you need to fly & take a chance

meet stella garcia // a quick navigation.

stella had agonized over chase’s return for approximately two weeks. true to her word, she had texted him - she owed him that at least - but between his hours at the hospital ( she could only imagine how thrilled they were, having such a top surgeon in their midst ) and her own responsibilities with the school. not to mention her complete avoidance, it had taken awhile to finally come up with a date night that worked for them both. 

a friday night. a real date night. 

once the date had been put into place, she’d spent more time agonizing over location - cooking for him in her home seemed to personal, but going somewhere in town seemed like too much of a declaration. he was another one of somerton’s prodigal sons, returned from the big bad outside world and stella was still, even after all this time, an outsider. if she broke his heart ( again ), she’d be shunned by most. 

it was exhausting. 

finally, though, they’d decided on noora’s - upscale, but not quite as high class as catch 35. she could get away with wearing the same clothes she wore to school if she wanted, though she ( naturally ) agonized over her closet before choosing a simple black dress, reminiscent of the one she’d been wearing when they first met in boston. nostalgia was sure to make it’s presence known throughout the night, there was no way around it. she’d made him promise to meet her there - she was sure he could see right through her, her need to have an escape vehicle available if she needed it - but he obliged in her anyways, and to her surprise, she arrived first. fifteen minutes early, stomach a bundle of nerves as she waited by the bar - a martini, to start with, just something to calm the anxiety swirling around inside of her. 

they were really doing this. she and chase, starting over. 

it seemed only natural it started the same way it had years ago, his voice laced with amusement as he startled her, is this seat taken with a gentle touch to her shoulder that made her jump with nerves. “please,” she smiled, quoting herself from the first time they’d done this, “help yourself. the martini’s here are to die for.” 

With her schedule and two young kids, Simone hardly ever got to go to the gym. She kept healthy and she tried to exercise at home when she could. But since she’d seen that Judah was back, she’d needed some kind of release. So the gym was the only reasonable thing to do. Working out wasn’t her favorite thing to do but as she left the gym, she felt much much better. 

As she was leaving though, she could hear her phone ringing. Attempting to dig for it in the bottom of her bag, she was worried it may be the hospital even though she wasn’t on call, she wasn’t watching where she was going. Instead of walking around the bench seat just outside of the gym, she stumbled into it - hitting her shin and dropping her handbag. 

“Shit,” she hissed. So much for feeling better after working out. Now, her shin stung and the contents of her bag were scattered on the ground. 

Stella tried to warn the other about the bench, but it was too late - “ouch,” she muttered to herself, rushing over to help retrieve her fallen items. “Are you okay?” she asked, which was a stupid question, really - she was clumsy enough herself, and walking into something was never fun, always left a bruise on her skin that flourished for days afterwards. “I mean, like, you didn’t severely injure yourself, did you? Nothing an ice pack can’t help?” 

Felicity gave a laugh, a quick wave of her hand brushing off the mention of Nell. “I like to hope that Nell will take all my dirty secrets to thee grave, but you’re going to have to make sure I know if she doesn’t.” She liked to think that there wasn’t too much to tell, but when you were as close a neighbours as she and Eleanor were, it didn’t take more than a couple of bottles of wine for lips to get a little loose. As soon as she mentioned Chase, her face shifted into one of surprise, as the dots connected in her head. She knew she must have seen her on some form of social network in the past. “Oh of course! It’s so nice to meet you, I think I’ve seen you in some of his photos in the past.” She said, her face of surprise shifting back into a friendly smile. “Is Somerton living up to the high praise I’m sure Chase gave it? Aside from seeing the ex-girlfriend on your television, of course.”

