#and i guess there’s the arcade landline too

[wyervan]

@sleepycupcakesmiles TUMBLR DOING SOMETHING STUPID AGAIN WHERE IT’S NOT GIVING ME AN “Answer” BUTTON AGAIN AHHHH

Anyway,

I LOVE THIS CONCEPT!! :DDD I remember at one point I was agonizing over whether or not to include a pizza kitchen in the arcade, thereby making it even more similar to the OG FNaF location. But this would solve the pizza conundrum AND introduce a great character.

She’s such an adorable character design—that palette of pink and burgandy and neutrals looks very nice indeed. Her personality so endearing! I also think that at least definitely Sun would be comically oblivious to any expressions of affection like heart-shaped pizzas, regardless of his own potential feelings for Stacy. He’d probably be very confused and assume there was some mistake or ask for a replacement 😭 😆.

As for the twist! Ohhoho~~ Moon would likely notice that he had butt dialed the pizza place and need to pay a little visit to their favorite delivery girl, and I imagine she would be obviously nervous about what she heard… what happens next mmhhhmmhm 😈 up to you 👀.

[theyreonlynoodlesmike]

It’s Just a Movie: Part 3 (Poly!Lost Boys x Fem!Reader)

<- Previous Chapter Next Chapter ->

Warnings: cursing

Word count: 2034

Now, while you were technically in a life or death situation with four vampires, you couldn't lie to yourself and say that you hadn't wanted to explore Santa Carla at least once in your life. Not Santa Cruz. Santa Carla. Time had changed the boardwalk, the styles, the people. But, now, you were right in it. The actual 1980's Santa Carla. You climbed off of Dwayne's bike, and you couldn't hide your awe as you looked down the length of the coast.

The boardwalk was littered with teenagers with wild hair, piercings, and people of all sorts. There were games, rides, and bonfires already lighting up the beach. And not a cellphone in sight. It was weird, and suddenly the piece of technology felt heavy in your pocket. You had almost forgotten that you had it, and your hand went to smooth over the rectangle in your back pocket. Suddenly, all didn't seem lost. Though, you quickly reminded yourself that this was the eighties. No wifi. No data. Hell, you'd be lucky if you still had battery. The only thing you'd have access to were the pictures and downloads you had saved on your phone. Then, it hit you. Your contact list. While you couldn't call them through your smart phone, you assumed, maybe you could call your friends if you managed to find a phone-booth or something...Or, god, a landline. Even if it was only a semblance of a plan, it felt better than nothing. Now, you just had to figure out a way to ditch the four of them so you could get your hands on a phone and avoid becoming their next meal. 

"I'm guessing you haven't lived here long." David said, and you nearly jumped out of your skin. You looked over, and watched as he walked past you. The other three followed, with Marko grabbing one of your hands and pulling you to follow them. You supposed you hadn't been keeping your amazement subtle, and you already knew that he, and perhaps Marko, were the most observant of the four boys. Your voice was small as you supplied a simple,

"Yeah, just got here." You made a mental edit of your plan. You had to find a phone and ditch them before they found out you weren't exactly from here in more ways than one. You had a feeling that lying to him would be futile, and it was technically true. You really had just got there. He hummed, and then looked back at you. It was apparently Markos turn to pull you close, though the boy was closer to your height and chose to wrap an arm around your waist instead. He sent you a friendly smile, and you repeatedly reminded yourself over and over again that these four were not to be trusted. Horror movie. Killers. David sent you a smile, and, while it was as charming as his voice, it did nothing to calm your nerves.

"Explains your friends. Not everyone in Santa Carla is as nice as we are." David said, and you nearly wanted to laugh. Yeah, you were sure they were the nicest gang of killer vampires in the whole town. Maybe even the whole state. Instead, you hummed and said,

"Yeah, thanks for the ride. You guys...well, I don't know where I'd be if I hadn't met you." Now, that was the truth. You weren't just being sentimental with that statement. If you had been stuck here with not a familiar face in sight, in a strange town, and no way to call your friends? Well, you'd bet that you'd currently be having a panic attack in front of the movie theater. Not that you weren't just a few wrong moves away from having one right now. Paul practically jumped right next to you, squishing himself into your side and chirping a quick,

"You're welcome," before he added, "Y'know, your friends are kinda lame. Why don't you just hang out with us tonight?" He offered. Really, you swore that if you didn't know that these boys were vampires that you'd think they really might be some of the nicer people in Santa Carla. It wasn't like they knew you. But here they were, giving you rides, taking you to meet your friends, offering to hang out with you- Crap. You did a mental head shake. You had always made fun of Michael for falling so easily under their spell but here you were. You knew that they could be dangerous and, still, you were starting to think that you could trust them. You looked around for a moment, seeing four expectant set of eyes on you. Marko even tried to win you over by saying,

"C'mon, we're loads more fun." And, David, the charming bastard he was, gave you the most expectant look of all. 

