hollie-stanford

[hollie-stanford]

is there something you're struggling with right now?

“And there I thought I was hiding it so well. Well done, you caught me.”

[hollie-stanford]

favorite color?

“Blue or green. I like all types of blue but probably emerald green is pretty high up there.”

[hollie-stanford]

✧ NAME: Hollie Joelynn Stanford ✧ AGE: 31 ✧ GENDER: Female ✧ LOCATION: French Quarter ✧ TIME IN NOLA: One year ✧ OCCUPATION: Attending Trauma Surgeon at NOLA Medical

TW: Drugs, Death, Rehab, Violence, Neglect, Physical Abuse

Growing up in Cowcreek, Kentucky was never going to be ideal for a child, and it certainly wasn’t in the case of Hollie Taylor. From the moment she was born, Hollie had a hard life, her parents cared more about how they were going to get their next fix than their daughter, or their older son. Hollie was nothing more than a mistake, a lapse in judgement. She was often left with her grandmother, who apart from feeding the girl, cared for her no more than her parents. Growing up, Hollie was no stranger to seeing empty bottle of alcohol, syringes or white powder. The child only realised the danger when her brother caught her with her parent’s pills, about to take one as she thought it was a sweet. Her elder brother made sure his sister knew how dangerous they were, and from that point on, she hated everything about her home, the family trailer.

Despite their lack of love or concern for their daughter, the Taylor’s did right by her in sending her to school, although looking back, Hollie was convinced it was because it took her off their hands for hours a day. Hollie loved school, she loved learning and she loved being able to get away from her parents. Hollie dedicated as much time as she could to learning, always doing her homework, and learning to not care what everyone thought of her. Despite her geek status and old, dirty clothes, Hollie was never bullied at school, mainly due to the reputation her brother had slowly gained. Will had not had the same epiphany about school and instead failed his classes, got expelled and seemed to be following in their parent’s footsteps. The only saviour was his little sister, the only person he truly cared about. His name and reputation protected her, and that was enough for him. The only people he couldn’t protect her from, were her parents. As Hollie grew older, their disdain of their children became worse and when Hollie was seven, her father hit her for the first of many, many times.

Hollie kept to herself, not wanting to make many friends, not that she could in her small school. As she got older, she became more and more ashamed of her home life and her parents. When she was fourteen, her brother was killed, a fight gone wrong. Without her brother around, children started to taunt Hollie and it was then that she started to learn to fight for herself. Her name still carried an element of fear, and it was easy to convince everyone that she had inherited the same feistiness that her brother had, and she soon learnt that her temper was unrivalled. After finding out how her brother died, Hollie found her calling. She had always excelled in science at school and after maintaining a perfect GPA, Hollie was accepted on a full scholarship to Stanford University’s pre-medical school. As soon as she graduated High School, Hollie packed her few belongings into a bag and never looked back. She knew school had saved her, but the longer she stayed with her parents, the harder it would be to not get sucked into their lifestyle. As soon as she was eighteen and a legal adult, Hollie changed her surname to Stanford, in recognition of the place that had unknowingly saved her life and in a bid to completely separate herself from her parents.

Medical School was everything Hollie hoped it would be. For the first time, Hollie allowed herself to relax a little, she quickly made friends with others on her course and her roommates. Despite this, she never let herself lose sight of her goal, to be an excellent doctor. Graduating at the top of her class, Hollie didn’t care that the only people cheering in the audience were her friends, the fact that she was wearing that cap and was qualified to work in a hospital was enough for her. During her hospital internship and residency, Hollie decided, in memory of her brother, to specialise in trauma surgery, something that could’ve saved her brother’s life. After passing her boards, Hollie was offered a range of fellowships, eventually choosing a two year fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital. On completion, Hollie was drafted to spend a year in a rehab facility, something she had wanted to do in a way to help others who had been in her situation.

