A Rose from Bari - Sylvana DeRose

[Havana]

 

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A Rose from Bari - Sylvana DeRose.

This thread will portray the spontaneous lifestyle of Sylvana DeRose, a early 20s girl with a bi-curious sexuality, a traumatic upbringing which made her run away from her hometown of Bari in Central Italy after her parents passing. She is agnostic, a 'yes' girl with lots of flaws. Her parents inheritance and ultimately timed deaths when she was eighteen left her the free will to travel Europe, albeit battling her mental state, which is reflected in her story and her decisions to maximise life to her fullest. She doesn't have any decadences, the last standing 'DeRose'. Her lifestyle now reflects on her past, she wants love not with the complications. She wants routine while having the freedom to do whatever she wants. Her only skills she can utilize is hospitality, her years of travelling Europe granted her the ability to bartend, this is one of her only proper skills.

 

This is my first ever character created on any 5RP after almost 14 years of playing around on SAMP (RCRP you did me well). I hadn't touched GTA5 at all up until January 2024 apart from one single player playthrough in 2013. A general note is that my theme for screenshots include adding noise, where if a screenshot seems clear then its a sign that her mental health is in a clearer state, when the screenshot has lots of noise it's the opposite. All screenshots will include a journal entry - this is mostly in a first person POV. I fucked up from the start with RageMP thinking that screenshots would also save chat, so I had to go back and recreate scenes and actions. This character has no intentions of illegal activity and no really intended expected end goal. I'm purely ad-hoc with how it turns out, or bouncing off other characters that I come across. 

 

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Character Backstory

3rd August, 2002

 

Sylvana was born to parents Marco and Isabella DeRose. She was raised as an only child in the Mercadante Forest, West Bari. She has a basic upbringing, there was no real intention or expectations of her. Sylvana learnt English from her father as it was required in his role as a traveling businessman. Her mother was a baker and left her job in the early 2000s to look after Sylvana. 

 

21st August, 2021

 

A fresh eighteen year old faced Sylvana learns the fate of her parents, both murdered in a supposed ‘accident’ which was a deal turned south by her father pissing off the wrong people. Over the upbringing years of her being a teenager Marco turned to alcohol and became an addictive gambler. With the enormous sums of money he was able to bring in from piggy-bank deals he was able to rack up a large sum of debts the money all dried up fast. 

 

Luckily, in tears and misfortune, life insurance was picked up by Sylvana as she was the only left dependent. She decided to sell off all the assets of Marco and Isabella, then turn to the east coast of Italy where she slowly worked her way up North. She stopped at many places along the way, working, often partying, experimenting as an eighteen year old hiding away the grief of her parents. There was no family left for her to go to, her nonna had passed a year prior, there was no grandparents to run off to for Sunday lunch. 

 

2022 - January 2023

 

Sylvana continued to work and party her way across Europe. She had stops in many beautiful countries, she couldn’t pick a favourite, but her time was spent around Germany and Austria. She resided around the English speakers at all times, and would shift her focus to hanging around Italians more so than anyone else. Still, she partied hard, and with hardly any replacement money she was running broke, fast. Sylvana took a month in the UK before she was seriously left with moths in her purse. So, she sold all of her belongings, her car, her trinkets, before buying a plane ticket to Liberty City. It was a one way journey and she had every intention of living out a Hollywood or friends lifestyle in the United States.

 

24th January, 2023

 

Sylvana arrives in Liberty City at Francis International. She carries with her two suitcases full of clothes and personal belongings with enough money to keep her going. Sylvana made connections in the UK for an apartment in Bohan -- however, she didn’t realize just how bad Bohan was, and with no money she was forced to work hard without really any play. She dated and met people across bars she worked, but nothing really stuck with her, and the regret of leaving Europe was starting to sink in for her. She picks up writing in her Journal from about this time as well to keep her mental state in check.

 

29th January, 2024

 

Sylvana has had enough and the cold weather isn’t what she’s used to. She packs her things and leaves Bohan for Francis International and another one way plane ticket to Los Santos.

