#I’m supposed to call back Monday soooooo

[cheridraws]

got a job offer from my aunt to paint some tombstones

[tacosaysroar]

Getting that diagnostic mammogram appointment turned out to be kind of a (darkly) hilarious ordeal.

****Note: no one was harmed in the making of this anecdote. This is not a story where I think it’s funny to yell at nurses and medical staff. Because it is not.

I was told on Monday that they’d call me to schedule the appointment after they received the referral from my obgyn. When no one had called me by Wednesday, I called my doctor back. Paperwork still processing. (Which is amazing to me in the age of computers, but yes, healthcare is complicated. I know.) The nurse said to try the diagnostic place directly on Monday if I didn’t hear from them by then.

There was NO way my nerves were going to be able to last through the weekend, so I called first thing this morning . . .

My insurance denied the referral.

***JAZZ HANDS***

Sooooooo . . .

I had to call my regular obgyn back to figure out why. My insurance was upset they only wanted to look at the one suspect breast. They really wanted the doctor to look at both.

Sooooooo . . .

My obgyn had to resubmit the request as bilateral instead of diagnostic.

“BUT,” the nurse says, “We did that yesterday. So they should already have the new, correct request.”

Soooooo . . .

(*cue the music from the movie Clue*)

Back to calling the diagnostic center. The woman I speak to there seems a little annoyed with me because the request definitely isn’t in my file. Then she looks deeper and figures out it’s still in process. But she can see the request, and suddenly she softens to me in a way I do NOT like.

It could’ve been the fact that she found it when she thought she wasn’t going to . . . or the fact that she saw it was a problem visit and she (rightly) thought I was probably anxious . . . or a work friend just dropped a free “I love you, buddy” latte on her desk. Who knows. But in my mind, a big cartoon tombstone popped up in place of file information. So I didn’t care for that.

EVEN STILL, she says I can’t make an appointment yet and to call back after lunch.

OK, VERY COOL.

Soooooo . . . I do that.

But when I call back, they’re much busier, so I wait on hold for almost 25 minutes.

(Friends, I have to tell you. I’ve never in my life had so much trouble getting someone to look at my boobs. People are usually WAY more enthusiastic about this offer.)

And the hold experience at this place is the funniest part of all. It’s 28 seconds of super cheerful, frenetic classical music — something I didn’t recognize — followed by a short message about making an appointment online instead or leaving a message for a call back. (Absolutely not.)

And repeat.

For 25 minutes.

It was so incongruous to the situation. Just begging to be written into your favorite dark comedy. I actually laughed at one point. Thank god no one picked up in the middle of that.

I DO have an appointment now. Next Tuesday. And they said it would take at least 2 hours — Jesus Christ — and I’d have a diagnosis before I left, which is good. I suppose it also means that if they’re going to do a needle aspiration they’ll do it then and not at a second appointment. I can’t imagine I’m getting out of that experience, so maybe I’ll have an amusing story later about what it’s like to get a giant needle shoved through the center of your boob.

Cool, cool, cool.

It’s all about the content, you guys.

[7-wonders]

Any chance you could do a professor Duncan and reader, where the reader goes to a college party and gets drunk. She calls him to pick her up and she’s just being clingy and shit?

I’ve literally been thinking about this idea on and off for MONTHS now, so I’m really glad that you sent this to me!

The blue light emanating from the phone has Duncan’s eyes fluttering open. Although he had promised himself that he wasn’t going to fall asleep, the late hour--Duncan checks the time and groans when he sees that it’s only 1 in the morning, begrudgingly conceding that you may be right when you tease him about being an old man--dragging his eyelids shut. The only reason he’s up this late is also the reason why his phone is now blowing up.

Logically, Duncan knows that he doesn’t need to stay up and make sure that your night at a college party goes well. After all, you are a pseudo-adult who is perfectly capable of making her own choices and being responsible for her own wellbeing. Still, he can’t help but feel mildly responsible for you. You’re not even in an actual relationship, although that’s more due to stubbornness than a lack of actual feelings. But, for better or for worse, you trust him, and he holds your opinion of him in high regard.

Duncan hadn’t expected you to even spare him a passing thought tonight. After all, you’re young and vibrant and fun, surrounded by others who are like you. What makes him believe that you’re going to think about the older professor who you can’t even be seen in public with? It’s unhealthy, how much Duncan cares for you, but he can’t deny how his heart stutters when he answers his phone.

“Hello?” Duncan says, the heavy bass of whatever bar or house party you’re at forcing him to hold the phone away from his ear just slightly.

“Hi!” you squeal loudly, Duncan immediately relaxing upon hearing the sound of your voice. “Oh shit, did I wake you up?”

“No, I haven't gone to bed yet.” A half-truth, but it’s one that you accept easily. “Are you having fun?”

“So much fun!” All of the different sounds of music and people talking and yelling would be a little overwhelming, but all that Duncan can hear are your drunken giggles as you try to decide what you want to say next. Despite the late hour, Duncan can’t help but smile. “Duncan?”

The background noise softens, and Duncan assumes you’ve managed to make your way outside. “Hm?”

“Oh,” you laugh, “I thought you had hung up.”

“Nope, I’m still here, princess.” He hears someone, probably one of your friends, call your name. “Why are you on the phone with me? Shouldn’t you be with your friends?”

“Mm, it’s almost last call.”

“How are you getting home?” Duncan knows that you would never drive drunk, but he doesn’t trust your friends as much as he trusts you.

“We’re getting a Lyft, but...” you trail off, attention captured by the sound of people cheering in the bar before the clearing of Duncan’s throat steers you back on track. “Oh my god I’m so sorry, I promise I’m not drunk!”

“I’m sure you’re not,” Duncan chuckles at your obvious lie. “What were you saying?”

“Umm, we’re getting a Lyft, but I really don’t want to ride with a bunch of drunk people since I, myself, am not drunk.”

“Of course.”

“Soooooo,” you drag out the word, and he knows what you’re going to ask before you ask it. You’re not nearly as clever as drunk you thinks you are. “I was wondering if you would wanna pick me up?”

“That wouldn’t be overstepping any boundaries?” Duncan had actually offered to pick you up in the first place, but you had turned him down based on the fear of somebody seeing you with him.

“Boundaries, schmoundaries! I miss you, and I wanna see you!”

He should at least attempt to act a little annoyed at the request, but Duncan’s so thrilled to be needed by you in such a domestic way that he’s immediately up and grabbing his keys. “Send me your location, okay?”

“Oh my god!” you gasp. “I love that song!”

“Not what I meant. I don’t know where to pick you up if I don’t know where you are.”

“Location incoming! See you soon, Dunc!” You hang up before Duncan can get another word in, sending him the requested location so that he can pick you up.

As expected, you’re at one of the popular college bars. Duncan hates that he knows which bars are popular with students, but it’s impossible to tune out his students excitedly chattering on Monday mornings about their weekends. He pulls into a parking spot, thanking his tinted windows for the privacy they provide. He’s about to text you when you come stumbling out of the bar, waving exaggeratedly in his direction.

Duncan’s eyes shamelessly rack up and down your figure, the high-waisted jeans you’re wearing perfectly accentuating your ass and the white crop top flashing a strip of your stomach. You open the passenger door, laughing in glee when you see that Duncan actually is here.

“Duncan!” you cheer, clambering into the car and closing the door behind you. “You came!”

“You asked me to, remember?”

Nodding, you fumble with the seatbelt before finally getting yourself buckled into the car. Duncan stifles a laugh at the way you stare at everything your gaze falls on, as if you’re seeing it for the first time. As Duncan begins to drive, he notices that you’re inching your outstretched palm closer to him. It’s an obvious plea for him to hold your hand, but he’s interested to see how drunk you handles the lack of attention.

As it turns out, you don’t handle inattention very well when you’re drunk. You keep glancing over at him as you hope to get his attention until your hand is nearly on his lap. Finally you’ve had enough, and you huff loudly.

“Dunc, hold my hand!” you groan, jutting your bottom lip out in a pout.

“Oh, I’m sorry princess, you didn’t ask!” You’re a little too inebriated to detect his sarcasm, continuing to frown at him until he places his large hand in yours. “I’m assuming you enjoyed yourself, then?”

“Yes!” You kiss Duncan’s cheek before laying your head on his shoulder. “We played a couple of rounds of pool, which I’m shockingly good at when I’ve had a couple of drinks.”

Duncan pretends to be shocked. “I thought you said you weren’t drunk!”

“I may have fibbed just a little bit.”

“You’re lucky you’re cute.”

When Duncan parks in the parking garage of his apartment, it takes a moment for you to realize that you’re not at your apartment. “Why are we here?”

“I’m not going to leave you alone when you’re drunk, (Y/N).”

“I’d be fine,” you huff, getting out of the car.

“I know that, but it makes me feel better to know you’re not going to get into any drunken accidents.”

Duncan comes around to the other side of the car to make sure that you haven’t fallen over, smiling at you when you hold your arms out to him. He places his hands on your hips, pulling you to him and letting you kiss him.

“Can we go inside now?” Duncan asks, watching as you disentangle yourself from his arms to slip out of your heeled shoes.

“Will you carry me?” A hopeful smile spreads on your face and Duncan sighs, knowing that it’s already over for him.

“Your legs aren’t suddenly broken, are they?”

“But my feet hurt!”

Duncan attempts to shake his head, but the way you grin at him melts any resistance he may have had. “Fine.”

“Yay!” You hop on Duncan’s back, wrapping your arms around him as you snuggle into him. 

“You smell nice,” you note as the elevator takes you up to Duncan’s floor.

“Thank you, you smell like tequila.”

“Somebody spilled tequila on me when we were dancing,” you mutter into Duncan’s ear, peppering his skin in kisses between the words.

“You’re awfully clingy when you’re drunk.” Then, you say the words that make his heart stop.

“It’s because I love you!” you croon, somehow sensing when Duncan freezes even though the complexities of a seatbelt stumped you less than 20 minutes ago. “Uh oh, was I not supposed to say that?”

“Um…” Thankfully, Duncan needs to focus on unlocking his door, giving him time to formulate a response as you continue to cling to his back like a koala. “It’s not that you weren’t supposed to say it, it’s just that you’ve never said it before. Plus, we’re not actually dating.”

“Well that’s stupid!” You let go of Duncan when you reach his bed, falling back onto the mattress and giggling. “Sober me is a pussy.”

Duncan coughs to hide his surprised laugh. “(Y/N), don’t say that!”

“What? It’s true.” 

When you start to lay back against the pillows, Duncan grabs your ankle and pulls you down the bed. “Nope, you’re not falling asleep smelling like a bar.” He grabs a shirt that you had left at his place on accident (and that he certainly hadn’t washed and kept in a dresser) and tosses it to you. “Go take a shower.”

“Ugh, do I have to?”

“If you don’t want to sleep on the floor, then yes.” He’s exaggerating. He knows it, you know it, even the dog barking outside knows it. Still, you’ve found it’s impossible to say “no” to Duncan, so you grab the shirt from him and stand from the bed.

“Not worried I’m going to drown in the shower?” you tease.

“Yell if you start to drown,” Duncan deadpans, smiling as he finds you once again hugging him.

“Sorry if I made you uncomfortable by saying I love you,” you mutter against his chest.

“You didn’t. Besides, I know you’re drunk, and you won’t mean it in the morning.”

You shake your head. “I will. I think...I’ve loved you for a little bit now, but I just haven’t realized it.” Kissing him, you let go of him and head towards the bathroom. “I love you, Duncan.”

The door closes before you can hear Duncan quietly say “I love you, too.”

[dailystarknews]

Day 7 to 9 : Sunday 22th of March to Tuesday 24th of March.

OMG Guys! I’m so sorry I didn’t post since four days! I spendt such a good week-end with my family that I forgot to tell you, I’m sorry. Everybody is fine don’t worry. SO, so much thing happened! Where should I start?!

Let’s start by the beginning, should we? 

DAY 7: Sunday 22th of March.

Alright, what happened on Sunday? First it's Bucky who photograffed me on the picture below! (it's a cool picture don't be jealous 😂😉)

My father Howard told Steve about Afghanistan and Steve get so emotionnal. He was really sticky all day long and hug me and told me how much he loved me and was proud of me. (I can’t deny it, it was good to have so much attention and love from my dad.)

Anyway, in a more funny mood. Bucky killed me from too much laughing. Here’s what happened:

Do you all remember that I told Bucky about the fake pregnancy of Howard? Alright, so get ready because you’re probably going to stop breathing after that. I’ve seen Bucky looking at Howard weirdly all day long, and of course I knew why. I was just hoping he would not ask Howard about his pregnancy, because, my dad would probably tell him the Truth and the joke would be over you know? 

But, it happened. During dinner, Bucky was staring at Howard until he couldn’t help but ask: “So, how was it?” 

It was dessert time, Howard was all confused about this unprecised question and he just frowned his eyebrows in confusion. That’s when Steve decided to go take a shower. 

“You know? Bucky said. When you were pregnant of Tony?” 

Howard was even more confused. He looked at me with interrogation in his eyes and I just smirked before I looked at my coffee. That’s when Bucky decided to say:

“Oh my God ! I’m sorry! Tony told me it was a secret! Maybe I should not know.... But...” And he explained everything that I told him with a lot of details. 

Howard exploded in laughter. I never thought I would see him laughing so much about it. But he did. He was laughing so much that he cried a bit. Bucky was so embarrassed because he didn’t get what was that much funny about it, you know? And you know what Howard said?

“Sorry, I’m laughing so much because I just remembered all the times that I woke up Steve to go buy me pickles, you know?”

I laughed a lot too, and we were actually pretty much all laughing about it. I was so happy that my dad entered my game and didn’t say nothing to Bucky. So, I thanked him after. And it became weird... 

“Why do you thank me? I mean... I didn’t knew that Steve told you the truth about your birth. I’m so happy that you know it now. We were waiting for you to be old enough not to tell everybody. Your father and I couldn’t be more happy that it worked.”

Me: “Haha, you’re joking right?”

Him: “Of course not. I even have a picture somewhere. I will find it. My baby...”

He laughed a bit and go to his lab. Like, What the fuck?

It’s a joke, right? I mean, guys can’t be pregnant... I’m sure he’s messing with me. 

Oh! And Bucky came back to sleep with me! ❤😍

DAY 8: Monday 23th of March.

This day 8 was super weird. Starting by the fact that I didn’t slept that well. Even if Bucky was with me. But maybe he’s one of the reason. Actually, during the night between Sunday and Monday I did an awful nightmare where someone was running after me. I mean, I was running and the person was just walking and was trying to catch me. And I just had this weird feeling that he will you know? Like, when you know that the person will find you wherever you are. It was definetely like that. So in the dream I decided to hide in a closet in Howard’s lab and... The guy find me. He opened the door super quickly and he pull me violently out of the closet. I looked at him and he had a metal arm and was wearing a dark mask. It was so weird because I had the feeling that it was Bucky but not really him, you know? I heard a voice who said “Winter” and the guy in front of me just started screaming painfully. 

That’s when I woke up. I was in my bedroom, awake and I was still hearing the scream because it was actually the real Bucky (the one who was sleeping with me) who was screaming in his sleep. I tried to wake him up by calling him and I finally shook him to be sure he will get out of his nightmare. He catched both of my hands and push me against the matress by waking up. And fuck! It hurt. Bucky is really super strong. He scared me for few minutes. When he realised it was me, he let me go and stood up quickly next to the bed.

“Tony, I’m so sorry.” He said. 

My fathers get in the room suddenly and Steve was wearing the shield and Howard had a gun. Like they thought we were attacked maybe. That was so stressfull suddenly. I got a panic attack. Howard came next to me and Steve get out with Bucky. I think the nightmare that I had plus the defense of Bucky turned my brain crazy and made me feel in danger. Howard succeed to calm me down after 20 minutes of crying, panicking and hardly breathing. He lay down against me and hug me all night long. He sang me to sleep. 

When I woke up, it was 10 a.m. and Howard was gone. I got up and I decided to investigate on my nightmare. The “Winter” word was echoing in my mind. I knew it, somewhere. But how? 

The day was weird after that because Bucky kept asking me if I was fine. (Yeah, don’t worry, I’m not a fragile piece of sugar. But the fact that you’re worried is adorable.) 

