golden dandelions

Behind the bar is where she leaned, emerald eyes glued to the young woman who had bravely taken the stage only to destroy a beloved classic song. It took every ounce of strength for Ashton to not visibly wince with each off pitch high note. “For fucks sake”, she murmured, turning her back on the stage in hopes of busying her hands and distracting anyone that might of been able to spot the distaste on her features. It only felt like an eternity for the song to come to a close and the jukebox to take back over during the absence of performers. “Have a free round, it’s the least I could do for making people suffer through that”, she grumbled, dispatching a handful of open beers along the bar top.  Finally, she landed on a face not so familiar to her and curiosity struck a cord. “First time here? I promise it’s not usually this...problematic.”

Her words felt like a slap in the face and a part of him refused to believe them. Had she really been here the whole time? He wished he could walk away and not care about her or what she had to say, but he couldn’t. No matter how much she had hurt him and betrayed him, he still cared. Perhaps walking away was the right thing to do in his situation but that simply wasn’t in his nature. Instead, he leaned back in his seat, letting his eyes land on anything but her. No matter how forgiving he is, he couldn’t help but wonder: Why hadn’t she contacted him during these six months? She had been right here, so close to him, yet she hadn’t even bothered looking him, even if she had only done so to tell him that she didn’t want to have anything to do with him. That would have saved him all these wasted moments, worrying about her and wondering what he had done wrong. “ Six months? “ He murmured, mostly to himself. He was only seconds away from asking her why when she answered his unsaid question and he finally understood. Every single question he had been asking himself during all those months were finally answered. She didn’t feel like she deserved a friend. “ Ash- “ He hesitated for a moment. How could he possibly tell her how much she meant to him and how amazing she truly was. “ You know I’m old enough to know who’s good for me and who isn’t. You should have allowed me to decide if it would be good for me to have you in my life or not. By the way, if you would have given me the choice, I would always chosen to have you in my life, no matter what. “

There was a lot in this world that Ashton knew that she could tackle head on. Hell, she left the life she had loved so much in London to come back and watch the deepest demons in her life emerge for the whole world. She faced the dangers that lurked in the shadows just below the surface of this town without so much as flinching. But this, this feeling of having her layers ripped apart for her soul to bare the light of day was something that she couldn’t endure. It felt like her skin was being peeled away layer by layer, and yet she couldn’t just get up and leave. If it was anyone else, Ashton would of been able to walk away in the middle of this conversation without so much as a sentiment. Shutting people out was her specialty, right? But Samuel had effectively rooted her against the bar stool, something the blonde couldn’t quite explain. His words brought her to silence as tattoo stained fingers tapped against the heavy wood of the bar. “Why though? Why would you rather have someone like me in your life? What’s the point of keeping a snake as a pet?”, she asked  with an arched brow, looking to him finally. “Why do you insist on being such a good friend to me? I don’t deserve it.”

It was no surprise when Ashton came racing into the bakery, a little late and extremely dishevelled. “Don’t worry about it…” was Aaron’s response when she apologised, shaking his head. The truth was, he was actually pretty used to it now, they’d been friends for long enough, in a way he knew her inside and out. “Five minutes give or take…” A shrug and he reached out for his drink, wrapping his hands around the mug and trying to warm them a little. “Crazy day?”

Ashton let a guilty look play across her face at his question, she wished that craziness was something she could blame her tardiness on. That she got wrapped up in some argument with a vendor or some band’s manager. No, this was her own brand of craziness that seemed to make her lose her way. “Actually, I got caught up listening to a new band that I’m thinking of trying to get to way the Wayward in a few months”, she laughed, reaching up to rub the back of her neck. “Their music just sucked me in, I guess you could say. So that means your baked goodies are on me.”

@ashtcnmrx​

The bar was closed. Empty aside from Ashton and himself, and that was exactly the mood he was in after being around crowds all day. One thing about the holidays in a place like this, was the amount of tourists– which was usually good for businesses in town, but not so much for mental sanity. Kevin came back from the now clean bathroom and dramatically climbed and laid down on the counter. “I need a drink. Or five.”

It had been another day and another night to go along with it, like a dynamic due of exhaustion to torment Ashton to no extent. Her mind had wandered far away from the place, emerald yes staring down at the inked roses on her arm while her cares and worries ran away from this town all together. It was the sound of a familiar voice that was bringing her back, a worn smile working onto her features. “Big talk, hope you can back it up”, she teased, reaching below the counter to set a few handfuls of shot glasses before them, ten all together. Five needed drinks. “Whiskey or tequila?”

