#Eagle Pass | Texas

[xtruss]

Close-Up Video Shows Texas Floating Barrier Has Circular Saws

— By Khaleda Rahman | August 9, 2023 | Newsweek

Migrants walk after crossing the Rio Grande River into the United States in Eagle Pass, Texas as seen from Piedras Negras, Coahuila State, Mexico on August 4, 2023. Democratic Rep. Sylvia Garcia has called the installation of the barrier "inhumane." Guillermo Arias/AFP Via Getty Images

The wrecking ball-sized buoys that make up the floating barrier that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott installed in July in the Rio Grande have circular saws between them, according to a video posted by Rep. Sylvia Garcia.

"Appalled by the ongoing cruel and inhumane tactics employed by @GovAbbott at the Texas border," Garcia, a Democrat, wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter, alongside the clip. "The situation's reality is unsettling as these buoys' true danger and brutality come to light. We must stop this NOW!"

Mexican authorities said last week that two bodies had been recovered from the river in recent days, including one that was caught in the floating barrier. One body was found stuck in the lines of orange buoys, Mexico's Foreign Relations Department said in a statement on August 2. A second body was recovered about three miles upriver from the buoys, The Associated Press reported.

A repost of the video by Laiken Jordahl, a Southwest conservation advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity, amassed more than 8 million views.

The center is an environmental group where Jordahl works to protect wildlife, ecosystems, and public lands throughout the Southwest desert and U.S-Mexico borderlands, according to its website.

"Abbott has installed circular saws between the Rio Grande border buoys to maim or kill anyone who attempts to climb over," Jordahl wrote in the post. "Two bodies have already been found trapped in the floating barrier. He wants more migrants to die."

Jordahl told Newsweek: "Each day the floating wall, saw blades and concertina wire are allowed to stay up, more migrants will be injured or killed and more wildlife will suffer.

"Governor Abbott is turning this beautiful river into a death trap for people and wildlife. Our wildlands and communities will not be turned into war zones. Abbott must be stopped."

The U.S. Justice Department is suing Abbott over the barrier, after warning that it violates federal law and raises humanitarian concerns for migrants crossing into the country from Mexico. The lawsuit is asking a court to force Texas to remove it.

"We allege that Texas has flouted federal law by installing a barrier in the Rio Grande without obtaining the required federal authorization," Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta said in a statement in late July.

"This floating barrier poses threats to navigation and public safety and presents humanitarian concerns. Additionally, the presence of the floating barrier has prompted diplomatic protests by Mexico and risks damaging U.S. foreign policy."

[unteriors]

Desolation Row, Eagle Pass, Texas.

[rabid-dog-steve-horn]

I Went To The Mexico Border at Eagle Pass. It Was Very Confusing. (Full ...

[joe-england]

Eagle Pass, TX Residents Sound Off on the Real "Invasion" | The Daily Show

[readingsquotes]

Abbott upped the ante again. The state of Texas would be building a military base near Eagle Pass, to host up to 2,300 soldiers on a permanent base, allowing Abbott and future governors to “amass a large army in a strategic area.” The state calls this a “forward operating base.” That’s War on Terror lingo: FOBs were the satellite bases constructed in-country during the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan.

....

To describe a base in Eagle Pass, though, it’s a little strange. It’s American soil. What is it forward of? It will have plenty of creature comforts, though. The base, The Texas Observer reported, could cost up to $500 million — on top of $10 billion already allocated to Abbott’s border security schemes in the last three years. The base will have “51 dorms, 15 ‘executive suites,’ three command centers, two motor pools, boat maintenance facilities, and a helipad,” along with “a host of amenities including a 15,000-square-foot dining facility with 24-hour service of ‘chef-driven meals’ and ‘buffet style meals,’ a fully equipped fitness center, a recreation center with a library and arcade, an outdoor basketball court, and a sand volleyball court.”

Even in a rich state like Texas, $500 million is real money. The state’s schools rank among the lowest states in per-student spending, and the state has one of highest uninsured rates in the country. The federal government recently offered the state money for free school lunches this summer; it declined, saying that the relevant agency was too busy throwing two million people off of the state’s Medicaid program to do anything else. Abbott has been governor for a decade, and it is difficult to say what he has succeeded in doing to improve the lives of his constituents. His legacy consists entirely of keeping a few people out, at fabulous expense.

