open for any!! ( 0/4 )
location : flo's - hot dog eating contest
there is something profoundly disturbing about the whole spectacle , yet gabe finds himself unable to look away . watching on with a morbid curiosity . he's never known anyone to have such a penchant for processed meats . surely , they have to save their hotdog quota all year for this , otherwise , how do they stomach it ?? eyes peel away from the event for only a second , leaning in to the spectator next to him . " wanna place a friendly wager on the winner's final wiener count ?? "
"honestly, i'm gonna do ya a favor here and say that isn't a smart move." the blonde glanced at gabe to her side, smirk in place and blue eyes daring him to anyway. "i came upon one of these contests on tv... yeah, they televise some of this shit, it was the big one for the fourth of july weekend i guess... and, well, i couldn't look away and..." callie saw the final count.
"so if you're sure you wanna challenge me just make your wager small." blue eyes returned to the stage, a slight frown in her brow as she witnessed similar techniques to what she saw on tv. "basically, i don't need your car or a thousand bucks."
no matter how many times she's experienced it, nights like these are nisa's absolute favourite way to end her day. when it's just her and taner, the world around them seems to quiet — leaving only the soft music she had put on earlier playing in the background like a soundtrack to their thoughts. there was nothing and nobody to impress, just two people finding themselves in their most honest forms; a rare kind of intimacy that nisa knows she's been lucky to find. the remnants of the dinner they'd just had a moment ago sits forgotten on the table in front of them, nisa being too immersed in telling her boyfriend about her day. stars twinkle in her eyes as she gushes, ❝ i found the cutest matching bracelets when i went out to willow square this morning, and i just have to know how you feel about them — wait, i took some pics, ❞ she reaches for her phone to show taner the photos.
❝ they're handmade and customisable ! so, what do you think ? i considered buying one just for me, but when the sales lady told me it's supposed to be a matching set, i immediately thought of you. i just need to know if you're on board with it first. ❞ she turns to the empty plates on the table and stacks them together. nisa stands up with the dirty dishes in hand, heads into the kitchen and begins washing them. she's in the middle of rinsing when her eyes light up in recollection. ❝ oh, you know what's funny ? not long after i left that jewelry store, i went to get a smoothie at the shop next door and i came across this kid who reminded me of you. no, actually, she looked just like you — she had the same dark hair and your eyes. it was almost uncanny that i had to do a double take. what do you make of that ? ❞
full of good eats, completely satiated, and beyond content he looked upon his girlfriend adoringly. one of his legs entwined between both hers under the table as his smitten gaze lingered on her features and expressions as nisa regaled him with her day. his had been mostly boring, just work and a bit of exploring when he'd taken a break from his office and walked about in the humid texas summer. when offered, taner took her phone in hand and looked over the picture of the bracelets she'd been gushing over and a small smile shaped his lips. when he handed her device back, setting it on the table as she gathered their plates, he nodded. "if you want them, get them. i'd wear it." and do so with pride. really, anything that was an outward representation of them as a pair felt really nice. "do you want me to go with you when you go back to purchase?" coming up next to her at the sink, he deposited their empty glasses on the counter next to it. the plates she's rinsed he placed in the dishwasher.
as nisa told him about the little girl she saw, the one that had his hair color and same eyes, taner stilled for a moment. "did she look about five years old?" continuing on, finishing up loading the dishes and closing the appliance door he glanced at her. that niggling feeling in the back of his head since he'd seen alexis rushed to the fore front. he'd tried not to think too much of that encounter, of having seen the woman he couldn't quite call an ex yet still felt like a broken heart, and why she was so randomly back in his life. well, if a one time encounter could be considered that. "sounds like the little girl i saw in the park the other day." he'd leaned back against the counter, a soft dark gaze settled on nisa, while his hands rested on the edge of granite on either side of him. "i was on a break and walking around, i'd actually been on a work call, ended right as i encountered someone i used to know back in melbourne, and after a few minutes of talking this little girl runs out of the restroom." a shrug of his shoulders, an attempt to play it off like it was no big deal. it likely wasn't even if something felt off. "it was the strangest thing to hear an australian accent here in texas." some small laugh spilled, again making light of the coincidence.
"what kind of smoothie did you get?" his hand snaked around her waist and pulled nisa closer to him. it was too much to think of his old life and new life possibly crashing together at the moment, so he distracted himself by peering down at her beautiful face. he'd found a way to be happy again since alexis' abandonment and taner didn't want to let that go.
