2020-08-29 - Truth or Dare - young teens Stanley yard party

The Stanley family’s yard was decked out for a back to school party at the request of Mabel and Mason. They promised their parents they could do it safely in the time of Covid. First of all, they had asked all their friends to be really careful for the two weeks before the party, especially around mainlanders and out of towners and everyone complied. They all wanted the get together. A few even offered to go for Covid tests so they could be doubly sure. But on the day of the party everyone took their temperatures. The guest list was limited for safety. The firepit in the Stanly yard had a circle of 8 plastic toadstool seats and between them and a bit back were some lawn chairs so everyone could be 2 meters apart. They would also only use every second toadstool. They weren’t sharing food because the party was after supper. They did have things like canned drinks and individual chip bags and small premade smores in tin foil for anyone who wished to put them on the embers of the fire later. Mabel had strung fairy lights up with her dad so it looked really sweet in the yard. There were two tents, large tents spaced apart where boys and girls could stay the night if they wished to. Mabel and Mason knew that some people might not but it gave those who did the option to stay up late. The parents had agreed to observe from afar provided the kids were safe with fire and followed all the Covid protocols. They also knew how careful the kids had all been so they weren’t super concerned. These kids were all friends and would be in each other's bubbles. 

Now Mabel put two more logs on the fire after it caught and stood warming her hands. She was wearing a purple zip up hoodie and a pair of faded rolled up jeans shorts over rainbow striped leggings. She had pink flip flops on her feet and she had taken the time to brush her chestnut brown hair out until it was silky and had it down. Her freckles face was freshly washed and she had put on tinted lip gloss that smelled like strawberries hoping someone would notice. That someone was Rene Beaulieu. He was so dreamy she forgot so many words around him.

The first person to show up was Daphne McLeod. Daphne was wearing her usual short short cutoffs. She was petit enough you couldn’t see anything hanging out but they also fit her. She had a waffle style oatmeal coloured long sleeved shirt over a green tank top and little black slip on shoes. Her golden hair was in loose pigtails with a multicoloured bandana holding them back. Daphne was also wearing a pink face mask with a unicorn leaping across her mouth. “Hey Mabel. I wasn’t sure if we were supposed to mask so I brought one.” She dumped her big black backpack and her sleeping bag and pillow by one of the tents and pointed “Girl’s side?” There was a sign on the tent that said Girls Rule Boys Drool so it was an easy guess.

Mabel beamed “You’re the first guest! Welcome. I don’t think we need masks outside if we’re careful but maybe keep it in your pocket just in case?”

From upstairs, a window opened and Mason poked his head out, scanning the backyard and beyond.  He looked at the set up and the fire pit and, finally, the girls.  “I’ll be down in a minute.  I just need to shut down my computer for the night.”  he made that sound like it would take an hour.

“Little cabin in the woods …”  the words were beautifully sung and the voice was coming from the small wooded area between the back yards of third street and the inlet below.  “Little man by the window stood…”  Tony Penhall came sauntering out of the trees dressed in black jeans and a dark blue hoodie.  On his feet were stylish black trainers.  He carried a backpack over one shoulder as he approached the fire looking up at Mason in the window.  “Come on out, little man!”  he called.  Then he looked between Daphne and Mabel.  “Ladies.”  he greeted them in his deepest voice.

Daphne looked up at Mason’s window and laughed and then heard the singing and held up a finger before  she even saw Tony “Tony’s here.” She blushed a bit and took off her face mask. She liked tony but they had also been friends forever so she wasn’t so horribly awkward as she had been when it first dawned on her she liked Tony. Sometimes it felt like he liked her back, sometimes. But a lot of girls liked Tony so she wasn’t holding her breath. But she did smile at him after he shouted to Mason “I would have waited and walked over with you if I had known you weren’t so far behind me. Hi Tony.”

Mabel rolled her eyes at Mason “The party’s out here!” She sighed and then nodded at Daphne about the singing and giggled as she waved at Tony “Welcome Tony...both of you come to the fire….not too close together.” She directed it mostly at Daphne as a tease and then looked in the direction of the Beaulieu house hopefully. There were kids jumping on the trampoline in between them at the Alvin house but soon Lydia Alvin’s booming voice could be heard calling the younger ones in for bed. Mina James followed them and Mabel sighed “I did invite Mina but she said no. Do you think she doesn’t like me?”

Daphne looked over as the group went in and shook her head “I think she’s just quiet Mabel. She’s barely talked to me ever.”

From the front street a bike could be heard gearing down and then the click of the wheels as Tristan Reinhard walked it around to the backyard “Hello!” He called out. He was wearing a Minecraft creeper hoodie with the green design on black and had on long black cargo shorts and worn out black and white trainers. He had a big orange backpack with a sleeping bag sticking out the top and a pillow stuffed in with it. He spotted Tony first and then looked around and saw the girls, no Rene and no Mason. Tony was near Mason’s window when he first saw him and he said “Mason’s not online is he? Did he forget we meant a real fire ot a virtual one?”

Mabel laughed “Hi Tristan. You can put your bike in the garage if you want. By the way we have a bathroom in there if anyone’s needing one. Complete with at least 3 spiders.”

Daphne smiled at Tristan and waved and then warmed her hands.

Aislin came running around the other side of the Stanley house from tristan.  She charged the firepit, dropped a black and white gym bag and leaped over it, landing in a somersault and hopping up like an Olympic gymnast.  She was wearing jeans and a purple hoodie with front pockets and pink tennis shoes on her feet.  Turning to face everyone she cheers.  “Hello friends of the outdoors!”  she pauses.  “And Mason, wherever you’re hiding.”

Mason comes out of the back door in time to see Aislin jump over the fire and speak.  “Oh screw you, Aislin.  I’m here.  My computer is off and I’m ready for …”  he motions to the firepit and toadstools.  “Whatever this is.”

Rene is walking over with Cath.  He’s dressed in black sweatpants and tennis shoes with white socks obvious at the ankles.  His top is a dark grey hoodie with flames on it.  Looking around he sees he and Cath are the last ones here.  He throws up his arms, dramatically.  “Mason is not in the house?  He’s away from the Internet?  Quick .. we don’t have much time.  Call 911 … tell them we have a service interruption!”  and he cracks up approaching he fire with his dark blue backpack with a leather bottom.

Cath saw Aislin’s impressive acrobatic entrance as she walked up slightly behind Rene. She had been taking in the shapes of the trees and considering how to draw them. She gave Aislin a little clapping greeting and smiled “Technical merits 9.5, Artistic Impressions definitely a 10.” She had an oversized reusable grocery bag with all her stuff in it and she was wearing aqua flowered pajama bottoms and a soft grey hoodie with plastic soled black fuzzy slippers. It was a sleepover after all. Her hair was in a messy ponytail. She laughed a bit about what Rene said to Mason and then waved “Hey everyone.” She saw the sign on the girl’s tent and dropped her bag in front of it.

Tristan had been putting his bike in the garage and came out to Rene teasing Mason about being offline. He had heard it from inside the garage with the door open. He joins in the teasing “Mason has taken the red pill….he’s freed his mind!” He claps Mason on the shoulder as he passes him and grins at Rene and then Tony. He waves to Daphne who was sitting now and Cath. He didn’t see Aislin’s somersault but saw her as she stood and Cath clapped and started giving her numbers “What did I miss?”

Daphne clapped for Aislin too “Nice. Are you in gymnastics Aislin?” She pulled her feet up onto the toadstool and then put them right back down again. They were slightly hard seats in shorts and leggings. Hey Cath, Rene….” She darted a look at Mabel who was now walking up to Rene as he teased Mason.

Mabel beamed at Aislin’s entrance “Oh. My. God.” She bounced around a bit “I should have rigged up a trapeze!” Then as Cath and Rene walked up she headed for Rene and stood closer than safe social distance to him “Hi Rene.” She stood smiling a little too long.

Cath had been waving at Mabel but clearly she was chopped liver when her brother was near Mabel “Hi Mabel!” She said a bit loud and then laughed. “Oh boy…”

Mason sticks out his middle finger and shows it to all of them.  "You missed Aislin jumping over the fire and rolling.  The only thing she missed was having a bow and arrow to shoot orks.  He watches everyone.  "Alright ...  what shall we do before bed."  without his computer, he was pretty much ready for bed right now.

Rene smiles as Tristan comes out of the garage.  "A natural stunt woman."  he siles when Mabel suggests a trapiese and then she comes up to him smiling.  "Hi Mabel.  Thanks for the invite."  he hears Cath and adds.  “We really appreciate it.  Me and Cath.”  And he points at his sister, in case Mabel forgot she was present.

Aislin takes a bow and a mushroom seat.  "Not YET."  she proclaims.  "Oh Daphne I love your leggings!"  she proclaims.  She looks at Mason.  “You are really clueless when there’s no electricity involved, aren’t you?”  she thought it was just all teasing, but she is learning there is a lot of truth in it all.

Tony shakes his head and plops in a lawn chair as if it were his throne.  “You girls all look great.  But Daphne wins for colorful.”  he smiles and looks at the other boys.  “You guys look … like you always look.”  he claps his hands.  You know me.  One trick Tony pony.  Sing along?  Singing contest?”  he’d win and they probably all know it.

Mabel beams at Rene “You’re so welcome….oh Cath’s here?” She turns “Hi Cath, you’re so sneaky!” She had heard the tail end of Aislin teasing her brother “He loves his computer...I’m not sure if it’s his lover or his child….” She looks at Tony and down at her hoodie “Oh this old thing…” She jokes and then sees Aislin has a purple hoodie too in a  slightly different style “We’re the purple people! Hey everyone feel free to grab a  drink from the cooler.” She waits to sit until she sees where Rene might be sitting.

