aliyebalik

[aliyebalik]

"Hell, I'll just have to let you write my whole profile, make it really good," she teased, waving her phone in front of her with a laugh. Not that her profile had any issues, she never seemed to have trouble making connections on them. An interested hum came from her throat as Coralie answered the question, head bobbing with interest. "That's a solid one. I've seen a few of those and for sure, I could believe it." One hand shifted up to her chin, brushing against it as she let herself think about a good conspiracy theory. "Man, there's so many out there, but I could get behind some of the like Illuminati theories and stuff like that. Some secret society out there running the world behind closed doors."

@coralie--olsen

"Do it!" Coralie insisted. "Write it down if you've gotta; there's more where that came from," she said, tapping the side her head. She smirked, her lips pursing as she nodded along. "Damn right, and don't forget it." She giggled, looking down at the brunette as she laid herself out. At the next question, she raised a brow and hummed. It was a good question, one Coralie hadn't really thought about before. "One I could fuck with? That we're in a simulation. But..." She paused. "One I absolutely believe? The Mandela Effect. Some of the 'proof'—crazy." She shook her head. "Right, now I have to know which you believe in."

[aliyebalik]

"Totally. There's nothing anyone can do to me that's more embarrassing than what I do to myself," she laughed, nodding her agreement. Aliye had never been shy about putting herself out there, at least not since she'd really grown into herself. A few shaky years after moving to the United States had led to a much more vibrant personality. Her laughter continued, an ease to the moment out on the water just enjoying the company. "Very true, though, it's timeless. Can't beat some of those old albums. I will, though. The place is almost done and ready to move in, so it's exciting. Shouldn't be too long before I get all the bells and whistles done with it." It had been a years long project for her that was finally coming together into a full bungalow.

Her head tilted back towards Christopher with a curious look in her eyes when the conversation shifted to his divorce. It wasn't something they'd talked much about, which automatically made it more intriguing for Aliye. "Yeah, I absolutely get that. Quietly miserable isn't a way to live," she agreed, pausing for a moment before continuing to speak. "Was it ever worth it? Being married?" Aliye didn't know if marriage would ever be in her future, but it was always something she loved to hear people's perspectives on.

@christopherxmurray

"Impervious to blackmail?" He chuckled, "Well, then I'm screwed." His laughter grew and he shook his head. "Guess I better keep my embarrassing moments under wraps so you don't expose me on national television one of these days." He joked with her, knowing that were not a risk. "Me? Predictable? Ouch," Christopher lifted a hand, placing it over his heart as if he were offended by what Aliye had said to him. "Rumors is timeless," he said wit ha nod of his head, "and nothing beats vinyl." Christopher had quite the collection himself. "You'll have to let me know when it's installed. That's going to be one hell of a set up you'll have."

As she spoke, he nodded his head. "Yeah, I get that. You don't want to resent someone. I mean, that's pretty much how my divorce happened." It wasn't something he spoke of often, "But we were starting to resent one another." Ultimately, they decided it was the best decision for the both of them, to part ways. "I'd rather be alone than quietly miserable with someone. I almost went down that road and I won't do it again." @aliyebalik

[aliyebalik]

"Oh, for sure. My mom is the best. I know its tough on her, but she's nothing short of the most supportive person in the world," she admitted, the fondness for her mother coming out clearly in her words. Her mom was her rock and always had been and any chance Aliye had to talk the woman up, she'd take it. "God, exactly. It's crazy. Like, I know not everyone gets to be in a position where they can do what they love and still afford to live, but I could never work a job I hated." Aliye would always have found a way to work doing something that gave her a purpose and that she enjoyed. Life, to her, was too short to be miserable. Her work as a lifeguard wasn't something that made her a lot of money, but as long as she could make ends meet, she'd be happy with it. "Exactly. That's what I've been telling people for years, just give me my own show," she laughed. Aliye could never have done something that intense where she signed up to be on a show all the time. What she did competing was one thing, but to let people into her life otherwise would have crossed too many boundaries for her. As public of a figure as she was, she was a surprisingly private person on social media. "Is the charm working? Have I sold you on being my first victim on the boat?" she asked with a flicker of a grin, one brow lifting towards the man.

