#randys smile is so infectious

[randyortonofficial]

title: build our kingdom pairing: randy orton/cody rhodes word count: 2759 important tags: fluff, humor description: It’s the biggest night of Cody Rhodes’ life, therefore, it’s the biggest night of Randy Orton’s life. Cody has always wanted to do this on his own, but when they both learned Cody was going to beat Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania for the title, Cody didn’t even think twice before telling Randy he had to be out there with him at the end to begin the celebration.

April 7th, 2024

It’s the biggest night of Cody Rhodes’ life, therefore, it’s the biggest night of Randy Orton’s life.

Cody has always wanted to be his own man. He didn’t want to live in anyone’s shadow, or be anyone’s understudy, and because of that, he and Randy don’t really share any screentime together. He doesn’t want people to think he got here solely because of his friendship, or now, relationship with him. It’s something Randy has always respected, and one of the reasons why Randy likes him so much to begin with - that burning desire to make a name for himself without anyone’s help.

But when they both learned Cody was going to beat Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania for the title, Cody didn’t even think twice before telling Randy he had to be out there with him at the end to begin the celebration.

Everyone in that arena is overcome with emotion for Cody, no matter who it is. Fans, commentary, even Samantha Irwin, the ring announcer, can not contain herself as she stammers through announcing the new undisputed champion.

And Randy Orton, a man infamous for displaying little emotion, is having a hard time containing himself also as he heads down the ramp and up the stairs to the ring to kneel down right beside his husband with a reassuring hand right on the back of his neck.

“You did it,” Randy manages to get out softly. “You made it, Cody.”

Cody looks up to Randy with the biggest, boyish smile as he clings tighter onto his hard earned world title. “I couldn’t have done this without you.”

In front of everyone, they lean in to capture each other’s lips at the same time in a chaste display of affection before Cody drops his head against Randy’s chest. Randy wraps his arms around Cody tight and closes his eyes.

“Gonna make me cry, man,” he huffs a chuckle.

“Come on, I’m the crier between us,” Cody teases. “And the people aren’t prepared for Randy Orton’s tears of joy-”

“I give a fuck about you. Who cares about everyone else?”

Cody snorts as he pulls away to look into Randy’s glassy eyes. Despite his teasing, Cody finds himself tearing up more seeing the first tear drop down Randy’s cheek. He pouts a little as they both bring a hand up to wipe the tears away from each other, little chuckles shared at the fact that they’re crying together in front of millions and millions of people, before they take each other’s hands to stand up on their feet.

Randy sniffs and pats Cody’s chest, right above his Dream tattoo. “Go show off.”

With a prompt nod, Cody turns to head to the ref so he can be paraded around the ring with his new title. Randy stands at the ringposts and takes it all in, the electricity of the crowd and the infectious glee his husband displays as he holds up his title for all to see, as he looks around at all his adoring fans, as he looks up to the Wrestlemania sign before saying, “I did it, dad. I won.”

Randy has to shut his eyes tightly to try and hold back the tears that are trying to come through again.

Cody has been through so much to get to this point. He’s literally bled and sweat for this. This is all Cody has wanted, ever since he was a little boy, and no matter what, even when he left WWE to travel around the world in the indy scene and eventually create AEW, that was always his end goal - to main event Wrestlemania, become the world champion, and make his dad and their legacy proud.

Even if Dusty isn’t physically here, Randy can feel his spirit permeating over the ring. It’s kind of overwhelming how much he can feel him, moreso, how proud he is of his son.

When Cody looks back to Randy with tears rolling down his cheeks, Randy knows that Cody can feel it too.

  The ring soon fills up with all of their friends and family, from the likes of John Cena all the way to Alanna, all dressed in true American Nightmare branding for her stepfather. Randy has his whole life to spend with Cody, so he stays out to the side to let everyone give their congratulations and support, hugs and handshakes and what not, and he’s laughing with joy as Sami and Jey hoist Cody high up into the air.

Randy’s won a million world titles, but he’s never had a celebration quite like this. He’s never been on the cover of a WWE game, he’s not the face of WWE, he hasn’t won back-to-back Royal Rumbles, nor does he want any of that. Cody’s accomplishments are his own, and they are what set him apart from everyone else.

Cody said he always wanted to be like Randy, but he doesn’t anymore. Now, he can be like Cody.

John comes on over to pat Randy’s ass. “You did good, man.”

Randy huffs a fond breath through his nose and quirks a small grin. “He’s worked so hard,” he tells him. “We’ve been through so much, I…” He bites his lip and shakes his head. “This still doesn’t feel real.”

John shrugs. “Agree to disagree. Listen, if Cody could tame your wild ass and get you to like guys,” he raises a knowing eyebrow and smirks, “then winning the world title in the main event at Wrestlemania is a cake walk.”

Randy scoffs and pushes John away by the shoulder. As he gives Cody his attention again, he sees Sami smiling over at him and waving him over.

“Come on, dude!” Sami says. “Show him off to the world!”

Cody’s eyes widen as he looks back and forth between the two men. “Guys, no, no, no-”

Randy is laughing maniacally as he comes on over to hoist Cody up into the air with Sami. Cody, despite his protests, rolls his eyes and shakes his head with a fond grin as he rests a hand on Randy’s upper back. After some seconds, he looks down to Randy and Randy looks up to him in return.

In that moment, the entire world turns into a monochromatic blur.

They’re staring into each other’s blue eyes so thoughtfully. Their lives together flash by in seconds; from the first time they met, to their first kiss, to getting together, moving in, getting married, and everything in between.

Seventeen years, they’ve known each other.

Fourteen years, they’ve been together.

Ten years, they’ve been married.

This year, they’ve achieved everything they’ve set out to do, and best of all, they did it together.

Randy blinks slowly at Cody before his lips upturn into a proud, but loving smile, the most loving one he thinks he’s ever given Cody, and Cody thinks so too since Randy can see him trying hard to hold back his tears again.

  Cody’s hand comes up to hold the back of Randy’s head, fingers gently scratching against him. As his eyes travel over his husband’s face, he asks, “until the end of time?”

  “I know you’re the one for me,” Cody tells him. “I’ve always known that but - I swear, everyday, I get reminders of it. How… how perfect you are for me, how perfect we are for each other and…” He closes his eyes tightly. “I just can’t believe we’re here,” he whispers.

“It’s okay, Codes,” Randy whispers back. “I can’t either, but we are here. This is real, all of this is.” He threads his fingers through Cody’s hair to give a slight tug and Cody looks up into Randy’s eyes, only for a second, because Randy is pressing their lips together. It’s a few moments and then they’re properly looking into each other’s eyes again.

Randy’s smile sets Cody at ease once more.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Randy tells him. “Neither is any of this. You’re with me forever, Cody, and I’m going to take care of you and do everything for you until the end of time.”

Cody smiles, in the way Randy loves so dearly, with his eyes crinkling and Randy’s heart flipping upon the sight. Quietly to his new husband, Cody tells him, “until the end of time, Randy.”

  Randy nods solemnly. “Until the end of time, baby.”

Then, Cody is let down so they can celebrate in the ring all over again.

Randy runs his hands down his face before clasping his hands in front to help hide his expression. He averts his gaze from Cody to gather himself, and he swears if he leans in and squints, he can see Seth tightly hugging Roman at the end of the ramp and very tenderly carding his fingers through his hair.

Looks like they’re not the only ones to have an intimate moment together tonight.

Everyone begins to filter from the ring, one by one, until Cody is left standing in the middle with Randy on the outside.

With one final look to each other, they smile once more, and then suddenly, Cody is cheering loudly and spreading his arms wide out, gold title on display around his waist as the many, many fireworks shoot up into the sky. Interplays of color cast over the stadium, from red to yellow to blue, but the shade that stands out most of all is the elusive shade of Cody Rhodes.

They walk each other up the ramp, hand in loving hand. Cody continues to wave and play to the crowd, acknowledging every single person that even looks his way, but all Randy can do is look at Cody, look at his husband, and think of how far he’s come and how much he’s earned his spot.

It’ll always be him and Cody.

Then, now, and until the end of time.

  Once they make it backstage, away from any and all prying eyes, Randy feels completely comfortable again, and because of that, it leads way for him to let the tears freely roll down his cheeks. He has to hold a hand up over his face and press down hard, even squeezes hard at Cody’s hand, and Cody stops in his tracks to turn to Randy.

“What did we say, Randy?” Cody chuckles, but it doesn’t have much humor to it - rather, a tinge of concern. “I’m the crier-”

“Man, I’m just so fucking proud of you.” Randy drops his hand to look down into Cody’s eyes. “Nobody else deserves this more than you, and I - I’ve been fucking waiting for this moment forever, ever since Legacy, and now it’s here and…” He presses his lips tightly together and shrugs. “I dunno. I dunno how to deal with it-”

“You don’t know?” Cody scoffs and lets go of Randy’s hand to settle his own two hands over his title. “How do you think I feel? I…” He looks down to his title and lets out a shaky gasp. “I… I-I’m the world champion, Randy. I-I won. I won in the main event-”

“Of Wrestlemania,” they both finish together. They both can’t help but chuckle earnestly as they look back into each other’s eyes again.

Cody looks over Randy’s face again. His hands curl tightly into fists, as if to restrain himself, before shaking his head and bringing them up to hold Randy’s face in his hands.

“I wouldn’t be here today without you,” he reminds him. “I wouldn’t be who I am today without you, Randy. I talk a whole lot about how I wanted to get here by myself, with no help from anyone, how I wanted to be independent and get out from people’s shadows, and I did but I’d be beyond stupid to think I wouldn’t be here without you. You were so instrumental in my journey, from my growth not just in my career, but as a person. You taught me what matters, you showed me how to ground myself, how to prepare myself for the worst, you showed me the world, Randy…” Cody lets out a long sigh and closes his eyes as he presses his forehead to Randy’s.

“You showed me the world, and you gave me the world.”

Randy brings his hands up to hold onto Cody’s shoulders and takes a deep breath. “I love you, Cody,” he whispers into the sliver of space between them. “More than anything. You’ve come so far. You’ve dealt with so much fucking shit and you proved everyone wrong, proved them all wrong and I knew you were going to, I knew it-”

“You believed in me since day one,” Cody gasps. “You believed in me when no one else did, Randy. You always believed in me, even the times when I didn’t believe in myself. In my darkest hours, you were there. You were always there and that’s why I’m here.”

Randy’s not too good at words. Never has, never will, though being with Cody has strengthened his vocabulary considerably. He’s always expressed himself best through actions, so it makes sense to Cody when Randy surges forward then and there to claim his lips so passionately and tenderly.

All the things Randy wants to say to Cody is done with one powerful kiss, and it’s worth a thousand words, each single one waxing poetic of how strongly he feels for his husband and all he’s been through in his 38 years of living.

Their lips drag away from each other so slowly, and they steal one more kiss before pulling away enough to gaze into each other’s eyes-

  “Don’t think about it.”

Cody and Randy furrow their eyebrows and look over to see Hunter with his arms crossed over his chest.

“Think about what?” Cody asks.

“I don’t care how long you guys have been waiting for this moment,” Hunter tells them. “It does not give you an excuse to have incredibly loud, rough sex all over the locker room.”

“Come on, man, it’s a special day!” Randy groans as he drops his hands from Cody’s shoulders. “And you know how special it is too!”

“Please, Hunter?” Cody widens his baby blue eyes ever so slightly at his boss. “You know how much I’ve been through to get here-”

Hunter sighs. “Look, nobody knows better than me-”

“And do you remember? When you were the one that wanted to have that kind of sex with me?”

Hunter huffs and shakes his head before quirking a grin. “Sure, I did until I realized how disgustingly in love you two were with each other…” Then, with squinted eyes, he presses his lips together. He looks back and forth between Cody and Randy, and Cody and Randy just look to each other wondering what the hell Hunter is thinking about before suddenly, Hunter is groaning out loud and flinging his hands in the air.

“Okay!” Hunter sighs and holds up a finger. “Just this once, I will not say a thing.”

Cody and Randy smile big and high five each other.

“Fuck yeah!” Randy gets down on one knee to prepare to lift up Cody. “Let’s-”

“Not now.” Hunter raises a pointed eyebrow before grabbing Cody’s wrist. He looks over to the new undisputed champion and pats his title. “You got media, kid, and a big press conference to do. You guys can defile the locker room later.”

Cody rolls his eyes and looks back to Randy. “Catch you after the press conference?”

