and eden is a memory

" cause in my head, i do everything right. when you call, i forgive and not fight. ours are the moments i play in the dark. we were wild and fluorescent, come home to my heart. "

[heavenisahope]

you make me feel like dancing // ford & roslyn

[heavenisahope]

ohdarling‌:

Teaching children how to dance was something she had never particularly envisioned herself, but it was a job that came easy. With Roslyn’s infectious personality and patience, working with kids felt easy. Natural. Yet, somehow, she also felt like the woman didn’t have a single motherly bone in her body. It’s strange how that worked. 

Roslyn walked among the girls who were left in the class practicing on the bar. “A little more straight, sweetie,” she told one girl before helping her in place. “There you go. Perfect.” 

She stepped back to watch them and then saw someone out the corner of her eye. It was Ford. A smile formed on her lips and she had to admit she was surprised. A part of her believed he wouldn’t have time to come or he decided against it all together. But there he was talking to one of her students, always looking a little lost - but that’s what she liked about him. 

“Stephanie,” she spoke once approaching the two. She put her hands on the girls shoulders and gave her back a small pat. “Come on, leave him alone. Go show your ma how good you are on the bar.” The little girl, who admittedly loved praise a little too much, ran back to join the other girls. Roslyn smiled at Ford and crossed her arms over her chest. 

“You’re here,” she started and laughed a little. “And early.” Roslyn glanced back at the little class before looking at Ford once more. “This class is almost over…. It’s good to see you.”

The little girl, now known as Stephanie, giggled and scurried away, grabbing her mother’s attention before practicing at the bar. Her mother looked a bit defeated, but it wasn’t clear to Ford yet why. 

Nevertheless, he felt relieved whenever he saw Roslyn approach them. “Hi,” he said, a little bit excited. He wondered why he didn’t notice her at first, but regardless, he was glad she came when she did. It almost felt like the little girl was going to pawn him off to her mother. “Yeah, I’m..” he checked his watch, “sorry about that.” 

He shoved his hands in his pockets and waited a beat before realizing he should probably say something else. If Soleil could see him now, she’d tease him for being clueless around women-- especially someone as beautiful as Roslyn. 

“I’ll, uh, sit over there,” he said, pointing his pocketed hand over to an open seat by the mothers. “Thanks for lettin’ me in.” He gave her a soft smile before clearing his throat and heading to the spot. It must have been a chair for younger girls, he thought, because his ass barely fit on it and his knees practically hit his chin. 

Again, he felt eyes on him; he looked over and gave the somewhat predatory women a half-smile. 

[heavenisahope]

ohdarling‌:

Rory’s face beamed at the sound of cookies and she nodded while getting out of bed to go retrieve them. “Yeah, put it on!” she called out as she left the room and headed to her kitchen. Even though she fully intended on going to bed soon, the woman couldn’t help to give in to her last minute cravings. She picked up the package of girl scout cookies and made her way back to the room with a smile honestly far too big. 

“I got the goods,” she joked before crawling back to bed next to her, pulling the covers over her and holding the box of cookies on her chest as she fetched one out. Pulling one out, she handed it to Lulu - a bit insistent on it, really. Rory got closer and moved to lay her head on the brunette’s shoulder just as she always did when they were younger. “This guy looks like a douche,” she commented with a cheek full of cookies as she gestured towards the television. “I don’t understand how they pick these guys. They’re always the more boring and douchiest men.” 

“Got it,” Lulu said, zapping the television on and turning on her recording of last night’s episode of The Bachelor. She kept it paused and messed with her phone for a minute or so while Rory scurried to the kitchen. She set an alarm, checked some emails, and texted her mom goodnight before plugging her phone in to her nightstand. Poppy curled up at her feet. She sat up, resting her back against the headboard and pulling her knees up, getting in a comfortable position before Rory joined her back in bed again. 

“Why, thank you,” she giggled, retrieving the cookie from Rory once she returned. She munched on it and let the blonde rest on her shoulder, unpausing the television. “Well, if you think about it this way, if these guys are on the show for a few months, it thins the population of idiots we’re exposed to in the world,” she said, snickering. “Yanno something? Why isn’t there, like, a gay dating show? I’d love to see that. It’d be like RuPaul’s Drag Race, except, better.”

