#it doesn’t include regular use of the phrase in conversation

[worstloki]

negative connotations to Arabic phrase ‘God is Great’ incorrect. average praying Muslim does takbir (says Allahu Akbar) a minimum 95 times a day and should have been counted.

[good-chimes]

THE H.T.G.Y. FILES

Project team notes: Vat growth stage has been successful. Please note project is titled Human Tactical Ground-unit Y (H.T.G.Y.) and this is the only designation that should be used. Lab technicians who continue to use slang term hotguy will be written up. 

Senior researcher CUB-135 has been called in to consult. Please give him access to all non-sensitive files.

+

[AUDIO TRANSCRIPT]

HTGY: Well, hello there!

CUB-135: Hi. How’s it, uh. How’s it going?

HTGY: How’s it going? Huh, that’s the first time someone’s asked me that. Wait a minute. I know that one. How’s it going. Oh, oh, I got it. It’s going great!

CUB-135: …Cool.

HTGY: Yeah. Yeah. Isn’t it great to be alive and awake? How’s it treating you?

CUB-135: It’s magnificent.

HTGY: [laughing] Magnificent. Oh, I like that. Who are you, my friend?

CUB-135: I’m a consultant. Cub-one-three-five. The project team dragged me in because I wrote the genome.

HTGY: Consultant…. So you’re the one who does their thinking for them, huh?

CUB-135: [surprised laugh] Yeah.

HTGY: Well, I’m telling you, they need it. Buncha people prodding me to see if I can stand up! You can just ask that, can’t you? A man’s gotta have space, Cub. A man’s gotta do things under his own steam.

CUB-135: Yeah, I guess. Yeah.

HTGY: [conspiratorial] Here’s a question. Got a lot of things in my head, Cub. The ol’ memory’s all messed up. I’m new, right?

CUB-135: You’re new. That’s right.

HTGY: I thought so! How new?

CUB-135: Uhh… three days? Three days and two hours.

HTGY: Thank you! Finally. Can’t get a straight answer out of anyone here.

CUB-135: …you want your genome notes?

HTGY: Boy, do I! What’s a genome?

CUB-135: Uh. Okay. Let’s see what we can do. I need some files. A lotta files.

+

[AUDIO TRANSCRIPT]

HTGY: Oh, we have to stop.

CUB-135: Yeah?

HTGY: That noise means I gotta be somewhere.

CUB-135: Mm.

HTGY: Just more prodding and check-ups, I guess. Can’t take long. Come back, okay? I'll be here, at least I guess I'll be here. I've been here all the time so far. Tomorrow?

CUB-135: …

CUB-135: Alright. Tomorrow.

+

DEATH COUNT: 1

+

Project team notes: First trial (subject vs two skeletons obtained from Lab 2E spawner) did not meet expectations. Subject (H.T.G.Y.) is slow to grasp the basics of hand-to-hand combat despite neural implants. Speed below benchmark. Precision poor. Regeneration not fast enough to alter outcome of combat.

Although a disappointing start to the project, there are promising leads in some areas. Combat abilities expected to improve through repetition. Deficiencies in combat conversely allow better collection of regeneration data.

Subject observation: when returned to room, subject spent six hours seated and unmoving. Scheduling next test for tomorrow.

+

[CUB-135 OBSERVATIONS]

note to self, find a way to phrase: ‘he was a project for faster injury regeneration, you fucking amateurs, nothing in that genome makes him magically good at fighting’ in a way that doesn’t include the phrase ‘you fucking amateurs’. difficult problem. 

going back in. this one will be less fun.

+

[AUDIO TRANSCRIPT]

HTGY: Hey, it’s Mister Does-The-Thinking! Cub, hey, Cub!

CUB-135: Hey.

HTGY: You’re looking serious today. What’s up?

CUB-135: I’m good. I’m good.

HTGY: That’s what I like to hear. Can’t have the big-brain guy down in the dumps.

CUB-135: How was yesterday?

HTGY: Ohhh. Yesterday, Cub, yesterday. I don’t think I’m that good at fighting. There were a lot of very unhelpful skeletons, Cub. A lot of them! Really mean! I think it’s going to be regular. I am not looking forward to that.

CUB-135: Mm.

HTGY: Any chance you can make it, y’know. Fewer monsters? They hurt.

CUB-135: Sorry, man. I don’t set the tests.

HTGY: Naw, I didn’t think so. You don’t look like a guy in charge.

CUB-135: Is that right?

HTGY: You’re just, you know [hand gesture] … laid back. I like that about you.

CUB-135: Uh.

HTGY: So. Cub. Cub, Cub, Cub.

CUB-135: …yeah?

HTGY: I’ve got this thing in my head. The sky.

CUB-135: The sky? Like… all of it?

HTGY: I dunno! You people put some pictures in my memories when you made me, I think. Horizons, clouds—I know they’re made of water, but how does that work? I saw a bit during the fight and it was kind of grey? Talk me through clouds, Cub. You’re good at explaining. And the rest of it! Where does it stop? What’s above it?

CUB-135: Oh, dude. Let me tell you… let me tell you about space.

+

To: +Team_Members_HTGY_Project

From: CUB-135

Y’all,

I looked at your trial notes. Project lead asked for my thoughts. My thoughts:

- inefficient; - could get the same regeneration data from tissue samples; - waste of skeletons.

You want to find another way. The combat unit thing was doomed from the start. If you want a supersoldier you should start over with a ravager.

have a real one,

Cub

+

Project team notes: One-month project milestone. Consultancy from CUB-135 has started to be more of a problem than an asset. Unfortunately he is the only one who understands how to process the regeneration data so assistance remains necessary for now. Upskilling of team analysts in progress.

Test continue. H.T.G.Y. has been given a variety of weapons and results range from abysmal (sword) to mediocre (bow). Subject has so far lost to every creature put in front of him. If the combat goals of this project are to be met, a better training regime will be needed.

On a separate note: great interest from sponsors in mid-combat regeneration data. A variety of tests has been requested.

+

New data storage links: EXPLOSION (creeper) – File CR93; FIRE BURN (wood) – File FR02; FIRE BURN (other) – File FR03; BLOOD LOSS – File IN20; VENOM – File VM07, UNCATEGORIZED – UN45-UN51.

+

DEATH COUNT: 23

+

[AUDIO TRANSCRIPT]

HTGY: You know what the problem is?

CUB-135: I can guess?

HTGY: I’m so bored.

CUB-135: Okay. Didn’t see that coming.

HTGY: I’m so bored. Honestly, I’m bored most of the time. Except when I’m getting killed, which isn’t great either. Or when you’re here—you know I appreciate you, Cub, you’re a great guy, don’t get me wrong. But you’re only around every couple of days, and it’s the bits in between.

CUB-135: Mm.

HTGY: Can’t you clone yourself, or something, and leave one here?

CUB-135: Nah, outside my specialism. Hm. You talked to Mumbo much? Mumbo’s always around.

HTGY: The lab system?

[null]: Hello. Can I answer a query?

HTGY: Oh, hi, Mumbo. Yeah, I’ve talked to Mumbo. But let’s be honest, he’s not much of one to start conversations. I can never think of things to ask.

[null]: What I can communicate to subjects on this level has been restricted by administrators.

HTGY: See?

CUB-135: Get him to show you… I dunno. Cat videos. Space stuff. Forests. They won’t have locked that down.

HTGY: Forests. Yeah! Okay. Mumbo?

[null]: I’m allowed to show pictures of forests. How’s this?

HTGY: Look at that. So green. So many trees! How close is that picture from here?

CUB-135: Kinda nearby, I think. Looks like a research shot from where they caught the spiders. Lots of the wild subjects in here came from close by.

HTGY: Amazing. Hey, Cub, can you get them to take me to a forest? Tree training! Beat the spiders in their own home!

CUB-135: Why not? I’ll ask.

HTGY: They’ll say no. But it’s good to think of it out there.

+

Project team notes: Six-month project milestone. Useful data continues to accumulate. HTGY has improved with bow and crossbow, and survival rate has risen to one in ten encounters.

Unfortunately, a new issue has arisen in subject cooperation. Most tests are set up to incentivize survival, making attitude irrelevant. However non-lethal tests require participation, which has previously been forthcoming from the subject, until yesterday when he refused to participate at all.

CUB-135 seems to have a rapport. Suggest he talks with subject to encourage better attitude. This would be the first useful thing CUB-135 has done in weeks.

+

DEATH COUNT: 97

+

[AUDIO TRANSCRIPT]

CUB-135: Hey. What’s up.

HTGY: Oh. Hey.

CUB-135: Not feeling it today?

HTGY: I knew it. I know why you’re here. I know why they sent you to talk to me.

CUB-135: Try me.

HTGY: It was a cat, Cub. I’ll take the fights. I’ll take the training machines, they break half the time anyway. I’ll take the spiders and the skeletons and the creepers and the fact I know way too much about what my bones look like. But I’m not shooting a cat! I don’t care if it’s safe target practice. I’m not doing it!

CUB-135: Yeah. Okay.

HTGY: …

CUB-135: So what do you wanna talk about today?

HTGY: You’re not gonna try and convince me?

CUB-135: Naw.

HTGY: Cub, I’m not shooting anything that’s not trying to kill me.

CUB-135: Yeah, I know.

HTGY: You know?

CUB-135: I read your test notes. I can guess.

HTGY: Aw, you read my test notes? You care! Don’t pretend you don’t, I can see through it.

CUB-135: What can I say. You’re an interesting guy.

HTGY: I knew it! Oh, hey, Cub, you know what? I came up with a new name for myself. What do you think—[dramatic hand gesture]—Scar.

CUB-135: …

HTGY: Cool, right?

CUB-135: Scar. Yeah. It’s cool.

+

Project team notes: CUB-135 entirely unhelpful. Schedule escalation meeting with bioprojects lead.

+

[message log start]

Lead (bioprojects): Well, you got what you originally wanted. You’re off the HTGY project.

cub-135: wait, what?

Lead (bioprojects): You’re no longer permitted in the labs on that level. I need you to turn in your badge for reprogramming.

cub-135: oh man

cub-135: here’s the thing

cub-135: i lost it

Lead (bioprojects): You lost your BADGE?

cub-135: yeah i’ve just been following people through the access doors

Lead (bioprojects): That’s against all policy. I don’t think that’s even possible. How do you get lunch?

cub-135: cheat code on the cash register. up up down down A B.

Lead (bioprojects): You’re not funny. Find your badge and turn it in to get your HTGY level access revoked.

cub-135: oh yeah. i’ll get to that.

Lead (bioprojects): You’re lucky you’re good at your job.

cub-135: just trying my best here, man

Lead (bioprojects): No interference. If the team complain to me about you again, you’re getting demoted to junior lab tech. Leave the project alone.

cub-135: sure boss.

cub-135: you got it.

[Lead(bioprojects) has disconnected]

+

Project Team Notes: Eight-month project milestone. Sponsors pleased with regeneration data. Two papers have been published to modest but positive reception.

After period of progress with HTGY’s survival rates in combat, improvement has levelled off. Subject appears to have less energy for reasons that are unclear. Random observational checks found subject watching cat videos at all hours of the day. Changes in diet and test structure have been tested to no effect. Rest time has been experimentally increased.

+

DEATH COUNT: 167

+

[AUDIO TRANSCRIPT]

HTGY: Hey, Cub! Long time no see!

Cub: Yeah, sorry, man. Some admin bullshit.

HTGY: Your badge looks different.

Cub: Made it myself. How’s the tests?

HTGY: Oh, let’s not talk about those. You know what, I actually decided I’m not going to remember something if it’s not worth it. All the fights are the same and they keep doing them. So! I’ve been thinking. Cub. Cub. I want a cat. Can I get a cat?

Cub: …

HTGY: Just a little one. I’ve seen some options. Mumbo has pictures. 

Cub: Dunno, dude. I can try. Might be tricky.

HTGY: [sigh] I guess you’re right. It…wouldn’t be happy, would it? Yeah. We can’t have that.

CUB: Sorry.

HTGY: No, no, it’s all right. I don’t want to make something unhappy. It was just a thought. 

CUB-135: What’s on the screen?

HTGY: [brightens up] Oh, this? Dude, I wanted to show you this! Mumbo has this drawing program where you can build houses. This is my idea for a forest house. I think you could do it with three kinds of wood and you could have, you know, all these trees over it. What do you think? I mean, I know we’ll never see a forest. But imagine it in your mind.

CUB: … You know what, my friend, you’re really something.

HTGY: Why thank you. You could say the same of yourself—come on, Cub, don’t be shy. Take the compliment!

CUB-135: I don’t—

[silence]

HTGY: Don’t what?

CUB-135: [abruptly] I dunno how much more I can take.

HTGY: …

CUB-135: I—what am I even doing? What are we doing? There’s nothing to change. There’s no way to change anything.

HTGY: … You could get me a cat.

CUB-135: I can’t! I can barely get around the access readers! I can’t even get into the project files! Ten years of research and I feel dumb, Scar, I could solve everything until I couldn’t. What would you do if you weren’t in here? Man, that’s such a stupid question. I don’t even know what I’d do if I wasn’t in here. My references are gonna be shot. Maybe I should have paid attention to something else, maybe I should have done anything else—

HTGY: I’d like to see some forests.

CUB-135: Huh?

HTGY: You said ‘what would I do’. I’d go and see some forests.

CUB-135: …

CUB-135: Forests, huh.

HTGY: Anyway, that’s not going to happen, so I guess we don’t want to waste time on it! They need you here. And you guys need me here. Right?

CUB-135: …

HTGY: Right, Cub-one-three-five?

CUB-135: Y’know something, Scar? Sometimes I think you do more thinking more than you let on.

HTGY: Huh? Naw. Why’s your badge gone red?

CUB-135: Oh shit. Shit. I gotta go.

+

[message log start]

cub-135: listen boss

cub-135: first you bump me off the HTGY project, and now i’ve just had my name taken off the ravager patent. that’s my own work.

cub-135: this keeps happening. it’s not okay.

Lead (bioprojects) : CUB-135, for the last time, this was what you signed up for.  It’s the same for all researchers. You have to put the time in while you move up the ladder.

Lead (bioprojects): Have you just noticed this is how the whole laboratory works?

cub-135: oh

cub-135: i’m noticing

cub-135: i’m noticing lots of things about this place

Lead (bioprojects): Good. If you have an issue, focus on your work and get promoted.

cub-135: yeah, see, actually

cub-135: if nothing changes, i’m going to leave. and i’ll take all my intellectual property with me.

Lead (bioprojects): Hah! Check your employment papers; you’re on a 10-year contract. It’s watertight. And even if you could get out of it, you’re banned from taking paper or data chips out of lab grounds.

cub-135: yeah?

cub-135: okay.

[cub-135 has disconnected]

+

[AUDIO TRANSCRIPT]

CUB-135: Hey. Scar. Scar.

HTGY: Cub! What’s with the doohickey? It—oh, wow. That just zapped the light. Amazing.

CUB-135: Mumbo, lock transcript.

[null]: Transcript locked.

CUB-135: Okay. So. I made this thing to hijack the redstone gate down by the Drowned spawners on Lab 3B. It screws up the signal so you can get through. There’s a reservoir behind it. I put in a bubble elevator that will take you up outside the walls. I’ve got to stay behind to take out the cameras while you do it. Then I’ll get out with the evening shift.

HTGY: Wait, so I just take this and run? What if they find out about you?

CUB-135: If you do that I’m screwed, man. So don’t tell them.

HTGY: Yeah?

CUB-135: …Yeah, I know what you’re thinking. You could turn me in.

[silence]

CUB-135: Maybe you should. Yeah, all right. I guess, just—oh.

HTGY: Relax! Anyone would think you’d never had a hug.

CUB-135: …

HTGY: My friend. My friend, we are going to see some forests.

+

[AUDIO TRANSCRIPT]

HTGY: The speed! The precision!

