Maya Archer

[archerinhiding-blog]

ray-leblanc:

Ray smiled lightly at the woman’s answer, nodding softly in agreement. “I’ve never been to the city, so I’ll take your word for it.” Ray appreciated the kind words. As she asked about their knowledge of jewelry they nodded again, “yes, actually. My parents want me to take over the business in a few years so I’ve spent the last severally learning all about it. What about you? What do you do, Maya?”

She listened, and watched, holding eye contact with the stranger as he spoke. Jewellery ... it was something she’d never taken much of an interest in, no matter how hard her parents tried to raise her like a good girl, she couldn’t help but rebel. “I’ don’t know anything about it. I’m in mechanics, maybe that’s why.” A faint hint of a smile appeared across her face, just below her cheeks and not enough to reach them. “I can tell you a lot about cars and trucks, though.” 

[archerinhiding-blog]

ray-leblanc:

“I’m Ray LeBlanc,” they answered, introducing themselves and holding out a hand for a polite handshake. “It’s good to meet you, Maya, thank you for listening to my rant.” They chuckled a bit, running their hand over the back of their neck. “I’m not normally like that. I actually mostly just work at my parents jewelry store and watch movies.” Ray took a deep breath to break up their talking, knowing they weren’t helping their case.

She felt obliged to shake the stranger’s hand, especially after being so standoffish. “You too, but don’t don’t worry about it. I’ve heard weirder stuff, New York isn’t for the normal people.” It was a bad attempt at trying to make up for her attitude, but an attempt nonetheless. He shared yet another piece of information that she hadn’t asked for but her guilt made sure that she wasn’t going to brush it off. “Oh? Do you much about jewellery?” 

[archerinhiding-blog]

Valentine’s Dismay // Maya x Open

[archerinhiding-blog]

oliviamaude:

“you’re preaching to the choir.” she sighed, shoving her way through the couple that barely even took a break to breathe. “it’s just another excuse for couples to be annoying and show off how much they love each other or whatever. pathetic.”

Maya hadn’t even noticed the stranger until she’d spoken, but immediately followed her through the couple. She didn’t want to get stuck there for any longer. “It’s like they don’t realise it’s just an excuse to make money off of people.” 

[archerinhiding-blog]

toddholchan:

“Oh, yeah, of course,”  Todd nodded.  He took the phone from her hand, typing the number for the auto shop in, having memorized the number a while back just for times like this or so he could call a customer to let them know their car was ready to be picked up.  “Um, next time my boss comes by I’ll be sure to let them know that someone else was interested in a job.  Ah…could I get your name?  Sorry, I don’t think I caught it earlier.”

“Thanks.” Maya didn’t have to force her smile, she knew that this was the beginning of a normal and honest life for her. No more drugs, no more sketchy back rooms of clubs, no more alley way exchanges... It might be boring but it was going to be good. She was going to be good. As she watched him type the number into her phone, she was trying to convince herself that things would work out. “Oh, it’s Maya.” 

[archerinhiding-blog]

Valentine’s Dismay // Maya x Open

As if being in a new town wasn’t bad enough, Maya was being bombarded with all kinds of romantic signs and gestures because of this month’s meaning. The store windows she’d been past this morning were littered with love hearts and couple deals, it was too much. She’d hoped that the grocery store would be free of any of that, but as soon as she’d stepped through the doors, there was a couple standing directly in the way, participating in a display of PDA that she couldn’t ignore. “God, I hate Valentine’s Day.” 

[archerinhiding-blog]

darkmagicmoore:

Talia frowned at the other’s explanation. “’Didn’t expect’? Somehow, I’m not buying that.” Maybe others didn’t expect to show up at a store or a park, but at a cemetery? It wasn’t a place most people wandered aimlessly. Talia could attest to that. “It’s a sign of respect. For those visiting and those already here. Clearly you don’t have any. Ever hear of the term ‘rest in peace’?” It was almost startling how seriously Talia took cemeteries, how overprotective she was of the site. “Visiting someone?” She crossed her arms and lifted an eyebrow, testing the woman to see if the same dark energy had brought her here as well.

Maya had never come across someone so uptight over something so small. “Will you chill out? It’s just a phone.” That definitely wasn’t going to make things better, but she couldn’t help it, there were only so many times she could bite her tongue. She hadn’t been raised to take this kind of attitude, she was usually the one dishing it out. “I don’t think that’s any of your business, do you?.” It was a rhetorical question and she left this as her answer, letting her tone show her displeasure. 

[archerinhiding-blog]

toddholchan:

“Oh, you are?”  Todd replied, having not expected her answer.  “Sorry about that.  I might’ve been on a break or something,”  He admitted.  He liked getting out of the shop during lunch and tried to remember to leave a note on the door that he’d be back later, but that didn’t mean he always remembered.  “Uh, maybe.  It’s just me and this other girl working in the shop, but in a town like this business tends to be slow.  You can always ask the family that owns it though – the Gilmer’s.  They stop by every now and then to make sure everything’s running smoothly.”

