#get a pack of Platinum Preppy's!

[xoxominghxe]

“Emo Core” X.M

Emo!Xu Minghao x Preppy!Reader 🤍

[Synopsis] : Minghao is known as the popular emo kid around the school but all it takes is one girl for him to fold

[CW] : Minghao is lowkey a hoe, reader is horny, mentions of sex toys (reader buys them from Spencers), innuendos, foul language, fluff as hell, Minghao is whipped for the reader

[WC] : 3k

[A/N] : This was supposed to be smut but I’ll just make a separate oneshots for that but enjoy this cute little story, lmk who you wanna see and alway feel free to request members <3

There’s a myriad of questions you’re asking yourself right now. One of them being “why am I at the back of Spencers on a Tuesday night at 7pm?” But, you were too well aware of the answer to that one. You had come to Spencers looking for a butt plug, simply wanting to test out the waters of a new sensation. Why? Because you’re bored and have nothing better to do.

Why yes, of course you’re such a cute and preppy girl, wearing bows and skirts of lighter colors, but you weren’t boring. You knew the ways around sex, though you were a fresh non-virgin. Your past boyfriend taking your virginity, albeit disappointing, you still knew the way around your body, so why not try something new.

As you looked through the array of kinky toys and products, passing up rainbow dildos, bullet vibrators, and lingerie, you finally reach the section for butt plugs.

You look through the selections and find a light pink set with hearts. Opting to stick to your lolita core values, you pick up the set and decided it would be nice to try. Before you leave the aisle you pick up some lube and make your way to the front. That idea is soon interrupted by you colliding with a tall figure as you turn around, your face slamming into their chest.

You look up to apologize and your face turns from an apologetic frown to a wide eyed state of horror. The person you bumped into was Xu Minghao, the popular alt kid who went to your school, a grade above you. He was knows as The8 at the school, because every girl who’d supposedly gotten in his sheets said he was packing an 8 incher. You never really cared about it because you didn’t talk to him, but damn was he fine now that you’re seeing him up close.

He was about 5’10 with a lean figure, broad shoulders and long arms and hands. He wore an AC/DC shirt with layered jeweled belts, bracelets, and necklaces with black torn skinny jeans and platform chunky boots. He had a mullet that was black at the top with a platinum blonde peekaboo and dark guyliner around the perimeter of his eyes. You stood frozen in shock for a couple seconds, praying he didn’t know who you were before apologizing.

“So sorry, sir! I didn’t see you there!” You squeak, trying to get this awkward interaction over with. He looks you up and down and quirks his eyebrow before muttering a small “Do I know you from somewhere?” Your eyes widen in horror as you’re quick to say no in hopes he won’t realize your lying. “Hm? No, I don’t think I’ve seen you from anywhere!” You’re quick to exclaim, realizing you sound so embarrassing. You feel like crumbling into dust under his piercing gaze as he shrugs his shoulders and moves to the side.

You start walking and quickly realize the register is empty, fear flashes through you as you realize… he’s the fucking cashier. “Did you find what you’re looking for today, miss?” He asks while walking with you to the register. You couldn’t be more embarrassed as you hold your items close to your chest, keeping your eyes on the floor. “Uh, yea I found everything perfectly fine..” you mumble as you both get up to the register. He steps behind the desk and holds his hand out for you to place the items. You quickly place the items in his hands looking away as this is extremely uncomfortable. He takes a look at the items and confusion passes through his eyes as he rings them up and placed them in the bag.

“Cash or card?” He asks, tapping buttons on the register. You look back towards him and he takes another look at your face. You notice him looking a bit too hard and you panic. “By any chance is your name Y/N?” He inquires. Your heart drops to your ass, not only does he know your face, he knows your name. The worst possible scenario is playing your right before your eyes. Taking your silence as an answer he lets out a chuckle, placing his elbow on the table and covering his eyes laughing.

You sigh and look towards him, “Wow didn’t know this was a comedy show, a girl cant buy butt plugs?” You state as you roll your eyes and pull out a fifty dollar bill. He looks up at you still slightly chuckling. “My bad cuz just didn’t know Princess Peach could even catch herself buying a sex toy, let alone a butt plug” he teases, examining the package of the plug itself before taking your money and putting it in the register.

“Princess Peach is real funny coming from you, Bowser.” You tease back.

“Damn, you got me good on that one,” he begins, starting to count your change, “just didn’t expect you to be buying something like this when you look as pure as snow.”

“And that means a girl can’t have fun? Isn’t it prime time for that typa stuff?” You question.

“I mean yea but like…you look like your favorite song is by Lana Del Ray, not exactly butt plug buyer vibes.” He quips, handing you your change and your bag. “My favorite song is actually Everywhere I Go by Hollywood Undead, thank you very much.” You retort, grabbing your bags, walking to the exit of the store hearing his laughs as you take your leave. You make your way out of the mall, kinda enjoying the encounter with the boy. Of course it was embarrassing, but at least you now knew Minghao wasn’t some asshole who would curse you out.

_______________________________________________

It’s been two weeks since you saw Minghao, and you cant lie and say he wasn’t on your mind. Though you had a lighter color pallet, you also cant lie and say the dark alt aesthetic didn’t do him justice . His tall stature and lanky body fit the black clothes and dark makeup he wore perfectly.

You had seen him around school campus very few times after your encounter, neither of you ever talking to the other. You had successfully used the butt plugs and you cant say they were your favorite. The foreign feeling didn’t aid you much pleasure, so you thought to go back to Spencers for something else to try, maybe new lingerie or a dildo.

Walking back into the Spencers you hadn’t spotted Minghao, so you just thought it wasn’t on his shift. You headed to the back and upon reaching it you saw all of the different selections of pleasure toys from last time. You looked at the lingerie seeing an array of options. For someone who dresses in pink clothing, you often opt for darker lingerie choices that leave nothing to the imagination. Seeing a black strap piece that shows all of your boobs and privates catches your eye and you instantly pick it up. Strolling around for dildos you find a hot pink glow in the dark dildo, and opt to get it as well because it’s your favorite color.

Finishing looking around you head up to the front and lo and behold, Xu Minghao is at the only register. You don’t know where the hell he came from, but you muster up the courage to get in the line again, making as little eye contact with him as possible praying another register can open up before you become first in line.

Unfortunately your prayers aren’t heard and you’re right in front of Minghao once again. “Hey Princess, nice seeing you here again” He smirks, reaching his hand out to scan your items. “Princess? Nickname basis now Bowser?” You smile and hand him your two items. He looks at the lingerie peice and looks back up at you, sporting a raised eyebrow and a smirk. “You sure you picked up the right lingerie, sweetheart? The pink maid cosplay is on the rack over there.” He points to a rack in the back. You chuckle and look back at him, “Nah I meant to grab that one, ‘s cute.”

He shakes his head and laughs, scanning the lingerie. He picks up the dildo and his eyes widen. He looks up at you again and you meet him with a smile. You find his bewilderment funny. “Damn Princess, never knew you could take all this” He smirked, checking out the box before looking up at you. “You know I could make you feel a lot better than this thing right?” He said, scanning the dildo.

“That what you tell to all your hookups you find in here, The8?” You asked, pulling out your wallet. He laughs at his notorious school name, letting you see his smiley piercing hanging in his mouth. “I see you’ve heard about me, but don’t worry, I don’t even know half of those girls names.” He smiled. “Worry? Why would I worry about your sex life? Not like I’m trying to fuck you.” You quip, handling him your card to scan.

He pauses and looks up at you with a slight smirk on his face before scanning your card and handing you your bag and your card. Before he gives you your receipt he writes something on it. You take your receipt and walk out of the store, looking down at the bottom left corner where he wrote “text me, princess” followed by his number. He watched you as you eft, your hips swaying in your light brown skirt and your tits slightly bouncing in your deep cut cardigan.

_______________________________________________

That night you had contemplated what you would text him, opting for a simple:

Y/N: Hey it’s Y/N from Spencers

Minghao: Hey princess :)

Y/N : Your serious about this princess agenda huh?

MInghao: You couldn’t tell?

Y/N: I mean no, you call me a princess but I’m not seeing a lot of princess treatment 😕

Minghao: Do you want the princess treatment?

Y/N: it’s better than you not talking to me after I bought a dildo in front of you 💀

Minghao: you got it princess ;)

Y/N: What is that supposed to mean?

Minghao: don’t worry about it princess

Y/N: Minghao omg what does that mean 😪

Minghao: Awe she’s finally calling me by my name :)

Y/N: of course dummy is that not your name

Minghao: I mean it is but you could call me yours 😚

Y/N: stawp I’ll blush 🤭

Minghao: lemme see :(

Y/N: bet

*calling Minghao…*

*call accepted*

You didn’t expect him to actually pick up. You’re laying in bed in a pink silk tank top and spandex shorts with no bra on so you’re not exactly presentable. The line connects to a screen of Minghao with a game controller, his TV lighting up his bare face and lanky body. His black and blonde hair tied into a half up-half down style. He looks to his phone and waves at you while smiling.

“Hey princess” he says in a low voice, smiling at you. “Hi Minghao” you say, smiling back and waving before setting your phone up on your dresser and sitting up. “I don’t see you blushing, pretty.” He says, slightly disappointed in your lack of a red tint . “If you keep calling me names like that I just might” You smile. “What are you playing, pretty boy?” You ask, holding your head up using your chin as you watch him play his game. He smiles and looks at you, “Playing as your man.” He says, winking at you.

“Okay smooth operator I see you, doesn’t mean you’re getting in these panties anytime soon.” You say, side eyeing him knowing damn well that’s a lie. “Whatever you say, cutie. Just know by the end of this month I’ll be taking you on a date” He chuckles, switching off his game and grabbing his phone. “You have my full attention, sweetheart, how was your day?” He asks you, smiling at your red face.

“Damn, you making me feel special~” you say, kicking your feet. You start to ramble about your day, talkin a bout how you found a book to read and a new pen set that came in pink, backtracking and retelling all the moments of your day. The whole time you failed to notice how Minghao never took his eyes off of you, listening attentively to any and everything you said as if it was the Holy Bible.

