#also i humor her for having turned into a taylor swift fan since she left home

[ekingston]

awkward question but does your wife honestly not mind your katie mcrawr obsession?

anon her honest response to my latest art was some wild & wordless gesturing at the freckles on lena’s back and blurting ‘this. this is why i married you’ and you know, even i thought that’s A Lot, so i clarified ‘you married me because i’ll happily spend an hour painstakingly rendering the intimate details of another woman’s skin?’ and she told me to stop kink shaming her. so. i hope that answers your question

[hockeylvr59]

Ooh okay I have a song fix request for Cale makar!!! You are in love by Taylor Swift

Okay, so this song is perfect for Cale. I wasn’t sure quite how to write this but then I realized it was kind of a perfect short form format for an ongoing concept I’ve talked about with @makethecupbigger. So I hope you enjoy it and if you have any questions about the full mental story (because I skimmed and skipped a lot of things) feel free to ask. This ended up being 1,868 words including the song lyrics. 

__________

One look, dark room

Meant just for you

Time moved too fast, you play it back

Buttons on a coat, lighthearted joke

No proof, not much, but you saw enough

Meeting Cale had been a surprise, another twist on the roller coaster of your life. From losing your older sister and becoming a mother to your four-month-old niece to picking up everything and moving across the country to Denver, Colorado, it was too much for a 22-year-old to handle. 

That was probably why when you met a beautiful blonde woman at a music class for your now six-month-old little one, you spilled out everything in response to her soft eyes and caring question. 

That conversation was how you’d ended up spending a Sunday afternoon watching football in the home of Gabe Landeskog, captain of the Colorado Avalanche. You’d been shocked and slightly embarrassed when he answered the door, greeting you and taking the plate of cookies you’d brought along before ushering you and the tiny bundle in your arms into the house with a warm smile. How had you not placed it before? You weren’t sure but you did your best to not freak out, instead greeting Mel and letting her take your jackets before making your way to the living room where Matt Calvert and his wife Courtney were located. 

You’d been cuddling little Emerson when Cale had walked through the door just as the game kicked off having been out in the backyard playing with the Calvert’s boys. You’d felt his eyes on you immediately and you ducked your head into Emerson’s tiny body in response. The feeling of his eyes barely left you for the rest of the afternoon as you cheered at the game and when Emerson crawled across the living room floor and pulled her tiny body onto the young defenseman’s lap his soft voice spoke directly to you for the first time assuring you that she was fine. The sight of him brushing his fingers against the fine coating of dark hair on her head made your heart do things it had never done before and as you moved to leave so you could get Emerson to bed you thanked him softly as he held her while you buttoned your coat. You joked that you appreciated him humoring her because she evidently wasn’t used to the avid sports fan side of you just yet and the way he looked at you spoke so many things you didn’t understand, couldn’t understand for so many reasons. 

The light reflects the chain on your neck

He says, "Look up"

And your shoulders brush

No proof, one touch, but you felt enough

It had been a few weeks since that afternoon watching football when Mel had invited you and Emerson to join her and Gabe and Linnea and Matt and Courtney and the kids on a weekend hike. Being in a new city with no one to rely on and an infant that needed constant care was hard and you appreciated Mel’s efforts to make sure that you weren’t completely detached from the outside world. 

When you’d met them at the national park, you were surprised to see Cale there but you chalked up his presence to some team bonding thing and just tried to focus on the beautiful warm fall day. Of course, the problem with going on a hike with a bunch of pro athletes and their families was that while normally this hike would be no problem, you weren’t used to doing this kind of thing with a 16-pound baby attached to your chest. Emerson’s presence had thrown your weight off balance a couple of times and though you had thankfully been able to steady yourself, you could feel your stamina weakening as the group stopped by a stream to take a short break. 

It had been Mel’s suggestion for you to let Cale carry Emerson for a while. Looking over at the now shirtless defenseman he assured you that he was willing if you wanted before coming over as you unstrapped the baby from your own chest to affix her to Cale’s. Struggling with one of the straps Cale murmured for you to look up and after a moment you were helping to shift Emerson to him, your fingers brushing against his solid muscles accidentally. The touch sent sparks through your body, sparks that were foreign to you. Between the sparks and the way Cale holding Emerson like she was weightless looked you knew you were in trouble, you just didn’t know how much. 

You can hear it in the silence (Silence), silence (Silence), you

You can feel it on the way home (Way home), way home (Way home), you

You can see it with the lights out (Lights out), lights out (Lights out)

You are in love, true love

You are in love

When Cale had finally asked you out, you were hesitant. You had baggage, more baggage than Cale could possibly understand, more baggage than it would ever be fair to dump on him. But he persisted, insisting that he didn’t care that you were a mom, that he thought Emerson was adorable and didn’t care if dates with you also meant dates with her. It was only then that you’d learned of and corrected his misconceptions, that Emerson wasn’t biologically your daughter and therefore none of this was that easy. 

Cale was patient though, he didn’t push but he kept coming around. He made it his goal to prove to you that you could let him in and that there was nothing that would scare him away. For months you assumed that if he loved anyone it was Emerson because how could you not love her but eventually Cale started tumbling your walls not brick by brick but crumbling them all at once. 

Morning, his place

Burnt toast, Sunday

You keep his shirt, he keeps his word

And for once, you let go

Of your fears and your ghosts

One step, not much, but it said enough

Months of casual dates and tiptoeing around things turned more serious with a simple knock on a door. It had been your sister’s birthday, the first since her passing, and you found yourself drowning in waves of grief, unable to keep yourself afloat. Driving aimlessly for a while had led you to Cale’s place and when you knocked on the door, a sleeping baby in your arms he accepted you into his home without question, pulling you close and holding you tight. You told him everything that night and he didn’t run, didn’t pull away. Instead, he only pulled you closer, dressing you in one of his shirts before cuddling close, letting you cry nearly a year’s worth of bottled-up tears. 

When you left the next morning you left some of your baggage abandoned, taking with you instead his shirt and a piece of something bigger and better. 

You kiss on sidewalks

You fight and you talk

One night, he wakes

Strange look on his face

Pauses, then says "You're my best friend"

And you knew what it was, he is in love

Bigger and better comes with bumps in the road and on at least one occasion you screamed at him wondering why he was even bothering with someone like you. Yet somehow, you made it through, trying to be there for him the same way he was for you. 

When the Avs were eliminated from playoffs you weren’t sure what to do or how Cale would respond so you opted to give him space for the first night. But when he didn’t respond to you the next day you made your way to his place finding him a shell of himself in bed. Crawling in beside him, you and Emerson spent the whole day just taking care of him and loving him and when he woke that night thanking you, you knew that it wasn’t just Emerson he loved, it was you. 

You can hear it in the silence (Silence), silence (Silence), you

You can feel it on the way home (Way home), way home (Way home), you

You can see it with the lights out (Lights out), lights out (Lights out)

You are in love, true love

Being loved by Cale and loving him in return was everything you didn’t know was possible. It was waking up in his arms. It was snuggling on the couch. It was watching him with Emerson, being a dad you never thought she’d have. It was the way he defended you to his parents, the way he’d asked you to spend the summer with him in Calgary. 

It was seeing your little girl surrounded by rose petals in the yard of your summer rental before turning to find him on one knee promising to love you forever. 

And so it goes

You two are dancing in a snow globe, 'round and 'round

And he keeps a picture of you in his office downtown

And you understand now

Why they lost their minds and fought the wars

And why I've spent my whole life trying to put it into words

You married on a snowy November morning in the woods of the same park where you’d taken your first hike just months after getting engaged. As you stood wrapped in Cale’s arms to ward off the cold, you finally knew that this was it, this is real and true and forever. Later, when you slow danced in the home Cale had purchased for you, the first family photo, one from your wedding just hours earlier, hung on the living room wall, as so many family photos would in the years to come. 

'Cause you can hear it in the silence

You can feel it on the way home

You can see it with the lights out

You are in love, true love

You are in love

When you found out you were expecting your first child together you heard it in his shock and awe. 

When you drove home beside your Stanley Cup-winning husband you felt it. 

And when you slipped into bed after feeding your newborn daughter you could see it as his eyes glimmered with love. 

You can hear it in the silence (Silence), silence (Silence), you

You can feel it on the way home (Way home), way home (Way home), you

You can see it with the lights out (Lights out), lights out (Lights out)

You are in love, true love

You are in love

You can hear it in the silence (Silence), silence (Silence), you

You can feel it on the way home (Way home), way home (Way home), you

You can see it with the lights out (Lights out), lights out (Lights out)

You are in love, true love

You are in love

When you’d met Cale by surprise on a Sunday afternoon, you never knew that it would lead to so many happy years of marriage, six wonderful kids, three Stanley Cups, and so many many joys. 

That every day you would hear, feel, and see Cale’s love for you all around. That you would ever know true love.

[caticornsrreal]

Fighting Dragons with You

After twelve years, I'm finally telling the internet why I love Taylor Swift🖤 

Hello, internet using world. I’d like to introduce myself to the few people who followed me. Hi! My name is Christa and I am a Taylor Swift fan with every fiber of my being. Full disclosure, this is a short novel so now is your chance to make an exit, but I hope you stay.

Taylor and my ridiculously furry cat, Lyle

(affectionately nicknamed “rent-free”), are the only two beings made of flesh and bone who have been consistent in my life for the last 12 years. With a close second being my son, Gauge, who just turned 10. I won’t get into the details (in this post) as to why that is, but let’s just say there were a lot of ups and downs growing up.

The last 12 years have been an evolution for Taylor,

and subsequently, for me. At (dare I say it) 

38 years old, I’ve found that a lot of things happen in a decade. Like, A LOT. Now, I don’t feel 38. I guess I owe that to humor, singing, dancing, sarcasm, and launching a successful career that didn’t exist 15 years ago —something that has made me always push harder to set new goals and stay humble. But one thing I didn’t do over these last 12 years that I deeply regret was starting a fan page for Taylor. I mean, ESPECIALLY since I’m a professional travel blogger who makes her full time living from digital content!

