cherry pie

‘’ IF YOU’RE looking for someone tall I’m definitely not the right person to ask, ‘’ the short girl chuckled behind her as she also glanced up, thinking for a moment. ‘’ however I think I saw this big prop that we probably could use, wanna give it a try? ‘’

Annlee sighed in disappointment when the exact opposite of what she needed appeared, though her words about a prop caught her interest. “A prop? How big of a prop? Is it stable?” she asked. Annalee seemed to be all business when it came to getting her prize apple.

“maybe not but i still like to throw my input out there, y’know?” jasper replied, a smirk playing on his lips. “would you really?” he was only teasing. she didn’t actually have to prove her point but if she did then that would just be more entertainment for jasper. “how is questioning them going to help that? shouldn’t you just see how much they can lift instead of interviewing them?” he asked, a laugh leaving his lips as she poked his chest. “that doesn’t mean i have to listen to you because i think we both know that i’m not going to do that.”

“Trust me, by now...I know,” she said with a teasing eye roll. “You wanna bet?” she said, inching closer to the tree once more.”No, no,” she played along effortlessly, having fun with their banter. “I need to know that they have the character to do it, too. I mean— what if one of them drops me or something? I need to know that they’re going to do everything in their power to fix it.” A smile broke over her lips as he laughed, and she shook her head. “Don’t make me make you listen to me.”

landon rolled his eyes playfully in response, “i guess.” he really enjoyed working here and seeing how talented everyone was in their own way. the costume designers and the makeup artists and the prop builders. “i wasn’t criticizing you. i was just pointing out that you were tooting your own horn.” he pointed out with a small laugh. he grinned and stopped his movements, “i guess i’ll be good and let you do what you gotta do.” he joked.

“Mmhhmm,” she said speculatively, though it was meant as another way to tease him. “Whatever you say, Landon.” She was relieved when he stood still once more, quickly wrapping the measuring tape around his chest to get that particular measurement. “Maybe you’ll get a dog treat or something for being so good.”

austin looked from the other to the desired apple, trying to map out a possible solution for the two short-stacks to actually get the apple. “i mean, i can give you a boost or vice-versa. i was only a base in cheer for a little while, but i think i can give a good boost if you’d like?”

Annalee looked over the other girl, scrutinizing her lightly. Did she really trust her to give her a boost? But...there weren’t many other options, and Annie really wanted that apple. “Alright, I’ll take you up on that,” she said. “How do you want me to position myself?” she asked, wondering what was the easiest way for the other girl to lift her.

Beckett grinned excitedly as the other girl grew anxious as well. Collecting her shoe once more, she lined it up the same way, hopeful to hit the branch once more, this time closer to the apple. She had been pretty good at volleyball back in high school, so she knew how to aim. A shoe was a little different than a ball, though. “Here goes nothing.” She grinned, throwing the shoe upwards, squealing as an apple fell from the tree. “Please tell me that was the one.” She hoped the fall hadn’t bruised or broken it.

Annalee actually jumped in victory as the apple fell, letting out a rather exuberant “Yes!” as the fruit tumbled to the ground. Immediately, she went to go to the apple, picking it up and inspecting it closely. “Oh, it’s perfect,” she said, perhaps looking far too starry eyed over a simple apple. “This one is going to be the one I use to to the pie. It’s so symmetrical and big. It’ls going to be beautiful.” Then she remembered she had Beckett to thank for the success. “Thank you, sugar. And thank you to your aim,” she chuckled lightly.

Annalee was not someone they had ever expected to see in Rockland county at their haunted house. They had been around each other while Seraph was still associating with their dad, but not much after that. They hadn’t even thought of the girl since they skipped out. “I own the place,” They responded quickly, because there was a difference. “What are you doing here? I’m guessing you weren’t looking for me if you didn’t know I was here.”

If someone had told Annalee she’d be working at a haunted house after graduating from FIT, she would have laughed for a long while. But things had quite obviously changed, and here she was face to face with Seraph who apparently owned this haunted house. “Of course, how rude of me to think you simply worked here.” It was a bit surreal, seeing Seraph after all this time. “I’m doing costuming,” she said simply, though she suspected Seraph more meant why was Annalee here. “What brought you here to make Frightland?”

