#elizabeth auto glass

[thebisexualdogdad]

Could it be possible for you to write a lena Luther x male cowboy reader? Lena takes a trip to the country side and meets Reader who's the one who works with the horses he has the whole souther charm you know the whole hot cowboy aesthetic

Lena Luthor x Male!reader

Following a lead that her mother may have spent some time living in a small town called Sutton Hills in Kansas, Lena decided to spend the summer there hoping to learn more about her.

You and your family owned a cattle ranch outside this town and you were doing some of your daily tasks when you saw a woman standing next to her broken down car on the road in front of your home.

"You must not be from around here or else you'd know high heels and dirt roads don't mix," you laugh, riding up to her on your horse with two cattle dogs running behind you.

"I think the engine overheated," she tells you, the hood of the car popped with some steam coming out of it.

"Let me take a look," you say hopping off your horse and taking a peak, "yep looks like you're out of coolant, let me call my buddy who works at the auto shop in town and he can drop some off," you tell her pulling your phone out and sending a text to your friend, "it'll be at least an hour till he can get here and it's hot as hell out, do you want to come inside for a drink? My mom just made a pitcher of fresh lemonade. Oh and I'm Y/N by the way, this sweet girl is Dakota and those two are Scout and Jasper."

Every horror movie ever says that she shouldn't go inside a complete strangers home especially in the middle of a small town but the summer sun wasn't the only thing that was hot out here, your cowboy chic and matching accent was quite charming to say the least and your horse and dogs were pretty cute as well.

"Sure, lemonade sounds nice and I'm Lena," she replies.

"So where are you from Lena?" You ask guiding her towards your home, tying your horse to a post in the shade next to a water trough.

"National City," she says as you walk up the front steps.

"That's in California right? What are you doing all the way out here in Kansas," you ask, opening the door and letting her inside, taking your cowboy hat off and hanging it on the rack.

"This might sound crazy but I think my mom lived here about 30 years ago, she died when I was young and I was just hoping to learn more about her," she explains.

You walk into the kitchen and pull the pitcher of lemonade from the fridge pouring two glasses and handing her one, "that's not crazy at all, what was her name?"

"Elizabeth Walsh."

"Elizabeth Walsh? Hmm, that names sounds familiar," you say when your mom enters the kitchen, "hey ma this is Lena, her car broke down out front. She's in town looking for some information about her mom who lived here a couple decades ago. Maybe you knew her, names Elizabeth Walsh."

"Oh yeah I knew Elizabeth, we worked at the convenience store together before I married your father Y/N," your mom says.

Lena coughs, choking on the lemonade she was drinking, "wait you really knew her?"

"Sure did, real sweet girl and everyone loved her. She lived here for two or three years if I remember correctly," she responds.

"Do you happen to know where she went after Sutton Hills?" Lena asks.

"Last time I saw her she came into the store to quit, told me she met a man from Smallville not far from here and she was leaving to be with him," your mom tells her, "you know she left me a few of her journals, said she wanted to keep them safe."

"What was inside them?" Lena questions having a feeling she knew the answer.

"No clue, they all had locks on them not that I would have even felt right reading them, I put them in a box in the attic somewhere I can have Y/N look for them if you'd like," she offers.

"Y/N you would be doing me a huge favor," Lena says.

"No problem, I'd be happy to look for them," you reply.

"Mind if I help you?"

"Follow me," you smile at her and she blushes.

Up in the attic you start moving some boxes, looking for ones with more dust on them that haven't been touched in a while.

You spend twenty minutes looking through boxes, getting to know Lena when you finally find what you were looking for.

"These must be it, I wonder why she put locks on them," you say handing them over to Lena.

"I think I know why," Lena states, running her fingers over the lock of the first journal.

"Not sure how you're gonna open them, those locks don't even have a slot for a key, your mom must have some pretty interesting secrets," you chuckle.

"You don't know the half of it," she mutters, she already had a few spells in mind that she would try to get the locks open but you didn't need to know that.

Your phone buzzes and you see a text from your friend, "James is here, let's get your car cooled down and you'll be good to go."

Outside you and James pour the new bottle of coolant into the radiator of her rental car.

"You're all set," you say popping the hood back into place.

"Thank you Y/N, and thank your mom for the journals, you don't know how much this means to me," she says hugging you.

"It's my pleasure Lena and I hope you enjoy your summer in Sutton Hills," you tell her.

"Well maybe if you aren't too busy you can be my tour guide, maybe even take me on a ride on your horses," she suggests.

"Why don't we have breakfast tomorrow at Sal's diner, it's right next door to the motel you're staying in," you say.

"How's 9 o'clock sound?"

"I'll be done with my morning chores by then, 9 sounds perfect."

"Great I'll see you tomorrow," she says opening the car door, "and thanks for the coolant James."

"No problem," he replies and you wave at her as she drives off into town, "don't tell me you're falling for that city girl, I saw the way you were looking at her," James laughs..

"Aren't you the one who's always telling me I can't spend all my time on the ranch?" You joke.

"You didn't even get her last name," he teases.

"I'll get it tomorrow when I'm having breakfast with the beautiful woman from California unlike you," you crack back.

"Alright farm boy have fun fulfilling some fairy tale romance."

"I sure will, there's something special about her I just can't put my finger on it."

There certainly was something special about Lena and maybe you'd just be lucky enough to find out this summer.

[star-vessel1237]

Repeating Storyline AU ( A TWST AU)

Summary: What if Crowley failed to stop the madness that the overblots brought the first time it happened. To try and fix his mistake he started summoning students to try and help the students. However the last twenty two times have failed, currently the new summon, Yuu, is doing well. They are getting close to figuring out Crowley’s secret however. But what came of the other summons? Well, reseting the time loop will cause errors and sometimes replacements are required.

Report #01

Good evening everyone. Unfortunately we have terrible news tonight. Last week on January 4, 2021, a boy by the name of Riley Rose-Heart went missing. He was last spotted at Queen’s Garden with his mother, Elizabeth Rose-Heart, while attending a private party.

The last time anyone had seen Riley was when he and his mother had gotten into an argument about his future. The young boy screamed at his mother before running off into the garden’s rose maze before disappearing. Authorities called say that the only evidence left was the boy’s hairclip, the item itself lying in the center of the maze.

If anyone has evidence on the whereabouts of Riley Rose-Heart, please contact authorities, thank you.

Report #02

G̷o̶o̷d̸ ̶e̸v̷e̶n̶i̵n̷g̸ ̵e̷v̷e̶r̷y̸o̵n̷e̵.̴ Unfortunately we have terrible news tonight. A young man by the name of Tyler Green had gone missing on January 31, 2021. He was last seen getting groceries for his family’s small bakery, he did not return h̷o̴m̸e̵ for three hours. 

After the police were called, they found evidence that he may have been kidnapped. The evidence was a list with his handwriting, a fallen grocery bag, and his glasses, damaged on the left lens. All of these were found on the dirt rode he took from home to his local grocery store, horse hoof prints being found near the scene.

If anyone has evidence on the whereabouts of Tyler Green, please contact authorities, t̷h̸a̵n̴k̸ ̵y̶o̸u̸.̷

Report #03

G̶o̶o̸d̶ ̵e̷v̵e̵n̷i̷n̵g̷ ̴e̸v̵e̸r̷y̶o̶n̸e̷.̸ ̵U̷n̵f̵o̶r̷t̶u̵n̴a̵t̴e̶l̵y̸ ̷w̷e̵ ̴h̸a̶v̵e̸ terrible news tonight. A college student by the name of Carter Diamond had gone missing on February 2, 2021. According to eye-witness report from his friend, who choose to remain anonymous, they all went to Queen’s Garden to do a vlog post about the disappearance of the missing boy, Riley Rose-Heart. 

Due to the unexpected fog, they ended up splitting up. Carter’s friends heard him scream and ran to find him when the fog was lighting up. When they weren’t able to find him they called the police. Police later found evidence of yet another kidnapping, the evidence this time with Carter’s broken cellphone and similar hoof prints to Tyler Green’s disappearance.

If anyone has evidence on the whereabouts of Carter Diamond, please ̴c̵o̶n̶t̵a̴c̴t̷ ̵a̸u̴t̵h̸o̸r̴i̸t̷i̵e̸s̶,̷ ̵t̵h̶a̴n̴k̷ ̵y̷o̷u̵

Report #04 and #05

G̵o̴o̴d̶ ̵e̷v̸e̵n̴i̸n̶g̵ ̶e̶v̵e̶r̸y̶o̷n̵e̵.̸ ̴U̴n̷f̶o̸r̴t̴u̸n̶a̵t̸e̷l̷y̷ ̵w̴e̷ ̴h̷a̷v̵e̸ ̷t̶e̴r̶r̶i̶b̶l̴e̵ ̶n̵e̴w̵s̶ ̷t̵o̵n̶i̶g̵h̷t̸.̷ Two high school student, Ace Liddell and Dante Spade, had gone missing.

Ace Liddell had went missing on February 26, 2021. After his school’s basketball game he gone into the lockers to change with his teammates and Dante waiting for him. After a while, they decided to barrage into the room to see if Ace was alright. Despite no noise being heard, there were smashed lockers and Ace’s normal clothes ripped up as the entire room was a mess, with Ace nowhere insight. People have suspected kidnapping as the small window in the locker room was smashed along with the rest of the room.

While the basketball team panicked and called the police, Dante ran off in the middle of the night on his bike to try and find his friend. It wasn’t until it was the morning of February 27, 2021, that his bike was found by the auto repair shop he worked at. The shop owner claims that he didn’t hear anything all night and the security footage had been corrupted around that time, the only audio being manageable was Dante screaming to get away from him, before a crash was heard.

If anyone has evidence on the whereabouts of Ace Liddel and Dante Spade, p̸l̵e̷a̷s̸e̶ ̴c̸o̵n̷t̸a̷c̵t̶ ̸a̸u̴t̸h̸o̴r̴i̸t̵i̶e̵s̴,̵ ̴t̷h̸a̴n̷k̷ ̵y̸o̷u̸.̷

A̴l̸l̶ ̷t̴h̵e̴ ̷r̶o̴s̶e̵s̴ ̵a̶r̸e̵ ̷n̴o̵w̶ ̵p̶a̷i̷n̵t̸e̸d̸.̷.̵.̶

(That’s all for now. Hope you enjoyed.)

[gaelic-symphony]

50 Things to Know About Tara Lewis

I have, on multiple occasions, held myself out to be the resident Tara Lewis expert and have spent many, many hours obsessing over her, so I figured I would put together this handy little guide to our favorite forensic psychologist!

Things About Tara Lewis That Are Canonically True

She was (presumably) born in 1973.

She was named after her paternal great-grandmother.

Her middle name is Elizabeth.

She has a brother named Gabriel who is three years younger.

Her father's name is Albert.

She has an aunt named Thelma who may or may not be the same aunt who mended all her clothes growing up.

She was a tomboy.

She loved fossils when she was a kid.

Her father was in the military, and her family moved around a lot while she was growing up. Places they lived include Hamburg, Germany; Okinawa, Japan; and Fort Rucker army base in Alabama.

Her brother began calling her "T" after a boy at school teased her about her name. Gabriel is the only one who uses this nickname for her.

Her father opened an auto body repair shop in D.C. after being discharged from the military, and he taught Tara how to restore antique cars.

She is fluent in both German and French.

She was brought up Christian.

Her mother died of breast cancer when she was 18.

She attended Dartmouth College in New Hampshire for both her undergraduate and graduate degrees.

She has a complicated relationship with her younger brother, and at one point, they were estranged from each other after she bailed him out when he found himself in financial (and possibly legal) trouble.

She was previously married to Daryl Wright, but they divorced as a result of his issues with drug addiction which led him to become abusive towards her.

She and Daryl met at Dartmouth and married young, while they were still in graduate school.

She was engaged to Doug Fuller, but he broke off their engagement after becoming frustrated with Tara's work hours at the BAU.

Before joining the BAU, she worked out of the San Francisco field office.

She counseled parents in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook shooting.

Serial killers she has interviewed include Loren Herzog and Archie Sutton.

She listens to classic rock and enjoys Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and The Doors.

She drives a 1970 Opel GT which she spent five years restoring.

Her drink of choice appears to be whiskey.

She is an excellent shot and scored 100 on her firearms qualification.

She wears reading glasses.

She watches Doctor Who.

She doesn't believe in ghosts.

She has given a TED Talk.

Things About Tara Lewis That I Made up Because the Writers Neglected Her

Her birthday is April 22, 1973.

She was born in Fort Meade, Maryland.

Her mother's name was Evelyn.

Her parents were high school sweethearts, and they both grew up in and have deep family ties to Prince George's County, Maryland (the part of Maryland that borders D.C. to the east and contains several of the wealthiest majority-Black communities in the United States).

When she was a little girl, her father's pet name for her was "my little ladybug," and he still calls her that occasionally even though she's in her forties now.

She bears a striking physical resemblance to her mother, who was also a very tall lady, but not quite as tall as Tara.

She's played the piano since she was four years old.

She was on the track team in high school and broke her school's record for the Girls' 800m.

While at Dartmouth, she spent a semester abroad in Geneva, which is where she perfected her French.

She loves dogs, but she's never been able to have one of her own: first because her family moved around so much, then because she was a broke, busy university student, and now because of the long hours and constant travel that comes with her job.

Her favorite color is green.

She loves WNBA basketball and is a diehard Washington Mystics fan.

She's a very good cook.

She met Daryl in the stacks of the library during her senior year of college. They were both looking for the same psychology book. He was immediately charming and sweet, and he let Tara check the book out instead of him, but only on the condition she give him her number so he could come borrow it if he really needed it. Of course, he found some reason to need the book before Tara was finished with it just so he could call her, and of course, when he did, they ended up talking for hours and forgetting about the book altogether. He took her back to the same spot in the library to propose to her.

She joined the FBI right after her divorce. They'd been trying to recruit her for a while, but after she and Daryl split up, she felt like she needed a fresh start and a change of scenery, so she left New Hampshire for Quantico.

She requested a transfer to the San Francisco field office in 2009 because Gabriel was living in San Francisco and having a rough time, and she felt obliged to go out there so she could keep an eye on him. After all, it was easier for her to transfer to a different FBI field office than it would be for her aging father to close up shop in D.C. and start a whole new business in California.

After she and Gabriel became estranged, she applied for the first available opening in the BAU so that she could move back east and be close to her father and the rest of her family again.

She lives in a 3-bedroom townhouse in Northern Virginia. It's a lot of space for just one person, but she found it and fell in love with it when she and Doug were house-hunting before he broke things off and went back to San Francisco, so she just went ahead and bought it for herself when she saw it was still on the market.

She enjoys spending her days off at her father's shop, working on cars with him.

She loves kids and is great with them, but she's never felt the need to have any of her own. She prefers being "Auntie Tara" to Henry, Michael, and the Simmons kids, and regularly offers to babysit when JJ and Will or Matt and Kristy need a night to themselves.

[soniccrazygal]

OK this one's a bit long... But I'm really excited for it and I hope you enjoy it!

"Let go with me!!" Elizabeth flailed in Belle's grasp kicking and punching with her freed arm belle stood steady her hand clamped around elizabeth's. "Please stop I'm not trying to hurt you just-" Belle was cut off by finally noticing Michael and Charlie. Belle recoiled in disgust from the 2 of them. " That's harsh but understandable. now if you just give me Elizabeth will be out of your hair". Michael gave her his most angry and threatening stare. (It regrettably had been learned from William) Belle stepped back again. Elizabeth took the chance to grab on too Belle's arms and bite down as hard as she could. Belle screamed but didn't let go. But she was distracted for long enough that the puppet could come up behind her and jump on top of her. Bell was knocked to the ground letting go of Elizabeth as she fell. "Elizabeth we need to run now!!" Michael picked her up and ran out of the guest room grabbing their bags on the way out. "What about Charlie?" Elizabeth said as Michael kicked the door open and put her down. "That's not important! you did swipe the old bat's wallet right??" Michael said running to the driveway and trying to open up the car door it was locked. Elizabeth smirked pulling out the wallet. Michael grabbed the wallet and searched through it. "No keys- Guess we're gonna have to hot wire!" Elizabeth looked for something they could check at the window. Finally picking up an ugly garden dome and handing it to Michael. Michael was prepared to tell Elizabeth to stand back but she had already done so. Michael threw the knob and it broke the glass. he opened the door from the inside Sticking his arm through the glass. A little bit of remaining glass that poked against his arm didn't hurt.. Michael and Elizabeth easily slipped into the car now that it was open and Michael got to hot wiring. And they started hearing the screams coming from the house.. "Should we go inside..?" Said Elizabeth checking to make sure everything was right in the car before she started driving. "No the hot wiring is done and you should be able to drive from here. Don't stop for anything Even Charlie..." Elizabeth looks suspicious but started the car and sped out of the driveway.

