#and I mean seriously how did Chris and Ashley decide to keep going out after that double date

[thisismyroadtothethrone]

Here’s a hot take Lucy and Tim have emotionally been together since DOD (whether they realized it or not) and anybody who came after was in fact the side hoe and that’s on them for not recognizing that thus any emotional cheating that occurred was in fact not cheating because they were already a thing.

[thefanficmonster]

And My Heart Burned In That Lodge

Michael (Mike) Munroe x Reader (female)

Warnings: Death, Grief, Dealing with loss, Heartbreak, Swearing

Genre: ANGST

Summary: None of them will ever be the same, who knows if they’ll even heal. However, the case is different for Mike. He’s left to be dealing with the guilt, grief and the haunting memory of his friend’s death. He’s angry with himself for all the wrong things he did and all the right things he was too much of a coward to do. Now, his only closure is talking to a gravestone, hoping the wind in the graveyard will pass the message onto the person who the words are meant for.  

Requested by Anon. Wish I could tag them, they have such amazing ideas ❤

PS - Sorry this is hella long, I got carried away LOL

I stand aside, watching as my friends place their flowers on her grave. I can hear their cries. For some odd reason I can’t find it in me to feel sympathy or the need to go over there and be with them. I can’t see how that would do anything but make me feel more miserable. Standing here, seeing this scene unfold in front of me, I can’t help but be reminded of how it all started.

Fuck Mondays, man. Fuck them from the bottom of my heart. Even worse, this is the first week of school after winter break so no one wants to be here. Even even worse, this is the first time I’ll be seeing Emily after out breakup. We broke up over text and while I’m aware that’s the worst way to break up with someone, I must admit it was the only way for a lot of arguing and awkwardness to be avoided. 

It’s the first time I’m coming to school alone in a while. Without Emily, the car was pleasantly quiet aside from the songs on the radio. Not gonna lie, it felt a bit lonely. Being single for the first time in what feels like forever is both liberating and oddly melancholic. I try to push the self-loathing and the depressing thoughts away as my eyes scan the hallway, looking for the group of familiar faces. My gang. We used to be ten people but we lost two girls during our winter getaway at the Washington lodge. Josh’s sisters, Hannah and Beth, went missing and are presumably dead, all cause of a stupid prank Jess, Emily and I concocted, convincing Matt and Ash to go along with it. In retrospect, I don’t know what we were thinking.

‘Seriously, Mike? From one depressing thought to another? Is your brain lacking serotonin today more than usual or what?‘ I mentally scold myself just as I spot two familiar faces - Sam and Ashley. 

It doesn’t take long for me to notice the rest of the gang - Matt, Jess and Chris - all standing near by, surrounding a girl I have never seen before. She sticks out immediately with her long H/C hair and shiny E/C eyes. Jess has her arm linked with the girl, a gesture really out of place for Jess. I mean, her and Emily are pretty close and I’ve never even seen them hug.

“Hey, man. How are you?“ Matt notices me first, lifting his head and smiling at me. His greeting leads the others to look in my direction as well, including the girl. I catch Jess lean down in and whisper something to her. I can’t hear what she’s saying but it clearly aggravates her. I have never received a dirtier look from a girl in my entire life. I usually have the opposite effect on women but I guess there’s a first time for everything. 

“Mike...” Jess steps away from the girl and towards me, “this is my best friend, Y/N. She just got transferred here.” She turns her attention back to the girl, “Y/N, this is Mike.” 

Y/N looks unamused as she outstretches her arm in my direction. “Nice to meet you” is what she says, but her expression clearly tells me she would like to see as little of me as possible. At least she’s polite, right? 

“Likewise.” The handshake is brief and, despite her obvious distaste for me, she still gives me a firm handshake. 

“Wait, you were transferred? I thought Jess said you came here cause you moved.” Sam furrows her brows in confusion. 

“Well, it’s really a chicken and the egg type of situation.” Y/N laughs, rubbing the back of her neck almost nervously, “We moved because I had to transfer.”  Yikes.“ Ashley comments, “Not to pry or anything, but why did you have to be transferred?“

Y/N looks me dead in the eyes, as if she’s sending me a message that I better not overlook, or so help me God I’ll be dead. ”Noses randomly broke when I was around.”

It hurts so much to look back on those times and not pick up on what I was feeling. I foolishly decided that if I can’t give the feelings a name or find them a purpose I should turn a blind eye. I wasn’t that ignorant, I could tell she was the cause, but I could never admit it.

And then there’s the situation with Jess...

“You hurt her, and I’ll kill you.“

I found Y/N by the bleachers and let me tell you, she’s quite the paradox. She’s a straight A, no nonsense, intelligent beyond her years girl. With all these characteristics, you’d think she’d know better than to smoke cigarettes. Wrong! She’s a smoker. Jess can never not complain about the smell of cigarette smoke, it’s a miracle these two get along.

To my ‘hi’ she responded with what looked to be an eyeroll and an annoyed release of smoke through her nostrils. Even though I know I’m not welcome to be in her proximity, I still decide to sit down a little ways away from her, for personal space and all that. Definitely not cause I’m slightly afraid of her. No way.

We just sit in silence until she hits me with the aforementioned threat. I am caught off guard. All I can do is stare straight ahead of me like a deer in headlights. After maybe thirty seconds of absolute confusion I manage to turn my head to look at her. “What are you talking about?” The question is supposed to sound harsh but compared to the way she spit out that death threat it sounded more like a whimper.

“You are such an ignorant asshole.“ She shakes her head, throwing her cigarette on the bench below her. She stomps on it and walks away. I can’t help but stare at her until she’s out of sight. I feel like I’m watching something non-human. A phenomenon you can experience once in a lifetime - if you’re lucky. 

She’s the complete opposite of Jess: grounded, smart, rational. The only time I’ve seen her be so unpleasant is around me. I catch her interactions with the rest of the gang. From afar, she seems like the nicest, friendliest girl. And then she catches a glimpse of me and her mood changes. I don’t know what’s her problem with me but I know it most certainly isn’t something I’ve done to her. She’s been like that since the first moment we were introduced, so either Jess has talked a lot of shit about me or she just hates people named Michael. I may never know.

