ᴢᴏᴍʙɪᴇ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ʙᴏᴅʏ

i'm  a  zombie  in  my  body  ,  i'm  a  train  off  of  the  track.  i  feel  dirty  ,  i  feel  rotten  ,  and  the  colors  are  all  flat

[colorsflat]

#COLORSFLAT  ;  a  dependent  multi  -  muse  blog  affiliated  with  thefaultlinehq.  this  blog  is  incredibly  trigger  -  heavy.  dni  unless  you're  a  member  of  the  group.  mun  is  30.  she  /  her.  est. 

ft. jack ford ,  june  levitt  &  regina  diaz.

[shatteredtrvth]

Her answer didn't surprise him. He thought when he left LA, he wouldn't be seeing her again unless he made plans during one of the trips he took back to the city. But he had never tried to. He wanted to let her move on and enjoy her life, even if he wished things had been different. "Would you change it?" He didn't stop the question, and he knew he should. It wasn't his business. Nothing she did was anymore. "So you know all that and you still moved here? Why?" It didn't made sense to him. She needed to be safe, and she wouldn't be as long as she was here. He knew he wouldn't be able to relax if he didn't know she was safe. Maybe Yasemin could help with that. "You don't have anything to be sorry about. You don't have to tell me what your plans are, Regina." He smiled and shook his head. "You know my number. If you need the job, just let me know." He didn't want to admit that he was excited about her working in Town Hall. If there was a chance he could use it to his advantage, he knew it would be worth her keeping the job.

[colorsflat]

❝  maybe  ,  ❞  she  told  him  sincerely.  ❝  i  can't  say  for  certain  ,  but  there's  a  chance  that  i  would  change  it.  it's  really  hard  to  answer  hypotheticals  like  that  ,  marcus.  ❞  the  question  was  fair.  it  seemed  a  bit  foolish  to  move  to  town  given  every  piece  of  knowledge  she  had  ,  and  she  could  understand  his  confusion.  ❝  i  told  you  ,  marcus  ,  i  came  here  for  a  friend.  you  think  i'm  gonna  let  some  anonymous  freak  stop  me  from  living  my  life  ?  i'm  not.  i'm  not  scared  ,  and  i  own  a  gun.  ❞  what  sensible  woman  wouldn't  in  this  day  and  age  ?  she  knew  that  she  didn't  have  to  tell  him  anything  ,  but  it  didn't  mean  that  she  didn't  want  to  tell  him  things.  she  knew  there  wasn't  any  animosity  between  them  ,  she  could  have  easily  said  something  to  him.  ❝  i  might  not  have  to  ,  but  i  definitely  could  have  said  something  ,  marcus.  it  wouldn't  have  been  that  difficult  to  tell  you.  that's  why  i'm  sorry.  ❞  she  nodded  ,  giving  him  a  small  smile.  ❝  i'll  keep  that  in  mind.  ❞

[mchinegirlz]

OLIVER STARK.

[deadlyalibis]

lola  tipped  her  head  toward  him,  a  small  smile  finding  her  lips.  “wow.  you  really  know  how  to  make  a  girl  feel  wanted.” she  rocked  back  on  her  heels,  hands  quickly  shoving  themselves  into  her  front  pockets.  “i  just  ...  don’t  really  want  to  walk  home  alone  tonight.”  she  said,  her  shoulders  lifting  into  a  small  shrug.  “after  everything  that’s  happened  lately,  i  guess  i’m  feeling  a  little  nervous.”  she  looked  back  at  him.  “i  was  hoping  you’d  come  with  me.  that’s  all.”

[colorsflat]

❝  sorry  ,  ❞  he  muttered  ,  a  sigh  escaping  his  lips.  his  manners  had  been  forgotten  a  lot  lately.  he  felt  like  an  asshole  ,  especially  knowing  that  she  was  just  scared.  he  didn't  blame  her  for  that.  he  might've  been  too  if  he  was  less  confident  in  his  ability  to  defend  himself  should  the  need  to  do  so  ever  arise.  ❝  oh  ,  ❞  he  said  ,  clearing  his  throat  before  giving  a  faint  nod  of  the  head.  ❝  yeah  ,  lola  ...  sure.  i  can  walk  you  home.  of  course  i'll  do  that.  ❞

[shatteredtrvth]

"People can change, Regina. Look at you. Never would have thought you would have left LA." He chuckled and shook his head. They had different needs back then, but he was glad that she had decided to move. But she was right. She had picked a terrible time to do it. "Not your best timing." He agreed and looked down at his watch before giving her his full attention again. Work could wait. "You have? Are you aware of everything that's happened here lately?" All the deaths and the destruction would be enough to make anyone think twice. "You can always break those. You might to pay a little to do it, but they aren't as binding as people think." He'd rather see her break it and run than end up getting hurt by staying in Rift Valley when it came down to it. He shrugged at her comment. The police would do what they could, but he had no faith in them. "Have to find something good about it. It's a shame you didn't tell me you were coming. The Hotel can always use a good worker." It would be easier to keep an eye on her there too.