Cath face palms and then waves “Got here the same time as Rene and I wasn’t quiet.” She cracks up a bit and then sits down on a lawn chair between the mushrooms occupied by Aislin and Daphne. She looks at Tony “I feel like you might have a bit of an advantage there Tony.”

Daphne swings her legs and looks at her leggings smiling at Aislin and then Tony “Thanks….got em for a buck at the thrift shop. I don’t know why they got donated. They’re in perfect condition….a little big so I’ll have them longer.” She shakes her head at Mabel “Mason’s a kid so I guess it’s his lover? Maybe he could make a robot so at least they can dance?” She smiles at Tony “You can sing to us...but don’t make us compete.”

Tristan laughed about Mabel but had seen her looking at Rene and sighed. “I see you Cath. Tony there is no way I’m singing unless you want all the Brate’s cats over here thinking it’s a call to a fight.” He grins at Daphne’s tights “I approve…” He doesn’t explain why and is pretty sure Daphne’s reasons are unicorn related not pride related. So far only the guys knew….as far as he was aware. He walks over to the cooler and takes out a ginger ale “Thanks Mabel. You know if Mason can build a robot that can help him make more robots is that like procreating?” He cracks open the drink and sits himself on a toadstool near Tony.

Mason arches a brow at his sister.  "Do you really WANT to know, Mabel?  What I'm up to at two in the morning?"  he looks at her in a sibling dare.  Daphne says its his lover and he only points at her with a smirk on his lips.  "Love the robot idea.  I'd never have to date.  Great suggestion, Daph."

Aislin takes a bow and then takes a cola.  She gapes at Mason and sits on a toadstool, sets her can down and covers her eyes.  “I can’t unsee it!  I can’t unsee it!”  she cries through her laughter.  “I hope the cats charge in and save us.”

Tony laughs at Mason, then even harder at Daphne's saying Mason was a kid and the computer was the lover.  Then he falls forward in his chair at Mason's response.  He gets himself under control and heads for a drink, grabbing a can of cola.  As he heads back to his chair, he does what he does.  Break into song.  "Everybody! Everybody! Everybody wants to be a cat."

Rene joins in the laughter and gets himself a uncola, then sits near Tristan.  "Yea, they're great."  he says to Daphne.  "I love all the colors."  and then Tony breaks into song ... how he could find one for every occasion, he'd never figure out.  But he knows this one and stands, doing to dance from that bit in Aristocats.  For the whole song, he and Tony put on the song and dance, with Rene acting out all of the cat parts.

Daphne beams at the song and then giggles at the dance “Oh my god he’s all of them…..” She watches with a huge smile “I still love the Aristocats.” When it gets to the sultry Dutchess harp part and Rene does those moves her eyes go wide and she laughs some more. And as it gets to the finale and Tony gets louder and Rene is trying to dance as many many cats she jumps up and dances along “Let’s help him out!” She waves her arms “Come on everybody.”

Mabel had started to smile at Tony’s singing but when Rene starts acting out and dancing she practically swoons and keep clapping now and then like it’s a show just for her. When he does the Dutchess moves she bites her lip and when Daphne tries to get everyone up to dance she gets right in beside Rene again possibly getting a bit in his way.

Cath cracks up at the whole scene “You guys….” She sighs and shakes her head “Show off.” She mutters at Rene but she’s amused. When Daphne and Mabel dance she gets up too but is a bit of a half hearted dancer, mostly humouring them.

Tristan was used to Tony breaking into song and he really had a million in his head. Rene’s acting out and dancing surprised him though and then he laughed and was impressed by his total lack of shame in it. When Rene did the sultry Dutches moves he teased him with a cat call and then when Daphne tried to get everyone up dancing he threw up his hands and then actually did get up and dance along but stepping back a bit as Mabel was a bit of a hazard. Despite Mabel, he grinned at Rene after it was done and then said “Well Tony you got your song and a dance along.” Tristan was used to being made to dance because lately that was Jayla’s new game with the family. Of course if she didn’t like your dance, you were fired.

Mason smiles and enjoys the show.  Tony breaking into song was nothing new, but Rene breaking into dance was new and interesting.

Aislin Squees with delight at the act, clapping and stomping and jumping up and down as if she were on a piano.

Tony loves having a partner.  Rene earned a spot in his heart as he danced out the song.  It couldn't have been easy, since there were like 9 cats in that scene.  Mabel nearly knocks them BOTH down with her flailing but he moves out of the way and finally when the song is over, he cheers Rene, which is unusual as Tony didn't usually have anyone to cheer.  He laughs and nods at Tristan’s words.  “About damn time!  My man Rene!”

Rene tried his damndest not to be thrown up with Mabel's wild dancing.  It had turned out to be a wilder thing than he'd planned, but it was incredibly fun.  He heard the cat call and managed not to stumble.  He had been looking right at Tristan when he made the noise.  At last the song was done and he bowed.  “Merci.  Merci.  Merci.”

Daphne cheers for everyone but beams at Tony for a second and then Rene “You are both awesome.” She flops into the toadstool and then protectively puts a hand on her hip “Ok these are hard seats...ow. But since we have no inhibitions now….Truth or Dare. I’ll start.” She looks around and points at Aislin “Aislin, truth or dare acrobat lady!”

Aislin straddles her toadstool in a very unladylike manner.  Daphne decided its time for Truth or Dare and she considers.  “Truth!”  she proclaims, boldly.

Daphne mulls over the truth “Oooh you’re brave...ok truth. What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to you...at school?” She asks with a small innocent shrug.

Alislin bites her lip.  “Really?  Jesus Daphne.”  she sighs and considers.  “My period.”  she sighs.  “I got it in class the day I decided to wear a really light pair of pants and when I got up to leave class …  I was a mess.  It wasn’t my first period so it wasn’t light.  I bled like a human sacrifice.”  she sighs again.

Mason’s eyes grow wide at Aislin’s answer.  He just stares, slack jawed and amazed.

Tony blinks, then winces and decided then and there that he is glad he’s not a girl … but boys had their own challenges.

Rene stares.  “Mon dieu …”  he murmurs and lowers his eyes as if he were rudely staring at Aislin while it happened that fateful day.

Tristan gulped and then became fascinated by his shoelaces. He felt bad for Aislin and for girls and was pretty sure anything he might say would not be useful so he just stayed silent.

Daphne looked mortified on Aislin’s behalf and then apologetic “I am so sorry I made you relive that. You have my sympathy….By the way ladies my mom overpacks my backpack with pads because she’s afraid my sister will have to come bursting into my classroom at any time so if you ever need anything….seriously...And boys...deal...it’s how you all got here!” Daphne has not shame in talking about the topic. 

Cath looks scared at how much Aislin said she bled. She wasn’t there yet and she didn’t want to be a human sacrifice “I’m so sorry Aislin. That sounds just terrible.” She also looks at Daphne and tucks it in her brain that she has a backpack full of feminie hygiene supplies.

Mabel gasps at Aislin’s story but laughs a bit at the choice of vocabulary “A human sacrifice...I hope you told the teacher that…..because that’s funny...not that it happened to you at school….yuck.”  Mabel wasn’t the best at empathy even though she did feel bad for Aislin.

Daphne puts a hand on her heart “Your go Aislin...you can even hit me back for that one…” she laughs.

Aislin was over it, for the most part.  She has three sisters, two older, but at the time, it was life altering.  She looks at Daphne.  “Tempting …  tempting …”  she nearly cackles but then turns to Tony on his throne.  The darkness is nearly upon them and she sort of likes how he is starting to blend in a bit.  “Tony … Truth … or Dare.”

Tony blinks.  He hadn’t expected to be dragged into this in any way.  But he recovers and puts on his coolest fave.  “Truth, baby.  Always tell the truth.”  he croons and prays it isn’t anything he’ll live to regret telling.

Aislin strokes her chin and looks at her circle of new friends.  She could ask something like she’d been asked, but for the boys.  Or something that might have an embarrassing answer.  She suddenly realizes that she sucks at this game.  “What’s the most trouble you’ve ever been in?”  she finds herself asking.  It might be embarrassing, but … most of these folks probably already knew, what with this being such a small tight knit community before she came to it.

Tony sits back and contemplates.  “Trouble …”  he scratches his own chin.  “I think it was probably when I almost flunked French.”  he could stop there, but doesn’t.  “I had forgotten that my father speaks it and when we were in Mr Van Buren’s office he reminded me.  I could have practiced on him.  But after that it got worse, cause it wasn’t my father that I got in the most trouble with.”  he looks around.  He hadn’t even told his pals about this.  “I had to go to summer school and so after the meeting with Mr Van Buren, we went to see K .. Kagiso … um .. Aqoustic Spirit.  He’s my fucking idol .. and he dropped out of high school.  So I thought I could be like him and still grow up to be a millionaire just on my voice.”  he scoffs.  “I told him so, right in front of my Dad and he told me up one side and down the other about insulting my father and disrespecting him up in K’s house and how he got where he was on luck and talent and how I needed to do more, especially as a black man and …”  he cuts himself off.  “Yea … thats the most trouble I ever been in.”

Aislin gapes at him, surprised.  “Just … wow …”  she breathes.

