#i did this with wax pastels the color is a little weird though
Note
hello em i have a request. can u please rate mr harrington's looks/outfits i just feel like u have the best takes and i'd LOVE to know how you'd rank his choices 👀
this is the single greatest ask i’ve ever received. i will be ranking the outfits, not steve’s moral alignment or actions in each scene. in order of appearance:
The Introduction
4/10
hair is tragic
steve copied this entire fit from a mannequin in the ralph lauren polo outlet store
would honestly be a 0/10 except for the obvious valiant effort being put forth by his lower half to resist the sexless curse of khaki pants. the devil (st costuming department) works hard but by god steve harrington (joe keery’s body) works harder
nice brown watch that certainly came from a department store
also gains points for being next to nancy’s anemic librarian fit, thus looking better by comparison
The Rich Bitch
8/10
thank god he ditched the khakis
hair looks much less demonic
it’s a simple look but the sweatshirt rides up when he shotguns the beer
he also gets wet
solid 8 for sluttiness alone
The Whore
10/10
wet
please note that his chest is waxed. keep this in mind.
The Heterosexual
2/10
hair looks like he dipped his head in glue
bold choice with the grey pants. unfortunately that choice was wrong
matching outfits with your comphet girlfriend isn’t as cute as you think it is stevie
you only get points because despite that ungodly pastel stripe pattern the polo’s decently fitted and makes your arm look kinda nice
The Dickhead
3/10
glue head pt. 2
at least the stripes aren’t pastel this time
The Cuck
6/10
hair slightly less glue-y
yet another striped polo is peeking out unfortunately
but! it’s green and green looks good on him
finally wearing jeans like a normal fucking human instead of weird slacks
pivotal moment in steve’s fashion evolution from preppy male model to sexy morally upright king
his morals are stored in the denim
The Final Girl
9/10
an outfit with a character arc to rival steve’s own
pretty fucking good hair if i do say so myself!!
it’s fluffy!
that shit looks like if you touched it it’d be soft... no glue here!
finally not copying from the goddamn l.l. bean catalog
iconic green slut sweatshirt? check! jacket and nikes? check! fucked-up gorgeous face and baseball bat full of rusty nails? check, baby!
looks good on its own OR with some blood on top
overall a very solid look
The Darling Little Drummer Boy
7/10
babe no... please don’t go back to the khakis... they won’t treat you like jeans do...
not quite glue head but not his best
apparently steve owns a single green sweatshirt, a thousand striped polos, and one very precious christmas sweater
almost makes up for prep-related khaki crimes by being really fucking cute
The Simp
8/10
glue head is DEAD
further evidence that steve harrington’s entire closet is just striped polos
this is his fifth unique striped polo
most of these points are for the sunglasses and the hair
actually all of these points are for the sunglasses and the hair
he’s finally let go of the fucking pastels thank jesus
and you can’t see it but he did wear jeans with this fit i just forgot to make sure they were pictured and it’s 4:15 am so i don’t feel like going back to remake this collage
cannot tell if this is a lighter blue version of the jacket he wore three times in s1 or if it IS the jacket he wore three times in s1 and the color grading is just that different
either way he loves jackets and i think that’s very sexy of him
The Intellectual
9/10
i’ve been waiting for this one... turn it up!
literally invented vests
excellent hair
loses a point for unfortunately introducing steve’s SIXTH unique striped fucking polo
i can’t see the collar but i know it’s there i know you’re wearing another fucking polo steve you can’t hide from me
can’t decide if he looks gay or just really preppy but either way he’s got some repression going on
still a very solid look
The Oh No Oh God It Hurts I’m Looking Away I Can’t Watch This
10/10
yes that middle picture is absolutely to show off the texture of his blazer and not at all me making sure that if i have to see his heartbroken little face then you all do too
anyways i Know that blazer cost at least $100 like i Know that shit’s expensive
excellent gorgeous soft-looking hair that someone ought to run their hands through but only people who haven’t dated him for a year while pining after someone else
emotional devastation... but make it unbelievably fucking sexy
stevie baby i know you’re a colorful guy but please wear more black
The Meathead Jock
9/10
aw christ whatever happened to standards?
introduction of the blue nikes <3
god his hair looked fucking good here
could have gained that final point by using tube socks with blue and GREEN stripes to tie together the shoes and the gym uniform :/
shorts could be shorter but are an altogether appropriate and enjoyable length
fun sweatstain to customize the look <3
The (is there a word for victim of bullying?) Serious Athlete
8/10
the yellow stripe was more fun
still cute though
The Sudsy Boy
11/10
wet
suds indicate that he’s washing his hair, presumably with faberge organics. is this why he’s being bullied?
steve brings his faberge organics shampoo and conditioner and his farrah fawcett spray to school with him whenever he has basketball practice
steve either has shampoo, conditioner, and hairspray in his backpack at all times, or he has a separate gym bag that’s mostly haircare products
just need to make sure we all know that
excellent freckle showcase
his chest is still waxed. please, i beg, keep this in mind
one of his strongest looks
The Babysitter
10/10
his most versatile look to date
a different jacket than the one(s) he’s worn before but it still has the same kind of collar. steve found a jacket he liked and bought it in at least three colors
the whole thing fits So fucking nicely! shirt, jacket, jeans... baby boy is TAILORED
return of the white nikes with the red check indicate that they are his fashion nikes, while the blue nikes with the white check are his sport nikes. interesting.
this fit lasts like 48 hours and steve simply looks sexier as time goes on which is a testament to its quality as well as his inherent power
every new accessory elevates his appearance. roses, nail bat, rubber gloves, blood, sweat, band-aids, bandana, goggles... each element complements the look in its own way!
an overall win
The Chauffeur
8/10
we can’t really see the whole fit but he’s not wearing a striped polo so i’m calling it a win regardless of what’s on his bottom half
cannot give him a 10/10 though because he might be wearing khakis
red is such a nice color on him when it’s not just from his blood
i lied when i said he should wear more black he should wear more colors
that plain sweater absolutely cost $85 or more
hair looks very nice and soft
excellent look!
The Sailor Man
9/10
very precious
absolutely the best hair i’ve ever seen
baby boy got highlights for his hot girl summer!
bright colors make his very red lips pop
shorts could be shorter
love the little accents! especially the white pockets and belt
excellent color coordination on steve’s part with the blue sneakers (notably different than his s2 blue basketball nikes) and the red bruising/blood
i hope you remembered that steve’s chest was waxed. as you can see his chest is now unwaxed. some change between s2 and s3 drove this decision, presumably either his breakup with nancy or the fact that he no longer showers in front of other guys at school. up to your interpretation
shock blanket at the very end is a nice touch so we don’t forget he’s traumatized
The Drowned Rat/The Man Overboard
10/10
wet
shorts could be shorter
the decision to purchase and wear a hoodless raincoat is absolutely ridiculous and stupid
however it is also very steve harrington and i value self-expression
The Chick Magnet/The Flaming Homosexual
100/10
what can i even say about this fit?
the absolute best pants he’s worn thus far. amazing fit, excellent classic wash. i say this as a former american eagle outfitters associate and the winner of my freshman year dorm’s “best at folding jeans” award
manages to make blue jeans with a half-blue denim vest work effortlessly
bold primary colors make him stand out without being too gaudy
excellent pairing of t-shirt with simple stripes and vest with simple color blocking to create a complex yet cohesive and flattering look
simple brown belt gives the look a put-together yet down-to-earth vibe
hair has only gotten better
still wearing that same brown watch that he’s had since the introduction
this man looks like he waxes his chest
this is steve in his final form
thank you for your time
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Old Me | Ashton Irwin x OC
Type: IMAGINE | ONE SHOT | MULTI CHAPTER
Summary: It all started with a lie. One that tore the two Ashtons apart from each other the day before graduation. Five years later, Ashton and Kalypso are showing up to Calum Hood’s wedding, prepared only a little for what is about to come. Ashton is determined to prove to his ex girlfriend that he never has, and never will, stop loving her.
Word Count: 14.7k
Note: I love my friend Anna because she helped me so much with this and she will forever have my heart.
Warnings: selling/use of weed, drinking, lots and lots of cussing
Normal
Flashback
-
Kalypso ducks her head underneath a bathtub of water. Her chocolate brown hair billows around her like she’s a sea creature or a mermaid goddess watching over Mount Olympus. If she were a few years younger, she would’ve stained the rim of the bathtub with a hair dye concoction straight from a box.
Resurfacing, she scrubs paint from her fingers, arms, legs, and face. Stuffed deep under her nail beds, she reaches for Paris Pink paint. She hisses, separating her skin and nail, but admires how nice they look. Plain, long-stained black, and mostly healthy. Making a mental note to look up nail salons for a much needed acrylic manicure, she hears a pawing at the bathroom door.
Even though she’s single and lives alone, she knows there’s no privacy in her small apartment. Magik, a black cat she found in a dumpster, is clingier than Kalypso’s little sister, Stella. She has three seconds to stand and pull a towel around her body before she sees her hallway through a newly opened door and a quiet mew enters the bathroom. Magik is too smart for her own good.
“I’m glad it’s only you,” Kalypso sighs and steps onto a blue bath mat right out of the clawfoot tub. The linoleum is cold underneath her toes from her air conditioning, so right out of the bathtub, she never stands directly on the bathroom floor without something there. Kalypso forgets her slippers once again so she maneuvers a leap from the bathmat, through the semi-opened door, and onto her pretty white carpet. “Thought I’d have to deal with Stella,” She smiles once she’s on the carpet.
“Heard that!” Stella, Kalypso’s younger sister, says over her shoulder in the kitchen. Her hands busy themselves with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The bathroom is at the end of the hallway, with the kitchen having a sharp pivot to the left when you enter the living room, meaning that if she talks loud enough, Stella can hear everything Kalypso may say about her. “I was giving you time not to smell.”
“I hate you,” Kalypso sighs and turns left into her bedroom. A dream bedroom-- one with 70s rock and 80s pop -scratched- record glued to her ceiling, and blankets covering her bed. Hung LED lights and paint pretending to melt from the walls where the ceiling attaches and the aroma of vanilla incense. “Do you ever go home?”
She’s filled milk crates with vinyls that are used, right next to her bed, underneath the table holding the record player. To the left of her bed is an enormous window showing her a view of the city laid out in color and sunlight. Along her floor, she’s left clothes and other things out instead of cleaning them up.
Pulling her closet door open, two empty canvases tumble from beside her dresser. She picks them up, shoves them back into their designated place, and drops her towel to the floor. Kalypso isn’t worried about the windows on the top floor or her sister inside of her apartment.
Her fingers brush the sleeves of colorful shirts, over her dresser, and pays no attention to the art supplies she’s included inside. Above her hanging clothes are packing supplies and canvases she still needs to send out.
Kalypso owns her own ‘company’ called AKM_arts. AKM, after her initials, and arts because that’s always been her passion. Drawing, coloring, painting, crafting something into the way she’s feeling and letting the world see her so raw. She began as an instagram artist, Ashton Kalypso Montgomery, but quickly started selling custom pieces.
“You’re so pale,” Stella says, watching Kalypso pull a pair of jean shorts up her legs. Her plan for the day was to purchase more circle canvases when the shops finally opened. She needed to start more tie-dye nameplates. A man requested one for his daughter, Auzilynn, which Kalypso couldn’t seem to pronounce. “How are you Australian?”
Kalypso loves showing off her tattoos to the world; her mother's initials tattooed on the inside of her right shisn, a koi fish down her thigh, a single bee painfully placed behind her knee, a feather falling from hip to thigh, and several things in between. Her body is a canvas for anybody that deems themselves good enough.
“You’re two years younger than me, why do we look like twins?” Kalypso pulls a black shirt over her head that leaves the word ANGEL tattooed on her clavicle. “Is this cute?”
“You always looks tupid,” Stella replies, rolling her eyes. “But you’re still pale.”
“We’ve established this,”
“I got your mail for you,” Stella takes a bite from her sandwich, tearing the crust from the rest of the bread. Kalypso and Stella look a lot alike, besides their hair color. Kalypso always opted for a darker, more vibrant color like her natural dark brown. Stella, blonde, preferred pastels when they were in school.
Kalypso snatches the letter from her younger sister’s hand. Addressed for Ashton Kalypso Montgomery, apartment 607B. Stamped with a dog photo, and sealed with red wax. “It’s from Calum Hood.”
“Yeah, I got the same one,” Stella smiles at her sister. Kalypso and Calum’s friend group were close at one point, so Stella hung around as much as she could. The nuisance in the same grade as Calum and Luke that joined everything they did with Kalypso. “He’s getting married.”
“Married?”
“Yeah, his fiance is beautiful,”
Kalypso rips open the packaging. The location, the date and time, and a picture of Calum and his future-wife standing together in front of a brick wall. Stella’s right, Calum’s fiance is beautiful; curly brown hair, a hand placed over Calum’s chest, and a perfect smile. “Cool,” Kalypso tosses the invitation and the envelope in the trash. “Hope he has a good wedding.”
“You’re not going?”
“I love Calum and all, but I don’t want to see Ashton,”
“It’s been five years, Kal, get over it,” Stella brushes her blonde locks from her long face. “Please? I want to talk to Luke.”
“It’s been five years, Stel, get over it,” Kalypso bends down to look into her paint drawers unit for a certain color. Auzilynn’s name plate requires a rainbow painted into a tie-dye pattern. Kalypso isn’t sure if she has the correct shade of blue. “What would I do with my cat?” Opening the drawer dedicated the blue paints, she has more than enough.
“Alexander could watch Magik,” Stella replies, thinking about the guy just down the hall she’s trying to date. They’re in the flirting stage so far, and she hopes they’ll progress further eventually. “And I’m not trying to hook up with Hemmings. I’m trying to get my laptop back from him. It’s been way too long.”
She’s a year younger than her sister. She graduated with Luke Hemmings and Calum Hood. At the end of the day, she was a part of their friend group, including her sister Kalypso, Kalypso’s childhood best friend Michael Clifford, and Kalypso’s boyfriend, Ashton Irwin. WhenKalypso graduated from school, she was ready to take off and leave Sydney, never look back at the place that reminded her of her entire high school career. Stella was permitted to graduate halfway through her last year of school and they moved into the same apartment.
“He probably doesn’t have it anymore. It’s been five years,”
“Ashton probably doesn’t have feelings for you anymore, Ashton Kalypso. It’s been five years,”
Since they’re sisters, it didn’t take long for Stella to finally reach her limit and move into the apartment next door. They enter each other's homes whenever they want.
Kalypso rolls her eyes. “Do you ever stop?”
“Are you going to go?”
“Hell no,” Kalypso lets out a loud chuckle. “You’re hilarious,”
-
Returning from the store, Magik greets Kalypso at the door. Dropping four reusable bags on the floor, she greets her loud cat with pets and kisses. Canvases, paint, stickers, glitter, paintbrushes, all equaling way too much money from Kalypso’s wallet covers the entrance of her apartment. After greeting the cat, she gets started on cleaning her room and putting things away.
She throws the bags on her bed to straighten out the messy place. Clothes are folded or thrown into a laundry basket, blankets are folded or placed on her bed, canvases that turned out bad are put in a repaint pile where she turns them black and makes galaxies, and the craft massacre in her closet becomes properly organized. She puts canvases into an organizer with different sizes for different canvases and anything involving paint bottles or paint brushes directly is thrown into the messy paint drawers. She’s got way too many bottles of the same shade of blue that she needs for the rainbow tie-dye, but adds another into the drawer.
Quickly, though, she has to get to painting. Swirls of orange and red chase each other around an oval canvas. Swirling inward then out, mirroring each other. She goes in order of the rainbow, leaving one strip of purple on the narrow inside of the swirl. Tie-dye on a canvas. After it dries, she free hands the same. The person that ordered it chose basic cursive writing, which is easy with the help of muscle memory. Auzilynn, weird, but interesting.
She prints a label for the canvas and gets the packaging supplies ready so she can slip it inside and put it into the pile of canvases that need to be shipped off. She has eighteen wrapped canvases to go out of Australia, but only a few are staying inside. One, Auzilynn’s, isn’t going farther than the apartment complex a few blocks away. If Kalypso makes it in time, she can get Auzilynn’s out by 11 AM and have it delivered within a day.