They sat in silence for a long time as the town slowly way to forest.. "You gotta teach me how to drive sometime Elizabeth.. It's no fair that I'm like 17 and You're the only one of us that can drive!" Michael laughed as Elizabeth kept her eyes on the road speeding along. " I told you you should have tried out illegal Street racing! then you would have learned how to drive!" Elizabeth said with a chuckle "Oh so that's what we're calling stealing Mrs. Whitaker's car and driving to to Florida" Michael pulled a chocolate bar out of his backpack. "All right so what I wanted to go to Disney And Genevieve happened to know where The ^@#$@% Capture car keys! is it such a crime for girls to wanna have some fun?" Michael gave up on trying to swallow down the chocolate.. "No it's a crime to commit grand theft auto and not invite me along.. and also not teach me how to drive" Mike threw the chocolate open window. His eyes definitely glow in now, lighting up the dark interior of the car. "Your eyes look pretty Mike.." Elizabeth words hung in the night as they continued to drive...

Here you go what happens next! It was really fun writing the banter between Michael and Elizabeth (too bad what happens to them in most universes...) Anyway I hope you enjoy this part and I can't wait to see what you do next! From yours truly random Tumblr user!

As they drove… the swore they were hearing something sort of creaking metal… and worse… it seemed to be coming towards them.

[randomstufftournament]

I was planning on going through the list and picking the top ones to make the bracket with, but I didn't want to deprive you of any of the list (106 items long!!)

So it's going to be a bigger tournament than I expected!

At the end, the three winners will go head-to-head and we'll be able to crown a first, second, and third place winner.

The (randomly generated) first round of matchups will be:

a raccoon standing on its hind legs and making too much eye contact vs. imagined dragons

<3 vs. backwards baseball cap

A single small pellet of cobalt-60 vs space heater

Necklace chain (no pendant) vs sweet potato maki

Jellycat Amore Dog vs Syzygy

Seagull with a whole chili dog vs Wojtek the bear

Tomorrow vs A leaf with a tiny bug-sized bite taken out of it

Roasted parsnips vs bread

Thursday the 12th vs the first email account you ever made

Those ergonomic mice that are sideways and tall vs A Geiger counter but for great pussy

LOL vs Batfish

Lightly sweetened whole grain cereal vs green gummy bear

Nikita Khrushchev's shoe vs The molasses flood

Noticing a new freckle vs Petrichor

Window that brings in a slight draft vs big fluffy bathrobes

Greeting cards vs the little fake hands you put on a finger

A rat holding a strawberry in its little hands vs the giant catfish in the Chornobyl reactor cooling pond

The Cuban missile crisis vs LipSmacker flavored lip gloss

Couch cover vs uquiz for what kind of kitchen utensil you'd be

Orange tic tacs vs Paw print set in concrete

Plastic animal figurines vs empty snail shell

Permian-Triassic Extinction Event vs single unmatched sock (its mate has been lost)

Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997) vs leggings with a run in them

Florida Man vs Funables Fruity Snacks, Mixed Berry Fruit Snacks, Family Size, 40 Count

Bath beads (shape of dolphin) vs wet log in the ground, home to moss and fungi

The shoes that Muntadhar al-Zaidi threw at George Bush vs Pi Day

The Chornobyl elephant's foot vs Matryoshka dolls

Pigeon vs candy necklaces from the 1990s

Swinging so high on a swing set that you become briefly weightless at the top of the arc vs ring pop

Sex dice that can only deliver confusing combinations vs the state of Florida

Queen Elizabeth's corpse vs sheet of cat stickers

SALE! 2/$2.99 Fresh Hass Avocado vs orange slime made by an 8-year-old and then left to dry out in the back of a closet for years

The color puce vs pill case

A nuclear-powered ramjet vs Chromodorus Willani

Red lava lamp vs glow in the dark stars to put on your bedroom ceiling

Ufo porno vs Lego three in ones

Disposable chopsticks vs garlic bread

Generic grocery store brand apple juice from concentrate vs skeleton

Three haunted porcelain dolls vs a duck with perfectly formed human hands instead of wings coming out of its shoulders

A bus pass with $7.33 on it vs The last of the gift wrap paper (not enough to wrap a present)

The SL-1 reactor in Idaho vs 1 yard of fleece

Glasses without lenses vs the rabies virus

There are a few byes that we'll come across in round 2:

Tapetum lucidum (will face the winner of matchup #1)

1 can of Goya brand black beans (will face the winner of matchup #4)

A dog who is normal in every way except that it can identify any plant by its scientific name (will face the winner of matchup #5)

Duke the Bush's Baked Beans mascot (will face the winner of matchup #6)

Jumbo binder clips (will face the winner of matchup #9)

Mead (will face the winner of matchup #12)

The smell of a Sears auto department (will face the winner of matchup #15)

The composer Fryderyk Chopin's heart, In case in a jar of booze in a church in the middle of Warsaw, Poland (will face the winner of matchup #16)

Sour cream (will face the winner of matchup #17)

A 2005 Honda Civic with a vinyl wrap of Sasuke on the side (will face the winner of matchup #20)

73 dachshunds (will face the winner of matchup #21)

$9.99 headphones from CVS (will face the winner of matchup #22)

The French language (will face the winner of matchup #25)

The number 11 (will face the winner of matchup #26)

The Weather Channel on August 28th 2005 (will face the winner of matchup #27)

World peace (will face the winner of matchup #30)

Glass swan sold at a gas station (will face the winner of matchup #33)

Discarded McDonald's toy found on the sidewalk (will face the winner of matchup #36)

Lube that just. too slippery to be useful (will face the winner of matchup #37)

@hillbilly---man's Archie comics phase World War II veteran who hates sharks (will face the winner of matchup #38) *I changed this one because quite a few of you don't know me and don't care about my Archie comics phase. Apologies to the submitter!

Roasted garlic (will face the winner of matchup #41)

White LEDs (will face the winner of matchup #42)

The placement of all of these was done randomly, but I'll try to seed future rounds based on performance.

The first polls will be published tomorrow

[underthewingsofthblackeagle]

“Panorama Helsinki / Finland - Dom und Parlamentsplatz“ by  tap5a  

“Wir tun das nur für Fergus!” ist eine kurze Outlander Fan Fiction Geschichte und mein Beitrag zur Outlander Prompt Exchange (Prompt 3. Fake Beziehung AU: Jamie Fraser möchte seinen Pflegesohn Fergus formell adoptieren, aber sein Antrag wird wahrscheinlich nicht genehmigt werden … es sei denn, er ist verheiratet und/oder in einer festen Beziehung. F��gen Sie Claire Elizabeth Beauchamp (Randall?) zu dieser Geschichte hinzu.) @outlanderpromptexchange​

Hinweis für den Leser:  In diesem Kapitel werden Abtreibung und ungewollte Kinderlosigkeit erwähnt. Sollten diese Themen bei Ihnen negative Gedanken o.ä. triggern, überspringen Sie es bitte.

Kapitel 10: Dem 'Feind' begegnen (3) 

           Als Claire und Geillis wieder ins Wohnzimmer zurückkehrten, standen die beiden Männer vor dem Kamin. Zu Claires Überraschung streckte ihr Jamie seinen rechten Arm entgegen und als sie in seine Reichweite kam, zog er sie sogleich an sich. Er lächelte und küsste sie sanft auf ihre linke Schläfe.

“Champagne glasses” by Myriams-Fotos

             "Es ist schön eine 'Männer-unter-sich-Zeit' zu haben, aber ohne unsere 'besseren Hälften' fehlt uns doch etwas, oder Dave?"

           Dave, der ebenfalls Geillis an sich gezogen und geküsst hatte, nickte Jamie zu. Geillis flüsterte Dave etwas ins Ohr, worauf dieser lächelte und ein lautes

           "Oh!" von sich gab.

           Jamie schaute ihn fragend an.

           "Gibt es irgendwelche Neuigkeiten, von denen ich noch nichts weiß?"

           Dave räusperte sich, immer noch lächelnd.

           "Nun, da Claire es bereits herausgefunden hat, sollten wir es vor Dir nicht geheim halten."

           "Ich höre," sagte Jamie und richtete seinen fragenden Blick nun zu Claire.

           Zu Claires, Jamies und wahrscheinlich auch zu Geillis Überraschung hörten sie Dave sagen:

           "Geillis und ich erwarten unser erstes Kind!"

           Es trat ein Moment überraschter Stille ein. Jamie war der erste, der seine Stimme wiederfand:

           "Dave! Geillis! Herzlichen Glückwunsch!"

           Fraser ging auf das Paar zu und schloss sie in eine leichte Umarmung ein.

           "Claire! Das müssen wir feiern!" rief er aus, als er sich kurz darauf von den Beglückwünschten wieder gelöst hatte.

           Ohne eine Reaktion seiner 'Verlobten' abzuwarten, sagte er dann:

           "Kommt, setzt Euch. Ich hole uns eine Flasche Champagner. Das muss doch gefeiert werden! Claire, nimm' doch bitte vier Champagnerschalen aus dem Schrank."

           Dann war er auch schon durch die Tür zum Esszimmer verschwunden. Während Dave und Geillis wieder auf einem der Sofas Platz nahmen, ging Claire zum Schrank und holte die gewünschten Gläser.

           Kurz darauf kam Jamie mit einem Champagnerkübel, aus dem eine Flasche "Moet & Chandon" ragte, zurück. Er zog die Flasche aus dem Eis und öffnete sie mit einem lauten Knall. Dann goss er allen ein. Anschließend hob er sein Glas und sagte:

           "Auf ein starkes und gesundes Kind! Und auf die glücklichen Eltern!"

           Sie prosteten einander zu und tranken. Dann setzten sie sich alle wieder und es entwickelte sich ein Gespräch über Kinder im Allgemeinen, dann über Geschwister (zu diesem Teil des Gesprächs steuerten Jamie und Dave etliche sehr lustige Anekdoten aus ihrer Kindheit bei) und natürlich fragten Dave und Geillis auch nach Fergus.

“Brücke in Paris” by pierre9x6

           Als Jamie davon erzählte, wie er seinen Pflegesohn in Paris gefunden und welche Mühen es ihn gekostet hatte, das Kind nach Deutschland zu bringen, blühte er förmlich auf. Schon seit dem ersten Tag im Haus Fraser war Claire bewusst gewesen, wie sehr Jamie den Jungen liebte und es war ganz offensichtlich, dass er sich immer Kinder gewünscht hatte. Dann hörte sie, wie Jamie sagte:

           "Aber erst seitdem Claire sich um ihn kümmert, entwickelt sich Fergus immer besser. Es ist eine Freude ihn aufwachsen zu sehen. Man ist zeitlich so eingeschränkt, wenn man ein alleinerziehender Vater ist, der ein internationales Unternehmen führen muss. Ich bin so dankbar für Claires Unterstützung. Sie hat die Fähigkeit, seine Kreativität zu fördern, seinen Wissendurst in die richtigen Bahnen zu lenken - es ist einfach eine Freude, ihn aufwachsen zu sehen. Aber ohne sie wäre das alles nicht möglich."

           Claire, die bereits die ganze Zeit neben ihm saß und um deren Schultern er, als sei es die natürlichste Geste der Welt, seinen rechten Arm gelegt hatte, spürte, wie er sie noch näher an sich zog. Sie blickte zu ihm und dann sah sie ihn über das ganze Gesicht lächeln.

           Kurz vor Mitternacht brachen Dave und Geillis auf. Der Chauffeur erschien und gemeinsam mit Jamie hob er die 'Vase Nr. 4' samt den Protea Blumen in eine vorbereitete Holzkiste, die dann er mit einem kleinen Doppelstirnwandwagen zum Aufzug und von dort in die Garage zum Auto brachte. Jamie und Claire begleiteten die Gäste in die Halle und, nachdem sie ihre Mäntel angezogen hatten, zur Haustür. Nachdem sie einander noch einmal umarmt hatten, gingen Dave und Geillis zum Wagen, der bereits vor dem Haus vorgefahren war. Jamie und Claire blieben auf der obersten Stufe der kleinen Treppe stehen, die zum Hauseingang führte und winkten ihnen nach. Als der Wagen ihren Blicken entschwunden war, kehrten sie gemeinsam ins Haus zurück.

“Protea” by nagra76

           "Entschuldige mich einen Moment, ich gehe nur kurz ...," sagte Jamie und deutete auf Tür des Gäste-WCs.

           Claire nickte und ging ihrerseits zurück ins Wohnzimmer. Dort räumte sie die Gläser und den Sektkübel vom Tisch und brachte alles zurück in die Küche. Dann nahm sie den flachen Schmuckkasten aus dem Schrank und setzte sich auf eines der Sofas. Während sie den Schmuck abnahm und ihn zurück in die Schatulle legte, musste sie kurz innehalten. Sie merkte, wie die Kraft, mit der sie sich seit dem Gespräch mit Geillis aufrecht gehalten hatte, immer mehr versiegte. Und dann konnte sie die Tränen einfach nicht mehr zurückhalten.            Gerade in diesem Moment kehrte auch Jamie ins Wohnzimmer zurück und er bemerkte sofort, dass es Claire nicht gut ging. Aber diesen Eindruck hatte er bereits seitdem die beiden Frauen ins Wohnzimmer zurückgekehrt waren. Als er seinen Arm ausgestreckt und Claire an sich gezogen hatte, hatte sie einen ihrer Arme um seinen Rücken und den anderen über seinen Bauch gelegt. Man hätte dies als eine Geste ansehen können, mit der sie deutlich machen wollte, dass er ihr gehörte. Doch Fraser hatte vielmehr den Eindruck gehabt, dass Claire das dringende Bedürfnis hatte, sich an ihm festzuhalten.

           Mit wenigen ausladenden Schritten eilte er zu ihr.

           "Claire, was ist? Geht es Dir nicht gut? Hat ... hat Dich dieser Abend überfordert? Habe ich etwas falsch gemacht?"

           Ohne es selbst bewusst zu bemerken, kniete er sich vor sie und ergriff ihre Hände, die gefaltet auf ihrem Schoß lagen.

           Claire löste ihre rechte Hand aus den seinen, legte sie auf Frasers Rechte und drückte sie:

           "Nein, Jamie, Du hast nichts falsch gemacht. Es hat überhaupt nichts mit Dir, Fergus, mit uns ... zu tun."

           Dann brach sie in heftiges Schluchzen aus und schlug sich beide Hände vors Gesicht. Jamie legte beide Arme um sie und zog sie an sich. So verharrten sie eine Weile, bis Claire sich wieder ein wenig beruhigt hatte.

           Sie griff nach dem Taschentusch, welches Jamie ihr entgegenhielt, wischte ihre Tränen ab und schnäuzte sich. Dann sagte sie:

           "Ich hatte bereits bei der Begrüßung in der Halle, den Eindruck, dass Geillis schwanger war. Gleich als ich ihr Kleid sah. Als wir dann oben  bei mir waren, habe ich meinen Verdacht ausgesprochen und sie hat es bestätigt."

           "Aber warum macht Dich das so ... traurig. Es ist doch eine tolle Sache, dass sie Nachwuchs bekommen," fragte Fraser verwundert.

           Claire sah ihn an und fragte sich, ob sie es ihm wirklich sagen sollte. Doch dann entschied sie sich dafür:

           "Es ist kein Wunschkind, Jamie. Es war nicht geplant und ... Geillis ..."

           "Will sie das Kind etwa ..."

           "Nein! Nein! Sie werden das Kind bekommen. Du hast ja gesehen, wie sehr Dave sich freut und wie stolz er ist, endlich Vater zu werden."

           Claire hielt einen Augenblick inne. Dann fuhr sie fort:

           "Geillis ... Geillis hat Angst, dass sie das Kind nicht lieben kann, weil sie sich eigentlich ihr Leben ohne Kinder vorgestallt hat. Sie hat Angst, dass sich das alles negativ auf ihre Beziehung zu Dave auswirkt."

           "Und das macht Dich so traurig. Ich verstehe."

           Jamies Gesichtsausdruck verdunkelte sich. Er sah zu Boden und nickte.

           "Nein," wandte Claire ein, "ich ... es ist ganz normal, dass sie momentan so durcheinander ist. Das geht vielen Frauen in einer solchen Situation so. Aber dabei muss es nicht bleiben. Ich habe als Krankenschwester viele Frauen gesehen, bei denen sich das mit der Zeit verändert hat und die bis heute wirklich gute, liebevolle  Mütter sind. Und natürlich werde ich versuchen, ihr zu helfen. Ich möchte mich im Verlauf der Woche mit ihr treffen und in Ruhe mit ihr reden. Dann werden wir weitersehen."