There’s been a lot of momentum over the last 12 years

—demands which left me with little to no free time. But I can’t blame my absence from the Swiftie family entirely on that. In fact, I’d have to say, I blame much of it on fear.

Fear,

of being misunderstood, fear of judgment or writing something lame. I’ve had over 2,000 articles published online and in print as well as countless social posts, but the thought of Taylor seeing something I wrote and thinking it’s totally weird (or cough, too long for the internet), well let’s just say I’d be less afraid of walking into a burning building.

Fear,

of being called a fake because the financial demands as a single mom left me little money to spend on myself or Taylor merchandise, much less tickets to a show. I’ve always placed my son’s needs before mine.

Fear,

that I was too old to be a Taylor Swift fan. I mean, I was 26 when she hit the music scene and she was what, 16? I’ve been afraid. Afraid I would be rejected by other Swifties who really are the only people who understand this love we have for her  —which is basically like being rejected by your own people. Also, it’s super weird to be following teens/young adults on social, much less engaging with them.

Fear.

Along with my fear, a perfect storm of entrepreneurial demands, single motherhood, failed relationships (one of which was a marriage), and family matters have served as a constant reminder that my dream of ever meeting Taylor takes residence on another planet. An actual trip to Mars seemed more attainable. 

I feel like there is a whole demographic of women, “Swiftie Moms” who echo my story,

having watched Taylor grow into the strong beautiful woman she's become. Women my age who love her from behind the wheel of their SUV, on the way to drop their kids off to school, on the way back from a milk run, in the dark hours of the mornings when they’re dancing in the kitchen with a full on hair bun singing into a coffee spoon. Unnoticed fans who haven’t had the time to dive head first into the Swiftie Universe. But here I am. After all the fear and all the years...

So, why?

This is a hard one to answer. I guess you can say that after many years of challenges, judgment from others, and doing the complete opposite of what logic and reason said I should  —divorce, single motherhood, a second degree in my late twenties... risking it all to start a blog (which by the way in 2013 wasn’t even considered a side job much less a career), I kind of got to a point where I became

fearless.

I had to be. I had this tiny living, breathing human being who was counting on me at the very least, to give him a life a notch above the shit show I had growing up. Not to mention parenting —which is basically wandless wizardry pulled directly from the asses of parents. It demands that your mini human grows up to be a better human than you.

Yeah, unpack that.

Take all your collective shit, figure it out, and then teach your mini to do it better —to BE better than you at love, kindness, respect for others (especially boys respecting girls), integrity, money, and to be fearless. All while giving them the comfort of knowing that you, mom, have it all figured out... even when that couldn't be farther from the truth.

Top that with the pressures of working in the public eye

—which, while on a microscopic level compared to a full-on celebrity such as Taylor, is still very much a juggling act with none of the entourage to lighten the workload. Add to it the demands of working with national brands, and the unwavering ability for other bloggers to tear you down at any opportunity, or even worse, try to get close to you so they can raid your success like a Black Friday sale.

I found myself at the peak of my blogging career

but I was consumed by fear, AGAIN! Fear of shady AF bloggers and publicists, and so much to lose. And fear that now, thousands of people would have an opinion of me formed by jealous bloggers, and they didn’t even know who I really was. 

That’s when letting go of toxic people in my life became essential

—when, no matter who they were, or how I was tied to them, I had to realize that surrounding myself with the ones who lifted me took precedence over the ones who dragged me down. 

After all that..... I learned to give zero f***s about what people thought, or what they said behind my back. 

And I had to start caring about what made my heart happy, what made my family and friends smile, and what inspired me to do better. BE BETTER. Be the example of fearless, with the hope that I was lucky enough to stay that way. But I'm a vulnerable human made of heart and soul and sometimes people can still take the best from me.

I had to be fearless.

In August of 2017 when "Look What You Made Me Do” blessed my ears for the first time, I felt it pierce my skin and course through my veins. And to the very bones of this young 38-year-old Swiftie mom, I was shook AF! I sang, I danced and I drowned out the haters in the blogging world. She had a very clear message,

She had zero f***s to give, Taylor broke the internet.

After watching the seemingly endless myriad of shade thrown at Taylor over the years, my heart erupted with happiness as her flawless first single from Reputation revealed one BADASS BITCH. And with every music video release of her new era, she became a mythical Goddess with bullshit evaporating superpowers. Like, I legit think she’s an actual unicorn. After all, she does ride a caticorn named Olivia.

She got harder, she got smarter in the nick of time

One single post on my Facebook page praising her new era and new single she brought with it attracted a slew of hate speech, white people bashing, claims of Taylor ripping off Beyonce... I couldn’t believe the things I was reading from fellow bloggers. I even had a GLOBAL BRAND threaten my business relationship in their ambassador program because I stood up for Taylor and spoke out about the hate speech which was placed on my own personal Facebook page. But I stood by my words.

Fearless.

Over the following months into early 2018, and to the tune of, “This is Why We Can't Have Nice Things”, I, along with a slew of about 20 other bloggers, ended up taking down said global brand’s publicist who was using his budget and power to demean and sexually harass female bloggers (which would later reveal that blacklisting me was more about not buying into that bullshit rather than my voice on hate speech).

Zero f***s given to those haters.

Mythical Goddess with bullshit evaporating superpowers level officially achieved for Taylor, and even for me. Although I wouldn’t call myself a Goddess. That's all Tay. 🖤

She found love through the noise

And so did I. In November of 2017, I had approached the year anniversary of the greatest love I'd ever known. My last stop. And as the tracks played on, my heart was full. We both found happiness through a seemingly endless sea of anguish.

Taylor is truly doing better than she ever was, and so am I.

Her resilience up against the media and the demands of the industry are perfectly fearless. And her decision to keep her beautifully growing relationship with Joe private is wise. I’ve spent the last year at home, which has been incredible. I’ve had a lot of time to think about what’s most important to me, what has shaped me into the mom, partner and entrepreneur that I am, and it all comes back to Taylor. That’s why it’s time for me to be fearless again and officially join the Swiftie universe.

I’ve spent 12 years fighting dragons with Taylor

and growing a canyon of respect and adoration for her charm, wit, business savvy, musical talent, feminism, compassion, tenacity, love for animals, and of course her lovely, lovely, words. I’ve raised my son from birth with her. There isn't a single day that is spent where Taylor doesn't exist in our lives. For 12 years straight.

That’s a long time to love someone who has no idea you exist.

I play her music videos and YouTube uploads just so I can feel like she’s with us. And so my son knows that she’s one of the finest examples of a human being in his lifetime. I use Taylor’s kindness to teach my son how to be considerate and give back to others while sharing her fearless story with him so she can be a positive role model in his life. Taylor has essentially been part of our family all along. 

My son Gauge has a running joke that Taylor is the only person that can make me cry

(which happens more than I'm willing to admit). And it’s not because I’m weak, or on the verge of a mental breakdown (although I challenge you to try parenting, you might argue that), it’s because I truly love her like a best friend. When I see her happy it makes me happy, when I feel her sadness, it makes me sad. It’s visceral.

I don't believe the human connection is meant to be one-sided.

I feel in my heart, as weird as this may sound, that we will meet Taylor one day, even against all odds. Existing in the same lifetime as Taylor without at least trying to meet her doesn't feel right. I won't look at my son and teach him to let fear and doubt win, or that defying the odds is an impossible task.

Over the years I’ve been a spectator to her outreach to fans. She’s invited them to sessions in her homes, sent them gifts, invited them backstage, surprised them in their homes, made hospital visits, and Lord knows what else she has up her sleeve. And it’s all been done with pure excitement and love for her Swifties. With each outreach she extends, tears of joy are shed for fellow Swifties, and a ray of hope inspires me.

So, I’m starting a personal blog

which tells a very personal story of all the dragons I’ve fought with Taylor over the years. From living in a car at 15 years old to getting invited to LA premieres for Walt Disney and Marvel films. And I'll have no apologies for the truths that will be told (but will change names for privacy). It will be very personal and some of it won’t be pretty. Because life isn’t always pretty.

Taylor is releasing another album this year... we hope,

and she’ll be on yet another tour in 2020. After 12 years I’m finally ready for it. I’ve given my son everything he could possibly want or need. I’ve bought him a beautiful home in Northern Georgia. He’s been able to travel the world and do things most adults haven’t even done. And I owe much of that to Taylor for giving me the strength to take major risks, the courage to face my demons, the balls to cut people out of my life who were toxic and the self-confidence to defy the odds and do things my way.

2019 is our year to show @taylorswift how much we love her.

I’ll let the universe do the rest. Till then, I’ll be fighting dragons with her as I always have and writing my journal for her and anyone else who wants to read the memoirs of an OG Swiftie mom who keeps it real AF, full-on hair bun and all.

[lonelyandgone]

Previous Chapters:  Teaser/Prologue, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9

 Unexpected – Chapter 10

 He’s spent the last twenty minutes watching and waiting.  His eyes moving to the door each time it opens, each time providing him with a friend or family member but not her.  He’s smiled and waved, chatted and talked and tried his damndest to be he his typical self but he can tell by the looks he keeps getting from both his mom and Jeremy that his acting skills are failing him now.

He knows he probably shouldn’t be expecting her to show up.  Not after yesterday.  Not after she sat stiffly on his living room couch, her hands folded neatly in her lap as she listened to Haley speak.  She had been polite.  She had been sweet and considerate.  But then she had walked out of his door with her gaze not even meeting his, with her smile slipped downward into a frown.    

