° 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞 / 𝙛𝙖𝙧 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮

while penelope was on bass for everclear, she’d started modeling ever since she got to los angeles. her and a few photographers were downtown that evening, she was posing in front of a brick wall as she caught sight of a few wandering eyes. “better close your mouth, you’ll catch flies.” penelope teased with a playful grin. the guys got a few more shots before taking five, allowing p to have some water and approach a familiar face. “i feel like i’m 18 again but honestly, my fingers were getting tired from plucking that damn bass string.” she shook her head.

DIVE BARS WERE somewhat of a guilty pleasure for noah. he’d always enjoyed the seediest places, with the worst whiskey and the cheapest beer. it was something he enjoyed even more now that his band had claimed fame, and he couldn’t step out of his apartment without having paparazzi and fans swarm him. he found solace in the dark, usually foul-smelling bars with sticky countertops. he had yet to be discovered at one of them, and intended to keep it that way. as he raises the dusty glass of whisky to his lips, he feels a tap on his shoulder. he rolls his eyes in annoyance at the other’s discovery before turning. “ well, i certainly wasn’t expecting to find another black bird here. ” he says once he takes in the other’s features in the dim lighting. “ i thought jack paid good enough to stay far away from places like this.”

     dj thought that  ...  working at black bird records – her first real hollywood job, if you forget about all the waitressing – would change everything. it has, in a way, but mostly she finds that her everyday life hasn't changed much at all. she's interacting with all these radio stars, sure, but there's a cloak of anonymity in ghostwriting that allows her to keep everything exactly the same. maybe in a different lifetime it'd be nice to have quiche for breakfast and sushi for dinner, but in this one, the songwriting gig pays the bills and bought a bedframe ( one that she put together herself ! with her own bare hands ! ). and right now ... it's allowed her to nurse a middle shelf rum for her rum and coke tonight, instead of the shitty, rancid, couple-buck, well alcohol she normally gets – so really, she figures, there isn't much to complain about.

SIERRA IS PERCHED on a red leather couch in the record label’s lobby, acrylic nails tapping impatiently on the exposed skin of her thigh. her driver was never late, and he had to be stuck in the insufferable la traffic the day her stiletto heel broke midway through a video shoot. she can feel the starstruck gazes of people who don’t come into the label’s building often, but she rather be ogled at than have to stand barefoot on the cold concrete of the private parking floor. she feels the weight of the loveseat shift slightly, and she sighs, exasperated. the last thing she wanted to do was talk to someone. “ did you really have to sit here ? there are a million other couches, you know. ”

         ‘ if you’re looking to drown your sorrows and turn that frown upside down, well you came to the right place — drinks are on me ! ’ shelley lifts her shot glass with a cheers before leaning over to whisper to her companion, ‘ actually, drinks are on — ’ shelley squints at the id in the wallet that most certainly did not belong to her. ‘ — phillip hampshire. ’ she makes a face before sifting through the cash, laying a few bills on the counter. ‘ well, well.. cheers to phillip, our generous benefactor. ’

━ ✧ ( emma mackey, twenty three, she/her ) did you see daisy joy dj cohen walking around hollywood boulevard the other night ? apparently she's a ghostwriter. i’d kill to be her. people who have partied with her say she's really skilled & quick-witted, but she can be sort of reticent & self-destructive if you catch her at a bad time. smoking a cigarette indoors. ink smudged on the side of your hand, leftie. chipped nail polish. guitar on your back.

━ ✧ ( laura harrier, twenty eight, she/her ) did you hear about estelle aimé’s new record ? it’s totally bitchin’ ! apparently people who have interviewed her say she's really insightful & warm, but she can be sort of secretive & critical if you catch her at a bad time. a scarf in the wind, shotgun with the top down. a dry martini with a lemon twist, no olives. missed calls from your mother.