𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒚 𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒆𝒏.

“Okay, don’t totally hate me for suggesting this but… how about a bunch of fake plants?” Carson thought they’d look better and required absolutely no effort to keep alive. While he could appreciate the care that went into a plant, he couldn’t dedicate enough time to actually take care of something, which was a sad truth he had come to realize. “Well, I made this playlist for every night I cook dinner, which is actually turning out to be more often than not” If only because he had been forcing himself to leave work at a reasonable hour and cooking had quickly turned into his me time. “You know coddling things isn’t always the best either. But it’s your business –– kinda like your baby, I get not wanting to expand until you can fully trust someone else to put in the same kind of care and attention as you would” however, that didn’t mean Carson wasn’t hoping for the best when it came to Remi and her floral business, after all, he was a longtime supporter and always would be no matter what. 

-

“Fake plants? Carson, please, you’re hurting my soul. No, you’ll have real plants or nothing. I’ll come water them myself if that’s what it takes,” she said matter-of-factly, not even a little bit worried about him thinking she was insane. No one knew this side of her better than Carson after all. The last of boundaries wasn’t something new. “Ah, so it was already a thing. Somehow that makes it even dorkier? I mean, I have a bouquet-making playlist for when I’m at work, but that’s totally different.” It wasn’t at all different and the smile on her lips betrayed her statement. Coddling was something Remi was definitely guilty of. She liked keeping the things that mattered to her close to her chest. Putting her name on something and not being able to oversee every single little detail would drive her mad, she knew that. “I guess I’d have to have interview. Look for someone that I could trust enough to take care of my business. I know I can’t do everything myself, that would be madness.” 

“I will take that as a compliment. I just figured I’d actually want to come home if my place felt more like me. Some days I stay at the office a little too long and it’s easier to leave when I get to come home to all this now” Carson said, even though his home was certainly missing things –– like a partner to share it with. “Thank you, I practiced a few times this morning, I’m glad it paid off” He joked with another chuckle before straining the noodles and heating up another pan to bring all the ingredients together. “You know what else I did this morning? I made a playlist –– Siri play Carson’s Awesome Dinner Playlist” he said, to which the robotic voice agreed and played the first track “Red Red Wine” by UB40. The entire playlist was filled with songs that had food in the titles which he thought was clever but probably sounded a bit stupid. “Well, since it’s getting busier have you thought about expanding? I know it’s hard to scale a business that’s so personal, but it could be a good growth opportunity” He suggested, if only because he knew that Remi came to Los Angeles to “make it” and money could be nice, it would certainly allow her to visit her family more ofter. 

-

“It is a compliment and that makes a lot of sense. Maybe you’ll finally let me get a few plants in here? I can get you the really low-maintenance kind and show you how to take care of it,” she suggest brightly, excited at the prospect of getting a little greenery in here. Plants made everyone’s lives better, she stood by that. She laughed quietly as he asked Siri to play a playlist with the world’s most dorkiest name ever. This is why she had it bad. “You made an entire playlist for this dinner I didn’t even know was happening?” How could she not read into that? He was making this so unbelievably hard. “I have actually. This investor wants me to possibly open another boutique in his fancy hotel. I think it’s a nice idea, but I’d have to hire people and you know how much of a control freak I am when it comes to my work.”

“Thank you, I’ll take that as a compliment since the decor before this was taken straight out of an IKEA catalog and this, well, this seems more like me” Was it all cohesive and chic? No. But neither was he. While he liked to blend light and dark colors and mix in modern and contemporary pieces with something a little more weirder, in the end he was trying to create a home, not just a house where he was living. Remi was the first person he had over since the redecoration, mostly because he felt like she knew him the best and if something was off then she’d tell him. “Oh you noticed that move? It’s from Master Chef –– by the way, I watched a lot of Master Chef to prepare for for this” he added with a smirk. He had memorized all the measurement of ingredients for the stir fry dish he was making and continued with the cooking with ease, “So how has work been going? From the look of the shop, I take it you’ve been busy” Which was a good thing, after all, they both enjoyed their work. However, Carson was already going into analytical mode, arguing with himself that perhaps complicating their friendship wasn’t worth the risk when Remi probably had so much on her mind with work right now.

