🍺💛Little Bean🖤🐝

Violet was being kicked out of her own house.

At least, that was her official position.

"This is unbelievable."

You didn't even look up from where you were fixing your makeup.

"You're spending six hours at your uncle's house."

"Against my will. I haven't even seen the guy since I was little!"

Sal adjusted his jacket.

"Your will was never part of this discussion."

"See? Tyranny."

"That's not what tyranny means."

"It feels like tyranny."

The doorbell rang.

Violet immediately pointed.

"Tell Ashley to save me."

You laughed.

"She's here to pick you up."

"For what?.."

A second later the front door opened and Ashley walked inside without waiting to be invited.

"Hey, losers."

"There she is," Sal said.

Ashley stopped.

Looked at Sal.

Then looked at you.

Then looked back at Sal.

"Why are you dressed like that?"

Sal frowned.

"What?"

"You look like you're trying to sell me a car."

You immediately started laughing.

Violet nearly fell off the couch.

Sal looked offended.

"This is a nice jacket."

"You look like a youth pastor."

"Ashley."

"What? I said what everyone was thinking."

Violet nods slightly at Ashley.

"See? She gets me."

"Unfortunately."

Ashley grabbed Violet's backpack and tossed it at her.

"Come on."

"Where are we going?"

"Larry's."

Violet blinked.

"You're coming too?"

Ashley looked personally insulted.

"Obviously."

"Oh."

That actually made Violet smile.

Ashley caught it immediately.

"Aww."

"Don't."

"She missed me."

"I saw you yesterday."

"She missed me."

"Please stop talking."

Ashley laughed all the way out the door.

(SpongeBob reference) *A few minutes later*

Larry opened the front door before they even knocked.

"There's my favorite nieces."

Ashley walked inside.

"I'm not your niece."

"You are spiritually."

"I don't think that's legally binding."

Larry pointed.

"Still counts."

Violet followed them inside.

Immediately noticing something strange.

The living room looked different.

Not messy.

Not clean.

Just...

Prepared.

Paint supplies sat on the coffee table.

Snacks were everywhere.

A speaker sat in the corner.

And Larry looked entirely too proud of himself.

"What happened?"

"I planned activities."

Ashley gasped dramatically.

"He's evolving."

Larry ignored her.

"I thought we'd hang out."

"Like normal people?" Violet asked.

"Exactly."

"That's suspicious."

"Fair."

Larry grabbed the speaker.

"First things first."

The familiar theme song started playing.

Ashley immediately recognized it.

"Sanity Falls?" Ashley asked.

Larry pointed at her.

"Good taste."

Violet laughed.

"Oh my God. I like it."

Within minutes all three of them were spread across the living room floor.

Painting random canvases.

Listening to playlists of Sanity Falls.

And making fun of each other.

Mostly making fun of each other.

"Why is your tree purple?" Ashley asked.

Violet looked down at her painting.

"It's artistic."

"It looks radioactive."

"It's symbolism."

"It's ugly."

Larry nodded.

"It's definitely ugly."

"Both of you are mean."

Ashley held up her own painting.

It looked like a raccoon had walked through paint and panicked.

Violet immediately pointed.

"Look who's talking."

"Mine is abstract."

"Mine is abstract too."

"No. Yours is just bad."

Larry laughed so hard he nearly spilled his drink.

For the next hour they painted.

Talked.

Laughed.

And listened to Sanity Falls.

At one point Larry looked over and noticed Violet smiling at her phone.

"Oh no."

Ashley looked up instantly.

"What?"

Larry pointed.

"She's texting her girlfriend."

Ashley gasped.

"SHOW ME."

"No."

"SHOW ME."

"No."

Ashley lunged.

Violet screamed.

The phone nearly flew across the room.

Larry was laughing too hard to help.

"Give it back!"

"I just want to see if she's cute!"

"You've literally met her."

"I forgot."

"That's not my problem."

After a brief wrestling match, Violet recovered her phone.

Ashley collapsed dramatically onto the carpet.

"Fine."

"Thank you."

"But if you get married before twenty-five make me a bridesmaid"

"I'M FOURTEEN AND SHE'S FIFTEEN."

"You never know."

Larry nearly choked on his soda.

Eventually the conversation drifted.

The way it always seemed to when people were comfortable.

The painting supplies got pushed aside.

Sanity Falls played quietly in the background.

And everyone settled onto the couch.

Larry stretched.

"You know what?"

"What?" Violet asked.

"When I was your age, I thought I had life figured out."

Ashley immediately started laughing.

"That's the funniest thing you've said all day."

"Wow."

Larry pointed accusingly.

"I had a plan."

"What was the plan?" Violet asked.

Larry paused.

"...I don't remember."

Both girls burst out laughing.

"That's amazing."

"It wasn't."

"It absolutely was."

Larry shook his head.

Then smiled.

"You know where I grew up?"

"The Addison Apartments?" Violet asked.

Larry looked surprised.

"Your dad told you?"

"Once."

Larry nodded.

Then started telling stories.

Real stories.

About growing up.

About the neighbors who felt off.

About going ghost hunting with Sal.

About staying out on adventures all day.

About getting into trouble.

About making mistakes.

About being scared of growing up.

The girls listened.

Even Ashley.

Who usually had the attention span of a squirrel.

"Wait," Ashley interrupted. "You were scared?"

"Absolutely."

"But you're an adult."

Larry laughed.

"Exactly."

"I thought adults knew everything."

Larry and Violet immediately started laughing.

Ashley looked offended.

"What?"

"Adults are just kids with bills," Larry said.

"That's terrifying."

"It should be."

The three of them laughed.

Then Larry looked over at Violet.

"You know something?"

"What?"

"You don't have to have everything figured out."

Violet blinked.

The joking tone faded slightly.

Not completely.

Just enough.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Larry smiled.

"You get there one step at a time."

For a moment she thought about school.

Sophia.

Growing up.

All of it.

Then she nodded.

"Okay."

"Okay."

Ashley immediately ruined the moment.

"I'm still never paying taxes."

Larry groaned.

"There it is."

"There what is?"

"The reason your teachers drink."

Ashley looked offended.

Violet laughed so hard she cried.

A couple hours later headlights appeared outside.

Larry looked through the window.

"Oh look."

"The lovebirds return."

"Ew," Violet said instantly.

The front door opened.

You and Sal walked inside.

Both smiling.

Which was suspicious.

Very suspicious.

Ashley narrowed her eyes.

"Why do you both look happy?"

"We had a nice night," you said.

Sal nodded.

"A very nice night."

Larry pointed dramatically.

"See? That's exactly how people act after a date."

"Please stop saying it like that," Violet begged.

Ashley looked between you and Sal.

Then immediately gagged.

"Disgusting."

You laughed.

Sal looked proud of himself.

Which somehow made it worse.

"Did everybody survive?" you asked.

"Barely," Larry said.

"They bullied me."

"We absolutely did," Ashley agreed.

Violet nodded.

"It was great."

Larry put a hand over his heart.

"The betrayal."

The room erupted into laughter.

And as Violet grabbed her backpack and headed toward the door with you and Sal, she found herself smiling.

The whole night had been stupid.

And loud.

And chaotic.

Exactly the kind of night that ended up becoming a favorite memory years later.