#90s oldies radio

[codesquire]

And somehow I'm back to 90s Oldies radio...

[born-to-lose]

I'm a simple girl, I see a classic rock band on MTV and I squeal

[fruitcage]

[decades-late-radioshow]

Welcome to my radio station (:

I’m kicking this off with a playlist I’ve curated to the idea of lovers who found each other at the wrong time, fall apart, and in time find their way back to the other. 🤍

Enjoy the vibes!

playlist settings in mind:

song fade 5-7 secs - equalizer for jazz - boosted bass played start to finish, not shuffled

[slut4converse]

Radios in 2050, playing music from the 90s, 2000s, and today

[eggtqrt]

EAH Music Headcanons

I am slightly too scared of people judging my music taste to share the ever after high playlists I made so instead I will share some headcanons I have about their music taste!

obligatory mention that dexter is the biggest swiftie and convinced raven to get into her music

usually though raven prefers goth or punk rock music, maybe some metal when she's angy, some alt rock, but she has a sweet side and is trying to go against her mom so she also gets really into tswift

apple is kind of a basic baby gay UAHFJDJF like girl in red and phoebe bridgers vibes

darling likes oldies, billy joel, elton john, I need a hero bonnie tyler, etc etc (side note: she is okay with taylor swifts music but she is so fed up with dexter being obsessed with her)

90s music is faybelle and briars THING (although faybelle acts like she doesn't like it but she totally does) like NSYNC, backstreet boys, Selena, destiny's child that era is so them TO ME

cupid is open to listening to literally anything like she loves all music so much and she picks out songs for her radio show that she knows milton would never allow but he hasn't noticed yet so she keeps doing it (but if she had to choose she probably leans towards r&b, hip hop, chill vibes, and anything super unique, AND OFC any type of love song)

ashlynn loves anything relaxing, mostly classical music, jazz (loves laufey), indie, and folk (her playlists would have super ethereal, cottagecore picnic vibes) oh and! Ghibli music or music with those vibes for sure

hunter likes similar music to her but leans more towards the folk side (he likes listening to relaxing music to calm down when he gets too fed up with pesky)

Cerise likes indie rock and alt rock, but also I feel like she secretly loves some really girlypop Taylor swift songs

Cedar I think would enjoy r&b and classical (tho maybe more like movie soundtracks...) And maybe some folk and indie as well (like cupid she's probably pretty open to anything)

Duchess obviously listens to some ballet music just for practice BUT I think she'd also have a music taste that's really embarrassing to her and one time someone overheard her singing really badly in the shower (like to one direction or smth idk)

I just thought of this on the spot but maybe Humphrey likes edm LMAO

The wonderlandians are my fav characters but I don't have a solid headcanon for their music tastes because I think it would be so purposely chaotic and random and eclectic and strange

[libras-interactives]

If your ocs were in the modern era, what would there favorite musicians be?

So im terrible at naming musicians and such, so ill go for genre and general taste!

Marius: "whatever's on the radio", and old French music his parents would listen to. He probably likes any music that gets him pumped and has a hard beat. Willing to listen to any genre and is terrible at describing what he likes! Doesn't have a spotify or itunes, just types the song into youtube and blasts that from his cracked phone. Loves a handful of French radio stations he streams on his phone; the quality is fucked and it drains his battery but he doesnt care.

Jack: Exclusively oldies bluegrass and gospel bc thats all his parents would play. Modern pop country and christian rock confounds him. He could swear his pa said something about drums being the devil's instrument. Metal is scary until he reads the lyrics and has a small mental shutdown. Just like him fr fr... thinks Marius' French stations are incomprehensible but he says nothing bc he doesnt have a better suggestion.

Lottie: A huuuge pop girlie, as well as jazz and 90s r&b. Yes jazz is a very broad genre, but she'd like so much of it, especially more unique or weird sounds. Doesnt "get" hyperpop or tiktok music and worries she's getting old bc of that. LOVES musicals and would likely be a professional in the modern times, and if not that, she'd be in local theaters.

Eveline: Still uses cassettes and CDs, and theyre all classical, opera recordings and vocalists, mostly European. Enjoys some musicals. She thinks she's kinda up to date on modern pop music, but when you ask her what's the last pop album she listened to, she'll say Celine Dion's Falling Into You. She'd start sobbing if she got to see Natalie Dessay.

Máire: Huge punk and rock girlie, especially the Irish scene. Probably exclusively listens to punk tbh. She'd frequent the clubs and smoke too much in the corner while appearing disinterested but is actually vibing so hard w the music. Really loves making mixtapes and recordings, never got into vinyls or cds. Wants spotify to burn and die.

Malwina: LOOOVES pop and is a massive Britney Spears, Selena, Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson fan. 90s-2000s pop is her favorite by far and those are the only CDs she owns. Probs has a beatup little red Ipod she's had since middle school; it was a hand me down from her oldest cousin and she treasures it even if it's "old". Queen of pirating and burning music but by god she paid for her Mariah Carey and Britney Spears cds. She wanted the pretty inserts and lyric booklets.

Slyvester: Loves a lot of swing and oldies from his parent's day, and Italian vocalists his wife adores. They played Andrea Bocelli almost exclusively at the wedding. Finds the music his sons listen to bizarre but doesn't mind the rock and alt rock too much.

[mameeta]

Always Be My Baby

So I had my radio on the local Throwback (AKA oldies from the 90s and early 2000s) station and this song came on.

After listening to it, and now that season two is over, I got to say that the lyrics screamed Lestat to me. And that makes me look side eyed at this song, because...it's kinda not healthy lol but I will sing it nonetheless.

[lookismaddict]

Lookism Characters and Their Tastes in Music ♪ (Headcannons)

Daniel Park:

Daniel likes alternative/indie pop, Soul, and R&B. He likes any song that gives a chill vibe to it and songs with nice lyrics.

Khai Dreams, mxmtoon, Keshi, etc.

He enjoys listening to Lo-Fi too, while he just lays on the ground in his house, relaxing, contemplating about events in his life until he accidentally falls asleep.

Sometimes, he sends Jay a text message asking what songs he’d recommend and Jay would send him a three-page list of songs in an online document

Zack Lee:

Hip-hop, Rap, and R&B

Consists of hyped artists like Drake, 21 Savage, A$AP Rocky, Lil Uzi, etc.

He used to be a big fan of Kanye West, but after Kanye’s multiple controversies, he stopped listening to his music because he now believes that he’s trash.

But on days when he feels down, he listens to artists like Joji. *insert Glimpse of Us here while Zack cries a river*

Vasco:

Vasco is into the older classic 60s-80s bands: Queen, Bon Jovi, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Journey, etc.

Prefers the oldies with meaningful lyricsm rather than the new songs on the radio

However, he enjoys listening to more of the earlier 2010s boy bands like One Direction, and Backstreet Boys from the 90s. (He even listens to that one song that Daniel and Duke made, on repeat since he asked Duke to send him a copy of that song.)

Doesn’t mind listening to some classic 70s songs from Air Supply, Bee Gees, Earth, Wind, and Fire, etc. in peaceful late night jogs

Jay Hong:

R&B and Soul (boujee tastes 💸)

Frank Ocean, Daniel Caesar, Steve Lacy, Khali Uchis, etc.

He has similar tastes to Daniel as well, and recommends Daniel tunes that provides relaxation and chill vibes.

The both of them would sometimes sit together during classroom break, and Jay would share one of his Airpods with Daniel. He’ll play songs that he thought that Daniel might like while he helps him do homework.

Jay even tried to ask Duke if he could get a copy of the song that he and Daniel performed at the festival. It took Duke a while to understand what Jay was trying to say, but he did manage to send it to him at some point. Once he got the song, he secretly played it on repeat for over a month.

Mira Kim:

Pop, Alternative/Indie (But a lot of people don’t know that she’s interested in this genre. Many assumed that she’s into K-pop like Zoe, since they’re both close.)

Clairo, Mitski, Marina and the Diamonds, Halsey (Especially her Badlands Album), Melanie Martinez, Lana Del Rey, etc.

Sometimes listens to R&B/Soul too (like NIKI, Justine Skye, Kiana Lede, etc.) whenever she chills on her bed

Whenever she studies in her room, she likes putting these songs on in the background to help her get in the zone

Zoe Park:

HUGE K-Pop fan

Other than BTS, she’s also a fan of other groups like NCT, ATEEZ, Stray Kids, ENHYPHEN, The Boyz, Blackpink, TWICE, Red Velvet, G-IDLE, LE SSERAFIM, STAYC, NewJeans, etc.

Also listens to older groups too and goes on a K-pop marathon late at night while doing homework with BIG BANG, Super Junior, INFINITE, VIXX, EXO, ToppDogg, iKON, etc.

She also loves listening to the older girl groups like 2NE1, Girl’s Generation, Wonder Girls, F(x), Girl’s Day, AOA, etc.

Eli Jang:

Eli likes to listen to bands such as Cigarettes After Sex, The Neighbourhood, Arctic Monkeys, The 1975, etc.

Loves the cool vibes of these Alternative/Indie bands with a hint of low sensuality to them.

He’s also interested in listening to artists like Chase Atlantic.

But of course, he doesn’t listen to these songs around Yenna. He doesn’t want her to acquire such vulgar words, and he doesn’t want to ruin her innocence. (Listening to these types of songs was like a guilty pleasure for Eli.)

Vin Jin:

Vin Jin listens to rap artists that inspire him and his style in rapping and hip-hop

Listens to K-Rap by Flowsik, ZICO, DPR LIVE, Jay Park, Dok-2, Simon Dominic, Dumbfoundead, etc.

