wide open spaces

“I don’t dance.” he repeated, this time with a nod, letting her know she heard him right. “See, as much fun as that sounds,” he paused, “I’m really good at dancing.” He said, “and people don’t know that, well, other than me, you now, and a few other people, and I like it to be the best kept secret.” He moved to the edge of his seat, “and if I dance with you now, everyone is going to know, and then everyone is going to watch to dance, and honestly, I just can’t risk it.” 

She pretended to be interested in the excuse--eyes wide, head nodding, hmm’ing at all the right parts, just waiting for him to be finished. He probably thought he was clever, and she would hand it to him, playing into it was admittedly more amusing than if he’d lamented about how terrible a dancer he was, but it didn’t phase Marley. Her eyes rolled upwards, lips pursed, as she thought about their predicament, slowly nodding until a smile began to tug to her lips. “Okay.” Her eyes leveled to his, head tilting to the side. “What if I promise to find us a place that’s only for you and me?” Her shoulders lifted in a shrug. “Since I already know the big secret, of course.”

Chris couldn’t remember the last time he’d slept so well… or for so long. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that he’d been enjoying his night too much last night to remember to charge his phone so he hadn’t set an alarm, or maybe it was simply the fact that he’d just had such a good time. But he’d slept great and Chris could definitely use more nights of this kind of peaceful sleep in his life. 

When the smell of breakfast being made made its’ way to Chris, he slowly rolled over, not quite ready to acknowledge he was actually awake yet. His eyes landed on Marley’s beautiful frame padding around the kitchen in his shirt as she prepared the food. His lips pulled upwards in a smile as he watched her for a minute or two before finally sitting up in bed. When she turned around and made her way to the bed, he grinned up at her. “I’d say there’s only one sleeping beauty between the two of us.” he replied easily as he reached up and tugged her down onto the bed beside him. 

She’d been disappointed, the first time they’d met. When she couldn’t have had him, even though she’d wanted to. It didn’t matter that she’d been sleeping with the captain of the yacht Christopher had boarded at the time, though it was exactly why it had mattered, Marley knowing for sure that if he’d caught her flirting while on the job--more than flirting--the punishment would be ten times worse than normal. While she did her best to live her life on the edge, she couldn’t risk being blacklisted in the industry. Of course, it hadn’t stopped her from flirting, but that was all that’d occurred between the two for the three days he was on board, and when he left, Marley eventually went on to forget all about him.

And now, he was in her bed. Funny, how things worked out like that. Her eyebrows rose at his reply, a quick retort at the tip of her tongue, but before it could sound, he was tugging her back into the bed with him, and she was happily following, settling into the spot she’d occupied not even half an hour before. “The eggs are gonna burn.” She informed him, though the way her thigh hitched up over his hip more than proved that the last thing on her mind were the damn eggs. With a smile, Marley leaned in to press her lips to his, arms loosely wrapping around Christopher’s neck.

“but the desserts are soooo good,” she whined, her head still down on the table in front of her.  she didn’t even want to look up anymore, this was about the third melt down in a month - er no, a week and she was sure there were bags under her eyes and no one, no one deserved to see that. “coffee?” she perked up, the aroma of fresh hot coffee filling her nostrils. picking up the pot, she poured some into her cup and took a large whiff. “never mind, i’m up. i feel better.”  she brushed the hair out of her face, and looked at marley, a pout on her lips. “how am i suppose to be someone great when a computer keeps crashing down on me, “the young woman shook her head, bringing the cup down to her lips before bringing it back down. “ANYWAY, forget about me, sit with me. talk with me. distractttt me, marls!”