CUB-135: Whew. Man. You did nearly drown.

HTGY: What’s important here is that I didn’t, because I am an elite escape artist. And you got out too, so I guess we can share the title.

CUB-135: We’re not far enough to say that yet. I’d bet we’re still in range of the lab systems.

HTGY: Details, details.

CUB-135: You’re bleeding.

HTGY: Oh man, I know, that was from the last test. It doesn’t matter.

CUB-135: Give me that.

HTGY: Fussy! What are you, a grandpa? Ow.

CUB-135: If you don’t stop and let me fix it you’re going to lose that finger. And I can’t grow it again when we don’t have the redstone vats.

HTGY: You were never this fussy before.

CUB-135: Yeah, well. Who even did it?

HTGY: I don’t…

[silence]

HTGY: Huh. Cub, you know what, I don’t…remember.

HTGY: Hey, though. Who everything filed and stored like a nerd? Who needs all their memories where we’re going? We’re getting out! Onwards!

[silence]

HTGY: Cub. Cub.

HTGY: Don’t look like that.

HTGY: It wasn’t your fault.

[silence]

CUB-135: Scar, I dunno what I’m doing.

HTGY: I’ve never known what I’m doing.

CUB-135: [laughs] You are…something, my friend. You are something.

HTGY: We don’t know what we're doing. And that’s amazing. Because aren’t you excited to find out?

+

Author's note: Hey, thanks for reading to the end! There's a better formatted version of this on Ao3 under username glossyblue. I've got a lot of this au but thought this stood alone well enough that someone might enjoy it. Hope you enjoyed, have a great day.

[eaeulfl]

I found this a bit interesting. The term she uses is 恩人 (‘onjin’ in Japanese / ‘enren’ in Chinese), but the English subtitles translated it as ‘saviors’. I don’t speak Japanese but from what I can tell, it seems the term means roughly the same thing in Japanese and in Chinese, which is ‘benefactor’, or just someone that has helped you in some way. If the translation was to be understood in the literal sense I feel like a more accurate term would have been 救��恩人 in Chinese or 救済者 (I’m guessing) in Japanese. However in this scene anri was trying to come up with a proper term to describe masaomi and mikado, like ‘friends’ or ‘partners’, so she couldn’t go with a sentence or a phrase (although she did include ‘who gave me all kinds of things’, but even then this phrase doesn’t exactly mean the same thing as ‘benefactor’). On the other hand when speaking in English I feel like people don’t usually refer to someone as their ‘benefactor’ in regular conversations. The synonyms for ‘benefactor’ - ‘patron’, ‘supporter’, ‘backer’, ‘helper’, ‘sponsor’, etc. don’t really sound right either. I believe this is why they went for the term ‘saviors’ instead, because it fit the context better even if it was a bit less accurate (not necessarily narrative-wise, just translation-wise).

[sometimes-men-need-help-too]

Can I ask what you mean by “men’s rights?” I know men face issues because of the patriarchy, but could you explain to me how misandry effects men’s rights? Don’t men live in a privileged position, say for example, not having to worry about things like the debate for bodily autonomy that Roe v. Wade brings up? And I’m not talking about trans men that are included within that conversation, I’m talking cishet white men who don’t face oppression. What does the phrase “men’s rights” mean in that lens? How can cishet white men be oppressed by misandry?

I actually have an ask about this, asking me what I mean by men's rights from April that I haven't answered yet. I've started working on it though and stopped because of school and it's just been in my drafts for the time being. However, I'll get it out sometime before August , hopefully. I won't go into detail here because as I said, I have that ask.  If you want, and you're not already following this blog, you can message me and I'll message you when it's finished or something like that.

> but could you explain to me how misandry effects men’s rights?

I don’t understand what you mean by that. Misandry is:  dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against men (i.e. the male sex) 

Similarly to feminism fighting against misogyny, men’s rights fights against misandry

> Don’t men live in a privileged position, say for example, not having to worry about things like the debate for bodily autonomy that Roe v. Wade brings up?

I don’t believe men are privileged and I think that kind of talk (and I’m not saying this a some sort of accusation or something against you) leads to less compassion for men’s issues. That may not be the way everyone who believes that feels, but some do and it can slowly come to that over time. Those people will start looking at men as though they have it easy or easier and that is incorrect. Both men and women have their own problems. 

As for bodily anatomy, circumcision falls under that. 

> What does the phrase “men’s rights” mean in that lens? How can cishet white men be oppressed by misandry?

Respectfully, it doesn’t matter. Them being white or straight or not trans doesn’t mean they’re not going to feel the consequences of misandry. One such example is rape. men, as a whole, don’t really get recognized as rape victims. That is one of the big problems men face. It’s not even just with the regular people--it’s the laws set in place. The laws are excluding them and I’ll show you two examples from the response I have for that ask: 

This is Georgia 's law (From the US)

As mandated by O.C.G.A. § 16-6-1, the offense of rape occurs when there is any penetration of the female sex organ by the male sex organ of:

a female forcibly and against her will, or

a female who is less than ten years of age.

This is from Switzerland: 

Any person who forces a person of the female sex by threats or violence, psychological pressure or by being made incapable of resistance to submit to sexual intercourse is liable to a custodial sentence of from one to ten years.  

That’s a problem, as I said. Every rape victim should be recognized and given help and justice. But how is that supposed to happen in situations like this? Then you have the regular people; the people who who laugh and make jokes and all. That’s not cool and especially not on someone’s mental health. And I acknowledge that there are men doing it as well which is wrong. But there are also plenty of women who don’t take the notion of male victims seriously either.

Anyway, the answer to the ask that I will get done eventually, will go into much more detail. It will feature other topics like homelessness, how  men are treated with their mental health differently and a lack of resources, the discrimination within the legal system, etc etc 

Sources: 

https://bixonlaw.com/georgia-rape-laws/

https://fedlex.data.admin.ch/filestore/fedlex.data.admin.ch/eli/cc/54/757_781_799/20200701/en/pdf-a/fedlex-data-admin-ch-eli-cc-54-757_781_799-20200701-en-pdf-a.pdf

Also thank you for the ask! 

[tanenigiri]

Review #12: Our Dreams at Dusk: Shimanami Tasogare (Volume 3)

Japanese title: しまなみ誰そ彼 (Shimanami Tasogare)

Story and art: Yuhki Kamatani

English publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment

Number of volumes: 4 (complete)

Different shades of discovery.

[CW: Mentions of homophobic language]

(This review contains story spoilers.)

When I was outlining the reviews for this project, I was going back-and-forth on whether to review Our Dreams at Dusk’s first two volumes together or to group Volumes 2 and 3 together. While I ended up going with the former since they each focused on the development of one character while this volume focuses on two, I did want to make the parallels between Volumes 2 and 3 since they both feature Tasuku’s efforts to help someone in their own journeys of sexual identity - but the way he does so in both volumes, and the outcome of his efforts, are completely different.

In the end, I thought it was fitting that I give Volume 3 its own review. Not only is it my favorite out of the four, but it lets me talk about Tasuku with the previous two volumes as context, since the running theme here is a product of what he experiences there. In Volume 1, he struggles to vocalize his truth, and it’s only after several denials and realizations that he’s finally able to start honestly talking about his sexuality. Volume 2 has him take on a more active role to help Misora in his own journey of self-discovery, but it ultimately backfires because of what he said, and he’s left wondering if he should’ve even begun that conversation.

All these thoughts lead Tasuku to wonder whether or not “silence is golden” - and I put that in quotation marks as it’s a phrase that comes up several times throughout this volume. As you’d expect, it then leads to plotlines that show the pros and cons of both sides, and that leads to my favorite arc of the entire series.

Utsumi, one of Cat Clutter’s regulars, is revealed in this volume to be a trans man. That his is the only reveal that comes from another person is already very telling - Utsumi has decided that he would only talk about his gender identity on his own terms. He doesn’t flaunt the fact that he’s a trans man, but that doesn’t mean he’s not comfortable with it - in fact, Tasuku observes that Utsumi is already very comfortable just being himself. It’s a great contrast to all the characters we’ve met so far who either struggle with their labels or wear them loud and proud.

Utsumi’s resolve is put to the test, though, with the appearance of Oyama, one of his high school classmates. Not only is she the one to reveal Utsumi’s gender identity to the reader, but she also brings up a lot about his past prior to his transition - including his deadname. This is seen to affect a lot of people in Cat Clutter, especially Daichi, but Utsumi is seen to just take it in stride, and he even goes out of his way to reassure both Daichi and Tasuku that Oyama does mean well despite her rather ignorant actions.

Tasuku is seen to internalize all of what happens above and apply it to his own situation. Suddenly, his question about whether or not silence is golden has a clear answer, as he sees Utsumi already doing great just being content with what he has and Oyama threatening to break that contentment with her words. Moreover, he relates it to what happened between him and Misora in the previous volume, even going as far as saying that he was acting “relentlessly positive” in the same way Oyama is to Utsumi.

But Utsumi does reach a breaking point after he agrees with Oyama to go to lunch with their former volleyball teammates. Oyama is seen going out of her way to defend Utsumi when their teammates ask a rather invasive question, but the critical thing here is how she ignores Utsumi’s remark that he doesn’t really mind the question at all. Add onto that a grim reminder from his past about how his own kind words were taken the wrong way, and it finally leads him to tell Oyama to stop using his situation as a way for her to feel good about herself.

It’s a bombshell of a declaration, and you can’t help but feel relieved that Utsumi finally broke his silence and spoke his mind, especially with how taxing Oyama was for a significant part of the story. And with Tasuku being there to witness all of that, the answer to his question becomes unclear again - here was someone who was comfortable in his silence speaking up and letting someone know that he’s hurt, and Tasuku knows that what Utsumi did was right, even if it led to an uncomfortable situation with Oyama.

How all of this is not clean-cut and has a lot of nuance across all the characters involved is one of the main reasons why this plot arc is my favorite. It might not be as emotionally heavy as the main arcs, but it’s very satisfying to see it play out. Sure, Oyama’s dialogue sometimes makes me want to punch a wall (like Daichi does), but I also share Daichi’s reservations in that it’s hard to actually call Oyama out on any of this since none of it is done with malice. But Utsumi is able to see past her kind facade thanks to their shared bond and his own experiences, and when he finally reaches a point where he realizes that breaking the silence is more beneficial than keeping it, you can’t help but cheer him on.

In any case, Tasuku already has a lot on his mind by this point of the story, and much of it comes from the other character that this volume revolves around - Tsubaki, Tasuku’s crush who ends up helping Cat Clutter out thanks to a chance meeting. Even before I started reading this volume, I found it interesting that Tsubaki is the one who’s spotlighted in the cover, as there’s quite a lot that we’ve yet to find out about him, a sentiment that Tasuku shares throughout the story.

There is a lot that happens in this arc that I want to talk about - the harbor scene and how it parallels with the festival scene, the ramen shop scene and how it introduces us to the best unnamed character in the series, the observatory scene between Tsubaki and Someone-san - but for this review, I wanted to focus on one aspect that sort of ties a lot of these scenes together. In the middle of the first chapter, we see Mai - Oyama’s daughter - making a boat for her tile in a Cat Clutter activity. Tsubaki then points out that he loves boats, and we see him know quite a lot about them later in the story. Meanwhile, Tasuku is making a UFO for the same activity, and we know from the previous volume that he’s into fantasy and the paranormal.

Unexpectedly, the story turns these two minor details into a recurring image, as in the same chapter, we see Tsubaki being taken by a UFO - not literally, of course, but it’s meant to symbolize Tasuku’s confusion on how Tsubaki reacted to Misora calling him a homo in the previous volume. I think it’s meant to play with how Tasuku likes the paranormal and Tsubaki being a literal mystery to him - as Tasuku himself points out - but this UFO image becomes a lot more powerful later in the story.

But before that, we get to the harbor scene, where Tsubaki and Tasuku are attending a ship launch with two of the former’s friends for a class project called “My Shimanami,” which requires them to take a photo of something around the city that “speaks to them.” We already know that Tsubaki is a big boat fan, but we get a great line from Tasuku here about what this ship launch means to him - spending all this time with his crush, who’s treating him normally even after all that’s happened in school, is giving him yet another reason to be grateful that what he attempted at the very first scene of the series didn’t happen. It’s a really nice thing to hear from Tasuku, as he’s finally in a place where his thoughts about his sexuality aren’t eating him up inside - though they still weigh heavily over him, of course - but it adds another layer to why this ship launch, and the boat imagery in general, is important to him.

So we have two images that’s shown as being a favorite for Tasuku and Tsubaki that’s given an additional layer of meaning when applied to the other. This series is no stranger to using visual metaphors to highlight certain aspects of the plot, but I feel like these two examples are among the strongest across all the volumes. Not only are they built up over the course of this volume, but there are a lot of ways to read them in the context of both characters.

Take the sudden appearance of a small UFO right after Tsubaki’s heated exchange with Someone-san, who’s visibly shaken after the latter asks the former if he’s gay. Taking into account the first time a UFO appears in the story as a visual metaphor - with the UFO taking Tsubaki and Tasuku likening it to how he’s a mystery - this could signal the reader what this mystery actually was, but it can also be seen as Tsubaki wanting to be “taken away” now that what he’s been dealing with internally is suddenly out in the open. But on an even more basic sense, since UFOs are known to be Tasuku’s favorite, this could be seen as Tsubaki immediately thinking about Tasuku once Someone-san asks him about his sexuality, and whether this means that he’s relating to Tasuku’s internal struggles or is giving us the reason why he’s questioning his sexuality is up for interpretation.

Arguably all of these interpretations could work during the next and final time a UFO appears in this volume - right in the middle of the confrontation between Tasuku and Tsubaki. With the latter still shaken by his encounter with Someone-san, Tsubaki suddenly falls down to calling Tasuku and the rest of Cat Clutter with homophobic slurs. Tasuku is taken aback by this, as not only is his initial fears of Tsubaki hating him for his sexuality looking like it was coming true, but more importantly, he recognizes that there’s something going on with Tsubaki that’s provoking him to say this offensive language. Framing all of this is the image of Tsubaki being taken by the UFO again, but it’s now depicted as a cage of sorts that’s taking him away from Tasuku.

But Tasuku breaks through this facade - and we see him literally breaking through one of the UFO’s windows in the panel. Urged by how Utsumi dealt with Oyama, Tasuku finally finds the courage to be honest about his feelings to Tsubaki, but it’s also used to give his crush a piece of his mind. Tasuku wants to be honest about his feelings because he doesn’t want the person he likes to hurt others with his words. It’s a fantastic line, and it shows a lot of maturity in Tasuku’s character, especially when you relate it to everything he’s been through up to that point.

It’s no surprise, then, that the visual metaphor used right after this exchange is a boat that gives both Tasuku and Tsubaki a “ride.” But it’s not just any boat - it’s the boat made from a montage of all the images that were part of the “My Shimanami” project, which again are photos that are supposed to best encapsulate which part of town speaks to the photographer. You can make all the connections about the whole “finding myself” conflict that runs through the entire series to this project, so to see it as the boat that brings Tasuku and Tsubaki together - or, rather, what lets them see eye to eye - is a great way to cap off the heated exchange.

Tasuku comes away from that conversation still a bit confused about what Tsubaki’s whole deal is, but he has an important piece of the puzzle now - he recognizes that what Tsubaki is going through is something he himself is very familiar with. This leaves him in an interesting place going into the series’ last volume, and all of this cements just how rich and nuanced Our Dreams at Dusk is when it comes to its characters and conflicts. I didn’t expect to get emotional over seeing UFOs and boats, but here I am.