@hasadxaslan

"That is really long, but it sounds like you've got a supportive family on your side which can be half the battle of being away from them for some time." Hasad smiled warmly at the woman across from him, enjoying getting to know her. "That has to make all the difference." His head nodded, her words resonating with him in a way that he hadn't thought possible. While he had thought that, he had not spent a lot of time discussing it with others. "Yeah, I couldn't imagine working a job that made me miserable five out of seven days a week." Hasad said with a shake of his head. "We do spend so much of our lives working that it just doesn't make any sense." He knew, though, that not everyone had the luxury to work a passion job. "I could never," he held up his hands in a mock surrender, laughter bubbling over his lips. "A whole show seems right up your alley," his laughter continued, "People aren't going to see it coming until it's too late," Hasad said with a shake of his head, "you've just got that kind of charm, don't you?" @aliyebalik

[aliyebalik]

"No kidding. That's kind of wild. I guess my family are just too chill for any lasting feuds with anyone," she commented back with a soft laugh. Aliye couldn't imagine what it took to develop a depth of hatred for another family that could develop into a full feud, but she supposed it happened. More so, probably, in more prominent families or families with money than with any simpler families like her own.

Her smile lifted again, head inclining towards Levi. "You're on. Any time, seriously, I'll never say no to being out there on the waves," she nodded, always glad to make plans for it whenever she had people willing to join her. Pulling her phone out, she shifted it over towards Levi. "Here, put your number in and I'll shoot you a text so we can make plans."

@levi-steelexhutchinson

"It really does sound like Romeo and Juliet but just that they were forced to be together and never really loved each other," he shrugged his shoulders. Levi never really thought about how his life and family history could be basically a play. Levi always enjoyed plays, his favorite was always Romeo and Juliet maybe because it was a classic. It was also funny because he was not one to believe in love too or believe in dying for someone out of romantic love like that. "Yup, family feuds are still a thing," he nodded. "I have some family here too."

"We totally need to catch some waves together. I can show you my skills and you can show off your amazing skills too," he winked with a smile on his face. @aliyebalik

[aliyebalik]

The immediate meow from Nova when Teagan suggested the pink colors brought an audible aww from Aliye, eyes softening as she looked over at the kitten. "Yes, queen. She knows what she wants and we will absolutely deliver," Aliye grinned, sifting through some of the random art supplies she'd brought to find everything they needed to glam out the box for Nova. Picking out anything that was pink or pink adjacent, Aliye laid them all out so they could pick and choose what supplies they wanted to go with to add to it. Laughing gently, Aliye gave a half shrug in response. "I don't know about admirable, but yeah, it's a cool job. I'm just lucky that I get to go out there and experience a once in a lifetime kind of thing like all the time now." Now that she'd cemented herself into the rotation of competing on The Challenge, she got the call far more often. It was a lot to commit to sometimes, but something she'd always have a hard time turning down. Her smile faltered when Teagan mentioned not seeing much of Creepy Jim, a grimace immediately following. "Stop it, you're lying," she chuckled nervously as she pulled a face. "Sorry to inform him, but he'll have plenty of competition for my attention. I met some pretty cool people filming." Nothing that she'd had any intention of pursuing now that filming was over and she was back home, but plenty of people that could show up and intimidate the hell out of Creepy Jim if she needed it. Her head tilted to the side, humming softly in thought when Teagan mentioned Bradley's name. "I don't think I've met him, but you best believe it's my mission now to go find him and make sure she's good people," she teased. If Teagan had chosen him, Aliye had a feeling he was probably a great guy. "That's amazing, though, Teegs. I'm happy for you, seriously. You deserve some good vibes in life after everything that happened. How long have you known him for?"