“Taschentuch” by bloomingnakanishi

           Fraser sah sie verwundert an. Er hielt einen Augenblick inne. Es war ihm klar, dass die Frage, die er stellen wollte, bei Claire wahrscheinlich Schmerz auslösen würde, doch er musste wissen, was sie bewegte.

           "Aber, wenn sich das doch ändern kann, wenn Du ihr doch helfen kannst, Claire ... warum bist Du dann so traurig?"

           Und wie er es geahnt hatte, brach sich Claires Schmerz sofort Bahn:

           "Weil es so fürchterlich ungerecht ist! Es ist so ungerecht Jamie!"

           Aus Claires plötzlich weit aufgerissenen, roten Augen sah ihn die schiere Verzweiflung an. Er fühlte, wie sich ihre Hände unter den seinen geballt hatten und sie vor innerer Wut und Verzweiflung zitterte. Es dauerte nur wenige Sekunden, dann strömte erneut eine Flut von Tränen über Claires Wangen und wieder wurde sie von einem tiefen Schluchzten geschüttelt. Jamie legte seine Arme um sie und zog sie an sich heran. In seinen Gedanken formte sich eine Ahnung, die er jedoch nicht auszusprechen wagte. Als Claire sich wieder etwas beruhigt und sich erneut die Tränen getrocknet hatte, sagte sie:

           "Es ist so ungerecht, Jamie. Warum bekommen Frauen, die keine Kinder möchten, Kinder und warum müssen sich Frauen, die nichts lieber wären als Mutter, damit abfinden, dass sie niemals Kinder haben werden?"

           Fraser schwieg. Was hätte er auch sagen können? Doch zum Sprechen hätte er auch kaum Gelegenheit gehabt, denn Claire fuhr sofort fort:

           "Jedes Jahr werden allein in diesem Land mehr als 130.000 Kinder abgetrieben. 130.000, das ist die Anzahl der Einwohner einer Stadt wie Heidelberg. Kannst Du Dir das vorstellen? Und nein! Ehe wir uns missverstehen, ich fälle kein Urteil über diese Frauen. Ich kenne die Einzelschicksale nicht, ich weiß nicht was sie bewegt, was sie durchmachen und ich nehme mir nicht das Recht heraus, über sie zu urteilen. In diesem Land gibt es viele Institutionen, die für sie eintreten und die sich um sie kümmern. Und das ist auch gut so, denn keine Frau sollte in einer solchen Situation allein sein. Aber für sie gibt es seit vielen Jahren Unterstützung. Aber ungewollt kinderlose Menschen haben kaum eine Lobby! Und dabei ist jedes zehnte Paar zwischen 25 und 59 Jahren in diesem Land ungewollt kinderlos! Jedes zehnte Paar, Jamie! Und was wird diesen Menschen geraten?  Na, wenn ihr selbst keine Kinder bekommen könnt, dann adoptiert doch! Das ist, was kinderlose Paare gesagt bekommen. Aber Dir brauche ich ja wohl kaum sagen, wie schwer das ist. Nicht nur als alleinstehender Mann! Selbst als Ehepaar! Selbst wenn der Mann einen überaus gut bezahlten, angesehenen Professorenposten hat und die Frau bereit ist, zu Hause zu bleiben! Selbst wenn das Ehepaar über ein eigenes Haus mit Garten und einen guten Leumund verfügt! Selbst dann kann es Jahre dauern! Warum fahren so viele Ehepaare in die ehemaligen Ostblockstaaten und adoptieren ein Kind aus einem russischen oder ukrainischen Waisenhaus? Und wenn man sich dann als Paar für eine ... für diese schreckliche, ... diese unendlich anstrengende ....  Fruchtbarkeitsbehandlung entscheidet, dann bekommt man auch erst seit 2012 dafür etwas finanzielle Unterstützung! Erst seit 2012!"

           Erneut quollen Claires Augen über vor Tränen, die sie sich mit dem großen Herrentaschentuch abwischte. Jamie schwieg derweil und betete innerlich um die richtigen Worte.

           "Ich habe es Dir nie erzählt, aber... mein verstorbener Mann, Frank, und ich, wir wünschten uns Kinder. Sehr sogar. Für Frank war es ganz besonders wichtig. Aber auch ich ... Das stand schon vor unserer Heirat fest. Das Haus, das wir kauften, als wir nach Berlin zogen, hatte zwei Kinderzimmer. Wir haben sie auch immer so genannt.  Viele Jahre haben wir es immer wieder versucht, mit allen Mitteln. Wir wollten es beide, doch ... Am Ende hat es unsere Ehe zerrissen. Frank ... er ... hat sich anderen Frauen zugewandt bis ... bis er eine gefunden hatte, mit der er eine Familie gründen wollte. Ich habe die Einzelheiten erst erfahren, als er schon verstorben war. Es war eine seiner Kolleginnen und ... nun ... es lief wohl bereits über einige Jahre. Kurz bevor er starb, hatte er den Entschluss gefasst, mich zu verlassen. Frank hatte schon alles in die Wege geleitet. Nur der Tod hat ihn daran gehindert, es in die Tat umzusetzen. Er wollte sich von mir scheiden lassen, um sie heiraten zu können. Frank hat es nie gesagt, aber ich kannte ihn gut genug. Es war klar, dass er diese Frau heiraten wollte, weil er hoffte, mit ihr endlich die Kinder zu bekommen. Kinder! Kinder, die ich ihm nicht schenken konnte."

           Wieder schwieg Claire einen Moment, dann brach es erneut aus ihr heraus:

           "In diesem Land bist Du nichts, wenn Du als Frau kinderlos bleibst. Ohne zu wissen, warum Du kinderlos bist, wird über Dich ein Urteil gefällt. Man wird als selbstsüchtig, egoistisch, verantwortungslos, weniger hilfsbereit, weniger reif und weniger glücklich angesehen. Und man fühlt sich selbst so ... unnatürlich, minderwertig, von der Norm abweichend, als sei man gar keine richtige Frau. Der soziale Druck ist enorm. Meine Eltern waren ja früh gestorben und auch Franks Eltern waren bereits tot. Daher gab es keine Großeltern, die uns immer wieder auf Enkelkinder angesprochen haben. Aber in unseren Kollegenkreisen kam die Frage natürlich immer wieder auf. 'Wollt Ihr denn keine Kinder?' - 'Wie lange wollt Ihr denn noch warten?' - Als ob das die Frage gewesen wäre!"

“Leere Krippe” by congerdesign

           Auf Claires Gesicht wurde eine deutliche Verbitterung sichtbar.

           "Mein Onkel Lambert hätte nie solche Fragen gestellt. Aber auf seinem Gesicht habe ich es immer wieder gesehen. Wie gern hätte er 'Enkelkinder' gehabt. Wie gern hätte er gesehen, dass etwas von ihm, von den Beauchamps, weiterlebt. Frank und ich, wir haben es natürlich auch mit den medizinischen Methoden versucht. Man liest davon ja immer wieder in Zeitschriften und ... entsprechende Kinderwunschklinken machen ja auch entsprechend viel Werbung. Aber von den etwaigen Risiken, den Nebenwirkungen der hohen Hormongaben für eine Frau, oder von der sehr geringen Erfolgsquote, überhaupt schwanger zu werden, geschweige denn der Wahrscheinlichkeit ein Kind zu gebären, sprach niemand. Wir haben auch niemandem in unserem Freundes- oder Kollegenkreis von den künstlichen Zeugungsversuchen erzählt. Noch nicht einmal Geillis weiß es. Wer will auch schon Freunden oder Kollegen diese komplizierte und peinliche Prozedur erklären und dann dauernd Rede und Antwort stehen müssen? Wann es denn nun endlich soweit sei?! Zwei dieser und noch weitere zwei Versuche innerhalb der folgenden zwei Jahre schlugen fehl. Wir mussten schließlich einsehen, dass wir niemals Eltern werden konnten. Frank hat die Kinderzimmer dann in ein Gästezimmer und in eine ... Abstellkammer ... umgewidmet. Allerdings ... haben wir nach  .... kaum noch Gäste bekommen. Er war mehr und mehr in seiner Freizeit abwesend ... nun ja, später erfuhr ich dann, wo er war."

           Claire schnäuzte sich und Jamie sah, wie sich ihre Augen mit Tränen füllten.

           "Es ist so ungerecht! Es ist so ungerecht!"

           Claires Stimme war heiser geworden, dennoch flossen die Worte weiter aus ihr heraus.

           "Stell' Dir vor, dass in Deiner Umgebung Frauen schwanger werden, die es gar nicht sein wollen und Du, Du bleibst kinderlos. Und das passiert nicht einmal oder zweimal, sondern viele Male. Und dann wirst von Deinem Mann deswegen verlassen. Zurückgelassen, wie ein ... kaputter, unnützer Gebrauchsgegenstand! ... Niemand denkt groß darüber nach, was Frauen wie ich durchmachen. Niemand! Wir haben keine Lobby. Hörst Du mich? Absolut keine Lobby! Hörst Du mich, Jamie?!"

           Jamie zog sie an sich und drückte ihren Kopf sanft an seine linke Schulter. Während Claires Schluchzten langsam versiegte, spürte er, wie ihre Tränen sein Hemd durchnässten. Dann sagte er leise, aber deutlich:

           "Ich höre Dich, Claire. Ich höre Dich, wirklich. Und ich weiß, wie es sich anfühlt. Glaube mir."

           Claire hob ihren Kopf und sah ihn verständnislos an.

           "Ich habe mir auch immer eine Familie gewünscht. Aber ich habe nie die richtige Frau gefunden. Und dann fand ich Fergus und es war ... wie ein Zeichen. Er ... er ist ein Geschenk. Ein wunderbares Geschenk. Ein kostbares Geschenk. Ich werde alles dafür tun ..."

           "Ja, er ist ein wunderbares Kind. Ein Racker, ein Schlingel, aber ein geliebter Racker," sagte sie, immer noch schluchtzend.

           "Und er liebt Dich, Claire. Er liebt Dich wirklich. Ich habe es Dir noch gar nicht erzählen können, aber weißt Du, was er mich an einem der Abende gefragt hat, an dem ich ihn allein zu Bett gebracht habe?"

           Claire schüttelte den Kopf.

           "Ich habe ihm aus dem Buch vorgelesen, dass ich ihm im Museumsdorf gekauft habe. Du erinnerst Dich:  'Ein Jahr im Mittelalter: Essen und Feiern, Reisen und Kämpfen, Herrschen und Strafen, Glauben und Lieben.' Unter dem Thema 'Lieben' geht es natürlich auch darum, wie man im Mittelalter geheiratet hat. Es wird gesagt, dass damals die Menschen viel früher heirateten als heute und Fergus fragte mich, wie alt man heute sein müsse, um heiraten zu können. Ich sagte ihm, dass man in der Regel ab dem 18.Lebensjahr heiraten könne. Er sah mich an und ich konnte fast sehen, wie sich die kleinen Räder in seinem Kopf drehten. Darum sagte ich ihm, dass er ja nun bald sieben Jahre alt werden würde und dass es dann nur noch elf Jahre dauern würde, bis er achtzehn sei. Er sagte nichts, schaute mich aber plötzlich ganz mürrisch an. Als ich fragte, was ihn so ärgerlich machte, antwortete er: 'Dann dauert es ja noch ewig, bis ich Claire heiraten kann!'"

           "Oh, nein!"

           "Doch, Claire!"

           Nun musste selbst Claire etwas lächeln.

           "Er liebt Dich, er würde Dich vom Fleck weg heiraten. Wenn er könnte."

           Wieder rollten Tränen Claires Wangen hinunter.

           "Ich habe ihn auch sehr lieb, Jamie. Ich bin ... so froh, dass Du ihn zu Dir genommen hast."

           Sie wischte sich die Tränen aus dem Gesicht und Jamie, der sich langsam von seinen Knien erhob, setzte sich neben sie.

           "Claire, ich habe Dich gehört, wirklich gehört und ich weiß auch, was es heißt, so zu fühlen. Nun bitte ich Dich, mir gut zuzuhören."

           Sie nickte.

           "Fergus liebt Dich, wirklich. Und ich, ich bin zutiefst dankbar, für alles, was Du für uns tust und ... Wir haben Dich beide sehr gern. Du bist für uns nicht eine Angestellte, Du bist ... unsere beste Freundin. Und  ... ich möchte, dass Du weißt, dass ... was immer nach diesen drei Jahren geschieht, wie immer Du Dich entscheidest. Du wirst immer einen Platz in unseren Herzen haben, Claire. Und Du wirst immer ein Zuhause bei uns haben. Immer."

           "Danke. Vielen Dank. Das ist ..."

           "Ganz selbstverständlich," beendete Fraser den Satz. Dann erhob er sich und reichte ihr die Hand:

           "Komm', ich bringe Dich hinauf."

           Claire griff seine Hand und ließ sich vorsichtig daran hinaufziehen.

[onlyfangz]

Due to the new Pokemon game

Since Scottish people and culture seems to be coming into the spotlight recently, here’s a few things you should know (Alternative title: Facts About Scotland):

- We are “Scots”, with one ‘t’, not two, and we’re definitely not “Scotch”, which is considered rude to call someone in most parts, and in others are considered a slur. Scotch refers to Scottish products. See: Scotch Wiskey, Scotch Tablet, etc., Singular is “Scot”. So, “He is a Scot.”

- You don’t need to tell us that you don’t understand our language. It’d be like if I saw a post wrote in Italian and I said, “Lol what does this say”. Like obviously, I don’t speak Italian, no need to comment on it.

- You also don’t need to tell us that you do understand our language. Again, it’d be like me reading a post in German (let’s pretend I can speak more than a few words in German for a sec) and I said, “Oh wow! I understand this!” 

- Don’t try and write or speak in our language. Chances are no-one will have any clue of what you’re talking about.

- We don’t say “fockin”. Nobody says fockin.

- Or “fookin”.

- It’s just fucking. Fuckin’ if you must.

- Scots has a lot of intricate rules. Sometimes two words or variations means the same thing, but can only be used in certain contexts. “Ye” and “Ya” mean “You”, but where “Ye cannae dae that, ya dobberhied,” makes sense, “Ya cannae dae that, ye dobberhied” does not.

- We are not brash, rude, crass, uncivilized, barbaric, constantly drunk, angry, unintelligent, etc.,

- Yes we do have TV, it was a Scottish person who invented it.

- In fact, you’ve got Scottish people to thank for for: pedal bikes, the pneumatic tyre, the steam engine, penicillin, the pemalis wave energy converter, the hot blast oven, hollow pipe drainage, the telephone, postage stamps, postcards, universal time, the first ever english book on surgery, sherlock holmes, peter pan, modern economics, modern sociology, hypnotism, modern geology, the discovery of saturn’s rings, the decimal point, the Gregorian telescope, the discoveries of the properties of carbon dioxide, the pyroscope, identifying the nucleus in cells, the ground work for the incandescent lightbulb (thought thomas edison did that on his own, did you?), criminal fingerprinting, the very first cloned mammal, the world’s first tractor beam, the shot put, the hammer throw, curling, ice hockey, the saline drip, the hypodermic syringe, understanding transplant rejection, using the ultrasound to diagnose, identifying the mosquito as the carrier of malaria, the typhoid vaccine, discovering insulin, the HPV vaccine, fire engines, the discovery of TB treatment, the development of beta-blocker drugs, the glasgow coma scale, the glasgow anxiety scale, the glasgow depression scale, the fridge, the toaster, flushing toilets, the waterproof macintosh jackets, the kaleidoscope, the lawnmower, the electric clock, the bank of england and france, the game grand theft auto, forbes magazine, the new york herald, and paintball.

- So the question isn’t does Scotland have (x), it’s do you?

- Glasgow is pronounced “Glass-go” or “Glaz-go”, not “Glass-cow”.

- Edinburgh is pronounced “Ed-in-bruh”.

- Loch is pronounced with a soft “ck” noise, not with a hard “ck.” (It’s not “Lock”.)

- No I haven’t seen the Loch Ness Monster, I don’t even live near Loch Ness.

- Nessie isn’t the only Loch Monster. She has a sister, Morag.

- Now for a round of “Is it true?”

- “Does Scotland hate England?” A lot of us do, some of us don’t.

- “Does Scotland hate Ireland?” A lot of us don’t. I haven’t met anyone who does.

- “Are Scotland and Ireland the same?” No.

- “Do Scottish people type in their accents?” No, we type in our language.

- “Does Haggis taste good?” Depends who you ask. My personal answer - yes, I like it. Chances are you won’t.

- “Is Haggis made out of sheep guts?” No. It’s made out of sheep liver, heart, and lungs. It’s not disgusting, it’s just animal product and you need to chill out about it.