[colorsflat]

❝  neither  did  i  ,  ❞  she  confessed.  she  had  always  loved  los  angeles  ,  she  didn't  ever  have  a  reason  to  want  to  leave.  yes  ,  she  missed  marcus  ,  but  her  stubborn  nature  made  it  difficult  for  her  to  let  that  be  the  reason  she  moved.  some  part  of  her  wished  she  had  moved  for  him  ,  though.  he  never  stopped  being  important  to  her  ,  she  never  stopped  caring  or  missing  him.  ❝  well  ,  i  guess  it's  a  little  too  late  to  go  back  and  change  my  choices.  ❞  she  nodded  in  response.  ❝  yeah  ,  marcus.  i've  seen  a  lot  of  things.  you  know  i  read  up  on  a  lot  ...  i  like  to  stay  informed.  of  course  i'm  aware  ,  but  it  doesn't  change  the  fact  that  i'm  not  going  anywhere.  i  know  i  can  break  a  lease  ,  but  i've  got  no  intentions  of  doing  that.  i'm  staying  here.  ❞  she  could  understand  that  he  was  concerned  ,  she  didn't  blame  him.  regina  believed  she  could  take  care  of  herself  ,  though.  ❝  yeah  ,  i'm  ...  i'm  sorry  i  didn't  say  anything  sooner.  it  just  took  me  awhile  to  even  get  settled  to  begin  with.  it's  sweet  that  you'd  be  willing  to  offer  me  a  job  ,  though.  if  town  hall  doesn't  work  out  ,  i  guess  i  could  always  give  you  a  call  then.  ❞

[shatteredtrvth]

Location: Outside the hospital Status: Closed @colorsflat (Jack)

Sloane leaned against the wall and lit the cigarette. She should be getting the supplies together to get back in the ambulance, but she needed a few minutes without thinking about work. "Would say I hope your day is going better than mine, but I've seen you too much today." She smiled and held the lighter out for him.

[colorsflat]

he  was  exhausted  and  nearing  the  end  of  his  brutally  long  shift.  he  had  seen  sloane  countless  times  that  day  ,  not  that  he  was  necessarily  complaining.  she  was  one  of  the  few  people  he  actually  enjoyed  seeing  regularly.  he  smiled  at  her  words  ,  accepting  the  lighter  and  getting  out  a  cigarette  of  his  own.  ❝  how  much  longer  you  got  left  tonight  anyways  ?  ❞

[shatteredtrvth]

"I know, but it's hard not to." She didn't have time to stop and rest most days. Sleep was hard, and she didn't want to admit she needed the help. "Maybe I won't. I think it'll be easier when I get in a good routine." She had been telling herself that for the last two weeks, but it hadn't happened yet. "As much as I would love for you to bring me coffee, I couldn't ask you to do that. It could be so much running around for you. I'd feel so bad." It would be a nice surprise every once in a while. "They aren't that bad. You have to find the right one that tastes good." She laughed and took another sip of her coffee. "How have you been? Is everything okay?"

[colorsflat]

❝  you've  gotta  start  taking  better  care  of  yourself  ,  ❞  she  told  her  gently.  she  didn't  want  sloane  to  burn  herself  out.  she  knew  she  worked  a  demanding  job  ,  but  it  didn't  stop  june  from  worrying.  she  wished  there  was  something  more  she  could  do  to  help  her  out.  ❝  sloane  ...  how  long  are  you  gonna  say  that  for  ?  ❞  june  shrugged  ,  not  bothered  by  the  prospect.  ❝  in  case  you  haven't  noticed  ,  i've  got  a  lot  of  free  time  on  my  hands  ,  sloane.  i  wouldn't  really  mind.  ❞  she  laughed  ,  shaking  her  head.  ❝  i'm  still  gonna  pass.  those  things  are  so  bad  for  you.  i'll  stick  to  my  coffee.  ❞  she  noted  the  way  sloane  changed  the  subject  ,  focused  on  her  instead.  she  sighed  ,  moving  to  fold  her  arms  across  her  chest.  ❝  i'm  okay.  i'm  way  more  worried  about  you.  ❞

