do I smell chicken cacciatore?" He started to walk further into the kitchen.
"Simon. You're gig," Everest reminded him.
"You're singing?" Luke asked, surprised.
"Yes, big gig. And by big, I mean not so," Simon joked.
Everest quickly stuffed her gifts into her bag before jumping on her friend's back, ignoring her mother and Clary's discussion. Simon grabbed the spray paint and Clary followed them as they went out the door. Everest could have sworn she heard her mom say something about being a kid, but she shrugged it off.
...
It was just before Simon's gig, and the group of four were waiting until Simon and Maureen would be called on stage. As was often the case when the four of them all hung out, Maureen was watching Simon like a love-obsessed school girl, Simon was staring at Clary like a love-sick puppy, Clary was oblivious to Simon's gaze, and Everest was trying not to die of the embarrassment she felt whenever she was in this situation.
"Our mom's been so overprotective lately," Clary complained.
"So, do you remember in Aliens, when the alien queen was defending her eggs from Ripley?" Simon asked, shifting so he had an arm around Everest's shoulder in a protective manner.
She turned toward the boy, blinking at him. "In this case..." she trailed off for a moment, that wasn't the right word. "Oh! In this scenario, is our mom Ripley or the alien queen?"
Maureen snickered softly at her stumble. However, when Clary glared at her, she quickly shut up.
"Both," Simon declared. At the twin's confused expressions, he elaborated. "A mother defending her young."
"Defending us from what?" Clary shook her head. "I spend all day in an art studio and Everest is either writing or babysitting some kid. Our lives couldn't be more mundane. Besides, we don't really know much about when she was young."
"Oh just do what I do and get all the dirt from your relatives," Maureen told the twins.
Everest snorted slightly. "Well, would if we could. But she doesn't have any. And...our dad died before we were even born."
Maureen winced slightly, but continued on. "So you have no one? No aunts, uncles, second cousins twice removed?"
Clary shook her head. "No. Just me, Everest, and our mom."
Simon grinned at the Fray twins. "It's why the Lewis Clan has added four chairs to every Seder since preschool. One for Clary, one for Everest, one for Jocelyn, and one for Elijah."
"Of course. Obviously," Everest agreed.
"Yes, obviously."
"You guys don't think that's a little suspicious? You guys not knowing anything about your family? Your mom could be hiding some deep, dark secret." Maureen frowned.
"Maureen, it's not possible." Everest shook her head, hair nearly smacking Simon in the face.
"No, no. Think about it," the girl pressed. Everest was starting to get annoyed with her. Couldn't she get the hint that they didn't want to talk about it anymore?
"No seriously, our mom is incapable of concealing anything from us," Clary shut her down.
...
Everest had to admit, for a pair of 18 year olds fresh out of high school, Simon and Maureen weren't half bad at singing. If only Simon would stop staring at her twin when he sang love songs and just moved on. Unfortunately, she knew that wouldn't be the case anytime soon, so she resolved to try and ignore it. Just as she was ignoring the situation at the back of the van. She had absolutely no interest in watching her sister and Simon's friend drool over Simon while he changed. Which made no sense because Clary hardly gave the boy a second glance normally, so why would she drool over him while he's half naked? Everest shook her head, sighing. She'd never understand her sister, not in that sense.
"...Rock Solid Panda," was the first thing Everest Fray heard when she snapped back to the reality in front of her.
She hit her head back against Simon's van she was laying on top of. Of all the things to tune back into, she had to hear the new, even worse, band name. She groaned lightly, wondering if trying to figure out her sister's brain was better or worse than Simon's new band name.
"Definitely worse," she mumbled sitting up.
"You good?" Simon shot her a concerned look as she leaned halfway off the edge of the van.
"Yep. Your band name kinda sucks though," she told him honestly.
He gave her another look, but before he could reply, Clary finished painting.
"What's that tag?" he asked instead, pointing to a blue and white marking that was eerily similar to the one on the 'steles' their mom had given them.
"Weird. Didn't even mean to draw that. Second time today." Clary was frowning, not exactly an expression Everest liked on her twin. Clary frowning meant something really weird was going on, and with that usually came change.
