Facing Reality [Sloane tag any]

[Sloane Taylor]

The dark circles under her eyes were the biggest indication of how the past week had gone for her. It was a bit dramatic given that Sloane was, well...Sloane. But having lost a person she didn't even know she cared that much about obviously took a huge toll on the redhead.

As she applied concealer on her face, concentrating around her eyes, Sloane tried to remember the stupor she had fallen into the previous week and this week as well. Flashes of distorted images filtered through her mind's eye. None of them made any sense so she blocked them out.

"Sloane? We're going to the market for tonight. You want to join us?" Mrs Taylor poked her head around the door to see her daughter in an oversized tee with her hair a little limp and her slightly haggard face. "Yikes...you look horrible." The older female shook her head, not knowing the real reason for her only daughter's lousy appearance.

Sloane slowly turned to face her mother with a tired smile. "Thanks. It's always nice to hear your own mother telling you you look horrible." With a little chuckle, she returned to her concealing. "Yeah I think I'll go with you. If you don't mind walking like ten feet in front of me at all times and let me wear my bug shades. I have a reputation in school you know?"

Mrs Taylor just chuckled. "I'll be waiting downstairs."

Once her face was 'clean', Sloane pulled out a pair of frayed bleached jeans and a dark green T-shirt and got dressed.

Sloane drove with her mother in the passenger seat chattering happily about some scandal their neighbour was recently caught in. When there was a lull in the conversation, Mrs Taylor patted her daughter's thigh. "Honey...are you going back to school?"

A small laugh escaped Sloane's lips as she turned the car into the huge parking lot. Deciding to concentrate on parking, Sloane kept silent before turning to her mother when the car had stopped. "You getting bored of me mother?"

"Heavens no." Mrs Taylor laughed, as though to note that it was a ridiculous thought. "But your grades are mediocre at best right now. I'd like my daughter to get a degree, thank you."

Getting out of the car, Sloane walked around it to open her mother's door. Slamming the door shut and locking it up, Sloane walked beside her mother despite her earlier concerns. "I'll go back. Don't worry...maybe tomorrow." She shrugged, not wanting to promise anything but backing down at the last minute. Sloane respected her mother, contrary to most of her peers. And disappointing her would be the last thing Sloane could ever do.

She knew she had to face reality someday. A week should be long enough for her to be wallowing in her self-pity. She needed to get back into the groove of being Sloane Taylor.

"Well good. You know the other day I got a call from Aaron Keller Academy. They're offering a scholarship for athletes and you're a pretty decent runner. Are you interested in that?"

Just as Sloane was about to answer, she caught sight of a schoolmate not too far from where she was standing. "Oh great..."

[Raven Manning]

Raven was at the market shopping. She had a list from the doctor of approved foods she should be eating. Wonderful She had a bug growing inside her and now she had to cut out caffeine and other certain foods she loved. No more soda, or anything. Stupid doctor. Raven was picking up the items she needed. Stuff that was good for the baby. Since when was potato chips bad for the baby. Really.

Raven was going through the isles not really paying attention to anything. She was more wallowing in her own misery, well it was more like happiness masked by misery but don't tell anyone. Raven had to appear miserable, even if she was kind of excited by all of this. Raven was about ready to go when something or rather someone caught her eye.

Raven had not seen Sloane in days so when she saw her Raven had to do a double take. Raven had thought what happened to her at the brunch had been embarrassing, but what happened to Sloane, was so much worse. It made the woman disappear. Raven had tried to contact Sloane, but apparently she was avoiding people. Not that Raven blamed her. Raven made her way through the crowd and over to her friend. She crossed her arms over her chest, "I was sure you were dead and in a ditch some where. You have been missing." She commented. A smirk spread across her face. "Where have you been hiding?" Raven inquired.

[Sloane Taylor]

The little tennis match reaction her mother was making made Sloane smile before she patted her mother on the shoulder. "I'll be right in. I'll look for you," Sloane reassured the elder Taylor. Anna nodded and walked into the market. Her eyes ran up and down her good friend's body, noticing the change already. She was glowing. And behind the facade she was putting up, Sloane saw how happy the dark-haired girl was.

"Me? Dead? Surely you know by now that nothing kills me. And a ditch? That's the best way you can see me dying?" Sloane's smirk mimicked Raven's before she ran her fingers through her combed through hair. "I haven't been hiding," her voice was a little softer than usual. She knew Raven and the entire school probably already found out about what had happened. There goes her reputation. She wondered briefly what had been gossiped about her.

"Just haven't been in school." She shrugged. "Sorry I didn't answer your calls. Been a bit busy. Went to Fiji for a shoot." The lie came easy for Sloane but she knew her friend could see right through her. It made her a bit upset that so many people could. She thought she was hiding herself pretty well. She needed to confront that willy Nolan and put her disturbing thoughts to rest. She didn't need to have someone dictate her life without even being in it.