His celebrity crush is Jessi and he’s a major fanboy if he ever sees her in person

Wants to reach international levels of Asian rap, like Rich Brian’s level someday, who’s a part of 88rising

Mary Kim:

Mary mostly listens to female rap artists that give off BBE ✨

She LOVES Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B, Saweetie, Lizzo, Doja Cat, etc.

Also listens to badass female K-rappers like CL, Jessi, HyunA, Lisa from Blackpink, etc.

Sometimes, she even listens to other artists like Audrey Nuna, REI AMI, BIBI, etc.

Johan Seong:

Listens to edgy rock bands (post-hardcore, metalcore, and punk) 💀

Consists of Pierce the Veil, Sleeping with Sirens, Bring me the Horizon, I Prevail, Of Mice & Men, Breaking Benjamin, etc.

On nights when he walks his dog Eden, he likes listening to bands such as Paramore, My Chemical Romance, Green Day, etc. (Edgy bands that give off low vibes.)

His fav song is Take me to Church by Hozier, even though it isn’t even close to punk.

Since Zack is a fan of hip-hop, he discovered darker hip-hop genres one day and he thought of Johan while listening to them. He then recommended Johan to listen to Hip-Hop Punk Rap and Horrorcore Trap Metal. Mostly artists like Suicide Boys, Freddie Dredd, and even CORPSE.

Johan digged the song reccs that Zack offered, and now he goes to him for more artists to listen to.

Jake Kim:

Jake is into love songs by Justin Bieber, Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, even Big Time Rush. (Similar to Vasco’s tastes)

He also enjoys listening to R&B and Soul music by Chris Brown, Jason Derulo, Usher, Ne-Yo, etc.

Sometimes when he’s home alone, he’d sing in front of the mirror while pretending to serenade someone by smoothing out his hair seductively, blasting these songs all night.

I like to believe that this man got a good voice, so of course, he’ll nail these songs if you take him to karaoke.

Samuel Seo:

R&B and Trap Soul is his way to cope

Certain nights when he likes to feel sexy while standing naked in front of the window to his condo, he blasts music by Jeremih, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Tory Lanez, Bryson Tiller, Trey Songz, etc. (similar to Gun’s type of music but thank god he doesn’t know that they have similar tastes in music)

When he feels low in spirit, he drinks to songs that are relatable to him and has the same vibe as his mood like 6lack - PRBLMS, SZA, The Weeknd, Travis Scott - Power is Power, blackbear - do re mi, Russ - Overdue, etc.

Samuel listens to these types of songs on occasion though, and doesn’t have time to sit down and actually listen to them since he’s always been so busy with work.

Gun Park:

Similar to Jay Hong’s taste in music, he got “expensive” tastes in music as well ✨

Late at night while drinking alone, he likes listening to sensual R&B. (Some days, The Weeknd, Bryson Tiller, Tory Lanez, etc.)

During his workouts, he enjoys listening to rap and hip-hop from artists such as, 21 Savage, Meek Mill, Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, Denzel Curry, etc. (Songs that get his blood pumping, while working out.)

Sometimes, he also listens to K-Chill R&B artists, like DEAN, Sik-k, Crush, DPR LIVE, Jay Park, etc. whenever he goes out on late night drives in an expensive car.

Gun HATES the music that Goo puts on whenever he’s driving themselves to any destination. He gets annoyed whenever Goo takes the AUX chord and plays weird songs from “sus” artists such as DBangz, Lil Boom, and sometimes Yung Gravy.

Gun punched Goo one time when he started blasting “Thick ****** and Anime Tiddies”. Gun would yell at him saying, “What is this trash?!” and the fight would eventually escalate to another one of their side-of-the-road brawls

Goo Kim:

This man’s taste in music is ALL OVER THE PLACE. Just chaotic.

Although, he has some shared music tastes with Gun. (Mostly similar tastes in Hip-Hop songs.)

He enjoys listening to fun and bouncy music, that goes with his moods really well (Pop or hip-hop, it doesn’t matter to him. Just no country music. He, “can’t stand that shit.”)

On days when Gun is annoyed with Goo, he’ll intentionally play country music just to annoy Goo just to get back at him, while going on long drives anywhere. Goo would eventually punch Gun on the arm, almost causing the car to swerve, until Gun decides to pull the car to the side of the road and fight him then and there.

LOVES listening to very weird, unhinged music. Mostly by artists like Yung Gravy, Bbno$, Lil Boom, Dbangz, etc. (probably even Pink Guy)

Goo is a big fan of Tyler the Creator, since he’s also a big goofy guy who doesn’t care about anyone else but himself and making money (through his music). Not only does he like his unique style and music, but he finds him very admirable for not caring about people’s thoughts on him, no matter what type of outrageous or unusual things he says.

He definitely enjoys listening to popular anime OPs and OSTs from anime that he liked when he’s at home.

DG:

DG doesn’t have a preferred taste in music, but he enjoys music outside of his own demographic.

Since he always listens to K-pop 24/7 (because of his job), he doesn’t mind listening to other types of music as well, and seeks out for new music to listen to.

He is very open-minded. Some days, he’ll listen to American Hip-hop or Rock (Kid Cudi, Childish Gambino, etc.) and other days he’ll listen to Latin Trap. (Farruko, Bad Bunny, Ozuna, etc.)

During his trips overseas, he’ll listen to traditional Japanese instrumentals to relax while riding in his private jet. The music would often lull him to sleep, as it is calm and perfect for someone who’s constantly busy.

Eugene:

🎼 Likes listening to classical music while reading a book, or doing paperwork. (Mostly dark academia classical music.)

Beethoven, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Bach, Franz Liszt, etc. makes him focus and concentrate.

Also, he’s an enthusiast of the historical American “Jazz Age”, which was music from the 1920’s. (But his interest in jazz is not limited to just that era. He likes jazz all the way to the current jazz of today.) 🎷

Eugene has exquisite tastes in music. Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, and Chet Baker, gives him comfort and puts him at ease.

He collects vinyl records of these famous artists, and likes listening to jazz music while sipping on a cup of tea or coffee, admiring the sweet tunes of the Roaring Twenties while looking out the window from his office.

Not only does he like classical, and jazz music, but he’s also interested in Traditional Pop. (The forefathers who started pop and got famous in Las Vegas shows.)

Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Paul Anka, etc. puts him in a very festive mood, especially while sitting in his office while putting together a blueprint of his devious plans.

[youngveinsworld]

quotes from a blog recap of the young veins' album release party on 8 june 2010

The Young Veins had their album release party yesterday, June 8th, at Origami records in LA, a record label but also a tiny, tiny store that only sells vinyls. The place is a narrow corridor with an upstairs level that can be reached by a spiral staircase. The band performed upstairs and people had the feeling to be in a pit hole, breaking their necks to look at their heroes. I guess only 30 people could have fit there, and these people were 90% teenage girls.

Ryan, Jon as well as the other members Andy Soukal (guitar, bass), Nick White (keyboards, he played keyboards for Bright Eyes) and Nick Murray (drums) are all extremely young, and with their juvenile looks you would never guess they would venture in the 60’s, the childhood-teenage years of their parents.

The sound is definitely embedded in the past, and does not have anything to do with the rock music of 2010, as they sure don’t use any electronic equipment but instead vintage instruments like the Wurlizter piano.

“Take a vacation” is pure Beatles mania intertwined with Kinks riffs, a few Beach Boys harmonies, and probably a few other things from famous 60’s bands I have forgotten,… the Byrds? I know Phil Spector is serving jail time right now, but the title track could have been one of his productions. The songs ‘Take a vacation’, ‘Cape Town’, and ‘Maybe I Will, Maybe I Won’t’ could be some lost songs of an unidentified 60’s band that would have digested its complete sonic environment. It is pretty hard to distinguish what they have exactly borrowed from the Beatles or the Kinks from what they have really composed since the songs are still inventive beside their obvious inspirations.

It is a recipe for ear delight and even if the concoction seems a little prefabricated, there is no reason to abstain from this pleasurable 60’s gluttony. More British invasion than psychedelic rock, the songs are quite short (the whole album is less than half hour) but made of catchy and upbeat tunes.

Last night, Ryan Ross, Jon Walker and Andy Soukal played guitar, alternating for the vocals, and Jon sang alone on ‘Everyone But You’, whereas Ryan did most of the vocals on ‘Take a vacation’, ‘Cape Town’, ‘Maybe I Will, Maybe I Won’t’, and The Other Girl’. ‘Young Veins (Die Tonight)’ had this particular Kinks feeling, a feeling even more present when Ryan used a tambourine on ‘Change’.

If music touches at our genuine collective memory, it sure is a winner. It’s effortless, you are on familiar soundscape and you recognize it immediately as part of your inner world. Now I wonder about radio airplay for the Young Veins? On oldies stations?

– from this blog post

[codesquire]

All the best of Oldies radio playing for me tonight.

Went from "Lil Red Riding Hood" to Terry Stafford.

If the next song isn't Jay and the Americans, I've failed myself.

(EDIT:) The song after was Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes, which was even better.

[decadent-hag]

Kind of been losing my mind about the longevity and relevance of music lately. And how time is getting away from me because the music from my youth is now as as old as 80s music was then but 60s, 70s, and 80s music never really seemed old to me but now my contemporaries are considered "old" so what does that make 70s music etc? I'm remembering the exact moment I was listening to an "oldies" station as a kid that played 50s 60s and 70s tunes dropped songs from the 50s and being really sad about it. I'm thinking about my 10 year old friend in 1999 being obsessed with Elvis. I'm thinking of my friends in their late 20s now talking about Boz Scaggs like it's 1976. I'm thinking about younger Gen Zs and Gen Alpha not being constantly exposed to older music from Radio and TV like Millenials and Gen X were and wondering what their relationship not only to the music of the 90s is gonna be but what's gonna happen to the older stuff. Idk man just thinking.

