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theswiftarmy · 3 years

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#32 – THE QUADRAPHONIC FOUR (And The Lish Lish Wishlist)

No artist lives in a vacuum. Every artist is influenced by every possible work of art they have ever encountered. If the art you take, is equal to the art you make, one must be careful which art they consume, every book you've ever read, movie you've ever watched, song you've ever heard, painting you've stared at, every Broadway play you’ve ever sat through, that art could be the art of war, or perhaps, nothing more than art for art's sake. But that’s the thing, you just never know what’s at stake.

If we’re all under the influence of influencers, who’s influencing the influencers?

The best way to describe what happened after Lizzo’s flute song collided with that sweet Swiftie sound is that moment on a dance floor when one song ends and another begins. The shuffle of a playlist controlling the dancefloor, two songs adjacent to one another, but the changeover wasn’t smooth, it didn’t flow, it didn’t sync with the tempo. Ask anyone who was there, they’ll agree. Someone hit the skip button mid-song on a shuffled playlist. It completely interrupted the entire dancefloor right in the middle of the groove. And… well, here we are…

The interior of the Westin Bonaventure stood brightly lit. Day time. Business as usual, so it seemed. Guests coming and going. According to several very vague signs some sort of big important conference was on the verge of taking place. A bag guy bellhop walked by Billie Eilish pushing some bags on a cart. ‘I’m the baaaaaaaaag guy.’ He sang out.

“Uh.” Billie Eilish wasn’t sure what else to say. “What just happened?”

The group stood facing one lone standing Swifite. The large group of Swifites were nowhere to be seen. Just one, single Swiftie remained from the gaggle of Swifties that had just chased them down the street and cornered them on the walkway above South Figueroa Street.

“Not so tough without your friends, are you?” Kymmie smiled at the one remaining cardigan. He wore it as though it were a size or two too big, a hand-me-down of some sort.

The Swiftie backed up slightly. He lifted his hands to form a heart shape.

The group looked to one another then back to the lone Swifite, a heart shaped Flavor Flav Bluetooth speaker locket hanging on his neck. The Swiftie lowered his hands. His eyes narrowed. Ready for attack. A couple walked by, touristy looking, they gawked for a moment then continued on their way.

The lone Swiftie stepped back again now just inches from being completely backed against a wall. “Looks like the tables have turned!” Stan stepped forward. The Swiftie touched a few buttons and knobs on his Bluetooth locket and the sweet sounds of Taylor Swift blared back. He lifted his hands again in a heart shape.

Stan wobbled slightly and fell back a few steps.

The Swiftie stepped forward holding his hands out again in the shape of Lover hands. The fingers forming the top of a heart and then thumbs forming the bottom. He directed it directly at Stan’s heart. Stan’s eyes grew soft, complacent, relaxed… ‘Prepare to be Swifted!’ The lone Swiftie thought with glee. ‘PREPARE TO BE SWIFTED!!!’ He grinned.

Oak Felder reached for his headphones holstered on his belt. He hovered his hand just over the headphones and wiggled his fingers in the air inches away from the holster… ready for action. He narrowed his eyes and focused on the Swiftie—the Swiftie narrowed his eyes and focused his attention back to Oak. Oak pulled the headphones out like a gunslinger in an old western movie and powered them up. The others nodded at him and reached for their over ear noise canceling headphones unfastening them from their holsters and powering them up—that is, everyone but Stan, since he didn’t have a pair of Oak Felder’s special headphones, modified with a Swiftie sound silencer. The bag guy from before whistled The Good, the Bad and the Ugly theme song off in the distance. They should have been wearing Swiftie silencers earlier but sometimes you get caught up in the moment. Maybe they would regret it later on, and maybe nothing would come of it. One never knows with these types of things.

Just then a sound like batteries dying, or an old school tape deck winding down could be heard from the High-Fi Swiftified Flavor Flav fashion accessory.

Stan shook his head with closed eyes then opened them again. Shake it off, shake it off. “Whoa. Weird. I felt like something was just trying to take over my thoughts!” He stopped speaking for a moment, “Cool. Do it again! I want more! DO THAT AGAIN!!!” Stan reached out for the Bluetooth heart shaped locket, ravenous, like he was mad for it. Like he couldn’t stop himself. “I WANT MORE!” The Swiftie guarded the locket as Stan clawed at the air around it.

“No. Don’t do that again.” Carl Lyle Lawyer, Kymmie’s dad and legal advisor advised against it as he stepped in front of Stan and the rest of the group. They pulled Stan back, holding on to him, keeping him from nearly ripping the Flavor Flav locket off of the Swiftie’s neck.

“Stan!” Kanye yelled over to him, Stan turned around to face Kanye West. Kanye snapped his fingers three times and Stan snapped out of a spell. The scene was like a hypnotist waking someone up after hypnosis.

“Whoa. Ye… thanks.” Stan moved like he had just been reunited with his body again after having some sort of out of body experience.

Kanye nodded at his stan. “I got ya man. Stay woke… Stay woke.”

The Swiftie began banging on the Bluetooth heart shaped speaker locket in a panic to get it operational again. The device was dead. ‘THEY MUST BE SWIFTED!’ He repeated in his head. He pulled out his phone and fumbled with the device encased in a cool new Taylor Swift phone case. Bluetooth connection lost. The phone was also dead, or at least not allowing him to do whatever he was trying to do with it. Presumably resume Taylor Swift playback though the internal built-in phone speaker. The Swiftie looked up eyes full of panic, his heart pounding, hands trembling, as he realized he had been disarmed somehow, he stepped a few feet back until he was completely back against the wall. “Where are all my Swiftie friends! They were right here with me and then there was a flash of light and now they’re all gone! What’s going on!? WHO ARE YOU!?!?” The Swiftie demanded to know of Lizzo and the rest of the group, just moments ago, the veloci-swiftie-raptors had been ready to Swiftify.

No one replied. They had no answer for the Swiftie. How else do you explain time skipping, a scene transition without any link between the two. The DJ suddenly spinning down one tune mid song and spinning up another. Switching from one DJ deck to another without any sort of transition that made sense. It was the equivalent to a party guest going over to the playlist, picking up the Bluetooth connected phone or tablet or laptop and deciding to pick a new song, and everyone at the party turns to that person and screams, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!!! DON’T CHANGE THE SONG!!!” And the person screams back, “THIS NEW SONG IS WAY BETTER!” Party Playlist ADHD. Too many hands skipping and shuffling and controlling the music at the party. That’s exactly what it had been like.

Will had his secret keys in hand and ready to let them into The Westin Bonaventure to escape the Swiftie chaos in the streets when Lizzo began to play her pied piper flute tune. It had been night, and it was now inexplicably the middle of the day. How do you go from Swifties in the streets to hotel check-in’s and complimentary eats? Carl looked over at a large buffet setup in the lobby, it seemed quite lavish. A large table full of fancy eats and treats. And bottled water with a sign that read “Drink water.”

“We don’t entirely know.” Carl responded to him matter-of-factly.

The Lonestar Swiftie tossed a loose lock of his relatively neatly kept jet black hair to one side. “Yeah well, you’d all be Swifties if it weren’t for HER!” The Swiftie pointed to Lizzo. Who was in the process of trying to tuck the flute back into her tiny purse.

“Go IN the purse!” She mumbled to herself trying to figure out a way to jam the flute back inside the purse.

“I don’t think you’re going to get it back in there…” Kymmie pointed at the flute, “That flute is like ten times the size of that purse. I don’t understand how it even fit in there in the first place.”

“Oh I’ll make it fit, I just need to move some things around.” She peered into purse and then shook it up and down, then reach a finger in appearing to nudge things aside. The sound of the contents rattling around was obnoxiously loud for such a teeny tiny itsy-bitsy handbag. Like the sound of pots and pans banging loudly after being dropped to a ceramic kitchen floor. Everyone covered their ears with their hands. “Sorry.” Lizzo apologized. Finally, she slid the flute in with ease and it disappeared from sight. “There it goes.”

The group clapped like a magician performing the final act of a show. Lizzo took a bow.

“Oh no! NO!!! NO NO NO!!!!” The lone Swiftie suddenly screamed out.

A few people in the lobby standing around the lavishly long table filled with food turned their heads, then went back to business as usual.

“What?” Kymmie asked the Swiftie peering around her dad.

“My cardigan ripped!” He replied inspecting a tear in his cardigan.

“That’s the worst. Well, you can always get a new one. Right?”

“No. I mean, it’s just not the same. Taylor gave me this one herself. My sister is one of her backup singers… well, she was one of her backup singers. This was supposed to be for my older sister. She was going to wear it on tour. But Taylor gave it to me instead.”

“What happened? Did they have like a falling out?” Kymmie inquired.

“She died.”

“Oh.” Kymmie said after a moment of silence, then she stepped closer. “I’m soooo sorry.”

“I’ll never stop being a Swiftie! I love Taylor SO MUCH! Taylor was EVERYTHING to my sister. My sister loved Taylor and her music more than anything in this world. She was her backup singer on tour and she was supposed to be on tour with her for the Lover tour. They were best of friends. Taylor gave her the opportunity to live out her dream… at least… before she got sick….” The Swiftie trailed off and looked away. He poked a finger through the tear in the cardigan.

He inspected the tear, his sister wouldn’t be upset, she’d tell him it was just ‘personalized’ now. He missed her so much. So. Damn. Much. She was everything to him. His older sister had been there for him his whole life, her dream was his dream. He remembered her singing songs to him when he was younger. He remembered her singing early Taylor, classic Taylor… it’s those songs, those early songs the first six albums that reminded him of his sister. When he heard those songs his sister came back to life. Through Taylor Swift, his sister could live forever. As long as he had her songs, those old songs, the same songs his sister knew, loved, and sang to him, sang to the world… she would live forever. All those years of practicing. When she auditioned to be Taylor’s backup singer. When she got the part. All of it intertwined, time on rewind. As long as he had those old songs… he had her. If anything were to happen to those songs, he’d lose his sister all over again. And it would be for good.

“Cancer sucks.” He wiped a single tear from his eye. He looked up at the others then looked back down to the tear in the cardigan… it seemed like a giant hole. A hole in the cardigan just like the hole in his heart. “And now I can’t even listen to Taylor’s old music.” He wiped another tear away, holding up his broken phone.

Kymmie wanted to give him a hug. She thought of an idea and pulled out her phone. “Well, my phone’s broken too.” She hesitated. “See…” She held up the phone and tapped the screen. “So, we both have something broken…” Kymmie stopped talking. She knew it wasn’t a close comparison in the least.

Stan abruptly stepped forward, pushing everyone out of the way, “What did you do to my friend!” Stan pointed a finger at the lone Swiftie.

“Stan!” Kymmie rebuked

“Oh, so you’re taking his side.” Stan moved his gaze to Kymmie but keeping his finger pointed at the Swiftie.

“I’m not taking anyone’s side.” She looked at the Swiftie then to Stan, “ I’m looking at the facts and making decisions based on what I see. It’s called empathy.” She replied back in a lawyerly voice. Her father smiled and nodded, that’s my girl he thought. “Oh my gosh, I’m turning into my dad.” She blurted out.

“Empathy. Then what about my friend! Dan was my best friend! I want to know what happened to him. Where is he now? So, you don’t care about my feelings or care what happened to my friend?” Stan looked Kymmie square in the eyes.

“Awwwww, they’re having their first fight.”

“Billie! We’re not fighting, we’re just—” Kymmie and Stan continued to glare at one another for a long moment. “—we’re just having a disagreement.” Kymmie turned to the Swiftie. “Where’s his friend? Where’s Stan’s friend?”

The Lonestar Han Solo Swiftie shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t know where his friend is. He’s probably with the rest of my friends, with the rest of the Swifties. But… I don’t know.” Stan sized up the Swiftie, like he was ready to start a fight. Kymmie stepped forward in front of Stan. The Swiftie would have been stylishly dressed if he didn’t look like he’d been dragged through the fabric of time and space unwillingly. His shoes were hip, pants not square and a cardigan with a tiny tear in the cloth. He kind of looked like Elvis—A teenage Elvis—At least the few photos she’d seen of Elvis, anyway. And, yes, she did actually know who Elvis was. “You look like Elvis.” She said to him. “But you’ve got slightly longer hair in the front, I like it though.” She was trying to make conversation, defuse the situation between the Swiftie and Stan.