★ “ do you think i’ll regret drinking coffee right after i finish these tacos ? ” the question is almost hypothetical in nature . minho knows what the answer is and what he wants the answer to be before he even asks it but that doesn’t stop him from asking anyway . they're currently sitting at a table with too much food for two people in between them , including the best birria he can find in willow glen and a burger the size of his hand . minho's looking longingly in the general direction of birch & butter , already thinking about what his order will be when they make it out of the lot . “ i guess it doesn’t really matter right now , i'm getting one regardless . ”
for someone that didn't know a wrong time for a coffee, taner's head began shaking at regret drinking coffee. it was a big part of his turkish culture, though it was very different here in america. his gaze wandered over the spread of food and the corners of his mouth tugged back in a bit of a smile. so far his taste of texas hadn't been a disappointment, the birria was especially fantastic and taner was considering another round of the tacos.
"your palate has a lot of range. tacos and burgers to coffee." a shrug of his shoulders, taner dipped one his tacos and then had a bite, nodding with a grin flashing briefly as the other made up his mind. "what do you like here? meaning... what's a good coffee order?" the coffee he had at home was imported, his family sent it from türkiye, and after a few years in california he'd eventually found something good. something that wasn't moldy or that the baristas burned the shit out of. "i've tried birch and butter and the espresso wasn't too bad."
⤷ charity fundraiser , canyon valley country club , 8:15pm .
the worst part about these events was never the speeches . conrad could handle those — he could stand in front of a crowd , shake a hundred hands , smile for cameras , and reiterate the same carefully chosen phrases about community and progress until the cows came home . that part was easy . it was the conversations afterward that got him , the ones where everyone wanted something — a connection , a promise , a favor , a little piece of his attention wrapped up in a compliment . he'd been cornered near the bar for nearly fifteen minutes , nodding politely while a man explained why his newest development project was going to ' change the face of the county ' . " well , i certainly appreciate you bringin' that to my attention , " conrad hummed with a practiced smile , " i'll have my office take a look — " before his eyes wandered over the man's shoulder and landed on her . callie . standing a few feet away like she'd been dropped into the middle of a room full of politicians and millionaires by mistake , her expression saying everything he needed to know — she was bored , unimpressed , and probably three minutes away from doing or saying something egregious .
" apologies — if you'll excuse me for just a second , " the man blinks , nods , and conrad quickly crosses the room , hand settling upon callie's shoulder warmly . " — there you are , " he breathes , like he's been looking for her all night . " i was startin' to think i was gon' have to spend the rest of this evening bein' told things i already know . . . save me . " it's not a request , so much as an order . the same tone he'd used when she was little and he'd asked her to come help with some undesirable chore , like her presence alone was enough to make whatever he was doing better . he guides the pair of them out towards the back patio , quieter than the main ballroom . " gosh , that mr . whitaker sure can talk ! " conrad adjusts his cufflinks , words spoken quietly enough to avoid any eavesdroppers . " where've you been ? not gettin' into too much trouble , i hope ? "
if it weren't for the free booze and unappealing appetizers then callie would never bother making an appearance at these stupid functions and galas or whatever this one was. while she could bullshit as good as the rest of them she really couldn't stand small talk and how boring the majority of the people that regularly attended these sorts of things were. most people knew that the blonde and only langford daughter was a wild card, but some people still pressed their luck and two of the old timers that had hit on her already, well... she'd told their wives. so, there were some waves going on in a pocket of this ballroom somewhere. when she was standing, looking around, deciding if she'd put in enough face time yet so she could leave, that was when her father found her.
"divine intervention, pops. i was lookin' for an exit." a little smirk on her lips and gleam in her eyes, she wondered idly if the little stir had reached her father's ears and that's why he'd approached, but then her gaze moved past his shoulder to see who he'd escaped from. "you better be careful with that fucker," her blue eyes returned to her father's just before he started ushering her out to a more quiet space like the patio, "he's a snake in the grass." as her father made himself a little more comfortable, she sipped the drink she'd snagged on the journey out. callie was fine with being her father's rescue when he needed a break, it was a longstanding thing between them. "what's he want from you?" the attorney in her shining through, coupled perfectly with the protective daughter. "oh," a brightened smile beamed from her and her spine straightened just a little, "i was mingling, daddy. what kinda trouble do you think i could find?" her neckline was a little low and she certainly didn't mind catching people up. "there might be a couple of divorces comin' through after tonight but i didn't really do nothing other than look delicious."
› STATUS : closed.
› LOCATION : old fox books.