[sol-draws-sometimes]

shuffle your favorite playlist and post the first five songs that come up. then copy/paste this ask to your favorite mutuals <3

Me: Why don’t people send me asks

Also me: Takes weeks to respond cause I can’t answer a question normally

Okay here’s the thing, I don’t really listen to playlists and the only one I do is a shuffle playlist I have(tho I’m pretty proud of it). What I normally do is pick a song and go to radio, or go to my likes and press one of the genere thingys

However I think I’ll do 2 things, show off my shuffle playlist(since I actually do use it a lot), and then shuffle my liked songs NOT w/out any categories for full chaos. Actually I also have a shuffle playlist I did for Spanish music, but that one’s more recent and hasn’t gotten that much use so I won’t do the shuffle thingy.

Anyway this my oldies shuffle playlist:

It’s over a day’s worth of music, cause it’s meant to be shuffled(full disclosure started adding a shit ton of songs before the shuffle because I wanted to make sure it was accurate to my taste and there was a lot of music I added to my likes before making the playlist so they were missing(big chunks of abba,Fleetwood mac,queens, EWF, ELO, etc.) While the playlist is inspired by dad, and so is my taste in oldies music(actually a mix of him and my older sis), there’s stuff on there that I like that he doesn’t( stuff like Simon and Garfunkle and Elton John). It’s mostly 70s, but I’d say it’s 60s-80s. Also it’s English music, so no city pop or older hispanic music like Jeanette(most of my older spanish music is 90s anyway).

Anway these were the first 5 songs

1. At The Rainbows End- The Osmonds

2. Unercover Angel- Alan O’Day

3. Lady in Red- Chris Burgh

4. That’s All- Genesis

5. Wouldn’t it be Nice- Beach Boys

Also screenshotted 5 more and I think these are more indicative of my tastes in oldies(it’s missing a bit of my classic rock but it’s not like that’s what I listen to the most)

6. Roxanne- The Police

7. Oh Daddy- Fleetwood Mac

8. I’m Gonna Be(500 miles)- The Proclaimers (ngl got jumpscared with this one)

9. Wild Word- Ysuf/Cat Stevens

10. Fernando- Abba

Fun fact: Most of Rumors is on the playlist and the whole Xanadu Soundtrack is on there! I’d say may fav artists from the 70s would be ELO and ABBA, tho EWF was my fav band as a kid so that’s still nostalgic to me. Also Doobie Brothers are pretty good! Oh and Hall and Oats! On the more rock rock side of things, I’d say Aerosmith is the one know the most. Or Kansas, I think I like them more idk. I mostly listen to soft rock.

OKAY TIME FOR CHAOS SHUFFLE TIME

1. Sex w/ a Ghost—Teddy Hyde(I think this is more of my sister song?, tho it’s not bad song)

2. Esto les Digo— Kiney Lange, performed by Messiah College Concert Choir (yes this is a choir song)

3. Rata De Dos Patas—Paquita La Del Barrio

4. マイ・ボーイ(My Boy)- Lisa Ono (The title is Japanese but the song is in English)

5. Shun-ran— John (THIS IS IN JAPANESE, specifically vocaloid)

Bonus 6 incase 1 wasn’t me

6. L-O-V-E—Nat King Cole

Honestly, this is actually a good mix of the music I listen to, indie/soft, spanish, and j-pop, and oldies it’s just missing musical theater(also I listen to more early 2000s latino music). Also I don’t really listen to choir/classical music all the time but I do LOVE singing it so sometimes I will try to find new choir songs. Tbh, most playlist on Spotify lowkey suck and have very same-y repertoire, the best playlists I’ve found are Choir Classic-Spotify(a bit same-y but it is the classics™), Choir music that makes me crumb(great variety! I recommend this one the most), and I think Choir songs me that give me chills is also pretty good and it has more musical theater on it (THOUGH IT’S MISSING NORTE DAME).

Okay, I’m done yapping

[glamphibian]

Cherry

🍒🕵🏻‍♀️

~Ex-detective Sarah Christ stays in a mysterious backroad town on a lead that the Creekside killer stayed there in the 90s. But what happens when she meets this town's weird, off-putting people, including a captivating waitress?  Sarah is faced with a choice: does she leave and look for another lead on the Creekside killer? Or stay, pursue this one, and take on the town's mystery?~

My first draft of a Sarah Christ fic...sorry if it's bad lol. TW: Smoking, descriptions of violence, cursing, I think that's it? Reader is shy and described as a woman, having pink lips, blush, a smaller frame, and curly hair.

A much quieter ambiance replaces the city buzz as the winding road passes through rolling hills and thickets of trees. 

The peaceful atmosphere is only briefly interrupted by the occasional passing car which seems to become fewer and fewer the more she drives. Far in the distance, a few horses could be seen at local farms, a few cows at pastures.

She'd been driving on a forest and water-guided road for the last hour now, not a crazy distance from the bustling city, but seeming incredibly distant in culture and feeling. It's a peaceful and laid-back air…a drastic turn for why she's here…The Creekside Killer. He’s escaped her many times but she felt good about this lead. A forest and water-lined town connected to the city by a long, winding back road. The view of her drive is decorated with overgrowth of vines and grass, the earth seeming to take back parts of the old unused uneven road.

Sarah Christ, a rogue ex-detective, hellbent on catching the creekside killer, a despicable slimy son of a bitch who's escaped her grasp for too long.

Sarah sees a big, old wooden seemingly handmade sign, “WELCOME TO LAKEWOOD ‘The town that doesn't change’ population (160)“.

The road ahead starts to narrow and she slows her SUV, her arm slung outside of her driver's window. A half-smoked cigarette haphazardly between her two fingers, flying smoke disappearing into the wind with the force of the car. She takes a big puff of the stick, her lungs inhaling the thick vapor before she throws the butt out the window with an exhale. 

Sarah fiddles with the dial of the radio, hearing only static for a few stations before she finds actual sound, one was a preacher talking at a sermon, one was strictly country, and the last was “oldies”. Ugh, she’d rather go back home and hear her mother yap instead of listening to this crap.

The bell of the diner rings as the stranger enters the diner. Soft swing music takes the talking space when eating or fills the silence of awkward table conversations.

Sarah's muck-stained boots, damp frazzled hair, dark, heavy clothing, and frown all contrast her from the freshly pressed diner patrons; people like this make her sick. Unaware, blissful, naïve in a way she’s never going to be able to be again.

Sarah eyes a rusty brass sign with a paper that says, “Please seat yourself, you will be served soon!” Sarah scoffs, the only thing she wants to be served is justice for the victims of the creekside killer…and breakfast with coffee that she could slip vodka in. 

Tattered boots trudge along the shiny black and white tiling of the floor, Sarah sits in the corner away from everyone else, next to the window. The cushy, shiny red seats of the booth squeal with any movement, the tables were white with a blue stripe around the lip. Blue like the water the Creekside killer takes his victim's lives…

Sarah scowls and shakes her head as she stares down at the glossy table, lost in her thoughts as she picks at her nails. Grumbling to herself about the sicko freak she would hunt down. Until the sound of clicking heels approaches, pulling her out of her thoughts.

"Hi-" Before the waitress could even get out "I'll be your server today,"  the newcomer introduced herself.

“Ex-detective Sarah Christ, can I smoke in here?”

The waitress’s eyes widen softly at the stranger-...Sarah. Her cheeks turn pink as she holds her sticker-covered notepad a little tighter. The waitress looks at Sarah, giving a soft smile as she nods. The waitress tucks a piece of hair behind her ear as a nervous giggle passes her lips. "Pleased to meet you um...o-officer Christ?" 

She says in a questioning tone. "I'm (Y/n), I'll be your server today! No, I'm sorry you can't smoke inside."

Sarah smiles slightly at the introduction, chuckling at how unsure she sounded. Sarah quickly looked over the woman, admiring put together she looked. How pretty her hair was and just how shiny her lips looked.

“Pleasure to meet you (Y/n). Please, call me Sarah.” Sarah shook her head and grinned softly.

The waitress was quite beautiful, to say the least, and Sarah felt she wouldn’t be able to take her eyes off her for even a second if she tried. There was just something so captivating about the woman.

The waitress gives a soft nod, giggling quietly as she opens her colorful notebook with a cheeky smile. "Well Sarah, is there a drink I can get you started with today? Or do you need more time?” 

Forcing her eyes away from the fidgeting woman, Sarah glanced at the menu, looking it over for a few seconds before speaking. “Could I just get a coffee for now, please?”

"Absolutely!..." Her curls bob as she nods, jotting down a quick note. "Cream or sugar?”

Sarah smiled, amused by the woman’s excessive positivity and enthusiasm. She found it incredibly endearing, which is odd considering Sarah usually finds that kind of person to be annoying and nauseating, which only made her more and more interested in the waitress.

“If you can't put vodka in it then just black. No sugar, no cream, thank you.”

The waitress laughs nervously, almost unsure if Sarah is joking, her eyebrows raised as she grins. “I cannot! But everything else is no problem! We'll have that right out for you!"

“Thank you, sweetheart.” Sarah thanked her in return, without even pausing to think. Dammit, what was happening to her? She sounds like a sleazy man in a bar, not a cold detective on a case. She needs to get a grip on herself.