“I’ve been told that.”

“I think he looks a little more like Draco Malfoy but with an Elvis haircut.” Stan added, contemptuously, still angry that he had no answers about what happened to his friend.

“That would make sense, Swiftie is Slytherin.” Justin said and looked at Kanye. Kanye nodded. Kanye looked at his stan Stan. Stan nodded back.

“Swiftie is not Slytherin!” The Lonestar Swiftie shouted back.

“I mean, it is a little. Right Scotty?” Justin looked at Scotty too hottie B Borchetta and he too nodded back.

“But, would that make you Lord Voldemort?” Carl Lyle Lawyer, legal advisor to Scotty B asked Scott. “Because you discovered Taylor.”

“In this example? Well, one might say that if he’s Draco Malfoy, then wouldn’t that make Taylor Lord Voldemort?”

“TAYLOR IS NOT VOLDEMORT!!!! YOU ARE!” The Swiftie screamed back. “TAYLOR IS THE MAN! TAYLOR IS MY HERO! TAYOR IS THE HERO! TAYLOR IS ALWAYS THE HERO! TAYLOR IS EVERYONE’S HEROINE. SHE IS WONDER WOMAN!”

“Okay, okay. Everyone just chill. Soo… ummm… how old are you?” Kymmie asked changing the conversation trying again to diffuse things.

“Well, since I don’t really know you, I’m not going to say my actual age. But, I’m a teenager.”

“Me too!” Kymmie said with a smile. “And Stan here is too.” Stan waved back, deciding that impressing Kymmie was more important than the whereabouts of his friend Dan. “I do that all the time, especially if I want someone to think I’m cooler than I really am and need to be younger or older than I really am. I just say I’m between the ages of 13 and 17.” Kymmie looked at her dad, “Why did I just say that in front of my dad.”

“We’ll discuss what you just said later.” He said in a very serious lawyery voice. “I didn’t raise my daughter to be untruthful.”

“It’s not that I’m being untruthful, I’m just not disclosing the full truth.”

Her dad didn’t reply. He simply crossed his arms in front of his chest.

“Ooooooooooooooooo…” Everyone murmured. “Someone’s in trouble.” Billie Eilish whispered to Justin Bieber. He smirked slightly.

An awkward moment of silence ensued.

“So…. what’s your name?” Stan asked breaking the silence. Trying to impress Kymmie by following her earlier lead. The things we do when we start to like someone. Kymmie smiled at him. He kind of looked like a youthful Kanye, a young Kanye when Kanye worked at The Gap in the 90s.

“My name’s Sashy. Well, Sasha, but friends call me Sashy. I can get a little sassy. Sashy the sassy Swiftie.”

“Are you, umm? Do you, uh… like… You know…” Stan narrowed his eyes slightly. “Like, you’re a dude, but your name is sassy Sashy. It just seems a little…”

“Are you trying to ask if I’m gay? Is that what you’re trying to ask?” The Swiftie replied sassily.

“Stan!” Kymmie yelled.

“Well…” Stan shifted his stance his tall teen frame bobbling around. “Kinda, yeah.” Impressing Kymmie was turning out to be more difficult than expected. It’s okay, just keep your head in the game don’t let a small setback get in the way, he thought to himself.

“I’m pansexual, actually, I don’t love by gender.” The Swiftie replied confidently.

“See, I like that. That’s really cool. That’s just really beautiful.” Kymmie tilted her head slightly and stepped one foot towards Sashy.

Stan moved his eyes between Kymmie and Sashy. He could feel a hint of jealousy hitting him. “Yeah, that’s cool. I… uh… I think that’s cool too!” He said in a tone vying for Kymmie’s affection but trying to stay chill. “Sorry Sashy, I didn’t mean to offend you or anything, I was just asking.” He looked back at Kymmie for her approval. She seemed peeved. He looked over at Kanye tried to mentally convey his thoughts to him ‘Kymmie is so hard to figure out, like I’m trying really hard but I say the wrong thing’. Kanye mentally thought back at his stan ‘tell me about it, I know exactly what you’re talking about, I’ve got Kim problems of my own’. Stan thought back to his idol, ‘you just get me, ye, this is why I stan you so hardcore.’ Kanye replied again with his mind, ‘of course I get it, Stan, I get it. You’re my favorite fan.’

Billie Eilish leaned over to whisper to Justin Bieber standing beside her “Great, now she’s going to have to choose between two boys, like in Twilight. “

“You read Twilight?”

“Finneas and I watched the movies. You?”

“I audio booked it while I was at the gym.” Justin made a flexing muscle motion.

“Nice.” Billie rocked her head back and forth in agreement as though she were standing in the crowd at a My Chemical Romance concert… no that’d be way too intense… more like watching The Smiths, or some sort of Brit pop indie shoegaze band.

“Okay well, it’s nice to meet you Sashy, my name is Kymmie… Kymmie Lawyer. Kymmie is spelled with an ie at the end and a y after the K. Okay? And this is Stan.”

Sashy The Sassy Swiftie made an unsure half smile that lasted for a brief moment. Stan smiled at the sound of Kymmie mentioning his name. He felt some sort of strange new feeling he’d never felt before. Like, he just wanted to be around her, all the time. He could hear Ye in his thoughts, ‘play it cool, play it cool.’

“I don’t mean to interrupt miss Katniss Everdeen Chatness and her little lover triangle between Peta Mellark and Gale Hawthorne but I’m going to head over to the front desk and see if I can find out what day it is since we seem to be back in some sort of world that resembles normalcy—” She pointed to the hustle and bustle of the interior atrium of the hotel lobby. Life appeared to be as normal as could be at the moment inside the walls of the Westin Bonaventure Hotel. Things were certainly vastly different from what they had just experienced in the previous street like a scene from the Westside Story. “—at least, I think we’re back, something still feels… off—Like the world’s a little blurry.”

“Wait.” Kymmie shouted as Billie started to walk away. “We should introduce everyone to our new friend!”

Billie made an annoyed face. These stans! She thought. “I’m Billie Eilish, okay gotta go!”

“No! You have to wait until everyone has been introduced.”

Billie rolled her eyes. “Okay. Fine.”

Kymmie smiled. “So, I’m Kymmie Lawyer, and that’s my dad Carl Lyle Lawyer. He does Lawyery things for that guy, Scott Borchetta, who discovered Taylor Swift—”

“I love Taylor! I stan her so much. I stan Taylor!”

“Yes, Sashy, we know. Of course, you do. You’re a Swiftie. We went over this already. Anyway, my dad also works for like some guy named Scooter I don’t know, and he works for some guy who likes the ocean, or water, his name is The Whale, or Mr. Whale, or something along those lines.”

The Switie looked confused for a moment and then tried to pretend like he was following along.

“I stan Taylor!!!” Sashy repeated, just to make sure it was clear.

“Yes, Sashy, you said that. You said that like a million times already. Taylor reminds you of your big sister, I understand. You miss your sister.” Kymmie smiled compassionately at the nodding Swiftie, then continued her introductions, “Okay, and that’s Lizzo, and Kanye West.” They waved back. “And that’s Oak Felder, he’s Ariana Grandes music producer. Well, Ariana works with a lot of people, but he’s one of her favs. And that’s his sidekick Pop Wansel.”

“Sidekick?” Pop was going to object but decided he was okay with that. “Sidekick, eh? Yeah, alright.”

“And that’s Justin Bieber.” Justin gave a thumbs up.

“And this is Stan, he’s Kanye’s biggest fan. And I’m Ariana Grande’s stan and biggest fan. And then there’s this mystery guy who helped us to escape the Tunnel of Sound.”

“I still think it was The Wall of Sound.” Billie corrected.

“Whatever…” Kymmie waved her away. “Anyway, Will Way has these magic keys…” She looked around trying to find Will. “Wait… where’d Will go? He’s gone!” Kymmie blurted out to the group.

“Yeah! Where’s WILL? That dude was cool.” Stan craned his neck in every direction.

“Wait…” Kymmie pointed to something on the floor by Sashy’s feet. “Aren’t those the keys he had?”

Sashy swiftly scooped up the keys and held them up. They sparkled in the light, every color of the rainbow represented, one color for each key, the translucent material reflecting light in every direction—a rainbow disco ball. He held them out to Kymmie.

“How about you hang on to those until we find Will and then you can give them back to him.”

Sasha smiled and then he hooked them on to his broken Flavor Flav locket speaker. “They’ll be right here.” He was still upset about his torn treasured Taylor cardigan, but felt proud to be responsible for these cool looking keys. Kymmie was going to make it her new mission to befriend this Swiftie. Not only did he lose his older sister, but he lost all his Swiftie friends. And who knows, perhaps in time, she might be able to convince him to join team Ariana Grande. Baby steps.

Just then a young lady darted across the hotel lobby yelling out to them. Her blonde pigtails bobbed. Her roots died green to match Billie’s iconic look.

“LISH LISH!!! CAN I HAVE YOUR AUTOGRAPH?!?! LISH LISH!!!!! I STAN YOU SO MUCH!!!!! I LOVE YOU LISHY!”

“Incoming.” Scott said to the group.

The excited young one nearly ran right into Billie Eilish. “LISH LISH!!!!” She held out a pen and paper and a sticker covered small notebook. Billie’s face was plastered across the front.

“Are you calling me Lish Lish?” Billie asked. The girl nodded so fast her head looked like it would fall off. The pigtails flailed about. She smiled and blinked. “That’s not my name.” Billie replied.

“LISHY!!!! Listen, I’m your number one fan, I’m your stan!!!!”

“Lishy? Okay… um… That’s not my name either. You can have an autograph, but… just call me Billie. I don’t go by Lish Lish, or Lishy.”

“Thanks Lish!” She held out the autograph journal.

Billie made an Aubrey Plaza look with her eyes, let out a sigh, then took the autograph book from her stan and signed her name on a blank page in the journal.

“Who do I make it out to?”

“Jillie Jean.”

“Your name is Jillie Jean?”

“Jillian Jean. But I go by Jillie Jean, friends call me Mean Jillie Jean because sometimes I can be mean. Or my full nicky is Mean Green Jillie Jean Bean because I get jealous and mean and I like Jellybeans. Also green is my favorite color. Like the color of your hair… and also my hair, I dyed it just like yours! Seeeeeee.” She pointed to the green part of her hair. “We match!”

“Riiiiiiiight.” Billie signed the book and handed it back to her along with the pen.

“So what’s going on? What are we doing? Where are we going?” Jillie asked, excitedly.

“Ummm… we’re not doing anything. Where are your parents? You’re a small child of some sort.”

“Eh, they’re around here somewhere, they said I could go anywhere that didn’t require a drivers license.”

“How old are you?”

“I’m older than I look. I’m a teenager.”

“US TOO!!!” Kymmie, Stan, and Sashy yelled out. “We’re trying to be influencers.” Kymmie said and pointed at Stan and herself.

“ME TOO!” Jillie and Sashy yelled at the same time.

“NO WAY!!!!” All four of the teens yelled at the same time.

“Great. This is exactly what I wanted to do with my day.” Scott Borchetta said in an exasperated voice, a Professor Severus Snape voice, complete contrast to the excited aspiring teen influencer stans with the energy of a million suns.

“Does anyone else suddenly feel really old right now?” Justin said to the non-teens. Kanye, Lizzo, Oak, Pop, Scott, and Carl all nodded back.

Billie shrugged. “Not really.”

“Oh, don’t worry, one day… you’ll get it.” Carl said with a smile. “No one can stay young forever.”

“THIS IS SO AMAZING!!! I get to hang out with other teenagers who are also aspiring to be influencers and of course, my idol, Billie, LISH LISH!”

“Whoa… hang out? No no no… and don’t Lish Lish me. I already said that’s not my name. My name is—”

“LISHY!!!!!”

“I gave you an autograph.”

Jillie stared blankly.

“That means you go back to wherever you were before.”

Jillie stared blankly more. She blinked a few times. “Lishy lish!”

“Wow. You are incredibly annoying. And also very persistent. I’m not getting rid of you am I?”

“We’re a team! Billie and Jillie! Lishy house for life!” She did a little dance.

“ARIANATORS!” Kymmie joined in.

“YE!” Stan also began to dance. Kanye nodded approvingly.

