because the lives of the wicked should be made brief

[somanyadjectives]

Comments

[polydeukes]

We do. But he also may not realize that's something he can ask for.

[Josie sighs as she pushes herself up into a sitting position.]

I know I haven't really given him a lot of credit in the past, and I stand by a lot of it, but if it really is as bad as he says then I could understand why he might not want to be in crowded spaces like a football game or a movie theater. Maybe it might be worth it to make an offer.

[bereavements]

What, join our witch cult? We have t-shirts? ( She smirks. ) I'll invite him to lunch on Monday. How about that. We'll start small. Eat on the quad. Not pick his brain about his giant, watcher-family.

[polydeukes]

Fine.

[Is Josie simply looking to be proactive because she doesn't want Colm in her head? Maybe. But Hope does have a point. She doesn't want him feeling like they think there's something wrong with him either.

Then her nose twitches.]

I think the popcorn's done.

[And may be close to burning.]

[bereavements]

Shit.

( She's up and going to the microwave, opening it. Yeah, it does smell popcorn-ripe. )

Well, that retires the popcorn button. For the record, I think he might be worth it. Also, we need more friends. Not including Jed and Ben. Do we only have guy friends? Is that how it's always been?

[polydeukes]

You have girl friends. You have Mia, and Cleo and Lizzie. They're just not here.

[Josie has some school friends that she's made, but they're not on the level of those three just yet.]

And Lizzie said that Alice was super stoked that you were hanging out together at Thanksgiving.

[bereavements]

I do have Mia. And I owe Cleo a check-in. And Lizzie checks in too much, so we're always caught up. ( She does like that Josie puts herself out there. She goes to socials and has clubs. ) She was? I like her. The chances that she's Lizzie's roommate and her dad married my aunt Rebekah are like, super slim.

( A beat, as she finds a popcorn bowl and pours the bag's contents out. )

About Mia, we had a nice conversation. And I think she's still in New Orleans. I made her friend Spike a daylight ring. I was a little skeptical but, apparently souls are just being given out these days. And - her and I - well, she asked how school was going.

[polydeukes]

[Josie raises an eyebrow as she turns to face Hope more, because she's not an idiot. She knows that Hope has been struggling with the normalcy of school. But it's good to hear that she was talking about it with someone.]

And what'd you say?

[bereavements]

I said you were loving it, you belong here. I gushed. ( And then. ) And I said, I don't think I know my place yet. I don't know if it's for me. But, I also acknowledged I have no alternative in mind. ( And then. ) And, suggested, I could get more into art. I taught myself everything, I know there are actual rules.

[polydeukes]

Sometimes rules are meant to be broken.

[So she doesn't need to know the rules, necessarily, to be an artist. But she smiles as she reaches for her hand.]

But I think that could be good. Probably way less stressful than some of the other classes you could be taking.

[bereavements]

Well, I'm not going to be studying law any time soon. Or math. Avoiding math.

( But something's out there. )

Should I try round two with another bag of popcorn? Boys like it burnt, right?

[polydeukes]

[Josie glances over at the microwave and shrugs.]

Maybe? Then at least we have fifty-fifty in terms of good popcorn versus burned popcorn.

🎀

[bereavements]

( She doesn't know what boys like! )

Yeah, yeah. I'll grab another bag.