[color=lightgray][right][sub]Timestamp: Right after Surface Pressure, approaching 4 PM[/sub][/right]
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[img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/220905/372b5e68454c0f4aa23bc54b3a6a2b79.png[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/XV1TPT1.png[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/voGKg1I.png[/img]
[sub][@metanoia][@LovelyComplex][@BrutalBx][/sub]
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[indent][indent][color=b8860b]“Crapbaskets, I’m late!”[/color]

Marco hated being late because being late meant Marco was disappointing someone. And for something so important as a late lunch with friends: Kylee and Adam.

Yeah, that was just the icing on the cake, but Marco didn’t realize how much work would be ahead of him at the Godmother. Suddenly the influx of people came in wanting their afternoon fix of sandwiches, or really whatever their heart desired, but Cat closed up shop early. That was a relief to Marco, but that didn’t change that he was running LATE!

Marco had taken the usual route: walking from main street to Dolly’s, then taking that same shortcut he took when he met with Roddy and Rylie just before he left. 

The shortcut itself was pretty direct. It was a side entrance, but it was a straight and narrow path with minimal climbing needed. Marco had used that so many times that even the small bumps along the path were imprinted into his memory permanently. 

As he crossed the street and went for the path, Marco had been walking somewhat briskly so he didn’t see the person on his left who was going for the same side entrance. Before he knew it…

BANG!

His head collided with theirs.

How could he be so foolish? Rushing like that. You had a limp, Marco! You have to be more careful.

Marco was on the floor, on his knees. His legs hurt but nothing was broken (well except his pride but quality time with friends could fix that). He was definitely bruised somewhere on the knee. And his head was killing him. 

[color=98fb98]“Oh gosh, I’m so sorry!” [/color]

[color=b8860b][i]Wait, that’s a girl’s voice![/i][/color]

Marco didn’t expect running into some girl and literally bonk heads with her. [color=b8860b]“No need to apologize--”[/color] Marco rubbed his head, as he stood up. The girl he bumped into was still on the ground, so naturally he did the polite thing. Extending his arm out, Marco’s hand was in front of her. [color=b8860b]“It’s my fault. I was in such a rush that I didn’t see you were doing the same thing.”[/color] He laughed and brushed off what was a very painful and embarrassing thing and instead chose to focus his intention on the [url=https://iv1.lisimg.com/image/14935456/736full-kristine-froseth.jpg]girl with the auburn hair[/url] who took his hand.

And then he immediately [s]partially[/s] regretted it as he stood his ground while he helped her up. 

[color=98fb98]“You’re not hurt, are you?”[/color] She asked as she brushed the dirt off of her pineapple shirt and bold blue jeans.

[color=b8860b]“No no, nothing is broken. Just a bit of a headache, but that was already there.”[/color] Again, he laughed it off and opted not to tell the truth about his headache. She seemed too sweet to have that burden and it’s not like he was completely innocent in it either. [color=b8860b]“I should be apologizing. I was in too much of a rush. Ma always told me to be careful.”[/color] Marco would never live it down if she heard of this and he heard her usual ‘I told you so’s

[color=98fb98]“Thank Jesus!”[/color] The girl had a huge sense of relief in her voice and on her face, as well. [color=98fb98]“As long as you’re not hurt then all is dandy!”[/color] She smiled brightly at Marco.

It was like staring into a mirror of himself, but one that was the opposite sex, had redder hair, and was a little shorter - but she had the same kind of bright smile that Marco often displayed long before the shooting. A lot happened and just looking at her made him think back to how he was. How he used to be so carefree and enjoyed life in what it offered him, not at all thinking that one day he’d lose his light. He was slowly getting it back, of course, but that didn’t change things.

[color=98fb98]“Uhm..hello?”[/color] The girl called to Marco but he was lost in thought.