...

What drives Abbott, I ask? I’ve been writing about him for ten years, and I still can’t detect much in him other than an insensitivity to other people’s suffering and an unfocused ambition that comes out mostly as a desire to see other powerful men bend the knee. Maybe that’s all there is, says Nevárez. He notes that Abbott has always been “very well protected” politically. “He basically was protected into the governorship,” Nevárez says. “They ran off other would-be challengers. He had a lot of people around to run a lot of interference for him.” Abbott rose almost purely by momentum to become the governor of what might be the most important state in the country, and wins reelection effortlessly. “What does that do to somebody, their ego, their ambition?” asks Nevárez.

Abbott’s political instincts are both “terrible and amazing,” he says. “These are all fucking awful things he does and says and promotes. They only seem to work for a small segment of the state. And they defy, you know, humanity and goodness on a lot of levels. They defy good government and fiscal responsibility.” He gives as an example the state’s foster care system, which regularly sees little kids — citizens, as if that matters — drowned and beaten to death because Texas can’t figure out how to hire enough caseworkers. “In the case of these foster kids, they defy morality at its core.”

“He’s suffered from none of it and probably will never suffer,” Nevárez continues. “These decisions he’s made are all fucking awful, but they’re incredibly effective — they work.” So far, the standoff in Eagle Pass has been effective too. Abbott’s approval rating in Texas is close to the highest it’s ever been, no small feat given how long he has been in office. Most importantly, the border standoff has helped him consolidate support among the right wing of his party, which has often been shaky in the last decade.

Ask Americans what they think about the border, and it’s a mess. There’s agreement that the border should be secure. But even Texans — much less folks in Michigan — don’t necessarily know what that means or how to get there. They may not know what asylum is. This issue isn’t in most people’s vocabulary. They may not know that many folks who try to cross the river are trying to turn themselves in to authorities. They may not know that the border was essentially open a few generations ago, and that it is more locked down today than it has ever been. The confusion makes this fertile ground for politicians like Abbott and Trump."

[circleandsquarecomic]

Circle is Diligent

[macwantspeace]

"We're on a mission from God." Uh huh. They started rolling from Virginia Beach with just a few "over 60 year olds". All the chatter is one after the other trying to figure who is a fed. What is that game? Among Us? Like that. I'm hoping to see some video of this convoy.

[xtruss]

Greg Abbott's Rio Grande Border Policies Condemned as 'Definition of Evil'

— By James Bickerton | July 18th, 2023 | Newsweek

Governor Greg Abbott's migration policies have been slammed as the "definition of evil" after a Texas state trooper claimed border guards had been ordered to push back migrants, including small children, into the Rio Grande, as well as denying them access to water. The allegations have been dismissed in part by the department, which insists there is no policy against handing water to migrants.

Democratic politicians have also hit out at the deployment of floating buoys in the Rio Grande, designed to impede illegal immigration, which one congress member said "are going to force people to drown."

Authorities across the U.S. are struggling to cope with a surge in unauthorized immigration, with law enforcement stopping a record 2.76 million migrants after they crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in the 2022 fiscal year, according to Customs and Border Protection data. Immigration is likely to play a prominent role in the 2024 presidential election campaign, with Republican frontrunner Donald Trump vowing to end "automatic citizenship" for the children of undocumented migrants "on day one" if elected.

On Monday, the Houston Chronicle published an email from a Texas state trooper, sent to a superior, who said migrants had been pushed back into the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass, causing one 4-year-old girl to pass out from heat exhaustion, and denied water.

Migrants wave as they walk near concertina wire in the water along the Rio Grande border with Mexico in Eagle Pass, Texas, on July 16, 2023. Reports of border guards being ordered to push migrants back into the river, and refuse them water, have sparked outrage online. Anne Cordeiro/AF/Getty

The trooper wrote: "Due to the extreme heat, the order to not give people water needs to be immediately reversed as well...I believe we have stepped over a line into the inhumane."

In response Travis Considine, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Public Safety, said law enforcement hadn't been instructed to deny water to migrants.

The unverified claims caused fury on social media, with progressive social media activist Jack Cocchiaretta sharing a post on Twitter blaming Abbott, who he described as "the definition of evil," to his 348,000 followers.

