sydneydaltons

[sydneydaltons]

docolives​:

Growing up in Merrock, there was not a single person who hadn’t spent the week of Creek Fest… well, at Creek Fest. Whether someone was coming to stock up on baked goods, needed to get decorations, wanted to do something fun, or just had to get out of the house, she knew that everyone who was anyone could be found stumbling around the market… including Sydney. Which she should have known, given the fact that she owned a bakery, and she had seen Sweet Talk’s ad on Instagram earlier that week. Maybe, just maybe, she hadn’t been expecting the other woman to stumble into her, reaching both hands up to steady her and then quickly pulling them back in so as not to offend. Doubly so, when they hadn’t spoken in forever. “It’s fine, no harm no foul,” thankfully she hadn’t started gathering everything she wanted to buy that day – yet. And then what… small talk? Smile politely and walk away? Livvy stood awkwardly for a moment before clearing her throat, “… enjoying the festival?”

💐

Livvy’s touch felt as though it had the power to burn holes in her sweater, the gaping vulnerabilities lingering behind. It was akin to being touched by a ghost. “I, er...” Sydney trailed off, at a complete loss for words. Her mind had veered sharply off course to an overwhelming blank, nothing to say and nothing to pretend to care about in order to transition her out of this situation without feeling like a complete fool of herself. She felt frozen in place, the heat growing in her cheeks by the minute. She hated the way she felt now whenever Livvy was involved. Stupid fuckin’ high school days. Whatever. Taking a deep breath, Sydney squared her shoulders back and feigned a cheerful smile. “Yeah, I am,” she hummed a little too forcefully. “I uh, have all my stuff back at the bakery. Y’know. Just... enjoying it.” Her shoulders fell in a lackluster shrug. “How about you?”

#「 ☆ 」 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄 : hidden in the pages of the new york times . #「 ☆ 」 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄 : olivia hartman . #olivia : 001.

[sydneydaltons]

mcndyhcrtmcn​:

So you’re going to come by the studio some time, right? Doesn’t matter when or whatever, i just miss you and your face. How’ve you been lately? I feel like we always keep missing each other and we need to grab a drink or something during Creek Fest. @sydneydaltons​​

It’s on the to do list, I promise. I’m not closing any this week, so if you want, I’ll stop in one night, bring cupcakes or something for us to split while we catch up? I’ve been good. Bumped into your sister at Creek Fest, funnily enough... you know how that goes. Awkward. Just been juggling the bakery and pretending I have something of a social life, when in reality, I don’t. It’s all cupcakes, all the time. How’s the studio been, boss babe? 

#「 ☆ 」 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 : featuring mandy hartman .

[sydneydaltons]

maverickharris​:

She shook her head. Her brain hurting after dealing with a ton of guests who had no idea what they had walked into. “It’s just so tiring. I’m so tired of having people walk in and ask immediately the kind of coffee we have. They don’t even look.” She licked her lips, and pressed them together. “I’m gonna have to. Maybe people can read instead of have selective hearing.”

💐

"I can imagine so,” Sydney sympathized, eyes widening the slightest bit. “It’s like when people come into the bakery and ask if I do birthday cakes. Context clues are everything; apparently somewhere down the road, they skipped over that unit in school.” One of her shoulders bent in a half hearted shrug. “Have you guys been busy this week with everything going on?”

#maverick : 001. #「 ☆ 」 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄 : maverick harris . #「 ☆ 」 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄 : hidden in the pages of the new york times .

[sydneydaltons]

𝐂𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐌 𝐌𝐀𝐃𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑: @jacobhartland​​​ 𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍: CREEK FEST.

If a kid could do it, then, reasonably speaking she could, too. Her eyes lingered on the game booths, the gleeful cheers and excitement from the stall-runners spilling out into the pathways. “Little competition seems like fun, you think? We could even make it interesting, loser buys the winner the drink of their choice from the wine tent,” she propositioned hopefully, eyes alight and lips quirked up into a grin.

#「 ☆ 」 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄 : hidden in the pages of the new york times . #「 ☆ 」 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄 : jacob hartland . #jacob : 002. #is this garbage? sure #but i figured a lil chaos hurt nobody <3 #plus we all know i'll be rambling away before it's all said and done

[sydneydaltons]

𝐂𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐌 𝐌𝐀𝐃𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑: @docolives​​ 𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍: CREEK FEST.

