#Brighton City Airport

[jaegeraether]

Sunsets and footballers (Part 44)

Lucy Bronze x Reader (39) & Jordan Nobbs x Leah Williamson Mini (3)

Masterlist (other parts here)

((**This is now my largest chapter at 7.5k. Enjoy!**))

YFN had instantly fallen asleep in her seat on the plane and woke to the jolt of the landing gear absorbing the impact on touchdown. She shook her fatigue away and took her phone off flight mode. 11:15am UK time. She gave a sigh of relief that the flight had been quicker than usual. She knew she’d been cutting it close with the flight time and instead of Ruby picking her up as planned, she’d told her to go to the stadium instead so she could get an Uber. It worked out well, because it meant she had time to speak to Jordan without feeling rude talking in front of Ruby.

She collected her bags and timed the Uber well, hopping in immediately as she exited the building. The stadium was thirty minutes from the airport so she’d be arriving just at kick off. She wasn't too concerned, though. Bridget and Emily were also in Manchester for a 1300 game between Man City and Brighton and were getting a bit more experience up onsite with Ruby at her game. She was lucky to have such good workmates.

She slid into the cab with a polite hello and found the only contact with a fish in it.

“Hey chicken! How was Barcelona?”

“Oh my god, Dory, it was amazing. Absolutely amazing. But I’m dead on my feet.”

Jordan laughed. “I’m guessing Lucy didn’t let you sleep much?”

“Don’t be cheeky. But you are correct.”

“How many hours are you running on?”

She counted. “I had two hours sleep on the plane so…about five hours?”

“What?!”

“I think…I remember we had a ‘midnight snack’ but that was about 4am so…”

“You’re unbelievable. Priorities, right?”

YFN chuckled. “I have no regrets beyond the struggle to walk-”

“Oh god! I don’t want to hear it.”

They both laughed together.

“How are you? Tell me everything.”

Jordan hummed and then proceeded to tell YFN about her dreams and the flowers and note that morning.

“Why didn’t you lead with that?!”

“I don't know. Good news before bad?”

“You think the flowers and note are bad news?”

“I don’t know. My head’s all over the place from the dreams. They were good and bad, but it’s just wrecked me emotionally.”

“I understand that…it’s not great for game day. Are you on your way there now?”

“Yeah, I’m on the bus. We have another hour and a half to go.”

“Well, you can’t resolve these emotions before the game because that would be a miracle. So how about you put a movie on and distract yourself? Don’t sleep, you won’t be able to.

“Yeah, I think I’ll do that to be fair…”

“Perfect. Have you messaged her?”

“No. I can’t do that today. Trying not to mess with my head before the game.”

“That’s all good, I was going to suggest maybe not responding until after the game.”

“You’re doing two games today, aren’t you?”

YFN’s mouth almost dropped open. “You have no idea how proud I am that you remembered that? I told you a while ago...”

“Oh, sorry, I should probably keep up my forgetfulness, right? Who are you again?”

YFN laughed. “I love forgetful Dory. She’s my favourite. Along with cuddly Dory. Football Dory though…jeez she’s terrifying.”

“I definitely will be today.”

“Get those emotions out, girl! Just don’t hurt anyone or get red carded please.”

“No promises.”

“As for your question, yep. I have the 1200 Man United versus West Ham game at Leigh and then the 1845 Arsenal versus Leicester game at King Power.”

“Oh that's right! Kyra…”

YFN had obviously told Jordan about Kyra. They both thought it was cute.

“Yes ma’am.”

“Our bus will drop us back at Villa Park about 7pm tonight…I can drive and meet you there?”

YFN could tell that Jordan needed comfort, and most of her friends were in London. She did the timing math in her head.

“You’d arrive about 8pm tonight with the traffic…how about you get a lift with my guy, Matt? He’s relocating to my game and then driving me back to Birmingham after it’s done.”

“Oh, yeah! That works out brilliant, that does. God, you’re so good at this logistics stuff. I just kick a ball around.”

YFN had a giggle at the visual image and messaged Matt. “And you look great doing it. Plus, you do more than that and you know it.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

YFN bit her lip as she thought a little. Jordan needed some love, and she knew just what to do. “What do you think about us asking Katie and Caitlin to stay the night? We’ll all finish up around 9pm in Leicester so they’ll have overnight accommodation. If I message them then they’ll have time for the team to cancel their room. They can come home with us.”

“Ohhh I didn’t think of that! See, this is why you’re the best.”

YFN grinned at the sound of genuine happiness in Jordan’s voice. She knew she missed them a lot.

She looked up and could see the stadium approaching in the distance. “I’m excited! Okay, I’m almost at the stadium. I’ll message the group.”

“Okay, love you!”

“Love you more. I’m so excited to see you tonight! Have a good game today, please. Smash it.”

They hung up happy and she opened a message from Matt that replied with an excited yes. Being a Villa supporter meant his dream just came true. YFN wondered how the car ride with them would be to Leicester and couldn’t help but be amused.

YFN then put a message in their little four-way group. Caitlin was usually the first to respond whether it be message or Instagram, and today was no exception. She’d answered an unequivocal yes for the both of them before she’d even stepped foot into the stadium.

The national anthems were playing just as she arrived and met up with her workmates. Bridget was running the boundary line, excitedly videoing the singing while Emily and Ruby were taking photos.

“Hey, Em.”

“YFN! Hi!” She gushed, wearing her purple and yellow Lumos hoodie. YFN was wearing Lucy’s hoodie so she opted for a beanie instead. “How was your flight?”

“I slept the entire trip,” she admitted with a chuckle.

Emily snapped a few shots of the starting line-ups.

“How are you and Bridget?”

“Oh, great! Yeah, we’re excited to be staying in Manchester tonight. Because we all have tomorrow off, we have plans to sight see and visit some family.”

They chatted for a little longer when YFN recognised the photographer from the last game she’d been to. The one who followed her home. She pretended to not notice him as she kept speaking to Emily and then made her way around the field to get a few good videos and say hi to Ruby and Bridget also. Bridget was running a mile a minute as she usually did, and Ruby mentioned that she had a date with Matt the next day. Ruby also ran a mile a minute, just with her mouth rather than her legs like Bridget. The whistle blew.

“Oh are those two already leaving already?” She asked rhetorically as Bridget and Emily waved on the way out. “Aw I didn’t say bye! Anyways, Matt said he’d take me on a date but I don’t know where-” she snapped a few photos and then cringed at the tackle she’d just captured, “-and I know it’s going to be amazing because we’ve been talking for a while now and…well not a while but since we all met and we were first partnered up-” she jogged further up the field to take another and came back when she was satisfied, “-and we’ve both been talking about supervising this next group of people coming in and we’re so excited for them to join us-” she took photos while YFN pulled her phone out to get a good Instagram video of Man United’s goal as they were both standing just a few metres from the West Ham goal. Goal number one, just three minutes in. YFN uploaded the video straight to their social media with an update on the score, “-and I just think it’s going to be amazing to have so many people with us. Is that guy staring at us?”

YFN turned to the photographer who’d been following her around the boundary, more focussed on her than the game.

“Yeah…just ignore him. He won’t hurt us.” She said, repeating what Catherine had said to her. Phone still on video mode in her hand, she pressed record but before she could lift her arm up to video him, they were interrupted.

“Now, now, physical violence isn’t my thing.” The voice teased from behind them.

YFN didn’t even have to turn, but she did out of polite habit as Mark stepped next to her, his eyes focussed on the game. She kept her phone on record and down near her body, but angling the mic towards him.

“Mark.”

“YFN. I hear you had a lovely trip up to Edinburgh to meet your…controversial leader.”

Ruby frowned, not understanding.

“He’s just teasing,” she assured. “Could you give us a minute?”

Ruby nodded and headed back up the field.

“So none of them know then?”

“What could you possibly be referring to, Mark?”

“Joanne.” He almost hissed. “That heartless woman.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Well let me be clear, then. I know your boss. She took something from me, so I’m going to tear her whole fucking business down.”

“Which business would that be?”

“The only one not protected by a board. Lumos. Her baby that she’s trying so desperately to hide. And you know exactly how I’m going to start?”

“By getting a photographer to follow me?”

He gave a grin that sent shivers down her spine. “Something along those lines.”

He handed her a large yellow envelope. Against her better judgement, she took it and looked inside. She found several printed photos of herself and Lucy kissing at the airport. The photos weren’t the best quality, they looked like they’d been taken on a phone, but still…it was disturbing.

She turned her attention back to the game as if she were unbothered. “Congratulations. You gave me photos of my girlfriend and I. You do realise that we are public? We have nothing to hide.”

“You don’t think that someone in your position dating one of the most famous footballers of all time is a conflict of interest? Let me give you some advice…people will care. Whoever Joanne has investing in her company will. And this is just the start. I’ll get more and more dirt on not just you, but your workmates also. I’ll drag you all into the fucking ground.”

She sharply breathed in. “You want to ruin a good thing for a little rivalry?”

“A good thing?” He scoffed. “Nobody wants to watch women play. Look around you. The stands are only filled with friends and family. As for everyone who works at Lumos…” He shrugged. “Collateral.”

YFN let herself look at him. He was determined and deadly serious.

“See that photographer? Get used to seeing him around. As for Joe…tell her I’m going to tear down her company before it even begins.”

It was a dominant display by Manchester United who ended up winning 5-0 with five different goal scorers. YFN felt for West Ham who she’d grown a soft spot for since her visit, and especially felt empathetic for their Captain, Mackenzie Arnold, a fellow Australian, as she was the goalkeeper. She couldn’t imagine how hard it must have been mentally after a game like that. You’d feel like it was all your fault while having to be the one to pull the team together.

A few of the players wandered over to her after the match, one being Mackenzie. She gave her a hug and surprisingly agreed to an interview. She interviewed her alongside Mary Earps, letting the two talk business. Mary didn’t exactly have a quiet game, she’d had shots that she’d saved and they both bantered about that, with YFN steering the questions when and where she wanted. The fact that they both pointed out the brilliance in several different moments of each teams and gushed over not just their team but the opposite was the exact reason she’d fallen in love with women’s football. After those two, she interviewed Kirsty Smith and Riko Ueki with Ella Toone and Lucia Garcia. The dynamics of who she put together were interesting and got the results she wanted. She felt like she was Graham Norton putting interesting guests on and leading them here and there with questions, making sure they each felt acknowledged and appreciated for their time and their skill on the pitch.

They finished up around 2:30pm and stopped for a late lunch and some quick editing and posts before they started their two-and-a-half-hour drive to Leicester for their next game. It was only early evening, and YFN could already feel herself getting tired.

As they got into the car, Ruby noted that and told her to get some sleep. She had no idea that Ruby could be quiet for long enough and was pleasantly surprised.

Just before she went to sleep, she sent the video recording of Mark’s voice to Catherine who she knew was busy with few royal duties, and then she fell asleep just after she put her phone on charge.

YFN woke to the loud sound of her phone ringing and she jumped, her face feeling half numb from the window. The car was stopped and she looked outside to Ruby who’d noticed her wake and gave her a thumbs up from the fuel bowser. She gave one back and answered the phone without checking the caller ID.

