untakenroadss

[untakenroadss]

"i'm gonna hold you to that," jo said with a firm nod. she wasn't sure what she'd do if that didn't come to pass, but she'd figure it out. she knew where kennedy liked to grab lunch, after all. "is she in the city?" jo didnt know what she'd do if she didn't get to see jake every day. his dad could make the move if he wanted to see him, but she was his mom. she got to make those choices. jo shook her head and tapped the counter with her fingernail. "no, not too much. most of my family..." is dead? skipped out on me? "...doesn't live there anymore." why trauma dump on a near stranger? "plus my ex still lives out there." as far as jo knew, anyway. "things didn't end well. small town, you know the deal."

kennedy smiled. she was feeling super confident about her future work now. "good, i'm glad." the blonde knew her work was cliche, and she sometimes felt like just another young adult romance writer. lately she felt like her work didn't stand out, but now she was feeling inspired and more confident. it was just the boost she needed. "i think that can be arranged." she laughed. "she's 18 now, we practically grew up together, i was only sixteen when she was born." the blonde tugged at her lip. "oh, i love the catskills. do you visit home often?"

[untakenroadss]

jo had expected as much. seeing elsie in like a rainbow gave her enough pause to worry she might have been dreaming. if they'd run into each other on the street or in a coffee shop, that would make sense. but seeing elsie here was kind of like when you ran into students out in the wild or your kid's teachers at the bar. it just didn't quite make sense. she washed her hands just for something to do with them and kept an eye on elsie in the mirror, one eyebrow raised. when they were young, they'd sneaked out to their hometown's shitty dive bar or to those barn parties, but this seemed a little bit extreme.

granted, they weren't sixteen anymore, no matter how much it felt like they were in the school bathroom again. the music pumping through the speakers making the wall shake and the laugh lines reminded her they were definitely not in their high school anymore. jo finished washing her hands, turned off the faucet, and dried them, finally turning to look at elsie properly for the first time. why did it feel like her heart was lodged in her ass? and why was it beating so fast her watch was giving her an alert? she shook it off and crossed the room, still processing what elsie'd said. she'd moved here? here? to the same street she lived on? what were the odds?

"i'll walk you out," she said, holding the door open while rummaging around in her bag. "i need a smoke anyway." her nerves were fraying. "did you know i live on cornelia street, too?" she figured elsie didn't know. there was no way. "small world."

elsie was pretty sure she knew exactly why jo asked that - what she had really meant by it. "right. i was actually on my way out," she took a deep breath, trying to hold herself together. "i'm... not exactly into this sort of thing. was worth checking out, though." she didn't answer the question. after a moment, she forced a small smile. "i was here on my own."

should she say it? it's on the tip of her tongue, and she watches johanna, examining every detail of her face. so similar, but there are changes. "i just wanted to get a grasp of the area. i just moved to cornelia street." there. she did it. olive branch. she only hoped it was received well.

[untakenroadss]

jo's own collection was a lot of YA and middle grade books, both from her own childhood and for her son, so she wasn't particularly well-versed in what was trending, either. she circled the table of new released and hummed thoughtfully. "what's your favorite?" she asked, plucking a book at random from the table because the cover had caught her eye. you couldn't judge a book by its cover, but an interesting one sure helped gain her attention. "classic?" she flipped through the pages of the book she'd selected and set it back down. not her cup of tea.

"Well, we have a whole section up front here of the newest releases and things that are trending both online and with the New York Times Best Seller List," he motioned towards the front display. "But I haven't read most of them, truthfully. Romance books aren't quite my thing, and that seems to be all that's trending these days. I'm more into the classics, so I can help recommend those more than I can anything contemporary."

He knew that he should really be keeping up with the trending books, but with so much coming out so frequently, it was hard to delve into all of the new releases when all he wanted to do was curl up with his old favorites. Most of the newer stuff bored him, truthfully, with it's mass-produced look where every story looked like it was part of a series based on the cover, even if they had nothing to do with each other. He couldn't wait for the "Tik-Tok-ification" of books to die down.