"Yeah, c'mon, y/n." The way he said your name, it reminded you of exactly the way he'd said Michael's. You could practically guess what was going to come out of his mouth next. "How far are you willing to go?" It didn't seem nearly as menacing as it had when he'd said it to Michael, but it effected you all the same. He'd used a similar tone. Gauging. Taunting. Like he was playing a game of chicken and seeing if he could egg you on. You instinctively looked away from his face, and to the most neutral of the four vampires. But the look Dwayne was giving you didn't help, and you watched as he looked over your face. Just his stare could make you on edge. You said the best excuse you could think of, but even it sounded terrible to your own ears.

"I really shouldn't...they're expecting me." You said, and you internally cringed. It was a lie, and, like you expected, you watched as David seemed to be able to immediately tell. Or perhaps he was frowning from your refusal. Apparently, you weren't willing to go very far. You couldn't really tell, but the blondes besides you seemed hardly convinced. Though, you couldn't get the way David frowned out of your mind. Sure, Michael had been stupid to follow the boys and let himself get egged on, but he had lived. They had kept him around. That was what lead you to adding, "But- but, maybe... we could check out some stuff on the way?"

You hadn't known what to expect, but bouncing from store to store definitely wasn't it. They took you to a music store, which was filled to the brim with old, technically new, cassettes and vinyl. You managed to surprise them a little bit with your taste in music, as the twenty-first century had made it far too easy to listen to stuff from decades before. You were even tempted to buy some stuff, as you were sure you wouldn't find them for nearly as cheap back home. But, you had to be careful not to slip up when they asked you about your favorite bands. You still didn't technically know what year it was, so you stuck to bands from the seventies just to be safe. Paul ended up showing you a few records, and you tried not to blush as he dragged you into one of the listening booths. He popped a couple of records on, before putting the headphones snuggly over your ears. You tried not to be embarrassed by the close proximity, and were grateful when Marko called that they were leaving. Even if it cut into the conversation you and Paul were having about the record. Afterwards, you stopped at a little booth selling various jackets, trinkets, jewelry, and even a few patches. You looked through them with Marko, taking the time to really get a close look at his jacket. He noticed you staring, and propped his elbows up on the clear counter. He sent you a grin, and you were flustered and looking away before he could even tease you. You saw that the other three seemed to be more interested in the bracelets, and that's when you noticed the ones decorating Dwayne's wrists. You had missed it in all your previous viewings, but you weren't surprised that you had. The costume designers had done so many little details for their wardrobe, and Dwayne noticed you looking. But, instead of teasing you, he passed you a similar looking bracelet as the five of you walked down the boardwalk. You gave him a confused look, and his lips quirked up just the slightest bit.

"Doesn't fit my wrist." He explained nonchalantly, and you watched as he strode closer to the platinum blonde leading the pack. You smiled to yourself, and tried your best to tie it onto your wrist yourself. Paul ended up helping you, his nimble fingers working quickly. He didn't ask where you got the bracelet, and instead dragged you towards the arcade David had been leading you to.  

You didn't realize it until you asked one of them what time it was, making sure not to reach for your phone in your back pocket no matter how much of a habit it was, but it seemed that the boys also had a plan. You had relaxed, no matter how much you had tried not to, after spending what you realized was hours with them. It was getting late, and, when you finally made it to the carousel, none of them seem surprised when you said you didn't see your friends. Not that they'd actually be there waiting for you. But, still, the realization that they'd been stalling, making sure you would end up with no one else to hang out with that night, made you remember. Horror movie. Killers. You bet that any second David would be suggesting to take you to-

"You know where Hudson's Bluff is? Overlooking the point?" And you looked over at him. This was it. Your panic suddenly spiked at the idea of going back to the cave with them. No matter how cool it would be. No matter how much you wanted to see it for yourself. This was where everything went to shit. If you went back to the cave with them, there'd be no crowd to prevent you from getting murdered. You'd be alone. With them. Before any of them could jibe you into coming with, you quickly said,

"I should call them- my friends. Y'know, to- to make sure they're not worried about me. I don't want them telling my parents I got kidnapped or something." You quickly suggested, and the boys swayed for a moment. The three others looked between you and David, and you knew that they were waiting for his word. After a moment, he gave you a nod. You supposed that calling off any potential alarms would be something he'd be all for. And, hopefully, you could actually reach your friends.

"There's a phone booth at the end of the boardwalk. You can call your parents too. Tell them not to wait up." He said with a small grin, and it surprised you. If you didn't know any better, you'd almost think David was flirting with you. The walk back to the bikes, and to the phone booth, was surreal. David had pulled you closer to the front, but he wasn't nearly as affectionate as the others. Still, just standing next to him made you feel like you were doing more than you should.

You had meant to ditch them, but, now, they were only a few feet away. Sitting on their bikes. You felt stupid for having missed it when you first arrived, but the place had been swarmed with people. And the phonebooth seemed to purposely be stuck in a small, dark corner. You gulped as you closed the glass door behind you, and you rustled around in your pockets for loose change. The only thing you had was a nickel and a couple of pennies, and you cursed yourself for not keeping more change in your purse. Not that you knew how much it would cost anyways. You looked back out at where the boys were waiting on their bikes, having noticed that the crowds had thinned out considerably compared to when you first arrived. You gulped and cracked open the door.