Nessa Diosdado, a Texas-based "Gen-Z activist," called on the president to intervene. She said: "Migrants are human beings. What Greg Abbott is doing at the border with children and babies is not what this country stands for. He must be stopped. We need President Biden to step in."

There was anger at Abbott from Democratic lawmakers at the placement of buoys in the Rio Grande, in a bid to deter illegal migration.

Speaking to CNN, Texas Representative Joaquin Castro said: "What he [Abbott] intends to put out are drowning devices. Those things are going to force people to drown. Children, disabled people, mothers, and others."

Representative Veronica Escobar, who also represents the Democrats in the House, tweeted: "The buoys being deployed by Greg Abbott in the Rio Grande will not stop desperate people; they pose a danger to Border Patrol agents and put migrants at risk of drowning."

In a statement sent to the Houston Chronicle, Abbott's press secretary, Andrew Mahaleris, defended the governor's policies.

He said: "Texas is deploying every tool and strategy to deter and repel illegal crossings between ports of entry as President Biden's dangerous open border policies entice migrants from over 150 countries to risk their lives entering the country illegally.

"President Biden has unleashed a chaos on the border that's unsustainable, and we have a constitutional duty to respond to this unprecedented crisis."

In a statement sent to Newsweek,Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa and Maverick County Democratic Party Chair Juanita Martinez called for federal intervention in response to claims migrants had been denied water and pushed back into the Rio Grande.

They said: "Greg Abbott and his political cronies in the DPS [Texas Department of Public Safety] reached a new level of depravity earlier this summer with their floating buoys in the river, intended to deter asylum-seeking migrants with the threat of drowning rather than legal repercussions.

"But today's uncovering of the borderline torturous activity against migrants—including all but intentionally drowning babies—deserves a swift and thorough investigation by the federal government.

"In addition, with this state-sanctioned violence against migrants, it's time for federal authorities to assert their constitutional duty and shut down Greg Abbott's unconstitutional rogue 'law enforcement.'"

Newsweek has also reached out to Abbott's press office for comment via telephone and voicemail message.

In June, Abbott said Texas had "bused over 23,500 migrants to sanctuary cities," including Washington, D.C., New York and Los Angeles.

[trexalicious]

Arizona next!! Stop the invasion!!

[rapeculturerealities]

Texas governor buys billboards warning migrants they'll be raped if they illegally cross border | San Antonio | San Antonio Current

How much did you pay to have your daughter raped?"

That's the English translation of one of the grotesque Spanish messages featured in a billboard ad campaign Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is spending $100,000 on in a bid to deter migrants from crossing the border.

Abbott unveiled the campaign Thursday in Eagle Pass, pledging to splash similar messages across dozens of signs in Mexico and Central America. Other slogans would read "Many girls who try to migrate to Texas are kidnapped" and "Your wife and daughter will pay for their trip with their bodies."

[therainingkiwi]

Train travel in The Lightning Thief/PJO TV season 1

Oh look, I'm overanalyzing fictional train travel because I'm one of Those neurodivergent people. Let's get into it. Warning for VERY minor book spoilers (just mentioning the names of all the cities our trio travels through).

TL; DR our trio's cross country travel route makes no sense at all.

In the first book/season of the Percy Jackson series, our main trio takes a cross-country trip from Long Island, NY, to Los Angeles, CA. In the beginning, it appears as if they've boarded a cross country bus that will drive them the whole way there (a trip that usually takes ~72 hours). However, they get derailed in rural New Jersey (presumably the northwestern part of the state).

After New Jersey, the action immediately skips ahead, and we next see our trio on an LA-bound train that's about to stop in St. Louis (and in the book, has a later stop in Denver).

So, just off the bat: the train route that the trio are taking doesn't exist IRL (assuming they board a train in Trenton, and that train stops in St. Louis, Denver, and Los Angeles). It's also impossible for a single person to travel that route for $200, much less three people. Chiron needs some up to date information about cross country travel prices.

If they were traveling a reasonable IRL amtrak route, they'd probably take the Cardinal from Trenton to Chicago, and then take the Southwest Chief from Chicago to LA. However, if they can get back to Penn Station from Aunty Em's, they could take the Lake Shore Limited from NYC to Chicago, which would be 7-8 hours shorter than getting to Chicago via the Cardinal.