Daphne looked intrigued by Aislin’s question to Tony and then was listening fully. His answer was longer than she expected and then when he got to the summer school part she gave him a sweet look. She could understand him feeling bad about that as well as upsetting his father. But then when he got to the Kagiso part she watched him intensely and then looked a little pained. It was personal, deeply personal and he was revealing something he’d always have to face that made her angry at the world sometimes thinking about it related to him.

Tristan looks surprised “I didn’t know you were having that trouble...or that your dad spoke French. Man...that’s a lot Tony. Thanks for telling us all of it though.” He looked thoughtful after.

Mabel looked surprised too and a little sad but she actually didn’t know what to say for once. She was out of her depth and there were no jokes here.

Cath didn’t know Tony very well at all but she felt more comfortable with him after knowing he struggled with something in school. This rock star boy was suddenly human. But the end of the story made her frown and nod. 

Mason blinks.  "Why didnt you tell US?"  he motions between he and Tristan.  "I mean we don't speak French either, but we could have been sympathetic?"  Mason tries .. he really does try.

Aislin looks at Tony sympathetically.  "Thas deep."  she announces.  "And your idol too .."

Rene looks at Tony, remembering when they met that the two of them spoke a little French.  "Well next year you will get les meilleures notes (top marks), oui?"

Tony looks at Tristan.  "Right?"  he opens his arms.  "I forgot too!"  he looks at Mason and just blinks at him.  “Dude ….”  and then he looks at Rene and smiles.  “Carrément raison (damn right).”  now he rubs his hands together.  “My turn, bitches!”  his eyes move from friend to friend.  “Mason …  Truth or Dare?”

Mason looks at Tony and huffs.  “Either one is trouble for me so … ennie, miennie, money...:”  he makes a show of pointing left or fight with his finger.  “Fuck ….  Truth.”

Tony smirks at his reply.  “OK …  have you ever crushed on anyone?”  he is honestly curious, although he aspects he knows he answer.  “I mean that wasn’t someone online that’s probably 45 living in his mama’s basement?”

Mason looks like he is about th reply when Tony elaborates.  “Well .. if you have to put QUALIFIERS and shit on it.”  he snorts and folds his arms.  “No.”  easy as pie, that one.

Aislin looks curious for the answer and when Mason answers it the way he answers it, she just starts laughing.

Rene shakes his head at the answer.  “That was almost too easy on him.”  he teases.

Daphne looks like she doesn’t believe Mason “You’ve never had a crush on ANYONE? Really?” It seemed too simple an answer.

Mabel shrugs “I don’t think he has but then it was an easy question….maybe don’t ask about the online stuff though.” She winces. She had suspicions about her brother but chose not to investigate “Mason should ask Ren his crushes.” She announces. It could be oddly random, but it’s not.

Cath looks at Mason curiously but doesn’t say anything. She wasn’t sure she’d had a crush either except for the unattainable Seamus. But boys her age, so far no. Maybe she just wanted what she couldn’t have.

Mason shrugs.  "No.  Online is another thing, but as far as I know she isn't a 45 year old man.  But in college so THERE!"  he huffs and looks at his twin.  "Rene?"  he rolls his eyes but DOES then look at Rene.  “Why the fuck not?  Truth or Dare, Rene?”

Rene now regrets saying it was too easy.  And after Mabel’s suggestion, he wouldn’t ask for Truth if you put a gun to his head.  “Dare.”  he says boldly.

Mason looks at him shrewdly.  “Double DOG dare.”  he deadpans.  “Or single, simple truth.”

Rene looks at Mason.  He still wasn’t interested in truth of any kind.  “A double dare, then.”  he agees, not entirely familiar with the idea.

Mason nods.  “Brave man.”  he looks at him with respect.  “Part one of your Double Dare is to …..”  he looks around the yard and his eyes fall on a pillow.  He stands, strides over to it and grabs it, then brings it back, still scanning the yard.  His eyes fall on Daphne. And he points to her.  “Kiss…..”  he drags the word out.  “This pillow … “  he points to it and then points again to Daphne.  “While wearing Daphne’s shorts!”

Rene is about to be a wet blanket and object but decides against it.  He might have to Truth if he forfeits Dare.  He straightens in pride and takes the pillow.  “As long as Daphne doesn't mind.”  He makes light.  He is an actor.  He can do it.

Tristan had been looking amused by it all until his pillow is brought into the dare. At first he was worried Mason was going to say Rene had to kiss Daphne as he looked at her. He was pretty sure Mason wouldn’t do that to Tony though...but he spoke up “Dude that’s my pillow…” The thought of Rene kissing it made him blush though and he was thankful for the growing darkness as he adding in jest “Oh fine just don’t French it French guy.” It was a tease to Rene.

Daphne had gasped when she was pointed to followed by the word kiss and then exhaled but looked at her shorts “Um….well it’s a good thing I have tights on today.” She looks Rene up and down “Well you’re slim enough….heck they might even be baggy..” Daphne had grown a pair of hips over the summer it seemed and a small bust. She shook her head around and undid the daisy dukes and slid them down her body until she stepped out of them. She handed them to Rene “Best of luck loverboy. Try not to soak Tristan’s pillow.” She giggled.

Rene rolls his eyes at Tristan and strengthens his accent.  “But I am French….”  he protests without making a promise one way or the other.  He takes the pollow and stands, putting the pillow where he’d been sitting.  Then he straightens, turns and takes Daphne’s shorts.  He bends to put them on, his back to Mabel and Tristan and struggles a little because he is putting them on over his sweat pants or not at all.  But she’s right … they fit .. he  then straightens, looks into the middle distance and takes in a long deep breath, thinking how he should tackle this.  He turns slowly and looks at the pillow, starting as if it’s surprised him.  “Well hello there.”  he drawls in a thicker than usual accent.  He approaches the pillow and reaches for it.  “I’m afraid that was my seat.  WHat  Oh Oui.  We can share it.”  he now sits again and places the pillow in his lap, laughing.  “Ah, you want to sit in my lap, eh?  It IS the best way for us to share this seat.”  he pretends to watch something in the middle distance again and then looks at the pillow again.  “Excusez-moi …  I … I was just noticing .. well .. your lips .. they … they are .... captivating.  I … I .. would it be too much if I … kissed you?”  he tips the pillow onto his lap.  “Merci .. you have made me so happy, l'amour.”  he leans in and gives the pillow a soft kiss.  Then he begins to deepen it.  For the better part of 30 seconds he kisses the pillow as i it was the love of his life and no one was watching.  Once he is done, he parts his lips from the pillow and givae a bow, as he hands the pillow off to Tristan.  It’s not wet.  Maybe very mildly damp but it’ll dry in ten seconds, no problem.

Mason starts out laughing, but is soon caught up in Rene’s one man performance.  SO caught up he is speechless.

Aislin loves the performance and when the kissing starts, she stares.  At the end she applauds, complete with a whistle.

Tony laughed at both the dare and Tristan's comments.  Now that he knew Rene wasn't going to kiss Daphne, he was all good humor.  Then Rene gets  in the Daisy Dukes and gives a little play about kissing the pillow.  He stares, smiling.  “You go Rene!”  he cheers his friend on.  In the end he applauds.  “Bravo!  Bravo!”

Tristan watches the shorts go on right in front of them and as they go snug over Rene’s butt in his sweat pants he inhales. He’s not trying to stare but he is. Then he looks away and notices Mabel staring and not at all trying to hide it. Great…..When Rene starts his romance story with the pillow he’s laughing because it’s over the top funny. But certain lines trigger him a bit like would it be too much if I kissed you...Tristan feels his heart scream No please do and then clears his throat quietly. It was just a silly dare after all. Then he can’t help but feel himself react when Rene does kiss the pillow, first softly and then when he really goes for it Tristan licks his lips and suddenly shifts a bit in his chair as if he’s in slight discomfort. As Rene hands him the pillow he accidentally bumps Rene’s hand and feels a little jolt as well as feeling a tiny bit dizzy as if he had been in the kiss with Rene in his mind. He casually holds the pillow and claps, covering his intensity with  forced laughter but a genuine smile.

Daphne had almost fallen off her stool giggling as Rene struggled to get her shorts on. Then she watched his whole show with delight. Rene was so funny and clearly a good actor. When he got to the kissing she let out a “Woooot” really loudly and then said “Goodness..” and giggled some more. As he bowed she clapped with everyone else and remarked “Very convincing...great pillow talk Rene.” She teased.

Mabel had watched the shorts do on with a huge grin. She’d never gotten why people looked at bums before and now she did….because Rene’s was cute. All of him seemed cute. He was just perfect to her and such a good sport. As he began the show with the pillow she imagined it was all for her. Yes I’ll sit on your lap. Yes please kiss me. And then when he did show off his kissing skills through his acting she  bit her fist watching. As he bowed and everyone clapped she stood up and cheered and then blurted out “The lucky pillow.”

Cath was pretty used to ehr brother’s antics and acting but this dare was a new side of him. She found it pretty funny and had a mean little sister moment where she contemplated recording him on her phone. She decided against it because he was having so much fun and everyone was laughing. So she just laughed along and then when he started really kissing the pillow she made a face and rolled her eyes. When everyone cheered him she gave a slow clap, shaking her head at him “You’re so weird Rene.” Then Mabel calls the pillow lucky and she cringes a bit but then laughs.

