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sugaskoffee · 6 years

Text

Seconds | 001

↪ Jung Hoseok × Reader (ft. Jeon Jungkook & Min Yoongi)

↪ Genre: best friends au, one-sided love au, aNgSt, fluff.

↪ WC: 7.2k+

↪ Sum: Being a good friend, you were there to help piece Hoseok's broken-heart. He was just never there to piece yours.

001. 002(finale).

♦

Back when you started out as a high school freshman, you never thought the view of the world could change so quick in your eyes. Never expected the change of heart and the burst of feelings that you only ever read about in books or heard in music lyrics.

But it did. And it all really began in your Junior year of high school; when your heart was still whole, pure and untouched --despite the bitterness you tended to carry around. It was the time when you basked in the fact you weren't as half of the girls in your school were; in love and hurt by that particular feeling. Unlike your good friend -the one you knew since your late years of elementary school- Jung Hoseok. Or as you'd always referred him to; Hobi.

It was usually just the four of you; Leya -your cousin-, Hobi, Yoongi, and you: the quadruple group of friends that grew together in the best and worst ways possible. All the way from elemantary school and up to high school. You all developed a relationship that consisted of nothing but pure friendship and care for each other. The best part was that everyone's feeling towards one another were completely platonic. Or so that's what you had thought.

The first year of high school, when all four of you managed to sneak into a popular high school party, you found Hoseok practically hugging the toilet two hours into the night. He had hurled out all the alcohol that his sixteen-year-old body couldn't yet hold, along with the tears that had been streaming down his face.

You didn't like that party. Not a thing about it. You hated the taste of beer, hated the loud music which gave you a headache, hated the lust-gleaming stares from hormonal boys that you spotted undressing you with their eyes. None of it seemed to be a problem for your cousin though -who was having the time of her life flirting and laughing with a bunch of seniors guys. The party life just wasn't for you.

You were left to regret the fact you hadn’t left an hour ago with Yoongi. That was why, soone nough, you were scouring rooms, looking for Hoseok; to get the hell out of there. Especially since Leya was way too busy having her tongue down some guys throat. Luckily for you, her car keys were in your jacket pocket. You were sober enough to drive home, even though all you had back then was merely a permit.

That's when you came across Hobi. He was on the floor of an open bathroom.

"Hoseok?" you called out gently, shutting the door behind you. "Oh, God. how much did you even drink?"

Hoseok sniffed back a sob. The completely and obviously drunk boy wiped the cuff of his black sweater across his wet lips, before bringing the lid of the toilet seat to a close. His cheeks were flushed from the alcohol and stained with streaks of wet salt. His eyes were bloodshot and glistening with intoxication and fresh tears. "Leya...she..." The boy croaked out, his words carrying a slight slur to them. "Ugh...I'm s-so fucking stupid. This is all so fucking fucked up."

"Hobi," You sighed as you bent down to his level. "Let's go home. You're drunk and-"

"I-It hurts, you know? seeing her kissing someone else." Hobi sobbed. "I...I didn't think it would this much but it fucking hurts.."

His words came out with such a slur that it took you a minute to piece his sentences in correct order. You realized then that Hoseok was most likely just an emotional drunk, but also, because of the liquor that loosened his tongue, he was speaking openly about how he truly felt. That was the day you realized your best friend was in love with your cousin, who, you perfectly knew, never saw him in that light.

Between Yoongi and Hoseok, you were much closer to the mint-hair brood, who was very much similar to you in that way. Funny how the only reason to why you became friends with Hoseok was because of the fact he stuck around your cousin long enough. But a year into middle school, a timid friendship between you and Hoseok just happened from then on. Nothing too intimate nor very close. So seeing his vulnerability like this was still very much new to you.

"Fuck," you muttered, running a hand through your hair. "We...look, we'll talk about this tomorrow, okay? But right now, let's get you home."

You didn't bother to wait for an answer as you slid one hand around his torso and brought his arm over your neck, resting it on your shoulder. Hoseok -thankfully- didn't resist your help and managed to get to his feet with his own power. Yet it still felt like you were dragging him out the bathroom and through the crowded house. As your eyes searched for the front door to exit the place, the plan in your head was to at least get him inside the car. You were just so glad to have Leya's car keys in your possession.

As you took harsh steps and struggled to keep Hoseok from falling over, you couldn't help but let a few words slip passed your lips at a time of huffing and puffing breaths. "God. You're such a fucking lightweight, I swear..."

Despite nearly tripping over the washed out 'welcome' mat outside the entrance door, you managed to successfully drag the drunk boy, who was basically leaning all his weight on your side, into the back seat of Leya's car. After catching your breath and starting the engine, you texted your cousin that you took the car before dialing Yoongi's number. There was no way in hell you were going to drag this boy three flights of stairs by yourself.

How you got home or what happened the rest of that night doesn’t really matter now. Because three days later you and Hoseok finally talked about his little drunken accident; his loose tongue, and when he blabbered about his love and complete adoration for Leya. He admitted knowing that she didn't like him back that way. But being the Hoseok that you knew; he was hopeful. Full of hope, actually. Saying silly stuff like feelings could change or, people can grow to love, and, just need to give it some time.

You didn't have the guts to break it to him and tell him that his hope was just mere oblivion in his affection for her. Or that it was just him not wanting to accept the fact that the person he loved didn’t love him back. It turned out that you didn't have to. A year and a half later, more than halfway through Sophomore year, Hoseok finally got it on his own. When he fully developed into the handsome young man that he knew he was and got more than enough attention from the opposite sex, he gained the confidence to admit and confront Leya about his feelings for her.

Long-story-short, she rejected him without saying the word, really. She laughed it off as a joke, then apologized and told him how much she loved him like a brother. Then avoided him for a while, which then made the gap in their friendship too wide to fix. Feeling guilty, Leya kept her distance from him; not wanting to give him a reason to hope.

And it broke him. It really did. Yoongi and you were there to pick up the pieces -not just figuratively speaking. Most of it was from an underground club at two in the morning, or at college parties that he wasn't invited to. Hoseok didn't say a word about it though. He continued on remaining hopeful, but not without knowing the reality of his situation. That his love was truly one-sided.

Funny thing was...you never realized that yours was too. You were oblivious, really. Even though you watched the person you loved repeatedly break from loving another.

- one year later -

The summer of senior-year rolled around and it seemed too good to be true. There were only four more months until you graduated. You still didn't get why your school postponed the graduation to after summer break, but you didn't care enough to ask. You just wanted to enjoy these last few months before heading off to university.

How you started off the first week of summer break? Over at Hoseok's place, of course. It was sort of a ritual the four of you had; coming to Hobi's place after school or after running errands and whatnot. But Yoongi bailed more often than he showed up and Leya seemed to be 'busy' the past year, so it was just the two of you.

"Want my opinion?" You said as you plopped down beside a very defeated-looking Jung Hoseok. "It's time to get over her. And I mean, one hundred and ten percent over her."

And of course, your conversation would steer this direction.

"I never asked for your opinion," Your friend groaned, his words muffled by the pillow over his face. "Not that it's much help anyway."