“More like I’ll be catching you.” Randy winks and clicks his tongue. “Better be coming to me with spread arms and spread-”

“Keep that thought to yourself, Randy.” Hunter quickly ushers Cody away. “Alright, so…”

Randy chuckles before turning around to head into Cody’s locker room to do just that.

Cody’s moans carry through the concrete walls of the backstage area and into Hunter’s ears. At this point, Hunter is used to it, so he continues to casually stroll down the hallway until he sees an intern staring rather curiously at the wall.

“Hey, kid.” Hunter shoves his hands into his pockets. “Something wrong?”

“Do you hear that?” the intern asks. “What’s that noise?”

Hunter allows an almost fond smile to grace his lips. “Just a ghost, son,” he tells him after patting him on the shoulder. “Just a ghost.”

As the intern walks away, still with an aura of uncertainty, Hunter looks back to the source of the noise. With a shake of the head, he chuckles before continuing down the hall, and thusly, into the new era of WWE; helmed by Cody Rhodes.

#candy #my fics #hope u all enjoy xoxo #god knows i did!!

[mrsaltieri-real]

His Perfect Victim (Mickey Altieri x OC!Dahlia Levine)

Chapter Seven: Beginning of the End

Words: 3.5k

Warnings: language, Mickey being a dick, (again, shocker) a little angst, a little fluff, phone call, (yes it’s a warning) confession of feelings.

The smut is COMING I PROMISE! We’re getting there, just slowly. As I’ve said before I’m putting a lot into this fic and for it to work out the way it’s going to, there’s a fuck ton of twists and turns. But we are progressing I swear. Mickey is really going to ruin Dahlia (in more ways than one)

Thank you to the wonderful @bisexual-horror-fan for beta and editing this for me! I love how much you love them and see just so fucking awesome at helping me bring the fic to live. Love and appreciate you so so much dude!!!

@lizey-thornberry as you wanted to be tagged :)

As it turns out, Mickey was right. Things couldn’t just go back to normal after I made the stupid and monumental decision to kiss him. I don’t know why I thought that they would, or could. Maybe because I never had before, I hadn’t realized the impact the small action of pressing my lips to his would have, the ripple effect it would cause outward like throwing a stone into a pond.

Talking about it with Sidney in my dorm room the next day like we were a couple of fourteen-year-olds, I was met with a reaction I hadn’t expected. The words, “I kissed Mickey” left my lips, and then I felt her warm arms throw themselves around my neck as she pulled me to her, taking me a little by surprise. Sid was very similar to me in some ways, not huge on casual physical contact, but I suppose being with Derek was beginning to coax her into it. The change wasn’t unwelcome. Happiness looks good on Sidney, she looks best with a smile on her face and warm in her eyes.

I laughed, a little surprised, moving my hands to rest on her back as she pulled away, her infectious grin lighting up her face, “Look at you!” She said, dropping her arms back to her side, the beginning of the question slips out quickly, “Was that your first-“

I respond even quicker, “Yeah, it was. I mean, I don’t think Paul Miller in the fifth grade really counts.” I said with a nearly coy smile.

“Oh no, I saw that “kiss,” it definitely does not count. So what made you do it?” She pressed, pulling her legs up to sit crossed legged on my bed. I had no morning classes, so Mickey hadn’t met me with his usual coffee and a bagel, and for a brief moment I had a passing thought of how weird that was, he didn’t know my schedule that well. I did have a class twenty minutes from then, but I knew he had his film class with Randy at the same time. The thought abandoned me as I sat with Sid, blushing furiously as I recounted the experience.

“I don’t know, I mean, I guess it just felt right?” I looked down at my hands, twisting one of the rings on my fingers around and around as I spoke, “He was just being so… Mickey. But not in the way I’m used to. He was asking me if I’d ever look at him in a romantic kind of way. I guess I realized that I was starting to look at him like that, so I kissed him.” I shook my head, loose hair cascading around my shoulders as I did so, groaning a little, “It was stupid, right? I’m not ready!”

“Dahlia, you won’t know till you try.” Sidney’s friendly brown eyes looked at me as her hand found mine with a reassuring squeeze, she offered up in a show of comfort, “Maybe someone like him is exactly what you need right now?”

I furrowed my eyebrows at her, my head tilting a little to the side as I asked, “What do you mean?”

Sid hesitated for a moment, teeth sinking into her bottom lip before she let out a small sigh and answered me, “You’ve been through a lot, D. I know you’re only just getting back to your old self, but you have to admit, he’s been a big part of that,”

I opened my mouth to object, but she shook her head at me once, making me immediately clamp my lips together when I took in her serious expression, “You can’t deny it, we’ve all noticed it. When you’re around him, you get the light in your eyes we haven’t seen in, God, forever!” Sidney’s hands squeezed mine again as she bent her head down to catch my eye, “Would trying it really be the worst thing in the world?”

“I-“ I mouthed words, but nothing came out as my brain churned.

Would it?

There was no denying I was attracted to him, but so was half the student fucking body. He’d also fucked half of that same half of the student body, and I knew myself well enough to know I didn’t just want to be another notch in his bedpost. I had no idea if he really cared about me, or if this whole thing was just another game to him. I didn’t want to be a toy, I didn’t want to just be viewed as something for fun, to be played with and then be discarded when he was done.

I thought of the way he looked at me, friends didn’t look at friends like that. It was like he knew me, more than I knew him. He looked at me as if I was something to fucking eat, and it was almost too intoxicating.

I thought of the way his lips felt on mine, how right it felt, how he tasted and smelled, how his fingers dug into my hips and traced my spine. It felt so right, but there was something else behind it. A kind of urgency that at that moment I could quite put my finger on.

“All of this is moot if you don’t like him.” Sidney interrupted my train of thought, making me blink a couple of times and glance up at her. She was standing in front of me, I didn’t even notice her hands let go of mine or her standing up and putting her jacket on, “Just think about it, alright?”

I nodded my head, and she smiled down at me before giving a goodbye, a casual wave over her shoulder upon her exiting my dorm room, leaving me sat crossed legged on my bed staring at the door long after it clicked shut.

She was right, when was she not? I knew I liked him. But I had no idea if he liked me.

Fuck, I felt like I was in middle school all over again.

I groaned, falling back against my pillow and placing my arms across my face, squeezing my eyes until I saw spots behind my lids.

Then my phone rang.

I sighed, pulling my arms from my face and grabbing my shitty cell from my bedside table and flipping it open without looking at the name with a, “Hello?”

No answer, just the subtle, quiet sound of breathing at the end of the line.

I frowned, pulling the phone from my ear and glancing at the name.

Unknown Caller.

I pressed the phone back to my ear, propping up and asking more clearly, “Hello?”

The line went dead.

“Weird.” I muttered, tossing the phone back on the bedside table, forcing myself to stand up to start making my way to class.

The phone rang again, making me jump with a small gasp as I hesitantly picked it up.

I felt relieved as I saw Mickey’s name lighting up the small screen, answering him happily enough with, “I told you I don’t like getting calls.”

“Well, hello to you too, Dahl.” I could tell he had a smile on his face judging by his tone, and I couldn’t help one from spreading across mine, “What are you doing right now?”

I glanced at my watch before responding, “I’ve got class.”

His voice came through the receiver undeniably tinged with mirth, “Wanna ditch? Or are you too scared?”

He sounded so teasing, as if the words themselves were curling inside my ears, beckoning me to come out, and play. I rolled my eyes, scoffing slightly as I defend myself. “Christ, how much of a square do you think I am?”

Next he was explaining his line of thinking, “Sorry, I automatically assume you're a prude when it comes to your education as well as your lack of sex life.”

“Ouch.” I laughed, not even really feeling slightly hurt by his taunting comment. That was just the kind of guy he was.

“But seriously, I think we have stuff we need to talk about. Meet me outside your building?”

Fuck, he wanted to initiate that conversation? That, I didn’t expect.

I mumbled something about being down in a few minutes before hanging up, looking in my absent roommates floor length mirror and quickly combing my hair with my fingers, thanking the lord I had washed it last night, quickly tying a bandana around my head.

Passable, I decided with a shrug.

I quickly locked my door behind me as I left, leaving the building, and there he was, looking unfairly attractive but dressed, so simply, it made me want to bite his head off. Did the fucker know how good he looked without even trying? It’s maddening.

“Hey.” He remarked with a smile, his less than subtle once over not going amiss.

“Hi.” I suddenly felt shy, diverting my eyes down to the ground. What the hell was wrong with me? I’d basically thrown myself at this guy yesterday, and now I couldn’t even look him in the eye?

He said as much, eyebrows arching slightly as he asked, “You good? Feeling a little shy, are we?” His tone was teasing yet again, and I scoffed, forcing myself to meet his eye.

“No. Shut up, why am I ditching class?” I quickly changed the subject, maintaining casual eye contact. Well, as casual as I could muster without giving into the fact that all I wanted to do was kiss his stupid fucking lips again.

He seemed to already know that, a smile making the corners of his mouth tug up at my very obvious attempt to divert the conversation, “I want to take you somewhere.” He spoke lightly, holding his hand out for me to take.

I looked down at his outreached hand blankly, my own eyebrows raising a fraction as I asked hesitantly, “Where, exactly?”

He sighs with a nod, “Ah right, you don’t do ominous, I forgot.”

Fucking asshole.

“Library. It’s pretty dead right now because almost everyone has class around this time, so we can talk there.” His hand reached down and grabbed mine as he spoke, intertwining our fingers together, and I felt that jolt of electricity spark the moment we made contact. I tried not to show it, act like the sensation didn’t claw its way up my arm, shoot through my bloodstream and settle in my chest.

Was I crazy? Did he feel it too?

He tugged me alongside him, his winning smile lighting up his face. God, he was beautiful. I couldn’t help but look up at him as I walked alongside him.

His eyes were still bright as ever, with somewhat of a wicked gleam lurking below the deep surface of his light brown irises, and they just looked so… Inviting. He glanced down at me for a moment, his eyebrows raising a hair as he took in my clearly admiring expression. “What?” He asked with a laugh as we neared the entrance of the library. I tore my eyes away, looking at the double doors in front of me instead as I muttered, “Nothing, nothing.”

With another chuckle, he pushed the doors of the library open with one hand, still gripping mine in the other as he hauled me along with him between one of the many stacks of books and shelves.

I loved libraries. The smell of the old books and crisp paper, how quiet it was. It was like an escape, one you actively want to lose yourself in the same way you can and do lose yourself in the pages of a book.

Mickey’s hand released mine as he sat down, crossing his legs and leaning against the back wall between the stacks, gesturing next to him for me to sit down. I obliged, settling down beside him and resting my hands in my lap. He was right, of course. It was deserted, not a student, a professor or even the librarian in sight. It was quiet, comforting. I could only hear Mickey’s light breathing beside me before he spoke, his voice softer than I’d ever heard it.

“You want to talk about yesterday?”

I shrugged my shoulders timidly, not wanting to meet his gaze that I knew was concentrated on my face.

“Do you?” I asked, keeping my voice as soft and quiet as his was.

“I do. You took me a little by surprise, didn’t know you had it in you. You don’t seem like that kind of person who just-“

“I’m not shy or anything.” I interrupted him, suddenly feeling a little defensive, “It was stupid, I know. But honestly? I’m not upset I did it.” I made myself look at him, watching as his expression shifted to one of subtle surprise as he asked in mild disbelief, “You’re not?”

I shook my head, moving my arm to prop my elbow on my knees, so I could rest my face in my hand as I looked up at him, “I’m not. I know that may come as a surprise to you because you see me as shy, but I thought about it a lot last night, and I’m glad I did it.”

He was quiet for a moment, this time him dragging his gaze from me to stare blankly at the wall far ahead of him. His full lips pursed slightly, clearly deep in thought, before he asked, “Why?”

“Why am I glad?” He nodded once, still not looking at me. I knew how I felt, I knew I had to tell him. I’d spent too long as an emotionless zombie and just surviving rather than living. As both Sidney and Randy had pointed out, he was the only person that’s been able to reignite the fire I used to have, to make me feel like a person again. I couldn’t deny I had feelings for him, that was pointless. I was sick of playing pretend, acting like I didn’t. What was the use in pretending like I just wanted him to be a friend?

I knew there was always the chance he didn’t feel the same way, but it really didn’t bother me. I had to do what I never did and just shoot my shot because I knew that if I didn’t, I’d regret it for the rest of my life. In hindsight, maybe it would have been better for me if I just kept my mouth shut. But alas, I opened my mouth and said it. Six words that were going to change the trajectory of literally everything.