[untakenroadss]

"i look forward to reading it." because, come on, of course jo knew kennedy's work. she didn't live under a rock. she just wasn't always reading fiction, so a few of the novels were collecting dust on her shelf. "get me an arc once it's done and i can get it intto the hands of all the pta moms once it's released." she found herself nodding in agreement. she didn't always find like minded people when she was wandering around town, but there were definitely worse ways to spend an afternoon. "how old is she?" she never thought she'd be one to talk about what was popular for sixth graders, but here she was. jo nodded, though better of it, and shook her head. "upstate. near the catskills. some of my extended family's still out there." thankfully she'd escaped to bigger and better things, even if she sometimes wondered about that place...and what who she'd left behind.

kennedy nodded in agreement listening to jo, she was glared someone shared the same thoughts as her. "right?" she laughed, shaking her head. she didn't have many friends who thought this into lesbian holiday films, and the more she thought about it, jo was right. she should write a cheesy lesbian christmas novel. "that can be arranged." kennedy smiled. "i really think i'm going to write a christmas novel inspired by this conversation, i'm glad we met today." the blonde meant it. she was stuck in her writing and she felt like she finally had her mojo back. "torres, got it." she took a long sip of her water. "oh wow, that's super impressive. i never did well in my science courses so that's really cool." she looked down at jo's lock screen. "oh my gosh, i love that. he's adorable." the blonde understood the feeling. "my little sister is like my best friend so i get it. it's a little different, but." even though it wasn't to kennedy, she knew the exact feeling. "did you grow up in new york?"

[untakenroadss]

jo hadn't even realized who it was she'd walked up on until gianna turned around, but the almost challenging smirk melted into an almost fond smile as she set her drink down at gia's table. "your form is terrible," she informed her, grabbing the nearest ball and stepping up to the lane before tossing the ball towards the pins with an easy flick of her wrist. she took down nine pins in the process and huffed in annoyance, going back for another ball and taking the last pin out easily. she was lining up her bonus shot when she registered the question. she took the shot and turned her back before seeing how many they knocked down. "nah, he's got a birthday party at keeping score, but by the time i got home i'd have to turn around and come back and get him." she sat down with a flourish and reached for a french fry. "so here i am. what are you doing here? waiting on someone?"

gianna wanted to do something fun by herself thinking it would be a way to do some SELF-LOVE. she vouched for heading to stay beautiful for a whole pampering session, maybe even getting a hair trim─ but she ended up at strikes fly instead. alone. she lined her ball up, racing down until she was in perfect form only to lead it into the gutter. an agonizing sigh escaped her lips, seeing a familiar face next to her. ❝ well maybe you should join me. as you can see, i am a professional at this. ❞ the tone of disappointment follows her as she sits down in her own little booth of the lane checking the scoreboard. ❝ what are you up to down here? do you and jake have your own lane somewhere? ❞

[untakenroadss]

jo purses her lips. "no one can win all the time." she sinks into an open seat around the table and takes a long sip from her beer before continuing. "but i'm pretty close." it would be interesting, if nothing else. give her something to do while jake and his friends try to beat dragon's lair upstairs. she shrugs, fingers itching for a cigarette. "sure. plus loser puts the drinks on their tab." she holds out her hand for the customary handshake, a gentlewoman's agreement. "you have a credit card..." jo asks almost innocently. "right?"

excitement  blossoms  like  the  first  flowers  to  spring  up  as  the  winter  winds  die  down.  lola  can  feel  her  smile  growing  ,  trying  to  reign  it  in  before  she  gets  too  excited.  there  aren’t  maybe  people  who  can  keep  up  with  her  these  days  …  she  needs  someone  to  keep  her  on  her  toes.  to  remind  her  that  life  doesn’t  have  to  be  as  boring  as  mid  18th  century  novel.  “ lucky  for  me  then  …  i  always  win. ”  arrogance  bleeds  into  talent.  she’s  not  one  to  sit  by  and  humble  herself  for  nothing.  reaching  over  ,  she  grabs  purse  that’s  tucked  beneath  jacket  thrown  across  benches.  “ i’ve  got  about  $56  in  cash  ,  enough  to  make  you  interested? ”  a  brow  is  raised  in  jo’s  direction  ,  mimicked  smile  to  one  she  had  been  shot  previously.  it’s  not  a  lot  of  money.  but  …  it  could  still  by  the  winner  at  least  another  few  drinks. 