 

 

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Edited August 21, 2024 by Havana

[Havana]

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4.54am January 29th, 2024. Bohan, Liberty City & Francis International Airport

 

Liberty City to Los Santos. From the bottom of a barrel to another, who knows, maybe it's the same barrel. I packed up my things quietly in the night, kissed goodbye to my sublet roommate who had drunk too much Tequila and had passed out on the couch, then headed out the door with my suitcase and my black Kathmandu backpack. Spurred on by this fucking cold weather, I had to shivver while I waited for a taxi to take me to Francis. I write this in the freezing piss cold of the Francis International Airport, with a one way ticket to Los Santos. I miss home, but I’m heading somewhere at least warmer and more dreamy.

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11.03pm January 29th, 2024. Perrera Motel, West Del Perro, Los Santos.

 

The worst fucking day. AND. I. MEAN. IT. This motel I was told about fucking stinks. There’s no kitchen, not even a fucking microwave. God. I got off the plane about four hours ago and had to navigate my way through baggage and security bullshit. And, how about this. Turns out that there’s no proper transport options other than a small train that goes around the city. What have I done… 

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[Havana]

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3.21pm January 30th, 2024. Perrera Motel, West Del Perro, Los Santos.

 

Less than a few hundred dollars left to my name. But, I have a car at least…that costs me a few thousand per week. Fuck. I’ve already been around to the bars around my motel and asked for work, and actually it looks…promising? I’m going to spend the day walking around, taking in those beautiful rays of sunshine. People actually look at me here, and some even smile. They validate my existence? 

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4.15am February 2nd, 2024. 12.11pm February 9th, 2024. Perrera Motel, West Del Perro & Sinners Paradise, Los Santos.

 

I have pay, I have money. Thank god. I flirted my way into getting a shift at a place called Sinners Paradise. Somewhere in the middle of the city, I think it's in Vinewood. Fucked if I know. I met a guy called Zaire and Josh, both of them brothers, or are they? They both seem the same with almost the same kind of style and dress code. This place is shady, but they’ve paid me well, actually TOO well for a first shift, and the tips, oh my god. I worked a few hours and I’ve earnt enough for another month's stay in a motel. But this girl..Lucia. Wow. Pretty but has all of her own places and time in the world. I have a feeling about this. Those eyes, I could probably stare into them for hours without any of my silly thoughts getting in the way.

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[Havana]

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12.11pm February 9th, 2024. Perrera Motel, West Del Perro, Los Santos.

 

Forgot about this silly little journal. Threw it under the motel bed and haven’t thought about it for well over a week. Every day I’ve woken up and gone for a run down Vespucci beach, and every time I’ve been cat-called or wolf-whistled in some way. EVERYONE in this city is horny. EVERYONE looks my way. I feel like all eyes are on me as I’m at the turn on a catwalk. I’ve frequented a few bars in Del Perro, and they’re all the same setup, near to a point you can predict who is going to serve you and who is going to approach you. A guy behind a bar didn’t know what a fucking Aperol Spritz was. God! I’m going back to work tonight at Sinners. Not sure about this city at all…

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5.15am February 10th, 2024. Perrera Motel, West Del Perro & Sinners Paradise, Los Santos.

 

Fuck. I knew it. Sinners is an ex-strip club. Amazing, now I get why I was courted into working there, might as well be a fucking bottlegirl. I had a french customer come in, try to woo me because he was into MMA, then he spilled the beans about Sinners. Still, oddly enough, the place isn’t too bad. Or maybe it is? I can’t decide. This shift earnt me enough again for another month's rent in this shit hole, but I don’t need to stay here, I can go elsewhere. I’m going to try to call Lucia, or hope she calls me. I’ve been thinking about her for a week, but I’m too scared to pick up that fucking phone. Nobody reaches out in this city as well, but people are more than happy to stare or call me beautiful.

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[Havana]

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2.12am February 11th, 2024. Perrera Motel, West Del Perro & half of the Los Santos countryside, Los Santos.

