shootin' the moon

what do you do when you’re 22, you walk the dogs of the rich and famous, and your mom still asks when you’re going to grow up? june armstrong has no idea.

[jvnearmstrong]

Dijana Vukovic:

Dijana carefully chose a fry and popped it into her mouth, offered the bunch to the stranger. She could decide to like the younger woman and was close to the tentative decision as she contemplated what was said. “Negatives are more publicly known that the positive,” Dijana relented with a smile and absently tugged the opening of her bag so the files didn’t spill out. A jerk of the zipper and they were a little more secure. “I appreciate your..” Ah, what was the word? Over thirty years and sometimes she still forgot English words. “Well, your understanding over everything.” For that, she offered her hand and a genuine, warm smile. “I’m Di. Detective Vukovic if Boles comes back around.”

The look on June’s face shifted at the proffered french fries, eyebrows raising in interest and amusement as she took a couple. “Don’t mind if I do,” she said, waggling her head a little bit and, after a moment, laughing a little bit at her own dorky movements. After chomping down on the crispy, golden fries and settling into her usual, contented grin, she wiped off her hands and shook the detective’s hand with genuine interest. “I’m June, it’s nice to meet you. Or ‘hey you’ if my boss comes around,” she joked. “My friends and I made a dog-walking app for the LA area and I really just walk the dogs, but they say they’re not my bosses. I don’t know about that, but it still feels weird to call a dude I’ve known for fifteen years my boss.”

[jvnearmstrong]

Zahra Litt:

Zahra let June in before closing the door behind them. The other’s passion was surely a testament that she had chosen the right career path. “I could imagine the wildness, you’re a gem for being able to keep up with him.” Zahra made a mental note to check out the app for updates later on today. Leading the way into the kitchen, she went into her refrigerator and retrieved bottled water as well as a pitcher of strawberry lemonade. “Here you go,” she placed the water onto the counter as well as the pitcher before she moved to the cupboard to get two glasses. “Thank you,” she beamed, it had been a task to shop for and decorate her new home. It felt great to have her hard work acknowledged. “Yes, I am. I left since high school graduation and jetted off to New York City. What about you?” Rascal came darting into the kitchen with one of his toys clutched in his mouth. Not setting it down, he excitedly circled June’s feet. “Rascal wha–” Zahra chuckled, “I think he brought you a present.” 

There was nothing that made June beam more brightly than praise for her skills with animals, and today was no different. The glass of water hid her smile for the most part, but once she’d down half of it, she was happy to keep one ear on Zahra’s answer and the rest of her focus on Rascal as he started to make his rounds. “I am! I’ve always been here, honestly. Well, I actually spent a lot of my childhood in San Marino, but I don’t really make it over there much anymore. New York sounds fun, though! I’ve never been. I’ve always wanted to write a swear word in the Tiffany’s bathroom.”

[jvnearmstrong]

“You were drunk. You can’t tell me you weren’t. No, you- C’mon! You were so drunk!” June yelled from her favorite spot in her favorite skateskop, a little place called Prestige that had a couch and a few comfy chairs by the fitting rooms always waiting for her. From there, she could point accusingly at one of her friends improperly telling a story by the surfboards and make fun of him as much as she wanted, often until well after close. She was so caught up in correcting that story that she didn’t notice the chime of the door until she was already recognizing the curls of someone familiar in her peripheral view.

Suddenly, the lounging position she’d taken on the couch felt too open and vulnerable, the laughter around her too jolly for the sinking feeling in her stomach whenever she saw Beck out in the wild, which was happening more and more often. Her hooligan friends were also his hooligan friends - intertwined from years and years of friendship before they’d given in and acknowledged how good they would be - and after a while, it seemed like everyone just decided (without Beck or June, mind them) that it would be easier to pretend that nothing happened than split up the gang. Easier for them, maybe, but even now, months and months after she had righteously freaked out and ended things, seeing those dimples still made her heart ache.

“Hey, Beck,” June said after a little hesitation, smiling tentatively as she sat up straight and made room for an extra person. “You coming in for new trucks or wheels or somethin’? I don’t know if you’ve heard, I’m actually the new unpaid intern around here,” she teased after beating the guys who actually worked there to saying hello.