"You know, there are confirmed cases of people waking in the morning speaking French, and they've never even studied the language," Maureen told the redhead.
"Wish it was that easy," Everest mumbled, sitting up properly.
"You think it's some kind of language?"
"Sanskrit maybe," Maureen shrugged and Everest shook her head. Everest knew what Sanskrit looked like, thanks to a school project, and that wasn't it.
"Hey! Can you watch where you're going?" Clary suddenly exclaimed, turning towards a blonde guy in black leather.
He looked shocked. "You can see me?" He stared at the older Fray as if trying to find the last piece of a puzzle.
"Yeah, that's kind of the point, but you obviously didn't see me." Clary looked up at him and tucked a piece of hair behind her ears. 'Was this girl flirting?' Everest mentally questioned.
The purple haired girl shook her head, and elected to disregard the conversation below her. She gazed around the groups outside Pandemonium. Some were dressed in elaborate costumes, some in barely anything. But what really caught her eye was the duo standing not even 10 feet from the van. There was a boy with black hair, likely just a year or two older than the purple haired girl, standing with his arms crossed. He had a scowl on his face, his blue eyes narrowing at something in the crowd. He was tall, and his tight, all black clothing and combat boots just made it all that more obvious. Next to him, stood a girl in an all white leather set. Her thigh-high white heels and platinum hair completed the outfit perfectly. She looked like Everest's friend Isabelle. And if Isabelle had short, platinum hair, the purple haired girl would have thought it was Isabelle. But, as her friend had long, black hair, she dismissed that thought. Everest's brows furrowed when the girl looked right at her and winked.
Hello Sunny, the girl mouthed.
Everest's jaw dropped. She looked wide-eyed at the girl for another moment before the boy next to the platinum haired girl shouted.
"Jace!"
Everest watched as the blond boy who had knocked into Clary ran towards the duo. She didn't stop staring until she saw Clary rush into the club, green zip-up abandoned. The purple haired girl jumped down from the van, landing next to Simon and Maureen, who had likely forgotten she was there.
"What's Ritz doing?"
"Chasing some imaginary dude," Simon told her. Everest frowned, but said nothing. She walked into the club, slinking by as the other two struggled to get by the bouncers.
Immediately the music became almost deafening and the crowd of bodies became almost unbearable. She kept going though. Everest went after Clary and the platinum haired girl. As she pushed passed through the crowd, she vaguely heard Simon and Maureen say something about getting drinks. She ignored them. She had almost caught up with her twin when she was twirled back around. She glared at the stranger, who had the audacity to laugh at her expression.
"I thought you didn't like clubs, Shots?" The boy yelled over the music.
Almost immediately Everest's expression cleared. She knew who the stranger was; only one person called her Shots. "I don't. Not at all. But Ritz, Rat Boy, and Company dragged me here to celebrate Clary and I's birthday."
The boy made a face. "And you just went along with it?"
"Not much I could do, Gino." Everest shrugged. "Plus, it was better than sitting around at the apartment waiting for Roslyn to show up and deal with my mom's disapproving looks."
"I'll never understand why you allow Jocelyn to treat you as she does." Gino shook his head slowly. As he did, the strobing lights caught on his tattoo, the vine glittering with an ethereal-like shimmer. She never quite understood how that happened, but he never explained, so she let it be.
"She's my mother. I can't really do much," Everest reminded him.
Her phone vibrated and she jumped in surprise. Gino laughed at her, but followed her as she left the club.
"Roslyn's picking me up to go to her place. She said she'll be here soon."
As the two were passing a particularly large group of people covered in glitter, there was a flash of blue sparks. Everest's eyes followed the light and eventually landed on a tall man with spiky hair and outlandish clothing. What really struck her were his eyes; they were amber yellow and had slit pupils, like a cat's. The man stared back, his eyes widening with every second that passed. He was familiar, but Everest just couldn't figure out where from. Before she could dwell on it much longer, the man stood and walked over to two other men and Gino pulled her out of the club. As he did, Everest missed the cringe-worthy sight of Clary flirting with two very buff men to get into the backroom; and thus distancing herself from the chaos that would ensue within the next few days.