#(but as Nina correctly pointed out the audience would not have been able to as comfortably interpret the fact that this relationship

[itspileofgoodthings]

okay but Kola saving Mills not once but twice … KILLED me

[salvatoreschool]

Best of the Decade: The Vampire Diaries delivered a perfect love triangle in its third season

To celebrate the end of the 2010s, Entertainment Weekly’s Must List is looking back at the best pop culture of the decade that changed movies, TV, music, and more (catch up on our list so far, which includes the MCU’s big Snap, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s history-making hit Hamilton, and Beyonce’s iconic Coachella set). Today, we look back on The Vampire Diaries and its perfect love triangle.

There’s a reason we’ve seen so many love triangles on television. The classic storytelling device is a surefire way to drum up drama in any situation. It taps into a fandom’s desire to root for something, to feel competitive about something. If shipping was born out of fans wanting a particular love story, why not give them two and make them choose? Well, because it can get complicated. For as often as we see love triangles on television series, they don’t always work.

Love triangles are a high-wire act. The two relationships needs to feel different enough, though both must feel valid. You have to give each couple their moments without making the central person’s preference obvious. And most of all, it has to feel right when that central person finally chooses someone. Audiences should be able to look back at the story and understand that decision. (They might not like it, but it should make sense.)

So yeah, love triangles are fun. Will Joey choose Dawson or Pacey? Will Rory choose Jess or Dean? It’s a way to keep the audience on the edge of their seats. But when handled correctly, it should be about more than suspense. It should be about great storytelling. And when The Vampire Diaries premiered its third season in 2011, it delivered on all the promises of a love triangle.

After two years of establishing the love story of Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev), the teenager as familiar with loss as she was with homework, and Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley), the undead man who brought her back to life, it was time for Stefan to step out of the picture for a bit. (He left town with Klaus as part of a deal to save his brother’s life.) Enter Damon (Ian Somerhalder), Stefan’s older brother. The show had already established Damon’s undeniable connection with his brother’s girl, and through the experience of trying to track down Stefan, Elena and Damon grew closer. But again, high-wire act. Elena, the selfless human who put those she loved before herself, couldn’t suddenly fall head over heels for the selfish, impulsive vampire who once snapped her brother’s neck. But what she could do was slowly start to see other sides to Damon, all the while trying to get Stefan back.

The groundwork was laid as early as episode 2, when Damon told Elena, “When I drag my brother from the edge and deliver him back to you, I want you to remember the things you felt while he was gone.” The key words being “while he was gone.” Stefan’s absence was crucial to building the love triangle: If she felt things for Damon while Stefan was gone, what would it mean when he returned? By pairing the story of Damon’s redemption with that of Stefan’s downfall as Klaus (Joseph Morgan) forced him to drink human blood and turn off his humanity, Elena’s relationship with the brothers was flipped on its head. She found herself once again paired with the “good Salvatore brother” — only this time, it was Damon.

And once that bond with Damon was set, Stefan started to make his way back into the picture.

If we’re talking about the balance needed in a love triangle, TVD’s third season could walk a tightrope. Just as Damon started to win Elena over, Stefan proved that she shouldn’t give up on him. Damon made Elena jealous by flirting with another girl in one scene, Stefan caught her when she fell in the next. We’re not talking about epic, sweeping romantic moments. We’re talking about a look here, a touch of the knee there. Because the show was calculated and incredibly subtle in both building the relationship of Damon and Elena and rebuilding the relationship of Stefan and Elena. You have to be when your season contains 22 episodes. Damon and Elena didn’t share a kiss until episode 11 of the season. Stefan and Elena, the love story upon which the show had been built in its first two years, did not kiss until the season finale. Let’s say that one more time: The show managed to get through 21 episodes without its core couple so much as kissing, and yet Stefan and Elena’s love never felt like it was gone. It coursed through the show with the same electricity it always had, as the thing that propelled each of them forward.

It should be stated that the show was able to survive on an entire season of almost-moments in large part due to the chemistry between the actors. Not every show could get away with a look between two people holding as much weight as Stefan and Elena in a closet in Chicago or Damon and Elena in his bathroom after the bonfire. But thanks to that chemistry, the show didn’t need multiple make-outs and big speeches to make the love triangle feel real.

And by never having Elena waver in her love for Stefan, despite her feelings for Damon, she remained likable as the heroine of the story. At no point did she forget Stefan in favor of her new relationship with Damon. She struggled with both, all season long. As she told Stefan in episode 18, “I never stopped loving you.” And with that love as the foundation of the triangle, she remained relatable in her emotional struggles, which allowed viewers to become invested in both possible outcomes and guaranteed that no matter which brother she chose, fans would follow that love story.

Somehow, The Vampire Diaries managed to build a new love story without destroying the one that launched its series. And furthermore, it found a way to make Damon feel like a viable candidate, despite Elena’s unfaltering love of Stefan, which meant viewers went into the season 3 finale genuinely not knowing which brother Elena would choose. After all, her options were very different. As Rose (Lauren Cohan) told Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) in episode 19, “[Stefan’s] love is pure; he’ll always be good for her. Damon is either the best thing for her or the worst.” So the question became: Is Damon currently the best thing for her? Or the worst?

It all built to the second half of the season finale, when Elena had to make a decision because she believed both brothers were hours away from dying. She had to choose which one got the goodbye. And ultimately, she chose Stefan. Because, as she told Damon, “No matter what I feel for you, I never unfell for him,” a line that acknowledged her feelings for both brothers and allowed viewers to understand her decision. (And just to make sure the Delena shippers didn’t lose hope, the writers threw in a flashback that revealed that Damon and Elena actually met first.)

In its third season, TVD told a beautifully balanced, perfectly paced story about a human girl torn between two very different vampire brothers. And in the end, she made her choice. As she’d later claim, it was the best choice she ever made, and for viewers, it was one of the best love triangles TV had ever seen.

[artificialqueens]

Make me feel (Branjie) - Mermelada

Hello again all! I’ve written some Branjie drabble based on a lovely song by a lady called Janelle Monáe, you may know her? Drag names and a mixture of pronouns within, and some ballet terms I had to drag out my brain from 10 years ago. I hope you enjoy!

