Latest Posts by leyla-tehrani - Page 4

Despite not being good at letting people in, Leyla didn't actually mind talking to them, especially in beautiful languages like this one. She smiled as the other woman said she was just watching, nodding. "Me too," she agreed, "I have a roommate on each team, so I'm hoping for a good game. That's all. Then I hope to escape before Aisha has me camping." At the part, she did laugh.

Lara smiled and nodded. "You're welcome," she said, glad that the other could understand her a bit. She always had her phone as well, just in case she'd need it. Typically she could get by with reading lips, but sometimes things would just get a bit complicated. That was the last thing she needed. But she managed to get through the day, both sides unscathed and maybe learning a little bit. "Oh, no, no," she shook her head. "Just watching," she signed. "Cheering on both teams. And you?"

"Sentences with technically don't usually end well," she murmured, knowing 'but' was coming. Leyla chose to live with roommates, so she had expected they might actually want to be her friend. It didn't make it easy for her to let people in, feeling like that always came with a big sign that said 'I'm broken, please find out why.' With a sigh and only a hint of a smile, she set her book aside. "Okay," she relented, placing her hat down on her chair to hold it before putting her hair in a low ponytail. "I'll play frisbee with you if you don't laugh when I'm bad at it."

"I mean, technically it is a beach activity." One she could see herself doing on a more quiet day, but on a day like today, she preferred more lively activities. "But there are a few more fun things to do. Maybe we should build a sandcastle? Or wait no- how about we toss a frisbee around?" she suggested, with a grin. She knew Leyla often kept to herself, but it wouldn't stop Aisha from trying to get her to hang out with her. She'd win her over and befriend her, eventually.

"I've never seen anything quite like it," Leyla commented, "it's like one great big family who actually like doing things with each other." She wasn't sure yet how she fit into it all, but if her roommates had any say in it, she would in time. "No, afraid we haven't. I'm Leyla Tehrani," she introduced herself back as she took his hand. "It's nice to meet you. Is the real estate firm yours: Bardales, Inc.? That's who I used when I purchased my space for Mawk Tales."

"End of summer, beginning of summer…" he let out a laugh as he shook out his beach blanket and laid it out next to his new company's. "Fall, winter, spring, we make a big deal out of everything," noto that he was going to complain. It meant a lot of opportunity to see people he otherwise didn't see, meet new ones along the way. That, and he actually was looking forward to playing volleyball. "I don't think we've had the chance to meet, have we? Rafael Bardales." He held out a hand, keeping the same polite, warm smile in place.

The sun felt warm and amazing, and though some might be counting down until the kids went home and they could drink, Leyla happily sipped her refreshing mocktail. It was way better than anything they were waiting for, the perfect blend of hydrating and delicious. She could get used to this beach life if this became her routine. "I say that all the time!" She agreed, happy to hear the woman next to her affirm her philosophy on it. Beaming as she mentioned her cup, she proudly proclaimed with near the enthusiasm of a mother about her baby, "it's mine. I couldn't resist a little free advertisement."

for @leyla-tehrani

It was relatively early in the day and for Fallon, that meant it was far too early for her to dive right into drinks. As much as she loved a good fruity drink, sometimes it was better to go the non-alcoholic way if she was going to be spending time in the sun and sand. She was old enough to know that being in the sun could make the effects stronger so instead she went for a mocktail of her favorite pineapple mai tai before heading out to a spot on the beach and dropping down onto a towel laid out, taking a long sip. "Mmm." she hummed. "You know people should really try more mocktails they taste so close to the real thing I almost don't miss the alcohol." she said out loud as she turned to see the person next to her and spot the tumblr in her hand of the relatively new place in town. "Oh speaking of places to get a mocktail." Gesturing, to the cup.

Turning the page of her book, Leyla had made it back to her chair after being encouraged to participate in other things for a little while. She settled into the peace of the moment when it was suddenly interrupted by a shout, looking up in time to see a ball hurtling toward her. She managed to raise her book over her face in time to block the shot. "I've been called a lot of things, but never a goal," she quipped, "but I blocked it, so you better not count it as a point."