[untakenroadss]

jo watched her through the mirror instead of turning to look at her properly. that just seemed safer somehow, like elsie was less likely to disappear on her if she kept an eye on her. on any other night, she might have thought she was just drunk enough to think the nice girl in the bathroom was her ex-best friend and ex-almost but she hadn't had a drop of alcohol tonight. she had to work in the morning and she wasn't as good at sleeping off a hangover as she'd been in college. she blinked a couple of times and elsie was still there, so she supposed this wasn't some kind of dream after all.

she finished re-applying her lipstick and reached across elsie for a paper towel. it was necessary so that she could blot the lipstick. jo focused on this until she was satisfied and tossed the used paper towel in the trash. "i come here sometimes. it's pretty cool, if you're into this sort of thing." which jo was pretty sure elsie wasn't. she was trying her best to hide her surprise at running into her, though. "do you really want to know?" she quirked a brow, a smirk turning one side of her mouth upwards. "been here all night. who are you here with?" she wasn't sure what answer she wanted. she just knew that if elsie told her she was here with a partner, she might need to grab a drink after all.

elsie was decidedly not a partier. the loud noises, the bodies everywhere - she'd known from when she was basically a kid, sneaking out with her friends to nightclubs. so now she felt foolish for even trying it out; she'd been here maybe an hour, mostly tucked away in a corner hoping that her courage would reach her and she'd be able to maybe dance or maybe just... enjoy herself. she'd missed out on her chance to be young, so why not take it now? that had been her logic, but it evidently didn't work like that. it just wasn't for her. and y'know what? it had been worth trying, even if she was just freshening up and leaving in disgrace.

johanna's face was something she always felt like she saw in the corner of her eye, but she instantly knew it was different this time. she met her eyes just for a second, but looked away before it started to burn. trying to hold herself together, she stepped forward, washing her hands and trying to remember english.

"i could ask you the same thing," she glanced over, trying not to let her eyes drag too long. jo looked the same, just... a little older. it was definitely not a bad look. "but what's anyone doing in a public bathroom?" elsie forced a smile. should she break the awkwardness? admit that ... admit anything? or should she pretend like this was casual, like this was normal to either of them? "i didn't know you were here."

[untakenroadss]

who: jo + elsie (@clsie) where: like a rainbow (bc reasons)

surprisingly, this bar turned out to be one of jo’s favorite places in the neighborhood. after the first couple of outings, she’d found a group of people her own age and ended up claiming a high top table to watch their younger companions on the dance floor and talk about everything from how much things had changed since they were kids to the most recent new york sports results. it was late on a monday, so most of the friends she’d made here had reluctantly called it a night, but jo was still keeping an eye on one of the TAs she’d accompanied here. knowing that particular TA, jo would be here until last call. at least she was surrounded by other people, so jo felt comfortable shooting her a don’t leave text and slipping off to the bathroom.

she just needed a minute. she didn’t mind crowds or anything, but sometimes when she was out for hours at a time, she needed a second to recharge. she didn’t have to go. she hadn’t had anything alcoholic to drink tonight. but she did need to splash some cold water on her face and then touch up her makeup. she was just reapplying her lipstick when the stall door behind her opened.

she saw her in the mirror first. jo would recognize that face anywhere. she’d spent enough of her young adult life sneaking around and kissing that face…and then, after she’d escaped to the west coast, wishing she were there with her. their eyes met in the smudged bathroom mirror and for a second, jo’s heart stutter-stepped in her ribcage before then beginning to beat double time. “elsie.” the name tasted familiar on her tongue despite the time apart. she turned her attention back to her own reflection to finish her lipstick. “what are you doing here?” it came out sharper than she meant. jo was just surprised, that’s all. and a little shellshocked, honestly. it’d been a long time

[untakenroadss]

jo scoffed. "it can be." she planted a hand on her hip as she watched lola take her turn. she had pretty good form. jo herself had learned how to bowl mostly from her ex husband, so she wasn't quite as polished...but she knew how to take the pins down. "if you win." she flashed an almost sharklike smile as she stepped up to the lane and selected the first ball she saw, coincidentally sparkly and purple, stepped up to the line, and casually bowled a strike. with an innocent lilt to her voice, jo headed back to ball the return. "depends." she took her bonus roll and frowned when she only managed to knock down eight pins this time. "did you wanna put money on it?"

