#Women’s Backpack Buying Guide

[lupugear]

Some guidelines and suggestions for lupu backpack selection:

Backpack Selection Guide: When choosing a backpack, you need to consider the following factors: capacity, materials, carrying system, pockets and accessories, color and pattern, etc. At the same time, you need to choose a suitable backpack based on personal needs and usage scenarios.

Diversity of backpack uses: Different backpacks are suitable for different uses, such as hiking, camping, going to school, going to work, etc. When choosing a backpack, you need to consider its purpose to ensure its suitability and practicality.

Backpack waterproof and rainproof cover: Choosing a backpack with waterproof properties will protect your belongings from moisture and damage. Additionally, having a rain cover can further protect your backpack and belongings from rain.

Backpack cleaning and maintenance tips: Regular cleaning and maintenance of your backpack will keep it in good condition and extend its life. It is recommended to use an appropriate amount of detergent and water for cleaning, and avoid excessive exposure and friction.

Backpack quality and lifespan: The quality and materials of a backpack directly affect its longevity and reliability. Choosing high-quality materials ensures that your backpack lasts longer and provides better protection.

Computer backpack selection suggestions: When choosing a computer backpack, you need to consider the internal layout and protection of the backpack. Make sure the backpack can accommodate your computer and other essentials and provides enough protection to avoid damage during travel.

Backpack comfort and wearing position: A comfortable backpack provides better back support and comfort. Choose a backpack with an ergonomically designed carrying system and make sure it fits a variety of heights and body types.

Maximum load capacity of the backpack: When choosing a backpack, you need to consider its maximum weight capacity. Make sure the backpack can hold enough items without being too heavy to avoid placing too much strain on your back.

Mountaineering backpack price analysis: Hiking backpacks are usually more expensive than regular backpacks, but they offer better quality and features. When buying a hiking backpack, you need to choose the right price range and quality level based on your personal needs and budget.

Differences between women’s backpacks and men’s backpacks: Women's backpacks and men's backpacks may differ in design and functionality. Women's backpacks usually focus on lightness, style and practicality, while men's backpacks focus more on capacity, durability and simple appearance.

Purpose of the strap at the bottom of the backpack: The main purpose of the straps at the bottom of a backpack is to add stability and protect items. By attaching straps to luggage or items, you can prevent items from sliding or shifting during travel.

Tips for dealing with a soaked backpack: If your backpack gets wet or soaked, it is recommended to take it out and dry it as soon as possible. You can use a clean towel to gently wipe the backpack and make sure it is completely dry before use.

How to remove mold from backpacks: If there is mold on the backpack, you can use an appropriate amount of bleach mixed with water to wipe the mold, and then wipe it dry with a clean towel. Finally, you can use an appropriate amount of anti-mildew spray or powder for prevention.

[moonchildreads]

small town

Chapter 25 - Part-Time Lover

IN THIS CHAPTER: New routines, chilling at Lover's Lake, and Eddie and Dottie take a Big Step [17.4k]

WARNINGS: self-esteem issues (body shapes and stretch marks, both positive and negative), eddie being a simp for his girl (also maybe the author aka me being a lil gay over women's bodies), suggestive themes, jokes about male masturbation, discussions about past not so great sexual experiences (not explicit, focused on feelings and consent), allusions to sex (fluffy and poetic), NO EXPLICIT SMUT

A/N: dottie's experiences with her ex boyfriend in this chapter are heavily based on my own, please be kind. i'm not trying to infantilise her, i'm just being honest about what being unexperienced was like for some of us when we were teenagers. hope you enjoy it even if you can't relate (and let me know if you want to be added to the taglist!)

masterlist - prev - next | playlist

We are undercover passion on the run Chasing love up against the sun

Friday, June 20th - 1986

“There! I see them, park here!”

“I have eyes, man, stop hitting me while I’m driving!”

The week following their graduation, the Hellfire Class of ‘86 had been presented with a daunting task: syncing their schedules to make time for each other while officially entering the workforce. After leaving high school, each of them knew that new routines had to be established, and so they quickly discovered that familiarity was key in navigating the strange grown-up world they had been thrown into so nonchalantly. When Eddie’s van parked outside of Giulia’s that first Monday and Jeff and Gareth spilled out from the inside with snacks and vending machine sandwiches like they were spoils of war, Dottie and Donny immediately clocked out and wordlessly agreed to this new tradition that was, in fact, a continuation of everything they held dear while in school - love and companionship in the form of sharing a meal.

A plan guided by convenience had been quickly laid out: Eddie finished his apprenticeship shift at 1 pm, and upon leaving he’d pick Jeff up at the last house in his route as a very in-demand dog walker over in the upper-middle class side of Hawkins. Together, they’d head to Big Buy where they’d wait in the parking lot for Gareth to clock out at 2, and finally, they’d meet up with Donny and Dottie at a small park nearby Giulia’s, always sitting under the very same tree Gareth had frantically been pointing at through the van’s dashboard.

“Alright, nerds, what’s on the menu?” Donny said on that particularly hot Friday as he saw their friends climb out of the van, ready to get out of the heat trapped inside its metallic body.

“We snagged two pizzas today! Donny’s been learning to throw the dough and we got to keep the ones that didn’t fall to the floor,” Dottie said, proudly presenting the boxes resting on their picnic blanket to the boys.

“I’ve got Mountain Dew, Dr. Pepper, and a huge bag of chips,” said Gareth, letting the plastic bag fall from his hand onto the middle of their circle.

“What kind?” asked Jeff, gathering the plastic cups and napkins he’d shoved in his backpack that morning before leaving home.

“Sour cream and onion.”

“Nice.”

“I’ve got grapes, pretzels, and two egg sandwiches from the vending machine,” said Eddie, opening his lunchbox and throwing the bag of green grapes towards Dottie who cooed happily.

“I’ve got apple slices, M&Ms, two PB&Js, and Mrs. Kendall gave me a bunch of jerky as a snack, not really sure why,” Jeff finished the roll call, getting a handful of gas station jerky out of his backpack’s front pocket.

“Do you think I’ll die if I put jerky on top of my pizza?” asked Gareth at large.

“Dunno, but go for it,” Donny encouraged him, filling cups with soda and distributing them around.

Dottie loved having lunch with her friends at the park. On Tuesday, it had rained all morning so they’d instead sought out refuge at one of the booths within Giulia’s, Donny’s family more than happy to play host to the teens while they prepped for the dinner shift. They’d had a pleasant lunch that day, but there was nothing that could compare to the sense of freedom she felt while sitting on their blanket, pooling all their lunches and snacks together and complaining about their new jobs.

After only a few days, it became clear to everyone that Donny was the privileged one within their friend group - his post was inside the kitchen learning all about his Dad’s craft, and he was taking to it with gusto and innate skills he had never known he’d had but seemed to have begun developing in his Home Ec classes. Gareth, on the other end of the scale, was seriously considering asking to be switched to the graveyard shift if he had to play nice to yet another presumptuous customer demanding to see a manager because he wasn’t allowed to accept their expired coupons.

Eddie felt like he was somewhere between the two. He loved getting his hands greasy and figuring out what was wrong with a car, the satisfaction of fixing something and seeing Thatcher’s proud smile was easily the best part of the job. However, he did not enjoy the fact that all the rich idiots in town came in with their expensive cars asking for repairs to be done quicker than it was humanly possible.

Carson Humphrey, Andy Humphrey’s father, had come into the shop on Wednesday for a simple oil change. Thatcher was more than happy to let Eddie take over, confident in his apprentice’s budding skills, but it soon became clear that wasn’t happening - Carson loudly proclaimed he didn’t want “that good for nothing Munson boy” touching his car and breaking something that would certainly cost more than Eddie’s salary to replace. Thatcher had sent a red faced Eddie to the break room, told him to get himself a soda from the vending machine, and did the oil change as fast as he could to get Humphrey Sr. out of his shop and onto his merry way.

“Don’t let that asshole get to you,” Thatcher had said when he found Eddie smoking behind the shop after Carson left. “Thinks he’s all high and mighty ‘cause he has money, well… that ain’t stopping his wife from askin’ for Dougie’s number when she was here last month.”

“No fuckin’ way,” Eddie scoffed, cigarette in his mouth while leaning over to see Doug’s shiny bald head through the window.

“You ain’t heard it from me, boy,” the older man laughed. “But women love a man willing to get his hands dirty. Ask that girl of yours, she’ll tell you.”

Eddie had simply nodded and kept his hair down to hide his ears that were surely becoming more red by the second, quickly dismissing any salacious thoughts as his wristwatch beeped loudly to announce the end of his shift. He distracted himself with yet another smoke and loud headbanging music as he drove down the street - he did not need to hear shit from either Jeff or Gareth as he picked them up, his jeans feeling uncomfortably tight under the Indiana sun.

“You guys will never guess who I saw today,” Gareth said back in the present, a slice of pizza in one hand and a handful of chips in the other.

“Wheeler?” Eddie ventured a guess.

“...You’re an asshole, you knew that?”

“I never said which Wheeler! It could have been Nancy,” he defended himself.

“Why would anyone care if I saw Nancy Wheeler?”

“Can’t believe we’ve got more updates on Henderson than we do on Mike,” Jeff commented, ignoring their bickering.

“I know, right? Did you talk to him?” Dottie asked, splitting an egg sandwich in two and giving the other half to her waiting boyfriend.

“Well, not exactly…,” Gareth grimaced.

The day after graduation, the Hellfire Club got together at the Henderson house to send Dustin on his merry way to Camp Know Where, even if it was at the expense of putting their D&D sessions on hold until he made his triumphant return a couple of weeks later. Still, his friends took it upon themselves to help him pack with no complaints, all while excitedly chattering about the kinds of activities he’d be participating in once he arrived at camp. They also, of course, teased him endlessly about the fact that he was about to be reunited with his “hotter-than-Phoebe-Cates-but-still-a-genius” girlfriend, pestering him to bring back pictures as proof of her existence.

In the midst of good-natured ribbing, the older boys helped him shove his heavy bags into Claudia Henderson’s trunk; the kind woman watched them with a gentle smile on her face, grateful for the little community his son had found himself a part of upon entering high school. While they were hugging Dustin goodbye and wishing him a fun time at camp, Dottie couldn’t help but notice that after interacting with both Mike and Erica, the previously relaxed boy grew strangely serious before pressing slips of paper into their hands.

“Radio in if you need me, okay?” he said, looking at Mike with intense eyes. “I’ll check in at this frequency every morning.”

“Dustin-” Mike began to protest, but he was cut short before he could say more.

“I’m serious,” Dustin turned to Erica. “You can use Cerebro, my Mom will let you in. I can be back in a day tops.”

“You worry too much,” Erica dismissed him, but there was something in her expression that said she was taking his words to heart. “Go to your nerd camp with your nerd girlfriend and we’ll see you in a few weeks. We’ll be fine.”

“Okay, okay, just… y’know.”

“I know. We’ll keep you updated, dumbass.”

“Thanks,” he smiled at her genuinely before moving on like nothing had happened.

If the rest of the boys noticed the weird exchange, no one said anything, and thus Dustin left Hawkins in high spirits, grinning at the sight of his friends waving at him from his front lawn as his Mom’s car got smaller and smaller as it headed down the road.

It was a shame, however, that with Dustin away for a few weeks, Mike chose to essentially become a recluse in his own home instead of hanging out with everyone else. Unlike Erica who was spending all her free time roaming around town with her gang of middle school girl friends trailing behind her, the middle Wheeler sibling hadn’t poked his head out of his basement all week after seeing Dustin off. If, in fact, what Gareth was saying was true, this was the first Mike sighting they’d had since Saturday, and they knew from Dustin’s midweek phone call to Eddie that he hadn’t heard from him either.

Gareth had been counting the coins in his register for the third time that morning when he saw Karen Wheeler, baby Holly, and Mike approach, cart full of groceries. He’d exchanged pleasantries with his friend’s mother as he scanned their items but the younger boy seemed overall uninterested in joining the conversation, quickly pushing the cart (along with his baby sister) away towards their car while leaving behind his mom to pay.

Seeing the older boy weirded out by her son’s behavior, Karen took it upon herself to apologize on his behalf. Apparently Mike had been in a foul mood all week because his friends in California couldn’t make the big trip to Indiana like they had anticipated, and that meant that he wouldn’t see his best friend Will or his girlfriend Jane until further notice. It’s okay, I understand, Gareth had said in a dramatic tone. Young love will do that to you, and Karen had laughed earnestly before bidding him goodbye and following her son to the parking lot.

“You can’t be serious,” Donny deadpanned when Gareth finished retelling the encounter to his friends.

“100% true. He’s pissy because his girlfriend isn’t coming over anymore.”

“That’s bullshit,” Jeff laughed. “He saw her in March, he can’t be that whipped.”

“Right? That’s what I said!”

“I dunno, guys,” Eddie said, pensive. “I’d be pretty upset if I couldn’t see my girl for months.”

“Well, Ed, lucky for you no one is planning to cut your right hand off,” Gareth said sarcastically, and Eddie pushed him over with his foot.

“I’m being serious, jackass. Can’t a guy be a romantic and travel to see his girlfriend often?”

“Any guy? Yes, sure. You, King of the Cynics? Give us a break,” Jeff scoffed.

“You’d really go all the way to Cali every few months just for a girl?” Dottie asked, eyes stuck to her sandwich. Will you actually come visit me in Michigan when I’m gone like you said you would? was what she really wanted to ask. Will you still love me even if we don’t see each other every day? Will I still be your girl when I live in a different state than you?

“Darling, I’d travel to another dimension for my girl,” he replied, voice a little bit too earnest for the casual conversation they were having.

“Oh my god, you’re so fucking corny,” Gareth threw his head back as he laid dramatically on the blanket. “You used to be cool, man, what happened to you?”

“I turned 20. Careful, it’ll happen to you too if you don’t watch out.”

The conversation quickly switched to different topics, like new music someone had recently discovered, a cool video game coming out soon, and most importantly, making plans for the upcoming weekend. Jeff was trying to convince everyone to go see a movie on Saturday, cleverly mentioning the air conditioning as a big selling point while they packed up the remnants of their lunch and headed to Eddie’s van.

“Is there even anything good playing right now?” Gareth asked, wishing the inflatable pool gathering dust in his garage didn’t have a hole in it.

“Don’t think so, Aliens isn’t coming out until next month,” Donny said. “Dot wanted to watch Labyrinth but that was next week, I think.”

“Hey, Dot!” Gareth yelled at her; she had stayed behind to fold their huge picnic blanket with Eddie. “When’s Labyrinth coming out?”

“Next Friday! Why?” she yelled back.

“Jeff wants to go to the movies tomorrow!”

“Unless it’s horror, I’m in. They have air conditioning!”

“See? What did I tell you?” Jeff said to Gareth and Donny, grinning. “We should go see Never Too Young to Die.”

“No! Nope, no, nuh-uh, I’m not watching any John Stamos willingly, my Nonna’s obsession with him is enough for me,” Donny groaned.

“She a General Hospital fan?” Gareth snickered.

“Yeah but they sent his character to jail a few years ago so he left the show and she followed him to his new sitcom. It’s shit, don’t watch it.”

“Don’t worry, we won’t,” Jeff affirmed. “But. Gene Simmons is in the movie so I think we should go watch it anyway.”

“Okay, now hold up-”

As soon as the boys disappeared behind the van, Eddie deliberately slowed down his actions so he could steal away a few seconds to talk to Dottie in private without their friends eavesdropping. While pretending like he was still trying to fit the blanket into her backpack, he looked up at Dottie with one eye closed to keep the sun from blinding him, his dimples on display as he beamed at her. She smiled, savoring their first moment alone of the day.

“So I was thinking,” he began, as he casually threw her bag over his shoulder and began slowly walking towards his van.

“Go on.”

“D’you wanna do something different today?”

“Different like what?”

“We could go to the lake,” he said, like he hadn’t been planning on inviting her all day. “We have a blanket already, and it’s a nice day, we could swim a little. Dunno, it’s too hot to be inside. And I think your Dad might be getting suspicious that I’m always around when he comes home.”

“Oh,” Dottie exclaimed, turning shy. “I- I’d love that but I’m not… I didn’t bring my swimsuit so-”

“Whatchu need a swimsuit for?”

Three sets of eyes were staring at them from the rear of the van, having been hidden from their sight in search of a bit of shadow to stand in while they waited for their friends. Jeff looked curious but innocent enough; it was Gareth and Donny that Eddie was suddenly afraid of. They were both looking at them with equally intrigued expressions, but where Donny was encouraging, Gareth was dangerously mischievous.

“Are you guys going to the pool without us?” the curly haired boy asked, staring pointedly at his best friends; Dottie looked like they’d been caught with their hands inside the proverbial cookie jar.

“No, no, definitely not,” Eddie stuttered. “I mean, who wants to go to the pool, right? It’s full of fuckin’ toddlers and their mommies, that’s so lame-”

“We were just talking about going to the lake but we don’t have swimsuits on us so we can’t go,” Dottie said, hoping to put an end to the topic.

“We can go anyways and swim in our undies,” Donny proposed, raising his eyebrows in Eddie’s direction. “It’s not like we haven’t done it before.”

“Uh, guys, I don’t think Dot’s comfortable with that,” Jeff looked at his friends.

“Yeah, yeah, totally, that’s why we said we weren’t going,” Eddie added, pushing everyone towards the van doors. “Why were you out here?”

“You didn’t give us your keys,” Gareth said, grinning at him.

“We can go.”

“Huh?” Eddie turned around to look at Dottie who was staring at the gravel.

“I, uh… It’s really hot today and we should- I mean, we don’t have to get in but we can- if you guys want to, we could still go. To the lake.”

“Yeah? You wanna go?” he asked, hopeful.

“Yeah, sure,” she smiled at him, cheeks red from the sun. “Why not?”

“Okay. Okay!” he said. “Everyone get in the van, we’re going to the lake!”

“Oooh, can we stop to buy beer on the way?”

“And more chips!”

Dottie and Eddie looked at each other sheepishly and shrugged before following their friends. Time alone for the lovebirds would have to wait until later, but who could say no to a new adventure presented in such an impromptu but lovely way? Summer had only just begun after all, and no one could see the storm brewing on the horizon yet. Might as well make the most out of their day if the sun was still shining, right?

Eddie had had it all planned out. As he tossed and turned in his bed the previous night, he decided that on Friday he was going to take his girlfriend to their spot at the lake, lay down on their blanket under the trees and kick their shoes off for a while. He had made sure his acoustic guitar was tuned to perfection, and had shoved it into the back of his van to serenade her until the sun went down, the Snoopy thermos bottle Wayne had gotten him for his birthday hidden away in his backpack and full of apple flavored Kool-Aid - her favorite. He was going to romance the shit out of his girl and kiss her until he felt they’d had enough without having to worry for a single second about her Dad coming home from work early and catching them sprawled out on the couch. Or her bed. Or worse, the kitchen counter.

The Hellfire Class of ‘86 was touchy, there was no denying it. None of them really knew what personal space meant, everyone was always on top of each other, and they’d shared enough meals together to still be disgusted about the notion of having to drink from the same cup. Eddie and Dottie were actually not the worst offenders of the group, at least not in public, but by the sheer nature of their secret relationship, the pair were on their toes about just how much physical familiarity they displayed in front of others. This was exactly the reason why during the past week, they’d reserved their soft touches and gentle caresses to when they were tucked away inside Dottie’s home, shielded from any straying eyes and the relentless gossip mill that haunted Hawkins at every step.

On Thursday, however, things had taken a turn. Maybe it had been the climbing heat of the summer, or the natural excitement that having a shared secret filled them with. Maybe it had been the fact that the cute domesticity they had enjoyed while they were still in high school had intensified by virtue of now having the house alone for entire afternoons while James was still at work. Maybe it was Eddie’s work coveralls like Thatcher had implied, lightly stained with grease and tied at his waist, or maybe it was Dottie’s flowy red sundress, his favorite color. The truth was that the waters between them had reached a boiling point, and Eddie had finally snapped and crowded his girlfriend against the counter while she was putting together a snack tray for them to enjoy, uncaring to the clock that ticked on above the kitchen door.