The waitress’ eyes widened as her cheeks glowed bright pink, her lips in an open, soft smile. She looks as if she wants to make conversation, but the only thing she gets out is a small giggle with a dopey smile before nodding and quickly heading back to the kitchen, her platforms clacking against the tiles. 

Sarah leaned back in her booth, an arm slinging around the back, she took a deep breath to try and calm her heart, trying to pull it down from her ears. She has to keep her cool. This was just a cute waitress in a small-town diner, nothing more.

Besides, she already told herself she was done with relationships, she just got out of her divorce, let alone know if the waitress likes women, and- no…she needs to focus on finding the disgusting killer she lost her badge for.

Sarah leaned forward and rested her head in one of her hands, drumming her fingers on the table with her other, trying to push the thoughts of the waitress out of her head. She was not here to get distracted by a pretty woman with a sweet voice. No, she was here to focus on her case and find the serial killer who had been hiding out here at least once in the 90s. 

Sarah sighed and closed her eyes, trying to focus on the case. All she had to do was find a single lead on where he was and go from there. Her thought process was interrupted by the sound of the waitress’ heavy heels coming back towards her.

"Alrighty, Sarah...Here is your black coffee!" Her pink cheeks ball as she smiles, setting down the steaming white mug. "So can I put you down for any food this morning? Or do you need more time?"

She asks as she looks at Sarah, wiping her hands on her apron before pulling out her book.

Sarah’s heart picked back up at the sound of the waitress’ voice, the sight of her bringing out her only made Sarah’s stomach somersault. Damnit. Get it together. Pull yourself together, woman.

 She shook her head as she spoke, forcing her thoughts to settle and stay focused.

“Uh, no, no, I can order now.” She replied, trying to stay casual. She quickly looked down at the menu, glancing over it for several seconds, trying to pick from the wide variety of options on it.

The waitress nods curtly with a smile as she opens her sticker-covered notebook, ready for Sarah. "What can I get for you today?" She prompts as she looks between Sarah and her notebook, flipping her hair over one of her shoulders.

Her eyes were just as wide and deep as they were kind and sweet. Her hair looked soft, curly, and long enough that it made Sarah want to run her fingers through it and pull it and- no. No, she was not going to fantasize about a woman she just met. Dammit, she was a professional; she could handle this cute waitress.

Sarah let out a soft sigh and tried to clear her mind as she looked over the menu more thoroughly this time. Finally, she picked, closing the menu and handing it to the waitress with a tight smile.

“I’ll do the country sausage skillet,” Sarah looked back up at her waitress once more, unable to control herself from staring at her. She was just so damn cute, it was driving her nuts. Her eyes lingered on the woman’s lips.

The waitress writes down her words with a concentrated look. "Alrighty I'll have that right out for you!"

Sarah smiled as the waitress packed away her book, watching her as she took a moment to memorize her features. She had such a soft, cute face. Every part of her just seemed so perfect, she almost looked like a little doll. God, she was gorgeous. 

Sarah could only watch as the waitress quickly rushed away. She had been hoping to keep the conversation going longer. Not just so she could hear her speak more, but so she could just keep her eyes on the pretty woman more. But here she was now, sitting in the booth alone, left with nothing but the coffee she’d ordered and her thoughts. Sarah sighed and leaned back in the booth, feeling very frustrated and confused.

Why was she getting so caught up on a girl she barely even knew? It wasn’t like her, the last thing she was thinking about right now was to be in a relationship, so why was she letting this woman pull all her attention like this?

Sarah watched as the waitress brought a family a few tables down their meals. Sarah took the opportunity to stare unabashedly, watching the woman as she expertly walked between tables, serving, moving, and chatting with the customers.

She made it all look so easy, so effortless, and she had a smile on her face the entire time. Sarah’s eyes were focused intently on the waitress when she looked up in her direction. For just a moment, a brief second, Sarah was almost certain she’d caught her staring.

Her suspicions were only confirmed when she saw the waitress go red-faced and wide-eyed, before fully turning her back to Sarah.

Sarah took a long, slow drink of her coffee, staring out the window and thinking, trying to calm the thoughts bouncing around in her head like a ball on a tile. But, for now, all she could do was wait. 

As Sarah stared out the window, she felt eyes on her, practically burning holes in her body. She grins softly, expecting to be welcomed with the beautiful eyes of the waitress again.

Instead, it feels like almost every customer in the diner turns their heads around as if they weren't looking at her.

Sarah shakes her head and rolls her shoulders, ignoring the glances thrown her way. Was it that surprising to see a stranger in this town? She tried to shrug it off and look back out the window when the sound of the kitchen door’s jingle once more caught her attention, and she looked back towards the entrance of the little diner.

In walked an older man, around 40 or so. He was dirty but looked at home here.

Sarah watched as the man casually walked through the diner, sitting at the counter, taking a seat on one of the stools. There was no doubt in her mind that he was just another local, but Sarah found herself watching intently.

She had learned a long time ago to always be observant, and the way the man seemed to look back at her seemed to almost set off an alarm that something wasn’t right about him.

The waitress pops her head out of the tall kitchen window. "Hi, Mr. Daniels." She says with a kind smile but Sarah could tell, even from afar, how she spoke to him seemed different from the way she spoke to the other people in the diner. There was something about him that the waitress didn’t like…

Sarah, of course, continued to watch intently, focusing on every small action and exchange between the waitress and the man at the counter.

He chuckles, his eyes staring into the waitress’, she breaks eye contact to look towards the door.

"No Debby today?" She asks as she looks back at the man, now shifting to hide away behind the kitchen wall.

"No...Deb's not feeling well still...you know how she is." He says dismissively as he leans back to look at the door. The waitress nods at his words, a weary look in her eyes. "Right...well, send her my condolences...I'm guessing you want the usual?"

“Of course, and a coffee. You know me." The man leans his arms against the bar, glancing around the diner as he speaks. His eyes locked on the booth Sarah sat in, lingering on her for a moment before snapping back to the waitress.

Sarah felt an immediate drop in her stomach. The hair on her neck that wasn’t covered by her scarf stood up when the man looked at her.

He leans in over the bar a little and whistles. "Ey, Cherry...who's the wet lookin' cop chick?... She's just uh eh...passing by, right?" He almost sneers as he whispers. The waitress’ eyes widened as she looked between him and Sarah. "She's just come through this morning...I'm sure she's not staying in Lakewood, don't worry about it."

Sarah had managed to hear most of what was said, and she found herself growing even angrier. How dare some strange man call her a “wet-looking cop chick” and then question who she was and what she was doing here. She tried to stay calm, though; she had to keep her cool and not cause a scene. For now, she’d have to keep listening and just continue to watch their conversation, praying that this rude man would leave her alone for the time being.

Sarah watched intently as the waitress left the kitchen and began to make her way to Sarah’s table. She did her best to look nonchalant, taking a relaxed sip of her coffee as she waited.

"Alright, and here you go! Is there anything else I can get you? You need a refill on the coffee?" She points to the mug with a soft eyebrow raise.

Sarah smiled back at the waitress, trying to be polite and calm, no matter how much the entire situation had set her on edge. But no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't help but get distracted by the way the soft lighting in the diner danced in the woman's eyes. Or how soft and sweet her voice was. Or how cute she- Sarah snapped out of her thoughts, mentally scolding herself for getting distracted like this.

"Oh, no, I’m fine for now. Thank you.”

She smiles and nods, one of her hands coming up to rest on her hip as she looks around quickly, seeing almost everyone at least peeking out of the corner of their eyes at the two of them. Matthew is just flat-out shamelessly turned towards the pair watching.

"Well, let me know if you need anything! Just holler, I'll hear you!" She says her waitress speech, like a script. Tapping both her name tags, one saying "(Y/n)" on her right side and the other saying "Cherry" on the other.

Sarah smirked as she noticed the woman tap the name tags, a small moment in which Sarah could see just how nervous the woman looked. Now and then she'd steal glances across the diner herself, always meeting the same man's eyes looking at her with a strange mixture of something that almost felt like... jealousy. Strange… 

"I'll be sure to," Sarah responded with an easy smile. "And you're Cherry, right? That’s a very cute name.”

"Oh, just a childhood nickname. I've lived here all my life, so some people know me as that or use it instead; my real name is (Y/n), but either way, I'll be here in a jiffy if you need anything!" She says with a smile and a shy giggle, her cheeks flashing red at the question as she turns her head away before looking back at Sarah. 

Sarah found the way the waitress ((Y/n)) giggled and blushed almost adorable. How could one person be so cute all the time? It had to be some sort of witchcraft, nobody should be allowed to make her heart flutter like this.

"Well, thanks again.." Sarah took a moment to glance down at the woman's name tag. "Cherry." She decided to use the nickname, hoping to get a good reaction out of the woman. From the way she went red when Sarah asked about it, she was sure it would work like a charm.

Sarah chuckled to herself as she watched the waitress disappear into the kitchen once more, disappearing with flushed cheeks and a shy look on her face. She couldn’t help but feel satisfied that she was the one that made her look like that.

It wasn’t sitting well with her, and her thoughts started to get a little more paranoid and suspicious.

Sarah took her eyes off the kitchen where the waitress had disappeared, glancing once again at the rude man sitting at the counter. At this point, he had given up on being inconspicuous, he was just staring at Sarah with a look on his face that only set off more alarm bells in her head. What the hell was his problem? And why was he staring at her like that? Her gaze drifted back around the diner, noting how almost all the customers seemed to occasionally glance her way, almost as if they were checking on her.