Anyway, we tried to play games together and it was kind of great, more peaceful than the night before. 

At the end of the day, we get to sleep. And Bucky didn’t came this time. I hesitate to go see him. Just to check if he was ok. But I fall asleep really quickly. 

DAY9:Tuesday 24th of March.

I had an awful night I have to say. I mean, I probably get used to have a big muscled fluffy pillow next to me, now. So, sleeping without him was not that great. But, it helped me focusing on my investigation and I just had a Flashback in the morning. 

Ok, you remember that the Winter name was echoing somewhere in my brain just like I knew it from really far away. Ok, wait for it. 

When I was younger like 12 or something, few months before Steve disappeared in the ocean and get frozen for 3 years, he was talking to Howard about a mission that he got. And you know, everytime Steve was talking about his missions, I was fucking curious about it! I mean, how would you react at my place? My dad is a fucking hero, of course I was a fanboy. SOOOOOO ! One day, when they were not at home, because they were gone shopping, I get to the lab of Howard. (He doesn’t know it but I know his password since I’m 8 and I can enter his lab and his computer.) I took his computer and tried to search in his data for something called “Winter Soldier” because that’s what I heard Steve said about his mission you know? 

A lot of files appeared and ... I’m so not sure of me, but I think it was talking about Hydra. The Nazi Organization that Steve fought before. When I tried to openone of the file, Howard entered the room and I had to quit everything.

So, I’m just super confused about this memory now. Am I right? Is it a real memory or am I just trying to explain my nightmare by something crazy? I needeed to find a way to check out if the Winter Soldier was real. 

I tried to enter the lab of Howard all day long but everybody was just keeping me busy. Anyway, I’m not going to complain because we had an awesome day together. We played Pictionnary and after that, Bucky and I spend pretty much all the afternoon drawing. When the night finally came, I asked him to sleep with me. He told me that he didn’t wanted to bother me. I insisted a bit more:

“I don’t sleep that much fine alone anymore...” I said. 

He bit his lips and smiled sheepishly. 

“Alright then, I just want to be sure that I will not hurt you accidentally, you know?”

Why would he hurts me? This is crazy right? God, there is so much dark points in this story... I mean, even if there is a link between Bucky and this supposed Winter Soldier mission what is it? Was he a victim of a mad nazi group?

What the fuck am I thinking about?😂🤣 Alright guys, I think it’s too late and my brain is just doing crazy theories ! 

See you later, guys! 

Love you all ! Be safe ! 

[yikesola]

Hospital Update—

howdy! did i emo post about feeling sick and going home from work and then didn’t post for a few days except to complain and say “i’m okay! i’m in hospital but i’m okay” 😦

oops, i guess i did

so if i worried you with that i’m truly sorry, and i want to emphasize the i’m okay bits of this story and the fact that i am still definitely okay but still definitely shook up and exhausted and processing that this week even really happened. so i’m gonna try to go over what went down and y’all aren’t allowed to make fun of me if it’s not as funny as my usual writing, deal? deal!🥰 i just have had a verrry shitty time with the fact that so much that happened is a blur and i kinda depend a lot on my interpretation of events, and i want to write it down so i have some kind of record before i lose even more details— and that can mean that while writing this out it’s gonna actually be a litttle tmi, and more medical mumbo jumbo than you care about, but hey what level of social media isn’t dripping in performativity? what else am i gonna do, besides type this out? watch more family feud? wait for my next potassium horsepill?

so i legit just thought i had a flu last week, thought i’d need to just sleep off the nausea and fever and body aches and tummy troubles, have some soup, have some sprite and gatorade, have some saltines, have some tylenol. i had been complaining for a few days about not feeling well and thought that’d be the worst of it as i never really get sick and when i do i never do much about it other than being a pioneer woman and suffering through it. and this post would be soooooo boring if that were the case— don’t worry, it was not the flu.

so something cracked in my blood after i went to sleep to try to feel better, and my body did that autoimmune thing that bodies do where it said “hey..... something’s trying to kill us. what if we died first?? that’ll show em!” and my blood platelets started eating themselves. not ,, good.....

meanwhile it was the next morning and i was supposed to get ready for work but i still felt like shit (because my body was torpedoing itself) so my dear memere coming to check up on me saw me wild and vomit-strewen, except i wasn’t actually wild at all i was just shutting down blood-utilizing organ by one and imagining that i was this wild Romantic mrs rochester in my burning nightgown while my aunt and memere quibbled over whether they could get me into the car to try urgent care. in my haze i heard that and my dumb ass was like “is it that necessary??” and luckily my dumb mouth wasn’t functioning at the time bc she didn’t say nothing and instead my relatives called an ambulance. our little mountain town has its own hospital, that’s a nice part of the story! it’s a nice little hospital!

the paramedic was lovely and tried to get me sweatpants because it’s november. i didn’t listen to her because my fever was insane and i was more concerned with making sure my cats weren’t in the way of the gurney 🤪#yikesolabranding

i had the same paramedic in the ambulance with me when they sent me to the hospital in the big city and i spent the whole 90 minute drive talking about how much i love those fucking cats

that’s beside the point, but i want to be clear about who i am at my core apparently, always talking about the gals 😻

so i get to the hospital and this is the first black out. i guess technically second because of when it all started, but let’s pick up with me waking up in the hospital. i have nine plasma. i have a fever of 105. i’m being given a blood transfusion, thanks high schoolers who wanted to get out of running the mile in PE that day!

they throw their dartboard tests and decide i have TTP—

basically, they just need to trick my blood into calling off the attack. how are they gonna do that? they’re gonna confuse the blood, overwhelm it, overcrowd it. they’re gonna get me to the fancy city hospital and treat my veins like frosting piping bags.

it’s snowing— no helicopter for me. i have a catheter at this point btw, and this is one of the parts that i know is tmi but ....... ladies and friends, y’all ever had a catheter?? 😩🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪 i’m dying and legit think i’d rather piss myself to death, it hurts that bad. we take an ambulance down to the valley, i complain enough about the catheter that they finally take it out for which i apologize incessantly (something that’s probably more annoying than the original complaining but i could die in my own piss comfortable and happy so whatever let’s not worry about it.) i pass out again.

i wake up in ICU. i’m assured i am neither pregnant nor have AIDS. good news✌️ especially considering some family history i won’t dive into here. they’re saying the catheter word again and that scares me bc ow, but don’t worry! this one is going in my neck :) it’s how we’re gonna save my life—

we pump thirteen (13) bags of plasma into my neck via dialysis. it works so well they decide they’re gonna do it for a week! i am weeping through the entire 90 minute procedure btw, and apologizing for it. i’m a Fun Patient!

i pass out again.

i wake up to another assurance that i am still unpregnant and don’t have AIDS. hmmm glad those ones stick!

my aunt is begging me to rub my two brain cells together so i can unlock my phone. i do, which is interesting considering when asked the year i repeatedly answer 1992 and 1994. but my 4digit phone passcode? try and wipe that from me, bitch ass stroke

my aunt calls my dad. he is less of a jerk than he could be :) he thinks my uninsured ass should move to the hospital he works at in california. fucking comedian

i text some friends waiting in my hospital bed. it’s a messy text. if you’re a friend who got one of those texts, bless your reading comprehension abilities and please know that my intention was to say something like “i don’t want to worry you, I’ve checked into the hospital but am okay” but it was like in pooh’s grand adventure when pooh bear spilt honey all over christopher robin’s note that literally said “DONT worry about me, i’m NOT going far away” and read it as “worry about me, i’m going far away” and basically i should’ve taken the opportunity to pass out again instead of trying to text lol

i did call one friend instead of text and she was at dinner with her husband, so sent a little “call you back later!” before listening to the voicemail and the poor dear felt very bad for blowing me off, though i promise i did not feel blown off, i shouldn’t have called at dinner time like a damn telemarketer!

so i wake up again and it’s been two days 😞😞 whoopsie! they’ve done more plasma, i’m stable, and my brain is coming back. I’m BORED. i’m trapped in my body and can’t move and in incredible pain! i’m covered in bruises. i’ve vomited on myself. it’s time to pump me with more plasma. while they’re doing the 40min prep work for that, i am drenched in confusion, like that camouflage spell in hp5. i start screaming apologies (even when my brain is broke i can apologize, social feminization is a hell of a drug) to my doctors who ask me who the president is and i become the “don’t make me say it” meme. that made us all feel a little better.

they pump their plasma. my episode passes. i have a violet allergic reaction all over my body. they pump some benadryl. it goes away.

i can eat solid food! by “solid food” i mean strawberry jello. they tell me to order food of more substance. i order a meatloaf, and pass out before it arrives. i feel bad, eat it cold. i have Never had a better meatloaf, although if i’m being perfectly honest she was closer to a salisbury steak. genuilnely, *chefs kiss*

it’s day five, it’s time for me to leave the ICU. this fancy new room has a toilet :) and a shower! i finally get that vomit out of my hair. my aunt brings me my glasses; they’ve been on my bedside table this whole time

day six is a petulant day ..... idk why but my neck catheter was killing worse than usual and the plasma treatments had been slowly getting more bearable but then this day ,, wasn’t. and suddenly this all felt like a lot of hoops to jump through. and i had some “this isn’t fair🥺” moping as though not being dead isn’t wicked cool enough on its own. whatever, i’m feeling a lot better today, and y’all were really nice about my grumbling so thank you for that, without an ouce of facetiousness🥰

day seven, thanksgiving! i’m finally awake early enough for breakfast. i have fruit loops and laugh at mr amazing’s pain. i have hospital turkey for thanksgiving. it’s as bad as hospital turkey has to be, i can’t blame it for that. my memere sends two blank text messages. she’s 84, so i interpret them as “happy turkey day” and “love you”

i have what is supposed to be my last plasma treatment. before they pull my neck catheter out, they decide it willl not be. i’ll have at least one more in the morning. they’re still not comfortable, but i don’t cry through all 90minutes now. only like ,, 70 minutes of it🤙 maybe i’ll break under an hour tomorrow.

that’s all for now— at this time discharge is looking like monday or tuesday. my TTP recovery is likely, just a matter of time. i’m having a really hard time looking at my phone screeen (typing this has taken on and off 4hrs of dizzy and break) but so look forward to getting back into things that make me happy like japhan content and all the fests and kiss prompts i was working on before this. thanks for listening to this poor approximation of what i remember of my hospital experience! ✨✨🥰 sorry idk how to add a damn read more

[nox-bones]

Little bit of a rant here..might put under read more bc idk how long it’ll be. Gonna be mentions of covid-19 *no one has it just mentioning it* but yeah. Just having a lot of anxiety about shit and I need to vent it out.

So Tuesday morning I got an email from my boss asking for my new availability so they can start making up schedules for all the therapists (and I’m assuming front desk too) when we re-open, so that we get the most optimized schedule that’s as fully booked as possible.

The problem is. We don’t know when we’re gonna be able to re-open - Originally they slated April 17 (so this Friday) to open back up, and now they’ve pushed it to April 26 (which, okay, but Florida is under a stay at home order until April 30th soooooo idk wtf they think about opening before that but okay).

The othe problem is - THERE STILL ISNT A FUCKING VACCINE FOR THIS STUPID CORONAVIRUS BULLSHIT!! WHY!! THE FUCK!!! WOULD YOU!! RE OPEN A CLINIC!!! OF MASSAGE THERAPISTS AND ESTHETICIANS!!! TO THE PUBLIC!!! WHILE THERE IS NO FUCKING VACCINE ?!?!!?!?!?

Like I get we can clean, wipe down, sanitize, and all that mumbo jumbo but none of us truly KNOWS where these clients are coming from, who they’ve been around, if they’re sick or not (they may not even know themselves), how often they wash their hands or keep up general cleanliness, etc. WE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THEIR HABITS AND WHERE THEY’VE BEEN.

WHY would you fucking RISK the lives of (a) your employees, (b) your clients, and (c) everyone’s family and friends who end up getting exposed to all the above?!?!! Like I know businesses really only give a fucking fuck about money and profit and shit, but peoples’ LIVES are fucking more important than your goddamn business. 

I am so fucking sick of how society runs with business. Money is NOT everything. I know we need it to do things and have homes and food and shit, but I for one am not gonna risk my fucking life or anyone else’s lives for money. I’ll find some other remote fucking job where I don’t have to be around people and possibly contract the virus.

It’s not to say that our clinic WILL open in April - we might not even open again for another year depending on how everything goes, but I’ve made up my mind to just...not go back. 

I’ve wanted to quit for a while, long before this pandemic even started. I want to move on with my life, and move out of Florida, and finally start living the life that I want to live. This pandemic has given me the opportunity to do just that (minus the moving bc gotta wait until after vaccinations start happening and it’s safe again), and I am gonna grill myself so hard to get a new remote job (it might take a while, but I’m determined to get something going for myself because I need to get OUT asap).

I’m supposed to be having a call or conversation sometime later today (thursday - it’s currently 5 AM that I’m writing this...and they want the schedule by 3pm...but I probably won’t wake up until 2pm lol). I am prepared to have “the talk” with them about not returning when we re-open (especially if we re-open before a vaccine is released bc I am just not willing to risk it). I might share my sentiments about it (in a professional calm manner), but ultimately I have decided to quit my job.

I’m finally gonna file for unemployment (god that took fucking forever but I’m gonna be mailing it out either this weekend or monday). I also just got the $1200 stimulus check, and I still need to file my taxes, so I’ll have some money for a little bit to hold me over and save on, but I do need to find a remote job either part time or full time so I can get myself out of Florida when the time comes.

But when I read that email from my boss, I had such a horrible anxiety attack. I was not prepared in the least to hear that we may be re-opening in the next few weeks, and that they want a new availability. I haven’t had a chance to think about work because I’ve been dealing with a bunch of other bs. :/

Now suddenly it’s in my face, and we only had 2 days notice? I mean, I understand if my boss only had a 2 day notice, but the people above them shouldn’t fucking plan so horribly. 2 days to figure out what everyone wants to do is not enough time. Even if I was gonna go back to work for them, it took me a whole fucking month to figure out what I wanted my full time schedule to be...how do you expect me to do it in less than 2 days?!?!

I’m just so irritated, frustrated, stressed, anxiety-ridden, and I just can’t handle it. I mean, I will handle it and I’m doing my best, but it’s fucking hard and I don’t talk about it enough about how much I’m struggling emoitonally/mentally with everything. I’m no good at telling people how I really feel. I never have been (I mean, I type up posts and shit but that’s different than directly talking to someone). I’m not gonna say it outright, but that thing that depression often leads to when someone is at their point of no return...yeah..I’ve been down here for a while and fighting back and forth. I’ve been pushing through, and I think I’ll be able to keep fighting it and pushing myself, but it’s still there in the background of my thoughts. I think about it a lot now.

Sigh T_T :(

I think I’m done ranting now. I don’t know if I feel better or not, but eh.

I think the only things that will suck about not returning to my current workplace is not seeing my coworkers again, and not seeing my regular clients (who I’ve seen for the past 3 1/2 years) again :/ but sometimes that’s how life is I guess...

let’s see if I get any sleep today ;--;

[amnachil]

The College Society Chapter 3 Part 11

The beginning of our little trip in France. I hope you’ll like it as much as i did writing it.

Damian Nicholas Smith-Carrey Friday March 1

Fate was messing around with him lately. The Dean's grandson, a gifted sexual hunter, who had the natural skill to please absolutetly everyone in bed, was doing some idiotics stuffs with his boyfriend. And I like it. They were leaving for France this evening, but before that, Liam wanted to do something for his bestfriend's birthday. And that was why he, Damian Nicholas Smith Carrey, was doing shopping. Me, wandering in a mall to find a present. I'm doing the errand, that's not normal at all. Since his baboon had lessons to attend to, he had volunteered to find a... a thing. It was a new fairy figurine from a collection that Nate had been looking for since its release. But the blond junior had been searching in three stores so far, and he hadn't found this shitty fairy yet. According to Liam, it was famous and easy to find. Easy my ass. Fuck this boyfriend, I can't say no when he puckers. Anyway, the Dean's grandson had enough of this shit. He took his phone and called Nancy straight away.

"Pussy in fire to the god of sex, do you need any assistance ?" she answered quite fast.

The lad felt a bit relieved when he heard her voice. At least someone who still sees me for what I am. It was so infuriating to act like a nice boyfriend sometimes... Even if a part of him loved it.

