armariafm

[armariafm]

Armaria had ventured from her hotel room to check on the progress of the repairs being made to her Aurora Bay Drive home. They were slow going, the contractors careful to take breaks with the heat that had begun to blossom in the usual spring fashion. With the thought that she was going to be stuck in the hotel longer than she had originally thought she had decided to stop by the local florist and get some bouquets to brighten the room.

The water spraying the flowers looked wonderfully refreshing. Enough so that she didn't mind as some of the water dripped onto her athletic shorts and t-shirt combo. "A little bit," she laughs softly, "But I wouldn't worry too much it was quite pleasant. I was wondering if I could get a few bouquets put together? Something to really liven up the hotel room I'm currently living out of."

OPEN STARTER (0/4) where: flora & fauna

The weather that morning is hot, though not stifling, as to drags on towards nine a.m. Samuel takes advantage of the low lying sun before it climbs the skies by taking to watering any of the plants and flowers in pots outside the front of the shop. The hose mists in the slight ocean breeze then, cooling in a sense, but he does recognize this is nothing compared to South Carolina and the humidity of Charleston. He is in the middle of finishing the petunias when he here's a voice and turns, almost spraying the poor person with some water before he lets go of the handle.

"Oh, sorry! Sorry… I was in my head. I didn't get you wet, did I?"

@aurorabaystarter

[armariafm]

Sometimes when in public Armaria felt as though she were being stared at. She never knew who in a room had heard of her accident. Had seen it. Then there was everyone else. Those who had no idea who she was but who could clearly see the burn scars that wound up her body and covered her hands. So when someone said her name, she internally flinched, even as her kind-nature automatically corrected, "Its just Mars."

There was slight recognition, the woman's voice and features were familiar. "Oh, you sang at some of NASCAR's stuff, right?" Just saying the word made her flinch internally. A reminder of what she was no longer apart of. "I remember you had a nice voice. I'm sorry that I don't remember your name."

Closed Starter: @armariafm

Where: Driftwood Coffee shop

Amaya didn't drink coffee but she loved Driftwoods Hot Chocolate. She couldn't explain why but she did. As she placed her order and walked away waiting, she glanced up to see a woman who looked very familiar. Then it hit her that was Armaria Dias, she used to race cars. Amaya had met her a few times before quickly as she had sung for one of NASCAR's events a few times and was impressed by the woman.

Walking over to her Amaya smiled. "You're Amaria Dias aren't you?" She asked softly. She knew how some people, especially those who went through what she heard the woman had, they may not like being recognized, she also might not even recognize Amaya.

[armariafm]

It is a struggle to read what he signs. She is so out of practice that the only thing she manages to get out of the sentence is 'I' and 'up'. It's enough to let her know his intentions. For that at least she is grateful. Armaria didn't know what would happen if she had went down as he had decided to come up. Missing each other like ships in the night. Not being there again wasn't an option. It would have ruined whatever chance of reconciliation that existed.

Scarred hands wring together over and over, irritating the still sensitive skin. After almost 17 months its not so bad now, things don't hurt the way that they used to. Grabbing objects is easier and her fingers are less clumsy. Still, the healed skin was still fresh, and too much stimulation to it could cause tingling. The wait for him to come to her felt like an eternity. Each minute second passed in a slow agony that made her insides crawl. Suddenly she felt nauseaus. But then he was there. In front of her. With the familiar movements of his hands. To watch it is a sensation not unlike beginning to re-read a well-loved novel.

"I am fine." Mars' signing was clumsy so she took care to try and make her pronunciations clear when she spoke. Experience told her he would not be able to hear her, but they had always managed to communicate well enough in environments like this before. Even if now there was a certain layer of awkwardness to it. A barrier erected by her absence of over a year. "I'm always emotional now it seems. Kind of like how it is when you're pregnant. Only there's no baby." A wet chuckle is released from her at the her lame attempt at humor. She reaches up to wipe her eyes, the back of her hands doing their best to clear her face of tears.

