Give thanks, bitches.

[gavin]

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Gavin had barely said anything in three days. The day he found out, all he did was cry. Cry and cry and cry. Scream, yell, sob, and ask why. That was all he did. The day after he just sat in bed and stared outside until he fell asleep from sheer exhaustion. Sleeping was not easy. He kept imagining his sister dying or seeing Mark's face when he told him. Having dreams of his sister like this was all just a nightmare, and then waking up to find out that it was actually his very depressing reality.
It didn't help that his chemo was making him feel like crap. He started it last week, and had been feeling ill the day of the shooting. Genevieve had promised she'd come home and they would have a movie night. Now it wasn't just his medications making him feel sick. It was a sad mix of depression, anxiety, and pure emptiness in the space that Ginny left in his heart when she went away.

He was almost mad at her. She was so strong, she never let anyone win. Why couldn't she fight? Why couldn't she fight to stay alive for him? For herself? For her friends and family? Did she not think it was selfish to just leave them like this? He didn't blame her for getting shot, but he was just so angry that she wasn't here. He needed her. As self-centered as it was, he needed his big sister. She swore she would take care of him with this chemo. She knew how depressed he was to be sick again, and no one in his life could understand that better than she did. He of course had his parents and Morgan to love and support him, but Genevieve was his rock. She was everything to him. All his life, he'd lived for loving her...what was he supposed to do without her? His world just made no sense. He'd never thought he'd have to live without her.

Tonight he was putting on a brave face for his girlfriend. Morgan had been trying with him, she was so supportive and lovely. She didn't push him to talk about his feelings or anything, she just made sure he ate, held him when he cried, and rubbed his back when he inevitably got sick again. She pressed cool rags on his forehead, murmured soft words to him, she was being completely selfless through this whole time, and he was so grateful. Morgan generally put others before herself anyway, but she'd especially been doing that since Gavin started treatment, and even more so with this.
He wanted to pay her back, at least a little. He knew how much she wanted to come to this dinner, and he had nothing really holding him back from coming. His family generally did Thanksgiving in the middle of the day anyway, but they hadn't even bothered this year. They just left all of the food they'd bought in preparation stay in the freezer, his parents numb and having no motivation without Genevieve. He couldn't blame them. He was feeling just the same.

"Your cupcakes look great, baby," He told Morgan as he opened the car door for her. She'd made the same ones last year when they'd first started dating, and they were just as cute as he remembered. Even when everything else was falling apart, he was thankful that she was the one thing in his life that stayed constantly good.

[Riley Wilkes]

It took a while for Riley to realize that Eli wasn't going to arrive in a bus anytime soon that unfaithful day. She thought he'd be at the hospital and asked for him but they had nobody as patient there with his name. When she finally asked a few people that she knew and who were at the library the time of the shooting, they broke the news to her. Riley had never cried so much in her life. She had lost one of her best friends, the first guy she called the love of her life and who she loved unconditionally. It had been just days that she had gone with him to make ceramics. She still had the silly blue, heart cloud shape he had given to her as a gift. At the sight of it, Riley broke down crying. She lied in bed with both hands covering her eyes, bawling. How could someone be so cruel?

Her father was the one to help her cope with the loss of her best friend. As a member of the mafia, it was quite common for Michelangelo to have lost so many friends in fights against the police and other gangs. Riley was feeling better because she was with her whole family at the time of her sadness. Her father usually spent time in Italy because he and her mother, Veronique never really got along yet they loved each other. It was a complicated marriage but these past days, Rocky and Michelangelo had been getting along.

Riley wasn't planning on attending Esme's Thanksgiving dinner but she realized that Eli was going to be gone for a long time - until she can join him - and she had to continue on with her life. Anyways, how rude would it be if she wasn't there? So she put up the strength to go. She felt like a downer wearing black but she was in mourning. Riley did it the old fashioned way like most of her family did. She felt she owed that much respect to the families that had lost their children that day.

She wore a red matte lip color to not make it seem so obvious. When she arrived to the home, she found that most people were already there. Hardly enough, Mark and Keisha looked extremely uncomfortable while speaking to William, Esme's father. Then there was Martin with Lorelai, they both seemed really happy and it caused her to smile slightly. She then saw Kenix, who was there with his... sister? She had spoken to him at Jamba Juice not too long ago. Perhaps he remembered her?

"Rememeber me?" Riley asked Kenix after approaching him. She looked to Elodie and rose a hand up to wave shortly to her before saying a mousy, "Hi!" and looking to the two with a soft, but closed smile on her face.