"I'm looking for a fukin' doll. I mean a fuckin' fairy figurine newly released... Hell, it's for a friend, of course."

"Of course."

Her tone said she didn't trust him at all. Now this is a real shame. First, Archie had discovered his relationship with the baboon. Nancy wasn't stupid either, she would find out soon. What will happen to my reputation, I wonder ?

"I got this Little Fairy Stephania which is quite rare. There's one copy in a shop near your university."

"That's what I bloody need." Damian Nicholas Smith Carrey sharply stated. "What do you want in exchange for the adress ?"

"Well... I was craving for a new pick of your butt since three days so..."

Once he got back home, the young man made diner. Well, more like a feast. Since Nick's flat was kind of small, they all agreed to make Nate's birthday party here. They hadn't much time anyway : their departure to France was at ten pm. It had been a long time since I've invited this many people here... Well, except for threesomes. No sex tonight of course. Only this dummy Liam and his friends with their pathetic silliness. Damian Nicholas Smith Carrey was almost done with the cake when he heard a knock at the door. Who the hell is bothering me ? They can't be there yet. He opened, frankly pissed, and stared at a girl.

"Hi, I'm Leila Hart." she introduced herself. "I'm the secretary of the women defense club."

"Yeah, and you can go fuck yourself right back in the trash you come from. I'm busy."

He tried to close the door, but she put her foot in the way.

"D.R sent me." she declared. "I have a message for you."

The Dean's grandson looked daggers at her. What on earth D.R wants ?

"Talk, pasty."

From times to times, D.R would send a minion instead of coming herself. At first, he had felt a bit insulted, but he got used to it. After all, it was an opportunity to have sex. But not tonight. I have priorities. To be calling the baboon his priority, he couldn't believe himself.

"She only wants to be sure you'll protect our student abroad. I'm here to remind you the rules. May I come in ?"

"Definitely not, you idiot." he grumbled. "I already know the stuff, stupid. And do not even dare ask me about it. Just leave."

This asshole hesitated. But when she glimpsed his eyes, she decided to obey. Good. At last, he could go back to his cooking.

At first, this birthday diner went mainly well. Liam and Nick managed to have some fun, and Nate eventually loosen up. As for Damian Nicholas Smith Carrey, well, all this nonsense wasn't his cup of tea but... I must admit, whenever I see my baboon smiling like that, I'm melting. However, the lad was a bit pissed by Nate's appetite. This moron wasn't eating at all. While the two glutton were finishing everything, Liam's bestfriend showed no interest in the food. It hurt the chef at two level. Mainly because he was a fucking good cook, and everyone loved his cuisine. But also because he could feel Liam sadness about it. I agreed to help this dwarf, but I don't like him for all that.

"Why are you all grumpy ?" whispered his boyfriend at his ear.

"I'm not grumpy." mumbled Damian Nicholas Smith Carrey. "I'm only thinking."

Liam took his hand and kissed him.

"I know this isn't perfect, and I know you don't trust people easily but please, be patient. I'm sure you'll love Nate with time."

How the hell do you guessed I was pissed about Nate ? This dreamy baboon could be very observant sometimes.

"Fine. I'll make an effort."

Liam Saturday March 2 – Sunday March 3, in France

The unicorns advised him to be careful in France. He lengthly thought about what it meant. Nate was improving, and he had admitted he was glad to have celebrated his birthday. But maybe the magical creatures sensed another peril... Liam did his best to be wary during the flight, but he quickly lost track of time. When they arrived to France, Dami had to wake him up because he had fallen asleep (with the time difference, he was struggling to stay awake anyway). They went to the hotel, where he was sharing a room with Nate and Nick. And for the saturday, their professor gave them free time.

"We won't start the group project before monday." decided Nick. "We'll visit the economics department on tuesday anyway. So let's take advantage of Paris guys."

They did as he suggested. Liam had a lot of fun visiting museum (well, in truth he didn't even remember what museum they went in, because Dami was always distracting him). (No, he wasn't distracted all by himself, it was his boyfriend's fault this time). Nate relaxed a bit, and he seemed to get back a little of his joie de vivre. Frenchs people were nice (they often insulted Liam to be so slow, but he supposed it was their way to be polite). (Several girls also tried to take Colton and him to go out, but they always declined). (Dami declined for him which his usual sweetness : "get lost bitches !"). And so the weekend went well. However, Paris had another good thing to offer : food. There were restaurants everywhere, and they offered delicious dishes. In order to make the most of it, they tried as much establishment as possible. Liam's boyfriend paid for almost everything, but the chestnut lad had also saved a bit for the occasion. Nick and him finished the day more than full. Even Colton and Nate were eating way more than usual. But everything tasted so succulent ! Liam couldn't hold himself but devour absolutely everything they had on the menu. On Sunday's evening, they entered a restaurant called Chez Bocher. They proposed a food challenge which attracted the young students.

"We definitely should try this." said Nick, more than happy to be there. "I'm sure Liam can do it, and it'll be a free meal."

C'mon, I'm not that gourmand. Don't put too much hope on me. Honestly, he was eager to try. He quickly checked on Nate. His bestfriend outlined a smile.

"I guess it can be fun." he whispered. "At least if you think you can manage to eat the whole thing ?"

"You're warned, I'm not paying if you fail baboon." intervened Dami. "Your call."

Even Colton seemed curious to see that. They're all so insistent. (Yeah, nobody insisted, but it was Liam's excuse for what he was about to do.) (He just wanted to test his limit so badly !).

Maybe it was a bad idea after all. Only the unicorns knew how much he already ate. But he had still two plates to finish in order to win the challenge. He was so stuffed. His belly was hard as a rock, like a giant basket ball underneath his now too tight sweater. He had openned his belt and trousers a while ago, to let his stomach expand freely. I don't know if I can do this. It was more food than Dami ever gave him. He wasn't used to such an amount anymore. But the cheerings of his friends were pushing him beyond his limits.

"I mean, that's truly incredible." spilt Colton after a while. "What an appetite."

"I didn't know you had this in you." added Nick. "That's amazing."

"Guys... Imma collapse..." confessed Liam with a loud burp.

He managed to eat two more mouthfuls with reluctance. It was painful. Each morsel of food was pushing further his distented belly. He glimpsed Dami who was texting someone. His boyfriend wouldn't help in front of everyone, since they were still a secret. (Well, Nick and Nate knew, but not Colton). (Or he didn't say it). (And anyway, Liam knew that his boyfriend was a bit sadistic, he would let him suffer).

"I'm sure you can do it." assured Nate with a grin. "My bestfriend isn't a quiter."

He was apparently enjoying the whole thing. Glad to know you're having fun.

"Burp. I will do my.... burp best..."

With slowness, he cleared the next plate. One left. Unicorns please, send help. He felt like a soon-to-explode balloon. His hand rubbed diligently his overstuffed midsection. It was so round, so big.

"C'mon baboon. Let's get this done." grumpled Dami.

He took the cutlery and he fed himself his boyfriend. Thanks to his help and their's friend cheerings, Liam managed to polish the last dishes. The waiter couldn't even believe it. Neither the students to be honest. (Liam felt so proud of himself.) (But also soooooo sick).

"Now that is what I call a new record." congratuled Nate.

Liam smiled to him, but his bestfriend's face suddenly crumpled. Because right behind them, at the entrance, was standing Kilian, Liam's ex.

The chesnut lad couldn't move. Not only because he was stuffed like a turkey for christmas. He couldn't think properly. How is it possible ? There is no way. No way. The force of evils just struck. And struck strongly.

"Liam." whispered Kilian. "and Nate. Hi."

Around him, his french's friends looked at them curiously. But the young dreamy lad didn't do anything. He didn't answer, he didn't do a single move. He was like frozen.

"It's... surprising to see you there." continued his ex. "I mean, you're supposed to be in America."

This evening can't be worse. I need to react. To say something. Tons of things were crossing Liam's mind. Why the force of evils did this ? What should he say ? What would Dami think ? He really wanted to run away, but his bloated stomach prevented him to.

"Trust me, we're surprised aswell." responded Nate after a while.

"Sorry to be the one who break the mood." took part Dami. "But who the hell are you, and why you three look like you've seen god itself ?"

"I'm Liam's ex-boyfriend, Kilian De Beauchêne." replied the main concerned party.

A blank followed. A very long and scary blank. Liam was completely panicing. (At least internally). (His painful belly probably prevented him to do a panic attack). He was short-winded and very stressed by the situation.

"You know what ? Let's not continue this awkward moment." decided Dami. "Liam, get up, we're leaving. This is way too bizarre."

The chestnut boy was more than glad to obey. Nate helped him to stand up, and they all left as fast as possible with their overfed friend.

Barbara Sunday March 3 – Monday March 4, in France

"Sounds cool. Doesn't work."

The blonde girl sighed. When she decided to make an alliance with Rebecca, she never planned this. Well, I wanted her support but... The athlete had come to France with her sophomere friends, Chelsea and Matthew. The first one was a nice but a little stupid law student. As for the dude... I can tell he's sleeping with both of them. Seems like he has a blast.

"I mean, you want to ridicule Nick by charging him of cheating with false evidence." summarized the lad. "It really is a good idea, but the professors will never fall for it. This geek is a real genius, who finished his 12th grade with one hand tied behind his back. Why on earth he would have to cheat eh ?"

I guess you're right. Barbara shrugged, a bit annoyed. It was already Sunday's night, and they didn't have even the beginning of a plan.

"Let's make it easier." suggested Rebecca. "We can make his whole trip a true hell. And in the meantime, we'll think of something."

"I think I have an idea." smiled the short girl. "You told me he was scared of water, right ?"

"Yeah, why ?"

"You'll see tomorow. I swear it will be fun to watch."

Indeed, they have this cruise on the Seine on Monday. Barbara carefully watched Nick when he went aboard. You looks so scared... Poor little thing. Just wait. She had other project for today anyway. She headed towards the back of the ship, where Colton was talking with Damian Nicholas Smith-Carrey. I don't get it. Why the king was talking with her ex ? What was special about him ?

"Hi guys." she smiled. "Are you having fun ?"

"Go fuck yourself little roach." answered sharply the junior. "I already told you, no more favor."

"Everything's fine." replied more diplomatically the brown-haired lad. "Well, Liam and Nate decided to stay at the hotel because the first wasn't feeling well, but otherwise we're great."

She didn't care about her chestnut classmate yet. She would catch him a bit later. Besides, Damian Nicholas Smith-Carrey wasn't making any progress. He managed to make Nate comes, but he got nothing in return so far.

"You know, I heard some strange thing about you Colton." she revealed. "People nicknamed you the Good Samaritan. Did you make a big donation or what ?"

"I'm just being my usual self." he explained. "Nothing more, nothing less. I didn't do anything related to money. Why ?"

Crap. He's a true mystery. He looked so stupid, so idiotic. But everyone seemed to like him. Since the prof called him, Colton left them, and she hadn't made any progress.

"You're so funny you pathetic bitch." laughed the Dean's grandson. "You're so blind and deseperate you didn't even realise why he was so popular in highschool. Stupid short chick."

"What do you mean ?" (She decided to ignore his cuss words.).

"Are you that dumb ? Your ex-boyfriend doesn't have to do anything special, dumbass. He's so sweet and nice that everyone wants to be close to him. Nobody thinks to hurt him because he's so shining. But there you are, a stupid moron who thinks he had nothing for him. Numbskull."

Was it the real explanation ? She couldn't be sure, but it seemed possible. Anyway, I guess it's too late to turn back. I'll take care of Colton later. For now, let's focus on this asshole of Nick.

He was standing in the middle of the barge, apparently stressed. Since Liam and Nate weren't here, he was alone. Rebecca was making fun of him.

"Don't worry so much ! You've a natural life preserver." she teased. "You have no balls or what ?"

Barbara came closer, amused by this situation. Back in highschool, she thought bullying was bad, but she had finally understood it was a way like another to get the power she needed. To avoid their mocking, he tried to go away and came closer to the edge. That's why I wanted. Nice. There was some bright side to be so small. She could sneak between people so easily. The blonde girl came closer as discreetly as possible. She was so close to him that she could smell his sweat. He was so stressed by their surroundings. How pathetic. Barbara took her phone out. She was about to do something bad but well... She had understood very well how things worked in real life. Be a predator or you will be eaten. And so, she pushed him overboard.

To be continued

France is famous for its cuisine after all ! That’s pretty normal for Liam and his friends to enjoy what this country has to offer.

Aaaaand here he is ! Kilian is back. For those who doesn’t know him, he’s a main character in the last part of The High School Game, my first story. Maybe we’ll finally learn what happened between Liam and him ? :)

Damian is falling hard for his boyfriend, that’s kind of funny. And yes, he’s a feeder at heart.

Being in another country is also the prefect opportunity for Barbara to be nasty again. I liked this girl back then. Now, I don’t.

[harryhooksgazebos267]

School Life Ship

@halliney  hey love!! Here is your ship, I’m so sorry for the long wait!

Ok so you had this one friend group that consisted of nine(yes, nine) idiots. Woojin, Chan, Minho, Changbin, Hyunjin, Jisung(Han), Felix, Seungmin, and Jeogin. You all were soooooo freaking close, like inseparable close. 

You also were close to some of the “members” of this really popular group at your school called NCT. Yeah, they even had a name for themselves, that’s how popular they were lol. There were a shit ton of them that expanded throughout grades. In fact, there were so many of them that they even had little cliques with in them. Now, that doesn’t mean they all weren’t close. Just because they were in a different “cliques” inside there friend group, doesn’t mean they wont kick your ass if you mess with someone in a different clique. They were literally like brothers lol. Anywho, you were pretty close with some of the boys apart of the NCT Dream clique. And maybe, just maybe you wanted to be more than friends with a certain giant whose name definitely wasn’t Park Jisung. 

Ok so maaaayyyyyyybbbbbeeeee you had a crush on the cute little dork but I mean, who knows 🤷‍♀ Moving on, it was a Monday morning and things were going really slow. You were sitting in your first block next Felix working on some math when Jung Wooyoung(lets pretend he would be in class with you lol) strolled up to your seat and sat in front of you with a huge smirk on his face.

“Can I help you?” Felix asked, with an eye brow cocked.

Backstory: You have nothing against Wooyoung but when said boy strolls up to your desk with a smirk on his face, just no nothing good is going to come from it. My man the gossip girl of your school. He knows the tea and the drama and also loves to create it/spread some rumors. The school is a chess board and all of the students are pawns in his little game.

“Nothing you can do for me Mr. Lee. Mrs. y/l/n on the other hand though,” he trailed off with a giggle.

You kind of just looked at him like ?????? What could he possibly want? This caused his smile to drop a little.

“You don’t know why I came over here?” Wooyoung asked confused.

“I, no?” 

“Well, rumor has it a certain boy that goes by the name of Doyum is going to ask you out....again.”

This causes you to groan in dismay. You see, Doyum and you had gone out last year but things didn’t end so well....let’s save that story for later though.

“Are you shitting me? Where did you even hear that from?” You asked aggravated.

“I never snitch on my sources, just know that it’s a very reliable one,” Wooyoung stated as the smirk returned on his face.

“Even if he does ask her out again, she’s going to say no. Trust me, the boys and I wont let that thing even come close to her,” Felix hissed out.

Wooyung laughed sticking his hands up in the air as if he were surrendering. 

“Hey man, I’m simply the man who delivers the news. You should be telling Doyum that....unless you want me to?”

“No,” Felix and you practically scream at the same time.

“Fine, fine I won’t. You guys are no fun. Keep me posted on the tea though.” And with a quick little wink, Wooyoung struts back to his seat.

So for the rest of math, you just sat quietly as Felix went on this long rage about how much he hated Doyum and how he would “fight” him if he even tried to come near you. It warmed your heart but at the same time you were in your own little world, wondering what you should do. Second block went by fast. That was the class you had with Jisung(Park), Chenle, and Jaemin. Lia and Yuna were also two girls in your class that you chilled with. Basically that block was a lot of fun and lots of clownery. They helped you forget about the whole Doyum situation. That was until the last ten minuets of class when you realized that lunch was next and you began to lowkey panic. On the inside of course but the group could feel you mood shift.

“Hey, y/n are you good?” Jaemin questioned. 

