& sweet like lemonade.

‘I’ve got to slow down with these coffees’ Olivia thought to herself, grabbing what was probably the third coffee of her day and sighing as she continued to scroll through her phone. No one told her graduating from university and being so damn adamant that she was able to open her own business on her own. Heading out of the door, she took a sip of her coffee and stopped short seeing someone, barely bumping into them. “Holy shit! My bad! I’m so sorry!” Liv quickly apologized, hoping she hadn’t ruined anyone’s clothes or day for that matter. “I was into my phone! I’m so sorry!”

Normally, Daisy liked to make her own coffee in the mornings at home. Home....as in inside Wendy. Not only was it cheaper, she was able to make it the way she liked, without anybody screwing it up. Sadly, she had been out of all of the ingredients to make her beloved iced coffee. So, she made her way to the Grind to get some much needed caffeine. Just as she was about to make her way through the doors, she had a close encounter with someone else. Thank god she didn’t drop her drink, she paid way too much for it. 

“Oh nah, you’re good, shit happens,” she shook her head.

Claudia cringed a little but because she would honestly hate that. It was one of the reasons she loved New York so much. The people and the culture. People who were kicked out of small town’s like Daisy’s came here to find love and acceptance. Claudia found herself surrounded by that everyday. “I won’t rip you off. You’re mad cool. If you were super weird and dumb, I would probably try to do that though.” Claudia took a hit and passed the joint back to Daisy. “And you know…towns like those are sometimes hard to leave. What do you think was the hardest part about moving from a small town to a big city?” She wondered, running her hands through her hair. 

“Thanks, I try to be friendly to everybody and I know that my way of living is a bit eccentric and might make people turn the other way,” she chucked as her fingers clasp onto the blunt once more. Daisy took a second hit, this time for a few more seconds. She laid her head down on her seat, taking a moment to think of a response to Claudia’s question. “Hmmm.....I guess it would either have to be just the complete culture shock or how much more freedom I feel like I have? Like I went from a place where everybody was pretty much the same, to meeting people from all different walks of life. That, and there is just so much more to do and places to see. My days used to always be the same, a strict routine. Now? It’s so much more different.”

“Well, are you from one of those really small hick towns where like everyone is the same?” She asked, chuckling a little. She hoped she didn’t take offense to that, but Daisy seemed like the type that wasn’t fond of her hometown anyway. Claudia passed the blunt over to the other woman. “What do you think? I mean, it’s quality weed. Roman really has a green thumb.” She took the blunt back from Daisy and took a few tokes, coughing a little when it burned her throat. 

“Unfortunately, yes. My town is just about 99% filled with very narrow minded, republicans. It sounds just as bad as it was,” the curly headed brunette recalls her life prior to traveling. It was....very closed off, boring, and mundane. At this point, she would be okay with never returning. “It’s solid. I would totally buy more. I’m not really picky when it comes to my weed, just as long as it’s decent quality and I’m not getting ripped off with cheap shit. You feel me?”

“Oh you mean the hat?” Rae laughed. “This is all me, I told Allister I was gonna dress up as a slutty version of him and he didn’t believe me, but here I am!” she giggled. “I even have boots, see?” she did a little twirl in her get-up. “Did I nail it?” 

“Well, the cowgirl hat is pretty cute, and so are the shoes, but you need some real one’s,” she pointed out. Daisy couldn’t count how many cowgirl boots she had gotten over the years as a child, but it was probably well over a dozen. They were always high quality too. “I say it’s an honest effort, with what you had to work with.”

“Well, they say not all who wander are lost.” Parker added. Just because someone didn’t have a set location for their adventure doesn’t mean there’s something amiss, hell, people travel europe all the time with no real plan - Parker wondered why people thought any different when it was in america. 

“I wouldn’t mind that in the least-” Parker airdropped her contact info the Daisy’s phone. “Give me a call if you need anything - we have a space you can park if you get kicked out of here. It’s safe and I won’t charge you anything.” She waved her hand as if to defend from the thought. She had lived in a van with her dad for a bit before they left Seattle, it was hard for the two of them to find a safe spot so she knew how it was. 

“Oh fuck, I would love that! I’m still trying to look for safe places I can park her to sleep at night. I would appreciate that so much,” Daisy confesses to the other girl. She already felt like she could trust Parker and knowing she had a place she could take Wendy to at night make her anxiety a little less bad. “I’ve been afraid of her getting broken into because I’m not used to the city fully yet, so that would be super dope. I can buy you coffee and shit in return or something?”

“I knew everyone back in Miami. At least everyone from my neighborhood, which was one of the reasons I decided I needed a change.” There were a lot of reasons as to why Claudia left Miami. She wouldn’t get into all of them now so as to not scare off her new friend. “My prices are fair. But this bud is amazing. It goes for $35 for an eighth. But it’s worth it. Promise. Here.” Claudia lit up and took a hit, then passed the joint over to the other.

“Same here, I could never be one of those people who stay in their hometown forever. I think I would go crazy,” Daisy admitted. At one point, she thought that was going to be her reality. But, she had to take the first scary step and do something that would make her happy, not others. “Oh shit, 35 dollars? That’s not bad at all, let me give it a try,” she nods her head as she takes the blunt and draws it to her lips. Inhaling, she then exhaled the smoke and let it fill up the  are around them. “Yeah, this is pretty damn good. I’ll have to defiantly get some for myself.”