Sarah watches from across the diner as an older man who seems to be a chef brings out the rude man’s order, and the waitress returns from the kitchen, still looking a bit flushed and shy. God, she was just too adorable. The sight of the waitress' flushed face and sweet smile was only adding fuel to Sarah's growing attraction towards her, and it was doing nothing to help her focus on her case. Or help her figure out why this seemingly small town of Lakewood was so strange and creepy.

Sarah took a sip of her coffee, her thoughts racing through her head at a hundred miles an hour. It was clear at this point that something wasn’t right about this town, it was like it crawled right out of a bad horror movie. The customers kept sneaking glances at her; the workers were all acting strange, that rude man sitting at the counter looked like he was suspicious of her, and even the waitress with the ridiculously sweet smile seemed suspicious now. As Sarah glanced up at the waitress again, her suspicions and worries only continued to grow. Why did this whole place feel so weird? 

The waitress laughs and nods as she walks the family to the door. "Alright, see you guys on Sunday! Have a great night guys." She waves before going to collect their dishes.

Sarah quietly watched as the waitress said goodbye to some customers, taking a moment to study her. Everything about her seemed so sweet and nice, but there was just something about her that was so weird. The way she acted, the way she talked, the way she looked. It was all just a bit too perfect and sweet, and it put Sarah on edge just a little. Sarah’s thoughts were interrupted once again by the sound of the diner door opening, and a new man entering.

"Father Cory, a pleasure to see you!"

The waitress chirps in a cheerful tone as the man enters the diner.

Sarah watched as the waitress turned, plastering a smile on her face as a new patron walked in, a man in a priest’s outfit. Sarah immediately found herself a bit more suspicious, watching the pair as he made his way to the counter. 

The waitress walks past the men with the dishes in her hands to the kitchen as Father Cory sits next to Matthew at the counter, a seat in between them. "I'll tell Dock to get your usual started." She calls out as she pushes the flap door in and enters the kitchen.

Sarah turned fully in her seat now, no longer trying to discretely observe everyone in the diner. She was too focused on trying to hear the conversation taking place between the two men. She leaned in a little bit, trying to hear as best as she could from the distance. 

Sarah couldn’t quite make out what the men were saying from where she was sitting, but she could tell that they were talking in hushed tones as if they were trying not to be overheard. This only set off more alarm bells, Sarah’s instincts telling her that something was off. And now, she was more determined than ever to find out what was going on in this weird little town and what the hell was up with these people.

The waitress walks back out of the kitchen with a bottle of cleaner and a rag to clean the table, beginning to wipe a nearby table down.

"Who is-" Father Cory starts before being interpreted by Matthew. "I don't know...she apparently drove in this mornin'...seems like a city cop." Matthew sneers as he takes a sip of his coffee.

Sarah watched from her booth, pretending to be looking out the window as she listened to the men’s conversation. She couldn’t help but roll her eyes at the tone the rude man had taken when he had said ‘city cop’. It wasn’t exactly a secret that city cops and small-town law enforcement didn’t always mix, but did he have to sound like she was the scum of the earth just because she was a city cop? 

"Does Greg know about her?" Father Cory asks in a whisper as he casually looks down at the menu, her heart picks up again. Matthew shook his head, glancing at the waitress before looking back to the minister.

"No...but Cherry seems to uh....taken an interest, which isn't good, you know how excitable she is...I'm driving by the station on my way to work anyway, I'll swing by and update Greg."

Matthew mutters to Father Cory as he turns back to his plate.

Sarah’s eyes furrow a little as she listens to their conversation, their hushed tones and suspicious glances towards her making Sarah feel even more on edge. The mention of Greg, presumably the Sheriff, only added to Sarah's already growing pile of questions and suspicions. Why were they talking about her? And why was the waitress, Cherry, seemingly “interested in her” a bad thing? Sarah tried her best to stay calm and not let the men see her growing sense of unease. 

She quickly glanced back out the window, taking a moment to try and see if there was anything outside that was notable or important. But no matter how closely she looked, she never saw anything of import, the streets almost looked dead. Almost like a ghost town…

“How are we doing?”

Sarah looked up as she heard the waitress return to her table. Her heart fluttered just a little bit as she saw the woman walking closer, a small smile on her face as Sarah responded.

"Oh, I'm doing alright. But I have to admit, I’m a little confused. I get the feeling everyone here is watching me.”

She gives her an apologetic look and nods. "Yeah...Sorry about that, we just usually don't get a lot of new people in Lakewood." The waitress says with a weary look around the diner, seeing the heads of the men at the counter quickly turn away.

Sarah’s eyebrows raise as she notices the men sitting at the counter quickly look away, acting as if they hadn’t been watching her just moments before. She couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable with how they were all eyeing her, and how the waitress seemed to be almost acting ashamed that they were watching her. Was this town really so paranoid of strangers that they all had to study her like some exhibit at the zoo?

"Are you staying in town?"

The waitress asked with a soft tilt of her head, looking at the ex-officer with curious eyes. Shifting on her feet a little.

Sarah hesitated for a moment. Truth be told, she hadn’t fully decided if she was going to stay in town or not. But the whole vibe of the town put her on edge, and part of her wanted to get the hell out of this place as soon as possible. But, Sarah just couldn’t stop looking at the waitress, there was something about her, something that was drawing her in and keeping her from making up her mind.

 "I- if you don't mind me asking, you don't need to answer if you don't want to, I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable!" The waitress speaks with worry as she starts to panic a little.

Sarah chuckled a little, giving the waitress a soft smile. It was sweet, how nervous she could get. Not to mention, how damn cute it was when she started stuttering and panicking. 

"No, no it’s fine, don’t worry. I’m still trying to decide if I will stay. Why do you ask? Why is that so important?”

She takes a breath and nods, Sarah's laugh sending more blush to her face. She hastily looks up at the men at the counter before looking back at Sarah with a slightly quieter voice.

"Just um... wondering, I know the best places in town if you do plan on staying..." She stutters out as she tries her best not to seem nervous.

Sarah noticed the waitress glance over to the men at the counter, her voice becoming softer and more nervous. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that the waitress was trying to keep something quiet, the question was what. Sarah’s gaze followed the waitress’ as she took in the sight of the men at the counter. They quickly looked away, pretending to mind their own business, but Sarah could tell that they were listening in on their conversation.

The waitress shakes her head and blinks a few times. "Well, um...if you do end up staying, I'm here pretty much all the time if you have any questions or anything." She nods with a soft smile. 

Sarah smirked as she listened to the waitress, her little nervous stuttering and blushes sending a wave of butterflies through Sarah’s stomach. The idea of spending some more alone time with her was enough to make Sarah willing to put up with the strange and unnerving vibe the town gave her.                           

"I’ll certainly keep that in mind...Cherry." Sarah responded with a soft chuckle. 

She nervously takes in a shaky breath with a smile as she shyly nods. 

The blonde giggles, biting her lip before opening her mouth to say- The bell above the diner entrance jingles, announcing a new patron.

Sarah looked over in the direction of the entrance, a frown crossing her face as she saw who she could only assume was the Sheriff of the town, Greg standing in the doorway, his eyes narrowed as he spotted her immediately. 

He didn’t make any move to walk towards her, simply staring at her from across the diner. Sarah looked, taking in the sight of the Sheriff, she had to resist the urge to roll her eyes at the ridiculous cowboy hat he was wearing. 

The waitress looks at him, taking a deep breath with a pale face. "Morning Sheriff!" She smiles softly, and a nervous breath comes out as she practically scampers over to the scruffy man. 

Sheriff Greg turns to look at the waitress, a small nod to acknowledge her greeting. Even from across the diner, Sarah can see the tension on his face, his features stern as he looks at the waitress. "Cherry..."   He said, his voice cold and gruff. He was eyeing the waitress, almost as if he was silently questioning her as she quickly walked away from Sarah. The waitress stands with her back facing Sarah, her shoulders rising. Her head was low as the Sheriff sneered at her in a whisper, obviously not wanting Sarah to hear. Sarah looks down at her food, pushing it around as she pretends not to be listening in, only able to hear snippets.

 "No...no I-...I know I-... I'm sorry."  The woman nods, keeping her head down as the sheriff reprimands her for talking to "The Stranger." The waitress takes in a deep, shaky breath, her hands shaking slightly as she grips the skirt of her dress.

Sarah watched, seeing how the waitress seemed to shrink in on herself as the Sheriff whispered, how her hands trembled subtly as she fidgeted, gripping her skirt, how she kept her head down with her nodding. Sarah felt a sudden surge of anger course through her. She didn’t like seeing the girl look so nervous and scared like she was terrified of making a mistake, and Sarah didn’t like the way the Sheriff was speaking to her like she was some sort of child being scolded. 

Sarah was about to speak up, wanting to say something or at the very least clear her throat to grab the Sheriff’s attention, but before she could move or make a sound, the waitress quickly scurried away back into the kitchen.

Sarah exhaled, shaking her head with a deep frown on her face as she sat and stewed in her anger. Something about the way the girl had retreated into the kitchen, almost like she was avoiding being in the Sheriff’s line of sight.

Soon after, she saw the waitress outside the window, walking behind the diner. Seeing the waitress outside caught Sarah’s attention, seeing her walking somewhere out of sight behind the diner. Her curiosity and her growing suspicion got the better of her, and she couldn’t help but want to see what the waitress was doing.

Sarah took a moment to glance around the diner, and noticing that no one seemed to be paying any attention to her at the moment, she threw money on the table and quietly made her way to the front door.

