As much as she had originally been not the most enthusiastic about being here, Leyla had to admit it had been a really nice weekend. Having spent so much time in New York, it was strangely refreshing--and equally terrifying--to be seen. She had never been a small town before, and it was a bit like a movie the way people were kind. "You're not bothering me," she assured as she set her book aside and extended her hand for the lotion, "the back's the hardest part. Always better with two. Are you enjoying your weekend?"
who: LIBBY & LEYLA! @leyla-tehrani
where: beach bash.
when: sometime during the late afternoon (August 26th).
Libby was reading one of her spicy romance novels and listened to Hozier's new album in her earphones, and it was her perfect way to spend a day on the beach. Especially after the big volleyball game. An hour or so passed before she realized that she needed to reapply her sunscreen, wanting to avoid her already pink-tinted skin getting sunburned. The squirt of the lotion bottle sounded and Libby massaged some between her hands, trying to get every bit of skin she could. Libby struggled a moment to get a certain area on her back and when she couldn't fight it anymore, she decided she needed to ask for a little bit of help. "I'm so sorry to bother you, but could you please help me put some sun lotion on my back? I've tried to do it myself and I've learned that I don't have long enough arms."
"Girl Code," she explained, showing the older woman her book, "it's a book for female entrepreneurs. Building confidence, women supporting women, that sort of thing." Probably not the fiction most read on the beach, but she was always striving to be better in business, still feeling a bit like she was playing catch up. "Daymond John's The Power of Broke is in my bag if I finish this today. I'm hopelessly boring unfortunately. What did you bring?"
for @leyla-tehrani
"So what is it you're reading?" Aleja asked curiously, looking over at the woman a short distance from her on the beach. She'd brought her own large bag of books and things, but could never bring herself to focus while sitting in the sand and sun.
““I think I wait for people to hurt me,” she said quietly, “and when they do I feel a certain smugness at being right. And, after that, I just feel pain.”
— Sue Zhao (via blossomfully)
"And you wonder how he ever got that idea? Because absolutely no one could ever have told him that," Leyla joked, before her smile softened at the compliment, "there's enough negativity in the world, I wanted a place where that...wasn't."
"I can see it," she said, "you look like the kind of girl I'd imagine doing that sort of thing." She meant that in the best way. The girl just radiated sunshine and love for animals, like the people who were popular in high school but you couldn't possibly hate them for it because they were so genuinely kind. She laughed, "no one's favorite smell, but it comes with the territory. I find all the smells comforting in a weird way, good and bad, it's just...like a core memory or something."
"Oh God, yeah!" she scoffed, shaking her head, "and it's always one of those men who thinks that he's god's gift to women, and he just cannot understand why you don't want anything to do with him," she rolled her eyes, "kind of sad. But having a safe space, a happy space, that's great. So kudos to you for creatig it!"
"Always," she smiled, gesturing around the barn, "I grew up riding here. I did dressage and jumping for most of my childhood." A real, proper equestrian, with her blonde hair braided neatly down her neck, boots polished and shined. As a kid and teenager, Livvy had just always been known as a horse girl. "Every now and then, you see someone wandering around who thought they wanted a farm experience… until they smelled the manure," she laughed.
"Yeah, simple switch for that one," she said. Being self-taught in the most of the ways of mixology in the last couple of years when she decided on her business idea, she was happy to share the knowledge. "I'd be happy to teach you," she offered, "which is probably terrible as a business model, but if you're wanting the alcohol version, it's not direct competition." The flight option was one of her personal favorites, but she liked the ability to sample a menu. "There's no alcohol, not a drop in the whole place," she assured, "we are fully non-alcoholic, so no back up plans needed, no hangovers the next day, just a great time."
