Dear Prudence;

Marcus’ laughter echoed through the bar as he stood up straightening his vest when he did. It wasn’t exactly a party but when the disciples got together after church they deserved to blow off steam, the prospects and some of the locals enjoyed the fun too. Throwing more money on the bar he winked at the bartender, “Break something while I’m outside and I’ll take it out of your asses.” he called out before stepping outside. 

Pulling a cigarette out of the pack he lit it and watched the smoke float into the air. Looking over at the approaching footsteps he flicked his ashes, “Yeah?” He’d come out here for a break and wasn’t really expecting anyone to bother him right now. @charmingstarter​

“I have always found that when I tell people that, that something in their brain snaps--and they break it anyways.” Her legs straighten form her squatting position just above the ground. Esme is careful not to scrap her red leather jacket against the brick wall. 

Mariel had a soft spot for animals and the fact that she saw a dog caused her to be completely sidetracked as she expressed enthusiasm for the greyhound. “Aren’t you such a cutie!?” she cooed as she slowly approached the canine before bending down in front. “May I pet him?” Despite Rex’s owner telling him to stand down, Mari felt the total opposite—especially since she herself was a petowner. “Oh yeah, it’s definitely allergy season.” she agreed with a disappointing sigh. 

Taking a seat next to the woman, she was amused by her answer that she no longer focused on her dog. “Nothing. Mm, nice.” She sounded fed up and over this place, for once a mood that she could sympathize with. “I actually frequent all three places and they’re getting me by.” admitted the attorney as she glanced up at the sky and went into deep thought. ‘Damn does Corner Cafe really sell mop water?…’ However, she snapped out of her thoughts once she heard how long the other had been living her. This caused Mari to give her a look that read borderline ‘wtf’ and ‘you’ve got to be kidding me’. “Uh, yeah that’s too long and you’ve got nothing nice to say? Wow, well I’ve been here for 5 months and I’ve already made an opinion on this place.” She paused, “Why haven’t you left? Your tone screams complete distaste for the place.” 

“You can pet him as you’d like. If he gets annoying, set him straight. Don’t let him convince you he doesn’t know where his manners are.” Rex could not have shown more desperation for just one pet despite his life as a king. Esme swore half her income, if not more, went to that dog. A child would be jealous of the size of that dog’s toy box. And his food? Every other dog in Charming was drooling from a mile away. “I saw a man running swiftly up this hill as if none of these roots or rocks would try to find a way to murder him. Energized people are something else. Like what god did you kiss up to to look attractive as hell while doing that?” 

“Charming reminds me a lot of its people. You talk it down so it stays humble.” Esme finally lets out a huffed laugh. “It’s not terrible. I guess. I just hate that you can’t get lost. California is suppose to be massive and consuming, yet I walk out my door and I can name people by their car.” The corner of her lips curve up at the woman’s utter disgust for her spent here. “I don’t know who pittys me more, you or me.” Esme laughs.. 

“My job is solid.” I manage a bunch of drug dealers, she thinks. “Trading it in for a new view just doesn’t justify anything.” Leaving is hard, she thinks again. The gang is family, and losing Charming means losing them as collateral. “It’s an accounting job.” It wasn’t a complete lie.

Norman just hummed a soft ‘miss’ in return, getting back to his sketching. He jotted down a few more notes, paying the woman no mind until she spoke again. “huh….sheriff school…” The southern man mused, a soft smile in his tone as he closed his notebook and glanced back up at the woman. “Need to find if I should enroll in that…might be helpful.” He replied, humoring the woman on if that was a real thing just in case she was serious. Norman glanced back at the shop, shrugging a broad shoulder. “Just commitin to memory….the sketchin thing is just habit to help with that.”

LOCATION: OUTDOORS 

TIME: AFTERNOON

STATUS: OPEN TO ANYONE ( @charmingstarter​ )

It’s been about 152 days…

Not that Mariel was keeping count. A lie. Truthfully, the only reason why she was even keeping count is to see how long she’d actually last. For the first time in like a long time, she had her doubts. After all, she couldn’t pull the whole Simple Life á la Hilton and Richie-esque kind of escapade in her life. And yet, here she was out in the open in a small town that thrived off of biker culture. Who would have thought? Anyways, looking on the bright side of things. She’s been well on her way in losing that pregnancy bod and she had to admit, she was quite proud of her progress. She stuck with her usual fitness routine even after moving to Charming and the good thing that came out of it was the open space. In New York you either had the gym or the streets, but here? Nature ain’t so bad. 