Sarah snuck quietly out of the diner, making her way around the side of the building, trying to find the spot where she had seen the waitress before. As she got around the side, she saw the waitress, leaning up against the wall with something in her hand. Sarah took a few more steps, now within hearing range as she watched the girl take a hit from a vape, the end glowing pink.

Sarah freezes as she sees the waitress suddenly turn, whipping her head to look at her with a squeak. Sarah can tell she's scared, seeing the way the waitress's eyes go wide and the way her body tenses up. Sarah quickly holds her hands up in front of her in a surrendering motion, trying to let the waitress know that she means no harm.

"...hi.” She says quietly, a shy, shameful smile on her pink lips, she quickly looks around, behind Sarah almost expectantly

"Hey...sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," Sarah said as she took a few slow steps closer, testing the waters as she watched the waitress poorly try to hide the vape from her view.                                                 

She giggles nervously and shakes her head before speaking. "It's not hard to do...I'm so sorry about that...in there." She twisted the toe of her platform in the dirt as she anxiously apologized, she seemed embarrassed and guilty. Her head was down and her cheeks flushed as she spoke quietly.

Sarah took a few more steps, now so close to the waitress that she could have reached out and touched her if she wished. Sarah shook her head, taking in the way the waitress held herself, her arms folded around her waist almost desperately, her eyes constantly breaking contact with Sarah's.

"No, don't apologize. You don't have anything to be sorry for...I hate the way he talked to you in there…” Sarah leans back on the wall, trying to seem less threatening if possible.

"oh, don't worry about that...that's...that's whatever." The waitress shakes her head with a dismissive motion of her hand as she looks around the corner to the front of the diner.

Sarah felt that pang of anger come back to her as the waitress dismissed the way the Sheriff had reprimanded her. She hated it, the way the woman had so easily just brushed it off like that. Sarah just barely stopped herself from clenching her fists, instead taking a deep breath to try and push down her anger.

"Bullshit. No one should ever talk to you that way. Especially not that jackass Sheriff..." Sarah said a bit more bite in her voice than intended.

She makes a pushing-down motion with her hand, she walks closer to Sarah while looking around the two of them. "Shhh!... Greg is... Greg is just a high-strung.”

Sarah leans in as the waitress walks closer, noticing the way she glances around them, seemingly paranoid of someone hearing them talking. Sarah felt herself frown at that, her suspicions of this town only seeming to grow more and more by the second. "Oh, is he? It seems to me that he's a control freak. Talking to you like you were a child…”

(Y/n) gives her a half smile, laughing dryly as she looks towards the diner once more.

Sarah could tell that the waitress wanted to say something, but whatever it was, she stayed quiet, her gaze going back to the diner with a questioning look. Sarah had an inkling in her brain, a thought that just wouldn't seem to go away, seeming to latch itself into her brain. She took another step closer, now standing directly in front of the waitress. She spoke softly, her voice quiet enough that only the two of them could hear it.

"Is there something you can't say...?” The waitress looks up at her with weary eyes, biting her lip as she looks off once more. Turning back with a soft smile and shaking her head.

"No...I'm just… I’m just embarrassed by how everyone has been acting towards you.”

Sarah was skeptical of the waitress's words, not fully convinced by her response. It was clear that the waitress was holding something back from her like there was something she just couldn't tell her...or she was scared to tell her. Sarah studied the waitress closely, looking directly into her eyes as she spoke again.

"No, that can't be it...it's more than that. I can tell. Are you...afraid of someone listening in?”                           The waitress looks over her shoulders and down the road leading into town again, before leaning in to whisper. 

"You shouldn't be here, Sarah...they...we aren't fond of strangers." It’s like she was trying to scare Sarah off but her warning comes out sounding like a plea for help.

The whisper of the waitress's voice and the fear in her face sent a shiver down Sarah's spine. She took in every word, the tone of her voice only further raising her suspicions. When the word “us” left her lips it hit Sarah like a bucket of ice-cold water, making the hairs on her arms stand. "Wha-...what do you mean, we?”

The Waitress lets out a frustrated sigh, "Them! The town! They-" 

She looks around the wall towards the front of the diner, her eyes widened before she turns back to Sarah with her waitress smile, her tone changing back to a customer service voice. "But the ashtrays are back here and around the front. I'm sorry again for the inconvenience but it's about smoking inside policies.”

The panicked look and the nervous glance at the front of the diner didn't go past Sarah unnoticed but it did confuse her. The waitress was clearly on edge, and the mention of the town further confirmed Sarah's thoughts that something was off here. When she completely changed the conversation it was like whiplash.

"What? No, It's...fine...but can I talk to you about what you said first? It's...kind of important..."                            Sarah asked, taking a half-step closer to the waitress, now standing so close that they were almost touching.

Sarah saw the waitress shake her head and make a motion towards the diner, Sarah tried to ignore the disappointment she felt in that. When the waitress slipped the vape back into her pocket, Sarah took a chance, reaching out and gently grasping her hand. The feel of the waitress's hand was soft and warm under her touch, and just holding her hand sent butterflies through Sarah. The waitress’ face turned a deep pink, almost turning red as she looked at their interlocked hands with wide eyes. 

"No, please, just for a moment. It's important..." Sarah pleaded, keeping a gentle hold on the waitress's hand, but giving her enough room to pull away if she so wished. The waitress shakes her head slightly with the same almost robotic face. She quickly lets go of Sarah when she hears footsteps start coming around the back and the waitress takes a step away from her.

Sarah's heart sank as she heard the footsteps behind the wall, she released the waitress's hand as she stepped back. She whipped around to see who was approaching, and she saw the Sheriff walk around the corner, a stern look on his face. The sight of him made Sarah's blood boil as she saw his eyes narrow as he took them in, his jaw set as he came to a stop next to the waitress.

 "...Sheriff..."  She greeted him with a tight smile.

Sarah clenched her jaw as she saw how tense both the Sheriff and the waitress were. The air felt tense, and she could practically feel the suspicion coming off of the Sheriff in waves. He was looking between Sarah and the waitress with narrowed eyes, his brow furrowed as his eyes seemed to bore into the waitress in particular.                           

"Everything okay, Cherry?" He asked in a gruff voice, his tone harsh and stern.

 "Everything's good, I was talking to Miss Christ, about...regulations in the diner." She nods with a nervous smile, looking up at him like a bunny trying to talk her way out of being a wolf’s lunch.

Sarah saw a flicker of irritation pass over the Sheriff's face at the mention of her name, and he quickly darted his eyes over to Sarah in a glare, his expression darkening. 

He looked between her and the waitress for a moment, his eyes narrowing at both of them, before he spoke again in a harsh, stern voice. Giving Sarah an up and down with his eyes. "You mind if I speak with Charry...alone?”

Sarah's heart skipped a beat and her stomach twisted into knots as the Sheriff spoke. She didn't like the sound of him wanting to talk to the waitress alone, especially with how tense both he and the waitress had acted. Sarah had half a mind to refuse, and insist on staying, but she forced herself to stay quiet, simply swallowing down her protests and looking over at the waitress, trying to silently ask her if she wanted help.

The waitress hesitates, staring at Sarah with an almost, thoughtful and worried face. Before it quickly melts away again into a soft smile, she puts her hand out to Sarah. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Sarah."

Sarah took the waitress's hand in her own, her heart clenching as she felt her soft, warm hand once more. The touch almost seemed electric, and Sarah could hardly pull her eyes away from the beautiful blushing waitress as they shook hands. Sarah found herself holding her hand for just a second longer than necessary, wanting desperately to just pull her in, hold her close, and never let her go, take her away from this town.

"Likewise..." Sarah said with a soft smile, and a small, almost hesitant, squeeze of the waitress's hand before she reluctantly let go.

Sarah caught the look in the waitress's eyes, and followed her line of sight to her car, noticing the nervous nod in its direction. Despite not wanting to leave the waitress with the Sheriff, Sarah knew that she wouldn't be able to stay and watch them. It was obvious the waitress wanted her to go, and Sarah realized that she was most likely going to get in trouble for even talking to her.

Sarah forced herself to stay calm, nodding subtly to the waitress in an understanding manner, before making her way towards her car.

Sarah walked quickly towards her car, her head spinning. Something was off about this town, about the way everyone was acting. The waitress seemed to be afraid of the Sheriff, and the way she kept looking around as they talked like she was waiting for someone to see them. But most of all, the things she'd said, the mentions of "them", the warnings... All of it left Sarah with more questions than she had before. And Sarah was getting desperate for answers.

As she neared her car, Sarah glanced back over her shoulder at the waitress and the Sheriff. She saw the waitress standing in front of the Sheriff, a nervous but annoyed look on her face as the Sheriff spoke to her in a harsh whisper, his voice too low for Sarah to hear but it was slowly growing louder. 

After reaching her SUV and getting inside, Sarah watched from the safety of her car as the waitress was practically scolded by the Sheriff. Sarah could still hear them pretty well through her cracked window. 

The Sheriff seemed to be losing his patience with her, and his tone was harsh and rough as he scolded her. "No Cherry! Your job is to take orders and serve- I just..." He pinches the bridge of his nose and groans. "What the hell is the rule about strangers?”

"I'm not five anymore Greg! I can talk to people without worrying about stranger danger! People have passed through here before and now I'm sure that's what's happening again, just...just, ugh!- I have to get back to work, Greg. I'll see you at home…” 

Sarah wanted to step in, wanted to shout at him to back off and leave the waitress alone, but she held herself back. She watched the waitress's body language change as the Sheriff spoke, her arms crossing over her chest in an almost defensive manner as she rolled her eyes at the Sheriff's words, seeming more comfortable with talking back now that Sarah was away.