› FEATURING : stellan & callie ( @southrngrit )
if asked, stellan's wife would have told anyone in passing that her husband had read every book in the world. in reality it wasn't quite true, although compared to the average passerby he had many a title beneath his belt — long and winding epics, poetry anthologies, explosive debuts ... it was why callie's face seemed so familiar, as he took a double take across the bookstore. he supposed, for an author, a store such as old fox books brought the same level of dread as the high school on a saturday ; the lingering and ever-present threat that a fan ( or student ) might shriek across the room searching for a reaction. voice low, an unfamiliar cadence despite his three decades in the states, he approached the younger woman as though a skittish animal. “excuse me,” he began, “you look familiar.”
maybe by appearances alone most people wouldn't think of callie langford as the bookish type. yet as she'd gone through the motions of becoming an attorney she wrote an international bestseller. little more than 2 million copies sold world wide, high critic praise, but then her second book didn't do quite as well. perhaps that was why she roamed the stacks of old fox books, other than looking for her next read, as if by osmosis or something all the words in the store would inspire some magic where she was facing a creative drought.
just as she was pushing a poetry book back into it's slot on the shelf a towering presence shadowed her and the soft, cautious words snagged her attention. it was the accent that clicked for her at first, then looking up and seeing the now older face of her hot high school english teacher was reason for the smirk that hooked her mouth. "i would certainly hope so." there was something teasing in her voice as she turned to face hallström, her arm propped on the shelf. "hopefully it's not because i'm a langford or you're friends with my dad..." as much as she loved the guy, the blonde rolled her eyes. "maybe it's because i'm one of your success stories, or maybe you realize you can ask me out now that i'm in my thirties." the mischief in her blue gaze would likely be familiar to her former teacher as well.
beau watched the kid disappear with the fifty tucked into his fist and gave a satisfied nod, like he'd just closed the easiest negotiation of his week. " see? " he dusted off his hands. " violence is temporary. bribery's forever. " his grin tugged a little wider at her overtime comment. " don't let daddy hear you say that. he'll start puttin' you on the town payroll. " he looked over at her then, really looked. still grinning after making some college boy question his own athletic ability. she hadn't changed nearly as much as she thought she had.
" i am proud. " he admitted easily. " though i was hopin' you'd grow outta humiliatin' grown men in public. " he followed her gaze down to his blazer and let out an exaggerated sigh. " callie, i came straight from work. " his hands spread. " some of us got respectable careers. " still, he slipped the jacket off, folding it with almost obsessive precision before laying it across the nearest chair. " there. happy? " at the mention of the hockey team he barked out a laugh. " absolutely not. " he picked up one of the strikers, pointing it at her. " you'd have my fourth line startin' fist fights before warm-ups. i'd lose the whole locker room in a week. " his expression softened at the mention of the old arcade.
" remember those little vampire teeth? " he chuckled. " spent about four thousand tickets on a pair that lasted ... what, twenty minutes? " he shook his head. " thought we were the coolest kids in willow glen. " then he watched a little boy walk up to a racing game, lift his wrist, and pay with an apple watch. " ... that's unnatural. " he looked genuinely disturbed. " what happened to beggin' your mama for quarters? " callie bumped his shoulder, snapping him from his nostalgia. " first off, " he said, settling opposite her at the table, " just say hot dog. " he rested the striker against the table, blue eyes narrowing playfully. " second ... " he leaned forward just a little. " ... you ain't undefeated. " a beat. " you've just been waitin' twenty years for your rematch. " he flashed that smug langford grin. " try not to cry too hard when your big brother reminds you who taught you how to play. "
"until he realizes he can come squeeze more out of you..." at least from the movies and books that was often how those kind of exchanges continued if people realized you were a cash cow. the only langford daughter had yet to experience anything like that because she would've handled this with violence if necessary. "ugh," a scoff scratched her throat and a flash of disgust shifted her features, "don't voice shit like that into existence, b. my only goal is to be on daddy's nerves at this point." a joke, but there may have been a string of truth underlying it since, for the forgotten and overlooked child, it was an old trick to getting attention.
before she could catch it, callie smiled at her brother saying he was proud of her. though, soon enough, beau had her rolling her eyes. "my bones would be dust before i grew tired of that. even in the afterlife i plan to humiliate men." after growing up with three brothers of course she was tired of their shit. "i thought you knew me better than that." a tinge of disappointment in her voice, her head shook as she sighed. a playful exaggeration of 'so misunderstood'. at the dig about respectable careers callie nearly chucked the striker in her hand at her brother. "what the hell's not respectable about my career? i'm an attorney and a best selling author..." not that she practiced much law, she spent her time painting or writing, but still. "if you don't think i wont beat the shit outta you just because we're in public then you've completely forgotten who i am." as she passed by his so carefully hung blazer over the back of a chair she shoved it onto the floor before she moved to the opposite side of the table from beau. "you say that like it's a bad thing," she retorted to his remarks about his hockey team, "maybe it'd fire them up for the upcoming season..."
