#Mrs. Zaidi-to-be <3

[mullahusman]

Hashimpura Massacre

It was the 22nd of May 1987, Ramzan and Friday, just like today, when 'secular' India's most shameful and horrendous custodial kil-ling took place at #Hashimpura. That day, after the Friday prayers, in the midst of the ongoing Meerut riots, some 600-700 Muslims..

were dragged from their homes by army personnel, CRPF, PAC, and police and were made to sit on the footpath near Gulmarg Talkies. — The young and the strong among them were chosen, loaded in a PAC truck URU 1493, and taken to Upper Ganga Canal in Murad Nagar..

and later to Makanpur in Ghaziabad only to be shot cold-blooded and thrown into the canal. — This was totally an anti-muslim crime by the state, though the documented facts are known to everyone, three points are worth mentioning:

A) On May 23, 1987, at Meerut Circuit House, the next day after the massæcre, there was a meeting attended by Veer Bahadur Singh, the CM, Daya Shankar, the DGP, SK Mukherjee, the IG, Nasim Zaidi, the Ghaziabad DM, Vibhuti Narain, the Ghaziabad SP and other senior officials.

There were discussions that can the bodies of 42 be thrown away in the canal just like Malyana, never to be found? Could the 3 survivors under police protection also die? Would anyone expect justice from them? #HashimpuraMassacre

B) One of the survivors Zulfiqar Nasir had a press conference in Delhi with Syed Shahabuddin and Subramanyam Swami, narrating the nightmare he went through. There was a shameless press brief the next day addressed by Meerut DM RS Kaushik, SSP Girdhari Sharma, nd frmr SP VKB Nair.

Not only did they claim that no massacre happened at Hashimpura but also that no one with the name of Zulfiqar ever lived in Hashimpura. Shouldn't they have been punished too for propagating blatant lies. #HashimpuraMassacre

3) There were three 'Sarkari Musalmans' sitting at the vital position throughout the investigation. Just to show the Indianness in them, they did very little to ensure Justice. Syed Khalid Rizvi, who headed the CID failed to link the role of Major Satish Kaushik whose brother..

Prabhat Kumar, a RSS terrœrist, was killed the previous day; who was present at Hashimpura during the whole incident. Mr Nasim Zaidi who later became chief Election commissioner failed to act responsibly and tell the outside world about the heinous crimes.

And Ms Mohsina Kidwai, the then MP of Meerut who later became the General Secretary of AICC, not only refused to ensure medical care to one of the injured survivors but kept silent about the gory crimes.

— Hashimpura, like the Bihar killings of 1946, Nellie of 1983, Bhagalpur of 1989, Delhi Pogrom of 1984 and 2020, Muzaffarnagar of 2013, Gujarat pogrom of 2002, and numerous others remain a disgraceful instance of the merciless and barbaric use of brute state force..

and a spineless, politically expedient government lying prostate before its own men - The Killers. Hashimpura is not just an instance, it's a phenomenon that goes deep into the mindset of Indian society. Justice is awaited. #HashimpuraMassacre

"I wish the dead could have eyes for once, they could look into the Indian State with tears and anger and say that irrespective of any political party at the government, you have been inherently anti-muslim"

[namyria]

What a great way to start an episode <3

[magic-belodie]

When (which episode) do you think mcl boys fell in love with candy?

Hello,

Thank you so much for asking me this question. I really liked it to try to find the moments. So I watch a lot of old episodes back. That is also why it took me a little of time for answering. I hope you can forgive me for that. And I am going to try to include all the LI.

We start with Kentin. He already loves Candy when we see him for the first time in episode 1. So he felt for her back at their old school. So we don't know the exact moment. But l like to think that it was love at first sight.

Then we go to Lysander. He already is in love with Candy when Deborah comes. Because she says that Candy is the only girl Lysander talks to. And in those episodes, Lysander let Candy know that he rather has that she ask him for help than another boy. I think this are the first moments when you really can see he has feelings for Candy. But we want to know the moment he falls in love with her, I think it happens before he shows Candy his tattoo. So I watch back episode 11. When they do the race in the forest. When they are on the bus together, Lysander seems still to doubt if he should have gone with Castiel and if Candy shouldn't be in a team with one of the girls. But the moment, Dake comes to ask Candy to be with him in a team. We see Candy standing up for her self and say no to Dake. After that, Lysander is happy that she says no to Dake and choose him again. So this is the moment I think he starts to like like Candy.

We go to Armin. I find it difficult to find he's exact moment. In episode 15 when you return the keys from the teacher lounge to Mr. Faraize, you can ask Armin what he thinks of you. He says that he likes you a lot, and that he likes to hang out with you more than with other girls. So at this moment he is already in love with Candy. In episode 10 he comes to the series. So it happens somewhere in between. We can rule out episode 11 because Armin does not go to the forest trip. So I watched back episode 12. Nothing special happens. Then in episode 13 at the end when you are all together clearing out the basement, and Candy decides to team up with Armin. You see Armin and Candy making jokes, and Candy says she likes that Armin stayed to help. Armin says Candy is nice. I think this is the moment that Armin starts to like like Candy.

Over to Dake. Sorry to everyone who loves Dake, but if I am being honest. I don't think Dake ever falls in love with Candy. He is just a guy who tries to get lucky.

Next we have Dajan and Jade. They only plays in a few episodes. But in episode 3 they see how helpful Candy is with doing things for the clubs. So they start to like that a lot about her. But they are not often around enough to start something real with. :-(

Then we go to Castiel. To be honest I had no clue where to start except that it happens before episode 26. So I watch a lot of episodes back. In episode 8 Castiel starts to tease Candy. In Holland we have a saying that when a boy teases a girl, he likes her. So I think Castiel already likes Candy there. Actually I think he starts to like her pretty early in the story; in episode 4. When he brings Candy home and blushes while he holds her hand. I think that is the moment he starts to like like Candy. And in episode 17 Castiel saw how right he was about liking Candy and trusting her. From that moment he really starts to show his feelings for her. In university, I think Castiel never stopped loving Candy. When they weren't together, he obviously put his feelings away. But he always had liked her from that first moment on in episode 4 HSL.

So as last LI from the HSL we go to Nathaniel. When Deborah comes to the school and Nathaniel doesn't want to help Candy. I feel like he is not in love with her. Because if you are in love with someone, you don't let them down at that kind of moment. But the moment he sees Candy cry at the end of episode 16 everything starts to change. In episode 17 en 18 they are clearly signs that Nathaniel likes Candy. So I think he starts to like like Candy at the end of episode 16. When Candy and Nath break up between HSL and UL, Nath is devastated. Because of that he meets the wrong people. But as he soon as he sees Candy in UL, he tries to turn everything around to get her back. So Nathaniel also never stopped loving her.

For the first LI of UL we go to Priya. Priya already likes Candy at the start of UL. So I feel like it happened in HSL before she gives Candy the drawing in episode 32. Priya comes to the series in episode 27. So it has to happen somewhere in between. In episode 28 when Candy confess to Priya she is in love with one of the boys. Priya answered that she isn't in love with that boy, and that she now understands why things weren't going well between her and Candy. But she is drawn to Candy and don't know why. So she hopes they now can start on better terms. So I think Priya likes Candy from the beginning, but she doesn't realize it. And the moment she does, Candy has already a relationship. So she does nothing with those feelings until she sees her again in UL.

Next we go to Rayan aka Mr. Zaidi. In episode 8 Rayan asks Candy if she wants to stay with him on a professional level or that you want to get to know each other more. So at that moment he is already in love with Candy. But I also think that he already likes Candy at the end of episode 5 when he helps her close the café. So the moment has to happen somewhere before that. So I watched back episode 4, 3 and 2. In episode 3 and 4 there are signs that Rayan likes Candy. When I watched episode 2 back and Candy has her first class of him. I feel like that is the moment he starts to like like Candy. Because at the end of class, he asks Candy to stay behind and complements her for her answers in class.

As last LI from UL we have Hyun. In my head, he starts to like Candy from the very first time he sees her. I hope this will also be the case when I try to find the moment. So I watch back the first conversation Candy has with Hyun in episode 1. In the part he asks Candy question for the job at the cosy bear café, there are not any signs yet. But when he asks Candy to stay for a drink and Candy says yes. He tries to find out if Candy has a boyfriend and offers her to show her around town. So yes, Hyun starts to like like Candy from the very first moment.

In LL, we only get one new LI; Eric. In episode 13 Eric tells Candy; that he realize that he has feelings for Candy after the dinner in episode 10. But the moment you realize you have feelings is not always the same moment as when you get feelings for a person. So to be sure I watched back episode 10. And I think it happens in the afternoon for the dinner. When Eric sees Candy worrying about Nath. After that moment he decides to come back that evening. So I think he starts to like like Candy at that moment.

Thank you again for asking me this question. I had so much fun trying to find the moments. For everyone who sees this post, if you feel like the falling in love happens at another moment. That is totally fine, these are just the moment I think it happens. By the way I would love to read it when you think it happens at another moment. Please put it in the comments. And if you feel like I forgot someone, just put it in the comments.

Love,

Belodie

[otomelavenderhaze]

Hi,Fa,sorry for bother you,i just jump out my chair seeing the news!WHAT? That means we are gonna get Rayan and Candy's wedding!?

≧◉◡◉≦ we going to see Rayan wearing a tuxedo, Candy being Mrs Zaidi finally?! That would be so cute

What do you mean "Fa, sorry to bother you"? D: why would you be a bother, anon? G-G Don't say that!!