Beckett was disappointed when the apple didn’t fall, of course, but she was happy to have a second chance. “Okay, let’s try again.” It was more of a pep talk for herself than anything else, as she chucked the shoe upwards again, this time hitting the branch the apple was hanging from. “Holy shit, that was so close.” She looked over to the other girl. “You saw that, right?” If she hit the same branch, she might’ve actually been able to knock it loose.

“Alright, go for it,” Annalee egged her on, hoping this was the time she would get here precious and perfect apple. She gasped a little in excited suspense as it hit the right branch, but frowned as the apple refused to fall. “Try it again, try it again!” she called out, impatience gripping her by having her prize so close.

As if to counter the woman’s word’s, Beckett knocked her knuckles against the bark of the tree they were standing beneath. “Knock on wood.” As if that could reverse any kind of pre-established jinx. She finally slipped out of her shoe, letting out a sigh before picking it up. “That one, right?” She asked, though she didn’t give the woman time to respond before chucking her shoe up at it, missing. Luckily, her shoe fell to the ground, even though it hadn’t hit the apple. “You, too.” She chimed, eyeing the apple once more, deciding to give it another go.

Annalee shrugged at the motion, not being one who was actually particularly superstitious. She watched as the girl plucked off her shoe and readied it to throw, also hoping that the shoe didn’t come back down on them and hit one of them or something of that like. Perhaps they should have thought this through a little bit more. But Annie really wanted that apple. “That looked close,” she tried to say encouragingly. 

“way to toot your own horn.” landon laughed softly and shook his head at the girl. he was working his way through school and that’s why he was here but it wasn’t a bad job. he still thought it was cool to work at a haunted house and he was glad he worked here instead of in a drive thru somewhere. “thanks. i want to have the best costume. i believe in you.” he said, dramatically. “i’m good with that. it’ll go with my makeup.” he lifted both arms and then flapped them, jokingly. 

“Well, someone has to, right? Why not me?” she quipped back with a chuckle. The haunted house was an entirely interesting place to work, though she also desired to get out there and actually design as she had always planned to do. But she was still busy being rebellious towards her parents here, and starting to make some friends. “This coming from the guy who just tried to criticize me for tooting my own horn. You’ll forgive me if I don’t quite believe you, darlin’.”Then she reached out her hands to try and still his arms, rolling her eyes a little. “That is definitely not helpful.”

“how far would you even get? if you asked me, i’d say probably not very far.” jasper commented. he was sure that the girl didn’t care too much about his opinion anyways and he wasn’t even being serious. he was still just messing with her. “and why not?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked at her, a smile playing on his lips. he didn’t want to push her to climb the tree too much.  at least not while she was dressed the way she was. “hold auditions to carry you around? for what? as long as they have muscles then i think they’ll be okay.” he replied, shaking his head and rolling his eyes at her once more to mess with her.

“Well I didn’t ask you,” she shot back in her teasing tone and little grin, keeping up with their dynamic. “And I’d get far enough to get the apple, obviously.” So that wasn’t actually entirely likely. She hadn’t climbed a tree in...fourteen, fifteen years? Something like that. Annalee stepped a bit closer to the tree, laying a hand on it as she looked up into the branches, considering her options. “Because I said so! And I have to make sure they can do it, right? I don’t want to be dropped.” Then she stepped away from the tree back in his direction, poking him the chest determinedly with a single finger as she demanded, “I said stop!” But her words were peppered with a laugh she couldn’t keep back, giving away that she was still messing around.

“Let’s just hope it doesn’t get stuck.” She thought out loud. She hadn’t exactly brought much with her to the small town. Two suitcases and a backpack, all jammed full with everything they could fit. But, that meant leaving a lot of her stuff behind, to be shipped out later by the owner of the apartment she used to rent - an arrangement she hoped wouldn’t fall through. “How’s your throw?” Her’s wasn’t bad, but if the other girl felt confident, she’d let her go for it. Already reaching down to untie her shoes, she saw the extended hand, and offered her free one. “Beckett.”

Annalee tilted her head in acknowledge of the sentiment before saying with a little amusement, “You said it— not me. So if we’re jinxed now, I’m blaming you.” It was said with a sarcastic air, meant to be a joke. Sometimes her jokes fell flat, though. Unfortunately people often assumed that she was simply being catty, though that certainly wasn’t her intentions. “I’d say— your shoe, your throw.” Annalee wasn’t very confident in her arm, and didn’t particularly want to take responsibility “It’s lovely to meet you, though.”