Deciding that Boston wasn’t for her, Hollie opted not to return to Boston and instead accepted a job at New Orleans Medical Centre. Although the hospital didn’t have the highest rating, there was the possibility to turn their trauma centre into something world class, and since joining the hospital, Hollie is happier than she has ever been in the past. Finally at peace with her past, Dr Stanford is destined for great things.

Due to her past, Hollie has a very conflicting personality. On one side, she’s extremely caring and has an excellent bedside manner with her patients. She can be calm, cool and collected, and is able to put her patients at ease with a just the hint of a smile. Hollie cares deeply about the people she treats and this translates over to her friends and people she meets regularly. On the flip side, Hollie has been known to have a vile temper and is not someone you want to get on the wrong side of. Growing up in a small, rough town, Hollie learnt how to defend and stick up for herself, and it’s something she has been doing her entire life. Hollie is still quite reserved about her past, and is reluctant to tell anyone about her parents or her background, as she has tried so hard to distance herself from it. When she wants to be, Hollie can be the life and soul of the party, she likes to let her down and have a good time, but she has been known to ruin a party at the mere mention of drugs, after seeing first hand what it did to each member of her family.Above everything, Hollie is extremely determined. Everything in her life told her she couldn’t make it as a doctor, but she proved everyone wrong, coming from an appalling background, to graduate top of her class at Stanford Medical School and become an amazing trauma surgeon. Having kept to herself for so much of her life, even Hollie isn’t sure how much of herself is left undiscovered.

HOLLIE’S FACECLAIM IS SARAH DREW AND IS PORTRAYED BY ASHLEIGH.

[hollie-stanford]

Camila

Cami was in a bad mood and it showed, her oldest brother was in town being his usual pain in the ass self and she had left the house the moment she could to avoid having to deal with him. She had ignored her phone all day, and now her shift was over she had little intention of returning home until everyone else had well and truly fallen asleep. So, she went for what she did best, she went for a drink. She strolled through to the bar, ignoring everyone around her, as she looked for a bartender. “If I don’t get a drink in my hand like now I’m gonna lose it,–” she sighed sliding herself into a stool.

Another day down, another day off work and another day that Hollie felt her slipping further down the dark spiral she’d been avoiding all her life. Never had she come close to thinking she understood her brother’s pain in the last couple of years of his life, but now she had some idea. Planting herself on a bar stool, she tried to get the attention of the bartender, although to no avail. Shrugging to herself, the redhead shook her head before closing her eyes, trying to will herself to get up and walk away. Surely she’d drunken enough lately. Glancing up at the voice that sat down next to her, Hollie raised her eyebrows before gesturing for the bartender once more. “Amen to that, apparently the asshole thinks that because I don’t have my tits out that I’m not important enough to serve.” Running a hand over her face, she tried not to look at the girl next to her, a glimpse had shown how stunning she was and quickly made Hollie remember how long it had been since she’d attempted to look in a mirror. “You never know, if he can be bothered he might make me the biggest gin and tonic of his career before I’m fifty..”

[hollie-stanford]

Talan

“Nah, no worries there either, it’s only the truth, Holls. But yeah, that’s good you’re the doctor she’s going to keep seeing while recovering. I will also tell her that. She’ll be glad hearing I saw you I’m sure. And will also probably want to talk to you.” Talan nodded with another smile, finally stopping at one of the stations. Sure, there was some lingering tension and boundaries were treaded lightly knowing what they knew about one another, but ultimately, she was a client and still a friend. “Good to hear, and just the balloon it is then for now.” Sitting himself on a stool at the nearby counter, he took another look at the drawing she handed him a few minutes before, beginning to prepare it for ink as described. Although, his head picked up again when the doctor mentioned finding the name she wanted for the balloon strings. Gently taking the new slip of paper, Talan found himself rather instantly recognizing the name printed from one he’d tattooed on her before. “Got you, I uh, remember this one actually.” He simply stated. After seeing a certain client like Hollie after more than a few times, he got used to their preferences, and if lucky, sometimes heard the stories behind them. In truth, Talan couldn’t lie; it was a real extra interesting, rewarding thing of the job. At this point, he liked to believe he had a pretty damn good knack knowing when a tattoo was for fun or a significant meaning. “Ok, that’s no problem. I can remove the other one too if you want that one gone. Just say the word.” Talan cracked a grin at the corner of his lips, then finishing up and displaying an edited sketch with the name within the balloon strings on a pad for her to examine. “This is what you were thinking right?”