- “Are Celts Scottish?” Celts are Scottish, and also Irish, Welsh, Cornish, Breton, and Manx.

- Celtic and Celtic are two different things in Scotland. One has a hard “Ck” noise at the beginning of it, but the other has a “S” noise (Sell-tic). K-ell-tic refers to people, Sell-tic refers to a football club.

- Not all of Scotland is rough. A lot of it is actually quite nice.

- The Highlands are not mystical. It’s nice scenery if you like a bunch of mountains, but there’s not much going on up there.

- If someone is the King/Queen of Scotland, it means that they’re King/Queen of the land, but if someone is the King/Queen of Scots, it means they’re King/Queen of Scottish People. It’s a very hard distinction, and the reason why you’ll hear “Mary, Queen of Scots”, “Robert The Bruce, King of Scots”, but not “Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Scots”.

- A lot of people don’t like the monarchy, so don’t ask us if we’ve ever had tea with the Queen or whatever you like to ask.

- Even though we’re working on it, we are still British. So if a Scottish person tells you they’re British they know what they’re talking about and do not need you to “correct” them. Britain refers to the four nations: Scotland, England, Wales, and N. Ireland.

- Britain has no culture. You’re thinking of English culture.

- There is a British accent. 43 of them to be exact. None of them are more British than the other.

- The North of England gets treated as badly as all of Scotland by the South of England.

- Scotland did not vote for Brexit, but if all of Scotland voted against something, and all of London voted for something, London would win by an estimated 3 million margin. (And that’s off population alone, numbers would vary due to voter eligibility.)

- Scotland is heavily liberal, with free college, free health care, is the only country in the world to give free sanitary products in schools and other public places, and is the only country in the world where LGBTI+ education is mandatory and part of the curriculum. (Other countries do give LGBTI+ education, but in no country is it mandatory.)

- In conclusion: don’t be an asshole.

[themurphyzone]

Oneshot: Lollipops and Burritos

Summary: How does a studious man with big dreams and a slacker with no regard for the rules become partners? Easy, just make your own rules. 

Spoilers for First Impressions! 

Seriously I loved the Dakavendish in this episode like there’s so much it’s not even funny well it is but you know what I mean! Imma stop rambling now and get on with the story! 

This was it. Today was the big day. On August 26, 2168, Balthazar T. Cavendish would pass his driving test with flying colors and become a full-fledged agent of the Bureau of Time Travel, an agency dedicated to protecting the delicate space-time continuum from evildoers, miscreants, and the shadowy Marmoset League.

Agents had it all: limousines with aquariums, high society parties, stylish tuxes and gorgeous dresses, and most importantly, recognition for their efforts in saving the world.

Cavendish always aimed high in his goals. What was the point of setting them if you didn’t aspire to achieve great things? When he was young, he dreamed of being a famous concert pianist.

Mozart had been invited to play in a royal palace when he was but a young lad. Beethoven composed despite his deafness. With the great composers of history as his inspiration, Cavendish had practiced and practiced until every note, rhythm, and key signature was burned into his mind.

But he was just a small fish in a big pond. He’d competed against children who fiddled before they walked, and the judges overlooked him despite his efforts to play everything as written in the piece.

So he turned to law in the Queen’s court instead. Barristers were fair, thorough, and had extensive knowledge of the precedents regarding a case. He would help the judges deliver justice for the innocent and punishment for the guilty.

Then Queen Elizabeth IV banned him from the royal palace for life because he dared to call her out for her refusal to compensate a florist for the damages that her precious corgi, Mr. Marshmallow Biscuit Longfellow, caused at his shop.

Well, that wasn’t entirely true.

He refused to go back anyway since Mr. Marshmallow Biscuit Longfellow urinated on his favorite suit and he had no choice but to throw it away.

Then Cavendish went back to school, taking classes such as Theoretical Mathematics of Time Travel and How to Avoid Erasing Yourself from History 101 until he’d earned his Bachelor’s of Science in Time Travel. Then he applied for a job at the BoTT and the rest was history.

Cavendish spent three harrowing months studying for this driving test. An important part of driving was knowing the car’s mechanics after all. 

And when he passed, he’d be a full-fledged agent!

Despite his nerves, he forced himself to concentrate on his electronic manual for this particular model of time travel vehicle. Student drivers used basic 2160 Tempos for easy handling and an auto-pilot to help get them back on track if they accidentally wound up in the Dark Ages. 

But if he clawed his way up to the S-Rank in BoTT, he could earn enough to buy a highly coveted 2167 Chronos Satellite, which was equipped to fly in the lower regions of space while providing a steady oxygen supply, temperature control, and enough safety features so that the driver didn’t accidentally hurtle to earth in a fiery blaze. 

“The Time Delineation gear is for quick trips in local space, allowing you to move three times faster than local time,” Cavendish recited. He knew the book forwards and backwards by now, but last-minute cramming never hurt anyone. 

“Alright, Cavendish,” he said as he stored the manual. Sounding confident was key. “You are on your way to becoming a fully-fledged time agent!  This deserves a lolly!” 

Alright, so he couldn’t resist a black currant lollipop. It was the best flavor on the market in his humble opinion. 

Then the driver’s door suddenly opened, and before he knew it, he was unceremoniously shoved into the passenger seat by some...some hoodlum with the largest afro Cavendish had ever seen in his life. 

The world was a cruel mistress. He spent all this time studying for this moment, and the payoff was being carjacked by some greaser who thought he looked good just cause he wore a leather jacket. 

And to add insult to injury, the jerk wasted his last black currant lollipop. 

Dakota liked food, music, and movies. He was just a simple guy with simple pleasures. While he’d be perfectly happy working in restaurant jobs for the rest of his life, it didn’t pay the bills. 

Companies preferred robot workers these days. More efficient and less costly, they argued. 

Most human servers worked in small family-owned restaurants, but they’d be out of luck in a few months when the patrons inevitably moved onto more snazzy, well-known businesses. 

Two weeks ago, Dakota had the bright idea of dressing up like a robot and seeing how well he could imitate his mechanical co-workers at a popular fast-food joint. It worked for a few hours, but his appetite got the better of him and he was caught stealing chicken strips on camera.

He’d been carted off to jail and charged with impersonating robots without a permit. Humanity had advanced to flying cars and time travel, but they’d never been able to fix the justice system.

On the plus side, the incident had given Dakota the idea to get a permit so he could legally impersonate a robot. 

He discovered the eviction notice after he’d been released from his week-long stay in jail. There just hadn’t been enough money to pay rent and groceries. He could pay rent and starve, or he could pay for food and allow himself to be kicked out. 

It wasn’t a hard choice, nor was it a total loss. Dakota was already a recruit for the BoTT, and they had many private study rooms. They called it a study room, Dakota called it his bedroom, but either way, it was a room. 

And the cafeteria food was delicious. 

The morning of August 26, 2168 was just like any other. Dakota scarfed down his eggs and French toast, topping it off with a glass of orange juice. As he prepared to sweet-talk Penelope the mechanical cafeteria lady into giving him a second batch of eggs, the intercom beeped. 

“New time agent recruits, please select a vehicle for your driving test. If you survive today, you’ll get your first assignment and partners tomorrow. Thank you,” a bored man in some serious need of coffee announced. 

For some reason, the announcement had given him a craving for one of Rita’s burritos in the 21st century. 

“Yo, Penelope, that a new ocular lens on ya? Looks good. Say, how ‘bout holding a few chocolate muffins for me? I’ll pick ‘em up later,” Dakota said, leaning on the counter lazily. 

“My circuitry is heating up,” Penelope monotoned. 

Though she had no outward forms of expression, Dakota knew from experience that circuitry heating up was the equivalent of blushing and that she would honor his request.

With everyone scrambling to file last-minute digital work (paper had been completely phased out), the path to the holding bay for student vehicles was clear. 

After a brief round of eenie-meenie-miney-mo, Dakota headed over to the winning vehicle and opened the door, which thankfully wasn’t locked. 

“Slide over, stretch. I need a ride,” Dakota said as he shoved the driver—a tall man with ginger hair and thick-rimmed glasses—aside and made himself comfortable. 

“Wait a minute, who are you?” the other man asked indignantly. His accent was overly posh like one of those fake Brits on TV. He held a purple lollipop in his outstretched hand, and Dakota snatched it up, much to the other man’s dismay.

He was kinda funny actually, so Dakota decided to name him Stretch. 

“Is this for me? Thanks!” Dakota exclaimed as he stuck the lollipop in his mouth. Something to suck on for the road couldn’t hurt. 

Then an extremely bitter flavor exploded across his tongue, and Dakota yanked the lollipop out of his mouth, exclaiming his disgust for Stretch’s choice in flavor. 

“BLECH! What flavor is this?” Dakota asked in disgust. He was going to need some extra salsa to get rid of this gross flavor that had no right existing. 

“Black currant,” Stretch enunciated carefully, his eyebrows knitting together. 

Yeah, didn’t look like they were getting along, especially if Stretch insisted that black currant was delicious and Dakota’s taste buds were the ones that were in need of major readjustments. 

Dakota threw the disgusting lollipop over his shoulder, its purple juices making the entire thing stick to the window. 

“Not even gonna ask what that is,” Dakota muttered as he started up the car and opened a time portal. 

Good thing he knew a shortcut, because he seriously needed to get that lollipop out of his system. 

Cavendish privately named this man—no, this unwanted hitchhiking selfish lollipop-stealing vagrant ‘Hoodlum’. 

It didn’t matter how loud Cavendish protested. Hoodlum broke every speed limit law in the manual and in all of existence, took bends at two hundred temporometers an hour when the recommended was just fifty, and didn’t check the gauge to make sure they had enough time juice to last the entire trip. 

In the span of thirty seconds, the vehicle was caught in the powerful jaws of a T-rex, used as leverage for a sauropod to reach some high-hanging leaves, and battered by an angry Triceratops. 

By the time Hoodlum finally got them to the safety of paved 21st-century streets, the time vehicle had been battered and bruised to the point of being a miracle that it functioned. 

“What. Was. That?” Cavendish asked flatly, too scared for his life that he couldn’t outwardly express his mortal terror. 

“Shortcut through the Mesozoic,” Hoodlum said casually, as if he hadn’t just taken them on a crazy joyride that would’ve made them another statistic to the list of BoTT recruits who didn’t survive the training. “Come on, let’s get some burritos.” 

Hoodlum pushed the eject button, and Cavendish was thrown onto the asphalt, his glasses knocked askew from impact. 

“Tres burritos, Rita!” Dakota called to a nearby street vendor. “That means three burritos, Rita.” 

This miscreant was actively sabotaging Cavendish’s driving test with his reckless, self-serving ways. Who did he think he was anyway? Cavendish’s anger boiled to a breaking point. He was sick and tired of being tossed around like a ragdoll caught in the whimsical fantasies of a child who’d never grown up. 

“GREAT GRABKNACKLES! YOU RISKED OUR LIVES FOR A LOUSY BURRITO?” Cavendish stormed up to Hoodlum, pointing an accusing finger in his face. Cavendish ignored the dirty looks Hoodlum and Rita threw his way. 

Any sane person would know perfectly well that burritos did not supersede basic self-preservation. 

“No, no. I risked our lives for an amazing burrito, so good it only exists in this time and place,” Hoodlum retorted. “You want nachos with yours?” 

Cavendish scowled and folded his arms. He would never sink low enough to accept food from Hoodlum. “You would make a terrible partner,” Cavendish snapped, pointedly turning his back to this scoundrel. 

“Yeah, well, I wasn’t asking,” Hoodlum replied. 

That was the only sensible thing he’d said all day. 

Stretch didn’t want a burrito. 

Fine, whatever. Dakota tried, at least. Though who in their right mind would turn down an amazing burrito? Literally, an Amazing Burrito. It was right on the sign. 

Rita quietly excused herself, not wanting to be part of the awkwardness that permeated the air as Dakota ate and Stretch grumbled. 

Stretch seemed to have two speeds: Buzzkill and Even More Buzzkill. 

Really, hadn’t this guy ever heard of fun in his life? 

“It’s in the manual. Page 9, Paragraph 15, Line 5. ‘A recruit may not use a company vehicle for personal use’,” Stretch quoted. 

Dakota had no desire to open the manual and check it himself, but he was pretty sure the manual didn’t have every individual paragraph and line marked. He almost felt bad for Stretch. He didn’t seem to have much of a social life if he memorized everything in that dusty old knickknack. 

“THERE ARE RULES, MAN!” Stretch yelled, shoving the manual in Dakota’s face. 

For a stickler, Stretch had no qualms about invading personal space and breaking rules on basic politeness. 

Dakota had to give the man a point. 

“I know, I just choose not to follow them,” Dakota proudly admitted. Rules never did anything for him, so why should he have to obey some stupid list? 

“When we get back to our own time, I will be reporting you to the proper authorities,” Stretch said pompously, puffing out his chest in a pitiful attempt to be authoritative. 

Really, his spaceman suit was working against him in that regard. It looked more ridiculous than anything. 

Besides, the authorities never could make charges stick for long. Robots were so easy to bribe with spare nuts and bolts. 

“Not everything’s in that manual. Sometimes you gotta improvise when the unexpected happens-” a strange whooshing noise caught Dakota’s attention, and he craned his neck to see a torrent of water carrying a battered school bus with a rocket sticking out of its roof and—were those kids being dragged behind on a broken back door?

“-like that! Those kids need help!” Dakota shouted, tossing his burrito aside as he leaped out of his seat. “Come on, let’s roll!” 

He wasn’t sure how those kids wound up in such a precarious situation, but their bus driver was endangering their lives and not even slowing down so he had to do something! 

As he darted toward the car, he suddenly realized how cool it would be if he could leap over the car hood like some inexplicably awesome action hero. 

He felt like a regular James Bond, like a jerky 1980s movie protagonist whose trumpets bellowed their theme like they were some god descended to earth and-

He felt that solid concrete hurt. 

A lot. 

It all happened so fast. One moment they were locked in a vicious argument, then they saw children in peril (an incredibly strange sort of peril, but they called it peril for a reason), then Hoodlum shouted about rescuing them and wound up faceplanting into the asphalt as he tried to leap over the time vehicle’s hood.

If the situation wasn’t so dire, Cavendish would’ve been more than happy to hold it over Hoodlum’s head as karma. 

Cavendish buckled himself a scant two seconds before Hoodlum gunned the engine, floored the gas pedal, and crashed through a fence without remorse for destroying public property. 

Cavendish found himself not caring that they broke the rules regarding wonton destruction with a time vehicle as outlined on Page 45, Paragraph 6, Lines 3-7. 

Fences could be replaced. Children’s lives could not. 

As they pursued the school bus at a speed that surely couldn’t be safe for any car, much less a near-totaled one, Cavendish caught a glimpse of the panicked expression on Hoodlum’s face. He gripped the wheel tightly, his knuckles turning white as he wildly spun the wheel to avoid oncoming traffic. 

Hoodlum didn’t know these kids. 

But he would still shatter speed limit laws, risk crashing himself, and refuse to adhere to BoTT’s rules about revealing the existence of time travel before it was invented for them. 

Cavendish had a feeling that he sorely misjudged Hoodlum after all. 

The rocket propelled the bus into a river, and the children—dear White Cliffs of Dover how were they even holding on at this point—were getting further away every second. 

“We’re going to lose them!” Cavendish shouted as the bus careened down the opposite fork in the river. 

“Not if I can help it!” Hoodlum yelled, slamming the gas pedal to the floor and pushing their odometer to dangerous levels. 

Cavendish clung to his seat for dear life, an uncomfortable pit of dread settling in his stomach that wasn’t just from being airborne and upside-down. 

His first mission as a time travel agent would not end in tragedy. He’d never forgive himself if it did. 

The moment they landed (right-side up thank goodness) on the opposite bank, the rocket suddenly ignited, pushing the bus and children even further out of their reach. 

“They’re going too fast!” Cavendish bit back a curse. They’d been so close that time, yet the chance of a successful rescue had been snatched from their grip. 

The water churned and swirled uncontrollably, throwing all sorts of flailing aquatic creatures into the air. 

Just their luck, the children and the bus door they’d been riding on went airborne and the rope that tied them to the bus fell away. 

Dakota gritted his teeth, massively frustrated that they’d been so close to getting those kids away from danger but failing every single time. “And now they’re airborne,” he griped.  

“Wait, we’ll use the Time Delineation gear!” Stretch exclaimed. 

Dakota had no idea what Stretch was talking about. They didn’t have time to waste. “The what now?” 

“It’s the Time Delineation gear! It allows you to move three times faster than local time! That’s in the manual!” Stretch exclaimed, pulling a lever through a series of ninety-degree turns. A strange power surrounded the time vehicle, bringing everything to a near-complete standstill while Dakota maintained their rapid speed. 