[astravorestine]

he was being selfish assuming he was the only one out of the both of them who knew was grief felt like. he went through it before and was alone at that time. maybe deep down he still felt like that alone and lost child. he also knew that this time he wasn't alone. he had his adoptive siblings to go through the pain with. he also had the chance of talking to the other about how he really feels. it helps in a way, but atticus still fears the pain won't go away. "i appreciate it. i really do even if i was probably being selfish. but thanks." he pauses trying to collect himself a bit. "thank you for that too. but now that i think about it, i could be sad over the last thing i ever said to him if i got to talk with him. so it's almost like a never ending cycle of trying to figure out which outcome is better." probably getting to at least tell rhys that he loved him or maybe getting to tell him goodbye for the last time. "i...ok. i think i felt like i was a little too harsh towards you. but it has been hard and dealing with the pain while trying to just live has been really hard." he looks at her in the eyes when she mentions her own lost. "oh well. i didn't know that. i'm sorry for your lost. um..." he pauses because he can't figure out what to say next. so he just stay silent, hoping that she takes the lead.

[colorsflat]

❝  you  weren't  being  selfish  ,  ❞  june  insisted  once  again.  she  shook  her  head  ,  offering  him  a  reassuring  smile.  she  could  understand  that  atticus  might've  felt  like  he  was  being  selfish  ,  but  she  refused  to  see  it  that  way.  he  was  grieving  ,  a  perfectly  normal  thing  for  people  to  do.  june  had  been  through  it  herself  ,  she  wasn't  going  to  judge  him  for  grieving  however  he  needed  to.  june  nodded  ,  listening  as  he  expressed  himself.  she  could  understand  what  that  felt  like  ,  too.  someone's  last  words  to  a  person  could  haunt  them  for  the  rest  of  their  lives  if  they  weren't  careful  with  them.  she  could  understand  that  standpoint  ,  too.  considering  different  perspectives  was  always  a  challenging  task.  ❝  trust  me  when  i  tell  you  that  i  didn't  take  it  that  way  ,  okay  ?  you  don't  need  to  feel  bad  or  anything.  it's  fine.  ❞  she  was  used  to  hearing  those  words.  what  else  could  someone  really  say  to  a  person  who  had  lost  someone  they  loved  ?  her  father  was  her  only  family  ,  and  june  didn't  know  what  she  was  going  to  do  without  him  in  her  life.  what  she  did  know  ,  was  that  the  world  kept  spinning  and  she  had  no  choice  but  to  continue  on  with  her  own  life  ,  just  with  a  hole  in  her  chest  she  was  constantly  aware  of.  she  smiled  ,  the  action  practiced  as  always.  ❝  it's  okay  ,  ❞  she  said.  ❝  we  don't  have  to  talk  about  that.  we  don't  need  to  talk  about  anything  that  might  be  upsetting  ,  actually.  we  can  just  ...  talk  about  something  else.  find  a  way  to  distract  ourselves  from  all  of  this  sadness  instead  ,  ❞  she  suggested.

[shatteredtrvth]

"I've tested it more than I should, but I've never been this tired doing it." Long shifts always required at least a little bit, but she always made time to rest. It had been harder to do that since the event. "You don't? They are the easiest thing to grab when I'm working. Gas station and hospital coffee are terrible." She laughed and looked down at her drink. "I think we're all a little stressed right now."

[colorsflat]

❝  babe  ,  you  can't  keep  doing  that  to  yourself  ,  ❞  june  replied  ,  her  tone  full  of  concern  and  disappointment.  ❝  you're  gonna  end  up  regretting  it  somewhere  along  the  line.  ❞  when  that  point  would  be  ,  she  couldn't  reasonably  predict.  still  ,  she  felt  concerned.  ❝  no  ,  never.  those  things  are  terrible  for  you.  plus  ,  they  taste  like  what  i  can  only  imagine  battery  acid  tastes  like.  they're  not  for  me.  i  think  you  should  just  let  me  bring  you  coffee  from  someplace  else  while  you're  at  work  if  you're  that  in  need  of  it.  ❞  june  hummed  and  nodded  in  agreement.  ❝  yeah  ,  i  think  you're  right  about  that.  ❞

[hanijeong]

hani hummed. "sure. if you'd like some help with that, let me know." she was an expert in disappearing, more so than anyone in this town even knew. "i'm sure i can pull some strings for you in the documents field," a teasing smile played around her lips, even if her dry tone didn't entirely betray her amusement.

