#BUT !! to those who do/have read [when all goes wrong fake it] and/or [traversing realities] then pls know im working on them 🙏

[baeshijima]

another day, another "sobbing at my own writing" moment

[theparanormalperiodical]

The Top 10 Scariest REAL Ghost Pictures And The True Stories Behind Them That Will Make You Lie Down And Cry (Promise)

Proof.

We’ve spent hundreds of years looking for proof.

We’ve untangled paranormal theories, we’ve pieced together ghost stories, and some of us have even fabricated reality in the inexorable search for the evidence that there might just be more to this realm than first seems.

But the thing about the proof of the paranormal is that we can never be sure of what’s real, and what’s five minutes with a broken flash button and Photoshop.

Then again, there are some photos which stun even the most ardent non-believers into a haunted silence, in particular those images which bare no scars of editing.

The whispers of ghost stories and the murmurs of urban legends mean nothing when compared to the physical evidence of the afterlife, and that’s why these photographs documenting the paranormal - whether fake or fo’ real - have garnered so much attention, especially in the Internet Age.

Many have claimed to have captured footage of ghosts, sightings of demons, and the murmurs of the supernatural on camera, and many like to emblazon their efforts with the necessary clickbait needed to boost their subscriber count.

But there are some images of the paranormal that have stood out through history, even if they hadn't GONE SEXUAL GONE WRONG (PRANK).

There are some images of the paranormal we simply cannot explain.

But we can try, right?

#1 - The Brown Lady Of Raynham Hall

It’s a dark, grainy image taken with the best technology this side of 1936 has to offer - and it’s one of the most famous pieces of evidence supposedly proving the existence of the paranormal.

On the evening of September 19th 1936, Captain Hubert Provand - a photographer for Country Life magazine - was taking photographs of Raynham Hall for the magazine. But while he was busy tending to another task, his assistant saw something rather peculiar.

It was a silvery vapour that took the shape of a woman. She was moving down the stairs towards them, and was in perfect alignment of the camera.

The assistant quickly told him to take a picture. He did.

But if the image alone isn’t enough to keep you having nightmares for the rest of lockdown, I’m sure the fact that this picture shows one of the most famous ghosts resident at Raynham Hall will certainly do the trick.

The Brown Lady was first seen in 1835 at Christmas.

Multiple sightings of the spectre were recorded by visitors to this Norfolk country house who’s history has spanned 400 years. It was her brown dress that gave the spirit her name, but it was the dark and empty eye sockets and glowing face that secured her reputation as one of the famous spirits in the UK.

It was shortly after this first set of sightings that a large portion of the staff left Raynham Hall, confirming this might not be the sole murmur of spirits at Raynham Hall. The next famous sighting took place in 1926, when the son of Lady Townshend, a noble of the family that had owned this house for the entirety of its existence, saw her on the staircase she would be seen on ten years later.

She would be the first person to identify the Brown Lady as Lady Dorothy Walpole, and she would be the first to point out the tragic reality of this haunting.

Walpole - born in 1686 - was known for being the second wife of Charles Townshend, a man infamous for his violent temper. This was to be revealed to her when he discovered she was having an illicit relationship with another man, Lord Wharton.

He locked her in a room in Raynham Hall, and it was here that she stayed until the day that she died.

#2 - The Tulip Staircase Ghost

The Brown Lady is not the only supernatural entity that let her guard down whilst using a staircase.

Regardless of how those from beyond the grave like to traverse their former family homes, we can all agree that this is one of the most haunting images to make it to this list - and it’s all the more terrifying knowing that skeptics have proven this image has not been tampered with.

I repeat, not been tampered with.

Tulip staircases are an incredible feat of construction, and create a perfect swirl when seen from the top - but this spirit hit the jackpot of British architecture. They were haunting Queen’s House (Greenwich).

In 1966, a retired reverend and his wife visited the tourist destination. Upon their visit, they took a picture of the famous staircase known for its finesse and beauty - but little did they know this image would alter the course of paranormal investigation forever.

