Broken Homecoming (Emma)

[EMELIA BIRCH]

When James headed into the liquor store Emma hung back and moved into the alley where the girl with the dreadlocks was waiting. The girl looked surprised to see Emma, obviously waiting for someone else, but she was happy to oblige when Emma asked for a few little 'party favors' to get her through the night. She was partial to natural herbs over the shit people cooked up in their kitchens. Crystal meth? How about no. She'd tried coke once but that was a disaster and she found herself in jail the next morning and more messed up than Tony Montana was right before he was turned into swiss cheese. The good thing about this girl was she was a Geomancer and all her drugs were one hundred percent natural coming only from plants. So after she exchanged some money she stuffed two baggies into the pocket of her jeans and headed back out of the alley, looking cool as a cucumber so that if there was anyone around she wouldn't look like she'd just bought drugs. Because that wouldn't be too smart, would it?

She'd long finished the cigarette even though the very butt of it was still between her fingers, forgetting all about it until that very moment and dropped it to the pavement just as James came out of the store. Emma stuck her hands into the front pouch-like pocket of her hoodie and swayed her shoulders a bit when he nodded. "You ready to liquor up the tree or have yeh changed your mind?" This guy was more than happy to spend time with her and party around the tree. Definitely someone she'd need to keep around. Unless he was some weird serial killer who preyed on gullible people who were easily swayed by a few smokes and some alcohol. Then she'd have to salute him and say adios. But he had yet to show his bloodthirsty, murderous side to her so she was still safe.

"Let's get to it, Dollface!" She told him with a smile to match his own and started back in the direction of the tree. There was already snow on the ground but now it was actually starting to fall from the sky again. It was light but it was snow nonetheless. It was freezing out and there they were, getting ready to douse the tree in alcohol. They might catch their death but at least they'd do it drunk!

"Oh, so.." she removed her hand from her sweatshirt pocket and stuck it into the front pocket of her jeans, fishing out the two baggies she'd just stuffed in there and held them out in front of them so he could get a good look. "You share yours and I'll share mine?" She asked him playfully. The two baggies both contained different blends of pot and one was stronger than the other was. She usually got one strong and one a little weaker for days that she had to work and knew it would be a rough day. She didn't need to go to work high as a kite, she wouldn't be able to do her job as insignificant as it was.

[JAMES MILLER]

"Let's get to it, Dollface!" He gave a nod and began the chilly walk back towards the tree. Living in Europe all these years he was used to rain,y overcast days. There was often a chill in the air, so this sort of weather never bothered him much. In fact, he sort of liked it. It would be nice if he could disappear, though. He was definitely missing that. The weather wouldn't be bothering him at all otherwise. James looked up at the sky, intrigued by it all as they walked. Lightening weaved its way through the clouds and thunder rumbled angrily in the distance. He'd never seen anything so amazing and ominous in his entire life.

"Oh, so.." Emelia brought him back down to earth and he looked over at her as they neared the edge of the street. She held up a couple of baggies, which clearly held the types of herbs he enjoyed so much. "You share yours and I'll share mine?" She asked him playfully and he narrowed his eyes at the bags and then nodded. "Sounds like a plan." He nodded, wondering if she even had a pipe on her. If not they could always empty his cigarettes he just bought and restuff them. He might even have a couple rolling papers in his tin.

"So, something tells me yer not allowed in that liquor store back there. How old are yeh?" He asked, his tone curious and borderline playful. "Don't worry, your answer won't deter me from sharing. A deals a deal, after all." Once they got onto the grass and started heading towards the tree, James pulled a beer out and handed it to the blond at his side before doing the same. He slid the bottle into his mouth and hooked the bottom of the cap over his bottom teeth and bit down hard onto the top, pulling the beer up and taking the lid off with it. He used the hand holding the beer to reach up and take the cap out before drinking from the bottle. "Nothing like a cold beer on a chilly night." He noted, watching as the snow began to fall.

"Alright, how many should we sacrifice to this bloody tree, yah think?"

[EMELIA BIRCH]

She smiled with satisfaction that he liked her idea of sharing. She didn't bring any papers with her since she didn't expect she'd be buying drugs but beating the tree up instead. But she knew he had cigarettes and even if they were laced with pot she was sure she could get him to empty one of them out and they could fill it up with the good stuff. Her stuff would definitely get them higher than his laced cigarettes would anyway and what was wasting a little bit for a whole lot, right?