@teaganweatherford

"Good point." Teagan nodded, sipping the wine in her hand as she did. There was truth behind those words; just don't expect her to actually make a list right now. She probably couldn't. "That's what I'm saying." Teagan nodded, giving the box another look over, her head cocking to the side to give it another look. "What color do we think? White? Gray?" she questioned. "A light pink with dark pink glitter letters?" she questioned, just as Nova gave a small meow, almost on cue. "Well, I guess that answers that." she laughed. "Pink with pink. Nothing less for princess Nova." She was thankful to hear about her friend's adventure. "That's so fun though; I mean, honestly. You get to go to Chile to compete on a competition show. And kick ass while doing it." Teagan nodded. "It's truly admirable and I wish I had enough dedication and will power to do it." she laughed. She began digging through her own box of supplies, pulling out as many half empty bottles of pink paint she could manage when the other asked if her and Creepy Jim fell in love and Teagan shuttered, feeling the chill run over her spine at the mere thought. "Not even close." she stated. "I think he's in love with you though; I think I only saw him twice the entire time you were gone." she joked, though the last part had been the truth. She hadn't seen much of him at all. "But no, it's actually an ex. Or well was an ex." she admitted. "You know Bradley Kincade at all? He's been in town pretty much his entire life. Teaches math at the high school." she started. "Anyways, we uh, we hooked up awhile ago. After everything went down with the house after Christmas and then spent a few months avoiding each other because neither of us knew what it meant. Turns out we were both on the same page about wanting to be more than just friends again, and well, here we are." @aliyebalik

[aliyebalik]

Aliye was already squirming just thinking about the steamier drama that she'd gotten herself into over the course of the filming cycle. It somehow always seemed to happen, Aliye getting herself caught up in relationship drama that continued year after year. "Love that for me. Embarrassing myself for your entertainment is truly why I do what I do," she teased, shaking her head a bit before she pulled her shirt up and shifted position so Omar could start working on adding to her tattoo. "So, half the cast were all new people, which you know, I love that for me. I got a little involved with one of the new guys, he's from the WWE? Which, I know nothing about, but dude was fine, so, I'm sure they'll have fun clipping that footage to put on TV." All things she'd have to warn her mother about before she watched any episodes in the future. Her eyes grew wide when Omar talked about Sawyer's ex, resisting the urge to immediately jump in her seat to look over at him. "Are you fucking kidding me? Did you fuck his whole life up? Give him a weird ass tat that he'll have to explain his whole life?"

@omarxmorrison

Omar leaned back in his chair, gloves already on and the machine quiet in his hand, "You know damn well I want the steamy shit first," he said, laughing, "but only because I like to see you squirm while you tell it. The embarrassing stuff can be the palate cleanser afterwards." He nodded toward her arm, motioning for her to settle in as he prepped the skin. "I've missed you too, though," he never would miss a moment to share the sentiment with Aliye. "Same old for me. Ink and late nights." He chuckled, "You won't believe who came in here not long after you let, though." Omar shook his head, "Sawyer's shit of a boyfriend came in here, wanting a tattoo." @aliyebalik

[aliyebalik]

"Exactly. I kind of love that. I might have to put that on my Hinge profile," she laughed, making a mental note to jot down the phrasing Coralie used for later use. Her head bobbed along, appreciating Coralie's answers to the question as well. "Dead on. You could absolutely fuck someone up, but damn do you look so sweet and innocent," she teased. "Solid answers all around though. We love a good rainbow." Aliye stretched herself out, getting comfortable as she laid back on the beach towel she'd thrown down in the sand. "Okay, next fun question for you. What conspiracy theory do you absolutely fuck with?" Aliye tossed another question back Coralie's way, head shifting to face her with a lifted brow as she asked it.

