Latest Posts by ofzahras - Page 2
Zahra couldn't count the amount of times she had been chastised for being too direct or straightforward, but she honestly could not understand why it was such a problem. She had just saved herself precious time and energy by deciding they would leave at that very moment and head elsewhere. Somewhere with better beer, no doubt.
"No. Midwestern. Went to university here, though." Explaining she had done her doctorate in the city sounded awfully pretentious and she didn't care to discuss the subject in the slightest. She reached into her pocket for her cigarettes, holding one up in the air. "You mind if I smoke?"
Theo was pleasantly surprised that the other took their offer so quickly so they flagged the bartender, pulling out their phone to pay for both their drinks and jumped down from their stool. "Lead the way, love." They followed after the brunette out onto the New York streets they are still so unfamiliar with. Manchester is far from a small town but nothing compares to this, not even close.
"Are you a proper New Yorker, then?" they asked, curious.
It was a relief how Julia seemed to understand exactly what she was going through and didn't ask any awkward follow up questions. Their careers were evidently very different but there were similarities as well. The constant need to learn more and keep researching even when that was the last thing you wanted to do. Zahra truly appreciated Julia's company in that moment, glad she had ran into her.
"Oh yeah. I thought it would be useful if I had to take her to the vet or something. She's not the smallest of cats so carrying her isn't exactly fun," she explained. Her face seemed to lit up as she talked about Circe and the corners of the mouth twitched towards a smile. "But I've been too embarrassed to use it. She's real loud, too, so I'm sure no one would think I had an actual baby in there." That being said, Zahra would undoubtedly change her mind the moment she saw someone else prancing around with their cat in a stroller.
She nodded eagerly, clearly delighted by the prospect of accomplishing something small yet meaningful. "Absolutely. Sounds good," she agreed, already heading towards the returns. "It's ideal, really. I doubt I will be too tempted to pick up any medical books. Wouldn't understand most of it. The Latin and Greek I studied wouldn't get me very far with those terms."
Julia smiled softly, understanding the issue being described because she’d been there herself - more times than she’d care to admit because you’d think she’d have learnt her session after the first. “We’ve all been there.” As they headed into the vast library Julia was relieved to feel the familiar wash of calm the old building brought with it. A place that housed so much knowledge with no expectations on it apart from that you feasted to your hearts content, she could slip away in here for hours on end. Reading while the outside pressures melted away until it was time to walk back out the doors again. “You have a cat stroller for her? Oh my goodness, I’ve only ever actually seen those used on television. Is it common for people to take their cats out for walks? I thought they were more inside pets. Especially in the city.” Not that she’d ever had one, though they were very cute and occasionally the thought had crossed her mind to keep her company in the times she wasn’t at the hospital, before she remembered that those hours were extensive and it wasn’t really conducive to looking after a pet.
The offer of help was one she’d happy accept though, enjoying Zahra’s presence because it felt like they had a lot in common, even if the information they’d shared with each other was limited. It was just a sense the doctor got. “I’d love that, thank you. Why don’t we put yours all back in for return and then we can head up to the medical section?” Her voice lowering as they were now in the confines of the library. @ofzahras
Zahra wanted to argue and assure she was indeed doing just that, but the words didn't make their way out of her mouth. He lips twitched slightly as she sighed and reached to rub her aching neck. Previously figuring out work-life balance hadn't been such a daunting task; she had been able to distance herself from her research the moment she closed her laptop or put away whatever book she was reading. Recently, however, she seemed to be spending more and more time thinking about and dreading over work. "Yeah, I know. I do have fun," she replied, well aware just how defensive she sounded. "Anyway, better ge these inside." Oh, how she wanted to change the subject.
She glanced at Birdie, trying her very best to smile somewhat convincingly. "What have you been up to? Been busy?"
"Well, I'm more than willing to try anything at least once, even if it's not the most exciting." She felt like that was a fairly accurate statement. In her opinion, it was hard to figure out what you liked, what you were good at, and what worked best for you if you never branched out and tried new things. On the flipside, it was entirely possible that she ran through new experiences too fast and never gave things their proper time.
