Trouble is brewing .....Fallon tag Any

[Fallon Cotton]

[Character name: Fallon Cotton]
[Location: Cotton Family home]

Fallon had come home from school and went right to her room. Nothing new there. She always did it. She would bypass her mom and her moms girlfriend in favor of the sanctuary that was her cute little Princess room. A perfect fit for her. Sure people might think it was very childish to sleep in a Cinderella carriage, but for people who knew Fallon, it was normal. She had a child like spirit about her and she just did not want to grow out of it. Of course her mother and Sandra often encouraged Fallon to come out of her room, she never did. Sometimes Sandra would take Fallon's art books to get her to come out.

Fallon put her book bag down by her desk and immediately began to look for her art book. The book that held all the pictures of her drawings. She looked and looked and could not find it. She scanned the room and noticed things had been moved and that it actually looked semi clean. Fallon loved to live in an 'organized mess'. Thats what she called it.

"No." She breathed out. The Harlot had been in her room. Only Sandra would dare go into Fallon's room. Her mother Deborah knew better. After all the last time her mother ventured into her room she was almost hit with a book. Of course that was in the middle of an episode Fallon was having. Fallon hated people in her room without permission, but Sandra never could mind her own business.

Fallon should get angry, but the meds kept her attitude in check. Si liked to say the meds stifled who Fallon was. Fallon had no clue. She would admit the meds messed with her head, but they were suppose too. After all with out them, Fallon would be a very different person. Although she still had mood swings. Thats just who Fallon was. She walked down the steps to asked the evil witch where her books where. She would ask nicely of course. Fallon did not like to cause waves. But she made no promises. She was about to ask when something stopped her.

(Tag Any Cotton Sibling or both siblings, or anyone who might know Cotton and Call her)

[Sidra Cotton]

“…but PINK?” Sidra’s voice could be heard and a hand waved just within view before it was jerked away again.

“Pink is such a pretty color, and you’ll look lovely,” the wicked-step-mother’s voice answered Sidra’s.

The delightfully gothic teen groaned audibly, not even bothering to try to hide her distaste for the dress that Sandra had bought her. Family portraits were the worst, and Si was adamantly refusing to wear the fluffy monstrosity that Sandra had chosen for her.

“You have lost your damn mind.”

“Sidra! Your tone…” the warning was clear in Sandra’s voice, but Si did not have the patience for either her or the façade she wanted to run. They weren’t a family. Not by the American laws anyway. And that nice little technicality was all Si needed as ammunition. Besides… pink! Not just any pink, but a pale, pale, powdery pink that just would.not.do. Ever.

At least her bedroom walls were still black. Trimmed in that dark, dark burgundy red that so resembled coagulated blood.

But the dress! Gak! It was much more in Fallon’s style. Well, not quite, but it certainly wasn’t anything Si wanted to be seen in, let alone have photographic evidence of.

“…family portrait.” Sandra had been saying something, but Si’d drowned her out. Until the last two words.

“First. We aren’t a family. Thad, Fal, me and mom are. But not you.”

Sandra’s face fell, she thought that she’d been making progress with at least Sidra, but evidently she hadn’t. That or the other two had poisoned the eldest against her again. Sure, Si was old enough to make her own decisions, but Sandra knew what the pack mentality meant for a family. And she was, currently, the weakest of the pack.

“Your brother and sister will be dressed nicely, why can’t you do this for your mother?”

“Because my mother doesn’t have a superficial ideal of what a girl should look like.”

[Thad Cotton]

Thad peered around the corner, watching Si stand against the evil witch of the west coast. It was hilarious that Sandra thought she could get the oldest Cotton into a pink dress. Maybe if it was hot pink and had black accents, but pale pink...his sister would sooner die before being seen in that particular shade. Of course, she really wanted to die. Or at least, become undead.

"I think yo' a hater, I think yo' a hater, haters everywhere we go, haters everywhere we goooooo," He sang, making a running leap for his sister and leaping at her back. "Why ya sucha hater, Si? I was all lookin' forward to wearin' matchin' pink dresses." He stuck his lower lip out in a pout. "You gotta ruin all our fam pics, showin' fangs in the Christmas cards 'n' frownin' like you's unhappy or summin'."

He eyed the dress Sandra was holding out, "I think it's a lovely dress, Si." He told her seriously, "You don' wan' it, I'll wear it. Your loss."

He had no intentions of being caught in a dress, of course, but it was so much fun to tweak his step-mother. She might have been gay, but she had serious hang ups about gender roles. She didn't approve of his make up, she tried to make Si be traditionally feminine...It was real annoying, he thought, how she wanted to force them to be the perfect American suburban family with the white picket fence. Maybe if she had embraced her status as gender outlaw, he might have forgiven -- a little, not much -- for breaking up what had been a perfect American family. Well, perfect in his mind, anyway.

"See, you won't dress nice, but me'n' Fal will, cause we're cooperative." He nearly ripped the dress out of Sandra's hands, holding it up to himself, "Watcha think? Pink's my color, yah? Innat right, Fal?" He called out, noticing the quieter sister hanging back. Wow, she had actually come out of her room! That was never a good sign, something must have upset her.

