𝑺𝑷𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑫 𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑵.

"is that a thing?" vince asks with a chuckle, shaking his head. he was pretty sure it wasn't, but you could never be too sure. "funyuns? you got it." reaching for the bag of chips, he takes one down for jasmine, offering it to her for a smile. "always happy to lend my height to someone in need."

"who knows? these days you learn there's a bunch of stuff in this world you never even knew about." she grinned slowly, leaning in a little to say, "imagine what's on the dark web, you know?" she chuckled, shifting on her feet. "thank you." she tossed the snack into her cart, laughing at the comment about his height. "i mean, we all need a tall friend."

Noah's expression changed and he did huff slightly. "Okay, you make a good point, I can't afford to be off that long," he said, laughing gently, gaze shifting over toward the back door again with a thoughtful frown. "Hey, come on now, I know I'm here a lot, but I don't actually work here yet," he answered her with a laugh. "The guy who's out with my stuff in a sec should know."

"i usually always make good points, you know." jasmine smiled, watching noah as he spoke. her lips formed an 'o' , and she nodded her head in understanding. "ohh, all right. i get it, fair enough." she smiled at him, raising a hand as she shook her head. "no need to worry about it. i'll just get something else i need and be on my way."

Noah was working ( nothing unusual ) and had popped into the grocery store to pick something up for someone. He was hanging around while someone headed into the back to grab the shopping when he felt someone smash into him. He turned quickly, out of instinct, but then smiled when he realised who it was and the apology came. "Yeah, no worries, you wanna hit me harder so I can take the night off?" he chuckled.

jasmine rolled her eyes playfully, shaking her head at noah. "you sure you want me to do that, noah? god forbid i hit a little too hard and you end up in a cast or something." she laughed. "are you alright, though? were you off yesterday? i came in but i don't think i saw you." she adjusted the shopping cart so she could stand beside it. "wanted to know if they had any avocados in the back. didn't really feel like talking to anyone else at the time."

vince wasn't normally one for late night grocery store runs, but with his kids having a sleepover with one of his siblings and him not being able to fall asleep, he figured the errand wouldn't be such a bad idea. he needed a few things anyways, wandering the aisles and thinking about how much easier it was to grocery shop without three kids grabbing at and wanting everything in sight. vince is paused in front of the chip display when someone else's cart bumps into his, looking over to see someone else standing nearby. "it's alright. i think my cart will survive." he replies, offering the other a smile. "no harm done."

she manages to laugh a little, shifting so she could pull the cart back towards her. "good. unfortunately, i don't have shopping cart insurance." she chuckled softly at her stupid joke, letting out a sigh before she glanced at the snack choices in front of her. she could probably get one of everything she liked --- it never hurt to stack up on extra snacks. "do you mind doing me a favor and reaching for those funyuns? i don't think i can reach."

"so you weren't the one eating the leftovers of the table that just left?" emily frowned slightly, her brow furrowing. the cook definitely said he saw her do this. "i mean, it's fine. if you're hungry we can feed you. you don't have to be picking food off used plates."

"what? no!" yemaya scoffed. she rolled her eyes, trying not to overreact. she didn't get angry easily, but she also didn't like being lied on. it sucked when people didn't believe you. "why in the world would i do something like that? honestly, emily. that's embarrassing -- and honestly, i don't like the way you're accusing me."

"You know how it goes," Mei started, "Rumours are constantly swirling around these parts. It's what happens in communities. People can't help themselves, they like to try and get people into trouble, get the heat off themselves." Of course she hadn't believed a word of it, but if there was something that Mei could be, it was a gossip and she couldn't help herself.

yemaya sighed. the last thing she needed was someone tarnishing her name, especially considering the type of work she did. people always expected teachers to act a certain way or talk a certain way and she loved her job. she couldn't afford to lose that, too. "ugh -- i honestly, didn't move from a town where everyone whispered about me to end up falling in the same predicament again. she chewed nervously at her lip. "i know it would be best to ignore it but --- i just can't."

𝐁𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐄 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 arrived with her one-month-old asleep daughter in the baby stroller and sat across from Richard. ❛ I do have an excuse, Agatha. It's her first Halloween. ❜ Finally, she goes out a little, despite knowing she needs to be confined in her new penthouse, in her bedroom. ❛ You know Rich Richard, you would look great as a superman. ❜ She teases him.

it was strange seeing bonnie with a baby. for richard, if he were being honest --- it was strange to see anyone with a baby. most of the friends he had did have children, but he never hung around much with them. he wasn't particularly a family man. not anymore, anyway. "hey, you." he smiled at her, stealing a glance at the tiny little girl in the stroller before his eyes were on bonnie again. "you think so? i do get told that i look like henry cavill sometimes." he laughed, "but you're going to have to do a lot more than that to convince me to dress up."

arlo rolled his eyes at richard's negativity. "just because you're too old to party doesn't mean everyone else is." he tapped his fingers on the table top. "besides you could be one of those losers that wear a shirt that says 'this is my halloween costume'."

richard rolled his eyes right back at armando. he swore the man was as serious as a heart attack whenever he interacted with him. nevertheless, richard crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow. " if i wanted to attempt being a loser for halloween --- i'd dress up as you."

"Some would call you boring, you know?" Nathan commented lightly. casting his friend a glace and raising a brow. "I don't think there's any such thing as being too grown up for something. Embrace your inner child, man, live a little," he added with a laugh. He'd always loved Halloween, went all out with the decorations, often held his own parties and for as long as he could have, had accompanied the girls trick or treating —- if anything, he thrived.

richard laughed. "anyone who calls me boring is honestly kidding themselves. that would definitely be the last adjective on anyone's list for me --- don't be too confused, nathan. there isn't a single mirror around." he reached forward to slap his hand across the other man's shoulder. "inner child? sad to say, i think little richard died a long time ago. if he's still there --- he's very good at hide and seek --- i've yet to find him. you taking the girls trick or treating?"

richard pursed his lips. "they dressed up as a business man?" richard scoffed and shook his head. "come on, and you honestly respect that? where's the effort? where's the originality?" he shook his head again, raising both hands in mock defeat. "if you're trying to convince me, kid. it ain't working. and who would want to dress up as a living? sounds exhausting."

"honestly, i'll take an early christmas party if i'm being honest." richard was a sucker for christmas. he was simply holding out for thanksgiving to pass so he could blast christmas music in his apartment without being side-eyed. although he was sure that would happen anyway. richard shrugged, "to be honest. i'll probably go along with the halloween shenanigans anyway."