I had no idea what she meant at the time and only found out three weeks ago. Speaking of three weeks ago, the group once again headed for the Blackwood Pines, trying to hide their uneasiness with make excitement. I was pretty hyped when I heard we were going because that also meant our friend Josh was finally starting to get better. He hadn’t been in a good mindset since his sisters went missing and we were all really worried for him but weren’t allowed to show it because he always insisted he was fine.

He wasn’t. He was as messed up as ever and served as only the prologue to the nightmare of a night we had to live through.

But before all that could happen, the night started off well. Better than expected. The eeriness of the mountain combined with the bad memories we had of the place we still there, we could all feel the tension, but we did a good job masking it with jokes and whatnot. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t really looking forward to go and not only because of what happened the year prior.

“Wait, wait, wait. Y/N’s coming too?“ I ask, looking at Josh with wide eyes.

The guy is clearly confused by my overdramatic reaction to him counting down the names of the ones who had already RSVPd ‘Yes’. “Is that a problem or something?”

I sigh, hiding my face in my hands. It’s embarrassing to admit, really. “She doesn’t like me, and that puts it mildly. She hates me.”

He looks even more baffled than before, “Why? What’d you do to her?”

“Nothing, for fuck’s sake. Not a single thing. I haven’t even had a proper interaction with her.“ Talking about this matter exhausts me, mostly cause I can’t even express half the things I’m feeling.

There’s been a time or two I’ve caught her looking at me but her eyes weren’t filled with that distrust I’m used to. She looks away quickly when we make eye contact, as if she can’t put the mean mask on in time and she has to look away to do a system reset. I sometimes catch myself looking at her without realizing. I try to tell myself I do it for the purpose of solving her. 

‘Who are you kidding, Munroe?‘

                                                                  * * *

And here I am, climbing up the mountain to the Washington lodge. I’ve made it a goal to use this getaway to mend things with Y/N. It’s the only way for me to get back to normal. To get my mind back since she’s recently been living in my head rent-free. I’m bullshitting, not just recently. She’s taken over my brain since day one. I can’t place what’s going on with me, I can’t find a term to label it with and I most definitely can’t find a way to stop it. So, I’ve come to the conclusion that if I can’t stop it on my own, she’ll have to do it for me.

Another thing - I’ve never felt nervous or self-conscious around a girl all my life. Never. My friends joke that I’m a ladies’ man and I’d say that’s pretty true. So I have a tough time understanding how I turn into an awkward turtle that’s missing confidence when she’s around.

Once we all get settled in and there’s a fire going, giving the lodge a cozy atmosphere, it’s every man for themselves. Everyone picks a activity they want to occupy themselves with and the living room of the lodge empties out, leaving me there alone.

I scroll stare at the screen of my now useless phone. The thing has no reception and no way of keeping me busy, leaving my attention to wander to the voices that are getting more and more distant as my friends walk out of the room.

I can’t help but overhear Jess say to Y/N, “You haven’t even set your bag down yet and you’re going for a smoke? Jeez, Y/N.”

“You say as though you don’t know me.“ Y/N laughs, the sound of a door opening following after her voice.

It’s such a nice sound, her laugh. I’ve never heard it before. I’ve seen her smile and seen her chuckle at someone’s joke, but it was never actually a laugh. Seems she keeps those for special occasions. 

If she’s in the type of mood to laugh, she’s in the type of mood to be civil with me. Before I can talk myself out of the on-spot decision, I mentally slap myself and get off the couch, walking to the door to the side deck.

“You’ve got this, she’s just a person” 

“Who’s just a person?“ her voice cuts through the silence of the outdoors.

‘SHIT I SAID THAT OUT LOUD‘

I decide to carry this all the way, no shortcuts. No backing out. Somehow, now that she’s standing in front of me - a cigarette between her fingers, her shoulders tense from of the cold - I find it easier to get the words out. She’s just as human as everyone else. The cold causes her to shrivel up. She’s addicted to tobacco. She’s not some riddle I need to solve, just a person I need to talk to in order to understand.

“You.“ I reply, “Why aren’t you wearing a jacket?“

She shakes her head, her shoulders trembling a bit, “It builds the immune system.”

“No, it makes you suffer.“ I shrug my jacket off, cautiously approaching her and wrapping it around her.

Surprisingly, she accepts it with a nod and a murmured ‘thanks’, holding onto it with the hand that’s not holding her cigarette. “Why were you reminding yourself that I’m just a person? Do I not look like one?” She scoffs, facing away from me to look at the snowy hills ahead.

“No, no, not that. You just make me nervous that’s all.“ 

She whirls around, giving me this look as though she has no idea what I’m talking about.

“Really? Why’s that?“ she puts out her cigarette on the wooden railing, focusing all her attention on me.

My hand instinctively goes up to the back of my neck, feeling my face start to heat up. “Well, you’re not really fond of me. And I don’t know why, and....” I trail off, sighing in self-disappointment, “And I wanna know why.”

Her expression turns the complete opposite, a smile spreading across her face. “It’s not about something you have done. It’s about what you might’ve done.”

Despite feeling slightly relieved, I am no less confused than I was a minute ago. “And what is that?”

“Break my best friend’s heart.“ She looks a lot more serious now, “You really had no idea she was head over heels for you just a month ago. You were so oblivious and she was so whipped...“ frustration radiates off of her, “I just didn’t want her to get hurt.“ She closes her eyes, stabilizing herself before finishing her statement, “I didn’t want to hurt her.“

“Wait, what?“

The hurt that paints itself on her face is contagious. I feel it too and I don’t even know what’s causing it. “She always told me about you. Mike this and Mike that. She made you sound like the best guy in the world. And...I really wanted to be let down when I met you, but you were nothing but nice to me and to the other people in the group. But you were also such a jerk from time to time. You are just too...Fucking forget it.” 

In a blink of an eye she puts my jacket over the railing and runs inside the lodge.