In an uncharacteristic move, Dottie had let herself take what she needed from her boyfriend, and in turn, he had let her explore this new side of their relationship in earnest. He’d helped her climb onto the counter where she sat prettily, lips attached to lips and hands roaming with the eagerness of an explorer. She’d kissed him before, but never like this. Never with this much urgency, like she couldn’t bear the thought of not kissing him. Mouths roamed to necks, fronts pressed against fronts, and Eddie ventured a burning hand under her skirt, tracing up, up, up on the outside of her left thigh when the sound of a car door being closed with force made them jump apart.

They’d looked at the entrance door with apprehension for a few seconds before they heard the neighbor’s dog barking loudly, clearly welcoming his owner who was unlatching his noisy sidegate and trying to control his furry friend before anyone in the neighborhood complained. Eddie and Dottie stared at each other for a few seconds, hearts racing and breathing ragged before he broke into a fit of nervous giggles. She’d tucked her head down and smiled shyly, getting off the counter and going back to the task she’d been working on before she’d let her innermost thoughts guide her actions.

Eddie had fooled around with people before, but this, he felt, was different. This wasn’t a one-and-done deal, some fun in the back of his van that he could feel good about while ignoring the fact that no one had really asked him for his name or his number before he saw them leave. No, this was different because Dottie was different. She was his girlfriend, not a random stranger at The Hideout, and yet Eddie couldn’t help but feel uneasy about the way she pretended nothing had happened for the rest of the day. There was no more flirty banter, no cheeky hands on knees, no sneaky kisses after her Dad walked into the house 15 minutes later. Eddie didn’t claim to be an expert in relationships, but he figured then he had to follow her lead.

If Dottie wanted to wait, he’d wait for as long as she wanted, and so he was going to take her to the lake and sing for her until his throat hurt. Nothing more, nothing less. For her, Eddie Munson could and would be the perfect boyfriend. That is, if their friends could stop getting in his way.

“Sweet, the dock is still here!” Gareth exclaimed, looking out of the window.

“Park over there, man,” Donny instructed from the co-pilot seat. “Sun’s gonna move soon, we’ll get more shadow under that tree.”

Quickly, all five teens jumped off the van before it came to a halt, desperate to feel the breeze on their skin. The afternoon heat had given way to an oppressive humidity that could be felt under every piece of clothing they were wearing, and no one wanted to sit on Eddie’s itchy fabric and leather seats for any longer than they absolutely had to. They spread their blanket near the van, sneakers piled up on every corner so the wind couldn’t steal it away while they were cooling off in the lake, a plastic milk crate in the middle serving as an impromptu table.

“Who the fuck bought Bud Light?” Jeff asked, hauling the cold case of beer cans out of the back of the van.

“It was the cheapest one they had,” Eddie said.

“No way PBR isn’t cheaper,” Gareth said.

“Yeah, but PBR tastes like corn,” Donny laughed, dropping two new bags of chips onto the blanket.

“Ed, what’s in here?” Dottie’s soft voice rang through the clearing.

She was holding his backpack on one hand, the heavy Snoopy thermos on the other. Eddie opened and closed his mouth a couple of times before he hoisted his guitar higher on his shoulder, desperately trying to act nonchalant so the rest of the boys wouldn’t pick up on his now ruined plan.

“That’d be apple Kool-Aid,” he admitted, a shy smile gracing his face. “Forgot to tell you I had some earlier, sorry.”

“Ew,” Gareth scrunched his face. “That’s, like, the worst kind of Kool-Aid.”

“Hey, watch it,” Eddie said, pushing him off balance lightly. “That’s her favorite.”

“Your favorite Kool-Aid flavor is apple?” the younger boy turned to her. “That’s so gross, it tastes like piss.”

“Damn, G, whose piss have you been drinking to know that?” she retorted, making their friends snort.

“Okay, enough chit-chat! I’m overheating here, let’s get in the water,” Donny said, bending down to take his socks off.

“Last in buys the popcorn tomorrow!” Gareth yelled, pulling his shirt off and letting his shorts fall to the ground before running towards the wooden dock in his briefs.

Donny and Eddie looked at each other, shrugged once, and hurried to get their clothes off as well, both of them immediately cannonballing into the cold water. Dottie watched them shove each other under the surface, loud screaming and laughter echoing within the confines of their little hidden place in the woods. She hadn’t missed the meaning of the bottle in her hand - Eddie had thought of her that morning before he left for work. He’d packed it for her, along with the guitar resting on the checkered fabric on the grass. Her eyes searched for her boyfriend, his wild hair flattened with the weight of the droplets clinging to his curls. To her side, blue and white fabric rustled, startling her out of her thoughts.

“Are you getting in?” Jeff asked when she turned to look at him.

“Uh, I- I’m not sure,” Dottie admitted. “You?”

“Y-yeah. Same.”

She examined him with gentle eyes, noticing the beads of sweat gathering at his hairline. It was clear he was feeling hot, his thick jeans sticking to the skin of his legs, the fabric around his collar getting darker with perspiration. She felt the heat too, but she had had the foresight of wearing shorts and a cotton tank top that day; his three-quarter sleeved Black Sabbath shirt didn’t look like it allowed much air to reach his feverish skin under it.

Donny and Gareth have older sisters, she realized all of a sudden as Jeff looked forlornly at their friends. It was probably normal for siblings to see each other in various states of undress as they grew up, especially if they shared bedrooms or bathrooms. Donny had been Vittoria and Isabella’s baby doll before little Giulietta had been born, and while the age difference between Gareth and Gretchen was smaller than Donny’s and his older sisters’, the fact that their bedrooms were connected through a Jack-and-Jill meant that they’d seen each other in their underwear more often than either of them could count by the time they’d both entered elementary school.

Jeff only had an older brother, and he probably felt a bit shy taking his clothes in front of Dottie. If she was being honest with herself, had she not been worried about being semi-naked in front of Eddie for the first time ever, she would most likely have had the same concerns as him.

“You can go in with them if you want to,” she said, motioning towards the lake with her head and trying to be encouraging. “I don’t mind you guys being in your undies around me if that’s what’s stopping you.”

“No, it’s- it’s fine, I’m not hot,” he said, crossing his arms.

“Jeff, you’re sweating buckets. I can turn around until you’re in the water if that makes you feel better.”

“No, it’s- it’s not you,” he sighed, apprehension on his face. “It’s everyone, I guess? I- I’m not used to, like, showing my legs to people. It makes me feel weird.”

“Oh,” Dottie said, not really understanding the issue but still aiming to be supportive. “Are you like super hairy or something? Because Donny could knit a blanket with his leg hair and no one cares, I promise no one’s gonna make fun of you.”

“No, no, I’m not hairy,” he snorted. “I mean I have some hair, I’m a guy, but no, he’s definitely the hairiest out of all of us.”

“Dunno, man, you haven’t seen me in winter when I don’t shave,” she joked, and he smiled at her gratefully for making their conversation feel lighter.

“It’s not hair I’m worried about,” Jeff said, turning towards her and lowering his voice. “Swear you won’t laugh?”

“It’s just me, Jeff,” she put her hands in her back pockets and shrugged. “When have I ever laughed at you about anything?”

Jeff hadn’t known what to expect when Dottie first joined Hellfire. They’d had a couple of female members in the club as the years had gone by, but none of them were quite like her and he didn’t know what to make of it at that time. Dottie, for starters, did not look like she was into heavy metal or nerdy stuff, dressing like any other girl he could have seen on the street, complete with trendy pastels and dainty florals. She had, however, been incredibly kind and not judgemental, eager to learn how to play D&D and taking it way more seriously than he’d thought she would on their first session, and that - along with the snacks she’d brought with her that day - had helped make him less wary of her intentions.

It certainly surprised him when all three of his best friends immediately struck a friendship with her, particularly Gareth who had a reputation of not knowing how to talk to girls in the first place. Still, in just a few short weeks, Dottie’d become a permanent fixture within their friend group and Jeff had no reasons to contradict them when the girl who sat next to him during World History lessons often smiled at him like a timid puppy asking for her new owner to play with her. If she was willing to put in the work to call him a friend, he would oblige and do the same, and that was exactly what he had done all those months ago.

“Okay, yeah,” he said, nodding a couple of times while he gathered courage. “It’s just- I, uh, I have a lot of marks on my legs. And I don’t like when people stare at them. It feels like they’re judging me.”

“Marks like scars or…?”

“Like stretch marks. I have them on the backs of my knees and on my hips. They’re… they’re kinda a lot. My Mom used to rub this oil on me to make them smaller but I don’t think it did anything to be honest.”

“I get it,” Dottie smiled. “I have them too, y’know.”

“You do?”

“Yeah,” she said, shifting her weight from foot to foot. “I have them on my butt and my hips. Here, look-” she moved her leg to the side and pulled the cuff of her jean shorts higher, letting him see the web of silvery scars climbing on the side of her leg.

“Wow.”

“I used to hate undressing in the locker room because none of my friends had them and I thought they were ugly, and then my Auntie Rachel said I should think of them like a badge of honor. Like you survived puberty and now you have all these battle scars to show for it, right?” she said, and Jeff snorted. “I know. It sounds so stupid, but it did make me feel better about them so… Dunno. It hurt like hell to get them so maybe she’s got a point.”

“God, yes. Some nights it felt like someone was trying to shatter my fucking kneecaps from the inside,” he laughed, happy to commiserate with a friend.

“Dude, I was terrified! No one told me growth spurts felt like being tied to those goddamn medieval beds that stretch your limbs until they snap, I thought I was dying,” she said. “It was the worst, honestly. I’m happy I stayed kinda short because that shit was painful.”

“Do all of yours look white?” Jeff asked, curious.

“Now they do but they used to look pink and a bit swollen, like when a cat scratches you on the leg, y’know? But they turned white after a while, so I guess that means they’ve healed. Yours don’t look like that?”

“Not really, no. I could show you if you want.”

Dottie was aware that Jeff was trusting her with something very important with his offering. Not wanting to spook him off while he was being so vulnerable with her, she nodded eagerly and waited for him to push his jeans down until they touched the soft grass under his feet. He bent down to grab them and fold them carefully while she looked at his legs with an interested expression, but not a malicious one.

“I actually didn’t know stretch marks could look like that,” she said, embarrassed.

“I didn’t know either until I got them,” he said, hands twitching nervously at his sides. “It’s probably because my skin is darker than yours.”

Jeff stood in that clearing in the blue checkered boxers his Mom had bought for him, and felt the breeze calm his heated skin. The backs of his knees were damp with sweat, and Dottie could see them painted with both cream and very dark brown scars at the point where his calf joined the back of his thigh. The intricate webbing stopped after a few inches, and then resumed at his hips, hidden by the breathable fabric, but traces of it could be seen near the elastic at the top. Jeff’s lower body had stretched and stretched, making him as tall as his brother and as slender as his mother, and the signs were displayed for the world to see for what was probably the first time since he’d gotten them.

Wordlessly, Dottie’s hands went to the top of her shorts and undid her belt, zipper falling open afterwards as her legs kicked the jean fabric aside. Jeff’s eyes roamed the patches of skin she’d mentioned before, observing silvery threads in similar patterns to his own as they climbed the sides of her upper thighs, her high-cut cotton panties not helping to conceal them unlike his choice of underwear. They smiled at each other and it was suddenly very clear to both of them that there was nothing to fear here; there was not an ounce of shame or embarrassment to behold in that clearing.

“So… do you wanna get in now?” Jeff asked, pulling bravery out of thin air.

“I… Yeah. Yeah, I’ll do it if you do it,” she grinned at him, conspiratorially.

“Okay, let’s- let’s just go for it!”

With the sort of giddiness that comes from overcoming a personal hurdle, the two teens finished undressing and walked side by side to the little dock where they sat down until they both felt comfortable enough in their own skin to jump into the water together. Jeff hadn’t known what to expect when he’d first met Dottie, but he was infinitely glad he took the chance to get to know her, thankful that his friends had had much better foresight about her than he did upon their first encounter.

Eddie wanted to drown himself. Was that a dramatic reaction to the situation at hand? Most likely, yes, but he’d never been known to be a level-headed guy in the first place so he couldn’t really be blamed for it. Not only had his plans to share a romantic afternoon with his girl been thwarted by their friends poking their noses where they didn’t belong, but also the first time Eddie was seeing Dottie in her underwear was at the same time everyone was seeing her in her underwear, and quite frankly, he didn’t care for it one bit.

It wasn’t that Eddie was jealous - that ship had sailed a long time ago and sunk to the bottom of the ocean more and more every time she told him she loved him - but he did feel like he had been cheated out of a very important First in their relationship. He’d imagined the moment very differently, and he was very much upset that he could only allow himself glimpses of her so as not to seem like a creep while she sat on the dock with Jeff, their calves shoved into the water as they chatted amicably. Still, while his friends were distracted, he felt like he could allow himself a few moments to take in the little things that he could observe about her and catalog them in his own brain under the Think About Later, Preferably While I’m Alone And In The Shower label.

If the magazines hidden underneath his bed were supposed to capture the hottest people on Earth, then Dottie was, in his eyes, a goddess living amongst common folk. Upon seeing her lounging by the water, he was reminded of that one time in Art class when their teacher had given them a presentation about statues in Ancient Greece - something about why so many of them didn’t have arms, and how beauty standards had changed throughout the years. Eddie hadn’t really cared for it at the time, but staring at the soft pudge protruding from her stomach and the thick thighs that molded themselves to the wood under them, he felt like if he were to carve Aphrodite herself in stone, she would have looked like one Dorothy Burke.

Every single detail about her was overwhelming to him. The myriad of moles that littered her body, the way the hairs on her arms stood to attention when she pulled her legs out of the cold water and the breeze hit them just right, the liquid silver that marred the skin on her hips. Her toes painted bright pink, her cute chuckles at whatever Jeff was saying, her hair moving in the wind as she stood at the dock gathering courage to jump in, the unassuming set of matching bra and panties she’d chosen to wear that day: cotton, little soft pink flowers dotting the fabric and two tiny non-functional baby pink bows, one sewn between her breasts and one underneath her belly button. He felt like a pervert ogling her and a worshiper at her altar at the same time, and he had to stop looking at her and chill the fuck out before anyone noticed that he would have gone to war, written poetry, and gladly died for her if she asked him to do so right that second.

“Eddie!” Gareth called, startling him out of his thoughts. Jeff and Dottie had already jumped into the lake and joined the fun. “You in for chicken? Dot’s gonna be the referee.”

“Hell yeah, man! Same teams as usual?” Eddie replied, doing what he did best when caught daydreaming: pretend he hadn’t been daydreaming.

“You’re going down, bitch!” Donny yelled before lowering himself underwater so Gareth could climb on his shoulders.

“Hey Ed, do you mind if I go on top this time?” Jeff asked, surprising Eddie.

A long time ago, the eldest Vitale sister, Isabella, had heard the boys gossip about Jeff and didn’t like what she’d eavesdropped on one bit. They’d been sitting in the living room at Donny’s house, putting away the pieces of the board game they had been playing on a rainy afternoon when the topic of Jeff and his pants had come up. The boy hadn’t been present for the conversation; his Mom had picked him up a few minutes earlier, and so his friends had felt like it was safe to speculate on why he was so hellbent on not wearing the mandatory shorts everyone else wore during gym class. Isabella heard them mention his newly acquired stretch marks and dismiss it as the issue at hand rather quickly, moving on to juicier theories like secret tattoos or acne in weird places. She’d shut them down in an instant.

From that day on and thanks to a long stream of yelling coming from Isabella, the boys understood that Jeff was sensitive about showing his bare legs to the world, and that if they really considered him a friend, they’d stop making a note of it every time he chose joggers over shorts and covered himself with a big towel after getting out of the pool. So in that moment, while Jeff seemed to not care that his scars were on display for everyone to scrutinize, Eddie resolved to immediately shove his head underwater and help him onto his shoulders, happy to prove to him that he’d been wrong all along when hiding himself around their friend group.

The little corner of Lover’s Lake that the Hellfire teens had chosen as their spot for the afternoon had never seen a battle the likes of The Great Chicken Fight of ‘86. Both teams fought fiercely, sometimes winning, sometimes choking on a bit of lake water, but after several rounds Donny and Eddie asked for a break to let their shoulders rest, and Team Donny and Gareth was officially crowned as the champion for the day.

At around five, every cloud in the sky was officially gone and the temperature had started to drop so everyone agreed it was time to get out of the lake and enjoy the sun before it went down behind the trees. Eddie offered Donny and Gareth to share a joint as their prize, and they gladly accepted it, all three of them grabbing a couple of beers each and sitting on the dock to smoke and get pleasantly buzzed. Not interested in partaking, Jeff and Dottie chose to go back to the blanket near the van where they sat down and drank their beers while he plucked some tunes out of his friend’s acoustic guitar.

“That sounds gorgeous,” Dottie told him sincerely, lying on her front on the blanket, head resting on her crossed arms and legs swinging behind her.

“My Mom loves this song,” Jeff said, playing the intro of Ain’t No Sunshine by Bill Withers once more.

“I’ve never heard of it before,” she admitted. “Can you sing it for me?”

“Yeah, for sure,” he smiled, always happy to spread his love of music around.

Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone, Jeff crooned, his tone raspier than usual and carrying over to where the guys were sitting at the dock. It’s not warm when she’s away, ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone, and she’s always gone too long, anytime she goes away. Dottie stared at her friend in awe of his raw gift. All the Corroded Coffin members were talented, she knew that very well, but Jeff had always been the most shy in demonstrating it outside of Gareth’s garage and the relative anonymity of The Hideout, perhaps due to his father’s silent disapproval of his son’s artistic inclination.

And I know, I know, I know, I know… After observing countless practices and a couple of their weekly gigs, Dottie was fairly confident that while Eddie was the most talented guitar player out of the two, Jeff had the best voice in the band by far. As he sang about longing for someone who leaves often, she couldn’t help but think of themselves, about how summer was ticking by fast and one day, they’d all have to say goodbye to each other for a while like they had done with Dustin the previous weekend. And this house just ain’t no home, anytime she goes away.

“That was… wow,” she shook her head in disbelief once he had finished his rendition. “Bill Withers you said?”

“Mhm. He’s from West Virginia, you know? My Granddad is always talking about him,” Jeff said, going back to playing basic chord progressions while he explained.

“Maybe you’ll get to meet him while you’re there.”

“I doubt it, he’s probably like a gazillionaire by now. He totally lives in LA.”

“Never too late to ask for a transfer,” she joked, and he scoffed like he was offended at the suggestion.

“This sucks, man,” he sighed, putting the guitar aside and dropping onto the blanket next to her, elbows bumping. “All this time I’ve been looking for any excuses to leave this shithole and now that I have them, I don’t wanna go.”

“It’s just four years. We’ll blink and be back here before we know it. And there’s the holidays too, we have to come see family and stuff.”

“Yeah, I guess. Unless we get real jobs and then we won’t be able to come back.”

“Yeah, maybe. Can I tell you a secret?” she whispered.

“Of course.”

“I’m super scared that when we leave you guys will forget about me,” she said, turning around to lay on her back. “Like I’m gonna come back to Hawkins for Christmas break and it’ll be like I never existed.”

“You’re insane,” Jeff shook his head. “There’s no way we’d forget about you. Especially Eddie.”

“W-what do you mean?” Dottie said, hand draped over her eyes to hide her expression.

“Okay, so I know I’m not like an expert on this,” he began. “-but I think Eddie really likes you. As in, more than friends.”

“Oh,” she replied, trying very hard not to laugh. “That’s… I don’t know what to say. You really think so?”

“I’ve never seen him act like this before. It’s like someone brainwashed him, but in a good way? Dunno. He seems happier when you’re around. I think we all are, actually.”

“Aw, Jeffie,” she cooed, sitting up and pulling him into a one-armed hug, ignoring the fact that none of them had bothered to put their clothes back on after getting out of the water. “I’m really happy with you guys too, senior year would have completely sucked if I hadn’t met you. I think that’s what scares me the most, because I told you about my friends in New York and how they used to forget about me during summer and I just- I don’t want things to change, y’know? I’m happy like this!”

