“Tons of people are back here.” Matt exclaimed as he basically popped up from the floor and took a peek over the crates in front of him, the spot where he was sitting was surrounded by a sea of different vinyl records. “Were you looking for someone in particular? I swear both Mike Love and Dennis Wilson are hiding here somewhere.”
Drew stared at him, trying to piece together the tangent they’d gotten off on. “I suppose so,” he finally said, not wanting to think about it too much. “This is Florida,” he laughed, “so arson isn’t exactly out of the ordinary.”
“Right. I forgot we’re not lacking in the rocket scientist department.” Matt snorted, before a smirk took over. “I’m still not over the Fort Lauderdale guy whose kangaroo escaped; maybe he’s around today too.”
“I gladly will.” Arista nodded, grinning. “Ooh, you know I am so ready for fall to get here. I want sweaters and hot coffee, and all the pumpkins.” She laughed, practically feeling it already. She shrugged and shook her head at his question. “Nah. I’ll probably just end up hanging out with my sisters.”
He couldn’t help but smile along at her description, the sole thought of it all made his insides go warm. “I wish there were fall sweaters as cool as there are Christmas ones– you know what I mean by cool.” Matt laughed. “Pumpkins for carving or eating, though? Cause I’m still collecting intel before I make a choice to meet up with a certain spice theme.” His brow rose a bit before remembering whom he was talking to. “Well, with six or seven of you around, I’m sure you could make any place into a riot!”
“I don’t think I could change you if I tried,” Arista grinned. Not that she would try to. She liked him just fine how he was. She chuckled as she took the tray and tongs he handed her. “I’m thinking… here.” She picked up a danish and then stepped a little to the side to grab a bear claw too.
“I’ve tried, gotta tell ya, he’s one stubborn dude.” He laughed, nudging her. “You’re awesomely non-changeable too.” Matt had to make a conscious effort not to leave a trail of drool behind him; he wanted to buy everything in sight and throw the biggest tea and pastry party ever. “I’ll follow your lead.” He proceeded to copy her order on his own tray, taking notice of some cupcakes that were basically drowning in frosting– he dropped one on both their trays. “I’ve a feeling these will be mystery flavored.”
“A prep rally? As much as I appreciate the wordplay…” his voice drifted out as the group began filing down the street, pushing him and Matt towards the sidewalk. He tripped over the curb. “To be fair, the world could end at any moment. It could have already ended, and we just haven’t felt the affects yet.” Drew took the flyer, giving it a once-over and then tossing it in the trash. “If they’re so concerned about the world ending, they could at least put their rubbish in the bin.”
Matt put his hand on Drew’s arm, hoping to help stabilize him and not manage to make both of them fall down. “Dude– you’re on to something here. If all of us are dead– and I mean the entire fucking world, and just haven’t noticed yet, wouldn’t that mean this is actually our new way of life?” He let his mouth run along with his idea before chuckling at what had happened... though it was a laughter colored by nervousness at the possibility of that happening. “So long as they don’t use what’s in the trashcans to set off fires all around.”
“Thanks, I appreciate that,” Arista laughed. She smiled as she opened the gift, before breaking into another laugh at what was inside. “Oh, this is great. I love it so much. Thank you!”
“All you’ll have to do during those months is remind me of how younger life feels like.” Matt teased, grinning brightly at her reaction. “Wicked! I couldn’t let you down with the snuggie. Hopefully you’ll have a chilly day off soon where you’ll get to wear it all day.” He mused. “So, any plans for your big day?”
Arista laughed, shaking her head. “No, I totally get it. You like what you like and that’s that.” She shrugged and smiled. She thanked him for opening the door before walking inside. “I will happily treat myself. And you are very welcome to join me.”
“See? This is why we get along, there’s no need for change when we’re already awesome people.” Matt replied with a bright voice, merrily following Arista into the venue– he was immediately hit by the awesome smell of freshly baked bread and what could only be described as a sugar conglomeration in a breeze form. “You don’t have to ask me twice.” His eyes sparkled once he took a good look at the place, handing her a tray and a pair of tongs before picking some for himself. “So...” He clicked his tong’s pincers together. “Where should we start?”