Random thoughts I couldn’t fit elsewhere:

I do want to mention Mai, Oyama’s daughter who seems to recognize her mother’s faults in her own way. We don’t really hear much from her, but you get the sense from her reactions that her mother’s behavior is very familiar, and you can easily compare how she is around Cat Clutter with how she is around Oyama. She shows up a bit in the fourth volume but none of her conflicts are really addressed, but her being able to continue visiting Cat Clutter could already give us some hints about how her relationship with her mother has evolved.

Shout out to the unnamed girl in the ramen shop who calls out Tsubaki and gives Tasuku his first argument against the whole “silence is golden” issue. As much as this series does a great job in showing the harsh realities that LGBT people face in Japan, it’s also a reality that you can find allies where you least expect it.

Daichi sadly doesn’t do much in this volume, but she does have a lot of hilarious reaction faces, especially concerning Oyama. She gets a lot more to do in the next volume though, as the last page of this one implies.

Thanks for reading! You can read my review for the first two volumes here. This was longer than my usual reviews, but it’s because Volume 3 is my favorite. I felt that both of its major plot arcs are the strongest in the series, and that’s saying something since Our Dreams at Dusk is filled to the brim with great plotlines. I have one more review lined up for Volume 4, which I’ll be posting later this month.

[fanslikefollower]

Boost Your Instagram Ranking and Traffic with the Power of Email Marketing- Fanslikefollower

In today's digital landscape, email marketing remains one of the most effective tools for driving engagement and traffic to your social media profiles, especially Instagram. By leveraging targeted email campaigns, you can significantly enhance your Instagram ranking and boost your profile’s visibility. Here’s how I can help you grow your Instagram profile through strategic email marketing.

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1. Building a Targeted Email List

Collecting Quality Subscribers: The foundation of a successful email marketing campaign is a robust and targeted email list. By collecting email addresses from users who are genuinely interested in your content, products, or services, you ensure that your messages reach the right audience.

Engaging Lead Magnets: Offering valuable content such as free eBooks, exclusive discounts, or insider tips can encourage users to subscribe to your email list. This not only grows your email list but also ensures that your subscribers are already engaged with your brand.

2. Crafting Compelling Email Content

Personalized Messaging: Personalizing your email content to address the individual interests and needs of your subscribers can significantly increase engagement rates. Personalized emails can lead to higher click-through rates, driving more traffic to your Instagram profile.

Eye-catching Visuals: Including high-quality images and graphics in your emails can capture your audience's attention and encourage them to click through to your Instagram. Visual content is crucial, especially when promoting a visually-driven platform like Instagram.

3. Strategic Call-to-Actions (CTAs)

Clear and Compelling CTAs: Every email should have a clear and compelling call-to-action that directs subscribers to your Instagram profile. Phrases like “Follow us on Instagram for exclusive updates” or “Check out our latest Instagram post” can drive significant traffic.

Incentivized Engagement: Offering incentives such as giveaways or exclusive Instagram content for email subscribers can motivate them to follow and engage with your Instagram profile.

4. Automated Email Campaigns

Welcome Series: Setting up an automated welcome series for new subscribers can introduce them to your brand and encourage them to follow your Instagram profile from the start. This series can include information about your brand, what subscribers can expect, and direct links to your social media profiles.

Re-engagement Campaigns: Automated re-engagement campaigns can target inactive subscribers, encouraging them to reconnect with your brand and check out your latest Instagram posts.

5. Analyzing and Optimizing Campaigns

Tracking Performance: Regularly analyzing the performance of your email campaigns is essential. Metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates can provide insights into what works and what doesn’t.

Continuous Improvement: Using this data, I can continually optimize your email content, design, and strategy to maximize engagement and drive more traffic to your Instagram profile.

Safe and Effective Email Marketing Practices

Compliance with Regulations: I ensure that all email marketing practices comply with regulations such as GDPR and CAN-SPAM, maintaining the integrity and trust of your brand.

Avoiding Spam Filters: By using reputable email marketing platforms and following best practices, I ensure that your emails reach your subscribers' inboxes and not their spam folders.

Regular Cleaning of Email List: Maintaining a clean email list by removing inactive subscribers can improve your email deliverability rates and engagement, ensuring that your messages reach an interested audience.

Order My Services on Fiverr, Upwork, or PPH

Ready to boost your Instagram ranking and traffic through email marketing? You can order my expert services on Fiverr, Upwork, or PeoplePerHour. With years of experience and a track record of success, I can help you achieve your social media goals safely and effectively.

Conclusion

Email marketing is a powerful tool for driving traffic and engagement to your Instagram profile. By building a targeted email list, crafting compelling content, using strategic CTAs, automating campaigns, and continuously optimizing, you can significantly enhance your Instagram presence. Let me help you harness the power of email marketing to grow your profile and achieve your social media objectives. Order my services today and see the difference!

[translationwala]

Translate with Confidence: English to Telugu Translation at Your Fingertips

You’re good at talking to people in Telugu, but you need some help when they speak English. Don’t worry, language lover! Right here on this blog, you can find the key to confident, accurate English to Telugu translation.

Bridging the Gap: Understanding the Need

More than 80 million people speak Telugu, which beats to the beat of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. English to Telugu Translation is important for everything from regular conversations to business deals. But here’s the catch: simple word-for-word changes can cause misunderstandings and cultural faux pas.

Step into the Cultural Canvas: Embracing Nuances

Here’s the secret: good translation is more than just doing the right words. It’s a beautiful dance between languages that includes knowledge of other cultures. Let’s talk about the little things that make your Telugu versions better:

Wordplay Wonders: There are a lot of proverbs, clichés, and metaphors in Telugu. There may be exact versions, but they don’t always hit the mark. Look for regionally appropriate words that say the same thing without watering it down. For example, changing “raining cats and dogs” to మేఘాలు కుంభవృష్టి కురిపిస్తున్నాయి” (literally “clouds showering like pots”) loses the jokey tone of the phrase.

Formality Finesse: When speaking English, people tend to be clear, but when speaking Telugu, people tend to be more vague. Use polite forms of address like “గారు” (garu) and “దయ” (daya) when talking to older people or people in charge. Keep in mind that being nice is very important!

Respecting the Tapestry: The people and religions of India are very different. Pay attention to faith and social concerns. Choose words that aren’t offensive and stay away from words that have religious or bad meanings. Do your study and make sure that the respect that is due to different groups is shown in your translation.

Tools at Your Disposal: Power to the Translator

Good news: you’re not the only one having trouble with this version! Some useful tools you should have are these:

Tech Titans: Online dictionaries and translation tools have a huge collection of words and phrases that can be used as examples. Check out tools like Online Translate and Telugu Language Tool for simple help and quick references.

Subject Savvy: Get help from people who are pros in the field, like for court papers or medical reports. Their knowledge of terms makes sure that things are correct and stops cultural mistakes in important areas.

Human Touch: Don’t be afraid to work with people who speak Telugu as their first language. Their knowledge of regional details and everyday language use can help you improve your versions, making them more real and meaningful.

Test, Refine, Conquer: Polishing Your Masterpiece

Once you have a draft of your translation, it’s time to test it! Ask native Telugu speakers for feedback to find any cultural awkwardness, bad word choice, or tone that doesn’t make sense. Use this feedback loop to improve your translation and make sure that your audience understands it.

CONFIDENCE THROUGH CULTURAL COMPETENCE:

Don’t forget that translation is a process, not a goal. You can be sure that your English to Telugu Translation not only get the words across but also capture the spirit of conversation if you understand the cultural differences between the two languages. And now you can go out and translate with faith, language learner! The exciting world of Telugu is waiting for you to be able to communicate well.

Source: https://translationwala.wordpress.com/2024/01/15/translate-with-confidence-english-to-telugu-translation-at-your-fingertips/

[realtybanker]

How to Use A Monthly SEO Analysis Report to Improve Site Rankings

Want to maintain your SEO?

Are you aiming to keep your web site or blog in the top search engine rankings? If so, you need to be aware of the importance of monthly SEO analysis. SEO analysis is the process of looking into your website to find out how it is performing. It is a key element of an effective SEO strategy and can help ensure your website continues to rank well. In this article, we’ll explore what is involved in monthly SEO analysis and provide you with tips on what to look for when reviewing your monthly SEO analysis report. We’ll discuss how to analyze your competitors, track your rankings, monitor your traffic and refine your SEO efforts. By the end you’ll know how to use your monthly SEO analysis report to maintain and improve your website rankings. Let’s get started!

Introduction to SEO Analysis

Let's discuss the wonders of SEO Analysis and how to use it to maintain and improve web site rankings. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of making your website more visible in the search engine results, so that when people search for specific terms and phrases, your website will be at the top of the list. The goal is to drive more traffic to your website and increase conversions. In order to maintain and improve web site rankings, you need to regularly review and analyze your SEO performance. This is where SEO Analysis comes in. SEO Analysis is a process of evaluating your website’s SEO performance over a certain period of time. A Monthly SEO Analysis Report can provide valuable insights into your website’s current performance, highlight potential areas of improvement, and allow you to target specific keywords that you should be focusing on. In addition to the Monthly SEO Analysis Report, consulting with an SEO expert can be a great way to ensure that you're up to date on the latest strategies and trends in the SEO world. An SEO expert can help you develop and implement a comprehensive SEO strategy tailored to your specific website and needs. With the right strategy and support, you can maintain and improve your web site rankings over time. So don't hesitate - if you're looking to get ahead in today's competitive digital landscape, investing in an SEO Analysis and working with an SEO expert can be the perfect way to ensure your website's success.

What is SEO Analysis?

Using a Monthly Analysis to maintain and improve a website's SEO is like consulting a wizard. It’s a helpful tool that can help identify spots on a website that need attention in order to make sure its visibility and ranking on search engines remains high. SEO Analysis is a form of consulting that identifies weaknesses and provides solutions to maintain and improve SEO rankings of a web site. It considers the website’s content including keywords and phrases, inbound links, the relevance of the content and other SEO-friendly features. SEO Analysis also looks at the search engine algorithms that can affect the rankings of a website in search engine results. By reviewing this information each month, website owners can work to make sure that their website remains visible and maintains a strong presence in search results.

Why is SEO Analysis Important?

Ah, what to do about SEO? It is the bane of many a website’s existence. Without it, your website is just a collection of words and nothing more. To make sure that your website remains up to snuff, and doesn’t get left behind as the internet evolves and changes, you need to conduct regular monthly analysis of your website. It’s easy to forget that the web is constantly changing, but if you want to stay ahead of the competition and keep your website ranking high, then you need to make sure that you’re regularly performing monthly SEO analysis. This doesn’t mean that you need to hire expensive consulting services. You should simply take the time to review your website on a monthly basis to make sure that it is up to date and in line with the latest SEO trends. By conducting monthly SEO analysis, you can not only maintain your website’s SEO but also improve it. You can identify areas that need attention, make targeted improvements, and help ensure that your site remains competitive in the ever-changing world of SEO.

Monthly SEO Analysis Reports

The Life-Saver of a Struggling Web Site Monthly SEO Analysis Reports are something you’ve likely heard about but have yet to truly grapple with. These Reports are an important part of maintaining and improving web site rankings. Keeping your site visible and competitive in the organic search engine results is a tricky proposition. If you try to manage it yourself, it may take up a good portion of your days. That’s where a Monthly SEO Analysis Report can come in handy. When it comes to SEO, knowledge is power. A Monthly SEO Analysis Report provides you with the tools and knowledge to keep your site competitive. It includes data on how your web pages are performing, and which keywords should be focused on to increase visibility. The report will also inform you on the keywords that your competitors are using to get more organic traffic. With this information, you can gain valuable insight into how your rivals are constructing their content and best practices they're using to provide users with better results. Knowing this information can help you adjust and maintain your own web site accordingly. You may also consider hiring a consultant to review your website, analyze your competitors and create a Monthly SEO Analysis Report. These consultants will provide you with an accurate assessment of the status of your website and what changes need to be made. They can also offer advice on the most effective search engine optimization techniques for your particular needs. So if you're looking to level up your SEO game, remember that a Monthly SEO Analysis Report can be your one-stop-shop for maintaining and improving web site rankings. Say goodbye to days wasting away in front of a computer screen and hello to an enhanced SEO experience!

What to Look for in a Monthly SEO Analysis Report

Ahoy, me hearty digital sailors! If you're settin' out on the seven seas of the internet, you're gonna want to make sure you've got a map. That's where yer Monthly SEO Analysis Report comes in. This handy document will provide you with all the information you need to keep your vessel on course. First off, the analysis should include Monthly Analysis, the work that goes into making sure the vessel’s location is accurate. If your analysis is thorough, you’ll further know the condition of your vessel, such as how well your Consulting is up to date, your SEO’s effectiveness, and whether or not you’re Maintaining SEO. Knowing this information helps you to better chart the course of your website, and successfully make it to port. So, keep yer eyes peeled when lookin’ at your Monthly SEO Analysis Report - it might just be the map ye need to releasin’ the Kraken of the digital seas n’ sailin’ the winds of success.

Using Your Monthly SEO Analysis Report

Ah, a Monthly SEO Analysis Report—it's like a good friend that can tell you whether or not yer website is sailing the cyber seas in the right direction. With such a tool, you can look to maintain yer SEO and keep yer search engine ranking in tip-top shape. When consulting your Monthly Analysis Report, you'll want to pay close attention to any changes in the traffic to yer website. It'll help you see if you need to make any adjustments to yer SEO strategy so that you stay ahead of the competition. By tracking changes in social media, gaining insight into keyword trends, and analyzing current content, you can keep yer website afloat!

Check for On-page Issues

As part of any Monthly SEO Analysis report, you’ll need to look for any on-page issues. This includes things like making sure titles, content, and headings are all properly optimized for your target keywords. But it also includes checking your website’s structure and usability. The goal here is to ensure that your users are having a good experience on your site and that it’s easy for them to find the information they’re looking for. “This is one of the most important aspects of maintaining your SEO,” according to the experts, a respected SEO consultant. “No amount of monthly analysis can overcome poor user experience or on-page problems. That’s why it’s so important to check for any of these issues in your report and rectify them immediately.” It is recommended that you check your page titles, meta descriptions, headings, and content for any issues. He also recommends checking the structure of your website, including any 301 redirects, page hierarchy, and linking. If any of these are out of date, it could cost you significantly in terms of your rankings, so it’s important to check on a regular basis. Finally, it is recommended using your Monthly SEO Analysis report to assess any changes you’ve made to your website and make sure they’ve had the desired effects. If a change has resulted in a drop in rankings, for example, he suggests taking a closer look at the changes and making adjustments accordingly. By following these steps and checking for any on-page issues, you can use your Monthly SEO Analysis report to maintain and improve your website rankings and ensure that you’re making the most of your SEO efforts.

Look for Off-page Factors

Ah, there are many off-page factors that can affect a website’s standing in the search engine rankings. A monthly SEO analysis report can be used to determine whether one’s website has become the target of negative SEO tactics, or if there’s a rise in the number of broken links. First off, you can use a monthly analysis report to spot any backlinks that may have come from spammy websites. Such sites could be an indication of one trying to game the system, and as such, they should be removed as soon as possible. The report will also help you analyze the content you have on your site, and inform you of what changes need to be made to optimize your website for SEO. You can use the report to check whether the content is up to scratch, or if there are old, outdated posts that need to be updated or removed. Monthly SEO consulting can also help you identify any existing issues and help you create a plan to address them. You can use the report results to see which keywords your website ranks for, enabling you to identify how well you’re doing in terms of SEO. It’s important to keep an eye on this data so that you can modify your approach as needed and maintain your SEO performance. Finally, a monthly SEO analysis report can help you track competitor performance as well as understand how relevant keywords are responding to your website’s presence. This is useful as it allows you to stay one step ahead and identify any potential areas for improvement. So there you have it! Use a monthly SEO analysis report to assess off-page factors, and keep an eye out for backlinks from spammy websites, content that needs to be updated, and how well your website is doing in terms of keyword rankings. With a little bit of effort, you can use this data to maintain and improve your website’s ranking.