“ is  bowling  ever  really  fun? ”  quip  rolls  like  weightless  toss  down  empty  lane  ,  awaiting  the  foreboding  smack  into  pins.  there’s  an  elegance  in  watching  them  topple.  swept  aside  until  their  next  turn.  standing  tall.  lola  could  relate  …  not  that  she  was  ready  to  admit  that  to  a  complete  stranger.  instead  ,  turn  came  with  brilliant  flash  of  smile.  practiced.  again  and  again.  “ —  can’t  stand  the  idea  of  playing  with  people  who  only  want  to  ‘have  a  good  time’.  i  want  the  competition. ”  half  truth.  easier  than  admitting  ,  nobody  had  agreed  it  might  make  a  good  stress  reliever.  “ you  wanna  join  me  …  ? ”

[untakenroadss]

jo raised a single eyebrow and reached for one of the glasses, smirking to herself. "it looks like something i'd display in my house." she glanced furtively left and then right. "what would happen if you forgot to take it back?" she traced the rim of the glass absentmindedly. it'd go great in her kitchen. she nodded along, carefully watching the group of of the corner of her eye and watching the clock over the bar. she'd give in seven minutes. seven was a lucky number, after all. "jo. you've probably seen me around." this place was practically her most well traveled hangout spot. she felt like she could be herself here, and after years of not feeling that way, she'd spend free time here all the time, even if she wasn't looking to get laid. it was just...nice, atmospherically. plus the employees were nice. she accepted the glass and gave a mock toast. "nice to meet you, syd. what about you? i'm a great wingman."

Sydney chuckled a bit. "It's literally just a Shirley Temple with vodka in it. For whatever reason, they're making a comeback." Even if they weren't her first choice, she could admit that they were easy to make. When Jo requested she see the glass, Syd turned to grab one and held it up. They were iridescent and had a female presenting silhouette as their shape. "They're a lot more interesting to post on social media," she explained. Pausing her conversation with the woman, she focused instead of delivering the new drink and trying to encourage the other patron to strike something up with the brunette. When she turned to head back down the bar, she laughed at the way Jo immediately questioned herself. "It wasn't bad," she insisted as she got started on a refill for the woman. "And she seemed interested! If she doesn't come up to you in a few minutes, I'd go up to her." Was this actually going to work out? "I'm Syd, by the way. Feel like I'm involved enough in your personal life now to actually introduce myself."

[untakenroadss]

"i don't know what's in that, but go for it." jo was still eyeing up the dirty blonde from the corner of her gaze and was pleased to see that the group seemed to be shooting less-than-furtive glances her way right back. she turned her attention back to sydney and cocked her head slightly. "show me the glasses. make my next one in one of them?" she flashed a toothy smile as she finished off her drink and slid the empty glass across the bar. she mouthed to herself about always looking hot as she stirred the ice remaining in her glass, careful to keep her eyes on the band currently playing. what was that keyboardist doing? a crowd surf? she stifled a laugh around her straw and turned her head just in time to hear syd offer the blonde the drink. she curled her fingers in a wave. that was fun. that was flirty. right? god, it'd been a long time since she'd been in the position to flirt, and when she'd done it with her husband, it'd just been spouting medical terms at each otherr. this was different. still, she couldn't deny the little thrill of her kickstart heart. when the other woman drifted back to her friends, she looked back at the bartender miserably. "that was bad. right?"

It was nice being able to have a real conversation. Usually, people came in in groups and stuck together instead of sticking around to chat. Which was something Sydney understood, of course. It wasn't like anyone was using a gay bar as a stereotypical place for a little bartender therapy. So on the rare occasions she was able to socialize further than what drink the person wanted, it gave her a little boost of interest in the job. "Pretty sure her and her friends went with dirty shirleys," she answered. "They were very excited about the fun glasses they came in." It had been endearing in a way. At least someone had given a shit. When the woman they'd been eyeing made her way back over to the bar, Sydney started on the drink without waiting for the official order. "Stay here and look hot," she instructed before heading the few steps down to deliver the fresh cocktail. Of course, she made sure to mention that it was from the woman a few stools down. Even if she hadn't gotten approval first.

