I've heard it said / That people come into our lives for a reason / Bringing something we must learn. / And we are led to those / Who help us most to grow if we let them. / And we help them in return.
“I’m literally the worst,” she laughed, “two drinks and I’m tripping over my own feet.” Roxie snorted. “You should know by now how much of an embarrassment I can be. I feel like you’re gonna be on damage control for the rest of the night if I keep drinking.”
“Just stay attached to my hip and you’ll be just fine.” Ariadne chuckled at the sighed of Roxie having such a messy night, glad it wasn’t her for once.
“Damn girl, you gotta pace yourself,” Ariadne laughed. Her tolerance for alcohol was definitely a lot better than it used to be, that’s for sure. “’Cause the drag queens aren’t gonna love you being sloppy on them.”
“Agree to disagree? Because I could totally see you in one of those catalogues or walking down that bouji runway. And I don’t know about that. Maybe there are. I’ve got a few patients who seems to enjoy the scrubs, but I just don’t feel a connection there. So, maybe it’s just me but I am good to just keep waiting until love finds me the Bridget Jones way.”
“Not this lady though. I doubt Ryan Gosling would even look in my direction.”
“Fine. Agree to disagree,” Ariadne conceded ( merely out of frustration ). “But you can’t just be waiting for it to happen. It’s not gonna work that way.”
“God, you’re giving me secondhand embarrassment so bad.”
Isa laughed along with her and tipped her head, shrugging gently. “The money is definitely nice though. I wouldn’t give that part up just for happy clients.” The reason she and her husband could afford such a nice place was thanks to their jobs. Isa made a surprisingly good amount from teaching yoga and giving nutritional advice to her clients.
“Ohhh, you do!” She nodded, finally placing her in her (sometimes) terrible memory bank. “I’ve been meaning to try out one of your classes for a while now. See if these abs can hold me up as high as yours can hold you.” Isa grinned. She wasn’t as strong as she used to be in her twenties, but she could give it a damn good try.
“I mean, it’s not like this didn’t come with years of practice. I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it after a few classes, you know?” Ariadne said, grinning. She was proud of her skills on the aerial silk and the poles. It was a lot more physical effort than people believed it to be. “You can come for free, don’t even worry about that girl. It’ll be fun as hell.”
behind them played a rerun broadcast of the president giving a speech about the departure toll. the small black box sat atop a dilapidated television cabinet, the kind that had seen years of wear and tear. claw marks from unruly pets, small indentations from teething babies, the occasional spot of natural oak underneath the starkly green paint.
❛ not trying to be edgy. i’m merely expressing my opinion, which i expect people to respect, alike how i am to respect those that are still in mourning or shock. ❜
leevi craned his neck, looking down at the small square television, listening intently to the broadcast as the camera man panned to people’s distraught faces in the outdoor audience. women cried for their partners, children clung onto their parents in shock, some men presented a tough front whilst others broke down; there was no face in the sea of darkness that exhibited any light. it was indeed one of the worst tragedies of the common era.
❛ maybe i just lack empathy. ❜
placing a hand across his mouth, mimicking a woman on the screen.
Ariadne frowned when he said that he expected people to respect his opinion. Honestly, she didn’t want to. He was weird and didn’t deserve that opinion respected. The Departure was fucked up, and shouldn’t be brushed off the way it was.
"I wonder why the rapture or whatever didn’t just take all the bad guys and creeps,” Ariadne said, not entirely meaning to say anything out loud. “How many times were you dropped as a kid?”
Isa finished packing away the speaker and its wires, then straightened up to flash a genuine, bright smile at the woman who’d approached. She recognised her from around the Yoga Centre and was sure she taught a few classes here too. “Thank you! I’m so glad you had fun - it’s always worth it when everyone enjoys it.”
“About fifteen years or so now. I used to be a nurse, but the hours were just too much after I had kids.” She waved a hand carelessly and blew out an exaggerated breath. “You work here too, don’t you? Or have I seen you somewhere else?”