She had provided him with the excuse that she wanted to go by the hospital, that when she had talked to them the day before they had mentioned some other patients she may want to visit.  Since she planned to see Emily tomorrow, she had said, maybe I should try to visit the others today.  He knew it had been a lie.  He could read it all over her face, in the darkness of her eyes.  She had provided his mom with a hug and Haley with another shake of the hand before she fell to her knees beside of Dodger and pulled him to her.  

His heart had ached at the scene, at the bond that was so apparent between his beloved dog and the woman he struggles to call his friend.  The bond even more apparent when she rose up, Dodger looking up at her and moaning.  She hadn’t even walked out the door and he missed her.  He understood, he had thought.  Then and now.  He fully understood.  

He considered going to the Four Seasons.  Considered going to the Children’s Hospital.  Even now, part of him wishes that he had.  Then he called her four times, texted five more.  It wasn’t until almost midnight though that he finally got a response.  I got you a ticket for the Patriots opener tomorrow. I had planned to surprise you with it today but you left before I could, he had told her in one of the texts, It’s a thank you for all you did for me and Dodger. Please come.  Please.  He had followed it up with a praying hands emoji and waited with baited breath for a response.  

When it finally came, it was in the form of a simple and direct maybe.  Then, she ceased contact.  

He glances at his watch and then to the field.  It’s ten minutes before the presentation of the Super Bowl trophy and likely ten minutes before he will give up all hope that she’s coming.  He throws a look at Jeremy before he makes his way through the room toward him.  

“I hadn’t decided if you had developed a nervous tick or you were going to try your hand at interior decorating and you really liked the look of that door,” Jeremy squawks before he lifts his beer bottle to his lips and drinks.  “But then . . . .,” he tips the bottle toward him, “your sister mentioned Taylor coming and whatdya know, everything made perfect sense then.  How is the lovely Ms. Swift anyway?”

He shrugs, finding himself partially annoyed at his friends question and partially wanting to talk about what’s been going on with someone . . . . anyone.  “I wouldn’t know,” he says with a shrug and his own swig of beer, “the lovely Ms. Swift has been ignoring me since I arrived back in the States.”

Jeremy cocks an eyebrow, his expression shining with humor.  “Hiddleston find out you were after his woman and tie her down?”

Chris bites at his cheek, shaking his head, before he answers.  “First off, I’m not after her.  Do I want to be after her?  Fuck yes. But I am being as good as I can possibly be.”

“What does that mean,” Jeremy interrupts, tilting his bottle again, “good as you can possibly be. That mean you’ve been bad a little bit too?”

His mind instantly goes into playback mode.  Taylor pinned against his counter as they had sex at his apartment.  Kisses in elevators and on ferris wheels and at sunrises. Flirtations and touches.  

He lowers his chin. “I have perhaps been a step or two over the friend line.”

“One or two,” Jeremy pries, his face showing his obvious skepticism.

He throws his head back, exasperated, “Ok so maybe, sometimes, one or two hundred steps.”

“I knew it,” Renner cockles, “And I’d place bets that Tom has caught wind of your steps and is pulling his woman back in.”  Titling his head to the side, he raises his eyes as if in thought.  “But then again, why would she be in Boston, huh?”

“She came to Boston to bring Dodger back to me,” Chris chimes in.

“For fuckin’ real? Taylor Swift came to Boston just to bring your dog back to you?  What kind of sorcery is this that you have over her?  Cause I can’t get a woman to bring me a cup of coffee from the kitchen to the living room much less someone like Taylor to bring me my dog from wherever the fuck she was at at the time.  Hiddleston better be keeping an eye on you for sure.  Bring out his Loki powers or something because damn, apparently you are good.”

“Do you not remember I just said she is ignoring me?”

“Oh right,” Jeremy says, his expression lightening, “So what exactly did you do to make her decide to ignore you because the way I see it, she brought your dog to Boston because she wanted to see you.  I doubt she was bored and I really doubt she couldn’t find anyone else to do it.  So what did you do?”

He has no chance to answer, his vision immediately pulled to the door behind him when he hears it opening again.  He’s greeted by the sight of a beautiful blonde.  His heart drops a little.  It’s not the beautiful blonde he wanted to see.  Actually, it’s not even one he expected to see.  

“Who is that,” Jeremy questions from beside of him and he takes a swig of his beer before he answers.

He notices Scott walk into the room just behind the woman, his gaze immediately finding Chris’s.  He shrugs, hands outstretched slightly, eyes wide.

“Haley Bennett,” Chris says, mustering a smile for her and his sibling as they enter.    

He hears his friend scoff, can see from the corner of his eyes as he turns his body away and mutters something under his breath.  “So that’s what you did,” he believes he says but he doesn’t question.  He couldn’t even if he wanted to because by the time the words register in his mind, Haley has stepped in near him.

“Hey,” she whispers softly, her brown eyes dancing.  “I hope you don’t mind I came by.  I was sitting at the hotel, bored out of my mind, when I remembered you talking about this game and how excited you were for it.”  Her gaze moves behind him to the field briefly before moving back to him. “I paid an outrageous fortune for a ticket at the top of the stadium but honestly was silently hoping to find you so I could end up here.  I found your brother instead so I guess that works.  If that’s ok with you, of course.”

Lowering his chin, he nods with a smile.  “Yeah, sure. It’s not like I would kick you out, Hales.”

She smiles when he uses her nickname, one that pinches at both of her ears.  It honestly makes him feel uneasy but he pushes the feeling away.

He introduces her to Jeremy and then to his sisters before gesturing to his nieces and nephews playing in the back of the room.  “My dad might be here later,” he says, trying in vain to ignore the multitude of glares and stares around the room.

The door opens again, his eyes flying to it once more.  A waiter enters just as his heart sinks and he turns back to the field.

Haley takes a stand just to his side when the announcement is made that the Super Bowl trophy presentation is about to start.  Jeremy steps in to the other side.  His family also makes their way to the glass, standing with giddy smiles on their faces in anticipation of what is to come.  He notices though that his mother chooses to stand farther back in the room, her hands stuffed in her pant pockets.  He throws her a confused glare but she simply smiles and shakes her head, prompting his eyes back to the field.  

He can feel his elation settle in his body as the ceremony begins.  The cheers are deafening, the excitement compounding.  It’s an amazing and surreal experience, one he wishes he could fully enjoy but he finds his eyes still streaming toward the door even amidst it all.  

“How many super bowls have the Patriots won,” Haley asks, pulling his view.  

“Five,” he answers, clapping his hands as loudly as Mark Wahlberg walks onto the stage.  “2002, 2004, 2005, 2015 and 2017.”

He can feel Haley’s smile without even looking.  “Wow,” she utters, “you are a true fan, aren’t you?”

“In the flesh,” he chuckles, “I’ve seen them win each one.  Each time it gets better.  The last one was the best though.  Everyone had counted them out.  Even part of me had given up on a comeback.  But they did. It was madness.”

She giggles, her smile broad and bright as she joins his applause.  “I bet.”

Kevin Faulk, Matt Light and Deion Branch saunter onto the stage, each carrying a previously won Lombardi trophy, the noise growing louder with each introduction.  

Trophy number four is carried onstage by Julian Edelman.  He leans back in his chair when he sees the injured Patriots wide receiver, catching Scott’s view a few feet away.  “The Squirrel is walking better than I thought he’d be.  Maybe he will make it back this season.” When Scott winks, he chuckles.

“The Squirrel,” Haley says, her eyes focused on the large screen, Edelman’s face prominent on it, “that man looks more like a model than a squirrel . . . . or a football player to be honest.”

“Yeah, I know Scott would agree with you on that one.”  He tosses a side eye toward his brother.  “But that’s Julian Edelman.  Star wide receiver.  Notorious ladies’ man.  Without a doubt, the favorite player of all of my siblings.  Maybe even mine too on some days.”

“He’s nice to watch play,” Shanna barks from her position on the other side of Haley, “you can trust me on that.”

The crowd grows louder as Robert Kraft makes his way onto the stage, the newest Lombardi trophy in hand. The noise is deafening to the point that he can’t even hear the chatter he knows is going on around him.  He flails his arms in the air to cheer himself at a few points, sometimes placing his fingers in his mouth for a screeching whistle, and as the ceremony nears an end, he feels a soft touch on his wrist.

He moves his head as Haley slips onto her tiptoes and places her lips near his ear.  “This atmosphere is amazing,” she says, trying to speak over the crowd.  

His eyes catch on hers as he smiles and nods, enraptured in the moment of his favorite team and their massive win.  She smiles back, keeping her hand on his wrist and her face close to his until he turns away.  

Jeremy taps his shoulder against his then, tossing his head back while keeping his view on the field in front of them.  Chris narrows his eyes momentarily before he follows the direction his friend was indicating, looking back behind him.

He sees his mom first and then follows her gaze to her right.  To a pair of soft blue eyes that are settled on him.  

Taylor.

She smiles when his eyes latch onto hers, her expression warm but those eyes that have haunted him so much, void of their normal vibrancy.  From his side, he can feel Haley’s stare but he ignores it, and her, moving away and taking the few steps needed to get to his mother and Taylor.

“You came,” he says, reaching for her and pulling her to him in a hug.  He can feel her edge, how guarded she seems, and he pulls back to look at her incredulously.  

“Well your mom called and asked me to come,” she says, her lips raising a fraction of an inch, “I figured I couldn’t let Mama Evans down.”

“But you could let me,” he chuckles.  

He watches as Taylor’s eyes move behind him and then back.  “I doubt you would have noticed with the excitement and all.”  Hesitating briefly, she takes a deep breath and forces her smile wider.  “I hope you and Haley had a good day yesterday.”  She smiles, letting her chin slip down.  “And Dodger of course.”  

