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1dfangirls35 · 5 years

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Voir Dire (N.H.): A fake dating OU about contracts, soulmates, and risking it all for love

eight

"There you are!" Mike, Niall's agent huffed as Niall stepped out of his black Range Rover and onto the set. Mike's face showed a hint of irritation, his dark brows furrowed making wrinkles across his middle-aged forehead.

"Sorry, totally slipped my mind," Niall apologized heavily, following Mike towards the large warehouse that would be the set for his latest music video. It wasn't like Niall to forget things like this, especially things that dealt with his music. Part of that, however, was likely because this wasn't HIS music. He'd penned the lyrics, he'd lived the story, but the creative process behind the music video, the story this shoot would tell- well that was all up to his label. He supposed his lack of remorse for arriving late also had something to do with the fact that he had to leave a beautiful girl in his bed this morning, right when he was on the cusp of coming clean on this whole situation.

Niall tried to tell himself that Kelsey would likely take the whole situation well, because there was plenty of evidence that proved that his relationship with Krystal was nothing more than one in front of the cameras. But if Niall wasn't concerned about how Kelsey would react, why had he been holding onto the secret for so long?

"Good morning," Krystal said cheerfully as Niall rounded the corner, interrupting his internal monologue. She was seated in a black fabric director chair with her hair freshly curled and a makeup artist quickly dabbling to apply a thin coat of lipstick.

"Mornin'" Niall responded politely, before sliding into his seat next to her for his hair dresser to begin doing her magic.

"Rough start to the morning?" Krystal smiled. Niall wonders just how late he was to this shoot.

"Just slipped my mind if I'm being honest, sorry to keep ya waiting."

"The star can never be late to their own shoot can they?" Krystal laughed.

"Right," Niall nodded, before grabbing his cellphone and snapping a quick snapchat to send to Kelsey. He hoped she wouldn't be too upset with him for rushing out this morning.

When Niall's hair is properly styled and his first outfit for the music video is put together, Krystal and him begin shooting. The day was long and tedious, and Niall couldn't help but feel a little disconnected from the creative process as a whole. He had never been one to showcase a leading lady in his videos, and here he was, shooting one with Krystal. He found the whole thing to be slightly uncomfortable, especially considering he was starting to develop feelings for another woman.

Krystal, however, seemed totally in her element. Any signs of insecurity that may have been present during their first dinner date seemed to have vanished into thin air. Krystal wasn't afraid to stare Niall down like he was the only one in the room, and with every touch the two shared Krystal seemed to be exude affection. Niall began to grow tired of the number of times the director would shout "Excellent job Krystal, Niall show me how much you are attracted to this girl, I know you are." On the breaks in between shots, Niall snapped a few pictures of the set to Kelsey, making sure, however, to exclude any photos of Krystal in the background.

"I love the song, by the way," Krystal said on one of the breaks, taking a seat beside Niall and taking a long exaggerated sip out of a can of La Croix water.

"Thank you," Niall responded.

"What inspired it?" She continued, looking Niall straight in the eyes.

"It's kind of just about that moment that you first meet someone," Niall began, his mind traveling back to the place where he first penned down the beginnings of the lyrics. "You know when you just meet someone and you know. You know that this is someone that you want to know better. You know that this person has the potential to be someone in your life."

His mind flashes back to the night in the Manhattan weeks ago, when he'd bumped into Kelsey with his beer. Her brown hair tied back, with pieces coming loose on the edges, her face flustered and hurried, but her eyes familiar, as if Niall had stared into them many times before. He hadn't known Kelsey when he'd written the song. In fact the song had been written more about the idea of that moment than an actual person, but somehow his recent experience matched it perfectly.

"I like that," Krystal replied, her eyes lingering a little too long on Niall's face. Niall moved his gaze quickly.

*******

On day three of the shoot, Niall felt exhausted. He'd barely had a moment to himself over the past seventy-two hours, and though he knew that it was just a part of the job, he couldn't wait for it to all be over. When the director calls, "That's a wrap!", Niall assumed he was done for the day. He took a seat and grabbed his phone finding a sweet message from Kelsey asking how the final day of shooting had went.

"Who has got you so smitten?"

"What?" Niall brings his head up sharply, looking at Krystal who has a smirk across her lips.

"Your phone. You're smiling at your phone." Krystal gestured.

"Oh, just reading a text message."

"What's her name?" Krystal inquired.

Niall glanced in the area around them, careful to be sure no members of management were within earshot. "Kelsey."

"Well, tell Kelsey your girlfriend says hello," Krystal laughed, her tone a mix of joking and seriousness.

Before Niall has the chance to come up with a witty reply, his agent rushed over, the look on his face suggesting that Niall's acting for the day was not yet over.

"Niall, Krystal," Mike looked from Niall to his co-star sitting just a few feet away. "It appears we have a few extra visitors on the grounds today."

Niall felt a strong urge to let out a dramatic groan. He knew what kind of 'visitors' waited outside the warehouse doors, and they weren't welcomed ones.

"Photographers?" Krystal asked, trying to catch on to what Mike was letting on. Niall figured she had yet to truly experience the annoyance that was the Los Angeles area paparazzi, who seemed to lurk in the most inconvenient of places.

Niall gave a quick nod.

"We were really hoping to avoid any leakage of our filming here today to the press, but it appears they've somehow found out. PR is trying their best right now to negotiate with the photographers about holding off the release images, in order to avoid any mess ups to our timeline but for now..."

"You need us to put on a show," Niall sighed.

"Exactly." Mike replied. "We'll send you out the main doors were they are standing. Just look like you are leaving set for the day, no answering questions, no posing for pictures, just get around the corner to your cars and you'll be done for the day."

"I think we can handle that," Krystal smiled looking over at Niall, who was still uncompelled to remove the frown from his face. Niall was beginning to think that she found this whole thing to be quite fun. He supposed that was a good thing considering it was her job.

"If you'll grab your things and follow me," Mike commanded. Niall grudgingly complied, grabbing his key and phone and stuffing them in his pocket. Krystal grabbed her purse from its place beside her chair and followed closely behind, her high heels clicking against the concrete floor.

As they reach the main entrance, Mike stopped, looking towards the pair. "Ready?"

Krystal grabbed Niall's hand in her own, then wrapped her other arm around his, her head settling near his shoulder. He nodded and Mike opened up the door, releasing a variety of shouts and camera flashes in their direction.

"Niall!"

"Krystal!" Paps shouted right and left, but Niall kept his head down and pulled Krystal alongside him, making their way towards cover and their vehicles on the side of the building. The 100 yards or so jaunt seemed like an eternity, but as soon as Niall and Krystal turned the corner and the paps were no longer in sight, Niall dropped his hand from Krystal's grip.

"Well that was fun," Niall sighs.

"It really was. The whole shoot," Krystal responds, not catching the hint of sarcasm in Niall's voice. "Thank you." Krystal wrapped her arms around Niall in a hug before he has a moment to react, then places a kiss on his cheek.

"See you later?" She asked, as Niall began to make his way towards his car.

"Yep," Niall replied shortly, ready to get home and put on some golf. He slanged the door to his Rover open with a little too much force, sliding across the black leather seats. "Fucking paps," he muttered to himself, before pressing the button to start it. The only thing on Niall's mind as he drove home was how much time he had before the pictures were released and disaster struck.

*********************

"Umm Kels," Becca called out from the living room. Kelsey had finally sat down to begin looking over the mountain of books that represented her prep for her LSAT. Niall had been on set for the music video the past three days, eliminating at least one distraction from her much needed study session. However, Kelsey had now been staring at a single practice question for twenty minutes, her brain seemingly shut off from absorbing any content.

"Yes?" Kelsey shouted back, not wanting to move from her perch from the kitchen table. Surely whatever Becca had to say could just be shouted from the next room. She thought she'd told Becca that she needed to focus. But clearly, her roommate had a much different idea of the definition of a distraction.

"You need to come in here and see this," Becca persisted. Kelsey groaned, turning her head around the chair to try and peer into the living room in hopes of seeing just what was so important, all she could catch was the faint glow of the corner of the TV.

"It's about Niall," Becca added, as if his name was some sort of treat that Kelsey couldn't ignore.

"Becca, I'm studying. He's filming his music video this week remember. He's already sent me a hundred pictures from the set." Becca had a bit of a TMZ obsession. Kelsey had seen pictures from the set that she could imagine would be worth quite a great deal to any number of tabloids. She liked that Niall was keeping her in the loop, showing her an aspect of his life that was so important to him.

Becca is quiet for a moment, and for a second, Kelsey thinks that her roommate may have gotten the hint. That is until Becca's unsteady voice breaks the silence again. "Was his girlfriend in any of those pictures?"

There are moments in life that completely blindside you. When it feels as though something has come out of nowhere and knocked you off a cliff. Kelsey thought she'd had enough of those moments in recent months to make her immune for the rest of her lifetime. Kelsey was wrong.

Kelsey felt her blood run cold. The pen she'd been holding between her thumb and index finger dropping with a clink onto the table. Had she misheard Becca?

She rose from her chair in a hurry, turning the corner to enter the living room and walk towards the TV.

"His what?" she replied in what felt like barely even a whisper, but as soon as she turned the corner into the living room she saw exactly what Becca is talking about. On the screen were some pap shots from the set of Niall's music video, but it's the photos of him leaving the set that throw her mind in a tailspin. There was Niall, the same beautiful brunette boy she'd woken up to only a few days before, but this time, his hand is intertwined with the hand of a tall, blonde girl. At first, Kelsey wanted to believe it was all part of the shoot, that this girl was the actress hired to play his love interest. But then the screen flashes to a photo of Niall and the same girl, posed together on the red carpet at the American Music Awards. The same night that Kelsey had first met Niall.

Kelsey felt her breath hitch, her lungs seemingly incapable of expanding. Her chest began to burn, the acid in her stomach began to tumble and suddenly she felt like she wasn't even in control of her own body anymore.

How could she have been so stupid? How could she have thought that a celebrity like Niall wouldn't be stringing her along like he probably was ten other girls?

"Kels," Becca's voice said timidly, setting a hand gently on Kelsey's shoulder. "Are you okay?" Kelsey feels like the world around her is beginning to spin. The edges of her view collapsing in until all she can see is that girl, her picture perfect smile, and her arm wrapped around Niall like it belonged there. Kelsey tried to steady her breathing, inhaling from deep in her diaphragm and filling her lungs with air. But it's to no avail, the pressure is building inside her, until suddenly it bursts.

"Of course I'm not okay!" Kelsey shrieked. And suddenly all of her pent up frustration was projected on Becca. Her friend looked at her alarmed, as Kelsey's usual calm face had turned an alarming shade of scarlet.

Had the roles been reversed, had Becca been the one seeing the guy she was more or less dating appear on the TV screen with another woman, Kelsey would have been the first to question the validity of the source. Tabloids were infamous for twisting situations into their own sort of scandal. Their reliability comparable to using Wikipedia as a source for a college paper.

But this was Kelsey's heart they were talking about, and Kelsey's heart was made of pieces of glass barely held together, just one small blow away from shattering at any point in time.

Seeing Niall with another girl, well that was more than a simple tap. That was a full-blown hammer.

This feeling of a shattered heart, it wasn't foreign to Kelsey. She'd felt it when she'd come back to her apartment senior year and found her best friend and boyfriend on top of each other, naked. She'd felt this way when her dad had come to her with a look of shock after finding his wife, her mother, with another man. But there was something about this shattered heart that felt even more painful. Like after this there would be too many pieces to even put back together again.

"God how I could I be so stupid," Kelsey plopped down on the couch, putting her head on her hands. "How could I have not seen this coming?" She tried to think of the signs. Maybe it had been the fact that Niall had said he wasn't really available after their first night together. Or maybe her red flag should have been the important thing he hadn't had time to tell her the other day. Maybe that important thing was that Niall had a girlfriend, and this thing with Kelsey had just been a game to him.

"Maybe it's not what it looks like?" Becca consoled, placing her arm on Kelsey's back in support. "I mean, celebrities are spotted together all the time, it doesn't mean they are together."

Becca's words do little to calm the storm that was rushing through Kelsey's body, sobs breaking through and transforming her breaths into shallow heaves of air. "I should never have made an exception. I wasn't ready."

Kelsey lifted her head slowly, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, leaving a smeary black streak of eyeliner behind. "Okay karma you've gotten your share, whatever I've done to deserve all of this, surely this is payback. Surely this is enough."

"You didn't do anything to deserve this," Becca said softly, embracing her friend. "No one deserves what you've been through."

"Tell that to my life," Kelsey replied, before settling back into Becca's shoulders with some sobs.

*************************** Niall didn't even expect an answer as he knocked against the thin, white apartment door. He'd called Kelsey's cell phone five times without an answer, and he doubted showing up to her apartment would have2 any better results. He wasn't even confident it was the right door, as he'd never even physically been to Kelsey's apartment. So when the door opened and a flustered Becca's face appeared, all the words he had rehearsed during his ride over vanished from his mouth. He watched as Becca's face turned from flustered to a scowl when she saw who stood at her door. And in that moment Niall knew he was already too late.

"What do you want?" Becca said sharply. Her brown eyes shooting daggers towards Niall's.

"I came to talk to Kelsey," he paused, scratching the top of his head. "And judging by the look on your face, I have some explaining to do."

"Oh I think it's a lot more than explaining," Becca glares at Niall. Niall began to wonder just how upset Kelsey must be if Becca is acting like this.

"Please Becca it's not what it seems...if I could just have a minute..." Niall pleads.

"Absolutely not." Becca said firmly as she stepped out into the hallway, closing the door behind her. "Do you know what this did to her? She's practically in shambles, and the two of you have barely even spent time together. After everything that she's been through, and you don't even have the courage to tell her the truth? That girl's heart was barely holding together, and to find out something like a girlfriend..."

"It's not what it looks like," Niall interrupted. He didn't know what more he could say to get Becca to believe him, not without breaking likely several different portions of his contract. It was one thing to do that with Kelsey, someone that he trusted, but Becca? One slip of his secret out of her lips and his whole contract could be at stake.

"I don't care what it is Niall, what it looks like is enough to crush that girl. And if you think for one second that I'm going to let you go into that apartment and crush her some more, you are wrong. She can't deal with that right now, so please just do the respectful thing and leave." Becca stands her ground, crossing her arms in front of her.

"I..." Niall began, but Becca's eyes narrow in a way that tells him no words that he can formulate are going to change her position. He sighed, throwing his hands up in the air in defeat. He turned slowly, ready to leave the apartment building. That's when Kelsey's face came to his mind. Her bright eyes and crooked smile, and the way her laugh made Niall feel like he had known her for his whole laugh. Giving up on her by simply walking away, without even trying to get Becca to understand would be like giving up on Kelsey all together. And Niall didn't want to do that, because things with Kelsey, well they were like something he'd never experienced before.

"Krystal's my fake girlfriend," he said suddenly, his words surprising even him. "And I'm going to find a way to prove it to the two of you."

And with that Niall walked away, wondering if by spilling his secret he'd just ruined his career.

