#Meera Jasmine

[richdadpoor]

‘Priceless Memories’: Meera Jasmine On Shooting With Pawan Kalyan For This 2004 Film

Meera Jasmine showers praise on his co-star Pawan Kalyan. As the 2004 film Gudumba Shankar gets re-released in theatres today, ahead of Pawan Kalyan’s birthday, actress Meera Jasmine pens a special post. South star Pawan Kalyan has not been able to deliver a successful film of late. Last year, his film Bheemla Nayak was released. He starred alongside Rana Daggubati in the film, which managed to…

[timesofwoods]

Meera Jasmine

[tfgadgets]

‘Swag’ movie review: Hasith Goli and a brilliant Sree Vishnu strike again with a deceptive, layered satire

When a man who wears his masculinity on his sleeve laments at how his son is growing up, displaying feminine traits, his wife tries to make him understand the importance of accepting an individual’s natural expression of gender. This segment and the portion that follows gives writer-director Hasith Goli’s Telugu film Swag the much-needed emotional anchor. Until then, the narrative is like a…

[exotic-indians]

[sunshineandviolets]

hehe made some mcs (plus the kiddo)

[duckprintspress]

23 Queer Books for Disability Pride Month

July is Disability Pride Month! To celebrate, we asked our contributors to recommend their favorite queer books with disabled characters. The contributors to this list are: Neo Scarlett, Dei Walker, E. C., Polls, Rascal Hartley, Sanne, Meera S., Shadaras, Shea Sullivan, Annabeth Lynch, Tris Lawrence, Nova Mason, Nina Waters, and an anonymous contributor. Reminder: we encourage our rec list contributors to suggest books that spoke to them, which means that sometimes works on our rec lists do not include explicit representation.

Brooms by Jasmine Walls

Iron Widow (Iron Widow series) by Xiran Jay Zhao

Six of Crows (Six of Crows series) by Leigh Bardugo

Golden Stage by Cang Wu Bin Bai

Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi

The Tea Dragon Festival Treasury Edition by K. O’Neill

He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan

Feed (Newsflesh series) by Mira Grant

Into the Drowning Deep (Rolling in the Deep series) by Mira Grant

Nimona by N.D. Stevenson

Interesting Facts about Space by Emily Austin

Body, Remember: A Memoir by Kenny Fries

The Unbroken (Magic of the Lost series) by C.L. Clark

The Lost Hero (The Heroes of Olympus series) by Rick Riordan

The Monster Baru Cormorant (The Masquerade series) by Seth Dickinson

Chrono Crusade (Chrono Crusade series) by Daisuke Moriyama

Tokyo Babylon by Clamp

Godkiller (Fallen Gods series) by Hannah Kaner

A Tiny Piece of Something Greater by Jude Sierra

Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers

The Charm Offensive (The Charm Offensive series) by Alison Cochrun

Umineko When They Cry by 07th Expansion

Copper Coins by Mu Su Li

What are your favorite queer books with disability rep?

You can view this list, and our many others, as a shelf on Goodreads!

Looking to buy any of these books or others we’ve recommended? You can browse our rec lists on Bookshop.org!

Want to chat your favorite reads with us? Join our Book Lover’s Discord server!

Love reading queer books? Our Queer Book Challenge is running on Storygraph through the end of 2024. Come join us!

[ramayantika]

Tere Rang

“It’s going to be a Krishna song for the dance competition once again, right?” said, Ananya, inserting the last juda pin in her friend, Vilasini’s hair.

Vilasini, a seventeen-year-old science student in class eleven was all set for the senior’s inter-school dance fest that was to be held at her school. She wore a dark blue lehenga with gold embroidery that shimmered under the lights. Her best friend, Ananya, had taken the responsibility of getting Vilasini ready for the competition because, she was good at stage makeup and hairstyling, a skill, Vilasini was yet to acquire perfectly.

“You know me well, Ananya,” said, Vilasini, her face donning a faint shade of the setting sun.

Ananya looked at her friend’s bashful face, whose eyes had immediately moved down to the floor at the mention of Krishna, the god, the charmer of hearts from a bygone era. As she braids flowers into Vilasini’s hair, she wonders how did a girl from today’s time fall in love with a God when people barely utter a prayer under their breaths.

Krishna… the name itself was beautiful. Though Ananya was not that much of a believer in gods and goddesses, she happily supported her friend in her beliefs. For Ananya, Krishna was not a God, but a great historical character, an important figure to learn from especially in today’s time. Sometimes she offered flowers to the Krishna murti at her house after a lot of pestering from her mother, but she would spend a lot of time reading stories and articles about him.

Vilasini, on the other hand appeared to be a modern generation saint. She spoke softly and so slowly in a gentle voice that made everyone feel as if a divine aura surrounded them. For Vilasini, Krishna was her life force, her breath, and her purpose for living. She woke up with Krishna’s name on her lips and welcomed sleep with only Krishna’s name on her lips.

“You remind me of the saint poet, Meera, do you know?” Ananya said, after finishing her work on Vilasini’s hair left beautifully open with a half bun pinned with jasmine and rose flowers.

Vilasini turned her head from her reflection towards her friend. “No one can be Meerabai in this generation. Not even me, even if I try to.”

Ananya smiled and shook her head. Checking the last details of Vilasini’s makeup and hair, she said, “Fine, but I am damn sure, you will look the prettiest contestant there.”

Smiling, Vilasini replied, patting the creases on her skirt, “All thanks to my talented sakhi here.”

“I like the way the word sakhi sounds. So gentle and beautiful.”

***

Vilasini’s performance was the last one in the list. Ananya had decided to stay with her friend instead of joining the audience just for the sole reason of helping her friend for any last-minute mishaps and to maintain her friend’s confidence.

Tapping her feet, Vilasini asked, “Will I be able to perform well? There have been so many good performances before me. Also, I have a very simple song. Will anyone be interested in watching mine anymore after all the splendid presentations?”

