Salem Loved Coming To Secondhand Style. She Considered Briefly At One Point Applying For A Job With The

salem followed leon over to the couch and sat down with him. her nerves were getting the best of her, not being sure what he was going to say or what his reasoning was for leaving her the way he did gave her a bit of anxiety. she decided to let him speak first and state his reasons ( or excuses ) and she'd vent after the fact to him about what was on her mind. as he told her the story about what was going on with his family she nodded and listened, salem was always empathetic and understanding of the situation he'd been dealing with for a while. the details about everything broke her heart and knowing he was dealing with that much back home made her feel a little guilty about being so angry at him but there was still something that was bothering her. "i'm really sorry you had to deal with all of that alone and you had so much on your plate...." salem let out a sigh before continuing on. "...but like the issue wasn't about you leaving and me not coming with you. the issue was you not wanting to be long distance with me. i mean, you said you couldn't do it and you know i was so understanding about you having to go back home but like you said you didn't trust yourself? i need to know what you meant by that part. if it wasn't about you potentially cheating on me then what was it about?" the question had been eating at her for a couple weeks and truthfully it sounded like complete bullshit to her but she knew given their history the least she could do is give him the benefit of the doubt.

leon lets her talk, even if it breaks his heart. she's so right about everything, but he genuinely thought this was a good idea at the time. the man nods, twisting his lips, anxious as every word that leaves salem's mouth stab him in the chest. he feels so dumb. such a fucking idiot for thinking he knew what was best for the relationship without taking her into consideration. such an asshole. again. he knows he still has to grow up, but things take time. therapy takes time. he wishes he could fast-forward to the time of his life when he's happy with his girl. with a sigh, leon shakes his head almost imperceptibly before gathering the courage to be a good person to salem. "yeah, okay," the blond leads her to the couch to sit down. "i know i told you my grandma has alzheimer. and i knew i had to go back home to take care of her and mostly my mother, she and my grandma never had a healthy relationship, you know? she could be such a bitch to my mom, to be honest." sometimes context is needed to tell the whole story. some details are so damn personal that he hesitates to share them. but he does. "and well, you know how it is with my mom. i'd feel upset and she would yell at me. she wouldn't validate my feelings, at all. and everything started going smoothly between us when i moved out. i was so fucking afraid of what i could become going back there. i obviously didn't want to bring you because i didn't want you to freak out. so i flew back to seattle, my grandma was yelling all day and eating things she shouldn't because she also has diabetes, you know. so i had to keep an eye on her, and also on my mom because she was drinking a lot. like, almost two bottles of espumante every night." the words slide out of his tongue and his heart is beating faster and he's scared to keep going. but he does. "i really didn't want to put you through that. because of course i got depressed too. it was just a really toxic dynamic back there. and i really really didn't want to bring you into it."

truth is, im a liar….

"listen, compared to all the others i'm seeing this is objectively bad. it's okay to laugh." salem chuckled while leaning back in her chair and eyeing the other popsicle stick houses around her. "it's not that you're creatively challenged but maybe this form of art just isn't your strong suit, or mine either for that matter." other than making music and writing salem hadn't really attempted any other forms of art like crafting or painting. she never really had interest for it. a sigh of relief left her lips at the mention of drinks. "please! they'll 'be on me for making you suffer through this embarrassing activity."

in  all  honesty,  aviva  doesn't  know  how  she  keeps  getting  into  these  ...  creative  situations.  it's  like  the  universe  wants  her  to  be  damn  picasso  or  something,  and  it's  just  not  happening.  not  in  this  lifetime  and  probably  not  in  the  next.  "demolished?  that's  kind  of  harsh."  a  chuckle  as  she  glances  over  at  the  other's  work.  it's  better  than  hers,  after  all.  her  own  head  shakes,  a  sigh  of  defeat  as  she  focuses  back  on  hers.  "i  don't  see  how  they  do  this  —  and  they  say  kids  do  this?  am  i,  like,  creatively  challenged?  what  is  the  secret  to  this?"  she  leans  back  in  her  chair.  "i  need  like,  a  drink.  and  ten  minutes  ago."

salem grabbed the flowers and started cutting the stems as leon spoke preparing them to go in the vase. they were beautiful and normally something so simple would make her feel like the happiest girl in the world but the longer she looked at them the sadder she got about things all over again. his comment threw her off for a moment and the most she could manage to reply with was a chuckle at first. how was she supposed to respond to that anyways? "well, i've been here and i haven't left so i'm not sure why it's so weird for you without me. shouldn't be the other way around?" the words blurted out of her mouth without a second thought. it was probably a bit harsh but it was the truth. before she could respond to his question he ripped the band-aid off for the both of them and decided to address the elephant in the room. she nodded as she placed the flowers in the vase and looked over at him. "you're right, we should talk about things. i'd love to know what you're doing here and why you've suddenly just barrelled back into my life like things didn't end the way they did. it better be one hell of an explanation too." things were different this time. her guard was way up with him.

