#cattitude

               “Sometimes you just need any explanation to put you at ease, I guess.” He wasn’t particular in delving into the reasons why he needed such sense of solace, his life fairly smooth if not near uninspired as of recent. “You’re… wonderfully positive, however, not many are,” it was stated in lieu of being a nice change of pace; some encroaching on a dismal approach of their lives within the town; Marcel having seen it all. 

“I try to be,” Aubrey smiled. “A lot of people say being this positive and optimistic can only lead to disappointment but, I think it’s worth the risk. Besides, people like being around happy people, right? I’m a firm believer that you get what you give, so I’d like to receive some positive vibes back,” she nodded. “You sure you don’t wanna share why?”

“You’re already crying.” He laughed, attempting to bite the inside of his cheeks to hold it in. He felt cruel, now that she was looking at him with big sad puppy dog eyes, but come on. It was a carnival prize. Who cried over a carnival prize? “Sorry, I uh, underestimated how important this was to you. I was just being a dick. I didn’t know you were gonna get legit sad over it.” His tone was still dripping with judgement, no matter how hard he tried to control it. “Here.” Tossing the toy in her direction, he hoped her catching skills were better than her throwing ones. “It’s all yours. But you owe me one.”

“Really?” Aubrey was a little surprised that Marco ended up giving in and tossing her the cat. “Wow. I wasn’t expecting that at all.” Which was true since she ended up missing the catch and dropping the toy on the ground. Picking it up and wiping off some dirt, she almost dreaded asking the next question even though she was previously eager to do whatever needed to be done for her prized possession. “What do I owe you?”

               “Fuckin’ Christ,” the expletive slowly fell from his lips, sitting up in tandem as he stared down at his phone, a myriad of emails littering the screen. Eyes flitted to the lukewarm coffee that sat next to him, now taking the means to curse  himself internally as he peered at the clock — he should have went for decaf. At this point, he was babbling off to anyone who would listen, the firehouse and his past rounds as a surgeon offering a more isolated lifestyle once the infrequent spans of free time dared open up. “Do you believe in fate?” Now, at near forty years old wasn’t the time to have an existential crisis, he pigeonholed himself as too ordinary for that, a breath of a chuckle escaping him as if it would soften the blow of such loaded inquiry, “Like if your life turns to shit or is a rollercoaster or whatever that it has to turn out just fine; run it’s course or whatever? I don’t know, I don’t mean to pick your brain, just need a second opinion.” Second opinion, reassurance; whatever term could be coined. 

@devinstonestarters​

“Yes!” Aubrey almost screamed. “I think everything works itself out in the end, it has to,” she reasoned. “Even if you don’t believe in fate you have to believe that things will turn out just fine even it means making certain choices, you know?” She bounced her head from side to side, always the optimist. “Why?”

“Oh, so now you’re threatening me?” Feigning anger, he dramatically crossed his arms over his chest, stuffed cat still in hand. Marco was being a jerk honestly just for the sake of being one. She clearly wanted it a lot more than he did – he picked the prize at random, it didn’t even mean anything to him. Not like it apparently meant to her. “Will you seriously cry?” He perked a brow, noting the genuine look of sadness on her face. “Holy shit, you’re really about to cry over a damn cat.”

Wiping a small tear that was forming in her eye, Aubrey almost felt ashamed when Marco pointed out that she was crying over a stuffed animal. “No, I’m not gonna cry over a cat, forget it. I’m sure I can find one on Ebay or Amazon or or... maybe if you just tell me the brand name on the tag I can Google it and get my own.”

It was her day off, so technically, she wasn’t obliged to do anything about it, really. Sitting by the bar in King’s Head, Reagan leaned against it slightly as the argument nearby turned heated. Security was bound to intervene soon, but as she watched, so did the one in charged with an amused expression on his features. “Drinks and a show, how about that?” She let out around a light laugh as the men tried to one up the other without a second thought to who was watching. “Did you catch what they started arguing about?” Reagan inquired, leaning closer to the person before her. 

Aubrey nodded, amused by the show being put on before her. She usually didn’t hang around bars, but it was karaoke night and she couldn’t pass up the chance to sing a Miley tune. “They started arguing over Taylor Swift lyrics, actually. Starbucks lovers or something like that. Who knew grown men could fight over such petty little things?