"Oh, that's easy enough to remember." Ryn nodded, listening at the comment of replacing the syrup with the liquor. She wasn't the most knowledgeable when it came to alcohol or mixing things together, but the other seemed to be much more knowledgeable and Ryn was thankful she'd gotten to listen to her. "I'll have to see if I can find the stuff and make my own at home." she spoke. "Though, I'm thinking you'd just be much better at it then I would, so, maybe I just need to come out there anytime I want something fancy." she laughed. At the mention of the flight option, Ryn inhaled in excitement. "Ooh, yeah. Definitely have to come out and try that. Though, I need to ask, do you do flights of mixed non-alcoholic and alcoholic there? Because if not, I may need to be sure I have a backup plan." she laughed. "I haven't drank anything alcohol related in awhile, so, I can't promise I won't be a lightweight."
Leyla only thought she was going to leave her employees in charge of the booth for a little while to take a quick break, but here she was still on the phone as she browsed through various pumpkins to maybe add something with a design to the booth. As she hung up, her phone was knocked from her hand. "That's what I get for not putting work away," she joked, waving her hand to assure him he didn't need to apologize as she bent down to pick her phone up. "I've lived in New York, I've been whacked with stranger things." Well, maybe not, but still... "And maybe I walked into your pumpkin."
Who: Vince & open!! @merrock
What: Creek Fest
Capping at 6 (0/6)
Vince was walking through the lines of pumpkins. Every year they seemed to just be getting bigger and bigger, strange as that was. He picked up a rather large one and held the thing in his arms, and before realizing there was someone next to him, he turned his body. "Oh my god, I'm sorry!" he gasped. "I can't believe I just whacked you with a pumpkin!"
She liked talking to customers, despite the wall she put up to keep people from getting too close, she liked feeling like she maybe made someone's day a bit brighter. There was something quaint about the idea of a candy shop in a small town, reminded her of old-timey movies. "I'll trust you completely then," she teased. "Oh, of course, they'll be so happy to hear someone's dared to take the job." Laughing a little, she said, "so you'll have your angel wings and then run to the other shoulder and throw your horns on?"
She had grown liking working at Cassidy’s. She had taken the job because it was available when she came back to Merrock, and also because she needed money after spending several weeks across South America. But truth be told, she didn’t expect to enjoy it. Now it was making her happy. Tasting candy before anyone else was fun, and as busy as the shop could be, serving kids and teenagers was refreshing – they always had a lot of stories to tell, most of the time without even realizing that it was embarrassing for the adults being with them. “I’ll be your best guide,” she promised. “I’m so happy the last one retired. Tell them I say hello, and that I promise to do a good job.” She chuckled. “I can be both, though.”
"Thanks," Leyla murmured, so maybe she didn't give him enough credit on the customer service front. As soon as the question left her mouth, though, she was sure it was a stupid question. Maybe she was more talking herself into it. There was a time in her life when she could barely keep herself alive, so the idea of caring for a living animal all on her own was daunting. However, she supposed she wasn't alone. Like with Darrius's dogs, they all cared for them. "I imagine it's hard to be here every day and not at least take one home with you. What's your cat's name?"
Ever since Chandler's trip to Mock Tales, he noticed whenever the owner came into his cafe. This was only due to the fact he'd been watching her to make sure she didn't realize he was drinking at a sober bar, but she didn't need to know that detail. Honestly, he couldn't remember her name but he did remember her drink order and before she even approached him, he was already working the espresso machine. He nodded to her in greeting, but didn't say anything until she ordered. "I'm on it." He confirmed, then turned his attention more to her when she said she had a stupid question. There's no such thing as a stupid question was the customer service response, but he was too busy wondering just how idiotic her question would be. Pretty dumb, he decided. They did have the name of the shelter shown in a few places around the cafe, but when it came to someone being interested in adopting one of these kittens he wasn't going to be mean and possibly discourage them. "Yeah, all of them. We work with a local shelter to find homes for them. I adopted my cat from here, actually."
Leyla. 35. Owner of Mawk Tales and housemate to Aisha, Darrius, and Emeline.
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