You caught it too.🥰 In my WHIYGT post last night when I made a reference to a new storyline and character it was Darling Walsh. I had so many sims approach the stage that I chased off while I was shooting that scene, but there was something about Darling and their reaction that just mesmerized me. No other sim responded to Lady Mimi the way Darling did. It's too early to say if Darling is an androgynous, slightly effeminate 'male' sim like Mimi who wants to be a drag queen, or simply an LGBTQIA teen who is yearning to find someone who understands them or what their going through. Either way I totally see Mimi being a mentor, role model, and confidante to Darling. Some character is going to have to make way, once again the sacrificial sim is probably Holly and Bristol. I just know this is a storyline I have to follow.
Ba-ha-ha, that was low, Nance. Honestly, to try and shame someone in a club where everyone is there to see the exact thing you're trying to shame them for... that ain't exactly clever. X'DD I'll admit, sometimes I feel like all this gender stuff is really complicated and getting more confusing as fast as the abbreviation gets bigger... but that's why I love Mimi. It sounds easy and obvious when they talk about it.
...also, that security, though. XD I can only imagine the war in the head of a hater, wanting to diss them, but also not wanting to get their own behind handed to them. XDD
@mightysprite I just realized I missed a couple of points you raised.
Nancy shares some characteristics with Judith. A god complex for one. You see it with Nancy when she interacts with Malcolm. When he doesn't the slightest thing wrong in her eyes she immediately insults and belittles him. She has this arrogant belief that she is the smartest person in any room. Like Judith she's so dysfunctional she has no idea that her behavior is so out of line with the rest of society. Nancy really does believe that line about being a good person and a good mother.
The other point I missed was the Orchid Club. You really summed it up really well. It's going to be a key meeting place for characters from all the various storylines. I was trying to think of a similar pop culture reference, maybe Monk's Café from Seinfeld or Central Perk from Friends. Those are the two that spring to mind instantly.
Having this happen in public was an accident, kind of. I had all these one-liners and putdowns from Mimi in my head and I visualized them in the club where they would get laughs at Nancy's expense. They did have more impact that way, but in hindsight I could have done this in private at Mimi's penthouse. I came to that realization after the previous chapter was done and posted. So rather than doing the rewrite I pushed on.
I'm a member of the LGBTQIA community and it is difficult for me to keep track of everything. The pride flags that line the walls of the Orchid are a good example. I have a pack of pride flags I got from MTS and over half of them were ones that I had never heard of. But that's the beauty of the rainbow of humanity. Life is so much more than the narrow black and white that too many people want everybody to stay inside of.
I was really hoping that people would be pleasantly surprised when Kendall and Donnell showed up as the bouncers. I resisted the urge to really go wild with their appearance. I figured two very large muscular gay men wearing light makeup and some overtly feminine earrings would make for the perfect surprise for someone like Malcolm in particular. Not so much Nancy because her default isn't towards violence like it is for Malcom. His comments all along had been dismissive of gay men as being weak and someone he could easily intimidate or even beat up. Having them use the names Daisy and Priscilla made it all the funnier when he came face to face with them.
What was Nancy thinking with that display? Showing up to a packed club full of Mimi's fans and admirers and trying to humiliate Mimi? How did she think that was going to go down? She's so embarrassing that I almost feel bad for her, but the hateful words she was spewing make me feel nothing but contempt. How deluded is she? I have to say I laughed in complete shock at the images of her and Malcolm getting struck by lightning outside the club - talk about divine intervention!!
The conversation with Malaika was very sweet, how she's taken Mimi under her wing, and that line about how women have never been kind to Mimi pulled at my heartstrings - how sad and lonely and confused they must have felt while growing up under Nancy's regime, it can't have been easy for any of her children to cope with her if she's as dreadful all the time as she showed herself to be in this chapter, but it must have been especially rough for a child coming to terms with their gender and identity. I'm so happy that Mimi has found themselves a solid support network of loving friends - a found family!
I have a soft spot for Malcolm, he was hubby of my challengesim at 2021, bit different looking tho
so, I make myself believe thats Malcolm's evil twin there
Seriously, great episode, my comment is so late, I apologize.
My love, my love, my fearless love, I will not say goodbye..
Sea may rise, sky may fall, My love will never die..
My heart, my heart, My drowning heart, Oh all the tears I've cried
Oh I may weep forevermore, My love will never die..
Nancy is a truly dysfunctional human being. Malcolm is her favorite and she’s mean and derogatory even to him. She constantly belittles him and insults his intelligence. He sees past it to some degree because he craves those rare compliments and nice things she occasionally says about him. Malcolm wants Nancy’s love and approval, but I don’t feel like love is a concept Nancy understands nor is it a quality she possesses. But he’s not blind to her faults. That’s where the line about her majesty came from. Like Judith, Nancy is the product of her parents. Both were raised by dysfunctional parents and Malcolm is headed down the same path.
Life for Mimi wasn’t all bad. Mimi had a group of friends that accepted them/her and were a sort of bodyguard. Mimi found kindred spirits in the drag community too. This is where Mimi’s story takes some twists and turns. All for the better in the end but in between there will be plenty of soul searching. Like, has the Lady Mimi persona gone from being a life line and a safe haven to being a security blanket or even a prison? What does it mean for the future if you are questioning your gender identity but you make your living performing as a drag queen? Then there are romantic relationships to consider. Mimi has a lot to figure out yet, but they/she are in a good place to start that journey.
@Ellupelluellu thank you! And don’t worry about being late.🤗
That really cool that you had a different take on Malcolm. I almost made him kind of caught between love for mom and love for his sibling. It was his evil trait that swayed me. Evil twin or from an alternate reality, either way is good
The Orchid Club looks really nice. I see that Darling is back! I’m not good at recognizing premade Sims, so I’m glad you pointed out who they were to me in the WHIYG thread.
I had hoped that Daisy and Priscilla would immediately drag Malcolm and Nancy out because how dare they show up in a public place to embarrass Mimi, but this way Mimi has a chance to unload on them verbally in front of supporters who are cheering for them. I hope it was at least cathartic because I can imagine how painful it would be to have your family act so poorly towards you, especially in front of an audience. For anyone who doesn’t have an incredibly strong sense of self, that kind of treatment can be absolutely devastating.
I love that Malaika is instantly there for Mimi. Cheers for found family. Nancy is delusional about being a good mother.