You were so in your head that you didn’t hear him though. Chenle, Lia and Yuna also tried to get your attention but that didn’t work. Finally Jisung just kind of shook your shoulders and you snapped out of it.

“What?”

“You ok?” Jisung slowly spoke out.

“Oh yeah, I’m fine,” You laughed out.

“Yep, you clearly aren’t,” Lia stated.

“Guys, I’m fine. Seriously.”

“We weren’t born yesterday, we know you aren’t,” Chenle said as he rolled his eyes.

You looked at all of there faces and realized they weren’t going to let this one go. With a small sigh you decided to tell them what was up. They were NOT having it. Jisung especially.

“Who does he think he is? He can’t just think he can waltz back into your life after he broke your heart like that. God he’s such an asshole,” Jisung fumed, his jaw clenching.

“I mean he might not even ask me out! Wooyoung told me that-”

“If Wooyoung told you, it’s true,” Lia stated.

At that moment, the bell rang. Meaning it was time for lunch....yeehaw :D So the five of them began to flip out but you stayed calm (on the outside) and just casually got up leaving the room as the five of them yelled at you to come back so they could figure out a plan. Once you arrived you sat at your normal table surrounded by your NINE (I’m sorry, I’m hurting over Woojin leaving) friends.

“What’s up mate,” Chan called out as you sat down.

“You didn’t tell them?” You questioned Felix who just shook his head.

“Figured you would want to.”

“Tell us what?” Han asked.

Taking in a deep breath you quickly explained the situation.

“I’m going to kill him,” Changbin stated once you were done. All the boys quickly agreed with him causing you to laugh.

“Y/n, it’s not funny. We’re being dead serious.”

“Guys I can handle-” You started only to be cut off by the one and only Doyum.

“Hey y/n, umm are you busy?”

Before you could even answer a voice, the voice Jeongin, stated talking.

“Doyum why don’t you just crawl back in your little grease hole and leave her alone. You’re the ass that decided to cheat on her so don’t think you can just come and ask her out as if nothing happened.”

Ok, period sis. So Doyum was just standing there with a confused look on his face.

“H-how did you know what’s why I came....”

“Word gets around. And you know what she doesn’t even like you anymore so I don’t even understand why you’re trying to get with her,” Jeongin sassily stated.

“Yeah she liked Jisung,” Felix said as his eyes went huge. He was supposed to say that. You stared at him in horror.

“Yeah she likes, wait what??? Y/n likes me???” Han questioned.

“No not you Jisung. I like Jisung Jisung,” You said with an eye roll.

If the clown emoji was an actually face, that would be Han Jisung. Now at this point most of the lunch room was looking at you so Han wasn’t the only one looking like a clown.

“You like Jisung?” Doyum practically yelled.

“I-I, why does it even matter? Please just leave me alone.” You whispered out.

Doyum opened up his mouth to speak but quickly closed it. After looking around the lunch room and realizing the scene he was causing he decided to walk away.

“So.....how come Felix got to know who your crush was but we couldn’t?” Minho whined.

“Because I thought Felix could keep his mouth shut but I was clearly wrong.”

“Ummm y/n, Jisung is walking over here,” Woojin rushed out.

“What?”

“Oh shoot, he is,” Hyunjin stated with wide eyes as he began to smile widely.

“Go get your mans,” Seungmin squealed out.

“Hey guys,” Jisung said with a little wave.

“What’s up twin,” Han laughed out.

“Nothing much, just was wondering if I could steal y/n away for a second,” he shyly said while looking down.

“Of course you can,” Chan said.

So without another word, you got up and followed him out of the lunch room. The two of you kind of just sat on some..steps? Idk man, it’s 12:30 a.m I’m sorry :( So lets say you guys walked around the school for a bit and found some steps to sit on. I have this vision in my head but I’m having trouble translating it XD 

Annnnyway, you guys are just sitting there on the steps when all of a sudden Jisung starts lightly humming serendipity causing you to laugh a little.

“Oh so you’re trying to win me over with Jimin? That wont work good sir.”

That caused him to laugh as well.

“I’m not very good with words...I, I couldn’t think of what to say and that song came to mind so I just started humming it. Sorry. I just, I really really like you and I was afraid to tell you before because I didn’t want to ruin our friendship. If what Felix and Doyum said was true and you do like me, it would mean the world to me if you would be mine. Y/n, do you maybe want to be my girlfriend?”

“I, of course! Yes Jisung!”

So long story short, Jisung and you started dating. Both of your friend groups merged and became super close. Doyum didn’t bother you anymore because literally had 28 big brothers and a boyfriend who were protective over you. Life was pretty good honestly.

[forkanna]

[AO3 LINK] [WATTPAD]

Spring vacation was kind to the pop idol formerly known as Risette. She and her friends spent a lot of time in the park or at Junes, hanging around at each other's houses. It was never the same with Narukami gone but sometimes they could come pretty close, and that was worth doing.

Though she had hoped to see Ebihara in town, maybe check in with her again despite the way they left things, apparently the priss had taken off with her family or something. Oh well. It wasn't exactly that she desperately wanted to interact with her, she just didn't like knowing a friend was hurting and she couldn't help. No matter how new and rocky the friendship was.

She also wound up being busy throughout the end of March because she was trying to restart her career. At first, her agent and the agency she had belonged to were resistant to the idea of letting her back in; it seemed they had some sort of issue with putting a lot of time and effort into an idol who would only abandon them. But her putting on a sugary sweet tone and telling them she missed them so much, while also saying she would be so sad if she had to work for a different agency instead, did the trick. Never underestimate the effectiveness of flattery and a veiled threat when used in tandem.

Logistics and singing lessons had kept her busy for most of the remaining break. Three days remained until the new school year started up. They had all been anxious about going into their final year — well, the older students. Rise and Kanji and Naoto would just be starting their second year.

"Boring Friday in boring Inaba," Yosuke was sighing as they slowly walked into town.

"Yep," Chie groaned.

"Not for one of us," Naoto mentioned. "How did your audition go, Rise?"

The teen idol huffed and folded her arms over her chest. "Can you believe they actually made me re-audition? They know I can do the work! This was just a power play to make me feel bad for taking a break in the first place."

"Sure," Yosuke snorted. "They probably thought you were past your prime. They don't know what we know."

"And… what do 'we' know?"

"That you are still the mega-hot Risette that we all know and love. Like, you haven't even gained any weight or anything!"

While Yukiko and Chie were groaning and Kanji was face-palming, Rise smiled sweetly and bounced closer to Yosuke's side. "Aww, you knew just what I needed to hear! Thanks, sweetie!"

His entire face turned red, and his floppy brown hair seemed to twitch back and forth. "S-s-s-sweetie!"

"Don't encourage him," Chie grunted with a firm shake of her head. "You know he's too dumb to figure out you're just messing with him."

"Yeah, I am! Wait- I mean, I'm not- she's not! You…"

"Give it up, man," Kanji sighed heavily, pounding him on the back so hard that he staggered.

"Oh, I'm gonna get a melon soda," Rise piped up before the argument got out of hand. "Anybody else want one?"

"If it's fizzy," Yukiko said with a modest smile. "Chie wants orange with pulp."

"Hey! You don't know that for sure," Chie yelped… with a highly suspicious blush breaking out across her cheeks. Yukiko only giggled.

By now, Rise was walking over to the vending machine in front of Souzai Daigaku. She was starting to get a little suspicious of Yukiko and Chie… but she definitely didn't want to accuse them of anything. Especially considering how uncomfortable Naoto still seemed surrounding the issues of gender and sexuality. Kanji talked a big game about being over all that stuff, at least, but Naoto got very quiet and nervous when the topic came up. The last thing she wanted was to make her friends uncomfortable.

As the heavy steel can bumped into the dispenser below, she bent down to retrieve it… and the glint from something caught her eye. She looked over to see it was a pair of sunglasses — adorning the face of someone she had been hoping to see for two weeks now.

"Ebihara?!"

The other girl started, then grimaced as she gripped the lip of the table outside the restaurant. She looked very put together — on par with something Rise would wear. Long summery white skirt that was partly see-through, strappy pink sandals that matched her pink cardigan. And also matched her choker, which was almost always around her neck like some part of her official uniform. Every nail manicured, not a strand of hair out of place, lips glistening from a fresh coat.

And she was not happy.

"Oh God, it's you."

"Wha- hey! Just what exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, I don't know. Do you maybe not remember trying to make me feel like an asshole in Aiya?"

"That is not what I was doing. Geez! I was only pointing out that you have to put yourself out there if you want to-"

"Hey, I don't need a lesson in friendship from Risette. Go get preachy on TV for your little fans."

She almost let that scare her off. So very almost. But she decided to give it one last shot before she left Ai to her own devices. "Well then, I… I apologize for sounding preachy. It was not my intention."

That finally made the other girl take her sunglasses off. "Did you rehearse that long? Because you sound like the lady on my voicemail."

But Rise didn't really take those words in right away. She was too distracted by the dark circles under her schoolmate's eyes. Was Ebihara not sleeping very well? Why not? She wanted to ask, but she was at least smart enough not to try it for fear of being snapped at again.

"I… I didn't. You just got really mad at me last time for no reason, and I'm trying to be careful with my words. Or whatever."

"It wasn't for no reason. You made fun of me."

"What? No!"

"Yes, you did, you cunt. You told me I could come hang out with you guys, and then came into the bathroom while I was… indisposed, and told me I was doing it wrong!"

Rolling her eyes was the only way she had to vent her feelings other than throwing the melon soda at this girl's head. And she didn't want to dent her skull — for now.

"I said I was sorry, and that I didn't mean to piss you off, so can you stop yelling at me?"

"THAT'S-" After that single word, Ebihara grabbed her purse and started to stand up… then stopped. Took a deep breath. "No. I promised him I'd be better, I am better."

"U-uhhhh…?"

Expression still fiercely angry, hands on her hips with her purse dangling down past her knee, she stomped over to glare daggers straight down into Rise's eyes and causing the shorter girl to gulp. Wow was she tall — had to be at least ten centimetres taller! No giant, but tall for a girl, especially compared to her and Chie and Naoto; Yukiko was always so tall and poised… but her attention was wandering, and she had missed what Ai was saying.

"Huh?"

"I said," she snapped impatiently, "do you want to join me for tea?"

"WHAT?!"

"I SAID DO YOU-"

"No, no, I got it!" she yelped, hastily covering her ears to stop them from ringing thanks to how loud Ebihara could get. "Sorry, I'm just shocked! You really acted like you hated me!"

Ebi's lips pursed for a long moment as she turned to stare at the rest of the team. By now, they had figured out their friend was not returning right away, and were watching with detached interest. "You and Narukami-kun… you were trying to tell me something. I'm only good at manipulating people or bossing them around. No one has ever wanted to be my friend before, not my entire life. The reasons just changed. So…"

"Soooooo… is this you asking if we can be fr-"

"Don't make it awkward, bitch," she hissed over Rise. "Let's say we'll make this a trial run. You probably won't be able to stand me and I probably won't be able to stand you, but you're the only one giving it a shot."

At least Ebi wasn't trying to say it was all Rise's fault. Plus, it was obvious this was the best she could do in terms of asking politely and being friendly. She knew from her years in the entertainment industry that some people just didn't seem to be born with friendliness in their DNA. But that didn't mean they didn't deserve friendship.

"Of course! We're just heading to Junes if you wanted to tag along."

But Ai instantly looked a lot less thrilled with that idea — and she had already looked less than thrilled. "I have class."

"Huh? I mean, school doesn't start until Monday…"

"It's not that kind of class." As she pushed off from the seat, she yanked the melon soda out of Rise's hands. "Thanks."

"Wha- hey! Oooh, you're paying me back for that!"

"Isn't this a favour? Don't friends do favours?" Then she slid her sunglasses back into place, waved over the edge of what was now her can, and strutted away.

It wasn't until she was half a block away that the idol ground back to life and ran after her, shouting a few metres behind her, "HEY! When are we getting tea?"

Ebi looked almost panicked when she turned back around. But it only lasted a second; then she was thoroughly embarrassed and grimacing as she quickly walked back to the other girl's side.

"Keep it down! Why are you so noisy? Do you have to remind everyone that you're a vocalist every day?"

"And do you have to conveniently forget to set the time and place?"

"That's… shut up." But she still looked embarrassed, even if only because her cheeks were a little rosy. She took out her phone and said, "Numbers?"

"Yeah," Rise sighed wearily as she took out her own. They touched them together to share contact information, then checked their screens to make sure it had worked. "Cool. Ebi."

"Ugh…"

"Oh, you don't like that nickname?"

"I dunno, it's fine. I'll just keep calling you Risette, it's not like I'm going to mix you up with some other Risette."

Rolling her eyes, she said, "Guess not. But that's not how my friends talk to me."

"Fine — Rise. Only because I am definitely not a fan." Then she walked away.

Leaving Rise wondering why the hell she bothered. Couldn't Ebihara at least make a half-hearted attempt to be kind?

                                            ~ o ~

Rise almost gave up on her potential new friend. She certainly didn't want to be the first one to text after all that cold-shouldering and denigration, and as kept being pointed out to her, she was famous and had plenty of friends. So why should she bust her ass to be warm and welcoming to a frigid asshole?

All that changed late that night.

EBI: Hey Rise?

She almost ignored it. Almost. In fact she tossed her phone aside in disgust and finished rinsing off so she could get in the bathtub, burgundy-hued hair carefully up in a towel-turban so she wouldn't have to mess with it too much the next day. But once she had settled into the hot water, she thought better of it and reached for her phone.

RISE: Hi

EBI: Okay so ur pissed

EBI: We can call tea off if you want

RISE: I didn't say anything did I?

EBI: You don't have to

EBI: Listen

RISE: Ok…?

But there was no response. She had watched the screen for a minute or so before giving up, laying her phone aside and trying to relax again. Not that she had any success. And eventually, about five minutes later…

EBI: I promised Yu I was going to change. Stop being this horrible bitch to everybody. But I can't stop, I don't know how to stop. Maybe it was stupid but I thought I would just figure it out if I kept trying but every time you talk I start thinking of how I can cut you down… I want to "win" the conversation. Idk. I'm stupid and you deserve better and I don't think I can do better so if you want to call off our tea time I won't even be mad, not really

EBI: I'm sorry I'm like this.

"Whoa," she found herself breathing, heart lurching in her chest. Yes, she had seen glimpses of this version of Ebihara, but had never expected to see more than that. Now she was really, truly opening up to her, and she had no idea how to respond.

But she made herself do it. Maybe mostly because she felt bad about ignoring the first text, but she definitely didn't want to leave this girl hanging the one time she really opened up.

RISE: Atzrbucks?

EBI: What

RISE: For tea. I'm more into coffee but whatever, they have both

EBI: Are you brain-damaged? I'm giving you a chance to get out of this toxic ass friendship

EBI: Free of charge

RISE: You said this was a trial run didn't you? Doesn't that mean if it doesn't work out we can walk away then?

EBI: Well yeah

EBI: But I figured that shit was over. God I even stole your soda

EBI: Are you a masochist?

RISE: Hey I know I look like a spoiled brat because I was a 15 yr old idol but I'm not that weak

RISE: And I'm not 15 anymore UwU

EBI: ...why are you telling me that

EBI: Nevermind

RISE: Lol

EBI: Your funeral I was just trying to be nice and let you off easy

EBI: But I mean you've seen how bad I am at that

RISE: Nobody said you have to get it perfect right away :)

EBI: I guess

EBI: Tomorrow at 10?

RISE: Yeah~! See you then!

EBI: K

Only once she had finished her long soak, smiling slightly the entire time, did Rise get another message. So she paused in her toweling off to check her phone.

EBI: Thanks

RISE: ❤️

                                              ~ o ~

"So you're really going through with it?"

"I guess so. I mean, Ebi seems like she's really hurting but doesn't want to admit how bad it is. She needs somebody and I guess it's me."

"Weird," Yukiko's voice responded from her phone where it lay on the vanity. Rise was just putting the final touches on her makeup before heading out. "But I do think it's very nice of you to try to help her."

"Hey, that's me! Just the nicest girl you could ever know!"

"Right," she giggled. "So… may I ask you a question? It may sound a little strange."

"You may," Rise replied with a snort, making fun of how formal her friend was being.