“a design genuis. isn’t that pretty much all the costume designers say or something?” landon joked, a smile playing on his lips. “we’ll see i guess. i hope i outshine everyone.” he added playfully. he lifted his other arm as she asked him too and took a deep breath as he watched her move around him.

“Sure, but it’s actually true when I say it.” Though...her ego had taken a bit of a blow when she’d found out her way into the Fashion Institute had been paid. Still...her instructors had liked her work so that meant something, right? “Don’t worry, your crown will make it impossible to outshine you,” she joked lightly. “Though it won’t be shining all around. There will be blood added everywhere, of course.” She took the measurements for his other side before saying, “Okay, now both arms.”

Beckett looked around for a moment, trying to pick out something else they could throw. “A shoe would work.” She finally chimed. She wasn’t wearing anything special, that day. Just an old pair of sneakers, and she figured if she threw it just right, it’d do more good than anything else.Her question caught her off guard, and she offered a soft smile. “I do, actually. Tickets.” She nodded. “I thought you might’ve looked familiar.”

Annalee never would have sacrificed a shoe, so she was rather grateful that this girl was willing to. Hopefully she’d be able to hit the apple, though— or knock it out of the tree. Otherwise, they might just be stuck with an apple and a shoe stuck in a tree. “That’ll work,” she said with a bit of an amused smile. Tickets? That made sense why she hadn’t seen the girl much. Annalee was mostly behind the scenes. “Oh, I’m in costuming. My name is Annalee,” she offered the words along with an introductory hand.

jasper laughed at the nickname. he enjoyed the fact that the two of them spent their time together messing around. he needed someone to bother other than his twin sister. “how would you prove it anyways?” he asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked down at the small girl. “right. i’ll be on the look out. i’m sure the prop builders aren’t the only ones that could carry you around. we could probably get some of the security guards to help out too.” he nodded, rolling his eyes playfully. “sure. if you say so.”

A small smile tugged at her lips as he laughed, and she was glad that there was someone around here that she could have fun with. “By climbing the tree, of course.”  As if the answer was obvious. “ Don’t look at me with your raised eyebrow,” she tried to say sternly, though some of her amusement peeked through. She didn’t particularly want to make an attempt to climb the tree, but she was stubborn enough to do it if this progressed. “We might have to hold auditions, she joked. “And I do say so! Don’t roll your eyes at me, either!” she said, biting her lip to keep herself from chuckling. 

landon didn’t mind that she stereotyped him. he knew he looked like one and he was cool with that. “and it’ll be gorgeous because i’ll be the one wearing it.” he joked. he wasn’t really that confident in himself but he did like messing around and he was happy that she continued to joke around with him.

“It’ll be gorgeous because I’m a design genius,” Annalee persisted. “And I know how to make people look good.” It was cliche but— she did enjoy a good makeover. “Now your other arm,” she said as a means of having him lift the opposite one.

A breath of fresh air was exactly what Beckett needed. She still felt like she was suffocating, and it was eating at her that she had to pretend that everything was okay, even around Amy. So, the blonde had decided to go on a walk, stopping to watch a woman struggle to collect apples, amused. “You don’t need a tall person, if you’ve got a decent throw.” She finally called over. “You have any duds? Better throw an apple you can’t eat, than a good one. If you can hit some of the higher up ones, you might be able to knock ‘em down.”

Annalee frowned down at her basket of apples, rather attached to them after having picked them. “I already got rid of the less than stellar ones. Do you have anything else to throw?” She glanced a little closer at the woman, thinking she looked a bit familiar. Perhaps she’d seen her around Frightland? “Do you work at Frightland?” she asked directly, her brows drawing together with her question. Annalee was still getting used to the faces around her.

landon knew that he looked like a jock. he still regularly went to the gym and met up with friends when he could to play basketball or football. that didn’t happened often though. he kept a busy schedule. “you don’t have to bow but if you could, add a hankercheif or something so that i can wipe the drool from your mouth once you finish my costume. i know i’ll look that cool.” he teased her.

She had a decent amount of experience with jocks, having dated a couple in highschool. But she supposed it was childish to make assumptions based on stereotypes...not that such a thing always stopped her from doing so. Annie rolled her eyes a little, shaking her head in some amusement. “If I drooled it would only be because my costume was just that gorgeous.”