Event: Beach Bash When: afternoon of August 26th Who: Wes + @leyla-tehrani

Wesley was dribbling a soccer ball to keep himself entertained while keeping an eye on his daughter, who was out on the water boogie boarding with her friends. Kicking the ball up into the air, he accidentally kicked it a little too hard, sending the ball flying toward a nearby beach-goer. "Fuck," he muttered under his breath, immediately shouting in her direction, "look out!" He jogged over to retrieve the ball, apologizing upon reaching Leyla with a quick, "sorry about that."

"Girl Code," she explained, showing the older woman her book, "it's a book for female entrepreneurs. Building confidence, women supporting women, that sort of thing." Probably not the fiction most read on the beach, but she was always striving to be better in business, still feeling a bit like she was playing catch up. "Daymond John's The Power of Broke is in my bag if I finish this today. I'm hopelessly boring unfortunately. What did you bring?"

for @leyla-tehrani

"So what is it you're reading?" Aleja asked curiously, looking over at the woman a short distance from her on the beach. She'd brought her own large bag of books and things, but could never bring herself to focus while sitting in the sand and sun.

As much as she had originally been not the most enthusiastic about being here, Leyla had to admit it had been a really nice weekend. Having spent so much time in New York, it was strangely refreshing--and equally terrifying--to be seen. She had never been a small town before, and it was a bit like a movie the way people were kind. "You're not bothering me," she assured as she set her book aside and extended her hand for the lotion, "the back's the hardest part. Always better with two. Are you enjoying your weekend?"

who: LIBBY & LEYLA! @leyla-tehrani

where: beach bash.

when: sometime during the late afternoon (August 26th).

Libby was reading one of her spicy romance novels and listened to Hozier's new album in her earphones, and it was her perfect way to spend a day on the beach. Especially after the big volleyball game. An hour or so passed before she realized that she needed to reapply her sunscreen, wanting to avoid her already pink-tinted skin getting sunburned. The squirt of the lotion bottle sounded and Libby massaged some between her hands, trying to get every bit of skin she could. Libby struggled a moment to get a certain area on her back and when she couldn't fight it anymore, she decided she needed to ask for a little bit of help. "I'm so sorry to bother you, but could you please help me put some sun lotion on my back? I've tried to do it myself and I've learned that I don't have long enough arms."

Leyla Tehrani, End of Summer Beach Bash, August 25-26, 2023

For all her lack of festiveness, Leyla really did love the view here. If you could drown out all the other noise, the sound of the ocean waves was nice. Looking up from her book as she had company, she smiled warmly, "not at all. Make yourself comfortable. You guys really do make a big thing of the end of summer around here, huh?"

WHO: Rafael & @leyla-tehrani

WHERE: The Beach

WHEN: End of Summer Beach Bash

Rafael did love the beach. Normally, he preferred the quiet afternoons through the week, when there wasn't quite as much noise and fuss, when people could pitch a canopy, lay out a towel, not worry about the world around them. But he couldn't deny that the beach party was still a good time, even with the laughing, screaming kids hanging about. As he took stock of the people nearby, he saw a woman sitting with a book in hand, and figured it was a safe spot, stopping nearby and offering a polite smile. "Mind if I take up a little space next to you?"

Everyone was having a good time, and that's what was important. She just wasn't sure she wanted to be in the middle of chaos. It made it hard to keep a distance from people, made even harder by the approaching roommate who appeared to have a look to make her do something. Still, she smiled back and waved her hand over her book, drink, and beach chair, "is this not a beach activity? I like this one."

who: aisha & @leyla-tehrani

where: the beach bash ( august 26 )

Even though Aisha wasn't participating in the volleyball game, she still wanted to experience everything else the beach bash had to offer. Including spending an unhealthy amount of time in the water. She'd only gotten out to get a drink, and maybe chat with a few friends when she noticed her roommate in a beach chair. She wandered over to her, drying herself off with a towel as she eyed the book she had in her hands. "Hey, Leyla!" she gave a bright smile. "Not a fan of any of the beach activities?"