[heavenisahope]

ohdarling‌:

Cohen never fit into the mold of the typical rich California family, but neither did any of the Smalls did. His father just so happened to make money, but he was a kind soul. He was always the life of the party and had impeccable vision - those two traits came together to make a very successful man inside the Hollywood industry. Cohen and his sister was raised like a normal family, even more so after their mother passed. It was just the three of them, and they took on their world in their own strides. 

Though he didn’t particularly like the film business, he still enjoyed coming home. He and Sawyer often came over for dinners with their dad whenever he was in town. And now here he was finally introducing Alice to him. His father had always been the one to encourage Cohen to make a move, even if their relationship back then via emails and letters didn’t make much sense. 

“Yeah, you get used to it,” he told her before opening the back door to lead inside, letting her in first. 

Music played and mixed in with lighthearted, and slightly drunken, conversations. “If you’re lucky, no one,” he joked. He mostly just wanted Alice to come… to be able to say she went to something as strange and unique as this. Or maybe he just wanted to show her who he was and where he came from. 

“I’ll introduce you to my dad… who is going to flip that I’m even here,” he chuckled. “I never come to these things anymore.” The night was usually full of people kissing his ass in order to kiss his father’s ass. Or people telling him he should’ve continued pursuing scoring music for films just as his mother did. It was exhausting. 

“How about I give you a tour first?” 

You get used to it. Alice chuckled. Though she didn’t live the same life, she understood him. She never pinned him as someone who cared about having 10 different cars in the garage or the fanciest clothes. Despite all this, she always knew Cohen to be normal. Whatever that meant. But in Hollywood, she thought, it must have meant that you had a heart and didn’t just care about the money or fame.

As much as Cohen joked about all this, Alice knew better. She played along with him and gave him a laugh, but she reached out and squeezed his forearm. A soft smile adorned her lips. “I’d like that,” she said, referring to meeting his father. He spoke rather highly of his family regardless of the kind of world they lived in. It paid off, she thought, to be different. 

Mindlessly, she locked her arm in his, straightening them up. “Absolutely,” she said, confidently. “Make sure you show me where you keep all your diamonds and such, so I know what to steal.” She flashed him a wink. 

[heavenisahope]

you make me feel like dancing // ford & roslyn

@ohdarling​​  // 

The next morning, Ford retrieved an address and time to be at Roslyn’s dance studio. Soleil was out for her last day of work, which left Ford needing to find a way to the studio by himself. He didn’t mind so much. After yesterday’s encounter, he woke up feeling somewhat confident about taking on the streets of the city again. 

“Don’t be an idiot,” Soleil lovingly warned before leaving the apartment, as Ford chewed on a bowl of chocolate cereal. 

Once he finished getting ready for the day (How did one dress up to go to a dance studio? Formal? Casual? He chose a plain, dark blue polo, jeans, and a pair of sneakers.), he took a taxi to Roslyn’s dance studio. Without noticing, he arrived a little early than usual, stepping into the somewhat empty studio and not recognizing anyone. 

“Excuse me, tall man?” 

The squeaky voice came from a little girl worlds smaller than him. He looked down at her, cleared his throat, then scoped the area. Similarly-sized girls were practicing at a bar in front of the mirror. He remembered Roslyn saying she taught teenage girls, too, but they were nowhere in sight yet. Just the little girls’ mothers, who were sat in a corner, giggling. 

“Yes?” he asked. 

“My mommy wants to know if you have a daughter who’s gonna join our dance class today,” she said. 

“Uh... no,” he said, brushing his nose with his finger. He noticed the women were staring right at him, so he dodged their gaze by looking down at his watch. “I’m here to see Miss Roslyn.” 

“Oh,” the girl asked, looking a little dejected. “Is she your girlfriend?”

“Uh... what?”

[heavenisahope]

teenage dream //

[heavenisahope]

ohdarling‌:

“You may be right about that,” she joked with him. “It’s amazing you’re still around, really.” As he broke out in a fake choke, instead of being embarrassed by any means, Chey joined in on the fun. She put her hands where his was acting as if she was going to strangle him and then joined in with his laughter. “I would choke you, but I’m sure it’d just turn you on,” she teased him before nudging him a little. 

