Stars Forever Falling

Chapter 20: Professional Babysitter

A week went by, and the twin's party started to become a distant memory. Much like the average dream, you enjoy it while it's happening, but due to paralysis, you forget what happened soon afterwards, no matter how enjoyable it was. The names of Velvet and Veneer were trending all throughout Mount Rageous. And the Infamous duo once again regained some form of limelight. However, their attention was mostly curtained by a negative shadow. Velvet kept up her regime of 'any publicity is good publicity' and didn't pass much comment about any criticism. They could hardly walk about freely without being harassed in some shape or form, and with Ritz's constant absence in recent days, they had no help in shielding themselves from the general public. Just their terrible disguises.

Before the party's trend started to die, the twin's socials had blown up. Many notifications were filled with tags of them and the duo at the event. Mostly from their ex fellow costars and their business partners and friends. Velvet struggled herself with resisting the urge to post her own photos. Including the drunken selfie she found on her phone that she took with Orchid. But in the end, she posted, and the selfie made the thumbnail.

Veneer, on the other hand, struggled with a different problem. He was usually a social junkie. However, his worry derived from his altercation with Eclipse, and he worried that there would be some criticism online about his actions. It was common knowledge that ANY parties held at the Rage Dome, whether they be after show parties or other soirees, had a strict NO PRESS rule, and so the only way the rest of the lowly residents of Mount Rageous would know what would take place in Ritz's regal residence were through the social media's of the attendees. But there was always the worry that one amongst them would post about the fight for clout. With the general attitudinizer outlook on life they all shared, the worry was justified. But even after a week, he couldn't find any trace that it even happened.

The cosy apartment was eerily quiet. Ritz was nowhere to be found, leaving the twins by their lonesome to figure out their next move. Their 2 weeks allowance was well over up but had gone unnoticed by Ritz. Between impromptu shopping on their outings, they would unenthusiastically look for an apartment of their own and look effortlessly at jobs they thought suited their standards. Though they were hoping to secure a cushty room in Upper Rageous, their budget was limited, and their funds were low.

Veneer was well aware of his sister's change in behaviour after discovering what she had abandoned him for at the party, but he never thought that the relations would change her attitude so much that it would encourage her to rush out of Ritz's apartment and find a place as quick as possible. Her brother, on the other hand, felt like he didn't want to leave the security of the place. Going as far as to argue his point that "everybody knows 'just a couple of weeks' means as long as you want when you're with a friend!". He thought that if not this place, then he expected her to at least demand to leisure about in the RD penthouse, now that she had had a taste of the very top. But this demand never came.

Veneer came storming into the living room with a fuss. His arm up in the air as he approached his sister from behind, gripping onto his phone tight. Velvet had her hair tied back into ponytail plats that rested over her shoulders. She was playing darts with her Crimp-faced birthday present.
"I bet you can't guess who just called me!?" He announced, jumping beside her. She rolled her eyes and clutched her remaining darts in her hands down to her side.

"The Queen of Bergentown? No. Your lil boyfriend 'Ritzzzyyyy'?" She teased him and made her voice high to mimick his infatuation.

"Ugh, I wish -" He sighed, bringing his phone down to his eye level, before clutching it to his chest. Velvet cocked her eyebrow at his response, but he shook his head. Neither of them had seen much of their host in the last few days. It was only for a couple of them that he even returned to the apartment at all. A few nights a week he would partake in his usual hosting on The Bop on Top, Veneer watched every show, and couldn't help but notice that even though his friend put on an energetic persona for tv, cracks were beginning to form. Simply. He looked exhausted. Ven felt anxious. He hadn't heard from him via text or a single call in days despite his efforts to stay in contact. He scoffed.
"Girl. No. No. It was Carol."