Fall Out Boy, Frank Sinatra, Breaking Benjamin, My Chemical Romance, Dustin Kensrue. C’mon, I can’t fucking choose. Top 5 is the best I can do.
Movie / Show
Moulin Rouge (I’ll never ever get over El Tango de Roxanne). I’ll probably watch reruns of I Think You Should Leave and Monty Python’s Flying Circus until the day I die.
Book
Mario Puzo’s The Godfather. I’ve read it more times than I’ve watched the movies.
Animal
Crows! I don’t get why they get such a bad rap.
Place (Daily life and/or vacation spot)
A particular spot near a particular bench in the middle of Central Park, New York... wonderful New York. I’m glad I passed up on sleeping there for the night.
“They say when you meet the love of your life, time stops, and that's true.”
What is/are his...
Theme song(s)?
Golden & West Coast Smoker by Fall Out Boy. I don’t know, they really help me put the past and present into perspective. I’ve found no tune matches the present... maybe Never Again (Aurora version) by Breaking Benjamin.
Pet peeves?
Screeching chalk on the board. FUUUUUCK. That.
Fictional character(s) they relate to the most?
Edward Bloom from Big Fish. He was a dreamer living the life he wanted.
“Fate has a cruel way to play with us, there is a time when a man must fight. And a moment when you must accept that he lost his destiny, which sailed the boat and that only a fool would ... Actually I've always been a fool.“
Most prized possession(s)?
This necklace Shay gave me on my 23rd birthday, I’m always wearing it under my shirt. Also, my first journal. It’s full of lyrics that I’ve been writing since I was around seven. Sometimes it’s the only thing that keeps me from going into a rut.
Childhood dream job?
Rockstar... slowly but surely building up to that, buddy!
Catchphrase(s)?
Wicked!
Does he...
Have a quote/motto they live by? Which one(s)?
Yes. “The universe is under no obligation to make sense to you.”
Have any musical talents? Which one(s)?
Singing. I know my way around a piano, guitar, ukulele, bass, drums, violin, cello, didgeridoo, trumpet, sax, and accordion.
Practice any sport? Which one(s)?
Once upon a very long long time I played Lacrosse. Not very good– at all, really, but it was a blast!
Have a party trick? Which one(s)?
I don’t know if it counts as a “party” trick, but I can light a match with one hand.
Have any phobias? Which one(s)?
1. Claustrophobia - Fear of confined spaces.
This fear breaks down in two parts. First one, the time he was bullied in middle school and two of his classmates decided it would be funny to lock him in the janitor’s closet after the school had closed. He was found the next morning. The second one, whenever he had one of his hyperactive episodes and his parents couldn’t deal with him for either reason, they locked him up in his room until it was over. Matt always needs to have either a window or a door open wherever he is.
2. Coimetrophobia - Fear of cemeteries.
A stupid dare he had made his freshman year of high school, he had to spend the night over at a cemetery. Matt swore he saw things and, if they were nightmares, those were the worst he had ever had in his life. He also can’t stand them at day, they make him too sad.
3. Coulrophobia - Fear of clowns.
It was his seventh birthday party and it was the first time a clown was brought in. The weird face, the awful laugh, the bad jokes, and the constant popping of the balloons; drove him to hide under a table and not come out until the clown was gone. It really didn’t help that the clown found that funny, and was the one that tried to grab Matt from under the table. Out of all the scary movies there are, he cannot watch IT.
Have any pets? Which one(s)?
Nope.
Is he...
Allergic to something? To what?
Peppermints. Which sucks, cause they smell so damn good.
Superstitious? If so, what do they believe brings them good/bad luck?
I am not superstitious, but I'm a little 'stitious... I always eat a green apple before performing a big show.
An early bird or night owl?
Night owl high on caffeine.
A dog or cat person?
DOGS! Got nothing against cats, though.
Optimistic or pessimistic?
As long as the glass has some water in it, there’s hope.
Indoorsy or outdoorsy?