-

“It does have a very Carson vibe. I think it’s lovely.” It was true that his home was initially lacking a little personality. When she walked in just now, it had definitely felt like she was entering his home. It made his presence here seem more permanent and not like he could leave any moment. She could see him picking up every single bit of decoration himself. “Sure did. It felt very natural, organic. Not at all rehearsed.” It was flattering that he had prepared for this and it put all sorts of ideas in her head again. Was this something he did for all his friends? Did it mean something more? She pushed the thoughts out of her mind and focused on smooth movements in the kitchen. He wasn’t half-bad at this. He actually looked like he knew what he was doing. Remi had a feeling her help wouldn’t be needed after all. “Yeah, I got a few weddings coming up and the usual orders for birthdays, dates. Business is good. I can handle the work load so far, though. It’s easier now that getting my name out there isn’t an issue anymore, you know? I don’t need to prove myself so much anymore.”

“I think people overlooked the course a little too much which means I get to be the only one who enjoyed it” Being with Remi had alway been easy and intuitive, it was the reason why after their break they remained friends despite the fact that they probably shouldn’t have. At the end of the day, it came down to simply wanting to be around her and Carson would except as much or as little as that meant. “Well, I’m glad your day has been so productive, I’d like to think this homemade dinner would be somewhat of a reward but I don’t think that highly of my cooking yet” He added with a chuckle. He stepped aside and patiently waited as Remi took care of closing. Once she was ready to go, Carson gave her a nod and headed for the door. The trip to his home in Red Cliffs was a short one and after letting Remi judge his new interior which he gave a bit of an uplift with new furniture and decor pieces, he went straight to the kitchen. Tossing a rag over his shoulder, Carson got busy pulling out some fresh produce and getting some water in a pot to boil on the stovetop. “I know I look like I know exactly what I’m doing but don’t let that fool you” he said with a faint smile, remaining quite humble about the ordeal. Of course whatever he made wouldn’t compare to his mother’s but that didn’t mean it would turn out terrible either.

-

It was hard for Remi not to be completely smitten with Carson when he checked every single box of hers and said the things he did. She was an hopeless romantic and he was just... prince charming reincarnated. He had gotten to know her so easily, despite her not making it too easy for him at first. She wasn’t someone you would consider guarded, but she was someone who put others before her always. She was used to erasing herself to make other people feel better and Carson didn’t allow that. He did things like showing up at her work place unannounced to invite her to dinner, despite just being friends now. “The intention is reward enough.” She munched on a cookie as they headed back to his place, talking his ear off about a new shipment of flowers she was excited for. The only thing that was able to shut her up was the changes in his home. She looked around in awe, visibly impressed. “It looks so nice. Really different from when I was last here.” The brunette sat at the counter facing him, leaning forward as he moved into action. “Nice job with the rag over the shoulder. You almost look like a real cook. I can always jump in if you’re in need of saving.”

Seeing a smile light up on Remi’s face seemed to make the trip to the bakery worth is, especially since he knew she’d appreciate the small gesture more than anyone else. More that that, Carson just liked seeing Remi happy –– more so when he was the one who was able to cause it too. “Well, years of practice and a lot of studying” Carson said with a firm nod before an amused chuckles escaped out of him. Suffice it to say, he paid attention to the details –– even if it was as silly as cookies and flowers. “How’s your day going? Hopefully not too busy… I was actually gonna ask you if you wanted to have dinner. And by that I mean, I’m trying to learn to cook more and I need a guinea pig to give me an unbiased opinion on my recipes,” It was true enough, his mother had urged him to learn more about his culture and background through cooking and he agreed. However, inviting Remi into the mix was intentional because he was hoping to sort through his feelings and tell her what was on his mind.

-

Remi’s smile turned a little bashful, her cheeks turning a little red at the suggestion that he’d been observing her so carefully. That level of dedication was the reason her heart skipped a beat whenever she thought of Carson. “Oh, yeah? Is Remi 101 a popular course or were you the only attendee?” She asked him with a chuckle, trying to recover from her very obvious display of schoolgirl crush. “It’s going great. I got a lot done. Just need to pop these in the fridge and I should be about ready to close up.” His invitation was a little surprising, but she liked the thought of Carson cooking. She did most of it back when they were together, so this sounded like a nice change. “I can definitely provide some honest feedback. I can be done here in a few minutes, just hold on.” She put the arrangements away and took care of the administrative stuff that couldn’t wait, leaving the rest for the morning. It could all wait, especially when spending time with Carson was on the line. “Alright, ready to go.”

at the flower shop w/ @bcautyqueens​

As the days went by, Carson found his mind being fogged up with thoughts of Remi and their relationship. It hadn’t occurred to him that perhaps a relationship was what they were headed for and it made him question things –– like, was that what she wanted? And more importantly, what did he truly want? In the end, he found himself heading through the doors of the flower shop Remi worked at with a bag of cookies from Diddy Riese –– after all, you couldn’t bring flowers to a girl who was surrounded by flowers on the daily. Besides, Carson knew the quickest way to Remi’s heart was through her stomach or sweet tooth, “Hi, I have a last minute order –– can I get two dozen white roses please?” he said as he approached the counter with a growing smile, “Wait, you don’t like roses, huh” That much he remembered from their talk about weddings, which prompted him to place the bag of cookies on the counter next, “These might be better than roses, I promise you.”