“Y/N, wait!“

Needless to say, running after her was the best decision I’ve made. I didn’t get her to admit to anything, but at least we lied down the armor and agreed to give each other some time to get to know one another. Drop aside the assumptions and give a this acquaintanceship the chance to become a friendship. 

Sadly, all good things come to an end way sooner than we want. The rest of that dreadful night I witnessed her transform. When everyone was freaking out, she held them and comforted them. I saw the fear in her eyes but she never let it shine through in her actions. She was the one still holding it together even after she saw that disgusting creature. Her and I were the ones to turn that sanatorium upside down. We were with Josh in the mines. We were the ones to see the Wendigo first. We were by each other’s side the entire time. We had each other’s backs. 

I’ve never felt such a connection with someone. I was experiencing the most intimate understanding with a person in the worst moment of my life. It was bittersweet. The poison mixed with the cure.

Even when she knew her death was approaching, her only reaction was a single tear. A single crystal drop running down her cheek.

We can make a break. We can run right out of this hell hole and turn it to ash, all we need is for this fucking to focus its attention elsewhere. Thankfully Chris, Ash and Emily have made it out already and they’re safe. However, Sam, Y/N and I are trapped. The silent looks we exchange are laced with fear and panic. We have to calculate our next moves down to a millisecond and we don’t even know what those next moves should be.

Suddenly, a sharp pain starts spreading from my hand shoulder. My adrenaline is no longer doing a good job blocking out the pain of the fingers I had to sever. I slip up, letting out a hiss. The pain is just that unbearable.

That thing turn at the speed of light, letting out a screech and heading in my direction. My whole body is tense I couldn’t move if I wanted to but my arm is in such a horribly painful position, I think I’ll faint if I don’t readjust it.

“HEY!“ The voice comes from opposite me and my heart drops.

Sam’s next to me. It’s not her. It’s Y/N. 

The Wendigo loses interest in me as soon as it hears her yell turning and heading straight for her. It all starts sinking in. Now that it’s facing away, Sam and I can make it out. But she can’t. It’s over for her. There’s no way she’s leaving this lodge.

I catch her eyes from across the room. Her posture says a fighter, but her eyes scream ‘petrified’. She knows it too. She knows it’s game over. A single tear rolls down her cheek, shattering my heart.

That’s the last vulnerable moment, however. She turns her head, deciding to go out without showing a glint of fear to that piece of shit. I don’t have to look at Sam or tell her what to do. We’re both aware that we’re about to make it out, losing Y/N in the process.

It happens in a split second. Y/N spits at the Wendigo and then next thing I see is her laying on the ground in a pool of blood. 

The dash out of the lodge is a blur. The last thing I remember is sitting outside of the burning building, staring at the flames. The lodge wasn’t the only thing burning. Years of memories; history; wendigos; and my heart burnt in that lodge.

I see the group leave the graveyard. I struggle to move forward, my limbs heavy. I feel gravity is a lot stronger all of a sudden. 

I didn’t go to the final goodbye. I knew it wasn’t her. There was nothing left of her to bury. Sam told me they buried things that reminded people of her and objects she cherished. 

Well it’s time I give my goodbye.

I shrug my jacket off - the same jacket from that night - and put it around the gravestone like I put it over her shoulders. There’s a box of the cigarettes she smoked in the inner pocket.

“I hope you felt what I felt, Y/N. I hope I didn’t have to say it for you to notice it. I wish I knew...cause now it’ll haunt me for the rest of my life.” I can’t stop the tears, I’m too weak and I’ve been holding them back for far too long. “I’ve never believed in an afterlife. But I really hope there is one, just so we can meet again.” I scoff, shaking my head, “Who am I kidding, I’m probably going to hell.”

I believe that’s where I deserve to go, anyway. I’m the reason she died. And I will never let myself live that down. I will never forgive myself. A flame like no other burnt out so mine could keep burning.   I will make sure it haunts me till the day I leave this world behind.

[untildawnisloveuntildawnislife]

BUTTERFLY EFFECT: Stay with the others

(Brave goes down significantly)

Even if splitting up seemed like a bad idea, you couldn’t bring yourself to come along with Mike. The thought of going in the dark mines and possibly facing that monster made a chill run up your spine, so you just watched as Mike left the safe haven.

A deep breath you were holding in finally left your lungs. This whole situation over Emily’s bite was fucked up and you were glad it was resolved without any casualties. Everyone else was still in shock from the situation, but soon Em started to talk again, indicating she felt safe.

“I thought… that… that he was going to help us…” Staring at something in front of her, she said basically to herself.

“Who? The flamethrower dude?” wanting to confirm the answer, Sam asked.

“Now we don’t have a chance…” Em rambled on.

But Sam didn’t lose hope “No, guys, it just means we’ve got to be tough. We gotta do this on our own.” You really wanted to believe her, but you couldn’t help but be terrified.

“I don’t know if I can…” Emily fell silent.

Confident/Doubtful

Confident

You looked towards Emily as you spoke. “Sam’s right. We have to be tough. And if Mike’s lucky, we can get out of here easily with the ski lift. So we can’t give up hope just yet.”

Emily was not convinced. She turned her head towards you. “Yeah right! As if Mike can handle it! He’ll probably be eaten before he even reaches the mines. Besides, I don’t care about that psychopath anymore! He almost shot me in the face!” she answered angrily.

“True, but the only hope we have is that same psychopath! It’s not like we have a whole lot of other options…” you sighed while you put your hands on your face.

She wanted to say something back, but stopped before anything came out. It looked like she didn’t know how to answer anymore. She went back to her previous position, thinking by herself.

So the conversation ended.

Doubtful

“I don’t know Sam… Can we really trust Mike anymore… And what if he fails? We don’t have any other options. Except for waiting…” you answered her with a voice full of doubt.

Sam looked hurt. “Come on (Y/N)… I know that what Mike did is unforgivable, but that doesn’t mean he’s evil…” She sounded so sure of herself.

Emily budded into the conversation. “So you’re taking his side?! Sam, he almost shot me!”

