𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞.

“ so, “ vera begins a hand resting against her cheek, and propped up by no other than her elbow. “ what are your plans today ? how selfish is it of me to want you all to myself today ? “  it earns a slight grin from her. “  probably is, but i’m feeling good and in a good mood. i just thought i should ask first. “  as she pops a bite of cookie into her mouth, it was true the first time in a few days she actually felt like herself, probably thanks to the ginger. but still, she wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

     he knew it was coming .  truthfully ,  he was surprised she wasn’t there when his dad picked him up .  after he’d discovered that the whole word knew about his arrest before he’d had a chance to tell his father ,  the pang of horror in his chest at sam’s reaction was almost too much to bare .  so ,  to find the girl walk into their kitchen a mere six hours after he’d been released wasn’t surprising .  he knew there was nothing he could say to lessen the blow ,  but he’d only hoped that the bags under his eyes and the pale look of his skin was a clear sign that there was only so much he could take .       ❛   just go for it ,  sam .   ❜     an invitation ,  really .  because he knew internally he deserved it .

          𝐒𝐇𝐄'𝐒  𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆  𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐍  𝐀𝐍𝐃  𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒  time  he  forces  his  brain  back  under  his  control  and  cements  his  gaze  on  the  girl .  he’s  not  allowing  a  tiny  human  to  have  such  effect  on  him ;  he  can’t .  he’s  been  taught  better  than  that .   ❛   i  will  warn  everyone  to  stay  out  of  your  way .   ❜   he  tried  for  deadpan  and  the  detached  demeanor  that  has  long  protected  him ,  but  it  just  sounds  lame .  awkward  situations  don’t  usually  have  any  influence  on  him ,  as  if  the  young  heir  is  immune  to  those ,  but  not  anymore .  he  hates  everything  about  it .  he  doesn’t  fidge ,  sebastian  montfort  never  fidgets .  that’s  a  sign  of  weakness  and  he  repudiates  any  of  those .   ❛   is  that  your  baby ?   ❜   this  time  he  avoids  looking  at  the  baby  girl ,  simply  nodding  toward  her .  he  knows  mentioning  her  is  a  bad  idea  as  soon  as  he  says  it .   ❛   cute  kid .   ❜

finn started up his truck, pulling out of the parking lot of the studio to head in the direction of town. he figured they could stop at one of the restaurants and hang out for a bit before she’d have to go back home. although, he wouldn’t mind seeing scarlet’s daughter. “i want to work on a project. it’s been some time since i’ve actually done anything creative. i thought you could maybe choreograph a dance and do it for a video? i’m going to create a custom song, i’ve got some options right now… but i figured i could send it your way when i finish or maybe the first draft and you can tell me what you think or if it sparks anything?”

there’s a sigh of relief that slips out as she pulls her hair out of the tight bun it had been in, fingers picking out pins and elastics before her wild curls are finally free. she listens though, everything finn says being recognized as a grin slowly starts to form across her face. “finn, that sounds like a great idea! i’d love to. i’ll just have to see if i have some time, but i think i’ll be able to work something out.” she was always inspired by his creations as well, loving collaborating with him above all others.

         𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐎  𝐂𝐀𝐍  𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐕𝐄  𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 ,  𝐓𝐇𝐄  jump  had  looked  nothing  short  from  impossible  to  the  mere  mortal .  he  thinks  about  the  hardest  trick  he  can  nail  on  a  skateboard  and  he  doesn’t  think  any  of  them  could  compare .   ❛   that’s  cool .  ❜   he  closes  a  hand  around  the  strap  of  his  backpack ,  the  other  one  taking  his  board .   ❛   where  are  you  going ? ❜   it’s  too  weird  to  think  that  his  friends  ⏤  at  least  his  current  ones  ⏤  are  all  going  to  college .

Lucas had expected the snippiness, how else would someone react when their whole private life had been blasted all over the tabloids. Lucas had seen it all, even with everything that had come about about Gen earlier in the year. Still he hadn’t judged the family at all, everyone made mistakes. “So they’re really not taking it well then. I get it, kids don’t like being lied to.” He was going through that himself, “Trust me. Even mine are hating it.”

she sighed, hand rubbing across her forehead and her hair in pure frustration. she was tired, infinitely so. if there was anything that she could wish for, it was to go back to her life before, before the affairs and the lies, before jim’s parents and the kids knowing. “no, not particularly. our family had not fully healed from the last blow when this one was delivered.” even if this one wasn’t her fault, she still feels the guilt. “as long as you don’t tell them that you had an affair or you’re secretly royalty, i think you’ll be fine.”

“You know my mother?” Which wasn’t too surprising in theory, common sense said there was going to be people around who knew her mother before she’d moved away. Skylar had simply liked to avoid thinking about that, and pretending everything was the same as it had been back in Colorado. Kicking her mind back into gear at the answer, she put what she hoped was a courteous smile on her face. “Thank you. turns out phones are only good at telling you what time it is, if you actually remember to bring it with you.” A horrible joke, but then again - funny had never been what she’d describe herself as, especially when her mind wasn’t exactly focused on conversation.

“i know your mother quite well.” though she doesn’t exactly know how much ariana has told her youngest children in regards to the past. she knows they know about the sinclairs now, but the rest of it is still a mystery to genevieve. as intrigued by it all as she’s been over these past several months, she’s had enough of her own family drama to deal with without being distracted by anyone else’s. she offers a faint smile in return, chin dipping in acknowledgement. “that’d be helpful. i thought teenagers were supposed to be too obsessed with technology not to have their phones with them at all times?”