“Trade me? I’m flattered.” Marco was slowly but surely putting things together, what this was really about. He knew no one over the age of seven could be this passionate about some random stuffed carnival cat, he just thought she was psycho, not hitting on him. “I get it now, this is a long con to get me back to your place. Sorry, but I usually take stalking as a huge red flag. And you paying me? Well, that just makes this illegal. I have considered venturing into the world of OnlyFans though, since you’re interested.” 

Aubrey’s forehead wrinkled in confusion. Long con? OnlyFans? She had no clue what he was going on about - all she wanted was that sweet little tie-dyed kitty he was protectively holding under his arm. Shaking her head in an attempt to brush off her previous words, Aubrey pleaded once again. “I’m not stalking you, I just want the cat! But I’m not above doing it, I’ll totally stalk you until I convince you to give me the toy. Unless you take some papers out on me then I’ll just cry or something.”

>>>    @devinstonestarters​

“Don’t get me wrong–” the fire-haired girl started, looking at the person next to her, they didn’t ask for this, but since when did a southern girl wait for someone else to start anything? “I love the weather here, it’s like, cool, and breezy, and who would hate this?” Her drawl leached out of every word, “but oh my goodness,  I ain’t ever gonna get used to this tea, this ain’t tea, this is–” She turned her nose up at it, “it’s just– ew.” 

“I swear, the only place you can get a decent sweet tea up here is at the Cracker Barrell, seriously,” Aubrey agreed before adding in her own two cents. “Did you know they sell lobster rolls during the summer up here at McDonalds? They’re called a McLobster. This whole place is backwards when it comes to some things but I do enjoy living here. It’s pretty and breezy, like you say,” she nodded. “What do you miss most about the south?”

“You’re really gonna keep following me around?” He exhaled, turning to see the blonde shadow who’d been tracking him for at least twenty minutes now. She lingered around the ring toss booth the second she noticed Marco could actually win it – then begged him to give her his prize. As if. “Look, you couldn’t beat the game. That’s not my fault. Was I supposed to pick another prize because you were eyeing this one? That’s not fair. You couldn’t win, you were never gonna get it. This sweet stuffed tie dye colored cat is mine. Get over it.” @aubreypierce​

“Rats,” Aubrey thought to herself. It seemed as though her multiple attempts at making sad puppy eyes and pleading with the crooked jaw had failed. “Look,” she paused, holding her hands out as some sort of peace offering. “I’m willing to trade you one of my own stuffed tie-dye cats at home. I have like five different variants but I do not have that one,” she explained. “It’s imperative that I add that specific one to my collection! I can’t get over it,” she huffed, almost to the point of tears. “Just, let me have the sweet little kitty, please? I’ll pay you cash.”

“That’s easy to avoid! You just gotta look at the cogs on top of the poles! If there’s none, the horse doesn’t move.” Lucy had to agree –that ruined the whole experience. “Riding side by side would be a great Instagram opportunity,” the brunette laughed, her gaze moving in the direction of the ride. “Shall we?”

Aubrey nodded, wondering why she had never known that about the cogs on top. Was that common knowledge? Probably, but the brunette didn’t seem to judge her, and that was something she appreciated. Smiling, she grabbed Lucy’s hand and took off towards the ride, careful to avoid any obstacles or small children along the way. “Is that a pink dragon? No way, I have to take the dragon Luce, it’s pink! How many pink dragons have you seen on a merry-go-round?” she laughed. “Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to get you on my Insta.”

location: spring fest

status: open

event starter ( @devinstonestarters​)

“Y’know what I haven’t done in forever? Ridden a carousel.” This year’s Spring Fest was Lucy’s third and it was quickly becoming her favorite time of year. It reminded her of home –they’d had similar carnivals in Fairhope when the temperature started to rise and flowers came out of hibernation. “I know it’s not the most fast paced of rides, but there’s something kinda endearing about it. You down?”

“Am I down? You kiddin’?” Aubrey asked as she did her best to control herself from practically bouncing up and down with excitement. “Just don’t get me stuck on a horse that doesn’t actually move or I might cry. Oh, and if you see any pink ponies please let me know unless you wanna ride side-by-side? And I definitely have to get my Insta out for this,” she giggled, clapping her hands together.