“SWIFTIE HOUSE!!!!” Sashy joined the dance party.

The four teen wanabe influencers began to dance together in an imaginary dance party in the middle of the Westin Bonaventure hotel lobby, like a mini-Coachella were taking place and only the teens could hear the music.

Carl and Scott sighed as they watched the four teen stans dance. “I feel like I’m chaperoning a high school dance at Hogwarts, but instead of houses, they’re stanning pop music icons.” Carl said to Oak Felder and Pop Wansel. They made a face like dads agreeing from the sideline of their kid’s sporting event.

“This is great.” Scott added, sarcastically, implying that it was in fact, anything but great. “It’s like I’m stuck in detention with the brat pack of aspiring social media influencers. We’re gonna have to save the world with a bunch of Tik Toking teens.”

“SAVE THE WORLD!!!! YES! THAT SOUNDS AWESOME!!! Wait, we need like a name for us…” Jillie proclaimed. “If we’re gonna save the world, we need a name.”

“Oohhhhhh… I LOVE THAT!” Kymmie beamed.

“SO COOL! Yes!” Stan also smiled… mostly at Kymmie but also at the others, but mostly at Kymmie. And then he kind of tried to stand cool, like Ye had said in his head, stand cool, superhero cool.

Sashy danced on his own with the group, but also apart from the group. He appeared to be doing some dance no one had ever seen before… it must be some kind of secret Swiftie dance that Taylor made up and posted to Tik Tok and only her Swifties could see and learn the dance. It was probably part of some sort of worldwide Swiftie dance that allowed them to speak to one another in Swiftie dance code lingo.

We can dance if we want to,

We can leave your friends behind

'Cause your friends don't dance

And if they don't dance

Well, they're no friends of mine

It's the Swiftie dance

Well, it's the Swiftie dance

Oh, it's the Swiftie dance

“Well there’s 4 of you, how about the Quadraphonic Four.” Billie suggested. “Although, that’s kind of redundant since Quadra—”

“Ooooo, LISH… that’s delish! I don’t know what a quadraphonic is, but it sounds amaaaaaaaze.”

“Can I trade my stan?” Billie asked. “That’s a serious question.”

“TRADE?!?!?! Noooooooo. You’re stuck with me Lishy!”

“She’s sooooo annoying. Why is my stan so annoying?” Billie complained. “How come I got the annoying one? This isn’t fair.”

“They’re all annoying. That’s what stans are. Better than strangies. Just be glad you don’t have strangies following you.” A passerby-er said back to her in a low voice. Billie turned around to see someone walking quickly away. What’s a strangie? She couldn’t quite tell who it was, the silhouette looked a little like Brendon Urie… but, maybe not… the person was already too far away and just his outline was visible. He walked quickly by a peculiar sign that read “THE CINAMATOGRAPHER’S ANOMALY DISCOVERY EMERGENCY MEETING REGISTRATION: RED CAMERA, ARRI, PANAVISION & EQUIVILENT” he then walked by another printed sign “SCREENWRITER’S ANOMALY DISCOVERY EMERGENCY MEETING REGISTRATION: FINAL DRAFT, CELTX, WRITERDUET, TRELBY & EQUIVILENT” Finally the man walked by a third printed sign, “AUDIO ENGINEER’S ANOMALY DISCOVERY EMERGENCY MEETING REGISTRATION: PRO-TOOLS, CUBASE, LOGIC, ABLETON, FL STUDIO & EQUIVILENT” and a fourth one “EDITORS ANOMALY DISCOVERY MEETING REGISTRATION: AVID, PREMIERE, FINAL CUT, DAVINCI RESOLVE & EQUIVILENT”

Anomaly discovery… emergency meeting? She thought, as he walked by a sign at the very far end, “FOLEY ART FINDING”. None of it made any sense. There were other signs designating various meeting signups: COLOR CORRECTION FADE FINDING, DIRECTORS DEBREIFING DISCUSSION GROUP, ACTORS DEBRIEFING DISCUSSION GROUP, CREATIVE CLOUD STORMS, NEGATIVE+ SERVICES INFORMATION SESSION

Negative+? What is all this for? What is all this? There’s something going on, but WHAT? If only Finneas were here… She needed to find Finneas. He’d be able to make since of all of this madness.

She turned her attention back from the labeled conference sign-up tables to the stans, Billie pointed at Justin. “How come you don’t have one? Can you take her? Please?” Billie pleaded in his direction then turned to Jillie, “How do you feel about being Justin’s stan? Justin is REALLY cool, he’s REALLY cool. And his music is AWESOME. Jillie… you don’t want to pass up this opportunity. I mean, it’s JUSTIN BIEBER!”

Justin and Jillie both simultaneously shrugged back and replied, “Nah, I’m good.”

“Jinx!” Jillie shouted out.

“What?” Justin asked.

“I just jinxed you. You said the same thing I said at the same time. That means you can’t talk until I say you can talk.”

Justin leaned in and whispered to Billie, “Billie… a definite pass on this one.”

“I said no talking! You’re Jinxed.”

“Well, fortunately for me, I can only be Jinxed by my Beliebers. So unless you want to become a belieber, you can’t Jinx me.”

“Well, that’s not gonna happen. I’m with Lishy.” She stared down Justin. “Okay fine. But I’m going to double check the rules to make sure that’s true.” Jillie Jean opened her notebook and made a note to check cross stan Jinxing. She wrote it in all caps, CHECK RULES ON CROSS STAN JINXING.

“I’m redirecting your Jinx to Billie.” Justin said to Jillie.

“Can’t do that. Can’t redirect your Jinx to me.” Billie shook her head no at Justin.

“Jillie, check your rulebook on that.” Justin replied trying not to laugh.

“I don’t think you can redirect a Jinx.” Jillie was dead serious and deep in thought.

Billie and Justin made Parks and Rec Aubrey Plaza/April Ludgate eyes at one another.

“Lizzo! Please… Just take her. Do that little magic flute thing you did earlier and lure her over!”

“Oh, I… uh, I lost the flute.” Lizzo pretended to check a watch she didn’t have. “And, I um, have to be somewhere soon.”

“No you didn’t and no you don’t. You PUT THE FLUTE BACK IN YOUR PURSE! We all saw you put it back in your purse. And then we gave you a standing ovation, and you bowed. Although, we were already standing when we started clapping, so I don’t know if it technically counts as a standing ovation.”

“Well… I have a lot of stuff in there, it would take me a while to find it again.”

Billie rolled her eyes.

Jillie began to sing, “I don’t want anybody else, when I think about you I—”

“Okaaaaay! That’s enough of that song. How about if you don’t sing the rest of that song, you can be my stan. Okay Jillie? I feel like the rest of those lyrics to that song aren’t appropriate for someone your age to be singing. I’m trying to be the responsible role model here.”

“LISHY!!!!!!!!! Listen, Lishy. It’s me and you baby! I’ll be the best stan you’ve ever had. I won’t let you down! I promise.”

“Seriously. One last chance… anyone want to trade?” Billie asked.

“Lish, don’t be ridiculish.” Jillie smiled at her idol.

“Okay that was kind of funny, I’ll give you that… You’re still annoying though. I mean you’re funny, but you’re annoying.”

“I’ll take it!” Jillie grinned. She opened her autograph book. “Okay, so now that I got your autograph, I can cross that off my Lish Lish Wishlist.”

“Your what?”

“My Lish Lish Wishlist! It’s all things you! Like, get your autograph, which I just did, interview you on my influencer socials, go on a road trip together—”

“That’ll never happen.”

“We’ll get there, Lishy. Anyway, some of the other things on my list include…”

It was then that Billie noticed The Whale, she tuned out her stan, Jillie, as she yammered on about all the items on her Lish Lish Wishlist. He was standing on the other side of the lobby talking to someone, standing near one of the registration tables for the ‘Anomaly Discovery Emergency Meeting’. He seemed almost like he was selling something to them. He was very animated, his hands waving about in an excited manner, and every so often he would point to the signs. His guest’s eyes would fill with wonder. There’s definitely something going on. The Whale is up to something. He’s behind all of this. Taylor’s warning about The Whale echoed inside Billie’s thoughts. She flashed back to the meeting in his office not far away from where they currently were in downtown LA. She recalled what Taylor and Taylor’s attorney Sara with her Siri like voice had said about The Whale and what his intentions were. She recalled the fabled celebrity suicide notebook/journal currently being held for safekeeping from the world presumably by Emma Watson—hidden within her own journal collection—and how The Whale and his friends had a trick up their sleeve to leverage Emma’s own secrets against her by pulling off a Mean Girls/Regina George movie ending using Emma’s journals to expose her Hogwarts Burn Book, if it existed at all. If it didn’t exist then Emma had nothing to sweat about. But if it did… she’d have no choice but to go along with The Whale, despite what Taylor and Halsey and Taylor’s attorney Sara told her earlier. If she wrote personal things about Tom Felton and her other co-stars, and it were published, who knows what outcome that may lead to, and there’s no way Emma wanted that on her conscious. And if Emma made a Hollywood Burn Book of everyone she’s ever been in a movie with, that would be even more useful to The Whale. It’s possible Emma handed the notebook of celebrity suicide notes to someone else. If she wanted out, if she wanted out of Hollywood for good, could she even get out? Would The Whales of Hollywood let her? Just trade in her fame? Just like that? Emma Watson becomes Emma the person without the Hollywood image. Take off her fame, like a dress she no longer wants to wear—Fame as a fashion accessory that one can simply remove at the end of the day and discard as they please. Would it be as easy as handing the secret celebrity suicides journal off to someone else? Perhaps. But who? Who would she know and trust who also journals? They would have to journal in order to hide the devilish book amongst their own journals. Who else could hide that book, stashed between journals? Who else would be able to hold such a notebook and never be so curious as to peek at it even once? That is, after all, what The Whale is after. The Whale had one agenda and that’s leverage because leverage, leads to control.

You see, The Whale wanted something big… and perhaps, it’s to control this massive fragmentation occurring before our very eye, perhaps not. No one can deny the winds of change are upon us. New Streaming+ services galore popping up almost every day and influencer generated content on every corner. Any kid with a computer and enough knowhow would create the next number one viral music sensation and disrupt the charts. The old-world entertainment aristocracy on the verge of crumbling. Like Steven Spielberg warned, Hollywood was headed for an implosion, and The Whales of Hollywood knew it. Maybe the bankrolling days were numbered. Or, maybe the art itself just didn’t want to be part and parcel in this profiteering game any longer, it wanted to break free, Art For Art’s Sake l'art pour l'art. For all anyone knew these Tik Tok teens really were superheroes saving the art world one video at a time. The Whale and his entertainment business cronies had everything to lose. When you universally control an entire group of music or movies and a new generation threatens to pull that rug out from under you, what else can you do? The biggest threat to a Hollywood whale is an artist that can still make new content and make it on their own terms. Afterall Michael Jackson won’t be rerecording his music catalog any time soon. Billie Jean will live on indefinitely. Art that lives on seemingly forever is the name of the game. Old movies, old TV shows, Just like books and paintings from the past. But new content is a wildcard in this “Classic Art” pawn shop world of wheel and deal. I’ll trade you this “Classic Taylor” music, an old catalog of “Vintage Swift” for this brand-new mystery gift, let’s make a deal, you know it’s a steal! The Whale and his leverage, his fabled suicide note journal, melancholy mixed with infinite sadness, minor key melody, and of course, his trusts. His grip on Hollywood, the man no one knew even existed, ruled it all in plain sight from an unmarked office building in downtown Los Angeles. The man and his associates trying to fight off that inevitable Spielberg implosion of Hollywood, rolling bigger and bigger dice until finally, they pay the final price. But if The Whale can get his way those dice can roll forever, and that implosion will never come. The Whale song will sing on and we all sing along.

“What?” Jillie watched as Billie’s face went pale like a ghost. “What’s wrong?”

“The Whale…” She said in a low whisper to her stan Jillie, not taking her eyes off of The Whale. She glanced quickly over at the others then back to The Whale. Carl wore a poker face while he watched The Whale. The rest of them hadn’t noticed his presence inside the hotel, at least as far as Billie could tell no one else had noticed. There was no telling what Carl was thinking. She didn’t trust him, even though Kymmie was cool, but that’s because Kymmie most likely had no idea what line of work her dad was really in. He’s a Hollywood entertainment lawyer, an intellectual property specialist and he worked directly for The Whale, one of the most dangerous men in the business. But maybe even Carl didn’t know what Taylor knew, maybe he was just doing his job, he did have a daughter to provide for after all, and she seemed to have a habit of breaking her phones, and those things aren’t cheap! But something told Billie he knew way more than he was letting on.

