Flower Power (cue: Ali)

[Ryan Avery]

Location: Derrybridge Academy
Month:April
Age of Characters: Ryan- 17, Ali- 16
Any additional info:

The thread is set at the school's Spring Ball.  It is held in the ballroom with the doors thrown open into the large and elaborate gardens that are in full bloom.  The teachers are there keeping an eye on the students, but students will still find places on the grounds to be alone.  

This is a semi-formal dance.  The boys wear nicer kilt suits (but not the strict formal sorts).   The girls wear tea length dresses.  Girls and boys exchange flowers for dances.  The small flowers are pinned on each others clothes.  The one boy or girl from each year with the most flowers at the end of the dance are crowned Lord and Lady of the Spring Ball.   They were awarded a day off school and a free trip to Newgrange to see a picture show and have a dinner at one of the nicer restaurants.


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Chad had graduated last year and Ryan had this year had  proved worse than ever in terms of Ryan's school record for fights and mischief.  A wake of trouble followed everywhere went and he had more fights than last year.  He liked them.  He picked them.  He took on boys bigger than he was.   Ryan wasn't necessarily a better fighter than most,  but he was getting quicker.  He was good at not getting hit, which in his mind was as good as being a good hitter.

Ryan and his friend were counting the flowers pinned to their shirts.  "Not enough," his friend Thomas muttered, "Not nearly enough."  A girl appeared and took Thomas back to the dance floor while  Ryan  did a second count of the flowers pinned to his shirt and vest.  The night was still early, but he already had more than a lot of the boys at the dance.  He was going to win this thing, he was sure of it.  He could feel the stares of girls on him even now.

Ryan had one of the better kilt suits, even of the informal variety.  He wore a black shirt and vest and a kilt in greens and black.   He knew he looked good in this and he knew the girls liked how he looked in it.  Sure there were a few girls that passed him an icy glare or a forlorn look.  Ryan had broken a few hearts by his third year at Derrybridge.  He was reckless with the girls' feelings and his reputation was already beginning.  By his last year of school, he would be voted most likely to be killed by a jealous husband in the school's yearbook.

The ballroom was crowded and Ryan had danced nearly ever dance, which was evident from the flowers now pinned all over his clothes.    He eyed Marcus Doyle across the dance floor.  He was in Alder House and Ryan's same year.  He was a tall, dark boy with a wide smile and deep voice.  The girls were flocking to him as the pattern of flowers on his dark blue shirt revealed.  

Ryan narrowed his eyes for a moment, as if he were about to dual the boy.  Marcus returned the dark gaze, but a girl suddenly appeared to pin another flower on the boy's shirt.  He smirked at Ryan and took to the dance floor.  

"Stupid ponce," Ryan muttered under his breath as he took a drink from the refreshment table and went back to stand at the edge of the dance floor.  This was a marathon of sorts.  Those prizes awarded to winner of each boy and girl from each year were coveted.  Many wanted to win.  You left this dance a winner or loser, but you left exhausted.   Ryan intended to win.  The boys didn't like Ryan much, but this would prove that the girls did--well, at least most of them.

Of course, not everyone wanted to win.  Ryan's friend Gil didn't really care.  He was busy trying to get with some girl he'd been eying in history class.  Others sought to find a way off the dance floor to the many secret places students liked to sneak off to when they wanted to be alone.

It wasn't long before Ryan had another flower and then another.  His cheeks glowed pink with all the dancing as he took his place at the sidelines for a moment, watching the swirling couples.  

[Ali Whitehorse]

Ali and her group of friends had been rather excited about this years dance.  Ali had not gone to the last two dances, last year because she had been struck with the flu and the year before because her Aunt had gotten remarried and made it for the same weekend, and she had been in the wedding herself.  The excitement had not subsided when the girls entered the room and immediately gushed over the beauty of the evening.  The fragrance of butterworts, Irish eyebrights, and golden samphires filled the entire hall as they were brought into the ballroom and spilled out into the beautiful garden. 

Ali had been dancing the night away.  She had several friends that she had promised to dance with, she knew as the night continued that her feet were going to be hurting.  Her sage tea length dress hugged at her figure but pushed out at the waist, her father had bought her the dress special for this occasion and she was to be sure to get the proper amount of use out of it, which mean she was not going to leave early this evening and be a wallflower.