Kalypso has over 100 orders to do, and only a few days until they need to be shipped off. She can’t take a few days off for a stupid wedding, it’d be worthless.
Although, she could use the break.
No! That’s stupider than anything else she’s thought of. At the same time, she could show off her glow-up and amazing life. Painting all day and night, scheduling her working hours, deciding what she gets to do. She has things to get done. Her paintbrushes need to be cleaned, canvases need to be organized and shipped, and her apartment is a disaster.
Taking a break from painting, Kalypso pours wet cat food into Magik’s bowl next to the refrigerator . The cat digs into her md-morning breakfast as if she’d never eaten before.
Across from the refrigerator, Kalypso pours a sink of hot water from the tap. Her paintbrushes are already in the sink, waiting to be cleaned. Browns, pinks, and blues explode from between the bristles. Galaxies dropped onto the stainless steel bottom like a picture.
She was thinking long and hard about going or staying. The one thing blowing her mind was Ashton Irwin and how he would have progressed. Was he still tall and handsome? Curly hair and eyes the color dewy grass? Married? Single? Still toying with the bad boy scene? She’d changed after moving away- rebellious tones and sassy remarks blossomed into doing whatever the hell she wanted to, but without so much hatred toward everyone. Weekly-dyed hair turned into natural brown on pale skin. Nobody could stay the same, so would Ashton still love her?
They broke up the day before graduating, Kalypso initiating the conversation, Ashton entirely speechless when she said the words. Kalypso had heard that he slept with a girl named Sage Miller, who was in their grade, the night before while at a party, from Luke. A cut-and-dry breakup where Kalypso blocked her ex boyfriend from her life. At graduation, Kalypso smiled, but every time she looked away from the cameras shoved in her face, broken pieces cut themselves along her throat.
She didn’t want to hear Ashton’s excuse when she broke up with him, she didn’t want to hear what he might have tried to come up with or how it wasn’t his fault. Kalypso, a girl that still knows her worth, realized that sometimes you don't need a guy to be happy.
Kalypso dials her sister for a video call. Continuous rinsing and scrubbing from her paintbrushes, laying them on the counter that wrapped from the sink to the fridge. She heard the dial tone end and her little sister picked up the call. Stella could only see a white ceiling.
“What do you want, Kal?”
“How long do you think Alex will watch Magik for?”
Ashton Irwin could still be single.
-
For Ashton Irwin, he's known about Calum's wedding since he proposed to the woman, but still put off packing until the day before he left. One suitcase full of men's clothes for a week's stay, and one smaller bag of his four-year-old daughter's clothes.
"She's not going to go," Luke remarks, looking at his fingernails. Painted orange with a highlighter by Ashton's daughter. He has a soft spot for his favorite four-year-old, but she likes destroying Luke's nails. "She hasn't even RSVPed yet and weddings in a week."
"You don't know that," Ashton replies. "She could just be Stella's plus-one."
"She's Kalypso, she's not the type to dwell on the past and wait around for peoples weddings,"
"You're kidding me," Ashton throws a dress at Luke. "She dragged me to thirty weddings in four years." Their flight leaves in only a few hours, and Ashton's slowly falling more and more behind on what he needs to get done. He needs to dress himself and his daughter, get a carry on bag ready for her, and manage to get to the airport. Luke's attention was diverted to grabby hands and a soft mewing, his name toward him. "She could've changed and now she's more sentimental or some shit. I did."
"Yeah, and how exactly are you going to explain Auzzie?" Luke lifts her from the floor, sitting her on his lap. They both stare at Ashton from the toddler bed. "Sorry that Sage Miller told you that I cheated on you because she kissed me at a party and you broke up with me. It didn't actually happen and I was so heartbroken I made myself believe her and hey, this kid came out of it. She died two years ago but it's okay because she was a drug addict and had nothing to do with Auzilynn. You want to get married?"
"Yeah, actually," Ashton moves across his room to get into Auzzie's dresser, searching for more than the few clothes he can find. Her toys are thrown everywhere and her clothes are torn from their drawers. He didn't have time to clean it up. "Is that so bad?" He starts pulling shirts and pants sets from the piles of clean clothes and a dress that she wore almost every day.
"What do you think, Auzzie?" Luke asks, shifting to pull her higher up. She looks just like Ashton, with a small mixture of her mother. Curly blonde hair in space buns, eyes that sparkle like glass, a crooked smile that could get her out of trouble. "Is daddy being ridiculous?"
Auzilynn nods her head. Her fingers toy with the part of her white tank top that's rolling up. "I want Doritos."
"You want Doritos?" Ashton asks. He decides he has enough outfits on his arm and in the somewhat packed back that he should start folding everything together. As long as it fits, he'll be happy.
"And fruit snacks!"
"Auzilynn Marie, you're not going to ruin your dinner," Ashton demands. "We're going to be at grandma's house in a few hours, can you wait until then?"
Auzilynn shakes her head then cups her fingers around Luke's ear. "Are we still growing fruit snacks?" She says in a hot-breathed whisper.
"Are we still growing fruit snacks?" Luke asks Ashton, wondering what he should answer. "Are they still growing?"
"Yes," Ashton groans. He ran out of fruit snacks three days beforehand and every place seemed to be out of the special type that Auzilynn liked. He told her they had to grow, and he was so happy children were susceptible. "They're still growing."
"Have you ever been to Sydney Auzzie?" Luke asks. His fingers search under her arms and around her neck for ticklish spots that cause her to giggle the most. Her body tenses up playfully. "Are you going to play with Uncle Mike tonight?"
"Yeah!" Auzilynn replies. Michael's still back in Sydney but visited often. He's probably Auzilynn's favorite.
"Back to Kal," Luke says. "How do you think it's such a good idea to talk to her."
"Because I know for sure that Stella's going." All he's wanted for the past five years is to tell Kalypso what happened that night, not some messed up version Sage had created. He plans to use Calum's wedding as a way to talk to Kalypso. A two-for-one deal; see Calum again and get back on good terms with his high school girlfriend. "If I can talk to Stella, she'll at least let Kalypso know that we conversed."
"How do you know? She could just lie and say you didn't show up,"
"They're sisters. They tell each other everything,"
Ashton has only been told stories about what happened to Kalypso after they graduated. She stopped hanging out with Calum, Luke, and occasionally messaged Michael. Stella became her best friend and her sister in one, and they moved several hours away.
Ashton had once been her drug and suffocated her when they broke up. The butterflies he had created turned into caterpillars that filled her lungs with goo and half-eaten flowers. Rumors told Ashton that she nursed herself with whiskey and sleepless nights from graduation on. He would see her driving around with Stella in the middle of the night, hoodie and messy bun-- when she looked the best.
"Stella probably won't listen to you either,"
Ashton and Sage pulled up to a stoplight in the middle of the night, returning from a party, almost a year after Ashton and Kalypso broke up. Kalypso pulled up right next to them, right before the light turned green, and rolled down her window. She screamed, "fuck you!" at the top of her lungs with a stern middle finger pointing straight at Ashton. She sped off when the light turned green. Something that irked Ashtons somewhat-of-a-girlfriend at the time, but to Ashton, that was a Kalypso thing to do.
"Can't you be positive?" Ashton folds another one of Auzilynn's dresses and sets it lightly in the suitcase. He's prepared for anything to happen, including several changes of clothes. "Can you fold the rest of those while I-" A ding runs through the room. Ashton's phone at full volume vibrates Luke's leg. He grabs it quickly to check who it is. Pleasantly surprised, he swipes the notification away. "That was fast."
"What was fast?"
"For Auzzie's birthday, I ordered this painting thing with her name on it," He clicks on the pattern he chose and flips his phone for Luke to see. "They shipped it already and I ordered it last night."
"Watch it be shitty," Luke laughs.
"I paid $50 for that thing," Ashton shakes his head. He prays that he didn't just waste his money entirely and that hopefully, the creator spelled his daughters' name right. "It better be good."
-
“I guess I can’t say the joke anymore,” Kalypso sasses, looking the large white house up and down. A porch that wraps all the way to the back door, into an over spacious backyard. She tilts her head to one side to comb all of her hair over her right shoulder. “Can’t really fuck your wife, Cal,” Calum glances up from his cement table and leans back in an outdoors chair. He looks like an older version of himself, rather than a completely different person. “Sorry, Mike told me to come up to the front.”
“Kalypso?” Calum asks. Brown hair thicker than life itself, large eyes that sparkle underneath any light, and a hoop through her right nostril. Somehow, she isn’t as intimidating as her high school self had been, but at the same time, she is worse.
Kalypso crosses her arms. In Calum’s high school eyes, there’s no way that the woman standing on his porch is his friend Kalypso. As an adult, he questions how she could’ve changed too much but remained the same. “Are we calling me Ashton again?”
“Huh?” Calum wonders. He is just amazed that she was coming after not returning her invite. She must be Stella’s plus one.
“You said Kalypso as if you are trying to get me to start going by Ashtonn again,”
“No!” Calum stammers. Kalypso used to be an avid member of not wanting to go to formal events. She skipped her own prom to go on a boat with Ashton, still in a prom dress. She barely showed up for her own graduation, and she’s voluntarily going to Calum’s wedding? She must really care about him. “I’m just surprised you showed up. Two days early.”
No hair dye, no lip piercing, no eyebrow slits, and she isn’t wearing a full face of makeup anymore. Gauged ears, a white shirt tied in a knot above the band of a black skater skirt, and tons of freckles.
“Was I really that bad of a friend?” Kalypso wearily asks. “If I was, then I’m sorry.”
“No,” Calum shakes his head and finally decides to stand up. He’s several inches taller than Kalypso still. “We’re going to Melbourne to see my sister next month and I was going to have a little celebration there. I didn’t expect you to come to the wedding.”
“Should I go home then?”
“No!” Calum sighs. “I’m just thinking of you from high school. You didn’t go to shit so I just thought you wouldn’t sit through a wedding.”
“I’ve changed,”
“Yes! I see that,” Calum smiles and gestures to her clothes. She wasn’t the biggest fan of skirts when they were teenagers. She’s gone through a tedious development of her character. “You look nice.”
“It’s Stella. If I had my way, I’d be wearing thigh highs,”
“There’s my Kaly!” Calum holds his arms out for an overly-zealous hug. Kalypso has never been near his height, nor all of his friends, so bear hugs are always expected. His heart beats in his chest like a rhythmic song. “What’s new? I haven’t heard from you in forever,”
"I gave birth to seven children and I'm married to John Mulaney," She looks around the porch, wanting to see what Calum's like now. There's a garden off to the side of the house, vegetables on the right side, fruit on the left.
Calum pulls a chair out for Kalypso to sit down in. He moves the documents on his table to the side so he can focus on her. "Really, huh?" They both chuckle and smile brightly. "Our group finished the kids bet."
"The kids bet?"
"Remember when we had a bet on who would have children first? We all tried to bet on you and Ashton,"
"Did I win? Who was my bid?"
"Michael's won," Calum answers. Michael guessed Ashton in general, Calum guessed Kalypso, Luke guessed Michael, and Ashton guessed Luke. "You bet me."
"Then who has the kid? Luke or Ashton?"
"Not important!" Luke says, clapping a hand on Kalypso's shoulder. She turns in the seat, excitedly. She almost tackles him to the cement out of excitement. How did she think that she couldn't go to the wedding? "Children are sticky and that's gross." She's gone five years without hanging out with her group every day of the week. Kalypso feels like a teenager again.
"Liar," Calum says. "You love Auzzie."
Kalypso laughs harder. Who names their kid Auzzie? "You and Michael babysat my brothers for years, and you enjoyed it."
"Kal, I don't need your opinion," Luke shakes his head. Michael and Luke were suckers for the Montgomery boys. A pair of twins seven years younger than Kalypso. "So, seven kids, huh?"
"Yeah," Kalypso starts to count off her fingers "Pride, Envy, Wrath, Gluttony, Sloth, Lust, Greed, and Wrath,"
"Some people I could get along with," Luke smiles. He too is surprised by Kalypso's personality shirt. She was a classic skater girl with weed bags and a scale in her car. How did she turn into a perfect art freak? "But for real, husband? Wife? Any babies from them?"
"I've got a house, a cat, and my little sister,"
"Really?" Luke gasps.
"Just not that social anymore," She was once a sociable person, which is concerning to the boys. Ashton has had that big of an impact on her. "So, um, Michael or you got wives, Lu?"
"We're Auzzie's favorite single uncles," Luke smiles. "I mean if you're trying to give me your phone number I wouldn't-"
"-I'll give you my phone number in a friendly way. I'm not getting into your pants, Hems," Kalypso smiles and grabs his phone out of his hand. She unlocks it with the same password he's used since he was twelve. "So do I get to meet Auzzie? I feel left out."
"She's inside with Mike and Ash. If you want to concur that battles," Calum answers. He points to the screen door next to the table. Just inside, Kalypso can see two figures standing tall, shadowed onto a nice hardwood floor.
Kalypso is the leader of the broken-up group, even after five years of going solo. So badass, so intimidating that people didn't want to mess with her. With the five-year glow-up on her shoulders, she's a soft intimidating person. She still falls for hugs and attention, wrapping her arms around Luke's middle. He's grown at least three inches in five years.
"How's your mom? I was going to see if I could visit before I go back to Melbourne," Luke asks, letting go. Kalypso's torn from smiling and feeling depressed. She lives in Melbourne too, the irony of it all.
"She died," Kalypso folds both of her ears over to show the boys white ribbons. Pretty tattoos, but hidden. "Lung cancer got her a couple of years ago." Kalypso and Luke finally sit down in chairs.
"Oh," Luke's face falls. He wasn't that close to Kalypso's family like Ashton or Michael were, but he was still welcomed at any point in time. How did he not know that Mackenzie Montgomery died? "I'm sorry . . . I had no idea."
"It was just family at the funeral. Jasper almost didn't go," Kalypso was close to her mom her entire life. Kalypso, Stella, Jasper, and James' father left and never came back after the twins were born. Growing up from a seven-year-old, Kalypso made her mom into one of her best friends. They did almost everything together.
"Your brother Jasper?"
"That's the one,"
When Ashton and Kalypso broke up, Mackenzie and Michael were Kalypso's main support. A lot of times Stella or Luke were involved, and occasionally a couple of jokes from Calum, but Mackenzie never let her daughter feel alone. A beautiful woman, taken too soon.
"Why?"
"Too hard for him to face,"
Mackenzie called Kalypso and Stella every night after they moved to Melbourne. They'd talk about everything underneath the sun, except for the disease that was ruining Mackenzie's body. She never told anybody about that.
Kalypso clears her throat. "So did you guys ever make a band?"
Luke's face lights up. "We didn't start a band, but I have an apprenticeship at a recording studio."
"Really!?" Kalypso smiles. Luke's second choice in life was to become a music producer, even if he couldn't make it into a band. "I'm so happy for you." She claps her hand into Luke's for an achievement. "What about Michael. Any big breaks?"
"He streams video games,"
"Hey, at least he gets to do something he likes,"
"Are you talking trash on me!?" Michael screams, finally walking out of the house. "Holy shit it's Kalypso." Kalypso pivots in her chair to stare down the blond man. He looks just like he did in high school. "Ashton and I had a bet that you wouldn't come because he's here."
Kalypso's head drops. "Of course. Was I really just that bad of a friend?" Inside, she feels terrible, like she messed up as a person that not even her friends expected her to show up to Calum's wedding. She didn't think she was that bad at socializing."
"No, it's just . . . he's here so we thought you wouldn't want to come."
"I'm an adult, Michael, I can get over things."
"I'm not trying to be rude, 'Lypso, I just- you still go by Kalypso, right?" Michael asks. He hasn't heard either Calum nor Luke say Kalypso, because he wasn't listening. Ashton or Kalypso, he knows her by both names. Kalypso nods her head. "Good. I don't know if I can go back to calling you Ashton."