"Okay. So Chie got me a very nice gift recently. And… um, her birthday is coming up. Eventually."

"Yeah?" She wasn't getting the whole truth. Rise could tell — mostly because she was pretty sure Chie's birthday was in July, which was still quite a ways off. But she decided it would be cruel to call Yukiko out on hedging around the facts; if she didn't want to be completely honest, there was probably a valid reason.

"Y-yeah! And, well, we already gave each other necklaces. But I'm trying to think of a really good gift to get her for this occasion. Something special. I'm just not sure… I mean, I know Chie very well, but I'm nervous. And you seem like someone who is very good at giving gifts."

Rise had to laugh at that one, shaking her head as she started putting most of her makeup away. "Right! I mean, who am I getting them for? My grandma? She just tries to give the gift back or tell me all she wants is to 'see me happy'. Can't even give her soap on a rope or whatever."

"Awwwwww," Yukiko cooed. "What a sweet woman."

"She is." Then she cleared her throat. "Okay, so. You wanna get Chie something spicy, or sweet?"

"O-oh, I don't really know. I just know I gave her jewelry for… Christmas." Another lie. "So I think this gift should be something different, but I'm not sure what."

Rise wanted to flat out ask if they were a little bit more than just friends, as she had begun to suspect. But she didn't want to embarrass either of them just in case she was wrong. "Right. Well, uh, I know she's really into kung fu. Maybe you could get her some DVDs? Or hey — who's her favorite action star? Bruce Lee, Jet Li?"

"Oh, I… think it's Sammy… something? Sonny? Her favourite movie is 'Project A', I remember that much."

"Don't know it. But yeah! Why don't you see if you can track down a poster of that movie? Or I could try to help you, I guess; I wouldn't mind."

"O-oh, you don't have to do that! This isn't your responsibility! I just need to learn how to be a better girlf… fr… a better friend, yes."

Well, that definitely seemed to be confirmation. Rise's eyebrow went up, but she very delicately kept herself from asking a question right away. "Yeah, girlfriend, I get you." There; maybe that would make Yukiko feel less awkward.

"R-right! Yes! Hahahaha… haaaa…" The junior innkeeper cleared her throat before saying, "Alright, I u-um, I should let you go so you won't be late to meet up with Ebihara-san."

"It's not that crucial," she laughed easily. "But I mean, good luck? You got this. And I'm sure whatever you end up doing for her birthday is gonna be magical; you're super nice, and super thoughtful like that. Won't even be an issue."

"Oh, I really hope you're right. Thank you, Rise. And have fun!"

"I'll do my best!"

But as she hung up and stared at herself in the mirror, Rise had to wonder just how much fun she was about to have. What would they even have to talk about?

                                               To Be Continued…

[gentlyphotographing]

(1) Give the Monkey Sugar

A/N: it looks like its gon be a slow thing, while I write this, I can still do some short drabble/scenario stuff as well so hmu with prompts idk,? this is supposed to be after S2, college AU so to speak?  Some character introduction and scene setting at first so yeah... Tell me if you liked it pls thx k bye

“..and yeah, that’s how I got Kenneth to cry about his mullet” you grinned as the table erupted into laughter at the end of your story. The bellowing sounds from your right, paired with a fist hitting the table let you know that Kenneth was definitely not angry anymore about it either.  “Could have needed you at my graduation with that trick” one of the guys next to Kenneth called out, “I had a major mullet-asshole at my school too!” 

“Just to clarify, I was NOT a major asshole.” your best friend stuck his nose up in the air. “Just a regular one.” At that, the almost died down laughter grew wild again.  

There was eight of you, squeezed around a small round table in the corner of the dingy student bar meant for four. Every other friday night there had been four other people with you, your best friend Kenneth, whom you had known for the past five years, your roommate Wiebke, whose painting untensils had decorated your favourite shirt with paint speckles on the move in half a year ago, her twin brother Waldemar who always looked like he just crawled out from under his car, tweaking something, disheveling his hair and smudging his cheeks with grease  and Gail, a mousey girl with big bambi eyes that got almost every guy to do her bidding. She mostly got all of you free drinks though.

Tonight, however, your group had run into some fellow students on the way to the “Jukes Box”. Kenneth and Waldemar recognized the three guys from their mondays and wednesdays physical education course, while you knew one of them from your part time job at the local diner.  Of course Greg, Dale and Steve were happy to join you, which is why you now found yourself sandwiched in between your roommate and your best friend.  After the second beer, the conversation had went from current classes to past ones, high school times and party stories. While the guys on your right talked about their keg-stand high scores, you tried to explain to the German twins exactly what that was. “Well, with your beer, that’s easy!” snorted Wiebke once you were done. 

“I had no idea if this was gonna be the right thing, you know?” Gail said, smiling when she looked at you. “But the more I looked into the courses it became clear to me, that yes, I definitely want to become a teacher.” 

“I know exactly what you mean. Until last winter I didn’t even know if I could study at all. Sure, I got all those brochures from colleges east and west but, when nothing really interests you, what do you sign yourself up for?” One of the new guys, Steve, you rembered, spoke up with a sigh, chin in hand, elbow resting on the table. You leaned your head on Kenneth’s shoulder, eyes focused on Steve, wanting to know more about this new guy in your group. “So why did you end up enroll here? Oh and didn’t you say you’re from one town over? Haulings? Drawings?-” 

“Hawkins. Yeah it’s not even half an hour away. And well, I kind of became a babysitter to a group of middleschoolers. It was completely by accident too. But they listened to me, uhm, most of the time.. sometimes they listened to me and one kid’s mom told me that he kind of looked up to me and I thought to myself, wow, that’s a cool feeling. Few days later I was looking through the college flyers again, actually read them this time and thought hey, Bloomington doesn’t sound that bad. My coach always told me I’m pretty good at sports, can’t be that hard, right?” he grinned at you and you smiled back. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Several drinks later, you and Wiebke had taught everyone how to play one of the educational games from classes as a drinking game, you had challenged each other to arm wrestling, Gail being the gleaming winner at the end of it, and your group had shrunk to five after Greg, Dale and her had left for their dorms.

“Don’t get run over again” Wiebke told Kenneth while you hugged him goodbye. About two months ago he had run into a parking car while you all walked home from the bar. It had resulted in panicked yelling and hysteric laughter, as well as a continued joke.  “Yeah yeah” he waved his hand after letting go of you, sticking out his tongue and winking at her. “You won’t get rid of me that easy.” You rolled her eyes along with her as he walked out of the bar. 

Breathing had become a little easier, now that there were actually as many people as there were supposed to be in the booth. You may have scooted a little closer to the dark-haired new addition to the group as necessary, but who could blame you. One of his arms was draped over the back of the booth behind you, the other hand holding onto an empty glass of beer.

Waldemar ruffled his hair a little before signalling the waitress. “Hey, what time is it?” “Five mins to midnight ” you told him with a look at your wrist watch. “Oh verdammt! We still gotta call our cousin, otherwise mom’s going to be pissed”  “Yeah but isn’t it like i dont know, 5 am?” you cocked your head to the side, looking at him.  “Almost 6am, but he is turning 12 and he is ALWAYS up early on his birthdays. Also, if we call now, we can’t forget to do it later.” he nodded while rummaging through his jeans pockets for change, his sister doing the same. 

The waitress came over, writing down a last round of drinks before pointing the twins towards the payphone in the other corner of the room. They stood up, leaving you alone with Steve, but not before Wiebke could shoot you a mischievous wink. 

You fidgeted a little in your seat, looking over at the tall guy next to you, only to meet his gaze that was already on you. Your eyes widened a little and both of you blushed, turning away from each other.  “Soooooo...” you broke the silence,”do you have any siblings?” 

[letstrysomefanfic]

I Thought We Already Weren’t PART 3 (Peter Parker x Reader Angst)

Request: anonymous asked: Ooh I love angst!! Can you do something where the reader has a huge crush on peter but he likes Liz and he asks her out on date and he asks the reader for help with everything so she basically plans the whole thing for him and he keeps saying things like “wow ur such a good friend” and out of jealousy she asks Flash on a date and they start to go out and Peter says he’s not good enough for her and they get into a huge argument and deicde it’s better if they stop being friends…

Word Count: 1,772

Warnings: angst... lot’s of it 

A/N: So wow i gotta admit this one’s gotta be the saddest i think out of all the parts haha sorry (not sorry) and hey, if you want, it hurts more if you listen to ‘Amnesia’ by 5SOS (just a thought, if you’re into feeling rly sad whilst reading this). But wow thanks so much to all those who’re enjoying this request-oneshot-turned-series! I’m soooooo glad you guys are loving it cuz i’m having such a ball writing it! ❤️❤️ So anyway I think I’m gonna be doing one last part after this, cuz i have such a great way of ending it, i think but more on that later ;} (also i didn’t edit or proofread this really so sorry for grammar lol)

again, anon, if you’re out there THANK YOU for this request ❤️❤️

Part 1   Part 2   Part 4

“Helloooo? Earth to Peter…” Liz summoned Peter from his deep thoughts about what Flash could possibly try to do tonight to ‘wow you’. He jerked his head toward her, off his propped up forearm.

“Sorry,” he stammered. “What were you saying again?”

“I was just asking what you got for number four ‘cause my equation looks different from yours…” Liz looked at him with concern. “Are you okay?” she whispered.

“Hm? Yeah yeah, no yeah I’m good,” he squeaked. Crap he thought.

“Are you sure, Peter? Because you’ve been—”

“Liz, I’m fine,” he snapped. She withdrew a little, eyebrows still furrowed with worry. Peter immediately regretted speaking so sharply; he knew she was only worried and wasn’t trying to be annoying. But every time he was with her he felt guilty. He would spend the entire time in her company trying to force himself to not feel that way, or at least figure out why; but he just couldn’t.

“Okay, come on,” she grabbed ahold of Peter’s wrist firmly and led them away from their library table.

“What—where’re we going?”

Liz led them up the stairs, through the science wing, up the narrow fire escape stairway, until they finally hit open air. She leaned back on an AC unit, and even though her arms were crossed, her face was soft and expectant.

“Look, I know I’m not supposed to push and stuff if you don’t want to tell me what’s going on,” she began. “But, Peter, you gotta give me something! You have to talk to me.”

“W—What?” he stammered. “We are talking, what do you mean I don’t want to tell you what’s going on? Nothing’s going on…”

Liz cocked her head at him, “Nothing going on? Peter, you haven’t been yourself lately, and it’s making me kinda worried.”

Peter hung his head. The last time he had a conversation about him not being himself still stung potent in his mind. The last thing he wanted now was for this discussion to end up like the last one.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been myself lately,” he pleaded. “I just… honestly just… I… I don’t know what’s going on with me, like I’m trying to figure it out but I just can’t and—” Peter faltered when he saw Liz’s eyes. The worry was hidden behind a deep sadness that he didn’t even know could be seen through someone’s eyes. “What?” he shakily asked.

“I know what’s going on with you, Peter,” Liz whispered. “And I think you know it too, but you don’t want to admit it. God, this sucks,” she muttered. She glanced up, blinking rapidly, trying to put back the tears that were forming against her will. “But that’s what makes you all the more so… so… so good and this so fucking hard.”

Peter couldn’t even speak. He could feel his old friend, guilt, clawing up his stomach and latching onto his chest. He knew what was coming, and he knew why, but he didn’t want to believe it. Part of him wanted what was coming too, but not like this. No, this was going to hurt too much.

Liz took a shaky breath, “I know you haven’t been hanging around Ned and (Y/N) as much. I know you and (Y/N), had like this… this falling out kinda thing. I know you haven’t been the same since that. I know you see me differently now, even though you try so hard to fight against it and not show it, and for that, Peter, thank you. Because I know that that’s so hard to do.

“But I also know how you look at her—don’t feel guilty; you can’t help it. You know you can’t keep a secret to save your life. It’s also just one of those things no one can help or hide. I’ve seen the way you look at her, Peter. It’s okay,” she uncrossed her arms and gripped Peter’s shoulders. His eyes were welling up as well, no matter how hard he clenched his throat or bit his lip. “That way you look at her, Peter? You used to look at me just like that, when you thought I wouldn’t notice. Well, there was less sadness in your eyes then, but considering all things now…”

Peter regretted that what she was saying was true. It was every little thing that had gone through his mind these past couple weeks, but refused to truly believe. He wished it didn’t have to be like this. There had to have been some other way this could’ve played out where no one was crying, where no one was regretting anything.

The only thing he could muster out was a small, “I’m sorry…”

Liz pulled him into a hug. For the first time in weeks, this one didn’t feel empty. Peter didn’t feel distant or like he wanted it to be over so it wouldn’t feel awkward. This was a hug he didn’t want to step away from because it felt real.

“I know,” she whispered. “But I don’t want to be part of the reason you’re not happy.” They stood there, softly holding each other for what they knew was probably the last time. “I just regret not asking sooner. I can’t imagine what it must be like, carrying that around with you all this time…”

“You don’t deserve this,” Peter mumbled into her hair. He felt her exhale a chuckle.

“Yeah, but,” she pulled away, looking down, “life isn’t really about deserving, is it?”

Peter echoed her movements, anxiously twiddling his fingers as Liz began to walk back to the exit.

“Just promise me, you guys’ll both figure it out, okay?” she called back. Peter looked up at her, forcing himself to nod. Liz’s lips pursed into a bittersweet smile, and she turned and shut the door behind her, leaving a physically, mentally, and emotionally numb Peter.

Sightings of Spiderman had doubled within these last few weeks, and the crime rate dropping by nearly the same amount. Many were applauding his productivity, wondering how Queen’s local hero had become so efficient and driven lately.

But you and Ned knew why. It was his distraction. Like those Flash dates had been for you. At least Peter’s was more constant and fulfilling than just your two hours every week.

It wasn’t like the hot air balloon lunch upstate wasn’t completely distracting, or the early screening of some new movie Flash was into (seriously impressive, you had to admit). They worked, but just for a short while. And once you really thought about it, you found that you felt worse afterward than you did before. You were just reminded of how you were trying oh so hard to forget the main reason you were doing those dates in the first place. It was like how you try so hard to forget something that you end up having it come to mind more.

Once Peter and Liz ended things, it didn’t stop your pain. But it did make you realize what you were doing was pointless. So you ended it. Not like Flash cared much anyway. But why make Peter suffer anymore than he was already. He didn’t need the weight of seeing you with Flash, added on to his guilt and sadness from Liz, crushing him more. 

“So what do you wanna watch now?” Ned asked, scrolling through the menu.

“I’m cool with anything really.”

As he selected ‘Ferris Buller’s Day Off’, he passed you the popcorn bowl. “So… have you talked to Peter yet?” he tried to ask lightly and casually.

You sighed, “You know I haven’t.”

Ned turned to you, his voice dropping into a more serious tone. “I think it’s about time you guys face this head on, you know? Confront it. Confront him. Well maybe not confront him, but at least talk to him—”

“Honestly, Ned, I think I’m just gonna feel a whole lot shittier if I do that.”

“Well I can’t keep being the mediator between you two! Honestly I always feel like I have to evenly split my time between you two, running from one end of school to the other just to hang with my two best friends, who don’t even want to talk to each other!”

“You know you don’t have to do that, Ned.”

“I know but I do anyway. ‘Cause I love you guys and if I can do anything to help you guys be happy, I will! So, that’s why I’m saying you guys need to talk.”

“I don’t even know if he’s ready, you know? To talk? I mean it’s only been like what? Two weeks since, you know... That’s not that long—”

“Pretty sure he is now.”

“‘Pretty sure’?”

Ned glanced up from his phone. “Almost positive,” he assured.

You stared at the floor, contemplating whether it was worth it to or not to reopen that wound. You knew you both knew that you had hurt the other. What you didn’t know was whether you were ready to admit why. Why you were hurt in the first place, why you hurt him in return.

Suddenly the bed lurched as Ned leapt off of it, jerking you out of your head. “Sorry, I uh—,” he stumbled to shove his feet back in his shoes. “—I gotta go, I just remembered my mom set a new curfew, so… yeah.”

“What?” your brows furrowed. “Since when?”

“Since now, apparently?”

“What?”

“Sorry, (Y/N)! Enjoy Ferris Buller without me, I’ll see you Monday!” he sped out your door.

“Okay…? Bye?”