@beckettmarsden

[yesbutlifegoeson]

[jvnearmstrong]

Text::

Kaden: VIC as in hey i'm the cool new member of this known band VIC?

Kaden: WHAT HAPPENED

June: Man, dude... Just put it like that, why don'tcha?

June: IT WAS SUMMER CRUSH!!!

June: And it wasn't even boning... it was just like a lot of kissing during movie night. And like, it was dope af but what do I do now?>??

[jvnearmstrong]

Iris Karam:

As Iris took in the other girls heaving breathing, her brow raised in intrigue as well as confusion since what could she have possibly been doing that had made her so out of breath? The obvious answer was jogging but she didn’t seem like she was dressed for exercise but she only chosen to brush away her thoughts, smiling as the other woman walked inside. Shutting the door, the woman was quick to flick on the light switches the moment she reached the counter only proceeding to push more buttons as the sound of the machines starting up echoed for seconds before going silent. “You’ve nothing to be sorry about since this happens more than you would think,” she mused, turning to face the other, an elbow propping on the counter as her chin rested on her palm, “Though, I’m kind of curious as to why you think you’re mom is going to yell at you in a public place. Should we set up some sort of non-verbal cue right now in case she does so that I can spare you the weird looks from other people?” She teased lightheartedly.

Breathing having returned to normal as June settled into her little area, backpack hanging on the back of her chair now, talking was a lot easier than before. “If I was late, she would’ve literally yelled, but most of her reprimanding happens at a normal volume. It just happens a lot. I have a lot to live up to. My older sister just became the youngest and only female partner at her law firm and my little sister is a prodigy in fine art. I smoke a lot of weed and walk dogs for a living, so I don’t really measure up,” she joked, the ever present smile on her face giving away how little she cared about it these days. “But if I start pulling out my hair, bring over a phone and tell me the president needs me in Washington, DC stat. But not the actual president. I’m talking like Bill Pullman in Independence Day.”

[jvnearmstrong]

Text 📲 Charlie & June

Charlie: what should I watch on Netflix?

Charlie: or read?

Charlie: or go do?

Charlie: I might be a bit bored...

June: Step one, get high. Step two, DoorDash and support your local struggling artists/parents. Step three, binge on your DoorDash and the new episodes of Black Mirror!

June: Or whatever, come over and do that here.

[jvnearmstrong]

Phobe Cole:

Hearing the pep in her voice Phobe hadn’t been expecting that. Crossing her arms as she examed the scars that claimed her skin. “Phobe.” She greeted with the smallest of a wave. Letting her eyes gaze back to Dani for a moment she nodded. “Yeah. That.. child is mine.” She said not able to force herself to say munchkin. “That is Danielle. She liked to go by Dani.” She explained before turning her head back to the other female. “She thought she was a big girl enough to come here so.. here we are.” Most of the time Phobe protectively kept her in the alley by their house so that no one was around. After betting that Dani could think of a higher number than a thousand Phobe was proven wrong with the number a thousand and one. 

“She’s a lot braver than I am,” June insisted with a grin and a look back at Dani before returning her gaze to the child’s mother. The helmet she was wearing had to come off once she realized she wouldn’t be skating for a minute, and she held it to her hip while they spoke. “I didn’t start skating ‘til I was thirteen and even then, it was only as a fuck-you to my parents. I was scared shitless,” she admitted, the words seemingly clashing with the bright smile on her face and the signature pep that had surprised her new friend. “When did you start?”

[jvnearmstrong]

Sal Rizzo:

Their eyebrows knitted together as the woman — who barely looked a day over twenty-one — took them up on their bet. “Twentieth of a hundo, huh?” they smirked, eyes flickering between her and the couple who was still macking in the corner. After pondering for a moment, they took out their wallet and retrieved another five dollar bill, smacking it down alongside the other’s. “Deal. Loser also buys the next round.”

June was positively giddy over the appreciation for her dumb joke and the accompanying smirk, which she happily returned in kind. “And winner picks what we get!” she decided off the cuff, putting one of her dry, empty shot glasses on top of the ten bucks, as if to protect it from possible nefarious schemes. “The female North American thot can be freely observed in her natural habitat; tonight she’s found a potential mate. This mating ritual is customary of the North American thot and most often takes place at a local watering hole such as this. Will her friends find her before the female North American thot consummates with her new mate? Only time will tell,” June droned on in her best David Attenborough impression before erupting in a fit of laughter, taking up her drink again when she’d settled down.

