#slickvinyl

" and then he spent our rent on shoes and we had to break into someone's dorm to steal more shoes. he says he sold them all but i just know he kept some. " it really does all lead back to shoes with him... we should unpack that later. " well, he did all the breaking and entering, i was mostly there to help carry things but i had to miss my audition for all that mess and my agent sent me an email talkin bout if i miss another audition she's going to drop me. " she sighed lighting the blunt she'd made symba roll before he left. " anyways how are you ? "

" you know ... i think last time i said if you picked out an exhibit to tell me about then i'd tell you my name. " his voice was smooth and sweet, like honey. tea colored eyes glancing around the art filled hall before drifting back to the real wonder he was fascinated with at the moment. "not that i don't mind being the hot museum guide." smug, cocky yet endearing was his brand of attraction and it typically worked just fine. " but i've been wondering just who exactly is the beautiful girl who seems to come seek out art, myths and stories long past to get her mind off something?" maybe he was breaking the rules they set those times before of just lingering beside each other as he rambled about whatever she stopped in front of but he couldn't stop now. or maybe wouldn't.

daphne eyed swizzy for a moment before giving a resounding shake of her head, “—no. you can't.” at least not without some sort of other motive or something that she was too frustrated to try and think about right now. already pissed at her parents, the last thing she needed was to be wound up by someone who knew exactly how to get under her skin. she eyed the apparent offering, gaze flickering dubiously between the joint and the person holding it out. it might very well tide her over better than the sour cherry flavoured air she puffed in through her vape. “alright, fine.” then with a little bit less venom in her voice since for once her irritation wasn’t directed toward swizzy, “thank you. are you about to be generous enough to offer me the first hit?”

saiyr’s eyes went wide like he’d just tried to hex her with that nonsense. " you must’ve bumped your big-ass head, " she leaned back like his foolishness might be contagious, about two seconds from tossing him out on his ass — until he had the good sense to backtrack. " better, " crossing her arms tighter, " now let's try this again. " her head tilted, one brow rising like a challenge. "i gave you that jar on a full moon. corn moon, to be exact. you were supposed to set it in the window two nights to pull in softness, sweetness, stability. then you make her tea or pancakes or something with the honey. " a pause. she tapped one nail against her arm. " who was this even for, hm ? " her tone was light but her stare was sharp. " because if you wasted my corn moon blend trying to honey jar a girl who already knows your whole game… i might just let the fallout teach you a lesson. "

kenzo had spent days racking his mind on what to do, maybe a picnic overlooking the city or the drive in with his truck turned into a comfy hangout. instead he'd landed on a traveling carnival so he could win her a prize, eat sugary foods and with any luck kiss at the top of the ferris wheel. he handed over half the stack of tickets he’d already bought, smiling at her like she was the only thing worth looking at in the whole place, " alright beautiful, where do you wanna start ? games, food maybe ride something ? "

“you’re lucky i thoroughly enjoy overachieving … and you're cute,” athena said, tapping the edge of her notebook with the end of her pen, lips curling into a smirk. “i outlined the whole presentation since you missed lab this week. and yes, i fixed your… creative interpretation of cardiac flow. i’m keeping the phrase ‘heart yeets blood’ though. iconic, truly.” she leaned back in her chair, fingers idly tracing the rim of her tea cup as her gaze flickered over imani without a hint of shame. “also,” she added, voice dipping just slightly, “did you know giraffes have a left ventricle wall over an inch thick? they need that much pressure just to pump blood all the way up their necks to reach the brain. and when they bend down to drink, they’ve got this whole network of valves that keeps the pressure from frying their brains. it’s called the rete mirabile. isn’t that kind of romantic?” a beat passed, but athena wasn’t done. “oh, and elephant hearts? nearly thirty pounds. their heartbeat is so slow you can feel it in the ground before you ever hear them coming.” she tilted her head, her smile softening just enough to make it dangerous. “anyway,” she said, tone light, “i figured if i couldn’t win you over with charm, i’d try obscure cardiovascular trivia. is it working?”

" uh uh, don't be rude. you're gonna be dealing with me all night, try again. " she said brow arching, " besides you're the one who keeps coming back here like there's only one restaurant left in the whole damn city. " her eyes flicked towards the door as she waited for the next victim to make their way in. " me ? i haven't been on a date in ... " she counted on her fingers back to new years, " five months. i have better things to do than wade into the cesspool that the apps. " a shudder running down her spine at the thought of it. " i'll find my true love in a night club with bad lighting and shitty drinks the way it was supposed to be. "

nan shrugged one shoulder, like the compliment hadn’t landed squarely in her chest. “ yeah, i grew up, got loud — it happens. ” she smiled around the rim of her glass, like it was nothing. “ didn’t expect you to notice, though. ” her gaze flicked toward desirée, lingering just a second longer than it should’ve. “ what, you keeping tabs on me now ? ”