“I actually lived here before - I went to Somerton U for college,” she admitted, “so it was a strange coincidence running into Chase in Boston of all places.” It had been a crazy coincidence, really, something that had bonded them once upon a time - the four years Stella had been there, he’d already been gone, back in her home city. “But I love it, it’s part of why I moved back. I’m from Boston originally, and while I love the city, I like the calmness of suburbia, you know?” It was a much more intimate lifestyle, that was for sure, but it did run into the strangeness of this - running into exes of exes where the relationship dynamic was just a little too surreal. “You must get it - you left for a little while too, right? Somerton just has a way of drawing you back.” 

Teagan never had cared much for what other people thought if it wasn’t about her skating. For much of her life that felt like her only personality trait. “You should read that book, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck. Enlightening.” She shrugged as they pulled up to their destination and she parked the car in front. “I still couldn’t do it. If a child spoke to me before I was about to get railed by their father and be the one calling him daddy it would totally be a turn off.” She said as she got out of the car and waited for Stella before locking the doors. “Maybe you should try women instead. I have much better sex with ladies anyway, honestly.”

Stella couldn’t help the laughter that erupted out of her, the idea of calling any of her boyfriends daddy was a level she just wasn’t on quite yet anyways - “Trust me, that’s not the vibe we have going on,” she finally acknowledged, following Tea into Mama’s Fishhouse. Her favorite - seafood, beer, maybe a cocktail if she was feeling faux fancy. “You know, I’ve never tried that before. Women. I mean, they’re gorgeous, but they’ve never exactly held my attention like that.” It was almost a shame, considering how many of her closest relationships were with women - it might be so much easier to just settle down with one of them. “I had one threesome in college with a friend, and that’s about it. And even then, we both paid attention to the guy more than each other.” 

Of course I still love you. Chase tried to keep the smile off his lips but he needed to hear those words more than he needed to breathe in that moment and just like she always did, Stella knew. He nodded his head and waited for the but that he knew was coming. If it was as simple as still being in love then she would have come back. He waited years for her, never changed the locks and always left the porch light on for her, even though they both knew she wasn’t coming home. “Then let me get to know the new Stella.” As much as it made him sick to think of her dating anyone else, he had no right to ask her not to. She knew how he felt and Chase was just going to hope that over time that would be enough. 

“I am exactly who you have always known me to be. I’ve grown and changed since then, sure, but who I am hasn’t changed.” I’m still the man you gave your heart to, he thought to himself, wishing he was brave enough to say it out loud. “If you love me at all then give me a chance, Stell. Let me make you dinner and we can talk and try to…I don’t know, start over I guess.”

Start over. 

Maybe this was her chance, her opportunity. The reason she never bothered past a third date, why she couldn’t quite cross the line with Wesley into something closer to real, the reason she felt like the one was so elusive to her. 

Maybe Chase would really give her a second chance, even though she didn’t deserve it, even though she’d done nothing to give him a reason to want her anymore. He still did. He still wanted to spend ‘forever’ with her when she wasn’t even sure she wanted to spend ‘forever’ with herself. At the very least, she owed them both the chance to find out if they were holding onto nostalgia, or something more. Something real. 

“Dinner,” she finally agreed. “I’ll text you - for real this time - and let you know when I’m free. Okay?” 

Felicity’s cold hand came up to wave off the others worry very quickly, a gesture she used regularly as some sort of effort to put people at ease. “Oh I wouldn’t dare judge you if you tripped. If anything, I’d probably be right there with you.” She laughed, her hand now reaching for the coffee that was being presented to her, fingers quickly wrapping themselves around it in a bid to extract as much warmth from it as she possibly could before she drank it. “Pleasure to meet you, Stella. I’m Felicity.” She smiled widely - born and raised in the small town and on the television most mornings meant that there were few people who didn’t know her name in some capacity, but it didn’t stop her. She didn’t like to assume - plus, the brunette was far more personable than that. Stella’s face was familiar, though she couldn’t place it, not immediately anyway. ‘Basketball and coffee, it seems. You’ll have to tell me, who do we have in common? And how many of my embarrassing stories and dirty secrets have they told you?” 

i’m always going to love chase - you don’t come this close to a wedding and not hold a place in your heart for them. and while i know he doesn’t understand my reasoning for leaving, i was trying to do it for him. having him come back has certainly....rekindled emotions i was trying to bury deep down, but it doesn’t change the fact that i left so he could find someone else to make him happy. that i’m not the girl he thinks i am. so, yes, i love him, but love isn’t always enough.  