[hawkinsschoolcounselor]

i’m not sure how relevant at all this is but i’m very curious – what was it really like growing up in the ‘80s? has stranger things done a good job portraying this?

No worries about it being relevant or not. There's nothing wrong about being curious about the setting. That said, you left it pretty open-ended. I'm not sure exactly what you want to know.

Bear in mind that I was young during the 80s. I was 8 years old when 1990 came around. Still, I do have some memories of the time, and, yeah, I'd say they've done a good job. It's really a masterpiece of little things.

We had landline phones, so getting in touch with someone was dependent on if they were home, like we saw in season 2. Kids, at least where I grew up, were trusted be out and about as long as they didn't go too far and were home by dinner. I was still too young at the time, but once I was around the Party's age in season 1, I was riding my bike around town without even telling my parents where I was going. Arcades were popular, and I loved visiting the one in our local mall (well into my college days, actually). Speaking of malls, they were immensely popular, as they brought access to products and entertainment that couldn't be had elsewhere. Similarly, movie theaters were huge because there just wasn't any other alternative. There was barely cable TV at this time, and it was still very limited compared to what we have now. Video stores brought access to past movies that were no longer in theaters since there were no real movie channels, and TV stations would only occasionally show evening or weekend movies. Home video games were in a decline, though, due to the Video Game Crash of 1983. They wouldn't make a resurgence until Nintendo launched the NES in 1986. This might be how Joyce was able to afford to buy Will an Atari.

Heh, well, that's a start, I guess. Feel free to ask any follow ups if you wish.

[cipheress-to-k-pop]

We’ll be free

Pairing: Billy Batson x Reader

Warnings: Mention of drug abuse and possession

Word Count: 1.4K

Summary: Billy Batson tries to get into contact with his girlfriend who he left behind after moving with Victor and Rosa.

Author’s Note: This is not my first oneshot but it is my first time writing for DC. Also I might do a part 2? But idk.

PART 2 

“Please pick up. Please pick up.” Billy whispered underneath his breath, pulling his phone away from his ear to triple-check if he was calling the right person before going back to his silent prayer.

“The person you are calling is currently unavailable—” He didn’t bother to hear the rest before hanging up. He had heard so much of it that he could recite the message in his sleep. He’s left countless voicemails, texts, calls but no answer and he began feeling helpless and desperate.

‘She’s probably just busy.’ He thought, ‘She’d never ignore my calls on purpose. She always loves to talk to me.’

You giggled, sitting on the floor of a cheap phone booth at the corner of the street. You didn’t have a phone so you resorted to long midnight calls from phone booths to the phone that he stole from some rich kid who could buy 10 more.

He called himself Robin Hood, because he would steal from the rich and give to the poor, who just happened to consist of the two of you. While he offered the phone to you, you settled for the rolls of quarters he managed to steal from the arcade so you could have late night calls like this.

You were uncomfortable on the cold and cramped floor of the phone booth but it didn’t bother you as you leaned against dirty glass and listened to Billy’s tired voice.

“It wasn’t her. Just some other Batson.” He said, trying to push down the tears but you heard the disappointment in his voice.

“You’ll find her. I know you will. Just not today and that’s okay too.” You spoke soothingly, wishing he was beside you so you could run your fingers through his hair.

He sighed, “Maybe I should just give up. Accept that I’m never going to find her.”

“Maybe you should. But you’re not going to.”

“I’m not going to,” He said again and you smiled at the determination in his voice, “It’s why you love me.”

“It’s why I love you.” You agreed, nodding your head even though he couldn’t see you, “It’s getting late, we should go to bed.”

“Are you gonna be okay?”

You nodded, “They’re probably asleep by now and I’m running out of quarters anyway.”

He nodded, “Good night, I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

He wanted nothing more than to hear your voice again, to just know that you were okay. No matter how many times he called you, you wouldn’t pick up, texts remained unread and any other form of contact lead to the same result.

He once flew to your house, only to find it empty and abandoned. The living room still reeked with the pungent odour of alcohol and the floor still crunched with the hidden pieces of wine bottles underneath the carpet. But the smell of ash caught him off guard and it sent him bolting through your room only to find it a mess.

Everything was charred and ruined. Your curtains were burnt to a crisp and your bed reeked of petrol. He felt his heart seize in his chest as tears bubbled in the corners of his eyes. He immediately bolted through the front door, banging on the doors of the neighbours.

It brought back a string of memories....

Billy banged on every door in the middle of the apartment complex, trying to find your house as old and young people opened up with either irritation or sleep painted across their face.

Finally, he knocked on the last door, to have you open up, your face wet with tears and your hands shaking.

“Billy...” You choked out before falling in his arms, holding fistfuls of his jacket in a vice-like grip. He caught you effortlessly, cradling you as you cried in the doorway.

