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"Rooftop parties maybe, but famous? I guess that's subjective." Wren himself wasn't particularly famous, but the family name, 'Ashby', was very well known in his area. Everyone knew his dad, at least the image that was shown, and therefore that carried to himself and the rest of his family. Wren however never cared for it, and tried his best to stay away from it. He didn't want to be known, not for his wealth. He wanted to be known for his writing, for his intelligence. The money was nice, but it meant nothing to him when there was a price he had to pay. "Real is what I need. Tried the fake thing, and it didn't work for me." He nodded. "It is something. It's more than I could ask for." He huffed quietly. "I think it's what I'm meant for—the small-town life. L.A. is fun, but Kismet is chill. That is what I need."

Marcel let out a quiet laugh, nodding understandingly. “Yeah, that sounds about right. TV always makes it look like everyone in L.A. wakes up famous and goes to sleep at rooftop parties.” He leaned back in his chair, one arm resting across the back of it. “But I get it. Sometimes you need to step out of the noise to hear yourself think again.” There was no judgment in his tone—just quiet recognition. He himself had needed to do that, and it had eventually brought him back to where he belonged. “Kismet’s not flashy, but it’s real. People look you in the eye here.” He smiled again, smaller this time. “That’s something, right?” He paused, then added, “Besides, you stick around long enough, we’ll make a small-town boy out of you yet.” @wrxnxashby

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happy 4/20

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Wren tilted his head thoughtfully, weighing what Nolan had said. It wasn't something Wren had considered, but he was right. "I—wow." He gave a small smile, one with a little bit of admiration. "I've never thought of it that way. You might be onto something. Some of them, you for sure think a lot. Especially when you relate to a character—it's like a reflection of yourself."

Wren chuckled. "I don't mean to sound prissy but, that just doesn't interest me." His brows furrowed, and he leaned forward, his body slightly pressed against the table. "Hate you?" he asked. "I asked for it, so how could I hate you? I'm not into petty shit like that." Wren hadn't had many friends, and definitely not guy friends. It would take far more for him to get rid of someone. Hanging out with Nolan was so nice, he almost didn't want it to end.

There was a glint in his eye as he grinned at Nolan. There was an understanding, something that Wren didn't get a lot, but something he treasured. It was all he'd ever wanted in life. "Thanks, man. I guess I have to let go of my old ways. Making friends is hard for me—was hard for me. That's all people care about when they know what you have." It was an unfortunate truth, but something Wren used to his advantage. "Where have you been my whole life?"

"Tell me all the drama. I'm sure anything will be more interesting than sitting at home." Standing, Wren walked to the door, a slight bounce in his step. He was excited, both to see the rest of the town, and to spend time with Nolan. He'd only known the other for less than two days; he hoped he could keep him around. Walking to his car, he got in, buckled his seatbelt, and started it. "Alright, tour guide. Lead the way."

Nolan huffed a laugh, tossing Wren a look that lingered just a beat longer than casual. "Hey, I don’t think reading’s boring. I just—" He broke off with a soft snort, hands stuffed in the pockets of his hoodie. "I think it scares some people. You get too deep into books, you start thinking too much. Not everyone’s into facing themselves like that." He didn’t say I’m not, but it was there, tucked in the space between his words.

He shifted his weight, scuffing a boot against the ground. "Sand in your shoes is hell. Worse if it gets in your socks." He grimaced like he’d just tasted something sour, eyes flicking back to Wren’s. "We’ll stick to the boardwalk when it warms up. I’m not tryin’ to have you hate me after one trip to the beach."

Nolan’s smile faltered for half a second at the mention of money, but he didn’t press. He got it—more than Wren probably realized. "People think money fixes everything. All it really does is give you different problems. But... hey. You want people to know you for your brain? Then let ‘em. Doesn’t mean they’ll stop seeing the other stuff, but..." He shrugged, a little helpless. "You start showing up how you want to be seen, they’ll catch on. Eventually."