“Oh sorry am I talking too much?” You ask, realizing you’ve been rambling for the past 15 minutes. Minghao looks at you, smiling scarcely before shaking his head no and asking you to continue. “No I’ve said too much about myself, how about you tell me about your day!” You retort. “I guess I could tell you…” he begins, “So today was just a normal day, so I just get through school and then I head to my shift. At work there’s a couple customers, a slow day today to be honest. But then this girl walks in, and she’s so beautiful. I saw her once but I couldn’t really take in how she looked because she was gone so fast. She had on the cutest brown skirt on and a deep v-neck sweater.” He explains, looking at you.

Your checks start to go red as he continues. “I don’t think she saw me at first, but once she came up to the counter she had this cute embarrassed look in her face, trying not to look at me. She ended up buying some lingerie and a dildo…. caught be by surprise a little bit..” He recalled, unknowingly smiling.

“She sounds sexy.” You joke, flipping your hair. “She was. If she gave me a chance I would show her the best time. Cant wait to make her mine.” He murmurs as he plays along with you. Your face turns red at his remark, mind going completely blank. You catch him laugh at your flushed face and hang up the call.

*call ended*

_______________________________________________

Minghao: What’s wrong princess ;)

Y/N: I’ll mentally princess this in the morning, goodnight Minghao 😭

Minghao: Goodnight princess ❤️

_______________________________________________

For the next few days at school Minghao has growing to acknowledge you at school, waving and saying hi to you when you usually pass him instead of quick waves. You both still text over the phone and the tension is basically palpable.

After two weeks it went from waves and quicks greetings to him walking you to class and holding your bags, with full blown conversations. Sometimes after school you would head to the mall with him while he worked his shift and you shopped around in the mall, having him drop you off back house afterwards. He would slightly tease you by grazing your thighs when your wearing a skirt or touching your hand while you walk to class.

He started giving you his jackets, albeit they were larger on you compared to him, they smelled like him and they were soft. Rumors started that the two of you were dating, some thought he just wanted to get a quick fuck out of you. He had grown to be a close friend within the span of 3 weeks and you still found yourself folding for him. Sometimes he would call you shirtless, toned torso on display as you tried desperately not to stare at the camera for too long.

One day after school he offered to drive you to the mall with him, and of course you accepted. Later on into the drive you realize that the road he was taking didn’t lead to the mall. “Minghao you missed your turn there.” You inform him. “I know. Change of plans, we’re not going to the mall.” He smiles, placing his hand on your thigh. “Okay, then where are you taking us? You won’t kill me right?” You ask skeptically.

“No princess, I won’t kill you.” He chuckles, squeezing the soft flesh of your leg for reassurance.

After 15 minutes he pulls up to a deserted park, not a soul in sight besides the both of you. You ask him questions but he just leads you out of the car, reassuring you that you’re okay . He covers your eyes as you walk and you can’t say you were all for it, threatening to scream if he tried to kill you.

After 5 minutes you both stop walking and he uncovers your eyes. The sight before you is beautiful. He hung up lights and set the picnic table with all different foods you mentioned you liked. On the table was also a basket of Hello Kitty and Pink items. Minghao pulled you to the table so you both could eat together.

Soon after Minghao pulled out his laptop from his bag and told you to watch a show with him. Instead of your generic show playing like Euphoria or an anime, it was a video he had tittled “ 15 things I love about you” with pictures and videos of the two of you he had taken throughout the few weeks he had known you.

You nearly cried as the list went on, so appreciative of the sweet gesture and ready to kiss the boy beside you at any moment. After the video ended he pulled out a letter from his back pocket and grabbed your hand.

“Dear Y/N” he began, “You’ve been plaguing my mind for the past 4 weeks, your smile, your scent, your eyes, your everything. I’ve never felt like this before until I saw you. I know it’s corny as hell and this isn’t usually expected of me but I wanted to ask if you’ll let me be your boyfriend. I promise to care for you as much as possible and never make you cry. Your so precious to me and I want to have the permission to call you mine.” He read, putting down the letter and looking you in the eyes. “So?” He asks, waiting for an answer.

You look up at him, raising form your seat to reach across the table and kiss him softly. “Hi, boyfriend” you answer, smiling. He smiles back at you before taking your face and kissing you deeper. He comes across the table to you and lifts you up, holding your body and peppering kisses all over your face. Who knew the emo kid who works at Spencers was such a romantic?

[daftpatience]

Hiya!! I’m sorry if anyone’s asked you this before, if you don’t wanna answer that’s totally fine!

I was looking at getting myself a good fountain pen for some drawing, you seem like a pro about this stuff so I figured I should ask for your two cents on it! Do you have any good fountain pen recommendations that won’t break the bank? Sorry if this is a silly question. I love your art btw! Keep up the great work :•)

ooh i do i do!!

i personally like fine nibs for drawing and medium to broad nibs for writing - most fountain pen brands offer extra fine through broad nibs so you've got lots of options!

Platinum Preppy and Jinhao are my first choices for good affordable pens - since jinhao is technically a copycat brand (that happens to have surprisingly nice feeling nibs) you can find them in all sorts of styles too - they have ones that look like sailors, lamys, twsbis, etc. i wouldn't compare them to those nicer brands but they're fun if you want a decent feeling, pretty looking pen on the cheaper side!

the jinhao shark is one of their originals and very popular+well liked <3 you can get a pack of 12 for $25 cad which is awesom

[naralanis]

hi Nara! i love your pen posts both here insta and i'm doing it, i'm getting myself a fountain pen! i was having fun in the goulet website for hours and i think i found one that i like, but could i have your opinion on it? i think it's pretty but i feel kind of nervous spending fifty dollars on a pen! it's this one: www . gouletpens. com/collections/conklin-duragraph-fountain-pens/products/conklin-duragraph-fountain-pen-demo-black-limited-edition?variant=32002532704299

Hi there! Glad you like the pendemonium (I will see myself out)!

Firstly I'd like to formally welcome you to the rabbit hole. I too have spent hours drooling at pens on the Goulet website -- those guys really know how to take nice product pictures, and that's their gain, my (our) wallet's loss!

But secondly, I have a very important question -- is this your very first fountain pen? I'm assuming it is, and while I cannot question your aesthetics (they are on point), I would like to make a few points/suggestions, especially since you asked for my opinion on your choice!

My gut reaction before I even clicked the link?

Pump the brakes!

Why? See under the cut, as it is time to get a little rambly!

First of all -- and I know this may come as a bit of surprise -- if this is your very first fountain pen, maybe consider adjusting your budget. I balked at my first $50-something pen -- also a Conklin Duragraph -- and that was after I had amassed a few other pens.

Why is this important? Well, as this is your first fountain pen and you've never used one before, you don't know what you like. Therefore, it is very possible that you'll shell out for a $50 pen and hate it, and the whole experience will feel like a waste.

(You could also buy it and love it! I don't mean to be a downer!)

As soon as I saw the brand, I knew we'd be looking at pens in the $50-and-well-above range, which leads me to the concerns I have about this particular brand (Conklin-- click here if you'd like to know a little more about the brand history).

I own a few Conklin pens (three Duragraphs, two All-Americans, and one Herringbone), and let me tell you something: not a single one wrote satisfactorily out of the box.

To me, that's not so much a problem as it is an inconvenience (and frankly, incredibly annoying given their price), because now I know how to tune my own nibs (like I did with the Duragraph Earth above), tinker with the feeds, swap nib units, realign tines, and deal with customer service (which for all pen stores I've ever dealt with, has been exceptional).

That's not to say that every single Conklin pen is like that! Admittedly, I've gotten a little more unlucky than most with my badly-cut nibs and defective feeds . Some people love their Conklins and never had a problem with any model -- you could be one of them.

The thing is, even if I never had any problems with my previous Conklins... I still think they're expensive for what they are! The demonstrator Duragraph that caught your eye -- that has an MSRP of $80.The reegular Duragraph models retail for $56 -- but they don't feel like they cost $56. The resin feels cheap, and the section threads on two of my three Duragraphs were a bit wonky --I ended up exchanging one because the section just didn't screw in correctly. The nibs came with tines that were way too tight (basically stopping ink flow), and don't get me started on their Omniflex nib...

Don't get me wrong, the Duragraph is beautiful and even I'm tempted to get them. But I know exactly what I'm paying for -- and at this point, I expect to have something to fix in the pen when I get it. But for your first fountain pen? Maybe try some of the pens I suggest on this post here.

If your heart is set on a demonstrator pen, may I suggest some cheaper suggestions:

1. The Pilot Kakuno

Sure, it doesn't quite have the same look as the Duragraph, but it's like, a third of the price (at Goulet, it goes for about $13.50!)! And granted, it doesn't come with a converter, but Pilot cartridges are not expensive, and even if you do decide to add a Pilot converter, it doesn't even come close to the price of the Demo Duragraph. Plus, the nibs on these little things are phenomenal!

2. Kaweco Perkeo

I call this one Kaweco's Kakuno because... well, look at it! It's pretty much the same package, retailing for about $15-18. It doesn't come with a converter, but it does take standard international cartridges -- the most widely available and varied type of cartridge!

3. Lamy Vista

A different, more modern look, easily swappable nibs, a wide variety of (proprietary) Lamy cartridges (you can buy a converter separately). It goes for $29.60 at Goulet, but you can find it much cheaper elsewhere (my father got his for about $20 at Amazon, I believe).

4. Sailor 1911 Compass

OK, so at a sale price of $30, we're getting a bit too close to that under $50 recommendation. However, I still think this one deserves some thought -- Sailor quality control is miles better than Yafa (the distributor for Conklin, Monteverde, and a couple of others). Sailor nibs (even the steel ones) are on a league of their own, and this pen comes with the proprietary Sailor converter so you can use bottled ink!

5. TWSBI ECO

At an MSRP of $33, this one is the most expensive 'starter pen' I suggest. It is an iconic demonstrator, and a very affordable piston filler pen -- so it has a great ink capacity, and to top it off, their nibs are quite smooth; I've never had a hard-starting one. The only reason to stay away from the ECO (and any other piston fillers) would be if you don't want to use bottled ink and want to stick to cartridges.