Listen, I love a good walk in nature now and then, but nothing will ever beat home and its many comforts.
“I am officially 26,” Arista began. An uneasy smile was on her face. Birthdays were some of her harder days - days when she wished her mother was there to celebrate with her, too. “And I don’t know how to feel about being one year closer to 30.” She hoped that would be enough to keep anyone from asking why she wasn’t more excited. But then, she would always cheer right up and it would never seem like anything had been wrong in the first place.
“Hey, I’m only a couple months ahead of you. I promise that, when I put that 30th X on the calendar, I’ll let you know how life is over on that side of the hill. You’re not alone.” He grinned before handing her a gift bag. “Didn’t know if you’d be coming in today, happy birthday, Ris! May you have a wicked one.”
“I feel like that’s how most things are.” Arista laughed, shaking her head. Somebody was always going to have a different opinion, no matter the topic at hand. “Not even chocolate glazed? Just plain old glazed?” Her eyes grew a bit wide at the revelation. She couldn’t imagine only eating glazed donuts for the rest of her life. “Oh my goodness, yes! I’ve been dying for an excuse to get one of those!”
Matt blinked a couple of times before erupting into a little laugh. “You would be correct, here I thought I was onto something novel.” He nodded, absurdly proud of his statement. “Yeah! Don’t get me wrong, I do love frosting but I would much rather get a slice of cake if the craving’s that strong. Old Fashioned donuts are where it’s at for me; on the bright side, I always get the ones no one wants conflict-free.” The guy smiled, spotting the entrance to the place before opening up the door for Arista. “Take me as the Universe’s signal for you to treat yourself; I just might ride that train along!”
“OH we should do that for next Halloween and then you could be me and I could be you.” Jack commented happily. He’d basically already counted Matt in before asking, but it was still nice to see the other man so excited to help him out. Not that it surprised him. “I don’t think you need to do that, you can just come in with me. I usually get there an hour before the opening.” Jack replied with a chuckle, starting to outline Matt’s face with a piece of charcoal. “It’s a Faces of Costa thing I’m doing, it’s a little more… usual and positive than my normal stuff, but it’s exciting because I think it’s a great way to capture the different vibes around here.”
Matt’s jaw dropped for a few seconds, he managed not to blink for as long before he had his face break into the biggest smile. “Whenever I think I’ve already heard your best idea, you always come up with something even more badass. Oh! You should go visit my grandpa with my face and see if he notices... we could also pull off a scene from Face Off.” He nodded at Jack’s response before letting out a chuckle of his own. “Yeah, okay, that sounds way better. Hey! If you need an extra pair of hands getting everything set, we could make the most of that hour. We’ll be the Turbo Team of Art.” He closed his eyes and tried not to giggle at how funny the charcoal felt against his skin; Matt replied with the slightest movement of his lips, trying not to offset whatever Jack was doing to him. “C’mon, man. There’s nothing usual about your art, it’s always positively stunning.” He smiled. “Whatever you do is going to blow us all away and I can’t wait to see it... well, be a part of it!”
“You really have,” Ris laughed, shaking her head. “Yeah, it is! And that… sounds like something I really wouldn’t like.” She chuckled. Lemon was not her choice of dessert flavor, so it sounded pretty unappealing. “Aww,” she smiled over at him. “You’re a pretty cool person too.” Though she thought that about pretty much everybody she met, she genuinely meant it when she spoke to Matt. “Oh, you know, we should definitely check.”
“It’s not for everyone, I get it. My grandpa is a fan of anything tart and I guess I got the gene.” He chuckled. “Tell you a secret? I can’t stand any other donut besides glazed; I don’t know what is it.” Matt shrugged before returning the smile. He liked hanging out with Arista, the girl was as talented as she was kind, and it had been pretty easy to talk to her since they basically became coworkers. “Definitely. You know? This is just giving us ammo to get one of those blanket things with sleeves without having to give much of an explanation.” He laughed.
Drew clenched his jaw, extremely concerned with the group of people they’d happened to have gotten swept up in on the way to city hall. “I have to admit, I’m a bit confused by what exactly is happening.” He pulled his glasses from his bag, trying to get a better look. “Are they, erm, we protesting something? I really can’t tell.”