a little laughter spilled past her lips as nostalgia creeped up on her with her brother striking a memory. "gawwd i remember how desperate you were for those too. you almost tried to crawl in the machine... had me sticking my little arms up in there and everything." but they were fun, simple times from their lives full expectancy. "b... we still are the coolest kids in willow glen," callie said with a confident smirk. "well, i am at least. you've become a high strung tight ass." she chuckled at beau's reaction to the apple watch payment and the kid then settling into his racing seat. the world was changing in ways she wasn't sure were all that good. "what's a'matter? the word weenie bother you?" again, she was smirking, anytime she could ruffle her brother's feathers put a grin on her face. as he taunted and reminded her who taught her the game and all the tricks to winning it, callie settled at the other end of the table. made a show cracking her neck and loosening her shoulders while smiling lightly with the confidence of someone who'd been still playing for the last twenty years. "how long's it been, b? you're pretty old now... still confident of those reflexes that haven't been used in two decades?"
harley had worn the same smug grin all evening , the kind that usually meant he was either about to do something stupid or had already done it and was waiting to see who noticed first. he was sprawled across a picnic bench, one boot hooked beneath the seat, absently picking at the label of a beer bottle when something shifted beneath the collar of his white t-shirt. a tiny leopard gecko poked its head out from the neckline. harley caught the inevitable double take and immediately lifted a hand in surrender. “ whoa, whoa — don't freak out! ” as if on cue, the little lizard climbed a little farther onto his shoulder, blinking at the world with complete indifference. harley grinned. " he's friendly. promise. " he reached up to let the gecko crawl onto his fingers before holding him up with unmistakable pride. “ this is my son , beau jr. ” the name was delivered with a perfectly straight face , as though introducing a family member at a backyard barbecue was the most normal thing in the world.
with her lip curled and her face looking as though she'd bitten into something sour, callie watched as her baby brother introduced his stupid lizard thing to someone as though he were a giant steve irwin.
he was so embarrassing.
"can you be any weirder?" trick question on herself actually and she knew it the moment it'd come out because yes he could be worse. the person had moved on, clearly a little bewildered by the exchange and she almost wanted to apologize for her kin.
"how many shots have you taken to the head, by the way...?" the blonde asked as she moved closer but not close enough in case that weird little thing could jump. "you do know how the junior thing works, right?"
rust went still for a moment. not because he was offended. hell , he'd heard worse come out of mouths that were far less charming. but because somehow callie langford had a special talent for walking into a room , finding the one person who wanted to be left alone , and making sure that was the last thing that happened. a slow breath left his nose , something caught between a sigh and a laugh that he refused to let fully form. " lord help me , " he muttered under his breath. his gaze dropped briefly to where her knee had bumped against his , then back to the glass in front of him. the corner of his mouth twitched , betraying him for only half a second before the familiar boone stone wall settled back into place. " first of all , " he started , voice low and rough , “ that's a hell of a way to say hello. ” he finally turned enough to look at her properly , brow raised as he took in the bright smile , the sharp tongue , and the complete lack of shame that came with both.
" second , " he added , tapping a finger against the side of his glass , “ if i was worried about my lap bein' lonely , sweetheart , i promise you would've been the last person i'd complain to about it. ” there was no bite behind it. just the faintest hint of amusement buried beneath decades of stubbornness. he looked toward the drink the bartender had already placed in front of her , then back at her. " predictable ? " rust repeated , unimpressed. “ wild turkey's been around longer than half the folks in this town. there's a reason people stick with what works. ” a pause. “ and for the record , i ain't drinkin' anything. i'm thinkin'. there's a difference. ” he lifted the glass slightly , inspecting the whiskey.
“ though i suppose you wouldn't know much about that. seems like your preferred method of dealin' with a problem is flirtin' with it until it gets tired and leaves. ” the words were teasing , but his eyes softened just slightly. he knew her well enough to know when the jokes were doing more work than the words she wasn't saying. rust leaned back against the bar , finally giving her the attention she'd been demanding since she walked through the door. " so , " he drawled , taking a small sip of his drink , “ what brings a langford into a quiet little bar on a night when she could be somewhere expensive , surrounded by people pretendin' they like each other ? ” his eyes narrowed slightly. " and don't tell me you came here just to bother me. 'cause that's a mighty long drive for a woman with your resources. "
"oh, there's no help for you," she teased as she settled. the reposado margarita placed in front of her without ever voicing an order was clutched within her grasp and pulled a little closer. amusement colored her features as russell worked through her opening lines to him, even more so when he'd glanced down to where her knee had bumped his. "stirred somethin' inside of you did it?" brow raised, the blonde bit into her bottom lip as she glanced beside her. blue eyes danced with a playful mischief, conveying that her comments were empty.
