i was born in a thunderstorm

“I have the best of both worlds from Hannah Montana stuck in my head. Don’t even know how this is possible considering I haven’t heard that song since my sister’s Hannah Montana obsessed phase a few years back. What’s worse is I can’t get it out of my head.”

“That song seriously gets stuck in my head so often it’s not even funny. Maybe it’s because it’s always playing at the store next door to where I work but half the time I go between that and The Climb or whatever it’s called being stuck there. Please Miley, save me from this hell.”

“Literally this is the first day I’ve had in months where there is nothing going on. All I’ve done is watch Buzzfeed: Unsolved videos and leave the apartment to get cigarettes. Food? Ordered on Uber.” Kai laughed a little, lighting up a cigarette and looking around. “Good day, though.”

“Those Buzzfeed Unsolved videos are seriously addictive, so kudos for that. Also, god bless UberEats for existing. I probably would have died months ago without it. And bless the drivers for not judging when you order enough food for an army, either.”

Well then, come with me to the bar and I will help you. I’m Zoe, by the way.

You’re officially my hero. I’m Aiden, nice to meet you. Sorry, I’m a total heathen for not introducing myself sooner. I totally blame the stress.

I already have a four year old, so this second baby is super exciting. Just not the body changes are not fun. 

Do you know what you’re having yet? Or is it still too early for that? Shows how much I know about having kids, ha. My sister had a little girl so the extent of my kid knowledge is spoiling them.

“I haven’t missed a single night with him.. I love him, I don’t want anyone to ever think otherwise, but I’m so tired and I just feel like the worst mother in the world. I already live with him.. maybe I will if he isn’t too busy.”

I don’t think anyone smart would think otherwise. I feel like it’s only natural for moms to feel that way once in a while, it doesn’t mean you love your kid any less. Just that you need a break and to maybe have some fun once in a while.

“i mean you don’t know until they’re already in your car but if it’s 3am and you’re picking up from the club it’s pretty safe to assume. But I don’t want that, I can be an asshole but I don’t want anything to happen to them because I won’t drive them.”

“I feel that. I’d probably cover the interior of my car in trash bags just to make sure nothing destroyed it. Or like... put a trash can back there. Trash it before you crash it or some shit like that. I don’t know how you do that job honestly, man. People are so ungrateful.”

“There are some days where I just really feel like I would’ve made a great James Bond. Especially with my work attire on. It’s not quite a penguin suit, but it’s pretty close. And I look dashing in it.”

“Anyone who can rock a suit and be comfortable in it and not want to jump off a bridge after five minutes should definitely be considered for Bond, at least. I’d say my chef’s jacket makes me feel the same way, but mostly it just makes me want to curl up in a ball and cry most nights. You’ve definitely got the better deal here, man.”

“Does anyone else have weird anxiety about doctors? Like logically I know they’re not going to stab me with a scalpel if I go in for a simple antibiotic, but at the same time there’s always that tiny possibility that they might go rogue and try to poke a hole in my thigh. Have I been watching too many horror movies?”

“Doctors are simultaneously awesome and fucked up. They’re here to fix us but they charge us an arm and a leg to see them and most of the time they send us home with a bandaid. I get that anxiety, though. I used to get such high blood pressure before appointments when I was a kid that I had to change doctors to someone who didn’t make my body decide to have a mini heart attack. I think their bedside manner is what’s most important.”

George knew the struggle of glasses wholeheartedly. While he never went out in public wearing them, opting for contacts in every social setting to the point where no one even knew he needed them, late nights alone still were met with bulky frames. His glasses were old seeing as there was no need to replace ones he wore behind closed doors, but that meant that they didn’t like to stay together well. Lenses popping out weren’t shocking, so the empathy from that alone led George to nod his head in agreement. “Yeah, of course. Nothing good about being stranded blind in the rain.” Thoughts clicking together slower than usual after his shift, he reached beneath the bar to pull out a couple clean dish drying towels and placed them on the bar. “Speaking of, these might help if you want to dry off a bit. Catching a cold from wet clothes is never fun.”

“Thanks, man. I really appreciate it.” Aiden grinned sheepishly again and took the offered towels, wiping off some of the water that was currently dripping everywhere off his shoulders. “Sorry for the mess, I swear I’ll clean it up as soon as I figure this other mess out.” He snorted and nodded to the glasses in his hands. “Genius that I am, I decided not to put contacts in for some dumbass reason.” He turned so he was in the light, making quick work of trying to fit the lens back into his glasses, “I don’t even know why I bother most of the time. This happens way too often.”

