Leyla Had Spent Years, Before And After Him, Trying To Believe That, And It Was One Thing She Still Struggled

"Oh, definitely. I have a row or two on my bookshelf basically dedicated to those," she admitted, which pretty much consisted of non-business books as that's all she'd been soaking up lately. "I'll probably need something like when I finish my current list."

"Some books you buy in good faith and never get around to reading, right?" She knew who she was, with her cheap romance novels and tasty thrillers. That's what she liked. "I would, especially if you want something that doesn't require much thinking."

She meant it when she said she wanted Mawk Tales to be for everyone. It was safe. "Good, I'm going to be putting on some events, trivia, live music, things like that, over time." She wanted to have more reasons to bring people in to have fun and enjoy some non-alcoholic drinks. She smiled in understanding as he said it depended on the day. "Yeah, I can see that. It's the kind of day for friends not dads," she remarked with a small laugh.

He nodded in understanding as Leyla encouraged stopping by Mawk Tales with Ary. "I'll have to make sure I stop by and check it out," he agreed. It was always nice checking out new spots around town anyway. Wes couldn't help but chuckle at the question of whether his daughter was outright ignoring him or if she still thought he was cool. "Depends on the day," he shook his head. Pre-teens were interesting to navigate parenthood with. "Right now, she'd rather be out with her friends," he added as he looked back out at his daughter, then back at Leyla. At least that was the case in that present moment.

All Leyla had been reading lately was business-related, and she thought it might be time to mix in something new again. Not like it would save her from being the workaholic she was, but she'd look a little less like her entire personality was entrepreneur. She was browsing one from Jodi Picoult when she heard a voice. "Hi," she sort of mumbled at first, before answering the question posed to her, "oh, it's called The Pact. One of Jodi Picoult's if you've ever read her before. What sort of genre are you looking for?"

Location: Bookends

Status: Open

Context: It's after work on a Friday and your character is witnessing Summer winding down in a book store looking for a new recommendation

Tagging: @merrock

Books were something that Summer loved to indulge in and right now she was quite literally flying through them, then again the recommendations she had been given weren't exactly the thickest of books but it still excited her to even think about taking a trip to the store to find something new to read, the problem now was what exactly; "Excuse me, sorry to interrupt you there but I was wondering if you could tell me what you're reading?" turning to the person beside rather invested in the book they were holding.

"Good, I don't have to worry," she joked, but shrugging, "uh, maybe, if you're watching me." Her intent was fully to get something small and super plain, but she wouldn't tell the other woman that. She seemed like the female Willy Wonka by the sounds of her so far. "I don't know that I've had a cupcake in...a very long time. I don't think I can even remember what those taste like." Trying new things sounded equally bad to her. Aside from a business perspective, Leyla didn't really like to venture out from her safety net of the known much. "There's cotton candy, that might also give you a sugar high for a solid week. Add chocolate chips and you're all set," she said, probably proving her point about not being a sweets person.

"Vanilla's a classic for a reason, so no judgment here," She nodded. "I at least hope you'll get sprinkles or something, makes it more fun." she laughed, then raised an eyebrow at her comment. She realized other people may not have shared the same love for sweets she did, but hearing it out loud made her question her company for a moment. "Everyone has their own preferences, mine just happens to be every and any type of dessert. I would've made cupcakes, but this was just on a whim," and what kind of reward would it be if she had to make it herself? "Yeah, it is a bit overwhelming. That's why I stuck to my one favorite flavor, but I suppose life should be about trying new things." she commented, even as she stared longingly at the empty spot where the cookie dough should've been.

"I think picking it up counts," she said with a laugh, "or talking about it." Leyla then nodded, "it's not mine either. I'll stay for part of the bonfire and then see if I can sneak away before one of my roommates sees me."

"Well, the best intentions means you read at least an occasion book on the list, or at least the back of the book." Aleja shook her head at the mention of camping. "No, no. That's not my style at all, but I'll be out until it's time to sleep."

Leyla laughed as they both moved for her phone, navigating around each other to not go full comedy of errors. Stopping, she let him get it, just holding her hand out for it. "Thank you. I invest in solid cases, not the first time my phone has hit the ground," she said with a warm smile as she brushed some grass and dirt off it, "but our conversation was done anyway, my employees probably wish you'd bumped into me earlier." She laughed again before teasing, "so you think you can manage to get that where you're going without taking out small children along the way or do you need some help?"

“Oh!” Vince said quickly as he realized she had dropped her phone. He tried to strategically move down to grab it, swerving his body quickly enough so that they wouldn’t bump into each other again, making a bigger mess of things. He laughed and grinned. “Hope the phone’s not too damaged, though. You can say there was a big doofus who doesn’t look where he’s going which is why the call got interrupted,” he chuckled.

She wanted more for him, same as she wanted from him. It was six months ten years ago, and she could still remember every bit of it. If she let it, her mind would trick her into believing he was safe again. That was the thing about Vitus, though. She would push him, say things that would piss off any other person, and he'd only acknowledge it in his own quiet, self-destructive way. Sometimes, she almost wished he wasn't sorry because it would make the truth so much easier to bear.