“Of course, well she knows where I am if she does want to talk to me and the same goes for you, don’t think I’ve forgotten you’re under my care now as well.” She said it with a smile, to try and keep the conversation light and not focused on the heavy things they had discovered about each other. Perching on the edge of the tattoo chair, Hollie looked over as he prepared the picture for it to be stencilled. Out of the people she’d met and let in in New Orleans, Talan probably knew the most about her past, he was the first person she’d mentioned her brother too and the only one to know his name, even if he didn’t know of the relation between the two. Nodding as he acknowledge the name, she glanced away as he carried on with his work. “I think so, yeah, I got that on impulse, I mean I want to remember him and everything but I don’t need his name everywhere.” Closing her eyes, she tried to ignore the feeling of wanting to run away after saying too much, she’d had it at the hospital and there it was again. It ran off her tongue, something that it wouldn’t have a couple of months, but it still felt strange and wrong to her, it wasn’t something she spoke about. Looking at the pad, she couldn’t help but smile. “It’s perfect, it’s just right..” Nodding, Hollie reached for the elastic tie on her wrist, tying her hair up high to expose the back of her neck. “Not that I expected anything different of course, I’d trust no one else to permanently mark my skin. Have you got any new ones recently?”

[hollie-stanford]

Catalina

Cat couldn’t help but let out a small and fake laugh. “You’d sound a lot more serious saying that if you didn’t look like a rejected cast member of Smurfs on Ice.” She tried to control her anger, feeling it bubble up inside of her. She hated people thinking they could say whatever they wanted to her, but she knew she would lose it if she started showing her anger towards the girl. Instead she just balled her hands into fists. “That’s the thing - this is a fucking public place, so I can say and do whatever I want as long as it isn’t hurting anyone else, and last time I checked complaining about something wasn’t offensive so I think you better just shut the fuck up and take your pre-pubescent passive aggressive attitude somewhere else.”

“Well I wasn’t trying to sound serious, sounds like I got that across. Smurfs on ice? Is that some kind of ginger joke or something? I mean whatever it was, your insults could use some serious work.” Her eyes didn’t even glance over to the girl as she spoke, she just stared ahead. If she thought about it, she was probably causing some kind of tension to try and feel anything but pain and emptiness, feeling something else would prove that she still could. “Honey, you’re the one raising your voice and throwing weird insults around, I simply commented on what you were saying, so, as you so honestly put it, this is a fucking public place so I think I might just stay right where I am.” Crossing her arms over her chest, Hollie looked to the side, her eyebrows raised as she looked at the girl. “Did you ever stop to wonder how lucky you are that all you have to moan about is someone talking to you on the bus? Some people have real fucking problems to deal with, so maybe think your overreactive ass lucky.”

[hollie-stanford]

Cassandra

❝Welcome to Cafe Obscura. What are you seeking?❞

If she was honest with herself, she didn’t know why she’d sought the place out. She was a woman of science, she couldn’t comprehend something that couldn’t be proved, but she had to try something. Since her trip to Kentucky, Hollie had been on a downwards spiral, she’d taken time off from work and if she wasn’t drinking, she was crying. “I don’t know, actually..” Taking a deep breath, she shook her head. “I lost someone... A colleague told me about this place, anything you can help with?”