Tags: @awomanindeniall @ihearthemcallingforyou @niall-is-my-dream

#voir dire #writingby1dfangirls35 #niall horan #nh #niallff #1dff #nhff #one direction #secret relatioship #fake dating #niall x ofc

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awhilesince · 3 years

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Thursday, 7 October 1830 (travel journals)

5 1/2

10 35/..

stood looking at maps – out at 7 1/2 for 3/4 hour –

to the cathedral – very neat plain white washed church within – broad handsome nave with side chapels – and windows of the apsis painted glass – 3 double Corinthian columns (red with white veins marble) on each side the chancel and high altar finished at each end towards the nave with 1 Corinthian column and one ditto pilaster – great many pictures none very good – but some tolerable –

then stood looking at the fine view from the rampant on Esplanade at the back of the cathedral broad street from which Nazarin steps down to the river and by which we came –

the river broad and beautiful mills upon it and an artificial cascade very picturesque with the road winding up to the town the bridge narrow but 5 I think arches over the river and 5 more for level’s sake over the lower to raise the road to the level of the bridge – just see the 5 ecluses that we left about a couple of hundred yards on our right near to the town on coming – could trace the line of canal by the trees almost by the Montagne percée which is near Nissan and for paying our Extra post one might have turned left and seen – the mountains we had on our left and that were close to us soon after Narbonne are the mountains noires which join the Cevennes –

got a young man to go with me to the remains of the amphitheatre – tout près de la fontaine and the hotel de la Croix blanche – perhaps some of the arches form the stables of the hotel – went a little lower down in the town – all the remains is a part of a sort of vault in which the people have made pigsties and wine cellars – 2 men in a wine tub treading out the Frontignan – tasted juice as it trickled from the tub – very good – the next process would be to le faire repasser (strain it) –

Bezières really a little town worth seeing – streets narrow and several little places and several Inns – but none of the last good for the hotel du nord (the best – that we were at) is merely a cabàret as to comfort – we were very ill attended upon – I never had a worse dinner or so bad in all my riding tour – good bread and milk this morning – the hotel du nord is on one immense place not built upon –

Lady S–‘s [Stuart’s] coach wheels wanted 2 or 3 hours’ repairing – doubt whether she would go to Cette [Sètte] – at last decided not – from Beziers look down upon fine rich vine plain –

Lady S– [Stuart] thought the winding up to the town last night – the river – the cathedral to the top – the altogether would have made very near as good a picture as Heidelberg – (C– [Charlotte] said there were many tamarisks yesterday)

our country today quite flat but road lies thro’ a garden of vines and olives and a few mulberries and almonds the soil is light, reddish-sandy-clayey the colours of Cheshire red sand stone – in places a little gravelly – and in places little pits by the road side of a conglomerate of gravel cemented by this red clayey sandy soil – the vines are low, and no where supported by anything anywhere hereabouts never since Toulouse and before –

fine view of the mediterranean glittering like a sheet of polished silver at 10 minutes from Béziers – the mountains noires 12 or 14 leagues from B– [Béziers] as my friend whom I met at the cathedral walk Told me – they form a fine wavy line of boundary all along our left but thro’ rocky and bare are of only moderate height – very few horses here – almost all mules for draught – fonts and wagons full of baskets of grapes – a few people gathering grapes, but the vintage nearly over, and the grapes almost all on the road or in the press – (the skins of the grapes are dried, and used for fuel) –

Bégude de Jordy a 3 story house and good very pretty garden, – with several fountains – Degheendoole is the name as pronounced of the plant tree producing the berries like large round haps and haws they gave us for dessert yesterday and that I saw in the market at Narbonne – was once a handsome chateau – with fine avenues, in a charming country with everything to make it agreeable – here one begins to see the plants of a pays chaud – and all about here seems a little wooded – great many poplars – here the olive trees are a good size perhaps as much as 2 feet circumference at 2 feet from the ground a few oliviers with fruit on – and at 10 1/2 a fig tree by the road side – (plenty of tamarisk today) and begun with others perhaps 8 inches or more circumference – quite little trees – among the olives, – and descend into the rich wide Extended valley or plain of the river of St. Michel – quite a garden of vines and olives road shaded here by avenue of platanus – the little côtes or hills all covered with vine and olive – the former yellow (golden) the latter silvery green – silver – but clouds of dust as yesterday – delightful fresh air – Fahrenheit now (10 40/.. a.m.) 64° out of the sun on the carriage seat –

at Pezenas at 11 6/.. seems a nice little town – Lady S– [Stuart] out of sight – gone to the hotel – I drove to the post and off as soon as I could for Mèze whence as they say I ought to turn off for Cette [Sète] without going to Gigean – nice look back upon the town with its 2 or 3 churches? village of Gabian and Mont St. Loup all too far out of my way –

about 10 minutes from the town beautiful piece of new road a Chaussée over the flat – on low arches – from 10 to 15 but from the ground? about 5 or 600 yards long and about 30 feet wide up to the 4 or 5 arched narrow bridge over the broad handsome river Herault Hérault the Chaussée continues a considerable distance beyond the bridge still on arches (but they are rather more distant) till it wears itself out – the flat looks reddish soil here – the hills look of white sandy nature – no appearance of having been rain here for long – none at Beziers these 7 weeks – the Chaussée by about 1 1/2 feet high Thick Square poste about every 6 yards – capital job – avenue of platanus again – poplar mulberry, and a few elms and ashes the last pruned quite bare, and some appearance of woodiness vines and olive

at 11 50/.. the little town of Montagnac – here as every where busy wine-making – at 12 10/.. the sea seems near and Fahrenheit 84° in the sun – rather jolting road – ‘Tis indeed the blue mediterranean the little Town of Mèze close its shore – just pass round the end of the town and off for Gigean – the coast very low – what are those white things (like houses) I saw from long before arriving at Mèze? good view of Cette [Sète] all along, and towns and villages and vineyards down to the water’s edge Enface the mountagnes noires (near) seem to dip down into the sea –

Gigean a little town much like the last – In turning the carriage after the horses were put to, the off horse got fast and great piece of work to get him loose again – had him to lift up with staup – the mountains noire double the Town to fall into the sea below it – the round tower of an old castle on the mountain just above the town – Deluged with dust – can see nothing for it –

written upside down:

9 to 10 5/.. B– [Béziers] to La Bégude de Jordy 1 3/4 poste 11.40

10 10/.. to 11 6/.. La B– [Bégude] de J– [Jordy] to Pézenas 1 1/4 poste 8.00

11 1/4 to 1 7/.. P– [Pézenas] to Mèze . . 2 1/4 post 14.00

1 1/4 to 2 23/.. M– [Mèze] to Gigean . . 1 1/2 post 9.75

(G– [Gigean] to Fabrègues . 1 post)

(F– [Fabrègues] to Montpellier . 1 1/2 post)

2 3/4 to 4 Gigean to Cette [Sète] . 2 post

13.00 to the young man who shewed me) the ruins of amphitheatre Beziers)

0.50 to the man who went about with me)

at Cette [Sète] from 4 1/2 to 7 . .)

1.00 to the mistress of the Grand Galien)

Cette [Sète] for dinner and lodging tonight)

10.00 myself and 2 servants . .)

Off from Gigean to Cette [Sète] at 2 3/4 a garden of vines and olives here as elsewhere all today and yesterday from Narbonne the route de Traverse very near as good as the grande route – Tis in fact 1 1/2 poste but I must pay 2 poste – pass close under the mountains noires all covered with little fragments of rock that give them that sterile hoary appearance in fragments the colour of Cheshire red sandstone white lime stone wall along the road side – singular drive amid vines and lime kilns (not burning and limestone walls) and hoary limestone covered mountains and the dark blue meditteranée en face with here and then a snow white sail quite in the distance and what town at a little distance (left) – here and there a man earthing up the vines – a vineyard unreaped – the grapes lie as it were in one large solid mass about the bottom of the vine –

delightful fresh breeze from the sea or the sun would be intolerably hot – I feel it burning my face even in spite of the air – pass over long bridge (about 50? arches) over the shallow and pass the handsome canal (left Lyons right Toulon Canal winds (right) along the bridge pont de Parade into Cette [Sète] – and a fine chausée turns at right angles from the end of a fine bridge (right) to Cette Sète, all along the canal just parted from the Lagune by a narrow stripe of brush-wooded ground enlarging towards the foot of the hill at the foot of which stands Cette [Sète] –

a narrow stripe (left) parts us from the other side the Lagune See the Pyrenees thro’ the haze (to the right en face) – and the 2 mammelons of Caingon? Largish looking town – the citadel on the bow of the wine clad hill above, and behind it –

arrived at 4 – the Grand Galion is but a cabaret, but my room is tolerable and a gentleman is Turned out for me that I know my bed will be aired – went out at 4 1/2 and came in at 6 55/.. – went to the Tour des pilotes at the top of Mont St. Clare whence is made the best wine de ces pays – fine view of the sea and salines Towards Perfingnan (too hazy to see the Pyrenees) and of the Town –

then to the port and to the magasin of Monsieur Durand and of Monsieur Lichtenstein at the latter saw in one tonneau 3486 veltes

1 velte = 7 litres – (Monsieur St. Paire showed me over the establishment)

and of 3580 veltes – each ton contains 120 barriques

1 barrique = 60 Gallons English – a hogshead from 20/. carriage from here to Bordeaux and perhaps 20 Shillings from Bordeaux to London

4 hogsheads = 1 tonneau – the great tons called foudres

Par barrique 2/50 from here to Marseilles

100/. from M– Marseilles to Paris par terre

25/. from M– Marseilles to P– [Paris] par Havre and Rouen par barrique 20/. Tout droit d’ici à Paris par Havre et Rouen –

tasted the Ribesalter and Tokay – both excellent former a pleasanter wine to me – tho’ other excellent –

Monsieur St. P– [Paire] gave me a small Escallop shell found at the Salière – they send them to Germany to be arranged for saving oysters – Saw oysters just taken here – great large rocky thick shelled things –

home at 6 50/.. dinner at 7 10/.. – discussion about the price agreed for – would make me pay 1/50 more for George – Got cross about it – then afterwards talked the woman over and very good friends – Told her how we had been cheated yesterday morning 30/. for breakfast – she owned that 2/. was the common price for breakfast and 2/50 for dinner and 3/. for supper and bed – had Cameron in at 9 20/.. – then slept a little till near 10 – very fine day

Fahrenheit 68° now at 10 p.m. – In bed at 10 35/..

left margin:

Fahrenheit 68° at 7 a.m. Bezières. (to hazy to see the mediterranean

saw the top of Canigon with its 2 mammelons. Itinerary midi page 404.

vines looking very like little currant bushes –

S then an avenue of poplars, and then platanus again almost to Pezenas

St. Gabian vide Richard page 333

Herault river at Pezenas

about 10 minutes returning the same road as we came –

6000 casks chez Durand

this discussion to be entered in Travelling journal – it is not entered in private journal

reference number: SH: 7/ML/TR/ 7/0042 - 0048, SH:7/ML/TR/8/0002 - 0004

#annelistercodebreaker #annelister #traveljournals #pyrenees #october1830

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whatdoesshedotothem · 3 years

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Tuesday 8 May 1838

11 ¾

long in dressing getting out shoes, and putting in order the Imperials – breakfast at 9 in about ½ hour – café au lait and bread we did not much like – ate our own biscuits, and had some shrimps – out at 9 ¾ - direct to the museum – about an hour there – observed the disagreeable picture the fallen angels celebrated only? for having the bee on it that Matys painted – all sorts of grotesque figures – confused – one man has a birds beak for a penis but the pictures are the 6 following, Rubens (Peter § Paul) our saviour on the x between the 2 thieves – St. Francis receiving the elements the Eucharist i.e. the communion of St. Francis - - (a good copy of this about 1/3 enlarged by a young man aetatis 22 ------ Corcans whom we met in the jardin as he was coming away from the musée) – our saviour shewing his hands to St. Thomas (St. John? and St. Peter? by) and the 2 volets of this picture excellent portraits ¾ length of his friend the burgomaster of Antwerp Nicolas Rockox, and of his wife Adrienne Perez – our valet Pierre Zeebroeck said the burgomaster was their chef-d’oeuvre of all the portraits in the Louvre in Napoleons’ time –

§ n°72 Le sauveur en croix entre les deux larrons

74 Le sauveur mort entre les bras de son père ; le saint Esprit descend sur cette scène, qui représente la sainte trinité. the fore shorting of the figure (corpse) of our saviour very remarkable -

76 La communion de St. François – St. F- d’Assisse sentant approcher sa fin, s’est fait conduire au pied de l’autel pour y recevoir la viatique.

78 Jésus Xst montre ses plaies à St. Thomas

80 Le portrait de Nicolas Rockox, Bourgemaître de cette ville, ami de Rubens

81 Le portrait d’Adrienne Perez, son épouse – ces 2 derniers nos. formaient les volets du n°79, avec lequel ils formaient l’épitaphe de ce Bourgemaître dans l’Eglise des Récollets de cette ville’

sent Pierre for Oddy and George and left the mat the musée (when we had been an hour there) and went to the bank M. Agie – had not taken my letter d’Indication – however signed and left the circular n°4916, and got 22 ½ fr. French partly in francs and one ½ fr. 2 five from pieces, and to send for the money in the afternoon – I must take my letter d’Indication another time when a stranger – then back to the musée for ½ hour – A- much pleased, and seemed the 2 servants – then to the church of the Dominicans tout prés – ‘tis there is the Calvary thro’ by which we approached the church – the richest in Antwerp till the French revolution time of Robespierre when the church was sacked and turned into a stable – beautiful oak carving here as at the cathedral and church of St. Jacques – from the Dominicans to the cathedral – 7 aisles – there at 11 50 10 minutes before the time of closing – all the churches closed at 12 for 2 or 3 hours – the famous descent from the cross (Peter Paul Rubens) deserves all its celebrity – I, nor connoisseur nor amateur, could come to A- on purpose to see it – the carved pulpit in the cathedral was the finest in Belgium till the French revolution – now very beautiful but exceeded by the pulpits at Malines and Brussels and Ghent – then to the church of St. Jacques – had it opened for us – this church respected by Robespierre because the curé a friend of his – the high altar after the design of Rubens cost 300,00 fr. collected from among his friends – over the high altar is his famous picture of his family – the side chapels very handsome – the picture of the Last judgment and at the cathedral defender to be shewn – this prohibition by the popes Nuncio about (above) a year ago – ones sees the cathedral for its own sake and for its picture Descent from the X the water got in 60 or 70 years ago – so the floor raised perhaps 3ft+ which takes from the height of the interior

---------- the Dominicans or church of St. Paul for the Calvary the finest organ here but the best music at the cathedral

---------- St. Jacques for the picture by Rubens of his family over the high altar he and one of his wives and his father and grandfather buried in the chancel of the high altar – his other wife buried at Cologne where she was born – P.P. Rubens himself born at Cologne – [?] the finest monument here on entering cut out of one enormous black of hot walking – A- little tired home at 1 20 – Pierre an old courier – travelled with Lord and Lady Warwick etc. etc. advised our having ropes underneath the carriage – said I thought we should do very well without – the carriage built strong for travelling – had travelled all over without danger – Like Pierre Zeebroeck very much – very recommendable – ate 2 oranges and had a little Medoc and water my demi boutille of yesterday – A- had biscuits and oranges and Madeira and water and soon left the sofa to write – I wrote the whole of today so far till 2 50 – a vigilante (a sort of fiacre quite new established about a year ago or less – containing 4 inside and 2 in a sort of cabriolet for the cocher – another sort take a low chariot – very nice, vigilante Anversoise – each from [outs] 1/25 the first hour and 1fr. each hour afterwards and the cocher to pay extra gave ours tonight 1/50 for 4 hours) – a vigilante at the door at 3 – off at 3 ¼ to the Botanic new garden in the new handsome rue de Leopold where the French and other consuls reside – ¾ hour there – in the green house and garden very small garden but very nice – nothing rare but everything nicely ticketed – Sorbus aucuparia mountain ash In the green house a nice specimen of araucaria the lead broken off – the house not high enough for it – from the botanic garden (paid nothing there) to the citadel – a note from the master of our hotel mentioning our names sent up to the commandant got us permission to see the citadel – our valet not allowed to go about with us there but a man at the place – ½ hour there – saw from the mound of the observatory (the soldiers men working at it) the plan of the late campaign – the French entered by the porte de Toledo – saw the cassematte bomb proof arched ways in which chasse and the Dutch troops about 500 took refuge against the shells – a bombe monstre struck against Chasses’s cassematte – sunk 12ft. into the ground but luckily did no damage – at the citadel from 4 ¾ to 5 ¼ - Chassé capitulated 23 December 1832 to the French – from the citadel drove along the quais and Napoleons’ 2 bassins – at the head of the larger the new entrepots or bonding warehouses goods going by Railroad to Cologne and thence into Germany – a handsome octostyle forms the front of the great and centre building – at the bank at 6 just in time and sent Pierre up with my letter d’Indication and got the money – French – had offered me Belgium gold in the morning but I preferred French 5fr. pieces, the post being obliged to take French money if offered – French money a legal tender in Belgium – then home for 10 minutes with the money and for A- to have wine and water and biscuit before going to the top of the cathedral tower 616 steps not 622 according to Boyles’ Belgian guide – drove to the cathedral and the vigilante waited for us and brought us back thro’ the place Verte and r. Leopold – ½ hour in

SH:7/ML/E/21/0093

33 minutes in getting to the top of the cathedral tower 616 steps – A- really bore it very well – rather hazy – could just distinguish the steeple of Malines but not that of Brida a ten lieues or 30 miles distance – very fine view – I thought of Lady VC. the 1st and last time I was here was with her in 1829 – tempora mutantur! she is the mother of 3 or 4 children – and I am settled – home about 7 20 and dinner immediately – drank the remainder of my demi bouteille of Médoc and A- and I drank a demi bouteille of champagne which did us both good – then paid the washerwoman and settled with Pierre, and counted over money from the Bank = 636 fr. 25 cents in to Belgian copper prices of 5 cents each – and then till 10 wrote the last 30 lines of today – very fine day – F73° now at 10 pm in our room

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abdicatedarchive · 3 years

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dinner disaster || cody and bella

𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍: summers house // late march.

𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆: cody x bella ft. charlie, nathaniel, mr. and mrs. summers, mr. and mrs. langston.

𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐒: discomfort.

𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐒: cody and bella are forced into a joint family dinner, and they devise a plan that might be stupid.

Cody arrived at Bella's room and knocked on the door. Begrudgingly, he was dressed for the occasion. He had chosen to not wear a tie, even though his mother asked him to. Cody rested his arm against the door frame while he waited for the girl to open it, god, how he didn't want to be here at all. This whole dinner was weird, and honestly he felt like it was really out of the blue. The fact that Charlie was going to be there too? And Nathaniel? Just so unnecessary, not to mention both sets of parents. They had done dinners like this before, but it was when they were younger. Like when it was a dinner party for the parents and all the kids would get to sit in the kitchen and eat different food. Now they all had to sit at the dining room table and make small talk. It was going to be insufferable. "You ready?" he asked when she opened the door.

Bella looked at her reflection in the mirror, trying to convince herself that her dress was pretty. But it wasn't. Her mother sent it over to her because she didn't trust her daughter's fashion choices. It didn't send the right message. Her mother wanted class, and Bella's clothes were just a little too much. She got startled by the sound of the knock and ran over to the door, "Hello Cody Summers." she said, not thinking too hard on that fact that she called him by his full name. It made her think about if he had a middle name. Should she know that for this occasion? Would she be tested? She didn't want to embarrass her family. "What's your middle name?" she blurted out. "I am also ready. See? The dress is sort of weird, isn't it. You look nice." she spoke quickly, trying her best to be friendly with him. "Do you want candy before we go? I always keep some with me."