“  that’s good to hear. “  vanessa answers truthfully with that of a smile, it was when she seen the laptop did her eyes light up. any excuse to play with technology, was one that made her happy. “  of course ! i don’t mind at all, what’s the problem you’ve been having ? “

“oh,” his shoulders slump a bit, though he understands that not everyone likes tea as much as him, “well, they’re pretty good too. maybe a little bit too sweet, but overall still worth getting.” roarke’s a little confused when he’s asked about his sister, but then he realizes who the man next to him is, “oh, um… she’s good? she’s like a month away from being due, so that’s kind of nerve-wracking. i haven’t really been spending much time with her lately, but i think she’s fine.” 

“clearly you don’t have the sweet tooth i do.” though in reality, he was just far too spoiled with his food usually to not be picky with everything he encountered. he nods idly as he’s updated on the armstrong girl. he knows from leo, of course, but it’s a different perspective coming from her brother. “yes, the last month is usually the most chaotic. she could probably use a lot of support at the moment.” it’s his subtle way of suggestion the boy should be spending as much time with her as possible.

        she figured it was best to meet in a public place .  maybe one where neither of them felt obligated to make their home welcoming to the other .  despite the fact that she’d been in his house a few times over the past few years ,  it still felt reasonable to keep them as strictly professional as they possibly could .  of course ,  ariana had been in the restaurant for thirty minutes now  ––  anxious and paranoid all wrapped in one  ––  as she waited for her  ex  to walk through the doors .  and as he did ,  she waved her hand ,  only slightly in the air to catch his attention .  to say that seeing him as such didn’t affect her would be a lie  ––  but then again ,  she was sure the other would never feel the same .       ❛  you look  …  nice .   ❜     she motioned ,  standing up for merely a second before sitting down as he did . 

Margo shuffled awkwardly, rocking on the balls of her feet. She felt unsure about the offer of food, although the pang in her stomach seemed to be all too sure about it. “You sure? You don’t have t— “  Her parents, of course, had taught her that often, it was more polite and less uncomfortable to accept an offer. “Just a croissant, please, thank you.” She smiled shyly at him before dropping her gaze to her feet, eyebrows furrowed in thought. “Are you okay? I mean— I wasn’t listening but you sounded kind of tense on the phone.” 

“Sometimes, my partners will run with me. We used to take the kids there for breakfast after a run when they were small. Unfortunately, we can’t fit them in strollers anymore and there is no way that we could run with them if we got them to fit anyway.” He chuckles, “You even know my last name- are you stalking me, Donovan?”

“And here I thought you were going to say the blue brings out my eyes,” Eric teased, holding the shirt up to his face. He was ready to just buy something and go, deal with the ramifications of everything later. “I don’t do one night stands anymore. Haven’t done them in about nine years after the way the last one turned out.” Eric shook his head, “And yes I know how protection works but it’s failed me before.”

“you asked for the one that will scare her away, not which one compliments you.” she shrugged, not sorry in the slightest as she flicks through items on the rack with no clear intention in mind. “what do you mean you don’t do one night stands? how do you get laid?” brows furrow together in utter confusion. “you know, i tried the whole abstinence thing after i got custody of the kids. even broke off a whole engagement to do so because the timing was off, but i’m pretty sure i was wrong. might still be wrong, but getting laid is a lot more fun.”

“clearly.” troy responds with a chuckle, pulling his hands from his pockets so they can rest comfortably in his lap. the difference with him in this situation, the very second he became bored ( which would’ve been very quickly ), he would’ve been up and gone, onto something else. sitting, thinking and staring into the abyss has been something he’s done too much of recently and he’s not a fan. “sorry sam, but of course it would be boring.” the lad tries to say without chuckling though fails, shrugging his shoulders. “i mean, the weather is shit and i’ve found that puts a lot of people in a mood. second, uh… you’re at a beach with no one to perv on. that screams horrifically boring and sad to me.” 

“Well now that I know those exist I am going to find a way to track them down.” And Lena was good at tracking things down, at least when she really really tried. And this was something that she really wanted to see.  “So go off an buy a lottery ticket or something. if your luck is that good you have to be on a roll.” She had only skied once or twice, preferring the luxury of hanging around the resorts.

“you’ll never find them. i buried them too deep.” it was bad enough that there were still photos of her as a blonde up on facebook, let alone when she’d thought being a redhead was edgy. “i would try it, but i don’t believe in gambling.” she had too many vices as it was, some harder to shake and abstain from as it was, she hardly needed another. “i don’t feel the need to tempt fate, either. that’s when it all goes wrong.”

Margo suppressed a hiss as she ran an ice cube just below her knee, directing it along the line of a small gash that had formed there, decorated by some angry looking bruises. She hadn’t felt it at the time, having spent most of the night at the abandoned old factory after scaling it with practised carelessness, just to sit with little more than smoke between her and the stars. She’d left the woods late but hadn’t come home until the morning. The front door opened and Margo quickly dropped the ice cube in the sink, rolling down her jeans. “Oh, hi, Aunt Sam.” She said casually, dressed as if she’d either just come in or was about to leave, her jacket staying put. She moved to help put the groceries away mindlessly only to blanch slightly at her aunt’s words. With her back turned and her face obscured by a cupboard, Margo swallowed, a deep knot in her stomach forming — a feeling she couldn’t describe, let alone name. “I- I’ve got a shift, uh, later.”