“They didn’t hurt you, did they?” He asked, looking your body over for injuries and sighed in relief when you shook your head no.

“It’s okay. It’ll be okay.” He whispered in your ear, “Just three more years of this and we’ll be free.”

You nodded, hiccupping as he continued to press kisses to your hairline, “Just three more years.” You echoed, feeling your tears dry as you sunk into his embrace, leaning up to press a kiss to his lips.

“And we’ll be free.”

When he got back home, his body was shaking with the information he found out. Attempted murder, arson, parents arrested for possession and substance abuse.

But when he asked about their daughter, they all said they had no idea what happened to her.

The world felt like it was closing around him and his shaking hands picked up the phone, this time calling a different number.

“Hello?” The warden from the orphanage answered.

“Where is she?” His attempt at sounding firm was a total fail as his voice cracked in the end.

“I’m afraid I can’t disclose that information.” Came the reply and he felt a sob threatening to break from his throat.

“Please tell me she’s safe.” His voice was wavering dangerously and he could hear the sympathetic sigh from the other side.

“She finally called the police. I guess not having you by her side to protect her scared her into calling them up.” She told him and he immediately felt guilty, he never should have left you to live with Victor and Rosa, no matter how many times you told him to go.

“I think you should go.” You told him, missing the way his neck whipped towards you as you stared at the grey clouds cover up the moon.

The two of you always argued about this. He always said that the moon was being covered by the clouds, looking at the down side of things but you always said that the clouds were hiding the moon from humanity, who wouldn’t appreciate it unless they had to live without it for once.

He had to agree with you but then he’d forget that you said it and you’d have this argument all over again.

“What? You think I should leave?”

You nodded, “Probably not for the reasons you think.”

“The plan was we stick this out together and when we’re eighteen we move in together, far away from here. Just three more years, (Y/N), we’re so close.”

“It’s still the plan.”

“No, it isn’t.”

“Yes, it is, life was always lending us a bad hand, but you have such a great opportunity now, and I want you to take it.”

“And leave you behind?”

“And leave me here, until I can catch up with you. Three years and we move in together. All according to plan.”

He sighed, pulling you close and kissing you soundly, “I want you to have this then.” He muttered, placing something in your hands.

In your hands was his phone, with a dirty and cracked screen but your heart soared at the gift. Pressing the unlock button to see a picture of the 2 of you. Both your faces were hidden, of course, in case the original owner ever managed to track it down, but it still warmed your heart.

“You have to call and text every day. I’m pretty sure, the foster home will have a landline or something.”

“I can’t believe you’re giving me your phone. How sweet are you?”

“Oh, I’m not giving it to you. You have to pay for it.”

You chuckled, “Oh really?”

He flashed you a smirk, “Yep, if you want it, you’re gonna have to cough up 200 kisses.”

You mocked surprise, “That’s so many!”

“Well the economy is bad.”

”Her parents, unfortunately weren’t the only ones who were part of this gang and now she’s gone into witness protection. She’s being fostered for now, and I’m sorry but I can’t tell you where she is, she isn’t allowed to contact anyone either. I’m sorry, Billy.”

‘Beep. Beep. Beep.’

He felt as though his heart was ripped out and stomped on, and he suddenly felt dizzy as his world collapsed around him. So much had happened over the past year, with him becoming a superhero and finding his mom and he had to do it without you.

It was now that he was realizing that he wasn’t the only one who was going through a tough time and the thought of never seeing you again, had his breath hitching.

He tried your number one last time.

“The person you are calling is currently unavailable. Please leave a message after the beep.”

“Hey, (Y/N), call me when you can. I miss you. I love you.”

[purplesurveys]

451

1. Do you like Ferrero Rocher chocolate?: Yeah I could probs eat a whole box by myself. I mean it is way too hyped, and the attention is unnecessary, but I like it nonetheless. 2. What’s the most expensive thing your car needed to get done?: It hasn’t been seriously damaged so nothing huge...maybe just oil changes. 3. If you had a thousand dollars to spend on a pricey brand you like but can’t really afford (until now of course), which ONE brand would you chose?: Michael Kors sneakers. They’re not super pricey but they still cost a bit for a pair of sneakers, so I’d loooove to have one for myself.

4. Do you still own any clothes you had in middle school? Like what?: NO. I threw up them out years ago. Fortunately–my middle school wardrobe was barf-worthy. 5. Do you like candy canes?: Yeah but it’s only super exciting to eat them during Christmas. I’m never in the mood for them if it’s a different time of the year.

6. What genre was the last movie you saw? And was it any good?: Revolutionary Road is romantic drama. It’s one of my favorite films; it’s really, really good but it’s the kind of piece you’ll have to emotionally prepare for because it’s so heavy.