Analyze Your Competitors

Ahoy there, digital adventurers, are you looking for tips on how to use a monthly SEO analysis report to maintain and improve your web site rankings? Well, before you set sail on your journey, it is essential for you to analyze your competitors. You may think that it is a waste of time to keep a close eye on your competitors, but don’t be mistaken, they’re your greatest resource. Monitor their activities and successes to get a better sense of what needs to be done to move up in the rankings. With that being said, let’s explore some of the ways you can use the monthly analysis report to analyze your competitors. When looking at the report, pay special attention to the keyword rankings, see how they compare to yours and which ones are doing especially well. This can tell you which keywords to focus on in your strategy. Additionally, take a look at how long it took them to reach their desired rankings, it could be a good indicator of what you can expect for yours. Consulting a professional SEO expert is also beneficial for your monthly analysis report. They can provide you with the key insights into your competitors’ activities, their results, and then suggest a strategy tailored to your goals. They can also make use of advanced tools to help you better understand your competitors and the SEO tactics they use to get results. In summary, analyzing your competitors is key when using a monthly SEO analysis report to maintain and improve your web site rankings. Take note of their keyword rankings to identify trends and use of specialized tools to understand their SEO tactics. Lastly, don’t forget the importance of seeking professional consulting to generate a tailored strategy to reach your desired results.

Track Your Rankings

Now let's discuss one of the most important aspects of running a website - tracking your rankings! Monthly SEO analysis Reports are invaluable tools that you can use to stay on top of your website's health and make sure it's always improving. Having an SEO consulting team review your website's performance every month is an excellent way of making sure that your website is continuously climbing the rankings. This regular review will help you identify any problems quickly, so that you can make the necessary changes to get back on track and maintain your SEO. During the monthly analysis report, the consulting team will review and report on the website's overall performance, check for and flag any potential problems, and suggest improvements that can be made. They should also provide you with in-depth research on how your website is performing compared to your competitors, as well as a general health check. As part of the analysis, the team may also provide a list of keywords that your website is currently ranking for. This is a great way to measure the performance of your website and help you to determine if your SEO strategies are having any effect. This can be a useful indicator to show you how well the changes you have implemented are working, and whether or not you need to refine your strategies. The best way to make the most out of your Monthly SEO Analysis Report is to take the advice offered, make the necessary changes, and monitor the results. With a little patience and effort, you can maintain and improve your website's rankings and stay at the top of the search engine results pages.

Monitor Traffic

If you're like us, then you understand the importance of regular SEO monitoring. By conducting monthly SEO analysis and keeping track of website traffic, you can be sure that your site is always performing optimally and maintaining its SEO rankings. There are two main ways to monitor website traffic. The first is to use the standard monthly SEO analysis report that includes the following: page views, unique visitors, source of traffic, keyword search terms, and more. This report can help you track how your website is performing in terms of page ranking, keywords, and other factors. By looking at the metrics in this report, you can also determine if there are any areas of improvement that need to be made on your website. The second way to monitor website traffic is to hire a professional SEO consultant who can provide a detailed analysis and consultation on your website. This professional consultant can create an in-depth analysis of your website and provide you with the insights and strategies needed to improve the overall performance of your website. They can also help you identify potential areas of focus and implementation of best practices to maintain your website’s SEO rankings over time. Having the right Monthly Analysis report and consulting services can help keep your website rankings in check and make sure your website remains competitive in search engine results. Make sure to use both of these methods routinely to ensure your website stays on the top of search engine rankings and stays competitive in the online market.

Test and Refine

Ah, dear reader, monthly SEO analysis reports are the key to maintaining and improving web site rankings, but they are just the beginning. Once you have established the status quo, it is time to test and refine your current SEO efforts. In order to test and refine, you will need to consult with an expert in SEO. Such a consultant will be able to analyze your monthly SEO analysis reports and make suggestions as to how you might increase our search engine rankings. For instance, your SEO consultant might suggest using different keywords and phrases in your monthly SEO analysis reports. This can help you to better target the audience that you are trying to reach. Additionally, your SEO consultant may suggest other changes to your website that could help you to improve your rankings, such as improving the content you have on the website or making sure your website is structured properly. The key to successful SEO maintenance and improvement is to test and continually refine your SEO strategy. You will need to take the recommendations of your SEO consultant and use the monthly SEO analysis reports to measure the effectiveness of your efforts. By continually testing and refining your SEO strategy, you can maintain and improve your current search engine rankings. Read the full article

[rogersip]

The Ultimate Shopify App Development Checklist for Optimized SEO

Shopify is one of the most popular e-commerce platforms in the market, and for good reason. It’s a versatile and powerful platform that allows businesses of all sizes to easily set up and manage their online stores. However, even the best e-commerce platform can fall short if it doesn’t have the right SEO strategy in place. That’s where Shopify app development comes in.

A Shopify app can help you optimize your store for SEO and drive more traffic to your website. But with so many options available, it can be hard to know where to start. In this article, we’ll walk you through the ultimate Shopify app development checklist for optimized SEO.

Choose the right keywords

Before you start developing your Shopify app, you need to identify the right keywords to target. Keywords are the words and phrases that people use to search for products or services online. By targeting the right keywords, you can improve your visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) and attract more qualified traffic to your website.

There are a number of tools available that can help you find the right keywords for your store. Google Keyword Planner and Ahrefs are popular options. Once you’ve identified the right keywords, you can use them to optimize your app’s meta titles and descriptions, page titles, and content.

Create SEO-friendly URLs

Another important aspect of SEO is your app’s URLs. URLs should be descriptive, easy to read, and contain your target keywords. Avoid using special characters or symbols in your URLs, as these can be difficult for search engines to understand.

Optimize your images

Images can have a significant impact on your website’s SEO. To optimize your images for search engines, you need to make sure that they are high quality, relevant to your content, and appropriately sized. You can also optimize your images’ file names and alt tags to make them more search engine friendly.

Add structured data

Structured data is a type of markup that helps search engines better understand the content of your website. By adding structured data to your app, you can improve your visibility in SERPs and increase the chances of your content being featured in rich snippets.

There are a number of different types of structured data you can use, including product, organization, and review markup. Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper is a great tool to help you get started.

Improve your page speed

Page speed is a critical factor in both user experience and SEO. Slow loading pages can lead to a higher bounce rate, lower engagement, and ultimately lower search engine rankings.

To improve your page speed, you can optimize your app’s code, compress images, and use a content delivery network (CDN). You can also use tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights to identify areas for improvement.

Use social media sharing buttons

Social media can play a role in your store’s SEO. By adding social media sharing buttons to your app, you can make it easier for visitors to share your content on their own social media profiles. This can help to increase your visibility and attract more traffic to your website.

Monitor your analytics

Finally, it’s important to monitor your app’s analytics on a regular basis. Analytics can help you identify areas for improvement, track the success of your SEO efforts, and make data-driven decisions about your app development strategy.

Google Analytics is a popular choice for monitoring website analytics. Shopify also offers its own built-in analytics tools, which can help you track key metrics like traffic, conversion rates, and revenue.

Conclusion

Developing a Shopify app that is optimized for SEO requires a comprehensive strategy and attention to detail. By following the checklist we���ve provided, you can ensure that your app is optimized for search engines and well-positioned to attract qualified traffic to your website.

[wsipaidsearch]

Even One Of The Best Web Site Design Needs Google Adwords

Combine this with our Google skills and you have a team of professionals and consultants able to assist your business develop. That means you presumably can check out your ads’ efficiency in real time, either on desktop or utilizing the Google Ads app between sips of coffee. You may even obtain monthly reviews that embrace key indicators that can assist you perceive your campaigns’ profitability in detail. There shall be highly aggressive key phrases in every business, which will be expensive to bid on. However, via detailed research, area of interest key phrases with lower competition may be identified.

We may help you Improve your web site rank, on-line visibility, and generate more leads. We deliver your business to the attention of the people that matter - and drive them to your website or landing web page. Our PPC campaigns are precisely tailor-made to showcase your small Google Ads Agency business to the right audience. Learning a brand new piece of software can be scary for lots of people, particularly those that don’t contemplate themselves tech savvy, however thanks to Google, you’re by no means by yourself.

Once launched, we begin the optimization course of with the tip aim of getting our first conversions. Overall, you’ll have a significantly better understanding of your clients’ basic buying behaviours, including what piques their curiosity, which messages resonate with them, what works, and what doesn’t. When you work with our Google Ads agency, you’ll get outcomes, however you’ll also perceive key information that may help you develop your corporation well into the long run.

Engage together with your perfect prospects throughout search engines to acquire extra traffic and online revenue. Local Asset Marketing Agency’s PPC experts carry out in-depth PPC audits to make sure your services and products attain your audience segments. We optimize your PPC ads for every platform, enhance your SEM concentrating on and leverage website link extensions to accumulate higher engagement charges. Our PPC campaigns will promote your products or services, place these on search engines, price comparison websites, focused content websites, heavily-trafficked websites, and more. With our services, your Google ads or Bing ads might be on the entrance web page of search engines like google and yahoo instantly after setup.

Google gives us regular coaching on all the latest options, as nicely as campaign audits to help us optimize our work. Generate leads and calls to your company—as a enterprise proprietor, you’re always trying to increase your cellphone and email contacts. Campaign setup – We’ll work carefully with you to find out about your target market to establish what they are trying to find and craft compelling ads that encourage them to click on.

Through our work and commitment to your brand, we make certain your small business isn't considered one of them. Find out more about our Advertising and digital advertising services? We build a sequence of campaigns like model consciousness campaigns, lead magnet campaigns, and retargeting campaigns to get a continuous flow of quality leads. Search Engine Marketing is among the most effective digital marketing channels to develop your corporation online in an more and more competitive market.

Hiring an skilled group from a digital advertising agency for Google Adwords is your best option. In BluCactus, a Google Adwords agency that works worldwide, you’re going to search out that expert. Compared to regular internet advertising, Google AdWords focusing on is even more particular. Markedly, it doesn’t simply give consideration to those that seek for related themes.

To create an effective Google Ad marketing campaign, you should first perceive the varied match sorts and then use a combination of them. You can avoid irrelevant keywords, saving cash you could put toward growing conversion charges. One of the most effective options of social media ads is the power Google Ads Agency to focus on your best audience primarily based on demographics, pursuits, location, and different elements. Search ads appear in search engines like google such as Google and Bing and are keyword-targeted. RevContent focuses on content promotion through pay-per-click .

Placing text, picture or video ads on Google’s Display Network to extend your model publicity. Remarketing allows advertisers to target shoppers who've beforehand visited your web site by way of different means. We make it easy for you to track your campaigns and get reports at any time with a customized Google Ads Agency dashboard. With Search Ranker AI, you'll have the ability to unlock the potential of your data to make smarter bet and enhance your small business. Here’s what our Google Ads Toronto specialists do to help an impactful on-line presence in your web site and enterprise.

[mydulislamsworld]

What Is SEO Content? A Guide to Creating Content for SEO.

If you’re relatively new to the world of search marketing, you may have heard the term “SEO content” being thrown around in marketing meetings.

This beginner’s guide is designed to answer three questions:

What is “SEO content”?

What types of SEO content are there?

What is my SEO content strategy?

If you have any questions about strategies of SEO content creation that I don’t answer here, let me know in the comments and I’ll answer them here or in a future blog post.

Let’s get started!

What Is SEO Content?

To understand what marketers mean by SEO content, it’s helpful to break down the phrase into its component parts:

“SEO” refers to search engine optimization, or the process of optimizing a website so that people can easily find it via search engines like Google.

By “content,” we mean any information that lives on the web and can be consumed on the web (more on the various types of content below).

So, putting these two concepts together: SEO content is any content created with the goal of attracting search engine traffic.

I’m not going to tell you everything you need to know about optimizing your content for search engines here; that’s a whole ‘nother guide. But here’s a super-quick refresher on what you’ll need to do in order to SEO your web content:

Keyword Research: If you want to generate traffic through search, it’s best to do keyword research before you start writing. This way, you can focus on keywords for which a certain amount of search volume already exists – in other words, write toward topics (or find keyword niches!) that people are already searching for information about.

Keyword Optimization: Know where and how to use keywords in your content for maximum searchability. (Learn more in our complete guide to on-page SEO).

Content Organization: The content on your site should be organized in a logical way. This is not only good for SEO, it also helps visitors on your site find other related content easily. (The longer they stay on your site, the better.)

Content Promotion: Increase visibility to new content you create by sharing it on social networks and building links to your content (both internally and from external sites).

>> 9 Free Blog Post Templates Guaranteed to Drive Traffic

A Quick Word on Intentions

It’s important to keep in mind that if search engine traffic is your only goal, your results will probably suffer. In order to please both the search engines (who will reward you with high rankings over time) and potential customers and return visitors, you need to offer value above and beyond search engine optimization. In other words, don’t produce “thin” content that ranks and get clicks, but doesn’t provide any additional value to the search engine user. Sites that promote “thin,” low-value content run the risk of being penalized by Google; they also tend to have high bounce rates and low conversion rates.

Types of SEO Content

SEO content can include any of the following:

Product Pages – These are the bread and butter of any retail e-commerce site. A good product page can serve as both SEO content and a PPC landing page.

Blog Posts – A blog is one of the easiest ways to create a regular stream of effective SEO content. In general, blog posts are more engaging and more likely to attract links than product pages, so they can be a great way to build some authority for your site. (Keep in mind that blogs are very flexible, and you can use them to host any of the below types of content in this list.)

Articles – Think news article, interview, or feature piece. This is the main kind of content you’ll find on most newspaper- or magazine-style websites.

Lists – A list is really just a kind of article, but framing it as a list (such as “10 Ways to Lower Your Energy Bill” or “101 Things I Hate About Google”) makes it easier to scan. These types of titles also seem to be more clickable when found in search results or in social media feeds.

Guides – A guide is a longer piece of content that explains in detail how to do something. (Guides are often broken up onto multiple web pages, though it’s a best practice to allow users to view long content as a single page if they wish.) You can post a full guide on your website, or you can post a summary or excerpt, requiring visitors to fill out a registration form to read the full guide. This can be a good way to generate leads, but keep in mind that putting up a registration wall will likely reduce the amount of SEO traffic you can drive to that guide.

Videos – In general there are fewer videos on the web than pages of text; consequently, it can be easier to rank on the first page for a competitive keyword by creating a video instead of an article. Depending on what type of site or business you run, videos can be a great way to attract and reach an audience. Consider creating video tutorials of how to use your products. Or illustrate a process that is related to your business – for example, a plumber could make a video showing how to unclog a sink. (A note on SEO: You might consider including a text transcript of your video. Here are some additional tips for optimizing videos.)

Infographics – Infographics, or large-format images that contain a lot of data (often in the form of graphs or charts) on a single subject, can rack up a lot of page views and links. However, because so much of the content is embedded in the image and therefore not readable as text by search engines, it’s important to carefully optimize the rest of the page. You can use one of these five free infographic templates to get started.

Slideshows – A slideshow is a way to display a series of related images. Sometimes pictures are more important than text – say you’re trying to show what all the stars wore to the Oscars. Here again, SEO of your title, captions, image file names and so on is important because there is less for the search engines to “read.”

Glossaries – I swear more people use Google to look up terms than they use a dictionary. (Do you even know where your dictionary is?) If you work in a specialized industry, a well built-out glossary can be a good way to capture some search traffic. Think cooking terms, medical terms, fashion terms, architectural terms …

Directories – A directory is a useful taxonomy of links to sites or resources around a given topic. For example, a perfume blog might create a directory of places to buy perfume, from major department stores to independent shops around the country.

These are just some of the basic types of SEO content, but don’t let this list limit you – the possibilities are virtually endless.

How to Develop an SEO Content Strategy

If you’ve been producing content in a haphazard manner, hoping and praying that some of it eventually ranks, it’s time to buckle down and commit to a more methodical SEO content strategy for the web.

