just keep [ S W I M M I N G ] *// open?!

[KARISSA NATALIA MANCUSO]

Karissa was sitting here lounging on the shore of the Black Lake. She had her eyes closed. The sun felt great on her face. Yes, it was September, but that didn't mean that she couldn't still go swimming. But at the moment, she didn't want to swim. She just wanted to sit here and work on her tan. Because after all, what was she if she didn't have a tan? Nothing. She had slacked on tanning all summer. Besides, she needed to be tan in order to have control. All of her looks needed to be perfect, whether it was her hair or her skin. Seriously, if Karissa put her hair up in an updo and one little hair was out of place, she either had to fix it or got frustrated and let it down. However, with years of practice at her hands, that rarely happened. It happened more in her first year than anything, though. She didn't know how important looks were up until her second year, though.

Now, though? Now she cherished her looks. She needed them to survive. If she didn't have her looks, she didn't have anything. Nothing. Zero, zilch, nada.

Karissa could feel herself starting to burn, so she sat up and pulled sunscreen out of her bag. When she opened her eyes, they took a while to adjust to the new light. She didn't wear sunglasses. Do you have any idea how bad of a tan line she would get from them? She would have insanely weird tan lines, that's how bad it would be. She rubbed her eyes and looked around. She thought that there would be at least a couple of other girls here, working on their tan. She shook her head and started to put on sunscreen. After that, she stretched and stood, feeling the need to walk. Her blue and gold bikini showed off her curves in all of the right places, which was why she was hoping that there would people here to envy her. She walked into the water and bent down, gathering water into her hands and splashing into her face so that she could cool down.

She looked back to the shoreline and noticed somebody was coming. Yes! Finally. She wasn't sure she could bear the loneliness any longer. She needed some compliments, and fast.

NOTES -- please join? shitty post, i know D:
OUTFITS -- this
WORDS -- three nine zero.

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[annabella zoraida rosenberg]

keep trying, keep fighting
that's easy for you to say
but i feel like crying

Annabella was easily bored, especially when lessons hadn't even started and there was no homework. Even at home, when she had her various Muggle devices to pass the time, it was easier to stave off the boredom, and that was including the many parties and dinners that she was forced to attend. Apparently, she was now old enough to be introduced to her father's friends' sons. Good to know. Maybe she should tell him that she wanted to meet some of his friends' daughters. What kind of reaction would that get? She shuddered. So not worth it. Maybe she'd keep it for when they were arguing.

She had played Gobstones, Wizard Chess, Exploding Snap (she hadn't lost a hand – or an eyebrow – yet) and Miniature Quidditch with someone's new board. All of them were fine for a while, but she tired easily of doing the same thing over and over again. She supposed she could try to find Jared, but he could have been anywhere, and if she was going to embark on that quest, she would have to go prepared. Pulling a rucksack out of her trunk, Annabella stocked up. A drink (not strictly legal, and in a flask), some snacks (all legal, but some slightly disgusting), a pack of cigarettes, a light jacket, a bikini and, of course, her wand. The latter didn't go into the bag, but instead into her back pocket.

Slinging one strap over her shoulder, Annabella thought about tying her hair up, but decided against it. It wasn't windy, and it wasn't hot enough for the thickness of her hair to bother her. Pulling at her worn clothes, she shrugged. She wasn't going to change into anything fancy. She was only trying to find Jared, after all. Plus, she was comfy. Rolling her eyes and sighing, readying herself for a long search, Annabella left her room and walked through the common room, not acknowledging anyone, as they all ignored her. The first stop was the Grounds. It was a nice day, but it was daylight, so he wouldn't be at the Forbidden Forest. Maybe the Lake? Changing her course only slightly, Annabella headed to the lair of the Squid.

A girl lounged on the ground, sun bathing, by her apparel, and without checking to see if she knew the girl, she called over to her. “Hey! Have you seen a tall guy with messy hair and a cheeky grin?” As she got closer, her heart sank. Damn it. A Slytherin. Whatever. Making a face, Annabella sat on the grass about ten metres away. “Never mind.” Chuffing in annoyance, Annabella took off her backpack. He could find her for once. It was quite nice out here, actually, if you ignored the company.