She had no idea who they were but nodded anyway, willing to do whatever it took to find a job and settle into this bizarre town.”Yeah, I’ll do that.” The conversation felt like it flatlined there and she knew that she couldn’t leave it so... open ended, so she dug a hand into her pocket and tugged her mobile from it. It was new, no scratches or worn off buttons. As soon as she left New York she’d had to change it, just in case. “Can I get a number for the place? So I can call if I hear they’re around?” Without waiting for a response she was holding her phone out to him. “Or you could let me know when they are.” 

[archerinhiding-blog]

darkmagicmoore:

Talia cursed under her breath at the sound of a phone. It had severed the connection she felt to the cemetery and brought her back to dull, hopeless Coolsville. She blinked once. Twice. Trying to remember what had taken over her. It wasn’t like she really knew who Reese was outside of the legend death had made the younger girl; all Talia knew was how the town changed. For the worse, it seemed. As if someone had taken a blanket of sorrow and tossed it over everyone in sight. 

 Talia glanced over both shoulders frantically for any sign of…well, life. “Who’s there?” She scanned the familiar setting for anything out of the ordinary, and spotted a person staring at her from a short distance away. Was this someone she needed to hex? As a proud witch, Talia didn’t care much for hiding her powers or her love of necromancy–growing up so cautious about them made her second-guess revealing too much now. “Really? A phone call? I take it you’re not the cemetery-going type.”

The stranger called out and Maya managed to get off of her phone and lower the device from her ear just in time to hear the woman’s disapproving voice taunt her. She let out a shot breath, motioning with the mobile. “I didn’t expect to be coming here today.” Part of her wanted to apologise, just to make sure she wasn’t about to make an enemy if nothing else, but she’d also never heard the rule that said you had to switch phones off in the cemetery. “The dead don’t usually mind as far as I know.” Something told her that the woman she’d been staring at would disagree with that. 

[archerinhiding-blog]

boywhocriedghost:

“Oh, you’re going to regret ever meeting me.” Nathan snapped his fingers, a task more difficult for a ghost to achieve than a living person, and tried to get a bartender’s attention. “Four for each of us? Or do you want to start out lower? I don’t want you to die, it’s not fun… trust me.”

Growing up around tough street types had made Maya resent the idea of being seen as weak. If not being about to handle her alcohol was seen as a girly thing, she wasn’t going to play into it. “Lower? Trust me, I can handle more than you’d think.” She wasn’t just talking about the shots. 

[archerinhiding-blog]

queensol:

“Interesting choice you made here,” Vi replied, stopping herself from laughing at the stranger’s foolishness by downing her shot of tequila. She suppose it was an honest answer, despite it not revealing much about the woman. Maybe a few more drinks would help with that? Vi raised her hand, ordering another drink. “Depends on who you ask,” she answered, lazily shrugging her shoulders at the question. It wasn’t a secret that Vi had her hand in several of the crimes that went along in the town which left many people wondering what Vi wouldn’t do. Notoriety fit her as well as the pearl necklace she always wore. “I wouldn’t describe Coolsville as quiet though. Something is always happening if you pay enough attention.”

Maya felt as if her little bubble of denial about this place was about to be popped. “Oh?” She straightened her posture, sitting up in her stool and paying closer attention to the woman sitting beside her. She couldn’t help but feel like she was going to recieve some bad news, and although she usually needed to be in control of a situation and know everything about it, something told her that she didn’t want to know what was happening here. “If someone wasn’t paying attention right now, what would they be missing?

[archerinhiding-blog]

ray-leblanc:

“Just running different errands around town I guess? Sometimes I get bored and watch the lights.” Ray explained softly, a little nervous. It was the sort of thing that Nathaniel or Eden would tolerate them rambling about, but they didn’t usual subject it to strangers. It wasn’t exactly normal that sometimes the most interesting part of the day was watching street lights change and figuring how how and when they did. The woman’s tone of voice affirmed that and Ray shifted a bit, instead moving to ask, “I’m sorry, what did you say your name was?”

She didn’t say anything else on the traffic lights subject, instead letting her eyes watch the stranger as he tried to explain it away. She felt bad for sounding so disinterested and judgemental, her tone came across coarse at the best of the times. His question brought her mind back into the room and her eyelids batted, stalling her answer. “I didn’t.” There she went again, being rude. “It’s Maya, and you are?” 

[archerinhiding-blog]

[darkmagicmoore:]

The cemetery was Talia’s second home. Whenever she felt a powerful surge of emotion–positive or negative–she wandered past crumbling tombstones and dead grass, the silence inviting. It was as if she had stepped into another realm, this one more eerie and devoid of living people. There was a dark aura in the air that Talia couldn’t shake, and she found herself following the dangerous energy to its source. Reese’s grave. Very rarely would Talia actually speak to those who have passed without some form of ritual. Today was different. “We have to stop meeting like this. I know you haven’t been able to really…rest in peace. And I’m working on that. Just sit…lay tight, okay?”