Armaria wants to step forward, to grab his hand and hold on tight. Yet she recognizes that right now isn't about her. There had been 15 months for her to sort out her feelings. To come part of the way back to herself, as much as she could after such a traumatic incident. To realize that she had made a mistake in withdrawing from all the people she loved but most especially the one who had always held a special place in her heart. If they cut her open Mars swore there would be a miniature Harley sized hole right in the center of it. He, however, had not had such a luxury. Armaria didn't know what his emotions had been when she ghosted them, but she guessed not pleasant. "Don't worry about me. How are you?" The next thing she signed as she spoke was the most important. "I'm sorry. There are no excuses for what I did. You were my friend. I should not have abandoned you."

There were no excuses. No frills to spin her actions into something understandable. What she had done warranted anger and resentment and Mars was prepared to take her lumps. Grovel if needed and do anything she could to make things right.

✿ ☀ ✿ ☀ ✿

When Trisha invited Harley over for a party, he didn't think it'd be anything crazy. A few girls from the cheer squad, maybe (usually Harley would protest being lumped in with 'the girls', but he wasn't comfortable with being singled out as the only guy either. So this was the agreed upon terminology for their old friend group). What Trisha failed to mention was that it wasn't just a small girls' night. This was a full blown house party. It felt a little high school to Harley, but he made himself an involved mixed drink and got far away from the alcohol station as he could before anyone who recognized him from Reef Bar could ask him to play bartender on a night he wasn't getting paid to do so.

This party felt so high school, which was very surreal for Harley. He was a completely different person now, inside and out. There were a lot of people he hadn't seen since he graduated that didn't even realize it was him. "One person even said to him that they used to know someone else who looked a lot like him and had cochlear implants, but she was studying art in New York now. You look a lot like this girl I went to high school with, she had cochlear implants too! was the funniest reaction he got from someone so far tonight. It was like he was reliving high school, but in a parallel universe where he'd been able to be himself five years ago.

The last person he expected to see was Mars. They hadn't spoken in over a year, and last he'd heard she was still in Los Angeles. Trisha said nothing about inviting her to the party. She was clueless about the drama that had happened between the two of them following Amaria's accident. So when Harley felt someone's eyes on him and looked up, he was surprised to find Mars staring back down at him. She signed his name, looking dramatically at him. For a moment, he wondered if he could convince his ride home to leave so early. But then he looked up and noticed she was crying. Shit. As much as he wanted to take off, he couldn't leave her like that. After taking a deep breath, he signed to her. "I'm coming up."

It only took a couple minutes to get to the balcony, but it felt like a lifetime. There were so many people to get through, really bad music playing slightly too loud to have a conversation over it (even for hearing people, but even more so for him), and the feeling that she would be gone when he got up there. And he wasn't sure how he felt about that. Part of him hoped she wouldn't be on the balcony. That she would leave without a trace the way she had done to him fifteen months ago. He'd been upset for over a year now and just trying to push it down because she wasn't here anymore and there was nothing to do with that feeling. He didn't know how to deal with it or how he'd react to her. But then part of him felt guilty for hoping not to deal with his former friend. The biggest part of him, the part that had him going to see her before he could talk himself out of it, was the part that was worried about her.

By the time they were in the same space again, he didn't feel anything at all. And he had no idea what to say. He stared at her for several seconds, trying to piece together something. He wanted to ask how long she had been back, or get mad at her for being the one who got to cry now (even though he rarely got mad at anyone), or ask what he had done wrong to make her hate him in the first place. But she was crying, and he needed to address that first. "Are you okay? What's wrong?" He caught himself signing along with the words, but made mental note to drop the signing when he spoke next. It felt uneasy knowing their big fight started because she couldn't sign with her injuries.