Ananya looked at the boy dancing on the stage on Hai Rama in a bolly-hiphop fusion style. Turning her gaze towards her friend, she said, “Sometimes, the most simple things are the most thoughtful ones. Have faith in your practice and Krishna. And just like you always do, dance for your Krishna, for him alone.”

A minute later, the boy was done with his performance, and the audience erupted in cheers and applause. The host, one of Vilasini’s classmates, then announced her arrival on stage and signalled at the small back room upstairs to start playing Vilasini’s music.

“All the best, Vilasini. Go win the stage and your dear Kanha’s heart,” wished Ananya.

Vilasini nodded at her friend and muttered Krishna’s name under her breath as she took a twirl to enter the stage on the beats of the sitar.

Alai payuthey kanna en manam miga alai payuthe…

Vilasini’s fingers show the movement of waves as the song goes on to depict how her mind flows like waves when she hears Krishna’s melodious flute. The golden embroidery on her lehenga glitters under the yellow stage lights on the ceiling. If her voice alone was enough to bring tranquil in her listener’s hearts, her dance was captivating to catch everyone’s attention. No matter what they were doing earlier, all their eyes and other senses stand still on seeing her move on stage like a swan.

Nilai peyandru Kanna , shilai polave nindra,

Neram avathu ariyamale miga

Vinodhamana Murali Dhara , en manam…

The blue dupatta twirls around her and covers her face for a second before moving away like a sea wave gently going back from the shore. As the blue veils falls off from her face, Vilasini sees a boy seated in the corner of the audience, looking the most striking and attractive amongst all. Her breath stands still as she portrays a woman standing like a statue after being lost in the lovely cowherd’s music.

Her ghungroos produce an enchanting sound in sync with the beats of the song. Her body sways to the music as light as the branches of the kadamba tree. It appeared as if Vilasini’s soul danced on stage and not only just her body. Ananya smiles at her friend’s performance when a flash of gold passes her eye on the opposite side of the stage. Blinking her eyes once again, she lets out a gasp when she sees a long peacock feather on the ground.

There is no one on the opposite side of the stage except the host who is on her phone.

Telinda nilvu patta pagal pol eriyuthe , un dikkai nokki yen iru puruvam neriyuthe…

Kanintha un venu ganam kattil varugudhe , kangal sorugi oru vidhamay varugudhe…

Vilasini’s heart races as a strange yet divine awareness fills her being. Her beloved is right here. She can’t see him, but feel his presence. As she mouths the lyrics while performing, a small lock of hair escapes the clutch of the clips pinned to her hair and lightly tickle her left cheek.

A soft whisper teases her ear, “Why search for me elsewhere, when I exist right in front of you priye?”

Ananya notices her friend’s mouth open slightly, as if she heard something else other than the song. The moment lasts for only a mere second and Vilasini is back to her performance. Her expressions change from being a shy bashful girl talking to Krishna to being a passionate heroine desperate to see her lover. Vilasini’s large doe-like eyes turn watery and they move around like a deer in search of Krishna. Ananya observes the vulnerability in her stance. Her friend was far beyond the music. She was in a mystical realm of divine love and longing.

Kathitha pathathil oruthi manathai

Enakku alitthu mahizhtthavaa…

As Vilasini points to her lovely alta-dyed feet, her eyes spot another dark foot adorned with a gold anklet just beside her. Before she could stare at the foot that had fallen in step with her, she feels someone hold her arm and turn her around. The touch, light as a feather, and warm as a lover’s.

Her body bends gracefully to the side, her fingers laced together and arms raised up, with the neck slightly bent downwards. When her eyes travel up, she sees the one, whom she had been desperately dreaming about since childhood, her one true love.

“Prananatha?” She murmurs.

“The one and only,” says, the dark beloved lord of her heart. Pretty feet around, which lie two beautiful gold anklets. A golden yellow dhoti and a royal blue uttariya over his shoulders, broad arms laden with golden arm bands and the signature peacock feather on his crown, the darling heart thief of Vrindavana bows at her.

No long does Vilasini care about the audience. It’s a wonder if she even cares about herself anymore. Her limbs move on their own accord, or perhaps on Krishna’s accord. Ananya senses something strange near her friend, and even near herself.

The energy in the auditorium has changed. Teachers and students sit still with their senses lost, eyes all dazed and drowsy as if witnessing something hypnotic in front of them. The judges don’t write the scores, their pens now resting on the table. Ananya wonders if someone is actually even breathing or not.

Oru thanitha vanatthil anaitthu enakku

Unarcchi koduthu Mughizhtthavaa…

“Man, is she really hugging someone on stage?” mutters, Ananya, her eyes wide in surprise and confusion laced in her features.

Vilasini’s slender arms curl around her beloved lord’s neck, as she takes a round about the stage. Her feet daintily move around, their pace slow as if time itself had slowed down to let Vilasini absorb the moment. “I have waited for this moment all my life, Krishna.”

Her song album doesn’t have a flute tune, but what limits does Krishna have? He plays a sweet mellifluous tune from his flute that has enchanted the world since the third cycle of time. Vilasini’s nimble fingers caress Krishna’s curls as he dances near her, his smile enchanting and disarming like a sharp arrow aimed straight towards her heart.

“I have had too many women falling over me, but I wouldn’t like you to fall down for me physically here on stage. We have a performance to show.”

“The world does not matter to me anymore. Only you do,” says, Vilasini, her voice, only a mere whisper.

KaNai kadal alaiyinil

Kadhiravan oliyinil

Inai iru kazhalena kazhikkavaa?…

“The ever-flowing waves keep meeting the shore, and the sun sheds its light to the whole of mankind. How long would it be until my friend finally starts to acknowledge my presence?” Ananya hears a manly playful voice near her ears, causing her to jump a little in fright.

