burn the ashes

"I have a feeling he might beat us both. I'm not having the best of luck with this game today." She quickly turned her wheel to dodge an obstacle, only to accidentally run into another, but she was still able to keep her place as second. A small laugh came at Casey's words. "I'm not sure if I'm able to believe that or not. This isn't too different from driving a real car." As if, this actually seemed harder yet a kid was much better than the both of them.

Phoenix cheeks actually heated up a bit at the compliment. It wasn't like she hadn't had compliments before, but even then, she'd get all red faced. "I have a couple days off next weekend, so maybe sometime then? If you're not too busy with work that is. I don't want to cut into your schedule." She crossed her arms over her chest before nodding. "I always have an hour or two after work to play the games until the arcade actually closes. So if that works for you?"

"Not a problem at all, Tatum. Thank you too." She'd hope to have some time off soon, and maybe Tatum could do her hair and makeup the night of the show so she could go looking nice, but at the same time she didn't want to ask that much of her because she was sure she still had to do the rest of the cast as well, even if she did have help, it was a lot. "You're too sweet Tatum. I'll definitely make sure I get some day set up with you, I'm just not sure when it will be." She laughed softly, nodding. "The pizza definitely is greasy, but it's delicious. We'll have to eat some when you come in."

"You never know Casey, you might pull out on top." She shrugged before taking a seat on the final seat. Racing hadn't been one of her best games in the arcade, but she had won quite a few times as well. However, she wanted the boy to have as much fun as possible so she was going to make sure he won. She put a few of her own tokens into hers and waited for the countdown to end before taking off as well, zooming down the virtual road.

Carrie shook her head, she coulddn’t hold it against the girl considering she hadn’t spoken up when she had the idea, and it was kind enough for her to help her – she had to remind herself that just because she was in a mood didn’t mean she had to take it out on the person that was only trying to do her best to help. She looked at the grate as if debating getting back down and fixing it but she was already late as it was. She held the pliers out to the other, “Yeah, you’re right. Sorry for the bother.”

She followed her gaze down to the grate. Phoenix wondered herself if she’d be able to fix it. It was a possibility, but she also didn’t want to break it anymore. Maybe she could call Casey and see if he’d be able to do something about it. Then at least since she talked with someone of the law, they wouldn’t get in trouble for pulling it out in the first place. Her eyes looked to the pliers as she held them out. “Ah, don’t worry about it. I didn’t mind helping. Even if my idea was really dumb.”

“It wasn’t dumb I’m just-“ she shook her head and forced a smile, looking the girl in the eye for the first time. She didn’t exactly gel well with people, she spent most of her time surrounded by people who had long since stopped talking so when it came to actual interaction that wasn’t to do with work she struggled a little. “I do appreciate your help, really. What was your name again?”

Her eyes went to meet the other girls as she spoke up. The idea may not have been necessarily dumb, but it wasn't smart either. Though earlier she hadn't noticed just how much was on the chain. If it had been just a few keys, it may have worked. "It really was no problem. I wish I could have gotten them out faster so you weren't late for work, but hopefully they'll understand. Phoenix is my name though. Yours?"

Carrie shook her head, she coulddn’t hold it against the girl considering she hadn’t spoken up when she had the idea, and it was kind enough for her to help her – she had to remind herself that just because she was in a mood didn’t mean she had to take it out on the person that was only trying to do her best to help. She looked at the grate as if debating getting back down and fixing it but she was already late as it was. She held the pliers out to the other, “Yeah, you’re right. Sorry for the bother.”

She followed her gaze down to the grate. Phoenix wondered herself if she'd be able to fix it. It was a possibility, but she also didn't want to break it anymore. Maybe she could call Casey and see if he'd be able to do something about it. Then at least since she talked with someone of the law, they wouldn't get in trouble for pulling it out in the first place. Her eyes looked to the pliers as she held them out. "Ah, don't worry about it. I didn't mind helping. Even if my idea was really dumb."

She laughed softly. "Well, we have a few boards in there, so just give me a hand full and I'll see what I can do." The redhead nodded, completey understanding the need for more money. She had once worked two jobs to make some more when she first got out of high school, but then when her and Avalon moved in together, splitting rent made it a lot easier to save up money. Probably for the both of them. "As much as I'd love to just get my hair and makeup done for a night, it's hard to have a night free, especially with summer coming up, but I think I'm going to take a weekend off soon so I can go see the show. I've yet to miss one of Avalons shows and I don't plan on missing one anytime soon." Her smile turned up into a grin. "I'm doing great and you totally should, but I have to warn you, I've gotten a whole lot better at these games."

