Isn't it strange?

“… Fair point. I guess it just never came up,” he shrugged. What else didn’t he know about her? “I’m okay with driving, unless you really want to.” He preferred to drive himself places, unless he was going to a party.

“Well, now we know. We’re both huge fans of the aquarium.” The blonde flashed Blaine a grin, brushing part of her hair back behind her ear. “I’m alright with you driving.” She’d always preferred being the passenger anyway; it gave her time to daydream. 

 “I am sure you can think of something? Like what do you like to do on your spare time? Read?” She asked her friend curiously. “Thank you.. I just hope he doesn’t get sick of me and my needy ass anytime soon.” Verity laughed while pushing some hair behind her ear.

“I read sometimes. I don’t really have a lot of spare time, right now.” She did have a list of hobbies though that she’d wanted to give a try but hadn’t had the time for. Maybe if she retired she could start on those. “Oh, please, Verity! You are not needy!”

“You know, you’ve never mentioned the aquarium before,” he commented, wondering why exactly that was. “Together would be easier. We’ll be together, plus we can split the parking toll.”

“Neither have you,” she said, eyebrows raised in an amused expression. “Good point. Do you want to drive or do you want me to?” Izzy didn’t mind either way. 

 “Gosh wouldn’t that be the dream!” She laughed back at her friend, even though she figured she would be working until the end of her days. “Yeah, they are.. At least I think so? He doesn’t seem to be sick of me yet which is always an added plus.”

“It would. I don’t know what I’d do if I retired though. I think I’d be bored.” She didn’t have any hobbies. She spent all of her time working. “I’m so happy for you guys. You’re adorable together.” 

.

    [  Shaking his head, Bodhi formed his mouth into a line as he wracked his brain. “Never heard of it. I’ll check it out, though. When it comes to podcasts I like to listen to Lore and Stuff You Should Know,” he offered a recommendation. He looked at Izzy and sort of shrugged. “Yes and no. I grew up by Muir Woods and would go there a lot. As of now, I tend to go to Joshua Tree a lot. And Sequoia because it feels a bit like home,” he explained. “Do you frequent the state parks?”

“I’ll have to give those a listen. I’m pretty much caught up on what I normally listen to so I’ve been looking for something new.” Podcasts were her favorite form of background noise because she could listen to them when she was driving too. “When I have time, yeah. I’m hoping I can take a few trips when fall hits for day hikes. It’s so beautiful that time of year.” 

“Well lucky for you, I also like the aquarium.” He went to the aquarium fairly often, but he hadn’t been there in about two months due to his work schedule. However, he didn’t feel like doing any work tasks tonight. “Alright, let’s do this.”

“Good.” She let out a soft laugh, already super excited about their little trip. Out of any place in town, the aquarium was her favorite place to hang out. Watching the fish was the best way to unwind. Putting her notebook in her bag, she flashed him a grin. “Do you want to ride together or separate?”

“Izzy, you could go to the aquarium any time. In fact, we could both go right now.” He pulled his wallet out of his pocket, flashing his yearly membership pass. “What do you say? Spontaneous trip to the Pier?”

“Yeah, well I like the aquarium,” she defended with a laugh. Her eyes lit up as he pulled out the pass. “Wait, you really want to go? Yeah, let’s do it!” She had met her deadline for an article leaving her afternoon free. There was plenty of time for her next project.

 Verity nodded, agreeing with what her friend was saying. “Yeah, I get what you mean.” She smiled back at her. “I get that. Work seems to be all I do and then I spend all weekend sleeping to catch up on sleep for the next.” She chuckled. “Oh pretty much the same. Work, for the most part. The little free time I do have I try to spend with Vito or some friends.”

“Exactly. But hey, maybe if we work our butts off now, we can retire early?” It was a good dream at least. At least she loved her job. “How are things going with you and Vito?” 

    [  A smirk worked its way on Bo’s face. “You’re a true crime podcast gal?” he asked, raising his eyebrows. He shouldn’t have been surprised but it was still an interesting fact coming from Izzy. Bo put his hands in his hoodie pocket and continued on his way, walking next to Izzy leisurely. “Yeah. I’m almost always at the beach,” he revealed, “So, I guess I’m always at work, too. Both my jobs are there.” Not that he minded it. “I love when the trees blossom. As much as I’m an autumn type of guy, spring has a nice charm,” Bo agreed.

“Well, some of them at least. Serial is my favorite one. Season One. Sarah Koenig is amazing.” Realizing she was starting to ramble, the girl pursed her lips briefly glancing up at him to see if he minded. “There are worse places to spend all your time,” she grinned. “Do you ever go to the state parks during the fall?” 

“Yeah…it sucks like hell. I guess it’s like they say, nobody likes you when you’re 23,” Mav tried to laugh off dryly, although, he still felt a sense of defeat. “I know…sort of. I try to focus on that, you know the people that actually and genuinely care. I dunno, it just, it still bugs me, you know? Like aside the pranks and the impulsive antics, I’m a good person? I’m loyal. I’m there for people when they need me…shouldn’t that be enough?” 