7. Do you think George Clooney was hot when he was younger?: He’s attractive then and now.  8. …what about now?: ^ 9. How many pairs of flip flops do you own?: Two or three. I don’t keep track because I hate flip flops, the thongs make my feet bleed all the time :/ 10. How old were you when you got your first Tumblr/LJ?: I made a Tumblr for the first time in like May 2010, so I had just turned 12. 11. Remember Teen Ink? Did you ever submit anything to them?: Never heard of it. 12. Do you still talk to any of your old teachers?: Not anymore. I keep in touch with some but only barely – that’s to say I’m still friends with them on Facebook/following them on Twitter, but that’s it. I don’t talk to them, except for one who’s a little cooler and more understanding than the rest of the more conservative teachers I had. 3. Do you have Twitter? What do you mostly use it for?: Yes, it’s my favorite social media. That’s where I put everything – life, feelings, annoyances, sad stuff, fangirling, talking to my friends. 14. What color is your cell phone?: Space gray. 15. How many cell phones have you had in your lifetime?: 7. 16. Does your family still use the home phone or are you all on cell phones now?: Yes. The older generation and even company offices will still prefer landline so it’s common to see home phones everywhere. 17. How old were you when you got your first cell phone?: I had mine on my 7th birthday. The kids around me were starting to get their own phones and I got super envious, so it was what I asked for. Looking back, it’s an insanely young age to get a phone and I probably wouldn’t do the same for my kids. 18. Enough with the phones. When is/was your 21st birthday?: This year! 19. What color was the dress you wore to your senior prom?: I didn’t have a senior prom. My prom was in junior year and it was a shade of gold/beige; I don’t really remember. I hated prom and I deleted all photos and memories from that night. I was also invited to a senior ball though and for that night I had a royal blue gown. 20. Ever go to another school’s prom?: Not prom, but another school’s senior ball. 21. Ever take melatonin supplements to help you go to sleep?: Nope. 22. Do you like burning candles or incense?: I’d enjoy it if I encountered them, but I don’t buy them for myself or know anyone who uses them regularly. 23. Do you like doing laundry?: My mom prefers to do everyone’s laundry by herself and it kinda frustrates me cos I want her to start like, teaching me or something so I’ll know how to do it when the time comes. She’s not though, so I guess I’ll have to teach myself. 24. Ever throw a pair of your shoes in the washing machine? How did they come out?: No. Is that allowed??? 25. Do you own a real pair of Uggs?: No. 26. Do you ever venture into the woods? What do you normally do in there?: No. I live nowhere near the woods. 27. Favorite pizza toppings?: Barbecue sauce, chicken bits, any kind of cheese. 28. Favorite salad dressing?: I don’t really mix and match with salads so the classic caesar dressing will do (cos it’s all I know hahaha). 29. What’s the most you’d spend on a new pair of jeans?: P2,000. Google says that’s equal to more or less $38.60. 30. Do you like to wear shorts or capris in the summer?: YES. I need to wear airy, short stuff in the summer because otherwise I’d feel constricted and hot and I would be very pissy. 31. What do you think of Bermuda shorts?: Not my style. 32. What does your bathing suit look like this year?: It’s an all-black two-piece that just looks super cute on me hahaha. 33. Are you ready for summer 2018?: It’s 2019 now but I remember being meh about that summer. I enrolled in a midyear term to keep getting allowance from my parents lol, but I never wanted to go to school then, so I was still a bit miserable. 34. Did you ever use iconator.com? Are you upset that it’s gone now?: I don’t think I recognize that. 35. Speaking of AIM icons… do you still use AIM?: Isn’t it dead? 36. Do you still buy CDs?: Not anymore. The last one I got was either Paramore’s self-titled or One Direction’s Midnight Memories. Both came out in 2013 so I don’t remember which one I bought last. 37. Be honest…how much of the music in your iTunes library did you actually pay for?: HAHAHAHAHHAHAHA NONE. YouTube to MP3 was my lifeblood back then, along with the habit of downloading album art from Google Images to match to the songs so that my playlists looked legit. 38. Does your significant other ever make you mix CDs?: No, because that’s not a thing anymore. Gabie did make me a couple of personalized playlists during our first months together. 39. How often do you have to empty your text inbox because it got full?: My inbox never gets full. 40. Does your phone have a keyboard, touch screen, or neither?: Touch screen. 41. How did you dress your freshman year of high school?: I was peak wrestling fan back then so I liked wearing wrestling shirts paired with jeans, and Chucks because AJ Lee was into those. Pretty straightforward. 42. What religion are you?: I’m a frustrated atheist. 43. What color are the pajama pants you wore last?: I don’t wear pajamas to bed. 44. Were you obsessed with the Spice Girls back in the day?: I was never into them, and the only songs I know are their popular ones so I really couldn’t be any less interested. 45. What does your wallet look like?: It’s pink and has three main sections. First is for bills, second is for coins, and the third is for random receipts, papers, and extra 1x1/2x2 photos. There’s a slot for cards as well so I have my license and Starbucks and arcade cards in there, as well as several business cards I’ve been handed in the past. 46. Is your middle name embarrassing?: Not at all. I love the name Isabelle. 47. How many Facebook friends do you have? Do you add people you don’t know sometimes?: 450+. No. 48. Do you like pumpkin pie?: I’ve never tasted one. 49. What’s your favorite kind of yogurt?: I hate yogurt. 50. Do you like frozen yogurt?: ^

[thepheonixesorphanage]

30 Day OC Challenge

So my friends and I decided to do a 30 OC Challenge just for fun! I’ve decided to post the first 10 days here. Feel free to read and give me any feedback. I’d love criticism or comments on what you think of them. Very much looking to improve on my writing.

