youth.

“i’m not so sure you did, kid.” riley grinned, leaning back against the door. “ah, yes. i have a tendency to do that to people.” they offered a smile, sliding down against the door. “i’m sure rose snuck some in – if not, archer’s probably carrying something around. so i think we’ll be good.” rolling their head back against the door, riley let out a long sigh, filled with smoke. “ah, yeah. my favorite spot in all of town.” they rolled their eyes. “i think i’m just as annoyed as everyone else, except i’m not being all panicky about it.” 

.

LAURIE tried her hardest not to pull a face at the other’s admittance, losing your virginity anywhere in a school was exactly classy but hey, neither was cheating on your girlfriend of five years so she couldn’t say anything at all. “i guess yeah, like little women. though i’m a bit more like amy than i am laurie.” she laughed and rolled her eyes as mars spoke. “yeah okay, sure. you know i’d believe that because this town is weird. seems like not everyone is so bad though…”

.

“Amy?” Mars squinted but let out a small chuckle. “Well, that’s honest at least.” She drummed her fingers on the desk restlessly. It was much better out here than in the stuffy gym. "It gets weirder.” And duller. She thought, although that was becoming less true by the day at the moment. As unaffected as she could be by what was going on around her, it seemed undeniable that the atmosphere had at least changed. Sinister. “Yeah, well, I set the bar pretty high. The rest of them are... alright.” Mars shrugged.

LAURIE furrowed her brow as the other walked into and around the room without a care in the world, laurie could only hope to be that carefree. she watched the other person for a moment or two and was intrigued by them instantly, they seemed to just have something about them that she was intrigued by. she pulled herself out of her daze as the other finally spoke and she nodded with a smile. “arrived a couple of weeks ago, i’m guessing you’re not new.” it seemed that most people in this town had been here their entire lives as had their parents and their parent’s parents and it was quite something to move to a town where everyone just knew everyone. she sat atop a table and let her legs swing over the edge. “i’m laurie by the way. i guess now is a good time as any to introduce myself to the people of the town and lucky you, you’re the first.”

.

Mars shook her head and slumped down in a chair, feet on the desk. They could hear their old teacher protesting, still as just as shrill when reduced to a memory. “Nope, not new, literally lost my virginity in this classroom,” They gestured, deciding to stop in the classroom for now. Maybe they’d find something else to do, given the lack of reading material. “Kidding.” They smirked, before adding “This isn’t the science cupboard.” under their breath. New people could be interesting. Sometimes. Up until recently, the people they had known most of their life hadn’t been prone to much change. “Like ‘Little Women’?” Mars asked with a raised eyebrow. “Lucky me. Margot, Mars is fine. Welcome to town, we randomly gather in this school and prepare for disasters every two weeks. Don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise.”

The joint finally setting in, Tim squints over at her, tilting his head before chuckling and nodding. “Fuck, that was good. If I put that on a shirt you wanna split the profit. I don’t mind 10/90. The kids will love it.” One of the aspects he enjoyed about his job was getting to design his own merch. Being an artist it was a pretty big deal. It pretty much acted as his own clothing line which is never something he saw for himself, but one of the few pieces of his life that seemed to work out in his favor. “You expect it to get that bad, huh? I don’t know if I’d want to get into that just because it’d be way too fun to watch. Do you see how many elderly people are out there? I want to know so badly how long it would actually take for a punch they’ve thrown to connect.” He rambles excitedly as if he’s really into the idea. And sure, he really might be, what of it? “I mean, you’ve got a fair point, but if you don’t come across one person who thinks its funny to call you ‘uranus’ in your life I’m afraid to say you really haven’t lived, darling.” he laughs before making a sound as if being called that really stung. “Yeah, it’s as equally as awful every time. I’mma tell you what. I know fuck all about Tiny Tim. Except that he was tiny and for what it’s worth, that sounds pretty rough. I can’t judge the guy for ruining capitalist holidays. Right on, little dude, in fact.”

.