Cody wasn't ... really one for small talk, especially not with quirky girls. He liked playful banter, but if he wasn't in the mood (like the current reality) then it was just like talking to a wall. "Beckham" he responded as he took a deep breath. The dress she was wearing was ... well, to put it nicely: she looked uncomfortable to be wearing it and it showed. She looked a little alien in the territory. There wasn't anything wrong with it, and on another girl ... he would probably be into it. "Thanks" he replied to the compliment, ignoring her voicing her insecurities. If his mom was here she would have nudged him to compliment her, but she wasn't here. "What kind?" Cody asked, he wasn't sure what kind of strange candy this girl might be into. He always liked to know what he was getting into before he said yes to her.

"Oh that's fun. Are your parents a fan of Bend It Like Beckham?" Bella smiled to herself as she asked the question. It was some kind of an attempt at joking around, but she hoped it didn't make her sound stupid. "I'm just kidding. I'm fully aware of David Beckham. Posh Spice's husband. But if you were named specifically because of the movie, that's very fun. Mine is Jane." Bella made a mental note to try and get to know Cody more. He wasn't exactly someone she ever thought she'd talk to, but she was sure there would be something they could relate to. "You know those Arcor strawberry candies? They're my favorite." she walked over to her night stand and opened up the drawer to retrieve the candy. "Here you go. I'll bring extra just in case. Now I am ready to go. Do you need a minute to mentally prepare, because I understand. I found that the sound of ocean waves helps me relax, so I found a 10 hour video on Youtube of waves crashing on the shore. It helped a lot."

He let her ramble for a bit, "family name" Cody clarified. He was well aware that her middle name was Jane, back in middle school his friends had taken an enjoyment of calling her BJ after she received a few initialed things for Christmas. Not only had he definitely not stopped them, but he had joined in on the fun. "I'll take one" he said casually, they were one of his favorites too. They were something grandmother Summers always had in her purse, and when he was young she had taken to giving him special attention because he was the fourth. She was a fourth child too, so she felt especially called to Cody. "I think I'm good on the ocean noises" Cody replied with a laugh as he popped the candy in his mouth. Why the hell would you listen to ocean noises when you could just .. go to the beach? He took his keys out of his pocket as they left her room and headed out. Unlocking the car, he knew that he should probably open her car door for her but instead he just got into his side of the Hummer and started the car up.

This dinner was going to be a pain, but he knew on some level she also did not want to be here at all. If she had wanted to come she would have fought harder on the clothing thing, he assumed. When they arrived at the house, Charlie was getting out of his car. "Charlie" said Cody, "Cody" said Charlie before he turned his attention to Bella. "Bella it is great to see you, that dress looks lovely" said Charlie giving her a friendly hug, "Alice says hello, I think she didn't want to hear me and Nate talk about work. She also had a mild allergy to my parents, understandably" he added with a laugh. He wasn't sure why he had said yes to this dinner, mostly out of respect for Nate ... and to watch Cody squirm. Charlie had his suspicions about what this dinner actually was.

Bella was no stranger to family dinners, but that didn’t mean she particularly enjoyed them. There was too much pressure on her to be perfect. She felt like she tried so hard every time, but by the end of the night, her parents always seemed disappointed with her. “Hello Charles. Thank you.” She instantly felt her heart drop the moment she realized what she called him. Bella had known of Charlie long enough to realize that he preferred being called Charlie. She wasn’t a fan of being called Arabella, so she should have known better. It felt incredibly hypocritical. Even the tiniest mess ups made her panic. “Hello to Alice too then, wherever she is. Also, congratulations on the engagement.” Pretty much everyone in their hometown knew about the couple’s relationship status, and she honestly thought this dinner was some kind of celebration towards that. “My brother speaks very highly of you.” she decided to say as they headed into the house, thinking that the dinner was about Nate and Charlie’s job since it clearly was not about his engagement.

Charlie smiled, "Thank you, honestly I feel like Alice should get down on one knee and give me a ring too, that way I have something to show people when they congratulate me" he replied with a laugh as they headed up towards the house. Her comment about Nathaniel liking him made him feel a lot better about where he was at with work. Nathaniel working at the office had been a nice surprise, but he was really uptight. Charlie felt like he was never doing a good enough job. "Gives me a wave of relief, you know how he is" said the boy with a smile. Cody just stayed quiet, at least the two of them had someone to talk to. When they got to the door Cody rang the doorbell before stepping back among the three of them. Mrs. Summers answered the door, "Goodie, you're all here. Derek, Irene, and Nathaniel are already here" she said before she gave both her boys a kiss on the cheek and a quick hug. "For you" said Charlie as he handed her a bottle of port, "from Alice with her regrets." Mrs. Summers nodded, sad that the girl had not come with Charlie. She wanted to fawn over the ring again, but with Alice came the possibility of older Altmans being invited. That was no good. "Arabella, you look so darling in that dress" said Mrs. Summers as she gave the girl a hug. "Don't you think she looks nice, Cody?" she prompted. "You look nice" said Cody to appease his mother. They were basically like small children at this point in the conversation. The three were let in and joined everyone in the sitting room. "Charles, whiskey or a g&t?" said Mr. Summers as he was standing at the bar cart. "g&t sounds great, thanks Dad" said the boy as he sat down. "Sodas or La Croix for you two?" he asked Bella and Cody. "Whatever is cold" said Cody with a shrug as he went to go shake the Langston's hands.

"Yes, he's... very serious. About work especially. He means well, it just takes a bit for him to open up." Bella tried explaining, her siblings were pretty similar to their parents. A lot cooler, but still had that uptight attitude. Once Mrs. Summers opened the front door, she forced a small smile on her face. Her expression softened a bit when the woman didn't mention her sister, Fiona. She didn't exactly talk to her siblings about this dinner, but she assumed they'd both be here. Her sister always had great luck with just about everything, if only Bella could relate. She made sure not to show any change in emotion when Mrs. Summers called her Arabella. Then she was saying her dress was pretty. Was she just being polite? Was everyone's taste here terrible? Was Bella the one with terrible taste? Seemed likely. "Oh thank you." she said to both Cody and his mother. She was curious to know if Cody was in the same position she was in with her parents. When they'd force her to act and talk a certain way around others. Bella went to Mr. Summers and said her hellos before being asked about drinks, "Soda please. Thank you." she spoke softly. Nathaniel walked up with his parents, giving everyone a kind smile, "Always nice to see you Charlie, you too Cody. Of course. I'm sure this dinner will be, lovely." he said, still a bit confused by the whole dinner. It seemed very sudden. Mrs. Langston walked up to Bella with an approving smile on her face, "You look beautiful, Arabella. I knew the dress would suit you, and very nice shoes." Her mother always had to bring up Bella's height and how she was the second tallest in the family, behind Nathanial. She grew very insecure about it, but she would never bring that up to her mother. "We're so happy you could all make it. We thought it would be nice to catch up, see how you all are doing." Mr. Langston told the children. "Shall we head to the dining room?"

Charlie pulled Nathaniel to the side, "I have strong suspicions that this is a set up" said the boy as he took a sip of his drink, "my Mom asked me a few weeks ago if Cody was seeing anyone, and Bella's name was slid into the conversation." Cody wasn't usually one for gossip outside of his usual gang of friends, but Nathaniel might have some information on why this was happening in general. Or why the two of them had been brought along. "No one is taller than my Cody" said Mrs. Summers with a friendly laugh between the two moms, "I have no idea how he got so tall. When he passed Charles we were all wondering when it would stop." The two families headed to the table, and Cody and Bella were seated next to each other across from the Langston parents. They had Nathaniel on their side, and Cody had Charlie on his other side. There were little name cards and everything: very planned. The cook brought out their first course and Mr. Summers got down to business, "So, Bella. I'm sure you have your major all sorted out? Sophomore year, time for some decisions. This one can't seem to stay in a major" he said with a friendly laugh, but it was absolutely a dig at Cody. "Dad, Channing didn't pick her major until Junior year. In due time" said Charlie, keeping things a little better off. He had applied for the business school, so technically speaking Charlie had picked his major before even applying to school. He assumed Nathaniel was the same way, Nathaniel didn't really leave things to chance. That man consistently had a plan ... for everything. Though the comment was added by Charlie, it didn't make Cody feel any better about his family standing right now. He had really rested on his laurels when it came to Channing being the family disappointment.

"You think so too? I'm glad we're on the same page." Nathaniel spoke quietly to Charlie as he looked around the room. It was nice to know that Charlie was just as observant. "My mom kept bringing up the founders day ball and how she hoped we'd all have dates for it." he referred to the big event that took place in their town. People like their parents took that night very seriously. Once everyone was seated, Bella and Nathaniel gave each other the same smile. Nathaniel was pretty used to these dinners, but he knew his sister found them to be rather difficult. Bella almost felt guilty for having some kind of plan when it came to school, while Cody was still figuring things out. She didn't want to make him look bad. "I'm an art major right now. Once I get all my general courses finished up, I was going to see which direction I'll go in. But ... I know a lot of people who still aren't sure. It's so tough sometimes." Bella tried her best to defend Cody. "Of course it is, especially in a major like that. Being a full time artist is a very ... ambitious goal, but we could tell you're confident in your abilities. We trust you'll succeed." Mr. Langston said to his daughter with a smile. They weren't too fond of her going to school for art, they thought it was a waste of time and money. If it weren't for her grandparents being by her side, Bella probably would have caved and went into something else. "She is really talented, always has been." Nathaniel chimed in, knowing his sister was her worst critic. "I'm sure she'll be able to show you some of her work if she hasn't already." Mrs. Langston told Cody. "You both have known each other for so long, do you see each other often?" Bella hid her confusion as she ate. Sure she knew Cody, but it's not like they were ever friends. There wasn’t much of a reason for them to constantly cross paths.

Charlie nodded, "Founders day, yeah. Mom's probably freaking out about which girl will be in our photos this time. Last year was a mess" he recalled. The two boys went to join everyone else at the table for the grilling. Cody had most recently decided on exercise science, but he wasn't going to make a big deal about it. Last time he did, he started to hate the classes as soon as he mentioned it to his parents. "I haven't seen anything since the AP art exhibit senior year, I went for extra credit" said Cody as he took a bite of food. He was confused at the topic, why was he being asked how often he saw Bella. The two ran in completely different circles, "we don't run into each other often. Same dorm though" said the boy. He liked the Astoria dorms, and he wasn't ready to live in a house with friends yet. Most of his friends were just as shitty as him, and he liked having some space from all the chaos. "Well I'm sure you two can find time to see some of Bella's art" said Mrs. Summers, "whens the next showcase?" she asked. Charlie looked over to Nathaniel and nodded, their suspicions were right. "I hope it's before Founder's Day Weekend" Mr. Summers added, "not enough events going on because the historical society is overrun with plans. I heard this year was going to be bigger than ever."

Nathaniel immediately looked over at Charlie and nodded back before looking over to see Bella's reaction. Her facade was starting to crack, and at least he could tell that she was starting to look visibly uncomfortable. She couldn't stop shaking her leg underneath the table. "In a couple weeks. After everyone's received their critiques for their midterm project." she answered calmly. Bella's eyes travelled back and forth between her family members once Founder's Day Weekend was mentioned. Her parents always looked forward to that, but they somehow managed to make it more stressful than it needed to be, especially when it came to finding a partner to go with. Fiona usually found a date pretty quick, and always got someone with a solid reputation. Nathaniel didn't have too much of an issue with that either, but Bella? Her dates seemed to get worse and worse every year. Then it hit her, she could feel her stomach flip. Surely her parents wouldn't be putting her on the spot like this. "The Hastings haven't stopped talking about it, that's how you know it'll turn out good." Mrs. Langston said with excitement. "Fiona was just telling me about her date, they seem like such a lovely person. So respectful. I can't wait to see who you'll bring, Nathaniel, and it's always nice to see you and Alice, Charles. She always looks stunning." Bella's mother turned her attention to her daughter and Cody, "What about you two, are you both excited? Bringing anyone special?"

Founders Day. Of course this is what this was about. Fucking hell, his mother had been upset when he went stag ... and even more upset when he did bring a girl and she wasn't up to par for the family. "Katie was just inducted into the historical society" said Charlie before he took a sip of his drink, just to try and distract from whatever his parents were planning. "Alice and I wouldn't imagine missing it" he added with a soft smile at the compliment to his fiance. He knew how deeply uncomfortable everyone at the table seemed to be, so he was happy to be distracted thinking about Alice. Cody was blindsided by all of this. He still couldn't believe this whole dinner was orchestrated around him and Bella going to Founder's Day together. First of all: how was she less embarrassing than any other girl he ever brought? Sure, she could clean up well ... but it was Bella. She was one of the weirdest girls he had ever met. Second of all, why would they chose the two of them to bind the families together? Surely Nathaniel and Claire could go to Founder's Day together. "Uh no, not yet" said Cody just to respond, he was a man of very few words ... especially when he was uncomfortable, "but I'm sure there's a nice guy on the team that I could set Bella up with." He knew how to read a room, and if he played just dumb enough he might be able to get out of this. It didn't help that this girl was bouncing her fucking leg under the table, it was driving him absolutely up the wall. Fidgety people were so distracting, and it was taking all his attention and focus to hear anything anyone was saying to him. He had half a mind to put his hand on her knee to stop her, but he didn't want to give her any ideas.

Bella knew her parents were upset with her from last year's Founder's Day. Her date ditched halfway through, but it wasn't her fault, she was even shocked and hurt by it. But to think her parents were setting her up? With Cody of all people? She always looked for the good in people. Unfortunately she hadn't found that yet in him. She was hopeful though, not as hopeful as usual ... but still hopeful. It didn't mean she wanted to go with him to this. Sometimes he came off a little too intimidating for her liking. She could never get a read on him and what he was thinking. "Oh no thank you, I'm sure I'll find someone." Bella completely shut Cody's offer down without realizing what he was trying to do. She was just so nervous. Her mind was racing, so she wasn't thinking straight. "There's still time for both of us to figure it out." she tried to stay as positive as possible in hopes that her parents would have a change of heart. "Well we wouldn't want you to stress about that for too long. This ball is supposed to be a happy time for everyone." Mr. Langston wasn't budging. "Besides, if you already figured out your date now, you'll have time to get to know them better before the event." Bella was starting to pick at her dress under the table now. She wanted to shut down any possibility of having to go with Cody, but the words weren't coming out. She couldn't imagine her parents' disappointment if she flat out said no to them in front of a family like the Summers.

God, this girl could not take a fucking hint. He was trying to get them both out of this. He nodded when she said she could find her own date, and Cody knew it was absolutely time for a scheme. Suddenly, Mr. Langston was doubling down on things. Clearly they were about to ask for something. So he went into panic mode. Cody knocked over Bella's cup while reaching for the salt, "Oh my god, I am so sorry Bella" he said as he moved his napkin over to start cleaning up the spill. Thankfully it had gotten all over her, "Here, let me take you upstairs and you can borrow something of Claire's or Channings" said Cody as he looked to his mom. She nodded, "Of course, anything up there is yours for the time being" said Mrs. Summers. Cody quickly ushered her out of the dining room but before they got out of ear shot he put his finger to his mouth to tell her to stay quiet. Cody quietly listened to the conversation, "see, they're already friendly. It was only a matter of time" he could hear Mrs. Summers prattling on. "Those two will be the most darling couple at the event, and their heights? Marvelous." Cody wanted to slam his head against the wall, but he quickly motioned for her to follow him as they headed up the stairs to Claire's room and he shut the door behind them, "I couldn't find another way out of that" said the boy, actively not apologizing but he didn't really notice how callous he was being, "you hated the dress anyways."

Bella instantly jumped in her seat as her drink got all over her. This couldn't get any worse. She grabbed her napkin and tried to clean her dress as best as possible. "No no, it's okay. I shouldn't have place my drink so close to the edge of the table." she said frantically, already putting some kind of blame on herself. She couldn't even look at her parents, so she simply nodded her head and gave Mr. and Mrs. Summers a shy smile, "Thank you." As she followed Cody out of the room, she kept quiet, listening in on what was going on at the table. She bit down on her bottom lip as they talked about them. There was no need for any of this, she just wanted to run out of the house. Instead of course, she headed to Claire's room, looking up at Cody with furrowed brows as he spoke, "You did that on purpose?" she asked, clearly shocked. "Now I'm all wet and sticky..." she mumbled to herself. Bella did hate the dress, and it deserved that. But she didn't. "Don't we have to go back down there anyways? Or are we making a run for it? I don't know if I could do that. I don't have great stamina, and I don't think I'm mentally prepared for that. Can I still change?" she started to ramble, her nerves were out of control. Bella reached into her bra and pulled out one of her strawberry candies and unwrapped it before popping it in her mouth quickly in hopes that it would calm her. "I'm sorry, do you want one? Are you nervous too? You seem calm, I can't tell."

