𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐌𝐄 𝐍𝐎𝐓

a sigh, seth's comment ignored but not unnoticed.   〝 we both know grace's got too much heart to tell you to fuck off, seth. i think she could do with a little less on her plate, and you're not making it easy for her. 〞

⟣ ─ ˑ 〃 ۫ 🪻 ❛ 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 — you ' re a couple of years late with this white savior act . i ' m clean , i have a job and i talk to my sister like twice a week at most , so you can go shove all that concern of yours up your ass and leave me alone . ❜

@lavenderhaeze  +  〝 i'm not even attracted to you. i was wearing rehab goggles. 〞 

⟣ ─ ˑ 〃 ۫ 🪻 ❛ 𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐲 — well . . . unless you ' re an academy award winning actress , you looked and sounded pretty into all of it . ❜

eyes roll within their sockets, head tilting with facial features emphasizing her distaste in the comment.   “   watch it.   ”   a small warning.   “   what’s your fuckin’ problem with rome, anyways?   ”

⟣ ─ ˑ 〃 ۫ 🪻 ❛ 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 — i ' ve always thought he ' s stuck up and annoying . . . ❜ voice honest , and nonchalant . he is aware that his distaste for roman wexler is an unpopular opinion . it has always been . ❛ but i had no real personal problem with him until he showed up the other day to try and give me the most patronizing lecture about my life and how it affects my sister . . . like he ' s in love with her or something . ❜ it is then that he pauses . realizes then whomst he ' s speaking to in relation to the subject . ❛ . . . oh shit , sorry . ❜

"well, they can come," jackson nods, smile growing on his face. "there will be activities for kids too."

⟣ ─ ˑ 〃 ۫ 🪻 ❛ 𝐬𝐞𝐞 — the thing is . . . we would , but --- uh , she ' s kind of against organized religion . yeah . you know , because of . . . all the kid stuff . ❜

guilt invades her stomach like additional acid, doe-eyes pausing momentarily before slight crinkles meet the corners as she smiles.   “   yeah, yeah. i just needed a breather after  —  everything.   ”

⟣ ─ ˑ 〃 ۫ ☁️ ❛ 𝐭𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 — um , just so you know : her parents . . . they will be coming to pack her things up . so , you know , if you see them . . . ❜ she hopes she doesn ' t have to spell the whole protocol out . especially since it was not so long ago they had a similar visit . the main thing to remember is to make yourself scarce and to keep quiet . ❛ anyways — were you with jay ? are you guys , like , back together ? ❜

it's an endless back and forth. break up, get back together again—rinse and repeat. lee's grown so accustomed to this routine that he no longer views their blowouts as detrimental. izzy says the word, and he comes crawling back. a role reversal in this case, though he's bound to be grovelling by the end of it.   〝 you thought wrong. 〞  he corrects, leaving the hoodie in her possession. 〝 any reason you didn't have one of your minions to drop it off? 〞

⟣ ─ ˑ 〃 ۫ ☁️ ❛ 𝐢 — ❜ perfectly polished hands tighten their grip around the sweatshirt , fingers mildly irritated from cleaning products . she would like to pretend that she has no idea why he ' s asking why she ' s here . to pretend that it is perfectly normal for her to take the time to do such menial tasks instead of sending a freshman . but he knows her . even so , even with someone who knows her she cannot allow herself to say things outright . she cannot say that she ' s not doing all too well . she cannot say that she ' s feeling unmoored , and she will definitely not tell him that he might be the closest thing to a lighthouse . ❛ i guess i wanted to . . . see how you were doing — you know , with everything . ❜

"it's the church's spring potluck. they told me to invite everyone in town."

⟣ ─ ˑ 〃 ۫ 🪻 ❛ 𝐨𝐡 — um , you know what , actually , i just remembered i ' m supposed to . . . babysit my nieces that day . ❜

eyes squint beneath the rays of sunlight, sunglasses miles away from where she was resting  (actually a mere inch away in her bag that was resting next to her).   “   do you think sobriety is gonna make me into some woke, unfunny asshole?   ”   a beat.   “   don’t answer that, my therapist has enough on her plate.   ”     +  @lavenderhaeze

⟣ ─ ˑ 〃 ۫ 🪻 ❛ 𝐧𝐨 — i mean , probably not , but that wet blanket you live with just might . ❜

"well, yeah. i mean, potlucks are just a feast for the community. people'r always supposed to bring food."

⟣ ─ ˑ 〃 ۫ 🪻 ❛ 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 — i mean , i ' m a terrible cook , and so is juli but . . . i suppose we can have something from the prepared foods section comped at the store . what ' s the occasion again ? ❜

  〝 not pretending. i've got a plan, kinney. and it didn't get it handed to me. i'm working towards something. not just mooching off my little sister.  〞

⟣ ─ ˑ 〃 ۫ 🪻 ❛ 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐡 — i ' m sure the company having your name on it didn ' t factor into any decisions . ah , is that what this is about ? grace ? . . . she can fight her own battles , you know ? . . . or what , you think she needs some big , strong , white man to save her ? ❜

starter for @lavenderhaeze

⟣ ─ ˑ 〃 ۫ 🪻 ❛ 𝐝𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐨 — does anyone actually eat at potlucks ? . . . i was just thinking about bringing some more beer . ❜

"   dude. what part about we don't have room for any more records right now made you hear 'accept this busted copy of john mellencamp's greatest hits'?   " @lavenderhaeze

⟣ ─ ˑ 〃 ۫ 🪻 ❛ 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐥 — it ' s jack & diane . . . maybe we can move that ugly table lamp no one ' s buying and make a little room for greatness . ❜

"   i think wedding planning is just getting to me. my mom doesn't like how i want to do my hair.   "   as if that were what was weighing on her. @lavenderhaeze

❛ if the wedding stuff is getting to you : we can always pull back a little . it ' s just one day . ❜ he reaches for her hand then . ❛ the part that really matters is the rest of our lives anyway . ❜

  〝 i think i may have been a child sociopath. 〞

⟣ ─ ˑ 〃 ۫ 🪻 ❛ 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐡 ? — what were you doing , pushing kids off swings or something ? ❜