He nodded toward the front, gesturing with a turn of his chin. "Yeah, I’m ready. But fair warning—my idea of a tour is probably just gonna be us walking around while I point at buildings and make up facts about ‘em. Half the stuff I know about this place is from rumors or old Facebook posts." His grin returned, easy and crooked. "C’mon, Wren. Let’s make you fall in love with this weird little town." @wrxnxashby

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Wren took a hold of the man's hand, gripping it for both steadiness and in a way, a need for connection, to know someone was there for him. There were small pangs of embarrassment in his mind, fighting for its place beside the overbearing anxiety. He didn't know how it happened so quickly, and he was angry. Not with this man, but with himself. Why he always felt this way, why he allowed his dad to get such a grip on him before he'd had a chance to stop it. And then there was regret, an immense regret for something, that he couldn't even say what. Maybe he was at fault for his dad's anger. "Wa—ter," he requested, the words barely able to form, coming out as more of a croak. As they came into the house, Wren took a seat on a bar stool beside the island, his legs shaking and his hands balled in his lap. He could hear, but everything felt like it was muffled, like he couldn't pick out what people were saying specifically. His head was pounding, and his heart matched the beat. He hated this. He wished he hadn't even had this party; he wanted to celebrate, but this was so much worse.

Archie stepped a little closer, keeping his movements calm and slow like he might spook Wren if he moved too fast. He gently took Wren’s hand, his grip firm but careful, like he was grounding him without overwhelming him. “Yeah come on, let's go.” His voice was low and steady, almost like a guide rope in a storm. He didn’t push for eye contact, didn’t ask anything else. Just started walking toward the door, matching Wren’s pace exactly. If Wren hesitated, so did he. “You’re doing good,” Archie added quietly after a few moments. Not in a way that demanded a response—just an offering. Something Wren could hold onto if he wanted. "Can I get you some water or something when we get inside?" @wrxnxashby

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Wren could accept that reading was boring for most people. As a kid, he'd thought the same thing, until he realized what it could do for him. "Nah, 's all good. I know it might be boring for a lot of people; more for me." He raised his brows and shrugged. He was a homebody, a hermit some might say. Sure, he was the party guy, but he preferred to be by himself. People couldn't hurt him when he didn't talk to them. It was a shield he'd attached to himself. "It's wet, and sand in my shoes sounds like hell." When Wren was looking at places to live, he picked one of the first to come up on his search. He wasn't particular about where he moved, as long as it was away from his problems. If only he'd known his problems would follow him here anyway. "Fine. Deal—when it's warm." Wren wasn't one for physical activity, but he knew it wouldn't hurt to try. Getting out of his comfort zone was something he knew he needed to do, he just had to push himself to do it. "Hey, nerd is not a bad thing. Gives people more to talk about than my money. I wish nobody knew me for that. I wish they knew me for my smarts, my love of reading and writing." He wanted to be liked for more than his father was. The only reason anyone ever liked his father was because he had money, a big business, and a good cover for his terrible personality. "It pays my rent, and I don't mind talking to the people. There are a good few customers." Wren looked around, and back at Nolan with a brow raise. "You ready to go? You have to give me the tour," he said, pointing at the other.

Nolan was never a fan of reading. He just always had a hard time with it, cuz the words were just twisted around in his head. "That's so wild to me, reading, so boring." He laughed about it, he laughed about it.  He looked at him very confused.. "We live in a beach town, man, how have you not been to the beach yet?" he asked, confused. "But you need to go even more when it warms up." The beach and the ocean are amazing," Nolan said with a smile. I mean, as far as I know, I do not serve a lot, and they only moved to the coast this year", he shrugged. "But what are you talking about? You are not a nerd." All, I didn't think so from the looks of the other. Nolan laughed as he dodged the paper. "I could never do a job like that again. People just suck too much." .He said with a shake of his head.

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Wren hummed, shrugging. Reading wasn't for everyone, but for Wren, it was an escape. Being able to sink into someone else's world was the only way he'd dealt with a lot of the things he went through while still living at home. "I get you. I know it's hard for a lot of people to like, sit and read. I could spend all day doing it." He laughed, shaking his head. There were times where he'd even forgotten to eat because he was so engulfed in a good book. "Never been down to the beach," Wren said, taking the last few bites of his muffin. "I think learning to surf is so not my thing, but maybe it could give me some edge. People like surfers more than nerds, right?" Picking up the paper bag and wrappers, he crumpled them up into a ball, playfully tossing it at Nolan. "The public is brutal. I'm either their therapist or their punching bags—no inbetween. But making coffee is pretty soothing."