“YFN! Are you okay?!”

She recognised the voice immediately. “Cath- I mean. Joe? Wow, you really did a great job of sounding not yourself before we met.”

Catherine gave a light chuckle. “One of my secret talents. I listened to your video. Did he threaten you?”

“Not physically, just what you heard on the video.”

“He’s absolutely insistent and much more of a pain than I’d expected.” She sounded annoyed and that was amusing to YFN as she was always painted as the perfect Princess. “I’m so sorry. I spoke to Joe and even she is surprised. He will not hurt you. If you feel unsafe at all, I will hire security.”

“That’s okay, I think we’re okay for now. He seems to be all bark at the moment..”

“He is, I assure you. Also, there is no conflict of interest here. I’m aware of your relationship. We are not even covering her games yet and when we do, it is absolutely not a conflict of interest. The man doesn’t know what he’s talking about. I know you, I chose you for a reason and your judgement, and your actions won’t be compromised by your relationship. Not only that, but there’s nothing in which to base these allegations on just yet. I understand the implications that may occur with you interviewing her and potentially being seen as biased, but I’ve seen your work, I’ve seen you interview friends and colleagues without that bias. I chose carefully.” She sighed. “My plan was for us to build your reputation in the field so high it would surpass any of these allegations before they even occurred.”

“I appreciate the support, and I promise that anything to do with Lucy or her team against another team will not be an issue. I want everyone and every team to be represented, regardless of if they’re against her or not.”

“Perfect. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, I think. In the meantime, you don’t need to hide your relationship. I’d never ask or expect that of you.”

“Thank you…also I’m assuming part of your security check on us is that you look for anything controversial which may be used against us like this?”

She hesitated. “Yes. I don’t like it, but we need to protect ourselves and the business from any potential threats…”

“I understand, and I agree.” Ruby hopped back into the car then with a grin. “You have my support…Joe.”

Catherine took the hint. “He won’t find anything controversial on the other employees because there is nothing. We just need to stay a tight knit group and continue our jobs.”

“Copy that, will do. Would you like me to send out a group memo about him?”

Ruby started to drive again.

“Yes, absolutely. If you don’t mind, I’ll write it and you send it?”

“Perfect, that saves me the work.”

“Lastly, the office won’t be ready tomorrow.”

“Oh?” Her interest peaked at that. She could be with Lucy on her day off. Jonatan had been giving her more days off with her knee. She only had to train four days this week, Tuesday to Friday.

“It’s all related. Mark somehow managed to talk to the local council…anyways I’m sorting it. It’ll be ready by Wednesday, I promise you.”

“Okay. That’s perfectly fine. I’ll meet up with the real estate agent and then the original ten of us will settle in and prep for the new group to arrive.”

“I thought it would be best to start the new group on Thursday instead because of the timing with the office date moving, but I wanted to check with you first to make sure you weren’t losing too much preparation time with them for the next round?”

YFN thought about it a little. Their first game was Saturday, and it was the only one. Catherine had gotten permission for ten employees at that game which allowed her to send two original crew with a full new crew to train. “I think Thursday will work. It’ll give us two full days to cover everything which is enough, and for eight of them, they’ll get experience on Saturday at Stamford Bridge. If I feel we need more, I’ll organise Saturday with the others not at the game to prep more.”

“Agreed! We think very much alike, you know.” It was a compliment that made her blush.

Catherine asked if she had any more questions before the call ended. She wasn’t surprised it wasn’t a long conversation, as she knew she’d been busy all day with regular duties and then Mark’s drama in the background. She couldn’t help but think about the possibility of booking a flight to Barcelona to spend the next two days with Lucy, as she knew she had the next day off. She could explore Barcelona with Narla and do a bit of work on the Tuesday while Lucy was training… She bit her lip and shook her head. Jordan needed her. Jordan was her priority. Thinking of, she looked up Jordan’s game which was almost finished. It had been fairly even all game and Jordan had been subbed on in the 65th minute, having a goal attempt in the 66th minute. YFN smiled as she watched Jordan running around, looking frustrated which was so opposite to her everyday self. Aston Villa were up 1-0 and she watched while Ruby listened to the end of the game. Multiple fouls were made by both teams. Aston Villa scored a second goal. A foul by Jordan at the 90 minute mark. And then it was over. Jordan had only played 30 minutes, but she’d made an impact. YFN sent Jordan a message saying how proud she was of her.

They arrived in Leicester around 5:45pm and stopped at a local café for another snack and a drink before the game. Being too early at the stadium meant boredom. They made sure to arrive around 6:15pm and set their equipment up, capturing the players during warm up. The Leicester players exited first to warm up and a few came over to chat. Luck have it, Courtney was one of them. Australians tended to flock together outside of Australia, she realised. YFN asked if she’d do an interview after the game and she agreed for the price of a hoodie. She liked Courtney and could see why Kyra did too. They were both cheeky.

“Hey stranger.”

YFN turned to see Leah’s smile as she stepped next to her. She was alone and not in kit, not quite ready to play after her ACL.

“Leah!” She smiled, pulling her into a hug. She liked Leah, regardless of her issues with Jordan, and she’d previously spoken to Jordan about their little growing friendship. She was okay with it, of course, otherwise YFN wouldn’t have been so forward. “How are you?”

“Oh mate, desperate to get onto that field, I’m telling ya.” She looked longingly at the pitch and then back to YFN. “I watched your interviews. They’re great! I don’t know why anyone hasn’t interviewed like that before.”

“The ones from last week?”

“Yeah and this morning. I loved it, honestly. I’ll be happy to do interviews anytime with you, just let me know.”

“That’s just given me an idea…” She hummed as she thought.

“Taking me up on the offer already?” She laughed.

“Actually I’ve been trying to work out different segments and ideas that would make us stand out from other companies….you’re not playing today. There are always players who are not playing but watching their teams. So it might be a good idea to get players willing to on the sidelines with us to interview and to film some of the snippets we upload with their own perspective and jokes and insight. Sort of like when you’re excitedly screaming motivation at the girls from the bench, but this time they’d be in snippets for our social media. It’ll promote the team and show just how supportive all of the players are with each other. Plus, I think it'd be hilarious.”

“Sort of like when they mic up the cricket players?”

“EXACTLY.”

“Put me in, coach. I love the sound of that. Plus, if it mucks up, you can just blame me.”

“You are 100% my scapegoat if it goes bad.” She laughed. “You’d be willing to today?”

She shrugged. “I have nothing else going on and I’m used to the camera so why not.”

“Perfect! Yeah, oh that’s so exciting-” She stopped and bit her lip as she thought of Jordan.

“What is it?”

“Um…maybe not today? Maybe next game?”

The frustrating thing was that she didn’t know yet if she’d even be at Arsenal’s next game. It depended on the roster.

“YFN, just tell me.”

“So…hm…here’s the thing…”

“Please don’t tell me this is about Jordan?” She asked, a little upset. “I was hoping that wouldn’t affect our relationship…”

“It won’t! Dory’s fine with us being friends. It’s just…”

“Spit it out, mate.”

“She’s going to be here in under an hour.”

She swore Leah paled. She definitely froze. “Oh.”

“Yeah…so she’ll already be with me on the sidelines for company.”

“She just finished a game…” she looked at her watch. “…so if she’s coming here I guess it’s to talk about us?”

“Leah…”

“She told you about this morning?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.” She groaned and ran her hand through her hair. “Look, I don’t know your opinion on everything and I don’t want to drag you into it all, but I promise you I just want the best for Jordan.”

“And the best for Jordan is you?”

Leah held her eye contact. “Yes. Just…I know I don’t have the right to ask but I will. Can you please maybe tell Jordan it wouldn’t be such a bad thing to go with me this Friday night to the awards? I want to win her back, to be there for her but I can’t without opportunity to actually be around her.”

“I won’t convince her to do something she doesn’t want to…”

“I wouldn’t expect you to. Just…advocate for me? You don’t have to push it. Just…please?”

“I’ll have a talk to her,” she murmured.

“CHICKEN!”

The Arsenal players were headed out for their warm up and most were headed her way led by the Irishwoman who was being overtaken by a smiley, wavy Kyra.

“Thank you, I really appreciate it. Also, I can still do that thing with you, I can be over the other side away from Jordan if she doesn’t want me near.”

“Thanks Leah, I’ll ask her about it when she gets here,” she replied with a smile.

“Ask who about what?!” Kyra asked as she landed on YFN’s back. YFN’s hands immediately caught her legs.

“Oof. You do realise I’m small, right?”

“Yeah, but I knew you’d catch me. When’s Nobbs here?”

A few of the Arsenal girls looked awkward because Leah was there. “It’s okay…” she assured them. “She’ll be here during the first half.”

“Okaaaaay.”

“Oh, also Kyra invited herself tonight.” Caitlin said as she wrestled Kyra off of YFN so she and Katie could give her a hug.

“Tonight? Where was our invite?” Beth asked.

YFN grinned sheepishly. “Our apartment isn’t big enough for the entire Arsenal squad…”

“I’m just joking, this one wants an early sleep anyways,” she said as she nudged Viv who looked unimpressed as usual.

“Aw what a granny!” Kyra teased.

YFN couldn’t help but laugh at the look on Viv’s face. Kyra giggled at her joke, ducking away from Caitlin’s motherly swat to the back of the head when a blue shirt appeared amongst the red and Kyra stilled.

“Hey…”

“Courtney!” YFN replied, making sure she didn’t feel left out. “Hey!”

Courtney looked around, her eyes finding Kyra and then tearing them away pretending she hadn’t looked at her. “Just letting you know Sam and Sophie are both good for the interview after the game. Do you know who it’ll be with?”

“Awesome! Yeah, I was hoping Beth and Frida would be up for it…”

“Me? Yes please! Not sure if I’ll be subbed on though,” Beth said eagerly.

Viv rolled her eyes. “She’ll be subbed on.”

“FRIDA!” Katie yelled.

“FRIDA!!” Beth yelled shortly after. Viv covered her ears and YFN chuckled at that.

The blonde spun around and jogged over. “Yes?”

Frida Maanum was a Norwegian midfielder who’d been with Arsenal since 2021. She was rarely chosen to be interviewed and softly spoken, so YFN thought it’d be great to involve her and help her confidence out with Beth who she could always rely on to talk if she didn’t.

“Want to do an interview with me after the game? YFN wants to know.”

Frida looked over at YFN with a polite hello wave. “It’s going to be with Sam Tierney and Sophie Howard from Leicester. You can absolutely say no if you want.”

“You want me?” She sounded surprised.

“Of course she wants ya, you’re amazin’.” Katie said with a playful grab of her shoulder.

“O…okay. Yeah.” She smiled at YFN which made the Australian feel good for asking.

“Aw, I’ll look after you mate! No need to be nervous!” Beth said loudly, extending an arm around her shoulder.

“So…Beth and Frida,” YFN said to Courtney with a smile. “And then you and Kyra. Is that okay Kyra?”

“Yeah that’s cool.” Kyra said, suddenly quiet.