“Because I have feelings for you.”

There was no taking them back once it was all out there. This head practically snapped in my direction as soon as the words were out of my mouth and his jaw seemed to relax slightly, his eyes boring into my face.

“Feelings? Come on, Dahl.” He didn’t say it in a rude or snarky kind of way. His tone was off slightly however, a slight edge to the words as though it was almost a warning.

I ignored the hidden tone, dropping my hand from my face and turning to face him properly, looking him dead in the eyes. “I’m not the kind of person who throws myself at people, but you… You’re just…” I couldn’t find the words as I watched his expression soften, the hard brown in his eyes switching to something I could only describe as melting chocolate. I felt his hand gently touch my cheek and I leaned into it slightly, eyes fluttering closed.

“Feelings.” He whispered it, so quietly I wasn’t even sure he’d really said it, as if he can’t believe it. He must have known there was something going on here, but this was not what he’d been expecting, clearly.

My eyes stayed closed as I felt his lips gently brush mine, soft as a feather and just so… Careful. Like he was afraid he’d break me.

I hummed, light, an involuntary reaction without a melody as I felt his lips against mine a little more firmly before he pulled back, making my eyes open and look at him confused.

“You can’t have feelings for me.” He sounded sad and his face completely gave him away. He looked tormented by something in his own head, his head shaking from side to side, “You were right with what you said last night. You don’t know me.”

“But I know enough.” I insisted.

He laughed a humourless laugh, his hand moving to run across his hair as he continued shaking his head, “You really don’t, Dahlia. If you did, there's no way you’d have feelings for me.” He said the word feelings as though it disgusted him.

Fuck, this guy switched up fast. I decided to match his energy.

“What the fuck is your problem, Mickey? You make me skip class, drag me to the deserted fucking library to talk about what happened last night and what, now you’re mocking me for being honest with you?”

“I’m not mocking you, Dahlia. I’m stating a fact.” He rolled his eyes, refusing to look at me.

“I asked you if we could pretend like it never happened, if we could be just friends. You’re the one who said we could never be “just friends.”. Fuck.” I stuck my fingers up in air quotations as I spoke, feeling stupid and naive. Of course, he didn’t want me, why would he? The whore that was Mickey Altieri sluts around campus, why the hell would he want to start slumming it with the resident freak?

He speaks and it is so annoying and thoroughly him, “I was gonna tell you if you want to fuck, we can fuck. But I don’t do… That shit.”

I laugh bitterly and bite out, “Oh, don’t worry. I don’t want ‘that shit’ with you now anyway. God, you’re an asshole, you know that?”

He didn’t speak, eyes still staring down at his clenched fists and his brows furrowed.

“Whatever, I don’t need this shit, especially not from you. Bye, Mickey.” I moved to stand up but felt his large hand grip my bicep tightly, keeping me beside him on the floor. “Get the fuck off me.” I snapped, struggling, but his grip hardened, refusing to let me move.

He speaks louder than he has all afternoon, louder than he should in a library. “Can you just let me explain? I don’t do relationships, Dahlia. I never have. Like, come on! Do I seem like that kind of guy interested in monogamy to you?”

He had a point.

“I fuck, I leave. It’s a habit that I don’t think I know how to break. But you. You fucking get to me and I absolutely hate it.” The words are genuine, and he seems so upset that they are, like he wished that they weren’t true.

I stopped struggling, pausing to look at him in confusion as he continued talking.

“I know I’ll hurt you eventually, and I don’t want to do that. Really, you have no fucking idea how much I don’t want to do that. I’m giving you an out.”

“I don’t want an out, you stupid asshole.” I snapped, frowning at him as his lips twitched in a slight smile at my choice of words. Dick. “You don’t know that you’ll do any of that unless you try. How fulfilling is it, screwing without purpose? Banging and ditching over and over?”

“Very. Very fulfilling, maybe you should try it. That’s all I can offer you.” His smile widened as he took in my expression, clearly feeling me waver just slightly before I shook my head.

“I’m not fucking you just to fuck you, Mick.” I insisted, hoping I’d reach him.

He sighed, he’s falling back against the wall behind him as he finally let my arm go, but I didn’t move. He had some kind of spell over me, I didn’t want to go anywhere.

“So you’ll only let me fuck you if I’m dating you, huh? How long into it can I, a week?”

I scoffed, shaking my head no.

He asked next, tone hopeful, smile small, looking over at me through the corner of his eye, “Week and a half?”

“When the moment is right, maybe.” I told him, my own smile lurking on the corners of my mouth.

“And I can’t fuck other people in the meantime?” He asked with an honest curiosity.

“No.” I say firmly.

He looked thoughtful for a second, his eyes scanning over me in the way I once hated, but now was growing to love. I liked the way he looked at me like I was something to eat, and it honestly made me want to force him to wait even longer before he could touch me.

“Fine.” He said quietly. I pretended not to hear, cupping my ear and leaning toward him with a sly, “Hm? What was that?”

He laughed, grabbing my hand and pulling me close to him, adjusting himself against the wall, so he was face to face with me as he said, with the most beautiful smile I’d ever fucking seen on his face, “I said fine, let’s try it. Let’s date.”

CHAPTER EIGHT HERE

#ITS HAPPENINGGGGG #i love them so muuuuuch #fr like just date already you idiots #hope you enjoy! #scream #mickey altieri #dahlia levine #scream 2 #mickey altieri x dahlia levine #his perfect victim

[livusos]

CHAPTER 11: MIDNIGHT SNACK RUN.

Three days passed, and Amore finally had the chance to edit her vlog. With a grin of excitement, she meticulously pieced together the footage, adding her signature flair and charm to each clip. Once satisfied, she eagerly hit the "post" button and uploaded the video for her fans to see.

The response was overwhelming. Fans flooded the comments section with words of praise and admiration, expressing their love for Amore's entertaining content. They marveled at her energy and enthusiasm, eagerly devouring every moment captured in the vlog.

But it was the glimpses of Raven and Randy that sent the fandom into a frenzy. Shippers went wild, speculating about the nature of their relationship and eagerly dissecting every interaction between the two wrestlers.

Despite the excitement surrounding Raven and Randy, the overwhelming sentiment among fans was a desire for more vlogs from Amore. They couldn't get enough of her infectious personality and behind-the-scenes glimpses into the world of professional wrestling.

Encouraged by the positive feedback, Amore vowed to keep the content coming, promising her fans even more exciting adventures and entertaining vlogs in the future. And as she read through the flood of comments, a sense of gratitude washed over her, knowing that she had found a loyal and enthusiastic audience eager to join her on her journey.

It was around 1 AM, the dim glow of the hallway lights casting long shadows as Amore hurriedly made her way to Raven's room. With a burst of energy, she burst through the door, her footsteps echoing softly in the quiet room.

Raven, who had been peacefully asleep, was jolted awake by the sudden intrusion. Blinking groggily, she squinted in the dim light, trying to make sense of the chaos unfolding before her. Before she could utter a word, Amore appeared at her bedside, wielding a microphone and a camera with an excited gleam in her eyes.

"Raven, wake up! I have an idea for the next vlog," Amore exclaimed, her voice filled with boundless enthusiasm. "We're going on a late-night adventure!"

Startled by Amore's unexpected energy, Raven rubbed her eyes, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. "Amore, it's 1 AM. Can't this wait until morning?" she groaned, her voice thick with exhaustion.

But Amore was undeterred, her excitement palpable as she continued to chatter animatedly about her latest brainstorm. With a mix of exasperation and amusement, Raven couldn't help but chuckle at her friend's boundless enthusiasm, resigned to the fact that sleep would have to wait for another night.

In the video, the scene cuts to Raven, looking annoyed and tired, sitting in the passenger seat of Amore's car while Amore sets up the camera.

"Okay guys, we are going on a midnight snack run because I genuinely couldn't fall asleep for the life of me," Amore whined, her voice tinged with exhaustion as she adjusted the camera angle.

Raven, clearly not thrilled about being dragged out of bed in the middle of the night, spoke up in a tired voice. "So she has to burden me and ruin my nice sleep," she grumbled, shooting a playful glare at Amore.

Amore just rolled her eyes at Raven's remark, undeterred by her friend's grumpiness. "You better entertain our beautiful and handsome fans while I drive," she teased, flashing a mischievous grin before starting the car and pulling out of their garage.

As Amore navigated the quiet streets, she suddenly interjected, "Fun fact: I have driving anxiety or...whatever they call it. I almost said car anxiety, but I don't think that makes sense, does it?"

Raven, barely awake and still in a daze, merely hummed in response. "Whatever you wanna call it," she sleepily mumbled, her words barely audible.

Amore giggled at Raven's nonchalant response, finding humor in her friend's half-asleep state. "This is how Raven is 24/7, sleepy and grumpy, but I love her," she remarked affectionately, a fond smile playing at the corners of her lips.

Raven hummed in response to Amore's comment, her drowsy state slowly giving way to consciousness. Before she could fully awaken, Amore's teasing voice broke through the haze.

"We're going to Taco Bell, so wake your ass up and tell the camera different facts about yourself!" Amore teased, her tone playful as she egged Raven on.

At the mention of Taco Bell, Raven's eyes snapped open, a sudden burst of energy coursing through her. "Mhm, okay, so... uhhh... I'm too awkward for this but... I have like 11-12 piercings currently," she admitted, her voice still tinged with sleepiness but laced with a hint of amusement.

Amore couldn't help but giggle before responding, her laughter bubbling up at Raven's sleepy confession. "I have around 11 or 12, and it might sound like a lot, but we both just have a lot of ear piercings, so like 50% of our piercings are in our ears," she explained, her tone light and playful as she shared a glimpse into their shared penchant for ear adornments.

Raven nodded in agreement, her hand absentmindedly tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear before turning to the camera. "Yeah, I really like ear piercings because they're more painless in my opinion," she chimed in, her voice growing more animated as she spoke. "But I usually don't wear them all when wrestling because someone could accidentally rip them out, and then it's just going to be painful."

As Raven spoke, she tilted her head to the side, revealing the intricate array of piercings adorning her ear. With a wry smile, she acknowledged the practical considerations that came with being a wrestler, even when it came to something as seemingly trivial as ear piercings.

Amore nodded in agreement, a reminiscent smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "I've had nightmares about that, remember?" she remarked, her voice tinged with amusement as she recalled a past incident.

Raven burst into laughter at the memory, her eyes crinkling with mirth. "I literally remember it was like 11 PM, and Amore came into my room sobbing and covering her ear piercings," she recounted between giggles. "That entire week, she kept debating if she should remove her piercings or not. It was the funniest shit ever!"

Amore couldn't help but giggle and playfully pout at Raven's laughter. "Stop laughing! That nightmare was so traumatizing!" she protested, her voice still tinged with amusement despite her feigned indignation. "But then Raven told me to just remove a few when wrestling, and that's what I still do to this day."

Raven's laughter subsided into a soft chuckle as she nodded in agreement. "Yeah, sometimes you just gotta prioritize comfort over fashion," she quipped, a grin spreading across her face. "But hey, it's all part of the wrestling life, right?"

As Amore rolled up to the Taco Bell drive-thru, she nodded in agreement with Raven's comment. "True, but sometimes I do prefer fashion over comfort, woopsiesss," she immaturely admitted, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.

Raven chuckled at Amore's confession. "I think we all know since you always got those damn bows on your shoes, knowing damn well you can trip over them," she remarked with a playful teasing tone.

Amore couldn't help but giggle at Raven's remark, the image of her fashion choices coming back to mind. "Hey, they're cute, okay? And I've only tripped, like, once or twice," she defended herself, her laughter infectious as they continued their playful banter.

Raven almost sounded like a mom scolding her mischievous child, which only made Amore laugh even harder.

As they approached the drive-thru menu, Amore leaned forward excitedly, scanning the options with anticipation. "Alright, let's see... I'll have two stackers, a Crunchwrap Supreme, a cheesy gordita crunch, and oh, definitely a large order of nachos with extra cheese," she rattled off her order, her enthusiasm evident in her voice.

Raven, holding the camera in her hand, couldn't help but smirk at Amore's extensive order. "I love Taco Bell so bad, you guys don't understand," she commented, her voice filled with playful exaggeration as she captured the moment on film.