“The Whale?” Jillie Jean craned her neck looking around. “Oh, him? The old guy over there?” Billie slowly shook her head yes. “My parents and I were talking to him earlier. He said if I ever made it big to contact him.” Jillie continued.

Billie leaned in closer to Jillie. “Jillie, listen to me, don’t ever talk to him again, ever again. He’s a VERY dangerous man.”

She furrowed her brow. “I don’t know Lish, he seemed nice. What’s so wrong with him?” She asked innocently.

“Just don’t, okay? Just… trust me. He’s not what he seems.”

“Really?” Jillie looked over at him again then back to Billie. She looked down at her autograph book then back up to Billie. “He said he’s here for the same conference my parents are here for about some new finding… my parents are here specifically for something called Foley Art or something. Some Foley Art ‘finding’, I don’t know, really, that’s what I know from what I overheard between him and my parents. My parents received some notification about it a while back. I looked it up, Foley Art is the art of making sound effects for movies… apparently all the big movie directors are going to show up too, it’s all part of some big conference. Something about a pattern. To quote my dad, ‘it’s happening across all the creative mediums…’”

“A pattern? And the pattern has to do with the finding?”

“Yeah, I don’t know… To be honest, Lish, I wasn’t paying attention. They started to discuss it in the other room and I was just like, I’m gonna put on some Lishy Lish while I do my homesworks”

“Your homesworks?” Billie asked, completely confused.

“That’s what I call homework.”

“Why not just call it homework?”

“Because Lish, no one wants to watch me do homework on livestream. But if I call it homesworks, they tune in! They tune in like a TON!”

Billie put her hands on her hips and looked down at her stan, “Wait a minute, you’re telling me that you livestream yourself doing homework and no one watches it, but you changed the name to homesworks, even though it’s still just homework, and people watch your livestream?”

“Uh, yeah. I mean, I listen to your music while I do my homesworks, also I’ve got 8 different camera angles that I switch between too, and I dazzle them with effects. The other night I had over 7500 viewers! I even had the chat box open and everything! They were asking ME questions, I wasn’t asking them, in case you were wondering if I was cheating on my homesworks.”

“I wasn’t. Wait, hold on, you play my music while you livestream?”

“Of course. Always. I was listening to your music for like the 7000th time.”

“Are you paying royalties on my music use—"

“Lish, I don’t know how any of that works, all I know is people like homesworks. And if people like it, I’m gonna keep doing it. And if they think I’m royalty, great.”

“Royalties, not royalty—you know what, never mind. I’m pretty sure they’re just tuning in to listen to MY music.”

“Yeah, okay Lish, I’m sure they are, if it makes you feel better, you keep telling yourself that. Enough about my homesworks, I’ll send you the link next time I’m homesworksing. B-Lish, let’s get back on subject. Anyway, I heard Spielberg is supposed to be here! Which really sucks because I wanted to get a selfie and post it to my socials but now my phone is broken. It just says SMPTE error, I tried to take the SIM card out and put it back in but it’s not that. Anyway, The Whale gave me his business card and everything, it’s got a funny picture of a whale on it, see!” She pulled the card from her pocket and held it out for Billie to see.

Billie looked at the business card in Jillie’s hand. “Can I see that?”

“LISH! For you, anything.”

“Thanks…” She took the card and inspected it. ‘The Whale’ was printed in fancy font and along with it a cute drawing of a cartoonified whale, a Disney looking whale, but vintage looking, like something Disney would have drawn in the olden days before the name Disney was anything to anyone. The card had additional peculiar properties, it contained optical illusions. If you tilted the card one way and back another, the cartoon whale appeared to move back and forth. You could also see bits of text change to form a sentence that could only be read as you tilted the card to reveal each word. The card contained no phone number or identifying information, no street address, simply a QR code. Or rather a series of codes depending on which way you held the card. The QR code changed as you tilted the card, an infinite number of possible QR codes, again, depending on which way you held the card when you scanned it. It seemed like something you’d find in a 1980s cereal box as a prize with a secret message. The sentence read, “You can trust me.”

Jillie pointed to the QR code beside the cartoonified Whale. “I tried to scan the QR code with my phone, Lish, no dice. He gave me his card right after this SMPTE error appeared. Or maybe it happened when he gave me the card. I know I used my phone just before my parents started chatting with him, I was live on all the socials showing off that crazy food table over there, not as many viewers as homesworks, but not bad. My parents told me not to post anything online about this conference, but, whatever, like I’m NOT going to post stuff online. Parents, am I right?”

“Listen, Jillie, that man is not what he seems. He’s a very bad man, okay? Just remember that. He works at a bank his name is Banksy, but not THAT Banksy, not the one that makes art, he’s a money guy… but they don’t talk about money. I know, you’re gonna say what kind of bank doesn’t talk about money?”

“That’s easy, Lishy. A blood bank!”

“Ohhhh, funny. Funny. Hey, Jillie Bean, you’re not so bad.”

“And you wanted to trade me!” Jillie tossed her hands up in the air.

“That was before we… we bonded.” She said not really paying attention to her stan but inspecting the business card more. She turned it over and tilted it slowly back and forth to reveal an animation of a stream that appeared to flow out of the QR box… flowing down the stream were musical notes. She handed the card back to Jillie. And whispered to her. “Don’t tell anyone what I said to you about The Whale. That guy over there works for him.” She pointed at Carl Lyle Lawyer/Kymmie Lawyer’s dad/Legal advisor to those fighting Taylor to keep her old masters from her.

“Lish, listen, I stan you so much right now.” Jillie Jean beamed back at her. Then lowered her voice so that Carl and Scott and Justin and the others couldn’t tell what she was saying, “I won’t say a word. I trust you. If you say The Whale is smelly fish in a pail, I believe you.”

“Jillie…”

“Billie…” She smiled and blinked.

“Listen…”

“Lish… I’m listening.” She smiled wider.

Billie smiled ever so slightly for just a moment, then attempted to conceal it. She shot a quixotic look at her stan, then thought for a moment, “You said that your parents were talking to The Whale about how there’s a bunch of movie directors showing up for a conference and about Foley Art?”

“Yeah.”

“Did he say what it’s about?” Billie motioned to Oak Felder and he walked over to stand near her. “Like, any other details about the ‘Foley Art Finding’ that you mentioned earlier, or… anything else at all?”

“Nope. I just know there’s more, that’s just the part of the conference my parents had an interest in more than anything else. Something about sound effects in movies and old samples. I don’t know. Did you know, that in Harry Potter the sound of Buck Beak is actually some sound from like a million years ago. It’s like that in a ton of movies… old sounds. Like Indiana Jones, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Whale said he plans to get a meeting with Spielberg about something, discuss business proposals related to the finding, apparently, they used old bird sounds from Cornell University along with something called Movietone and blah blah blah… I don’t know, I wasn’t paying attention.” She returned her voice to normal volume, “They lost me at Cornell, I plan to attend Brown University so what do I care about Cornell.”

Billie looked to Oak. Oak looked back, thinking what Billie was thinking. Australian Crosswalk sound, the sound map. There’s more to it, to the mysterious subsonic frequencies. The adaptive sounds they saw on his computer screen.

“Brown? ME TOO!” Sashy yelled.

“Cooooooool. OMG if we both get in, you wanna be study buddies?” Jillie screamed at Sashy.

“Deal!” Sashy screamed back.

“Brown?” Kymmie stated flatly. “I’ve got my heart set on UCLA. That’s where my dad went.”

“I’m not going to college. I’m gonna be a college dropout.” Stan added.

“You have to go to college to be a dropout.” Sashy said sassily.

“No you are NOT going to be a dropout!” Kanye said to his stan. “You’re going to college and you’re going to graduate.”

“Okay fine. I want to go to UCLA then.”

“You just want to go because she wants to go there.” Justin pointed at Kymmie.

“No, whatever… I was thinking about going there anyway.” Stan said defensively. Kymmie smiled slightly at Stan then looked away.

Why the interest in Spielberg, Billie thought for a moment turning her attention away from the stans bickering about which colleges they wanted to attend. Why would The Whale want a meeting with Spielberg? Then, it suddenly clicked… Sasha, might have the journal. Not Sasha the Swiftie stan… Sasha Spielberg. She went to Brown with Emma Watson… didn’t she? Billie remembered it being mentioned in conversation at some party after a show she played a couple of years ago. And they’re both into journaling. I bet Emma’s backup plan is to hand it off to Sasha. The Whale is trying to get an in, he’s trying to cover his bases. He’s manipulating, calculating, trying to stay one step ahead. It’s all tables turned… one would think most people might want to befriend Sasha Spielberg to get an “in” with her dad… Steven himself… and here The Whale is befriending her dad to try and get an “in” with Sasha. He knows Emma Watson wants out of Hollywood and he’s trying to stay one step ahead of her Hollywood exit strategy, her plan to escape—escape the constant control over her life, the constant worry that The Strangies will come crawling through her bedroom window in the middle of the night. But just like Princess Sheikha Latifa, why does Emma Watson even need an escape plan in the first place? Why does anyone need an exit plan from unhappiness? Maybe The Whale needed Emma to stay in Hollywood, just like Princess Latifa isn’t free to simply go her own way… but why? How exactly did everything piece together? Billie wasn’t sure and what shew knew was mostly based on scrolling through sites and reading random stuff on the internet on her phone when she couldn’t sleep at night, like we all do, or staring at the bedroom window expecting The Strangies to press their face against the glass. The things you read right before you drift off to sleep, and then when you wake you think, maybe I didn’t really read that? Or maybe what I read wasn’t real? Maybe she had it all wrong, and maybe not. Perhaps, Jillie Jean might prove useful in all of this after all. Jillie jean is not just another fan, another stan, Jillie Jean might be a useful one.

Billie waved Kymmie aside and broke back into the conversation between the two potential future roomies, provided they were both accepted at Brown University.

“Who are your parents? Are they in the conference?” She asked her stan really seriously, Billie seriously.

“Eh, they’re in the movie industry. They do, like, important stuff… It’s not important—”

“Listen, Jillie… I need to know as much as you can tell me… ”

Jillie thought for a moment, “I just know they got some invite and got all excited. I’ll be honest, I don’t really know exactly what it is they do, I just know it’s important, like, really important, they meet with a lot of big time behind the scenes industry people—Listen, Lish, I didn’t come over here to talk about my parents, or that creepy old man and the sea, I came here to hang out with you. I’m not trying to be my parents, I’m trying to be me. I’m trying to make my own way in this world, so who cares who my parents are. Yes, they’re kind of a big deal, but I want to do things on my own without their help. Okay Lish?”

Billie looked at The Whale once more. “Okay. You can hang out with me. It’s totally cool, and we can even work on that Lish Lish Wishlist of yours.” Billie didn’t want to think of it as using her stan so much as protecting her stan. She kind of felt obligated to make sure she didn’t end up going down a devilish path, as annoying as she was, she actually liked her—

“LISHY! I knew you’d come around.” Jillie Jean made a high-pitched squealing noise.

—Well… maybe. Maybe Billie liked her number one stan. Billie Eilish smiled at the wannabe mini-me version of her. “Alright, Mini-Lish, just stick with me.” Billie joked.

Jillie stepped back, “Don’t call me Mini-Lish.” Jillie said in a mean green jelly bean voice.

“Whoa. What? Why not?” Billie replied, caught off guard, “Well, that’s kind of a double STAN-dard. Don’t you think? Eh, eh??”

“Ohhhhhh. Lish, you’re funny. I call you Lish, you call me Jillie… But don’t call me Mini-Lish. Don’t ever call me Mini-Lish, ever.”

These stans are out of control, am I right? I take back my thought about liking my stan… maybe.

