okay, sure.

Blake attempted to seem disinterested, but the idea of performative poetry always fascinated him. He couldn’t imagine being in a place where he would feel comfortable sharing his work, let alone reading it aloud. It seemed the bravest thing anyone could possibly do. “And,” Blake started. “Is there, like, a cover or something? To get in?”

the   bitterness   of   his   words   feels   like   a   blade   aimed   to   pierce   right   through   her   ,   yet   she   knows   by   now   to   deflect   emotions   by   putting   up   a   well   guarded   front   .   teeth   sink   deep   into   her   bottom   lip   as   a   means   of   damage   control   ,   before   the   girl   shoves   her   mobile   phone   down   the   lower   pocket   of   her   backpack   and   though   her   eyes   are   no   longer   occupied   ,   her   gaze   remains   locked   .   ‘   at   least   i’m   good   at   it   ,   unlike   some   .   ’   milla   shoots   back   ,   head   tilting   towards   him   to   make   sure   he’s   fully   aware   who   it   is   she’s   referring   to   .   the   very   fact   that   he   proceeds   to   further   explain   his   actions   truly   hurts   more   than   any   words   of   hostility   against   her   ,   because   it   reminds   her   precisely   why   he’s   better   off   without   her   after   all   .   his   psyche   is   pure   and   no   matter   who   asks   for   his   help   ,   kymani   backs   them   up   ,   while   on   the   other   hand   ,   all   she   could   ever   do   was   inflict   pain   and   let   him   down   .   ‘   well   ,   you’re   doing   it   wrong   .   ’   the   brunette   exclaims   ,   before   hopping   to   her   feet   and   standing   beside   him   ,   barely   catching   a   glimpse   of   his   features   .   ‘   if   you   want   people   to   go   ,   you   gotta   do   better   than   that   .   ’   her   tone   is   sharp   ,   but   softens   up   as   she   approaches   the   next   passer   by   ,   hand   gently   cupping   their   elbow   .   ‘   hey   ,   i   have   this   poetry   slam   i   wanna   go   to   ,   but   my   date   cancelled   and   you’re   my   only   hope   .   ’   only   a   few   minutes   later   ,   she   emerges   victorious   and   turns   to   face   him   .   ‘   see   ,   not   that   hard   .   ’

     with no big plans for the evening, silas was on his way to order some takeout and curl up with a movie for the night. he’d had a few offers for some events, just parties, but he wasn’t feeling anything too high energy. the week had drained him, and the little sleep he’d gotten last night meant that he wasn’t really in the mood to rage until the sun came up. it’s only when he sees ky that silas pauses, unable to help watching curiously and cringing internally when he sees someone walk off mid-conversation. it makes him nervous, honestly, to approach ky. in fact, he’s not sure ky wants to talk to him at all –- he wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t. but something about the desperation in his voice makes silas feel a little bad, and he cares, so how can he walk by like he doesn’t? he clears his throat as he gets closer, hoping to make his presence known. “ everything okay? ” he looks at the flyer ky’s holding and it makes more sense. he tries to offer to help invite people, but both of them know silas is hands down incapable of approaching people like that. it’s more more ky’s speed. still, he thinks it’s the polite thing to do. “ are people not showing up? do you.. need help? ”

  kymani did all but jump when he heard silas' voice, not expecting it in the slightest. while they were what he considered to be friends, maybe best friends? best friends that used to kiss each other and now don't really seem to ever be alone together? not in a meaningful way anymore at least. they didn't see each other nearly as much as friends should and that was to kymani's dismay. "oh, uh, yeah, i'm fine, it's fine." he immediately assured, though at the current moment he wasn't sure anything was fine. his event was going to be a fail, no one would ever trust him to host anything and his life would be ruined. this would be the worst year of his university life and he hadn't even been cheated on this time, what a cruel world. he wanted to share these thoughts, these worries with his friend so bad, wanted to just fall into his arms. he doesn't. "i've been pretty vocal on social media about this event i'm hosting," he reaches out his hand to offer a poster to his ex friend, pal, buddy. it was completely the kind of thing ky wanted him around, other artists, filling each other's cups. he could think of many events just like this one they had gone to, sitting together so close. ky had always thought that silas deserved to be up on stage with all the people they'd admire but would gladly settle for them sitting together, watching together. "but i thought, hit the pavement, show my face around, hopefully get some interest. no one seems to care about young poets though." a fact he'd known well from his own writing. he knew his face was probably in a pout now, thinking about the others' crushed spirits. he could remember countless times he had told silas he was feeling the same way, defeated, let down by the cold, harsh world. he could remember times he had just held the other and cried. now though, he straightened himself out. "i won't say no to help though! with a face like yours maybe someone will come?" it was sweet of him to offer, though kymani knew this kind of thing was so far left with what silas was usually comfortable with. maybe that's what he was missing though, the handsome, quiet approach. "maybe you could sit on a bench with a sexy brood and hand some out to whoever approaches you?" he thought he knew his friend's strengths well, and his face was one of them, no denying it.