"On top of being a person and experiencing life." Birdie never felt like life should be all work, there had to be a balance. Living life without doing anything for yourself to relax sounded like a miserable way to live. "Not even necessarily in a fun way. I mean, reading all that on top of maintaining things around my place feels like it would suck up more time than I could possibly have." There never seemed to be enough hours in the day. "But, you know, there definitely be some time for fun or at least something enjoyable too."
She listened quietly, staring at him with the sort of intensity people often found quiet eerie. She couldn't really say no after he had been so kind. "You can come as long as you don't ask about the books." She didn't mean to sound quite so tense but she really did not want to be discussing anything related to her work. Some people said talking to a stranger could be helpful as you didn't really have to fear the sort of judgement friends and family could pass, but the shame was just way too much. It acid rise to her throat, causing very real nausea. Maybe eating wasn't such a bad idea. "Yeah, come on. I know a place just around the corner."
"I'm new to the city..." He started, hoping to prevent her to walk away from him. "and my co-workers sort of see me as their boss, which I'm not, I don't pay their salary." He shrugged. "But everyone scatters around when it's lunch time. I'm a little tired of eating alone. Could I join you, perhaps?" Matt tried. It wasn't really a bit he was doing, it was the truth. Most of his friends stayed behind in LA and he knew very few people here in the city. "You can tell me about your books or anything you want." He offered with a shrugged.
Zahra studied them briefly, eyes intense as she scanned them from head to toe as if trying to come to a conclusion of some sort. "Plenty of pubs in NYC as well. You just have to know where to look. Some of them are real tourist traps," she replied with a shrug. What couldn't you find in New York City? It was easily one of Zahra's favorite things about the city, the sheer scope of options for activities, food, and drink. "That's fair." She had never liked those places either.
She fell silent for a moment at their question, then reached for her bag and stood up easily. "If it's good beer you want I can think of few places in the neighbourhood."
Theo turned to her a little, leaning closer to hear her better and paid attention to her every word. "In England, a place like this would be exactly where you'd find the good beer." They explained after hearing her. "The specialty places are usually full of posh twats that don't know what good beer is."
They gave their tumbler a last swirl before they down the rest of the whiskey, putting it down but their fingers linger on it, thumb stroking the edge. "Can I buy you a beer sometime in one of those specialty places, then?" Theo turned to her again with a bit of a cheeky smile.
Zahra glanced up from her phone at the customer in front of her, the man clearly frustrated by something. The reason didn't seem to make a whole lot of sense to her, but she obviously didn't have the whole story and couldn't know why he seemed so agitated. "I'm not in the habit of eating other customers' food," she informed, back to swiping through her e-mails, "or have any desire to steal it." Truthfully, she couldn't imagine anything worse than sharing some random stranger's food. "You and your tacos will probably be just fine."
open starter @boroughshqlocation: 10 Year Anniversary @ Casa De Tacos, Queens
"i'm makin' it clear right now, you have to pry all ten of these out of my dead cold fuckin' hands man, i'm not sharin', or splitin' or anything, and i mean that shit." he says matter-of-factly as he rubs his hands in line, now not being too far from getting rewarded for the day. it had been a long ass stressful day at the garage (as per usual) so nothing was standing in his way of having this one thing, even if it meant he cut in front of the annoying little toddlers that kept screaming and running around a few feet ahead. children were the future his ass.
Zahra nodded as they explained it was their first time at Joe's. It didn't seem like the bar had made a particularly good first impression, no matter how Zahra enjoyed its atmosphere. "I see. It's a fine place, really," she promised before finishing her first drink. "Oh, there's loads of good beer in the city. I guess places like these aren't particularly well-known for their excellent selection, though. You could try one of those specialty places."
Once Theo got both their whiskeys, they gave it a quick smell and swirled it around for a moment. "That's because it's my first time here. Cheers, mate." They said, clinking their glass with hers before taking a small sip of the warm liquid burning down their throat. It was good though, far better than the beer. "Can't go wrong with good ol' Jack-o here." Theo lifted the glass towards her and sipped again. "Haven't been in the city long, keep trying to find some decent beer."