@taylorswift

#writers #original writing #fanfic #fantasy #taylor swift #taylor swizzle #cardigan #stan #ya #creative writing #sashy #lishlish #billie eilish

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jj-lynn21 · 4 years

Text

You will remember things that we never said ch 1

Starring college rocker Axel Cluney

Music by Dolly Trauma: Morla , LIGHT BULB

Character idea Billofourtime

Detrimental behavior courtesy of my college years lol

photo by @hiddlelecki

Warnings: aloofness, vulgar language/behavior, complete lyrics to songs

ch 2 ch 3 ch 4 ch 5 ch 6 ch 7

Stephanie Westin had aspiration of becoming a great writer. She wasn’t sure a University degree in anything would help her. According to her family and friends that was the only place to go next. So, she applied to major in creative writing and minor in art. She was able to get a scholarship that paid for her courses, books and even included a meal stipend. She planned to work hard. Take the maximum load of courses each semester and be done in two years, maybe three at the most.

Axel Cluney never had anything handed to him. He worked his ass off from the time he could find a job outside of the house. He washed dishes in restaurants, mowed lawns and painted houses but when his Dad’s buddy, Derick, let him work in his tattoo parlor he had found his calling. That’s how Derick would put it anyway. Axel just liked the job didn’t get in the way of his other creative outlet, His band Zeigeist.

It was Derick who encouraged Axel strongly to get a degree in business with a minor in art so he could take over the tattoo parlor when Derick retired. Axel reluctantly agreed. Derick had practically raised him when his Dad ditched town a few years after his Mother passed away. Axel was fourteen and just wanted to quit school to go look for his Dad who never treated him very well anyway. Derick convinced Axel not to quit. He encouraged him to do better than Axel ever thought he could. He was a better Dad to him than his Dad ever was, which Axel never told him.

The first week of classes. Neither Stephanie nor Axel knew where anything was located. When they finally found room twelve in the creative art’s building, they almost bumped right into each other reaching the door at the same time from opposite sides. They looked at each other a second. Stephanie smiled. Axel just had a blank look on his face as he opened the door and let her go through first.

She sat up front in her fitted blue jeans and red V-neck long-sleeved t-shirt. He sat in the back in his long sleeve black turtleneck and dark denim jeans. She still noticed the tattoos on his hands and fingers. Also, how his green eyes seemed to make her nervous. Axel noticed how her wavy blonde hair fell to the opening of her shirt revealing the tops of her ample breasts. He licked his lips absentmindedly.

Come Thursday evening Stephanie already felt overwhelmed with schoolwork. The syllabuses she received from each class had reading assignments and project deadlines for the whole semester. But since she had the work in front of her she thought she would just get it all done in a few days or maybe weeks other than the tests she would have to wait for instructors to give her. She shared a dorm room with Bella. She only had seen her briefly at the beginning of the week.

“We are going to be great friends,” Bella hugged Stephanie tight when they first met. “We will have great adventures. Working towards a goal is great but you have to live life girl.”

Stephanie laughed at Bella uncomfortably. Stephanie likes her privacy bubble and studying towards her goals just fine. There would be time to “live life” later.

Bella opened Stephanie’s bedroom door when she got to their dorm room, “Come on and get ready Steph. Its Thursday night. You have all weekend to study. You need to go see my friends band play at Hide & Seek. We can walk so we can stumble back drunk if need be.” She laughed.

Stephanie looked at her like she was speaking a foreign language. “I’m fine. I just started organizing my studying, so I get the most done in the least amount of time. I have an art project due in a week. I need to do a portrait of someone interesting. So…”

“I will find you lots of interesting people.” Bella said. “It will be like your studying to find that perfect portrait specimen. You go this one time and if you don’t enjoy yourself, I will never ask you to come party with me again.”

Stephanie looks at her new roommate exasperated, “alright, I’ll go. What kind of music does your friends band play?”

“My friend, Rick, is in a metal band called Dark Breed.” Bella brushed her long ebony hair.

Stephanie took her hair down from the bun she always wore when studying. Then brushed it out adding a bit of shine oil to bring her waves back to life. Both girls touched up their makeup in the mirror.

“You are so easy to share the mirror with Steph.” She touched up her mascara. “Your so short I can see right over you.”

“Thanks,” Stephanie put some light pink natural looking lip stain on your lips. She wasn’t sure if what Bella said was really a complement, but she tried to look past short girl jokes she has been hearing all her life.

It’s a great evening for a walk. The air is crisp with fall smells as Stephanie and Bella walk to the club. Bella goes on and on about the club she is taking Stephanie to and how the people just welcome everyone that aren’t critical of others. As soon as they walk in Stephanie hears the buzz of amps being setup. Some drummer practicing beating down hard on his set. And a guitar being tuned. She doesn’t even glance towards the stage as she paid five dollars and Bella pulls her over to introduce her to her friend that plays bass.

Stephanie heard some guitar, bass and drums form a song. Then a familiar voice starts to sing.

“Stick around. Talk to him. I would kill for love. I would kill for love. Stick around, for what you miss. He will spread you love, spread you…”

Stephanie looks up hearing the beautiful vocal backed up by a heavier sound. It’s the guy that opened the door for her Monday. He is covered in elaborate tattoos. His voice easily grabs Stephanie as everyone else around her continue to talk.

“Don’t believe in us from then. I will kill for love. Kill for love. Who are you now turning me down, turning me down, as long as you can cum we can fuck all night, as long as you cum we can fuck…”

Bella finally notices Stephanie’s infatuation with the sound. She smirks as she stands behind her with her hands-on Stephanie’s shoulder. “I told you, you would like it here.”

Stephanie said in a voice not quite comprehending her surroundings, “Yeah.”

“That’s Zeitgeist.” Bella said. “The singer is Axel. He’s hot, right?”

“He’s in one of my classes.” Stephanie said.

The song continues to play. “as long as you can cum we can fuck…they all want your legs, they all want your legs facing the moon…But do they cum into you…”

The crowd in front of the stage is moving to the music. The next song they perform starts off slow enough. But a mosh pit starts to circle. Rick and his guy friends stand in front of Stephanie and Bella so they can enjoy the music without having to be involved in the malay.

Axel starts in a soft voice, “Muscle was your man, and through your self-arising plan, you took this kindness that I showed in places special to their core, and shoved me out of your promising timeline, after give me those good signs, stranger tell me why you picked my brain to ask just where you might find…” The song starts to crescendo. The mosh pit starts to bounce off each other. “Come again my snow-white shroud, I will take your hand and you will say…” Axel’s voice gets gravely and deep as the pit starts bang into each other roughly and the music increases intensity. “My first seven days, my first breath of pain, you self-loathing bitch, your cut with need no stitch…” The music intensifies on as Axel bang his head holding the mic away. The pit goes nuts until the music slows again for another bridge of the song before Axel ends it with a howling scream while the people in the pit go nuts.

It’s the most amazing experience Stephanie ever felt at a concert and she had been going to concerts from right before she was born. Her Dad is a hippie rocker that took her to see Led Zepplin and Pink Floyd. Her mom is more into main-stream nineteen-seventies music taking her to see Captain and Tennille in which they let her sit and pet their dog on stage when she was a baby while they sang Muskrat love. And her name was already in a song that played on the radio because her mom and dad knew the singer. Her mom sat at the piano while the singer wrote the song and asked about her daughter. And that’s how her name got in the song.

Axel jumps off stage as his band cleans up their equipment. Some guy screams, “Hey Axel, sounds like you need some Pussy.”

Axel screams back at the guy, “Its not quantity. Its quality. And your girl is fucking finger licking good.” He licks his middle and index finger before flipping the guy off. Then he turns seeing Stephanie a few feet away. He freezes like a deer in headlights.

Bella said, “Hey Axel, I guess you have seen Steph around but not been really introduced.”

Axel gains his composure. Stares with a hard ass look on his face and just nods. He leans over Stephanie to whisper something in Rick’s ear. He crosses his arms when he stands back up straight. Glance at Stephanie a second. Looks back at Rick, “Well?”

“Yeah, we can start with that, Axel.” Rick said. “Just tell your lead.”

Axel jumps back on the stage and whispers something to his lead guitar player before disappearing into the restroom. Rick takes his leave from Stephanie and Bella to get ready to play. Bella heads to the front of the stage. Stephanie is right beside her. A few husky guys get between them and the ever growing mosh pit. Axel’s band’s guitar player is on stage with Dark breed. So, there is two guitar players, bass, and drums as the lead singer for Dark Breed, Mick, takes the stage.

“We’re going to do something special for you tonight.” He said. “We only performed this with Axel & Todd one other time. Maybe some of you saw that performance. It’s called Light Bulb.”

The crowd goes crazy as Axel steps out on the stage again. “Fuck you Axel,” Stephanie heard someone say. Axel flipped them off. He paces the stage as he prepared. Mick paced the opposite way. They both look like caged tigers ready to devour the crowd if let off the stage. There is silence in the room as the music begins.

Mick starts low just saying, “suffocate” in the back ground as Axel starts to sing, “Insatiable you pay again, for nothing for nothing, spongin the blood without defense, for nothing, for nothing, and all of this is on your knees, for nothing, for nothing, pulling the sheets over her feet, for nothing, for nothing.”

Mick whispers into his mic, “anguish, alone. suffocate”

Axel continues, “Your saving her, eight times a day, for nothing, for nothing, and when your late you must explain, for nothing, for nothing, you suffocate, you suffocate, for nothing, for nothing…On your own time, such a long time, It’s alright, broken ones enjoy those chains, And don’t fight, nothing ever gets away…”

Stephanie finds herself getting emotional over the melodic song. Bella sees her and stands behind Stephanie holding her. They sway as the song continues.

Axel sings, “Don’t say the word love. I remember you when you were alone, and you seemed as happy then. It’s alright, broken ones enjoy those chains, And, don’t fight, nothing ever gets away…from here…”

“From here,” growls Mick in the background.

Axel and Mick sing, “I don’t think I need this, just go away. And I’m sure I need this. Won’t you please stay…”

#rocker axel #axel cluney #alternative rock #metal #punk #fiction #fantasy #college life #au axel #original story #bill skarsgard #bill skarsgård edit #bill skarsgård smut #bill skarsgard art

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olet8pokers-blog · 4 years

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The Online Texas Hold'em Rigged Dispute - Disclosing Both Sides

Just like any conflict, disagreement or dispute, there are constantly 2 sides of the story. In this subject we will certainly expose both sides of the on-line casino poker rigged debate, as well as allow you choose the truth.

Online Casino Poker Is Set Up

Browsing online forums, chatboards and also casino poker sites themselves, one can constantly find plenty of players claiming that online casino poker is rigged. Yet few of these posters have the ability to give actual concrete proof that on-line texas hold'em is rigged. Responses such as 'rigtards' or 'you play terribly' come from opponents of the debate, yet they likewise fall short to provide proof.

The actual evidence is not so much in the fact of whether the websites are dealt with, the actual proof remains in the way in which poker sites deal and shuffle, thereby creating online poker hands that appear to be beyond the statistical norm in contrast to live casino poker.

First allow us analyze the ways in which all poker rooms deal and also shuffle their cards. Given that it is a computerized game, as well as lacks genuine human intervention in the evasion as well as dealing, they should make use of a software program to do the job of an online poker supplier. That software is frequently described as a random number generator (RNG).

Currently the majority of people will certainly approve the reality that a RNG is really a reasonable as well as truthfully arbitrary method to deal and also shuffle a deck of cards,. However, the reality is that a RNG does not have the capability to genuinely be random. Randomness, necessarily, is the lack of any kind of such order, simply put, if I were to ask you to provide me 20 different alphanumeric symbols for a password, you might easily develop a RANDOM series (such as 45tsk3uyeasa9j2udt1), and that password would clearly and also truly be an arbitrary number as there is clearly no ORDER in the method you picked it. (Your mind merely rattled off 20 arbitrary numbers and also letters).

On the other hand, if I use a software application, such as a hardware arbitrary number generator entropy source (a preferred way sites 'offer and also shuffle' decks) to create the 20 character password, it WILL have some order to it as a computer program is limited in its capability to absolutely select an arbitrary sequence. Although casino poker websites will assert that their software application is highly unpredictable as well as no person or program could genuinely crack casino poker, the truth remains the RNG is NOT and also can NOT, by any type of clinical meaning, be arbitrary.

