Caroline Forbes (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
vampire_barbie_girl) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
undergrounds2016-10-07 10:28 pm
vampire_barbie_girl) wrote in undergrounds2016-10-07 10:28 pm
Entry tags:
Happy Birthday, Caroline! [Night of Oct 10]
1. Getting ready for the party (for Thomas)
To say Caroline was excited about her birthday would be an understatement. Especially because this was one of those important sounding birthdays, twenty-one. Nevermind that she was in the UK now, where the drinking age was eighteen. It was still a big deal, or at least it felt like it.
She'd been trying on clothes for the last fifteen minutes or so, before finally settling a cute black and gold outfit that was sexy but in a more grown-up way.
For a moment, she wondered what her mother would think of it. She smiled sadly at her reflection before turning her focus to the clock. It was about time for Thomas to arrive to do her hair. She couldn't wait to see what he came up with.
2. Get the Party Started (Open)
Caroline had decided on a pool hall in Haringey as the location for the party, since it seemed like a good, neutral place. She'd basically invited everyone she'd met in London, which mainly included some co-workers (the ones who weren't working tonight), neighbours, and a number of vampires who she was fairly confident wouldn't be snacking on the other guests.
All and all, she was fairly satisfied by the turnout. It made her feel like this London life of hers might actually work out for the best. And so she started making the rounds, smiling at each familiar face she saw - and a few unfamiliar ones too because the more, the merrier.
3. Sorry I can't hear you, I'm kind of busy (Open)
The party has been going for awhile when Caroline heard her phone beeping, alerting her to a text message. She froze for a moment when she saw the notification. It was from Stefan.
Of course he would pick today to end the months long silence. She put her phone away without reading the message, then headed over to the bar for another drink. She wasn't sure how many she'd had at this point but after that, she definitely needed another.
[Feel free to join the party even if your character doesn't know Caroline well enough for an invite, everyone's welcome]
Open to Anyone
Unfamiliar with the place Caroline picked, Gwen shows up in a simple but elegant sheath dress, something she thought would work in either a casual or upscale place. She intends to find the birthday girl straight away and wish her a happy twenty-first. After that, well…pool is not something with which Gwen has had any experience, so she will probably stay off to the side, drink in hand, watching others play.
Aside from the birthday girl, she doesn’t know anyone, but she’s hoping to change that. If Caroline found these people worthy of an invite, hopefully she’ll get along with them as well (and maybe even lay the groundwork for a new friend while she’s at it).
Whenever she sees a friendly-looking face, she’ll approach with hand outstretched.
“Hi! I don’t think we’ve met yet. I’m Guinevere. Are you here for the birthday celebration as well?”
no subject
"Beautiful name- Guinevere. I'm Nancy- yeah, friend of Caroline's." She could say that now, they'd run into each other on a few occasions, and she'd gotten an invitation. She was newly free, and it would serve her right, she was realizing, to get herself more friends.
"How d'you know her, if you don't mind me asking?"
no subject
“Thank you! And it’s nice to meet you, Nancy.”
Receiving a compliment on her name is always such a pleasant surprise and so much better than being asked if she spelled it the ‘weird’ Welsh way. (Such a stupid question.)
“Oh no, I don’t mind at all. Although, it’s not really an interesting story,” she says with a smile and a shrug. “Basically, we ran into each other on the street a few times, started talking, and just hit it off. I’d say it didn’t hurt that we’re both fairly new to London and still trying to fit in.”
no subject
Nancy lets out a small 'hmm', nodding. "Has a way of happening, doesn't it? Where're you from, originally, then? I know she's American." Nancy was born and bred in the East End of London, her cockney accent only ever intensifying with drinking.
no subject
“Cardiff. Not quite so far away as America.” And yet London is still nothing like home.
Not wanting to possibly bore Nancy, she doesn’t bother offering more detail than that, though her accent does betray an affluent upbringing.
“What about you?”
The question is vague on purpose. However Nancy wants to interpret it–-as a inquiry about the area she calls home or how she met Caroline--is fine with Gwen.
no subject
She'd guessed somewhere in Scotland, but Cardiff itself, well. She knew a high-class accent when she heard one. But she doesn't hold it against her.
"Oh- London, by way of Saffron Hill." Hardly anywhere to brag about. She had no idea, really, where she was born, but she guessed her mother had lived in the East End as well. But who knew- for all she knew, her mother could have been an American.
