lilmissdaredevil's Polyvore

June 14; collab with @larissa-xo
 
I stare across the vast expanse of murky water. It seems almost mythological; the brackish lake would be the perfect home for a kraken or slithering water serpent. The thought of swimming through that sends an uncomfortable chill down my spine, and I'm already shivering in the early morning mountain air.
 
I am not used to finding my foes in abstract form - conquering an aversion to depths, or swimming a stroke that isn't back-floating. In Manhattan, my enemies all had shiny hair and white teeth and red-soled heels.
 
"I'm not getting wet. I have a doctor's certificate that says I'm not allowed to enter these waters." Lucia's voice rings out through the lingering mist.
 
Speak of the devil and she will appear, wearing Marc Jacobs and her best bitchface.
 
I twist my hair into a bun, hoping that 1. I won't get lakeweed or catfish or god knows what else in my hair, and 2. Lucia won't sidle on over me and start whining. My hopes for the latter are quickly dashed.
 
"My god," she proclaims, turning up her nose in disgust. "She's such a brown-noser. The cost of this suit is like the same as her last forty haircuts put together."
 
"Four hundred, sixty six and tax," I say, not sure what else to say. I recognize the skimpy white two-piece from Saks. I don't mention that my Burberry iris-print corset bikini costs twice that - and hasn't even hit stores yet. One of their PR execs mailed it over a month ago, back when they thought that they'd get product placement while I was in the Hamptons with my socialite friends. That was before my halo got tarnished.
 
"I know, right?" Lucia sniffs. "My dad sending me here is such a joke. Roach motel, practically." I shift from foot to foot, but she continues. Even though it's only been a minute or so, I'm getting fed up with her antics. This was supposed to be an escape from home - not an opportunity to hear about the life I so desperately want a break from. If they asked someone to volunteer as Kraken food right now, I would sacrifice myself. Mac tumbles into the lake, and I almost wish I was her. "I miss the Upper East Side so much. Saks and Bendels and the soirees and champagne fountains..."
"Mmhm..." I murmur noncommittally.
"I mean, god, the parties," she exclaims. "This one time at a gala to save the Central Park reservoir or some such drivel, Drake Vanderbilt and I toootally hooked up in the Plaza bathroom."
"Oh please," I say, rolling my eyes. I cross my arms and look her in the eye. "I've known Drake since Pre-K. You would never have a chance with him."
When Lucia recognized me last night, I recognized her too. She's been climbing social ladders for a while - but slowly. Annalise's mother was on the Cotillion Board, and I know for a fact that Lucia was only selected because one of their original picks turned out to be an illegitimate child and fled to Barcelona after the scandalous exposé. She is not high-profile enough to be one of my peer's conquests. Then, of course, there's the small matter that Drake has come out of the closet to a few friends and family. But Lucia wasn't informed of this, and her eyes narrow.
"Excuse me?
"You're so pretentious," I snap. "Maybe you can fool everyone else, but you're not some queen bee back on Park Avenue. B-List at best. You're new money. Stop pretending to be Miss Popularity - that was me, and we both know it."
 
I don't even know why I'm so angry. Maybe it's because she reminds me of home - or is just a prime example of the people who leapt at gossiping about me to the press. Power-hungry status-seekers. Maybe it's because I hate to admit it still matters to me, the mind games, the exclusive invites, the secret societies and designer freebies and knowing people will kiss my ass if I snaps fingers. It scares me that I want it back. That's why I came out here. To figure out what I'm going to do.
 
"They were right, you know," she sneers. "You ARE neurotic. No wonder Daniel found another girl."
 
I gasp. The words sting me like a slap.
 
"Honey, people have gossiped about me since I was in third grade," I say, trying to keep my voice even. "You, on the other hand..." I lean forward and whisper in her ear, "you're not even worth talking about."
 
Before I know what's happening, I am sitting bare-butt in the damp sand and my bikini bottom dangles from Lucia's left hand, delicate dark blue strings untied and dangling. Some of the guys hoot and wolf-whistle.
 
"Whoops," she says coldly. I scramble to my feet but Brynne spears out of nowhere, hand closing like a vice around my wrist as I lunge to slap Lucia.
 
"What the hell is going on here?" she demands.
 
"Her bikini bottoms were falling off so I offered to tie them back up. My hand must have slipped," the little weasel says, opening her big for eyes wide.
 
"That's not what happened!" I shriek, glaring daggers at her. I tug my arm, but Brynne has it held fast. Nonviolence be damned, I want revenge.
 
"Mac, take these girls back to their cabins," Brynne sighs. "Both of them will not be swimming this year."
 
"What?!" Lucia and I demand in unison. I feel a moment of indignant camaraderie with her until I remember that I'm only wearing half a swimsuit. I snatch my bikini bottoms back and tie them on before Mac speed-marches the two of us back up the hill.
 
In Cabin 2, I stomp around for a minute, then grab my phone, seeing if there's been a miraculous improvement in AT&T coverage during the last half hour. No signal. I glare at the screen for a second, then drop it in my bag. My first instinct had been to group-text all my contacts and tell them to blacklist Lucia. I've been so upset at society for their gossip about me, how fast my reputation was tarnished - but haven't I done the exact same thing to countless other people? The realization puts a sour taste in my mouth. I don't want to think about it. I grab my sleep mask and burrow back under my Michael Kors duvet. The world is way easier when you're asleep.