The warm air had gotten to her.  The back of her neck was slick with sweat and her blond curls were sticking to her back as she lifted her hair in an attempt to cool herself down.  She stood on the outskirts of the dancefloor, smiling to several of her friends before her eyes looked around, studying those around her.  She had not even realized that she stopped right next to Ryan Avery.  Her breath held for a moment and her already flushed face felt like it was suddenly in flames.  She snapped her eyes away from him and tried to hide her sudden nervousness.  Her palms felt sweaty and she pushed them onto the fabric of her dress, wrapping her arms around her, though she was far from cold.  Her eyes were just a little brighter as she watched many friends dance.  Never before had she had such a crush on a boy, but she had it bad.  She had seen him on the polo field, watched him between classes and sometimes in shared classes and she felt always overwhelmed to speak, like silly things would spill from her lips.  So instead she became a mute, completely not her normal self.

[Ryan Avery]

The key to winning this game in the eyes of the other boys was not only to get the most flowers, but to do so with the cutest girls.  Asking the plain girls to dance might score you a win, but not a real win, not a legitimate win.  Everyone watched just who was dancing with whom and Ryan was going to win this in the all-around manner--meaning he'd win the title and he'd win in terms of the other boys' opinions.

Still, Marcus was neck in neck with him in terms of flowers.  He couldn't believe how well that stupid sod was doing.  If Chad were here they might have been able to devise some underhanded scheme to get the boy skipping down the losers path and singing as he went.   

That was not the case tonight.  Ryan watched incredulously as Kimberly Donovan strode over to Marcus and pinned a flower onto his crowded shirt.  Ryan had to work not to let his jaw hang open.  Hadn't Kimberly been eying him just yesterday at the edge of the polo field?  She was one of the most popular girls in his year.  That busted Marcus flower power up by ten in terms of boy approval of a win in this game.

Ryan needed more girls.  That's what he needed to right this.  He needed to win by a landslide now.  It couldn't be simple win.  It had to be a win that washed Marcus out of the running on a sea of pretty flower petals.

He couldn't ask a girl to dance, that meant losing a flower. He just had to get more girls coming his way. 

He felt someone brush up near him and he turned to see a cute blond girl in a green dress.  He didn't recognize her, but she smelled sweet and looked like a girl who might be worth some points on the boy scorecard.  Ryan turned toward her and worked up a very charming smile.  His smile was something the girls seemed to like.  It was as if it held a power over them, so he was learning to master different variations of it that he could call forward  to meet each situation.  Right now, it was bait.  He needed one of her pretty flowers.

[Ali Whitehorse]

Ali saw from the corner of her eye.  Ryan had turned and smiled towards her.  She couldn't really understand it.  She turned slightly, her eyes moving to his shirt.  Suddenly she felt the color wash over her face at seeing all the flowers on his shirt.  "You really like to dance."  She knew that was suddenly something very stupid, and she immediately shook her head, staring at the ground.  "I mean.  Look at all the flowers on your shirt."  She waved her hand slightly in his direction before carefully lifting her gaze back up to him. 

Well, she was talking.  She thought she should at least try to keep it rolling before the nerves took over her voice and she became mute.  "I'm Ali."  She said suddenly and thrust her hand out for him to shake.  "Your a very good polo player."  She added, which only fueled the redness of her cheeks.

[Ryan Avery]

Ryan was a pretty awful polo player.  He made up for it by being crazy on horses.  He took chances that others would not.  It didn't matter if he was bad, really.  He'd made the team and that was a big score in terms of girls.

"I'm Ryan," he called over the music, and looked down at his flower covered shirt. "Yes. Well, don't you? That's why we're here."  He didn't add in the parts about winning this bloody title and the day off school.  He glanced at large round clock on the far wall just over Ali's shoulder and then as his eyes lowered to the dance floor, there was stupid Marcus again with a new girl and a new flower.

The smile slipped off Ryan's face for a moment, but then it quickly sprung to life again and he looked the girl in the eyes.  He could almost hear the minutes ticking by.  He needed this girl to ask him to dance.  Why was she just standing there!  He couldn't afford to lose even one flower at this point.  Marcus was already at least three ahead of him.  