They could also take a bus from north New Jersey to Chicago.

However, the Southwest Chief (most direct amtrak route to LA) stops at neither St. Louis nor Denver. The most notable cities along the route are Kansas City, Albuquerque, and Flagstaff.

If they wanted to take a route to LA that had them pass thru St. Louis, they could take the Texas Eagle from Chicago to St. Louis to San Antonio, and then take the Sunset Limited from San Antonio to LA. There are 3 trains per week that make this two-leg trip without requiring travelers to transfer at San Antonio, so our trio are probably on one of those. Why they didn't take the (shorter, cheaper, and more frequent) Southwest Chief is a mystery, honestly.

Since Chicago is the USA Amtrak hub, most routes will pass thru that city. The only alternative route is taking the Crescent from Trenton to New Orleans and then taking the Sunset Limited from New Orleans to LA. This would take them nowhere near Denver or St Louis, but probably wouldn't have a significant time/price difference from routing the trip thru Chicago (assuming they travel direct from Chicago to LA rather than taking the Texas Eagle thru San Antonio).

Unfortunately, there are no trains in the USA that travel between St. Louis and Denver (or even between St. Louis and Colorado in general), so that leg of their trip would have been made via bus. Greyhound (the USA's main long-distance bus travel company) has buses directly from St. Louis to Denver that end in California (but in San Francisco rather than LA).

In conclusion, I propose a new Amtrak route called "The Lightning Thief" that travels from New York-Penn Station, down the Northeast corridor thru New Jersey, and then turns west, making major stops in St. Louis, Denver, and Las Vegas, before terminating in LA. It doesn't stop in Amtrak's Chicago hub because all hub-and-spoke transit systems should have rim routes, and because Chicago isn't mentioned in The Lightning Thief.

Also, in conclusion, the USA needs better rail infrastructure and I'm a fucking nerd.

Amtrak map below for reference.

[patscorner]

CHAPTER TWO: EXPECTED VALUE

pairings: paige x oc

contains: angst

word count: 2,828

a/n: heyyy, another chapter down. feel free to leave your thoughts in my inbox or in the comments, let me know your likes and dislikes. this one was much harder to write (mostly because I kept changing the plot 🤗), but it's done, and I think I love it. Anyway, I have NO idea when the next one will be out, but hopefully soon.

=======================

“You’re not driving my car.” I say, reaching for my keys in CJ’s hand.

I’m tired. I tried to close my eyes and at least get an hour or two, but all calls for sleep were left unanswered. It’s not my fault, though. I’d only been around her for a couple hours, and she’s already consumed my thoughts. Her smell, her body, her smile.

Those fucking lips.

All night long, all I could think about was her. At first, it was her, all the things I love about her. But then it was her, and how I can’t have her. Every thought was about how I almost had her… but the second she started to slip, I ripped my hand away and left her to fend for herself. And to be fair, she only knows half of it. Maybe if she knew everything, then maybe I’d understand why she’d still be mad. But all she knew about was the kiss. And I intend to keep it that way.

It’s not like I didn’t try to get her back. I apologized. I tried. But it’s unfair that I was the only one doing so. Plus, she said didn’t even want to see me yesterday.

Wait.

She wasn’t gonna tell me she was transferring. She was only gonna tell Azzi. I wonder what else she’s told Azzi…

“Dude, you can barely keep your eyes open. I’d like to make it to Texas.” she scoffs, moving them just out of my reach. I rolled my eyes. “I can keep my eyes open just fine, give me the fuckin’ keys.” The words come out just as harsh as I intend them to, but the look in CJ’s eyes tells me that doing so may not have been the best idea.

“No,” she said, her eyes challenging.

I blink. “I- what?”

She leans in a little closer, her feet only inches from mine. “I said-” she licks her lips, and my eyes instinctively flick to them. “No.” I swallow and nod. “You got it.”

CJ laughs, grinning as she backs away from me. “Good!” She twirls the keys on her fingers, the shiny metal glistening in the light. She licks her lips once more before skipping out of the kitchen.

What the fuck?

Why was that-

Bro, what?

How the fuck am I supposed to be in the car with her after that?

“Are you coming?” Azzi calls from the front door. My eyes widen as I scramble to pick up my bag. I have no idea how I’m supposed to function, especially after whatever that was. Azzi gives me a weird look as I pass her in the doorway. “What took you so long?”

