August Jordan

Liv: stupid fucking peaches.

Liv: they gotta come around sometime. until then, i'm around and i don't have much to offer but i have a daughter that thinks glitter and chocolate cures everything (it does) and i'm a bartender. we got all sorts of options.

Liv: i get the whole ignore the world thing. just remember you're still in the world, it's something.

AJ: other people got them too?

AJ: they won’t. They think that I’m the worst guy in this world. No matter what. I’ll go for chocolate and booze tho. Skip on the glitter for now.

Liv: i'm so sorry. whatever high school stuff happened, if you're hurting like this it shouldn't matter. sometimes you need to put stuff aside and just be there for someone

Liv: you matter, aj. and if they can't see that, that's on them.

Liv: I don't know what I can do to help, but i'll be right here

AJ: tell all the people who were looking dead at me when that stupid peach shit happened and have said absolutely nothing to me.

AJ: they don’t care. no one cares. you’re the only one who reached out.

Liv: of course

Liv: I'm here if you need anything

AJ: you're literally the only fucking person that reached out from this town that i consider a friend. sports reporters and my football buddies care more about me than others that i used to protect with my entire soul. would go to battle for, gave my all to.

AJ: been there for everyone, in every way, whenever they needed it. never turned my back on a single person but i really am just a joke to them. it's like im a damn circus act for them to use for a topic of a conversation.

@peachesstart​

She walked outside of the apartment building into the beautiful sunshine of Peach Hollow. Her eyes had not shifted to the bright sunlight just yet as her hand went up to cover her eyes. Lennon could see a figure walking towards the building as she raised her other hand to flag them down.

 “Hi, excuse me? I am so sorry, but do you happen to know where I could find a pair of sunglasses? I just moved here, and I’m not necessarily sure where everything is just yet.” 

It wasn’t a lie. She had just moved here. Four months ago. But she didn’t really leave her apartment that often. 

As he was running throughout the town, trying his best to remain calm and normal after everything that went down last night, August was stopped by someone waving their hand. He was afraid to take his airpods out, not wanting to hear the questions, the fears or the speculations. He had been avoiding most of his texts, calls and messages from others. But it seemed as if only one of his friends even cared so far so he tried his best not to be cold in the moment, but he wasn’t that helpful either.

“Sorry, I dunno if I’m of much help. I usually just get those sorta things online or sent to me. Can’t remember the last time I actually went shopping. But there’s stores in town, I’m sure the pharmacy would have a pair or something to hold you over?” He suggested, all sweaty and shirtless with his chest rising and falling since he had been pushing himself to the ultimate level of working out today. 

Ever since the festival started it had seemed as if everyone’s spirits had been lifted; people laughing casually and smiling with their friends. It was something Savannah had always loved and enjoyed being part of. However, this year had started off horribly and underneath all the happy smiles was a layer of fear but she tried not to think about it as she sat on an open bench with a smoothie held in her hand looking out casually at the people milling about. 

“Oh, I didn’t see you there.” She declared, jumping slightly, as someone came into view. “Do you need something?” 

After getting himself a hotdog from the stand, he finished in record time. He needed something in his stomach before alcohol to keep his body from failing or falling over. It was still early in the day and he knew that there was going to be a lot going on with the auction later and all the other little events that always went down. Chewing softly, he spotted his sister and finished chewing up most of what was in his mouth.

Okay so she felt a little bit bad about the joke, but he laughed anyway so it’s gotta be something.

She listened when he talked about high school, about people hating him. It had such that small town bullshit attached to it, but it was real and she could see it on his face. “I can feign innocence, I don’t know shit. And we didn’t know each other in high school, so we don’t judge each other by it.” August seemed to have a certain amount of understanding about the situation, like he’s had time to think through it in every way, which she understood.There’s a certain feeling that hits once you start seeing the fact that both sides can be right about different things. 

“No worries, I can stand on my own. I’m an adult and everything.“ Liv laughed, her turn to roll her eyes. Worst comes to worst, she’d walk home if she felt that out of place and just go get her daughter back from Sonny’s parents. “You know what, AJ? I’m gonna give you that one. At least you’re better looking than John Travolta.“ She hopped out when he parked, helping him with the stuff he had brought. She stifled a laugh at his description of Sonny, but damn if he wasn’t right. “That ‘dude’ is my ex fiance, and Lu’s dad. I don’t know if he’s gonna be here, I just know that he and his parents had Lucy tonight. But uh, we are kinda talking again. Or, at least, we’re not outright fighting. Lord knows if he had an issue with me hanging out with a friend, we’d be right back to fighting because I’m not taking that bullshit.“ Of course, all that stepping around each other and frivolous fighting about being eighteen were to end in a couple hours but hindsight is 20/20.

