stargirl

——- ❝ Yeah, it's not easy but — it's kinda what i'm used to. plus i'm pretty proud of what i did. ❞ a proud grin rested on mari's lips as she was always doing things on her own since moving out. at first with was with her mother and sister, then for herself and her sister, not it was just for herself. she learned a lot in her own independence even if it was hard. ❝  not sure i ever hired people, but maybe i could try. guess i'm used to living paycheck to paycheck still and now — i'm a bit more well off with my cooking job. how's the music going though ? ❞ she asked with interest clear in her voice.

They aren’t great, or very well executed.

“Well, you tell me.”

——- A blush ever so faint crossed over her cheeks and the bridge of her nose at the compliment as it was something marianna didn't get very often. ❝  well, thank you. you're good looking yourself. ❞ she added, always wanting to give back what she was given. it was what her mother taught her after all. moving some loose pieces of hair behind her ears before giving a little nod. ❝  they are, you're right. just don't always get them and i'm sure you have an amazing lady. i am single but — by choice. i just um — i'm very work focused and getting through some personal things right now. ❞ mari wasn't one to accept blind dates or anything, she liked going with the flow but there was interest as a look of curiosity took over her features. ❝  you can make a list and play matchmaker. i normally deny but — i'm curious what you could put together. ❞

——- ❝ Thanks, i thought so too, ❞ she chuckled some. hearing his ask before giving a little nod. ❝  i'll get there, just mostly been keeping to myself. though might make a cooking show on like my socials and share recipes to get out there more and maybe i can get my own cookbook and such. ❞ she shared, but mari was a bit scared of all that success and being a bigger name. she liked having her privacy. ❝  i work at the sea shanty shack currently. ❞ she answered simply.

Lucy: Hey girl! Lucy: Checking in to see how you're going with the blackout before I lose reception again.

"Woah, hey there! Do you work in a restaurant?" Ash tips down his sunglasses (necessary morning after a party) so his eyes peek over the tops of the lenses, and his grin is nothing less than cheeky. "Because you're serving up looks."

——- Getting stopped and asked the question, for a moment, marianna was assuming he'd seen her at where she worked and just not fully recalled. ❝  maybe i do.. ❞ she said with a bit of hesitation clear within her voice before hearing the rest and rolling her eyes. a smile and soft chuckle followed quickly after before she looking at him with a slight smirk. ❝  okay — are you complimenting, hitting on me or on something ? i'd also count recovering from something with the latter. ❞

"Exactly the validation my bad habits are yearning for!" Lucy grins, widely, leading her friend into the direction of her new sugary hyper fixation, "My dentist is going to be disappointed when I see him next week. Not surprised, just disappointed."

——- ❝ You definitely have me with you. it'll be a nice lazy girls night. ❞ mari said with a warm smile. anything to connect with more people and make more friends as she did tend to focus on work and then just check out of life after. ❝  you found the right person to enjoy this with you because i have such the sugary sweet tooth here. ❞ walking happily along with her friend and chuckling some, before a nod of agreement followed. ❝  same. however, some days, we deserve to enjoy things as well, right ? ❞

——- Currently mari lived on her own, enjoying her seabrook home but she also really just wanted to have the best time for herself. so maybe one day a pool with her home would be something she truly enjoyed. ❝  me too, i mean — i'm just a chef and i kinda like where i am, but i'd also really enjoy the upgrade one day, you know ? like — treat myself in a sense. ❞ a smile rested on her lips as she looked towards him.

“ trust me I don’t love the attention on me either. I think it’s why most people can’t put a name to my face still. “ she hated being connected to losing someone she loved and that alone made her never want to be in public like that “ I honestly really appreciate that. I don’t know where I’d be without good friends “ @maricollazo

——- Maybe if mari had still went with her original dancer dream things would be different and she'd be on the receiving end of things herself in a fame sense. however she fell into some bad crowds then, plus her mother's decline in health changed her and cooking became more for her, especially once the woman passed. it was her main job and remained such today but for a bit she did still try to make both happen, but that just wasn't possible easily. though letting dancing go didn't hurt and she still did it as a passion from time to time, even offering the occasional free classes. ❝  oh, i can believe that. so many in that position tend to change with the fame and money or are just not raised the best and don't realize how they really are until it's almost too late, normally. ❞  she knew and read things herself, so she had a good idea how a lot of those in the public eye were. ❝  not sure anyone fully does, seems like a lot. ❞ she always feared the idea of it all herself, and what if she went from some cook to a big deal chef like gordan ramsay ? then she'd be a public figure, it's why she was okay where she was. she didn't want her own restaurant or anything. ❝  you'll always have me, okay ? we all need someone with us no matter what and to let lose with. that's what we'll do tonight. ❞

——- ❝ You and me both. ❞ mari admitted easily. ❝  yeah those seem like a lot and as i live in seabrook, i fully support. maintenance seems like a lot but — one day, one of us should give it a go. ❞ she spoke fondly over the idea of being a true pool owner herself. ❝  if the day ever comes for once of us we'll have to invite the other. ❞ she said with a pleasant grin resting on her glossy lips.

“ yeah that’s me. To be fair I can talk about the pop girlies for a while too. “ ford smiled at the recognition. It was a lot better to be recognized for the store than for Nepo Babies. And he took much more pride in running the music store than with anything else. “ absolutely. Way more than what I used to do. I get to listen to music all day and talk to people about what they like. It’s great “ @maricollazo

——- Mari was glad she wasn't a public figure for figuring all out privately she needed to such as well — dealing with the worst of things. letting out a small sigh as the hard memory hit and she never fully got over it, not just due to it being hard — but also she threw herself hard into work over dealing. marianna used to have three jobs as a bartender, dancer and cook and would sleep between on breaks. she overworked herself hard to avoid dealing with the pain but in time she sorta starting letting herself properly heal. ❝  thanks. they can be. i uh — i never really dealt with my major family issue. i worked myself too hard for a bit and just started calming down when i moved out to aurora bay. ❞  she admitted as she gently tugged at a bracelet she always wore, one given to her by her mother that got her through so much and all she had left of her now aside from photos and memories. ❝  it does, thanks. means you have an idea what i went through. ❞  she spoke in a low voice, a soft smile coming to her. that harsh demeanor she held due to work confidence and what all she'd been through was faded and for once she felt truly okay with someone. connecting on a personal level. maybe there could be a platonic connection present if mari let her walls be passed. ❝  maybe we'll have to do that on my next visit there ? i don't go as much as i'd like due to work and all. ❞  music was always a safe haven for her, she got lost in it from listening, dancing and her passionate dances to it. even if that job wasn't with her anymore aside from in free time for free occasional classes, but cooking was where she felt she belonged. ❝  sounds like something we can really connecting on, if you ask me. ❞