[untakenroadss]

instead of answering the question directly, jo leaned onto her elbows and said "do you like true crime?" instead. without bothering to wait for an answer, she continued on like he had. "watch the tinder swindler on netflix and you'll get it." and that said nothing of the actual disaster that tinder dates could bring. she'd gotten stood up, had the most awkward first date conversation, and gave some poor woman a black eye all in the same week once. needless to say, jo wasn't exactly swiping much lately.

when cecil's eyes dropped, jo looked at him, noting the downturn of his mouth and the set of his shoulders. she hummed under her breath and nodded solemnly. she couldn't help but think of her, of whispers in the back of a truck bed, stolen moments in the dark. there'd been whispers of somedays that never happened and i love yous that meant nothing in the end. or had they? jo didn't like to think about her very much. it had been mostly her fault, anyway. she was the one who left.

"yeah. it does." she lifted her glass in a toast and downed it before pointing to his empty one. "can i get you another soda or something?" she didn't feel sober enough to go home just yet, but she wasn't drunk enough to shake off the feeling of missed chances. another drink was just what the doctor ordered...and she was a doctor, so she'd know.

"careful with tinder? noted," cecil laughed gently, doubtful he'd ever use the app, but it's good to know. "what should i be careful of exactly? scammers, freaks?" he raised his eyebrows.

meeting jo's eyes on that implicit question, he forced a miserable little smile. "right. i guess it is different, then." he looked down, heart aching in a way he'd been fighting for an awful long time. "things ending like this, makes me feel like maybe you had the right idea." he stared towards his glass, eyes focusing on nothing. "getting dumped when you thought you'd found the one, finding out it's your fault... it feels pretty bad, honestly."

[untakenroadss]

who: jo + open (@corneliastarters) where: strikes fly (bowling alley)

kids birthday parties weren't exactly jo's idea of a fun way to spend her evening, but she didn't know this kid's parents, so she hadn't wanted to stray too far. jake and his friends were upstairs in the arcade, so jo decided to waste a couple of hours at the nearby bowling alley. unfortunately, it seemed like a lot of other people had the same idea. so, nursing a beer, she approached someone who looked to have a lane to themselves. "no fun playing alone, is it?" she raised a brow. this person was probably waiting for their friends or family to arrive, but until then...well, jo was an opportunist.

[untakenroadss]

they spent the better part of the walk to the bookstore arguing. jo asked why he hadn't told her he needed the book for class sooner. jake said he forgot. the kid asked why she couldn't just go pick up the book while he played pickup at the park. she said he had to learn some responsibility. he called her mother. she full named him. by the time they waalked into pages turned, they weren't speaking at all. jake beelined to the middle grade section while jo lingered near some of the new releases. "i'm giving you fifteen minutes before i ask this nice employee where to find your book!' she received a grunt in response. she peered at the man over the back of a pinkish cover with a blonde woman on the cover. "kids," she said simply as she traded the book in her hand for another. "what's interesting these days?" jo really needed to start reading more. she just didn't know where to start. she assumed a bookstore employee would.

Where: Pages Turned Who: Open @corneliastarters

Sam heard the tinkle of the bell over the door as someone walked into the bookstore. He waved, setting his book down upside down to save his page. "Welcome in! Feel free to take your time browsing the books. This old place has been known to suck people in for hours though, so I will warn you, if you're short on time, you might want to be mindful of the clock." Sam chuckled and pointed to a few that were strategically placed among the overcrowded bookshelves full of used books. "Or if there's a time that you need to be out of here by, just let me know. I'll do my best to come find you and remind you."

"Or, if there's something you're looking for in particular, I can point you in the direction of the right section. When it comes down to certain titles though, that might be a bit of a challenge. Even for as organized as everything is, there's still a treasure trove of newer and old, old, old books around here, and with thousands of titles, I don't quite know where everything is. Just an estimation of where it should be." He smiled at them. "I'm Sam, if you need anything."