"Somebody say my name?" A thick Australian accent asks, following behind Michael. Kalypso wants to curl up into a ball, scared of Ashton. Ashton, the boy she was and still is in love with. Ashton, the man that cheated on her two days before they graduated. In his arms, a little girl with flowy brown hair smiles. Kalypso's heart fractures. "Oh,"
Luke reaches his arms out to grab Auzilynn from Ashton. Auzilynn practically jumps from Ashton's arms, but he's too distracted staring at Kalypso. She can't bring herself to look at him. Calum and Luke share uncomfortable looks. The tension can't be cut with a knife.
"Auzzie, can you say 'hi' to Kalypso?" Luke asks, setting her on his lap. Auzilynn is a mini-me to Ashton beside her darker, grown out hair, and softer versions of his features. Kalypso has no idea who her mom may be.
Auzilynn looks toward Kalypso. A wide, toothy smile forces a small smile from Kalypso. She has to admit that the two-year-old is pretty cute. "Hi, K'lyso!"
"Kalypso, babe," Ashton corrects. "Kuh-lip-so."
"K'lyso!"
"It's fine, Ashton," Kalypso says. "Hi, uh, Auzzie." She hesitates. She looks to Calum for an answer about Auzilynn's name. "Is it short for something, or-"
"Auzilynn," Luke informs her. "Auzilynn Marie Rose Irwin."
Kalypso looks back at Ashton, questioning the child's name. Normal middle names with an off-the-wall first name. Ashton smiles a closed-mouth smile, dimples showing and obvious frustration in his face.
"Sage named her," says Ashton. Kalypso feels herself falling apart even more. Suddenly, she can see Sage in Auzilynn. The way her eyes shaped like almonds, her bottom lip tucks underneath her teeth the smallest bit when she smiles, her nose looks as if she were a Who in How The Grinch Stole Christmas. With Ashton mixed inside of her, she manages to be adorable still. "I wanted to name her Marie Adair, but Sage said we were going to move to America when Auzzie was a year old and it would tell everyone she's Australian."
"Are you guys visiting from America?" Kalypso asks. She just wants to know if Sage is in the picture, if Ashton's moved on so much. He has a kid, meaning that he's opened up his heart enough for another woman to enter his life. Knowing her luck, Kalypso wonders if there would even be a place for her anymore.
"We've never even left the country,"
"Then where's Sage?"
"Hopefully the cemetery," Ashton replies. "She died when Auzzie was only a few months old. Drug overdose. Never even met Auzzie after signing the birth certificate."
"Oh, I'm so sorry,"
Feeling guilty, Kalypso finds it sort of funny that Sage was the one Ashton cheated with but Kalypso was more successful than her. Karma is a bitch.
-
"Are you talking shit on me?" Fourteen-year-old Ashton Kalypso Mongtomery asks Ashton Irwin. She slides down the end of the leather couch in the school atrium to sit closer to him. He smells like cedarwood and bonfire smoke. "Afraid of a little competition?"
"What are you talking about?" Ashton Irwin asks. The Ashtons have heard of each other, but never talked directly. All they know is that they're both friends with Michael Clifford, but not the same friend group. Ashton Montgomery spends more time with her sister in the year below than with Luke Hemmings or Calum Hood. "I don't even know you."
"Bull!" Ashton Montgomery snarls. Ashton Irwin watches the ball in her lip move to the side when she gets sassy. He swears she didn't have that yesterday during English. "Stop talking shit, or we're going to have beef."
"We can't have beef if I don't know you!"
Ashton Montgomery's tongue rolls over the fresh piercing in her lip. "Watch your mouth." She disappears into a messy hallway, blue hair dye lost in a sea of students, as quickly as she'd shown up.
-
Ashton Irwin was held back a year, while Luke and Calum skipped one. All of them -Michael, Luke, Calum, and both Ashtons- were in the same grade. Ashton Montgomery stays strictly with her sister Stella or Michael, with the occasional visit with Luke, while Ashton Irwin is known as the new kid Luke, Calum, and Michael adopted.
"So was she hot?" Calum excitedly asks. He's not very well acquainted with Ashton Montgomery. Michael forbade him to try and date her when he first expressed feelings, and the rule still stands.
Stella and Luke are dating and have been for two years, crossing the groups over just enough for Ashton Irwin to be the only one not knowing about Ashton Montgomery. Surprisingly, though, the whole school knows of Ashton Montgomery and her intriguing reputation, so how does he not?
"Who?" Ashton Irwin questions. He lays his hand next to him on the couch, trying to draw a boundary line from Calum to him. Calum still edges closer on the blue fabric. "Can you get me some tape?" He asks Luke. Luke, sitting in the chair next to the couch, grabs a roll of duct tape out of a drawer. "Calum, if you don't back off, I'll tape you to a wall." He rips a piece of tape off loudly.
"I'm talking about Montgomery!"
"Who?"
"Ashton!"
If Calum or Luke had to pick one person to be afraid of, Ashton Montgomery would be in the top slot. She's five-foot-nothing, full of pure sass and piercings. Ashton Irwin has seen his name twin in the hallway a few times and wants to learn about the abyss of Ashton Montgomery.
"Wait, you talked to Ash today? Tap some ass?" Luke asks. He thinks maybe, just maybe, Ashton conquered his fear of ripped skinny jeans, a grey tank top, and a red flannel. Ashton groans. "What? You're the one that wants her.
"And so does Calum,"
"Yeah, but they don't share a name," Luke smirks.
Ashton rolls his eyes. "When is the guy supposed to be here? I need to smoke so I can no longer hear you."
"Ask Mike," Luke answers, shrugging. He's no help. "He's the one that knows him."
"But he's showering,"
"Looks like you'll have to wait a little while then,"
Ashton is ready to kick some thirteen-year-old ass.
-
Luke stands up from the porch table, bored of painting on a canvas. Capturing her attention, Kalypso looks up to make sure nothing is wrong. He's got all 10 fingers, no paint is spilled, and his section isn't complete. "Calum can paint this himself," he says, stretching backward.
Kalypso looks down at their progress. Hood is written in fancy cursive and half painted silver with black outlining. "What time is it?" She asks, throwing her paintbrush into a cup of water. The canvas Calum chose is bigger than the table and one of the most agitating, simple paintings Kalypsos ever made.
"It's quarter till nine,"
"Oh shit," Kalypso jumps up to look at her phone. "I was supposed to call Stella." She quickly dials up her sister.
Luke focuses on the painting instead of Stella Montgomery's voice. So sweet, so soft, so silky smooth and calming like lavender perfume she uses every day. Secretly, Luke missed Stella and everything about her; the way she smiles over the stupidest things, her singing voice, how she whispers his name right before falling asleep.
When Kalypso ends the call, he has to distract himself. Quickly, before he falls in love with teal blue bedroom walls and indie songs. "Are you going to Calum's bachelor party?"
"Isn't that for . . . Guys?"
"Yeah, but you're like, one of the guys so it counts."
"Is there a stripper?"
"It's just Cal, Mike, Ash, and a few other guys. If you want to strip-"
"-I'm good. No worries,"
"So do you want to go?" Luke asks again. He pounds the bristles of a cheap paint brush into the bottom of a plastic cup to remove silver paint. Pounding, pounding harder and harder until he's afraid of destroying the brush. "It's just a sit around and drink beer type of night,"
"Yeah, I guess," Kalypso starts typing. "Let me tell Stella."
The paint water is dark grey, diluted with tons and tons of silver and only a few bristles of black. How does Kalypso spend hours just painting? Luke's back feels terrible and they haven't cleaned up yet. She must be a trooper to be able to do this all day every day, he thinks.
"Ready?" Kalypso asks.
"Yeah,"
-
"Ashton, answer the door," Michael commands. His eyes are glued to the TV, trying to beat Luke at Mario Kart. There's no way he's going to lose.
"It's your house,"
"It's your weed,"
"He's two hours late, it's probably shit too. Answer your door,"
"Pussy," Michael murmurs. He pauses the game while Luke whines about stopping, and stands up. A door leads right into the basement of Michaels's house from the outside, which is lucky because even though Michaels's parents love her, it's easier for Ashton Montgomery to walk into the house that way.
Michaels's hand rests gracefully on the door handle. His heels rise to check the peephole to make sure it is Ashton Montgomery. Unlike all of his friends and everyone else in his grade, a ground-breaking growth spurt still hasn't happened. His right leg is a hair shorter than his left, so he's anticipating it soon.
Michael opens the door to warm air and the smell of honey and vanilla shampoo. His childhood best friend claps her right hand into his. They move into a Bro Hug and let go when she reaches for the baggie in her hoodie pocket with her left hand. The price falls from her lips.
“Got it,” Michael slips the money carefully into her hand. “Hangout for a few?”
Ashton Montgomery nods and walks into the pathway Michael has opened up. She finds a spot on the couch, opposite to the spot Ashton Irwin has taken over.
"So you're still talking shit on me, Irwin?" She asks, pulling her feet into the couch too so she can sit in the fetal position. Michael sits on the floor to play Mario Kart again but turns around to hand her a sugar cookie his mom had made. "My time is not good enough for you?" Her initials are frosted in blue on a white background.
"Wait, so you're the-"
"-plug? Yeah." She slips the corner of the square cookie into her mouth. It tastes delicious. "I heard you're trying to compete."
"I'm not trying to compete, I'm just-"
"Selling? I don't need helpers." Another piece into her mouth, but this time, it's a straight bite from the cookie. Ashton Irwin looks her over, remembering that she's Michaels friend. She's not some stranger Michael invited inside. His mom made her a cookie.
"Will you let me-" Ashton Irwin starts. Ashton Montgomery opens her mouth to interrupt, but a stern finger in her face shuts her up. "-talk. You can't take up the whole neighborhood. You're 14."
"Fifteen," She corrects. "I turned 15 three days ago."
"Yes, of course," He rolls his eyes. "15 and a drug dealer. How could I have thought any different?" Ashton Montgomery takes a larger bite of her cookie, trying to fit the rest into her mouth. A tiny corner remains. "Let me guess, your favorite alcohol is straight vodka, your favorite movie is American Pie, you overcharge on eighths, and you're the baby of your family.
Michael glances back at Ashton Montgomery to see what she has to say. She swallows hard and dusts her hands on her black sweatpants. She doesn't have to prove herself to someone that doesn't need an answer, but she's sassy.
"I'm the oldest, I don't drink, I don't overcharge, and my favorite movie is Cars,"
"Cars?" Ashton Irwin repeats back.
"Mack is under-appreciated and needs more love despite his mistakes. He didn't mean to leave McQueen behind. McQueen made him drive all night and-"
It was Ashton Irwin's turn to interrupt. "-I've never even seen Cars."
Ashton Montgomery takes her finger and points at him angrily. The rest of her cookie goes into her mouth with her other hand. "You're missing out." Her hands move to push back falling hairs from the messy bun underneath her hood.
"You only like Mack because your dad used to call you Mini Mack," Michael pauses the game of Mario Kart again to turn and face the Ashtons. Luke unpauses the game and waits for Michael to realize.
"Mini Mack?"
"My moms' name is Mackenzie-"
"-and she looks just like her. Mini Mackenzie," Michael finishes.
"Can we not talk about this?" Ashton Montgomery covers her face with her hoodie sleeves, wanting to just crawl into a hole and shy away from everyone.
"Is it like a sore subject of something?"
She jumps up from the couch. Sweaty palms dry themselves on her sweatpants. "We're oversharing." She shoves her hands into her pockets. "Don't get too close to your d*g dealer." She turns to leave.
"I'll walk you out," Ashton Irwin stands up off the couch too. Lucky for him, he's hit a growth spurt. He's taller than her by almost a foot. "Did you walk here?" Ashton Irwin is barefoot and not wanting to go far in pajama pants and a shirt.
"I live next door," He watches her piercing move as she sasses him. Just the smallest movement to the side. "I can walk myself home safely."
"I'm being gentleman-ly,"
"I'm being independent,"
"If you're going to be like that, then I'm just trying to ask for your phone number, Ashton,"
"Well you suck at it," Ashton Montgomery pulls her phone from her sweatpants pocket and smiles. A wad of twenties fell back into her pocket. "Here."
"I think this is the most confusing encounter we've had in a long time," Luke says, trying to figure out how to talk about the two without having to say full names. Ashton One and Ashton Two?
"Yeah," Ashton Montgomery accepts her phone back from him. He'd texted himself and inserted his last name into his contact information on her phone. "Still 'wanna walk me home?"
"Of course," he reaches his hand for hers.
-
Luke pops the top off a bottle of beer and hands it to Kalypso. She takes two large gulps from it and grimaces when she remembers she hates beer. It goes down sticky and leaves an aftertaste she's not fond of.
"Oh shit," Luke says after retiring into a lawn chair with his beer. "I forgot how much you hate beer." He takes a large drink to indulge in the tension.
"Bro, I could've told you that," Ashton laughs and sits across from Kalypso. There's a bonfire raging in between them, screaming in flames and burning sticks. Kalypso wants to jump into the fire so she can burn alive. She wants to disappear from Ashton's view.
Without thinking about the gross taste, the way it feels when it hits her stomach, the way too much too quickly twists her light-weight head. She downs the rest of it and throws the bottle into a bucket of glass far away. Ashton sassily looks away as if he were cursing Kalypso out in his mind and sips. He's not much of a drinker either.
Kalypso stands up from her chair and sets off to find Calum. If she can get away from Ashton, she'll be okay.
"Where are you going?" Like asks, getting ready to stand up too. Calum's backyard is spacious, equipped with a pool, a deck with a hot tub insert, and tons of play area for his dogs. Kalypso would be the one to get lost.
"I'm giving Calum his wedding present," Kalypso replies. The chairs they're gathered in aren't far from the door, tucked into a barren area you wouldn't see without a roaring fire, so if she turns the corner the spotlight should illuminate Calum. "Leave me alone."
She walks a few steps to the corner and notices everything. She's only walked from the laundry room door to the fire pit, instead of the glass door to the wholesome part. "Aye! Cal!" Kalypso calls to gather his attention to her.
The dark-haired man looks up from his phone, obviously distracted from walking to the fire. He waves her over with a smile. "'S up?"
She pulls her right hand out to clasp into his and he feels something burn into his palm. He pulls his hand away to examine what it is. Green nuggets inside of a baggie.
"No fucking way, 'Lypso," he grins wide and starts to open the baggie.
"Should be about five grams, maybe a bit more,"
"Oh my god I've never loved you more than I do right now," he pulls her into a close hug, pressing Kalypso uncomfortably into his chest. Calum hugs, as everyone calls them. He forgets about how small people can be, and sometimes just squishes them.
"Good to know that I'm only good for weed,"
"You're good for so much more than that," Calum rocks them both back and forth in the hug, wobbling on his feet. An extreme Calum Hug. "So much more."
"Like making Ashton Irwin uncomfortable,"
Calum squeezes tighter. Kalypso can barely breathe. "That's the highlight of my year, bitch. I've never seen one man so on edge by a tiny woman."
"Calum you're killing me,"
"Oh shit," Calum finally lets go. Kalypso's insides fall from their squeezed positions back to their regular programming. "weed mans still got weed, huh?"
"What type of person would I be if I didn't?"
Calum high fives her. Right hand to left. "Why do you always dap up with your right, but you're left-handed?"
Kalypso smiles. Calum surprisingly smells beer on her. "You see," she says, running and pulling him to the fire. "Because you're right-handed, and he's right-handed, and he's right-handed, and he's right-handed." She points one by one to Michael, Luke, and Ashton. "You just learn how to."
"I guess so," Calum answers. "So since you don't drink, you want something else? I can load a bowl if you want?"
"Sure," Kalypso smiles. She hasn't smoked with close friends in years. Before walking into their graduation, Kalypso, Michael, Luke, and Calum all smoked a joint in the parking lot. None of them remember graduating. That was the last time they all hung out.
-
"Ashton!" Mackenzie Montgomery yells when she enters their homey kitchen from the garage. Jasper and James, Ashton's twin little brothers, enter in behind her. "What's for di-" Mackenzie stops to survey the scene. Both Ashtons dressed in matching band shirts at the dining room table, enjoying some type of dinner. Two scented candles burn in between them. "I didn't realize you were having friends over. You're supposed to tell me."
Ashton Montgomery wipes her mouth with a paper towel. "You weren't answering your phone. I thought it would be okay." She picks up a shrimp from her bowl of Alfredo and pasta to put into Jasper's mouth.