At the end of the day, he was always her best friend no matter how what. They fought like cats and dogs as kids, and even now in their teenage years, but it just made her love him harder. Having the balance of friendship and romance was exactly what she wanted. 

Glancing towards the waves, she nodded in approval at what the surf looked like and sat up before wiggling her brows a bit. “I’ll teach you again, but you gotta hustle to keep up with me, O’Connor. Think you can manage?”

Joseph scoffed, waving his hand away. “Give me some credit,” he said. “You’re the one who’s gonna have a tough time keeping up with me.” He gave her a wink before patting her shoulder and standing up. Though he was pretty much clueless when it came to surfing, he liked to play it up. It was in his nature to be effortlessly good at things, but surfing was something he wasn’t able to pick up right away. But he loved learning from Chey, and most of all, he loved watching her in her element. She was truly one with water. 

And it made sense. Water could be both calm and unpredictable. It was her place of peace, but at the same time, he knew how badly it could drown her if she wasn’t careful. Joseph, on the other hand, was the complete opposite: fire. It engulfed everything in its path. It was unstoppable. 

Yet, they were still drawn to each other like magnets.

Joseph took his jeans and underwear off, not really caring if Chey (or anyone) saw. He switched into his swim trunks and shot the blonde with some finger guns. “Lead the way, cap.” 

[heavenisahope]

ohdarling‌:

Waving her hand, she shook her head at his kind offer and gestured behind her. “I’m really not that far from here. Besides, I love a good walk.” Glancing at the phone he pulled out, she held back her curious smile as she noticed the sparkly purple case. This man got more interesting by the second. He felt like someone you only meet once in a lifetime. Despite all the strange, unique, obnoxious, brilliant people she had met throughout her life… no one was quite like Ford. 

Before she could give her his number, a woman approached them. She was quick to read the situation, figuring this may be the sister he was staying with. Roslyn stepped back as the woman spoke to Ford and then offered a somewhat sheepish smile once the attention was brought to her. 

“Soleil. Hi, I’m Roslyn,” she told her before shaking her hand. At the small dig towards her brother, Roslyn shook her head and assured her. “It was no biggie. It happens all the time.” 

Once she stepped away and left her and Ford, she was ready to give him her number until he seemed to shake the situation all together. But Roslyn didn’t scare easy. “Listen, how about I give you my number. You can call or text me if you have the time to come by the studio, but don’t worry if you don’t.” Pulling out a piece of paper and a pen from her bag, the one blessing of being a waitress, she jotted her number down so he could put it in the phone whenever he so pleased. “It was very nice to meet you Ford. And if I don’t see you again, thanks for at least makin’ my night.” The blonde smiled at him and handed him the paper.

Though Ford was the older sibling, he couldn’t knock Soleil often babying him. She had more fire and spunk in her than he did-- which explained why she was out living her dream and he wasn’t-- and she often stood up for him in ways he couldn’t stand up for himself. However, the downside to having an outspoken younger sister was that she embarrassed the hell out of Ford nine times out of 10, especially when it came to other women. She got that overbearing trait from his mother, he thought. 

Regardless of that, Roslyn was still gracious to him. He was convinced she wasn’t going to give him her number anymore, either by willpower or innocently forgetting. But he watched her pull a paper and pen out of her bag, scribble something, and he couldn’t help but smile even just a little. He nodded and retrieved the note from her, glancing at it for a second before folding it up and stuffing it in his jacket pocket. 

“It was my pleasure,” he said, nodding. “And... thank you. For helpin’ me on the train and findin’ my way back here. -- Take care.” 

With that, they parted ways, each going the opposite direction. Ford couldn’t help but feel something sparkling in his chest. He really couldn’t understand the sensation; it was like his heart was getting pricked by small bolts of electricity. It felt good. 

[heavenisahope]

ohdarling‌:

“Spooked you?” she echoed and drew her eyebrows together in confusion. Holding Polly close and petting her absentmindedly, she shook her head and gave the girl a smile. “I don’t think she meant anything spooky by it at all… If anything, it almost sounded to me like things may go bad if we don’t take this trip for ourselves. Like we just need to take the leap and do something for ourselves for once…. And me and you? We’re solid gold. It’ll just be good for us, I promise.” 