"There’s always a to go box.” She informed the other, though she was only teasing, nudging her gently with her foot underneath the table. If there was anything she’d learned about Sofia in the two months she’d been serving her, it was that the woman had a flair for the dramatics, which Marley could appreciate. Didn’t partake in herself, but was amused by, nonetheless, and if all she needed to was pour the woman a cup of coffee and talk her off the ledge? It felt like a fair price for the entertainment. “There we go, baby.” She smiled when the other lifted her head from the table, though was fixed immediately with a pout. Marley mimicked Sofia, bottom lip jutting out. “Easy. You already are someone great.” She reached across the table, then, to pat at the other’s cheek in a sort of comfort, before returning her hand to the table before them. “You see, I would just love to, gorgeous, but I’m on the clock, and unless distractin’ you’s a payin’ gig...”

Why was she here? Because they had a good selection of booze and she had no real desire to stay in her home and drink tonight. Still the crowd was suffocating and if she had known, Alana would’ve gone elsewhere. It was too late to leave, she had only just ordered her drink and as far as she could tell, there were many people in front of her still waiting for her own. She turned her head towards the crowd, just observing the various… a man was trying to twerk and failing miserably, that should’ve been her cue to leave. Still she wasn’t sure if even half of the things people were doing on the dance floor were considered dance moves. Certainly not the man next to her flailing his arms and legs around. She dogged slightly, protecting herself from his lack of control. Noticing Marley, Alana smiled, her face dropping as soon as the words left the other’s mouth. “Definitely not.” It wasn’t that she couldn’t dance, she simply didn’t want to, especially with people around. No thank you. She rested her elbows on the counter behind her, making herself comfortable to prove a point. “I’m waiting for a drink,” she shrugged.

Marley had to give it to her. She was firm in her refusal. Didn’t miss the way that she planted her elbows on the table, as if to physically ground herself, like her feet would somehow carry her away despite her brain telling them not to. The thought was amusing to Marley, who merely smiled. She was waiting for a drink? “I could use a drink, now that you mention it.” With a curt nod, Marley invited herself to the vacant seat next to the woman, quick to grab the passing bartender’s attention. “One of whatever she’s havin’, please. And two shots on top of it.” She gestured to her newfound friend (re: project) next to her, and sent the man on his way. Turning back to the woman, her shoulders lifted in a shrug of her own. “This round’s on me...and then we dance.” Once again, it wasn’t quite a demand, but an offer. Either way, Marley would pick up the woman’s tab, if just to reconcile for her behavior, truly not meaning to bother, but something told Marley that it wouldn’t be a problem. Then again, nothing ever was, to her.

This was never something that happened to Olivia, she would go out to have fun at bars but never to get in the middle of the crowd and dance. She was certain that by the time she told that to Milo he would laugh. He would definitely laugh. “Good, cause I feel embarrassed because of myself.” She laughed, allowing a smile to rest on her lips as she moved along with the girl in front of her. She decided it was for the best to ignore the crowd around them and to hope that none of her patients’ relatives were there to see such scene. For a second she closed her eyes to truly feel the music and kept moving her body, before she moved her attention once again at the woman. “You’re really good at this.”

“You wanna know a secret, gorgeous?” Marley raised her eyebrows, leaning in closer to the other to be heard over the music, her hand skirting her hips, as if to keep her near. “Life’s too short to be embarrassed.” She whispered in the other’s ear, pulling back to make sure the other heard her, with a grin, laughter bubbling past her lips. “Who’s got the time?” She asked, loudly, arms lifting over her head, a half shrug, half dance. She wasn’t the best of dancer’s--not technically, at least, but she enjoyed moving, enjoyed the music, and the feeling of eyes on her. The attention. Which was exactly what she was receiving, and from the woman directly in front of her. “So are you, baby.” It occurred to Marley then that she’d forgotten to ask for her name, but that was alright. If she asked for it at this point in the night, she most likely wouldn’t remember it in the morning.

