...still the dabbling poet

“I know, it took me two days just to go through this one.” Everything was strung out, various trophies from competitions, weird things she’d gotten in beach towns across the world, surfboards leaning against the walls– it was all of it. Her whole life, and going through it was hard. Fun, painful– but hard. Looking down a fishing lure from one of the boxes caught her eye, “Goodness, this thing.” She smiled shaking her head, “I think I have too much stuff.” 

“Eh, I try to be.” She joked waving him off with a small laugh. It was true however, she did try and be a good person but sadly that didn’t always work out. “Well good, I didn’t want to fight with her over you. Though I’m sure you’d love to be fought over.” She joked bumping shoulders with him and smiling in his direction. “Don’t tempt me Petey, you know I’m terrible with decorations. I’ll not only help her decorate your house but I’ll most likely redecorate my own place. It’s just so easy to buy all the little knick knacks to decorate with. “Mm, true. The great minds are also usually crazy, so you tick all the boxes.” 

Poppy walked closer to the face that she’d known for long enough, but hadn’t seen for a while. “Why would I want to change?” She grinned, poking the tip of her foot at a stray broccoli lying on the ground. “Not much anymore. I’m a nurse now. It wouldn’t sit well if I suddenly decided to up and leave whenever.” She laughed. “What about you? Where did you find yourself?” 

She groans, “God I hate being an adult. Payin for things. People expecting things out of you, plans. I’ve had enough plans, now I have no choice.” She lets out a laugh, “Families will come soon, I almost just had her and I but I came back here. Imagine, I could be in Sweden right now. Still cold here,” Elliot smiles, “No, I understand, I’m sure my fridge will be full of baby food soon enough. I’ll just make you eat weird baby food then.”

He grinned, probably looking like a child instead of a grown man. Well, as grown as anyone would ever dare call him. “That’s awesome, man. The train ride will just have to be worth it— which I’m sure it will. Haverford is definitely not a bad place to live, that’s for sure.” He chuckled a little before backing away a couple of steps, finding his way to the fridge to pull out a couple of beers. “Everything is…everything is great in general. Toni and I are good, Poppy’s good too— she’s working full time at the ER now. Hayden was assaulted by some asshole with a nail gun, so that’s been…not fun, and then there’s the whole Sierra and Zack thing too.” He handed Peter one of the beers with a small smile, nodding his head at him. “What about you though? You and Addison? I’m sensing everything is great. Having kids soon?”

Turning down a beer, Peter smiled. “Ah, no thanks. I’m actually doing dry twenty-sixteen.” He tried not to make Adam feel silly for the action though, reaching by him to pull out a carton of juice and grabbing himself a glass. “Yeah? That’s good, Pop’s is going to do so great I can’t even stand it sometimes, she reminds me of my sister that way. I’m not really sure what Cass is doing at the moment though, she’s looking to move out of Brooklyn for a while. Not sure why ---- last time I checked, she loved that place. A nail gun? God, what have I missed...” He exhaled. “Oh we’re great, fantastic really. She’s ready to launch her new studio and we’re just hoping people will be interested, but I think they will be. She’s awesome at what she does, I can’t imagine anyone wouldn’t want her for a teacher. She teaches me so much every day. As for the kids.... well, I mean, she knows I’d like to start as soon as possible but we’ve got to solidify our jobs first.”

Nate laughed again seeing the guy getting a bit embarrassed at the last part of Nate’s question. “You’re completely right, but it’s so much easier to be negative sometimes than being positive. I mean I swear 90% of the population now is raised to always think negatively first.”

“Well you wouldn’t be the only one,” Jude said, briefly glancing down at the Jenga stack of groceries he was trying to balance. “Hey, how’s Leon doing? Things haven’t been the same since he left town. Or at least the Cellar hasn’t.”

“They’re a test run for my cupcake exam next week.” Toni smirked, nodding towards the ones she had already decorated with frosting and chocolate hearts. “Go ahead and take one. But you’re not allowed to say they don’t taste good, because then I’ll have a breakdown. I can’t even feed all the cupcakes to Adam I made this past week.”

“I… Sorry, too far? Probably too far. I do that a lot.” 

Sophia laughed as she was pulled into Peter’s chest. She had missed the guy and was happy he was back even if it was just passing through. “Above and beyond? I forgot how funny you be Parks. – It was in the big city, but I wanted it to be closer. What in the hell are you doing back though?”

“Peter?” Ophelia was taken aback for a moment, surprise painted all over her face before a wide grin took its place instead. Hurrying over to help him out, a prompt chuckle escaped her lips even though she knew she shouldn’t be amused. “Still a little bit clumsy, I take it?” She wrinkled her nose innocently, looking up at him sympathetically. “What brings you back anyway? Visiting Summer?”

“He’s just being a stingy butt and he’s underestimating how stubborn I am,” Addison said with a grin. “Man, when I went for the onion thing I wasn’t thinking of Shrek, but now that you said it that’s right where I went. I don’t think I can ever get through a conversation without referencing Disney, god save my soul. Yeah I actually met a teacher whose going to pass around some flyers for me. I’m just…nervous…like what if flops…what if no one wants to register…now I know how you feel on the first day of a class.”

“Did you get her pregnant?” Sierra asked after disappearing again, coming back with a bowl of warm water and a small towel. “Is that why you’re back?” Unable to withhold a smile, Sierra leaned against the door and and grinned. “You know me, Petey Pie, watching people suffer gives me pleasure. Now get the pube-like hair off your face and you come inside. And hurry up, your testicles will drop off otherwise… I’m not cleaning your frozen balls up from my front yard.”

“I have four more in the other room though.” She looked around at just the ones that were in front of her. It was ridiculous. “But that’s true. I don’t know– it’s like when you’re a kid finding stuff you forgot you had. –Like” She paused, “like that.” Her eye catching something in one of the other boxes. 

“Do not smile at me!” She said dropping the bat and heading outside to grab his chin, screwing her face up as her fingers disappeared beneath his beard. “You look like a hobo on crack. Wait here—” Sierra said, heading back inside for a few moments coming back with Zack’s shaver. “Take it off. Now!” Holding the shaver towards him, Sierra glared into Peter’s eyes. “You look horrifying and you are not entering my house until you’ve shaved it off.”

“Yes I’m glad to see you too.” He attempted as she glared him something unhappy and disappeared again. “I also missed you too! ...If that counts.” He yelled in her absence, unaware if she actually heard him or not. Regardless, when she came back with a shaver, he couldn’t help but laugh. “Still wildly determined, well that’s good to know. I could just sit out on your lawn and watch you drink them inside. It’s a bit cold, but I’d do it.”