never gonna change

“Well, sort of,” Delaney prefaced as the brunette found herself glancing off to the side where the employee stood behind the counter. “We just need to walk up there together and you just tell them it is your birthday and then they’ll give it to you. I told them your name was James, by the way.” Mainly because she hadn’t actually been bothered to learn the man’s name in the first place. He was a stranger in a crowd that she’d likely never see again but today he was James the birthday boy who just got out of the hospital, a small detail she didn’t need to bother him with. “Can you look…tired?” Delaney questioned as the two moved just a bit closer to the front of the line. 

“Well read book then?” she questioned, eyes flickering down to the book that he held in his hands. “What are you reading?” It had only occurred to Piper to ask at that moment, realizing she probably could have from the start. “A shame. Maybe it’s more that you have the looks to be an actor instead. Nice bone structure and all of that.” she grinned, studying him for a moment. “And i’m glad you think so. My humorous mistakes were overlooked back in Jersey.”

Jo: what movie again?

Jo: I swear to god I have short term memory loss

“Well, son of a bitch again,” he uttered as brown eyes glanced up to the taller of the two cousins. There was certainly a bit of tension lingering in the air, that sort that was derived from a bit of a strained family relationship. Jesse, his brother Benjamin and parents well, they weren’t exactly looked at as the picture perfect family his father’s side of the family liked to think they were and for good reason. No one wanted a drunk at a reunion, a train that seemed to pass from father to son and to son, nevermind the seedy lifestyle Jesse chose to live. “No, Callan you keep that. I don’t need to be owing family anything, but I’m fine. Clearly.” he gestured around the area with both hands extended before returning to meet his cousin’s line of sight. “You look different. You look good, kid. You grow or something?” 

“If the bookstore ever catches on fire I hope that you’ll remember the safety tips I taught you…like how to use the fire extinguisher or calling 911 while getting the heck out of there. I would want to save the first editions but don’t.” She nudged him playfully. Her eyes followed his gaze, she never wanted to make Callan do anything he didn’t want to do, but she knew that every once in awhile he just needed a nudge to have some fun. “You know that sounds to me like a challenge, and I never back down from a challenge. Listen, Dance by DNCE is starting and that’s a song no one cares how you dance to. Plus, who’ll be looking at you when my awesome dance moves are happening?” She laughed, slinging her arm over his shoulders. “What’d’ya say?”

“Usually I’d say its totally fine if the other person wants to take the blame in situations like this, but this time I’ve really gotta fess up.” Piper replied with a laugh, offering him an easy smile. Keep him talking, see where it leads. That was her style and it almost always worked for her. “Books fine, right? Hasn’t been scratched up or anything like that?” she asked, maneuvering herself in such a way that she was still blocking his path without it being too overly noticeable. “Really? No one has ever pointed out that you look like an actor? Seriously, I cant be the only one. Or maybe I am, I always thought the lead singer of Nickelback and Nicholas Cage were the same person.” she shrugged.

A dozen copper coins fell from the man’s grasp, rolling on the floor of the laundromat after he had reached into his pocket for any spare change. Not silver quarters, no that would have meant he was actually having a decent day, but pennies and not nearly enough to even do one load of laundry. “Son of a bitch,” the man mumbled under his breath before reaching down to collect the seemingly worthless coins he couldn’t spare to lose. Then came the second attempt to feel around in his pockets for that miracle five dollar bill that never showed itself before he finally took the plunge and asked the person nearest to him to be that white knight, a good Samaritan if you will. “Look, it’s laundry day, I’m already down to the underwear that turned pink from red socks. You wanna spot me two dollars? I’ll even do you an IOU, so if I ever see your pretty little face again I’ll give it right back.” 

Piper stood on the sidewalk of the busy street, back pressed against the brick facade and her hands shoved in the pockets of her jean shorts. The sun was warm against her skin and she took a moment to think about how different this city was from the Jersey Shore. Different people, different lifestyles. But it was the same old Piper, just with some extra baggage in the way of a wannabe boxer. Perhaps she’d get a job, a real job, but that was still up for debate. For the moment she was scanning the faces of people who passed by looking for her next mark. It was usually easy enough, her innocent baby face helped her get away with almost anything she did as people were overly trusting and unsuspecting.

She ran her tongue along her bottom lip as her gaze flickered from face to face as she used years of experience to pick her next target. With a face spoted, she made her way down the block, brushing against them roughly. “Damn, i’m so sorry! I really need to pay more attention.” the woman laughed. “But you know what? You look like that one person in that one movie! Shit, what was their name?”