As your front door slammed shut with a loud BANG, you pulled out your phone and texted Ned to let you know when he got home. Reading the clock’s display of 10:41, you found it odd that Ned would suddenly barge out like that. You figured you could interrogate him on it back in school, so you laid back and started to scroll through your phone. As early as it was, you found yourself dozing off. Your eyes had just fluttered closed when—

*tap tap tap*

You bolted up, eyelids heavy, not sure if you had really heard it. Grabbing the remote, you shut the TV and listened again. Nothing. Beside you, your phone buzzed and you read Ned’s message.

You up still? it read.

Yeah why???? you replied.

No later had you hit the send button did you hear the window tapping again. You were sure it was real this time, and your body automatically responded faster than your mind did. Throwing the curtains back and raising the window, your heart beat up to your brain. You had no idea where this was going to take you. As you saw those fluffy brown curls amongst the scarlet and blue, your breath caught.

“Hey.”

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[welcometophu]

Not Your Destiny: Chapter 37

Marked Book 1: Not Your Destiny

Chapter 37

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Ángel sleeps through most of Saturday, waking only to eat lunch and watch a few hours of TV with Hayley before he falls asleep again. He sleeps through dinner and into Sunday morning. By the time he wakes again, breakfast is done, but Joey offers to warm up some leftover waffles and make eggs.

It feels as if Ángel’s limbs are made of rubber, so he sits in the chair and lets Joey serve him breakfast. He makes his way through a half box of waffles and a half dozen eggs, along with several rounds of brown & serve sausage, plus an entire quart of juice. When he finally slows down, his stomach is achingly full, but he feels as if he has a chance to improve once he digests it all.

“Papi, I—”

“You’re not going anywhere.” Papi sits at the kitchen table, a cold mug of coffee in front of him. He hasn’t touched it since Ángel sat down, just quietly keeping him company while he ate. “Going back to the shop on Monday is fine, but right now, you’re going to stay home and rest. Hayley’s at Tanner’s house. I’ll let them know that you’re up.”

“I can text them myself.” Ángel waves his phone. He wants to protest that Papi doesn’t need to baby him, but he also suspects that the feeling of being too weak to move might come back. He overextended himself magically, and that takes time to recoup.

He hopes someone thought to bring Helga home for him.

Ángel grabs a bag of chips before he head upstairs, so he doesn’t have to come back down in an hour when he has the munchies. He makes his bed, pulls the comforter up over the pillows to keep the crumbs away from the sheets, then leans back against the wall with his laptop on his knees. He sets up to stream a movie for background noise before he sends out a series of texts: to Hayley & Tanner, to the Mollicone group chat, and to Tony.

Are you okay? Tony’s message comes back first, and on the heels of that a message from Hayley saying that she’s coming over.

Yeah, I’m fine, Ángel replies. Papi’s keeping me here, today, though.

Zita wants us to clean up around the house. You should rest. We’re getting everything ready for the wedding before Maritsa complains more about the smoke.

Ángel smiles slightly. Is she doing better? She seemed pretty scared.

He gets back a picture of Tony looking unimpressed. You scared the shit out of all of us, Tony texts. But yes. She’s doing better. Now that I’ve heard from you, so am I. You going to rest today?

Ángel’s door creaks, and he doesn’t want to think about whether Hayley and Tanner ran from Tanner’s house to get here this quickly. They both come in, moving Ángel’s laptop and rearranging things so they all fit on the bed. Tanner takes over the stream and pumps up the volume before placing the laptop where they can all see it.

I am surrounded, Ángel sends back, along with a picture of the three of them. If I need anything, I’ll make them get it for me. I’ll be taken care of, don’t worry. And I’ll see you at the shop tomorrow.

Stay safe.

Ángel touches the screen lightly, then texts back. You, too.

“That wasn’t sappy.” Hayley giggles, burrowing against him on one side. She cuddles his arm like a stuffed animal. “Soooooo… you and Tony….”

“It’s working out?” Tanner asks.

Ángel grins, because he can talk about it. It’s a real thing, it was a date, and there’s definitely something happening. “I think so.” It’s nice to lie there with his two best friends and just relax, talking about his first date, about the movie that he saw, and the one he mostly missed.

He dozes on and off throughout the day. When he needs something, either Tanner or Hayley gets it for him, and when he finally slips into sleep in the middle of a movie, they stay with him through the night. Ángel doesn’t remember anything past mid-afternoon on Sunday, but he assumes he slept the rest of the day and night away after he’d packed away a lunch twice the size of his breakfast.

When he wakes on Monday morning, the sun is still low in the sky. Hayley is curled between him and Tanner, her head on Ángel’s shoulder with Tanner curled in tight behind her, his hand resting on Ángel’s chest.

Ángel carefully disengages, slips from the bed without waking either of them.

He showers, finally, washing out the remains of the soot and smoke smell from Friday night. Joey is waiting outside the bathroom when he finishes, arms crossed as she stands where he can’t avoid her.

“Marcos left for work already, to deal with some loose ends,” she says, and he knows she means Ronnie Hamilton and the investigation. “How are you feeling?”

“Better,” Ángel says. “Much better. I have energy. Not drained just walking down the hall to pee. Made it through a whole shower, and that’s a good thing since it’s been a while. I don’t think I’ve ever been that drained.”

“I can’t say I know exactly what it’s like,” Joey admits, “not being Talented myself. But I can make a good guess. If you’re okay, then you can head out today. But you should check in with us later—Abuela wants you home for dinner. And you should check in with your Papi, too.”

“I will.” Ángel hugs her, kisses her on the cheek. “I’ll be home for dinner, and I’ll text during the day. But right now I want to get to the shop. With Ronnie in custody, that means we should be able to start rebuilding today. And I want to be a part of that.”

“It’s become your shop, too,” Joey says quietly. She touches his cheek, and he’s reminded of being a young teen and a little lost when she came into their lives. How she helped settle them into being a family again. So he hugs her all over again, squeezing when she laughs.

“It’s become my shop, too,” he agrees. “And my family. Apparently I like cats.”

He grabs breakfast to go, and is glad to see that Helga sits outside. For a moment, Ángel thinks about texting to make sure they’re at the shop, that work is getting done today, but he doesn’t want to wait on a reply. So he tucks his travel mug into the cup holder and starts Helga up so he can head to Mollicone’s.

The place is busy when he arrives. Ángel parks on the street rather than trying to get around back, avoiding the two big, unfamiliar trucks out front. The dumpster is gone, and a crew is unloading furniture from one of the trucks, carrying it inside.

Ángel trails in after them, but Zita stops him and points to the back door, so he goes straight through, into the back lot. He pauses as soon as he gets out of the door, gestures at the two shining new tow trucks in the lot. “You got them!”

“Picked them up this morning.” Maritsa sits cross-legged on top of the cab for one truck. It’s a standard tow, while the other is a flat bed. Neither has the name of the shop on the side yet, but Gabi sits to one side with a knife and film, working on a stencil.

Cleto sorts through tools, splitting them between the boxes on the sides of the truck. Everything’s brand new. Luca avoids helping by leaning against the flat bed, his arms crossed, gesturing and directing traffic.

Tony unfolds himself from where he sits with Gabi, gets up to immediately come over and meet Ángel at the door. “You better?” he asks, palms flat against Ángel’s face, forehead leaning against his.

“Slept for most of two days and ate enough for several humans,” Ángel admits, “but yes, much better. I swear I’m still hungry.”

“Luca will go get you food,” Gabi says.

“Luca’s staying right here,” Luca counters. “Why am I the delivery boy?”

“Because you’re not doing anything.” She jabs the knife in the air. “You should make yourself useful. Feed Ángel.”

“I’m fine, I don’t need food yet.” Now that he’s here, and it’s not the middle of the night, Ángel feels awkward in front of everyone. He carefully sets one hand at the small of Tony’s back, slowly relaxing when Tony’s arm drops across his shoulder.

“It’s good to see that you two got your shit worked out,” Maritsa calls out. She throws something that looks like confetti; it rains down on the tow truck. “Ángel, I need you at the house on Thursday before the wedding. Be there by early afternoon, okay?”

“You need another usher for the wedding?” Ángel asks.

Cleto snorts softly, mutters something under his breath that only the tools hear.

Maritsa grins. “Something like that.”

“I recommend showing up before lunch,” Gabi says idly. “Maritsa’s the kind of cat who snaps and scratches when she gets anxious.” When Maritsa raises a middle finger, Gabi does the same, pressing her lips to it before she puts it in the air. “Right back at you.”

“You go back after the wedding, right?” Luca asks.

Tony’s arm tightens on his shoulders, and Ángel thinks maybe they should walk away. Talk privately. Instead, Tony leads them both back to where Gabi sits, and Ángel realizes that he’s about to get pulled into arts and crafts that leave a permanent mark on the side of these tow trucks.

When Gabi asks him to pass the smaller knife, he does. As long as she’s the one in charge; he’s already proven he’s no artist.

“We’ll start driving back on Saturday,” Ángel says. “Classes start a week after we get back, but we both have things we were supposed to do over break that we didn’t do yet.”

“Do they let you back in your dorms?” Gabi doesn’t look up from her work.

“We already signed up to be there over break, working, so yeah.” Ángel draws his knees up, loops his arms around them. He leans slightly to the side, feeling the warmth and weight of Tony sitting silently beside him. “It’s going to be weird being back at PHU after this.”

“Cold,” Luca says, and Ángel laughs.

“Yeah, definitely cold.” Last he knew it was freezing up north, and that’s what he’s come to expect. Maybe some snow. Hopefully not another major ice storm.

“You were fine the last time you walked away.” Cleto’s voice is low. Dark. It doesn’t hold any of the teasing that the others do, and feels like the tail end of the argument they never quite had that first day after Helga broke down.

“I’m not leaving forever,” Ángel says. “I’ll be back in the summer. Gabi already plans to put me on the schedule.”

“We’re going to need help then, considering.” Gabi puts the finishing touches on the stencil, holds it up. The lettering looks perfect, to Ángel’s untrained eyes. She hands it to Tony, who takes it over to the truck and carefully starts taping it in place on the door.

“Considering what?” Ángel looks up at Maritsa, frowning. “You aren’t planning on getting pregnant, Maritsa, are you?”

Her mouth drops open, and she mimes throwing something at him. “No, God no. Don’t even say that where God can hear it, Ángel. I’m not planning on having kids for a long time.”

“Eventually,” Cleto says. “We’ve got things to do first.”

“Like Cleto getting his degree in business and maybe opening up another shop for Mollicone’s. We could split body work and repair,” Gabi says idly. She spins the knife in her hand, stabs it into the roll of tape that sits near her knee. “There are cousins coming up who’ll be ready to work here, soon. They’ve been learning. And if we get them trained up, by the time Cleto and I open up the other shop, they’ll take over here with Luca and Tony. But it’s two years if all we want is an associate’s degree, and four years for a bachelor’s. So. We’re starting this summer.”

“That’s awesome.” Ángel’s grinning, and he wants to get up and hug them both, but Cleto raises an eyebrow like he knows what Ángel’s thinking, so he stays put. He does poke Gabi with his toe, and she grins back at him, her eyes crinkling.

When he leans forward and rubs the top of her head, she closes her eyebrows and purrs.

A soft growl, and Luca coughs.

“It’s not like I could steal him from you anyway,” Gabi mutters, pushing good-naturedly at Ángel.

“I thought you didn’t want to go to school,” Ángel says, looking over at Cleto, who shrugs one shoulder in response.

“Didn’t. But I want the shop, and I want to know how to do the books right, and how to stay on track,” Cleto says. “I’ve got some ideas, things I want to look into. Things I can learn, not just business, so I figure I’ll go.”

“It sounds… useful.” Ángel makes a small, rueful sound. “What I’m majoring in probably isn’t as useful. I mean, it’s not hands on, not like this.” He pats the ground. “It’s like having two different lives. There’s this, where I get covered in oil and help rebuild engines, and then there’s PHU, where I’m majoring Magical Studies, and minoring in Chemistry, and I might learn how not to blow things up.” He glances around at them: five cats at work and play. “I’m thinking I should do my thesis on rare and unique Talents, like Emerson, or the Lince. Or maybe the way some Talents intersect.”

Luca wiggles his eyebrows, smirks. “If you want to write about us, you’re going to have to spend a lot of time studying us.”

Ángel licks his lips, glances over at where Tony is taping neatly around the stencil to protect the door. “Yeah,” he says softly. “Not exactly a hardship.”

The backdoor opens, and Tony freezes, nostrils flaring. Ángel already knows what he’ll see, but he turns around anyway, pushing to his feet so he can get in front of Tony before Tony stalks over. He gets an arm around his center, knows he only stops him because Tony is willing to be stopped.

“What are you doing here?” Tony asks, a low growl underlining his words.

“Ronnie’s been fired,” Daphne says. Her arms are crossed, her eye makeup smudged. Her cheeks are rosy red, flushed, while her eyes are rimmed and swollen. Her blouse is tucked in, but not neat, and her heels have been replaced by simple flats. She uncrosses her arms, tugs her skirt and smoothes it while Ángel looks at her, then crosses her arms again as if that can be a barrier against them.

“Good,” Gabi hisses. “He deserved it.”

Daphne swallows hard, her shoulders shaking. “I know.” She inhales, holds it while she rubs at her eyes, then lowers her hand again. Her fingers are curled into a fist, her body tense. “We could have been good, Tony,” she says sadly.

There’s a soft growl, and when Luca snorts, Ángel realizes it’s him. He cuts off the sound, face heating.

“We haven’t been good for a long time, Daphne.”

“My brother doesn’t dictate my beliefs,” Daphne insists. “I’m not like him. I don’t think you’re a demon, and I don’t want to see you dead.”

“But you don’t want to be a cat, either,” Luca points out. Cleto knocks into him, and Luca goes silent.

“You don’t want to be a cat,” Tony says flatly, and Daphne’s gaze drops. “I mean it, we haven’t been good for a long time, Daph. Your brother’s an asshole, and I hope he’s going away for the rest of his life for what he did to us, and what he did to our parents.” When Daphne raises her gaze, startled and wide-eyed, Tony nods. “The investigation is reopened, and your brother’s a suspect.”

She licks her lips, looks at a point past Tony. “I’m sorry.”

The words fall flat between them, and no one responds.

Daphne lets out a slow, shuddering breath. “This is it, then, Tony. We’re done. For good.”

A small sound from Luca, stopped when Cleto claps a hand over his mouth.

Tony takes a step, and Ángel tugs, trying to stop him. “It’s okay,” Tony says quietly. Ángel lets him go, watches as he crosses the distance to Daphne and stands there, just beyond her reach.

“It’s not just that Ronnie hurt us,” Tony says quietly. His arms are crossed, his stance broad. It’s not armor for him, it’s standing there like a tank, ready to roll if she gives offense. “You hurt me, Daphne. We’ve been over. You can’t break up with me, when I’ve already broken up with you. All you can do is deal with it. Move on.” He lets the words sit there for a moment, and just as she’s about to respond, he repeats, “Move on. I already have.”

Her mouth opens slightly, then snaps closed. Chin lifting, she takes a step back. “Fine. We’re done,” she says, as if she has any control over the situation. She turns on her heel, stalks off, stride stiff and proud.

Sounds of a scuffle, and Luca elbows Cleto roughly to get free of his hold. “So,” Luca says. “Now that you’ve both broken up with each other officially, does that mean we don’t have to see her anymore?”

She left the door open, and Tony closes it with a soft thunk. “It’s definitely over. More than over. Ángel, do you want to—” He cuts off as the door opens again, slamming into him. “Zita!”

“I’ve got smocks,” she says, and motions inside. “Come on, there’s work to do. The furniture is loaded in the office, the framing and drywall are finished in the new locker room—they worked hard this weekend. I’ve got the paint and a ton of brushes, and you all have a lot of work to do. So get in here and start working.”

“What if we’re hungry?” Luca asks. “Because Ángel was hungry.”

Luca manages to look like innocent as he says it, but he smirks when Ángel shoots him a look.

Zita swats at Luca on his way by. “Then I’ll feed you dinner, but it doesn’t get you out of work right now. Come on, we’ve got a lot to do to get this place ready by the time we go home Wednesday night, because we all know none of us are going to be here Thursday or Friday. Which means, we have to be good to go before then. Let’s get to work.”