[colorsflat]

❝  thanks  ,  that's  sweet  ,  but  i  think  i  can  manage  a  disappearance  on  my  own  should  the  need  ever  arise.  ❞  he'd  done  it  before  ,  he  was  confident  he  could  do  it  again.  still  ,  his  lips  quirked  into  a  small  smile  at  her  words.  ❝  i'll  keep  that  in  mind  ,  hani.  ❞

[hanijeong]

closed starter for @colorsflat

hani nodded at the woman in greeting, coming up to the reception desk to lean against it, fingers thrumming against the sleek top. "is the mayor in, or is he gonna be in a meeting if you tell him i'm here?" she asked, amused.

[colorsflat]

regina  looked  the  other  over  ,  giving  her  a  polite  nod  of  the  head.  a  slight  smile  tugged  at  her  lips.  ❝  oh  ,  you  know  ,  you  did  just  miss  him.  back  to  back  meetings  all  day.  he's  a  busy  man.  i'd  be  happy  to  take  a  message  ,  though.  ❞

[luzriveras]

"you can't just tell me there might be a super rare bottle of block 42 back here and then expect me not to go looking for it, can you now?" luz whispered back, moving with her back against the wall, peeking around the next corner. "how did you find out about that, anyway? they must be having some rich ass customers here if they have that shit stashed."

[colorsflat]

❝  you  know  that  i  can  just  buy  you  something  different  ,  right  ?  ❞  she  was  sitting  on  a  lot  of  money  she  rarely  touched.  she  didn't  know  what  to  do  with  it  ,  didn't  think  there  was  anything  worth  buying  for  herself.  ❝  rich  ,  lonely  people  love  to  spend  their  money  here  ,  yes  ,  ❞  june  answered  ,  still  keeping  her  tone  hushed.  ❝  they  get  a  little  bit  of  company  ,  and  that's  all  they  really  care  about.  the  cost  isn't  very  important  to  them.  ❞

[capaddes]

The emphasis she places on competence makes Christian's attention settle on her with a little more permanence than before. “A charitable assessment. Some people seem convinced that trying very hard exempts them from trying well.” The handshake lingers only a moment, but it is no longer purely ceremonial. Regina Diaz earns a place in his memory with surprising ease. “Ah, the Town Hall. What joy.” The dryness of it is almost affectionate. “I imagine you've heard every complaint this town has to offer.”

[colorsflat]

❝  it's  a  real  pity  ,  hmm  ?  ❞  she  queried  ,  shaking  her  head.  ❝  perhaps  they  should  consider  not  trying  at  all.  it's  painful  for  everyone  involved  when  they  don't  put  in  any  actual  effort.  ❞  it  was  possible  she  was  a  little  too  critical  of  people  ,  but  she  wouldn't  apologize  for  that.  for  far  too  long  ,  she'd  been  too  generous  and  it  never  seemed  to  do  her  any  favors.  she  chuckled  ,  tongue  peeking  out  to  sweep  across  her  lips.  ❝  despite  only  working  there  for  a  short  period  of  time  so  far  ,  i  think  i've  heard  just  about  everything  at  this  point.  i  find  it  hard  to  believe  anything  is  capable  of  surprising  me.  ❞

[brokenxdreams]

she was definitely going to regret this last drink in the morning. there was a client coming in bright and early, yet when he asked if she was ordering more, the answer was out of her lips before her brain could stop it. "probably. you?" she turned to him then, weak smile. "the last couple of weeks have been shit, so...we've earned it."

[colorsflat]

he  wasn't  a  fool.  he  knew  drinking  was  a  terrible  way  to  cope  with  everything  happening  around  them.  jack  ,  however  ,  didn't  really  care.  he  could  deal  with  the  consequences  of  his  actions  when  the  time  to  do  so  came.  ❝  yeah  ,  probably  ,  ❞  he  said  ,  nodding.  ❝  i  guess  you're  right  about  that.  it  at  least  helps  take  the  edge  off.  ❞

[buffypark]

And just like that, he's got his hooks in her again. Buffy's steps coming to a slow stop before she'd even had the chance to brush past him, so she's standing in front of him with that same annoyance in her eyes.