Rory and Lulu were a perfect balance for one another. Lulu often kept her grounded when they were younger, just as much as Rory showed her that some things in life couldn’t be controlled. Reaching over and poking her side, she gave the girl a reassuring smile. For the first time in a long time, she felt her optimistic self. “Come on. It’s going to be a blast, we’ll both get tans and be smoking hot, and we’ll make a whole beach of people want us.” She chuckled and sat up in bed. “Now… if you’ll excuse me, I must go raid your cabinets for snacks.” Lulu should’ve seen this coming. Nothing could stop that hunger of hers. “You want me to bring you something, babe?” 

Rory’s words grounded Lulu in a way no one else could. They balanced each other out perfectly, somehow calibrating to never both be freaking out at the same time. If one wasn’t feeling well, the other would step up and captain the ship. Even if things weren’t okay, they’d fake it ‘til they made it. Lulu was old enough to see that Rory was trying to make her feel better-- and she was old enough to accept it rather than fight it. She had to believe the trip would be good for them, for the sake of preserving the optimism. 

Lulu smiled. “Okay, okay, okay,” she said, giving in with a laugh. “We can book our flight in the morning.”

She yawned, then snuck under the sheets, cuddling Polly closer as she prepared her body for sleep. When Rory sat up, she furrowed her brows and almost pouted, like she didn’t want her best friend to leave the bed. The mention of snacks made the brunette laugh. “No, I’m good,” she said. “Thanks, though. There’s some Girl Scout cookies in there for you.” Of course, she always kept her pantry loaded with snacks, even if she didn’t think she’d be seeing Rory any time soon. She loved to indulge in sweets herself, especially when she felt mentally exhausted. Plus, it never heart to have a comfortable stockpile. 

“Want me to turn on some Hulu or something? I missed last night’s episode of the Bachelor.”

[heavenisahope]

ohdarling‌:

“Maybe I am, that doesn’t mean you don’t look amazing,” he told her with his crooked smile. It was a moment of sincerity, one often hard to find throughout his usual string of one-liners dripped in sarcasm. He gave himself a quick glance in the mirror before trading his glasses for contacts, blinking profusely as he turned back to Alice. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Are you really calling The Rock sexy? I mean, I get it. He’s huge and muscly… But sexy? Come on. You can do better than that.” God, if she found that man sexy then Cohen definitely fell into the category of the ugliest damn thing she’s ever seen. 

“Okay, okay. Let’s go. But you gotta promise me first that you’re not gonna get swept up by some big hotshot tonight, okay? I’m finally going to one of these things not alone for once, and it’s just gonna bruise my ego… and really my dignity if you leave me hanging.” 

Of course it was a joke, but he wouldn’t be surprised if some big time producer or even celebrity came over to her. With that flaming locks and spunky personality, she was a force one couldn’t ignore. She was someone you wanted to know. The longer she stayed out here, the quicker she’d realize just how boring Cohen was in comparison to others. 

The drive to his childhood home wasn’t too shabby (minus the traffic he was so used to by now). Pulling up to the gated residential, he rolled his window down and greeted the gate keeper. 

“Hey Daryl,” Cohen told him casually before the man nodded back. 

“Mr. Smalls. Welcome back. Have a good night, ok?” 

There were times Cohen found himself caught up in a rambling fit with Daryl, often leaving cars behind him impatiently wanting to get in. This time, he saved him the headache and sent him a little salute and quick back at ya, before he continued forward once the gate was lifted. 

Inside the community were larger estates along the hillside. They weren’t like the mansions out in Beverly Hills, but they were really just as nice with a great view, perfect pools, and all the works. As he got closer to the house, he noticed the lines of cars down the road parked. Thankfully he still had a clicker to the garage. Giving the small valet service a nod, he opened the garage and pulled inside. Growing up with a Hollywood producer as a father… this was an average get together. Cohen realized it wasn’t particularly normal but he also couldn’t hid the fact he moved comfortably through it. 

“Welcome,” he told her and then got out of the car to quickly open her door. “You’re stepping foot in the very garage where Sawyer and I attempted to create a two-man band. We practiced here for three months until we realized we were not meant for a two-man band.” 