Maya had been out walking, trying to explore a little more of the town while she was still jobless and bored. She didn’t have any friends here, she wasn’t sure she wanted any. The more time she spent around people in this town the more she wanted to pack up and run away, but it was the perfect cover. She doubted that anyone would ever come looking for her here and it wasn;t as if she had anywhere else to go. Today she’d already been to the cafe and the hour she’d spent there hadn’t been so interesting, so she’d set off to walk around as much as she could. Eventually, her path had lead to the graveyard and she thought it couldn’t hurt to just look around. There must have been some interesting stones here. Maybe someone in this town had died in a way that would be worthy of going on their headstone.

Maya hadn’t found much when she turned a small corner and saw a person right by a graveside, her curiosity kicked in and she found herself staring from her short distance away. She thought she was well guarded behind the lines of headstones but then her phone rang, loudly, and she fumbled to answer it, hoping that she hadn’t caught the attention of the mourning stranger. “What? No, I can’t talk now. ”

[archerinhiding-blog]

toddholchan:

“Yeah,”  Todd nodded in reply.  He glanced at the person next to him.  He didn’t think he’d seen her around before, but he might’ve just not been observant enough.  “Down at Gilmour’s Auto Repair.  It’s not too difficult to miss.  Do you need something repaired?  I’m down there most days of the week.”

She was definitely interested. She wasn’t sure if this would be the best time to open up about why but it might have been better than lying now and asking later. “No, uhm, I’m actually a mechanic and I was looking for a job. Nobody was there when I popped in a couple days ago.” Maya paused, pulling up her posture a little. “Do you think they’re looking for anyone?” 

[archerinhiding-blog]

boywhocriedghost:

Nathaniel pulled away, his back hitting the chair behind him, and threw his arms out, “How about four?” The sad thing was that it was exactly the kind of reckless behavior that had lead him to his grave in the first place and yet he still couldn’t shake it. “Like I said, I could be here all night.”

She wasn’t expecting that response but it widened the smile on her face and she brought her shoulders forward, leaning into the table. “Well, maybe you should order us some them?” She got the feeling that this might be fun and realised that she could be here all night, too. 

[archerinhiding-blog]

[toddholchan]:

“It never matters how cold it is outside,”  Todd sighed.  “I might leave the house in the morning with a heavy jacket, but after an hour at work, I’m sweating.  I guess it’s a little better in the winter, because at least I can step outside and cool off.”  Todd glanced over at the person next to him, shaking head.  “Sorry, you probably don’t care how warm it gets at the auto repair shop.”

She thought that she didn’t care, but hearing the words ‘auto repair shop’ made her ears tingle. “You’re a mechanic?” She chimed in, not bothering to console his concern about whether or not she was interested. Maya needed a job desperately and fixing up vehicles was the only thing she was good at. Well, the only thing that wasn’t illegal. 

[archerinhiding-blog]

[boywhocriedghost]:

Nathaniel stared at the woman with a continued smirk before shrugging, “Alright, let’s do this.” Downing the rest of his drink, an act that had been much easier while he was alive, he finished it in a few gulps and sat the empty glass down. “We could be here all night.” It took more effort to hold the drink to his lips than to chug down the iquid, which didn’t taste like much to him anymore. 

Her expression was full of amusement as she watched him take down the drink in front of him like a champ, but that didn’t mean much. It was only one drink, and she wasn’t convinced. “Nice..” For a moment she considered telling him that he’d have to do better, but instead perked up in her seat a little and gave him an overly cocky look. “How about some shots?” 

[archerinhiding-blog]

First Impressions // Maya x Open

[archerinhiding-blog]

[christian-lucrece]:

Small towns were hard, at least in Christians opinion. It was easy enough to have a place, and a purpose. To be known, or at least noticed. But those were things that the man wasn’t too used to. He would always prefer cities. Bustling and busy, easy to get lost in the crowd. Because being a part of a crowd was easy. No one would notice you, no one even gives you a second glance. It wasn’t about street sense, or being savvy. To him, it was about being no one. But the moment you step foot into Coolsville, you’re instantly given a name.

There was the internal cursing the moment the girl who’d looked up asked why he was apologising. There wasn’t even a need to apologise. He stood there a moment, he thought it seemed right when he stood from his seat originally. “Loud talking, I think-” His voice was low, almost making it seem like a mumble in its self. “It looked like I disrupted you. I thought maybe- It looked liked I should apologise.”

Maya stared at him, watching him try to work through his explanation and almost felt bad. Should she have just left it at that? Should she have let him think that she as bothered by him or that he’s done something wrong? New Yorkers were so loud all the time, and the city bustled with noise and activity that what he was now apologising for wasn’t something that had even crossed her mind when she was watching him on the phone. “It’s fine.” She repeated again, sounding like a broken record. 

She straightened up her back, pushing a hand through her hair just enough long enough to unscramble her thoughts and give him an actual sentence instead of repeating the same things. “I’m used to loud talking, it didn’t bother me. I should apologise for staring.” But she didn’t.