It's actually sick when you think about. Because less than three seconds ago, she'd been jumping at the first opportunity to get him out of her line of sight. Now she's at a stand still. That same bad decision dangling right in front of her and him daring her to take it—knowing she's not one to back down.

"I don't care what you call me." Now that's a lie. She knows it and it pisses her off that he knows it, too. It's seen in the way she looks up at him with narrowed eyes because if he didn't know it then he wouldn't be saying it this much. Like he's trying to start a fire knowing that there's only one way to put it out.

Again, bad decisions... but damn if she doesn't bite.

"You already know you're an asshole." The insult lacks any real heat to it because they've had this conversation before. More times than either of them can probably count. He says one thing, she says another. Then it turns into a competition of who can piss off the other off more and, until this very second, Buffy would've sworn she was winning. "Do you really need me to tell you again?"

"...Fine. One drink, but less talking. I like you better when you're not saying anything," she concedes because it was bound to happen anyway. Her gazes lingers on him then—long enough to scream trouble before she adds: "And no sleepovers."

[colorsflat]

they  shared  an  intricate  dynamic.  there  was  nobody  else  he  cared  to  invest  this  much  time  in.  when  most  people  irritated  him  ,  jack  told  them  to  fuck  off.  when  she  did  it  ,  it  was  different.  it  was  like  he  couldn't  get  enough  of  her.  it  was  far  from  sane  ,  but  jack  wasn't  bothered  in  the  slightest  bit.  so  what  if  they  had  issues  ?  plenty  of  other  people  did  ,  too.

he  knew  there  were  many  things  wrong  with  him  ,  but  there  were  things  wrong  with  her  ,  too.  perhaps  it  was  what  made  them  somewhat  compatible  in  one  sense  of  the  word.  he'd  rather  not  concern  himself  with  the  ins  and  outs  of  whatever  they  had  going  on  ,  though.  it  was  much  more  exhilarating  to  just  go  with  the  flow.

❝  bullshit  ,  ❞  he  replied  easily.  ❝  you  and  i  both  know  that's  a  lie  ,  buffy.  ❞  he  thought  it  was  kind  of  cute  she  attempted  to  insist  otherwise.  ❝  but  if  it  makes  you  feel  better  ,  i  guess  we  can  play  pretend.  ❞  he  knew  he  probably  should  have  kept  his  mouth  shut  after  already  convincing  her  to  stay  ,  but  there  wasn't  nearly  as  much  joy  to  be  found  in  that.  he  liked  when  they  pushed  each  other's  buttons.

❝  of  course  i  know.  ❞  he  chose  to  be  an  asshole  ,  found  it  to  be  an  effective  protection  method.  if  his  walls  were  up  and  he  seemed  like  a  dick  ,  chances  were  ,  people  would  stay  away.  ❝  do  i  need  you  to  tell  me  ?  ❞  he  uncrossed  his  arms  ,  tapping  a  finger  to  his  chin.  ❝  no  ,  not  really.  i  just  like  hearing  you  say  it.  ❞

❝  okay  ,  buffy.  whatever  you  say  ,  ❞  he  told  her  ,  a  slight  smile  tugging  at  his  lips.  he  was  sure  she'd  love  hearing  that.  ❝  one  drink  ,  less  talking  ...  no  sleepovers.  why  don't  you  sit  down  ?  i'll  get  the  wine.  ❞

[buffypark]

"Actually, joke's on you because I never said I wasn't screwed up." The words leave her mouth without hesitation because, honestly, what kind of argument is that? Of course she's screwed up. In more ways than he would ever know, and she's not delusional. She knows it. And if she's being honest with herself—always a dangerous thing to be—she's probably got a few questions about her own judgement too.

In fact, she's sure she could probably qualify as some sort of masochist. Why else would she keep falling into the same bed with a man she actually can't stand? Dealing with the same arguments, irritation and stupid face. Over and over again.

Even now, as he goes on and on about how infuriating she is only to follow it up by calling her hot in the same breath, Buffy doesn't try to hide the eye roll that follows—her expression letting him know exactly what she's thinking. Which is absolutely nothing nice.

"Okay, so...Why're you bitching about it then?" Buffy's head tilts slightly before pushing to her feet and walking toward him. Well, towards the door. The fact that he's standing not too far from it is entirely his problem.

"If you don't want to leave then I will. It's really that easy."