"I had to think fast, they were just about to push us into going to Founder's Day together" said Cody shrugging a little. The situation wasn't dire, but they should have thought about what this dinner was about before they had arrived, he just didn't know that her parents were as scheming as his. "We are definitely going back down, we just need a game plan" he said as he opened up Claire's closet and pulled out a few things. Then she pulled candy out of her bra, "I'm good on the bra candy" he said calmly as he opened up Claire's bedside table and pulled out a bottle of whiskey and took a pull, "liquid courage?" he offered after he took another pull. This whole thing was absolutely fucked, "I don't know why they get off on meddling so bad, I feel like this is fun for them. Even bringing Nate and Charlie here as some sort of shiny example for what good futures look like. It's all too planned" he rambled. Usually he did not speak this much in front of Bella, or to Bella for that matter. But they were teammates now. He knew his calm exterior was alarming to her, but he got sort of robotic when it came to things like this. It was a game, and it was a game he wanted to win. "I wish I could just get them off my back, you'd think with the fourth kid they would let up some" he said as he sat down on his eldest sister's bed.

"Game plan? I'm not good with game plans." Bella shook her head, she wasn't sure what they could possibly do to change the outcome of this dinner, but that was mainly because she never went against her parents. All she wanted was to make them proud. She then looked through what Cody pulled out from Claire's closet and decided on one dress. A definite upgrade from the one she was wearing. "Please tell your sister I say thank you but that I'm sorry for using this without her permission. Also please turn around. Or close your eyes. Or both." she held onto the dress for a minute before turning around herself and changing outfits. "And done. Better, right?" she asked with a pleased smile as she looked down at what she was wearing. Bella stayed silent for a moment after Cody offered some of the whiskey. She wasn't too much of a drinker, but one sip wouldn't, or at least shouldn't, hurt. "Yes, thank you. I'm not feeling very courageous right now. I feel shaky. One, because the room is cold, but two, I get all shaky when I'm nervous." she wiggled her fingers as some kind of demonstration before taking a sip from the bottle. Bella clearly related to what Cody was saying, they were both stuck in the same situation, but talking about those kinds of feelings? It wasn't something she did very often. Or at all. "Well ... I'm sure it'll all work out in the end. My parents always tell me they just want the best for me. Maybe it's the same for you." she was trying her best to remain positive.

He did as she said and turned around, covering his eyes for an added measure. He'd be lying if he said he didn't want to take a peak, but then again it was Bella. Did he actually want to take a peak? Probably not. When he turned around, she actually looked better. Nice even. Claire's taste prevailed. Cody laid back on the bed as she took a drink, "Yeah, they tell you they want what's best for you. But when's the last fucking time it was a good thing and they actually cared about what you wanted or what your dreams are?" he poked at her with his questions. He knew it was going to get under her skin, but he had a big ask. Big asks came with getting under someone's skin first to get them moving, especially an optimist like her. God, it drove him crazy how positive she was being about all of this. "Hear me out, we do go to Founder's Day together, and family barbecues, and all the dumb shit that we have to do. I know it's stupid, but if this pans out for them ... they will let me do whatever I want. Easy free pass" said Cody. He was always looking to work smarter not harder. It was a dumb idea, but if she agreed to it ... it would make everything easier.

Bella felt her heart sink a bit after hearing Cody's question. Her parents didn't care, or at least they didn't show it. They never showed interest in what she loved, they even missed her last art exhibit. To them it wasn't that big of deal, but it crushed Bella. She couldn't even answer his question, her silence was an answer in itself. Sure she didn't know how Cody's parents were with him, but did he have to be so negative about it? It must have been so draining. His suggestion completely caught her off guard. She wasn't good at game plans, but even she thought this was bizarre. "Wait, what? I thought the whole point was that we didn't want to go together. No offense! I'm sure you're a very fun time," she said innocently of course. "but we're just not close. At all. Which is fine." Bella was terrible with saying no to someone, no matter how strongly she felt. She just wanted to please people as much as possible. "I mean, if you're getting something out of it, do I?"

He knew that it was lacking some logic, but from his perspective Bella was a walking and talking get out of jail free card. "Seriously, think about all the things you could get away with, or all the positive attention we would both get. Give the golden children a run for their money" said the boy as he theorized the way to get the most out of this. "I don't want to go with you either, but it's looking like we're going to be going together regardless. And a forced event where they're checking on us is way worse than an event where they think we're already dating but just not touchy in public" he continued. He was positive he had never spoken this much in front of Bella, and Cody sat up on the bed "we don't have to be close ... we just have to appear to be close. It'll just be family stuff, and at school we don't have to think or act any type of way. And if you need more convincing than that ... I mean I can help you get what you want out of it too?" he said as he ended on a question. He wasn't sure what else she could want ... they were both going to win in this situation.

The last thing Bella wanted was attention, but her parents always threw the family under the spotlight anyways. She was going to get attention regardless, so it might as well be positive. As Cody continued on, Bella found it harder and harder to turn this all down. If her parents had something in mind, they were going to follow through on it. She would have to go with Cody whether she liked it or not, so maybe if her parents thought they were already dating, they wouldn't give her such a hard time. She was about to agree to the plan, until he said that he'd help her get what she wanted. Right then and there, an idea popped into her head. Bella was hesitant to bring it up, but she was pretty desperate at this point. "Help me with my finals?" she asked with big eyes. "For my finals, we're doing a realism project. I need a reference, of the human kind. My problem is that I can't get anyone to help me with it but I really wanna do a good job. You don't have to do much anyways. I have all the supplies. Please."

Her eyes grew big, if she didn't repulse him so much he might find it endearing. But he was too distracted by the fact that she looked kinda like one of those lemur things from Madagascar? He wanted to laugh, but he didn't. He just shrugged, "I could sit somewhere for a few hours." Cody put out his hand to shake her hand as they sat on the bed together. He could hear footsteps down the hall and he quietly whispered to her, "sorry in advance" he said, as he put his lips against hers with his thumb on the side of her chin. The kiss was soft and sweet as he moved in to deepen the kiss, seconds later his mother came in. He waited to break this kiss until his mom had already seen, "so sorry you two, we were just wondering where you'd gone off to" she said. Her eyes were all lit up, thinking her plan had worked so marvelously. "Just get down for dessert, and I'll send you two home with some tupperware for extra dinner when you get hungry. And don't you two worry, it'll be our little secret" said Mrs. Summers as she shut the door behind her. Cody's hands had been on Bella's waist as his mom had talked, but the second the door shut he moved away from her and put his hands back in his lap. "We can discuss terms in the car, and I'm sure the rest of dinner will go fine.

Mrs. Summers quickly sauntered downstairs, "Well well well, not to toot my own horn but I was absolutely right. The two of them were upstairs getting cozy, I'm sure Founder's Day this year will be a delight" she announced to the table. The two of them came downstairs a few moments later and joined the table. No one said anything about what had just transpired, but Charlie and Nathaniel were making weird eye contact across the table. Charlie was going to ask Nate to come over for drinks after this ... strange dinner.

Bella gave a single nod and smiled. She was proud that she actually went for something she wanted and didn't just settle, but then it hit her that she would have to be with Cody quite a bit. It's not like there was anything wrong about that, but it didn't seem like it would be too fun. As she was reaching out to shake his hand, she furrowed her brows in confusion, not noticing the footsteps. Then his lips were already on hers. So many thoughts were going through her head, but the biggest one was WHY IS HE DOING THIS? She quickly realized what was going on when his mother opened the bedroom door. Bella looked at Mrs. Summers with the same big eyes as before, she was just in a full state of shock. She didn't think she'd be getting kissed tonight by a now fake boyfriend? She then relaxed a bit once she left the room, nodding her head in agreement. "Okay." It might have been the first time she ever gave him a single word response.

Mrs. Langston's eyes practically lit up once Mrs. Summers told them the news. "This is even better than I thought." she said with a pleased smile. By the time the two got back to the table, Nathaniel kept looking back and forth between Charlie, Bella, and Cody. He thought he had everything figured out, but this was a major curve ball. He'd have to discuss this with Charlie later on.

Finally the dinner was over, and Bella felt like she could finally breath. She was pretty drained by the end of all of this, but she knew her and Cody needed to discuss the terms. "So do you want to start? I've never pretended I was dating someone so this is all very new." she said as a way to keep things as light hearted as possible.

Cody had to laugh, "it's not like I've ever fake dated someone" the whole thing was her attempt at a joke, but it was preposterous. It's not like he ran around town dating anyone, let alone fake dating. If he was someone who talked and shared, Cody might say something like the last time I dated someone was in high school, and all of that was a little too real. But he wasn't. So he didn't. "I think we should talk about our terms, everything ... comes out even. You do me a favor, I do you a favor. The overarching thing: events with family do not count as a favor. But individual tasks during said event can count as a favor if they are out of the norm. I think at things with dances, we dance at least once an hour. Anything outside of that, for like a favorite song or something, that counts as a favor" he outlined. Cody liked having a game plan, he liked having plays set up. His outlook on life was that everything was a game: something you could win. This was no different.

Bella was trying to take everything in, but it was so much. This felt a lot more complicated than she thought and now she was worried that she was going to mess up somehow. Not only would her parents be disappointed in her lying, but then his family might not like her, and she didn't know if she could take all that. She wanted to be liked so bad. "I feel like I should be taking notes right now. Will there be a point system? Is this a competition? Will the winner get a prize? So many questions." Bella said before she gasped quietly. "What is your favorite song? One of mine is Flightless Bird, American Mouth." She always seemed to get so off track. "Oh I'm sorry. I agree, to everything. I don't mind doing favors, and I appreciate it you do me one." she said with a nod. "Question. Should we keep this from our siblings? Nate kept giving me a weird look and I was scared he was going to ask me something."

He zoned out for a second thinking about Alexandra, "no points, just keeping things even" he responded as he continued to drive. The girl kept popping into his head, it was distracting. He wasn't sure how long he had zoned out again, because she was talking about birds. Cody probably should have been listening, but she quickly moved on from the bird talk. "I mean, I don't really talk to my siblings much anyways. I get most of my updates from instagram" said Cody, being fairly honest. Charlie didn't want much to do with all of them unless there was something going on. Claire was always away, and Channing was ... Channing. "If you want to trust your siblings not to tell, and not to tell mine. You can? But the more people that know the more likely it will be to get out" he warned, "and to remind you again. I have not done this before, that's just how secrets work" he said, just making sure she knew.

"I don't either. He might ask though, but I can lie. I don't think I'm a good liar but maybe this whole thing will make me a better one. I don't know if that's a good thing though." Bella was very aware that her siblings were way closer to each other than with her, but it wasn't something she wanted to talk about. Saying it out loud would make it seem a little too real. Once he brought up not doing the whole fake-dating thing before, she gave him a small smile. She thought he was simply playing along with her joke from before, so she decided to push it. "You sure? I remember you being with someone back in high school. Are you like a fake dating specialist?" she asked, laughing a little afterwards. She of course meant no harm in it, but she definitely should have not brought something like that up. It's not like she enjoyed talking about her past relationships. She had only been with two people, and they treated her terribly. But of course, Bella blamed herself for it.

"I feel like lying is an important skill, how else would you tell children that Santa's real or trick your loved ones into going to a dinner" said Cody, he felt like his parents lied about things all the time. That's how they got anyone to do anything, especially their children. When she brought up Alexandra, he knew she meant no harm but it did hurt. "First favor" he said sternly, "never talk about her, or ask about her." He knew this meant that he automatically owed her one, but it was worth it to not have to get personal with her. She ruined Cody, he really thought he was in love. He thought he had found his person, and he was just dropped like it was nothing. It had been everything to him, to have someone to spend all his time with. Someone he could share with, he let all of his friendships go to be with the girl because she took up so much of his time. The last two years of high school had been rough, trying to catch up with everyone who had gotten close while he had been in relationship land.

"Yeah, that's true..." Bella mumbled, she wasn't going to argue on it. She never liked to argue. There was also some part of her that felt like she was lying all the time. If she kept in how she truly felt, was that considered lying? Was she just living an entire lie by pleasing other people? It made her embarrassed just thinking about it. Her eyes went wide when he ask for the first favor, she could feel her heart sink. "I'm so sorry. I won't, I promise. That was really stupid. I was just making a joke, not that I'm making an excuse or anything! I'm really sorry." she quickly spoke. Bella was going to mention how she didn't need the favor to be returned, but she didn't want to already go against the terms that were created. There was no need to upset Cody even more. Her knee started to bounce again as she looked out the window. Any little mistake she made set her off, she couldn't believe she would be so heartless and bring up something like that.

He took a breath, "it's fine, really. I just prefer to not think her into existence" said the boy. Cody had paranoia that if he thought about people they would suddenly pop up and make everything worse. Cody reached for his phone and put on Put Your Records On by Ritt Momney it was just a nice soft song. He didn't always listen to music like this, but it was relaxing. On the drive over they had been in silence, but he needed something to fill the space in the car that thoughts of his ex was filling. Taking the edge off was important because her fucking knee was shaking again, god did she have to wear her anxious energy so publicly? "Do you have any more terms you want to add in? Or do you want some time to think about it?" Cody asked. The most fool proof way for them to pull this off was for them to both be happy-ish with what they were getting out of it. That meant being clear from the start. "Obviously there's an unwritten rule that you don't fall in love with me" said the boy as they pulled into the school parking lot, he looked at her and smiled and then just broke into laughter. Bella Langston and Cody Summers being in love was the funniest joke all evening.

Bella bopped her head slowly to the beat of the song, but her thoughts were still filled with her little mess up she made a few minutes ago. She turned her attention over to Cody as she heard his voice, "Hm, well should we get to know each other better? Or get our story straight. Would your family ask us how we started seeing each other?" she asked before another thought came to mind. "Oh and that class of mine? It's on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but Thursdays are for working on the project. Are Thursdays okay with you?" Once Cody mentioned the unwritten rule of not falling in love, she cracked a smile. That won't be hard. was the first thought that came to mind, but she instantly felt bad for even thinking it. Maybe she was still upset about those stupid BJ jokes from when they were kids, but she just knew that Cody Summers was not her type. Instead of saying what she initially thought, Bella saluted the boy, "Aye aye captain. Same goes for you."

Cody had been so lost in the game plans for in person interaction, he hadn't even thought about backstory. Maybe she was good for something, they seemed to be making a good team. Cody pulled the car out of the school parking lot, "If we're going to come up with a good story, we're going to need actual dessert, and by actual dessert I mean drive through ice cream. "Class on Thursday, I can put it in my calendar. You might have to text me and remind me anyways though" said the boy as he drove onto the interstate and went to the next town over for fast food. The worst thing about living here was definitely the lack of fast food, it was all healthyish small businesses. "So the docket is we need a good why we got together story, we need to know where we are in the relationship, how long we've dated, anything else like that?" he asked as he continued to drive, pulling into the DQ drive thru.

Bella's eyes lit up when Cody mentioned ice cream, "Very smart Cody Summers! Ice cream helps the brain work a little better." she tapped her forehead a couple times with an excited smile on her face. She wasn't used to spending so much time with someone, she usually kept to herself, but she was glad he wasn't completely sick of her yet. "I could do that." Bella went into her phone and put a reminder every Thursday to text Cody about the project. It's not like she was going to forget, this was the most important piece she's ever done for school, but having a reminder wouldn't hurt. "Okay, so maybe we haven't been together for too long. Just so we don't have to create too many fake stories or act like we know everything about each other. Right? Plus we definitely told them that we didn't have a date to Founder's Day. But!" she put her index finger up as if she had a plan. "I think I figured out a way to save us from that. We could be like, we didn't want to announce our relationship during the dinner in front of everyone, because this dinner wasn't just about us. We wanted everyone to feel important tonight." she pitched her voice a bit higher as she acted out the scene. "It makes us look all selfless."

Cody pulled up to the drive through and the two put in their order. "Yeah we don't want too many backstory things. Maybe just that it was casual at first" said the boy as he pulled up to the next window and paid, getting their ice cream and thanking the staff person. "We can even take it as far as we just weren't sure where we were at yet and didn't want to assume anything also" said the boy as he pulled into a parking spot and started to eat his dipped cone. "and that when we went upstairs we had a talk about how we didn't actually want to go with anyone else, because that's dumb" he added. He thought it might be easier if they set the timeline to as close to the dinner as possible, "and maybe we can even say that we decided we were going steady or whatever during that talk upstairs. That way you don't look like you've been lying." The whole plan was genius, every conversation he had with his parents from here on out would be about Bella and he could just lie and say things were good. There would be so much less talk about all the other moving parts of his life. It was going to be such a wave of relief to have that burden off of him.

Bella automatically reached into her bag to grab her card, but noticed Cody was already paying for it. "Oh you didn't have to do that, but thank you. Next time will be on me, promise." she said with a kind smile before listening to his plan. It really did seem like he had done this before, he pretty much had it all figured out. "Wow, you're really good with game plans. Is that some kind of sixth sense for football players?" she asked as she began to eat her ice cream cone, making sure to not let it drip in his car. "Should we say we started talking to each other sometime this semester? To keep it vague, since it didn't mean much at first?" she asked. Bella was going through every possible scenario in her head. She wasn't sure how much her parents would ask, but she did know they'd be happy about this. Even though it was a complete lie, she was sort of excited to experience her parents being genuinely proud of her. She felt so disconnected from her family, but maybe this would make her feel like she belonged. "We should get to know each other more, right? Just in general. I think that'll help."

It was his instinct to pay since it had been his idea, "we're gonna have a lot of things like this anyways, might as well keep it on the favor rotation" said the boy. It was only fair, and it wasn't like money super mattered between the two of them. They were definitely still getting that silver spoon from their parents, otherwise how would they even have the problem of having to date. "Sort of. With my siblings, you kinda need to learn strategy. And yeah, that sounds good, like it was just a casual thing from a party that turned into coffee and studying" said the boy shrugging a little as he went back to his cone. "I'm sure we'll get to know each other enough at the stuff we'll be at. It'll come as it would anyways, unless you want notecards with all my favorite things on them" he said sarcastically.

