▶ astrophile

kyle hunt-bentley ◘ twenty-two ◘ student ◘ grocery store clerk

[kyle-hunt]

CHANA ADELBERG

She set the pizza on a plate, using the back of her hand to wipe at her mouth. “Well I wish you had spoken up a bit sooner and saved me from this awful taste,” Chana joked. “I’m trusting you about the ice cream bar. If it’s nasty I’m going to be pissed.”

"I tried, but when I was about to speak you had already taken a bite of it." He offered her an apologetic smile before looking back at the ice cream bar. "You should have a drink first, you know to wash over the taste of that pizza and then try the ice creams."

[kyle-hunt]

ALWYN JONES

With a drink in his hand and the booming music filling his ears, Alwyn navigated his way around the cruise’s deck. His pine coloured hues scanned the large swarm of people, hoping to spot someone he knew or at least recognised. As a familiar figure crossed his eyeline, he quickly headed over to their direction and lightly tapped on their shoulder, attempting to gain their attention. “Hey! I should’ve known I’d see you here.”

Kyle didn’t even plan on sticking around, this was not his usual scene but he had to admit that the food and the drinks were good. However, after an hour at the event, he was in the middle of an internal debate whether to stay or leave when someone talked to him. It took him a few seconds to recognize the other, but finally, he remembered having met him at the grocery store where he worked. "Really?" he asked, because Kyle wasn't the kind of guy that looked like he'd be here. "I was actually about to leave," he started before taking a sip from his drink.

[kyle-hunt]

CHANA ADELBERG

There were some days that Chana really hated her cousin Scotty. Today was one of those days. Besides the fact that he forced her to be here instead of letting her stay home and watch t.v all day he was actually trying to make her flirt. That was easier said than done. Taking a bite of the pizza in her hands, she turned to look when she heard someone approach. Just as she was about to smile at the person the taste of the pizza finally hit her. Yeah that definitely didn’t taste right.

"That's not a good pizza," Kyle stated the obvious, he had fallen in that trap before and wanted to warn her but was too late. "I have no idea what is in it, but I can assure you the ice cream bar is good," he added with a small smile and a shrug.

[kyle-hunt]

MASON FRANKE

Mason had been at the party a few hours now and was having a good time, he’d claimed a sun lounger and had used another as a table as it was pretty quiet at the little spot he’d found himself. Seeing the other he smiled as he moved his drink and food.  “ Feel free to sit there if you want, I was just making the most it being fairly empty around here but that chair is going free.” He replied as he looked at them.

Kyle was still questioning himself for showing up, he felt out of his comfort zone, so he found a secluded place just like he always did when he was in a similar situation. With a drink in hand, mostly because he would look even more uncomfortable without one, he looked around for a place to sit. He had spotted a place but just before he began to walk, someone offered him a seat and he couldn't turn it down. "Thanks," he said, offering a small smile to the man. "Are you having fun?"

[kyle-hunt]

some relatives came over and i didn't have time to get online. i just left them at the airport and after i have lunch i will do replies!

also if anyone wants to plot something for the event like this or send me a message. kyle is wearing yellow because the green one seems like a lot of responsibility lol

[kyle-hunt]

MARLEY CALLAHAN

“Maybe you are, though.” His coldness, while stinging, didn’t keep her from speaking. It was easier, talking to him, than talking to Aaron. “You’ve clearly got your own opinions on what happened, Kyle. Understandably so. I hurt your brother, and that hurt you, and I’m sorry. Genuinely. I can’t say that I didn’t mean to hurt him…but I stand by that hurtin’ Aaron then would’ve been better than hurtin’ him later. It would’ve ended…no matter what we did, it would’ve ended, Kyle. You know how hard that was for me to admit back then? How much I…I loved him? Wanted that future we talked about? I wanted it so badly. But it wasn’t real. He was just sayin’ what he thought I wanted to hear…even if he didn’t realize it then.” She shook her head. “You’re right, though. I could’ve given him a heads up…but if I’d tried to stand there and say goodbye to him…I would’ve caved. I would’ve given in. And I promise you, the fallout from that would have been so much worse.”

Kyle couldn't help the way his gaze drifted away from Marley, an awkwardness finding its way into his shoulders as she talked, telling him details that he was sure his brother didn't even know. "You know he left," he told her, chewing on the back of his cheek. "After months of not talking to any of us, he packed up everything and left, ironically, in a similar way as you did. I didn't see him for two years, sometimes weeks passed before I could at least talk to him for five minutes." Despite the protectiveness that swelled within his heart Kyle couldn’t help the fear he felt within his chest, a familiar tightness of him getting hurt again. "He used to be important to you. I just think he deserved the chance to choose or have a say in all of this. I know you were trying to spare him the pain, but if the fallout happened at least it would have been his choice. He would have decided to be hurt, but you sort of took that away from him."