Drink in one hand and phone in the other, Sydney was parking in perhaps the arguably most dangerous method of travel — walking while scrolling, keeping tabs on the latest from the bakery’s most recent Instagram post through the crowded streets of the Market. She was just in pursuit of a free spot to gather her bearings, but her peripheral vision could only do so much in aiding her half-noticed efforts. In a last second avoidance of a collision with a man double fisting his hard ciders, she accidentally stumbled sideways into someone. “Ah, shit, I’m so sorry, I —” Her voice died in her throat as Sydney lifted her sights, settling them on a now resurrected ghost from what seemed like a past life: Olivia Hartman. “Oh,” she breathed out softly.

#so i had something way longer typed and tumblr ate it :///// #BUT IT'S HERE #i hope it works alright for u angel <33 #「 ☆ 」 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄 : hidden in the pages of the new york times . #「 ☆ 」 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄 : olivia hartman . #olivia : 001.

[sydneydaltons]

mercyovalles​:

open starter — @merrock​​

event — creek festival. 

“I know this may be the wine talkin’, but I’ve got this undyin’ urge to try my hand at the corn maze. And not the easy one.” Excusing her previous encounter with the sunflower maze, and how she barely managed to get through the one, Mercy couldn’t let the opportunity pass. She might even make it to the end this time. “…Be my partner?” She finally asked, glancing up through her lashes and lower lip pursing out slightly. “I’ll even get you somethin’ if we make it to the end.”

One eyebrow elevated and her cup pressed against her lips, Sydney quickly tossed back the rest of her hard cider before throwing the cup into the nearest trash can. “Up for a challenge then, huh?” Sydney felt the reverberations of a laugh bubbling in the column in her throat, reaching for Mercy’s arm and threading it through her arm. “C’mon, you. Let’s go knock this hard maze out. If we make it out to the end, I’ll let you have all the free cupcakes you want from the bakery.” 

#「 ☆ 」 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄 : hidden in the pages of the new york times . #「 ☆ 」 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄 : mercy ovalles . #mercy : 002.

[sydneydaltons]

#merrocksocial #「 ☆ 」 𝐒𝐎𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋𝐒 : fill your dreams with polaroids .

[sydneydaltons]

Now here you go again You say you want your freedom Well, who am I to keep you down? It’s only right that you should Play the way you feel it

#「 ☆ 」 𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐅𝐘 : sewing hearts into your record sleeves to dance to my lucky number .

[sydneydaltons]

stellylee​:

Oh God… I don’t know how I could ever choose, they were all a lot of fun to sing, especially the ones that I could really get into and feel like I was preforming on, you know? But Nina Simone’s version of Feeling Good has always been such a bop to me, so to be able to put my own spin on the song was really special! See, I don’t think that’s a bad way to live your life! Sure, you might sometimes land yourself in some… tricky situations, or more like trying to explain your way out of those situations, but! Swimming with sharks would be so much fun, but absolutely daunting, yeah – have you talked to Aleja? She studies sharks for a living! She might be able to help you out… or talk you out of it.

What would you say is the difference? ‘Ya know, between actually performing as opposed to like, just hopping up on a stage and doing karaoke. The line between the two may be blurred, but it’s still pretty distinct, I think. Oh, fuck, love that song, especially her rendition. No way it didn’t bring down the house. It’s certainly a risky way to live life, considering things always have the possibility to get hairy, but what’s life without toeing the line? It makes for all the good stories. I know you can do the cage dives with them, but to me, it just seems inhibiting. Like, I want to be in their natural element with them. It’s no fun if you’re manipulating the circumstance even more than you have to. That’s wicked, I wish I was smart enough to study them. My idea of studying sharks would consist of a Shark Week marathon, and strapping an underwater Go Pro to the nearest piece of coral to scope ‘em out. Why do you say that, has Aleja talked you out of shark activity before, Stelly? Now you’ve got me a little bit nervous.

#「 ☆ 」 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 : featuring stelly lee .

[sydneydaltons]

ramseygabriels​:

For the most part Ramsey liked to believe himself a man that didn’t have many ghosts that followed him, mainly that he didn’t have a ton of regrets. Living in the medical field there we always problems, split second decisions that made you wonder if you had done something different if there’d be different outcomes but the rest of it, there were rarely any regrets. Not when it came to people he had in his life, people he had a history with, those typically he didn’t. Of course, Sydney threw a tiny wrench into that because things were – weird with her. Not weird in the fact that she was odd, but weird in the fact that he didn’t always seem himself around her, and she didn’t always seem to be herself, but fleeting moments poked through and they would be themselves and it was like a symphony of perfect harmony playing, they fit. Then there were times they were avoiding each other – actually, it was more he knew Sydney was the one avoiding him and after so long he let it go. He was used to that life, when it came to being a doctor he was used to being ‘ghosted’ from what the many nurses had educated him in. 