Courtney’s eyes widened hearing that she’d be interviewed with Kyra. YFN knew it was sneaky of her but it was an opportunity for Courtney to reject the idea before she surprised her with her ex. Not that they were ever public knowledge.

“Okay. I’ll see you after the game.” She said, directed straight at YFN but she knew it was more for Kyra from the tone of it.

Caitlin and YFN shared a sheepish look.

“Come on girls, Jonas is about to kick our asses. Let’s get warmin’ up!” Katie ordered.

“If you see me shouting from the sidelines, it’s because I’m mic’d up!” Leah warned them and received some amused looks in return.

“You’d better not be focusin’ on my ass.” Katie teased.

Caitlin messed up Kyra’s hair. “You’d better be focusing on this one’s debut!”

They all jogged off and Leah turned to YFN.

“Okay boss, where do you want me?”

Jordan and Matt arrived just after 7pm, both with wide grins. Matt because he’d just spent a car ride with Jordan and Jordan because of YFN.

“Dory! Come here!” She took her friend in a hug big enough to lift the footballer off the ground and a few Arsenal fans spotted Jordan and shouted their love for her as she did so.

“I missed you.” She mumbled into Lucy’s hoodie.

“It’s been a day. Needy, hm?”

“I’m always needy.” Jordan grumbled as she put her down.

“I missed you too.” YFN chuckled before turning to Matt. “You look excited, mate.”

He was still grinning ear to ear and nodded.

“I think I tired him out with all the talking, to be fair.”

“I’m glad you two got on for the drive then. Matt, are you okay taking a few of us back to Birmingham tonight? If not, I can ask Ruby…”

“Yes!” He almost shouted and then cleared his throat. “Um, yes, of course. Who..?

“Uh Dory, Katie, Caitlin, Kyra and myself. Oh actually that won’t work… Ruby will have to take some of us anyways… maybe those three and I’ll ask Ruby if she can take Kyra and I.”

“Done.”

“How was the game?”

“Yeah, great. Noel and I got some great footage. A few of the girls were asking about interviews but I said we’d start next week.”

“Next week hopefully… and congrats on Aston Villa’s first win for the season?!”

“Yeah!” Jordan grinned. “I wasn’t on for long but I think I did alright.”

Loud noises from the crowd turned their attention to Leicester running towards goal. The ball was pushed out by Lotte for a corner.

“I’ll go record that.” Matt said as he ran towards the goal up the side of the pitch. Jordan spotted Leah behind the goal then.

“Leah…?”

“You had to have expected her to be here,” YFN teased.

“Well yeah but…is she recording with a phone?”

“I have her mic’d up for some footage. Trying something new out and she’s helping.”

Jordan frowned but her eyes remained on her, mixed emotions in her eyes.

The crowd went wild as Leicester scored from their corner. Jordan swore. The game reset.

“She really wants you to go with her on Friday..”

Jordan’s eyes flicked up to meet hers. “She said that? What else did she say?”

“Nothing you don’t already know… that she wants the best for you, she wants to win you back, and she wants an opportunity to do so.”

Jordan groaned. “I can’t. We rarely went to events together before. Now she wants to show me off to the world like I’m hers when I’m not?”

“I think she just wants a night with you, Jords…”

“Nope. No way. Unless she has another plus one and you come to chaperone us.”

YFN tilted her head. It wasn’t football but… “I could get an invite?”

Jordan spun back around. “You could?”

“My boss can 100% get me a ticket. Now, did you mean it?”

“I mean…” she looked over at Leah. “If you’re going, I will.”

“And is this really what you want?”

Jordan got a little frustrated and pouted, trying to think. She was a bundle of confused emotions and the dreams wouldn’t have helped. YFN put her arm around her and pulled her close.

“What do you think?”

“I think whatever this is, you need to resolve it. The best way to do that is communication. I think you should go. Sooner or later it’s going to be clear to you if you do or don’t want to have her back in your life.”

Leah looked over at the pair, her and Jordan looking at each other. She nodded. “I’ll go.”

“You’re sure?”

“I think I wanted to, I just didn’t want to admit it. Plus, you’ll be there now so it’ll be less awkward.” She grinned up at her.

YFN rolled her eyes and messaged ‘Joe’. Just as she finished the message, Leicester was surging forward, forward, forward, and tucked away their second goal. Two goals in two minutes. A terrible start for Arsenal.

Jordan settled next to YFN, following her and her camera around, watching the game intently. She always wanted the best for Arsenal. They had more of a catch up in between photos that she’d changed to as Matt was now doing the videography. YFN didn’t miss Leah off and on staring across at them just as longingly as she stared at the pitch she missed. Jordan and YFN gradually moved closer to Leah through that first half, though Leah ducked away to the change rooms for half time with her girls.

While it was half time, Ruby, Matt and YFN on worked on their footage while they talked.

“New office tomorrow?!” Matt asked excitedly.

“Oh…no. That’s been delayed until Wednesday. Waiting on approvals. New group are now starting Thursday.”

“You’re not going to Barcelona?” Jordan asked. “Doesn’t Lucy have tomorrow off?”

“You spoke with her?”

“Yeah she messaged me. I assumed you suggested it,” she laughed, “she’s terrible at messaging.”

“Not with me.” YFN winked. “Also that was all her, I promise.”

Jordan rolled her eyes and nudged her almost off her chair. “She misses you.”

“I was there this morning…”

“You miss her too.”

“Dory…” She groaned.

“No.” She said, putting her hand on the camera YFN was playing with which made her look up at her. Ruby and Matt shifted a little nervously as they could do nothing but listen. Jordan looked serious. “Don’t you dare stay here tonight just for me. You barely get any time with her as it is. She’s my friend too, and I like to see her happy. And you happy. And you’re both never as happy as when you’re together.” YFN opened her mouth to argue but Jordan continued. “Let me live vicariously through you. You’ve already done enough, I have Katie and Caitlin and Kyra tonight! They need a bed.”

“You’re kicking me out of our apartment?” YFN laughed.

“Only if you can find a flight.”

She put her camera down and took Jordan into a warm, long hug, mumbling into her. “I love you, Dory. You know that? If we’re both single in five years, I’m going to propose.”

Jordan laughed but they were both emotional. They just wanted the best for each other. “Okay but Blu will be ring-bearer.”

YFN laughed back into her and sat back, wiping tears away that she didn’t even know had formed.

“You’re putting Kyra on the couch?”

“I’ll let her share my bed if she shuts up.”

“She’s only small, she’ll be asleep before you all finish dinner. She tends to tire herself out fast, the little baby.”

“Little baby,” Jordan mimicked adoringly. “Now look for flights. I’ll message Lucy.”

“Or…how about we make it a surprise?”

“I love it! If she thinks you’re robbing her and knocks you out though, that’s not on me.”

She did wonder what Lucy’s reaction would be. She found a flight from Birmingham to Barcelona at 11pm.

“Won’t you need her to unlock the door?”

“I have keys…”

“You two are adorable.”

“I found an 11pm flight from Birmingham…”

“Do you think you’ll make that?!” Ruby asked. “I’m happy to take you…”

“That…sort of works out perfect because then the girls will all fit in Matt’s car. Um…the game finishes at 8:30pm. Interviews until 9pm. Arrive at the airport around 10pm. Cutting it close for international but it’s a late flight and nobody will be there… I think we can make it?” She shrugged and booked the flight anyways. If she didn’t make it, it wasn’t meant to be.

Jordan grinned. “Tell her to thank me when you get there.”

“Honestly, I’m probably going to be passed out from fatigue all day and not even get the chance.”

Her phone buzzed. It was the flight confirmation.

“Are you sure?” She asked Jordan. Sure, she’d already booked the flight, but it was cheap and she didn’t care. She wanted Jordan to be okay.

Jordan grabbed her around the shoulders and smiled. “I promise it’s okay. You’ve really cheered me up today and helped with my Friday night decision. Plus, I have the girls tonight. We both know you’ll just pass out anyways.”

“How dare you…” she laughed as the crowd began cheering loudly as the players re-entered the field. Ruby and Matt got to work. She stood to do the same when her phone buzzed again.

Joe: Done, they sent us through two invitations. Check your emails. Enjoy!

She grinned at the message and then at Jordan.

“What?” She handed her phone over and Jordan took it, an ecstatic look crossing her face. “Yes mate!”

She took her phone back and pocketed it, holding her camera up to take photos of the players as they ran out.

“One condition.”

“Anything.”

She jerked her head towards Leah who was wandering over to the pair. “You tell her.”

Jordan groaned. “Okay but at the end of the night. She can sweat until then.”

YFN chuckled at that.

Starting the second half 2-0 against them meant Arsenal had to push deep. And they did. Arsenal kicked six goals in the second half. Their first came at a hesitation from Courtney which YFN felt terrible for. She was next to Leah when that happened who filmed a mic’d up scream of joy from behind the Leicester goal as the shot went in. Slowly Jordan gravitated towards Leah more during the match, Leah managing to let her come at her own pace. The rest of the match was an absolute riot. Caitlin with an assist and a goal, Katie with an assist, and Kyra with multiple attempts at goal. She was shocked when she saw Courtney take Kyra down in the 83rd minute and wondered just how much of the history between them she didn’t know. The game ended 2-6 Arsenal. A complete second half dominance that had Leah screaming with joy on the sidelines. It turned out to be the perfect day to test the mic’d up segment, as she posted the live updates with video’s Leah had taken of her yelling at the girls running towards goal and screaming, turning the camera around on herself to show her celebrating. It was great content.

Regardless of the outcome, the Leicester players still came over for their interviews. First she had Sam, Sophie, Frida and Beth who actually did get some game time and almost a first goal since she’d come back from her ACL tear. Beth was the loudest, of course, and helped Frida to open up a bit. Frida had some back and forth with the Leicester girls talking about some of the plays including Sam’s goal. Overall, she was happy with the results of the interview, and how much the girls had come out of their shells.

Next was her interview with Courtney and Kyra who seemed equally nervous next to each other. They knew each other well though. YFN waited to sense the overall mood before she allowed herself to go in with some cheeky questions about Courtney’s tackle on Kyra, and Kyra’s debut. Her goal was to get them to start teasing each other, and it worked. At first, they didn’t want to address each other, and after a few comments here and there, it was more them talking and throwing cheeky comments to each other, and YFN could almost sit back and enjoy watching the show. She had to steer it a few times of course, both were young, but the tension between the two was obvious. For the sake of the viewers and their privacy, YFN made sure to make it known to the camera that they were teammates and brought up that they went to school together as justification which started a whole other line of questioning about their start in football.

Only when she was satisfied that she’d helped them break whatever awkwardness they’d previously had, did she end the interview, but not before she told Kyra how proud she was of her on camera for her debut. Courtney gave her a proud shove for that too.

Being Australians, and women, they all hugged their goodbyes, Kyra whispering a thanks into her ear. As they were packing up, she could see them still chatting as Courtney was being called away. She gave Kyra her phone and she typed into it what YFN assumed was her number. Courtney gave an awkward wave, obviously not knowing whether a hug was appropriate, and ran into the change rooms. Kyra turned to YFN with a grin and a little fist pump. It was adorable.

