OCRP - Delia

 "Damn, I wanted to be your first friend here," Delia fretted when she found out the old gang had beat her to Lizzie and Cole's.

"Oh, you're so funny. You helped me at the library. I think you beat them." 

She invited Delia in. Evidently, Cole was at an interview, at the library no less. Someone had to replace Ezra.

"It's just, I don't really have that many friends."

Delia made herself at home on the couch. She looked around. Of course, Dakota had never invited her over.

Liz brought her a mug of tea and sat down as if she was ready to give Delia her full attention.

"You've been a big help," Liz told her and thanked her for putting in a good word for Cole. Of course, he'd never had a real job, but he did know the Dewey decimal system.

"You could be staying at my place," Delia paused with a sip of tea. It was a lovely mix of orange and cinnamon. "Except, it's mainly a storage place now, for my dolls."

"Your dolls?"

Delia nodded. "I was an only child, and there were always my dolls to play with." She giggle but then sucked in a breath. "You don't think I'm crazy do you?"

"No, of course not." Liz's smile was open and she was so receptive. Delia couldn't help but giggle more.

"I'm not gonna lie, there was someone I fell for at first sight, but I hate him to bits now."

Delia waited for Liz to respond, but she only nodded with another sip of her tea. 

"And well, since he wasn't going to give me the time of day, I thought he might notice when I started dating his friend."

It was hard for Delia to look at Liz. She looked around the livingroom thinking it needed something, but she wasn't sure what.

"How do you feel about his friend now?"

"Possibly, it was fate, you know." Delia grinned from ear to ear.

"You're such a romantic at heart," Liz smiled back as if she adored that quality in Delia.

"Han, doesn't have a real job either," was her only complaint. "But his folks have money, and you know, we have plenty of time to play."

"Play?" Liz asked, but surely Liz knew what she meant.

"Oh, come on, do I have to spell it out?"

Liz nodded as if she understood.

"We're really quite newbies." She wouldn't go into details about how she'd brought home (Han's home) an old art book, THE ART OF MAKING LOVE, and how they'd tried a few positions, only sometimes it felt like Twister instead. "What about you and Cole?"

"Oh, we're just friends," Liz responded. "Good friends."

"You mean-" Delia found herself in a question she shouldn't ask. "I-I'm happy with Han. Really, it's just I did a bad thing." Suddenly, she nursed her bottom lip.

"Like what?" Liz put her tea on the coffee table. She sat with her legs crossed in her tunic and old jeans.

"Well, I was supposed to get this life-sized doll, but I couldn't explain it to Han. He wouldn't understand." She shrugged.

"I'm sure he knows your love of dolls."

"I don't think he would. I spent far too much." Delia sighed. "I decided I would send it to someone I hate very much now."

"Oh."

"And he hasn't said a word about it."

Delia found herself pushing the palms of her sweaty hands on the tops of her thighs. Would it all come back to haunt her someday?

OC RP - Liz

 Liz felt blind sighted, perhaps with Cole. She knew Ben hated him with delight, but he'd spoken the truth about her bartending friend Ben.

As close as they were at one time, she felt she'd never be Ben's pride and joy. He didn't want kids. Actually, it was quite a sad story, how Ben knew his dad didn't want him, and how, in fact, he knew his Dad had to be his uncle. It made him mental occasionally, and Liz was certain he could never quite seffice with her even if he said he would.

She'd quit her job at the law office. She was just a receptionist. And she had a feeling they were phasing out those kinds of jobs these days, anyhow, so it was no biggie when she left.

So she'd taken a chance with Cole. Possibly a fish out of water who wasn't sure how to swim upstream, but here they were at his sister's.

"She's just my step-sister." He acted as if he didn't need her company, but it was plain to see he did.

"Its OK, she's still family. You need to treat her well. She didn't have to put us up at her place." 

Liz made sure to clean up after herself and Cole, too. She dried a dish and put it away. They were alone now. Dakota went to her boyfriend's, who lived in the building.

Still, she could see that Cole was very disappointed. Especially with Mumzie. He went on about his mother as if she were the worst. Liz had laughed early on. Who called their mother Mumzie? Supposedly, she was from London, but Liz hadn't noticed an accent when they visited. She knew his mom thought he was old enough to be on his own. Liz knew he'd never managed a budget and was likely not going to.

Before she could tell him about her resume, which she had sent out on a local job listing, there was a knock on the door. 

"We're friends of Dakota's."

A blond girl named Fiona brought a goodie box of snacks and soups, while Frankie brought hygiene essentials. Fiona's boyfriend Matty came with a pot of chicken carbonara. 

Fiona laughed that she couldn't cook, "But he always surprises me."

It was good to have company. After all, Liz was a bit lost in New Jersey. In her wildest dreams, she never imagined being in Ocean City.

It's a Mix!

 Strawberry Switchblade -- Since Yesterday

Jumping Someone Else's Train

Strawberry Switchblade - Dance (David Jensen Session)

Dreams Never End (2015 Remaster)

Strawberry Switchblade - Trees and Flowers (Peel Session)

Well I Wonder (2011 Remaster)

Go Away

Monkey Gone to Heaven

Strawberry Switchblade - Who Knows What Love is - The Keith Harris Show - 11 05 1985

Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want

OC RP Dakota

 Where had January gone? Honestly, Dakota didn't know how to be home alone anymore. Life was better at Nav's. She didn't know why. She smiled all over when she thought of him and spicy dinners they sometimes ate right out of the pot. Oh, to have so much with so little.

Now she felt lost in her apartment, not sure where to put her undies. She sighed; she was missing something. There was something she was supposed to do.

Her bed was made. Nice enough for company. She stared at it for a moment, realizing Nav had never slept here. Was that it? She needed him to come over. She shook the thought as she touched her chapped lips. Winter lips, she supposed.

She cringed at the idea of the cold. Winter was never forgiving. Yes, she should do something. Something sweet for Nav. However, a knock came to her door, and she was stunned to see who it was. 

"How did you find me?" She winced as she hugged herself. No way would she give that wayward step-brother of hers a hug. 

"It wasn't easy," he shrugged. He had someone with him, and he pulled her in as if she might be his bugger. Of course, she was a skinny little thing, wobbly with those Bambi eyes.

"God, really Cole? Is that all you have to say?" Dakota heard her big sister's voice then. It wasn't like her to be so rattled, but Cole certainly could push her buttons the wrong way.

"We..we need a place to stay."

"Seriously?"

He told her Lizzy was from California.

"Well, it's crowded there, but surely-" Dakota began, but soon realized she was talking to weary travelers who'd just traveled across the states. She told them to sit down. She'd find something for them to eat. She got out the last of her generic sodas and sliced up some cheese and crackers.

"What happened?" She watched the girl as if maybe he'd kidnapped her.

"I was so in hopes Mumzie would have been more understanding." Cole's worried look made him a bit fragile. All he'd ever done was to go to one prep school after another. It felt so familiar to Dakota, but she didn't feel the need to keep in touch. They weren't even related.

"You know, she never liked me." Dakota felt Cole was on his last straw. 

"Look, I'll ask around," Dakota said. She wasn't sure she could help, but at least she could give them lodging tonight.