Pax smiles at the affection from his friend, fondness shining in his eyes despite the exasperated look he gives her. “Something decent, huh?” He teases with a roll of his eyes. “I more enjoy how easily people fall for it, how everyone believes it so easily. Except that waiter I was flirting with practically that once, he was gorgeous. And if he believed us, he didn’t care.” The author had enjoyed his time the following night with said waiter. He was somewhat taken aback by the heavy question, humming as he considers his answer. “Yes, I think so. Maybe just the beginning,” he swallows and turns his eyes away. “I’d like to know where I come from, why I had to grow up as an orphan.” There’s only three people in the world he’d ever talk to like this, Ophelia being one of them. “I don’t think I’d read the ending just yet, if life is going to be dark no matter what, why not let it keeps the moments of light a surprise.” He finally says wisely. However as she often does, she was able to break him out of his mind and make him smile. “You love when I drag you to my superhero movies and show my inner geek.”

“Something decent babe, people are jealous of you, and you love it.” She was blowing smoke that much was true, since she didn’t believe a word she was saying right now. “How easily people believe that you could be all heterosexual hmm? No, I remember him, if I was really your girlfriend I’d have been furious with him, he was all over you like a rash I felt like I should ask if I should give you guys some alone time. Shepard the whole restaurant out so you two could have special time.” She mimed throwing up, laughing a little. It had been amusing to her, and fun, to get to try playing the scored girlfriend, giving the waiter a hard time. It was one of her favorite things to do honestly. Her heart physically hurt for him when he answered her question, because it must be a terrible thing to not know where you came from, not know the reasons around you being effectively given up. Although there had always been a part of her that envied the man, would it be better to not know your family than to know them and how much they despised you? Her bottom lip pulled in between her teeth, nodding her head slowly. “Well how about if we make sure to cause some light moments, hmm?” It was a rare soft moment for Ophelia, but Pax was one of her best friends, she trusted him with this side of her a little more than others. “No, you love it, I tolerate it.” 

Andrew hadn’t meant to stick around, he’d only gone in for a quick cup of coffee to get him in somewhat of a mood to deal with people, but he’d spotted Ophelia while he’d been in line. She seemed to be in a trance of sorts as he’d made it all the way to her table without being noticed. “Yeah by me.” He said as he settled into the empty chair. “What’s up with you? You seem off.” 

When Ophelia finally looked up her gaze fell on Andrew, a small sigh falling from her lips before she finally relinquished the chair which until then she’d had her foot firmly on. “I see off? How very astute of you, have you thought about marketing your skills and becoming some kind of fortune teller?” Her tongue was sharp, but it didn’t take long for her to deflate once more, pinching the bridge of her nose with her fingers. “Did you read the papers? There was an alleged murder again. The brother of the guy who went missing a awhile ago.”

“It’s the principle of the matter. No thank you.” Anna said pushing the glass back. She didn’t exactly trust the brunette in front of her. For all she knew she could mention it to her mother or with a place like this there might be cameras. “Mhmmm she’s lovely.” Anna said focusing on her sketch. She wasn’t sure where Ophelia was going with this so she tread on thin ice. Putting her pencil down in between her book she looked up at Ophelia. “she’s decisive.” Anna settled on. She was one of the few clients who didn’t whom and haw. 

Ophelia pursed her lips, looking at the blonde, then the drink, before downing the rest of hers as if it was a shot. “Suit yourself.” She muttered, grasping the other glass swiftly, adopting it as her own while keeping her eyes on Anna the whole time. “Decisive?” It made the dancer laugh, a genuine laugh before she took anouther gulp, shaking her head. “You know who else was decisive? Adolf Hitler. Just goes to show you how the most manipulative people in the world are often seen by some in a good light regardless of the truth.” It was a little harsh to be putting this on the woman, it wasn’t her fault that Ophelia’s mother was so terrible, but right now Ophelia didn’t care. “She’s lovely to you.”

