Stay Woke

“You know I got you. Whenever you want it just stop by and I’ll treat you. I can even have Michael do the massage for you.” Wiggling her eyebrows at Jasmine. “He’s super fine and he’s very good with his hand.” Liv grinned at Jasmine, she wiggled her fingers. “Well that’s not really my style. I mostly plan to annoy him to death until he signs the divorce papers. Grabbing him by the balls to tell him my terms and conditions seems like it’s asking for trouble honestly considering the whole cop situation.” Liv explained. While she would have loved to do that and to force him to listen to her for once, it was also the quickest way to end herself up in gain. “No? I have no idea who he is.” Shaking her head at Jasmine’s words, it seemed that Jacen’s identity was half the battle lately. “Maybe he just thought that I was the prettiest and the richest? Who knows.” Rolling her eyes at the thought, it was probably because she was the easiest to con. “That works for me.” Smiling over at Jasmine sweetly. “His name was Jay. Listen I know it’s dumb, but he was the boy I lost my virginity to. We were young and dumb and I— I don’t know. In love? Maybe? I mean I loved him for what I could at thirteen. We spent the summer together and some of the fall. His mom had always worked for my family so we had access to each other and I don’t know. I was thirteen and all my friends bragged about how they lost their virginity so I stopped him and welp— we kinda went from there. He passed though when my families house got attacked. He was the boy who pushed me in the wall and closed the door behind me so Damien and I could make it out. He saved me.” Feeling a sadness wash over her as she told the story of Jay and she touched her necklace. Playing with the pendant that had belonged to her mom, she looked down at it sadly. “Hey you never know you and The Rock might still have a chance. He’s still alive.” She pointed out. She did her best to lift her spirits so she wasn’t focused on what had happened in her past. “He’s not the worst man I’ve work up next to. He’s attractive, but his shitty personality takes all of that away. I have no idea what is plan is or if he even has one. Honestly at this point I think he refuses to divorce me because if he doesn’t then at least he always has someone.”

Jasmine playfully rolled her eyes when the other woman wiggled her brows at her. “So define super fine. What’s he look like? But I’m very okay with this. I’ll come down and even if he wasn’t super fine, I’d pretend he was.” She shook her head when Liv mentioned that her husband was a cop again. “I mean he’s out here blackmailing and stealing and breaking and entering so…game recognize game.” She could see how someone would target Liv. She did sort of scream well off, pretty girl. “Some people do their homework one people before they con them, so he very well could have.” Jasmine smiled when the other woman started talking about her past. “So y’all had that puppy love that turned sort of tragic.I can see it. At thirteen and thinking someone is the one for what you could then. That’s kind of sweet but I’m sorry you never got your happy ending.” She leaned over and hugged her, giving her a gentle squeeze. “Not at thirteen and not even as an adult have I thought yes he’s the one I want to marry. But you had your life more thought out at that age than I did if you were thinking about marriage.” She knew it was just young love, but still it was true. Jasmine laughed. “I’d have to be ready to become a step mother to all his kids. I’m not so sure he’s leaving his…girlfriend or wife I don’t know, for me,” she joked. “You ever thought about actually asking him what his end game is? Or is it just you giving him money?”

“I can’t even lie, that would kind of be amazing. Like, imagine that there’s that one person that actually wore earplugs somewhere in the background who’s just like ‘wow! what talent!’ and they choose to sign you but if you ever make an album they put in big red letters use on stereos only with earplugs because you’re only meant to be muffled,” she said despite how ridiculous the idea sounded after she had actually said it. “I don’t blame you, to be honest. I’ve always wondered how it feels to have to conceal them from the world since it must not be comfortable?” She asked curiously since she didn’t really have that kind of issue herself as a wolf. “I mean, why not,” she laughed softly, “I think it would be something that would fly off the shelves. But with that kind of thing I would hope it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands because some people are hella shady, if you get what I mean.”

“I’d take a muffled singing career over no singing career any day,” she admitted. But she knew from the moment she had wings that she was never going to be  a famous singer. “I just would never be able to perform live, unless at the concerts they wore some earplugs.” Just the thought made her laugh. “Oh, it’s not. I let them out all the time at home when I can, but it’s like this annoying itch you can’t scratch type feel, but I never let it get to the point it’s painful. Fuck everyone if they think I’m going to hurt myself to conceal who I am just to make them feel better.” Jasmine had to agree. “Oh people will definitely take things and twist the original intent into something that it wasn’t meant for. Something that would be fun between supernaturals would turn into a platform to spread hate too.”