Rene hands the pillow back to Tristan and receives a little shock, as if one of them had static electricity.  He can’t stop and linger on it.  Not in front of everyone, so he only smiles his thanks and is beginning to turn when, among the other compliments, claps and cheers he sees Mabel standing and calling the pillow lucky.  He knew she had a crush on him, and he kept hoping it would fade away.  Apparently tonight was not that night.  “Thank you all.”  he starts to rork the shorts off and immediately wonders how girls tit it.  He wiggles his hope trying to get the shorts and only the shorts off, but flashes a little him on his Tristan side.  He pulls his sweats up and the shorts down and finally is free from them.  He hands them back to Daphne with a polite.  “Merci beaucoup.”  then goes back to sit.  He claps his hands, because it is his turn.  SO he does what he wants.  “Now lets have some campfire stories, eh?”  he looks around.  “Can you natives tell us newcomers any stories?”

Aislin smiles and bounces up and down.  “Yes.  Like those creepy woods, for example.”  she didn’t like the woods at night and wouldn't go in them alone.  Her sisters bth liked them, but .. they were a little off sometimes.

Mason considers the request.  “Um …. “  he looks around at the group, but especially at Tony and Tristan.  “Sebastian's Children?”  he suggests.  “Tristan can tell that one cause … it’s his family.

Tony nods his approval.  “I like that one … and it's true!”  he looks at Tristan to tell the tale with a smile.  “And it is your family.  Sebastian’s like … an in-law.”

Tristan sees the little flash of skin as Rene works to get Daphne’s jean shorts off and swallows. Then he takes a deep slow breath  and tucks the pillow behind him so the side Rene kissed is facing his back. He can’t help but fight a little smile but then sees Mabel watching him.

“Can I borrow your pillow Tristan? My chair is so uncomfortable...” She’s completely obvious of course.

Tristan gives Mabel a look and says a bit curtly “No.” Then he’s asked about Sebastian and the spiders in the forest and he chuckles “More like the children of my cousin? Not to be confused with his stepson and the impending triplets. But Owen’s spider children are said to be sinister and some even say giant.” Now Tristan gets dramatic like he can be as a dungeon master “Years ago Owen lost his beloved pet tarantula. He was Sebastian....the scurrier! Sometime later, a female consort was lost from another family. The pair became wild and mated. Basically think the whole Aragog scene from Harry Potter. We’ll ignore JK Rowling and her fake woke years before the polyjuice wore off and she was revealed as a transphobic dark wizard. Just focus on the spiders. And if you hit webs in the forest, turn back!”

Mabel had looked a bit taken aback by Tristan’s tone when he said no as he was usually so polite. She inwardly huffed but then got drawn into the spider story. 

Cath noticed the exchange between Mabel and Tristan and figured Tristan was just trying to discourage Mabel from throwing herself at Rene since it was almost embarrassing. Her eyes got wide at the idea of giant spiders “Tarantulas can only grow so big though....” She reasons.

Daphne took her shorts back and grinned “You should be glad I didn’t go for a skirt today Rene.” She does a little hoppy dance to get the shorts back over her hips on top of the rainbow tights and then zips and buttons them and then sits back down to listen to the tale of spiders. It’s a good story but she looks skeptical and holds up a hand after like she’s in a classroom “I need to nitpick a bit here Tristan. I love the story. And you tell it well. But tarantulas are pretty tropical by nature. How would they survive outside in the winter? And Cath makes a good point about the size...”

Now Tristan gets a cheeky look on his face “Maybe they evolved, adapted...and our winters are pretty mild. By the way was that my truth? Are we still playing? Because if so, Daphne, truth or dare.”

Daphne was about to argue more  and then got cornered in a truth or dare. She grumbled and then said “Fine..dare. But I’m not taking these shorts off again until I sleep.”

Tristan mused and then challenged “I dare you to kiss a person of your choice in this circle.” He smirked after and was pretty sure he’d just done Tony a favour.

Daphne groans “Social distancing! Ok I will but on the cheek....because you didn’t specify!” She forced herself not to look at Tony, who she’d love to kiss. She had once on the cheek but it was an emotional day for him and she wasn’t sure how he had taken it. She’d been in his arms on his lap but then nothing else happened after outside their usual friendship. So many girls liked him. How could she even compete? So she considered who else would be a safe person. She was tempted to kiss Tristan just to get him back but she didn’t want Tristan or Tony to think she liked Tristan that way. Mason would probably prefer a robot. It had to be a girl. Mabel was being far too silly over Rene and she didn’t want to throw any more kissing energy at her. Cath seemed a bit shy. But Aislin was fearless and had a great sense of humour. She could probably take it. So Daphne hopped down and walked over to Aislin “May I?” She asked sweetly. If the answer was yes she would plant a peck right in the centre of one cheek and press it in with a dramatic flair ending it so it made an exaggerated smacking sound.

Mason watches Mabel as she asks for Tristan's pillow and Tristan's rather curt reply.  He's known Tristan for a long time and he gets a flash of memory which makes him raise his eyebrows, but he doesn't speak on that.  Instead he rolls his eyes at his sister.  "Better to sleep on Rene's face than your ass, Mabel."  he looks around at the girls ruining a perfectly good story and rolls his eyes.  "First of all,"  he begins inserting logic into a perfectly fine myth.  "The goliath birdeater can get to be a foot across.  That would cover your face quite nicely, I'd think, Cath."  he waggles his eyebrows at her.  "Secondly, some tarantulas can survive in near freezing temperatures.  And of course, species can survive if they have to.  So ... who says Sebastian and his family couldn't live in the forest, in dens where they could stay warm through the coldest Alexandra winter?"  then he hears the dare aimed at Daphne and would bet his computers that she would pick Tony.  But she doesn't ... she picks Aislin ... and on the cheek.  He watches and laughs.  "Oh, come on!"  he protests.  "Rene's kiss was all French passion.  That was something like my mother saying good night to me before bed!"

Rene notes Tristan's reply and looks down at the ground, composing himself.  Mason had a point in his mind.  Better Tristan sleep against his lips than Mabel's ass and then he gets a vision and curses his actor's imagination.  He is distracted by the story of Sebastian's descendants and looks at his sister.  When Mason tells them how big spiders can grow, he nods his agreement.  "And they have a pretty painful bite to apply to that face."  he teases.  "I don't know if they have anti-venom for it ... probably.  I mean people do eat goliaths."  he seems to consider.  "That would make an onteresting pet, too ... until it escaped my room and added fresh DNA to Sebastian's line."  poisonous creatures were fascinating him more and more.  The Dare distracts him even more and he watches.  He has to agree.  His kiss was more meaningful.  Then again, he wonders if she didn't pick Tony for fear she'd lose control and kiss him at least as long as he had kissed Tristan's pillow.

Aislin shudders a bit at the spider story.  "I stay away from the woods.  I mean, I like climbing, but ... now maybe not so much."  she blinks at being chosen as the one Daphne kisses and nods slowly at Daphne, turning her head jsut a bit to present her cheek.  "Sure..."  The kiss is soft, warm and sweet and she smiles at the dramatic smack at the end of it.  She looks at Mason and huffs.  "You're just jealous."  she proclaims, trying not to blush, but in the darkness it's pretty well hidden.  "Maybe you should go get a bottle from the house so we can spinit.  Maybe you'll get lucky."

Tony rolls his eyes at the girls.  "You guys are ruining camprire stories."  he protests.  Then they're back at Truth or Dare and Daphne is challenged to kiss the person of her choice.  For a moment he's positive she will pick him and if she does he plane to compete with Rene for the most dramatic kiss.  But she decided on a kiss on the cheek to Aislin?  He agrees with Mason and looks at Daphne.  "I never knew ...."  he teases.  "Now I do."  he grins a bit but does feel a twinge of jealousy he hadn't expected.

Cath laughs at Mason’s shot at Mabel. She disagrees with the sentiment but got teasing a sibling. Sadly Rene was always way better at it than she was. She longed to be fierce and funny. Then Mason talks about a spider that could cover her face and she turtles into her hoodie. Did he just waggle his eyebrows? Ok he was clearly an evil brother too. She had watched Daphne get dared to kiss someone and then she chose Aislin. Aislin was cool as a cucumber about it and so was Daphne. She would be choosing truth if anyone picked her. She couldn’t kiss anyone. It was too embarrassing. Maybe she could do the pillow option but who wanted to follow Rene’s performance?

Tristan teases Daphne and boos at her after the kiss “Mason’s right. That’s a mom kiss.” He laughs. And it wasn’t Tony. He looks at Tony trying to gauge his reaction. He jokes at Daphne.

Daphne does a little bow “I cannot steal Rene’s thunder as the make out king. So I will play it cool. Thank you Aislin. You have a lovely cheek.” She swings her head around to Tony after he makes his joke “Hopeful or disappointed?” She teases back.

Mabel watches Daphne kiss Aislin on the cheek and giggles a bit. Her brother had said a mean thing to her and she was pretending not to be hurt. But she was hoping he’d get his “Daphne ask Mason next. Maybe we can find one of those face spiders for him to kiss?”

Daphne shrugs “Are we still playing? Ok Mason truth or dare?”

Mason nods in his vindication when Tristan backs him up about the mom kiss.  Then Mabel, who he knows wants revenge tries to reinitiate Truth or Dare on him, gets Daphne to ask him and he smirks.  "I already had my turn, remember? No real life crushes."  he then quickly goes back to something that interests him.  "Do you guys..."  he points specifically at Cath, Rene and Aislin.  "Know about the Olin?"  he doesn't want for an answer.  "It's that run down place by the Blue Door.  They say it's cursed.  That people go in there and bad things happen."  he adds as spooky a voice as he can, but he's not really good enough at it to really stick that landing.

