against the grain

“Oh no, I don’t at all. There is really nothing more satisfying to me then having the person see me throw it away a few feet away,” she gave him a cheeky smile.

“Oh I see... so you’re just plain evil. How’d I never see this before?”

“I can’t promise that they’ll be informative or… I don’t know, good? But I’d do it if you actually needed me to.” Jaylen had been around in her life for long enough. It he really did need her to something - even if it would have been a mess- she would have at least tried. “I would love a sandwich and a few cups of coffee. Let’s do it.”

“I’m not sure I can lean on you at all if you can’t promise them to be informative,” Jaylen laughed, shaking his head. “A few cups, huh? That kind of day?” He grinned, beginning up the road.

“Well maybe don’t put that in the next pamphlet, it will definitely end up on the ground.” Bridget grinned with a shrug. “They’re just fun ya know? Anyway.. what are you up to? Just handing these out?”

“Seems like you’ve got plenty of ideas. Maybe you should be in charge of what goes into the next pamphlet,” Jaylen teased with a little smirk. “They are pretty fun,” he admitted with a little laugh. “I was actually just about to take a lunch break if you feel like grabbing a sandwich?”

“I thought we were living in the internet age.” Her brows tugged together as she thought about it for a moment.

“Are you trying to tell me paper is obsolete?”

“There are a lot of us shallow folks out there and we are very easy to manipulate with faces like this,” her free hand gave his cheek a little pinch. “Must have been really bad. But your bad taste kept you single long enough so I should be glad.”

“Mmm... and somehow I’m using this face for more selfish things with you,” he feigned a little disappointment with himself. His smile was never far off with her. It was a little surreal how seamlessly they seemed to fit together. “Maybe I’ll go back to that look. See if you like me enough to stick with me through it.”

“Wow saving the planet is a real downer sometimes.” Bridget laughed. “You know.. even as I said it I realized it was a bad idea but I just kind of went with it to see if you’d agree.”

“Sometimes? Bridget... it is a real downer literally all of the time,” Jaylen laughed with her, letting a little sigh out with a shrug. “Everyone likes a skywriter, I get it,” he chuckled.

“Not talking about the papermills. I’m talking about you activists who think you can guilt people into your ways with a cute little slogan on a folded sheet.”

“I guess I just view it more as informing than guilting,” he shrugged. “If you feel guilty after looking at facts - is that my fault?”

“I just think a man so beautiful could talk me into supporting any cause,” she said hopelessly, a faint laugh following as her arm moved to hug him as well as they walked. “Really?” Cobie asked, shocked. “Were you ugly then?”

“I’m not sure that everyone is quite as shallow as you,” he mused, smile small as it played up his lips. “I’m not sure, but I was dressed worse, maybe that had some kind of effect.”

“Maybe there should be more recycling cans lying around, ever thought of that?” Bridget took the pamphlet from him so that she could throw it away herself and he would feel less sad about it. “You should hire a skywriter, that’s probably the way.”

“I have, yeah. Except honestly recycling cans around cities can be a huge waste because people just throw trash in them and then they’ve got to just trash it,” he shrugged. “Don’t you think the fuel for a skywriter is a little counterintuitive?” He gave a little amused smile and tilted his head.

“Maybe it’s a commentary or a piece of performance art or something.” Bridget suggested gently and took the pamphlet from Jaylen to look at. “These are really nice, I’m sure plenty of other people kept theirs.”

“Or maybe it’s people just to lazy to find a recycling can,” he chuckled and shrugged. “I don’t think pamphlets are the way to change the world, sadly,” he chuckled.

“Maybe if you were the one personally handing them out they would be less likely to litter.”

“What makes you think that?” Jaylen asked with a brow raise, his arm settling back around her waist as he continued up the street. “Cause I used to hand these things out all over town and I’m pretty sure it was the same result.” He chuckled.

“I blame the ones who mad the pamphlet any way. Shouldn’t you be about saving the trees?”

“Most paper mills are planting three for every one they cut down nowadays. Gotta know your enemy, Berns.”

“Well, when I see a friend buy something I’ll give it to them.”

“How quickly you forget about us little people,” Jaylen shook his head in disappointment.

“As long as you are ready to have the most expensive smoothie of your life.”

“What ever happened to the friends and family discount?”

It was so hard being there since things changed between them. It wasn’t that she didn’t genuinely enjoy her other friends. It was just that so many of these nights involved him. All the memories were with him. Now she felt like an acquaintance sitting next to him when he used to be the first person she looked for. “You know you could have just said nothing.” Without thought she stole his water taking a drink. “I wouldn’t be surprised if one day she just buys herself her own engagement ring.”

He noticed her taking the water, it stood out as different to him, it stood out as something that he never would have noticed before, but did now. It made his chest ache a bit, feeling the weight of the canyon between them now, but he played it off like he didn’t think twice about it. “I’m pretty sure she’s pushing the joint bank accounts just to get the done with his money,” he shrugged, a little amused smile, turning back to her. “I’m glad you made it tonight, wasn’t sure you would.” He didn’t really know himself if he meant that genuinely, but he also felt no pull to say it.

“You can sample whatever you want. But if you start eating the whole cart, I’m going to get suspicious,” he gestured to the display of produce.

“And what if I bring a blender and start going to town here, that cool?” He jested.