With their order complete, Amore drove up to the drive-thru window, eagerly anticipating their late-night feast. As they waited for their food, the excitement in the car was palpable, their hunger and anticipation only growing with each passing moment.

When the worker handed over the bags filled with their delicious treats, Amore's eyes lit up with delight. "Thank you so much! Have an amazing night or day..or just midnight actually." she exclaimed, her voice brimming with excitement as she accepted the food.

With their food in hand, Amore pulled away from the drive-thru window, a satisfied smile playing at the corners of her lips.

Amore excitedly took a sip from her Baja Blast, letting out a satisfied sigh. "This is the best thing ever, god!" she exclaimed, the excitement evident in her voice as she savored the refreshing drink.

Raven nodded in agreement, taking a sip from her own Baja Blast. "Absolutely," she agreed, the cool beverage providing a welcome respite from the warmth of the night.

"Where do you think we should go eat?" Amore questioned, her gaze drifting out the window as she considered their options.

Raven hummed in thought before a smile spread across her face. "Let's go to the beach," she suggested, the idea of dining with the sound of crashing waves in the background appealing to her senses.

Amore's eyes lit up at the suggestion, a grin forming on her lips. "That sounds perfect!" she exclaimed, her excitement matching Raven's. With a sense of anticipation, they finished their drinks and set off towards the beach.

Amore let out a small yawn, feeling the weariness of the late hour creeping up on her. "Continue with your random facts!" she urged Raven, her voice tinged with a hint of sleepiness.

Raven groaned playfully, munching on a fry before launching into her own confession. "Well, I absolutely love eating ice like it's AMAZING," she declared, her eyes lighting up with enthusiasm. "One of the best things God ever created, especially freezer frost," she added with a satisfied sigh.

Amore couldn't help but laugh at Raven's admission, finding humor in her friend's quirky obsession. "One time she broke our blender trying to blend ice and do what those damn ASMRists do... it was scary times," she recounted, her laughter echoing through the car.

Raven rolled her eyes in mock exasperation, a fry poised between her fingers as she listened to Amore's teasing. "You just don't understand how good they look when the ASMRists eat them," she retorted between bites, her tone playful yet defiant. "I even ordered a specific blender for it, you hater."

Amore couldn't help but laugh at Raven's confession, shaking her head in amusement at her friend's dedication to her unusual hobby. "Hey, to each their own," she replied with a grin, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "But maybe let's stick to using the blender for more conventional purposes from now on, okay?"

With a chuckle, Raven nodded in agreement, conceding to Amore's point with a playful shrug.

As the camera cut to them standing outside of the car, Amore eagerly stepped into frame, a wide grin plastered on her face. "OOTD!!!" she exclaimed, striking a pose to showcase her outfit. "I thrifted the shirt and shorts," she continued, gesturing to her oversized shirt and pink shorts. "And Raven got me these Crocs!" she added proudly, lifting her foot to display her Hello Kitty Crocs.

Amore then turned to Raven, who had been trying to sneak away from the camera. With a playful glare, she grabbed Raven's arm and pulled her into view. "Come on, Raven, show off your outfit!" she insisted, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Raven let out a groan of protest, clearly not as enthusiastic about the impromptu fashion show. "I just wanna eat," she complained, trying to wriggle out of Amore's grasp.

Amore shot her friend a playful glare before relenting with a chuckle. "Fine, fine," Raven relented, stepping forward to join Amore in front of the camera. "I thrifted my entire outfit, okay?" she admitted, a sheepish grin crossing her face as she gestured to her own ensemble.

Amore rolled her eyes in mock exasperation before letting out a defeated sigh. "Fine, let's go eat now," she conceded, her tone filled with playful resignation as she turned towards the car.

The camera cut to them inside the car, munching down on their Taco Bell feast. Amore wiped her hands on a napkin before turning to the camera with a grin. "Okay, so I'm going to do something Q&A style and read some fan-asked questions y'all sent in!" she exclaimed, her excitement evident in her voice as she reached for her phone to retrieve the questions.

"Although we're both chismosa, I'll start off with the easy questions, so..." Amore began, humming as she read off her phone. "What is your favorite move and why?" she asked, glancing over at Raven, who was still munching on her food.

Raven swallowed her bite before responding, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. "I haven't done this move more than once, so it might make people upset, but I loved doing the RKO so much. Like, definitely one of my favorite moves currently to do," she explained, her voice filled with genuine enthusiasm.

Amore attentively listened before nodding and saying, "Last week you did the RKO so perfectly and elegantly. I wish I could. Last time I tried it in practice, I almost broke all of my limbs," which made Raven chuckle at the memory and nod.

"Anyway, my favorite move is definitely the moonsault!" Amore continued, her eyes lighting up with enthusiasm. "I think this is expected from fans, right? But I just love doing the move!" she exclaimed, her excitement evident in her voice as she shared her passion for the aerial maneuver.

Raven nodded in agreement, a smile playing at the corners of her lips. "Mhm, I'm pretty sure you're currently one of the wrestlers that does the moonsault perfectly. Something like that was said, and fans love it," she remarked, her tone filled with genuine admiration.

Amore couldn't help but giggle at Raven's compliment, feeling a flush of embarrassment color her cheeks. "STOPPP," she protested, covering her face with her hands in a playful attempt to hide her blush.

Raven chuckled at Amore's reaction, shaking her head in amusement. "Amore has no clue on how to take compliments, I swear," she teased, a fond smile tugging at her lips as she gently nudged her friend.

Raven glanced at Amore's phone, scanning the next question with curiosity. "What's the craziest fan interaction you've ever had?" she read aloud, raising an eyebrow in anticipation.

Amore's eyes widened as she recalled the bizarre encounter. "Oh man, I'll never forget this one," she began, her voice tinged with excitement. "So, I was at my first solo fan meet-and-greet event, right? And this fan comes up to me with a giant cardboard cutout of my face. Like, life-size, with my face plastered on it."

Raven's eyes widened with intrigue as Amore continued her story. "And get this," Amore continued, her voice rising with incredulity. "The fan starts talking to the cardboard cutout as if it's me! They're having a full-blown conversation with this thing, asking it questions and waiting for responses. It was... surreal."

Raven couldn't help but burst into laughter at the absurdity of the situation. "No way!" she exclaimed, shaking her head in disbelief. "What did you do?"

Amore grinned mischievously, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Well, I couldn't just stand there and watch, right?" she replied. "So, I decided to play along. I started answering the fan's questions as if I were the cardboard cutout, mimicking its movements and everything. The fan's reaction was priceless."

Raven chuckled at Amore's entertaining story before she began recounting her own craziest fan interaction. "Alright, so there was this one time after a match, this fan managed to sneak backstage and somehow got hold of a pair of my worn wrestling boots," she started, her tone tinged with amusement.

Amore's eyes widened with intrigue as she listened intently to Raven's tale. "No way, seriously?" she interjected, unable to contain her curiosity.

"Yeah, seriously," Raven confirmed with a nod. "Anyway, this fan then proceeds to get down on one knee and starts proposing to my boots! I kid you not, they had a whole speech prepared and everything," she continued, her expression a mix of disbelief and amusement.

Amore burst into laughter at the absurdity of the situation, shaking her head in disbelief. "You're kidding!" she exclaimed, struggling to contain her amusement.

Raven shook her head, a grin spreading across her face. "I wish I was," she replied with a chuckle. "But hey, you gotta hand it to them for their dedication, right?"

Amore couldn't contain her laughter at Raven's story, her giggles filling the car. "That's why you wouldn't tell me where your brand new gear boots went?" she teased, a playful glint in her eye.

Raven chuckled in agreement, nodding her head with a grin. "Exactly," she confirmed, the memory of her missing boots now making sense in light of the fan's bizarre proposal.

Amore smirked mischievously as she posed the question. "Getting a bit spicy with the questions, and this one's for Raven only," she began, her tone playful. "Is... Ravy?" she suggested, trying out a ship name for Raven and Randy, "real?"

Raven's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected question, her expression momentarily caught off guard by the sudden turn in conversation. She glanced at Amore, a mixture of amusement and curiosity flickering in her gaze as she processed the inquiry.

"You're going to get us fired, Amore," Raven said with a shake of her head, a hint of exasperation in her voice.

Amore couldn't help but laugh as she looked into the camera. "Mr. Hunter, Triple H, and Mr. Vince McMahon, I am deeply sorry, and this is simply banter," she stated with mock seriousness, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

Raven rolled her eyes at Amore's antics before responding, "No, whatever that thing is... is not real. Jesus," she said with a hint of sarcasm, dismissing the notion with a shake of her head.

"Well, there's your answer, guys. Ravy is just a figment of your imagination!" Amore declared with a laugh, her tone playful as she addressed the camera.

Raven reached over and grabbed the phone back, a smirk playing on her lips. "Anyway, next question!" she announced before reading the next weekinquiry with a devious glint in her eye. "Is Amore and Dominik dating? The chemistry is thereee," she teased, her voice dripping with mischief.

Amore's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected question, a blush creeping onto her cheeks as she exchanged a glance with Raven."You're so evil for that! But no, me and Dominik are not dating. Not sure where you guys got that vibe from," Amore replied with a laugh, her cheeks still flushed from the unexpected question.

Raven side-eyed Amore playfully before adding, "Everyone, go watch last week's Monday Night Raw!" her tone teasing.

Amore dramatically gasped, her hand flying to her chest in mock astonishment before she turned to Raven with a playful glare. "Game on," she declared, her tone filled with playful competitiveness.

She then turned her attention back to the camera, a mischievous grin playing on her lips. "Now, onto the next question," she said, her voice tinged with amusement. "Are Raven and Rhea finally our first lesbian WWE couple? I definitely sense the fruityness between the two and those eye contacts?? Spicyyyy," she read aloud, emphasizing the last word with a smirk.

Raven let out a loud groan in response to the question, her frustration evident. "Is that all I am to y'all? A shipping machine?" she lamented, rolling her eyes in exasperation.

Amore couldn't help but laugh at Raven's reaction, clapping her hands together in amusement. "But, no, me and Rhea are not your first lesbian WWE couple," Raven clarified, her tone playful. "She's really gorgeous though, ethereal even," she added with a grin, acknowledging Rhea's undeniable beauty.

Amore grinned mischievously, seizing the opportunity to tease Raven further. "Y'all, she said 'not your first,' so could be the second, third, fourth, or fifth WWE lesbian couple... so it's still not confirmed or unconfirmed!" she playfully teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she glanced at Raven.

Raven's eyes narrowed in playful annoyance at Amore's comment, but there was a hint of amusement in her expression. "I'm going to get physical with you," she threatened, her tone mock-serious as she jokingly glared at her friend.

Raven reached over and grabbed the phone, humming to herself before she read out the next question. "Amore and Damian's height difference is so attractive, we need them together," she recited, a smirk playing on her lips as she glanced at Amore.

Amore let out a dramatic whine in response, her eyes widening in disbelief. "That wasn't even a question!!!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in mock frustration. The absurdity of the statement elicited a burst of laughter from both of them as they continued their playful banter.

Amore yanked the phone back from Raven's grasp, a mischievous grin spreading across her face as she scanned the next question. "Hear me out, Amore, don't you think Raven and Cody Rhodes would be a cute couple? Like we all know you're a sucker for aesthetic differences, so give us your thoughts," she read aloud, her excitement evident in her voice.

"OMG YESSSS!" Amore squealed in response, unable to contain her enthusiasm at the prospect. However, Raven was less than impressed, her eyes rolling dramatically as she covered her ears in a playful attempt to block out Amore's reaction to the question. The contrast in their responses only served to heighten the amusement of the moment.

"I am so onboard with this ship, y'all!! I am number one... uh, Rady? Coven? Caven? God, whatever, I am their number one shipper," Amore declared enthusiastically, her excitement palpable as she embraced the idea of Raven and Cody Rhodes as a couple.

Raven sighed in exasperation at Amore's antics. "You're so annoying, I swear to God," she muttered, her tone laced with affectionate frustration as she shook her head at her friend's enthusiasm. Despite her protest, there was a hint of amusement in Raven's eyes.

Raven cleared her throat before reading out the question from the phone. "How's it like being the tag team champions?" she recited, glancing at Amore with a smile.

"Amazing! Luxurious!" Amore exclaimed, her smile brightening as she spoke. Giggling with excitement, she continued, "It's been such an incredible experience, honestly."

Raven nodded in agreement, her expression reflecting a sense of pride. "And well deserved," she added, her voice filled with admiration for their accomplishments as a tag team.