I glance at her, but keep walking. “Don’t worry about it.” I mutter, tossing my bag in the trunk.

I ignore CJ’s eyes on me as I slam the passenger door. “Dude?” She raises her eyebrows at me.

I huff and glare at her. “Don’t.” She puts her pretty hands up in mock innocence, but the smirk on her lips gives her away. “I ain’t even do nothing!”

“Yeah, but you were gonna. And I don’t wanna hear it.” She snickers as she buckles up. “Someone’s grumpy in the morning…” she mutters as she turns on the car. I don’t say anything as Azzi gets in the back seat.

“Okay, Azzi, you get to DJ first.” CJ says, handing the cord to Azzi, who connects her phone to the auxiliary cord. I felt a knot in my stomach tighten as the familiar melody filled the car, memories threatening to surface.

This was our song.

I glance over at the brown skinned girl, who was already looking at me as Hotel California by The Eagles plays over the speakers.

A normal choice for Azzi, it’s a great song. But if Azzi knew the history, she’d never have played it. It’s not her fault. CJ and I did a pretty good job not involving her, giving her enough to not feel left out, but always sparing key details. I can see it affects CJ just as much as me as she blinks a couple times and clears her throat before she puts the car in drive.

I have no idea how she recovers so quickly.

“Everybody ready?”

__________

“Y’all want anythin’?” I ask, grabbing my wallet from its temporary home on the floor.

Azzi shakes her head, and CJ nods. “I’ll just take a redbull.” I make a face.

“I forgot you were fucking disgusting.” I mutter, my voice almost as unimpressed as the look on CJ’s face. “You’re so annoying.” She says as she opens her door. I let my eyes linger on her body as she stands. She’s in comfortable clothing, but she’s just as gorgeous. I didn’t know it was possible for someone to look this stunning wearing gray Nike sweatpants and (much to my despair) an orange Texas Longhorn hoodie. Her curly hair was tied back in a bun, except two small strands, dangling down in her face. Her hair is so pretty down, I don’t know why she insists on keeping it up.

I exhale sharply, composing myself as I open my door.

I groan as I step out of the car. We’re about three hours in, and I feel like if Azzi didn’t beg CJ to pull over, we’d still be going. The trip here was nice, filled with normal conversations and smiles with no underlying tension. Just us.

Just like how it used to be.

I wince as the ache in my limbs intensifies, although it doesn’t stop me from walking to the gas station, going straight to the drink section. As I scan over the options, a thought popped into my head.

“I didn’t even want to see you today.”

I’m supposed to be mad at her. She’s probably talked shit behind my back to Azzi. I mean, she wasn’t going to tell me she was transferring, so who knows what else she’s said.

Let’s be realistic for a second. We used to be inseparable. It seemed as though nothing could tear our hearts apart because that’s how close we were. And truly, it was just one. One heart, tied by the strings of each separate organ, makes a bond unlike any other. Something completely new. At one point, it was both of us, or neither. The true package deal.

And now, she hates me. For reasons that are so painfully understandable. I’d picked up the broken pieces of her soul and gave the impression that I’d glue them back together because that’s what I always did. That’s what I was supposed to do. Instead, I’d ripped it up more, leaving her even worse than before.

Selfishly, though, I’m upset. She wasn’t going to tell me she was transferring. She was going to let me find out through the media, and I did, but she also told me in person. But she wasn’t going to.

CJ wasn’t going to tell me.

And maybe I shouldn’t care, considering all I’ve done to her. To us. But just thinking about how fucking loyal Azzi is, and how if CJ told her not to, she wouldn’t have told me either. They’d keep it from me.

It hurts more than it should.

Plus, it’s not like I’m not hurt, too. CJ yelled and screamed at me when she found out. She told me she didn’t want anything to do with me, and then she went and looked at me like that. How am I supposed to feel?

I can feel my face contort, trying to decipher which emotion to pick, and instead of thinking rationally, I choose the easiest one.

Anger.

I grab CJ’s drink, a bag of chips for Azzi, because she’ll probably ask for mine in an hour and a couple of snacks for myself. I lay it all on the counter, and the cashier recognizes me. “Yo, are you Paige?”

Damnit.

“Yeah.”

“Oh my god, my daughter loves you. Do you mind if I get a picture?”

