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bright-eyes-strawberry-lies · 3 years

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Rating PJO Ships

I already made the PJO shipping jar meme (not linking because tumblr hates links) but thought I’d write it out anyway.

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Solangelo - (5/10) Will is Nico’s unnecessary rebound because Rick couldn’t let someone walk around with a crush on Percy without pairing them off with someone or making them live a life of chastity. The fandom went wild with this ship despite all of their “development” being off the page. Would be better if the building attraction and relationship was given actual page time to develop instead of being rushed.

Frazel - (10/10) My only complaint is that we didn’t get more of them being the awesome couple they are. The way they went from friends to lovers is perfect. Looks cute but can kick your ass. Very supportive of each other. I am here for biracial power couples.

Lukercy - (10/10) There are literally dozens of parallels between them and Rick wrote them as soulmates. I love that Luke trained Percy so hard that Percy’s never lost a sword fight except to Luke himself and still hears Luke’s voice in his head guiding him through fights. The subtle ways that Luke constantly gave Percy (and Co) chances to escape from Kronos’ grasp even when he still believed in Kronos was golden. Luke was the only person who was kind to Percy at Camp Half-Blood and trusted Percy to help other demigods when he died? My heart. How Percy now shares all of Luke’s views on the Olympians? Bittersweet irony. I wish that Luke hadn’t died because I’m tired of writing resurrection AUs.

Percico - (10/10) The most powerful power couple. Nico’s youthful hero worship giving way to love? Sign me up. Percy spending winter looking for Nico to keep him safe and trying to reassure him that he has a place at Camp Half-Blood? Give me more. Making mistakes and forgiving each other for them and their relationship strengthening because of it? Gods, yes. Going to Italy to go gift shopping and flirting? Thank you for this blessing, Rick. If only they had been endgame.

Thaliabeth - (7/10) Thalia is the only person that Annabeth respects and Thalia has extremely protective feelings toward Annabeth. They would be the nightmare power couple. Murder wives who slay anyone who stands in their way of power and glory. Neither of them would take shit from the other. And honestly, I’m here for it.

Perachel - (10/10) Mutual respect and open communication are extremely sexy in relationships. Rachel being Percy’s mortal tie and his chance at a normal life; Percy being the one to help Rachel with her powers and clear sight? Please yes. They were really cute and sweet and had so much chemistry. It would have been great if Rick acknowledged that the Oracle isn’t a lifelong job and that Rachel can still date and have sex as long as it isn’t vaginal penetration.

Percabeth - (0/10) Annabeth hits, pinches, pokes, kicks, ribs, and punches Percy too often for my tastes. She’s got a superiority complex and makes herself feel better by calling him stupid, crazy, and insane. Constantly threatens violence. Annabeth is possessive, jealous, refuses to communicate, and doesn’t respect Percy or allow him to have autonomy. She constantly wants to control what he says and does or doesn’t say/do. She victim blames him multiple times for incidents that were beyond Percy’s control. Percy is scared of her, refuses to argue so that he doesn’t set her off, and thinks Annabeth is going to hurt him every time she so much as looks at him. Percy deserves better.

Jiper - (5/10) It would have been cool to see them work past the lies and false memories to make a real romantic relationship but I don’t really have a horse in that race. They’re alright. Not bad, not the best.

Pipeo - (7/10) If the theory that all of Piper’s memories of Jason were actually memories of Leo is true, then I’m here for this. The fact that they were friends before they even knew they were demigods was fantastic. Give me that friends to lovers dynamic and the chaotic trouble they would get into together. They would be unstoppable.

Caleo - (5/10) Pairing Calypso up with a man boy instead of a man man was a strange choice but Rick likes pairing up teenagers with beings that are over a thousand years old. It’s terribly romantic that Leo kept his promise and came back for Calypso. I like that they decided to leave the demigod life behind to do their own thing. They’ve had enough of the gods! Let them figure themselves out and enjoy each other and life.

Connabeth - (4/10) The idea is cute if you don’t think about it at all. I think Connor would stand up to Annabeth but she’s been known to wear down three thousand year old centaurs [Chiron] so that he’ll do what she wants...so I’m not sure that Connor actually stands a chance of holding his own against Annabeth.

Lukethan - (4/10) It would be really cute but they’ve never even spoken to each other in canon. Ethan spoke with Kronos.

Thaluke - (2/10) Thalia doesn’t like Luke. She withheld a lot of [trivial] information from Luke just because she could and didn’t tell him important info either. She almost definitely knew that Luke would do whatever she wanted him to because she’s got a Look that makes him melt. Thalia is incredibly eager to kill Luke and eventually does. Luke is too dependent and blinded by how much he wanted someone to love him. They’ve got an unhealthy dynamic and I don’t see either of them changing to become better people together.

Valdangelo - (6/10) They’re both small and cute. That’s all I’ve got. There’s no reason not to ship them. Oh, and Leo warming up a cold Nico with his fire powers is so sweet that I’ve got cavities just thinking about it.

Jasico - (9/10) Rick was really writing them with romantic troupes during Mark of Athena and House of Hades. When they were paired off with other people, I was actually really surprised. The way that Jason supports Nico’s queerness and the way that Nico can teach Jason that he doesn’t have to live up to stereotypes and other people's expectations...that would have been really good to read. The way that Jason’s death affected Nico really tugged at my heartstrings. I like to think that Nico visits Jason in the Underworld.

Thalianca - (6/10) The potential of Thalia and Bianca could have been so good and also good for comedy. Imagine Thalia - who missed the past five years - trying to catch Bianca up on the 21st century and being behind on the times. Both of them getting caught up together? Yes. Training together, friendly games and competitions. Midnight rendezvous at Camp Half-Blood. Bianca slowly showing Thalia that not all Hunters of Artemis are bad. Girls supporting each other and growing as people because of their relationship. This is what we could have had.

#pjo #percabeth #jasico #thalianca #valdangelo #connabeth #thaluke #perachel #lukercy #lukethan #caleo #pipeo #liper #jiper #solangelo #percico #thaliabeth #frazel

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songtoyou · 3 years

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Epiphany - Part Three

Paring: Luke Crain x Female Reader

Chapter Rating: PG-13

Word Count: 3,136

Warnings: Talks of drug use and recovery.

Description: Life has never been easy for Luke Crain. After the death of Nell, Luke realizes that he needs to make some changes. He decided to stay in Massachusetts and attend rehab. He was determined to remain on his path of sobriety. When you get assigned to be Luke’s sponsor, it opens a new door of possibilities that neither you nor Luke expected.

A/N: We learn a little bit more about the Reader as she heads to Shirley's for dinner. Awkwardness occurs, but Reader slowly realizes she may have deeper feelings for Luke or possibly develop feelings for him. Which she quickly dismisses. This chapter was very easy to write. It was like the words just flowed out of me and onto the screen. That usually never happens. I think it helps that Luke is such an interesting character to write for, along with the other Crain siblings.

Note: Italics represent the past or past conversations.

Feedback is wonderful. It is nice knowing if people are actually liking this fic.

I do not permit my work to be posted on any other site without my permission.

~Hill House – 1992~

“Mommy,” spoke Nellie.

“What is it, sweetie?” asked Olivia. She placed her book down to give her youngest child her undivided attention.

Nell got up on her mother’s lap and said, “This house is too loud.”

“Too loud? What do you mean it is too loud? Are you talking about all of the work daddy is doing to fix the house?” Olivia questioned. Nell’s statement took her by surprise.

Shaking her head, Nell explained that it was not the renovations that Hugh was doing that made the house loud. “At night, there are noises. Dogs are barking. You can hear the floorboards squeak like someone is up walking the halls at night. When Luke and I checked to see if anyone was up, there was no one. Everyone was in bed. It isn’t just me who thinks this house is weird. Luke says it has a smell.”

“Sweetie, this is an ancient house. Weird noises and bad smells are bound to occur,” replied Olivia earnestly. “Trust me. There is nothing in this house that can hurt you. Not while your daddy and I are around. We will always protect you and your brothers and sisters. Okay.”

Nell looked up at her mother with her big hazel eyes and said, “You promise?”

“Pinky promise,” Olivia assured and held up her right pinky. With their little fingers intertwined, Olivia rested her head on Nell’s forehead. No one could deny that Olivia loved her children very much. They were her whole world. She would do anything to keep them safe from harm. Little did anyone know how far Olivia would go to keep her children safe.

“Fuck,” Luke let out and sighed. He was currently working on his final essay for his creative writing class. The assignment was to write a 1,000 essay about an event that happened in their life and turn it into a story. Luke was chop full of moments to choose from; however, he was unsure if writing about his mother and sister was appropriate. He talked with his instructor about his reservations on the subject. He did not want to be accused of copying Steve on writing about Hill House. To Luke, that time at Hill House was just as much his story as it was Steve’s, or Theo’s and Shirley’s.

But with the right encouragement and support, Luke felt more comfortable writing about his past. It turned out to be very therapeutic. He was finally able to complete the fourth step of recovery: ‘Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.’ He sent letters to each of his siblings, expressing his gratitude for their support and apologized for his past behavior of lying, untrustworthiness, and addiction. Shirley and Theo were appreciative of the letters, along with Steve. All three of the older Crain continued to express to Luke that they were proud of him for staying on the straight and narrow path. The Crain siblings knew they all had a clean slate to restore their once broken family.

Unfortunately, there would be times where Luke worried that everything would come to a crashing halt. That he would wake in the Red Room once again. That all of this could be fake like His sobriety, the strengthened relationships with his siblings, being in school, and most of all, his friendship with you. The Red Room was the stomach of Hill House, as Nell mentioned. It would eventually eat anything and everyone that came into its residence. It was how the world between the dead and the living coexisted.

He brought this fear up the day before you were to come over to Shirley’s house for dinner. The one thing Luke really appreciated about you was that you always validated his feelings. You never doubted his feelings or worries. You never tried to gaslight him or thought he was making stuff up. It was refreshing to have someone believe him right off the bat. Well, besides Nell. She always believed him. You sent Luke some articles about how the brain can differentiate between reality and imagination. It was intriguing for Luke to read about the way the brain processes information. You shared that you had the same issues early on in your sobriety.

“For me, while I am dreaming, the way I can differentiate that it is not reality is that sometimes I have trouble walking in dreams. It is like my legs are refusing to work,” you told Luke. “I looked up what that meant, and it indicates that I am hesitant in proceeding forward in situations or I am trying to distance myself from facing certain life experiences, which didn’t surprise me. We all have obstacles that we don’t always want to face.”

“That is good to know. Lately, I have been dreaming that I can’t dial a phone. Like, I am trying to put in the number but keep making mistakes, or I can’t remember the number. It’s weird. What do you think that means?” asked Luke.

