#brother can you spare half a billion dollars

[kayliemusing]

37

flower crown: when did you last sing to yourself? - I think a few hours ago lol

fairy lights: if a crystal ball could tell you the truth about anything, what would you want to know? - how does it everything work out in the end

daisies: what is the greatest accomplishment of your life? - i don't really have one yet

1975: what is the first happy memory that comes to mind, recent or otherwise? - When I was 8, my family and I were driving home from the christmas eve service. It was snowing big fluffy snowflakes and i was in a sparkly dress in the backseat. rascal flatts was playing 'god bless the broken road' on the radio and we were all sitting in this really nice content silence.

matte: if you knew that in one year you would die suddenly, would you change anything about the way you are now living? - I think I'd try to do more, go out more, experience more, write more.

black nail polish: do you have a bucket list? if so, what are the top three things? - Write a novel(s) / write successful novels - Fall in love - finally go to a taylor swift concert lol

pantone: describe a person close to your life in detail. - My mom is someone I super close to. She has these vibrant blue eyes that literally carry an ocean of good things. She has a warm soul and she always uses her energy to lift other people up or just to hold their hand when life is rocky.

moodboard: do you feel you had a happy childhood? - Yes

stars: when did you last cry in front of another person? - I don't remember. A while ago I think. Maybe like last september-ish and I only remember that because my job did a really not cool thing to me and I cried when I told my mom and then cried when I told my best friend lol

plants: pick a person to stargaze with you and explain why you picked them. - My mom because we could talk about life while stargazing.

converse: would you ever have a deep conversation with a stranger and open up to them? - maybe. if i felt super comfortable with them and it was the right time for it, then probably.

lace: when was your last 3am conversation with someone, and who were they to you? - I don't know, actually. Probably not since high school or roughly around then bc i'm always asleep by 10 pm lol. it was probably with one of my friends.

handwriting: if you were about to die, and you could only say one more sentence to one person, what would you say and to whom? - I'd probably tell my mom thank you for everything she's done and had to sacrifice for me/our family, and i'd tell her i loved her.

cactus: what is your opinion on brown eyes? - Beautiful! Bright! Lovely! God tier! Wow!

sunrise: pick a quote and describe what it means to you personally. - "I couldn't get the boy to kill me but I wore his jacket for the longest time" by Richard Siken. First of all, this quote makes me like !!!!! just exclamation marks!!!! I think I just love the poetry and the subtext in this quote, because it's kind of like being haunted by this boy was in itself its own kind of death. So like yeah you didn't kill me, but you haunt me instead.

oil paints: what would you title the autobiography of your life so far? - What The Hell Is This: a memoir by me

overalls: what would you do with one billion dollars? - Buy a house and move to a different city, invest a lot of it, buy a car, buy another cat, send money to charity, quit my job.

combat boots: are you a very forgiving person? do you like being this way? - I'm a forgiving person when I feel like someone is worth forgiving, which I kind of don't like about myself because I don't know if that's necessarily the right thing. I don't like that I feel like people have to earn forgiveness, but if I'm hurt by someone or someone has hurt someone I love, I tend to hold grudges and I will especially hold grudges if the hurt or offense is never addressed. But if someone were to apologize and I felt like they were sincere and they gave me a good explanation for the actions, I'm definitely forgiving then.

winged eyeliner: write a hundred word letter to your twelve year old self. - n/a

pastel: would you describe yourself as more punk or pastel? - pastel

tattoos: how do you feel about tattoos and piercings? explain. - I don't mind some tattoos and piercings, but I don't like tons of piercings and I definitely don't like tattoo sleeves or anything like that lol. You do you, but I could never lol.

piercings: do you wear a lot of makeup? why/why not? - Generally, yeah. It depends on my mood that day. Sometimes I'll wear a full face, other times I'll do bare minimum or nothing at all. Makeup makes me feel nice and it can really make your features pop.

bands: talk about a song/band/lyric that has affected your life in some way. - Taylor Swift baby. Taylor has been such an inspiration to me as a writer and a human being. I think she sees the world very vividly and very romantically, and I love that about her. I love that she's kind-natured, even when the world tries to put a masochistic spin on her, she's simply just good. I love her honestly and vulnerability in her story-telling, and I love the work-ethic and careful creativity that's in her work. On a more personal note, her music feels like contentment and joy, and sometimes nostalgia. I started listening to her music in the fifth/sixth grade but I remember when Speak Now came out and at that time I was starting to get into writing and I could really see that she was a writer too so I clung to her, and then Red was released while my dad was fighting cancer and that album was just something I really pressed into as a means of comfort and escape and I'm so glad that I had her music lean on.

messy bun: the world is listening. pick one sentence you would tell them. - *mind goes blank*

cry baby: list the concerts you have been to and talk about how they make you feel. - I haven't actually been to a concert that's really impacted me meaningfully because I've never gone to anyone I legitimately wanted to see lol. When I was 10, I went to a Jonas Brothers concert with my sister who was a bigger fan of them than I was and I do remember it being a good time. Then when I was 15, my best friend took me to marianas trench because our other friend baled so she had a spare ticket. It was a really good show and it actually made me get into their music more than I had been before which was awesome.

grunge: who in the world would you most like to receive a letter from and what would you want it to say? - I would love it if taylor swift wrote me a letter and I honestly wouldn't care what she wrote in it as long as it was something nice lol

space: do you have a desk/workspace and how is it organised/not organised? - I used to have a work space in my room but I moved the desk upstairs to our office. Now I just write in my room and that for me looks like a made up bed, a nightstand with a candle, and a vanilla-scented lamp to create a warm cozy atmosphere.

white bed sheets: what is your night time routine? - I usually write in the evening and then maybe I'll watch youtube or I'll listen to music or scroll through tiktok lol. Then I put on my pj's, skincare routine, brush teeth, and I go to bed (where I end up reading for half the night but whatevs)

old books: what’s one thing you don’t want your parents to know? - I'm pretty open with my mom so I don't think there's anything she doesn't know about me lol.

beaches: if you had to dye your hair how would you dye/style it and why? - I wouldn't mind dying my tips pink or blue just because I think that's a universally cute look. As for styling it, probably what I do now, maybe curl it a little more.

eyes: pick five people to go on an excursion with you. who would you pick and where would you go/what would you do? - I don't think I even know five people (that i'm close to) yikes

11:11: name three wishes and why you wish for them. - I wish for success, because I always feel like a failure or inadequate in someway - I wish to fall in love, because I'd like to know it at least once - I wish to be able to write again in a way that makes me happy, because I feel like I keep disappointing myself and I just want that creative freedom again

painting: what is the best halloween costume you have ever put together? if none, make one up. - I've never done anything super creative lol but one year I dressed like a bumble bee and I loved that costume because it was a little frilly dress with wings.

lightning: what’s the worst thing you’ve ever done while drunk or high? - fun fact I've never been drunk or high

thunder: what’s one thing you would never do for one million dollars? - Anything that involves killing or spiders

storms: you can only listen to one song for the rest of your life, or only see one person for the rest of your life. which and why? - All too well by taylor swift baby

love: have you ever fallen in love? describe what it feels like to realise you’re in love. - I have not fallen in love before but I imagine it feels like contentment and coming home.

clouds: if you’re a boy, would you ever rock black nail polish? if you’re a girl, would you ever rock really really short hair? - I wouldn't do really short hair, but my favourite hair cuts on me was a short bob.

coffee: what’s your starbucks order, and who would you trust to order for you, if anyone? - Just your standard white hot chocolate, and i'd trust anyone to order it for me bc it's not that difficult lol

marble: what is the most important thing to you in your life right now? - My writing / my career I think

#survey

[vanessakirbyfans]

After breaking out in Netflix’s hit global series and stealing scenes in 'Mission:  Impossible' and 'Hobbs & Shaw,' the British actresses about to display her range with frontier romance 'The World to Come' and gut-wrenching drama 'Pieces of a Woman.'

Vanessa Kirby was two days away from shooting Mission: Impossible 7 in Venice — reprising her role as the glamorous gunrunner known as the White Widow — when Paramount halted production. It was late February, and Italy had just recorded Europe’s then-worst outbreak of the novel coronavirus, at the time not officially labeled a pandemic. Tom Cruise’s billion-dollar blockbuster franchise had become the first major Hollywood casualty.

Seven months on, and with the film industry appearing irreversibly changed, Kirby is preparing her return to Venice. But it’s not for Mission: Impossible (she starts shooting that later in September). With The World to Come and Pieces of a Woman, filmed almost back-to-back in late 2019 and early 2020, the British star, 32, has the rare honor of having two films compete against each other in the Biennale, the first A-list film festival to physically take place since cinemas — and much beyond — shut their doors.

Appearing alongside Katherine Waterston and Casey Affleck in The World to Come — a frontier romance set against the rugged and patriarchal terrain of the mid-19th century American Northeast — Kirby plays flame-haired Tallie, who sparks an intense and liberating affair with a farmer’s wife, played by Waterston.

But it’s Pieces of a Woman — also heading to Toronto — and her quietly powerful and gut-wrenching turn as Martha, a woman dealing with towering loss after a home birth that goes wrong (shot in one hugely impressive yet frequently hard-to-watch half-hour take), that marks yet another new chapter for the actress, who already has condensed what many would consider a lifetime’s worth of career milestones into just a few years. A critics’ favorite on the British stage; Emmy-nominated and BAFTA-winning for her global screen breakout as Princess Margaret in the opening seasons of Netflix’s smash hit The Crown; part of two of the biggest action franchises around (she also appeared in Fast & Furious spinoff Hobbs & Shaw last year); and, for her next act, independent cinema’s newest leading lady.

Even before the reviews come in, Pieces of a Woman — also starring Shia LaBeouf, Ellen Burstyn and Sarah Snook — has found a fan in Martin Scorsese, who recently came aboard as executive producer.

“I haven’t stopped smiling,” says Kirby, speaking from the south London home she shares with her sister Juliet (a theatrical agent) and two close friends. “It’s such a mind-blowing thing.”

The actress was originally shown the script in L.A. by filmmaking couple Sam and Ashley Levinson (Ashley is producing the film for Bron Studios). Within 24 hours, she'd jumped on a plane to London, then Budapest, to meet director Kornél Mundruczó. “You know when you’re supposed to do something. ... It felt so right,” she says. “I wanted to show up and tell Kornél face-to-face how much I loved it and how much it touched me.”

Mundruczó, a Cannes regular who won the top prize in the 2014 Un Certain Regard sidebar for White God, also was taking something of a career leap, Pieces of a Woman marking his first English-language feature. But he found the right partner with whom to “take the big risk together,” likening Kirby to his favorite screen siren, Catherine Deneuve. “She’s someone who can express emotion for the unseen, and that’s very difficult,” he says. The World to Come director Mona Fastvold is equally praising of her star, describing her as an actor “who can truly disarm us” and their work together “one of most fulfilling creative partnerships I've had so far.”

Kirby, who cites Gena Rowlands as her cinematic idol (she has a photo from Rowlands’ 1980 drama Gloria in her room), says she had been “biding her time” waiting for such an opportunity: “I felt ready to lead a movie for a long time, but to actually do it was such a gift. Now that I’ve done it, it feels like a new stage for me.”

While there were few thespian genes in her family (her father is a top prostrate surgeon and her mother once edited Country Living), an 11-year-old Kirby caught the bug after watching a production of Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard. “I suddenly realized the power of telling these stories is that they can make you feel differently about yourself when you leave,” she says. “And I think that’s always been a goal for me since.”

Countless school plays — including an all-girl Hamlet (Kirby as Gertrude) — would follow, continuing on into college, where spare periods and evenings would be spent relentlessly rehearsing and putting on shows with friends (including Alice Birch, who recently adapted Normal People for TV). Audience numbers didn’t matter – several struggled to make it through a four-hour Eugene O’Neill adaptation, while there were definite walkouts when a group of them took Shakespeare's Julius Caesar to Edinburgh (“Why would you take Julius Caesar to a comedy festival?” she laughs).

It was all for the discovery, experience and thrill, which is why — just a few years later — when Kirby received her first paycheck, having picked up an agent and signed on for her first three professional productions, it felt strange.

“I still have the vision in my mind of holding that white paper and being like, why are you paying me? Someone’s paying me for this? Because I’ve done it so much.”

Performances of As You Like It, Edward II and A Streetcar Named Desire and collaborations with directors like Benedict Andrews would quickly establish Kirby as one of the U.K.’s hottest stage talents in the early 2010s. But by this point, screen had already come calling. BBC drama The Hour — a small part as a troubled young aristocrat alongside a pre-Bond Ben Whishaw — was her TV debut in 2011, landing four years before being cast in her most famous role to date.

The Crown creator Peter Morgan recalls going “rogue” when he chose Kirby, overruling the other show execs’ preferred choice for Princess Margaret. She had turned up to the audition looking like what he describes as a “catastrophic mess”; fake tan smeared haphazardly on her shins and hands stained orange (she’d forgotten to wash them after applying the tan).

“But she had an electrifying presence. ... You realized you were in the company of a rare and special talent,” he says, adding that her chaotic appearance plus visible nerves evoked the essential vulnerability he was looking for. “It was very Annie Hall.”

Subsequent screen tests — and the public reaction — confirmed what Morgan first saw, that Kirby was a “high-impact booking,” much like the royal she was taking on. “There was no room in which you were not conscious that Princess Margaret was there.”

To craft her Margaret, in which Kirby laid the largely unknown foundations that would support the royal’s more brash and defiant public persona in later life, she absorbed everything she could, seeking out footage where the princess thought cameras had stopped rolling, plastering her walls in photos and even listening to her favorite music on repeat (including a version of “Scotland the Brave” played on the bagpipes, much to her housemates' dismay).

“It was so exciting to play someone that was so complicated and so conflicted, who was really struggling with a sense of who she was,” she says. “But I also had to chart this journey carefully, across 20 years of a person's life, and try to make it believable and also set her up for the rest of the seasons that were coming.”

Mission: Impossible came off the back of The Crown, sometime in the middle of season two. “I think Tom had watched it, because he watches everything,” says Kirby, who was surprised to be warmly welcomed into the “Mission Family” during her first meeting with Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie. “On my way home I rang my agent going, ‘I think I got the job, I’m not sure.’”

Hobbs & Shaw arrived via another route, Kirby approached by creative duo David Leitch and Kelly McCormick after she led a 2018 summer run of August Strindberg’s Miss Julie at the National Theatre.

While different adrenaline-fuelled vehicles, Kirby used both blockbusters to creatively “subvert” the usual expectations for female characters in action films, particularly within the typically masculine Fast & Furious world. “I was like, I don’t want to have to be saved ever, I don’t want to have to wear anything compromising, I want her to have her own emotional journey.” Her efforts were rewarded when a journalist wrote that Hattie — Kirby’s fearless MI6 operative in Hobbs & Shaw — had been her son’s favorite character. “How cool is that?” (She found the writer’s email to thank her).