“Nothing’s going to change, Dot,” he said, sitting up too. “Well, I mean, everything is going to change when we go off to college, but that doesn’t mean we have to change. We’ll all still be friends… and maybe you and Eddie can be more than friends,” she shoved him and he laughed. “But we’ll keep in touch. We’ll send postcards, and letters, and we can call each other, you’ll see.”

“Promise me,” Dottie said, lifting her pinky finger. “Promise me we’ll still be best friends even when I’m in Michigan and you’re in West Virginia.”

“The better Virginia,” he said dramatically, linking his pinky with hers.

“The best Virginia, but only when you’re in it.”

“Why are you buttering me up so much? What terrible song do you want me to play next?” he narrowed his eyes, but they both knew he would always gladly play anything his friends asked for.

“Well, now that you mention it…”

Jeff picked up the guitar again before she could finish her sentence and launched into a sped up version of Back in the U.S.S.R by The Beatles, making Dottie dissolve into giggles as he faked a terrible British accent. Eddie watched from the dock, his bare back resting on old wood while Gareth and Donny talked next to him. He couldn’t even be mad at the fact that Jeff was fulfilling his fantasy; he was enjoying the tunes too and the view of his girlfriend lounging on the grass in her undies was enough to keep him content for the moment.

“Might wanna be less obvious with the staring, bud,” Donny said, bringing him back to the present instead of fixating on how she pushed her bra strap back onto her shoulder when it moved out of place.

“Fuck off,” Eddie scoffed. “I wasn’t staring. I was zoning out.”

“Sure you were,” Gareth said, sharing a conspiratorial glance with Donny. “That why you planned this cute little date? So you could zone out?”

“Cute little date? You mean the chill hangout you were both invited to?” Eddie said.

“You brought the dragon slayer guitar, man. This was not a casual hangout and you know it.”

“It was already in my van, I didn’t do shit.”

“Yeah, right. What about the Kool-Aid then? Her favorite flavor? Come on, Ed, we know you’re into her,” Donny said plainly. “Why are you so scared of asking her out?”

“I’m not!”

“Then why haven’t you already?!”

“I have!” he said, exasperation making him slip up.

“You have?!” Both Gareth and Donny stared at him, confused.

“I- I mean… No, I- I was gonna ask her today. And then you assholes ruined it,” Eddie deflected, making them feel bad about it to cover up his mistake. “I love you both, but you’re nosy as hell. I’m not telling you shit about anything anymore.”

“Okay, that’s so fuckin’ rude,” Gareth said, exaggerating being upset for drama. “We’re rooting for you two, jackass, you don’t gotta treat us like the enemy. We can help you if you want!”

“Nope, I don’t need any help, thank you. I’m doing pretty okay without you.”

“Really? Because from where we’re sitting, Jeff is the one having the date you planned with your girl. You might wanna hurry up and make your move before he swoops in.”

“First, don’t use Jeff of all people to try and make me jealous. That’s lame and you know that, we’re all friends here,” Eddie scolded Gareth, making him raise his hands to concede. “Second, I have nothing to worry about.”

“How can you be so sure of that?”

Eddie was about to answer when a damp haired Dottie approached them, Eddie’s black sleeveless shirt that he had cut himself hanging from her fingers. She stopped right in front of them, beaming down at her boyfriend with cheeks tainted red from the sun.

“What’s up, princess?” he smirked, knowing that his friends were watching the interaction curiously.

“Can I pretty-please borrow your shirt for a bit? I’m cold but I don’t wanna put my shorts on, I don’t wanna get them wet,” she pouted at him, as if she thought he’d ever say no to her.

“Yeah, of course. There’s a flannel somewhere in the back of the van if you want that one.”

“No, this one’s okay!” Dottie said, lifting the shirt and putting her head through it. “Thank you!”

She hopped away and back towards Jeff while she pulled her arms through the big holes at the sides, the black fabric falling down her back until it covered the delicate flower pattern on her panties. Eddie took a sip of his beer can and turned to look at the boys; Donny was holding in a chuckle and Gareth was staring at him in disbelief.

“You were asking?” Eddie said, smug.

“I… Shut the fuck up,” Gareth shook his head.

“You two are gonna be so gross when you actually start dating,” Donny said, thoroughly entertained.

“Maybe. Or maybe we’re already dating and we just haven’t told you,” Eddie said, mysteriously.

“Yeah, right. You’re like the most transparent person on Earth, Ed,” Gareth said.

“And she’s the worst liar ever,” Donny added, making Eddie snort.

What they don’t know can’t hurt them, Eddie thought as they switched topics and he took another glance at his girlfriend in the distance. She was looking right back at him with a smitten smile on her face, so he winked at her once, watching how she turned bashful and looked away from him. He wasn’t trying to be mean to their friends but when he had said sneaking around could be fun, he didn’t know how absolutely right he would be, and Eddie was determined to make the most of it before they had to come clean when summer drew to a close.

“What are you doing tonight?”

“Are you asking me out? Should I be worried about the guys tagging along again?”

“Ha, ha, you’re so funny. Answer the question.”

Eddie and Dottie were waiting for a red light to change back to green on the way to her home after having dropped everyone else off. When the sun started to disappear behind the treeline, the Hellfire Class of ‘86 very reluctantly decided it was time to return to society where wearing clothes was expected of them. Eddie had mourned in silence the fact that Dottie wasn’t wearing his shirt anymore, but considering it had been warm when she gave it back to him, he felt like a small mercy had been afforded to him in his time of suffering. The temperature was falling fast as the daylight said goodbye to Hawkins for the night, making Dottie burrow further into the co-pilot seat as she turned to the side to look at the metalhead.

“Well, I was thinking I really need a shower before I do anything else because I am covered in lake water and I feel sticky and gross. And- I don’t know, maybe watch a movie before bed? You? Got any plans?”

“Not yet,” Eddie said, changing gears before he let his hand find hers, interlacing their fingers. “Was kinda hoping you could help me out with that.”

“Oh, so you are asking me out,” Dottie smiled.

“Well, since our super romantic date turned into you having to see all our hairy asses, I thought it’d be nice to make it up to you,” he shot her a quick smile before turning his eyes back onto the road. “Wanna pick up a pizza and have dinner with me and Wayne? We can get a movie too, and you can stay over if you want. He won’t mind.”

“I don’t know, Ed,” she sighed, her thumb drawing patterns on the back of his hand. “I want to, I really do, but staying the night is… Don’t know if I can get away with that.”

“Don’t wanna keep lying to your Dad, huh?”

“No, well… I don’t actually mind the lying. He’d kinda freak out if he knew, I think. And he’d sit me down to have the most awkward talk in the world and like, I’m sorry, I know he’d mean well but he’s late on that by like four years. Mrs. Maybelle beat him to it and she did a damn good job.”

“Health teacher?”

“Mhm. She was so cool. I think she single-handedly lowered the teen pregnancy statistics in my school.”

“Wow. Go Mrs. Maybelle,” he chuckled. “It’s okay though, we’ll see each other tomorrow. Or you can still come over only for dinner, I know Wayne misses you.”

“He does?” she bit her lip as she smiled, warmth spreading inside her chest.

“Pfft, are you kidding? He likes you more than he likes me. Asks me about you all the time,” Eddie said, a tinge of pride in his voice, like he loved the fact that his Uncle and his girlfriend got along so well.

Dottie stared at their intertwined hands as she mulled over his words, only snapping out of it when he moved to switch gears again without letting her fingers go. The van slowly came to a stop on her driveway, the soft murmur of the engine filling the quiet of the summer night. He turned to look at her with curiosity when she made no moves to get out; she was burning a hole on her front door with nervous eyes, thumb on her free hand lodged between her lips as she bit down on her nail gently.

“I’m gonna take a shower first,” she muttered. “Then we can go. And we have to tell my Dad everyone is staying over at yours too.”

“Okay,” he said, the side of his mouth coming up in an amused smile. “Anything else?”

“For dinner, can we get something that isn’t pizza? I’ve been having Italian all week, Donny’s family keeps feeding me everything on the menu so I can recommend it to the customers. I think I’ll die if I eat any more dough this week.”

“Of course,” he chuckled at her dramatics. “KFC okay? Wayne loves a drumstick.”

“KFC sounds great actually.”

Finally turning off the van and heading inside, the pair put some distance between them to seem casual in front of James, who sat on the couch half asleep with a crossword puzzle in his hand and the TV tuned in to some random game show he wasn’t really watching. He took his glasses off and brushed a hand over his face tiredly, opening his arms so Dottie could beeline in his direction and give him a big hug.

“Hey honey, where have you been?” James said, voice gruff after a very long week.

“We went to the lake,” she said, perching on the armrest next to him, Eddie taking a seat in the armchair near them. “It was too hot to do anything else today. How was work?”

“Tiring. S’that why you smell like a swamp? Because you got in the lake?”

“Dad! You’re so mean, I do not smell like a swamp.”

“You kinda do,” Eddie said, giving her a toothy smile.

“You’re not supposed to gang up on me, you got into the lake too,” she stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed in response. “If it’s so bad I’m gonna go take a shower and you two can finally be free from my ogre smell.”

“Are you two hanging out here tonight?” James asked, hand holding onto his daughter’s wrist for a second before she could leave. “What do you want for dinner?”

“We’re going back to Eddie’s for movie night. Everyone went home to shower first,” Dottie lied.

“Oh, okay. You’re staying over or you need me to pick you up later?”

“I think we’re staying but if not, Donny can drive me back, don’t worry about it. We’re supposed to go to the theater tomorrow anyway, Jeff was saying something about Gene Simmons being in a movie? Dunno. I’m pretty excited about the aircon though.”

“Of course you are,” her Dad laughed, finally letting her arm go. “Go back to the Black Lagoon now, shoo.”

“Dad, stop it!”

Dottie had long ago stopped worrying about the kinds of conversation her Dad and Eddie got up to while she wasn’t around as they often revolved around three distinct subjects: nerd stuff, cars, and whatever interesting thing had happened recently. That day’s talk seemed to be about a high end car that had come into Thatcher’s shop in the morning, and as both men marveled at its engineering like they were kids at Christmas, Dottie headed upstairs to the bathroom to rid herself of her dirty clothes and the sticky lake residue on her skin.

The water coming out of the showerhead pinged off the tiles softly, the echoey nature of the room lulling her into a sense of peace and comfort as she slowly undressed and stepped into the empty tub. Dottie took her time relaxing after a long week of intense training at her new job, gentle fingertips working her ginger and mint scented shampoo on her scalp. Her sun-kissed skin felt like it was sizzling under the warm water, more cold than hot to ease the tightness under the red patches. She turned off the water after rinsing all the soap off, wrapped herself in a fluffy white towel and padded her way to her bedroom to finish getting ready for the night.

While she dried herself and applied moisturizer to her shoulders, cheeks and bridge of her nose to avoid her skin peeling off, Dottie stared at her wardrobe with a million questions on her tongue. It was easy enough to put together an outfit for the casual date night - any t-shirt and pair of shorts would suffice for dinner with Eddie and Wayne. It was, however, the rest of her clothes that worried her, from which set of pjs would be appropriate for the eldest Munson to see her in when they inevitably shared breakfast together the following morning yet still cute enough to wear while cuddling up under a blanket with Eddie while they watched a movie, down to, most importantly, her undergarments.

Dottie, while having very limited experience, was no stranger to what sort of things couples would get up to when they had an empty house to themselves. Standing next to her dresser with her underwear drawer open, she weighed all options in her mind. Would Eddie mind that she didn’t own anything like she’d seen on the girls in the magazines under his bed? Would he care about what she wore at all? Was he even interested in taking the next big step with her? It had certainly seemed so on Thursday, but he had backed off completely afterwards leaving Dottie to overthink their interactions until she had finally fallen asleep.

Truth be told, if she really had to consider it, was she ready? She felt comfortable with him, yes, she definitely felt safe, but did that mean anything had to happen that specific night? Eddie had seen her in a completely normal set of underwear all day and hadn’t said a thing. He hadn’t even kissed her. He’d held her hand in the van after everyone left, and he’d been as affectionate and friendly as ever, but aside from that… was he put off now that he knew what she looked like under her clothes?

No. Stop it, Dottie told herself before she could go down a dangerous spiral. He didn’t say anything good but also he didn’t say anything bad. He was probably just embarrassed to say something with everyone around, that’s all. He’ll totally mention it tonight, that’s why he wants you to come over. With a confidence that was more performative than real, she chose a simple white cotton set that felt cute but was also comfortable enough to sleep in, grabbed her favorite pajamas and quickly put an overnight bag together before climbing down the stairs before she could regret her choices. In the living room, Eddie and James were still talking about the fancy car.

“You ready?” Eddie got up when she approached them. “I’ll drop you off at Family Video while I pick up the chicken.”

“Okay. Any suggestions?”

“You pick,” he smiled at her. “But get the two movie deal with the popcorn, I’ll get you gummy bears at the station.”

“Got it,” Dottie turned to her Dad. “I’ll be back tomorrow afternoon, is that okay?”

“Go have fun,” James enveloped her in a hug. “Call me if you need anything.”

“I will. Love you.”

“Love you too, honey,” he kissed her forehead and let her go to shake Eddie’s hand goodbye. “You two be safe, alright? Say hi to Wayne from me.”

“Will do, sir. Have a good night,” Eddie said, wondering not for the first time if James knew more than he let on.

Dottie walked into Family Video with a simple mission: she had to find two movies that both her and Eddie could enjoy together. They both liked fantasy and sci-fi, but a lore-heavy or emotionally compelling movie didn’t feel like the right choice for a night where everything was meant to change between them, and certainly horror was out of the picture if she wanted to get a wink of sleep for the following week. Something lighthearted and fun like Ghostbusters or Beverly Hills Cop seemed like the perfect choice in her mind, and she knew just the person to ask for help in her quest.

The smell of plastic and air freshener filled the air as she surveyed the store for that familiar head of hair she’d come to be really fond of, but when she finally found it, her plans were immediately thrown off the table. Robin Buckley stood in the children’s movie aisle looking very overwhelmed while being surrounded by three little kids and their sweet grandma, who was trying to pick a movie for them. The kids kept showing different tapes to her, and the old lady insisted Robin explain the gist of each of them so she could decide which one was more appropriate for her grandchildren to watch. By the looks of it, this had been going on for several minutes before Dottie’s arrival judging by how disheveled Robin’s vest was getting as the kids tugged on it trying to catch her attention and offer yet another tape as a new contender.

“Hi, welcome to Family Video! How can I help you?” a man’s voice beckoned Dottie further into the store, only to find herself face to face with one Steve Harrington.

“Oh hey, nice to see you again!” she said honestly, watching how the friendly looking boy lit up at her acknowledgement of him.

“Yeah, nice to see you too! Congrats on graduation, by the way,” Steve said, leaning onto the counter.

“Thank you!”

“So, what can I help you with? Unless you’re here for Robin.”

“Oh, no, it’s- well, actually I did want her help but I guess if you two are friends that means you must have good taste too, right?”

“That was kinda a backhanded compliment but I’ll take it anyway,” Steve joked. “What were you looking for? I’m not an expert like Rob, but I’ve seen some cool stuff since I got this job.”

“I was looking for something light? Like… I don’t know, something like Back to the Future maybe?” Dottie mused, following him to one of the aisles at the front of the store.

“You’re in luck because I did see that one. Instant classic. I don’t get why Alex P. Keaton was trying to bang his Mom though, what was up with that?” he lowered his voice conspiratorially, making her chuckle.

“He wasn’t, she was trying to bang him,” she said, and Steve’s eyebrows shot up. “She didn’t know he was her son. Are you sure you’ve seen it?”

“Of course I did,” he scoffed. “I saw it with Robin - hey, Rob!”

“Steve, I’m a little busy here,” Robin raised her voice from her side of the store, throwing daggers at him with her eyes.

“Just answer this for me please: did I see Back to the Future with you or not?”

“Yeah, why-”

“Thank you!” Steve triumphantly turned back to Dottie who was watching the entire interaction with an amused expression on her face. “What did I tell you? I saw it!”

“Okay, I believe you,” she laughed. “Can you help me find something similar to that since you’re Michael J. Fox’s biggest fan?”

“Who’s that?” he asked, back turned as he browsed the shelves in search of a VHS he knew he had stocked earlier in the week. “Aha! Here it is, Teen Wolf. I saw it on a date like a month ago, I think you’d like it.”

“Yeah? How did that date turn out for you?”

“Really bad, but the movie was great,” he tapped on the plastic cover. “Big recommend.”

“You’ve convinced me, I’ll take it. Oh, and this one too, please,” Dottie said, walking to the next aisle and picking up another VHS she’d had her eyes on for a while.

“Clue? Like the board game?”

“Exactly! I haven’t seen it yet, but Tim Curry is in it so it must be good.”

“Who’s Tim Curry again?”

“Did you ever end up seeing Rocky Horror?” he nodded so she continued. “He plays Dr. Frank-N-Furter, you know, the guy in the corset?”

“Ah, yes! Yeah, I remember him. It was, uhm, it was a really interesting movie! The music was very catchy,” Steve said, walking over to the counter to ring her up while he scratched his neck nervously. “You know, I’ve been talking with Robin about going to see some shows in Indy, she knows some cool spots and- and they might be showing stuff like Rocky Horror too! I mean, they seem like the kinda places that would show movies like that. You could come with us if you’d like, I know Rob would love that.”

Steve Harrington’s new self-appointed life purpose after striking out on so many dates for the past year, was to be Robin Buckley’s wingman. He was no longer interested in pursuing flings that always led to him on his own couch with his head on Robin’s lap and her hands on his hair while they watched some weird avant-garde movie she’d picked for the day. He was, quite frankly, tired of trying so hard for nothing, and he’d told her as much when he took her out for dinner on her graduation day.

In a so-sad-it’s-almost-comical turn of events, Steve’s big declaration had been forgotten rather quickly when Robin turned her head to call the waitress over and spotted Vickie, fellow band geek and current crush, making out with her college boyfriend, both of them tucked into one of the booths at the back of the restaurant. Steve tried to pick up the pieces of his best friend’s broken heart that night, her head on his lap on the floor of his bathroom for a change, but he simply hadn’t known how to make everything better at the time.

And so, it was during the next morning as he watched Robin snoozing in what was quickly becoming her side on his bed, her reddish-brown hair spilling over his fluffiest pillow, that he decided the only solution was to find Robin a new object of desire, one that would be emotionally available to reciprocate her feelings without fear of becoming the town pariah. In that scenario, who could be better than the short curly haired girl that already looked to be fond of his best friend, was seemingly unafraid of judgment since she already was friends with the freaks, and was about to move to a bigger city where small town sensibilities couldn’t reach either of them?

It was a flawless plan if you asked him. There was only one little problem in it, but Steve couldn’t be blamed for that - he didn’t have all relevant information yet.

“I’d love to go with you guys too!” Dottie said, excited at the prospect of new friends and fun adventures. “I’ve only been to Indy once so I don’t really know any cool places there or anything.”

“Yeah, me neither,” Steve laughed. “Rob’s been a few times with the school’s band though. They get around, did you know that?”

“I’ll take your word for it,” she chuckled, grabbing a few bills from her front pocket. “I have two questions. One, can I get the two movies and popcorn deal? And two, would it be okay if I invited a friend to join us on our big city adventures?”

“One, sweet or salty? Two, that depends,” he said mysteriously, moving over to the snacks display next to the cash register.

“Sweet, please,” she instructed. “Depends on what?”

“I don’t know, is your friend cute?”

“I think so, but I don’t really know your type,” Dottie said, glancing to the side as the front door opened and Eddie walked in, a big grin on his face. “Speak of the devil.”

“Harrington,” Eddie said, sliding next to her and bumping her shoulder like he wasn’t dying to throw an arm around his girlfriend.

“Munson,” Steve greeted him. “Wait, did you- is he the friend you were talking about?”

“You were talking about me with King Steve, princess?” Eddie raised his eyebrows, amused.

“Steve was inviting me to join some cool plans he has with Robin and I thought you might want to come too,” Dottie explained. “I think Dustin would be really happy if you two hung out. He looks up to you both so much.”

“He, uh… Henderson talks about me?” Steve said, surprised.

“Yeah, man, kid worships you,” Eddie scoffed.

“I asked him about you when I saw you at our graduation,” Dottie said, making both boys turn towards her. “He said you were his babysitter, but he thought of you as his older brother.”