Alice lifted her brows ever so slightly at Cohen’s last words before they left for the party. She wondered if he knew she was thinking something similar. “Hey,” she said, reaching out and squeezing his hand. Though she knew he was joking, there was always some slice of truth in his words. It was always better to acknowledge it a bit; she never swept his statements under the rug. “I’m stuck to you like glue. Trust me. Plus, Hollywood hotshots are so far beyond my type. You know I like the dark artsy guys. Or big bulky Polynesian wrestlers.” She snickered, shaking her head. 

Once they arrived at Cohen’s childhood home, Alice couldn’t help but feel like she’d entered a completely different world. It was hard to believe that Cohen came from a place like this: so lush, elegant, and seemingly pristine. He and his sister were so down-to-earth in comparison. She understood why he didn’t want much to do with this aspect of his past, but also respected that he knew it was going to be a part of his life no matter what.

“Yeesh,” she said, chuckling after they’d passed the guard. “I’ve never been anywhere gated before.” 

Each house was gorgeous and had an Old Hollywood feel to it. She almost wondered if she’d stepped into the world of the Great Gatsby. She’d have to take a lot of pictures for her mom, she thought. Then, they parked at his home; she had to stifle a gasp whenever she saw all the cars parked. She’d never seen a house with a parking lot before. Alice remained wordless, gawking a bit until Cohen came over and opened the door. 

She stepped out of the car and gazed around. The garage was nearly as big as her house. “Wow,” she said, snickering. “This place is... crazy.”

She pulled herself back to reality and cleared her throat, turning to face Cohen as she held her clutch in front of her. “So,” she said, smiling, “who exactly am I gonna meet tonight?” 

[anyataylorjoys]

No more Noxzema wank jobs for you, huh?

[campmiasmas]

Jessica Rothe as Tree Gelbman HAPPY DEATH DAY (2017)

[heavenisahope]

teenage dream //

[heavenisahope]

ohdarling‌:

It was true. She couldn’t even deny it. Underneath that exterior of hers was a complete and utter softie. Affection was often something she told herself she didn’t need, but in reality, it’s all she ever really needed. When she was sad, she didn’t need for Joey to pick up all the pieces and make the world okay again. She just wanted a hug, for him to simply hold her. That was enough to make her new. 

Playfully patting his stomach to make him jolt a little, she chuckled and shook her head. “Shut the fuck up,” she mumbled with a growing smile. She couldn’t hide it and there was no point in hiding it. Being soft with him just showed something she didn’t do with anyone else - she let her guard down and allowed herself to be vulnerable. “Don’t tell anyone or I’ll kill you… baby.” 

Joseph snickered. “You could try, but I’m pretty sure everybody would know it’s you,” he said, ruffling her hair. “We all know you’ve been wanting to kill me for quite some time now.” He sent her a wink before laying back and taking a deep breath. Then, he pretended to fake-die via strangling, putting his hands up to his neck. “Oh, no, she’s choking me! Help, help!” he joked, then laughed. 

Being like this with Chey felt like a nice break from being whoever everyone else saw him as. He was the calm, cool, collected rich boy at school-- he ruled effortlessly without even trying, and yet maintained friendships across different status quos. Everyone liked him. Keeping that kind of shit up got exhausting sometimes. As much as she felt like she could be herself with him, he felt like he could show her every side. Even when the sides got angry. Though their relationship was still young, there was a trust he couldn’t deny. She understood him like no other person could. 

After a few more minutes of laying down peacefully on the sand, he stretched. “You wanna get out on those waves, blondie?” He sat up and brushed his shoulder off. “You’ve gotta run through the basics with me again, ‘cause I forgot.”

[heavenisahope]

ohdarling‌:

No matter how forward this man thought he was, Roslyn found him to be just the opposite. He was reasonable, kind, respectful. If she had told him no, there was no doubt in her mind that he’d respect it and leave it alone. She had much stranger requests from the men she met, and she found his to be rather endearing. 

Roslyn didn’t know him, but that was half the fun, wasn’t it? Some say she was a bit naive in situations like this, but she’d argue that she had very good judgement and intuition. Ford wasn’t a stranger to be frightened of. If anything, she would be the frightening one. 