It wouldn't be until a few more attempts that Marco snapped back. [color=b8860b]“Sorry, what did you say?”[/color]

She shook her head. [color=98fb98]“I was just asking if you were heading to the park too.”[/color]

[color=b8860b]“Oh…”[/color] There was a silence in the form of a delay. When Marco realized, his eyes sprung wide open. [color=b8860b]“Oh! Oh crapbaskets, I am even more late…later? Crap! I’m sorry, but I’m meeting a friend in the park!”[/color]

[color=98fb98]“Oh really? Me too! Maybe we can go together? This is the shortcut, right? I was told that it’s pretty direct.”[/color]

Marco didn’t mind the company in all honesty. [color=b8860b]“Sure, I don’t mind!”[/color]

With a less obvious but equally cheery smile, the girl gripped her bag tightly. It looked heavy but she could manage it. [color=98fb98]“I’m Stacy by the way. Stacy Capec.”[/color]

As they walked down the path, Marco smiled at Stacy. [color=b8860b]“Nice to meet ya Stacy! I’m Marco. Uh, Marco Brady!”[/color]

The trek through the path was a relatively short one and Stacy had stuck with him through most of it. They spent the entirety of it talking and Stacy was polite enough to not be in a total rush. Marco mentioned to her about a limp he had and had apologized for his slow walking pace. The clouds were slowly starting to gather and Marco wondered if it was a mistake coming to the park. 

But it didn’t matter because he saw Adam and Kylee sitting on the bench, waiting. He saw food too. He really hoped he didn’t keep them. He walked closer to the bench so they were in earshot, not realizing that Stacy had been doing the same.

[color=b8860b]“Kylee!”[/color]

[color=98fb98]“Adam!”[/color]

Marco turned to Stacy, blinking at her. [color=b8860b]“Wait… you know Adam?”[/color]

[color=98fb98]“Oh yeah totally! He’s a friend!”[/color] She chirped so innocently as she looked over at him. [color=98fb98]“Funny running into you here, Adam!” [/color]

There was a moment Kylee was caught off guard. She expected Marco but she didn’t expect the random girl. She turned to Adam, giving a fake smile, the one that said she was so happy right now, but really, she wasn’t and behind her teeth, she gritted, [color=a95963]“I didn’t know we were having more company, I would’ve gotten her food.”[/color] She hoped this was more coincidental than not and that Adam didn’t invite someone to [i]her[/i] lunch date without consulting her. Especially a [i]girl[/i].

At this point both Adam and Kylee were sitting on the bench, waiting, but with the arrival of her friend and girl, Kylee was quick to get up and cross her arms. She observed the sight from head to toe, with careful scrutiny, [color=a95963]“Who do I have the pleasure of speaking with?”[/color] She glanced at Adam then at Marco before resting her dark gaze on the stranger. [color=a95963]“Kylee Grimm, and you are?”[/color] To say Kylee didn’t like surprises was an understatement. She was irked that her time to play catch up with her friend would now be officially ruined by some random girl. A girl that Adam knew likely from the time he disappeared for years, with no attempt to to contact her. A girl that probably wanted to get in his pants. A girl that thought she was a lot better than she actually was. Yeah, no. Kylee was not happy. Kylee hated surprises.

Adam was a little taken aback by the latest event to surround him. Of course he expected Marco to be there, I mean that’s why they were there but he wasn’t sure what to expect when he did see him despite Ky’s earlier notes about his condition. Maybe it’s because he wasn’t there during all the trials and tribulations but AC thought maybe Marco would look haggard, stressed and all limpy. Instead, he was greeted by a strong looking young man, healthy and happy by the look on his face. This was the Marco that Adam left behind. The little dweeb with a talent for soccer. Before his father grabbed him by his neck and dragged him to the car that night, Adam had discussed with the baby Brady about filming some of his upcoming matches and helping him hit together a highlight reel to help him get into a prestigious soccer camp. Hell it could even have led to college.

The girl that he brought with him, however? That was a completely different story. Stacy Capek was a face from Pinehurst. In fact she lived at the end of his old street. Her house had this great little rail in front of it that AC liked to grind when he was keeping the neighbours up with his late night skateboarding. She was a little younger than Adam, so they didn’t really socialise in school beyond a courteous nod. He knew her sister Katie better. Katie was a regular at Silo Comics, the one unmonitored escape the young Callahan was allowed to have in his captivity. They liked to argue in nerdish debates on who could beat who, the intricacies of powers and the uselessness of costumes. It was through Katie that he did eventually get to know Stacy a little more. 