Water stood still, animals were suspended in their movement, and the children and door hovered in midair without being subject to gravity. 

It was incredible. 

If Stretch hadn’t memorized that manual, neither of them would have known about the Time Delineation gear and the children’s lives would be in even greater jeopardy. 

When all was said and done, maybe Dakota could borrow Stretch’s manual and see if anything else in there would be useful. 

If Stretch was willing to forgive him for the whole burrito thing, that is. 

“Whoo-hoo!” Stretch yelled. “We’re actually driving on water!” 

Huh. So Stretch could smile after all. Who knew? He looked good. 

“Bet that wasn’t in your manual!” Dakota exclaimed. 

He leaned forward, giving the car one last burst of speed before they went airborne a second time. The underside of the bus door hit the windshield, and he and Stretch held the door in place with their fingertips. The two children, a boy with an overly-large backpack and a girl with flaming red hair, had frightened expressions on their faces but seemed physically unharmed. 

How two elementary-age children wound up in this situation, he had no idea.

Stretch pulled the Time Delineation gear back into its previous position with his free hand, and the timeflow went back to normal. 

The rocket finally burned out, thank goodness. 

Driving was harder with just one hand, and Dakota nearly rammed into the back of the stopped school bus in front of the elementary school. He was just glad the student driver cars had excellent brakes. 

The momentum of their sudden stop caused the children to fly off the windshield and into the safety of the bus, the door slamming shut into place behind them. 

Once Dakota and Stretch recovered from nearly hitting the windshield themselves, they sighed in relief. 

The return trip to 2168 had been awkward, to say the least. Whether Hoodlum drove at normal speed because he wanted to or because the poor car suffered enough abuse, Cavendish had no clue. After Hoodlum’s reckless yet heroic driving, Cavendish decided to hold his tongue for once and make plans for the imminent future. 

Cavendish knew he didn’t have the best track record when it came to working with others. Back when he played piano, he never worked well with an accompanist. Too often those sessions devolved into a screaming match over tempo and dynamics. He’d cultivated a reputation for being uptight and obnoxious in the barrister community.

It would be difficult to work with someone he didn’t know, but he supposed he’d manage. They would just be work partners after all. Their work and personal lives would never intersect.

He was just thankful that the vehicle maintenance department didn’t ask too many questions about the battered state of the car. Apparently, many student driving cars didn’t survive the BoTT driving tests and wound up being used for scrap metal to build cheap robots.

The next day, Cavendish was called into Mr. Block’s office to meet his new partner. Cavendish had passed his test with flying colors. He was lucky they scored him based on how alive he was rather than what he did on the road. If anyone thought to check the vehicle records, they would’ve been horrified by what Hoodlum put the car through. And Cavendish would’ve likely been mistaken for an accomplice.

“Okay, let’s see what we got here,” Mr. Block grunted as Cavendish walked into his office. Cavendish’s heart raced, and he wrung his hands while Mr. Block looked over the official document that stated who Cavendish’s new partner would be. “Recruit number 68427, Cavendish. This is your new partner, Vinnie Dakota.” 

A figure stood up from the plush chair in front of Mr. Block’s desk, and Cavendish froze. That afro and leather jacket would forever be burned into his memory.

“Hoo boy,” Hoo-no, his name was Dakota, Cavendish reminded himself. As in North Dakota and South Dakota. Dakota rubbed the back of his head, avoiding Cavendish’s eyes. 

“It’s you!” Cavendish gasped.

Fate sure loved her irony.

But Cavendish derived some satisfaction from knowing this was just as awkward for Dakota as it was for him.

Dakota was completely stunned, his eyes flickering between Cavendish and Mr. Block.

A bubble of anger rose up. How dare Dakota show his face here, how dare he act like he didn’t endanger their lives, how dare he pretend saving two kids was nothing, because that was the most courageous act of foolishness Cavendish had ever seen in his life.

“Wait a minute, do you two know each other?” Mr. Block asked suspiciously as Dakota stared at Cavendish as if expecting a tirade on how he would never work willingly with someone who breaks speed limits just because they couldn’t control their hunger.

Cavendish threatened to report Dakota to the proper authorities, and he was always a man of his word.

“Here it comes,” Dakota muttered, resigned to his fate. 

“I’ll tell you exactly what I know about this man,” Cavendish said. 

There were a million things Stretch could say that would incriminate Dakota right then and there.

Sabotaging a new recruit.

Taking an unauthorized trip through the timestream with a company-owned vehicle.

Using the company-owned vehicle for personal reasons. 

Stealing his favorite lollipop. 

Reckless driving. 

Dakota normally didn’t give a second thought to his rulebreaking, but geez, he was feeling lower than a discarded piece of gum on a leather boot for dragging along an innocent man who could potentially do great things in his future. 

“When someone is in trouble, he’s a good man to have around. Balthazar Cavendish, pleased to make your acquaintance, sir,” Stretch said, extending his hand in a formal greeting. 

Shocked by Stre-Cavendish’s formality and calm but respectful tone, Dakota stared at the offered hand for several tense seconds before finally grasping it in a firm handshake. 

Dakota wasn’t usually forgiven so easily, and Cavendish most definitely struck him as the type to hold a grudge. Still, it beat getting into trouble with the authorities. 

On another note, didn’t he see that old surname on bananas at the grocery store? 

“Pleased as well. And thanks,” Dakota finally managed. 

“Don’t mention it,” Cavendish replied. 

“I won’t,” Dakota grinned. 

“Though I might,” Cavendish said, his eyes narrowing. “Later.” 

Dakota had no doubt that his new partner would indeed follow up on that threat. “I’m sure you will.” 

By this point, their handshake was less of a handshake and more just rhythmically moving their arms up and down together. 

“Whatever. Get out of my office,” Mr. Block snapped.

Unwilling to be on the receiving end of Mr. Block’s wrath on the first day, they hurried out and the door automatically closed behind them.

“So, partner. What kinda mission do ya think they’re gonna send us on?” Dakota asked. They passed by a secretary’s desk, and Dakota discreetly snagged a cotton candy lollipop from the jar left conveniently on the side. 

“Well, I believe they’d start us off with reviewing old cases,” Cavendish mused. “It would help us learn the patterns, see which areas of time require more of a presence, and help us catch the perpetrators who dare mess with the planet and its inhabitants. Which would include evil scientists bent on misusing the field of discovery for nefarious purposes, hunters intending to swipe the most valuable objects in history, and worst of all-” 

Cavendish snatched the unwrapped cotton candy lollipop out of Dakota’s hand, stuck it in his mouth, pulled it out, and stuck it on the window behind him in one smooth flourish. 

The man was so smooth at revenge. 

Dakota felt a light tap along his jaw, and belatedly he realized Cavendish had closed his mouth for him because he was too stunned to do it himself. 

“-lollipop thieves who revel in stealing and wasting other people’s favorite food,” Cavendish smirked. “I believe I said I’d mention it later. Don’t look so flabbergasted, man.” 

“You are one petty stickler, Cavendish.” 

“And you are a reckless hoodlum, Dakota.”

“Square.” 

“Carjacker.” 

“Stick up your butt.” 

“Scoundrel.” 

And that’s how Dakota knew it would be the dawn of a beautiful partnership. 

[quietya]

31 Days of quietYA: 2018 Books Your Mod Wish She Got To

I’m only human and there’s a lot of books I meant to pick up in 2018 and...didn’t. Here’s some that fit in well with this blog’s purpose.

Suitors & Sabotage by Cindy Anstey

Shy aspiring artist Imogene Chively has just had a successful Season in London, complete with a suitor of her father's approval. Imogene is ambivalent about the young gentleman until he comes to visit her at the Chively estate with his younger brother in tow. When her interest is piqued, however, it is for the wrong brother. Charming Ben Steeple has a secret: despite being an architectural apprentice, he has no drawing aptitude. When Imogene offers to teach him, Ben is soon smitten by the young lady he considers his brother's intended. But hiding their true feelings becomes the least of their problems when, after a series of "accidents," it becomes apparent that someone means Ben harm. And as their affection for each other grows—despite their efforts to remain just friends—so does the danger. . 

We Are All That’s Left by Carrie Arcos

Zara and her mother, Nadja, have a strained relationship. Nadja just doesn't understand Zara's creative passion for, and self-expression through, photography. And Zara doesn't know how to reach beyond their differences and connect to a closed-off mother who refuses to speak about her past in Bosnia. But when a bomb explodes as they're shopping in their local farmers' market in Rhode Island, Zara is left with PTSD--and her mother is left in a coma. Without the opportunity to get to know her mother, Zara is left with questions--not just about her mother, but about faith, religion, history, and her own path forward. As Zara tries to sort through her confusion, she meets Joseph, whose grandmother is also in the hospital, and whose exploration of religion and philosophy offer comfort and insight into Zara's own line of thinking.

The Deepest Roots by Miranda Asebedo

Cottonwood Hollow, Kansas, is a strange place. For the past century, every girl has been born with a special talent, like the ability to Fix any object, Heal any wound, or Find what is missing. Best friends Rome, Lux, and Mercy all have similar talents, but to them, their abilities often feel like a curse. Rome may be able to Fix anything she touches, but that won’t help her mom pay rent or make it any easier to confide in Lux and Mercy about what’s going on at home. And Rome isn’t the only one. Lux has been hiding bigger, more dangerous secrets. As Rome struggles to keep her friendships close, she discovers the truth about life in Cottonwood Hollow—that friends are stronger than curses, that trust is worth the risk, and sometimes, what you’ve been looking for has been under your feet the whole time.

The Bird and the Blade by Megan Bannen

As a slave in the Kipchak Khanate, Jinghua has lost everything: her home, her family, her freedom … until the kingdom is conquered by enemy forces and she finds herself an unlikely conspirator in the escape of Prince Khalaf and his irascible father across the vast Mongol Empire. On the run, with adversaries on all sides and an endless journey ahead, Jinghua hatches a scheme to use the Kipchaks’ exile to return home, a plan that becomes increasingly fraught as her feelings for Khalaf evolve into a hopeless love. Jinghua’s already dicey prospects take a downward turn when Khalaf seeks to restore his kingdom by forging a marriage alliance with Turandokht, the daughter of the Great Khan. As beautiful as she is cunning, Turandokht requires all potential suitors to solve three impossible riddles to win her hand—and if they fail, they die. Jinghua has kept her own counsel well, but with Khalaf’s kingdom—and his very life—on the line, she must reconcile the hard truth of her past with her love for a boy who has no idea what she’s capable of ... even if it means losing him to the girl who’d sooner take his life than his heart.

Little White Lies by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Eighteen-year-old auto mechanic Sawyer Taft did not expect her estranged grandmother to show up at her apartment door and offer her a six-figure contract to participate in debutante season. And she definitely never imagined she would accept. But when she realizes that immersing herself in her grandmother's "society" might mean discovering the answer to the biggest mystery of her life-her father's identity-she signs on the dotted line and braces herself for a year of makeovers, big dresses, bigger egos, and a whole lot of bless your heart. The one thing she doesn't expect to find is friendship, but as she's drawn into a group of debutantes with scandalous, dangerous secrets of their own, Sawyer quickly discovers that her family isn't the only mainstay of high society with skeletons in their closet. There are people in her grandmother's glittering world who are not what they appear, and no one wants Sawyer poking her nose into the past. As she navigates the twisted relationships between her new friends and their powerful parents, Sawyer's search for the truth about her own origins is just the beginning.

Heart of Thorns by Bree Barton

In the ancient river kingdom, touch is a battlefield, bodies the instruments of war. Seventeen-year-old Mia Rose has pledged her life to hunting Gwyrach: women who can manipulate flesh, bones, breath, and blood. Not women. Demons. The same demons who killed her mother without a single scratch. But when Mia's father suddenly announces her marriage to the prince, she is forced to trade in her knives and trousers for a sumptuous silk gown. Only after the wedding goes disastrously wrong does she discover she has dark, forbidden magic—the very magic she has sworn to destroy.

Ten After Closing by Jessica Bayliss

10PM: Closing time at Cafe Flores. The door should be locked, but it isn't, Scott Bradley and Winsome Sommervil are about to become hostages. TEN MINUTES BEFORE CLOSING: Scott's girlfriend breaks up with him over the phone while he's in the cafe's basement storeroom because he's late picking her up for the big end-of-the-year party. Now he can't go to the party, but he can't go home, either--not knowing if his dad will still be in a drunken rage. Meanwhile, Winny wanted one night to let loose, away from her mother's crushing expectations. Instead, she's stranded at the cafe after her best friend ditches her in a misguided attempt at matchmaking. TEN MINUTES AFTER CLOSING: The first gunshot is fired. Someone's dead. And if Winny, Scott, and the rest of the hostages don't come up with a plan soon, they may not live to see morning.

A Girl Like That by Tanaz Bhathena

Sixteen-year-old Zarin Wadia is many things: a bright and vivacious student, an orphan, a risk taker. She’s also the kind of girl that parents warn their kids to stay away from: a troublemaker whose many romances are the subject of endless gossip at school. You don't want to get involved with a girl like that, they say. So how is it that eighteen-year-old Porus Dumasia has only ever had eyes for her? And how did Zarin and Porus end up dead in a car together, crashed on the side of a highway in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia? When the religious police arrive on the scene, everything everyone thought they knew about Zarin is questioned. And as her story is pieced together, told through multiple perspectives, it becomes clear that she was far more than just a girl like that.

An Assassin’s Guide to Love and Treason by Virginia Boecker

When Lady Katherine's father is killed for being an illegally practicing Catholic, she discovers treason wasn't the only secret he's been hiding: he was also involved in a murder plot against the reigning Queen Elizabeth I. With nothing left to lose, Katherine disguises herself as a boy and travels to London to fulfill her father's mission, and to take it one step further--kill the queen herself. Katherine's opportunity comes in the form of William Shakespeare's newest play, which is to be performed in front of Her Majesty. But what she doesn't know is that the play is not just a play--it's a plot to root out insurrectionists and destroy the rebellion once and for all. The mastermind behind this ruse is Toby Ellis, a young spy for the queen with secrets of his own. When Toby and Katherine are cast opposite each other as the play's leads, they find themselves inexplicably drawn to one another. But the closer they grow, the more precarious their positions become. And soon they learn that star-crossed love, mistaken identity, and betrayal are far more dangerous off the stage than on.

Ink, Iron, and Glass by Gwendolyn Clare

A certain pen, a certain book, and a certain person can craft entirely new worlds through a branch of science called scriptology. Elsa comes from one such world that was written into creation, where her mother―a noted scriptologist―constantly alters and expands their reality. But when her home is attacked and her mother kidnapped, Elsa is forced to cross into the real world and use her own scriptology gifts to find her. In an alternative Victorian Italy, Elsa finds a secret society of young scientists with a gift for mechanics, alchemy, or scriptology―and meets Leo, a gorgeous mechanist with a smart mouth and tragic past. She recruits the help of these fellow geniuses just as an assassin arrives on their doorstep.

Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles

When Marvin Johnson's twin, Tyler, goes to a party, Marvin decides to tag along to keep an eye on his brother. But what starts as harmless fun turns into a shooting, followed by a police raid. The next day, Tyler has gone missing, and it's up to Marvin to find him. But when Tyler is found dead, a video leaked online tells an even more chilling story: Tyler has been shot and killed by a police officer. Terrified as his mother unravels and mourning a brother who is now a hashtag, Marvin must learn what justice and freedom really mean.

The Game Can’t Love You Back by Karole Cozzo

Eve is used to being the odd woman out. As the only girl on her school's baseball team, she knows exactly how to put sweaty, macho baseball players in their place, and she's focused on one thing and one thing only—being the best pitcher she can be. But when a freak accident forces her high school to be absorbed by the neighboring town, Eve has to contend with a new group of guys who aren't used to having a woman on their team. And the new team's star pitcher, Jamie, has no interest in being ousted from his throne. He can't afford to give up his starting slot to a new pitcher—even worse, to a girl. As the competition between Jamie and Eve starts to heat up, so does their attraction to each other. Can they keep their heads in the game, or will they end up getting played?

Driving by Starlight by Anat Deracine

Sixteen-year-olds Leena and Mishie are best friends. They delight in small rebellions against the Saudi cultural police—secret Western clothing, forbidden music, flirtations. But Leena wants college, independence—she wants a different life. Though her story is specific to her world (a world where it's illegal for women to drive, where a ten-year-old boy is the natural choice as guardian of a fatherless woman), ultimately it's a story about friendship, family, and freedom that transcends cultural differences.