Squinting his eyes, he gapes at her.  “My mom made lunch.  We ate. By then it was well past check-in time and I asked mom to take her to her hotel.  Dodge and I went for a drive and I tried to reach you.  That was my day and night.”  

He can see the skepticism painting its way across her expression but then her gaze moves again, this time to his other side.  “Regardless, I heard Maren Morris is singing the National Anthem tonight.  I . . . . I don’t want to miss that.”

She starts to step around him but he reaches out and wraps his fingers around her forearm.  “You’re walking away from me already?”

Her gaze slips behind him before she nods and gives him a faint smile.  “I just want to hear her sing.”

She steps away from him the instant he drops his hand from her arm and he turns in time to watch her move to stand in between Carly and Scott.  Scott glances back at him suspiciously when she does.

He shrugs, shaking his head at his brother’s reaction and then pulls the hat from his head as he hears the first notes of the National Anthem being sung.  He somewhat expects her to turn at some point, to throw him that beautiful Taylor smile that she typically reserves for him but she never does. The only person that turns to him after the anthem has ended is Haley.

“I’d love a beer if that’s ok, Chris,” she says, her voice loud against the roar of the crowd.  He turns to look at her as she speaks and from the corner of his eye, he thinks he sees Taylor look at her too.

“Yeah,” he answers, slapping his hat back on his head before he moves.  He grabs a beer from the bar and makes his way back to his seat between Haley and Jeremy.

When the game starts, he finds himself fielding questions about plays and penalties from Haley, typically accompanied by a snarky comment or laugh from Jeremy.  He shares at tray of nachos loaded with cheese with Ethan at one point, Haley laughing at his nephew’s inhalation of the food.  

He finds himself though consistently looking across the room at Taylor no matter what he does.  

He watches as she laughs with Scott and seems to get embroiled in a deep conversation with Shanna and Carly.  And then watches more when Miles and Ethan find their way to her, climbing on her and covering her with kisses before she laughs at their Gronkowski jerseys, telling them that Gronk is her least favorite Patriot.  Stella joins her soon after, mimicking Taylor’s words and declaring him her least favorite as well.  

By the second quarter, Jeremy begins tossing him questioning glares, narrowing his eyes and tilting his head back and forth slightly.  He knows what the inquisition is about but he doesn’t know the answer.  

He hates the way it all feels.  Every bit of it.  The game and the way his team is playing.  The atmosphere and the weird, unsaid tension that exists amongst them all.  The way everything feels so unsettled and different.

It’s unnerving and not at all like he anticipated this night would go.  He had expected, or at least greatly wanted, it to go like the Red Sox game had gone before.  Maybe even all the way back to his place like before.  

He’s answering another of Haley’s football questions when time runs out for the first half and the room starts to grow louder with chatter.  He reaches his arms above his head as he stands up and stretches and he hears Haley laughing at his movement.  

He sees her then. Taylor.  She gets up, the first time she’s done so the entire game, and starts toward the back of the room.  She doesn’t allow her eyes to drift anywhere near him when she does and he finds himself wondering if that’s on purpose.

He stares after her, hearing Haley speaking beside of him but not registering the any of her words. She goes to Stella, Ethan and Miles near the door, leaning down and smiling as she talks with them.  It takes no time before Stella’s arms are around her and Taylor lifts back up, clutching his young niece to her.  His nephews run off soon after, Nintendo Switches in their hands, yelling “Go Gronk” as they do.  He watches as Taylor laughs after them, their chiding playful to her.  

Haley says something again, again words he doesn’t truly hear and he glances down at her.  “I’ll be back in a few,” he says, his words hollow to her.  

Turning away from his costar’s stare, he wills himself forward, taking a few steps toward Taylor and Stella.  

It’s just the two of them in the back corner of the room when he gets there.  “You having fun Stell bear,” he asks with a grin, watching as Stella nods her head enthusiastically.  

“I’ve ate seven cookies,” she beams, proudly, “but don’t tell mommy.  She told me I could only have one.  And I’ve won four games of Mario Kart.”

“Ethan letting you win,” he asks with a cocked eyebrow.  

Stella grins. “Nope.  I’m winning all by myself.”

He reaches forward, placing his hand on her head and rubbing it quickly.  “Why don’t you go challenge him to another game.  I thought I heard him say he was letting you win.”

She basically jumps from Taylor’s arms then, sprinting off in search of her brother.  Taylor glares at him.  “Ethan didn’t say anything did he?”

“No,” he chuckles, “but I figured that was the best way to get her away so I could talk to you.”

Taylor lowers her eyes, shaking her head.  “Why do you want to talk to me?”

“Why wouldn’t I want to talk you to,” he asks disbelievingly.  

“I can think of some reasons,” she says with the smallest of smiles, “Anyway, you have me.  What do you want to talk about?”

He can feel the trepidation in his bones as his words flow from his lips.  “Why you are ignoring me,” he says quickly.    

Her expression falls but she picks it back up instantly.  “I’m not ignoring you, Chris.  If I was ignoring you, I wouldn’t be here at all.  But I am.”

He takes in her response but shakes his head in disapproval.  “Taylor, you are here but you aren’t.  And you’ve pretty much been distant since I got back home.  I don’t like that.  I miss you.  Hell, even Dodger misses you.  The poor dog whined for an hour after you left my apartment.  I had to give him four of your special cookies just to get him to not pine so much.”

“Sounds like Stella,” she starts but he moves his head more forcibly.

“Don’t change the subject, Taylor.”  He allows his head to fall back for a split second and he looks at the ceiling as he collects his thoughts.  When his chin falls back down, he takes a deep breath.  “I’ve been around you enough to know that something isn’t right. So what is it?  What’s this about?  Is it me?  Is it Haley?” He watches as Taylor’s eyes move instantly behind him at the mention of Haley’s name but she jerks them back just as fast.

She inhales sharply, her gaze slipping.  “It’s not about Haley.  Haley is lovely.  She’s gorgeous and sweet and likeable.”  Moving her head, she bites at her bottom lip.  “And it’s not about you.  Because you are just being you.  I know that.”

“Then what,” he presses, placing his hands on his hips as he watches her.

“It’s just me, Chris. It’s about me.”  Her voice cracks as she seems to force a laugh.  “It’s about me and my silly stupid head. That’s all.”

The confusion sets in within him immediately and he narrows his gaze on her.  “That’s all?”

“I’m not being a good friend, I know,” she says with another forced laugh, “And I should be because that’s what I promised to you.  I do only want your happiness.”

“Taylor,” he says, dragging out her name in exasperation, “are you implying that I’m happy with Haley? Because we are just friends.”

Taylor’s lips move up, a gentle smile peaking.  “Yeah, and so are you and I.”  Her eyes move then and he doesn’t have to follow them to know she is looking at Haley. “You know, I was talking with Emily today at the hospital and I was watching how her eyes changed when she would talk about you.  It was like a fire would ignite in them.  The sparkle. The adoration so apparent.  It honestly made me miss you.”  She laughs briefly but then shakes her head, her eyes settling on Haley again.  “And then I’ve watched Haley today and remembered how she looked at your place. She has the same sparkle, the same look of adoration on her face every time she’s near you.  I know the look . . . . and the feeling . . . . well.  Of connection.  Of yearning and longing.”

He narrows his eyes on her. “You know it from Tom,” he asks, his heart twinging with merely speaking his name.

She smiles a half-smile and then lets it fall, along with her gaze.  “I did feel it with Tom and . . .,” she takes a deep breath and lets it slip back through her pierced lips.  “I just know how it is, Chris.  I know what’s going through Haley’s head right now and how she’s feeling towards you.”

“I’m really not sure what you are saying, Taylor,” he says, cocking his head to the side.  

“I’m not really sure either,” she sighs, momentarily placing her glassy gaze on his, “I’m just saying that it’s obvious that Haley is here for you and wants to be with you.  And . . .”

“And . . .,” he pushes, his head swimming again, “are you telling me that I should notice that?  That I should consider that?”

She seems to freeze then, her head downtrodden, her breathing seeming to vanish.  It takes a few seconds for her to shake her head. “I can’t tell you that because it’s your life, Chris.  Not mine.”

He glances behind him, following Taylor’s gaze again, to Haley.  She smiles softly when she sees him and then gets up, starting to move in their direction.  

“She thinks I’m a threat to her,” he hears Taylor say, springing his view back to her.  She doesn’t look at him.  

“Are you,” he asks, his heart pounding so steadily against his chest that it feels as if he can’t breathe.

She seems to contemplate his question, glancing at him and at Haley before she sighs.  “Obviously not.”

“Taylor,” he begins, wanting to press her words even more, wanting to ignore the pain they bring to him, but he’s interrupted before he can.

“Chris,” Haley says, her voice virtually singing, “I was telling Jeremy about the movie and he was asking about the story behind it.  I thought maybe you could explain it better.”

He breathes heavily. “I’m busy right now . . .”

“No, it’s fine,” Taylor says, her eyes on his briefly before moving to Haley’s, “he’s all yours.”

She starts to walk off then but he grabs her arm, pulling on it slightly until she reaches him again. “Not yet.  I haven’t even got to ask you the one question I came over here to ask.”

“What’s that,” she says quickly, her gaze hooding.  

“What you said you were going to tell me when I was in South Africa and you’ve yet to do.  I need to know, Taylor.”  He glances at Haley and then back to her.  “You said face to face when I was home.  I’m home.  We’re face to face.  You were prepared to tell me before and I’m ready to listen.  Please tell me.”  

She shakes her head and then smiles hesitantly.  “There’s no use even saying it anymore, Chris,” she whispers, “I think it will only bring heartache.”  She then turns her head back in Haley’s direction.  “All yours.”

His hand falls from her arm as she walks away and his eyes follow her as she returns to her seat beside of his sister, Carly throwing a look his way before he reluctantly moves toward Haley.