“I- I’m sorry?” Gemma tried her best to hide her laughter by clamping her hands over her mouth as she spoke. She really did feel bad, but what could she say? That radio show segment was genius, not to mention funny. “Wait! No! Please visit. You don’t have to go in the water. You can just lay out and get a tan?”

Jasmine lightly bumped her with her hip. “We both know you find this amusing. It’s okay. Knowledge is power and I plan to empower the ignorance of those that think it’s okay to do nasty things in community areas. It’ll give a break to me talking about other injustices in favor of this. I can start with baby steps. Maybe I don’t change the world, maybe I just change the way people use the public pool.” She might actually feel accomplished by that. “Okay, I’ll come out just to keep you company. Are there no kinds of bodily fluid indicator chemicals that just kind of light up.” Maybe she was trying to live in 3018 with that idea.

“I know you’re trying to bug me right now, but honestly I’d kinda love that,” He laughed, knocking her hands away from his face as he reached over and playfully pinched the girl’s sides. “The look on the poor EMT receptionist’s face when they have to deal with you,” He grinned over at her. “Yeah, well, excuse me for assuming you’d be all about consent, but nope. Instead I’m getting your blood forced upon me.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s how most people look when they have to have a war of words with me. Here this bitch comes. Because you let the store not accept my coupons…I will stand in that line all day arguing about my right to use all of my coupons. So I wish a receptionist would try me.” She shook her head at his words. “Normally, I am all about consent. But when you’re just being stubborn and it’s life or death, I’m going to force you because I like having you around. But that’s enough mush for one day. And I might never say that again, so enjoy it.”

“I mean probably not, but hey it’s okay. At least you’re not singing right now.” Serena shrugged. When Jasmine asked if the first harpy was nice Serena gave a forced laugh. “I mean she wasn’t not nice, but I also think she stole my watch.” Looking down at her wrist which was still empty and missing her pink apple watch. “Trust me it’s not because the singing isn’t pretty, it is. That’s pretty much the problem is it keeps entrancing me then my watch goes missing because a pretty girl sung it off of me.” Smiling at Jasmine stretching out her wings, she admired how beautiful they were. “Your wings are beautiful.” She commented, she continued to stare at them. “Are you sure about that? I mean I don’t have much left to take anymore. I mean you can have my phone but the most it has is like one dick picture that I didn’t ask for and a couple silly text message. Oh and I have a piece of gum, but that’s not really any value at all.” Serena joked. She pulled out the piece of gum for Jasmine, she offered it to her. 

Jasmine actually snorted when she said that someone had stolen her watch. “Wow…the full moon is crazy as fuck. We really out here entrancing and robbing people. Girl…just don’t come out on the full moon. How did you not even realize it was gone?” She could laugh because it wasn’t her. Had it been, she’d be right now ready to throw hands about her belongings. “Thanks. I’d offer to take you flying, but I feel like your faith in harpies is gone and I might drop you to your death. I won’t, but after the night you’ve had…I wouldn’t trust me either.”  Jasmine wanted to laugh again but she refrained. “I’m good. I don’t need any gum. Or your phone. I’ve got my own. You headed somewhere because I’ll buy you a burger or a drink. Your choice I feel like you need it.”

“Oh. No. I’m so sorry. That just… sucks.  And yeahhhh, sure. It’s a lot better?” She tried to sound optimistic, before quickly adding, “Maybe make four showers. With extra soap and lots of it.”

“I’m currently rethinking every visiting the pool again,” she said feeling dirtier than she ever had. “I should throw this floatie away right now…suddenly everything that touch the water must go…I’m not about it. Not even a little. I feel a new radio segment coming on called people do better. Up first on the docket…please keep all bodily fluids to yourself when in a community pool. No. Just…no no. I quit. I can’t visit you at the pool anymore.”

“You don’t mean that,” He told her with a knowing smile, reaching out and catching her hand as she made her way across the threshold. “I mean I’d be welcome to find more things I can ruin for you?” He teased, his hands settling around her waist as he brought her closer into his side. “But, as for the distraction, how about we get out of here and I can show your something, you hopefully have never done before?”

