𝖲𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗌𝖿𝗂𝖾𝖽

TRIGGER WARNING: mention of cheating, kidnapping, criminal activities, divorce, family separation and horrible decision making skills. // @codstarters​

“I am 80% sure that you’ll like it so I look forward to it!” The discussion made Aiyla miss just staying in bed with a book in her hands but with how busy she has been the past couple of months, she didn’t have the time to. Maybe, hopefully, she will once the recital is finished. “Ah, it’s your go-to escape! It must be really good then. When I get the chance to read it, I’ll be sure to tell you what I think. Who am I to say no to that?” She laughed, then realized that neither of them introduced themselves. “I am not the biggest fan of it myself but I can see the appeal. It is interesting for sure. By the way, before I forget again, I’m Aiyla.”

“I do too. Contrary to popular belief there aren’t many books I don’t enjoy at some point in life” she shrugged. There might be pieces of literature, authors or genres the young businesswoman may have problems with, but she could still appreciate it as a piece of literature. “Kind of, yes. I suppose is one of those books that resonate with you, or at least it did to me” Yolo counted. As the other introduced herself, the young businesswoman nodded along, giving Aiyla her hand to shake. “Yolotl, but you can call me Yolo, it rolls off the tongue easier.”

At least Yolo didn’t laugh at her. Instead, she took Berry’s response in her stride, supporting her rather than telling her calm down. The simple response of acceptance had her eyes snapping to the woman’s, staring intently into Yolo’s gaze. There was power in empathy from an almost stranger. “It feels like all I am lately is emotions,” Berry admitted, sucking in a jagged breath, “you- you don’t have to do that,” she gestured to the phone, shaking her head, “I live all the way out in Staten Island I’m not close. It would just be too expensive.” The subway trip in had already been too much for the woman. At Yolo’s question, Berry paused hesitating before slowly shaking her head, no. “It’s been happening a lot more lately. Too much.”

‘‘it’s a true tragedy with his other work not matching up with macbeth.’’ his brows are raised again, chin resting in his hand as he gazes thoughtfully at her while she goes on. ‘‘gritty revenge thriller definitely is an attention getter. wouldn’t drag on as it does, and keeps you glued in. like the way you think..’‘ he trails off, nodding again. there’s a hint of a smile over his features once hearing her view on the book and it’s definitely enough for him. ‘‘you’ve sold me. i have to get it now, see what it’s all about.’‘ 

“Well… yeah. You got me there, nice one”, he chuckled and offered a cheeky smirk at her. “I mean, you’ve never seemed to care much for talking, you know”, he teased, another soft chuckle. Their meetings were usually late and with tons of alcohol involved, not giving much room for actual conversations, as much as Daejung secretly wished so. But there was also the part of him that loved how much of a mystery the woman was, maybe that’s what kept Daejung coming back to her. There was some sort of thrill on the secrecy of their deal. “But no, I sadly don’t”, he let out and shook his head, the thought completely escaping him. As soon as he realized what he had just said, he cleared his throat a bit nervously. “I mean… never too late right? Now I ask… what’s your favorite movie? That’s a start”, he quickly added, an overexaggerated gasp at her next comment, thankful that such distraction from the thing he had just confessed came in so quickly. “Excuse me miss, what are you implying? Are you calling me a softie?”, he joked, rolling his eyes lightly to fake offense. “Ah, c’mon Yolo. For once please just admit that I got jokes”, he shook his head lightly, letting out a small laugh. “We could watch it together sometime… if you’re willing to ever actually watch a movie with me. Or is that a ‘too sober for us’ activity to share for you?”, he offered, almost certain she would decline his offer so not overthinking it. “I mean, do I look like I’ve outgrown my emo phase? Be honest, Yolo. Is this why you don’t like hanging out with me in public?” 

Sunny felt herself blushing, if only slightly, at the woman’s compliment. Sunny ran when she could, and it was more of a stress reliever than anything else. Not to mention that she barely had any idea what she was doing in a gym with all of that equipment around. “It’s a miracle, really. I should really do more – one day it’s gonna catch right back up with me,” she joked. “You’re lucky you’ve got her, then. I’m sure she’d love to teach you sometime, if you wanted to learn. Or… I could teach you how to bake some things. Though half my recipes aren’t even mine. – Clearly I don’t have those. But I’m sure we can find something else.”

           𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐇𝐈𝐌 𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐃. The woman seemed to know her poetry almost as well as he knew poetry himself. It seemed like a rare thing to have stumbled upon. A like minded creature. Most folks would consider poetry to be dead. Something of the far away past. Old and stuffy. Boring. When — to him, it was boring in the least. Fascinating. A work of art. The kind of stuff no one ever did seem to write so eloquently anymore. Thank you, social media.  “You sound like you know what you’re talking about,”  Dillon mused, his gaze on the woman unwavering as he read the title on the book between her hands.  “Suppose madness and brilliance are a couple of things I, too, can wholeheartedly relate to.”

His fingers trailed along some of the books down the aisle as he still wasn’t quite sure exactly what he was looking for. Most of the titles were already familiar to him. And yet — some gems must still be out there. It had become his personal quest to find them and add them to his private collection.  “Let’s just say I am my own poet of sorts.”  His hand stopped along the long row of authors as he lowered it.  “No good finds just yet.”

The brunette arched a brow as the man in front of her regarded he once more. Although young in years (definitely younger than most of her peers), life had blindingly given her situations that had subsequently make her grow up faster than most. Certainly, most wouldn’t think so, judging her background and upbringing— yet again most didn’t knew her family behind close doors. However, through all of those situations and the constant loneliness, a companion had remain a constant in her life: literature. It was, after all, one of the reasons she had become a writer and an avid reader. “The best of us do” she complied with a solemn as the other mentioned he could relate. Was it being conceited, or simply realistic and sure of one self, to claim brilliance?

Impossibly so, her eyebrow quirked up even more, this time in surprise as the man made his confession, the book she had been holding onto falling to her lap. “Is that so? Anything I could’ve potentially seen before?” she then directed her gaze to the row where his hand laid. “Anything I can find here today?” the woman merely challenged. Then, the corner of her lips quirked very lightly. “Not a poet myself, but I might be acquainted with the world of publishing your own work” she confined. The words had only left her lips in front of people she knew, yet somehow telling a complete stranger was almost a relief. At least the stranger understood the love for the craft.

Olivia smiled as the other woman spoke, enjoying being able to have an adult discussion about literature rather than having to speak to younger children who didn’t really care much at all about reading or the deeper meanings behind the stories they studied. It was certainly a refreshing change of pace. “Of course,” she said with a laugh. “It’s just the way he’s so desperate to protect that childhood innocence that really spoke to me, I guess. My own childhood was-” she trailed off, not wanting to discuss the topic, so she avoided it as best as she could and continued. “It was interesting, to say the least. I had to grow up fast and I feel like Holden did too, and he felt lost and alone in the world and I guess reading it made me feel a little less alone,” she finished with a fond smile. The novel had always been close to her heart. She nodded at the brunette’s answer and her insight as to why it had meant so much to her. “I agree. I’ve always loved when author’s have their characters be book lovers too. It really does help you to relate to them even more,” she said with a smile of understanding. 

It had been a while since Yolotl had had a decent conversation about literature. With her and her brother (the one person who had made her fall in love with literature to begin with) being in a different country, it was nice to find someone who seemed to be as involved in the field as she was. Listening to the stranger talk about having an odd childhood, the businesswoman could only nod, understandingly. She didn’t knew the details and perhaps she never would, but that constant desire to recover a time on one’s life that had been stolen, she could relate. Alas, the youngest woman only grinned and nodded, knowing firsthand how some subjects were difficult to speak about. “Fitting, us being here” she mused, focusing her attention to the building behind them before turning to the other once more. “I am glad you had Holden, through it all. The first characters I hold onto were the March sisters, which sounds like such a cliché, but” she paused, shrugging lightly. Then, a hum. “Exactly. It’s almost like you are in on a secret, sometimes when the character likes books too, it’s hard to explain without sounding cheesy.”

“There’s someone I might consider interesting. I don’t know if that falls under the ‘having my eye on someone’ category, but my interest is piqued.”

“Probably México again. I love it here, don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t trade the life I’ve forged here for anything in the world, but I miss my brother, I miss my family and I miss the food so bad.”

“Other than the... writing under a pseudonym thing? I am very good at basketball. My brother used to play and I would train with him so I ended up learning with him. I barely play anymore, but I am a pretty decent competitor. And I know a little bit about soccer, my dad is a fan.”