(Untitled)

[bennet_beauty]

It was only fitting, Jane believed, that she would hold this party upon such an eventful day. Five years ago, she had arrived upon the island and her whole life had changed. She was no longer the young girl that she had once been and was no longer trapped in the confines of a time when her options were greatly limited. Though the date coincided,

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[lucked]

"Seriously, I don't know why any of us even try," Claire cries out in exasperation as soon as she's spotted Olive, rolling her eyes as she walks on over, quickly crossing her arms to give a look of disapproval. Even if she isn't able to completely concentrate on the party, nor on anyone there, it isn't for lack of trying. If there's anything that the past few months have taught Claire, it's the fact that there really isn't time to waste, that there isn't time to dwell. The entire island seems to suffocate her from every side, but the very least that she can do is try and enjoy it all as much as possible for as long as she's able.

Walking over and wearing a simple white dress accented with an intricate gold necklace, Claire allows her gaze to brush over Olive a couple times more, trying to avoid the slight hit of insecurity that she takes straight in the stomach. (It's not that she thinks that her appearance is anything worth being worried about, but still, it's hard not to compare

[floozyfacade]

"Shut up," laughs Olive, batting a hand at Claire without actually getting anywhere near her. "God, you're gorgeous, it makes me sick. I'm just flashy, you, you are beautiful, okay?" She can't pretend she actually minds Claire's compliments. While she has a fairly healthy ego and tends more toward confidence than not, it certainly never hurts to hear (and, admittedly, even more from someone who isn't Eduardo, because she loves him, but he's as biased as it's humanly possible to be, though that doesn't keep her from enjoying it every time he tells her she's beautiful). Given how much time she put into finding the right dress, too, it's difficult not to revel in knowing she chose right

[lucked]

"I'm not sure that nausea-inducing gorgeousness is the way to go," Claire admits with a skeptical raise of her brow, although it isn't long until she breaks out into giggles, unable to keep an entirely straight face around Olive most of the time to begin with. There's something that's always been easy about their rapport, never heavy-handed, yet always able to focus if need be. It's the sort of thing that Claire never was quite able to find back home- of course, the cheerleaders were all too happy to talk about dresses, about lip gloss color, about boys, but the difference always seemed to be that there was an element of competition to it, where a girl had to watch out for herself, and so rarely had the opportunity to bolster her friends in the process. With Olive, there's no competition. Just support.

Claire's finding that she prefers it that way.

"Besides, uh, the historical accuracy of a color doesn't seem like it should weigh that heavily. Also? We have awesome lighting, so any benefit I might get from standing out, now it goes

[floozyfacade]

"Oh, I'm not worried about getting rewarded for my toil," Olive says wryly, glaze flickering away, though it comes back even before she manages to spot Eduardo. An arm wrapped around her waist, she grins, a dry thing, and narrowly manages to avoid saying he's the one who'll have to work for it with all the lacing up the back of her dress. It's strange, knowing she's the experienced one in a friendship (it reminds her, briefly, of Rhi, and how that was never the case there, of all the trouble that came from caring if she were superior or inferior when things should just have been equal. She never has to fight Claire for attention, never has to worry about whether or not the other girl will hear what she's saying, and the relief comes with an equal measure of guilt for thinking ill of her best friend when she's not even here to defend herself

[lucked]

Claire feigns a little gasp at Olive's initial suggestion, although it's not something that the blonde plans on making a big deal out of. The fact that Olive's gone a lot further with Eduardo than she has with Chris doesn't really bother Claire, doesn't put any pressure on Claire herself. It's just fact. She's not really worried about Olive being responsible in that respect- if anything, she feels like she'd be more likely to slip up, if she began heading in that direction with Chris, but that's a bridge she doesn't think is worth crossing until the situation's immediately at hand. But it does serve as a decent point to rag on and tease about now and again, so she raises her brow with a slightly wicked expression, before shrugging it off like nothing has been said at all

[floozyfacade]

"Oh, risqué is over-rated," Olive says. Speaking as someone who spent two weeks in corsets and hot pants, I know. For one thing, that stuff has a way of riding up where it really shouldn't. I don't understand how anyone does that routinely. She grins, shoulders shimmying slightly. It's always a little weird, given that Chris is a friend of hers, but as long as they're happy together, she can ride out knowing things about him, especially since it's not like there's terribly much to know yet. By the time there is, she'll probably be used to it, and anyway, it's not her comfort with their pace that's important here.

"You know, it's... it's more about subtlety, I think," she says. "Like, a keep 'em guessing thing." At which I've failed completely in recent weeks. Actually, for a long time. A long, long time. "But he'd be crazy not to appreciate you whatever you wear, you are stunning, woman. It is a nice look, isn't it? I don't know if I'll ever get used to it." When boys looked at her at home, after all, they weren't looking at her,

[lucked]

Claire huffs a little laugh as she watches Olive shimmy. It's true that in spite of Olive's look, there are times when she comes off as playful, even somewhat of a goof, but always in a way that seems so effortless and confident besides. She does suspect that part of it is thanks to the island itself, which surrounds them with an altogether positive community, a community hell-bent on holding fast and making the experience as positive as can be for one another. But it's hard to tell at a quick glance. Olive's just got something about her, Claire thinks, which definitely draws other people in. Her lips quirk in amusement as Claire shifts her weight from one foot to the other, turning slightly, feeling pretty solidly like the younger of the two. Which is okay. Acting her age has always been something Claire's been comfortable doing around Olive, in a way that she never was around Jackie