He spends the entirety of the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth thinking of Taylor’s words, her reluctance and her resistance.  He tries to smile when he needs to smile and cheer when he needs to cheer, hoping to not clue everyone in the room in on the massive amount of convoluted thoughts roaming and rampaging through his head destructively.

Jeremy hands him a beer five minutes into the fourth quarter, shaking his head in disgust as he does so.  “This game isn’t even worth being sober for.  We should have just handed them the W when Hightower went out.”

“Yeah, probably,” he replies, not even remembering Hightower’s injury until his friend brings it up.  Saying he has been completely uninterested in this game would be an understatement and he’s fairly certain Jeremy knows that.  

He’s also fairly certain his friend can sense the discomfort and uneasiness written all over him. “Drink that,” Jeremy chimes again, nodding toward the bottle in Chris’s hand.  

He does just that, flipping off the top and taking a long drink.  He’s tilted his head back for another when he sees Jeremy glance behind them and then do a double take.  

“Aww fuck, Edelman,” he laughs, bounding from his seat before Chris even finishes his drink.  

Haley’s eyes follow his pal just as his do and he finds him nearing the Patriots wide receiver as he walks in the door.  

He catches Scott’s eyes as he stands up, laughing just a bit when his brother wriggles his eyebrows at him, and then lets his gaze catch on Taylor as he starts to walk.  She looks at him only long enough to look back away. He desperately tries to ignore the reaction in his heart.

“Nice to see you again, Cap,” Julian cockles, taking his hand and shaking it firmly when he reaches him, “Robert told me you were in your box so I thought I’d try to not see the rest of this pathetic game and come and say hello.”

“Not much worth seeing down there anyway,” Jeremy laughs, tossing his head back toward the field, “why’d you have to get injured again?”

Julian moves his head, smiling widely.  “Preseason sucked, that’s for sure.”

He’s watching the football player’s face when he sees his view gravitate behind him.  He squints for a moment and then his smile grows even wider than before.  “Is that Taylor Swift,” he asks, throwing his head back a bit.  

Right away, he glances behind him, catching sight of Taylor beside of Carly.  He nods.  “Yeah.”

He hears Julian snicker and then hum.  “She here with you,” he asks, cocking an eyebrow, his grin increasing.  He already knows where this is going, the knot tightening harder and harder in his stomach revealing that

His voice lumps in his throat, feeling like a softball stuck there, preventing him from breathing or speaking.  He looks back at her again and shakes his head, coughing a little to catch a breath. “No.”  

“So she’s not your girl,” Edelman asks, his question loaded, his words laced with hopefulness and pretension.  

He feels Jeremy’s eyes on him instantaneously.  “Nope,” he chokes out, pulling his beer bottle to his lips and taking another long drink.  

“But I believe she’s got a man,” Jeremy adds, his gaze now roving.  Chris knows what he’s doing.  He’s trying to throw Edelman off for his sake.  He also knows that it’s highly unlikely it’s going to work.  

“Man.  No man.  It’s all the same if they aren’t here and there is no ring,” Julian laughs, “And she looks pretty goddamn hot.  Gronkowski is going to fucking flip his lid when he finds out she was here.”

“She doesn’t like Gronkowski,” Jeremy adds, his eyes switching back and forth between the two.

Julian snickers. “That’s alright.  I bet she’ll like me though.”  

He can feel his cheeks growing hot, knows that he is unconsciously clenching and unclenching his free fist and locking his jaw.  His gaze is heavy on Edelman when he shakes his head.  “Anyway, when’s the next Avengers movie filming?”

He fights with his annoyance, unlocking his jaw long enough to force an off putting grin.  “Starts next week.”

“Captain America biting the dust in this one,” Julian continues with a raised eyebrow.

He coughs out an uncomfortable laugh.  “Can’t tell you that.”

“Yeah, I got it.  Top secret shit.  Like play sheets,” he winks and then snorts heavily.  

“Oh that’s low,” Jeremy howls, “really fucking low man.”

Julian throws his hands out, holding them out in front of him.  His smile is bright and mischievous.  “It’s best to make jokes out of crappy situations.  Like we should probably be making a joke about this shitty game right now. Maybe at least joke about Gronk looking like a stud out there or something.”

“Or that Bill forgot to give you all a practice session with fully inflated balls and that’s why we’re playing like shit,” Carly yells from her position behind them.   His eyes immediately draw to his sister, to the woman sitting beside of her, her attention now on the man near him for the first time.  

Edelman points at Carly, cackling.  “Haha . . . . good one.  See, that one knows how to make a joke about a joke.”  His eyes then move over a couple inches and Chris feels a punch in his stomach.  “What about you,” Julian asks, his gaze fully engrossed on Taylor, “you have a Patriots joke for me.”

Chris watches as Taylor smiles softly, her eyes focused solely on the brooding footballer standing beside of him.  “Just that your tight end must be a joke if he’s making videos with Katy Perry.”

Julian’s face lights up as the room erupts in laughter, both he and the player's eyes never leaving the leggy blonde near the glass.  “I agree with you there,” Julian spouts, “but if you’re looking for a video costar anytime soon to combat Gronk and Katy, I’m more than willing to provide my services.”

From Julian’s other side, he sees Jeremy shake his head.  “I’m sure you will,” he mutters.  

Taylor though says nothing, simply smiling and nodding until she pulls her gaze from Edelman, glancing at him and then moving her eyes over slightly.  It’s then that he notices that Haley has taken a stand beside of him.  

Edelman notices as well. “Julian Edelman,” he says, reaching his hand out.  

She takes it, shaking it lightly.  “Haley Bennett.”

The younger man winks at him when he drops her hand and starts to turn back away.  “So that one’s yours,” he laughs, prompting the knot in his stomach to tighten even more.  

He doesn’t even have a nanosecond to respond as Julian slaps his shoulder.  “I’m going to chat with the ladies,” he says before he walks off. Chris doesn’t even have to follow his movement to know that his sights are set on Taylor but even though he knows that, he watches after him anyway.  

Julian takes little time in planting himself in a chair just behind Taylor and then leaning forward and placing his elbows on his knees.  He says something, who fucking knows what, and Taylor smiles.  Her cheeks tint with pink and the knot grows. Then it twists as he watches her smile brighten and her laughter blossom in the room.

The emotions start bubbling in his chest.  The fear. The loathing.  The motherfucking insane jealousy.  This isn’t at all what he expected this night to be like.  Not with Haley attached to his side, confusion eating away at every fiber in his soul and Taylor getting eye fucked by Julian Edelman.

And then there’s the tension.  Heavily apparent amongst everyone in the room outside of the duo chatting near the windows closest to the field.  He feels Shanna’s roaming gaze switching from his mom, to Jeremy, to him and then to Haley before quickly scanning over to Taylor and Julian.  

“So Haley,” she says loudly, her words quickened, likely by nerves, “How are you enjoying Boston?”

He knows that she is making an attempt, any attempt really, to pull attention away from Taylor and Julian but in the back of his mind, he curses her for doing so with Haley.  But her aim at diversion works, for as soon as Haley starts to respond, Taylor turns her attention to her.

“It’s been good so far,” Haley responds, “but I haven’t been able to do too much.  I know Chris gave me the 411 about how amazing Boston is on the plane ride from South Africa but I haven’t been brave enough to explore the city on my own.”  Taylor’s eyes shift, landing on his for a short time before she shifts them back to Haley.  

Haley turns slightly in her chair, looking at him.  “I was hoping, maybe, that you would be willing to show me around some tonight. I’ve been wanting to try Mike’s cannoli because you raved about it so much.”

He doesn’t answer, he doesn’t even have a chance to, his words and thoughts cut off by Julian. “Not Mike’s man, you want the best cannoli in Boston, you have to get Modern.”

Chris clears his throat, searching for his voice again and forcing a chuckle as he points at Taylor. “You’re girl there disagrees with that. She’s tried both.  With me,” he emphasizes, “and chose Mike’s.”

Edelman’s eyes sparkle, his grin sinful and straight, as he turns to her.  “Well I guess then it’s time for you to try them both again.  And you can let me show you more of Boston at the same time.”

His head literally feels like it’s about to explode.  His thoughts and emotions cascading through him like a fucking waterfall, beating and beating over and over again, wearing him down.  He clenches his eyes shut, his jaw at the same time.  When he shakes his head, he hears Shanna speak up again.

“Um,” she stutters, “let’s talk about South Africa.  Chris, how was it.”

Diversion. Again.  But he can’t even find any words to say or enough energy to even push his eyes open at the moment.

When he doesn’t respond, Haley does.  “It was beautiful.  Such a gorgeous county with warm and beautiful people.  We all had an amazing experience.  And the food there was sensational, unlike anything I’ve ever had before.”

His eyes slowly rise back open then, revealing themselves onto Taylor, her gaze surprisingly now on him too.

Haley continues. “There were a few of us who went out at times to this local place.  Amazing food. Electric atmosphere.  Pretty awesome booze too,” she laughs, “Chris got drunk this one night there.  After I pretty much begged him to come. He drank tequila of all things . . . in South Africa.”  Taylor’s eyes fall a bit.  “And he starts raving about someone joking with him before about falling in love with costars and Michiel volunteers to be the costar this time.  Then one of your songs came on.”  Taylor’s gaze springs back up, this time to Haley and then to him. “I don’t remember which one it was but one of your songs came on the radio and he made the bartender turn it off.”

“Ouch,” Julian says with a chuckle but Taylor simple shakes her head.

“That’s quite alright. He’s admitted to me that he would have chosen Katy Perry over me and I admitted that I would choose Chris Hemsworth over him.  Perhaps they should have played Roar.  Or better yet, Swish Swish.”