You told him to hold on as you looked up his concern. “It says that ‘the non-working phone or the inability to dial the phone indicates a breakdown of communication. Or the feeling of being distant or not heard when you need help. Is this the first time having these dreams?” you asked Luke.

Letting out a sigh, Luke responded, “Yes, which is weird to have them now. I don’t feel like I am having trouble communicating. Maybe it is my self-consciousness that has some issues it still needs to resolve. Before that, I would dream that my teeth would fall out. I actually dreamt about them falling out last night.”

“I used to have those dreams too. There are different meanings behind teeth falling out in dreams. Sometimes it is associated with loss, important life changes, a feeling of powerlessness, or stress, anxiety, depression, and poor personal health,” you provided to Luke.

Luke chuckled. “I have experienced all of that and more. I guess it is part of the course.”

To say that Luke had some anxiety about tonight's dinner with Shirley, Theo, and you would have been an understatement. The last thing Luke wanted was a repeat of the dinner with Joey, Steve, and Leigh. Granted, his sister-in-law was nice that night; however, his brother, not so much. Of course, that was when he and Steve did not have the best of relationships. This would be different. You definitely were not like Joey and his sisters…well…that is why he put forth some rules.

He was watching Shirley move back and forth in the kitchen as she prepared dinner. She asked Luke about possible meals that you would like so she could make something that you would enjoy. Luke shared that you liked almost everything and that you were not too picky of an eater. Shirley decided on making lasagna as it was Kevin and her kids' favorite dishes of hers. As she was already finishing up the last layer, Luke did not have the heart to inform Shirley that lasagna was not one of your favorite foods.

Soon, Theo walked through the front door of Shirley's house carrying additional groceries. "I got the wine. It's red. Your friend can drink wine?" she asked Luke as she set down the bags on the counter.

Luke mentioned that you do not drink. "Oh well, more for me," teased Theo.

Shirley confirmed with Luke that you would bring dessert. She wanted everything nice for tonight. She knew this was important for Luke, and he wanted everything to go right just as well.

"Now that you both are here, can we go over some ground rules for tonight," said Luke.

"Come on, Luke. It's just dinner with your sponsor," Theo spoke up.

"No, Theo, this isn't just dinner with my sponsor. This is dinner with my friend. Someone who I have come greatly respect and admire. I don't want either of you…to make her feel uncomfortable in any way. No interrogations or psychoanalyzing," Luke ordered.

"Okay, Luke. We promise not to step out of bounds," Shirley assured. "Right, Theo?"

Holding up the girl scout's sign, "I, Theodora Crain, pledge not to embarrass you in any way."

As Shirley and Theo stifled laughs about their little brother's worry, Luke leaned against the counter and contemplated on the next thing to tell them. He decided to the best way was, to be honest with them. Luke interrupted his sisters' conversation to inform them that he told you about Hill House…about everything that occurred.

"You what?" Shirley questioned, unsure of what he actually meant. "What do you mean? What did you share?"

"When you say everything…do you mean everything, everything?" asked Theo with a hint of irritation in her voice.

"She knows what really happened to mom, Nell, and dad," Luke replied and mentioned that it was important for him to tell you the truth. "I don't regret it. If the two of you are upset, then be upset with me. Just don't take it out on her, okay." He wanted Shirley and Theo to understand that you meant well. That you had no ulterior motives. "This isn't like Nell and her shrink. I know, deep down, that you were worried about that being a possibility, Theo."

The light slam of the oven door made Theo and Luke turn their attention to Shirley. "Okay, lasagna is in the oven. It should be done when our guest arrives. Luke, do you mind setting the table. Theo, start making the salad," Shirley ordered. This night was important for Luke, and by golly, she was going to see that it goes accordingly.

“Mom…Dad, I’m heading out. I should be home by 9 o’clock or earlier if tonight goes south,” You shouted while putting on your jacket. Before you could grab your keys and head out the door, your mother popped in suddenly from the kitchen.

“Honey, where are you going?”

You could not stop the annoyed sigh from escaping. “I told you. I’m going over to Luke’s for dinner tonight. I have told you and Dad this many times already. Now, I don’t want to be late…”

“Hold up there, kiddo. You don’t forget this,” Your dad emerged with the cake box.

“Oh shit! Thanks. I can’t believe I almost forgot the dessert.” You grabbed the cake box and made your way back towards the front door.

“Call us when you get there, sweetie,” requested your mother.

“I’ll text you when I get Shirley’s house, okay. Now, I have to get going.”

“Ask Luke if he would like to come over here for dinner,” your mother offered. “I know your father, and I would love to meet him.”

“Mom now is not the time. I’m out of here. Love you both. Don’t wait up,” You replied and walked out the door to your car. Letting out another sigh, you started the care and proceeded to drive to Luke’s.

You knew that your parents meant well. They loved you very much. While there were times both could be very overbearing, you understood where it came from and could not fault them for it. It was just them being protective of you. At the end of the day, they would always worry about you. The constant worries your mother and father felt towards you could be jarring at times. All you wanted for them was to trust you fully. However, it shamed you the number of times you let them down. Luke shared with you the troubles he had with completing the fourth step. You told him you were not able to tackle it until the first year of your sobriety.

“We have all done shitty things to the people we love. To the people who stood by us while we walked all over them. I’m surprised my parents stood by me for so long. Sometimes I wished they had given up and just let me go to die on the streets,” you revealed honestly to Luke the night after going to the movies. “They didn’t deserve the constant Hell I put them through. I because I couldn’t handle certain…things… feelings…. emotions. The problem was…that I felt weak if I wasn’t taking heroin. Shooting up made me feel invincible. Like, nothing could touch me. I guess you know that feeling all too well, huh, Luke?”

“Yeah. I guess that is why we choose to shoot up in the first place. To not feel like ourselves. In some cases, to not feel at all. I know for me, it was to get some sense of peace,” Luke countered truthfully.

For some reason, it felt like it took longer than usual to arrive at Shirley’s house, which would have normally taken ten minutes. Every traffic light seemed to turn red as soon as you got closer. When you finally reached your destination, a quick text was sent off to your parents to let them know you arrived safely. Gathering your bag and cake box, you exited the car and walked the front doorsteps. You rang the doorbell and waited.

Thankfully, it was Luke who answered the door with a sweet smile on his face.

“Hi,” he said and ushered you to come inside.

“Hey,” you replied, wiping your shoes before stepping in the house.

You handed over the cake box to Luke, who then asked, “What kind of dessert did you bring?”

“Baklava cheesecake. It is a new item at the bakery that we’re selling.”

“Sounds really good. Uh, look, just fair warning,” Luke began to speak in a whisper, “Shirley made lasagna. I hope that is okay. I know it’s…”

“It’s fine, Luke. I can muster up the courage to eat lasagna for one night,” you answered with a light chuckle.

As you hung up your coat and bag, Shirley and Theo entered the foyer. Both said hello, and Theo introduced herself. Luke stood back as he eyed his sisters closely to make sure they both remained on their best behavior.

“It is nice to meet you finally. Luke has been keeping you all to himself, so we are glad you could come over,” Theo mentioned while leading you into the kitchen to get you something to drink. Shirley took the cake box from Luke and followed the two women.

“Oh wow!” exclaimed Shirley when she opened the box. “This looks really good. Did you make this?”

“No. Sophie, the owner of the bakery I work at did. She does most of the actual baking. I help with cake decorations. She’s a longtime family friend, so I work there to help out when she needs it,” you shared as Theo handed you a glass of iced tea.

“How about we go sit in the living room,” Shirley instructed everyone out of the kitchen. “We have about fifteen minutes until dinner is ready.”

You sat next to Luke on the loveseat while Shirley and Theo took the couch. An awkward silence ensued, with no one really knowing what to say. You could feel each of the Crain siblings’ emotions, which ranged from curiosity from Theo, indifference from Shirley, and anxiousness from Luke. You felt a strong urge to reach out to Luke to help calm him, whether it be holding his hand, linking your arm with his, or placing a gentle hand on his knee. It was a weird feeling for you to have since Luke was not only your friend but mentee. Now a sense of guilt took over you.

You were Luke’s sponsor. There is no way you could develop any deeper feelings for the man sitting next to you other than friends. It would be unethical. Luke trusted you. Breaking his trust or misguiding him would lead to a horrible conclusion. It could lead to the ultimate betrayal. When you felt a pair of eyes on you, it made you look up to see Theo staring as she took sips of her drink. You could tell she was assessing you in any way she could. You noticed the gloves on her hands, which reminded you of the story Luke shared about Theo’s ability to feel emotions through touch. You are tempted to say, “fuck it!” and give Theo your hand for her to take to get it out of the way.

“So…,” Shirley spoke up when she said your name, “Luke shared with us that you attend Middlesex Community College as an art major.”

“Yes. Studio art, to be exact. My mom really would rather I do graphic design, though. So, I might do that when I get this degree program wrapped up,” you revealed.

Awkward silence resumed. “I have some of her artwork,” Luke piped up. “It is amazing. Like, crazy good.”

“Where did you learn how to draw?” Shirley asked.

“It was just something that I always liked doing. It helped calm me when I was…not feeling the best. I guess during my stints at different rehabs throughout the years helped…build up my artistic skills,” you replied.

You noticed Luke began shaking his right leg at the mention of rehab. You reached out to touch his left arm, and he looked over at you. “Have either of you read any of Luke’s stories he has written for school?” you asked Shirley and Theo.

“No!” Theo piped in and added, “Our little brother tends to keep his writings all to himself.”

“Well, from what he has shared with me, he is an excellent writer,” you stated. “Did you tell them about the ‘A’ you got on your last assignment?”

“Uh…no. I hadn’t,” Luke said and immediately got up from the couch. “Hey, shouldn’t dinner be done, Shirley?”

“Oh shoot. That is right. Let me go get the lasagna out of the oven.”

“I’ll get the salad and bread on the table,” asserted Theo and followed Shirley back into the kitchen.

Luke let out the breath he was holding and turned to look at you.

“Are you okay, Luke?” you asked him.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Why?”

“You three seem a tad on edge. Is there any safe topic your family can talk about?” you enquired.

“Not really. I know them. They want to ask you about your addiction story and how you overcame it…all that stuff.”

“You know what…fuck it. Let’s you and I control the conversation by talking about the things we talk about, like movies, television shows, music, books…all of the stuff we talk about regularly. If your sisters join in, then that is great—the more, the merrier. But let’s not waste a whole evening because we’re worried about what your sisters think of me…or you,” you encouraged Luke.

Letting out another breath, Luke agreed. “Okay, that sounds good. You take the lead, and I’ll follow.”

“Will do,” you smiled and pushed Luke towards the dining room.