Darling is a sim that is, sad to say, easily overlooked. I hadn't given them/her any thought until that moment. Darling's reaction to seeing Mimi caught my eye. Darling's reaction to seeing Mimi on stage was so much more enthusiastic than everybody else that I knew I had something. Where Darling's story goes from here I don't know, but I have plenty of time to decide. Since Mimi has been in the last two chapters and was the sole focus in the last one it will be a couple of chapters before we see Mimi again other than maybe as part of the closing song. Having the chapter end at the Orchid with one of the queens performing is something I'm giving some thought to making a permanent feature. That's not to say you wouldn't see them anywhere else, but it feels like a fun way to wrap up each chapter.
Daisy and Priscilla were ready to march them out, but Mimi had been looking forward to a chance to have this conversation and they/she realized this may be the safest way to do it. Mimi is not strong in the physical sense so a fight with Nancy would be a tossup and a fight with Malcolm would heavily favor him. This way Mimi had backup in case things got heated and Malcolm in particular decided to become violent. As far as staging all of this in public the way I did, that came about because of the first line that popped into my head. As I played out the meeting in my head the first barb from Mimi that I came up with was the "You taught a Shar Pei to walk on its hind legs" bit. In my mind I saw that play out with Mimi's fans eating that line up. From that point on I got locked into doing this at the club where Mimi had an audience for the put downs and showing Nancy up. I wish I had realized that everything except that opening bit would have worked in Mimi's penthouse with just the three of them. There is something to be said for having Mimi showing confidence and emotional strength in public.
Mimi's sense of self is strong, but not fully established. They still have a struggle with gender identity to sort out. Mimi is sure that there is no way they can go back, they couldn't handle having to live the 'alien' life of Johnny Zest. Mimi is comfortable with where they are now and happy, but at the same time there is still a feeling deep down that they aren't complete. They still have to sort through all the ways that finishing the journey to simply being Mimi would affect their life. Their career as a drag queen is one detail that has to be considered. Can you complete transition and still be a drag queen? Mimi loves performing as Lady Mimi, but is it the character or the act of performing in general that Mimi loves so much? Has Lady Mimi gone from being a more acceptable way of expressing their feminine self to being a prison of sorts? Does Mimi really want to finish transition or are they content now? This is where I see Darling and Malaika becoming key figures in Mimi's life. They're going to help Mimi figure out where the journey is headed. Even as Mimi helps Darling, Darling will in turn help Mimi, even if neither one of them really knows it at first. I know this storyline is one that could, and probably will, chase some readers away, but it's one that I've wanted to do for some time. Even before I started sharing my stories on here. I hope my readers will come along with Mimi and me as this storyline unfolds, but no hard feelings if it's too uncomfortable.
Malaika will be a surrogate mom to Mimi. Nancy was never there in any positive way for Mimi once it became clear that their path wasn't the stereotypical male role. Like Mimi told Malaika, it has been years since they heard anything positive or supportive from any family member, but Nancy specifically. I think Mimi feels like they never really had a family and they've adapted to being alone and having to be self reliant. Mimi did have girlfriends who saw them for who they are and were supportive but it's not the same as family. Those same girlfriends were protectors and often raised enough commotion that they were able to break up the beatings Malcolm had arranged. Mimi doesn't know for sure that Malcolm had anything to do with that, but they suspect it. Nancy is so dysfunctional she can't comprehend how out of line she is. She genuinely believes that she's a good person and a good mother even though it's obvious to everybody else that she is neither.
I had that lightning bolt strike her when she made the 'I'm a good person' comment but when all was said and done it felt more appropriate at the end.
yes, default Malcolm, very skinny and most of all, with that walkstyle he has , would of not been a surprise if he actually would of supported Johnny But Its easier to support mom, for the money, of course
My love, my love, my fearless love, I will not say goodbye..
Sea may rise, sky may fall, My love will never die..
My heart, my heart, My drowning heart, Oh all the tears I've cried
Oh I may weep forevermore, My love will never die..
The muse has found me and the next chapter is really coming together nicely. It wouldn't say I had a writers block, but I was stuck on how to show the audition scene and without that vision the text wasn't coming. It all came to me during the night so I've been up since 2am writing. I still have more writing to do and a lot of screenshots to take but I should have this one done tonight or tomorrow. I have something really cool in mind for Rayvn while she was doing her script reading that I think you will love! I know I'm super excited to get this one done for you all.😍
I'm looking forward to it! And I know the feeling. I got kind of stuck myself and then I got an interesting idea about how most of the chapter should be written (went all in with it) and am curious to see how people will react when I finally get it up. I hope you get some sleep, though!
On this edition of Entertainment Insider, our lead story is, celebrities behaving badly. A celebrity is accused of accosting members of the media outside her home last week. See who it is coming up. Also in entertainment news, the casting call for the new Judith Ward dark comedy is back on. It was postponed last week when several members of the staff at Plumbob Studios came down with food poisoning which was later traced back to the cafeteria. The head cook was quoted as saying, "I had no idea that tuna salad needed to be refrigerated all day. I mean someone could have told me. I suppose you learn something new everyday". The star herself is expected to sit in on the auditions. The title and plot are being kept under wraps.
Octavia's publicist warned her this was coming. He has a plan to get in front of this, and he had asked Octavia to trust him. She trusts James, but that didn't do much to make her any less angry. She was mad at the paps for spinning this into something bigger than it was. She was angry at Thorne for ignoring her simple and entirely reasonable request to not allow them on their property. In spite of what some tabloid types may think, just because she and Thorne are famous does not mean they don't deserve privacy. She admitted to herself that she needed to aim some of that anger back at herself. She had overreacted, but her anger at Thorne for disrespecting her had set her blood boiling. There she was again, circling back to the culprit, Thorne.
"Oh, like they were victims here. Uh uh. They invaded our home and they're gonna play the victim? Nope. Don't go thinking you off the hook either Thorne Bailey."
"Hey, what did I do?"
"I told you Thorne, you wanna pose for pictures, you take it outside."
"I was outside. In case you missed it, our pool is outside. Look through that window right there. What do you see. You see the pool and it is definitely outside."
"You know what I mean Thorne! Don't gimme that nonsense 'bout the pool is outside. Outside the gate! I told you, you walk your happy backside out there if you wanna pose for those vultures. The only fools coming in here to take pictures are gonna be proper media people, not paparazzi" Octavia said. She hadn't said it yet but she was feeling hurt by the man she loves. He had ignored her wishes like her opinion didn't matter.
"You're overreacting again. They only wanted to take a few pictures. You're the one that flew off the handle. This whole thing is your fault."