leon chuckles at her teasing, he'd missed her so fucking much. "they're no pastel de choclo, but i figured you'd like them better," he attempts to lighten the tension that's building between them. it could easily be cut with a knife. after salem starts small talk, leon twists his lips out of nervous habit. "it's been fine. not the same without you." it's actually been weird as fuck. he doesn't feel as connected to the city as he used to. adjusting back to the valpo lifestyle has been complicated, especially because he's really tight on money right now, and everything's even more expensive than before he left. oh right, and the weird feeling of not being cooped up in a house with his grandma and his teetering-on-alcoholic mother. "you?" leon huffs out the word, but clearly he'd rather talk about the elephant in the room right now. "actually, listen, i'm really so fucking sorry, sal. can we sit down and talk about it? please." he doesn't expect the conversation to bring everything back to normal. she has all the right to not trust him right now. he knows he fucked up. he didn't mean to tho. leon loves the woman standing in front of him with all his messed up heart. it beats faster as the words roll out of his mouth. he wonders if she can hear it.

salem wasn't really paying attention to her surroundings due to being too preoccupied with scrolling on instagram. suddenly she felt someone crash into her, knocking her phone out of her hand. "shit!" she exclaimed while quickly retrieving her phone off the ground before looking over at the other, realizing it was drew on the floor. "oh god...are you okay? here take these." crouching down she handed him a couple of napkins for the drink spill. she couldn't help but laugh a bit. "immortal? but you can't handle a simple festival ride? seems like that theory has just been debunked."

open starter / @valpostart location / la fiesta de vendimia

still unsteady from his third go around the tilt - a - whirl, drew stands in front of a stall selling what smells like food, but he won't be able to confirm that until his vision returns to normal. he tries to take a sip from his tall cup of grape juice, but his aim is off so he jams the straw up his nostril. his violent recoil ( combined with the wooziness which still plagues him ) knocks drew backward, causing a collision with another festivalgoer and spilling his drink everywhere. "sorry," drew groans, sitting on the ground as he rubs his spinning head. "i'm feeling a little ... " he splays his arms out above his head, waving them around wildly. " ... you know ? three rides in the tilt - a - whirl will do that to a person. even a suspected immortal such as myself."

salem nervously stepped inside and took a look around. something about the apartment felt like home. she remembered leon showing her pictures when they originally planned to be here together. the spot in the living area where stevie would sleep and the beautiful balcony they could sit on and work on music together. they should be here together but that was before she made a mess of things. "i know..." she responded quietly. he had a point and between the last time and now it was like deja vu. salem wasn't sure why she put put him through this a second time. she made her way over to the couch to sit after taking her shoes off. leon reemerged from the kitchen with a glass of water, he was quiet and she could tell he was visibly upset by her just showing up out of the blue and completely intoxicated. "thanks." she said with a small smile before taking a sip. "listen, i know i should have maybe called or texted you first but i didn't know if you'd pick up and i just really needed to see you." she looked down at the glass of water and zoned out for a bit unsure what to say next. there was no real explanation other than salem and her usual bullshit, that much she was aware of. "honestly i've been here for like a week now and i've been trying to figure out what to say to you but nothing really seemed right."

he's still shocked to see the woman he loves in front of him. she's trashed, that much is obvious, and he feels bad. "come in," he says with a sigh and a pinch of his nose. why does she keep doing this? first, after she ghosted him for a week, she showed up at one of his gigs, drunk. and now this? "shit's getting old, sal," the blond mutters under his breath, even though he doesn't really mean it. something about the uncertainty of their relationship, it makes him feel things more deeply. he hates her and then loves her and then hates her again. leon walks into the kitchen and pours a glass of water for her. what is he gonna do? he can't yell at her now, can he? he doesn't even want to do that. he doesn't know what he wants to do. everything's a mess and he wishes he could flash forward to the part of the relationship when everything's okay again. when he can hold her without the fear of her abandoning him again. the man doesn't notice the water overflowing from the glass and pouring onto his hand and the counter. "fuck," he whispers.

status: closed for @alkaliineee // solana

salem beamed as she strolled through the vineyard with solana. she couldn't contain her enthusiasm as the two picked grapes and placed them in the basket. "i'm super excited for this, can you believe i've never done a wine tasting before either?" she said to the other. grape picking and creating your own wine was completely different from salem's typical idea of fun but she was quickly starting to adapt to trying new things while living in valpo. "please don't roast me too hard on how little i know about it all." she said a bit embarrassed. "my parents are more of the whiskey in a dive bar types than wine sipping on a vineyard you know?"

normally salem wasn't one to go out to the club alone ( especially her frequent spot club divine ) but since arriving back in valpo she knew she needed to let off some steam and let her hair down. after about twenty minutes of mingling with randoms and a couple shots with a group of girls she met at the bar salem practically jumped out of her skin with excitement upon realizing nevaeh was the guest dj for the night. 'finally a familiar face' she thought while moving her way through the crowd towards the other's set up. "thank god you're here!!!" salem yelled out to her before embracing her in a tight hug. it was comforting being around nevaeh because the two always managed to have fun no matter what the occasion was and it was just what salem needed right now. "i know! but i got hit with major um...drama i guess you could say when i got back that threw me through a fucking loop but that's another story for later." finishing off the rest of her drink. "how have you been? if you let me linger around the booth tonight i promise not to embarrass you. i actually came alone."

