there's a secret

⟪ PERSONALITY ⟫

curious, impatient, needs to understand everything and everyone, reckless, adventurous, open-minded, resourceful, has a sense of self- importance, good of the many rather than good of the few kind of girl, what are even ethical boundaries amirite or amirite

Just one look at one Philani Peters as she strides down the hall (rucksack slacked over a shoulder, hair an untamable mess, a soft hum of an unrecognizable song on her lips) would be enough to tell you all you need to know about her. Free-spirited, chill, a curious glint in her eyes as she studies the world around her, completely ignoring herself in the process. She's one of those. A hipster. Naturally, she'd disagree - there's no one quite like her on this planet, fortunately, or unfortunately, whichever way you're willing to take it. Putting her in boundaries such as cliques, groups, or any other category humans oh so very love to do, is simply not going to work. Among the herds of sheep that are high school students, teachers, politicians, housewives, and businessmen, Phil is a beacon of nonconformity. Life is too short to bow down to bureaucracy. Phil is not going to waste her short time of existence indulging in stupid dramas and materialistic problems. She has better, far more interesting and important concerns. She might be here for a short time, but she's going to make it count.

It translates into various actions - smoking weed in the backyard, not caring for classes or any form of education that forces rather than encourages, getting tattoos, ignoring the status quo altogether - but mostly, she's just amused. There's a certain joy in which she looks upon life, one that she knows wouldn't have been there if she was as preoccupied with the pettiness of prejudice, standards, and society. It's pretty interesting to watch it all from a different angle than most (yes, even Lucy, bless her heart), equal parts amusing and tugging at her curiosity. She can't herself, despite knowing that she's above it all. It's just so... intriguing. Everything about the world is, in fact. Everything evokes her curiosity, and her mind is in an eternal fight with itself, seeking knowledge and adventures and intrigue. No matter what she herself thinks of the matter, the human psyche that forces everyone into the sheep that they are is fascinating, as well as the historical events that led to the world being that way that it is today. Animals are fascinating, as are plants, biology, chemistry, physics, each and every subject she could think of has something that catches her interest (because how could it not!? The world is magnificent, hiding mysteries and depths just waiting to be uncovered by her). Ask her a question about anything, and Phil will have some sort of input, no matter how big or small. She knows something about everything... except what's on the test. They are just boring and show absolutely nothing about who you are or what really matters. They force you to study, instead of encouraging you to learn, and Phil is simply not about that life... and okay fine she just forgets about them most of the time, but they're just sooo boring. As is school.

Well, not school, but the lessons. School has life and people and beauty, and it's very interesting to observe it all from the side. Lessons are boring and slow and tell you in forty-five minutes what Wikipedia could tell you in five. She might be a bit impatient, yes, but how could she not be when the world is out there, just waiting for her to explore? She honestly can't wait until she's done with stupid bureaucracy for good, graduates and gets the hell out of the educational system (unless, of course, they'll force her back so she could continue with her Changing the World Plan, and make her go to university so that she could work as an archeologist. Rome wasn't built in a day, she knows, and that will be a battle for another day. It still frustrates her to no end). No matter what her parents say, no matter how her father glances at her with confusion, and how disappointment in her lack of ambition flashes across her mother's eyes, Phil won't budge. She refuses to live her life for others (even if said others are her parents), and honestly, no matter how much she loves them, she knows that they just don't understand. She doesn't blame them, how could she? It's not their fault Phil is like this. It would be stupid and cruel to assume that they would get it. She's special, and she wouldn't have been special if everyone else was like her.