Slowing down her pace, she lightly jogged and kept her breathing in tact as she glanced down at her smartwatch to see the progress she’d made along with her heartbeat. ‘So far, so good.’ Noticing her one of her laces untying, Mariel pulled up to a bench and used it to assist with typing the lace. She felt a presence of someone next to her and of course with the close proximity, it was a given that strucking up a conversation was a must. Whether the other wanted it or not didn’t matter to Mariel, she decided to speak up. “Nice day out huh?” she asked out loud. “Dare I say it, this town is slowly warming up to me…No pun intended.” It was a little warm out as she wiped some beads of sweat with the back of her arm. Stepping off of the bench, she began to stretch and ask, “I’m curious though, what’s one thing you like about this place? I’ve been here for a few months and I’m still figuring it out.” 

‘You should go on a hike. You’ll love this trail. You’ll see what makes Charming so....charming.’ That was how this whole adventure had began. And for the record, that opening line had no been a hook line and seeker. It had been a lost bet somewhere in between three beers and a shot. 

However, her hiking partner had been gone for twenty minutes, as they had decided to finish the hike to the top of the hill. Esme graciously offered to stay behind with her gray hound. At her place at the bench, a woman began to come into view. Esme’s eyes focused on her her long fingers; However, Rex decided the interaction would be different. He sprang out from beneath the bench, standing straight as a statue and wagging his skinny, rat tail. 

Esme lifted her head to the stranger, offering a small closed lip smile. “Rex, has it ever occurred to you that not everyone likes a dog as company. Lay back down.” Reluctantly, the dog laid down. But his tail was still wagging and his eyes still begged to be pet. “it’s....definitely warm out. I think my lungs have an inch coating of pollen in them, and the bees are mistaking me for a flower because of it.” 

Location: on street in town

Time: Late afternoon

Status: Open @charmingstarter​

Norman was out of his car, having his small not book out and sketching a store front across the street. It looked like he was goofing off…but really he was just putting everything to memory about the shop. There had been some odd comings and goings that had caught his attention…nothing big enough to launch anything…but he was going to keep a sharp eye on it. The man heard foot falls coming his way, the man humming as he glanced up. Instead of saying anything Norman just raised his brows, quietly asking what the others needed.

Ah, the sunlight. It was amazing how different the street could look in the daylight; amusing how the sun could make something look safe compared to just the streetlights. To add to the irony, a familiar looking sheriff. 

A black leather leash clasped to the halter of a gray hound. On that particular day, it settled for a weed growing between the cracks of the broken side walk--to piss on. Any idea of simply pretending she was not within 5 feet of an officer was turning inconvenient as the animal lifted one hind leg. 

Nicky had been in Florida the past couple weeks– while he said he was done taking jobs, this one just had money he couldn’t refuse. Of course, he’d have to wait until he could put it through the casino to avoid getting caught with a suspicious amount of dirty money. Still, it was money needed to pay the bills and keep his daughter fed– money well earned was money well spent. Nicky hopped out of his jeep, and pushed his hair out of his face before breathing in that fresh Charming air.

“Y’all never change, do you?” He grinned at the first face he saw. All he wanted to see Felicity, but Nicky knew she was probably having her nap at grandma’s house. He wanted to use these first few moments back home to get reacquainted with his friends. “Didn’t let anyone touch my bike now, did you?” He teased.

@charmingstarter​

The familiar voice settled on her ears, and somewhere in Esme’s brain, it stopped movement. A pause, then a turn on her heels. “You can bicker about change when you invest in a pair of scissors to cut that mop of yours, yeah?” Esme had the ability to smirk with just her eyes, but they were covered by a pair of classic ray bans. “You should be proud of me Nicky, I’ve seen the sun twice this week.” It wasn’t often the raven haired woman could be seen in the daylight. Maybe the neon light at La Luna’s--but that was about it. 

“Your bike?” A thick brow raised about the shades. “Every street dog kept pissing on it--I thought it was a fire hydrant.” They were from different sides of the street, one could say. However, speaking to an opposite gang member wasn’t illegal, and what was the fun in pretending it was? Besides, they weren’t all terrible to look at. 

“I crunch numbers and nothing else. So for the love of God, do not ask me to hold your baby, rec your tinder account, show up to a gun fight, or try out your church.”

(forgive me for a short bio, the real deal will be up soon)