"So, something tells me yer not allowed in that liquor store back there. How old are yeh?" Emma put her hands up and raised her shoulders in a nonchalant shrug. "..really, age is just a number.." she said as if it weren't that big of a deal, but by saying that she knew she gave it away that she wasn't of age to buy alcohol. "Don't worry, your answer won't deter me from sharing. A deals a deal, after all." Damn right a deal was a deal.

"If you must know I'm twenty. I can get into bars and clubs though. I have a fake ID it's just that Omar at the liquor store knows that I'm underage so he won't serve me." She thought it was really stupid but what could she do? She'd gone in there plenty of times and he'd called the cops on her whenever he was working. Hell, he knew her parents! And she didn't feel like risking going in there on a night he worked. It seemed he worked every night.

Taking the bottle of beer she ran clinked her fingers against the glass a few times and watched him, waiting to see how he was going to get it open and to her surprise he stuck the cap in his mouth and with his teeth he managed to open the bottle! "Impressive," she commented with a nod to confirm that she was in fact impressed by what he'd just done. But Emma wasn't as talented and she needed to use something to get rid of the top and she was fresh out of bottle openers. "Nothing like a cold beer on a chilly night." She let out a little 'mmhm' so he knew she was listening, though she was more distracted with trying to find something to open the bottle with. She could try and wedge it into the crack in the tree and hope that it was strong enough for her to pop off the lid without breaking the bottle. Or she could go for a much more convenient way..

"Alright, how many should we sacrifice to this bloody tree, yah think?"

How about we figure out how to get Emma's beer open first? She stepped up right in front of James and with her free hand she started to pat him down, starting with the front pockets of his pants and then reaching behind to smack at the pockets on his ass. "Where is that-- there we are!" It was in the pocket of his jacket! If she would have just asked where it was it would have saved her from seeming grabby, not that it really mattered anyway and she assumed he wouldn't mind. Getting grabbed by a young thing like herself when he was in his late twenties? It must have been thirty seconds of heaven for him! She pulled out the lighter and held it up so that he could see that was what she was fishing for before she wedged the end of the lighter under the cap and with her thumb pressed against the center of the cap while she pushed the lighter down to lift the cap up and bend it. It was the same thing he'd done with his teeth only without worrying about chipping a tooth.

Once the bottle was open she brought the mouth to her lips and tipped it just enough so the cold alcohol would move past her tongue and go down her throat. As always it had a bitter taste at first and she scrunched up her features but knew the more she drank the less it would taste bitter. "As many as we drink. We can't be selfish, can we? So I say you do that neat little trick you just did with your mouth on another bottle and then we'll let the tree join in the party!" Her eyes moved to his mouth and she gave a little smile, wondering what other tricks he could do with it. Some of her thoughts might have been dirty but not all of them. She wondered if he could make cool smoke rings and hearts and whatever else, mainly because they were going to smoke and that would be cool.

"Empty out a cigarette will you? I'll load it up and we'll be good to go."

[JAMES MILLER]

James was a little thrown back when she started feeling him up. "Oiy, haven't even finished my beer yet, love.." He teased with a smile but he was a little anxious about her patting him down like that. The hell was she even doing? "Where is that-- there we are!" She extracted his lighter from his pocked, making him cock a brow at her and then smirk. "Coulda asked." He teased, "Not that I minded a bit of frisking." His smile was big and he set the beers down in the now slightly snowy grass, trying not to think about her age. When you were a Blurr age just stopped mattering. She was twenty, and he looked to be in his mid to late twenties, so what was the difference? Sure he had quite a bit of years head start, but he was just as boyish as ever, and mentally they were likely on a similar plane. Age was but a number.

"As many as we drink. We can't be selfish, can we? So I say you do that neat little trick you just did with your mouth on another bottle and then we'll let the tree join in the party!" He chuckled and leaned down to grab another beer. "Yeh liked that did yah?" He asked bringing the new bottle to his lips and hooking his teeth underneath. He was glad he'd never chipped a tooth doing it. He knew you could, and knew plenty of blokes who had, but he had been fortunately blessed with solid chompers so it had never happened to him. The cap popped off and he handed the beer to Emelia to douse the tree with, waiting until she had it before pulling the cap out from between his lips and tucking it into his pocket. "Easy." He teased with a wink.