Name: Avery Gallagher
Age: 18
Sign: Aries
Symbol: Ram
Element: Fire
Power: enhanced strength and fire manipulation
Personality traits: Direct, energetic, independent, assertive, athletic, self-assured, restless, brave, enterprising, creative, competitive, fearless.
Can also be: Impatient, aggressive, temperamental, arrogant, extreme.
In a partnership: Bold, passionate, impulsive, sexual, exuberant, jealous, temperamental.
Likes: Being active, being adventuresome, new ideas, being first, excitement, competition, being appreciated, being noticed, winning, achieving.
Dislikes: Boredom, routines, criticism, feeling repressed, feeling ignored, losing, restrictions.
Bio: Avery Gallagher, how to describe this little spitfire... Avery was the MVP of little league softball when she was 5, and she never looked back. She became a three sport athlete, although she would've played even more if the school would have let her. She's competitive and stubborn, an obvious choice for captain. In a bizarre car accident, caused by her drunken boyfriend, her leg was broken along with her spirit. Avery soon became jaded, watching her teammates play in the state championship without her and seeing them having fun while she was stuck on crutches. Long after her leg healed, Avery swore off sports in a fit of rage. Her brother keeps the trophies hidden, afraid that seeing them again might set Avery off. With the sports scholarships off the table and her mediocre grades however, Astral Academy was the only place that would take her. They promised her new experiences, but all she heard was that they were giving her one last chance.
Collection: http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/collection?id=2629920
Model: Magdalena Frackowiak
 
Story:
 
I have a raging headache as I pull the Range Rover into my driveway. Staying up until 3 am with Brandon last night is just the latest in several late nights, and I think I'll have to take this Thursday off. Michelle will be pissed, but whatever - I'm much more popular than her now. I grab my backpack from the passenger seat and stomp inside, ready to take a forty minute nap and then run around the lake, but my mom catches me before I make it up the stairs.
"Hon, a letter came in the mail today."
I can feel my stomach drop six inches. Not another letter. Duke, UCLA, Northwestern, NYU, and the University of Texas have already sent form-letter "Sorry, you're not good enough" envelopes this week. This letter must be from Columbia, University of Washington, or Arizona State.
"I'll read it later!" I yell. This is a lie - it'll end up in the recycling if I don't burn it first. I am not in the mood for another rejection. /If you'd just gone back to track and softball, you could be getting a full ride right now./ I shake my head, grit my teeth. That is not an option. Shut up, I tell myself.
"Now, Avery." My mom's tone is steelier than normal, so I roll my eyes and drop my backpack on the living room couch, skulking into the kitchen. My mom nods towards the fat purple envelope sitting on the kitchen table.
"It's thick."
I freeze for a second, staring. University of Washington colors are purple and gold. Sure, I might drown in the rain, but I would take a space in the freshman class in a split second. Then I reach forward and pick it up. I try to squash my disappointment as I realize it's not from UW.
"Astral Academy," I read, then force a laugh. "What is this, some Hogwarts knockoff?" I rip open the flap and pull out the bundle of papers, flipping through. I slow down.
These are registration papers. An acceptance letter. Instructions. A packing list. I stop.
"I just got in."
My mom beams. "I already called your father. We're going out to dinner. Le Dejunier, so wear something nice."
And even though I've only jogged in secret for the last few months, I feel like I could run a 20 minute 5K, hit a home run, break an Olympic record. I still have what it takes to win.
 
[side note - she's from Texas, so she has a bit of an accent.]
 
@labellabeautyxo @larissa-xo @mathemmatics

Name: Avery Gallagher
Age: 18
Sign: Aries
Symbol: Ram
Element: Fire
Power: enhanced strength and fire manipulation
Personality traits: Direct, energetic, independent, assertive, athletic, self-assured, restless, brave, enterprising, creative, competitive, fearless.
Can also be: Impatient, aggressive, temperamental, arrogant, extreme.
In a partnership: Bold, passionate, impulsive, sexual, exuberant, jealous, temperamental.
Likes: Being active, being adventuresome, new ideas, being first, excitement, competition, being appreciated, being noticed, winning, achieving.
Dislikes: Boredom, routines, criticism, feeling repressed, feeling ignored, losing, restrictions.
Bio: Avery Gallagher, how to describe this little spitfire... Avery was the MVP of little league softball when she was 5, and she never looked back. She became a three sport athlete, although she would've played even more if the school would have let her. She's competitive and stubborn, an obvious choice for captain. In a bizarre car accident, caused by her drunken boyfriend, her leg was broken along with her spirit. Avery soon became jaded, watching her teammates play in the state championship without her and seeing them having fun while she was stuck on crutches. Long after her leg healed, Avery swore off sports in a fit of rage. Her brother keeps the trophies hidden, afraid that seeing them again might set Avery off. With the sports scholarships off the table and her mediocre grades however, Astral Academy was the only place that would take her. They promised her new experiences, but all she heard was that they were giving her one last chance.
Model: Magdalena Frackowiak