stardust;

Of course. Compliments always make people smile so you can’t really go wrong. Hey, I could be an evil manipulator or something. You never know.

“Come on please, I honestly just don’t know how to change a tire and I know that I really should know by now, but we grew up in a house full of girls. You can make fun of me later, but for right now can you please just teach me how to without a smug on your face?.”

It was so long ago that he barely remembered sitting across from her, trying to digest science facts enough to pass high school. Recognition dawn on him as soon as she spoke, and he slid into the seat across from her - even if there were dozens of other empty tables around. “I’m in no hurry. It’s Margaret, right?” No, that name didn’t seem quite right. “Margo? We sat next to each other in Miss Chisholm’s class?”

No harm in that, right? People just have to learn what’s on the inside. Plus, your face is pretty. So, they shouldn’t complain.

Silas blinked, his one eye making it harder to see out of which is a sign that he should have already been asleep, ignoring everything else that was weighing on him that he knew would be more of a problem in the morning. If he’d kept his distance, kept her at a distance, than it would have been easier to keep her believing that there was nothing there at all. He was only there to make sure she didn’t get taken advantage of by some scumbag at the bar, when he wasn’t any better than the rest of them. He shifted slightly, pulling her in closer as he let his eyes fall closed and sucked in a deep breathe before his tone became softer. “Good, ‘cause if you thought for a moment that you had anything to do with me being here then I would have to say something about that.”

“Alcohol is supposed to help you sleep, a few glasses of wine and I am out for days. I’ll admit that the town looks nice with the orange glow of sunrise, I see it a lot on my way home from work.” Tatiana poured them each a generous amount of tequila before taking the salt shaker, spilling some onto the side of her hand than offered it to Margo. “Cheers,” she simply said as she licked her hand then raised her tequila shot in her direction before downing the clear liquid. The Patron was smooth down her throat and she nibbled on the lime after simply because she enjoyed the taste. “Another?”

Honestly, I would have been happy if it made your day. Y’know, given you would have helped me up or something. If not, forget what I said.

Nodding, she appraised the other girl, “What exactly are you looking for? It’ll help in narrowing down what you should try.” She took a step towards her, gesturing around them. “Are you looking for anything in particular?”

Luckily, the girl who did see laughed along with her. She wasn’t afraid of embarrassing herself. “Yeah, I’m fine.” She gave a smile. “Luckily, I didn’t face plant right into the sand.”

“A memorable first night, you could call it. And no need, I don’t need to call anyone. I mean, I am sort of looking for someone but I don’t know their number. Ah- perfect. You’re a true life savior.”

“If you wouldn’t mind? I’ve looked everywhere but home for it and I don’t want to leave until I know that it’s not here. It’s a bit of a faded red, I’ve had it for years and I really can’t lose that lens.” 

Anton shrugged his shoulders and pulled at the end of the jacket, turning to get a look at the mirror in front of him. “Yes, but just because someone is a supposed expert doesn’t mean they know everything. I mean, there are some questionable fashion trends,” he tried to explain. Supposed to be tight is what she said. She wasn’t wrong. In the men’s magazines, they always showed tight and short suits. He looked back at her. “Are you sure I don’t look like PeeWee Herman or something?”

Hailey walked toward the beach, an iced coffee in one hand and her phone in the other. Before she stepped to the sand, she tripped over a rock but caught her footing. Giggling at herself, she ran her fingers through her hair and looked around to see if anyone saw. “Oh my god. I do this way too often.” At least she could laugh, though.

“One of them.” The rest came with existing at all when there were days and nights alike when he wanted nothing to do with this town or the people in it, even the ones that he hadn’t met yet. He knew what they would become eventually, just like him, fading away into nothingness with the few people along the way that thought they could change or fix or alter the path that he was going down but they couldn’t. Just like he couldn’t. But when she shifted and rolled against his chest, letting him wrap his arm around her as they lay on her bed together, tangled in another way than what she’d been wishing for earlier that night. It was the best that he could offer her, as long as she didn’t say a single word about it. “Then we both agree. I’m only here because I want to be, not that you’re the one that got me into your bed tonight.” 

“A lot of hard work.” His eyes were halfway shut by the time that she spoke again, and heard everything that he wanted to ignore and let the alcohol numb him to the point of no return. It never happened. Not in the way that he wanted when it came to blocking out everything that was pressing down on him from the disappointment that he could see on everyone’s face to the fact that it matched his own, even when he acted like it didn’t bother him. Margo being another one of them shouldn’t have bothered him but it did – enough that he moved his arm so that it would go around her and tuck her in against his chest rather than keeping as much space between them as possible. “One word and I leave,” he warned her with his eyes closed, not needing to see the look on her face now or the rest of the night at all. “I’m gonna do just that, just to prove that you have no control over me, Margo Von Doren.”