Adam turned his head to look at Kylee who was about three seconds and an arms length away from her Dark Place and going full Teddy Grimm on all their asses. No matter how much natural arts training AC had, he certainly wouldn’t want to be on the wrong end of dark Ky. [color=82A989]“This is Stacy,”[/color] He began placing his hand softly on Kylee’s shoulder. [color=82A989]“I know her from Pinehurst.”[/color] The shaggy haired Irish boy moved his gaze to the newcomer. [color=82A989]“Stace, what are you doing in Edenridge? Is Katie with you?”[/color]

Stacy nervously waved at the girl who looked she was about to murder her. She had seen that kind of look in someone’s eyes before. Only Katie looked at her that way and only when she’d eat Katie’s comfort food, a donut hamburger (using two glazed donuts instead of hamburger buns for the you buns) without her permission. And considering Katie [i]never[/i] gave Stacy permission, it was [i]every[/i] time. But Stacy only ate that trash when she was starving and Stacy was always starving, so bit of a problem for both Zima sisters.

Marco looked at Stacy, who seemed lost in her thoughts. It was understandable. Kylee had nearly bit her head off. He had to play damage control. [color=b8860b]“Yeah sorry for being so late. Walking here from work was challenging and then I ran into Stacy..literally.”[/color] Marco laughed and then Stacy kind of giggled, seemingly bringing her out of her thoughts. [i][color=b8860b]Oh good, guess that solves the sub-problem.[/color][/i]

Shaking her head almost in a cartoonish way, Stacy turned her attention to her friend. [color=98fb98]“Yeah, Kates here. She wanted to visit some place called Swat? Swerve?” Stacy tried to recall--”[/color]

[color=b8860b]“Oh! Swerve Arcana!”[/color] Marco chimed in, correcting a frazzled Stacy.

[color=98fb98]“Yeah that was it!”[/color] She said in an a-ha manner. [color=98fb98]“But it didn’t seem like my zone and I remember you said you were coming to this park…And I didn’t know if it would be [i]now[/i]. Totally wasn’t stalking you or anything!”[/color] Stacy nervously glanced over at the girl who reminded her of Katie in a lot of ways. [color=98fb98]“..Or interrupt your guys’ lunch. I’m sorry!”[/color]

With furrowed brows, Kylee tried her best to calm the fuck down. Shit like this happened all the time. Unwarranted, unwanted guests. At least she wasn’t a bitch like Natalia. It’s fine. It’s whatever. She’ll catch up with Marco another fucking day. [color=a95963]“Well since we are all here, happy reunion, I’m starving, and I’m going to eat. [i]Stacy[/i] you are more than welcome to have some of our food.”[/color] Really, Stacy had no choice. Kylee was already in the motion of making her a plate. 

The Mayor’s daughter was quick to get everyone’s food situated, placing their chinese container on the bench. [color=a95963]“I can use a lid and just slap food for you, if you’re okay with that?”[/color] She looked over her shoulder, while using the bench as support, looking at the other girl expectantly. The lid rested beside her own sweet and sour chicken, waiting for Kylee to either eat it or scoop some into the lid.   

She wanted to say no only because from the way she was looking at her before, that same murderous glare she had some bad PTSD from, she didn’t want to make things worse for her. At the same time, the Russian girl didn’t have it in her to say no. [color=98fb98]“Sure..yeah that’s fine!”[/color]

Adam rested his board against the bench next to his camera and grabbed his beef in black bean sauce from the pile of food. Stacy was a good kid and for whatever reason she was here and they now had to make the best of it. [color=82A989]“It’s a surprise to me that you and Katie would up and leave Pinehurst to come here. Like the comic store back there is triple the size of ours. Katie would have far more choice.”[/color] AC had many reasons to flee the home of the monarchs and the nasties. Probably too many to count. He wondered if Katie and Stacy were doing the same. The grass definitely wasn’t greener in Edenridge, if anything it was scorched Earth. Adam turned to Ky and rested a gentle and reassuring hand on Kylee’s shoulder. [color=82A989]“Stace lived down the street.”[/color]

[color=98fb98]“Well she said something about meeting some friends there? Honestly I can’t remember if she said anything other than that.”[/color] The truth was, Stacy really wasn’t listening to everything that Katie told her. She only memorized she was at that Swerve Arcana place and she was meeting a few friends. 