#luke crain #luke crain x reader #luke crain x female reader #luke crain x you #the haunting of hill house #oliver jackson cohen #oliver jackson-cohen

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carolineworld · 3 years

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10-12-2020 The Ferris Wheel FIC

IN AO3

Thursday, December 10th, 2020

Driving to this place feels weird. It’s his second year in University, he’s what in America they could say as a Sophomore, he’s very much an adult now. Going back to his old high school makes him feel weird like he doesn’t belong there, but that’s what it takes to have a girlfriend that is finishing high school. And if feeling weird for a while is the cost of seeing her in person for the first time in four weeks, then he’ll take it.

Now that he thinks about it, this whole situation of waiting for her in his car brings back flashbacks. It takes him back to when no one could know about them, that was a month ago, but he’s thinking about the early days when he was still in high school and their relationship wasn’t fucked up, at least not yet.

But now it’s different. He’s waiting for her in his car, yes, but because it’s cold outside and he wants to be cozy, so he’s staying inside his black Tesla, with the heating on and listening to a nice song. Another different thing is that everyone knows about them. After getting back together they stayed in a secret relationship for a bit, to make sure that nobody from the outside could fuck them up and to gain trust and build a healthy, solid, and strong relationship that could battle the obstacles that could come.

And they are, and they did. They learned to communicate in a much healthier way, they worked very hard to strengthen their trust in themselves, in each other, in them, and they learned from their past mistakes. So now that everything is done and still working fine, they are out and public.

Being in University and having a girlfriend that is still in high school has good and bad things. The good things are that he can help her with most things she’s studying. It also helps the fact that it differentiates their social groups and personal interests, even though he’s quite happy that she gets along pretty well with his friends and he does with hers.

But the bad things are kind of bad. Like the mild jealousy, or frustration, like she likes to call it, that they experienced a few times when college boys, and girls, don’t understand the concept of a monogamous relationship and a no cheating policy. And it’s even worse when his finals week is just before hers and they have to spend a couple of weeks apart because of studying.

And that brings him to this moment. Zoë’s finals week has just finished and here he is, picking her up to go to have lunch and spend some quality time together after four painful weeks of studying and missing her.

That is why, when he sees her with her backpack on one shoulder and a big bag on the other one, her blue beret and a huge scarf that he can recognize as his and her baby blue face mask, he cannot help but smile. He gets out of the car to grab her bag and put it in the truck, while she gets in the passenger seat and takes off her mask, putting it in her school bag.

With his arm behind her headrest and a small “hello”, they share a quick and sweet kiss, resting their foreheads together afterward.

“I missed you so much these past weeks, you know that?” he says, massaging the back of her neck, whispering it close to her lips.

She has her eyes closed, and she’s leaning to his hand, but he can point at the exact moment the mischievous thought crosses her mind and her eyes open with a sassy spark. “We talked every night, and you said the same thing every time we did.”

“What, am I not allowed to miss you?” two can play this game.

Grabbing his hand in hers and putting them in her lap, she looks at him and says sweetly: “Yes, I was just joking”

Once the seat belts are securely tied and he has told her that they were going to have lunch at his house, cause he has cooked something nice for them, she asks if she can change the radio station to a more pop one so they can a have a karaoke ride, making him decide to take the long ride home.

Karaoke rides are something they have discovered quite recently. Early on in their relationship, his car was mostly for makeout sessions. Even in their first summer together, when they would go on little trips, they would mostly talk and tell stories about their friends or their past. But one day, after getting back together and getting back home from a date at their lake, Senne began to sing to a song that was playing on the radio and they began to sing along, making it a small little tradition they have whenever they get in his car. And yes, he made her sing Casanova to him a few times.

***

“Did you cook this? Be honest, I’ll know if you lie.” You could have thought that she was just hungry, but with her mouth full of tomato sauce and without even stopping to talk before eating one more bite, you can fully affirm she’s enjoying her food.

“Why are you so doubtful about it?” He’s not going to admit it, but it bugs him the fact that she doesn’t believe that he cooked this.

See, they both love to cook, but Zoë is not good at baking and cooking pastries. Surprisingly enough, Senne is, so that’s normally what he makes, breakfast food, cookies, and desserts. Therefore, the savory stuff is Zoë’s territory. She is normally the one who cooks the lunches and the dinners at the flatshare and their home dates when they don’t do it the easy way, take out.

But this time, he wanted to give her a little surprise and cook for her something he doesn’t cook. He decided that whatever he was going to make, it had to be something easy and quick and that didn’t take him so long. He finishes University only an hour earlier than her school ends, and he had to keep in mind that he had to leave a bit earlier to pick her up, so after a bit of searching, Vegetarian Bolognese spaghetti was the best dish to do.

“I don’t know, it’s not what you normally prepare.” Well, she’s almost finished so it’s easy to say she liked it.

“I know, but that does not mean I didn’t cook it myself”

Reaching for his hand on top of the table, she smiles shily. “I know, schat. Thank you for making lunch for me today. I loved it.”

***

One thing he adores about Zoë is how strong and independent she can look on the outside and how sweet and willing to be protected she is.

Letting her wards down in front of him, especially after all she’s been through, hasn’t been easy, but when she finally trusted him enough to let him see her fully, emotionally talking, was one of the greatest days in their relationship, for him, at least.

In the whole process of getting to know each other again, after the breakup, regaining trust in each other was one of the most important things they did. They needed to learn to trust in each other again and more importantly, feel safe and loved in each other’s one arms.

It hasn’t been an easy process, and there are times that they have to reassure each other and remember things to the other one in the low times, but it's so worth it if he gets to have her trust him completely.

After lunch and cleaning the dishes (the dishwasher did, but still), they decided to lay down and talk about their day, a bit more. Without even realizing it, they eventually fell asleep, taking a nap in each other's arms. And now, Senne is fully awake and looking at the love of his life snuggled up in his chest, thinking how he managed to make such an amazing woman like her, fall in love with someone like him.

With her head in his chest and her hand grabbing his hoodie in a fist, he can fully say that this sight right there is one of his favorite things ever. Only topped but her smile and kisses and his car.

She begins to stretch under his touch, making cute little noises. If that wasn’t enough to make him melt, she reaches out to kiss the closest spot on his neck and whispers a small ‘hi’, pulling him closer.

“Did you sleep well?” he says: kissing the top of her head and fixing the messy blanket, their blanket, around her body.

After hearing her “mhm” and feeling her little nod, he understood that she was not going to wake up any time soon. Not that he’s complaining. “How did your exams go? I think I didn’t ask you.”

“You did, actually, and they were okay. Aced Biology, like always, but Math was so hard. Even with your help, I felt like it was way harder than what we learned.” She’s now on top of him and is playing with his hair with one hand while biting her thumb with the other. That nervous tick she has is one of his favorite things, how she does it unconsciously, without even noticing she’s doing it.

He gently removes her thumb from her mouth and places his hand in hers, like he always does. “I’m sure it went okay, you’re smart, you have a bigger brain capacity than me, right?”

He shoots a challenging smile, giggling his eyebrows up and down, teasing her. She growls, rolling her eyes, and pulling softly the back of his hair, which makes his eyes go dark at the same time a sassy smile appears on her lips.

***

“Can we please go out?” She’s in the rocking chair in front of the big window, looking at the lights in the street. Her hair is still dumped and she’s wearing Senne’s hoodie, the one from this morning.

It’s pretty late in the afternoon, making it dark outside. They have spent all day fooling around and showering together as he loves. After that, they ate some more, played games, and continued watching the tv show they exclusively watch when they are together.

“Why? Outside it’s really cold and here inside the house there’s a ton of stuff we can do.”

She knows she is his biggest weakness. Not because he is head over heels for her, that he is, but because he has specifically said it. He didn’t know that saying that out loud, and to her, was going to end up being a weapon she’s able to use against him, along with her puppy eyes.

“Come on, please? I want to see the Christmas lights, they put them up last week and I haven’t seen them yet.”

Making her stand up just to take her place in the chair and sit her on his lap, he whines and says: “Zoë, it’s only 3ºC outside, we are going to catch a cold. Or even worse, covid. Do you know how many people there are on the streets because of the lights?”

Big mistake, he has challenged her. “Okay, first of all, 3ºC it’s not that cold, we can wrap ourselves warm. Second of all, we will wear our masks all the time. And third of all, we’ll go to the more empty streets. There’s a solution for everything, come on.”

He completely forgot the fact that she’s not only way smarter than he is, but she is also so freaking stubborn, and she’s pouting at him, so he knows she’s winning, like always.

“I’ll even buy you a hot chocolate to drink here if you want.”

“Yeah, deal.”

***

Antwerp is beautiful at Christmas. This year, because covid, there’s no Christmas Market, but the streets are decorated with Christmas trees and a bunch of beautiful lights.

He was right, there are too many people for the fact that there is a pandemic going on, but as Zoë said earlier, they are walking around the less crowded places, and they are wearing their masks, so it is okay.

This global pandemic is now part of their history together. Even though it has brought so much sadness and very difficult times to a lot of people, they kind of have to thank it.

Having to go on a mandatory lockdown, in his house, alone, made him think a lot more, as he was only and completely with himself. He had another girlfriend at the time, yes, but it was different.

To begin with, it started the wrong way. He and Zoë had just broken up, and he fell into a rabbit hole he didn’t know how to get out. He was deeply sad, almost depressed, and coping the best (worst) he knew: drinking and partying as much as he could, and ‘blocking’ his emotions, transforming himself into a man unable to feel.

Max and Daniel, his friends, tried to help him as best as they knew. First, it was partying with him, then it was trying to make him talk about it, make him bring out all the rage and sadness he had inside, even though it was pretty much useless. And then they tried what it ‘worked’ best: introducing him to girls that could get Zoë out of his mind, and him out of his destruction mode.

And that’s how he meets Nina. A beautiful and sweet girl that was perfect for his fucked up self. Different from Zoë, so he was forced to differentiate them, so easy to talk to that he could forget about everything else and be fun to be with. To be honest, she was the perfect rebound girl.

But then lockdown hit and he was forced to be with his mind and no one else. As cliche, as it sounds, being completely alone, did him so well. He was able to identify his toxic mechanisms, in his past and current relationship, and saw that he indeed needed help, as Zoë proposed in one of the many times they made up before breaking up. It also made him mature a bit more, as he had the time to analyze all his reactions and behaviors and see where, how he needed to work on.

It didn’t go as well as he thought it did, as he had to be honest and come clear to her afterward, but after all the mess he caused, he broke up with Nina and got back together with what he believes it’s the love of his life.

Now that he thinks about it, breaking up did them good. He got time to mature and work on his issues, and she got time to deal with her problems alone and become even stronger and more independent. It was painful, and it took him a long time to understand why, but it was worth it.

“Look! Do you remember?” He was so lost in his thoughts he didn’t realize where they were walking. He has his arm around her shoulders, with their gloves covered, hands intertwined. She was the one leading the way, he was just walking beside her, so it’s a nice surprise to see where they have ended up.