Nolan wasn't one who liked school, reading, or anything like that. Even more for his free time. "Yeah, no, that is not my thing." It would drive him nuts being in a place like that for too long. "I just like to keep moving so books and shit are not my thing" he really didnt like it at all. He nodded, "I mean, I have not done it much here, the beaches and waters here are not the best." he shook his head. "But the right beach is great," he smiled. "I mean, if you have to, we can get you a life vest," he teased the other with a laugh. "Ah fuck no I can work with the public and people again like that" he shook his head. @wrxnxashby

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Wren folded his arms over his chest, eyes darting back to the other as he returned to the offered seat. "Big city boy," he repeated as a confirmation, his voice flat. He did love living in L.A., but he needed to get far, far away from there. His brow raised, and his smile softened. "Hm..." He paused, rubbing his arm absentmindedly. "Definitely overrated. Loved living there, but the novelty wears off when it's your norm." As a child, he fell for the wonder that people outside of California possessed—he felt like he was special for growing up there; as he got older, he realized it wasn't as amazing as he'd thought. Living in L.A. contributed to his 'rich kid' title, and he hated that. "It's a city. No more interesting than any other city—not like what's shown on TV."

The kind offer from the stranger had Marcel smile back at him. “Well alright then—“ He chuckled softly, “If you insist!” He pretended to toss some none existent hair over his shoulder in a joking manner, before he had departed. Reclaiming his seat, he’d leaned back slightly to get re comfortable. “L.A., huh?” He grinned, “A big city boy!” He chuckled before leaning forward and folding his hands together in front of him on top of the table. “Tell me, is the city of angels as overrated as it seems?” He questioned, unsure if it was just his impression of the place. @wrxnxashby

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Wren leaned back in his seat, his head shaking slightly as his eyes flickered to his hands, now balled together in front of him. His chest tightened, a twinge of whatever emotion he was feeling—he didn't know. What he needed right now was a joint, and a hug, but instead here he was arguing about meaningless things. "Good," he said, his words a little softer. Her jab about layers left him silent, brows furrowed tightly together as he continued to stare at his hands. He could feel his shoulders tremor faintly, but he did his best not to allow himself to become all-consumed by the anxiousness. He didn't respond—he couldn't. What did she know about layers? He couldn't assume she hadn't been through anything he had, but based on the way she spoke, he figured she hadn't. "Yeah well, when y—" Wren shook his head, stopping himself quickly. Don't take it out on her. "It just won't matter to you." As much as he wished he could pour his heart out, right here in the middle of the cafe, he couldn't. It wouldn't be fair to take his baggage and throw it onto some stranger. He still couldn't look at her; he knew if he did, he wouldn't be able to hold the tears back. "Off day," he mumbled, clearing his throat. Sucking in a big breath of air, he closed his eyes again. "Sorry. I—y'know when shit just—no, really. Do you know, how shit life is? Or, is your life just fucking perfect?"

Paloma didn’t flinch at the shift in his tone. If anything, the sarcasm and snark just made her expression cool further, her amusement dimming into something flatter, unimpressed. She let him finish without interrupting, then tilted her head, giving him a long once-over like she was recalibrating her assessment. “Well, damn. And here I thought I was the dramatic one.” Her voice was calm, dry, not quite amused anymore. “You can keep the party crown, I’m not about to fight you for it.”

She picked up her drink, took a sip, and leaned a little on the edge of the table, still watching him like she hadn’t quite decided how she felt about this stranger. “If you want your name on it so bad, fine by me. Just maybe don’t come for someone else’s layers until you’ve dealt with your own.”

The smile that followed wasn’t sweet, but it wasn’t cruel either. Somewhere in between. Curious. “You always this charming when you’re stuck, or did I catch you on an off day?”

