we are glass

“Well unlike him at least I’m honest about things and in touch with my feelings.” Frazer scoffed with a mocking laugh, a hand raising up to ruffle her hair playfully after her scrunched up face. “You’re moping around, complaining about how you feel out of place Miss Lulu Lemon. Would you prefer you hop into your yoga pants and we hang out around the melon section at the grocery store instead?” The sarcasm flooded his tone.

“You’re only in touch with certain feelings like disgust so let’s not act like you are superior in the way of human emotion compared to the rest of us. I’m sure a therapist could knock around in there finding something Freud would be utterly fascinated by.” James gave a look of displeasure as she moved her hands up to fix her hair from him. “You say all that like being at the grocery store with me wouldn’t be an absolute blast.”

“As long as you’re polite about it, and you don’t make fun of me, definitely just spit it out.” Beth nodded, quickly checking her reflection in the screen of her phone. "And yet you cared enough to tell me.” 

“So all making fun is completely off the table?” He considered as if they were making some type of deal. “I was being selfless and caring for your sake. I could have happily stared at you all night and not have been any less captivated.”

“He may have seen way worse but what about me? What about my dignity?” Melody carried on, a little dramatically. Truthfully, she wasn’t actually embarrassed and he probably wasn’t buying it even if she were trying to wind him up a little and make him feel guilty. “You know, most people are usually pretty neat and tidy when they eat where I work. This place is an exception. Definitely an exception.” She nodded over to the guy behind Rowan with sauce all over his face from the rack of ribs he was digging into.

“Oh this is about your dignity? Nah, we are completely shot there then. Although I think that was dead before tonight,” he pretended to give her a look over as if only confirming the thought. While he assumed she was joking anyway, Rowan was a passive person. “Yeah, I’ve seen it with the whole table cloth type deal,” he nodded, his wife preferring to go there while this was more his speed. “I bet you’d have way more fun with these people though. Pig trough eating habits and all over those rich miserable fucks.”

“Oh no, I think that’s exactly where you’re mistaken. This lady demands perfection, nothing less than that.” Julie mumbled as she tried her best to recover from the little mishap. “Are you – I know you’re a builder but are you really going to dress like that? You’re not exactly helping me sell the vision.” Her focus went back to dabbing as much coffee as she could off the architectural drawings.

“Then I’d suggest you’d avoid going on site when your creations are being built,” he teased using a cloth to wipe down the papers. At her comment he looked down at his clothes, jeans and a flannel. A furrowed brow filled his expression as he made eye contact again. “I’m sorry, what exactly is it about my look that isn’t doing it for you?”

“Who said that’s my goal? Besides, it’s over far too quickly if I play it like that.”

“The two fisting seemed like a bit of a hint and in my experience, people aren’t drinking the old faithful Jack because they are having a good time.”

“Like the last guy was judging you? Fuck, and you haven’t even realized that I’m the one here whose judging you yet?” Frazer grumbled, his arms across his chest as they wandered through the little market. “I could’ve sworn, you were the one who suggested coming here this morning. Not me.”

James stopped to give him a glare. “You have never exactly been subtle. I may not be quick but yeah I caught on to that a long time ago, buddy,” she gave his arm a slap. “That guy at least had the manners to try and hide it,” James scrunched her nose at him before looking at him. “I’m not saying that I didn’t want to be here. Gosh, it’s like you never really listen to me.”

“I’m pretty sure they’re happy you’re here regardless.” She let out a soft chuckle as she listened to the other’s rambles. “Besides, there’s nothing wrong with frequenting a chain grocery store instead of the organic ones. Weather it’s the budget, the accessibility or the habit – if it works for you, it’s fine, right?” 

“I can see why you would think that with their perfected smiles, but I just feel like I am one of those they roll their eyes at as soon as we turn around,” she jokingly argued. “Considering my paycheck I will always be the sales on the weekend grocery store girl but I want to give off a more entitled air than that so people don’t know that.”

“Given the fact that your camera was pointed directly at my face? Seems like you are stalking me.” The brunette feigned, her poker face giving absolutely nothing away. “You are going to delete that, right?”

“It was a little more off focused,” he joked as she hardly seemed amused by his gesture. “If you really want me to, but you could take a look first. You might like it,” Ford offered.

“You’re a photographer?” It was basically the only option explaining why a stranger would be taking her picture without asking first. That, or he was a stalker, which he probably wouldn’t admit to if he was. “Is the picture any good?” 

“I am, and I swear a real one. Not just someone who has a really pretty Instagram,” he offered a smile. Ford pulled the camera up to open the photo he just took giving it a look. “I could just be extremely bias or maybe the camera just loves you, but yeah. I’d say so.” He took the strap off his neck so he could offer her a look as he tilted the screen towards her.

“Wait, come on. You’re seriously telling me this, now?!” A tint of pink flushed across her face as Melody tried to wipe off the excess pasta sauce. “I swear, your could’ve told me before the waiter decided to bring out dessert. Spared me the extra embarrassment.” Her tone was playful as she pretended to be upset about it.

The blushing caused him to smile from amusement. He really didn’t want to embarrass her but the reaction was cute. “We were having a good conversation. Didn’t seem worth derailing for a little red sauce.” He shrugged, a little smirk on his lips as he took a sip of his beer. “And besides you know from experience that guy has seen way worse things on his shift.”

“Honestly, the most embarrassing thing is that you allowed me to sit like this for the duration of that entire question.” Beth muttered as she wiped the corner of her mouth with her napkin. “But thank you, it’s definitely less embarrassing than having it last the entire night.” 

He couldn’t help but let out a chuckle. “I thought a subtle build up was a better take than being brash about it. Clearly I thought wrong,” Rowan smiled. “At least you’re lucky that you’re pretty enough that people wouldn’t even care.”