-

Remi wasn’t sure what to think anymore when it came to Carson and their relationship. She was under the impression that they’d shared some moments recently that were definitely not platonic. Like at his family’s Christmas party or even at the work event. Other times, though, it felt like Carson was actually trying to keep things between them strictly friendly and the florist was just confused at this point. Not to mention her own signals probably weren’t nearly as obvious as she felt they were. She was deep in thought, focused on the arrangement in front of her when Carson himself walked in. She couldn’t help but smile brightly, her hands dropping to the counter as he came up to her with a delicious smelling bag. “Ha, ha, hilarious,” she said with light laughter, going right for the bag of cookie. “I don’t doubt it for a second. How is it that you know me so well?”

“I don’t know, I think he deserves a little more credit. He might not be that good but he’s persistent, and sometimes that’s half the battle” Dana said with a faint smile. After all, even if Ben’s sibling didn’t always understand how much effort he put into taking care of them, Dana certainly did. She remembered being the same try-hard stand-in parent with her own siblings growing up so on that level she could relate. “Yeah I know but I wanted to. I mean you’re still important to me… you all are” She quickly added, not wanting to put any added pressure considering how complicated their relationship was these days. “No elves to help you paint this year? Interesting” Dana mused with a hint of a smile as she glanced around at the ceramics on the table. “I’m taking Abbi and Jake downtown to look at the Christmas lights, you’re free to tag along if you want?” She threw the offer out there, not sure what Channing’s plans were for the rest of the evening, all she knew was that she wanted to spend more time with her.

“When did you become my brother’s lawyer exactly? I give him a hard time, but I know he tries. I swear.” It made sense that Dana defended Ben the way she did given the similarities between the two of them. They both spent more time taking care of others than taking care of themselves. It was something she loved about Dana, but something that sometimes frustrated her about Ben. Maybe more out of bitterness over not having parents to do that for her than out of annoyance over him fussing over her. “Well, I appreciate it. You showing up at my door is always a nice surprise.” Channing moved her arms so she could hide her work, smiling as Dana tried to get a better look at the ceramics. “No looking, I said. I want yours to be a surprise. I didn’t accept any help for these because they’d probably end up looking more like an elementary school art project over actual, you know, things you’d actually use in your home.” There was very little hesitation on Channing’s part when Dana invited her downtown. She grabbed her coat before even agreeing to it. “Yeah, that sounds fun. Abbi and Jake won’t mind me tagging along?” 

“Thanks, I’ve had a lot of practice” Ben said with a hint of a smile as he leaned against the kitchen counter acorss from her. Considering how much trouble his older brother and younger siblings go into, it was no surprise that Ben learned very quickly how to patch a wound and even apply some stitches if he needed to. Compared to that, this was child’s play. “It’s fine, Kenny. Seriously, the more ther merrier. Besides, you ain’t a stranger around here” Some of his siblings had seen her in passing or had known of her due to Ben, that and their home would never be denied to someone who just needed to get away. “Can I get you some eggnog? Or maybe some hot chocolate?” He asked, unable to hide his growing grin since it seemed a little childish and probably wouldn’t compete with a stiff drink, it’s what everyone else in the house was sipping on. Without a response, Ben reached for a glass in the dishwasher before filling it up with some hot chocolate anyway, handing to her, “Actually, I’m glad you came by since I, uh, got somethin’ for you…” Walking over to one of the kitchen drawers, Ben pulled out one of the Christmas cards with her name on it and handed it over. The front of the card was adorned with a festive photo of the family’s two cats –– toast and jame –– and signed by everyone, including a special note from Ben. He had never been very good at putting his thoughts into articulate words but writing them out meant he could go at his own pace without any judgements or mishaps. 