"I'm not overreacting and don't you dare lay all of this at my feet!" Octavia said, pointing her finger in Thorne's face. "Yes I was wrong for yelling at them like I did, but you were wrong for allowing them on our property. We discussed this, they were to remain outside the gate. Do you know who they are? Do you know the first thing about them? I don't want them anywhere near Orange. He's a child, he isn't a celebrity.
"Oh, you're worried about Orange now are you? You told me you were planning to go skinny dipping."
"Orange wasn't home. He was at school."
"You just said it, he was at school." Thorne's voice had an air of condescension in it. "If he's at school, he's not at home, so why were you worried about them being here?"
"It's about respect Thorne!" She was somewhere between wanting to smack him and wanting to just curl up in a ball and cry. "We discussed this before, and you agreed, no paparazzi inside the fence. You keep lettin' them in even after we had this discussion!! I'm not being unreasonable! They got the idea that it's okay to just come up in here anytime they want now, because you keep lettin' them in. And it hurts that you totally ignored me like I ain't a person that means a thing to you. Like I'm just some decoration on legs that walks around your house lookin' pretty. It isn't your house, it's our house, and I am not an object for you to admire and show off."
"You're being irrational Octavia. Is it that time again?" Thorne stuck that knife in and gave it a twist.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't slap the taste outta your mouth" she said. She could feel the tears starting to form in the corners of her eyes. "I'm out. I can't deal with you right now. I'm going for a run to clear my head and then hopefully I can remember why it is I love you. Maybe you can take that time to figure out if I mean anything to you or am I just some plaything that you can ignore until I can give you something you want. Get outta my way." With that Octavia was out of the door and she could cry it out as she ran.
She picked a path where she could let it out and hopefully no one else would see or hear her anguish. She knew she had been partly at fault, but at the heart of all of this mess was his lack of respect for her and her feelings and wishes. And it was far from the first time he had treated her like this. She had been home when this happened and he could easily have found her and talked to her before letting the paparazzi in. Now she wondered where she actually stood with him. Thorne was the love of her life, but does he see her the same way? He says he does, but how can you treat someone who is supposedly so special to you like this? Like their opinions, desires, and wishes don't matter. She was willing to compromise in certain circumstances, but how can you compromise if the other party doesn't ask to talk, they just go and do what they want. She had known Thorne had narcissistic tendencies when they met, and that Del Sol Valley was not a place that was likely to cure them. Had she been persuaded to ignore those traits by his charm or his other attributes? Or did she secretly think she could change him? She had no doubt that she still loved him, but she wasn't at all sure anymore if the feelings were truly reciprocal.
"Welcome to Plumbob Studios. You must be here for the auditions. May I have your name please?"
"Rayvn Nash. Yes, I'm here for my role in Judith Ward's new movie."
"Oh. Like I haven't heard that one before" the receptionist said with a dismissive sniff. She had seen her share of entitled wannabes strut through those double doors during the month she'd held this job while she waited for her own chance to become a superstar. "Alright I have you checked in have a seat and they will be with you shortly." 'Not that it's going to do you any good. Look at you. Honey you don't stand a chance in this town' she added under her breath as Rayvn took her seat in the waiting area.
Rayvn closed her eyes and did some deep breathing exercises to calm and center herself. While she did she remembered her conversations with her mom. Her mother had once been a personal assistant to several celebrities including the grand dame herself. She told Rayvn how to deal with Judith. "There are two ways to get on Judith's good side, and for all of her flaws she is someone you want on your side as you're breaking into the business. She can make you or break you if she chooses. Most often she'll totally ignore newcomers" her mother had said. "You could kiss her backside, but there is a better way if you have the skill and the nerve, which my girl you have. Stand up to her when she tries to back you down and then act your backside off. Give it everything you've got. You pull that off and she will take an interest in making a protege out of you. Make no mistake it's risky, because if you don't pull it off she will make life hard for you. I tell you all this because I believe in you baby girl. You have what it takes to make it big."
"Rayvn Nash? Right this way please. If you would please take your spot in front of the large screen."
"There she is Rayvn" she thought to herself as she spotted the legend seated in the middle chair, flanked by the casting director and his assistant. "You've got this. This is your destiny."
"Excuse me, did you say something miss?" Judith asked frostily.
"Just psyching myself up, ma'am. Sorry." Rayvn flinched inwardly as that 'sorry' slipped off her tongue. She said to herself, "This is what mom was talking about, now don't blow it."
"Do not apologize. I would strongly advise anyone who thinks they're going to be in one of my movies to be at their absolute best. Do what you must to get there."
"I'm ready for this moment. I was born for this."
"Oh, is that so? Well Miss Nash since you're so full of yourself this morning let's see if you have the talent to back up that mouth" Judith said.
"I have it. My talent is bigger than my mouth, Judith."
There was a glimmer in Judith's eyes, subtle, but it was there, while a sneer formed on her face. Here was someone who has the belief that they were meant for greatness. And the temerity to stand her ground. Clearly this child could never be as great as she is, but there may be something here that she can work with and claim as another of her creations. There were a few highly acclaimed actresses who owe their stature to Judith Ward. "Very well. I want you to read the part of the Lady Desdemonia. Make me feel like you are a vampire goddess! It should be easy if you're half as good as you seem to think you are."
Rayvn was ready, with one last deep breath she was off and running.
In her mind she was no longer Rayvn Nash, or Ava Thomas, her real name. Instead, she was Lady Desdemonia. She was no longer in an audition room in modern day Del Sol Valley, she was in a crypt beneath an ancient Transimvanian castle, her coffin beside her. See could see the cobwebs in the corners. She could see herself in a pouffy, ruffled, victorian gown, the pale skin of her arms and chest showing.
In her imagination she could feel fangs and she could taste plasma on them and on her ruby red lips courtesy of her latest victim. Rayvn has always been blessed with a very vivid imagination and her mother helped her nurture that gift. Now it was all paying off as she threw herself into the moment and she became Lady Desdemonia, if only in her imagination.
The casting director was on the edge of his seat. His assistant was still sitting back in her seat mesmerized by the scene in front of her. As Rayvn pressed on, Judith who had been reading the part of Lord Draculis from her seat joined Rayvn.
They were both caught up in the moment. "Hey! Knock it off!" Judith said as she recoiled.
"Oops. I got carried away there."