“I know Em and I one hundred percent don’t agree with what he did, but he’s our only hope…”

“Bullshit!” Em yelled. “We have people coming to rescue us! All we have to do is wait!”

You didn’t like were the conversation was going, so you ended it. ”ENOUGH! Let’s not bite each other’s head off! Haven’t we all gotten enough tonight? Let’s agree to disagree shall we?”

Luckily, it stopped the disagreement. It sounds cliché, but this was not the time to do it.

With that it became silent again

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While we were waiting Ashley went through the strangers stuff and was silently examining it on her own, without even caring about what just happened around her. She had found a journal which held information about the Wendigo’s collected over the years by the stranger.

A certain page seemed to really catch her eye. “Oh… Oh no no no no no.”

“What? What is it? What does it say?” Sam questioned her.

“Yeah what’s wrong? Is it something bad?” You wanted to know as well.

Everyone was focused on Ashley right now. She seemed a bit hesitant to actually tell us, but your curiosity got the better of you. “Ash, you can tell us… Whatever it is.” You reassured her.

She double checked the page and started to talk. “It says that… well… the bites… If it bites you… It’s not infectious. It doesn’t do anything.” She revealed to us with a lot of relieve.

“Really…” you felt so much safer already. That’s one less thing to worry about!

You turned around to Emily with a smile on your face but it soon disappeared when you saw she was pissed. Not just pissed, furious.

“I’m sorry what did you say?” Emily snapped at Ashley.

Ashley flinched. “Em, it says you’ll be okay…” she tried to reassure her.

“It says what?”

Sam answered in Ashley’s stead. “You’re going to be fine!”

Yet Emily wasn’t happy. “Fine?! Mike almost shot me! Is that fine?!” she shouted.

‘This won’t turn out well’, you thought by yourself. But you couldn’t find it in you to interfere since you knew Em had the right to be angry. She almost got shot because of a stupid misunderstanding. So you wouldn’t be the one to silence Em.

It was Sam that didn’t want another fight. “He didn’t shoot you-“

“And this bitch almost let him!” Emily pointed angrily at Ashley, ready to go all bitch-mode on her.

“Hey! That’s not fair, she was scared-“ Sam tried but was interrupted by Emily again.

“I’m the one who’s scared!” she protested to Sam.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry Emily-“ Ash apologized. “I didn’t know what was going to happen… None of us know!” she defended herself.

Of course once Emily is in a furious state, there is no backing down from her side. “There’s- There’s no excuse! There’s no excuse for this!”

Should you do something to stop the situation from escalating? Or would it be better to let Emily vent her anger? You honestly weren’t sure.

Calm Emily down/Do nothing

 Calm Emily down

The situation was getting out of hand. Sure Emily was right to be angry, but that didn’t mean she had to antagonize Ashley and blame her for everything. You could understand Ashley’s fear. We were all in a situation that was pretty dire. We had almost zero chance of escape and every minute one of those things could be getting closer to our location, cornering us with no escape. Nobody had any idea how we would react to something as traumatizing as this.

So you decided to try to calm down Emily.

“Emily stop! Hasn’t it been enough already-“

“Stop?! You want me to stop? Mike almost shot me (Y/N)!! But no. I’m the problem, I have to stop!” She yelled at you.

“I’m not saying you can’t be angry.” You kept talking calmly to her. “You have every right to be, but that doesn’t mean we have to demonize each other. Ashley was scared-“

“Oh, so you take her side?! Do you think she’s the only one who’s scared?! I’ve been through literal HELL (Y/N)!! I was stuck on my own in those mines with that thing probably watching me the whole time, and then it began to chase me! Even the smallest mistake could have killed me!” tears started to well up in her eyes. “And when I finally thought I was save, she-” pointing to Ashley “-started to convince everyone I was going to turn into a Wendigo and Mike threatened to kill me! So yeah, I’m scared!” she turned her head away, trying to get rid of the tears.

You felt really bad. The things she had witnessed must have been scarring. You honestly couldn’t believe how she was still alive. Yet here she was. Only to be seen as a possible future threat by her former friends. Almost shot in the face by her former boyfriend.

But hating them should have to wait after we were off this damned mountain. Right now we still needed to survive and rely on each other, so hate shouldn’t cloud our judgment.

You took a deep breath and looked at her again. “… What if it were me that was bit.”

Bewildered, she look at you instead of the wall she was previously facing.

“Huh?”

Everyone stared at you questioningly, wondering where you were going with this.

“If it were me, don’t you think Ashley would have reacted the same?”

“I…” she couldn’t find the right words.

“Or if it were Sam? Or even Chris? You don’t expect me believe she wouldn’t react just as bad, do you?” you asked her seriously.

“Yeah, but…” she somehow couldn’t deny what you said.

You looked over to Ashley. “Would you have freaked out if I were bit instead of Emily? You can be honest Ash.”

She looked hesitant, but answered your question anyway. “Probably… I had no idea what would happen if someone were bit, so I just freaked.” She walked over to were Emily stood. “Please Emily you have to believe me, I didn’t know…”

The tension that was present, had eased. At least now Emily knew that nobody was against her, it was just a misfortunate accident.

After a long silence she finally spoke again. “… After this whole thing is over, I won’t speak to any of you again.”

With that, the situation returned to normal. But your relationship with Emily had become really sour.

(Your relationship with Emily went down significantly) 

Do nothing

Emily’s rage has nothing to do with you. Who are you to tell her she is overreacting? You didn’t just get threatened to get shot in the face by an ex-boyfriend. I mean, not even Chris is trying to help Ashley out! It was definitely not your place to stop her.

Ashley was trying to calm Emily down, though Em didn’t listen to her at all. She tried to explain herself, but probably to no avail.

“Please, Emily, please just try to understand –“ Ash begged with a shaking voice, only to be cut off by a stern Emily.

“Understand the palm of my hand, bitch” The impact of that slap made even you flinch. That must have definitely hurt, a lot… Sam was taken aback just like you.