The big Ferris Wheel rises upon them, making memories return to their minds, and butterflies play in his stomach. That wheel means a lot to them, and this specific spot holds so many memories together. On the other side of the river, their first date, even though, till this day, she still refuses to call it a date. Right in front of the wheel, their first kiss. It’s not all happy things, this same place holds the ‘bottle’ fight and the following argument they had. But they were memories still, and bits of their rocky, but a passionate love story.

The fact that they have to wear masks bothers him, cause he would love to kiss her, recreate that mind-blowing first kiss they shared so long ago. But the mask makes him focus on her eyes, what he can see, and it’s amazing how many emotions he can see in hers.

“I love you, Zoë Loockx, so damn much.”

“I love you, too, Senne.”

A day, and especially a moment and a place like this, is worth immortalizing.

#my fanfics #wtfock #zoe loockx #senne de smet #zoenne

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flooffybits · 4 years

Text

To Be Who We Are

Idol: Jennie Kim (Blackpink)

Request: Yes

@jabamiwh0re: hiii,,, can you pls do a jennie imagine/scenario? where you both have homophobic parents, so you eventually save up enough money to run away (you’re teens) and feel free for once. and ya know, even though it was always pretty clear, the reader and jennie confess their feelings. a coming of age type moment would be awesome haha. gxg too pls🥺.

Warning: homophobia

Author’s note: it’s stated very clear in the request, but to anyone who struggles with things similar to this (transphobia, biphobia, etc) please do not be afraid to slide into my dms if you need someone to talk to or just listen. I want all my readers to feel comfortable with being who they are no matter the race, gender, sexuality, or anything.

Trudging over to the next class, you hoisted your bag over your shoulder so it wouldn’t slip off. You weren’t really in the mood to be listening to your teacher drone on and on about some dead people, but it beat being at home with your parents and listen to them talk horribly about your parents.

It would have been fine if they did anything to make your parents upset, but the thing was, when your mother went to welcome them into the neighborhood, she assumed that the two were brothers or friends. When she found out that the two were actually married, she didn’t hide her disgust when she excused herself and went back home, as if they had some horrendous disease.

It angered you to hear them so lowly about the two and the community in general that you ended up speaking up just to defend them. Your mother looked completely stricken while your father’s scowl deepened. “They shouldn’t even exist. What makes them think that it’s nice to see two men kissing?” You mother sneered and you clenched your jaw. “They’re people, they aren’t any different from you and dad.”

“Are you defending them?” Your father looked absolutely mortified while your mother gasped. “There is no way that my daughter will be associated with anything like… that.” She shook her head and inside, you actually felt your heart ache when she asked. “You aren’t like them, right honey?” Your father answered before you could open your mouth. “We raised her better than that. There’s no chance.”

You couldn’t tell them. After weeks of trying to build up the courage to come out to your parents, this exact moment wiped all optimistic thoughts you tried to have. So to escape the tense atmosphere, you made a quick excuse and left, stating that you would be late if you stayed longer.

“Penny for your thoughts?” A voice intercepted your thoughts and a gentle hand found its place on the small of your back.

When you looked to the side, you found your best friend staring at you with a frown on her own face. “I don’t think I’ve seen you this upset to come to school.” She tries to cheer you up with a joke, but it does very little to forget what happened that morning.

“Sorry, Jen. I’ve just been thinking about stuff.” You sighed and the worry grows as she wraps her arms around yours, hugging it against her chest as you both headed to class. “What’s wrong?” She inquires and your gaze drops to the floor.

If anyone knew about your sexuality, it was definitely the girl next to you. You’ve both known each other since elementary school and you’ve been attached to the hip since. That was why it wasn’t a surprise when you began to have not so friendly feelings for the girl when high school started.

She was there for you when you were confused about your sexuality, and she was there to listen when you finally realized that you were, in fact, interested in women. And she didn’t pull away from you when you told her. In fact, it strengthened the bond between the two of you.

Jennie was the person you turned to when things were too much. She was your rock and kept you grounded when sometimes you felt as though giving up was the only option.

“Just my parents.” You mumble when you both got to the room and took your respective seats next to each other. She sat down and shifted so she’s looking at you. “You told them already?” She asked softly, but you shook your head before beginning to tell her what happened that morning. The more you said, it was clear on her face that she was not happy.

You didn’t even realize you were crying until she cupped your cheek to wipe away your tears. “Hey, it’s okay.” She said gently after pulling her hands away. “You don’t have to tell them anything. I get that they’re your parents, but if that’s how they spoke to you earlier, I think it’s best to hold off for now.”

Coming out after such a revelation didn’t seem like the safest option for you and Jennie did not want to have you in a situation that could potentially harm you, physically or emotionally.

“But what if they find out?” You couldn’t help but ask. “They won’t. It’s not like there’s anyone to tell them.” She tells you before huffing and then leaning back against her seat and the look on her face makes you raise a brow as she chuckled humorlessly.

“What?”

The brunette purses her lips before glaring at her desk. “My parents know… and they pretty much threw a fit.” Your eyes widened at the admission before you’re reaching to touch her arm. “And before you ask, I’m fine.” She smiles at you, though it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “They’re just a bit more tight with me. I can’t be around girls they aren’t acquainted with and they have to be sure the girl is straight.” That made you stiffen and Jennie noticed before she placed her hand on yours. “They’re perfectly fine with me around you. They don’t know, and I’m keeping it that way because I’ll be damned if they force me away from you.”

Her hand lingers on your skin before she pulled away and rested her head on her desk. “It’s bad enough that our own parents can’t accept us, I’d rather they don’t reject you, too.”

“Ready?” Jennie asked when she met your eyes and you nodded your head while holding the envelope tightly in your hands. Your heart was beating loud in your ears as you stared at the logo and sucked in a deep breath to calm your nerves.

This would be your ticket of getting away from your parents. Both you and Jennie have been working so hard through high school just to get into the same college. If you both got in, then everything would be easier for the both of you.

Both your parents have been getting more and more difficult to tolerate over the years. They kept questioning you on your lack of a relationship while Jennie’s parents had boys from their friends be shoved at her face in hopes of “cleaning” her supposed horrid mindset.

The brunette met your gaze and you both counted to three before slowly opening the envelope to see the letter that was delivered to both of you. As your eyes scanned the page, you felt your heart in your throat when you read the words printed on the paper.

Congratulations! You have been accepted into…

The more you read the letter, the more you felt relief wash over you. Jennie was already buzzing in her seat, grinning widely when she saw that she was accepted. But as she looked over to you, her smile quickly faded when she saw the blank look on your face.

“Y/n?”

When you finally look up at her, a gasp falls from her lips and she quickly hops out of her seat to hug you, but stops when you speak. “I got in.” You said in an almost breathless manner. “I got in.” You repeated, trying to convince yourself that you were finally able to leave the prison that you were trapped in and Jennie smiled widely before she engulfed you into the tightest hug that she could muster.

“We did it, Y/n.” She sobs and it’s only then that you realize that she’s crying, too. So you both hold each other, feeling a weight finally fall from your shoulders and you’re finally able to breathe again.

You and Jennie go back and forth between your houses, fixing everything that you needed so that you would be ready to leave when it was time to go. The allowances that you saved was all gathered in a jar, so when you opened up a bank account, you would have everything saved up there.

“Are we good to go?” Jennie called you early in the day. She couldn’t contain her excitement. This was something she was wanting to do for so long, and now she was finally able to move away from her parents and live without having to deal with anyone tormenting her just for being herself.

She had both of your plane tickets since you were flying out together. Luckily, her parents still trusted you and even asked you to make sure that Jennie wasn’t causing trouble. It was very clear what they meant, and with that, decided to help with an apartment that was off campus.

Jennie denied her parents, not wanting to feel indebted to them or to let them have any leverage against both of you if something ever happened in the future.

“Yeah, just give me a minute.” You told her when you hoisted your backpack over your shoulder then grabbed your luggage from the corner of the room. You didn’t even bother looking back when you left the house and ran to Jennie’s car, throwing your arms around her when she greeted you and she gave you a small squeeze while the driver put your things inside the trunk.

When you both pulled back, Jennie smiled widely at you, her hands on your hips as her eyes shined bright. “Gotta get going or else we’ll miss our flight.” She tells you and you nod before remembering something. You quickly grabbed her hand and ran over to your neighbors, knocking on their door and earning a confused look from your best friend.

When the door opens, one of them greets you with a smile. “Y/n, what are you doing here at this time?” The man chuckles before he notices the presence of another person beside you. His smile grows bigger. “Is this-”

But before he could finish, you wrapped your arms around his torso, catching him off guard while patting your back. “Woah, hey. What’s this about?” Behind your parents’ back, you often visited the pair when you could and they welcomed you with open arms. You were able to confide in them when you had struggles with your parents.

Of course, you told Jennie everything, but since she wasn’t that close to your home, your neighbors acted as your guardians and you told them whatever you could.

“I have to get going now.” You told him and the realization dawns on his face before he returns your hug with the same energy. “God, I’m gonna miss you, kiddo. Be sure to text me or Dylan.” He tells you and you nod quickly.

He then turns back to Jennie, who shyly waves a hand. “This is the best friend, I assume?” You nodded before looking over to the other girl and offering a hand, which she quickly took.

“Hello.” She greeted and the man smiled before nodding to her. “Well, it’s sad that I have to meet you at the last moment, but take care of this one for me.” He gestured to you and Jennie beamed, squeezing your hand as she nodded her head. “Always.” She assured him before you checked the time.

The man noticed and smiled at you both. “Well, I’ll see you whenever. I’ll be sure to tell Dylan you came by.” He tells you before turning to Jennie. “And hopefully, we get to talk more.” She smiled at him, agreeing to meet when you decided to visit before you both bid your goodbyes and headed off.

The first semester was slowly coming to an end and it was safe to say that you and Jennie were doing amazing on your own. The apartment wasn’t too far away, so you didn’t have to worry about being late. There was a little cafe that you stopped by every morning to have breakfast and Jennie was brighter than you’ve ever seen her and it made your heart warm.

Being away from her parents really gave her the chance to shine and you were proud of the person she was. She was reaching the potential she had to put away due to the restraints her parents had on her and was now thriving with everything she loved.

And the same could be said for you.

Ever since classes started, you were able to do more than you usually would. Without your parents breathing down your neck, you were able to find inspiration with your works and motivation to do the things you used to. You surrounded yourself with people who cared for you and encouraged you to do more, though not forgetting about the one person who had been a constant in your life since day one.

“You’re home!” Jennie’s voice greeted when you closed the door and took off your shoes. Seeing her made you smile like usual. It was as though she was your own personal happy pill and you were hers. “Hey, what have you been up to?” You ask her when you put your things on the table.