                        in  a  world  that  spun  and  spun  and  spun  far  too  fast  for  axel  to  find  her  footing,  it  seemed  to  slow  down  just  a  fraction  when  she  was  looking  at  it  through  the  tiny  viewfinder  of  a  minolta  x-370.  standing  on  a  wrought  iron  bench,  eyes  hidden  from  the  world  -  one  shut  tight  and  the  other  focused  on  finding  what  others  would  normally  overlook  .  the  shutter  is  quick  ,  barely  making  a  sound  but  it  captures  the  perfect  moment  of  rejection  ,  annoyance  and  maybe  a  touch  of  defeat  as  she  lets  a  smile  overtake  her  features  ,  amusement  being  verified  by  the  sound  that  tumbles  out  of  her  lips  .  she  hops  down  from  the  bench  ,  walking  up  to  the  male  ,  the  camera  slings  from  her  neck  and  moves  with  fluidity  with  her  with  every  step  she  takes  ,  “  you  look  the  complete  OPPOSITE  of  a  good  time  ,  more  like  … .  those  guys  who  try  to  HUSTLE  you  into  buying  shitty  hair  products  in  the  middle  of  the  mall  .  ”    her  head  crooks  to  the  side  slightly  ,  taking  the  male  in  ,  “  i’ll  PLAY  a  little  ,  though    –  tell  me  ,  what  am  i  doing  TONIGHT  ?  ”

He stared, confused, but it lasted only about a split second until he realized how that must have sounded. Brady’s gaze broke and he shook his head. “Oh. No, dude — pics of him, in the part no one’s in.” Prime photo op spot, Brady had found, though evidently it wasn’t going to be necessary after all. Because Kymani has other plans. And, okay, maybe it didn’t sound like Brady’s typical idea of a perfect Saturday night, but he was all for supporting artists and all that shit. Plus, his friend had ‘bailed on him’ after all. “I mean… yeah, alright.” Brady shrugged, arms a little heavy as his body still slouched where he sat. Then he finally got all the way up, already missing his lowkey power nap on the bench, but he’d have had to get up at some point. “Wait, I don’t have to read anything, do I?” he clarified, holding out a hand slightly. “That’s not really my jam.”

Kymani couldn't think of anything more wonderful in the world than the fact that his housemate actually seemed interested! there would be at least one person in the audience and that was something! that was more than zero and that was a start. "reading, for a college student? i am no monster sir." he joked, winking at the other male. "you just have to sit and absorb the culture, easy peasy." truly, he had been more than worried no one would show up and the poor kids would be devestated and the owner would never host another poetry night and it would be all his fault. he was more than grateful for this start. "and the best part is that drinks will be half off, so you can get fulfilled and drunk at the same time." he had hoped the promise of fairly cheap alcohol would get more people interested but people had rejected before he could even get to that part.

perhaps   this   was   yet   another   one   of   his   selfless   act   for   the   better   of   someone   other   than   himself   and   yet   the   words   falling   from   his   lips   led   her   to   believe   otherwise   .   to   her   ,   kymani   was   asking   someone   out   and   the   very   fact   that   said   person   vanished   into   thin   air   uplifts   her   spirit   the   slightest   bit   ,   unable   to   hold   back   a   fit   of   bubbling   laughter   .   ‘   tough   luck   .   ’   the   girl   mutters   beneath   her   breath   ,   before   eyes   glue   on   the   screen   of   her   phone   in   an   attempt   to   avoid   further   contact   .   ‘   too   intense   ,   if   you   ask   me   .   i   know   a   thing   or   two   about   flirting   .   ’   she   blurts   out   as   a   sly   smirk   spreads   across   her   lips   .