“I’m sorry… I’m so so so so sorry…” Ash apologized profusely. You felt sorry for her. Anyone would become irrational in a terrible situation like the one we’re in. Still, it does not excuse a possible homicide just because someone might be ‘infected’.

(Your relationship with Emily didn’t change)

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The strangers journal was now being examined by Sam, and it seems that she found something important.

“Shit. Shit-shit-shit! We’ve got to get to Mike, like now!” Sam beckoned at us to follow her, which we all did. Leaving someone behind is not an option!

 We finally reached the tunnel that connected the lodge with the sanatorium.

Apparently the stranger contained multiple Wendigo’s inside the sanatorium, which is why Sam became very worried about Mike. We had to warn him of the possible danger that laid ahead of him!

“Come on guys! Hurry up! We gotta find Mike. Come on!” She told us impatiently, while keeping up her fast pace.

Unfortunately not everyone was in good shape. “Hey… ahhh… I’m kinda gimping out here guys… I think maybe you should go on without me.” Chris groaned when he came to a stop.

“You can’t be serious right now?!” rolling your eyes at his statement. How could he possibly think about staying behind on his own when he’s injured?!

“No. Chris. We are not leaving you. We’re sticking together. Mike will just have to wait.” Ashley declared to Chris. You absolutely agreed.

“Come on Chris! We are NOT splitting up! It’s too dangerous.” You added. He didn’t even try to argue about it anymore.

With Chris back on board we headed towards the entrance of the sanatorium. It was a metal double door with no noticeable lock. Sam tried opening the door, but with no luck. It seemed to be locked from the other side. Of course…

“Oh shit. Mike must have locked it behind him. Crap! There’s gotta be another way in.” Sam frantically looked around to find another way in.

You took a shot at trying to force it open, but no luck either. “Fuck!!” you shouted out of frustration.

“Wait, hey! What about this?” Ashley questioned. You looked over to see what she was talking about. It was a sewer grate. ‘Perfect!’ you cheered to yourself.

“This could work.” You exclaimed after examining it.

Sam seemed to agree. “Well it’s not like we got a whole lot of choices here…”

With a pipe found nearby Ashley was able to pull off the grate and together with Sam she opened it up. With your flashlight you looked inside. It didn’t seem like a deep descend.

“So who’s going first?” Sam asked to the group. Everyone seemed hesitant, mostly because we didn’t know what was possibly down there.

Someone had to go first, and we also needed someone to put the grate back. Just in case.

Enter first / Go last

Enter first

For once, maybe you should have a bit more courage.

“I’ll go” You said determined. Nobody wanted to disagree.

“After you.” Emily voiced sarcastically. Not that it bothered you.

After positioning yourself on the steps you started your descend into the sewer-like tunnel. Fortunately the steps didn’t have a lot of rust, so you didn’t have to worry about hurting yourself. Lucky me.

Once down you looked around with your flashlight a couple of times. Everything seemed to be clear. No signs of any monsters, so you gave the group a signal. Soon the others followed after you, except for Ashley since she was going to close the grate opening.

“Shouldn’t we wait for her?” you asked Sam, but she dismissed you quickly.

“It’s fine, she’ll catch up.” Her pace not slowing down.

Leaving her behind worried you a bit, though you dismissed the thought quickly. Closing the grate opening wasn’t going to take that long anyway. Besides, Chris was being slow, due to his injury, so Ashley could easily catch up with him. You were probably worried over nothing.

And as always you didn’t have to be so paranoid. As soon as the group reached the end of the sewer tunnel, you saw Ashley and Chris catching up together.

We reached a clearing which looked like a part of a mine. It seemed like a dead end. The only way to go forward was to climb up the rocky slope to reach the wooden structure, which in itself looks like a challenge.

“Look. The ladder’s toast we’re never going to make it up there!” Ashley said defeated.

But Sam disagreed with her. “No no no, I think I can… I think I can do it. It’s like… a rock wall.” She started to examine it. “I’m gonna keep going! You should head back to the lodge I’ve gotta get Mike.”

Baffled by her words you stopped her “You can’t seriously think of going all by yourself are you??”

Sam stopped for a minute. “I have experience with rock climbing, you guys don’t. It’s safer if I go by myself.” She explained to you.

Go with her / Stay with the group

Go with her

“I’m not letting you do this on your own! At least let me come with you.” You tried to convince her.

She didn’t look convinced “But-“

You immediately reassured her “I’ll be fine. I’ve done rock climbing a few times in middle school and not to brag I wasn’t that bad.” A grin appeared on your face.

Sam let out a sigh “Are you sure?”.

You didn’t hesitate a second “Yes”

The two of you began your climb together.

“Good luck!” Ashley shouted before the group headed back to the safe space.

(Your relationship with Sam increased)

Chapter 6

Stay with the group

Sam was right. You may have done some rock climbing in middle school, but those were easy as fuck. Here you had actual rocks that may fall off and you could get seriously injured if you made even a tiny mistake. Besides, you would only slow Sam down.

You stepped towards Sam to give her some encouraging words. “Good luck Sam… Make sure you come back alive.” You looked her in the eyes, but there was no fear in them.

She hesitated for a second, but then grabbed you and pulled you into a hug. It was a bit awkward yet comforting. You hugged her back.

“Keep the others.. and yourself safe-” she pulled away from you. “and I’ll come back alive with Mike.” She sounded so confident, you had no choice but to believe her words.

You nodded at her and headed back towards the group. “Let’s go..”

You looked back one last time. Sam was already climbing up to her next destination. You continued to walk quite slowly until you couldn’t see her anymore. ‘See you soon’ you thought to yourself, only you weren’t sure if there was going to be a soon. You could only hope so.

Chapter 6

Go last

It might be a good idea to play it a bit more smart. So you waited until Sam volunteered to go first.

Something came to mind once Chris started to climb down. “Shouldn’t we close the grate? I mean, just in case you know?” You asked Ashley.

She thought a bit until she spoke up. “Yeah, you’re right. That way nobody can follow us.”