the gleam in her eyes dimmed a little as his words cut, but it wasn't that callie had expected anything less than that. in fact, she'd expected the fire chief to say worse. "why's that? i'm too young for you... or you'd just see my dad the whole time?" they were friends, her father and russell, she knew that and it'd be hilarious to her if this got back to him. "or have ya got the hots for my mom?" at this point she was a dog chasing cars, there wasn't anything in particular callie was after. blue eyes dropped to his drink as she sipped her own, took in the level of whiskey in it and the fingers tapping against the tumbler. "your emotional support thinking companion. got it." leaning into him a little, her petite shoulder bumped against his arm. "you know it might loosen up some more thought if you actually put some of that in your gut." a finger pointed to it as her other hand lowered and settled her drink back onto the bar. "as they say... drink when you wanna remember, don't when ya wanna forget."
until it gets tired and leaves. that hit somewhere inside of her that russell could've never expected but rather than show any affect, like a wince, she smiled as he gave her a hard time. there were so many things she just never said aloud, and callie was sure when she was older she'd have either a drinking or pill problem. maybe both. when he shifted, the blonde turned in her seat a bit to angle in his direction. she sipped her margarita and awaited whatever was to come as he strung it out. "you think this is a quiet bar?" looking around at that moment it was easy to say so but in general it had a reputation for being rowdy. "maybe i like being in places where people are honest in their dislike for me. i can't stand that fake shit." which was why at every social gathering she had gotten dragged to throughout her childhood and even as an adult she was always in trouble with her parents one way or another. if they noticed, that was. "russ, old chap..." callie reached out and put a hand on his shoulder, something in her eyes but different from before, not mischief this time. "how was i to know you'd be here? it's more like your luck ran out, but... i won't be here for long so don't worry."
★ she’d be lying if she said she didn’t recognize him from the very first glance . it’d been so long since she last laid eyes on taner , longer since they were in each other’s presence , but there would never be a time where alexis would ever forget his face — it didn’t matter how many years passed or how much he had grown . he was her taner , the man that’d given her a place to feel safe all those years ago , the same man that fathered her child — even though he was unaware of that fact now .
nostalgia is a funny thing . it feels as if she’s transported back in time the second she spots him , standing not ten feet away from her while she waits for her their daughter to come out of the restroom . alexis remembers the way she felt the day she left australia like it was just yesterday , remembers second guessing her decision over and over and over again and wishing things could be different but knowing they couldn’t as long as her boyfriend was around . she still thinks that , still believes she would've done everything the same exact way if given the chance but she can't help but to be scared anyway .
panic starts to set in when alexis realizes he’s walking in her direction . she looks toward the restroom door , silently praying elena stays in there a little longer than usual before she’s chancing another glance at him , the unease she feels written clear as day in her eyes . not now , she thinks , not like this when things are out of my control . much to her dismay , her silent plea goes ignored . “ taner . . . ” she breathes , not sure what to say to him after so many years apart . “ this is the last place i ever expected to see you . ” @southrngrit !
willow glen was a place he was still exploring and getting to know, and thankfully some of it was walkable. the new home, the new office, the new life it seemed felt a bit suffocating. it wasn't the first time he'd moved and likely wouldn't be the last so taner knew the feeling would eventually subside. there was just this feeling he couldn't describe or understand that this town was different. when he'd moved to melbourne from his home country for university it'd been a choice and it'd been planned. same with his move to america and where he'd landed in california. but texas? willow glen? there was a fated feeling about it.
needing air and not to be holed up too much in his office at the firm he now worked, he'd taken a call while on a stroll through the park. sometimes getting the blood flowing and the body moving provided his best ideas and clearly thinking. the call was coming to an end and he was giving his parting words when he'd framed the figure of a woman ahead in his sights. at first he hadn't focused on her, dark eyes continued panning and taking in the scenery, but something eventually snagged. taner's phone slid into the pockets of his suit pants when his attention snapped sharply to a profile that had etched into memory. gait picking up, his steps moving toward an evocation and someone long ago disappeared from his life.
"alexis..." just a few feet away from her then, taner had returned her name just as winded. a storm of mixed emotions in his gaze, his heart felt as though it'd break through the bones of his ribcage. "i... well, i could say the same about you." especially since that sweet voice, that very distinct accent, was so out of place from all the texan drawl he'd been inundated with since moving in three weeks ago. a thousand things rushed his throat, each word fighting for a moment in the sun, but all dying on his tongue because he was stunned as he stood there taking in the realness of her presence after so long of being in the dark.