It was clear Zahra was itching to get out of the situation and forget all about it now that her breath had steadied and her arms didn't ache quite as much. He hadn't seem bothered to be helping her but she still felt embarrassed, her cheeks having turned a traitorous shade of red from more than just the physical activity.
"No need", she assured, shaking her head as she stood up hurriedly and pocketed her wallet with the library card in it. "I'll stop by to eat something." Zahra went to straighten her shirt before glancing at the man, managing a brief smile that didn't quite reach her dark eyes. "Thank you again. Uh, it was very nice of you."
Matt looked at the card in his hand and gave her a nod. "Zahra." he stated, slapping the card into his palm once. She didn't give him her name when he introduced himself but it was at least good to know it now. "I'll be right back then."
He smiled politely and picked the bag of books back up into his arms and disappeared further into the library, only to be back a few minutes later with a receipt and bottle of sweet lemonade he found on a vending machine. Matt offered it to her along with the card. "Take this for the road back."
"Just a shot of Jack Daniel's. Or with ice if you're feeling real adventurous." She wasn't a whiskey connoisseur by any means but the fact that it was ordered in large quantities by the patrons mean that the same bottle didn't linger behind the bar for too long. She nodded as the other introduced themselves, tempted to roll her eyes at the question but deciding against it at the last moment. "Zahra. Yeah, I guess I do. You don't though. Haven't seen you before."
Theo hummed at the question since they hadn't considered it for a week night but, honestly, they'd take anything at this point to wash down the taste of the piss poor beer. "Fuck it, what's your poison?" They asked and flagged the bartender again. "Two of what... she?" their eyebrow rose in question. "is having," they finished towards the bartender and turned back their new companion. "I'm Theo, come here often?" a playful smirk at the overused line but hey, it was a good conversation starter.
"Probably easier said than done?" she suggested carefully. Zahra wasn't an expert on firefighting as a profession but she couldn't imagine flexible schedules were one of the perks. It had to be frustrating for both of them and seemed to cause quite a bit of conflict. She coudn't say she envied either of them. "It's an intense job," she added after a lengthy pause. She had always been comfortable with what some people deemed awkward silences, quite at home with the stillness of it all. Normally she didn't mind being left alone with her thoughts whereas lately she had found herself running from them, desperate for any sort of distraction, no matter how mind-numbingly dull. Dragging the books around had worked for a bit, the physical discomfort stopping her from mulling over everything else. "I don't know," she muttered, feeling deflated both physically and mentally. She had spent so much time working towards the life she now had and somehow it felt like such a waste, something not worth the time and effort she had put in. "Impostor syndrome, I guess. Happens to most people at some point."
“—it’s fine,” he said with a faint shrug, a gentle smile adorning his lips. “she is right; I need to lay off some shifts,” saying it out loud was not just admitting it to Zahra that he knew it was him who had fucked up, but to himself too, that the only way to fix this was to make more time for her. as of now, he spent more time at work, at the station, than at home with her when it should be the other way around. it might have been entirely unintentional this happened, but the result was still the same ( and he would find a way to fix this, besides apologizing to her and making more time to actually be present ). a frown formed on his features at her following words. since they first met he knew she loved her research projects, and seeing the lack of excitement in her tone, her admitting it, seemed to him a little odd, coming from someone as dedicated and hard-working as her. and maybe it was part of the issue; the expectations she set for herself as opposed to what she felt. “you shouldn’t be anything, and perhaps that’s part of the problem…” he offered in a matter of fact tone. “something troubling you?” he inquired, not out of curiosity, but genuine interest of what was going through her mind.