[Fallon Cotton]

Fallon watched the scene quietly. She crossed her arms as Si went off. It was like watching a knight battle the evil monster. She just looked on. Fallon did not move or speak....yet. She walked over as Thad looked at the dress. She nodded, "I don't think it fits your skin tone. " She said in a soft voice.

Then she looked at Sandra, "Where are they?" Fallon asked very nicely with a smile and a sweet voice. That was all she had to ask. Nothing more.

Sandra shook her head, "I was hoping we could all do something as a family for Valentine's day. You can have the books back afterward."

Wrong answer. Fallon clenched her fists. "I promise to spend time with the family if I can have my books back." Fallon said once again nicely.

Sandra shook her head no, "Sorry Fallon. Not until afterward."

"I want my books now." Fallon stomped her foot on the floor. She was done with nice, "They are my property and you had no right."

Sandra shook a finger at Fallon's face, "I have every right. I am one of your mothers and I think its time you came out of your room and into reality."

Fallon's face dropped when she said that, "My mother. You call yourself my mother. Then why is it only you go into my room and not her." Fallon remarked back. She was normally not so into confronting Sandra, but she refused to give back her books and that was a big no in Fallon's book. "I am doing the stupid picture. I will look nice and smile. All I want are my art books. Hand them over." Fallon said raising her voice.

Sandra eyed the three kids, " Your mother is too scared to go into your room Fallon. Remember why," Sandra sighed, "Look we need to start acting more like a family. I expect you all to look nice, which means wearing the pink dress Si and no make up for you Thad. As for you Fallon, you will put on a smile and calm down. No need to have another episode."

Another episode. Did she really just say that. Oh that was it. Fallon was pissed off. Her good mood gone.

[Thad Cotton]

Thad frowned down at the pink dress. "F'real?" He mused, squinting as though he was seriously contemplating this statement. Fallon was probably right, but that was not the reason he wasn't going to actually wear it. Although it would probably really tick off the step-harlot if he did wear it, but then his mom might really shut down anything fun the rest of the year, and he was sure nobody would let him live it down. They would spread that photo far and wide. So it was better just to pretend.

"Whaaa?" He gaped at the blonde woman when she suggested he might have to forgo his make up for the family portrait. "You serious?" Of course she was, she was always telling him that guys shouldn't wear make up. "Great, I have the Stepford Step-Mother." He griped.

And then to accuse Fal of having another episode! He bristled, moving to hover right behind the older girl. "Maybe if ya'd respec' her property, she wouldn' be upset." He had no problem prancing into either of his sisters' rooms without permission, but he rarely took their belongings -- with the notable exception of Si's make up, which he only borrowed when the Step-witch threw his out. He tried to hide it, but she seemed to know all his secrets. She had been meddlesome enough when she was just his teacher, but now that she was in love with his mother and living with his family she was unbearable.

"She isn't the one paying for the house," Sandra pointed out. She wanted her partner's children to accept her, but they certainly were a challenge! She had fallen for Deborah the moment they first met to discuss her son's poor performance in school, and the feelings were soon proven to be mutual. But secretly dating a married woman -- and one of her students' mothers, at that -- had been problematic, to say the least. She didn't blame them for being upset, but she had hoped that by now they would have realized this was her mother's decision and that they were a family now. But no, they hadn't, they had more than their share of rebellious teen spirit. Maybe if Deborah's ex-husband had been less lax about his children's odd behaviour, but he actually encouraged them in their individuality. Their mother had gotten custody, though, because that tended to be the default, and he had accepted this, too depressed by his wife's revelations to attempt any real fight.

"No kiddin', dad's payin'." Thad snorted, crossing his arms. "Don' you got some date or summin', why you gotta bother us?"

Sandra could have sent them all to their rooms for being disrespectful, but all three of them would have preferred that to family time, and they had to learn that they did not have a choice about family time. The adults determined who counted as family, not the children. "You will do as you're told," She warned, "Do you want to be grounded for the rest of the school year?"

Thad rolled his eyes. He would go along with the picture if that was what it took to keep from being grounded, but he would make his distaste as obvious as possible. "Whatev. Give Fal her books back. I'm gon' get changed into summin' nice." He snarled, stalking off to his room to find something that would pass as nice while missing the whole point.

[Sidra Cotton]

If she’d had laws Si would have used them the rib the woman’s eyes out. Instead she snatched the pink dress from Thad with one hand and her sister’s hand with the other.

“I expect Sandra’s book to be back in her room before I come back dressed. That is not an option. Sandra, I don’t think you realize how things actually work around here. There is one of you. NO LISTEN,” Sidrea raised her voice when the WSM (Wicked Step-Mother) looked as though she were about to interrupt. “There are three of us, and one of you. You want us to be a family, then you have to start respecting us and our choices. You want us to be the perfect fucking family. That isn’t ever going to happen. Not while you keep trying to shove your preconceived notions down our throat. Give Fal her book back. I’ll put on the dress and we’ll play pretend.”

