“I am so not arguing with you about this. If you don’t tan naturally, you don’t tan in a tanning bed. You just burn. You burn bad. That’s that.”

She chuckled lightly  “Everyone tans at salons”

“I mean, I only act when I’m working but... it’s important to withhold a certain image. It’s not good if everyone hates you.” She shrugged her shoulders, “Right? I hate them so much.”

“Image, huh? So I guess you’re always acting then?” Sarah asked, slightly intrigued. “Good for him. Paps in this country are fucking crazy.”

Lucy rolled her eyes, “I get it, you have weird pregnancy hormones. That doesn’t mean you get to be all bitchy with your best friend who loves you dearly.” She said, scrolling through her phone. 

“Ya know, “ Amelia paused looking up, “I’d really love to sit and talk, but I have other things way more important than to listen to your stupid bullshit problems.”

“Not too good for my image to get in fights, you know? My boyfriend punched a pap the other day and I got hell about it in the media.”

“Well, there’s always confrontation. I always get into fights with people who don’t like me. But then again I am a petty bitch.”

Lucy laughed, shaking her head slightly. “Maybe, but don’t let it get to your head. I don’t need you being any more cocky than you already are.” She said with a laugh, closing her eyes as she relaxed. She should have known he wouldn’t have let her get away with just laying there, and really wasn’t too surprised when he lugged her over her shoulder. She resisted a little but after a moment knew there was no point and gave up, huffing as she did so. “Why do we always end up here?” She questioned, blowing a piece of hair out of her face.

Pulling off his tank top he glanced back over at Lucy, a smirk growing onto his lips. “Did you just call me a sexy, tanned goddess?” He chuckled. He began walking towards the water as she leaned back, a smirk growing on his lips as he thought of an idea. “Ya know, the water just isn’t as fun without you.” he said walking back over to her and lifting her over his shoulder to carrying to the water. 

“It’s not like I’m actively seeking them out, they are just all over the place. I can’t even scroll through Twitter without seeing one.”

“Here’s a crazy idea, if you’re sick of them, why don’t you just stop reading them?”

“No, it never crossed my mind.” She snapped, sarcasm laced in her voice. “When you don’t tan naturally, you don’t tan at a tanning salon.”

“Have you considered a tanning salon perhaps?’

If you could get to know one person in Redwood who would it be?

get to know one person? i pretty much know everyone already. maybe shay? they seem interesting.

“Wait so - Pokemon? Is that what we’re talking about?”

“  yes. yes, Y A Y indeed. ”

“Seriously, fuck our genes. I hate being pale - like I get it, that’s how God made me but c’mon. I like, glow in the dark.” She looked over at her cousin, rolling her eyes slightly as she snapped. “You need coffee.” The blonde wiped at her forehead, reaching over to grab her drink. “You want Thanksgiving break? That means you have to go home.”

“And hello? Who do you think you’re talking to? I’ve never been able to tan in my life,” Sophia snapped back, taking a sip of her cucumber water before handing Lucy a second bottle. Sophia had grown up in the south, she knew full well about the lack of real seasons during the year- no snow, unless they flew to Aspen over the holidays, so even now as it was fall, it still felt like summer. Made worse by the gross uniforms they were forced to wear. “God, is it not thanksgiving break yet?”

“I’ve tried but it just makes me orange, you know? Honestly, it’s a lost cause. I was destined to glow in the dark, it seems.”

“ You could try using fake tanner? That might help the articles to die down a little.” She said, looking at her roommate.

“What do you mean do something about it? I can’t control what colour my skin is, nor can I control the fact that cameras follow me around all day.” 

“If you don’t want to read articles about being pale, than perhaps you should do something about it”

Lucy pursed her lips together as Spencer laughed, crossing her arms over her chest. She rolled her eyes as he showed her the picture, unhappy about the whole situation. “I can’t look good all of the time!” She explained, pointing out that they took it at a horrible angle while she was in the middle of a sentence. “They just pick the worst pictures to publish.” 

Spencer was laughing hysterically at the article she was referring to, something he had pulled up to make fun of her for. It had one of those really bad paparazzi pictures of her at the beach as the header. “You look like a tomato!” he was saying, holding his stomach from laughing so hard. “Literally its probably the most unflattering picture of a human being I have ever seen!”

Lucy laughed at the thought, imagining something straight out of a movie. “Hey, at least she cared enough.” She said with a slight shrug. “Have you had the same nanny since you were little then? Most people go through lots, it must be special to be able to keep one.” She imagined it would be like another member of the family in the end. “Honestly it was terrible. They could have just edited a tan on me instead of making me orange, you know? Same - we are small and we are mighty and we are pale and we love it.”

              “MUM TOLD ME THAT WHEN I WAS LITTLE, I had one of my nannies follow me around with an umbrella while I was outside.” Charlie re-called with a sheepish smile, only to laugh soon after she finished her story. “Suppose she was fond of the task, considering that she still works for us.” She replied once more with a soft shrug of her shoulders. “Orange is hardly a color that would look good on anyone so that isn’t entirely your fault. I agree however I rather stay away from the stuff myself. I’ll keep my pasty white skin. Suits me much better anyway.”

Lucy bit her bottom lip as the nurse called Amelia’s name, her heart racing - she couldn’t imagine what Amelia was feeling. The two of them were pretty in sync with their emotions, but this time Lucy had no way of knowing just how hard this was for the girl. She stood up and followed behind Amelia, squeezing her hand as she grabbed it in an attempt to offer up some sort of support. She nearly bumped into her as she stopped in front of her, her heart breaking the second she heard her voice broke. “Meels,” She started, taking both of her hands in her own. “You really, really don’t have to do this. The nurse will tell you that, you don’t have to follow through. This - this isn’t good for you.”

Both of the girls were too strong for all the emotions they were facing. If Lucy was feeling something, Amelia felt it. And vice versa. Amelia felt a wave of relief run over her Lucy’s hands gripped over hers , a shaky breath escaped her lips. “Thank you,” she whispered closing her eyes and allowing her best friend to take the papers from her hands. Her head and body leaned into Lucy when she felt her friends arms wrap around her body. “I - I …. ” Amelia began only to hear her name get called. She grabbed Lucy’s hand tightly getting up and moving to follow the nurse into the room. When she got in, she stopped harshly looking at Lucy. “ I can’t do this .” She whispered when she was instructed to sit in the chair.