“It’s not too forward,” she assured him. Considering she was the woman who jumped in between him and a criminal… well, she knew a thing or two about being forward. “Of course you can. I teach a class tomorrow… The studio gives me an hour afterwards for myself. So, I usually stay and dance after lessons, too. I gotta warn you though, it may just bore you to death.” 

There she was again, making him feel better despite the risk of his embarrassment. He was starting to get used to the feeling, and he knew it was dangerous. It would make home feel more and more like a prison. Nevertheless, he gave her a soft smile and shook his head. “I don’t think you could bore me,” he said, letting out a chuckle. “I’d love to go.” 

A few minutes of walking later, the buildings began to look familiar. He looked out for his sister’s apartment, but admittedly, couldn’t much tell the difference between it and all the other brick buildings on the street. But he stopped in his tracks and head off to the side with the blonde, ready to say goodbye to her. Surely, he could wait outside here for Soleil when she came home from work. 

“Thank you for your help,” he said. “Are you sure you can make it back all right? I can call you a cab...” He trailed off, pulling out his phone from his pocket. It was one of Soleil’s spare work phones, obvious due to the sparkly purple case and her cat as a background. His flip phone didn’t work this far out from home. With furrowed brows, he navigated to his phone book. “May I have your phone number?” 

Just as he was about to hand the phone over to Roslyn, he heard his sister come up behind him. “Ford!” she called. “So you do have your phone,” she said, breathless. “I’ve been tryin’ to reach you all day. Do you know how many times I--” 

Ford remained silent, shifting his gaze to Roslyn. Soleil stopped mid-sentence and smiled brightly. “Oh, hi,” she said, embarrassed. “I’m so sorry. I’m Soleil,” she said, reaching her hand over at the blonde. 

“I missed my stop on the train,” Ford said. “But she helped me get home.”

“Is that so?” Soleil raised a brow, smirking. Her southern accent was still ever-present despite living in the city for a while now. “All right. Thank you for helpin’ him. He can be such a big oaf sometimes. -- I’ll leave you to it.”

Beet red from embarrassment, Ford looked at Roslyn with an apologetic expression. “Sorry,” he chuckled. “I should get goin’.”

[heavenisahope]

ohdarling‌:

Not only had it been a while since the two had a day like this, but it had also been too long since she stayed the night. Rory always preferred when their days rolled into nights where they spent the rest of their time in bed, watching one too many movies or catching up on just about everything. When they were younger, Rory was naturally a social butterfly. The girl could be friends with just about anyone, and everyone wanted to be friends with her. But throughout all the changes in her life, she found herself becoming more and more of a recluse. The older she got, the more she strayed away from people. 

Being close to someone was once what made her whole, but she got burnt too badly. 

But being with Lulu made her feel like a kid again, that eagerness of wanting to be loved, to be simply next to someone reignited. Rory followed her into her home and was quick to scoop Polly up in her arms while talking in a baby voice to her. “How’s my favorite lady doing?” she asked while walking up the stairs, not minding the occasional licks on the face she got from the dog. She set her down before taking the clothes Lulu offered. Piece by piece, Rory stripped from her clothes and put on the borrowed ones before facing the brunette. There was something so warm at the sight of her in her pajamas, undone from the day. To Rory, Lulu was always so well put together. She preferred these moments of just comfort with her. 

“No, thank you,” she told her best friend before plopping down on the bed beside her. “I had a lot of fun. It’s been a while since I had any.” Turning on her side, she smiled over at Lulu. “You really want to take this trip, right? Or are you over it?” 

Lulu loved these precious moments of comfort between them most. If they shared anything in common, it was that they loved their career-- or, rather, loved the distraction of it. She could never really pinpoint the exact moment they got swept over by work, but there was nothing more satisfying than unraveling and forgetting about it all. Even if it was just for a while. It was funny, thinking that sometimes, their distractions needed distractions... The world worked in mysterious ways and Lulu supposed she loved filling in the unknown details. 

“Me too,” she said, taking a deep breath and looking at the ceiling. She felt relief wash over her back as she lied flat on the bed. Polly jumped up and crushed her stomach a little, to which she groaned a bit, then laughed. The little terrier then curled up against Rory’s side. “Typical,” she scoffed. She adores you.”