“He did? That little shit,” Steve muttered, biting back a self-satisfied smile.

“Gotta talk Claudia into giving him a sibling, that kid’s lonely as hell,” Eddie joked, but his girlfriend didn’t seem to like it very much.

“You’re an only child, if anyone understands what that’s like, it should be you.”

“You’re an only child too,” he noted.

“We should make a club,” Steve said, bringing Dottie’s attention back to him while he put the bag of microwave popcorn and the movies she’d picked in a bag. “I’m also an only child.”

“Hey, sorry I couldn’t say hi earlier!” Robin interrupted their talk, dumping a bunch of VHS cases onto the counter. “Ring all of these up before she changes her mind,” she whispered to Steve, making all three teens snort.

“No worries, you looked pretty busy,” Dottie said, pulling her into a hug. “It’s so nice to see you, we’re kinda neighbors now!”

“Yeah- wait, what?”

“I got a summer job over at Giulia’s! Wanted to come say hi earlier in the week but they keep me on a leash while I’m getting trained.”

“No way!” Robin smiled. “Steve and I love their meatball sandwich!”

“No, you love their meatball sandwich.”

“You always eat the other half, why don’t you get something else if you don’t like it?”

“Because you hate the mortadella sandwich I like so I always let you get the one you want,” he deadpanned, while he finished scanning the stack of movies in front of him.

“Isn’t mortadella horse meat?” Eddie asked.

“No, it’s pork,” Dottie replied, well acquainted with the sandwich menu by then.

“Whatever it is, it’s disgusting,” Robin said, grabbing the bag Steve was offering to her and heading to where the older lady waited while she read the back cover for Cocoon. “Duty calls, have a good night you two.”

“Thanks, Buckley!” Eddie called, but she had already slipped her customer service smile back on to answer more of the old grandma’s questions.

“Well, you guys are done,” Steve said, bracing himself on the counter. “Unless you need anything else?”

“Nope, we’re good, Harrington, thanks,” the metalhead said, arm finally curling around his girlfriend’s waist and pulling her towards the front doors.

“Bye, Steve, see you around!” she said, waving at him over her boyfriend’s shoulder.

“I’ll drop by next week so we can make plans!” he replied, not letting her forget about his invite.

“Please do! Bye, Robin!” was the last thing Dottie could say before the door closed behind her.

Steve rested his head on his hand as he watched Robin wrap up with the older lady and her rambunctious grandchildren, herding all of them towards the exit lest they asked any more questions or shoved a new tape into her hands. As soon as they were gone, she walked back where he was standing and dropped her entire body weight onto the counter; Steve patted her hair as if to say “there, there”.

“So…,” he began.

“So?” Robin replied, voice muffled by her own arms.

“Am I a great wingman or what?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I asked Dorothy to come with us to Indianapolis. Thought she’d be into it. She said yes, by the way, you’re welcome.”

“You did what?! Steve, I’m not- if people knew-,” she began panicking.

No one in Hawkins could know about her best kept secret, which was exactly why Steve had offered to go with her to queer friendly spots in the big city of Indianapolis and act as her alibi should anyone ask. If anyone knew, if anyone found out, if Dottie wasn’t as cool with things like Robin was 99.9% sure she was… Well, it was safe to assume that Robin would be grabbing the bag hidden at the bottom of Steve’s closet and disappearing into the night, probably taking said boy with her.

“You said she was, y’know, like you! She likes Rocky Horror as much as you do, that has to mean something! And this is a perfect chance for you to get over stupid Vickie and her ugly boyfriend, come on, Rob.”

“You can’t just- ugh! You’re such a dingus!” Robin covered her face with her ringed fingers.

“What, what did I do? She seemed really excited about it when I asked!” Steve defended himself, hands on his hips. “She wanted to know if Munson could come too but he’s a freak, he’s probably into it anyway. I’ll distract him, you don’t have to worry about it.”

“Oh my god, you’re just- she’s dating Munson, you idiot!” she said, exasperated.

“What? No, no way! She totally likes girls, you said so yourself.”

“People can like two things at the same time, Steve,” Robin explained in a deadpan tone.

“...They can?” Steve frowned, looking extremely confused as his friend loudly groaned and let her head drop back onto the counter, bracing herself for a long end of shift at Family Video.

Summer nights at the Munson trailer had never really been Eddie’s favorite (mainly due to the lack of air conditioning), but chilling on the couch after dinner with his pedestal fan turned on to its max speed, a funny movie playing on the TV, and his girlfriend tucked into his side, he had to admit he had reached a level of relaxation he didn’t entirely know was possible before that moment.

Wayne was sitting at the kitchen table while he laced his boots - the last step in his routine to get ready for work - and Eddie thought that the only thing that could make the night better was for his Uncle to not have to leave at all. Reluctantly, he contented himself with the knowledge that Wayne had decided to not attend his usual Friday-before-work union meeting to have dinner with them, the KFC bucket they’d all shared now crushed at the bottom of their trash can. The dishes were washed, Eddie had already showered, and Dottie had changed into her pajamas by the time Wayne finally said goodbye to the teens, warning them to behave and not piss off any neighbors with loud music like his nephew was known to do, especially on weekend nights.

Everything felt peaceful, perfectly cozy and comforting after a long week filled with new jobs and snappy customers. The sounds of Teen Wolf filled the air, the constant whirring of the fan and the cool breeze on his skin were lulling him into a dreamlike state. As the movie progressed and Dottie sank more and more into the couch cushions, his heavy arm draped around her shoulders, Eddie pulled her legs onto his lap where he drew patterns on her skin with his fingertips, brain completely turned off as he watched Michael J. Fox prance around a basketball court with fake fur all over his body. Had he been less comatose from the amount of fried chicken and mashed potatoes he’d consumed at dinnertime, maybe he’d have noticed sooner that his girlfriend was not enjoying the quiet moment as much as he was.

Dottie simply could not focus on the movie playing in front of them, head busy nervously anticipating the moment when Eddie would finally make a move on her. And yet, as the minutes ticked on and he looked exponentially engrossed in the story unfolding on his TV, it was looking very unlikely that he would try to do anything about the fact that they were going to be completely alone for the next ten hours. What’s happening? Did I scare him off? She felt like prey waiting for her predator to pounce, except he didn’t seem too concerned in chasing her in the first place. Eddie’s perfectly innocent behavior set all her alarms off - there was danger in the unknown, and Dottie didn’t like not knowing what to expect.

“You want another one?” Eddie’s voice startled her.

“Huh?”

“I’m gonna get another Coke, you want one too?” he shook the empty can in his hand to illustrate his point.

“Oh, no, thank you. Mine’s still pretty full,” she replied, pointing to her barely touched can on his coffee table next to her yet unopened bag of gummy bears.

“Be right back,” he muttered, pressing a noisy kiss to her hairline as he moved her legs from his lap back onto the couch and jogged towards his fridge.

They were more than half an hour into the movie and Dottie painfully realized that by this time, Tyler would have already had her topless on his bed. Back then, there had been many times where she had wanted to continue watching their chosen film instead of doing, well, that, but she had never mentioned it to him for fear of pissing him off. That’s what girlfriends and boyfriends did when they were alone after all, wasn’t it? Jeannie and Tracey had said it was normal when she asked them about it after the first time it had happened. Would Nancy agree with them? Would Chrissy, or Robin?

Eddie padded his way back to the couch, finally noticing that something was off. Dottie wasn’t watching the TV like he thought she had been all along - no, her head was turned towards the screen’s general area but her eyes weren’t focused on anything in particular, right hand restlessly playing with her Mom’s ring on her left middle finger. She jumped when he grabbed her ankle, sitting back down next to her and pulling her legs back onto his lap.

“Hey,” he whispered, lowering his head to look into her eyes. “You okay?”

“Yeah, of course,” she whispered back, settling against his side like she hadn’t recoiled when he’d touched her.

“You sure? I can see your brain working overtime.”

“Yeah, I’m okay. I’m just… thinking about next week, don’t worry about it. You’re missing the movie,” she lied quickly, hoping to throw his attention off her and back onto the screen.

“Fuck the movie. What’s next week?”

“Uh, your gig?” she chuckled. “We’re going to Indy on Friday, remember? You’re supposed to be driving us there.”

“Oh,” he said, surprised. “Yeah, no, of course I remember that but you… I mean, you looked like you wanted to throw up for a sec there. What’s wrong? You don’t wanna come?”

“What?! I got you that gig, of course I wanna go!” Dottie said, like he was insane for even suggesting she didn’t wanna be there.

“I’m just asking, darling, that’s all,” he squeezed her close. “You’re like, super tense right now, what’s going on?”

“I… I have nothing to wear,” she rolled her eyes, doubling down on her lie. “It’s silly, you don’t wanna hear about it.”

“Nope, no, none of that,” he shook his head. “If I’m asking, it’s because I wanna know. Hey, why don’t you ask Nancy to go shopping with you, huh?”

“I was kinda hoping I could borrow something from you, actually.”

“Yeah? You wanna raid my closet?” he smiled, smitten.

“Can I?”

“What’s mine is yours, princess,” Eddie said, nosing her hair. “You know I love it when you wear my clothes. How about I bring some stuff over for you on Friday when I pick you up and you can do my makeup like we talked about? Sound good?”

“Sounds perfect, Ed,” she smiled back, burrowing into his chest and pressing a kiss to the soft cotton. “Thank you.”

Even after she settled back next to him like nothing was wrong, Eddie knew that she had been lying. He could tell instantly, not only because he prided himself in knowing her like the back of his hand, but because he’d always found Dorothy Burke pretty easy to read. With her sitting so close next to him, he could pick up on all the little things he knew by now were signs of nervousness: the racing heart, the shallow breaths, the twitching fingers. Enough was enough, and Eddie decided that he’d confront her and get it over with, or else he’d never forgive himself for pretending everything was fine when it clearly wasn’t.

“Okay, Dot, come on, this-,” he sat up, pulling her up with him. “I can feel your fucking heartbeat. I know something’s up. Just tell me what it is so we can fix it, mhm?”

Dottie had never been one to ever shy away from Eddie’s affections; if anything, she had always given as good as she got. Hugs always lasted a little bit longer than they should, kisses were pressed to places that weren’t the apples of their cheeks, and wandering hands had never been stopped before, even before they’d begun dating. It was for that same reason that her reaction to him simply asking if anything was wrong scared him half to death, because he wasn’t used to her pulling away whenever he initiated physical contact. Eddie hadn’t even finished settling into his new sitting position when she moved further away from him, knees up in front of her like she was trying to put up a wall between them.

Eddie looked at her, really, truly looked at her for the first time all evening and immediately didn’t like what he saw. Her eyes were shifty and shiny, the lips he adored so much were turned into a sad looking pout, and her arms were wrapped around her legs like she was shielding herself from him. Had he read this entire situation wrong? She’d agreed to stay the night with him, even lied to her Dad about it. Had he come across as too eager? Too needy? Had he scared her off somehow?

“Baby, what- what happened? Did I do something wrong?” Eddie asked, searching her eyes with his as she moved her head down to avoid having to look at him. “D’you wanna go home? I- I can take you, you don’t have to stay-”

“Aren’t you gonna make a move on me?” she asked, voice timid but dejected.

“Huh?”

He swore she was fucking with him. She had to be. There was just no other way, because out of any combination of words that could have come out of her mouth at that moment, that exact sentence had never once crossed his mind. Dottie finally lifted her eyes to look at him upon hearing his confused reaction; he had never seen her so nervous and unsure of anything since the day met her. Suddenly, he was reminded of that shy girl that had padded her way into the props room all those months ago, terrified and vulnerable, yet brave in ways he hadn’t considered she could be at the time. Desperate for human connection, for someone to look at her and say hey, welcome, take a seat and don’t you dare leave. He had been trying so hard to go at her pace, to not rush her or make her feel pressured. Where had he failed?

“I’m sorry, could you- shit, say that again for me, please,” he said, dumbfounded.

“Are you going to make a move on me or not, Ed? It’s a simple question,” Dottie repeated, visibly upset.

“I- I wasn’t- Did you want me to or…?”

“No! I mean, yes, I- I don’t know,” she said, hunching over her knees, shoulders coming up in self-defense. “Isn’t that why I’m here? Because you wanna have sex?”

“Fuck, I’m-”, Eddie scrunched his face and moved closer, hands finding hers and tangling their fingers together. The tightness in his chest eased when she didn’t pull them back. “Baby, no. I invited you over because I wanted to spend time with you. Do you really think I would only ask you to come over so I can get laid?”

“Well, isn’t that what couples are supposed to do when they’re alone? Have sex?”

“When they want to, yeah, of course,” he moved his hand to her chin and lifted her face gently. “But that’s not why I asked you to spend the night, babe. Look, I know I’m selfish, okay? We had fun today with the guys, but I just wanted you all to myself for a while. Wanted to watch a movie and hold you like this, that’s all. No sex involved, I swear.”

“Oh,” she said with furrowed brows, and fell quiet for a moment. The movie kept playing in the background as she spoke up again. “I’ve never really done that before.”

“You’ve never watched a movie with your boyfriend before?” he pushed a curl behind her ear.

“No, I- I’ve done that, kinda. I’ve just never been to my boyfriend’s house when he’s alone and not had sex.”

“Oh,” it was Eddie’s turn to be surprised.

“It’s just that Tyler and I - we never hung out like that after we started dating. We always went out with other friends, and if I went to his house we’d, y’know, do it. I thought you wanted us to do that too.”

“Okay, wait, hold on,” he shook his head as if that could help him clear his mind. “You only went to his house to have sex? You never, like, chilled out with him? Watched a movie, played a board game, I don’t know, anything that wasn’t sex?”

“Jeannie said that’s, like, the only reason why guys invite you over-”

“Fuck Jeannie, she’s an idiot,” he argued. “Answer my question, darling. Did you ever go to his house and not have sex?”

“I… I don’t think so? It wasn’t a big deal, we just… he said we should take advantage of the empty house since we didn’t get to spend a lot of time alone.”

“Did you even want to take advantage of the empty house?”

“I dunno. Sometimes.”

“Dot.”

“It’s not like that!” she crossed her arms and looked away, feeling judged and embarrassed. “I didn’t enjoy it very much, okay? It was just a thing we did sometimes. He wasn’t, like, forcing me! I could always leave or not go if I didn’t want to.”

“Jesus Christ,” Eddie said in disbelief.

“I don’t want to talk about this anymore,” Dottie declared, getting up from the couch and collecting their discarded snacks from the coffee table.

“No, I really think we should,” he followed her into the kitchen.

“Why? So you can keep mocking me because I thought you wanted to have sex with me? It’s fine, Eddie, I made a mistake, I get it.”

“I’m not mocking you! I’m just trying to understand- can you please- fuckin’ hell, Dot, stop fucking cleaning my kitchen!”

Teen Wolf was still playing in the background as they stared at each other, knowing full well neither of them was going to back down. The wet rag on Dottie’s hand dripped water onto the linoleum, silence stretching between them. Eddie waited, and waited, his expression worried and desperate at the same time. Her lower lip quivered the more she looked into his earnest eyes. She felt so dumb and small. All day she’d been stressing herself out at the possibility of Eddie wanting to take their relationship to the next level and he hadn’t even thought about it. Wanted to watch a movie and hold you, he’d said.

Dottie had never really known what it was to desire intimacy until Eddie had waltzed right into her life, and the more she pondered on it, the more ashamed she felt. Wasn’t he supposed to want it more than she did? He was the man after all, that’s what guys did, right? What did it mean then, if she was ready for more and he wasn’t? Did he not want her at all? Wasn’t he as attracted to her as she was to him?

“Can we please forget I said anything?” she mumbled, more droplets of water hitting the floor as she unconsciously squeezed the rag in her fist.

“No, baby, we can’t,” he said softly, reaching to remove the wet cloth from her hands and guiding her towards the couch again one step at a time. “We really have to talk about this.”

“It’s so humiliating, Eddie, please,” Dottie pleaded. “You don’t want to do it, I get it. It’s okay, I shouldn’t have assumed-”

“Darling Dottie, baby, my love,” he put his hands on her shoulders dramatically. “You don’t want to know how much I actually want to have sex with you because I promise you it’s a lot, but we need to talk about this because I can’t have you thinking that the only reason I want to spend time with you is because there might be fucking involved.”

“I know that’s not the only thing, but-,” she began with burning cheeks, but he stopped her by pushing her onto the cushions again.

“No, no, no. No buts. We can finish the movie and go to sleep on opposite sides of the bed and I wouldn’t give a shit. Am I gonna jerk off in the bathroom when you’re out of here? Fuck yeah, you’re hot as shit, babe,” he said, pleased that even though she groaned and covered her face with her hands, she giggled at his crass words. “But I need you to understand that we don’t have to do anything we don’t feel like doing. Ever. I’m happy with this. I’m happy with you.”

“You really mean that?”

“Do you even know how much it means to me that you want to sleep in my bed with me?” Eddie said, his voice sounding constricted. “That no matter what happens, if we have sex or not, that you’re still gonna be there when I wake up?”

“Why wouldn’t I be there?” Dottie looked confused.

“Darling, come on,” he said, like it was obvious. “I’ve never been dating material. No one has ever been interested in doing that shit with me, at least not until you showed up. Look, if you want to do it, I’m all for it. I promise you, seeing you today at the lake in those cute little panties had me almost drowning myself. I’d be happy to do literally anything with you, but if you think we have to do it because I want it, then get that idea out of your head, okay? This is… this is new to me. No one has ever wanted me just for me and you say you do, so I’m going slow with you because I honestly don’t know what the fuck I’m doing and I don’t want to fuck this up,” he pulled her hands away from where they were tucked against her chest and kneaded her skin with his thumbs. “You mean too much to me to rush into things because I’m thinking with the wrong head.”

“Eddie,” she groaned, letting her head fall forward until it hit his collarbone.

“What?” he chuckled.

Dottie felt like shit. She couldn’t even pretend not to feel like shit, because that’s truly how she felt. Here was Eddie, sweet, loving, perfect Eddie battling his own demons and still putting her first, and all she could think about was how she’d basically cornered him and accused him of not making a move on her because he didn’t like her enough to have sex with her. He did like her, more than enough if he was to believed, and he yet he was still willing to wait because he didn’t want to fuck anything up.

Her heart broke for him as they sat on the couch, his head coming to rest on top of hers and his nails lightly scratching her back on top of her pjs. She put her arms around his waist and held him, horribly cognizant of how much love was stored in him, and how little he’d received from others throughout his entire life. The idea that anyone had taken Eddie to bed (or, most accurately, to the back of his van) and had made him feel disposable and unwanted was almost unthinkable to her. How could anyone leave him after seeing him at his most vulnerable? No, that was simply unacceptable, and Dottie knew she couldn’t let that notion fester in his brain anymore.

“I’m sorry,” she said, nuzzling his jaw. “I don’t really have a lot of experience on this and I thought you were just waiting until we were alone, and then when you didn’t even kiss me, I thought I’d done something wrong.”

“Wait, I haven’t kissed you since Wayne left?”

“You gave me a kiss on the cheek at lunch.”

“I haven’t kissed you all day?!” Eddie was appalled.

“It’s okay, we haven’t really been alone-”

“It’s not okay, we need to fix this,” he said, squishing her cheeks and planting a peck on her lips. “Can’t fucking believe-” he smooched her again. “-I haven’t-” Smooch. “-kissed this pretty face-”

“Eddie, stop!” she laughed, mirth in her face and in her voice.

“Prettiest- fucking- girl-,” he kept pressing wet kisses to every part of her face he could reach while she giggled and tried to squirm out of his reach. “Why are you running away from me, huh? Let me love you, come on!”

Time stopped when Dottie’s back hit the cushion she’d been sitting on, Eddie falling on top of her and barely managing to hold himself up in time so he wouldn’t hit her face with his big head. He let out a silly laugh, grateful for his quick reflexes or else they’d be dealing with a bloody nose, but he cut it short when he felt Dottie’s hand come up to push his unruly hair behind his ear. She was smiling, yes, but she was looking up at him with the kind of loving eyes he’d only ever seen in movies before he’d met her. Eyes he never thought one day could be looking at him.

