all that glitters

“Because that’s the best part. Who knows, maybe we were fated to meet like this — maybe you’ll have the greatest day in your life if you say yes for once, instead of no.” He didn’t know her, but he could tell she was the kind of person who said no a lot more than yes. He kind of liked it, at least enough to want to get to know her… Or try to change it. “Okay, sure. But don’t get mad at me when you’re 99 and full of regret because you didn’t say yes to the handsome stranger who wanted to buy you a drink.”

“Right, well.. I-I won’t cry. I’ll save that for later.” She tried to joke, an air of a laugh coming from her lips. “Don’t worry.”

“So, let’s say your parents have been divorced for almost seven years now and your dad is getting married again this summer and you’re very happy because he’s really excited about it. What’s the perfect wedding gift that isn’t too sentimental? Price doesn’t necessarily matter. I’m willing to go all out for this which is why I want to plan it pretty early on.”

❛ – I helped an elderly woman across the street earlier and I’m positive she was hitting on me. ❜ It certainly wasn’t out of the ordinary for Thierry to think that he was hot shit but it was somewhere along the lines of the old bat swatting him on the bottom and telling him that he looked like her late husband that truly had him convinced. ❛ An experience I never want to relive, I assure you. ❜

“Well that explains a lot.” Alexis nodded. “She’s old, she must be legally blind since she was hitting on you.”

“Well damn, I see The Cellar’s still around — who would have known?” Nate stopped in front of the place and fixed his eyes on it. “I guess there’s nothing left for me to do but go in there and really grovel and beg for my job back, huh?” Nate had started working there when he was 19, which meant the owner was already familiar with his sudden need to quit his job and leave town for an unspecified number of months. Somehow, he always took him back though — maybe because he actually was one hell of a bartender. “So, are you just gonna stand there, or are you coming with me for moral support? There might be a drink in it for you.”

Emily nodded, looking down. Whenever she was around someone who seemed harsh, she seemed to shut off. It was just a defense mechanism. “I’m…I’m sorry you’ve had a lot of sad stories. Th-That’s…not something anyone deserves.” She said. “Good, good. My parents would freak out otherwise. I’m…I’m Emily, by the way. Emily Pierce.” Maybe her name would explain. 

Alexis fought the urge to roll her eyes. “I’ll live, don’t worry about it.” She nodded. “Ah I know your name I think. Oh aren’t you the girl who got kidnapped? I know your brother, he let them kidnap you or something like that right? Such a dick.”

“Yeah, neither am I. Not when I’m working at least.” Not that she had that privilege anyway. “Place for some reason is crowded and I can’t say I want to sit with the guy eyeing me like tonight’s dinner.” Not that she minded at all.

“Just because you can doesn’t mean you should have to. I mean, that’s pretty much my motto for life, if we’re being honest.” 

“Usually same but for some reason I liked you.”

“Cry? N-No.. of course not.. sorry.”

“Thank God. I get uncomfortable when people cry around me.”

Emily narrowed her eyes, confused at what she was saying, stepping back a bit subconsciously by the tone of voice. “N-No…I don’t, really. All my friends have them, but I haven’t gotten the complete hang of them yet. A…A hipster? No, I just…It’s a long story, I guess. You probably don’t want to hear it. ” She said, and seeing that she requested an uber. “Th-Thank you. Have you ever taken one before? I never have. Are they safe?” 

“If it’s a depressing one, I really don’t want to hear it. I have had enough of those sad stories.” Alexis stated firmly. “I have, tons of times. They are much safer than taxis or buses. So, you don’t need to worry.”

“I’m saying that as someone who has never been married you do not get to say what one will and won’t do, you have never been tested in that way, loved in that way. Until you do those things, you cannot speak on their experiences because they are not yours, they are theirs. You have no ground upon which to stand on that. Trey made his choice, Rosie made her choice. Their choices are not yours, they do not affect you unless you are still carrying on with him, unless you still love him and think you are more to him than you clearly are.” She knew she was slamming the nail on the head but it was clear this woman was being so foolish, and that she thought Catherine was some kind of idiot in turn. She spent enough time watching the families of her students fall apart because of less, but she wouldn’t stand by when it was because of something so hateful like this. “You also don’t get to question where her dignities are, where were yours? You are absolutely full of it and you will not be able to convince me otherwise. The fact that you are such a spiteful girl that would rather someone you are supposed to care about be so miserable and down in the dirt speaks volumes about the type of person you are, and the fact that you are willing it so badly on someone you claim to have loved and act as if they were your whole world is even worse. You need to look at yourself before you look at anyone else, Alexis. I don’t know what makes a person wish that level of ill on another, but whatever it is I hope you come to know how awful what you did was someday and I never wish that on anyone. You will never learn otherwise, the both of you deserve to be smacked upside the head..” 

“Funny, for someone who has never had an affair, you say a lot of things as if you know how it feels like, huh? You have no fucking idea what’s going on between me and Trey. I don’t need to prove any shit to you, believe what you want to believe.” She scoffed, this woman thought she knew the whole story but apparently she didn’t. “I have never claimed that I have dignities. I mean, whole Lanford has been dragging me and accusing me not having dignity, yet you guys defend Rosie to death. It’s so fucking hypocritical. Just because we are related, doesn’t mean I have to care about her. Did she ever care about me? No? Then why would I?” She shrugged her shoulders. Rosie was a nice person yes, but she didn’t even try to get to know Alexis. They shared a father, and that was their only connection. Are you done with your preaching? Because honestly, I stopped listening.”

“Sorry, had problems with it before just being safe and all.” She looks to the seat across from her. “Seat’s not taken if you don’t mind the company.”

“–sometimes I-I wish my brother forgot my birthday, or actually showed up for it.” Libby sighed to herself as she turned over the photo in her hands, one she’d recieved in the post attached with an I’m Sorry, L note as an apology for his lack of presence.

“You are not going to cry, are you?”

Jaxon shrugged at the woman’s words, “Lanford’s small, and most days, dull. Therefore people are going to lunge onto anything that’s dramatic. Give it some time, people will move onto something else.”

Emily looked down at the cell phone and still, she was in awe of the technology that had been made. Back before she was kidnapped, she had only known flip phones and so a smart phone, although she had been back for two years now, still felt incredibly foreign to use. “Um, do I…do I just go here and call?” She asked, when she got the hang of it, requesting an uber. “I’m not very good with technology. This,” Emily said, bending down and getting her old flip phone, crushed on the pavement, showing the woman. “Was my idea of a cell phone.” 

With a sharp scoff, Alexis rubbed her temples. Where did she this woman live? In a barn? Or maybe she was raised by one of those Jesus freaks? Maybe she was an Amish. “Don’t you really know how to use an iPhone?” She rolled her eyes. Raising her eyebrow, the woman chuckled. “Was that some kind of an ironic accessory? Are you one of those hipsters who uses old phones as a style statement? Either way, you managed to request an uber. Good for you.” She sighed, taking her phone back.

“What kind of lightweight do you think I am? I can hold my liquor. Your shoes are fine. And even if they weren’t, I’d just buy you a replacement pair. Win-win, for you, really.” 

“I don’t know you.” She shrugged. “Thanks for the offer but I can buy my own shoes. Don’t worry about that.”