She looked past Kyra to where Leah and Jordan were standing, Jordan telling her she’d go on Friday. Leah’s expression flashed excitement before she contained it, and then it went a little shy as she pretended to be calm about it. They didn’t speak for long, just enough for Jordan to agree before she wandered off with Leah’s eyes following her longingly. She watched for a while until she met YFN’s eye and blushed, having been caught. She mouthed a ‘thank you’ to which she gave a smile in return.

“We really need to go.” Ruby stressed. She looked at the time and groaned. She only had time for quick goodbyes with everyone and a threat to Katie and Caitlin to not have sex in her bed. Katie seemed to enjoy the idea of the threat, to be honest, and that terrified her.

She rushed through security as quickly as possible and was the last person to board the flight, sweating and grateful she’d made it, though cursing herself for having to stay longer just to make sure Kyra and Courtney were good. As with her morning flight, she passed out immediately and wished she had a chance for a shower before seeing Lucy. Instead of a shower, she tidied herself up in the bathroom at the Barcelona airport when she touched down, changing her clothes and washing away the day. She brushed her teeth and did her nightly makeup routine, ignoring some funny looks. She sure as hell wasn’t going to let her skin suffer more than it already was with the change in weather between the UK and Spain.

Her Uber dropped her off at just before 3am and for some reason she was nervous, jiggling the keys Lucy had given her in her hands and playing with the little flags. At the front door she took a deep breath in and unlocked the door, entering as quietly as possible so as to not wake Lucy or Narla. She kicked off her shoes and left her suitcase in the entrance, not wanting to risk the wheels waking them. The smell as she walked into the house was home. Vanilla and bitter orange, and whatever the hell Lucy had been cooking for dinner. She swore she could even smell the big breakfast they’d had that morning. She looked at the trophy Lucy still had out and smiled, putting her phone on charge next to it before tip-toeing her way into the bedroom.

Lucy was quite literally dead asleep. She was on her back facing YFN’s side of the bed, one hand touching the pillow YFN had been sleeping on the night before. She was beautiful. She loved seeing her so vulnerable and herself. Her dark hair was spread out over the pillow, another thing she loved. Lucy with her hair down. She clicked the door closed quietly and snuck around to her side of the bed, avoiding Lucy’s collection of shoes around the bed. She carefully laid down and when she touched Lucy’s hand to move it, she jerked awake, her head rising and her eyes opening.

“It’s just me.” She whispered and put a hand to her cheek, coming closer so Lucy could see her better without her glasses.

“What? What?” She was dazed and confused, her body tense.

“Shhh. Shhhh.” She comforted and cuddled up to her, her head finding Lucy’s collarbone. “It’s okay, it’s just me. I’m sorry for scaring you.”

“Little one?” She asked, unbelieving. “You…you’re here.”

Her arms wrapped around YFN tighter than they ever had before, holding her close to her body, her own body softening into her. “Is everything okay?!”

“Everything’s fine, Luce. I have the next two days off. I’m all yours.”

Lucy groaned happily and kissed her wherever she could reach.

“Sleep now, Luce.”

“You’re home,” she whispered huskily with emotion, her voice already fading.

“I’m home.”

[stephensmithuk]

The Cardboard Box

This was originally published in 1893. It was however pulled from Memoirs apparently at Doyle's request, originally appearing in just the first US edition and did not reappear until much later in His Last Bow.

Croydon is a large town less than ten miles south of Charing Cross. Historically part of Surrey and a borough in its own right in 1889, it was incorporated in Greater London in 1965.

It would later be home to the UK's sole international airport in the interwar years, which closed in 1959. The terminal building survives and there is a museum on site.

Croydon is today a major transport hub, home to the only tram network in Southern England, which was opened in 2000 using a combination of old railway lines and new street tracks. East Croydon is the main station on the London to Brighton Line, with fast electric trains to Victoria.

It has a theatre - no Shakespeare currently on though, sadly.

Croydon was within the Metropolitan Police District, so Lestrade is within this jurisdiction.

ACD would later run for Parliament as a Liberal Unionist, parting company from the Liberal Party because of his opposition to Irish Home Rule.

Wallington is also now in London and was already its own parish at this time.

The temperance movement was pretty big across the Protestant world by this point. Britain never went as far as the US in prohibition though - despite strong support in the Liberal Party, the Conservatives were resolutely opposed and the best they could do was high taxation, along with regulated opening hours that were introduced when the First World War began.

We get Lestrade's first initial - G.

Foolscap is an 8x13-inch sized paper that was commonly used in Europe and the British Commonwealth before A4 took over.

Shadwell is an area in the East End of London, on the river and then part of the docks.

The Albert Dock is probably the Royal Albert Dock. This closed in 1981 and an attempt to turn the area into a business park in 2013 has just resulted in an area that is good for filming zombie movies: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2022/jul/20/empty-promise-the-fantasy-city-within-a-city-that-turned-into-a-ghost-town

[beardedmrbean]

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Chicago is grappling with local backlash against moving homeless migrants into a new government-run tent encampment as temperatures drop and more migrants continue to arrive.

Hundreds of migrants are still sleeping on floors or in tents outside city police stations. Some who remained this week huddled near tents wearing parkas, knit hats and even ski goggles to cope with the cold weather and falling snow.

At the same time, dozens of protesters have been gathering daily near a construction site where one of two new shelters is being built in Chicago's Brighton Park neighborhood. The shelters, funded by the state of Illinois and expected to open as soon as mid-December, will house up to 2,200 asylum seekers and cost $65 million to build.

Community members in Brighton Park are suing the city to try to stop construction, saying it violates Chicago zoning laws. "These people are just getting off the bus and everything's given to them," said one of the demonstrators, longtime resident Ricardo Palacios. "As a taxpayer, I don't think that's right."

For several months, thousands of migrants with nowhere to go have been sleeping at Chicago police stations and O'Hare International Airport, but the city and churches have stepped up efforts to move migrants into shelters.

Around 1,000 asylum seekers remain at police stations, down from 4,000 three weeks ago, according to city figures.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a Democrat who took office in May, has struggled to house arriving migrants, including hundreds bused up each week by the Republican-led border state of Texas after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. Many of those arriving come from Venezuela and lack family and friends to help them.

The housing issue has become more urgent in recent weeks as the city's frigid winter season - when temperatures routinely drop below freezing and can sometimes fall dangerously low - draws closer and snow has started to fall.

On Tuesday, Johnson, who is Black, criticized Texas Governor Greg Abbott's busing effort during a press conference, calling it "right-wing extremism" that was intentionally targeting cities "led by people of color."

"Their whole motivation is to create disruption and chaos," said Johnson, who has also sought more federal funding to deal with the issue.

Since April 2022, Texas has bused more than 66,000 migrants to six Democratic-run cities, four of which have Black mayors - Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and Washington.

Abbott spokesperson Renae Eze called Johnson's remarks "falsehoods and outright lies" and questioned his commitment to receiving migrants.

"In May, Mayor Johnson welcomed migrants to Chicago, saying the city has 'enough room' for them," Eze said in a statement. "With millions of residents, Chicago is only dealing with a fraction of what our small border communities deal with on a day-to-day basis."

[scotianostra]

November 26th 1908 saw the birth of Charles Carmine Forte in Casalattico, Italy.

Baron Forte, as he was to become, worked in his relatives Italian cafe in the High Street, on his arrival in Scotland from Italy. He expanded a tiny London milk bar (snack bar), which he opened in 1934, into Trusthouse Forte PLC, a vast international enterprise that included highway service centres, restaurants, airport caterers, breweries, wine merchants, and a string of accommodations that ranged from the moderate-priced Travelodge motel chain to such luxury hotels as London’s Waldorf and Grosvenor House.

And what is all this got to with Scotland? Forte settled in Scotland at the age of four, where his father Rocco set up a cafe, he also worked at his Uncle Alfonso’s shop in my home town of Loanhed, although some sources say it was Rocco, his father who owned the shop, the Forte website says it was Alfonso.

There are Italian-Scots, all over Scotland, the Fortes had businesses in Stirling, Kelso, Biggar, Galashiels, Girvan, Broxburn, Jedburgh, Dunbar, Greenock, Dalkeith, Alloa and loads more places besides.

After his father bought a small hotel in Alloa young Charles attended Alloa Academy and then St. Joseph's College, Dumfries, he was then sent to Rome for two years before re-joining his family. He was 18 when he entered the family business, running a restaurant. The business progressed through a series of seaside resorts.

When he was 21, Forte was put in charge of a rundown cafe, the Venetian Lounge in Brighton. Within 12 months he had turned it into a profit-making outlet.

However, he had set his sights on London. With just £400, loans of £2000 from his family and a further £2000 bank loan, he bought a milk bar in Upper Regent Street. A concept he imported from America, it was a place where young people could socialise while lingering over non-alcoholic drinks and listening to the latest records.

The Strand Milk Bar Ltd. milk bar was the stepping stone Forte needed. In later years the café became the Four Seasons Restaurant and it was one site he would never sell.

By the time war broke out in 1939, Forte owned nine establishments in the centre of the capital and was known as Mr Piccadilly. He was interned on the Isle of Man, but after three months he was released to become an adviser to the Ministry of Food.

After the war he bought top London restaurants and hotels such as the Cafe Royal and Waldorf. In 1955 his company was awarded the first catering concession at Heathrow Airport. When the UK's first motorway opened in 1959, he began building a chain of 23 roadside catering areas.

His empire eventually had more than 800 hotels, in cities such as Paris, Geneva, Madrid and London, and a similar number of food outlets. In Britain alone he employed about 70,000 people.

When knighted in 1970 Lord Forte, who was five feet four inches in height, dubbed himself "the shortest knight of the year". He was also a Knight of the Grand Cross of the Italian Republic and was presented with a Papal Medal by Pope Pius XII. He received a medal from the French for what his firm had done at its Paris hotels, the George V, the Plaza Athenee and Tremoille, and the Spanish gave him a medal for his work at the Ritz in Madrid. In 1992, aged 83, he gave up the company to his son Rocco, who had succeeded him as chief executive in 1983.Forte ascribed his success to hard work and healthy living. He said work should be serious but fun, and satisfaction rather than profit was his main motivation.

Charles Forte passed away on February 28th, 2007 aged 98, he had already passed full control to his son Rocco in 1993, but soon the plc was faced with a hostile takeover bid from Granada. Ultimately, Granada succeeded with a £3.9 billion tender offer in January 1996, which left the family with about £350 million in cash, not bad for starting in a wee shop in a Scottish toon.

Rocco immediately went back into the hotel business and now has 14 hotels located in European cities, as well as beach resorts in Sicily and Apulia, and recent openings in Saudi Arabia and China. The most famous of his hotels in Scotland is The Balmoral at number one Princes Street Edinburgh.

Pics of of some of the Forte businesses can be found here https://www.fortefamilyhistory.com/Gallery/In_Business/index.html

[sleekervae]

Yoü & I [1.9]

Masterlist

A/N: as usual, just popping on here to say thanks for your continued support <3

--

A few drunk texts was one thing. But after a few days it turned to phone calls from a blocked number. Charlotte was more perplexed than anything, why would Ben keep trying to call her? He had made it clear that afternoon in the airport, he wanted nothing more to do with her. Unless she was just the victim of some telemarketing scam...