“Yeah? Rowdy siblings?” Kenny asked with a smile, wishing her remaining brother took care of her the way Ben took care of his own brothers and sisters. Sadly, she’d kind of burned all bridges as far as he was concerned. It was easier to avoid the questions her family might have now that they had all given up on her. “I guess not. I haven’t been this sober in awhile, they may not recognize me.” Joking about it was always easier than really addressing her problems with alcohol. It was more surprising to see her completely sober than drunk at this point. She smiled as she noticed him not waiting on an answer. She gave it anyways, to show how much she appreciated his hospitality. “Hot chocolate, please. Eggnog is disgusting. One of the many reasons Christmas sucks.” She took the cup from him, taking a sip and smiling at him. She stayed quiet as he told her about some kind of gift he had waiting for her in the other room, immediately feeling bad about showing up here empty handed. To be fair, she hadn’t done any Christmas shopping, but still. She smiled as he handed her the card, looking at the picture for a few seconds before flipping it open quickly as she felt her eyes start to burn. It was such a beautiful picture, something she wish she had. “You have a really beautiful family. I’m sort of jealous actually. And I really like the note.”

Christmas this year was looking very different in the Martin home. It was the first year without their mother and Ben felt the need to step up and make sure the holiday wasn’t as somber as the entire year felt to them. Cooking didn’t go as easily as he wanted to and in the end they made a rush deliver from the Chinese restaurant down the street that was always open. While it didn’t start off perfect by any means, it was nice to have his siblings all under one roof again, eating a meal together, laughing at each other, and watching old Christmas movies they used to when they were kids. They had been in the middle of A Christmas Story when there was a knock at the door and Ben made his way over to find Kenny. He couldn’t get a word in as she seemed to busy herself with another never ending words. All he could do was look at her with a sincerety in his eyes because he wasn’t quite sure when she’d ever learn that she never needed an explanation with him. “It’s nice to see you too, Kenny” he added with a faint smile before his eyes turned into worry at the sight of her hand. “Alright, come on, let’s get ya cleaned up” he said, pulling her inside towards the kitchen to run her hand under the warm tap. He had punched a few walls himself back in the day so he knew exactly how to fix this particularl problem, or at least keep her hand from hurting too much. Grabbing some gauze from the drawer, Ben dried off Kenny’s hand with a towel and bandaged it. As he did that, his siblings didn’t seem to question her presence in their home and went about their movie. “You hungry? We’ve got a lot of fried rice and chicken” he said, lip upturning into a grin since he knew exactly how ridiculous it sounded for a Chirstmas meal.

Kenny felt the need to apologize for her manners, but was reassured when Ben smiled at her the same way he usually did without a single hint of annoyance. She nodded, not too surprised by how welcome he immediately made her feel and let him lead her to the kitchen. “Thanks,” she muttered, wincing slightly when water hit the wound. He seemed to know exactly what to do to fix this mess she’d created and a few minutes later had a hand bandaged and felt a lot less pain. “You’re good at that.” He had younger siblings, which he seemed to take care of, so that probably explained why he had somehow made everything better in instants. It suddenly hit her how badly she was intruding on what was supposed to be family time when she spotted his siblings all sitting in front of a Christmas movie and eating Chinese food. An off choice, but one she’d pick over her mom’s dry turkey any day. “Are you sure this is okay? Your siblings probably don’t want a stranger intruding on their family time.” Also, she needed a beer. Badly.

The holidays had always been special to Dana. It was probably the only time her mother showed up to spend time with the family and seeing her grandparents and siblings making good memories together warmed her heart. They had already eaten dinner and her siblings were trying to set up Netflix on her grandparent’s new television when Dana stepped out. She figured she’d see them the rest of the night anyway and she had more cheer to spread elsewhere. Walking to Channing’s place with a Tupperware full of vegan gingerbread cookies, Dana knocked on the door of the trailer and waited patiently. When Channing answered, it was hard not to smile. “I –– yes, I would, actually” Dana said with a nervous chuckle before shaking her head of the faint blush rising to her cheeks. “I know you’re probably busy with family stuff, I just wanted to drop off some goodies for everyone” She added, setting the cookies on the table and taking notice of the some of the ceramics half-painted. “Ben reached out about some recipes and something told me he wasn’t as successful as he wanted to be so I decided to help out just a little…” She had a feeling Ben didn’t tell Channing that part, and perhaps Channing had no clue how hard he was trying to fix his broken family, but it was certainly something Dana could relate to. “So how are you doing? I hope I’m not intruding on anything…”