Days 1-10 below the cut. 

DAY 1: Introduction

Elliot was red. She was cherry lollipops and red vans. Her skin was tan and freckled like constellations, but inside she was burning a dark red that was hot to the touch. Her personality singed skin and left marks that you wanted to show off. With determination and confidence, she owned herself and didn’t let anyone forget that. She was a touch of spice you didn’t know you wanted until you got a taste. And it burned. But oh was it just right. Elliot Katherine Demarco. Even her name rolled off the tongue like waterfalls crashing onto rocks, or the sheathing of a newly forged blade. She was the jump out of an airplane, the start of an avalanche, the build up of adrenaline, and you couldn’t get enough.

June was just as June as her name portrayed her to be. She was vibrant in an array of colors only she could see and outgoing like a bird eager to take flight. She was dark skinned with soft edges that made you want to get lost, with hair just as all over the place as she was. A standard unto her own that no one could take. Her mind was scattered, tangled in thought and question that never seemed to stop. She was warm summer nights that left imprints of curiosity and wonder, a desire unspoken on the tip of the tongue. Her dark brown eyes were filled with a never ending burst of excitement and fascination that you didn’t want to look away from. June was warm, sweet, intoxicating, and everyone craved more.

DAY 2: Job

Lulu’s Cafe was that small coffee shop in downtown San Francisco. It had a cute hipster vibe on the outside with a calm rustique charm on the inside that was always thriving during lunch time no matter the day. Lulu’s cafe was the place that attracted the young teens and hipster wannabes. Mason was made for Lulu’s. A coffee enthusiast, with a love for the simple things in life, and not to mention, a hipster girls wet dream. Mason was a doc martin’s, plaid shirt and leather jacket kind of guy, complete with a close shave and thick, wavy, brown hair.

The customers loved Mason. His customer service routine was equipped with big smiles, laughter, and pleasant conversations between him and the guests. This is what made him so good at his job. Everything he did was genuine. But that’s the kind of guy Mason was. Lulu’s was happy to have Mason, and Mason was happy to have Lulu’s.

Monty’s theater was a fifty plus year old theater in the heart of San Francisco with the charm of a typical grandmother’s home. The type of home with a bowl of strawberry candies and pillow mints that no one knew where they came from or how long they had been there for. The theater smelt of fresh popcorn and at times, the vague lemony scent of furniture polish. As anything over fifty years would be, it was falling apart, with its fading carpet that looked like it belonged in a blockbuster video store, and cabinets that were barely hanging on to its last nail. Even though the theater was a bit “outdated”, to Kam, it was home. Or at least a second home. He had become close friends with the people he worked with and enjoyed his time there. Even though the pay wasn’t the best, Kam treasured the small theater for the people he met and the coworkers he had befriended, and goddammit, he knew he would be stuck there forever.

DAY 3: Hobbies

June spent 90% of her time with Jamie her best friend. At school, after school, before school, at home. They did everything from getting coffee to sleeping over to sneaking out at night. June typically had free range to do whatever she wanted when it came to her dad as long as it wasn’t illegal and she was home before 11pm. June often followed Jamie around after school. Instead of doing her homework she had taken to accompanying him to his improv practices in drama club on tuesdays and thursdays. Every other day, she spent the remainder of her time in her room either watching tv or “attempting” to do homework with Jamie. When Jamie was busy, June didn’t really know what to do besides watch TV or sit on the computer. Hobbies weren’t something she picked up on. Sure she didn’t mind reading but her attention span didn’t really allow her to sit for too long on one thing.

DAY 4: Family

Adopted from Hawaii just after birth, June was very much loved by her mother Stella and her father Aaron. Or so June thought. Four years later, June began to wonder how much her mother really loved her when she left them for another man and his family. Over the next 13 years, her mother kept in contact with her father but June wanted nothing to do with her. So much so she purposely went by June, the abbreviated form of her middle name Juniper, instead of her first name Stella; of course named after her mother. Just saying it was like vile in the back of her throat. June however, loved her father very much. He worked long and hard hours as an accountant to provide for her and gave her a wonderful life full of everything she could want and she saw that everyday when he came home from work with tired eyes. It was just the two of them, and that was how she liked it.

