day dreaming

" what exactly about me telling you that having a little escape from your crazy family doesn't make sense? haven't you ever heard of self care before? plus i thought my idea of taking a trip to europe actually sounded like a great idea. something that was totally worth paying attention to. you're just too much of a lame ass to want to do anything remotely fun. "

"taking a trip to europe only works when you're not so close to finally finding proof to solve the crazy family problem. i leave now, and when i get back everything's going to magically have disappeared or somebody's going to be dead. don't really want that on my conscience, would you?"

wells had heard about clara's recent dance injury and he had wanted to stop by and make sure that she was doing okay. so sure, maybe showing up without an invitation from her or any of her family had been a dumb idea, but wells couldn't deny himself that there had been some sort of spark the night they spoke at kassidy's family's charity event. so part of wells felt like he needed to check in on clara. he stood there in silence. in awe of the blonde as she seemed to be trying to get back into the grove of her dancing. wells told himself he should probably leave before he gets caught. however it had been too late the moment that clara had turned around and noticed him in the doorway. " oh fuck, i'm sorry. i didn't mean to come off as some sort of creep watching you. i -- i um .. i just came by to make sure that you're doing better. i heard through t he grapevine that you had yourself a bit of an injury. you're okay right? " god, when was the last time that he rambled on like a fool like he is in the current moment?

"careful, people have been kicked out of here for language far more mild than that." mock chiding, though the words themselves were true. any form of curse had always been her mother's version of the height of rudeness. surprise etched all over her face at his words, she couldn't help the soft smile that appeared on her face. having somebody care enough to check on her was foreign, but entirely welcome. "that's sweet of you. i'm okay, not the first injury i've had and i doubt it'll be my last. cons of the job." she was secretly glad for the interruption, so she didn't have to keep thinking every turn would result in a wrong movement. "i'm terribly sorry, i should have offered you something to drink. i only have cucumber water in here with me... but i could go to the kitchen if you'd like something else."

" of course, there is no need to thank me. " theo hadn't been expecting a phone call from giselle, asking for his help. though of course without a second thought he had agreed to pick her up at the current garage that she is stuck at. it hadn't been like theo had really been up to anything before her request for help. theo doesn't exactly have a lot of friends in town, or at least the ones that his family wants him to be surrounding himself with. " we could go back to my place if you want? my mother was in the middle of cooking something up when i bailed... " is it weird to be inviting her back to his family's home? he'd been invited over by his mother. she'd said something about wanting family time. he couldn't see the harm in bringing one extra guest to the mix.

"bringing me home to meet your mother? i'm touched." barely holding back her laughter as she spoke. grabbing her bag as she slid off the seat she'd been perched on while she'd been waiting. "sounds a much better deal that staying here. and don't worry, i'll totally sing your praises to your mother. make her think that you're a golden child, and not my favourite person that i've ever snuck out with." she wasn't sure if she was a bad influence, or they were both as bad as each other - all she did know was that she was forever glad to have him in her life.

CHASE STOKES and SYDNEY TAYLOR in MARKED MEN

lorenzo can't help but laugh at fem's protest. " oh you know i dream about it every night, sweetheart. " the smirk had only grew more as he watches the other become slightly flustered by his words. " well, can you blame me? i am leading the whole team in points currently, plus i know my good looks drive the girls crazy. you included.. "

"i'm sure you and your hand have a great time." trying to catch the eye of the bartender, so that she could order and leave. the worst part of everything, was that she couldn't really argue with him. she knew plenty of people who'd be happy to throw themselves at him, including her friends. "oh sure, conceitedness i exactly what i look for in someone. as for the points... i'm sure ten year olds could skate around holding some sticks. get back to me when you can pull off nathan chen level jumps. then i might be impressed."

" how about we make a deal that if we both find the thing lame that we ditch, and we can go to casey's diner. get our favourite and than maybe crash at my parent's place for the night? " the plan doesn't sound like anything new between the two. the two had spent many nights together without the worry of their parents. it had probably been because the two have been so focus on for years that there is nothing between them but a friendship and that is it. maybe that had been true before, -- but now the vibes are shifting between them. shifting into foreign territory. " i know you would never want me to skip anything important for you, but we both know that i would do it anyway without needing to be asked. " hailee reaches out for ben's hand to give it a gentle squeeze for reassurance. " we don't have to stay long if you don't want to. "

"i think i can deal with that." giving a small nod, as his usual charming smile took over his face. it was nice for a moment to go back to not overthinking everything when it came to her. when it was just them, without input from anyone else, it felt right. squeezing her hand back, he pulled it back to tap her on the head. "if you skip something important for me, i'll just bop you on the head. because you're so tiny." holding his thumb and forefinger apart a few centimeters. he wasn't going to blame her, if she swatted him for it, but it was a years old joke at this point - one that helped to keep them on fairly usual ground. "i don't mind them much, i've had practice at looking as though i'm enjoying them. it is good team-building. at least until later in the night and people get a little too drunk, that's usually when i leave." though he'd make sure to leave with her before it got anywhere near that point. he could gamble himself getting in the middle of somebody else's fight - but he wasn't risking her safety.