Ryan might be able to get all this girl's flowers if he played it right.  It was a bit of cheat in terms of how the boys would measure things, but Ryan was a desperate man.  He'd leave her flowerless and move on to his next target if he could just reel her in.  "That's a nice dress, " he said, letting his eyes sweep over her for a moment.

The clock was ticking.  Ryan watched the crowded dance floor and saw Jenna McKnight asking some boy to dance.  

"You look much better than Jenna McKnight."  It was the best thing he could think to say.  Jenna was one of the most popular girls in the year behind him, which he guessed this girl was.  "She looks like she got her dress at a thrift store in MacTavish Alley.  Probably on the clearance rack.  Why the hell is it all crooked like that?"    

[Ali Whitehorse]

Ali smiled.  "I know."  She looked away realizing she shouldn't have said that.  She didn't him to think she was stalking him or something.  That obviously wasn't the case.  She stared at the ground trying to get herself put back together.  "Yes I like to dance."  She agreed with him, trying to keep her mind moving forward and focus on things other than guy in front of her.  And just as she felt her breathing was back to normal and her palms weren't sweating he had to go and say something about her dress.  It was nice.  Polite.  Something every guy she danced with had said that evening.  She smiled politely lifting her eyes to him, but was thrown for a shocker when he brought up Jenna.  Her jaw literally fell open and for a moment she wanted to laugh and tell him to get glasses.  But she couldn't.  She was frozen, the burning heat engulfed her face and she let out a nervous laugh. 

"You.  You.  Would you like to dance?"  Her voice was higher than normal and breathless as her hands fumbled for a flower and handed it over to him. 

[Ryan Avery]

Ryan had to stop himself from snatching the flower from her hand. He had to work this right.  He tried a new version of his charming smile and stepped a little closer to her.  "Yes, I would."  He took up her small hand with the flower in it and held it lightly in his own.  His voice was soft and smooth as he leaned in to whisper in her ear,  "You can decide where to pin the flower on. I trust you."

He felt pretty smooth about that line, but when he drew back he noticed that the girl had an odd look about her. She looked flushed, maybe ill. The last thing he needed was some girl hurling on him.  He'd be ruined.  Maybe he needed a new target.
 
Too late.

The music was starting up again and partners were already hitting the floor, stupid Marcus among them, smiling right into Ryan's face as the music carried him past.  He swirled the pretty girl in his arm with extra flourish and Ryan had to work hard to not let the charming smile slip off his face.

He looked at Ali once more.  "Are you feeling alright?"  He had to know.  The image of vomit swirling across the dance floor from his dance partner was making him feel sick himself, but losing this contest was starting to stir that as well.

[Ali Whitehorse]

Ali felt a new wave of nervousness as his whispered into her ear.  She looked for an open spot an started to pin it on his shirt as the music started to play.  She looked out at all the dancers, smiling to many of her friends and shakily took his hand to walk with him out to the dance floor.  She just couldn't believe it.  She was going to dance with Ryan Avery.  Her face was still flushed with the heat, her body felt warm and she just hoped that her palms would not sweat anymore.  That would be very embarrassing to her.

Her head lifted to see Ryan looking at her and she nodded, laughing again nervously.  "Yes.  I feel great.  Just, a little warm."  It was the truth, her heart thrummed strong and healthy.  Her eyes looked at his handsome face and could smell him.  Her hands moved into his and she gave a nervous smile as she pulled him to the dance floor and started to move with him.

[Ryan Avery]

There were just so many flowers to be had at this dance and Ryan eyed the remaining flowers pinned on Ali's dress as he looked down at her and move on the dance floor.  Ryan was a pretty bad polo player, but dancing he could do.  He'd learned from a young age as most kids from the upper-class did.  Ryan took to it.  He was intrigued with the way bodies could move through space and when he danced, he controlled the girl in his arms.  That worked on a lot of levels.

Ryan had danced one of the young maids into the broom closet this past Summer and then she'd taught him other ways that bodies could move and come together.  She was three years older than him   He'd played with that maid all Summer while he'd also been working his case in the courts to gain control of his mother's estate, away from his lunatic stepfather who was wasting it away on drink and gambling.  

