#━━ ♡ away from the keyboard [ queued ]

[inspotlight]

“Right… No feminism at the dinner table.” (cady for gossip girl neens or adjacent)

❝     sorry,     i     didn't     realize     there     was     a     moratorium     on     feminism.     ❞     she     says,     and     while     her     rolling     eyes     are     playful,     she     can't     help     but     think     about     how     much     she     dislikes     the     influence     of     the     older     sinclair     women.     ❝     i'm     not     interested     in     turning     off     my     morals,     though.     it     was     a     nasty     little     comment.     ❞     

[inspotlight]

"It's only the beginning, but it's happening quick." (vegas rini)

❝     might     be     quick,     but     i     can     keep     up     if     you     can.     ❞     she     says,     offering     a     bit     of     a     challenge     with     her     words.     being     married     before     they'd     even     spent     a     sober     night     together     had     been     the     biggest     adjustment     she'd     ever     had     to     make     in     her     life.     a     drunken     vegas     wedding     had     not     been     in     her     plans.     and     yet,     here     they     were.     and     she     was...     happy.     she     was     happy     with     this     man,     her     husband,     who     she     was     still     getting     to     know.     she     couldn't     deny     that.     ❝     we     certainly     aren't     conventional,     huh?     ❞

[inspotlight]

❝     you're     doing     amazing,     my     love.     i'm     so     proud     of     you. ❞     she     tells     him     softly,     her     arm     looped     with     his     as     they     walk     through     the     museum.     ricky     had     officially     been     announced     to     the     public     as     nini's     intended     and     had     declared     his     intentions     publicly     for     her     people     to     see.     he'd     been     learning     everything     he     would     need     to     know     when     the     day     finally     came     for     them     to     be     wed,     and     today     was     his     first     day     interacting     in     a     royal     outing     as     an     active     member     of     the     royal     family,     albeit     one     who     was     not     yet     married     into     the     family.     ❝     everyone     loved     you     so     much.     not     as     much     as     i     do,     but     they     could     never     overtake     me     in     that     regard.     ❞

@melodyplucked: [👑] for a royalty starter

[inspotlight]

[ INITIATING FACETIME CALL ]

❝     amelia,     i     don't     know     what     i've     done. ❞     nini     says     the     moment     her     best     friend     answers     the     call,     holding     her     ring     finger     up     to     the     camera.     her     face     is     a     mix     of     shock     and     confusion     as     she     tries     to     replay     the     previous     evening.     ❝     i     woke     up     next     to     the     hottest     man     i've     ever     seen     in     my     entire     life,     which     wouldn't     be     an     issue,     if     it     weren't     for     the     giant     diamond     ring     blinding     me     from     a     very     important     finger     every     time     it     catches     the     light.     ❞

@mimistjames [🎰] for a vegas starter

[inspotlight]

❝     men     like     that     just     aren't     worth     the     time     it     takes     to     think     of     them.     ❞     nini     says     in     agreement.     she     likes     lacey;     she     gets     it.     then     again,     she     thinks     most     women     get     this.     ❝     far,     far     too     many.     but,     yeah,     no,     they     don't     all     suck.     it's     nice     when     you     find     one     of     the     good     ones.     like...     ricky     makes     up     for     every     awful     i've     ever     met     without     even     trying.     ❞

    ❝    well i am all too thankful it is over for you. you deserve worlds better than a controlling selfish ass like that. he doesn't deserve to be a thought on your mind or mine. you couldn't be more right about that one-    ❞    she nods, smiling brightly at the thought. lacey laughs at the compliment, though she'd be lying to say she didn't agree with the sentiment.    ❝    you're sweet, really. i should be. you'd think so- but men are fools. not all men, but far too many.    ❞    

[inspotlight]

❝     thank     you!     ❞     she     exclaims,     doing     a     little     twirl     in     the     new     dress     that     she     had     picked     out     for     tonight's     cast     dinner.     she     was     excited     for     the     evening     ahead.     ❝     it     has     pockets!     ❞     she     says     as     she     shoves     her     hands     in     the     aforementioned     pockets     and     does     spirit     fingers     against     the     material.