Remi parted her lips to tell the other that if she didn’t have to pay, she certainly wouldn’t do it. However, it seemed that she didn’t have the same record time that Marley did. After all, she basically accepted the offer on the table before Remi could pull it off. Instantly, she regretted doing so but forced herself to see the bright side. At least now she had some company to eat dinner with. “I’m thinking Italian or Chinese. I could really do for some pasta. Plus, I know this really good hole in the wall restaurant my latest one night stand brought me to. It was great.”

Her eyebrows rose at the other blonde, as if waiting for her to retract her offer. Marley certainly didn’t need her to pay. If she hadn’t been asked to go out, she most likely would have ordered something for herself, so it wasn’t as if she wasn’t prepared to spend the money. But Marley would not be the one to admit to such, and when Remi kept silent, she couldn’t help but grin, heading towards the door. “That’s so funny. My latest one night stand brought me to a hole in the wall Italian place...” Her grin wiped clear off her face as she thought about it, the implication of the two having shared a one night stand heavy between them. 

Amelia still wasn’t sure how the hell she’d managed to adopt four dogs and keep them with her during her travels and work. However, the busier the woman was — the better she tended to strive. Therefore, when she was away, she had her dogs in the best hotel that money could offer without mentioning around the clock walkers for them. They were her pride and joy and she often awoke with a sliver of the bed as her dogs took the rest. They made her happy and now she couldn’t dream her life without all of them. “That’s a bit of an understatement. I’m definitely overrun by them.” She smirked as she petted her pitbull, daisy, that still hadn’t moved from her side. “They were fosters at first, but things changed. Needless to say, I’m definitely not the best foster parent — or maybe I am — depends how you see it.”

Marley gave the woman a once over--well put together, despite being on a run with not one, but four dogs in tow. Though, she certainly saw what she meant, about being overpowered by them. Marley had no doubt in her mind that they were the ones running the show, and she was left with no other choice but to trail behind, but she seemed to be keeping up, and Marley thought she more than deserved credit for that. She continued to pet at the two giving her attention, reveling in the affection, as the woman explained where they had come from. “Well, I don’t know a whole lot ‘bout fosterin’, but you’re takin’ ‘em on runs, and feedin’ ‘em, by the looks of it. Givin’ ‘em a good home and lovin’ ‘em?” Marley shrugged her shoulders, offering a soft smile up in her direction. “That sounds like the best kinda parent to me.” There were mothers with human children who couldn’t do as much. Marley’s included.

a smirk formed on his lips, shaking his head as he looked at her, not really answering the question but amused altogether at her persistence. “how about some water then, huh?”  regardless of how much he tried to avoid ending up on the dance floor, he knew that he would somehow end up there and it would entirely be her fault. a chuckle fell from his lips at her reply, leaning in to her touch just briefly before pulling away. “as long as you’re alright,” the man added, his eyes narrowing down at her before he nodded his hands towards the dance floor. “c’mon, i’ll give you a dance, but then i’m going to ask you to  drink two glasses of water for me because maybe i am worried for you.”

She didn’t want to let on how much she really needed that water, though it couldn’t have been much of a secret. Sweat slicked her skin, her hair fluffed from the humidity, cheeks tinged pink. Marley didn’t do anything half way, much preferring to leave it all out on the dance floor than be seen faking it. “Later.” She assured, knowing she would need it, if only to keep from passing out, though for the time being, she felt okay. It was cute that he was worried about her, even if he wouldn’t outright admit it. The lean into her touch and his assurance was enough for her. “Oh, baby, I’m doin’ just fine.” She promised, shaking her head, as if the thought of her being anything less was just ridiculous. When he gave into her wishes, a grin burst onto her lips, wasting no time in reaching for his waving hands and using them to guide him back with her. “Yes, yes, whatever you want.” She brushed him off, as if she hadn’t heard the last of his admission, though as she turned back to lead him into the crowd, a smirk adorned her lips.