Liam had been playing down at the docks this morning and when he finally packed up, he found himself right in the middle of a crowd full of basketball fans. It seemed like the entire city was celebrating the teams title win today and he was the only one who didn’t quite get it. Letting his eyes wander across the people around him with his guitar on his back and his hands in the pockets of his jeans, he was that lost in his own thoughts, that he didn’t even notice Stella until he was already pulled in a hug. “Apparently excited and drunk people are more generous when it comes to giving some money to buskers..”, he explained with a shrug and a grin before nodding his head at the other people around them. “Seems like the entire town is going crazy!”

She had to admit, she was glad to see him smiling again - it felt like the winter months had lasted forever, but when Liam was in a good mood, the whole world shone with him. She laughed easily at his joke, unsurprised that the generous spirit had gotten him more tips for the day - it was certainly a hell of a celebration for a small town, but she’d lived in Boston her whole life and could still remember how insane it went the last time the Red Sox won the world series. “People’s lives go crazy for sporting events,” she shrugged good naturedly, “it’s something easy to focus on, to lose yourself in. Are you done playing for the day, then? It’s a shame you’re not on one of those floats - I bet the town would love their local troubadour playing for them in a parade.” 

open event-starter where: on the rocks bar @somertonstarter​

When Jake entered the bar, he immediately found himself in the middle of some really excited and mostly drunk basketball fans. Not that he really minded it but having grown up with an entirely different sport, it certainly was a point of time where he was reminded of how his friends who weren’t interested in hockey probably felt around him most of the time. Trying to navigate his wheelchair through the mass of people and towards the bar, the male was glad when he finally reached it and managed to get the barkeepers attention to order a beer before turning his head towards the person standing next to him. “Man, I’ll never get how people can get that excited by someone trying to throw a ball in a basket..”, he stated, fully aware that there were lots of people who pretty much said the same thing about hockey.

“I can’t blame them,” Stella grinned at the man next to her, waiting for her drink with an unnatural patience she normally didn’t have without a martini already in her hand. “My sport is baseball - which is definitely less overtly exciting, unless you love the tension between two rival teams in a tie at the bottom of the 9th and bases loaded, which, I do.” 

“Well in my defense they shouldn’t be named things so similar. How am I supposed to remember which is which?” Teagan frowned as she drove them out of the parking lot and towards their next destination. “Are you still hooking up with Wesley? Isn’t it weird since he has like, children?” She’d never really liked kids all that much and anyone who had them was usually a deal breaker for Teagan, not wanting to have to sneak around or talk to anyone under five feet tall unless it was at work. “Stella, I’ve always been interested in your sexcapades and the only person I’ve been hooking up with consistently is Ephraim and god bless the man he’s gorgeous but he can be a little vanilla for my taste.” She rolled her eyes as she came to a stop at a light and looked over at Stella. “Please. I do not embarrass myself because I simply choose not to be ashamed of anything I do.”

“And I commend you for that,” Stella laughed. She had to admit, Teagan was always 100% unapologetically herself, something she envied. Sometimes it felt like she was putting on a different face for everyone around her - at least with Tea, she didn’t have to pretend as much. There were very limited numbers of people she could say that about - Nell and Emma, perhaps, were the only others. 

EVERGREEN DOCK ⇢ PRINCE’S POINT                                            ft. anyone @somertonstarter​

Felicity was absolutely someone who had what was being dubbed as ‘town pride’, having been born in Somerton and not leaving until she was eighteen for college, these sorts of events were ones she’d been accustomed too. She liked to think that the basketball team had a certain amount of luck from her - she’d been back in town for three years, and they’d won their championships every year in that time. Felt like too much of a coincidence for her, thought she might have just been reaching for some credit that absolutely wasn’t due to her.