I hope that helps -- sorry if it was a bit of a downer, but don't let it get in the way of your excitement! Do let me know which pen you end up getting, even if you do decide to go for the Conklin.

Have fun, and write on!

[whatsinmypen]

Starter Fountain Pens 

(that aren’t the Pilot Metro or Lamy Safari) 

(So you never have to ask me for recs again)

New to fountain pens? Long-time enthusiast? No matter, you’re probably sick of hearing about the Lamy Safari and the Pilot Metropolitan (or Pilot MR in certain markets) and their respective merits as beginner fountain pens. It feels like every other day someone asks for suggestions for their first fountain pen, and inevitably the recommendations for either of those two come flooding in.  

It’s not without reason. I’m guilty too—the Lamy Safari is still one of my favourite pens of all time (and I will still recommend it), and the Metropolitan is just about the safest bet you can make on a fountain pen when you’re just getting started.  

That being said, there are a ton of other pens out there, and I feel like newbies sometimes miss out on pens they might like better. So, to help further our collective horizons, here are 22 OTHER fountain pens for absolute beginners.  With links!

All under $30.  

1. Pilot Varsity ($3.30 or $21.25 for assorted 7-pack)

Afraid of commitment? Looking to dip your toes before diving in? No problem--just try out a disposable fountain pen! For a pen designed to be disposable, the Pilot Varsity writes pretty well and comes in 7 fun colours. Just mind the paper you're using--it can bleed through pretty easily, as it is one-size nib only (and that size is medium).

2. Platinum Preppy ($6.00)

Not quite as "disposable" as the Pilot Varsity, the Preppy has a few advantages: multiple nib sizes (though they're all pretty fine), a wide assortment of colours, and can even take a (proprietary) converter if you so choose. They do crack pretty easily, especially at the cap and grip section, but they're still a solid choice for a fountain pen newbie.

3. Jinhao 993 Shark ($3.95)

Not only are these pens adorable and affordable, their (hooded!) nib is exceptionally good considering the low price, though medium is the only nib size you'll get. Don't feel too bad though, because this pen comes with a converter included! I honestly have zero complaints about this pen, it's an awesome, quirky buy.

4. Jinhao x450 ($9.90) & x750 ($9.99)

Now these look like fountain pens. Pull one of these out at a meeting and you'll definitely get a couple of questions (or perhaps encounter a pen friend out in the wild!). Metal construction, medium (& somewhat gushy nibs), and a converter included? Sign me up! They might be a little heavier than what you're used to, but otherwise make for a great starter pen.

5. Paili 013 Vacuum Filler ($9.95)

Pro: a vacuum filler pen for under $10?? Yep. Forget those cartridges and unleash the power of bottled ink with this surprisingly reliable fountain pen!

Con: If you're a newbie, you're likely unfamiliar with this filling mechanism, so it might be a little daunting. But I promise there's no mystery, and YouTube is your friend!

6. Platinum Prefounte ($11.00)

Another Platinum, this time a little dressed up but still fun! The Prefounte comes in both fine and medium nibs and takes either proprietary Platinum cartridges or converters (sold separately, unfortunately). This pen is also pretty forgiving if you end up forgetting it in your drawer: Platinum's Slip & Seal mechanism can keep the ink from drying for quite a while (allegedly, up to a year). Keep in mind, Platinum pens tend to have a little bit more feedback (read: scratchy feel on paper), so if you don't like the feel of writing with pencil, for instance, maybe opt for a medium nib.

7. Luoshi Labyrinth ($12.95)

If you want something striking and unique, this Luoshi might be right up your alley. The Labyrinth is an all-metal pen with a surprisingly smooth medium-fine nib. It might be a little too weighty for those not accustomed to hefty metal pens, and some people have complained that the cut out labyrinth design adds some discomfort to lengthy writing sessions, so keep that in mind!

8. Pilot Kakuno ($13.50)

If you've heard good things about the nib on the Pilot Metropolitan but wanted something cheaper/quirkier, boy have I got good news for you! Marketed for children in Japan, the Kakuno has the same nib unit as the Metro, making for a superb writing experience at a considerably lower price point. They come in a ton of colors and take proprietary Pilot cartridges or converters. Nibs of different sizes come engraved with different smiley faces for extra fun.

9. HongDian Black Forest Series ($16.95)

This pen is just cool. Matte, all metal finish? Check. Cool colours? Check. Converter included? Check. Matching colour nib? Check (on a couple of them, at least). Though this pen is metal, it is pretty slim and comes with a textured grip, making for a pretty comfortable writing experience (unless, of course, you don't like slim pens!)

10. Kaweco Perkeo ($17.00)

I call this pen Kaweco's Kakuno, because... well, just look at it. Then go back up to #8 and see that I am right. Regardless, this pen is a solid choice for a beginner, with different nib options (all pretty smooth) and a great assortment of colours. It also has a triangular grip, which will help you hold the pen in the correct position--though some people find it uncomfortable, so keep that in mind!

11. Platinum Plaisir ($17.60)

Pros: Aluminum body, several colours to choose from, different nib options (fine & medium), and Platinum's magical sealing cap to prevent your ink from drying.

Cons: Converter (proprietary) sold separately. Boo.

12. TWSBI GO ($18.99)

This little pen (the most affordable TWSBI iirc) has quite a few things going for it. It comes in several colours and has a bunch of different nib sizes (from extra fine all the way to a 1.1mm stub). The filing mechanism (a simple spring loaded piston) is very practical and easy to use, though it may be a little unfamiliar to most beginners and will require bottled ink (so go ahead and add to cart while you're at it!).

13. ONLINE Slope ($19.00) & Switch Plus ($20.50)

Smooth writers with ergonomic grips (i.e., triangular) to keep you in position when writing. Both the Slope and Switch Plus are made of plastic with stainless steel nibs that come in both medium and fine and write pretty smoothly. They're a great choice for a beginner, but maybe skip these two if you're not a fan of the triangular grip or if you like heavier pens.

14. Delike Mojiang Pocket Pen ($19.95)

If you'd like to give pocket pens a try, maybe start with the Mojiang. This little pen is all-metal, which gives it a nice heft despite its small size. It only comes in fine, but writes more like a medium. Though it takes standard international converters and cartridges, watch the size--some converters might be too long to fit! Furthermore, smaller pens usually mean smaller ink capacity, so if you're writing in long sessions you may have to refill more frequently.

15. Moonman M2 Eyedropper ($21.95)

If you want a large ink capacity and want to see it slosh around your pen as you write... well, look no further! Though this pen can take cartridges and converters, it was designed as an eye dropper pen, meaning you fill the body of the pen itself with the ink of your choice with... you guessed it, an eyedropper (included!).

16. Wancai Mini ($21.25)

Same as the above, just. Teeny tiny!

17. Diplomat Magnum ($23.20)

Despite its lofty name, the Diplomat Magnum is pretty slim, not to mention super light. It has a nifty little ink window so you can keep an eye on your ink level and comes Diplomat's soft touch stainless steel nib (in sizes extra-fine to medium) for a super smooth writing experience. This is another pen with a (less pronounced) triangle grip, and comes with a converter included.

18. Pilot Explorer ($23.60)

Pilot at it again with the superb nibs. Like the Kakuno and the Metropolitan, the Explorer also features a frankly incredible stainless steel nib (in both fine and medium). It comes in several colours and Pilot even deigned to include a converter with this one (though it's a squeeze converter that 1. might be a little unfamiliar to some and 2. kind of sucks in general, so maybe stick to the Pilot cartridges with this one).

19. Faber-Castell Grip ($24.00)

This pen is literally designed to be a beginner fountain pen, but it still looks pretty sleek, imo. It does feel a little plasticky/cheap, but that Faber-Castell nib writes super smoothly. It only comes in fine, though it writes more like a medium. No converter included with this one (boo-hoo).

20. Kaweco Sport ($25.00)

Another German pen, and another pocket pen! I love Kaweco nibs (from EF to medium, though you can buy other Kaweco nibs separately), and the Kaweco Sport is a great introduction to pocket pens. They come in a ton of colours and are pretty reliable, though they only take short international cartridges (and a short converter, which, you guessed it, is sold separately). There are several colour and material variations, but the classic has a plastic body and stainless steel nib. Maybe skip if slim writing utensils are not comfortable!

21. Pelikan Twist ($26.00)

OK, this pen may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I had to add it. It's super funky and the nib (medium) is pretty good. All in all, it's a pretty nifty way to try out a Pelikan, and if you're into the design (and the triangular grip) it can be a fun and reliable daily writer. Converter sold separately (askjdbaklsdjb)

22. TWSBI Swipe ($26.99)

This pen may not look like it goes over the top, but let me tell you, it does. The TWSBI Swipe boasts no less than four different ways of filling it. You can use your regular cartridge. You can use the (included!!) traditional converter. You can then swap that converter out for a piston converter (also included! what?!), and if you're not happy, you can just eyedropper the whole dang pen. It might be a little too much, too soon for complete newbies, but the learning curve is not very steep, and it's a great way to try out all of these methods on a single pen. Like the TWSBI GO, nibs (stainless steel) go from an extra-fine all the way up to a 1.1mm stub.

[sassy-stylophile]

Pretty Purple Pens 🖋💜

Here is most of my fountain pen collection 🖋 Can ya tell what my favorite color is?? 😱😂

From left: TWSBI Eco (M), Monteverde Monza 3 (M), Platinum Plaisir Amabie edition (F), Platinum Preppy (F), Pilot Plumix (M), and Pilot Metropolitan (F).