Leyla had settled down in a beach chair with her book and tumbler, looking up on occasion at all the excitement around her. She wasn't sure she wanted to be in it all, watching was fine for her. As somone sat nearby, she looked over and smiled as the woman complimented her cup. Her ASL was pretty basic, but it had always been something she wanted to learn. She was mostly fluent in three languages, so it was something she always wanted to add to. "Thank you," she replied, for the words she didn't know the sign for, she would spell it out. Speaking it aloud as she went in case she could also read her lips, "I am going to start selling them at the bar soon. Are you going to play in the game?"

Who: Lara Marie Caruso & @leyla-tehrani

What: Beach Bash

Lara was enjoying being on the beach. Her daughter had run off with her friends to enjoy the last bits of summer freedom they had. It gave her a little freedom herself. She had a snack in her hand, and decided to take a seat somewhere she could watch the rest of the action. Turning her head, she saw someone close by and gave them a wave. “I like your cup,” she gestured, pointing to the Mawk Tales tumbler she spotted.

Though Leyla did not have much of a sweet tooth, she was in the area to find the cat cafe and thought she might go for a small cup of something. Perking up as she heard the woman next to her murmur something about a bad day and cookie dough, Leyla offered her a supportive smile and a shrug to her question. "Will you judge me if I say vanilla?" She asked, knowing most people did have a true favorite ice cream. Cookie dough in ice cream, though, did sound like the makings of a sugar high for days, but she didn't tell the disappointed woman that. "I don't eat a lot of sweets. All of these flavors are actually making my head spin a little."

who: kennedy & open [ 2 / 5 ]

where: the creamery

Kennedy had a particularly stressful day, running around town doing errands for an upcoming wedding. She knew what she was getting herself into when taking the job, but she still found herself a bit overwhelmed from time to time. So she decided to treat herself to some ice cream, knowing she had a bit of a sweet tooth and deciding to indulge in it as some type of reward after the hectic day. Glancing at the flavors, she noticed they were out of her favorite flavor. "This day just keeps getting worse," she mumbled to herself and glanced over at the person also waiting in line. "What's your favorite flavor? They're out of cookie dough which should be constituted as a crime." she was joking of course. "But if you say mint chocolate chip, I will be judging you."

The cutest™

Oh, I hate the paperwork! I like the math part, actually, but the paperwork still feels like mountains. The inventory, food cost, payroll, taxes, oh my! I don't know how to shut it off, honestly, I feel like I'm basically working 24/7. I probably do need to outsource some of it. I can't stop thinking about it, I feel like I'm in love all over again.

So my least favorite part of owning my own business is all the paperwork that comes with it. I don’t know why people will willingly voluntarily do math in their free time, but I’m really glad that I’ve got software to help me with all that. And then a family friend to make sure everything is good and dandy. Do you have this problem too? @leyla-tehrani

nikohl boosheri + instagram

Leyla knew there had been a concert about a month ago, but she hadn't gone. The idea of really being part of the town, opening herself up to people again, it sort of scared her. It was much easier to do it all in the context of work. Still, she had seen the posters and thought she remembered seeing his face in one somewhere. "Do you mind if we talk a little business then?" She asked, "because I want to put on some events in the bar, and I thought live music would be a great option. I know you're more of a...louder band, but do you ever perform any acoustic sets?"

"Thanks!" he offered up a warm smile as she began working on his drinks. At the question of being in a band, he confirmed with a nod. He wasn't entirely sure which band she was referring to, but he could probably safely assume she wasn't a devoted fan of any sort and just had heard around town. "I am, yeah."

Leyla's smile brightened as the other woman confirmed with her hand what she had suspected. Though she wasn't so sure about having kids herself, she did love seeing the joy in others who did want it. "That would be great, I'm actually working on having some of the local musicians come play for a night of live music. I think that would make a great date night. Do you mind if I ask when you're due?"

Accepting her hand and shaking it, she said, "nice to meet you, Alice. I'm Leyla. I really do hope we get to know each other better." It still amazed her how kind everyone was here, she wasn't exactly familiar with the small town dynamics. "Will you really?" She asked, again surprised by the hospitality of this place. "That would be wonderful!" Finishing pouring the drink into a glass, she added the finishing touch of a sprig of fresh basil before placing it down in front of her newest regular.