You rolled your eyes and pouted the same time. Your heart really did hurt seeing Hobi suffer like this. Suffer because of your cousin. Not that it was her fault. One can't blame a person that they like for not feeling the same way about them. But it's been nearly a year. So many things have changed, yet Hobi still seemed to be going back to the same damn page.

"I mean.. why go on like this?" you said, eyes still glued to the white pillow covering his head. "Especially when she's got a boyfriend now. Officially."

The pillow was swiftly removed from Hobi's face. "Yeah. Thanks for the reminder. It really helps."

You sighed. "Look. I just really think this is your chance to make a decision and get it over with."

"Make what decision?"

"A decision to open your eyes to the other verities of beautiful girls who would kill to just go out with you."

You heard his own dejected sigh and understood then that he really wasn't going to take your advice. "This is why I don't take opinions from you seriously," Hobi said. "You don't get it. I still don't get how you don't get it.."

"What do you mean you don't get that I don't get it?" Gosh, that was a mouthful.

"The fact you've never -not once in the past four years of high school- been in love?"

A frown shaped your lips and you shrugged. "So? I'm still young. I don't want to waste my early years on heart-breaks and useless days of crying and shit."

Hobi was silent for a few beats before speaking. "Maybe that's exactly what you need." He turned himself to look at you with raised brows. "Then again, maybe you have been in love but kept it a secret or something."

You narrowed your eyes at him. "Or something."

The boy just shook his head at your answer and exhaled a long breath. By the look in his eyes, you knew his mind was elsewhere now. "So... Leya's really going to Florida next month?"

"Yup." You nod. Leaving out the part where her boyfriend, Namjoon, was tagging along as well, and that they won't be back until the end of July. You slowly watched disappointment shadow his eyes and pull down the corners of his mouth. "Don't be sad, Hobi.." You said with the intention of lightening up the mood. "I'll still be here most of the summer. Yoongi too...sort of."

"Exactly," Hoseok pursed his lips into a smile. It looked forced. "Most of the summer. You're leaving for two entire weeks of it! And don't even get me started on that dickhead.."

You chuckled, knowing that Hoseok was actually really happy for Yoongi's scholarship to some running-start program that required him to start early, somewhere in the middle of summer.

"Don't be a baby." You rolled your eyes. "We can FaceTime or Skype. Every day if you want." You weren't being serious though.

Hobi groaned somewhat dramatically. "As much as that would keep my mind off of... things. I don't want to take up any of your time with your beloved relatives. Besides," His brows went up suggestively. "I don't want to keep you from finding your true love or something."

"Will you shut up with that already!” You chuckled, whacking him playfully on the shoulder.

"I'm serious, though. Promise to tell me about it when you come back?"

You scoffed. Because you doubted that there was gonna be anything to tell. The only guys you cared to hang out with, besides your cousins, was Hoseok and Yoongi. "Fine." You said anyway. "Then promise you'll try your best to move on from she-who-shall-not-be-named?”

The boy hesitated. "Does that include texting her?"

You nodded. "And getting drunk late at night in clubs."

"Look, no promises, but I'll try."

You managed a small smile. This was progress. "Deal."

And for the fun of it, you stuck your pinky out for him to wrap it around his own. Hoseok only gave you a really weird look before swatting your hand away. You scoffed and swat right back. Both of you started laughing over it before you easily slipped back into comfortable conversation.

Things were always like that with Hoseok; going with a kind of flow that you never had with any other guy -even Yoongi, who was basically another version of you. You felt absolutely comfortable with Hobi even though you didn't count him as a best friend. Every time you sacrificed something for his sake, it was always worth it. Even when things wouldn't always come out as a great result. He was a big portion of your comfort zone and one of the people who pulled you out of the shell you liked to hide under. Everything was simple with Hobi even if it wasn't always easy.

You secretly hoped that both of you'd be friends till you died -even though you knew that wasn't realistic. But it was very strange imagining your life without him in it, really. You got so used to the boy that he became a completely natural part of your life without even you noticing it. And not in a romantic way. At least, not really. No. Scratch that; not at all.

From the moment sophomore year started, you went through a phase of either growing with him or growing apart from him. But through that time you realized that nothing romantic could really happen between the two of you -his heart was in the hands of another, anyway. Which is why you never let yourself go back to thinking that way again; there was no need. So that's what you settled for being when it came to Hoseok; his friend, his safety-cushion and his source of support and friendly comfort.

"Are you doing anything tonight?" Hoseok asked out of the blue in your snippets of conversation.

Your brows furrowed. It was a Friday. "No, nothing major," You sighed and dropped your phone back on the bed. "Just something’s to edit for the school yearbook.."

"Great! You can come with me to this new club down the street, then."

"Hobi.." You groaned. "You know I don't like stuff like that."

"Oh come on y/n," The brunette nudged you in the rib. "It's a new club. I doubt there'll be a lot of people there. Besides, it's your last weekend here before leaving with your family for two weeks!"

"I don't know, Hobi..."

There was a shift beside you and you looked over to see the boy sitting upright and facing you. With a pout shaping his lips and eyes big with mock-plea, you realized that you were going to agree to this. "Y/N, please." He said, "I'm asking you to accompany me. I'm asking you cause I want you to go and have fun with me before you leave."

Your eyes squinted. "What about our agreement of not getting drunk in clubs, huh?"

"Ah-ah-ah that doesn't start until you leave, remember?"

You exhaled a very long breath and looked up at the white ceiling. He was right. "Yoongi will be there too," you heard him say. Admittedly, that made you feel a bit better.

"Fine," You mumbled. "I'll go."

"For real?"

Narrowing your eyes at Hoseok, you did your best to keep your lips from grinning the way he was. "Yes. For real." You said. "But you owe me. Remember that."

♦

You left Hoseok's house right before dinner, agreeing that he'll pick you up around 9 that night. You didn't tell your parents a thing about the club, just texted Leya for advice on how to dress properly. You've never actually been in a club unless it was with Yoongi to pick up Hoseok. You were not planning on getting wasted.

An hour before you expected Hobi's car to pull up by the driveway, your cousin came barging into your room with a rack of clothes hanging from her arms. It was a bit weird since you and your cousin weren't that close; not like you once were. But you didn’t mind this at all. It was nice to get some girl advice in a family of five boys and one girl -that girl; being you. Party dresses, leather jackets, tights, tops, and skirts were what she plopped on your bed and had you try on over and over until she approved of the fitting.

"I don't like this."

"Are you kidding? You look smoking hot in this!" Leya exclaimed, her light eyes observing you through the full-length mirror on your door. "I mean, dude, I didn't even know you had boobs like this until now.."

You rolled your eyes at her. "Look. I just.. feel uncomfortable with how tight this is." Your fingers kept picking and adjusting the velvety material of the black dress.

It was too short in your opinion and smoothed much too tight over the obvious curves you had. Only thanks to the leather jacket, your cleavage was somewhat covered. You've worn dresses similar to this before, but only on occasions that usually came once a year; weddings, engagements, new year parties with your relatives. You liked your clothes to be baggy and comfortable -you practically lived in your pajamas and oversized shirts. This dress was neither of those things.