Mars chuckled, the joint nipping at her fingertips, burning slightly as she passed it back to Tim. “You sure the kids these days are into t-shirts? You’re probably out of touch.” She joked as she exhaled slowly, her head rolled slightly where it rested against the wall, seemingly heavier on her neck than it had been moments ago. She closed her eyes. “You can have whatever cut you want; I’m trying to stay humble.” Mars smiled lazily. At least it didn’t smell so much like bleach anymore. It was no3 the scene she was used to, hazy air with the tiles cool against her skin. She peered at Tim through one open eye and crossed her arms over herself. “Who knows with this many people under one roof? Lot of beef. Like a farm.” She shrugged. There was enough tension in her own family, and she’d quite happily put space between herself and the rest of them. It wasn’t like she could fix it herself. “Oh, you haven’t seen some of the old ladies at Temple. MMA fighters the lot of them.” Mars laughed but she wasn’t wholly joking. Some of them were certainly stern enough, it wouldn’t surprise her. She scrunched her nose at ‘darling’, shook her head. “I feel like you’re going to be the one person.” Maybe she had brought it on herself this time. “Right, fuck Christmas. He’s still milking it with all the songs though. Shit, that’s just the Muppet’s version.”

…

“I try.” Whether he was that great at it was most certainly up for debate. “Fortunately not. Last person that tried to touch my hair without permission didn’t like what happened to their hand. Although I don’t know what the point of trying to get a fortune from an 8 ball is when you don’t understand ‘no’.” He smirks and shrugs before chuckling airily at the suggestions. “Ah the old razor blades in the hair trick. No one ever sees that one coming.” Tim leaves whether he’s speaking from experience up in the air before he reaches out and returns the shake. “Mars…That’s a new one. For me at least. I don’t think I’ve met anyone who has the same nickname as a planet. They just don’t roll off the tongue right, or so I thought. Mars has a ring to it. Fits the exciting persona.” Passing the joint back, he chuckles as he jokes and shakes his head. “Sometimes I wish that were the case but if I’m still spry enough for people to look me, a grown man dead in the eye and call me Timmy, I’ve gotta respect it. Although hiding out in a school bathroom to smoke marijuana with a stranger is probably the most ‘Timmy’ ass behavior, if I had to somehow quantify the behavior of every ‘Timmy’ in existence. Thank god I don’t have the authority for that.”

.

“Oh, soft hair, tough hands.” Mars smirked after a beat. They brought their knees to their chest and hugged them, each hand fiddling with the fingers of the other. Making friends wasn’t exactly their strong suit, often finding that whatever odd thing Mars felt inclined to do or say wouldn’t go down well. It didn’t seem so much the case with Tim so Mars relaxed slightly and watched the smoke around them leave the stall through the gap in the roof. “Works every time.” Mars chuckled dreamily. “You’re on my team when this all breaks out into a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match of family drama.” They bring the joint back to their lips with a nod. "Well, you know, easier to get Mars from Margot than Saturn. Or Uranus.” They laughed slightly and held up their hand, smoke wafting. “Sorry, couldn’t resist.” It had been their nickname since they were pretty young and it had stuck, often Margot felt too formal and 'Go' could get confusing. “You’re not wrong there, Timmy,” They grinned. “All better than Tiny Tim behaviour, kid knows how to make a Christmas all about him.” 

‘ what would you like me to refer to you as? ’ diana was genuinely curious as she turned to face mars with a somewhat questioning look on her face. ‘ well for one i have no one in my life to cause a sex scandal with and two no one will find out about me and drugs if i can help it. ’ she took another drag of the joint and passed it over to mars. she was feeling better already.

.

‘ i hope you’re right and no one comes in here because i don’t feel like getting caught smoking pot with my friend’s kid, not today anyway. ’ diana sat on a desk with her feet under her. ‘ you know a drug scandal would probably screw my career up more than a sex scandal so i’m sure you can imagine just how bad that would be. ’ she pulled her own lighter out and lit the joint taking a long drag and sighing in contentment as she exhaled. this was exactly what she needed.

‘ i’m always in charge. ’ diana stated as she followed mars, god knows where they were going. she looked at her surroundings gathering her bearings, it had been quite some time since she’d been in the school. ‘ this is — nice? ’ nope, this seemed to be the place where someone would lure someone to murder them. ‘ if you’re going to kill me, make it fast. ’ she nudged mars with a smile, a sight that was really quite rare.

.