Ryan had won.  He'd then fired the maid.  He also took to bossing about the staff until Agnes put her foot down.  Then he written a letter to Chad, inviting him to come to see the horses he'd bought and offering him a job as stable manager.  It was the closest thing to an apology Ryan could manage.  

Had Chad been here now, the pair would have found a way for Ryan to win.   Ryan believed that.  But right now he was on his own and the music was starting to wind down and noticed Marcus edging nearer to him and Ali.  As the music ended, Ryan slowly let Ali go, leading her off the dance floor, but  Marcus followed like an annoying dog.  He plastered on what Ryan considered a ridiculous smile as he neared the girl.

"You're a friend of Colleen Whitefield, aren't you?"  Marcus was on one side of Ali and Ryan on the other.  Marcus briefly eyed Ryan, the smile nearly making Ryan want to rip off one of his flowers and shove it down Marcus's throat.

Marcus continued speaking to Ali.  "I noticed you sitting with her at lunch the other day.  She's a good friend of mine.  My family and hers are friends."

Ryan couldn't believe it.  Marcus was trying to steal these flowers right out from under him.  The music was starting again and couples were heading back out to the dance floor.

[Ali Whitehorse]

Ali felt like she was gliding on air.  She had never moved so gracefully in all her life.  Her partners before this had taken to stepping on her toes several times, and moving as best they can in many stiff movements.  But not Ryan.  He placed his hand on her back like a pro and glided her along like she had seen her grandparents do time and time again.  She felt so alive.  So excited.

And then the song ended.  Ali walked towards the edge of the dance floor, her face lit up in a bright smile when suddenly Marcus was in front of her.  Her eyes lit up looking at Marcus and then back to Ryan.

"Yes.  Colleen is a very good friend."  When he explained further she nodded.  "Oh.  Then you two have been friends for a very long time."  She smiled towards Marcus more politely.  "There she is."  She said suddenly pointing to her friend Colleen.  Colleen had had a growth spurt over the summer and had not yet been able to come to grasp with her long legs.  She looked a little reckless as she made her way in her heels towards the dance floor.  "You should dance with her Marcus."  She said, placing a very gentle hand on his arm.  "I think she'd like that."  Ali looked back to Ryan.  "I'm sorry.  Marcus, if you'd excuse us.  I'd like to steal Ryan for one more dance."  She smiled a little to Ryan hoping he'd say yes and not leave her standing there embarrassed.  She did not know where this brazen behavior came form, but oh had it suddenly arrived along with the creep of red up her neck.  "No one danced like that with me all night."  She smiled a little hopeful that he'd agree.

She noticed there were several girls that stopped, overhearing what she had to say and suddenly eying Ryan like a feast for the taking.

[Ryan Avery]

Ryan looked at Ali with a different sort of interest as she blurted out about what a good dancer he was. It brought some new attention his way, but most of the girls were already plucked.  He couldn't see a flower left among them.  The garden was getting pretty empty.   The girls still bearing flowers were the ambitious ones who were in the running to win.  They'd be trying to hold onto their own flowers now.

Ryan  looked over at Marcus with a satisfied smile now and took Ali's arm.  "Yes.  Colleen's over there."  He wanted to add, "Too bad she's all out of flowers," but he didn't want to lose his own prize with Ali.  She still had another flower to give away.

Ryan had been trying to count the flowers pinned on Marcus when they were talking, but he kept losing his place.  He needed to know how many more he needed.  The dancing contest would be over soon enough and then the party would mingle out in the gardens over snacks and punch while they announced the winner.  After that, the students would be herded back to their dorms for the night.

"So you like my dancing, do you?" he said as he brought her back onto the floor and twirled her into the music.  She was a pretty girl, delicate looking.  He wondered what she'd be like alone in one of those places the couples slipped off to at school to be alone; the bell tower, the closet on the 4th floor, the empty classroom near the greenhouses.  He wondered if she'd been to those places with a boy yet.  He let his hand slide a little down her waist as they went into the next turn.

When the music stopped, he was facing her and he pulled her a little closer and whispered in her ear, "Thanks for the dance."