Having returned to their home nation of Canada, they developed the images they took. But in one of them was something odd:

A shrouded figure gripping the handrail and attempting to ascend the stairs began to emerge from its shadows.

Unfortunately, that’s about as much evidence of a potential spirit at queen’s house as we have. Seances have been conducted, vigils have occurred, and nights have been spent there to capture evidence of the spirit.

All we have is some bloke in 2002 seeing something in a white-grey dress glide across a balcony, and plunge headfirst through a wall.

#3 - Lord Combermere Sits At His Desk

It’s an incredible image, isn’t it?

Shadows linger in the late afternoon sun, bright light reflects off the leather furnishings - it honestly took me a while to work out which spectre I was meant to be looking at. But there you can see him, sitting in the large chair on the left of the photograph.

This picture was taken in the library of Combermere Abbey in Cheshire, and it was taken by Lady Sutton who was renting the Abbey for a personal stay. She was able to take this one-hour exposure as the house was empty - the entire family and staff were at a funeral that day.

But it turns out the guy being mourned failed to turn up to the ceremony.

That’s him in the picture.

That’s Lord Combermere.  

Once the image had been developed a year later and Lady Sutton had noted the translucent figure she showed the residents of the Abbey. They immediately noted its likeness to their late father. In fact, the spirit was sitting in his favourite chair.

The coincidence doesn’t end there, however; some claim we can only see his torso in this image and not his legs. It is believed that this is related to the manner of his death from which he was run over by a horse-drawn carriage, an accident that caused serious injury to his legs.

(Ouch.)

#4 - Freddy Jackson Is Pictured With His Squadron

This picture was taken in 1919 by Sir Victor Goddard of his squadron and appears to show a typical photograph from the early 20th century. But the translucent face appearing behind one of the squadron members in the back row makes this post-war image stand out in a whole new light.

Apparently this image shows the face of Freddy Jackson, a member of the squadron. But the thing is, he died a few days before the image was taken having walked into a moving propeller.

(Ouch.)

But this isn’t the spookiest thing about this picture.

Goddard was actually best known for his interest and experience with the paranormal - even outside of snapping this pic. The most famous experience he had was a clairvoyant episode in 1935:

He claimed he had a vision at RAF Drem - an airfield in Scotland - which showed it as an active airfield in operation despite it being abandoned at this time. By 1939 it was in use, confirming his prophecies. He also foresaw the death of an officer in 1946, a prophecy that not only came true, but also inspired the film The Night My Number Came Up (1955).

He would spend his post-war years lecturing on the existent of UFOs.

#5 - Madonna of Bachelor’s Grove

Sightings of the Virgin Mary have always piqued interest in us mere mortals, drawing together the potential for the believers in the paranormal and Christianity - but this image leans much closer to those seeking out the supernatural.

The Ghost Research Society Of America was investigating Bachelor’s Cemetry in 1991 when their equipment showed strange readings.

There was a spirit nearby.

The researchers quickly took pictures in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the spirit in question, but at first saw nothing out of the ordinary. It was only when the image was exposed that a female spirit in white clothing was seen sitting on one of the graves.

(Photographs capturing the paranormal at graveyards often show spirits sitting on graves.)

But what makes this image a rather notable piece of evidence is that this isn’t the first time a woman in white has been seen at the cemetery. A variety of manifestations have been reported, including a phantom farmhouse, ghost monks, a two-headed ghost, but the White Madonna’s story is the most famous:

It is said she is most often seen walking the grounds during the night of the full moon and carries an infant around the gravestones.

#6 - The Amityville Ghost Boy

It’s one of the most famous images documenting the paranormal - and it’s one the most disputed, too.

The story goes that in 1976 a picture was taken at 112 Ocean Avenue.

(For those new to the world of all things horror and haunted, this is the location of the Amityville Horror.)

This picture was taken by Gene Campbell, a photographer who was working with paranormal investigators - including Ed and Lorraine Warren - looking into the activity supposedly occurring at the house. As a part of his duties, he set up an automatic camera that took infrared pictures in an attempt to snap somethin’ supernatural.