Chino got us all jumping on our chairs today kkkkkkkkk

Probably! The wedding spin-off (I don't know if it's gonna be really a spin-off thou) coming finally!! Yey!!

Not only that!! We all getting our baes finally tied down AAAAA So excited for it!! <3 AAAAAAAAAAAAA THE BOIS WILL LOOK SO GOOD WITH FORMAL WEAR, RAYAN WILL LOOK SO GOOD AAAAAAAA

I know we talked about how cute it's gonna be and all, but have you thought about if we get a honeymoon scene? 👀👀👀 No? Too soon? 👀👀

[famej]

Masterlist

If you’d like to read fanfics about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, check out my other blog : @marvelsuperfangirl

And if you appreciate my work, you can buy me a coffee, right there :)

For more personal and detailed requests : here

Obey Me! :

The Brothers & Undateables’ Hogwarts Houses

Sheep!MC in the Devildom

Lucifer :

Keep Me Warm

Belong

The Softie Within

Apéritif

Mammon : 

Greedy (Smut)

Model

Beach Adventure

Morning Surprise

First Demon Bond

Visitor

Leviathan:

Gaming & Chill

Satan :

Meow

Sunny Moment

Satan Blurb

Asmodeus:

Love Request

Sweet Dreams

Sunrise

Beelzebub : 

Glutton

First Aid

Belphegor :

Wake Up Call

Choices :

Ethan Ramsey:

Early Morning

Autumnal Setting 

Halloween Spirit

Ethan with a S/O who write fanfics and draws fanart

The Nurse Kink

Zig Ortega :

Coffee Shop Romance

Raleigh Carrera :

Kissing Strangers

Is It Love :

Colin Spencer:

Encore (Smut)

Pretty Boy

The Arcana:

Asra:

Waking Up Beside You

Chocolate Temptation :

Mitsuki Aoi :

Hidden Boldness

7 Hotties, All my Husbands :

The To Do List

My Candy Love :

Rayan Zaidi :

Sneaking out

Lysander :

Snow

Heat

Kentin:

Cozy Morning

Given :

Haruhi Nakayama x Akihiko Kaji  :

Night Love

Sakamoto Desu Ga? :

Sakamoto x Reader :

Mr Smooth

Free! :

Momotarou Mikoshiba x Reader :

Sunshine Through the Rain

Animes Playlists :

Playlist n°1

Playlist n°2

Playlist n°3

Playlist n°4

Reviews:

Demon Slayer : Mugen Train

Ride Your Wave ( Take one )

[mauriciomeschoulam]

27 de febrero de 2021

Sobre Yemen, Arabia Saudita y los retos de Biden

Estados Unidos no solo proveía de armas a Arabia Saudita para su guerra en Yemen, sino que le apoyaba logísticamente para operarlas. Mecánicos estadounidenses se encargaban de que cada uno de los aviones estadounidenses que empleaban los saudíes para sus bombardeos, funcionaran adecuadamente. Personal de la CIA aportaba blancos basados en sus análisis satelitales y de tierra. La alianza estratégica entre Washington y Riad se dejaba sentir en el campo de batalla y en el campo diplomático. No se trata de un asunto de Trump. La guerra de Yemen, que se ha convertido en una de las mayores crisis humanitarias de nuestros tiempos, inició bastante antes de la gestión de ese presidente. En efecto, las personalidades cuentan, y esa alianza que existe entre Arabia Saudita y EEUU se fortaleció con Trump de un lado y el príncipe heredero Mohammed Bin Salman del otro. Pero hoy, cuando Biden necesita mostrar distancia y proyectarse como un gobernante diferente, los intereses de fondo que han impulsado esta alianza de décadas, sobreviven. Ese es justo su reto. ¿En qué consiste el conflicto de Yemen? ¿Por qué los intereses de Washington y Riad se han alineado cada vez más y por qué ahora Biden quiere distanciarse?  

La guerra en Yemen exhibe la peligrosa confluencia de al menos cinco elementos que tras la Primavera Árabe (2011) se fueron repitiendo en diversos países de la región: (1) la persistencia de uno o varios conflictos locales de carácter político, (2) dichos conflictos políticos se entretejen con añejas hostilidades sectarias o tribales, las cuales afloran con las condiciones de inestabilidad generadas tras la dimisión o debilitamiento del líder o dictador, (3) en mayor o menor grado, diversas potencias regionales se involucran, ya sea apoyando, financiando, y/o  armando a alguno de los actores, o bien, a través de acciones militares directas, (4) el involucramiento directo o indirecto de una o varias potencias globales, (5) el aprovechamiento de las condiciones de caos por parte de grupos terroristas, muchos de  ellos ligados al jihadismo global, con el fin de establecer o incrementar su influencia en la zona.

Considere estos eventos ocurridos, todos en Yemen, durante una misma semana del 2015: (a) Una serie de atentados contra mezquitas chiítas, reivindicados por ISIS, terminaron con la vida de más de 130 personas, (b) Grupos afiliados a Al Qaeda extendieron su zona de control atacando la capital provincial al-Houta, al sur del país, (c) Los rebeldes Houthies, quienes ya controlaban la capital del país, Sanaa, lanzaron una nueva ofensiva de expansión amenazando ahora a Adén, ciudad a donde tuvo que huir el gobierno formalmente reconocido.

Uno de los actores fundamentales de este conflicto han sido los grupos rebeldes Houthies pertenecientes a una subsecta del Islam chiíta, llamada zaidi, apoyados por Irán, el principal bastión del Islam chiíta en la región y gran adversario de Arabia Saudita en la lucha por el poder regional. El tema se complicaba porque a los Houthies no solo los apoyaba Irán, sino el exdictador Saleh, aquél que tuvo que dejar la silla a raíz de la Primavera Árabe y que ahora regresaba para intentar recuperar parte de lo que consideraba le fue arrebatado.

 Por consiguiente, hacia ese momento del 2015, Arabia Saudita consideró que su intervención militar era ineludible y decidió iniciar ataques aéreos contra los Houthies formando una coalición internacional compuesta por 10 países de la región, apoyada por EEUU, potencia que tenía sus objetivos claramente ubicados del lado de Riad y sus aliados.

Más allá de toda la complicada problemática interna—entre otras cosas, Saleh terminó siendo liquidado por los propios Houthies—transcurridos los años, hay varios factores que se van complejizando y que terminan por alinear más aún los intereses de Arabia Saudita y Washington.  

Es decir, en 2015 el caso de Yemen exhibía un comportamiento paradójico de la administración Obama. Por un lado, en ese mismo año, Washington e Irán negociaban y firmaban un pacto nuclear—el cual, se sabía, iba a llenar las arcas de Teherán con dinero y contratos frescos—y por el otro lado, esos dos mismos países estaban chocando de manera directa en Yemen en donde sus objetivos estaban visiblemente enfrentados. Sin embargo, cuando Trump asume la presidencia, y especialmente a partir de que abandona aquel pacto nuclear, y reactiva e incrementa las sanciones contra Irán, el conflicto en Yemen se va a entretejer más aún con todos los otros factores que enfrentan a Washington con Teherán.

Hasta antes de ese punto, el apoyo iraní a los Houthies era importante, pero limitado. A medida que crece la conflictiva entre Irán y la Casa Blanca, los Houthies se vuelven una pieza clave de la estrategia de Teherán para ejercer presión contra Washington y sus aliados con el objetivo último de orillar a Trump a flexibilizar su postura. Entrenados y armados por las Guardias Revolucionarias Iraníes o por milicias aliadas de Teherán como Hezbollah, y empleando misiles, drones y armamento de última tecnología, los Houthies fueron incrementando sus ataques contra el reino saudí, pero también contra buques que cruzaban por el Golfo Pérsico. Los Houthies amenazaban directamente las posiciones de Washington y de sus aliados en la región. Asimismo, para generar confusión, los Houthies se atribuían ataques contra barcos o instalaciones petroleras saudíes, los cuales, según investigaciones, eran cometidos directamente por Irán. En fin, es imposible entender los acontecimientos de los últimos años, incluidos los factores que estuvieron a punto de llevar a Washington y Teherán a un conflicto armado, sin incorporar el rol de los Houthies en toda esta problemática. Por consiguiente, la Casa Blanca tenía que seguir apoyando a Riad en su combate contra estos rebeldes.

No obstante, de manera paralela, se fue generando un consenso bipartidista en EEUU de que el apoyo incondicional a Arabia Saudita, y especialmente al príncipe heredero, era insostenible bajo las condiciones existentes. Los bombardeos saudíes frecuentemente golpeaban objetivos civiles causando muertes inocentes por docenas. Las violaciones a derechos humanos cometidas por el reino—de las cuales lo más sonado fue el brutal asesinato del periodista Khashoggi en el consulado saudí en Estambul—no podían continuar sin consecuencias. El control del reino a manos de Bin Salman, a quien apodan “Mr. Everything” (el Señor Todo), le convertía en un personaje intocable como para poder negociar con cualquier otro actor, incluso su padre el Rey Salman. Trump eligió mirar siempre al otro lado y conservar la alianza intacta, a pesar de la oposición bipartidista que en el Congreso había al respecto.

Biden, por supuesto, desde su campaña, prometió que todo eso cambiaría. Hace unos días la vocera de la Casa Blanca lo puso en estos términos: “planeamos recalibrar nuestra relación con Arabia Saudita”. En ese sentido, una de las primeras medidas del nuevo presidente fue suspender contratos de armas y todo el apoyo logístico que brinda a los saudíes para su combate en Yemen. Ayer mismo, la inteligencia de EEUU desclasificó un reporte que indica que el príncipe Bin Salman aprobó y muy probablemente ordenó el asesinato del periodista Khashoggi, lo que catapultó ya una serie de sanciones sobre 76 saudíes por parte del Departamento de Estado.

