[ He looks away from her, arms crossing as he leans back against the window. ]
Doesn’t mean she’s gonna end up with Cameron. [ He looks at her with a defiant tip of his head. ] Reality check, you’re not the only one who knows Marta, darling. [ He gives her a bitter smile. ] If she really loved Cam then why do I make her sad?
[ Oh, he's defensive. That's interesting. If he only saw Marta as a possession, something to add to his collection, he wouldn't be like this. He'd be cocky, sure, but not defensive. Alice's brows furrows together at him. Shit. ]
[ Ransom side eyes Alice before taking a slow breath in, and a slow breath out. ]
Alright, kid, you don’t need to announce it to the whole world. [ Now that he thinks about it, it was really a stupid move to admit it to Alice, but her question had been so pointed and direct that it’d made him realize something that he knew this whole time, deep down inside.
And now she’s going to single-handedly destroy his reputation. He pushes off the window to take a step closer to her. ]
Forget about Cam. I want Marta to be happy, and you do too. We’re on the same team here. Now Marta doesn’t think I could want the inheritance and her at the same time. [ His mouth presses flat at that. Sore spot. ] But you know the truth now. I didn’t pick anything over anything else. They’re not mutually exclusive.
I'm not a kid. [ There's stubborn tilt to her lips. She all but huffs and stamps her foot at him. She hates when people don't take her seriously.
Which is annoying because if anyone is being dumb and oblivious, it's him. She can believe he's in love with Ransom, but she knows love isn't enough. She's young, not naive. ]
Yeah, they are. You've been gunning for my sister ever since your grandpa left her everything. Can you blame her that she thinks all you want is the money? You don't even need it, but you still wanted it. [ She scoffs. ]
[ It’s because Harlan is notoriously difficult. He notoriously plays games and sets up his family to be a part of it. It’s unfortunate Marta was a part of it as well, and now Alice, Cameron, all this because Harlan decided to use the inheritance to manipulate them all for who knows what. Ransom hasn’t figured it out yet.
But how could he explain that to Alice? And how could he explain that he didn’t mean to catch feels while going through the process of figuring it out? But now that he has, he can’t let it go. He’s never been good at letting things go. ]
It’s not about that, it’s a principle thing, besides, if all I wanted was the money wouldn’t I leave her alone by now? [ Jesus. The annoyance bleeds into his voice. ] She could ask me for anything and I’ll say yes but I can’t let Harlan give the whole inheritance away. She asked to make sure you and your mom are good and I said yes. How else am I supposed to prove it?
[ Alice gives him a look that says she thinks it's all bullshit. But she doesn't stop there. She lays it out for him. ]
The principle? That's bullshit. Who are you trying to prove something to? What even are you trying to prove? [ She rolls her eyes deeply, the way only a teenager could. ] And if she asks you to give up the inheritance? Can you do that?
[ He gives her an unimpressed look. She's really stretching his patience thin, here, but it's a conversation he can't step away from. If she's actually entertaining it, as testy as she's being about it, it means she's invested. ]
No. [ He stands a little straighter, considering her a little more seriously. ] I know my granddad, and he did this for a reason. He left with this whole thing set up and it feels like this is what I need to do. And-- [ A sigh. He can't believe they're having this conversation in a fucking party, and there's obnoxious pop music blaring in the background. ] It's the only part of him I have left.
[ Alice is just as unimpressed as he is. She's not surprised that he won't give up the inheritance. She'd known that. If he could, her sister would be mooning over him again instead of moping. His reasoning for not giving it up makes her groan and throw her hands up. ]
Oh my god. You're so full of shit, Drysdale. The money? The money is the only thing you have left of him? Do you know how fucking asinine that sounds? Not to mention that he's not here because you offed him. Have you ever thought that maybe you don't deserve to have anything left of him?
[ Sure, he's heard it all before, but to have it coming at him from Alice's mouth is something else. He frowns at her, gaze lifting to quickly scan the room. She's unconcerned about who's listening, but he is. They're delving more and more into confidential territory and he knows that if he doesn't reel them back, there's no way she is.