"This is Iron Man," James holds up an action figure missing both legs. Ashton Irwin nods his head and takes another bite of pasta. "Who's your favorite superhero?"
"I'm sorry, I was just really busy," Mackenzie sighs. "Sorry for my disheveled state, sweetheart, I just got off the ICU floor so I'm done for." Mackenzie sets her belongings on the counter a few feet behind the wooden table. "Boys, leave Ashton and her friend alone for once please."
The twins are identical, including their need for glasses. Jasper's wispy brown hair falls in his face and into his black frame glasses while he munches on the shrimp his sister gave him. He's the so-called 'nicer' twin.
"You look like you like Superman," James tells Ashton Irwin. Ashton smiles at the young boy.
James is the outgoing of the two. He swoops his hair to the side to free up his tiny forehead, unlike Jasper. He's more sociable, open, and willing to meet new people. The Stella of the boys. He flirts, he makes friends with, and charms most girls he runs into. Including Calum's sister.
"Where's Stel?" Mackenzie asks, moving from the counter to the sink. "Ashton Kalypso, I'm going to beat you if you don't learn to put things into the dishwasher." She picks Tupperware the shrimp Alfredo had been in and rinses it out. The dishwasher opens, and clean dishes shine. "Ashton!"
Ashton Montgomery rolls her eyes and slides her food to Jasper. James steps away from Ashton Irwin to start eating out of his sisters' bowl. Neither of them uses a fork, causing Mackenzie to groan.
"It's not my fault when Stella doesn't empty the dishwasher," Ashton Montgomery sasses. The lip piercing moves with her lip, and every time it does, Ashton Irwin just wants to stare. Sass is her biggest quality, the thing she's the best at. "Like, ever!"
"She's twelve, give her a break,"
"She's actually thirteen, Mother, but if you say so,"
"Ashton Kalypso Montgomery, can you please not be so sassy all the time? Do you know how to be normal?" Mackenzie turns from the dishwasher and remembers that there's a guest in the house. "I promise I'm not bullying my child, I'm just joking around." She takes a deep breath. "I'm Mackenzie, Ash's mom, but Michael just calls me mom like every other damn person I run into."
"If you're hungry, help yourself, blah blah blah," Ashton Montgomery slumps back in her chair. "I already gave him the rundown."
"So if you make a mess?" Mackenzie asks.
"You clean it up," Ashton Irwin answers.
"Ah! I like you already!" Mackenzie says. She pulls her black hair from her face and into a ponytail. And Ashton Irwin can see the resemblance entirely. "I'm going to go get freshened up. Don't give the boys any dessert, please. And, oh! I never got your name."
Ashton Irwin stands up to shake Mackenzie's hand. She's taller than her daughter, but Ashton Montgomery is an exact carbon copy of her mother. "I'm Ashton." He holds his hand out.
Mackenzie takes it. "Ashton?" She looks at her flushed-faced daughter slumping further into her chair. Mackenzie's eyes go wide. "Oh! I've heard about you."
"Is it bad?"
"Not my place to tell,"
Ashton looks over at Ashton at the table. "Really, huh?"
-
Taking in a breath full of smoke from the end of a pipe, Kalypso leans backward in the lawn chair. Calum's got those expensive lawn chairs with cushions, and a fire pit built into a table. Kalypso's body is warm from the fire and the guys surrounding it. Calum to her left, Luke to her right, Michael on the other side of Luke, Ashton between him and Calum. Laid out in front of her, past Ashton's head, she can see the city she grew up in. Lights that never seem to turn off. Cars and people that will never know it's her sitting on top of the hill, her back facing an expensive house.
She lets go of the smoke in her lungs, a cloud falling from her mouth. So thick and warm it blends in with the smoke from the fire. Luke snaps his finger in her direction, garnering her attention from the pretty lights in front of her. She blows the remains of the smoke in his face, turning toward him. He's chewing on the edge of a cinnamon-flavored graham cracker.
"Truth or dare?" he nods his head toward her. He leans his head back to take the last of his graham cracker. Luke's hands rubbed themselves together to get rid of crumbs and he finally rests them in his lap.
"I'm twenty-three, Luke, not twelve," Kalypso answers. She's not interested in the game.
"Just pick,"
"Fine," she presses the opening of her pipe back to her mouth, ready to ignite her personal flames again. The fires of her drug reflect in the eyes of Ashton's, and he dreads the flick of her thumb on a blue lighter. "Truth."
"Wimp," Luke smiles at her and her lighter ignites. Ashton can't help but watch her, ignoring Michael and Calum's conversation. "Where do you work?"
She breathes in deeply and pulls away from the glass. "I paint custom canvases for people." She lets go of the smoke, turning her head to her right shoulder so she doesn't hit Luke in the face with it. "Follow me on Instagram, a-k-m-underscore-arts."
"Wait," Ashton pauses. He waves his hand in the air to cut her off. "I think I just ordered a canvas from you for Auzzie. Auzilynn, A-u-z-i-l-y-n-n,"
Of course, Kalypso thinks. "Yeah, I think you did," She doesn't want to talk to Ashton. She wants to forget he exists. Kalypso wants the broken gems inside of her to fuse back together, but she can't do that. She doesn't know why. "Uh . . . Mike, truth or dare?"
Michael glances at Kalypso. "Dare?"
Kalypso blinks quickly, forgetting the feeling of a spinning world from her low tolerance. Her eyes close for a few seconds when she balances herself and sets the pipe down on the table surrounding the fire. "Go jump in the pool fully clothed."
"Now you're the one acting twelve," Michael laughs. "But bet. It's hot out here anyway."
-
“Look at the moon," Ashton points a steady finger to the glowing globe in the sky, lighting their way down the bumpy sidewalks. Eventually, Ashton hopes he'll have a car, and when he and Kalypso hang out, they won't have to skate back to either house. "It's so pretty,"
"Not prettier than you," Kalypso blows a kiss toward him, just a few feet ahead. Her skateboard is smaller than his, but the bottom is scratched up and doesn't have as much paint as it used to. Emblems from Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, Sublime, AC/DC, and Nirvana's smiley face were once painted over a pink sunset. Scratches from skatepark equipment are starting to fade the emblems.
Ashton catches the kiss in a hand and releases it to the sky until a horrific scream brings him back. Lying on the cement a few feet away from a crack in the cement, Kalypso's lying on the ground. Ashton stop's his skateboard and discards it in the grass. The moon illuminates her clear left cheek.
"Are you okay?" He slides to the ground next to her and grabs her left arm to shift her to her right side. Somewhat of a rash on her right cheek, her wrist cocked oddly, and she just giggles. "'Lypso, are you okay?"
She continues giggling, her chest bubbling from the ground and bouncing her curled hair. "It hurts like a bitch," Kalypso giggles when she's hurt, Ashton realizes. "You should kiss it and make it feel better." An odd coping mechanism, but at least she's not crying.
"Kiss what?"
"My broken fucking hand,"
Ashton presses his lips to her hand. Soft buttons of pink kiss lightly. "Better?"
"Oh second thought, I think I busted my lip open too," Kalypso smiles. Burning, stinging is flowing through her wrist and she winces when she tries to move her fingers. "It needs a kiss." It would be impossible to explain to Mackenzie, to tell her that Kalypso wrecked her skateboard and still manage to ride when she heals. Mackenzie will want to ban skateboards from Kalypso, Stella, and the boys.
Ashton doesn't think, he just does what she asked. As humans ruin everything they touch, Ashton and Kalypso ruin each other in ways that make growth. Like destroying the ground to plant a blooming tree or trimming long hair so it will grow longer and healthier. Ashton's lips ruin watermelon lip balm on Kalypso's, and Kalypso ruins Ashton's wonder of what it tasted like.
A fire ignited between the two, leaving them both breathless after a two-second kiss. Flowers grew from both of them, sprouting beautiful things. They can't believe themselves.
Ashton, the brunette boy that was a year older than everyone else in his grade, kissed the girl he thinks of first every morning until unconsciousness brings him to dreams of marriage and spending the rest of his life with her. The girl that smiles and makes him photograph the way butterflies land and stick to her hair, the way Ashton looks happiest on rainy days with clouds looming in the sky, and everything she never wants to forget.
"I win," Kalypso smiles, even though her entire body is shaking. Ashton sits up and wraps arms underneath her back and knees. Kalypso's pulled from the ground and she kicks until her feet are planted. "I bet Luke you'd do it tonight."
"Do what tonight?"
"Kiss me."
"So you're telling me you broke your hand intentionally,"
Kalypso sighs. "Nope," she looks at her already-swollen hand. It's terrifying. "Go hard or go home, right?"
-
"Truth or dare?" Michael laughs, his shirt gone, and hair wild. "Ashton." he sips a beer, feeling some type of buzz plaguing his mind.
"Truth," Ashton answers. He's holding his beer more than the rest of them. With Kalypso present, he physically cannot become intoxicated. He doesn't know how, but he knows that no matter what she's to be protected. After years of going out drinking with her in high school, he made sure she was safe before he was.
"C'mon man, all you pick is truth,"
"I don't want to go into the pool,"
Michael scoffs. "Fine. What happened two days before graduation, Irwin?"
Kalypso looks up from the ground. She can't breathe. The flowers inside of her started to choke her airways until she knew that Ashton was watching her. Act normal. Act normal. She pretends to be unbothered. Everyone can see through it.
"What happened?" She whispers and takes Luke's glass of whiskey. She drinks all of it at once and hands the ice back to his protesting whines. "I'd like to hear this."
"I didn't do anything, actually,"
"Really, because-"
"-I went to a party," Ashton leans forward to set his beer down. Elbows on knees, hands clasped together. "And I drank something that Sage had given me. I woke up three hours later to Luke screaming at me. Sage told him I cheated on you."
The first time he'd been able to say it directly, out loud, in the presence of anybody else. The first time Kalypso felt she could talk about it too.
"Really? I heard-"
"-Where's your fucking evidence, Ashton?"
Kalypso's eyes went wide. She hadn't been called that name in forever. Her family, her friends, everyone around her adjusted to her new name. She stands up from her chair. She no longer cares what happens, she no longer cares if she's ever around him again. "Where's your evidence that you didn't, Ashton?" The ache in her heart tells her that she still loves him as she did five years ago.
"Video evidence dating that the entire time I was asleep in my bedroom, she was at the diner on George Street telling everyone she was going to prank us with that,"
"Bullshit,"
"Why would I lie? Five years, five fucking years, 'Lypso! Why would I lie about that?"
Kalypso blinks hard, frustrated, and stares at Calum. "I'm going back to my hotel. I'll see you in the morning." She looks back at Ashton. "You can go fuck yourself."
-
"Eight, nine, ten, eleven-" A road of thunder interrupts Kalypso. Lightening lights the setting sky. "It's eleven miles away."
"Really? The radar says it's already storming," Ashton replies, smiling. Kalypso pushes his phone from his hands. Being overdramatic, Ashton falls from his side into a soft thump on his back. "Look, you're so rough you knocked me over!"
"Liar!" Kalypso giggles. Her right hand, jailed in a blue cast, clenches her blanket when she lightly pressed into his chest with her left. "I think you're perfectly fine."
After breaking her wrist, Mackenzie put her daughter on house arrest. Ashton, Michael, and any other friends can visit, but Kalypso can't go see them until she's healed.
"Dinner!" Mackenzie yells from the bottom of their carpeted stairwell. Kalypso stands up from the comfy bed and grabs her phone off the charger.
When Kalypso was old enough to decorate her own bedroom, she took advantage of the design. She was given two closets, one with sliding doors, and one that has a single door leading to a room of shelves. Years prior her uncle helped her remove the sliding doors and shove her full-sized mattress into the space. Pillows along the back of the closet, where the widest part of her bed is. She has a perfect view of her TV and the windows.
"Ashton, dinner," Kalypso laughs. Her hand ruffles his messy curls and giggles at his bandana choice. The same color as her hair- cherry red. "C'mon, I'm hungry!"
"You're going to have to force me, Hungry, I'm comfy,"
"Oh yeah?" Off of her nightstand, she grabs a disposable camera and snaps a photo of Ashton, his stubborn self, and all of his glory. "One day, we're going to be twenty-something, and you're going to look at these photos and say 'thank goodness I'm not that stubborn anymore'."
"And you're going to wonder why you have always been dramatic and use disposable cameras."
"It's easier to print and hang up,"
"I think you're a little bit obsessed with my face," Ashton points to the wall surrounding the bed. Photos of Ashton and Kalypso, some with Michael and the guys, or Stella and Kalypso the few times they've gotten along. She changes the switch of her fairy lights to illuminate the area. She never needed an overhead light with floor-to-ceiling windows scattered around.
"I am not!" Kalypso smiles. Her hair is messy, wavy, and poofy in different directions. She tucks as much as she can behind her ear. Ashton grabs the camera to snap a photo of her reaching for him. "Please! I'm hungry!"
"What'd your mom make for dinner?"
"Grilled salmon,"
"You hate fish,"
"But you don't!" She tugs harder on his hand. "I'm hungry!"
"What are you going to eat?"
"Grandma is making Jasper and I chicken strips," Calypso falls backward onto her hardwood floor when Ashton stands up. He catches her when her butt grazes the ground and pulls her into him. "C'mon!"
"So you get chicken strips and I get fish?"
"Yes!" Kalypso continues pulling Ashton out of her room, down the stairs. Stella and the boys have already made it to the bottom. "It's your favorite. Last night we had my favorite, and tomorrow we get James' favorite."
"You just had to include me, huh?" Ashton asks while he descends from the top floor. Kalypso's two stairs ahead of him.
She shakes her head. "Actually, I requested shrimp alfredo for dinner but no. Mom wanted me to have something you like," She lies.
"Yeah?"
"Uh-huh!" They end up at the bottom of the stairs and round the left corner to the kitchen. "You're here every day. Might as well include you."
James groans, looking at his sisters' boyfriend. "Do you ever go home?" With Ashton in the picture, James didn't get to spend as much time with Kalypso.
"James Samuel!" Mackenzie calls. "That's not very nice."
Pre-Ashton, James, and Jasper could fall asleep in Calypso's bed with her. When Ashton and Kalypso started dating, Ashton started sticking around until she falls asleep and goes home when he knows she is officially out for the night. The times Ashton stays with the guys, he calls her to talk when she feels drowsy. It's their routine.
Mackenzie sets a tray of chicken strips on the table for the non-fish-liking children. "Ash, can you- My Ashton," She smiles, uncomfortable. "Ashton Kalypso, can you get the tea from the outside fridge?"
"I vow we call her 'Lypso!" Jasper says, already stealing chicken strips. His dark hair falls over his auburn eyes.
"No!" James answers. "Ashton One and Ashton Two."
"Or," Kalypso holds a finger in the air. "Ditch Ashton entirely and become Fletcher and Kalypso." Ashton gives her a side-eye glare. "What?"
"I'm not going by Fletcher,"
"Noob,"
"Kalypso, tea!" Mackenzie demands and points to the garage door. Kalypso disappears inside.
"We should just sell Ashton Kalypso on eBay!"
"James, we aren't selling your sister," Mackenzie shakes her head. She sits on the first chair to the right, and across from Jasper. Ashton and Kalypso always sit next to each other on the other side of the boys.
"But she's a girl," He grimaces. "And she talks a lot now."
"I would rather her talk a lot than be silent again," Mackenzie says. "Ashton, you're a real blessing to her. You have no idea."
"What do you mean?"
"Until last year she never really talked to anyone but Michael and Stella," Mackenzie starts. Ashton couldn't believe that at one point, Kalypso was so shy she couldn't talk. "I swear she talked for an hour straight the day she met you."
"Mom," Kalypso groans, closing the garage door behind her. A pitcher of sun tea half mixed with lemonade in her hands. The only thing the boys will drink besides soda. "There are some things you don't have to share."
-
Three shots down, as many as it takes to go. Kalypso, even hating alcohol, wants to forget his name. She wants to forget that he exists in the real world and that he's so close, but so far away. All she can do is scream his name and wonder why she wasn't good enough. They were too young to know about love, and if they weren't they were too dumb to think that it could last forever.