The tension in the air was thick as she made herself comfortable between his arms, legs opening so he could hover over her like he’d done a few times by now whenever they kissed on her bed. Eddie was about to lean in to do just that when she moved her hand from his hair and brought it to the buttons at the front of her pajama set. As if transfixed, he saw her undo the first button, and then the second one, the dainty blue floral pattern giving way to skin covered by a pure white cotton bra with a thin lace trim. Her fingers were onto the third button when Eddie’s right hand covered hers, stopping her movements at once.

“W-what are you doing?” he said, searching her face for any signs of discomfort or unease. He found none.

“Can you help me take this off?” she said, with that characteristic tender determination he loved so much.

“We don’t have to. That’s not what I meant-”

“Just love me, Eddie. Please.”

“Darling, I-,” he was terrified. Completely and utterly terrified, his big doe eyes shining as he tried to find the words for what he was feeling.

“I’m gonna be here when you fall asleep, and I’ll still be here when you wake up. I promise,” she whispered, knees rising until they bracketed his hips, her hands moving to cup his face again.

“I love you,” Eddie said, letting his weight pull him down and into her embrace as he burrowed his head into her neck. “Fuck, I’m so in love with you.”

“I love you too, Ed.”

“Yeah? You do?”

“Mhm. So so much.”

“Okay,” he mumbled wetly.

He gave himself a few seconds to breathe in the moment and she let him, understanding that as much as this meant to her, it meant a whole lot to him too. After mentally patting himself on the back a couple of times, he rose back again onto his forearms and nodded once, like he was convincing himself that he wouldn’t ruin anything by charging forward. After all, it looked like she had been waiting for him at the next pit stop once more.

“Okay, we’re gonna do this, yeah? You ready?” he asked, mouth pulling into half a smile.

“Yeah. You might have to, like, have some patience with me. Because I want this, I swear I do, but I’m really nervous.”

“I’m nervous too,” he said, filled with easy excitement. “Let’s, uh, let’s get ready for bed first, okay? And we can see where it goes from there?”

“Yeah, okay,” she agreed.

There was palpable electricity around them as they collected themselves for the night. While Dottie was in the bathroom, Eddie took his time straightening the living room for when Wayne came home, not wanting a repeat from the awkward talk they’d had with him a few weeks back. He didn’t want to disappoint his old man; he really had taught him better than that. When she was done and it was his turn to brush his teeth, she waited for him right next to the light switch, and once he returned to her, they moved together hand in hand from the darkened area to his cozy bedroom, self-contained mess on every corner welcoming them further in.

“Do, uh,” Eddie said as he clicked his door closed. “Do you want the lights on or off?”

“Off, I think,” Dottie replied, chewing anxiously on her nail again. “But maybe we could open the curtain a little bit? I think that’d be good.”

Once the room was sufficiently shrouded in darkness and their eyes had adjusted to the pouring moonlight, Eddie suddenly remembered something of vital importance he had tucked away in one of his drawers. Dottie watched him from where she was sitting on the corner of his bed; he moved around old shirts and socks until he found what he had been looking for. Sheepishly, he turned to her and held a little blue box, almost identical to the one they’d thrown out when they’d cleaned his room all those months earlier.

“Figured this would come in handy one day,” he scratched his neck with a sorry grin on his face. “I promise I checked the expiry date on these before I got them.”

“Yeah, that’s, that’s kinda very important,” she laughed at how ridiculously bashful they were being. “Y-you wanna get in now?”

“Sure!”

Eddie threw the newly purchased box of condoms onto his bedside table to find later if he happened to need them and got under the covers, lifting them up for her to get in as well. They lay there for a few seconds, turned onto their sides so they could see each other but neither moved. Feeling very goofy because of how much they were tiptoeing around the whole thing, he reached out across the bed until his fingertips found her arm, gently pulling her closer.

“Come ‘ere,” he whispered, tucking her into his side like he’d done so many times before and was sure he’d do many more times in the future.

“I love you,” she said, between soft kisses.

“I love you,” he replied.

Summer nights at the Munson trailer had never been Eddie’s favorite, at least not until now. He didn’t care anymore about the climbing temperatures and the fact that they didn’t have a functioning aircon, he couldn’t find it in himself to give two shits about the way the neighbor’s dog barked all fucking night, and how the cicadas never stopped singing their song until the sun was out in the sky again. How could he, when there was a literal miracle happening right inside his own bedroom?

As the two lost teens found themselves in each other, a dream grew underneath their shared bed: flowers fed with love blossomed in the humble garden of an imaginary fixer-upper in a quiet, yet pleasantly quirky neighborhood. There was a dog basking in the sun in the backyard, and a swing in the front porch with hand-sewn cushions on it. And in the imaginary foyer of the imaginary house, on the imaginary entrance table right below the imaginary frames that held pictures of moments that hadn’t happened yet, sat a shared bowl of rusty keys from long forgotten padlocks that neither owner knew where they were anymore, the keys not belonging to one or other, but to both of them at the same time.

taglist: @munsonology @kurdtbean @every1lovesanunderdog @eg-dr3amer3 @oneforthemunny @munsons-queen

[naturalassemblyltd]

Go For The Best Purchase Travel Backpack Women's In Canada

The right backpack is key to successful travel. If you want to purchase travel backpack women's in Canada, your search is over here. The market has several choices of mattresses to fit differing requirements and inclinations. A guide on what travel backpack you should buy in terms of good quality. Read more: https://naturalassembly.blogspot.com/2024/08/go-for-best-purchase-travel-backpack.html

[noisycowboyglitter]

Camp Hero State Park: A Historical Gem on Montauk Point

"Camp Hero" embodies the spirit of adventure, teamwork, and personal growth often found in summer camps. This term represents a transformative experience where campers discover their strengths, build confidence, and forge lasting friendships. At Camp Hero, participants engage in a variety of activities, from outdoor challenges and team-building exercises to creative arts and leadership training.

Buy now:19.95$

The program emphasizes the development of essential life skills, such as problem-solving, resilience, and communication, all within a supportive environment. Campers are encouraged to step outside their comfort zones, tackle new challenges, and support one another, fostering a sense of community and camaraderie.

"Camp Hero" also highlights the importance of mentorship, as counselors guide campers on their journey, helping them to become leaders in their own right. This nurturing atmosphere inspires campers to embrace their individuality while celebrating the diversity of their peers.

Buy now

Ultimately, Camp Hero is more than just a place; it’s a mindset that encourages young people to become the best versions of themselves, empowering them to carry the lessons learned at camp into their everyday lives, creating heroes in their own communities.

Montauk, Long Island, New York, is a charming destination known for its stunning beaches and vibrant maritime culture. A perfect gift from Montauk captures the essence of this coastal gem. Consider unique items like handcrafted seashell jewelry, artisanal local foods, or branded apparel featuring the iconic lighthouse.

For beach lovers, a gift basket filled with sunblock, beach towels, and local snacks makes the perfect surprise. Art prints depicting Montauk’s picturesque landscapes or nautical-themed decor also serve as wonderful mementos.

Buy now

Whether it's for a friend or a special keepsake for yourself, gifts from Montauk offer a taste of summer alongside the nostalgia of beach days and unforgettable sunsets, making them ideal for anyone who cherishes the beauty of Long Island.

"Camping Stuff for Women" celebrates gear designed with female adventurers in mind. From lightweight tents and stylish backpacks to comfortable sleeping bags and multifunctional tools, these products enhance the camping experience. Fashionable yet functional clothing, like moisture-wicking layers and durable footwear, ensures comfort during outdoor activities.

Buy now

Accessories like personalized camp mugs, compact cooking sets, and eco-friendly toiletries cater to women’s needs while embracing the spirit of adventure. With thoughtful camping essentials, outdoor exploration becomes enjoyable and empowering for every woman.

[hoccodress]

Essentials Hoodie - Fear Of God Hoodie For Men's And Women's

Buy Essentials Hoodie For Men's And Women's. Here we offer the latest collection of Fear Of God Essentials Hoodie with fast shipping.

The Ultimate Guide to Essentials Hoodies: Everything You Need to Know

Essentials hoodies have become a staple in modern fashion, embodying a unique blend of comfort, style, and versatility. As the demand for streetwear continues to soar, the Essentials brand has cemented its place as a go-to for those seeking high-quality, minimalist designs that can be worn in a variety of settings. In this comprehensive guide, we delve into everything you need to know about Essentials hoodies, from their design and material to styling tips and care instructions.

What Makes Essentials Hoodies Stand Out?

Essentials hoodies are celebrated for their understated elegance and superior quality. The brand, created by Fear of God designer Jerry Lorenzo, has made a name for itself by focusing on simplicity and functionality without compromising on style. Here’s why Essentials hoodies are a cut above the rest:

Premium Materials: Essentials hoodies are made from high-quality fabrics such as cotton, polyester, and fleece blends that ensure durability and comfort. These materials are not only soft to the touch but also resistant to wear and tear, making the hoodies long-lasting.

Minimalist Design: The beauty of Essentials hoodies lies in their minimalist design. With clean lines, neutral colors, and subtle branding, these hoodies can be effortlessly incorporated into any wardrobe. The lack of ostentatious logos or graphics makes them perfect for those who prefer a more subdued style.

Versatility: Whether you're lounging at home, hitting the gym, or going out for a casual day, Essentials hoodies are versatile enough to be worn in almost any setting. Their timeless design ensures they never go out of style, making them a worthy investment.

Comfort: One of the key selling points of Essentials hoodie is their comfort. The soft, breathable fabric ensures that you stay cozy without overheating, making these hoodies ideal for all seasons.

Different Styles of Essentials Hoodies

Essentials offers a range of hoodie styles to cater to different preferences and needs. Here’s a look at some of the most popular options:

Pullover Hoodies: The classic pullover hoodie is a must-have in any wardrobe. It features a kangaroo pocket, an adjustable drawstring hood, and a relaxed fit that’s perfect for everyday wear.

Zip-Up Hoodies: For those who prefer a bit more flexibility, the zip-up hoodie is a great choice. It offers the same comfort as a pullover but with the added convenience of a zipper, making it easy to layer over other clothing.

Oversized Hoodies: Oversized hoodies have become increasingly popular for their laid-back, relaxed vibe. Essentials’ oversized hoodies provide a modern twist on the traditional hoodie, offering extra room and length for a more casual look.

Cropped Hoodies: For a more fashion-forward approach, the cropped hoodie is an excellent option. It’s shorter in length, making it perfect for pairing with high-waisted pants or skirts for a trendy, athleisure look.

How to Style Essentials Hoodies

Styling Essentials hoodies is a breeze due to their versatility and neutral color palette. Here are some tips on how to incorporate them into your wardrobe:

Casual Look: Pair your Essentials pullover hoodie with classic jeans and sneakers for a laid-back, everyday outfit. Add a baseball cap and a backpack for a touch of urban flair.

Athleisure: For a sporty vibe, team an oversized Essentials hoodie with leggings or joggers and your favorite pair of athletic shoes. This look is perfect for running errands or hitting the gym.

Layering: Essentials zip-up hoodies are great for layering. Wear one over a simple t-shirt or tank top, and add a bomber jacket or a denim jacket for a cool, layered effect.

Street Style: To elevate your street style game, try pairing a cropped Essentials hoodie with high-waisted pants or a skirt. Complete the look with chunky sneakers or combat boots.

Smart Casual: Believe it or not, you can even incorporate an Essentials hoodie into a smart-casual outfit. Choose a neutral-colored hoodie and layer it under a blazer. Pair with tailored trousers and loafers for a chic, contemporary look.

Why Invest in an Essentials Hoodie?

Investing in an Essentials hoodie is about more than just following a trend. Here are some compelling reasons why these hoodies are worth every penny:

Longevity: Thanks to their high-quality construction and materials, Essentials hoodies are built to last. Unlike cheaper alternatives, they won’t lose their shape or color after a few washes.

Timeless Appeal: The minimalist design of Essentials hoodies means they won’t go out of style anytime soon. You can wear them season after season, year after year, without them looking dated.

Comfort Meets Style: Essentials hoodies strike the perfect balance between comfort and style. Whether you’re lounging at home or heading out, you’ll look effortlessly stylish while feeling cozy.

Ethical Production: Essentials is committed to ethical production practices. By investing in one of their hoodies, you’re supporting a brand that values fair labor practices and sustainable sourcing.

Caring for Your Essentials Hoodie

To ensure your Essentials hoodie stays in top condition for as long as possible, follow these care instructions:

Washing: Always wash your hoodie in cold water with like colors. Avoid using bleach or harsh detergents, as they can damage the fabric.

Drying: To prevent shrinking or stretching, air dry your hoodie by laying it flat on a clean surface. If you must use a dryer, opt for a low heat setting.

Ironing: If your hoodie becomes wrinkled, use a low heat iron. Be sure to place a cloth between the iron and the hoodie to avoid direct heat contact.

Storage: Store your hoodie in a cool, dry place. Avoid hanging it for long periods, as this can cause the fabric to stretch.

Where to Buy Essentials Hoodies

Essentials hoodies are available from a variety of retailers, both online and in-store. However, to ensure you’re getting an authentic product, it’s best to purchase directly from the Fear of God website or authorized stockists like SSENSE, Mr. Porter, and Farfetch.

Conclusion

Essentials hoodies are a must-have for anyone who values quality, comfort, and timeless style. Their versatility makes them a valuable addition to any wardrobe, capable of adapting to various settings and outfits. Whether you’re a fashion enthusiast or someone who simply appreciates well-made clothing, an Essentials hoodie is a worthy investment that you’ll enjoy for years to come.

[shipfound]

Ultimate Guide to Camping & Travel Gear: Shop the Best Essentials for Women in the USA

When it comes to outdoor adventures, the right gear can make all the difference. Whether you’re a seasoned explorer or a newcomer to camping and backpacking, investing in high-quality clothing and equipment is essential. For women in the USA who love the great outdoors, selecting the best camping & backpacking clothing is a crucial step in preparing for any adventure. The right clothing can provide comfort, protection, and durability, ensuring that you can fully enjoy your time in nature without worrying about the weather or terrain. In the USA, there are numerous options available that cater specifically to the needs of women who are passionate about outdoor activities. These clothing items are designed to be functional and stylish, with features that make them suitable for a wide range of outdoor conditions. From breathable, moisture-wicking tops to insulated jackets that keep you warm on chilly nights, the options are endless.

For those planning an upcoming trip, it’s easier than ever to buy online travel gear essentials in the USA and Canada. Shopping online allows you to access a wide range of products that are designed to make your travels more convenient and enjoyable. From sturdy backpacks and portable stoves to lightweight travel water bottles, you can find everything you need with just a few clicks. The convenience of shopping online means that you can take your time comparing different products, reading reviews, and finding the best deals without having to leave your home. Whether you’re heading out on a weekend camping trip or embarking on a longer journey, having access to the right travel gear is essential for a smooth and successful adventure.

When it comes to camping, having a reliable tent is one of the most important aspects of your gear setup. For those who enjoy a touch of luxury even in the wild, shopping for a portable luxury canvas tent for camping and backpacking is an excellent choice. These tents are designed to provide a comfortable and spacious shelter that feels like a home away from home. Unlike traditional nylon tents, canvas tents are known for their durability, breathability, and ability to withstand harsh weather conditions. Whether you’re camping in the mountains, by the beach, or in the forest, a luxury canvas tent offers the perfect blend of comfort and protection, allowing you to relax and enjoy your surroundings in style.

Another essential piece of equipment for any camping or backpacking trip is a sleeping bag. Finding the best budget adult sleeping bags for camping & backpacking online in the USA can be a game-changer for your outdoor adventures. Sleeping bags are designed to keep you warm and comfortable during the night, allowing you to get a good night’s sleep even in cold weather. There are a variety of options available, ranging from lightweight summer sleeping bags to heavy-duty winter models. When shopping online, you can easily compare different sleeping bags based on factors such as temperature rating, weight, and packability, ensuring that you find the perfect one for your needs. A good sleeping bag is an investment in your comfort and safety, making it one of the most important pieces of gear in your camping arsenal.

In addition to the essentials like tents and sleeping bags, it’s also important to buy camping and hiking accessories online to complete your gear setup. Accessories like cooking utensils, portable stoves, headlamps, and multi-tools can make your outdoor experience more convenient and enjoyable. Shopping for these items online gives you access to a wide range of products, including the latest innovations in outdoor gear. Whether you need a compact stove for cooking meals on the go or a reliable headlamp for nighttime activities, buying your camping and hiking accessories online ensures that you’re well-prepared for any situation. The right accessories can make your camping trip more enjoyable by providing the tools you need to cook, navigate, and handle unexpected challenges.

For travelers who want to stay organized and connected on the go, a travel accessories online store is the perfect place to shop for travel tech essentials gadgets online. These stores offer a wide range of products designed to make your travels smoother and more enjoyable. From portable chargers and travel adapters to noise-canceling headphones and luggage organizers, you can find everything you need to stay connected and organized while on the move. In today’s digital age, staying connected is more important than ever, and having the right gadgets can make all the difference. Portable chargers ensure that your devices stay powered throughout your trip, while travel adapters allow you to use your electronics in different countries. Noise-canceling headphones are a must-have for long flights, helping you relax and enjoy your journey in peace. Luggage organizers keep your belongings neat and accessible, making packing and unpacking a breeze.

When it comes to adventure travel, having the right backpack is crucial. An adventure travel gear backpack online store for men and women offers a variety of options designed to meet the specific needs of outdoor enthusiasts. These backpacks are built to withstand rugged conditions, with features like waterproof materials, ergonomic designs, and multiple compartments for organizing your gear. Whether you're hiking through the mountains, trekking in the desert, or exploring a new city, having a reliable backpack is essential for carrying your essentials and keeping them safe. The best adventure travel backpacks are not only durable but also comfortable to wear, with padded straps and back panels that reduce strain on your body during long hikes or walks. Shopping for a backpack online allows you to choose from a wide range of options, ensuring you find the perfect one for your needs.

Staying hydrated is essential during any outdoor activity, and having a lightweight travel water bottle is a must. When you buy a lightweight travel water bottle online, you have access to various designs and features that cater to different preferences. Some water bottles are collapsible, making them easy to pack when not in use, while others come with built-in filters that allow you to safely drink water from natural sources. Whether you're camping, hiking, or traveling, a good water bottle will keep you hydrated and healthy. The convenience of buying a water bottle online means you can find the perfect bottle that suits your needs, whether you're looking for something compact and easy to carry or a bottle that can keep your drinks cold for hours.

In conclusion, preparing for your next outdoor adventure or travel experience is easier than ever with the wide range of camping, hiking, and travel gear available online. From specialized camping clothing for women in the USA to luxury canvas tents, budget sleeping bags, and essential travel gadgets, online stores offer everything you need to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable journey. By shopping for these items online, you can take advantage of the convenience, variety, and competitive pricing that the digital marketplace offers. Whether you're a seasoned adventurer or planning your first trip, having the right gear will make your experience memorable and stress-free. So gear up, plan your trip, and get ready to explore the great outdoors with confidence.

For More Details, Please Visit Us At – 

Travel Accessories Online Store - Shop Travel Tech Essentials Gadgets Online

Adventure travel gear backpack online store for men and women

Buy Lightweight Travel Water Bottle Online

Camping & Backpacking clothing for women in USA

Buy Online Travel Gear Essentials In USA and Canada

Shop Portable Luxury Canvas Tent For Camping and Backpacking

Best Budget adult sleeping bags for camping & Backpacking online USA

Buy Camping And Hiking Accessories Online

[bally-uae]

Buy Bags For Women Online In UAE | Bally UAE

Bags have always been an integral part of women's fashion. From functional totes to stylish clutches, the right bag can elevate any outfit, making it essential to choose wisely. This guide will explore the different types of Bags for Women, the significance of each, and tips on how to select the perfect bag to suit your lifestyle and personal style.

The Importance of a Good Bag

1. Functionality Meets Fashion

A well-chosen bag combines functionality with fashion. It needs to carry your essentials while also complementing your look. Whether you're heading to work, a night out, or a weekend getaway, the right bag ensures you have everything you need while looking stylish.

2. Expression of Personal Style

Bags are a great way to express your personal style. From sleek, minimalist designs to bold, statement pieces, your choice of bag can reflect your personality and enhance your overall appearance.