[kyle-hunt]

MARLEY CALLAHAN

“Right. Right, of course.” Marley shook her head. It’d been a dumb thing to say, but truthfully, she didn’t know quite what to say to Kyle at all. It would’ve been different if he’d been younger when she and Aaron were together. Maybe he’d have no real memory of her at all. But even though he’d gone to Scottsdale for school, he’d still been there. Four years, they’d dated. Four years of birthday’s and Christmas’s and Fourth of July celebrations. Memories she had of him…and memories he had of her that were now overshadowed by the fact that she’d ditched his brother and left him heartbroken. She hadn’t even stopped to think how that would have affected Kyle. It hurt, to hear him admit to not wanting to run into her, but she was quick to shake her head. “…can’t exactly blame you.” She bit the inside of her cheek. “I know you’re probably not my biggest fan, Kyle, but I…in my head, I thought I was sparin’ him.”

He could still remember it, all those years ago when Aaron and Marley had been together, and those calls he received from his brother telling him all about the plans they had after high school, how they would leave to never come back. It all sounded too idyllic and maybe that's why Kyle felt that it was too good to be true, but he certainly hoped he'd be wrong. Many times he tried to convince his brother to reconsider that decision, give college a chance but he knew that it was impossible to talk him out of something he already had decided. Like when he moved to London. "It's not really my problem, Marley. I'm not the one to whom you owe an explanation," he said, perhaps too coldly for his own taste. "Maybe next time you decide to spare problems to someone, you should give them a heads up."

[kyle-hunt]

ANASTASIA BURTON

“There’s nothing like small town and country living. The bustle of the city is too stressful which makes it hard to relax. You wouldn’t be able to find two strangers enjoying the stars on a bench outside in the city, I can tell you that much.” Anastasia smiled to herself, her gaze fixated on the distance ahead of them. “That’s how I made my decision to move her. I wanted to be as far away from home as I possibly could. It’s a smart move, sometimes.”

"I'll give you that, this scene would have never happened in a big city like New York or even London." It was likely that stargazing in those cities was almost impossible unless they visited an observatory. "Sometimes," he echoed. "When I first moved I thought I've made the smart choice, but now I'm not that sure. Maybe staying close to home would have been better."

[kyle-hunt]

CHRISSY BARNES

“Indeed it would have”. She said with a giggle. “Uh yeah I’m..I’m okay yeah I’m fine”. She told him as she bent down to help him.

"You don't have to help me, it's fine. I've got this," he assured her with a smile. "Were you looking for something? or can I help you with anything?"

[kyle-hunt]

GENRE BELLAFORD

“Vinegar will help with sticky things. Coke gets stains out from clothes plus you can drink it after. Toothpaste helps get grease off of pots and pans, it’s also great to make your coffee pot look new.” She gave him a few of her tricks. “No problem, I like helping when I can anyway. “That would be perfect, they’re my first and thanks to my mom being a chef I have a refined pallet. My mom once told me used to make me Lucky charms on toast with honey when I was little and refused to eat. I made it for my twins and they spit it out and asked if my mom was trying to kill me.” 

Kyle stayed there for a few seconds without saying a thing, trying to suck in all the knowledge. "Really? I mean, I believe you. I just never imagined that those things would be more useful than what they are made for," he said with a chuckle. "I guess having a chef as a mother helps to get a better taste in food. Lucky Charms on toast with honey doesn't sound that bad, but I'd have to try it. My mom used to make chicken tacos, and for some time in my life I refused to eat anything else."

[kyle-hunt]

LEXI DAVIS

“Of course I have plenty of time to think about that. One college adventure at a time.” she laughed. “Maybe. It all depends on what happens. If I meet someone, or find a job I really like, or whatnot.” Lexi shrugged, laughing again. “I think three cups is my max. If I would have had a fourth, I’m pretty sure my heart would have exploded.” she said, readjusting her bag again. “It definitely is. Especially Mardi Gras.” she said, listening to him talk about his hometown. “Oh wow. 400 people is pretty small. I’ve only visited Scottsdale once when I was in middle school because my older sister had a dance tournament there.”

"How long until you're done with this degree?" If Kyle had learned something was that he shouldn't bite off more than he could chew. "Time will tell, right? You are lucky that you can find a job anywhere you'd like." He could too, but he had one place in mind. "I'm glad I got there before you decided to take a fourth. It would have been a shame if your heart had exploded," he chuckled. "Yeah... in a few words you really have put New Orleans on top of my list for places to visit," he said, smiling at her. "It is tiny, everywhere you go, people know everything about you. Scottsdale is nice, I wouldn't live there but it was a nice place."

[kyle-hunt]

LUX JACKSON

“Thank you!” she smiled at him. “Wait, did you just say college? Aw, but you look so young”, she added as she followed him. “Yeah, it’s been the craziest days around… trying to build everything up for my next exhibition. My head’s all over the place, not really in the mood for cooking tonight or for the rest 3 weeks”, she joked right after they found themselves in front of the right shelf.