"Empty out a cigarette will you? I'll load it up and we'll be good to go." "So demanding!" He wrinkled his nose at the girl and took a deep drink from his beer before crouching and placing it on the grass. He pulled the pack of cigarettes out and patted the box on his palm before peeling it open. "You always boss men you've just met around?" He asked, peering up at her as he pulled one of the smokes out and slid the box back into his pocket. He tapped it lightly, trying to get the tobacco out. He let the dried plant drift into the grass as it poured out. When he was finished he grabbed his beer and stood, handing the empty stick to the young woman he was with. "There you are, love. I'll give yeh the honors of fillin' it, in case I do it wrong." He was smirking playfully and tipped the bottle back against his lips, already almost ready for his second one. Lizzy would hound him if he came in high and drunk, but he didn't care so much. This was James, and she would deal. Lord knew his sister smoked enough herself, the old hippy!

[EMELIA BIRCH]

”Yeh liked that did yah?” Emelia couldn’t help herself and had to watch him with mild fascination on her face, watching the way he wedged the bottom of the cap under his lower set of teeth and then pushed in with his upper teeth. He was lucky he didn’t chip a tooth, and Em thought about maybe giving his technique a try when she got home and was alone. She didn’t need someone walking in and watching her make a fool of herself while she practiced. Nope. She’d learn and then she’d show everyone her mad beer bottle opening skills. If she didn’t cut her mouth open and chip a tooth while trying. Maybe it would be best if she just didn’t. Yeah, that was the plan. Or the un-plan, rather.

When he handed her the beer with a word of caution she scoffed under her breath and turned her back to him and moved closer to the tree. She had a beer in one hand for herself and a beer in the other hand for the tree. Extending her arm out and up towards the tree preparing to give a toast, hoping the tree was paying close attention. “May you... work like you don’t need the money, screw like it’s being filmed, and drink like a true Irishman!” It wasn’t the best toast there was but it was one of the less vulgar that she knew. Simultaneously she took a drink and started to pour some of the beer onto a knot that was sticking out on the tree. When she brought her bottle down she started to shake the tree’s bottle and flick beer all over it. It would be a waste if she just dumped it all in one place, wouldn’t it? Had to dress it in beer!

”You always boss men you just met around?” When she emptied the bottle she looked over her shoulder at James with a smirk. She set the bottle down at the base of the tree for now and moved closer to him, watching as the tobacco came out of the paper easily. They never packed cigarettes right to begin with. “Well, yeah. Men either liked to be bossed around or they deserve it. Which are you?” She asked him and gave a playful smile, wondering which he would choose. “And if you say you don’t like it then that just means you deserve it. But I’m going to guess that you’re one of those that like it. You haven’t tried to stop me from bossing you around yet.” Emma was a bit of a bossy person, but she wasn’t bitch bossy. She just liked to make sure things would get done and if someone didn’t give orders then they’d stand around and do nothing. It wasn’t like she tried to be in control of everything, either. She just liked things to get done.

When he gave her the empty cigarette it was her turn to sit down on the cold ground. Her butt was going to freeze if she didn’t do it fast. She took a quick swig from her beer and set it on the ground beside her, leaning back so she could reach into her scrunched up pocket and pulling out the bag with the purple hash. ”There you are, love. I’ll give yeh the honors of fillin’ it, in case I do it wrong.” She let out a loud ‘ha!’ at what he said and began to break apart one of the larger buds while it was still inside the bag so that none of the herb would get away from her. She pinched it between her fingers and started to rub it, breaking it up pretty easily before getting the cigarette ready. There was a filter on the cigarette and she knew if they kept that in place it would filter out any harshness, except that her goodies weren’t going to be harsh. So she carefully tore the filter off of, leaving just the wrapper and twisting the end of the paper shut. It was all such a delicate process, trying not to crush or tear the paper and at the same time not spill the pot out of its little plastic baggie. When she was certain the paper was ready she folded the plastic to make a crease and carefully started to pour the broken up pieces of hash into the cigarette wrapper. There was no room to expand it since the paper was already sealed so she didn’t pack it in too tight but not too loose either. Once she was satisfied she twisted shut the other end of the paper and shoved the remaining drugs back into her pocket. Her fingers smelled of the marijuana but that didn’t bother her. She liked the smell of it. Picking up her beer she got back to her feet and held out their freshly made blunt. “Care to go first?” She offered, knowing he had the lighter anyways. If he wanted her to go first then at least he’d have the chance to get the lighter out without her frisking him down again.

[JAMES MILLER]

"Cheers." James said, raising his beer to the tree after Emelia had done the honors of toasting. He liked her toast. It was fitting and it made him chuckle.