@coralie--olsen

Coralie waited as the other thought about the question, her eyes curious and eager. These types of questions were ones that Coralie loved, so simple, but deep enough to tell her about someone, like their favorite color, or band. "I could see that." Sitting up, she crossed her legs, turning to face Aliye a little bit more. "We are all energy, but that makes a lot of sense. Everchanging, yet still the same; eternal, and everywhere all at once." Looking up to the sky, she thought for a moment, chewing on the inside of her cheek while she did. "Animal, I'd be something like... A deer. Soft and gentle exterior, but they'll fuck you up." She shrugged, running her hand through the sand beneath them. "If I had to choose something that wasn't an animal, I'd be a rainbow."

[aliyebalik]

closed starter for @omarxmorrison at inked illusions

After a day of rest and recovery following her return from Chile, which was largely spent on her mom's couch catching up with her and showering Tavua with love, Aliye's first call was to Omar. Now late in the evening, the shop was closed down, just the two of them there as Aliye got settled in to tell stories from her time away and get her new tattoo inked into her skin. "So, what do you want first? Best moments? Most embarrassing shit I did? Or the steamy shit that I pray won't make it to television or my mother will finally have to disown me?" she asked, bouncing around in the seat as she beamed over at her best friend. "But also catch me up on you. I missed you. It was a long fucking few months, let me tell you."

[aliyebalik]

"Olives?" she asked with a snort of laughter. She'd heard of a lot of random eating contests, but never olives. "How many olives did you eat? Because like, yeah, I can eat a few olives. They're fine. But, a contests worth of them? No chance." She was an adventurous eater, usually pretty down to eat anything, but it had to be something especially good if she was going to scarf down large quantities. "That's super cute, though. Your suffering was totally worth it, sounds like."

Aliye pushed the boat of ice cream towards the middle of the table to make it easier for Vincent to share with her. "Oh, they're not losing at all on this. Making a killing, probably. I spent fifty bucks to try this stupid challenge," she admitted with a shake of her head.

@vincentxcastro

"It was who could eat the most Olives," Vincent replied and could not help but laugh. That was one funny memory, seriously he never guessed that a olive eating contest at a bar would lead to him finding the love of his life, being married with three amazing kids. "What adds and makes it even more funny is that, I hate olives," he sighed shaking his head.

"Okay let me go get an extra spoon," he spoke getting up to get a extra spoon and coming back. "I wonder how much money they lose from all of this." @aliyebalik

[aliyebalik]

Aliye: OH. Damn, dude. I thought you bought yourself a cute new ring. Aliye: Wtf?? I know I was gone a few months, but I didn't realize I was gone long enough for you to get MARRIED.

Ruby: I mean, when in Rome, I guess. By Rome, I mean he popped the question on the balcony in NYC, looking over Central Park. Ruby: How could I say no? SMS ATTACHMENT:

[aliyebalik]

Aliye: damn, girl. that's a hell of a treat yourself day. Aliye: i gotta go jewelry shopping with you sometime.

Ruby: So I did something crazy.... @aliyebalik sms attatchment:

[aliyebalik]

"Some people would definitely call me a superhero, yes. But, ah, I compete on TV in a few shows. Competitive stuff," she explained with a proud nod. It was such a big part of her life now with her career really cementing with competing on The Challenge. "I do! Bought a yacht many years ago and it's been home for awhile now. I was raised on the water for sure, definitely in my blood." Though she was in the process of building her own home on the land, the yacht would always be somewhere she could escape to even when she did have her own place. Taking another longer sip from her drink, Aliye's eyes were locked in with Altan's, a shine in them as they flirted back and forth. It was something she thrived on, the banter and meeting new people. "I've always found that the tide brings you exactly where you need to be sometimes. You should, though. Come around more often. Here, the beach...the marina even."