"is this... this is where you came after...?" it still felt raw, at least now that it was brought to surface again. there'd never been any closure. just alexis there in his grasp one day and then seemingly gone forever the next. his hands went into his pockets so that he didn't reach out for her. heart and mind already warring with each other just by the briefest moment with her.
amara's not entirely sure what's drawn her to splitzville on a random wednesday afternoon . perhaps she just needed a rush , nothing like the adrenaline that came with a fruitful few rounds of deal or no deal with a cheap drink by her side . she's striking up a casual bit of conversation with the cashier behind the counter when the commotion catches the corner of her eye , tempted to ignore it despite the fact that a heavy feeling in her gut compelled her to do otherwise . should've known better than to think she had a choice on whether or not she wanted to listen to it , attention already turning towards the ruckus just as a familiar voice calls out from the thick of it .
" ugh , callie ! there you are ! " she slips into the scene that'd been set up for her with a practiced sort of ease , a hand immediately lifted to wave in her direction , momentarily excusing herself from the cashier and through the sea of people to fish her sister in law out from the other end . " come on monty . . . really ? " had recognized his face almost instantly , a football player she'd known from north texas university , a personal mentee of her father , which was an angle she wouldn't hesitate to hit . " go get some air . . . " she says , not a suggestion , more of a warning that the narrow look in her eyes strongly indicates he heeds . " wouldn't want coach andrews finding out you're getting in fights right before tryouts would you ? and with ladies no less ? " an eyebrow raises , nodding in the other direction , urging him to back off before she threatens to put his scholarship on the line .
" you'll have to excuse him . . . he's usually pretty sweet but you know how men can get when their pride is at stake ⸺ it's embarrassing , really , " she huffs , crowd dispersing just as soon as it's leader decided it wasn't worth the risk . " what'd you get him all riled up over , anyways ? surely not this ? " she motions towards the nearby air hockey table still lit with the effects of her win , head shaking in utter disbelief that something so small could warrant such a big reaction . " you look like you need to cool off . . . i was just about to get a drink if you're not busy ? maybe you can be my good luck charm 'cause i swear to god today's the day . . . i'm gonna beat that deal or no deal game if it kills me . "
the ease in which amara sunk into the situation actually amused callie. to the point that she'd store it away in her head to ask about later, wondering if her brother's girlfriend had many ruckus experiences in her single years. or maybe during college. the knowledge of amara's father's position and employment with the university sat vaguely somewhere in the back of her head, leaving her with the realization that she was likely more accustomed to rowdiness because of that. either way, callie was happy for the intervention. it was clear the football player wanted to use his size for intimidation.
"monty?" a scoff and roll of her eyes. not the best timing to give the young man even more shit but callie never could help herself. he shot her a glare and she taunted further by wiggling her brow. hopefully amara hadn't seen that given she was trying to diffuse the situation the blonde was still in disbelief had even drummed up. thankfully, the warnings and threat of further embarrassment seemed to be sinking in and eventually monty and the gathered onlookers dispersed.
"ugh," another scoff, "i excuse no man." a mischievous grin took shape. "oh, don't i know it. never get between a man and his ego. but thanks for coming in the clutch." callie winked and let her attention drift toward the air hockey table where moments ago she'd proved she still had it. "oh, yes... that. you haven't played enough if you don't know how competitive it actually is. and yeah... he lost to a girl half his size and claimed i was cheating. like how the fuck do you even cheat at air hockey?" her head shook and her eyes moved from amara to the bar, a drink and easting more time sounded good. especially with decent company involved. "and if you don't believe me..." pointing back to the table, "ask my brother."
closing a bit of the distance between them, callie put her hand briefly on amara's shoulder. "just assume at this point i could always use a drink." the blonde laughed and then canted her head in the direction amara had come from. "i'm clearly hot right now so lets get some of this to rub off on you." when they arrived at the bar, picking the seat next to where it appeared amara had been, callie kept it simple and ordered an ice cold beer. there wasn't going to be anything top shelf at the bowling alley, and the cocktails had a tendency to be a little watered down. "how long have you been sitting over here?"
" listen . i think i'm probably the local expert on this , just so you know . n' my mom used to read tea leaves , which i feel is a bit more subjective than tarot ! just trust me ." having felt a sudden stroke of inspiration , silver has pulled out the tarot deck she keeps at the ready in her overfilled purse . call it generosity , call it delusion , but she's decided the person in front of her needs a reading now , on the house . " . . . oh . . . i see . . . hm , that's interesting . . . "
whether they're into it or not , silver doesn't care — she's too busy chewing upon her lower lip , brow furrowed slightly as she takes in the spread of three cards before her . “ five of cups . . . queen of wands . . . oh ! the devil . my oh my , ” silver's eyes flick up to meet theirs , brow raised , waiting as though they both know what this means .