It was just meant to be an easy day before heading into work, which meant starting his day with his normal extra strong coffee. Backpack slung over his shoulder before feeling the door open and as if the universe had a funny sense of humor there was Sydney in the flesh. 

Clearing his throat, brushing his hand across the subtle stubble on his face, “Sydney.” Voice even and composed, “It’s fine, looks like you were busy trying to get somewhere, don’t let me hold you up.” 

💐

His voice was like flint against the wildly spinning flame wheel inside of her brain, something white hot surging inside her at the steady, even syllables of her name clipped off of his tongue. She never understood cavalier. She could craft her own facade just as well, lower her own temperatures to freeze others out, but almost always were the cracks and fractures visible — it was the reason everything in her life equated to a meteor streaking across the night sky. Just a moment of something that fizzled. 

Ramsey shouldn’t have been something that fizzled, except they only ever seemed to glimmer right when the clock struck twelve. Too early or too late, even just by a minute, and everything felt skewed. If he was push, she was pull; too much imbalance to try and counteract, and quite frankly, with her track record, an uncertainty in the outcome when faced with risk versus reward. She’d sent herself straight to his voicemail, searching the abyss of her brain for something to say only to feel a sudden lurch forward at the dial tone that, in the billowed panic, had her hitting the red escape button on the screen. She’d written enough texts to have upheld the conversation on both fronts, but she never could find it in herself to hit send. Sydney had been down the road of offering herself up so freely before: it only trailed back her entire life, love hard and fast and temporary on every given occasion. Ever since the divorce, though, she found herself broken, unable to weave a web or so much as tether onto something for a moment. The same needs remained, but be it the universe or her subconscious, she always hesitated before jumping the proverbial gun.

“I, um, yeah,” Sydney tripped over her words, desperately seeking composure to blanket over the flames of her sudden awkwardness. “I mean, no, I’m just —” She forces herself to exhale, a short, borderline agitated sigh, “— look, I tried calling. Not that I ever got you, or went through with it, but... I did. I thought about it.” She took a quick look down at herself, the quiet taking of account into the way her free hand was slightly trembling. “What I’m trying to say, I guess, is I’m sorry. For being... well, a disaster.”

#ramsey : 001. #「 ☆ 」 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄 : ramsey salazar . #divorce tw

[sydneydaltons]

lydiabeck​:

The other day I was scrolling on TikTok and this amazing looking peanut butter cookie recipe popped up. I’ve been craving them ever since, so I’m going to need you to make them for me asap. I would do it myself, but why should I when my best friend can do it for me, and much better at that. @sydneydaltons​

Okay, I did not know you were on TikTok, but this admission means you’re officially corralled into helping me make one for the bakery. I don’t know why, but I have this incessant need for the Cupcraze to go viral. Say you’re in? I’ll make all the peanut butter cookies you want, promise. Also, you’re the cutest. Thanks, babe. Maybe someday we’ll expand and do cookies regularly at the bakery, but today ain’t it.  

#「 ☆ 」 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 : featuring lydia beck .

[sydneydaltons]

maverickharris​:

“The amount of times I have heard people come into What’s the Tea and ask for coffee makes me want to scream. How do people not know? It’s literally in the name of the store.” Maverick threw her head back in the chair as she covered her hands with her face out of desperation. “I mean, seriously. I’m going to put a sign on the counter that says WE ONLY SERVE TEA, that way I can save my voice.” @merrock

💐

"See, your problem is that you’re working off the assumption people have an ounce of common sense left to their name,” Sydney reasoned, depositing herself into the seat across from Mavi, one hand curled around her mug. “And that’s not true. People see tea, they think hot drink, and where do their minds go? Coffee. Boom.” Her hands mime a small explosion. “Put the sign up. I did when people kept asking why I only have certain weekly flavors for a week only. Doesn’t stop people from asking, but it sure does help me save a little breath.”

#maverick : 001. #「 ☆ 」 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄 : maverick harris .

[sydneydaltons]

allisonmooresx​:

OPEN STARTER

“I’m not much of a baker, but I swear this is safe to eat.” Ali presented the box of chocolate chip cookies, hoping like hell that someone would take it. It had been a while since she’d baked anything, but since she’d gone a little overboard, she needed to share them. 