"What have I missed?"

[Raven Manning]

Raven smiled, "It was either that, or you died with a smile on your face during sex, but some how I do not see sex killing you." Raven had missed her friend. For the last few days Raven would admit she got caught up in her own life. Yes she called Sloane, but she never actually thought to go to her house to check on her. Raven had been more then distracted. Just by the look on Sloane's face Raven knew Sloane knew. Hell the whole school knew.

Of course Raven saw through the lie. Sloane saw through all her lies. Raven just never called her on it. It was kind of an understanding that sometimes you needed the lie as a kind of comfort. "How was Fiji. I have always wanted to go...maybe I can convince Isaiah to take me there for the honeymoon." Raven said giving Sloane a look that said she knew it was a lie, but would not push.

"Besides the occasional fights. Not much. There is a rumor going around that Tyler Durnham has a sister. There is a party tomorrow night...Haley Rowan's house...oh yeah and someone put the principles car on the roof...you missed nothing, it's high school. I would be shocked if there was anything else to report. How are you doing?"

[Sloane Taylor]

The sex notion made Sloane laugh and punch Raven's arm playfully. "It'd more likely kill the other person and you know that." So the rumors were true. Raven was pregnant and she was going to do the 'right thing' and get married to her victim. Sloane needed to meet the guy who had the cajones to want to make an honest woman out of Raven Manning.

The redheaded junior was somewhat comforted by the fact that her friend didn't delve too deeply into the lie and preferred to go with it. "Oh Fiji's awesome. If you count the cannibalistic rituals the native kids perform on the tourist kids." Sloane shrugged, spouting off random facts she got off the net. It was a spur of a moment lie but given that Sloane had a lot of time on her hands, the internet had been her source of entertainment the past week. If she had to do it all over again, she was sure she would be fine with the whole not going to school and facing her reality thing.

"Tyler has a sister? Nice..." a few ideas brewed in Sloane's head, showing her what she had been before falling in like with a guy younger than her. Silly girl. What are you doing? You've ruined Bree's friend and now you want to ruin Tyler's sister too? Do you really not want to have any friends at all? Sloane felt slightly lucky that Raven was still talking to her. With the mention of the principal's car on the roof, Sloane laughed loudly. "Holy crap! Did they get suspended?"

The question of how she was sent her off kilter but she manned up and shrugged. "I'm okay I guess." She replied a little lack lustre. "How about you?"

[Raven Manning]

"At least the guy...or girl would die a very happy person." Raven said laughing as well. "For a girl you cant hit at all." She said smiling at the punch she received for her comment. She was only teasing. Sloane had put no power behind that punch at all and Raven knew it was meant to be playful. One good thing about Sloane is she knew when Raven was playing. Normally Raven would be mean on purpose, but not with Sloane. Raven was always playful when it came to her friend.

"Cannibalistic rituals...I might actually enjoy that...you know me..I love people who prefer torture versus a simple welcoming of tourists." Raven said smiling and laughing some more. "But not sure that is proper for the honeymoon. I promised nothing too mean." Raven winked. She was keeping the lie going. To be honest Raven did not think anything would be accomplished by bringing up just why Sloane was avoiding school. Why call her out on it? There was no point.

"Yes he has a sister. She is quote different then Tyler from what I hear. She is friends with your other friend...Bree is her name right? And rumor has it that Tyler is expanding his pool of women." Then again Tyler was always expanding it. "I don't think they got suspended. I heard something with having to clean bathrooms and detention...I tuned out after I was told the car was on the roof. There is a video of it out on the net." Raven told Sloane.

"How am i doing....depends on who you ask. If you ask my future mother in law, she claims I am a harlot that stole her son from his path in life...of course I don't help when i flaunt things in front of her." Raven said smiling. "I guess I am still mean...other then that I am fine...The kid loves torture, what can i say." She said trying to brush it off as if this was a game, but knowing Sloane..she could read right through Raven and see how happy was. "How have you been spending you days in seclusion on Fiji..."

[Sloane Taylor]

"Ah well, shouldn't argue with common sense," Sloane shrugged before giving Raven a look of mock surprise when the dark haired girl 'insulted' her about her hitting prowess. "You bitch, take that back!" the auburn haired junior laughed before looking away from her friend. Aside from Bree, Sloane thought Raven had to be the next person she could trust to bring her back to the way she used to be. Tyler was next on the list. But hearing that he had a sister put a damper on her plans. If she knew Tyler, his sister would be top priority. No matter what bravado he showed in other people's presence, Sloane knew that when it came to family Tyler was a softie.