"See, you're only being smart and responsible. God knows I end up buying all sorts of weird shit when I go food shopping hungry. And somehow I never actually end up picking things I could turn into an actual meal. Just, I don't know, the biggest watermelon I can find and candy bars I liked as a kid." Admittedly her shopping trips were rarely particularly well-thought-out, mostly because she could not bring herself to plan or, god forbid, meal prep. Although maybe cutting up and storing a giant watermelon could be seen as a form of meal prepping. "I once had a nightmare about that super expensive LA grocery store. Woke up screaming."
Violet nodded along, eyes becoming bigger than her stomach. "I saw some crepes listed, how does that sound? They have one with nutella and strawberries which is always a classic. I definitely know I'll need a side of bacon that's for sure. Okay yep, I'll do the crepes with a side of eggs and bacon. It might not taste all good together, but I want to try it." She laughed, setting down her menu with finality. "I desperately need to go food shopping, so this will give me the strength to brave the supermarket. People can be ruthless if you get between them and their Greek yogurt."
Zahra reached for another book with an interesting cover, flicking through some of the pages. She was still very much engaged in the conversation, eyes darting back and forth between the text and her new companion. "There's such a thing as too my sadness and angst. I don't want to read about a never-ending series of tragedy. That's rarely all that realistic or relatable. I suppose it's just nice to feel seen when you're feeling like garbage." Zahra shook her head as the other mentioned how her opinions could be too strong. "It's a good thing. Means you can't be swayed too easily. Also, what can you have strong opinions on if not books? Surely literature is a pretty safe thing to feel strongly about."
Feeling brave, Zahra tilted her head to the side. "Do you happen to have any more recommendations? I think I might be able to squeeze a few more books somewhere on my shelves."
"i completely agree! although i personally don't understand why sad stories are so popular. i just want to kick back and read something so unserious. i don't always want to be stuck in a whirlwind of tragedy, but i guess this is an unpopular opinion because i can't seem to find much literary fiction without tragedy," she shrugged. "at least you have plenty of options!" she added cheerfully. she truly did wish she understood the appeal of those types of books. everyone else seemed to be getting a lot out of these stories. she wondered if there was something she was missing. she laughed along with the other. "yeah, well, sometimes my opinions can be too strong," she admitted, a flush to her cheeks as she looked away.
"that's great to hear. a relief, really. i like to recommend books more than the average person i'd wager, so it feels good to know i'm actually doing something useful. besides, recommendations are always better. especially from someone you can trust."
Joe's Tavern had come to serve a very specific purpose for Zahra. It was dark and dingy, and the drinks were definitely cheaper than the outrageous prices she had come to expect from New York City. It had served her well during her PhD years and she hadn't really bothered trying to find a new spot.
The stranger sat next to her didn't seem to be enjoying the atmosphere quite as much Zahra. She glanced at their beer and shrugged her shoulders.
"Thought of trying anything else?" she asked, eyeing her own shot of Jack Daniel's. It was a safe choice, hard to mess up. "Just don't get the wine."
open starter @bhqextras
where: Joe's Tavern
They've lost count of how many bars they've been to since they moved to the city but they still haven't found a place they can call their place, where you'd find him every Saturday or after a work day where they'd have to deal with a lot more dunces than they'd like (one)
Trying not to snap at the bartender that asked them "a what"?" when they asked for a pint and added a condescending "you're in America, sweetheart, just say beer." as if they could erase from their brain the way they've talked all their lives because they set foot in the country.
And all of that to taste the piss poor excuse of beer the man served them. "Ugh, I don't know what I was expecting. It's like it gets worst every time I taste one of these." Theo shook their head in disgust but took a few more gulps anyway.
Being taken care of made her feel like a kid, small and not in control. Her lips curved down in a slight frown before she managed to catch herself. He was just being kind, far kinder than he had to be with a complete stranger. So, instead of turning into a petulant child, Zahra nodded curtly and offered her library card without any further arguments. She really didn't have it in her. "Good to meet you."
"Yeah, yeah. It was just a long hike," she answered, her voice low, "but I'm fine. Need to start exercising more, I guess. Or stop lugging around so many hardbacks. Maybe both."
"Maybe I could get your library card and return these for you. And I'll find you some cold water." Matt offered quickly, Putting the books down on the floor by his own foot. "I'm Matt, and don't worry about it, really. I'm glad I was close by to help."