They were quiet for a bit until Rory asked her question. Lulu furrowed her brows, then turned to face Rory on her stomach. “That’s a crazy question,” she acknowledged, though it made sense to ask. She could see if Rory was a bit thrown off by her reactions to Zelda’s reading. “Of course I do. I guess just hearing what Zelda had to say... I dunno, it spooked me a bit, made me feel like... something crazy was going to happen on this trip.” She shrugged her shoulders and laughed. “But it’s not enough to ward me off going. You just know how I feel about things being out of my control. But I’m in desperate need of a tan.”

[heavenisahope]

ohdarling‌:

It didn’t take long for the man to be ready, so he spent the rest of his time sitting on the edge of his bed doing exactly what he did best - overthinking. Not even texting his sister Sawyer helped any, considering she asked him too many questions rather than giving him advice. What are you wearing? Did you make a move yet? Why wasn’t I invited? Did you make a move yet? Has she realized how awkward you are? Did you make a fucking move yet?! It was clear his sister would be no help. 

Making a move on Alice was easier said than done. Cohen had a history of ruining friendships in the past due to romanticizing something that wasn’t there. While those were losses he definitely endured, he knew Alice was a loss that just couldn’t happen. So, was it better to contain his feelings for the sake of her being in his life… or should he just man up and come clean. 

Like clockwork, he heard her voice and he stood while adjusting the rolled up sleeves of his shirt. “You’re no bother,” he began to assure her and then finally took the sight of her in. She was absolutely stunning. No computer screen or instagram photo could ever do the justice of seeing her in the flesh. It was hard to look away. Realizing he had been staring and smiling to himself for far too long, much longer than any friend would, he decided to play it off with one of his goofy antics in hopes she wouldn’t notice. He gawked at her, eyes widened and he pretended to wipe them as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. 

“Al, I said we’re going to a party with stars… I didn’t know there was a star right here with me.” 

Alice laughed, reaching out to give him a playful shove. He was joking, she knew it, but part of her wanted him to actually think of her like that. They were no stranger to giving each other compliments; they’d often check in with each other via mirror selfie whenever they were headed out to somewhere important. She adored calling him dumb things like Dapperino or Cockmaster Cohen (ew, but it was to give him confidence when he was out fishing for ladies) and she loved the little things, like when he’d respond with, Lookin’ good, lady. But sometimes, Alice wanted it to be different-- to be seen as attractive in a romantic way. 

Nevertheless, she felt herself turn beet red. The girl would blush no matter how Cohen complimented her, and no matter how relentlessly he did so. 

“You’re out of your mind,” she said, ducking her head for a little bit, smiling. When she looked back over at him, she noticed he looked nice, too. He always did, but it showed whenever he put in effort. “You look pretty great, too. I mean, not Dwayne The Rock Johnson sexy, but... yer damn near close. -- Let’s go?”

[heavenisahope]

teenage dream //

[heavenisahope]

ohdarling‌:

His fingers through her hair, sun on her skin - nothing was better than this feeling. And she’d give anything to make it last forever, but she knew that was impossible. As he spoke of future plans and promises, she could only hope they came true. Every plan was a tiny prayer to father time. Only time could tell, but for now, she held onto those promises and longed for summer. 

“Let’s have days like this, too. Where we do nothing but lay in the sand or your bed.” She liked just being in his arms, but that was no secret anymore. A brighter smile found her lips as he called her baby again so casually. For someone who once rolled her eyes at pet names before she was in a relationship, she couldn’t get enough of them now. “I like when you call me baby,” she told him quietly and truthfully with a small chuckle before lazily pressing a kiss to his chest. 

“Of course,” Joseph agreed, kissing the top of her head. At this point in their relationship, he truly wanted nothing more than to spend time with her. They both craved each other’s affection, and whether it was healthy or not, they found and took advantage of any time they could spend together. And if they forgot about the rest of the world or what was really important for a little while, so be it. 

He couldn’t help but chuckle at her next sentence. “Oh, really?” he teased. “I like calling you baby, baby,” he said, smiling. Since the dawn of their relationship, he’d thrown out a few pet names here and there. Surprisingly, none of them made her cringe like she often did whenever they overheard other couples cooing at each other at school. “You know, for such a toughie, you’re a fuckin’ softie.” 