Mini speech. Monologue. Whatever you want to call it. Sidra was pissed enough that her face was turning red. Red enough to show pink through her makeup.

“So shut up already, and let us be who we are. You’re gay. We’re weird. Fal… why don’t you help me get dressed while Sandra puts your book back. Won’t you, Sandra.” Sidra’s eyes cut towards the older woman, cold and hard.

[Fallon Cotton]

Fallon could have said so much, but she remained quiet like she always did. She had her burst of anger, now it was time for Thad and Si to have theirs. "You want an episode I can give you one." Fal finally spoke up. However, then Si suggested Fal help her and Fal nodded, "Consider your self lucky." She smiled a sweet smile and the sweetly said, "Time to get changed."

Fal followed Si and Thad up to their rooms, "Whose idea was the picture anyway. Do they both really think a fake picture will fix anything." Fal looked at the pink dress, "Si you can't wear that. It's...It's....I would never wear it. But I would love to use the fabric. Can I have it?" She had designs in her head already for the pink dress. She could take it apart and reuse the fabric for another dress she was making.

"Oh, wait I have the perfect dress you can wear Si. Come here, you too Thad you have to see this. I just finished it a few days ago. I am not sure if it is completely your style Si, but I think you could pull it off." Fal was so excited. Even if Si hated the dress and refused to wear it, she loved showing her work to her siblings.

(Here is a link to a picture of the dress I found..I thought it might be something Si would wear.....lol....http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing?.out=jpg&size=l&tid=6329924 )

[Sidra Cotton]

Arching an eyebrow at her sister once they were in Sidra’s black room. The walls were a fading red, like a bloody sunset with the black silhouette of a grave yard. It made the small room seem and feel even smaller, but for Si it was perfect. Of course Sandra had issues with it, but it was Si’s room and she was very happy with it. There had been threats of painting over, getting more fitting sheets for her queen mattress. Black just wasn’t lady like enough.

“I was thinking of slashing it. Adding safety pins, make it look like something I’d wear…” Si said tilting her head to study Fallon. “And I did say I’d wear this dress. So you could get your book back. I never promised not to alter it.” Ah the joys of word play. So something was assumed, better to clarify it. And once Fallon had her book back, Si had plans to drive out to the nearest Lowe’s Hardware or ACE and buy a new lock for her door. One that required a key. A key that Fallon would have, and Sandra wouldn’t.

“But let’s see this other dress you created,” Si was interested, she knew what her sister’s talents were and while she herself sewed it was mostly corsets and alterations on clothing she found at the goodwill or local thrift. She could sew, could make her own patterns, but it was easier (and less expensive) to alter something to her own specifications.

[Thad Cotton]

Thad shrugged at Fallon's question. "Guess so, they think we gon' accept her if they keep makin' us do faaaaamily shit." He wrinkled his nose in disgust. He was determined to rebel against the notion that Sandra was part of their family for as long as possible. "Is body glitter considered make up?" He wondered, hoping his sisters would say no. He had tacitly agreed to follow Sandra's rules when he'd said he would change, so he'd have to take off the eyeliner, but maybe he could argue that glitter was not the same thing. "Hey, Si, I c'n add sum fangs, be all vampy." He grinned, knowing how much she despised Twilight. "Whatcha think?"

He followed Fallon and Si into the oldest siblings room and plopped onto her bed, laying back to stare at the ceiling as he listened to the two girls banter. He was always interested to see Fallon's designs; she may have appeared normal to other people, but she was just as artistically-inclined as the other two, if maybe a bit less morbid.

He laughed at Si's declaration that she would alter the dress. Sandra would be so displeased! Which of course meant it was definitely worth doing. His mother would probably take Sandra's side, tell them off for direspecting her partner, but she should have known better. He would make sure she knew not to mess with them. So far that had mostly resulted in an entirely warranted lack of trust on the part of the adults, but the boy did not care. All that mattered to him was that they knew his stance.

He bolted upright when Si asked to see Fallon's creation, "Ooooooooh, yeah, I wanna see, too." Of course, Fal's invitation was the reason he had gone into Si's room instead of his own in the first place. He still needed to think of something to wear that would get the point across that he would obey the letter of the law but not the spirit.

[Fallon Cotton]

"Well you could always say one of us threw glitter at you and thats why you have it on, but I would say no. Glitter is not make up." Fallon smiled as she led the others to her room. "I know you promised. Thanks. I owe you one." She did love her family, well her siblings anyway, and how protective they were of each other.

She walked into her fairytale room and over to the manikin. Her room was the total opposite of Si's room. Fallon's room was filled with bright colors such as light blue, pink and purple. "I think your idea for altering the dress is better then this one, but you are still welcome to have it."

The dress was black and white stripes. With a black lace underneath to fluff out the dress. The top was a corset like, but not quite and the straps were thin. Fallon love to try new designs. "what do you both think?" She pointed it out. "I think Thad should go with the fang too." She laughed. She too knew how Si felt about the movie Twilight. Fallon always felt so accomplished when she finished a design. Was it really her fault she liked to hide out in her room and draw. "If she wants a family why does she not move out and find one. Does she not know who she is dealing with?"