halle berry or hallelujah

you’d assume that a girl dressed head-to-toe in mod fashion and clutching her motorcycle helmet under one arm would have a lighter . when it came to honey , you’d be right . she slowed in her kitten-heels and tugged a zippo from the tiny pouch of a handbag she’d chosen to complete her outfit , tossing the contraption toward marlon . “ you’re not keeping that one , “ she announced , a wiggle of her brows telling the other not to fuck with her , “ i’ve lost my last three to dumb-asses on the street wanting a light . i’m only allowing you a spark because i trust you . that doesn’t come cheap , “ 

"Thanks,” he said as he caught the lighter from the unfamiliar girl, adding, “wouldn’t dream of it.” Though Marlon hadn’t dressed for the occasion entirely, at most going with a bright floral Hawaiian t-shirt for the occasion, he was still enjoying seeing everybody else’s outfits. “You lost three of ‘em? Well listen, not to bite the hand that feeds, but you know that saying right? Fool me once, shame on you...” he offers jokingly, his pack of cigarettes retrieved from his back pocket. 

Oh. Right. The things Tyson mentioned, somehow grounded more in reality when hearing them from Marlon, someone far less likely to overreact. Sasha passed the cigarette from one hand to the other, forgetting the reason for that right as she did. “Oh. Right. But nothing’s official yet, is it?” Smiling then at the way he had an actual answer to the question she had asked almost rhetorically. “Saw her too once.” She turned to look at him again. “So then… where are you going next? If that happens.”

"Nah, everything’s still above board on paper. Depending on how they like this album...” Though Marlon personally enjoyed the new direction Dom decided to go with the whole thing, it wasn’t exactly what the label would be expecting, and he only hoped they could appreciate it. He shrugged when asked where he’d go next. “Just somewhere. Maybe San Francisco, to be honest. I got friends up there.” The shovel on the ground, he stepped on, so the handle jumped up toward him. He rested both hands on top of it, like a walking cane. “Most expensive city on the West Coast, but shit, I got my ways.”

x

“Are we having fun yet?” Dante quoted the famous phrase, small laugh following it, she then proceeded to take out the lighter and handing it to Marlon. “I mean yeah, it’s nice to see the little ones having fun really, and I’m sure I could have more fun if I joined them…” she trailed off, “But it’s an effort, you know?” the blonde exhaled, “Anyway, how about you?” she asked taking a cigarette packet out and offering one for him before taking one between her lips.

Her words brought out a smile when Dante asked if he was having fun. “Yeah, it’s a shame we’re not five anymore. I woulda killed at this egg hunt,” he said, taking the lighter from her. “Thanks.” The cigarette was gratefully taken from her, and he lit her cigarette first, his second. “Yeah, been good so far. I didn’t have anything planned today so, Easter bunnies it is I guess. Are you chaperoning any kids too, or riding solo?” 

“Chag pesach sameach,” Ronit said with a playfully impressed expression as she drew back from their hug, having lingered there for maybe a moment too long. Truth be told, the prospect of hanging out on her own after spending the afternoon around happy families with kids hadn’t exactly been all too enticing, and hanging out with Marlon had often made it easy to forget … whatever she had been trying to forget at the time in question. To feel like an accomplished intellectual with a busy life. “Want to trade a lighter for a cigarette?” Ronit asked as she held out her lighter. “I might have started leaving mine at home on purpose. What are you up to? Any plans for the evening?”

“Yeah, that,” Marlon said with a mirroring smile, not about to repeat it because he was sure his Hebrew would be worse than his Spanish. Some remark to be made there about ignorant Americans. “Ohh..you’re bad,” he joke, but of course he would not say no to that, pulling out his pack of American Spirits, pushing a single cigarette up above the rest and holding it out for her to take. “No plans for the evening, not yet. Just came out here with Joe and his kid...the kid had a good time so, mission accomplished I suppose.” He took the lighter from her, lit his cigarette, and held the lit flame out for her to do the same. “You?” 

“Could always use more leg room, but I never get a chance to do anything like this, so I figured why not?” Nathan’s shoulders lifted in a very casual shrug and he leant back against the wall, one foot coming up to rest against the stone. Tilting his head slightly as he pocketed his lighter again, he watched Marlon for a moment. “Yeah, me neither… God knows when I last saw it. Definitely not a bad movie.”

“Yeah man, Lucy Liu...whew...” he said with a whistle and a shake of his head. He hit his cigarette, an inhale, thumb and forefinger pressed to the filter like it was a joint. Then a slow exhale in a whispy puff. “You ever see that new one they put out? With uh, whatsherface...Twilight girl.” 

Nic: Alright keep me updated because at this point I might just end up picking a name out of a hat

Nic: You don't have space?

Marlon: Yeah i'll let you know

Marlon: That's chill

Marlon: nah, not really

Marlon: my space is currently my friend's space

When I got offered a touring spot on Justin Bieber’s live band and turned it down to tour with The Orwells. The money was sure good.

@ronit-friedman  @anna-ines  @ellanawong   @nancewright

“How’s it their fault they don’t exist? That’s what future means, right?”, she joked, though a double take was thrown in there, sure feeling whatever was in that joint. Head snapping back up at the random, unexpected announcement to turn and look at Marlon again, unsure of what was just said. “What, for real?” Who would leave that house in Silverwood? Unless. “Is he moving to the Hills or something?” Shaking her head with a shrug. “I mean, as long as you guys are happy. You don’t like Silverlake?”

“You got a point,” Marlon said with a smile. Just because they didn’t exist now, didn’t mean they couldn’t exist in the future. Maybe they existed already in some version of a universe already. “Nah, he’s not moving to the Hills, but I don’t know. Shit’s not going good with the label. Or that’s just a personal hunch of mine.” And no label, no Silverwood house. The question is a good one, makes him contemplate in the space of a drag and pull of cigarette. “It’s fine, but it’s not really my vibe. Too quiet, you know? Though I can’t say grabbing a coffee and running into Olivia Wilde is a terrible life — it’s just not for me." He was starting to think that there was no vibe in any corner of city anymore that he vibed with, a different place calling to him altogether. “But it’s a good crash pad for now, I ain’t complaining. Not paying rent’s something of a slight bonus.” 

“I do…” Xavier snickered, “Alright, don’t get mad.” Puffy red eyes were already pleading as he reached into his pocket handing Marlon his missing lighter back. 

"Shit man, I’ve been looking for this for half an hour,” he says, but not really put out or anything like it. It would take a lot more to get him upset sober on a good day and now? Blazed to the gills? He was absolutely coasting. He takes his lighter back from Xavier and lights up a regular, non-marijuana cigarette, a much needed buffer after all of that. “How you feelin’?” 

Nic: Steinway 45, 1976

Nic: Price is negotiable, I saved it from a landfill and restored it

Marlon: Oh, that's a good one

Marlon: If my friend doesn't come through I might think about it myself

“Always.” Ophelia responds, reaching into her bag to search for the small object, “Are you going to smoke while having an ice cream sandwich?” 

"No, not now anyway. I’m planning ahead. So which one are you thinking of having? Or are you going for that Easter egg cheesecake?” 

“I do, actually,” Dallas says, digging around the pocket of his light sports jacket and producing his black lighter to hold out to him. “Egg hunt driving you to smoke?”

“Thanks man,” he nodded gratefully, taking the lighter and using it to ignite the cigarette jammed in his mouth. He held up his cigarette pack, just in case Dallas wanted one too. “Oh yeah, this shit’s real stressful. I mean [insert kid name here]’s only found two eggs so far and he’s real upset about that. What do I tell him? That he’s just bad at looking for eggs?”