@c0veys

[inspotlight]

🎁 + 47 | good graces — sabrina carpenter

❝     when     i     love     you,     i'm     sweet     like     an     angel...     ❞     smirk     settles     onto     her     lips     at     the     pet     name     ricky     had     given     her     so     long     ago.     ❝     drawing     hearts     around     our     names     and     dreaming     of     writing     vows     and     rocking     cradles.     ❞     she     can't     help     but     wrap     her     arms     around     his     neck     and     pull     herself     closer.     ❝     crazy,     huh?     i     mean,     we've     known     each     other     for     so     long,     but     we're     finally     together,     and     i've     thought     of     all     those     things.     ❞

@melodyplucked

[inspotlight]

❝     can     they     really?     ❞     nini     asks,     looking     at     the     little     frog     in     allie's     hands.     ❝     i     guess     i     shouldn't     be     so     surprised.     any     other     animal     can     learn     things,     too.     we     teach     dogs     to     do     tricks,     right?     why     wouldn't     a     frog     be     able     to     do     that,     too?     maybe     on     a     smaller     scale,     but...     ❞     she     shrugs     her     shoulders.     ❝     sure,     you     might     not     have     to     put     him     in     a     tank,     but     i'm     sure     he'd     like     one     all     the     same.     a     nice,     cozy     place     that's     just     his?     like     his     own     little     house     inside     the     one     you     share.     like     his     own     special     bedroom.     ❞     conversation     shifting     to     her     album     has     her     equal     parts     excited     and     nervous.     ❝     uh,     well...     gosh,     i     always     feel     so     weird     talking     about     it.     it's     exciting,     i     mean...     i     love     writing     songs.     scary     to     think     people     are     actually     going     to     listen     to     them     one     and     get     to     judge     me     for     them.     ❞

        “ y’know,   they can learn and remember stuff,   lil’ froggies? ”   allie starts,   shifting to lay on her stomach,   still holding the frog.   she tips one hand,   so it falls into the other,   gentle as can be,   using the other hand to lightly trace the veins.   “ if you’re kind to him,   i bet you wouldn’t even have to put him in a tank. ”   curiosity prickles at her,   eyes lighting up at the new introduction of idea.   she’s never known a lot about music,   not at all.   only that you could dance to anything,   and thus listen to anything.   “ ooh,   tell me about that!   the album part!   i wanna’ hear all about it! ”

[inspotlight]

"a good kiss will do that: make a girl forget herself for a while." (campbell)

❝     yeah?     wait     until     you're     really     in     love.     ❞     she     says,     a     little     twinkle     in     her     eye     as     she     looks     at     campbell.     she     could     see     the     way     campbell     looked     at     dean.     the     girl     was     head     over     heels.     ❝     does     he     make     you     forget?     makes     it     feel     like     the     whole     world     has     stopped     around     you     when     you     kiss?     it's     magical,     isn't     it?          ❞

[inspotlight]

❝     i'm     not     going     to     sit     here     and     tell     you     that     cheating     is     alright,     but     andre     literally     would     not     let     cam     break     up     with     him...     ❞     she     says,     shrugging     her     shoulders.     she'd     heard     all     about     that     situation     from     her     cousin.     she     knew     it     had     been     a     complicated     situation,     but     andre     hadn't     exactly     let     cam     start     the     breakup     conversation;     always     changing     the     subject     or     saying     he     had     to     leave     abruptly.     she     knew     it     had     been     hard.     ❝     hopefully     he'll     be     able     to     visit     soon.     i     miss     him.     i'm     so     excited     to     be     here,     but     i     want     my     man,     damn     it!     ❞     she     giggles     at     demi's     comments     about     her     relationship     with     ricky.     it     was     obvious     the     two     were     head     over     heels.     they     mad     no     attempts     at     pretending     any     different,     and     why     should     they?     ❝     mhm.     i'm     a     lucky     girl     and     he     is     a     very,     very     lucky     guy.     ❞     she     agrees.     

❝     see...     that     sounds     really     awful.     like,     sure,     you     don't     need     to     do     everything     together,     but     saying     he     doesn't     support     the     arts     and     won't     do     shit     with     you     or     support     you?     kinda     vile...     maybe     he     needs     to     talk     to     ricky.     ❞     nini     was     happy     to     have     ricky     involved     in     so     many     aspects     of     her     life     and     wouldn't     mind     if     he     had     more     involvement.     ❝     you     don't     have     to     be     as     involved     as     ricky     and     i     are,     but     i     couldn't     imagine     not     at     least     supporting     his     interests.     like...     i     haven't     been     on     a     skateboard     since     we     were     kids,     but     i     still     like     to     go     sit     at     the     skate     park     and     do     my     own     thing     while     ricky     has     a     good     time,     just     to     be     together.     ❞     they'd     had     many     a     date     night     just     like     that.     she     just     wanted     to     be     wherever     ricky     was.     especially     now     that     they     didn't     live     close     enough     to     each     other     for     weekly     date     nights.          ❝     doing     everything     together     definitely     isn't     for     everyone,     i     just...     don't     want     you     to     get     hurt     by     him     not     supporting     you,     i     guess?     unless     i'm     totally     misinterpreting     this.     ❞     she     says,     soft     smile     on     her     lips.