The tour had taken the two bands to Brighton, a lively and quaint beach town that broke the mold of what a small town in the UK could look like. There were buildings of multi-rainbow colours and a boardwalk and carnival. Their hotel was even right across from the water, and Charlotte and Kimberly had a stunning view of the ocean from their window.

Luke had picked it off first: something was off with Charlotte. Every time her phone even buzzed with a notification she went a shade whiter. He put it aside at first, thinking it was just her mom driving her crazy. He too had seen Penelope flip her shit and it could be considered legendary. However, when the tour reached Vienna and it kept happening, he knew something wasn't right. 

The management team had rented two buses for the cross-country trip, packed with hours of sleeping, video games, and a few hours to wander around Vienna and take in the almost renaissance-esque beauty. 

In the middle of the city, looming over the town with a watchful presence was St. Stephen's Cathedral. Gothic and romanesque, it had captured Charlotte's attention; every tile and stone brick withered from the elements of time and now withstanding its greatest feat yet: restoration. The ladders and scaffolding couldn't even take away from the architecture's haunting magnificence.

Luke licked his fingers from the apple strudel he was currently enjoying; the others were still scanning the delectable treats at the bakery one block over from the cathedral. Harry still kept Charlotte well within his sights, knowing Terryn would give him an earful should anything happen to the young singer. Luke had another strudel wrapped and tucked in his elbow for Charlotte, still warm from the oven. 

He cleared his throat as he approached her from behind, she smiled at him, "Beauty, ain't it?" 

She grinned, "Like the Evil Queen's castle from Snow White,"

"This whole town could star in a Disney film," he marveled, "Like you never left the renaissance,"

"Minus the lead makeup, plagues, and lice infestations," she said. Luke was just bringing his strudel back for another bite when she mentioned those awful nesting bugs, and he paused, dismayed.

Charlotte glanced at the pastry, its heavenly scent of cinnamon and baked apples wafting up her nose, "Did I put you off?"

"Nonsense," Luke shook his head and handed her the fresh strudel, "For you," 

"Aren't you sweet," she grinned at him, her smile broadening when she noticed the apple compote under his lip, "You got a little..." 

"Oh," he wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his jacket, much to Charlotte's dismay, but she said nothing, "Thanks," 

"OI! YOU TWO!" they both turned when they heard Ashton's echoing shout, "You're gonna' get left behind!"

"They'd probably prefer it," Michael snickered, "Finally going on a date,"

"Oh, knock it off, Michael," Kimberly elbowed him. 

They quickly caught up with their friends and spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around the imperial city. Afterwards, having had lunch at a small little restaurant -- and Chloe picked up a Viennese cookbook that was all written in Austrian -- they retired to their hotel for a small rest before the show. 

However, Charlotte and Luke weren't sleeping much. He resided on the couch of his room, sprawled out and trying to listen in to Charlotte's conversation in the bedroom. She had been on the phone for over an hour and some, he could see the shadow of her feet pacing back and forth under the door.

Soon enough, Luke's curiosity got the better of him. He stealthily sneaked up to the door and pressed his ear to the wood, trying to garner a listen. However, just as he was comfortable, the door suddenly swung open and he tumbled forward, narrowly missing and crashing into Charlotte. 

Needless to say, Charlotte was stunned as Luke hit the floor, "Luke, I know I'll regret asking," she huffed, "But what are you doing?"

Luke looked up at her sheepishly, pushing to sit on his knees, "Just checking on you," he replied.

Charlotte rolled her eyes and helped him up, pushing him back into the living room, "Grab your phone. I just changed my number,"

"Really?" Luke though didn't seem so surprised, "How come?" 

"Because my ex has been phone stalking me for the last two weeks, forcing me to undergo the very tedious task of contacting everyone I know and giving them my new number," she replied, falling to sit on the couch.

At least that explained some things, Luke thought. He took a seat beside her, "What the fuck does he want from you?" 

"I don't know, I haven't answered," Charlotte replied, "I mean -- do you think he's sorry, maybe? Maybe he wants me back?"

Just the thought alone, thinking that Ben would want to get his slimy hands on Charlotte again made his blood boil. 

"Absolutely not!" he suddenly exclaimed, much to Charlotte's surprise, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell. But you can't go back to him! He sees how well you're doing without him and he wants in on the action. That must be why he's calling you," 

Charlotte shook her head, trying not to be hurt by his words, "I never said I wanted him back," she assured him, and he settled down, "I'm a little curious though, obviously it's not all drunk texts and calls," 

"Well, fuck him," Luke grumbled, "He had his chance, he blew it in the most unprofessional way possible, and if he thinks you're just gonna' come running back to him with one phone call, there's a special place in hell for --"

"Luke," she grabbed his hands to shut him up, "I don't want Ben back. I'm happy, and I have no time for his bullshit. Besides, I have to worry more about you guys,"

"Why do you have to worry about us?" he asked.

"For the day you guys push the security just a little too far," she replied, "Give Rob the chance, he'll tuck the four of you into the nearest dumpster,"

Luke smirked at the mention of the usually grumpy security guard, "He'd throw in a skunk just for good measure," he chuckled, going to his jacket to find his phone, "I didn't mean to get so upset, but just the thought of that guy -- I mean, I watched him fuck you 'round for three whole years!"

"You watched him fuck me 'round for one and a half," Charlotte corrected.

"Whatever," he shrugged, "The point is I saw you at your lowest too many times with him, and I never wanna' see you like that again. You deserve better,"

Charlotte's jaw clenched, that familiar agony riddling through her veins and she was angry once again. However, it was anger stemming from jealousy and greed. The words he was saying to her were words she just wanted to scream at him, tell him that Melody was no good for him. 

"So do you," she said suddenly. Luke glanced up from his bag, hands still stuffed deep in the mess of collected trash and knick knacks and his face seemingly paling. 

"W-What?" he stammered.

Charlotte stood up slowly, "I think you deserve much better than Melody. She's an awful person, and you ask anybody they'll tell you just as much. She makes you cry and cuts you down and all of your friends! No person in their right mind is so fucking cruel! 

"Charlotte --"

"You should be with me instead!" she said suddenly, unable to stop the word vomit, "I could be so much better to you than she ever could," 

Luke stood up straight, unmoving, and he didn't say a word. He just stared at Charlotte -- through her -- perplexed and notably upset by her words. However, Charlotte heard a sudden loud snapping noise, right next to her ear.

"Hey, where'd you go?" Charlotte was sitting back on the couch. Luke was standing over her, his fingers snapping next to her face. 

"Huh?" she'd zoned out. And snapped out of it in an instant; like hell she'd be brave enough to actually confess how she felt. Even though the truth was what Luke needed to hear more than anything. 

"I said because Ben's an impotent dipshit, he's calling you 'cause he can't find no girls in New York who'd put up with a limp noodle like you did," Luke huffed.

Charlotte grimaced, "God, have you been taking lessons from Chloe?" 

"I'm just saying, I could list hundreds of selfish reasons as to why the fucker's calling you," he replied.

"And as I told you before, I'm not picking it up," she promised him, " -- and for the record it wasn't limp all the time, it just... it was okay," 

Luke flopped down next to her, phone in his hand, "Shorty, don't lie to me. It's embarrassing," 

Charlotte glowered at him, "Like you have anything to brag about, Casanova," she grabbed his phone and started to change her contact.

"Well, I'd be happy to oblige ya, but I don't kiss and tell," he smirked back. 

Charlotte elbowed his ribs, "Like I'd wanna' know," Luke's response was to shift and lie down, his head fell perfectly in her lap, "Nuisance,"

"But you still love me, right?" he grinned up at her. She rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, I still love you,"

♛♛♛

Kimberly rubbed what little sleep was left from her eyes, not looking forward to running through the exact same list of songs they'd played over and over again for the last year, just for an empty arena. She understood why soundcheck was so important, but sometimes it became truly tedious. 

She gingerly sipped at her tea, not registering the heavy pattering of footsteps that were rapidly catching up to her from behind. 

"Lookout, Kim!" Chloe suddenly went whizzing past the sleepy bassist. And then Charlotte ran past. Kimberly stood on the spot, perplexed as her friends charged into the rain. And then Ashton and Luke came running past, hot on the girls' tail.

"Make way! Stop those thieves!" Ashton cried.

"Sorry, Kim!" and they ran into the rain as well, with Luke careful not to spill his own cup of tea (because running with hot liquids isn't dangerous at all). Kimberly just shook her head and took another sip of her tea.

"Kids today..."

With Ashton's drumsticks clutched in her sweater, Chloe ducked into the oncoming downpour, sure to clear up by the time the concert would begin. Charlotte was right behind her, both of them clamouring to get on the bus and lock the door before the guys could reach them. Don't ask why Chloe stole the drumsticks, and don't ask why Ashton forgot he had another pair in his bag. It was purely all for fun. 

"Close the door! Close the door!" Chloe urged as they jumped into the bus. Charlotte pulled the lever that closed the bus doors, effectively trapping the guys in the rain. Luke tried to seek shelter under the side mirror, while Ashton pressed his face to the glass in a dismorphed pout.

"Let us in! Before they kill us!" he exclaimed dramatically.

"Come on guys! My hair!" Luke piped in.

"You have constant helmet head, Hemorrhoid!" Chloe shouted back. 

"Fuck you, Mayflower!"

Charlotte was amused, nonetheless, but she wasn't heartless enough to let the guys stand in the rain until the bus driver would finally arrive, "Come on, Chlo. Give him his sticks back," 

Chloe shook her head, "Not until he admits who the better drummer is!" she replied defiantly. 

Charlotte shrugged and turned to the dampening boys, "Ball's in your court, Ash," 

Luke smacked the stubborn boy's arm, clutching his hot tea to his chest as a means to stay warm, "C'mon mate! It's freezing!"

"Alright!" Ash huffed, "Chloe Mayfair's the best fucking drummer in the world since Travis Barker! Now let us in!"

Chloe's face twisted into thought, only long enough to draw out the agony. She then nodded to Charlotte, "Alright, let them in," 

Charlotte pulled the lever again and the bus doors sprang open, and the guys dashed inside. Ashton immediately snatched back his drumsticks from the smug Chloe. They both shook their hair out like dogs, effectively getting blowback on the girls.

"Oh, gross!" Chloe cried, "Sweaty dude hair!"

"It's not sweat!" Luke chided, "Somebody locked us in the rain," 

"Don't look at me!" Chloe replied, "Your girlfriend did it!" Charlotte rolled her eyes.

"Because she was under your evil influence!" Ashton scolded back. 

"Yeah, Charlotte would never intentionally lock us in the rain!" Luke added.

"Oh, wouldn't I?" Charlotte replied coyly, reaching up to ruffle his damp hair. Instead, Luke grabbed her and shook his head again, cold water droplets falling over her and a cold burn splattered over her skin.

"Ah! Get off!" she whined, trying to push him away. Chloe meanwhile glanced at Ashton and pulled a gagging face. Ashton shook his head, the smile on Luke's face brighter than he'd seen in weeks. It was a sweet yet frustrating thing to watch. 