Fire and Heist by Sarah Beth Durst

In Sky Hawkins's family, leading your first heist is a major milestone--even more so than learning to talk, walk, or do long division. It's a chance to gain power and acceptance within your family, and within society. But stealing your first treasure can be complicated, especially when you're a wyvern--a human capable of turning into a dragon. Embarking on a life of crime is never easy, and Sky discovers secrets about her mother, who recently went missing, the real reason her boyfriend broke up with her, and a valuable jewel that could restore her family's wealth and rank in their community. With a handpicked crew by her side, Sky knows she has everything she needs to complete her first heist, and get her boyfriend and mother back in the process. But then she uncovers a dark truth about were-dragon society--a truth more valuable and dangerous than gold or jewels could ever be.

The Queen Underneath by Stacey Filak

The Above and the Under have a tenuous truce that is shattered after the death of both their respective rulers. Gemma, the new queen of Under, must throw history aside and team up with Tollan, the heir to the Above throne, in order to take down a power that seeks to rule them all. Their group of rebels is comprised of an assassin, a sex worker, and a palace servant from Above, and we follow their unique perspectives as they are forced to question previously held beliefs. But even with war looming, romance still grows. Challenging gender roles and the expectation that every prince must have a princess, Tollan discovers love with Elam—a young man, a sex worker, and one of Gemma’s closest friends.

Hole in the Middle by Kendra Fortmeyer

Morgan Stone was born with a hole in her middle: perfectly smooth patch of nothing where a something should be. After seventeen years of fear and shame, doctors and nurses, "peculiar" not "perfect," she has had enough of hiding. Feisty, feminist and downright different, Hole in the Middle is the story of what happens when a girl who is anything but normal confronts a world obsessed with body image and celebrity.

Game of Secrets by Kim Foster

Felicity Cole sells flowers in the streets of Victorian London to feed herself and her young brother. But she has a close-guarded secret--her brother is a Tainted, born with special abilities that society fears and a shadowy organization called the Hunstsman scours the country to eliminate. When Felicity becomes the target of one of these individuals, she discovers something horrible: she's Tainted, too. Rescued by a mysterious gentleman on the eve of execution, she's whisked away to a school funded by Queen Victoria, established to train selected Tainted into assassins in service of the crown. Struggling to harness her incredible strength, speed, and agility, and despised by her classmates, all she wants is to use her new position to find a cure so she can be normal and reunited with her brother. But with the Golden Jubilee fast approaching and the discovery that there's a traitor in their midst, she has no choice but to embrace the one thing she's been fighting all along.

Brave Enough by Kati Gardner

Teenager Cason Martin is the youngest ballerina in the Atlanta Ballet Conservatory. She never really had a choice of whether she learned to dance or not. Her mother, the conservatory's artistic director, has made all the decisions in Cason's life. But that's about to change. Cason has been hiding an injury, and it's much worse than anyone imagines. Davis Channing understands all too well what it's like to give up control of your life. He's survived cancer, but his drug addiction nearly killed him. Now he's been sober for seven months and enjoying his community service at the hospital. But just when he thinks he's got it together, Davis's ex-girlfriend, who is still battling her addiction, barrels back into his life. Cason and Davis are not friends. But, as their worlds collide, they will start to depend on one another. Can they both be brave enough to beat the odds?

Chaotic Good by Whitney Gardner

Cameron's cosplay--dressing like a fictional character--is finally starting to earn her attention--attention she hopes to use to get into the CalTech costume department for college. But when she wins a major competition, she inadvertently sets off a firestorm of angry comments from male fans. When Cameron's family moves the summer before her senior year, she hopes to complete her costume portfolio in peace and quiet away from the abuse. Unfortunately, the only comic shop in town--her main destination for character reference--is staffed by a dudebro owner who challenges every woman who comes into the shop. At her twin brother's suggestion, Cameron borrows a set of his clothes and uses her costuming expertise to waltz into the shop as Boy Cameron, where she's shocked at how easily she's accepted into the nerd inner sanctum. Soon, Cameron finds herself drafted into a D&D campaign alongside the jerky shop-owner Brody, friendly (almost flirtatiously so) clerk Wyatt, handsome Lincoln, and her bro Cooper, dragged along for good measure. But as her "secret identity" gets more and more entrenched, Cameron's portfolio falls by the wayside--and her feelings for Lincoln threaten to make a complicated situation even more precarious.

When We Caught Fire by Anna Godbersen

It’s 1871 and Emmeline Carter is poised to take Chicago’s high society by storm. Between her father’s sudden rise to wealth, and her recent engagement to Chicago’s most eligible bachelor, Emmeline has it all. But she can’t stop thinking about the life she left behind, including her childhood sweetheart, Anders Magnuson. Fiona Byrne, Emmeline’s childhood best friend, is delighted by her friend’s sudden rise to prominence, especially since it means Fiona is free to pursue Anders herself. But when Emmeline risks everything for one final fling with Anders, Fiona feels completely betrayed. As the summer turns to fall, the city is at a tipping point: friendships are tested, hearts are broken, and the tiniest spark might set everything ablaze. Sweeping, soapy, and romantic, this is a story about an epic love triangle—one that will literally set the city ablaze, and change the lives of three childhood friends forever.

Love and Other Carnivorous Plants by Florence Gonsalves

Freshman year at Harvard was the most anticlimactic year of Danny's life. She's failing pre-med and drifting apart from her best friend. One by one, Danny is losing all the underpinnings of her identity. When she finds herself attracted to an older, edgy girl who she met in rehab for an eating disorder, she finally feels like she might be finding a new sense of self. But when tragedy strikes, her self-destructive tendencies come back to haunt her as she struggles to discover who that self really is.

When the Beat Drops by Anna Hecker

Seventeen-year-old Mira has always danced to her own beat. A music prodigy in a family of athletes, she'd rather play trumpet than party -- and with her audition to a prestigious jazz conservatory just around the corner (and her two best friends at music camp without her), she plans to spend the summer focused on jazz and nothing else. She only goes to the warehouse party in a last-ditch effort to bond with her older sister. Instead, she falls in love with dance music, DJing... and Derek, a gorgeous promoter who thinks he can make her a star. Suddenly trumpet practice and old friendships are taking a backseat to the packed dance floors, sun-soaked music festivals, outsized personalities, and endless beats of the EDM scene. But when a devastating tragedy plunges her golden summer into darkness, Mira discovers just how little she knows about her new boyfriend, her old friends, and even her own sister. Music is what brought them together... but will it also tear them apart?

Lizzie by Dawn Ius

Seventeen-year-old Lizzie Borden has never been kissed. Polite but painfully shy, Lizzie prefers to stay in the kitchen, where she can dream of becoming a chef and escape her reality. With tyrannical parents who force her to work at the family’s B&B and her blackout episodes—a medical condition that has plagued her since her first menstrual cycle—Lizzie longs for a life of freedom, the time and space to just figure out who she is and what she wants. Enter the effervescent, unpredictable Bridget Sullivan. Bridget has joined the B&B’s staff as the new maid, and Lizzie is instantly drawn to her artistic style and free spirit—even her Star Wars obsession is kind of cute. The two of them forge bonds that quickly turn into something that’s maybe more than friendship. But when her parents try to restrain Lizzie from living the life she wants, it sparks something in her that she can’t quite figure out. Her blackout episodes start getting worse, her instincts less and less reliable. Lizzie is angry, certainly, but she also feels like she’s going mad…

Empress of All Seasons by Emiko Jean

Each generation, a competition is held to find the next empress of Honoku. The rules are simple. Survive the palace’s enchanted seasonal rooms. Conquer Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. Marry the prince. All are eligible to compete—all except yōkai, supernatural monsters and spirits whom the human emperor is determined to enslave and destroy. Mari has spent a lifetime training to become empress. Winning should be easy. And it would be, if she weren't hiding a dangerous secret. Mari is a yōkai with the ability to transform into a terrifying monster. If discovered, her life will be forfeit. As she struggles to keep her true identity hidden, Mari’s fate collides with that of Taro, the prince who has no desire to inherit the imperial throne, and Akira, a half-human, half-yōkai outcast.

Beyond a Darkened Shore by Jessica Leake

The ancient land of Éirinn is mired in war. Ciara, Princess of Mide, has never known a time when Éirinn’s kingdoms were not battling for power, or Northmen were not plundering their shores. The people of Mide have thankfully always been safe because of Ciara’s unearthly ability to control her enemies’ minds and actions. But lately, a mysterious crow has been appearing to Ciara, whispering warnings of an even darker threat. Although her clansmen dismiss her visions as pagan nonsense, Ciara fears this coming evil will destroy not just Éirinn, but the entire world. Then the crow leads Ciara to Leif, a young Northman leader. Leif should be Ciara’s enemy, but when Ciara discovers that he, too, shares her prophetic visions, she knows he’s something more. Leif is mounting an impressive army, and with Ciara’s strength in battle the two might have a chance to save their world. With evil rising around them, they’ll do what it takes to defend the land they love…even if it means making the greatest sacrifice of all.

Out of Left Field by Kris Hui Lee

Marnie has never had a hard time fitting in with the guys. It would take a lot more than their goofy antics to keep her from joining them at the neighborhood sandlot to do what she loves best: play ball. An added perk of hanging out at the sandlot? Spending time with Cody Kinski, their high school's star pitcher and Marnie's best friend. Sure, he can be stubborn and annoying. He also knows how to make her laugh and respects her skills on the field. And when he gets nailed in the arm by a bone-fracturing pitch, Marnie becomes the team's best chance at making it to the playoffs. Except no one told the guys they're supposed to be on her side. With her own team against her, Marnie begins questioning her abilities. And when fate throws her a curveball, can she play without losing the game, Cody, and her belief in herself?

Isle of Blood and Stone by Makiia Lucier

Nineteen-year-old Elias is a royal explorer, a skilled mapmaker, and the new king of del Mar's oldest friend. Soon he will embark on the adventure of a lifetime, an expedition past the Strait of Cain and into uncharted waters. Nothing stands in his way...until a long-ago tragedy creeps back into the light, threatening all he holds dear. The people of St. John del Mar have never recovered from the loss of their boy princes, kidnapped eighteen years ago, both presumed dead. But when two maps surface, each bearing the same hidden riddle, troubling questions arise. What really happened to the young heirs? And why do the maps appear to be drawn by Lord Antoni, Elias's father, who vanished on that same fateful day? With the king's beautiful cousin by his side—whether he wants her there or not—Elias will race to solve the riddle of the princes. He will have to use his wits and guard his back. Because some truths are better left buried...and an unknown enemy stalks his every turn.

A Spark of White Fire by Sangu Mandanna

In a universe of capricious gods, dark moons, and kingdoms built on the backs of spaceships, a cursed queen sends her infant daughter away, a jealous uncle steals the throne of Kali from his nephew, and an exiled prince vows to take his crown back. Raised alone and far away from her home on Kali, Esmae longs to return to her family. When the King of Wychstar offers to gift the unbeatable, sentient warship Titania to a warrior that can win his competition, she sees her way home: she’ll enter the competition, reveal her true identity to the world, and help her famous brother win back the crown of Kali. It’s a great plan. Until it falls apart.

Learning to Breathe by Janice Lynn Mather

Indira Ferguson has done her best to live by her Grammy’s rules—to study hard in school, be respectful, and to never let a boy take advantage of her. But it hasn’t always been easy, especially while living in her mother’s shadow. When Indy is sent to live with distant relatives in Nassau, trouble follows her. Now she must hide an unwanted pregnancy from her aunt, who would rather throw Indy out onto the street than see the truth. Completely broke with only a hand-me-down pregnancy book as a resource, Indy desperately looks for a safe space to call home. After stumbling upon a yoga retreat, she wonders if perhaps she’s found the place. But Indy is about to discover that home is much bigger than just four walls and a roof—it’s about the people she chooses to share it with.

Now a Major Motion Picture by Cori McCarthy

Unlike the rest of the world, Iris doesn't care about the famous high-fantasy Elementia books written by M. E. Thorne. So it's just a little annoying that M. E. Thorne is her grandmother—and that Iris has to deal with the trilogy's crazy fans. When Iris gets dropped in Ireland for the movie adaptation, she sees her opportunity: if she can shut down production, the Elementia craze won't grow any bigger, and she can finally have a normal life. Not even the rascally-cute actor Eamon O'Brien can get in her way. But the crew's passion is contagious, and as Iris begins to find herself in the very world she has avoided her whole life, she realizes that this movie might just be amazing…

Blanca & Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore

The del Cisne girls have never just been sisters; they’re also rivals, Blanca as obedient and graceful as Roja is vicious and manipulative. They know that, because of a generations-old spell, their family is bound to a bevy of swans deep in the woods. They know that, one day, the swans will pull them into a dangerous game that will leave one of them a girl, and trap the other in the body of a swan. But when two local boys become drawn into the game, the swans’ spell intertwines with the strange and unpredictable magic lacing the woods, and all four of their fates depend on facing truths that could either save or destroy them.

The Unbinding of Mary Reade by Miriam McNamara

There’s no place for a girl in Mary’s world. Not in the home of her mum, desperately drunk and poor. Not in the household of her wealthy granny, where no girl can be named an heir. And certainly not in the arms of Nat, her childhood love who never knew her for who she was. As a sailor aboard a Caribbean merchant ship, Mary’s livelihood—and her safety—depends on her ability to disguise her gender. At least, that’s what she thinks is true. But then pirates attack the ship, and in the midst of the gang of cutthroats, Mary spots something she never could have imagined: a girl pirate. The sight of a girl standing unafraid upon the deck, gun and sword in hand, changes everything. In a split-second decision, Mary turns her gun on her own captain, earning herself the chance to join the account and become a pirate alongside Calico Jack and Anne Bonny. For the first time, Mary has a shot at freedom. But imagining living as her true self is easier, it seems, than actually doing it. And when Mary finds herself falling for the captain’s mistress, she risks everything—her childhood love, her place among the crew, and even her life.

Beneath the Haunting Sea by Joanna Ruth Meyer

Sixteen-year-old Talia was born to a life of certainty and luxury, destined to become Empress of half the world. But when an ambitious rival seizes power, she and her mother are banished to a nowhere province on the far edge of the Northern Sea. It is here, in the drafty halls of the Ruen-Dahr, that Talia discovers family secrets, a melancholy boy with a troubling vision of her future, and a relic that holds the power of an ancient Star. On these shores, the eerie melody of the sea is stronger than ever, revealing long-forgotten tales of the Goddess Rahn. The more dark truths that Talia unravels about the gods' history--and her own--the more the waves call to her, and it may be her destiny to answer.

A Thousand Beginnings and Endings edited by Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman

Star-crossed lovers, meddling immortals, feigned identities, battles of wits, and dire warnings. These are the stuff of fairy tale, myth, and folklore that have drawn us in for centuries. Fifteen bestselling and acclaimed authors reimagine the folklore and mythology of East and South Asia in short stories that are by turns enchanting, heartbreaking, romantic, and passionate. Compiled by We Need Diverse Books’s Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman, the authors included in this exquisite collection are: Renee Ahdieh, Sona Charaipotra, Preeti Chhibber, Roshani Chokshi, Aliette de Bodard, Melissa de la Cruz, Julie Kagawa, Rahul Kanakia, Lori M. Lee, E. C. Myers, Cindy Pon, Aisha Saeed, Shveta Thakrar, and Alyssa Wong.

Sweet Black Waves by Kristina Perez

Two proud kingdoms stand on opposite shores, with only a bloody history between them. As best friend and lady-in-waiting to the princess, Branwen is guided by two principles: devotion to her homeland and hatred for the raiders who killed her parents. When she unknowingly saves the life of her enemy, he awakens her ancient healing magic and opens her heart. Branwen begins to dream of peace, but the princess she serves is not so easily convinced. Fighting for what's right, even as her powers grow beyond her control, will set Branwen against both her best friend and the only man she's ever loved. 

Sometime After Midnight by L. Philips

In a dingy Los Angeles club late one night, Cameron and Nate meet and find they have much more in common than their love of an obscure indie band. But when Nate learns that Cameron is the heir to a record label, the very one that destroyed his father's life, he runs away as fast as he can. The only evidence of their brief but intense connection is a blurry photo Cameron snaps of Nate's Sharpie-decorated Chuck Taylors as he flees. Considering that Cameron is a real life Prince Charming--he's handsome, famous, and rich--it's only fitting that he sets out to find the owner of the Sharpied shoes. Cameron's twin sister, a model and socialite, posts the picture of Nate's shoes on Instagram to her legions of fans with the caption, "Anyone know the gorgeous owner of these shoes? My hottie brother is looking for him." The internet just about breaks with the news of a modern fairy tale and the two become entwined in each other's lives in this sparkling story about the power of music, the demons that haunt us, and the flutterings of first real love.