He was successful.

This picture was taken on the second floor of the house, and it shows a young child in what appears to be pajamas with bright, glowing eyes.

It is believed that this is the spirit of John Defoe, one of the children murdered by his older brother only a few years before the next residents of the house - the Lutzes - moved in, and began to report paranormal activity.

On the other hand, some claim this photo shows an investigator working with the Warrens who happened to be captured by the camera. But given the size of the face and the height we can see, this appears to be the spirit of a child.

#7 - Waverly Hills Sanatorium

It’s the ultimate urban legend:

*Lights up face with torch*

An abandoned TB hospital is haunted by ghosts of its past, whether it’s the former patients who suffered at the hands of the illness, or the doctors and nurses caring for them.

*Turns off torch*

Bu rarely do these stories have any evidence to back up the stories. Until now.

This picture was taken in 2006 in Louisville, and it was taken in one of the US’ most famous haunted locations. This image doesn’t just echo the eerie atmosphere often experienced by those visiting this former hospital, however.

It shows Mary Lee, a nurse who used to work at the location. But there is a twist in the tale.

This nurse had a relationship with a doctor also working at the sanatorium and soon fell pregnant. Unfortunately, he was not interested in having a relationship with her, and so she hung her in the hospital in grief.

#8 - The Coventry Spectre

Coventry is a hotspot of horrors, from the dreary midlands skyline to the wasteland atmosphere engulfing all mortal souls that dare tread there. Trust me, I’ve lived there.

But it turns out there are more supernatural threats to those that might end up there that you’ll want to know about.

This picture was taken in 1985 and shows the Coventry Freeman Society in the midst of a lively event. But there, in the corner of the room, is a cloaked figure with his head bowed in unison with the rest of the attendees.

None of the attendees noted the presence of such a figure when this image was taken.

It is believed that this monk-like spirit could have been from the middle ages when the craftsmen association was founded. Indeed, the hall the photo was taken in goes back to the 14th century.

#9 - The Phantom of Newby Church

Just like that of Amityville, this image has been subject to a lot of debate given the figure’s costume-like appearance, as well as the claims that this figure is almost posing for the picture.

But the fact it was taken in 1963 when such technology was limited and that experts say it hasn’t been subject to a double exposure confirms this image might be showing us the dark side of historic location.

Also known as the Newby Monk, this entity is believed to be a 16th-century monk with a shroud over his face to disguise disfigurement. But this still isn’t the scariest thing about this image.

Given the height of the other objects including in the image, it is believed this figure would actually measure 9 feet tall, making him far bigger than even the tallest humans ever recorded, suggesting this entity might have been a much more inhuman entity that you’d expect to turn up in The Conjuring universe.

#10 - An Aboriginal Woman At Corroborre Rock

Some of the most striking ghost stories known to man are based on the details of our history. And this photograph gives a voice to a history often forgotten.

This photograph was taken in 1959, and features one of the most famous spots in Australian Aboriginal history. It is said brutal ceremonies were carried out by Aboriginal tribesmen at this location, perhaps explaining the forlorn figure in the picture.

The melancholy stance is especially true given that this image shows the spirit of a woman; this location was considered spiritually dangerous for women, children, and uninitiated men to attend.

Although many claim software could’ve manipulated the image, the lack of human activity around this location at the time still raises the eyebrows of believers and skeptics alike.

***

Evidence of the paranormal is still one of the most hotly debated topics on the planet, bringing together our firm trust in science and our personal beliefs regarding what might just exist.

But despite the debunking, the discussions, and the deliberate doctoring of images, one thing is for certain:

It was the dead that first used Facetune.

#snatched

Are you a ho’ for the haunted? Is you a slut for spooky? Follow this blog, and let’s bring shame to our societally-enforced gender roles together (and share ghost stories at the same time, obvs)!

[derangedhyena-delphinidae]

Hey! I think this is a prime opportunity to grab some knowledge off you as someone who wants to learn more about the anti-captivity argument and why killer whales are unsuitable for captivity. Everything you know would be ideal with studies and links and stuff (you’re super smart. I can only hope to know as much as you one day). I understand that’s kind of impossible though!