Channing chuckled at the thought of Ben cooking. She clearly hadn’t been around when it happened or she would’ve never let him hear the end of it. “Of course he wasn’t successful. I’d be surprised if that boy knew how to boil an egg without burning the whole place down,” she said a bit harshly. She rarely saw the other efforts people made for her. She was inherently cold, a lot colder than Dana or even her brother and siblings. She closed the door once Dana was inside, looking around at the small space. It was a bit cluttered as per usual and she wished she could hide the mess with her body. “Nah, it’s okay. They’re all out right now. Ben should be back soon-ish, but I’m glad for the company regardless,” she told her with a smile. The brunette couldn’t help the warm smile that spread on her face at the sight of the cookies. Even after everything Channing had done to her, Dana had still taken the time to bake for them and come all the way here during a very busy period. “I can’t promise I won’t eat all of those before the others even gets back home. You didn’t have to do any of this, Dana.” She panicked a bit when she asked if she had interrupted anything, suddenly remember what she had been doing before Dana knocked. “I was just painting some pieces,” she said with a nonchalent shrug, moving her body to hide the lot of them. “Which you can’t look at yet.”

“Oh I bet you’d fight me on about literally anythin’ right now” Ben said, unable to hide the chuckle that fell out past his lips seconds after. He knew better than to bait her and despite his past, Ben was more of a lover than a fighter these days. “You dig the hair? Alright, cool. Maybe I’ll keep it long then” A part of him perhaps wanted to impress her or be someone that she could somehow see as more than a friend, but truthfully, Ben also just seemed to grow accustomed to the length of his hair over the years. Living with three sisters for a while there meant lots of braiding and tips. “I mean it was, but what’s mine is yours” He was mostly just happy she had something in her stomach now. “How about you finish that burger and let me walk you home, sound good?”

“Because my banter with you is always my favorite part of my evenings, Ben,” she said, choosing to ignore that he meant actual fighting, which she wasn’t above of doing these days. Not with Ben, though. He usually brought out the fun part of her, unlike her brother who felt more like an annoying father lately. “Good. It suits you.” Kenny chuckled, taking another bite of the burger before washing it down with one last sip of beer. “And what’s mine is yours. I don’t know how much you’d want what’s mine, but it’s the sentiment that counts.”  She groaned at his suggestion. Normally she would argue more, but she was in a good mood and her soft spot for Ben mellowed her out. “Yeah, sounds good. Guess you caught me on a good night. I can eat and walk, let’s go.” She grabbed the burger with one hand and Ben arm with the other, pulling him out of the bar. “So why are you doing this? Have you decided to make me your charity case?”

On the contrary, Barry was pretty sure everything he did in high school was to piss someone off. With a mother who fed his ego nonstop and a group of friends who built him up into somewhat of a god, it was no surprise that in the end, much like the gods themselves, he fell too. Granted the alcohol and drugs and plenty of teen angst had made him into a raging prick the moment he graduated high school, Barry liked to think there were parts of himself that had always been worth redeeming. Parts of him that Helen loved him for, parts that she still loved him for… at least he could only hope. Ever since his unflattering exit from the public a few years ago, Barry had done a lot of growing. He wasn’t a man seeking redemption, that somehow seemed beneath him in a lot of ways, the only thing he was seeking was being able to sleep at night knowing he wasn’t all bad. That while his actions may have been foolish and in poor taste that in the end he never had any intention of true malice. Which he didn’t. That much he would go to the grave defending despite whatever Ray and Julie felt about it. Barry wasn’t trying to hurt anyone, he was just was just chasing a good time. Those good times had slowly become toxic and these days he was glad that he had a rude awakening otherwise he probably wouldn’t even be alive right now. 