“It’s a great one - I’m sure you get this all the time, but if she’s Wendy are you one of the lost boys?” Parker chuckled, knowing it was a stupid joke. Parker reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. 

“Listen, I know it’s weird to give your number to someone you just met but I have a lot of classic cars and camper vans that come through the garage and leave a lot of shit behind, usually we take them to the free market. - but if you’re interested I could let you know if we have any customers that leave one behind? They pretty much just splurge and buy a new one, I don’t know how they just spend their money like that, but that’s besides the point.” She smirked. 

“I guess you could say I’m lost? I’ve always have been looking for a destination with no ending,” she jokes right back. Daisy had spent the last few years just out on the open road, seeing where her van would take her. She didn’t have any formal plans, maybe not until now? She nods her head as she listens to Park. “Nah, you’re not weird. I’d appreciate that. Shit, maybe you’ll become new go to mechanic. I already feel like you won’t rip me the hell off, considering you’re already wanting to hook me up like this.”

Rae was dancing - it was her night off, after all. Blue was one of her favorite spots, and sometimes it was better than Throuple because not everyone knew her. She’d only had a drink and a half, and the night was still young. She spotted a familiar, beautiful face near her and smirked as she made her approach, “Hey, Daisy, right? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you here before.” 

@kingsborodaisy​​​

Daisy had decided to drop off an application at Blue and have a few drinks. Sure, it was a Monday but who cared? She lived far from a normal, structured life. The girl placed her first drink order when she was approached by somebody else. “Oh yo, yeah.....uh Rae - right? I think. I’m Daisy though, yup. I’ve only been here once or twice, I’m still trying to decide my favorite place to get tipsy. I like the vibe here, very yeehaw.”

“Her name’s Wendy, huh? That’s a great one, fitting.” Parker complimented. She glanced inside Daisy’s van, noting it was small yet spacious and organized. “Have you thought about a cargo box for the roof? I have an old one that I used for camping and it was a life saver, it might be nice for bulkier items.” She said, realizing that she was likely now being overly chatty.

“Georgia?” She asked. “You’re a long way from home, how’re you liking Kingsboro?”

“Her name is Wendy. I kind of came up with that name on a whim, but I find it fitting,” she laughs. Her eyebrows raise at the mention of a cargo box. “You know, I haven’t. That’s actually a really good idea. I might look more into it. I like to think I’m a decently handy person and maybe I can find something like it for cheap on facebook market place or ebay?” the southern girl shrugged her shoulders. “I’ve been enjoying it so far, this place is pretty dope.”

“Then New York must be a big change for you.” She nodded. “Even going from Miami to New York was a huge culture shock and they are both pretty big cities. Miami and New York have completely different vibes.” The artist shrugged. “i’m so down to share…” She began, climbing into the van without an invitation in typical Claudia fashion. “And if you like this bud and don’t have a dealer here yet, I sell my friend’s weed that he grows on his own so it’s fire weed.” She smiled widely, pulling out the joint to light it. 

“It has been quite the change, but something that I personally needed,” she replied. “Coming from a town where I literally knew everyone to a city where I didn’t know a soul? It can be a little scary,” Daisy admitted as she climbed into the van, closing the door and plopping down on her front seat. “I don’t have a dealer here yet, so I’d be down to checking him out. Are the prices fair? Your girl is still on a bit of a budget until I find more steady work,” she giggles. 

“I’m not sure honestly, I’ve never really asked if something like that was possible.” Humming softly, he tilted his head as he began to think if something like that could happen. “I’d have to see also if my boyfriends job could be done remotely. He’s a bartender so the only thing that could maybe work is if he tells other bartenders how to make drinks. I don’t think I’d last the trip without him to be honest with you. It would feel weird not seeing him almost everyday.”

“Doesn’t hurt if you ask? What kind of teacher are you?” she asked the boy. Daisy would go insane if she had to stay in the same place for too long. She was actually kind of shocked she had been staying in the city for as long as she has. Normally by now, she was already on her way to a whole other state. “Well, that is when things do get kind of tough. Usually I would stay in the same city for a few months and say up enough cash to be able to jump from one city to another for a little bit until I ran out of money. Usually I always picked a major city to have a temporary job, places are always hiring you know?”

ben was a bit of a night owl. most of his nights after closing up shop consisted of aimlessly wandering around kingsboro and making acquaintances with the shadows that passed him in the streets. the city looked different at night. it felt different too. new york was never quiet, and some neighborhoods in kingsboro were livelier at night than they were in the day. but ben always felt a quiet sort of peace on his evening walks. but there was a loneliness too, a loneliness that sometimes was a little more than he could stand, so ben often went out of his way to meet as many new and interesting people as possible or even catch up with old friends. tonight was no different. “cigarette?” ben offered in way of greeting.

Daisy was taking a night ride around the city in Wendy. While nothing truly compared to the country side, there was a peaceful that came to the city at this time of the day. Even for a city that never ‘sleeps’, it did slow down a bit when everything was closed until the morning. She turned a corner and was stopped at a stop sign when she heard a voice asking her a question. Rolling down her window, she stuck her head out. 

“Well, I’m not about to say no to a free smoke,” she replied. “What brings you out here at this time of night anyways?”