To Vilasini, if the lord of the Universe appeared in the form of a young charming boy with a lovely peacock feather and a gracious smile, then to Ananya, he appeared in the form of a glorious king decked in silks and jewels, befitting his royal lineage and handsome charm.

“The fuck?”

“I thought you would have realized me by now, but i realized that you actually did not. Here I am to finally show myself to my sakhi.”

“When did I become your sakhi?”

Rolling his beautiful dark eyes, he sighs, and says, “Years ago, when you were merely a six-year-old and your colony children did not include you in their games, you came to me and asked me to be your friend.” He pouts, and gives her a mock glare, “Batao meri mitrata ke yahi din aagaye…?”

Ananya blinks her eyes rapidly. “This is a literal prank now. Tell me who are you?”

Placing his hands over his hips, the lord of Dwaraka says, “The world’s famous and naughtiest prankster.”

“And you are also there with her…?” Ananya pointed towards her friend.

“Ask me where am I not?”

The stage lights change from yellow to bluish-green, making the darling of Vrindavana look even more ethereal. His eyes gleam like a diamond’s lustrous glow and Vilasini’s eyes go lost in his tender gaze. He raises his arm, and Vilasini lifts her fingers to graze his wrist when he gently holds her hand and makes her sway around him.

Kadhari manam uruhi naan azhaikkavo?

Fresh tears drip down her eyes as she takes in the beauty of her beloved. She could dance for him to his tunes forever and ever until one day her breath flies away and she merges into her love, her God. Krishna’s eyes gleam on catching sight of his devotee’s love-filled eyes, and Vilasini’s eyes gleam with happy tears on finally finding her God, her life.

A dazzling scene unfolds in front of Ananya’s eyes. Krishna yellow robes and Vilasini’s blue lehenga sparkle like a scene from a fantasy movie. When their hands meet, a red aura forms around them, and when their feet brush against one other, a soft white halo forms around them. She doesn’t let her eyelids fall for even a second as realization dawns on her about the concept of Jivatmaa and Parmatmaa.

“Now do you see?” Dwarkadheesh asks.

Ananya hesitantly lets out a breath, afraid that even a slightest of movement would disrupt the enchanting vision in front of her. “Yes, everything.”

Is it some illusion or is it the naked truth? How does one even breathe or move when the lord of the senses, the mastermind behind all, comes in front of you and smiles like a dear old friend from the past? What is God? Is he a friend or a teacher? Is he a child or a lover? Did the poets from the bygone era write such colourful poetry of lovelorn nayikas, searching for their dear Kanhaiya after experiencing the same emotions like the two girls facing now? I do not know about the others, but Krishna is like water. Just like water takes the shape of the container it is housed in, so does our Kanhaiya gladly conform to the shades of various characters we see him as.

One is an observer, marvelled at the glorious sight. How can she go back to the world now?

One is a participant of the colourful play, a mystical performance of the universe, a dance that can never completely be given justice in description. It can only be seen through the eyes and felt by the heart. It cannot be danced by the body. Only the soul dances. She never belonged to the world.

“Priye do you see now?”

And the dancer blushes like a bride, her voice breathy and low, “I now see it all, Prananatha.”

************* **************** ************* ************** *********

This was requested by @purplelandsworld

I deviated slightly from the request because a crazy krishna dream struck and i began listeniing to tere rang and Alai payuthey so i really really reaaly hope you like this one. This one is a little different from what i usually write byt anyway i hope you find it nice

Also you all i had been waiting to get this written down from a long time but kanhaiya here made me busy with college work. Now he finally gave me my college so here's a little token for him from my side

And before some of you come up to me saying haww this is indecent and krishna isn't a netflix look if it were indecent krishna would never let me write it. Besides all of it have also been my own scenarios to keep me happy with krishna so kindly do not interfere. And this fic was inspired from a really pretty dream i saw and god krishna took my heart away even in the dream then so i added some of those parts in this one too.

tagging: @shut-up-rabert @ketchup-jar-ka @krishna-sahacharini

@krishna-priyatama @jessbeinme15 @arachneofthoughts @kaal-naagin @reallythoughtfulwizard @thegleamingmoon @ma-douce-souffrance

[insightfultake]

When Love Meets Marriage: A Dance of Two Different Realms

In the bustling streets of Old Hyderabad, where the scent of jasmine mingled with the aroma of frying pakoras, lived a modest family in a narrow, sun-dappled lane. Meera, the youngest daughter, was a seamstress with fingers as nimble as a sparrow’s wings. Her days were filled with stitching dreams onto simple fabrics, while her heart harbored a silent longing.

Across the courtyard, in a home no grander than hers, lived Arjun, a schoolteacher whose voice resonated with the cadence of poetry. He spent his evenings teaching neighborhood children under the shade of a banyan tree, his laughter blending harmoniously with their innocent giggles. For months, he had admired Meera’s quiet grace, the way her bangles jingled like wind chimes as she worked...Expand

[spice-and-fire]

tea for two ❀ jasper & meera

TIMING: Recent LOCATION: Best Exotic Herbal Tea PARTIES: Meera @the-haunteang and Jasper @eatdearth SUMMARY: Meera tries to take a tea break on her own but Jasper joins her. Recipes are shared and a new friendship is born! CONTENT WARNING: None

It has been a grueling week. Between his work at the university and whatever the heck was going on at the mines, Jasper has had better days and certainly better nights. It wasn’t enough that he never stopped trying to find his lost friend in the mines, barely making any progress despite him sticking to the paths away from where most of the mining activity was, but now everything was in jeopardy. With all the strange goings-on revolving around the mines, security was at an all-time high, at least as far as Jasper has heard, which meant that he needed to be extra careful when doing his exploring. And also extra stressed. 