Raven's sordid form of humor and standard of meanness always made Sloane laugh. But she knew all too well that the girl was watering down. It made Sloane want to meet her future husband sooner than the wedding. At the same time, she knew Raven was only accommodating to her lie. She wanted to tell Raven about what had happened but it was just going to show how weak Sloane was. She didn't like that. She was dead set on proving that whatever happened between her and Nolan hadn't effected her at all. And if that meant lying to one of her closest friends.

"Tyler is forever expanding his pool of women. Speaking of...I think I need to as well. It's been kind of a downer to be with just guys. I need more girls. Why is it so hard to find a curious college girl here? The porn industry makes it so easy to find them." For a split second, Sloane was back to her old self and she felt more empowered. Like she could handle anything the world threw at her. Raven's next statement made her smile even more.

"It wasn't that Cabbage Patch kid with his friend with alot of eyeliner is it?" Sloane asked. She was quite interested in how they managed to pull so many pranks and still be alive. Jessica Pruitte's house got burnt down because of them and they even had the balls to put it up on the net. She needed to get in contact with them. Imagine the adrenaline rush.

"See the thing about mother in laws is that they will always claim that the woman who manages to steal her son away from her is a harlot who's shoved him off his path in life. It's inevitable and you have to accept it as it is,"

With a little snigger, Sloane shoved Raven for thinking like that. "You watch out...the boy might have had the moxie to propose to you but I am still Sloane Taylor..."

"Oh Fiji was beautiful. Internet access twenty four seven. You know I'm lying don't you?" Sloane crossed her arms over her chest with a smirk before dropping it slightly. She ran her fingers through her hair and shook her head. "I'm still myself. I need to let other people see that." If anyone can help build a reputation, it was Raven.

Sloane didn't know why she even cared but if rumors were true, Nolan had done the exact opposite of her ever since the breakup. She heard that he had been sleeping around. For some reason that hurt. She was supposed to be sleeping around and he was supposed to be the one who couldn't show his face in school not the other way around!

[Raven Manning]

"You know I can't take it back. Would be unfair." Raven said laughing. It felt nice to joke around and relax a little. No wedding or baby stuff on her mind at the moment. It was nice to catch up with a friend. Someone who would not ask about how she felt being young and a mother, and engaged. Commitment had never been Raven's thing, so this all was moving a tad fast, but for some crazy reason the more she fought it, the more she liked it.

"I personally enjoy torturing my future mother in law. I got Isaiah to skip church last Sunday. It was rather easy." Raven said smiling. "I still can't believe he preposed. You sure this is not some dream and I have dragged you into it. But you know me...jjust holding the ring until some other guy comes along." Raven said giving her friend a small smile that said she was joking. "You will always be Sloane Taylor no matter what. Your rep is not changing anytime soon." Not by much anyway. Sloane will still be known around school, "Actually those are the kids who did it. Add in the two weird chicks they hang out with and you have the supposed culprits." Raven answered.

"I would not say you are lying. Just being creative." Raven winked, "Its kind of hard not to know you are lying. After Sunday and you not showing up to school...I may be preoccupied and I am sorry for that, but I know you cannot go through something like that and not want to hide. So I will ask again...are you okay?" Raven asked concerned. She had also known not to call Sloane right out on the lie. It would have been mean and cruel. Slaone was not someone Raven was mean too. "I can tell you I feel like crap and that I don't deserve any of this that's going on....."

[Sloane Taylor]

Sloane wasn't comfortable being all forthcoming, even with one of her best mates. She found it disconcerting. So when Raven asked again if she was okay, Sloane shrugged and gave her smirk. "Just one of those things." She answered. Raven could read into it what she will. Whatever the outcome would probably be better than how she was feeling right then.

Raven's little confession made Sloane frown slightly. Just as she was about to ask Raven to continue with that train of thought, Sloane's cellphone vibrated against her thigh as her generic bell ringing tone sounded. "Excuse me for a minute," she politely smiled at Raven before answering the call. It was her mother asking her whether she was coming in or not. Saved by the bell...quite literally.

She answered her mother that she would be there soon and even though her mother said it was okay, that she didn't have to come in, Sloane insisted on going in. She didn't want to be rude to Raven but at the same time, she suddenly just didn't want to talk. At least her mother would understand her silence. The elder Taylor was used to it. Raven might not be. It made Sloane sound like a bitch but it was what it was.

After pocketing the phone, Sloane turned to Raven and smiled apologetically. "I have to go. My mom's harping on and on about having to push the trolley," she explained rather convincingly. "I'll see you in school tomorrow maybe?" Sloane patted Raven's shoulder before patting her belly. "That kid's gonna have a surprising life." The redheaded female grinned before walking into the market.