” . . . okay , let me ask you this . maybe tmi , but the cards are saying it , not me . " silver leans forward towards them , speaks softly , " are you , like . . . gettin' it on ? got a ticket to pound town ? getting cracked , as the kids say ? like . . . the cards are saying either you're having really good sex these days , or you're about to . " she finds herself intrigued , hands reaching to shuffle the deck again . . . lord knows she could use some tlc herself . " hm . very curious , indeed ! "
"local expert, huh?" brow raised with intrigue in his gaze as he peered at the woman who'd then pulled a deck of tarot cards from her purse. amusement instantly colored in his features and skepticism settled into his brow. "you should probably talk to my girlfriend, she's into this new age stuff. me?" hand to chest. "i'm not really what you'd call a believer." not that he minded what other people believed in, of course, the universe just seemed too random.
as something seemed to transpire with the cards she'd pulled, curiosity had him lean in a bit. dark eyes moved over the three cards set out and a grin shifted at his mouth seeing the devil card. "i thought that one meant something about bad habits... breaking free?" again, his girlfriend was really into this and over the last couple of years he couldn't help but to glean something from it all.
then a bit of a chuckle broke through. "that's what those three cards are telling you? that i'm having good sex," it wasn't wrong, "or that i'm about to?" hopefully, it would continue. "or is this just your way of getting into people's juicy business?"
✦ after a relaxing morning swim in the pool mackenna had one plan left before she had to think about the content she'd be posting for the ranch that day. and that line of thought brought her to the door of the steam room. a love that she had always had, stepping into the steam filled room relieved the youngest whitney girl of any stress that plagued her body. if she could have she would have spent a far longer time than one should in a steam room. as her hand reaches for the door she spots the other in the corner of her eye. " will you be joining me in the steam room this morning? "
as a new member of the country club taner was making his way around the grounds, getting a survey of the offerings and what his money was affording him. mostly, it was about the connections, but he wouldn't turn down some golfing at a good course.
"huh?" he looked around before finding the voice a second later. "oh, uh, no... i'm new around here and just checking things out." an easy smile decorated his expression. "i've heard really good things about the steam rooms. i suppose i'll have to try them once i get a round of golf in or utilize the exercise room."
⋆ ⭒˚｡ [ deniz can aktaş, cis man, he/him. ] was that TANER KESKIN i just saw over at OASIS LOUNGE ? you know, the THIRTY-TWO year old CIVIL ENGINEER that’s been around willow glen for 3 WEEKS. people around town say they can somehow both be GUARDED and CHARMING, but if you were to ask them, they’d probably say they’re more like LITTLE SMILES AND GLEAMS OF AMUSEMENT IN HIS EYES, TAILORED SUITS BUT NO TIE, A RECORD COLLECTION THAT COVERS A WALL, AN ACCENT HE CAN NEVER FULLY GET RID OF, AND WALLS AROUND A DAMAGED HEART. the town sure has been rumbling about them lately, apparently they ARE ONLY SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE OF HIS PARENT'S CONNECTIONS . . . but who knows if that’s true, i guess i’ll just have to stop by THE DISTRICT and find out !
background.
trigger warnings: cheating / infidelity
born and raised in türkiye, taner made it to the university of melbourne in australia because of his academic record and due to his talents as a rugby player. with his family, because of their connections, there's more of the illusion of wealth than actual money in the bank. it'd become a point of pride for taner the older he got when he understood their work ethic and their fake it til you make it attitude. it very much became a lesson on live the life you're seeking and to dress for the part.
childhood had been easy and fun. taner had been a popular kid in his neighborhood and at school. he'd always possessed a natural charm. while most of his friends took to soccer he did well in rugby, but he often outscored them in academics. the push had been for him to become a doctor or lawyer, something his parents knew would bring him a good and stable income in the future as well as some prestige. he always pushed back on their ideas for him but he hadn't known how much they struggled and hid behind their smiles, always on the brink of bankruptcy.
in melbourne he focused on engineering considering taner had more of a mind and patience for it. he stuck close to the med school crowd though and made a close friend in a man a few years younger than him that would eventually complicate his life and challenge his morals in ways he never would have expected. his friend turned out to be someone less than he knew, two faced and someone that lacked good character and respect. finding that out though was a slower process. one that came through meeting his friend's girlfriend.
the biology student, pre-med, named alexis had not only caught his eye, she also slowly stole his heart over time. at first they were nothing but cordial and friendly, then he started seeing how she was being treated by her boyfriend and his friend, and eventually taner was put in a position to step in on her behalf. straighten his friend's attitude. somewhere along the lines taner had become alexis' safe place and a sort of secret, unlabeled relationship full of tenderness and intimacy blossomed between them.
like all good things though it came to an end. suddenly. only a note left in her wake, taner debated chasing after her or letting her find herself like she'd stated she'd needed. one thing he'd been happy about was her finally leaving a bad relationship. his life went on and eventually he found himself moving on and giving up hope that alexis would re-enter his life when she was ready for what he had to offer. that didn't come before he'd finished his masters and earned his doctorate.
