Okay, so like do you stop drinking it when you get the shakes? Like is that your cue? What happens when you have one of those? I don’t do well with energy drinks, plus the smell kinda puts them off for me, I feel like I’m tasting chemical.

“Well, yeah, I can’t really be shaky when I’m working at the shop. Really only drink it when I’m at my second job. --They taste like shit, but they work.”

How much coffee is too much coffee? Asking for a friend. Like it can’t stop your heart right?

“I don’t fuckin’ know? It makes me shaky as fuck when I have too much of it, but nothing like when I have a Monster or RedBull.”

“Has anyone read this ‘You’ book? It’s a crazy-ass story, and Beck has her annoying aspects, but she doesn’t deserve to have this stalker obsessing over her. Also, shut your damn curtains!”

“--Are you going to talk the entire time? Because I’m holding a needle in my hand, and you might wanna not distract me while I’m pushing it into your skin.”

Lucy looked up from her book and raised her eyebrow. “That shouldn’t be hard since I do know you. Hello, Julian. And that drink better be something strong.” She put her book down and turned her attention to him and cleared her throat. “Oh my god, Julian!” She jumped up and brought him into a hug. “I haven’t seen you in years! How have you been?! We need to catch up! Right now! Tell me EVERYTHING!”

“Not well,” he started, but that wasn’t important now-- what was important was that she’d agreed to help him out-- enthusiastically so. He was caught off guard as she jumped up and hugged him, and almost dodged her, but begrudgingly went along with it, forcing a huge smile. “Lucy, it’s been much too long!” he replied, patting her on the back and lifting her up a bit as he hugged her. “--Of course, of course, mind if I sit with you so they’ll only see the back of my head and not recognize me?”

“How did you-?” Dylan spoke quietly, slightly startled and confused as to how this random guy had her keys. Looking down at her bag,she realized she’d been in such a hurry she missed the entire opening. Looking back at the kind stranger she smiled and chuckled softly at his comment. “Thanks, you are absolutely right about that. Its- what I get for rushing. Pretty sure I would have just given up on the day had I lost them.”

“I don’t blame you. I probably would’ve blown up and wanted to punch someone if I lost my keys. Or anything that important. Whole day would’ve gone to shit.” Julian replied with a nod and a wry smile. “Anyway.... here you go.” He stepped closer, holding the keys out for her to take. 

With the strong possibility of being around drunk people, Ash wasn’t sure why she went to the 4th July festival every year; and yet she did. She usually walked around with a bottle of water, watched the lights and the family who had kids that were laughing and running around then she watched the fireworks and go home. Hearing her name, she looked up at the Ferris Wheel and waved at one of the kids in her neighbourhood. Stepping back, she wasn’t watching where she was going and stepped on someone’s foot. She let out a gasp and immediately turned around to face them. “Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry!”

Julian was holding onto Ally’s hand as they walked through the crowds of people at the fair; it was easy to get lost here, and Andy would kill him if he lost his niece. “Okay, we’ll do the Ferris Wheel first, then bumper cars, and whatever else you want to do-- we can get popcorn or something, too, deal?” Julian asked Ally, giving her a fond grin as they approached the Ferris Wheel. He started to move towards the line, but crashed into another person, and felt them step on his foot, making him wince in pain. This was one of the many reasons why he hated these kinds of things-- Ally was lucky he loved her. “--It’s fine,” he gritted out, not yet meeting the eyes of the person who’d stepped on him. “It happens.” He frowned and glanced over at the young woman, flashing her a quick smile. “Really, it’s fine. Right, Al?”

Seeing his brother’s smile, he nodded and couldn’t help but give a small smile back. Ally is the only person he has known Julian to care about and for that Andy’s somewhat grateful. If he has to have a bad relationship with his brother for his daughter to have a good one with her uncle then so be it. “She misses you. I don’t think she really understands why we don’t talk.” Nodding at his comment, he understood. With the fireworks and loud noise in general, Andy didn’t think it would be a good idea for him, especially in front of Ally. She’d never seen him like that - and he never wanted her to. “She does. I don’t think it’s a good idea for me so she was hoping maybe you’d take her?”

“Well, I miss her too. --We talk. What are we doing now?” He knew that wasn’t quite what Andy meant, but he was going to play dumb anyway. He could be a bit of an asshole, especially towards his brother. He didn’t really have any reason to be such a dick towards Andy, other than holding a grudge against him over their father’s death. It had nothing to do with Andy, really, but Julian couldn’t help but associate him with their dad dying, and it made him defensive and angry around his brother. “I think I can. I shouldn’t be working that day.”

Andy should have known he wouldn’t get the warmest reception from his younger brother. If he was someone else, maybe he would stop trying to salvage their relationship and give up on his brother but that wasn’t in Andy’s nature. “Can’t a guy just pay his brother a visit without an ulterior motive?” He responded but he knew Julian wouldn’t buy it. Not with their relationship being what it was. “Okay, maybe not. Forgot who I was talking to.” He mumbled to himself before taking a deep breath and looking up at her brother. “Ally keeps talking about her Uncle Julian. Are you going to the 4th July festival?” 

“--With our track record? No, not likely.” Julian shook his head; he would’ve laughed if it wasn’t kinda fucked up. Once upon a time they’d been close, the way brothers should be, but now it was just a mess, and they could hardly talk now without getting into an argument. “She does?” At that, he had to smile. No matter what his relationship was like with Andy, he’d always had a bond with his niece, and would give her the world if he could. “Well, I wasn’t really planning on it. Spending a shit ton of money on rigged games and shitty food isn’t exactly my idea of fun. But maybe.” he murmured with a shrug. “Why? Does Ally want to go?”

“You, uh.. You speak to all you customers like that or just the ones who happen to be your brother?” Andy tilted his head as he looked at his brother. The relationship between the two was strained at best and and had been ever since… well, ever since Andy could remember. After their father died, it was like something clicked in the boys. Andy went down one path in life and Julian, the other. Even so, Julian was his brother and he cared about him. Shrugging, he shoved his hands in his pockets. “I was taking a walk and saw the light on. Thought I’d come see my brother.”

GENERAL : THIS OR THAT