“Well, yeah. Men either liked to be bossed around or they deserve it. Which are you?” He raised a brow at her, finding it odd she would insinuate all men were like that. Silly girl. “And if you say you don’t like it then that just means you deserve it. But I’m going to guess that you’re one of those that like it. You haven’t tried to stop me from bossing you around yet.” She was being playful, but he couldn't help the tiny feeling of offense that settled in his gut. "S'that what yeh think, love? We're a bunch of fools, and the lot of us need to be told what to do?" He raised a brow and smirked. He pointed an accusing finger at Emelia. "I've got a bit of news for yeh; men listen to orders from women for the soul purpose of keepin' the peace. We don't like it, but it's a hell of a lot easier than listening to yeh nag at us all night. Keep that one in yer back pocket." He threw a wink her way. "And that don't mean we deserve it, neither. That bein' said, I'm an easy going chap, so I don't mind when women boss me around. To a degree of course. You're not so bad." Again he smiled letting her know he was done lecturing her.

James watched as she packed the cigarette with the weed and then offered it up to him. “Care to go first?” His eyes met hers and he slid the lighter from his pocket. "Now then, ladies first, isn't that how it goes?" He nodded for her to slide it into her mouth and pulled out his lighter, cupping his hand around the flame as he lit it. He watched her take the first drag and when she offered it to him he took it graciously and inhaled deeply. As he passed the blunt back, he felt the smoke swirl in his chest, keeping it there for a moment before slowly letting it out. His eyes slid shut. "That.. is excellent." He commented already feeling mellow, but that was partially from the bit of weed he'd already had. He finished his beer and reached for another, smirking at Emelia as he did so. He slid the cap in his mouth and pulled it off with ease again, knowing she liked it. "Learned that trick in university." He explained placing the cap in the bag this time. "You ready for another, tree?"

[EMELIA BIRCH]

"S'that what yeh think, love? We're a bunch of fools, and the lot of us need to be told what to do?" She felt that way about most women too, it wasn't just men but she wasn't going to let him know that. She just felt like people were sheep and they all followed the flow of things when they should be making their own waves and riding against the current. He listened to him say how it was just easier to listen to what women said so that basically they wouldn't have to listen to them bitch. It was true statement if there ever was one. There were plenty of nagging women out there who would do just that all night long if the men they were with didn't listen. They'd nag and nag until they got their way. "That's why you're suppose to just do what you're told on the first try, save you the trouble."

"And that don't mean we deserve it, neither. That bein' said, I'm an easy going chap, so I don't mind when women boss me around. To a degree of course. You're not so bad." She knew she wasn't bad and she smiled up at him casually. "Well I'm not that bossy. I just like to get things done. Impatient? Yeah. I'm not very patient at all." She openly admitted to him almost like it was a warning. It wasn't that she turned into a bitch when she was impatient, she just moved on. She'd lose her interest in whatever it was that she was waiting for and just find a substitute.

"Now then, ladies first, isn't that how it goes?" He was polite enough and Emma rolled her shoulders, pinching one end of the roach and bringing it close to her mouth as he lit it up for her. She took a deep hit off of it, holding it for a moment before blowing the smoke out on the flame at the tip so it wouldn't burn too fast but still hot enough to keep going and passed it to him. Because it was smooth it didn't make her cough and choke the way some harsher plants would. She watched as he took his own hit, "That.. is excellent." She laughed and happily took the blunt back from him so she could take another hit. This time she held it for much longer and tipped her head back to exhale, watching the white smoke sailing up into the night sky.

She had still been on her first beer and already he was on his third! Or was it his second? She wasn't sure. She had some catching up to do and was about to tip the bottle to her lips when she paused to watch him open up the beer bottle the same way he'd done the others. She tried to hide her smile by downing some of the alcohol in her bottle. "Learned that trick in university." University? So he was a college man, how cute. She was suppose to go to college but she still wasn't sure what she wanted to do and her parents weren't going to send her until she made up her mind. Why waste money for her to be undecided? Not that she complained, she liked staying undecided because truth be told she didn't want to go to college in the first place.

"You ready for another, tree?" She polished off the rest of her beer and set it down on the ground, her fingers feeling like they were going to freeze off from the coldness of the beer bottle and of course from the weather. She took another hit off the roach and then held it out for him, feeling her head growing hazy while her senses tingled and seemed to heighten in their own way.