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word count: 459
tag: Karissa/open
date: 1st September 2022
outfit: click here
music: Les Miserables
notes:

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[KARISSA NATALIA MANCUSO]

As she stood in the shallow waters of the black lake, Karissa stared back onto the shore. It was a blonde with long hair. God damn, it was a girl. Well, that completely ruined her plans for getting compliments. Unless it was one of those younger suck-up Slytherins who wanted to get into her clique or become one of her best friends. Oh gosh, those types of girls were pathetic. But, they were also quite flattering. After all, if they cared enough to give Karissa compliments, then she would talk with them for a while. Perhaps she wouldn't be the nicest person, but she would sure as hell thrive in the limelight. It was almost impossible for Karissa to be in the spotlight and not toot her own horn. Only modest people did that, and Karissa was far from being modest. Actually, she was quite the opposite; conceited, self-centered, self-absorbed. Was it bad that she wasn't afraid to admit that and had known that since she was ten years old?

Karissa dipped her hands into the water again and rubbed the coolness on her arms before she got out of the lake and walked back over to her towel, drying of her legs before she sat back down on it. She sighed and laid back, before she had heard the girl's voice ask if she'd seen some guy. Pfft, if she'd seen some guy, she'd be with him right now, wouldn't she? Yes, she would. As much as she wouldn't care to admit it, she'd probably be all over any guy that came by, even if it was a Gryffindor. She shuddered at the thought; god, what was she coming to? She wouldn't be all over some random Gryffindor. Maybe, maybe she would be all over a Ravenclaw just in order to get him to do her homework or something, but not just to be all over him. She wasn't that desperate for compliments. Oh no, not at all. She wasn't a groveler. That just wouldn't do.

Karissa sat up on her elbows as the girl sat down. She looked her up and down; it was Rosenberg. Karissa didn't know her too well, but she knew that she was in her year and was best friends with that one Ravenclaw guy. Honestly, Karissa thought that the two should just fuck and get it over with. After all, what was the point in having a guy friend if you didn't at least flirt? Karissa shook her head and glared over at Rosenberg. "Oh, you mean that guy that you stalk like, twenty-four seven? Nope, haven't seen him." she said, then leaned her head back and let her face soak up the sun. "Is he smart? I might just need to be nice to him to get him to do things for me, if you know what I mean." she said, raising her eyebrows and shrugging. Karissa looked back over to the Rosenberg girl to see her reaction. "Hell, Lord knows if you don't jump his bones, then someone will, preferably me." she said, a little giggle after her sentence.

NOTES -- hot damn ! uhmm, shortish? D:
OUTFITS -- this
WORDS -- uhm, you can count, right?

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[annabella zoraida rosenberg]

keep trying, keep fighting
that's easy for you to say
but i feel like crying

There wasn't anything in particular that told Annabella that there was fun to be had in the Grounds, but she had learned from a young age to trust her hunches. Normally, she didn't pay much attention to her gut. The only reason she had today was because she was bored, and she had nothing better to do. Occasionally, her instincts led her on a merry chase, and although it would have been a welcome distraction from the paralysing boredom of the Hufflepuff common room, she wasn't really in the mood to make tracks around the whole of Hogwarts. Plus, she if she kept moving around, she was a lot more likely to miss Jared, because he was probably doing the same thing. He was as easily distracted as she was, so there was a good chance he was already sniffing around looking for her.... Or eating.

She smiled at the view of the lake, and had decided moments before she realised who was at the shore that she was going to sit down and look at the panorama for a while, and then maybe read a little. The girl there gave her reason to change her mind, and she considered it for a small moment, but rejected the thought. If she let a Slytherin push her around, dictate what she was doing, especially without even speaking, she was no better than the Hufflepuff stereotype, the very image that she was trying to get rid of (for the benefit of her house, of course). Sitting far enough away from the brunette that she'd have enough reaction time if the girl pulled her wand, Annabella realised she recognised the Snake. Karissa Mancuso. Everyone knew her, but very few actually liked her. Some pretended, so they didn't get hexed, or crossed from the vaguely popular list of people that was allowed to speak without pissing her or her henchmen off. Some actually appeared to like her, but they were typically Slytherins, and couldn't really be held accountable for their actions (mental deficiencies were hard to cope with, Annabella understood that). There were people like Annabella, too, though, that didn't particularly like the girl, but didn't go out of their way to avoid her as others did.