Rene looks to Tony for his reaction to the tease and then looks at Mason for a second.  "A haunted hotel?  Seriously?"

Aislin looks at Daphne for when she speaks to Tony and wonders if she has a crush on Tony or not.  She didn't know them as well as the others, so she isn't sure.  But then Mason asks her and the other 'new kids' about that run down hotel you passed on your way in and out of town.  "Bad as in what?  Murder?"  she makes her voice waiver.

Tony gives Daphne a cheeky look at her question.  "I'm just saying I would have given Rene there a run for his money."  and then he listens to Mason and nods.  Of the boys he's lived on Alexandra the longest.  "Murder, suicides, stuf lke that.  Especially in October..."  he makes his rumble the best for dramatic flair on the last word.

Daphne’s breath catches in her throat when Tony says he would have given Rene a run for his money. He had wanted her to kiss him? She exhales and laughs nervously and then her words come out before she can think them through “Next time then.” She’s actually glad Mason changes the subject and drops the game because it was both exciting and terrifying to think about kissing Tony. So she engages about the Olin. “It’s true. We don’t walk right beside it in October.” She shudders “If any place is haunted it’s that place.”

Cath looks totally freaked out. “Why don’t they just get rid of it? Tear it down?”

Tristan glances between Tony and Daphne and smiles a bit and then nods “The Olin is cursed. I think it’s fallen down and been rebuilt a few times. My dad says it’s a bit nuts here in October being a cop. I mean if know from the news too but...we see his stress.... and my Uncle Ryan’s that month. There’s something about October here. I know it’s cliche because of Halloween but it all month.”

Mabel is always spooked by it all but also kind of excited “ Tristan have you ever gotten to see a body or like scary evidence pictures?”

Tristan looks at Mabel like she’s a bit off her rocker “Well they don’t bring bodies home..” he sort of jokes and then shakes his head “They’re also not allowed to share that kinda stuff. They could get fired for showing things around. Plus neither of them want to give us nightmares. I did see some of the stuff that happened in front of the Rose house. That was basically across the street. Aislin you’re close to there too. The house has since been torn down. But yeah, lady murdered her husband and son and then killed herself. The son was a rapist. He hurt a lot of people. So then one of them...Kira, attacked his corpse. Tried to cut his dick off. And it wasn’t even October.”

Mason can't help it.  The brother is strong in him, so he looks at his twin and rolls his eyes.  "of course they don't."  and then he smirks.  "But I can find crime scene photos online if it means that much to you."  he offers.

Rene looks at Cath and can tells he's freaking, but listens to Tristan.  "That's creepy man ..."  is all he can find to offer.

Aislin looks fascinated.  "Wait ...  Kira?  The lady with that big dog?  She attacked a corpse?  Oh my god.  That's like ..  October level stuff."  her eyes are big and her imagination is going wild.

Tony seems to be the only one who hears Daphne's words before the subject is changed to the Olin.  He doesn't know if she hears him reply.  "Bet."  before he also turns to the subject of October in Alexandra.  "Yea it's creepy here in October.  Halloween was banned here until a few years ago.  And Kira ... she's a nice lady but kinds strange.  She didn't talk like at all and was like a ... well a bum."  he holds up his hands, defensively.  "She was ... I mean a NICE bum or at least not like crazy panhandlers in Vancouver talking about what Jesus told them on the train."

Tristan nods “Kira had a terrible life. I feel like all of that news happened just before you all got here. She was being supported by then and helped...She was always nice, just messed up. Glad she got that dog.” He laughs looking at Mason “Remember when the Alexandra kids used to come to Cedar Point to trick or treat? Then we found out why…”

Cath looks super disturbed but Mason’s ofer to look up crime scene photos as well as Mabel’s fascination with it all “What would you want to see THAT?” She’s not kidding around and actually looks a bit upset.

Tristan looks between Mason, Cath and Mabel “I don’t think they meant it...like for real...but sadly you can. Everything’s online right?”

Daphne had heard Tony and was mulling over the word Bet in her head. Had he meant a bet….or was he abbreviating beter as bet? She knew the way he talked and was trying to decode him. She sighed about Kira “I felt to bad for Kira…..and my uncle….oh he screwed that up...but at least he got it eventually.” She looks around “In case anyone didn’t know The Walrus or the Walrus and the Carpenter is my Dad’s brother. Total opposites.” She frowns about the crime scene stuff online “Be careful what you search. This is why I play video games with unicorns and cartoon animals hunting fruit.”

Mabel holds up her hands “I like a good gory story. It doesn’t mean I’m a terrible person. It’s just interesting…..we’re all capable of good and evil right? Better to know.” She beams at Daphne “and why I play games with killer goats.”

Mason laughs and nods at Tristan.  "Yea that was really weird.  No Halloween.  No candy.  No nothing."  he shakes his head.  He looks at Daphne.  "ait ... besides being stupid on the radio?"  he leans forward.  "Like did he get pictures of that guy with his cock cut off?"

Rene looks over at Cath.  "Don't worry.  Some people just like gore ... like horror movies, Cath."  he assures her.  Mason goes on about Daphne's uncle.  "Dude?  What the ACTUAL fuck?"  he demands, now carefully watchcing Cath and switching from teasing brother to protective.

Aislin shakes her head at Mabel and Mason.  "I swear you two are going to wind up being some kind of documentary someday."  she predicts.

Tony nods.  "Yea .. cops would load up a van and take the kids to Cedar Point, since it was our sister city and everything."  he looks between Mason and Mabel, seeing Cath begin to get upset.  "OK, you two need to fucking chill already.  Not all of us like that really violent bullshit.  Jesus."  he is saying it because he can see Cath's upset, and also sees Rene getting in a defensive mode and he'd know her better than anyone.

Tristan watches Cath and Rene and how he’s trying to get Mason and Mabel to stop. Tony chimes in as well and he jumps on board. Cath was sweet and younger than them, maybe even young for her age compared to Daphne and Aislin. And she was Rene’s sister. “Hey...sorry, let’s talk about something else ok? Cath you choose.” He gives her a small smile.

Mabel looks pleased by the idea of being on a documentary “Oh I hope they interview us at night…..or on a roof….” She hears the objections to her little gore chatter and Mason’s and sighs “Sorry Cath.”

Daphne felt for Cath. She wasn’t a gore person either. She hops down from her toadstool and walks over to Cath and holds out her arms “Can I give you a hug? We don’t have to talk about gross scary things.”

Cath looks almost more overwhelmed by the defense than she did about the gore “Oh I’m just a  wimp….I’m sorry…..I don’t know what to talk about.” She looks self conscious and then Daphne offers her a hug and she nods “OK.” Daphne hugs her the same way her older siblings did sometimes, even Rene with his hand on her shoulder when Tante MC was scary and his defense of her here today. It was sweet but she so wanted to be stronger.

Mason looks at Cath and seems to come to his senses ... a rare occurrence for him when he isn't online.  Before he can say anything, Mabel opens her mouth and he turns his head and snaps at her.  "Shut the fuck up, Mabel."  and she actually does.

Rene feels backed up by his friends and then looks at Cath.  That he has relaxed is shown by him slipping back into a more familiar fraternal role.  "Yes.  Yes you are."  he agrees, teasing.

Aislin sighs deeply.  "Is there any lore attached to this town that isn't gross, scary or both?"  she asks.

Tony watches the whole thing and nods.  "Actually Aislin ... there are less than horror level stories in Alexandra."  he grins.  "The story of Bill the Butcher..."  he pauses dramatically, but then continues.  "Bill the Butcher and his wife ran the first Butcher shop in town.  He used to take phone orders and do deliveries on his trusty old bicycle.The bike had a small flatbed style trailer on the back to fit all his wares. One day while Bill was dropping off orders a dog chewed a hole in the cardboard box that was tied to the trailer bed and discovered a whole treasure of linked sausages ordered for a big party. As is common with linked sausages the whole thing unravelled. The dog ran off as Bill came out of the home of his patron and Bill didn't notice the damage or the sausages beginning to spill out the back. By the time he was half way down the next block he was being chased by all the town’s dogs after his string of sausage links behind him. He could hear them all barking and rode faster and faster through the centre of town while people flocked to the streets and marveled at the unusual spectacle.  I hear Walter McLeod still has the bicycle in storage."  he speaks dramatically and then shrugs.  "No proof, but that's how lore works, right?"

Daphne beams at Tony in the darkness “Oh my god...that’s my family history. Bill the Butcher also known as William MCLeod...the first of the family from my Dad’s side to come here. Thrifty’s grew from his little shop. I love that story Tony….you tell it as well as a McLeod.” she teases. “And the bike….well my uncle Wally actually rode it recently on a sort of dare ber whatever he and my dad did after too many beers. The old trailer is gone but they put a new one on it and Walter swore he could deliver groceries. But he almost hit some woman in the street!”

Cath smiles at Aislin and then more at Tony as he tells a charming story with no gore at all. Then Daphne starts talking about her family and her uncle almost hitting a woman in the street and she gasps and looks at Rene “You don’t think….” She looks back at Daphne “Where did he almost run someone down.”

Daphne seems vague on it and waves her hand in the air “Somewhere near the Daly Deli I think…”

Tristan looked happy about the Bill the Butcher story. He’d heard it but it was a town favourite. Then there seems to be some back and forth about the bike and who was hit and where and he glances between all parties curiously “Well…...what’s the deal?”

Mabel had shut up when Mason told her to but looked at him strangely. Since when did eh care what anyone thought? She listened to the story and the questions back and forth all while stealing the odd glance at Rene she thought was sneaky but may not be.