Tony lingers, and Ángel waits until everyone else is inside. Tony holds the door open, but Ángel steps up to him instead, moves Tony’s hand so the door swings shut. He doubts that it’s actual privacy, not with cat ears likely pricked to hear their conversation, but it’s at least a statement asking for it.

“Were you going to ask me on another date?” Ángel asks.

“Before my sister got in the way?” Tony asks dryly, rolling his eyes. “Yes, I was.”

“I think you’ll just have to save that thought until after the wedding.”

“The wedding will be a date,” Tony points out. “You’ll be there, I’ll be there. It should count.”

Ángel thinks about the fact that it’s a wedding, and that there’s a complicated ceremony later in which Emerson’s going to somehow Emerge a second time and become Lince. “I think it’s more than just a date.”

“It can still be a date for us,” Tony says, and honestly, why should Ángel stand in his way?

Ángel nods, gets his arms around Tony. “Fine. It’ll be a date.” And he seals the problem with a kiss.

Zita’s voice is distant, echoing off of the empty walls inside the shop. “Get to work!”

Ángel laughs, flushes. Tony opens the door, and they go in.

[ Previous | First | Next ]

[nymph-net]

ISSA STORYTIME

 Hey y’all it’s yah boy yung dumbfuck back at it again with the bad decision making skills. I’m here to entertain y’all with another absence of any common sense or home training. This story ima spill tea on the time I was the weekend bitch! Mhmm I was living the side chick life like SZA and unknowingly had a time share with another girl. Now without further ado, let’s make it do what it do.

Before we even get into the actual story y’all just gotta know the dude was ugly and white. There, I said it bitch. He was ugly as fuck and smelled like corn chips and feet. Don’t judge me I was in high school and desperate for any male attention because I was insecure in my blackness at the time. That being said, let’s get on with it. The first part of the story takes place Halloween of my junior year of high school. Now this was when I reeaaaally wasn’t feeling myself and felt insecure because I ain’t like my baby faced ass smh. My friends and I had been planning a small get together on Halloween because niggas needed to get lit after dealing with the stress of the school week. Now I wasn’t even supposed to be doing that because I was already grounded for getting alcohol poisoning at homecoming the previous weekend (a different story for a different day lmao). But since we had a half day I had more than enough time to beat my mom home. Anyway we knew this gross senior boy who we gon call Patrick Star that absolutely had no friends in his own grade, and because he was desperate for friends he would literally let us throw parties in house and give us free alcohol. White people are wild like that. So my best friend Kelendria, her girlfriend Queen Latifah, and her friend who we’re gonna call Basura, headed to Patrick’s house after school and just got drunk out of our minds. I don’t know how it happened but we were playing truth or dare, then Patrick and Basura started randomly making out. Nobody dared them to either.....they just started kissing out of nowhere which was weird af? But my trade hungry ass at the time was like

Oooohh, so we got some undercover dick munchers in the house? Bitch it was a snack wrap from that moment. His fate was sealed and that dick was mine. After Patrick gets done sucking Basura’s face, he puts his arms out to Kelendria and says “Kiss meeeeee” drunk ass sounding like the skeleton mom from spongebob that was like “i hate chocolate”. Kelendria just looks at him, takes a shot, and is like “If you touch me I will pull your nasty ass foreskin over your face and choke you with it, try me”. Being the gross teenage boy he is, he somehow takes that as the go ahead and tries to kiss her. So Kelendria and her girlfriend start legit beating his ass. It’s ok tho we used to fight for fun while we were drunk all the time so no one was shook. I took this opportunity and led Basura upstairs to this room in the attic and locked it. My fast gon jump straight to the point and say “Do you want me to suck your dick?” smh I was really bout that hoe life back in the day. Of course Basura was like hell yeah nigga (he aint say nigga, trust) so I pushed him back onto the bed and started unzipping his pants. I’m giving all these sexy faces and serving nothing but pout hunty, and I can tell he’s living for it. I finally pull his pants down and bitch.......my face.......

NIGGA WHERE THE REST OF THE DICK AT??? Put that fraudulent shit back and give me the real thing bitch! That shit was literally no bigger than my middle finger I was soooooo maaaaad. I was so hurt I went through all the emotions of Lemonade in that one moment. And to top it off, TO TOP IT TF OFF, this boy says as a direct quote “I’m sorry it’s small”. This nigga did not just apologize to me for his dick being small omfggggg. Don’t get me wrong tho I still sucked that dick for points. I know, I wasn’t a fraction of shit back then. Sue me bitch. Now that’s all ima say on that event because this already tew much. Skip to the Monday after and I’m at rehearsal for my school’s musical and my loud mouth ass friend walks up to me and says “You gave Basura head?!”. I just looked at that hoe and blinked. Like shut up bitch, number one why you so loud??? Number two, how tf do YOU know? They go on to tell me that Basura been running his mouth. Immediately i dropped what I was doing and was like whelp I guess this the day I get expelled. My friend was like “Nooo don’t fight violence is blah blah blah” I just pushed that hoe out my way and kept looking for him since school had only just let out. Now that snake ass bitch texted him as soon as I left and told him to run, so I never caught him that day. However the next day before classes start, I head straight to that micro phallus dick nigga’s locker. That snake ass friend is trailing behind me talmbout some “You need to plan what you’re gonna say, we need to avoid conflict” I turned around and looked that hoe straight in the face

Wtf do you mean “we” bitch, you speak French??  So I go to his locker and slam that shit shut while he’s taking his books out. He looks at me and he knows he done fucked up. Now this nigga was lucky, because I’m bout my grades and my personal record, so I wasn’t gonna touch him during school. I just put it bluntly “If I catch you telling anyone else about what happened I’m beat the shit out of you”. Don’t get me fucked up now, being gay don’t mean shit I’m from 16th street in DC, ask about it. I’ll still whoop that ass like you’re my child. I walk away after that cause I don’t need to hear shit that nigga got to say. I had him so shook we ain’t speak for the rest of that school year. Now the rest of the story takes place my senior year of high school. I came back after summer break looking all types of golden and delicious. I got a lil more fit and started to dress to gag, so the trade was coming out of the wood works to holla at me. It had been almost an entire year so I’d forgotten about the shit tbh. Every lunch period my friends and I used to sit outside, so one day while I was coming in at the beginning of 5th period, Basura approaches me for the first time since I threatened to stomp him out. I’m just like hey lol. We talk for a little bit and out of nowhere he asks me “Do you wanna go on a date this weekend?” Being who I am it takes a lot to get me shook, and bitch, I was shook.

I had never been asked on a date before, it was really sweet and flattering. So I said no. I was not going on my first date with this trash ass nigga. But then I was like we could hang out and he can buy me starbucks. And because I have yet to meet any nigga dumb enough to tell me no, we do just that lol. Nothing noteworthy or memorable happens when we hangout, it’s dry af but we keep talking afterwards. Because my ass was a naive high schooler and lonely, I got low key attached to ole dude smh. But after a little while he started acting funny. He’d cancel on me frequently, go ghost for days at a time, and hide his phone from my view, which was weird because that wasn’t even my man. Eventually one day I’m hanging with my friend Sausage during lunch, and her messy ass casually mentions that she was reading this girl named Elbow’s tweet storm online about how her boyfriend’s been neglecting her to spend time with a gay dude. Of course I was like yaaass lemme catch the tea gorl! So I’m reading the tweets on her phone, and some things start to add up in my mind.....this girl was shading ME

Sausage was like “I didn’t know how to tell you but she’s been talking mad shit about you”. I was like oooooooohhhh word?? I was literally at a lost for words because....I have no idea who you are, like what even is your name sis? People can say whatever they want about me idc, but broadcasting about me on social media hoe? Now das a done deal. So I was like cute, we gon roll up on this fathead queef tomorrow during lunch. Of course Sausage was like “yas bitch lets do it I wanna stomp that trick”, messy ass. Lol they were friends too, she just really ain’t like her. The entire time until the next day my drakemotional ass is sitting aggy af, because I know damn I can’t pick a fight with this girl and let Sausage beat her ass. I mean I was still gonna read her for speaking on me like a reckless hoe, but neither one of us were in the wrong. Basura was the dusty shrimp dick bitch who was stringing both of us along. I was really in class about to bust out singing Love Galore because nigga....you know you know better. I felt like a whole dumb ass letting this ugly mediocre white boy stunt on me because I gave him a little bit of clout. Smh I was so over myself but I had to keep up my bad bitch facade.

So I leave campus the next day during lunch and Sausage texts me to tell me she’s sitting in Whole Foods with Elbow. Yes y’all, I turnt up on a white girl in a Whole Foods cafe smfh. I really used to be that bitch. I enter the cafe lobby area where they’re both sitting and working on their homework. Elbow looks up and she’s immediately quaking in her ugg boots, she knew I was there for wigs. Sausage messy behind is just sitting next to her eating her grapes like the messy bitch she is. Before I scalp her, I give sis a chance to explain herself and take the high road out, because I’m mature like dat. The entire time she speaks she doesn’t look me in my eyes once. Tragic. She goes onto say “Well he was my boyfriend first” and talks about how I’m “getting in the way”. And that’s where I had to cut the mf tape. I’m.....in the way? You’re DL ass boyfriend is cheating on you, and I’M the problem??? It was time to drag. So I gave it to her straight no chaser “He may have been your boyfriend first, but he’s been my daycare for a while because that nigga’s guts have been taking care of my kids. Have a nice day sis” and left. I said a lot of worse shit but y’all don’t need to know how shitty I was back then lmao. The entire time Sausage messy ass kiki’d and got her life laughing in her “friends” face smh. After that I called Basura and told that bitch he can kick rocks and if he ever speaks my name again, it’s hands on sight. Sausage asked if I wanted to hang out after that but I said nah and skipped the rest of school that day. I got my black ass on the train and rode it back and forth to both ends of the line listening to No More Drama by Mary J. Blige the entire time. Lmaooo I was a mess

I was just emotional because Basura was the very first boy I had ever given the time of day and that bitch said he was gonna take me to homecoming and everything smh. Obviously he wasn’t because I was just the side chick. I really was the weekend y’all. hE probably ain’t even like me as a person, I was just a fine ass black boy for him to fetishize in private. I still never spoke to him again up to this very day. As for Elbow, I actually reached out to her before we graduated and squashed the beef. Because while she was wrong for shit talking me and blaming me for her man’s infidelity, I ain’t have to drag her to the astral plain and back in front of a store of people. But that’s why you don’t start shit with me, because I’ll make sure I finish it. We’re actually pretty good friends now, I just went to a party at her house a few weeks ago it was fun lol. So what lesson have we learned this time children? Men ain’t shit, don’t be a hoe for just anyone, know yah worth, don’t act a fool in Whole Foods, and most importantly; don’t trust white people.

[shrugsandshots]

19/365

1/19/19

I think blues twitter needs a Xanax. Or a time out. Or both. 🤣🤣 I canttttttt! I didn’t even watch the game cause I was working and the first tweet I see when finally opening twitter was someone bitching and blaming for one of the Sen’s goals. Really? I already ranted on twitter so I’m not going off here too, but like... we won tonight. I get being frustrated with players and certain things that happen during games and expressing that. It’s just the constant negativity and blaming every single fucking game that is getting almost unbearable. 

Blues twitter shouldn’t be this bad. Like, yeah we all complain and bitch, especially this season, but it’s getting old. You can’t do a damn thing about it so what good does telling twitter whatever player is a piece of shit over and over going to do? Nothing. Except get yourself more pissed off and get everyone else all pissed off and start some bullshit drama. We’re all ADULTS! Fuckkkkk me!

Ok. I wasn’t trying to make this a hate filled update but here we are 😅.

ANYWAY, work was a shitshow tonight. 3 call offs. Thankfully it was a “no fucks Saturday,” and we just got thru it and called it a night. I’m working an overnight inventory tomorrow so that’ll be nice. I’m off Monday then another inventory Tuesday and off Wednesday. I’m not at my own store again until Thursday. I’m nervous as to what I’m going to come back to tbh. Oh well, I can only do so much I suppose.

So there’s not much else to really mention about today. Work and blues twitter making my life stressful. Soooooo the usual! Yikes.

[andrea-odown]

Lessons in Love - Chapter 26

A Sing (2016)-fanfic. Sequel to my story “Keep on Singing”.

Read it on FF.Net and AO3.

Description: After their kiss on stage there’s still so much to figure out for Johnny and Cia. None of them has been in a relationship before, after all.

Chapter 26: Cia

Cia feels something between a laugh bubbling in her chest and a sound of relief tickling her tongue, and in the end, she ends up staring at Ash with a dropped jaw when she hears the news. For a few moments her mouth refuses to close, refuses to form words, but when it’s finally working again, she laughs a little laugh of relief before she congratulates Ash and Lance.

With a smile and another shake of her head in disbelief - she’s done this at least ten times this evening - she climbs into the truck and settles down on the passenger seat.

Really, how could she’ve been so dumb! It was right there all the time, right before her eyes, yet she didn’t see it!

Ash is pregnant!

The passing out, the throwing up in the morning, the not-being-well - it should have been so obvious, yet no one got it. Not even Rosita, and Rosita should know a thing or two about pregnancies. So that even she missed the obvious makes Cia feel a little less dumb. But still.

Cia shakes her head again, laughing a little.

But then she realizes something else. And it’s a little off.

Johnny is unusually quiet.

She turns her head to look at her boyfriend.

Johnny is keeping his eyes on the street. That’s not unusual. Johnny always takes driving seriously which Cia thinks is a good thing.

What is unusual is the little frown crinkling his forehead.

What is unusual is that he’s not smiling.

After worrying about Ash so much, about hearing the good news, Cia expected him to be grinning like an idiot.

Yes, he was smiling at the party now that Cia’s is thinking of it, but why isn’t he smiling now?

And even more importantly, why isn’t he talking?

Shouldn’t they be talking about what happened now? Shouldn’t they be laughing about how dumb they were?

Cia bites down on her bottom lip.

“You okay?” she finally asks.

Johnny jumps a little, his eyes widening for a second.

“Yeah, sure!” he replies quickly.

“You sure?”

“Yes! Why wouldn’t I be? I mean Ash is fine, in fact, she’s better than fine, she’s pregnant, and that’s great! Really, it’s awesome!”

Cia isn’t buying it. He’s talking too quickly, and there’s something in his voice that seems a little off. Besides, he’s still frowning.

“Because you aren’t smiling,” Cia says.

Johnny’s eyes widen again for a second, and then the corner of his mouth Cia can see moves up a little, but it doesn’t look like a real smile.

“Johnny.”

“Yes?” he replies, and the corner of his mouth moves up a little more.

“I’m not buying it,” she tells him.

A few moments pass, then Johnny lets out a sigh, and the fake smile disappears from his face.

Cia waits for him to say something, but Johnny just keeps staring at the street with a frown.

“Mind telling me what’s going on?” she asks.

“I’m not sure I should…”

Cia lowers her eyes. Sure, she can’t force him to tell her, but seeing him like this after such great news is worrying her.

“You don’t have to,” she says as she looks up again. “But if it is upsetting you that much, maybe it could help?”

Johnny lets out another sigh. “But you have to promise me you won’t tell anyone, not even Ash, okay?”

“I promise!”

“Okay.” Johnny takes a deep breath. “Lance asked me to help him with something a few days ago.”

“Something?” Cia repeats.

“Yeah, with an … with an engagement bracelet for Ash,” Johnny goes on. “He wanted to ask her to marry him this evening.”

“Oh.” Everything clicks together in Cia’s brain. “And then Ash held her little ‘speech’ on marriage and free spirits.”

“Yeah.” Johnny nods.

“Wow,” Cia says. “This … this is … wow! Poor Lance!”

“Yeah,” Johnny says again.

Cia mulls over the news.

“So what are you going to do now?” she asks.

“Me?”

“Yeah,” Cia affirms. “Are you going to tell Ash?”

“I don’t think I can,” Johnny says as he stops the truck in front of Cia’s apartment building. “I promised Lance not to tell anyone.”

Cia mulls about it a bit more, closing her eyes to be able to concentrate better. She wants to do something to help Johnny. He’s so upset about this! And she wants to help Lance, too.

There must be a way. There has to be a way!