Here are four steps to defining and refining your SEO content strategy:

Define your goals

First, determine your goals as a website or business. Are you looking to drive sales through your website? Do you monetize your site via ads and therefore just want to increase traffic and return readership? Your goals will determine what types of content you should focus on.

[basketcrocus91]

Important KPI Metrics

Important KPI Metrics For Website Management One of the key areas to consider when implementing continuous improvement is the implementation of important KPI metrics. These measures of performance can identify areas of weakness within a company, across product lines, functional areas, and geographies. Continuous improvement in these areas is one of the fundamental principles of management. This article will discuss five key KPI metrics to consider when managing your company's website. It will also provide some advice on the best ways to measure these metrics. Employee retention rate Employee retention is an important metric to track, since it determines how happy your employees are with their jobs. While there are many factors that play into employee retention, some of the most important are compensation and the opportunity for professional development. Even the overall health of the economy can affect the rate of employee turnover. By monitoring employee retention, you can make necessary adjustments to improve your organization's retention rate. Listed below are some tips to help you increase your employee retention rate. First, calculate the attrition rate. It is the number of employees who left during the measurement period. However, it doesn't include new hires and people who were hired but quit during the period. You can calculate employee retention rate by dividing the number of people who left during the period by the average number of employees. The attrition rate of top performers is negative, because they leave at a higher cost. The turnover rate of top performers can help you plan for replacing these employees. Another useful metric to measure is the average time it takes to find a new employee. Another metric to track is employee satisfaction. A high employee satisfaction rate translates to higher retention rates. When employees are happy with their jobs, they're less likely to leave, which can translate to improved bottom-line results. By tracking employee satisfaction, you can address retention problems proactively and evaluate retention strategies. Ultimately, the best way to improve employee satisfaction is to improve retention rates. So, be sure to monitor employee engagement as part of your kpi metrics . Getting the right employees is important, but keeping them is just as important. The cost of replacing a worker includes lost revenue, productivity, and staff morale. By tracking employee retention, you can determine which employees are at risk and make changes to keep them happy. Using employee retention metrics will help you minimize the cost of attrition. They'll also help you identify high-value employees. So, how can employee retention improve your business? Count (Good or Bad) A number of key performance indicators, or KPIs, are important for determining if your business is on track to meet its objectives. These measures include customer satisfaction and gross profit, and are fundamental building blocks of KPIs. These metrics also include net profit, gross margin, customer lifetime value, customer retention rate, cost per lead, goal conversion rate, and ecommerce conversion rate. If a company wants to succeed, it must be obsessed with its customers. Jeff Bezos's famous phrase, "Customer obsession" describes his philosophy and company's approach to customer service. Netflix is a prime example of a Fortune 500 company that places a high value on customer service. Therefore, establishing a customer service KPI dashboard is a must. Nevertheless, some customer service KPI metrics are more difficult to achieve than others. Customer satisfaction rate If you're looking for a simple way to measure customer satisfaction, you might want to look at the CSAT score. This measure is based on a survey that asks customers about their overall satisfaction with a service or product. The average score for all customers is then calculated. You can use either regular numbers or symbols, but the simpler scales are more reliable due to cultural differences. A similar metric, known as Net Promoter Score (NPS), measures whether a customer is likely to refer a business to others. The NPS is less likely to be influenced by mood, which makes it ideal for determining customer retention. Customer satisfaction can be measured through a variety of methods, depending on your company's goals and objectives. NPS scores, for example, measure customer loyalty over time. These scores let you know if customers remain loyal long after the service is over or are about to switch companies. Customer satisfaction rate is a good metric to use to improve service. However, remember to measure the customer satisfaction rate in the context of your overall business objectives. Another metric you may use to measure customer satisfaction is the Customer Effort Score. This is an important metric to monitor because it measures how easy it is for customers to use your service or product. Customers can rate how satisfied they are with your service by answering a survey. The higher the score, the higher the satisfaction rate will be. This metric is often measured by customer retention rates. Providing great customer service can improve business growth and help customers stay loyal. This can also increase revenue because more satisfied customers are more likely to spend money with a brand. Providing great customer service is an essential part of a successful contact center, but failing to measure it can damage the customer satisfaction score. It can also have a negative impact on employee motivation and brand reputation. It is no wonder that customer satisfaction metrics are mentioned in articles related to contact center management. Website management kpi metric When it comes to website management, there are several important metrics to keep an eye on. One of these is the bounce rate, which is the percentage of visitors who leave your website before finishing their visit. This metric is important to monitor and improve over time, but it's not a perfect indicator. There are many reasons why people leave a website, including slow loading speeds, poorly targeted keywords, or a poor first impression. One of the most important uses for KPIs is for performance analytics. By measuring your website's performance, you can see how well it's doing and whether any changes are needed. This can help you identify areas for improvement and pinpoint problems. Using a tool or hiring a website performance professional can help you track and analyze this information. Once you know your website's performance, you can improve it by following these metrics.

[nicnacsnonsense]

I saw a meta where the person justifies an interpretation of Stede’s actions by saying that he is the one who knows about passive aggression and how to use it and I’m like, yeah, barely. We see him attempt to use passive aggression two times in the show, and both times he kind of sucks at it to be honest.

But wait, I hear you saying, he is super good at passive aggression; he burned that whole ship down with his passive aggression skills. Oh, my dear, dear friend, just because Stede says he was using passive aggression, that doesn’t mean he’s right. Stede is using passive aggression in that scene like neurodivergent person who believes they have learned a social rule, but is utilizing it in a way that makes it clear that they don’t really understand it. Because, you know, that’s what he is.

Stede defines passive aggression to Ed earlier that episode as “cutting remarks disguised as politeness.” Which yes, but also no. Passive aggression is about engaging in aggressive behavior but in way that avoids direct confrontation. That can include either going stuff behind someone’s back (which we’ll ignore for now since that’s not the kind we’re dealing with here) or doing it to their face while maintaining some kind of plausible deniability that that’s what you’re doing.

So obviously Stede’s conversational tone and his suggestion that they play a game is his attempt at masking what he’s doing in politeness. And it could work. Look at how he starts in with Gabriel & Antoinette, asking how they met, only for them to give different answers. And if he continued to follow that thread with seemingly innocuous questions while inevitably leading to the revelation that the two of them were siblings, that would have been masterful passive aggression. But he doesn’t do that; he immediately follows that question by just outright stating they’re siblings. And with the previous two partygoers he doesn’t even try to hide it, he’s just out here like, let me reveal your dark secret by phrasing it in the form of a question. That’s not being passive aggressive, that’s just walking into a room and dropping a lot of truth bombs with the obvious express purpose of getting everyone pissed off at each other.

The other occasion Stede deliberately tries to use passive aggression is with Calico Jack, who absolutely rubs passive aggressive circles around him. The particular exchange I want to call out starts with Jack calling Blackbeard a real pirate, unlike one of these “store-bought types,” the latter part said while looking directly at Stede. This is good passive aggression. Jack has just insulted Stede by saying he’s not a real pirate, but in such a way that if called out on it he can claim he wasn’t talking about Stede or that he was just making a joke about Stede’s fancy stuff but didn’t really mean it.

Stede, despite his lack of skill at using passive aggression, is still pretty good at picking up on it when it’s directed at him (years of experience, poor baby). So he attempts to volley back by asking Jack where his ship and crew are, because you’d think a real pirate would have one of those. This is much better than the French party. If the crowd had been on Stede’s side he probably could have gotten away with it as just friendly ribbing, so I would call it actual passive aggression. But he still isn’t being terribly subtle about it and is running right up against the line into regular aggression. Which Jack takes full advantage of by starting to “cry,” turning everyone against Stede and his “bitchy” question.

Ironically, I think the closest he comes to good passive aggression (as in well done, not morally good) is after Mary’s show when he throws out there that he forgives her for sleeping with Doug. I say ironically, because I don’t think Stede was really trying to be passive aggressive there. I mean, probably a little, but I think in his (still drunk) mind, he was just putting out there that they’ve both been having a hard time of it and both messed up since he got back, and he’s sorry for what he did and forgives her for what she’s done. I mean, it’s definitely a terrible apology for a number of reasons, I just don’t think he was really trying to be aggressive there.

[ptergwen]

call me cupid

w/c: 3.5k

warnings: very mild angst and a few swears

summary: despite your hatred for valentine’s day, peter attempts to make you a card

a/n: happy valentine’s day my loves!! i hope y’all get to spend some time with your people today and eat lots of chocolate <3 love you & enjoy mwah

-

it’s no secret that peter is terrible with words. he gets so flustered he can’t talk or forgets what he wants to say altogether. school presentations are torture. ordering food out is impossible. he’s accepted it at this point, that speaking just isn’t for him.

the one place it doesn’t come across is on paper. peter is ridiculously smart, and he knows all the right words to string together, which is why writing you a valentine should be no trouble at all. should be no trouble at all.

to tell the truth, he’s been sitting at his kitchen table with a blank sheet of paper in front of him for what feels like hours. nothing is coming to him. he’s not sure why this is so hard. you’re his girlfriend, he loves you, he’s said it so many times in every way he could think to. what’s different about it now?

everyone puts way too much pressure on giving the perfect gift when they should really just be enjoying each other’s company on a holiday about love. or, in your words, a meaningless holiday that was created by capitalists as another excuse to take people’s money. 

alright, you aren’t too fond of valentine’s day.

it makes anyone who’s single feel like shit and anyone who’s in a relationship lose their shit.

only mj agreed when you shared your criticisms. ned and betty gave you looks like you were insane, and flash muttered something about you being undateable. peter had laughed and swung an arm around your shoulders, but he didn’t fully agree.

although valentine’s day has its flaws, peter likes to see it as twenty four hours of extra appreciation for the people in his life. you can buy chocolate for your friends and family. it doesn’t have to be a significant other, really. him and ned would do it before he had you and ned had betty.

peter wants to remind you how loved you are even if you’re not into the festivities like he is, that bringing him to writing your card. it’s a simple and clinically underrated way of expressing his gratitude. he’d write you love letters every day if he didn’t suck at them.

may comes out of her room to see peter in the same place he’s been since he got home from school. she looks at him through her glasses, smiling as she comes into the room. he’s tapping his pencil on the table, eraser down, searching his mind for anything to write.

“still nothing?” may asks him, making her way over to the cabinets. peter puts down the pencil and sighs. his shoulders slump. “nope. i haven’t gotten past the intro.” “intro, huh?” she teases her newphew and grabs a jar of sauce. “y/n isn’t your teacher, kiddo. you’re not writing her an essay.” she looks at peter over her shoulder. a sheepish smile creeps onto his face.

“you know what i mean.” he reads over the only words on his paper at the moment. dear y/n. he’s starting to feel like spongebob the one time he wrote a paper. “what are you making?” peter asks may so he can temporarily take the focus off his unwritten valentine. “pasta,” may shakes the box in her hand. “and meatballs.”

“should i dial 911 now or wait until we’re in flames?” peter jokes about her awful cooking skills. may shoos him off and puts the box of pasta on the counter. “worry about your own kitchen nightmare.” she nods at the sheet of paper tormenting him. frowning, he glances back at her. “i’m the worst, may. i really don’t know what to write.”

may struggles to open the jar of sauce as she replies. “i thought you said- jesus.” it pops off. “y/n doesn’t like valentine’s day.” she slides over a pot from the stove and dumps the sauce in. peter stares up at the ceiling. “she doesn’t.” that’s probably why he’s having such a hard time. “why are you writing her a card, then?” may questions, turning on a burner.

“because, i dunno, it’s nice? it’ll make her happy? she might not care, but i do.” he mumbles the last part. he’s a bit of a hopeless romantic, so he hasn’t quite adjusted to the idea you had of not getting each other presents. you’re treating it like a regular day. some takeout and cuddles is all you’re doing.

peter would rather buy you things until his pockets are empty. not that there’s much in them, anyway. the point is that you deserve proper spoiling instead of corny words in his shitty handwriting.

“peter, honey. it might be better to stick with what y/n wants,” may suggests while stirring the sauce in the pot. she’s well aware that a few paragraphs from peter won’t change your mind. your opinions belong to you, and there’s nothing he can do about it, though he does have good intentions.

ignoring what may just said, peter makes a request. “what if you help me write it?” she faces the stove again. he can picture her playful smile when she quirks back, “she’s not my girlfriend.” “no, but you’re a girl... a woman,” he corrects himself, earning a scoff from may. “you’d probably know what sounds good.”

“you know y/n better than me, peter. do it on your own,” she exhales and turns back around with the wooden spoon in her hand. “it’ll be more... heartfelt.” peter hates that may is right because he’s completely stuck. his heart is being stupid today. “okay. i’ll try.” he gives her a slow nod. “why don’t you take a break? come stir the sauce. i’ll start the pasta.”

peter gets up from the table and grabs the spoon from may. she pinches his cheek on her way to the sink, getting a tight lipped smile from him.

this is not good.

-

the next day at school, peter asks around the lunch table for advice while you’re on line getting food. he feels guilty about it because may told him not to. he’s never going to get your valentine done if he doesn’t, though. it isn’t the worst thing in the world to bring on some co-writers.

“ok, what do you have so far?” betty asks, fully invested in the situation. she’s hoping this will switch up your views on valentine’s day. peter pulls out the same piece of paper from last night and says verbatim what’s on it. “dear y/n.” he looks up at ned and betty, the corners of his mouth twitching down. ned motions with his hand for peter to go on.

“that’s it,” peter confesses and folds the paper back up in shame. “dude, you told us it was a work in progress,” ned winces, betty taking his hand that’s resting on her shoulder. “where’s the progress?” betty patronizes him. they’re making him feel worse than he already did. what great co-writers he’s collaborating with.

peter throws a hand up, an eye roll included. “yeah, it’s terrible. can you help me or not?” mj narrows her own eyes at peter from the other end of his bench. she’s not interested in participating when the conversation is about forcing you to celebrate a holiday you don’t like.

“ooh!” betty squeals and squeezes ned’s hand. “you should make a list.” ned grins, leaning his head on hers. “genius, babe.” “a list of what?” peter furrows his eyebrows as he looks between the two of them. “what you love about y/n,” she explains, ned adding on, “stuff you do together, or you appreciate.”

“put whatever you come up with into sentences and voilà,” betty says in her best french accent. “oui oui,” ned agrees, both of them giggling. that doesn’t sound half bad. peter could manage a list about you. “thank you so much, guys. you literally just saved valentine’s day,” he confidently tucks his paper into his pocket. “it’s what we do,” ned tells him coolly.

“you never asked what i think,” mj cuts in, staring down her friends, who reluctantly meet her gaze. she pushes her bag of goldfish aside and raises an eyebrow. “mj, we know how you feel about valentine’s day.” peter presses his lips together. “y/n feels the same way,” mj reminds him dryly.

it’s true, but he doesn’t want to hear that right now. he’s having a breakthrough.

like clockwork, you appear at the table. you slip into the spot next to peter and put down your lunch tray. “what’d i miss?” you comment on the obvious tension, eyeing betty for an explanation. mj gives it to you. “valentine’s day discourse,” she tells you knowingly. peter shifts in his seat, uncomfortable, like he’s been caught doing something he isn’t supposed to.

he technically has.

“yuck,” you murmur, winding your arms around peter’s neck. “yuck, yuck, yuck.” he finds your words ironic because you then kiss his cheek, and peck his lips when he turns his head. peter puts a hand on your side and lets his eyes go up and down your face. a smile spreads across it, which he returns without thinking about. mj huffs in disapproval. she’s seen enough pda.