Amore clapped her hands together excitedly, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "It was fun reading your questions today! Definitely send in some more for this upcoming week because I'll do more of these Q&A's!" she announced with a wide smile, her energy infectious.

Raven waved to the camera with a smile. "Bye!!" she called out cheerfully, her tone warm as she bid farewell to their viewers.

Amore joined in, waving enthusiastically as the camera captured their final moments of the Q&A session.

[rawiswhore]

Various WWF Wrestlers- “Calendar Boys”

If in the 80's it was hip to be square, then in the late 90's, it was hip to be trashy.

With the increase in popularity of trashy talk shows like "Jerry Springer", "Jenny Jones", and even "Maury" falling to the trashy talk show craze, to shock jocks like Howard Stern, to trailer trash edgy 13 year old boy music like Insane Clown Posse, Limp Bizkit and Kid Rock getting popular, to tramp stamps adorning the small of women's backs everywhere, yeah, in the late 90's, it's hip to be trashy.

And in the late 90's, something that is notorious for being entertainment for rednecks is gaining popularity again, what is it?

Professional wrestling.

Not only is WCW a wrestling company getting increasingly popular, so popular that for a little while it had higher ratings than the WWF, which was (and still even is) the most famous pro wrestling company in the world, by the end of the 90's, the WWF's ratings would vastly increase more than WCW's, and the WWF was no longer the family friendly WWF you remember from the 80's or even during the majority of the 90's.

It was now very trashy, shocking, redneck-y and influenced by "The Jerry Springer Show", becoming another brick in the wall to add to late 90's trashy shock value pop culture.

However, in 1997, the WWF still had yet to become super trashy and shocking like it would become just a few years later.

There were signs the Attitude era was coming about, what with Brian Pillman's got a gun, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Sunny having sex with someone in an Elmo (yes, the "Sesame Street" Elmo!) costume, and Mick Foley's Mankind character, but the WWF still had some things that year that weren't so Attitude-era like.

And in 1997, WCW still had higher ratings than the WWF.

During that same year, "Ricki Lake" was a popular talk show that wasn't really as trashy and shocking as "Jerry Springer" and "Jenny Jones", but you could add it to the list of trashy late 90's talk shows.

Watching a few "Ricki Lake" shows, they occasionally have episodes involving hunky Chippendales dancers looking men (who probably do work as male strippers) be flirtatious bachelors towards a crowd of screaming, swooning women.

In 1997, there are some hot guys in the WWF, and you even wrote a letter to Ricki Lake telling her an idea you brainstormed while watching her shows about hot men, she loved your idea and loved the male wrestlers you introduced her to.

I'm sure the audience of women and gay men will love this particular show as well.

One day, when there wasn't a WWF "Raw" show to do, you guest starred on a particular "Ricki Lake" episode, and you weren't the only WWF star to guest star on that episode.

The entire audience was filled with women.

"We've had blue collar hunks, rock stars, and men with long hair" Ricki announced, holding a microphone close to her mouth "But today, we've got professional wrestlers!"

Many women in the audience stood up and cheered, though some women were skeptical.

What do these wrestlers look like?

When they think wrestlers, they usually think of big, ugly, hulky men like Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant and Macho Man Randy Savage, men who aren't exactly Shawn Michaels in the looks department.

But not all male wrestlers are steroid induced, even some of the women in the audience watch wrestling.

"However, these wrestlers don't look like Hulk Hogan or Andre the Giant" Ricki added "These wrestlers from the WWF are hunks!"

And the audience will find out.

Luckily, you didn't bring Mick Foley or even Stone Cold Steve Austin to this show.

"Up first, we have a wrestler nicknamed Too Sexy!" Ricki stated "Say hello to Too Sexy Brian Christopher!"

Brian walked through a door on the stage shirtless, his torso and arms oily, which made many women get out of their seats and scream and squeal.

He walked up to this dance music playing in the background and approached the microphone standing in front of the catwalk, standing in front of it.

"I'm Brian Christopher" Brian stated, pointing to himself with his hands and fingers attached to one another a la Buff Bagwell "My nickname is Too Sexy, and I'm Too Sexy to wear a shirt!"

He then began bouncing his pecs up and down, making them "twerk" somewhat.

This immediately got a huge pop out of the women in the audience, standing up and screaming their heads off, sounding like those teenage girls screaming when Jeff Hardy took his shirt off in the year 2000.

He then walked down the red carpeted catwalk, smiling and looking at the women in the audience, trying to be flirtatious, as well as bounce his pecs for the chicks.

He looked like he was having a good time and wanted to be there, though deep down inside, he probably didn't want to be there.

He then turned his body around when he reached the end of the catwalk and walked back down, walking somewhere off of the stage.

"Up next, we have a wrestler maybe you've heard of!" Ricki shouted "Say hello to Bret 'The Hitman' Hart!"

Bret walked through the same door Brian walked through, trying to keep a straight face.

Bret hates trashy talk shows like this, he even hated the WWF's Attitude era, but he has to phone it in and look like he's having a good time.

The women in the audience do recognize Bret Hart, and they got out of their seats and cheered for him.

Bret secretly hates being treated like a sex object, despite the fact he has thirsty women and fangirls fawning for him, even in the WWF audience.

"I'm Bret Hart" Bret stated "You could say I have a fitting last name, 'cuz I make heart's throb and stop!"

His fingers and hands pointed to himself when he said that, he said that corny pickup line like he was trying to be a suave, flirtatious ladies man.

Women in the audience squealed and cheered when he said that.

Bret walked down that catwalk, inside, he was hiding he didn't want to be there, but surprisingly, he was trying to act flirtatious with the audience.

When his turn on the catwalk was done, he walked off and headed for a door, opening the door and walking through the empty space, the door shutting as he walked out.

"Up next, we have a former pro wrestler and boxer who's a complete knockout!" Ricki announced "Say hello to Ken Shamrock!"

Get it? She said "knockout" and he's a former boxer?

Yeah.

Ken walked through the same door Brian and Bret walked out of, and he too, didn't really wanna be there.

But he had to phone it in and pull it off.

Ken walked through the door shirtless, his torso and arms oily and covered in baby oil, not quite baby oil that drips, but baby oil that makes his skin look shiny.

Women screamed and squealed seeing him, throwing their hands up in the air.

He strolled up to the microphone, trying to look sexy and hot.

"I'm Ken Shamrock" he stated, pointing to himself "And you might get lucky with me!"

Get it? Because his last name is Shamrock, and shamrocks, especially four leaf clovers, give people good luck?

He flashed a perfect pearly white smile, which got an immediate pop from the audience, women screaming.

He walked down that catwalk, phoning it in, trying his best to look hot and sexy and look like he's flirting with the female audience, turning his body around and walking down the catwalk once he reached the end of it, only to walk to the left side of the stage, backstage.

"Up next, this wrestler will rock your world!" Ricki announced "Say hello to RockaBilly!"

RockaBilly would eventually become Billy Gunn, the same Billy Gunn from the New Age Outlaws and D Generation X.

RockaBilly strolled through the same door, he had long blond hair this time and dressed in a brown suede vest, cowboy hat, denim blue jeans and cowboy boots, dressed in that same cowboy outfit he wore when he had a match with Stone Cold Steve Austin in April of 1997.

Billy walked on the stage with a huge smile on his face, and he has such a beautiful smile.

As he walked to the stage, he started unbuttoning the buttons on his vest, which made the women in the audience scream.

Once he approached and stood in front of the microphone, he said this...

"I'm RockaBilly" he stated "And I've got a smoking gun!"

You're surprised he didn't do a crotch chop a la D Generation X when he said that, but he did grab onto his vest and shed it off of his arms, showing off his torso and body.

Him saying a sexual innuendo and taking his vest off made the women squeal and scream after that, covering their mouths and pretending to be shocked.

He then strutted down that catwalk, having his huge infectious smile spread across his face and look at the women.

When he reached the end of the catwalk, before he could turn around, he posed a little and took his hat off to show women what he looks like under that hat.

The women screamed even more when he took his hat off.

Thank goodness his hair is back to blond, he looks so much better with blond hair than with that atrocious brown hair he had in May of 1997.

He then turned around and walked down the catwalk, only to hurry backstage.

"Next, we've got a sexy Polynesian!" Ricki stated "Say hi to Rocky Maivia!"

The man who played Rocky Maivia would eventually become the Rock, yes, the same "Can you smell what the Rock is cookin'?", eyebrow raising Rock who would eventually become people magazine's sexiest man alive 2 decades later and have a huge movie career.

Rocky arrived to the stage, thankfully not dressed in those tacky outfits they made him wear in 1996.

Granted, his hair in 1997 didn't look all that good, but the women in the audience really seemed to love Rocky, so much, they screamed even louder when he strolled onto the stage than when the other men got on stage.

He strolled up to the microphone, standing in front of it.

"My name's Rocky Maivia" he stated "And I've got one Rock-y hard body"

His hands pointed down his chest and torso after he said that, which made the women scream and shriek their heads off.

You could nearly roll your eyes at the corny pun he made, even Rocky himself wanted to roll his eyes at what he said.

He strutted down that catwalk, staring at the women, the women wanting to reach out and touch him.

You're surprised he isn't doing his iconic signature "eyebrow arch", that would really make the women cream their panties.

Then again, this was back before he became that cool, suave, trash talking guido known as the Rock.

When he approached the end of the catwalk, he posed a little, looking at the camera, then walked down the catwalk and headed for a door, opening the door and walking through it, shutting the door behind him.

"Up next, aye carumba, this Gunn is a smoking one!" Ricki stated "Give a warm welcome to Bart Gunn!"

Bart marched onto the stage, not literally like a soldier, but strolled onto the stage walking up to the microphone wearing a brown vest, denim blue jeans and brown cowboy boots.

Some women got out of their seats and cheered for him, though the cheers weren't really so loud.

"I'm Bart, and when you hook up with me" Bart said "You can do the Bartman!"

He began to unbutton his vest, and his sexual innuendo got a squeal out of the female audience, and the shrieks coming from the female audience got louder and sharper as he unbuttoned his vest.

When all of the button holes were unbuttoned, he pulled on his vest and showed off his shiny, glazed body.

Women did get quite aroused over him showing his body off.

He strutted down the catwalk, at one woman he smiled at her and pointed his index finger at her as if to do the infamous "fingerpoke of doom", he turned his head at another woman and winked at her.

Bart secretly probably doesn't want to be here, he's a wrestler, not a sex object.

When he posed at the end of the catwalk, he took his hat off and put it on his chest, only to walk back down the catwalk and join the other wrestlers backstage.

"Up next, this man's nickname is the Heartbreak Kid" Ricki stated, which got a huge shriek and scream out of the female audience who recognize that nickname and know who she's talking about, even before he entered the stage "I can tell women are already excited for him, it's Shawn Michaels!"

When Shawn entered the room, dressed in one of those stripper outfits he wore in his 90's heyday, every woman, especially the women who know who he is, quickly sprung out of their seats and screamed, shrieked and squealed their heads off.

These loud screams and shrieks were the loudest "pops" in the room, so loud, the roof will be blown off and Shawn probably might be deaf.

Shawn strutted up to the microphone, acting somewhat like he does when he struts in the WWF arena into the ring.

Here's a fun fact: Shawn actually did appear on an episode of a 90's talk show, "Jenny Jones", and it was an episode titled "My Husband's a Sports Fanatic". The clip of him on that show is even on Youtube!

"I'm Shawn Michaels, also known as Mr. Wrestlemania" he stated into the microphone. "And there's only one time you want me to lose the belt!"

That's a sexual innuendo, can they guess it?

Some women in the audience got the joke, which made them cover their mouths up and squeal, not as if they're shocked, but the same way they reacted to Billy Gunn and Bart Gunn's innuendo.

Shawn proceeded to start rolling and grinding his hips and ass as well as grab onto the vest he was wearing, this made the women scream even louder.

You're surprised women aren't moaning "aaaaaaaaah, aaaaaaaaah, Shaaaawn!" like those women at the beginning of his entrance theme.

Even Ricki Lake is lusting and thirsting over him.

While Shawn strutted down the catwalk, women were trying to grab onto him like he was Elvis Presley or the Beatles.

Shawn was enjoying this attention of course, but he didn't touch any of these women.

They can look, but can't touch!

He was making eye contact with these women, flirting with them, shaking his vest off of his shoulders.