"Sounds like a plan." Bella gave Cody a thumbs up. Once he mentioned them meeting at a party, she quickly shook her head, "Wait, I don't think that's gonna work. Us hitting things off at a party? They'll know I'm lying, trust me." When Bella was at home, she usually stayed to herself. She never went to parties unless her ex, Landon, dragged her to something. If she wanted to be somewhere other than her room, she would go to the beach in the middle of the night. The girl liked her alone time. "Notecards? I like that!" she said enthusiastically, completely missing the sarcasm. Catching social cues wasn't her thing. "I'll make some for you when I get back to my room." Just then, another thought popped into her head, "Another question. What are we going to do about all the people here from our hometown? Some of them are going to talk, I just know it. Do we have to pretend here too? Oh no, and what about social media? Do I have to start posting you on my instagram?" she started to ask questions quickly, so many thoughts were running through her head.

Cody was mostly paying attention to his cone, but he knew that if they were going to do this it shouldn't be half baked. "Then hitting it off just ... like at school randomly?" He tried to think of a better idea, "what about one of those things where we literally ran into each other. That's always cute?" he wasn't really sure why he described it as cute, but he knew his mom would enjoy the story. Charlie and Alice had a really ... disgustingly adorable story. "Then we could have gotten coffee, realized we were a little different than our perceptions of each other in high school ... started hanging out more often. Studying together and stuff as friends, and from there it just worked" Cody was mostly spitballing, but he wanted to meet her where she was at. Then she started talking about notecards, and he really had meant it as a joke. But the sentiment stood, he didn't want to have her bail on him. They both needed to be all in, or else his parents were going to straight up yell at him and get way too invested in his life. "Um, I guess we ... have to date publicly? We don't need to do any posts, but like stories? And I promise to keep my extra curriculars, if you know what i mean, to a higher level of discretion than I'm used to" he leveled with her.

Bella was pleasantly surprised with how quickly Cody was able to come up with something, she felt like her brain couldn't work that fast. She almost asked him what his perception of her back in high school was, but she held off on that. She didn't want to hear the answer. Even though she never thought too highly of him, hearing what he would have to say would still hurt her feelings. Bella was never well liked by people in her hometown, at least Cody had friends. "Bumping into each other, getting coffee, hanging out..." she mumbled to herself as she was going over everything he said. "Yep, I think that's the one. Ladies and gentlemen we have winner." Bella wasn't exactly thrilled to hear him say that they needed to keep this relationship up at school, but it did make sense. There were too many blabbermouths from their hometown here. "Um, sex? You're talking about sex, right? Cause it's fine, you could say it." If she knew one thing, it was that Cody didn't keep that part of his life on the down-low. Did he think she was some kind of delicate, innocent being? It was kind of the truth, but she still felt a bit offended. "Just please don't get caught. I don't wanna get cheated on by a fake boyfriend. That's kinda sad."

Cody wasn't completely sure why he censored himself around her, she just seemed like the kind of girl who didn't really do much. She had dated Landon and another person, but ... it was Landon. "I mean, I don't want to be the guy caught cheating whether or not its real or fake" said the boy, emphasizing the word caught. He'd never cheated on anyone actually, and it wasn't something he was interested in. His friend had explained to him that cheating is never something anyone wants to do, it just happens in the moment. Or the temptation presents itself and it's too good to pass up. He had never particularly felt that way about anyone, and he hadn't dated in almost four years. When you're that young and in love, cheating doesn't really sound tempting at all. You're more thankful than anything that you have someone to spend time with. But she had gone and destroyed all of that, and him in the process. "I'll keep the sex to a minimum, you too?" he said, "because people would expect that from me, but from you? That would be a town scandal all in itself." He knew people thought he was a dirtbag, and most of the time he either believed it or he played into it. Cody finished his cone and started the car again, "I'm sure we're going to have plenty of things to go to as a couple anyways, so we don't need to spend any extra time together unless it's for a favor."

So you've never cheated before? The question popped into her head, and thankfully she didn't ask out loud. It didn't change the fact that she felt terrible for thinking it though. He just sort of seemed like he had. She had heard stories about a few of his friends, so she assumed he was the same way. It's not like they all acted too differently in her eyes. She tried to stay away from that kind of crowd, mainly because she was incredibly intimidated by them. "Oh. Yes. I will keep the sex to a minimum." she answered back very awkwardly, and for some reason, decided to give him a thumbs up as well. Bella was not having sex. At all. The last and only person she had been with was Landon, and that didn't seem like it was going to change any time soon. She was the kind of person that actively avoided the people she was attracted too, simply because she was too nervous to go up and talk to them. "I guess I should go ahead and apologize in advanced for my parents." Bella said as she thought about how often he'd be around them. "They're weirdos." she rolled her eyes as she finished up her ice cream cone. "Anyways, I'm fine with only seeing each other for favors, and thank you for agreeing to help me with my finals. I promise I'll do you justice, and if it's good enough, it'll be at the summer exhibit. That's what I'm aiming for."

This was more the behavior he was expecting from her -deeply awkward and uncomfortable-. "I also apologize for my parents in advance, they're really nosey. I have no idea how Charlie and Alice managed to deal with them, especially with the family feud. Luckily that's laid to rest" said the boy as he focused on the road and got them back to school. "I think this is going to be good, and when it stops paying off or one of us wants to be involved with someone else we can stage a breakup that will get us out of even more things for a very long time." He could see it now: a very public breakup for their only in public relationship. As much damage as Alexandra did to him, there was at least a year that his parents didn't really ask anything of him. They just let him be a lifeless robot and stay in his room all the time. That's how all the kids liked to operate, they were creatures of their rooms. You'd be shocked to know that six people lived in their house sometimes, everyone could leave the state on a Wednesday night and no one would notice until Sunday Brunch when they were suddenly alone at the dinner table.

Bella was well aware of the family feud between Cody's family and Alice's. Everyone knew about everything that went on in their hometown. She was a bit nervous about his parent's being nosey though. Bella always had to act and talk a certain way in front of parents, it was so draining. Now she had to add on to the lie and pretend to be their son's girlfriend. "Ooh what will be the reason for our breakup? Do I have to start learning how to cry on command? Do you know know how to cry on command?" she started asking questions quickly, but continued to speak before he got the chance to answer. "I guess we can figure all of that out later. It's kind of intense, I feel like I'm in a movie. Fake dating is a good trope, didn't think I'd actually live it out." Bella continued on with a smile before they arrived back at the school parking lot. "I think we have everything covered. I'll see you on Thursday? Oh, I'll also give this back to you too." she pointed at the dress she was wearing.

Bella did love the whole part of the fake dating trope where the people actually fall in love, but that obviously wasn't going to happen. She would never think about Cody Summers like that, it even seemed far fetched to imagine them as friends by the end of this. Before she got out of the car, Bella reached into her bag and tossed one of the Arcor strawberry candies into the cup holder, she made sure she had them on her at all times. "Goodnight, fake boyfriend." she said as she did a small curtsy. This wasn't how she expected her night to go at all, but all she hoped for was to get some good out of this. It was for her parents, and for her art. //END

#codyxbella #threads || bella and cody #bella and cody || 001 #codyxcharlie #codyxnathaniel #charliexnathaniel #cody: thread #charlie: thread #threads || charlie and cody #threads || cody and charlie #cody and charlie || 002 #charlie and cody || 002 #threads || nathaniel and cody #threads || nathaniel and charlie #nathaniel and cody || 001 #nathaniel and charlie || 001

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archerwindsor · 4 years

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Holiday Gift Guide 2020

Holiday gift guide

Strap in. It’s the holidays—and that means it’s time to get our shopping on! If you’re like most of us, we always seem to run out of time to get it all done. Did you just say, “A little help here?” We think you did. And we heard you loud and clear! Girl, this year, we’ve done all the – ahem — leg work for you with our quintessential holiday gift guide that has something for everyone on your list. And guess what, they’re almost all under $50 (Hey, we know everyone is all about the ‘peace and joy’ until their next credit card statement arrives). So, all that shopping stress? Relax. NBD.

Honestly, sometimes less expensive gifts are harder to find. I mean, we don’t want to be all scrooge-y with our friends – we’re just trying to stick to a budget and spread joy. So don’t even think about re-gifting elves on shelves, ugly sweaters or years-old fruitcake this year. Our LSF holiday gift guide includes all our faves in Fitness, Nutrition and Self Care. Your friends and family will love these gems — and because they are so awesome, no one will guess the (oh, so affordable) price tag! And that means we get to give you the gift of confidence!

FITNESS Under $50

LSF Foam Roller

We’ve been flexing on our LSF 2-in-1 Foam Roller a lot lately, and for good reason! Foam rolling is one of the best ways to maximize workout efforts and reenergize your muscles. The marble design on our roller is kinda dreamy and its multi-zone outer and soft inner layers will def improve post-workout recovery time. When you can give a roller that’s this insanely cute and effective, I mean, c’mon. What elf can you ask for?

Shorts + Tank Workout Sets

OK, so cute. They’ll step into this two-piece bra and workout short set and be prepared for their best work out in 5-ever! The stylish padded bra is both comfy and supportive, and the shorts are super flattering for any shape. We love the stretchy material because it controls our tummy and lifts our booty while we sleigh it!

LSF Heart Hoodie

Cozy, soft, and super chic. This must-give cropped hoody is so on-trend, they’ll look fabulously hip while trimming the tree or playing Reindeer Hat Horseshoe. Made from high-quality combed & ring-spun cotton and poly fleece, this neutral-colored crop hoodie is cut longer than most and so versatile! We promise it will look ah-mazing with anything they pair with it. Oh, and best of all, it features our LSF heart logo, so every time they wear it, they’ll be reminded how much you love them. Awe!

Pants + Longsleeve Workout Sets

Even though the weather has taken a less than balmy turn, we’re all still waking up to crush those early morning workouts. With this lightweight long-sleeved compression workout set, they can kiss Jack Frost buh-bye. The material is breathable and comfy, and the fit is so fire. Let’s just say it hugs all the right places. Yasss! They’ll thank you with a high-five and a warm-yet-bewitching smile.

Step up box

You know they’re on your list. Those friends who claim they can’t get past the infamous fitness “plateau.” Well, you can really help them step up their workouts by giving them a fitness box they can add to their regime. Step up boxes will work every inch of their legs and build stability, strength, and coordination! This one’s really sturdy (there’s like a lot of steel and wood holding this bad boy together) and features a rubber top, so it’s super stable and there’s no fear of slippage! With this added oomph to their workout, they’ll crank through to the next level of fitness in no time!

Posture Corrector

Serious. We’re kind of obsessed with this gift because of the 10,000 hours every dang day we are hunched over our computers working (except when we’re working out, of course). After a while, our shoulders droop and we get all hump back-y. We love this adjustable posture corrector gizmo because well, first of all, it’s pink. And secondly, for a contraption, it’s super incognito and easy to wear. It fits under your clothes so no one will be the wiser as they secretly improve problems such as scoliosis, spinal side bend, lumbago, and just plain ol’ back pain. So be a hero to your co-workers who are always griping about their aching backs on Zoom calls and give them the gift of relief!

Ankle Weights

We know. Some peeps in your tribe think these are so extra. But these one-pound ankle and wrist weight sets on our holiday gift guide could be a game-changer for their fitness journey. Available in pink or blue, they are super styling with a soft silicone, skin-friendly texture. But most importantly, they increase exercise intensity (and badassery) while burning fat and building a cray amount of muscle strength and endurance. They also can be majorly beneficial for those whose fitness regiment consists of a simple daily walk.

NUTRITION Under $50

Uniquely You!

We could all use a good detox every now and then, especially coming out of the holidays. This gift of gluten-free Uniquely You! Daily Wellness Gummies supplements will give your loved ones the little extra push they need to stay healthy and help rid their bods of all that gook they ingested during the holidays. Chew on, my queens. Chew on.

Instantpot

Ah, the world of Instantpot-ting. If you aren’t yet familiar with the Instantpot, it’s a multi-purpose, customizable cooking machine with a cult-like following! This magical pressure cooker-slash-steamer-slash-slow cooker will allow friends and family to whip up an endless array of simple healthy recipes, like yogurt, rice, pasta, soups, chicken, overnight oatmeal, steamed veggies… I mean, we can go on infinitum. The point is, this is an appliance worth giving (and getting if you still don’t have one!), and you’ll likely get invited to dinner that will be absolutely delish.

Holiday Survival Guide

It’s beginning to look a lot like… a big hot mess. Our Holiday Survival Guide is the perfect present for your friends who have a hard time doing Christmas: their tree lights are tangled, the stockings have gone missing, the dog ate the pfeffernusse, and all they really want is to do is yell, “Bah humbug.” Welp, it’s time to spark the joy again. With 62 pages of décor tips, healthy recipes, workouts, checklists, relaxation essentials, and much more, our LSF Holiday Survival Guide will help them let go of their holiday stress and get back on track in no time. We give a resounding holly jolly to that!

Storage Canisters (come in colors or white!)

It’s been a minute since we’ve been this excited about storage canisters. But these handy-dandy ceramic containers are soooo pretty that they landed a coveted position on our holiday gift guide! Bam! We love the color selection on these beauties – white or muted green, dusty rose, and slate gray. The lids are acacia wood, making for quite the stylish display. Perfect for organizing and storing tea, coffee, sugar, flour, cereal, beans, rice, spices, herbs, and your favorite healthy snacks like nuts or dried coconut chips.

French Press

Some of us can get so aggro when we don’t have our coffee. And who needs moody friends? That’s why we say “oui” to this fabulous French Press. This eight-cup press will give you great flavorful brew in just four minutes. Made of glass with gold accents, it’s so elegant, their friends will assume they’re coffee connoisseurs, when in fact, they just need their caffeine like, now. Those in the know say that regular moderate coffee and tea intake reduces the risk of stroke and heart disease, as well as neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s. We also say “oui, oui” to that!

Wine Opener

You had them at Wine. And then Opener. And then Electric. OK, bottom line is that this miraculous tool is pretty dope because it gives the wine enthusiasts on your list the ability to easily pull the cork from the bottle and access the glorious grape. Need we say more? OK, alllllsoooo… drinking wine in moderation is good for you! Experts say it provides antioxidants, supports longevity, and helps protect against heart disease and harmful inflammation. OK, now we’re done. Oh, and cheers!

SELF CARE Under $50

LSF Planner

Well, it’s been a year. We think we can all agree that we’re happy to put the apocalypse that was 2020 behind us. Done and done. We’re excited to help all you busy babes set goals for next year with the LSF Planner. Our 2021 #GOALS Planner helps all the Reese Witherspoons on your holiday gift list design their dream life with vision board building and goal setting; organizing and daily planning; monthly and weekly overviews; fun stickers and artwork; motivational messages from Katie; healthy habit builder; and so much more. And all that comes in full-color pages with a pretty soft peach cover, bound with rose gold metal wire. And Reese will especially appreciate that it also includes laminated, color-coded month tabs.

Mini fridge

Beyond adorable. Really. This retro pink mini fridge is so cute we just want to pinch its little handles. And it’s portable! In fact, when you gift it to your friends, they’re gonna want to carry it with them wherever they go. And who couldn’t use their own personalized fridge RN, what with all the jars and tubes of cosmetics, La Croix cans, and elixirs that we all use on the daily. This fridge even has a hot mode that allows you to warm things up if needed. So if ever there was a perfect gift for new moms on your holiday gift list (who may be stockpiling breast milk), this would be it.

Plush Fleece Indoor/Outdoor Slippers

The weather’s cold, and that means our little tootsies need some extra love. These premium fleece slippers with a cross band design are cozy, chic and elegant, making them the perfect gift for family and friends. They also have sturdy-yet-comfy waterproof foam soles so you can venture outside to grab the mail without your feet getting nippy!

Voluspa Candles

This gift is for all of your overscheduled rigorously organized friends who need to just RELAX for a hot minute and breathe in the amazing scents of this beautiful Voluspa candle selection. From Goji Torroco Orange, Santiago Huckleberry, and Panjore Lychee to Japanese Plum Bloom, Moso Bamboo and Baltic Amber, these glorious fragrances will gently waft by them, allowing them to wind down and transfix on the flickering flame. Aaaah.

FAVORITES Over $50

Silk Pillowcase Set

Newest obsession: silk pillowcases. Did you know these pillowcases provide less friction on skin and hair which prevents irritation or damage, they’re a way cleaner sleep surface AND they’re way less drying for your skin or hair. Overall, they’re a game changer and a perf gift for your bestie who wants to get her beauty sleep. Literally.

SMEG Toaster

Okay… HI. How cute is this SMEG toaster!!! Totally get that a toaster might seem like a pretty random gift, but we had to add it to our holiday gift guide. Can you image the kitchen glow-up with this toaster added to it? All you need next is a pink fridge and you’re set.

Cosori Air Fryer

I absolutely love my air fryer. I can cook veggies in minutes or make sweet potato fries totally guilt-free. It’s one of those appliances that you might not think is super necessary, but once you have one, you don’t know how your kitchen didn’t have one before. I love this one because it’s super easy to use, not too big and looks super sleek.