“Oh come on, I wouldn’t let her smother you with a pillow… maybe I’d let her scare you with a butcher’s knife though” He joked with an inkling of a smile. Truth be told, as much as Barry loved his mother, even he could admit the woman was out of her mind when it came to expectations she set on the women he dated. His mother hadn’t liked a single girl he had ever mentioned to her. Her dislike towards Helen wasn’t personal, it was an unconditional love that told her no one was good enough for her golden boy. Barry nodded when Helen asked him to stick around for a bit longer, just enough for her to get ready and feel a little more comfortable. He agreed, of course since he imagined she probably had a lot of fears right now and he was there to protect her, even if that meant from her own sinister thoughts. He took a seat on the bed, scrolling through the several messages his mother had already texted him. After sending her a message ensuring that he was fine, Barry’s attention went to Helen as she exited the bathroom door. “You don’t have to thank me for anything, Helen” He said, almost amused since it seemed at least a little funny to him that she still felt like she owed him despite how badly he wronged her in the past. Slowly sitting up, Barry still couldn’t quite take his eyes off of Helen as the familiar floating feeling returned to his stomach –– a feeling he hadn’t quite felt in years. “You know even after all the stupid pageants I’ve gone to for you, this is probably still my favorite look” He said with a kind smile. In high school, Barry had always loved showing off and supporting Helen in whatever way he could, and for the majority of high school that meant showing up to her pageants to cheer her on. As great as she always looked when she was dolled up, it was fake. It was a side of her that she slapped together so people would like her, a fact that Barry had figured out fairly early on. In that respect, they both seemed to have a connection. While Barry was’t putting on pretty dresses and makeup, he often succumbed to peer pressure, whether that meant joining in on his douchebag friends bullying or indulging in drugs and alcohol because everyone else was doing it. Still, this side of Helen –– when she was stripped bare of the superficial had always been the moments where they had their deepest conversations and really got to know each other and, dare he say it, love each other. Over the years they had both forgotten that, but considering Barry was living a sober life, now those memories were much clearer to him now. 

Helen chuckled knowingly, looking at him with slight skepticism. Barry’s mother was just another thing on the long list of obstacles the two of them had run into while dating. They joked about it, but his mother hated her. Helen being Helen never stopped trying to win her over, but it was clear now that it was a lost cause. No matter how much she loved Barry, his mother would never think she was good enough for him. “That’s worse, you giant asshole. If your mother ends up murdering me, I’m coming back to haunt you and I won’t be anything like Casper the friendly ghost,” she warned with a playful smile, nudging him gently. “I wish your mother could see I’m not trying to steal her precious boy away from her. It kind of sucks that she never warmed up to me.” She almost added that it didn’t matter much anymore, but they both knew that was a lie. That it was never really over between then, even now when she had just run away from her fiancé.

“Of course I have to thank you. I don’t know many girls who can say their ex-boyfriend would save them from their soon-to-be ex-fiancé and their crazy family.” Most girls probably didn’t have ex-boyfriends like Barry too, ex-boyfriend that they still loved very much, ex-boyfriends that were part of the reason the fiancé was a soon to be ex. And even after all these years, it was still impossible for her to hide her blush when he complimented her. “I call this the runaway bride look. Might have to be my new thing. Not that I get much of a choice in the matter.” No one but Barry and maybe her family saw her like this. This Helen was exactly what her mother had taught her not to be. She was meant to have makeup on at all times, pretty clothes. This no-makeup, baggy shirt look she was sporting would give her mother nightmares. “My mother is already pretty pissed at me, I’m sure, so I can only imagine what she would say if she saw me like this.”

“Yeah, thankfully Morgan ain’t obsessed about materialistic things, unless Princess Diana wore a pair of scrubs then definitely not her thing” Zach was probably lucky for that, too. While Morgan was obviously a very beautiful woman, much like himself, her career was the most important thing to her. For that, Zach could love and respect her all the more. He tended to stay late at the university while Morgan lost hours in the ER, but at the end of the day, they both come home to each other and had never held it against one another. “Besides, I think all of this stuff is way too overpriced and a bit tacky. I wanted to include that in my talking points but my colleagues decided against it” he grinned, only half-joking since Zach still had issues with those considered elites in the city despite the fact that a majority of them funded programs like his. While he often felt like a hypocrite for calling out the rich while also taking their money, for now, he could live with himself.

“Sorry, I’m off the clock so no exams this evening” Not that he thought Ridley truly card about his lecture, to begin with, which was fine, he knew this research wasn’t something she held close to her heart so he appreciated her for showing up at all. Though he wasn’t arrogant enough to believe she showed up just for his sake. Surely her parents or friends had convinced her or perhaps a new beau. Whatever the reason for her being there, Zach didn’t care, he only appreciated her presence for what it was. “That’s good to hear, I’m glad you’re doing well” And he really was glad to hear it. Considering her mishaps in the past, it seemed like she was finally overcoming some of her biggest demons and he couldn’t help but be proud of her still. However, at the mention of a wedding, Zach couldn’t help but let out a faint laugh because it was very much ridiculous. “There’s not going to be a wedding any time soon. Like I’ve said in the past, marriage isn’t something I believe it” And for now Morgan seemed to let him walk around with his nose up about the sanctity of marriage, but sooner or later even she would be expecting a ring, that much Zach knew for certain.