When his turn on the catwalk was over, he then crouched down on the ground and flexed his muscles, doing his iconic "bodybuilder" pose.

Women screamed their lungs out when he did that.

He then lifted himself off of the ground and walked off of the stage.

"Next, we have someone who actually wrestles with his brother!" Ricki stated "Say hello to Jeff Hardy!"

Jeff was someone the female audience didn't really know about, but when he entered the stage, women had their breath taken away by him.

Even they admitted he was cute, but he looked so young, how old is he?

He was barely legal when this episode came out, 19 years old.

Jeff didn't look like that goth raver he looked like at the height of his popularity in the year 2000.

"I'm Jeff Hardy, and I wanna wrestle with you!" he stated, licking his top lip.

You're pretty sure the female audience just got pregnant seeing him lick his lips and say that sexual innuendo.

Women squealed and screamed hearing that innuendo, putting their hands on their faces.

Though, some are skeptical over how old he is, he looks so young, indeed, he was young!

He walked down the catwalk, women were staring at him and screaming over him.

If this was the year 2000, he'd do his iconic "thrust dance" to them, but it isn't the year 2000 yet...

He then walked down that catwalk back to the stage and walked off of the stage, heading to a dressing room.

"Up next, this man is a Connecticut blueblood gentleman!" Ricki announced "Say hello to Hunter Hearst Helmsley!"

When Hunter entered the stage, dressed in a huge velvet cloak and his hair tied back in a ponytail courtesy of a black silky ribbon, women did find him very hot and sexy, many of them screaming and squealing, others were probably lying about his sexual attractiveness.

When he approached the microphone, he put his hands behind his head, untying the ponytail.

"My name is Hunter Hearst Helmsley" he introduced "I love women and I have the biggest balls"

That's a double entendre.

When his hair was untied out of the ponytail, he shook his hair, letting his long, golden black hair loose.

Women squealed and blushed hearing that innuendo, and seeing him let his hair hang down made them cream their panties.

He then grabbed onto the huge cloak he was wearing and shed it off of his arms, showing off his slightly muscular arms.

Women screamed again seeing him shed that heavy looking cloak, their voices are probably gonna go hoarse from all of that screaming and shrieking.

Before he walked down the catwalk, he handed that huge heavy cloak to Ricki Lake, and she could nearly faint.

He proceeded to walk down the catwalk, running his hand and fingers down and through his long golden locks, looking at some of the female audience, looking flirtatious at women.

Some women were trying to grab onto him, but he's yours!

When his turn on the catwalk was over, he walked to a door behind the stage, opened it and entered it, closing the door behind him.

"Next, this one calls himself the Loose Cannon!" Ricki announced "Come on out, Brian Pillman!"

Oh boy. This one is REALLY gonna be a mixed bag, in fact, women probably won't find him attractive.

Brian walked onto the stage, his facial expressions, however, didn't look like he was on cocaine or mentally ill.

Surprisingly, women did find him attractive, and women did give him some cheers, but he probably got the least cheers out of all of these men.

"I'm flyin' Brian Pillman" Brian stated, "I'm a loose cannon who's ready to explode!"

He pointed to himself when he said he's wet and wild, his eyes bugging out and his mouth spreading a huge, ear-to-ear smile, looking like the nutcase he plays in the WWF.

He may as well have pointed to his crotch a la D Generation X after he said that pickup line.

That was really the best pickup line they could give him.

The thing about wrestling is most people should know wrestling is fake, but some people don't believe it and really do think he's crazy.

However, some women really do love crazy people, just look at all the groupies Ted Bundy, Richard Ramirez and Jeffrey Dahmer got, and now we have women thirsting over Arthur Fleck/the Joker.

And...2 decades later, females (both women and underage girls) thirsted and lusted over Dean Ambrose, someone who not only plays a nutcase, but has been compared to Brian Pillman and even looks a bit like him!

Speaking of women, they got out of their seats and shrieked and screamed when they heard him say that, which is shocking.

He then proceeded to stroll down that catwalk, looking at the women and grinning at them, putting his hand on top of his head and running his fingers down through his springy curls, only to turn around and walk towards backstage.

"Next, this one comes from England!" Ricki announced, women shouting "woooooooooooo!!!" before she could even say his name. "Say hello to the British Bulldog, Davey Boy Smith!"

Davey entered the stage showing off his muscular physique, women screamed and shrieked seeing him.

"I'm Davey Boy Smith, nicknamed the British Bulldog" Davey stated "And I'm a horndog who needs to be tamed!"

You were expecting him to stick his tongue out and start panting like a dog, but that's not sexy.

After he said that, he made his pecks bounce up and down, like what Lex Luger used to do.

Women squealed and shrieked (in a good way) hearing him say that and seeing him bounce his pecs, standing out of their seats and cheering him.

He could've said he'd love to do it doggy style with the audience and he may as well, but didn't.

He marched down that catwalk, his fists balled up, looking at the women fawning over him.

Again, they can look, but they can't touch.

Likewise, when his walk on the catwalk was over, he walked backstage.

"Finally, our last one is crossing over from a wrestling company called ECW!" Ricki admitted. "He has a fitting last name, give it up for Rob Van Dam!"

Rob strolled into the ring, dressed in his signature Spandex singlet.

Women were checking out and noticing his ass protruding through his singlet, they were loving his ass and his face.

These women were cheering him, screaming and hollering, getting out of their seats and throwing their hands up.

Rob approached the microphone standing at the beginning of the stage.

"I'm Rob...Van...Dam" he stated, pointing both of his thumbs to himself, doing his signature body language he's notorious for "And I'm the whole...f'in...show!"

He said that while pointing to himself with his thumbs, doing his iconic signature body language.

He strutted down that catwalk, women taking a peek at his ass.

It seems like his ass is what they're interested in the most!

Out of all of these men, Shawn is the one who got the loudest screams and the wildest crowd reactions, of course.

Have you noticed, these wrestlers seem to be in "monthly order" and their name is during a certain month?

Ricki Lake's iconic 90's talk show had an episode involving where women rate these hunks to pose in a calendar, and Bret Hart was the 2nd guy, and the 2nd month of the year is February, which is notorious for Valentine's day, and what's Valentine's day?

A holiday for love and romance.

And his name is Bret Hart.

And the 3rd man was Ken Shamrock, the 3rd month of the year is March, a month that has St. Patrick's Day, a day of celebrating the Irish, and one of the things people think of when they think of St. Patrick's Day is shamrocks.

Plus, some of these men also arrived during their birth months.

Rocky Maivia was the 5th man, and May is the 5th month of the year and when Rocky was born, Shawn was the 7th man, July is the 7th month of the year and the month he was born, Jeff is the 8th man and the 8th month of the year is August (when Jeff was born!), blah blah blah.

That goes for Davey Boy Smith and Rob Van Dam too.

Some wrestling fans who saw this particular "Ricki Lake" episode are probably disgusted by it, turning male pro wrestlers into sex objects.

But if men can look at women in the WWF as sex objects, be it valets like Debra and Terri Runnels, women who are actual wrestlers like Jacqueline, Lita, and Ivory, or divas like Sable, and have these women pose in skimpy bikinis and do bra and panties matches, then why can't women and gay men have the same?

Then again, professional wrestling in general is when two half naked, muscular, sweaty, oiled up men in Speedo's and tight Spandex grope and touch each other, so...

'Tis a shame that Val Venis had to make his WWF debut by next year, he would've been absolutely perfect for this show.

And the Ravishing Rick Rude was in just about any wrestling company in 1997, although dressed in suits and with shorter hair.

He might've been yesterday's news in 1997, but his 80's character would've been perfect for this show, I'm sure women in the audience remember him and swooned over him too.

#wwf #1997 #90s #ricki lake #shawn michaels #hunter hearst helmsley #rockabilly #jeff hardy #brian pillman #davey boy smith #rob van dam #bret hart #fanfiction #ken shamrock #rocky maivia #brian christopher

[happymetalgirl]

Soulfly - Ritual

Max Cavalera and his main project since his departure from Sepultura need no introduction at this point. Eleven albums in, Max's prolific output often seems to go unnoticed, rivialing even the mighty Devin Townsend. But Max's constant outpouring of music through Soulfly, Cavalera Conspiracy, and other side projects like Killer Be Killed does lead to the natural drawback of him being spread so thin that he doesn't seem to really perfect any album he's working on. He just gets it to the level that has come to be expected of him and then moves on to the next one. He's exceeded those expectations a few times like on the tribal nu metal classic, Primitive, and most recently on Soulfly's return to Max's death metal foundations on 2012's Enslaved. But aside from a few stacked gems, the reasonable expectation for most of Soulfly's output has been generally average basic groove metal, especially since the band's move away from their one unique element around the time of Dark Ages: the tribal music influences. Consequently, I'm not surprised that Max opted to tease a return of Soulfly to his tribal roots (slash Sepultura's tribal Roots). It was going to happen eventually, but Ritual feels like such an incomplete reintroduction of that approach, with some of the residual Behemoth-imitation from 2015's Archangel  leaking into this project, and the band only sprinkling a few moments of Roots-esque material in a couple of places. On one hand I'm glad Max didn't just try to lazily rehash Prophecy or Primitive, but Ritual is still plagued by a deep sense of unoriginality, and hardly the concentration of tribal sounds Max had teased.

The chant on the opening title track is something so annoying I can't fathom how Max thought to let this get pressed to the album, much less give it the responsibility of lead single.

Randy Blythe's feature on "Dead Behind the Eyes" really makes the already NWOAHM groove of the song sound like such a transparent imitation of Randy's band.

"The Summoning" is a more tangibly furious performance from the band with some tempo-dynamic guitar rhythms establishing infectious, head-nodding grooves. And with Max reaching into his upper shouting register and the triplet riffing across the song, it sounds almost, dare I say it, Meshuggah-inspired.

"Evil Empowered" is a pretty uneventful death/groove metal standard cut for Soulfly, featuring a perplexing half-committed attempt at the sort of hardcore breakdown Code Orange have made so repopularized lately.

Ross Dolan's feature on "Under Rapture" is perhaps the only thing spicing it up during its first half, as the band coasts through a rather basic triplet palm-muted riff-driven two-section movement until the death metal breakdown of sorts at the end.

The eerie acoustic intro of "Demonized" takes me back to albums like Schizophrenia and Arise. The rest of the song reverts rather quickly back to

The tribal percussion and chanting makes its quick appearance on the first few and last few seconds of "Blood on the Streets", but the thrashy death metal it weirdly sandwiches isn't some of the band's most inspired.

The on-off riffing, quick pull-off soloing, and harmonic accents of "Bite the Bullet" are nice, novel features for the album, but not enough to lift the song's unimaginative structure and the chorus' titular refrain above overall mediocrity.

The last heavy track, "Feedback!" takes it back to the party thrash of 1983, which was similar to the refreshing choice Machine Head made with "Razorblade Smile" on Catharsis, but here it just feels like it disrupts the flow of the album.

As per Soulfly tradition, the cooldown track, "Soulfly XI", ends the album on a serene, instrumentally unique note. Featuring a savory sax lead and soulful acoustic picking backed by hand-drummed bongos and echoed choir vocals, it's a satisfying continuation of the Soulfly tradition that makes sense and good use of the album's title.

As much as I like Max, I wasn't expecting this album to blow me away, and due to some clunky, if not recycled writing it didn't really surprise me. On the plus side, though, Soulfly sound more intentional than they did on Savages, and less copy-cat-ish than they did on Archangel. The production on this album is certainly some of the most flattering Soulfly has had as of late, with the instruments all coming through clearly and highlighting the tightness of the band's performance at high speed. Speaking of respectable performances, Max must be one proud-ass dad, with Zyon making a notably assertive presence behind the kit. I'd say this is probably Max's best release since Enslaved, between this and his other bands. All in all, I'm pretty much just as pleased as I was hoping to be with this one, not more, not less.

#soulfly #ritual #death metal #groove metal #metal #heavy metal #new music #new album #album review

[goarticletec-blog]

Finding safe Haven: Suicide prompts swimmer's family journey

New Post has been published on https://www.articletec.com/finding-safe-haven-suicide-prompts-swimmers-family-journey/

Finding safe Haven: Suicide prompts swimmer's family journey

CARTHAGE, Mo. (AP) – Miracle No. 1: Haven Shepherd wasn’t killed.

Her dad, destitute, desperate and unable to support a child, brought a pair of bombs to their small hut in Vietnam. He strapped one to himself and the other to Haven’s mom and placed Haven, then 14 months old, in between.