Give the Dark My Love by Beth Revis

When seventeen-year-old Nedra Brysstain leaves her home in the rural, northern territories of Lunar Island to attend the prestigious Yugen Academy, she has only one goal in mind: learn the trade of medicinal alchemy. A scholarship student matriculating with the children of Lunar Island's wealthiest and most powerful families, Nedra doesn't quite fit in with the other kids at Yugen, who all look down on her. All, except for Greggori "Grey" Astor. Grey is immediately taken by the brilliant and stubborn Nedra, who he notices is especially invested in her studies. And that's for a good reason: a deadly plague has been sweeping through the North, and it's making its way toward the cities. With her family's life--and the lives of all of Lunar Island's citizens--on the line, Nedra is determined to find a cure for the plague. Grey and Nedra continue to grow closer, but as the sickness spreads and the body count rises, Nedra becomes desperate to find a cure. Soon, she finds herself diving into alchemy's most dangerous corners--and when she turns to the most forbidden practice of all, necromancy, even Grey might not be able to pull her from the darkness.

Always Forever Maybe by Anica Mrose Rissi

When Betts meets Aiden at the candy store where she works, their connection is like a sugar rush to the heart. Betts already knows the two of them are infinite. Inevitable. Destined to become an us. Betts has only ever kept one secret from her best friend, Jo, but suddenly there’s a long list of things she won’t tell her, things Jo wouldn’t understand. Because Jo doesn’t see how good Aiden is for Betts. She finds him needy. Possessive. Controlling. She’s wrong. With a love like this, nothing else matters.

Jack of Hearts (And Other Parts) by Lev A.C. Rosen

Meet Jack Rothman. He's seventeen and loves partying, makeup and boys - sometimes all at the same time. His sex life makes him the hot topic for the high school gossip machine. But who cares? Like Jack always says, 'it could be worse'. He doesn't actually expect that to come true. But after Jack starts writing an online sex advice column, the mysterious love letters he's been getting take a turn for the creepy. Jack's secret admirer knows everything: where he's hanging out, who he's sleeping with, who his mum is dating. They claim they love Jack, but not his unashamedly queer lifestyle. They need him to curb his sexuality, or they'll force him. As the pressure mounts, Jack must unmask his stalker before their obsession becomes genuinely dangerous...

Where I Live by Brenda Rufener

LINDEN ROSE HAS RULES FOR SURVIVAL. 1. Prevent the in-class nap. 2. Never carry too many belongings. 3. Avoid looking the part. Her rules guarantee no one discovers her secret–that she’s homeless and living in the halls of her small-town high school. Her best friends, Ham and Seung, have formed a makeshift family, and writing for her school’s blog prevents downtime. When you’re homeless, free time sucks. Despite everything Linden’s burdened with, she holds on to hope for a future and a maybe romance with Seung. But when cool-girl Bea comes to school with a bloody lip, the damage hits too close to home. Linden begins looking at Bea’s life, and soon her investigation prompts people to pay attention. And attention is the last thing Linden needs. To put a stop to the violence, Linden must tell the story. Even if it breaks her rules for survival and jeopardizes the secrets she’s worked so hard to keep.

Not the Girls You’re Looking For by Aminah Mae Safi

Lulu Saad doesn't need your advice, thank you very much. She's got her three best friends and nothing can stop her from conquering the known world. Sure, for half a minute she thought she’d nearly drowned a cute guy at a party, but he was totally faking it. And fine, yes, she caused a scene during Ramadan. It's all under control. Ish. Except maybe this time she’s done a little more damage than she realizes. And if Lulu can't find her way out of this mess soon, she'll have to do more than repair friendships, family alliances, and wet clothing. She'll have to go looking for herself.

Amber and Dusk by Lyra Selene

Sylvie has always known she deserves more. Out in the permanent twilight of the Dusklands, her guardians called her power to create illusions a curse. But Sylvie knows it gives her a place in Coeur d'Or, the palais of the Amber Empress and her highborn legacies. So Sylvie sets off toward the Amber City, a glittering jewel under a sun that never sets, to take what is hers. But her hope for a better life is quickly dimmed. The empress invites her in only as part of a wicked wager among her powerful courtiers. Sylvie must assume a new name, Mirage, and begin to navigate secretive social circles and deadly games of intrigue in order to claim her spot. Soon it becomes apparent that nothing is as it appears and no one, including her cruel yet captivating sponsor, Sunder, will answer her questions. As Mirage strives to assume what should be her rightful place, she'll have to consider whether it is worth the price she must pay.

My So-Called Bollywood Life by Nisha Sharma

Winnie Mehta was never really convinced that Raj was her soulmate, but their love was written in the stars. Literally, a pandit predicted Winnie would find the love of her life before her 18th birthday, and Raj meets all of the qualifications. Which is why Winnie is shocked to return from her summer at film camp to find her boyfriend of three years hooking up with Jenny Dickens. Worse, Raj is crowned chair of the student film festival, a spot Winnie was counting on for her film school applications. As a self-proclaimed Bollywood expert, Winnie knows this is not how her perfect ending is scripted. Then there’s Dev, a fellow film geek, and one of the few people Winnie can count on to help her reclaim control of her story. Dev is smart charming, and challenges Winnie to look beyond her horoscope to find someone she’d pick for herself. But does falling for Dev mean giving up on her prophecy, and her chance to live happily ever after? To get her Bollywood-like life on track, Winnie will need a little bit of help from fate, family, and of course, a Bollywood movie star.

Grim Lovelies by Megan Shepherd

Seventeen-year-old Anouk envies the human world, where people known as Pretties lavish themselves in fast cars, high fashion, and have the freedom to fall in love. But Anouk can never have those things, because she is not really human. Enchanted from animal to human girl and forbidden to venture beyond her familiar Parisian prison, Anouk is a Beastie: destined for a life surrounded by dust bunnies and cinders serving Mada Vittora, the evil witch who spelled her into existence. That is, until one day she finds her mistress murdered in a pool of blood—and Anouk is accused of the crime. Now, the world she always dreamed of is rife with danger. Pursued through Paris by the underground magical society known as the Haute, Anouk and her fellow Beasties only have three days to find the real killer before the spell keeping them human fades away. If they fail, they will lose the only lives they’ve ever known…but if they succeed, they could be more powerful than anyone ever bargained for.

The Art of French Kissing by Brianna Shrum

Seventeen-year-old Carter Lane has wanted to be a chef since she was old enough to ignore her mom's warnings to stay away from the hot stove. And now she has the chance of a lifetime: a prestigious scholarship competition in Savannah, where students compete all summer in Chopped style challenges for a full-ride to one of the best culinary schools in the country. The only impossible challenge ingredient in her basket: Reid Yamada. After Reid, her cute but unbearably cocky opponent, goes out of his way to screw her over on day one, Carter vows revenge, and soon they're involved in a full-fledged culinary war. Just as the tension between them reaches its boiling point, Carter and Reid are forced to work together if they want to win, and Carter begins to wonder if Reid's constant presence in her brain is about more than rivalry. And if maybe her desire to smack his mouth doesn't necessarily cancel out her desire to kiss it.

Hullmetal Girls by Emily Skrutskie

Aisha Un-Haad would do anything for her family. When her brother contracts a plague, she knows her janitor's salary isn't enough to fund his treatment. So she volunteers to become a Scela, a mechanically enhanced soldier sworn to protect and serve the governing body of the Fleet, the collective of starships they call home. If Aisha can survive the harrowing modifications and earn an elite place in the Scela ranks, she may be able to save her brother. Key Tanaka awakens in a Scela body with only hazy memories of her life before. She knows she's from the privileged end of the Fleet, but she has no recollection of why she chose to give up a life of luxury to become a hulking cyborg soldier. If she can make it through the training, she might have a shot at recovering her missing past. In a unit of new recruits vying for top placement, Aisha's and Key's paths collide, and the two must learn to work together--a tall order for girls from opposite ends of the Fleet. But a rebellion is stirring, pitting those who yearn for independence from the Fleet against a government struggling to maintain unity. With violence brewing and dark secrets surfacing, Aisha and Key find themselves questioning their loyalties. They will have to put aside their differences, though, if they want to keep humanity from tearing itself apart.

Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitch Smith

When Louise Wolfe’s first real boyfriend mocks and disrespects Native people in front of her, she breaks things off and dumps him over e-mail. It’s her senior year, anyway, and she’d rather spend her time with her family and friends and working on the school newspaper. The editors pair her up with Joey Kairouz, the ambitious new photojournalist, and in no time the paper’s staff find themselves with a major story to cover: the school musical director’s inclusive approach to casting The Wizard of Oz has been provoking backlash in their mostly white, middle-class Kansas town. From the newly formed Parents Against Revisionist Theater to anonymous threats, long-held prejudices are being laid bare and hostilities are spreading against teachers, parents, and students — especially the cast members at the center of the controversy, including Lou’s little brother, who’s playing the Tin Man. As tensions mount at school, so does a romance between Lou and Joey — but as she’s learned, “dating while Native” can be difficult. In trying to protect her own heart, will Lou break Joey’s?

Unstoppable Moses by Tyler James Smith

After accidentally burning down a bowling alley with his cousin and best friend, Charlie, Moses has one week as a camp counselor to prove to the authorities—and to himself—that he isn't a worthless jerk who belongs in jail, when Charlie doesn't get that chance.

What the Night Sings by Vesper Stamper

After losing her family and everything she knew in the Nazi concentration camps, Gerta is finally liberated, only to find herself completely alone. Without her Papa, her music, or even her true identity, she must move past the task of surviving and onto living her life. In the displaced persons camp where she is staying, Gerta meets Lev, a fellow teen survivor who she just might be falling for, despite her feelings for someone else. With a newfound Jewish identity she never knew she had, and a return to the life of music she thought she lost forever, Gerta must choose how to build a new future.

Odd One Out by Nic Stone

Courtney "Coop" Cooper Dumped. Again. And normally I wouldn't mind. But right now, my best friend and source of solace, Jupiter Sanchez, is ignoring me to text some girl. Rae Evelyn Chin I assumed "new girl" would be synonymous with "pariah," but Jupiter and Courtney make me feel like I'm right where I belong. I also want to kiss him. And her. Which is . . . perplexing. Jupiter Charity-Sanchez The only thing worse than losing the girl you love to a boy is losing her to your boy. That means losing him, too. I have to make a move. . . . One story. Three sides. No easy answers.

Love a la Mode by Stephanie Kate Strohm

Rosie Radeke firmly believes that happiness can be found at the bottom of a mixing bowl. But she never expected that she, a random nobody from East Liberty, Ohio, would be accepted to celebrity chef Denis Laurent's school in Paris, the most prestigious cooking program for teens in the entire world. Life in Paris, however, isn't all cream puffs and crepes. Faced with a challenging curriculum and a nightmare professor, Rosie begins to doubt her dishes. Henry Yi grew up in his dad's restaurant in Chicago, and his lifelong love affair with food landed him a coveted spot in Chef Laurent's school. He quickly connects with Rosie, but academic pressure from home and his jealousy over Rosie's growing friendship with gorgeous bad-boy baker Bodie Tal makes Henry lash out and push his dream girl away. Desperate to prove themselves, Rosie and Henry cook like never before while sparks fly between them. But as they reach their breaking points, they wonder whether they have what it takes to become real chefs.

A Touch of Gold by Annie Sullivan

King Midas once had the ability to turn all he touched into gold. But after his gift—or curse—almost killed his daughter, Midas relinquished The Touch forever. Ten years later, Princess Kora still bears the consequences of her father’s wish: her skin shines golden, rumors follow her everywhere she goes, and she harbors secret powers that are getting harder to hide. Kora spends her days locked in the palace, concealed behind gloves and veils, trying to ignore the stares and gossip of courtiers. It isn’t until a charming young duke arrives that Kora realizes there may be someone out there who doesn’t fear her or her curse. But their courtship is disrupted when a thief steals precious items from the kingdom, leaving the treasury depleted and King Midas vulnerable. Thanks to her unique ability to sense gold, Kora is the only one who can track the thief down. As she sails off on her quest, Kora learns that not everything is what it seems—not thieves, not pirates, and not even curses. She quickly discovers that gold—and the power it brings—is more dangerous than she’d ever believed. Midas learned his lesson at a price. What will Kora’s journey cost?

Nothing But Sky by Amy Trueblood

Grace Lafferty only feels alive when she's dangling 500 feet above ground. As a post-World War I wing walker, Grace is determined to get to the World Aviation Expo, proving her team’s worth against flashier competitors and earning a coveted Hollywood contract. No one’s ever questioned Grace’s ambition until Henry Patton, a mechanic with plenty of scars from the battlefield, joins her barnstorming team. With each new death-defying trick, Henry pushes Grace to consider her reasons for being a daredevil. Annoyed with Henry’s constant interference, and her growing attraction to him, Grace continues to test the powers of the sky. After one of her risky maneuvers saves a pilot’s life, a Hollywood studio offers Grace a chance to perform at the Expo. She jumps at the opportunity to secure her future. But when a stunt goes wrong, Grace must decide whether Henry, and her life, are worth risking for one final trick.

The Boneless Mercies by April Genevieve Tucholke

Frey, Ovie, Juniper, and Runa are the Boneless Mercies—girls hired to kill quickly, quietly, and mercifully. But Frey is weary of the death trade and, having been raised on the heroic sagas of her people, dreams of a bigger life. When she hears of an unstoppable monster ravaging a nearby town, Frey decides this is the Mercies' one chance out. The fame and fortune of bringing down such a beast would ensure a new future for all the Mercies. In fact, her actions may change the story arc of women everywhere.

The Brightsiders by Jen Wilde

As a rock star drummer in the hit band The Brightsiders, Emmy King’s life should be perfect. But there’s nothing the paparazzi love more than watching a celebrity crash and burn. When a night of partying lands Emmy in hospital and her girlfriend in jail, she’s branded the latest tabloid train wreck. Luckily, Emmy has her friends and bandmates, including the super-swoonworthy Alfie, to help her pick up the pieces of her life. She knows hooking up with a band member is exactly the kind of trouble she should be avoiding, and yet Emmy and Alfie Just. Keep. Kissing. Will the inevitable fallout turn her into a clickbait scandal (again)? Or will she find the strength to stand on her own?

[coyoteann]

Coyote Ann Profile 1, Ann.

This "Character Sheet" Was edited from Fyuvix's awesome one on DA, here's a link and disclaimer.

https://www.deviantart.com/thirdpotato/art/Character-Profile-Form-36823983

Adaptations from The Writer's Guide to Character Traits © Fyuvix. To fill out your own form, please see fyuvix.deviantart.com

Basic Statistics

Name: Annette Walker Nickname: Coyote Ann Age: 17 Sex: Female Blood type: O+ Nationality: American, Kansas Ethnicity: American, 'Southern' Race: White (Caucasian) Sexual Orientation: Unknown Birth date: 10-4-1997 Birth place: Iberia Medical Center, New Iberia, Louisiana Current residence: Transient. Occupation: Drifter. Title/Rank: None Hobbies/Pastimes: Sight-Seeing, Hunting, Motorbike Maintainance. Talents/Skills/Powers: Skilled at Tracking, Basic Auto Repair of Motorcycles, Fluent in ASL

History

Hometown: Andover, Kansas First Memory: Her Mother reading a book to her. Most important childhood event that still affects him/her: Mother and Father teaching her States and Capitols. Why/How? The Memory has given her a wanderlust. She's now subconsciously seeking out things to jog more memories. Other memories/events that still affects him/her and why/how: She remembers the old family dog, how she'd loved it and missed it after it died. She uses this memory to quell her emotions after losing her family. Past failures s/he would be embarrassed to have people know about and why: Teaching herself to drive a large truck. It was a slow process and she had many wrecks. She ultimately failed and hates that she never got a handle on it. Biggest role model: Her Father. Why? He was a major outdoorsman. Due to the various ailments of his eldest son he was unable to share his interests with him, instead, he took to showing everything he loved to Ann.