My favorites in order:

TWSBI Eco

The Eco is a banger 💣 it has good looks, personality, and it writes smooooth as buttah. It looks very modern but has an updated, yet old school filling mechanism which I appreciate. It's a juicy, inky pen-just the way I like 'em! It reminds me of the Pilot V7s that I have been using for YEARS (still my favorite non-fountain pen, hands down 👌🏾). I really like the piston filling mechanism vs using converters. It's definitely convenient not having to take apart the pen to fill it. It also holds a shitton more ink to boot. I'm a lazy bitch so it means that I can go longer in between fillings 😂 The M nib let's down a fat, juicy line and I'm so excited to use it with a shimmery ink ✒

I'm really obsessed with this pen model and I have decided to collect all the special edition colors that catch my eye. I already have two more Ecos on the way! Expect more in-depth reviews of the Eco soon 🤑

Platinum Plaisir

The Plaisir is such a beautiful pen that's suspiciously cheap! (I got it on sale for $17) It's actually tied for 2nd place with its even cheaper sister, the Preppy ($4) in terms of quality and bang-for-your-buck 💵 For a F nib (they have the exact same nib), they write smooth with little to no scratchiness or skips (which I appreciate) and even though I write bigger than what the nib calls for it still makes my writing look good. They also don't bleed through on cheap paper, which is mostly what I use 👌🏾

The pearlescent aluminum finish is sleek, expensive looking, and apparently scratch resistant; I appreciate the latter attribute since I'm a fucking klutz. The Platinum pens also have a special mechanism in the cap that prevents the nibs from drying out from disuse for at least a year! That's good enough reason to keep them in my rotation. The regular version has a M nib (which I prefer), so I'm going to pick it up in the future.

Platinum Preppy

The Preppy was my second fountain pen! It was the one that really made me fall in love with using them vs my rollerball/ballpoint pens! (I've talked about why that is in the Plaisir section above). It’s a cheapie, and it looks/feels like it. It stays in my pen rotation mostly because of the Violet cartridge it came with. I'm in love with the ink color! They don't make it in bottled form, sadly 😔 but I don't mind buying more violet carts for it... It's that good. The carts are also usable in the Plaisir, which is a nice bonus for me 😄 The only drawback is it only comes in either EF or F nibs, and I really prefer M to write with 😔

Pilot Metropolitan

The Metropolitan is a great pen. It's just kinda... Boring. I like the design and it writes nice and smooth, but I guess my boredom comes from the basic ass black ink in using with it. I love purple ink, but I figured I need at least one grown up ink color on hand in case I need to adult... Whenever that'll be 🤷🏾‍♀️ I do use it from time to time just to keep the ink flowing from the cart installed. I'm still debating whether to keep it my "boring ink pen" or put something more exciting in to inspire me to use it more.

Pilot Plumix

The Plumix is a pretty unique looking pen but it feels cheap. It's not a bad pen; it's just that it came with a *shudder* basic ass blue cart instead of the purple I was expecting. I'm going to turn it into an eyedropper once I get around to it, and then I'll do a more in depth review with it. I haven't used it beyond a few doodles to test and see if it worked after I installed that blasé blue cartridge.

Monteverde Monza 3

Last, but not least... The Monza is a decent pen. It came with 3 nib pieces (F, M, Omniflex) that you can install so it's like having 3 pens in one, which is definitely unique. It currently has the M nib installed ✒ It's a smooth wet writer that I actually enjoy using. My problem with the pen?

I was cheated, tricked, bamboozled.

Apparently it's just a rebranded Jinhao 992 with the additional nibs/converters thrown in and marked up 12x the price. I didn't find that out until after I got the pen and I was hunting for in depth tips and tricks 😤 Maaaan I was so upset! I literally could have bought a 6 pack of them for $12 on Amazon, and even cheaper on Alibaba or eBay! Ugh 😥 But it taught me a valuable lesson: do 👏🏾 your 👏🏾 research 👏🏾 diligently before buying a new fountain pen. I'm lucky I've had no issues with it, but the betrayal has left a bad taste in my mouth so I don't think I'll ever buy another Monteverde pen.

I have nothing against cheap Chinese pens (I own a few and love them) but I knew what I was getting into and adjusted my expectations accordingly (and paid a lot less for them 😒)

[florenceandthemachine]

talk to me about stiles and jackson sharing clothes. jackson, who has never worn anything that isn’t designer, in stiles’ flannel shirts from walmart because they smell like him and they make him feel close to stiles when they’re apart all day at school. and stiles in jackson’s preppy little button-ups and his leather jackets, feeling a little ridiculous at first, but melting every time jackson grins and pulls him in for a hungry, possessive kiss :’)

It starts, like so many big things do, in a small way. 

They didn’t have a lot of opportunity to do something as simple as switching a shirt when they were in high school. They got together in their junior year, around Christmas break (in a way that both romantic and heartfelt and adorable, but that’s a tale for a different time) but all of the regular cute couples things were somewhat out of the question for them.

Date nights weren’t watching movies or going out to eat, they were fighting villains and dodging bullets.

Study breaks were spent scrabbling for any information on the newest mythological beings, not rewarding one another with kisses after mock SAT questions.

And Jackson felt a pang of irritation whenever a normal human couple did anything like wear a matching outfit in his visual range, because when it came to clothing, his concern was finding anything that was free of blood, tears, or other supernatural goop—not being cute with his boyfriend. He was... a little bitter about that particular path of things, honestly.

On a game day, for example, Stiles couldn’t sit in the stands and wear Jackson’s jersey and cheer him on, because he was wearing his own jersey, on the field, getting cheered on himself.

There was no point in giving Stiles his letter jacket to wear, because Jackson had bought him his own (and while he was livid with his own stupidity in missing that opportunity, the low thrum of pride Stiles gave off whenever he wore it, no matter how hard he denied it, would always be worth it to Jackson).

Hell, even after late night sleepovers, they still stuck to their own wardrobe; Jackson was broad while Stiles was stick thin, and Stiles was lanky where Jackson was lean, so it was only comfortable to stick with what they had.

—

The summer before senior year, though, everything changed.

Mostly because Stiles disappeared for two weeks.

(It was way more than that, he insisted, it was closer to six months than two weeks; but when he mentioned that, he could hear Jackson’s heart actually break, and he had long since given up trying to figure out how time worked in different dimensions.)

Once he rejoined the land of the living, the first thing Jackson did (after refusing to let Stiles out of his sight for days and crying, quietly, which wouldn’t have been funny in the best of times) was teach him how to fight. Stiles was already apt with his baseball bat, a lacrosse stick, and a handful of mountain ash, so Jackson took it on himself to teach Stiles all of the dirty tricks he had learned from Derek and Scott—he basically gave Stiles his own werewolf how-to, and wasn't satisfied until even Derek noticed how strong he was getting.

The second thing Jackson did, which he absolutely did not tell anyone about and had every intention on keeping this himself, was steal three or four undershirts from Stiles gym bag and keep them in the back of his closet. It helped him, loathe as he was to admit it, to have a ready-source of Stiles scent on the rare nights they were apart. 

Stiles, the nosy fucker, found out almost immediately. 

Jackson was rendered speechless as Stiles pulled out the undershirts, his face beet read and mouth clamped shut, and his heart sunk as Stiles left the room, his face going from beet red to sheet white, and he stumbled over himself trying to chase Stiles down, worst case scenarios running through his mind, stealing Stiles clothing was weird, he knew it was weird, he was so stupid, why did he—

He was so caught up in his mind that he almost tripped over Stiles, who had not run from the house in disgust (the relief Jackson felt was palpable) but instead was rooting through his backpack.

He was silent as he stood up, one of Jackson’s ridiculously expensive watches in his fingers, and Jackson’s mind was stuck in a reboot until Stiles spoke, taking his turn to go beet red. 

“I get it. I, uh, I stole the heaviest one out of your drawer, the weight is... comforting? I guess? I don’t know, it’s so weird, I’m so sorry,but I know you don’t wear them anyway. It just... I thought that if I got taken again, I would have still had this, from you, so I wouldn’t forget you.”

The old Jackson would have snarked that yeah, it’s the heaviest watch he owns because it’s a fucking platinum built Rolex Daytona, there are custom diamonds in the watch face, it cost more than his Porsche so give it the fuck back right now before you scratch it.

This Jackson didn’t have a chance to say any of that, because he was busy wrapping Stiles in his arms, whispering that no matter what happened, Stiles would never be taken from him ever again. Another truly embarrassing moment, at least it would have been if Stiles wasn’t clinging back to him just as hard. 

—

Things are... better after that. But even Jackson can admit, the bar was fucking low.

Stiles had filled out in his time... away. His shoulders were broader and while he was still built for speed, he was no longer swimming in any of Jackson’s clothes—and even better, Jackson had an easier time getting his scent fix from Stiles when he could actually fit into Stiles shirts (instead of just burying his face in them, late at night when he was alone, rutting into his mattress like a bitch in heat). 

Jackson looked surprised in himself the first time he shrugged on one of Stiles long sleeved, flannel monstrosities, the softness of the fabric a pleasant surprise against his skin. 

Stiles, on the other hand, was a mess. The colors made Jackson just look so... soft, so good, and even as his heart swelled his mouth was going a mile a minute, because how dare Jackson look so good in one of his shirts, the same shirt that even Scott said made him look like a giant dork, the audacity, the fucking nerve—

He shuts up quick when Jackson crowds into his space, hands on his hips.

“Stiles, it only looks good on me because it’s something you love. I look my best when I feel like I’m yours. I look... no, I am my best when I’m with you.”

And, hell, even if Stiles wanted to argue with that, he couldn’t find his voice. 

—

Jackson gains a knack for blending their wardrobes after that, matching up one of Stiles heavy flannels with his own thousand dollar jeans, or walking around his house in one of Stiles jerseys over his boxers. 

Stiles isn’t... as comfortable as Jackson is to start.

He still has Jackson’s watch, and he wears it almost every day. Jackson may have superhuman speed and senses, but there is something about that consistant weight, right on his pulse point, that helps him head off many a panic attack before they arise.

He develops a habit of tapping against the face of the watch with his free hand. Jackson looks concerned at first, but when he brings it up, Stiles just blushes and says “oh, uh. I don’t know, I was just thinking of you is all.”

It’s all Jackson’s fault that their late for fourth period after that, because he basically drags Stiles to the nearest janitor closet to cover himself in Stiles scent in a decidedly sexy way.