So, what does the stressed geology professor do to alleviate some of that, well, stress? Visit Best Exotic Herbal Tea Shop, of course. Sure, he could have just bought tea online, which was what the cool kids were doing these days, but Jasper has been an occasional regular at the shop, if that was even a thing, only getting his fix here and nowhere else, so he figured he might as well pay a visit to his favorite tea shop. “Morning,” he awkwardly flashed the pretty cashier, waving at her as he approached. “What’s today’s special?”

Meera had been very observant since the morning started. Well, to be fair, she was always observant. That was probably why her dead relatives wouldn’t let her be, ghosting her every now and then, announced. Most people were lucky only the living ghosted them. Meera, on the other hand, was plagued by visions of dead relatives popping up randomly. Not all of them even had anything to say. Some of them just appear from out of nowhere to stare at her like complete creeps.

Speaking of creeps… “Good morning,” Meera channeled her sunniest of sunshine smiles, though he wasn’t quite sure what to make of this occasional regular. The times she’d seen him at the shop, he seemed to be preoccupied up there, in his head. He also seemed to be very awkward, not just around her and the staff, but sometimes with the other customers as well. Or maybe she was just projecting? Either way, he could be somewhat of a kindred spirit. Shouldn’t that be a good thing? “Just brewing some jasmine tea for myself and the staff. You’re welcome to try some if you’d like?”

The fact that it might’ve been just the kind of invitation one threw out there for politeness’ sake, the kind that the invited should decline, never even crossed Jasper’s mind. With a huge grin, he simply nodded and inserted himself into the picture, technically not inviting himself to the staff’s tea time since the cashier did invite him, so it was her fault for him gate-crashing their sanctuary or whatever. “Sounds good! I love jasmine tea!”

For a moment or two, Jasper just stood there, expectantly, with that stupidly massive smile on his stupid face. He was giving off mad golden retriever energy, even if he was oblivious to it himself. Jasper rarely got invited to things, so this was pretty much a big deal for him, a very big and very good deal. “I’m Jasper, by the way,” he introduced himself, without even the girl’s prompting. “I teach geology at the University.”

“Oh,” Meera tried to muster a warm smile but it was weaker than most. The tea was just for her and the staff, and she did expect him to decline the offer, as most customers tended to do, but she supposed it was her fault for faking the enthusiasm in that invitation anyway. Karma, wasn’t it? She gestured for him to take a seat before moving toward the boiling teapot behind her. “Then I’ll get you a cup in a bit.”

Meera heaved a sigh, her back to him still, when she introduced himself. To be fair, it was nice of him to do so. Meera had been trapped in this shop for so long, rarely going out for fear of having her ghostly ancestors stalk her every move, possibly putting those she befriended in danger. Unfortunately for Jasper, it was also one of those days when she was feeling terrible about anything and everything. Still, she tried to return his niceness, turning toward him with a nod. “Pleasure to meet you…Professor Jasper? I’m Meera.”

“Pleasure’s all mine, Meera! That’s a lovely name… Meera,” Jasper, still with that unnervingly goofy smile, stood there for a few more seconds before it registered in his head what the girl named Meera had wanted him to do: Sit down. Once he realized that, he immediately looked around for somewhere to park his trunk, noticing an empty table close by and occupying it with just himself. He took the strap of his sling bag off of his shoulder and unnecessarily placed the entire thing on the seat next to him, tap-tapping his fingers on his knees as he waited patiently.

When the tea finally arrived, Jasper gave Meera a quick smile before immediately trying to take a sip of it. But it was hot, naturally, and he found his tongue a victim of his immense stupidity. Making a weird face and trying to cool his burnt tongue by fanning it with his hand in futility, Jasper tried his best to keep his own cool before the other girl left him be, if she would leave him be. He’d rather look the fool than be left all on his own, to be honest. “Do you guys have, like, a cold dessert?” 

Meera found it odd that he had to say her name twice in such quick succession. Was that how he always took to new acquaintances introducing themselves? She tried to understand it, trying to make that oddness turn into something positive. People tend to fear what they don’t understand, she read in a magazine her grandma loved to read, and she supposed people also tend to have other negative feelings towards the same things they barely understood. Maybe if she understood him, it wouldn’t be so bad. He wouldn’t be so strange.

“A cold dessert?” Meera couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. The tea was supposed to be free, but an additional dessert would definitely cost something. She tried to think of whether she had a stored dessert somewhere, but her eyes immediately found her small cooler at the far side of the counter. Her lips immediately curled into a smile when she remembered what was in there. “We’ve got something I’m sure you’ll like. Be right back,” she immediately fluttered to that cooler, took what should’ve appeared like a pair of long popsicles, plopped them on a porcelain plate, and went back to him. “Here you go!”

Meera then sat at the same table, pouring herself a cup of the same jasmine tea and taking one of the long popsicles for herself. “It’s called kulfi,” she grinned, excited to share her culture with her new friend. “It’s a popular frozen dessert back in India—sinfully rich, dense and creamy. You reduce the milk flavored with saffron, cardamom, pistachio and almonds, and then you serve them chilled. Go on, Professor Jasper! Taste it! I’m sure you’ll love it!”

Jasper held his burnt tongue out as he waited for Meera’s cold dessert. Not unlike a thirsty dog abandoned in the heat. When she returned with the popsicles, he quickly grabbed one, intending to suck on it right away to alleviate the lingering pain on his tongue. But it was too beautiful, so beautiful in fact that he had to take a few more seconds, just enduring the pain of the heat, to stare and gawk at the gorgeous dessert. “This looks amazing! I love pistachio and almonds!”

When Jasper finally tasted it, taking a slow lick with the burnt area of his tongue, he felt himself grin from ear to ear. Not unlike that same dog from before that had finally found salvation from the heat in a pool of drinkable water. The feeling was quite the same, if not better because the dessert tasted better than mere water. The symphony of flavor with the spices and the nuts combined with the refreshing milk… Jasper was the luckiest idiot in the world! “This is so good! Can I get the recipe for this? I’d love to have this again when I’m alone…I mean, back home.”