"Well get used to it," Leya told you. "This is how most of the population is dressed when out clubbing."

You exhaled, giving yourself a last once-over in the mirror. Yeah, sure, you liked the way you looked, you just didn't feel like yourself in the outfit, that's all. You kept your makeup minimal; a winged eye, concealer, strawberry flavored chapstick and mascara. Your short hair was neatly ironed and framed your face. You were technically ready to go. You hated it though; feeling all prepped up and shit.

The thought of calling Hoseok and telling him you weren't going had crossed your mind many times, but you didn't let yourself ponder over it. You told him you would go. It wouldn't be very friend-like to back out now.

"Hobi's picking you up soon, yeah?"

In the mirror, your eyes averted up at your cousin. "Yeah. Thirty minutes, I think."

She nodded, ringlets of caramel hair bobbing on her shoulders. "Great! So it looks like I'm all done here," She said, "You can keep the dress. But do return the jacket after the trip.."

You scoffed. "Well duh." Folding arms over each other, you turned from the mirror and faced Leya, watching her gather the rest of her clothes into your large, green tote bag. "I really wish you were coming.."

But even as you said those words, you knew how downhill that whole scenario would play out. Leya knew it too, which was why she didn't bring it up. As always.

Amused, she glanced over at you while hiking the stuffed bag up her arm and onto her shoulder. "Don't worry cousin. You'll be just fine without me." Leya said as she walked over to you. "Just let go, be yourself and have fun. If anything, I've got you covered with Auntie."

You haven't realized that her hand was clasped on your shoulder in a supporting manner until you felt the weight of it lift. "Thanks, Ley." You told her. "You off to Namjoon's?"

Her grin was radiant as the look in her eyes. "Yup! He promised me Vegan ice cream and a Star Wars marathon."

A sigh left your mouth. "Where can I find myself a Namjoon, huh?"

You shared a giggle with her before wrapping arms around shoulders in a brief hug. Leya was much shorter than you now that heels propped up your feet. She peaced-out shortly after and you plopped back down on your bed and played with your phone -until a text from Hoseok forced your ass to get up. You took your time heeling your way down the stairs and into the passenger seat.

"Smells good." Were Hoseok's first words as you shut the door.

"My brother’s old cologne." You said, clipping the seat belt around you. "He threw it away before moving out and I took it."

Hobi chuckled and the car got into motion then, smoothing out of your neighborhood. "Geez, you're that broke? I need to get you some lady perfume on your birthday."

Lips twitching up, you rolled your eyes. "Funny. Do you even remember when my birthday is?" Hobi had trouble keeping up with birthdays ever since you knew him.

"Erm... December...something?"

"November 18th." You replied, amused. "But close enough."

He chuckled, somewhat embarrassed. You glanced at him and let your gaze linger. His hair was gelled up, seeming much darker. His neck hidden behind the collar of a white button-up, and a leather jacket worn over it. You were surprised at how good Hoseok looked. Sure, he was generally a good-looking guy, but tonight, in particular, he seemed to be more than just attractive. You convinced yourself it was cause of his outfit.

"I look good don't I," He spoke up, smug voice interrupting your thoughts.

"Hmm?"

"That's why you're staring like a creep."

Scoffing out a laugh, you directed your gaze out the window again. "I was going to comment on the fact we have matching jackets, actually."

"It's okay, babe. I know you secretly love me."

"Are you high already?"

Hoseok laughed and sent a quick wink your way. You shook your head and turned up the current song playing. The traffic light turned green again, and the car was wheeling into a dark-lit property.

♦

"Are you sure you don't wanna dance again?" Jungkook yelled over the music.

"Very sure!" You yelled back, nodding. With two hours into the night, you got tired of doing just that. "Oh! Hey- if you find Hoseok, tell him I was looking for him!"

With a grin, the black-haired boy nodded and waved off back into the dance floor. He wasn't going to actually do it, was he, your tipsy-self realized.

Your legs were sore. But you didn't know just how sore they were until you took a seat on the fancy, red-cushioned couch that had a fancy table in the middle; It was cluttered with nearly every bottle of alcohol and snack plate you've seen on the menu.

Hoseok lied about one thing though, this new club had way more people than he led you to believe there would be. But since his club-buddies dragged both of you to sit with them in the VIP section, it wasn't as bad; less crowded too.

The first thirty minutes in the club you hadn't known where to put yourself in the heated, loud, dim-lit place. But after the first hour, you were enjoying everything very much. Most of Hobi's friends weren't completely overboard or wild as you expected. Two of them, in particular, were insanely hilarious actually. Especially Jungkook; the youngest of them all; merely two years older than you. You shed your leather jacket just as quick as you dropped your sober state. Despite grimacing at the taste of alcohol, you smiled at the feeling of carelessness it put you in.

You danced, sang, laughed, drank, and socialized with people you did and did not want to socialize with. By a quarter of the second hour, your stilettos came off and the sobering part of your mind decided it was best to sit and rest the blisters that formed on the heel of your feet.

No one else was seated at your table when you nudged your way over to it, and you were grateful for that. You needed some time to yourself. After watching Jungkook disappear into the crowd of bopping people, you rested your head against the back of the cushioned seat and exhaled. The smell of mixed perfumes, marijuana, and sweat began to nauseate you. The velvety heat of the couch wasn't helping either. As your heart rate slowed to a steady pace, you wondered where the hell Yoongi was; you haven't seen him once throughout the night.

Your eyes jerked open the minute a body was scooting your ass further into the small U shaped couch. You were ready to protest until you saw Hoseok's features. Dropping your tense posture, you easily let him take the edged seat and sat upright. The brunette was grinning cheek to cheek, sweat glistening down his temple, blue and purple shadows fell on his skin from the hue of the party lights that flashed over the dim room.

"And who are you running from?" You teased, eyes taking in his damp hair.

His jacket was long gone and a few buttons of his white shirt were undone. Besides that, Hoseok was glowing, his dark eyes bright with adrenaline. The boy chuckled a bit breathlessly and looked over at you. "My very hot dancing partner." He said.

"Wow, really?" You raised a surprised brow. "Why though?"

"Found out that she was engaged. Bachelorette party."

Another spur of laughter escaped your mouth and shook your shoulders. "Well damn. So what, she chased you after you told her off?"

The boy scoot closer. "Something like that."

"Ha! Definitely not your night.."

Hobi just shrugged, grinning. "I wouldn’t say that." He said with drunk enthusiasm. "You seem to be enjoying yourself, though."

"I am enjoying myself!" You grinned back, much wider. "Surprisingly. I didn't expect clubs to be this fun."

"See? I told you!" He said. "Now, where’s my thanks?"

"In your dreams."

Hoseok just looked at you. It seemed as if he was about to say something witty, but stopped. The hazy look in his eyes matched yours and you couldn't get why he didn't stop this intense eye stare. "What?" You said. "Why are you looking at me like that? Do I look that fucked up?" You honestly hoped you didn’t look as tipsy as you felt.

