mellifluous (life is strange 2)

EPISODE THREE / pine

Juli perched on the back of the truck and watched as Sean jogged toward the group, his hair a mess and his clothing rumpled. "Sean! Sean! Sean!"

She reached out and grabbed onto his hand as Big Joe started up the truck. With a heave, she pulled him onto the bed, his feet leaving the ground just in time. The others cheered and Juli hopped on the bench next to Ingrid.

"Sleepy ass," she teased. "Did you have a nice rest, sweetheart?"

Sean stuck his tongue out at her childishly. "Shut up."

She laughed and leaned back. The scenery passed by them as the others talked at varying volumes and about various subjects. Last day, then pay day, she repeated in her head over and over again.

Finally, after a hard day of work, with the sun about to set in the background and Big Joe keeping watch outside, Juli sat on the steps leading into Merrill's building. Daniel sat beside her, Finn leaned against the wall, and Jake, Sean, and Cassidy arranged themselves in a lopsided circle.

After silence."Okay...this is boring," Cassidy said. "So...everybody, tell me you're gonna blow your next payday!"

"The usual," Sean replied. "Save it til the next one."

"Well, ain't we all stingy now!" she teased. "How about a keg offering for your family, or...Or some hookers or cocaine?"

Jake frowned disapprovingly at Cassidy. "Oh, please, there's a child here."

"I think he's heard worse," Cassidy said. "Besides, he's our mascot now!"

Daniel perked up. "I wanna buy a bacon burger and a pepperoni pizza! Then a box of Choc-O-Crisp, and...and a red slushie!"

Finn closed his eyes and leaned back. "Oh, hell yes! Screw the hookers, bring on the Choc-O-Crisp!"

Cassidy rolled her eyes and looked over at Juli. "C'mon, city girl, you've gotta have some desire that you want to satiate with this," she pleaded.

Juli hummed. "Honestly, I just want to get the fuck out of Dodge. We'll think about 'desires' later."

"Fine, fine," Cassidy conceded. "Sean, you gotta treat yourself after all this hard work, though!"

Sean thought about it for a moment. "Okay, it's silly, but...I really do need another pair of socks. I wash mine overnight, but they're not always dry the next morning."

"He's got cold feet!" Finn said with a little laugh.

After no one added anything else, Cassidy sighed. "So, that's it?" she asked as she made eye contact with everyone. "You bust your ass all week for nothing..."

"Some of us just got simple needs, princess," Finn said.

"Yeah, like your beach house in Costa Rica?" Finn merely scoffed in reply and didn't say anything.

The door opened. Juli scooted to the side to let Ingrid and Anders walk out. The pair gave them smiles and positive gestures as they left. Juli gave them a little two-fingered salute and got up to face Merrill.

"Okay, let's get this over with," he said. "Finn, Cassidy, Sean, Juli, and uh...you."

"Jake. J-Jacob." The guy in question followed Merrill inside with his arms crossed. The others filed in. Sean stopped for a second to bar Daniel from entering with a stern expression.

"Daniel...dude...do you have to do this every week?" he asked. "Adults only!"

Daniel scowled. "Oh, whatever! I work, too!"

"Yes, we know," Sean said. "But we have to keep a low profile, got it? For the millionth time...just...wait here for a few minutes and don't do anything. Nothing."