Matt looked around the building. At least the AC was on. He imagined carrying that weight in New York City's summer would exhaust anyone, he couldn't blame the brunette. "It is really hot out, you should just take a breath here." He smiled and squeezed her arm gently before he pulled back and crossed his arms across his chest, just waiting on what to do next. "Have you eaten anything today?"
"Ah, there we go. That's the attitude I was looking for," she laughed, relaxing considerably now that they were no longer talking about work. She could be fun, right? She had certainly once been. "Can't judge a place by just one dish, right? So better try a few. Besides, all of this looks way better than the bowl of cereal I had earmarked for my brunch." The amount of food options was one of the things she really loved about New York City, especially now that her creativity had ran dry and she couldn't bring herself to try anything new in the kitchen. "So, definitely the eggs and the pancakes. Anything else catches your eye?"
Violet snorted at Zahra's attitude, completely understanding. She was happy her school days were behind her, though she did miss having all those people to play with. Her eyes perused the menu again, before locking onto her friend's with glee. "Ooh, maybe they have a sampler or something? Like you can order 3 different things to try? That sounds like a great idea. But if not, I'm hungry enough to eat more than one thing. I just started a new exercise, so I'm starving."
Singles mixers - or mixers of any kind - weren't exactly Zahra's scene but she had made a promise to a friend. Said friend had been terrified to go by herself but had managed to hit it off with the first person she had struck a conversation with. Zahra had been left to fend for herself and had taken to people watching from a blessedly quiet corner. Eventually she had ran out of her drink and was making her way towards the bar when someone stopped her. Oh, she had been in her situation before and hurried to nod eagerly. "Yeah, I was just coming to look for you. That Jenga isn't going to play itself," she confirmed, mustering an apologetic smile as she nodded towards the very opposite side of the space. "Shall we?"
STATUS: open @bhqextras
LOCATION: Singles Mixer @ Puzzles, Manhattan
When a friend suggested a night out, Devi pictured something along the lines of going out dancing at Club 51, not a game night at a singles mixer. She supposed it was better than getting dragged along to something that felt a little more desperate like speed dating, but she still couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment with how she was spending her night off. To make make matters worse, she had just been stuck in what felt like the world's longest game of darts with someone who made watching paint dry seem more exciting than holding a conversation with them. At the suggestion of a rematch, she immediately panicked and locked eyes with someone else who was nearby. "Oh, I would, but I already agreed to a game of Jenga with them." She tried her best to communicate with the other using her eyes, "Isn't that right?"
"I get that," she replied, deep in thought as she watched the puppies go about their business. While more of a cat person, Zahra hadn't been able to resist the chance of seeing a bunch of puppies competing in fun little competitions. She might have looked just a little intimidating in her all-black outfit and a rather stern look on her face, but there were very few things she adored more than baby animals. Besides, it was a good excuse to get out of her apartment during the daytime. "Have you already picked your favorite to win?"
status: open starter location: bark park, manhattan
excited about the puppy olympics, quinn was equipped with her water bottle at hand, standing right outside the fence to admire all the cute puppies that are partaking in the puppy olympics. "you'd think i'd be more excited for the actual olympics, but here i am more interested in cute puppies doing their own right by my house, i'd take the puppy olympics over the real olympics any day. although i will say from what i have seen on tv for the real olympics, quite impressed, but again, more interested in these cute puppers." she smiled and chuckled while looking out at all the puppies running around while participating in the events they were enrolled in. @bhqextras
"I highly recomend it. Works better than any melatonin or sleeping pill I've tried." Admittedly reading academic literature related to her research project before bed had caused some rather anxious dreams for Zahra, but sometimes restless sleep was better than no sleep at all. She was still hopeful a breakthrough would eventually come, and the smart, logical part of her that was highly unlikely to happen if she evaded sleep any more than she already did. The chapters she had written while completely sleep-deprived were hardly worth keeping and not anything she wanted to share.