@altanceyhan

Altan leaned back slightly, a smirk tugging at the edge of his mouth as he studied her with new interest. “A lifeguard by day, and then what, superhero by night?" He asked her as a soft chuckle escaped his lips. He paused, his gaze steady but warm. “You live on a boat?" He asked, clearly intrigued. "I’m starting to think you’ve got half the ocean in your blood.” He jested with a smirk, before he reached for his drink to take a swing of it. “As for me? I don’t come around here often enough, but I’m starting to think I should,” he said, his smile deepening. “Maybe the tide finally brought me into the right bar.” @aliyebalik

[aliyebalik]

Back from filming her latest stint on reality television, Aliye had yet to ease back into working and was taking an extra week or two to recover before she was back lifeguarding. The time off was welcome, though she was still spending the majority of her time out by the water. Propped up in the sand, Aliye was munching on snacks and just watching the waves with Coralie. "Oh, damn, you know. There's the easy, obvious answer of like a dolphin or something ocean related," she mused, tilting her head to the side thoughtfully. It was a somewhat weird question, but one that she was absolutely down to put a lot of thought into. "I don't think I'd be an animal, though. Something more ethereal like star dust or just like vibes, you know. Energy out in the universe. What's your answer?"

@coralie--olsen

Closed starter for @aliyebalik Where: Kismet Beach

"Do you ever think of what you'd be if you weren't you? I mean, like, an animal or something." Leaned back on the warm sand propped on her elbows, Coralie looked out over the ocean, the salty breeze hugging her skin. The weather was perfect, just warm enough, but not too sunny. This relaxation was something she'd looked forward to for far too long. Though she was here a lot, she wasn't typically soaking up the sun. She'd collect her shells and other various items, and make her way back home. "Okay, maybe it's a weird question," she said, throwing her head back as she laughed, before looking to Aliye. "But, it's something I like to know about people. It says a lot about you, y'know?"

[aliyebalik]

"Exactly. Like, its them, but not all of them. Just enough to make you miss them more," she nodded, completely understanding the sentiment. "It's definitely hard. My mom is usually on her own here with my dad out at sea, so leaving for a few months is tough. Film cycles for The Challenge are like three months give or take, which is long. Really long." Her mom had always supported it, though, and had always encouraged her to keep taking the calls whenever they came in. The phone calls, though not perfect, were better than nothing. Aliye's hands patted at the table as Hasad spoke, agreeing entirely. "Honestly, life is so much better when you figure that out. Some people spend their whole lives doing work that they aren't passionate about. I can't imagine that. You spend so much of your time in life working, so why wouldn't you want it to matter as much as everything else in life?" Aliye knew that it wasn't always that easy and that some people never were able to find what it was that brought them a real level of satisfaction with their careers, but in an ideal world everyone would find that place where they felt like it was worth something more. Laughing warmly, Aliye leaned back in forward, her chin now resting in her hands. "Oh, come on, now. Don't sell me short. Not just a segment, but a whole show. I've got to get some footage to pitch my new dating scam show to the networks, obviously," she teased.

@hasadxaslan

"Yeah," Hasad's voice was quiet for a moment, "hearing someone's voice just is not the same as seeing them in person. Almost like it's not real." They were always just out of reach, it seemed. "That has to be hard, I imagine you are gone for a few months at a time?" If not longer, but he wasn't familiar with film schedules. Hasad shifted in his seat, leaning back with a comfortability that had come with time on their date. "Yeah, something like that," he chuckled, "I used to think I had it all figured out more, though. You know? Checked boxes with a degree, salary, career and stability but I've come to find out it's more about how you feel doing the work than anything." Hasad knew that when he was unhappy, he wasn't going to want to work and that had never sat right with him. "So as long as the career gives me room to grow, yeah, I think I'll ride it out until I retire." There was a flicker of sincerity in his eyes, "Though, I'm not afraid to pivot if I need to." He had once before. "What's the catch?" He teased, his brow raising curiously, "I drink on a yacht with a reality star and suddenly there's a segment on television about men who fall for pretty women with boats?" @aliyebalik

[aliyebalik]

"Joke's on you, I've embarrassed myself more on television than anyone could ever beat. Totally impervious to blackmail these days," she grinned back over at him. Aliye had never been one to take herself too seriously anyway, so even the more cringe things she'd done in her lifetime she never let it dwell in her mind for long. "Classic song for a classic kind of guy. Absolutely predictable. Fleetwood Mac, though, can't go wrong. I know some songs. Maybe not much of their earlier stuff, but like...Rumours album era I know a decent few." Aliye pulled her guitar out then to start strumming, working out the melody of one of the songs from memory as they chatted. "Always sounds better on vinyl. I'm buying a custom record player to install at the beach house on the back deck, it's going to be so badass."