Overall, Jackson wants to push—he really, really does—but he knows well enough not to. He knows that Stiles treats his many many layers as a defense in the same way Jackson had hid behind his own glamour and flashy personality, so even though he would give his left leg to see Stiles in one of his well worn jackets or even a jersey, he bides his time.

For once in his life, fate seems to be on his side, because he doesn’t have to wait long. 

—

They make the determination early on to try and experience as much humanity as physically possible in their senior year, and a staple of humanity was Lydias house parties.  Lydia had grown into herself as well (not that anyone other than pack would notice the difference), but her ragers were the social event of the lifetime, and Jackson and Stiles basically had standing invitations. 

This particular party was for something something Fall Homecoming Midterms something, Jackson wasn’t paying attention. Winter had come on a little early, and even though it was plenty warm when they showed up at the lake house, the temperature dipped by the time Lydia kisses them goodbye, and Stiles was shivering by the time they were halfway to the car. 

Jackson doesn’t even roll his eyes before he shrugs out of his jacket, which was more of an accessory than anything—werewolves always ran hot—and draped it over Stiles shoulders. 

Stiles, again, went red, his mouth clamping shut as he felt the leather on his skin, and Jackson finally felt confident enough (or maybe buzzed enough, Lydia was wicked with her wolfsbane punch once she had the ratio down pat) to mention it.

“It’s okay if you don’t like it.”

“What?”

“Seriously, Stiles. It’s okay if you don’t like wearing my things.”

Stiles just looked at him like he grew a second head, and Jackson let out a grunt as he shook his head.

“Come on, I’m not an idiot. I know it makes you uncomfortable. I can just start carrying another jacket for you in the car, and,” and he was thankful Stiles wouldn’t hear his heartbeat twitch, “and if it makes you that uncomfortable, I’ll stop wearing your clothes too.”

It would kill him, but he would, if that was what Stiles wanted.

To his credit, Stiles recovered quickly, squawking out his disapproval as he pulled Jackson aside, out of the path of some of the partygoers behind them.

“Baby, no. I love you wearing my clothes.” 

Jackson pretended that his entire body didn’t flood with relief. 

“Then what the fuck, Stiles? You think I wouldn’t love seeing you in my stuff too?”

“Jacks, that’s the fucking problem! I would... I would love it. Too much.”

Steady heartbeat. Jackson resisted the urge to call bullshit and waited for Stiles to continue.

“I... I love it, Jackson. I love wearing your jacket and I love wearing your watch, but it overwhelms me sometimes, even... even with something as simple as your jacket, I feel good. It feels so fucking good because it feels... it feels like I’m yours, but more than that. It literally makes me feel like I belong to you, and it feels so fucked up to love it as much as I do, but I do love it, and I love you, and I feel so guilty because it’s so creepy and I don’t want to be putting you in that position, and it scares me because the last time I felt like someone else had this much power over me I was killing my friends and—“

Jackson’s lips are on his in second, hungry and needing, but also giving Stiles the headspace to come down from his panic and inhale. Jackson has him pinned against the Porsche and Stiles fucking mewls, the blush blooming across his face and neck as Jackson finally comes up for air. His voice is panting, soft, hesitant but so hopeful when he speaks next.

“You don’t... think it’s creepy, or weird? You’re okay with this?”

Jackson growls, low in his throat, eyes flashing blue as he boxes Stiles in with his hips, letting Stiles feel how very okay with it he really is. When he speaks, his words are low, lisped through a mouth full of fangs.

“You. Are. Mine.”

The wave of relief he can smell wash over Stiles is like a tsunami, but stronger still is the deep scent of arousal, and Jackson opens the passenger door of the Porsche and all but throws Stiles inside as he bolts to the drivers side, fully prepared to break several laws on their way home.

At the end of the night, their clothes are strewn all over Jackson’s room, and Stiles is panting, sore and sweating and so, so happy, fingers bouncing along the metal watch band as Jackson pulls him close.

“I’m yours.” he murmurs as Jackson snuffs along his neck, still very much wolfed out, a possessive streak a mile wide taking root in Jackson’s brain as he tugs Stiles even closer. 

“Mine.” he repeats, for the thousandth time that night. “All mine.”

Things are quiet for a moment as Stiles feels a new level of happiness bloom, deep in his gut.

(Three days later, Stiles walks in to school wearing a henley that feels like it’s lighter than air, sitting just right to show off the sharp lines of his collarbone, and the edge of a hickey he wishes would never fade. Jackson joins him easily, wearing a Fantastic Four graphic tee shirt for fucks sake, hand sliding around Stiles’ waist in a possessive way that makes his entire body go fuzzy.

“Stiles?”

“Yeah baby?”

Jackson is grinning at him now, a predators smile that would be terrifying if it were anyone but Jackson.

“I love you too.”)

[choicesenthusiast]

Queen B, Ch. 4 AKA Gucci Super Bowl

What happened this week:

Rehearsal with the frat boys for your new halftime show routine. Was there a signup for this? Does nobody else have the balls to challenge Poppy at a halftime show routine? Anyways, the game makes a note to flaunt your precious throne, which is slightly reminiscent of the chairs used for reconciliation (something we all need for playing this ridiculous game), indicating that it will definitely be destroyed later in the chapter.

Sit with Kingsley at the game (what they’re doing alone in the bleachers packed with riled up socialites, I have no idea) and get seriously offended when Cecile some other professor chats them up right in front of your metaphorical salad. How dare this book reference the glorious, iconic “Right in front of my salad?”. How. Mc-Fucking. Dare.

Ah, I was right. Poppy’s lapdogs bust up your throne, which is surprising that they even know how to lift a hammer at all, let alone use it. Wait. They probably carry, like 10 million pounds of designer on them at all times. They can lift hammers.

Jaylen Riaz, still living her best life in that disastrous bedazzled leotard, can be called to this otherworldly university to give your performance a hell of a boost. I would’ve appreciated an Avery or a Raleigh, but yeah, Jaylen seems like the kind of performer who would genuinely enjoy being in the cesspit of Belvoire.

People obviously love your routine more than Poppy’s, which apparently was not good enough to show on screen. Partly because you can totally smooch one of the frat boys or Zoey in front of the whole school.

The T shoots us right up into 15th place. Well. That was a lot easier than I expected.

Thoughts:

Things in this chapter that are major crimes: that diamond hair option, those circa 2015-16 dance moves, their super extra preppy stadium, the “Salad” reference, the Platinum references.

Did the frat boys change out of their uniforms and do this whole routine during halftime? ‘Cause they’re all on the team. Did the coach yell at them? Coaches love yelling at players during halftime. Coaches love yelling at people in general.

Carter, man. What were you thinking when you kissed your girlfriend’s “archnemesis” or whatever in front of the whole school (determinant)? Did you really think everything would be hubbly-bubbly? Sometimes I wonder if frat boys actually think like that. Or even think at all.

This was like the Super Bowl, except people cared more about the halftime show than the game. So… the Super Bowl.

Here’s how I think this’ll go. We’ll rise to the top pretty quickly, until Zoey or Kingsley or hell, Penelope, someone totally unexpected undermines us and gets us in deep shit. Maybe stirring up some fake drama, getting you cancelled. Maybe snitching on the professor thing, or planting pot or something, which leads to expulsion. You and Poppy are at the lowest of the low, and you join forces to usurp whoever tried to ruin your lives. Bonus points if there’s a little flavourful enemies-to-lovers thing in there.

[writtcninthestars]

Look who just woke up- is that MEG DONNELLY? No, I must have been mistaken, that’s ADDISON WELLS from Z-O-M-B-I-E-S I heard she is 21 and stuck here just like everyone else. Even in the 20’s, they still give off a/an WELCOMING EVERYBODY NO MATTER THEIR BACKGROUND, WEARING PINK BOWS IN HER PLATINUM HAIR, WANTING TO FIND WHERE SHE’S FROM impression. They’re known to be quite PEPPY, but have a tendency to be INSECURE on their bad days.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀╱╱╱ ┊ biographical information. ╲╲╲ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⌈ designations ⌋

⠀⠀⠀± 𝖻𝗂𝗋𝗍𝗁 𝗇𝖺𝗆𝖾: addison rosalind wells ⠀⠀⠀± 𝗇𝗂𝖼𝗄𝗇𝖺𝗆𝖾𝗌: cheery mccheerstein, little miss cheer boots ⠀⠀⠀± 𝖺𝗅𝗂𝖺𝗌: addie ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⌈ physical characteristics⌋

⠀⠀⠀± 𝖺𝗀𝖾: 21 ⠀⠀⠀± 𝗀𝖾𝗇𝖽𝖾𝗋: female, she/her ⠀⠀⠀± 𝗁𝖾𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍: 5′3 ⠀⠀⠀± 𝖾𝗒𝖾 𝖼𝗈𝗅𝗈𝗋: blue ⠀⠀⠀± 𝗁𝖺𝗂𝗋 𝖼𝗈𝗅𝗈𝗋: platinum, blue (dependent) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⌈ general documentation ⌋

⠀⠀⠀± 𝗈𝖼𝖼𝗎𝗉𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇: intern writer ⠀⠀⠀± 𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗂𝖽𝖾𝗇𝖼𝖾: darling point ⠀⠀⠀± 𝗌𝖾𝗑𝗎𝖺𝗅 𝗈𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗇𝗍𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇: bisexual, male lean ⠀⠀⠀± 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝖺𝗅 𝖺𝗅𝗂𝗀𝗇𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍:⠀lawful good

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⌈ personal ⌋

⠀⠀⠀± 𝗉𝖾𝗋𝗌𝗈𝗇𝖺𝗅𝗂𝗍𝗒: addison is an inclusive, kind and optimistic half-human/half-alien cheerleader. she used to be the type that didn’t like being different or standing out in any way, but now she embraces what makes her different. ⠀⠀⠀± 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗆𝖾 𝗌𝗈𝗇𝗀: miss americana and the heartbreak prince by taylor swift ⠀⠀⠀± 𝗊𝗎𝗈𝗍𝖾: “i love myself as i am” ⠀⠀⠀± 𝗌𝗍𝗒𝗅𝖾: addison’s style is composed of pastel pinks, blues and sometimes green. she tends to wear more preppy outfits, collared shirts and skirts. her hair is often pulled half-up with a ribbon. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⌈ character archives ⌋

⠀⠀⠀±  𝖿𝖺𝗅𝗌𝖾 𝗅𝗂𝖿𝖾: addison was born into a wealthy family that held some power here in sydney. she was raised to not give away any family secrets. she had to act a certain way and could only do things that her parents approved of. she didn’t get her memories back until after starting university, where slowly she began to remember.