"What did you study? You're not like a doctor or something are you? I'd hate to have you fix me up, stoner." She teased him playfully and picked up another beer out of the bag and looking it over carefully. "I bet I could do that mouth trick.." she said more to herself than to him and tried to copy the way he had stuck the cap in his mouth with his bottom teeth hooking under the cap's threaded sides and tried to bite into it and pulled the cap up while she moved the bottle downwards. Only it didn't work and the cap dug into her lip a bit. She took it out of her mouth and wiped her lips with the back of her hand to make sure she didn't drool all over herself. She'd managed to give herself a small cut but it was in her mouth and small enough that it didn't sting at all but she did have that rustic after taste. "Well that was a bust."

[JAMES MILLER]

"What did you study? You're not like a doctor or something are you? I'd hate to have you fix me up, stoner." She teased playfully, and he watched as she picked up another beer out of the bag, muttering about some trick. He laughed at her comment and shook his head. "God, no." he said with amusement. "Me a doctor is like a punchline to a joke. No, I studied art history and music. Didn't graduate.. dropped out after three semester. Education and me, we just.. well I'm not the studious type." He chuckled and held up his beer, reaching for the blunt, "But I s'pose that's the obvious part." He took a long drag from the blunt and watched as Emelia attempted the "trick" he did with the cap.

Naturally she failed and it looked like she cut her lip a little. "No, no yer doin' it all wrong, love. Here.." He put his beer down and moved next to her, holding the blunt in his fingers as he reached for her beer. "Bottom teeth hook under, nice and firm." He showed her on her bottle with his own teeth. "Then slide your top teeth firmly on the top, sort of a third of the way in there.. like this." He showed her with the bottle before pulling his mouth away again. "Nice and firm. Then you slowly pull up. Not too fast, that's how yeh cut yerself and chip teeth. Nice, steady movement up. Go on, give it another go." He encouraged, taking another hit and starting to seriously feel the effects of the pot, especially now that he had beer and a half in him.

"There yeh go, love... you've got it.." He encouraged as she tried again, smoke billowing from his lips and he had to giggle. "I think I need to slow down or I won't be able to get myself home." He laughed and picked up his beer. "So what about you, huh? You do the education thing?"

[EMELIA BIRCH]

”me a doctor is like a punchline to a joke. No, I studied art history and music. Didn’t graduate.. dropped out after three semesters. Education and me, we just.. well I’m not the studious type.” She smiled at him knowing exactly what he meant. She was the same way. ”But I s’pose that’s the obvious part.” He didn’t look like a doctor. An art major she could see and even music seemed like it would be something he’d be interested in. That was her diagnosis for only knowing him for a brief amount of time. He was probably a major artsy fartsy type who sat around all day smoking pot and drawing weird things that he found.

”No, no yer doin’ it all wrong, love. Here..” She willingly gave up her beet to him and smirked, watching him try to explain how to open up the bottle without destroying her mouth. ”Bottom teeth hook under, nice and firm.” He put the bottle in his mouth and his teeth hooked under the cap, ”Then slide your top teeth firmly on the top, sort of a third of the way there.. like this.” Emelia could see where she had gone wrong, the way she practically yanked the damn bottle in the wrong direction. ”Nice and firm. Then you slowly pull up. Not too fast, that’s how yeh cut yerself and chip teeth. Nice, steady movement up. Go on, give it another go.”

It was nice of him to try and talk her through opening the bottle with her mouth and she gave it another go. She almost made the same mistake again and practically gnawed on the cap but the third time really was a charm! Because with her third attempt she was able to bite down on the cap and felt it lifting with her teeth. ”There yeh go, love... you’ve got it..” When the cap finally came off she pulled it out of her mouth and looked it over like some prize she’d just won. After pocketing it she reached for the blunt from him and took another hit. ”So what about you, huh? You do the education thing?” Blowing the smoke through her nostrils she shook her head making the smoke go everywhere. “Have college fully paid for by the parents once I pick a major. I told them I was taking a year off of school.” She took another hit before passing it back and exhaling deeply. “Well.. that year turned into like, two and a half so far. I’ll go someday.”

Guzzling down half the beer in one breath she was really starting to feel the effects of the booze and the drugs. It was going to be so hard to get home later.. maybe she’d just curl up against the tree and sleep it all off until she sobered up enough to find her way home.