Kalypso forgot the massive bar and hangout area Michael had in his basement. When the five, and sometimes Stella, became known and interested in alcohol, Michael's was the house to get it from. Easy access, nobody realized anything was touched. Either there, or stealing food from Kalypso's refrigerator, you could find any of them.
Luke sets down a box in front of her at the bar. "Ashton says this is for you." He slides it closer to her. Her palm stops it.
She doesn't want anything to do with Ashton. His stupid box, his stupid face, his stupid mistakes. She was rejecting his presence and everything that comes with it. "Shove it up his ass" She put another shot into her mouth and swallowed. Four in. So many more to go.
"Kal, can you please just take it?"
She slams her glass down onto the marble counter. "What's in it?" If it's stupid, there was no point in opening it.
"No idea,"
Kalypso tucks her pink thumbnail at the paper tape. She is just a slice, just barely a poke, away from whatever Ashton is up to.
"Probably just giving things back,"
"Five years later?"
"You never know." Luke grabs a knife from the other side of the bar and slices the top open quickly. Flaps fly open, revealing several things inside. Michael adjusts off a barstool to get a closer look.
Papers, indented and worn by ballpoint pens of all colors. Stuffed animals, jewelry, familiar things Ashton has given to Kalypso and she returned. Off the top, Luke lays a stuffed stingray on the bar. Kalypso loved that stingray, named it Dionysius, and kept it amongst her pillows for years.
A necklace with Ashton engraved in a silver plate, two stuffed bears his mom had made, and rocks they'd painted together. Movie ticket stubs from every date, and the millions of photos they'd taken together. She glued them to the inside when she gave him the brown box. She gave him the box that way and he never changed it. Maybe they weren't too naive to know what love is.
"Look," Michael says and grabs a photo from the box, pulling it off easily. "You were so small." He gives it to Kalypso to see.
Wide-eyed, a mouth full of braces, and wearing Ashton's clothes, Kalypso was sitting in Ashton's lap. Her hand blocking most of her face, leaving only Ashton and a thirteen-year-old Luke to be seen. Her hand was in a cast-- the photo was from when they first started dating.
Kalypso grabs another photo from the box. Sitting in the front, she was the smallest and not looking in the mirror like everyone else was. Kalypso's bedroom-- her mirror covered in plastic flowers, the boys and Stella posing with her. Calum to her left, Stella to her right, Ashton behind her, Luke behind Calum, Michael behind Stella. Stella had taken the photo. Kalypso was at least seventeen.
On the bottom of the box was a photo printed on regular printer paper of the fire she used to engulf his belongings. A jersey she had with IRWIN on the back for all of his football games, his clothes, and the rest of their photos.
"He kept this for five years?" She shakes her head. "Now, who can't get over who?"
Luke reads a paper in the box. "You should look at this." A giant blue #1 shone at the top of it.
' 'Lypso, I tried to talk to you and your mom yesterday to explain what happened and the whole story. You wouldn't give me the time of day. I wouldn't either, to be honest. '
She reads it aloud. The letter continues, explaining the box. Everything inside was the same and he didn't want it. Another paper, labeled #2, had a list.
1.I've written coordinates down. These are all the places where I knew I couldn't live without you. Something significant happened at each one and I remember them all perfectly. Plug it into google and remember, for me.
2. You can go there. If you want to pretend you're in a fanfiction of a young adult movie where we'll end up together. If you do, I have something there to remind you of it all.
3. You don't have to forgive me or take me back. I just want you to know how much I still love you.
4. They're not in order.
Coordinates:
"Either of you have Google Earth?" Kalypso asks. Luke pulls his phone out. She enters the first set and waits. "Literally we're right here." Kalypso looks for answers in the men.
"How about you go look in the downstairs living room," Luke hints. "That's where-"
"-That's where he asked for my number,"
"And you still have an interrupting problem."
Kalypso rolls her eyes, but can't seem to get downstairs fast enough. A photo is waiting for her where Ashton sat that night. She grabs the paper; it has something else to say.
"I'm the oldest, I don't drink, I don't overcharge, and my favorite movie is Cars." "Cars?" "Mack is under-appreciated and deserves more love despite his mistakes,"
I swear that was the most eye-opening and Kalypso thing I'd heard, Mini Mack
"I remember that night," Kalypso can see it.
"15 and a drug dealer. How could I have thought any different?" Ashton Montgomery takes a larger bite of her cookie, trying to fit the rest into her mouth. A tiny corner remains. "Let me guess, your favorite alcohol is straight vodka, your favorite movie is American Pie, you overcharge on eighths, and you're the baby of your family."
"First night Ashton had bought from me personally," Kalypso felt the warmth through her entire body. Ashton remembered.
"I'm the oldest, I don't drink, I don't overcharge, and my favorite movie is Cars,"
"Cars?" Ashton Irwin repeats back.
"Mack is under-appreciated and needs more love despite his mistakes. He didn't mean to leave McQueen behind. McQueen made him drive all night and-"
It was Ashton Irwin's turn to interrupt. "-I've never even seen Cars."
Ashton Montgomery takes her finger and points at him angrily. The rest of her cookie goes into her mouth with her other hand. "You're missing out." Her hands move to push back falling hairs from the messy bun underneath her hood.
He remembered one of the most insignificant things about her.
"You only like Mack because your dad used to call you Mini Mack," Michael pauses the game of Mario Kart again to turn and face the Ashtons. Luke unpauses the game and waits for Michael to realize.
"Mini Mack?"
"My moms' name is Mackenzie-"
"-and she looks just like her. Mini Mackenzie," Michael finishes.
The next coordinate was where she wrecked her skateboard. Taped to a broken stick is a photo of Kalypso laying on Ashton's bed with him. It was a few days after when everyone finally caught up with decorating her cast, and Mackenzie didn't realize Kalypso had left the house. She wore a white tank top, one strap falling off her arm. Right hand bandaged up, lays in Ashton's next to her. Kalypso was surprised by the camera Ashton's sister randomly ran up to them with. She caught a photo while standing on top of Ashton's bed.
"You should kiss it and make it feel better."
She still has the scar from the wreck on her wrist. A reminder of that night for the rest of her life. The feeling of Ashton's lips on hers. Warm cement painful under her palms.
"Kiss what?"
"My broken fucking hand,"
Ashton presses his lips to her hand. Soft buttons of pink kiss lightly. "Better?"
"Oh second thought, I think I busted my lip open too," Kalypso smiles. Burning, stinging is flowing through her wrist and she winces when she tries to move her fingers. "It needs a kiss."
He remembered eating dinner at Kalypso's house every night for eight weeks straight. The day her cast was removed, they went on their first date.
Makenzie made them do an uncomfortable photoshoot before their showing of Cars. A dress, a bowtie that clipped on, and uncomfortable shoes. Teaching Kalypso how to drive, laughing when she screamed while merging on the freeway. Video games, arcades, records. Their one-year dinner catered by Michael and Calum, listening to 2000s rap the whole time. Kalypso surprised Ashton with the jersey. One time Kalypso fell asleep on Ashton at Michael's house. Kalypso showing off her license when she got the guts to get it. A bonfire at the beach for Ashton's birthday, even though they couldn't swim.
They stargazed every night of the summer until the sun rose or sleep overcame them. Where they met for a concert, where Ashton parked his car at a drive-in date, Ashton getting a bunch of a facemask mixture stuck in his curls.
Their last year together. Driving around for hours on end, listening to AC/DC, and laughing. They always bought slushies beforehand. An entire day on a boat in the lake. Bikinis, tanning lotion, and seven of Kalypso's cousins. All he could see was her. Kalypso got her first tattoo at 18-- a dinosaur encased in a glass jar. A 50s themed Disney Movie marathon Luke, Calum, and Stella helped Ashton plan. The day before they broke up.
The day before they broke up.
'I'll always love you. -Ashton'
She drops the last thing into the box. Does Ashton still love her? Impossible to think about. He has a daughter, probably a girlfriend, probably an entire life she would be imploding on. She puts the box in front of her waist. Kalypso feels bare and like nothing before. "Can you take me to the hotel?" Ashton knew Kalypso better than he knew himself.
Luke nods his head and motions for her to walk with him to Michael's car. On the back window, there's a penis drawn in the dirt.
It's easier for Kalypso to be in the dark, wiping falling tears like nothing. Headlights illuminating the road, not her. Luke pats her hand on the armrest. She was once hard, a badass around everyone but Ashton, and now the only scary part about her is her quick wit.
-
Stella set up the hotel room. Toiletries in the bathroom, pajamas on the bed. The sisters decided to share a suitcase for their two-day trip. They'll fly back tomorrow night-- they'll go back to their apartments after picking Magik up from Jaspers, and Kalypso will spend all night trying to catch up on painting orders.
"What's that?" Stella asks, folding a shirt over her hands. She's getting ready for a shower. Instead of replying, Kalypso sets the box on Stella's bed. Her legs buckle underneath and her sister has to catch her before she shatters into the carpet.
Muttered words. Teas. Stella opens the overly stuffed box that they couldn't close. She is amazed, reading everything Ashton had to say about Kalypso. The photographs, the concert tickets to Blink-182 and some country singers. A stapled-together packet of Kalypso's favorite of everything. Songs, movies, food, drinks, even her favorite names. The joke she always made about naming their kids Asher and Ashley. Her favorite colors and the book she constantly read over and over again and became surprised at the outcome every time.
Ashton knew everything about her when they dated. Things she never realized herself. She knew him as he knew her. The day before graduation, though, he had made his decision.
-
Kalypso applied a white shimmer to her tear ducts. Dabbing opposite of a red smokey eye. Practicing her graduation makeup one last time and trying to get Ashton's opinion about it.
"How many of my bandanas are you going to steal?" Ashton asks, throwing another bandana toward his girlfriend. She wipes the glitter off her middle finger onto her blue jeans.
"We both can wear one," She folds the bandana up into a strap and hands it back to Ashton. "Put it on. You'd look cute."
"Cute? I'm supposed to be intimidating." Ashton giggles, but reluctantly folds the strip over his forehead and ties it at the base of his neck. "Now we look alike."
"Is that a bad thing?" Kalypso asks.
"Nope," Ashton stands up from Kalypso's bed to stand behind her. All he can think about is how much he loves her, how beautiful she always has been. Freshly dyed, cherry red hair chopped at her shoulders, curly from braids. "Are we still going to the beach after graduation?" She had tied a bandana in her hair to hold her hair back too. Black and white, like Ashton's.
"Yeah, but after the graduation party,"
Ashton grimaces. He has a surprise for her at the beach. A stupid party will get in the way.
"C'mon, Ash, your mom is throwing it for all of us,"
"She's such a cock block,"
"Ashton!"
"I'm kidding," Ashton giggles again.
"Now, what do you think of this look?"
"I think that you look beautiful no matter what," Ashton smiles. Her lipstick matches her hair and looks like it would stain his lips. "With or without makeup."
Calypso sighs. "You always say that," She grabs her phone from the floor. A text to Stella asking where she is.
"And?"
"You have to say that,"
If Ashton never said it, he'd be a liar. She is his princess, more goddess-like than anyone had ever seen. "Do you want me to tell you if you look ugly."
"Yes,"
"If I only ever told you when you looked ugly, I'd be mute,"
Kalypso rolls her eyes. "Of course you would say that."
Ashton's head reaches over her right shoulder to press a kiss on her cheek. "You look like the moon and every star in the galaxy."
"What does that mean?"
"It means I can spend three summers straight watching you every time you're around and still get excited for the next one,"
Kalypso blushes. "You're so cheesy."
"I know," A ding from his phone distracts Ashton from his girlfriend. "Luke wants to know if he can come back with Stella."
"Sure,"
Ashton types quickly. The text sends. Luke's on his way with Stella. "Are you excited to be done with school?"
"Yes," Kalypso smiles. Braces removed, teeth are pearly white and straight. "We can hang out so much more than before. We don't have to worry about curfews or my brothers."
"Still dreaming about an apartment with a clawfoot bathtub and large windows everywhere?"
"With high ceilings and at least one cat? Of course,"
"We'll move to Melbourn and live happily ever after,"
"Melbourn? You've never said anything about Melbourn before?"
"I may be trying to pull a few strings,"
"Ash!" Kalypso gasps.
"I wasn't sure if you'd want to go or-"
"-Stella entering the room! Please redress!" Stella announces, pushing Kalypso's bedroom door open. "What's the tea?"
"We'll talk about this later, okay?" Kalypso assures.
"Of course," Ashton hopes she's okay with it.
-
"He tried so hard on all of this, oh my, . . . wow," Stella's still pulling things from the box, looking over everything included. Her finger catches on a CD. "What's on this?" Kalypso has no clue but grabs her laptop out of her suitcase.
Her finger shakily presses play and a screen of dark lighting and an ugly girl sitting in a diner booth shows up. It's Sage.
Long, black hair pulled into an overly large messy bun that outweighed her entire head. A square-shaped face and a pig nose permanently turned upward.
Sage shoves a french fry into her mouth while smiling. The person behind the camera asks what Sage was so happy about. She shoves another fry into her mouth. "I came up with a genius idea. Prank the high school sweethearts. There's no way that shit can last forever."
"How'd you do it?" A boy sitting next to her asks.
"I put Nyquil in Ashton's drinks. Knocked him out cold. I'll tell him that he got super drunk and we had sex. The worst thing that'll happen is they'll break up." Sage giggles, covering her mouth. Her fingers are manicured with long acrylics and red nail polish. "I have to show this to like Stella or something so Kalypso isn't that depressed."
"Don't you want them to break up so you can date Ashton though?"
"Ew!" Sage shoves her friend next to her. "I could never. Not into weirdos."
Stella pulls her sister into her arms. The biggest hug she could offer to her best friend. Kalypso partly crawls into her lap, feeling like shit.
"I'm an idiot,"
"You didn't know,"
"Did you ever see this?"
"Not once. I haven't even talked to her since I was like sixteen,"
"I should've believed him." He probably has a wife, another kid on the way, a whole life with no room for Kalypso.
Stella grabs the box and turns it upside down. "He kept all of this for so long." All of the contents spill out onto the floor. "What's that?" She points to a tiny velvet box on the carpet. It only reminds Kalypso of one thing.
"No way," Stella passes the box to Kalypso. "Is this-" She cracks the box open and a gold ring with two silver diamonds on top stares at her. "Oh my God."
Stella picks up the ring. "I . . . I remember this. You and I have the same sized fingers so he made me go with him while you were at work one day,"
"You knew?" Tingles flow through Kalypso's body.
"He was going to propose on the beach. After you graduated. He was trying so hard to get his mom to cancel the party so you'd make it for the sunset."
Kalypso cries even harder, thinking about her past.
-
Kalypso ducks her head underneath the water of her hotel bathtub. Chocolate brown locks billow around her like she's some magical creature or a mermaid. She remembers when she was younger and would've stained the bathtub with different hair dye concoctions. The happiest moments in her life included colored hair -- and Ashton. Chocolate brown, like a symbolistic feature telling her she's not living to her fullest potential.
Her Last dye was that cherry red before graduation. Ashton brought out everything she loved about herself. Quickly, she resurfaced, gasping for breath. She couldn't live without Ashton. Stella threw her clean clothes and watched her run to the passenger door of Michael's car. They sped off, driving way faster than they should have.
Michael stopped in front of Ashton's moms' house, watching Kalypso knock on Ashton's door. Her hair is still dripping wet and staining the back of her shirt. Michael's anticipating someone answering the door. It's just Ashton, Auzilynn, and his mom. Someone will answer that knows Kalypso.
Ashton's the one to open the door. He can't even speak before her.
"You say you fell in love with me in the basement and you remembered that I'm Mini Mack. You stayed with me for eight weeks from the time school got out until I fell asleep when I broke my hand. You set up dates for me and you with Michael, Luke, Calum, or Stella creating stupid pasta dishes with mystery meat because we never had money because we were teenagers. You taught me how to drive. You put up with my constant pictures and annoying comments.