status / closed , ( @cybermuses ) location / club divine

               the   surprise   on   nevaeh's   features   was   evident.   as   a   guest dj   for   club   divine's   rooftop   party,   nevaeh   hadn't   expected   to   see   any   familiar   face   in   the   audience   because   she   hadn't   set   out   any   invites.   it   was   a   last   minute   decision,   the   previous   performer   flaking   out   and   other   bland   explanations   nevaeh   stopped   listening   after   they   told   her   how   much   she   was   getting   paid.   all   that   to   say,   she   wasn't   expecting   to   see   anyone   she   knew.   especially   salem.   she   thought   she'd   still   be   in   la.                nevaeh   was   never   one   to   drink   while   performing   so   it   didn't   take   long   for   salem's   features   to   register.   nearly   ripping   her   headphones   off   her   head,   her   squeal   echoed   through   her   headphones   as   she   hopped   from   behind   her   set   up   onto   the   dancefloor   and   racing   at   full   speed   towards   her.   "   no   fucking   shit,   salem   !   "   nevaeh   exclaimed,   delighted   to   see   her   as   she   wrapped   her   in   a   tight   embrace.   "   you   don't   know   how   to   call,   nobody   or   what   ?   "

Is that KIANA LEDE ? Oh, no, that’s SALEM WEST, a TWENTY EIGHT year old MUSICIAN who uses SHE/HER pronouns. They currently live in VIÑA DEL MAR, and the character they identify with most is MISTY DAY from AHS:COVEN. Hopefully they find their own little paradise here in el país de los poetas!

hi angels i'm mar and this is my baby salem!! i can't wait to write with all of you <3 ~pinterest for the vibes~

about.

꒰  ♡  ꒱ salem west was born and bred in new orleans, louisiana on june 5th 1995 to gwen and thomas west . gwen and tommy met in the mid 90’s, tommy being the frontman of one of the biggest bands in the world "The Aces" and gwen being one of the top supermodels of the 90’s. the two eloped quickly in a small ceremony after only being together for about four months while traveling to vegas and have been together ever since. being the only child of a supermodel and rockstar gave salem the privilege to grow up around music and fashion with a deep appreciation of the two. in 2006 during the golden age of reality tv gwen and tommy signed on for a reality show called "gwen and tommy" which would go on for about 8 years before ending. the show highlighted every part of their lives, including the lows, which forced salem to grow up on tv and under a microscope susceptible to the public's scrutiny. eventually, being on television had a negative effect on her and her insecurities got the best of her which would lead her to struggle with various issues going forward.   ꒰  ♡  ꒱ spending most of her time between new york and new orleans salem didn't really grow up with a stable home life. her parents didn't believe a nanny should raise their daughter so she often traveled with them for work between cities, new york being their main place of residence during the summers. when she got older she became responsible for raising herself and in that time she fell in love with new york. she loved the art, the culture, the freedom--- often finding ways to create her own safe space without the cameras with friends who understood the pressures of growing up with famous relatives. she finished school relatively early due to homeschooling. by the time she was 16 she graduated and spent her free time learning how to play various instruments and attending fashion events with her mom. but the fashion world never really stuck for her.  ꒰  ♡  ꒱ when her 18th birthday rolled around salem started spending more time with her father and his band on tour. she loved the behind the scenes aspect of everything, including being in the studio where she realized she wanted to dabble in singing and song writing. she got into some trouble, flirted with a roadie or two, partied with locals in various cities and even started secretly dating a crew member on the tour. she didn't realize at the time how toxic and manipulative the relationship was, besides him being significantly older he often fed on her insecurities which would lead to her inevitably ending things after a year. she dove into songwriting as an outlet for her feelings and soon after discovered she had an amazing singing voice and a natural talent to play piano. tommy pushed her to pursue a career in music, they often fought about her lack of motivation to build a career out of it. salem wanted to just have fun and experiment in different ventures while tommy was focused on making her his protégé. she ended up releasing an album when she turned 21 and made a name for herself in the industry. she toured around for 2 years and released an ep during that time and some smaller shows for another year before deciding she inevitably needed a break before starting her second album.

*salem originally was supposed to arrive in valpo for some much needed time off to spend with her (now ex) boyfriend leon. after ending things with him over the phone she realized she made a huge mistake and decided to come to valpo anyways to hopefully patch things up and maybe meet some new people along the way too.

random facts.

she has a black cat named stevie (yes after stevie nicks duh) (yes she bought her cat with her)

shes like the witchy plant mom of the group

also very chaotic but in a fun way! she loves going out and partying bc why not! she's harmless tho i promise <3

loves giving back and is big on philanthropy, kinda guilty about how much money her family has tbh

was diagnosed bipolar at 15 (be nice to her pls)

really loves people but has very few close to friends due to people using her for their own gain

she's also queer and a gemini ( i gave her the same bday as angelina jolie bc nothing is real so! why not!)

wanted connections? literally anything she's new to town so we can figure something out just message me on discord!!!~

tldr; chaotic nepo baby who grew up on reality tv and is a musician lmao

Don’t assign me yours.