You nodded at her words. “I’ll go last, so I’ll be the one to close it.” You told her. She seemed okay with it.

Once Chris reached the bottom Ashley began to go down the steps.

“Guys, hurry up! We gotta get to Mike!” Sam shouted from the bottom.

“You guys go ahead, I’m going to close this grate once it is my turn to go down!” You answered her.

She looked impatient. “Yes, fine. Close it. But we gotta keep moving. Can you just catch up? Please?” Sam asked a bit annoyed.

You muttered a “Yeah, yeah..” to answer her, not even sure if she heard you. Once Ashley reached the ground you started to position yourself on the steps and began to climb down until you were right below the grate opening. With one hand you dragged the grate over your head into it’s former location. It took a minute because it was quite heavy, and you definitely didn’t work out your arms enough to easily do it. You started to climb down again. Once your feet found the ground you looked around to see were the others were. They were already gone. It made you a bit afraid to be all alone, but you soon dismissed the fear. There was no time. Besides, they couldn’t have gone that far, could they? You started walking down the underpass towards your groups location. After walking for a bit you suddenly heard a cry for help.

“Hello?” You asked, wondering if you really just heard that. It sounded like… Josh?

You heard the desperate cry again. It really was Josh’s voice!

Investigate / Join group

Investigate

You went inside the opening were you heard Josh’s voice coming from. The shaft was a bit narrow, but eventually you reached a whole other section. Suddenly you heard some banging. It freaked you out. You went towards the sound and saw a trap door being violently banged on from below.

You swallowed to get rid of a lump in your troat. “J-Josh?” you croaked softly.

The banging suddenly stopped. Your heart was beating horribly fast due to fear. What if it was really him? You hesitantly reached to the lock on the trap door to open it. Cold sweat was rolling down your face. You unlocked it and slowly opened the door.

“Josh? You there?” you whispered.

But it wasn’t Josh that came out, it was a Wendigo. You let out a bloodcurdling scream that you didn’t even know came from you. The thing grabbed your neck and started twisting it, which hurt like hell. You barely had any time to struggle. But soon you didn’t feel anything anymore since the Wendigo broke your neck and pulled it off of your body. With your nerves still active you saw its face sneering at you until all vision faded from you.

You are dead.

Join group

It seems unwise to investigate this on your own. You quickened your pace towards your destination. Then you finally saw them.

“Guys-“ you said out of breath. “I heard Josh!”

Sam couldn’t believe her ears “You heard Josh? How? Where?” she questioned you.

You beckoned at them to follow you back. “Over here!”

Everyone came along to see what you were talking about. You reached the spot where you first heard his voice, but you couldn’t hear anything anymore.

“I swear I heard his voice right here!” you rambled in frustration.

They tried listening as well, but were sceptical.

“Um, are you sure you really even heard him? Like, wasn’t it your imagination or something?” Emily asked annoyed.

Even Chris was unconvinced. “Yeah (Y/N), maybe the fear is getting to you…”

You shook your head. “NO! I’m sure I heard him guys! Why would I make this up?!” you shouted at them.

Sam came in-between. “Hey hey. Nobody is angry, okay.” She reassured you. “Maybe it really was your imagination playing tricks on you or something entirely different.”

“But-“ you were cut off.

“(Y/N), it may have been a Wendigo…” Sam whispered to you.

You were baffled by her words. “What do you mean?” you asked her in a low voice.

Sam sighed and closed her eyes for a second. “I read in the strangers journal that Wendigo’s can mimic human voices…”

You couldn’t believe it. “So you are telling me that a Wendigo was trying to lure me into a trap? By using Josh’s voice?” you tried to make sense of her words.

She hesitated for a second “…Yes…” she eventually said.

Your knees felt weak. ‘I could have been dead’ was the only thing going through your mind right now. Sam looked sympathetic and stroked your arm a bit to make you feel a bit better. The others started to feel worried, so Sam started to walk back to our destination.

“She made a mistake. It was probably something else. Let’s go!” She said towards the others.

You collected your thoughts and went in the direction everyone was heading. From now on you needed to be way more careful than you previously thought.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We reached a clearing which looked like a part of a mine. It seemed like a dead end. The only way to go forward was to climb up the rocky slope to reach the wooden structure, which in itself looks like a challenge.

“Look. The ladder’s toast we’re never going to make it up there!” Ashley said defeated.

But Sam disagreed with her. “No no no, I think I can… I think I can do it. It’s like… a rock wall.” She started to examine it. “I’m gonna keep going! You should head back to the lodge I’ve gotta get Mike.”

Baffled by her words you stopped her “You can’t seriously think of going all by yourself are you??”

Sam stopped for a minute. “I have experience with rock climbing, you guys don’t. It’s safer if I go by myself.” She explained to you.

Go with her / Stay with the group

Go with her

“I’m not letting you do this on your own! At least let me come with you.” You tried to convince her.

She didn’t look convinced “But-“

You immediately reassured her “I’ll be fine. I’ve done rock climbing a few times in middle school and not to brag I wasn’t that bad.” A grin appeared on your face.

Sam let out a sigh “Are you sure?”.

You didn’t hesitate a second “Yes”

The two of you began your climb together.

“Good luck!” Ashley shouted before the group headed back to the safe space.

(Your relationship with Sam increased)

Chapter 6

Stay with the group

Sam was right. You may have done some rock climbing in middle school, but those were easy as fuck. Here you had actual rocks that may fall off and you could get seriously injured if you made even a tiny mistake. Besides, you would only slow Sam down.

You stepped towards Sam to give her some encouraging words. “Good luck Sam… Make sure you come back alive.” You looked her in the eyes, but there was no fear in them.

She hesitated for a second, but then grabbed you and pulled you into a hug. It was a bit awkward yet comforting. You hugged her back.

“Keep the others.. and yourself safe-” she pulled away from you. “and I’ll come back alive with Mike.” She sounded so confident, you had no choice but to believe her words.

You nodded at her and headed back towards the group. “Let’s go..”

