b e l m o n t e !

“wait, really?” she turned her head, trying to get a good look. “oh my gosh, people are wild. i need to move where people don’t dress up as teletubbies.”

“ first the naked man, now this. . .i’m starting to feel the same way as you. ”

“name’s fred. pretty cool dude underneath the costume.”

“ you KNOW him? ”

“what the fuck, really?”

“ i can’t make these things up. . .though i wish i was. ”

“for the most part, yeah. is this some sort of trick question? were you gonna make me watch a joel osteen sermon if i said no?”

“no, not a trick question, just genuinely interested in what other people think.”

“ apparently we’re starting off with complicated questions.. i don’t know. why?”

“i don’t know either, that’s why i’m asking.”

      “i was never really introduced to any god. in a military family you’d think we would, but with all the moving we never had time for much. do you?”

“i don’t, mostly because my life has always been shitty, and i could never wrap my head around why a god that’s supposed to be so great would pick and choose who gets to have happiness and who gets to have pain.”

“nope.”

“any reason why?”

     “i do, personally.. but i was raised that way so it’s sorta stuck with me. what’s up?”

“just thinking...trying to sort things out in my head.”

“My mother raised me catholic but I don’t force my kids to go to church. I believe faith isn’t a thing you have to prove per se, just have in your heart.”

“what if you never got exposed to religion, then what?”

“nah, why?”

“i don’t know...just thinking about things.”

“You know, you should really share that pizza.” 

“no thanks, i would’ve offered you some if i wanted to share.”

“did you know that whole ‘if at first you don’t succeed try try again’ thing doesn’t really work? no matter how many times i tried to land a backflip i kept nearly snappin’ my neck.”

“i’m a little concerned that i can’t tell if you’re happy about this or if i’m just imaging a smile on your face.”

         exhausted,    stressed,    hungry.    feeling disconnected from her body,    she’ll slide into a booth and allow her head to loll back with a relieved sigh.    the thump of a heavy backpack onto the ground is music to her ears.    another day of college finished;   another day closer to graduation.    this is the mantra meant to keep her motivated,    despite the little devil on her shoulder urging her to stop.    “    you have no power here.    begone,    devil,    ”    it’s said quietly whilst she looks over the menu,    but soon realizes a figure standing over her,   and perhaps she wasn’t as discreet as she meant to be.    “    i-i was obviously not talking to    …    ”    anyone?    oh great,    now she just appears crazy.    

carter looked at her sister a little funny for a moment before speaking. “i always knew you’d end up the crazy one.” it was a joke obviously, and she laughed a little as she slid in the booth across from her. 

“how good are you at party planning?” she says, fingers stopping the rapid tapping on her computer as she speaks. “coop is turning 3 soon and both of his other parties were kinda..trash, i wanna do something nice this year for him. but like..i don’t know shit about planning things like this.”

“i almost told you no, until you mentioned the kid.” carter said with a smile. “my parents were shit, so i planned and threw tons of birthday parties for my siblings over the years. i’m sure i could help you come up with something cool.”

marshall looked at himself in the mirror and nodded at himself. he looked good in his new suit, he thought. it was a dark purple color and with a grey shirt and a black bowtie, it just looked very good.

there was a party that was going to happen at the accountancy firm he worked at now and he had yet to find a date but at least if he did have to show up single, he’d look damn good. everyone else would be in a black or blue suit and plae in comparison to him, he thought. “yup, smokin’…” he said quietly to himself as he kept on looking at himself in the mirror.

“what’s got you all dressed up fancy?” she asked, a small raise of her eyebrow as she examined the suit. “if it’s a red carpet event, i’m riding with you whether you like it or not.”