El reto para Biden, sin embargo, consiste en equilibrar esos mensajes con los intereses fundamentales de la superpotencia en la región. Esta administración entiende bien que no puede simplemente reactivar el acuerdo nuclear con Irán ignorando eternamente sus mayores debilidades. Y una de esas debilidades tiene que ver con haber dejado fuera de las negociaciones el apoyo iraní a milicias y actores (como los Houthies) en toda su región que luchan contra intereses de Washington y sus aliados.

En otras palabras, si por un lado EEUU revive su acuerdo nuclear con Irán, elimina las sanciones a Teherán—lo que le permitirá reactivar su economía y sus flujos de inversión—por el otro lado nuevamente se deja fuera de las negociaciones el financiamiento, armamento y entrenamiento de Irán a actores como los Houthies, y por último se abandona a Arabia Saudita en Yemen, entonces la Casa Blanca tendrá que asumir consecuencias que operan contra sus propios intereses. Ejemplos: (a) Irán afianzará su posición en esa zona estratégica amenazando a distintos aliados de Washington en el Golfo mediante una amplia diversidad de instrumentos (lo que vuelve improbable el final del conflicto en Yemen); (b) Arabia Saudita buscará fuentes alternativas de apoyo y no hay que descartar el interés que Rusia y China han mostrado para llenar el vacío que deje Washington; y (c) será difícil evitar que otros enemigos de Washington como ISIS o Al Qaeda, se aprovechen de las circunstancias que podrían producirse.

No está simple y esta es apenas una muestra de los retos de Biden en temas de política exterior. Es verdad que Trump llevó muchos de esos temas al extremo y que es para Washington indispensable revertir la dirección. Pero también es verdad que la administración Obama, de la que Biden formó parte, cometió errores y dejó vacíos que generaron importantes consecuencias que la superpotencia ha tenido que enfrentar. ¿Cómo lograr el balance?  

Twitter: @maurimm

[tetrakys]

Miss the Misery - part 2

Agsty darker rewrite of UL Castiel’s route.

Part 1

3rd September, 10:30 pm , three years ago

I was running across the park when I felt someone stop me, grabbing me by the arm.

“Dammit Candy!” he shouted panting. “Stop for fuck’s sake!”

“Let me go, Castiel.” I replied trying to free myself from his grasp.

“No, stop it! Explain to me why you are running! Why are you here? What’s wrong?”

“Everything!” I cried out finally done fighting, ready to shout all my rage at him. “Everything is wrong! What was that, Castiel? I came to surprise you, I thought you would be happy, and I find you in… I don’t even know what that was because it wasn’t a normal party. And your ‘new friends’? They definitely look friendly enough!”

“If you’re talking about the girl sitting next to me, I just met her, I don’t even know her name.”

“You never used to let strangers touch you before,” I said wounded.

“You came in right when she’d put her hand on my chest, I was about to push her away, it was just bad timing. Do you really think I would do something like this you? To us?” he asked as if he couldn’t believe I would doubt him.

“Yes… No… I don’t know Castiel, I feel like I don’t know you anymore. This is not you. Those people, that place… is not you!”

“Maybe you don’t know me anymore because you stopped trying.”

“I’m here, am I not?” I said opening my arms.

“Now, yes. But when was the last time you were focused on us instead of your new life?”

“And when was the last time you did it? Answer this simple question Castiel: are you ever going to leave this town and join me?”

He didn’t reply and we just looked at each other for a few long seconds.

“That’s what I thought.”

“I guess…” he whispered. “I guess there’s nothing else to say.”

And right then and there my heart broke in thousands tiny pieces.

“I guess not.”

I turned around and walked away.

This time he didn’t try to stop me.

 ---

Present day

“You’re definitely close to perfection,” he said leaving me speechless.

Laying one hand on my cheek, his thumb came to my lower lip, caressing it gently. The way he was looking at me, with so much longing and earnest emotion, made me realise something.

My modern art history professor wanted to fuck me.

I stared at him curious. Mr Zaidi was hot, no doubt about that. There was nothing boyish about him, he was a proper man, and his confident, mature air combined with his charm and good looks had been the downfall of more than a few students in our class. Not that he seemed interested though, there’d never been any rumours about him, he was always extremely professional.

Yet… he wanted me.

I had to admit, I was more than a little flattered.

So… was I game?

In the past three years I’d dated a little but not that much. What I enjoyed was the game, the chase, the flirt, afterwards I easily got bored. I got off on the power play, it was the knowledge of being desired that actually turned me on, but I didn’t have much interest in giving myself to someone.

The few times it had happened, it’d been because the situation was intriguing enough and, well, I was horny, but it never lasted long.

Now I had to be careful. Capturing my professor’s attention was definitely an ego boost, but he was still my professor, I shouldn’t fuck this up.

I was really tempted though.

Without breaking eye-contact I wetted my lips, ‘accidentally’ touching his thumb with the tip of my tongue, and I saw his eyes turn really dark.

I wasn’t sure what he was about to do, or how far I wanted to push him before backing off, because we got interrupted by the sound of the door opening.

“…I’m sorry to interrupt. I thought it was open.”

I took a step back immediately, shocked to find Castiel looking at us with an unperturbed expression.

“You’re just in time, I’m closing in ten minutes,” I replied with the most fake, seemingly relaxed smile I could muster.

“Excuse me,” Rayan said getting out of his own stupor. “I’m leaving, goodnight see you in class, miss.”

“Miss?” Castiel said raising an eyebrow as soon as Rayan left the café. “Class? Was that one of your professors?” he asked coming to seat at a barstool.

“Mmm… maybe?” I replied smirking. “Yes, he’s my modern art history professor, he was helping me move the tables inside.”

“… how nice of him.”

I could detect a drop of sarcasm in his tone, but I let it go, I didn’t owe him any explanation.

“What can I get you? And, how come you’re here? Did you know I work here?”

“A coffee and no, actually I was on my way to rehearsal when I saw you by the window and I thought to stop and say hi. Also, I really need a coffee.”

I bet he did. It was almost 10pm he was probably going to spend most of the night playing.

“Isn’t it a little late to rehearse?” I asked turning my back to him while preparing the coffee. I could feel his eyes on me, studying all my movements.

“I was busy the whole day catching up with the classes I missed since the start of the academic year.”

That made me pause. He explained that he was enrolled in a musicology degree here at Anteros. When did that happen?

When I last saw him, about three years ago, he’d had no intention to ever attend university. We’d talked so many times about his plans for the future, I felt like he was wasting himself away. I supported him and his dream but begged him to consider doing something while he figured things out with his music, so many fights and useless discussions.

And now? His band was a huge success, he was about to graduate and was surrounded by enamoured fans everywhere he went.

Did he need to get rid of me to get his life on track?

“I’m happy you seem to have it all figured out” I replied as I handed him the coffee, with what I hoped was a sweet smile and not a bitter sneer.

He took a sip eying me dubiously, then he placed the cup on the counter and spoke with a surprised tone in his voice.

“This… is actually good.”

“What? Were you expecting it would suck?” I asked rolling my eyes.

“No…? Well, I guess you have a plan B if things don’t work out with your degree.”

“Mph…”

“Maybe I’ll even put a good rate on the café’s webpage,” he smirked.

Why was he talking to me so easily, even joking, as if we were old friends? As if nothing major or traumatic had happened between us? I was supposed to act as the cool, aloof one. I was supposed to appear as the mature, collected woman who had never spared a single thought about him since our breakup.

He was supposed to be the one with his heart in turmoil.

I was trying to figure out how to reply to him, when the door opened again.

“What the…” Nath said surprised when he saw Castiel sitting in the otherwise empty café. “Here I was planning on sitting down for a coffee, I guess I’ll go somewhere else.”

“I knew I should’ve left earlier, this place definitely attracts a bad crowd.”

Nath and Castiel looked as if they wanted to rip each other’s throat.

It’d been years since I’d seen them at it, and I hadn’t really missed it.

“I’m surprised to find the local starlet here, I though that this was a sleazy place for high school kids.”

“How nice for the ‘sleazy place’s’ waitress,” I pointedly replied to Nath.

“In any case this place is not nearly as sleazy as the ones where you usually hang out,” Castiel said unphased. “We know that wherever you find junkies, you’ll find Natha…”

Nathaniel showed the table between them towards Castiel, I gasped in surprise and rushed to their side of the counter.

“Careful what you say,” Nath was trembling in anger.

“Otherwise what?”

“Enough, stop!” I cried out. “This is my workplace. You either sit down and order something to drink or you both leave.”

“She’s right,” Castiel replied cool, as if nothing was happening, “we’re going to scare the costumers away.”

“I don’t give a da…”

“I said let’s go.” He said standing up, “If you want to talk, we’ll do it elsewhere, not here.”

He was… pretty impressive.

Nath bit his lip and walked out of the café without looking back.

“Was he coming to see you?” Castiel asked me in a somewhat accusatory tone.

“I don’t know, why?”

“In any case follow my advice, he’s not the best person to hang out with.”

I felt my blood boil into my veins.