+ C a f e   O b s c u r a

[hollie-stanford]

Catalina

“First of all, I suggest you rethink who you’re talking to right now or else this could turn nasty for you real quick,” Cat said in a steady voice, trying to keep her anger level low. “Second of all, not that it’s any of your business, but there’s a bus stop right outside my house that leaves me off at work. Is that okay with you?”

"Oh really? Could it? Forgive me whilst I shiver in my boots..” Her voice was laden with sarcasm, her eyes rolling again as she turned away. She shouldn’t have spoken, but with the mood she was in and the turn of events that had unfolded in the last week, she just wasn’t going to shut up. “If it’s none of my business then don’t tell me, it’s as simple as that. If it’s not my business, don’t moan about shit in a public place, there are worse things in the world than people talking on buses.”

[hollie-stanford]

Indiana

       Indiana nodded, her lips pressed together as warm, concerned eyes fell upon Hollie. The young brunette had learned, perhaps through her empathetic nature, that people often let on how they felt in their eyes, and Hollie’s eyes were deeply saddened; an odd contrast to the firmness of her voice, the coolness of her demeanour. Indiana recognised that same pain as kindred with her own, and she couldn’t help but feel for the redhead before her. “I’m.. not certain yet. I’m still having a feel for things.” She was inching towards something, but she wasn’t about to let that be known until she was absolutely certain she wanted to strive for it. Indecisiveness happened to be one of her downfalls, at times. And just as she was about to step in, Hollie moved to walk away, with Indiana standing there, dumbfounded. She felt frozen, her heart beating, ringing in her ears as she watched what could only be described as Hollie walking into absolute self turmoil. She didn’t know whether to walk forth, to comfort her, or to.. stay on task, take over somewhere, aid Hollie out a little. It didn’t take longer than several moments for Indiana to side with compassion, dumping her files with a local intern. “Hey, could you go find Willis and hand these to him? Please. And grab those scans for Trauma 5, please.” Without another word, Indiana moved through the rush of people, following Hollie through to the attendings lounge.  Indiana, in the way that she was, kind and compassionate, couldn’t let Hollie go alone. From one’s own experience, she knew that in those moments one wished to be alone, but what one needed was entirely different. “Oh, Hollie..” What Indiana walked in on strangely felt unsatisfying; she knew she’d expected Hollie to be in pain, but seeing it now.. she didn’t wish it upon anybody. She recognised that all too well. Instantly moving to her side, Indi took a seat and wrapped her arms around Hollie — not even considering boundaries or professionalism —simply doing what she felt needed to be done. Rubbing her back gently, Indiana’s features furrowed as she said softly, “Let it out, it’s okay..”  

It was a constant battle for Hollie to keep herself together, sometimes her work helped, other times, like that moment, it only made her worse. Even though it had been over a decade, the redhead had never really made peace with her brother’s death, thinking about it hurt too much, it triggered her anxiety and distress and brought up the rest of her childhood memories, none of which were happy. As she sat alone in the attendings lounge, she swore she could feel the seal break, the walls crumbled down as they did every year, even if just for a few minutes. She didn’t even glance up at the sound of her name or the touch of Indiana’s arms around her, she stayed still, apart from the shake of her body from her sobs. She had never cried to anyone about Will, apart from Jason just after he’d died but even then, even though Jason had lost him too, he didn’t know what she was going through. But Indiana did. It wasn’t a secret in the hospital that Indiana had been through an awful period of her life, she was the first person Hollie had met who could relate, who knew that sort of pain. She couldn’t wipe Will’s face from her mind as she leaned into her colleague, the comfort she received sending a shock through her system. It took her a few minutes to calm down, before she could even look up at her younger colleague, although as she did, she sat up straight again. “Sorry... I, that was unprofessional of me, I’m sorry..” Wiping her hands quickly over her cheeks, Hollie sighed gently. “I... This time of year.. I lost, well, my brother died when I was younger and it was, it was around this date.” Clearing her throat, she pressed her lips together, trying to keep herself calm. “Sometimes work helps but sometimes it just becomes too much..”