“Well, at least you won’t be twenty-three forever,” she said, giving him a soft grin. Maybe it wasn’t the best response, but she wasn’t sure how to make him feel better. “Sometimes we can be the very best version of ourselves that we can be and people still won’t like us. That’s just how people work...and if someone doesn’t like you, it isn’t your job to make them like you. Because you’re enough for the people who are meant to be in your life...and fuck everyone else.” 

“I’m just waiting for one of them to walk in here so I can just pop off at them,” Maverick grumbled, crossing his arms stubbornly. “Yeah, just bluntly cutting them off and calling it a day. It just sucks though. It kinda goes to that whole…not feeling wanted syndrome.” 

“It does suck to lose people who you thought care about you. But it’s better than losing yourself, too.” Her lips pursed together, as she looked at her brother. “It kills me that you think that, Mav. You have no idea how many people love you.” 

“You’re a saint–what did you bring by the way?” The brunette asked with a curious look at her sister. “Well, you’re not wrong. It’s about time you came over to visit. I almost had to send Mav leading the calvary,” She teased her sister with a laugh. “I’ve got a good hour and a half right now, pull up a chair. Did you bring food for yourself?” 

“That Italian place on Santa Monica Boulevard that dad likes so much.” Taking out a to-go container, she passed the food over to her sister. “Yeah, I know. I just...you know how I get with work. I kind of go time blind to everything else.” Her lips curled into a grin as she pulled out more food. “Of course I got something for myself. You think I’m gonna say no to this?” 

.

    [  Bodhi’s eyes widened and he let out a low whistle. “Investigative journalism sounds really cool. See, now I don’t blame you for working. I would work all the time as well,” he replied. He started off towards the park, keeping quiet and just enjoying the atmosphere for an hour. “I actually haven’t been to the park in a while,” Bo admitted. “I spend entirely too much time at the beach and never see anywhere else.”

“It is really cool. I was originally going to college for interior design but then I heard this podcast and it changed everything.” Luckily, she hadn’t declared a major yet so it was no issue to switch gears and pursue her new interest. It was nice walking with Bodhi. He was one of those people she didn’t feel the need to fill the silence with but when they did break the silence, she didn’t struggle with conversation. “Really? You should come more often. It’s really nice in the spring time when everything’s in bloom. Now it’s just really nice to relax in the shade.” 

“Alright - Pink one it is.” She nodded, putting the other back as she smiled over at her friend. “It is a Halloween episode. Or a dress up episode - I think they are still deciding wether or not we are doing bloody or what not.” She added with a small shrug. “How are you anyway? It’s been ages since we last hung out!”

“How exciting! Halloween is always fun and it doesn’t have to be bloody necessarily...although I guess that is a common theme with it.” Izzy flashed her a grin. “I’m doing well. Just working a lot. How about you?” 

The insomnia that came hand-in-hand with Lexa’s mania was slowly getting to her, but today was the last day she was coming into the office for meetings before switching to remote, mostly to give herself a well deserved break and to get her sleep schedule back on track. She yawned at her desk, taking a look at a few of the recent numbers in stock and jotting them down for her dad to take a look at them after his meeting. She turned to grab her coffee and take a long sip out of it when she noticed Izzy at the door. “Well, well, well,” Lexa playfully jeered. “Hello sister dearest of mine, what brings you in?” 

@isabellemaxwellxx​

“Dad asked me to grab him some lunch so I thought I’d bring you some, too.”  The woman flashed her sister a grin as she walked into the room, holding up a bag of food. “Besides, I can come visit you if I want to. It’s been too long since we’ve seen each other.” 

“Mmm, I see.” TJ just nodded, glad she had sat and joined him. The last thing TJ would’ve ever wished for was more sisters, but Lexa and Izzy were fun exceptions. Especially Izzy. TJ had only started to get to know his other family for a few months, but already? Izzy was maybe his favorite to pick and play around with. For a few minutes TJ kept nodding as he still picked up and moved around pieces purposely putting an awkward silence between them. Finally with a deep breath in he straightened his posture.  “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” Confucius’s words of wisdom dropped, but TJ started to switch some of the white pieces from his side of board with the black pieces on her side of the board. He still kept a confident face as he did so, so sure of his work. When there was two, nice, speckled sides to the board he looked at Izzy. “I, too, know not how to play, so. Th-this is Zebra Chess. Newest form of chess on the sc-scene. As the most seasoned pros— aware of it before any-nyone in the whole world knows of it— we now make up the rules as we go. You first. On the first move there’s no-no wrong move.”

She gave a shy smile. Maybe she should learn to play chess. Her family was wild, but she loved them and she was glad that TJ was now a part of it. Izzy only hoped that he felt like he was a part of it. Her lips pursed, unsure of what to say as an awkward silence stretched between them, eyebrows furrowing together at the philosophic comment leaving his mouth. The woman glanced down at the board, laughing softly. “Oh, um...okay...” After a moment, she moved a piece forward.