As Kirby waits to start on Mission: Impossible 7 (and also 8 — she says the White Widow will likely “float in and out” of upcoming storylines), and for audiences in Venice and Toronto to see her first lead role, this philosophy is set to continue into what could be yet another career progression.

Alongside a daily film club with her housemates (with titles ranging from a list she found of the Dardenne Brothers’ favourite films to the cult so-bad-it’s-good hit The Room), Kirby has also used the months of lockdown to consider her next creative step and dream: setting up her own production company.

“I feel so excited by the thought that there’s so many female stories that haven’t been told. And so many that have examined the psychology of a man in a particular situation, but not the woman,” she says. “I feel like there’s so much opportunity for that and that we do actually have a responsibility. Changing that space is very important to me.”

#Vanessa Kirby #Pieces of a Woman #The World to Come #The Crown #Interview #Articles

[beautcous]

Thread 01 (Halloween)

Festivals and holidays were one thing Max didn’t have any sort of attachment or excitement for namely because growing these things hadn’t been a part of his childhood. Being the the only child of two extremely neglectful parents, it didn’t leave much room to be able to go out and experience such festivities. Perhaps thats why the CEO never cared much for it even as he grew into an adolescent, there simply hadn’t been anyone to take him out and let him experience the things most of the population had the chance to indulge in. All Max could recall from his childhood were lonely holidays he spent with only his nannies, whom made sure that in such occasions he wasn’t alone. Thus, Max couldn’t deny how out of place he felt in this halloween bash but his choice in coming was very little.

That halloween afternoon Max was currently walking amongst the crowd with Emmett right beside him. Somehow the young tycoon had gotten roped into entertaining his six-year old nephew as his parents were out of town but of course Max didn’t mind. He loved his nephew dearly even though the little devil was quite a handful. With his smaller hand clasped in Max’s bigger one, he held onto him firmly ensuring he didn’t run off and get lost in the crowd. A few seconds later he felt his hand being tugged and Max’s gaze flickered down to Emmett, his gaze softening but his words were stern. “What I did say? Don’t go running off without me.” He reminded the little boy, who in turn pouted, “But I want go to there!” Max looked over to where his nephew was pointing to where a long table of pumpkins rested, and it was then he realized what the he wanted to do. “You want to carve pumpkins? Are you sure?” Emmett nodded enthusiastically, “Yes, please uncle Max.” he then gave the CEO a toothy smile which caused Max to let out a chuckle and he relented, walking them over to the where the pumpkins were.

When they arrived, Max’s gaze immediately spotted a very familiar brunette and one whom never failed to annoy him. Meera hadn’t seem him yet, and he took this moment to let his gaze rake over her before Emmett demanded his attention once more, “I want that one!” All but pulling Max in the direction to where Meera stood and he resisted the urge to pull his nephew in the other direction because he was in no mood to engage with the annoying brunette not when he was having to focus on the six-year-old beside him. “Come on, why are you walking so slow?” His nephew once more demanded and he rolled his eyes at Emmett’s impatience but once more gave in. Pulling out the pumpkin while ignoring the woman who stood a few feet away from him, “slowly, Emmett you don’t want to hurt yourself.” he chided the boy, mostly because Max himself had no clue how to carve a pumpkin, as he’d never done so in his life.

Meera volunteered her time when she could, but never once had she even considered helping out at a booth like this one. She would have to be around children, assisting them in carving pumpkins, and although she didn’t have much experience with them, she was actually rather excited by it. Everyone knew that business was more of her calling. In her spare time however, she dabbled in art. Pottery was her forte. It helped to relax her, making her forget about the stresses in her life. When the opportunity came for her to pick what she wanted to help with, she chose this booth. There might’ve been a reason behind it however. A very special one; Axel. Love and needing a better understanding of children led her down this path. There was no denying that she loved Atlas. He came into her world and brought down her walls with his kindness. Yes, he wasn’t her other half and there might be a chance that she might lose him for good if he were to find his soulmate, but despite that knowledge, she still wanted to be the best for him, and Axel. They were important to her, and no matter how busy her life may seem, she always made time for those she loved.

A gentle smile played along her lips as she made her rounds, helping the little ones with their pumpkins. She loved this, seeing how families come together. Smiles everywhere. It warmed her heart. If only her household was like this as she was growing up. While her parents could not be categorized as cold, they weren’t exactly warm either. At least not towards her. They expected so little of her, wanting her to marry someone from a wealthy family and bore them grandchildren. Unfortunately for them, Meera was strong willed and wanted more for her life. She was beautiful, she knew this, but that wasn’t all she was. There was so much she could do for her family. For starters, she should be the next President of Patel Industries. She was the one who was business minded; her brothers weren’t very interested in it. But was she going to get that honor? No. Her father thought that she wasn’t strong enough to handle that responsibility. It angered her. Made her want to prove her worth even more. Hence why she was here in Stonehill. She figured that if she worked hard enough, her father would see her worth and allow her to lead the company.

As her mind veered, she hadn’t been paying attention to her surroundings. It wasn’t until she heard his voice, that she snapped out of it. Oh God, why did he have to be here? She would rather deal with her worse enemy than him; Maxwell Kincaid. Although, now that she thought about it, he was kind of her enemy. The man was a menace and to say that she disliked him would be an understatement of a century. Meera had planned on ignoring him, and minding her own business, but it wasn’t him that she needed to focus her attention on, rather the boy. He looked a little older than Axel, and much more excitable. Somehow, the idea of the kid bothering Maxwell made her smile bloom even brighter, her dimples popping from the action. For a moment, she simply stood her ground and watched the two, until she couldn’t just let him butcher the pumpkin any longer. After expelling a sigh, and rolling her eyes, she walked over to the pair and spoke to the little boy, “Can I help you with this?” Her voice was kind and she even wore a friendly smile for him. All this time, she didn’t even bother to address Maxwell.

Was it a bit pathetic that a CEO of a multi-billion dollar company didn’t know the basics of a carving a fruit? Perhaps, and Max would argue it most certainly was. Especially, when a child appeared to know what he was doing while the young tycoon stood there a bit clueless. Max enjoyed spending time with his nephew, but he’d be lying if he said he was keen on the activities the little boy wanted to do. Of course, he sucked it up, and once he arrived at the booth with Emmett, the little boy’s excitement grew tenfold. His brown hues growing wide as he tried decide which pumpkin he wanted to carve. About a minute went by when Emmett finally decided on one and tugged Max towards a table an empty table, with the CEO watching his nephew begin to carve into his pumpkin. The only thing that concerned him at this point was Emmett hurting himself with the instrument. And while it didn’t look dangerous, it was still in the hands of a boy who was too eager for his own good.

It was when his eyes darted around did he finally spot the striking brunette who once had rejected his advances a few months back. Now, Max wasn’t the one to hold grudges, but he couldn’t deny his ego had definitely taken a hit when she turned him down instantly, even for someone who had a healthy ego to begin with. True, he hadn’t gone about it the correct way and some might argue he’d been a complete jackass while he’d been hitting on her. However, she perhaps was the first woman to out right reject him, this wasn’t the usual sort of response he got from women. Honestly, all it did was make him want her more but Max was not the type to chase someone who wasn’t interested. Much to his dismay, it wasn’t the last time he’d seen her, due to their social standing their careers the two ran into each other often. Their exchanges that followed afterwards usually consisted of Max mocking and taunting her to which Meera quickly retaliated to. While he wasn’t fond of her, he most certainly was impressed with the way she’d dish back his barbs.

Against his better judgement, his hazel hues discreetly raked over her lithe frame, mildly annoyed at himself as to why he was noticing her in that manner. But now as he thought about it, it’d been like this since the moment he first laid eyes on her. There always this sense of attraction or pull he felt towards her, why he did, he had no clue. However, it wasn’t something he was going to look into, much preferring to ignore his attraction to this woman. Primarily because while as good as she was to look at, it didn’t change the fact that Meera never failed to annoy him. He hoped that she’d see him and continue to ignore him but no, that had not been the case. Meera walked over to where they stood, from the look on her face it was very obvious she was seeing Max struggle to help his nephew. Her question, however, seemed to directed to Emmett. Max shot the woman an irritated look, “He doesn’t need help, you can carry on.” Came his curt response, his nephew meanwhile still was concentrating hard on carving out an eye? At least from what Max could gather. “I cant his eyes.”Emmett finally spoke up and the CEO left out a exasperated sigh, mostly because he didn’t want Meera’s help. “I’ll help you, Emmett.” he told the little boy who shook his head, “Not you, you’re really bad this, uncle Mat.” Which caused the CEO to glare at his nephew.

If anyone would’ve told Meera that she would be standing here on Halloween about to help a little boy who just so happens to be Maxwell Kincaid’s nephew–from what she gathered–she would’ve laughed in their faces. Hate couldn’t even describe how she felt about him. She’d been put off from the first moment she met him. It didn’t surprise her however, his arrogance. The man was after all wealthy. Most men in his shoes thought they could walk on water. She wasn’t going to deny that he was good looking, she wasn’t blind, Maxwell was strikingly handsome. Standing at over six foot tall, he towered over her. If that wasn’t enough, his jawline, dark hair, and those bright hazel eyes alone could make a woman or man, weak in the knees. The problem she had with him was, he didn’t make a proper introduction like a gentleman would. What he did first was try to hit on her. It simply rubbed her the wrong way. He probably figured that she would be flattered by his advances. Unfortunately for him, she wasn’t the type of woman to be so easily swayed by trivial compliments and sweet talk. Her beauty wasn’t her strongest suit, her intelligence was.

Perhaps that was the reason why she fell for Atlas. He’d been genuine from the get go. He didn’t try too hard, and if she was being honest, he won her over with how loving he was towards Axel. She might not want to settle down now, but she did in the future, and she wanted the father of her children to have the same care and love that Atlas did with Axel. Sure, their future was uncertain; what with both of them having different soulmates, but she could only hope that neither of them find their other halves, because she would love to settle down and build a life with Atlas. Just thinking about having to walk away from him and Axel made her heart drop. She didn’t want to think of that reality. It hurts too much, so it was best that she veer off from such morose thoughts. They were still in her life now, and if Fate was going to wrench them away from her in the future, she would much rather make as many good memories with them as possible.

Although she was trying to help the little boy, that arrogant ass; Maxwell, wanted to push her away instead. He even had the cheek to tell her to carry on. Who the hell did he think he was talking to here? She wasn’t his servant, and she sure as hell wasn’t going to let him dismiss her like she was one. She had half a mind to tell him to go to hell and be done with him, but she couldn’t think about him. This wasn’t about him anyway, it was about the little boy. She wasn’t going to allow a rude jerk to ruin Halloween for the little guy, so she said instead. “I wasn’t talking to you. I was talking to him.” She rolled her eyes, thankful that Emmett’s–again from what she heard Maxwell calling him–gaze was stuck on the pumpkin instead of her face. Her lips twitched when she heard the comment that Emmett made, laughter bubbling on the surface, yet somehow, she was able to stop herself from cracking up. Serves you right for being an ass. She thought. “Emmett, is it?” She addressed the young child in a soft tone, “–let me help you with his eyes, okay…?” Reaching for one of the carving tool, she started in on the eyes, carving two holes until she managed to form the eyes. “–There, that’s better.”

For someone who had never really faced rejection in his life, he had to admit being rebuffed by Meera Patel had left a bad taste in his mouth. His usual methods of flirting seemed to work on every woman except this one, perhaps thats why she never failed to provoke him. Despite his best efforts, she still found a way to get under his skin and in return he annoyed her. Max had honestly never met anyone as beautiful as Meera, dare he even say, Meera was perhaps the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. With her flawless topaz skin, combined with her lustrous dark hair and fathomless dark eyes. It was safe to say, attraction seemed to be to less of a work for what he felt. The young tycoon always got anyone he wanted and then to have her appear and outright reject him was disappointing. That much he could admit to himself, and when he had hit on her it wasn’t because he wanted to get to know her. It was more the fact that he wanted to tangle in the sheets with her, after all, Max did admire novelty in women. Or maybe he was just tried of going for the same generic women over and over.

While she was more than pleasing to the eye, it didn't change the fact that her personality left a bit more to be desired. In fact, he’d even say she seemed to be much a goody-two shoes for his liking, he preferred edgy woman and Meera certainly not fit the bill. So, then why the hell did he still check her out? Why he hell was he so drawn to her despite his personal dislike for her? Whatever it was he hoped it passed because the last thing he wanted was be doing this anytime they ran into one another. Meera stayed put by his table, her eyes looking over at his nephew, who seemed to be against him on this. Much to dismay asked Meera to stay back but really Emmett hadn’t been wrong in that Max was useless with this task. The young CEO did roll his eyes in return when the brunette make that snippy comment, one he knew he deserved. She was only trying to help but it was like an inexplicable need to antagonize her still.  His nephew on the other hand was glad for the woman’s assistance and he glared at the little traitor. At this point, he had no choice but to stand there and let Meera help much to his displeasure, but still he couldn’t help but remark. “He said he wanted help, not for you to do the entire thing. What’s he supposed to do now?” Turning his nocking gaze to the female CEO, as he felt Emmett tugging on his hand. “Your being mean.” And he let out an exacerbated sigh because well his nephew was right. “I like it! thank you!” Emmett on the other grinned at Meera, his dimples showing as he looked pleased. “You don’t need to thank her, Em. It’s her job.” He had realized she was monitoring the booth.

Gaze finding the younger boy’s, Meera couldn’t stop herself from smiling at his reaction. Despite having an ass for an uncle, she found him adorable and so polite compared to the man she despised. His remark about her carving the pumpkin had her seething on the inside. What was up with him? She wondered. Was it not bad enough that she had to be in his presence now? Not only that, now he had to be a pain in her neck as well? Perhaps he was just the type of man who couldn’t handle rejection. She did after all turn him down flat, uncaring of his feelings. But was she to be blamed? She didn’t think so. If he had just been more of a gentleman instead of a buffoon, maybe she wouldn’t be so put off by him. Instead, he wanted to act like he was some kind of big shot. As if she was expected to fall for him just because he’d given her a little attention. Well, she wasn’t taken in by that. There were plenty of men like him. Ones who thought that they could conduct themselves in an unsavory manner and due to their wealth and stature in life, they feel like woman would simply fall for them. The thought alone had her rolling her eyes.

If looks could kill, Meera was sure that Maxwell would have keeled over and died by now. In fact, she was already thinking about using the carving tool for that smart mouth of his. It took a moment of steady breaths for her to regain her composure, and when she did, she smiled at Emmett. Watching how excited he’d become somehow managed to erase her anger even if it was fleeting. “You’re very welcome.” She said before her ire came back in full force, her eyes blazing with fury as she stared at Maxwell. “And what a great example you’re setting for Emmett, Maxwell. But then again, why should I even be surprised? You always were an ass.” She knew she shouldn’t have said it, she wasn’t the kind of woman who would stoop to his level. And yet, she couldn’t stop the venomous words from pouring out of her. Since he wasn’t going to be nice, she didn’t see the point in trying. And in her defense, he started all this. Whenever he came around, he always made it a point to infuriate her. It was as if he couldn’t stop himself. Well, if he wanted to play games, then two could play it.