It's a truth she doesn't know what to make of - on one hand she enjoys being who she is, no denying that, and she wouldn't have been herself if everyone else was like that... but on the other hand, she sometimes would've really loved for others to understand - almost as much as she would've loved for her to understand. And oh, does she need to understand. Everything and everyone. Just as much as she loves to explore the world, she also loves getting it, understanding the secrets its keeping from almost everyone else. A difficult concept that she has trouble understanding irritates her, and sometimes she can become slightly obsessed with it, engrossing herself wholly. She is as passionate about the process as she is about the outcome, as passionate about the research as she is talking about it with someone and sharing her knowledge with them. It's one of the only times she feels connected to other people, when she forgets of the difference of psyche and disagreements they share. It's just them and her and the beauty of knowledge. Then it passes - because every moment passes - and she's reminded all over again. Or perhaps the moment doesn't even pass completely, but rather she ruins it somehow (because it's always her, according to them, her and her weird words and conspiracies and hipsterness). She can't really explain how she thinks that their sentiment is often stupid, how selfish it is to think about yourself when they are nothing but ants compared to the vastness of the universe. She herself can't choose herself over the world, and she doesn't think others should too. The good of the few is always less important in the grander scheme of things, even if the few are close to her, even if she is one of them. People stare at her like she's a lunatic when she says it, hiding behind shields of "I could never make such a decision!" and "I'd kill myself before doing something like that!". Phil just shakes her head and knows that it's futile to argue. 

She walks down the hall, and knows that nobody will ever truly understand. Why would she want to seek out success and fame? The only reason she'd ever want money is to use it for the greater good. Philani doesn't need that, she has the universe at her doorstep, even more so now that she is a guardian of the other side. Nobody will ever truly understand. Nobody but the world. It has heard Phil's cry for help, and it has answered. No one mundane could've fit the role of the protector of the universe, there was a reason each and every one of them was chosen. A reason she was chosen. So as she walks down the hall, a soft hum under her lips, she knows that those around her will never be like her, for better or worse. They just can't, not like her at least. Phil has given herself to the universe, and the universe always, always gives back.

⟪ FATAL FLAW ⟫

Phil prides herself on being the underdog. She loves that she is different, and knows that she is different. She is not like the others, her way of thinking is different, and her goals and dreams are different as well. The problem is that she keeps telling herself that. The desire to be different had somewhere along the way turned into somewhat of an obsession. At some point, just being Phil who's special wasn't enough. She did everything she could to be special, because in her mind she deserves the world simply because of that. She deserves all of the knowledge in the world because she's not like others, she deserves to have an adventurous life because she's not like the rest of the people.

Small things paint the bigger picture - the extremely detailed plan of what she's going to do after graduation, complete with stops and activities so hipster nobody has ever heard or could pronounce their name, the way she chooses not to care about the way she dresses, the tattoo she got simply for the sake of getting a tattoo... Phil does all of those little things subconsciously, not even realizing that with them she seeks affirmation that yes, she is special. The universe comes to her aid with the magical girl affair - hey, she was chosen for this, it must mean that she is special in some way! If the universe says it, it must be true, right?

Wrong. The universe doesn't say anything, it simply sits by and keeps balance. Phil doesn't realize that she was simply in the right place at the right time, and her powers have absolutely nothing to do with whether she is special or not. It's not going to be fun to find out about that one, but it will cause more help than harm in the end. After all, Philani needs to realize that she is special as she is, thanks to her personality and way of thinking, and trying to make herself more special will only make her more basic and just like everyone else. 

⟪ BACKGROUND ⟫

The first and perhaps only mistake made by Anele and George Peters was to not answer any of their daughter's questions. Instead, they encouraged her to find the answers by herself. Anele, an immigrant from South Africa, had always had the notion that a child should grow curious and independent (like she had no choice but do), and George was too in love with his wife (and too whipped by all of the females in his family) to have any sort of input. A pencil and a notebook were entrusted to Philani, and she was pushed towards an adventure of a lifetime.

She was naturally very curious and knowledge-seeking just like her mother, and every single question she had throughout the day, she put in the notebook. In the evening, she would sit on with her dad and open a huge encyclopedia, and she read. Read, and read, and read until her questions for the day had been answered. Years passed, and encyclopedias were replaced with a computer, but even then it was no easy task - even then she wanted answers here and fast, and the thrill of the wait was both awful and gratifying. It felt awful waiting for an answer, yet so amazing when the answer had been delivered to her. And for every answer, more questions arose. Philani's quest for knowledge never ended, and her adventure only grew grander and more vast.