Jo: tell me again why I agreed to this?

Jo: I need help remembering

Callan: I can't go see this movie by myself. I'd look weird

“I haven’t tried any of the craft on tap yet; been kinda in the IPA mood lately - Truth Serum caught my eye last time I was in; you tried it?” he inquired casually, dropping his shoulders as his gaze landed on the Phillies vs. Padres game up on the nearest screen. He was never much of a baseball fan, but he could read social cues - seemed like the safer bet with his current company. “Oh uh - well, basically you’re right up in the shit - first look, first kiss, cake smashing, ya know. Making decisions based on lighting and weather, dealing with insufferable brides and grooms - even worse - parents of the bride and groom.”

“They might,” Delaney prefaced as she took one more quick glance at the other. “Can you stand right there and just pretend to look concerned?” A bit much to ask of a stranger but a free sample was a free sample. Pushing her way past the other two people in line, the former gymnast finally found her way at the front where one of the workers who was restocking the display case diligently kept to their work. They would have missed Delaney all together if she hadn’t said the words, “sorry, excuse me.” three times over. As she leaned closer to the counter and exchanged a few mumbled words with the person behind the counter, the brunette soon returned to her spot in the line adjacent to the stranger now part of her little white lie. “I told her it was your birthday and she’s letting you pick three to try and you get a free pastry. So, could you try that mixed berry one, the chocolate danish and that apple cinnamon one and tell me which is best?” 

“Well, you signed a contract. The late cancellation fee is stated in bold. I can email you a copy if you want to see for yourself, but beyond that there’s nothing I can do,” Dex stated evenly into his phone, trying his best to hold his composure even though the dude was being a total twat. “Alright alright, listen,” he interrupted, putting a pause to the yelling and cussing on the other end of the phone as he slid onto the closest bar stool. “Invoice is due at the end of the month, bud. Later,” he huffed, ending the call and lifting two fingers to catch the bartender’s attention before turning his attention to the person next to him. “So glad I gave up first-shooting weddings - people can’t stay together long enough to actually make it to the altar anymore. What you drinkin’?”

“No fires is a good day in anybody’s book right?” She laughed, shaking her head. Some days she forgot that not everyone ran head long into fires, or dealt with wounded, but hearing about people’s days was something she actually enjoyed. “Hey I call it like I see it,” She shrugged, smirking. “Yeah I suppose so. So, do you have enough liquid courage in you to dance yet? Or do we have to wait another round?”

The morning had admittedly gotten away from her. She hated to be that asshole that ordered a single iced latte and then proceeded to spend the next five hours hogging a table, tapping away at a keyboard, and actively ignoring the world around them. But here she was, face in a laptop, a wet ring of condensation around her long-empty coffee cup, and only a half-written Word document (that was absolute trash, if she was being honest with herself) to show for it. With a sigh, she glanced up from the screen to see that the once nearly empty coffee shop was now bustling with life, all of the tables currently occupied. When her wandering eyes met the gaze of another, she waved them over in an attempt to un-assify herself. “If you’re looking for a table, you can sit here. I’ll even try to keep my nosy questions to myself. Unless you’re into that kind of thing.”

Delaney liked to think she had a strong connection with her intuition, that feeling in the pit of her stomach that always told her when something was off. While it didn’t exactly take a genius to figure out something certainly wasn’t off, she couldn’t help but get that inkling that maybe the tall man she had just roped into helping her decide which pastries to get didn’t want to be part of the process. A feeling that was only confirmed as her dark brown eyes glanced up to meet his hazel ones lacking that luster for pastries and danishes? Was that even a thing? Now, most would have taken that as a hint to just figure things out themselves and move along, but Delaney well she took it as a sign to just further inquire his help. “Don’t people like strawberries more than blueberries? That would also taste pretty bad on a pastry…wouldn’t it? Do you think they let people try them here?”

Elliot nodded a thanks as she took hold of the Smugglers drink, turning to face him. “Not too bad, some guy decided to key his exes car…so she did quite a number on him. And there was fire in an apartment building so I got to suit up and help evacuate people. You know, just another day in the life of Elliot Mulder.” She shrugged, taking a gulp of her fruity and dizzying drink. “How was your day? Besides Miss Six Inch Heels and Mini Skirt hitting on you?” Elliot smirked. She glanced over the small dance floor, her eyes landing on yet another woman sizing up her friend. “You know, I get why girls check you out, but its honestly revolting the age range that do it.” She laughed.