[jvnearmstrong]

Text::

June: Forgive me father, for I have sinned. It's been... nine years since my last confession. And I done fucked up.

Kaden: Junebug what or WHO did u do?!

June: Listen, all I did was have fun at Summer Crush! But I made have had fun with Vic... like my roommate Vic. Who I live with.

[biggest-gaudiest-poltergeist]

fuck it up buttercup 

[biggest-gaudiest-poltergeist]

go for the kill daffodil 

[biggest-gaudiest-poltergeist]

fight the power sunflower

[sendameme]

BOLD all that applies to your muse!

[jvnearmstrong]

sendameme‌:

Eyes: Blue | Green | Brown | Hazel | Grey | Other Hair: Blonde | Brown | Black | Red | Ginger | Grey/White | Multi-color | Other Body Type: Skinny | Slender | Slim | Built | Curvy | Athletic | Muscular Skin: Pale | Light | Fair | Freckled | Tan | Olive | Medium | Dark | Discolored  Gender: Male | Female | Trans | Cis | No Gender | Other Sexuality: Heterosexual | Homosexual | Bisexual | Pansexual | Asexual | Demisexual | Other Species: Human | Undead/Vampire | Shapeshifter (Weres) | Demon | Angel | Witch/Wizard/Sorcerer | Incubus/Succubus | Other Education: High School | Some College | University | Higher Education  Living Situation: Lives alone | Lives with parents/guardian | Lives with significant other | Lives with a friend/friends | Drifter | Homeless Parents/Guardian: Mom | Dad | Adoptive | Foster | Grandparents | Family friend Relationship: Single | Crushing | Dating | Engaged | Married | Separated | It’s complicated I’ve been: In Love | Hurt | Sick | Abused I have a(n): Learning Disorder | Personality Disorder | Mental Disorder | Anxiety Disorder | Eating Disorder | Substance-related Disorder Things I’ve done before: Drank alcohol | Smoked | Done drugs | Stolen | Self harmed | Starved myself | Had sex | Had a threesome | Gotten into a fist fight | Gone to the hospital | Gone to jail | Used a fake ID | Gone to a rave | Killed someone Positive Traits: Affectionate | Adventurous | Athletic | Brave | Careful | Charming | Confident | Creative | Determined | Fearless | Generous | Honest | Humorous | Intelligent | Loyal | Modest | Patient | Selfless Negative Traits: Aggressive | Bossy | Cynical | Envious | Fearful | Greedy | Gullible | Jealous | Impatient | Impulsive | Insecure | Irresponsible | Possessive | Sarcastic | Self-conscious | Selfish | Unstable

[jvnearmstrong]

Phobe Cole:

Watching Danielle doing her best to stay on the board Phobe was proud. She always tried her best even if that meant all she did was stand on it and get pushed every now and then. Being at a skatepark also meant she was able to get a few laps in the bowl. “You’re doing great,” Phobe told her as she gazed from afar. Letting her eyes scan the crowd protectively it wasn’t until she caught sight another female that she paused looking at her for a moment. It wasn’t often that she even saw another female around here. “Yo. You actually skate?”

Of the thousands of establishments in Santa Monica that June could visit every day, there was a total of about five that she ever really frequented. Her favorite skateshop was like her second home, which almost certainly made this skatepark her backyard. While she usually had her gaggle of dudes with her, today she was alone, blissfully enjoying skating around and around the curve of the bowl and watching the other skaters. People watching had always been a favorite pastime of June’s and the tiny skater doing her best caught her attention immediately. That had to be the cutest thing ever. The words aimed at her were a happy surprise and she stopped a few feet away from the pretty brunette. “Abso-tutely,” she declared, lifting her arm to show the woman her elbow, which was adorned with a scabbed-over scrape. “I’m June. Is that ‘lil munchkin yours?”