Carefully stepping across the stage, extending each leg gracefully in front of her as she lay the hard top of her pointe-shoes on the ground, Brooke Lynn Hytes deeply inhaled and closed her eyes. The crowd were cheering and chanting her name, they loved her. They’d come to the show expecting a re-enactment of her energetic kicks and spins to Demi Lovato, or maybe something a bit sultrier as she couru’d around the stage in her skin-tight Cat Woman costume. Instead, they’d be seeing the first – and hopefully only – performance of an act Brooke had unofficially titled “desperate drag queen”.

The Season 11 tour had been underway for over a month now, and while she was fully in her element while performing in front of sold-out crowds nearly every night, there was one aspect of tour life which Brooke couldn’t quite navigate: being around her ex-boyfriend, and the man she still loved with all her heart. During the day they would chat and joke between each other and with the other queens on the bus; and in the evening they would paint their faces and assume their professional identities. Things became more difficult when night fell and their masks, both literal and metaphorical, were removed. Brooke Lynn and Vanessa were like opposite ends of a magnet: no matter how hard they tried, or how many barriers were in their way, they were inseparable. Some nights they fucked, some nights they cuddled as they watched Netflix, and then some nights they would argue to the point where they never wanted to see each other again… until the next day, when the cycle would begin again. It had been stressing Brooke out for too long, and he knew he had to do something about it.

Vanessa had always said, both jokingly and with complete sincerity as he struggled to tame the tears falling from his eyes, that Brooke was ‘too cool’ for love, and ‘too proud’ to wear his heart on his sleeve. It was true: it had been one of the main reasons they had broken up, and a recurring factor in their frequent fights over just what they were to each other. Vanessa didn’t want to just be a fuckbuddy. Neither did Brooke, but he could never find the correct way of telling his lover. After a lot of thinking during the long bus rides across generic American landscapes, Brooke Lynn Hytes had made up his mind that he was in love, and he wanted Vanessa Vanjie Mateo to be his boyfriend. All that was left to do as ask, which should have been the easy part. Unfortunately for Brooke, every time he tried, he would either choke on his own pride and change the conversation to something cat-related, or Vanessa would roll his eyes and accuse him of being insincere. Which led to where he is right now.

As Brooke Lynn towered in the middle of the stage, staring out into the audience, she took one final deep breath, waiting for the music to start. If Vanessa had wanted big, proud gestures of love, then she was going to get it. The late-night choreographing in her hotel room and the secret correspondence with a somewhat nonchalant sound engineer in a city Brooke couldn’t remember better pay off. She had a feeling it would. But she was still terrified. Before the cogs in her brain could turn any more, the opening beat kicked in, and she slowly walked towards the front of the stage, ready to give the performance of a lifetime to just one person. The crowd roared as they recognised the song that was playing.

“Baby don’t make me spell it out for you All of the feelings that I’ve got for you”

Brooke had never before felt the lyrics of a song resonate so deeply as she was lip-synching, she was certain the front three rows would be able to see the determination in her eyes. As she slowly rolled her hips to the beat, she noticed Nina at the side of the stage looking shocked, gesticulating over-dramatically in a way that only Nina could pull off. Laughing to herself, Brooke twirled to the left of the stage, looking into the wings where she then saw Yvie and Silky wiggling their hips to the rhythm. Yvie sent her a huge toothy grin, which made Brooke suspect she’d caught on to exactly when she was doing. She only hoped the rest of her plan would work.

“You keep on asking me the same questions

And second guessing all my intentions”

As she sung the lyrics, Brooke pouted and twirled a strand of hair around her finger and she gracefully rose en pointe, before bending down all the way into a full plié, never once losing balance. The audience screamed at the suggestive nature of the move, and Brooke couldn’t help but become more and more motivated by the reaction. She could feel fire in her belly and in her heart, and she was now adamant that she would not leave the stage until she got what she wanted. Staring at Nina again, she nodded towards the backstage area, hoping her friend would pick up on the clue. Flashing a quick thumbs up, Nina ran down the wing and into the backstage area, hoping to god she’d read Brooke’s telekinetic signal correctly. Regardless, the on/off Branjie charade had been going on for too long, and Nina revelled in witnessing what would hopefully be the resolution.

“It’s like I’m powerful with a little bit of tender

An emotional sexual bender”

With that, Brooke slammed her tuck into the floor and relished the burn of her thigh muscles as she stretched into her split. Leaning forward and flipping her hair, the cheers and screams of the crowd temporarily distracted her from the reason she was doing this. The autopilot switch turned itself on, and she began to perform like she always does, smiling to her adoring fans as she stood back up and prepared to relevé into the chorus.

“That’s just the way you make me feel

That’s just the way you make me feel

So good, so good, so fucking real

That’s just the way you make me feel”

As she touched the hands of those in the audience who extended dollar bills in her direction as her way of thanks, Brooke almost intuitively felt the need to turn around. There, standing beside Nina in the wings, was Vanjie, in her sparkly dress and short blonde wig, looking at Brooke with an unreadable expression. Her target audience member in place, Brooke’s only job now was to make sure Vanessa was completely aware of why she’d changed from her scheduled performance.

“You know I love it, so please don’t stop it

You got me right here in your jean pocket”

Brooke really tried to remain professional and perform to the ticket-paying audience, but she’d have been lying if she’d said that it didn’t feel like Vanessa was the only person in the whole theatre at that moment. Well, and Nina, the older queen gently rubbing Vanjie’s shoulders as they both watched the lioness in pink Blochs command the stage in front of them.

“Laying your body on a shag carpet

You know I love it, so please don’t stop it”

Vanessa wasn’t sure where to look as Brooke dipped down into her signature body roll on the floor, tossing her hair around and staring straight into her eyes. She loved to watch Brooke perform – who wouldn’t? Brooke was strong, sexy, powerful, completely in control of her emotions, completely at home in front of a large crowd… and yet here she was, dancing to a song Vanessa loved, focussing on nobody else but her. Well, and Nina, who was still gripping her shoulders far too tightly to be relaxing. Vanessa had always told Brooke how much he loved the idea of big, public gestures to display love. The thought often made Brooke recoil, which would more often than not lead to an argument about Brooke being emotion-less and just using Vanessa for sex. Which Vanjie knew wasn’t true, but his Canadian friend’s inability to openly talk about his feelings was frustrating, especially when they could have already been married with a dog by this point if they’d just talked it out. At least in Vanessa’s fantasy. And yet here he was, bearing his soul not just for Vanessa, not just for the other queens, but for the world. Vanessa was lost in the performance when he suddenly felt a strong push from behind him.