[heavenisahope]

ohdarling‌:

Roslyn couldn’t help but notice she was slowing her pace, but it wasn’t for Ford to catch up or move comfortably, but because she wanted to delay their time. Just a few blocks over and he’d be back in the neighborhood he was searching for. It had been ages since she ran into a kind soul like his - kind and unique. Those were the two things she longed for in this life. 

“It’s a very noble thing for you to do,” she told him, because somehow she got the feeling people didn’t tell him that enough. 

Besides, her father had been called a bunch of things - noble wasn’t really one of them, but she liked the sound of it. Roslyn adjusted her jacket once more then looked up at him at his sudden inquiry. It was flattering to say in the least. Most didn’t give a damn about her dancing. Even if there was a time where she was the best in her home state. 

“Shows? Well… Actually, yeah. I have a show soon. Just a small one downtown. I’m dancing with a group and then I have my own solo performance.” The thought of someone seeing her, supporting her, made her heart swell in her chest. “But it’s not until the weekend. If you’re still in town by then, you can check it out, if you’d like.” 

“Thank you,” Ford said, glancing over at her and thinning his lips-- his attempt at a smile. His service was just as natural as going to school for him: Everyone did it, and it was no big deal. But it felt good, every now and then, to be recognized. It made him feel like he was bigger than the person he was. 

He felt slight regret asking her about her shows, somewhat embarrassed. Countless times had a girl liked him, but seldom had he ever liked them. Though he had just met Roslyn, he couldn’t deny he felt slightly infatuated by her, regardless how uncharacteristic of him it was. Always being sensible and practical was exhausting. He and Roslyn weren’t going to become anything, but entertaining the idea made him feel normal, for once. 

“I’d love to,” he said, nodding. “I don’t know if I’ll be in town... but I’ll tell my sister to check it out.” He took a deep breath, then spoke up shortly after. “Actually, I was wonderin’ if... on the off chance I’m not able to watch your show, maybe I can see you teach or somethin’.” 

It was frustrating how conflicted he felt, but something about this woman drew him. “I realize that may be too forward,” he acknowledged. “I’ve just never seen anyone dance proper before.”

[heavenisahope]

ohdarling‌:

Rory studied the woman and wondered if there was something on her mind or if she was really tired. Sometimes her go-to excuse when wanting out of a situation was exactly that - I’m tired. She knew Lulu long enough to know her cues and little habits, but she left it alone. Mostly because Rory couldn’t help but wonder if it was something she did. No signs pointed to such, but she had been accustomed her whole life to taking the blame for just about everything. 

The blonde glanced over at her as they walked together and chewed on her lesser lip in thought. Despite the sudden shift in Lulu, Rory didn’t want to go home just yet. When did she ever? Even as a kid she’d find reasons to stay as long as she could. Rory would often do whatever she could to make sure she wasn’t alone, especially if Lulu was around. 

“Well, I haven’t been over in a while. You don’t mind? Don’t want to keep you up if you want to rest.” But that was a lie. Lulu knew by now it was a lie. Rory wanted to spend as much time as she could with Lulu. 

Lulu gave Rory a warm smile and shook her head. “You’re fine,” she reassured, waving her hand before she continued walking. This time, she was headed towards her apartment. Luckily, it wasn’t going to be a far walk from here. “Mi casa es su casa. Plus, I’m not afraid to tell you to shut up when I need to sleep.” She snickered. 

About ten or fifteen minutes later, they approached her apartment. Lulu was lucky enough to live right on the edge of New Jersey and New York, which made her apartment a little more affordable than if she lived right in the heart of the Big Apple. Her neighborhood was quiet and homely, and her apartment-- which was more like a small, single-person townhouse, became her own little home. They entered through the alley, heading into her terrace, then into the back door which led to her kitchen. 

“Neighbor’s got a huge dog that likes to bark at me every time I pass by the front, so at night, I head in this way,” she chuckled. Her Yorkshire Terrier, Polly, yapped at her feet. “Hi, Polly,” she cooed. “Your best friend Rory’s here.” 

The three of them head upstairs, where Lulu tossed Rory some clothes to change into before she peeled her own off, slipping into a big t-shirt and shorts. She turned around, and both of them were changed. She plopped on the bed and sighed deeply. “Thanks for hangin’ out with me, Rory.”