"You think?" Judith said sarcastically. "I have to say that's the first time I've ever had someone try to bite my neck. Well, at least while we were both vertical anyway." Judith glanced around the room and saw the raised eyebrows and knowing smiles. The stories about her love life had made the rounds over the years. She cleared her throat and adjusted her blouse before continuing. "Anyway, Miss Rayvn Nash, I do believe your were right. You do possess talent. I'm not going to say you have the part, but you made a strong case for it. Even if you don't get the part, I would urge you to continue pursuing your acting career. We will be in contact soon. Thank you for coming."
With that Rayvn left the room, leaving Judith and the casting agents alone. "Before we give that girl the part I need to reread the script to make sure there aren't any scenes where her teeth are going to be anywhere near my neck. I swear if I hadn't said something she might have done it."
"Are you sure she's worth the risk? I don't need her ripping your throat out because she forgot she isn't actually a vampire."
"You don't need that? Your concern for the wellbeing of my throat is touching Zackary" Judith said, sarcasm dripping from every syllable.
"Yes she is totally worth the risk. She has the talent, the confidence, and I don't doubt she has drive. Those are qualities I admire. I want to see more, but she just might be my next project. I could do wondrous things with her. I'm sure I could make her the next Chloe Devereaux or Brianna Sinclair, maybe even better than they are."
"High praise. I hope you're right because if she is that good the studio will stand to make a fortune like we have with those two" said the casting director who was already dreaming of a new Porsche.
Outside, Rayvn paused in the shade to escape the Del Sol Valley sun. It was a day that was thankfully clear of the smog and haze that normally lingers in the daytime sky. Maybe it was a sign. Maybe it was just a coincidence. Either way Rayvn fished her phone out and gave her mom a call. "HI mom. My audition is over."
"How'd it go?"
"I think it went great. I almost ruined it, but I remembered your advice and after that everything was great."
"Oh? How'd you almost ruin it?"
"I was psyching myself up and got a little too close to the mic. Judith caught a bit of what I said, that I was born for this. I apologized out of habit for saying that. She told me to never do that and she had this look on her face that said she wasn't impressed."
"You'll learn, that look is just Judith being Judith. She isn't impressed by much. So, what else happened?"
"The part I was reading for is a vampire. You know how much I love vampire stories."
"That I do girl. You take after me when it comes to that obsession."
"So I imagined that I was a vampire and I poured everything I had into it. I had a bit of fun with Judith though. At the end I faked a lunge at her neck like I was so into the part that I actually thought I was a vampire. Her reaction was priceless."
"I can imagine. Well I won't keep you. Go enjoy the day, be careful baby girl, Del Sol Valley is just as dangerous as it is glamorous."
"I know mom. San Myshuno is just as dangerous and you taught me well how to look out for myself and how to stay safe" Rayvn said as she rolled her eyes. "Moms, they're all the same. Comes with job" she thought to herself.
"It's not just on the streets Ava, sorry, Rayvn. Things can get ugly and scary behind the closed doors in a movie studio office. Powerful men in a white collar office can be as predatory as any mugger. Look, I'm sorry baby, I don't mean to ruin your happy day. Good luck and I know you're going to get that part! I love you baby girl!"
"You're not ruining anything mom. I'm touched that you're worried about me but like I said you taught me well. I love you mom." She hung up and paused to look up at the sky before letting out a scream of happiness. Her head was still tilted back and she put her arms out and just spun in circles, doing a little dance all by herself. Any place other than Del Sol Valley or San Myshuno, and that display would have had passersby looking at her like she had six heads and all of them were foaming at the mouth. It was easy to see who were the newcomers and tourists, they were the only ones who turned to look. "This is a girls night out at The Orchid" Rayvn thought to herself. She texted her friends Tianna and Harley...
Rayvn: wyd 2nite? wanna do the orchid?
Tianna: def gf! queens?
Rayvn: mimi & ximena afaik
Harley: mimi is 🔥🔥🔥 cu!
Rayvn:
we gonna set that roof on 🔥🔥🔥 cul!
The sun was still loitering in the sky above Del Sol Valley when the crowds began arriving at The Orchid. It never closes and it never sleeps. There are two different crowds and vibes, day and night, but it is always a lively and welcoming environment. The night shift was getting fired up after work or simply after rolling out of bed at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Mimi and Ximena were in their dressing room getting ready for their show. Ximena was trying out a new wig she had found and fallen in love with. She wanted tonight to be perfect. It was her first as the star. She was hoping the set she had planned would be a showstopper guaranteed to bring the crowd to its feet and then bring the house down around them.
"Let me look at you!" Mimi said. "Oh my God, girl you are breathtakingly gorgeous!"
"Thank you Meem. I'm scared, God I'm so scared. I'm no stranger to being on stage but I've never been the headliner! It's taking everything I have not to run away."
"Look at me Ximena. Everything is okay hun. Give me a hug please" Mimi said.
As Mimi and Ximena held their embrace Mimi said, "I was in your stilettos once. It's always hard being the headliner. You're expected to deliver the goods every single time. Trust me though, you have everything it takes to be a superstar. Sweetie, if there was ever anybody who was born to do this it's you! You will be fabulous. You will be magnificent. You, my little glamazon, will have the crowd eating out of the palm of your hand."
"What would I ever do without you" Ximena said as she planted a kiss on Mimi's cheek.
"You'd slay in exactly the same way you will tonight. You don't need me to be who you were meant to be. You have a gift. All I am is a sister, a cheerleader, and a fellow traveler. You were born fabulous. That fabulous, beautiful human being" Mimi said as they tapped a long nail over Ximena's heart, "has always, always, been in here. It has been in you all along. She is you and you are her."
"What do you have planned for your finale?"
"Dua Lipa's 'Levitating' and Adele's 'Rolling In the Deep'"
"I love it, my superstar!"
While Mimi and Ximena were getting ready, the party was already getting off the ground. The night shift, staff and clientele alike, were piling in. When the sun sets the vibe and the beats from The Orchid transform into a seismic force. When The Orchid is on, and it's rare when it isn't, the earth moves under partygoers feet. The beats come alive.
It wasn't long before the sun gave up the fight and made way for the moon. With it the party really took off. And just like that it was time for Ximena's star turn.
"My lovelies, it is my sincere pleasure to introduce you to the star of tonight's show. She's no stranger. You know her, you love her, now welcome her as the star of the show she deserves to be, Ximena Rivera!
"Thank you for everything you've done for me. If it wasn't for you I don't know if tonight would have turned out like it did."
"You're welcome, and yes it would have. The power isn't in me, it's in you. All I did was let you know it was there. You did all the hard work. I don't know about you, but I'm starving, let's go get something to eat shall we?"