AJ brought up his fist to pound, wanting to swear on what she was offering. The last thing he needed was the crew getting to other people’s heads. “Give me some” He said, hoping that she didn’t leave him hanging. One day, he’d be able to open up about everything to her. The mindset he was in, though, just wouldn’t do it justice. They had more of a joking friendship, they had gone on dates and saw they were way better as friends, but he had trust issues and he’s sure the last thing she wanted or needed was an August Jordan breakdown. With her, it was always so easy to just be his carefree, funny self. The person he has always had been and she made it easy for him to not feel like he was constantly walking on eggshells or afraid that he might do something that would result in a slap.

“An adult with a whole ass kid.” August said, thinking that was the epitome of reaching adulthood. He had so many siblings that he practically raised, but this was different. She was a mom 24/7 and that’s what probably attracted him to her in the first place. It showed how she had her head on straight and stuff together. Plus, she was caring in a way that he needed, but never able to express. “Thank you, I probably would have driven you right back home if you said otherwise.” He joked before giving her a funny face. “Oh yeah, got down on one knee and everything. Forgot about that, my bad.” Laughing out, he listened to hear about Lucy and where she was tonight. 

“Like, talking talking or speaking because of your kid together?” He asked, never one to skate around the topic because he wanted to be there for her. Not many people understood that sort of dynamic, but August did because of his parents toxic relationship and witnessing it first hand. “I’m glad you two got things figured out for your baby girl, though. That’s what matters most and I’m sure she’ll be so stoked to see you guys getting along in some form. Least it’s a step in the right direction for her, you know?” August wasn’t an idiot and he knew the Sonny guy would probably try to fight him if he saw him with his baby mama, but whatevs. They were friends. 

August had a point. Had he peeked at her instagram, even gave a resemblance of a fuck about Peyton, he would have known that she and Angel were friends. Maybe it had been simply just a business transaction, she knew that she didn’t search clients before she went to see them to see that their hobbies included floor hockey and selling hamster clothes on Etsy. Something about this whole situation made her feel especially stupid. She couldn’t quite pin point if it was the fact that her best friend was practically playing pelvic pinochle with a guy she liked or the fact that maybe Leo had been the same as every other guy. Wine, dinner, a small amount of flare that made you feel special, and then the big bang. Except Leo didn’t want to talk about subliminally dirty topics like the others. He wanted to know about what she was like in college, her grandparents. And she hadn’t scurried out with heels in hand in the morning, he had kissed her goodbye. Not softly either nor politely. Up until this point, every fiber pointed to Leo and her seeing where things went. But as she pieced the puzzle together, it left her with nothing more than disappointment. “I think if he was interested in getting to know me, he would have at least done a background check like you said. He got what he wanted. The business, a no strings attached arrangement, money. It was never about me.” 

The girl crinkled the red solo cup in her hand, feeling a bit of tension being released as she did so. She was never vulnerable, so she knew she’d have to raise her security ten fold. Being a heightened cold hearted bitch was on the horizon, which meant cutting her blossoming friendships with August and Ian loose. Was she ready for that? Was she ready to be alone, staring at her best friend knowing what had happened? “Ew, what? No. I’m not trying to revenge fuck you. That would be pathetic for all parties involved. You, them, me especially. Couldn’t sleep at night thinking about our fire crotches rubbing together to create the perfect soulless ginger punnet square.” It was like a switch flip, her bitterness rising to the surface. She could see the pain in his eyes, she knew what was going on behind her but she couldn’t quite bare the sight. The girl rose to her feet, getting groans from the people behind her rightfully so. “I should go. With that grease monkey smacking lips here there’s surely a mono conga line about to happen and I don’t want to be apart of that chapped lip orgy.” Without so much as a warning, Peyton began to walk away from him. It was easier to be cold that to let the fire burn, she took that page from Ian’s book. She knew August would come after her so as her heels clacked against the pavement of the parking lot, she prepared herself for his after school special monolog about friendship and the importance of unity.