“Well, the way I see it,” she begins to form her thoughts into words, “you promised not to tell anyone before this evening. You promised not to tell anyone that Lance wants to ask Ash to marry him, but you didn’t promise to tell anyone that Lance wanted to ask Ash to marry him because we can’t tell for sure he still wants to ask her.”

When she opens her eyes again and turns to look at Johnny she finds him looking at her with wide eyes.

“What?” she asks with a little laugh.

“I love how your brain works!”

She laughs a little more at his words, then shrugs. “It’s all a matter of interpretation.”

“I guess,” Johnny replies.

“So?” she asks. “Are you going to talk to Ash?”

“I’m meeting her for lunch tomorrow anyway,” he says. “We wanted to talk a bit about the work on her new album. She thinks of doing a duet with me.”

“That’s a good idea!” Cia calls out. She loves Johnny’s singing, of course, but she loves Ash’s just as much, and she could totally see them doing duet together. It’d be amazing! “And then you’re going to tell her?”

Johnny shrugs. “Maybe.”

Cia smiles at Johnny, but he can’t see it. He has his eyes lowered and the little frown is back on his forehead. He’s probably thinking about what to say to Ash.

Cia decides that it’s time to get his mind off this.

“Soooooo,” she drawls as she leans in a little closer, her smile turning into a smirk, “you said you love how my brain works.”

Johnny looks up at her, his eyes a little wide with surprise. “Yeah.”

“What about the rest of me?” Cia goes on, leaning in even closer. “Do you love how the rest of me works, too?”

“Yeah,” Johnny says again. “I do.”

“Mind showing me?”

Now it’s Johnny turns to smile and he bridges the little distance left between them to press his lips to hers, immediately letting his tongue glide into her mouth, stroking, teasing, playing with her own tongue in a way that makes her heart beat faster in her chest.

When he breaks the kiss, it takes Cia a few moments to catch her breath and to bring that smirk back to her mouth.

“I am … not convinced,” she says although her hammering heart is putting the lie to her words and opens the passenger door, not to mention that Johnny raises a brow at that.

But before she climbs out of the truck she looks back at Johnny. “Maybe you’ll have to try a little harder,” she adds with a little wink.

She closes the door and walks up to the apartment building.

She only manages a few steps before she hears another car door being shut followed by some really quick steps. Next thing she knows is Johnny grabbing her hand and dragging her with him as he rushes to her apartment.

Cia has this strong feeling that they aren’t going to make it to the bedroom tonight.

On Monday morning Cia is back at the office. She wants to get as much work done as possible because Ms. Crawly is going to be back at work soon. And she’s going to need a walking stick even though she can dump the crutches in a few days. So Cia wants to make sure that the old lady doesn’t have to leave her desk too often.

Cia is going to be around at the beginning, too, but then, she really needs to get some work done on the new play. She really has to catch up on that. The office work somehow kept her from doing it. And the other things that happened.

She had planned on working on the play on the weekend, but after the news on Friday - both Ash’s news of being pregnant and Johnny’s news that Lance wanted to ask her to marry him - she somehow was thinking too much about that than the scene she had planned to work on.

Okay, it had been more because of Johnny’s news. Cia spent most of the time on Saturday when Johnny met up with Ash trying to write - and not getting anything done.

And then Johnny came home and all that she got out of him was that yes, he had talked to Ash and that she’d been surprised and thoughtful. He didn’t say if Ash was going to talk to Lance and if she was going to say yes if he asked her again or if she still insisted on them being free spirits.

It made Cia so mad! She wanted to know more! She needed to know more, and she was this close to send Ash a text.

A good thing Johnny decided to take her mind off things back then. And most of Sunday.

Cia still wants to know what Ash is going to do, but the good thing is that she can keep herself busy with office work now. And when that fails she thinks of Johnny taking her mind off things on the weekend. It makes her grin like an idiot, but she doesn’t mind. Not one bit. She only has to tone it down when there’s a chance someone might catch her grinning like that.

She checks Mr. Moon’s schedule for the day and realizes he isn’t going to be back too soon. He’s having lunch with Nana Noodleman and that always takes a little longer.

It’s the moment Cia ponders if she should go down to the rehearsal rooms and check if Ash is around. But she probably isn’t. She’s probably having a doctor’s appointment or taking it easy or thinking about Lance’s proposal or… Argh!

Think of what Johnny did yesterday during lunch! Come on, Cia, you can do it! There you go! That was good, so very good, wasn’t it?

And then the door to the office opens and Ash steps in.

“Hello, Cia! Is Mr. Moon around?” she asks.

Cia manages to tone down her grin just in time, but not so much when she realizes that Ash is here and that now she can ask Ash herself. Well, not really. She isn’t supposed to know anything. That makes her grin fade a little again.

“I’m sorry, Ash,” she says. “He’s having lunch with Nana Noodleman. That’s going to take a while. Should I get you when he’s back?”

“Yeah, that’d be great,” Ash replies.

And then the grin is back on Cia’s face when she sets eyes on something on Ash’s wrist, something silver and glittering.

“Is that an engagement bracelet!?” she asks a little too loudly.

Ash looks from her at her bracelet.

“Yeah, it is,” the porcupine says with a shrug before she turns back to Cia. “And thanks for the normal reaction, Cia. My ears are still ringing from the shriek Rosita made when she saw it.”

“So, Lance asked you to marry him?” Cia asks.

“No, it was Johnny during our lunch on Saturday. Didn’t he tell you?”

Cia feels a little pang in her heart. What?

And then Ash bursts into laughter.

“That was a joke, Cia!” she calls out. “You should have seen your face!”

“Yeah, haha, very funny,” Cia replies.

“Sorry,” Ash says with a grin. “Couldn’t resist.”

“Haha,” Cia says again.

She looks at Ash a little more closely. Her eyes are sparkling and Cia can’t help, but think that it’s not only from laughing so much.

“And there I thought you were a free spirit,” Cia says with a wink.

“I’ve always been a rebel!” Ash replies with a little laugh. “Told Lance the same thing when he was staring at me with big eyes when I said yes.”

“So, when’s the big day?”

“Soon,” Ash says. “We want to get it over with before the whole being young parents-madness begins, and I want to fit in a nice dress, so we’re running out of time.”

And there is the rebel Ash, again, Cia realizes, speaking of getting it over with instead of getting married. It makes her smile a little more.

“I get it you just want a small ceremony?”

“Yeah, registry office, some friends, that’s all.”

“A white dress?”

Ash blows a raspberry. “Of course not! Me? Wearing white? Come on!”

“It could definitely do a little damage to your rebel-image,” Cia says with a chuckle.

“Thank you!” Ash replies. “Rosita didn’t get that!”

“Bridal shower?”

Instead of a reply, Ash laughs, waves at Cia and leaves the office again.

Cia assumes that this meant no.

[celiocian-blog]

And How’s Your Monday Going?

I told you people I would write. Here’s this POS I wrote for a contest for school.

You know, I’m not a fan of people. They can be a real bunch of bastards. Going around killing, stealing, breaking hearts. I know what you’re thinking - one of these things is not like the other. But it is just as serious. When a heart shatters, that’s all a person can think about for at least a solid week. How you want the one that did it to suffer as much as you, how you want them completely obliterated from the face of the planet…

Breakups are hard. Emotions are painful. And people strive to destroy your emotions, every last ounce of humanity a person may have. And yet, it is still a human pastime. Why? We still don’t know. Humans are cruel beings. And I want the heart of the man that did it-

Well. Ain’t that a load of shit. Sure, I agree with the people info, but goddamn, quit listening to the classical music while you type. You’re gonna die of a busted heart from somebody that didn’t even exist. Creepy freak.

I sat up from lounging across my couch, or at least tried my hardest to. Thing was sinking bad, but what can you do? Being a bachelor isn’t a life of glitz and gold. And glitter. I think glitter should be in that sentence too. It’s sparkly and all that jazz. At least I have time to read, if you call that depressing dreck a piece of literature. Either way, I snapped the book shut and tossed it halfway across the room, barely missing the cat.

Sorry, Sinbad. But you shouldn't be in the center of the room. Quit licking your ass while you’re at it.

I hopped up and brought my arms into the air, bending my back backwards in a lackluster attempt to remove the kinks from my spinal column. Nearly freaking snapped my spine at the sudden damn car horn, though. Mofos need to learn to drive in this damned city, don’t want a Buick driving through the front wall.

I tossed my old shirt that I slept in across the room and made a lazy beeline towards my bedroom, in other words, my closet. Not much was bound to be in there, though. Probably needed to do laundry - shit kept popping up all the damn time. The very fact that I had any work-acceptable dress shirts was in and of itself a miracle gracing the face of the planet.

To be honest, dress shirts and khakis with ties are some of the plainest shit known to man. Seriously, at least let us wear jeans or something, goddamn. And the ties, God, the ties, those freaking fashionable nooses. And I have to do this all in the god-forsaken morning, you fucking asshole boss.

Okay, maybe he’s not too big an asshole, but still. He makes us get up in the morning. But he did give me that raise… And the whole living situation thing… But still! Morning!

Okay, scratch that. I just complain about a lot of shit. Mornings included. Goddamn, do I hate mornings.

After a few select curses, I eventually find those ugly ass pants and pull them on, moaning and groaning the entire time that I do. It’s cold in the room, which means these nuthuggers are just as freakin' cold. Then again, it’s New York in late November. What else is to be expected? I guess this means I need to invest in a better trenchcoat for the the winter season. Or a parka. Just something warmer than the piece of cloth I have now.

I feel kinda guilty turning the heat on in the apartment. It’s technically not mine, after all. Then whose is it, you ask? My boss’s. Soooooo… Yeah. Not an asshole. Needed a place to stay post-divorce and he offered up his apartment for when he had late nights. Nice and fully furnished at least, but it’s creepy sleeping in my boss’s bed. Hence the couch.

After a whirlwind of clothes and tripping over random shit, I finally began my trek to work. Pros of being in this apartment: close to work. Cons: close to work. Well, could be worse. Like I said, my boss is nice and my coworkers are the same for the most part. I’m head of IT so I have to deal with stupidity a lot, but most everyone is pretty competent. Mostly.

Grabbing my phone before heading out probably would’ve been a mistake if not for the fact that I desperately needed it. Apparently, some freaking person decided to call and leave a voicemail! Who the fuck does that anymore? Does anyone even remember their voicemail password besides me? I think not!

Popping in the quadruple digit code brought me to the box itself. “You have one new message from Neil.” Neil? Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck. If there was anyone’s voice I didn’t want to hear, it was Neil’s. He was probably still aiming to take all my money and my video games and my cat and by god, I was not going to let that happen.

Manning up the best I could, I pressed the button to listen to the message. Maybe he decided to be civil. “Hey, Baxter, I need to talk to you. Just some stuff here that I figured you might like that I think you left by accident. A few books, a picture or two. Your rings are still here, too. Maybe we could meet up for coffee at that place you like and talk about it.”

He was quiet for a moment, probably trying to think of some way to lure me back to him. “Anyway, um, I hope you’re doing well. The flat’s pretty quiet without you and Sinbad.” He laughed softly, in that way that made me melt when I was still naive. “I still love you. If you ever want t0 think about getting back together, I’m here-”

I hung up and quickly deleted the message, giving myself a moment to catch my breath. There was no way in hell that I would be going back to that ass, not after everything he did to me these past three years. I was done with him. I swallowed down what little ounce of a panic attack that was trying to creep its way in and left the apartment.

Having been raised New York, hiking through snow is an easy yet still interesting thing to do. Boots are your friend and you should always hunch forwards to move your center of gravity. Make sure to make a pissed off face, too, to get everyone out of your way. It scares people and makes them more intimated. I’ve since mastered this fine art of resting bitch face-ery, especially today after that fucking moment dealing with fuck his face Neil. At least, I thought I had mastered it, but the guy I bumped into, whoo boy. He really took the cake.

Imagine as pretty a face a man can have - full pouty lips, long eyelashes, dark blue eyes that nearly fucking pierced into your soul… And the most annoyed scowl I had ever seen in my life. Like, parts of the guy’s face looked mid twenties, others looked pushing on thirty. He stood in front of my office building, tip tap typing away on his cell phone like a goddamn teenage girl and scaring people off with the RBF that only the gods could have granted. Bet he was a prick to talk to.

I made very sure to whistle the Kill Bill whistle as I walked into the building. By god, I was going to make Mr. Shit Face aware of his own existence to everyone around him. Only, I guess I didn’t expect him to follow after me inside. Was he gonna kill me? Shit, maybe the whistle really was a bad idea. If I get murdered, I’m gonna be pissed.

I resisted the urge to spin a few times through the revolving doors before being met with the way too fancy lobby. This was supposed to be a charity, right? Especially those fancy-ass elevators which I made a bee-line for, immediately forgetting the whistle… Only for it to be slammed shut in front of me. Stairs it is, but hey, maybe the excruciating pain in my legs will null out the excruciating pain in my heart.

I turned the corner around the elevator and found the rarely used stairs door. I mean, seriously people. Why do stairwells all look the same? All concrete and bland and prison-slash-highschool looking. I scowled to myself and began making my way up, trying desperately to not trip while walking up the stairs.

Okay, he was following me to and up the stairs. Maybe I should’ve taken the elevator today, after all. Still not too skippy of this guy stalking after me as if he was going to kill me. Both of us up two floors, three floors, four floors. What the fuck? The hell is this guy trying to do? I really wasn’t entertained with the idea of the last person’s voice I had listened to being Neil’s.

I scrambled through the door that led to my floor and this FUCK was still following me! Goddammit, time to man up twice in one day! I spun around to him as he walked through and stared him down (awkwardly, yet literally… he was a couple inches shorter than me). “H-Hey! You got a bone to pick with me or something?”

He blinked and tilted his head to the side an inch, causing a dark lock of curly hair to fall. Wait, don’t tell me I jumped to conclusions. Oh shit oh shit oh shit. “Pardon?”

Wait, what? Was he seriously not going after me? Did I really just jump to conclusions? Maybe this divorce was getting to me head… Goddammit, was that a blush coming to my cheeks and I am not a smart man. “You were following me! What do you want from me?!”

He kept on with the owl-eyed stare before slowly shaking his head, his lips curling into a tiny smile. Goddammit, I did jump to conclusions. Fuck me sideways-

Aaaaaaand he’s gone crazy. Interrupting me from my mental scolding was him suddenly bursting out into this weird fit of laughter. And by fit, I mean full on, eyes closed and watering, hand over mouth, practically at a right angle he’s hunched over so much fit. Goddammit, I was not funny. And that was not funny.

Not that I could actually get around to protesting because the moment I came out of my shocked stupor, his laughter was winding down. Stupid little grin still plastered to his stupid little face, he reached up and pat my shoulder. “Thanks for that. I really needed it after what I went through this morning.” And with that, he walked off! That stupid little prick just disappeared into the distance, off to whatever department he worked for!

Wait. What department did he work for? Now that I think about it, I don’t think i had ever seen him around before. And this may be a big company, but I usually recognize people that work here. But nope, this guy was a brand spanking new hire. Obviously not IT, I didn’t have to deal with the interview process.

Whatever, I’d probably be getting an email begging me to fix his new computer. “Help me!” he’d say. “I’m stupid with computers!” Ahhh, aren’t they all? And that, ladies and gents is why I have job security.

I made damn sure to avoid every desk I could see, trying my hardest to not be spotted for some sort of tech help. It was like a weird game of hide and seek. Except being caught would lead to you being miserable for the next hour. Yay work.

Long story short, I made it past the hoards of sheeple to my office and plopped right down in my chair, turning on my computer in hopes of a lack of emails. Apparently, the boss man decided to be nice to everyone because they was only one in the inbox and the subject was “New Hire.” Yay, home team! I get to figure out who bug face is!

I leaned forward into my hand with my elbow on the desk (probably like you are right now) and skimmed through. Blah blah blah, recent hire, blah blah blah, be nice, blah blah blah, oh look, name! Apparently this guy was named “Isidore Elijay.” That was certainly a hell of a name.

Now to check and see where he was working. I don’t remember anyone saying they were looking for new hires recently, maybe he was just an intern. But then again, he looked too old to be one. God, come on, email, enough with this fluff!

Wait.

Does that say what I think it says?

“Isidore has been hired as my new personal assistant. Hence, I certainly expect you to give him the utmost respect.”

Awwww, shit.