@merrock​

💐

"Sounds good enough to me,” Sydney concluded, reaching into the box. “All bakers gotta start somewhere though, right?” She pinched off a piece of the cookie that she’d taken, holding it up with a smile. “What brought on the desire to bake something, anyways?”

#allison : 001. #「 ☆ 」 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄 : allison moore .

[sydneydaltons]

srevawashere​:

where: sandcastles restaurant on the coast

who: anyone! @merrock​

“See those two in the corner?” In a conspiratorial tone, Sreva gestured to a two-person table by the window with the best view of the sprawling coastline. “One of them was stood up, poor thing, just sat there ordering drinks for half an hour. The second arrived alone so I had the idea. I said all the tables are booked up - they aren’t, but don’t mind that - and so I simply had to put the two singles together. Want to place bets on how it goes?”

💐

Sydney craned her neck out, inconspicuous going somewhat forgotten as she tried to get a glimpse at the corner table in question. “Boo,” she frowned in response, chin resting neatly in the curve of her palm. “Standing up your date is so early 2000s. Like, unless you’ve been abducted by aliens, there’s no good reason to just... not show without any notice.” Rapidly, her smile grew at Sreva’s ingenuity. “You, my friend, are a genius,” Sydney said, extending her free hand for a high-five. “Judging by the conversation, a second is definitely in the cards... I’ll play it safe, say at least two months? Maybe it’ll become one of those meet-cute stories they like to tell once they’re married, but, y’know. Can’t let too much optimism bite ‘ya in the ass.”

#sreva : 001. #「 ☆ 」 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄 : sreva dorji .

[sydneydaltons]

stellylee​:

Today, I did something that I never thought I would do – got up on a stage in front of a crowd of people and sang. Which is wild, since the biggest crowd I’ve ever performed to is whoever came out for karaoke nights at Touchback and that one time that some friends and I performed at the talent show my freshman year. But you know what? I did it, and I’m proud of that! What’s something that you never, ever thought you would do, but did? Or something that you kind of want to do, but might be a little scared to?

You did the damn thing, and you should be proud of yourself! You go, rockstar. Nothing like pushing past our comfort zones and it paying off. What was your favorite song that you did? Oh, god — I hate to say it, but I’m one of those people that hardly thinks about the negatives or repercussions before I just... throw myself in and do whatever. Life’s too short? I think I’d rather have regrets than what ifs. Swim with sharks though, that’d be cool, and it’s one of those things that’s a little daunting to actually jump in and do? Like, they’re sharks. It could go great, or it could turn into that 47 Meters Down movie. No telling which way it’ll go ‘til you’re in the thick of it. 

#「 ☆ 」 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 : featuring stelly lee .

[sydneydaltons]

dylanprice​:

Dylan was busy doing his usual routine around this time of the day, which consisted of re-stocking all the ice cream containers that were running low. He heard the door chime open, the tell tale sign of a customer. He peered over his shoulder to check to see who it was, an instant smile forming on his face as the familiar voice rang out soon after. “Hey there, cake lady!” he chuckled as he slide a fresh container of cookie dough into its place. He couldn’t help but roll his eyes at the sound of her cheesy pun. It wasn’t the first time he heard that one, and he was sure it wouldn’t be the last. However, it was humorous just from the was the bright and sunshiney woman delivered it. “You’ve come at the perfect time. Just re-stocked the cookie dough for you,” he winked as he grabbed a waffle cone and layered the scoops up with chocolate syrup. “One Sydney’s usual for you,” he said as he handed her the cone over the counter.

💐

“That’s awfully convenient. Either my visits are becoming too predictable or you’ve got cameras up around this town that set off a little bell to let you know whenever I’m on my way.” She watched on in amusement as he went about his usual, squeezing her order in on top of whatever else happened to be on his typical roster of to-dos. The grin across her face deepened as the ice cream cone got extended over the counter, Sydney gladly taking it from him. “Is that ever going to end up on the specials list one day? ‘Cause, not that I’m the pillar of great taste in this town or anything, but you’ve gotta admit, there’s definitely something here.” She lifted up the cone for emphasis, serving as a small salute Dylan’s way before she brought it to her lips. “So,” she said in between licks around the side of the cone, her attempt to keep it from toppling over onto her hands as it melted. “You been terribly busy today?”

#「 ☆ 」 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄 : dylan price . #dylan : 001.

[sydneydaltons]

Elizabeth Olsen for The New York Times (2019)

#「 ☆ 」 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 : a desert moon and honeydew .