The parents died instantly.

Haven was catapulted out the door. Her legs were mangled beyond repair, but she survived.

Her adopted parents, Rob and Shelly Shepherd, have pictures of Haven sitting on her maternal grandmother’s lap a few days after the explosions, on a metal bed against a wall in a hospital that looks more like an Army barracks. The baby is wearing a gold tank top, holding a twig from a fruit tree. Her legs are meticulously wrapped at the ends of the stumps that remained after doctors removed everything below both knees.

Months later, when the Shepherds brought Haven to a hospital in Kansas City, the surgeons were amazed. Often, children whose legs are amputated at a very young age encounter problems that require revisions through the years – surgeries that can be every bit as daunting and debilitating as the original amputations.

Not for Haven.

“They said the amputation was, like, perfect,” Shelly Shepherd said.

It’s one of the many reasons Haven, now 15, developed into an elite swimmer and now has her sights set on the Paralympics in 2020.

Miracle No. 2: Forgiveness.

Maybe it’s adolescent naiveté. Perhaps it’s due to wisdom beyond her years. Most likely it’s a bit of both. But Haven harbors no resentment toward the birth parents who tried to blow her up.

She was too young to remember any of it – not her birth mother who raised her in the early months, not the explosion that propelled her 30 feet out the door, not the grieving grandparents who had her potty trained before she was 2 and took care of her until the Shepherds came.

“This is the dilemma about me,” Haven says. “I don’t feel anything toward them because, in the end, they gave me the best life I could imagine.”

That life begins in a desolate, thatched-roof hut in a remote village in Quang Nam Province in Vietnam.

Her birth family was, by accounts from local newspapers at the time, the poorest in the village.

According to the story told to Rob and Shelly when they arrived to bring Haven back to the United States, her parents weren’t married to each other.

Divorce in Vietnam was taboo, not considered an option. And because Haven’s birth parents were each married to other people and had very little to live on, they felt stuck.

And while the Shepherds reached out to help Haven recover from the unthinkable, the unwanted baby from Vietnam helped heal her adopted family, too.

Two years before Haven was born, Rob and his brother Terry were towing a dunk tank from a company picnic at a rural flour mill in Pierce City, Missouri. As they exited, the truck got tangled on a decorative archway that guided visitors to the party, lurching backward as the tank fell forward.

It landed on Terry’s neck, killing him instantly.

Four years earlier, Rob’s dad died of a heart attack.

The sudden, unexpected deaths of two of his closest relatives – who were also partners in the family’s longtime hardwood-flooring business – shut off a light within Rob. The couple sometimes doubted it could be rekindled.

“He was suffering in silence,” Shelly Shepherd said. “It’s what made it so cool about seeing him on the trip to Vietnam. I could see him beginning to come back alive.”

Before the trip, the Shepherds had reached another turning point.

Though they had six children, Shelly started following stories about orphans in faraway lands who lived in abject poverty. She began feeling an urge to adopt.

“It became the last thing I would go to bed thinking about, the first thing I thought about when I woke up,” she said. “We had to go through marriage counseling. I was like, ‘I want to let this go, but I can’t.’”

Rob eventually, though reluctantly, came around to the idea of adopting a child. But the trip to Vietnam was not for that.

The Shepherds made the journey to accompany Pam and Randy Cope, who sought permission to find a home for Haven in the United States after the story of the baby girl who survived her parents’ suicide made big news in Vietnam.

The Copes ran a foundation to help care for street kids in the country – established following the death of their own 15-year-old son, Jansen – and used their connections to open a path to place Haven with another family.

It was going to be a difficult trip to one of the remotest corners of the country – a journey filled with red tape, government officials and, of course, the emotional handover of the girl from her still-grieving grandparents, who did not have the resources to care for her. The Copes asked the Shepherds if they wanted to come along.

Rob and Shelly remember the trip vividly – from the long motorcycle ride through the jungle on roads that turned into paths; to the swarms of kids who scurried out of their ramshackle huts when Rob pulled out the bag of lollipops; to the rice that Haven’s grandmother spilled onto the porch then quickly scooped up upon their arrival.

They remember the way Haven pressed herself against Rob, at first, sensing he was the one she’d need to win over right away.

They remember sensing, as they held the young girl and bonded with her, a gratefulness that could only be felt, not spoken.

They remember feeling that something was changing.

“We just kept saying, ‘Her adopted parents should be here,’” Shelly said.

One night in Saigon, as they waited at the hospital for Haven to get the shots and medical papers needed for the trip back to America, Haven wore Shelly’s sunglasses and bounced on her knee.

Shelly swung her up high and Haven let out a huge belly laugh.

“I felt something inside of me,” Shelly said. “It was like, ‘Oh … she’s my child.’”

Shelly didn’t sleep a wink on the 38-hour journey from Saigon to the airport in Tulsa, where she and Pam Cope handed off Haven to her adopting parents for the ride to her new home in southwest Missouri.

It was devastating for Shelly.

She had fallen in love with this young girl – nurtured her during the precious moments after her grandparents gave her away, been wooed by the infectious smile and the way she’d charmed Rob and brought him back to life.

“The whole experience had that feeling of, ‘What just happened?’” Rob said. “When we got off the motorcycles, and the grandma handed Haven to Shelly, and she was the very first person who touched her, I knew it. I was in trouble.”

Miracle No. 3: A second chance.

Though the placement family had the best of intentions, it was not a perfect fit. The most pressing issue was that they already had their hands full with a 2-year-old girl at home.

Shelly returned back to her busy life and gave up the idea of adoption. Though they had not considered bringing a child into their house with disabilities, the two weeks in Vietnam changed that. In Shelly’s mind, she had found her baby but was forced to hand her off. No other child could replace that.

It was Pam Cope’s duty to make occasional visits to ensure everything was going well at the adopting home. When Shelly asked her friend how things were going, she noticed Cope’s hesitation.

After several more weeks, the call came. It was Shelly’s birthday.

“She said, ‘I think we need to talk,’” Shelly said.

The Shepherds named her Haven – a name Shelly had long liked, and one that took on a whole new meaning after she and Rob received the toddler in their home.

Next summer, Shelly will bring Haven back to Vietnam to meet the grandparents who gave her away 14 years ago.

Haven isn’t keen on the trip. Her mother feels it’s necessary.

“She says she doesn’t need that, but I tell her, ‘It’s not about you,’” Shelly says. “It’s about the fact that they gave us our child and, for you, you don’t remember the pain in your grandmother’s face. I hold that as a responsibility.”

“I understand all this,” Haven says. “But really, I’m a country girl. I know where I came from.”

With its population of 14,000, Carthage, Missouri is the kind of small town where everyone knows everyone.

Given the long line of basketball and volleyball players, runners and softball stars who came up in the Shepherd household, it was more or less a given that, legs or no, Haven would be an athlete of some sort.

She picked swimming, a sport her parents might have predicted shortly after they met her and placed her in the swimming pool, where they got the first glimpse of a smile that would change their lives.

Haven swims 4,000 to 6,000 yards a day in preparation for a possible trip to Tokyo, for the Paralympics in 2020.

It’s a pressure-packed journey that, at times, can feel overwhelming.

Sometimes, Haven worries about letting down a legion of fans that grows as her story becomes better-known and she and her mom broaden their footprint in the motivational speaking circles where they are in growing demand. Their key message: “It’s cool to be different.”

Sometimes, Haven worries about letting down her family, well aware of the reputation for excellence the Shepherds have carved out in Carthage.

Sometimes, Haven worries about being left behind and not being able to have fun with her friends in Tokyo.

And at times, she is brought back to the humbling reality of how fortunate she is – and how swimming is only one part of her story.

These days, when Shelly Shepherd tells that story, it elicits gasps – sometimes an involuntary “Oh my God” – from the people who hear it.

As her mom gets ready to deliver the gut punch – often to strangers who stop to chat with the friendly mom-and-daughter pair at Walmart, on the street, in the airport – Haven, standing to the side, will sometimes stealthily mouth the words: “Wait for it. Wait for it.”

Once the shock subsides, a beaming Haven assures whoever is listening that she’s doing just fine.

“I don’t think I could’ve lived anywhere else or been raised any differently than how I was,” she said. “I’m a small-town girl from Missouri. When it comes to getting adopted, I got the long end of the stick.”

___

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[randygtalks]

Zack’s obituary

This is the saddest i have ever been. And this is the saddest thing I will ever post.

Our beautiful son, brother and so much loved uncle.

Zachary (Zack) Davis Golden began his eternal adventure Friday, March 9th by releasing the baggage and cares of this world for a new home where his humor, music and gregarious personality will find respite among a heavenly audience. Born October 27, 1989 in Longview, Texas to Randy and Renee Golden, Zack grew up in Sabine.  His blossoming personality and jovial spirit stayed with him even beyond his high school graduation in 2008. His singing talent, humor and infectious smile were his leads, but a genuine spirit and concern for others were his strength.  Never one to judge, he quickly and readily accepted people as they were.  An avid entertainer, he was a DJ and EDM show master of ceremonies who was energized by connecting with his audience.  Known as a great dancer, his love for music was only slightly less intense than his love for friends. Those friends (and few people weren’t) knew him as a fierce and loyal ally.  A natural encourager to anyone in despair or doubt, he fought diligently for his friends’ success, even when they wanted to quit, and often at the expense of his own advancement.  His personality filled a small room or a large hall with equal ease, and acquiring new friends was a lifelong passion. Zack was an adventurous soul, and he loved the outdoors, sharing his findings with anyone and everyone.  He displayed a quick wit, a relaxed air and a voracious appetite for spirited conversation. Left to cherish and celebrate his unique, albeit abbreviated, life of gifts are his parents, Randy and Renee Golden of Kilgore; sister Candace, whom he considered “his partner in crime”; and, the true apple of his eye, his nephew Jude.  Zack’s legacy is also solidified in his love for numerous aunts, uncles and cousins (by blood and by choice). While his family is heartbroken, the numerous memories and notes from so many whose lives were impacted by his presence are comforting.  Everyone will celebrate the powerful space he inhabited, and cherish the place within each of us where he will remain.     We will be gathering to remember Zack at Welch Funeral Home in Longview, TX on Tuesday evening, March 13th, from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM. There is no formal service, but we will have a couple of videos and some speakers around 6:30 PM. Please come and celebrate his life with us.

[auskultu]

New Singles from the Stones, Monkees, Jimi Hendrix

Chris Welch, Melody Maker, 19 August 1967

ROLLING STONES: ‘We Love You’/‘Dandelion’ (Decca). 
A sinister and dramatic explosion by the mystical circle of the world’s pop empire. A meeting of the heads of pop, the Stones and their friends in a heads-back and shouting peal of joy at the freedom of the Stones from their threatened incarceration. At the commencement of the operation that must have blown the recording studio into smoking pieces, comes the sound of a jailer’s footsteps, the jingling of keys and the crash of a cell door shutting.

The Stones and their highly recognisable friends chant the message while what sounds like mellotron, piano, drums and cymbals move to a monstrous, majestic climax like a soul Ravel.

The second A side, ‘Dandelion’, continues with a prettier song, considerably more commercial and once again the Stones benefit from some nice vocal harmonies, and Charlie Watts, if that is indeed the gentleman at the drums, batters with compulsive force that will probably make this the more saleable side.

Each track ends with a segment of the other side’s introduction. Both sides are considerably too much. THE MONKEES: ‘Pleasant Valley Sunday’ (RCA Victor). 
Is everybody happy? The answer, if you are a Monkee fan, is YES! Away with progression, lights, fights and flower-power. Here is pure pop music that requires little effort to assimilate, will sell in vast quantities and will gladden the hearts of Monkee-mites everywhere.

Peter, Micky, Mike and Davy appeal to an age group of fans that is being ignored with almost suicidal results by vast numbers of groups. How can ten-year-old Wendy Potts of Barnsley groove to a 25-year-old acid-bead, with paranoia spurting out of his eyeballs?