You spent summers with me on a trampoline looking at the sky because I told you that seeing the stars made me happy. You gave me one of your football jerseys when you would wear the other so we would match. You called me beautiful all the time, every single day, and never once let me forget it. You made me feel emotions I didn't know I had. I drowned in you, but yet," Kalypso finally looks up from the ground to lock eyes with Ashton. Her blue orbs lock with brown ones. "I believed someone with a fake tan and an ugly nose over you."
"It was because everyone else did," Ashton says. He's stone-faced, afraid that if he shows emotion he'll crumble. She's his drug, even after five years of straight hatred. "Luke, Michael, Calum, Stella," He looks away. Ashton can't stand to look at her anymore without turning into the high school boy in love with her. He spent five angry years going to sleep without knowing she was safe and secure with a pillow, a blanket, and that stupid stingray. "They all believed her because I couldn't remember."
"Yeah, but I should've trusted you," Kalypso starts tearing up. Her voice can paint pictures of nature scenes you only see in dreams, but her tears could destroy villages and towns. Ashton holds a hand out to her, wanting to bring her inside. "I was so stupid."
"You didn't know," Kalypso takes his hand for the warmth of a home again. One she spent a lot of time during her adolescence. The carpet is still warm and white, the couch with a strain on the armrest from when Ashton spilled something on it. His bedroom upstairs, where they made out one too many times. Her home away from home.
"You wanted to go to the beach," Kalypso whispers. "You . . . you wanted to go to the beach, and right before, I ruined it. I ruined it all. And now you have Auzzie and a maybe wife and I'm never going to be worth anything in your life but just right now I want you to consider, do you still love me? Right here, right now, that's all I need to know and I'll leave you alone."
Ashton pulls Kalypso close to his body for a hug. He smells the same, feels the same, and radiates the same energy he had for several years. "Ashton Kalypso," Ashton softly smiles, trying to lighten the mood. "You overthink way too much."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I could never stop loving you,"
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@polyfacetious big ass Christmas Drabble Extravagaza: Day Twenty
“Did you know that there’s not any real appreciable difference between salt water taffy and regular taffy?” The guy in the nice suit browsing the bins of taffy looks up at Barry, cocking a brow at him. He’s been in the store for a couple of minutes now, and after a brief ‘hi, how are you’ exchange, Barry had said nothing else. Until now.
“So salt water taffy was invented in 1883 in Atlantic City, on the boardwalk. It was invented by this guy named David Bradley, I think that’s what his name is. And anyway, so he had a taffy shop out on the boardwalk. Because, tourists.”
Barry gestures around himself, to the small shop and its pristine white walls and white tile floors, to the barrels holding the candy all made of rich, dark wood. The only real pops of color in the place were the pieces of candy themselves, almost pastel behind their white wrapping paper.
This whole street was a tourist attraction. A collection of immigrants who set up shop here right next to each other, selling a little bit of everything. Barry had seen the article about it in some tourist magazine, solely because Diego had it framed and on the wall in the front of his shop.
And Diego’s tacos were definitely worth waiting in line for. So Barry waited like everyone else, and it meant he had plenty of time to do things like read the article that was framed on the wall that talked about ‘found family’ and ‘eclectic tastes’. Barry was pretty sure that last little bit was because of Klaus, but he wasn’t sure.
“So. Atlantic City, right? Right off the water on the pier, big ferris wheel, super cool place, even back then. But it flooded.” Barry stops, cocking his head. “I don’t think the ferris wheel was there in the 1880s.” But he can’t look right now, because he’s pulling taffy.
That was the allure of the place. All of the taffy was hand pulled. No machines here. Barry did all the pulling, cutting and wrapping. Super boring work, but it gave him time to think when it wasn’t busy, and his biceps looked pretty sweet.
Even right now, he’s grateful that his work t-shirt is a little tight around the sleeves as he takes the long strand of shiny white taffy and folds it back over the hook on the wall. From there, he pulls it down towards him again, lengthening the strand before he folds it back over the hook again.
“I look it up later. Anyway. Atlantic City.” This story was all over the place, but the guy in his probably expensive and very nicely cut suit, wow he looked good, he was just watching Barry with his arms crossed, expression amused. “It flooded. Soaked the guy’s entire stock of candy. Once everything dried out, he took a bite of it on a whim.”
Barry glances over his shoulder and grins at the guy. Looks like the taffy wasn’t the only one on the hook today. “Said it tasted pretty good. So from then on, he sold it as salt water taffy. Made it tourist-y.”
He takes the white taffy from the hook and slaps it down onto the marble slab he’d cut it on. But first, he needed to roll it into something like a log. Barry always liked the way the taffy looked at this stage, with its bright sheen and its pliable nature. Like solid snow, or something.
“But the thing is when you’re making taffy, when you’re making any kind of candy really, you’re going to boil the water with the sugar to get your base. And when you boil the water, it takes the salt right out of it. Seriously, it’ll crust the bottom of the big brass pot we use. I have to scrape it out sometimes.”
Barry folds the taffy in on itself like a big, soft pretzel and gives it a squeeze. He was going to need to punch it out a little before it would be ready to be cut.
“So salt water taffy doesn’t actually taste any different than regular taffy. It’s just-”
“Tourists.” The guy answers, his voice low and rough, like sandpaper at the bottom of the well. “Do you tell all your customers about the history of ripping off tourists, or am I just special?” The smile, which really couldn’t be called a smile, tugs at just one corner of the guy’s lips.
“I’m bored.” Barry grins right back at him. “But if you need someone to tell you that you’re special, I’ll be your man.”
That earns him a small huff of laughter, and Barry finds himself proud of the sound. Yeah, he did that. “Oliver.” The guy, Oliver, holds a hand out to shake over the top of the glass separating the open part of the shop from Barry’s work area.
“Barry.” He peels the glove off of his hand and tosses it into the trash can he keeps beneath the counter before he shakes Oliver’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Oliver.” Oliver has nice, strong hands. Callused, too. Not what Barry would expect from a guy wearing a suit that looked like it cost more than what Barry made in a month. “You read the article, huh?”
There’s a split second that Oliver looks sheepish before he settles into the conversation. “You guys get that much foot traffic in here from the New Yorker article?” Wow. Diego just had the article up, not the rest of the magazine. Barry didn’t know it was such a high end magazine that spoke so highly of their little street. Maybe that’s why they were getting so many people browsing up and down the street.
“Yeah.” It’s Barry’s turn to huff out a laugh, pulling a fresh glove out of the box and slipping it on before he gets back to the roll of taffy in front of him, punching it down before he rolls it out again into a little shiny log. “They tend to hit all the ‘greatest hits’, that’s what Tony calls them. The places in the article. But it works out for the other spots, like the book store, because then the tourists think that they’ve found some great hole in the wall that a reporter didn’t even find.”
Oliver glances down at the briefcase sitting at his feet, emblazoned with his initials and gleaming in the afternoon sun. “Guilty as charged.”
The taffy is a nice, long log now. Ready to be cut. Barry grabs the rounded cutter and starts on the far edge, his cuts swift and precise, a long practiced movement. As close to muscle memory as a person could get with something sharp in their hands.
Or at least as close as Barry Allen could get with a knife in his hand. Because the tip of his left thumb would beg to differ.
It was fine, they sewed it right back on. It wasn’t really that big of a deal anyway. Though Felicity didn’t think it was funny when Barry suggested that the next big thing would be blood taffy. No one ever tapped into the goth market with candy.
“That’s cool, though. You came because of the article but you still adventured outside of your routine and maybe your comfort zone. I’d be proud of that if I were you.” Also, if Barry were Oliver he’d probably never wear a shirt and spend the rest of his life looking at himself in front of a mirror, Narcissus style.
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re too nice?” Oliver reaches up to adjust the knot of his tie and Barry’s thumb almost makes a repeat performance. Luckily, it’s just a really thin piece of taffy and not a piece of thumb that rolls across the cool marble.
“Oh yeah.” Barry laughs, and gives up on cutting anything else while Oliver was still here. He could go ahead and get these pieces wrapped and ready to do, and then no one was at risk of a bloodbath. “All the time. Felicity, she’s the other owner of this place, we split it fifty-fifty, she always tells me that I’m too nice for my own good.”
Then again, Barry thought Fels was way too nice for her own good. But he was too nice to say something about it, so maybe she had a leg up on him.
“Doesn’t it bother you? Knowing that people might take advantage of you? Or scam you? Or hurt you?”
Barry is pretty sure this isn’t the kind of conversation you have with the guy who runs the taffy shop on your vacation if you have anyone else to talk to. That makes it all the more important that Barry listens. “Well yeah. No one wants to be hurt. But I think about it like this. If I keep the windows closed all the time because I’m worried about rain, then I miss out on all the good breezes I could get, too.”
It’s a weird, mixed metaphor but it seems to sink in, because Oliver is watching him very closely, and with something like respect in his eyes. Nailed it.
Barry shrugs and reaches across the space between them, holding his hand out to Oliver, palm up. In it, a single wrapped piece of white salt water taffy, rolled up neatly in wax paper, the ends twisted inwards and fanning out, like the candy you would see in a cartoon. “Here, have a free sample.”
He had a bad habit about free samples. Barry just couldn’t help it, he liked seeing kids light up and laugh when they had their first bite. And it’s no different watching Oliver carefully unwrap the piece and pop it into his mouth, his eyes widening briefly in surprise.
“I know, right?” Barry shifts eagerly from foot to foot, and gives in, popping that thin, misshapen piece from the end of the roll into his mouth. Taffy wasn’t complicated, when it came to ingredients. It was just a few things, and most everyone had them at home. It was the process that made something special out of the ingredients. “You’d think I’d be sick of this stuff, being around it all day. But I’m really not. I love it.”
‘It’ meant more than just the candy. It meant the shop, the street, the crazy dream that he and Felicity jetted off to follow right out of college. Barry’s life was kind of crazy and he wouldn’t trade that for anything.
“I can see that.” Oliver doesn’t speak until he finishes chewing and swallowing his piece of candy, unlike Barry who had no problem speaking behind his hand with his mouth full. Oliver takes the candy wrapper and smooths it out flat in his palm before he places it on the top of the glass case, sliding it back towards Barry with the tip of his index finger. “And I’d like to see you again.”
Wow. That was smooth as hell. Barry needs a second to parse the fact that the very attractive businessman was looking at him like that. Like Barry was another piece of candy that he wanted to unwrap. “Barry.” Oliver’s voice cuts through all those wild, tumbling thoughts. “I want you to write your number on here.” Oliver taps the piece of wrapper.
“Oh!” Yeah, Barry was not picking up on that. He laughs nervously, ducking behind the counter and nearly braining himself on the glass before he’s able to find a permanent marker on a low shelf. Barry scribbles his name across the square, and his phone number underneath it.
Even if Oliver changed his mind and never called, even if Barry never saw him again, this whole afternoon would be worth it to see Felicity’s face when he told her the story about getting hit on by the suave businessman in the middle of the afternoon on a Monday.
Definitely worth it.
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Cutie Reviews: Tokyo Treat July 19
Hello all, welcome to July’s Tokyo Treat review!
Besides the fact I’m in a different place taking these pics, I don’t have anything else to say so we’ll just get straight into it.
Also, because I accidentally cut it off, July’s theme is Life’s A Beach.
“With warmer weather on the horizon we were feeling super inspired to bring you a summery box filled with snacks ready for a beach day! This month you’ll be receiving a lot of fun treats and a taste of summer in Japan. We hope this yummy selection of sweet and savory snacks inspires you to go outside and enjoy your treats in the summer weather!“
So in my rush to get these pictures ready, I ended up not getting the Prize or Lucky Treat pictures. So to summarize, Lucky Treat heavily focuses on Kindom Hearts with a dash of Pokemon. While I was lucky enough to win the September one, I can’t deny that this would probably have been the other one I really wanted. Meanwhile, July’s prize features figurines of Sanji and Trafalgar Law (my favorite characters, along with Luffy, Ace, and Perona) in One Piece, and some smaller Pokemon figures for the runner-ups.
As usual I won’t be reviewing the DIY candy kit (see top pic) because we’ve had it several times before and I think I already covered it on the blog anyway.
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Melon Cream Soda
(Sorry the stand is a mess, this pic was last-second and I was in a hurry, and no the drink in the background is not the same one as on top, it’s cola).
Perfect for summer, we have a refreshing melon cream soda. It’s a really pretty pastel green color, and it’s very foamy on the top which helps emulate the cream soda vibe. It smells like fizzy melon candy (and tastes like one too), and it’s very light and refreshing with a small hint of vanilla in the background.
If you don’t like melon then you probably wouldn’t like this- but if you do then I think you would love it.
Crushed Poteco 4-Pack
If you read the blog before then you will recognize these; we get them fairly often and I won’t be reviewing these because I’ve done it a handful of times.
They’re cute, tasty little potato rings with a slight saltiness, but as good as they are I’m pretty sick of them <_< I actually gave all of mine away because I really didn’t want them.
Soda Soft Candy & Sherbet Perot Cider
I love soda candy and I can’t think of anything more lovely for warm summer weather than cooling, refreshing blue sweets~
First we’ll start with the Sherbet Perot Cider, the equivalent of the cola-flavored lollipop with fizzy candy that we got either back in May. It consists of a neutral-lightly sweetened lollipop with powdered candy you can tip it in, giving it a vaguely fizzy and sweeter, almost sour taste. This specific one is 44.5 calories.
Much like the cola one, I think it’s really yummy. I love the taste of the powder with it especially because in my opinion the lollipop on its own isn’t sweet enough- but like the cola one, I find myself completely forgetting about the powder and just sucking on the candy.
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The other soda candy we got are these cute spherical soft candies. But what makes them special is that they have a hint of lemon for an additional pinch of sweetness~
The entire bag is 63 calories, which seems about right since you get a handful of them. The pamphlet describes these as sweet and sour, but unless you let them sit in your mouth for a few minutes, you taste no sourness- and honestly, they didn’t taste as good as they do if you just chew them up from the beginning.
Mini Chocolate Bat
Next up is an item I’ve had before, but it’s been a really long time so that’s not too bad.These have been around for a long time now if I recall, but I’m not sure if they’re popular. For the entire box (or one stick, not sure) its 51 calories, and each crunchy stick is coated in a thin layer of chocolate, they remind me a lot of those yellow cake donuts... if they were stale and hard.
These aren’t bad or anything but they aren’t sweet either. I love dark chocolate and I can appreciate not having a sugar buzz as much as the next person, but sometimes you just want sugar too, you know? I feel like this would be good with coffee though, and it was nice of them to give us a box, making them a nice little item to bring to a get-together with a friend or two.
Chocolate Mint Candy & Peach Mint Kit Kats
To go with all of our refreshing green and blue sweet snacks, we got two more, but these are of the mint variety!
Our first item is inspired by delicious Hokkaido mint chocolate ice cream (my favorite~!) and takes the form of a spherical hard candy. I know the picture makes it extremely hard, but the candy actually has brown dots covering them to emulate the ice cream. The inside is filled with a cooling white powdery substance, but you don’t have to wait until you get to the center, because there is a tiny hole in the candy allowing the flavor to seep out.
Per-candy or bag (I certainly hope bag), the calories are 290.
These are very yummy but I’m not sure they would be enjoyed by those who aren’t big on choco-mint. They mostly taste like chocolate with a hint of mint, and I really like the cooling effect. The hardness of the coating seems to vary between candies though, because I noticed the first one I could bite through the middle no problem, but the second one was a lot more difficult.
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Next up is another kit kat like usual. As much as I like these I tend to get tired of them too, but I believe last month we didn’t have one so it isn’t that bad. Anyway, this is a PREMIUM kit kat blend, which means its slightly more special or pricey or something. Each pack is 63 calories, and i love the pretty mix of pink and mint on the packaging~
Before getting these, it never occurred to me to think of a combination like mint x peach. I thought it sounded strange. The outside chocolate oddly resembles cookies and cream while the inside is pure mint, and they are deliciously amazing!
As I said, it sounds unusual, but it’s really good. As soon as you bite into them you get hit by the refreshing peach, followed by a combination of mint until you’re left with a cooling sensation. I recommend these if you can find them!
Anpanman Grape Gummies & Sour Peah Gum
Our refreshing fruity theme continues with these two fun, colorful candies. I’ve had these both before so I don’t think I have too much to say, I’ll start with the Anpanman. These are fun grape-flavored gummies that come in 24 various poses and characters, and each pack is 62 calories.