“It’s not as much protesting as...” His eyes stumbled upon a flyer that was forgotten on the ground; kneeling down to pick it up, Matt’s eyes widened as he absorbed the information. “...a prep rally for when the world ends. Huh. Who would’ve thought it would all come crashing down on a– today’s Thursday, right?” He looked at Drew and sighed. “We could bolt? Maybe before they assign us a chore or a pod or a... anything, really.”
Shock had been listening intently, unable to keep the smile form her lips as she focused on him and the music. She took another long drag of her cigarette and extinguished it in the ashtray before letting her eyes focus on his. “Honestly?” It took her a moment to reply, she let the suspense build a little and then broke into an even bigger grin. “I love it, the lyrics are very deep.” She replied. “And you voice sounds amazing, as always.” She stood up and moved to sit beside him at the piano. “When did you even have time to do all this?” The question came softly as she rested her head on his shoulder.
As he waited on an answer, Matt quickly brushed the piano so he could play the intro to Beethoven’s 5th– thankfully, both the answer and the smile on Shay’s face proved to be on the opposite end of the spectrum. "Yeah? Okay, now I’m seriously pumped. I’ve been toying around with some of those verses for years now; as long as I don’t sound like a pretentious ass.” He put on a silly face as he pretended to do a mini dance on his spot. “My muse is right here, what kind of guy would I be if I didn’t put on the performance of a lifetime just for her?” Without thinking about it, Matt wrapped his hand around Shay and kissed the top of her head, nuzzling into her warmth; it felt like his heart was going to burst. “Remember a couple of weeks ago when they rescheduled one of my gigs and you were working late? I decided to be stuck here.” He chuckled softly, his fingers lazily fabricating a small melody with a couple of spare keys. “Got a ton of surprises under my sleeve, a couple just for you.”
“You’ve never had a Bearclaw?” Arista gasped. “Oh, you definitely have to have one. They’re delicious.” It was one of her favorite pastry treats. “Oh, I don’t know that you want to learn from me. Believe me, I have my faults.” Ris laughed, shaking her head. “Oh, yes. Yeah, naps would be incredible.”
“Nope! And by its name I can tell I’ve really been missing in on the goods.” He laughed. “It’s the one with the almonds, right? I gotta be honest with you, I once had this lemon and cream cheese cake thing– my tastebuds went numb and were hijacked into not trying anything new ever again.” Arista’s reply made him smile and he ended up lightly nudging her. “You might, but they’ve build you up to be a cool person so I wouldn’t mind learning a trick or two. Just think of how awful this world would be if everything and everyone was damn perfect all the time.” Matt grimaced before chuckling again. “I bet there’s a recommendation sheet down at the Community Center that would be thrilled to be filled in.”
“Oooh, that sounds good,” Ris chuckled. “I’m thinking a Danish. Ooh, or maybe a Bearclaw? I don’t know. I usually pick when I get there.” And it was true. She always had to look at what there was before she could figure out what she wanted. “With great self-control. Sometimes I do yell at my phone, though.” She wasn’t perfect. “Right?”
Matt’s eyes widened. “Wait, Bearclaw? You know what... I don’t think I’ve ever had one of those. I might just have to blindly trust your judgment this time; a game of roulette with bread sounds like a good way to go.” He grinned, already making plans to buy some extra ones to bring home to Shay and his grandpa. “If that is enough for it to automatically go into snooze mode, I still have a lot to learn from you.” Matt chuckled lightly. “You know what society should bring back for us adults? Naps. I think it’s us who need them most.”
"Right.” He clicked his lips, doing his best to stop bouncing on the balls of his feet as he looked around them; a sea of volunteers doing fuckknowswhat was roaring all around them. “There's a get out of jail card if we can think of something clever.” Matt whispered to Drew, looking at his own name tag and grimacing. “Honesty is still the best policy, right? They can’t be mad if we let them know we signed in as a joke?” At least he hoped it was a joke. A Doomsday pep rally had to be a joke.