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[Deleted]

Lorelai was surprised by how tightly that Martin had held onto her when he greeted her but she assumed that he was just feeling extra affectionate since it was the holidays and all. "Hey baby... I am really happy that you came.. I know that my dad can be kind of an asshole sometimes and that you probably won't really have that much fun because of it but it just means a lot." She rambled a little more than she intended to but she hoped that he would still feel the sentiment behind her words. How had she spent so much time obsessing over someone like Parker who didn't even want her when someone like Martin was right there? She didn't expect for these feelings to come so quickly but she could honestly say that she was falling in love with him.

She wasn't going to say it out loud just yet and scare him but she knew that it would come out sooner or later. She was already planning their perfect, magical Christmas where she would give herself to him in a way that she couldn't to anyone else. He was going to be her first everything, wasn't he? First kiss, first love.. first time. She knew that the chances of them staying together from now until forever was slim but that wouldn't matter. Everything inside of her was telling her that it wouldn't matter if she ended up with him or not because he would always be important.

If a guy had an issue with that in the future then she would just let him go.. What kind of a person judges someone for making love to someone who they have deep feelings for?

Her sisters (with the exception of Beatrice) were so open with their sexual partners and they still found true, ever lasting love! Esme and Jonathan had a connection that she admired in many ways and Annabel's new husband was one of the sweetest men in the world. He really did everything that she needed from him and never asked for anything in return. Lorelai was about to tell Martin that they should get some food when her sister came by with a bag of.. sweaters?

Annabel handed them each a cream colored knit blanket along with a grey sweater before pecking her youngest sister on the forehead. "I have heard a lot about you, Martin... I'm Annabel and I just wanted to welcome you to this crazy family gathering. I'm sorry for any offensive thing my father says." She had little two week old Weston in her arms so it was hard for Lorelai to focus on her words and not her baby. Oops.

[Kenix Adler]

Biting his lower lip, Kenix squinted an eye and looked at the ceiling to appear as though he was thinking long and hard. "Hmm, mint colored shoes eating oatmeal at Jamba Juice? Nope, not at all," he replied, shrugging his shoulders. Then, he laughed at his own attempt to be funny and stuck his hands into his pockets. "I'm just kidding, I remember. How are you?" he asked, noticing that even with her smile, she was basically dressed for a funeral. Well, minus the bright red lips.

Elodie's eyes light up at her first interaction at what seemed like a grown up party to her. "Hello," she greeted warmly. While her brother and his friend chatted, Elodie's eyes wandered around the room, studying the decorations. She took note of how the household items were arranged, the type of flooring, and even the color scheme of the entire place. If no one paid attention to her here, it was more than likely that she would explore the entire house on her own, minus the bedrooms of course. Elodie was curious, but she wasn't nosy.

Kenix hadn't eaten anything all day and it was obvious when his stomach gave a growl so fierce that it would've made lions cower in fear. Quickly, he moved a hand to cover his tummy as if he could also cover the noise. "Sorry," he said with a grin.

[Finnick Radke]

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Finn didn't want to go, in all honesty, but he sucked it up and got ready for Bee. Parker was still in the hospital recovering from the wound in his leg so their mom was spending Thanksgiving with him. He knew he should be there instead of here with people he didn't care for, apart from Bee and maybe a few select others. He felt bad, he knew what it felt like staying in a hospital by yourself while everyone else is out having fun or doing other things and you're stuck there in that uncomfortable bed with nothing to do but eat shitty food and watch brain-melting television.

He and Bee were in his truck and almost to the house. Finn had been pretty quiet the whole drive, staring out the windshield just lost and overwhelmed by his thoughts. When Bee told him to turn, he did and they were there. He didn't move to get out right away and left his hands on the wheel before speaking. "Bee? I'm not opposing to anything but are you sure this is such a good idea?" He paused to look her way. He guessed it was just him being wimpy and that this whole dinner thing was actually, in fact, a great idea and would take people's minds off everything. Finn was expecting there to be a lot of tears and he was sure the tension and haze of sorrow would be near suffocating. Yeah, he wasn't looking forward to this.

His mom had made him bring a dessert which was something simple and easy; jello cake. He didn't care much for it but it always seemed to be a hit. Finn reached to the rosary around his neck and tucked it away on the inside of his maroon button up shirt. He normally kept it in his pickup but thought it would be a good thing to keep on him today seeing as there was sure to be a need for it.