⠀⠀⠀±  𝗉𝖺𝗌𝗍 𝗅𝗂𝖿𝖾: addison spent her whole life trying to figure out who she was. she had white hair that had been covered by a wig most of her life. when they finally allowed some zombies to attend seabrook, she began to push out of her comfort zone and embrace her differences. for a time, she’d thought she was part-wolf, but after the moonstone power didn’t work on her, she realized she didn’t belong to their pack either. when the aliens came to their town, she found that her family had descended from aliens and finally found out where she belonged. a big part of her past life was cheerleading. she’d been raised to be a cheerleader and when she made the mighty shrimp team, she was able to live out her dream.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

[viviakayblacksparrow]

Next up in the reviews of low-cost notebooks are ones that I’ve been tempted by many times.

I all-caps LOVE Costco. As soon as I got my car, I got a Costco membership. I could do an entire blog series about growing up in poverty and food scarcity and the healing balm that having a full and well-organized kitchen with yogurts and cans of black beans in little organized rows is. But, back to the subject at hand. Costco’s book section. They always have some sort of notebook there. Often, they have big ole’ hardcover notebook three packs. I’ve always been tempted. This time, drunk on birthday bliss and delirium from being at Costco on a Saturday, into the cart they went.

  That comes to 4.66$ (CAD) a piece, peoples. COSTCO. These are true hardcover, and they’re big, about 7×10 inches–so it’s about a B5, but not exactly a B5. Eyeballing it, I thought it was a standard composition size, but it isn’t. (sad beep). Anyways, on to the innards.

Canadian made, eh! I love this aspect of the notebook. This info makes it easier to investigate a bit further about this company which is also apparently the source for all my “I survived a Saturday afternoon trip to Costco, so I will treat myself with this little lettering craft kit box” gifts to myself.

The notebook has a few little perks that I didn’t expect from an under five bucks book. An elastic closure (which for me is a make-or-break in a daily carry notebook or really any notebook of any kind these days), a pocket in the back, and a ribbon bookmark. The pages (160 pages, not numbered) are lined–which I like for notetaking, and are a soft-on-the-eyes cream colour and not a bright white. The binding appears to be sewn, not glued and it lies flat with a bit of coaxing. My only quibble is that in some sections of the book, the lines don’t quite line up from one side of the book to the other side–a minor quibble at such a cheap book. So now, the ultimate test: how does this handsome gentleman hold up to inks?

I used the same pens and ink (I had room to throw one more fountain pen in the mix) and here are the results:

So, you see a minimal amount of ghosting, but only bleeding where I made the “I dare you to bleed, and pretty much know you will” squares. I am sold. I have been looking for notebooks as the voice is still telling me to go to seminary–and I’m about to go back to Costco and get a big stack of these. Because notes for class should be on paper and notebooks should feel all medieval and fancy. Or as fancy as Costco can give you.

These would also make a nice gift package with a Platinum Preppy for someone who was coveting your fancy-pants note taking stylee. I’m even thinking that in the fancier colours, full price might even be attractive.

So, the rundown:

PROS:

Definitely inexpensive

Lined (if that’s you jam)

Bigger than an A5 (could also be a con, as these aren’t wee)

held up to most pens well

Multipack

CONS:

Costco availability–on the website ONE notebook is twice the price (still a pretty good deal, tho)

This is a basic notebook: no index, no page numbers, no extras. Notebook.

Lined (if that’s not your jam)

Large size

My take: if you’re looking for a real live notebook, in which you take notes, go fill up on these before I beat you to Costco.

  Bargain Basics: Costco/Spiceboxbooks Notebooks Next up in the reviews of low-cost notebooks are ones that I've been tempted by many times.

[nikiiwi]

Barbie Fashionistas Guide, Part II

For the dolls that were released between 2014-2016, check out this guide: [x]

Listed here are a few dolls from 2016, and everything released in 2017 (or projected for release in 2018), including the new Ken bodies.

I’m not a doll expert, just a passionate fan. I’ve changed the naming system of the post slightly, since nicknames for individual dolls have kind of fallen out of popular use. The dolls are organized first by body, then by mold. If the mold has a common nickname, I include it. I used this reference guide by Willyssa [x], this guide by Katti’s Dolls [x], and lot of guess work to figure these out. The photos are close-up screenshots of the official promo photos, and some are of better quality than others. 

Please message me if you have any corrections or additional information.

I’ll periodically update the post with minor corrections, but I won’t be doing another overhaul update until Fall/Winter, so please don’t bombard me if a new release happens.

[Correction shout-outs: @ayrtongschm]

BARBIE - ORIGINAL BODY

Millie 

Doll 46, Power Print

Doll 58, Peplum Power

Millie, Closed Mouth

Doll 49, Double Denim Look

Doll 84, Happy Hipster

Doll 71, Pineapple Pop

Neysa (aka. Bambi)

Doll 50, Emerald Check 

New Mold (aka Kassandra)

Doll 87, Sweet & Sporty

Doll 75, Seeing Stars

New Mold (aka Chandra, aka. Kim)

Doll 59, TropiCutie

New Mold (Shares some similarities with Chandra/Kim, but seems to have a different nose)

Doll 74, Rosey Romper

New Mold (I propose we call her Amber, because she reminds me of Amber Rose)

Doll 39, Chic in Chambray

Raquelle

Doll 73, Overall Awesome

Skipper

Doll 72, Teddy Bear Flair

BARBIE - CURVY BODY (These molds have been modified with slightly wider faces to better suit the body frame)

Skipper

Doll 63, Platinum Pop

2011 Summer

Doll 85, Happy Hued

Neysa (aka. Bambi)

Doll 79, Floral Frills - (Again, same sculpt but no dimples.)

Goddess

Doll 77, Purely Pinstriped

Carnaval

Doll 86, Glam Boho

Tango

Doll 65, Powder Pink Lace

Grace (aka. Playline Mbili), (I’m actually not sure if this is Grace or Mbili, I took an educated guess)

Doll 78, To Tie Dye For

New Mold (aka. Curvy), (Some people also refer to this as ‘Curvy Karl’ but I’ve seen that contested a lot.)

Doll 48, Daisy Pop

Doll 51, Polka Dot Fun

Doll 64, Lovin’ Leopard

New Mold ( aka. Zig Zag)

Doll 57, Zig &Zag

New Mold (aka. Smiley)

Doll 66, Beautiful Butterflies

Doll 76, Lavender Kiss

BARBIE - TALL BODY

2011 Summer

Doll 52, Plaid on Plaid

Doll 67, Cactus Cute

Neysa (aka. Bambi)

Doll 69, Blue Beauty

Goddess

Doll 68, Candy Stripes

1990 Teresa (stamped 2010)

Doll 80, Wear Your Heart - (She’s currently listed with the same title as doll 82)

New Mold (aka. Greek)

Doll 55, Denim & Dazzle

New Mold (aka. Smiley)

Doll 53, Lovely in Lilac

New Mold - (This is the same new mold as Doll 74)

Doll 60, Patchwork Denim

BARBIE - PETITE BODY

Millie

Doll 47, Kitty Cute

Mbili

Doll 56, Style So Sweet

Lea

Doll 61, Nice in Nautical

Kira (aka. Oriental), (I don’t know if this is the original or if it has a new stamp.)

Doll 62, Sweet for Silver

Doll 82, Wear Your Heart 

New Mold (aka. Smiley)

Doll 54, Tutu Cool

New Mold, (I think she’s brand new, but she does resemble 2010 Stacie.)

Doll 81, Cheerful Check

KEN - ORIGINAL BODY (A misnomer, this body is different from Playline Ken, and I think it also differs from previous Ken Fashionista bodies. I went ahead and numbered the new molds to keep myself from getting confused.)

Ken - (This Ken has been in rotation since at least 2012, does he have a name?)

Doll 1, In Black & White

Doll 4, Checked Style

Doll 7, Preppy Check

Ryan

Doll 3 , Stylin’ Stripes

Doll 4, Cali Cool

New Mold 1

Doll 10, Classic Cool

KEN - BROAD BODY (I believe these heads have been modified to suit the wider frame.)

2005 Ken (aka. The New Look), (Feel free to call me out here, but I’m 90% sure this isn’t Playline Ken. He could be new?)

Doll 8,  Camo Comeback

Ryan

Doll 12, Chill in Check

1991 Jamal, (Maybe? He’s definitely a Jamal/Steven that I’ve seen before.)

Doll 5, Super Stripes

New Mold 2

Doll 13, Distressed in Denim

KEN - SLIM BODY

Ken

Doll 11, Hyped on Stripes

New Mold 3, (Or maybe Ryan?)

Doll 2, Tropical Vibes

New Mold 4

Doll 3, Cactus Cooler

New Mold 5

Doll 9, Plaid on Point

FASHION PACK DOLLS (These are dolls that were originally assumed to be Fashionistas when photos leaked. They don’t seem to be separately named or numbered.)

New Mold (aka. Kassandra)

[autism-asks]

Did someone say cursive? Why yes, this is a special interest that I’ve talked about on my personal blog before and I am absolutely happy to copy and paste some solutions to this problem which is commonly caused by a whole host of comorbidities, including but not limited to dysgraphia, fine psychomotor skill impairment, gross psychomotor skill impairment, weak grip, improper lessons (exceptionally common in the US), and a host of other things.

The suggestions here in regards to keeping a journal, but it applies to problems with writing in print and cursive as well.