"I agree. It makes it actually worth more than just the money sometimes,” Ariadne laughed, shaking her head. She loved the money she got from the classes, honestly. Maybe more than , actually, the enjoyment people got out of it.
“Yeah, I help this place out with Michael.” It was an odd way to refer to her biological dad — but he was as disinterested in being like a father figure as much as she was disinterested in having him as one. “I teach aerial silk classes. Sometimes the yoga ones, if the actual professionals aren’t able to.”
❛ you know what i don’t understand, why people are still riled up about each new departure. it’s no surprise that someone will disappear, it’s been happening for a fair amount of time – this whole thing has just lost its shock value. ❜
the young man turned to the other, blinking several times before attending to himself in front of the mirror. fingers carefully combing through his hair, ensuring the gel held his brunette mop in place.
“You know, that’s kinda trash if you think about it.” Ariadne looked at Leevi with frustration. The Sudden Departure was a terrible event five years ago — now, it didn’t affect her as much as others, but she was still defensive over those words.
“What made you think that you could be all edgy and shit?”
“Okay everyone, great session today!” Isa clapped her hands and smiled, rising to her feet as she stood at the front of the class. This was just one of her weekly yoga sessions and she was pleased with the progress everyone was making. She liked to think it kept their mind away from darker thoughts, at least for the hour they were here anyway. “If you have time, don’t forget to practice some of the poses we learned today. I’ll see you all same time next week!”
With that, the majority of the class rose to their feet and began to tidy their mats away. Isa unplugged the speaker at the front of the room and started to pack it away. Moments later, she could feel someone standing nearby, probably with a question for her or something. “Uh huh?” She asked as she busied herself with the task at hand.
Ariadne was always fond of joining other people for yoga. While she knew what to do, taught a few classes on the side of her aerial silks, she did enjoy the stretching and calmness of yoga. And this woman did such a great job of giving that calming energy, unlike how Ariadne preferred to run her classes in a hot yoga style.
“That was honestly great, I just wanted you to know,” she said, adjusting the bag on her shoulder as she was acknowledged. "Have you been doing this long?”
❛ Yeah, hopefully yours turn out looking better than your pa’s — who remains without said face tattoos. ❜ Ariadne was a woman with a mind of her own. If she wanted to tattoo her forehead — she would and there was little James could do or say to convince her otherwise ❛ What are you thinking of getting anyways? ❜
“I don’t think that would be a problem at all. I spend the money to make sure they look good,” Ariadne said, smirking as she indirectly commented on her father’s tattoos. In all honesty, she loved her father’s tattoos and they were the match that started the fire to want them in the first place. “I don’t know. I’m thinking a pinup girl right on my forearm. That’s wasted space anyways, I haven’t gotten anything there yet.”
“Tattoos, the ultimate form of expression to piss parents off. It’s an interesting idea. Do you want other details, like flowers, cherries, sailor outfit or something?”
“Hell, could I say surprise me? I really have no preference in what goes on my body,” Ariadne said truthfully. She loved tattoos in every way.
“Your mom’s the mayor?” Caroline’s eyebrows shot up, “Excuse me for askin’ in the first place. Would you like anything to go with your alcoholic beverage?” she chuckled.
“Sadly yeah. But she’s greatly... a big ole bitch. And hell, whatever you got that could hold off a hangover for a bit.”
❛ What if we just picked one. Preferably the less permanent option. ❜ James was the wrong person to voice his opinion on the matter - his jacket covered most of the tattoos on his body. A thought he knew would not simply escape his daughter’s mind.
“‘Kay, well, I’m sorry to tell you this — but I got plenty of tattoos already. I might just get another of those now because I wanna be like my pa,” Ariadne said, grinning. She honestly loved to give her father trouble. “Or maybe both. I think an eyebrow piercing and face tattoo would be the best.”