One of the teacher's voices suddenly crackled over the speaker.  "This is the last dance of the evening.  Please choose a partner quickly and when the dance is over, step out to the back gardens for refreshments."

There were some hopeful girls hovering near Ryan now.  Ryan turned and checked each one.  There were some pretty fine girls in the lot, but they lacked the one thing he needed:  another flower.

Then Marcus and three other boys from the various years hovered near Ali, all eying that last flower she sported on her dress.  Even one of the first-year boys who looked a foot shorter than her was trying his best seductive gaze.

She had to choose.  The boys could not ask her, but the small one piped up, "You already danced with Avery twice.  He's cheating."

There was no hard and fast rule about this, but in the land of boys, it was a break in protocol.

"Shut up, you stupid little elf," Ryan retorted.

The music was gearing up already and boys crowded in a little closer to Ali.

 

[Ali Whitehorse]

Ali couldn't help but feel a little light headed as Ryan expertly twirled her out onto the dance floor.  Every nerve in her body exploded with excitement as she moved like a princess would.  She felt like the bell of the ball as she danced, her arms on Ryan, her eyes trying to not become lost in his.  She felt that heat again but tried to push it away, tried to keep herself cool, calm and collected, as if she were some chic that did this sort of thing all the time. 

"Well.  You are the first not to step on my toes.  But its more than that."  She sighed lightly, her eyes looked around them as he twirled her again, feeling him pull her back in and she grabbed hold of his shoulder just as she nearly hit.  The light nervous giggle that bubbled to the surface proved that her innocence was well in tact when he had pulled her in to whisper in her ear. She couldn't even speak, her voice caught in her throat as she kept her eyes to the floor and nodded.  "Thank you."  She finally mumbled though was sad that the night was coming to an end.  Finally, she plucked up the courage to ask Ryan Avery to dance, and this was going to be it.

She could see much prettier girls standing there, anxiously waiting to ask him.  And when her eyes turned, she noticed that she had a bit of a crowd herself.  Ali never had considered herself overly stunning and she felt her feet shuffling her backwards to see so many boys paying very close attention to her, and the flower on her dress.  She looked to Ryan, and then back to the boys in front of her.  There were many she knew, and even more she did not know.  She felt herself bump into someone.  She didn't know who it was but she gripped their hand.  For all she knew it could have been a teacher, but when she looked to see who it was she felt a mixture of fresh anxiety and relief. 

"I don't understand what he means"  Ali had never been in this position before.  Three years ago she couldn't remember the entire flower game that was being played and for the past two years she had not been at these dances.  Now she felt cornered and she did not like the anxiety that peaked and the claustrophobic feeling that was overwhelming her.  She blinked several times looked to Ryan for a bit of help.  "I can't dance with you more than once?"  She looked confused trying to keep her voice under control.  The song was already started and she knew she was losing her last chance to dance with Ryan.

"Even if I want to dance with you, one more time."  She blushed and looked away quickly but her hand still stuck tightly in his hand, she just felt like a piece of meat to the others and she didn't like it, not one bit.  "Maybe I should sit it out."  She mumbled feeling the fresh wave of nervousness hit her when she saw Kimberly Donovan staring at her as if she was about to slaughter Ali.

[Ryan Avery]

Kimberly Donovan was eying Ryan.  He'd heard some interesting talk about her and wondered if it was true.  She had a body that could stop a clock and usually left the boys who stood in the hall between classes nearly speechless in her wake.    And there she was, her gaze moving between seductive gazes passed at Ryan to death threats passed to this younger student who had ahold of his hand.

Kimberly looked like she'd be winning this thing.  Her dress was covered in flowers, but then Cynthia Moore from Gywdion house wandered over, her own dress covered in flowers.  She had a satisfied look on her face that she'd have the win all cinched up.

Kimberly eyed Ryan once more and offered Ali one more sour look before she stormed off, unwilling to lose the flower that might cause her to lose her win to Cynthia.

This Spring dance was tough business and not for the faint of heart if you wanted to win.  Good thing was, Ali didn't have a clue and had no ambition of winning.  She was a pawn in the chess game and Ryan had just checkmated his other opponents in this bid for the last flower.