Mason smiles at the retelling of the story of Bill the Butcher.  He'd heard it, but it was one of Alexandra's nice stories.  He waits to see what happened with this woman, though.

Rene  smiles at the story and more because it seems to charm Cath.  He sees one or two looks from Mabel, but he ignores her because she creeped out Cath.  "Come on, Daphne.  Details?"  he hears Cath and shrugs.  “Let’s find out.”  he suggests.  “Maybe we’re wrapped up in McLeod family history.”  he laughs.

Aislin laughs and claps at this fresh tale of Alexandra she never knew.  "That's so sweet.  Thank you both for sharing."

Tony looks at Daphne fondly for about half a second before his usual cool exterior takes over.  "Yea ..  I guess I should have let you tell it, huh?"  he looks interested also in who Daphne is talking about.  "God, he didn't kill her or nothin, did he?"  he demands.  He had been trying to move on to good things.

Cath gestures at Daphne “Your uncle on the bike….I think he almost hit our cousin Annette.” She looks at Tony “She wasn’t hurt. Her now boyfriend pulled her out of the way...but that was what got them together I heard. It’s kind of….romantic..” Cath makes a face at her own words and laughs.

Daphne gave Tony a grin and then looked at Cath and Rene “Really? Somehow we didn’t get the whole story. That is romantic. I think that old bike is still waiting to be fixed in Alex’s yard but that’s amazing. OK I can think of two other non gory things about the island.” She looks around “I don’t have to tell it all…..Mabel….Mason….Tony told the Bill the Butcher….Tristan...oh you told that terrible story….bleh. I’m talking about fairies…..and the whole love thing people talk about.” She throws both topics out for any takers but then has trepidation thinking Mabel might try to propose to Rene or something. To her delight Mabel grabs onto the first topic.

“Fairies!” Mabel exclaims “I’ve been trying to see them all my life. Apparently some kids here have seen them….probably in the forest. Hey maybe they ride the spiders….oh no wait they can fly right? Maybe they band together and helilift the spiders…” Mabel spins off to her weird place and then looks at Cath “That is very romantic.” Then she just blatantly asks Rene “You would save me from peril right Rene?”

Tristan looks very intrigued by the whole cousin connection with the bike story. He smiles a bit “That’s sweet. I hope they have a happy life together.” He chuckles “The love thing? I think everyone’s heard about that by now right? That the island has this sort of magic that makes people fall in love faster and deeper? Apparently Cedar Point did too….could make me have some kinda super powers? Although so far not revealed.” He jokes. Then Mabel gets weird about fairies and spiders and then asks Rene id he’d rescue her in peril. Tristan just looks at Rene with sympathy. Mabel’s crush was obvious but as far as he could see Rene wasn’t crushing back. It gave him hope, perhaps a bit too much at some moments.

Mason arches his brows.  He doesn't have a brain that works towards romance, so he just looks a little lost.  Talk of fairies and the 'love thing' don't help.  He looks at Mabel when she starts talking about fairies riding spiders and rolls his eyes.  He just groans at Mabel being saved by Rene.

Rene grins.  He is glad for Annette and he does think Ira saving her was sort of romantic.  He is worried Mabel will go off on another horror tangent, but suddenly she is being asked if she would save her from peril.  "I would call the police.  Absolutely."  he tells her and looks at Tristan.  "They are very much in love."  he listens to Tristan talking about a magic that makes people fall in love fast and deep.  "Oui.  Annette and Ira … my aunt Lisette, my brother and his girlfriend and even my sister and her boyfriend."  he laughs.  "The only ones left are me and Cath."  he looks at his feet, not looking obviously at Tristan and making damn sure his eyes are not on Mabel.

Aislin listens to the story and thinks is is sort of romantic.  She then looks at Mabel, unable to see fairies riding spiders.  That just sounded wrong.  She hears about the love thing and nods.  "My sisters ... Paige and Iris."  and she smiles.  “And my father with Lisette.”  she beams at Cath and Rene as if they had personally set the whole thing up for her father.

Tony sort of rolls his eyes.  He's glad no one was killed, but he doesn't think it is particularly romantic.  Becoming thoughtful, he tries to imagine it as a song.  Guy saves girl from bike accident and they become boyfriend and girlfriend and he can't.  Then Mabel is talking about fairies and asking if Rene will save her.  He shakes his head.

Cath cringes “You make it sound like we’re the last ones standing Rene. But it’s true it has been a lot.” She beams at Aislin “We’re practically related to the Page family now….it’s cool.” She looks at Mabel “Maybe Rene would like a girl who saves herself.” She’s trying to subtly hint that Mabel is coming on too strong but not totally hurt her feelings either. “The fairy spider thing is weird but cool..” She’s trying to soften it. In truth she found hairy spiders revolting.

Daphne nods “If you all live here long enough you’ll be related to or intermarried with half the town. It’s how it goes. But that is a lot of love...hmm…..I think the bottom line is Alexandra has extremes. Great love and terrible tragedy. She watches Cath suggest Rene would like a girl who saves herself and smiles at Cath. She looks around the group “Do you think we’ll all be hanging out like this when we’re boring grown ups? I hope so personally.” She couldn’t imagine her life without these friends, even the newer ones now.

Tristan looks thoughtful about how many people related to Rene and Cath have fallen in love. He and Cath were the only ones left? Cath was young...I mean they all were but was the connection he felt with Rene...could he define it? He is about to try and catch Rene’s eye when Rene looks down. Probably for the best. He has no words on the fairy spider ideas. But eh does answer Daphne “Who else are we gonna hang out with?” He chuckles.

Mabel looks a little disappointed in Rene’s answer but he hadn't said he would leave her for dead? “So much love…” She sort of swoons and then looks at Aislin “Is it weird though? Your dad suddenly having a woman in his life?” She ehars Cath say maybe Rene would like a  girl who saves herself “Oh I save myself all the time...I’m very competent.” so far she’s not but she aspires to be. She nods along with Tristan “Where are we going to go Daphne? I mean can you imagine moving away from here?”

Mason rubs at his forehead.  When Mabel decided to be dense, she didn't mess around.  He looks at Daphne.  "As long as I can have a wrist mounted computer, I'll be there."  he quips.

Rene laughs at his sister.  "Well we are.  Even Maman and Papa seem to be more in love than I've ever seen them, oui?"  and he gives her a look of gratitude at her comment about liking a girl who saves herself.  Mabel's crush on him was so obvious and he didn't want to hurt her feelings, so he wouldn't out and out tell her that he didn't like her that way.  He nods at Daphne.  "Oui .. who else, eh?

Aislin tries to act like she hadn't heard Mabel for the most part, until she asks about her father having a woman in his life.  "He's happy.  After my mother died ... he was so sad ... so ... if she makes him happy, I am all for it."

Tony grins about all of it.  "It's like song fodder."  he proclaims.  He looks at Daphne.  "Between tours, absolutely."  he almost teases.  He looks at Aislin and nods.  "See .. like that ... love man ..."  he tries to think of a song, but there so many about love, he can’t choose.

Cath smiles at Aislin “I’m glad he’s happy. Lisette’s husband died too so they….well maybe they fit….” She stands up “There’s a bathroom in the garage right?” She sees a nod from Mabel and starts that way. She ends up walking right behind where Mason is sitting and as she steps to his position there’s a commotion in the tree above. Two cats are fighting and one jumps onto a branch and it breaks and starts plummeting towards Mason’s head. Cath’s reflexes engage and she catches the branch easily. It’s not huge but it could have given a nasty bump on the head. She looks at it in her hand after “Bad cats….”

Daphne smiles at Tony “Well write one for us Tony. Between tours….you all better come back and visit if you work other places.” She replies and then looks down until she hears Aislin “That is good…” And then the cats have their scuffle “What the heck is….Cath good catch!”

Mabel nodded at Aislin and then at Cath about the bathroom. As Cath goes by the cats start up and she shakes a fist at them “Stop fighting!” Then the branch gives way and she sort of ducks but Cath catches it “OK it’s Cath wh has superpowers Tristan, not you.”

Tristan gave Aislin a little smile, happy for her family. “Oh my god we stumped Tony….call Guinness! “ He smirks at Tony and then the whole cat branch thing unfolds and he stares, first at the falling branch and then at Cath.

Cath sort of shrugs and tosses the branch onto the fire.

Mason is staring at Tony waiting for him to break into song, as usual when he hears the cats and suddenly sees something snatched from above him.  He turns and sees Cath with the branch.  "Jesus!  Thanks Cath."  he blows out a relieved breath.  He looks around at the group of them.  "See!"  he demands.  "It's dangerous out here!"  he stands.  "Thank you, Cath.  I am going into the tent where it's safe."  and he does indeed march in that direction, looking above the boys tent for signs of branches and angry felines.

Rene is half waiting for Tony to start singing when Cath moves behind Mason and makes a sudden movement, catching a branch that almost hits Mason on the head.  "Good job, Catherine."  he actually applauds her and then laughs at Mason.

Aislin giggles that Tony is stumped.  Then Cath makes a spectacular catch.  "Holy ...."  she breathes, looking at Cath with a whole new level of respect at her reflexes.

Tony looks at Daphne.  "What?  A song about love?"  he huffs.  "So many have done so much better than me."  He opens his mouth when all of a sudden Mason is nearly beaned.  "Dayumn Cath!"  he looks impressed.  "You go on girl!"  and then he laughs at Mason as he storms towards the tent.  "How'd I know he'd be the first to go to bed?"