You looked back one last time. Sam was already climbing up to her next destination. You continued to walk quite slowly until you couldn’t see her anymore. ‘See you soon’ you thought to yourself, only you weren’t sure if there was going to be a soon. You could only hope so.

Chapter 6

[whiskeyxcola]

Yours Truly: Part Nine

Summary: Layla leaves for Minnesota with her grandparents, which allows Sadie and Chris to explore the feelings between them.  Pairing: Chris Pratt x OFC, Chris Evans x OFC Word Count: 2115 Warnings: FLUFF.  A/N: Hope you enjoy the continuing series collab with @captain-s-rogers​! Don’t be afraid to ask to be on the taglist, and please let us know what you think! Also, keep an eye out for part eight, which Ashley will be posting later today!

Tags: @ellen-reincarnated1967​ @crazililwabbit​ @catching-up-with-kayla​ @speakinvain​

Masterlist

July 9

Caroline,

I … what do I say? Is it awful that I’m excited you finally got some good sex? Okay, so it’s not the greatest of circumstances, and Charlie isn’t horrible, but Caroline -- Chris is perfect for you. If I could handpick someone for you, it’d be Chris Evans! Handsome, obviously interested in politics and the country but not necessarily a straight-up politician. He gets your life but he would keep you grounded in the non-political world, too. OH! And if you guys got together, you’d be this amazing husband-wife team, running the country. Tell me that’s not your dream life!

By the way, stop thinking about what other people would think. I know you! STOP thinking that RIGHT NOW. Neither the media nor the public is ever completely pleased with the President and the way he lives his life, so don’t let that dictate anything you’re doing. Live YOUR best and happiest life.

Okay. I’m ending this letter here because I’ve been watching TV while I write this (Layla left for Minnesota with her grandparents this morning) and I just saw a clip about you and Chris. Hot but … yeah. I’m just gonna call.

Yours truly,

Sadie

Feeling under the weather for a few days after Fourth of July, Daniel told the family they would put off the trip back to Minnesota for a few days. It was no big deal; just more time for Chris to spend with his family and more time for his parents to get to know Sadie.

By the time the morning came for Daniel, Kathleen, and Layla to begin their road trip, Layla was on pins and needles. She had convinced herself that once she left, her father and Sadie would -- well, actually, Sadie was pretty sure that Layla had no idea what she really wanted to happen, the five-year-old only knew that she wanted them to be together.

“Sadie,” Layla whispered, coming into Sadie’s room before the sun was even up, “I’m ready to go now.”

Sadie forced her eyes to open. She turned on the light and took in Layla’s appearance: mismatched shirt and shorts, and boots on her feet. Her hair was still a mess from a night of excited sleeping. Sadie chuckled.

“Take off your boots and come up here with me, silly girl,” Sadie said, turning off the light and patting the mattress. Layla did as she was told, cuddling up to Sadie. “I’m gonna miss you.”

“I’ll miss you, too. But I’m going to bring you a surprise from Minnesota. Oh! And Daddy has a surprise for you, too.”

“I do like surprises.”

“Good.”

Layla was asleep again not too long after that, but Sadie was awake for some time after, wondering what Chris’s surprise for her could be.

***

Chris and Sadie watched the travelers pull away from the house in the small camper, head down the gravel driveway, and, finally, out onto the dirt road.

“Can’t believe she’s gonna be gone for a whole week. I’ve got a couple of interviews, but I’m going to miss her like crazy,” Sadie sighed.

“Mmhmm.” Chris was still staring down the driveway, arms crossed over his chest. He seemed distracted by other thoughts, and it suddenly occurred to her why that would be the case. Sadie felt a little selfish; after watching Emily leave, no doubt watching Layla leave, even with his own parents, had to stir up some of those feelings again.

Sadie cleared her throat. “I’m sorry, that was probably insensitive of me. Of course you’re going to --”

Chris turned to her and interrupted her apology. “Do you want to have dinner with me tonight?”

“Dinner,” Sadie repeated. “You mean -- dinner. Like a date?”

“Yeah, a date.” His voice read confidence but his teeth gnawing on the corner of his bottom lip gave away how nervous he felt.

Sadie licked her lips, an action borne of her own nerves. “Would this be the surprise that Layla told me you had for me?”

“Part of it,” Chris smirked. “I didn’t tell her everything, but I did want to make sure she was going to be okay if I asked you to dinner. Don’t want to give her a complex or anything.”

“Oh,” Sadie nodded. She licked her lips again and nodded. “Yes. I’d love to have dinner with you tonight.”

Chris’s smirk turned into a full-on smile. “Great. Seven-thirty work for you?”

Sadie nodded. “Sure. I’ll be ready.”

Chris nodded and walked around back of the house to get to tending the fields. Sunflowers would be blooming soon, he had told Sadie the other day, so she knew that tending to them now was as important as ever.

Letting her smile break into an ear-to-ear grin once Chris was out of sight, Sadie headed into the house to write a letter to Caroline.

The phone only rang twice before Caroline answered. The friends went right into a discussion about the news piece covering the pictures taken outside of Chris’s house which hinted heavily toward some sort of affair. Sadie couldn’t believe how relieved she felt after finally having a voice conversation with her best friend after so long.

The conversation started to wrap up, but Sadie knew she couldn’t just let it end without updating Caroline on her life as well.

“Uh, since we’re on the subject of love lives …”

“So I was right then, you got Farmer Pratt to fall in love with you,” Caroline chuckled.

Sadie chuckled, too. “He’s not in love, C. But we do -- okay, I don’t know which letters you’ve gotten yet, but Layla is spending a week with her grandparents in Minnesota. Chris and I held hands on Fourth of July -- I know, that’s no big deal, but it feels like a big deal. As soon as Layla and her grandparents were out of the driveway this morning, he asked if I wanted to have dinner with him. Oh, and did I mention that he has a sunflower farm? I’m rambling. I need to stop.”

“A sunflower farm? Seriously? It’s like you were destined to find this job and him. So, he asked you to have dinner. What did you say? Yes, I hope. Is he taking you out? Are you staying at the house? I mean, isn’t this technically your first time alone with him since you started the job?”