Hobi surprised you with a laugh and shook his head. He leaned in, lips brushing the shell of your ear. "You look really beautiful tonight, actually." He said. "The dress.. suits you really well."

That's right, you had your jacket off. Which meant your cleavage; out on the open. Yet you were too intoxicated to care at the moment.

Your natural instinct was to roll your eyes, push Hobi away and hide the blush that colored your cheeks. But something in you simply let the heat flush up your neck shamelessly as a smirk shaped your lips. You didn't bother to move away. You were about to thank Hoseok for the compliment, but the feel of his lips lightly brushing a spot just below your earlobe had your tongue swallow whatever word that was about to come out of your mouth. His breath was hot and paced unsteadily against your skin. It was distracting.

"Mmm, you smell so good." He said hoarsely, lips wet and warm as they feathered down your jaw. You did nothing to stop him. "Is.. this okay?"

No, the rational part of your mind told you, pull away, you'll only regret this tomorrow. This isn't what friends do. You decided to listen to the buzzed state of your mind instead, the part that thought based on how much alcohol you consumed; "Y-Yes," You breathed out. "More than okay."

That's when Hoseok's hands slipped around your waist and you were being pulled toward him, making the gap between the two of you non-existent. His mouth and tongue continued working up and down your neck and jaw as his hands roamed your body fervently. The groans and growls that escaped his throat had you press yourself even tighter against him.

The two of you were nothing but drunk minds that took immense pleasure in each others’ bodies. And, despite the faint protests coming from the back of your head, you didn't mind it. Not at all. His lips felt really good, and you couldn't find the will or reason to pull away. You were drunk beyond normal sanity, yet still well aware of what you were doing. His touch blurred some lines for you, but you found yourself wanting exactly that.

Why not? You asked yourself as Hoseok's mouth reached yours. Just plain fun, you told yourself as your tongue slipped between his open lips. That mantra in your head propelled your legs to slide up to Hoseok until your thighs closed over his and you were comfortably seated in his lap. Your arms snaked around his shoulders and neck, your hands running through his damp hair. Your mind was nothing but a fuzz, and you grinned between wet kisses.

Hoseok's soft hands brushed over your spine and groped your ass. You moaned loud enough for his fingers to slowly slide down your mostly naked thighs and beneath the fabric of your cousin's dress. Gasping, you detached your lips from his. You gazed down into his hooded eyes, hot breaths matching his own.

"I..." You breathed. Besides Hoseok, everything around you was a pulsating blur. "Don't you.. think this is, uh, wrong?" Yet you were smiling as you spoke.

His lightly-swollen lips stretched into a lazy smirk. "Why would it be wrong?" His face inched up closer to yours, noses brushing. "I mean- I don't know. I just don't know why I haven't kissed you sooner-"

You had an answer to Hoseok's comment, but you let it die on his tongue. His lips kissed yours with lusting passion, your hands slid down his chest. If it wasn't for the music and crowded noise, you wouldn't have stopped your fingers from undoing all the buttons of his shirt.

"Babe, you feel so good.." Hobi moaned in your mouth as he pulled your hips right against his groin. You smiled mischievously.

It seemed as if you were caught in a fog and whatever happened, happened. You let your fleshly desires take over the wheel of your sober senses, not looking beyond anything but what felt good at the moment. You didn't fully comprehend why you let your good friend kiss, suck, and fell you up. You found him attractive -sexually enough- so you let it happen. But boy, did you wish for it to keep going.

Your lips got working their way down Hoseok's jaw, sucking hard on his neck. His groans sounded clear in your ears but were soon interrupted by a buzz against your inner thigh. It took you a long second to realize someone was calling his phone, which was hidden in the pocket of his jeans. It seemed to bother only you.

"You should answer that," You pulled away.

"Not important," Hoseok said, chasing your lips with his. You let him distract you again. The buzzing stopped. But the second time it started up, you couldn't ignore it. Even in your buzzed state.

Hoseok sighed before fumbling his pocket, frustrated. Yet his expression changed the second he looked at the screen of his phone; eyes rounding and shoulders tensing. "Leya?" He breathed. "Hold on... I gotta get this-"

You let him slip away from under you and watched him walk toward the bathroom hall. Blinking, you only then let everything sink in. And, by a sudden clarity of mind, you realized that no matter what, you were always going to come in second place after your cousin. Even realizing that made you sick because you shouldn't have cared in the first place. Folding your legs beneath your butt, you figured that you probably shouldn't have made out with Hoseok in the first place. Oh hell. Fuck. You needed to leave. You needed to get home.

After searching the couch for your jacket and heels, you swiftly stood up, pulled down your dress and clumsily made your way out of the VIP section and into the much more crowded area. The back of your hand kept rubbing your mouth as if it would erase the past however-many minutes; as if it would erase the fact you heavily made out with a person you shouldn't have crossed that line with. In the rush, your blurred eyes looked out for the exit. You ended up bumping into Jungkook instead.

"Whoa, hey! What's the hurry, princess?"

"I-I need to go home. I mean- ugh. Just please tell me where's the exit.."

"Okay, hold up," Jungkook said, and you were being pulled away from heavy noise into a less-crowded corner. "What happened?"

You rolled your eyes and a prickle of a headache arose. You hated the feeling of sobering. "Nothing happened, I just had a lot to drink and I need to- I want to leave. Right now."

"Okay, okay." Jungkook's hands closed over your shoulders. "I'll just go find Hoseok-"

"Don't." You said, much too loudly. Then rushed to explain, "He's.. erm, busy."

"Ahh, got it." The boy nodded. "Just wait here, I'll call you a taxi."

An idea sparked in your head. "Actually.. can I borrow your phone for a sec?"

♦

You waved away Jungkook once he helped you to the exit doors of the club. Ten minutes after that, you climbed into the passenger seat of Yoongi's car. A strong headache tremored through your brain. Yoongi grumbled something your way, and you groaned.

"What?" You asked again, not liking how the world seemed to come down from your high.

"How the fuck are you drunk? And why couldn't Hoseok take you back himself?"

"I am not drunk." You muttered into your open palms. They smelled of Hoseok's spiced cologne and hair gel. You whined.

"Sure you're not." Yoongi scoffed beside you. The car sped up. "Pathetic. How did that happen, again?"

"Shut up. I just wanna sleep."

"Even when drunk you're a pain in the ass.."

Exhaling, you forced yourself to look over at the blonde, head still pounding. "Sorry, I'm just... really tired. I regret enough as it is so I don't need a lecture." You told him, swallowing your dry throat. "I'll pay you back tomorrow.. promise." Your eyelids felt really heavy all of a sudden, and the buzz that spun your vision helped tune out thoughts of Hoseok. You held back another wince.

"It's whatever, really." Yoongi sighed. Then, "Leya's place, right?"

Closed eyes, you nodded. "Yeah." You murmured. "Thanks."

You were sure Yoongi said something else, but you didn't pay attention -nor remember what his words were. Your mind was already tangled in a state of heavy unconsciousness. A blanket of deep sleep went over you and the next time your eye-lids split open were due to the sun blazing into your face.