He honestly had no idea why he was so annoyed with her appearing and intruding on his time with his nephew. Oh, but Max was well aware that he should be a bit more thankful that she’d been able to help, unlike him. It was times like these where he wished he was a bit more well-versed in these things especially since Emmett enjoyed them so much. It wasn’t that Emmett didn’t like spending time with Max, the little boy never once complained and always seemed so ecstatic to spend time with his uncle. He supposed his pride wouldn’t allow him to be the least bit thankful towards Meera because he didn’t want to give her a reason to insult him some more. Being rejected by her was more than enough, he didn’t wish to add to that list.

Of course, the tycoon realized his approach at flirting with her could have been better but still Meera was an outlier where woman were concerned. He supposed he really did expect her to be charmed by him instantly so when she wasn’t, Max had been somewhat disappointed. He watched his nephews beaming smile at the woman, awe in his expression as if Meera had something specular instead of carving a damn pumpkin. A soft snort left his lips when she turned her attention to Max, his eyes glinted as they stared into her dark ones. “I set a marvelous example for him, so, don’t you worry about that. He’s a lot wiser than you’d expect.” Came his quick reply, folding his arms across his chest he kept his gaze on the CEO. “I sure am, and don’t you forget it sweetheart. What can I say? You just bring out the best in me.” He felt Emmett’s eyes on the two of them, confusion on the little boy’s face and Max was thankful he had no clue what was being said between the adults. He then turned his gaze to Max, “Why do you call her sweetheart, uncle Max? Is she your girlfriend?” The CEO looked to his nephew but didn’t answer him, not sure how to explain to a six-year-old that his use of the endearment wasn’t sincere it was more of him mocking her. “No, she’s not my girlfriend, Emmett.”

The more he spoke, the angrier Meera got. Maxwell must have an affinity to piss her off, because everything that he spewed sounded impertinent. She was beginning to wonder whether or not the man even had a soul. It didn’t look like it. And if he did, she pitied his other half. The man or woman would be better off without a soulmate. Just thinking about having to be around him for a short amount of time made her shudder, let alone spend the rest of her life with a character like him. But perhaps he was pissed off all the time for a reason, maybe he’d already found his soulmate who he ended up repulsing. The individual might’ve ran to Timbaktu just to escape him. That was a reasonable explanation in her book. Hell, if she was left in that person’s shoes, she might board a space shuttle and blast off into space. Anything was better than having to be near him.

Meera’s eyes rolled on its own accord, the urge to gag amplifying. He was the worse example that a young boy should learn from. The man was cold and heartless. The Devil himself should take tips on how to be a complete jackass from Maxwell Kincaid. In the Dictionary, next to the word jerk, a picture of him should be displayed. He was the epitome of the word. “His wisdom did not come from you. You’re nothing but a conceited buffoon.” She spat back, though her tone was unassuming, the fire from her dark eyes could not be masked. “–And don’t call me sweetheart. I’m not your sweetheart.” It sounded wrong coming from him, and she hated how he was able to turn such a saccharine term of endearment into something so repulsive. She nearly forgot about Emmett until he posed the question at the young boy’s arrogant uncle. This whole time, she was glaring Maxwell, wishing that his head would explode. Her hues flickered to the boy, confusion clearly present in her expression. How could he even ask such a question? But then again, he was still very young. Kids took everything literally. “As if I would ever want to be your girlfriend.” She spouted, after taking note of his answer. Besides, Atlas was a thousand times better than he was. Why should she ever want to be with an asshole when she could have a gentleman?

Perhaps the reason why Max went out of his way to antagonize her was because he’d never met anyone who got riled up as easy as Meera did. No one ever responded to him in the way she did and he’d be lying if he said he didn’t find the least bit entertaining. Quite frankly, he didn’t fully understand why he gave her such a hard time. Just because she had rejected was hardly a big deal but still anytime Max ran into her, it was natural instinct to rile her up. Maybe there was a deeper reason, but it was he did not know. Despite his annoyance, he had to admire her ability to not let him leave unscathed, he had learned from their very first interaction that this kitten had claws. While his dislike for her remained his attraction to her didn’t falter in the slightest, but he didn’t pay it too much mind because he knew it was his body’s natural reaction to a beautiful women.

As she stood there and began insulting him some more, a faint smirk began tugging at his lips seeing her get to so worked up. In fact, he’d say she looked a bit hot standing there and glaring with her dark eyes blazing and he couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if she unleashed that sort of passion in the bedroom. He wiped that thought as quickly as it had come, this was the last place to be having such thoughts about a woman who he despised. “I never said it came from me.” He told her nonchalantly, his smirk becoming a bit more visible as he met her gaze, “Conceited? Yeah I guess I am. As for a buffoon, well then I’ve made pretty well myself seeing as I run a multi-billionaire company.” Max rolled his eyes but he could see her frustration building at their exchange. “Don’t deny you like it when I call you that. It’s the nicest word you’ll hear from me.”  If he thought she was about ready to combust now, when they heard Emmett’s question, he could swear she looked ready to bolt. He almost wanted to pat his nephew on the back for that comment, a bit too pleased at the look appalled look on Meera’s face. “As if i’d ever want someone as annoying as you to be my girlfriend. I’d mostly likely become an alcoholic within just a day.” Was that a bit too harsh? Probably but he didn’t care. Still, it didn’t stop him from wondering what poor soul got stuck with her as their soulmate. By now, he had almost forgotten Emmett was there, the little boy occupying himself with his pumpkin as he lost interest in their conversation. “Don’t you have other kids to help? Tsk, tsk, Meera, slacking on the job already?” Raising a brow at her mockingly.

Meera wasn’t an angry individual, not by a long shot, and yet, as she stood here glaring at the asshole; Maxwell Kincaid, her blood kept boiling to the point where she swore her head was about to explode. Where did he find such talent to vex her so? Was there a Pompous Jerk Academy that she didn’t know about? Because if there were such a place, she was more than positive that Max would have been the Valedictorian of his graduating class. He simply made being mean look easy. As if the way he acted came naturally to him. Men like him with their arrogance and ego the side of Africa is the reason why she chose to stay away from rich men. They all feel as if they were entitled, that everything that spilled out of their mouths was gold. She hated all of them. Him being the one at the top spot. She would rather live remotely without any friends or companions than have to be around him. He made her sick to her stomach, especially when he smirked at her. Ugh! If only she could punch him in the mouth. That would be satisfying. Luckily for him, she wasn’t one to resort to violence, especially not in front of a young child.

“You could be a millionaire and still act like a buffoon.” Meera spat right back, her fury unmasked as she glared at him. If he thought that she would simply allow him to talk down to her, he had something else coming. She wasn’t afraid of him, never would be. Her face contorted in disgust at his next remark. Of course he would think that she would be flattered by such a trivial word. Perhaps she would be if the word sweetheart came out from someone else, but from him, it was laced with derision. He merely used it to taunt her, and she didn’t appreciate being provoked. “You must be dreaming. I would rather you not speak to me at all.” It hurt a little to hear that she could possibly drive a man to alcoholism, even if it came from him. She wasn’t that bad, was she? Sure, she didn’t have a very good track record when it came to dating, but she was doing rather well with Atlas. They were happy together. Just as those thoughts crossed her mind, she found the courage to fight back. “And you would know about relationships how exactly? A man whore like you wouldn’t appreciate a good woman even if one were to land by your feet.” Was it harsh for her to call him a man whore? Yes, but he deserved it. “I pity the poor soul who ends up being stuck with you. But then again, a heartless bastard like you probably doesn’t even have a soulmate.” She felt a little bad for using the word bastard around Emmett, but her emotions were running high and she couldn’t stop herself. “Why do you care? You’re not the boss of me. I’ll tend to whatever child I feel needs my help, and Emmett looked like he needed it since you’re useless.” Her jaw ticked and she didn’t make a move to leave, though he did make a good point, it was her job to help the other children. She was just too pissed off to allow him to tell her what to do.

“Yet, you’re still here and engaging in this little…squabble.” His smirk still stayed present as he watched her anger grow a bit more, he didn’t know why he took so much satisfaction from getting a rise out of her. Maybe it was because she was so much of a goody-two shoes, or maybe it was the fact that Meera was so easy to read and easy to rile up. Max didn’t blame Meera for her anger because he knew his comments were out of line especially the one where he essentially said she’d drive him to drink. Now, that particular comment had been an exaggeration, she annoyed him sure but it wasn’t nearly as much as a few others did. He honestly didn’t know why he said that, and if the comment had stung Meera didn’t let it show. “for someone who claims to hate me and not care about what I say, you sure have a habit of being baited by my words.” His eyes gleaming in amusement.

“Or maybe, I just haven’t met the right women.” It was her next words that causes his eyes to narrow, the term ‘heartless bastard’ and undeserving of a soulmate did sting and he wish he knew why. Granted, Max had no desire to meet his own but to be told that he was underserving of one sent a flash of anger through him. His hazel orbs were as cold as glaciers as he took a step in her direction, his gaze not once moving from hers as he let her feel the full weight of it. “Well, don’t you have me all figured out? You’re right, I’m all of those things and I can’t imagine anything worse than meeting my soulmate. I pray the universe everyday that I don’t have one. But I can see how someone as naive and foolish as you would buy into such a ridiculous concept. However, I wish you luck when you find yours, your going to need it.” He didn’t mean it specifically for her but he knew every fool who fell this bullshit would need all the luck they could get. He scoffed, holding back his glare when she called him useless, which made him to snap in return but he held himself back because Emmett was beside him. “So, you’ve helped him now and it looks like he’s almost done. You can run along now, unless you want to stay and have this riveting conversation.” Sarcasm lacing his voice.

Meera couldn’t seem to stop glaring at Max. The nerves of him, talking down to her and then smirking like that. He looked so gleeful, as though he’d won the heated exchange between them. She wasn’t going to allow that to happen however, not by a long shot. If he thought that she would simply concede defeat, he had another thing coming. She didn’t get to where she is today by allowing people to walk all over her; she fought for what she wanted, and in this case, she wanted to grate at his nerves as much as he did hers. “Who’s squabbling? I’m here volunteering my time. Unlike you… Can’t even help your nephew with his pumpkin.” Her words dripped with sarcasm, her eyes rolling at the male. For all his smugness and condescension, she couldn’t help but notice how devilishly handsome his appearance was. If only he had been better mannered, perhaps he could be someone she might like. Unfortunately, although he was good to look at, he had the temperament of a child. Hell, even Axel behaved better than him. “Don’t think too highly of yourself, Maxwell Kincaid. I would never be baited by your words.” She shot back, pretty sure that smoke was coming out of her ears by now.

There was no missing the fury burning behind those piercing hazel eyes. He was staring into her brown hues for so long, she felt like he was trying to cast a hex on her. Instead of looking away however, she simply laughed. It was so obvious that she had hit a nerve. Should she feel guilty? Yes. Did she? No. He deserved every word. If he hadn’t thrown those awful accusations at her, she wouldn’t have to retaliate. So in her eyes, he had it coming. Her head tilted a little, eyes glinting with unadulterated pleasure as she continued to focus on him. Before too long, even more harsh words spilled from his lips. Each sentence sounding more vicious than the previous one. She wanted to lash out then, not through words, but actually physically strike the man. He’d gone way too far. He had no right calling her naive, nor did he have to wish her luck with her soulmate. He didn’t know her, had never tried to get to know her. His opinion shouldn’t matter, yet the sharp stabbing sensation was present anyway. “A manwhore like you would never understand the concept of soulmates. But of course, you don’t have a soul, now do you, Maxwell? Why would you believe in something that does not concern you?–Don’t worry about me, I’m fully ready to meet mine and pray to God, he is nothing like you.” This time, her tone was sweet, almost like she was talking to someone who was mentally impaired. Again, the arrogant male couldn’t simply let things go, he just had to have the last word. She of course wasn’t going to let him have it. “I think I’ll stay here, thanks. I’m not here for you anyway. I’m here for Emmett.” She retorted with a roll of her eyes before shifting her gaze on the younger boy.

“Is that all you have?” He asked raising a brow at her, “I hate to burst your bubble there but my inability to help my nephew with something as juvenile as pumpkin carving is not the insult your hoping it is.” It was safe to Max was a bit amused at how worked up she seemed to get with his every word and as much as she tried to deny it, he could see how easily his words grated on her. Why else would she be reacting in a such a way? It never failed to please him at how easily he could piss her off as it was the same sort of response she induced him. He supposed he didn’t expect her to just stand there and not retaliate to his insults, if the past was any indication, Meera never backed down. It was then for a split second her saw her a slight shift in her eyes, but it was gone before Max could fully read it into or even identify it. As much as he hated to admit it, no matter how annoying and tiresome he found her the twinge of attraction he felt for her the very first time still lingered, much to his annoyance. It was a shame that a woman he found so insanely attractive more than he ever had in the past towards any woman, this one came with an annoying personality. “Says the woman who still standing here and retaliating, if you weren’t being baited you’d have walked away awhile ago. You’ll never admit it but I’m starting to think you like arguing with me…” Was he being incredibly arrogant? Most definitely if only to rile her up further, especially now that she couldn’t even hide her fury as he saw her eyes blazing so intently that for a moment he wondered if she’d actually reach out and slap him.

Max quickly to school his expression but he was sure Meera saw the fury behind his own as her words. He couldn’t understand for the life of him why her words of him not deserving a soulmate hit so close to home, especially when in some way she wasn’t wrong. He’d long realized he wasn’t the type to have a relationship especially after he fucked his longest one with Vera. More so, that this woman wasn’t even wrong, he was a heartless bastard which is why he had hoped no poor soul which get stuck with him. However, he wasn’t about to give her the satisfaction of letting her words get to him, even if he had them coming after what he hurled in her direction. So, quickly masked his anger replaced it with yet another blank but cold look as he stared at the brunette. “Again, it’s really not a insult because you’re right and it would do you well to remember that Meera.” he shrugged, “Let’s hope for your sake he’s not, but if he is, what will you do then Meera?” The CEO was genuinely curious to know how she’d respond if she met someone similar to him. Or perhaps it would shatter her illusion of soulmates in general and wipe out those romantic notions in her mind, dare he say it might even do her some good. His parents had been soulmates and once a upon time he’d seen them be in love but that all changed as quickly as their fame came to rise. Nothing lasted forever, soulmates or not. So, when Meera despite to stick around them, he shot her annoyed look but once more kept his mask of indifference present. “Suit yourself but I see Emmett’s already occupied himself.” His nephew was currently huddled over his pumpkin, adding on some touches and Max was delighted to see Emmett enjoying himself. As much as he hated to admit, he did seem like Meera for someone unfathomable reason. Because the moment he heard Meera announce she would stick around, he could see the little boy’s ears perk up and then grin at the woman. “For someone who claims to hate me you sure love spending time with me, don’t use Emmett as an excuse.” He couldn’t help but throw in.