He liked big places because he could get lost in the crowd. People watching was something of a sport for him, after all there was a point system, that and this place had the best drinks, and that was saying something for him, he was picky. Thinking he was blending, he wasn’t paying attention to anyone, and then there she was, standing in front of him, “oh sweetheart,” Noah shook his head, “I don’t dance.” 

Marley’s eyes rolled at the use of sweetheart, though an amused smile still tugged at her lips, eyebrows eventually raising at his poor excuse. “You don’t dance.” She repeated, slowly, as if she were trying to understand and was failing to. After a moment, she shook her head, fingers wrapping around his own. “I’m askin’ you--beggin’ you, really--to grace me with one dance with the Noah de Santos. One dance, and I’ll be out of your hair.” Though, they both knew it wasn’t true, but she hoped (knew) she looked cute when promising so, and knew (hoped) it would be enough. “Don’t tell me you’ll deny a girl of that.”

              What had he got himself into? Dancing wasn’t in the equation, it had been years since that part of his had passed. Still, after last time he had very little to lose; dignity was already out the window, why not grant her one dance. He paused with that smirk on his face, eyes glancing down to his beer before lifting back to hers. “Fine—” He groaned, releasing their hands and downing his beer in one large gulp. “I’m gonna’ need something stronger after this, you got that?” He teased, pausing before pushing her gently further into the crowd. “Is this your version of payback, huh?” Luca asked with a laugh, claustrophobic beats marking the bounce of bodies around them. Still, he wasn’t complaining, not as his arm slipped around her waist and he pulled her back into his chest. “Because, you got me. Good.” He whispered into her ear, the DJ switching to a new song.

While he considered her offer, Marley took the chance to reach for the beer in his hand and take a sip of it herself, eyes remaining on his as she did so. She was thirsty, having left it all out on that dance floor, and while the beer wasn’t as satisfying as a water surely would have been, she didn’t want to risk him changing his mind. When he finally agreed, and she handed the beer back, a grin pulled at Marley’s lips, laugh falling past them as his teasing. “Whatever you want, baby.” She promised, allowing herself to be pushed back into the crowd, her grip on his hand tugging him with her. His question went unanswered other than a shrug of her shoulders, hips already beginning to move to the music as he tugged her back towards him, back to his chest. Marley couldn’t help but smile at the close proximity, arms lifting to wrap around his neck, head tilted to the side to allow his lips better access. “They say payback’s a bitch.” She murmured over her shoulder, meeting his eyes, smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth.

Connor used to be that guy who would approach a stranger and start talking but after everything that had happened in the last years, he found it was easier to withdraw into his own little world. He liked his friends, he was comfortable around them, but when it came down to meeting new people and hanging around with them, he struggled. Yet the woman had an infectious smile, one that made him feel a bit more comfortable. “I assume Marley is more determined than Sally,” he said, extending his hand to shake hers, a smile beaming her way.  "I’m Connor,“ he added. "So, Marley, do you always go around asking strangers to dance with you?”

She could see the change in his demeanor, a smile that mimicked hers pulling at his lips. It changed his entire face, though Marley had found him to be quite handsome when brooding, just even more so when his face softened. She laughed at his assumption, shoulders lifting in a shrug, but her hand settling easily in his to shook. “I mean, I don’t know this Sally of yours, but I do know Marley is the most determined lady you’ll ever meet.” She informed, eyebrows raising, as if expecting a challenge, though she was quick to break into a small smile again. “Nice to meet you, Connor.” Her head nodded, still close to be heard over the music. At his question, her shoulders shrugged, an almost innocent smile taking over. “Only when they don’t ask me first.”