"Yeah... I get that a lot." Many of his classmates were surprised he was the same as age as them, and some even thought he had skipped some grades— which he could have but his mother didn't allow it. "I'm not done with college, I'm taking a year off," he added with a tiny smile. "Are you an artist?" he asked, his curiosity sparked after she mentioned her exhibition. "Here we are," he said, halting as they reached the right aisle. "If you want to save more time, you should check out the Pop Tarts, that's what I had for breakfast almost every day to the point I sort of hate them now."

[kyle-hunt]

MARLEY CALLAHAN

“A week.” She echoed, eyes widening, though her head began to nod. That would sure explain things. Her next question was whether or not he knew of Aaron’s presence, but he answered it on his own, without her needing to speak it. Despite the fact that he asked if she worked there, his lack of a surprise told her he already knew–and not just because she’d come to take his order. “…you’ve talked to him, then.” She confirmed instead, head still nodding slowly. “You know I was here before you got here, Kyle, or were you just as surprised as he was?”

"Well, yes, he's my brother. I'm actually staying at his place," he replied, biting the inside of his cheek. Even when she was dating Aaron, he didn't interact a lot with Marley, but overall, he liked her. Now, it was different. He was sure she was still a good person, and she had her own reasons to leave but Kyle still felt somewhat resentful, for a lack of a better word. "A little of both," he started before licking over his lips, something he did when he was in an uncomfortable situation. "I think Aaron mentioned something about you and the diner." He was sure his brother had said Marley worked in there but he had decided to take his chances. "I was not expecting, well, I was hoping not to run into you," he admitted, once again his gaze fell to the menu.

[kyle-hunt]

PARKER CULLEN

“Just looking for some cereal.” Parker points out with a soft laugh, gesturing towards the aisle they were in. “Good thing we’re in the right aisle, right?”

"That's ironic," he said with a chuckle. "I just showered you with cereal boxes, so all you have to do is pick one. I promise I won't judge you after you make your choice."

[kyle-hunt]

LEXI DAVIS

“Maybe. I could do one of those accelerated courses they offer for busy adults.” she laughed a little. “True. I’ll probably have to end up  looking for an HR position in Atlanta or some shit ad just commute or something.” Lexi said, trying to blow some stray strands of hair out of her face as they walked. “As you saw, I had a shit ton of coffee. Nothing was really helping, but this fresh air is definitely waking me up. It was a good idea.” she smiled widely. “I mean, it has its issues like every other city, but I love it there. The people in the neighborhoods are great.” she nodded. “Oh, wow. No idea where Jerome is in Arizona, but I know where Scottsdale is.”

"There you go! That's one idea," he said, offering her a bright smile. "So, you're planning to stay here in Georgia after you finish college?" He glanced her way for a few seconds before his gaze fell back to the ground, a soft chuckle escaping past his lips when he heard her next comment. "You really are building up a good tolerance for coffee. I've never been able to drink more than three cups without feeling like my heart is going to explode," he added with a laugh. "I'm glad this is working out for you." Kyle always wondered what it would have been like to grow up in a bigger city. "It does give the impression of being a very lively city." Kyle shrugged, not surprised she hadn't heard of his hometown. "I'm pretty sure only the 400 people that live in it know about its existence. And well, yes, Scottsdale is a lot bigger. Not as big as Tucson or Phoenix, tho."

[kyle-hunt]

LEXI DAVIS

“Thank God for that. I mean, the you not being a serial killer and stuff.” she laughed a little. “Maybe someday I’ll go back to school and study psychology. Maybe.” Lexi said, looking over at him as they walked. “I still don’t even know what I’m going to do with my HR degree. I’m mostly worried about my finals right now, you know?” she chewed on her bottom lip. “The food is really good. A crawfish broil is an amazing way to get together. We would have a neighborhood crawfish broil once a summer.” she grinned. “Where did you grow up in Arizona?”

"If in the future you are still interested, you should give it a shot," he said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket. "Every company has HR department, so I think there are a lot of places where you could work. Finals have that effect on everyone, I used to get so stressed that I wouldn't sleep for days because they were all I think about." Even if he hadn't suffered that kind of stress since he decided to take a year off, he still could vividly remember the feeling. "That sounds amazing! You make New Orleans sound like the friendliest place on Earth," he replied with a soft chuckle. "In a very small town called Jerome, and then I moved to Scottsdale for high school."

[kyle-hunt]

ANASTASIA BURTON

“A bit gloomy and crowded but London is lovely, he’s not wrong. I don’t think I’d ever live there though. Pretty sure I fell in love with it here. You can grow bored of the city life.” Ana understood the young man beside her all too well. She wouldn’t necessarily say she was homesick but she did feel some sort of nostalgia when she thought of Washington State. “What was your reasons for leaving it behind then?”

"Maybe that's why he liked it because it wasn't nothing like the place where we grew up," he said with a shrug before nodding. "I've never lived in a big city, but I think after a few years I'd be bored too." He'd lived near Boston, but Cambridge didn't count as a proper city and whenever he visited Boston was only for a few hours. "College. I had the option of moving to California or Massachusetts, and I went with the farthest one."