As Nina pushed Vanessa on stage, Brooke stealthily landed her pirouette in front of her, catching her smaller hands in hers.

“That’s just the way you make me feel

That’s just the way you make me feel”

Brooke continued to sway and bop to the music, while Vanessa stood motionless, staring at the tall blonde, mouth agape in shock. Not quite thinking about what she was doing, and not caring about the hundreds of phone cameras pointing their way, Vanessa threw her two hands around Brooke’s neck and pulled her head down to kiss her. Their foreheads hit, their noses squashed, and their teeth clattered, but nothing mattered except the warmth pooling in both of their hearts, and the smiles stretching across both of their faces.

[belthoyt4-blog]

Will be your Information Plan Steering in the Proper Path? Four-Techniques to Make Sure It Can.

Let?s imagine your Marketing Company Miami class made it through a plane accident in addition laundered ashore around the comfortable excellent fine sand of the Pacific isle. You might have simply no road map, compass, or GPS. You might be uncertain where to locate freshwater, kindling, or perhaps protection. As you may trudge uphill into the rainforest inside, one of the buddies demands, ?Are you certain we?re steering the correct way? ?

Just would you know?! What?s the ?right? motion when you?re missing while on an tropical isle?

The situation tells someone of the many content material your staff has become cranking out just before your fateful getaway. The content read well. This searched very sharp. It sometimes racked upward LinkedIn likes?

Unfortunately he this content steering in the right path? How do you know?

My team at Widen these days explained our forest area connected with content data? correctly from Madison, Wisconsin? to discover a proper motion. Whenever visitors key in a message home address in order to obtain content material from your web page, which will motion kicks away from a multiweek e-mail cultivate promotion with a single e-mailbox every 7 days. But , like lots of B2B computer online marketers, we support an extended sales period, and understood we?re capable of superior with the take care of plan. Thus my teammates Nina Brakel-Schutt plus Nate Holmes directed a written content review.

At first, we wanted to see what our details says? almost like 0s and 1s would show where to go. But there?s too much details to analyze! Together with its understanding is similar to our problems.

Everyone developed a brand new articles auditing strategy working with records from CRM, promoting automation, and computerized resource administration (DAM) applications. Other piles performs also. That content material review safeguarded our written content and e-mail marketing procedure from perishing on a desert island? also it may well keep your own property, on top of that.

1 . Form your query

Kind a question that complications your most entrenched suppositions. As an example , B2B entrepreneurs be proud of comprehension furthermore serving their consumers. No online marketer brags, ?We have no idea who?s acquiring our goods and why! " Direct having a problem such as, ?Who are our buyers and what articles or blog posts would solution their issues with the purchasing encounter? ?

Start off the inquiry by merely mapping the journey with the finalized 10 shoppers you closed. Which our maps looked like:

Let?s message several things:

first, the purchasing never-ending cycle was longer plus more unforeseen than we got assumed. We acquired content queued up for twelve several weeks, though the journey survived 9 a few months.

Following, many shoppers jumped in at 4 weeks, 6 months, and ten a few months, and then we couldn?t have shipped the best written content with the perfect time. The image consuming producer could have received information surrounding the basics of DAM ahead of getting your unique for the deal.

3rd, as the information was stationary and also redirected for entrepreneurs, the customers that are IT people had to research or demand specialised content whenever they needed it.

Over probable customers, the particular wide open prices on this mail marketing campaign declined by one particular-third among the first and twelfth 7-day period. That saved correct despite we enhanced general performance with new innovative and messages (mirrored in the violet trendline):

Decreasing opened costs certainly weren?t the right direction. There were to re-look at what we should delivered, who we presented it to, plus why.

2 . Discover your content

The next task is to expose precisely what content you choose and the ins and outs. For your supplied advertising campaign, paste what they are classified as of each and every little bit of material (with hyperlinks) within a spreadsheet in chronological buy. Then, categorize each piece of content material by its period during the buyer trip: awareness, thing to consider, or decision.

Let?s unpack those 3 labels. Within the knowing stage, prospective buyers aim to define their own individual concern or chance. At the imagined step, customers have distinct focuses on and check out how you can obtain all of them. Via the determination step, the consumer presents chosen a category of methods furthermore evaluates them for the greatest in shape. The particular driving a motor vehicle problem flows from why so that you can tips on how to what .

Following categorizing the content by journey stage, include your proposal facts. Which could incorporate downloading, landscapes, natural and organic queries, private (y/n), social shares? all depends without any help advertising and marketing pile. A theme could look like this:

Immediately after prepping the spreadsheet, that you just able to look into if your posts accomplished buyers? demands.

3. Evaluate strengths and weaknesses

In a more aged B2B martech stack, you usually analyze engagement metrics like views, social offers, natural lookups, as well as downloads. Individuals metrics might get an audience?s reaction to material, nonetheless they miss out on other attributes.

Everyone within our e mail marketing campaign got the same written content at the identical velocity. Hence, the champions on the spreadsheet obtained attractiveness spanning personas (much more on people quickly). Nonetheless , it could possibly extremely not easy to pin down end in and effect in material information and facts. The best-executing parts did actually have got self-explanatory benefit, but could be that encountered nothing concerning their success.

When evaluating written content, aim to capture qualitative attributes inside amounts. While using proposal metrics together with your own personal reading through of the content material, you can actually rank the subsequent on the 1-5 sizing or use note grades. Include those to the spreadsheet:

Brand. Look at the producing style with regards to speech, color, and messaging. Look at the visible expression for digital photography style and design, colours, and typefaces. How properly can they show your brand?

Lucidity. Do the publishing and style offer the details clearly and concisely?

Precision. Does your site content represent the present declare from your business and company? Would be the info exact and up outdated?

Company well worth. How carefully truly does this content refer to your enterprise objectives?

Application. The amount worth should it deliver towards the visitor?

Hunt for designs. Possibly your better written content rates high on utility nevertheless appears to be away from-brand name. Perhaps quality divides your very own greatest-executing items from the most detrimental. These forms tell the information plan you might build over the following action.

4. Upgrade due to the fact required

This content that excelled ought to attain every single persona. Improve this if required while keeping it throughout play. Nevertheless , it?s a chance to replacement the information that conducted negatively.