To say that Maia didn’t want to be here would have been a complete understatement. The reason to how she ended up in Legacy was beyond her. A night that was supposed to be a high school reunion between four friends, turned into a wild drunken night, leaving Maia to become the designated driver for the night. Not that she had a choice and because she didn’t trust anyone else behind the wheel but herself ever since the accident. After finding a quiet corner of the nightclub, Maia did nothing but stand and keep an eye on her friends while keeping them at arms length, holding her glass of water close to her chest. That was until another familiar face approached her, the sudden wave of fluorescent lights beaming through the shadows as she noticed the blonde. And one that didn’t belong to an intoxicated state like her friends currently were. “Oh no, absolutely not, no way.” she said, shaking her head. “I may be a professional dancer, Marls, but not in the way you’d think. Trust me, I’ll be doing this nightclub a favour.” Maia chuckled this time. It had been years since Maia had stepped into a nightclub and all for good reason – her dancing skills only ever belonged on a stage. Even if she did want to let loose and have fun sometimes. That, and she just wasn’t drunk enough. “How about I go and get you a drink instead, yes?” the brunette suggested with brows raised and flashing a toothy grin, as if it were to persuade her even more.

The big, big world that she’d been so desperate to go out and discover, had turned out to be quite small. People she met in New York weren’t mutually exclusive with the people she’d see in Chicago, or Seattle, LA. If she were to have discovered so while still in Arizona, it would’ve crushed her, so tired of small town living that small world living didn’t feel like much of an improvement. But having been to these places, having gotten to experience them, Marley found that there was nothing wrong with the people in them overlapping. The people were what made the places, and why should they be limited to one when Marley herself wasn’t? 

At Maia’s refusal, Marley merely laughed, a pout forming on her lips. “You’re a professional dancer, Maia.” As if the other needed a reminder. “You could show everybody in this place up.” She assured her old friend, reaching a hand for Maia’s own and giving it a gentle tug. At the offer of drinks, she settled a look on the other, eyebrow raising, as if to ask really?, though at the sight of the water in her hand, Marley made a reach for it. Maybe she did need a drink. After taking a sip and handing it back, she shook her head. “After. One dance and the next round is on me.” Taking a step back to the dance floor, still holding onto Maia’s hand, her eyebrow raised. “What’dya say?”

               Everything had been hard, from the basics of opening his eyes to the more complicated parts of life that most didn’t think of; Luca found solace in people, crowds of them where his own misery could drowned up under the beat of bass and the smell of old alcohol. It’s how they had met, a few weeks before, except the underlying aroma was that of hot wings and beer. He had gone past the point of return, too many sunk in a short time and the next thing he knew, he was waking up on her couch. At least she had been good about it, Luca assumed her friends got a good laugh out of the situation too, so the chance to make it up to her? Well, he had something to prove. mainly that he wasn’t a complete mess. 

They already had a few drinks, two, maybe three, except Luca wasn’t planning on another amnesia session. He was propped up at the bar after she disappeared for a minute or so, returning with vengeance and a devilish smirk, demands drooling from her mouth. “Me?” He asked as her breath tickled his ear, teeth sinking briefly into his lower lip. “I don’t dance. No.”

She’d wanted him to come home with her, that night, and had been unashamed in her desire for it. When she’d asked him to walk her home, it wasn’t for the fear that she needed protecting, though as she’d soon discovered, he sure had. If she could have gotten a straight answer out of him, Marley would have gladly walked him to his home, to assure that he got in okay, but he’d been coy in his refusal, or perhaps just so drunk he truly couldn’t remember, leaving her with no other choice but to take him home with her. As she’d initially planned, but not, as he’d crashed on her couch and she’d curled up peacefully in her own bed. Their interaction the next morning had been sparse, an exchange of few words before he was stumbling off her boat and leaving Marley laughing after him. 

She hadn’t needed an apology, anything to make up for what certainly had been a great story, yet here they were anyways. She’d failed in her first efforts to get him onto the dance floor, but she was determined this second time, reaching for his hand and tugging on it gently. “C’mon, handsome.” She whined, head tilting back, child-like, as was the nature of the grin that she sic’d on him. “One dance. And the next round’s on me.”