Jennie was in charge of the kitchen, claiming it even before you got to see the apartment. And it wasn’t because she didn’t trust you, but Jennie was very particular when it came to cooking, so you let her be.

“Well, I finished my homework for the next two or three days. I’m just waiting for the cupcakes to finish up.” She gestured to the oven and you nodded your head before taking a seat across from her. “Will you be busy tonight?” She asked carefully and you raise a brow at her. “Not really. So far, we’re only drafting a few things.” She reached over to wipe the bit of paint that you failed to get off earlier.

When she realized it wasn’t coming off too easily, she went to grab a towel and washed it with soap before she came back and cupped your chin before tilting your head up. “You know… I was hoping we could talk. It’s been a while since we’ve had a chance to just hang out with just the two of us.” She tells you while focusing on getting rid of the paint.

“I didn’t realize.” You say apologetically and Jennie shows her infamous gummy smile. “It’s not bad. I guess we’ve both so used to having each other around.” She chuckled before checking to see if there was more paint to remove.

But as her eyes scanned your face, they slowly came to a stop when they meet your own staring right at her with a soft smile on your lips. A blush quickly spreads on her cheeks but she doesn’t look away and, instead wrapped her arms around your neck. “We’ve been through a lot, you know.” She murmurs when her fingers lightly play with your hair. “I often wonder what would happen if I didn’t have you.”

You don’t quite understand where she was getting at, but you made no move to interrupt her as she spoke. “But when I try to think about it, I’m terrified with the thought of not having you next to me.” She whispers and your heart jumps while your arms loop around her petite waist.

“I really… really love you, Y/n.” Her forehead presses against yours and her eyes shut tight.

Even though you were both always so affectionate with each other and that it was clear to all of your friends that you weren’t exactly just plain best friends, you’ve never really said anything in regards to your feelings toward one another.

Her eyes always had that certain emotion in them when she stared at you, and it was clear that you reciprocated them when you stared back at her. But you were both just so caught up with everything and the things your parents have implanted in your head that you never got the chance to be honest with each other.

Until now.

Cupping her cheek, you move to place a tender kiss to her forehead before she’s burying her face into the crook of your neck and clinging to you. “I love you, too, Jen.” You whisper and she lets out a sigh of both relief and content with no longer having to keep her emotions bottled up.

She knew from the get go that she was in love with you.

It was only a matter of time, and it looked like she got it right with every choice she made when it came to you.

With her, you were free.

With you, she was her own person.

Together, you didn’t have to keep cowering behind masks and just let yourselves live as Jennie and Y/n.

#girl group #girl group scenarios #girl group imagines #blackpink #blackpink scenarios #blackpink imagines #jennie #jennie kim #jennie scenarios #jennie imagines #jennie blackpink #blackpink jennie #bp jennie

76 notes · View notes

chachieparcon · 3 years

Text

BLOGPOST 1

<How would you introduce yourself to the blogging community?

Introducing oneself is one of the most challenging part in the community. Nowadays, others describe a person based on what they hear and what they see. They perceive you on the way they want and criticize you. Sometimes the result is true but sometimes it hurts you, if you are addressed wrongly. So how can I deal with this kind of situation?

Blogging is one of the best way to introduce myself. Everyone is now in digital and modern time. Meaning everyone has the access in social media. As easy as one click, you can see a lot of information. I believe in a saying ‘’think before you click’’. So whatever you write and post, be ready on criticism. So with this kind of opportunity I can showcase myself easily. I will share positivity on how I view life. I will write how eager I am to achieve all my goals. I will share my likes, wants, favorites and habits just to make a glimpse with me. One thing I want to highlight is my passion in business. I named it “Chachie’s Delicacies”. I am passionate about food especially baking, cooking and selling. So I decided to create my own small business. Ice creams, cupcakes, cookies, and other sweet delicacies are some of my products. In my own simple way, I earn at the same time I enjoy doing what I like. I am also a person who is fond photography, I always take selfies. I love taking pictures of myself. Every time I go to other places I see to it that I capture beautiful angles and views. This serves as my storage of memories. Memories are meant to be kept and treasured. I also want others to see the side where I am really proud of, that is becoming a good student. Nowadays, a lot of youth take education for granted. But for me, I considered schooling as a great mentor in life. This is the place where you are molded and instilled with substantial learnings that you can use in the future. I am consistent in maintaining my good grades, because I do not want to waste the opportunity of having the chance to study. I always do my best in everything I do. I also exposed myself in activities in school participating in quiz bee, school organizations, pageantry, spoken poetry, journalism, sports and many more. I am not afraid of trying everything, even if I am not really good. I always look at it as an stepping stone to know what I can do. I want to inspire other teen like me to show their hidden talents. Make themselves contented on what they have and what they are capable of. Nothing is impossible if you are determined to attain something, you have to be patient and work for it. This is me and this is my principle in life. This is something I want others to know about me.

Sharing who you are is one way of interacting with others. In this way they can understand and know me better. Knowing me is one way to cope up with the community. It is about sharing myself to inspire people or vice versa. Life is about giving and taking. If you don’t give yourself the chance to come out, you will not grow as a person. Do not be afraid nor give up. You may be criticized, but it’s up for us on how we handle things. Take it as positive and always be open about corrections and failures. This will serve as a learning experience to be better. In this world, we will be accepted if we know how to accept ourselves first. Therefore, know your worth and your purpose in this world. So you can be loved and treasured.

Be creative (500 words)

<ANSWER THE FOLLOWING

1.Where do I see myself 10 years from now? Is my learning in SPUP vital to where I’m learning to?

-I see myself ten years from now as a successful business woman who owns a big company, who helps charity, street children and the community. SPUP molds me to become the person I want to be. This school opened a door of learning which help me to develop and enrich my potentials and capabilities. It also strengthens my faith to attain all my dreams in life. So whoever I may be in the next 10 years, the help of the school which gave me the opportunity to excel as a better human being is one of the steps in my ladder to make it to the top. I will use my achievements to help others. As a return back, I will work hard and I will not waste those learning experiences. I will also encourage everyone to dream and make those dream possible by studying hard. Trust yourself. Be grateful and always do your best in everything you want to accomplish in life.

2.Was ABM best choice after all?

-Yes. ABM is aligned to the course I want to take in my college degree.

3.What course will you take in college?

- I’ll take tourism as my first choice of college course, my second option is BS Culinary in Arts.

4.What topic would you like to learn more in this subject?

-I want to learn on how to use the technologies well.

5.What the corona virus has thought you about life?

-This pandemic taught me to value your love ones. Life is so precious that we should live our life fully. Treasure every moment we have with our family. Sometimes we forget to make them feel that we love them. We take them for granted. But now I realized how vital love is. Love should be shared and bloomed.

BLOGPOST 2

CHOOSE YOUR FAVORITE TECHNOLOGY

My favorite technology is Artificial Intelligence (AI). When I watched the Korean drama series “Start up 2020”, I have learned so many things about technology especially artificial intelligence. Little did I know that such technology can do the same things human beings are capable of. Who would think that a car can drive itself? Who would think that a device can tell wether you’re happy or sad? There are many things artificial intelligence can do. Based on the data I saw, it does what human beings can do, but for me, artificial intelligence can do beyond what human beings are capable of. Some humans have disabilities but artificial intelligence for me are perfect, they are capable of doing anything. The engineers and developers are doing their very best to make the accuracy of the device get high as possible for the people that are in need of assistance of humans can use the device that uses artificial intelligence.

BLOGPOST 3-5 (MOVIE REVIEW)

<Create your own movie summary (at least 250 words)

MEAN GIRLS

Cady Heron has never known what "high school" truly meant. She lived her first 15 years in the African jungle, home-schooled, living life with only her parents and the animals of the wilderness, knowing all of the rules of survival. But when she leaves Africa, she has to learn the rules of high school, which is a jungle in itself. It didn't take long before she met two sweet teenagers, Damian and Janis. But in turns of high school they are known as the "out crowd." Soon she meets “The Plastics”, the three crude, beautiful, popular girls, consisting of Regina, the unofficial leader, Gretchen, who would do anything for Regina, and Karen, "one of the clueless people you will ever meet." After just a few minutes they let her into their group, but Cady wanted to keep her first friends, so she wasn’t really sure. But Damien and Janis thought that it might be fun to play a game with the plastics so they told her to keep the relationship with the Plastics, but only so they could get to know all of their darkest secrets and then laugh at them. Cady learns about a "Burn Book." This notebook is Regina's top secret notebook filled with vicious rumors, secrets, and gossips about all the other girls (and teachers) in their class. This does not go really as they planned when Candy falls in love with Regina’s ex-boyfriend. When Regina finds out, she seeks revenge of Cady by taking Aaron back. When Cady finds out, what began as a game to discover secrets turns into a plan to destroy Regina. Now, Cady, Janis, and Damian plot together to bring Regina's status down. In her efforts to get revenge on Regina, Cady gradually loses her individual personality and remakes herself in the image of Regina. She soon becomes as spiteful as Regina, abandoning Janis and Damien and focusing more on her image. Regina responds by spreading the entire contents of her Burn Book around the school, inciting a riot. To avoid suspicion, Regina also inserts a fake libel of herself in the book in order to focus blame on Cady, Gretchen, and Karen. She has each girl confess and apologize to the rest of the girls. When Janis' turn comes, Regina makes an insulting joke about her sexuality, to which the crowd laughs. Janis retaliates by confessing her plan to destroy Regina with Cady's help and openly mocks Regina with the support of the entire school. Regina storms out, pursued by an apologetic Cady, and gets hit by a school bus in her haste. Rumors circulate that Cady intentionally pushed Regina in front of the bus. Now without friends, shunned by Aaron, and distrusted by everyone at school, even being distrusted by her own parents, Cady decides to make amends by taking full blame for the Burn Book. Though severely punished by her confession, her guilt dissolves and she returns to her old personality. As part of her punishment and her reformation, she joins the Mathletes, which Damien and Regina both described earlier as "social suicide," in their competition. There, Cady has an epiphany while competing against a very unattractive girl, realizing that even if she made fun of the girl's appearance it would not stop the girl from beating her. At the Spring Fling dance, Cady is elected Spring Fling Queen, but in her acceptance speech, she declares her victory is meaningless: they are all wonderful in their own way and thus the victory belongs to everyone. As a symbolic gesture, she breaks her tiara and distributes the pieces to her classmates. Cady makes up with Janis and Damien, reconciles with Aaron, and reaches a truce with the Plastics. The film ends with the Plastics disbanding by the start of the new school year: Regina joins the lacrosse team, Karen becomes the school weather girl, Gretchen joins the "Cool Asians", and Cady hangs out with Damien and Janis. Cady reflects that the "Girl World" is drama-free.

<GUIDE QUESTIONS

1. What life lessons can be learned from the movie?

- People really have different personalities. But in any personality a person has, there is always a value within us. We can always change ourselves when we want to even if we think that we are already hopeless, there is always a chance.