Great chapter, felt different emotions while reading it. It's always great to see Lady Mimi. Really incredible job in creating so many personalities.
Haha the head chef quote, “I mean someone could have told me. I suppose you learn something new everyday” You’re the head chef😭 Hard to find a reason to be on Thorne’s side. He clearly went against Octavia's wishes. Lmao on his comment, “the pool is outside” Thorne 🙎♀️🤦♀️Wow, Octavia should’ve slapped him after that comment. Interested in seeing what's to come next between these 2.
Wow the receptionist😵 Break a leg, Ravyn! Haha she almost bit Judith, great acting. Looks like Judith is convinced. Love that Ravyn called her mother right after the audition. Very sweet, and her word of advice helped so much.
Mimi and Ximena look stunning! Great performance Ximena😁 Lovely words at the end Mimi, the powers in you Ximena❤️
Mimi was more involved than I had originally planned, but I have so much fun writing their/her part that it's easy to get carried away. Thorne is really self centered and he doesn't consider Octavia's feelings. She still loves him but she's right to wonder if he loves himself more than he loves her. My impression of him is, he knew exactly what Octavia meant but he doesn't like it. So he intentionally played 'dumb' and took the most literal interpretation possible hoping he could get away with it. He learned Octavia isn't falling for it. I thought it would be fun to have Rayvn really get into her character in her imagination. I suppose that would qualify as 'method acting'. Having her call her mom was something that just sort of happened. I hadn't been planning it, but somehow it just fit. Rayvn is in for some ups and downs. Especially when she starts getting involved with Judith as her protege. Back to Mimi and Ximena. I plan to have most chapters end with an evening at The Orchid with Mimi and one or more of the other queens. Except for the part one finale, unless that takes place there.🤔 I almost forgot to mention Ximena's new look. The more I looked at the hairstyle I originally picked out for the drag persona the less I liked it. I tried a few others and fell in love with that one. It does make Ximena less androgynous and more feminine, but off stage Joaquin maintains that slightly androgynous look.
I liked the way Mimi prepped up Ximena
uuh, interesting at Bailey Moon's... Thorne... ugh..
giggled to that texting part between Tianna and Ray
My love, my love, my fearless love, I will not say goodbye..
Sea may rise, sky may fall, My love will never die..
My heart, my heart, My drowning heart, Oh all the tears I've cried
Oh I may weep forevermore, My love will never die..
It took longer to get Rayvn into the story then I had planned so even I needed to go back and double check.😆 The whole story has gone in a different direction, but all I really had was a rough outline. It was meant to have leeway to follow interesting storylines.
As soon as I started writing Mimi I knew I wanted them/her to be a feel good character. Watching Thorne I knew he wasn't going to be a lovable character, he's going to be trouble. I had to do some research to learn text abbreviations. I knew young adults like Rayvn, Tianna, and really a huge chunk of the cast would text in abbreviations and emojis. If I wanted to make it believable I needed to learn.
The incompetent head chef came about because I was thinking, how do I explain the fact that I was late doing the auditions. I mentioned it in the very first paragraph of chapter one and then did nothing. So I decided to play it off as having been delayed. But why? That's when I came up with the idea that the staff had food poisoning. I decided to make it funny and that's how Plumbob Studios staff was poisoned by their incompetent chef. Who by the way is the incompetent ex-chef.
The idea for the receptionist came to me from stories you hear about the odd jobs wannabe actors take in hopes of being discovered while they're on the job. So I figured, ok, she answered the ad for a receptionist at the studio. Now she imagined that by the time the first coffee break rolled around on day one she would already have been discovered, which she wasn't. A month later, she still hasn't been discovered and she watches all these other beautiful young women and men coming in and out, every day. Now she's angry, disillusioned, and jaded. So I pictured her as the type that's going to be uber snarky.
I can't say for sure, but I feel like Thorne is going to really separate himself from the field and emerge as the sole front runner for worst spouse. Octavia does have work to do about her temper, but I feel like a lot of that stems from Thorne's behavior. She loves him, or she thinks she does, but he makes it difficult. I feel that way deep down she's conflicted and it bubbles over. We'll see how their relationship evolves.
Comments
...also, that security, though. XD I can only imagine the war in the head of a hater, wanting to diss them, but also not wanting to get their own behind handed to them. XDD
The other point I missed was the Orchid Club. You really summed it up really well. It's going to be a key meeting place for characters from all the various storylines. I was trying to think of a similar pop culture reference, maybe Monk's Café from Seinfeld or Central Perk from Friends. Those are the two that spring to mind instantly.
@_Gina I'm happy you enjoyed this one.
I'm a member of the LGBTQIA community and it is difficult for me to keep track of everything. The pride flags that line the walls of the Orchid are a good example. I have a pack of pride flags I got from MTS and over half of them were ones that I had never heard of. But that's the beauty of the rainbow of humanity. Life is so much more than the narrow black and white that too many people want everybody to stay inside of.
I was really hoping that people would be pleasantly surprised when Kendall and Donnell showed up as the bouncers. I resisted the urge to really go wild with their appearance. I figured two very large muscular gay men wearing light makeup and some overtly feminine earrings would make for the perfect surprise for someone like Malcolm in particular. Not so much Nancy because her default isn't towards violence like it is for Malcom. His comments all along had been dismissive of gay men as being weak and someone he could easily intimidate or even beat up. Having them use the names Daisy and Priscilla made it all the funnier when he came face to face with them.
Wonderful thought provoking episode.
@mightysprite I feel like since I mentioned Buffy and Trixie I need to go create them.😁
The conversation with Malaika was very sweet, how she's taken Mimi under her wing, and that line about how women have never been kind to Mimi pulled at my heartstrings - how sad and lonely and confused they must have felt while growing up under Nancy's regime, it can't have been easy for any of her children to cope with her if she's as dreadful all the time as she showed herself to be in this chapter, but it must have been especially rough for a child coming to terms with their gender and identity. I'm so happy that Mimi has found themselves a solid support network of loving friends - a found family!
Seriously, great episode, my comment is so late, I apologize.
Sea may rise, sky may fall, My love will never die..
My heart, my heart, My drowning heart, Oh all the tears I've cried
Oh I may weep forevermore, My love will never die..