[untakenroadss]

it always was the straight girls. unfortunately, jo used to be one of those girls. she'd never been straight, but compulsory heterosexuality was a real bitch. one codependent homoerotic best friendship later, and she'd practically been stuck back into the closet for the better part of five years. she hid a laugh with a sip of her drink and shrugged. "i live to surprise." she found herself humming along to the music absentmindedly, enjoying the throwback and considering going back home and curling up with her latest true crime documentary...but then sydney spoke again. despite herself, jo's gaze flicked to the girl in question. she tipped her head slightly, watching the group for a moment or two until the blonde glanced over and caught her. instead of ducking away, she offered a grin and a raised eyebrow, satisfied when the other woman ducked down to say something to her friend. "that might work. what's she drinking?" maybe she'd pick up the next one. people still did that, right?

She gave the other woman a chance to think about it, not finding any need to rush her. When Syd finally heard the first part, she playfully dropped her head into her hands. "It's always the straight girls," she jokingly complained. She'd certainly had her fair share of crushing on the wrong people. Hearing the truth about Jo's type brought a smile to her face. "Really? You know, I don't know why, but I wouldn't have expected that. You're really keeping me on my toes here." Now that she had a better idea in mind, she started looking around the room. Having been around so many different types of people for so long, she liked to think she was pretty good at figuring them out. "Okay... Strawberry blonde. Dark green sequin-looking skirt dancing with the little group closer to the door."

[untakenroadss]

jo nodded, expression almost solemn. "when you're ready to get back out there, you might want to be careful with tinder." she had a couple of stories there, but figured if he wanted to know, she'd asked. she sipped her drink glanced at his friends again. "it's good you have them." she was thinking about herself, how she'd essentially left her support system in california because she didn't want to deal with the fallout of friends having to choose between her and her ex-husband in the divorce. it didn't seem fair. he'd been there first. hopefully she'd find a few more confidants here...though that would probably require putting herself out there.

she couldn't help but smirk. "well," she stirred the ice in her glass just for something to do with her hands. "i wasn't married for love, so i think it's probably a little different." she gave him a look, the question hanging unasked between them. did you love your ex? she loved her ex as the father of her son and as a friend and confidant, but her love belonged to another. ironically, she was in the same state as that person now. funny how that worked out.

it was always good to have someone who understood. he lifted his own empty sprite glass in commiseration. with the common ground established, he felt more comfortable relaxing; being himself, in a way, quieter. letting the mask drop. though he did offer a smile hearing about the legos; poor thing.

"oh, it's..." he tilted his head, processing the question. "i don't know. we were on and off for a while. had a few rebounds, don't think i want to try that again any time soon." grimly, he smiled more properly. "think it's time for me to just accept that it's over. let my friends drag me around places," he shrugged. "i gather you're a little further ahead than me, if you're looking for emotionally available women."

[untakenroadss]

it was hard not to immediately think of her ex best friend. it had been decades since they'd been properly together, years since even their most casual meetings, but you never forget your first hit harder when you had to figure out you liked women, too. jo shook her head to shake the image out of her thoughts. the next image that popped up was her ex-husband's college roommate -and best friend- and she had to shrug that one off, too. she had a really bad habit of being attracted to the worst possible option. she took a swig from her glass and stifled a cough. "unfortunately, i've been crushing on straight girls for years." it was safer, in some ways. it hurt in the moment, but it didn't get far enough along for true heartbreak. it was self-preservation. she shifted the ice in her glass. "this is stereotypical, but you know the golden retriever girlfriend?" she smirked around her straw. "that's my type."

Sydney held up her hand, nodding her head with a false look of sincerity. "Front row for your standup special. I'm there," she playfully insisted. It was fun to use her little music powers for good. Luckily, the staff were all mostly on good terms and they helped each other out throughout their shifts. She leaned over, elbows resting on the bar in front of her with her hands in fists under either cheek. While she knew she needed to keep an eye out for other patrons, she enjoyed socializing when she could. "Dating's the fucking worst," she commented. "What's your type? Lemme see if I can be the ultimate matchmaker." Though she knew that hope was way too good to be true, she wanted to give it a shot anyway. "I'll either be invited to the housewarming party next weekend or you'll have one good night after dodging the experimental straight girls. Either way's a win in my book."