[colorsflat]

❝  well  at  least  you  can  admit  that.  ❞  sure  ,  they  were  both  fucked  up  in  their  own  ways.  though  ,  if  he  had  to  guess  ,  the  events  responsible  for  screwing  them  up  looked  a  lot  different.  he  supposed  it  didn't  change  the  fact  that  neither  of  them  were  exactly  the  most  stable  people  on  the  planet.  should  he  have  continued  to  engage  in  the  nonsense  he  did  with  her  ?  absolutely  not.  however  ,  he  was  a  firm  believer  in  being  his  own  worst  enemy  ,  so  the  male  found  himself  continuing  regardless.  he'd  deal  with  the  consequences  of  his  own  stupidity  when  he  absolutely  had  to.

despite  his  previous  words  ,  had  she  been  anyone  else  ,  he  didn't  doubt  the  fact  that  he  would've  walked  away  from  her.  buffy  just  happened  to  be  special  to  him  in  a  way  that  was  anything  but  sane.  he  wouldn't  confess  to  that.  she  drove  him  absolutely  mad  ,  but  in  some  deranged  sort  of  way  ,  he  thought  she  understood  him  pretty  well.  so  what  if  they  bickered  constantly  ?  that  didn't  truly  bother  him  at  the  end  of  the  day.  he  just  liked  to  complain.

he  scoffed  as  he  caught  her  rolling  her  eyes  ,  unsurprised  by  the  action.  it  was  pretty  typical  for  buffy.  he  knew  exactly  what  he  was  doing  when  he  decided  to  open  his  mouth  in  the  first  place.  he  liked  to  piss  her  off  just  as  much.

he  watched  her  rise  to  her  feet  ,  something  he  stupidly  hadn't  accounted  for  ,  but  felt  equipped  enough  to  handle.  his  arms  folded  across  his  chest  as  he  watched  her  ,  slightly  amused.  ❝  awe  ,  come  on.  what's  the  mater  ?  you  don't  like  being  called  infuriating  ?  ❞  he  knew  she  didn't.  ❝  don't  you  wanna  stay  for  a  drink  and  tell  me  how  much  of  an  asshole  i  am  ?  come  on  ,  buffy.  you're  already  here  ...  you  might  as  well  just  spend  the  night.  ❞

[clwmarks]

"oh, i was just in the parking lot when all of this went down, i was just about to head out actually. so it looks like we both have awful alibis, if anyone were to question us," yujin remarked. he sounded awfully breezy in response to the teasing -- this, he realised, was how he detached himself from what had truly happened. if he could make a joke about his shit excuse for not being there when the bomb went off, then maybe the whole thing would just... blow over. it could be more casual, less casualties. every now and then, he let himself believe that.

"i can't read, actually," he said. which wasn't true, but he was hardly the person people came to for book recommendations. every now and then he imagined himself old, a granddad with a barely-working back who would sit in a leather chair and read a book about world war two. this was the closest he tended to come to books. "c'mon," he said, straightened and steadied himself on a sharp inhale. "we should eat. otherwise i genuinely fear i'll only consume cigarettes for the next two days or so."

[colorsflat]

regina  hummed  upon  hearing  the  male's  alibi  ,  nodding  in  agreement.  his  definitely  sounded  weak  from  where  she  was  standing.  ❝  you're  right  ,  that  alibi  could  definitely  use  some  improvement  ,  ❞  she  said  ,  nodding.  she  didn't  think  she'd  be  getting  dragged  in  for  questioning  ,  of  course  ,  but  she  would  cooperate  fully  if  she  did.  it  wasn't  like  she  had  anything  to  hide  about  the  summer  kickoff.  she  wasn't  lying  when  she  said  she  wasn't  there.  she  couldn't  verify  whether  or  not  this  guy  was  lying  ,  though.  the  way  she  saw  it  ,  even  if  he  was  lying  ,  it  wasn't  any  of  her  business.  she  didn't  want  to  know.

❝  you  can't  read  ?  ❞  she  questioned  ,  arching  a  brow.  regina  didn't  believe  him  ,  but  she  wasn't  about  to  call  him  out  on  that.  if  he  wanted  to  lie  ,  that  was  fine  by  her.  she  could  find  book  recommendations  elsewhere.  she  observed  him  ,  lips  pursing  slightly.  ❝  sure.  i  guess  i  should  probably  eat  something  today.  did  you  have  a  place  in  mind  where  you  wanted  to  go  ?  i  don't  really  know  the  best  places  around  here  yet.  ❞