Life for Mimi wasn’t all bad. Mimi had a group of friends that accepted them/her and were a sort of bodyguard. Mimi found kindred spirits in the drag community too. This is where Mimi’s story takes some twists and turns. All for the better in the end but in between there will be plenty of soul searching. Like, has the Lady Mimi persona gone from being a life line and a safe haven to being a security blanket or even a prison? What does it mean for the future if you are questioning your gender identity but you make your living performing as a drag queen? Then there are romantic relationships to consider. Mimi has a lot to figure out yet, but they/she are in a good place to start that journey.
I had hoped that Daisy and Priscilla would immediately drag Malcolm and Nancy out because how dare they show up in a public place to embarrass Mimi, but this way Mimi has a chance to unload on them verbally in front of supporters who are cheering for them. I hope it was at least cathartic because I can imagine how painful it would be to have your family act so poorly towards you, especially in front of an audience. For anyone who doesn’t have an incredibly strong sense of self, that kind of treatment can be absolutely devastating.
I love that Malaika is instantly there for Mimi. Cheers for found family. Nancy is delusional about being a good mother.
The lightning strike = poetic justice.
Daisy and Priscilla were ready to march them out, but Mimi had been looking forward to a chance to have this conversation and they/she realized this may be the safest way to do it. Mimi is not strong in the physical sense so a fight with Nancy would be a tossup and a fight with Malcolm would heavily favor him. This way Mimi had backup in case things got heated and Malcolm in particular decided to become violent. As far as staging all of this in public the way I did, that came about because of the first line that popped into my head. As I played out the meeting in my head the first barb from Mimi that I came up with was the "You taught a Shar Pei to walk on its hind legs" bit. In my mind I saw that play out with Mimi's fans eating that line up. From that point on I got locked into doing this at the club where Mimi had an audience for the put downs and showing Nancy up. I wish I had realized that everything except that opening bit would have worked in Mimi's penthouse with just the three of them. There is something to be said for having Mimi showing confidence and emotional strength in public.
Mimi's sense of self is strong, but not fully established. They still have a struggle with gender identity to sort out. Mimi is sure that there is no way they can go back, they couldn't handle having to live the 'alien' life of Johnny Zest. Mimi is comfortable with where they are now and happy, but at the same time there is still a feeling deep down that they aren't complete. They still have to sort through all the ways that finishing the journey to simply being Mimi would affect their life. Their career as a drag queen is one detail that has to be considered. Can you complete transition and still be a drag queen? Mimi loves performing as Lady Mimi, but is it the character or the act of performing in general that Mimi loves so much? Has Lady Mimi gone from being a more acceptable way of expressing their feminine self to being a prison of sorts? Does Mimi really want to finish transition or are they content now? This is where I see Darling and Malaika becoming key figures in Mimi's life. They're going to help Mimi figure out where the journey is headed. Even as Mimi helps Darling, Darling will in turn help Mimi, even if neither one of them really knows it at first. I know this storyline is one that could, and probably will, chase some readers away, but it's one that I've wanted to do for some time. Even before I started sharing my stories on here. I hope my readers will come along with Mimi and me as this storyline unfolds, but no hard feelings if it's too uncomfortable.
Malaika will be a surrogate mom to Mimi. Nancy was never there in any positive way for Mimi once it became clear that their path wasn't the stereotypical male role. Like Mimi told Malaika, it has been years since they heard anything positive or supportive from any family member, but Nancy specifically. I think Mimi feels like they never really had a family and they've adapted to being alone and having to be self reliant. Mimi did have girlfriends who saw them for who they are and were supportive but it's not the same as family. Those same girlfriends were protectors and often raised enough commotion that they were able to break up the beatings Malcolm had arranged. Mimi doesn't know for sure that Malcolm had anything to do with that, but they suspect it. Nancy is so dysfunctional she can't comprehend how out of line she is. She genuinely believes that she's a good person and a good mother even though it's obvious to everybody else that she is neither.
I had that lightning bolt strike her when she made the 'I'm a good person' comment but when all was said and done it felt more appropriate at the end.
@DaniRose2143 ,
Sea may rise, sky may fall, My love will never die..
My heart, my heart, My drowning heart, Oh all the tears I've cried
Oh I may weep forevermore, My love will never die..
On this edition of Entertainment Insider, our lead story is, celebrities behaving badly. A celebrity is accused of accosting members of the media outside her home last week. See who it is coming up. Also in entertainment news, the casting call for the new Judith Ward dark comedy is back on. It was postponed last week when several members of the staff at Plumbob Studios came down with food poisoning which was later traced back to the cafeteria. The head cook was quoted as saying, "I had no idea that tuna salad needed to be refrigerated all day. I mean someone could have told me. I suppose you learn something new everyday". The star herself is expected to sit in on the auditions. The title and plot are being kept under wraps.
Octavia's publicist warned her this was coming. He has a plan to get in front of this, and he had asked Octavia to trust him. She trusts James, but that didn't do much to make her any less angry. She was mad at the paps for spinning this into something bigger than it was. She was angry at Thorne for ignoring her simple and entirely reasonable request to not allow them on their property. In spite of what some tabloid types may think, just because she and Thorne are famous does not mean they don't deserve privacy. She admitted to herself that she needed to aim some of that anger back at herself. She had overreacted, but her anger at Thorne for disrespecting her had set her blood boiling. There she was again, circling back to the culprit, Thorne.
"Hey, what did I do?"
"I told you Thorne, you wanna pose for pictures, you take it outside."
"I was outside. In case you missed it, our pool is outside. Look through that window right there. What do you see. You see the pool and it is definitely outside."
"You know what I mean Thorne! Don't gimme that nonsense 'bout the pool is outside. Outside the gate! I told you, you walk your happy backside out there if you wanna pose for those vultures. The only fools coming in here to take pictures are gonna be proper media people, not paparazzi" Octavia said. She hadn't said it yet but she was feeling hurt by the man she loves. He had ignored her wishes like her opinion didn't matter.
"You're overreacting again. They only wanted to take a few pictures. You're the one that flew off the handle. This whole thing is your fault."
"I'm not overreacting and don't you dare lay all of this at my feet!" Octavia said, pointing her finger in Thorne's face. "Yes I was wrong for yelling at them like I did, but you were wrong for allowing them on our property. We discussed this, they were to remain outside the gate. Do you know who they are? Do you know the first thing about them? I don't want them anywhere near Orange. He's a child, he isn't a celebrity.
"Oh, you're worried about Orange now are you? You told me you were planning to go skinny dipping."
"Orange wasn't home. He was at school."
"You just said it, he was at school." Thorne's voice had an air of condescension in it. "If he's at school, he's not at home, so why were you worried about them being here?"