“Oh, I know it.” Peyton laughed and chewed at the last olive before turning and giving her friend a smirk as well. “We can be each other’s wing-women then. I’ve had sex on a lifeguard’s station, but not directly in the sand. I don’t think I’d like the feeling of sand all up in my business. And thank you for knowing how much of a smartass I am.”

“You better bloody know it.” Ophelia grinned, taking anouther sip of her drink as she looked at her friend over the rim. “A lifeguard’s station? That’s hot I guess. You’re right though, it wouldn’t be nice up in you. I assumed you would have since you’re so bloody zen all the time. Having sex in the surf or something really wanky.” The liquor was making her tongue loose, hence why she was swearing now, that’s how you could tell she was having a good time.  

“I definitely don’t want to kiss you, so I’ll take the olives. I agree that sharing is caring though,” she said with a wink as punctuation. Nibbling happily at the olives, Peyton thought for a few moments. “To be honest, I didn’t have much of a plan for tonight. Get drunk and maybe have some meaningless sex. Nothing fancy.”

“Well that’s just rude, you’d be lucky to get anywhere near my lips.” Ophelia scoffed, rolling her eyes but a smirk on her lips. Sometimes she could be nice, sometimes. “Sounds like the perfect plan to me, although let’s be honest all the sex I have is meaningless so it’s not like today is going to be much of a change. Answer me this, have you ever had sex on the beach? Not the drink, before you make a smart ass comment.”

The sight of Ophelia making a snack of the olives made her want some for herself. She usually wanted something to munch on when she was drinking. “Hey, I didn’t ask for this life. I’m just living it,” she said with a slight laugh. Her words held truth to them, but that was beside the point. “Fine, what are you in the mood for?”

Ophelia caught the girls eyes on her lips and raised her eyebrows, smirking. “Either you want to kiss me or you want what’s inside my mouth rather than the mouth itself.” By this time anouther martini had arrived which she promptly took the olives out of, passing them to Peyton. “Sharing is caring right?” Before taking s more refined sip from the wide rimmed glass. “I don’t know, this is your life, i’m just visiting. You tell me.”

“Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt.” - Mark Twain 

Anna shook her head as the brunette left. She busied herself in work and sketching her ideas. She didn’t know why she even stopped here on her way home, Anna really needed to learn how to take a break. Instead she got herself into these types of situations. When Ophelia came back with two glasses Anna looked back at her. “Thank you but I don’t drink while working.” She said going through some of her samples and making small notes. “Excuse me? Evil? I’m not sure what you’re talking about. I’m just trying to do my job.”  

“No one is here to see you drinking, I assume we’re the last place you’re going tonight before you go home. I won’t tell if you won’t.” Ophelia mumbled, giving the glass a nudge as she glanced up, her eyes showing that it was a peace offering even if her face remained stoney and devoid of all emotion both positive and negative. “You get on well with my mother, don’t you?” She asked, head tilting to one side slightly, wondering if the woman really didn’t understand what she was talking about or if it was simply an act. “What do you like about her?”

Anna tried to hold her tongue but every time she seemed to run into the brunette she felt like she was being put down for no reason. “Well - it’s my work…I’ll be quick.” She said grabbing her sketch book and pencil. She wasn’t going to say anything but lately it was getting harder and harder to let people walk all over her. Sure she was nice and quiet but Anna hadn’t done anything wrong to Ophelia and it felt like her comments towards her weren’t terribly polite. “I’m sorry - have I done something? You just seem really snippy with me.” Anna let out. 

Ophelia wanted a drink, it seemed to be something she was turning to more and more recently, which wasn’t a great thing. Instead of replying to the blonde she just left the room, going into the kitchen to pull down two tumblers, filling them with ice before pouring vodka over it. Taking both back into the dining room she set one in front of the event planner without meeting her eye. “I find it hard to bond with someone who’s so easily taken in by evil.” She just muttered, taking a big slug of her drink as the frozen cubes clinked against each other.