“Why? Because of his reputation? Or because he’s showing a bit of interest in me?” I asked, unable to hide my building anger. “Because if it’s the first, I should probably remind you that people used to say the same thing about you back in high school. If it’s the second, well, you don’t own me Castiel, you haven’t in a long time. I can hang out with whomever I want.”

A few seconds went by where we just looked at each other. I was so angry and completely upset, he looked like the posterchild of boredom and coldness. And I wanted to slap him, attack him, just to get a reaction, any reaction out of hin.

“Fine,” he finally said, only his clenched fists betraying his feelings. “If this is how you feel, I won’t bother you any longer. I have to go anyway.”

Fuck! Fuck him! Fuck everything!

What was I expecting? He didn’t care and never had!

At one point, maybe… he used to be so hot and warm, we fought all the time, but at least we never hid what we felt. This new, mature and collected behaviour of his… I hated it.

I let myself fall to the floor as soon as he left the building.

Enough!

I’d seen him twice now, and twice the meeting had left me upset and unhinged, and him completely unfazed.

I wasn’t going to let him run the show anymore, I wasn’t going to keep pretending we were friendly old acquaintances. I was done with this fake politeness.

I was done with this bullshit.

It was war.

[murdererowl]

Decided to rest a little from my studies and draw something more personal. Here’s some of my MCL original characters! Sorry they’re not finished nor organized yet;;

I didn’t talk a lot about them until now, so here’s a little bit of facts about this pretty bitchy squad:

Rebecca Ann Milrey:  -American -Studies cinema (Licence+Master cinéma) + goes on some of Mr. Zaidi’s classes in her last years of studies because she has a lot of empty hours, she likes to learn and wants to be on point with arts - because of the hot teacher she was curious of, let’s be honest. -Best friends with Priya, also Castiel later on. -Dated Dake in highschool, Evan in first University year (what then switched into a strong friendship), and probably all of the other horny idiots around because she had a weird taste in men until she met Rayan. -Smart, stubborn, authoritative and bitchy af. Passionate of cinema, especially the noir movies and psychological thrillers. -Probably a Mary Sue at its extreme, but I’m in denial.

Noémie Cailhol or Caihlol because I keep forgetting the right writing: -Half-english (mother’s side), half-french (father’s side). -Wants to become professional painter; studies art (Licence+Master d’arts plastiques) in Anteros Academy and hates it because of too much theoretical stuff in lectures but almost inexistent practics she hoped to have. Still didn’t drop it though, only because of opportunities to get internships and fill up her notebook with contacts. -Best friend of Rosalya and Alexy (my AU Rosalya and Alexy, not canonical Beemoov’s), also has a strong friendship with Lysander and his gf.   -Wholeheartedly loves the Tryharder Macho the Tomatoheaded ❤ -Overflows with energy, optimism... and dumb ideas. Noémie’s someone you can always call to steal some ice cream sandwiches from a corner store at 3 a.m. and she’ll run to you in the next minute. -Has an altar dedicated to Iron Man in her bedroom. -Secretly draws furries when in need of fast money.

Hélène Cailhol: -Twin sister of that one above; older by several minutes. -Studies medicine, has a lot of white hair ever since the first year but does not regret the path she choose. Still didn’t decide where exactly she wants to work though. -Iris’s BFF ever since the middle school and their Avril Lavigne phase; good friend of Armin’s.  -Beemoov please make the Nathaniel’s University arc happen already, I need more information to finally develop their relationship story with Hélène and to find a way to sneak her in into the canon (or not, it’ll depend);;;;;;; -Seems to have more braincells than her hyperactive sister but ohnono, Hélène’s just as dumbass, plus she has an even stronger will for adventures, - however, she is more capable to focus in classes, what makes her grades being notably higher than Noémie’s. -Who’s biggest Captain America’s fanatic? She is. -Probably the hardest character to create for me, jfc, I still can’t fully get her personality even after years of thinking about;;

And yes, those circles on twins’ wrists are supposed to be matching tatoos, but I still can’t decide which esquisse to use. Maybe will drop some of them in the next few days to ask your opinion~ :D

[devoirat]

Devoir de contrôle 2 SVT 2ème lettres

Lycée: Ali Zouaoui Hadjeb El Ayoun Prof: Mr Zaidi Lotfi Devoir de contrôle N02 Sciences de la vie et de la terre Niveau: 2ème Lettres Durée: 1h   EXERCICE 1:  (8 points)   Pour se maintenir en bonne santé, l'organisme doit satisfaire des besoins alimentaires non seulement qualitatifs mais également quantitatifs. 1/- Définir une ration alimentaire. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..   2/- Définir une ration alimentaire qualitativement équilibrée. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………   3/- Est-ce qu'il est possible de parler d'une ration alimentaire journalière type? Justifiez votre réponse. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………   EXERCICE 2: (12 points) On vous présente la liste des produits suivants: Poulet, Poisson, Pomme de terre, Carotte, Oignon, Tomate, Olives verts frais, Fraise, Vinaigre, Sucre et Huile. 1/- Comment peut-on réaliser de bons choix de volailles? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………   2/- Comment peut-on réaliser de bons choix des poissons? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………   3/- En se basant sur la liste des produits que vous avez, proposez des conservations de ces aliments. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………   4/- A l'occasion de l'Aïd el Kebir le surplus de viande exige une conservation. Indiquez les différents procédées permettant de conserver cette viande? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Read the full article

[newstfionline]

The Tragedy Of Saudi Arabia’s War

By Declan Walsh, NY Times, Oct. 26, 2018

Chest heaving and eyes fluttering, the 3-year-old boy lay silently on a hospital ward in the highland town of Hajjah, a bag of bones fighting for breath.

His father, Ali al-Hajaji, stood anxiously over him. Mr. Hajaji had already lost one son three weeks earlier to the epidemic of hunger sweeping across Yemen. Now he feared that a second was slipping away.

It wasn’t for a lack of food in the area: The stores outside the hospital gate were filled with goods and the markets were bustling. But Mr. Hajaji couldn’t afford any of it because prices were rising too fast.

“I can barely buy a piece of stale bread,” he said. “That’s why my children are dying before my eyes.”

The devastating war in Yemen has gotten more attention recently as outrage over the killing of a Saudi dissident in Istanbul has turned a spotlight on Saudi actions elsewhere. The harshest criticism of the Saudi-led war has focused on the airstrikes that have killed thousands of civilians at weddings, funerals and on school buses, aided by American-supplied bombs and intelligence.

But aid experts and United Nations officials say a more insidious form of warfare is also being waged in Yemen, an economic war that is exacting a far greater toll on civilians and now risks tipping the country into a famine of catastrophic proportions.

Under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi-led coalition and its Yemeni allies have imposed a raft of punitive economic measures aimed at undercutting the Houthi rebels who control northern Yemen. But these actions--including periodic blockades, stringent import restrictions and withholding the salaries of about a million civil servants--have landed on the backs of civilians, laying the economy to waste and driving millions deeper into poverty.

Those measures have inflicted a slow-burn toll: infrastructure destroyed, jobs lost, a weakening currency and soaring prices. But in recent weeks the economic collapse has gathered pace at alarming speed, causing top United Nations officials to revise their predictions of famine.

“There is now a clear and present danger of an imminent and great, big famine engulfing Yemen,” Mark Lowcock, the under secretary for humanitarian affairs, told the Security Council on Tuesday. Eight million Yemenis already depend on emergency food aid to survive, he said, a figure that could soon rise to 14 million, or half Yemen’s population.

“People think famine is just a lack of food,” said Alex de Waal, author of “Mass Starvation” which analyzes recent man-made famines. “But in Yemen it’s about a war on the economy.”

The signs are everywhere, cutting across boundaries of class, tribe and region. Unpaid university professors issue desperate appeals for help on social media. Doctors and teachers are forced to sell their gold, land or cars to feed their families. On the streets of the capital, Sana, an elderly woman begs for alms with a loudspeaker.

“Help me,” the woman, Zahra Bajali, calls out. “I have a sick husband. I have a house for rent. Help.”

And in the hushed hunger wards, ailing infants hover between life and death. Of nearly two million malnourished children in Yemen, 400,000 are considered critically ill--a figure projected to rise by one quarter in the coming months.

“We are being crushed,” said Dr. Mekkia Mahdi at the health clinic in Aslam, an impoverished northwestern town that has been swamped with refugees fleeing the fighting in Hudaydah, an embattled port city 90 miles to the south.

Flitting between the beds at her spartan clinic, she cajoled mothers, dispensed orders to medics and spoon-fed milk to sickly infants. For some it was too late: the night before, an 11-month old boy had died. He weighed five and a half pounds.

Looking around her, Dr. Mahdi could not fathom the Western obsession with the Saudi killing of Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul.

“We’re surprised the Khashoggi case is getting so much attention while millions of Yemeni children are suffering,” she said. “Nobody gives a damn about them.”

She tugged on the flaccid skin of a drowsy 7-year-old girl with stick-like arms. “Look,” she said. “No meat. Only bones.”

The embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington did not respond to questions about the country’s policies in Yemen. But Saudi officials have defended their actions, citing rockets fired across their border by the Houthis, an armed group professing Zaidi Islam, an offshoot of Shiism, that Saudi Arabia, a Sunni monarchy, views as a proxy for its regional rival, Iran.

The Saudis point out that they, along with the United Arab Emirates, are among the most generous donors to Yemen’s humanitarian relief effort. Last spring, the two allies pledged $1 billion in aid to Yemen. In January, Saudi Arabia deposited $2 billion in Yemen’s central bank to prop up its currency.