Tilting her head back she looked up into the dark sky and felt the tiny pieces of snow hit her cold cheeks and she laughed. She could feel every single piece of snow. She could taste it in the air and see it everywhere. Mary Jane always heightened her senses. “I hope it snows enough so we can make snow angels on the ground.” She confessed happily. “And are you gonna give the tree another beer or you planning on hogging it all?” He’d gotten one out but he didn’t give it to the tree yet. If he wasn’t going to give it to the tree then he might as well just give it to her so it didn’t go to waste.

[JAMES MILLER]

He took the blunt and he knew it wasn't a great idea, but he puffed at it listening to her explanation about how her parents would pay for college for her when the time was right. By the time she finished telling him he had nearly forgotten what she was even talking about.

When Emma looked up, James did the same. The snow tickled his nose and he didn't realize how cold it was. “I hope it snows enough so we can make snow angels on the ground. And are you gonna give the tree another beer or you planning on hogging it all?” James looked down at the beer in his hand, having forgotten about it. "Oh, yeah.." He moved to the tree and cleared his throat. "Here's to you, and here's to me. Forever friends, we shall be. But if we should ever disagree, fuck you tree, here's to me." He chanted with the blunt between his lips. He poured the beer along the roots of the tree and tossed the bottle to the side pulling the blunt from his lips and drinking from his own bottle. When he was finished he handed the blunt over to Emma and stared at the sky once more.

"Learned that one in college, too." He teased staring at the sky and letting the snow shower him. He wanted to lay down since the world was now spinning. "Yeh feel it, love?" He asked, turning an eye to the girl and grinning at her. "The worlds spinnin' round and round." He chuckled, pretty damn blitzed now. "How do you think they thought of smokin' these plants?" He asked, bringing his bottle to his lips and looking at Emma again. "Yeh think maybe the cavemen found themselves a nice cannabis plant and tossed it in the fire and just, like, had these wicked crazy dreams? Thin about it.. human ancestors complete stoners. And the shits not legal now." He snorted and shook his head.

"Hey." He said, grinning. "They still have cosmic bowling here?"

[EMELIA BIRCH]

"Here's to you, and here's to me. Forever friends, we shall be. But if we should ever disagree, fuck you tree, here's to me." She watched him say his tidbit to the tree and raised her beer bottle up, sloshing the liquid around, "Here here!" The bottle went to her lips and she took another long swig. Emelia took the weed packed cigarette back from James and puffed on the tip of it, blowing out short streams of smoke between each puff. It was the very end of the blunt and she couldn't take a full hit off of it. When it burnt down to the very end she dropped it down to the ground and stepped on it to put it out. Didn't need to burn down the tree, did they?

"Learned that one in college, too." Em rolled her eyes at him, "Yeh feel it, love?" He was talking too much for her to keep up at the moment. Those last few puffs she must've not gotten enough oxygen to her head because everything was moving way too slow. "The worlds spinnin' round and round." She laughed and nodded her head. Not only was the world spinning but everything seemed to be giving off a colorful aurua. "how do you think they thought of smokin' these plants? Yeh think maybe the cavemen found themselves a nice cannabis plant and tossed it in the fire and just, like, had these wicked crazy dreams? Thin about it.. human ancestors complete stoners. And the shits not legal now."

Em never thought about how they started smoking pot because it didn't seem to be very important. Then again if it wasn't for the past they wouldn't have the present the way it was. So really it was important, right? "I don't know," she answered with a goofy fit of giggles and covered her mouth. "Hey." "Hey!" she said back, mimicking him, "They still have cosmic bowling here?" Cosmic bowling.. that would be incredible. "Hell yeah there's still cosmic bowling!" She nodded, knowing it was definitely still early enough in the night to go bowling. And going cosmic bowling high? There was nothing like it!

"Oh we are so going. Let's take this party to the next level." She looked over at the tree and narrowed her eyes at it. "Sorry, tree, looks like you've got to sit this one out."

[JAMES MILLER]

"Hell yeah there's still cosmic bowling! Oh we are so going. Let's take this party to the next level."

James was more than elated at the very idea. He saluted the tree a fair well and grabbed the beers. They would need to finish them up or store them someplace. He was pretty sure they wouldn't let them bring them into the bowling alley. Not unless they hid them in their coats, which was precisely what James did with the last four beers since they'd each had one on the way to the bowling alley. Two were concealed in her coat, two in his own.

It was a cold, sloppy walk to the bowling alley, but they finally made it. James paid for their game and shoes and strutted to their lane. the lights were flashing and it just felt so damn wild and good. He slid his shoes off and put the bowling ones on, admiring how idiotic they looked. Bowling shoes always looked stupid. Like clown shoes. The thought amused him and he laughed at the shoes, which glowed fluorescent in the cosmic alley.