Tristan watches Mason head to the tent “You don’t have a laptop stashed in there do you? Adn a generator?” He teases. He looks down at the embers of the fire. It was burning low and almost out. Their eyes had adjusted to the darkness.

Cath in the meantime is humble about her catch and has no idea where that came from. “Meh..” She says and heads to the bathroom now.

Daphne stands up and stretches with her arms over her head, pulling her shirt and tank top up a bit to briefly show her belly and belly button “That was pretty amazing. I should get my toothbrush and get in there after her.” She stalks to her pack and digs around.

Mabel sighs “We’re not all going to bed are we? I was hoping we’d be up until DAWN! He probably does have a laptop in there.”

Rene chuckles.  "Probably, Mabel.  But that's Mason now isn't it."  he stretches and looks between Tristan and Tony.  "We should check on him in case he put a tablet under his pillow."  he stands.  "Good night, girls."  He heads for the tent, well aware he isn't brushing his teeth tonight.  Part of him is a little concerned about Mabel maybe following him .. in any event ... one night won't kill him.

Aislin looks at Daphne.  "I'm after you."  she calls and looks at Mabel.  "No way I'm going to make it to midnight, never mind dawn."  she insists.  She notices that Rene has headed in the tent like Mason without brushing his teeth.  She wonders if it has anything to do with Mabel beng so ... high pressure and obvious.

Tony turns from watching Mason go into the tent and sees a brief flash of flesh. from Daphne.  He averts his eyes a second later than he probably should.  "Uh ....  sure Rene ...  lets hit the hay."  he notices Rene isn't brushing his teeth and if Rene isn't he won't either.

Mabel was about to try and catch Rene and make sure she said goodnight...she wasn’t sure how but she just thought she could. But then he’s off like a shot “You guys don’t need the bathroom?” She tries.

Tristan is a bit fastidious, like his uncle but not as bad. He can’t abide by fuzzy teeth but he can see Rene possibly escaping Mabel and supports it. He grabs a few water bottles from the cooler and is happy to share if the guys want to brush out by the tent pouring water over their toothbrushes camping style. “Mabel we can pee in the trees more easily. Goodnight girls.” He takes his pillow and the water bottles and walks to the tent. When he gets there he offers out water bottles and then grabs his toothbrush and toothpaste making his plan with them obvious as he steps to the side of the tent and starts to brush.

Daphne waits for the bathroom and smiles at Aislin. She lets her gaze then drift to Tony and says “Goodnight…” She pauses and then realizes she should say it to more than Tony “Guys….watch out for crazy cats.”

Cath comes out of the bathroom and sees Daphne standing there holding a toothbrush “Oh shoot I should do that too but I’ll wait my turn again….you girls go ahead.” She heads to her bag for hers and sees the boys heading off “Night!” When she comes back she looks at Mabel and sighs “Mabel….it might go better with Rene if you were just….just try and be his friend.”

Rene sees Tony, followed by Tristan with water bottles.  "Thank god ..."  he exhales.  He takes one of the bottles and  moves to the side of the tent with Tristan to brush his teeth

Aislin is last in line for tooth brushing, but that's fine by her.  She stands with Mabel and Cath.  When Cath speaks, she nods her agreement, ready to speak up if she has to.

Tony grins in Daphne's direction.  "Goodnight girls." and then takes a bottle too, joining Tristan and Rene in outdoor tooth brushing.  He suspects why the dentist's son was apparently willing to skip brushing his teeth, but doesn't mention it right away.  He taps on the side of the tent.  "At least brush your teeth, dude."

Mason groans and comes back out of the tent, rolling his eyes.  He takes a bottle and moves to brush his teeth when Daphne mentions crazy cats.  He huffs and returns to the tent, fully intending to brush his teeth under the canvas top.

By the time Cath was back Daphne was in the bathroom but with two sisters, she was used to being pretty efficient.

Mabel looks a bit cornered by Cath’s suggestion “That’s what I’m trying to do but when I see Rene I just say all the wrong things. He probably thinks I’m a moron, I’m sure everyone does. I don’t know how to talk to boys Cath. He’s the first one I’ve liked. And I know I’m weird but I’m not like crazy….does that make sense?” She looks between Cath and Aislin now and then asks Aislin “You’re confident….teach me how to talk to boys...no offence Cath.”

Cath sighs and nods “I’ve done that Mabel. Said dumb things to a boy when I like him. I think everyone does...but you have to just stop talking when that hits you. Rene’s being polite...which for him is saying something sometimes. It also means he likes you as a person because he doesn’t seem to be shooting you down.”

Daphne walks out of the garage to Cath’s last sentence “Oh we’re talking about Mabel being crazy around Rene? Yeah Mabel maybe tone it down a bit. You’re going to freak him out.”

Mabel gets defensive “I’m weird not crazy!”

Tristan watches Rene after he steps to one side and spits “You ok man?” He chuckles at Tony coaxing Mason and Mason trying to stay inside the tent “Don’t spit on our sleeping bags Mason.”

Rene brushes and sits and then sighs deeply.  "I jsut needed to get away ... you know."  he nods a little inthe direction of the gaggle fo girls.  "I was feeling kind of ..  I don't even know how to say it."

Tony looks at Rene.  "Hunted?"  he offers.  "Because Mabel ... oh man she likes you, dude.  Like ... a lot."

Mason swallows.  "I swallowed.  You guys finish up and get in here .. better than talking out in the forest."

Rene sighs deeply and nods, looking over at the girls.  “Yea ….”  its not sure who he is agreeing with, but he turns towards the tent.  “Mason’s right . lets go…”  he makes finger quotes.  “Inside.”

Aislin just goes in to brush her teeth with Daphne, since they both had sisters and it was just like being at home.  She comes out and listens to Mabel.  "Yea .. what Cath said.  She'd know best .. he's her brother."  she agrees with the other girls.  "You're weird, but also a little intense."  she hopes to calm Mabel down a little.  "Try talking to him more like he was one of us.  Like a friend.  The rest will flow naturally, you know.  Because you really are great, Mabel."

Tristan looks sympathetically at Rene. Mabel had been very aggressive. It pissed him off a bit to be honest but he couldn’t fault Mabel her feelings for Rene. He had them too. He just tried to be a friend and not in his face about it. He nods at Tony and Mason and steps into the tent and zips it behind them “You swallowed your toothpaste?” He makes a bit of a face at Mason “Gross man…” He takes out his sleeping bag after clicking on a flashlight that was already in the tent so they can see what they’re doing. He unrolls the sleeping back and sets his pillow on top of the open end, being aware of keeping the side that Rene kissed facing up. Then he sits down on the middle of the sleeping bag. “The tents are far enough apart they can’t hear us if we talk quietly. So Mason, how does Rene throw Mabel off the scent without being a total ass to her?”

Mabel ponders what the other girls have all said to her and nods slowly “So talk to a boy….like he’s a girl….sort of.” She lets her mind spark off at random “I wonder if it would be easier if I just liked girls. Oh it’s so complicated isn’t it?” She sighs “Thank you for saying I’m great. Right now I feel pretty dumb.”

Daphne shrugs “I’m sure girls who like girls talking to girls is just as nerve wracking. I mean we’re all human. We all get nervous...whoever we like. But yeah be a friend and see what happens.” It was her approach with Tony for better or worse.

Cath had chimed in with Aislin “Mabel you’re awesome. That’s what it makes us sad to see you acting how you act with Rene because we know you. And I don’t think we can convince Rene to become a girl to test it. Mon dieu..” She laughs. “He only wore Daphne’s shorts to put on a  show for a dare.”

Daphne laughs “But that was great!

Aislin shrugs.  "More jsut like he's a person, Mabel.  Because he is a person, you're jsut attracted to him"  she laughs as she suggests it might be easier if she liked girls.  "Maybe for Rene, since he isn't one, but you'd probably be the same with anyone you liked the way you lke Rene."

Rene enters the tent and looks at Mason.  "You shouldn't swallow your toothpaste."  he tells him more out of habit than anything.  And then he looks at Tristan gratefully for asking how he can get Mabel off his back.

Tony looks at Tristan, then Rene and finally Mason.  "Emphasis on not having to be a total ass, cause that is so not how Rene is, man.  Just Mabel ... it's like the fucking bat signal for her."

Mason rolls his eyes at the complaint that he swallowed his toothpaste.  Then he sighs about Mabel.  "Fuck if I know.  She's never acted like this around a boy before.  Throw another blond boy in her path?"  he suggests.  "I mean then she'll stop focusing on you?"

Tristan had nodded at Tony. Rene was definitely not an ass. Then Mason’s suggestion makes him laugh “So on the first day of school we’re just going to scope out dudes for your sister? I’m not sure I’m ready to be THAT out yet.” He jokes and then looks thoughtful “Is it a blonde thing if she’s only liked one blonde guy...maybe she likes French guys…” He muses. “There’s like two new guys in town our age but they both have dark hair. The Puerto Riccan family and the uh….they have that dive shop...those kids live on my street but across. It seems like a weird solution though. Maybe she’ll just get over it. Maybe you should stop brushing your teeth Rene…” He jokes “And wearing deodorant…” He cringes at the thought. 

Mabel sighs as Cath now walks by with her toothbrush and heads for the bathroom. “You’re probably right Aislin. I’ll figure it out eventually. He’ll probably never like me now though. Maybe I should apologize.”