3. Versatility

A versatile bag can be a game-changer in your wardrobe. A bag that transitions seamlessly from day to night or from casual to formal can save you time and effort, ensuring you're always prepared for any occasion.

Popular Types of Bags for Women

1. Tote Bags

Tote bags are the epitome of practicality. Spacious and often featuring simple, elegant designs, tote bags are perfect for carrying everyday essentials. Whether you're heading to work, running errands, or hitting the gym, a tote bag provides ample space without compromising on style. Brands like Longchamp and Michael Kors offer a variety of chic and functional tote bags.

2. Crossbody Bags

Crossbody bags are ideal for hands-free convenience. With an adjustable strap that can be worn across the body, these bags offer both security and style. They are perfect for casual outings, shopping trips, or traveling. Look for designs from Coach and Kate Spade for stylish and practical options.

3. Shoulder Bags

Shoulder bags are a timeless classic. They come in various sizes and styles, making them suitable for both casual and formal occasions. Whether you prefer a structured leather bag or a soft, slouchy design, shoulder bags offer versatility and elegance. Brands like Gucci and Prada are known for their iconic shoulder bag designs.

4. Clutches

Clutches are the go-to choice for evening events and special occasions. Sleek and compact, they are designed to hold just the essentials. From minimalist designs to embellished, statement pieces, clutches add a touch of sophistication to any outfit. Check out collections from Jimmy Choo and Alexander McQueen for stunning options.

5. Backpacks

Backpacks have transcended their schoolyard roots to become a fashionable accessory for women. Perfect for those on the go, modern backpacks combine practicality with style. Whether you're a student, a professional, or a traveler, brands like Fjällräven and Herschel Supply Co. offer stylish and functional backpacks for every need.

6. Satchels

Satchels offer a blend of structure and style. With their boxy shape and top handles, satchels are perfect for both work and leisure. They often feature multiple compartments, making organization easy. Look for designs from Mulberry and Chloé for elegant satchel options.

How to Choose the Perfect Bag

1. Consider Your Lifestyle

When choosing a bag, consider your daily activities and needs. Do you need a spacious bag for work? Or a compact option for nights out? Understanding your lifestyle will help you select a bag that meets your requirements.

2. Focus on Quality

Investing in a high-quality bag is always a wise decision. Look for bags made from durable materials with strong stitching and reliable hardware. A well-made bag will not only look better but also last longer.

3. Opt for Timeless Designs

While trendy bags are tempting, timeless designs offer more versatility and longevity. Classic shapes and neutral colors can be paired with a variety of outfits, ensuring your bag remains stylish for years to come.

4. Pay Attention to Details

Details like the type of closure, interior organization, and strap length can significantly impact the functionality of a bag. Choose a bag that suits your preferences and makes your daily life easier.

[toughgirlchallenges]

Sunny Stroeer: Completing the Iditarod Trail Invitational 1,000-Mile Race on Skis, Becoming the First Woman to Do So.

Sunny is a professional adventure athlete, guide service owner and story teller based in Kanab, Utah.  

After obtaining an MBA from Harvard Business School and pursuing a career as a management consultant in her twenties, Sunny decided to leave behind the business world in order to focus full-time on mountains, climbing and VLDs (very long distances). 

Today, she is a professional athlete and owner of two guiding businesses - AWExpeditions and Dreamland Safari Tours. 

She is also the founder of the AWE Summit Scholarship Foundation that breaks down barriers for women+ to access mountaineering and the backcountry -- in the form of tens of thousands of dollars in expedition scholarships. 

Sunny first came on the Tough Girl Podcast on Jun 23, 2020. Sharing her story about being the first woman to circumnavigate and summit Aconcagua in a single push. 

You can listen to that episode Here

***

 Don't miss the latest episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast, released every Tuesday and Thursday at 7 AM UK time!  

Be sure to hit the subscribe button to stay updated on the incredible journeys and stories of strong women. 

This episode of the Tough Girl Podcast is proudly sponsored by INOV8, pioneers in cutting-edge sportswear. 

Use code TOUGHGIRL15 to get your 15% discount.  Click Here 

***

Show notes

Who is Sunny 

Working as a professional adventure athlete and running her own travel companies 

Sunny first came on the Tough Girl Podcast on Jun 23, 2020. First woman to circumnavigate and summit Aconcagua in a single push.

What happened in 2020 

Deciding to buy a tour company/guide service business

Using her MBA from Harvard

Thriving with the challenge and the uncertainty 

Pursuing her own adventures and being her own boss

Getting involved in running Fastest Known Times (FKTs)

Starting to focus on adventuring in Alaska

350 mile race on cross country skis - Iditarod Trail Invitational (ITI), held in Alaska during Winter (2021)

Planning to head to the South Pole in the future 

More info about the ITI and how its structured, and what you can expect. 

The short version - 350 miles. The long version 1000 miles. You need to do the short version of the race before you can attempt to race the longer version.

The different modes of travel: Fat bike, dogs, skies, walking

The lessons learned from the recce before the bigger race

No mandatory gear list

Being able to connect with folks who had done the race before to get advice and tips

Leaving her comfort zone behind and moving into the stretch zone

Dealing with uncomfortable feelings

Reflection back on her first ITI in 2021 

Dealing with overflow

Not having a background in cross country skiing

Knowing that she able to keep herself safe in these extreme conditions

Dealing with broken bindings and having to hike the final 150 miles

Having a 10 day deadline to cover the 350 miles

Being pushed to her limits both physically and emotionally 

Going back in 2022 to ski the 350 mile distance again - gaining more experience and knowledge

Fat biking the race in 2023 with her husband

Feeling ready to commit to the 1000 miles race in 2024

Race strategy and plan (both adhoc and thought through)

Needing to complete the 1000 miles (approx 930 - 960 miles) in 30 days

Dealing with a stress fracture on her shin in the December and only having 5 weeks to train

Using both a backpack and a pulk/sled to transport gear. 

Dealing with the cold and trying to avoid getting wet in -30/-40 degrees

Aiming to travel slowly, keeping her heart rate low in an aim to keep from sweating

Dealing with wet and damp gloves and getting a little bit of frost bite on her fingers. 

Dealing with numb heels and maybe a little bit of nerve damage after the race

Highlights and magical moment from life on the trail

Being in her own thoughts for 14hrs or more a day

Food and nutrition on the trail

Feeling the pressure to reach the finish line before the cut off point

Making it across the sea ice before it flooded or melted

Being 200 miles from the finish on the North Shore

Becoming the first women to ski the ITI 1000

Recovery after the race (doughnuts & wine!)

How to connect with Sunny and to follow along with her adventures

Final words of advice and and wisdom to inspire and motivate women and girls 

Why you need to continually be pushing your comfort zone 

  Social Media

Websites: 

www.sunnystroeer.com 

www.awexpeditions.org 

www.dreamlandtours.net 

www.summitscholarship.org

Instagram:

@sstroeer 

@awexpeditions 

@dreamlandsafari 

  Check out this episode!

[bestandhow2s]

 “Unwrapping Joy: The Ultimate Guide to Festive Season Gifts for Teenagers”

The festive season is upon us, and the quest for the perfect gifts for teenagers is in full swing. If you’re looking to spread holiday cheer and make a teen’s eyes light up, we’ve curated a list of the hottest and most coveted gifts that will leave them smiling from ear to ear.

1. **Tech Marvels:**

ZIHNIC Bluetooth Headphones

Buy Now:Amazon

BRHE Cute Travel Carrying Case for Nintendo Switch / Switch OLED Accessories Kit with Hard Protective Cover, Glass Screen Protector, Adjustable Stand and Thumb Grip Caps 10 in 1(Switch Pink)

Buy Now:Amazon 

Teenagers and technology go hand in hand. Consider the latest gadgets, from sleek headphones to smartwatches or portable gaming consoles. These gifts seamlessly blend entertainment with functionality, making them a sure fire hit among the tech-savvy    

2. **Fashion Forward:**

Vivay Kids Girls Shoes Boy Tennis Sport Running Sneakers Casual Walking Fashion Sneakers

Buy Now:Amazon

FLYMEI Cute Backpack for Girls, Lightweight Canvas Backpack for Girls/Boys, 15.6 Inch Laptop Backpack for Men, Durable Women Cute Backpack, Waterproof Black Bookbags for Teens

Buy Now:Amazon 

Style is everything for teenagers. Surprise them with trendy clothing or accessories that reflect their unique personality. Think graphic tees, statement sneakers, or chic backpacks that will have them strutting into the new year with confidence.

3. **Gift Cards Galore:**

When in doubt, go for the ever-versatile gift card. Whether it’s for their favourite clothing store, tech emporium, or streaming service, a gift card gives them the freedom to choose exactly what they want.

4. **Hobbies Unleashed:**

Newlam Kalimba Thumb Piano 17 Keys, Portable Mbira Finger Piano Gifts for Kids and Adults Beginners

Buy Now:Amazon 

Punching Bag For Boxing and Martial Arts 

Buy Now:Amazon 

Encourage their passions with gifts tailored to their hobbies. Whether it’s art supplies for the budding artist, musical instruments for the aspiring musician, or sports gear for the active teen, these gifts show that you pay attention to their interests.

5. **Unforgettable Experiences:**

Create lasting memories by gifting experiences rather than physical items. Concert tickets, amusement park passes, or a day at a trampoline park can offer a break from routine and a chance to make cherished memories with friends.

6. **Personalised Treasures:**

Make it uniquely theirs with personalised gifts. Customised phone cases, engraved jewellery, or monogrammed accessories add a personal touch that demonstrates thoughtful consideration.

7. **Literary Escapes:**

A Teenager's Guide to Investing in the Stock Market: Invest Hard Now | Play Hard Later (Invest Now Play Later Series) 

Buy Now:Amazon 

For the bookworms, delve into the world of literature. Bestselling novels, collector’s editions, or a subscription to a book club can ignite their imagination and provide a welcome escape.

8. **Fitness Fun:**

VPSTAY Smart Watch Fitness Tracker with Heart Rate Sleep Blood Oxygen Monitor

Buy Now:Amazon

Encourage a healthy lifestyle with fitness-related gifts. Whether it’s stylish activewear, a fitness tracker, or equipment for their favourite sport, you’ll be supporting both their well-being and their interests.

9. **DIY Kits:**

Original from Hero Cosmetics - Hydrocolloid Acne Pimple Patch for Zits and Blemishes, Spot Treatment Stickers for Face and Skin, Vegan and Cruelty Free (36 Count)

Buy Now:Amazon 

Stimulate their creativity with do-it-yourself kits. From DIY beauty products to coding projects or even cooking kits, these gifts provide a hands-on and engaging experience.

 10. **Subscription Surprises:**

Give the gift that keeps on giving with subscription boxes. Whether it’s beauty products, snacks, or a monthly mystery box, teens love the anticipation of receiving something special in the mail.

In the spirit of the season, let these gift ideas inspire your festive shopping. Whether your teen is into tech, fashion, or the arts, these thoughtful presents are sure to make this holiday season unforgettable. Happy gifting!

[gearcoop]

Essential Travel Accessories: A Guide for Men and Women

Introduction

Embarking on a journey, be it a thrilling adventure or a relaxing escape, necessitates thoughtful planning and packing. Having the right travel accessories can significantly enhance your travel experience, ensuring comfort, convenience, and style throughout your trip. In this guide, we'll delve into must-have travel accessories for men and travel accessories for women, focusing on essentials like toiletry bags, rain covers, passport wallets, and pouches.

Embarking on a journey, whether it's a leisurely vacation or a business trip, requires more than just a passport and a ticket. Packing the right travel accessories can make your travel experience smoother, more organized, and even stylish. In this article, we'll explore essential travel accessories for both men and women that ensure comfort, convenience, and a touch of personal flair.

Travel Accessories for Women & Men

1. Travel Wallets and Organizers: Women can keep their essentials in check with travel wallets designed to hold passports, tickets, and cards securely. These stylish organizers often come with compartments for cosmetics and other small items.

2. Packing Cubes: Staying organized while traveling is a breeze with packing cubes. These compact, lightweight organizers help maximize luggage space and keep clothing items separate and easy to locate.

3. Versatile Scarves: A fashionable scarf not only adds flair to outfits but can also serve as a blanket or neck pillow during flights. Opt for a soft, multipurpose scarf to stay cozy and stylish on the go.

4. Portable Chargers: Never worry about a dead phone battery again. Portable chargers are a must-have accessory, especially for women who rely on their devices for navigation, communication, and capturing memories.

5. Foldable Flats: After a long day of exploration, comfortable shoes are essential. Foldable flats take up minimal space in your bag and offer respite to tired feet.

6. Dopp Kit: A compact Dopp kit is essential for men to keep grooming and toiletry items organized and easily accessible. Look for one with compartments to prevent leaks and spills.

7. Travel Adapters: For globetrotters, a universal travel adapter is indispensable. This device ensures that you can charge your electronics no matter where you are in the world

8. Noise-Canceling Headphones: Long flights or noisy hotel rooms won't be a bother with quality noise-canceling headphones. Enjoy your favorite music or podcast in peace.

9. Multi-tool: A compact multi-tool comes in handy for various situations, from opening bottles to minor repairs. Just remember to pack it in your checked luggage due to air travel restrictions.

10.  Travel-Friendly Backpack: Choose a backpack with a sleek design and plenty of compartments. It can carry your essentials during the day while still looking professional.

11.  Toiletry Bag: A toiletry bag is an essential companion for women on the go. With compartments and pockets designed to keep your cosmetics and skincare products organized, it ensures easy access and prevents spills. Look for one with a hanging hook for convenience in small bathrooms. Fjallraven travel toiletry bag is one of the best toiletry bags and it's available on Gear Coop.

12.  Rain Cover: Traveling involves dealing with various weather conditions. A compact and lightweight rain cover that fits over your bag can protect your belongings from unexpected rain showers. Opt for a stylish yet functional design that complements your travel attire. Buy deuter raincover ultra for bags from Gear Coop now !

13.  Passport Wallet: Keeping your travel documents secure is vital. A passport wallet designed for women offers dedicated slots for passports, ID cards, credit cards, and even a pen. Many designs are sleek enough to double as a stylish clutch. Fjallraven passport wallet is the best passport wallet available now, and you can easily get it from Gear Coop as well.

14.  Pouch: A versatile pouch is a must for keeping small items like chargers, headphones, or makeup organized within your bag. Choose a chic design that adds a touch of personal style to your travel ensemble.

Conclusion

Travel accessories are the unsung heroes of any journey. They not only keep you organized but also add an element of convenience and style to your travel adventures. From toiletry bags that ensure your cosmetics stay in place to rain covers that shield your belongings from unexpected showers, each accessory plays a vital role in enhancing your travel experience. Whether you're a man or a woman, investing in these accessories will undoubtedly make your travels more enjoyable and stress-free.

[amberfaber40]

How To Train For A Strenuous Hike • Nomads With A Purpose

How To Train For A Strenuous Hike • Nomads With A Purpose

If you want to be able to bag peaks effortlessly, you probably need to do a little bit of training. That's why we created a blog on how to train for a strenuous hike!

Day Hike Packing List | 13 Essentials for Hiking (& how to avoid extra bulk)

Don't get overwhelmed by bringing too many items. This day hike packing list has all the essential hiking gear you need and none of the bulk!

The 10 Hiking Essentials You Should Bring on Every Hike

The hiking 10 essentials are the important pieces of gear you should always have in your pack for a safe hike. Learn what they are & get prepared for your next hike!

How To Read Trail Blazes, Posts And Stones: HOW TO READ TRAIL MARKERS FOR HIKING

How to read trail markers for hiking trails that are hard to find or follow. Learn how to read trail blazes, posts, stones, flags and logs.

The Balkan Trail – A 5 Day Hiking Adventure Through The Peaks Of The Balkans

'Let's go on an adventure!' That's what I said to Christof somewhere around December. Both of us were completely fed

8 Different Types of Hiking Explained - The Flaneur Co

This post may contain affiliate links. This means I might earn a small commission if you click or buy something using one of the links on this page. As an...

How to Pack a Hiking Backpack or Bug Out Bag [With Infographics]

Click Here To See The Comments When packing a Hiking Bug out Bag or Backpack, it can be tempting to pack our bags with every survival item we can find to feel fully prepared. However, we must remember that we need to remain light and fast-moving on the trail. Make sure to consider the weight […]

Hiking Boots: How to Choose the Right Pair + the Best Women’s Hiking Boots

Get the scoop on the best women's hiking boots and lightweight hiking shoes and learn how to choose the best hiking footwear for you.

Beginner's Guide to Packing a Backpack for Hiking | Expert Tips to Help You Pack Like a PRO

So you’ve planned out your first overnight hiking trip. You’ve got all your essential backpacking gear. Now it’s time to pack your backpack for hiking. But does it really matter how you pack your gear

Strength Training For Hiking

Click HERE to find out how to do strength training for hiking. This post includes example exercises and schedules to help you climb that mountain!

Top Places to Hike in Greece

When hiking in Greece you'll find sea views, village trails, and towering peaks like Mount Olympus. Here are the best places to hike.

11 Most Epic Hikes in Southern California

California has one of the most diverse hiking landscapes in the US. Check out the 11 best hikes in Southern California and start planning your adventure!

Best Hikes in Washington State

These are the absolute MUST DO beginner-friendly Washington hikes! Ranging from easy to more challenging and a variety from around the state and every season.

Best Hiking Shoes for Men and Women - Detailed Danner Boots Review and Buying Guide

Wondering what are the best Danner Boots? Are they worth the cost? This Danner Boots honest review and buying guide has you covered!

Cute Hiking Outfits - What To Wear Hiking as a Woman

Confused about what to wear hiking? Learn how to be comfortable, practical, and stylish with this guide on what to wear hiking as a woman!

BEST Hiking Clothes for Women (Hiking Outfit Ideas)

A few short years ago, I would go into the outdoor stores to find very few hiking clothes for women and quite honestly a great hiking outfit for women. I

My Favorite Backpacking Gear: A Peek Into My Garage - Exploring Wild

After years of trial and error, here is the backpacking gear and hiking clothing that I return to over and over again.

The 14 Most Epic Hikes in Madeira (Including Map + Tips)

Are you looking for the best hikes in Madeira? Let me start by saying how incredibly excited I am for

Our Complete Hiking Gear Checklist: What We Use and Why

A complete breakdown of our hiking gear, including when, why, and how we use each item, and how it's performed over the years.