I was really confused with these, because of summer and them being gummies I assumed they would be inedible because they were stuck to the plastic/wax paper. But it turns out the paper can dissolved! It’s very weird, but my mom pointed it out while I explained my issues with it, and while having them in my mouth it would just slide right off. I wasted half of the pack until finding this out <3< but I am very glad I did because I wasn’t very impressed when I opened them.
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Next is a really fun gum roulette candy that came out a couple of years ago :3 Basically, you have 3 gums (I’ve tried a few flavors so far, but Peach is the only one I’ve had twice now) and each one is different: one is sour, one is sweet, and one is normal. There’s no physical way to tell them apart, nor do they have a scent (except for what the flavor is, in this case peach). The only way to find out which is which is to chew them.
I like sour candy, and I also love sweetness, so this is really fun and the gum quality is pretty good, but the flavors only last a few minutes. This was how I felt about each piece:
Sour - It gets worse the more you chew. I love sourness but Japanese sour candy seems to involve salt; my mouth was starting to feel an extremely faint numbing burn. I never really considered myself a wimp when it came to sour candy but this stuff is on another level; but because it died down fairly quickly, it wasn’t unbearable.
Normal - Sweet and a little cooling. It actually didn’t taste too much like peach but the sour might have ruined my taste buds at the moment :P
Sweet - A lot like the Normal piece, but slightly more peach-ish.
Umai Sugar Rusk & Sour Cream and Onion Doritos
Recognize the guy on the Sugar Rusk package? He’s our adorable Umaibo friend (by the way, am I the only person who thinks he resembles Doraemon a little?), but now he’s featuring a sweet rusk snack. Each pack is 209 calories.
I don’t usually like rusk snacks, but these are tasty. They’re light, crispy, and sweet with a hint of butteryness. The calories for this are high but they’re delicious, would recommend.
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Now, where I live Doritos are not uncommon. We have tons of flavors (my favorite being the original, and the sweet and spicy), at one point we even have mix-flavor bags. I really miss those, but I never met a Dorito I didn’t like so I was excited to get to try something new. Each bag is 277 calories.
These are based on sour cream and onion, which is not something new to me. I used to really like it and the dip with the same flavor, but besides these foreign things I get lately I don’t actually eat too many chips- except for when I’m in the mood for some Doritos since it’s actually my favorite American brand.
These taste really good. Pretty different from the sour cream and onion I’m used to though; they have a garlic-onion-ish taste and while I hate onions (mainly the texture of them), that didn’t really bother me. They actually kind of remind me of the cool ranch Doritos.
Tonkatsu Sauce Umaibo & Texas Corn Okonomiyaki
(This pic is different because my original was corrupted, which I discovered when I went to save it to my computer.)
Our final 2 items of this months box is a delicious Umaibo I’ve had a few times. It’s Tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) sauce flavored and it’s AMAZING. It’s my second favorite Umaibo flavor behind corn potage, I really recommend this one if you ever get a chance to try it out.
The flavor itself I can’t really describe, but it has a hint of spice. I want to say it’s a bit like a smoky barbecue-soy sauce? It’s not salty though.
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Lastly is a bag of Texas Corn snack in Okonomiyaki flavor. Okonomiyaki is an Asian Dish best known as a savory pancake. It’s a combination of dough and vegetables, sometimes with meat (bacon is pretty popular), noodles, or seafood, then its fried and covered in things like sauce or pickled vegetables.
These smell kind of similar to the Umaibo, but with a tangy addition and it’s very strong- but the flavor itself is extremely light, it gives me a plain dough (and this next part will sound crazy) and apple cinnamon...
Yeah. I don’t know what I’m on these days o_o
♥ Cutie Ranking ♥
Content - 3.5 out of 5. I nearly-loved everything, but I am scoring it down because there was a handful of repetition and two items I refuse to forgive for seeing again for the millionth time. Call me petty but when I look at the content featured in Japan Crate’s box, I feel like its kind of a rip-off because they always have a bunch of unique new types of items in the boxes.
Quality - 4.5 out of 5. Everything was fine, items were good and tasty and nothing was damaged (including my umaibo, which lately has been suffering), while everything but one item held up being open a bit late, a couple of them went stale fairly quick after opening. BUT they still tasted decent so I didn’t entirely mind. I’m only mentioning this because I’m not a person who inhales everything at one or shares them with others. My snacks tend to last a while.
Theme - 2 out of 5. I thought they kind of failed this time around. The theme was perfect for summer, but when I think of the beach I think of flavors like pineapple, mango, coconut (I hate coconut so I am thankful none of that was included), other fruits, and maybe grilled flavors. The mint, soda, and melon flavors were great for the theme to provide a refreshing and light taste, but I wish they had played that up some more.
Total Rank: 6 or 7 out of 10. Lately the boxes are improving I think, I keep liking them more and more and I really loved this one (with the exception of the poteco rings and the DIY, they’re good but I’m just tired of seeing them!). The flavors are all very yummy, but the items correspondence with the theme needs some work. Let’s see if they do better next month with our last of the 3 summer boxes this year :3
♥ Cutie’s Scale of Yummy ♥
1. Tonkatsu Umaibo - It’s a unique flavor but it’s so good! I can only imagine what the real sauce tastes like~
2. Soda Soft Candy - Soft candy is much better than hard in my opinion, I love candy like this. They tasted so good x3
3. Sour Cream and Onion Doritos - I love Doritos and these were no exception- I do wish the flavor didn’t linger in the mouth so long, but it’s not horrible.
4. Sugar Rusk - These are like the sugar rusk Umaibo, and they’re very tasty.
5. Peach Mint Kit Kat - I love the pink and mint pastel color scheme and for such a unique sweet combination, I thought they were perfect together.
6. Sour Peach Gum - Delicious, but the flavor dies down very quickly. I like the texture of the gum.
7. Sherbet Perot Cider - Very yummy, but I wish the lollipop was a little sweeter.
8. Chocolate Mint Candy - I’m not big on hard candies like I used to be, but these are unique and I love the cooling effect.
9. Anpanman Grape Gummies - I love grape and I thought they were too cute not to eat~
10. Melon Cream Soda - It was really good but when I have melon things I feel like I have a point where I lose interest. I’m glad I split this with someone else because I’m not sure I would have drank the entire thing on my own.
11. Texas Corn Okonomiyaki - I like the texture but the weird apple cinnamon cereal vibes I was getting weirded me out.
12. Chocolate Bat - I hated these initially but the ore I ate the more bearable I found them.
13. Poteco - I’m extremely over these... thankfully I know people who like them or aren’t as picky.
#cutie reviews#tokyotreat#kingdom hearts merchandise#one piece merchandise#umaibo#kit kats#anpanman#chocolate mint
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Yeah, come on now -7 SURVEYS!!
what is something that you don’t like about the room you’re in?
Nothing
what color is your toaster, if you have one?
Black
is a coffee maker essential for all households?
I go to Starbucks and Dunkin every day for coffee
do you know someone who is ‘too young for piercings’ but have them anyway?
No.
if you own a pair of chucks, is there anything written on them?
Never owned a pair
on your last birthday, what did you do?
Went to the movies with Ricky, then celebrated with my bestie Lisa seeing Constantine, then went to a bar to celebrate with friends
what did you eat for dinner last night?
Lasagna
do you embrace your flaws?
Ehh...not realy
do you have any articles of clothing that have paint splatters?
Nope.
does every shirt you own say something on it?
No.
has hot wax ever been poured on you?
Nope.
if you want to lose weight, how much do you want to lose?
I don’t want to.
have you ever worn a tutu in public?
When I was little and for dance class
have you ever made your own garden?
No.
did you go to preschool?
Yes.
^if so, for how long?
1 year.
have you noticed that radio stations repeat songs a lot?
I don’t listen to the radio
are shiny things distracting?
Not to me
have you ever called someone a poser to their face?
No.
do you look people in the eye when you’re speaking to them?
Sometimes
if you could get a tattoo right now, what would it be?
I wouldn’t
are guys that get their eyebrows waxed attractive to you?
The only person I know who does that is Murr..and he is a cutie
what’s the last thing that you added to your favorites?
Picture of Sal
do you know your blood type?
No.
could you be a teacher?
I went to grad school for it but hated it
what personality traits turn you off?
Liar
facial hair on guys: yes or no?
Yes
when’s the last time you had a two-hour delay?
Back in my college days
have you ever done odd jobs around town?
No.
have you ever washed a car just for the hell of it?
No
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Are you more annoyed when decorations are up two months prior to a holiday or still up two months after a holiday?
Unless it’s for Halloween..I don’t like decorations up early
Have you ever had Dippin’ Dots and if so, what’re your thoughts on it and you favorite flavor?
I loved the mint ones
What’re the best and worst books you ever had to read for a class?
I hated most books I had to read for class cause I’d rather read on my own
What’s the best meal you had at an amusement park. or iIf you haven’t been to one, how about a good meal at another place like a zoo, aquarium or museum?
None that I can think of
Who, whether a person or company, emails you the most?
Many comedy clubs
If you were given an assignment to draw anything besides stick figures or just doodles, what would you draw?
I did this for college. I took a sketching class and we had to do our own gallery for our final. I did celebrity sketches. I sketched, Jude Law, Orlando Bloom, and Viggo Mortensen
Do you own any magnets and do you even like magnets?
I have some
What kind of sound or noise freaks you out the most and why do you think it scares you?
Just sudden loud sounds in general
If you could get any body part massaged right now, what would you pick?
Shoulders
Are the street names in your area in the standard language of your country or in another language?
English
What’s the strangest art piece you’ve come across?
This sculpture in the middle of a Manhattan street that was a woman and swan having sex
What’s the most clever or unique name you’ve come across for a business?
I don’t know.
Are there a lot of Cash for Gold stores in your area?
I don’t know...maybe
If you had to name one of your hypothetical future children after a song, which song would you pick?
Hmmm...no idea
What’s the best item you’ve bought from the dollar section of a store?
Don’t know
Do you ever get meals or snacks when you go to a coffee or smoothie shop?
Yes..I’m addicted to the new peanut buttler cookies at STarbucks
Are you a messy eater and what foods do you consume that’re usually messy?
Not really
How popular is the bank you or your parents use and can you find one pretty much everywhere or is it not as common?
Pretty popular
Do you feel that you have to tip at places like Starbucks or Golden Spoon and when’s the last time you tipped at a place like that, if ever?
I tip all the time. I used to work at Starbucks so I know what it’s like to work and not get tips
What’s the strangest thing you’ve witnessed at your work, or if you don’t work, what’s a strange experience you witnessed at a store or restaurant?
Oh wow...I worked at Starbucks in Rockefeller Center...a lot of weird shit happened there
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Have you ever taken a break from Facebook or other social media? Why?
A little...I needed to get away from someone who hurt me
Who knows about your Tumblr account?
Some friends
How would you react if your best friend told you they had cheated on their current (or most recent) partner?
I’d be dissappointed. But it’s none of my business
Has anyone ever thrown you a surprise party? Were you surprised?
Yes. And well...sorta. Reeve accidentally told me about it the night before though. I just didn’t think it was going to be the way it was
What is one thing you’ve always wanted to try?
Hmmm....I don’t know why I can’t think of anything right now LOL
What was the longest period it took you to get over someone?
Wow...part of me thinks I’m still trying to get over someone
Who is the most talented person you know?
Sal <3 <3
Are you currenly platonic friends with anyone you’ve had sex with?
I haven’t had sex with anyone
Where did you and your current interest go on your first date?
We never went on a date. Unless you count the time we were both at the same party and sat on the same couch and talked LOL
Who was your high school sweetheart? Are you still in contact?
I didn’t have one.
Has anyone close to you (or you yourself) ever experienced addiction? How did they (or you) recover?
Not that I know of
Is anything currently worrying you?
SOrta
What are you naturally good at?
Writing and poetry
What is your least favourite song by your favourite artist?
I guess it’s got to be A Team by Ed Sheeran. I mean I love him and all, but I think I’m just bored with that song now
What skill do you wish you had learned earlier?
My figure skating...though I did pick up on it quickly
Were you popular or invisible in high school?
Invisible.
How does your work affect your personal life?
I work as an author from home...so pretty much I make my own schedule.
Have you ever experienced two people fighting over you (physically or mentally)? What happened?
No
What was the most rewarding thing you’ve ever accomplished?
Getting a novel published
Have you ever had an experience that was not in keeping with the sexual orientation you currently identify with?
No.
Would you ever consider online dating?
I have and it was a horror
Do you or anyone you know have a mental illness? What are the worst misconceptions you have heard about it?
I suffer from depression and anxiety and I’m told to calm down or get over it. Or like I’m just upset it’s not depression
------------------------------------------------------------
On a scale of 1-10, how great was your last kiss?
8...I messed it up
Do you know how to tap dance?
Used to
Did you believe in Santa Clause when you were little?
Yes til I was 7
Do you like Easter or Saint Patrick’s Day better?
Easter.
What ethnicity is the last person you talked to?
Italian
Are you craving any food right now? If so, what?
Nope
Where is the nearest Wal*Mart?
I guess like half hour or more away
Do you go to the mall every Friday night?
Nope.
Do you find cops annoying?
No
When was the last time you had seafood?
last week
What’s your favourite flavour of Skittles?
The mint ones
Do you think Farmville is stupid?
Never did it
Would you rather learn how to play the guitar or how to surf?
Guitar
Are you currently on your period?
No.
When was the last time you went to a party?
Jan.
When was the last time you used oil pastels?
College
Do you have any interests in psychology?
Yes
Do you know who Edward Gein is?
No
Have you ever seen ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’?
No
Would you rather be bald forever or have no arm?
Neither
What would you do if you bumped into Robert Pattinson?
OMG....besides faint? HAHA. Seriously, I’d want a photo with him
Don’t you just hate nosy people?
They annoy me
Does your mom ever raid through your room when you’re not home?
No.
If pot was finally legalised, what would you do?
it is legalized here. But since I never smoked it and never would, it makes no difference
Have you ever watched ‘America’s Next Top Model’? If so, who is your favourite model?
Only watched the first season cause my college cafe I hung out in used to show it
Have you ever been in a love triangle?
No.
How bad are your hangovers?
Never had one
Are you any good at geography?
Somewhat
Do you know the capital of Nevada?
Ehhh...no LOL
What colour are your nails currently painted? How about your toenails?
Not painted
Do you have any friendship bracelets?
No.
Would you rather have a $50 gift card to Starbucks or a $50 gift card to McDonald’s?
Starbucks.
Do you think Taco Bell is nasty?
Yes
Do you have a jacuzzi?
Nope.
Have you ever broken a bone? If so, what was the cause of it?
No
When was the last time you went skiing/snowboarding?
I never have.
Does your family own a cottage?
No
Are you any good at making things?
Yes. If you count writing novels that are all fiction
---------------------------------------------------------------
Have you done anything lately that you instantly felt was a mistake?
Umm...not lately I don’t think
What was the last thing that made you angry?
Missing two weeks ago at a comedy club
What color pen ink is your favorite, besides black or blue?
Purple
Pencils; Mechanical or Traditional?
Mechanical.
What are your views on spontaneous human combustion?
Not something I think about
How many dryer sheets do you put in an average load of laundry?
I don’t do the laundry.
Know anyone with a substance abuse problem?
I don’t think so
Do you tend to want what you can’t have?
Not really
What are you most self-conscious about, physically?
My hair I guess
Have you ever felt trapped in a relationship?
No.
What is your favorite frozen treat?
Nothing really
Are you into that whole ‘uniform’ thing?
In which way. Cause I hated our uniform at Starbucks
Who was the last person to insult you?
I don’t know
Do kittens and puppies melt your heart?
Yes
Do you enjoy fishing?
Never did it
What kind of car do you WANT to drive?
None
Is your bathroom mirror also a medicine cabinet?
Yes
What kinds of stuff do you keep on top of your dresser?
my diary, poetry book, a magazine of the Jokers <3 <3
What was the last movie you watched?
Beauty and the Beast
Who did you watch it with, if anyone?
parents
Do you hang your pants in the closet, or fold them in a drawer?