@ashtcnmrx​;

It wasn’t unusual for Aaron to show up anywhere in town looking a little like a drowned rat. Today was no exception. He stepped into Mad Batters stamping the snow from his shoes and idly brushing his wet hair out of his face as he glanced around for any sign of Ashton having arrived yet. He’d been in the mood for something sweet following a long day on the slopes, so this had been the obvious choice to meet his friend. Not spotting her, he made his way over to the counter instead to order himself a hot drink while he waited, idly unzipping his jacket and letting a heavy sigh go. It had been a very long day. 

In true Marx fashion, Ashton seemed to be running more than a few minutes late. In many ways, the girl was a workaholic when it came to things she was truly passionate about, though many had called her obsessive when it came to things. Long limbs carried her as fast as appropriately possible through the streets of their rather sleepy city, the blonde ignoring the sideways glances, until she was finally pushing her way into Mad Batters. “Sorry, sorry, sorry”, she apologized with a huff, sitting next to Aaron. Ashton shook her arms out of the leather coat she wore, before offering him an all to big grin. “Were you waiting long?”

“Apparently to put all those jesus’ or christmas decorations on.” Devyn said with a drastic roll of her eyes since she couldn’t tolerate the holiday on its own without people trying to shove it all the way down her throat before the first of december. “I think Jesus would be happy with us entertaining ourselves and he’ll do fine on that chair in the corner for a few hours while I show you how the game is played. I, too, have never missed a cup.”

“Ba-fucking-humbug”, was the only appropriate response that Ashton could drum up as she looked over at her tables going to waste for something no one would dare to remember. Now games with friends and bonding with people, that was the point of giving those tables. “Why we bringing Jesus into this like that will change our decision? Clearly we need to solve this last cup dilemma or just form one super power beer pong team to take over the world.”

The million questions he had been asking himself since the moment he first realized he wouldn’t hear from her again kept running through his mind. Why did she stop talking to him? Did he do something wrong? After not hearing from her he eventually accepted the fact that he would probably never get closure or any answers from her. The hurt and the betrayal he had felt back then had been carefully locked away deep in his mind, but now as he stood face to face with her all these feelings came rushing back, like a wave washing over him. He wanted to ask her WHY, why did she do it. To his surprise, he lost for words. Instead, he sat down before her, taking a big gulp the drink. “ Yes- “ He began quietly. “ I was able to avoid it. “ It was quite apparent what they were doing. They were tiptoeing around the uncomfortable conversation that was bound to happen between them. Samuel had never been the type of person who would make the first move in serious conversations, but he knew he had no choice this time, they had to talk about this. His finger nervously tapped the glass he was holding in his hand. “ What happened? “ He eventually asked her. “ and how long have you been here? “

“Ah, I must look like utter dog shit”, she laughed, unconsciously reaching up to comb her fingers through the blonde locks of hair that the wind and the snow had tousled and destroyed. Not even for a second could she believe that she had managed to distract him from the issues that stood between them like a iron wall. It was like peering at him through bars, she could see him and even touch him...but they couldn’t be close. Their friendship couldn’t bloom. It was what was safest for them both, at least, that is what she had assumed. The look on his face told a completely different story. Emotions were a highly tricky thing, and they were certainly unpredictable. Ashton couldn’t look over at him as she silently chewed on her lip. Could she make up an elaborate lie to try and salvage all the effort she put into distancing herself from their friendship? Absolutely, and she was certain it would be believable. And yet, Ash couldn’t seem to let that lie fall from her lips. “Six months, give or take a few weeks...around the time I stopped talking to you”, she finally confessed, bringing her drink up to her lips and finishing the whiskey with one swift gulp. Ash didn’t care about the dribble that fell from the corner of her lips, just the soothing burn as it warmed her to the core. “I don’t think there’s a why that you want to hear or a why that would make all this okay. There’s no miracle answer here, nothing that’s sunshine and rainbows. Just simply figured it would be better for you than having someone like me in your life.”