Meera’s face lit up when Jasper expressed his utmost enjoyment of the meal. He seemed very delighted at the dessert, which Meera did not expect. Well, she expected him to like it, sure, but not that much. Was he exaggerating? From the looks of how he seemed to be overjoyed at the taste, probably not. Maybe he just seemed that way. Maybe it was just him. He probably had a bad week, or suffered something terrible recently, so this ice-cold respite from that memory was well received. Either way, she should offer it to anyone who’d buy a lot of stuff from the shop. As an incentive, maybe, or more appropriately a reward.

“Well, I’d have to ask the chef,” Meera was torn between selflessly sharing her culture to someone else, a stranger she had just met, and making tons of profit from it by making sure it was only served at the shop, but in the end, the former won over the latter. Even if someone had the same recipe, the product may not always resemble each other. That’s where love and authenticity come in. “I’m kidding! Of course you can!” She took out a pen and a paper and started scribbling the recipe. “You should share it with friends and family when you can, though. Tastier that way.”

“Awesome!” Jasper watched Meera as she wrote down the recipe, stealing spoonfuls of his new favorite dessert. It then dawned on him that maybe he should repay this kindness by sharing with her something he really liked. But what did he really like? What did he really like that she probably hasn’t had yet? Burgers? Everyone has had burgers. Steak? Fries? Damn it. The more he thought about it, the more he realized he was a basic bitch. Jasper didn’t have anything unique. All of the things he liked everyone else had already tasted for themselves. Was he really that boring? “I’d share something with you, but I’m pretty sure you’ve already tasted them all.”

Jasper tried to make a joke of his terrible basic-ness, but he couldn’t even muster a chuckle. It just made him even more sad, sadder, to realize that he had nothing to offer the lovely lady before him. At least, nothing that she could plop in her mouth and savor like he was savoring the delicious dessert that was almost gone by now. But then he realized: Maybe he had something she’d be interested in. “Say, do you like rocks?”

“Do I like what?” Meera was caught surprised by Jasper’s question. It was a bit odd, having come from out of nowhere. They were talking about food, at least she was sharing with him a recipe for a delicious dessert, and they were having food, so for him to segue into rocks… Meera found it a little confusing. Did he eat rocks? Are rocks even edible? Sure, she’d seen that video with the soup and the hot rock that heats the soup, but she had doubts he meant the same thing. “Rocks? Why do you ask?”

Once she was done with her writing, she handed the piece of paper to Jasper. Meera gave him a quick smile, though her confusion was still obvious on her face. She wasn’t as cunning as she’d like, to be honest. On most days, even a stranger can read what she was thinking, feeling, just by stealing a glimpse of her face. Today, Jasper could easily notice that she was a bit curious at where he was getting at with his question, but then she remembered the first part of it. “Oh, I think that would be impossible: I can’t have already tasted everything, right? I don’t even go out of the shop. Maybe you have something you love eating that I haven’t had yet? Worth a try?”

“Oh,” Jasper was also surprised by Meera’s question. Did she forget him already? Or maybe she was just too busy in her head to put two and two together. Jasper’s been there, done that. Some days, he’d be slower than slow, his mind cluttered with all the things he had to do for the day. Like his lesson plans and his…lesson plans. Huh. There should really be more stuff on his schedule, but for the life of him, at least at this moment, that’s all that came to his mind. He simply shrugged and pointed at himself while he continued explaining the facts to the attractive young woman with him. “Because, you know, I’m a geology professor… I teach rocks.”

Jasper eagerly received the recipe in writing, grinning from ear to ear, as his eyes wandered to what was written on the paper. He tried committing the entire thing to memory right then and there, even though he knew he wouldn’t even remember the first part of it. Still, he was just excited to receive something from someone else, someone new. “Well, in that case, I do have this fried rice recipe that I got from,” Jasper gulped, changing the fact from ‘a YouTube short’ to, “...my grandmother. Would you be interested in that?” Haiyaaah, he’s already lying to her. What a shame.

Ah, that made sense. Meera simply nodded at Jasper, a little embarrassed that she didn’t make that connection quite so easily. Hiding her humiliation behind a sip of her tea, she questioned whether she should have paid more attention. To be fair, though, it was always hard for her to pay attention to one thing, especially when the ghosts of her dead ancestors were known to pop out in unexpected places every now and then. Meera almost always had her guard up in that regard, with her attention spread thin between what was right in front of her and what could be in a random corner in the room she was in. “Oh, yes, of course, rocks,” she feigned a cough, taking her time, as she returned her cup back on the table. “I guess I don’t hate rocks?”

“Fried rice?” Meera’s demeanor switched from embarrassed and defensive to excited. She loved fried rice. Not as much as she loved her own culture’s food, which was basically, to her at least, mostly biryani, butter chicken, and samosas, but fried rice was just too easy or more appropriately more accessible than most other foods. “I would be interested in your grandmother’s recipe, Professor Jasper!” She rested her face on her hand that was propped up on the table by her elbow, eager to know more about his grandma’s genius. All grandmas were great in the kitchen. ‘Nuff said!

She guesses she doesn’t hate rocks. If Jasper spent a bit more time dwelling on that thought, he would have realized that maybe he was boring her. Then again, Jasper has never spent any bits of ‘more time’ on any thought that didn’t involve rocks, so that should explain why he’s both alone and lonely. 

He could blame his strange upbringing: After his own uncle murdered the rest of his spellcasting family, without his knowledge, the kinslayer spared him for being a baby, though Flint Langston did more than he should have keeping Jasper away from the Mines as well as from any one of his peers. It was a sad and lonely childhood that paved the road for an even sadder and lonelier adulthood. But he digressed. 