It shouldn’t come to her as a surprised that she had been stood up. Olivia had cancelled their date three times before she finally decided to go out with this man she met through an app. Maybe he did it on purpose, but she was frustrated. It was already hard enough for her to get a night out with friends instead of being at home with Milo and studying, so she wanted to have some fun. In the middle of all the thoughts that would haunt her while she was alone at the bar, she noticed someone approaching her. Dance with me. She widened her eyes, ready to decline. But, well, since she was already out and she wanted to enjoy her night and have some fun, it wouldn’t hurt her to try to live up a little bit. “Okay, I’ll dance with you.” With a grin on her lips she accepted the invitation, allowing the song to get into her system and moving her hips following the beat. “However, I might embarrass you.”

It’d been surprisingly easy. Marley couldn’t keep her surprise off her face, eyebrows raising briefly, but it wasn’t long before she was grinning and reaching for the other’s hand. She wasn’t one to question people’s answers, not one herself to accept invitations she didn’t mean, and so she was quick to begin to tug the two back through the crowd of bodies, casting a glance over her shoulder to assure that the other was keeping up with her. “Embarrass me?” Marley laughed, turning to face the other when content with their spot in the crowd, and beginning to move to the music. “Oh, baby, you could never.”

An eyebrow raised as the man looked at the woman, a smirk forming on his face as he heard her sing-songy voice of the other. He hadn’t seen her outside of her workplace but watching her now was a little amusing. Truth be told, Lo wasn’t sure how he ended up at the nightclub, probably because again, he was suppose to be a designated driver for one of his friends – something that happened a little too often and a fact that he didn’t care about as long as his friends weren’t driving.   “do i though?” a chuckle fell from his lips, his head tilting just slightly before shaking his head.  did he even recognize the song that the DJ was playing? God, he couldn’t remember the last time he actually listened to music. He turned slightly, in order to take a sip of his coke before facing the young woman again. “Are you okay to go home later, Marley? Or would you be needing a ride?”

Marley pretended to think about it, for a moment, nose scrunched as she glanced towards the ceiling, before fixing her gaze back onto Loren’s with a wide grin. “I think you do.” She informed with a nod, shoulders lifting in a shrug, as if to say I don’t make the rules. Though, they both knew she certainly did, and as her fingers wiggled towards his, they both knew that there was no version of this that didn’t end with him on the dance floor with her. While he pretended to put up a fight, Marley reached for the Coke he’d sipped from, keeping eye contact as she took a drink for herself. It was the first nonalcoholic beverage she’d had since stepping in the place--wasn’t the water she desperately needed, but would do for now. “Is someone worryin’ ‘bout me?” An amused grin pulled at her lips, setting his drink back down. “You’re cute.” Her hand grazed his cheek, briefly, before dropping back to her side. “I’m more than alright, handsome, but thank you.”

   the young woman sat at rubys typing away – no practically smacking away at the keyboard as she tried her best to type up some research for the judge tomorrow. the brunette had gathered enough case law for the hearing tomorrow that she was sure the judge wouldn’t have her head.   “no…” her eyes grew wide, “no. no. please… no..” she continuously hit a key over and over again, the panic in her eyes.  “que porqueria!” she screamed dramatically, her had falling on the table in front of her before raising one hand up, an index finger out. if she failed today, how would she get a recommendation letter tomorrow? or worse, how the hell would she be the president of mexico.  “more coffee…” she cried, “please..” 

@newportstarters 

It was a typical Friday, then. Marley didn’t bat an eye at the sound of wailing, though the customers at the table she’d been serving certainly had, glancing around Marley to see who was breaking down in the middle of Ruby’s. She knew the answer without looking, of course, and after assuring her patrons that she’d have their food right out, made a move for the coffee part behind the counter, and made her way over towards Sofia, gently nudging her hand out of the air, while refilling her cup of coffee. “I always tell you that the wifi is shit here, gorgeous.” She informed, placing the pot down on the table as she slid into the booth across from her.