Sarah watched as the waitress walked through the door into the diner, leaving the Sheriff standing there alone calling out for her. Even from a distance, Sarah could tell he was pissed. She saw the way he clenched his jaw, the way his shoulders were tense, and his hands balled at his sides. His knuckles were practically white he was clenching them so tight. He groans as he lights a cigarette and turns away from the diner.

Sarah was itching to speak up, to say something to the Sheriff, to confront him and demand answers. But the waitress's words from before rang through her head, “… “we” aren't fond of strangers.” It seemed clear to Sarah now that if she wanted answers, she couldn't cause a scene.

Sarah took a deep breath as she leaned back against her car seat, trying to calm the anger bubbling up in her throat. She needed to tread carefully...very carefully...and she had a choice, did she leave, look for another lead on the creekside killer? Or stay, pursue this one, and take on the mystery of the town?

Sarah watched the Sheriff through the window for a few moments, seeing his shoulders slowly relax and his hands unclench as he smoked his cigarette. The Sheriff let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair and over his face, clearly frustrated.

Sarah looked away from the Sheriff, letting out a deep breath and putting her seat down to be less noticeable. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to process everything that had happened in the past few minutes. The waitress's nervous demeanor, the Sheriff's anger, the town's suspicion... All of it seemed to point to something bigger, something they were hiding, and Sarah desperately wanted to find out what it was.

After a few moments, Sarah opened her eyes and looked back at the diner. She saw movement behind the window, and when she focused her gaze, she could see the waitress inside, taking orders and bringing food to the customers. Sarah found herself staring at her, watching her as she moved around the diner, and Sarah couldn't help the way her heart ached as she saw her, her cheerful smile, her curly hair, her pretty body...No! Sarah tries to pull herself back out of her thoughts with a shake of her head...tries.

Sarah felt herself getting lost in her thoughts, her mind filled with images of the waitress. Her smile, her laugh, the way her hair framed her face… -HONK- Suddenly, Sarah heard a car horn blaring and it snapped her back to reality. She looked over to see a car waiting to pass her. She mumbled a quick apology and gave a small wave, trying to shake off the lingering thoughts of the waitress. As she drove, Sarah found her thoughts continually going back to the waitress.

She couldn't help it, she couldn't get the woman’s face out of her head. She wanted to go back to the diner, to talk to her again, to hear her voice, to be near her... Sarah forced herself to focus on the road, trying to shake the thoughts from her mind, but they were relentless. In town, she sees a sign for an inn/motel.

Sarah turned into the parking lot, grateful for something to distract her from her thoughts about the waitress. The place was a small, unassuming building with about 5-6 parking spaces and a flickering neon "Vacancy" sign. A small wooden sign on the building said it was the "The Black Dahlia; Inn and Motel".

As Sarah got out of her car and looked at the motel, she couldn't help but feel like it fit the description she had heard of this town. It was outdated, old, and dusty looking, but eerily clean. The entire place gave off an uneasy feeling.

As Sarah walked up to the reception desk, she noticed the tired-looking middle-aged man sitting behind the desk, lazily thumbing through a magazine. He looked up as she approached, his eyes giving her a quick, uninterested once-over before he spoke. His voice was gruff and his words blunt.

"Name?" He asked, holding a pen and notepad up, raising an eyebrow as he waited for her to speak. Sarah forced herself to focus on the task at hand, her mind still a bit scattered from her thoughts of the waitress, but her sense of duty and determination quickly took over, pushing those thoughts down as she spoke up.

"Sarah Christ.” 

The man scribbled her name down on the pad and looked back at her. "How long are you staying?"

Sarah took a step closer to the desk and tried to keep her voice casual. "Just for a little while. I'm in town conducting an investigation...into a case."

She spoke, her voice calm but firm. The man behind the counter raised an eyebrow as he looked at her, and he set the pad and pen aside, steepling his fingers as he leaned on the desk. There was a flicker of interest in his eyes now, and he spoke again, his tone a little less bored.

"Investigation, huh? What kinda case?” Sarah tried not to show her surprise at the man's change in tone. 

She took a moment to consider how she was going to answer his question, her mind racing as she tried to figure out how much she should reveal. Finally, she decided on a half-truth, one that would hopefully satisfy his curiosity without giving too much away.

"I'm looking for the creekside killer.” The man's eyes widened slightly at her words. He hadn't expected her to be a detective, and the mention of the creekside killer seemed to grab his attention even more. 

He leaned forward, his voice taking on a sharper edge as he spoke with arrogance and a cocky grin. "The creekside killer? Are you looking into that? Everyone else has long given up on that case…hasn't he been a cold case since the 80s?” 

Sarah felt a twinge of irritation at the man's dismissive tone, but she forced herself to stay polite, to maintain her cover. She nodded, her eyes narrowing slightly as she spoke, her voice still calm but firm. "Yes, that's correct. But I have reasons to believe that there may be something to the case. Something that was overlooked.” 

The man raised an eyebrow at Sarah's words, his gaze becoming more calculating, more curious. He leaned back in his chair, studying her for a moment before he spoke again. His voice was laced with skepticism, yet there was a hint of intrigue, "What makes you think there's something new with a case that cold?”

Sarah had to resist the urge to roll her eyes at the man's skepticism. It wasn't surprising that he would be wary of her interest in the case, almost everyone was, but it still grated on her nerves. 

She took a deep breath, keeping her tone casual and calm, though her frustration still came through in her next words.

"Let's just say I have a hunch. Something isn't adding up, and I always follow my gut.”

The man studied her for another moment, his eyes searching hers as if trying to read her. Sarah could see the skepticism in his gaze soften slightly, as her words seemed to sink in. After a beat, he spoke again, his voice still curious and a little cocky, though a bit more guarded.

"Alright then. If you think you're gonna crack a decades-old case, be my guest. But don't say I didn't warn you that you're wasting your time.”

Sarah forced herself to bite back the sarcastic reply that wanted to come out. Instead, she simply nodded, keeping her expression neutral. She'd dealt with people like him before, the skeptical, arrogant, doubtful types...like her mother. And experience taught her that the best way to handle them was to play along, even if she wanted to tell them off. Instead, she spoke again, her voice cool and composed.

"I'll take my chances. I'm never afraid of a challenge.” 

The man let out a dry chuckle, shaking his head as he picked up his pen and pad again. His tone was still skeptical, but there was a hint of amusement in his voice now as well.

"Well, ain't you confident. Alright, I'll give you a room. But just remember what I said. You're chasing a ghost. You ain't gonna find any new leads that haven't already been searched till they're raw.”

Sarah bristled at his words, but she forced herself to stay composed. 

She needed a place to stay if she was going to continue investigating, and she wasn't going to let his skepticism get to her, no matter how much it irritated her.

"Thank you. I'm sure I'll manage."

She responded shortly, trying to keep her irritation out of her voice.

 The man behind the desk chuckled, shaking his head again before sliding his chair back and taking a set of keys down from the key cubbies on the wall. He pushes himself back to the window and tosses them on the counter.

“Your room's 2A. Right up those stairs, second door on the left.”

Sarah nodded in thanks, picking up the keys from the desk, a rusty-looking gold skeleton key with a tag, one side reading 2A and the other had a small faded painting of a Black Dahlia. 

Sarah could feel the man's eyes burning into her as she turned and headed up the stairs. As Sarah walked, she tried to shake off the irritation from the man, to focus on the task at hand. The creekside killer always strikes at night, and the sun is setting soon.

When Sarah reached her room, she unlocked the door to find a small, neat room, one bed, two nightstands, a lamp, a dresser with a vintage TV that would surprise her if it had color let alone turn on, one small closet, and a bathroom. It was tidy, but the dated decor spoke volumes about the age of the motel. It was clear that it hadn't seen updates in quite a while, at least the 40s-50s, that seems to be a theme in this town.

As Sarah walked around the room, she felt her exhaustion catching up with her. The long drive, the stress of the day, and the constant thoughts of the waitress were taking their toll. Despite the age and the musty smell of the room, the bed looked a lot more comfortable than the back of her SUV, and she found herself walking over and sitting down on it, letting out a deep sigh as she sank into the mattress.

Sarah ended up taking a hot shower before she let herself sleep, the muck of lake water, car, sweat, and god knows what else stuck on her daily needed a good scrub off.

After getting out of the shower she wipes the mirror of the steam, freezing when she's hit with the feeling of being watched, her blood running cold as the hairs on her body stand up. She quickly looks around the closed bathroom to, of course, find no one. 

Sarah shakes her head as she looks back at the mirror, the gnawing feeling of peering eyes only growing now, almost at a nauseating rate. Sarah grunts before walking out of the bathroom and getting changed.

She sits on the bed with a groan as she towels her wet hair. She thinks about the events of the day, her lead, the diner, the waitress, the sheriff, the whole damn town.

-RING RING…-

Sarah is plucked out of her tired trance, her ears perking up at the sound of the phone. She glances over to the bedside table, her heart picking up its pace as she wonders who could be calling her. It had to be the front desk or the wrong number…she didn't tell anyone she was there.

-RING RING…-

She took a bracing breath, steeling herself for whoever might be waiting on the other end of the line, before tossing the towel aside and reaching over, picking up the receiver of the rotary phone.

“...hi, Sarah…”

Sarah was taken aback by the sound of the waitress's low, shaking whisper.

She hadn't expected to hear from her again so soon if at all, and certainly not with a late-night phone call. How did the waitress know Sarah was here?

Sarah's heartbeat quickened at the sound of the woman's voice. Her stomach swirls with a mix of surprise, confusion, and something else she couldn't quite get a grasp on what to call.