@devinstonestarters​

               Devinstone catered well enough to families throughout it’s town, the Spring Festival being one of the myriad of examples which came to mind; family fun with a sprinkle of prospective enjoyment for anyone over the age of twenty-one, Noemi always keen on cashing in on such area of joy. She was ever fond of the fair in her adolescence and would continue on the tradition, this time with a little help along the way. The bar down the road was ever keen to open a premature to it’s typical hours, offering spring-festival specials to aid those much akin to Noemi, the woman holding up a shot with an archetypal smirk. Raucous timbre stumbled out, heralding extempore out as if in an old time play, “You have been warned, if you do not down these shots with me and then run off to play bumper cars…. there will be consequences.”

Aubrey pursed her lips in thought. “Okay, but if we do down those shots and then run off to play bumper cars there are probs gonna be some consequences there too,” she pointed out. “Don’t drink and drive, remember? Duh. Bumper cars are cars we’ll be driving. And like electric too and what if we fall running towards the bumper cars because the shots make us tipsy. I have a lot of questions and concerns.”

location: carnival

status: open ( @devinstonestarters​ )

event starter

“I’m pretty sure it goes against everything in me as a professional chef to be gorging myself on fried twinkies… but when in America right?” Julien had been in the US for over a decade but he was still in awe of the foods these events brought. Most of the time he’d avoid these, put himself deeper into his work but he needed to have some fun. Plus he was eventually supposed to meet Gia and Faith here. 

“Break the stereotypes, follow your tastebuds, enjoy yourself,” Aubrey encouraged, nudging Julian’s shoulder with her own. “Just don’t eat too many of those ‘cause I still gotta make you try some fried coke - if they even have it up here. Back home at the state fair, it’s all the rage. Besides, wouldn’t seeing all these nonprofessional chefs frying foods you wouldn’t think to fry give you some inspiration?”

setting: carnival

status: open ( @devinstonestarters​ )

event starter

Looking up at the Ferris wheel Calum wanted to go on it but he was terrified of heights. Everything around was pretty much all heights or kids rides. “See… I want to ride that but the chances of me vomiting is high.” Pausing he grimaced, “Or having a break down on it. Both are bad options.” Looking behind him at the games booths set up he nodded towards them, “Keep me company and I’ll pay for you to play?” Calum had more than enough money to do that and the Scotman was tired of being alone today. 

“Fear of heights?” Aubrey piped up, licking the sticky cotton candy from her fingers that she just happened to be enjoying next to the man. “Don’t worry, I have them too. One time I stayed at this hotel that had one of those glass elevators that looked out over the lobby,” she paused, shaking her head. “That was probably the worst thing that ever happened to me like, seriously.” She was exaggerating, obviously, but Aubrey was a drama queen. “Okay, but if you win any prizes can I have them? Especially if there are any cute stuffed cats, gotta add ‘em to my collection.”

location: downtown

status: open ( @devinstonestarters​ )

Letting out a few heavy breaths Benjamin rested his hands on his knees, he’d been running for about an hour now. It was his day off but there was really no ‘days off’ for him. If he didn’t focus on running, one something his mind would go back to his more dangerous habits. Pushing his hair out of his face he sat down on the bench to take a short break, maybe five mintues he tld himself. That would be all he’d do. “I hope you don’t mind company.” He hoped he didn’t bother the person who was already sitting down there. “Just few minutes break.” Benjamin still needed to work on his English. Another thing he needed to do that could keep him distracted.

Sitting outside alone on a bench counted as social distancing, right? At least that’s what Aubrey was telling herself. She knew the risks that came along with venturing downtown in the middle of an outbreak, but for a frappucino from Starbucks? They were worth it. Besides, she was young and healthy - nothing to worry about. At least until a tall figure plopped down on the bench beside her, drenched in sweat and breathing heavy. Her first instinct was to scoot away, but after hearing that accent, Aubrey found herself scooting closer. “Oh my gosh, no, you can totally sit with me,” she answered, taking a sip from her drink. “You probably get this question a lot but are you from like overseas or something? You have an accent.”