But he was. It just didn't take it away: the pain, the anger, the feeling that if she'd been somebody else it wouldn't have happened. She wasn't the first, though, and by the looks of his face, not the last. He left a wake behind him, and that's what she fought against. It's why she couldn't forgive him. "So you've already done your damage, haven't you?" She asked, venom draining momentarily from her words. She almost wanted the anger back, then she wouldn't feel so...sad.

Once upon a time, he'd have held her when she felt this way and all the broken pieces would have just slid right back into place. Like a puzzle. But that's all it was...a Once Upon a Time, a fairytale, a happily ever after that never gets finished. The book just closes on all the unanswered questions. "Yeah," she muttered, "it's a safe place. The kind of place I wanted growing up--the kind of place we would have benefitted from. Where people are kind, know you, accept you...it's warm." It wasn't a reflection of her, thank goodness, but it was the dream. It was the little girl she'd been once. It was for her.

How did he do that? Even when she hated him, she told him things. "Listen, I know I said some things last we talked that I--I shouldn't have said," in the closest thing to an apology he would get, "but you broke me. Do you know what it's like to go to bed one night the happiest you've ever been in your life and the next day, it's...gone? Trust doesn't grow back the same when it's ripped from you, the innocent, naive belief that the person who loves you can't possibly hurt you--would be absolutely incapable of it--it doesn't come back. And whether I get hit by a bus tomorrow or live past 100, I think I'll hate you forever for that. For saying you loved me and all the ways that wasn't enough--for making me believe that meant I wasn't enough."

He'd lost entire days with Leyla, but he hadn't lost her. He remembered small details, and they came into sharper focus the more she talked, reaching with her voice to tug them loose. Details like her father's name, Rahim; her birthday, late May; the roses he had woken her with the morning she turned twenty-four. Vitus rubbed his sternum while she spoke, like he could still feel her after all these years.

And she could still feel him too, it seemed, because she turned the last sentence into a projectile and struck him right across the face with it. A wince tangled his expression.

"I'm..." Sorry. But he'd already said that, so many times, and she'd never wanted to hear it. He couldn't ease Leyla's pain like he used to, but he could give her the truth, at least: "I moved last August. Been here a full year now. I—" Cheated on my girlfriend and lost her and needed a change of scenery. Another blink, at that, as he realized what he was about to say. Ten years, during which time she'd opened that business she always wanted for herself, and what had he done meanwhile? The very same thing that had destroyed their relationship. Even after arriving here for his fresh start, he'd broken multiple people's trust. Her reminder of that lodged itself in his throat, clawing down into his ribcage, until all he could do was laugh incredulously at himself. Or try to, at least. The sound grabbed his guilt on its way out and morphed into something painful. "God. Fuck."

He forced his eyes to stay on her, lest he run again. She really did look the same—that same strong nose he'd once admired, the same hands he'd once held between his own. A few bits of tenderness, aching and bruised, pushed through to the surface. "That's... really good. That you opened your own place."

"Yeah, simple switch for that one," she said. Being self-taught in the most of the ways of mixology in the last couple of years when she decided on her business idea, she was happy to share the knowledge. "I'd be happy to teach you," she offered, "which is probably terrible as a business model, but if you're wanting the alcohol version, it's not direct competition." The flight option was one of her personal favorites, but she liked the ability to sample a menu. "There's no alcohol, not a drop in the whole place," she assured, "we are fully non-alcoholic, so no back up plans needed, no hangovers the next day, just a great time."

"Oh, that's easy enough to remember." Ryn nodded, listening at the comment of replacing the syrup with the liquor. She wasn't the most knowledgeable when it came to alcohol or mixing things together, but the other seemed to be much more knowledgeable and Ryn was thankful she'd gotten to listen to her. "I'll have to see if I can find the stuff and make my own at home." she spoke. "Though, I'm thinking you'd just be much better at it then I would, so, maybe I just need to come out there anytime I want something fancy." she laughed. At the mention of the flight option, Ryn inhaled in excitement. "Ooh, yeah. Definitely have to come out and try that. Though, I need to ask, do you do flights of mixed non-alcoholic and alcoholic there? Because if not, I may need to be sure I have a backup plan." she laughed. "I haven't drank anything alcohol related in awhile, so, I can't promise I won't be a lightweight."

"I agree," she hummed, "they're just...majestic." Smiling as Elise mentioned cats, she admitted, "you have cats? How many? I've been spending more time than a normal person should at the cat cafe. If I'm not careful, I'm going to take one home." Leyla could talk about animals all day. People? She wasn't so sure about most times, but animals? Animals were trustworthy. "That makes sense, sounds like something you'd have to really dedicate too, like no other jobs. Doesn't sound like a bad sports career option, though. I bet it was fun as a kid though, to grow up that way?"

"There's a large and quiet elegance about horses," Elise said, nodding along. "I have cats and those are...fake elegant, whereas the horses are the real thing." She smiled at the interest, most people did not care about dressage in the least. "Nah, you have to be really good and have the time to do it as an adult, it's kind of like many other sports, except it's hard to do for fun if you're not competing."