[jvnearmstrong]

Zahra Litt:

“Um, should I give you two a moment?” Zahra teased with a light chuckle. Honestly, June was a godsend, she came highly rated and there hadn’t been any issues. Plus, her Beagle completely adored June. Upon hearing her voice Rascal darted over to her feet and started jumping at her legs for attention. Zahra crouched to greet him as if he’d been gone for weeks. “Oh, nothing much. I was just in the kitchen cleaning up.” She commented before standing upright again, leaving Rascal to run inside. “He wasn’t too much trouble was he?” He query came with her hoping that Rascal was a good boy; knowing what a handful he was to deal with in general, much like his owner. “Say, are you thirsty or anything?” Zahra offered, gesturing behind her as a way of inviting her in. 

With a kiss on the head and a pat on the rump, June said goodbye to the beagle and grinned as it romped toward Zahra, righting herself and brushing off any stray hairs from their walk. “He really is such a heartbreaker. I hate saying goodbye! He’s insane, but he’s a ton of fun and he gives so much love. I tracked our route in the app, but we hit up the dog park off Pacific for a while and he ran circles around all the other dogs,” she explained fondly. “Oh, thanks! I’m parched, actually. And this place is really cute. I love it, seriously. Are you from Santa Monica?”

[jvnearmstrong]

Sal Rizzo:

“How much you wanna bet that those two hangin’ in the corner are gonna go fuck in the bathroom?” Rizzo asked the person next to him, gesturing toward the people in question who were shoving their tongues down each other’s throats where they thought no one could see them. “Didn’t realize that I was getting drinks and a show tonight.”

Trying and failing to be unassuming, June turned to look at the couple head on, not even bothering to stop sipping from her tequila soda. Without a word, she took a fiver from her dress romper pocket and slapped it down on the table. “I bet you this crisp twentieth of a hundo that the girl’s friends find her in five minutes and physically drag her away,” she countered when she could finally be bothered to put down her drink.

[jvnearmstrong]

Esme Osman:

“I know this probably wasn’t the idea you had in mind when I told you I’d be bringing you out on a night on the town. But I had to stop and get some food. Plus, this is a nice view — in the daylight.” The woman said with a little laugh as she bit into her burger. “Plus, I’m thinking if we do decide to go drink afterwards, then we’ll have something in our stomachs to soak up the alcohol. You’ll thank me in the morning because at our ages, hangovers are no joke.”

The straw in June’s cup made a garbled shriek and signified that she was already finished with it, which was worrying considering she’d emptied an ounce and a half of whiskey into it after they received their food. The burger beside her cup on their tray was unwrapped with no finesse and the first bite was followed by a satisfied sigh. “No joke. I’m already... three shots in,” she admitted, counting on her fingers as she went through the memories of pre-gaming drinks she’d already consumed. “And I’m thinking I’m lucky I have you since I haven’t eaten since this morning and I didn’t plan for this very well at all.”

[jvnearmstrong]

Iris Karam:

“Nem, aljidu, ‘ana 'akthar min mudrik 'anah yjb ely alaitisal 'akthar,” Iris spoke into her phone, arabic slipping off her tongue as if she’d never stopped speaking it entirely as she made her way down the sidewalk. Her keys jingled in her hands after a morning spent running around her house making sure that her puppy was okay. Thankfully, Aloani had a puppy sitter but more pressure was added on when her grandfather chose to call her. “’Aedak 'anani sa'atasal baed aleaml. Anā ʾuḥibbuka.” Hanging up, Iris took in a breath as she pushed a dark strand of hair from her face since now all she wanted was the day to go by as slowly as possible since her grandparents had a habit of drilling her when they spoke. As she reached her beach themed cafe, however, she noticed someone was already waiting outside. “Hi! I’m going to go out on a limb and assume you’re not here just to see me and just want a quick coffee but the cafe doesn’t technically open for another fifteen minutes,” she spoke, moving to unlock the door, “But you’re more than welcome to sit if you’d like?”

“Oh, god, thank you,” June answered breathlessly, still leaning against the side of the building like she had been when the woman walked up. The breaths leaving her were coming quickly, but weren’t nearly as ragged and rough as they had been when she’d first arrived just a minute or two before. She followed the woman inside when the door was unlocked, taking her up on her offer and choosing a table near the counter. “My mom is meeting me here in fifteen minutes and she’ll only have more to yell at me about if I figured I’d get here early. I didn’t realize you guys weren’t open yet! Sorry about that.”