“Yeah, of course, man.” I quickly pose for a picture and then dig into my wallet for some cash. He stops me.

“No, no, it’s on me.”

“I can’t ask you to do that. It’s only a couple bucks.” I insist. I always appreciate the kindness, but I truly don’t search for special treatment. He shakes his head.

“No, for real, it’s on me, trust. Have a good day.” But I’m never one to deny free food so…

I nod. “Thanks, you too.” I say, gather my things, and head for the door.

As I get into the car, I prepare for any comment. “The store is as big as my fucking pinkie toe, what took you so long?”

Well, almost any comment.

I sigh as I reach for the aux cord. Apparently, CJ had the same idea. “Oh hell no, you’re not being dj.” I say, yanking the cord. Azzi gets in the car, but I barely hear her.

“Dude, c’mon, it’s like eight in the morning. If you play SZA, I’ll fall asleep.” she says, yanking the cord back.

“That’s too damn bad. You can’t get everything you want. Thought you’d figure that out by now.” I say harshly, and it’s unfair, I know. But at the moment, it’s fully what I meant. I stare at her in her eyes and can almost visibly see the way my words affect her. She recovers quickly, though.

“What the hell does that mean?”

“You know exactly what it means.” I spit back harshly.

“Paige-” Azzi starts.

“No-No, don’t ‘Paige’ me. You weren’t gonna tell me you were transferring, were you?”

CJ blinks. “Paige, what? I literally told-”

“I know you told me, but you weren’t going to. You said you didn't even plan on seeing me yesterday. You were only gonna tell Azzi. Both of you were going to keep it from me.”

CJ puts her head on the wheel, groaning in frustration. “Do you know how stupid you sound right now? Like you sound fucking delusional. Why would I tell you, Paige? I don’t have any reason to talk to you!”

“After all we’ve been through, you ‘don’t have any reason to talk to me?!’” I shout incredulously. “You deadass right now?!”

“Yes, Paige! Were you thinking about all we’ve been through when you kissed her?!” Her words feel like daggers, because she’s wrong. CJ was all I’d thought about when I’d kissed Devon.

“Oh, my god! You weren’t even dating her! She was single!”

“So that makes it okay!? Paige, do you have any idea what that feels like?!”

“Yeah, you’ve made it pretty fucking clear what it felt like!” I hiss sharply.

“You don’t get to make me feel bad because you can’t keep it in your pants, Bueckers.”

“Bro, what?”

She huffs, seemingly trying to collect herself. “It’s like you were waiting for us to break up. That why you broke up with Holly?”

I laugh dryly. “I broke up with Holly because she was boring. I wasn’t waiting for anyone to break up, I just happened to be drunk, and Devon was there.”

It’s CJ’s turn to laugh. “You may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but you can still be a hoe.”

“At least I was a wanted hoe. She chose me over you.” CJ gets quiet, her lips pressed into a straight line. There are tears in her eyes, waiting to fall over her waterline, but I know she’s not going to let me see her cry.

“CJ-”

She shakes her head slowly, gently putting the cord in my lap. “You can play the music, Paige.” she whispers, her voice uncharacteristically weak. I watch as she swallows and puts her hand on the door. “I-uh. I’m gonna go to the bathroom.” She mutters as she quickly scurries out of the car.

Fuck.

Azzi smacks me in the back of the head as CJ slams the car door. “What the actual fuck is your problem?!”

—-------

I mutter a ‘thank you’ to the cashier as I follow his directions to the bathroom. Thank god it was empty.

Tears fall freely from my eyes as I stumble into the bathroom blindly. I lock the door, putting my hands around my mouth to muffle my sobs.

It’s not fair. She doesn’t get to say what she said after she did what she did.

Paige and I were best friends. We did everything together, whether it was sneaking to the kitchen much past our bedtime or giggling as we bothered my brother, instead of doing our homework. It was us against the world.

Paige was my person.

There was a point where all I needed was her. When I fell off of my bike and skinned my knee, she was there. When my parents divorced, she was there. When I got into my first fight, she was there. When I broke my wrist, she was there. When Devon and I broke up, she was there. She was there when I asked if they’d kissed.

And she was there when she said no.

I inhale deeply, wiping my face. I had the right to be upset. Even though it’s been three years, she doesn’t get to tell me when I should be over it.