While all hiking can be rewarding and improve your general well being, there’s something primal within us that craves the sense of adventure and pride of the accomplishment that a strenuous hike can bring.  Many of us aren’t lucky enough to be able to go out and do a 12 miler with 2,000 vertical feet of elevation gain on a whim.  If you want to be able to bag peaks effortlessly, you probably need to do a liiiittle bitttt of training. That’s why we created a blog on how to train for a strenuous hike!PS, If you do’t have time, save this for later by saving this to Pinterest!I love to hike, but hiking strenuous trails that get me off the beaten path and lost—hopefully only in the figurative sense—in nature is one of my many joys in life.  For me, there is no better recipe for improving my overall state of well-being like stepping foot on a trail surrounded by large pine trees knowing that in a few hours I’ll be looking down upon them while standing beside a gorgeous alpine lake.Table of ContentsHow Much Cardio Is Needed To Hike Better?Less than you think, but probably more than you do.If you aren’t doing any form of cardio currently, then you will want to start with 30 minutes 3 times a week. I know you’re eager to challenge yourself but the key component with building a strong cardiovascular base is gradual progressive training.Aim to only push yourself 10% harder each week. This means, start off with walking. Once you can walk 30 minutes with ease, add a hill, add some stairs, walk in soft sand at the beach, etc.Then, start running. Try one minute on, four minutes off and repeat six times. Build up to 5 minute, then 10, 15, 20, 25 minute intervals until eventually, you are running 30 minutes at a time. Next, you can build up to running faster or adding sprint intervals.Cross training works too. You don’t have to only walk or run. Any sustained elevation in heart rate combined with a good strength training program will get you hiking more and hiking harder trails while also feeling better doing it.Strength Training for Strenuous HikesAlthough you don’t need to be an extreme athlete, nor even extremely “fit” to hike strenuous trails, there are things you can do to make your body prepared to tackle that trail that’s staring back at you on your bucket list of hikes.From a physiological standpoint, strenuous hiking requires the ability to propel yourself forward. With good mechanics, this can be accomplished by driving through the gluteals and having a strong posterior chain.But as fatigue sets in, we all end up slouched and taking shorter strides causing the hip flexors to shorten which causes us to use less butt and more calves. Poor form may still get us to that epic viewpoint, but relying on pure mental persistence takes some of the joy out of the experience. Being stronger will allow you to take in more of your surroundings and make that experience much richer.Strength in all the muscle groups is important to live a healthy life and feel good, but for hiking specifically, it’s more crucial to have strength in the posterior chain, that’s the back side of your body from you heels to the base of your spine. Think strong glutes and low back.There’s a good chance you’ll be carrying a pack up with you too, which means some strength in the mid back and rear delts will certainly help you lug your supplies up the peak or for long hours.Lastly, there’s a natural sway that happens when you walk and being able to engage the deep core muscles of the transverse abdominals and obliques will give you so much more power than training the superficial abs that crunches target.Related Blog: 26 Thoughtful Gift Ideas for HikersGabi overlooking the lakes of Wanaka from Isthmus Peak5 Exercises to Train For A Strenuous HikeTo train for a strenuous hike, here are 5 exercises to strengthen the right muscle groups in order to get better efficiency on the trail. Watch the YouTube video below for detailed description of how to execute these 5 movements.1. TYIPosture is key and if you are lugging a heavy backpack uphill, it’s going to take a little extra awareness to maintain good posture.The goal is to keep the shoulder blades pulled down and together, allowing for more space between your shoulders and ears. Strength in the mid traps will help you achieve this.The easiest exercise to do at home is TYI, but it’s also one of the easiest to do incorrectly. If you find your shoulders are tight, avoid doing the “I” and just stick with the “T” and “Y” positions.  During a long hike, it’s hard to keep good posture while staring at the ground to make sure you don’t trip, but if you remind yourself to keep your chest lifted it often helps pull the shoulders into a better position.As you get more advanced in your training, integrating rear delt pull and bent over rows will do wonders for the strength in your mid back.Related: Best Hikes in Beautiful Idaho2. Hip BridgeStrong glutes are very important. I’m sure it feels like your quads are burning as you start ascending steep mountains, but its the power in your booty that you want to be tapping into.If you have a job that requires a lot of sitting, then these muscles tend to not get enough training.I always start my workouts with hip bridges to wake up the butt muscles and get them firing correctly.  In addition, add deadlifts and kettlebell swings to your training program.3. Pistol SquatWhat goes up, must come down. There’s no better exercise for being prepared to descend steep rocky trails than the pistol squat. While a pistol squat is a pretty advanced movement, there are a few ways to work up to it in a progressive manner.My personal favorite is to use a suspension trainer to assist me in the movement. Another option is to change the weight distribution from the heels to the toes slightly and do a single leg deadlift instead.Related: The Greatest Hikes in Wyoming4. Side PlankWhen you start propelling yourself forward, you naturally have a side to side sway.If you have hypermobility (meaning very flexible) in your spine, you will develop low back pain. To counter this, strengthen the obliques.While we prefer advanced movements like CLF and pallof press, starting with a side plank is great.Related: Best Hikes in Glacier National Park5. Step UpIf you are trying to get to the top of a big mountain, there’s a good chance you are going to be stepping up some large rocks.Mimicking this movement with good form and progressively heavier weights will make climbing so much easier.As women, we have a larger Q angle than men so making sure your knee isn’t rolling inward while stepping up is crucial to develop strength and not get injured.  Stretches To Help You Hike BetterNow that you have the strength training to get up that strenuous hike, let’s take care of helping you feel good after those hikes.Everything might hurt at the end of a strenuous hike. You can nurture a few key muscles so that you hurt less. Those muscles are the chest, hip flexors, and calves.I’m a huge fan of doing a Yin Yoga once a week to get deep into the fascia and help my muscles recover better. On the other days I do these three stretches to improve my mobility and feel better.Here are 3 stretches to help your body feel better after a strenuous hike.Related: Best Yoga Poses For Hikers1. Chest Opener2. Low Lunge With A Twist3. Downward DogClick here to discover top hiking adventures on our blogFree Pack Lists, Gear Recommendations, and Hiking Trail Guides4 Week Fit To Hike Training ProgramTake Your Hiking To The Next LevelThis is an overview of what a good hiking training program should consist of. It balances your mobility, strength, and cardio so you don’t get hurt and you can recover quickly.Combining these strength, cardio, and stretching routines are a great start, but without a complete training plan, they might be leaving some gaps in your programing. Plus, everyone has a different build, a different level of fitness, different levels of experience, and different goals. What’s strenuous to me might not be so for you. That’s why we created Fit To Hike. A complete training program for hikers that will get you ready to challenge yourself on the trail. Best of all, it’s FREE inside our Be The Hero Academy!!Fit to Hike includes a 4 week training program for beginners, intermediate, and advanced hikers. All programs include cardio training, strength training, injury prevention, and tips for creating a motivated mindset. With video tutorials and printable workout tracking, you will have all the information and know how to get in the best shape ever for your next adventure. The workouts are fun, quick, and effective. Most workouts can be done in less than 15 minutes a day! We’ve even included a weight loss section for those who’d like to be a little lighter on the trail. Not that you have to necessarily lose weight to hike. By learning to train the aerobic and anaerobic system in an effective way and creating joints and muscles with appropriate mobility and strength, bagging peaks and hiking all day will become effortless.My daughters and I routinely hike 16+ miles in a day and feel great afterwards and are excited to share our Fit to Hike training protocol with you! Get 1 on 1 coachingLove it? Share it or Pin it:

[themilesnsmiles-blog]

15 Best Destinations for Backpacking in India

India has always been a popular backpacker destination. However, up until recently, accommodations for backpackers were limited to cheap guesthouses. This has changed dramatically with authentic, quality backpacker hostels popping up all over India. These hostels also cater to young Indian travelers, creating a true international backpacker scene that brings together people from all over the world. They are a boon for solo travelers as well -- particularly women, as many of the hostels have female-only dorms. Here's where to go, and stay.

Want to take a group tour? Milesnsmilesholidays has special tours for backpackers in India that won't break your budget.

01 of 15

Hampi, Karnataka

Hampi was the last capital of Vijayanagar, one of the greatest Hindu kingdoms in India’s history. Its evocative ruins, intriguingly intermingled with huge boulders that rear up all over the landscape, make it a must-visit destination in India. However, backpackers flock to the chilled-out environment of Virupapur Gadde, bordering paddy fields on the other side of the river. This area is popular with long-term travelers looking to unwind for a while. Hampi doesn't have any backpacker hostels yet, but there are some budget-friendly guesthouses. Plan your trip with this Hampi travel guide.

02 of 15

Rishikesh, Uttarakhand

Regarded as the birthplace of yoga, Rishikesh attracts plenty of spiritual seekers. Even if you're not interested in yoga and meditation, it's a pleasing place to hangout as the feel is cool, calm and international. River rafting is an added attraction. There's a plethora of cheap accommodations to choose from, including trendy backpacker hostels. Blue Jay, Shalom Backpackers, Backpacker Panda, Indian Culture and Live Free Hostel are most popular. goSTOPS, Bunkstay, Zostel, Shiv Shakti and The Hosteller are also decent options. Most hostels offer a wide range of activities. Have a read of this handy Rishikesh travel guide before you go.

03 of 15

Pushkar, Rajasthan

When the iconic Pushkar Camel Festival isn't happening, Pushkar is a laid-back holy hippie town. It's a spiritual place, so if you haven't had enough of the relaxed Rishikesh vibe, you'll be able to enjoy more of it here. Backpacking through India wouldn't be complete without visiting Pushkar! It has achieved almost cult status. Think rooftop yoga, cooking classes, henna tattoos, and wellness therapies. Make sure you're cashed up because there are so many irresistible things to buy, ranging from textiles to bangles. Backpackers won't have a problem finding somewhere cheap to stay. Moustache hostel is the most popular pick, and it's conveniently close to the lake. Zostel hostel in Pushkar is about 15 minutes walk from the lake but it's the only hostel to have a swimming pool -- wow! Hostel LaVie, Namaste India, The Hosteller, Elephant Pushkar, and Madpackers hostels are also worth checking out. Otherwise Hotel Everest guesthouse is a long-term favorite with travelers.

04 of 15

Anjuna Beach, Goa

Heading to Goa but not sure which beach to choose (there are a lot of them, and they're all different)? Anjuna, in north Goa, stands out because of its bountiful backpacker hostels. This beach was once home to Goa's hippies. These days it's more famous for its Wednesday flea market and Curlies beach shack. Craft Hostels is the pick of the bunch. Or try the Funky Monkey, The Hosteller, and Wonderland Hostel.

05 of 15

Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

You'll either love it or hate it, but Varanasi definitely needs to be experienced. The fascinating thing about this mystical city is that its rituals are revealed openly to along the riverside ghats, which are used for everything from bathing to burning the bodies of the dead. There are abundant backpacker hostels in Varanasi and many are conveniently close to the ghats. These are HosteLaVie near Chet Singh Ghat, and Moustache Hostel not far from Assi Ghat. Other popular hostels are GoStops and the International Travelers' Hostel (in a family ancestral home). This Varanasi travel guide will help plan your trip.

06 of 15

Dharamkot, Himachal Pradesh

Dharamsala, home to the Dalai Lama and the exiled Tibetan government, used to be the place for backpackers to volunteer and do courses such as Buddhism or alternative therapies. However, increasing commercialization has driven travelers further uphill to the much quieter village of Dharamkot. You'll find copious courses and workshops being offered there now, including Vipassana meditation and yoga. The air is fresh, the energy is uplifting, and life is peaceful. Many new backpacker hostels and co-working hostels have opened up in the vicinity. The Bunker is ideal for adventure lovers, while Flügler provides affordable luxury. Otherwise, try Kamal Guesthouse in the forest, Zostel, Alt Life, Shalom Backpackers, or The Hosteller.

07 of 15

Jaipur, Rajasthan

The iconic "Pink City of Jaipur" is part of India's Golden Triangle Circuit, and hence usually features on the itineraries of most travelers. Yet, what makes it particularly great for backpackers is that there's a fabulous Zostel hostel just up the road from the Hawa Mahal! It has both dorm rooms and private rooms. The Hosteller and the hip Moustache hostel are also really popular. Another option is Gypsy Monkey with a plunge pool. Don't want to stay in a hostel? There are many inexpensive guesthouses in Jaipur as well.

08 of 15

Gokarna, Karnataka

Is Goa too developed for you? Head to Gokarna, across the border in Karnataka, instead! (Buses run directly from Gokarna to Hampi). Although Gokarna town is a Hindu pilgrimage destination, the bohemian hippie lifestyle is alive and well at the beach, complete with sunset flea market. HosteLife occupies an enticing spot behind Kudle Beach, Trippr hostel is bang on a private beach, while Zostel overlooks the ocean atop a hill. Hostel LIT is centrally located in town.

09 of 15

Khajuraho, Uttar Pradesh

Khajuraho is infamous for its erotic temples but its village atmosphere makes it an appealing place to linger and escape the hustle. Apart from visiting the temples, you can hire a bicycle and leisurely explore the surroundings to get a feel for rural life in India. Headquarter Khajuraho is the place to stay. Moustache hostel is a good alternative.

10 of 15

Varkala, Kerala

Varkala beach, one of the best beaches in Kerala, has a dreamy cliff-top setting with a long paved pathway lined by coconut palms, shops, and beach shacks. Not surprisingly, it's the ultimate backpacker paradise in Kerala and provides a tranquil alternative to overly-developed Kovalam. Get an Ayurvedic treatment while you're there to really rejuvenate! Zostel has a premium location with sea views right next to the cliff. Cliff and Coral is also superb. The Lost Hostel, Piggy Hostel, and Pagans Surf Hostel are recommended too.

11 of 15

Udaipur, Rajasthan

Regal Udaipur is often called India's most romantic city, and for a good reason. Its prominent royal palaces, against the backdrop of Lake Pichola, are striking. Backpackers also rate Udaipur highly because it offers a balance of heritage and traveler amenities. There are heaps of things to do such as art and cooking classes, volunteering, yoga and meditation, boat tours, and interesting side trips. That's if you can tear yourself away from the captivating lake views! A big bonus is that there are so many inexpensive places to stay right by the lake, including new backpacker hostels. These include GoStops, Zostel, Moustache hostels and Gypsy Child.

12 of 15

Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu

Mahabalipuram, less than an hour from Chennai in Tamil Nadu, is one of the top beaches on India's east coast. The town is best known for its stone sculptures and 7th century UNESCO World Heritage monuments carved out of stone. However, it also has a thriving surfing scene. Backpackers typically head to Othavadai Street, which leads down to the beach near the Shore Temple. It's lined with brightly painted, inexpensive guesthouses with rooftop restaurants. The backpacker hostel chains are yet to open in Mahabalipuram but there's no shortage of budget accommodations.

13 of 15

Old Manali and Vashisht, Himachal Pradesh

Uphill from unaesthetic Manali town, the village vibe at Old Manali is much more enchanting. It's full of quaint guesthouses and backpacker hostels, surrounded by apple orchards and snow-covered peaks. On the opposite side of the Beas River, Vashisht village is another backpacker haunt. There's an excellent Reiki center there. Kasol, around three hours away in the Parvarti Valley, is a popular side trip. It's frequented by psy trance-lovers, hippies and Israeli backpackers.

14 of 15

Amritsar, Punjab

Amritsar's exquisite Golden Temple is one of the most recognized landmarks in India. This sacred Sikh shrine is truly a sight to behold. Wow Backpackers is the most popular backpacker hostel in the city. HK Backpackers is a luxury hostel option. Backpacker's Nest is not too far from the Golden Temple.

15 of 15

Fort Kochi, Kerala

The slow pace and walkability of historic seaside Fort Kochi are a hit with backpackers. This arty, proverbial cultural melting pot is delightful to explore. The Portuguese, Dutch and British have all contributed distinctive architecture. Cute cafes and art galleries abound and will beckon you to enter as you stroll around. Plus, there are many superb hostels where you can meet other travelers. Zostel and goSTOPS are the pick of the bunch. Hostel by the Sea is also surprisingly impressive for a government initiative.

[paultsblog]

The Best Leather Gifts for Loved Ones in 2022

Giving presents does not have to be difficult, even when considering leather gift ideas. The secret to finding the perfect present is to consider what the recipient would adore. You can then reduce your alternatives to a select group of excellent ones. Always consider what the recipient would love and need while you are making purchases, whether you are doing so for yourself or someone else. Knowing this makes it simple to think of a thoughtful or romantic gift that will please them.

Luxury Salamanca Leathers products make one of the best gifts you can buy for a particular someone in your life. These are the ideal presents because they are not only useful and fashionable, but also last for decades.

The majority of the feedback we get is from people who received a Salamanca Leathers product as a present for a special birthday or anniversary, and it's always favourable. Since leather products are not normally something you choose to purchase for yourself, they are the ideal gifts for that special occasion and are greatly appreciated and treasured for many years.

What makes leather a good gifting option?

Men and women both prefer receiving gifts made of leather. They have a distinctive scent that is unmatched by other gifts and are sturdy and fashionable, adaptable, and classy. Additionally, adding a monogram or initials to your leather present is a simple way to make it more unique. Leather is a fantastic choice if you're looking for romantic presents for your wife or husband or someone special.

For several reasons, leather is an unusual material. It is not only highly durable but also very fashionable. Because leather is so versatile and offers such a wide range of functions, leather fashions have not changed at all throughout the years.

Take these stylish backpacks as an example. Even after all these years, they still share a lot of the same artistic elements and features. The timeless appeal of leather is preserved even with technological advancements that make them ideal for items like laptops and tablets.

The most popular colours for leather products are brown and black, which don't seem to age or go out of style. It is generally accepted that leather products only become more attractive and visually appealing as they get older. Real leather items might ultimately be quite difficult to part with because they are so durable and useful that the substance can get progressively comfier.

The Best Leather Gifts for Special People:

Our leather gift guide is the next most crucial section. We have a range of products that are ideal for various interests. You may be sure that the present you bought for your loved ones this time will be one that they will truly like.

1. The Weekender Bag

So if you are heading out this weekend with nothing but a few essentials and a strong desire to travel. Kudos to you! Make sure you have everything you need in the ideal travel bag before you leave. This will not only make packing and unpacking simple, but it will also keep you organised while you are on the go.

The ideal travel mate is a weekender bag. It is roomy enough to accommodate all of your necessities without being too big to carry. The weekender bag also includes some useful features that make traveling simple. They are durable and compact and this can make them a perfect gift for people who enjoy carefree traveling.

2. The Crossbody Bag

For that special occasion, the Crossbody Bag is a genuinely fantastic gift because it is both fashionable and practical. With its easily accessible pockets and high-quality leather construction, this item is ideal for daily use. It is also durable and handy.

This high-end leather bag is made from the strongest layer of the hide, providing it exceptional durability and a fashionable, classic look. The hardware is made to resist rigorous use over an extended period of time, and it contains a lot of pockets.

Crossbody bags are making a comeback and are becoming more and more popular among people of all ages and fashions. These can be the ideal present when used as a daily bag because these are useful but still small.

3. The Business Bag

A professional must always be well-organized in every aspect of his life. And keeping your belongings organised may be made so much easier with the correct work bag. No doubt a business bag has proven to be a useful tool in an era where bringing a laptop to the office is the norm. There are the most adaptable leather bags available, traditional and useful at the same time, and therefore highly respected by all demographics, from corporate types to college students.

Leather is the ideal material for the boardroom or the office since it radiates strength, grace, and elegance. It is understandable why professionals like lawyers, doctors, and CEOs continue to like it.

4. The Premium Belts

Looking for a particularly wonderful, distinctive, and caring gift for someone? The ideal handcrafted gift is a leather belt, which they will adore and wear all the time. It's ideal as a groomsmen gift, a birthday present, or even if you want to give it to your fashionable friend. In conclusion, leather belts are perfect for any situation and time.

Everyone wears belts on a regular basis and they are a sensible choice. So a leather belt is a perfect and practical gift rather than something that will sit on the shelf gathering dust. To make the belts you are buying for the recipient truly one-of-a-kind, belts come in different colours and designs.

Belts made of leather are stylish and reasonably priced, making them the ideal present. Since all of them are excellent choices, you can be sure that your loved one will treasure and cherish this belt for a very long time. Additionally, you will save a lot of time, money, and effort by not having to think a lot before choosing a perfect belt.

Not sure what you are searching for? Check out our complete collection of premium leather accessories to discover the ideal present. Click here to know more. For any queries and assistance, you can also contact us.

[21burritoseavey]

parents for a day - daniel seavey imagine

a/n: heyy, i’m not a huge fan of this but i hope you enjoy, it was fun to write. 

summary: Y/n and Daniel take care of Lavender (Jack’s daughter) for a day....but i decided to make it interesting so in this imagine, y/n doesn’t particularly like taking care of kids lol. 

“Alright.” Jack set Lavender down on her feet from his hip and crouched down in front of her.  “You three have fun, okay?” He spoke gently, brushing a strand of her already untamed hair from her face. The two adults stood in front of them nervously, particularly Y/n. “Are you guys sure you can handle this?” Jack asked again, furrowing his eyebrows teasingly. 

 “Yeah!” Daniel replied confidently. 

 “Nope.” Y/n murmured beside him. Daniel glared at Y/n out of the corner of his eye. He watched her tug the sleeves of his hoodie further up her palms in nervousness and shuffle her feet haphazardly.  

 “Don’t listen to Y/n.” He assured, pulling a tight smile at Jack.

 “Okay.” He replied hesitantly, pressing a feather-light kiss to Lavender’s forehead. “Be good.” He stuck his forefinger out solemnly. Lavender only giggled in front of him, spreading a cheeky grin on her father’s face too. “Promise.” He held out his pinkie and Lavender interlocked her small finger with his. 