"Okay!" They were in the fourth round and James was losing significantly. "This time.. you watch. This time I'm gonna get a pin. Are yeh watching, love? Watch!" He insisted, chuckling as he grabbed one of the balls, stumbling a little. "When'd yeh get so heavy?" He grumbled to the ball in his hands, taking a running start and throwing the ball down the lane which went immediately into the gutter. "Shit!" He stared at it rolls all the way down and shook his head. "Bloody things off balance, I swear it." He growled making his way to get the other ball. "Okay! Watch me, Em! Going to get fancy on yeh, you ready for this? I don't think you're ready!" He spun around, the ball in his hands and spun all the way to the lane, hoisting the ball into the air and down the lane at the same time. It bounced once and James laughed watching as it teetered towards the left gutter but at the last second it curved and started heading towards the right lane. "Thadda girl!" He coaxed as the ball slowly rolled down and hit the very farthest right pin.

"YES!" He cheered, throwing his arm triumphantly in the air and turning to Emma. "Yeh see that?!" He insisted with a big grin, stumbling on his way back towards her. "Bet yah couldn't beat that if yeh tried." He teased knowing she could.

[EMELIA BIRCH]

NOTHING beat stoned cosmic bowling. The black lights and all the crazy neon colors that glowed in the dark just made the whole experience so amazing. Emma actually liked bowling when she was younger and wondered why she didn’t go more often. When she was in middle and high school a group of friends would always meet at the bowling alley on Friday nights and Saturdays it was roller skating at the skating rink just next door. They’d try to bribe college kids into buying them alcohol and someone would always steal a pack of cigarettes from their parents so they could hide behind the building and smoke them, acting like they were so cool and badass. Maybe that was why they stopped going. When they were old enough it lost its appeal because they didn’t have to go around acting like they were little rebels. They could buy their own cigarettes and they smoked a whole lot more than just tobacco these days. But oh man was cosmic bowling while high as a kite way better than normal cosmic bowling! And James sucked at it which only made it better.

The shoes were always tacky and reminded her of shoes she used to wear when she was in elementary school. She’d been ‘pigeon toed’ as people called it and had to wear special shoes and a foot brace at night. Kids made fun of her and said she stole the shoes from the bowling alley and nicknamed her bozo after the stupid clown, but whatever. She could walk fine now so she didn’t give a damn! And with each turn James took she would stand near the little computer that kept score and clink her clown shoes together loudly while she danced, sticking her elbows out and tucking her hands in like a chicken. It looked stupid but it was fun. Who cared who saw? She was a little drunk and a whole lot stoned!

”Okay!” Emma’s attention was brought back to James instead of the crazy Backstreet Boys song that was playing over the speakers. Their music was so old but awesome all the same! "This time.. you watch. This time I'm gonna get a pin. Are yeh watching, love? Watch!" “I’m watching!” She said and laughed at him as he got yet another gutter ball. “You really suck at this!” It was true! Not that Emma was all that better but she almost got to a hundred that last game! Okay! Watch me, Em! Going to get fancy on yeh, you ready for this? I don't think you're ready!" “No I’m probably not ready!” For someone who was just as baked as her he had a lot of energy. Much more than her usual friends did. They all liked to sit around and try to talk about how it would be so awesome if they could have a slurpee machine hooked up to their couch. Emma preferred to go out and DO stuff! She was definitely going to get this guy’s number and call him incessantly to hang out again after tonight.

On his second ball he did some fancy schmancy spin and then sent the ball bouncing down the lane. She swore the lane was moving as the ball went spinning down and curving to the side to knock down one of the pins. “Woo!” She clapped and cheered obnoxiously loud, nodding when he asked if she’d seen it. “I think everybody saw your little twirl, twinkle toes.” She teased and gave him a little wink to show she was playing. ”Bet yah couldn't beat that if yeh tried." She knew she could get more than him but what was the point in boasting it when she could show him?

“Back up and let the pro show you how it’s done,” she moved around him and once the pins reset she picked up one of the lighter bowling balls and held it in both of her hands. She was totally taking a granny shot and waddled her way over to the line like a penguin before squatting down, swinging the ball between her legs and letting it go down the lane. It went much slower than his did and she thought it might get stuck at some point but it just kept on rolling.. rolling.. rolling aaaaand guttered at the last minute. “What was that!?” She called to the ball, pointing to where the pins were before blowing raspberries at it. It was definitely the ball’s fault and not her own.