Personas will assist you to choose a correct track for your new content articles you?ll use. Personas are caricatures from your ideal prospects or pay attention to audiences. They are really like charts mainly because they?re not ?reality. ? By using personas we try to anticipate who also buyers are and how they take part in the buying process so we may items written content to their demands.

My team utilized to concentrate on a couple of personas? Very creative, THIS, and however they had been also wide. We extrapolated 8-10 gentes from people a few, but building structured written content for seven gentes was also burdensome to obtain a corporation our measurements. So we started out the ?persona-off? on this info (collected via advertising automation, CRM, and DAM methods):

Current personas visiting our web page

Occupation titles among the having to deal with our shopping process

Our principal point of get in touch with each and every purchaser company (title and also headline)

Ordinary buyer shut time

Content provided by Income vs . articles or blog posts customers eat independently

From that details, we acknowledged the 4 ideal personas. Then we interviewed folks during the buying process concerning their own personal jobs, goals and objectives, and pain components. We had two targets: do a comparison of actuality in our personas, and discover exactly what material each individual persona would wish. Most people asked questions regarding these:

Operate objectives

Every day responsibilities and commitments

Problems in the office

Beloved info options

Character traits relevant to the products

The interviews provided us all the substance to make empathetic user profiles furthermore content material techniques for every single persona. Each and every persona account handles 6 aspects and answers each factor in conjunction with two to six bullets:

Who happen to be they?

Just how can they locate every one of us?

What exactly do they want to fully understand?

What don?t they desire?

Exactly what are their discomfort things?

Why accomplish they buy from us?

From that information, we resulted in a information strategy for each and every persona. The web template is segregated by period on the purchasing getaway and appearance this way:

* * *

Our content analysis has resolved who the shoppers are and what queries information ought to answer all over the acquiring working experience.

Is our posts steering inside the appropriate route? Now we have now a method to check well before we make ventures some time and solutions in growth.

The review made us to (re)generate e-mail looking after plans for each and every persona and initiate them where ever the client appears around the path.

Save on your own

If the written content plan appears dropped, work with a equivalent content material analysis to find a perfect direction (there?s certainly not merely one).

?Is our articles heading from the proper track? ? will end up easier to solution after some time. Within the initially circular, you may upgrade personas or make sure they are on your own. In pursuing styles, as soon as you this tropical isle terrain, do a search for new shortcuts and disguised . gemstones. Try to get lost once more (properly, inside your office).

[mariespn-me-blog]

The Mall

NINA'S POV.

I woke up still feeling dazed from last night. I went downstairs to the living room and i saw Dylan watching tv and drinking coffee, he saw me and he turned off the tv.

"Good morning drunk girl." he joked.

"Please..." i said and sat to the other couch. "...don't. I feel horrible."

"That's normal, you drunk a lot yesterday."

"I do remember a few things though."

"Like?"

"Like, you punching a guy to protect me,right?"

"You remember correctly."

"Thank you so much."

"Really it was nothing. It was the least I could do for a friend."

"It means a lot to me."

"My pleasure. I would do it for any of my friends."

"I want also to apologize for ruining the celebration."

"It's alright, it's not a big deal, really."

"I feel awful."

"Well stop, because you and I will go to the Mall today and you gonna call Michael to tell him to come with us."

"And we say that when"?

"Now." he said stood up and went to the kitchen. "Do you want coffee?" he shouted.

"Yeah."

My phone rang and i answered it.

" Hello?"

"Hey, what happened to you? You sound awful." Bella's voise said.

"It's a long story. Short version, I got drunk."

"Oh my God, you are crazy."

"I am. Anyway, what's up? How was the ballet yesterday?"

"It was amazing, but something even more amazing happened."

"What?"

"The main dancer took me on stage and we danced."

"Aww that's great."

"But something scary and weird happened as well. A car almost hit me and Carlos, that's the dancer's name, saved my life."

"Oh my God Bella, that's shocking and wonderful at the same time." i said shocked from what she said.

"I know so..."

"Do you want sugar in your coffee?" Dylan shouted.

"Yes please." i shouted back. "Sorry Dylan makes me coffee. You were saying?"

"So we bought tea and he gave me his number."

"Aww that's fantastic Bella, so what's the problem?"

"Should I text him or should I wait until he does?"

"Well I think that you should wait until he does."

"But what if he doesn't?"

"I think he really likes you for what you have told me."

"You think?"

"Yes."

"Okay I hope you are right. Bye."

"Bye." i said and hung up.

Dylan came to the living room, he gave me my coffee, he sat and he asked me.

"Did you call him?"

"Thank you and no I was about to." i took my phone and i called Michael.

"Yes?" he answered with a sleepy voice.

"You are sleeping aren't you?"

"Yes. What do you want?"

"Dylan and I will go to the Mall today and he recommended to tell you to come with us."

"No I'm tired I want to sleep."

"What is he saying?" Dylan asked.

"He says that he is tired."

"Give me the phone."

I put the phone on speaker and gave it to him.

"Hey dude."

"Hey man. Why should we meet today too? We were together yesterday. I know that I'm attractive but..."

" Shut up. Come on,you are my man the one who gets me you can't leave me now."

"That sounds pretty gay actually." i joked.

"Nina shut up." they both said.

"Okay, just saying."

"Fine but you two are buying because you woke me up."

"Whatever you say dude. Bye." he said, hung up the phone and gave it back to me. "So we should probably start getting ready."

I noded and stood up. We got dressed and left for the Mall. I texted Michael and told him where we were going to meet.

"See you in front of Costa Coffee."

"Okay."

When we got there we were looking the menu for several minutes until we decided that we gonna order the same thing Roasted Hazelnut Latte.

"Okay guys I'm going to get our coffees." Dylan said.

"Wait! Take this." i said and i gave him the money for the drinks.

"No."

"Yes. Shut up and take it."

He rolled his eyes and said "Fine." he took the money and went into the cafe.

"Mick, I'm so sorry for destroying our night yesterday."

"It's okay, don't worry."

"Are you sure? Because I saw you talking to that girl."

"Oh that, yeah she will meet me at the bar that you are working tomorrow."

"Firstly is a cafe bar and secondly you will just have a one night stand with her and then you will disappear, what if she comes and finds you?"

"She won't. Women want to seem proud."

"What do you mean want to seem? I am proud."

"Like I said want to seem."

"Why i am not proud professor?"