Sure thing. Must preface with - I’m not really that smart, nor do I specifically have defined expertise at this or anything, I just really like to read. I also enjoy learning from the experts, which I’ve taken to doing around here via attending/filming many of the available talks. So that’s what I’d recommend to anyone, really. Firstoff as a resource, I would like to offer my Youtube channel, which features a variety of speakers covering many topics. Only a few are captivity-issue centric; available are not just videos I’ve recorded, but a handful of other videos I’ve found informative in playlists. Of those I’d recommend these two:

https://youtu.be/L00CfGpVnUAhttps://youtu.be/OmMv9t_hW8k

Here are a few links/documents/books I’d recommend as overviews as well.

https://awionline.org/content/confinement-marine-life AWI has an entire section of its website that explores various facets of these issues.

https://www.scribd.com/document/265647897/Killer-Whales-Theme-Parks-Controversy-An-Exploration-of-the-Evidence This is a chapter in the book Animals in Tourism: Understanding Diverse Relationships

https://www.scribd.com/document/312800031/Orca-White-Paper This is a paper authored by Dr. Rose while she was working at HSUS. She no longer works there, she works at AWI.

https://www.scribd.com/document/118447693/Captive-Orcas-Dying-to-Entertain-You-by-Vanessa-Williams An older WDC document, but still a decent (when not outdated) overview.

I know some folks may contend that this material majority-features a handful of folks (like Dr. Rose), but it is what it is - because there’s only a handful of folks writing about these things in general (positive or negative). References are available and presented in their documentation: I will always encourage people to look, really look, into those as well, so it becomes very clear that information is simply being gathered and presented as a unit. Not misrepresented in some fashion just because xyz person pulled it together.The other big “sections” of this for me personally are neurobiology, ethics, and ‘the industry’/Seaworld.The neurobiology section of this is a bit more vast than I’m prepared to cover in one sitting, but the tl;dr is delphinid brains exhibit incredible complexity and have a number of unique properties that very likely indicate a lot of intelligence/perceptual/emotional abilities. Here is a 2009 overview by Dr. Marino. There is substantial disagreement about the function/structure of delphinid brains (particularly lodged by one scientist’s “dumb dolphin” theory), as detailed here. A transcript making this somewhat easier to approach can be found here. The information is all worth considering. I personally find myself deferring to my own reading into affective neuroscience/related research (wiki link, overview), as well as general observations/research on cetacean behavior - which prompts me to find Dr. Marino’s assertions more compelling. I’ve noticed that captivity proponents tend to stick to the ‘dumb dolphin’ bit and ignore the other side of the discussion.Ethics! This is discussed in bits in most of the above, but there’s certainly an ethical side to all this that often goes ignored. I’m personally not in the boat that it’s unethical/wrong/improper to keep any/all animals captive. Just the ones that show evidence of having their lives highly negatively impacted as a result. There’s a world of difference between a cetacean and a fish. This isn’t saying fish aren’t smart - most animals have to be pretty smart in their own way or they wouldn’t have done well as a species! But I do doubt fish have the complex cognition necessary to understand confinement as a negative, and be insulted (physically) by it. (Unless the conditions are completely inadequate (temperate, size, surroundings, companions) and the fish can’t express its usual behavior, in which case it still likely can’t understand ‘confinement’ but it does understand it can’t function or behave normally and may be distressed as a result.)

Large predatory animals in particular tend to exhibit higher intelligence (more problem-solving typically needed to hunt) and have larger ranges - removing their ability to hunt, traverse area and meaningfully engage their environment as the species evolved to can cause problems (eg the incessant pacing seen in captive big cats, bears, etc.)  They’re also more or less stuck in captivity once there - captive-raised predators do poorly in the wild. This significantly undermines the claim that captive animals of that stripe have a lot of conservation value. Directly? They really don’t.