Two older brothers, one younger, her grandmother, a rather young mother and father, and of course, Elliot. The Demarco household was always full. Together Elliot and her family lived in a tiny trailer park that barely housed the lot of them but nonetheless, they made it work. There was never a dull moment. Noah and Liam, the two oldest fought over the dumbest of things. “Those are my fucking socks!” Liam would shout. “We have the same fucking pair!” Noah would shout back. Their mother would simply shake her head. The youngest Ben was always going on about the latest fad or interest. One week would be painting, the next would be basketball. Her grandmother, Camille, hogged the one tv they owned in the living room, always watching TLC or HGTV. Between that, or talking to her friend Janice on the landline from her weekly knitting club. John and Theresa, Elliot’s parents worked early in the morning and came home in the afternoon. Family time was important to them and even though they didn’t have a lot of money, they were happy. It was crazy and loud, and sometimes Elliot thought she’d go insane, but it was home nonetheless.

DAY 5: Friends

June was rather well known in school for her loud and funny personality. She didn’t care what people thought and loved making people laugh. She had a few people she might consider friends but they weren’t really the friends she went to for things or asked to hangout with on a daily basis. Jamie however, was her best friend. Like her, he too, didn’t care what anyone thought and just like her, had a big mouth, except he didn’t have a filter. They were the comedy duo of Ulysses Memorial High School. Jamie was openly gay and proud. He wore collared shirts buttoned at the top with pants in various patterns that changed depending on the day of the week. Every conversation he had usually consisted of, “So listen hoe,” or “Honey you did not?”, and 90% of the time, “Okay sunshine, calm down.” Sunshine was his nickname for June. No real reason in particular. Jamie happened to say it one day and it just stuck. He was the God of nicknames. June tried one day by calling him the “Full Moon” to her “Sunshine”.

“Are you calling me fat? Juniper Martell, calling her best friend full to his face. Okay hoe, I see.” Needless to say it didn’t catch on. Despite the terrible nickname, their friendship was like that of the sun and the moon. They both came with a strong force that brought them closer and no matter what came at them, they would always be there for each other.

It was Linda, Martin, Chris, Jack, and Elliot. Always together, anywhere in town, anytime of day. Besides school of course. Elliot shared a class with all of them except Martin, but they spent enough time outside of school that it didn’t matter. Most of the time they could be found in The Main, a small part of town where a lot of the local businesses were located, one in particular being Fun Center USA, their favorite. Linda and Martin always competed for the top score on Space Invaders. This typically took hours with a small crowd joining in to see the new record. Jack talked to the girls that came in on friday nights, and when there were no girls dumb enough to feed into what he had to say, he hit up the arcade. Elliot and Chris went straight to the batting cages. There was nothing like the rush of the impact and the sting of the bat in their hands. Seeing the ball shoot across the field made Elliot’s adrenaline pump and they constantly fought to see who could hit the ball harder and farther. Chris always said it wasn’t a contest and didn’t matter, but Elliot liked to argue it was because he couldn’t admit to losing. Elliot wouldn’t say she was exactly close to them all, but as far as friends went, she guessed they were a pretty cool group to run the town with.

DAY 6: Guilty Pleasure

Elliot could spend hours upon hours watching TLC. She blamed her grandmother of course but like she said, “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make them drink.” She was right of course, but Elliot wasn’t going to admit it. Cake boss was the shit. The cakes where beyond amazing. How in God’s name do they create these sculptures that you can EAT?! And the drama??? The show consumed her. She could care less whether it was real or not, that shit was entertaining. That and Four Weddings. Elliot never knew if she wanted to get married, or if she’d even get the option, but that didn’t stop her from rating other peoples weddings and seeing how terrible or great the night went. Some of the women on that show went all out spending thousands on a dress they’d only wear once, and the perfect venue they spend maybe five hours of their life at. Her favorites where the more bizarre brides. The ones with a halloween theme, or a batman themed wedding, or a fucking underwater theme. The list could go on. She would never outright tell anyone, but she had a soft spot for family and home channels.  

DAY 7: Casual Outfit

It was all bright colors for June. From yellow polka dotted pants to blue dresses to checkered skater skirts with bright purple tights. June’s closet looked like a rainbow exploded in her room. She accessorized with sparkly rings and necklaces that caught the light and large bangles that matched the days color scheme, if you could say she even had one. Her favorite shoes where a pair of basic black flats that buckled at the ankle and match anything and everything. Her go to pair for any outfit. June’s clothing was loud and bright just like her personality. It wasn’t a secret that she stood out in school, but if she was going to, she was going to own it.

Three pairs of ripped jeans, one nice for special occasions. Graphic tees galore. That was mostly what people gave up to thrift stores, but Elliot was happy to take them off their hands. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure right? Her favorite piece however, was her shoes. Red checkered vans, a birthday present from her parents. She wore them everywhere and anywhere. The only other pair was a beat up pair of off-brand black vans that she wore for when she was running out for something real quick. Elliot wasn’t one for accessories but she was always seen with a faded red backwards hat. It was against school dress code of course, but that didn’t stop her from carrying it along with her for when she decided to leave. Fashion and clothing wasn’t Elliots main focus. They were second handed and worse for wear, but her style was hers and no one could take that from her.