Meeting people was easy for Aliye. She'd "dated" plenty over the years in life, but nothing had ever felt as serious as other people seemed to experience. "No kidding. Like, yeah, I go out on dates, I'll kick it with people for awhile, but I don't know. Never quite feels right, I guess," she shrugged. Aliye liked having her own life on her own wavelength and the idea of tying herself down to someone had always felt like a disservice to the vigor with which she attacked life. "Never. If it's not working, I'll set the whole thing on fire. It - I guess I just never want to get stuck with someone that's holding me back. That wouldn't be fair to me or them. I'd rather cut things off before I start to resent someone, you know?"

@christopherxmurray

"I will video you if you start playing anything from Frozen," he chuckled, "that's the kind of blackmail material that people dream of." He flashed her a playful grin, one that indicated he'd only joke about doing it and not actually. He leaned against the side of the boat, the salt air refreshing in lieu of the hospital surgery room he normally spent his time in. "Are you asking for my favorite Frozen song? You know it's Let it Go," he teased her, "I'm predictable, what can I say?" His shoulders lifted into a shrug, "But if you want to know my favorite song in general," he tipped his head to the side just slightly, "I like some of the older Fleetwood Mac stuff, got it on vinyl and everything." Christopher continued.

When she mentioned not looking, something in his expression softened. "Yeah, I get that." He blew air over his lips. "Finding someone to match your rhythm can be a challenge in itself." Since his divorce, he had not found anyone willing to put up with his workaholic tendencies. "Just means you're not afraid to light the match, right?" His brow raised, the tease lacing his words once more. "I can't say I'm that brazen." @aliyebalik

[aliyebalik]

There was absolutely no arguing the fact that in her presence there was very little peace most of the time. Even days where she was relaxing, the energy could only stay muted for so long. "Name one accident that you've ever had in my presence, Cisco, come on now. I'm a lot, but I'm safe. Mostly," she grinned, a twinkle of danger in her eyes. It was fairly true that she pushed the limits a lot of the time, but when other people were involved she knew when to push and when to hold back. Aliye would put herself into dangerous situations without a second thought, but she at least had the good sense not to do so with her friends in tow. "You'll live through the day, that I can promise. I'm even willing to go so far as to promise that you'll stay out of the hospital too." Aliye poked a few times at his arm to punctuate the promise before giving him a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "I want to encourage you to have more fun, not scare you away from it." It was a tightrope to walk with someone like Cisco, who had a far smaller capacity for recklessness than most, but Aliye hoped that she pushed just enough to enrich his life without overdoing it. Or at least be close enough that it didn't traumatize him. "Snorting softly, Aliye gave a soft nod of approval, glad that he'd had fun, if nothing else. He may not have sounded entirely convincing, but she was willing to lean into the picture he painted of having a good time. "You know what, a little shimmy on the side of the dance floor is big from you, so I'm very proud. I'm glad you had fun. We'll have to get you out to a club soon, show off some of those dance moves," she teased. "I'm off to Chile to compete on an upcoming season for The Challenge. Super exciting. I'll be gone for awhile, so you'll have to find a way to live for a few months without me. A hard ask, I know."