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Wren smirked. "I am the party man," he said, giving her a look of disgust. The last party he threw was huge, and looking at the woman before him, he figured she knew nothing of the sort. He snorted, looking to his notebook before slamming it shut. Today, he wasn't in much of a mood to put up with snotty women and snide remarks. Between a call from his dad that didn't go so well, and his complete lack of inspiration, he honestly felt like shit. "Like you'd know about layers." Looking down, his nose crinkled, and he took a deep breath in, mustering every ounce of self-restraint to not let out everything he was feeling on this random person. He didn't know whether he wanted to bawl, or completely blow up—either one would land him in a bad spot. His father wanted to 'make amends', as if he could wipe away every emotional scar on Wren's heart. The last time he'd seen his dad, there was a fist in his face, a bloody nose, and fear to last a lifetime. But, that wasn't this woman's fault, and he knew he shouldn't take it out on her. Blinking his eyes hard, he looked back up. "Ghostwrite? Nah—my name better be on it. And I'll make it the best damn article you've ever read... Though, I'm not an article guy."

Paloma blinked, clearly unimpressed but definitely amused. “Wow,” she said, sipping straight from the cup again. “You must be a riot at parties.” She nodded toward the notebook in front of him. “You look like you’re either about to write a manifesto or rank your top ten grudges. Not sure which vibe is stronger.” Loma shrugged.

Her grin returned, crooked and self-assured. “And yeah, charming and misunderstood. Some of us have layers. Others chew pens and offer weak lidless-latte logic like that's a real solution.” She leaned in just a little, elbows on the table and chin in hand, voice lowered with faux seriousness. “Anyway, if I’m going down, I at least want a little dramatic flair. Think of the headline. You can even ghostwrite it, if you're feeling generous.”

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Taking the last bite of his bagel, Wren nodded and pulled out his muffin. "No? The library is like a vacation—quiet, calm." It was the place he went to when he needed to relax—not that his house wasn't peaceful, but with the smell of books and the chattering of people's whispers, he preferred the library. "Yin and yang. I show you what I think is fun, and you show me yours. But, your ways are likely much more entertaining." It was clear Nolan probably wouldn't be into Wren's pastimes, whether that be the library, or selling pills. "Surfing?" Wren questioned, leaning forward with interest. "Teach me how to surf, and how not to drown." He laughed. "Cobblestone is always hiring, or, there are more... Nefarious ways." Smirking, he took a bite out of his muffin. "Kidding," he said through a mouthful of muffin.

He nodded, "Cool, man, same." he tried to think of something once they finished eating. He just wished he had his life on track, so he didn't have to find money or use friends to eat. He turned his head. "You act like I know where the library is," he joked. He didn't know, but he wasn't one to go to the library ever. "I am more of an eccentric type, I like to be moving and stuff," but right now, he couldn't do any of it. "I like surfing, dirt bikes, racing anything," he smirked. "Not as much right now... I need... I am in between jobs..." he hated it, but he wasn't going to admit how bad it was. @wrxnxashby.

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Wren had just finished his shift, and decided to stick around for awhile. Even if he wasn't working, he still enjoyed talking to customers for a little bit before going home. Sitting at a table, he chewed the end of a pen, brows furrowed as he looked at the blank page of his notebook. He was at a point in his short novel where he just felt stuck, and being nearly finished, it was that much more frustrating. Hearing a voice behind him, he gave a small roll of his eyes and turned to look at the woman with a raise of his brows. "Environmental crime?" he asked with a small laugh. "I mean, you can just drink it without a lid." Wren didn't care all that much about whatever the woman was talking about, but given the fact that he had no thoughts on what to write, he would entertain it. "Charming? Sure. Misunderstood? Woe is me."

who: paloma & OPEN (3/4) where: the coffee carousel

“Listen,” Paloma said, yanking the straw out of her iced espresso with a dramatic flourish, “I’m all for saving the turtles. Mother Gaia or whatever. However,” she held the limp paper straw up between two fingers like it personally offended her, “I’m getting real sick of these flaccid-ass paper straws. Couldn’t kill a turtle with this if you tried. Which I guess is the point, but the turtles aren’t the ones paying six dollars for a latte. You’d think they’d splurge on something that doesn’t dissolve in your mouth.”

She dropped the straw with a sigh, then turned toward the person at the next table. “You know what I miss? The reckless joy of a plastic straw and zero guilt. Simpler times.” She took a sip straight from the cup. “Anyway, if I go down for an environmental crime, tell everyone I was charming and misunderstood, would you?”