“That’s good enough for me! You should join me on one of my expeditions some time. If I get lucky, and I have a feeling I will, I might get permission to investigate the strange goings-on in the Mines! Wouldn’t that be awesome?!” No, it would not. Jasper should know it by now: He was the only one who ever got excited about such things. Well, him and people like him. Other geologists. Or other weirdos. “Oh, well, I guess I can write my grandmother’s fried rice recipe for you,” he shrugged at that, less excited with the actual connection. “You’ve got a pen? And a paper?”

“Expeditions?” Meera was genuinely unsure what he meant. Was he like Indiana Jones? Going on expeditions to unearth archeological mysteries? That was about what she knew of the word, which wasn’t much really, thanks mostly to having been sheltered all her life, trapped in her family’s controlling traditions, the walls of the tea shop seemed like they were built to keep her in than anything else. 

When Jasper started talking about the mines and the strange goings-on down there, Meera immediately frowned. So he wasn’t an Indiana Jones type, more like one of those sewer inspectors that get eaten by the monster living in the tunnels in those horror movies. That wasn’t something she’d like to be a part of, but still, she mustered a smile. Fortunately, he moved the conversation along, and Meera quickly retrieved a pen and paper for him to write that recipe down. “That would be so nice of you! I love fried rice!”

Jasper grinned at Meera as he finished writing up what he could recall of the recipe, sliding the pen and paper back at her with as much grace as he could muster, a miracle really, considering Jasper was not a graceful guy. In fact, he was far from the very definition of the word. “Awesome! Hopefully, you’ll love grandma’s recipe,” Jasper looked her in the eyes with his big brown pair and nodded fervently, as if he was trying to sell her the recipe. “I love it, and it’s saved my life a couple of times!”

With that out of the way, Jasper took his cup and took a quick sip of the tea. He delighted in how refreshing it was, how amazing it tasted, and how warm he felt inside once he took all of it in. He was usually more of a coffee guy, truth be told, but that was mostly because he needed the caffeine to stay awake at work and it was more accessible in his office than tea. But maybe he should change that. “You guys have tea that can keep me awake at work like coffee does?”

“Saved your life how?” Meera’s interest was piqued at that revelation. She had just taken the recipe, looked it over with a smile, marveling at how Jasper’s grandma preferred different things to combine into what she could only imagine was a scrumptious dish. Meera was no Iron Chef but she could cook herself a great meal. The rest of the tea shop loved her cooking, though to be fair, she was paying them and that might be a bias that would no doubt influence their opinion. Nevertheless, she has never heard of a fried rice recipe saving someone’s life before. Unless he was just exaggerating, of course.

“You mean like green tea?” Meera tilted her head to one side, confused as to what Jasper meant exactly by tea keeping him awake. There was green tea, which did the job well, but if he wanted to be more specific in the green-ness of the tea, or the tea-ness of the green, there was also matcha tea. Most tea would do the job, to be fair. Well, except maybe herbal teas, the ones that come without caffeine. Chamomile, lemon balm, and Valerian root teas all easily come to mind. “We have green tea.”

Jasper shrugged at Meera, a mixture of embarrassment and pride at what he was about to admit: "Well, you know, struggling college student days… Struggling postgraduate days… Basically whenever the academe makes me struggle, I guess. Grandma’s fried rice recipe’s always there to bail me out!” Embarrassment because those days were far behind him and looking back has always made him cringe. Pride because despite those struggles, during those terrible days, he survived. 

“Oh, then, I’ll have green tea, please,” Jasper shifted quickly to his more positive, more curious demeanor. Just like that. Without any hesitation. None at all. He did enjoy Best Exotic Tea’s, well, teas, so this was a no-brainer to him. He almost forgot about the most important thing, though, but he immediately recovered in that respect. “Your best green tea! Not anything less. What you yourself considered your best green tea, I mean.” Meera was the expert. He was down for whatever.

Meera simply nodded, pretending to relate. While she did go to college, she never really struggled. At least not in the way that struggling college students were supposed to. She had her mother backing her up, helping her along the way, and even though her father’s side of the family had been far away, they also made sure to contribute in their own supportive ways. She also did not pursue any postgraduate degrees, so that one, she could most definitely not relate with. “Oh, I see, well,” she feigned a cough before awkwardly patting him on the back. “...there, there.”

Meera almost heaved a sigh of relief outside of her head when Jasper decided to take their conversation toward something else, something she could relate more to, and that was enjoying green tea. She wasn’t sure if she considered anything the best green tea, per se, as she always considered them all wonderful in their own little ways, but it was a means to get the heck out of there, so she excitedly did so. “One best green tea from Best Exotic Tea, coming right up!”

Meera immediately ran to the counter, took a quick look at their selections, and chose what she drank more often compared to the others. She then quickly rang it up and placed it in a brown paper back before returning to the table and handing Jasper the purchase, a hand outstretched to take his payment, with the receipt intentionally placed in front of his eyes. “Would that be all?”

“That would be all,” Jasper gave Meera a boyish grin as he quickly finished his free tea and scrambled to stand up and take his purchase for the day. As much as he wanted to stay longer, and not be alone back home, it finally dawned on him that he might be intruding on her business hours. Jasper might be lonely but he wasn’t that oblivious. Well, at least not most of the time. In this case, he really wanted to support the town’s local businesses, not impede them in any way. He’ll definitely be back, though, especially because of the kind owner. “Thanks for indulging me for a bit, Meera. I enjoyed your company, but I wouldn’t want to be a burden to your business.”

“I’ll come back some other time for the other teas,” Jasper chuckled before giving her a wave, bidding her and her staff goodbye. “I’ll make sure to come back for the snacks, too.” That wasn’t an empty promise, the kind that people often do when they want to disengage from an encounter with a business owner. Jasper was going to come back. If not for the tea and the snacks, then for Meera. The conversation they had, the warmth she shared, he hadn’t had anything of the sort for a long while. It was definitely the draw that made her business become number one in his book. “Enjoy the rest of your day, new friends!”