She shook her head with a laugh. “I don’t, not at all.” Jasmine grinned at his words. She was definitely not opposed to him finding more things to ruin. “I’m most definitely not going to complain if you do. I’ll add it to the list, see just how many things you can ruin for me.” Jasmine definitely wasn’t going to turn that down. She actually found it fun, being reminded of him just by every day means like pot racks. She looked up at him with a smile as he pulled her closer. “Sounds good to me. Even if I have somehow done this mystery thing before, would it be better to pretend I haven’t?”

“Okay. Welp, in that case, thanks Jas. In case of emergencies, you got it. I’ll even make you my ICE contact in my phone, how about that?” He told her with a little smile. “And that right there was an image I never needed in my life, so thanks for that,” He said grimacing slightly at the thought.

“That’s right, make me an ICE so I can come kick some ass if someone messes with my Noahkins.” She reached up and pinched his cheek just to annoy him. That was one of her favorite pastimes. She burst into laughter at his grimace. “No one told you to picture it. You did that all on your own. I just said it that’s all.”

“You forgot wheel chairs,” He chuckled, giving her a teasingly look as he held the door open for her. “Happy to be of service, my lady,” He teased some more, a huge smile forming across his lips that he just couldn’t seem to shake as he looked over at her.

“You know what…you and this smugness! That’s the reason I can’t watch White Chicks anymore. They get to that line about wheelchairs, and I just turn the whole movie off.” When he said happy to be of service she laughed, shaking her head as she walked across the threshold. “You know what, I can’t stand you.” She said it so lightheartedly with a grin on her face she knew he had to know she was kidding. “I was actually trying to think up topics for the show, and then when I found myself listing off things that you’ve ruined for me, I knew I had to give you a piece of my mind.” Jasmine’s words were such a stark contrast to her smiling demeanor. “So, I volunteer you to brainstorm with me…or distract me whichever comes first since you were already distracting me without even being there.”

To be fair, he had asked for advice, so Pax couldn’t really be annoyed that she’d given it to him. Jasmine was always completely sure of herself. He’d listened to her radio show for almost as long as she’d had it, and though he had a difficult time reconciling her views with what he’d been raised with, he had to hand it to her— she knew what she was talking about. She was more passionate about her cause than Pax could ever remember being passionate about anything in his life, and that, in and of itself, was admirable. 

“You did that, bish,” he echoed, with emphasis, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he smiled at her. “It kind of did. I don’t know, I’m putting the work in, and I want this… I just don’t know if I’ll ever care about anything the way you care about what you do.” 

Jasmine grinned when Paxton echoed her words. “It actually works. Stand in front of the mirror one day and give yourself a pep talk. You’ll be surprised how much better you feel after. You can break yourself down and you can also build yourself up. Other people’s words can hurt, but your words hurt worse and it works the other way too. Because you can’t escape you. You’re with you 24/7.” That was a lesson she had to learn to even be who she is today. She had to love herself, to empower herself because no one else in the world was going to do that for her. “That’s because it’s deep rooted and it’s bigger than me. I grew up feeling small and unheard and by high school, I never wanted to feel that way again. So I empowered myself to speak for all the people that don’t have a voice.” Her passion was people. She could do it on television, on a billboard, in writing, she didn’t care what avenue it came as long as she could empower others, educate and speak up for the little people. “What do you care about?” She asked him then. “What’s a topic you can talk about for hours on end? It can be anything.”

“Entranced,” Sophie repeated with a small shake of the head because she didn’t want to ever experience that again but that seemed like it was far too wishful of thinking. “I mean, from what I managed to hear it at least sounded lovely. The side effects are what I’m not a fan of so I couldn’t even enjoy it. You don’t really have to make it up to me but if you happened to be interested in buying burgers, I wouldn’t be opposed to getting one,” she suggested, smiling at the woman as she quickly added, “Maybe you should make some yourself. I’m sure it’d be profitable to some extent.”

“That is the downside. I can never try my luck on American Idol,” she joked. “Or I mean I could but I’m sure I’d get voted off on the account of no one being able to actually move or vote.” She actually laughed as she imagined it. “Burgers it is! I was just out and about anyway, enjoying the full moon and the chance to walk around wings out and all.” Jasmine’s laugh came back at the suggestion. “Oh, I’d make them for all species. Because I’m pretty sure there’s an I’m sorry this is a side effect of what I am needed for every species.”