Furthermore, in an effort to prevent any individual from fracturing the RNG and also gaining an unjust benefit, every texas hold'em site makes use of added texas hold'em algorithms with the particular style of protecting against a player from continuously winning texas hold'em hand after hand. This was achieved in reaction to the Outright Online poker scandal wherein a player, making use of details, dominated a $1000 buy in tourney and won each and every single hand in the tourney except the initial two.

The fact that net poker uses a digital mathematical feature to create a look of randomness combined with extra poker formulas to stop players from winning continually certainly lends integrity to the Online poker is rigged dispute.

Online Online Poker Is NOT Set up

Those that declare on the internet casino poker is not rigged will indicate the reality that hand histories mirror real statistical odds of the game and also integrated with the bad having fun design of lots of players is what actually causes why a lot of suckouts occur in on the internet poker.

Additionally, these debaters will include that a texas hold'em site would certainly not threaten their connection with consumers or their profits by setting up the video games. Although on the internet texas hold'em is a multi-billion dollar industry, the bottom line is their earnings margin and maintaining customers or creating brand-new customers.

The majority of the on-line casino poker is not set up disagreements originate from those that believe the RNG and also the integrity of the web texas hold'em websites themselves. However, no concrete evidence has ever before been used from anyone on the online texas hold'em is not rigged side as to the fact regarding whether the poker sites are rigged or not. As a matter of fact every major casino poker website, such as pokerstars or full throttle texas hold'em will simply mention that they are certified by auditing worries as to the integrity of the software.

Yet definitive evidence that shows their poker algorithms and software application for exam by outside resources is doing not have. Furthermore, the casino poker rooms will certainly not use full hand backgrounds of all poker hands dealt on their site for evaluation by outside sources. As a result, the 'Web online poker is not set up' side of the discussion anticipates all players to just take their word for it, that the texas hold'em sites are being fair as well as straightforward.

You determine! Take their word for it that they are reasonable as well as straightforward or analyze scientific proof that online casino poker is rigged.

Paul Westin is a specialist poker gamer on several on-line casino poker websites as well as a former software program engineer for a gaming company.

His most current research study on poker code algorithms reveals the internal workings of the on-line poker websites and also just how the software application used on the pokersites impact the end result of your play. Situs slot online | Judi bola sbobet | Agen IDN Poker terpercaya

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mainqqusme-blog · 4 years

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The Online Poker Rigged Debate - Revealing Both Sides

Much like any controversy, argument or debate, you can find always two sides of the story. In this expose we shall reveal both parties of the internet poker rigged debate, and let you choose the truth.

Online Poker Is Rigged

Browsing forums, chatboards and even poker sites themselves, you can always find plenty of players claiming that online poker is rigged.Yet few of those posters are able to give real concrete proof that online poker is rigged. Responses such as for instance'rigtards'or'you play badly'originate from opponents of the argument, yet additionally they fail to provide proof.

The specific proof is less in the fact of perhaps the sites are fixed, the actual proof is in how by which poker sites http://mainqq.us/ deal and shuffle, thereby creating poker hands that seem to be not in the statistical norm instead of live poker.

First let us examine the ways by which all poker rooms deal and shuffle their cards. As it is a computerized game, and lacks real human intervention in the shuffling and dealing, they should use a computer software program to perform the job of a poker dealer. That software is commonly called a random number generator (RNG).

Now a lot of people encourage the truth that a RNG is truly a fair and honestly random way to deal and shuffle a deck of cards,. However, truth be told that a RNG lacks the capability to truly be random. Randomness, by definition, is the lack of such order, in other words, if I were to ask you to give me 20 different alphanumeric symbols for a password, you may easily produce a RANDOM sequence (such as 45tsk3uyeasa9j2udt1), and that password would clearly and truly be a random number as there is obviously no ORDER in the way you selected it. (Your brain simply rattled off 20 random numbers and letters).

On one other hand, if I take advantage of a computer software program, such as a hardware random number generator entropy source (a popular way sites'deal and shuffle'decks) to produce the 20 character password, it WILL involve some order to it as a computer program is restricted in its ability to seriously pick a random sequence. Although poker sites will declare that their software is highly unpredictable and no person or program could truly crack poker, the reality remains the RNG is NOT and can NOT, by any scientific definition, be random.

Furthermore, in an effort to prevent anyone from cracking the RNG and gaining an unfair advantage, every poker site uses additional poker algorithms with the particular design of preventing a person from continuously winning poker hand after hand. This was accomplished in reaction to the Absolute Poker scandal wherein a person, using inside information, dominated a $1000 buy in tourney and won each turn in the tourney except the first two.

The fact internet poker works on the computerized mathematical function to produce an appearance of randomness along with additional poker algorithms to prevent players from winning consistently certainly lends credibility to the Online Poker is rigged debate.

Online Poker Is NOT Rigged

Those who claim online poker isn't rigged will point out the truth that hand histories reflect the real statistical odds of the overall game and combined with poor playing design of many players is what actually results in why too many suckouts occur in online poker.

In addition, these debaters will add that a poker site would not jeopardize their relationship with customers or their profits by rigging the games. Although online poker is a multi-billion dollar industry, the important thing is their profit margin and keeping customers or creating new customers.

All of the online poker isn't rigged arguments originate from the ones that trust the RNG and the integrity of the web poker sites themselves. However, no concrete proof has ever been offered from anyone on the internet poker isn't rigged side as to the truth about perhaps the poker sites are rigged or not. In fact every major poker site, such as for instance pokerstars or full tilt poker only will state that they are certified by auditing concerns as to the integrity of the software.

Yet definitive proof that shows their poker algorithms and software for examination by outside sources is lacking. In addition, the poker rooms won't offer complete hand histories of poker hands dealt on their site for analysis by outside sources. Therefore, the'Internet poker isn't rigged'side of the debate expects all players to simply take their word because of it, that the poker sites are now being fair and honest.

You select! Take their word because of it that they are fair and honest or examine scientific proof that online poker is rigged.

Paul Westin is a professional poker player on several online poker sites and a former software engineer for a gambling company.

His latest research on poker code algorithms reveals the inner workings of the internet poker sites and how the software programs utilized on the pokersites affect the end result of your play.

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tsghuntsvillealabama · 4 years

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HUNTSVILLE CHEAT SHEET: Dawn’s guide to living local

Known as “Rocket City” for the integral role it played in helping to launch the Space Race in the mid-20th century, Huntsville, Alabama, has been attracting the top minds in space and rocket science for decades. The small—but rapidly growing—city in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains is home to (and possibly best known for) NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, and Space Camp. However, according to The Scout Guide Huntsville Editor Dawn Pumpelly, there is plenty to stimulate both the right and left side of the brain in her city, which is why she’s so proud to call Huntsville home. Whether you are visiting the city for the first time, are a new-comer, or are sharing local with some guests, here she provides an itinerary for a crowd-pleasing family trip that checks every box: educational, inspiring, and full of hidden gems.

How to Do Huntsville’s Rocket Science Scene Right: “The very first thing you have to do when you come to Huntsville is visit the U.S. Space & Rocket Center,” says Dawn. “The Space industry is what put Huntsville on the map, and USSRC shares that history.”

In the park surrounding the building, you can wander among 27 missiles and rockets. Inside, visit one of the largest collections of rockets and space memorabilia on display anywhere in the world and enjoy the new Intuitive Planetarium, an 8K Digital Planetarium and Digital Dome Experience - the only one of its kind in the Southeast. Dawn’s family loves the simulators, especially the Space Shot. This simulates a rocket launch, moving 140 feet straight up into the air in just two and a half seconds. “You get a great view of the entire area—if you can keep your eyes open,” says Dawn.

Space Camp is another big draw for visitors to Huntsville. However, according to Dawn, not many people know that Space Camp for families is an option. That means all of you can shack up in the Camp’s famous pod-like habitats, just like what you would live in on Mars. During camp, you and your family will launch on a simulated mission to the International Space Station, train like astronauts, and build your own rocket. There’s also the opportunity to have lunch with a real astronaut (pro tip: Dawn recommends indulging in the astronaut ice cream).

How to Make the Most of Huntsville’s Music and Arts Scene: When you’ve had your fill of space and rocket science, Dawn recommends visiting her favorite hidden gem in Huntsville to listen and let loose with some live music, Tangled String Studios (2211 Seminole Drive). This acoustic guitar and mandolin shop is run by a former NASA engineer. If you’re lucky enough to be in town during one of the studio’s concerts, don’t miss it. “Because the shop makes instruments for some of the most well-known performing artists in Nashville, they are able to bring in a rotating lineup of world-class talent to play intimate shows in the Live Room,” says Dawn. The Live Room only seats about 100 people, so the experience is up close and personal, and the acoustics are fantastic. Make sure to bring your own wine and snacks to round out the evening.

Incidentally, Dawn’s favorite local snack can be found just two doors down from Tangled String Studios, at Pizzelle’s Confections (2211 Seminole Drive, #4A). Owned by two sisters, this shop sells handmade artisan chocolates and truffles (Dawn’s favorite truffle is “nutty by nature”), homemade candy bars, and custom cakes. For the perfect accompaniment to your truffles, pick up a bottle of red wine at Church Street Wine Shop (501 Church Street). While you’re there, Dawn recommends ordering some tapas and enjoying a wine tasting. If you prefer tea to wine, pop into local favorite Piper and Leaf Artisan Tea Co. (2211 Seminole Drive Southwest) for a soothing cup of tea after a show��they’re open until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

When Dawn has out-of-town visitors, she always takes them to Lowe Mill (2211 Seminole Drive), the largest privately owned art space in the country. Housed in a 171,1000 square-foot former mill that a private investor purchased and transformed into studios for local artists, Lowe Mill is open to the public Wednesday through Saturday. On those days, visitors can walk (download our walking tour here) through the 250 studio spaces, chat with artists and makers, and purchase art and wares. “They have everything from stained glass art to cigar box guitars, plus a few little food spots and live music on the dock on Friday nights in the spring and fall,” says Dawn. “It’s really a treasure.” Be sure to visit Vertical House Records while you’re there, one of Dawn’s favorites. Download and listen to a recent Vertical House playlist here.

Where to Dine: For breakfast, you won’t regret driving a few minutes outside of town to get a cinnamon roll at Hamley Bake Shoppe (12023 Highway 231 431 North, Meridianville, Alabama). “Order a pan in advance—it’s the perfect local gift for a hostess,” says Dawn. Dawn recommends treating yourself to a traditional Southern lunch at Lyn’s Gracious Goodness (2306 Whitesburg Drive). This mother-daughter-run lunch spot and catering company has a must-try chicken salad, delicious deviled eggs, and mint sweet tea worth splurging on. “Lyn and her daughter LeeLee are the perfect Southern ladies,” says Dawn. “If you pop in, be sure to tell them I say hey!” Like LeeLee’s food? Check out her very own signature strawberry and make it yourself!

For a casual, intimate lunch or dinner experience, Dawn recommends Domaine South (103 North Side Square) where the motto is “life should be delicious.” Come as you are and expect fantastic wine and chef prepared sandwiches, entrees, charcuterie boards and desserts. Dawn recommends that you call for a reservation.

Church Street Purveyor (201 Jefferson Street North) is the place to go for a drink and stay for supper. Every detail at this place sets the ambience, from a cocktail menu presented in a vintage book to the stained glass windows. Dawn recommends the tuna tacos (order them in lettuce wraps for a healthier option, she says), drunken guacamole, and the “Rosie the Riveter” seasonal cocktail, made with sparkling wine.

Where to Shop: After all that space and art exploration, a little retail therapy is in order. Dawn recommends a stroll along Clinton Avenue in downtown Huntsville for some browsing. Elitaire Boutique (114 Clinton Avenue East) has a wonderful collection of women’s styles with the option to call ahead for an appointment with personal stylist and owner, Kayla Adams. Check out Elitaire’s Lookbook here.

And Dawn says a Clinton Avenue shopping experience can’t be complete without a visit to Roosevelt & Co. (114 Clinton Ave. Suite 102), which offers the best selection and styles in men’s clothing in town. Click here for Roosevelt’s tailored clothing tips.

If interiors are more your thing, then wander over to Brooks and Collier (813 Meridian Street), Golden Griffin (104 Longwood Drive Southeast), and The Topiary Tree (1801 University Drive Northwest). “Between these three spots, all within a few miles of each other, I would be shocked if there was something on your wish list you couldn’t find,” says Dawn.