“Or Feels,” Haley laughs, he knows attempting to join in with the sarcasm but realizing her inappropriate move once the words are shared aloud, “I’m sorry, that was crossing the line.”

Taylor shakes her head. “It’s ok.”

Julian throws his hands up, looking around the room at his family members and then him.  “For what it’s worth, I’ve always preferred Taylor to Katy.”

“Me too,” his mom chimes in, the first time she’s done so all night.  He glances at her and she nods.

On the field, far from the minds of everyone in the room, the game comes to an end.  He glances at the scoreboard only long enough to acknowledge the dismal loss.  

“So is that ok?”  His gaze moves to Haley again.  

“Is what ok?”

“A tour of Boston? Cannoli.”

Beside of him, he hears Jeremy snicker.  “Yeah, probably.  Soon,” he musters, turning to his friend and rolling his eyes at him before he steps away from Jeremy and Haley and moves to the counter.  

He grabs another bottle of beer, flips the top off and downs two quick drinks before Jeremy saunters over. “I know I shouldn’t say this,” his friend begins, “especially with the amount of weirdness in this room right now, but this is fucking awesome.  Like I need popcorn and one of those fancy movie theater seats that recline because this is so much better than any rom com I’ve ever watched.  Not that I’ve watched any.”  He winks.  “You got Haley over there batting her eyelashes and virtually panting for you. And then you have sex on legs Edelman blatantly wanting to fuck Taylor up against the wall.  And then, my friend, there is you . . . who is fucking this all up.  You got that right?”  

He takes another drink. “Yep, I got that.”

“So what you gonna do about it?”

He shrugs, “What the fuck am I supposed to do about it?  Taylor is my goddamn friend.  She basically told me that she knows how Haley feels about me because she felt that way about Tom.”

“You just said the word felt,” Jeremy snickers, “past tense.  Felt.  You realize that right?”

“I don’t know what I fucking realize,” Chris exasperates.  

Jeremy looks at him then, the humor now vanished from his eyes and replaced with perplexation. “Well you better figure it out before you really fuck this all up.  Because the last thing I heard when I was near Taylor and Julian was Edelman telling her every woman just needs a good orgasm every now and then.  For stress management purposes of course.  And Taylor certainly looks stressed.  And Edelman is way more than willing to provide her with as many orgasms as she needs to release that stress.”

He can feel the daggers in his own eyes.  They are the same ones jabbing his heart and piercing his stomach.  He clenches his jaw and shakes head.  

“Another side note,” Jeremy adds, pushing the daggers even farther, “Your mother asked me to give Taylor a ride to the hotel.  Which likely means she came here thinking you would give her a ride home.  But that was before Haley hijacked any chance Taylor would ask you that and before Julian stepped into this room and started asking her to let him give her tours of Boston, tastes of cannoli and tastes of other things.”

He says nothing, only watches from his position at the counter as Taylor gets up from her chair, moving away from Julian long enough to wrap his nieces and nephews in hugs and place goodnight kisses on their cheeks.  Her eyes latch on his as he moves back to her seat and that knot in his stomach tightens to the point of breaking when he sees Julian lean closer to her, placing his hand on her knee.  

His eyes slam shut as he twists his head to the side.  He waits a few seconds before he inhales sharply and his lids fly back open.  

He glances at Jeremy, tipping his chin slightly, before he places his beer bottle on the counter and walks off toward Taylor and Julian.  

“Taylor,” he says, keeping his gaze solid on her and not on the man beside of her.  She looks at him blankly.  “C’mon, let me give you a ride.”

Julian laughs and even though he doesn’t move his eyes to him, he can see him nodding.  “You said Taylor wasn’t here with you so I don’t think she was expecting you to give her a ride.  Your girl over there . . . that’s a different story.  She’s waiting on you to give her a ride and probably a lot more,” his laugher bellows, “I promise to get Taylor back safely.  And I’ll be a perfect gentleman.”

As if on cue and as if in conspiracy, Haley walks up beside of him.  He sees Taylor’s eyes flutter shut then and she hesitates momentarily before opening them again.  

“Thank you for the offer, Chris,” she says softly, licking and then biting at her bottom lip, “but go ahead and take Haley for her tour.  Maybe a visit to Mamma Maria’s and cannoli in the elevator to follow. Julian can take me to the hotel or I can call Brandon.”

He shakes his head, conflicted, but fully aware that he has no way out.  Not one avenue.  Not one fucking foot path.  

“I don’t know who Brandon is but there is no need to call him.  I’ll take you,” Julian exclaims, “It’s really no problem.  And Chris . . .” He turns to face him, grinning wildly. “Chris can take Haley.  Just like the pretty lady asked him to.”

It’s a sucker punch to his gut.  A full on, Connor McGregor type blow that is quickly followed by the Floyd Mayweather Jr. knockout.  Taylor stands up, taking one step forward and wrapping her arms lightly around his shoulders in a cold and awkward embrace.  “Give Dodger kisses for me,” is all she says before she turns around and walks away, Julian Edelman right behind her, the football player placing his hand on the small of her back as she waves at his family and Edelman guides her out of the door.

Motherfucking fuck is the only words scorching through his mind.  Over and over.  Doing flipflops and nose dives with daggers.  MOTHERFUCKING FUCK.

His eyes meet Jeremey’s and his jaw goes rock solid.  

His friend simply shakes his head and takes another drink of beer.

 He finds himself driving through the streets of Boston two hours later.  Two hours after he gave in to a pleading Haley to introduce her to Mike’s pastry and one hour after he dropped her at her hotel with a simple goodbye.

He knows it was rude. Knows damn well that he shouldn’t have even taken her anyway, that he should have just begged Jeremy to give her a ride or show her around Boston.  Hell, he knows his pal has been here enough times to at least provide her with the basics and maybe even provide her with a new goddamn distraction.

But the second Taylor walked out the door with Julian Edelman on her heels; he lost all sense of rationale and reason.  There was part of him, a big part he admits, that wanted to take Haley back to her hotel and fuck her just out of spite.  There was an even bigger part of him that wanted to follow Taylor and Julian out the door and, at least attempt, to beat the shit out of the brooding football player.  But it was the part of him that Lisa Evans shot her knowing glare at after Taylor and Julian’s exit that he felt most compelled to go with.  At least mainly go with.  

So he put on his nice guy/friend face and showed Haley 3.5 seconds of Boston, made sure she got a cannoli stuffed in her face and then, like the gentleman his mother raised, took her to her hotel and left her completely and utterly alone.  Unlike the gentleman his mother raised though, he’s been fuming and furious as he’s drove around Boston, trying with absolutely no success to get the image of Taylor of Julian out of his mind.

He doesn’t recall actually making a conscious decision to end up on Boylston Street though.  He honestly doesn’t even recall actually driving here, the streets all but lost as he passed down them.  But when he pulls up in front of the Four Seasons hotel and the bellhop makes his way to his door, he figures there is no turning back now.

He tosses him his keys, makes his way inside and heads toward the penthouse elevator.  

“Taylor’s expecting me,” he says to the surprised lift attendant, rattling him enough with his knowledge of Taylor being there that he doesn’t question if indeed she is aware of his arrival.

He allows him in without a single word, pressing the penthouse button on the panel and the elevator starts to lift.  

Its only then that he considers Taylor’s reaction.  That perhaps she will be livid with his unannounced visit, or at the very least, shocked.  And as quickly as that consideration comes into his mind, another thought slices like a knife through it.  That perhaps she will be wrapped around Julian Edelman.

MOTHERFUCKING FUCK.

He’s two seconds from telling the attendant to just take him back down when the bell chimes and the door opens.  In front of him is a large black door, a shiny silver P on it.  He stares at it for a few moments before he hears the man clear his throat.  “We’re here,” he says, his tone pointed and obvious.  

He tosses the man a twenty dollar bill and a sarcastic smile and then steps out, waiting on the elevator to close behind him before he steps closer to the door.

He rasps on it once, then twice, before he hears her voice.  

“Brandon,” she questions, her voice close enough to tell him she’s just on the other side of the door.

“No,” he replies, “Not Brandon.”

The door swings open instantly, Taylor’s prying eyes on his just as quickly.  “What are you doing here?”

He knows he probably shouldn’t give her the once over, especially not with the leering look she’s placed on him.  But he does. Moving his eyes down her body, letting them linger on the Patriots shirt she now wears as a nightgown and then down, down those never-ending legs to her bare feet.  

He takes one step forward, stopping just in front of her as she stands in the doorway and he raises his hand to her neck, running one finger along the thin chain that lies there. He feels the goosebumps rising on her skin as his fingers trail down, padding against more flesh when he reaches the edge of her shirt and pinches the chain, pulling the rest of it out from under the fabric.  

He eyes it.  “My necklace,” he says.

She shakes her head then, stepping back and forcing him to let go of it.  He watches it fall back to her chest.  “No, it’s my necklace.  Unless you want it back.”

He howls, his laughter rocking against the walls.  “I don’t want it back.”  His gaze trails down, back over her again.  “But I can’t say I like it much with that shirt.”

“It’s a Patriots shirt. I thought they were your team.” The sarcasm is heavy in her tone, even heavier in her expression and he can feel a warmth seeping into his face as his irritation is fueled.  

“They are my team but they aren’t yours.  I’d say I’m surprised you are wearing it, especially since that is definitely not what you were wearing at the game, but that would be a lie.”  His eyes move over her again.  “I have no doubt Edelman gave you that shirt,” he smirks when he sharply pulls his eyes back up.

“Actually he did,” she says, her voice bathed in mockery and inflammation, his own irritation growing by the second.  

“Oh great.  So where is Mr. Wonderful now,” he asks, his eyes roving behind her, searching for any inkling of Julian even if he doesn’t want any inkling of him anywhere.  

She scoffs, her voice echoing, cutting through the room.  “What do you care?”