@franciscofontenelle

It was the ordinary occurrence, the normal progression of events, once Aliye and he were thrown together by choice or happenstance. Her arm linked with his was a stern reminder of how good things were only achievable when he was by himself. No Amayah, whose constant bickering would drive him toward the edge of his sanity. No Aliye, whose recklessness would lead him to his premature demise, as he was sure it would. Cisco glanced down at his company, when her words sat cemented in this reality, one eyebrow quirked in a manner, not as much challenging as it was dismissive. "No, for real." His mutter was a low one, his warm brown gaze soon reverted back onto the track they wandered on and his words sounded quite like an unspoken 'Nobody suffers as much as I do in your presence'. Cisco sighed, coming closer to accepting his fate. "Accidents happen, even on reasonably large hills, especially when you're in charge. Like .. The word peace and you don't work so well together." There was never so much as anything peaceful in the company of one Aliye Balik. "Besides, I would just like to get to live to the day to meet my niece of nephew, alright?" He let her pull him along, wondering why exactly it was that he could not steer clear from entertaining her and her antics, still. What was wrong with him? Before Cisco could find an answer to this burning question, her words plucked away at his attention and he sounded a wry chuckle. "I shimmied a little on the side of the dancefloor." And even that was an overstatement. "I mean, no. I can't complain. It was fun." A beat. "The weddings were fun." And he sounded like he was trying to convince himself. "Oh? Where will you be headed?" @aliyebalik

[aliyebalik]

Half the fun of shop class projects that she took on with Teagan outside of class was the wine that went along with it. None of the things they were building needed to be perfect, since generally they were just having a good time with it. "It would take less time to list off the things that aren't better when tipsy, honestly," she chuckled back with a pointed sip from her glass of wine. Aliye could drink with the best of them, though really she probably talked about drinking more than she actually drank. Mostly it was on lazy days like this hanging out with a friend over a glass of wine. "Oh, absolutely. A little bit of paint and some bedazzling and it'll be beautiful. Honestly, as long as Nova loves it, that's all that matters anyway." Aliye had a feeling the cat wouldn't mind one bit of the box was a little askew in some spots. There was a spunk to the cat already that suggested she would have all the fun in the world with whatever they made for her. "I did, though. Absolutely. Chile was gorgeous and competing never gets old. It's exhausting, but man, can't beat it." It was why she kept going back season after season, putting herself through the hell of a film cycle. The money didn't hurt either, since something had to fund her lifestyle. Aliye had started to dig around in the box of crafting supplies she'd brought to find some good colors to paint the box when she dropped everything in her hands to look back up at Teagan. "Hold on, way to bury the lead, girl. Tell me everything. Did you and Creepy Jim fall in love in shop class without me there to keep you safe?"

@teaganweatherford

"No argument needed because that's so true!" Teagan smiled, nodding as she sipped the wine in her cup. She was going to pretend it didn't taste insanely watered down from the ice she'd put in it when she'd refused to wait for it to chill, though maybe that was all the more reason to keep her away from the wine after all. "I can ramble off a whole list of things that are better when your tipsy but I'll spare your ears." she stated, smirking as she looked at the work in front of them. She did agree that it wasn't the best work, but, it wasn't as bad as it could be either. At least it was a box, even if it was a little lopsided and wonky looking. "Add some color and some lines that are squiggly or something and I don't think anyone would ever even notice." she laughed. "At least I hope. Truthfully this is just a box that I'm sure she'll have scratched to pieces in weeks anyways; she's already so feisty." she laughed, watching as the cat proved the point when she tried to use her claws to climb the couch. "Hey." she spoke, voice raised a little in an attempt to scold her cat. "We don't do that, miss." she laughed, scooping up Nova who lay in her lap. Her attention returned to her friend and she nodded. "I can only imagine. Did you at least have fun on your adventure?" she asked, eyes focusing on the other. "I can only imagine how intimidating it is out there." she shrugged. "I'm perfectly fine staying here in Kismet, but, I love that for you." she smiled. She shifted a little, focusing on the other as her smile widened. "I've actually started dating someone." she admitted. "Or well, dating them again." @aliyebalik