Then smartphones came, and Phil's life shifted upside down. She got her first Samsung Galaxy when she was 13, and from there, nothing was ever the same. Smartphones introduced speed, and they introduced an instant source of answers. She no longer had to wait until she got home. If Philani had a question, Philani immediately got her answer. It made everything so much easier. Of course it translated rather poorly to her academical studies, but Philani had never been after those. 

Phil had always wanted to do something bigger than herself. She realized pretty early in life that she was simply not meant for the regular way of life, and getting a 9-to-5 job, getting married, having children, and settling down in some town was just not who she is. She needed more. She needed to satisfy her hunger for knowledge and needed to do something that matters both to her and the world. No matter how much her mother and father wanted, Phil was not going to get married, and she was not going to have children. Phil was never good at following what was normal - partly thanks to her parents - and she was not going to start now.

The plan was this: graduate high school, take a year off and go traveling - she has a list of places already, though she still has no idea how she will get the money necessary. Then she'll probably study archeology - a fascinating subject with a  fascinating career - unless she'll change her mind, which could very well happen. She will volunteer, she will travel the world, she will uncover its mysteries, one fossil at a time.

Of course, that was the original plan. Ever since she discovered the Other Side and the aether, there has been a slight change of plans. A whole new world, waiting for her to uncover. So many possibilities, so many wonders. To say Phil is ready would be an understatement.

⟪ HOME LIFE ⟫

For every irregular girl, there is a regular family. Her mom is beautiful and caring, strong and intelligent - the perfect role model. Her dad is funny and loving, and will do anything for his little girl. Philani smiles at them and reaches for the camera. With a flash their smiles are eternal, and they look perfectly regular. There's nothing much to tell about them, she realizes as she hangs the picture on the wall, next to the photo of Lucy's hair flying in the wind and a very aesthetic shot of a puppy playing with a cute college guy. They are so very normal. Sometimes it's comforting. Sometimes it hurts.

To the Peters' defense, they're not as basic as Philani makes them. Anele was one of the few girls of her community in South Africa to get higher education, and as a lawyer no less. She was the only one to immigrate out of the country and find success in Europe. George is an artist and acts as the housewife (househusband? He's unsure of the term himself), and surprisingly both of her parents are very pleased with their unique situation. They love each other very much, and had done everything in their power to give Philani the tools to become a great person, and added the freedom of allowing her to choose whatever she wants to do. They are not the regular suburban household, even though they do enjoy their Sunday brunches very, very much.

(scroll down the pics!)

 Mom | 42 | Gina Torres

 

mother dear is perfect in every way, she's amazing and a good role model, even if she is not as special as Phil would've wanted. She's still very much a boss, and Philani loves her dearly... she just fails to understand how amazing her mom is for becoming one of the few female lawyers in Africa, immigrating, and finding success in Europe, all while managing to find love and build a family. That's gangster, Phil. You should take notes. 

 Dad| 49| Eddie Murphy

 

Her dad has always been normal - well, not completely normal as he put his blooming career in law enforcement in order to become a stay at home dad (which later made him become a photographer). He's amazing, a bit boring, but makes the best lasagna in the entire world, and Phil would fight you for it.

 bff | 17 | Willow Shields

 

If there is one person Phil wasn't biology engineered to love but does so anyway, it's Lucy Harper. Their friendship had begun long ago in a faraway sandbox, and they have always been together ever since. Their friendship is special, too, which is what makes Phil love Lucy even more (their intense debates are a hobby, really). Lucy is always welcomed at the Peters Residence, but more importantly, Phil is always welcomed at the Harper mansion, where she finds solace at the great minds and uniqueness all around her (and represses the pang of jealousy that comes with it)

⟪ TRIVIA ⟫

- She has a tattoo on her wrist - a heat of the moment circle that doesn't mean anything other than being Phil's first tattoo, one of many to come, no doubt.