(Captive-raised cetaceans haven’t really ever been considered for wild release/conservation initiatives of that type, so the direct conservation value argument, while still made, has no basis. The link above discusses needed improvements and design for terrestrial predator programs. I’m all for it if they can figure it out, but as noted in the link, animals constantly subjected to people obviously won’t fare well when released - any eligible animal would need to be raised in relative human-seclusion in something more closely resembling its natural habitat. The same argument could easily be made for anything like this re: cetaceans - with the additional difficulty level that much of their learning seems to be culturally transmitted and rely on social structure heavily. How do you teach what you don’t know, in a framework you don’t have?)

One of the biggest problems this is the overall lack of research done on captive cetacean issues. Much critical material is forced to fill in blanks and operate from a basis of comparison, ex-trainer materials, and observation/documentation. Because direct information is largely unavailable, thanks to things like what’s noted here. And only very recently have cetacean-holding facilities even begun research on the topic of welfare in earnest, which is confusing and a little disturbing considering how long the practice has been going on and how vehemently it’s claimed that all is well and that captives contribute to research.Which, for research in general, they do. I have no doubts that they do. The concerns come in regarding how useful that research is for much besides perpetuating captives’ situations (breeding/husbandry materials) and very basic physiological stuff. There has been a lot learned about cetacean physiology in captivity, certainly. And I’m sure there’s more to be learned. But when one starts to bring in the ethics side of things, and what is being gained vs. what is being impacted (and for what - animals at a dedicated research facility and animals being used every day to mindlessly entertain audiences are different discussions, especially with all collateral considerations)...

A NOAA scientist called captive orca “sacrificial animals”. Even broader acknowledgment to the public by these facilities, that there are downsides, would be a great start, so people could be making better-informed decisions about whether or not they wanted to participate. Disguising the problems, dismissing criticisms and forcing a pleasant facade when big issues exist (and have, for a long time) does not point to wholesome ethics.Which leads me to Seaworld/industry representation. Why haven’t they done much/any research on the problems their animals have faced for years? Why are they constantly working to misinform the public and near-comically villainizing even reasonable criticisms? I can go into this further, separately, if desired, but there’s just a distressing amount of material supporting how “fake” and disingenuous they are. If they had these animals’ best interests in mind, instead of their company’s, this kind of behavior… really shouldn’t exist? Problems like this exist to a lesser degree in other facilities, depending on the facility. Unless it’s MSQ, which has problems connecting with reality at all.I do apologise if this doesn’t seem like “a lot”; reading, observing, talking to folks, listening to folks over several years (6+ now?) isn’t simple to condense. It is easier to address individual points/questions obviously, but I get that it’s useful to have an overview. Hopefully this is of use to that end.

[sabraeal]

OH OH, some hakizana jealousy, modern, or not whatever u want. and you can choose which party is jealous. maybe both are. ;)

Haki would like the record to show that despite what some people might say, she was not trying to start trouble.

She’s just so bored.

Introductions have been made (this is Haki, my daughter, he father says with an open gesture, as if she’s one of the Gould up on the wall; you remember my fiancée, Izana drawls, hand warm on the small of her back, right above where the deep vee of her dress ends, Haki), and she’s summarily abandoned at a cocktail table as her father and fiancé work the room. She presumes her purpose must be to spice up that particular corner, which only holds a sad potted plant nearly her height and what she assumes is a modern sculpture, but looks like an uncooked, oversized, marble piece of penne.

She’s not the only one to have been abandoned as table dressing; there’s more than a few women standing around like cosmopolitan-drinking gazelle, left by their much more important dates to go gladhand and make money. She sees Medina’s wife among them, holding court with a bunch of doe-eyed girls that can’t be much more than eighteen and are probably here on visa. She should try to talk to them, she knows; that’s her job, to winnow information from wives and girlfriends, to smile in all the right places, leverage all the right friendships. She knows this. She was raised for this.

But she can’t be that person, not tonight. Makiri’s face keeps surfacing in her mind, hair shorn to a finger’s worth of bristle, his features grainy on the SATphone’s display. He’s happy now, but she remembers when this was a problem that needed fixing, when every phone call was we need to talk about that brother of yours. Tonight he’s just a talking point for when someone asks after the American flag pinned on her father’s lapel.