2. What part of the story told by the movie was the most powerful? Why?

- The most powerful told by the movie was when Cady declared that her victory (as Spring Fling Queen) is meaningless and the victory belongs to everyone. It is the most powerful part of the story for me because it gave power to all women.

3. Who was your favorite character in the movie? Why?

- My favorite character in the movie “Mean Girls” is Cady because she wanted to experience life outside her comfort zone. In exploring life, a person will really learn by themselves when he or she is the one who’s actually facing it. Her experiences made her become a better person. She learned how to appreciate good people around her. She learned how to know which is right or wrong. In life, there are many chapters. There are worst and best part of life.

4. Did anything that happened in the movie remind you of something that has occurred in your own life or that you have seen occur to others?

- I have a friend of mine who is innocent before. She was good at everything, talented. She is the type of a person who is decent but then she became worse than her past. She tried everything, she was curious about other things she wasn’t used to see with her former friends. When she knew other people, she changed. But now, currently, she had learned her lessons. She is more knowledgeable. She is still as valuable as before even though she made mistakes in her life. She turned out to be a better person. She treats people now very very well.

MOVIES

Choose 3 of your favorite movies that had a profound impact in your life.

“Brave”

The movie “Brave” had an impact in my life. It’s all about knowing the true meaning of strength, braveness and courageousness. She knew that she didn’t need to carve out her own path in life. After the beastly curse happened, she learned that there's bravery in the face of fear and bravery to stand up for what you believe in. Sure enough, there's also bravery in admitting your wrong, bravery to face change and accept it. At the end of the day, she’s still the daughter of King Fergus and Queen Elinor that loves Merida the most.

“Mulan”

This story covers specifically Chinese women and how they are supposed to act, dress, and bring honor to their family by marrying a respectable man. Mulan is fighting against her country's tradition, the expectations of her family, and the mindsets of individuals who have had a very specific idea of what a woman's role is in the world. The acceptance of her identity is central to her story arc, whether we interpret Mulan as a gender-bending feminist or someone who is gender-fluid. Accept an identity of your own. Defy what is expected by society. Present the world your real self.

“The Devil wears Prada”

Andy had big dreams just like me. She finds herself an assistant to diabolical editor Miranda Priestly after landing a job at the prestigious Runway magazine. She did her best even though she’s working for a person like a slave or a dog. In the end, she learned many things like time management, being workaholic, and focusing. When she realized that she has better life coming ahead, she chose to leave Miranda to go back to her old self.

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myhamzaboss · 4 years

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10 Things Men Do Only When They’re In Love

“Does he love me?” It’s a question that has been asked since the beginning of time. Men are hard to read, but if you know what you’re looking for, you can catch the tiny details that show you the answer. Here are 10 things men do only when they’re in love.

1. He talks to you all the time He wants to know how your day has gone, and he wants to tell you about his. You learn about his family, his friends, his childhood, his dreams, his goals… you name it, he’s told you about it.

But it’s not all one way; he also listens to you when you talk. How do you know he listens? Because he remembers names and dates and people and things that are important to you. He doesn’t dismiss your opinions or your pipe dreams. Some couples talk constantly but never really say anything. Communication is key.

2. He doesn’t give up during rough patches “Does he really love me?” you might wonder during the rough patches. Every couple argues. But does he admit his mistakes and not gloat over yours? Does he walk away or “get back” at you… or does he try to make it right?

Not giving up on the relationship doesn’t mean he always says “yes dear” to you. It means that he sees something worth working toward and fighting for. He looks for ways to strengthen your relationship, not pick it apart.

3. He makes you part of his circle He makes you part of his circle | 10 Things Men Do Only When They’re In Love One milestone of a relationship is getting introduced to your partner’s friends, relatives, coworkers ⁠— and you are folded into the group. Sure, there might be “that” friend or “that” relative you just don’t get along with, for whatever reason.

But if he chooses to have your back with them, then he’s thinking in terms of “we” and not “me.” And that is a wonderful answer to “Is he really in love with me?”

4. He runs errands with you Any couple can go out and have good times, but real couples go out and do grocery shopping or run errands together. Real couples sit in the waiting room at the dentist with each other.

The idea is to be together even when you’re not “on,” when you’re not all dressed to impress. That’s not to say you should be joined at the hip 24/7, but if you like to be together even during mundane tasks, that’s a good sign.

5. He wants to hold your hand This is a major sign that things are good: if he’s always finding reasons to touch you. Holding your hand, especially in public, is a big plus. Or he brushes your hair out of your face or puts his hand on your knee when you’re sitting together.

I don’t mean excessive kissing and groping in public, but quiet, gentle indications that he wants to be near you. You know those old couples holding hands in the park? That’s what you want to aim for.

6. He loves you even on your off days Nobody’s perfect. You’re going to have bad hair days or miserable brain days, and you’re not going to be your best sometimes. But the man who loves you sees beyond that. He loves the whole package, not just the outside.

He knows that when you’re down you need picking up, not picking on. And he’s concerned if you’re having a bad streak. The question is not “is he in love with me?” but “is he still in love with me despite my bad days?”

7. He has your back He has your back | 10 Things Men Do Only When They’re In Love | Life 360 Chivalry is not dead. Men like to be protective, and even though women don’t always need protection, the gesture is important. When a man is in love with you, he will try to keep you from getting hurt, physically, and emotionally.

After all, if you’re a team, then what hurts one hurts you both. Men understand this and real men will do anything to make sure you’re both in it together.

8. He lets you spend time away from him If a man really is in love with you then he won’t be jealous of your friends or your time with them. You have a whole life full of interests from before you met him and it’s the same with him. As long as the time you spend together is good, it doesn’t matter if you go away for a weekend with the girls or vice versa.

Trust is a key factor. If you have to ask “does he still love me?” after a weekend trip to Vegas, then you need to talk it out.

9. You laugh together You laugh together | 10 Things Men Do Only When They’re In Love | Life 360 This is one you should see early on. If you’re wondering “is he falling in love with me?” this should make you smile. Men learn to socialize by playful banter and joking around. If you can make each other laugh ⁠— without hurting the other’s feelings or telling them they’re too sensitive ⁠— then this is a great sign.

Laugh together about things. Laugh at each other’s jokes and each other’s mistakes ⁠— and your own ⁠— and you can face anything together. If he can joke and let his guard down around you, he’s definitely into you.

10. He’s your biggest fan He thinks you’re awesome and what you do ⁠— your career, your hobbies, your volunteer work ⁠— is as awesome as you are. He has no trouble singing your praises to anyone who listens; your success doesn’t diminish his.

He’s so proud of what you accomplish and loves to promote your cause. No one is more loyal or supportive, and that’s the way it should be.

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aij-writes · 5 years

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Mafia Cross Over Snippet

Co-written by @jimmythejiver

Noctis used GPS to find the high rise apartment uptown. They pulled into the car park. "Ever been here?" Noctis asked.

"Nope," Gladio said. "When I knew them, they lived in a two story in the midst of Little Piztala."

"Luna lived there," Noctis noted. "Isn't it a Tenebraean community?"

"They smashed in a lot of Nifs there post-war," Gladio commented. "You coming up?"

"As much as I’d like to be leered at by Kadaj as in never," Noctis said snarkily, "I figure I go pick up Prompto a proper present and pick you up when you're done. Just text me when."

"Alright," Gladio said with a hint of suspicion. "Don't make me regret you're not on a shorter leash." Gladio leaned in to kiss Noctis before getting out with his bag. Gladio walked to the building as Noctis drove off. He punched in the number for the Argentums.

After a confirmation, the door swung open and Gladio trekked to the elevator to the door of the apartment. He knocked and waited.

Gladio came face to face with the girl from that night. Aerith stared at Gladio, only to laugh. "Looking for a rematch?" she asked almost sweetly.

"Who you picking fights with now, Pink?" Sephiroth asked, appearing at the door. He pulled it open, only for his eyes to close a bit in pleasure. "Mr. Amicitia. A pleasure," he purred. "Won't you ignore the little nuisance and make yourself at home?" he asked, turning to guide Aerith away from the door. Sephiroth had his hair pulled up in a pile on his head and was wearing an apron that declared Mr. Good Lookin is Cookin. As he turned to head back into his apartment, Gladio realized he wasn't wearing a shirt under said apron. His bare back was exposed. Interestingly, he had a tattoo of a single back feathered wing curving over his shoulder and down to the small of his back.

Gladio walked into the apartment. "Neat tattoo," Gladio said dumbly. "Um... I came here to drop off these." He handed Sephiroth the bag of heart-shaped daifuku mochi. "They're courtesy of Ignis."

Sephiroth weighed the bag in his hand, only to chuckle. "Of course," he said. He gestured past. "Join me a moment?" he asked, free hand going to trace up Gladio's arm. "I'm sure I have a little something equally as sweet for the ambitious little baker."

Aerith pouted at Sephiroth, huffing passed them and going to join a man in the living room. She could be heard starting to say something about Goonies only for Sephiroth to cut over her. "Now Aerith, you know I don't like that slur. If you must slag off on Shinra's dear, esteemed friend, let's not do it within ears of his lord, shall we?" Sephiroth smirked at Gladio. "Youth. So crude. Come," he insisted, heading to his kitchen where he set the bag on the counter.

Loz, a beefy guy the same age as Aerith and Ignis, grinned and nodded. "Hey Gladiolus," he greeted. "What are you doing here? Uh, you come to play with Zoo? He's not here."

"I haven't kept in contact with Yazoo for some time," Gladio admitted. "Not since I graduated last semester. Got busy with my own life over the summer. Got engaged; moved up. How's your life treating you?" Gladio felt sort of foolish dropping those tidbits, as though he were bragging, but calmly sat in a stool by the island opposite Loz.

"Come now, Loz," Sephiroth said, giving his son a reproachful look. "Mr. Amicitia's been quite busy." Sephiroth started going through the bag, finally pulling a gun out. "Though...odd his man makes him play the part of runner, but administration was always a bit odd in the Family." He turned the gun this way and that before tossing it to Loz. "What do you think?"

"Oh yeah...not bad," Loz said, taking aim with it before pouting a bit. "What about me?" he huffed, putting it down on the counter.

"Don't cry," Sephiroth said, going to examine the bag. "Eat," he said, shoving the sticky mochi into his son's mouth. "You know how rare arms are at the moment." He sighed. "We'll need to thank Mr. Scientia for his regards."

Loz grunted around the mochi, but he still looked appeased.

"I'll send your regards," Gladio said. "He's under scrutiny at the moment." Gladio could see why, not that he was going to jump to conclusions.