Meera gave him a polite smile, relieved that he was finally setting out to do other things in other places. It wasn’t the most selfless thought, far from it even, but she did feel like she deserved some time for herself, and although she also felt guilty of somewhat shooing the professor away, he might be better off doing other things in other places with better company than a cursed tea shop owner who’s plagued by the annoying ghosts of her dead relatives. “The pleasure was all mine. Please, you will never be a burden to us here at Best Exotic Tea!”

As he began walking out, Meera could only watch him leave. Of course he was coming back. That was the good ending, right? For a customer to keep coming back to the shop. Something about him, though, felt strange to the medium. It felt sad, made her sad, but she wasn’t quite sure what it was. When he called them ‘new friends,’ Meera couldn’t help but smirk. She turned to her other coworkers, employees, and she and Khadija shared a smile. When she turned her attention back to Jasper’s direction, a different face shoved itself inches from her own, forcing her to take a few steps back, stumbling in shock. “H-help me…”

Great. Another ghost. This one seemed new, though it definitely resembled another, hopefully still living relative she knew. Well, seen in old family photos. Meera didn’t really know many of her relatives. All that time living far away from everyone, in hiding in Mexico, distanced her from her father’s family, her cursed bloodline. Ignoring the suddenly dissipated ghost, who will most likely reform later, perhaps at an unfortunate time, to suddenly ask for her help again, unexpected and uninvited, she tried to see where Jasper was but he was already gone. A tinge of sadness invaded her mind but she immediately brushed it off. This was her destiny, her fate, her curse. Lonely but never alone. A single living human drowning in a sea of ghosts. 

Meera went back to sit at the table and took a sip of tea to try and enjoy the rest of her break. “Better the ghosts you know.” Yet she didn’t even know most of them.

[shadowqueen402]

Quotes From The Rivals To Roy

These are the quotes that each rival would say to Roy, my oc's father.

😂 Selina Müller 😂

"Life's too short for anyone to sit around and be gloomy all day, so don't forget to smile every now and then! Roy, hearing you laugh at my jokes… it makes me the happiest."

🥰 Jasmine Clark 🥰

"Oh my…something seems to be troubling you. Would you like to talk about it? If you ever need someone to listen, I'm always here for you."

⚽️ Emilie Gibson ⚽️

"Nobody in the Sports Club ever says no to a challenge! Come on, let's get started right away! Roy, would you like to go on a run together? You know, just the two of us?

🥣 Isobel Fraser 🥣

"Roy, you're just in time. I baked cupcakes, would you like one? Y-You know, Roy… I wouldn't mind cooking for you everyday…"

🌸 Hanako Ikeda 🌸

"We're about to start planting flowers… W-Would you like to join us? I can't stop thinking about that boy… I-I think I-I love him…more than gardening…"

📚 Meera Patil 📚

"Do you need some help with a certain subject? I am more than eager to make sure your grades are brought up. This might be so sudden, but I would be happy if I became your "special tutor"…"

😠 Daisy Scott 😠

"Did you oversleep again!? You're bloody annoying, you know that!? D-Don't get the wrong idea, okay!? I-It's not like…I like you or anything, dummy…"

🎭 Francesca Ricci 🎭

"As the leader of this club, it is natural that I should get the main role. I deserve it more than anyone else. Roy, I'm about to play Beauty. Would you be my Beast?"

🎤 Caroline Sommer 🎤

"Glad you came! Ready to see the performance of your lifetime? Roy, I hope you can hear me sing today… This song I wrote is just for you…"

🎨 Valentina Perez 🎨

"Wow! You have such amazing talent when it comes to Art! You'd be surprised by what you can do with all of those colors! Roy, you filled my world with such color… I'd say that you're the finest work of art…"

🌙 Abigail Murray 🌙

"Welcome back, Roy. How was your weekend? I do hope you're feeling better. Later on, would you like to go to the park with me? Just so we can spend time together?"

🥋 Kayla Robertson 🥋

"It's extremely important to know how to defend yourself! Ready for a sparring lesson? Roy, I can't bear to think of anything terrible happening to you…I hope these lessons come in handy…"

💰Sasha Ivanova 💰

"My top priority is to put a stop to anyone who poses a threat to Edinburgh Secondary School! Roy, I think someone may be stalking you…but don't worry, I'll keep you safe!"

📸 Esme Montgomery 📸

"Smile for the camera! You'll look so good in your yearbook photo. From the moment we met, I have a new reason to smile…"

[timesofwoods]

Meera Jasmine

[mallikapanuganti12]

Tollywood Aunties and Actresses: Meera Jasmine Cute and Hot stills

[bigtvmojify]

Sri Vishnu Movie Swag | స్వాగ్ తో శ్రీ విష్ణు హిట్ కొట్టాడా?| Ritu Varma | Meera Jasmine | BIG TV ET

Sri Vishnu Movie Swag | స్వాగ్ తో శ్రీ విష్ణు హిట్ కొట్టాడా?| Ritu Varma | Meera Jasmine | BIG TV ET #swagmovie #srivishnu #rituvarma #meerajasmine #tollywoodnews #bigtventertainment Watch LIVE Stream : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueJsgNKeq8c 🔔 Subscribe to our channel ✅ Stay Connected to Us. 👉 Website: https://ift.tt/h6AqYQT 👉 Facebook: https://ift.tt/bmus9Ly 👉 Twitter:…

[exotic-indians]

[sunshineandviolets]

An Update to my TWC OCs:

under read more since this will be a little long, lmao

Divya Mistry

Identifies as genderfluid now, uses she/he/they.  Still with a terrible relationship with Rebecca. Has been getting in trouble with the law for quite a few times. A few months before the start of book 1, Divya was made to do community service work in town – because they protested heavily against Rebecca and the captain’s offer for being an officer instead of jail time. After his community work was finished, had been looking for a job in town since. Mostly recently (just at the start of book 1) received a job offer from Haley, since both were close during school, to work as an assistant at her bakery. Mostly just on tills and making drinks.