a job offer in california moved him out of australia and eventually he'd meet his current girlfriend there. new to the tech capital he relied on colleagues and new friends when it came to expanding his social circle in a new place. two years later, solid with commitment, taner moved to his girlfriend's hometown of willow glen at her request in texas. she needed to be closer to family and he'd lucked out with an incredible job offer that made the move south seem like it was destined.
vivienne had been waiting at the brunch spot for the better part of an hour , her coffee long since gone cold and the waiter far too intimidated to ask whether she'd like another. forty-five minutes late wasn't tardiness. it was disrespect. callie had always possessed an uncanny talent for wandering exactly where she wasn't supposed to be , and , just as she had when callie was a child , vivienne knew precisely where to find her. the moment she stepped inside the bowling alley , her expression soured. neon lights buzzed overhead , the scent of fried food and rental shoes clung stubbornly to the air , and somewhere nearby a machine chirped obnoxiously with every ticket won. duchess , nestled comfortably inside her dior handbag , poked her tiny head out before letting out the smallest , most offended little huff , as though she too had reached the conclusion that this establishment was beneath them.
“ there you are. ” vivienne's voice carried cleanly across the lanes before she even reached her. she crossed the room with unwavering purpose , dismissing the circle of teenagers around callie with nothing more than a glance. they scattered instinctively , as though recognizing authority when it walked into the room wearing pearls. " callie , " she repeated , stopping directly in front of her. her eyes flicked toward the air hockey table before returning to her daughter. " is this what kept you ? air hockey ? " she let the question hang for precisely the amount of time required to make it sting. " arguing with children ? " a perfectly sculpted brow lifted. “ good heavens , how old are you ? ” she sighed with theatrical disappointment , slipping one hand onto her hip while the other steadied duchess's carrier. " i have been calling you for the last forty-five minutes. " a beat. " do you have any idea what i had to tell the hostess ? she offered to seat me alone out of pity. " her gaze narrowed ever so slightly. " humiliating , callie. "
in seeing that it was her mother approaching rather than literally anyone else, callie didn't wilt. instead she stood her ground when the gorgeous prestige halted in front of her. the annoyance and impatience on the matriarch's features so embedded it looked permanent. or, maybe for callie, it was the face she saw most often.
"ma... everybody knows ya can't just walk away when you're on a heater." the quick fired retort earned a few snickers from the dissipating crowd, and her words were lightly laced with amusement. she was sure her mother's skin would start itching soon.
even the university jock hadn't wanted to contend with vivienne langford. he'd been part of the dispersing crowd. so willing to challenge her yet knew a scathing gaze from the mayor's wife would burn him up alive if he dared, and that made the artist moonlighting as an attorney watch his retreat with a narrowed stare. "i'd hardly call that fucker a child. did you see the shoulders on him? he's gotta be a senior at north texas..." not that any of that bite back mattered, but callie knew it'd fluster her mother further.
"you pushed me out some thirty-three years ago, ma. surely you remember that." a wink, if her mother was going to drag her age and activities then she'd do the same. her blue eyes dropped to the dog in her bag and they rolled shortly thereafter, annoyed that her mother had become one of those dog toting old bitties. "did ya stop at the snack bar and get the pooch a weenie?"
while callie loved her mother dearly she often didn't have the patience for her. though, it was on par for her to be a sarcastic shit to anyone for any reason at any moment. the blonde didn't possess an off switch for it. not that she ever actually tried. seeing her mother under the neon glow of the arcade area of the bowling alley kept flinching a smile at her lips. it took her back to when vivienne would come find her here whenever callie would disappear from responsibilities as a child.
some things never changed.
"i think you've survived much worse than sittin' alone for forty-five minutes, mama." the phone in her pocket that had apparently missed many calls and communication from her mother had been on silent, not even a vibration. callie lived by keeping a lot of the world turn off and tuned out. the notifications were endless and she paid no mind to the majority of them unless she actively wanted something in the moment. "what'd you tell the waitress? i can't believe you left our table... i was on my way in like," there was a pause as she pulled her phone from her back pocket and checked the time, "five minutes."
while she was aware her actions had been rude, callie hadn't intended any offense or harm. it was typical of her to lose track of time, to fall into hedonism and get so engrossed in whatever little high that fed her in a moment that made her forgetful of anything outside of it. "well, you wanna get halfsies on some nachos? they got mozz sticks, too." the artist gestured toward the bar area. "or they'd probably give you our table right back..."
amandla
gamechangershow
turnnoffyourmind
romaincrisis
origamiaround
blakekathryn