"I dunno, maybe I'm just a little siked out.. I'm sorry." Finn pinched his eyebrows together and looked back to her, leaning over to kiss her cheek before getting out of the truck. He went around tot the other side to open her door and offer her a hand out. He was a little chilly at the moment and wished he had picked something warmer. "Ready to go in?"

[Beatrice Reynolds]

( www.polyvore.com/bee/set?id=84196247 )

Beatrice did feel guilty for dragging Finn away from his brother during his time of need but Parker had their mom, right? How was it really fair that she had to do this alone because of the selfish actions of two clearly insane teenagers? She was absolutely heartbroken over losing someone as wonderful as Genevieve but she knew that Ginny wouldn't want to be the cause of anyone's pain. She was so sweet, so generous... so perfect in every single way.

She had to keep talking for the entire ride or she knew that she would just fall apart. Finn didn't say much and he really didn't seem interested in any of what she was saying but she just kept going. She told him all about her oldest sister, her niece and how her father could be a very cruel man. She didn't even really think that Finn had been actually listening to one single word that she said so she wasn't worried about scaring him with her family stories. It wasn't like everyone could have as awesome parent as he did!

His questioning whether this was a good idea or not made her feel an intense pain in her heart. Was she really just being a burden by making him come here tonight? Was it really so terrible to need him right now? She had just lost a friend! His brother might be hurt but he knew that he would recover which Genevieve never would. "Yeah.. I mean... I'm sure this was a good idea." She /had/ been very sure that this was a good idea but now she was really uncertain.

She let out a heavy sigh as she took him by the hand and led him into her sister's house. It was really strange to think that her youngest sister was doing so well and well... She was doing good but not this good! They were greeted by the delicious smell of home cooking and a very excited greeting from her niece, Prudence who literally flung herself at her. "Finn, this is my niece, Prudence but I told you about her."

[Dallas Kennedy]

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Dallas had made the choice to sneak out of the hospital to come to Esme's Thanksgiving dinner. He had told everyone he wasn't going to be able to make it and at last minute decided to go anyway. He was walking with only a slight limp and a little big of pain in his ankle and knee, but that was in no way going to stop him from going. He was more or less worried about the red cast on his arm and sling that held his shoulder and broken collarbone in place. That was an eye sore up against his white shirt and denim jacket (that he'd stolen borrowed from Kevin who left it in the hospital room.) His friend had brought him by some clothes just in case he wasn't there when he had left.

Dallas had taken a cab from the hospital to Esme's which seemed like forever and a day to do. Maybe he was just excited to get out of that stupid room and see a few familiar faces. It was going to be hard not seeing Gin there and everyone else who he knew that lost their lives in the recent events. The thought of it infuriated him to the point that he wished he could spit in the faces of fucking Damien and Nolan. He wanted to curse every name at the doctors and nurses who held him down when he saw the news and wanted to go to the school to see if everyone was okay, if Kat was okay.. Esme, Tucker, Jack, everyone he cared about.

The taxi had arrived, Dallas paid and he left. He made his way to the door and just showed himself in. He'd been there a few times before but it had been quite some time since then. So far, he saw Mark, Finn and Beatrice but he was on a hunt for Kat and Esme. Actually, really just Esme because he wasn't sure if Kat was even going to come. He smelled delicious food and nasty turkey coming from the kitchen so like any man, he followed his stomach and nose.

On his way, Dallas slid off his jacket which was only on one arm, drapped over the other, and was now being carried in his working hand. At first, he only saw Esme, but then heard the sweet ringing of Kat's voice. He looked over to her, sitting at the table and the first smile in a few days creeped across his lips. "Kit-Kat.. Es, hey." He said, laying his jacket down on the back of a chair.

[lydia]

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Everything Ginny ever said to her had been running through Lydia's mind since she found out on Monday. She didn't even hear about it until later in the day when Esme called Cooper and he just started crying. That's when she knew something terrible had happened. At first she thought something happened to his niece, but no. It was Genevieve. She'd been shot in the back and bled out. Her very first love was gone.

First love.
First kiss.
First touch.
First heartbreak.

Ginny Morgan was a giant part in her life, even after their break up. They'd fallen hard and fast when they were both too young to really know what that meant. Gin was always falling in love, at least a little. Lydia was convinced that she fell in love five times a day, but that was okay because everyone fell for her as well. She was beautiful and wonderful and everything was perfect about her. She was Lydia's one perfect thing.
She was her best friend. The person she turned to for a hug, a kind word, a laugh. She hadn't realized before she died how much she really depended on her, but she did. She was everyone's little mommy. She took care of people, and that's what made her happiest. She loved to love and be loved. That was her life. She lived in love, and without her being in her life, Lydia was sure she wouldn't have ever fully grasped what love was. Anyone who had the pleasure of getting to know Genevieve learned that very quickly.