[armariafm]

"Nah, no need to apologize. I get to spend all day with these guys." Only one week into her employment at Aquatica and Mars was already in love. The creatures and the water both soothed and fascinated her and getting to be responsible for the care of another living being gave her a sense of purpose. One she had struggled to find since the accident. Not that she needed the money, or a purpose really. Her limited to career had left her quite a wealthy woman, but her father's teachings that idle hands were the devil's work had always stuck with her. "She's beautiful isn't she?" Her head nodded up towards the shark that swam sleepily above them. "See how she's moving but not much? She's resting. Some sharks have to keep moving while resting in order for their gills to function properly."

starter: open @aurorabaystarter

location: aquatica

"oh my god..." the bartender breathes in amazement, standing in the middle of the underwater walkway. layla's head is tilted back to watch the smooth hammerhead shark glide above her head. so graceful, equally terrifying, and one of the reasons layla had often refused to ever go in the ocean past her hips. she isn't sure what brought her to the aquarium on this dreary afternoon, maybe to spend some quiet time with the fishes to avoid thinking about her mother. it was just one of those days when the brian decides to latch onto a certain memory locked away from years ago, and not let go until it had painfully dissected every moment and feeling from it. it takes a moment before the brunette finally realises she was standing in the way of other people trying to make it through the isle, "—oh, sorry, didn't realise i was in way."

[armariafm]

Mars wasn't quite sure how she had ended up playing pool with a stranger in a bar. Perhaps it was how lonely she felt; returning home with no one waiting for her after so many years away. "Are you sure you're up for that?" There was a slight buzz settled along her skin, which meant she had already drank more than her fair share and was well on her way to being truly drunk. "Because I don't think I'm up for another bar." The hour was growing later and as time continued to pass the bar began to fill up. And she knew she wasn't ready to be around so many people at once. Especially in a completely new setting.

— OPEN STARTER ; the reef bar

"Best out of three?" Major asked, racking the balls in the triangular frame at the foot of the pool table. He wasn't ready to admit defeat yet—despite having already lost the previous two games. "We can even make it interesting," He rounded the table, buffing his pool stick with the blue chalk. "Winner picks the next bar, loser pays the tab." ( 0 / 6 ) @aurorabaystarter

[armariafm]

Who: @harleyhua Where: Mutual Friend's House Party

Mars should have known better than to think she was ready for this. When an old high-school friend had mentioned a party, she hadn't thought it would be like it was in way back when. Maybe some games and snacks, some light beers. This was chaotic. A two story beach house cramped with bodies enough of them familiar that it almost felt like she was back in her senior year eight years ago. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy being around people anymore, Mars had always been social enough. Affectionate with friends and family and friendly to those she didn't know. What bothered her was that with all the faces old and new milling about she couldn't get a grip on her own space. Everything felt claustrophobic. Armaria tried to smile through the panic, greeting old acquaintances with a small smile. Eventually it became too much. Her grip tightened on the red-solo cup full of room-temperature beer as her eyes desperately scanned for the nearest exit. There. The deck. There were still more people than she felt comfortable with but the openness of the sky helped to ease the burgeoning panic. She squeezed her way to the rail as tears began to leak out of the corner of her eyes. Why couldn't she just be normal again?

That's when she saw him.

Harley Hua. High school sweetheart and best friend; though she supposed the latter should have been former best friend. An ache tugged deep within her heart. He was beautiful. Dark brown hues watched as he mingled with mutual friends on the expanse of private beach below the deck. Harley had always been pretty, even before he had transitioned, but after having been away from him for so long, longer than any other time in their life from when they'd met, tonight he looked ethereal. A figure shrouded in dreams and wants and desires. Armaria had longed to talk to him. Missing him the moment she'd sent him away from her hospital room in a sea of misplaced anger and rage. It wasn't his fault. She had been in so much pain and the way they communicated took more than just words. Mars regretted her decision the moment she made it. But the depression had been too deep, the anger and her wounds too raw to see the real consequence of what she was losing. Then his eyes lifted, as though he could sense her watching him.

A soft sob caught in her throat as their gazes met for the first time in almost a year. Her heart stopped. She signed the one thing she knew by heart, his name. "Harley," A sign unique to him that her fingers would never forget the pattern of. Having not used it in a long while her memory of sign language had faded considerably. But even before she'd learned to sign they had been able to communicate without words. Mars brought her hands up to her heart, pressing them hard against her chest. Tears began to fall in earnest now, creating lines of waves along her make-up free cheeks. I miss you.