But those efforts have been overshadowed by the coalition’s attacks on Yemen’s economy, including the denial of salaries to civil servants, a partial blockade that has driven up food prices, and the printing of vast amounts of bank notes, which caused the currency to plunge.

And the offensive to capture Hudaydah, which started in June, has endangered the main lifeline for imports to northern Yemen, displaced 570,000 people and edged many more closer to starvation.

A famine here, Mr. Lowcock warned, would be “much bigger than anything any professional in this field has seen during their working lives.”

When Ali Hajaji’s son fell ill with diarrhea and vomiting, the desperate father turned to extreme measures. Following the advice of village elders, he pushed the red-hot tip of a burning stick into Shaher’s chest, a folk remedy to drain the “black blood” from his son.

“People said burn him in the body and it will be O.K.,” Mr. Hajaji said. “When you have no money, and your son is sick, you’ll believe anything.”

“The big countries say they are fighting each other in Yemen,” Mr. Hajaji said. “But it feels to us like they are fighting the poor people.”

Yemen’s economic crisis was not some unfortunate but unavoidable side effect of the fighting.

In 2016, the Saudi-backed Yemeni government transferred the operations of the central bank from the Houthi-controlled capital, Sana, to the southern city of Aden. The bank, whose policies are dictated by Saudi Arabia, a senior Western official said, started printing vast amounts of new money--at least 600 billion riyals, according to one bank official. The new money caused an inflationary spiral that eroded the value of any savings people had.

The bank also stopped paying salaries to civil servants in Houthi-controlled areas, where 80 percent of Yemenis live. With the government as the largest employer, hundreds of thousands of families in the north suddenly had no income.

At the Sabeen hospital in Sana, Dr. Huda Rajumi treats the country’s most severely malnourished children. But her own family is suffering, too, as she falls out of Yemen’s vanishing middle class.

In the past year, she has received only a single month’s salary. Her husband, a retired soldier, is no longer getting his pension, and Dr. Rajumi has started to skimp on everyday pleasures, like fruit, meat and taxi rides, to make ends meet.

“We get by because people help each other out,” she said. “But it’s getting hard.”

Economic warfare takes other forms, too. In a recent paper, Martha Mundy, a lecturer at the London School of Economics, analyzed coalition airstrikes in Yemen, finding that their attacks on bridges, factories, fishing boats and even fields suggested that they aimed to destroy food production and distribution in Houthi-controlled areas.

Saudi Arabia’s tight control over all air and sea movements into northern Yemen has effectively made the area a prison for those who live there. In September, the World Health Organization brokered the establishment of a humanitarian air bridge to allow the sickest Yemenis--cancer patients and others with life-threatening conditions--to fly to Egypt.

Among those on the waiting list is Maimoona Naji, a 16-year-old girl with a melon-size tumor on her left leg. At a hostel in Sana, her father, Ali Naji, said they had obtained visas and money to travel to India for emergency treatment. Their hopes soared in September when his daughter was told she would be on the first plane out of Sana once the airlift started.

But the agreement has stalled, blocked by the Yemeni government, according to the senior Western official. Maimoona and dozens of other patients have been left stranded, the clock ticking on their illnesses.

“First they told us ‘next week, next week,’” said Mr. Naji, shuffling through reams of documents as tears welled up in his eyes. “Then they said no. Where is the humanity in that? What did we do to deserve this?”

The Saudi coalition is not solely to blame for Yemen’s food crisis.

In Houthi-held areas, aid workers say, commanders level illegal taxes at checkpoints and frequently try to divert international relief aid to the families of soldiers, or to line their own pockets.

Despite the harrowing scenes of suffering in the north, some Yemenis are getting rich. Upmarket parts of Sana are enjoying a mini real estate boom, partly fueled by Yemeni migrants returned from Saudi Arabia, but also by newly enriched Houthi officials.

Local residents say they have seen Houthi officials from modest backgrounds driving around the city in Lexus four-wheel drives, or shopping in luxury stores, trailed by armed gunmen, to buy suits and perfumes.

Tensions reached a climax this summer when the head of the United Nations migration agency was forced to leave Sana after clashing with the Houthi administration.

In an interview, the Houthi vice foreign minister, Hussain al-Ezzi, denied reports of corruption, and insisted that tensions with the United Nations had been resolved.

“We don’t deny there have been some mistakes on our side,” he said. “We are working to improve them.”

Only two famines have been officially declared by the United Nations in the past 20 years, in Somalia and South Sudan. A United Nations-led assessment due in mid-November will determine how close Yemen is to becoming the third.

To stave it off, aid workers are not appealing for shipments of relief aid but for urgent measures to rescue the battered economy.

“This is an income famine,” said Lise Grande, the United Nations humanitarian coordinator for Yemen. “The key to stopping it is to ensure that people have enough money to buy what they need to survive.”

The priority should be to stabilize the falling currency, she said, and to ensure that traders and shipping companies can import the food that Yemenis need.

Above all, she added, “the fighting has to stop.”

One hope for Yemenis is that the international fallout from the death of the Saudi dissident, Jamal Khashoggi, which has damaged Prince Mohammed’s international standing, might force him to relent in his unyielding prosecution of the war.

Peter Salisbury, a Yemen specialist at Chatham House, said that was unlikely.

“I think the Saudis have learned what they can get away with in Yemen--that western tolerance for pretty bad behavior is quite high,” he said. “If the Khashoggi murder tells us anything, it’s just how reluctant people are to rein the Saudis in.”

[magic-belodie]

I finished Rayan’s route of MCLLL episode 16. It cost me 780 AP. I got Rayan’s illustration. Here is the summary:  

You start this episode with a slide shot: The Wedding Rings.

Rayan is waking you up and calling you Mrs. Zaidi. You like the sound of how he called you. But Rayan makes clear that changes your name is up to you, you will think about it. You wonder why Rayan waked you up. He vanishes to get breakfast out of the kitchen, so you two could eat in bed. It has been 3 months since Rayan proposed. You are in over your head with planning everything. Over a month, your wedding day will be there. You are talking about everything you have to get ready. For example, the wedding rings. Rayan asks if it is okay that he picks the wedding rings. You agree with him and are happy that he asked it. You take a shower and go to the park together.

Now that Rayan is going to pick the wedding rings, who will give them to you. Rayan has no clue but suggest that you maybe like to have Chani to do it. Your other two options are Thia and Rosa. I choose Rosa. Rayan is afraid Alexy won't like this. But you concern Rayan. You two walk further to the Gazebo. With seeing the Gazebo, you submit getting married here. The Gazebo could be a perfect altar. Rayan likes the idea, but always imagined getting married at the beach. You agree with him. That settles making the first choices.

Next slide: Family

Rayan and you are showing your family how everything is going to be standing at the beach. Everyone likes how it is going to stand. Then Rayan submits making an aisle with torchers over here. His mother is not sure about the idea. You ask her about it. She tells that if you make it over here, the wind will probably blow it over. She submits to do it over there, so you won't have any accidents. You two agree and Rayan goes to set some things ready with your parents. Rayan's mom is glad that Rayan has you. When Rayan's dad died, she went through some hard time. Rayan took good care of her. When Rayan lost his wife, his smile went away. But you brought it back, his mother is so grateful for that. She can't wait to get to know you better.

Next slide: The Caterer

You two are at the cosy bear café in the kitchen. The caterer is explaining to you that you can only choose one started. You get to choose between; the land and sea platter, salad with citrus fruit and scallops. I choose the salad with citrus fruit. The caterer finds that a perfect option. For the main dish, they get to choose between meat or fish. You also want there to be a vegetarian option. Then he talks about the appetizers. Rayan recognized it directly as a festive Polish dish. The caterer can't believe Rayan recognizes it. Rayan explains that he took a semester of Eastern Slavic literature. The caterer is glad you like the dish. Then the caterer asks if you want to sit down at tables or have a buffet. I choose to sit down at tables. Rayan likes the idea very much. Then it is time for the most important option; the dessert. Nina comes inside to taste with you some examples. But you suggest that you like Hyun to do it. The caterer finds that no problem, they will give the choices you made to Hyun. You get to choose between a theme cake and a tiered wedding cake. I choose a theme cake with as flavor; red velvet. The Caterer complements you on your choices and will send everything by mail to you to confirm.

Next slide: The Wedding Gown

Rayan and you are at the restaurant. You seem off. Rayan ask what is going on, is it the food. You say; no, the food is okay as always. Tomorrow is the day you are going to choose your dress with Rosa. You are wondering what she has prepared for you. Rayan has already selected his suit, he is really satisfied with it. British craftsmanship deserves to be called legendary. You ask if he can tell you something more. The only clue he left you with is that there will be no tie. You will also not wear one. It would be pity if you don't match.

Next slide: Friends

You are at the café with Gabin. You are about to pick your wedding dress. Gabin came here to help out Nina while you are away. You advise Nina that this is not so wise. But Nina confesses that she has already done this a few times. And that is why we have more teenage customers. They started working together, and they just look so cute. Then Rosa comes into pick you up. Together you leave to Leigh’s shop.