"Well, if Dylan tells you to do something you will do it like a good puppy."

"I'm not a puppy." i said offended.

"Really Nina?" he asked me and  he raised his eyebrows.

His look made me thought about it and when i was ready to answer "Well..." i said, Dylan came with our coffees.

"Here you go." Dylan said and he gave me and Michael our coffees. "So what were you guys talking about?"

"Last night."

"Nothing."  Michael and i said at the same time.

"Can we not talk about it please?" i asked.

"Oh we will but let's find a place to sit first." Michael said and he smiled because he couldn't wait to torture me again.

I rolled my eyes and we started walking so we could find a table to sit.

BELLA'S POV.

I was sitting in the kitchen after Nina's phone call, Juliette was sleeping we were going at the night shift tonight so that was usually what we were doing we were sleeping so we could handle the night. I would have been sleeping too but i was waiting for Carlos to communicate, i was feeling stupid really waiting for a guy to text since when i have been doing that? I was ready to go to my room to sleep too when i got a text.

C: "Hey pretty geneticist, it's Carlos? How are you?"

B: "Hey handsome dancer, I'm fine, how are you?"

C: "Now that I text you I'm better. Are you free today?"

B: "Yes I work at night today."

C: "Great what about to meet at Mall in an hour?"

B: "Okay I'll be there."

C: "See you then. Meet me at the A entry. "

A call interrupted my conversation, it was Silas. I picked up and with agony i was waiting to hear what he found about Jason.

"Hey Si what do you got for me?"

"Well I was able to find him eventually, he is good as gold. Nothing in his criminal records actually he doesn't have a criminal record not even a parking ticket nothing."

"That makes me even more suspicious that before."

"He uses his real name though. He does exist. Is that him?" he asked and texted me a picture.

I saw the picture and i answered "Yeah is him. Okay I'll see. Thank you Si."

"You are welcome."

I hung up, stood up and went to my bedroom. I changed clothes and made my way to the Mall. I went to the A entry and Carlos was already there waiting for me holding some yellow flowers.

"Hey." he said.

"Hi." i said.

"These are for you." he said and he gave me the flowers.

"Aww thank you so much. They are beautiful." i said.

"Just like you." he said smiling.

I smiled on his comment and he asked "Shall we?"

"Yeah."

We went to the other floor where the cafes were and we sat on a table.

NINA'S POV.

We were sitting in a table talking and laughing at Dylan's jokes.

"That was hilarious!" i said laughing.

"Tell us another one." Michael said also laughing.

"I don't remember right now, maybe next time."

"Sure."

"Mick, look who is there." i said pointing at the table across us where Bella and a cute boy with curly black hair were.

"We should say hello." Michael said with a sly smile and he stood up.

"Mick don't."

"Oh shut up and come." he said to me and he made his way to their table.

I stood up and asked Dylan "Would you come with us?"

"No I'll stay here watch out our table."

"Okay." i said and followed Michael.

"Bella! What a surprise." Michael said.

"Michael what are you doing here?" Bella asked him shocked knowing what is coming.

"It's a public space I'm doing what all people do."

"Hello." i said quietly feeling a little guilty that i showed them to Michael.

"Nina you are here too. Great!" she said trying to stay calm but i could see that she had panicked a little.

"Hi I'm Michael, Bella's friend, you are?" Michael said and he gave his hand for a handshake.

"I'm Carlos. Nice to meet you." the boy with Bella said and they did a handshake.

"I'm Nina also Bella's friend." i said.

"Please don't tell me that Dylan is also here."

"Yes he is."

"He is over there." i said pointing at him.

"Great."

"We were about to play bowling. Do you wanna come with us?

"No we are fine here." Bella refused.

"Actually I would like a game, If it's okay with you." Carlos said.

"Sure let's go then."

Mick and i went to our table took our things and Dylan and went back to Bella's table and then all made our way to the bowling. We sat on a table with four seats, we were exchanging, the previous player would be sitting in the seat where the next player was sitting. I played first, then Bella, then Michael, then Dylan and the last one Carlos. It was the last round and it was Michael's turn. Bella was sitting next to Carlos and i was sitting next to Dylan.

"So are you two a couple?" Carlos asked me and Dylan.

"No, no, no, no, we are just friends, really really good friends." i answered embarassed since i wanted us to be a couple.

"Hey man you are up." Michael said to Dylan.

"Okay." he said and stood up.

Michael sat next to me where Dylan was sitting and asked Carlos "So Carlos how do you know Bella?"

"She came to my show."

"Your show?"

"Yeah. I'm a ballet dancer."

"Really..?"

"Yes. What about you?"

"I'm a translator."

"Nice. And you Nina?"

"I'm a detective but I'm working as a singer in a café bar."

"A detective singer? That's interesting."

"Bella sings and dance too."

"Are you?" he asked impressed.

"Yes."

"Carlos is your turn." Dylan said.

Carlos stood up and asked "Is this the last round?"

"Yes."

"Why?" I asked.

"I have to go to the theater. We have a rehearsing."

"Are you doing this every day?" i asked.

"Yes. We should be perfect for our audience." he said and went to the balls.

I sat to the seat next to Bella and said "He is a sweetheart love, congratulations."

Dylan sat next to Michael.

"We are not a couple, we are nothing actually we just came for a coffee."

"Oh come on he is totally into you."

"I think he is gay." Michael said.

"What? Why do you think that?" i asked.

"He is a dancer, he wears tights all day." Michael justified what he said before.

"That doesn't make him gay." Bella disagreed.

"I agree with Michael he is gay." Dylan argued.

"Oh you shut up, you don't have the right to talk."

"Free country I can say my opinion."

We cut it out when Carlos came back.

"I'll go now. I'm glad i meet you all." he said.

"We are glad too." i said and smiled.

"I'll come too. I should get ready for work." Bella said and stood up.

"Bye guys." Carlos said.

"Bye." i said.

When Bella and Carlos left Michael and Dylan burst out laughing.

"Guys shut up." i said trying to brought them round but their laugh made me start laughing too.

BELLA'S POV.

We were walking to the exit, we were about to leave and other people were coming.

"Your friends are nice." Carlos said.

" Well... Dylan is not my friend, is Nina's friend actually, I'll probably shouldn't have said that, I don't think you care about it anyway." i fastly said.

"Calm down." he said smiling.

"They destroy everything, didn't they?"

"Was there anything to destroy?"