" lex, you know that you're my favourite girl. if you said that i said something than i am sure that you're right. you know that i was just teasing you, right? " a gentle smile remains upon the blonde's lips. god how he missed how amazing life felt whenever he is around the blonde. it was like she made him forget about just how crazy life had been the past couple of months while his father reran for mayor. rhett hadn't even told his parents that he had plans to spend the day with, lexi. he'd just left with hopes they wouldn't be blowing his phone up all day. " i think that sounds like a splendid idea. i could really just use a relaxing day and night with my fave girl." the smile only grew larder by the second.

"i only have splendid ideas. just don't fact check me on that." a small laugh accompanying the words. it wasn't as though he didn't know some of her ideas could be pretty awful. if it wasn't for him actually talking about what they were to each other, she'd probably still be sneaking out of his room in the morning before he woke up, telling herself all it was, was a fling. "you know... if you ever need to escape the chaos, you're always welcome to hide out in my home. cora might protest a little, but she wouldn't actually mean it." while her childhood had been hectic in it's own way, she'd at least never had to deal with keeping up a public image. she could imagine a hideout was something he very much needed. "i know i wouldn't mind having you around a little more."

kassidy knows that going along with the plan to pretend that the two are back together is a terrible idea, but it was the only way to get her parents off her back for a bit. the only man that she could think of that would be perfect for the male's idea is michael himself. her parents already know him, and they already love him. he had been the easiest option to pick from out of all the men in their social circle. " i am sure that i want to do this. no backing out. unless you're getting cold feet? are you getting cold feet about the idea, michael? "

bringing his shoulders up into a shrug as nonchalantly as he could. when she'd been away, he'd grown accustomed to keeping up a blasé front - now she was back, those pesky little feelings tried to make a comeback. "have i ever had cold feet?" whenever he agreed to something, he'd convince himself it was the right thing to do. his father had taught him young that the best liars believed their own lies, and he'd taken that to heart over the years. or at least he'd tried to, he'd never quite had the killer instinct he was meant to posses. "i thought it was the polite thing to do, to ask you. if this blows up in our faces, i imagine the fallout would be much worse for you."

i want to be more like you.

there had been a bit of shock when wilhelm had invited her to attend some sort of party or gathering at the place that he had once called home. aspyn doesn't know much about his family or the relationships he has with them, and she doesn't pry for the information either. feeling like if wilhelm had wanted her to know than he would tell her. though part of aspyn holds out that in time when he feels ready that he will open up to her about that part of his life. though for now she will savour the small slice of this part of his life. it doesn't take much for her to tell that he is nervous about being back in a place that obviously holds not so special memories. " i can definitely say that it looks exactly like how you described it. " aspyn spoke in a low and soft tone as he gaze focus on the mansion before the two. only for a couple of seconds beforre her focus is back on the male that is sat beside her. taking his hand in her own. giving it a gentle reassuring squeeze to let him know that it will be okay, and that she will be right beside him during it all. " noted. is there anything else that i should be aware of before we go in? i mean like about how your family is expecting me to act or how they possibly will be towards either of us? "

glancing down at their hands, he offered her a small smile in gratitude. "there's too many people around for them to be anything but polite. as soon as the party starts to thin out, is when we should leave. i'm sure they'll be fine with you, i'm not exactly my parent's favourite person." even as he said the words, he wasn't certain if they would be fine with her. her biggest crime would be the fact she came with him, her second biggest crime would be the fact she was a decent person. people who couldn't be bought, were automatically written off by his father. "as for how to act... try and keep a smile on your face, and stay away from any kind of personal information. and remember this isn't going to be a fun night for me, so please keep any teasing to yourself until at least tomorrow. there's at least one embarrassing family portrait in there. unless they got rid of any i was in." trying to put a teasing smile on his face. "thank you for being here." his tone dropping to an entirely serious one. "i don't think i could do this without you."