-

peter makes his list later that night. he decided he isn’t being inauthentic because he’s coming up with everything himself. he breezes right through it, jotting down what he loves most about you across the paper. it’s a mess. scribbled out misspellings and shreds of eraser, single words and whole phrases covering both sides. he’s proud of his actual progress.

he’ll write the official letter tomorrow since you’re coming over tonight. he at least has his material. the next, thankfully final, step is to reword it.

you’re ranting to peter about some drama with one of your teachers. he listens intently as always, chuckling when you crack jokes and grinning the entire time, feeling so lucky to have the most passionate, say whatever is on her mind girlfriend ever. seriously, it’s inspiring to watch.

“no, like, i never know what’s going on in that class,” you snort, peter snaking his arms around your middle from behind. “because you don’t pay attention,” he hums with his face nuzzled into the back of your neck. “because it doesn’t make any sense!” you defend yourself. his lips brush against your bare skin, drawing a giggle out of you.

“back to what i was saying,” your voice drips with sarcasm. the two of you naturally gravitate to his room, you walking in first. “she called on me, and i- what’s this?” you escape peter’s arms and head over to his desk. crap, he was working on your valentine and forgot to put it away. it caught your attention because it’s surrounded by crumpled papers and glitter.

peter was... experimenting... with designs for the front of the card. he’s learned that he isn’t too artistic either.

“wait, don’t read that,“ peter tries, but you’ve already got the list in your hands. he anxiously sucks his lower lip into his mouth and comes to stand next to you.

you first see the ‘dear y/n,’ then focus in on a few other words. my person forever, which makes you coo at the paper. insane (in the best way), which makes you gasp dramatically. i know you don’t like valentine’s day, but...

you drop the card back on the desk and let out a breath, shutting your eyes as irritation creeps in. it wouldn’t be fair for you to be mad at peter because it’s a sweet gesture, it really is. just, not for you personally. you’re on opposite sides of the valentine’s spectrum. you despise it, he sort of loves it. you’d hoped to meet somewhere in the middle.

“i thought we said no gifts,” you keep your voice level and spin around to look at peter. his face is painted with guilt. “it’s a card,” he murmurs, then meets your eyes with his brows knitted together. “i can’t even give you a card?” “i mean...” you shrug and shake your head. “look, peter. we had an agreement. i’m not doing valentine’s day.”

his disappointment comes out in the form of hanging his head. “yeah, you’re right. sorry.”

may tried to tell him this would happen, mj tried to tell him, and now you’re telling him. he should’ve expected it. he isn’t sure why he’s being so mopey about it because he was fully aware of your hatred for anything with the word valentine in it. it still hurts. peter just wishes you’d let him have the one day to love you and only you, give you some special attention.

“it’s nothing against you, babe,” you reassure him, noticing the shift in his mood. you put a hand on his shoulder. “i really just don’t like valentine’s day. it feels so... fake to me.” peter musters up a smile that doesn’t meet his eyes. it drops when you loop your arms around his torso.

“if i celebrated, you’d be the first person i’d wanna spend it with.” you punctuate your words with a kiss to his cheek. he rests his chin on your head, you nuzzling your own cheek into his sweater. he’s feeling a bit better now. it’s not about him, that’s what he needs to remind himself. “thanks, baby,” peter speaks lowly into the air. you hum as if to say no problem.

scratch literally everything he’s done.

-

peter rolls over in his bed, rubbing at his eyes as his alarm goes off. it’s today. happy valentine’s day to... himself. he doesn’t think you’d want to hear it.

he’s not as broken up about everything as the other day. you have your reasons for not celebrating, and peter accepts them. hey, he still gets to spend the whole day with you. you’re technically having an unspoken valentine’s date.

he gets up from his bed with a yawn and starts to dig through his drawers for an outfit. you should be over soon.

before you head over to peter’s, you decide to make a quick stop at cvs for a few things. you ended up feeling pretty terrible about snapping on him essentially for loving you. it was over a harmless valentine, something to make you feel good and be an outlet for the hundreds of romantic bones in his body. basically, you were bitter about having a thoughtful boyfriend.

you want to make it up to him by giving him gifts instead. you’ll never be down with the whole exploitive and capitalistic side of valentine’s day, but there’s a deeper meaning to it than what you give it credit for. you see that now. peter was able to show his love for you through a homemade mess of a card, and you felt it. the price tags don’t matter. the meaning does.

dressed in his nicest sweater with his hair all styled, peter answers your knocking at his door. a grin instantly paints his face as he takes you in. you’re bundled up in a coat and holding a bag by your side. “hey,” he greets you and lets you past him. you shut the door behind him, returning the smile and winding an arm around his neck for a hug. his drapes around your back.

“hey. happy valentine’s day.” “happy valentine’s-“ peter realizes what he’s about to say and what you just said, then stops himself. “what?” he breaks the hug, squinting at your odd behavior. you’re the last person he’d expected to hear that from. “it’s valentine’s day. so, happy valentine’s day,” you tell him like it’s nothing.

he stays quiet while you shrug off your coat and throw it over one of the kitchen chairs. you bring your bag along with you, peter following you in. he’s suspicious. intrigued, and suspicious. it’s been less than a day since he last say you. you had a change of heart that fast? you aren’t the biggest valentine’s day anti he knows anymore?

“where’s may?” you wonder aloud, taking both of peter’s hands in your now free ones. he eyes the shopping bag you put down while you lace your fingers together. “with happy. they’re getting brunch.” he’s never particularly psyched to talk about their relationship. it’s always been in a joking way, though. now, he sounds genuinely upset to go over may’s whereabouts.

“they’re so cute,” you comment, tugging on peter’s hands so he looks at you. “you good?” “great,” peter half lies and nods, then presses a reassuring kiss to your cheek. he’s not bad. puzzled is the word. what you say next only adds to it.

“good. i have a few things for you,” you beam at him and grab your shopping bag off the chair. that’s what that’s for? peter isn’t fully sure what you’re up to. it doesn’t stop a smile from stretching across his lips, though.

“what happened to no presents?” he tests you as you reach into the bag. “well, i feel bad about how i acted the other day.” you pull out a heart shaped box of chocolates. “the card was really sweet, and i was too caught off guard to appreciate it. i’m sorry, pete.” peter’s eyes twinkle at you, gazing as you give him a smile with a hint of shyness behind it. you’re leaving your comfort zone and entering his.

“i was wrong and cynical and just, yeah. happy valentine’s day,” you add on and shove the box into his hand. he finally grins, so wide and then lets out a breathy laugh. “thanks, y/n. i know it was probably hard to shop being surrounded by this stuff.” he holds up the box. he’s right. you’ll unfortunately be seeing pink and red for weeks. “it was, but i did it for you.” you happily open up your arms for him.

peter puts down the chocolates and pulls you into his arms, his cheek squished against the side of your head as he hugs you to his chest. “oh my god, i love you so much,” he mumbles out, you squeezing him in response. “i love you, pete.” you press a quick kiss to his neck and hold him at arm’s length so you can see him. “i have something else for you.”

“baby,” peter coos, a pout on his lips. “you don’t have to do all of this. i would’ve been fine without the chocolates, even.” “stop, you deserve it,” you shut down the part of him that’s way too nice and selfless. “you’re my real present,” he says lower and with a toothy smile. shaking your head, you reach behind you and into the bag.

he can’t believe you’ve switched stances on valentine’s day. you’re the present pusher, and he’s refusing them. peter thinks it’s some sort of miracle that you’re not only acknowledging the holiday, you’re also partaking in it. his hopeless romantic side tells him it’s actually love, and it is. that’s the cheesy, hallmark movie truth. you suffered through shopping at a heart themed cvs because you love him. simple.

you return with a pink envelope that you place into peter’s hand. his face softens as he closes his fingers around it. “y/n, you made me a card?” “kind of,” you laugh at his overstatement. it’s obviously pre-made. you’d used a pen to fill it out in the store, scribbled a few words and tucked it into the envelope.

“it really doesn’t compare to yours, though,” you simultaneously warn and compliment him. peter dismisses you with a lighthearted click of his tongue. “oh, shush. that was only a rough draft.” “which proves my point even more. open it.” you grip onto the bottom of his sweater and grin.

he keeps his eyes on you while ripping open the envelope, then looks down and chuckles at the gag of the card. it has r2d2 and r4d4 from star wars on the front. inside is already written, “r4 is red and r2 is blue. if i was the force then i’d be with you.” you giggle to yourself, watching him read what you wrote next. i love you more every day, especially on valentine’s. xo, y/n.

peter holds the card to his side and slings an arm around your waist. “they make star wars valentines?” he murmurs, another smile breaking out on his face, one that you of course return. you use his sweater to pull him closer. “apparently. perfect for you.” peter tosses the card down next to the chocolates, both arms now holding you.

“thank you so much, baby. you’re an angel,” he sighs and pecks your lips after. “call me cupid,” you answer.

you give him a longer kiss back, tilting your head up to deepen it. your hands find their place on his biceps, earning a hum from peter as he moves his lips against yours. you can feel his love in every little movement, how he hugs your waist like you’re made of glass, rests his forehead against yours. when your lips mutually detach, peter speaks first, voice slightly husky.

“happy valentine’s day, cupid.”

you breathe out, peter closing his eyes in content.

“happy valentine’s day, r2.”

[meichenxi]

Hey, could I ask you how you do shadowing? Like the different ways you do it? You mentioned in your tag that shadowing is good and I'd love to hear how you do it! I do not attempt shadowing much so I don't really know what helps, etc. ToT (my studyblr is rigelmejo)

Hellooo! Thank you for the interesting question!

Tbh I think I do it fairly basically - I don’t use any particularly fancy software, but software like Language Learning with Netflix has certainly made it easier. There’s a whole video on how to get the most of it here: [on mobile, link didn't work - How to study Chinese with Netflix! by Chinese Zero To Hero] (I’d recommend checking out all of their videos actually, they’ve done a bunch of livestreams recently and they place a lot of emphasis on shadowing + the course they are trying to sell you is…actually phenomenally good)

(Also, I have to preface this by saying that I have been very lucky in terms of pronunciation: I learnt about 80% of my current vocabulary by ear without characters or pinyin. I have been in China for eight months in total, and while I didn’t speak Chinese for all of that, I was constantly soaking in info on natural sentence intonation. I still often don’t know officially what the tone of a vocabulary item is, especially if it changes tone like 教, 为 or 相, but I don’t get yelled at so I have definitely internalised a lot of those changes. I definitely would have more trouble with this if I hadn’t had that experience - my other areas are waaaay weaker because of this though- my reading SUCKS lmao and I can literally handwrite about ten characters)

Anyway. How I shadow:

1) Quite simply by playing the line, and repeating it with all the emotion it has!! I usually use Netflix or Viki for this. I try to do it as fast as possible, and if I can’t do the whole thing, I ‘chunk’ it: if I were doing the sentence 我们还不知道他会不会来, I would start from the end with 他会不会来, then 不知道他会不会来, and then the whole sentence. Notice that this isn’t breaking it down into words or even grammatical phrases, but intonational phrases: it would be perfectly sensible to just do 会不会来 without the 他 but realistically, since this is a question, it’s likely that a strong stress will be placed on the first 会, and you wouldn’t be able to replicate that without also included the more weakly stressed syllable before.

2) I locate (intentionally or subconsciously) the main locus of stress within the sentence, and I focus on that accordingly. Tones may become less extreme if they are not stressed, and may become more exaggerated if stressed. This is always a good exercise. I accompany this with physical actions - I throw my hands down, I sigh, I groan!

3) I put away the text, and don’t look at the tones or even my computer screen - more on this below.

4) Finally, when I think I’ve got it reasonably accurate, I’ll record them speaking the line into my phone with an appropriate pause for copying and play it back to myself at various points throughout the day.

5) I then go and find other words with the same tone contour to slot in, and copy it again. After that, I find words that are slightly different tonally and pop them in too.

6) I finally do fun things like hold a conversation with myself. This can be really simple phrases imbued with some kind of emotion - 这个女子到底是谁呀？为什么不认识我？应该是新手吧。You can do this either really informally, or very formally, or both - trying to speak in the latter way is very fun! So then it’d be idk something more like: 那位姑娘是何人，来自何处？This is fun because you can really slow down your speech and sound as elegant as you like!! (this will sound stilted if you do it for modern speech, but it’s a very fun exercise)

Choosing your media!!

1) Don’t use donghuas. Seriously. The voice actors usually speak at a ridiculous pace and not with the same range of ‘normal’ intonation

2) Your Chinese is definitely good enough to recognise when anyone is quoting poetry or speaking in a paricularly sexy literary way so, uh…don’t do that. That rules dramas like Nirvana in Fire OUT.

3) Modern dramas and reality TV shows CAN be great, but they can also be quite intimidatingly quick and almost too mushy at times. I’d recommend informal speech in guzhuang dramas more, because they have professional voice actors and extensive sound editing, meaning that although it might be fast and the vocabulary harder, it’s actually much more accessible and easier to copy. You don’t want to be stuck with the awfulness of 50% failed foreigner and 50% 12 year old boy who can’t enunciate properly!!

4) CHOOSE YOUR WEAPON WISELY. I try to find characters that speak in a dramatic, whiny or childish way. This is so important! There’s literally no use copying Lan Wangji unless you want to be able to have that particular cadence and tone of voice you get reciting poetry. Childish/whiny/dramatic characters on the other hand stress some words very strongly, and rush others together - this is great for hearing what actual real speech sounds like. Whininess wins. In The Untamed, characters like Wei Wuxian (not yllz!wwx but just…regular wwx), 一问三不知 Nie Huaisang, Jin Ling, and Jingyi are all great. Also Jiggy, who is just very extra constantly and speaks much slower as well, which really helps. In SHL characters like Gu Xiang are good.

5) CHOOSE YOUR VOICE WISELY! If you are really aiming to copy them 100% (which you should try at least sometimes), you want somebody with your pitch range to sound normal. I have a sort of party trick in Chinese that because I’ve spent so much time listening to women in guzhuang dramas I can change my voice and sound like a) a scheming concubine with honeyed words, or b) the voice of the Beijing metro. My teacher found it hysterically funny. But it’s not my natural voice, and if I speak like that for too long it hurts. The women usually are too high for me, and the big burly manly men too low - so I’d recommend finding a man with a higher voice, or an older woman (like some of the female characters in Nirvana in Fire). Again, sorry that this is mostly the Untamed (I’m just most familiar with it) but the voice actors for Wei Wuxian and some of the juniors (+jiggy) has a higher voice. Likewise Chengling in Word of Honour.

On intonation in general:

- The thing is that whilst shadowing is useful it requires prior ability in a whole bunch of other skills that you can train - it relies on your ability to accurately mimic pitch, emotion and other contrasts. Training this in ANY language, including your native one, will help your ability to do this in Chinese - so I’d recommend spending a fair amount of time practicing shadowing (or speaking just after somebody whilst listening to a string of text, like monolingual simultaneous interpreting) in your native language too. Any training copying accents or mimicking other people is going to similarly help, regardless of the language.

So, with that in mind, further tips:

1) Hum / try to copy the intonation without any words. What this does is force you to pay attention to what the intonation actually is, versus what you may think it should be.

2) Don’t look at the text! Do! Not! Look! At! The! Text! If you look at the characters or pinyin you’re telling yourself ‘ok this is a third tone here’ etc, but you want to override the part of your brain that has gotten into bad habits and is supremely self-confident in how you’re pronouncing the third tone, and actually just go straight back to mimicking.

3) Don’t be afraid to do it with vocabulary that is way beyond your level. Actually, I find this can sometimes be helpful, because you don’t have a prior idea about how a particular tone pair should be useful - and you don’t know which tone you should be producing.

4) Learn vocabulary by ear - listen to a vocab podcast or even make one yourself (I often do this; I record my daily Anki and listen back to it through headphones copying throughout the day - if you’re not confident in your pronunciation you can get Google Translate to do it). Similarly, pick unknown vocabulary out of a longer segment and remember it, trying to internalise the tones instead of figuring out which tone it is.