Not seeing this as an overshare at all, Evan continued to frown sympathetically and then moved the empty cup that had once held his latte over to one side of the table, making room. He gestured to the seat across from him. “Want to sit down?”

“I honestly haven’t done a lot of dating before, so this was kind of a new experience for me. Sucks how it panned out, but at least I got my feet wet, right? I guess that’s how I’m trying to look at it. Or maybe I’m just trying to rationalize and I’ll like.. eat a whole tub of Ben and Jerry’s when I get home or something.” Evan shrugged, but his expression was amused. “I mean, whatever you say? But you definitely don’t come off as ‘dumb’ to me at all. I’m painfully awkward pretty much all of the time, so I know I don’t have a lot of room to talk. Seems like most people either thinks it’s like.. endearing or else they think it’s really annoying, so I guess in that way, yeah, it makes pretty quick friends.” Smiling he leaned forward, chin resting on his hand. “Well, I have this place, and I know where Central Park is. Somebody taught me what a 'bodega’ was the other day, so now I know that. Otherwise, I guess I’m pretty much an empty canvas. What do you recommend?”

“Sure,” Aiden said, smiling gratefully at the offer and made himself comfortable in the seat across from the other male. He tilted his head at the mention of him not having dated much and shrugged. “There’s nothing wrong with that. I mean I’m 26 and my last relationship was only my second one ever. I just don’t find any appeal in dating around a ton, you know?” He laughed and offered him another smile. “It’s mostly just about finding someone and wanting to hold on to them. It’s not easy.” 

He lit up a little at the idea of suggestions, clapping his hands together. “Okay well, I’m a chef so obviously I’m going to be a little biased when I recommend the restaurant I work at. And like, definitely all the museums. My friend owns a bar too, which you should also check out.”

“Oh god, both of my babies are spoiled rotten. I’ve had Luna for like two years and she’s a little princess. Artie’s new so he hasn’t had the chance to get all prince-y yet but in due time. But I agree. Cats are better than people because you earn their love you know? They’re genuine compared to people. If a cat doesn’t like you they don’t like you. they don’t pretend to like you to your face.”

“That’s my favorite thing about them, I like dogs too, don’t get me wrong, but my cat really made me work for her love. Once you’re in with Olive, you’re in for life. She’s obnoxiously affectionate which does get annoying sometimes, but I can live with it since most of the time she’s too busy sleeping to care about anything. I actually envy cats in that regard.”

Violet laughed. “It was just one of those days. The barista came and gave me too and left before I could say the second wasn’t mind, that I’d only ordered and paid for one.”

“Lucky coincidences are the best kind, aren’t they? I always feel guilty for not correcting them, but some days you need two coffees. Or donuts, in my case.”

Stretching out, Felicity grinned as she lay down, a laugh escaping her lips. “Aren’t morning runs supposed to be all refreshing or something? All I feel is really sore” she groaned, rolling over onto her stomach, “But it’s over for the day now so now it’s time for nutella on toast.”

“God, I feel that in my soul. I don’t know what it is about running but I can’t stand it. I’m all for fitness and maybe it’s my weak ankles speaking here, but I feel like it’s always worse in the morning.”

“The glass only costs two bucks,” she laughed as he tried to explain himself. “It’s fine, really; consider this your friend discount.”After pouring Aiden another glass, Vanessa got to work on cleaning up the glass.

“Hey, that’s a lot for an up and coming chef,” he complained, sticking his tongue out at her before shifting away so she could pick up the mess he’d made. “Sorry, it’s one of those days where everything goes wrong so that’s just the icing on the damn cake. How have you been aside from picking up after plebs like me?”

“Come on, you don’t have to swim, just hang out in the water with me” Ariel tried to coerce, grinning widely, “It’ll be fun! I promise!”

“Is it even safe to swim if I just ate like 50 million pounds of food?” Aiden raised an eyebrow curiously, still not sure whether he was up for getting wet or not. “I don’t know if it’s in the cards for me today.”

“Ugh, so I was trying to get this antique tennis racquet for a shoot that I’m working on next week but someone else bought it and now I have to figure out a plan B before my ass gets fired.”

“Any suggestions?”

“Have you checked any of the local pawn shop type places? Or maybe even antique and thrift stores? I know they usually have things like that laying around. It might be worth a shot if you’re desperate. Of course there’s Ebay, too.”