"If you want to dance with me, the rules say you can.  I'd say the rules say you should."  He stood a little taller and stared into Marcus's eyes for a moment, the smile lighting Ryan's eyes.  He loved winning.

He waited for Ali to offer that coveted last flower.

[Ali Whitehorse]

Ali watched in complete shock as Kimberly stormed off, she spun her head to look at Ryan obvious on her face that she hated any sort of confrontation and preferred at this moment to be out gathering a refreshment.  The look of course haunted Ali and her body noticeably shook, she did not want to be on that girls bad side.  She looked back to Ryan, stunned that he was not affected by what took place, and he wasn't affected by the other boys standing so close to the two.

He acted like it was just them.  Or at least that is what she thought.  He reassured her that rules said she could dance with anyone she liked and if she wanted to dance with him, then she should do it.  Her eyes fell to her dress and that remaining flower.  She unpinned her last flower from her dress.  "I do not think they realize how cruel this game is.  There are better measures to win a day off besides means..."  She couldn't finish the statement, no word in her mind could fit what it was.  She didn't even know what to call this situation.  She looked to Ryan.  It had finally clicked.  Ali wasn't slow, but her naivety was blatant.  He'd stayed around for her flowers.  The way he looked at Marcus made it clear, he was not here for her.  He was here for that blasted flower.  She gently handed the flower over to him.  Careful to not prick him with the pin.

"You have your flower."  She said, the hurt evident in her eyes.  "You should go dance with Kimberly.  You both probably have won a day off together."  There was no smile, now sparkle in her usual green eyes.  She stood there, now realizing just how stupid he must think she was, and how long it took her to catch up. 

[Ryan Avery]

Ryan's face faltered for a moment.  He'd not expected such a reaction from the younger girl.  In his mind. this was all a game.  No harm. No foul.  Just a competition that needed to be won and he would take it.

She was gone before he could say anything and he shrugged at the group of boys and pinned the flower on.  He didn't need to dance with anyone and Kimberly was swallowed up in the crowd anyway.  

When the music ended, the students moved in mass through the large double doors out to the gardens.  They were sweaty and tired, but chatted happily and eyed one another to see how stood out as likely winners.  

Ryan regrouped with his friends Thomas and Gil who were not looking like winners at all.  They shoved at Ryan and laughed as they counted up his flowers.  "You've got it, mate.  You must.  Look at you!" Gil's voice was envious but amused.  

Professors were making their way through the crowd and taking up the count of all the finalists which they brought to the judges and then to the announcer.

Ryan and his gang were third-year students.  Whispers began at age 13 and ended at 17.  There would be winners for each year and they always began with the first year students.  Professor Cloverfield had taken her position at the front of the gardens where a small stage had been set for students to come up and claim their prize tickets if they won.

Cheers went up as years' one and two had their winners announced.  Ryan stood with his arms crossed in front of him and Marcus standing a few feet away with his crowd.  

"The winner of for the third year girls is Kimberly Donovan."

A round of cheers from the boys went up and Kimberly sauntered up to collect her prize, turning briefly  to offer her "fans" a practiced humble look.  Her eyes stopped on Ryan as she moved back through the crowd and she smiled a mischievous smile that nearly stopped his heart in his chest.  Ryan could see a dozen dirty pictures in his mind centered around this girl and places they could sneak off to when the picture show was playing.

"The winner for the third year boys is Marcus Doyle."

Ryan's imagination screeched to a stop as his head snapped to look at Marcus.  Marcus was shouldering past him on his way to collect his prize.   "You lose," he whispered as he passed by.   The sound of cheers from Alder House went up for their classmate and Kimberly was suddenly fixing her gaze on Marcus.

~End of Thread~

[Story Managers:]

[Story Manager][Staff][Writer][New Applicant]
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Story Managers: Ryan Avery, Hannah Winter
Staff: Ali Whitehorse, Agnes Croft, Sabrina Mayfield

AFFILIATES:

Welcome to Finton Hollow

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[Our Timeline]

Our Timeline:

1969

We are currently roleplaying in the months of July and August in Finton Hollow.

Highlights for these months:

July is hot and rainy.  Lots of evening thundershowers.

August brings the First Harvest Holiday.  Read about it in our Traditions Forum.