5) Find emotional sentences, and copy them with emotion. This is SO CRUCIAL!!! We remember things when we relate to them, and when we imbue them with emotion - and it also helps in hearing exactly how an angry second tone sounds, for instance.

6) When you’re copying, look up, and imagine you are having an actual conversation. Carry yourself with conviction and poise!! Really try to whine like wwx or slime like jgy. After a couple of turns copying them, try to turn off the audio and keep delivering it in the same manner.

7) Swap individual words out. Once you have a line properly figured out, swap a word or two that has a different tone pair, and focus on delivering it with the same pattern of stress.

8) Finally, practice doing this in your native language too!! It’s a skill that we don’t use often, and it can be trained. Some people are terrible at it at first go even in their native language, but you can work on it!

About intonation in general:

1) I think a lot of pronunciation problems with people sounding unnatural or stiff ultimately come down to a fundamental misunderstanding of what intonation looks like across different languages. In English we mark it by pitch: and we are so used to the rhetoric that Chinese has ‘tone’ and not ‘intonation’ that we try and focus on blindly copying every single word textbook perfect without listening to how it actually sounds.

2) Chinese does have intonation!!! Except that, unlike English, when you stress a word, the pitch doesn’t change, but the tone contour is exaggerated - basically the only time you will ever hear a full third tone is in isolated or very exaggerated speech. If you have a Chinese friend, get them to record a sentence like the English ‘I didn’t ask her to steal his rucksack’, and put stress on the different elements of it - I didn’t ask, I didn’t ask, I didn’t ask, and so on. Notice and copy how the tones change. When shadowing, you should always be paying attention to where the stress is in the sentence: when you speak by yourself, practicing saying a sentence neutrally, and then with stress on one component, the next, and so on. If it feels unnatural, it’s because you might not have practicised like this before - it’ll get better!

Hope that’s somewhat helpful / interesting!

- 梅晨曦

[heshoes]

She was his best friend and they shared everything together already anyway. What difference would it make if it were a hat, shampoo, or the same bed sometimes? So what? That's what the Uni Daze were about, having fun, traditions, getting serious, new relationships, friendships, heart ache, break-ups, make ups, secrets, the occasional/casual bajingo here and there, and possibly, just maybe, finding the love of your life and hoping that it all works out.

Warnings: smut, slow burn, angst, mentions of abortion, mentions of verbal abuse

Harry Styles x OC (Face claim Zendaya)

Uni Daze Masterlist

Chapter 2 ( Word Count 6.7K )

Harry

My school day was absolutely long but it kept me busy and busy to me is a good thing. It keeps me balanced though I know Chelle would disagree since he keeps telling me as such over the phone.

"The only reason you think that trying to fit 72 hours in a 24 hour day is a balance is because of your parents. Just because they're work driven arseholes doesn't mean that you have to follow in their footsteps.”

"That's impossible to do, I don't work that much. My parent's aren't arsehole's they're just successful. Is that so wrong to want success?”

"It is when its your last year of uni and you're being a kill joy.”

"I said I would go out for drinks, Chelle. How is my compliance to something that I don't want to do being a kill joy?”

"Because you're not doing it with a smile. You've become boring. Your sex life and your regular life has turned about as vanilla as a middle aged man. We never had to beg you to come out last year or over the summer, Harrow. Think of it as a week of extended holidays. No one does anything the first week of classes anyway. It's all rules and instructions on how to prepare. We've been in uni for three years. We should know the jist of it by now.”

"But it's not summer anymore, Chelle and you know some professors like to give assignments in the first few days. We have two papers already in seminar for fucks sake.”

Michelle sighed in annoyance.

"Yeah, but, those aren't due for ages, Haz. Fun is due right now.”

"This is the year to pull your shit together. Everyone can't not study and get perfect marks like you. Sorry.”

"The phrase 'can't not' is a double edged sword.”

"What?" I spun around in my desk at work, handing a first year her keys. Its only the first day and she's already lost her keys and has to use her spare for a fifty pound charge. She looks nervous as well and her face is kind of red. She grins at me and says a shy 'thank you' before walking away, staring back at me and kind of tripping over her own feet on her way to the lift. I tried not to laugh, but honestly it was kind of funny.

"You know, a double edged sword? A double negative?You can't say 'can't not' next to each other in a sentence. It's repetitive of itself. You should be embarrassed. This is primary school stuff Harrow. Mr. “I have to take the UKCAT this year.”"

"Whatever Chelle! See? That's what I mean. I need a balance. I need to be able to be involved in school. I should have taken it more serious when we first started out.”

"You do realize balance means a good amount of your job, school work, AND a social life which includes parties and pubs and going out with your mates without a grumble?”

"I'm going out for drinks tonight! You're starting to piss me off."

"If the truth is anything it's annoying, Harry." I nodded my head and began to swivel around in my chair. I'd just gotten to work and had three and a half more hours to go. I'm glad I have a job and all but this one is fucking boring.

Speaking of truth.

"Do the boys know about your um...your new team?”

"No. Actually they don’t."

Oh.

“Oh?"

"Yeah, um, I was hoping that it was something that we could keep between me and you for now. Just until I can figure things out. I'd love to say that I'm for sure just this one thing. I know I said it this morning, but I'm still not sure, okay?”

"Yeah. Sure, of course." I stopped spinning in my seat and dizzying myself when I heard my manager's voice,"Look I've gotta go. I'm not supposed to be on the phone and my boss is coming.”

"Oh so there is some rebellion left in you? You're living on the edge now, Hazland. Why can't you use your phone? All you do is sit in a chair and answer phones and make people keys when they lock themselves out of their dorm.”

"Bye Michelle!" I quickly hung up the phone and stuck it into my pocket smiling awkwardly at Professor Forrester as he approached the front desk with someone else right next to him. She had on a Cambridge work shirt much like myself letting me know that I more than likely wouldn't be alone for the rest of my shift.

"Rion, this is Harry," Professor Forrester spoke to her before addressing me, "today is her first day here at the university and working. I told her that she would be in good hands if I left her here with you. Show her the ropes and maybe show her around campus when you're not at work? I've got to go," Professor Forrester turned to face the new girl before he nodded back at me, "any questions you have, ask him. He'll know all of the answers.”

She nodded her head up and down slowly before giving a shy grin and we were left alone as Forrester left the building.

“Hi."

“Hello."

"I'm Harry.”

She laughed to herself before nodding her head at me.

"So I was told. Nice to meet you.”

Rion, I think her name was, sat down in her seat next to mine after speaking back to me, lowering her rucksack down to the ground before pulling out a book. It was a good idea really. Maybe I should have brought one? I barely get the chance to read, especially living with Michelle. She always finds a way to interrupt, either that or my ADD kicks in, all the more reason for me to put in more effort at school. I took out my phone once I knew that Forrester was gone, but I really had nothing to do with it. I had no new text messages besides Michelle.

Chelle: Drinksssssss 🍻🍺🍺🍺🍻🍻🍻😉

I grinned before shaking my head and replying back to her, something just as stupid as she sent me.

To Chelle: Tortureeeeeeee😣🔫🍺😒

Chelle: Dramatic!

Ignoring her last text, I took out my earphones and turned up the music on my phone as I placed them in my ears. I suppose it was a bit loud because out of the corner of my eye I could see Rion scrunching her nose while she tried to read.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you.”

"No disturbance, I was just trying to figure the tune. Runaway?”

“Wh-what?"

She laughed before she pointed to the phone in my hand and repeated herself.

"Is that Runaway by Ed Sheeran?”

I nodded my head, not able to stop the stupid grin that cut across my face.

"You know Ed Sheeran that’s not on top 40?”

"Who doesn't? The man's a musical genius.”

She smiled at me before she turned back to her book, but I couldn't help but to keep talking to her.

"What school did you used to go to? Um, if you don't mind me asking…"

"Nope, don't mind at all. I used to go to Bristol Uni. How about yourself? Have you been at Cambridge all of your university career?”

I nodded my head and she looked impressed, but I'm sure she wouldn't be if she knew that I was a legacy and that I slacked off for the first three and a half years. Good thing that I'm getting my shit together now.

"Yeah, it’s alright here.”

"Just alright?”

"One of the best alrights I guess. Welcome to Cambridge and congratulations.”

"Thank you.”

I smiled at her and the conversation was on the verge of ending, but before I stuck my other ear bud in I paid closer attention to the book that she had in her hand.

"Scott Fitzgerald."

"Pardon?" Rion raised an eyebrow at me.

"That's F. Scott Fitzgerald.”

She raised her book showing me the spine, shocked that I hadn't seen the cover but still got the author right.

"You know F. Scott Fitzgerald?" She smiled at me while relaying my words back to me.

"Who doesn't? The man was a written genius. Not to mention that the book you're reading happens to be one of my favorites.”

She smiled again.

"Usually people only notice Fitzgerald if The Great Gatsby is involved." She turned her chair towards mine giving me a better view of her.

"Gatsby is a classic, but I think that The Curious Case of Benjamin Button has more character.”

We continued to talk and before I knew it the shift was over. No one else needed keys and the phone barely rung. I probably would have stayed beyond the time that I was supposed to get off talking and creating awkward conversation with Rion had it not been for Michelle's reminders:

Chelle: Tonight is gonna be fun 😊

Chelle: You're off work in 1⃣5⃣ min🎉🎊

Chelle: I'm gonna get you so fucked up!😝

Chelle: I'm excited 😬

To Chelle: No 💩. Too excited I reckon 😐

I laughed to myself as I gathered my things to leave the building, not fully believing that I allowed Michelle to talk me into drinking tonight, even though part of me knew that I wouldn't be able to break tradition. Rion put her book away, that she never really got into reading and followed behind me out the door and to the parking lot. She seemed cool from what I got to know about her in the amount of time that I did and since she's new, I figure that it wouldn't hurt to ask.

"Hey, a couple of my friends and I are getting together tonight to The Mill. Its a pub right up the road on Mill lane, if you're not busy, you should, um, you should come.”

"Mill pub? On a Monday?”

"Yeah, it's kind of a tradition that we started when we started here." I rub my shoulder as I wait for her answer. I don't know why I feel nervous about it but I do.

"It sounds like fun, but I shouldn’t, not tonight at least. I wouldn't be able to bear it if I missed class tomorrow because of a hangover, and I kind of also have plans.”

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make it like you didn't have anything else to do or-”

"No it's fine it's just... I have a date.”

"Right. Sorry again.”

"I'll see you around though I hope?”

"Yeah, I'll see you at work.”

Rion nodded her head while giving me a content smile before she got into her car and as she pulled off, she waved to me. I waved back but as soon as her car was out of sight, I slapped myself in the face with the palm of my hand. Maybe six months is too long to go without any type of real interaction with the opposite sex besides Michelle, but honestly she doesn't count...or maybe she counts for both now?

I cleared my head of my thoughts as I got into my car that I feel like I'm too tall for. Even with the seat pushed down as low as it can go, I still can feel the top of my head brush against the roofing of it. By now I'm sure I've saved up enough to get a new one. A new car could be my mini treat to myself for cutting myself off from a social life. The more that I think about the way that my conversation with Rion just ended the more that I start to agree with Michelle and the more excited I get for the night of boozy tradition.

As soon as eleven thirty-five hit, my phone rang. When I answered it Michelle's voice came through clear as if she were sitting here next to me in the car, even though background noise and music blares in the room around her.

"Everyone is here but you. Are you en route?”

"Everyone?" I ask her with skepticism in my tone. I would be shocked if everyone showed up.

"Yes everyone. Niall, Darragh, and Zayn. Everyone but you. Are you on your way?”

I don't know why I even asked her if everyone would be there. I knew that Louis wouldn't show even though it was him and Darragh who started this tradition..

"Yeah, I'm on my way. This should be fun.”

"That's the spirit I've been looking for Harrow. It sounds like you've had a change of heart since earlier.”

"Yeah, I think I've been looking at my textbooks too long and not at real people. One night won't kill me I suppose.”

"If one night is done right, then yes, yes it will. And what do you mean you don't see real people? I see you everyday.”

"You're not a real person, Michelle. I'm not quite sure what you are yet.”

"I think I might have an idea by now." Michelle said while chuckling on the other end of the line.

"And what would that be?”

"Getting lucky tonight. Get here soon and I can be your wing-lady.”

The pub was in the early stages of being crowded when I got there and I couldn't deny how excited I was to see the boys, Michelle included even though I saw her only just this morning. The last time that we were all together was in the middle of June, but after that we really hadn't had time to hang out. Everyone had gotten busy and into their own things. Besides keeping in touch over the phone occasionally, we haven't really talked that much either.

The first person that I saw when I got in was Niall. He sat next to Darragh with a cigarette hanging from his lips, patting down his jeans in search of a lighter no doubt. When we made eye contact, he stuck his arms out to the side with his fingers spread wide and a smile on his face. Darragh looked at him as if he lost his mind until he followed Niall's line of vision and then quickly stood from his seat.

"Harry! How are you lad? Drinks are on Liam so order the most expensive thing possible.”

I received two claps on the back from each of them when I reached the table and then a smack on my ass that made me jump and then turn around find the guilty culprit. I should have known who it was straight away.

"Chelle! That actually hurt.”

She laughed at my discomfort with some kind of frothy drink in her hand as I grabbed my bum cheek and rubbed it over my jeans.

"Probably because there's barely any meat there to cushion the blow.”

I shook my head at her and squinted my eyes before I responded, "It's not about what's back there, its all about what's in the front. Girls don't date me for my bum.”

“Well, according to you, girls don't date you at all, not recently at least.”

Niall and Darragh started to laugh and a stream of smoke came through Niall's nose reminding me of an angry bull from a cartoon before he took another drag from his cigarette, this time intentionally blowing a ring of smoke before sucking it back in through his nostrils. I probably could have strangled Michelle in that moment, but it was true. My mind goes back to Rion and work and I can feel my cheeks burn with embarrassment.

"Mitch told us about your six month drought.”

"Stop calling me Mitch!”

Niall ignored Michelle's outburst before continuing, "She says you haven't gotten laid since your birthday.”

"Do you know what a penis fly catcher even looks like anymore?" Darragh added to Niall's teasing causing my nose to scrunch.

"Penis fly catcher?”

"Yeah, it's better than what you call it. What do you say again? Bajango?”

"No Darragh," Niall cuts in, "Django was a movie. He says bajingo. It makes sense to me.”

Michelle scrunches her nose in disgust and confusion at our conversation but doesn't say anything. Really though, what more could be added to this?

"It's not that big of a deal guys." I bring the conversation back to where it was before it drifted into a dark place so quickly. It can't be that bad. Can it? Perhaps it is? I don't even know at this point anymore.

"Oi leave him alone," Zayn chimed in as he walked up to the table with Liam with two beers in hand, passing me one before he sat down, "its alright Harry sex isn't everything...but six months is a long ass time. But enough about that. What has everyone been up to?”

It was almost like a show and tell as we went around the table talking about what we'd missed out on over the summer since we hadn't seen each other. Niall and Darragh went to Ibiza for the month of July staying in hostels and partying until all hours of the morning. Apparently Niall is in love with a girl he met there, but he doesn't remember her name so I don't know how accurate that is

Zayn spent a good amount of time in France with his girlfriend, sorry, fiancé. The fucker got engaged in France. Everyone thought that he and Daphne were gonna be a short lived thing since they met at a club and all, but people find love and fall in it in mysterious ways I guess. Michelle would be a prime example of that...but love is not involved with her apparently. A player not to be played anymore. I still have questions to ask her about that but I guess I'll have to wait until later since she doesn't want the guys to know that she's traded outies for innies. I could out her like she did me and my drought, but that's way more personal and I've decided that I'm not that much of an asshole, if I'm one at all that is.

Liam was arrested and his parents flipped out. For what I'm kind of scared to ask, but I'm sure it was something accidental. Sometimes I wonder how Liam even got into Cambridge, but I guess that they don't test for common sense, only book smarts.