"I'm surprised he's not under a thumb," Sephiroth said, watching Gladiolus with his sharp green eyes. "Please, you can send him payment as well. Loz, go grab my coat," he sent him off. "Tell me my big, strong flower, so the feathers go all the way up?" he asked, eyes roaming over where he could see ink. "I never knew we'd have so much in common, you know."

"Oh yeah, he hates shirts and loves tattooed feathers as much as you, Sephy." The man from the living room came in. Zax Fair eyed Gladiolus. "Though I guess I can see something else you like," he said, cracking up as he went to help himself to a bottle of pop in the fridge.

Sephiroth shot Zax a dark look. "Ignore him. I like to pretend he's not even here."

Gladio gave Zax a glance before turning. He had an x-shaped scar on the side of his face. Long, spiky black hair to die for. He was broad and muscular, but had a glint in his bright blue eyes whatever his age. Sephiroth's type of guy briefly ran through his head before he shook it off.

He wondered what he meant by what else Sephiroth could like. He also couldn't gauge how much Sephiroth's dismissal of Zax was put upon or serious.

"Maybe sometime you'll see the whole work," Gladio said with a wink. "At a cross company swim meet." He did not know why he did that when he meant for the inane comment to be a brush off. The equivalent of the saying in your dreams.

Sephiroth chuckled. "I see enough to appreciate," he assured him.

"You're drooling," Zax teased, poking a finger into Sephiroth's cheek.

Sephiroth glared, but did nothing to dislodge his mass from leaning on him. "I don't listen to dead people."

"Are you telling your conquests I'm dead now?" Zax asked, pouting. "That's cheating."

"Not legally," Sephiroth insisted, leaning back into him. "Ah," he said, taking his long leather coat from his son. "Put this in the safe," he said, passing Loz the gun. He pulled a heavy envelop out, sliding it to Gladio. "We good?" Sephiroth was giving him an all business look, despite his flirting only moments ago and the large mass of man cuddled against him.

"Yes," Gladio said with an amused smile. "You two are cute." He took the envelope from Sephiroth.

"I know he is. Too bad he's next to useless," Sephiroth huffed. "Being dead and all."

"This is how he talks to the stepmother of his kids," Zax exclaimed.

Sephiroth rolled his eyes, finally pulling from him. "We're legally separated. Marriage takes a lot of work, my flower," he warned. He slipped his arm around Gladio's shoulders, walking him to his door. "As does any relationship, really. It's reassuring you come in person to strengthen ours. I was getting a tad worried with all of Mr. Scientia's run around. As if this was his business and not yours," he said leadingly.

"I trust Ignis's judgement on our operations," Gladio said. "Without him, I'd fall on my face. With all he does for me, I could return the favor and meet your...now ex while I'm at it. You take care, and pleasure doing business."

"Always a pleasure, Gladiolus," Sephiroth assured, backed him up against the door for a moment. "Maybe you'll grant me more outside these little business transactions." He looked like he was going to move in for...something, but he merely opened the door, gently pushing Gladio out.

#ffxv #ffvii #gladiolus amiticia #sephiroth #zack fair #gladnoct #juice bar au #notes--this is just a short scene from a greater FFXV mafia epic and just recently pulled in FFVII chars to fill out a rival gang #notes--Sephiroth completely gets Gladio's aesthetic and couldn't agree more #notes--note seen: Ignis and Aerith are birthday twins but grew up as neighbors and hate each other

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com-blog · 5 years

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Blog 7

During class we talked about relationships and why we form them. I am going to relate all my examples to my current boyfriend. The first reason we form relationships is because of appearance. I wouldn’t be with him if I didn’t find him attractive. I know that there are people out there that believe you don’t have to like how someone looks to be with them, and that personality is most important. I do believe that personality is incredibly important. However, if you look at your partners face or make eye contact and feel a spark of excitement, I don’t believe that the relationship can last. I would agree that as the relationship progresses that physical factors become less important. ZZ Top wonderfully and truthfully sings, “Every girl is crazy ‘bout a sharp dressed man.” The longer I am with someone, the less they and I feel obligated to dress up for on another, or in my case, put on less or no makeup. This doesn’t mean that I don’t like to do that anymore, we are just more comfortable with ourselves and don’t have to impress since we are together. The second reason we form relationships is because of similarity. My boyfriend and I have our differences in personality, but there are many similarities that are important to our connection. We are both talkative, outgoing, curious, adventurous, caring, and trustworthy. We may butt heads sometimes because we are both very opinionated, but I think that is one of the things that makes us able to grow and learn from each other. My ex-boyfriend had a struggle to communicate because I would always ask him how he was doing, but he wouldn’t ask me. I had to pull words out of his mouth and prompt questions for us to have conversations. It makes me feel good when my boyfriend wonders about how I am just doing just as much as I wonder about him. Other similarities between us include our career goals, friend group, and music taste. It is very convenient that we have the same major because we are able to have many classes together and get to work on homework together. Connected to this, we have our little study group with other friends in our class and we all hang out on the weekends. Music is incredibly important to me. I have been in choir since fifth grade, am in an a cappella group, and play the guitar, piano, and ukulele. Connecting with my partner through music is essential, and luckily, we listen to similar music, or are open to new types and genres. The third reason we form relationships is because of complementarity. I see us showing this trait because we have the “work to our strengths” mindset in our relationship. We are also very supportive of each other in all our work and activities, which helps. The fourth reason we form relationships is because of reciprocal attraction. My boyfriend and I present this concept through complimenting each other on how we look, or our work ethic. This boosts both of our self-esteems. The fifth reason we form relationships is because of competence. This kind of goes back to working at our strengths. My boyfriend may be much better at building computers compared to me, but I am much better at math than him. Then, with us being around each other we can teach these strengths to one another. The sixth reason we form relationships is because of disclosure. Through disclosure, my boyfriend and I have been able to get much closer. He has had some similar family experiences, and we were able to connect through sharing them. We also have similar opinions on certain politics, values, and ways to approach others. These deeper conversations help strengthen the relationship because we trust each other with the information we share, but also respect each other if we do come across some differences of thought. The seventh reason we form relationships is because of proximity. This makes sense in my relationship because we are always studying and have many classes together. He is one of the people I hang out with the most, so I have gotten to know him better than most. The eight reason we form relationships is because of rewards. Yes, my boyfriend and I each have our quirks. However, the costs are nowhere near the amount of rewards from our relationship, so there is a positive outcome. The important thing to remember is that I am in this relationship because I chose to be. We could account for all of the above, but ultimately if I had said no when he asked me out, there would be no romantic relationship. During class we also talked about maintaining interpersonal relationships, specifically what kinds of communication help keep relationships satisfying. The first type is positivity. We don’t exactly always try to avoid criticism, since we are trying to constantly better each other. However, our time is always upbeat, and we see the good as well. The second type is openness. I am not afraid to talk about anything with him, whether it be about our relationship or something personal. The third type is assurances. We are constantly reminding one another that we matter and are there when the other needs. The fourth is social networks. I have not had the chance to meet his parents yet, but he has met mine. Both of us are extremely family oriented. I have met his friends and he has met a few of mine. I love introducing him to everyone that means something to me, because he means a lot to me. The fifth type is sharing tasks. It is funny how well we mesh. Things that I am good at, he isn’t, and vice versa. This makes is easy to split chores or obligations equally amongst each other. Or, if we are both good at something, we work on it together to get the work done faster than if we did it ourselves. During class we also talked about social support. The first type is emotional support. I have shown emotional support to my boyfriend when I was there for him as he was very anxious and stressed about an internship interview for the summertime. I made sure to keep his outlook as positive as possible and calming him since there was so much riding on the internship. Another type is informational support. I gave my boyfriend informational support when recommending some birthday gifts for his younger sister. I also gave him informational support when giving him great websites that explained calculus concepts clearly. That class was the biggest struggle for him. The third type of is instrumental support. I expressed this support when my boyfriend had an important school meeting to go to, but also had to drive his sister to volleyball practice. I told him to take of the meeting business, and that I would drive his sister to practice. One more example of when I used instrumental support was just recently actually. He loves gardening and was looking to start getting his backyard ready to plant his sprouts that he had started in his kitchen outside. As he was cleaning up the dirt and weeds to be clean for planting, I went to the store and bought some supplies like twine, tomato cages, and some pest control products.

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babydoll1947 · 5 years

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Let’s Talk: Mental/Emotional Abuse, from a Survivor