♛♛♛

Charlotte sat in the makeup chair, half of her long brown locks tied up while Kimberly put in loose curls with the iron. She scrolled aimlessly through her Instagram, half paying attention to the somewhat curious conversation Maria and Chloe were discussing about pop tarts.

"It's a stuffed pocket that you serve hot, and you can eat it with a fork," Chloe argued.

"No person in their right mind would actually consider a pop tart to be a ravioli," Maria replied strongly. 

"It can be considered as a dessert ravioli," Chloe said, waving her hands frantically.

Maria scowled at her, "You say that to any Italian, they'll bop you over the head with your own drumsticks," 

Chloe huffed and looked over to Kimberly, who was sat next to Charlotte as she was applying her eyeliner, "Kimberly, weigh in here: can pop tarts be considered ravioli?"

Kimberly closed her perfectly smokey eyes, dreading the moment when she would be inevitably dragged into a pointless debate. Without a word, she set the iron down gently and turned to Chloe slowly.

"A Pop-Tart is a hand-held pie," she explained slowly and calmly, much to Charlotte's amusement, "An overly sugary, artificially flavoured, trans-fat-filled pastry made with a biscuit dough and stuffed with fake sugary fillings. You can either bake it, toast it, or fry it. Raviolis are savoury and filled with either meat or cheese, then boiled. So the answer to your question is a resounding and unmoving no," 

And with that, Kimberly took a show-stopping seat in the chair. Charlotte and Maria clapped for her, leaving Chloe pouting like a baby.

"Nuff said," Charlotte smirked. 

"Fine," Chloe huffed, charging for the mini fridge, "But you still can't convince me that a hot dog is a sandwich," 

"I'm not going to listen to somebody who bought a cookbook written entirely in Viennese," Maria replied. 

Charlotte and Kimberly rolled their eyes, glancing at each other with knowing grins as the next debate took its course. 

"So I made a stupid mistake. It must be Tuesday," Chloe continued to argue her point until she pulled open the mini fridge door, but instead of reaching for the can of beer she craved, she was gobsmacked when she came face-to-face with a wall of blue. 

"Uh -- girls?" she called with uncertainty.

"What is it?" Kimberly asked, not paying attention as she applied her mascara. 

"C'mere for a minute?" she asked, "I think you all need to see the fridge," 

Charlotte's interest was peaked, "What's wrong with the fridge?" she asked, trying to get a glimpse in the mirror. 

Maria went to investigate. She figured maybe the guys had come in and taken a few cans of drinks, or maybe there was a small leak? It was a cheap little fridge they traveled with after all, she wouldn't have been surprised if it sustained a few bruises. Instead, what she found was beyond anything she could've imagined. Blue jello; the entire fridge was filled in a block of cool, jiggly blue jello.

"Okay, what the actual fuck?" she gasped. 

Kimberly and Charlotte then went to see, "What is that?" Kimberly asked.

"It's jello!" Charlotte exclaimed, partly surprised, partly impressed. This had 5sos written all over it, and she had to give the guys their props for being so creative -- and patient. 

Chloe stood up straight, cross, "Is this their payback for the toilet bowl thing?" she asked, "And why did they wait two months to come up with it?" 

"Gotta' give 'em credit, though," Kimberly shrugged, "We never would've thought of that,"

"Why'd they have to pack the drinks in there, though?" Maria asked, gawking at the cans of soda and beer frozen in the jello. 

"Well, what do we do with it?" Charlotte looked around, "You guys hungry?"

"I don't like jello," Kimberly pouted.

Maria checked the time on her phone, "We got an hour," she replied, "Grab some garbage bags from maintenance and let's start scooping," 

[haunted-headset]

My WIP Leaks

Take my Hand "Where the hell did you get the car from?" she asked as she sat in the passenger seat. "My sister," he said as he started to drive. "Okay, so what's the plan?" "We drive to the gas station & change our appearances so that nobody will recognize us," she said. "We cut our hair, change our clothes, wear sunglasses, & wear masks." He nodded. "Then we drive to the airport & get on our plane to Brighton as quickly as we can," she said. "We don't buy any snacks to make sure nobody recognizes us." He nodded again. "Then, when we land in Brighton, we find the nearest hotel & spend the night," she said. "& the next morning, your friend Hilda will pick us up & drive us to her apartment." "Correct," he smiled. "We've got this." He paused before asking, "Are you really sure about this?" She nodded. "Get me out of here."

Sanborn View I was working at my market, but it was empty except for me and my music. Painite was busy as the president of Sanborn View, Moonstone was in the library, Carnation (formerly known as Maisie) was creating something in her workshop, Zircon (aka William) was making clothes or feeding ducks, and Adventus (aka Atlas) was baking in his cafe. Just when I thought it would be a boring day, Carnation burst in. “A new runaway has arrived!” she exclaimed. “Get up, get up!”

Paradox City Milo had no idea that when she was asleep, her wooden bluejay fluttered over to Milo & sat down upon her head. Milo also had no idea that her mother’s lucky pencil, which was still firmly gripped in her hand, started to glow a soft purple & it emitted its lavender rays on her vine drawing. & only the wooden bluejay saw the vines start to become real things, growing out of the sketchbook and blooming small, yellow flowers. & only the wooden bluejay knew that these flowers tasted absolutely delicious.

30 People, 30 Days “Can we all just focus, please?!  There are tons of us trapped in this wardhouse, & from what I’ve seen there’s no way out!” I raised my voice. Then, a person in all black walked out in a fancy outfit and an anonymous mask. They stepped into the warehouse with all the guards.  We all looked over at them with anger. “Who are you?!” someone yelled. “Who I am is to not be revealed to you, ever.  But I would like to welcome my new 30 contestants to a game.” The voice spoke, its voice deep. “A game?  What game?  I don’t want to play no game.” Quinn said. “Ew, improper English,” someone mumbled. “This is where you’ll be staying.” The voice pointed to a room to the left.“There you’ll be fed your basic three meals, and make new friends. Your first challenge begins promptly at 8am.” The voice walked away.

Just Like Mama Never Made Good parenting was never something that I had seen. My mom’s an alcoholic and my stepdad’s a stoner. My siblings and I never got one good thing out of them. Hell, my siblings and I were lucky that we had a roof over our heads and that we were alive. The damage my parents had created was terrible. Sometimes I woke up so scared from nightmares about them that I had to remind myself of my name, remind myself who I am, remind myself that I’m alive. Let me know which one sounds the most interesting & I'll release more leaks of it!

tags: @vibestillaxxx@joviepog@ax-y10@themonsterunderurmom @wilburstan@smolsleepykitten@funnyreally2009@crows-death@dykepunz@aresriiots@0miamor0 @cathers-world@defonotval@chipch0p@mazzistar16@unmellowyellowfellow@justalittlebitofchaos@thosecolorfulsheets@vopix@taylors-version-from-the-vault@aine-lasagna@merianakross@veeislost@urfav-sapphic-siren@shazbaz58-blog @wifiatthetrainstation@mcr-pr-fob@shd454 @universe-friday @rqvii @idioticion @m0thza (let me know if u don't or do wanna be tagged!!)

[uomminecraftsociety]

Can I just talk about how awesome the Stanstead airport is from a railway perspective is. Like it isn't amongst the best served or best connected or anything but considering its size and location, it just tries so well.

It has trains at least every half an hour, if not every 15 minutes at certain times while the Gatwick Express is less frequent. It also has connections to other actual major UK cities, where Gatwick just goes to London and Brighton and Heathrow has no train service West so it is stuck with London while from Stansted you can get to Norwich, Peterborough, Cambridge, Leicester and Birmingham on top of London itself. (before you say anything, I know you can get from Reading and Guildford to Gatwick but like does anyone actually like that service, plus those places are in the small leagues compared to Brighton).

Considering that Stanstead is so much smaller than both Gatwick and Heathrow I would say it has an excellent service.

[lbusinesstravel]

Our Brighton to Gatwick transfer service provides you with a range of premium vehicles for your choice, from high-end sedans to spacious SUVs and luxury executive cars with modern amenities for maximum comfort. All our fleet service is made up of renowned car services like Mercedes V Class Chauffeur Service, and Rolls Royce Chauffeur Transfer, well maintained to ensure first-class travel. From the airport or arrival in Brighton, treat yourself to a perfect blend of luxury and efficiency. Order our chauffeurs to get you around safely for local travel in case you happen to stay in the locale.Our experienced drivers ensure a seamless, safe, and entertaining ride from Gatwick to Brighton. The drivers are professional and well informed about the right traffic network from Gatwick to Brighton hence will deliver to you on time. For any luggage or any particular need for the trip, our polite and professional drivers will be happy to help you. If you’re travelling in London City then may also hire our Daily chauffeur service. You can be assured that our airport transfer chauffeur service will get you there without stressing you up.

[michaleideas]

Brighton Taxi 4U: The Most Reliable and Affordable Taxi Service on the South-East Coast

When it comes to reliable and affordable transportation in Brighton, Brighton Taxi 4U is the top choice for locals and visitors alike. Whether you're commuting within the city or heading to one of the major airports, we provide efficient, professional service 24/7. With a modern fleet of licensed taxis, luxury vehicles, and group transport options, we ensure every journey is smooth, safe, and affordable.

At Brighton Taxi 4U, we are always looking to innovate, and we're proud to announce the launch of our brand-new taxi booking app, designed to revolutionise how you book your rides. This app is a game-changer for the taxi industry in Brighton, making it easier than ever to schedule, track, and manage your bookings from your smartphone.

Why Choose Brighton Taxi 4U?

1. Licensed Taxis and Luxury Vehicles

Our diverse fleet includes licensed taxis and luxury 1-8 seater cars and minibuses. Whether you’re travelling solo, with family, or in a group, Brighton Taxi 4U has the perfect vehicle to meet your needs. To learn more and book your ride, visit Taxi4U.co.uk.

2. Airport Transfers Made Easy

With Brighton Taxi 4U, Airport transfers Brighton are stress-free and reliable. We serve all major airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, and Stansted. Our punctual drivers ensure you reach your destination on time. Find out more at Taxi4U.co.uk.

3. Affordable Pricing

As the most affordable Brighton taxi service, we offer competitive rates while maintaining high standards of service. Whether it’s a local trip or a long-distance journey, our prices are transparent and budget-friendly. Get a quote or book your next ride at Taxi4U.co.uk.

4. Available 24/7

Need a ride at odd hours? No problem! Brighton Taxi 4U operates 24/7, ensuring you have transport available any time of day or night. Book your ride at Taxi4U.co.uk.

5. Exceptional Customer Service

Our professional drivers and customer service team work hard to make your journey pleasant and worry-free. Need assistance? Call 01273 730730 for prompt support.

Introducing Our New App

We are excited to announce the launch of the Brighton Taxi 4U mobile app, designed to make your taxi bookings even more convenient. This app allows you to book rides, track your driver, and manage your bookings directly from your phone, streamlining the entire process. Whether you’re at home, at work, or on the go, booking a taxi has never been easier.