She was down at Prince’s Point having just come off of a broadcast - her and her cohost were out of the studio for the morning, bringing the spirit of the celebrations into everyone’s homes with views of what would be a parade later that day. It had been chilly, and as much as she could put on a brave face for the cameras, she needed something to warm her body. “I think my fingers are so cold I won’t be able to hold a coffee cup.” She laughed as she placed her order at a pop-up coffee cart that had clearly been set up to take advantage of the celebrations. “If I drop it all over the floor, you can’t judge me.”

“Far be it from me to judge,” Stella laughed, shaking her head - Felicity and she hadn’t spent a lot of time together, but they had a familiar face between them. Stella probably knew more about Felicity than the other knew about her, at least; Chase had told her about every ex he’d had back in the day, and seeing her face on the news in the morning had been a little disorienting over the past couple years. A reminder that she had left someone behind who very much had an impact on other people. “So long as you don’t judge me if I trip over my own feet and drop my coffee.”

when: saturday night

where: joe rye’d

with: stella garcia @stellagarcia​

The bar was absurdly crowded as the reruns were constantly on the screen and people seemed to have been completely engulfed in celebration mode that week. She had thought way too often about what she wanted to do with her night off that day, but taking Stella out for some distraction easily got number one on her list. She did not pretend to know what her friend was going through with the return for Chase, and they had lengthy conversations about it already, still, Stella’s mind was a mystery to Eleanor.

Many ways had passed through her mind in how to help her deal with everything. How to make her forget about it. Or maybe even give her some sound advice. She wasn’t very good at that. Her own love life was a mess. Besides, it only ever became more complicated seeing how she was involved with Wesley who was one of Eleanor’s closest friend. All in all, the whole ordeal was a mess, but she would never say this to Stella.

Taking two beers from the tap and being careful enough not to crash on another body, Eleanor laughed when the crowd cheered at someone dunking a ball on the basket. Really, she lived there her whole life and she had yet to grow used to basketball season. Finally reaching their table and placing the drink in front of Stella she plumped down on her seat. “I have a feeling that we’ll have to behave like total college kids to keep up tonight,” she wiggled her eyebrows at the suggestion, an easy smile tugging her lips. “What do you say? Go big or go home?”

“Go big, definitely,” Stella laughed, grateful for the appearance of a beer in front of her. A night off with her best friend to forget about the chaos her love life had become was exactly what the doctor - or, she supposed, nurse in Nell’s case - had ordered. She took a hearty sip, eyes focused on the televisions around the room. She was a baseball girl herself, but no one cared about college baseball and while spring training had started, her Red Sox were still months away from being important enough to grace the many screens. 

stella hated to admit, but the school spirit for her own alma mater was a little too much even for her. maybe it was because she didn’t quite understand the appeal of basketball, or the fact that she was having difficulties lately trying to deal with her past forcing its way into her present, but she’d only really brought bear down to the parade so he could get energy out of his system. 

she was a little surprised to see liam there, guitar strapped to his back, looking as pensive as ever. she touched his arm lightly, smiling up at him and wrapping him in a quick hug, bear barking excitedly around their feet - “i didn’t take you for a parade voyeur,” she teased lightly, kissing his cheek as she greeted him. “don’t tell me you’re sucked into the basketball hype - i’ll have to rethink our entire friendship.” 

Morgan smiled at the woman. “Yes, I enjoy it, specially when I have to kick someone’s butt,” she smirked. “This Bar is my baby, the place where I work and I have fun. I’m not going to let an asshole destroy everything I worked for. It’s a simple rule. If you have trouble having a secord beer, then get a taxi or come with your friends, that’s it. If you come with problems from work, leave them outside the door,” she looked around. “This is a place to have fun and relax, but some people think that insulting everytthing and everyone will make them feel better.”