[armariafm]

Mars was badly injured in the crash that ended her career. As the car spun out of control it rammed into the metal barrier. Ripped apart it split almost in half and became engulfed in flames. The safety regulations of NASCAR are what saved her life. Though her suit ripped in the crash, the body of the car protected her from major internal damage. She was able to walk out of the crash.

Once in the ER it was revealed that she had a broken clavicle and severe whiplash along with nasty second (and some third) degree burns. With fast acting they were able to minimize a lot of the scarring, but not all. It is still quite noticeable.

Rather than hide them away Mars chooses to still dress how she did before the accident. Her career was already taken from her and she refuses to lose anything else.

On the diagram the red represents the areas where the injuries were more severe and as such have more defined and less clean scarring. 

[armariafm]

Name: Armaria "Mars" Dias

Pronunciation: 'are-mar-ee-ah'

Age / D.O.B.: 25- November 23, 1997

Gender, Pronouns & Sexuality: cis woman - she/her - bisexual

Birthplace: Aurora Bay, California

Current Home: Aurora Bay Drive

Languages: English & Portuguese

Height: 5’7”

Relationship Status: Single

Children: None

Positive traits: Dependable, Easy-Going, Humble, Affectionate

Negative traits: Untidy, Reckless, Melancholic, Restless

-Bio

Aurora Bay born and bred; her father a mechanic at a local auto-shop, Armaria had a wonderful childhood. The only blip on the otherwise happy radar the year when her mother left them. She had been five and while she had cried at the time Armaria never found herself missing her after the fact. Her father filled in for all parent-required activities, active and engaged in his daughter's life. It was more than a lot had and she was grateful.

Her father's job as a mechanic gave her an early fascination with cars. By the time she was thirteen Armaria could change a transmission almost completely without help -the heavy parts still required assistance from dad- and could recite the names of the world's top drivers each year running. Car magazines littered her bedroom and when combined with her tom-boy style often meant that she was teased by her classmates. Not that Armaria cared. A loving father and a shop full of mechanics who adored her raised a confident young woman.

With dark hair and tanned skin from her Brazilian roots Armaria or Mars as her few friends had taken to calling her, was a knockout. If anything her constantly grease-stained fingernails only leant further credence to her good looks. It wasn't until high school that boys began to want her attention. Sure they were okay looking and fun to talk shop with, but they never captured her interest for long. The person who would catch her interest didn't appear until her sophomore year.

Harley Hua was Armaria's first real crush. His (he had not yet transitioned at this time) features were nice to look at but more importantly Mars felt like she could be herself around the other teen. No one outside of their close circle of friends new about the relationship, it was a secret per Harley's request. This could have led to resentment on her part but Mars liked that they were their own little world. To the outside they were simply best friends but within the confines of their own space they shared a love and understanding that went deep.

A party was thrown in Mars' honor when it finally came time to get her license. The test was passed with flying colors and her father had even gifted her a car they'd spent the past year working on together. Everything inside the engine had been upgraded and customized. Her first time driving it down the coast is when her need for speed began. Like an addict Armaria took the car out as often as she could. In the beginning the races were just against other high school kids, but a youtube video that got around made its way to another type of club in a city outside of Aurora Bay. Her fist forray into true street racing.

Invited to an event Mars dragged Harley along, ignoring their protests about safety the entire time. Everything would be fine. It was just a little race. Though plain Armaria's car placed her in first by a landslide. She was hooked. Her racing became a constant argument between her and her father. He worried about the crowds she hung out with, the potential for being arrested, and most importantly her safety. Street racing was regulated like the pros, there was no protection, just a driver and their car. So when the opportunity to go pro presented itself as she was about to graduate, she jumped at it. A chance to earn money doing what she loved in a way that would please her father.