As reported in The Argus, our new app is set to revolutionise the local taxi industry, giving you more control over your travel plans. Download the app today from Taxi4U.co.uk and enjoy the future of taxi services in Brighton.

Serving Brighton and Beyond

In addition to Brighton, we also serve surrounding areas like Hove, Shoreham, and Eastbourne. Whether you need a quick local ride, a long-distance journey, or airport transfers, Brighton Taxi 4U is here to meet all your travel needs. Visit Taxi4U.co.uk to learn more.

With our new app, competitive pricing, and 24/7 availability, Brighton Taxi 4U is your go-to option for safe, reliable, and affordable transportation. Book your ride today at Taxi4U.co.uk or call 01273 730730.

News talking about our app. https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/24110001.brighton-taxi-boss-says-new-app-will-revolutionise-industry/

Check our website for more information here: https://www.taxi4u.co.uk/

[aristocratslog]

Bye Little Block! / Pá, kis panelom! from Eva Darabos on Vimeo.

A surreal farewell to a blockhouse area.

Bye Little Block! (2020) is my graduation film made at the Animation Master programme of Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design, Budapest (@MOME Anim).

Awards:

Ottawa International Animation Festival 2020 - Best Design ANIMATOR Poznan 2020 - Best Student Film Barcelona International Short Film Festival 2020 - Best Animated Short Animakom Bilbao 2020 - Jury's Special Mention Festival of Animation Berlin 2021 - Special Mention Sweaty Eyeballs Animation Festival 2021 - Jury's Citation Flatpack Film Festival 2021 - Special Mention Cinefest Miskolc 2021- CineNewWave Award Dargay Attila Award for The Most Promising Hungarian Animation Talent 2021 ‘21 International Film Schools Festival, Uruguay - Best Animated short PRIMANIMA 2021 - Most Popular Hungarian Short KAFF 2021 - Best short film KAFF 2021 - Filmcritics’s Award Cinemira Film Festival 2021 - Best Short Film Cinemira Film Festival 2021- Best Hungarian Animated Short Film Big Cartoon Festival 2021 - Best Student Film ATAFF 2021 - Award of the Student Jury ATAFF 2021 - Jury’s Special Mention PiterKIT 2021- Golden diploma For Imagination and Absurd Humor Zoom Zblizenia 2022 - Special Award La Guarimba Film Festival 2022- La Grotta dei Piccoli Award Castrovillari Film Festival 2022 - Best Original Score (Dávid V. Bodnár) We like’em short 2022 - Best Student Film Animist Tallinn 2022 - Yarlspinner Award Festival Cartón 2022 - Best Student Film Festiwal Spektrum 2022 - Best Animated Short Desenzano Film Festival 2022 - Best Animation GIRAF 18 Calgary 2022 - Jury Award Sottodicotto Festival 2022 - That’s ANIMATO Award

Selections:

Animafest Zagreb, Sarajevo Film Festival, Ottawa International Animation Festival, PÖFF Shorts, London International Animation Festival, Festival of Animation Berlin, Pictoplasma, Anim'est, Anilogue, Anifilm, Premiers Plans Festival d'Angers, Barcelona International Short Film Festival, Fantoche, Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival, Anibar, Anímator Poznan, BUSHO, Friss hús Budapest International Short Film Festival, Festival BAB, Weird 3D Festival, Imagine Science Film Festival New York, New Chitose Airport International Animation Festival, Supertoon, Catch the moon, Filmtettfeszt, Cinefest Miskolc, Cinemira International Youth Film Festival, Short Waves Festival, Fest Anča, Animateka, Insomnia, MONSTRA Festival, Magyar Mozgókép Fesztivál 2021, Primanima, Animakom, KAFF, Imaginaria, Linoleum Kyiv, Kyiv ISFF, Monstrale, Big Cartoon, FIEC Uruguay, Fancine Málaga, Alexandre Trauner ART/Film Festival, Sardinia Film Festival, Macau International Short Film Festival, Linea D'Ombra Vedo Animato, KuanDu Film Festival, Sweaty Eyeballs, Zoom Zblizenia Film Festival, Mecal Pro, Flatpack Film Festival, Animocje, Mediawave Gathering, Animatricks, Zlín Film Festival, La Guarimba, Animist, We like'em short, Rooftop Films NYC, PiterKIT 2021, Hungary Live NYC, Vertigo Film Festival, Castrovillari Film Festival, dotdotdot Vienna, Festival Cartón, Festiwal Spektrum, Desenzano Film Festival, GIRAF 18 Calgary, Interfilm Berlin, Animasivo Mexico City, Sottodicotto Festival, Budapest Architecture Film Festival, Brighton International Animation Festival

FILM CREW

Director: Éva DARABOS Producer: József FÜLÖP Editor: Judit CZAKÓ Script Advisor: Rita DOMONYI Tutor: Réka GACS Music: Dávid V. BODNÁR Sound Designer: Dávid V. BODNÁR Production manager: Eszter GLASER Visual concept: Éva DARABOS Backgrounds: Éva DARABOS, Lili KORCSOK

Animation: Domonkos ERHARDT, Éva DARABOS, Bálint HALASI,Vivien HÁRSHEGYI, Bence HLAVAY, Melinda KÁDÁR, Katalin SÁRDI Clean -up, Coloring : Luca Kata ÁBRÁNYI, Domonkos ERHARDT, Éva DARABOS, Eszter GLASER, Bálint HALASI, Vivien HÁRSHEGYI, Bence HLAVAY, Melinda KÁDÁR, Péter KÁLMÁN, Mays MAHMOUD DWEIRI, Sára SOMOGYI, Anna TŐKÉS, Bori ZÉTÉNYI

Thank you everyone!

[luxurytaxiservice]

Your Trusted Van Service in Brighton: Reliable, Convenient, and Affordable

Reliable Airport Shuttle Taxi Service in Brighton

When it comes to airport shuttle taxi service in Brighton, we understand the importance of punctuality and reliability. Whether you're heading to the airport for a business trip or returning from a vacation, our shuttle services ensure that you get to your destination on time and without hassle. Our experienced drivers are familiar with the best routes, ensuring a smooth and quick journey. We pride ourselves on offering a seamless experience from the moment you book your ride to the time you reach your destination.

Convenient Medical Appointments Service in Brighton

Navigating the city's traffic and parking can be stressful, especially when you have important medical appointments to attend. Our medical appointments service Brighton is designed to provide you with a stress-free travel option. We cater to your specific needs, ensuring you arrive at your medical appointments safely and punctually. Our drivers are trained to provide assistance and support, ensuring your journey is comfortable and worry-free. Trust us to handle the logistics so you can focus on your health and well-being.

Efficient Corporate Transfer Brighton

Business travel requires precision, punctuality, and professionalism. Our Corporate transfer Brighton services are tailored to meet the demands of corporate clients. Whether you need to transport executives, clients, or employees, we offer a fleet of well-maintained vehicles that ensure a comfortable and efficient journey. Our drivers are professional, courteous, and knowledgeable about the best routes to get you to your meetings, conferences, and business events on time. We understand the importance of making a good impression and strive to provide a service that reflects your company's standards.

Affordable Brighton Airport Van Taxi Services

Traveling can be expensive, but your transportation doesn't have to be. Our affordable Brighton airport van taxi services offer a cost-effective solution for individuals and groups. Whether you're traveling alone or with a group, our spacious vans provide a comfortable and economical way to get to and from the airport. We offer competitive rates without compromising on the quality of service. Enjoy a comfortable ride with plenty of space for your luggage and a friendly driver ready to assist you.

Why Choose Us?

Choosing the right transportation service can make all the difference in your travel experience. Here’s why you should choose our services:

Reliability: We are committed to providing dependable services, ensuring that you reach your destination on time, every time.

Professionalism: Our drivers are courteous, knowledgeable, and trained to offer the highest level of service.

Comfort: We offer a fleet of well-maintained, comfortable vehicles to meet all your transportation needs.

Affordability: Our competitive rates ensure that you receive excellent value for your money.

Convenience: Easy booking options and flexible services make your travel planning effortless.

When you choose our trusted van service in Brighton, you’re choosing reliability, comfort, and professionalism. Whether you need an airport shuttle taxi service in Brighton, a medical appointments service Brighton, a Corporate transfer Brighton, or affordable Brighton airport van taxi services, we are here to meet all your transportation needs. Experience the difference with our dedicated service and enjoy a hassle-free journey every time.

[chaddavisphotography]

Victoria station, also known as London Victoria, is a central London railway terminus and connected London Underground station in Victoria, in the City of Westminster, managed by Network Rail. Named after the nearby Victoria Street (not the Queen), the main line station is a terminus of the Brighton main line to Gatwick Airport and Brighton and the Chatham main line to Ramsgate and Dover via Chatham. From the main lines, trains can connect to the Catford Loop Line, Dartford Loop Line, and the Oxted line to East Grinstead and Uckfield. Southern operates most commuter and regional services to south London, Sussex and parts of east Surrey, while Southeastern operates trains to south east London and Kent. Gatwick Express trains run direct to Gatwick. The Underground station is on the Circle and District lines between Sloane Square and St. James's Park, and the Victoria line between Pimlico and Green Park. The area around the station is an important interchange for other forms of transport: a local bus station is in the forecourt and Victoria Coach Station is nearby.

[anand07723]

Navigating Brighton with Ease: The Excellence of Sussex Airports Taxis

In the bustling coastal city of Brighton, where every corner is adorned with history, culture, and excitement, navigating the streets can be both exhilarating and daunting. Yet, amidst the vibrant chaos, one service shines as a beacon of reliability, convenience, and comfort—Sussex Airports Taxis. Join us on a journey through the winding lanes and vibrant avenues of Brighton as we explore the unparalleled service provided by Sussex Airports Taxis and why they are the premier choice for all your transportation needs.

Discovering Brighton Taxi Service: When it comes to exploring the vibrant city of Brighton, nothing beats the convenience and comfort of a reliable taxi service. With Sussex Airports Taxis, navigating the city's diverse attractions, from the iconic Brighton Pier to the picturesque Royal Pavilion, becomes a seamless and enjoyable experience. Their fleet of well-maintained vehicles and professional drivers ensure that every journey is safe, efficient, and memorable.

Taxi in Brighton: Your Gateway to Exploration: Whether you're a visitor eager to soak in the sights and sounds of Brighton or a local in need of reliable transportation, Sussex Airports Taxis is at your service. With their extensive knowledge of the city's roads, landmarks, and hidden gems, their drivers serve as invaluable guides, providing insider tips and recommendations to enhance your experience.

24-Hour Taxi: Convenience at Your Fingertips: In a city that never sleeps, access to round-the-clock transportation is essential. Sussex Airports Taxis understands the importance of being available whenever you need them, which is why they offer 24-hour taxi services. Whether you're catching an early morning flight, returning from a late-night event, or simply craving a spontaneous adventure, you can rely on Sussex Airports Taxis to be there for you, day or night.

Brighton City Cabs: Setting the Standard for Excellence: As one of Brighton's premier taxi services, Sussex Airports Taxis takes pride in setting the standard for excellence in customer service, reliability, and professionalism. From the moment you book your ride to the final drop-off, their commitment to exceeding your expectations is evident in every interaction. Whether you're traveling solo, with family and friends, or for business, Sussex Airports Taxis ensures that your journey is not just a ride but an experience to remember.