Daphne shakes her head “No that just draws attention to it and makes it awkward. Just you know instead of asking if he’d save you from peril, maybe just ask him what his favourite ice cream flavour is? Keep it chill...literally. I’m heading for the tent. I need these tights off and pj pants on.” She gives Mabel a little shoulder pat and starts off.

Aislin nods and points to Dahne.  "That.  Or ask him what sports he likes.  He's into acting, obviously.  Maybe he'll try out for Drama or something."

Rene glances at Tristan and gives a nervous chuckle.  "Maybe it's my accent."  he suggests, not thinking of the impact of his words.  "The boy in that Puerto Rica family has an accent too, it's just not French."  he drops his head in his hand.  "Non ... we can't try and set her up with someone else."  he looks horrified at the idea of not brushing his teeth.  "Mon dieu .. no no no ... I will just be nice and not TOO nice, maybe?  Like .. calling the police when the giant spiders attack her instead of rescuing her myself?"  he sighs.  "I've never had it be this bad."  he murmurs.

Tony snorts.  "We can't go around setting up some poor sap with Mabel."  he looks at Rene.  "And you can't scuff yourself up because someone who likes you AND you like back would be totally turned off by that."  he shoots a lightning quick glance at Tristan.  He suspects that Tristan likes Rene ... he's just not sure if its the other way around.  He looks back to Rene.  "This bad like girls dripping off of you?"  he smirks.  "I kinda like it, myself.  And if your going to be in Drama it'll only get worse once these girls see how you act as the leading man."

Rene looks at Tony and sighs.  "Oui.  And .. I have taken Drama before ... but kiddie plays.  I'm at that age I can be given ... you know .. the romantic lead and ...  Mon Dieu ... I don't want a flock of girls following me everywhere, Tony.  You .. you're different.  You like that sort of thing."

Tony grins and admits.  "Yea ... I do."  he admits.  "But that doesn't really help us with your current dilema, does it?"

Mason sighs and rolls his eyes.  "Nothing so drastic.  Maybe ... I don't know ... She's intense.  I mean I can tell her not to be all lovesick puppy around you, but ... Avoid her as best you can?  I mean we can do stuff at a house besides mine."  he shrugs.  “Kiss Aislin in front of her?  I mean that ways she thinks you like someone else?”

Tristan bites his lip when Rene says maybe it’s his accent. Then he laughs and turns it into a joke “It’s totally your accent.” He blushes a bit but they hopefully can’t see it. He could listen to Rene talk all day and night with his accent. He hears Tony and then looks up at Tony’s look at him and gulps. Shit. Tony was too clever sometimes. Maybe he was clueing in. Maybe he just happened to be looking his way. He laughs at Tony after “You and the girls….poor Daphne if she ever gets the nerve….” Then he stares at Mason “Kiss Aislin? Why’s everyone kissing her now? I mean are assuming Aislin wants that? What if he trades in one girl after him for another?” He snorts “Maybe Rene should....” He was about to say kiss you to Mason but he couldn’t bring himself to say the words. Safer than the alternative and he finishes with “Tell Mabel he has a pillow fetish.”

Daphne nodded at Aislin and then slipped into the tent and zipped it because she was changing to pjs. She unzipped it right after and left it open for the other girls. The girls tent was close to the house so she could still hear them all. “Hey, what options did you all chose?” In grades 7 and 8 at the academy they got some choices like Drama vs Computer Science and Art vs Music. Art included photography and the drama kids were going to be the ones who put on the school play, even the non actors could do lighting, makeup and sets and props. Although the art class might get some projects related to sets if the drama group needed. “I’m in Drama and Art.”

Cath came out to the beginning of the options conversation and chimed in “Computer science and Art. Rene’s the actor in our family.” She headed for the tent and set up her sleeping bag and pillow.

Mabel still had to have her turn in the bathroom but added her answer after answering Aislin “Those are such boring questions...sports and drama...Although I do drama...I’m very dramatic.” She looks at Daphne “Drama and music for me. I’ll be right back.” and with that she goes in to use the bathroom and also change into pjs since it was her house and she could just do that.

Aislin dressed the way she dressed for ease of sleeping in a tent.  "I'm going for Art ...  Photography is my thing.  She heads for the sleeping bags.  "You sing, Mabel?"  she wonders why she isn't with Tony if she's musical, but then she thinks it is probably because of Daphne's crush on Tony.

Rene rolls his eyes.  "I don't want to kiss Aislin either."  he protests.  He'd much rather be talking about Tony and Daphne.  He chuckles at the pillow fetish.  "Oui.  That won't go wrong.  She'll jsut make me kiss the pillow and suffocate me."

Tony snorts.  "I like girls.  But Daphne ...  she's just shy.  Our time will come."  he grins.  "Hell after the way Rene kissed that pillow I damn near wanted to kiss him."  he jokes.

Mason looks at Tristan.  "Maybe for..."  he blinks as it hits him that Trstan totally has a thing for accents.  Which might mean he's crushing on Rene.  Poor Rene, if that was the case.  Guy had his pick of the girls, just like Tony.  he tries to cover this discovery.  "Shits and giggles you and Tony can split the girls of the town up the middle ...."  he blinks.  "OK, that was too creepy Mabel even for me.".  "I mean Tony can have the music lovers and Rene can have all the Juliet wannabes?"  he shakes his head.  "Thats bad too .. oh fuck me.  This is why I prefer my women in a ten point font."  he looks at Tony.  "Wait .. you AND Tristan?"

Tony takes his pillow and hits Mason with it.  "No you fucking idiot."

Tristan had been chuckling and nodding and smiling at all the banter. He had given Tony an eyebrow raise when he said he had damn near wanted to kiss him. Mason goes on a weird tangent and he sort of cringed at it and then he ends with calling him out bluntly about his feelings for Rene. Tristan just clears his throat and looks at his feet. His friends clearly knew. Tony was trying to deflect it at least. He can’t bring himself to look at Rene. Only he knew Rene was gay but that didn’t automatically mean Rene liked him back either. Tristan scratches at the back of his neck and sits in very uncomfortable silence.

Mabel beams at Aislin “I sing….I mean in a choir...not like Tony. I love show tunes. I’d love to do musical theatre.” Mabel flops into the tent dramatically and bursts into song “The hills are a live...with the sound of muuuuusic……..their songs have been sung for a thousand years….” She not a bad singer actually and loud enough to be heard easily by the boys tent.

Daphne giggles “Oh no it’s the Von Trapp hour.” But she’s happy Mabel is being Mabel again.

Cath just smiles, listening. She liked musicals too but clearly not as much as Mabel.

Tristan’s discomfort is interrupted by Mabel singing and he can’t help but crack a smile even though he’s still mortified and afraid of destroying his friendship with Rene.

Aislin beams right back and immediately sways in place as Mabel begins to sing.

Rene chuckles and takes a seated bow.  "I am flattered, but no."  he tells Tony.  He looks at Mason and laughs when Mason suggests Tony might be gay like Tristan.  "Oh, Mason.  How smooth you are, really."  he teases.  He still isn't looking at Tristan because its all been a bit much, but then singing erupts from the girls tent.  What a night.

Tony snorts.  "Yea ...  Mason is smooth as silk."  he rolls his eyes.  "If he turns out to be bisexual won't none of us get no play."  then he hears singing and blinks.  "Is that .. Mabel?"

Mason snorts as he is hit by the pillow.  "Fuck you and not that way."  he laughs and then sits up straighter.  "Yea ...  I'm smooth and sexy .. just like Coronavirus."  he rolls his eyes.  "But I'm straight ... so only Tony has to worry and I don't like any girls on this island, that's for sure.  They're all pretty incompetent."  then the singing begins and he facepalms.  "Yes.  That is Mabel.  Kill me now..."

Tristan realizes from Rene’s reaction he may have dodged detection and relaxes a bit. The girl's singing is amusing and he laughs and crawls into his sleeping bag “I don’t think Coronavirus can compete with Mason. Incompetent? Harsh, dude. Harsh.” He rests the side of his face on the pillow which was as close as he would get to Rene. Maybe it was for the best if he ended up like Tony. He didn’t envy Rene being a gay guy and a chick magnet but he could see it. At least Tony got to enjoy it. He would focus on being a good friend and as the singing went on maybe trying to tune out the showtunes so he could eventually sleep.

Mabel feels emboldened as Aislin gets into it “Let’s do the whole thing …….what do you call a problem like Maria…” She goes on to another song and is not remotely tired. After all her fumbling around Rene, singing was a great stress relief to her.

Cath watches Aislin and Mabel as she lies down, yawning a bit. They were having fun and the music was nice.

Daphne is amused at first but when she realizes they’re getting the whole Sound of Music soundtrack she gives a little groan but laughs. At some point she gives a little wave and rolls her pillow around her ears as she settles into her sleeping bag.

Aislin lays down and settles into her bag.  She would let Mabel have her fun ... after tonight, she probably needed it.

Rene sighs and rolls his eyes.  "Don't ever tell her I almost played Rolf last year.  The director said I was too young, but this year ..  I'm not."  he lays down with a sigh.  He was old enough for kissing roles.  Kissing girls roles.  Maybe this school's director was a prude.

Tony laughs at Mason and looks at Rene when he lays down with sympathy the darkness combined with his dark skin probably hid well.  "So .. lullabies?"  Mabel jumps into another song.  "Man, this is NOT how I like going to sleep ... damn Von Trapps."

Mason isn't paying attention to anyone.  For him the fastest way back in the house is to sleep till morning and his twin wasn't helping.  He lays down and takes in a deep breath.  "Shut up, Mabel!  We're trying to sleep over here!"  he bellows.