of course he had noticed her before he had approached the other person. he had been doing his best to pretend she wasn't there, not that it worked. every time he saw her he remembered, was thrust into a forest on confusion and hurt. they hadn't really talked since they broke up, if you could call it that. he hadn't wanted to talk, thought she had made her feelings crystal clear, what else needed to be discussed? seeing her here after a hard day though, that was a delicious type of punishment, one he swore he didn't earn. and yet, here she was, looking fantastic, not making eye contact. close enough he could probably reach over, lift her chin, demand her attention like he had done countless times before. he doesn't though, of course not. "oh, i'm pretty sure everyone knows how much you like to flirt." wow, he didn't even mean for it to come out that way. he didn't think he was that bitter. he clears his throat, hes not trying to start an argument, not after the day he's had, not when he still has to host the event tonight. he doesn't think he could take it. "actually, i wasn't flirting. i'm advertising." he offers as a sort of apology for his semi-biting words. "there's this thing.." don't invite her, she won't want to come. "it's a poetry thing, not your scene. it's dumb. i'm hosting it , just hoping to get some butts in seats for some young local artists."

“A good time?” Blake asked, finding the statement rather comical considering the stack of recently purchased textbooks in his arms. He felt the furthest thing from a good time, but he supposed that only proved he needed it more than anything. “Why?” he asked. “Got something to offer that isn’t, don’t know, reading Yeats poetry until I start speaking in poetic stanzas?”

his eyes lit up at the possibility that someone was actually interested in listening to him. he had never felt as defeated as he did today. usually, he was easily able to get people on his side, he loved people. today though, people were weighing on him. "you know what's better than reading poetry? listening to it." he offered with a raise of his eyebrows, doing his best impression of someone a little more charming than himself. "who needs billy boy when you could be in the presence of living pre-legends, am i right?" he didn't understand how people could not be interested, any time he could listen to others souls he would, gladly.

Brady often sought solace outside after a night of getting super high and damn near suffocating in his room. He’d go sprawl out somewhere that was probably inappropriate to do so, but he did it anyway because, like… who was gonna stop him? In truth, no one really cared when they’d walk by his lanky ass lying across a bench with his arms behind his head. They probably thought he was passed out, but really he was just chilling. He tried not to be nosy, especially considering he just didn’t care what other people did, but sometimes there was no way to avoid it. For one, right now, he thought someone was talking to him. One blue eye popped open and Brady shifted, looking in the direction the sound came from and propping himself up. Nope, no one was talking to him. But… well, now he was just left to watch the dude get straight up ignored. And as much as Brady may not like to get into other people’s business, he wasn’t a total douche. With a huff, he pushed himself up all the way, ignoring the mild head rush from, like, probably not drinking enough water or whatever. “Hey,” he called out. He knew Kymani, lived in the same dorm, so he could at least throw him a damn bone. “You headed somewhere? Friend bailed on me,” he lied easily, shrugging a shoulder as he did. “Was gonna, like…get my camera. Go hang out in the library, or something. Take some pictures.” Not a terrible plan for pulling it entirely out of his ass just now.

kymani immediately turned when he heard someone actually acknowledge him. it had felt like it had been at least three tries since that had happened. to be fair, some people weren't into being approached, he could understand that. he was ecstatic to actually be engaged, asked about this event he had put so much work into. and yeah, maybe so much was a lot, but not entirely. he had found the local aspiring poets and grouped them together, had been pumping them full of compliments since they had agreed. he had been wanting a night like this for so long, for voices to feel heard, feelings to be expressed. to have seemingly no one else be interested was just this side of heartbreaking for the young man. "you were going to take pictures of people in the library with your friend?" that sounded a little sketchy, but who was he to really judge? he had spent his day bothering strangers. "never mind..actually! i have an event that would be perfect for an artistic, open soul like yours!" the pitch he had practiced thousands of times in the mirror and only really got to pitch three fourths of to almost ever student was at the ready, determined to win at least one person to be in the audience with him. "i am hosting a poetry event at the ledge this evening. underground artists, expressing themselves with exclusive pieces, unheard by the masses. it's will be incredibly insightful and inspiring. the best part is that it's free, you get to have your spirit as well as your soul filled at no cost to you, what could be a better way to spend your night?"