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Wren shrugged a shoulder, taking a sip of his latte to wash down his food. "I'd be down for anything, man." He really didn't care where they went, as long as it kept them away from Wren's house for a few hours. The maid would be there by now, and Wren wanted to stay out of her way as long as possible. He thought about Nolan's question, swallowing another bite of food before he responded. "Take it slow. Honestly, I spend a lot of the time in the library here, so I'd like a little more adventure than that," he said with a chuckle. "Nothin' too crazy. Just... Show me what I've been missing out on. Surely there are plenty of interesting things outside of work and the library." Although Wren worked a lot, he didn't come to Kismet to spend his whole time there, or at home. He wanted some excitement, outside of house parties and weed.

Noaln looked over at Wren for a moment. "I've been here a little bit, I guess," he said, almost two years now. But he didn't know if he really knew the town that well yet. He had always been on the borderline of being broke. "But I can show you around if you like," he smiled as he looked at the other as he took a bite of food. He thought about where to go and what to do, but nothing came up at first. "But once we eat, I can try to think of something. He nodded as he took a drink, wondering what they could do. "What do you like to do, like more of an action guy, movie, or like to take it slow?" So he had an idea of what to do with Wren. @wrxnxashby

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Wren smiled, giving a shrug. It didn't matter much to him; it's not like his parents would be missing their money if he spent a little extra on someone aside from himself. "Loiter away. I won't stop you." As the man walked away, Wren looked out the window, tapping his fingers together. "Awesome. Thanks," he said, looking back to the other as he sat. "Not originally." He leaned back in his chair. "Came here from L.A. Wanted to get away from all the... Hustle and bustle. It's coming up on two months being in Kismet, and so far I can say, it's way better."

Marcel raised an eyebrow as he took the card after it was presented to him. “Wren,” he repeated with a nod, committing the name to memory. “Appreciate the generosity—looks like I picked the right table to step in and loiter at.” He gave a small grin tapping the hand against his hand a little in thought. Despite not officially working there, Marcel had picked up on a thing or two since his wife owned the place and helped out whenever he could. "I'll be right back!" He told the other, before he went over to the person working to place their order, returning moments later. "Right, the food shouldn't be too long." He said, taking the seat opposite. "Are you from here? I can't remember having seen you around before." @wrxnxashby

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"Best words I've heard from a stranger all day." Wren took that to heart. The man was right, and if Wren could offer his own perspective on something so meaningful, he wanted to do it. "Fairy tales and dragons aren't real... Bad parents unfortunately are." His smile faltered; his facade was beginning to crack. He tried so hard to pretend he didn't struggle with his past. "Maybe you're right, man. Even if I don't have a top seller, a little bit of recognition could go far."

"I don't think that's too optimistic. People connect with the real stuff, you know?" Jason lifted his shoulders into a shrug, "That's the stuff that really sticks. I think we all like to pretend that escaping into books of fairy tales and dragons is where we want to be," he paused, "but it's the stuff that hits close to home that really means something." Not that he was a huge reader, himself, but he was feeling a bit inspired. @wrxnxashby

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As their food and drinks were placed at the 'pick up' counter, Wren took the tray holding their lattes, and the little brown bags holding their food and followed Nolan to their table. He took the drinks out of the tray, and pushed Nolan's food and drink in front of him. "I haven't done much exploration since moving here, and it's been two whole months. Maybe you can show me the scenes," he suggested. Wren didn't spend much time outside of his home, and when he did, it was either at work or the library; he wanted to venture further out. Surely there were things in Kismet he'd never seen. "We'll have to get some gas, but I'm down for anything. You've been here far longer than I have." He pulled his bagel out and unwrapped it, taking a big bite from one side. "We have all day."

He shook his head "Not fucking at all" he didn't think his life had any luck to it, just one bad thing after another. That his friend, who went missing years later, is still not found, nothing about him, still 15 years later, it was crazy. One parent died, the other stopped caring. There was even more to it in his life that just sucked. "I know it, but still you come from family that has all brains and have jobs that fucking matter and you cant keep a job making coffee it sucks ass" he hated it. He wanted to have something he was good at, something he could make a job out of, but he couldn't find anything. "I just was stupid to try it again." he wasn't going to bother dating again. "Hook-ups and messing around is just all you need," he was going to stick with that from now on.