Meera wasn’t going to pay Maxwell anymore attention, it would give him too much satisfaction to see her react, but in the same breath, it was hard for her not to want to form a retort, especially when he called carving pumpkins juvenile. What kind of asshole does that? He was here with his nephew, and yet he had the cheek to call the activity that Emmett enjoyed juvenile. That definitely garnered a response, a fiery one at that. Her hues shifted back to him, brows raising and although she was smiling at him, there was no mistaking the ire she was displaying. “Only someone heartless would call an activity like this one juvenile. Let me ask you a question, Maxwell. Why are you here with Emmett? Do you even care that he deserves to have a good Halloween? Or are you only doing this out of familial obligation?” At this point, she didn’t really want to know his answer. All she saw was a man who only cared about himself. That had to be why he was always on her case, forever trying to get a rise out of her. It was annoying to say the least. “Oh, please… You really think your words affected me? That’s sweet…” She cooed at the end, flashing the male a soft look, but it was only for a fleeting moment, before long, she was back to her cold self again. “Perhaps it’s you who likes arguing with me since you surround yourself with mindless bimbos who would easily fall for your charm.” She didn’t like arguing with anyone, so his observation was moot and had nothing to do with her. Not many got to see her true self, she normally kept that part locked away, and only brought her out around people that she was comfortable with, namely Atlas and Axel. Maxwell didn’t deserve that part of her. She didn’t see the point in being nice to someone who found the need to goad her at every meeting.

Although Maxwell claimed that he wasn’t hurt by her harsh response, she didn’t buy it, not even for a minute. She could tell that she’d hit a nerve and she felt a little bad for having uttered those things. They may be the truth, but she wasn’t a monster and she didn’t make it her life’s mission to upset people. He just seemed to be special. “Keep telling yourself, Maxwell, if it’ll help you sleep at night.” His next question had her pausing, a look of horror displayed across her features. What if he was right and the person who completed her was exactly like him? God, that would be awful! To have to live with someone who’s ego was the size of Africa. But maybe it didn’t have to be all bad. After all, if her soulmate was someone like Maxwell, there had to be other redeeming qualities in him. Fate wouldn’t pair her up with a complete tool, right? “I’m sure whoever I end up with would be a million times better than you. I’m not going to worry.” She finally answered him, though her tone was a little off, it sounded like she wasn’t too sure of her statement. Damn Maxwell for making her like this. Meera wasn’t the type to second guess herself, yet he seemed to hold that power over her. A part of her wanted to lash out at him again, but for now, she chose silence. Unfortunately for her, he didn’t seem to understand the concept. The man was relentless. Do not react, Meera. This is what he wants. For a time, she was successful at keeping her composure, putting her focus on Emmett. But then came his response, adding fuel to the fire that she thought had been dowsed by her successful attempts at ignoring him. “Do you even hear yourself anymore?” She questioned with an amused smile. “You’re here, in a public place with your nephew. How does my being here compute to me liking being around you.” She wanted to call him an idiot, but she had more class than to hurl the word at him. Instead, she said, “It looks to me, like you’re the one who’s stalking me. Do you have a thing for me, Maxwell? Is my rejection too much for your ego to handle?”

Max could see that his remark of calling pumpkin carving juvenile had irked her greatly, seeing the ire rise further in her deep dark pools. Truth was he didn’t think of it as that, he actually didn’t have any specific thoughts regarding the activity but riling Meera up yet again was too good of a chance to pass up. “If you’re trying to hurt my feels you’re going to have to try a lot harder than that.” He paused deliberately taking a few seconds longer to answer because he knew it would only annoy the brunette further. His eyes, however, did narrow when she accused him of only bringing Emmett out of obligation because what did she know of his relationship with the little boy? Not that he planned on enlightening her on it, but who the hell was she to spew such nonsense? “It’s really not your business, now is it? If you’re really dying to know you can ask Emmett yourself.” He told her flatly, he had nothing to prove to Meera or anyone else as Emmett knew just how much his uncle loved him. Emmett’s situation was about the same as Max’s, absent parents but unlike Max, his nephew wouldn’t grow up missing these experiences and Max was more than happy to be able to give that to the little boy. No one was aware of this, but the nephew spent most of his time with Max who made sure he was well looked after by someone from his family rather than a nanny. He shot Meera an amused look at the bimbo comment but let out a soft snort, “I find it interesting that you spent so much time worrying about my life. Are you sure you’re not a fan? As for your question, yeah I do like arguing with you because I love pissing you off.” He told her rather blankly, “Plus, no one gives back the way you do.” Was that a compliment? Perhaps.

He could see from the sharp look in her eyes that Meera didn’t believe his words for a second but he could care less. However, Max was still a bit annoyed himself for reacting to her words to begin with, never had he cared what others thought about him. He prided himself in never letting other’s words affect with in anyway, so why the hell had he reacted when Meera said them? It was then he caught the look of sheer horror on her features at his passing comment of her soulmate and he couldn’t help but smirk, not even caring if she saw it. That look on her face was absolutely priceless but Max had not expected her to react in such a way. “Yes, let’s hope so but with that look on your face, your words don’t sound very confident. Take my words with a grain of salt, Meera, there is no such thing as soulmates. It’s all fairytale’s meant to console little girls, I pegged you to a lot wiser than that but alas I was wrong.” By now he had genuinely run of out his quote of patience of the day for Meera and he had hoped she would leave but no, she stayed put. Max was surprised and momentarily caught off guard because Meera never stuck around longer than she needed to around him. In fact, he’d even go as far as to assume that unlike him, Meera absolutely despised him. Max wasn’t her biggest man but he didn’t hate her simply because he didn’t know her well enough. The difference was that he gave Meera a hard time and let her believed her hated her when really she just annoyed him.  “Well, you have a few other children who are probably waiting on you while your here hovering around my nephew who seems to be doing just fine without your help.” He told her with a pointed look before snorting, “Stalking you? Don’t flatter yourself, sure I do want to bang you but that’s all I want for you, Meera. If you call that having a thing for you.” He sneered those words, “Unless you’ve changed your mind on that front? In which case, I’m ready when you are.” This time he had a devilish on his lips, ensuring Emmett wasn’t paying attention to them before taking a few steps closer to her. “My ego is bruised from your rejection but nothing you can’t fix.” He said rather suggestively if only to see her reaction.

Meera could only roll her eyes at Max. The gull of the man for thinking that she would worry about his life. She didn’t care about him, could care less what he did with his time. He could rot in hell for all she cared. The only thing that seemed to irk her was his ability to get under her skin. He did it so easily. With a single word, he could make her blood boil. It left her wondering that maybe she’d given him too much credit. “Only you would think that someone who loathes you could be a fan.” came her response along with an eyeroll, clearly unamused with his ridiculous conclusion. She would never be a fan of such an arrogant man, his presence alone unnerved her and not in a good way either. Simply being around him could enrage the saintliest of people. “Of course you do. Even a dunce could see that you love pissing me off. Does it make you feel better about your pathetic self, Maxwell?” Meera posed the question while she arched a perfectly shaped brow. Harsh words seemed to be the only thing they were capable of exchanging. It made her feel horrible, because she wasn’t this person; a sharp tongued monster who would purposely inflict pain on people’s feelings. Even so, she couldn’t stop. The more he baited, the more she felt the need to lash out. His next remark left her a little taken aback. Did he really just say that? It sounded like he was complimenting her for her ability to debate with him. To say that she was surprised was an understatement.

Before she could comment however, he’d thrown yet another curveball. She swore, her head would start spinning before long, the man was relentless. “Only you could be that daft, Maxwell. Are you trying to tell me that the millions of people who’d proven the validity of soulmates were wrong all along?” Did she hesitate earlier, sure she did, but she only did that because the thought of having a soulmate that was exactly like him horrified her. Still, it didn’t mean she didn’t believe in the concept of having a better half. She didn’t pay him any mind after that, figuring that he would give up and walk away eventually. He couldn’t do that however. Instead, his words were bolder, he didn’t even pause when he told her that he wanted to sleep with her. The pig. She couldn’t gauge what he did next, the easy way he moved into her personal space, those hazel hues of his gleaming with unadulterated rage, or was it passion that she saw? Whatever it was, it took her breath away. No one has gazed upon her with such hunger that she felt her knees growing weak. It took a moment for her to compose herself and when she did, she inched forward, her irises locking with his. They were so close, she could feel his breath against her skin. “Wouldn’t you like that, Maxwell… For me to jump into bed with you,” she gently placed her right hand onto his stubbled cheek, her voice sounded more like a hum as she spoke to him in a sensual tone, “and rock your world, make you feel so good, you’ll forget why you were angry with me in the first place?” Once the last word was uttered, she gave his cheek a pat and stood back, “Too bad, that will never happen. Not even if you were the last man on earth.” The fire in her voice was back now, and her hues blazed with ire. “Well, this has been fun, but I do have other children to help, so have a good Halloween, Maxwell. I hope I don’t have to run into you again anytime soon.” With a parting roll of her eyes, she left his side and headed to the other side to help out another little child that needed her assistance.

He could see her ire rising even strongly which made his arrogant smirk more pronounced, she really was so easy to rile up. How did she not see this? He shrugged at her question, “I stand by earlier statement, for someone who does claim to loathe me you sure love bickering with me. But that’s okay, you keep denying it. I’m a billionaire with a company that’s dominating the media industry. I feel good about myself regardless, Princess.”  He sneered the nickname, essentially mocking her with it, “It just so happens pissing you off has become a favorite hobby, really, you make it so easy. You could chose to walk away but yet you still stand here which tells me enough.” The words were cocky but what else was he to make of her lingering presence? While he had no idea why Meera stuck around and let herself be baited by her words, he wondered why he was always sought her out. Anytime she was near him or in the same room as him, it was as if his body was aware Meera was in his orbit. What the hell did that mean? Max didn’t know and he preferred not to focus on that startling thought. “Who’s to say they will last forever? Surely, you’re not that naive.” He countered back, he didn’t deny that there were many soulmates out there who were happy. The problem wasn’t now, it was later, what guarantee is there that your soulmate would stick around?

Max kept his hazel hues on her mildly curious to see how she’d respond to his advances now which were sincere. He still wanted to bang her, he hated himself for wanting her but he couldn’t deny the tantalizing thought of what it would be like to be tangled in the sheets with her. If he didn’t know any better he could swear he saw her respond as this was the closest they’d ever been. There was only a few inches remaining between them and the urge to close the distance and kiss her was so strong he had to fight his desire because he didn’t intended to start anything with her, not now or ever. Still, her perfume still filled his nostrils and he had to once more right the urge to lean in and skim his nose along her delicate skin. What he also hadn’t expect was for her to turn the tables on him. Max stood silently staring as she finally recovered and began responding, his body reacting quite strongly to the sensual tone her voice had taken on as well as her words. He could almost feel his cock twitch in his felt and bit back his groan of frustration. Then she placed her soft hand on his cheek and he stared at her with darkened eyes, letting the slight hunger he felt for her reflect in his gaze. But god, that hand on his skin, he could feel goosebumps rising on his skin at her delicate touch which wasn’t anything big but he had no idea how to describe what it did to him. More so, what horrified him was how he enjoyed that brief touch. When she dropped her hand the spell broke and he snorted, “Keep telling yourself that but my offer remains open you know where to find if you change your mind, Princess .” He bit out to her, still not helping himself as he once more gave her an blatant invitation to his bed. He watched her walk away with a mixture of annoyance and amusement before he turned back to Emmett.

COMPLETE

#maera01 #meera x max

[blankdblank]

Speechless

Pt1 of 4 - plz let me know what you think :D

All –

@himoverflowers, @theincaprincess, @aspiringtranslator, @sweeticedtea, @ggbbhehe4455, @thegreyberet, @patanghill17, @jesgisborne, @curvestrology, @alishlieb, @jogregor, @armitageadoration, @fizzyxcustard, @here2have-fun, @lilith15000, @marvels-ghost, @catthefearless, @imjusthereforthereads, @c-s-stars

X Thranduil - @evyiione, @sweetlytenacious25, @tigereyesf

…

Again you sat at the dinner table, you had a semester left in school and then you were free, that is all you kept telling yourself. Each night you would sit, silently at the table eating until your father was done and then not a bite more. King’s rule, ‘No one eats unless the King does’, so when he would binge drink and pass out there was no lunch, no dinner and while he fought his hangover with an egg, Tabasco sauce and some juice you would sit at the table waiting until he got up to head to work. You would think he was in some dead end job, but he was the head of a multi billion dollar company, not the owner, but the head. Merely a very replaceable cog in the machine, and you were made to know that, daily.

.

With five half siblings you would assume that there were enough children to keep his eyes off you, boy was that wrong. The only child of his second, now deceased wife, a daughter after his oldest son and twin daughters, after you there was another boy, his joyous surprise with another mystery pair on the way. In the group of fiery straight haired Elves you were the oddball with pitch black hair always curled and knotting, pooling into your face hiding your bright purple eyes.

The rules, it would seem, were only for you and no one else. Naoi, your older brother got what he wanted when he wanted it, and always seemed to have a problem with you. His other sisters went ignored and his baby brother, who wanted to be just like him was adored, and since you were three you could remember always, anything precious to you was taken. All you had was a single female friend, Nellie, and when you reached your sophomore year she caught Naoi’s eye, not because she was his type, no, she was far too short, overweight and was completely far too considerate to even take the last napkin in a diner coated in sauce in case another person would need it later.

But all that changed on a dime. Even with her knowing exactly who they were she went with a twisted take on the old adage, “Make yourselves sheep and the wolves will eat you.” So she joined them, cold and distant she spilled all you had said to your brother and now there was hell to pay. It used to just be an ‘accidental’ shove here, and a subtle elbow there between routine trippings and Eru help you if you tried to tell your father.

You got perfect grades because he made it clear what would happen if you didn’t, five broken ribs and a dislocated shoulder spelled it out quite plainly, a lesson a nine year old should never have to learn. Silence was key, be attentive, but silent and unseen unless called and nights were not safe for you in that house. Beaten and broken you sat huddled in the library trying not to cry when an odd blonde boy approached you, without a word he saw your bag and picked it up. A nod of his head later and you followed him back to his house. Anywhere was safer than home.

Legolas Greenleaf, the glimmer of hope in your life, a new transfer student who had seen how your siblings treated you and how you would jump into the car as soon as it pulled up, knowing what would happen if you took too long. He put two and two together and was determined to help, after that day he not so subtly stalked you and found that day as his day to pounce. It was already set up, a spare room was all prepped for you, and in the lavish home with ten to spare with a busy Grandpa and Father both working on tv out in Greenwood, leaving him to his Grandmother’s care he had the time and ability to sneak you in. With a portion of dinner he had saved heated up he sat you on the bed sharing you were welcome here each night whenever you needed it. Eventually after five reaffirmations you stayed a second night eventually finding yourself there nightly, sneaking the meals Legolas had set aside for you.