Zahra nodded, grateful Birdie didn't seem to expect any more words of praise for helping her out. "It's kind of the only thing that is really expected of me at this point, you know. Well, that and writing," she explained, "so realistically I should have enough time to get through them." She definitely hadn't.
As much as Birdie liked to learn all about all sorts of things, the title of the book wasn't one that held her attention. "Sounds like it." A snort followed her comment before she continued, "You might be onto something there with the bedtime reading. If I read something like that, it might put me right to sleep." Maybe that wasn't such a bad idea. Her sleep schedule had been a mess for who even knew how long at this point, so honestly she would be willing to try anything to get it even remotely on track again, even if it meant reading something that might bore her to tears.
"It's no problem." She brushed off the thanks as she looked over the books in her hands. Even when she was younger and on track to becoming one of those gifted kids she didn't think she would've been capable of getting through all this material. "Jeez, how do you even find the time to read all this? I'm lucky if I manage to find the time to read two or three books in a month."
"Let's try taking one handle each. I think the bag will hold, it has so far." Obviously that didn't necessarily mean anything, but going through the books and putting them in the other woman's backpack seemed like an impossible ordeal after the journey she had taken. "And it's only few more feet. Should be fine." The amount of library trips she had taken had at least taught her to prepare; far too much of her modest storage space had been dedicated to different types of bags, the small ones stuffed inside the larger ones just like her mother had done with the trash bags under the sink. "Not sure why I picked what feels like the hottest day of the year for this trip, though."
"aaaalright. Come on, then," Isabelle's now on her feet, striding toward Zahra with an air of someone who has just been graciously faced with a challenge. She's not excessively strong, but what she is, is stubborn and bored out of her mind, and the poor woman looks like she's two breaths away from passing out in fucking 300 degrees. “Okay... how about I pick up the right handle and you, the left, or- mmm. We could like maybe put half of these in my backpack? Carry half-and-half.” She has a strawberry-pink backpack on her back that matches the floral designs in her vintage vans. She places her hands on her hips and eyes the bag thoughtfully.
"Not all of them, no. I guess I bit off more than I could chew. Thought I would save myself a few library trips, you know. Didn't really think what would happen when I had to return all of them." She had always been bit of a book hoarder, most comfortable when she knew the information she might need was within arm's reach, but she had previously also been able to take pride in being a fast, motivated reader with the ability to get lost in text even if she wasn't particularly interested in the subject. She had tried to get back to that routine, often re-reading books or research papers she had already deemed fascinating in one way or another, but the results had been less than satisfactory. She knew talking about it with someone might ease the shame, but unfortuntaly Zahra had never great at that. Still, she appreciated this little chat with Julia, especially since it allowed her to gush about her beloved cat. "I have to admit if I already got a cat stroller for her but I am still trying to figure out if I'm confident enough to take it out for a spin. Might garner some weird looks."
Her head tilted to the side as Julia explained what she was looking for. "Oh? I see. I'm not doing anything at the moment if you need help finding some books," she offered, hopeful to pass a few minutes with a clear goal in mind. "It sounds interesting. I'm sure you'll do great."
“You didn’t read them?” Julia had a surprised look on her face but she really shouldn’t be because that was the pot very much calling the kettle black. The amount of books she’d borrowed from libraries in the past but not even opened was numerous, and it wasn’t because she didn’t have good intentions when she got them. Simply that life tended to get in the way, especially if they were fiction books rather than something attributed to medicine or something she was specifically working on. Sensing the uncertainty coming from her she nodded in agreement instead of prying further, giving the other a small smile. “I’m sure - I head that is quite common among writers.” She doubted parroting that would be of any reassurance but it happened anyway. “Would you look at that, I think we’ve decided what your next purchase is going to be. Some call it a grocery bag, you call it a Circe bag. It’s flexible for ones needs.”