 Daniel crouched down beside her too, “we’re gonna have so much fun, aren’t we?” Daniel cooed, tugging down the brim of her purple, crooked bucket hat sweetly. Lavender nodded cheekily, unknowing of the peculiar events to come. 

 “K, well I gotta go.” Jack stood up and grabbed his backpack from the sofa beside him. Daniel sauntered behind him, guiding him towards the door. Meanwhile, Y/n walked precariously behind the two boys, foolishly dodging the toddler who was plodding behind her. 

“See ya, dude.” Daniel said. They shared their usual handshake. Daniel assured Jack profusely that if anything happened, he would call him as soon as possible. Daniel turned back to Y/n and Lavender after he shut the front door and waved goodbye. “Okay, what should we do first?” He clapped his hands together. 

 Y/n walked up reluctantly and pulled Daniel to the side, away from Lavender enough so she couldn’t hear. “Why did you have to agree to this?” She whispered sharply. 

 Daniel knew babysitting wasn’t Y/n’s cup of tea, but he assured her gently with “Y/n, he’s busy and no one else could do it...It’ll be fine.” He chuckled, resting his forearms on her shoulders. Y/n merely dropped her gaze to the floor. “I mean look at her, she's so cute.” He shuffled behind her so she had a good glance at Lavender. She was playing quietly next to Daniel’s messy heap of music sheets next to the piano. Y/n huffed and closed her eyes for a moment in thought. “Fine. But I need Starbucks first.” She said seriously. Daniel’s subtle frown broke into a grin, and he chuckled gently, placing a comforting kiss to Y/n’s lips. 

---

The group of three had finally made it to the Starbucks around the corner. After nearly an hour of trying to get the booster seat perfectly set in Daniel’s car, they finally worked it out – thanks to Jack who was guiding them through it on the phone - and were travelling smoothly through the drive thru. 

 “Okay, iced coffee for me, iced coffee with extra caramel for you...” Daniel spoke like a true gentleman, holding out the plastic cup of coffee with an extra toothy smile just to ease her anxious thoughts. 

 “Finally!” Y/n leaned forwards in her seat and pushed her seatbelt away, nearly snatching the coffee from Daniel in a fit of excitement. She lolled her head back as she sipped her drink and closed her eyes in pure delight. 

 “And a chocolate milkshake for Lavy!” Daniel cooed, leaning over the side of his car seat to gaze at Lavender lovingly. She giggled sweetly from her spot in the middle back seat and took the cold drink from Daniel with a “thanks”, nearly spilling it right then and there if it wasn’t for his quick reflexes. He turned back to the front. “I swear if she spills it all over my precious car…” He tisked lightly, grazing the surface of his leather seat fondly. 

 “Let’s hope not.” Y/n commented with a laugh. 

 The group enjoyed their cool beverages in peaceful silence. Daniel kept his gaze downcast on his phone, Lavender looked out her window to the vibrant, blossoming nature and Y/n focused on the tiny specks of dust that danced in the shaft of afternoon sunlight that sloped through the agape windows. All seemed to be going smoothly and well until an unwanted, faint spill was heard from the backseat. Daniel snapped his head back swiftly. His wandering gaze met the tragic sight of his leather seats covered in chocolate milkshake, though Lavender’s clothes were perfectly free of any stains, and she merely looked up at him sweetly. He sat there, open mouthed and wide eyed, with his elbow leaning against the arm rest, virtually paralysed in shock. 

 Y/n barely noticed what had happened until Daniel had finally shot back into reality and was stumbling out of the front into the back seat. “Oh no. Oh no. Oh no.” He repeated shakily. Lavender remained still in her booster seat as Daniel rummaged through the scattered mess of supplies in the trunk. “My poor baby!” He breathed sadly, completely dodging the toddler and rushing inside the car to clean the stain. 

 Lavender squinted up at Daniel’s obvious panic and uttered out the kindest, “sorry” that Daniel had ever heard, so much so that the concern brimming all over his face melted into a smile and he pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head. 

 “It’s okay.” He whispered kindly. 

 Y/n leaned back over to see the mess and tried her best to muffle her giggles with Daniel’s hoodie. “Hey,” She started as she opened the car door. “Let me handle this.” She said confidently, rolling up her sleeves and setting her hands on her hips. 

---

Much to Daniel’s relief, Y/n had come to the rescue and scrubbed the stains – with only napkins - until her knuckles were white, leaving Daniel’s car looking good as new. They had finally arrived at the mall. The midday sun bathed the building in its warm light and rays of sunlight cascaded brightly through the skylight above them. Daniel was way too eager to enter the mall, already having filled the small journey there with talk about what he was going to buy. “Baby,” Daniel looked at Y/n with a smile from a couple paces ahead, “make sure you hold her hand, okay?” He reminded gently, pulling a tight smile.

 “Uhm-uh...okay” Y/n barely had time to utter out a word before Daniel was turning back to head straight into the music store, he’d been eyeing through the clear entrance. She looked over her shoulder to gaze at Lavender who was walking beside her. “Uhm, o-okay.” She muttered hesitantly as she grasped Lavender’s little hand and intertwined her small fingers with her own. They began walking closer towards Daniel when Y/n felt a vigorous jolt to her left arm. Lavender’s curious mind led her to walk in the direction of the mural in the distance. The wall of different patterns and shapes was a vivid mosaic of colour. 

 “Hey Y/n” Daniel looked over his shoulder to show his girlfriend the fancy, brand new electric guitar in his arms, only to be met with a cold breeze and no sign of his girlfriend or Jack’s daughter. “Y/n.” Daniel called gingerly, placing the guitar gently back into place. He spun around briskly to look for her. Daniel felt his heartbeat start to race and shouted, “Y/n! Lav!” in a fit of panic. 

 Y/n had been dragged to the nearest women’s clothing store by a seemingly innocent Lavender whose attention was caught by the sparkly t-shirts on the rack high above. Y/n’s gaze strayed to the clothes on the other side of the store and soon she was unknowingly pulling Lavender along with her to shuffle through the racks of clothing. 

She obviously dropped Lavender’s hand so she could flick through the racks of clothes. Lavender suddenly caught a glimpse of the indoor playground and took the fleeting opportunity of independence to slunk off into the distance. Y/n held up a sage toned shirt from the rack and tugged it to the sides in front of her shirt. She glanced back to where Lavender was seconds ago. “Hey, La-” Y/n’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Lavender!” She raked a hand through her hair in exasperation, dropped the shirt and headed for the exit swiftly. “Daniel’s gonna kill me…” She breathed, looking around for Lavender as she walked through the mall. 

 A glimpse of purple had shot into Y/n’s vision, and she narrowed her eyes to peer into the distance. “Boo!” Lavender shouted, popping up behind her mischievously. 

 Y/n shot her head back, looking extremely startled and then in embarrassment, hid her face with her hands. She took a strained deep breath and stomped towards Lavender. “Where were you? What were you doing?” Y/n rushed out sternly as she set her on her hip. Lavender merely looked at Y/n bashfully with infectious giggles escaping from her lips. Y/n could help but let her serious expression break into a smile too and she let out a relieved sigh. 

 “I can’t believe you...” She tisked, shaking her head in disbelief.

In almost perfect timing, Daniel came bolting across the mall. He nearly crashed right into Y/n in his haste. “Where the f-” Daniel rushed out to the girls standing at the store entrance. Y/n glared at him with Lavender in her arms and he cleared his throat before continuing. “Sorry.” He mouthed silently to Y/n. “Where the heck were you guys?” Daniel asked again, offering out his arms to take Lavender from Y/n who was visibly uncomfortable. “Were you just being cheeky?” He asked sweetly to Lavender, tickling her sides as she let out giggles.

After a moment, when both adults had calmed down, Daniel set a squirming Lavender to the ground and held her hand strongly. He trudged over to Y/n with a benevolent grin playing on his face. She was happily enjoying own space from far away while on her phone. “Hey, good job.” Daniel tossed his free arm over her shoulder and placed a kiss against her ruffled hair. Y/n snaked away from him. 

“That was terrifying.” Y/n breathed, taking a few steps back. 

 “What?” Daniel stared at her in sheer confusion. 

 “Absolutely terrifying” She repeated quietly, pressing a hand to her chest. Daniel chuckled at her dramatics, looking cheekily back at Lavender. 

 “You’re just the scariest little thing, aren’t you?” He asked sweetly, crouching down in front of her. Lavender nodded shyly, earning more laughs from Daniel and he took her hand gently to make sure that the rest of the day would run smoothly.  

Taglist: @randomlimelightxxx @chilling-seavey

join my taglist

[fashionbooksmilano]

The Handbag

to have and to hold

Carmen Allen

Carlton Books, London 1999, 144 pages, over 150 col.photography, Hard Cover, 21x21 cm., ISBN 1858688132, first edition

euro 28,00

email if you want to buy :booksinprogressmilano@yahoo.it

According to Carmel Allen, the Beauty Editor of Vogue magazine, the key to assessing a modern girl is the handbag. With over 150 colour photographs, this book offers a celebration of the handbag.

An indispensable accessory as well as a key fashion statement, the handbag is portable boudoir, office, bank and emergency kit for women everywhere. With chapters on the history of the handbag, a Who’s Who of style-shapers, a look at the contents women carry and an A-Z of international designers and brands, this book is the ultimate style guide for all handbag lovers.   Discover, too, what your handbag says about your character and check the style dictionary to find out the varied range available and which one suits your personality - the tote, backpack, clutch, drawstring, duffel, Kelly, envelope, shoulder, minaudiere, and more. With useful hints and tips on how to accessorize and over 200 colour photos, “The Handbag” is a truly indispensable, inspirational book for the many women for whom the bag is the accessory.

18/03/22

orders to:     booksinprogressmilano@yahoo.it

ordini a:        booksinprogressmilano@yahoo.it

twitter:@fashionbooksmi

instagram:         fashionbooksmilano, designbooksmilano tumblr:                fashionbooksmilano, designbooksmilano

[whimsicallyreading]

Eight Second Ride

Part Three-

(Part Two)

“So you are telling me-“ Aedion scowls from the other side of her bed, “you ditched me for a sweaty bull rider and didn’t even last an hour into the date?”

Aelin shoves a spoonful of cookies and cream ice cream into her mouth and sniffles. “That’s all you got from my story?”

He slings an arm over Aelin’s shoulders and she lays her head on his chest gratefully. She’d caught an Uber back to her apartment where Aedion was already camped out waiting for her.

One look at her mascara smeared face, and he’d made a pillow fort on her bed. Complete with ice cream and “Little Women” playing on his phone.

“No, I got the whole chauvinistic asshole, bit.” Aedion stabs his spoon into the container and breaks up a particularly large piece of Oreo. “I just decided to focus on the part that doesn’t make me want to leave you hear and go and kill him right now.”

“I thought cowboys were supposed to be classy.” Aelin watched Jo play with her sisters in their attic on Aedion’s tiny screen. “Take city girls into the country to ride a horse and show them a bigger purpose in life, kind of shit.”

“Hallmark is such a liar.” Aedion huffs and squeezes her shoulder a little tighter. “I’m sorry, Lin. I know going out tonight was a big step for you. It’s a shame he acted the way he did.”

It was rare Aelin acted on a whim these days. Not like she used to do when she was in high school. She felt a pull to go with Rowan, but her gut had led her into a situation that could have gone south very quickly.

It’s a hard thing when you can’t trust yourself.

“No. I shouldn’t have gone. Especially not alone.” Aelin’s feels her thoughts drifting. Creeping towards that iron box of memories she keeps locked tight. “It’s my mistake.”

“No.”

The fervor in Aedion’s voice draws her attention up to his face, and Aelin is jarred by the intensity of his expression. “Aedion-“

“It’s not your fault.” His voice is gravely, and his blue eyes flicker like the heart of a flame. “I don’t give a shit what that bastard thought you accepting his invitation meant. You don’t owe him sex because he buys you a drink.”

“Aedion-“ Aelin tries to interrupt again. A new wave of tears burns her eyes, but Aedion is on a roll and he isn’t going to quite down until he gets out what’s on his mind.

“You don’t deserve to be treated like an object that can be bought.” Aelin can’t look him in the eyes any longer, but a calloused hand guides her face to the crook of his neck.

“His friends are shitty. He should have made them shut up. Ogling you, and making you feel unsafe and uncomfortable aren’t funny jokes.” Aedion goes on as Aelin sniffles into his shirt.

“You deserve respect. It doesn’t matter what you are wearing, what he buys you, or what his expectations are. His behavior isn’t your fault.” Aedion whispers against the top of her head.

Aelin wraps the arm that isn’t squished under her, around his waist. “I love you, Brother Wolf.”

“I love you too, Fireheart.” Aedion kisses her forehead and tugs her closer, the old terms of endearment are exchanged between them with ease.

“I know you are still dealing with everything that happened a couple years ago. I’m happy to remind you how worth it you are whenever you need.”

Aedion was an island of safety in the turbulent ocean of her life. Even when Aelin was small, she’d often go to him before her own parents with her problems. He was steady, and calm. The exact opposite of her own personality.

After the incident, he hadn’t rested until she was safely at his side again. Aedion stood by her faithfully as she picked up the broken pieces of her life and held her hand as she tried to make something new from them.

“How come you already had this movie downloaded onto your phone?” Aelin teased lightly, trying to lighten the mood. “Did you suddenly develop a sense of taste?”

Aedion purses his lips. “Lysandra said this movie is, and I quote, the most accurate depiction of the female experience.” He shakes his head. “I’ve tried to watch it three times, and I still can’t figure out what it’s even about.”

“You are a simple minded creature, cousin.” Aelin grabs her spoon and scoops a melty bite of ice cream into her mouth. “Thank you for coming over.”

“Anytime, Lin.” He leans his cheek on her head as the scene on his phone shifts from the cooler grey tones of the present, back to the warm colors that represented better days. “Anytime.”

~~~

The day started off better than she expected.

Aedion was gone when she woke up- he had to rise at an ungodly hour to make it to the fire station on time.

Yet, he set her alarm clock for her so Aelin woke up in time to get ready for work. He’d also set a glass of water and an Advil tablet on her bedside table to curb the headache she was sure to have from crying.

Aelin made it out the door with enough time to stop and get coffee on the way. She even splurged and got a chocolate hazelnut Frappuccino with enough sugar to smooth her wounded feelings.

It was going so well, Aelin should have known it was the universe winding up to screw her.

It was only a couple hours before she closed shop when Lorcan Salvaterre stepped through her front door.

“Holy shit, it’s you.” Were the first words from his mouth. His dark eyebrows lifted in surprise. “Rowan is going to flip when I tell him I actually found you.”

“What are you doing here?” Aelin’s slammed a stack of books on the counter.

Lorcan looked pensive. “Rowan said you mentioned owning a book store-“ he drags a hand through his dark hair. “I felt like I ruined his chance with you, so I thought I maybe if I apologized-“

“Let me stop you there,” Aelin didn’t bother looking at him as she labeled books and organized them into stacks. “You didn’t ruin anything, you didn’t help, but he screwed up all by himself.”’

“He realizes that,” Lorcan quickly defends, his voice gruff with irritation. “If I can give him your number I’m sure he will grovel for himself.”

Aelin rolls her eyes and slides another stack to the end of the counter. “You don’t get it.”

“Get what?” She can tell he’s losing his patience with her. Lorcan’s remorse only went so far, apparently.

Aedion’s words from earlier rang in her ears as she repeated them back to the man. “He was overbearing the entire time. Had double standard opinions about my life, and disrespected my boundaries.”

Aelin watched as Lorcan shifted on his feet, itching to say something but obviously refraining. Measuring his words carefully he looked her dead in the eye. “Look. He was just trying to impress you. Rowan doesn’t go out often. Don’t you think you are blowing this a little out of proportion?”

Red. Aelin saw red. Tasted it. Like iron in her mouth. Or maybe that was just the blood from biting her tongue so hard. “I’m working right now. You don’t strike me as extremely literate, but I have to ask for you to either buy something or leave.”

Lorcan glowered at her. “Fine.” He turns to walk out, but Aelin hears him call her a bitch under his breath.

Just then, Elide walks inside the shop doors. A backpack slung over her shoulder, finished with her classes at Rifthold U and prepared to work the evening shift with her.

Aelin is relieved for the interruption and about to take full advantage of it, when the small, brown-haired girl catches sight of Lorcan and beams like a rutting lighthouse.

“Lorcan! I didn’t know you were coming into my work, what a surprise.”

Elide. One of her best friends, runs up to the six-two tower of misogynistic cow boys and flings her arms around him. Hugs him.

Ellie she recalls the name being thrown out last night. She hadn’t put two and two together. Ellie was a common name. Of all the people in this city it had to be Elide, Aelin mentally bemoans.

She wonders if Elide knew how her cowboy behaved when she wasn’t around.

It doesn’t matter. Lorcan is all too aware of Aelin’s eyes boring into his skin, and knows he needs to make a quick get away.

“Ellie,” Lorcan pulls away from her. “I just had to see this book shop you are always talking about.”

He kisses her head, and looks at her with feigned remorsefulness. “I must have gotten your shifts mixed up in my head, though. I’m afraid I have to go. We booked a training time for six and I need to brush down Nettie before we start.”

“Oh,” Elide says, a look of genuine disappointment on her face. “That’s fine. Are we still on for a movie tomorrow?”

“Wouldn’t miss it,” he promises. He pecks her one more time on the lips and tips his chin towards Aelin. Anger still bubbling in his eyes. “Good day, ma’am.”

Aelin releases a breath when the doors close behind him.

“I’m so sad I missed him.” Elide frowns, tossing her back pack behind the counter. “At least you got to meet him. What did you think? He’s absolutely dreamy, right?”

Aelin chokes back a gag. “Yeah. He was really charming.”

“And get this,” Elide smiles. “He’s a cowboy. Like an actual, real life cowboy. He rides pulls and does team roping. It’s sexy.”

Aelin can’t hide the grimace this time. “You are like my baby sister. I never want to hear the words sexy from your mouth again.”

At least, never in the context of Lorcan. They’d had plenty of boy talk before.

“He even carries a rope.” Elide wags an eyebrow. “Better to tie me up when we-“

Aelin holds a book over her face. “I’m not listening to this! I will file a report with HR.”

Elide laughs. “You are the boss, Lin. You know we don’t have an HR.”

“I need to get one now,” Aelin grumbles. “I don’t need an image of yours and Lorcan’s naked asses in my head.”

She wanted Lorcan out of her head entirely. Along with Rowan and the rest of their cadre.

“Fine,” Elide sighs wistfully. “One day you will be in love and I won’t hold it against you when you want to talk about whatever babe you wind up with.”

Her eyes get a mischievous glint. “Actually- Lorcan has some really cute friends. I could set you up with?”

Aelin’s brain banks. “No. No thank you. I like being alone. I’m more than enough company for myself.”

“Come on, a double date would be fun!” Elide whines and tugs on her arm. “You never go out any more. We could have a great night out.”

An image of the twins cutting lines on the bar flash across her mind and make her shudder.

“I said no, Elide.” Aelin says a bit more harshly then she intends, but Elide gets the point and backs off.

“Sorry. I won’t mention it again.” Instead of anger she looks at Aelin worriedly.

She kind of hates that more.

“Thanks.” She shakes her head and tries to clear the residual stress from her head. “I have to set up a new shelf display. Want to help?”

Elide lights back up at the prospect. She loved designing and organizing. They have a great time setting displays up together and Aelin knew it would take her mind away from the tension she’d created.

She just really hoped that Elide dating Lorcan wouldn’t drag any drama into her own life. Aelin didn’t care what half asses excuses Lorcan made, she wasn’t interested in seeing Rowan again.

Hello! I’m so glad I got this posted today. 😂 I’m hoping to get the next chapter of DRNS out tomorrow. After that, my birthday is next Tuesday and I reaaallly want to do a mass update of all my fics then as a hooray to 21. (Yes. That is what I’m doing for my 21st 🤣) Hope you enjoyed it!

Tag List- (Let me know if you would like to be removed or added!)

@charincharge

@westofmoon

@jorjy-jo

@classyclodranchparty

@morganofthewildfire

@ashleymariegriffin

@wordsxstars

@sjmships

@rolltide7

@surielandiareendgame

@jlinez

@rowaelinismyotp