He's not used to being the one to do it, either. Another day, another place, he'll be happy to deep dive into this with Alice. ]
I'll just say one last thing, Alice. [ His voice is low, barely above the music as he dips his chin closer to her. ] I'm not the reason my grandpa killed himself. [ He smiles, sharp and sweet before he straightens. ] Wanna go get a drink?
[ Alice is actually quite pleased with herself. She's gotten under his skin. He's not aloof and unflappable. He thinks he's got the last word on her, implying that it's Marta's fault that the old man is dead, but she knows better. He can spin it however he wants. ]
Sure you are. He wouldn't have taken that plunge had it not been for you. [ She gives him an irritatingly sunny smile. ] I'm parched.
[ What is it with these Cabrera girls and needing to steal the last word from him? Alice is even worse than Marta in that sense. They can spin it however they want. The blame can be thrown around wherever they'd like to throw it--that's what makes this whole situation so complicated.
But he does snort at her beaming smile. It's irritatingly cute. They make their way to the kitchen, where the caterers have set up a bar at the island. Ransom gives Alice brief rundowns of the people they run into. ]
Gin soda. [ He tells the bartender, before he leans back and looks at Alice. ] Are you even old enough to drink?
[ As they walk towards the bar, Alice is distracted by Natalie. She's so close. She's laughing with some friends as she sips her drink. Alice knows she should stop staring like an idiot, but she can't help it.
At Ransom's question, she snaps her gaze to him. She rolls her eyes with her familiar snark. ]
Don't ask questions you don't want the answer to. [ She doesn't really have a lot of experience drinking, so she just orders a beer. ]
[ A beer, okay. Ransom gets the craft beer connoisseurs but the one she’s handed is a house draft, but whatever. He just smiles, looks over his shoulder again and raises a brow at Alice. ]
Nothing’s gonna happen if you just keep staring, you know.
[ For the first time, Alice is flustered. She turns pink and shifts her weight from foot to foot. Now she pointedly stops looking over at Natalie. She takes her beer with a huff and sips at it. ]
[ Ransom gives a single-shouldered shrug. Oh, young love. He can see parts of Marta in Alice, like how Alice shows exactly how she feels. The nerves are practically overwhelming. ]
You know, whoever you came here for. [ Ransom tips his head in the general direction Alice had been looking. ] The one who challenges you like Marta challenges me. [ He’s genuinely trying to be nice and supportive here, and it’s just so entertaining in the meantime. If it means he gets to win Alice over too, well, then win-win. ]
[ Alice takes another sip. Her shoulders are stiff. She hates that he's figured her out. Her eyes drift back towards Natalie. There's a look of longing in her eyes. She sighs and looks back at Ransom. ]
You know you've got no room to give me relationship advice.
“Relationship advice?” He smirks, snarky and amused. “There’s no relationship to give advice about, hunny.” He takes a sip of his drink, gaze lifting to scan the people around him. “So who’s caught your unimpressed eyes?”
[ Alice is alarmed. She knows she's not going to live it down if Ransom figures her out. She's too much like her sister though. She gives herself away. Her eyes keep darting to Natalie, who's alone now. Swallowing hard, she tries to find her bravado and change the subject. ]
(( omg sorry about the formatting in the last one HAHA))
We always talk about me, I wanna talk about you. [ And he follows Alice's darting eyes and sees Natalie standing by herself, brushing the delicate waves of her hair back from her face. He looks back at Alice and raises his brows.
Wow. He's learning so much tonight. He didn't know that Alice liked girls, but he figures he doesn't know much about Alice at all. Reach for the moon, Alice. He leans a little closer, then stage whispers to her. ]
[ Her face gets so hot. She flushes when he mentions that Natalie is single. It makes her heart go a mile a minute. She immediately shushes him like he's talking to loud even though he's not. ]
[ Alice is hissing at Ransom. Before Natalie turns towards them, she's smacking his shoulder. When she does, she immediately plays it cool though she can't resist brushing her fingers through her hair.