That’s the thing about Pandora’s Box, isn’t it? Once you let something out, it never fits back in again.

She needs a minute, Haki thinks, catching Izana’s back as he traverses the room, deep in conversation with some of her father’s associates. She just needs to get herself collected.

The bathrooms at the venue are spacious private stalls, complete with well-lit vanities. She wants to splash water on her face, but she spent an hour making her face look photoshop-flawless; its the sort of effort that can’t be recreated in a public bathroom, no matter how nice. Instead she digs into her clutch, pulling out her phone, connecting dots to get through her lock screen.

She’s not supposed to use her phone at these things; it’s been drilled into her since her father bought her a rhinestone-studded Razr for her thirteenth birthday that a girl who drags out her phone at a formal function for entertainment is vapid and petulant – two things that aren’t part of the persona they’ve agreed on. But she’s not a child now, and if she wants to feed small virtual kitties in the privacy of this public stall to retain some of her chill, she’s going to fucking do it.

Or at least, she is until she sees she’s got a missed text.

u gt th thing rt?

Haki blinks, trying to translate garbage into human speak.

YesSorry ObiI meant to send you a thank you emailI can definitely use that

She doesn’t expect an immediate text back; the timestamp places it a few hours ago, and Obi is mercurial in his texting etiquette, but she’s hardly put it down when the phone begins to buzz against the marble.

n e q?

She stares at the text for a moment longer than she has any earthly reason to, and groans.

Only why you text like a garbage person

aesthetics

Your aesthetic is the garbage?

i prefer to think of myself as a performance artist and terrible garbage texting is my medium

It certainly engenders the same feelings as when I view modern art

rage at your own mortality and frustration at the futility of life?

NoNausea

His only response is a line of indecipherable emoji – she thinks half of them are semaphore flags –and she assumes she at least made him laugh.

“Haki.”

She turns at the unfamiliar voice, smile bright on her face even though she just missed the bacon-wrapped scallops again. It’s an older man she’s never spoken to, but she recognizes him from Izana’s notes as one of the men he’s courting for investment capital.

DeLeo, forty-five. He’s into sustainable living close communities.

“That’s your name, isn’t it?” he asks, suddenly unsure. Humility is charming in a man with a nine-digit net worth. “I heard Izana introduce you.”

“It is.” She smiles. Even without the notes, she’s familiar with his work. A fan, even. She’s been trying to get her father to look into his designs for the past year. “I don’t think we’ve met.”

He hurries to put out his hand, wincing when he realizes how firmly he’s gripped hers. “Mark,” he says, “Mark DeLeo. I’m –” His eyes run over her once before he settles on. “I’m an associate of his.”

It’s only training that keeps her mouth from going rigid. “You build sustainable communities, don’t you?”

His eyebrows go up at that, like he’s surprised to see she can do more than stand around and look nice. “I do. Has Izana talked about my work?”

He pitches forward, curious, but she sees the lift at one side of his mouth and – ah, that’s his game. He’s hoping to get information out of the girlfriend. He wants leverage, wants to know how bad Izana needs him.

“No,” she lies smoothly. “I just read about your work in Wired. I liked your idea for recycling water for hydroponics.”

“Oh.” He pulls away, disappointed. “You don’t happen to know where he is, do you?”

She feels her smile pull tight. She’s not the one with the money, she reminds herself, there’s no reason for him to want to talk to her.

“Of course,” she says, so cordial.“I think he just ducked onto that balcony.“

Now that she knows there could be a text waiting for her, she feels more of an impulse to check.

She’s stealthy at least, making sure neither Izana or her father are looking when she slips around the corner to the bathroom.

speaking ofdon’t tell me you’re staying in tonightare all your besties at promises?

Haki coughs at that, wishing she hadn’t chosen that moment to try to sneak a drink of water.