Last but not least, Dawn says the kids (and husband) will enjoy a trip to MidCity (5901 University Drive) which is currently under construction as one of the country’s 12 largest real estate developments. Currently, it features Top Golf, REI, Highpoint Climbing and Fitness, Dave and Busters with more coming soon.

Where to Stay: The Westin Huntsville (6800 Governors West Northwest) is located very close to the Space & Rocket Center at the Bridge Street Town Centre, an open-air mall with restaurants, major retailers, and a carousel. The AC Hotel Downtown (435 Williams Ave SW) is adjacent to Big Spring International Park (200 Church Street) and many of the shops and restaurants Dawn recommends. And while it’ll be a while before they are open, Dawn is already looking forward to the Curio hotel, which will be located in an historic building in downtown Huntsville soon—another reason to come back for a visit!

To sign up to receive our monthly emails with all the latest on living and loving local Huntsville, click here.

#huntsville #huntsville alabama #visitors guide #dining #foodie #tourism #shopping #localfood #localguides #thescoutguide

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moosekateer13 · 2 years

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Chapter 5: A Little More

11 months later …

The Westin Harbour Castle

Toronto, Ontario

Am I crazy? I just turned 21 a month ago and today I am getting married. When it's love, you know, right? Jared proposed to me 6 months into our relationship.

I remember that proposal as if it was yesterday.

Flashback February

939 Beatty Street - Vancouver, BC

Jared and I have an intimate dinner at his place. He's ordered all of my favourites, lasagna with garlic bread and salad. He even got Dr. Pepper. I am not legal enough to drink, but even if I was. I've made it clear I had no desire to.

He seems extra nervous today. Jared almost spilled Dr. Pepper on my red lace dress.

After dinner, I suddenly find Jared down on one knee, proposing to me.

"Jen, I know we've only been together for 6 months, but when you know, you know. I've felt a connection to you since the first day I met you. Before I knew it, I fell head over heels for you. You are smart, kind, caring and wise beyond your years. I love you, Jen. Will you marry me?" Jared said.

I feel my words caught in my throat. Tears blur my vision. I finally find my words and say yes.

Jared smiles at my response as he puts the gorgeous 1 kt. flower silver ring on my finger

We share a light kiss.

End of Flashback

Four of the most important in my life are hear by my side on my wedding day. My mom and dad, Chelsea and Alicia. Chels of course is my maid of honor and Alicia is a bridesmaid. A brief pang of regret that my cousin Zakariya isn't here. We were close like sisters when we were kids. As we got older we grew apart. Too different: I was the more modest one while she was into the more staticity side. Like her mom Sandra she kept taking everything as competition.

I look at myself in the mirror before my dad comes to collect me. My brownish black hair in loose curls with simple lace veil. My beaded a-line ball gown I picked out is gorgeous. The bouquet of red tulips perfect symbolism for today undying love. I steel my nerves as my dad comes to collect me.

I see Jared at the end of the aisle and my heart feels like it's beating a mile a minute. He looks so handsome in that suit.

My dad hands me to Jared and tells him to take care of me.

Before we start the ceremony, Jared tells me I look beautiful. I feel the heat rise in my cheeks. I thank him and reciprocate the gesture and tell him he looks handsome.

"We are gathered here today to join Jen and Jared in holy matrimony. They have written their vows to each other." Jensen said.

Since Jensen and I have become friends. He insisted on officiating our wedding even before Jared and I got engaged. I supposed it showed how much he believed in /approved of my relationship with his best friend.

"Jared, I've always been trying to find my place in this world. From the first time I walked on set, I felt like I found it. From our first date, I felt this spark. I knew you had taken my heart with you from that moment. Jared, the way you care for and the kindness you show to the ones you love are otherworldly. I love you and I promise to. As long as we both shall live." I said.

Jared smiles at me as a single tear slides down his face.

" Jen, I realized from the moment you arrived on set that you were the one I've been searching for. My heart has become in tune with yours. Jen, your kindness and the way you care about your loved ones are indescribable. I love you and I promise to love you as long as we both shall live." Jared said.

I feel a tear slide down my cheek

"Those were beautiful. Now Jen and Jared will exchange rings." Jensen said.

I take the ring off the pillow Jared's nephew is carrying.

"Jared, take this ring as my commitment to you and a symbol of our vows. I said as I slid the silver ring on his finger.

"Jen, take this ring as my commitment to you and a symbol of our vows," Jared said as I slid the silver ring onto my finger.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Jensen said with a smile.

Jared smirks at me before we exchange a passionate kiss.

We reluctantly pull apart.

"Presenting Mr. and Mrs. Jared Padalecki," Jensen said.

Jared and I walk arm in arm down the aisle. We enter the limo and take off to the reception.

As we twirl around on the dance floor to Skillet’s A Little More, I can't help but think of the emotional day from our first married kiss to the speeches from our families. I can't wait to see what the future holds.

Chapter 6:

#a little more #jared padalecki x reader #tell me a story bingo #supernatural fanfiction #moosekateer 13 #Fluff #Angst #Stalking #Kidnapping #Blackmail #Bullying #Racism

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the-writing-dump-bin · 5 years

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Okay, so um, this is gonna have a couple parts. I don't have a title for this, but it is a Jotaro/Female Reader fic. This first part is SFW but it will get into N*SF*W in later chapters.

*UPDATE: Title is now called "Whirlpool"*

You were starting to lose hope.

Interview after interview and still no call backs.

You had put your resume out at almost anything since moving to the city. Having a few meetings, you thought the interviews were going well. Nope. It always ended with a handshake and a 'We'll call you if you get the job.'

But those calls never came. Your savings were dwindling fast.

Sitting in your apartment, you wondered if you should just take a job at a fast food restaurant in the meantime. Or better, maybe move back home where everything was familiar and comforting.

You had no friends here. Not yet anyways. You had been so wrapped up in finding a job that you didnt feel like going out to bars or clubs; the rejections making you depressed.

One Wednesday afternoon, you got a call from an unknown number.

Usually, you dont answer numbers you didnt know, but you picked it up anyway. "Hello?"

"Good afternoon, is this Y/N?"

The voice was so deep; definatly a male. It sent a chill down your spine. "Y-Yes..." You said cautiously.

"My name is Jotaro Kujo, I am a marine biologist. I saw your resume at one of the places I had visited recently. You are looking for work, yes?"

Your eyes darted around the living room. This was extremely unexpected. "H-How did you see my resume?"

"I had a meeting with one of the places you applied to. Your resume was sitting on top of a stack of papers, I ended up taking it."

"Isn't that wrong?"

"Probably. But I am looking for help and thought maybe to call you. Would you be interested in coming in for an interview?"

Your breath caught in your throat.

You had been on many interviews, but for some reason, this was different. This Jotaro guy swiped your resume from someone else desk and called you. He claimed to be a marine biologist, which intrigue you. You didn't have any background in that field but you knew enough to get by.

When you didn't say anything for a moment, Jotaro asked if you were still there.

Coming back to reality, you agreed to the interview. What else did you have to lose?

"Great. Are you available tomorrow at 4pm?"

"Yes."

Jotaro gave you the address to his office which was down at the local college. You guessed he taught a couple classes there. "See you then." He hung up.

Letting out a breath you didn't realize you were holding, you bounced with excitement.

"I need to find something to wear!"

---

You shook with nerves as you held onto the door handle. This was the place, since on the door his name was written.

Opening it slowly, you crept inside.

The room looked bare save for the large desk in the corner. There where a couple of bookshelves, but even they were empty. Are you sure this was the place? You looked at the door you came through again.

"You must be Y/N."

That deep voice again.

You turned your head to see a very tall, broad shouldered man in a black, long sleeved turtleneck. He also wore white pants; a white hat sitting atop his head. He came into the room from the other door that you noticed that was off on the side. That must be his real office.

"Y-Yes." You extended your hand in greeting. "Thank you for inquiring about me."

Jotaro seemed to hesitate for a moment before shaking your hand. Maybe he wasn't comfortable touching strangers.

His turquoise eyes looked at you, as if studying you what kind of person you could be. But that only made you blush, making you a little more nervous than you actually were. Finally, he shook your hand.

"Right this way."

He grunted, showing you to his office that was through the door he came.

*Wow*

You thought as you looked around the room. The walls were full of his accomplishments and pictures he had to have taken of sea creatures. The office seemed a little cramped as his large desk took up a lot of space. There was more room in the first room they were in, why choose this as a work space?

"Please, sit." Jotaro waved a hand to the empty chair opposite of him on the other side of his desk.

You did as instructed, taking in his features as you did. He couldn't have been any older than twenty-nine. Your eyes went back to the plaques on his walls. He's done so much at such a young age.

"Tell me about yourself."

Jotaro's voice brought your attention back to him.

"Oh, um. Well, I moved here from my hometown in hope of starting something new. I like to follow though and get my tasks done. I graduated top of my classes in high school and college. I'm very organized with projects, making sure that it exceeds to one's expectations."

Jotaro nodded his head a little and wrote on a piece of paper. He noticed you wringing your hands. "No need to be nervous."

Embarrassed, you tucked your hands under your legs. "I'm sorry. It's just, I've been on a lot of interviews and they all fell through."

Jotaro was silent for a few minutes, shuffling through some papers he had on his left until he found what he was looking for. Your resume.

"You don't have a lot of references here. But I see you took classes in zoology."

"Yeah, sorry about that. I've only really done side jobs while I was in college just to get by and save up for when I moved. I want to work with animals; I loved going to the zoo as a child and since then, I knew I wanted to work with them."

"So you know about marine life, too?"

You shrugged. "Enough to not sound dumb." You chuckled nervously.

Jotaro moved his hand over his mouth, hiding the smirk you had given him with your answer; he didn't want you too see his expression.

Composing himself, he rose from his chair, motioning for you to follow him.

Coming back to the first room, he stopped next to the empty desk.

"I'll give you a chance. This will be your space, you can do with it what you want."

Wait, what?

He just said he was giving you a chance? He was hiring you?

You looked at the desk. Seeing that you were the first thing people would see when they come in, you realized you were being hired as a secretary.

It wasn't something you were thrilled about. But you decided to take it anyways; Jotaro was the first person to offer you a job let alone hire you right on the spot. You accepted, gratefully.

"Thank you, Mr. Kujo! I promise I would do my best!"

"Good. I will see you tomorrow morning."

He shook your hand again and you parted ways.

Back at home, you cried tears of happiness. You finally found a job.

Though you had no idea how to be a secretary, you figured you could just wing it. It would be a learning experience, but just like everything else you've done, you would do your job with dedication.

---

"Good afternoon, Y/N! Is Professor Kujo in?"

You smiled at one of the other teachers that worked at the facility. "Oh, good afternoon, Mr. Westin, let me see if he's ready to see you." You buzzed Jotaro's phone. "Mr. Kujo, Mr. Westin is here to see you."

There was no answer, but Jotaro's door opened and he emerged, waving him to come in. Mr. Westin followed, shutting the door behind him. "Did you get that report from the lab back?"

Jotaro handed him a folder.

Mr. Westin nodded. "Great work, Jotaro. Are you ready for the field work coming up?"

"I will be." Jotaro grunted. "Y/N has set up hotel and anything else I needed."

"She's a helpful little angel, huh? Since she came around, your work has been flourishing."

Jotaro flicked his eyes toward the door. Just on the other side, you sat at your desk. His work load had gotten lighter in the last six months, thanks to you. He had been able to work and focus on what was important while you took care of the minor things.

Sometimes you had brought him lunch when you knew he was too wrapped up in his work to even stop to eat.

He was to be leaving in a couple days to do field research on ocean life on the coast of California for over two weeks. But something about you not being there nagged at him.

Remembering the other teacher was talking to him, he said, "Yeah. She's been a real big help."

Mr. Westin nodded and said his goodbye to you, leaving the office.

Looking up, you noticed Jotaro leaning against the door frame to his own office with his arms crossed. He was looking at you but not saying anything. That didn't surprise you, he was a quiet man. But his stare made you a little uneasy. "I-Is there something wrong, Mr. Kujo?"

The way you addressed him made his stomach do flips. It was an interesting feeling. One he hadn't felt before. "Did you make the preparations for my trip?"