"I don't know was it?"

"No. That wasn't our first date."

"What was it then?"

"A meeting to ask you, actually to announce you our first date. Would you go out with me?"

"I will think about it and I, will answer you tonight after your rehearsal."

"You are breaking my heart."

"You can take it." i said and started walking.

I left the Mall and went back home. I opened the door and Juliette came from the kitchen.

"Where were you?" she asked me.

"I left you a note." i said and left the flowers on the table.

"We have work tonight, usually we stay home sleeping so we can make it through the night." she said totally ignoring the flowers.

"You know what I'm too tired to answer you right now." i said and went to my bedroom to change for work.

"If you were home sleeping you wouldn't be tired right now." she shouted.

I didn't answer. I changed and we left for the station, when we got there an officer approached us.

"Girls, clad you are on time." he said.  

"What's up officer?" Juliette wondered.

"Captain told me that you should give a more clear report if you want us to keep the suspect to the cell."

"What does he mean? We did, two days ago."

"They were checking the evidence yesterday and this is what came in." he said and he gave us the report.

I took the report and i saw that the half of the evidence had been erased from the file.

"But we..." i said and then i saw Jason passing by and it hit me like a train, he must has to do something with it. "You son of a bitch." i said furious and i ran to him but he put two officers grab me. "You erase our report."

"Why would I do something like that?" he asked me pretend to be confused.

"Because you are connected with the crime. I know you are, and when I prove it you would be dragged from here in chains."

"Let her go." he ordered the officeres and they let me. He came closer to me and he whispered to my ear "We would see who would drag who and into what." he stared me for a minute to scare me and he left.

I went to the lab and sat down upset with what had just happened. I stood up again and looked from the window to see where Juliette was and i saw her talking with Jason. I got a message then, it was from Carlos.

"C: "Hey beautiful, the rehearsal is almost over. All I can think about is your answer."

Under any other circumstances i would have answered but right now i was feeling scared, angry and betrayed so i wasn't exactly in the mood for suave. A few minutes later Juliette came to the lab.

"What the hell were you thinking? You know that Jason has a close relationship with the captain and he can tell him to fire us?" Juliette said angry.

"I don't care he is guilty."

"How do you know?"

"He threatened to kill me!"

"You make up stories now? This is ridiculous."

"You don't believe me?"

"No. Jason would never do such thing."

"How do you know?"

"He seems honest man."

"And Jimmy from the accounting seems straight but he is not."

I got a message and i took my phone to from who it was.

"Are you kidding me? We were talking and you gonna answer that?"

"We weren't talking, we were fighting and yes."

"Who is it?"

"Is not your business."

"Fine. I'm leaving, when I come back I hope you are in a condition to talk." she said and left.

C: "Did I do anything to offend you?"

B: "No no. Work problems."

C: "Do you want to talk about it?"

B: "Maybe some other time."

C: " It's not the right time to ask for your answer right?"

B: " You already took it."

The rest of the night was hard since Juliette and weren't talking. I couldn't understand why she believed him and not me, from fear maybe or because sometimes you can't believe that what you see is not what you actually see.

NINA'S POV.

We were still sitting at the bowling's table. It was  getting dark, people were leaving the Mall.

"So what are we gonna do tonight?" i asked.

"I don't know, there is a match on TV that I will really like to watch."Dylan said.

"Manchester United vs Manchester City?" Michael wondered.

"Yeah."

"I will see that match tonight. Why don't you come to my place to watch it together?" Michael suggested.

"Sure, that's sounds awesome."

"Great, we can order pizza and..." i started but Michael stopped me.

"Nina, you don't watch football. What would you do?"

"Well i... I can... Fine, I won't come tonight. I'll leave you two alone." i said irritated.

"So after the match we can invite some girls to come over." Michael joked.

"Go to hell." i said vacantly and left.

I could hear them laughing as i was moving away.

"Wait!" Dylan shouted.

I kept walking for quite a long until they catch up to me.

"Come on Nina don't act like a child." Dylan said.

"It was just a joke." Michael said.

I stopeed and turned around and they stopped walking.

" Your jokes suck."

"You..." Michael was about to say something but he hold back.

"Haven't you have work today?" Dylan wondered.

"Yes."

"Why did you get mad then? You couldn't come anyway."

"If you have at least invited me I would have refused politely. Hey what time is it?"

Dylan looked his watch and answered "18:26"

"Fuck, I should be on the café in almost 40. We should leave."

"The match starts at seven too so yes we should go."

We left the Mall, Dylan went with Michael to his place and i went home. I got ready and i left for the cafe bar. Tonight i sang Hate on Me by Jill Scott.

  "Goodnight Nina!"  the barman said to me.

"Goodnight everyone!" i said with a smile. I had gone to work with nerves but when i sang everything just gone away.

I made my way to the exit when a girl walked in.

"Are you closing?" she asked.

"Yes. What do you want?" I looked at her for a couple minutes and i remembered her, it was the girl that Dylan was kissing that night.

"I'm looking for a guy." she said.

"I know we all do." i joked.

"No you don't understand, I'm looking for a guy who has been here the day before yesterday. He told me that he knows the singer, that's you isn't it?"

"Yeah it's me. I will give you an advice,  if you have a clue of self respect in you, you will stop looking for him. He is not right for you, believe me I've been there."

She looked at me for a minute and the she left. With my eyes full of tears i left too. I went home and when i got out of the car i got a message. I took my phone of my pocket to see from who it is.

D: " I'll stay to Michael a little longer. See you tomorrow."

N: " Have fun. See you"

I put my headphones and put my phone back to my pocket. It was a rather cold night for summer so i thought that it was a great night for a walk. I start walking and i found myself to the neighborhood's park, it had planted grass, four red swings, two green seesaws each were in the the middle of the two swings, one carousel in the middle of the four swings, a slide opposite the carousel and a big white bench next to the slide that it looked like semicircle. I walked in to cross it when i saw a guy sitting on the bench. Tall, curly black hair, black jean, black t-shirt with a grey shape like thunder and sneakers.

"Beautiful night isn't it?" he said.

I took the headphones and answered "Yes indeed."

"How a lady like you is walking alone a beautiful night like that?"

"I have a lot of my mind. Walking alone is helping me think . What about you?"

He stood up and said "The silence this place has is relaxing me."

"Yeah it's very quiet."

"People need time alone, don't you think?"