Alice smiled and nodded. “Well, thank you,” she grinned. “I’ve gone to taking a liking to these mixed drinks without them being spiked,” she said, placing a hand on her bump with a small smile. “I’m excited to discover the menu! Maybe I’ll bring my boyfriend with me next time,” she grinned.

She nodded quickly. “I remember,” she chuckled, adjusting herself more comfortably in her seat. “Alice,” she introduced herself, with a warm smile, holding her hand out. “I write for the local paper. I will definitely spotlight Mawk Tales,”

TASK #10: GET BOLD

WHERE DO THEY FIT IN

financial / class status: wealthy | middle class | poor

grew up: wealthy | middle class | poor

health / wellness: fit/healthy | moderate | disabled | ill

education: below high school | high school | college | beyond (master's)

legalities: clean record | has a record | trouble / prison

town status: local | new in town (since May 2023) | somewhere in between

lives: downtown | suburbs | coast | countryside

FAMILY LIFE

parents: alive | deceased | unknown

came to be: blood | adopted | other

siblings: multiple siblings | one sibling | only child

extended family: large (aunts, uncles, cousins) | small | none

children: none | has children | wants children

relationship status: single | complicated | taken

if taken: dating | relationship | engaged | married

if single: looking | not looking | whatever happens

pets: no pets | has pets | wants pets

PERSONALITY STUFF

extroverted | introverted | somewhere in between

organized | disorganized | somewhere in between

close minded | open minded | somewhere in between

calm | anxious | somewhere in between

easy to get along with | not so much | somewhere in between

cautious | reckless | somewhere in between

patient | impatient | somewhere in between

outspoken | reserved | somewhere in between

leader | follower | somewhere in between

empathetic | careless | somewhere in between

optimistic | pessimistic | somewhere in between

traditional | modern | somewhere in between

hard-working | lazy | somewhere in between

cultured | uncultured | somewhere in between

BELIEFS AND IDEALS

are they: religious (sort of) | agnostic | atheist

do they believe in ghosts / spirits: yes | no | unsure

the afterlife: yes | no | unsure

reincarnation: yes | no | unsure

aliens: yes | no | unsure

astrology: yes | no | unsure

fate: yes | no | unsure

SEX, ROMANCE & RELATIONSHIPS

sexuality scale: allosexual | in between | asexual | other

romantic scale: allromantic | in between | aromantic | other

experience: virgin | very little | moderate | experienced

number of partners: 0 | 1-5 | 5-10 | 10-25 | 25+

number of relationships: 0 | 1-5 | 10-25 | 25+

preferred partners: men | women | any gender | other | none

relationships: monogamous | polyamorous | other | none

with others: relationship person | casual sex (though less so now) | other | none

in bed: traditional sex | adventurous (potentially with the right person, she'd need to feel safe) | kinks/fetishes | other

ABILITIES AND SKILLS

cooking: good | in between | bad

cleaning: good | in between | bad

musical ability: good | in between | bad

artistic skills: good | in between | bad

driving: good | in between | bad

athleticism: good | in between | bad

swimming: good | in between | bad

horseback riding: good | in between | bad

fishing / hunting: good | in between | bad

gardening: good | in between | bad

communication: good | in between | bad

handiness: good | in between | bad

handwriting: good | in between | bad

technology: good | in between | bad

HABITS, GOOD & BAD

alcohol: excess | frequently | average | infrequently | never

smoking: excess | frequently | average | infrequently | never

pot/weed: excess | frequently | average | infrequently | never (now but tried it before)

drugs: excess | frequently | average | infrequently | never

shopping: excess | frequently | average | infrequently | never

gambling: excess | frequently | average | infrequently | never

sex: excess | frequently | average | infrequently | never

#sleeping beauty 

Leyla wanted her place to be as good as any other bar, and you could always send those drinks back too. Even if she was very confident in the quality of her menu, everyone had different tastes. "The option is always available," she promised. Since it was her recommendation, Leyla did hope she'd like it. "That's what I thought," she replied with a laugh. "Okay, I'll do it then. Maybe I'll take your recommendation on your favorite flavors." Her brow briefly furrowed as the other woman laughed before she explained. "Good thing I sent the last one into early retirement, so there's a vacancy," she teased, "but I think that's perspective, it could make you an angel."