Only got involved with the whole murder investigation because knew something weird was going on in town and if anyone asks why they care to find the murderer, would exclaim that its cause they are one of the idiots that live in this town. And that there are some good people living here, they don’t deserve to live in fear.

Shivani Gupta

Usually spent her childhood alone, with no one but herself to really talk to. Enjoys spending most of her days in the gardens. However, there was tension between Rebecca and her aunt & uncle, since they were adamant for wanting Shivani to stay with them – worried that Rebecca was struggling on her own and wanted to help. With Rebecca’s pride / stubbornness and young Shivani thinking high of her mother, wanting to believe her mother cares for her – doesn’t move in with the aunt & uncle. But they still both did visit on occasion , and Shivani started to grow more closer to them than Rebecca herself.

In final years of college (going into masters), was in a very close relationship with Bobby. had a previous relationship prior that Shivani was rather distraught over ending. then Bobby and Her had been together for a few years and Shivani felt it could’ve progressed further for a proposal soon. But sadly... that day never came, esp after finding out about being used for her articles and realisation that Shivani kept trying to change herself to please someone who doesn’t care much for returning the compliments. Gives her all and more, but never gets the same.

At the start of book 1, currently works in a high school as a chemistry / biology teacher. But also likes to volunteer in the lab with Verda to help in anyway she can. Just wishes to be useful.

Karthik Achari

He studied Journalism in university, met Nikhita during his gap year and they both stayed together for the first year of university. Unexpected pregnancy, got married, Meera was born, Nikhita left. Got a part time job at an antique shop to help with university payments and now with a child. Thankfully had a good set of friends (still tries to keep in contact even with long distance) during university to help him as he was studying and caring for Meera. Also has his grandparents (Rebeccas side) to help. Does graduate with decent grades.

At the start of book 1, got promoted at the Wayhaven Press as an investigative field journalist. So is starting to spend more time out of the office and around the town, which is great since he loves talking with/being around people. Works with Bobby, others may consider it awkward since she is his ex. He doesn’t hold any grudges and is on pure friendly terms with her.

Jasmine Amari

Similar with canon, Jasmine lost her father at a young age and Rebecca is mostly absent in her life – choosing to focus more on her work than daughter. However main difference is that Rook was a known witch. Rebecca was aware ofc. But after he died, Rebecca didn’t want Jasmine to know about the supernatural and never mentioning that her father was a witch. However, when it was her birthday, but Rebecca wasn’t present and no friends remembered she was on her own, she spent that day looking around in her every nook and cranny of the house out of curiosity. In her father’s room, that she usually avoids going into, found an old box with a worn leather-bound book with rune patterns etched on the cover – feeling a small spark when she traced her fingers along it. It was in fact a spell book, and what’s interesting when she opened it – there was a note addressed to her from her father. Very much like ‘passing the torch’ kinda thing.

Jasmine does have magic, but it wasn’t until she found that book and learning more about her father and herself when her magic started to arise.

Tried to bring it up to her mother, in those rare moments Rebecca was around, but Rebecca deflects about anything to do with her father and supernatural claims. So, Jasmine stayed quiet, like she always does. Practiced her magic in secret, with the spells and cooking – the only ways she feel like she is close to him.

Studied history at university, met Bobby but she broke her trust and relationship ended poorly.

At the start of book 1, works as a  museum curator since has an interest in history and cultures. But also creates remedies and potions at her home for supernatural’s that live in town or are coming through.

Akira Nakajima

Is not the mc anymore. No Rebecca or Rook, Akira’s parents are seen as rather upper class, and the parents consider themselves rather important. Their mother is a politician that used to be the mayor of Wayhaven till she got out voted in the most recent election by Mayor Friedman. Co owns a fashion industry business with her husband, selling fancy brands and out buying small businesses. Their father also works as a headmaster at the high school.

Akira has two younger twin sisters, Reiko, and Mai – both who were 6 years younger. Their parents weren’t the greatest and tend to be rather controlling and cruel. Wanted perfection even from their own kids and terrible to those around them to gain respect. Heavily influenced Reiko’s personality, since all she wants is to impress them even if that means being exactly like them. When they were in university, they graduated with less than perfect grades and it was the spark of an argument with their parents. Which was the cause for them to finally leave and not look back. Which sadly meant leaving Reiko & Mai…

Throughout the years, Akira kept further and further way – trying to find their own path.

in school, Reiko got worse. As in peak mean girls era for her. Mai was seen more as a ghost in her own family, hearing secrets and fights but never saying a word. Until prom night, Reiko and Mai had an argument outside when Mai finally stood her ground and snapped. Then an incident occurred, and that was the last she saw of Mai.

This broke Reiko, and since a body was never found - the parents brushed it aside to just Mai running away like her sibling. No funerals, the parents never cared enough for her to do one.

but when Akira found out, got into another argument with them on the phone before hanging up. Is the only one that organised a funeral for Mai, even if they questioned whether or not shes even dead.

Hence how they became a private investigator, and their sisters case being the one case that they cant seem to solve (not that theyd ever admit).

At the start of book 1 , Akira got hired to find what happened to a client' friend "Janet ". Finding out she ended up in their hometown of Wayhaven was not ideal - but they will push down whatever feelings to focus on the case.

Whilst not working on PI cases, has a small garage where they keep busy fixing up cars and tinkering with robotics. Likes to keep busy, considers "sleep is for the weak'.

Nicola Bituin

She is no longer an mc nor will she be in the twc verse. Just wasn't vibing with her in this anymore.