When you arrive at the shop, Chani, Yael and Priya are there as a surprise. They are there to pick your wedding dress with you. Priya is sure you are going to be stunning in your dress. She hopes she won’t be jealous of Rayan. But you and Rayan belong together. Then Leigh comes in to let you know that the showroom is ready. You sit together and celebrate that you are getting married. Chani let you know that Kim and Violette said hi, and you ask Rosa were Alexy is. Alexy made the decision that it should be an only girls’ thing. Then Priya dreams off. She sees you are looking at her. And then she tells how amazing it is that you three met in High School. Rosa has Thia now and you are getting married. You are feeling great under it. But the planning isn’t the most fun part of it. But because of it, you find out new things about Rayan. And you still love every part of him. You ask if Rosa secretly don’t want to get married to Leigh. And Rosa and Leigh has proved so many times to each other that they are there for each other. They don’t need some paper for it. But Yael gets your wave length of romantic on it. If she one day finds her true love, she wants to walk down the aisle. Chani is fine how her life is right now and want to focus on her paintings. And then you ask Priya if she is on Rosa’s or Yael side. Priya just lets love to show her the way. For the time being, she is more on Rosa’s side. But now it is time to choose your dress. Leigh brings in 6 dresses. Everyone is talking what they favorite part is of each dress. Then you finally get to choose. I choose the dress for Rayan’s illustration. Everyone is excited about your choice. Leigh measures you up, and you let him promise you that he doesn’t tell Rayan what you are wearing. Then you have to pick your two bridesmaids. I choose Chani and Yael. Then it is off to the snake room with the girls. 

At the snake room, another surprise is waiting for you. Alexy is there. You were the first person to welcome him to Sweet Amoris, and now you are getting married. You hug Alexy. Everyone talks about that Rayan and you went through a lot last year, but it only made your relationship stronger. You two can handle anything. Then Nina called; one of Chani’s painting who was hanging on the wall disappeared. Nina called the police, and they want to speak to you. Everyone goes to the café.

At the café, a limousine arrives. It was a surprise. Nothing happened and that is the start of your bachelor party with your friends. You had the best time ever.

Next slide: The Music

Rayan wakes you up with a grin. You are getting to old for parties. Rayan has breakfast ready for you. You two go to the living room. You tell him who you choose as bridesmaid. Rayan asked Culann and his uncle to be standing next to him. His uncle was like a father to him. Still, Rayan wished that he could introduce you to his father. You are sure you would have liked him. Then you two start to do the table settings. You are surprised to see Muriel aka Miss Paltry on the list. Rayan is happy that after everything that happened, they are back in touch. Then you want to choose something to keep the guest busy in between. You choose a photo boot and giant play boards. Then it is time for the music. Crowstorm is going to take care of it. And Rayan wants this number for the first dance: Can’t Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley. It sounds perfect to you.

Next slide: The Honeymoon

You and Rayan are in the bedroom. You are complaining that a wedding take so much to plan. Rayan has a good way to take your mind of it, with talking about your honeymoon. Rayan wants to go to Spain and Italy. A trip into the heart of the cultural cradle of the Renaissance and the height of the Ottoman Empire. You are surprised. You thought he would have submitted California. Rayan talks about it all the time. But Rayan wants to mark the occasion with something special. You like the idea very much. Spain and Italy, here we come. You two start kissing, and are having a wild night.

Next slide: The Big Day

You are getting ready with Rosa, your mom, Violette, Yael and Chani at Leigh’s shop. Everyone thinks you look amazing in your dress. Violette does your make-up. You look beautiful. You go outside, there is your father waiting. Your parents tell you how happy they are for you. Your father walks you down the aisle. All eyes are pointed at you. But you are only looking at Rayan. You get to read his mind. Rayan thinks that you reached even higher heights of elegance and beauty in that dress. His heart is pounding wildly. He would like to let the time stand still. This is where he should be with you. Rayan is so lucky. You two intertwined your hands, and it is time for the vows. You tell Rayan that you were just a student when he told you every story had already been written. That may be the case. You don't know and you don't care. From your point of view, your story with Rayan is unique, and you can't wait to read it all the way to the end. That's why, here and forever, more than anything in the world, you want to become his wife. Rayan pulls out a letter of his pocket. He has prepared a speech. It was about what he thinks he knows about love. There were two or three quotes. But once again, you've reminded him that, in the end, he doesn't know all that much. And that just one of your actions, just one of your smiles, is always better than all Rayan's lofty speeches. They say a good professor is an eternal student. So, please, let Rayan rejoice in his ignorance, and keep on learning his whole life, by your side. Everyone was touched by his vow. Rosa comes through the stage to give the rings. She finds you two stunning and the vows were very moving. Rayan and you put the rings on each other fingers, say I do, shared a timeless kiss, you get your illustration, and now you are husband and wife. You through your bouquet away and the episode ends.

[bookre]

Top 5 Crime Books By Indian Authors

Crime and thrillers have taken the book industry by storm over the last several years for one clear reason: they make reading fun. The best crime books offer plenty of suspense and mystery throughout. Crime books are naturally enticing, fast-paced fiction reads with notorious plot twists. There’s something for every type of reader of this genre. If you like reading about crime and thrilling twists, here are my recommendations for the top crime books by Indian authors.

Below is a list of top crime books by Indian authors that everyone should read, published by HarperCollins India.

1. Kanpur Khoofiya Pvt. Ltd By Richa S Mukherjee

Meet Mr Prachand Tripathi, private investigator and owner of Kanpur Khoofiya Pvt. Ltd. Accustomed to tracking down missing pets and cheating lovers, he is about to have his world change completely when a new case requires him to tail actress Shailaja Kapoor. What seems like a simple request turns into a dramatic dive into her murky past, wading through which is not going to be easy. Or safe. Soon Prachand and his wife and partner-against-crime, Vidya, fall under the glare of the police as Shailaja Kapoor is abducted right before their eyes. Now he must put his skills to the test before they become victims at the end of a dark and dangerous game.

Buy Now!

2. The Bollywood Affair By Gauri Sinh

Late 1990s, Mumbai. Superstar RK is traumatized by the inexplicable wails that have begun echoing

through his sprawling heritage home. Is the superstar really being haunted? Or could the screams have something to do with his latest movie, a blockbuster about a haunted house. Enter former supermodel, the glamourous Akruti Rai, and the street-savvy Parvati Samant, private investigators with their own detective agency.

As the plot thickens, and those around RK begin succumbing to what seems like supernatural malice, Akruti and Parvati must solve a crime set against a backdrop of suspicion and fear. After all, they wouldn’t want RK’s lady love, the stunning screen ingenue Alena, to become the next victim.

Buy Now!

3. The Endgame By S. Hussain Zaidi

It’s been three years since Shahwaz Ali Mirza and Vikrant Singh foiled dreaded terrorist Munafiq’s attempt to leak State secrets from a naval server in Lakshadweep. Now posted with RAW, they have the task of providing security for BSF Special Director General Somesh Kumar, on his way to visit former Prime Minister Parmeshwar Naidu, who has been hospitalized after a car accident. However, Kumar’s convoy is attacked by terrorists. They manage to kill him before being gunned down themselves. A tip-off leads the duo to a hotel on Mira Road where the prime suspect, Al Muqadam, is hiding. Vikrant recognizes him as Ayyub, the brother of one of his long-time informants, Mazhar Khan. Just when it looks like things can’t get more difficult, Major Daniel Fernando gets in touch claiming that there is more to Naidu’s accident than meets the eye.

Buy Now!

4. In Plain Sight By Mohamed Thaver

When the rapes and murders of three minor girls remain unsolved for months, a frustrated DCP Sawant calls in Police Inspector Waghmare. Renowned as Mumbai police’s ‘investigation machine’, Waghmare is rumoured to solve crimes in his dreams. As the investigation progresses and every promising lead runs into a dead-end, Waghmare gets an uncanny feeling that the killer is watching them closely and anticipating their every move to toy with them. Then, when the body of a fourth girl is found, Waghmare and DCP Sawant are both saddled with doubts about Waghmare’s fabled investigation skills.

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5. Lipstick By Vish Dhamija

DCP Rita Ferreira is called into the investigation after a third corpse is discovered in Mumbai, which confirms it is the work of the same killer who paints his victims’ lips with dark red lipstick. The Lipstick Killer, like all serial killers, is fast decompensating – the time interval between the murders shortening, the victims shifting from street-side hookers to high-heeled wives … And he watches everything and everyone – the news of his exploits, Rita, the investigation – and talks. However, he only talks to you: ‘When I’m gone, some people may tell you that I was evil, perhaps even call me a psychopath. Don’t believe them. I am not. I am anything but irrational and impractical; perhaps only slightly more detached than your average guy on the street.’

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[classyfoxdestiny]

Excerpt: Regrets, None by Dolly Thakore

Excerpt: Regrets, None by Dolly Thakore

In July 1979, Rani Dube passed through Bombay. She’d brought Richard Attenborough with her. Richard’s long-cherished dream project, Gandhi, was close to realization. Rani was the co-producer, and she had brokered a meeting between Richard and Indira Gandhi. Mrs Gandhi had given the project her blessing and introduced the two of them to the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC)…

375pp, ₹599; HarperCollins

On the 25th of July, Rani brought Richard over to my apartment at around 3 in the afternoon. I was breastfeeding Quasar. We chatted for a while. The walls of our home, as ever, were covered with photographs from plays Alyque had directed. Talk turned to the theatre, to the BBC, to children and life. At half five, I rang Alyque to say, “Ahem, Richard Attenborough is here, and would you come home and we can all have dinner, because, you know, Richard Attenborough?”

I remember we went to Copper Chimney and had Kakori kebabs. But the moment Alyque walked in through the door, Richard turned to me and said, “That’s my Jinnah.”

Two days later, he rang me up.

“Dolly, it’s Richard,” he began. “We’re starting work on Gandhi, as you know. And I was wondering if you’d like to be the casting director?”