You groaned out loud and twisted your body away from the source of light. Soft sheets and pillows met you and you hated that you were woken up. A deep voice spoke behind you, making you bring the covers beside you over your head.

"Yeah, I know. Please do. No, she's up now, so ... okay. Bye."

Footsteps padded until they didn't. Just when you thought they walked out of the room, something heavily-stuffed hit the side of your head and bounced off onto the floor. Groaning, your eyes snapped open as you sat up abruptly. Through a sleep-laden gaze, you saw Yoongi stand at the end of the bed with his arms crossed over his chest, a blank expression formed his features. You squinted, unhappy at the light in the room.

"What. the. hell?" You muttered before plopping back down in the sheets. Your head pulsed with an overbearing headache. You hated how bright everything was. You hated the acidic taste in your mouth. You felt a strong need to take a bath in Clorox and brush your mouth with cleaning products.

"Get up. Leya's on her way here to pick you up."

"Fuck off, asshole."

"Hey don't take your hangover out on me," Yoongi said, his scowling voice sounded closer. "Not my fault you got shit-faced."

Your eyes peeled open with much effort and pain. The blonde was standing over you with an amused-looking grimace on his face. You groaned even louder and covered your face with both hands. Nothing was making sense to you at the moment; you weren't fully awake to deal with this yet.

"Why are you even here?" You mumbled into your palms.

There was a huff. "Because I live here. Why else would I put myself through all this?"

"What.. what are you even talking about? You dropped me off at Leya's place yesterday."

"She wasn't home. And I didn't feel like explaining shit to her dad, so I just brought you back to my place."

You would've said thank you, but the only thing that popped into your head was the fact that Yoongi shared a flat with two other guys. One of them being Jung Hoseok. A strange fear-like adrenaline grasped your body at that realization. It pinched you out of your sleep and knocked air out of your lungs in a gasp. Sitting up, your eyes were wide open and everything from last night was coming back together in your mind like a puzzle piece.

"Oh my motherfuckinghell." You groaned.

"Okay then. I'll leave you at Leya's doorstep next time.."

Elbows propped on your knees, your fingers raked through your hair anxiously. "No, it's not-" you paused, lifted your head until your eyes met Yoongi's confused ones. "Did Hoseok come back already?"

The blonde furrowed his brows. "Yeah. Like at three in the morning or some shit. Why?"

"Is he awake?"

"Not more than you are."

Relief filled your chest. "Oh thank goodness.."

"You're acting weird. Go wash up. I'll be in the kitchen."

The minute Yoongi shut the door behind him, you practically jumped out of bed and skipped toward the bathroom. You didn't bother speculating why you only had a bra and underwear on. You just shed those pieces of clothes and hopped in the shower. Cold water hit your skin and you felt more awake than ever. A headache still pulsed loudly in your head but you ignored it. You needed to leave before Hoseok woke up, or found out that you were here. Thankfully, you managed to do that successfully.

The second you heard your cousin's car pull up outside the building, you didn't even let her get past the front door. With heels, a bag and jacket in your grasp, you waved goodbye to Yoongi, who could've cared less, and mentally sent a thanks to God that you haven't run into Hoseok.

Leya was very confused with your frantic-self. "Y/N, what happened? I've been trying to reach you all night." She said as you buckled up.

You just told her to drive faster. The feeling of shame weighed heavily on your shoulders and you had a strong need to distance yourself from everyone. The second time Leya asked, her car was already parked outside of your house. And despite how crappy you felt about everything, you needed to let it out. Otherwise, your mind would've led you to insanity.

A shaky sigh went past your lips and you voiced out words through a clogged throat, "I -oh God- Ley, I did.. something I really shouldn't have."

"Drugs?"

"What? No!"

Her brows furrowed. "Lost your virginity when drunk?"

"No! I- well.. it was sort of like-"

"Sort of? I don't get how is that-"

"I made out with Hoseok, okay!?" You blurt out in frustration. "A lot. And if it wasn't for the call he got, I don't know if I would've stopped, and- ugh, I feel like complete crap about it!"

Silence held the air for a few beats. Your gaze remained on your clasped hands; fingers fidgeting nervously against the back of your hands. Leya let out a deep breath beside you. "Well damn, y/n." She said in surprise. "I mean- wow, how did it get to that?"

You swallowed, throat like sandpaper. "I don't know. All I remember is having a few drinks, dancing, then talking with Hoseok. Then...then he leaned in and it just happened."

"Did you.. want it to happen?"

"No! I mean- I didn't expect any of it at all. It was all an in-the-moment kind of thing."

"Y/N," Leya said. "..You have feelings for Hobi, don't you."

Your eyes rounded and heartbeat elevated. The words out of her mouth seemed much too ridiculous to even consider a fact. Only, you couldn't find it in you to really deny any of it. "That's just- no. Hoseok is my friend. And I was drunk-"

"Y/N, no one would kiss someone that they only saw as a friend, no matter how drunk they got. Trust me.."

"This is stupid." you shook your head, unbuckling your seat belt. "I really need to sleep this off." A hand wrapped around your wrist as you reached for the door handle. Leya's light eyes met yours.

"Why is it such a bad thing to realize that you've fallen for him?" She asked.

There were many reasons that came to your mind. One being that Hoseok was still, not yet, over her. But why were you even pondering over this? You haven't actually fallen for him. It was all in the heat of the moment. You didn't believe that missing the boy is what made whatever feelings you have for him, surface. It was all in the heat if the moment -that was what you needed to convince yourself of by the end of the day, and these weird feelings will vanish eventually.

"Look, I'm really tired, Ley." You sighed, opening the car door. She didn't stop you. "My hungover brain just needs some rest and this dilemma will go away."

Your cousin only pursed her lips as if she knew something you didn't. "Okay," she said. Though you knew she wasn't convinced. You were glad she didn't push it. After waving you off with a meek goodbye, you watched her car drive off from your living room window. Without even wondering about your parents, you dragged your fatigued body up to your room and curled it under your sheets. Eyes closing tight, you forced memories of Hoseok's lips out of your mind.

♦

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moneypedia · 4 years

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Nutritionist Karen Fischer's daughter had severe eczema and avoiding 'the itchy dozen' changed their lives. Now her daughter is eczema-free and Karen recently spoke about The Itchy Dozen Worst Foods for Eczema on prime time news (watch the video "breakthrough diet for eczema" at the end of this article).

This article includes the following:

The itchy dozen worst foods for eczema (plus scientific referencing at the end)

Natural ways to treat eczema

Photos and success stories

Further resources for people with eczema.

This article was written by Karen Fischer, and it is an edited extract from Karen's eczema books:

The Itchy Dozen Worst Foods for Eczema

People are often surprised to find the Itchy Dozen includes some of the so-called 'good' foods for eczema. I know the Itchy Dozen contradicts some popular beliefs published in online blogs. However, according to Australian research conducted over the past thirty years, these foods could be the reason your skin is dry, flaky and incredibly itchy (ref: Loblay and Swain).