The downside? She would have to leave Harley. He still had another year of high school to finish and she would be busy in LA and on the circuit trying to make a name for herself. The breakup was perhaps the hardest thing she had ever done. Harley was her heart. But the alternative wasn't fair to either of them. After the initial wounds of the amicable breakup had healed, the two stayed in contact. And as Mars' fame grew, Harley began to receive invites to events and other racing related activities, his stay covered by the money she made from sponsors.

At age 24 she was a formula one racecar driver, having earned the title two years before. The beginning of the height of her career.

Crash. Fire. Pain.

Somehow Amaraia managed to walk out but everything for the next two weeks after was a blank slate. A defect in her racing suit had caused the flames to eat at her skin, the flesh of her side a large, painful burn. Combined with whiplash and a broken clavicle, Mars' career was put on indefinite hold.

At first Harley was there for her through the bandage changes and painful debriding. Even morphine wasn't enough to help the pain. Her friend's smile was a comfort... until it wasn't. Two months into her recovery Mars banished Harley. A screaming match of epic proportions that left her throat raw and chest heaving. Nothing mattered other than recovering enough to get back behind the wheel of a car. Some six months later and the physical injuries had healed to a point where she could function. She was ecstatic to get back into the driver's seat.

Only to find she couldn't. Overwhelmed with panic and fear, PTSD her therapist would later say, Mars couldn't make herself go. With enough help and a lot of golf-cart lessons she could finally manage to drive her fathers Hyundai but even then anything over 40 set her on edge. Her career was over. Ruined before it had truly had a chance to begin and Armaria was left empty. LA only held reminders of what could have been. What she needed now was home. The town in which she had grown up.

Her father had moved to LA with her at the start of everything. Now he had a booming business he could not leave and a new-wife that made him beam. Mars knew she could never ask him to leave and so decided to head out on her own. It was her last night in LA that the bomb dropped. She had a brother. Before her mother had married her father she had been in a relationship with another man and had a son, Jake. For her sake her father had kept track of her brother's movements through the years by way of private investigator. He was now in Aurora Bay. Her father urged her to seek him out, so that she might have family in her hometown once again.

It has been two weeks since she moved into town on the heels of a hurricane. The home she had purchased for herself in Aurora Bay Drive had been destroyed, leaving her stranded in a hotel as she began her job at Aquatica Aquarium. Being around the animals helped to relax her, and the sometimes necessary swimming that was required helped with her still aching muscles, a pain that never truly went away. As settled as she can be in the face of everything, its time to seek out her friend to make amends and introduce herself to a brother she's never met.

-Facts

Mars suffered burns on her side as a result of the accident. While many people would be ashamed of their burns she doesn't try to hide them. They're a reminder of the life she loved and secretly hopes she can one day get back to.

Driving is difficult for her. She secretly sits behind the wheel of her car sometimes and just cries because she misses racing so much.

Has only had once serious relationship (Harley) her entire life. After high school she became consumed with her career. Several others tried to get her attention but she only finds attraction when there is that spark of a deeper emotional connection.

Loves the water. A lot of her physical therapy included laps in the pool to help ease the pain in her shoulders and neck. As a kid she loved the beach and now as an adult post-accident she finds the same comfort in it that she did as a child. Her house on Aurora Bay Drive backs right up onto the beach.

-Connections

Current

@jake-hudson Is her half brother that doesn't know she exists

High school relationship and best friend @harleyhua

Possible

Fans: Anyone who supported/watched Mars when she raced. They could have followed her from the beginning when she street raced or started to watch her after she went pro.

Sea-Friends: A connection with another character who has a vast love of the water. They could explore and study the ocean together, go on sea-creature saving missions, whatever seems fun!

Trauma-Bonding: Your character and Saylor bond over their respective traumatic incidents. The way they meet and what leads to the bonding is totally up for discussion. Will take more than one connection for this

Anything else we can think of!

[armariafm]

TAG DROP !!

[armariafm]

I am once again thinking about the innate human need to go fast

[armariafm]

brunamarquezine: Inspiring my authentic self every day @chopard #ChopardAlpineEagle

Bruna Marquezine via Instagram, 11/17/2022.