“I don’t,” he lies. He steps inside the room, continuing to talk but not turning to look at Taylor.  “I’m just a little bit shocked that you actually left with a man you’d known for a total of twenty minutes.  I figured I’d better come check on you so Brandon doesn’t kill me for letting you leave.”

“But you did let me leave,” she laughs, slamming the door shut and walking into the room herself. He watches her as she does, watching the way her ass moves against the thin fabric of the shirt, her fucking insanely perfect her legs look, even if walking away from him.  “I figured you’d be happy I left with Julian anyway.  I gave you what you wanted.”

“And what was it that I wanted, Taylor,” he hisses.

She moves to the counter, grabbing a bottle of red wine and a glass and pouring herself some. “Haley. I figured perhaps you’d give her the same tour of Boston that you gave me.  That one ended the way I’m sure she wanted hers to end as well. ”

Placing his hands on his hips, he laughs sarcastically, lowering his eyes briefly to the floor.  “Are you jealous of her?”

He looks up to find her staring at him, a hard smirk on her lips.  “No.  No.  I have no reason to be jealous of her.”

His jaw clenches as he lowers his chin one single time.  “You’re right, you have absolutely no reason to be jealous of her.”

“Great,” she says, raising her glass to him, “But I’m not jealous of her so it doesn’t matter anyway.”

“Good.”

“Great,” she emphasizes again, taking another drink of her wine.  

He takes a few more steps in, his face still aflame with the heat of their interaction.  When he steps to the counter, he reaches across, grabbing the bottle of wine from in front of her and popping the cork out.  He takes a drink directly from the bottle, letting the smoky red Malbec burn down his throat.  

When he no longer feels the sear, he drills his gaze into her. “Did you fuck him?  Wrap your legs around his waist and ride him?  Or maybe a romp on the couch or the balcony for that matter.  I’ve heard stories about him.  A hellavu lot of stories.  He show you how kinky he is or did you show him?”  She shakes her head, watching his feverish rant with her mouth partially open. “He get your sunset kisses? Moonlit sex.  Let me guess,” he howls, throwing his gaze upward.  “You’ve already wrote a song about your secret rendezvous with the Patriots sex god.”  

She immediately huffs, tilting her head back and shaking it.  He can tell by her expression that she’s pressing her tongue into the roof of her mouth, trying to get herself not to talk back.  It does no good.

“Do you think I’m a whore,” she seethes, her vibrant blue eyes now electric on him, “Why the fuck are you here Chris?  Did you come here to yell at me?  To lecture me?  To keep your tabs.  Because I’m really confused as to why you are here because two hours ago, you didn’t seem to give a shit if I fucked Julian or not.”  She cocks her head to the side, a sardonic laugh escaping her lips.  “Oh . . . or maybe you want me to sleep with him? Is that it?  You came here to give me a high five.  Your friend bedded your favorite wide receiver.”

He shakes his head feverishly, his nerves on end.  “No.”

“You get cool points for that,” she continues, her eyes boring into him, “You want me to fuck Edelman? What you get a better in with the Patriots if I’m screwing their star?  Take one for the team, Taylor.  Literally.  Is that what you want?  Or maybe Gronkowski?  He’s sent me messages on social media.  Maybe I could kill two birds with one stone and get you easy access to these guys and get Gronk to forget about Demi and Katy if I jump in the sack with him.”

The heat that’s been building inside of him is scorching him now, searing his every nerve, ever bone. She looks at him and he can tell that she knows, that she’s well aware that she’s generating this explosive reaction in him.  He watches as her expression falls ever so slightly as she turns away.

“Julian seems like an amazing guy,” she says, “He was nice to me and was a gentleman like he promised.”

“Ok, great,” he says, the words cutting, not calm.

“And you want to know the truth, for a second I considered sleeping with him.  I gave it a nanosecond of thought.  But I couldn’t because I’m not a whore who sleeps with a man the first night she meets him and my stupid heart is on reserve anyway so my stupid brain wouldn’t even let me consider it too long.”

“What does that mean,” he demands, his voice tethered.  

“It means that you’re silly for even showing up here asking me if I fucked Julian Edelman.  I’m not that type of woman.  Apparently you think I am but I’m not.”

“You’re being ridiculous,” he taunts, his skin ablaze, his thoughts incoherent and jumbled.

She leans forward, placing her hands on the counter and leaning into them slightly.  “I’m not the one who showed up at your place demanding to know if you fucked Haley.”

He cocks his eyebrow up, his words springing forth without much consideration.  “Do you want to know if I slept with Haley?”

She shakes her head. “Honestly, no I don’t.”

“Why,” he pushes, following her lead and pressing his hands onto the counter, his gaze hard on her.  

She shakes her head feverishly.  “This isn’t about me and my need to pry into your life.  This is about you in mine.  You came here.  You started spouting about Julian.”

“You’re wearing his goddamn shirt, Taylor,” he virtually yells, throwing his hand out in front of him, directing it at her clothing.

“It’s a new shirt, Chris. He didn’t take it off of his back. It doesn’t smell like his cologne or his sweat or his fucking pheromones.  He literally had the shirt in the backseat of his car, in a freaking box with several other that look just like this, and he asked me if I wanted one.  This isn’t my reward for sleeping with him.  I didn’t steal it off the floor after I ripped it off his chest.”  She raises her hands to her face, cupping her temples as she looks at the ceiling.  “Do you honestly still think I slept with him? I told you I didn’t.  But maybe I really fucking should have.”

He shrugs, rolling his head. “Maybe you should have.”

Turning on his heels, he walks away from the counter, moving quickly back in the direction of the door. Once he is there, he grabs hold of the handle, slinging the door open and standing to the side of it.  “There you go.  If you’ve had a change of your stupid heart or stupid mind,” he mocks her, “then there you go.  Go find him. I’m sure he left you his number and I’m very sure he’d haul his ass back over here just for you.  So go get your Julian.  Maybe Tom won’t mind sharing you.”

She shakes her head, biting at her bottom lip.  “And you said I’m ridiculous.  Why do you care who I sleep with,” she shouts as she steps out from behind the counter, “Don’t act like you’re so self-righteous.  That you are standing on some moral high ground.  You aren’t my bodyguard.  You aren’t my protector.  You aren’t my boyfriend.”

He feels his grip on the door handle tighten as her words impale him.  His jaw ticks and he shakes his head slowly, reaching his free hand out to his side.  “You think I’m not acutely aware of that?”

He watches as her expression completely changes then.  How the fiery red that has been coursing her veins and staining her neck drains to white. She puts her gaze on the floor, her voice vanishing from the room.  

His gaze is still on her when he sees her breathing even out and sees a gentle sheen settle into her eyes. She looks up at him, her mouth slightly ajar, and stares for a few fleeting moments.  

“What’s that look for,” he says, his heart beating like a drum by the sheer and utter confusion not only of the moment but by the change that’s taken place in her expression, in her body language.

“I get it now,” she says softly, her words such a stark contrast to earlier that he barely even comprehends them.

She takes a step toward him. Slowly.  And then another.  His eyes grazing hers and her body with each step.  And then she picks up the pace just a bit, taking step after step until she reaches him.

She grabs the edge of the door, pushing it hard and waiting for it to slam shut.  He jumps a touch when it does.  

Then, without any warning, she steps into his still outstretched arms, pressing onto her tiptoes as she grasps his face in her hands and presses her lips to his.

[kartiavelino]