 

She reached out to me first. It was almost telepathic. Direct and straight to the point, something I’ll never forget. She picked me up on a motorcycle, I’ve never ridden one, and she takes me up to the Los Santos Observatory? Fuck. I held on for my life and she wasn’t going slow. That burning image of my head of her curvate body glowing against the full moon on top of Los Santos. My whole life I’ve dreamed of being taken on dates like this, but never by someone of the same sex. I told her everything because I trusted her, and she listened. As soon as I told her about the motel, she insisted on me staying at her apartment in Legion Square. Fuck. Now what? I accepted. I guess I’m out of this motel?

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11.43pm February 14th, 2024. Valentine's Day. Emissary Apartments, Legion Square, Los Santos.

 

There’s no point getting a date on today’s special day because I’ve already fucked myself in life. Lucia has fucked off to Mexico and has left me by myself in the apartment. Actually to grant, she has TWO apartments in the same building, but lives on the top floor? Fuck am I being groomed here, or is this actually some kind of rom-com. I spent this evening getting my clothes and the rest of my small belongings into my suitcase again so I could travel across the city to this mystical land called Legion Square. Checking out of that motel is one of the most dopamine things I’ve done since I arrived in the US of A.

 

I made a dating profile too, and scrolled through, fuck I’m ugly against some of these super models. I miss Lucia in an odd way, she didn’t say how long she’s gone..

 

I’m putting this pen down and going to get drunk and out of my consciousness. What’s open…?

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[Havana]

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3.13am February 16th, 2024. Lucia’s Apartment, Legion Square & Sinners Paradise, Los Santos. 

 

I played around and ran into the Diaz’ brothers again at Outsiders Bar. Well fuck. I got talking to them outside of work, and of course, they invited me back for another shift. Why not? I’ve been working around at a few one-offs in between, Modvera, and this other place that I literally can’t remember the name of. Think this was my third shift at Sinners, but god, I don’t think I’ll be back. Everyone in here is dressed so nicely, and has some kind of money. I'm literally being showered in tips working here. 

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12.35am February 20th, 2024. Lucia’s Apartment & The Outpost Bar, Los Santos.

 

I fucking hate this city. I really fucking do. Some poor guy was beaten to death behind the apartments in the car park, and I just SO happen to stumble upon the guys doing it. I screamed so fucking loud and they all ran off. The paramedics couldn’t do anything. He was already blue by the time they come….I just want to have a fucking drink…oh my god.. I’m drinking myself to my sleep tonight. His friend came out and tried his best to revive him, his face was so battered...what the fuck is this city? I've been here for about a month now and I've seen two people being knocked out and NOW someone other than my parents dying in front of me. 

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[Havana]

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12.13am February 22th, 2024. Lucia’s Apartment, Hell.

 

Hell.. I’m still fucked up. I haven’t seen a single fucking soul in two days, and its great. I drank a whole bottle of whiskey I took with me from Sinners Paradise that I kept for this rainy day. Haha!

Who knew Los Santos had such dumb cable TV? I tried calling Lucia, and left my 4th voicemail. I hope she’s alive, if she’s dead I wouldn’t know what to do with this place…

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1.14am February 26th, 2024. Lucia’s Apartment & Dirty Duke Bar, North Vinewood, Los Santos.

 

I bookmarked a job posting the other day and had the courage to call the guy up for a bar in Dirty Duke. The place is..oddly wholesome? Reminds me so much of home cafes where it was snug but full of life. Really nice, wholesome place. Turns out that they’re opening regularly and they pay well, and of course the tips are guaranteed. The locals all seem of different characters though, and there’s so many of them. I can’t put my fucking finger on them though. Something along the lines of maybe a big family, or just a bunch of guys that work and run a bar at night? There's so many of them. Fuck. The guy I called though, Huell. I’ve never screamed or raised alarm bells internally, but it set them all off. That grey washed hair, blue eyes and that rough-look. Fuck. I’m doing a shift tomorrow..yaaaay?

 

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2.23am February 27th, 2024. Lucia’s Apartment & Dirty Duke Bar, North Vinewood, Los Santos.