For my followers with various handwriting issues, check out a pack of Pilot Varsity pens, or maybe Platinum Preppy pens. If you’re feeling adventurous, then I cannot advocate enough for dropping the fifteen bucks on a Pilot Metropolitan.

Why this suggestion?

How many of you have given up on journaling as a means to manage your ADHD, or your autistic routines, or any other developmental disability or mental illness? How many of you can’t keep up with your mood charts or your symptom charts, or anything else?

Because your hand hurts. Because you can’t read your writing. Look, in the US especially, we are taught to write with pen and pencil, but the pens and pencils we use suck. They are cheap because they are mass produced. That doesn’t mean they are good or good for you.

All of the pens that are common in our culture require a lot of force to use. You have to press the pen into the paper in order for it to write. This is by design. But it also means that you have to grip the pen very firmly, and when you do that, your fine motor control suffers.

What’s a common trait of developmental disabilities? Oh, look at that, fine psychomotor skill disregulation. Dyspraxia. Dyspgraphia. Etc.

Switching to one of the pens I listed will fix that fine motor skill problem. Yes, it sounds like a magic fix. No, it will not make your hand writing perfect. But it will make it better, and it probably will make it legible, even when you write quickly.

This works because the pens listed use a liquid ink, not a paste or a gel, and that means that simply touching the the pen to the paper without pressing it into the paper, causes the pen to write.

The result is that you can relax your hand, let it glide on the paper (and it will glide), and it will write.

I’ve talked about it before, but I really, really, can’t advocate enough for switching pen styles for people who “can’t write.” So far, everyone who I have personally put a fountain pen in their hand has instantly seen significant improvement in their writing. It still takes practice to get it perfect. But at least it’s legible.

- Sam

Iiaat to not be able to read or write cursive?

Not being able to read or write in cursive could relate to dyslexia which is commonly comorbid with autism. 

-Sabrina and Sean

[md3artjournal]

might try fountain pens

https://youtu.be/UpYj4SRDQUk https://www.jetpens.com/blog/the-best-beginner-fountain-pens/pt/862 https://www.jetpens.com/blog/platinum-preppy-a-comprehensive-guide-2/pt/117

I've decided.  I'm going to get a fountain pen.  The Platinum Preppy 02 "Extra Fine".  Jet Pens says they're only $5, you can see through the barrel to the ink level, it's compatible with piston converters, and has felt nib options if you end up not wanting to use fountain pens anymore.  

While I was at Kinokuniya this past weekend, I was thinking about getting a fountain pen, just to try it.  I was also considering a dip pen sample set for the same reason.  But I know virtually nothing about fountain pens. Why spend $6+ on ONE pen, on a whim?  How would I even know which one would be best for me?  It would be better for me to return after some research.  So I've been watching JetPens' YouTube channel's playlist about fountain pens.  

What really helped me decide about fountain pens was the realization that if I just get one 0.3mm/0.25mm nibbed pen once, then I don't ever have to worry about it running out of ink and being unable to find another 0.3mm or smaller nibbed (ballpoint) pen again, because I can just refill the ink.  I live in America and all the pens are either 0.7mm or 1mm.  But I like to write TINY.  And the way my habit tracker and calendars are set up, a pen that accomodates my tiny writing would maximize their utility.  I heard that most Japanese pens are 0.3mm because kana are more easily written with smaller pen nibs. And I couldn't just use 0.3mm (or preferably 0.25mm) multiliner pens because I'm very heavy handed and eventually destroy those.  I've ruined several multiliner pens before thier inks had run out. x~x;  So I needed stronger nib points, like the metal of ballpoint pens.   But I've only been able to find a 0.3mm ballpoint pens once: at Daiso.  But Daiso has different stocks at different branches and even the same branches don't keep the same stock throughout their time.  So once my current Daiso multi-pack of 0.3mm ballpoint pens is dry, I and my tiny writing are out of luck.  ;~;  On the other hand, if I just get one 0.3mm fountain pen, then I can just keep that nib size forever and refill it as much as I want!  *o*  Until this past weekend at Kinokuniya, browsing fountain pens for no reason, I discovered that fountain pens are just as smooth to write with as ballpoint.  All this time I had thought that fountain pens would be scratchy against paper, like the old dip pen nibs my brother and I were prescribed to buy during school...but which we were never taught how to use, let alone, care for.  So I don't know if all dips pens are scratchy like that, or if those nibs are just too old and rusty, or if fountain pens write any smoother than that.  After all, to me, dip pens and fountain pens had similar looking nibs.  I didn't know any better.  But trying out those fountain pens in Kinokunya were SOOOO SMOOTH!  *u*!  It was like a dream.  Especially since the ink was as bold as gel pens.  Not faint like oil/water-based ink ballpoint pens.  And now knowing that I can even pick up bottles of many inks and put them into fountain pens...It sounds so versatile!  *o*  So I've decided, fountain pens may just be for me.  ^-^  

[sipthegreentea-blog]

AO3 link / wattpad link

Title: mean girls Pairing: Camila Cabello / Lauren Jauregui Chapter 1 of ?: i. the new girl

Summary: 

"Lauren will finish this last year of high school drama free if it’s the last thing she does."

or

AU where Camila is the queen bee and she's used to the school bowing at her feet until a new girl that refuses to play by the rules comes along.

*

i. the new girl

Greenwich Academy.

Lauren stands in front of the prestigious high school, staring at the name hanging above the entrance in big, bold letters.

Everything about the school from the large gates, to the trimmed planes and large trees screams of money and privilege.

Lauren is used to that; she isn't, however, used to wearing a fucking uniform. She looks down her frame and grimaces - pleated skirt and a fucking tie.

She bites in the bitterness and reminds herself that this ridiculous uniform is a small price to pay for a fresh beginning - God knows she needs it.

And she can't ignore that this school offers the education and opportunity she needs to get into her dream university. Besides, it's her senior year so she just has to endure it for one year and she can continue on with her life.

There are students milling around and Lauren has honestly never seen so many polished and preppy kids looking like they've got life all figured out in one place.

She watches a pair of girls with shining platinum blonde hair squeal and embrace each other as they reunite after a long summer apart. Lauren looks away. She isn't familiar with being the new kid but she frankly isn't worried about making new friends. Her plan is to get in and get out as fast as possible with top grades that'll land her a sweet spot in her dream university. Maybe even with a sports scholarship if all goes according to plan.

It's with this mindset that she enters the school and she isn't expecting much, the least being befriended by a small, overly friendly and bubbly girl right after her first class.

She's standing by the locker attempting to organize the heavy books she got from the school library when a sudden voice exclaims,

"Hi!"

Lauren startles and spins around, staring at the girl who popped out of nowhere. She's a tiny thing, a good few inches shorter than Lauren, with long straight brown hair and a smile that seems to glow brighter than the sun.

"Hi," Lauren says after a pause and blinks. "You scared me."

The girl giggles. "I'm so sorry," she says, "I didn't mean to. Hi, I'm Ally."

Lauren smiles because she can't deny that Ally's smile is quite infectious, "Hi, Ally. I'm Lauren."

"I know," and wow, she really loves giggling, "We just had Physics together. Nice to meet you, Lauren!"

She pulls Lauren into an unexpected hug and Lauren's got issues with personal space and strangers, so she almost pulls away but then she realizes how freaking soft and warm Ally's hug is - and she smells good. So Lauren lets herself be hugged as she pats Ally half-awkwardly on the back.

Ally pulls away after the little-too-long hug and beams at her. Lauren smiles back and closes her locker after getting the books she needs for her next class.

"Nice to meet you too, Ally," she says politely before she turns on her heels and walks down the hallway.

Ally follows her and struggles to keep up with her long strides, "What class do you have now?"

"Biology."

Ally lights up. "That's my class too! And oh, you're going the wrong way." She giggles as Lauren stops.

"I've got no sense of direction whatsoever," Lauren says with a soft laugh.

"No problem. Come, we'll walk together."

By the time lunch rolls around, Lauren's head is swimming with the amount of workload their teachers poured onto them on the first fucking day.

"Is this normal?" she asks Ally as they buy lunch from the cafeteria, and Lauren is pleasantly surprised by the food - not only is it edible and tasteful, but it doesn't look like something that'll send you straight to the nurse's office with an aching tummy either.

Ally laughs. "You haven't seen anything yet," she says and when she sees Lauren pale a bit, she strokes her arm-Ally loves to touch, Lauren noticed pretty early on. "You'll get used to it once you get into the swing of things. Just make sure to write a lot of notes, it'll save you the headache for the midterms."

Lauren likes Ally. She doesn't think she's ever met a person who's as positive and sweet as Ally is, and she's been incredibly helpful and welcoming, contributing to Lauren feeling like this is a good start - despite the ridiculous workload.

After they finish buying their lunch, Lauren mindlessly steers right for the closest empty table but she doesn't get far before Ally wraps a hand around her arm and yanks her back.

"Where are you going?" Ally asks, wide-eyed. She looks a touch anxious which in turn makes Lauren anxious.

"What do you mean?" she asks, genuinely confused and gesturing towards the table she'd been heading to, "I was just going to sit down over there."

Ally shakes her head briskly. "No, you can't," she says and without further explanation, she drags Lauren to the other end of the cafeteria where there's a free table. She pushes Lauren down into a seat and takes one for herself across from Lauren.

Lauren stares expectantly at her.

Ally looks around conspiratorially, then leans in to whisper, "That's the Clique's table. You can't sit with them."

Lauren stares. Then blinks. Then stares some more.

"The what now?" she asks with a soft snort. "Did you just say the Clique? Are they the school mafia or what?"

Ally dramatically spills her eyes wide open. "No, they're worse."

Lauren sobers up a bit, because Ally seems to be that person who has something positive to say about anyone no matter how much of a scum they are, so if there are people in school that are this bad, they must be the devil. She leans into Ally, reluctantly curious and intrigued.

Ally holds a pause for dramatic effect and Lauren nearly rolls her eyes.

"There are three of them," she says eventually, "And they've run the school for a while now. There's Dinah Jane, Normani Kordei and of course, Camila Cabello."

