Counting the stars [open]

[Gabriel Edwards]

It was a nice evening, perfect for a movie.  The stars were out, and there was a full moon, which meant the park had plenty of light even though the sun had set.  The breeze was blowing, and even though it was summer, the mountain setting kept most of the heat away.  He enjoyed events like this. Back when he'd been working in New York City, there wasn't really any opportunity to attend something like this. New York didn't even have enough room for an outdoor theater. So this was all a new thing for him.

He really loved small towns, and he was sort of glad Westborough had caught his eye and they actually had need for a Sheriff. It all seemed like perfect timing.  He had arrived early, and had parked his police car towards the far end of the parking lot.  He had then walked his way into the grassy area that had been set aside for the movie.  He could smell the hot dogs cooking, the popcorn, and all of the other delicious food he would have to sample throughout the night.  

Gabriel had come dressed in his regular, every day clothes.  He had thought about wearing his uniform, but had decided he just wanted to go as a Westborough citizen.  This would be a good way to meet everyone, or so he thought.  He'd heard people talking about coming tonight, so he hoped the city would get a lot of good donations to help keep the park safe.   As he walked around, he noticed a few people arriving, but he kept to himself.  He still felt out of sorts and awkward, but maybe he would meet some new people and that feeling would go away.  

---

@vashti, or anyone

[Deleted]

Vashti normally stayed in the apartment, but hearing about the movie event... and Michael wanting to go, she just couldn't help herself. She had just finished work a few hours ago and had returned home, showered, put on a white shirt with blue jeans and put some sneakers on. "Are you ready to go Michael?" She asked as she slowly came out of her room to see him sitting in the living room. All of her siblings loved going to the movie events, she couldn't help but wonder if any of them would show up or if it would be just the two of them tonight. She grabbed her keys, wallet, and cell phone. "Alright lets go." She calls to her younger brother as she walks towards the front door and outside. Her brother follows and she closes the door, making sure it was locked before the two walk down the steps and towards her car. Vashti unlocks the car with her key and gets in, unlocking the other door, allowing Michael to get in too. Once buckled, Vashti pulls out of the parking lot and drives to the park. They arrive to the park a few minutes later and Michael gets out, locking his door, followed by Vashti locking her own door before they close them. She sticks her key in the truck and grabs out two folded chairs. "Go pick us a spot, I'll get in line for snacks so that we can have them soon." She smiles at her younger brother as she sees him walking off with the chairs, she goes towards the snack bar to see the sheriff. "Hello, Sheriff." She greets as she gets nearer. "How are you tonight?" She knew his name, but it would be much better if he just gave it again, besides most folks here would call him Sheriff over his own name anyway. She looked at the food stands to see no lines yet. It looked like the food was still being prepped though so she would just have to wait until they were ready for her before she could order her food.

Vashti thought of her past, all her siblings loved coming here, even when her parents were still around they would always go to the movie event together. Anybody who knew Vashti though, would know that she avoided talking about her parents at all costs, why you might ask, it's simple really. They left her and she was stuck raising her younger siblings herself, not to mention she blamed them for why her older brother had chosen to run away in the first place. Her family was still together, or most of it anyway... but there were still some sore spots that she had no desire to bring up. Vashti looked up at the sky to see a lot of stars, it made her smile, also making her sad at the same time. Her parents used to show them the stars all the time, her favorite sibling to spend it with happened to be her older brother, oh what she would give to see him again. What she would give to see her parents again, on the promise they don't leave again of course. Vashti looked back at Gabriel, feeling rude because she hadn't been paying attention to him for the last few minutes. "Sorry about that... I guess I have a lot on my mind." She confesses before taking a look towards her younger brother, Michael, to see he had put the chairs near the front, making the best view. She glances back at Gabriel again, waiting for him to say something or do something.

[Libby Sun St. Rose]

[Deleted]

[Gabriel Edwards]

When someone approached him and said hello, he offered a friendly smile, and tried to push down any nervousness he was feeling about meeting new people. "Oh, I'm doing alright, just looking forward to a nice movie under the stars." He had noticed she had come to the park with a young boy, and it made him wonder if he was her son. She seemed a little young to have a child, but looks could be deceiving at times. "It's not a problem..." He looked at her more closely and had the strangest feeling that they had met before, but he couldn't decide if she was just similar to someone he knew or not. He decided not to say anything about it for now, because he didn't want things to be even more awkward than they were.

"He's a cute kid," he said while nodding his head toward Michael. "How old is he?"

She had her phone out, and it seemed she was communicating with someone, probably a friend or family members. Maybe she had come early to reserve a seat. It seemed like a logical thing to do, especially if she had a larger family. "Are you going to be here alone this evening, or did you bring other people with you?" He hoped his questions weren't too inquisitive. He was just naturally curious, and trying to figure everything out about everyone.

@vashti

[Deleted]

Vashti noticed that he didn't call her by name, perhaps he forgot or something, they had met a few times seeing as he was new here after all. "I'm Vashti." She spoke, but instead of saying his name, she waited for him to say it himself... because she normally called him Sheriff anyway. She nods her head when he said he was doing alright just looking forward to watching the movie under the stars she couldn't have agreed more. Then he said it wasn't a problem that she seemed to have a lot on her mind, making her feel somewhat better. He called her brother a cute kid. "Yes I agree." She added her comment before he asked how old he was. "He is fifteen." She pauses, taking a deep breath before adding, "He's my younger brother." It seemed like he was asking and so she had given the answer. Anybody who seen her walking around with Michael would assume he was possibly a son when he was really her baby brother. She had texted her friend back, glad they had decided to go to the movie after all and found herself paying attention to him again. He asked and she answered, "Well I'm here with Michael." She looks at her younger brother, "My friend texted me saying she was coming... so that would make four more in my party and my siblings all used to come and they are possibly coming tonight." She was hoping her younger siblings were all coming to the movie night, it would give her a chance to spend time with them all again. She laughs before explaining herself, "I almost forgot your new here..." She pauses before adding, "I have more than one younger sibling... and an older sibling I haven't seen in some time." She decides that she will go ahead and tell him even though there was so much to remember. "There is my older brother, Tristan, who is about thirty now, my younger sisters, Elisa and Talia, who are about twenty-five, my younger brother, Joshua, who is about twenty-three, my younger brother and sister, Martain and Selena, who are about nineteen, my youngest brother, Michael, who is as you already know fifteen." She finishes, glad that she got that all off her chest.

[Gabriel Edwards]

Gabriel listened as she explained the younger boy with her was her brother. As she described the rest of her family he nodded his head and smiled. He enjoyed meeting big families. He had been an only child, and had not really had that experience growing up. "Sounds like you have a big family. I've always thought it would be nice having siblings." More and more people were arriving, and when she mentioned that she had forgotten he was new to the town, he shrugged his shoulders. "Oh, it's okay. I'll get to know everyone soon enough, I'm sure. I've already met a few people already."

"Have you always lived here, or did you move from somewhere else?"

It seemed like quite a few of the people had met claimed their families had always lived in Westborough, which he found interesting. Most people wanted to branch out of the place they were born, but maybe the small town atmosphere was something that they were used to, and didn't want to leave. He could understand that part about it, for sure.

@vashti