[hollie-stanford]

Catalina

“If there’s one thing I hate more than people who sit beside you on the bus, it’s people who try to talk to you on the bus. It’s completely revolting.”

“If you hate the bus so much... Why don’t you just, I don’t know, not take the bus?” Glancing up from her hands, which she’d been staring at for the last twenty minutes, the redhead rolled her eyes at the mini rant from the girl next to her. “Instead of moaning about hating it, just do something about it.”

[hollie-stanford]

It had been fourteen years. Fourteen long, painful years since she’d stood in this exact spot. The only place she could feel like she was with him again. Looking at her brother’s gravestone, Hollie felt a cold shiver run down her spine, a sob catching in her throat. She hadn’t returned to Cowcreek when she left and it had been the hardest decision of her life to return now. After Jason’s reappearance in her life, her past had been near impossible to repress and she’d felt a need to see her brother again, or the last reminder of him anyway. 

“Hey you.. I know it’s been a while but I know you’d understand why. I’m a surgeon now, a trauma surgeon. I did something with my life, Will, just like you asked.. I hope you saw me graduate, get my first job, save my first patient.. I can almost imagine how proud you’d look if you were there when I walked across that stage at Stanford or when I passed my boards..” Moving a hand up to her pale cheek, she gently wiped the tears away, trying to compose herself. “I live in New Orleans now.. Jason moved there as well, total coincidence that one.. I’m sure he’d tell me to tell you ‘hey’, I know he misses you as much as I do.. God, I miss you, Will, it’s been so long, I don’t even remember the sound of your voice anymore and I only have one damn picture.” Shaking her head gently, the redhead took a deep breath. She hadn’t wanted today to be about the anger she still held towards her parents, this was about Will. “It’s been seventeen years.. I miss you every second, I hope you’re proud of me big brother, I love you..” Pressing a kiss against her fingers, she moved them down to press against the top of his gravestone, a couple more tears rolling down her cheeks.

Laying a bunch of flowers at the foot of his grave, Hollie took a step back, taking one last look before she turned, walking back towards the path. “Now I’d recognise that hair from a mile off.” Glancing up, the girl quickly dried her cheeks, her old teacher recognisable even after fourteen years. “Mrs Adams, hey, it’s good to see you.” Smiling, Hollie wrapped her arms around the woman, the one person, apart from Jason that she’d been close to in the years between her brother’s death and her escaping the town. “You still come?” The older woman nodded. “Every year, I know you would want him to have some company every now and then.” Taking a seat on the bench, the women conversed back and forth, catching up on all the years they’d missed, for Hollie, it was like catching up with her mother figure.

“Hollie..” Looking at Mrs Adams and noting the look of horror on her face, the redhead turned, following her eye line to the entrance of the graveyard. As soon as she saw the hair, she froze, her body running cold. Like her old teacher recognised her hair, Hollie did that of her parents, the two people she’d tried every way to avoid for years. “Look what the cat dragged in, Pearl, well ain’t that our baby girl.” Feeling her hands begin to shake, Hollie shook her head, grabbing her purse from the bench as she stood quickly. “Good... Good to see you.” Her voice was barely more than a whisper as she began walking, unfortunately towards her parents, but towards her car and towards her freedom. “Well slow down there girlie, don’ wanna say hey to your momma?” Hollie snatched her arm away as her father reached for her wrist, her eyes defiant even if she felt like she was crumbling inside. “I am not your little girl, I have never been anything to you apart from a punching bag! All you cared about was how fun it was when I tried not to scream! I ran away for a reason and I’ll be damned if you think you can do that to me again!” Grabbing her car keys from her bag, she beeped the car open before opening the door. Throwing her bag inside, she pointed to the graveyard. “You killed him! You killed him and you tried to kill me too. It should be you in the ground, not him!” Jumping into her car, Hollie slammed the door before starting it, driving away as quickly as she could. She didn’t stop until she hit the state line, far enough away that she felt somewhat safe.