“I know you guys do which is why I love you both so much. Seriously– this was extremely nice of you guys and I owe you both one.” Both Astrid and Jasmine were beyond generous for letting Liv spend the night with them. “I mean he’s a royal pain in my ass and he wants his money, which he thinks he’s going to get if he steals everything out of my apartment. Little does he know I still refuse to give him the money.” Sighing as she ran a hand through her hair. “I mean that’s the plan? Move in and take up all of his space and annoy him until he decides to sign the divorce papers. Honestly I don’t know why he doesn’t just go to the bank and take the money out, but he’s hell bent on me writing him a check.” When Jacen had promised to make her life hell she wasn’t expecting him to raise the stakes by taking everything out of her apartment, but here they were. “Well I have every Sunday off and most Saturdays I just go and pick up the money. Seriously though we should do a weekly dinner every Wednesday or Thursday.” If she was going to be living with the demon she called a husband then she was going to need the support of her girls more than ever. “I’m not. Honestly– I’ve talked about marriage once and I was like thirteen almost fourteen? It’s not like I actively ever wanted to be married or that I tried to be. I just know I was super drunk and probably cocked out and on some other substances honestly. The next thing i know I’m waking up to Mr. Blonde Stranger in bed with me and he’s telling me that he’s my husband. He says that I begged him to be married and that it wasn’t even apart of his original plan. I don’t know why I would have begged anyone to be married honestly. It just doesn’t seem like a me thing.” 

“Hit me up with a free massage at the spa and we can call it even,” she said with a grin. She was all about free. That was one of her favorite words. “Hold your ground. I’d never let anyone, especially a man try to blackmail me into anything, especially my money. He didn’t put in on it, he’s not getting a cent. I’d grab him by the balls and tell him my terms and conditions.” The whole situation baffled Jasmine. She didn’t understand why the two wouldn’t just end it all, granted she was a stubborn woman so she wouldn’t have signed over any money either. “So you don’t know him, but he wants you personally to sign over the money…so why you? I’m sure there were other drunk woman around,” Jasmine pointed out. “I’m good for a weekly dinner on one of those days. Why don’t we say either or which ever one we’re not busiest on we know we have a backup day?” she asked, knowing that in life things could come up so having a back up day was perfect. “Damn, who were you trying to marry back then? I was trying to marry The Rock back then. But just like now, I’ve never met him and he doesn’t know I exist.” She gave a dramatic sigh, but laughed at her own antics. “Is he at least good looking or are you waking up to a boogawolf? What was his plan then? Why did he even have a plan?”

Juliet’s full moon activities were usually low key.  She usually didn’t spend much time out and about.  She wasn’t young anymore and was perfectly happy to stay in with a book.  Yet she was still out there and found herself watching the girl.  When she spoke, Juliet shook her head.  “I’m fine,” she assured her.  “I guess the full moon makes everyone do crazy things.”  And reckless things, but she kept that thought to herself.

“That’s an understatement. For some people it makes them shift into wolves…for me…I get the intense urge to sing…even more intense than the one I live with every day. But it’s the full moon, so it’s more acceptable to sing like a nut in the streets, living life like it’s a musical for a night.”

Serena had managed to get away from one siren tonight, but before she realized she was being pulled in by another. She found herself watching the other woman with wide eyes and a smile on her face. Listening to the blissful music fill her ears while she watched her spin around the light pole. When she stopped sining though and apologize Serena shook her head and blinked a few times. “I’m fine.” Rubbing her temples on both sides, she felt a killer headache coming on from all of the singing. “Just– you’re the second one that’s got me tonight. I really need to invest in ear plugs or I don’t know stab my ear drum out.” She commented, she put her hands over her ears. Trying to shake the music that was still playing over and over in her head out. “It’s cool though let me make about twenty feet away, then you can sing happily all over town.”

The harpy actually laughed at the situation. She hadn’t meant to. “Would it make you feel better if I said it was completely accidental. The urge to sing on the full moon is so intense for me that I can’t help it. I got it out of my system,” she lied. She didn’t. That urge would never be completely out, but she didn’t plan on entrancing random people on the street anymore tonight. “Was the first at least nice?” Jasmine shrugged. “A lesser person may be mad that you want to stab your ear drums out because they’re singing. A petty person might even sing some more, but I’m in a good moon on this full moon, and as long as I’ve got my wings out,” she said as her wings suddenly appeared outstretched, “I’m good. You’re safe. I’ll keep to my rap playlist, I can do that at least without entrancing you,” she joked.