“Mmhm, exactly.” Mars agreed and resisted the urge to wink. She pulled herself up onto a desk and shoved her hand into jacket pocket unceremoniously. “My old favorite classroom. No one comes in here.” It had been begrudgingly treated like an overspill classroom on occasion when Margot was a student and she’d enjoyed reading in it from time to time. She rolled her eyes slightly as her hand came into contact with her stash. “Come on, you know I’d only kill you if you asked real nicely.” She placed the container on the desk next to her and plucked out a joint. “For the lady.” 

‘ you know me too well to know that is exactly something i would have on my wall, maybe i’ll get it printed. ’ she chuckled a little and stood from her sitting position to stand in front of mars. ‘ lead the way then and if anyone questions it, well, i don’t know just ignore them. ’

.

“Don’t! Now I know exactly what to get you for Christmas.” Mars grinned with bright eyes and swung on her heels. “Yes ma’am, you’re so pretty when you’re all in charge.” She mumbled as she quickly made her way down the halls, her Docs quietly squeaking behind her. Mars was unsurprised to find it exactly the same as she had left it. Still cold. She halted suddenly outside the last door in the hall. “This way.” She announced and tugged the other into a dimly lit classroom. 

…

“Ah, right. No, I get it. It’s cool.” Tim chuckles, exhaling the smoke along with the sound. He hadn’t even been thinking along those lines to put two and two together in the moment. His head felt all too full and completely empty at the same time which is why he had wandered off to explore the building and smoke. “Good choice. We’re the worst.” Funny enough, he’s not exactly joking. Often times he thinks to himself about how of all the shit he’s been through, liking guys still ranks in the top 3 worst afflictions to be cursed with. Especially considering his current situation. “Thanks,” he smiles softly, gently plucking the joint from their fingers. “It’s not sentient or the equivalent of a magic-8 ball, believe it or not I’ve been asked before. Unfortunately it’s completely useless. Just sits up there looking like that.” It’s something delivered with a completely straight face because that’s just the way his humor works, before he takes another drag of the joint. “I’m Tim, by the way. You from around here?”

.

“Self-aware, at least.” Margot chuckled slightly. She hadn’t really ever thought much about it and had spoken about it even less. It seemed pointless to agonize over anymore. Regardless of who she was attracted to or not, she wasn’t looking to fall in love, in fact, she became closer to not believing in it at all the older she got. The situation with her parents certainly wasn’t helping dispel any of her doubts. Not that she was about to explain any of that to stranger. Margot squinted slightly. “Magic-8 ball? Hope they didn’t shake your head too hard.” She leant forward in thought. “Mohawk could work. Then it wouldn’t be so useless. It could also be a weapon.” Margot offered up with similar dryness before she nodded at the question. “Born and raised. That’s why I have such a exciting persona.” She smirked, before offering out her hand to shake, mimicking something formal she didn’t really understand or do otherwise. “Margot, Mars is fine.” She added before she wrinkled her nose. “Never Margy, just as I imagine it’s never really ‘Timmy’, right?”

Piper gave the other a weak smile. They patted the spot next to them on the slide, just enough room for two. “I don’t want to go in either.” Part of it was the last time they were there was with Mary Beth, part of it the storm, and the other part was the crowds. Going in there was going to be Hell, and they’d rather just stay outside as long as they could.

.

“Been a while, right?” Mars said drily, not well adapted to being out of their depth. They scuffed their boots on the kerb of the road but eventually decided to sit down, hugging their knees. Space between them. Mary Beth hadn’t liked Margot and she’d never been shy about it. Mars likewise never warmed to her, or Piper, really. School was one of the last places she'd really ever seen either of them. “At least when we go in they can’t force us to do Math anymore.” 

When the other said they hadn’t heard of Sommer’s podcast, she was shocked. “Oh, well, if you prefer videos, we do upload full streams of the podcast with video on Youtube.” She had heard some people preferred to enjoy the podcast that way. If she were honest, that was how she preferred to listen to them too. “I didn’t plan on going to the Masens or the Stantons. I didn’t think they’d want me to.”

.

“Right, yeah,” Mars hummed. They weren’t the best at paying attention unless it was something they were really drawn to, which tended to be obscure and only ever add to a mass of relatively useless knowledge. “so, it’s just talking murder? You’re not going to have the actual murder on as a special guest, right?” Mars’s eyebrows knitted together. “Yeah, might not be their favorite subject.”