"It's about respect Thorne!" She was somewhere between wanting to smack him and wanting to just curl up in a ball and cry. "We discussed this before, and you agreed, no paparazzi inside the fence. You keep lettin' them in even after we had this discussion!! I'm not being unreasonable! They got the idea that it's okay to just come up in here anytime they want now, because you keep lettin' them in. And it hurts that you totally ignored me like I ain't a person that means a thing to you. Like I'm just some decoration on legs that walks around your house lookin' pretty. It isn't your house, it's our house, and I am not an object for you to admire and show off."
"You're being irrational Octavia. Is it that time again?" Thorne stuck that knife in and gave it a twist.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't slap the taste outta your mouth" she said. She could feel the tears starting to form in the corners of her eyes. "I'm out. I can't deal with you right now. I'm going for a run to clear my head and then hopefully I can remember why it is I love you. Maybe you can take that time to figure out if I mean anything to you or am I just some plaything that you can ignore until I can give you something you want. Get outta my way." With that Octavia was out of the door and she could cry it out as she ran.
She picked a path where she could let it out and hopefully no one else would see or hear her anguish. She knew she had been partly at fault, but at the heart of all of this mess was his lack of respect for her and her feelings and wishes. And it was far from the first time he had treated her like this. She had been home when this happened and he could easily have found her and talked to her before letting the paparazzi in. Now she wondered where she actually stood with him. Thorne was the love of her life, but does he see her the same way? He says he does, but how can you treat someone who is supposedly so special to you like this? Like their opinions, desires, and wishes don't matter. She was willing to compromise in certain circumstances, but how can you compromise if the other party doesn't ask to talk, they just go and do what they want. She had known Thorne had narcissistic tendencies when they met, and that Del Sol Valley was not a place that was likely to cure them. Had she been persuaded to ignore those traits by his charm or his other attributes? Or did she secretly think she could change him? She had no doubt that she still loved him, but she wasn't at all sure anymore if the feelings were truly reciprocal.
"Welcome to Plumbob Studios. You must be here for the auditions. May I have your name please?"
"Rayvn Nash. Yes, I'm here for my role in Judith Ward's new movie."
"Oh. Like I haven't heard that one before" the receptionist said with a dismissive sniff. She had seen her share of entitled wannabes strut through those double doors during the month she'd held this job while she waited for her own chance to become a superstar. "Alright I have you checked in have a seat and they will be with you shortly." 'Not that it's going to do you any good. Look at you. Honey you don't stand a chance in this town' she added under her breath as Rayvn took her seat in the waiting area.
"Rayvn Nash? Right this way please. If you would please take your spot in front of the large screen."
"There she is Rayvn" she thought to herself as she spotted the legend seated in the middle chair, flanked by the casting director and his assistant. "You've got this. This is your destiny."
"Excuse me, did you say something miss?" Judith asked frostily.
"Just psyching myself up, ma'am. Sorry." Rayvn flinched inwardly as that 'sorry' slipped off her tongue. She said to herself, "This is what mom was talking about, now don't blow it."
"Do not apologize. I would strongly advise anyone who thinks they're going to be in one of my movies to be at their absolute best. Do what you must to get there."
"I'm ready for this moment. I was born for this."
"Oh, is that so? Well Miss Nash since you're so full of yourself this morning let's see if you have the talent to back up that mouth" Judith said.
"I have it. My talent is bigger than my mouth, Judith."
There was a glimmer in Judith's eyes, subtle, but it was there, while a sneer formed on her face. Here was someone who has the belief that they were meant for greatness. And the temerity to stand her ground. Clearly this child could never be as great as she is, but there may be something here that she can work with and claim as another of her creations. There were a few highly acclaimed actresses who owe their stature to Judith Ward. "Very well. I want you to read the part of the Lady Desdemonia. Make me feel like you are a vampire goddess! It should be easy if you're half as good as you seem to think you are."
Rayvn was ready, with one last deep breath she was off and running.
In her mind she was no longer Rayvn Nash, or Ava Thomas, her real name. Instead, she was Lady Desdemonia. She was no longer in an audition room in modern day Del Sol Valley, she was in a crypt beneath an ancient Transimvanian castle, her coffin beside her. See could see the cobwebs in the corners. She could see herself in a pouffy, ruffled, victorian gown, the pale skin of her arms and chest showing.
In her imagination she could feel fangs and she could taste plasma on them and on her ruby red lips courtesy of her latest victim. Rayvn has always been blessed with a very vivid imagination and her mother helped her nurture that gift. Now it was all paying off as she threw herself into the moment and she became Lady Desdemonia, if only in her imagination.
The casting director was on the edge of his seat. His assistant was still sitting back in her seat mesmerized by the scene in front of her. As Rayvn pressed on, Judith who had been reading the part of Lord Draculis from her seat joined Rayvn.
They were both caught up in the moment. "Hey! Knock it off!" Judith said as she recoiled.
"Oops. I got carried away there."
"You think?" Judith said sarcastically. "I have to say that's the first time I've ever had someone try to bite my neck. Well, at least while we were both vertical anyway." Judith glanced around the room and saw the raised eyebrows and knowing smiles. The stories about her love life had made the rounds over the years. She cleared her throat and adjusted her blouse before continuing. "Anyway, Miss Rayvn Nash, I do believe your were right. You do possess talent. I'm not going to say you have the part, but you made a strong case for it. Even if you don't get the part, I would urge you to continue pursuing your acting career. We will be in contact soon. Thank you for coming."
With that Rayvn left the room, leaving Judith and the casting agents alone. "Before we give that girl the part I need to reread the script to make sure there aren't any scenes where her teeth are going to be anywhere near my neck. I swear if I hadn't said something she might have done it."
"Are you sure she's worth the risk? I don't need her ripping your throat out because she forgot she isn't actually a vampire."
"You don't need that? Your concern for the wellbeing of my throat is touching Zackary" Judith said, sarcasm dripping from every syllable.
"Yes she is totally worth the risk. She has the talent, the confidence, and I don't doubt she has drive. Those are qualities I admire. I want to see more, but she just might be my next project. I could do wondrous things with her. I'm sure I could make her the next Chloe Devereaux or Brianna Sinclair, maybe even better than they are."
"High praise. I hope you're right because if she is that good the studio will stand to make a fortune like we have with those two" said the casting director who was already dreaming of a new Porsche.