It was on the strength of the photographs and the long chat we had that day, about my years in the theatre and my work as a model coordinator and as a host. But mostly, I suspect, it was just a hunch.

I jumped at it. Although no one I knew really knew what ‘casting’ entailed. So, it was just like every other job I ever had.

By November of 1979, Quasar and I moved to the Ashoka Hotel in Delhi. We lived there for the next six months. I was casting director for Gandhi, but I was also the unit publicist and PR liaison.

Richard had already decided on his Gandhi: Ben Kingsley. He was going to cast all the white parts from Britain (and in the case of Martin Sheen and Candice Bergen, the US). I had to find all the Indian actors.

I also worked as a theatre critic at the time, and I watched almost every play on the boards, across the city. I spotted Rohini Hattangadi and called Richard in Delhi.

“There’s a young actress I want you to see,” I said.

“Kasturba?” he asked.

“Kasturba,” I agreed.

Richard was leaving Delhi for London that night. But he would stop in Bombay if he could meet this actress. Would I be able to take a room at the Airport Centaur? He’d nip out, see her and then go back across the street for his flight to London. International flights operated from the same terminal.

Rohini had a show that night. It was past 11.30 before she made it to the Centaur. Richard and I were sitting on the couch, and the moment Rohini walked in through the door, he clutched my thigh.

“This is it, Doll!” he whispered.

Richard had seen something intangible – a quality, an essence. He had a hunch about Rohini. She’d fit into his vision and further it. He could see her on screen. That was what casting was about. That was what one half of filmmaking was.

…”If she can lose about eleven kilos, that’s my Kasturba.”

This, then, was the other half of filmmaking: the journey from casting to the shoot. I rang Rohini the next day. Together, we went to see a Dr Vishnu Khakkar at Kemp’s Corner. He was a dietician…He examined Rohini, heard the brief and then told her that she could eat two chapattis and a bowl of dal for lunch and dinner, and nothing in between. And she had to walk for an hour and a half every day.

Rohini lived in Wadala at the time. Right or wrong, I was convinced that she might follow the dal-roti diet but, left to her own devices, there was no way she was going to take a walk every day. So she’d come to mine, we’d go to Vishnu’s office and lock ourselves into the second room. I’d sit in the chair and she’d walk around the table for an hour and a half. We did this every day for three weeks. She lost five kilos, and I called Richard with a progress report.

“Send her,” he said.

The delegation to London comprised Rohini, Smita Patil, Bhakti Barve and Naseeruddin Shah.

Smita Patil was very much the trendy pick. She was quite a big star by then. She was critically acclaimed and shared, in particular, a wonderful creative relationship with Shyam Benegal. But she wasn’t right for the role. She was too sultry, too aware, had too much spark for that version of that story. It would’ve been bad casting.

My pick – so much water under the bridge now – was actually Bhakti Barve. She was a fine actress. And I felt that she looked like Kasturba. That was enough to seal the deal in my mind.

Naseer’s trip was a political move. He’d made it clear that he was only interested in playing Gandhi. And Richard was set on Ben. But Naseer was a star, a name in the Bombay film industry, and Richard wanted to pitch a host of other parts to him – Nehru, in particular. Which shows how well he knew Naseer. Because that was never going to happen.

Money wasn’t a problem. We put this group of actors on a flight to London to shoot some tests. In fact Gandhi, as my first film, was a bit of a ruinous experience. The producers allowed – “empowered”, I think, is the right word – me to take decisions and paid for them without asking any questions. In other words, they trusted me to do the job they’d hired me to do. They delegated and left it at that; if I screwed up, that was completely my responsibility. No other job has come close.

Richard said ‘no’ to Naseer playing Gandhi. Naseer, in turn, said ‘no’ to Nehru. He wasn’t part of the film which – to this day – feels odd, given that I cast 498 Indian actors. A lot of people remember him being in the film! They’ve ghosted him in, because it feels logical that he would’ve been there. Naseer would have to wait about two decades to play Gandhi in Feroze Khan’s stage production.

Richard called from London to say that Rohini was his Kasturba. He loved her simplicity and naivety – things that are difficult to fake on screen.

The next step was to better her English. I got Kusum Haider to be her teacher in Delhi. I suppose that would be her ‘dialect coach’ in this day and age. Rohini was a model pupil. She maintained her diet and her exercise routine, and she was serious about her English lessons and the spinning class she took with Ben.

Wait. What I mean is that both Rohini and Ben learnt how to weave cotton. They weren’t on exercise bikes, peddling madly.

One of the major criticisms at the time was that Ben Kingsley was too ‘muscular’ to play Gandhi. Ben did all he could to remedy that. He was on a strict diet, and he did a lot of yoga. When he arrived in India, we removed all the furniture from his hotel room so he had to sit and sleep on the floor. The walls were covered with pictures of the Mahatma.

The backlash to the casting decision was inevitable. We were always going to have to confront the question: How could a foreigner play Gandhi? Bizarrely, the makers of ‘parallel cinema’ were the only ones who raised the issue. They showed up on the first day of shoot, waving black flags. I spotted my friend Shama Zaidi amongst the picketers. On our side of the fence was Govind Nihalani, one of the leading lights of the parallel movement but also our second unit cameraman. The protests were orderly. No one ran around breaking things; there were a number of write-ups and opinion pieces. Richard was polite, but firm – Ben Kingsley was his Gandhi. All said and done, Ben was of Indian stock. His grandfather had migrated from India. I mean, we were really straining the boundaries of credibility with his Indian ancestry, and everyone knew it. But we had Mrs Gandhi’s backing. Doors opened for us, trains ran on time and locations were a cinch. Gandhiji’s contemporaries, Ramkrishna Bajaj and Bharat Ram, were closely involved. The NFDC had given us nine crores.

The protests made it to the newspapers and were duly praised; the film rumbled on.

At the pre-shoot party for the Indo-British unit, Roy Button turned to Kamal Swaroop, both third ADs, and asked for a glass of water. Kamal replied, “The Raj went a long time ago.” That was about it for on-set strife.

Would we get to make it the same way again? Today? With a British director and a British lead? I don’t know. That’s dinnertime conversation. Would they get to make Apocalypse Now the same way?

We rolled on the 26th of November 1979. And it really was an army on the move. It had taken Richard decades to get to that moment, and you could see how much it meant to him, because every single minute on that production had been accounted for. People knew exactly what they were supposed to be doing.

Amal and Nissar Allana worked as set decorators. Their universe ranged from trains to cars to jewellery, costumes, shoes. Every detail had a separate team, and all roads led back to Richard – casting meetings, production meetings, lighting meetings, script meetings. And somewhere within that maelstrom, Richard found time to concentrate on the performances, to create a work of great integrity and beauty that has stood the test of time.

We shot in Porbandar, Bombay, Pune. Never Ahmedabad. The scenes set in South Africa were shot in Okhla. The shot of Gandhi silently giving a poor woman his safa by letting it drift across to her in the river was shot in Udaipur.

…In a strange way, I became the doorkeeper for the production. The outside world had to get through me before they got to the film, for anything. The requests ranged from the routine to the ridiculous. Everyone wanted a slice of the pie: producers, hangers-on, friends, politicians. People wanted to visit the set. People wanted to meet the actors. People wanted a say on the screenplay.

We were lucky that Richard had been dealing directly with Mrs Gandhi. That meant we could be firm. Sometimes, we just had to buy peace. Ben occasionally wanted a beer at the end of a day’s work, and we had to ensure he wasn’t seen by the press. We’d already had one headline: ‘Ben Kingsley, Gandhi, drinking beer.’ He was also an attractive man in the middle of a career-defining performance, so we had to shield him from the ladies. If he did stop to speak to someone, the press couldn’t get wind of it. For a while, I was his minder in the modern sense – the advance party, the bodyguard, the person pulling strings, just out of shot.

It was an exhilarating time, but it was bloody hard work. Luckily, Richard and I had found our wavelength early with Kasturba, and I had a strong sense of what he was looking for.

My old friend Roshan Seth played Nehru. We’d tested Victor Banerjee as well but Roshan had the sophistication of Nehru and won hands down.

…

Dolly Thakore with her son Quasar Thakore-Padamsee (L) and Alyque Padamsee (Courtesy the publisher)

Richard cast Saeed Jaffrey as Sardar Patel. I didn’t agree with that call. I still don’t. He just wasn’t right for the role. Harsh Nayyar played Godse. He was another Indian actor from the West (America or England, I forget) who wrote to Richard and won the part.

I had a hand in everything else. From Supriya Pathak to Neena Gupta, and Om Puri (God rest his soul, that brilliant, brilliant man) to Shekhar Chatterjee, who played Suhrawardy and whom I’d spotted in Calcutta. I mostly cast actors from the theatre. I mentioned Bhanu Athaiya to Richard, and she went on to win the Academy Award for costume design. She was a very well-established designer before Gandhi. What I loved, though, was her mumbled complaint at one point, “All I’m making is kurta pyjamas.” But then, that’s all the Congress leaders wore at that time, with the sole exception of Jinnah, who had some rather excellent suits. Alyque was hopeful that he’d get to keep his clothes from the shoot and was most disappointed when they were on the next flight to England.

Of course, when Bhanu won the Oscar, it was all “… yes, Jodhpuri pyjamas but, you know, I had to cut them in a very specific way.” Ah, show-business.

…The Indian premier was at Regal. I can confirm that Indira Gandhi did not, in fact, attend. At the time, I thought it the most exhilarating moment of my life, the crowning glory. With the passage of years, I’ve gained a little perspective. But that film taught me so much and gave me a set of memories I’ll never forget, some of them the proudest of my career. …And that funeral scene – one of the greatest ever filmed.