Physical Characteristics

Height: 5"2' (157.4 cm) Weight: 108.7lbs (49.3Kg) Posture: Defensive, Bold, Direct Build: She's thin, but her body has become toned from constant use. Athletic. Skin: Tanned, reddish splotches on her shoulders, cheeks, neck, and back. Darker freckles scattered across the face and lightly on arms. Hair: Reddish-Chestnut, slightly darker if she's outside more. The style is long, shaggy, sweaty (usually) and left loose. She wants to cut it shorter. Widow's peak? Yes, not very prominent, usually covered by her unruly bangs. Ears: Mild point, no lobe Eyes: Greenish-Grey Nose: Nose is flat, pointed upward slightly Mouth: She holds a smirk when resting her face, because of this her mouth looks like it pulls to the right slightly. Her lips are plain, thin. Face shape: Soft Round Diamond shape. Expressions: Her face is usually smirked. She relaxes into a smile even now. She picked it up from her dad. Describe their smile: Usually pulling to the right. A grin just exposes her teeth. Hands: Her hands are noted by long semithin fingers, and scars on her wrists and knuckles. Feet: Her shoe size is 6 (US) (4 UK) Tattoos/Scars? She has notable scars on her wrists, knuckles, right abdomen, and a thin one on her neck just above her collarbone. The Scar on her neck is definitely older and more faded than the others. Glasses/Contacts? No. She's slightly nearsighted but does not compensate. Left/Right handed? Right. Distinguishing features: She has a very noticeable glare. Who does s/he take after; mother or father? Mother/Paternal Grandmother. (She only has her father's smile) Style (Elegant, shabby, etc): Shabby-Travel Worn How does s/he dress or what do they typically wear? Jeans, depressed. Long sleeve cotton shirt with CAKE band logo, dirty and worn. Jacket, Leather. Other outfits one might find in their wardrobe: She carries a spare pair of Jeans and a long leather coat(duster style). Jewelry: none. Other accessories: none. Weapons: Pistol (temporary), Knife (in her bag), and Rifle (unacquired as of this draft) Health: Good considering. Frequently enters phases of malnourishment. Hygiene: She showers when able, usually goes several days without.

Are they generally balanced or clumsy? Usually balanced, but easily knocked off kilter. Mannerisms/Poses/Movement: Hums when working, Tends to lean on things, Walks in a direct manner. Describe their walk: She walks with purpose. Strong direct strides. Describe their fighting style: She prefers to shoot her prey but is capable in a fight. She knows some basic self-defense and is capable with a knife. Habits/OCDs/Obsessions: Pending at this time. Speech Patterns: She usually has a curt and direct voice. Unique phrases/words: None, Really. Do they curse, and if so, to what extent? Mildly Write a piece of dialogue that this character might say (can be between someone else): "I don't rightly care about what they're doing." "No I'm not gonna shoot them." "Okay, fine, I MIGHT shoot them. Now stop signing I can't think when you're talking." Voice: raspy (from dehidration) Mellow-High (Slightly Nasal, Husky but still light.) ((I imagine her sounding like Audrey Hepbern with a cold or allergy lol)) Describe their laugh: Deep and "Chuckly" usually, when she is caught off guard a light higher laugh will escape. Describe their sleep patterns (light/heavy sleeper, no sleep, sleeps too often, etc): Light sleeper, will put off sleep as long as possible. She has nightmares often. Describe their dwelling/house: none Describe their bedroom: none Describe their daily rituals: Moving.

Psychological/Personality Attributes and Attitudes

Intelligence Level: 9th Grade Public School Known Languages: English/Bad English Character's long-term goals/desires in life: Current Goal, Make it to New Iberia, Louisiana. Character's short-term goals/desires in life: Survival. Secret desires: She holds out hope that her family isn't actually dead. How self-confident is the character? Very, in a "fake it til you make it" way. She's confident out of necessity. How do they see him/herself? Alone, pitiful, and desperate. How do they believe s/he is perceived by others? She doesn't think of it often, when she does it's usually in a negative light. What is the character most proud of? Escaping Missouri. What does the character like least about themselves? her overall weakness to the situation she's in. How do they express themselves? Direct, watchful, no-nonsense. Is this character generally dominant or submissive? Dominant. Patience level: on a scale of 1-10 she's around an 8. Does the character seem ruled by emotion or logic or some combination thereof? She's usually very logical, but she has limits where her emotions escape through. Most at ease when: Near water, Alone but not lonely. Ill at ease when: She knows there are people near, but doesn't know who or where they are. She doesn't handle suspense well. Describe their sense of humor: Dry, Scornful. If granted one wish, what would it be? "Bring back my family." Why? She ties all her misery to their disappearance/deaths. Character/Personality/Mental/Social Strengths: Great under pressure overall. Character/Personality/Mental/Social Flaws: Awful with negotiations. If they could be described with one of the seven virtues, which would it be? Diligence If they could be described with one of the seven sins, which would it be? Anger Biggest Vulnerability (non-physical): She's pretty weak attacks on children and animals when she's not directly targeted. Optimist or Pessimist: Pessimist due to circumstances, Optimist despite themselves. Introvert or extrovert: Introvert. Greatest Fear: Causing the death of others or dying alone without ever knowing what happened to her family. Other Fears/Insecurities/Phobias:  She's terrified of Goats. Biggest regret: Not telling her family how much she loved them. Other regrets: Joining with certain groups, shooting a kid when escaping capture. Biggest accomplishment: Surviving the first winter. Minor accomplishments: Traveling from Missouri to southern Arkansas (at this point) alone despite the dangers. Musical talents/instruments: none at all. Character's darkest/deepest secret: She shot a kid who was trying to kidnap her. She was defending herself but it still haunts her.

Likes/Dislikes

Likes: Chocolate, Classic Rock, and Dogs Dislikes: Goats, Snakes, 'moist' cookies.

Favorite

Color: Rose-Gold Clothing: Leather, she loves the 80's punk style. Place: Still Looking. Room in the house and why: Used to be the Front Sitting room, she'd watch movies with her mother there. Food/drinks: Soda (Pepsi) Music genre: Classic Rock, Alt Rock, Classic Country, Rockabilly, CAKE (band) Songs and Singers/Bands: Short Skirt Long Jacket- Cake Movies/TV Shows/Performances: Sabrina(Film) Actors/Performers: None Book(s): Where the Red Fern Grows Historical figure: Elizabeth Garret Anderson Subject in school: P.E. Animal: Dog

Least Favorite

Clothing: Shoes. Place: Missouri (Branson) Food: Cabbage Music genre: EDM, Hip-Hop Subject in school: English

Simple Pleasures: Putting feet in water after a long walk. Greater Pleasures: Finding an orchard that has continued to produce fruit. Where does this character like to hang out?  N/A Where is this character's dream place to live? Anywhere that's actually safe. What sorts of books are most likely to be found on their shelves? Manuals. Motto/Personal quote: "One Day at a Time." Mode of transportation: Feet, Motorcycle, Abbot's Van Most prized possession: Her Jacket. Why? It was her Brother's.

Emotional Characteristics

Describe character's sense of morals: Take what you can, but don't hurt anyone if able. Survival before Ethics. If they could sum up the meaning of life, what would they say?: To live. Describe character's etiquette: Poor. Undisciplined. Describe character's sense of self-control: Fairly good, she's able to keep her emotions in check most of the time. She's not impulsive. Spontaneous or structured? Structured but with very mild Flexibility. Instinctual or logical? Logic first. How does this character act in public? Quiet but Direct. How does this character act in privacy? Shy, kind, inviting. How does this character act around strangers vs. how they act around friends? She'll literally take out a stranger if she feels threatened. How does(did) this character act around family? She acted open, happy, energetic. How has this character most changed from youth? She's become cynical and less empathetic. How have they remained the same? She still has a deep core of hopefulness that she cannot shake. Has this character dealt with the loss of someone they knew? Yes If so, who? Mother, Father, Brother. How has it affected them? well, she...attempted suicide before joining a gang and defecting and running away to Arkansas...she's really not FELT it yet.

How does this character deal with or react to: Conflict/Danger: Head on, fight or fight. Rejection: "YEAH WELL I DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO" -sniff- Fear: FIGHT OR FIGHT. Change: Adapt or Die. Loss: Adapt to Die. Sex/Flirting: FIGHT or FIGHT!! Pain: Tries to ignore it. Stress: Tries to ignore that too. Peer pressure: Probably wouldn't trust strangers...but a friend could lead her on fairly well. Guilt: Repress it. Being wrong: Admit it, if she can. Being criticized: Starts off hot, but she'll reflect after a while. Being insulted (superficially: name calling, etc): "YOU WANNA FIGHT OVER IT?" Offending others: "I didn't offend you, you offended yourself...also I'm sorry..." Praise: Skepticism Being loved: N/A Being hated: N/A Humiliation: Swallows and tries to focus on something else.

How does this character express?

Anger: With her fists. Sadness: Repression. Fear: Running. (with or without fists.) Happiness/Excitement: Giggling. Love (Consider the "Five Languages of Love"): From most to least, Acts, Touch, Time, Gifts, Words. Lust: She actively avoids it. Stress/anxiety: She will panic...sometimes. Dislike (of a person, thing, or idea): Avoid/reject it. Approval (of a person, thing, or idea): Tries to help them, discuss it, or fix it.

Other

What song best fits this character? American Girl - Tom Petty If you could compare this character to an existing character, who would s/he be and why?  I'd compare her to...All those Jodi foster Tom Boy Roles...like seriously..just give Iris (Taxi Driver) a gun and an Inidana Jones complex. If you could choose an actor for this character, who would it be? Uh...I dunno? If you could choose a voice actor for this character, who would it be? See Above. Who/what was your character inspired by? Story; Me and a friend Driving to see a movie, get behind a girl on a motercycle. "Wouldn't it be funnly if she had a cat in those saddle bags?" "Cat's done to hell make it a dog." "Wolf?" "too big, Coyote."  and ta daaaa.

[carsai-precisionparts]

undefined

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[livingcorner]

15 Kitchen Paint Color Ideas and Combinations to Freshen Up a Space@|what color to paint your kitchen@|https://www.thespruce.com/thmb/XILVjBzYrGq5IyywOX3pQEMec20=/2048×1365/filters:fill(auto,1)/enlivening-kitchen-paint-colors-1822143-hero-7d27a09897324e5c843b856aeb4f3b5e.jpg@|25

You have the entire color wheel at your disposal, so steer clear of boring or bland when thinking about painting your kitchen. Gorgeous colors come to life when you open yourself to the possibilities. Neutrals, whites, and grays are popular kitchen colors and have a multitude of gradations. Home design experts suggest that you look at popular picks, then open your mind to other colors outside of those ranges before making a decision.

Color Family: Neutrals, such as whites, off-whites, grays; also consider blues, greens, and dark tones

Complementary Colors: Neutrals work well with all; however, if you use paints in the teal or aqua range, complementary colors include oranges and yellows

Pairs Well With: These colors pair well with other neutrals, include whites that bring out the hues used

Mood: Lighter hues: bright and airy; darker hues: sleek and sophisticated

Where to Use: Kitchen walls, islands, cabinets, and accents

Here are 15 of the top paint hues for kitchens, according to home design experts.

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Light Gray

The Spruce

Clay Hill is a 100-acre farm and Federal-style home to jewelry designer Elizabeth Locke and her husband, John. Working with designer Alison Martin, Locke decided on a light patrician gray that complements the Victorian-age tiles, patterned Roman shades, and lyre-backed chairs.

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Cream

The Spruce

KariAnne and her husband bought a house in the country, which they christened Thistlewood Farms and designed in a country estate style. For her cooking space, she went for a shabby chic look. The explosion of cream extends throughout the kitchen, giving it warmth and a homey feeling with a dash of sophistication. The colors in the kitchen perfectly complement her pure white bone china.

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Matte Black

The Spruce

When Michael Minadeo + Partners was tasked with the job of designing a structure in Stowe, Vermont, part of that project involved this kitchen that would be an aesthetic counterpoint to the building’s natural wood. The light golden-brown of the ceiling and window trim is well balanced by the matte black of the walls and kitchen cabinets.

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Dark Gray

The Spruce

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As a trendsetting interior designer, Susan Greenleaf is no stranger to bold moves. For her family’s San Francisco kitchen, she enlisted the help of Geiszler Architects and Farallon Construction. She chose a deep, rich gray (Plummett by Farrow & Ball) for her go-to kitchen paint color. This moody gray plays well with the generous light that cascades through windows and large glass doors. This strong architectural gray is named after the lead used by fishermen to weigh down their lines. The paint color has a modern feel, more hard-edged and industrial than other gray hues.

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Teal

The Spruce

For a fantastic splash of kitchen color, design blogger Kristi at Addicted 2 Decorating chose a tasty, palatable teal for cabinets and white for the rest of the area. Her new kitchen makes her heart sing.

Formerly, her heavy kelly green kitchen made her feel boxed-in like she was cooking in a cave. The lighter bluish-green color is more cheery and ties in with the rest of her house. She had the color custom-made by Benjamin Moore based on a color swatch she had (it’s very similar to Behr’s Hallowed Hush).

Tip

Before painting your cabinets, decide if you will use oil-based or water-based latex paint and primer. You can use latex over durable oil, but oil won’t adhere well over latex; latex is a safe bet if you don’t know which type the old paint is.

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Light Blue

The Spruce

Decorating blogger Beth Bryan’s new kitchen color transformed her updated kitchen from an unappealing yellow to a gorgeous light-blue (Silver Sage by Restoration Hardware). Beth reports that the blue she used transforms throughout the day. When it’s cloudy outside, the paint becomes a warm greenish-gray color. When it’s dark out, the paint is “a cool silvery gray color.” The wall color works well with whites, creams, dark and light woods, and her dark kitchen hardware finishes.

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Sherwin-Williams Cavern Clay

The Spruce 

Kitchens with an earthy, retro ’70s vibe are increasing in popularity. Pair walnut cabinetry with beautiful terracotta walls in a paint called Cavern Clay (SW 7701) by Sherwin-Williams. The warm reddish, almost chocolaty dark neutral color works well with natural wood tones, avocado green, purplish grays, creamy white, and golden yellow.

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Magnolia Homes Cinnamon Sugar

The Spruce 

When it comes to painting kitchens, beige tones are often overlooked. Beige walls create a feeling of warmth, which fits right in with the process of cooking. A pretty beige color to consider is Cinnamon Sugar by Magnolia Homes. Its subtle tan base has pink notes that makes a kitchen look cozy but not muddy or yellowish.

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The Spruce Best Home First Frost

The Spruce

An idyllic shade of white paint can be dreamy in kitchens. The Spruce Best Home First Frost (SPR-25) scores big points for being both bright and warm. Because the color has a warm undertone it is the perfect foundation for a modern kitchen with metallic accents in rose, copper, or gold tones. It also flawlessly pairs with natural wood shelving.

Tip

Choosing a white wall paint color for a kitchen can be challenging since it’s largely covered with cabinetry. That’s because there are undertones to every white, making it either a warm or cool color. The best way to choose a white for a kitchen is to sample it on every wall in large swaths so you can see how the color reacts with cabinets, appliances, and sources of light. With whites, you may see many different shades and tones throughout the day and night.

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Sherwin-Williams Let it Rain

The Spruce 

“No color is off limits for a kitchen, but these days I prefer kitchen walls in serene tones of a pale ocean blue,” says Heidi Techner, the program director of interior design at Harcum College. “Let it Rain (SW 9152) by Sherwin-Williams combines elements of an invigorating blue with a calming gray undertone to create a relaxing and restorative energy.” She suggests using this color as a neutral. White cabinetry and pine flooring make for beautiful accents when paired with this shade in the kitchen.

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Benjamin Moore Upper West Side

The Spruce

White is sometimes a little too lackluster for a kitchen space. Interior designer Alec Holland says, “One of my favorites is Upper West Side (CSP-70) from Benjamin Moore. It is warm enough to create a little depth and drama without feeling dark or moody. It also looks thoroughly chic with white kitchen cabinetry.” When you want a hint of color, but aren’t looking to stray far from quiet hues, this taupe is a great darker neutral option.

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Glidden Red Delicious

The Spruce

“Red is a stimulating color making it ideal for a kitchen accent wall because it can stimulate the appetite, and even create an energizing environment for lively conversation,” says Harcum College’s Heidi Techner. A yummy color worth trying is Red Delicious (00YR 08/409) by Glidden. Pair this classic red, which many consider a darker neutral, with cabinetry in its complementary color of cerulean blue for a truly luxurious look. Or tone down the red with a rich gray or a delicious darker brown (think caramel candy apple).

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Benjamin Moore Gray Owl

The Spruce

“Gray Owl (2137-60) by Benjamin Moore works in most kitchens because it goes with a broad range of colorful cabinetry,” says Patrick Planeta, owner of Planeta Design Group. “It makes white cabinets stand out, and the paint shade is also light enough that when paired with darker cabinetry it will not make the rest of the kitchen feel oppressive or heavy.” He also appreciates the color’s ability to balance tonal differences, which makes this versatile neutral perfect for kitchens with two-toned cabinets.

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Sherwin Williams White Duck

The Spruce

Kylie, interior designer and decor blogger behind Kylie M. Interiors, says White Duck (SW 7010) by Sherwin-Williams is a pitch-perfect blend of beloved greige, which means that it never feels too beige or gray as the light changes throughout the day. The neutral allows white subway tile to sing and provides a clean backdrop for rustic wood accents.

Watch Now: 4 Tips for Picking the Perfect Paint Color

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