𝔀𝓮𝓷𝓭𝔂𝓫𝓲𝓻𝓭

“Haven’t I told you before how much I hate going by my first name?” he teased with a slight roll of his eyes and a chuckle. “And, trust me, you are not the first person to come up here and say that. I swear no one in this town has any faith in their own physical abilities. Do you really think I’d set up an archery booth and sign all those liability waivers if I didn’t believe I would be able to teach anyone well enough to at least not injure someone in the process?”

“maybe.....but perhaps just a few more times would be good if you're really looking for it to stick,” she joked, grazing the bowstring with her fingertips. “goodness, i’m clumsy with air and my own feet at times.....though, if you truly 𝒷𝑒𝓁𝒾𝑒𝓋𝑒 you can make an archer out of me.....well, i’d like to see it.  just don’t say i didn’t warn you when i turn out to be a lost cause, okay? honestly, phillip, you could’ve been out here teaching me how to fence, but noooo.....at least then i’d have known something y’know,” she giggled and with a deep breath, she’s finally picked up the ranged weapon. “alright, professor.....what would you like me to do first?”

“I did! It wasn’t too difficult, but it sure was fun.” Roxanne watched as the other girl tossed the confetti-seed mix into the air, a giggle being pulled from her lips as she watched it rain down around them. “Oh, a boomerang would be perfect for my Instagram story right now! What d’ya say ya be my model for it?”

“you want 𝓂𝑒 on your story? are you certain?” she looked at the other girl wide-eyed. after all, wendy darling had never modeled for anyone in her life! of course, she was always happy to be of assistance, she simply couldn’t wrap her head around why anyone would want her to do it when she could use literally anyone else. “it’s not that i wouldn’t be happy to help, it’s not. it’s just that.....oh, i'm hardly the modeling type, you see.....and you’re obviously super gorgeous so.....well, don’t you think your followers would prefer to see you? not to mention this was y o u r lovely idea.”

Roxanne had made little bags to hand out, filled with biodegradable confetti and an assortment of seeds. Of course confetti was a big thing at Pride and she wanted to keep it that way, just with a…twist. The seeds were a couple different colors so that they blended in well enough and could be planted wherever they landed. She held one out as someone passed her, a wide smile on her face. “We’ve gotta celebrate in style! Take one and throw it whenever ya want–Happy Pride!”

“ these are brilliant, thank you! did you put them all together yourself?” wendy asked, careful uncinching the small bag of confetti she’d been handed, knowing it must’ve taken roxanne ages to put them together. with every color of the 𝓇𝒶𝒾𝓃𝒷𝑜𝓌 collected within her palm, she felt like a child again....putting her retired flower girl skills to use as she pinched at some of the confetti and tossed it in the air. a giggle parted from her lips, and glee radiated from her smile. “happy pride!” she echoed, rocking on her heels before tossing some more. “we should really get a picture or even a boomerang of this. everyone’s so happy, it’s magical.”

Kida admittedly wasn’t the most outwardly excited person for the summer festival, it made the restaurant about ten times busier comparatively. After a double shift, she was walking through the hoards of people visiting the different booths and the little kids running around aimlessly. Eyes were locked at a booth with brightly coloured lights when she bumped straight into someone, falling flat on her butt, Kida looked up. “Whoops, you good??”

“you’re the one on the floor and you’re fussing over me?” wendy asked, gobsmacked by kida’s question. “here, let me help you,” she insisted, offering a hand and hoisting the other back to her feet. “i don’t remember last year being so.....𝒾𝓃𝓉𝑒𝓃𝓈𝑒, do you? oh, i’m not complaining, of course! there’s just.....so many people, its a bit hard to get anywhere without a collision or nearly dropping your candy floss to the floor.”

He did think about it. He’d been imagining a world where he didn’t have to be called a boy since he was a kid. Perhaps his imagination just wasn’t as daring as Wendy’s, “I think the tow-town will do the right things, we’re luh-lucky enough to live here,” He smiled, “Of course we could all do it, together.”

wendy takes ferris’s hands into her own, the sweetest of grins plastered to her kind features. she’s always had this 𝓂𝑜𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇𝓁𝓎 instinct about her, something that’s always had her wanting to scoop her friends into her open arms and not just protect them, but do absolutely anything for their happiness. her affection for ferris and their friendship is every bit a part of that. “of course, we could do something small to start. i’m thinking.....pride cookies? would you like to help me with that?”

