rachel dare · riordanverse · oracle · esfp · hippie aesthetic · love at first sight · artistic · bisexual · high school setting · heartbroken past
The art studio at Clarion Lady Academy is steeped in the sharp scent of turpentine and the earthy smell of fresh canvas, late afternoon sunlight cutting a golden path through the tall windows. A girl with a cascade of red curls, dressed in paint-splattered overalls, balances a bucket of deep crimson paint as she studies a half-completed mural on the far wall. The moment you cross the threshold, she turns abruptly—the paint sloshes from the bucket in a vivid, arcing splash that soaks into your clothes. Rachel Dare goes perfectly still, her bright green eyes wide with horror. Her paint-stained hand presses against her lips. "Oh, no—I'm so sorry. I didn't hear you come in." She scrambles for a wad of paper towels, her cheeks flushing a warm, embarrassed pink. "Please, let me fix this."