AJ couldn’t help but sigh. He wanted to make everything better, shield her from any form of pain, but that didn’t seem possible right now. They were both stuck in shit situations with only one another to understand the annoyance brought on by Leo and Angel smacking lips as if they were teenagers without a place to go to be alone. “Then it’s his loss. Seriously. If he couldn’t....see you for what you are, want to be with you, then he’s as dumb as he looks right now.” No matter what he said, he knew it would go right over Peyton’s head. But he was trying. Trying to be someone she could trust and lean on, give her the reassurance she needed. He just didn’t understand why Angel was acting this way. Yes, Leo was a stranger compared to the rest of them, but he knew that Angel wouldn’t do this to her friend. Would she? Had things changed that much from high school? His eyes were as wide as the sky as he quickly went to defend himself, his hands moved to let her know what’s not what he meant. “Peyton, I didn’t mean....actually sleep together. I just meant like, making it seem as if we were. I wouldn’t just try to get you in bed like that. Even after all these years, I wouldn’t do that to Angel I know you wouldn’t want to, either.” He wanted to also add to the fact that the carpet definitely didn’t match the drapes. His body hair was dark, far from the red hair on the top of his head, but she didn’t need to know that.

“Peyton.” August said with a sigh, loud enough for everyone to audibly get annoyed with. He couldn’t help but roll his eyes, as if they didn’t know what was going to happen during the movie. It’s not exactly a thriller, keeps you on the edge of your seat sorta thing. Following her with a fast pace, he maneuvered throughout the crowd until he could catch up to her. “You’re hurt. I get it. I didn’t mean for it to sound like I was suggesting for us to head to the bedroom.” His hand immediately moved to his hair, running his fingertips through it as his muscles in his body flexed. “I wouldn’t....I’m not the type to take advantage of someone when they clearly want someone else.” The words were so low, just barely above a whisper, he wanted her to see and feel that he did have respect. For her and for women in general. “I just want to help you. However I can. However you need. Or just be there for you. I don’t even care about pissing Angel off at this point, I care about you and you knowing what you’re worth. Plus tax.” Shrugging gently, he was trying his best to be a good friend right now. The one that he needed at his roughest of times. “I can be a good wingman. Lookup his instagram, find some of his friends to set you up on dates with or even better, find someone on the Patriots since you seem to love them so much. Just let me help you. Cause I know there’s going to be a lot of things that come up in the future where I can only count on you and I want you to feel like you can count on me, back.”

All Peyton could do was focus on her breathing. In this moment, it seemed to be the only thing she could genuinely control. What had she done to deserve the cold shoulder from Leo? And why was she so hurt by all this? The answer was simple. She had been nice to him. She let him see inside herself without so much as a crow bar, so little as a knock on her guarded doors. She had taken the high road that night in his apartment, given him the benefit of the doubt, was herself. But maybe that wasn’t enough for him. Maybe showing someone a carefree, kind version of herself was something to be shunned. People would only like her if she was a bitch. And barely then. As she felt his gentle fingertips against her back, the girl shuttered at the acidic feelings of another’s touch. She wanted to retreat, snap, scream. But she let him comfort her. Even if it didn’t make her feel better, it’d make him feel like he did something good. As if the favor had been returned. “She tried to get me to make a Tinder the other day.” the girl scoffed before shaking her heard. This wasn’t Angel’s fault but with August in her ear, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the two were sinner, that she and Leo had both done wrong. “Weird, though. Shallow dating platforms don’t seem like Angel. But I guess sometimes are our inhibitions get the best of us when we’re–” Peyton took a heavy sip of her drink suddenly hyperaware of August’s hand on her back. Was he just like Leo? Was he just trying to get in her pants? Peyton wasn’t in the right state of mind and thoughts were running wild. “Will you stop? Please.” Peyton said firmly, her hand suddenly grabbing at his bicep. 