A shrug of her shoulders in regards to what she was specifically looking for, pressing her lips together silently for a second. “There is a case I’m working on at the moment is a child with Adrenoleukodystrophy, it’s not something I’ve personally worked with before so although I know the facts from medical school I wanted to come and do some more reading on it incase there is anything I’ve missed. Are you staying a while?” She asked, referring to the library. @ofzahras
She simply nodded along for a moment, carefully weighing her next words. Like most people, she had experienced relationship problems in the past, both platonic and romantic, but she had never been in Ryan's position, let alone had any real understanding how Neva felt. It had to be tough for the both of them, and Zahra did not want to cross any boundaries or be one of those people who offered unhelpful advice on something she simply did not understand. "I'm sorry. Sounds rough," she finally commented carefully, "but I'm sure you two will figure it out. It's probably just growing pains and those usually ease with time." Of course that wasn't always the case but Zahra was not about to remind Ryan just how sticky these things could get. She was certain he knew that already. Besides, she had enough on her plate and was in no position to act like she had it all figured out. Her problems were smaller, sure, but had lately felt almost all-consuming. "I'm sure I don't," she admitted with astonishing honesty before shaking her head. "I am excited. It's just... I guess I wish I were more excited. I should be more excited."
—he put the bag on the desk and the librarian looked at him, eyes widening for a moment. “worse,” he admitted, turning back to Zahra, making a face. “it’s my fault,” and then, he turned to her, gently shaking his head, “no, no…” he reassured her with a smile, he appreciated the interest after all. “I haven’t,” he responded in a matter-of-fact tone, laughing a little. there was, essentially, very little he could do until his leave started, and that wasn’t for another more week ( which was also filled with shifts ). “it’s just…man, she is stubborn,” he laughed, “and pregnancy doesn’t help, you know?” he added in a lighter tone; he knew they had kinda talked things over, but still, it didn’t change the fact; he should better learn from that mistake —for future reference. but he was a little glad the topic shifted to her once more as she responded to his question, and he did notice the pause was a little longer than usual, but he didn’t want to ask further. “dare I say you don’t sound that excited?” he was used to Zahra always being willing to share her knowledge when presented the chance, and damn she was smart and so well-versed on her subject, it was kinda weird seeing her being a little…unenthusiastic about it.
She grimaced visibly before nodding. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine," she hurried to assure despite feeling anything but fine. Still, it was none of this stranger's business and not something she wanted to burden him with. "It's just hot. It was quite the way to get those books here." Despite her resistance, Zahra did eventually sit down, the physical exhaustion catching up with her. "Thank you. I'm Zahra, by the way. Thank you for you help."
The change in her demeanor worried him immediately. He frowned and stepped a little closer but not too much as to invade her space. "Hey, are you feeling okay?" he asked, looking around the library. "Do you want to maybe sit down?" made a move to lead her to one of the chairs nearby, not able to actually grabbed her because his arms were full of her books that they hadn't returned yet.
"Oh, I'm sure. I have always enjoyed bickering with grown men who seem to think the only things worth studying are business and engineering. They never seem to like my research topics. It's great, really," she sneered. Despite the road block she had hit with her work, Zahra still considered the material itself fascinating; the lustre of academia she had once so enjoyed had simply disappeared. "Pancakes do sound good," she admitted, eyeing the options listed on the menu. While she was a decent home chef and could feed herself no problem, none of the things she whipped up were anywhere near gourmet. "Are you real hungry? I kind of want to order a bunch of things. Never been here before."
"Honestly the best part was telling people what my various research papers were on. Like, 'oh Violet dear what are you studying this month? Just animal mating habits. The gorilla were particularly passionate.' Always fun to see people's reactions." She said with a chuckle. She took a sip of her water. "But I'm sure it'll get easier once you aren't being graded. But until then, you know I'm your gal." At that point the waiter arrived and dropped off their drinks. Violet still didn't know what she wanted to eat. There were too many good options. "I'm thinking pancakes. What about you? Their eggs are good here."
