Whole Star to Shine On

Thinking about phoning up God to complain about the heat at this point, honestly. Who thinks this is acceptable? Makes me want to move back to Glasgow, and someone tried to stab me with a broken bottle once when I lived there, so that’s how I feel about this weather, in a nutshell.

"While I agree that the heat is horrifying, can we please back up to someone trying to stab you?  That is a story that needs clarification.”  She was incredibly concerned and intrigued all at the same time.

date + time: 07/08, 02:35 am location: the knight and grail status: open

It’s that time of the night when inhibitions are low and morale is high, elevated by glistening bubbles fizzing to the surface of many a pint and G&T. The pub’s swollen with heat and hubbub, forced to host more than it can actually accommodate by this nasty case of the summertime sweats. Usually, she’s more than ready to exit, pursued by stress, an hour and a half before her shift ends. By that point, time slows to a sluggish pace, purposefully mocking her. Maybe it’s because of how busy it’s gotten, but tonight’s an exception in this painfully ordinary pattern in Maude Hardgrave’s life.

People are drunk enough to play games, and the one Maude’s brought to the table involves taking over the tinny background music of this month’s Top Ten Charts! She’s plugged her phone in, loaded up Spotify and invited the patrons to guess her favourite song of the week. Whoever does gets a free (cheap) drink.

“Nope, once again: Wonderwall is incorrect. Please stop picking it, Pete,” Maude begs a flushed rugby lad, his meaty head lolling from side to side as he blinks, heavy-lidded, at her, seemingly dumbfounded to learn that he’s chosen the song before. His surrounding team guffaw at him, slap him on the back, and Maude leaves them to it, turning back to the bar only to make eye contact with another patron.

“Fancy a go?”

Cara didn’t usually drink after work but frankly she had dealt with some fairly rude guests at the hotel earlier that evening and she wanted to unwind a bit before she headed home.  When she walked into the bar there was some fun laughter happening over near the bartender.  

She always enjoyed seeing other people happy and having fun, even if she wasn’t privy to the reason why.  So she made her way up front and was pleasantly surprised when she was involved in the game.

“Sure! But I want you to know my gut reaction was Wonderwall just to give you a hard time.”

“Seriously? Yes!” Jude is initially in disbelief, but she’s not one to question a gift horse; or ice cream, or an introduction from a cute girl for that matter.

She steps up to the counter to indicate what kind of ice cream she’d like to the vendor. Then while she and her new benefactor wait for their treats, she gives her another smile and questioning look. “Okay so what’s the band that inspired this act of rebellion? Or was it time to give a big ‘fuck you’ to your employer.”

Cara grinned from ear to ear, happy that she was being taken up on her offer.  The realization of just how cute the other was had hit Cara in the wait time they had to do after paying.  It wasn’t that she had regretted her decision, she just realized how unlike her she was acting.  Plus if she was being honest with herself, she was always nervous and felt like she was stumbling over her words when a cute girl was around her.

“Honestly? There wasn’t a particular band I wanted to see.  I just figured it was time to take a day just for myself.  I feel like I haven’t had a me day since well before high school.  So yeah fuck my employers!”

status: open

place: ama’s apartment

“I love the romance genre when it comes to books, but a lot of them are so cringe and gross. We need more romance novels about healthy and supportive relationships because I feel that’s what people deserve, you know? None of this gross stuff we’ve been spoon-fed lately,” Ama rambles to her friend as she sits down at her kitchen table, drinking a dark cup of coffee as her body leans against the back of the chair. It’s two in the morning, but sometimes when she’s with friends, she tends to get carried away and keeps them around for as long as she possibly can. She can’t stand being alone, after all. especially on days like today, when she wants to avoid being left alone with her own thoughts.

"Honestly! Especially for YA, I know I thought Edward Cullen was peak romance when I was younger.”  Cara shook her head in disappointment, she knew just how impressionable people are with their media.  “Plus it’s so much more fun to read well developed relationships, how come people haven’t figured this out yet?  Give me supportive, preferably diverse, characters who grow with each other!”  Cara was glad she stopped by her friend’s apartment after work.  She was never one to take some time for herself, always thinking there were more productive things to do, but she was having fun and knew that studying could come at a later time.

“Hey you want some ice cream?”  Cara asked the first person behind her, clearly excited.  “My treat.  This is the first time I’m playing hooky ever but especially from work.”

“Alright, I know everyone’s probably at that music festival but it’s way too quiet around here for my liking.” Shiv sighed, leaning back in a chair while sipping from her coffee. 

Cara couldn’t help but laugh into her tea.  “As much as I want to like the quiet, I can never get used to it.  It is a bit unnerving.  I’m one of those people who has to have sound on for everything.  Music for studying, the television for sleeping, you name it.”