She doesn’t get to rush the process she started.

My shaky hands reach for the handles of the faucet, turning it on and letting the cold water run over my hands. I sigh as I run my icy palms over my face, hoping the water makes me look a little less of a mess. When I look in the mirror, I see it didn’t help much. I exhale as I dry my face with the paper towels, and a knock echoes through the bathroom. Maybe if I don’t answer, they’ll go away. I check my phone and see that I’ve been here for almost ten minutes.

The knock comes again. I close my eyes. Fuck.

I open the door and am met with brown eyes. Azzi smiles sadly at me. I smile back unconvincingly. “You okay?” she asks, her voice gentle.

I nod. “I will be. Don’t worry about it.” I shrug it off. She raises her eyebrows at me before reaching up and wiping my wet cheeks. “Want me to beat her ass?” she says seriously.

I smile. “If I wanted to beat her ass, I would.”

“I’ll just cook her in 3-point shooting. Blondie and I can go shot-for-shot.” She reaches her hand out for mine.

I laugh as I interlock my fingers with hers, letting her lead me out of the building.

__________

The rest of the ride is tense. At first, I don’t look at her, I can’t bring myself to. After Azzi yelled at me, the reality of my words set in.

“She chose me over you.”

What the fuck is wrong with me? Why would I say that to her? I didn’t mean it, but I’d said it anyway. I guess I just knew it’d hurt.

I dry my hair as I walk out of the bathroom of our hotel room. Very few words were exchanged between anyone since the car incident. Azzi and CJ haven’t even said much to each other, and I guess it’s my fault for making it awkward. I step into the room, I see CJ seated next to a sleeping Azzi, picking at her earlobe. I wordlessly sit on the bed across from her. I watch as she huffs and goes to turn around. I should say something.

“CJ-”

“What?” I wince as she snaps at me, her whispered words seemingly harsher under the quiet atmosphere.

I swallow, looking up at her expectant face. “I..” I take a deep breath. Jesus, this is harder than I’d thought it’d be. “I’m sorry.”

CJ raises her eyebrows, crossing her arms. “You’re sorry? For kissing my ex girlfriend three days after we broke up, or for lying about it? Or for letting her choose you over me?”

I furrow my eyebrows. Letting her? How is that my fault?

I shake my head. Pay attention.

“Uhh- all of it?” Smooth. Real fucking smooth.

CJ laughs dryly, rolling her eyes in frustration. “Goodnight, Paige.”

“No-look, I’m serious. I am sorry. For all of it. I was a shit friend, and I never meant to hurt you.” I say, my eyes boring into hers. “I was young, and stupid, and it’s not an excuse, but you have to believe me when I say I am genuinely sorry.”

I watch as CJ’s face softens slightly, but for the most part she keeps her icy guard up. And I can’t blame her, I’m asking her for something I don’t deserve.

She takes a deep breath before reaching for the lamp. “Goodnight Paige.” Then she rolls over.

I sit there for a moment, allowing a single tear to fall, before I wipe it off my face.

“Goodnight, CJ.”

=======================

taglist: @wintersstan @bueckerrss @lilia22hicks @fake-intelligences @girlokwhatever @pbloverr @breeloveschris-deactivated20240 @cosmopretty @hellokittyfeenie @averagelobotomyenjoyer @elliewilliamsthang @chelisbae @angelscovee @st4rrzynight @cherryswisherz @slut4uconnwbb

[dertaglichedan]

EAGLE PASS, Texas — In the Del Rio Border Patrol Sector, once one of the busiest regions for illegal border crossings in Texas, migrant apprehensions have dropped by nearly 40% in the first full week of the Trump presidency. The drop has been noted across the southwest border as enhanced immigration operations promised by the Trump campaign during the election season begin to take shape.

According to the Border Patrol, the number of suspected got-aways in the Del Rio Sector also plummeted, dropping by more than 60 percent, from 229 to 82, during the post-inauguration week. In the Texas Rio Grande Valley, daily migrant apprehensions during the weekend before the inauguration fell to just 211, compared to 1,154 over the same period one week before the inauguration. Known migrant got-aways for that border region dropped nearly 40 percent, from 75 to 46, according to the Border Patrol.

[byjove]

Eagle Pass, Texas. $170,00.