Valentina nodded. She didn't want the brunette to go out of her way just for her drink but she appreciated the gesture. "I'm sure it'll be just fine." After all, she seemed to know what she was doing with all the mocktails and smoothies. "I'm the only adult who allows them to eat candies, of course I'm their favorite person," she joked. "But yes please, come and have a look. I'll make you an ice cream, if you're not into candy." All of a sudden, she let out a short laugh as she realized something, "You're making me a healthy drink and I'm offering you candy in return, I feel like a little devil on your shoulder."

It was important to Leyla to be here, to give back. She had never been good at receiving, but giving came easy. Besides, she'd get to be with horses, what could possibly be wrong about that? Nowadays, she often preferred animals to people.

"Really? That's great," she said as the woman confirmed they were always looking. It perked her up a bit as she patiently waited for the application. "I also own Mawk Tales, down by the coast, so if you ever want to do any sort of fundraiser, let me know," she offered, before gratefully accepting the clipboard. "How long have you been doing this?" She asked as she started on the form.

As much as Livvy loved working as a physical therapist, she enjoyed her work with the horses even more. Getting to watch children get up on a horse's back for the first time, riding around a little arena, being led by the volunteers, going out on trail rides when they had the experience and could handle it; every day, she went home feeling good abotu what she did. That wasn't always something she could say about her time in the office.

"Oh!" she looked up from where she had been polishing a saddle, buffing and buffing at the leather to make it look like new again, and breaking into a smile. "We're always looking or volunteers, actually. As for applications, uhm, give me one second," she set the saddle aside, and scampered into the office, snatching a piece of paper out of one of the drawers and attaching it to a clipboard, turning to make her way back out into the aisle. "Here we are!"

Leyla kind of wondered if Darrius was bothered at all by a house full of women, whether he hoped a guy would take the free room and make it even. He'd never given off that impression though, so she hoped that meant he didn't mind it. "Coming right up," she replied, a hint of a grin back. It was easier to keep people at a distance in New York, but she was going to have a harder time here. Still, there was something warm about Darrius that made it easy to feel comfortable. "Always," she half-joked, "entrepreneurs can't really keep regular hours. You teach, right? So I guess you know a little about that too, huh?"

Darrius's living situation had been a bit of a whirlwind throughout the course of his life. Growing up with siblings, sharing bedrooms, and then living on his own when he moved to Michigan… only to come home to that childhood bedroom all over again. Then his own apartment in Merrock, and now a home. With three women, granted, but he had come to love that. Especially when they offered to make him tea. "I'll take some, yeah," he smiled, having chosen a small bowl of fruit that he had cut up a couple of days ago. Turning towards the island in the middle of the kitchen, he popped a grape in his mouth, chewing thoughtfully before speaking. "Were you working?"

 (✿◠‿◠)

WHO: Leyla & @docolives WHERE: Harmony Ranch

At one of the treatment centers, Leyla had gone through some equine therapy, and she found so much progress and help in it. When she learned that Merrock had a similar sort of program largely geared toward kids, it was all she could do not to run all the way from the coast to the countryside to see if there were any opportunities for her to do something.

"Excuse me," she asked the blonde she spotted, knowing she'd seen her around before, "do you have any spots for a volunteer? Like an application or something I could fill out?"

Part of Leyla had wanted to get a place on her own, close herself off completely at the end of a long day. No one to tell her when she needed to stop working sounded divine. But she had learned the importance of coming into the light, and so she made the choice to surround herself with people. Bleary-eyed from looking at the numbers from the weekend on her laptop, she went to make herself some tea. The 'hmm' reached her ears before she realized anyone was in here. "Tea," she corrected as she grabbed her teapot and began to fill it with water, "lavender to relax. Would you like some to go with your snack?"

WHO: Darrius & @leyla-tehrani

WHERE: home; coastal area

WHEN: August, 2023

School would be starting soon, and although Darrius loved teaching at the community center, he absolutely dreaded the last few weeks before the first day. Sure, he could play it cool and say that he loved coming up with lesson plans and deciding what they would learn and when and why and how, but there was that extra layer of stress that sometimes led to him needing some sort of sweet treat. That was why he found himself with his head in the fridge, sorting through jars of this and that, and letting out a 'hmm,' only righting himself when he heard someone else enter the kitchen. "Are you looking for a snack, too?"