Natalie comes over to them with a warm smile in greeting. ]
[ That’s the second time she’s swatted him now, but his face doesn’t give away a single ounce of their topic of conversation. Instead, he just shrugs a shoulder and snorts easily at Natalie’s comment. ]
I know. ‘Cus I’m the only one you let get away with it. [ He smiles sweetly then folds a hand out to Alice. ] Oh, have you met Alice yet? Hey, aren’t you going to—where was it? Harvard? In the fall too?
[ Natalie's gaze slides to Alice. She brightens and envelopes her in a hug. It catches Alice by surprise, but she wraps her arms around her in return. ]
Well, it’s not something she announces, [ Ransom says, tossing Alice a quick wink when Natalie turns her back with the hug. ] It’s like she’s embarrassed to know me or something. [ He laughs before taking a sip of his drink and leaning back against the kitchen island. He’s not going to mention the root of their relationship. There’s been too many complicated stories around him and Marta, and he’s trying to get on Alice’s good side here. ]
See, Alice? Isn’t Natty sweet? I told you you’re not the only cool person around me. [ He tips his head. Come on, Alice. Say something. ]
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2023-04-04 01:11 am (UTC)Doesn’t mean she’s gonna end up with Cameron. [ He looks at her with a defiant tip of his head. ] Reality check, you’re not the only one who knows Marta, darling. [ He gives her a bitter smile. ] If she really loved Cam then why do I make her sad?
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Date: 2023-04-04 01:42 am (UTC)Holy shit. You're really in love with her.
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Date: 2023-04-04 02:21 am (UTC)Alright, kid, you don’t need to announce it to the whole world. [ Now that he thinks about it, it was really a stupid move to admit it to Alice, but her question had been so pointed and direct that it’d made him realize something that he knew this whole time, deep down inside.
And now she’s going to single-handedly destroy his reputation. He pushes off the window to take a step closer to her. ]
Forget about Cam. I want Marta to be happy, and you do too. We’re on the same team here. Now Marta doesn’t think I could want the inheritance and her at the same time. [ His mouth presses flat at that. Sore spot. ] But you know the truth now. I didn’t pick anything over anything else. They’re not mutually exclusive.
no subject
Date: 2023-04-04 11:52 am (UTC)Which is annoying because if anyone is being dumb and oblivious, it's him. She can believe he's in love with Ransom, but she knows love isn't enough. She's young, not naive. ]
Yeah, they are. You've been gunning for my sister ever since your grandpa left her everything. Can you blame her that she thinks all you want is the money? You don't even need it, but you still wanted it. [ She scoffs. ]
The rich get richer.
no subject
Date: 2023-04-04 01:27 pm (UTC)But how could he explain that to Alice? And how could he explain that he didn’t mean to catch feels while going through the process of figuring it out? But now that he has, he can’t let it go. He’s never been good at letting things go. ]
It’s not about that, it’s a principle thing, besides, if all I wanted was the money wouldn’t I leave her alone by now? [ Jesus. The annoyance bleeds into his voice. ] She could ask me for anything and I’ll say yes but I can’t let Harlan give the whole inheritance away. She asked to make sure you and your mom are good and I said yes. How else am I supposed to prove it?
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Date: 2023-04-04 01:36 pm (UTC)The principle? That's bullshit. Who are you trying to prove something to? What even are you trying to prove? [ She rolls her eyes deeply, the way only a teenager could. ] And if she asks you to give up the inheritance? Can you do that?
no subject
Date: 2023-04-04 02:25 pm (UTC)No. [ He stands a little straighter, considering her a little more seriously. ] I know my granddad, and he did this for a reason. He left with this whole thing set up and it feels like this is what I need to do. And-- [ A sigh. He can't believe they're having this conversation in a fucking party, and there's obnoxious pop music blaring in the background. ] It's the only part of him I have left.
no subject
Date: 2023-04-04 02:32 pm (UTC)Oh my god. You're so full of shit, Drysdale. The money? The money is the only thing you have left of him? Do you know how fucking asinine that sounds? Not to mention that he's not here because you offed him. Have you ever thought that maybe you don't deserve to have anything left of him?
no subject
Date: 2023-04-04 02:56 pm (UTC)He's not used to being the one to do it, either. Another day, another place, he'll be happy to deep dive into this with Alice. ]
I'll just say one last thing, Alice. [ His voice is low, barely above the music as he dips his chin closer to her. ] I'm not the reason my grandpa killed himself. [ He smiles, sharp and sweet before he straightens. ] Wanna go get a drink?
no subject
Date: 2023-04-04 03:10 pm (UTC)Sure you are. He wouldn't have taken that plunge had it not been for you. [ She gives him an irritatingly sunny smile. ] I'm parched.