Airport Taxis: Seamlessly Connecting You to Your Destination: For travelers arriving in or departing from Brighton, Sussex Airports Taxis offers seamless airport transfer services to major airports, including Gatwick and Heathrow. Say goodbye to the stress of navigating unfamiliar transportation options or worrying about missing your flight. With Sussex Airports Taxis, you can relax and enjoy a hassle-free journey, knowing that you'll arrive at your destination on time and in style.

Exploring Brighton Beyond the Ordinary: Beyond their role as a transportation service, Sussex Airports Taxis is deeply invested in enhancing the overall experience of visitors and residents alike. Through partnerships with local businesses, cultural institutions, and tourism initiatives, they actively contribute to the vitality and prosperity of the Brighton community. Whether it's supporting local events, promoting sustainable tourism practices, or fostering community engagement, Sussex Airports Taxis goes above and beyond to make Brighton a welcoming and vibrant destination for all.

Conclusion: In a city as diverse and dynamic as Brighton, finding reliable transportation is key to unlocking its full potential. With Sussex Airports Taxis, navigating the bustling streets, scenic waterfront, and vibrant cultural scene becomes not just a journey but an adventure. From their unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction to their role as ambassadors of Brighton's spirit and charm, Sussex Airports Taxis exemplifies excellence in every aspect of their service. So the next time you find yourself in need of transportation in Brighton, look no further than Sussex Airports Taxis—your trusted partner in exploring the wonders of this enchanting city.

[extremeextremes]

Bye Little Block! / Pá, kis panelom! from Eva Darabos on Vimeo.

A surreal farewell to a blockhouse area.

Bye Little Block! (2020) is my graduation film made at the Animation Master programme of Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design, Budapest (@MOME Anim).

Awards:

Ottawa International Animation Festival 2020 - Best Design ANIMATOR Poznan 2020 - Best Student Film Barcelona International Short Film Festival 2020 - Best Animated Short Animakom Bilbao 2020 - Jury's Special Mention Festival of Animation Berlin 2021 - Special Mention Sweaty Eyeballs Animation Festival 2021 - Jury's Citation Flatpack Film Festival 2021 - Special Mention Cinefest Miskolc 2021- CineNewWave Award Dargay Attila Award for The Most Promising Hungarian Animation Talent 2021 ‘21 International Film Schools Festival, Uruguay - Best Animated short PRIMANIMA 2021 - Most Popular Hungarian Short KAFF 2021 - Best short film KAFF 2021 - Filmcritics’s Award Cinemira Film Festival 2021 - Best Short Film Cinemira Film Festival 2021- Best Hungarian Animated Short Film Big Cartoon Festival 2021 - Best Student Film ATAFF 2021 - Award of the Student Jury ATAFF 2021 - Jury’s Special Mention PiterKIT 2021- Golden diploma For Imagination and Absurd Humor Zoom Zblizenia 2022 - Special Award La Guarimba Film Festival 2022- La Grotta dei Piccoli Award Castrovillari Film Festival 2022 - Best Original Score (Dávid V. Bodnár) We like’em short 2022 - Best Student Film Animist Tallinn 2022 - Yarlspinner Award Festival Cartón 2022 - Best Student Film Festiwal Spektrum 2022 - Best Animated Short Desenzano Film Festival 2022 - Best Animation GIRAF 18 Calgary 2022 - Jury Award Sottodicotto Festival 2022 - That’s ANIMATO Award

Selections:

Animafest Zagreb, Sarajevo Film Festival, Ottawa International Animation Festival, PÖFF Shorts, London International Animation Festival, Festival of Animation Berlin, Pictoplasma, Anim'est, Anilogue, Anifilm, Premiers Plans Festival d'Angers, Barcelona International Short Film Festival, Fantoche, Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival, Anibar, Anímator Poznan, BUSHO, Friss hús Budapest International Short Film Festival, Festival BAB, Weird 3D Festival, Imagine Science Film Festival New York, New Chitose Airport International Animation Festival, Supertoon, Catch the moon, Filmtettfeszt, Cinefest Miskolc, Cinemira International Youth Film Festival, Short Waves Festival, Fest Anča, Animateka, Insomnia, MONSTRA Festival, Magyar Mozgókép Fesztivál 2021, Primanima, Animakom, KAFF, Imaginaria, Linoleum Kyiv, Kyiv ISFF, Monstrale, Big Cartoon, FIEC Uruguay, Fancine Málaga, Alexandre Trauner ART/Film Festival, Sardinia Film Festival, Macau International Short Film Festival, Linea D'Ombra Vedo Animato, KuanDu Film Festival, Sweaty Eyeballs, Zoom Zblizenia Film Festival, Mecal Pro, Flatpack Film Festival, Animocje, Mediawave Gathering, Animatricks, Zlín Film Festival, La Guarimba, Animist, We like'em short, Rooftop Films NYC, PiterKIT 2021, Hungary Live NYC, Vertigo Film Festival, Castrovillari Film Festival, dotdotdot Vienna, Festival Cartón, Festiwal Spektrum, Desenzano Film Festival, GIRAF 18 Calgary, Interfilm Berlin, Animasivo Mexico City, Sottodicotto Festival, Budapest Architecture Film Festival, Brighton International Animation Festival

FILM CREW

Director: Éva DARABOS Producer: József FÜLÖP Editor: Judit CZAKÓ Script Advisor: Rita DOMONYI Tutor: Réka GACS Music: Dávid V. BODNÁR Sound Designer: Dávid V. BODNÁR Production manager: Eszter GLASER Visual concept: Éva DARABOS Backgrounds: Éva DARABOS, Lili KORCSOK

Animation: Domonkos ERHARDT, Éva DARABOS, Bálint HALASI,Vivien HÁRSHEGYI, Bence HLAVAY, Melinda KÁDÁR, Katalin SÁRDI Clean -up, Coloring : Luca Kata ÁBRÁNYI, Domonkos ERHARDT, Éva DARABOS, Eszter GLASER, Bálint HALASI, Vivien HÁRSHEGYI, Bence HLAVAY, Melinda KÁDÁR, Péter KÁLMÁN, Mays MAHMOUD DWEIRI, Sára SOMOGYI, Anna TŐKÉS, Bori ZÉTÉNYI

Thank you everyone!

[kartikdutt]

Bye Little Block! / Pá, kis panelom! from Eva Darabos on Vimeo.

A surreal farewell to a blockhouse area.

Bye Little Block! (2020) is my graduation film made at the Animation Master programme of Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design, Budapest (@MOME Anim).

Awards:

Ottawa International Animation Festival 2020 - Best Design ANIMATOR Poznan 2020 - Best Student Film Barcelona International Short Film Festival 2020 - Best Animated Short Animakom Bilbao 2020 - Jury's Special Mention Festival of Animation Berlin 2021 - Special Mention Sweaty Eyeballs Animation Festival 2021 - Jury's Citation Flatpack Film Festival 2021 - Special Mention Cinefest Miskolc 2021- CineNewWave Award Dargay Attila Award for The Most Promising Hungarian Animation Talent 2021 ‘21 International Film Schools Festival, Uruguay - Best Animated short PRIMANIMA 2021 - Most Popular Hungarian Short KAFF 2021 - Best short film KAFF 2021 - Filmcritics’s Award Cinemira Film Festival 2021 - Best Short Film Cinemira Film Festival 2021- Best Hungarian Animated Short Film Big Cartoon Festival 2021 - Best Student Film ATAFF 2021 - Award of the Student Jury ATAFF 2021 - Jury’s Special Mention PiterKIT 2021- Golden diploma For Imagination and Absurd Humor Zoom Zblizenia 2022 - Special Award La Guarimba Film Festival 2022- La Grotta dei Piccoli Award Castrovillari Film Festival 2022 - Best Original Score (Dávid V. Bodnár) We like’em short 2022 - Best Student Film Animist Tallinn 2022 - Yarlspinner Award Festival Cartón 2022 - Best Student Film Festiwal Spektrum 2022 - Best Animated Short Desenzano Film Festival 2022 - Best Animation GIRAF 18 Calgary 2022 - Jury Award Sottodicotto Festival 2022 - That’s ANIMATO Award

Selections:

Animafest Zagreb, Sarajevo Film Festival, Ottawa International Animation Festival, PÖFF Shorts, London International Animation Festival, Festival of Animation Berlin, Pictoplasma, Anim'est, Anilogue, Anifilm, Premiers Plans Festival d'Angers, Barcelona International Short Film Festival, Fantoche, Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival, Anibar, Anímator Poznan, BUSHO, Friss hús Budapest International Short Film Festival, Festival BAB, Weird 3D Festival, Imagine Science Film Festival New York, New Chitose Airport International Animation Festival, Supertoon, Catch the moon, Filmtettfeszt, Cinefest Miskolc, Cinemira International Youth Film Festival, Short Waves Festival, Fest Anča, Animateka, Insomnia, MONSTRA Festival, Magyar Mozgókép Fesztivál 2021, Primanima, Animakom, KAFF, Imaginaria, Linoleum Kyiv, Kyiv ISFF, Monstrale, Big Cartoon, FIEC Uruguay, Fancine Málaga, Alexandre Trauner ART/Film Festival, Sardinia Film Festival, Macau International Short Film Festival, Linea D'Ombra Vedo Animato, KuanDu Film Festival, Sweaty Eyeballs, Zoom Zblizenia Film Festival, Mecal Pro, Flatpack Film Festival, Animocje, Mediawave Gathering, Animatricks, Zlín Film Festival, La Guarimba, Animist, We like'em short, Rooftop Films NYC, PiterKIT 2021, Hungary Live NYC, Vertigo Film Festival, Castrovillari Film Festival, dotdotdot Vienna, Festival Cartón, Festiwal Spektrum, Desenzano Film Festival, GIRAF 18 Calgary, Interfilm Berlin, Animasivo Mexico City, Sottodicotto Festival, Budapest Architecture Film Festival, Brighton International Animation Festival

FILM CREW

Director: Éva DARABOS Producer: József FÜLÖP Editor: Judit CZAKÓ Script Advisor: Rita DOMONYI Tutor: Réka GACS Music: Dávid V. BODNÁR Sound Designer: Dávid V. BODNÁR Production manager: Eszter GLASER Visual concept: Éva DARABOS Backgrounds: Éva DARABOS, Lili KORCSOK

Animation: Domonkos ERHARDT, Éva DARABOS, Bálint HALASI,Vivien HÁRSHEGYI, Bence HLAVAY, Melinda KÁDÁR, Katalin SÁRDI Clean -up, Coloring : Luca Kata ÁBRÁNYI, Domonkos ERHARDT, Éva DARABOS, Eszter GLASER, Bálint HALASI, Vivien HÁRSHEGYI, Bence HLAVAY, Melinda KÁDÁR, Péter KÁLMÁN, Mays MAHMOUD DWEIRI, Sára SOMOGYI, Anna TŐKÉS, Bori ZÉTÉNYI

Thank you everyone!