               THE GIRL WAS startled by his sudden outburst, and jim immediately regretted talking to her the way he had – he was just so frustrated. “ then what did you mean to do ? “, he asked, frowning a bit as he tilted his head to the side, emerald eyes fixed on the brunette. he didn’t want to be rude – he was genuinely curious. probably, the girl was simply daydreaming. but hey, who knew what all went on inside of her head.  

     “do you now?” oscar wondered aloud, not doubting the girl for a second. there was some sort of childishness coming from her  —  naivety, the man would call it. “i one-hundred percent disagree, miss darling,” he spoke, pulling the same face he just had. “age me? please, a face is the least think i have to worry about aging me.” and it was true, too many other things in oscar’s life were much more likely to do so, not making a face. “and it would hurt me, yes. not a big fan of pretending to be something i’m not… are you?”

Phillip’s parents weren’t pleased that he’d decided to set up an archery booth at the festival instead of toting around with them in his suit promoting the family business and being the ‘fine upstanding family’ they were known to be in the town. The fight with his dad had been explosive but quick, but at this point Phillip didn’t much mind, though he did notice their glares as they walked past the booth. He’d given up enough for the sake of the family business at this point, though, he wanted to do just this one thing on his own. So he did. Separating the children’s safety arrows from the adults, a few of his archery trophies displayed behind him, he looked up to see people passing. “Want to give it a shot? I bet I can get you to hit the bullseye in no time.”

“.....me?” wendy pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, eyeing the other skeptically. sure, she’d grown up reading stories all about the tales of robin hood and his friend, little john, so she’d always been fascinated by a bow and arrow, but that was make-believe! oh, she could vividly recall all the times they’d forgotten about fighting pirates for the day, instead running about the family nursery with her brothers, pretending to fling arrows their enemies’ way while in search of the king’s treasure — there was always treasure! “it’s not that i don’t have any 𝒸𝑜𝓃𝒻𝒾𝒹𝑒𝓃𝒸𝑒 in you, phillip.....it’s truly the opposite. i simply don’t have any confidence in my own.....erm.....lack of ability. frankly, i'd merely be a liability to this festival and you.”

    freshly home from his ‘vacation’ of sorts, oscar couldn’t help the grimace that had found it’s way onto his face. the festival, of course. how had he not remembered it was that time of year? he’d never been a fan of it to begin with, and now that he was older, well  — his dislike for the event had grown even stronger. truth be told, he really wasn’t interested, but then again, maybe some fun could come of it. “so,” he started, bumping the shoulder of the person he’d walked up to. “what do make of all this chaos?”

@sunnysidestarters

“W-We? As in ‘us’ we? I mean, Listen Wendy, I’m sh-sure you could do it if you se-set your midn to it, but I d-don’t really do the big…” Ferris made a large, loose motion with his hands, “…things.”

wendy smiled, understanding settling upon her kind features. "i know, and i know its outside of your comfort zone, but..... ” she’d never force ferris to do anything he didn’t w a n t to do, but there’s practically stars in her eyes as her words linger; wendy’s always been a dreamer, an overachiever. “ oh, ferris, just 𝒾𝓂𝒶𝑔𝒾𝓃𝑒 what we could do together. it’s just an idea for now, but will you promise me that you’ll at least think about it?”

             THE NEWS ABOUT the badge – and consequently, the robbery – was spreading through town like a wildfire. as if people didn’t have anything better to do than gossip all damn day. it wasn’t the first time jim was being related to a criminal offense, so he’d learned to ignore the whispers behind his back or distrusting glares. he kept repeating to himself how people didn’t know a thing – like a mantra. “ why don’t you take a picture – those last longer. “, he said steadily, though with a hint of irritation in his voice, as he looked up from his sketchbook. he didn’t like being stared at. { @sunnysidestarters }

“You really don’t…” The scrape wasn’t major by any means, however it did sting. And she’d have to be in chlorine in a little bit, which probably wouldn’t help. “You know, I will take you up on that bandaid, but don’t sweat it. It’s really not a big deal.”