But your new friend, at least with family, was far from sneaky. Taule, his grandmother, on the second night spotted Legolas and you in the kitchen and the black hand print on your arms made it clear why he was sneaking you in. You were clearly identifiable from her picking him up from school and she could see who he was hiding you from. A secret soon shared with her husband and son, who both ensured there was always a surplus of food to share and the spare room was never occupied by anyone but you and fully stocked for anything. Holding to the illusion until Legolas or you slipped up or felt the urge to share.

.

Tearfully you sat at the dinner table, eyes down, while the Teacher who had assumed your continuous late or mostly completed assignments were due to not caring got a front row seat into just who you were dealing with at home. His first glimpse of the current project he had assigned, clay busts of mythological creatures, was clear through the open door to the garage, nearly complete and a week early. The dinner went well, in theory.

But the usually argumentative student aiming to point out the vagueness of his questions and slides always stirring another argumentative student, Legolas, who was all too eager to plead for your case in extensions or expansions on the project’s ordered prompt. Now he knew why, all dinner Naoi was presented as the prodigal son and student when your teacher had heard from his former teachers he had cheated his way into tolerable grades and had been bribed into the best school in Lindon.

Each question he aimed at you found you cut off and looking back at your plate instantly making him reroute his plan to discuss your behaviour in class to praising you, praise that stirred a look in your father’s eyes while your step mother sneered at you in bragging about her own son. All while Nellie watched saying nothing. His exit only added to another revelation, Naoi had gone into the garage to your workplace, and after a trip to the guest bath by the door, your teacher saw him muttering on of your compliments as he swung away with a baseball bat destroying your workstation and project.

That night was your last straw, with the destruction of the project being half your grade. Your plan with Legolas of sneaking out what you could each day for him to carry home with him you had only the school bag you carried with you left there. For the rapid redos on your projects you had learned to make doubles, one for there to not arouse suspicion and another to be hidden in Legolas’ home in your now shared workshop above the garage he was assured his family would not disturb.

Bag in hand you snuck out once again, determined never to return to ‘fail’ them again. Outside the library again you stood smiling at your friend pulling up on his scooter to drive you home, grinning widely at the fact you weren’t having to go back and forth anymore. Set up in the spare room, now fully yours, you left your bag and snuck down the hall to Legolas’ slipping into his bed at his suggestion to hold you if you needed it.

An early flight home brought his father to the door with a grin, eager to surprise his son, only to stop hearing Legolas clearly consoling you as you wept into his chest. Painfully as it was he stepped back, respecting your space and waiting to surprise him. By his usual loud patterns of awakening his son had finally realized were deliberate, along with his avoidance of where Legolas had hinted you were hiding. All he wanted was to help, and if this was how they had to do it, so be it, for them at least they could spare you for holidays by planning trips and telling him to bring a friend ‘to keep him company’ through the years, knowing he would pick you.

…

Graduation came along with a proposition. Around the breakfast table Thranduil, on another of his surprise visits back home grinned at his son and readied to share the story about the ‘Sold’ sign out in the front yard. Legolas shifted in his seat knowing you were quietly standing in the pantry while Thranduil cleared his throat. “I know you might have noticed the for sale sign in the yard,”

Legolas nodded, “I didn’t know we were selling it.”

Thranduil grinned, “Well you got into Greenwood. I thought it was time you and your Gran moved in with us full time. It’s just an hour from the campus. Half that if you take the train in and they have great rates for students.”

Legolas lowered his eyes nodding, “I suppose. Since you’ve got it all planned.”

With a smirk Thranduil said, “Don’t worry, we’ve set up a small trip out to Gondor. You can bring Jaqi.” Legolas raised his eyes when he added, “It would give the builders a chance to finish the remodel her bathroom.”

Legolas’ lips parted and Thranduil stood, leaving the table to pull your hidden plate out of an always oddly empty cupboard to set beside Legolas in your former seat with the glass beside it while he filled another plate and glass for Taule, hearing her on her path down after her late night of writing. “You didn’t think we’d forget about you, did you?” His eyes on the slitted folding door to the pantry you were watching them through on his way to set up Taule’s place.

You slipped out of the pantry closing the door behind you to ease into your seat timidly only to lock eyes with the kindhearted and impossible handsome Elf determined to keep you safe. “We thought silver and teal would be a good color palette for your room, and since you’re both attending together it would make things easier.” Another smile eased onto his face, a warm comforting one making your heart skip as you nodded and reclaimed your fork to start eating again, folding the excess material on the sleeve of your baggy sweater in your free hand trying to figure out how long he knew you had been hiding through his breakfasts.

…

Jaqiearae Feren no more! You had taken your maternal grandmother’s birth name, she had been married twice and adopted before that, hoping it was far too obscure for any of your siblings or father to find you even half of Middle Earth away. “Jaqiearae Pear. I like it.” With a giggle from you Legolas eased his arm around your back drawing you closer in a congratulatory half hug on your way into the train to school. Finally you were free and able to do as you wished without worry of a shadow following you, though quite unknown to you the man you admired and not too minorly had a crush on was beginning to crack in his revealing he felt the same.

But age was a big factor, still barely sixty, same as his son, not to mention it would be a violation. You were to be protected, the role he had join in taking up, not to be ogled or thought of in a carnal way by any, and yet here he was, seeing your already matured figure and world stopping smile with a heart and humor far past any other woman he’d met before. Fifty eight was the legal age so it was publicly acceptable, but he did not want to damage what he had earned already of your heart. But that thought was about to be tested in a way he didn’t expect.

…

“Oh no…” Groggily you propped yourself up on the bed realizing fully just how far you had gone. It was your last week in Greenwood as you’d been accepted to a writing internship in Rohan, and to send the year off well you had attended ‘the biggest party ever’ alongside your best friend. Going easy on the alcohol was the plan, key word, was, but one jello shot and the buzz from the blue raspberry concoction later you both were head to head against the object of Legolas’ affection. However unrequited the blonde pined over the captain of the rugby team, Gimli Durin, while he endlessly teased and hinted your eagerness to stay home had a lot more to do with his father’s spike in lounging about after long days at work.

A pained chuckle came from your right as you also obviously naked best friend rolled over to look at you from under the hair over his face, “You know, I’m glad.” Your eyes widened and fell on him when your head turned seeing him sit up, “Think of it this way. We’re best friends, we trust one another, look out for one another, and honestly there’s no one I’d trust more to have my first time with.” He paused for a moment, “And my second through fourth.”

“You’re gay though.”

He shrugged chuckling, “I don’t know if I can technically still say that. I mean, it wasn’t as awkward as I thought. I mean Eli said he was just flat out ‘no’ when he tried having a girlfriend, and I don’t know if it’s just cuz it’s you or not, but it wasn’t anywhere close to bad. I mean, we’re both far from perfect, so, practice needed,” He chuckled seeing your still puzzled expression, making him scoot closer to cup your hand resting on your lap, “What I’m saying is, I’m glad it was with you.”

You blinked a couple times then said, “You called me Gimli.”

He nodded and grinned wider, “And I distinctly remember you calling out my Ada’s name.”

Your face flushed and you inhaled and blurted out, “We were drunk.”

“Clearly you’re just upset you woke up with the wrong blonde.” He joked.

“For the love of Eagles.” You mumbled and climbed out of bed wiggling on your underwear and grabbed your jeans to bounce into, “Seriously, he’s your dad! And, we just spent the night together!”

Legolas shook his head, “Ah, like it’s ever gonna happen again. Besides, he loves you. Heartbroken about your move.”

You shook your head, tugging your shirt on with a pointed glare on your way to the door where he said, “Jaqi, I love you, you’re my best friend. Nothing is gonna change that. Not even a drunken one nighter. It’s not a ‘we’re never gonna talk about it, never gonna see one another again’, I’d like to be able to talk and joke about this in the future. So we can get back to bantering about our crushes and terrible dates.”

You sighed, “I know. But hopefully this ends the teasing about your dad, I doubt he’d appreciate it.” You said before slipping out of the room leaving him chuckling until his curtains on a timer opened making him groan at it worsening his already throbbing headache.

Freshly showered and changed you readied to head off to school again, taking your seat with your simple and quick breakfast that ended when Legolas and Thranduil joined the table noting Oropher’s amused expression looking you over as you left your dishes in the sink and fled. Waiting until you had left the house Oropher asked, “Alright, what did she do last night and why is she avoiding you? Drunken tiff?”

Legolas shook his head and wet his lips choosing now to plainly say it and just let it breathe without it coming out later, “No, we sort of slept together.”

They both lowered their cups looking at him in shock as Oropher asked, “What? I thought-.”

Legolas, “Apparently we got so drunk we thought we were off to bed with other people.”

Thranduil, “I don’t-,”

Legolas smirked filling his fork again, “I thought she was Gimli and apparently she had another blonde in mind.” The men both stared at him while Thranduil’s heart began to race wondering just who you had intended to sleep with. “All in all I love and trust her. And I am assuming for a first time I couldn’t have chosen better. I think she’s just a bit stunned still by who she knew I thought I’d brought home and who I woke up with and how I’m comfortable with it.”

Oropher, “You are comfortable with this?”

Legolas nodded, “I mean, we’re not going to date.” Thranduil’s hand gripped his knee tighter under the table, “We love each other, we’re not going anywhere and hopefully we can joke about it and still talk how we do. It was our first times, we’re not going to just vanish. It’s a bit odd and a weird turn, still a drunken one nighter, but it’s a lot better than us waking up in stranger’s houses for a highly unspeakable first time, right?”

Oropher’s head tilted, “You do have a point.” His eyes lowering to see Thranduil releasing his knee and smoothing his hand a bit higher on his lap before grabbing his coffee cup again for a calming sip.

Thranduil, “Does Jaqi feel that way?”

Legolas, “She didn’t argue with it. I think she just needs a bit to let it settle.”

Oropher asked, “I have to ask, you used protection?”

Legolas nodded, “Yes. We were very safe.”

At Thranduil’s stifled irritation Oropher let it sit and asked more about school, wondering how he would take you leaving and how you were actually feeling about this.

… A couple days later …

Classes were through and you were back at the house again making sure you were fully packed but still you needed a few more things. Legolas was busy with his own final presentations and club meetings freeing you to think about what had happened. It truly wasn’t terrible, quite enjoyable, though mainly due to who you had wished it to be. The thoughts you had imagined having of being a terrible person for taking your best friend to bed only for how much he looked like his father while you were plastered.

That was entirely muffled by the knowledge that he had imagined you to somehow be Gimli, the massive fiery haired bushy bearded rugby player. That, all together puzzled you and the longer you thought on it the more you knew it was true, you wouldn’t have preferred some stranger to have your first with, you just wished your friend was right that it wouldn’t be a problem to the amazing father you had imagined him to be.

Down the stairs you trotted then froze coming face to face with the man himself. Smiling at you with a hopeful glint in his eye he’d always had for you lately after looking you over in your lopsided t shirt and jeans over your heeled boots. “Hi” you squeaked out trying not to focus on his flexing muscles in his tight t shirt and jeans with sneakers poking out.

Thranduil, “I was needing to pick out some things at the store, knew you’d need some things for your travels, care to join me?”

Timidly you nodded and he nodded his head to the side and guided you to the garage and into his sports car. Quietly you sat wetting your lips and buckled up folding your hands together on your lap, for most of the ride he tried chatting about the holiday trip he was planning for your first time back again until you paused looking over his face catching the same expression again then groaned rubbing your face making him ask, “What?”

Lowering your hands you looked at him, “He told you?!”

Thranduil couldn’t help but smirk at your befuddled expression, “Legolas might have mentioned why you have been a bit distant with him since the party.”

Your hands rose then plopped back on your lap making you shake your head, “Go ahead and ask.”

“Ask what?”

You shrugged, “I don’t know, you’re bound to have a question in that head of yours.”

He chuckled lowly then wet his lips, an action not missed by you making your fingers curl together, “Are you ok? With it, I mean.”

“I, he’s my best friend. It’s weird.” He glanced at you, “How could I be mistaken for Gimli?! What the hell did he drink when my back was turned that I looked like Gimli. That made me grow a foot and a hundred pounds?!”

“I think it was more of, who he was thinking of, while you were together.”

“Ya, not comforting at all.” Making him chortle.

“Alright fine then, how far off were you then? He mentioned you were thinking he was someone else too. Another blonde?”

“That-, not telling.” He chuckled again at your creeping blush as you looked out the window trying to mask, “Never gonna happen.”

Unwilling to push the issue he skipped to a more puzzling question, “He, he was nice, I mean, he didn’t hurt you?”

You glanced at him shaking your head, “No. It, um, you really want to talk about this?”

He nodded, “Sex shouldn’t be a taboo topic. You can talk to me about anything.”

You wet your lips again then nodded, “Ok. Um, well, it was mainly focused on him. It wasn’t actually, there-, we focused on him mostly.”

“You,” he paused wetting his lips, “enjoyed it?”

With a playful grin you asked him, “Are you actually asking if your son was good in bed?”

He let out an awkward chuckle, “Um, I, I can’t help but be curious about it?”

You weakly chuckled saying, “Well, not really a great judge. It wasn’t bad like most first time stories are. He didn’t make any absurd faces or noises or shout out ‘boom goes the canon’ or anything,”

Thranduil chuckled again, “Boom goes the canon?!”

“It, you hear things in college. Harven Glikkon in the Drama club shouted that at the party after he got a blow job.” Making Thranduil chuckle again, “But ya, he’s pretty good and he wasn’t, completely off on the, giving side.”

In another glance at you he asked, “Giving side?”

“Um, he, tried, to reciprocate.” Thranduil nodded through his creeping grin, “I mean, you think about it, oral on guys is a lot easier of a concept, so I mean first try for a guy not even supposedly on the team,”

Thranduil chuckled out, “Quite an accomplishment then.”

You nodded unable to help but giggle, “Yes. Exactly.” You wet your lips and glanced at him, “I think the main thing is, he said he didn’t mind it.”

Thranduil’s brows pressed together, “Didn’t mind it?”

“That’s what he said. Like he’s heard stories about gay men being repulsed by the thought of being intimate with a woman. And he said he wasn’t sure if it was because it was he’s so comfortable with me, or if he might, I don’t know, be, bi, or, I don’t know.”

Thranduil nodded, “Hmm. You still comfortable with him?”

You nodded, “I love him, that won’t change. When I think about him I don’t think about having sex with him. He is attractive, just, he’s not my, guy..”

Thranduil smirked, “I get it. He sort of said the same thing.”

“Ah. He say if I make any weird faces?”

He chuckled again, “No. You will have to ask him about that.”