Luckily Leyla liked being busy, especially when that meant her business was doing well. If it kept up though, she might have to start a hiring process. "Then I think you'll really like this," she promised, "and if you don't, I'll make you something else." She did want her drinks to be a little healthier than your average bar, and most drinks were, like this one. "I think I've walked past it before, but I haven't yet made it in there. I don't eat much candy, but maybe I'll stop in sometime just to have a look around. I bet you're the kids' favorite person around here?"

"Oh, no worries," she brushed the apologies away, offering a smile to the woman. Valentina had worked behind a bar in the many different jobs she had taken over the years. She knew how demanding it could be when there was a lot of people all at once. "Honestly, I spend so much time around sweet things", or sweet people she almost added, "that something different sounds perfect to me." Plus she was not going to complain if the drink had some health benefits, too. "I work at Cassidy's Candies. That's nearby. And kids are still on holidays, which means that my days are-- busy. Ice cream and candy and a looot of people on sugar high."

It was a bit surprising how popular the place already seemed to be getting--though not a bad surprise at all. "Sorry for the wait," Leyla apologized quickly, then needing about half a second for her brain to completely reboot. Women this beautiful did not exist in real life and they certainly weren't in random small towns in Maine asking for a smoothie...and yet... "Good choice," she replied, "it may not be as sweet as some of our other smoothies, but it's still delicious and has a ton of health benefits--and in my opinion, is a great coffee alternative. What's ahead of you in the day that calls for an energy boost?"

For once, Valentina was being patient. Her forearms laying on the counter, she waited for the woman to come and take her order. When she approached, Val welcomed her with a grin, leaning a tiny bit. "I'm going to trust you," she answered. "So let's try the smoothie. I could need that kind of energy boost." Which was not an usual thing from Valentina, who tended to be an human dynamo.

Leyla did her best to make this a warm place, one of the reasons she chose a spot close to the coast. It created an atmosphere, almost like a vacation in the middle of the day. Though maybe for the locals, it was more mundane by now. As she looked at her latest customer, she could see a bit of a glow--and maybe a bump? Though Leyla would never make assumptions.

"Good choice," she agreed. Most bars added so little alcohol to their cocktails that it was hard to tell the difference when that part was missing. A good flavor speaks for itself. "My first regular," she joked, "maybe I can get your name and train the bar to call it out every time you come in like Norm on Cheers--if you ever saw that show."

Mawk Tales felt like the perfect spot for Alice to spend her afternoon. Nonalcoholic drinks for the pregnant wine lover? She could enjoy some of that. She eyed the menu and licked over her lips. Everything looked good, but when she heard the word ‘strawberry’ she knew that’s where she had to start.

“I do enjoy a good fruity drink,” she said with a nod. “I’ll try the strawberry one,” she gave a smile. “You know, I’ll probably be here quite often, trying something new.”

Flights were always one of her favorite options, especially at new places. It gave a good sampling for customers to come back and order more of the ones they liked the best. "I'll get that going," Leyla stated, giving a few moments of thought to what to include. When she started to shake one up, she asked, "you're in a band, right?"

At the suggestion of the flight, Alec paused for a moment. "Let's do that then. You can pick the other two, just no smoothies," her shook his head at the last part. Nothing better than recommendations straight from the owner, right?

Leyla has happy to see more and more people discover Mawk Tales and start to come in when they were in the mood for a mocktail, but she still had to keep working. The momentum of the new(er) wouldn't last forever. It was up to her to make it into something. "Also delicious," she said, pausing as she noticed him continue to look over the menu. "We have a flight option too if you want to try a few. It comes with any four you want."

Alec was on his way back home from work when he decided to drop in by Mawk Tales for a bit. While Anchors Away was his usual hang out, mocktails were probably the better option at the moment. "Uhh.. let me do the sparkling blackberry lemonade," his eyes stayed glued to the menu as he spoke, double checking the options to make sure that was what he wanted. His attention finally turned back to Leyla once he was sure. "I'll try the strawberry basil one too."