Olaplex Hair Set

All the hair self-care! Okay so I struggle with my hair sometimes (as you guys know, washing is kept v minimal) and overall I struggle with dryness cause from my hypo. I am absolutely loving Olaplex products, they keep my hair so soft and shiny and tbh I don’t think I’ll ever stop using it. This hair set is such a great gift for any babe in your life who wants to up their hair game!

Happy Holidays Babe!

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beatyoutothepunchline · 6 years

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A Dumb Girls Guide to Dinner for One

When I was a kid, I was given "A Smart Girls Guide" a series of practical advice books created by American Girl for helping tween girls navigate the awkward transition from childhood and becoming a young adult. These books covered everything from friendship troubles to boys, manners, middle school, and sticky situations. (As if that entire phase of my life *cringes at the awkward 7th-grade first-day-of-school photo* wasn't one in and of itself). For being such a "smart girl" you'd think some of these things would have come naturally to me, but apparently not because I was given seven of these books by different family members. Most of this information (if not entirely lost on me) was eventually rendered irrelevant. I am no longer in middle school, my friendships no longer are angsty and problematic, I slowly acquired manners, and have given up on men. That being said, as I now make the transition from a college student to grown ass woman, I wish there was a series of books with advice on things like, What to do when it is just you... in an apartment and you hate cooking but should probably eat something other than a gigantic Rice Krispie Treat. Because, hahaha... that definitely isn't what's happening right now... As the old saying goes, you only learn by doing. And I've only ever used an oven when it was absloutly necessary for my survival or to impress a man (Which, unless you enjoy/know how to cook is a monumental waste of time, speaking from personal experience). Luckily though, I've managed to come up with a few "dishes" along the way that are quick and easy enough for my dumbass to get by. NOTE: Before I get too far into this, I just want to say that this is all stuff I've found works for me. You can swap out or add anything. I'm not saying this is healthy (God knows I could use some more fruits and vegetables) and it might not be for everyone. So take what you want and leave the rest. Breakfast: I am occasionally a breakfast person. Only when I'm hungover, am on vacation, or am near Wheatfields in my hometown of Omaha, NE. On these such occasions, I splurge and get the croque madame and sangria, or the Nutella crepes and fancy coffee. However, every now and again, there is that weird Tuesday morning I want to eat but want to be economical, and in that kind of situation, this is what I do: Peanut Butter/Coffee/Protein Shake --1 Chocolate Premier Protein shake. (Or any protein shake/power of your choice. I like this kind because they sell in bulk at Costco. It's high in protein, low in sugar and is Keto friendly for those folks out there that are into that.) --1 spoon of peanut butter. I don't measure. I use the au natural PB from TJ's because it's cheap and a little better for you than Jiff or Skippy, but you do you man. --3 shakes of cinnamon. --A splash of vanilla extract. --1 Cup of coffee. If you are fancy this can be some Cold Brew, but if you are cheap like me I'm usually good with sticking some day old Folders in the fridge the night before and throwing that in there. (Optional) --1/2 a frozen banana. Gives it a little something extra in the taste department and can work like ice cubes if nothing else is chilled or frozen. Because breakfast shakes, like soft serve, gazpacho, and revenge is a dish best served ice cold. Then just blend it together whatever way you see fit. The stick blender your mom bought you exactly for this purpose that up until last month you only used for margaritas, a food processor some family member gave you when you graduated high school as if you'd be whipping up pesto on a nightly basis. "What a score! Thanks, Aunt Karen!" A hand blender, a KitchenAid mixer (assuming you took this whole cooking thing to the max and want to pretend your Martha Stewart). A bowl and a fork or a Ziplock bag (if your broke and or don't want to make the investment and/or missed the arm day at the gym). Lunch: At this point in the day, I'm usually getting done with a class or am about to wind sprint to one because I'm running late. I wish I was one of those people that was motivated enough to precut my imperfect produce shipment on Sunday night and make five perfectly portioned salasd to put in mason jars and drizzle on a homemade dressing, but I would be BS-ing you if I said I did that. Honestly, I've made it through most of college on vending machine lunches and have been totally content, but at some point, my Cherry Coke and pretzels are going to catch up and I'm going to lose all my hair or something. So I've got a few things I usually do for lunch that are quick and painless. Recently I rediscovered the simple quesadilla (or in my weird family we call them...) Torcheetas --1 handful of whatever kind of cheese you like. I personally dig the "Mexican blend" from TJ's. --1-8 tortillas (depending on how hungry you are). Let's get real, there's a healthy way to make this and then there is a drunk at three AM way to make this dish. --Saracha (or whatever salsa/sauce you're into) (Optional) --1 serving of frozen peas (for vegetables) --1 serving of beans (for protein) --side salad? (I don't usually do this, but it's something my mom would do to make it extra healthy. Doesn't have to be fancy, just lettuce, maybe some baby tomatoes.) If you have time turn on the skillet on low, throw some oil in the pan, gently swirling it until it evenly coats the bottom until toasted to perfection. But if you're in a hurry or just incredibly hungry a microwave will do just as fine. Dinner: Again, if I'm being perfectly honest most nights it's two slices of pizza from the 7/11 next to my building and a green tea or La Croix I keep stockpiled under my bed like an extreme couponer. So I usually do that or if I'm feeling it I'll do a salmon sandwich (which sounds gross but can be made to taste halfway decent. --Do yourself a favor. Buy yourself a decent loaf of bread. None of this off-brand Wonder Bread nonsense. It's weak and if it doesn't entirely fall apart in your hands as you eat it, it will stick to the roof of your mouth. Wheat bread has some health benefits but is dry as hell, bland, and usually more sugar than you think. Buy yourself a nice sourdough. It'll put you out three ish bucks. --Get yourself some canned salmon or tuna. Target usually has a 5 for 10 dollar deal on the Starkist Tuna. Costco sells really high-quality stuff canned stuff like the Kirkland Signature Wild Alaskan Pink Salmon. But if you're like, "Ew, no. I don't eat anything from a can," then there's always stuff in the deli. If you happen to live in a big city, I highly recommend small mom and pop deli shops because they sell things you can't get anywhere else and it's usually a little fresher. --MUSTARD (to taste). Okay, for real though. Personally, I am a dijon fiend but the generic stuff will do the job. (But you went the distance so far, so why half-ass it now?) Toast the bread. (Again, this small step makes a world of difference in the final product). And assemble. Add a side salad, peas. (A vegetable of some kind?) Then get realistic and pair it with a beer or a scoop of Cherry Garcia (and by scoop I mean accidental pint :/ whoops) because you are human, and maybe because it hasn't been your day, your week, your month, your year... I'll be there for you cause I've been there too. Look, this isn't going to turn into a Julie and Julia type situation because I hate cooking. I find zero joy in it. But, I'd also like to eat something other than gas station delicacies until I die, so... I'm going to try a few things out. While I'm off burning tortillas, I'd love to hear your half-assed meals and how to make them diversify my menu.

#theblondefiasco #writing #blogpost

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veritabletrash-blog · 7 years

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Pulaski at Night | Summer

Setting: Chicago, Future Pairing: Namjoon x Reader Rating: T, references to sex Word Count: 2.7k Description: You’ve lived in Chicago for years. You’re used to the rhythm of the city and find comfort in your neighborhood. You meet him at the first farmer’s market of the season. The harvest is very promising this year.

You met for the first time in May. It was the first farmer’s market of the season, which meant fresh cut flowers and idling on the lawn aside cheesemongers and farmers with friends while eating crepes from the handsome crepe men and sharing LaCroix with your friends. The market’s opening day had been on your calendar for months.

You met your friends on the corner of Kedzie and Milwaukee just south of the El station and walked over together, knowing you were bound to be separated in the throng of strollers and tote bags and frazzled pups on short leashes. You were right to plan ahead, the Logan Square Farmer’s Market was packed.

It was refreshing to see so many of your presumed neighbors gathered in one space. Chicago winters were long and at times it felt more like you were living on the set of a weird apocalyptic film set than a neighborhood full of hipster parents and art students and weirdos and yuppies. You were grateful that the farmer’s market was such a uniting force.

Your friends had set up a blanket on the thoroughfare just away from the crowds and were taking turns going to grab snacks and shop. You'd just returned from the Raddler’s stand, bratwurst and sauerkraut in hand. You were leaning over to grab a pamplemousse LaCroix when you were bum rushed by the small white dog. The dog was planted squarely in your lap and scarfing down your sausage and you sat wide-eyed, straight flabbergasted, until you came to your sense and pulled the cardboard holder out of the pup’s reach. Feet appeared in front of you and then hands scrambling for a lead. “Fuck, I’m so sorry.” Large tan hands pulled the dog from your lap and your eyes worked their way up the stranger’s arm--elbow, swell of a bicep, broad shoulders--until your eyes met. Sunglasses slipped down his nose and his eyes were a deep brown. His features were soft and sharp at the same time, definitely handsome. “Sorry, he got loose when I was talking to those ethically sourced salmon people.” He gestured back to the market crowds and seemed more flustered than you despite the fact that you were the one that had been ambushed in the first place.

“No worries.” you smiled, which seemed to calm him down. “What's his name?” you asked, stroking the top of the dog’s head. The pup sniffed at your sausage-occupied hand, which you still held high and out of reach.

“Rap Monster,” He answered and crouched down to pat the dog’s side, “but I just call him Moni. He’s kind of a bastard.”

“Rap Monster.” you let the name sit on your tongue as you looked at the dog. “Seriously?” Your eyes flicked back to the main in front of you, “Does he have mad canine rhymes or a SoundCloud or something? I’d love to check out his mixtape.”

The man laughed and it was full bodied and rumbly. You noticed his dimples. Wow, handsome dog man was super handsome.

“The name is a long story. He's an old fella now and not very well behaved. Can I get you a new one of those?” he nodded in the direction of the savaged brat.

“Oh, you don't have to. It was an accident.”

“No, I insist. Really. You were just minding your business when he came running.” he pressed.

You laughed and stood. “Well, sure then. Thanks.” You introduced yourself and offered your hand to shake. “It's nice to meet you, I'm Namjoon.” he replied in turn.

“So you have an interesting name, too.” You tucked a strand of hair behind your ear.

He smiled and wound the leash around his hand a few times as you made your way back into the crowds of the market. “I'm Korean. You can call me Joon. Most of my friends here do.”

“Like Korean Korean? From Korea Korean?” you asked and he gave you a puzzled look, “I just don’t want to say something stupid.” God forbid you say something ignorant in front of this guy who was not only ridiculously handsome, but considerate and a good dog parent.

“Yeah, I’m from Korea. Not Korean-American. Just Korean.” he clarified with a grin.

“Sorry to ask. You speak English like it’s your first language. Did you grow up in the states?”

He shook his head, “No, I was just blessed as a kid with a very insistent and wise mother who bombarded me with American TV.” You dodged a stroller and fell in step behind him and he turned to look at you, “So do you live in Logan?”

You nodded, “I'm a few blocks east and north of here. Kinda near Sacramento and Diversey.”

“Oh around Fat Rice then?”

“Mmhm. Almost too close. Have you been there? Their egg tarts are the best thing I’ve put in my body in the last two years.”

He laughed at that and tried to steer Rap Monster away from a gaggle of children with sticky fingers listening to folk music. “I forgot how crowded it gets here.”

“Probably extra busy since it's the first day back.” you added. You snaked your way through the crowd before ending up back in the Raddler’s queue. A few women stopped you to pet Rap Monster. “Quite a chick magnet you have there.” You teased.

He laughed at this, “My friend Jackson said the same thing right before he adopted this poodle mix from the shelter.” He shook his head, “I mean, Rap Monster just likes food. I don’t even think he likes me that much.”

“Nah, I’m sure he’s got loads of love for you.” you smiled at the squirming ball of fur at your feet.

“Trust me, he’s all looks no love. I’m the total opposite.” He wasn’t sure why he felt so comfortable around you. Maybe it was the way you maneuvered easily through the crowds or the line of your shoulders or the fondness you had for his dumb, seriously dumb, dog.

Your attention had been pulled by the man working behind the register and you missed his response. “Sorry what was that?” you turned to ask.

“Oh, nothing important.”

You ordered and he pulled a “I’ll have the same.” which inexplicably made your stomach flip. Before you could process your feelings, he finished paying and handed you your food.

“Thanks for this.” you gestured with your sausage hand and now that the obligated transaction was complete you found yourself scrambling for an excuse to spend just a bit more time with him. It seemed like he hadn’t noticed the lull in conversation as he looked down at Moni and his legs tangled in the dog’s lead. “Hey, do you want to sit and eat with me and my friends? It might be easier than trying to get around with the little dude.”

“Uh, yeah, that would be great.” He hadn’t planned on eating at the market. It was more of a curious look around than a shopping trip, but what could it hurt to sit and eat with a cute girl. Plus, Rap Monster was probably going to take out his ankles if he lingered in the market crowds much longer. “I mean if you don’t mind, of course.”

“Not at all.” There was something musical about your voice. Not quite sing song, just something gently lilting and comforting.

You navigated out to the street where it was easier to walk and made your way back to the blankets. You introduced Namjoon to Meghan and Emily and Emily’s boyfriend, Andrew. They'd found tacos and plants and iced coffee. You cracked open a La Croix and offered one to Namjoon as well.

Andrew was completely smitten with Rap Monster. “I have a dog named Hey Man. He's a complete terror. I think they’d be friends.”

Namjoon grinned, “We should set up a dog date. It’ll either be adorable or completely terrifying.”

“Yeah, dude.” Andrew agreed and they swapped numbers as Emily tried to take selfies with Rap Monster. It was that easy. Namjoon was seemed relaxed among your friends, much calmer than the frazzled man who had stood before you forty-five minutes ago. You stretched your arms and felt the sun in your hair as you watched Rap Monster wandered your picnic blanket in search of crumbs. When he found nothing, the dog settled back in your lap.

“I have never seen him warm up to someone so quickly.” Namjoon observed.

“We’re brothers in cased meats.” you joked and stroked the dog’s ears.

Soon the food was gone. Meghan and Emily were talking about going up to Oak Street Beach to look at the water, which Namjoon took this as a cue to leave, “I should probably get going. It was really nice to meet you and I’m still super sorry Rap Monster was so bad earlier.”

You stood and walked with him for a few feet. “It’s no problem. He’s too cute not to forgive.” You bit your lip and looked at him, “It was super good meeting you, too. Will I see you here next week?”

“I’m out of town for work, but we should definitely hang out when I'm back.” He said it so casually but your stomach somersaulted. He handed his phone to you. “I'll call you when I'm in town and we'll do something, yeah? Preferably not with this little demon.”

You laughed, “Ah, no! He can totally come. I’d hate for him to be left out.” You typed in your number and returned his phone. “But in all seriousness, that sounds really nice.”

He waves goodbye to your friends and gave you a smile as he faded into the crowd. You returned to the blanket. “He’s cute.” Meghan proclaimed and pounced on your shoulders. “Who knew your dumb love of sausage would actually pay off one day. Wow.”

“Lay off, dude. There was like no flirting anyway.” You insisted.

“Bullshit, I can confirm flirting.” Andrew argued from across the blanket. “Eyes only on you. Definitely interested.”

You rolled your eyes. “So you're gonna hang out?” Meghan persisted.

“Yeah, we're gonna hang out.”

“That's promising.” she smiled suggestively as she elbowed you in the ribs. “It would be good for you to see someone. It’s been a minute.”

You covered your face in your hands, “It’s been many minutes.” You lingered on the blanket in the sun. Your friends chatted about work, about someone’s new baby, about that new show on Netflix...and eventually they packed up to head to the beach and you said your goodbyes and pushed your way back into the market to snag some fresh greens.

Namjoon texted you that night.

[9:56 pm] Hi. It's the Korean Korean Namjoon/Joon from the market earlier [9:59 pm] Hi! [9:59 pm] How was the beach? [10:00] Didn’t end up going. Had some work I had to catch up on. 🙃 [10:01] Bummer [10:04] Did Rap Monster plunder any more human food? [10:06] Haha no [10:06] He must just really like me [10:07] Yeah he told me so when we got home

You texted him on and off for the next week. He sent you a picture of the ocean, recommended an album, asked what you were up to... It was nice to have someone checking up on you. After a week away he was finally headed back to the Chicago and you made plans to go for drinks. You were nervous and berated yourself for it. He was just a dude that you met at the farmer’s market. He was just a really handsome, nice, dude with a really cute dog who seemed to be into you. The thought of it made your palms sweat. You suggested Lost Lake and he agreed.

It was one of the best first dates you ever had. When his drink arrived in a brightly colored ceramic bird dressed with fresh flowers and umbrellas, his eyes went wide and he mumbled something to himself in Korean. When he caught your bemused smile he gave you a bashful shrug, “Sorry, it’s just really, really cute.” He was wholeheartedly endearing.

You learned that he worked in the music industry and that he was trying to open a studio, or something like that, in Chicago. You asked about his favorite musicians. He asked what styles of music you liked and, when it was clear that you had genres in common, he visibly relaxed. You found out you both like Murakami novels and noodles and the aesthetic of Wes Anderson films. You asked about his family and he asked about yours. You promised to take him to Joong-Boo Market because he hadn’t been. You felt silly for wanting to take a Korean person to a Korean-American market, but he sounded homesick when he talked about his parents and you thought it may be of a comfort to at least be around other people speaking your first language.