DAY 8: Formal Outift

Elliot was a same four outfits a week kind of person with only one formal outfit for whatever special occasion it called for. If it weren’t for her mother, Elliot would roll up to a wedding with ripped jeans and faded graphic tees, unfortunately her mother nagged to the point they spent a whole day at Goodwill and various other thrift stores looking for the perfect outfit. After trying on a skin tight, yellow mini dress, and a pant suit that made her look like she belonged in a Michael Jackson music video, Elliot found pants that just so happened to work perfectly with the top and shoes her mother found. Everything about the outfit was perfect. The pants were a navy blue with matching suspenders. The fabric stretched ever so slightly fitting the curve of her hips and buttoning at the waist. The top was a white and navy blue striped button up that Elliot tucked into the pants and rolled the sleeves to just below the elbow. The top was soft and lay perfectly over her shoulders, dipping into the curve of her waist, accentuating her feminine figure as the suspenders gave her a hint masculinity to the outfit. It was subtle but much needed addition to the outfit. Elliot felt beautiful and confident and thought maybe this wasn’t so bad afterall.  

DAY 9: Spirituality

June had been raised in a non-denominational church her whole life. Her father was a deacon at a reasonably big church a few miles downtown, and June participated in the choir like she had been doing since she was ten. She was religious, but when she discovered she was attracted to girls, she wasn’t so sure anymore. It’s not that she instantly decided God wasn’t real, but most christians preached such things as sin and that you’d end up in hell. Her church had never preached against it, it was just never really...brought up? June believed in Heaven and Hell, she believed in God, but to her something didn’t add up. Her father was a very religious man. Not the kind to drill the word of God into sinners of the world, just one proud to be Christian and expressed that through crocheted pillows and inspirational wall art. One day June would tell her father how she felt, but not for a while. Maybe when she went off to college? Or moved out of state? Or when the people of Earth decided to colonize Mars? Whichever came first.

Elliot’s family wasn’t the religious type. If anything, they’d call themselves agnostic. They knew something had to be out there, but what exactly, they didn’t know. The Demarco’s were quite possibly the most open minded and non-judgmental family anyone could meet. Elliot had come out to her family when she was thirteen. When she told her parents she thought she liked girls, her dad responded with a handshake and a, “Welcome to the club!” The oldest brother Liam responded with, “Wait, so you’re a fa-” but didn’t get to finish before their grandmother slapped the shit out of him, and never again did Liam say another word like that again.

DAY 10: Broken Temper

Mason was a calm type of mad. Not much angered him. Some days he didn’t get enough sleep, skipped coffee, or just wasn’t in the mood. When he was like this he mostly kept to himself. Slight nods, silent treatments, snappy answers. Kam knew not to bother him too much on days like that. Kam had seen Mason truly angry only once. The day began with much begging and a million please’s as Kam finally talked Mason into going to a free concert at a downtown bar. It was open to the public with local performers playing throughout the night. Everything was fine until Mason left to use the restroom and came back to find a man pushing himself on Kam. With a beer in one hand and the other holding on tightly to his shoulder, Mason’s expression changed in a heartbeat. The man leaned in close to talk to Kam, who in return, looked very uncomfortable. Mason knew Kam was too nice to tell him to leave him alone. He was about to politely pull Kam away, until the stranger moved his hand down the small of his back before pushing himself onto him. Mason was there in seconds, shoving the man off Kam. Mason’s voice was loud and harsh. “Hey, get the fuck off of him!” Mason could smell the alcohol on his breath, clearly drunk. “Fuck you man! You don’t own him!” He retaliated, stepping up to Mason who had a good few inches over him. Mason had him by the collar when he felt a light tug on his shirt. He turned around to see Kam holding on, his eyes soft and pleading. Mason turned back to the guy and let go, taking Kam by the hand and leading him out without another word. His grip was tight and firm as he made a beeline for the door. Kam’s only thought after that night was to see aggressive Mason more often.

No one could stop Elliot when someone made her mad. This isn’t the complaining and cursing about life and dumb people type of mad, but the type that actually made her snap. It wasn’t a surprise when people heard that Elliot was caught in a fight at school. Guys liked to test her and push her buttons and Elliot damn well made sure they knew what they had gotten themselves into. 90% of Chris and Jacks responsibility as her friend was spent keeping her out of fights or, when they were too late, pulling her off the poor guy that decided to say the wrong thing to her.

Unfortunately Chris was absent the day Elliot had overheard a conversation between Caleb and his friends over another kid a seat away who could clearly hear every word they were saying. Elliot wasted no time walking over to tell him to “Shut the hell up!” This led to some words being passed back and forth before Elliot took her fist to his face, leaving the giant man baby, as she called him, on the floor, stunned. The end result was a broken nose and a fractured hand, which Elliot thought was well worth it. When questioned by the principal as to why she did what she did, she answered with, “Well maybe if he had left Tyler alone and not decided to call him a, ‘faggot little bitch who can shove a ruler up his ass’, to the entire cafeteria, then maybe I wouldn’t have.” Elliot said holding onto her hand, her voice harsh, brown eyes sharp.  

The principal sighed, rubbing her hand down her face. Elliot had gotten to know Mrs. Larsen really well over the past few years.