Ridley couldn’t help but roll her eyes at his Morgan praise, shooting him a disbelieving glare. “Are you telling me she’s the type to shop at Target and T.J. Maxx? Because I have to warn you that’s where my niceness will end.” Morgan seemed like a put together woman. She wore makeup and was dressed well tonight, so she had to be a little materialistic. “That dress is not tacky, Zachary. That dress is the epitome of class and elegance. God, have I taught you nothing?” She realized he was joking, but couldn’t help but defend such an iconic dress. Zach had psychology and she had fashion after all. “Not to mention this ‘overpriced and tacky stuff’ is about to fund your project, so... I’d keep that pretty mouth of yours shut if I were you.”

“Damnit, all that studying for nothing,” she told him with a small pout, feigning disappointment, She sure as hell didn’t need any type of studying to nail a test on anything Zach related. For whatever his lecture had been about, however? That might require a bit more reading and listening. “Right back at you. Seems like you got everything you’ve ever wanted after all.” Was it a dig? Maybe a tiny one. The two of them wanting different things was what ended up tearing them apart and she was annoyed that both their successes were proving him right. They might not be where they were if they hadn’t broken up. “I always hated when you went on about that shit. What exactly don’t you believe in? Promising to love someone for the rest of your living days? Fucking cynical and that’s coming from me of all people.”

“Probably half a dozen,” Barry said, remembering how Julie nearly dragged him off the dance floor for flirting with a different cheerleader, only to remind him how much effort Helen had gone through so she could look good for him. Back then he thought Julie was overreacting and certainly made no effort to apologize or take her words in, but in retrospect, Barry truly did wish he didn’t take those moments for granted. These days, they were the only moments worth holding onto. “I was impressed, I don’t know if I ever told you that” he shrugged his shoulders, “Pretty sure I told the entire football team my girl had theirs beat.” Which was true enough since Barry was a cocky son of a bitch in high school and Helen was the most beautiful girl in school, insecurities aside. Barry couldn’t help but feel a bit ashamed about how he acted in high school and who he ultimately was. He was selfish and mean and completely careless. Most of the time he was just chasing a feeling or a new high. It was a steep contrast to these days where he was just trying to keep his feet on the ground.

“Well I’d offer the guest room at my mom’s but I don’t think she’d let you take it, not over her dead body” he couldn’t help the inkling of a grin that began to tug at his features. To this day his mother still didn’t think Helen was good enough for her only son despite the fact that Barry had explained to her a million times that he had been a jackass throughout their relationship. In his mother’s eyes, he could do no wrong. “You can stay at my parent’s boathouse, it’s not a big deal” He finally suggested, putting the car in drive as he sped off. It wasn’t as if his mother ever used the old boathouse anymore, not since his father passed nearly a two decades ago. He remembered her trying to sell it but in the end, they decided to keep it and rent it out to spring breakers during the prime seasons. Right now it was empty and probably collecting dusk. It took only another fifteen minutes to get there, not far from where Ray’s boat was docked. Barry parked out front and reached into the backseat of the car to grab his gym bag. It’d have an extra set of clothes that Helen would probably feel more comfortable in. “C’mon, you look like you could use some rest or just clear your mind for a bit…” he said as he unlocked the door tot he small boathouse –– it resembled a small studio apartment complete with kitchenette, bathroom, and outer door that led to the lake. 

“Something along those lines,” she said nonchalantly, not wanting to admit it was way more. She probably shouldn’t be afraid to look pathetic in front of him anymore since she’d crossed that line hundreds of time in their first week of dating, but a small part of her was still really desperate for his approval, still trying to convince him she was worthy of his love. Helen looked up at him as he complimented her. It was years too late, but that didn’t stop the fluttering in her stomach. “You didn’t. I wish you had,” she admitted, although she didn’t hold it against him anymore. They had both come a long way since high school and she knew holding his past actions against him wouldn’t get her anywhere, but she couldn’t help but wish things could’ve been different back then. She wished she didn’t still believe she had to prove herself after all these years. “Pretty sure you only did that to piss off the football team.” She also had a vague memory of him flirting with one of their girlfriends, but rubbing that in his face didn’t feel like the best course of action right now.