“Ooh, so you’re trying to get all the details from me. I see how you work. Trying to pull one of your work tricks on me.” Giggling in your glance at him, “Pretend like he spilled it all, lull me into a false sense of comfort. I see it now.” Making him chuckle again.

“I am not using tricks on you.” You caught his eye as he parked saying, “I promise.”

You nodded, “You’re right, your face is too happy to be doing your tricks.”

“Too happy?”

Moving your hand you gently pressed his brows lower, “Brows like this and your face goes all straight and your voice deepens too.”

“Ahh, you’ve been watching then?” He chuckled again, “A lot it seems.”

“Enough.” You giggled climbing out as he turned to climb out himself, almost forgetting to unbuckle first.

“Sure, downplay it.”

You walked around the back of the car as he stood holding his hand on the door smiling at you. “Keys.”

He raised a brow then turned ducking into the car, “Keys, right.” Switching off the car and pocketing the keys to stand beside the car as he locked it, “I bet you’re our biggest fan.”

Playfully you nodded, “Oh yes, I love watching you make men three times my size squirm in their suits. And that glare you give them when they’re lying, ooh, chills.” He laughed loudly at your faked shiver as you giggled.

“And it’s not even close to what Ada does.”

“Ooh, no. I can’t imagine getting into trouble with him as a kid. Just the look alone, and that brow twitch-,”

He chuckled again grabbing a cart for you both, “I have been trying to master that for decades.”

You smirked up at him, “How does it feel to be on a nationally syndicated tv show with not one, but two of, the best, interviewers in all of Greenwood?”

He chuckled again at your interview like question, “Wow.” You giggled again and he chuckled, “We are far from the best.”

“Oh stop comparing yourself to that talking moose on channel five. He can’t even find a shirt that fits let alone go an episode without saying caboose.” Making him smirk wider, “Thought he’d have a heart attack with glee on that train episode.”

“True.”

…

A couple days passed and you were taken off to the train that would carry you off to Rohan. Legolas was beside you for his own internship through the summer break in Gondor. Tightly you were hugged and he darted off, with Oropher chasing after him with his passport he’d forgotten after stealing a hug from you of his own, leaving just you and Thranduil. Anxiously he looked down at you. After your hug and pair of anxious chuckles before you said, “Don’t worry, it’ll be the holidays before you know it.”

He nodded and stole another hug making you giggle then step back, turning as you did, “Stay safe, and go kill it.” His hand accidentally patting you on the butt making him blush immediately at using his coach’s send off when he would get put into games in school.

“I, um, I’m sorry, rugby flashback.”

You giggled and shook your head, “No worries. Very motivating.” Making him let out another awkward chuckle, “See you.”

He nodded, “See you.” Watching you trot off into the crowds to head off to your gate leaving him to walk back to the car inhaling deeply, “Why..” he stared at his hand when he climbed in the car asking it again, “Why?”

It wasn’t so much of a tap at all but all the way to Rohan you could still feel where his hand had made contact, and it most certainly made your plan of focusing on your book more difficult at the thoughts it stirred up of your imagined night with him. A habit lingering until you were back again.

Pt 2

#Thranduil x OC #Hobbit #lotr

[dunnystuff]

Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2021 12:04 PM

Subject: Rich's Blog

Now We know How Churchill Felt Watching Neville Chamberlain

Hi to all -

The Aftermath

I had heard that during his term, Obama would sometimes ban Biden from attending strategy meetings because his 'thinking was dangerous'. Guess even Obama knew that Biden was not a diplomat, leader or thinker. Just a political hack, easily manipulated.

Well, everyone can now watch this. Yes, Biden did meet the plane returning the bodies of our fallen. He dutifully stood there, trying to look somber, but he was clearly not there in spirit. As each of the 13 bodies was carried off the plane, Biden stopped and looked at his watch. He had someplace more important to be than honoring our soldiers. Perhaps if those coffins had been filled with cash from China, he could have spared some time. Some of the families noticed this, and said very unkind things about Biden.

Remember Hurricane Sandy? That storm devastated the coastal areas of New Jersey. Obama paid a visit to see the destruction, and in one very revealing moment, he stood amidst the ruins of a home, holding up a weeping woman, and promised her with all the sincerity a politician can muster that he would not desert them, but would be there to take care of their tragedy. Then, he looked at his watch, and literally dropped this woman, saying he had a fundraiser to go to. Later, these people were told, by mail, that they did not qualify for federal aid, just because their houses had literally been wiped off the map. One homeowner sent the bureaucrats a letter, with a photo of himself standing in the ruins of his home, and inviting them to come over for dinner, since they were not experiencing any loss, or deserving of any aid from the government.

Now that the battle is over, and there is nothing to be done, the GOP members of congress held a long presser today. Lots of hand wringing, and the usual lamenting that someone must be held accountable, etc. Easy to do, after weeks of silence. But several members got up and told angry stories - these were often vets of that war - of people they knew being executed by the Taliban. One congressman told of his interpreter having been captured by the Taliban, and having to watch them behead his wife and children, before they beheaded him.

Nancy Pelosi was asked to attend. But, Nancy, like all piss ant tyrants, is a coward, and refused to attend to hear the stories, or answer the questions, etc. Nancy can only function in the dark, or in an environment she totally controls. Daylight is as dangerous to her as it is to any vampire. She sent some poor underling who was powerless to say or do anything.

For weeks now, Nancy has forbidden any discussion in congress about the situation, and blocked every effort by others to mitigate the problems or prevent the losses. Treason? Conspiracy? Efforts to destroy America? You decide. And, there was a lot of angry emotion in the room. A group of 90 generals and admirals demanded the resignation of General Milley and General Austin (Head of the Joint Chiefs and Secretary of Defense) for their total failure in this bungled effort. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was revealed to have had detailed knowledge of the attacks on our troops in advance. He even notified medical personnel to be prepared for a 'mass casualty event' more than 1.5 hours before it happened! Dereliction of duty, anyone? In fact, our intelligence people had been presenting detailed descriptions of what was happening, and what was about to happen, when and where, to our forces on the ground. The word 'impeachment' was not mentioned. How odd.

Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby blithely dismissed leaving so many stranded people as 'We have people stranded all the time.' He refused to answer any questions about the botched pullout . he refused to answer why, knowing what was about to happen, he failed to warn or protect our soldiers. But what really got a lot of folks riled up was the reveal, and photos, of our service dogs being abandoned, in their kennels, on the airfield. These dogs are soldiers, too, who work and give their lives for our soldiers. There is a move to rescue them, as they are in the custody of friendly people still there.

But, if we stall questions for a short time, they will be unnecessary. The Taliban is going house to house slaughtering 'enemies of their new state'. When I said this was going to happen, Big Brother censored my story.

Biden, meanwhile, is claiming that this was a 'great victory', and dancing his victory dance. He did what no one else could do. Well, that part is correct. We have never had a traitor like this before. And, all those $82 billion worth of weapons will be on the world arms markets in days, if they are not there already. This is more weapons that many of our allied nations possess - and they will go to the highest bidder, and will soon be used against us right here - coming across our southern border. Did you see the videos? Pallets of pistols, rifles, binoculars , night vision gear, body armor, and tons of ammo. Thousands of vehicles, even aircraft.

By the way, Biden is trying to get the CDC to ban ammo sales and distribution as a health and safety issue, since he cannot do it by Executive Order. An old Obama back door approach. He also wants private companies to do what he cannot do - discriminate against manufacturers and buyers of weapons - even as our own weapons are coming to attack us.

Do you remember what Ike did as he was about to launch D-Day? Chances were not so great that it would succeed. So, Ike prepared two statements. One, to give if the landings were successful, and another if they were not. In the second case, Ike said that the failure was his, and his alone. There are no Ike's in the Biden White House. Only whining finger pointers.

Teachers Union

President Cecily Myart-Cruz noted that kids are not doing well, and says that lockdowns that have kept so many out of class for nearly a year and a half is no problem at all. Just because they do not know their multiplication tables, or how to read, or spell, or write their own names, that does not mean they are not educated. Not at all. After all, she said, they have learned resilience. And, they know all about riots, protests, and insurrection. That is more important than basic functional skills, right?

General Flynn

He is still hated and feared by the left. He just posted a letter he received from Chase Bank - which caused quite a stir. The letter said "We decided to close your credit cards on September 18, 2021, because continuing the relationship creates possible reputational risk to our company." Well, such blatant discrimination got a lot of folks up in arms, and Chase had to issue a retraction, claiming 'it was an error'. No, it was not. It was an attempt to punish a man because of his political beliefs.

To put this in perspective, Chase just agreed to a $920 million settlement with the DOJ for conspiring to defraud the markets for precious metals and Treasury Bonds . If the settlement is nearly a billion dollars, just how big was this fraud?

New Orleans

Well, they are getting into action for the aftermath of storm Ida. The looting is already in progress, so the head of law enforcement made the announcement that this would not be tolerated, and that looting was a felony, and anyone arrested would be treated as a felon. Some have already been arrested. Compare to Katrina.

Years back, I lived in a small town with a very corrupt local government. It had been a family fiefdom for years. The Judge was family with the sheriff, and all other officials were on the take. Cops would raid one drug gang, and then sell the drugs from their police cars while on patrol. There were organized theft gangs, hitting up to 100 homes per week. No one ever saw their goods again. Except for one. When the gang hit the home of the judge, he complained to the sheriff that his wife's silver and furs had been taken, and by the most amazing coincidence, the sheriff found those items the very next day, and returned them to the judge.

Finally, the feds had enough, and swooped in and arrested everyone above the rank of meter maid. The mayor ran for reelection from his jail cell! Well, a new crop of folks took over, and one of the first things they did was institute a new law for the holidays. See, business robberies were an everyday occurrence during the holiday season (your Christmas shoplifting), as I knew first hand from being on the receiving end of an armed robbery, with daytime raids and nighttime break ins. So, there was an announcement that in any case of questionable behavior, police would shoot first, ask questions later. It was not long before two incidents brought this policy to light. A young man tried to rob a convenience store, and was shot dead as he exited the building. Another young man was discovered climbing out of a basement window of a business, with what looked like a weapon, but turned out to be the screwdriver he used to break in with, and he was also shot dead. When these two stories were reported on the news, robberies and other crime dropped by 90%, and never returned to former levels. Even crooks have a risk limit.

War of 1912

During this war, the British sent a force up the river to seize control of an important American post. A man on the riverbank yelled at the British "If Washington were still president, he would not let you do this !" The British officer responded "If Washington were still president, we would not even try." Teddy Roosevelt expressed this well, when he said "Speak softly, and carry a big stick". When people know you mean it - they will leave you alone.

China

They are concerned over how much time young people spend on video games. So, now all video games must be registered with the state, using real names and personal ID card numbers. All games will be monitored by the state, and youth will be allowed no more than three hours weekly to play games. One hour daily on weekends, and one hour on holidays. Kids and game makers are not happy, but this is China, and you have no say in your own life in China. Look for similar things to come here.

Rich

[bharatiyamedia-blog]

Avengers: Endgame: Trailers, launch date, solid, plot and title which means

http://tinyurl.com/yxga2pso Avengers: Endgame, which hit US theaters on April 26, needed to be one of many most-eagerly awaited films of the 2010s. It helps that 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War was not solely an enormous, $2 billion hit, however that Josh Brolin’s purple-tinted Thanos wreaked such destruction within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Filmgoers had to purchase a ticket to see which heroes survived and which gave all of it within the service of the world. To nobody’s shock, the film has turned out to be a super-powered money-making machine for Marvel and Disney, and is presently the No. 2 movie of all time on the field workplace. If you have not seen it but, take your bathroom breaks earlier than you are taking your seat. It is simply over three hours lengthy. Evaluations are in The opinions at the moment are right here, they usually’re principally Marvel-ous. CNET critic Mike Sorrentino writes, in a spoiler-free review, that “the Russos brothers’ engrossing, wholly satisfying superhero epic … would not depart a second to spare.” Critic Brandon Davis of CNET sister site ComicBook.com says the movie will get off to a “gradual, barely convoluted begin,” however in the long run, manages to not solely meet fan expectations, however exceed them. And A.O. Scott of The New York Times writes that the movie generates a number of “sincere tears,” and for good motive. “We have lived with these characters and the actors taking part in them for greater than a decade, and even when the social gathering bought hectic, silly or crowded, there was no motive to complain concerning the visitors,” Scott writes. “For essentially the most half, it is good to see them once more, and a little bit unhappy to say goodbye.” Earlier than the opinions have been revealed, social media reactions began to return out late on April 22, and many are raves. “Excellent mix of motion, coronary heart & humor!” tweeted critic Scott Mantz. “That is pretty much as good because it will get! Best superhero film EVER!” INCREDIBLE!! #AVENGERS #ENDGAME brings your entire MCU to a rousing, thrilling, deeply shifting & wholly satisfying conclusion! It’s a *BEAUTIFUL* movie! Enjoyable, sensible, intelligent, BRILLIANT! Excellent mix of motion, coronary heart & humor! That is pretty much as good because it will get! Best superhero film EVER! pic.twitter.com/dMeLtvO7Gy — Scott Mantz (@MovieMantz) April 23, 2019 Ticket and home-release data Tickets went on sale April 2, smashing presale ticket records, however as a result of the AMC Theatres web site was down, not everybody was in a position to get the tickets they needed. Some later showed up on eBay with sellers asking for 1000’s of {dollars}. And ticket web site Fandango reported on April 23 that greater than 4,000 showings offered out. This can be the Endgame, nevertheless it’s not the tip. Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige is promising that whereas Avengers: Endgame offers a definitive ending to the heroes’ present woes, it is not an finish to Marvel characters on large and small screens. When will Avengers: Endgame come to residence video? No date was launched as of late Might, however Amazon is already letting fans pre-order it — simply with no thought after they may obtain the movie. Trailers and photographs Days earlier than the film hit theaters, the cast belted out Billy Joel’s We Didn’t Start the Fire in a video proven on The Tonight Present Starring Jimmy Fallon, with Avengers-ized lyrics, in fact. When tickets went on sale, Marvel additionally released a special look at the film. In it, the heroes are proven nonetheless mourning their misplaced associates, whereas additionally attempting to plan easy methods to strike again at Thanos. Earlier than that, on March 14, an Avengers: Endgame trailer arrived with little warning. It is a flashback-filled trailer, displaying Captain America dreaming of measuring as much as World Battle II soldier degree, and likewise hints on the future, that includes the surviving Avengers seemingly making ready for one thing in white Star Wars Stormtrooper-like fits. (House? The Quantum Realm?) Now taking part in: Watch this: Avengers: Endgame trailer takes you again to the beginning 2:26 A TV spot launched on April 17 truly supplied a little bit humor amid all of the mourning and unhappiness. We wanted that. And here is a have a look at all the Avengers footage we have seen to this point. The place did we depart off? In his quest to stability the universe, Thanos acquired all of the infinity stones and zapped half the universe’s inhabitants, simply as he threatened. A lot of Marvel’s main heroes have been among the many vanished half of the inhabitants that simply type of … was piles of sand that then blew away. Now taking part in: Watch this: Avengers: Endgame trailer revealed 2:25 So Avengers: Endgame was left with a significant scenario: No approach are all these money-making Marvel heroes gone for good. However a few of them needed to chew the mud for sheer dramatic causes (and since a number of actors have talked publicly about moving on). No spoilers right here, however the ending left some followers unhappy, and a few glad. What’s with that title? There was a lot hypothesis about what the movie can be known as — for a very long time, it was merely often called Avengers 4, and plenty of feared that the true title can be an enormous, gut-wrenching spoiler. Endgame was talked about early on within the rumor recreation, partially as a result of Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) says it in Infinity War, ominously telling Tony Stark, “We’re within the endgame now.” The time period truly comes from the chess world, referring to the stage of the sport the place only a few items stay, which makes good allegorical sense. In Infinity Battle, Thanos and the Avengers have been matched in an enormous recreation of chess, after which Thanos pulled out what appears to be a checkmate. However the recreation wasn’t over. Physician Unusual himself made a baffling sacrifice, handing over the time stone to Thanos, simply as chess gamers could strategically sacrifice a bit to construct towards an eventual victory. Moviegoers get to see how the endgame performs out, and which sacrifices stay to be made. Meet the solid This piece was initially revealed on April 30, 2018, and is commonly up to date. How to watch every MCU property in the perfect order: From Marvel movies to the reveals on Netflix, here is one of the best order to expertise the MCU. Source link