- Genetics have played dirty with her, and her sight is unfortunately far from perfect. She needs to wear glasses when watching movies or looking at something from afar, but doesn't really like them and tends to forget them at home.

- Doesn't want children, but has a hard time telling her father about it as it would devastate George who dreams of becoming a grandparent. She does love children, however, but she has too much planned for her life to disregard it for the sake of raising a child. Dogs, however, are an entirely different question.

- Her main hobby is photography - capturing beautiful moments is very satisfying and she finds it surprisingly enjoyable. Pictures can tell a lot of things people don't, and if she can take super pretty photos for her future adventures or research, that's a win win for her!

- Carries one of those hipster polaroid cameras because she is as hipster as it gets.

- She's panual, or at least thinks she's panual. She has been physically attracted to both girls and guys before, and she thinks she's higher than old-fashioned boundaries and prejudice.

- Drugs are not foreign to Phil, as she has tried them to subdue her curiosity. The idea that something could get you addicted on the first try was absolutely ridiculous, and probably filled with a lot of prejudice and stigma from the old-fashioned way of thinking most people have. First she tried weed, of course, and it was a rather pleasant experience. LSD, less so, though she has taken notes and is eager to try again. To her there are 2 categories of drugs: those that harm the body, and those that don't, and she sure as hell is going to try all of those from the latter category.

- For the longest time has had a childhood crush on Lucy's big brother. He's an archaelogist! If that's not hot she doesn't know what is.

- Lucy tries to get her into BtoB and Kpop, and Phil can't say she's not intrigued.

- Phil tries so much to be above hormones. She's better than that, isn't she? WRONG. Puberty hits each and every one, and poor Philani Peters is no exception... especially when one of the basketball players decides to jog around the neighborhood without his shirt on.

PHILLY! I HEREBY ANNOUNCE THAT YOU ARE GOING TO THE HALLOWEEN PARTY THIS FRIDAY. I ALREADY GOT YOU A TICKET SO THERE'S NO WAY YOU'RE BAILING ON THIS ONE MS. PETERS. I WORKED HARD ON IT, AND I EXPECT TO SEE YOU THERE TO SUPPORT ME... AND THE SCHOOL. BUT MOSTLY ME.

Philani raises her eyes to meet the piercing hazel gaze of none other than Lucy Harper. "Would you look at that, I'm in the presence of a lady." After receiving a light kick to the knee, she taps her hand on the grass and invites her best friend to lay down next to her. "There was a really cool art exhibition happening this weekend, but I guess if my wife organized the event I have no choice but to come. But I'm not like any of your other conquests, you know. You're going to have to buy me a diamond ring, or at least a really nice burger. I ain't cheap."
 

GREAT! YOU DO KNOW IT'S A COSTUME PARTY, RIGHT? AS MY DATE, I EXPECT ONLY THE BEST. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING IN MIND?

"Hmm..." She puts a finger on her chin, deep in thought for a few moments. "I'm thinking about going as Queen Nzinga. That could be cool."

... WHO?