He just wanted whatever food he could get, so he was happy with what Wren ordered and just wanted it now. He sighed as he looked at the other. "I have no idea, man, I have no plans too." he looked around as they took a seat at a table. "I guess we can just go and see where we end up.... "@wrxnxashby

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Wren sighed and shook his head. He couldn't understand why the other wouldn't just accept what he had to say. He was just trying to help; it was no use. He could only hope, in time, Nolan would take him for his word. "Yeah, well, luck doesn't exist and life fuckin' sucks." But Wren knew that, and had already accepted it a long time ago. People would treat you however they wanted, and there was nothing that could be done about it but grin and bare it. "I'm sorry man..." There wasn't much else he could say at this point, but he'd offer someone to be there when Nolan needed it. "Look, that's in the past. Math isn't that important and if you ever need someone to help you with reading, I'm your man," Wren told him, pointing at himself. He was always somewhere sinking himself into a book. Reading was the thing that kept him busy. At his question, Wren shrugged and chuckled. "Honestly, I don't know. 'M just saying." Wren nodded. "I wasn't being literal..." He was just trying to make a joke. It sounded like their parents would have a lot in common, whether or not they were around. "Yeah, I haven't had much interest in it. Hookups are good enough for me." Wren had a slight fear that if he did get into a relationship, it would end up the same way it did with his parents, and he had no time, nor the mental capacity to deal with it.

When Nolan made his order, Wren inserted his card, punched in the pin, and moved to the other side of the counter to wait for their food. Leaning against the counter, he folded his arms over his chest and looked at Nolan. "So, what d'ya wanna do afterwards? Schedule's clear so, we can do whatever."

He just knew that he had never had much luck with his life, so much seemed to go wrong, and always seemed to follow him. "You just wait and see bad luck seems to follow me around," he said, not wanting it to follow him with Wren around. "I will always be that, even more to my family." If his brother admitted it to him, he felt like he had disappointed him in so many ways. He felt that his parents, then parents, were to everyone. "Please, I know I am stupid .... every problem in school, barely passing, trouble reading, and doing math, I cant do shit right" he had google words since even with spell check his phone didn't know what he was trying to say. He looked over at the other. "Man, who would I tell?" he didn't know Wren or anyone who knew him, so he wouldn't tell anyone. he didn't care that much. "If you're parents could talk to mine good luck, ones ten feet under years ago and the other who the fuck knows" he didn't talk to her he haden't in years. He shook his head "I don't think so at this point I know it's better just to fuck with people just have a good time and that's it dating just is messy and people end up hurt" he didn't think it was worth it. "I already broke my hand, I don't need to do more damage, I can pay for..." he looked at the other, sure he could pay for it, but he didn't need that right now. But he walked inside with the other. "Umm," he looked up at the menu. "What he has sounds good for me too.." he didn't really mind what he had. @wrxnxashby

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Wren looked to his feet and clenched his jaw, continuing his breathing exercises. He'd never been to individual therapy, but he knew from his father's therapy that the most important thing was to just breath. The tightness in his chest died down for a moment, before ramping back up. He grunted quietly, squeezing his eyes closed and silently begging for it to stop. He didn't know what he was feeling, but he knew it wasn't good. At the man's offer, he opened his eyes and reached his free hand out. No drinking; Wren didn't drink, ever. After experiencing his dad's alcoholism, he'd sworn to never drink. "Yeah," he breathed out in a low whisper. Getting inside sounded like a fantastic idea. "Inside."

Archie nodded, stepping closer to Wren, seeing the way he seemed unsteady upon his feet. This wasn't Archie's first rodeo, he had experienced the effects of weed, time and time again. Reaching out as if to silently offer support for the other, he then nodded, "yeah let's get you inside and in a chair," he replied before chuckling softly. Archie listened to the other, knowing firsthand how shitty some parents could be, and he just nodded along, almost feeling sorry for him. Which was totally out of character, but then again he had been a changed man. "Hey dude, it's okay I get it, and yeah food and drink, not alcohol will do you good," shaking his head, "really no sweat. Let's get you back inside, yeah?" @wrxnxashby