[angrycollectordaze-me-blog]

Assignment代写：Neiman

下面为大家整理一篇优秀的assignment代写范文- Neiman，供大家参考学习，这篇论文讨论了尼曼。尼曼是一个零售商品牌，经过了100多年的发展之后，如今已成为美国以经营奢侈品为主的连锁高端百货商店，是当今美国最高档、最独特的奢侈品零售商之一。一直以来，尼曼致力于给消费者提供最具特色的高品质商品，人们总能将它与顶尖设计师、时尚优雅、奢华家居，以及无与伦比的美妙礼物联系在一起。位于旧金山的尼曼百货是尼曼旗下标志性的店面之一，在环境华贵优美的商店里，尼曼百货售卖的是世界顶尖的品牌和商品，而尼曼持续推崇的顶级客户服务也已经成为它的品牌内涵之一。

In 1907, Herbert Marcus, A 29-year-old American, together with his sister Carrie Marcus and her husband a. l. Neiman, opened A 50-square-meter store in Dallas, Texas, with $25,000 and part of the funds raised through the sale of shares to their families. Taking this as the starting point, this retailer brand named Neiman Marcus, after more than 100 years of development history, has become a chain of high-end department stores mainly engaged in luxury goods in the United States and is one of the most upscale and unique luxury retailers in the United States today.

For a long time, nieman has been committed to providing consumers with the most distinctive high-quality products, which can always be associated with top designers, fashion elegance, luxury home, and unparalleled wonderful gifts. One of its signature stores, neiman marcus in San Francisco, has become one of the city's most famous sights, with its gilded decor, a skylight on its graphic roof and stained-glass panels depicting the ancient city of Paris. In beautiful and luxurious shops, nyman department store sells the world's top brands and products, and the top customer service that nyman continuously advocates has become one of its brand connotations.

Neiman started out as a clothing store for the entire Dallas area, with the goal of bringing a different style of women's fashion to the American southwest. On September 1, 1907, neiman ran the first advertisement in a local newspaper, the Dallas morning news: "the goal of a good store should be to stay in the lead." With this in mind, nieman has consolidated its position as the "high fashion kingdom," and brands that were never thought to have a presence in the Dallas area have gained a wide following through nieman's sales. At the time, nieman also acquired the best specialty lines in the entire state of Texas for different styles of women's wear. As the first specialty store in the southern United States, nyman was able to establish an excellent monopoly chain through exclusive management. At that time, nieman put a lot of energy into the middle-price goods as well as the imported goods, and tried his best to obtain the same quality and workmanship as the high fashion at the lowest price. Since then, nieman has been adhering to the fashion, quality, extraordinary value concept and quality service until today.

From the beginning of the business, Marcus family has been in charge of the operation of Neiman Marcus and adheres to the business principle of co-founder Herbert Marcus faithfully: "if you can't provide high-quality shopping for customers, there will be no success for Neiman Marcus. "We are selling a comfortable shopping experience, not just merchandise." The firm almost lost its head before a fire in 1913. But the founders restored it quickly and with astonishing tenacity, opening its first flagship store in 1914. In 1926, the employees of sengle brothers were dismissed by the purchaser, and most of them went to nieman's company. Together with a large number of loyal customers, they were transferred to nieman's brand, which laid a good foundation for nieman's future growth. In the same year, nieman became a leader in the fashion industry by holding the first ever fashion show in the United States at the nieman store in New York. In 1928, nieman began selling men's clothing, such as French ties and British shirts. In 1934, nieman became the first retailer to launch a national marketing campaign, advertising in national fashion magazines such as Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. In 1938, as the business grew, nieman began to offer unique, high-end goods named after European and American designers, and the first batch of nieman's cooperative designers included Christian Dior, Gabrielle Chanel and so on. In 1939, nieman published his first annual Christmas catalog, which included fine coats, fashion accessories, perfumes, toys, and more.

When more than half of the stores in New York is the world's top fashion brands rapidly occupation at the same time, the NPC is in Texas, 2000 miles away, "the countryside" provide people with a simple fashion aristocratic way of life, the good brand won the allegiance of the United States and respect, and in 1953 by the fashion magazine Vogue doubt whether there is hidden a fashion genius.

In 1984, nieman pioneered the industry's first customer loyalty tracking system. In 1988, it bought Horchow Collection, a home retail brand, expanding its range to include household goods. In 1989, nieman acquired Bergdorf Goodman, a department store and retail brand, and formed nieman group in 1989. In 1999, Neiman Marcus Direct was established by Neiman group to carry out Direct sales of luxury goods on the Internet. So far, the main business of nieman group covers retail and direct sales, including the high-end department stores of Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. It can be seen that nieman has always been in the forefront of the same industry in the United States both in terms of fashion trends and retail brand development, and it is not difficult to understand why it can become an evergreen tree of luxury sales in the United States.

By 2007, the number of stores of nieman group had reached 39, including 37 Neiman Marcus stores and 2 Bergdorf Goodman stores. In 2007, the sales revenue reached 4.39 billion us dollars, making it the top-performing high-end department store focusing on luxury goods in the United States at that time. Today, nieman has more than 5 million square meters of boutique department stores in the United States, including 40 Neiman Marcus department stores, 2 Bergdorf Goodman boutique stores and 26 end-of-season merchandise promotion stores. Nieman's online luxury site, shopping, also offers women's, men's and home luxury brands.

There is one crucial word about the luxury industry -- prestige. The prestige of a luxury retailer largely affects its bottom line. In 2006, the United States, the Luxury goods industry research Institute key-2 Luxury Institute survey report released by the Luxury brand value index has four pillars: value stable top quality, unique features, a symbol of social status, make customer feel the noble identity service levels, and in the four evaluation, NPC group in top quality and service level of the two.

With a history of more than 100 years, neiman marcus has always adhered to its mission -- to discover and showcase the creative talents of fashion design, and to provide top-quality products, quality services and extraordinary value. The positioning of high-end goods of nieman group has always been clear, and the combination of "top brand + designer brand + trend series brand" builds its own luxury kingdom. Its high-end brands include: Burberry, Prada, Valentino, Armani, Chloe, Fendi, Dior, D&G and other world's top brands, as well as designer collections and trend collections. In its stores, hundreds of thousands of dollars of custom clothing, million-dollar diamond heels abound. In addition, the focus of nieman's service projects, mainly including gift packaging, consignment, commodity modification, especially wedding consulting services, has become one of the characteristics of nieman services. Nieman department store has a special wedding service line, which provides customers with a series of personalized services such as gift selection and wedding guidance. When the purchase amount reaches $2,000, the club account will be opened automatically to enjoy exclusive privileges. One of its founders, Herbert Marcus, once described nieman as a "department store with a specialty store mentality", the kind of specialisation that has kept it a top American luxury retailer. Committed to the cultivation of new brands with rising potential, both avant-garde enough to ensure sales. Once a new brand is recognized in the market, nieman's cultivation of it will earn special rewards -- the right to exhibit new products in the first place, the earliest sales time, and even the exclusive rights in some markets. The operation of the luxury industry requires influence, which requires novelty and sensationalism. The ability to live in "extravagant luxury" has become an important indicator of the reputation of the industry. Nieman group in this area of the skills of the fire. Check out its Christmas gift list, which includes everything from $400,000 robots to $1.45 million bowling alleys to $10 million airships. Nieman group understands the word "luxury" to the extreme. It is precisely the precise and meticulous positioning grasp and customer focus, the innovative approach of excelsior brand value, and the excellent intuition and feeling of the operation team for the word "luxury" that make nieman group thrive in the field of luxury retail.

The 2008 financial crisis hit nieman hard, and the company suffered a decline, with sales of $3.6 billion in 2009 -- a 21 percent drop from a year earlier -- resulting in a net loss of $668 million. In recent years, with the recovery of the market, nieman group's sales resumed growth, reaching 4.5 billion us dollars in 2012, achieving a year-on-year growth of 7% and a net profit of 140 million us dollars. Although nieman group is doing well in the United States, but it is still not an "international" company, its brand is still lack of visibility in the global scope.

In 2010 Karen Katz was appointed President and chief executive of nieman group, the first time in the company's history that a woman had held the top leadership position. And this new leader also lives up to the expectations. In order to face the new challenges in the new media era, she spares no effort to innovate in many aspects. Karen Katz launched a number of new marketing initiatives and opened discount stores to revamp existing Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus stores. In 2010, the company opened its first concept store, Last Call Studio, in Dallas, Texas. In 2010, LastCall.com, an online business, launched. Bergdorf Goodman launched Today's Shoe in 2010. That same year, the Bergdorf Goodman blog was launched. In 2011, a nieman blog called NM Daily went live.

Nieman group has reached a bottleneck in the number of stores in the United States, so the global development is imperative. But nieman group's "going out" step appears to be extremely careful. Announced on March 22, 2012, Karen Katz NPC group of private e-commerce company charm hui Hong Kong holdings co., LTD., to invest the controlling strategy, NPC group to charm you holding co., LTD., a $28 million investment, to promote charm existing limited-time sales business growth in Asia, and to establish a new brand of e-commerce business. Indeed, the move is an attempt by nieman to tap into the fast-growing Chinese luxury retail market. Karen Katz says: "we have the ambition to take this important step forward in building nieman into an international brand. "Through our strategic investment in glamour China, glamour China will become a strong partner for us in the Chinese market and also lay a solid foundation for us in the fast-growing luxury market in China.

In December 2012, nieman group officially launched its e-commerce platform in China, with its operation center and warehouse located in Shanghai. In order to achieve goals, combining fashion group more than hundred years of experience and long-term partnerships with many international top designer brands, special arrangement, senior fashion buying team in New York, milan, Paris and so on around the world, specifically for Chinese customers to find and choose the most unique and quality of clothing, shoes and other kinds of fashion goods.

Nieman chose to enter China to profit from the country's booming consumer demand for luxury goods, but at the same time it had to contend with the high retail costs of entering the Chinese market. Statistics show that in the five years from 2008 to 2013, China's domestic distribution cost increased by 200%, storage cost increased by 23%, and advertising and marketing cost increased by nearly 50%. In addition, shop rents, logistics and Labour costs in prime locations are rising year by year. Like macy's, another American boutique fashion brand, nieman has chosen to enter China through e-commerce so it doesn't have to make a huge investment to open a physical store right away and test the water for future openings.

However, although e-commerce reduces the channel cost of nieman, it cannot solve the problem of its brand. Whether in physical stores or e-commerce, nieman has never set foot in the Chinese market before. For nieman, relying solely on online sales may be difficult to establish retail brand awareness. After all, Chinese consumers know little about nieman's brand.

In May 2013, nieman group had to change its original development strategy -- cancel storage facilities in China and scale back its operating entities. While nyman's China site will continue to operate, the company's Chinese site will only serve as the Chinese version of the U.S. official website and will be maintained by a smaller customer service and marketing team in Shanghai. All goods will be shipped directly from the U.S. Brands such as Kate Spade, Helmut Lang, Valentino and Jimmy Choo will be delivered directly from warehouses in the United States. That could lead to longer shipping times and thus be affected by currency fluctuations, but Mr. Nieman called it a 'good move' that would include quicker delivery of the latest fashion items to Chinese consumers without being influenced by local authorities. According to the financial report released by nieman group in March 2014, the loss of its e-commerce project in China reached 2.1 million us dollars. Obviously, in the competitive environment of Chinese luxury sales, it is hard to avoid "acclimatization" for nieman group to rely only on the business model of combining luxury goods and pure e-commerce.

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[theliterateape]

American Shithole #4 — What Treasures Await Within The Failure Box?

By Eric Wilson

All eyes may be on the Rob Porter debacle this week (or now the school shooting in Florida), but buried deep within the latest budget proposal is another hatchet job on our country’s defenseless and beleaguered poor. This administration is looking to slash 129 billion dollars in funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), in order to support tax cuts for the filthy rich. In a now struggling and continuous effort to one-up themselves, next week Trump conservatives, for no apparent reason, plan to throw one random adorable deaf child off a cliff.

What’s really going on here — besides the wholesale redistribution of value from the needy to the ruling class — is the old conservative classic, the shaming of the poor. Trump and Co. want to bring the shame back to the safety net programs that they can’t outright kill — in this case, by cutting assistance in half, taking power away from the individual, and replacing the ease and independence afforded by the EBT card, with what they call “America’s Harvest Box.”

I’ll give evil republicans one thing, they sure know how to name the beast. Hell, Citizens United sounds more like a well-meaning U2 album, than the death to democracy it represents. This latest proposal is no different. Slice this turd pizza any way you like, this reverse wealth redistribution is a failure box, born of cruelty, dressed in shame and bound by greed. We can expect nothing less from an administration that so embodies failure as its defining characteristic.

"Under the proposal, households receiving $90 or more per month in SNAP benefits will receive a portion of their benefits in the form of a USDA Foods package, which would include items such as shelf-stable milk, ready to eat cereals, pasta, peanut butter, beans and canned fruit, vegetables, and canned meat, poultry or fish," the budget reads.

I can hear the breakfast banter already:

“Mom, can I have more shelf-stable milk?”

“Now Timmy, you know you have already had your governmentally allotted granules of dehydrated, dairy product! You know the billionaire class needs every cent the rest of us can spare, for really important reasons, like they want it. Now help your sister open the meat.