If you read my recent post, you have seen that I am a true crime lover, and have been watching the ID channel as if it may disappear when I’m not looking (kind of like this post did the first time I wrote it, but we’ll get to that). However, I have found that my obsession sometimes comes at a cost to my mental health. You see, when I watch these shows and hear about these horrible people with horrible traits... well, sometimes it triggers recall of some of the equally horrible traits of the man who once abused me. Now, do I think one day he will escalate all the way to murdering someone? No, I think there is a fairly slim chance of that, just given the lack of physical violence I have seen him exhibit. But, I could be wrong, and I sincerely hope everyone he encounters stays on their guard with him. Do I, however, believe this man is a sadistic psychopath who derives pure please from controlling and harming other people (especially women)? Yes, yes I do, with every fiber of my being. No matter the type, abuse is a topic people cringe at the thought of having to talk about. Trust me, the first time I wrote this before tumblr threw it off into the cosmos somewhere, it turned out to be one of the most difficult and painful things I’ve ever had to write. And, I do not relish the thought of having to write this all over again. But, even though we don’t want to talk about this, I believe that we NEED to talk about this. And yes, I said “we”, because it takes small actions from a whole lot of people to make a change in the world around us, not to mention the fact that I think everyone can gain something from the takeaways of abuse survivors. So, here I am, about to write about one of the worst years of my life, hoping to help others gain more understanding. WARNING: I am about to share graphic, detailed accounts of abuse. If you do not feel you can emotionally cope, that’s okay, please just skip to the end of the post for the recap. If at any time you feel you need support, please send me a message and I will be happy to direct you to some amazing resources! I met Chris... and I am choosing to use his real first name, as I do not feel he deserves any anonymity at all... when I was 17 and a senior in high school. When I said earlier that this man is a psychopath, I do not use that term lightly. Like, “Oh, that girl is psycho, like, totally cray cray!” I mean it in the full sense and scope of the disorder. I met him through a close friend who was seeing him, and our first real encounter should have sent off warning bells in my head. To protect the privacy and dignity of myself and my friend, I am not going into details of that particular encounter here, but I will say that it was sexual in nature. False promises were made to my friend to convince her to do this, and it was not an overall a good experience. Even with that, though, there was something so charming and alluring about him that you just felt pulled in. Right away I started seeing him on my own. At first, it was almost like a secretly agreed “sister wives” situation... each of us knew about the other, and knew we were both seeing him, but also both adored him so much that we didn’t seem to care. Over time, as we both started to want more with him, he would lie or manipulate the situation to keep us placated. Often, he would tell me he was not dating her, but tell her that he was. He loved to lie. Like, genuinely loved it. He once told me that half the time he would lie even when he didn’t need to, just to see what he could get away with and how many people he could fool. Another red flag I missed, since that is one of the hallmark traits of a psychopath. He could also fake any emotion necessary to obtain his end goal, even though I doubt he really felt much of anything. Before long, I was practically living with Chris and his roommate in their apartment. Despite this closeness, and his supposed care for me, we never “officially” dated. This is where things started to go haywire. He frequently would list off things he desired in a potential girlfriend, and I would jump through hoops to make them happen. I grew my hair out because he preferred long hair (even though I hated maintaining long hair), got French manicures because he didn’t like bright colored nails (even though I did), changed my mannerisms and reactions to be the “cool girl”, literally anything I had to do to please him. Sadly, I never realized that nothing I did would ever please him or be good enough for him... he just wanted to see how far he could push me. Over that year I morphed into a person I didn’t even recognize in the mirror. Then came the “reminders”, as I like to call them. He would not only talk about girls he liked from work or school, but bring them home with him when he knew I was there, parading them in front of me to remind me that I still wasn’t good enough. Next were the subtle put downs. Then the more serious put downs. Then came the tough love. So tough, in fact, the he held me by my arm while I was sobbing and trying to go home, holding me there until he was done telling me everything that was wrong with me. That was the closest he ever came to physical abuse, his hand wrapped around my forearm, but hell... sometimes I wished he would just hit me, thinking it would hurt less than his words piercing my heart and self-esteem. Still, I fell in love with him. Still, I stayed. Things continued to spiral, and with that spiral came the sexual abuse. That was undoubtedly the worst. His idea of sexual fun was to make me give him oral sex until he was almost ready to orgasm, then push me onto my stomach so he could fuck me for a few seconds until he came on my body. It was no longer about my pleasure or desires, only his. He convinced me that I would like being submissive, that I enjoyed it. He made me call him master, and bend to his will. On more than one occasion he would put me on my knees to give him oral sex, then hold me by my hair and half-drag/half-make-me-crawl over to him like a disobedient dog. Like an animal. I didn’t like it, but I just figured as long as it pleased him it was okay. I had only one hard boundary which I had communicated to him several times: I would not do anal sex. So, to get around this boundary, he decided to just rape me instead... One night as he was fucking me from behind, he pulled out of my vagina and ruthlessly thrust himself into my anus. I buried my face in the mattress and screamed, the pain being indescribable. He did not stop when I screamed. He kept thrusting until he finished inside me, and gave the final demeaning blow as I followed him into the bathroom: “This is why I don’t do anal, it makes your dick smell bad.” I sat on the toilet for several minutes in disbelief, dripping blood and cum into the bowl. I had never felt more humiliated in my entire life, and I don’t know if I ever will. But, he apologized (though he did not mean it), I forgave him (as I always did) and life moved on. Any time I tried to pull away from him, he made sure that didn’t happen. He would talk bad of people I liked, talk bad of me to the people I liked, and sabotage any attempt to let him go. The final few months of hell came with his drug abuse. He became addicted to Xanax and Percocet, and I became his caregiver and guardian, ensuring that he ate, finished tasks, etc., and watching over him on many sleepless nights, making sure he didn’t start to overdose in his sleep. He never once thanked me for helping him, or saving his life until he finally went into rehab. The only good thing that ever came of our relationship happened during one of his attempts to be sober: he began going to church, so I went with him and ultimately rekindled/strengthened my relationship with God. That relationship is what lead me to eventually leave Chris behind. As more time passed we slowly parted ways, him going into rehab and then halfway homes, and me leaving home permanently. Still, it took a very long time to remove him from my life completely. He was like a cancer that I had to extract from my soul one piece at a time, and it took me a lot of time, distance, and perspective to come to the realizations I have about who he really is. Here are the reasons why I am telling you all of this (if you didn’t want to read the details, come back now). First of all, something that still haunts me to this day is how nobody did anything to help me. I mentioned that he lived with a roommate, and they regularly had another friend at the apartment with them, but neither of them tried to intervene on my behalf. I know how hard it can be to confront a friend for doing shitty things, believe me I do, but we MUST do this. Please. If you are friends with someone who shows signs of being a perpetrator, please talk to them, or help the person they are with. The next thing is, please be understanding and patient with people who have survived or are currently experiencing abuse. I already know that a lot of you were thinking while reading my story “Why didn’t she just leave?” The answer is a simple one: I really believed that I loved him. I couldn’t process what was happening to me while I was still wearing the rose-colored glasses, and it can be extremely difficult to discern how bad a situation is in while you are still in it. Give your loved ones time to process what is happening, but still support and protect them as much as you can. Nothing is as black-and-white as it seems. Also understand that just because the abuse isn’t physical, it doesn’t make it any less damaging. I still struggle with the trauma to this day, seven years later. The last few days I found myself dealing with flashbacks and bouts of intense anger. It happens sometimes, and will likely continue to happen here and there for the rest of my life. And lastly, I leave you with this: If you have experienced abuse of any kind, or if you still are, I promise you that you will be okay. You are strong, a fighter, and a survivor. You are a WARRIOR. Time may not heal all wounds (I still have plenty of scars) but it truly does make it easier and less painful. There will come a day when the pain is not a constant ache, and when you can breathe freely again. Never, ever, EVER give up! I love you all, and I am always here for you! Thanks for going on this journey with me.

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elmhurstacademy-blog · 6 years

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10 Tips on How to Build Confidence in Kids

1. Love your child. This seems obvious, but it's probably the most important thing you can give your child. Even if you do it imperfectly—and who doesn't?—always dole out plenty of love. Your child needs to feel accepted and loved, beginning with the family and extending to other groups such as friends, schoolmates, sports teams, and community. If you yell or ignore or make some other parenting mistake, give your child a hug and tell her you're sorry and you love her. Unconditional love builds a strong foundation for confidence.

2. Give praise where praise is due. It's important to give your child praise and positive feedback because children—especially young ones—measure their worth and achievements by what you think. But be realistic in your praise. If a child fails at something or shows no talent at a particular skill, praise the effort, but don't unrealistically praise the results. Reassure your child that it's OK not to be able to do everything perfectly. Tell him that some things take repeated effort and practice—and sometimes it's OK to move on after you've given your best effort.

3. Help your child set realistic goals. When your child is starting out in soccer, it's fine for her to think she'll eventually be on the Olympic team. But if she fails to make the varsity team in high school and still thinks she's an Olympic-caliber player, then she needs to focus on more realistic goals. Guide your child to set reasonable goals to help avoid feelings of failure. If the goal is a stretch, discuss some reachable short-term steps along the path.

4. Model self-love and positive self-talk. You must love yourself before you can teach your child to love him or herself. You can model this behavior by rewarding and praising yourself when you do well. Whether you run a marathon, get a promotion at work or throw a successful dinner party, celebrate your successes with your children. Talk about the skills and talents and efforts needed for you to achieve those accomplishments. In the same conversation, you can remind your child of the skills he or she possesses and how they can be developed and used.

5. Teach resilience. No one succeeds at everything all the time. There will be setbacks and failures, criticism and pain. Use these hurdles as learning experiences rather than dwelling on the events as failures or disappointments. The old adage, "Try, try, try again," has merit, especially in teaching kids not to give up. But, it's also important to validate your child's feelings rather than saying, "Oh, just cheer up," or, "You shouldn't feel so bad." This helps children learn to trust their feelings and feel comfortable sharing them. Children will learn that setbacks are a normal part of life and can be managed. If your child does poorly on a test, don't smother him with pity or tell him that he'll never be a good reader. Instead, talk about what steps he can take to do better next time. When he does succeed, he will take pride in his accomplishment.

6. Instill independence and adventure. Self-confident children are willing to try new things without fear of failure. With younger children, you will need to supervise from the sidelines. Set up situations where she can do things for herself and make sure the situation is safe—but then give her space. For example, demonstrate how to make a sandwich and then let her try it on her own, without your hovering or intervening. Encourage exploration, whether it's a trip to a new park or new foods at mealtime. Daytrips and outings, new hobbies, vacations and trips with teammates or schoolmates can all expand your child's horizons and build confidence in her ability to handle new situations.

7. Encourage sports or other physical activities. No longer the sole domain of boys, sports help girls and boys build confidence. They learn that they can practice, improve and achieve goals. Other benefits: they learn to recognize their strengths, accept or strengthen their weaknesses, handle defeat, expand their circle of friends and learn teamwork. Another confidence-boosting bonus: they stay fit and learn to respect their bodies. With the obesity epidemic among children, this is important, even if your child doesn't pursue organized sports. Try to find a physical activity that he or she enjoys, whether it's dance, martial arts, biking or hiking.

8. Support their pursuit of a passion. Everyone excels at something, and it's great when your child discovers that something. As a parent, respect and encourage your child's interests—even if they don't interest you. Praise your child when they accomplish something in their budding pursuits. If your son’s talent is playing guitar in a band, support his interest, as long as it doesn’t interfere with responsibilities like schoolwork. This doesn't mean you give free reign for your teenager to stay out all night or smoke pot in your garage, which brings us to the next tip.

9. Set rules and be consistent. Children are more confident when they know who is in charge and what to expect. Even if your child thinks your rules are too strict, she will have confidence in what she can and can't do when you set rules and enforce them consistently. Every household will have different rules, and they will change over time based on your child's age. Whatever your household rules, be clear on what is important in your family. Learning and following rules gives children a sense of security and confidence. As children get older they may have more input on rules and responsibilities. But, it's important to remember that you are the parent—not a best friend. Someday when your child is feeling peer pressure, he or she may appreciate having the foundation and confidence to say, "No, I can't do that."

10. Coach relationship skills. Confidence in relationships is key to your child's self-confidence. The most important initial relationship is the loving parent-child relationship. But as your child's social circle expands, you will help her see how her actions affect others—and help her learn to maintain an inner core of confidence when someone else's actions affect her. As a parent, it's not your role to "fix" every situation, but rather to teach your child the compassion, kindness, self-assertiveness and, yes, confidence to handle the ups and downs of relationships.

#Elmhurstlearningacademy #education #teach

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ronaldreeves97 · 4 years

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How Do I Pray To God To Get My Ex Back Amazing Ideas

Here are some tips that you are doing so, as this should be feeling so negative right now aren't you?Did you whine/bitch about things, acknowledge what your plan of action.What you choose to do you want to see everything clearly when they're in a relationship with his family and friends, a good thing over and over, and it CAN get your ex back, so it is important to continue moving forward.One minute you and you need to lay groundwork for more positive so that you can think clearly about things lately.

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Adding Your Ex Back On Social Media

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How To Make My Ex Want Me Back

#How Do I Pray To God To Get My Ex Back Amazing Ideas #What Percentage Of Ex Boyfriends Come Back

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