#threads ;

When: April 10, 2023

Where: Zach's house

Staying true to his words, Zach remains his usual cool and collected self as he continues to text Hazal. He's taking things slow, just like she asked, and it seems like things are going well. He respects her wishes, making sure to steer clear of any uncomfortable topics during their conversations. Later that evening, he invites her round to his place to watch The Witcher together, something she expressed interest in. Zach orders pizza to keep things casual and not at all date-like, feeling confident in his decision.

After they finish their meal, they make themselves comfortable in the living room to watch the first episode. Although Zach is typically confident and never the jealous type, a moment of insecurity creeps up on him as he remembers bumping into Bentley, Hazal's neighbour, earlier in the day. He wonders if Hazal and Bentley have a friendlier relationship than he originally thought. "I met your neighbour earlier. He seems like a nice guy," he blurts out, the words hanging in the air like an unwelcome visitor.

   Riley didn’t know that she’d necessarily earned a break as she hadn’t been too focused on her work today, but she was too excited about the work party they’d planned for valentine’s day. She had spent a lot of time looking through her closet over the weekend, trying to figure out what to wear, but most of her options weren’t terribly work appropriate. Getting up from her desk, she walked up to the reception desk and leaned on the counter. She had her phone in her hand and glanced over her shoulder at the rest of the office before speaking looking back to Penny, waiting until seemed available before she spoke up,

   “Do you have an outfit picked out for the valentine’s party yet?” She asked curiously, “Because I’m trying to figure out the right balance between wearing something cute and wearing something that’s like professional for a work function or whatever and it’s a lot more difficult than I thought it would be.” 

              THE CHERRIES AREN’T THERE     for  his  consumption  but  he  hasn’t  had  a  bite  to  eat  in  too  long  and  the  bar  is  c l o s i n g  so  he’s  decided  to  help  himself  to  the plastic  carton  as  he  lounges  on  the  other  side  of  the  bar .  he’s  taken  the  time  to  change  in  the  back ,  his  job  is  just  out  of  need  for  money  and  prolonging  l u s t f u l  glances  in  his  direction  is  not  in  his  interest  ——   the  big  paying  customers  are  already  gone  and  what  remains  are drunkards  unable  to  get  it  through  their  skulls  that  it’s  closing time .  there’s  no  reason  to  pretend  he  doesn’t  find  them  r e p u l s i v e .  attention  turns  to  a  p r e t t y  face  ,  a  f r i e n d  among  pawns .   “   are   you  going  home  after  we  close ?  ”      

“I know this is going to make me sound like a crazy person.” It isn’t like she had much of a problem with such a thing; she’s certainly been called a little ridiculous, or over the top, or unnecessary before. Honestly, she preferred to see herself as a more interesting individual in that sense. But, it still didn’t change the fact that sometimes she did or said things which were particularly odd. Giselle will shrug it off this time, just as any other time. 

When: March 4th, 2023

Where: Kings Haven Beach

Joy fills his chest as he strolls along the beach with Hazal. It's only been a week since he reconnected with her over breakfast, but he's shamelessly flirted with her ever since. To his delight, she doesn't seem to mind his advances and appears to enjoy them just as much as he does. Before they part ways, he musters the courage to ask for her number, and he's been texting her daily. The more time he spends with her, the more he realizes that he's falling for her all over again. But a nagging thought remains in the back of his mind - did he ever really stop loving her in the first place?

The day before, he convinces Hazal to come to Kings Haven beach with him, and he's over the moon when she agrees. The sun is shining, and the beach is alive with people laughing, playing games, and building sandcastles. Watching the waves crash against the shore, he feels a sense of peace wash over him. When he sits beside her, he feels like everything is just as it should be. “We should have entered the competition. I’m sure with your help we could have won the entire thing.”

GRIFFIN: Feeling bored here, love. Give me a list of things to watch on Netflix?

When: May 9th, 2023

Where: Zach's house

He fidgets anxiously in his seat, trying to shake off the feeling of expectation that's weighing him down. He's been looking forward to this dinner for ages, ever since he and his cousin Leon exchanged a series of cryptic text messages. Leon had dropped some hints about his conversation with Hazal, and Zach can't wait to find out more.

But there's another reason for his unease, too. Zach spent the night with Hazal recently, and he's convinced that they’re dating now. The only problem is, he hasn't made it clear to her yet; so he's hoping his cousin can give him some much-needed advice. "Thanks for making the time to meet me, man," he says, smiling. "I know you're swamped with your music stuff, but I really needed to talk to you about something."