“Aww, mom! But I need strength in my bones for the Trump Parade!

Well, now that the Trump Parade is every second Thursday of the month, I guess you’re right, son!”

Ugh. Billionaires clawing at the bones of the disenfranchised, scraping for specks of flesh along the fracture lines. Vampiric lords of the undead, sucking the last of the marrow out of a deeply-flawed economic construct that’s now collapsing under the weight of its own coddled indifference.  

Also, the “portion” of redistributed benefits mentioned above, in most cases will amount to more than half the SNAP allowance, but let’s not quibble over numbers — when it’s the intent of the proposal that is of most concern.

The intent is to throw a monkey wrench into a fragile safety-net policy, strip it of value once it is effectively destabilized, and reintroduce public shame to an already stigmatized process — the last straight up out of spite. There will be no delivery; it’s not even funded in the proposal. If this proposal were to somehow be implemented, poor Americans will be forced to stand in line outside of some public facility every month, where their value will be scrutinized, and their integrity questioned — just so they can pick up a fucking box of shame.     

So prepare to tighten your belts, my fellow impoverished Americans. Even with the recent tax breaks for the obscenely wealthy, apparently billionaire yachts aren’t going to buy themselves. Hell hath no fury like a plutocrat denied their eleventeenth floating water penis. Besides, you know who really has it all too easy in America?

Hungry children.

Hungry children who apparently haven’t yet experienced enough soul-crushing shame in their lives, according to republicans. Sure, gone are the days of the soup lines and the embarrassment of government food stamps at the checkout line, but this administration is going to bring the humiliation of failure back!

In the form of a box — filled with a few dollars’ worth of bulk pasta and broken promises.

American Shithole was able to secure a few quotes from various proponents of America’s Failure Box.

“What we do is propose that for folks who are on food stamps, part — not all, part — of their benefits come in the actual sort of, and I don't want to steal somebody's copyright, but a Blue Apron-type program where you actually receive the food instead of receive the cash,” Office of Management and budget director Mick Mulvaney said.

“USDA America’s Harvest Box is a bold, innovative approach to providing nutritious food to people who need assistance feeding themselves and their families — and all of it is home grown by American farmers and producers," Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said in a statement. "It maintains the same level of food value as SNAP participants currently receive, provides states flexibility in administering the program, and is responsible to the taxpayers.”

“What we also want to do,” Mulvaney continued, “is provide an avenue for regular folks, like me and you, to better be able to ridicule recipients of government assistance, the way we used to be able to do — that’s where the box comes in.”

“We’ve been floating around the idea of fluorescent paint for the boxes,” Perdue continued, “in an effort to draw attention to Americans that just can’t seem to take responsibility for themselves.”

“And just in case neighbors can’t identify citizens requiring scorn by the brightly painted boxes,” Mulvaney assured reporters, “we have introduced legislation that requires SNAP beneficiaries to paint their houses in the same colors as the boxes to avoid public confusion as to who to discriminate against.”

Don’t put anything past this administration. Nothing is truly satirical; nothing is truly farcical these days.

So, what will the contents of this failure box really look like, I wonder? I mean, beyond the delicious, shelf-stable, dehydrated milk — which I imagine to be the equivalent of a chalky Tang to the freshly-squeezed orange juice of the world. Some of us remember Tang.

Not to be left out of the loop, our crack investigative team has uncovered these items to be featured in America’s Failure Box — a food crisis solution for hungry Americans put forth by generous billionaires.

1.      A single caviar egg. (enjoy the decadence!)

2.      Table scraps from the 2018 Bilderberg Group retreat.

3.      Soylent Orange: orange-flavored presidential all-purpose protein paste. (coming soon!)

4.      Mystery Sack! ™

5.      Fun house mirror sectional for when you wish to look full.

6.      Mystery Sack Zero! ™

7.      Edible 8" x 10" glossies of Trump Steaks.

8.      Paula Dean recipes for Failure Box packaging materials.

These days, as with all machinations of this presidency, I am no longer surprised by brazen, naked greed. I am surprised at how much of it we are willing to suffer through, that is indeed surprising.

Anyway, I’m not the only detractor as you might imagine, according to a Business Insider report, the Food Research and Action Center, a nonprofit working to end hunger in the US, blasted the proposal, along with many, many other agencies following suit.

The new boxes will be "a Rube-Goldberg designed system of commodity distribution via food boxes that will be administratively costly, inefficient, stigmatizing, and prone to failure, and that will return the country to Depression-era anti-hunger approaches," said the group in a statement.

A thought that I imagine would give the Koch brothers wicked, east coast, libertarian boners.

The question most often on my mind again, is how much of this we’re going to take? Because these dirty bastards aren’t going to stop until there is nothing left to steal.

#SNAP #Evil Billionaires #Hunger #Rich Assholes

[usnewsaggregator-blog]

Trump declares opioids a public health emergency

New Post has been published on http://usnewsaggregator.com/trump-declares-opioids-a-public-health-emergency/

Trump declares opioids a public health emergency

President Donald Trump on Thursday declared the opioid crisis a nationwide public health emergency — a step that won’t bring new dollars to fight a scourge that kills nearly 100 Americans a day but will expand access to medical services in rural areas, among other changes.

“This epidemic is a national health emergency,” Trump said in a speech at the White House, where he bemoaned a crisis he said had spared no segment of American society.

“As Americans we cannot allow this to continue,” he said.

Administration officials have made clear that the declaration, which lasts for 90 days and can be renewed, comes with no dedicated dollars. But they said it will allow them to use existing money to better fight the crisis. Officials also said they would urge Congress, during end-of-the year budget negotiations, to add new cash to a public health emergency fund that Congress hasn’t replenished for years.

The Public Health Emergency Fund currently contains just $57,000, according to the Department of Health and Human Services, a negligible amount. Officials would not disclose how much they were seeking.

But critics said that wasn’t enough.

“How can you say it’s an emergency if we’re not going to put a new nickel in it?” said Dr. Joseph Parks, medical director of the nonprofit National Council for Behavioral Health, which advocates for addiction treatment providers. “As far as moving the money around,” he added, “that’s like robbing Peter to pay Paul.”

Democratic House leader Nancy Pelosi also was critical, calling the new declaration “words without the money.”

Trump’s audience Thursday included parents who have lost children to drug overdoses, people who have struggled with addiction, and first responders whose have used overdose reversal drugs to save lives. Officials also hinted that the president might choose to speak more personally about his own experience with addiction: His older brother, Fred Jr., died of alcoholism. It’s the reason the president does not drink.

Leading up to the announcement, Trump had said he wanted to give his administration the “power to do things that you can’t do right now.” As a candidate, he had pledged to make fighting addiction a priority, and pressed the issue in some of the states hardest hit.

“When I won the New Hampshire primary, I promised the people of New Hampshire that I would stop drugs from pouring into your communities. I am now doubling down on that promise, and can guarantee you we will not only stop the drugs from pouring in, but we will help all of those people so seriously addicted get the assistance they need to unchain themselves,” Trump told a crowd in Maine weeks before last November’s election.

Once in office, Trump assembled a commission, led by Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, to study the problem. The commission’s interim report argued an emergency declaration would free additional money and resources, but some in Trump’s administration disagreed.

Christie, in a statement, said Trump was taking “bold action” that shows “an unprecedented commitment to fighting this epidemic and placing the weight of the presidency behind saving lives across the country.”

Officials said the administration had considered a bolder emergency declaration, under the Stafford Act, which is typically used for natural disasters like hurricanes. But they decided that measure was better suited to more short-term, location-specific crises than the opioid problem. Drug overdoses of all kinds kill an estimated 142 Americans every day.

As a result of the public health emergency declaration, officials will be able to expand access to telemedicine services, include substance abuse treatment for people living in rural and remote areas. Officials will also be able to more easily deploy state and federal workers, secure Department of Labor grants for the unemployed, and shift funding for HIV and AIDs programs to provide more substance abuse treatment for people already eligible for those programs.

Trump also directed other departments and agencies to exercise their own available emergency authorities to address the crisis.

But Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), said the effort falls far short of what is needed and will diverts staff and resources from other vital public health initiatives.

“Families in Connecticut suffering from the opioid epidemic deserve better than half measures and empty rhetoric offered seemingly as an afterthought,” he said in a statement. He argued, “An emergency of this magnitude must be met with sustained, robust funding and comprehensive treatment programs.”

Democrats also criticize Trump’s efforts to repeal and replace the “Obamacare” health law. Its Medicaid expansion has been crucial in confronting the opioid epidemic.

Adopted by 31 states, the Medicaid expansion provides coverage to low-income adults previously not eligible. Many are in their 20s and 30s, a demographic hit hard by the epidemic. Medicaid pays for detox and long-term treatment.

Nearly a year ago, Congress also approved $1 billion to tackle addiction as part of the 21st Century Cures Act. States got half their Cures Act grants in April and will get the rest next year.

Places such as Fellowship House in Birmingham, Alabama, are using drugs like Suboxone, a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone, with patients for the first time.

“When I took Suboxone, it was like a miracle,” said one Fellowship House patient, 43-year-old John Montesano, a former long-haul truck driver with a 20-year pill addiction, chronic pain and no health insurance. “I’d be dead now” without it, he said. “Or worse, not dead” and still using.

Montesano recently marked six months without a relapse. He attends daily recovery meetings, works at a sandwich shop and plans to reunite with his wife. As long as the money goes for treatment “the way Fellowship House does it,” he said, Congress “should release all the money they can spare.”

———

AP Medical Writer Carla K. Johnson reported from Chicago. Follow Colvin and Johnson on Twitter at https://twitter.com/colvinj and https://twitter.com/CarlaKJohnson.

———

This story has been corrected to change first paragraph to say ‘nearly’ 100 opioid deaths a day, not ‘more than.’

Original Article:

Click here

#declares #emergency #health #opioids #public #trump

[wionews]

Comedy legend Jerry Lewis dies at 91

Veteran Hollywood comedian Jerry Lewis, who died Sunday aged 91, perfected a goofy brand of slapstick that endeared him to millions over the course of a career spanning six decades.

One of the most popular American entertainers of the 1950s and '60s, Lewis made his name as the clown behind such quirky comedies like "The Nutty Professor" but also won acclaim as a writer, actor and philanthropist.

The comedy legend, who at the peak of his popularity was among the world biggest movie draws, died at his home in Las Vegas early Sunday morning. 

"I can sadly confirm that today the world lost one of the most significant human beings," his publicist Nancy Kane said in a statement. "Jerry died peacefully at home of natural causes surrounded by family and friends."

Honoured with accolades at home and abroad, including a Nobel Peace Prize nomination and France's Legion of Honor, Lewis became known as much for his tireless efforts to promote awareness of Muscular Dystrophy as for his wacky comedy.

Over the course of 45 years, he raised some 2.45 billion dollars for combatting the disease with an annual television event.

Born Joseph Levitch in Newark, New Jersey to two New York City entertainers, Lewis first took center stage at the tender age of five, when he performed "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" He began playing at resorts outside New York City that catered to Jewish patrons, known by touring entertainers as the Borscht Circuit.

By age 15, he had assembled his own routine of lipsynching and made the rounds of New York talent agents, though to little avail.

At the age of 20, however, everything changed as Lewis embarked on arguably one of the most successful entertainment partnerships of all time with smooth crooner Dean Martin.

The two fed off each other in now-classic comedy gags, including pratfalls, slapstick and lots of seltzer water, signing a long-term contract with Paramount Pictures.

"That fool was no dummy," tweeted the comic star Jim Carrey, who cited Lewis as an inspiration. "Jerry Lewis was an undeniable genius an unfathomable blessing, comedy's absolute! I am because he was!"  

That fool was no dummy. Jerry Lewis was an undeniable genius an unfathomable blessing, comedy's absolute! I am because he was! ;^D http://pic.twitter.com/3Zdq9xhXlE

— Jim Carrey (@JimCarrey) August 20, 2017

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  Jerry Lewis was a comic and philanthropic icon. I send love to his family today.

— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) August 20, 2017

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  Jerry Lewis was an angel to me. Loved him & will never forget what he did for me during one of the worst times in my life. RIP, Love Roe http://pic.twitter.com/0OoQV4yaae

— Rose Marie-Official (@RoseMarie4Real) August 20, 2017

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  Rest In Peace Jerry Lewis. Thank you for an entire lifetime's worth of laughs. You were one of a kind. http://pic.twitter.com/i6PoeJkg34

— Danny Trejo (@officialDannyT) August 21, 2017

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  Jerry Lewis passed today,millions around the world loved him,millions of kids he helped w/his telethons. R.I.P. &condolences 2 his family

— Whoopi Goldberg (@WhoopiGoldberg) August 20, 2017

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  I realize I may be late with all this but all know is,losing Dick Gregory & Jerry Lewis is a gain 4 heaven, but big loss for comedy

— Whoopi Goldberg (@WhoopiGoldberg) August 20, 2017

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  Some of the most notable films in Lewis' extensive repertoire include "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" (1959), "The Geisha Boy" (1958) and "Funnybones" (1984).

His box office grosses, spanning nearly 50 years, total 800 million dollars -- an impressive figure since movie tickets cost no more than 50 cents during the height of his popularity.

After 17 films together, the Lewis-Martin partnership split in 1956, but Lewis continued his career in comedy and Hollywood. He won acclaim for his dramatic role alongside Robert De Niro Martin Scorsese's 1983 film "The King of Comedy."

"Be a hit. Score," was his simple advice to young comedians, in an interview he once gave to Larry King, the celebrity interviewer and a longtime friend. "Get the audience laughing and happy. That's the secret."

At other times he was more humble.

"Funny is fragile. It's elusive," he told the Los Angeles Times in a 2010 interview. "It's elusive to everyone because you're never going to get a handle on what's funny."

Fellow comedian Carol Burnett -- who worked with Lewis several times -- marveled at his physical gifts.

"His voice could go up several octaves when he was supposed to be scared or insecure," she told CNN. "Our audience was just dying with laughter, because he did such wonderful things with his body."

Lewis' long career was not without controversy, however. News reports over the years have criticized him as volatile and ill-tempered and he was accused more than once of berating fans attending his shows. 

In 2007, during the 18th hour of his telethon, the then-81-year-old actor used a homophobic slur in introducing one person off stage -- later apologizing for "a bad choice of words."

Eventually, he was dumped as host of the yearly telethon by the Muscular Dystrophy Association, ending a nearly half-century run amid a growing sense that he had overstayed his welcome.

In recent decades, Lewis had been plagued by health problems, and was declared clinically dead in 1982 after a heart attack. Ten years later he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and in 1997 found out he had diabetes. A diagnosis of spinal meningitis in 2000 further caused his health to deteriorate.

But he was determined not to let ill health keep him from working as long as possible, including on a Broadway musical adaptation of "The Nutty Professor" as recently as 2011.

"I have to finish what I've started," he told the Los Angeles Times in 2010. "I want to do it before I leave."

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