With one blow of a Goffin and King song that bounces and sparkles with joy and simplicity the cunning Monkees will once again descend upon us with a mammoth hit. And the mites of Barnsley shall rejoice. JIMI HENDRIX: ‘Burning Of The Midnight Lamp’ (Track). 
Jimi Hendrix is a cheerful chap and so is manager Chas Chandler, and so indeed are all the Experience. So it surprises me all the more the increasing lack of humour, and even fire in the latter day works of Hendrix. From the raw, earthy simplicity of the group’s style when they made their initial impact on London last year, they are heading towards even more complexity, which is not necessarily a good thing. The best passages are when the drums are rocking steady and Jimi and his guitar are cooking. But there is a great deal of the record time devoted to jews harp noises, and other extraneous effects. In three separate build-ups, however, the overall effect is hypnotic, and reaches an interesting Wagnerian climax, with what sounds like Rhine Maidens wailing in the background. But not a smash I fear.

DEAD SEA FRUIT: ‘Love At The Hippiedrome’ (Camp). 
What happens when the New Vaudeville Band meet the Mothers Of Invention? Answer—one of those jolly, topical singles that always emerge during a national craze, be it hula hoops, flying saucers or holding cider and Scotch drinking contests.

Throw in a bit of Mothers-type mumbling at the beginning, add lyrics containing the words “love,” “perception,” “turn on, make the scene,” plus a Denmark Street demo group sound and you have a well-made commercial record, that won’t really communicate with current tastes.

Remember—pop fans have no sense of humour. Well, at least not this sense. TRAFFIC: ‘Hole In My Shoe’ (Island). 
Stand by for one of the biggest hits of 1967! Master Stevie Winwood’s group have presented us with a sound that can only be described as beautiful. It combines a childlike charm with hypnotic strength that will be held in the arms of the chart for weeks on end.

Briefly—there is an elephantlike clodhopping beat while guitarist and composer Dave Mason sings the fairy tale lyrics and plucks a gentle sitar. A mellotron happens in the backing with a pretty flute, and then—surprise, a six-year-old girl intones some verse giving a touch of psychedelic Walt Disney.

The production—by Jimmy Miller—is a minor epic and deserves mass recognition. ‘Smiling Phases’ on the B side is a blues bash by Stevie as an offering to his old fans. It’s all too nice. ERIC BURDON AND THE ANIMALS: ‘Good Times’ (MGM). 
A puzzling song from Eric, who is noted for his strong views and personality, yet appears with what strikes me as a singularly corny record.

Not wishing to be destructive or unfair, I can only own up to being baffled. So what is good about a 1956 pop tune sequence and the sudden insertion of Eric putting on an American’s eye-view of the British accent?

What is happening when a decidedly mediocre production is used to re-launch Eric in Britain, and open up the British MGM label, while a gas record like ‘San Franciscan Nights’ is released in America but not here. Ah, sweet mystery of life. Now there’s a song you can all croon. SWINGING BLUE JEANS: ‘Don’t Go Out In The Rain Sugar’ (HMV). 
Back into the fray come the Blue Jeans with a simple pop tune, with kookie lyrics and an infectious quality that may ensure the return of this long established group into the chart. Listen for pleasant harmonies and uncomplicated backing. A hit—we hope. MANFRED MANN: ‘So Long Dad’ (Fontana). 
Manfred always worries about his singles, then they become hits. It’s quite likely Manfred isn’t worrying about this one and is convinced it will be a smash.

Yet I have the horrid feeling this Randy Newman tune, with its ‘Dancing Bear’ and ‘Dead End Street’ overtones may not prove to be the giant Manfred needs. There is a happy enough backbeat, some rather Billy Cotton Bandshow brass and a good hook-phrase.

But despite all the rumbustious ragtime piano and high spirits, I have the feeling it may not be close enough to the prevailing pop winds to rouse the record buying public from their lethargy enough to go out and start buying records. Pray that I’m wrong, however, as our Fred is always a welcome asset to the bebop scene. THE SMOKE: ‘If The Weather’s Sunny’ (Columbia). 
Fear and dread seized me on hearing this. Was I in fact playing the B side by mistake? But lo, there was the familiar A mark that helpful record companies stamp on their products to help reviewers assess their worth. Having dug ‘My Friend Jack Eats Sugar Lumps’ which should have been a giant hit for the Smoke, I am most disappointed with this sort of ‘Show Me The Way To Go Home’, la la la, doo doo doo song.

#melody maker #singles #45s #7" #rolling stones #the monkees #jimi hendrix experience #traffic #steve winwood #Manfred mann #the animals #Eric burdon #the smoke #1967 #1960s #sixties #60s

[natg1rl-blog]

Unlucky in Love

“Little Black Book” - Chapter 1 Continued.

They say that time passes faster the older you get, and to me it felt as though that had already started to happen at the tender age of Thirteen. It had already been a month since starting High School, meaning that I was already four weeks into the first semester of the new chapter of my life. Unfortunately the situation between Millee and her friends weren’t any better, and I still couldn’t fathom what was said for her to turn her back on me so suddenly, but at the same time I felt as though I had been given a unique opportunity to break away from my comfort zone within the popular girl group, and in turn meet a different type of people. Not to say the back-stabbing didn’t hurt, it hurt like a bitch. The first new friend I made at Varlem Tophett was a girl called Marley. It surprised me that Marley wasn’t part of the popular clique – she was absolutely gorgeous! Blue eyes, blonde hair, olive skin… her entire physique made me envious. To go with her looks she also had an infectious personality. She was nice. Most of the girls who looked like Marley were straight-up bitches, but not her. She was, for lack of a better word, different. The second friend I made was a girl named Sarah. She and Marley were practically attached at the hip. The two of them were best friends, kind of like Renee and I. Both girls knew one another from Primary School. Sarah was tom-boyish and very plain. Mousy brown hair, dark brown eyes and no stand-out physical features, but she did have the ability to float from group to group and fit into whatever social circle was necessary at the time, and I envied that about her. Finally there was Becca. Becca didn’t really have much of her own social circle, and to be quite honest she didn’t seem to care. That’s probably the reason she fit in so easily with mine. Becca was a tall girl, unusually tall. She had curly brown hair, brown eyes and a very noticeable big Italian nose. Becca wasn’t a trim girl but looks didn’t seem to be a concern for her. Becca was very friendly, but also quite forward which came in handy every now and again. She also knew how to rival Pamela, and this I liked. I needed someone like that in my corner; this was a girl I could get used to having around. I suppose this is a good time to mention that I had a crush. 

Boys were always on my radar in Primary School. There was one boy in particular I crushed on probably the entire time I was at XP. His name was Randie Tomns and he was the most attractive boy I had ever met. He had dark hair and dark eyes to suit, but his smile was what reeled me in. He was also friendly, not your typical stuck up ass hat, which I was learning were tones-a-plenty in High School! Unfortunately Randie had eyes for anyone who wasn’t me. In the two years I knew him he went out with two of my best friends and hooked up with my sister… suffice it to say I was unlucky in love. I used to hook up with his friend Gibsen, but if I’m being completely honest it was really just a reason to stay within Randie’s social circle. Even if I couldn’t be with him, I wanted him to be in my life.

Scott Trofs was my first High School crush. Scott was also a very friendly guy so I guess I had a type. He didn’t hang out with the popular group; he kind of did his own thing which was attractive in itself. Scott got along really well with everyone in my friend group and I could see potential boyfriend material in him. He had never given any real indication that he was interested, but he did tend to flirt a bit and I took from that what I wanted to. All of the girls knew about my feelings for Scott but I swore them all to secrecy because I didn’t want to ruin the friendship between the two of us. I was worried that Becca would one day spill the beans because she had a big mouth, maybe even bigger than Pamela’s, but as far as I knew Scott was oblivious to it all. On one of the nights I stayed over at Renee’s we toyed with the idea of calling him on the phone. Renee knew Scott before high school because their dad’s were friends, so it wasn’t so weird and considering Renee had his phone number, it was just too good not to take the opportunity. In no time Renee and I found ourselves down at the phone-box, Scott’s number in hand. It was a busy main-road so I felt as though I was being put under public scrutiny, as though every person who drove past me could see right into my soul. I was standing there bare naked. I had absolutely no idea what I was going to say to the guy, it’s not like I had planned to be in this situation. Before I had a chance to stew on it, Renee had already dialed the number. My heart pounded in my chest, hard!

‘Hi, is Scott there?’ I heard her ask in her very polite manner.

All of a sudden I felt sick in my stomach. I wanted to reach inside and squash all of the butterflies that were invading my intestines. Renee found my anxiety hilarious, so hilarious that she was unable to wipe the grin off her face. She giggled like a school girl whilst I continued to wipe my sweaty palms on my flare leg jeans.

‘Scott? Hi… it’s Renee.’

I couldn’t believe she was talking to him.

‘I’m good,’ she giggled to herself, ‘how are you?’ ‘Mmm hmm. Not much actually, Bella’s staying at my house tonight so we’re just killing time. Did you want to speak with her?’

My heart suddenly dropped into my stomach, murdering every last butterfly that was still fluttering about. Renee handed me the phone. I reached for it with a shaky hand.

‘Hello?’ I could barely manage my words.

‘Hey Bella, how are ya?’ He asked in his ridiculously gorgeous voice.

My heart melted a little.

‘Good and you?’ I felt like it was someone else speaking, I barely even recognized my own voice.

‘I’m okay.’

Cue the awkward silence.

Oh no, I thought to myself. We only just started chatting, how could we have possibly run out of things to say? I could feel my face burning up and I struggled to hold the phone amidst my still sweaty hands. This was becoming a disaster.

‘Say something!’ I demanded with an anxious laugh.

‘Oh,’ he said taken aback, ‘Hi....’?

Laughter filled the connection. Somehow the rest of the conversation flew naturally and was spent talking about Soccer, which bored the absolute crap out of me, and also our mutual annoyance for Pamela, which I quite enjoyed. There were other things too but they all seem trivial now. Scott didn’t want to end our conversation, despite some random impatient lady giving me an icy glare whilst she stood in line for the phone. I felt as though if Scott didn’t know of my feelings for him before, he did now. The glimmer of hope that I had which indicated there could be something between us was officially ignited and I was smitten. I knew there was a chance between us; I just had to work up the courage to do something about it. 

By week eight almost everything had changed. Millee and her group of friends were officially my rivals, my Popularity was a moot point, and Scott was dating Pamela! High school was very different and not at all how I expected it to be. About thirty five days in I received my first slap across the face – that was an interesting experience. There was another girl in my home room who technically fell into the ‘Millee’ crowd, even though for some reason Millee didn’t strike me as the leader of that group. Her name was Hanna and she seemed different to the other girls, she was... nice. Millee had never been the same since the very first day she ditched me out of loyalty toward her awful friends. She would barely even acknowledge my existence which I guess made it easier for her to live with herself. Her BFF Nel was friendly to me, but only when she had to be, and the other girls who ran in their circle followed suit. Hanna was a floater though so it didn’t seem to faze her being part of any social circle that she wanted to, kind of like Sarah. I got along with Hanna, enough to be able to have actual conversations with her that weren’t forced by a teacher or a superior. I saw her at a few Blue Light Discos and she was never too shy to come and have a dance with me and my crowd. None of this stopped her from slapping me in the face though. It was a very early lesson in life that girls can be horrible. So many different rumours went around about me; I often found it hard to keep up with them all. I almost had to adapt to the, ’people are always going to talk about you so you might as well give them something to talk about’ term of phrase. But that wasn’t who I was. I cared too much what people thought of me. Luckily not all of the rumours were targeted at me; quite a few of the Year Eight class had a rumour or two spread about them at some point. Unfortunately for me there was a rumour floating around about Hanna being pregnant. I suspected the rumour probably wasn’t true, I mean rumours generally aren’t, but Hanna was the type of girl to flaunt what her mumma gave her if you know what I mean. Outside of school I don’t think I ever saw her without her boobs out or her midriff showing. A lot of people have the opinion, if you’ve got it – flaunt it, but not so much when you’re a Thirteen year old girl. Ever so joyously someone from my rival group told Hanna that I was the one who started the rumour. Without hesitation Hanna decided to act before even asking me the question. Even after I swore that it wasn’t me who started the rumour, Hanna was accusatory and we never came back from it. She was officially no longer a floater and 100% on the side of the rivals. They had claimed another one. If all of that wasn’t bad enough, I was essentially heartbroken when I learned of the romance between Pamela and Scott. Their relationship made no sense to me whatsoever, not when the two of us got along so well… and I know flirting when I see it. It reconfirmed why I disliked Pamela from the get-go. She knew how I felt about Scott and yet apparently he was more important to her than our friendship. I had to be thankful for the friends who had my back. As soon as the two of them became an item, Becca went out of her way to try and break them up. Not because I still wanted to be with Scott, just out of principle. Now that was a real friend.