I've seen this information help hundreds of so called 'hopeless' cases of eczema. People who have had eczema for 20, 30 or 40 years and more, who thought they were stuck with eczema for life, are seeing their eczema clear up for the first time. It can really change lives but it requires a change in beliefs about healthy eating. This quote sums it up:

"One man's medicine is another man's sleepless night itching."

So a food that is good for an eczema-free person, such as avocado, could trigger a bout of maddening itching in another person.

Not counting allergy foods (as these vary), here are the surprising foods and beverages most likely to give you itchy eczema ...

1. Dairy products

Dairy products, including cow’s milk, yoghurt, butter and cheese, are the second most common allergy food seen in eczema sufferers (after egg).

Dairy products can also cause damage to the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. When the gut lining is damaged from eating dairy products, tiny holes allow larger food particles to enter the body and allergic reactions and sensitivities can result. Naturopaths often refer to this as 'leaky gut' and the medical term doctors use is 'increased intestinal permeability'.

Yoghurt is particularly bad for eczema as it often contains added sugar, fruit flavourings, amines (histamines from fermentation) and a natural colour called Annatto (160b) which can trigger eczema.

Calcium deficiency can cause eczema

It's important to take a calcium supplement (instead of consuming dairy products) as calcium deficiency can contribute to eczema, and the eczema will not improve until this deficiency (if present) is corrected.

I like to prescribe a pure, fine calcium powder with added magnesium and glycine as these nutrients promote a good night's sleep, which eczema sufferers often lack.

If you are itchy, one heaped scoop of Skin Friend PM mixed into water or food will quickly calm down the itch.

2. Grapes

If you have eczema or asthma, avoid grapes and grape-products such as wine, sultanas, raisins and grape juice. Why? Because grapes are a “triple threat” as they are a very rich source of three itch-promoting chemicals called salicylates, amines and monosodium glutamate (MSG) which are known to worsen eczema (Loblay and Swain 2006).

Salicylates are a natural pesticide made by many fruits and vegetables, and it's also found in aspirin, perfumes, herbal medicines and baby teething gel.

Instead of grapes, eat peeled pears as they are a low-salicylate eczema-friendly alternative.

3. Oranges

Oranges and orange products including juices have similar properties to grapes as they are a strongly acidifying fruit, and a rich source of two itchy chemicals: salicylates and amines.

36% of eczema sufferers experience a worsening of eczema symptoms when they eat amine-rich foods such as oranges. (Loblay and Swain 2006).

4. Kiwi fruit

Kiwi fruit can make you itch like mad as it is a strongly acidifying fruit and a rich source of salicylates and amines which commonly trigger eczema.

Did you know food chemical intolerances can take days to appear? After you have eaten an irritating food such as kiwi fruit, reactions can either be immediate or the next day but they can also occur up to three days later. No wonder people are confused about food intolerances.

5. Soy sauce/tamari sauce

Soy sauce is very rich in amines and MSG (both natural or artificial), so they can trigger eczema and other types of skin inflammation.

35 percent of eczema sufferers experience a worsening of eczema symptoms when they eat glutamates including MSG (Loblay and Swain 2006).

6. Tomato

Tomato and products containing tomato including tomato ketchup and spaghetti Bolognese, are another triple threat as they are very rich sources of salicylates, amines and natural MSG. The three worst chemicals for triggering eczema!

7. Avocado

We have had hundreds of reports from eczema sufferers who say avocado worsens their eczema.

While avocado is a healthy addition to your diet when you don't have eczema, avocado is one of the richest sources of amines and itch-promoting salicylates.

8. Broccoli

This tip may surprise you but it could save you years of pain. Broccoli, spinach, silverbeet and kale can worsen eczema symptoms because they are another 'triple threat' - all are rich sources of itch-promoting salicylates, amines and natural MSG. That's why we like them so much... MSG is highly addictive.

I'm not saying these foods are bad, just problematic while you have eczema, if you are sensitive to salicylates. But you won't know if you are sensitive to salicylates (or amines or MSG) until you avoid these foods for a couple of weeks, then test them again.

In the meantime, eczema-friendly alternatives are the greens that are lower in salicylates and these include green beans, iceberg lettuce and celery to name a few.

Tip: after your eczema has disappeared, gradually expand your leafy green intake.

9. Dried fruits

Dried fruits contain a range of problematic chemicals - you could say they are a quadruple threat as they can contain salicylates, amines, MSG and sulphites!

All types of dried fruits including dried apricots, dates, prunes and sultanas, contain high levels of itch-promoting salicylates and amines, and some also contain the preservative sulphur dioxide and natural MSG which is why they are flavoursome. But they will make you itch like mad.

So skip the dried fruits in cereals, avoid muesli bars and ditch the dried fruits in your child's lunch-box.

More than 50 percent of people with eczema react to preservatives which are common in dried fruits, and their eczema symptoms worsen as a result (Ref: Loblay and Swain 2006)

10. Deli meats

Deli meats including sausages, ham, bacon and flavoured meats, to name a few, are high in nitrates, flavour enhancers and saturated fats, which can worsen the itch of eczema.

Nitrates triggers eczema symptoms in 43 per cent of eczema sufferers (Loblay and Swain 2006).

But it's not all bad news, good quality meats such as skinless chicken, lean lamb and beef are fine to eat, (organic is best as antibiotics are not used). And if you are not sensitive to seafood, fresh fish is a healthy option.

11. Eggs

More than 70% of eczema sufferers are allergic to eggs according to 'skin prick' and patch testing.

Another reason to avoid eggs includes the risk of 'egg white injury' (yes, that is the medical term). If eaten on a frequent basis raw eggs can cause a biotin deficiency that can trigger eczema. While not everyone's eczema is caused by raw eggs, this information from The Eczema Diet is interesting food for thought.

12. Junk food

New Zealand researchers discovered children who eat fast food (take away foods) three or more times per week are significantly more likely than other children to develop severe eczema.

The researchers from Auckland University used international data compiled from almost two million children and found they were not only more prone to eczema, they were also more likely to develop asthma.

The solution? Cook your meals at home and ensure you use eczema-friendly ingredients...

How to prevent eczema from the inside out?

Here are two ways to treat your eczema naturally:

12-week low chemical diet

The Eczema Detox is a healthy low chemical diet that is low in sugar and totally free of glutamates/MSG, preservatives/additives and dairy. It also has plenty of gluten-free and vegan options.

The Eczema Detox, which was published in 2018 and is the new version of The Eczema Diet, also shows you how to successfully diagnose food intolerances and chemical intolerances (via the FID Program), so you know what to avoid and what to eat to become eczema free.

Skin friendly supplements

There are a range of nutrients to help prevent chemical sensitivity and repair eczema-prone skin, including magnesium, molybdenum, zinc, biotin, vitamin B6 and a range of vitamins to deactivate salicylates and other itch-promoting chemicals. Molybdenum deactivates sulphite preservatives and amines; anti-histamine vitamin C and vitamin B6 to help reduce allergic reactions (it gradually works over a three month period).

But it's also what you avoid (in supplements) that can make a difference... Supplements usually contain hidden additives that can cause adverse reactions if you are a sensitive type of person that is prone to eczema.