“I’d be afraid to fall asleep if I stayed there. I just know I’d wake up to your mother trying to smother me with a pillow,” she said with a dry laugh. His mother was yet another person she had failed to impress pretty consistently. It probably had more to do with his mom’s inability to see her son as anything less than perfect rather than Helen herself, but it didn’t exactly help her self-esteem either. “I’d like that. I don’t think anyone would look for me there like they might at your house...” Her parents and Elsa all knew very well she was still hung up on Barry and would figure out quickly that she had no one else to run to. She rested her head on the window as he drove there, enjoying the silence for once. There was a lot on her mind to say the least. She got out of his car once they were there, waiting for him by the front door while he got a gym bag out of his trunk. She walked in the boathouse and immediately smiled at him gratefully. “This is perfect. Can you just wait fifteen minutes while I take a quick shower? I’m wearing a pound of makeup.” She barely waited for his answer, taking the gym bag from him and bringing it into the bathroom with her. A little under fifteen minutes later, she walked back out with her hair and face washed and wearing his much more comfortable clothes. She pulled the string on the pants as tight as they could go, hoping to avoid an unfortunate accident. “I don’t know how to thank you for doing this,” she said quietly, sitting down on the edge of the bed with a loud sigh.

Where were they going? Barry hadn’t the slightest idea and yet he continued to drive as Helen vented. It seemed like she had been holding a lot in over the last several months with no one around to listen –– not her sister and certainly not her mother. It made him wish he had been big enough to at least settle for friendship when he got news of her engagement. However, Barry had never been very good with losing and while Helen wasn’t some possession like a trophy or music contract, she was someone he couldn’t bear the sight of with someone who wasn’t himself. Perhaps he still had more growing to do but he couldn’t think much about his own maturity when the girl he loved (and arguably didn’t deserve) came to him for help. He wasn’t about to let her down now.

At the stoplight, Barry took a moment to glance over at Helen and really look at her. She looked beautiful, as usual, but it was a somber kind of beautiful, the kind of beautiful that was only outwardly because staring at her he could see just how miserable she was. “Yeah, the dress is kind of ridiculous” he agreed before adding on, “It’s got nothin’ on the sophomore year winter formal dress” He was sure Helen didn’t think he’d remember what any of her dresses from their dances in high school looked like, but Barry remembered the important things despite his huge ego and attitude back then. It was probably the first time he had seen her and felt like it was love. They drove for another fifteen minutes before the car settled into one of the old drive-in theaters. It was abandoned now but it still held a lot of memories for him and their relationship –– like fooling around in the back of Ray’s truck and ignoring whatever cheesy rom com Julie was making them watch. Besides, he doubted anyone would try looking there for Helen, which was the point. “So you really went Runaway Bride on the poor guy? See, told ya you were a heartbreaker” he grinned, if only to make her laugh. 

Helen had always been the type to be easily influenced. Her mother had been the first to run her life by signing her up to multiple pageants and molding her into the perfect beauty queen that she wanted as a daughter. Then she had tried to become what Barry himself wanted from a girl so he wouldn’t leave her. Finally, she met her fiancé and she turned into the perfect housewife that he clearly wanted. She had always been terrible at standing up for herself and knowing what it was she wanted exactly. Maybe that was why she was panicking so badly now, it was the first time she’d done what she wanted and she knew exactly what was coming once she finally faced her family and soon-to-be ex-fiancé.

Uselessly, she ran her hands down the skirt of her dress, attempting to smooth out some of the imperfections. The dress was too far gone, however, it would most likely go straight to the trash the second she could finally get it off. She smiled sadly at the mention of her winter formal dress, both at the memory and at Barry’s attempt at cheering her up. “Yeah, that was a good one. You don’t want to know how many I tried on before I picked that one. I wanted to impress you so badly,” she said quietly, looking out the window quickly before he saw how quickly her mood plummeted. It was a nice memory, sure, but it was also a reminder of how blindsided she was when she found him making out with another girl in his hotel room. Back then, she thought they had a shot at ended up together despite how troublesome their relationship had been when they were younger. She felt so confident that they would make it, that he wouldn’t betray her trust again, and she was crushed when she walked into that room. Could she really be blamed for settling for a safe, small-town business man after what he put her through? “I didn’t know what else to do. I tried talking to my mom and Elsa about my doubts and you know how she gets...” She immediately swept all her concerns under the carpet and stressed how embarrassing it’d be for their family if she ended things at this point. “He doesn’t deserve to be left like this. He’s boring, but he’s not a bad person. I know what you’re trying to do and I appreciate the effort, but I’m mostly just trying to figure out where I’ll spend the night right now.”