"Only one of the most influential women of color in history." She chuckles in response, but the glint is already lit in her eyes, the adrenaline rush she always gets from discussing interesting topics with people already hitting her veins. She didn't even care when Lucy chuckled playfully upon witnessing the change of atmosphere. "She was basically the Oprah of the 17th century, if Oprah was the sister of the king who later assumed control when he died and made the kingdom prosper like it had never had before. She ruled over Ndongo and Matamba, and was known to be a genius tactitian, something that was completely unheard of during that time. Fun fact, the Portugese were at the time and wanted to raid the kingdom for slaves and gems, because of course they did. Nzinga wasn't the queen at the time, but she was sent as a diplomatic ambassador to make peace with the Portugese. They didn't offer her a proper seat, so the boss lady literally sat on one of her servants through the entire meeting. The guys were so shocked they actually signed a treaty that made both countries equal... and of course they broke it like five minutes later. Nzinga's bro committed suicide because he knew Nzinga would be so much better at this than him, and that's how she took over. The Portuguese then waged war and she was forced to flee, but that boss just became the queen of another kingdom, created an alliance with the Dutch, waged war on the Portuguese, and actually led troops into battles herself, not only as a woman, but as a woman late into her sixties! She regained her rule over the kingdom, and worked her entire life to make it great again after the war. She resettled former slaves and even allowed women to bear children, and despite many attempts on her life, this boss died at the age of eighty, in her bed, probably sipping wine and laughing at her enemies failures... What?" She blinks, head tilting at the peculiar expression adorning Lucy's face. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

YOU ARE SO WEIRD, PHILLY. EVEN WORSE THAN NOAH... WHO ACTUALLY ASKED ME ABOUT WHY I'M SKIPPING CLASSES LATELY.

Phil mimicks the grimace on her best friend's face. It was about time someone has noticed, and while all of them have been prepared - well, most of them - it's still one more thing that they need to deal with... Even though she only feels amusement knowing that it's Noah Voh who is sniffing around for clues. It figures it's Noah who has noticed first, though. That puppy has been tailing Luce since the very first day, trying to mask it with a sassy attitude and bickering that totally didn't show how much he liked her. Ah, awkward teenage romance at its finest. Stephanie Meyers would be proud. "Did you rained the famous Lucy Harper fury on him?" She asks, and when yet another kick to the sheen follows she can't help but giggle. "Well, it's not like there's anything he can do unless he decides to go Scooby Doo on us as an attempt to impress your majesty."
 

PHIL, WHAT IF HE FINDS OUT? WE CAN'T RISK THAT!

"Seriously, what is he going to do? Unleash the power of puns at us? The only thing he can do is write, and even if it somehow goes under your nose, can you imagine it? Five Girls Skipping Class In Order to Save the World." She takes a moment to look at her friend, and surprise washes over her when she realizes that Lucy is actually concerned. Doesn't she realize that people would never believe in something so ridiculous-sounding, even if it is the truth. That's just how they are, enjoying their cage so much they were willing to ignore everything to stay in it. "But, you're right. We can't risk that." She sighs, already regretting what she's about to say next, "I guess we're going to have to cut off time on the other side..." And by "we", she totally means "them". She's all for taking the risk herself if it means she'll get a few more hours at that place. "If the art exhibition is being cruelly taken away from me, would you at least be kind enough to help me get ready? You have that one pretty scarf that could pass as a cloak." And she knows for certain that a certain archaeologist of the Harper clan is going to be present. Will is going to find Nzinga fascinating, and Phil is not going to miss an opportunity like that (any thoughts about how she was almost as ridiculous as Noah were cast aside immediately. This was not teenage drama. Will was older than that, and she was never really a teen to begin with).
 

I'M GLAD WE'VE SETTLED THAT YOU'RE GOING, THEN. AND - , THE BELL! WE'LL TALK ABOUT THIS LATER, WE CAN'T JUST IGNORE NOAH'S NOSINESS. BUT WE NEED TO GET TO CLASS NOW.

One look at the sky - extremely blue today, a gorgeous color that just has to be memorized for eternity - is all that takes for Phil to decide. "You go. I'm really not in the mood to listen to Mr. Tanner's barks as he struggles to keep us engage enough through logarithms." She grins when Lucy shakes her head, but she really does have better things to do than sit through another math class that she'll probably get kicked out of anyway for daydreaming or 'disrespecting authority'. The sky is way too pretty, and she needs to take a picture of it. She feels like doing something reckless and fun too, so she'll go to the other side after that. Because if the sky here was pretty, it must be absolutely breathtaking there. No way is Phil going to miss on that.

the WORLD

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