"I couldn't agree more."

"So, do you mind if I join you?"

"No, not at all?"

"I'm James by the way."

"I'm Nina, nice to meet you."

We started walking with the wind for our company.

"Are you leaving near by?" i asked.

"Yes. You?"

"Yes."

"I remember seeing you again running with a guy. Is he your boyfriend?"

"No. Single. What about you?"

" Single."

"You said you remember me?"

"Yes I'm coming often here. You are one person that cross quite often too."

"Oh. Are you working?"

"Yes I'm an actor. And you?"

"Detective and now singer."

"I would really love to hear you sing."

"Well I'm working to The Blueberry. I can give you the address if you are interested."

"Yeah sure. That will be great."

"Okay."

The conversation with him almost made me forget the incident before, so i extend it as much as i could.

MICHAEL'S POV.

Dylan and i had watched the match, we ate pizza and we drunk a couple beers two. But we had such a good time that i suggested him to stay a little longer.

"What did she say?" i asked.

"Have fun. See you."

"Okay, so do want to watch a movie or something?"

"What kind of movie?"

"Whatever you want, I don't care."

Dylan gave me a kinky smile.

"Are you serious? At this hour?"

"Is the best hour that we can watch such thing."

"Okay I'm guessing that you know what's the best site so the laptop is yours."

He took the laptop and went to a website.

"Do you want me to get popcorn?" i joked.

He laughed and said "I don't think that is necessary."

He put the movie and he put the laptop in the table.

NINA'S POV.

James and i arrived to my house.

"So here is where we say goodbye." he said.

"I guess."

"Well Nina it was nice spending the night with you, I can't wait to hear you sing tomorrow. Actually I can't wait to see you again."

"Yeah me too." i said and smiled.

"So goodnight."

"Goodnight."

He left and i got into my house. It was another long day.

5 things a girl could not live without: 1)Make-up, 2)Cell phone, 3)Her purse, 4)The Mall and 5)Her Best Friend.  

[artificialqueens]

Notebooks and post-it’s - chapter 6 - (Branjie) - thankyoumissvanjie

A/N: all aboard that smutty angst train. 🚂🚂

“Were you always such a bratty little bitch?”

“Were you always this stupid a hoe?”

“Really?”

LINK TO AO3

When they had been on the show, the only place they could be together was in the van and in front of the cameras. That meant that they couldn’t do anything in private, they could not in any way talk it through behind closed doors. Not until after they left the show.

So it was kind of liberating, to be able to talk behind closed doors. To be each other’s secret. At least that was what Brooke told herself. That was what she reminded herself again and again, as Vanjie ignored her at the venue.

As she let everyone believe that the hickeys on her neck were made by some unknown guy from Seattle.

As she flirted with every good-looking guy at the meet and greet.

That at least they had the hotel room in the evening. That was theirs. Even if Vanjie didn’t want to address what they were doing. Even though it was only sex.

Even though Brooke was falling apart.

They had their fucking post-it booty calls for themselves with absolutely no audience.

Walking into her dressing room after the show made her immediately search for the yellow post-it that she had come to expect after the last three days.

Silk wants to party tonight, need to make an appearance. Room 349 at 2 AM? - V

The problem with being in hiding was that Brooke felt like a dirty little secret. As if she wasn’t even worth being acknowledged in public.

As if Vanjie knew that Brooke wasn’t good for her.

Taking off her wig, she found her notebook, the pages rapidly getting filled with everything from sappy love letters to angry messages and too real emotional spiels.

I wish I could stop. You deserve better. You deserve someone who can give you everything. Worship your beauty and insanity in the same way that you would give it in return. It has always been clear to me that you didn’t feel that I could do that. I don’t think you’re wrong.

But that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t hurt. I hate leaving you every night. I hate how dismissive you are whenever I want to talk about this. I HATE THAT I CANNO-

Tears started to fall down on the notebook, Brooke stopping as her breath hitched. She looked in the mirror and saw the streaks of tears creating cracks in the perfect mask of Brooke Lynn Hytes. Staring back to the page she once again picked up the pen. Only to drop it as a sob wracked through her body, making her crumble in on herself.

This time the door was locked. This time no one saw her break down.

////////

“Bitch, the guy to you left, mesh top, booty shorts and a dirty smile is looking at you like he wants to eat you up. Go get him!” Silky nudged Vanjie in her unsubtle style, probably letting the whole club know, that she was trying to set up her friend.

“Silk… I ain’t lookin’,” Vanjie groaned, not even looking back at the man at the bar, knowing that he was probably her type, but not caring about that right now. She would get her dick somewhere else tonight.

“Why? You gon go back to your tall piece of Canadian ice cream?”

“SILK! SHUT UP - don’t be broadcasting it to the whole goddamn bar!” Vanjie looked frantically at the people around them, trying to figure out if they had heard what her annoying but still good Judy had said.

“So you are?” The unimpressed look that silky was giving her made Vanjie feel like the jig was up.

“Bitch, I might?” Vanjie tried to shrug it off, not wanting to get into this with Silk at the bar. Especially because A'keria and Nina were having fun somewhere around here, and Vanjie just couldn't deal with the fact that they might overhear some of this.

“What the hell? What are you doing? America wants to know, miss Vanjie.”

“I am gettin’ that good dick like you said. Crunch crunch, munch munch, or whatever, bitch.”

“I meant one time, bitch. Good dick? That all you want from Miss motherfucking Hytes?” That raised eyebrow told Vanjie that Silky could smell her bullshit.

“...”

“Thought not. So you bein’ a dumbass hoe who wants her man back, but ain’t ready to commit to dealing with his sappy lil white boy commitment issues?”

“Silk, why you gotta be coming so hard for me?”

“You know this is stupid. Go talk with the trade over there. He won’t create any problems.”

“Silk…” She knew that Silk was right. That she should just forget about Brooke, go her own way and find a new man. But fuck, he was right there, and she... She just fucking missed him.

“Trust me. You going back to that pasty ballerina is going to bite ya in the ass. You better be motherfucking ready for that. This hiding shit will blow up.” Alcohol was like a truth serum to Silky, two drinks in and she was not holding back.

“I ain’t hiding, hoe!” She yelled, pointing her finger in her friend's face, causing a scene, but not caring anymore because she was annoyed.

“You is. You hidin', Miss Mateo.”