Before today Samuel had considered picking up an extra shift, just so he would have an excuse to stay away from the slopes. Of course, he had been excited about the festivities, but he simply knew someone would eventually be able to drag him down the slopes, which were probably one of his biggest nightmares. Thankfully he had eventually been talked out of picking up the extra shift. He had been having a lot of fun and he had even been able to avoid having to go skiing or snowboarding. Now, as the sun began to set he found himself at the ice bar, holding an empty glass in his hand. His brows were furrowed with concentration, while he was reading something on his phone. He had been completely lost in his own world, so much so that he startled slightly when the bartender placed a new drink in front of him, with a polite smile. “ I didn’t order anything. ” Samuel tried to tell him, but he explained that it was from someone, but he refused to tell him who had sent the drink. Samuel’s icy blue eyes glanced around the bar. He recognised almost everyone, but then his eyes landed on her. For a split of a second, he didn’t recognise her. Perhaps he did, but he couldn’t believe she was here. They haven’t talked to each other in a while, not after she completely ghosted him. Now here she was, buying him a drink. Samuel inhaled deeply, building up the courage to walk over to her. “ So, I can see you’re back from the dead. “ He told her with a teasing glint in his eyes. 

Her intention had been to step out once she saw him receive the drink. Ashton knew that a drink wouldn’t make up for her disappearance. It just was the right thing to do, for the both of them. Friendships they were forming were dangerous, like a live wive just begging to be caressed by unsuspecting hands. Maybe that was just who she was, but Ash had long ago accepted that she was a terrible human being. A drink would never make up for that. Still, she had to do something. Of course, that moment of silent contemplation left her open and before she had a chance to make her escape, his voice was ringing in her ears. Ashton let her head hang, only for a second, long enough for her to steel her nerves and to take a much needed deep breath. Quickly, she picked her head back up and dared to meet his icy gaze with her all too usual sly grin. “What can I say? They don’t call me the reincarnation of Houdini for no reason”, she mused, not daring to move from her seat. A great escape would only make this situation significantly worse. “You somehow don’t look like a drowned rat, safe to assume to avoided the slopes today?”, the blonde asked, searching for anything and everything that would allow her to avoid the elephant in the room.

As the day continued to stretch on, giving away to the chilly night, she had long abandoned the slopes in hope of finding something that could warm her to the core. As the party continued to ramp up, Ashton found herself standing before one of the many ice luges as the whiskey dribbled down the decorative slope and finally into her mouth. A delighted hum of appreciation fell from closed lips as she bounced away, the snow crunching beneath her feet as she went. So many familiar faces milled about around her, though as she had once shared a homeroom or been neighbors with them, now she was no more than a total stranger. Though, there was one face that she had spotted from the side of the room that she couldn’t quite bring herself to turn to. There was no snappy comebacks, no playful banter, only guilt for what she had done and the friendship we had lost. “Can you send a drink to that guy over there at the end of the bar? But can you not tell him it’s from me?”

Devyn had teased with the idea of going outside to join those who had chosen to sky and hang by the fires, but with the liquor being served inside for the most part — she felt nothing out there was worth her while. Evidently by the empty glasses before her, she was starting to feel good. “You know what they should have here — a beer pong table. Pour some of that cider in there and I’d be down in playing a game. Honestly, it’s probably better than the dancing.” She said with a little laugh as she eyed the nearest person to her side. “I mean, we can practically start a game ourselves. You think you’d be game?” @northroxtonstart​

“You mean there’s not a beer pong game?”, she questioned, all too seriously as she started to glance around the makeshift venue. “Why the fuck did they ask to borrow some of my tables then?”, she sighed, before finishing what was left in her red cup. Ashton was glad that the Wayward West wasn’t asked to be responsible for the alcohol consumption that came with the event, it allowed her to actually enjoy the day and the snow. “I’m game, but I will warn that I have never missed a last cup.”

“Everything is soaked.” Ayla said with a wrinkle of her nose as she began to pull at her winter pants and ski boots. Somehow, she’d managed not to put everything on right and by the end of her beginners lessons — and after having fallen over ten times — she found that half her legs were soaked from the snow. Lifting her hues when someone stepped forward, seemingly with a glass in hand, she almost let out a squeal. “Is that one from me?” If it wasn’t, she hoped that she’d elicited enough guilt that the other would find pity on her and hand over the coffee or glass of alcohol — all of which she desperately needed. @northroxtonstart​

“Yeah, that tends to happen when you’re learning”, Ashton couldn’t hide the laughter as she peered over at the other. She remembered all too well going home covered in snow to the point where her father and uncle wouldn’t let her in the house. “You learn to bring an extra pair of clothes or drink lots of Irish coffees”, she mused with a nod, handing over the second cup in her hand. “You weren’t doing too bad from what I saw, though. Just takes some time!”