The 10 rising stars you should watch for in 2019

Because the Oscar nominations draw close to, the focus will shine on many well-known names. However let’s transfer on and try the up-and-comers in Hollywood to watch on screens in the approaching years. A few of our rising stars already had breakout roles in 2018, together with Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie of “Go away No Hint” and John David Washington of “BlacKkKlansman.” Movie star DNA additionally makes our listing of newbies with Washington, who has downplayed the truth that he’s the offspring of the one and solely Denzel, and Maya Hawke, daughter of Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman. Veteran performers, together with Awkwafina (“Loopy Wealthy Asians”), who’ve been toiling in the trade for years (in her case, as a rapper), are also getting their correct consideration, together with the very freshest-faced of newcomers, similar to 13-year-old Shahadi Wright Joseph. Right here’s who to maintain your eye on now and in the years to come back. Awkwafina Awkwafina in a scene from “Loopy Wealthy Asians.”AP The place you know her from: Her rap albums “Yellow Ranger” and “In Fina We Belief,” as Constance in “Oceans 8” and because the wild and wisecracking greatest good friend Peik Lin in “Loopy Wealthy Asians” The place you’ll see her this 12 months: A secretive new fantasy drama movie known as “Paradise Hills” and a Comedy Central TV sequence known as — what else? — “Awkwafina.” Why she’s a standout: This 29-year-old actress, who was born and raised in New York, has an explosive persona that will have been helped alongside by her bizarre listing of pre-fame jobs: bodega employee and air- conditioning firm worker, amongst them. What she’s recognized for now isn’t promoting sandwiches, however stealing scenes. In “Oceans 8,” she starred alongside Cate Blanchett, Sandra Bullock and Rihanna. Who was everyone speaking about? Awkwafina. In “Loopy Wealthy Asians,” Constance Wu performed the romantic lead. Who did everyone bear in mind? The hilarious greatest good friend, Awkwafina. In 2019, she’s poised to turn into a comedy powerhouse. Ed Oxenbould Ed Oxenbould in “Wildlife.”©IFC Movies/Everett Assortment The place you know him from: Because the grandson in 2015’s “The Go to” and as Carey Mulligan and Jake Gyllenhaal’s emotionally struggling teen son in “Wildlife” The place you’ll see him this 12 months: “Being Gavin,” an Australian movie that additionally stars his dad Jamie Why he’s a standout: Like Lucas Hedges in “Manchester by the Sea” or Nicholas Hoult in “A few Boy,” Oxenbould is a younger actor who excels at listening. For audiences, that quiet contemplation makes the teenager with deep swimming pools for eyes completely transfixing. The 17-year-old Australian confirmed off his chops final 12 months in Paul Dano’s film “Wildlife,” in which he outshone co-stars Mulligan and Gyllenhaal as a son who needed to pave his personal path as his dad and mom’ lives unraveled. He’s one of many youngest actors on our listing, but when this extraordinary first main function is any indication, he has a few years of strolling the crimson carpet to come back. Joe Alwyn WireImage The place you know him from: “Boy Erased,” “Mary Queen of Scots” and Emma Stone’s kinky boy toy in “The Favorite” The place you’ll see him this 12 months: “Harriet,” the brand new Harriet Tubman biopic starring Cynthia Erivo and Janelle Monáe Why he’s a standout: It’s simple to neglect Alwyn is a rattling good actor. That’s as a result of his most cited credit score tends to be his function as Taylor Swift’s boyfriend. However whereas engagement rumors swirl, the good-looking Brit has had a run of supporting roles in main, acclaimed movies — 4 in 2018 alone. With every passing function the 6-foot-2 actor reveals extra persona and sheds some boyishness — typically scandalously. In “The Favorite,” Alwyn, 27, has intercourse scenes with Stone and at one level tells her, “I’ll have you stripped and whipped.” As for what goes on in his life with Swift, whom he started courting in 2017, he refuses to debate it. “I believe we now have been efficiently very personal, and that has now sunk in for folks,” he instructed British Vogue. John David Washington John David Washington starred in “Blackkklansman.”Focus Options The place you know him from: “Monsters and Males,” “Monster,” “The Previous Man & the Gun” with Robert Redford, and as a Colorado police division’s first black officer in “BlacKkKlansman” The place you’ll see him this 12 months: Greater than doubtless on the Oscars Why he’s a standout: In Washington’s quick, however impactful profession, he has carried out the unattainable: He’s made us neglect he’s Denzel Washington’s son. A formidable and completely completely different actor from his pop, 34-year-old Washington began out taking part in soccer. He was even signed by the St. Louis Rams, however quickly determined the pigskin wasn’t for him. “As soon as I tore my Achilles tendon, I knew I couldn’t play once more,” he instructed The Publish final September. “That’s after I transitioned to my first ardour.” His greatest break to this point has been Spike Lee’s “BlacKkKlansman,” which earned him a Golden Globe nod for greatest actor. He might be forging a brand new appearing dynasty: Barrymores, Redgraves, Washingtons. Danielle Macdonald Danielle Macdonald in a scene from “Dumplin.’ “Netflix The place you know her from: As an aspiring rapper in “Patti Cake$,” a Dolly Parton obsessed fan in “Dumplin’,” and the sufferer of an apocalyptic plague in “Hen Field” The place you’ll see her this 12 months: “Paradise Hills” and a Netflix sequence known as “Unbelievable,” additionally starring Toni Collette Why she’s a standout: You’ve most likely seen a number of Macdonald the previous few months. That’s as a result of two of her hottest movies to this point — “Hen Field” and “Dumplin’ ” — have been each launched by Netflix in December. The 27-year-old Australian actress radiates attraction and persona on-screen, when rapping or singing, being humorous or susceptible. Her efficiency in “Patti Cake$” made such an impression, she was supplied the function of Jennifer Aniston’s daughter in “Dumplin’ ” with out having to audition. The function required her to croon with Dolly Parton, however Macdonald, a superb rapper, doesn’t take into account herself historically musical. “I can’t sing. So, you know, it took me a very very long time to get a take that was half respectable,” she instructed Elle. “It wasn’t my first time in a recording sales space, nevertheless it was my first time singing and I needed to sing on set to Dolly Parton.” Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie in “Go away No Hint.”Scott Inexperienced / Bleecker Avenue You might know her from: A pitch-perfect efficiency as the teenager daughter of a traumatized struggle vet (Ben Foster) in the quiet, critically-acclaimed indie “Go away No Hint.” That earned her the breakthrough efficiency award from the Nationwide Board of Evaluation. Or, if you’re a fellow Kiwi, you could know her from earlier TV sequence together with the children’ present “Lucy Lewis Can’t Lose” and the cleaning soap opera “Shortland Avenue.” The place you’ll see her this 12 months: She’ll be throughout in 2019, from the Taika Waititi-directed darkish comedy “Jojo Rabbit,” taking part in a Jewish lady throughout World Struggle II, to “The King,” in which she’ll seem reverse one in every of final 12 months’s up-and-comers, Timothée Chalamet. She’s additionally taking part in a grieving sibling in the upcoming Netflix sequence “Misplaced Ladies,” the true-crime story of a Lengthy Island lady who goes lacking — not like McKenzie, who’ll be ever-more seen. Why she’s a standout: The 18-year-old actress has already proven a knack for delving deep into her roles; she discovered real-life survival abilities together with fire-building and foraging for “Go away No Hint,” which, by the way, was directed by Debra Granik — who found one other up-and-comer by the title of Jennifer Lawrence for her 2010 movie, “Winter’s Bone.” Shahadi Wright Joseph Actor Shahadi Wright Joseph, left, with singer David Aleksander on the American Music Awards in October.UPI You might know her from: Taking part in Little Inez in 2016’s “Hairspray Reside!” — in which she was the youngest solid member — plus Broadway roles in “College of Rock” and “The Lion King.” The place you’ll see her this 12 months: This 12 months, she’s set to revisit “The Lion King” as she voices the younger lion Nala in Disney’s live-action, large finances remake (in which Beyoncé is taking part in the grownup Nala), out in July. She’s additionally starring alongside Lupita Nyong’o in Jordan Peele’s new movie, “Us,” a few vacationing household with some unwelcome guests; its trailer impressively one-ups “Get Out” in creepiness. Why she’s a standout: The effervescent 13-year-old made a televised smash in “Hairspray,” however she was a pint-size showbiz veteran years earlier than that. And she or he’s studying from one of the best: As she instructed Houston Model journal, “Since I’m a musical theater child, most of my inspirations are Broadway actors like, Renée Elise Goldsberry (“Hamilton”), Lin Manuel Miranda (visionary, music and e book author of “Hamilton”) and pop singers like Ariana Grande.” Charlie Plummer Charlie Plummer as John Paul Getty III in “All of the Cash in the World.”©TriStar Footage/Everett Assortment You might know him from: Taking part in John Paul Getty III in 2017’s “All of the Cash in the World,” and garnering heaps of essential reward for his efficiency in the soulful drama “Lean on Pete.” The place you’ll see him this 12 months: He’s at present slated to look in 5 films this 12 months, together with the dystopian drama “Gully” alongside Amber Heard; “Phrases on Lavatory Partitions,” a few schizophrenic teenager; and “Share,” a social-media horror story making its debut very quickly at Sundance Movie Pageant. Why he’s a standout: He might not be a relative of veteran actor Christopher Plummer, however the 19-year-old actor is exhibiting indicators of building as strong a profession as his “All of the Cash” co-star. And he doesn’t shrink back from the powerful stuff: “I’m not somebody who seeks out tales of people who find themselves struggling,” he instructed Interview journal. “I believe they simply type of discover me.” Plus, it’s been famous that he shares a resemblance to the late River Phoenix — by no means a foul factor for a matinee idol on the rise. Maya Hawke Getty Pictures You might know her from: Taking part in Jo March in the PBS miniseries adaptation of “Little Girls” (for which she dropped out of Juilliard drama faculty). The place you’ll see her this 12 months: She’ll play a brand new character named Robin on Season three of Netflix’s “Stranger Issues” and he or she has a task in Quentin Tarantino’s Charles Manson-themed “As soon as Upon a Time in Hollywood.” She’ll additionally work with Marisa Tomei and Liev Schreiber in an adaptation of the best-selling novel “Human Capital.” Why she’s a standout: If you needed to decide a celeb union that might yield a next-generation expertise, sensible cash would have been on Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman. The 20-year-old actress inherited each her dad and mom’ attractiveness, leaning a bit towards Thurman. However regardless of leaving teachers behind, she says she wasn’t ever raised as a movie-star child: “It wasn’t like I used to be dragged round on crimson carpets. They wished me to have a childhood, they wished me to be in faculty,” she instructed the Hollywood Reporter. Lana Condor Lana Condor in a scene from “To All of the Boys I’ve Liked Earlier than.”©Netflix/Everett Assortment You might know her from: Starring in one of many summer season’s hottest exhibits, Netflix’s “To All of the Boys I’ve Liked Earlier than” (and thrilling followers by saying on Jimmy Fallon’s present that she and co-star Noah Centineo positively shared actual chemistry vibes whereas capturing). The place you’ll see her this 12 months: The 21-year-old actress will star in one in every of 2019’s most hotly anticipated thrillers, the Robert Rodriguez-directed and James Cameron-produced CGI extravaganza “Alita: Battle Angel,” and he or she’ll play one of many college students in the Syfy sequence “Lethal Class,” premiering on Jan. 16. Why she’s a standout: Condor, who was born in Vietnam, has been hailed as a outstanding expertise in a 12 months that noticed main strides ahead for Asian illustration in American movie, and hasn’t shied away from speaking about it. Of “To All of the Boys,” she instructed Nylon journal that she was proud “it’s not an Asian rom-com. It’s a rom-com that occurs to have an Asian actress because the lead. It normalizes, as a result of, sadly, that is nonetheless a groundbreaking factor.” Share this: https://nypost.com/2019/01/17/the-10-rising-stars-you-should-watch-for-in-2019/ The post The 10 rising stars you should watch for in 2019 appeared first on My style by Kartia. https://www.kartiavelino.com/2019/01/the-10-rising-stars-you-should-watch-for-in-2019.html