“Just let me live, Mary!”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Because this be the only way. He don’t want to deal with my clingy ass. He wants to go all wham-bang-thank-you-ma’am. I be givin’ him that. If he wants Miss Vanjie on the down-low, I’m gonna give it to him,” Vanjie was willing to go through a lot of pain just to get some part of Brooke.

“And you’re just fine about all this?”

“Don’t matter.”

And before Silky even had a chance to say anything else, Vanjie left. She didn’t want to deal with the judgement and seriousness of Silky.

She was right. Vanjie was being an idiot, and there was no way that she wouldn’t be catching feelings for him again.

But… If writing these goddamn stupid yellow post-it’s were what she had to do to see just a glimpse of him, then she would keep on doing it.

/////////

This had become a pattern. It was the third time that they met. Always in José’s room, always at his request. Always just sex.

Brock was on day four of being sober, and he was managing.

Barely.

It had been difficult saying no to the shots of tequila, but he had managed.

Barely.

“So when’s your plane leaving?” José was lying, freshly fucked on the bed, still naked, toying with the duvet as he looked at Brock getting ready to leave. This was the last evening for Brock on the tour, and they wouldn't see each other for over a week before.

None of them really wanted to think about that or talk about it.

“At 7,” Brock looked up at him from the chair he was sitting on, tying his shoes. Knowing exactly where this was going.

“AM?”

“No, PM,” Brock could feel the trap, even see it, but did nothing to avoid it.

“Then get back in here, Mami. That was just round one!” He was slowly crawling to the edge of the bed, like a predator luring in its prey. Brock felt enticed, but still fought against the desire building in the pit of his stomach.

“Can’t.”

“Nah, Boo. You just won’t,”

“Vanjie… What the fuck are we doing?” The sigh from the bed was loud, as Brock once again tried to figure out what the deal was with this situation, knowing that José would probably stop any form of real conversation on the topic.

“Right now, not a whole lot, but you could be making me scream and get your jush if you would just sashay them toes over here,”

“Right.”

“Brooke…. Brock. Why you gotta be wanting to talk about this? What is there to say? We know we bad together, but the sex is good, so why not just enjoy it, mama?”

“Yeah… I-I need to pack,” José smirked at the stutter, knew that he only had to give one more push and he would win.

“Just say you don’t wanna get with this. No need to be lyin’. I know you packed all your shit before you even contemp-conteta… Before your ass even decided to go down and give me all the Canadian bacon.” José’s hands were running all over his own body, and Brock could feel himself let go. Could feel his resolve leave him, as he wanted to teach the smaller queen a lesson. His fingers already tingling with anticipation of what he knew was to come.

“Were you always such a bratty little bitch?”

“Were you always this stupid a hoe?” The wink in his eyes was what made Brock walk closer to the bed. Toeing off his shoes as he went.

“Really?” He stopped in front of José, grabbing his chin forcibly, making him gulp in anticipation. The tendons in his neck were strained, his eyes glazed over.

A feeling of power overcame Brock, as he slipped into the dominant role with ease. Part of him realised that José had played him, as he was now giving in to what he wanted, but he also knew that there was no possible way that he could walk away from the room just yet.

“I guess someone needs a little lesson in how to show respect,” He leaned down close, all up in José’s face, seeing the anticipation, want and pure glee at getting what he wanted. It made him smirk as he used the hand on José chin to push him back on the bed.

“All fours, middle of the bed. Now.” He took a deep breath, centring himself, knowing what he had to do, as José scrambled to follow his orders. Quickly settling on the bed, his skin already flushed with excitement, as his cock was slowly rising to the occasion.

“Yes, Mami,”

The slap to his ass was instant and the noise of Brock’s hand making contact with the soft skin filled up the otherwise quiet room. The gasp from José told Brock that he had guessed correctly in what the Puerto Rican needed.

“Don’t get cheeky with me. You’re being a whiny little bitch, and whiny little bitches get what?” All he got in response was shallow and excited gasps.

Slap.

“Use your words, Papi,” he slowly caressed José’s soft ass, trying to rub away some of the hurt, knowing that it helped in building the excitement.

“Th-they get spanked,” The stutter told him that he had José exactly where he wanted him. Brock was in awe over the trust the smaller queen still seemed to have in him, despite it being over six months since they had last done this.

“Right. I am thinking... ten. That should be enough to remind you, hmm?” He walked around the bed, so he could look him in the eye, as he sat down on the bed. “Now I want you to count them out and say thank you after each one, can you do that?” He leaned in and whispered this against his cheek, letting his nose and lips softly caress the soft skin.

“Yeeeeeesssssss,” Brock smiled softly, the soft hiss portraying the desperation that José was feeling.

“Yes, what?”

“Yes, Mami,”

“Good, and you remember your colours, Papi?” This was important, he couldn’t expect everything to still be present in José’s mind, it having been so long since they last had played like this.

“Green, good, Yellow, slow down, Red, bad.”

“Good,” With a soft kiss to José’s cheek he got back up from the bed, walking back around, getting ready.

All that could be heard was the gasps from the bed, as Brock was feeling calmer than he had in ages. He waited.

For the right moment.

Until...

Slap.

“One, thank you, Mami.” Brock relished the feeling in his hand, the light pink hue on José’s skin, and the choked ‘thanks’ he was given.

Softly running his hand over the soft brown skin, he took a moment to marvel at the contrast between them, how José exuded warmth, while Brock gave off an aura of cold.

Gathering himself, he started rapidly spanking him. The room filled with counting and “Thank you, Mami”, Brock feeling proud of how well José was taking this, wanting to stop this right, and take him right there on the bed.

“Ten, th-thank you, Mami,” He was almost shaking there on the bed, as he was almost overwhelmed with sensation.

"Colour, babe?"

"Green"

Brock quickly unzipped his shorts, grabbed a condom and entered José, who was still slick and slightly stretched from earlier.

They both groaned, the feeling of their connected bodies almost overwhelming. Gripping his hips, Brock started thrusting hard, knowing that they were both close, that it wouldn’t take them long.

“You were so good. You did so well,” Jose ́s moans were getting louder as he was getting closer and closer to his release, the praise pushing him over the edge as he came over the sheets.

With two more thrusts, Brock followed leaning over the smaller man’s back, his lips softly gracing his ear, Brock’s mind was filled with a single sentence. Words he knew that he could never say to José.

I love you.