Marco could sense it. The air was thick with the kind of tension that spelled doom for the immediate future, but if he could, he’d add a little light to it. Hopefully that would lighten the load a bit. [color=b8860b]“Down the street? That’s cool! And the odds you two would run into each other at the same time? Almost makes me believe in the higher power stuff.”[/color] Marco wasn’t necessarily a believer, but he liked the spiritual aspect of religion.

Oh, they were putting fate and religion in this now. Kylee slapped food onto Stacy’s plate and shoved the lid in her direction. [color=a95963]“Oh that’s so sweet,”[/color] She said with a condescending undertone. Once Stacy took the lid from her hands, Kylee stood up, leaving her food behind, and brushing Adam’s hand off her shoulder. 

Kylee beamed an unsettling, yet contrastingly kind smile. Her dark, brown eyes were piercing straight into Stacy’s soul. [color=a95963]“He used to live so close to me too! You know, before he disappeared and decided to not try to contact me for YEARS. If he lived that close to a ‘friend’, who I don’t know? Had a phone that his father couldn’t monitor, maybe he would’ve contacted me! Oh! But that doesn’t matter. He’s back now, and things are just hunky dory. I’m so glad he had a friend.”[/color] Kylee crossed her arms, no longer with an appetite as she scanned the people around her. She should just go. Clearly, she was the odd man out, not knowing this girl on any level like Adam and Marco did. And clearly, she was still pissed at Adam for ABANDONING her. 

With a sudden loss of appetite, Adam placed his food down and sighed. [color=82A989]“Enough Kylee,”[/color] He began bluntly. [color=82A989]“I thought of all people, with a dad like yours you’d understand but I guess I have to make this as simple as I can.”[/color] He rubbed his neck, feeling the nerves bubbling in his chest. [color=82A989]“Everything I did, literally everything was monitored. My room had no windows and locks only the outside. I had to give my phone up every night. I could only use the laptop in his presence and if I tried to speak to anyone without telling him, my own father, would chain me to a fucking pipe and leave me there or beat the shit out of me. I wore an ankle monitor and he goddamn threatened outright to kill anyone I tried to tell, yes that includes you Ky. I was a damn inmate in my own home and for what? Tell me why?”[/color] Adam’s forest green eyes were filling up with tears. [color=82A989]“I finally got out. I finally got free and I came home. Home to you and to Marco and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”[/color]

There were tears in Adam’s eyes and yet even with the horror he went through, she still wanted to be selfish because he wasn’t the only one that struggled and if roles reversed, she wouldn’t have been afraid to die. She would’ve done what she could to let him know she was okay and that she loved him. The darkness slipped into her chest and through her body. Her eyes grew dull as she teethed, [color=a95963]“You think I’m scared of death, Adam? I was in a room of people bleeding out. My fucking ex boyfriend died in my arms. My HOUSE is a GRAVEYARD. I don’t need fucking protection. What I needed was to know you CARED. Yeah, I understand. I have a shitty father. You have a shitty father. But I also understand that I really didn’t mean a goddamn thing to you, you know what? Why am I here?” [/color]

Kylee looked from Adam to Stacy to Marco. Marco was her exception, but Pinehurst people were all the same. They were awful people. It was clear what she needed to do with her current dilemma with Wes. She needed to break up with him. If he wasn’t going to pick up his phone, then she’d just text him and say they were done. He wasn’t giving her any other choice. [color=a95963]“I’m going home.”[/color] She didn’t bother cleaning up her food. All she did was turn on her heel and walk off. Why did she think today was going to be a good day? She shouldn’t have gotten her hopes up. Taking out her phone, she searched for her father’s number, hoping he was free to pick her up. 