It went to the Oscars and won so many awards. But, by then, it was a British film, Richard’s film, and seemed very far away indeed.

Richard and I remained friends until his death in 2014. Ben Kingsley visited India again in 1990, and I had everyone over for a meal at my house. It was lovely. He’s now a Knight of the Realm. And I hear he prefers to be called ‘Sir Ben’.

I’m glad I was there; I’m glad I was part of it.

. Source link

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[tetrakys]

Five Songs - Chapter 3: La Tortura

I was walking around campus towards the library. Even though the last couple of weeks had been calmer and I was slowly catching up with my thesis, a part of me was still worried and I knew I had to step up my game. Since it was already pretty late I thought it made sense to stay up and pull an all-nighter in the library. By the end of the nigh I was going to at least have completed a draft of the first chapter.

The other day I googled How to pull an all-nighter (yes, this was my first time, I had never been such a meticulous student before) and the first item of the list was, understandably, coffee, lots and lots of coffee. I looked at the time on my phone, it was really late. Damn it, I should have gotten some at the café, no way I was going back there now though. I sighed, the horrible vending machine coffee was my only option. I stopped in my tracks and changed direction, the closest vending machine was in the Art Building’s break room.

I went up the stairs and entered the building. The place gave a really eerie feeling at night. I made a mental note to tell Chani there was no need to travel around the country looking for haunted mansions, she just needed to walk around campus at night. I quickly walked towards the break room but I suddenly froze. I had definitely heard a muffled noise coming from the corridor on my right.

Come on Candy! Don’t be stupid, it’s just your imagination. Yes, of course… but then I heard the noise again. No reason to start panicking. Nothing supernatural was going on here, it wasn’t the first time I heard strange noises in dark places at night and it always ended up being my aunt! It had already happened in this same building at least a couple of times already. I instantly felt relieved, I should look for her and say hi, maybe she would even give me a present!

I followed the direction of the noise and ended up in front of a non-descriptive door I had never seen before. I entered the room without knocking and stopped dead in my tracks, like a deer in the headlights.

“Candy?” said the man behind the desk looking at me confused “What are you doing here?”

I was in Rayan… Mr Zaidi’s office. He was sitting behind a pile of documents, the room was dimly lit by just the lamp on the desk, but I could tell that he looked quite tired and… were those reading glasses he was wearing?

“Candy?” he repeated and I woke up from my stupor, how was I going to explain this? I really didn’t do it on purpose.

“I’m sorry… I was going to the break room and heard a noise and… and…” I was just fumbling for words. “I won’t disturb you any longer” I was about to close the door when he spoke.

“Wait” he said “come in” he pointed at a chair in front of his desk “what I really want to know is what are you doing in this building at this hour of the night.”

I sighed, entered the office closing the door behind me and sat on the chair. However I pushed it back to create a bit more distance between him and me. As if a few inches would make any difference, but I really didn’t trust my judgment when I was alone with this man, and I knew that a desk separating us wasn’t insurance enough.

“I was going to the library to study and stopped to get some coffee” I said looking at my fingers.

He was silent for a few moments and then said calmly “Candy… look at me.”

I hesitantly raised my gaze to meet his, he was smiling at me sweetly “Candy, you shouldn’t be so worried about your studies. You are a serious student and have a brilliant mind, you really have nothing to worry about, believe me.”

“How… how can you be so sure?” I asked surprised and a little flattered by his compliment.

“I am your professor” he replied as if that was a really dumb question “No one knows better than I do. Also, your thesis topic is really interesting, I am sure it’s going to be a pleasure reading it once it’s done.” He smiled and I couldn’t help smiling back at him. A sudden thought seemed to cross his mind because he added abruptly “Go get some sleep now, it’s really too late to study, you can start afresh tomorrow morning.” And went back to study his papers without giving me a second look.

That annoyed me. Had he just dismissed me? For work? It was too late for me to study but he could work?

“Pardon me… sir” I said remarking the last word. He had called me by my first name the whole time, which was perfectly fine since we had decided to be friends or… whatever this was, why treating me warmly one second and cold the next? “Isn’t it also too late to work?”

He looked at me raising an highbrow. I thought he was going to kick me out of his office when he sighed, took off his glasses and said “Touché.”

He got up from his chair, walked around the desk and leaned on its edge, right in front of me. So close that our feet were almost touching and I had to slightly tilt my head to look him in the eyes. “Believe me or not I was actually trying to relax.”

I looked at him doubtful and he laughed a little “it’s not really the type of music people would expect in an Art department.” Only then I registered that he was actually listening to… latin music? “Which is a really stupid assumption to make, as if any art historian is supposed to only love jazz or classical music.” He shook his head. “The volume must have been higher than I thought though… since it lead you to me.”

My heart skipped a beat at the ambiguous way he had expressed himself. He smirked “You should try… you know… latin music is very… sensual. The best way to take your mind off things.”

Was he trying to embarrass me? Well, two could play that game. “Depends on what you are actually trying to get your mind off, otherwise it could be counter-productive.”

He sniggered “Very true. But this is not really the case, isn’t it? Get up, I am going to give you another dance lesson, after that night on the beach we both know you really need it.”

Funny. Was he trying to make me think that all this pent up sexual frustration was only in my head by pretending to act innocently? It wasn’t really his modus operandi, he had always been pretty straight-forward with me… to a certain point. I briefly considered what had happened between us until now. More than once he had admitted to feeling something, a connection, and ended up backing away immediately. He had touched my lips and my shoulders and apologised right away saying it could never happen again. Was he actually playing me?! Was he trying to seduce me wearing me to the point that I would be the one making the first move so that, in the end, it was all my fault? Again, two could play this game, I wasn’t going to give in first. Also, I wasn’t as clumsy as he thought I was.

Shakira’s La Tortura started playing. I moved toward the edge of the chair so that he had to bend down his head to see me, and I looked at him right in the eyes. I raised my hand at exactly the right high to suggest that I would possibly… but then rested it on his thigh, just for a second, and pretended to remove some invisible strand from his trousers. “Fine” I said nonchalantly, quite satisfied seeing that he had lost a little of his composure. I raised slowly and when there were just a few inches of distance between us, looking at him innocently, I said “Teach me whatever you want.”

I saw his green eyes turn really dark. He briefly studied my face, then removed his jacket and placed his hands on my waist leading us towards the centre of the room. There he tightened his grip on me and pushed our bodies against each other. We were joined at the hips and he pushed a knee between my legs.

“Put your hands around my neck” he ordered, and I complied a little flustered. The song was right, this was really a torture, what the hell was I doing? The guy was waaay more experienced than me. Get a grip on yourself I though, he can’t win!

“Start moving your hips, whatever feels natural”

I started moving my hips in a circular motion while he pushed against me, moving us one step forward and one backward. I was basically grinding on his leg while he moved his hands from my waist to my hips. One of my hands started moving up and down caressing his neck and tangling briefly in his hair. The other was bolder. I slowly moved it to the front of his chest and did something I had wanted to do since the first time I had met him. I slid my hand under the obscenely deep neckline of his shirt.

A low growl escaped his throat. “Candy” he said as an admonishment “what game are you playing?”

“The same one you have been playing for a while” I replied.

“Have I now…” he said pensive, possessively cupping my face with one of his hands and resting his thumb on my lower lip. I could read it in his eyes he was trying to make up his mind, so I did the only thing that came to my mind. While staring at him directly in his eyes I wrapped my lips around the tip of his finger and sucked.

This time his growl was anything but low, while he crushed his lips on mine and kissed me with a passion I had never felt before. His hands where everywhere, on my back, my waist, my hips. I tried to keep up while kissing him with the same heath. The moment we came up for air I felt him stiffen between my arms.

“I’m sorry” he said “it’s my fault.”

“What?” I replied surprised.

“I shouldn’t have. We can’t… I can’t…” he left my embrace and started pacing around the room.

“It’s not like you forced yourself on me… I was quite encouraging.” I seduced him so that I wouldn’t end up being the one falling first, but I didn’t like this scenario either. He shouldn’t feel guilty.

“Indeed, but I am the teacher here, I should know better.”

“And now what, we should pretend nothing happened? Business as usual?”

He stopped in front of me, went to touch my cheek but halfway there changed his mind and stopped before he could make contact with my skin.

“This is your final year of university, I shouldn’t rob you of this time of your life. You should be with someone your age, like your co-worker Hyun, or someone else” he said pained.

“Are you really suggesting I should hook up with Hyun?” I was starting to get really angry.

“That’s not what I meant” he replied serious “I just want you to live a carefree life, you shouldn’t hide and lie only to be with someone 10 years older than you, who also happens to be your professor. It isn’t worth it.”

He saw the shocked expression on my face and quickly added “I am not worthy.”

“I will be the one to judge what is worthy my time, tank you sir…” I replied sarcastically “However I won’t stay here bagging you to want me.”

No, I wasn’t going to do that, because I knew he wanted me already, he was just scared. Of losing his job, of ruining my studies… of his past. However, we had crossed a line and there was nothing we could do to go back to that grey area we were before. I didn’t want to anyway. I bet the next classes were going to be quite interesting.

I headed towards the door and, once there, I turned around to look at him one last time and said.

“Thank you for the dancing lesson sir, it was very… instructive. Looking forward to our class on Monday.”

And with a mischievous smile I left the room, leaving him utterly speechless.