"Okay, so what, they're the school's mean girls?" Lauren asks unimpressed, because she doesn't tolerate that shit and she definitely doesn't have time for that shit either.

"If you cross them, they'll end you," Ally says darkly. Then she sees something over Lauren's shoulder and shoots up straight in her seat, fingernails digging into Lauren's arm. "There they are!"

Lauren turns around and it feels like the whole damn cafeteria turns their eyes on the trio that has just arrived. It's three girls, all of them ridiculously gorgeous in their own ways, oozing confidence and nonchalance as they strut into the cafeteria with their perfect skin and shiny hair. They've all somehow gotten away with customizing and accessorizing their uniforms, making them look more like something out of a fashion catalogue than the boring, dull uniforms they're supposed to be.

Lauren wishes it was an exaggeration but the whole cafeteria seems to stop what they're doing to watch the girls, some even stopping mid-bite.

"Who are they?" Lauren finds herself asking.

"Okay, so the tall one is Dinah and she's the captain of the girls' soccer team," Ally says, sounding almost giddy as she shares the information, "She's the nicest of the trio. She's easygoing and laid-back except when she's on the field playing soccer - she plays like she's fighting a war. And may God save your soul if you ever imply that the girls' soccer team is any less than the boys' soccer team. She once knocked this guy out for calling them a joke. And if you mess with her friends, she'll end your life like this," Ally punctuates by snapping her fingers together.

"The black girl is Normani Kordei. She's the cheerleading captain. A lot of people find her intimidating but I talked to her once and she's really sweet! She even shared her pack of gum with me and called me by name! I didn't know she knew my name." Ally sounds a little too excited and Lauren has to turn to face her, surprised by the almost dreamy look in her eyes. "She changes her hair all the time and she rocks every hairstyle. I personally liked the pink tips she had last year."

"And the last one?" Lauren asks as she looks at the smallest of the three, a petite thing, obviously Latina, with pitch black long, wavy hair and a cute little bow tie instead of a regular tie, an expensive designer bag hanging from her arm.

"Camila Cabello," Ally says, "She's-"

"The Queen Bee?" Lauren interrupts, and Ally looks at her, surprised.

"Yeah. How'd you know?"

Lauren rolls her eyes hard and sits straight on her chair, turning her attention back from the Clique and onto her appetizing tuna sandwich instead.

"It's obvious, isn't it? Of course there's gonna be a Queen Bee." Lauren decides then and there that she doesn't care for the Clique and whatever they have going on. She will finish this last year of high school drama free if it's the last thing she does.

"Dinah is the soccer team captain, you say?"

Ally nods. "Yeah, why?"

Lauren shrugs. "I played soccer at my old school. I'd like to sign up for the tryouts."

The soccer tryouts are held by the end of the first week and Lauren is excited - it's only the first week and she already feels like she's going to drown in homework and assignments, and she desperately needs a release. Running down a field with the soccer ball by the tip of her feet and the breeze in her hair has always done wonders to relax her.

It's the brief break before the last class of the day and she's standing by her locker. She feels all the kids around her buzzing with energy as they whisper secretly with each other, everyone looking excited and somewhat scandalized. Lauren doesn't know what's going on, but she doesn't have to wonder for long, because the next second Ally pops up next to her.

"Did you hear?" she asks, wide-eyed.

"Hear what?" Lauren asks, vaguely curious.

"Camila Cabello broke up with her boyfriend, Liam Payne!" Ally whisper-hisses and Lauren turns to look at her.

"The left winger of the boys' soccer team?" she asks. Although it was her first week, she already knew about all the popular kids and their gossip since this school thrived on it, including Ally.

Ally nods her head eagerly even if Lauren suspects she isn't in on soccer lingo. "Yes, they've been together since sophomore year! They've been voted most-likely high school sweethearts to get married a dozen of times! Everyone's shocked! No one knows what happened! But most people think that it's Liam's fault - I heard someone say that he cheated on her!"

Lauren rolls her eyes. "Why does everyone care so much?"

"Because if their love didn't last then is love even real?" Ally sighs dramatically as she leans back against the lockers.

Lauren closes her locker and gives Ally a 'really?' look.

"They didn't seem that much in love." She shrugs. She'd seen them a few times together, holding hands as they walked down the halls soaking in the neverending attention, admiration and jealousy of their peers. The few times they'd crossed paths, Liam had heart-eyes as he looked at Camila Cabello while said girl just seemed downright bored.

Ally gasps, scandalized as if Lauren has insulted her mother. She shakes her head briskly.

"You're new. You wouldn't know."

Lauren rolls her eyes again. "And I hope I never know," she mutters under her breath. "I'm going to the soccer tryouts after school."

Ally nods, "Do you need me to show you the way?"

Lauren shakes her head, "How hard can finding the soccer field be?"

Very hard apparently, when your name is Lauren Jauregui and you're gifted with exactly zero sense of direction. By the time she makes it to the grassy field, she doesn't even have time to admire the beauty and size of it, because she has to duck into the changing rooms where a gaggle of girls are already in the middle of noisily chatting and changing into more appropriate clothes.

She's met with the thick smell of girly perfume and about a dozen curious eyes. Lauren smiles back stiffly as she shuffles to an open space.

"I haven't seen your face before," a girl says as she's bent over her duffle bag, racking through it, her thick blonde hair obscuring her face from view.

"Yeah," Lauren says, and pulls her shirt over her head. "I'm new."

The girl straightens up and flips her hair over her shoulder, looking curiously at Lauren with a pair of startling blue eyes. "Welcome to Greenwich, you got a hair tie?"

Lauren blinks. "Yeah," she says easily and rolls out one of her extras, watching the girl pull her hair up in a high ponytail.

"I'm Hailey," she says, "Junior."

"Lauren. Senior," Lauren replies, discreetly eyeing the girl up. She's got almost the same slim built everyone else in this room has.

"You're lucky the captain didn't see you come in late," Hailey snorts. "She would've thrown you out on your ass without a second chance."

Lauren raises her brow and responds dryly, "Hm, lucky me, I guess."

Hailey gives her a look Lauren can't quite decipher and she opens her mouth to say something but before she can, the door springs open and a girl enters.

The team captain - Dinah Jane. She's wearing the blue and white soccer kit and Lauren has to admit, it makes her look tall and commanding. She surveys the soccer hopefuls with narrowed eyes.

"Ladies, hurry yo asses up!" She says in a volume that's a lot higher than necessary. "You aren't dressing up to prom! Whoever isn't out on the field in the next two minutes is out!"

With that, she leaves, slamming the door behind her and the room is consumed by an air of urgency as the girls hurry out of their uniforms.

"I thought the tryouts started in 10 minutes," Lauren mutters under her breath as she ties her soccer shoes.

Hailey hears her and snorts, "Dinah Jane runs by her own clock."

Lauren grimaces as she follows the girls out on the soccer field. They gather in front of Dinah Jane and an older woman clad in an adidas tracksuit and wild hair that looks like she just rolled out of bed.

"Alright, girls," she says energetically as she claps her hands together, surveying them with eager eyes. "I'm pleased that so many of you turned out but we're only looking for a few. I'm your Coach Kelly and this is your future captain, Dinah Jane. She will be running the tryouts."

Dinah steps forward with a grin, her gaze floating over the lined up girls.

She rolls her shoulders back and says, "Listen up, girls. I know that every single one of you has heard some sexist bullshit - sorry, coach," but the coach doesn't look scandalized, just amused, "-about how girls aren't as fast or strong or athletic as boys."

"Yeah, that is some real bullshit," the coach interjects causing the girls to laugh and Lauren finds herself nodding, a grin on her face.

"So today, I'm looking for girls who are ready to prove the naysayers wrong. I'm expecting a lot of you. I'm expecting perfection. I only want the best."

Hailey shifts nervously next to her and Lauren feels it creep up her spine. She reminds herself that she's a superb soccer player and that she will prove that to Dinah and Coach Kelly.

The tryouts are simple and nothing Lauren hasn't tried more times than she can count; running drills, shootouts and ball-handling.

Lauren is confident. That is until the tryouts begin and she realizes how competitive these girls are, and she's forced to up her game so she isn't left behind in the dust.

She does excellently at first, she's the second first at the running drills, her feet are quick and coordinated under the ball-handling going whichever way she wants it to, but then come the shootouts and she doesn't score a single goal, causing frustration to flare up inside of her, only making it worse.

"Hey! New girl!"

She turns around to face Dinah, who's approaching her.

"My name is Lauren," she responds, breathless from the physical exertion.

Dinah raises a brow, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. "Did I ask?"

Lauren is a bit thrown off by that and she stares at Dinah as she tries to come up with a witty response. Before she has the chance to, Dinah continues, "You played before?"

Lauren feels a little sour at the question, surely the skills she just displayed would be enough of an answer - except the shootouts, she supposes. And no one would come to the tryouts if they hadn't kicked a ball before.

She nods and attempts not to look as offended as she feels. "Yeah, I have."

"Could've fooled me," Dinah says as she writes something down on the clipboard in her hands. "You can't even get the ball in the net."

Lauren swallows. "I'm having an off day."

Dinah smiles almost indulgently, "Is that so? How inconvenient."

Lauren takes a deep breath, "Look, I'm good. I'm really good. You won't regret putting me on the team. I think you'll regret not doing it."

That's a bold statement, she knows and she can see it on Dinah's face, in the way she tilts her head and looks at her with a raised brow.

"You've got nerve," she says, and for a moment, Lauren doesn't know what to make of that but then Dinah laughs, "I like you, new girl. Go out there and show me what I could be missing."

Lauren nods and jogs back on the field. It takes a couple more tries but she finally gets a goal and it's a fucking good goal - the ball shoots through the air with a force that reverberates across the field and the poor girl standing as goalie has no chance as it whizzes past her into the net.

Lauren jumps excitedly on her feet, spinning around, hoping that Dinah was watching and she was, smirking at her from where she's sitting on the bench, scribbling something down on her clipboard.

Maybe her year at Greenwich will be better than she'd expected.