She barely glanced over at Karissa as the girl spoke. Nothing she ever said was genuine. Just like she wasn't, Annabella figured. She sighed dramatically, and rolled her eyes. “Listen, Karissa. I'm going to say this once, and once only.” She paused and fixed the girl with a serious stare. “I don't stalk him, he's my best friend. We were playing hide and seek. Yes, he is, and too smart to do whatever you're trying to insinuate, not-so-subtly.” Then Annabella shrugged, and although her heart ached a little more than perhaps it should have, she spoke again. “Although you're welcome to try if you really want to. But he's Muggleborn, so I doubt you're really interested.” Annabella relaxed, resting her head on her rucksack as if nothing was bothering her. Fishing a cigarette out of her bag, she lit it with the tip of her wand and took a deep drag. “Oh, and patchy tans are so last year.”

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word count: 523
tag: Karissa/open
date: 1st September 2022
outfit: click here
music: Les Miserables
notes: it was 518 :3

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[KARISSA NATALIA MANCUSO]

Karissa rolled her eyes. Really, she was only trying to be sociable to the girl. Ha, if that was Karissa's only intentions, then ducks swam in vodka. It was widely known throughout the school that when Karissa was nice, it was normally for things she needed, or else she was trying to get on the person's good side. Rarely was it genuine. If it was, then you were one of the lucky ones to know Karissa, then you were lucky. Well, maybe. Karissa wasn't sure what her true friends thought of her. Karissa was quite a fake person, but she could be the nicest and most caring person one could know. Karissa didn't like showing that side of her. Being nice and caring meant that you were open and vulnerable to get hurt by people. Karissa had learned that at a young age. If you wanted to get hurt, then you had to open up to people. If you didn't want to get hurt, then you had to close yourself to people. You had to
be mean and spiteful and pretend like nothing cared. But inside, Karissa was human. She had feelings, just like everyone else.

Wow, that was a load of bull.

Karissa wasn't that deep. Hell, she couldn't even write that if she really tried. She'd read it somewhere when she was looking for something for a class. How she found that, she actually wasn't that sure. She'd been looking for a book for a class, so how did she manage to find some book about the human brain and functions? Who knew. Karissa herself didn't even know. She wouldn't be able to explain how she found it if someone asked. And she sure as hell wouldn't say that she had found it in a book. She'd probably say that she thought of it all herself. So there.

Karissa sat upright, looking at the girl who sat quite a way away from her. She raised her eyebrows as an amused smile crept onto her face. The girl seemed to be getting fairly defensive. And from experience, Karissa knew that when you got defensive about a guy, then you liked him. Simple Karissa Code. You like a guy, you don't want anybody to talk about them, especially not being with another girl. But hey, what did Karissa know? She'd only been dating since her first year. She didn't know a single thing about relationships or anything. Nothing. Not a thing. Besides, girls and guys could not be friends without some kind of feelings developing; without a single doubt on the actual relationship. It had happened to Karissa many of times before. Although, that could just be because she was an absolute flirt. But hey, you couldn't blame her. It was her natural personality.

"Hey now," the Slytherin said, putting her hands up in defense, "If you already claimed him, then I'll back off. You can have him. Muggleborns aren't really my type, anyway. By all means though, you can have him." Karissa flipped over on her stomach and laid her head on her arms, which were folded underneath her head. She glared at the girl when she said that Karissa had a patchy tan. Pfft, she didn't have a patchy tan. Hell, Karissa was the only girl in the school who's tan was actually natural. At least she didn't look like she had gotten attacked by a carrot with an orange Crayola. And then, the girl did something very unattractive; she pulled out a cigarette. Karissa's lip curled up in disgust. Smoking was one of the most unattractive things that you could do. Plus, it lead to lung cancer, whether you were the smoker or the receiver of the smoke.

Karissa rolled her eyes. "Trust me, honey, smoking is so last decade. Maybe you should pick up on the latest fashion trends, because lung cancer doesn't look attractive on anyone." Karissa shook her head and looked the other way. God, she hated smokers.

NOTES -- yay! betterr!
OUTFITS -- this
WORDS -- six six four.

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