    ❝    to be fair to andre- they were dating when cam kissed me.    ❞    demi replies, shaking her head.    ❝    i definitely don't regret the kiss- just- how it happened- but. you're right- i mean cam said the same thing- 'what home?!' we're literally in high school. we were fifteen! like come on it's not like they were married. and cam had been trying to break up with him for months    ❞    she rolls her eyes. demi's both sympathetic to andre- and unsympathetic to the amount of torment she'd received from their peers in the aftermath of one kiss. it's not like they'd been hooking up behind his back like andre said. but nini looks great- and she'd rather focus on that then drama from 2 years ago.    ❝    you look hot! i'm sure he'll love it. you definitely look nice for him... he'll be wishing even more that he was here in person to appreciate you in that dress.    ❞    and as nini gushes over her boyfriend, demi's pleased as can be. she loves a 'man secure in his relationship.    ❝    i mean it's not like you ever give him a reason to wonder what and who you want. you can dress however you want and he's the very lucky guy who gets to take that dress off. and i'm totally a feminist of course, but it's kinda his job as your very tall boyfriend to shoo the creeps off you    ❞    

 she bites her lip, thinking about what her cousin's said.   ❝    cam's always had this thing about how he 'doesn't support the arts'- like… he didn't want to go to his cousin's improv show or like- listen to andre's podcast- that kind of thing. part of me thinks it's less about art- i mean obviously he's in the theater department- but... just- having to be inserted into everyone's things he doesn't actually care about?    ❞    and she- for her part- doesn't want to become a part of something he cares about and make him uncomfortable in his thing.    ❝    the last thing i want is to infringe on his creative pursuit. i like that he does at least one thing that's art. although- i guess andre's podcast isn't exactly art- but... it still applied to his rules...    ❞    she rambles, thinking aloud as much as explaining herself.    ❝    but its sweet how you two want to be there for all each other's things. he's a nice guy. like- actually nice- not like- a 'nice guy'. he wants to be involved in what you care about- as a reminder of how much he cares about you.    ❞    and she's always going to love that nini's loved like that. she's got her own circumstances though.    ❝    cam i just… cam... i mean- i'm glad we found the rollerworld money together and that that brought us closer together, unlike jamal and his friends that all split up after i guess? but- doing things like- actual extracurriculars together doesn't seem like something cam would like. we hang out like we always have- just- you know... different too.    ❞    

[inspotlight]

❝     this     is     such     a     wonderful     thing     you're     doing     for     me,     my     love.     ❞     nini     says     as     she     slides     into     the     passenger     seat     of     the     car.     she's     gotten     used     to     the     car     over     the     past     few     weeks,     but     when     he'd     explained     airplanes     to     her,     she     was     completely     against     that.     so,     they     would     be     driving     to     see     her     family.     the     skater's     family.     he'd     even     gotten     her     some     things     to     make     the     trip     more     comfortable.     she     wouldn't     be     able     to     help     with     the     driving,     but     he     didn't     seem     to     care.     he'd     gotten     her     a     few     snacks,     a     water     bottle,     and     a     cozy     blanket.     he'd     said     it     was     called     being     a     passenger     princess,     and     she     thought     that     was     so     fitting.     ❝     are     you     sure     you     don't     mind     taking     such     a     long     trip?     ❞     she     buckled     the     seatbelt     and     pulled     her     blanket     over     her     lap,     settling     in     for     the     journey     ahead.     she     was     so     happy     that     at     the     end     of     their     drive,     she'd     get     to     see     her     moms.