Hang them up
What was the last zoo/aquarium you went to?
Probably the bronx zoo
Do you like hot chocolate with or without mini marshmallows?
I don’t like hot chocolate at all
Do grilled cheese sandwiches pair well with tomato soup?
I’m allergic to tomatoes...but before I found out i loved tomato soup, especially with grilled cheese
What was/is your best subject in school?
English was my best
Do you wear glasses?
Yes.
Would you rather be hot or cold?
Hot. I can’t stand the cld
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When people smoke around you, does it make you cough?
Yes. I can’t stand it
Would you rather name your child Michelle or Monica?
Michelle.
Do you know anyone who works at McDonald’s?
My best friend’s brother did. Don’t know if he still does
Do they like working there?
Is it warm out enough to go out in a T-shirt where you live?
Nah
Would you rather be able to teleport or be invisible?
hmm...both I’d like. Guess teleport though
If someone offered you a million dollars to move to the opposite end of the earth, would you? Why or why not?
Sure. Just would want to
What do you do when you have an itch you can’t itch?
Nothing
What is your mom’s and dad’s favorite TV show?
I got my mom into Impractical Jokers with me..so whenever it’s on we watch it
How did you get your hair the way it was today?
I just washed it so it’s its natural curly
Have you ever felt like you lost a part of yourself?
I guess
How so?
I don’t know
What is your best friend’s favorite relative?
I don’t know
Would you rather marry Batman or Superman?
Batman
Have you ever suspected your mom or dad of having an affair?
No.
Do you think buying second hand clothes is gross?
No.
When’s the last time you wished your day would just be over already?
Hmm...I don’t know
If you found out the last person you kissed was moving to a different country, how would you feel?
Honestly I would be upset. Though I shouldn’t
Who has the biggest eyes you know?
I guess Andy. My favorite from David Cook’s bamd
Name something you know about algebra.
I find it pointless
Does it gross you out when your parents kiss?
No.
Do you have a playlist made on Youtube?
Yes many
Do you like dollar stores?
Actually...I hate them. I get such claustrophobic in them
What’s the last thing you bought from one?
I have no idea. I try not to go into them
Are your eyes hazel?
Nope
Do you know anyone with hazel eyes?
Probably
Are most of your books from Chapters, Coles, etc or used book stores?
Most of mine are from the library
How many people saw your last kiss?
Everyone on the subway
When you younger and misbehaved, what did your parents threaten you with?
I was well-behaved actually
Who has the biggest ego you know?
A certain friend I know I think does
Do you think it’s weird how babies are made?
N
Has the last person you hugged ever seen you in only underwear?
No
If you walk by a mirror, will you check yourself out in it?
Sometimes
Have you seen The Strangers?
Yes. Still trying to figure it out LOL
Have you ever lost a friend over the opposite sex?
Yes
Describe your appearance right now.
pajamas and my hair is wet from the shower
How would you react if your last ex wanted to get back together?
Are you comfortable in a short skirt?
So-so
Do you and your family go on a vacation ever year?
No
When you were going out with your last ex and you had the chance to date your celebrity crush, would you have left your bf/gf for them?
Who was your most romantic moment with?
No one LOL
Who does your most embarrassing moment involve?
Sal. Seriously...I’m still embarrassed bout my first time meeting him
Does your dad swear?
Not really
Do you sweat easily?
Sometimes
If your last kiss asked you on a date, what would you say?
I shouldn’t say yes...but I probabky would
When you like someone, do you picture what your children will look like?
Yes LOL
What’s one memory you wish would just vanish?
Meeting a certain ex friend for the first time
------------------------------------
Do you and your dad get along?
Yeah
What’s the longest amount of time you’ve ever kept a goldfish alive for?
Never had a goldfish
Can you see your purse right now?
Yes
Are you wearing any perfume? What kind?
Nope.
Are there products in your hair?
No.
Have you ever eaten cat food?
No
When you get colds, do you use nasal spray to help get your nose unstuffy?
I have to use nasal spray normally cause of chronic sinusitis
Do you actually like sneezing?
No
What about coughing?
No
Have you taken a shower yet today?
Just did
How many pets do you have?
1 dog
Do you actually like them?
Love my liyylr furball
Do you have one best friend who is always there for you?
Yes. Ricky.
Do you wear skirts a lot?
No
Do you basically live in jeans?
No
Do you wear sweatpants a lot?
No. Do’t wear them at all
How many pairs of jeans do you think you have?
2
Do you like hoodies?
yes.
Big ones or the form fitting kind?
form fitting
Do you wear polo shirts a lot?
I don’t have any.
Do you straighten your hair?
All the time
Did you ever actually have a rubber duck?
No
Are you one of those people who claim to live with no regrets?
No
Do you love your computer?
Not really
Do you drink coffee?
Yes every day
Do you basically like all of your clothes?
Yes
Do you shop mostly with your parents, your friends, or by yourself?
With my mom.
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Cutie Reviews: Kawaii Box April 19
I probably would have done this yesterday, but I ended up going to the county fair; it was horribly hot (despite how cloudy it was) and it actually made me feel sick being out there. By the time we got home I was very sore and worn out.
So here I am today, refreshed and ready!
Word of the month: Usagi - Rabbit
Amuse Chinmari Munchkin Plushie
Our first item is an adorable plushie neko from Amuse. It is palm-sized and includes a ball chain so that you can bring it around with you wherever you go. It’s squishy and slightly stretchy, and there are 10 unique, colorful, adorable kitties in all~
On Blippo, these are $6.90. But keep in mind only a handful of them are an option, not the entire series.
(btw, am I the only one who thinks the one I got could also be a mouse? I know its a cat but from the front I keep thinking mouse. Still adorable either way.)
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
It’s very cute and soft! It’s like a fluffy squishy, but without the rise action. I feel like I’m squishing on a marshmallow while holding it, and it’s kind of soothing in a way... Although, it’s not nearly as stretchy as my other similar plush I’ve gotten. It has a very sweet little face~
Also, there’s no problems quality wise.
Kawaii Ribbon Hair Clips
Next up we have these sweet little Blippo exclusive clips, each featuring a dot pattern and a cute bow charm. They come in a set of 2 in a variety of colors.
On Blippo, these cost $1.90.
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥
The quality of the clip is great, it has a tight snap due to being a whole metal piece with a “coat” over it, and nothing is flimsy or loose. It’s a really cute concept too, but... I actually really hate this color combination. It’s not that bad but... I just don’t like it <3< the bow coloring could have been better, but what mainly bugs me is those vibrant orange-red spots against the yellow background. I would have rather gotten any other of the clips, but that’s just me. On Blippo, this is one of the sold out sets so it must have been well-liked by everyone else...
Also, I noticed the quality of the clip, and I’m kind of worried this is the metal prone to rusting due to how it feels. I could be wrong, but...
Neko Bookmarks & Disney Notebook
Next we have two, really cute stationery items; first is this set of kitty bookmarks, each featuring a big paper clip with a soft rubber kitty on the top half. On Blippo these are $3.50, and you can get them in a few different colored sets.
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
I think these are pretty cute and fun, I’m not sure how I feel about the kind of oddly colorful color scheme of the set I got, but in a way I kind of like it too. They’re as fun to play with as they are to use, but because of the soft rubber and the fact it is a paper clip, you can’t man-handle these.
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To go with our usual stationery hall, we also get an adorable Disney themed notebook. There is a big variety of cutesy, pastel designs and characters (from tsum tsum to mickey and friends to Winnie the Pooh to Disney Princesses!), and each notebook costs $6.90.
The notebooks are simple, featuring a magnetic clip to keep it shut and 2 types of pages per-book.
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
While on one hand, I think I would have liked to get one of the other ones more, I’ve always had a soft spot for Chip and Dale so I’m not disappointed. They’re so cute aren’t they?
Meanwhile in terms of the notebook I think it has some nice quality. I like the magnetic clip feature, its very decorative and sweet looking, and it’s just plain fun to use. It’s small size makes it very handy for carrying in a variety of places.
Ice Cream Cup Charm
These sweet Harajuku-inspired charms are as cute as they are delicious looking~ Each features several cutesy deco bits, like fake fruits and sweets, pearls or gems, and a gem star. They have a small cellphone charm-like strap so that you can connect it and take it with you on the go too!
Everything is plastic, with the exception of the deco cream, which feels a bit squishy-soft. There are a few different variants, and each one costs $3.50.
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥
As cute as it is, I wanted to mention that the Blippo website describes these as being scented- I smell a weird plastic rubber scent, nothing delicious or appealing (and I did keep it sealed in its package this entire time). Also, as you can see on mine there is a chance there is a small amount of smearing of the cream.
However, it is handmade and I like the little differences in a way to make it more unique. I’ll probably end up using this as a cute display item.
Nail Decoration Set
These DIY kits and items always seem to be Dollar Store quality don’t they? I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing, but as long as they work out it’s not that bad right?
This a korean nail decoration kit, and you get all sorts of cute and fun deco bits for your nails, all you need to do is supply the clear polish, or whatever color you’re using, but you should have a clear coat to go on top once you finish to help seal everything in. As you can see we get some shiny dot pieces, glittery, star and heart flakes, and various fruits, smiley faces, and kitty head pieces made from clay cane.
Each one costs $4.50 on blippo, and there are 4 sets available. But the only things besides the packaging difference is the glitter and dot piece colors.
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
As I’m not really an experienced nail person, I decided to just do my thumbs. I wanted something summery, so I just added a watermelon slice and two of the shiny hot pink flakes to match. But as a pro-tip I do know a few things; such as using a pair of tweezers when adding the pieces, it makes like way easier. As I said before you want clear polish to seal them onto the nail, I did probably 4-5 coats per-nail.
Anyway, for someone inexperienced (or just someone who likes doing deco nails or making slime) I think kits like this are pretty nice. Like it obviously works, and I think everything is really cute, you can really get creative or go for something simple if you wanted.
Morinaga Disney Chocolate Cookies
For this month we get a box of chocolate cookies/biscuits from Morinaga, featuring Mickey Mouse on the packaging. As for the cookies, it’s probably the usual variety, because as you can see I got a handful of Winnie the Pooh in the pic. Not that I mind or anything, they all taste the same. You can get a wide variety of 300 different Disney characters in total! Lucky people will also find a heart-shaped biscuit~♥
Each box features one of Mickey’s well-known depictions; for example mine is based on Steamboat Willie. Each box is also 234 calories and costs $2.73.
I’m not going to bother rating these because I had them before. They always taste good and you get a nice blend of cookie/biscuit and chocolate. And no, I didn’t get any heart-shaped ones, and ironically enough I didn’t get any Mickey either. I did get Minnie though, which was kind of nice since she is my favorite.
Bunny Ears Icecream Pen & Lipstick Wax Pen
Back to stationery now, we get two very cute and fun looking writing utensils. First is this icecream pen with a pair of bunny ears for that extra hint of sweetness~
The cream on top and bunny ears are slightly soft and squishy, and there are 2 available; one with yellow inner-ear like i got, or one with pink. Isn’t that ironic...? Each one costs $4.90.
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Despite my not being a fan of yellow, the difference is so tiny that it doesn’t bother me very much. The pen is easy and comfortable to grip, it writes very smoothly and I haven’t noticed any issues with the ink besides the typical smear with fine tips, but if you give it a few minutes to dry you should be good to go.
Overall it’s a very fun, Easter perfect pen; although you can’t put the cap on it while using it, which always bugs me a little...
---
Next is an adorable wax pen inspired by a lipstick ♥ These come in a variety of colors in both the warm and cold color-scheme, and each costs $2.50. Essentially they are wax highlighters and underlining pieces, and they can be twisted to extend, just like a real lipstick!
I think it might even be scented. I smell something from mine that could pass as being Green Apple, but nothing mentions there being any sort of scent. It’s pleasant and light though.
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
So besides just looking really cute, I think it would be a really nice alternate for things like pens or highlighting markers. The wax is soft to apply and is visible, while not having an obnoxious scent or drying period.
I’m not sure I’ll have too much use for this, but I am very tempted to buy a couple, or even all of them to do a review and see how they all look, check for scent, etc. I find them aesthetically pleasing and would love just having them for a display item- and in times of need they could be used as a crayon :D
Jewelry Seal Stickers
This is our last item, an adorable set of Jewelry heart and flower seals/stickers. These are available for $2.50 on Blippo and come in a few various colors. As you can see, besides the various hearts and flowers, we also get some spherical pieces and some diamond, leaf-like pieces. They are plastic pieces, giving them a sort of 3Dish look.
I wanted to use them on something. Since I already have gem hearts and Sanrio on my phone, I decided to put them on something else I rely on- perhaps more than my phone:
This is my hand mirror... which is actually several times bigger than most hand mirrors. That’s because this is a vibrant, lighting up mirror that folds back on itself when sitting. It also zooms in, making it useful for hair removal and makeup application.
I’m not any kind of expert or someone with a need to have everything in perfect measurement, so I just went for it. What do you think?
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
I really like these! But I did notice a little issue while using them. Some of their sticky pieces wanted to stay on the packaging, or it rolled up while trying to get them off. They were still usable of course, but it did make the process a little tiny bit less fun. It only happened on a couple though, the rest were fine.
♥ Cutie Ranking ♥
Content - ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ I have no complaints, I really like everything. It’s all practical and very kawaii~
Price - ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Everything comes to $39.83- which greatly shocked me; I think that might be the most money spent on these boxes yet or us, and remmeber we only pay about 20 dollars. On one hand, if you were to buy everything you would get free shipping and a free gift on Blippo, but I felt like a couple of the items could be cheaper, too...
Theme - ♥ I’m sorry but they completely failed this time. We got ONE Easter item- and what makes it worse is that they did WAY better last year with an Easter box, and I know they could have done better this time too. I was kind of disappointed.
Total Rank: 9 out of 10 Cuties. So once again the theme was a huge bust and I feel like they wasted a good opportunity- especially since nobody else really did anything Easter related in comparison to last year. However, despite getting a lot of the typical, same old same old stuff, I really found myself drawn to the ones specifically in this box. The quality is there, they’re ultra-cute and fun to use, so I thought this box did way better than last months, but in saying that, I’m not sure which box I would go to first if I could only choose one, I found items I loved in both of them a lot.
♥ Cutie Scale ♥
1. Wax Lipstick Pen - I admit, this specific color might not have been my first choice- but I think not only is it really pretty and cute to look at, but it’s just plain fun to use :D It’s like a really soft, possibly scented crayon.
2. Nail Decoration Set - Very fun, just like the stickers. I’m excited to try to come up with some other ideas using it and the previous nail set I got from this box. I like the wide variety of pieces we get too!
3. Bunny Icecream Pen - It’s simple but really cute, you get the idea right away looking at it. I just wish I had a place to put the cap... I did consider resting it on the bunny ear, but I don’t want it to get dirty. It’s actually a lot more comfortable to hold than it looks.
4. Jewelry Seal Stickers - Super pretty, it was a lot of fun decoing with them. But like I said, you need to be careful using them since some of their sticky pieces like to cause problems...
5. Neko Plushie - I love its sweet little face~ It’s so soft x3
6. Icecream Cup Charm - It’s almost delicious looking enough to eat~ I am a little bothered by the issue I saw on mine, bu I could probably fix it with some paint or something.
7. Morinaga Chocolate Cookies/Biscuis - very tasty with a mild-sweetness. I love how creative and fun they are when looking at the characters, but I will fault it on the fact that I never tossed this around or anything and I had a bit of a mess and a handful of broken cookies/biscuits waiting for me when I opened it.
8. Disney Chip and Dale Notebook - I think it’s really cute, and I love how decorative it is. But in terms of color-scheme, I’ve never been a big brown fan. That has nothing to do with its use though, the quality is great and if I needed to get more notebooks I’d probably order a few others in the set.
9. Cat Clips - The cartoony design and colors is really fun to look at, but I am worried they will be kind of fragile...
10. Ribbon Hair Clips - I really, really wanted to like these! I love ribbons and bows, and dot patterns, and hair clips. But I cannot stand the color combinations in this specific set and unless I had something to match or compliment them, I probably won’t be using them.
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