Sarah took a moment to find her voice, clearing her dry throat, a flicker of disbelief in her tone as she spoke into the receiver."...hello?”

There's a beat before the waitress whispers again at a quick pace, her voice further away at first before it is close to the speaker once again. 

“...Keep your doors and windows as locked as possible. Cover the mirror in the bathroom. Don't go in the woods at night.”

The waitress's words caught Sarah off guard, their urgency and warning sending a shiver down her spine. The ex-detective could hear the seriousness in the waitress's voice, the worry or fear propelling her words, and it made Sarah's heart race.

She had to fight the urge to ask a million questions and had to hold herself back from demanding answers. Instead, she forced herself to stay focused, squeezing her eyes shut for a moment as she spoke, her voice low and urgent. "Wait...what?-”

"Sarah please, just listen. I can't talk long, or say much. Please you can't be here for long, they don't like strangers especially ones who are willing to ask questions." Her voice wavers as it recedes from the phone again with a shaky breath, showing her worry and anxiety. There's some shuffling on the other line like she pressed the phone against her clothes.

Sarah's jaw clenched as she listened to the waitress's urgent, whispered pleading. The woman's tone made it clear that she was scared, and the mention of "they" only added more questions to Sarah's already swirling mind. 

Even with the hundreds of alarms in Sarah's head waitress's words set off, Sarah pushed her fear down. Speaking with a soft but firm tone into the receiver. "Wait...hold on.. who are "they"?”

"The town Sarah!" The waitress hisses out as she answers quickly. "They all know you're here and they-"

 Sarah's heart lurched at the sound of the sheriff's condescending voice in the background from the other line as the waitress stopped her words short with a quiet gasp.

Fear and unease coiled in Sarah's gut as her eyes darted around the dingy motel room, a hundred questions swirling in her head. She opens her mouth to ask her what she is going to say but the waitress quickly speaks again.

"Please...listen." The dial tone cries into Sarah's ear. She lowers the phone from her head, her fingers shaking slightly as she slowly sets it back on the base, the ring it gives sounds almost aggressive.

Sarah had never felt so off-balance in her life. She found herself pacing back and forth across the small room, her head pounding, trying to wrap itself around the waitress's cryptic warnings.

The mention of the town itself is "they" and the way the waitress had pleaded for her to listen and leave...It didn't make sense. But Sarah had seen enough in her life to know when something was wrong.

After several minutes of pacing, Sarah finally stopped, her hand coming up to run through her still-damp hair. She had to focus, had to figure out what was going on. The waitress had said to lock her doors and to cover the mirror.

Sarah found herself moving over to the bathroom, her heart racing as she approached the defogging mirror over the sink. A feeling of unease settled in her gut as she looked closer at the mirror, remembering her feelings of being watched in this exact place earlier. 

Her eyes locked on her reflection as the warnings echoed in her mind "...cover the mirror…" But why? Sarah's mind was spinning as she stood in front of the mirror, her eyes darting over her reflection in the glass. The waitress's words echoed in her head, the fear in her voice still ringing in Sarah's ears. Slowly, she reached out and ran a hand over the cold glass, her reflection scowling back at her, a mixture of unease and determination in her eyes.

A shiver ran down Sarah’s spine when her reflection fingers caught her eye, there was no gap. The mirror reflected her every movement perfectly, but when she got close when she touched it, there was no gap between her poking the glass and her reflection doing the same.

Sarah's heart thumped in her ears as the realization sank in, fear and confusion rising in her gut. She reached out to touch the mirror again. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up, and the unease in her gut grew stronger…It's a two-way mirror.

Someone was watching her, watching her in secret, the idea of which sent a chill through her entire body. Sarah stumbles back from the mirror, her eyes darting around the small bathroom.

The waitresses word's "cover the bathroom mirror" ring through her head. Sarah's eyes fall on a nearby towel, lying in a lump on the floor from when she showered. Without wasting a second, she grabbed the towel and flung it over the mirror, her heart pounding in her chest as she tried to block out the sick feeling of being observed.

The muffled silence in the bathroom was deafening, the only sound being the dripping shower head. Sarah stood there for a moment, her eyes locked on the covered mirror, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps as she tried to wrap her mind around what was happening, but the thoughts wouldn't come. Instead, a feeling of nausea did.

Her mind was a whirlwind of confusion and unease, the waitress's words and the sheriff's voice still echoing in her head. She forced herself to turn away from the mirror, away from the feeling of being watched, closing the bathroom door behind her.

Sarah paced around her motel room for at least an hour, her thoughts racing as fast as her heart was beating, her stomach still handed stopped churning. She pushes a hand through her damp hair, what the hell does she do? Does she investigate? Does she leave and never look back? Does she stay the night?... Does she hit redial?

She needs a smoke.

Sarah groans out as she rubs her face. She stands before quickly slipping on her coat and shoes, then heading out of her room.

The thick wooden door thuds with its close. Sarah locks it with the key, unsure if locking it would do any good keeping out unwanted pests.

The floorboards creaked under her boots as she trudged down the thinly carpeted stairs. Sarah's head stays on a swivel, scanning the motel and its pristine walls. 

At the bottom of the steps, Sarah swipes a finger across a shelf that looks like it has been touched in ages, the pictures in the frames are so faded it's hard to make out faces on the people in them. 

She pulled her wrist back and turned her hand to examine the dust and dirt on her pointer, but there was none. Her finger was clean, rubbing her thumb against the pad of her pointer finger, there wasn't even a gritty feeling. 

She shakes her head with a sigh, raising her eyebrows with a few heavy blinks as she continues her walk. 

Sarah looked over to the motel desk, an empty chair in the sleazy man’s place, assumedly he was asleep. 

The chill night air feathers across Sarah's skin as she walks onto the concrete outside, she zips up her jacket before reaching into her pocket to fish out her cigarettes.

-CRACK!- 

What sounds like a twig or a branch snapping catches Sarah's attention immediately, she whips her head around in the direction of the sound, her pack of cigarettes falling onto the pavement by her feet. 

The snap is quickly followed by the rustling of bushes and heavy footsteps hastily running across crunching leaves. A bright white blur was all she could see before it ran away, leaving an almost empty-looking woods in its wake. 

Sarah hadn't noticed before how silent the night had been, the crickets, nocturnal animals, and birds were silent when she came out. Only now they start to bring the night to life again with their gossip, Filling the night with a new wave of sound she didn't know was missing. 

Sarah's feet carry her into the forest before she can think. Heart drumming in her ears as she pushes through branches and runs through bushes, her damp bangs sticking to her forehead as she races against the cold autumn air.

The white blur almost illuminates its way deeper into the seemingly never-ending forest from what she remembers seeing when driving up.

She wants to yell, to call out to the fleeting figure, but she can barely get out a breath.

Sarah stumbles down a steep hill, heels skidding as she catches herself on a thick oak tree. The freak was now gone from sight, the sound of the night being left in its absence. 

She coughs as she crouches down to catch her breath. Running a hand through her now sweaty hair, Sarah takes in a deep breath with a shaky exhale, the cold September air now feeling good against her. She looks around as she pushes off of the tree, the wood scraping against her rough hands. 

“What the hell?…” Sarah sighs as she walks in a small circle, there is no trace of anything, anyone, but her. The only footprints she could see on the moonlit ground were her own, the only pathway cleared was from her frantic chase, nothing ahead, nothing abnormal looking where she swears she saw it go.

“HEY! FUCK YOU, BUDDY!” Sarah yells as she puts her middle fingers towards where she had seen it disappear.

Thank you so much for reading!

Dividers:

https://animatedglittergraphics-n-more.tumblr.com/post/674301647443410944/soda-or-cherry-page-dividers-ty

[memories-of-ancients]

A bit disconcerting to hear some music from the 90's and early 2000's being played on classic oldies radio

[ask-edd]

You guys have any favorite music? I personally enjoy some Lemon Demon and two songs from Glass Animals. :3

Oh hey, music is actually pretty well talked about in this house, so you came to a good place!

I'm a big fan of oldies actually, stuff you hear in Fallout, 80's and 90's stuff, etc. I'm not too picky though, if it's got a nice vibe then I don't mind. Some favorites would be The Beach Boys, Connie Francis, Ella Fitzgerald, those types. Though I do like some modern bands like AJR and John Mayer

Matt is the local pop fan, he mainly listens to whatever's on the radio, save for a few special playlists for things like parties or when he needs to focus. Last I checked, some of his favorites were people like Lady Gaga, Kesha, MARINA, Dua Lipa, etc

Tom of course is the ska guy, he likes ska, he likes the Reel Big Fish and Catch 22/Streetlight Manifesto and Less Than Jake and The Specials and all them. Though he is also into like, idk what it's called but I think Dan called it dark indie? Twenty One Pilots, Jack Stauber, The Hoosiers, etc

Tord is mostly a rock-indie guy from what I can tell (at least when he's not listening to anime intros way too loud), I've heard some like, Set It Off, Get Scared, IDKHOW, Mother Mother, Tame Impala, The Offspring, Escape the Fate, that kinda stuff

CL is a "little bit of everything" girl so she's all over the gaff; Korn, Avenged Sevenfold, Gorillaz, those ones are her favorites, but really she'll listen to rap, 80's, ska, synth, metal (nu and otherwise), rock, etc

Dan's a big music guy so you could probably get a way more detailed answer if you ask him yourself, but he's also a "little bit of everything" guy. I know he loves Autoheart, Everything Everything, Red Vox, The Hosiers, Kishi Bashi, and tons more