Please, no one goes to Promises anymoreIt’s like you don’t even read the gossip column

vile slanderi know all the hot celebrity gossipi even know which olsen twin is which without googlingthat’s why im shidan’s favorite

I didn’t realize he was such a fanI’ll get him an autograph the next time they’re in town

okay but only mary kateshidan says ashley is a hackshe was really phoning it in on it takes two

“Haki,” croons one of the women by the bar. All of them are looking when she turns to them, but it’s Medina’s wife that continues, “Are you all right?”

“Chantel.” She keeps her voice even, almost friendly. Medina is old enough to be her father and Chantel is close enough to her age to be her sister, but that’s not her business. “I’m just fine. Thank you for asking.”

She hopes that’s the end of it, but of course it’s not. You don’t get on a reality show by being the sort of person who doesn’t create conflict.

“I just see you’re going to the bathroom a lot.” She leans in, mouth canted smugly. “And out with that fresh new fiancéof yours.”

Haki can’t help the way her gaze shifts to him, deep in conversation across the room, DeLeo and Medina both gesturing with some passion. What she wouldn’t give to trade place for even a moment.

“Maybe you’ll need to consider letting out the waistline of your dress.,” Medina’s wife presses. “Or maybe buying in an ivory?”

She has been drinking champagne half the evening, but this is what Chantal comes up with? She scans the crowd for cameras – usually there’s paperwork if they’re filming, but there’s no reason to take the chance – and Haki gives her a smile that is all teeth.

“Oh, Chantel don’t worry,” she coos, laying a hand on the woman’s shoulder. “I’d never wear something that looked so fake as a white dress.”

Haki plucks the cosmo right out of her hands and downs it, handing her the empty glass with a smile. “It looks like we have a good bartender tonight, doesn’t it?”

She’s eyeing her next opportunity for escape when she feels a hand at her back, a warm breath in her ear.

“Are you feeling all right?” Izana asks, sounding as if she could be bleeding on the floor and he would still be flagging down the server for a canape.

“Perfectly,” she purrs back, flashing him a smile. “Is something wrong?”

“No.” His tone very clearly says yes. “It’s only that Chantal was saying she’s seen you taking frequent trips to the lavatory.”

Chantal Medina is not getting a Christmas basket this year. “Oh no. Just a little too much champagne.”

The look he gives her now is earnestly concerned, his hand sliding around to palm her hip soothingly. “If you don’t feel well, we can leave.”

“No, no.” She flashes her teeth at him. “I’ll just switch to water.”

The balcony is the safest place,as long as she stands just beside the doors, obscured by fronds.

And just where are you tonightIf you’re judging me for my plans

under my roommatenot as exciting as you would thinkalso youre at a GALA of course im gonna judge that shit

Under your roommate?If you’re texting me then you’re really good at what you’re doingOr excessively bad

wouldnt u like to know

A picture loads on screen of a red head buried in his side, both of their legs tangled on the couch. Haki’s half tempted to tell Izana to break out the champagne, since his devious plan is well on its way to working.

Not to be crassBut perhaps you should consider waking the girl with your clothes onAnd suggesting she give them back

intriguing ideabut still not interested

Come on, didn’t they teach you how to handle girls in your boyband days?

yeah but all those chastity agreements really harsh the whole player vibe

Just bend down in front of herI’m sure everything will work itself outYou have that Park Jimin ass

how dare u utter the name of my bitter rivalPark Jimin has MY ass

She hesitates.

You two look cute, though

don’tpls

“Ah,” drawls a voice right next to her ear. “Here you are.”

She stiffens guiltily, but the phone is already being lifted from her hands. Izana thumbs off the screen, not even glancing at its content. His smile is wide and fake; he must think someone is watching them.

He slips her phone back into her clutch, palm brushing against her waist. “You don’t want your father catching you with that.”

She shakes her head, watching him with wide eyes. She doesn’t think she’ll ever quite be used to how he talks low like that, how he makes her breath come short.

His fingers band around her wrist, gentle but stern. “I think,” he says, with no humor at all, “That you and I should have a talk. Privately.”