A couple hours and a few drinks later, you were sure you liked him. He was clever and interesting and made weird jokes. His smiles were easy to win and his eyes were curious and kind. You couldn’t put your finger on it exactly, but you were sure you wanted to see him again.

He insisted on walking you home. The air was warm and humid and the skirt of your dress fluttered around your legs in the breeze. You didn’t think twice about leaning up to give him a chaste kiss on the cheeks when it was time to say good night. He bit his bottom lip and could swear he was blushing as you made plans to see each other again.

His schedule was all over the place and he was out of town a lot, but it didn’t really matter. Your life was full. You had your volunteering and your friends and your work. Joon was the cherry on top of a life you’d worked hard to build. Even when he was away he was quick to respond to texts and he sent you pictures of little things he noticed. Despite the distance, you never truly felt disconnected from him. Plus the time that you did spend together more than made up for any inconvenience of his frequent flights to L.A. and New York.

When you were together he was easy smiles and over excited outbursts and cuddles on the couch. You spent the bulk of your days together lounging around his apartment half undressed watching Chef’s Table and playing with each other’s fingers and ordering take out. Some nights you cooked dinner in his kitchen, which was way nicer than it should have been given how poor a cook he was, and others he took you along to the small performances he said he had to go to for work. Sometimes he seemed annoyed to be pulled into work in the evenings and weekends and on days when he hadn’t seen you in what felt like months, but you didn’t mind. You were happy to spend time with him and you liked to see him bop around the room talking to the performers and sound engineers. When he caught your eyes following him one night, he shot you a wink and you were pretty sure your heart stopped. You were deep in your feelings to begin with and his competence and confidence near a stage was undeniably sexy.

On those concert nights, you’d come home with him more often than not. His kisses were sweet until they weren’t. The sex varied, which you liked, and he communicated well about what worked and what didn’t. You swung between sweet nose kisses and giggles and rosy lightness and something more base and desperate.

Some of your favorite moments with him were the times you basked in the afterglow, limbs intertwined, talking about nothing and everything until you literally could not keep your eyes open. Of course there were nights when he came fast and hard and passed out next to you, but the way he made you come and stroked your hair and looked at you like you were the most vast and beautiful thing he’d ever seen easily made up for the occasional selfish transgression.

The heat of the summer suited your relationship. You simmered away quietly in your own bubble. A chance meeting had turned into something more serious. You couldn’t admit to him that you loved him yet. It felt too soon although you were pretty sure he felt the same way.

#bts scenarios #kim namjoon #rap monster #bts fluff #bts smut #namjoon fluff #rap monster fluff #rapmon #namjoon #namjoon x reader

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michaeljtraylor · 6 years

Text

Dunking the iPhone XR in water, tea, beer, and of course … La Croix Technically Speaking

The 2018 MacBook Air comes with a bigger, higher quality display.

Image: screenshot: Rachel Kraus/mashable/apple

It’s not an envelope moment, but it’s pretty nifty.

Apple unveiled a shiny new 2018 MacBook Air at its product launch event in Brooklyn on Tuesday. It’s the most meaningful physical redesign of Apple’s least expensive (and definitely cutest) laptop since 2015.

“It’s time for a new MacBook Air, one that takes the MacBook Air experience even further in the areas that are most important to our customers,” Tim Cook said.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s Oct. 30 iPad and Mac event: live blog

That means a new display. The 2018 Air is equipped with a 13.3 inch Retina Display, which is an upgrade from the previous LED backlit. With 4 million pixels, its bezels are 50 percent thinner, it has 4x the resolution, and 48 percent more color.

The big attraction of the Air has been its portability and lightness, paired with the relatively inexpensive prior price tag of $999. But its specs have been outdated in comparison with the rest of the market.

The redesign addresses those concerns, while (mostly) improving upon what makes the Air great. It still has 12 hours of battery life, and is now 2.75 pounds, and is 10 percent thinner.

Unfortunately, it now costs $1199, which Apple described as its cheapest machine with a Retina Display. True, but that extra $200 bumps it up above the $1,000 threshold which is… noted.

MacBook Air has 17% smaller footprint and is 10% thinner and weighs 2.75 lbs #appleevent pic.twitter.com/kbNnBkpdtY

— Raymond Wong📱💾📼 (@raywongy) October 30, 2018

It has also souped up the Air’s guts, with an 8th Gen Intel dual-core CPU, plus faster memory and SSDs.

In the ports department, it has pared down. The Air comes with two Thunderbold USB-C ports on the left, and a 3.5mm headphone jack on the right. Sayonara, USB 3.

More specs: -The 2 ports are Thunderbolt USB-C. -Intel 8th-gen Core i5 CPU (assume that’s base model) -up to 16GB of RAM -up to 1.5TB of SSD storage -battery: 12 hours of web browsing, 13 hours of “iTunes movie” playback

#AppleEvent

— Pete Pachal (@petepachal) October 30, 2018

The new Air also gets Touch ID, but still won’t have the MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar. Apple is also tripling down on its controversial redesigned keyboard, meaning the Air will no longer come with the more beloved and manually responsive keyboard of prior models (including the recently murdered 2015 MacBook Pro).

One of the coolest updates is the fact that Apple now makes the body out of 100 percent recycled aluminum. This new manufacturing process reportedly allows for a smaller carbon footprint. Apple production, all in, is not as green as the company touts, but this seems like a great step.

Apple makes its 2018 MacBook Air with 100 percent recycled aluminum.

Image: screenshot: Rachel kraus/mashable/apple

Apple’s laptop redesigns have not been received well in recent years. In the past, the Air had gotten better processing and battery life, but just didn’t cut it; because it had been deprived of meaningful updates, Mashable’s Ray Wong recently called it “a shadow of its former self.” People have reviled the MacBook and MacBook Pro’s new keyboards. And the recent machines have consigned MacBook users to dongle hell.

youtube

Now, if Air users can adapt to life with lightning ports, and afford the extra $200 in a new laptop, the 2018 MacBook Air is looking pretty sweet.

The new Air comes in three finishes, including a rose gold. You can pre-order it today, and shipping starts next week.

WATCH: Dunking the iPhone XR in water, tea, beer, and of course … La Croix — Technically Speaking

Read more: https://mashable.com/article/apple-event-2018-macbook-air/

from RSSUnify feed https://hashtaghighways.com/2018/11/03/dunking-the-iphone-xr-in-water-tea-beer-and-of-course-la-croix-technically-speaking/ from Garko Media https://garkomedia1.tumblr.com/post/179731468009

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nicholerestrada · 6 years

Text

Dunking the iPhone XR in water, tea, beer, and of course … La Croix Technically Speaking

The 2018 MacBook Air comes with a bigger, higher quality display.

Image: screenshot: Rachel Kraus/mashable/apple

It’s not an envelope moment, but it’s pretty nifty.

“It’s time for a new MacBook Air, one that takes the MacBook Air experience even further in the areas that are most important to our customers,” Tim Cook said.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s Oct. 30 iPad and Mac event: live blog

https://giphy.com/embed/23g5TbXG6KxCRSPX9z?html5=true

The redesign addresses those concerns, while (mostly) improving upon what makes the Air great. It still has 12 hours of battery life, and is now 2.75 pounds, and is 10 percent thinner.

Unfortunately, it now costs $1199, which Apple described as its cheapest machine with a Retina Display. True, but that extra $200 bumps it up above the $1,000 threshold which is… noted.

MacBook Air has 17% smaller footprint and is 10% thinner and weighs 2.75 lbs #appleevent pic.twitter.com/kbNnBkpdtY

— Raymond Wong📱💾📼 (@raywongy) October 30, 2018

It has also souped up the Air’s guts, with an 8th Gen Intel dual-core CPU, plus faster memory and SSDs.

In the ports department, it has pared down. The Air comes with two Thunderbold USB-C ports on the left, and a 3.5mm headphone jack on the right. Sayonara, USB 3.

#AppleEvent

— Pete Pachal (@petepachal) October 30, 2018

Apple makes its 2018 MacBook Air with 100 percent recycled aluminum.

Image: screenshot: Rachel kraus/mashable/apple

youtube

Now, if Air users can adapt to life with lightning ports, and afford the extra $200 in a new laptop, the 2018 MacBook Air is looking pretty sweet.

The new Air comes in three finishes, including a rose gold. You can pre-order it today, and shipping starts next week.

WATCH: Dunking the iPhone XR in water, tea, beer, and of course … La Croix — Technically Speaking

Read more: https://mashable.com/article/apple-event-2018-macbook-air/

Source: https://hashtaghighways.com/2018/11/03/dunking-the-iphone-xr-in-water-tea-beer-and-of-course-la-croix-technically-speaking/

from Garko Media https://garkomedia1.wordpress.com/2018/11/03/dunking-the-iphone-xr-in-water-tea-beer-and-of-course-la-croix-technically-speaking/

0 notes

xoxokadyn-blog · 6 years

Text

Beyond BumbleBFF: How to Make Friends IRL

Let's ditch the term "socially awkward" and put ourselves out there!

It's that time of year. School starts soon, and we're all either looking forward to the change or terribly dreading it. I know that while I always looked forward to new books and classes, I always dreaded having to start over on relationships.

If you go to a large school like I did, new classes means new classmates, which means starting over on awkward first interactions, learning new names, and dreaded group projects. Not to mention new clubs, new roommates, and even new jobs and coworkers.

If any of these things makes you feel panicky, then this article is for you.

Like it or not, these kinds of social interactions are a necessary part of life, both in college and out of it, and learning how to cope is a valuable life skill to start developing now.

We've all become familiar with the arguments about how social media is ruining our abilities to interact with people face-to-face (the cool kids call it "IRL," or, "in real life"). While some of these claims may be slightly over-exaggerated, there is something to be said for how social media has changed the way we talk to people and make friends.

An example? Apps like BumbleBFF.

In case you haven't heard of it, BumbleBFF is the cousin of the popular dating app, Bumble. Instead of helping you find THE ONE, BumbleBFF helps you find your new BFF 5ever. Using a similar algorithm, it's basically just a dating app. But platonic.

And like dating apps, there is certainly nothing wrong with getting a little help from the internet to find people with similar interests to you, who might have good friend potential.

But it's not the only way to find and make friends, and as you will eventually leave college and have to adult the hard way, learning IRL people skills is a must.

This might be hard if you're one of the many people I know and love (myself included) who have historically labeled themselves as "socially awkward."

And I have worn this label for a long time, until it suddenly occurred to me, as I expertly handled small talk as good as any refined lady of elegance:

I am not socially awkward.

I am socially uncomfortable.

It's not that I can't handle social situations, or that I make them more awkward just by existing in them, I just think those things are true. I tend to feel very uncomfortable in social situations, even when they're going really well, because I'm stuck imagining that everyone else thinks I'm awkward.

Sound familiar? Then you too, can be freed from the label "socially awkward!" (You can keep the mug/t-shirt/Pinterest pins if you'd like, though)

Ahead, I'll share some tips I've learned about starting friendships and navigating social discomfort.

Friendships IRL: The Decision

Like the old adage says, the first step to making new friends is admitting that you need friends.

The first step is always the hardest, because admitting a lack of something (like meaningful relationships) feels like weakness. But nothing is ever going to change in your life if you don't change something about your life.

So once you know you want to meet new potential friends, you need to commit.

Sign up for clubs, take on odd jobs at your local/campus newspaper, talk to the people you sit next to in class, or ask a coworker to lunch or coffee. If one-on-one makes you nervous, put together a Happy Hour outing or a game night, and invite a bunch of people.

Find your tribe! Just put yourself out there.

It sounds easier than it is - believe me, I know - but the first step is always the hardest part. It gets easier from here.

Friendships IRL: The "Profile"

Okay, so you don't carry around lists of basic info about yourself and a photo of yourself in the best possible light and angle (though that would save so much time!). But there are still ways to make yourself stand out, and communicate who you are without the aid of a “profile.”

This outfit screams personality - yours can too!

One huge way you tell people who you are is through your clothing. College Fashion has plenty of posts on awesome outfits you can wear every day, on nights out, to the office, or even to subtly tell people your favorite flavor of La Croix if you're looking for inspiration.

Some people will say things like “Dress every day like today is the day you'll run away with the Doctor,” or less-nerdy people will say “Dress like you're going to see your ex today,” or “Dress like you're going to run into your nemesis today” (don't pretend you don't have a nemesis).

When I know I'm going to a social gathering with a lot of strangers, I dress with two questions in mind:

Is what I'm wearing reflective of who I am as a person?

If I saw me, dressed this way, would I want to get to know me?

I like to ask myself both questions, because while sweatpants and a ratty tank top would give a resounding yes to the first question, it probably wouldn't give a yes to the second question. A blazer, some jeans, and a Star Wars t-shirt, though, gives a yes to both questions: a perfect outfit!

While we don't get the chance to summarize basic life experiences before we meet people (though wouldn't that be great), we do get a chance to have that first profile pic moment with what we wear and how we present ourselves. And so does everyone else.

Next time you're at a social gathering, pay close attention to what people are wearing, what they're doing, and the kinds of things they say. They're trying to attract specific kinds of people, just like you are!

Which kinds of people are you interested in getting to know? You can copy elements of their look and presentation when you're getting ready next time.

Friendships IRL: The "Match"

This is the moment where you start talking to someone. If someone initiates a conversation with you, it means they liked your "profile" - in other words, you've made an impression on them.

Don't sell yourself short by convincing yourself that someone is just talking to you out of pity or just to be nice.

If you're one of the newly-dubbed socially uncomfortable, try to stop thinking about what other people are thinking about you, and just be present. Focus on the conversation, not your anxieties, and you should do just fine.

For the genuinely social awkward, or for people who are less experienced in social interactions, I have a few tips:

1. Eye contact.

Not constant eye contact, to be sure, but do it often enough to convey that you're a real person, who's confident, and not a secret spy from a country so secret it's not even on the map.

2. Smile

Definitely do this when you first meet the person, and when they tell you things about themselves. Half of being good in social interactions is making other people feel comfortable, so even if you're feeling anxious, smiling will make you seem loads more competent, because the other person will feel so much more comfortable.

3. Say their name

Like eye contact, there's a fine balance to be struck here - it is possible to have too much of a good thing. A good time to say someone's name is right after they introduce themselves, and you shake hands or wave - you can say, “It's nice to meet you, [Enter name here]”. Repeating their name makes them feel seen and important, and will help you remember it.

(Bonus points: Smile *as* you say their name. It'll make them feel extra warm and fuzzy inside.)

4. Ask a question

Some people are like Small Talk Judo Artists, who somehow manage to turn everything back to you, and how your life is just so interesting, even when you ask them direct questions about their lives.

Don't stress about these judo artists, they either are so good at the small talk that they can't even tell they're doing it, or they genuinely don't want to talk about themselves.

Most people don't practice small talk judo, and would love a reciprocal or contextual question. Easy ones are “How about you?”, “How do you know the host of this event?”, “What are you majoring in?” or “If you could be a fruit, which one would you be?”

A question I got recently that I loved was, “What's something you love to talk about?” This is a great question to ask someone you've been chatting to for a little bit, and you've already covered basic family history, education, and work.

This lets them tell you how to talk to them, which is basically a socially-uncomfortable-person's dream. If they say they love to talk about movies, get them talking about movies. If they love to talk about their cat, then prepare yourself for pictures. You'll either stumble upon a great conversation well beyond the realm of small talk, or you'll at least have made them feel like you really cared about their interests.

If there's one thing to remember in first meeting anyone, it's that the number one skill in handling social interactions like a refined lady of class is to make the other person feel comfortable, and feel that they're important to you.

Remember: you can't be awkward if no one thinks you're awkward.

Friendships IRL: The First "Date"

Asking a potential friend on a friend-date can sometimes be just as nerve-wracking as asking a romantic interest on an actual date. But it doesn't need to be.

I have a rule for myself. If I like someone, and I would like to go get coffee with them and be their friend, then I tell them so. I learned this trick from one of my bestest friends, Mandy, who informed me one day when we were hanging out with mutual friends that she had a "friend crush" on me and wanted to be my friend. Turns out I also wanted to be her friend.

And the rest is history.

Getting someone's phone number to "hang out some time," is a great start - just make sure to actually text or call them. If you tend to forget these things, leave yourself calendar reminders to text them later, or better yet, make plans right away.

I tend to get nervous about the actual hanging out, because lunches and coffees demand a little more than small talk. So if you're afraid of having nothing to talk about, or running out of ideas, a little preparation can go a long way.

Come up with ideas for things to ask them. It could be about their significant other, their job, their favorite color, what they think of friend dating apps...literally anything.

Feel free to write your ideas down, but you don't need to. Having just thought through your strategy for the almost-awkward silences will help you feel much calmer going into the hangout, and you won't be doing the work of thinking of ideas in the middle of the conversation.

When the conversation is over, and you'd like to hang out again, make sure you say so, and then follow through!

If you're not into it, though, no harm done. You can politely shrug off any attempts they make to reschedule ("I'm really busy, so I'll have to get back to you"), and try again with someone new.

The goal with making friends is to find someone you'll really connect with, or someone you're willing to commit to. If you're not feeling it, don't stay friends with them just for the sake of having someone.

Other Tips & Ideas

If going to clubs, parties, or work outings just isn't your thing but you want to develop your people skills, there are still options.

A good place to start is by becoming a "regular" somewhere.

