CASUAL ✷ chappell roan

OO6 .. banana split

The exterior of the diner made the place seem pleasant inside. Iggy had chosen this place for that reason: it didn't look bad to begin with. The menus stuck to their hands and every booth had holes with stuffing poking out.

The milkshakes were placed in front of the duo, one chocolate and one strawberry. Chappell took a scoop of the whipped cream, letting it melt in her mouth. Despite the state of the building, the milkshakes were still as good as they were when she was young.

Her head rested on her arm, eyes focused on all of Iggy's details. There was something else hidden in her nostalgia - the thing Elia told her to avoid.

The pair ate in the quiet ambience of a family diner. There was a family at the end of the room, children yelling and biting crayons. The radio playing the local station, made up of a playlist of five songs. A waitress loudly gossiping about her boyfriend from the rival high-school.

"Is your town always like this?" Iggy spoke up, balancing the spoon between her fingers.

"Like what?"

"It's like, everyone knows everyone but, too well. Like, you don't want to know that much."

"Yeah well," Chappell began, "Most people have a dead cousin that I've quizzed them about. Not really the best place to be in."

Iggy provided a confused look as a response. At that moment, the radio shifted, beginning the advert she had written.

"A new search is being conducted on the Pony Beach murders. If you have any information that may be of use, please contact bluelagooninvestigators@outlook.com"

Iggy's face shifted. Chappell's mind jumped to its detective mode, analysing what she thought.

"Is that what the tent on the beach was?" And when Chappell nodded, "Really? That's... not good."

"Yeah, and I wish I just knew who it was. I wish that one little piece of evidence could just yell me what is going on! I just-"

"Wait." Iggy slammed her hand on the table, "You're the one investigating all of this?"

"Yeah, no one else is going to."

"But why? Why would you put yourself in that danger?"

Chappell felt the confusion cover her face, "I'm not in danger. I'm fine, I promise."

"That's not what I meant." Iggy's face was losing its light fast. "You really think that looking into some stupid mystery is gonna work out for you?"

"It's not stupid!" Chappell's voice projected, silencing the room. "It's just... I can't watch another life get taken. Something's gotta give!"

The pair quietened down. Chappell wanted to return to the emotions she had felt all but five minutes before. It was not something Chappell could understand: what about this had made Iggy so upset. But it didn't phase her, Chappell had too much ambition for the night ahead of them.

"So," Chappell had finished her milkshake, now waiting for Iggy's to finally move past halfway. "Would you like to come back to my place?"

Iggy looked up again, poker face still active.

"We could watch a movie? We could do our nails?"

Iggy looked as if she was calculating, whather this was a good idea.

She did. She did think it was a good idea. Chappell wanted to believe that she wanted this too. When Iggy finally nodded, Chappell wanted to believe that she was agreeing to this because it meant something to her. That she wasn't just doing it out of pity.

"OK, come on. Let's go."