When it got to Michelle's turn, she just talked about how she flew back home for a few weeks at the very start of summer to visit family and then came back here, but of course that's not anything that I didn't already know. When she came back was when I noticed all of the girlfriends that she had. It was odd to me because Michelle generally hated girls and hanging out with them, but then again, she obviously doesn't hate them that much.

When I told them that the most exciting part of my summer had been joining a book club for some work that I had to get ready to do for senior class, studying for the UKCAT that's not until the end of the school year, and sometimes coming here to Mill pub with Michelle I realized that what she said was true. My life had become vanilla, but I'm honestly kind of alright with it.

We continued to talk, share, laugh and drink until it was at least half three in the morning. I was waiting to see if Michelle was going to change her mind and let the lads know about her newfound liking but she kept it private between me and her the way that she said she would and it kind of made me smile. That along with the ridiculous amount of beer and shots consumed brought a goofy smile to my face by the end of the night.

By exactly three forty-five I was seeing double and couldn't drive home. Niall and Darragh had left to go back to their apartment that happened to be a few blocks down from ours, and Zayn and Liam stayed behind at the bar to drink deciding that they were too far gone now and might as well finish strong. They also decided that class tomorrow isn't important.

Michelle would have stayed behind with them I'm sure, but she has the tendency to be this odd motherly type when I get beyond the legal limit. I think she just likes to laugh at me because I start to say foolish things when my tongue loosens up in my mouth and my words slur. I tried to get up from the table discreetly so that I could walk home while Mitch, Zayn, and Liam continued to chat, but I knocked over a chair.

“Oh shit. I'm sorry bro." I chuckled to myself like an idiot as I picked up the chair earning the lads attention.

"Where are you going?" Michelle's eyes seemed to widen as she took in the state of me.

"Home. I've got class in the morrow-morning.”

"Do you honestly think that you're going to make it to class? Look at you, you can barely stand. My job is complete.” Michelle grins in triumph and I squint my eyes at her trying to figure out when she was going to tell me that she was a triplet.

"You're a horrible people and I don't know why we're friends." I think I was looking at her when I said it, but it could have very well been one of her sisters.

"Alright, and that's my cue. We'll see you later guys." Michelle spoke to Liam and Zayn as stood from the table, a little wobbly at best bus still in a better condition than I was in.

"You don't have to walk me home, Michelle. I'm not no kid.”

Michelle laughed as I stumbled, almost tripping on a crack in the pavement.

"Since I live there too I'm not technically walking you home. I'm walking home with you.”

I checked to see if my car was locked before we began our walk. The crisp early morning air sobered me up a bit, but I was still highly intoxicated and grinning.

"How was your first day of classes?" Michelle asked me breaking the silence of our trek back to our flat.

"Hmm, was okay. Good actually... I met this…met this girl.”

"You did? You were holding out on us at the pub! Who is it? Do I know who she is?”

"No, I don't think you do," I paused to hiccup hoping that was all that I had to do, "She's new here and you don't like girls. I mean, well, you know what I mean. You wouldn't know her.”

Michelle laughed while shaking her head.

“So it's a first year? I'm ashamed of you! I know you haven't dated in a while but that's sweeping the bottom of the barrel, Harrow.”

“No not a first year," hiccup "She's around my age, just new to Cambridge.”

“Oh," Michelle spoke putting her key in the door before she opened it "Where'd you meet her?”

“Work. I kind of asked her to come to the pub with me, but she said she had a date and I kind of sounded like a blubbering idiot when I asked her. I don't know.”

“Harry! You can't just invite people to come to the pub and we haven't met them yet! What if she was awful? Good thing she didn't come. That tradition is sacred for us. Whatever you said to her was probably fine. She just had other plans... Do you know why I've recently started calling you Harrow Harry?”

“Because it's one of the many odd nicknames you've created for me?”

“No. Harrow as in the adjective, it just so happens to fit with you. Har•row when used in verbal tense, means to cause distress to. You're causing unnecessary distress to yourself when you worry about things like the UKCAT and assignments that aren't due until the end of the year, and whatever you've said to this mystery bird that you've met at work. Fun. You used to be much less tense and more fun. You need to chill out and relax. You need to I don't know, get some maybe.”

I rolled my eyes before running my hand through my hair and walking into the kitchen, opening the cabinet in search of my favorite drunken snack, grabbing it when I found it and heading for my room. Quickly stripping off into my boxers, I fell against my bed before I turned on my television and got under the covers. I ate my snack in peace before Michelle knocked on my door twice and then let herself in.

"I could have been naked! you could at least wait for me to say come in.”

“Yeah well, its not like I've never seen a penis before and they're not really my main thing anymore you know?” Michelle climbed into bed with me, intruding while I tried to hide my snacks.

"What are you eating?”

“Nothing.” I slowed my chewing in hopes that she would lose interest.

"Harry I see them! Are those teddy grahams?”

“No!”

“They are! They're a snack for a five year old.”

“Teddy grahams don't have an age limit.”

“You should be embarrassed.” Chelle spoke before grabbing the box and taking a handful for herself, moving around too much for my drunken stomach to handle.

"Oohh these are nice. These are new sheets aren't they?”

"Chelle! Stop moving! Why are you in my room? Get out!”

“My room is too hot, so I've decided that we're going to have a sleepover. You get the better ventilation. You should trade with me.”

“What?”

“I'll sleep on the floor. It really is dreadful in my room.”

I sigh before I grab my pillows and comforter and toss them on the ground leaving Michelle the bed as I make my way to the floor.

“Aww Harry you're the sweetest, but I can really take the floor.”

“No, it's fine. Just don't do anything perverted while you're up there.”

“What like masturbate? I'm not you.”

I chuckled turning to face her from my position on the floor.

“Exactly, but if you do at least that I’m asleep first…Thats just common courtesy. ”

“Sure thing, Harlot. I can do that for you.” Michelle responded without pause causing me to chuckle before my head hit the pillow.

****

“ My head,” I groaned, waking up on the floor with my covers wrapped around me too tight much like a swaddling cloth. After successfully the blanket away from me in an attempt to escape confinement, I sat up slowly only to make the headache worse than it already was and add a new pain to the mix. “My back.”

I had almost forgotten that I slept on the floor to be nice and allowed Michelle to stay in my bed, but when I turned around to look at it I quickly discovered that she wasn't there. I could hear fumbling around in the kitchen and when I stood to follow the noise, the pounding in my head grew. When I reached the small space that we mostly use to microwave shitty food and store alcohol and juice, I saw that Michelle was fully dressed. I mean, well, if you can call an oversized sweater and tights with ladders down the legs in random places dressed then thats what she was.

“Morning, sunshine. How do you feel.”

“Like my head might explode all over the kitchen and I still have to get ready for class. Today is going to be long as shit,” my words slurred proving that there was still traces of alcohol in my bloodstream and when I swayed back and forth feeling as if I might lose my balance, I knew, “I'm still fucked.”

Michelle laughed at me before she flipped her pancake onto a plate and ran it back and forth below my nose. I snatched it from her and took a bite of the buttery breakfast cake without using the fork that she offered.

“Don't be such a savage, Haz. I'm not going to take the food from you after I've clearly been slaving over the oven for five whole minutes so that you could eat. Slow down, chew your food, and sit like a civilized human being. If you eat like that you're going to require the heimlich maneuver and unfortunately I don't know it. You'll turn blue and die in front of me on a Tuesday afternoon and that would put a slight damper on my day.”

“Afternoon?” I asked her while chewing around the pancake, “Afternoon?”

“Yes, Styles. Thats what I said.”

I put the plate that I was holding down on our small kitchen bench before I walked out into living room to squint at the only other clock that we had besides our cell phones, only to confirm what Chelle had just said. I rubbed my hands over my eyes hoping that it was just an illusion and what I'd seen was wrong because if it was the truth, I'd missed all of my morning classes for the day.

“Three eleven? It can't be three eleven! I had classes from nine until two!”

“And you slept through them like a baby.”

“Fuck! Michelle why didn't you wake me up? What's the point of having an Ultimate Alarm if it's not going to be used?”

“Harry, remember that little chat we had yesterday about distress and the use of your nickname? And in order for me to wake you up, I would have had to been up too. Even if I was, I wouldn't be using the Ultimate Alarm to save you with the splitting hangover that I had,” Michelle shakes her head in clear disgust before she continued, “too loud.”

My eyes widened as I looked at my friend, bewildered, annoyed, and somewhere deep down, somewhat amused. I waved my hand between the two of us before I gave up and ran it over my face exasperatedly. This is not how I intended to start the year off. My hand ascended from my face to sliding through my hair in distress, “Thats the point of the alarm, Michelle. It's supposed to be loud. It's supposed to wake you up.”

“Harry, calm down. When we got to sleep it was like seven in the morning anyway. I don't know how you expected to be up, awake, and alert in class. Don't you have like seven others that you can go to tonight? Over achiever.”

“If I shower now I can make it to my organic chemistry class.”

“Gross.”

I looked over to Michelle and frowned before I continued, “ Thanks for throwing me off by the way, making pancakes at three in the afternoon and making me think that it was morning.”

“Whatever time of day that you wake up is morning to me. I was feeling like pancakes, so I made pancakes. You didn't seem to mind them by the way that you were eating them a few minutes ago, arsehole.”

The mention of the food reminded me of how dry my throat was and how alcohol will leave your mouth feeling like you'd guzzled sand if you consume enough of it. I felt like a raisin.

“Do we have anymore orange juice?”

"No. Sorry I finished that all yesterday morning when you almost killed me and Alison with that damn fog horn.”

“Alison?” I smirked at Michelle before I started to tease. "Usually a player doesn't remember a conquests name.”

“You would know," she retorted back while squinting her eyes, “ you used to be one. But don't worry, Harry. I'll get so good at it that you won't ever catch one of them leaving the next morning ever again. I'll be like a black widow or is it a praying mantises that kill all other intimacy as soon as they've finished with them? I'll send them on their way so that I can sleep in my bed alone. It'll be like a switch.”

Michelle grinned as she spoke, silently approving her idea as I thought about how lonely it sounded. It actually saddened me. Michelle isn't the type that can handle being cold hearted and callous enough to kick people out of bed. After being in a monogamous relationship for three years, I could tell that she was the type who craved intimacy. She deserved it. What she just explained to me sounded like eventually it would take its toll on her and she would break down like she did before, substituting my shirt sleeves for tissues.

I keep my opinions to myself, not having enough time before my next class starts to really sit down with her and talk about them. If it's one thing that I cherish about Michelle and I's relationship is that we can literally almost talk about anything, if we had the proper amount of time to do so. I shake my head at her before I head down the hall, calling back to her.

“I never was a player, Mitch. I just wasn't steady in my relationships like you.”

"Whatever you say, Harold. Please go put on trousers…I don't want to see your moose knuckle.”

****

I'd made it to my chemistry lecture on time, and though I tried my hardest, it was extremely difficult to keep my eyes open. Even though I'd slept past all of my morning classes, I still didn't get the best rest from sleeping on the floor. Michelle was irritatingly right again. The only thing that was really mentioned today since it was still the very beginning of the school year, was instruction and what the professor expected from us as a class, so when my eyes closed momentarily as I sat at the back of the room, I didn't feel so bad. Before I knew it the lecture was over and I was rustled awake my the movement of students as they gathered their bags to leave the room.

"You've got a bit of dribble there." A familiar voice laughed as I stepped out of the classroom I wiped my mouth sheepishly before smiling at her.

“Rion, hi how are you?”

“I'm good. Getting around campus well enough, but how are you? You look pretty worn out and its only the second official day of the school year. Did your tradition get the best of you last night? You've got imprint marks from your sweater on your face.”

My hand went to the side of my face that she pointed out, the imprints from my clothing giving away my previous position before I flashed her a quick grin and responded ,Um, uh yeah kind of. I may or may not have missed all of my classes this morning. Mitch didn't wake me up, bad influence I guess.”

“Mitch?”

"Oh, um sh- Mitch is just...Mitch is my roommate." I explained in a panic I didn't want to scare her off with the details. I think I might actually have a chance with Rion, if I don't put my foot in my mouth that is.

“Oh I see.”

Rion smiled at me and I didn't even realize that we've been walking and talking this entire time. Conversation flows easily with her even though I stumble over my words. I feel like I'm just remembering how to talk to the opposite sex besides Michelle and feel kind of pathetic, but Rion doesn't seem to mind as she continues to smile laugh and start on new topics of conversation.

“So how long were you out for?”

“I didn't go to sleep until seven this morning and my head was pounding when I woke up. I really have no one to blame but myself. I told my friends that I would only have one drink and ended the night on my ass. I still have to go back to the pub and get my car, because I had to end up walking home. How I got to the right apartment on the first try is a mystery to me.”

Rion giggled in a cute way before tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear allowing me to see her features more. Her neck was slender and long, connecting to her shoulders delicately. She had a small tattoo that looked to be a ballet flat behind her left ear. Those tattoos placed just there always seemed like they might hurt, like they deserved to be kissed better even though the ache from the needle has been long gone. I could envision my lips on just that spot. I must have glanced at her just a bit longer than I should have causing a rosy hue to make its presence known on her cheeks. It made me smile before I quickly changed the subject this time, not wanting her to think that I was rude or weird for staring.

"How did your date go?"

She took deep breath before deciding if she wanted give a response or not and we ended up in the courtyard right before the student parking lot.

"It came and went, I suppose. Nothing really interesting to report. It sounds like I would have had more fun if I had taken the offer to go out for drinks with you. I'm usually not really big on drinking on the weekdays, but after that date I honestly might have taken a shot or four."

I smiled, selfishly happy that she didn't have a good time. I want to ask her out, but I feel like its too damn soon. I only met her yesterday anyway. Maybe its a good thing that she turned me down. When the time is right to ask her I'm sure I'll know. Hopefully I will.

"I'm sorry it didn't go as planned. Someone should take you out and show you a good time."

"Yeah, hopefully someone will sooner rather than later."

I think the emphasis that she put on the word someone was aimed at me, but I could be wrong. I don't know what else to say so I cap the conversation off with a , "Yeah" and mentally slap myself in the face before I grin awkwardly at her. I look around the parking lot as we come up to a white Toyota and she takes her keys out signaling that the tiny car is hers.

"Oh, well I'll let you go and get on with the rest of your day. Good seeing you."

"Okay, yeah." She responds quietly before she puts the key in the lock to open the door.

This has to be the most awkward I've felt in a while. I radiate awkward and though I don't want to believe it's because of what Michelle and the boys said, I'm kind of starting to think that they might be right myself.

"Wait, Harry?"

"Yes?" I turn my head to look over my shoulder before turning around to face her.

"I can take you to go get your car if you'd like. It looks like it might rain and it would suck if you were to get all wet."

All wet. I blush at her word choice and from that point on I know. Michelle, Niall, and Darragh were right.

"No. No its okay. You don't have to and I mean, don't you have other classes?"

She shakes her head and then opens her other car door, "I'm done for the day. Really I don't have a problem taking you. Get in."

I walk back towards her, thanking her and then giving her directions to the pub from the main campus. When we pull up, sure enough my car is there. Along with a ticket taped to the window for leaving it in the lot overnight. I sigh and rub my hands over my eyes before I get out and thank Rion again. Just as she's about to pull off, I call her name causing her to stop the car and reverse.

"Yes?" She looks at me eagerly with her eyes slightly widened and and traces of a grin on her face. I scratched my head out of embarrassment before I speak while pointing to the passenger side of the car.

"I left my book bag in your car."

"Oh, sorry. Here you go." The grin falls as she unlocks her car door so that I can get my bookbag. This time when she pulls off, I wave an awkward goodbye to her before getting in my car, knocking my head against the steering wheel in defeat causing the horn to honk.