"Unless you mean how I met Caroline- I met her once on her break. Turns out my boyfriend knows her, as well." She shrugs. It was great that Cooper had friends that weren't her. And that Cooper had female friends, too. Lord knew how many male friends she had.
no subject
“Such a weird coincidence, both of you meeting her independent of each other like that!”
For a large city, London could be such a small world at times. And Caroline must be a very special woman indeed to have so many people willing to make time for her despite still being strangers relatively speaking.
“You mentioned meeting Caroline on her break. Was that while inside Rhapsody in Red?”
Gwen’s very interested in whatever she can learn about the club, which she intends to visit but with some trepidation given its location in vampire territory.
no subject
"Yeah- it's a great little bar. She's great, you should hear her set at some point." Nancy wasn't in any sort of trouble, really now, when she walked in vampire territory. Being the girlfriend of the Marquess of Hackney really did have it's benefits.
no subject
She lets that go without further comment. The real reason for the violence isn’t common knowledge outside of the supernatural community, so she figures it best to be vague (not realizing that Nancy is well aware of what’s been going on).
“But I won’t let that stop me from supporting a friend.” She perks up. “And I have to admit, I’m really excited to watch her perform. Almost everyone I know is either a member of law enforcement or works in education like me. Being a night club singer is positively dazzling in comparison.”
Re: Open to Anyone
Though acquaintance might have been the more accurate term, since he'd only met her recently at a bar, he figured if she liked him enough to give him an invite, she liked him enough to consider him a friend.
"And you are?"
no subject
And it truly was. Goodness, what an attractive man!
“Me? I’m just another friend, here to wish Caroline a happy twenty-first.” Gwen smiled. “Actually, we haven’t known each other all that long, so I suppose this sounds a bit odd, but I already feel like we’ve become rather close.”
As further explanation, she added, “I think it helps that we’re both in a similar situation: trying to build a new life in London.” She titled her head. “Judging by your accent, I assume you’re fairly new to the city as well?”
no subject
It seemed that all three of them were in a similar situation. Perhaps that's what drew them together. "I am. I'm from Chicago. I haven't known her too long, either, but I guess running into another American who's not just here as a tourist is a nice change of pace, and she's fun to be around."
He didn't know her too well, but throwing an awesome party was definitely a great way to shape some early perceptions.
no subject
Gwen had only relocated a couple hundred kilometres north and yet the homesickness could be awful at times. Moving all the way across the pond wasn’t something she could even imagine doing.
“You’re such a long way from Chicago. I hope I’m not prying too much, but I’m curious: what made you choose to live in London?”
no subject
Especially since by 'father' he meant 'sire', so he literally had to go along with anything he said.
no subject
Guinevere was both incredulous and intrigued. While she didn’t know Thomas’ true age, he certainly looked old enough to make his own decisions about where to live. Then again, something about the way Thomas presented himself suggested that he also enjoyed the finer things in life. Money--especially family money--could be very persuasive. Perhaps that was why he’d followed along.
“Did he make you an offer you couldn’t refuse?” she teased.
Gwen didn’t actually suspect him of being part of a mafia family, but she couldn’t help using that line given that he came from Chicago, a place with a reputation for breeding gangsters.
no subject
Because while as his sire, his 'father' might be willing to let him buy whatever he wanted on his dime, that would only remain true for as long as Thomas was doing what he wanted.
no subject
Her playful mood evaporated in the face of his matter-of-fact response.
"That's...terrible. And terribly unfair." She shook her head. "But I can empathize."
Guinevere's father could never threaten her financial stability. She had her own money: the inheritance from her mother and that which came to her upon Leontes' death. However, there were other family expectations that controlled her actions.
"Where I live is up to me. Who I marry, on the other hand..."
Marriage to a respectable wolf has always been the only family-approved choice on the table.
"If I settle down with the 'wrong' man, I'll likely be disowned by my entire family. I know that's also not fair, but I can't risk losing them by fighting it."
Was it truly can't or simply won't? From where she currently stood, the distinction made no difference.
no subject
Okay, so that was a term that was more frequently used when talking about individuals a vampire had sired (which was what he was actually talking about here), but Thomas figured it was still somewhat ambiguous. Sort of. Since he didn't know what sorts Caroline had invited, he didn't know if everyone here would know she was a vampire, so he figured it was best to not directly say anything that was too obvious.