"Yes, sir. Its all right here, I finished it this morning. Your flight leaves at 7 am Friday morning and your hotel is booked. Food is all taken care of and there was even some money left over if you wanted to do any shopping." You looked back at him. "Is there anything else you need me to do?"

Jotaro strode to your desk in just three steps; those long legs taking him anywhere in a flash.

"There is. Call and change the itineraries to two people."

"Two, sir?"

"You heard me. Call the airline and add another person. Call the hotel and add another room. Make sure everything accommodates for two."

"S-Sure. May I have the name of the second person so I can make sure they get everything they need?"

Jotaro turned back towards his office, saying your own name.

"Wait, what?" Your head shot up at him. "Me? You want me to go? What does a secretary like me have anything to do with this trip?"

Jotaro kept his door open as he sat back down behind his desk. You stood and followed him in. Before you could say anything, Jotaro spoke first.

"You have grown from the nervous girl that walked through here six months ago. During your interview, you said that you strive to get your tasks done and do it with dedication. I've seen that you've proved that."

You blushed. You never really got that kind of praise from your other bosses.

"You wanted to work with animals, correct?"

You nodded.

"Well, then, come with me on the trip. Learn more about marine life."

What an amazing offer! But you couldn't help but think he was really just bringing you along so you can do his minor tasks. "Thank you, Mr. Kujo, but again, why do you want to bring a secretary?"

He interlocked his fingers and brought his hands up to his face; his eyes staring at you intently. "The word 'secretary' for you leaves a bad taste in my mouth. From now on, you are my assistant. You will still have your duties as you've had, but I'm taking you on this trip to help you learn more about marine mammals."

You couldn't find the words. You were thankful for his kindness, truly. But you weren't sure about going. You started wringing your hands again.

"Yare Yare Daze." Jotaro muttered. "If you don't want to go, just say so."

"Huh? No, I mean. Um..." You decided to go for it. What harm could it do? You developed a decent friendship with your boss, and he was offering this paid trip to you. "I-I'll go."

Jotaro did his best to hide his excitement; keeping his expression neutral. "Then get to work on getting yourself on the itineraries and take the day off tomorrow to pack and get some rest. I will see you at the airport."

#jojos bizarre adventure #jojo no kimyō na bōken #jojo no kimyou na bouken #jojo #jotaro #jotaro kujo #jotaro x reader #fic #fan fic #my fic #my writing #writing

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alitheamateur · 5 years

Text

The Grind- Chapter 26

“You sure about this place, babe? How come you don’t just wanna grab some coffee from The Grind and go back to crash on the couch at home?” I asked as Colton pulled open my passenger side door to walk hand-in-hand with me down the sidewalk.

Luckily, I cautioned Tia’s persistent advice at dinner last night, and limited myself to only three glasses of wine, and one measly shot of Patron. So, Colton’s 7 a.m. feisty bite to the exposed skin of my cheek under the sheet as my wake-up call, wasn’t ruined with a blistering hangover. He was adamant about taking me to some diner he’d heard about from one of the guys at the bike shop to try their German potato pancakes that he was just so certain I’d love, and I was a sucker for a languid, sweatpants breakfast date every now and then.

“It’ll be fine, Livvy. Let’s enjoy some good grub, then I promise we’ll squeeze in a nap before we head to the gym later. Deal?”

He kissed the fingers that were interlocked with his own, then smiled mischievously as we slipped inside, escaping the rustling winds of the morning. We didn’t stop at the ‘wait to be seated sign’, instead Colt scanned the room, peeping over the full booths and tables around the room.

“C’mon, I see an empty table over here, babe.” he pointed, tugging me not so gently to the left of the hostess stand.

“Colton, we have to wai-,” I started to argue with his bullish, bizarre behavior, but before I could state my objections, reality slapped me across the face.

Seated with their backs to us, both sipping on a black cup of the house blend, were two Indiana natives, very far from home. Mom turned around to investigate the bustling approach over her shoulder, and stood to push herself from the seat with an unsure smile.

“Wh-..how did you guys get here? What’s going on?” I babbled wrapping a halfhearted, confused embrace around her neck, searching for an explanation from someone in the party of 3.

“It was all sweet, Colton, Liv honey. He arranged the whole thing. He insisted we come.” mom confessed, admiring Colton with a look of appreciation.

“I wanted ‘em here to see you fight, baby. And to see the house and everythin’. They got here yesterday afternoon, and I got them all set up at Westin, and ate dinner with the both of ‘em last night to get familiar.”

The pieces started to connect then. Why Tia was so snarky with keeping me away from the bottle, why Colton was so incessant about dragging me out of the house before 9 a.m. this morning, and why there was a button-down dress shirt discarded into the hamper when I did laundry after a late return home last night. I internally tipped a hat to his successful undercover moonlighting, though.

“Kid wouldn’t take a dime from us, either. Paid for the tickets, a ride from the airport, and our room, too. Seems we owe this one, sweetheart.” I heard dad say as I took one of the empty seats across the table from he and mom.

Their visit may not have been on my terms, or my timing, but I did feel complete having them here. Although there was a suitcase of nerves that landed on that plane along with their arrival to Pittsburgh, it just felt, right. The four of us, together, all in one place had me swelling with a sense of gladness and completion, all courtesy of the mysterious man in blue seated to my right.

“I can’t believe you did all this, Ritter. I expect a play-by-play when we get home, ya’ big box of lies.” I leaned to kiss him sincerely.

“I’m pretty impressed with myself to tell the truth.”

The meal consisted of bacon all around, mom whining about the cold temperature, those potato cakes Colton was correct about me losing my mind over, and a general calm, steady flow of conversation. I was impressed at how normal, and interested Tony and Liz seemed to be the entire time. Dad never brought up a single utterance of basketball, and mom pounded me with questions about my match, and what it would be like. I felt a connection so genuine that had been minuscule for so many years, and I knew Colton played a tremendous role in the healing psychological wounds.

“You guys should come by the house and spend the afternoon with us. All my stuff is moved in, and it doesn’t look like a construction site anymore. Mom, we could swing by the food market to get what you need for gran’s jambalaya for dinner, too!”

My inner, overly-eager, rambunctious childlike manner took me over, and I instantly began bulleting out an itinerary of events. I’d have to take mom to meet Andrew, and she would die over the Americana at The Grind. And dad, maybe Colton and I could take him to the trolley museum and a PNC park tour in the next couple of days.

“Livvy, we’ve got to try and get to the gym for a few hours today. It’s down to crunch time, babe,” Colt reminded me with apologetic tone. “But, we can check them out their room, and settle ‘em in at the house first, okay?”

Of course, the gym. This week wouldn’t be one of family dinners and touristy adventures with the fight countdown fuse burning low. And now, I had even more work to do down at Temple Fitness with my parents in attendance. The weight of potentially letting Colton, Tia, and the rest of my corner down was sickening enough, now add the weight of Tony and Elizabeth and you’ve got one wound tight Liv. Perfectionism is a weakness not all can relate to, and of that they should be eternally thankful. I failed my Warrior teammates and the rest of my small-town not so many years ago, and that disappointment in itself nearly disconnected me entirely. I may have grown and evolved in many ways since relocating to the Pittsburgh, but the will to please my loved ones was a quality I would undoubtedly live with until my final breath.

“You do whatever needs to be done today, sweetheart. I know these next few days are crucial, so don’t mind us. We’ll take whatever time you can give us.” my mom pats my hand from across the table, and shot and thoughtful smirk.

“We’re just happy to be here, Livvy. You’ve got a good one there.” My dad’s opinion of the man I loved was never considered to be a worry I had, but in that moment, I couldn’t have been more prideful in how truly wonderful Colton had been to them, and to me for organizing this little surprise.

After dragging my parents’ belongings up the front steps of our home, and leaving them the keys to my car in case they got the pangs to explore around a bit, Colton and myself dutifully reported for in for a session down to the gym. The last couple days I had been studying up on a submission move I really wanted to try out. The Omoplata essentially was a move to apply unbearable stress on the arm of your opponent, inevitably resulting in a tap out. Tia, nor Colton had introduced me to the technique, but it was one I had stumbled upon doing some research on my own one afternoon during some down time at the Pilot office. Having never actually seen it done in reality, I only had internet tutorials, and other martial arts circuit fights that had been posted online to educate myself.

Upon trucking into the somewhat crowded parking lot, and settling my duffle into a locker down the hall from the ring room, Tia had called to say something had soured in her stomach, and she wouldn’t be making it in to train with us today unless I wanted to mop up her throw-up. Naturally, I insisted she stay in and recover, leaving me in the hands of Colt.

“Grab the rope, let’s warm up for 10 minutes after you stretch, babe.” my handsome trainer instructed as he downed the settlings of a pre-workout drink at the bottom of his cup.

“Did you remember to tell dad about the construction on Liberty bridge in case they decide to venture out of the house?” My voice vibrated as I bounced with the whip-like jump rope.

“Yep, as we were walkin’ out the front door, Liv. Don’t worry, ‘ight? They’ll be fine. I gotta say though, I wasn’t expectin’ ya’ to be so thrilled about ‘em being here.”

I was fairly flabbergasted myself in that matter, but I had no explanation for my nervous excitement. I guess, maybe it was the common cliché of not knowing how much you in fact needed something, until you had it.

“Thank you, handsome. I really am glad you did all that. Although, I’m a little concerned with all the unsuspected sneaking around you were able to get away with.” I smirked, dropping the braided rope to adjust the tightness of my messy bun.

“It nearly got the best ‘a me lying to you like that, but it was for good reason, at least. Except, them being at the house every night for the next few days may turn out to be a little problem. Seein’ as their daughter can’t keep her greedy little hands off me & all…” he teased unnlacing his trainers to pull of his socks before we moved into the ring. He was knelt on one knee just a foot or two behind where I stood, then inched over in that crouched position to friskily bite the pert cheek of my backside, and grabbed a handful of the other.

I’d never get tired of those stout, mitt-like hands of his touching my body, and I let my head drop backward a bit to sigh into his touch. If by some unfortunate event, things between us happen to fall to pieces again, no man would ever live up to the bar set by the infamous Colton Ritter.

“I can manage a little self-control, you animal. Let’s make a bet on who caves in first, shall we?” I said, stepping over the middle rope of the mat.

“You better be careful playin’ with fire girl. You may get burned.”

We had bounced around, grappling and rolling for nearly an hour already, with just a couple rushed breaks for water, and I still hadn’t built up the courage to try the move I had been so eager to crack at. I welcomed the respect that Colton had to never half-ass me when we did train one-on-one, however always extremely careful to make sure I was never harmed in any way. His insights, and words of wisdom related to the cage were something I considered to be a matchless gift, and I loved him eternally for offering it up.

Just as I was about to weigh the Omoplata to be the impossible, especially considering my mock opponent at the current time, Colton let down a wall, and broke his own most crucial ‘golden rule’ of fighting. He attempted to tangle me, but instead, mistakenly gave me his back, awarding me the perfect moment to pounce. I pinched his shoulder between the bones of my knees, then swung one leg hurriedly over his head. Colton’s arm was trapped between the center of my limbs, essentially hooked around my left thigh as I crossed my ankles. I flattened his chest and face to the mat with speed I didn’t know I had, and swung my legs to the side, easing into a squat with his helpless arm still locked in. The stretching pressure of his muscle grew the higher I raised, and defeated, Colton yelped out with a tap.

Instantly releasing, I tumbled to my back, and laid to rest with exasperating breaths. Executing the technique on an individual with such a powerful strength, was equally as exhausting on the attacker as the victim, and I could feel my blood tingling, and rushing through my veins like the Colorado rapids.

“I sure as hell don’t fuckin’ remember teachin’ you that, 2-1,” my captor said still face planted onto the canvas, almost cackling. “But you pulled it off with damn near perfection. I’m impressed, baby!”

“That one is just a little something I picked up on my own. Coach…” I replied, mounting his back to massage his shirtless shoulders.

Colton flipped, doing a 180 to now laying on his back, with me still atop him with a sweaty, rosy face.

“Oh, so she thinks she can pin me now, huh? Don’t get too comfortable up there, Elliott. You know I don’t do bottom.”

TAGS: @torialeysha @eap1935 @littleluna98 @mollybegger-blog

#Tom Hardy #tomhardy #tomhardyfanfic #tom hardy fanfiction #tomhardyfanfiction #tommy conlon #elizabeth olsen #thegrind

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