Starbucks is a great place to become a regular

Whether that's a coffee shop, a local diner, or a pizza place, going to the same places over and over again will give you lots of practice talking to strangers, and developing relationships over time.

These relationships might stay surface-level forever, or they might become lifelong friendships - I've personally experienced both outcomes.

If you already have plenty of friends and aren't looking for new ones, but want to improve your social skills, force yourself to talk to people everywhere you go. When you go to the grocery store, go to a line with a real cashier instead of self-checkout, and start conversations with baristas and waiters.

Every single interaction you have with anyone is important, whether it's a just a smile or it's a deep and meaningful conversation. Relationships are what make us human, and developing those skills, without the help of online algorithms, is what will change your life, and maybe others' lives in the process.

It might not be easier, but it's certainly more satisfying.

What About You?

Have you tried BumbleBFF? Do you consider yourself socially awkward or uncomfortable? How have you met some of your best friends? What do you love to talk about?

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cyclinglegs · 8 years

Text

I’ve doe it, after years of thinking about it, and talking about it, I’ve finally bitten the bullet. I’ve signed up for a French cyclotour in June with local outfit Unique Cycling Tours

I don’t think I’ve quite gotten my head around it yet, but having the opportunity to ride some of the climbs we see on TV is mind blowing. How about these apples.

MONT VENTOUX

ALPE D’HUEZ

COL DU GLANDON

CROIX DE FER

TELEGRAPHE

GALIBIER.

http://www.uniquecyclingtours.com/provence-and-french-alps/

There’s still some available spots if you’re interested.

Indian Pacific Wheel Race

They got off to a flying start on Saturday morning over in Freo, and as I sit here on Tuesday evening, there are 10 riders already in South Australia. The front runner Kristof Allagaert is setting an incredible pace, having ridden 1,829km since Saturday morning. Thats something like 82 hours somewhere around the 22 km/hr, thats not even allowing for any stoppage. Incredible stuff.

One of brilliant features of this race is the use and spread of social media covering this race. The event organiser , Jesse Carlsson, who unfortunately had to withdraw from the race on Sunday, in partnership with some prominent players in Aistralia including Cycling Tips and Curve Cycling, have been huge supports of social media around this event. Some of the features include:

Rider tracking – you can sit at your phone and watch the riders track across Australia, live. I’m not sure of the accuracy, but the tracking shows the riders barely metres apart, all withing the “No-Drafting” rules of course, incing their way across Australia. You can see when they stop, where they stop, and who’s sleeping with who. Have a look here. Indian Pacific Wheel Race Map Progress

Status Updates – Regular updates and photos on the IPWR Facebook Site Facebook – IndianPacificWheelRace

Rider interviews – Regular spot interviews by IPWR on their Facebook site. This feature really brings to the fore the character of the riders, their humor, the trials and tribulations as the days slowly go by.

And then there’s this one from South Australian Davin Harding. His character and dry wit shine through.

Rider Facebook and Instagram sites. Riders are regularly posting either themselves when they get a chance or have a support team posting on their behalf.

James Raison

Mike Hall

Kristof Allegaert

Sarah Hammond

Jackie Bernardi

The rider social edia sites can be accessed through the rider profile on the tracking tool. Click on the rider name and the profile will pop up, giving sponsor names, social media addresses etc

Rider Sponsor Facebook and Instagram updates such as

Curve Cycling

Sportful

Rapha

Ben Rides

Apologise for the many I’ve missed.

It would be good to see mainstream media get behind these hard core athletes, the nation needs to see what these guys are doing.

And us, we should be doing everything we can to support the riders as they pass through our hometown, so track them as they come in and get out there and give them some moral support.

3 Peaks

Funny thing about the Peaks Challenge Falls Creek. After the months and months of training (remembering i only went for the weekend, i didn’t ride the bloody thing), planning, donuts, coffee and the like, the weekend went by so bloody quickly it almost feels as if it didn’t happen. But happen it did. Its an extraordinary weekend, a lads weekend away, but when you peel away the layers, its much much more. Each rider taking part has a books worth of stories in their personal struggles to get to the line, let alone ride it.

I mentioned a few posts back a gentlemen called Paul, a strong rider who last year was found bent over his bike with 2 km’s to go, suffering stroke like symptoms and unable to finish. Unfortunately, and fortunately at the same time, he recognised the same symptoms again and chose to withdraw from the ride. Sorry to hear this news Paul, but very glad you made the right decision.

I’ve been to Falls Creek 5 times now, helped with the training for each, and am happy to report that of the 25 attempts over these 5 years, attempts where the rider actually crossed the start line, we’ve had 25 completions. There were some doubts we would achieve that, particularly as there was doubt over JK’s hamstring, something he tore about 5 weeks out, something which curtailed an already compromised training program. Bugger us all, he did it. This guy has an unbelievable ability to push through the mental barriers and finish against the odds.

Sitting back as a casual observer for the 3rd time this year, I was ecstatic not only seeing each of the riders in our group cross the line, but standing down at the finish line the emotions etched across the faces of each and every rider crossing the line gave only a hint if what was going through their minds, but I felt an outsider walking through finishers on the other side of the line. The looks of euphoria, pain banished, exultation, relief, disbelief scrawled across the faces was something to behold. That was an extraordinarily hard ride to finish. I rode down to Anglers rest with a mate on the Saturday. I’d forgotten how painful that ride back up is. My mate was tackling it for the first time. He’s in awe of the 3peakers finishing that ride with 200km in their legs. Same here. Well done to all who completed.

On a finishing note, a couple of successes at both ends of the spectrum.

John C was a welcome blow-in to the group, a friends friend who had set himself a sub-9 target. JC had put the training in and was confident, but also very focused, quiet and a little withdrawn. JC rode a sub 9 ride and was understandably wrapped with the result. At dinner on Sunday night we almost couldn’t shut him up. Well done JC.

At the other end, Hack, who similarly came in as a friend of a friend last year but with an interrupted training regime last year, came in this year with with a few more laps under the belt, hit WTF approx before the cutoff time, beat the Trap Yard gate closure, but struggled across the top, ended up with flat batteries on his from light, and ended up getting the support of a motorcycled marshal who shone his headlights in front of Hack and another rider to help them cross the line, albeit after the 13 hour cutoff. Suffering hypothermia, Hack was taken to the medical centre for an hour or so before being released. He ended up crossing the apartments threshold to the supporting appreciative roar of our group, wide smile on his dial, pretty much summed up the weekend.

Well done all, it was a pleasure to spend the weekend with you.

A few pictures from my trip below.

Sagan has ridden La Classicissima 7 times now, with two seconds, and two fourths. Saturday was his 78th second place of his career. Imagine if just a few of those had been victories

Lakes Cycling Shoes – Lake MX 237

Before Christmas i bought a pair of Lake MTB 237 shoes, the old road shoes were falling apart, and to be honest, I was looking at buying some cx/mt shoes for my gravel road riding, and the occasional possible cross race (tbc), and the thought of buying 2 pairs of shoes wasn’t sitting well. I wanted some decent shoes, but didn’t want to spend a bucket load on 2 pairs.

After much deliberation, i decided to buy the one pair, a good pair, and not really worrying about riding road with mountain bike shoes. Yes they are a little heavier, but hey, I’m 50+ years old, so a few extra grams at the bottom end of town wont hurt that much. On the upside, i dont have to worry about slipping over on those bloody slippery cleats whilst walking back to the table with a cuppa in each hand.

So, i bis pretty much the same as the CX 237 road shoe, but comes in a MTB package. Carbon sole, full leather upper and double boa fastening system. My first in all 3 categories.

Apart from the looks, the feature that grabbed me initially was their reputation for being wider than usual, and trying them on certainly didn’t disappoint.

The Boa fastening system provided comfortable but firm tightening across the top of the foot which steps up the control of the tightening that you just don’t quite get with my old ratchet and velcro fasteners.

Out on the road, it took a while to get used t the new fit. The first three to four 4 hour+ rides had me finishing up with a numbing left foot. I couldn’t quite figure it out, and it got a little disturbing for a while there, but the numbing on the longer rides eventually disappeared.

Those longer rides were during some of the hotter days, and invariably I’d turn up at home soaked in sweat and salt encrusted kit. Taking the shoes off after these sweat fests would show black staining from the black leather. A little bit disturbing, however not permanent, the stains came out in the wash and after a while, the staining stopped happening.

Once the numbing stopped, I came to admire the shoes, they are nice and stiff when i needed them to be, but super comfortable due to their width, inside fit and the nice smooooooth supple leather. They now fit like a pair of old gloves, i hardly notice them any more, which can only be a good thing. It’s probably not surprising that I didn’t notice them at all when riding up the back of falls/WTF a few weekends back.

The upshot is that I found them well suited to flat and hilly rides either on the road and gravel. I haven’t tried them in a cx race yet, but i haven’t found any reason why they wouldnt suit. The carbon sole gives these shoes excellent power transfer characteristics, with a stiff feeling under even the hardest out-of-the-saddle pedaling efforts like WTF, whilst still maintaining a good amount of flex when off the bike walking around holding onto those coffees.

The rubber MTB sole is strong and looks like it will take a lot of punishment, providing plenty of clearance for those trail riding days.

All up, I would highly recommend you have a close look at the Lake shoes next time you are looking at replacing or upgrading. I’m glad i spent the little extra on some decent shoes, and also happy i chose the MTB sole, although I’m sure there would be many roadies out there that would be frowning on my choice, but hey, I just enjoy being out in the great outdoors.

Oh, I bought these shoes at the Bike Bug in Stepney, what is rapidly becoming one of my favourite lbs’s. https://www.bikebug.com/index.php

Milan San Remo

A classic finish to this years Milan San Remo with Peter Sagan showing that he’s was the strongest rider of the day, jumping out with around a km to go, but Michal Kwiatkowski showed on the day he was a little smarter than Peter Sagan.

A brilliant finish right down to the line.

In his seventh attempt at La Classicissima, Sagan has finished second twice, and fourth twice. Sagan’s race statistics show he has ridden 558 races, won 92 races and finished on the podium 204 times. Saturday was his 78th second place of his career.

Rider of the Week – Lorne McLurg

Thats Lorne, bottom left

Lorne is a first generation Australian of Irish parents. Eldest of three children, he was born in 1971 and raised in Adelaide. He has lived and worked interstate and overseas for a few years before returning to settle down. He is married, with 3 primary school aged kids. Lorne completed an Arts degree in Geography, that never got any serious use other than in games of Trivial Pursuit.

Now, he jointly owns a Project Management Consulting business, Moto Projects, focused on larger commercial, retail and high rise residential construction projects.

Lornes first career beyond trivial pursuit was as an outdoor adventure guide, but realized the lifestyle, although fit, fun and challenging, had its limitations…mostly fiscal. He gave that away as a full time professional endeavor after 7 years and phased across into a second career as a full-time project manager.

Lorne has been riding bikes for as long as he can remember. He was one of the founding members of the FRA PowerOn team in early 2003 and has been riding ‘pretty’ consistently 2-4 times a week with the mob since then.

I can’t see myself ever stopping riding for any reason other than obviously, life and death ones! Not known for my hill climbing capability, but more so for my love of descending…. the real reason for why we climb the hills in the first place!!

How long have you been cycling?

About 44 years…. Got a trike when I was about 2 then my first real bike…a yellow dragster…when I was about 5. Not stopped riding since then.

Was a BMX bandit in the late 70’s & 80’s, as a founding member (with my siblings) of the Tea Tree Gully BMX club, raced every week from the age of 10 til about 16.

Tea Tree Gully BMX Facebook site

I discovered road bikes when I was 14 for fitness and commuting to school, then Uni and work. Got into Mountain biking after a trip to the USA in 1992 and a chance to ride the famous Slick Rock trail amongst others around Moab and the Colorado Rockies.

I got back into regular Road biking when I moved home to Adelaide in 1996 and have been riding around the beaches and hills 2-4 times a week since then.

What got you started in cycling?

Father Christmas and from there the love of the wind in my face and the freedom to cover distance and see beautiful places under my own steam and at my own pace

How many bikes do you own and what is your main go to bike?

3, a new Canyon Ultimate SLX 9.0 purchased in Feb 2017 is the go to at the moment. I have a Specialized SWorks Tarmac SL4 currently having some carbon repairs done on it and a Specialized Crave SL 29er MTB (Single Speed) that is my go to for rides with the kids and when the weather is crap.

What bike do you covet?

I’ve been lucky enough recently to build up the bike of my dreams. The Canyon with SRAM Etap, Zipp 303 NSW’s, Garmin Edge 820 is about as good as it gets I think.

How do you store your bikes?

Mostly in the house. The MTB lives in the shed with the wife and kids bikes and the roadies live in the house where I can get at them easily for the early morning before work rides!

Do you do all your own maintenance or do you use a LBS? If so, which one?

I do most of my own simple stuff, but when time is limited or it’s a bit trickier then Anthony Mezzini at Elbows Akimbo or Pete at BMC are my go to gurus.

What cycling specific tools do you have in your “bike shed”?

I’ve accumulated lots of little gadgets over the years. My favorites currently are my ParkTools torque driver and ParkTools workstand.

What is your favourite piece of cycling kit or accessory?

My Garmin 820. Love how it uploads straight to Strava and does live segments to help keep me honest….and my new bright blue Shimano Sphyre RC9 shoes.

What do you love about cycling?

The camaraderie of cycling with my bunch. Politically incorrect banter and the gentle push to ride more and faster, that comes with riding with a bunch of mates… that and the beer! Ride Bikes, Drink Beer, PowerOn being one of our motto’s

What annoys most about cycling?

Idiot riders who don’t show simple understanding and respect to other road users, who antagonize drivers, chase fame through social media and thus give all cyclists a bad name. It shouldn’t be that hard to ‘treat others as you want them to treat you’

Other than yourself, who is your favourite cyclist?

Peter Sagan…he’s the all-round cyclist.

If you could have dinner with 3 people in the cycling world, who would they be and why?

With a biased agenda, because I have a strong and independent daughter who I want to see having access to equal and sustainable opportunity and income – Rochelle Gilmore to discuss the challenges and opportunities in Women’s cycling and strategize how to raise it to par with the men’s league, Rob Arnold to further the discussion on how to raise women’s cycling to par with the men’s league on the basis that it’s all in the media power to do so, and Nick Green to discuss the role Australia’s peak body needs to play in developing and supporting cycling and in particular Women’s Cycling.

Where would you take them to eat?

Chianti Classico – Can’t go past a good feed of Rabbit

What are your craziest/fondest cycling memories?

Riding the burbs for hours on end with my BMX bandit mates, jumping and skidding our way down the streets and through the parks and creek reserves, getting muddy, scraped and bruised, every weekend and loving it!

Have you had any nasty crashes? If so how did the worst occur and what was the consequence?

Had my fair share. Too many to remember them all. Used to average one car hit a month when I was a bike commuter in London in the mid 90’s. Most recent nasty was being hit from behind at the finish line of a Vets Crit, by some numpty who had their head down sprinting for 20th. I hit the pavement at about 45Kph and busted 3 ribs and punctured a lung. Put me off the bike for 6 weeks.

What is your favourite post ride coffee/tea spot, and what would you normally buy as a treat?

Cibo King William Road – Been going there since it opened. Grande Flat White being my usual. Sometimes accompanied by a piece of Banana Bread….not that my gut needs it!

Do you have a favourite overseas country in mind you’d love to take your bike to?

Would love to take the Roadie and MTB back to France. Did a lot of snowboarding, rock-climbing and mountaineering there, but didn’t have the space to take the bike so would love to go back just to ride. Such awesome terrain to adventure in and the descents…breathtaking for someone like me who loves going down.

What is your favourite local training route?

Windy point to Belair, then up through the National Park via Saddle Hill Rd and on up to Crafers and back into town via the old freeway. A perfect 1.5 hr outing for me and can be done before work and herding children begins in the morning.

What is the biggest cycling lie you have told a partner?

Probably the same one’s we all try to get away with…I’ve had that ‘new piece of kit’ for ages!

What cycling related thing would you like for your next birthday?

More dope socks as I need to keep on top of my games in that department.

Is there a local cycling outfit/company/cycling club/cycling group/person that you would like to plug?

Elbows Akimbo. Anthony is a very thorough bike fitter and mechanic and generously supports our team.

Do yourself a favour and get a bike fit from him. Amazing how it can help your comfort and power

From a non-cycling perspective, what do you love about Adelaide?

I love the small city / big Country town environment. Its something we need to learn to celebrate and not condemn. Having lived and visited many cities around the world, I know we have it good here. Naysayers should try living the same lifestyle they enjoy here in Europe or Asia…unless you have a few $Mill a year in income, you’ll be very sadly disappointed.

What is your go to place when interstaters come to Adelaide?

I think the go to ride for visitors to Adelaide has to be Old freeway, over Lofty, across through Uraidla to Deviation Rd, back along Loby Rd to Basket Range, Ashton then across to Marble Hill and down Montacute and back to the city for Coffee in Vardon Place.

Is there anything else you feel like talking about?

I think I’ll have bored everyone enough by now!

Not all all Lorne, a pleasure to hear from you, love the early day BMX bandit storys, although I can’t quite get the image of you with Nicole Kidman style hair out of my head.

Till next time

tight spokes

iPib

Race Across Australia – IPWR I've doe it, after years of thinking about it, and talking about it, I've finally bitten the bullet.

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