living;

“Our bassist just fucking quit and it feels like I haven’t left the studio in days. And people say musicians don’t work hard, eh?”

“Well, I’ve never met a musician, so I wouldn’t be able to validate that, I’m afraid. Although, no, tell a lie - I bumped into one of the girls from Atomic Kitten in Tesco once. I think it was her... Apparently I was in the middle of a tantrum because I couldn’t have two tubs of sweets from the pick ‘n’ mix, so it could’ve been anyone I suppose. Still, I’m sticking with my original story - and that’s my claim to fame.. Until now! You are?” Poppy let out a long breath, eyes still on the boy in front of her. 

Two months? Well, respect to you for sticking it out that long. If it were up to me, I think she’d have been out the door in the first five minutes. Evidently you’re a much nicer person than I am... Are you fussy? About your employees, of course. I have a younger sister. Complete pain in the neck but she’s relatively good with a kettle and can spell her own name, so I suppose that’s a start...

Just got back from the UNICEF trip and apparently missed a lot of coursework while I was there. Thankfully, they extended the deadline a bit, but I guess that means I’ll be working all day today. Sounds fun, yeah?

Heartless bastards, giving you coursework after all your hard work out there. Providing you were working hard and weren’t just lying on a beach somewhere sunny, eating loads of chips and things... Unless that’s exactly what you were doing and you’re just trying to cover it up?! Goodness.

Poppy, upon entering the cafe and noticing the young man asleep in plain sight, smiled to herself. This was her chance - what she lived for. She grabbed a handful of straws from the counter and made her way over to the table. Carefully, she sat across from the boy - now snoring, she noted - and placed her bag gently on the floor. She rested her elbows on the table, being careful not to knock anything and wake him, and got to work. She placed the straws wherever she could - in his open mouth, laced between his fingers, tucked behind his ear. She hummed quietly to herself as she worked, occasionally catching the eye of a fellow customer and sharing a quick smirk. Yes, this would be a good day, she mused.

“It’s such a beautiful morning, isn’t it?”

“Is it?” Poppy grumbled. She’d woken up very early on a rare day off, had splattered a very inventive strawberry and peanut butter smoothie all over the kitchen walls and had lost her Oyster card somewhere between her flat and the station. Still, she’d hoped that might all fade into insignificance when she entered the boutique and had a few hours trying on dresses. But no - now she had to talk to people. Disgusting.

Poppy stared at the young girl before her, turning this way and that with her new possession. She knew the girl was one of many York’s - obviously, she worked for the whole lot of them - but couldn’t put a name to the face. 

Rose took the steps one at a time as she headed up them. “I mean you can follow me upstairs,” she said with a smirk. “But no promises on what will happen once we get up there.”

Poppy looked around her dramatically, focusing on the girls words. “Are you talking to me?” She whispered, leaning in slightly. “I must say, I’m not usually into all of this, but... Well, I suppose now is as good a day as any to join a cult.” She smiled. “Take me to your leader,” she said, eyebrows raised and eyes wide. 

Sent the intern for coffee and she returned with Starbucks. She bought dirt water when I asked for espresso… Interesting.

You’re not a fan of Starbucks? Oh, wait... hold on. You’re not... Italian, are you? Jesus. I fear for the life of said intern.

If I could, I’d only wake up after the sun has set. No one even knows how to function in the morning, we’d all be better off.

Hm... Are you an owl or a vampire? Those are the only two reasons I can think of for a person wanting to only be awake at night. It sounds awfully dull. Think of how strange it would be to eat your breakfast at nine at night... Bizarre. I couldn’t handle it myself.