Skin Friend AM is the supplement I created to prevent my daughter's eczema more than fifteen years ago. It took years of testing before I felt confident that it could help others, and I worked with hundreds of eczema patients who tried the product and provided feedback for years before this product was manufactured in bulk and sold online.

To produce Skin Friend I enlisted the help of a top Australian supplement manufacturer. It took more than six months to find the right ingredients that were vegan, non-GMO, and free of salicylates, hidden sugars and additives that are often used in regular supplements. This is one of the few low salicylate products available world-wide.

{Photos of my daughter's eczema. Click on the photo for more success stories from our eczema clinic.}

Why choose dietary supplements over skin care for your eczema?

You can still use skin care products to moisturise and hydrate your skin. But keep in mind, your skin is literally made from the nutrients supplied in your diet (in the foods and drinks you consume). So it makes sense ... change your diet, consume the right nutrients, and you will change your skin from the inside out.

#eczema

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mkenote · 5 years

Text

From 1941 to 1970, the Milwaukee Clipper linked Milwaukee and Muskegon, Michigan. The ship offered amenities including a live orchestra, a fine restaurant, and even a movie theatre. Carl Swanson collection

In the early 1900s three elegant sister ships sailed the Great Lakes, the Tionesta, the Juniata, and the Octorara. One of them, renamed the S.S. Milwaukee Clipper, would serve its namesake city from 1941 to 1970.

A lot can happen to a ship in nearly seven decades of service – and a lot did.

The Juniata calls on Detriot in this postcard from the early 1900s. Carl Swanson collection

The second of the three nearly identical ships built by the Anchor Line, the Juniata was launched on December 22, 1904, at Cleveland, Ohio. Placed in service between Buffalo, New York, and Duluth, Minnesota, the 361-foot Juniata carried 350 passengers on three decks and 3,500 tons of cargo in its holds. The 3,000 horsepower quadruple-expansion steam engine was an uncommon design and state-of-the-art for its time. It gave the Juniata a top speed of 18 knots – just over 20 miles an hour.

The Juniata’s hull was made of riveted steel but its passenger decks were made of wood and its elegant staterooms and public areas gleamed with polished oak and mahogany.

For 30 largely uneventful years, the Juniata steamed sedately back and forth across Lake Superior – until a far-distant disaster nearly ended her career.

In 1934, a minor fire broke out on the four-year-old passenger liner Morro Castle in the Atlantic Ocean. In a startlingly short amount of time, the ship was fully engulfed and 137 passengers and crew members were dead. Stringent safety rules were adopted in the wake of the disaster including a requirement that ships be made of fire-resistant materials.

The Anchor Line sister ships with their beautiful woodwork did not meet the new regulations and their owner had no interest in undertaking an expensive rebuilding program in the midst of the Great Depression. All three were laid up in 1937.

For the Juniata, one chapter had ended but a new one was about to be written.

In 1940, the Wisconsin & Michigan Steamship Company purchased the ship and brought it to Manitowoc, Wisconsin. The wooden superstructure was removed and new steel passenger decks in Streamline Art Moderne style installed. The cargo area reconfigured to handle automobiles.

After a million-dollar rebuild (the equivalent of $17.8 million today), the Juniata steamed into Milwaukee on the afternoon of June 2, 1941, and tied up at the Wisconsin & Michigan Steamship Company dock at 601 East Erie Street.

With dignitaries assembled, 16-year-old Patricia McKee of Detroit, daughter of Max McKee, one of the line’s directors, was handed a quart bottle of Wisconsin cream to rechristen the ship, Milwaukee Clipper.

Patricia swung the cream high and then brought it down with terrific force, shattering the bottle and showering cream over the guests of honor, including Wisconsin Governor Julius Heil, Milwaukee Mayor Carl Zeidler, and the directors of the steamship line.

The Milwaukee Sentinel described the christening as “brief but impressive.”

The Milwaukee Journal reported, “[The dignitaries] fished out handkerchiefs and wiped off the drops and looked good natured about it.”

The streamlined Clipper with its cream-speckled guests of honor then glided up the Milwaukee River, pausing at the Wisconsin Avenue bridge for a second rechristening ceremony, and on as far as State Street, cheered by thousands of onlookers lining the river.

The Clipper had arrived, and it would remain a local favorite for four decades.

But where did its name come from? According to the book The S.S. Milwaukee Clipper: An Illustrated History (2014, S.S. Milwaukee Clipper Preservation Inc.), Mark McKee, one of the line’s directors, was friends with the then-president of Pan American Airways and served on the airline’s board. At the time, Pan American operated a famous fleet of long-distance passenger seaplanes each named after a city the airline served followed by the word “Clipper.”

That evening the Milwaukee Clipper hosted 900 guests for a two-hour cruise on Lake Michigan. “The guests promenaded around on the decks, admiring the new chromium and stainless steel and fresh paint,” reported the Journal, which also printed the ship’s statistics: 361 feet long, 45 feet wide, a draft of 15½ feet, and a crew of 110.

“At midnight the Clipper left for her first lake crossing to Muskegon, Mich.,” the Journal added, “where she arrived Tuesday within five minutes of the crossing schedule of 5 hours and 15 minutes, an hour less than the previous schedules.”

Carrying an average of 900 passengers per trip with space for more than 100 automobiles, the new ship featured 36 staterooms and a “Pullman” section, which seated 112 passengers by day and converted into sleeping berths for 56 passengers at night.

The passengers enjoyed many amenities, including a 185-seat buffet restaurant and a bar with a 25 x 40-foot polished wood dance floor and live orchestra. The ship also had a broad sun deck lined with chaise lounges, a 144-seat movie theatre, and a supervised children’s playroom.

But one form of passenger entertainment attracted the ire of authorities just weeks after the new liner entered service.

In July 1941, Morton Wolf, prosecuting attorney of Muskegon County, Michigan, booked a round trip aboard the passenger liner. Since his election the previous January, Wolfe had focused on ending commercial gambling – and he certainly got an eyeful of it during his voyage, including witnessing unsupervised children feeding coins into slot machines in the ship’s onboard casino.

As soon as the ship docked in Muskegon at the end of its overnight run, Wolf hurried to the office of the local justice of the peace. He had to move quickly for the Clipper spent just 30 minutes in port. Wolf returned with a platoon of law enforcement officers and a search warrant. He planned to serve the captain the warrant and seize the slot machines.

There was just one problem. The captain was missing.

On seeing the officers march up the gangplank, Allen K. Hoxie, a Great Lake’s captain since 1909, had quietly slipped away from the bridge, changed into civilian clothing, and joined the passengers.

As police milled about and Wolf searched for the captain, time was ticking away. On the bridge, the ship’s first officer patiently waited 28 minutes past the appointed sailing time then sounded the whistle signaling the boat’s departure.

Wolf directed two officers, Sgt. Earl Secrist of the Michigan State Police and Muskegon County Deputy Sheriff Ralph R. Hodges, to remain and watch the slot machines then hurried ashore with the rest of his team seconds before the gangplank lifted and the Clipper steamed away to Milwaukee.