This dinner was exactly what Gin would suggest after something like this. She would see the positive benefits of a group get together. A chance to heal together before the funerals started on Monday. Gin's was first. Wake on Sunday, funeral on Monday. At least with there being an open casket it meant that her beautiful face was still perfect. That was somethings she was afraid of.
She clung to Cooper like skin, feeling very nervous. She truly believed that this was a good idea, but that didn't mean she wasn't afraid. What if people started crying? Lydia was heavily affected by the people around her, and the second the first tear dropped, she would be gone. Or worse still, what if they avoided the subject altogether? Pretended like twelve people hadn't died at their school. Pretended like people they knew weren't hurt or sitting in some morgue somewhere. Pretended that everything was perfectly normal.
Nothing would be normal without Genevieve. Not now. Not this soon.
Lydia thought that this was something that needed to be talked about, but there needed to be a balance. Remember who was missing, but also keep in mind that they would want them to be happy.

Give thanks today for the things we haven't lost.

"Coop," she whispered. "Are you okay?" She'd been asking him that a lot lately. He was different, but she didn't expect him to be acting as if everything was hunky dory. He had his own way of mourning, and as far as she could tell, it was mostly just shutting down. She was the kind of person who wanted to talk things to death, but if Cooper wasn't like that, she would respect him.
The person she was most worried about was Gavin. She'd been at the Morgan home quite a lot since Monday, and he was just not okay. Her mother and father were comforting his, and they seemed to be doing about as well as any parent could who just lost their child. But Gavin...he was catatonic every time she saw him. His girlfriend was sure doing a great job of taking care of him, but they both knew that there was no way to get to him now. He was like Cooper in that way. He shut down. And maybe it wasn't how he normally dealt with death — she knew they'd lost random family members throughout the years — but it was to be expected when it was someone as close to him as his sister was. Lydia had never seen a relationship as close as theirs. As much as she loved Genevieve, she couldn't imagine what he was going through.
She looked at him now, and he still had that blank look on his face. He just seemed so empty. Like the person who took Gin away had also killed him, too. He was just here physically, but mentally...Mentally it was clear that Gavin wasn't there. And she figured that was best for now, because if he were aware enough to feel everything inside of him...she didn't want to think about what would happen to him.

[Martin Cervantes]

When Lorelai warned Martin about her father, he began to get slightly nervous. Only a little though, not so much. He could just leave if the man was irritating him and take Lorelai if she wanted to come with him. There were so many better things to do than listen to an alcoholic jerk on Thanksgiving. He smiled softly and shook his head, "I think we'll be fine." It may have been a lie but why did Lorelai have to feel bad for? Her family. Well, that wasn't any of her fault.

He then looked on as another blonde approached them. When Lorelai presented her as her sister, Martin smiled warmly to her before his eyes looked down at the sweaters. He took the present, however, because it was a kind gesture. "Thank you." he said before raising an eyebrow.

"Oh yes, Lorelai has told me about Mr. Reynolds." Martin nodded before looking to Lorelai who seemed to be hypnotized by the baby in Annabel's arms. He then began looking at the sweater and at how warm it was.

[Keisha George]

Mark was feeling just as awkward as she, and that was one thing she could be thankful for.

Although she probably wouldn’t say that. She wanted to lay on the floor and cry, because she’d been treated like this from guys on the street, but she really didn’t want to be treated like this for a whole damn night.

She also didn’t understand why he had to be so loud about it. It would’ve been less painful if he would’ve said it at a normal volume, but he made sure that the whole neighborhood knew how hot he found Keisha. This was truly getting out of hand.


When Mark apologized, Keisha just let out a little sigh. It wasn’t his fault that the biggest asshat in the world thought she was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Or her body was, anyway.

“I dunno, he might follow me to check out my ass or something.” Her only idea was to get the fuck out of there, but that might offend for the rest of Esme’s family. “But we can always give it a shot.”

She walked with Mark to the kitchen, trying not to make eye contact with William, and saying, “We’re starving,” and rushed off as to not make it seem like they were in the mood for a conversation.
“Okay, Esme, what’s up with your father?” she asked. “And why does he like me so much?” Those were really the only questions she had, and if Esme could answer them she might have been able to accept William's craziness.