Outside, Rayvn paused in the shade to escape the Del Sol Valley sun. It was a day that was thankfully clear of the smog and haze that normally lingers in the daytime sky. Maybe it was a sign. Maybe it was just a coincidence. Either way Rayvn fished her phone out and gave her mom a call. "HI mom. My audition is over."
"How'd it go?"
"I think it went great. I almost ruined it, but I remembered your advice and after that everything was great."
"Oh? How'd you almost ruin it?"
"I was psyching myself up and got a little too close to the mic. Judith caught a bit of what I said, that I was born for this. I apologized out of habit for saying that. She told me to never do that and she had this look on her face that said she wasn't impressed."
"The part I was reading for is a vampire. You know how much I love vampire stories."
"That I do girl. You take after me when it comes to that obsession."
"So I imagined that I was a vampire and I poured everything I had into it. I had a bit of fun with Judith though. At the end I faked a lunge at her neck like I was so into the part that I actually thought I was a vampire. Her reaction was priceless."
"I can imagine. Well I won't keep you. Go enjoy the day, be careful baby girl, Del Sol Valley is just as dangerous as it is glamorous."
"I know mom. San Myshuno is just as dangerous and you taught me well how to look out for myself and how to stay safe" Rayvn said as she rolled her eyes. "Moms, they're all the same. Comes with job" she thought to herself.
"It's not just on the streets Ava, sorry, Rayvn. Things can get ugly and scary behind the closed doors in a movie studio office. Powerful men in a white collar office can be as predatory as any mugger. Look, I'm sorry baby, I don't mean to ruin your happy day. Good luck and I know you're going to get that part! I love you baby girl!"
"You're not ruining anything mom. I'm touched that you're worried about me but like I said you taught me well. I love you mom." She hung up and paused to look up at the sky before letting out a scream of happiness. Her head was still tilted back and she put her arms out and just spun in circles, doing a little dance all by herself. Any place other than Del Sol Valley or San Myshuno, and that display would have had passersby looking at her like she had six heads and all of them were foaming at the mouth. It was easy to see who were the newcomers and tourists, they were the only ones who turned to look. "This is a girls night out at The Orchid" Rayvn thought to herself. She texted her friends Tianna and Harley...
The sun was still loitering in the sky above Del Sol Valley when the crowds began arriving at The Orchid. It never closes and it never sleeps. There are two different crowds and vibes, day and night, but it is always a lively and welcoming environment. The night shift was getting fired up after work or simply after rolling out of bed at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Mimi and Ximena were in their dressing room getting ready for their show. Ximena was trying out a new wig she had found and fallen in love with. She wanted tonight to be perfect. It was her first as the star. She was hoping the set she had planned would be a showstopper guaranteed to bring the crowd to its feet and then bring the house down around them.
"Thank you Meem. I'm scared, God I'm so scared. I'm no stranger to being on stage but I've never been the headliner! It's taking everything I have not to run away."
"Look at me Ximena. Everything is okay hun. Give me a hug please" Mimi said.
As Mimi and Ximena held their embrace Mimi said, "I was in your stilettos once. It's always hard being the headliner. You're expected to deliver the goods every single time. Trust me though, you have everything it takes to be a superstar. Sweetie, if there was ever anybody who was born to do this it's you! You will be fabulous. You will be magnificent. You, my little glamazon, will have the crowd eating out of the palm of your hand."
"What would I ever do without you" Ximena said as she planted a kiss on Mimi's cheek.
"You'd slay in exactly the same way you will tonight. You don't need me to be who you were meant to be. You have a gift. All I am is a sister, a cheerleader, and a fellow traveler. You were born fabulous. That fabulous, beautiful human being" Mimi said as they tapped a long nail over Ximena's heart, "has always, always, been in here. It has been in you all along. She is you and you are her."
"What do you have planned for your finale?"
"Dua Lipa's 'Levitating' and Adele's 'Rolling In the Deep'"
"I love it, my superstar!"
While Mimi and Ximena were getting ready, the party was already getting off the ground. The night shift, staff and clientele alike, were piling in. When the sun sets the vibe and the beats from The Orchid transform into a seismic force. When The Orchid is on, and it's rare when it isn't, the earth moves under partygoers feet. The beats come alive.
It wasn't long before the sun gave up the fight and made way for the moon. With it the party really took off. And just like that it was time for Ximena's star turn.
"My lovelies, it is my sincere pleasure to introduce you to the star of tonight's show. She's no stranger. You know her, you love her, now welcome her as the star of the show she deserves to be, Ximena Rivera!
Levitating - Dua Lipa
Rolling In the Deep - Adele
"Thank you for everything you've done for me. If it wasn't for you I don't know if tonight would have turned out like it did."
"You're welcome, and yes it would have. The power isn't in me, it's in you. All I did was let you know it was there. You did all the hard work. I don't know about you, but I'm starving, let's go get something to eat shall we?"
Wow the receptionist😵 Break a leg, Ravyn! Haha she almost bit Judith, great acting. Looks like Judith is convinced. Love that Ravyn called her mother right after the audition. Very sweet, and her word of advice helped so much.
Mimi and Ximena look stunning! Great performance Ximena😁 Lovely words at the end Mimi, the powers in you Ximena❤️
http://www.getfreeebooks.com/star-trek-original-series-fan-fiction-trilogy/
uuh, interesting at Bailey Moon's... Thorne... ugh..
giggled to that texting part between Tianna and Ray
Sea may rise, sky may fall, My love will never die..
My heart, my heart, My drowning heart, Oh all the tears I've cried
Oh I may weep forevermore, My love will never die..
... and now my nominees for the Starlights...
For Worst Spouse - Thorne and Octavia jointly
For Best Diva
We'd like to thank all our contestants for their excellent efforts!
@simgirl1010
@Ellupelluellu
@luciusstorm
The idea for the receptionist came to me from stories you hear about the odd jobs wannabe actors take in hopes of being discovered while they're on the job. So I figured, ok, she answered the ad for a receptionist at the studio. Now she imagined that by the time the first coffee break rolled around on day one she would already have been discovered, which she wasn't. A month later, she still hasn't been discovered and she watches all these other beautiful young women and men coming in and out, every day. Now she's angry, disillusioned, and jaded. So I pictured her as the type that's going to be uber snarky.
I can't say for sure, but I feel like Thorne is going to really separate himself from the field and emerge as the sole front runner for worst spouse. Octavia does have work to do about her temper, but I feel like a lot of that stems from Thorne's behavior. She loves him, or she thinks she does, but he makes it difficult. I feel that way deep down she's conflicted and it bubbles over. We'll see how their relationship evolves.