It had been one of those days. Zahra had stared at computer screen until her eyes ached, had fetched her blue light glasses, and had continued staring, the word count mocking her mercilessly as she wrote and then deleted sentences. Tempted to throw her laptop from a window, she had decided to leave her apartment for a few hours before causing any serious damage to her electronics. The lounge wouldn't normally have been her spot of choice, but Zahra had been desperate for a distraction. Someplace loud with a bunch of people she didn't know had seemed like the best option. Something to drown her thoughts.
She had stood in front of the free seat for a while, seemingly unable to just ask whether she could sit down. "Yes. Is this seat taken?" she asked with a nod.
Muse | Open starter | @bhqextras
It was late in the afternoon and Rhiannon had spent most of her day pent up in her home with her daughter. It was summer break for the almost nine year old and she'd normally be at camp but she wasn't feeling well today. Just because Willow is sick doesn't mean that Rhiannon's deadline will extend. After calling for a sitter for a few hours, she found herself at a lounge with a drink in one hand and a pen in the other, scribbling away in her notebook. The music and the alcohol had her creativity flowing. She was so into her work that she hadn't noticed someone approach her table. "Oh, sorry. I didn't see you there," she said, looking up at them with a smile. "Were you looking to sit?"
"Oh yeah", she glanced at one of the books towards the top of the bag. "Religious Ethics and Constructivism: A Metaethical Inquiry. Just something fun for bedtime, you know how it is." Her tone was dry but her sharp features had softened the moment she had spotted Birdie. At one moment in time she might have very much considered the title in question just that, fun, but as of late Zahra hadn't exactly found any of her research books or research papers page-turners.
Zahra nodded as Birdie offered to help. Deciding against arguing and claiming she didn't need the help, she bent down to reach for a few hefty titles and handed them over. "Thank you. It was a pain to get them here."
It often felt like there was never enough time in the day to get to all the hobbies she wanted to. There were so many books left unread, movies left unseen, albums left unheard, and knowledge left unknown. It was one of those things that Birdie tried to accept best she could and not dwell on too much. And thankfully she could do just that as she spotted a familiar figure on the steps.
Her eyes immediately landed on the other's bag, her shoulder hurting at the mere thought of carrying it herself. "Just finish some light reading?" Her question was more of a lighthearted jest than anything else. "If you want, you can take some of those out and hand them to me to carry. Might be a little easier than trying to lug that thing inside as is." With her own hands empty, she didn't mind helping out and it was hardly an inconvenience.
"Nothing better than a good character study, especially if absolutely nothing happens. Sometimes it's real nice to read about nothing. Although I guess I'm somewhat partial to literature that's not always super, um, happy. That being said, I've enjoyed my fair share of fluffy romances and feel-good classics. There's definitely a time and place for them." Literature had been one of her favorite forms of escapism ever since she was a kid listening to her parents' read to her at night. She had delighted in being able to pick up a book for bedtime, always eager to learn where the story had left off the night before. She found herself missing that childhood wonder and reading solely for fun. Laughing when the other defended her opinion, Zahra nodded along. "Sure. It's good to have strong opinions."
She shook her head vigorously. "Not at all, I appreciate it. Otherwise I would have been stuck here for ages, unable to decide. There are so many good books I would've never picked up if someone hadn't recommended to me."
"i agree. i'm personally a character development person. i prefer a good character arc and relationship building over plot. honestly it could be a 'no plot just vibes' type of book and i'd be happy. frankly, i wish there were more books where nothing happens and everything is just, sorta, happy. i know most people wouldn't really like that, but sometimes i just want to be in a world full of happiness even just for a little while. just to enjoy the temporary lack of stress, you know?" she explained, eyes drifting upward in thought. she cringed slightly at the other's words, not because she disapproved of them. no. she believed everyone was entitled to their own opinions and they were all valid. it never changed the way she thought of a person. but she just had hated the book that much. she shivered a bit. "oh i don't think it has any merit. if i never see that book again it would be too soon," she laughed.
she placed a flattered hand against her chest and smiled broadly. "well thank you! that means a lot to me, honestly. it's good to know i'm not just some annoying person coming to bug people into buying their favorite book," she laughed. "i understand that. never enough time to read all the books in the world."