“While Wolfe sat with his warrants in Muskegon, Sgt. Secrist and Deputy Hodges were having plenty of trouble on the luxury boat,” reported the Milwaukee Journal in a page one story on July 24, 1941. “As the vessel crossed the Michigan-Wisconsin border – the middle of the lake – busboys in the employ of the Clipper line walked into the casino and began moving the slot machines.

“Not a word was said. Secrist made no protest because he knew that, having left Michigan, he had lost jurisdiction. So he and Hodges sat there helplessly watching the evacuation of their evidence. In view of hundreds of passengers sunning themselves on the deck, the busboys wheeled the machines to the rear hold.”

During the boat’s five-hour crossing, Wolf was burning up the long-distance telephone wires to Milwaukee. As soon as the Clipper docked, Milwaukee Police Detective Sgt. Martin Fallon and Detectives Al Verbel and John Zilavy stepped aboard. Hoxie was again making himself scarce, but the detectives eventually tracked the captain down then started searching for the gambling devices.

“Fallon’s face wore a baffled, perplexed look when he finally found the casino,” the Journal reported. “He looked inside and saw no slot machines. There was paper strewn around the room and a few devices played for amusement only.”

While the police officers were walking the ship’s long decks in search of the elusive Captain Hoxie, a truck had backed up to the Clipper’s rear cargo door, swiftly loaded with slot machines, and driven away.

It was neatly done but the Milwaukee police were not fooled – an additional two detectives had been posted on the dock to watch for just such an attempt. The machines were seized and one man, described as the custodian of the gambling devices, was arrested.

The Milwaukee Sentinel summed it up, “When the storm cleared, the streamlined vessel had been stripped of a dozen slot machines, Milwaukee police had all the evidence and one prisoner, and the Michigan authorities who started it all had only a sheaf of unserved documents.”

Proving there were no hard feelings, the steamship line hosted Sgt. Secrist and Deputy Hodges as guests of the line for the duration of their ride from Michigan to Wisconsin and back.

“In addition to their fare they had a fine breakfast and lunch, with the company’s compliments,” wrote the Journal. “On the trip back, when there were no slot machines to look at, they had such games as shuffleboard available to them and an orchestra played a matinee concert.”

The two-state gambling raid received a moment of national attention. According to the book The S.S. Milwaukee Clipper: An Illustrated History, “ABC radio’s national news ran a story about the Clipper that sailed without its skipper.”

The space occupied by the ship’s casino was leased to a Chicago firm, Stein Amusement Co., which owned the devices. Steamship line officials claimed they had no idea games of chance were offered. Even so, they said, it was entirely legal because the machines were kept covered in port and gambling took place “outside the three-mile limit.”

The Milwaukee Journal quoted an opinion written by Milwaukee District Attorney Herbert J. Steffes saying the three-mile limit concept did not apply to the boundaries of state jurisdictions.

“Steffes cited the Wisconsin constitution to show that the eastern boundary of Wisconsin extends to the center of Lake Michigan,” the Journal reported, “and he cited Wisconsin statutes to show that the eastern boundary of Milwaukee county likewise extends to the center of the lake.”

Charges were filed in both states against company officials but were soon dropped or dismissed. The steamship line abandoned on-board gambling and the former casino became The Soda Bowl, a 35-seat snack shop selling souvenirs, magazines, light lunches, and ice cream.

Summer after summer the Clipper steamed between Muskegon and Milwaukee occasionally adding side trips to Chicago. The ship remained popular, so much so that its owners decided to double capacity on the route by buying a former World War II troop ship and spending $8 million to rebuild it into a modern passenger liner called the Aquarama.

An April 11, 2011 article in the Muskegon Chronicle described the 520-foot Aquarama. It could carry 2,500 passengers and 160 automobiles. It had five bars, four restaurants, two dance floors, a soda fountain, a solarium, a movie theater, a television room, and a children’s playroom.

“The first new passenger ship to sail the Great Lakes in more than 20 years,” the Chronicle reported, “she was heir-apparent to the aging Milwaukee Clipper on Lake Michigan’s premier cross-lake ferry route.

At the end of the 1962 season, the line announced, the Clipper would retire and the much larger and faster Aquarama would take over the route. The Milwaukee Board of Harbor Commissioners were on board with the plan and requested Milwaukee’s 1963 budget include a $700,000 dredging project to accommodate the Aquarama.

“[But] Milwaukee officials squandered the Aquarama’s rightful inheritance when they balked at dredging their city’s harbor to accommodate the ship’s deep draft,” the Chronicle added.

With the dredging proposal languishing in Milwaukee, the Clipper was suddenly back in business. After a hasty $50,000 in repairs, it returned to service in 1963. But its days were numbered. In need of extensive repairs and with tight new Coast Guard regulations on the horizon, the Clipper made its last trip on September 8, 1970, and then laid up in Muskegon.

The Clipper departs Milwaukee’s Municipal Pier for another 65-mile journey to Muskegon, Michigan. Carl Swanson collection

In 1977, she was sold and towed to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin for repairs and a planned return to excursion service. The idea collapsed when the Coast Guard refused to certify the vessel for passenger service. A new owner renamed it S.S. Clipper and moved it to Chicago’s Navy Pier where it served as a floating – but stationary – restaurant and nightclub. A stint as a marina clubhouse in Hammond, Indiana followed. All the while the once-grand ship steadily deteriorated.

A happier event took place in 1983 when the Clipper was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The designation stated, “Many of the design elements introduced in Milwaukee Clipper are still being included in modern ocean-going passenger ships. The quadruple-expansion steam engines installed in 1905, though, are exceedingly rare, particularly in such fine condition.” She was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989.

In 1996, the marina offered the ship for sale. A handful of fans of the old Clipper formed a non-profit organization and succeeded in purchasing the ship and having it towed to its old home port of Muskegon in 1997. There the volunteers faced the overwhelming task of restoring the long-neglected ship on a shoestring budget.

Its original sister ships are long gone. The Tionesta was sold for scrap in Hamilton, Ontario, in 1940. The Octorara was converted into a troop transport, served in the Pacific Ocean in World War II, and was scrapped in 1951 in San Francisco.

In 2007, the Aquarama, once seen as the modern replacement for the elderly Clipper, was towed all the way to Aliaga, Turkey, where it was scrapped.

The S.S. Milwaukee Clipper is six stories tall, longer than a football field, and is the oldest passenger steamer on the Great Lakes (and is six years older than the Titanic). It is open for tours in the summer months. Improbably, incredibly, the Clipper survives.

The Clipper could handle more than 900 passengers and 100 automobiles per trip.

A view of the bridge.

The ship offered 36 private staterooms.

The Buffet Restaurant.

The ship had expansive open decks.

The supervised playroom.

The long season of the Milwaukee Clipper In the early 1900s three elegant sister ships sailed the Great Lakes, the Tionesta, the Juniata, and the Octorara.

#S.S. Juniata #S.S. Milwaukee Clipper #S.S. Milwaukee Clipper Preservation Inc.#Wisconsin & Michigan Steamship Line

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