Pulling over onto the side of the road, she clicked the engine off, her hands shaking violently as she did so. As the car silenced, the only sound was Hollie’s quick breathing and within seconds, her screams and her cries.

[hollie-stanford]

thxliaharper:

Fill in about your muse:

➥ What is your character’s full name?: Holloe JoeLynn Taylor Stanford ➥ When were they born?: August 4th 1985 ➥ What are their parent’s names?: Jack and Pearl Taylor ➥ Do they have any brothers or sisters?: A brother named William, he died when Hollie was 14. ➥ What kind of eyes do they have?: Hollie has quite wide, green eyes. ➥ What kind of hair do they have?: Hollie is naturally a red-brown colour but she has been keeping her hair a vibrant red for years now. ➥ What is their complexion like?: Usually pale but as she’s not a natural redhead, she does find she tans fairly easily although she’s rarely outside enough to develop a tan. ➥ What body type are they?: Slim. She is fairly toned as she exercises but it’s irregular as she’s usually too busy. ➥ What is listening to their voice like?: Hollie is quiet when she feels anything negative. Her voice is fairly high pitch and her accent is quite muddled. When she’s upset or angry she has a strong southern accent, showing her Kentucky roots. ➥ What do they hate most about themselves?: Her past. Hollie’s past still effects her today and it’s something she absolutely hates. ➥ Do they have a favourite quote?: “And like a phoenix, you can rise from the ashes.” ➥ What sort of music do they enjoy?: Hollie likes pop music but finds she can only relax to soul music. She’d only really turn the radio off if it was heavy metal. ➥ Have/would they ever cheat(ed) on a partner?: No, Hollie has only been in one serious relationship and has never gotten to that stage. ➥ Have they been cheated on by a partner?: No, not that she knows of.  ➥ Have they ever lost someone close to them?: Her brother. ➥ What is their favourite sound?: The sound of rain on a window. ➥ Are they judgmental of others?: Sometimes. Hollie has dealt with a lot in her life and she struggles not to be judgemental if she knows someone has been involved with drugs.  ➥ Have they ever been drunk?: Yes, but she doesn’t make a habit of it. ➥ What are they like when they stay up all night?: It happens a lot with work and she stays her usual self, maybe slightly grouchier. ➥ Have they ever been arrested?: Never. ➥ What evokes strong memories for them?: People and similar situations.  ➥ What do they do on rainy days?: If she isn’t working, Hollie either cleans her apartment, she bakes or she’ll go for a walk. ➥ What religion are they?: None. She has faced too much trauma in her life to believe in it. ➥ What word do they overuse the most?: “Maybe.” “Stat.” ➥ What do they wear to bed?: If she actually changes then a pair of pyjama shorts and a t-shirt but usually it’s whatever she gets home in. ➥ Do they have any tattoos or piercings?: She has her ear pierced and has a lot of small tattoos. ➥ What type of clothing are they most comfortable in?: Scrubs. ➥ What is their most disliked food?: Bananas.  ➥ Do they have any enemies?: Her parents. ➥ What does their writing look like?: Usually a quick, legible scrawl. If she focuses and takes her time, it’s still fairly messy but just more easy to read. ➥ What disgusts them?: Drugs and abuse.

[hollie-stanford]

Pj

“Christmas in July?“ PJ tried out the tired expression but found it tasted foul in his mouth. He hadn’t suspected his evening would involve coming to the defense of string-lights everywhere but there he was, doing just that. “I’m a whore for the aesthetic.” He admitted flatly. He looked at her before answering, trying to read her inflection. “To a party?” He asked, sounding a bit incredulous. “Or a masquerade?” He asked, one brow rising at the inquiry. “Because yes to both. Do I look out of place?” He asked. 