 

Well fuck. IT HAPPENED AGAIN. This hurts my fucking brain this whole fucked up city. Everything was going well with the shift, everything. PERFECT. Then all of a sudden, bang-bang-bang. That fucking soundtrack of Los Santos hit. Everyone ran out of the bar, I hit the floor and started sobbing. I knew what had happened, I sat on the ground and held my head. Fuck this. I didn’t eve--

 

*The rest of the page is torn out of the journal.*

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[Havana]

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3.20pm February 27th, 2024. Lucia’s Apartment & Bob Mulets, Rockford Hills, Los Santos.

 

So I got out of bed today. Somehow. I thought it would be a world of grace that I could just do something to avoid what happened last night. Booked a cut and color at Bob Mulet in Rockford Hills, no biggie, no issues, ‘Come in ma’am we can do you after lunch’, it was all fine. The blue sky. I didn’t even drink last night when I got back to the apartment, I just cried myself to sleep. Went over, got my hair done, and I felt hot. I looked hot. You couldn’t tell that I’d seen a lifeless body the previous day through my eyes. But guess what? Fuck god. My car got stolen. YES! GREAT! That’s just fucking great! I screamed and cried on the sidewalk, then walked three miles back to my apartment with tears streaming down my face. No insurance, no cover or tracker. Just a big excess to pay. Kick a fucking girl when she’s down, please, yes!

 

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2.44pm February 29th, 2024. Lucia’s Apartment & Outpost Bar, Los Santos.

 

I don't know if its the lack of care in my life, or that I'm blessed to have so many fucked situations arise around me. The car is gone. The LSPD doesn't care, they don't want to care for something they have no possible chance of tracking down. For all I know my Balista has now been used for crime in some god-knows what suburb of this city. I went back to Outpost last night and just drank, talked and drank into my sorrows again. All I can picture in my head is that blood on the pavement, seeing it outside of the Dirty Duke..Jesus Christ. 

 

Met this Ava. She's rich, I can smell it in her perfume. A microsurgeon or something. Told her everything. She was my therapist for the night and low and behold? She has a car that her ex-husband left her, so I'm going to use all of my inheritance dollars and what tips I've made from working to buy it. I don't even know what I'm buying. Quiet frankly, I don't even care. If it has four wheels, I'll take it.

 

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[Havana]

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1.41am. March 2nd, 2024. Lucia’s Apartment, The Outpost Bar & Vespucci Carpark, Los Santos.

 

Who knew that going to your regular for your regular fix ends up in a job interview? Well, apparently. But yet again, half the city is watching me at all times, so I stand out like a sore-thumb. Chloe told me about her organization, all the corporate bullshit that comes with it, like just tell me your purpose and how much you’ll pay me. I don’t give a fuck if its called Staff Link or  what you're reasoning is behind trying to help businesses. Anyway, she bought me drinks, so I was all ears for her. Then the owner of Outsiders turns up, this Australian blonde bitch that would kick your ass if you looked her way. Cass, I think her name was? And her plan? Oh let's go have a party on Vespucci beach. Fuck it, why not. I went, and had a blast, then left before I got too drunk.

 

Great. My networking skills are shit. But hey. New friends?

 

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[Havana]

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2.53am. March 13th, 2024. Lucia’s Apartment & The Dirty Duke Los Santos.

 

I don’t even know where to begin with this Huell. He’s like David Duchovny has aged but instead of continuing acting he’s stuck in this down-beat job of Construction which is really just masked crime. Amazing. I’ve heard whispers and picked up enough while working over the bar to get a glimpse, a mere insight, but I had no idea it was this deep. He invited me for coffee that night before I was supposed to be working, only for him to turn up to the Duke in a fit of rage. I arrived, to be greeted by Sergio who barked at me to get the fuck behind the bar. Like okay? Tell me what has happened first? Do you still want me to open? Then they all came in. One-by-one. Through the door, to the back. Like a scene from Godfather. When Huell arrived I’ve never seen so much blood in a human’s eyes. He wanted to tear everything and anything apart. I just let it all out, confessed my feelings.

 

Turns out Ruben overdosed. Again. What a time to let it all out. My timing is comedic and hilarious. I think I’ve fucked up here. Actually, no, I have definitely fucked it up here. I was going to get laid tonight, who knows, open up a new chapter in my life, but Ruben fucked it all up. I fucked it up. That bottle looks so delicious right now..

 

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