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Date: 2023-04-04 05:34 pm (UTC)But he does snort at her beaming smile. It's irritatingly cute. They make their way to the kitchen, where the caterers have set up a bar at the island. Ransom gives Alice brief rundowns of the people they run into. ]
Gin soda. [ He tells the bartender, before he leans back and looks at Alice. ] Are you even old enough to drink?
no subject
Date: 2023-04-04 06:19 pm (UTC)At Ransom's question, she snaps her gaze to him. She rolls her eyes with her familiar snark. ]
Don't ask questions you don't want the answer to. [ She doesn't really have a lot of experience drinking, so she just orders a beer. ]
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Date: 2023-04-04 06:21 pm (UTC)Nothing’s gonna happen if you just keep staring, you know.
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Date: 2023-04-04 06:48 pm (UTC)I don't know what you're talking about.
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Date: 2023-04-04 11:49 pm (UTC)You know, whoever you came here for. [ Ransom tips his head in the general direction Alice had been looking. ] The one who challenges you like Marta challenges me. [ He’s genuinely trying to be nice and supportive here, and it’s just so entertaining in the meantime. If it means he gets to win Alice over too, well, then win-win. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-04-05 12:19 am (UTC)You know you've got no room to give me relationship advice.
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Date: 2023-04-05 12:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-04-05 01:09 pm (UTC)[ Alice is alarmed. She knows she's not going to live it down if Ransom figures her out. She's too much like her sister though. She gives herself away. Her eyes keep darting to Natalie, who's alone now. Swallowing hard, she tries to find her bravado and change the subject. ]
Weren't we talking about you anyway?
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Date: 2023-04-05 02:51 pm (UTC)We always talk about me, I wanna talk about you. [ And he follows Alice's darting eyes and sees Natalie standing by herself, brushing the delicate waves of her hair back from her face. He looks back at Alice and raises his brows.
Wow. He's learning so much tonight. He didn't know that Alice liked girls, but he figures he doesn't know much about Alice at all. Reach for the moon, Alice. He leans a little closer, then stage whispers to her. ]
FYI, she's single.
no subject
Date: 2023-04-05 03:09 pm (UTC)[ Her face gets so hot. She flushes when he mentions that Natalie is single. It makes her heart go a mile a minute. She immediately shushes him like he's talking to loud even though he's not. ]
Shh! She's going to hear you!
no subject
Date: 2023-04-05 06:21 pm (UTC)Sorry, sorry. [ Whispered this time, before he looks over his shoulder with a smile. ]
Hey, Natty! [ He waves at her to come over. ] Didn’t know you’d be here.
no subject
Date: 2023-04-05 10:55 pm (UTC)[ Alice is hissing at Ransom. Before Natalie turns towards them, she's smacking his shoulder. When she does, she immediately plays it cool though she can't resist brushing her fingers through her hair.
Natalie comes over to them with a warm smile in greeting. ]
You know you're the only one that calls me that.
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Date: 2023-04-05 11:19 pm (UTC)I know. ‘Cus I’m the only one you let get away with it. [ He smiles sweetly then folds a hand out to Alice. ] Oh, have you met Alice yet? Hey, aren’t you going to—where was it? Harvard? In the fall too?
no subject
Date: 2023-04-06 12:21 am (UTC)Oh my gosh, yes hi! We met at the mixer right?
[ Alice manages a smile and mutely nods. ]
I didn't know you knew Ransom!
no subject
Date: 2023-04-06 02:28 am (UTC)See, Alice? Isn’t Natty sweet? I told you you’re not the only cool person around me. [ He tips his head. Come on, Alice. Say something. ]
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