“Okay.. this one.. this one I’m going to show you how it’s really done! Watch closely to see my mad skills,” Emma picked up another ball and walked back to the line but this time she turned her back to the pins. She was going to do a backwards granny shot. Oh yeah! She held the bowling ball up in front of her as a windup before bringing it between her legs in a reverse granny roll. When the ball went rolling down the lane she watched it upside down and felt like she was going to topple over so she stood and twisted at the waist just in time to see the ball knock over four pins on the left. “Yeah! That’s how you do it!” She did a little victory thriller dance to the music. How could you not do the thriller dance when this song was on!? “Everybooohhdehh YEEEAAAH!” She sang and headed back up to where he was and poked him in the chest playfully. “Beat that, sucker!”

[JAMES MILLER]

James watched from his spot on the table as Emma missed the pins. "You suck!" He teased with a big grin, biting his lower lip after and strumming on the table like a drum. It was fun watching her do the reverse nanny roll. "GUUTTEERR!!" He called hoping the ball would go in the gutter so he could tease her, but as it rolled on it became clear that it was going to do anything but. It hit four pins and he groaned, leaning back and laying on the table, covering his face. The whole bowling alley spun as he laid there, making him feel dizzy and happy at the same time.

“Yeah! That’s how you do it!” He leaned up on his elbows and watched her victory dance. "Yeh know what? I they yer cheatin'." He accused with a wicked grin, rolling off the table and stumbling a little as he got steady on his feet. He shoulder checked her as he went by, smirking over his shoulder at her before tripping on the little step up to where the lanes were. He landed on his knee and cracked up, wondering very briefly how they hadn't been kicked out yet.

"I'm alright!" He called out getting to his feet and searching for a ball. "Okay.. okay you watch me this time! Watch, Em!" He insisted, giggling a little as he picked up one of the heavier balls. He dramatically lugged it to the lane and plopped down, stretching his legs out on either side, his feet dipping into the gutters. He turned and looked over his shoulder. "Better be watchin'! This is how yeh win!" He turned forward and pushed the ball down the middle.

The ball sloooowly crept towards the pins and James watched as it went. It started veering a little to the left, then a little more... finally, after what felt like an eternity, it knocked down five pins. He threw his arms up triumphantly and fell backwards, laying on the lane and kicking his legs up in the air. "Bloody FIVE! I told yeh! Bring me another ball, yeah?" He pleaded, looking at her upside down from his spot on the ground, his head tilted back to watch her. He smiled when she came over with one. "Well, aren't you kind." He said playfully, taking the ball which was heavier than he expected, making his floppy arms drop to his stomach and knocking the wind out of him. "Ooomph!" He pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes up at her. "Easy there, love.." He sat up and positioned the ball between his legs once more and pushed it off. It roooollled down the lane.

"C'mon.. c'moooonnn..." A little more than halfway down the ball came to a stop. James wasn't sure if it had stopped or not and he tilted his head to the side. "Well, hell.." He said with a little laugh, getting to his feet. "Now what?" He turned to Emma and raised a brow. "Should I get it, yeh think?"

[EMELIA BIRCH]

James was probably the loudest person in the whole bowling alley. And there were some pretty loud people there too! He managed to knock down five of the pins, sitting on the ground like a tard and even Emelia had to admit that she was impressed. "Bloody FIVE! I told yeh! Bring me another ball, yeah?" With an eyeroll she plucked another bowling ball up and lugged it over to where he was seated. "Well, aren't you kind." "Kind is my middle name," she smirked and watched him struggle with the bowling ball before looking at her as if it were her fault. She didn't care and shrugged at him.

"C'mon.. c'moooonnn..." The ball was creeping its way down the lane at such a slow pace that it almost seemed like it wasn't moving. Then... it wasn't moving. It just stopped right in the middle. of the lane and stayed there. "I've never seen someone actually get the ball stuck before. Even little kids can get the ball to roll all the way down the lane!" She teased him and brouched down, gripping his shoulders to balance herself as she sat on the back of her heels. "Should I get it, yeh think?"

Emelia wondered if maybe they should get someone to go get the ball. That would be the smart thing to do. That would be the right thing to do. But since when was she concerned with doing the right, smart thing? She grinned at James, patting him on the back and then standing back up. "You go out there and get your ball! Just be careful the lanes are really slippery."