[color=82A989]“Absolutely-fucking-not,”[/color] Adam exclaimed as he noticed the caller ID that Kylee was aiming for. [color=82A989]“Kylee, we’re gonna head out and sort through this.”[/color] He turned to the awestruck in awkwardness Marco and Stacey. [color=82A989]“I’m really sorry about this guys. There’s a lot of unresolved issues we’ve got to deal with. I live in Westwood now, so hit me up soon Marco and we’ll raid Swerve or something, proper catch up between the two of us.”[/color] He looked at Stacy. God poor Stacy. She stumbled into some chaos. [color=82A989]“For what it’s worth it was nice seeing you, Stace. If you and Kate are ever in town again, look me up? And it goes without saying but please don’t tell my dad where I am.”[/color] Kicking his board into his arm, and hanging his camera around his chest, Adam took a hold of Kylee’s hand gently but firm. [color=82A989]“We’re going back to my place. You are not going home in this storm and I have something for you to see.”[/color]

Adam had a black belt. Even if she wanted to pull away, she knew the odds of taking him down were unlikely. She knew as long as he was well aware that the person she was going to see was her father, he wouldn’t let her go. No matter what. It reminded her, and likely him, too much of when they were younger when they were unraveling ghost stories and it was getting late. She would say she didn’t want to go home and he would tell her don’t, stay with me. Begrudgingly, she accepted his hand but didn’t look at him. She didn’t say a word. Curiosity did peak when he said he had something to show her but she wouldn’t be caught dead showing that on her face right now. 

She was still [i]mad[/i]. 

With her other hand, she held her phone and looked at her dad’s number. Sighing to herself, she turned her screen off and slipped it in her back pant’s pocket. She couldn’t believe she brought up the day of the shooting. She hadn’t talked about that since… well, she hadn’t talked about that ever. Subtly, her body was shaking from the flashing memories that bombarded her mind when she was yelling at Adam. She shouldn’t have said any of that. Biting the bottom of her lip, deep in thought, all she could see was Charlie now and how easy it was to take a life.  

That certainly went from zero to 100 in the worst way possible. Marco had no words. Even if he did, at the rate both Kylee and Adam were going and the things she was saying, there was no possible way he’d get any words in. It was almost clear to him that, for whatever reason, Stacy being here and apparently not only being a friend of Adam’s (something Marco was still processing in the sense of what were the odds she’d be here at the same time he was going to meet Adam), but she was also a neighbor of his from Pinehurst. No doubt that it was a lot to take in, but it seemed to Marco that there was something else. Hopefully Adam is able to help her, though. [color=b8860b]“[abbr=spanish for “don’t worry about it]No te preocupes por eso[/abbr]. It’s fine! Whenever it's good for you!”[/color] Marco smiled at Adam, but he wasn’t sure about Kylee. He just hoped she wasn’t mad at him.

Stacy was lost in her own thoughts both during the whole exchange Adam had with the angry girl and a bit afterwards. She didn’t know if it was something she did or what, but it felt like she did something, and that only made her feel worse about herself. She had come here just to see if Adam was even around. She had no idea of knowing she’d run into someone who not only apparently knew Adam from a time before she did, but was with someone who didn’t like her. So it was all just very stressful and it had been eating away at her. She was only brought out of it when he spoke to her directly. [color=98fb98]“Oh! Yeah, my lips are sealed!”[/color] Stacy emphasized with a zipping motion.

Feeling Kylee shaking in his hands, Adam hated every second of it. [color=82A989]“Alright, you guys get home safe ok?”[/color] He offered the pair a sincere toothy smile. [color=82A989]“Last thing we need is death by bad weather.”[/color] He looked up at the big black cloud that since the beginning of the argument, seemed to have absorbed all of that negative to increase in size and darkness. It was both simultaneously wondrous and horrifying. [color=82A989]“Let’s get out of here,”[/color] he looked down at the forlorn Kylee with a pain in his heart before gently leading her towards the exit from Lyon park.
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