“Guess I’m not really a fan of Christmas in general, maybe that’s why..” Glancing around again, she forced a small smile onto her lips at his tone. She hadn’t meant to offend or anything really, she’d merely been thinking out loud but she could feel that trickle of uneasiness trickling through her system. “A masquerade..” Her eyebrows rose in response to his, her arms crossing over her chest, loosely, but a little defensively. “No, I was just making idle conversation. I’m sorry if I’ve offended you in some way, I really didn’t mean to, but I was simply asking a question. I’ve lived in a few cities and never seen anything like this, so I guess I’m intrigued if other people have. If that bothers you, I’ll cut my fresh air short and go back inside.”

[hollie-stanford]

CHARACTER AESTHETIC: SURGEON

“to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived —  that is to have succeeded.”

[hollie-stanford]

Pj

Flute of champagne in hand, PJ entered the outdoor courtyard, chin lifted ever-so-slightly as he looked at the stands of lights twisted around every tree limb. “It’s a bit like Christmas. Maybe it’s the colored bulbs that make it tacky after January. ‘cause I mean - looks pretty elegant now under the circumstances right?”

Clutching her drink in one hand as she leant against one of the chairs that was scattered in the courtyard, Hollie glanced around as the male started talking. In truth, she’d had a moment of anxiety inside and had needed some air, she hadn’t even noticed the lights. “I don’t know, you know, it’s June and way too Christmassy out here. The colours definitely make them more tacky, but they’re still pretty out of place, maybe it’s just me, I don’t think I’ve ever understood the fairy light fascination.” Sure she know that they reminded people of Christmas, but as she had never had a Christmas tree before the age of twenty, she didn’t see the significance. “You having fun? Have you been to one of these things before?”

[hollie-stanford]

Asher

       Asher raised what could only be described as a glass of poison to his nose, the mere scent of the thing potent in all forms of the word. Just the way he liked it; particularly if he was going to be at this event and all. Then again, as his heterochromatic blue-brown eyes peered around at the buzzing sea of masks, he felt absolutely enveloped in mystery and intrigue, an underlying air of confidence and sultriness blanketing the grand ballroom. The entire place had been transformed, and though he found himself by the bar drinking his worries away, he couldn’t help but feel utterly immersed in it all, captured by the enigma. Glancing over to his side, his gaze landed upon another lone wolf like himself, and with the adrenaline coursing through his veins — in addition to the notion of being anyone or anything behind his mask— he approached the other. “What are you drinking? I’d recommend their specialty drink ‘POISON’,” he offers, raising his glass as a gesture, “but I think they took the word too literally.” 

It was always the way that when Hollie had plans for an evening after a shift, something that came up that kept her at work for longer than she had planned. It was for that reason she had gotten ready for the masquerade in the hospital toilets and staff room. She was passable at least and behind a mask, she couldn’t quite bring herself to care. Walking into the venue, she couldn’t hold back the smile. For someone who had never gone to a school dance growing up, events like this made her feel like a young girl again, as if she was reliving the parts of her youth that had been stolen from her. Stepping up to the bar, the redhead tapped her fingers against the wood, her eyes glancing over the menu. Glancing to the side as the blonde next to her began to talk, she laughed once. “Oh really? Well, if it’s a speciality I think I’ll take the risk.” Ordering one of the drinks, Hollie perched on the edge of the stool, her feet just grazing the floor. “This is something, isn’t it? I’ve been to a couple of events around the city now but this is incredible, I can’t believe this many people turn out for it.” Taking her drink, she slid the money across to the bartender before taking a sip, her face scrunching up slightly. “Wow, you were not kidding. Jesus, that’s strong.” Turning to the blonde, Hollie’s lips turned up into a small smile before she lifted her glass to clink with his. “To poison, I guess? That’s a cool mask, by the way.”