The first time she punched someone was when they tried to put their hands on one of her waitresses. She stepped in and the guy ended up with a broken nose and a black eye. “I thought that would be enough, but they keep coming back for more,” Morgan said. “That makes me think that they are really brave or stupid. I mean, my brother is the Chief of Police and could have them arrested, but I don’t like to get the police involved unless it’s a reall emergency,” she added with a shrug.

Stella let out a low whistle; On The Rocks might not have been the classiest bar around, but it was hardly a dive either. The clientele should have known how to behave themselves, but she knew sometimes people just didn’t care or wanted to push the boundaries. “At least your employees know it’s safe here for them,” she replied, “that the boss will look out for them. No wonder I always get such great service here.” 

Stella wasn’t stupid and knew that by now, Eleanor recognized every exit strategy of hers. Every attempt to reset the conversation and change the subject. She was flighty like that too, she hated pressure to talk about something she didn’t want, so she just threw a knowing look at her best friend and allowed her to move the conversation along. There was no need to talk about it now, but eventually they would have to▬ eventually, Stella would have to make up her mind about a lot of things.

Maybe it was one of the things that drew them so close▬ How they were constantly between a rock and a hard place. 

“She is,” Eleanor couldn’t help the pout, “she is actually looking mostly cities, she says she doesn’t mind the Ivy Leagueness, but I know she’s applying to some. Don’t ask me what her top choices are thought, because I have no idea.”

“Princeton, Harvard, MIT, CalTech and Princeton,” as if on queue, Emma walks in on the two women rubbing her eyes, but with a knowing smile on her lips.

Eleanor shrugs and smiles back, welcoming her daughter and kissing the top of her head. “Well, there you go. Aunt Stella wanted to show you around UMass, what do you think?”

Emma zooms in the pancakes and takes a bite of one, replying to the duo with a full mouth. “It’s not one I have thought about, but I can be persuaded, Auntie,” she looks at Stella, it’s almost the same look Eleanor gives her, except that Emma’s eyes are chesnut colored, just like her grandfather on her father’s side. 

“We should go to Boston though, I would love a Garcia party,” the youngest brunette says before dashing the kitchen to the living room where they can clearly listen to her playing with Bear and the sound of the television turning on.

Eleanor rolls her eyes while watching her daughter leave and then looks back to Stella once Emma is out of sight. “What a brat right? Who the fuck raised that kid?” She jokes, “well, I’m pretty sure she might have listened to our entire conversation and has a lot of questions, but what do you say we put it off for a while and go join her in the living room? I’m definitely crashing after this.”

Stella couldn’t help but beam with pride; even growing up mere minutes from Cambridge, she’d never considered the Ivy leagues for herself, content to spend her college years partying and taking her clothes off more than she went to class. Emma had her mothers brain, though, that was evident, and she was bound to go out and change the world in better ways than either one of them. 

She could only hope she was one day as great a mother as Nell was to Emma. 

“I’m surprised you’re still standing,” Stella admitted, making a plate for Emma to carry with them, pausing only to kiss Nell’s shoulder - the other was too tall for her to reach the top of her head, an infuriating fact, but she wanted her to know how much she appreciated her. Stella was never good with words, but actions, that she could do. And Nell knew her inside and out - she would know what Stella was grateful for was more than just an ear to listen. It was their presence in her life, the sounds of Bear barking happily while Emma laughed from the other room, the fact that Nell trusted Stella enough to let Emma spend the night with her in the first place. 

Every time she began wondering when her own family would start, she was reminded she already had one. Small and unique, but hers nonetheless. 

“C’mon, I bet we can convince Emma to share all the good gossip if I ply her with enough sugar before you fall asleep on the couch again. I promise not to let her draw on your face with permanent marker - but I make no promises about moving you to a bed.”