@melodyplucked

[inspotlight]

❝     this     is     really     nice.     ❞     nini     says,     looking     around     at     the     living     room     of     his     apartment.     the     apartment     they     were     going     to     be     sharing     now     that     her     show     was     done     touring.     she     was     excited     for     this     next     stage.     she     was     going     to     be     meeting     with     an     agent     in     the     coming     days     and     start     looking     into     the     auditioning     process     for     a     few     shows     she     was     interested     in     being     in,     and     everything     felt     like     it     was     coming     together.     ❝     i     can't     believe     we've     been     married     for     almost     two     months     and     we're     only     just     now     going     to     be     living     together.     ❞     they'd     done     their     best     to     see     each     other     while     they     had     work     obligations     to     contend     with,     but     now     they     could     be     together.     it     was     so     nice     knowing     she'd     get     to     see     him     every     day.     ❝     neither     of     us     have     to     get     on     a     flight     in     the     next     few     days.     ❞

@melodyplucked

[inspotlight]

❝     this     is     going     to     be     such     an     inconvenience.     is     that     the     point?     i     feel     like     that's     the     point.     ❞     nini     says,     walking     into     ricky's     room     and     sitting     down     on     the     bed.     cradled     in     her     arm     was     a     baby     doll.     ❝     i     told     miss     baker     that     you'd     be     coparenting     with     me,     so     she's     not     gonna     give     you     one     tomorrow.     we     did     not     need     to     end     up     with     electronic     baby     twins.          ❞     she     teases,     shaking     her     head.          

@melodyplucked

[inspotlight]

❝     oh...     i—     sorry.     ❞     she     says,     shrinking     in     on     herself     just     a     bit,     shoulders     dropping     as     her     posture     gets     a     little     worse.     she     knew     she     couldn't     expect     that     everyone     would     put     up     with     her     rambling,     but     nobody     had     ever     been     so     blunt.     ❝     i     actually     thought     it     through     for     a     while.     my     execution     wasn't     great,     i     know,     but     i'm     not     stupid.     i     thought     about     it.     ❞     

@inspotlight. blake just stares at nini, letting her work through her rambling and obvious nerves before she lets herself speak, ❝ you know it's okay to not have a twenty minute response to everything, right? ❞ the werewolf asks, ❝ i'm just trying to get you to, you know, not die. to think before you jump into something. i didn't need an analysis of your entire name. ❞

[inspotlight]

she     hadn't     meant     to     let     how     broken     she     was     show     like     this.     she     hadn't     wanted     ricky     to     know     this     was     what     her     life     had     come     to.     but     now,     talking     to     him     on     facetime     as     she     packed     her     things,     it     felt     good     to     be     seen.     they'd     made     the     plans,     talked     to     her     lawyers,     and     she     was     getting     out.     she     was     finally     getting     away     from     the     toxic     man     that     had     ensnared     her.     brody     had     convinced     her     she     was     unlovable,     had     broken     her     down     so     badly,     almost     completely     isolated,     nothing     more     than     a     pretty     piece     of     arm     candy     for     him     to     show     off.     but     she'd     gotten     out.     she     was     mere     hours     from     getting     away     from     him     and     she     had     never     been     happier.     

❝     thank     you     for     saying     that,     ricky.     it     really     doesn't     feel     like     it,     but     it     means     a     lot     that     you     can     see     some     kind     of     growth.     ❞     she     says,     stopping     her     packing     for     a     few     moments     so     she     can     focus     on     his     face     on     the     screen.     brody's     party     was     tomorrow     night,     and     that     was     when     ricky     would     be     coming     to     get     her     and     the     last     of     her     things.     she'd     leave     him     with     enough     people     around     that     he     wouldn't     start     a     fight     or     try     to     force     her     to     stay,     and     ricky     would     be     there     to     take     her     back     to     his     place.     she     was     excited     to     stay     with     him     while     she     settled     into     the     next     phase     of     her     life.     ❝     i     can't     wait     to     see     you     tomorrow.     ❞

@melodyplucked

[inspotlight]

“Following the rules didn't make you a good person, just like breaking them didn't make you a bad one.” (campbell- you can do a gossip girl style neens or something like that? or whatever strikes your fancy)

❝     you'd     think     people     could     come     to     decisions     about     things     based     on     situations     and     events     that     arise     instead     of     immediately     labeling     someone     good     or     bad     when     they     only     have     one     part     of     the     story,     but     that     would     require     critical     thinking,     and     few     people     possess     that     skill     these     days.     ❞     nini     says     with     a     roll     of     her     eyes.     she     slides     into     a     chair     at     brunch,     immediately     leaning     over     to     nudge     sawyer's     arm     with     hers     and     give     her     a     soft     smile     before     returning     her     attention     to     campbell,     sitting     across     from     her.     ❝     good     people     can     do     bad     things,     just     like     bad     people     can     do     good     things.     i     don't     know     why     it's     a     hard     concept     for     people     to     grasp.     ❞