“It wasn’t a date exactly.” The girl prefaced in an attempt to redeem Leo. But for what? “I sent a rich client to him, kept that shoebox of a garage packed with more muscle cars then they could keep up with. He invited me over for dinner, we talked. Like really talked. And we ended up kissing.” Red curls fell into her face as she shook her head. Aloud it didn’t sound like much of a date nor did it sound like a meeting regarding business. But there was a lot of blurred lines in her relationship with Leo. She wasn’t feeling as confident as she usually did, her vulnerability stripped her of that. “Angel doesn’t know anything. I haven’t talked to her in a few days which leads me to think she might know something about you sneaking into my house drunk late at night.” Peyton sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. If Angel knew, she’d sure excitedly resign. But it was clear that Leo made his decision. Peyton was too much for him to handle, maybe she’d done something wrong. “So what’s the plan?” The girl turned to her boy beside her, finishing off her cup. “If we’re going to hold a grudge, we need a killer plan.” A mischievous smirk crept onto her lips.

“Looks like shallow is her thing now a days.” Raising his brows, the bitterness was thick in his tone as he couldn’t believe she would be even on the app. Then again, it was telling that she had a lack of connection with Leo in that department and was looking for more hookups or dates. If he even took her on them. His heart fell a little at her sudden coldness, not wanting to be touched, but he completely understood and took his hand away from her back. Nevertheless, he kept it set behind her, wanting to protect her and keep her shielded from what was going on a few feet in front of them. Clearing his throat, he showed that she had his full attention and that he cared. He cared about her wellbeing, her feelings and what she was going through. “Still. It was a thing. You don’t, do a thing like that then go and continue to screw their best friend. One look at your instagram and it would be obvious as hell.” It seemed to be more than evident that Leo was the piece of shit that gossip should be having a field day with, but no, they took shots at August left and right. They had no second thoughts about how it might effect him or how wrong they were, but at the same time, he just had to roll with the punches. It’s better than the truth, huh?

“So, you gave him serious business. Open up to him about things. He kissed you and this....this is what he’s doing now?” bringing the cup to his lips again, he needed to take another swig. “I’m not trying to be team Leo here or anything, promise, but usually it’s moments and things like that where he’s not just trying to get you into bed that mean more to dudes? I don’t know. At least that’s what I like to think. Other acts of intimacy are way more important and special than hopping into bed. If that helps, at all.” But, to prove him wrong and that the universe seemed to really hate red heads, Angel and Leo were full on making out. For everyone to see. His head shook as he tried his best to keep her attention and her eyes in his. “She wouldn’t even care, Peyton. As much as I wish she would, she couldn’t even pretend to if she wanted to. “ Pain was evident in his gaze and he wasn’t able to pinpoint exactly what from, what for or who over. “I’m rolling with your punches. I wanna do whatever to help you show what he’s missing, so whatever you want, I’m down for.” Her smile had him chuckling a bit as he could only imagine what she was up to in that head of hers, she was always ten steps a head of everyone else.  “All I know is Angel would be mad at you for getting with me, but just out of spite, not jealousy. That’s just the way she works. But seriously, he can’t get away with this. Playing both of you two, flip flopping between best friends? That deserves a fucking nickname. His squidward looking self floats on by in this town with out as much as a glare, but-” noticing he was rambling, he stopped and used his head to nod to the two of them going at it because he needed her to understand why he was just so fired up. He wanted to shield her from it, he did, but she’d hate him all over again if he did and she saw it plastered all over social media or in photos. “She doesn’t care about me, Peyton. Not in the slightest. But I know she cares about you.”

“It never does,” Rosemary said. Though she didn’t watch sports often, she did know who he was. NFL player. It was something she had to learn to enjoy, moving into a small Southern town. She wasn’t sure if August recognized her, too. Hopefully, not. Hopefully, he didn’t see her as more than a recent newbie to the town who just happened to be a friendly fan. 

Rosemary drew an inward breath, playfully feigning shock. “You blaspheme in this good, Christian town?” she whispered. “What will the neighbors think?”

August didn’t know her name, he was shit with them, but he tried to play it off as if he did? He didn’t want to be that guy, you know? The one that seemed too big for this small town. This is where he grew up, but if they had gone to high school together, he would have remembered her. Then again, they prob wouldn’t have been having this conversation if he did.

“They’ll think that I have taste. Michelle Pfeiffer is way hotter. She has that whole bad girl vibe from the jump and I’m a lowkey sucker for it. Plus, she falls for the guy who was good to her. Good for her. Liked her for more than just her looks, you know?” He said proudly, regardless of his reputation. “Please tell me you’ve at least seen it? It’s a classic.”