Even if she had been slightly annoyed that he had bought her tokens, the annoyance faded as she saw him cleaning up the table. It was so nice to know some people would actually do that and not just leave food and trash everywhere. Yeah, it was what the workers got paid to do, but were people really that lazy? Her eyes followed the boys gesture to the racing game then flickered back to Casey. "I'm always up for a little competition, but I'm sure this little guy could beat us both easily. Not saying I won't try to win though."

“That’s a really good question, one I don’t have an answer for quite yet.” She let out a sigh before raising an eyebrow at her friend. “Tinder? You know people on that app can’t always be trusted right? He might still show up though.” Not that she hadn’t used it before. She’d met a few people on it and all ended badly, so she wasn’t too sure why Avalon was trying it, but she wasn’t going to stop her. “I’d never say no to hanging out with you. So of course I want to.”

Avalon frowned as her friend seemed to judge her for using the app. A lot of people around here did. It helped them meet people outside of town so they didn’t have to be stuck with the same boring people. “Sweet. Do you want to stay here or ditch this place for a milkshake and a muffin?”

Phoenix noticed the frown and ended up frowning a bit herself. "Hey I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that I don't want you talking to someone who seems nice and ends up being the complete opposite." She sighed softly, but then smiled and nodded. "Milkshakes and muffins sound a whole lot better."

Phoenix had somehow gotten the day off today, someone had been wanting to get some extra hours in so they asked her for her shift. She definitely didn't mind giving that up, especially since if she hadn't, she'd have been working a week straight with not a single day off. To spend her day off, she figured she'd just take a walk around town and see where she ended up. Being engrossed in some of her messages on her phone, she almost didn't hear the girl. Looking up at the words, she looked at the blonde. "Oh, Tatum." She looked at the business card, giving the girl a smile. "The arcade never minds hanging stuff like that up on the door. I'm sure I could get a couple hung around there." Her eyes flickered back to her, tilting her head a bit. "Taking your work outside of the theater? I was wondering if you were ever going to."

Carrie raised her hands in defeat as the woman scurried off to the arcade. She waited with all the impatience in the world, tapping her foot on the pavement, pacing back and forth until finally she was back in all her red-haired glory. Upon seeing the slinky she started to truly doubt whether or not it was going to work or if they would be better using the pliers to pull the grate up. “Well it’s all we’ve got. Are you going to do it or do you want me to?”

Phoenix waited patiently, her arm ready to reach in. Once she had lifted it, she quickly stuck her arm in, reaching down and grabbing the keys. She pulled them back out just as quick, not really looking to get her arm smashed or anything. Her eyes looked at the keys before flickering to her. “See? That wasn’t too hard.” She joked, trying to lighten the mood a bit, maybe cheer her up a bit.

Carrie dropped the grate with a loud clatter when Phoenix got her arm out, the relief was obvious on her face, with both a physical and mental burden lifted. She looked for something to wipe her hands on before just settling for her jeans. “Yeah,” she offered a slight laugh, mostly because she was so relieved. “Thanks,” she added sincerely. “Should we fix this thing?”

She stood up once the grate had been dropped, holding the bunch of keys out to her. "No problem. Sorry the first idea was absolutely terrible." She rubbed the back of her neck a bit before dropping her hands to her sides. "We probably should, but I don't think you should be any later than you may already be."

Phoenix took a seat across from the boy as Casey went to get the tokens, smiling over at him and letting him know she was one of Casey's friends. When he came back and put the tokens into her cup, she looked up at him. "Casey! I told you no. Why'd you do it anyways?" She huffed before standing back up, picking up her cup and looking at them. "What game do you want to play first?" She asked him as they came back from the bathroom. "And it's nice to meet you Tyler. I'm sure you'll be a master to by the end of the day."

Carrie raised her hands in defeat as the woman scurried off to the arcade. She waited with all the impatience in the world, tapping her foot on the pavement, pacing back and forth until finally she was back in all her red-haired glory. Upon seeing the slinky she started to truly doubt whether or not it was going to work or if they would be better using the pliers to pull the grate up. “Well it’s all we’ve got. Are you going to do it or do you want me to?”

Phoenix waited patiently, her arm ready to reach in. Once she had lifted it, she quickly stuck her arm in, reaching down and grabbing the keys. She pulled them back out just as quick, not really looking to get her arm smashed or anything. Her eyes looked at the keys before flickering to her. "See? That wasn't too hard." She joked, trying to lighten the mood a bit, maybe cheer her up a bit.