“I said yes. I’m not sure I’d be capable of saying no. Yeah, except for a couple of times that Layla was in town with her grandparents, it’s our first time alone with each other. I’m still staying at the house because I’m looking for jobs in the area. Is that a horrible idea?” She ran her fingers through her hair. “Why am I freaking out? Also, I’m assuming we’re going out. I should have asked.”

“Good, I’m glad you said yes! And I don’t think that’s a horrible idea at all. Looking for jobs in the area is a great idea, especially if things work out between the two of you. You’re freaking out because you like him, he’s technically your boss, and he owns a damn sunflower farm! It’s like he was made for you. But try not to stress out about it. I’m positive that it’s gonna be an awesome night for you!”

“You’re right. I just need to calm down,” Sadie said, letting out a deep breath. “And you know what? I think things are going to be fine for you, too. You and Chris. Together. I can feel it. This is our summer. Or something.”

“I don’t know about me and Chris but I know it’s gonna be great for you. You’re right, though, it is our summer. Or something.”

They both chuckled, promised not to get into the habit of calling each other, and to stick to letters for the most part going forward. Once the call disconnected, Sadie set her phone down on the couch next to her and let out a few deep breaths. With time to herself since Layla was gone, she decided to go into town and find something to wear for her date with Chris.

At seven-thirty on the dot, Sadie made her way into the front room. Chris was waiting for her there, dressed in crisp, dark blue jeans and a cream-colored button up shirt, sleeves rolled to the elbows. It wasn’t unlike his outfit for Layla’s birthday, save for the tie. He had cleaned up his facial hair, but left some scruff behind. His hair was styled with pomade, and he smelled so good, Sadie’s nerves instantly multiplied.

“I brought this outfit with me for interviews, actually,” Sadie said, somehow feeling underdressed in her blue-and-white striped dress with the brown sandal wedges. “I went into town to find something that would work for a date, but I wasn’t happy with anything they had so I just --”

Chris stepped forward and took her hand. “I think you look amazing.”

Her rambling stopped; she didn’t bother to hide her smile or her blush. “Thank you. So do you.”

“Thanks. You ready to eat?”

Sadie nodded. “Yes. Where are we going?”

Chris squeezed her hand. “Come with me.”

He led her to the back patio. A table for two was set up there, dinner on covered plates, and a few sunflowers in a vase in the middle of the table. Chris pulled out her chair for her, pushed it back in once she was seated, then took up the chair across from her.

“I know this probably isn’t what you had in mind when you accepted, but -- I don’t know. I got it into my head that I wanted to do this for you and couldn’t stop thinking about it.”

Sadie smiled at him. “Chris, this is so perfect. I didn’t tell you when you told me about what you farm, but I really love sunflowers.”

“Those are the first blooms of the season,” Chris informed her, pointing to the flowers.

“They’re beautiful,” Sadie replied. “Thank you, for doing all of this.”

Chris nodded. “My pleasure. Shall we eat?”

Sadie giggled at his feigned English accent. “Yes, let’s.”

They carried on good conversation while they ate, and continued over coffee afterwards. Chris set up the iPod speaker and let music play quietly while they sat across from the other, getting to know each other in a way they had toed the line on with Layla around.

“I love this song,” Sadie smiled, humming along to one of her favorite country songs.  

Chris stood and offered her his hand. “Then we should dance to it.”

Sadie slipped her hand into his, nervous all over again. “I haven’t danced with anyone in a while.”

“Me either. Let’s see if we can figure it out together.”

As it turned out, after a few moments of stumbling, they found an easy position to hold each other, and swayed back and forth to the music. Sadie held Chris’s gaze as the song began to build up, and Chris willingly stared right back.

“You’re something else, Sadie Coleman. Layla and I always had each other, but you -- you filled a hole in our home that I don’t think we even knew was there.”

Sadie shook her head. “You’ve held her together. I just taught her the alphabet and some numbers.”

“You taught her way more than that -- academically and otherwise. And you’ve taught me a thing or two.”

“Oh, really?” Sadie chuckled. “What’s that?”

Before Chris could answer her, a clap of thunder sounded from the sky overhead; a shower of rain immediately followed. The couple went into action, picking up the things that couldn’t be left out in the rain and rushed them inside.

With the things on the kitchen counter or in the sink, they looked at each other, and burst into laughter, until the next boom of thunder, when Sadie shuddered.

“Cold?” Chris asked, pushing a wet tendril of hair behind her ear.

Sadie shook her head and blushed. “It’s the thunder.”

Chris slid an arm around her waist. “If I kissed you, would it help you forget the thunder?”

Sadie nodded, the only affirmation she was able to give at that moment. Chris cupped her chin with his free hand, tilting her mouth upwards to meet his.

She was ready for the soft touch of his lips against hers. She was ready for both of his strong arms to tighten around her, pulling her closer. She was ready to find the hair at the back of  his neck and comb her fingers over it while they kissed. She was not ready for what happened when he pulled away from her.

“I love you, Sadie.”

Part Ten

[kbaldwin0609]

'The Bachelor' season premiere recap: Arie begins his race to the altar

Arie Luyendyk Jr. is racin’ to find a wife. (Photo: ABC)

Warning: This recap of the season premiere of The Bachelor contains spoilers.

Do elderly former reality stars deserve love, too? It’s a question that I fear will never be answered to our true satisfaction, rose lovers, but darn it if this season of The Bachelor isn’t going to try. Having resurrected former The Bachelorette runner up Arie Luyendyk Jr. from his death of real estate and mid-level racing obscurity, producers hope to break new ground with the first-ever grey-haired Bachelor… just not the one you were expecting.

Now that he’s had five years to heal his wounded heart, Arie is ready for “the most important race of his life”: finding a wife in nine short, heavily-produced weeks.

Man, is this previously-on recap still going on?

Photo: ABC

We get it, guys — Emily crushed Arie’s heart. But we’ve got 29 new “ladies” who want to get in his drivers’ seat, so how about we get this show on the road?

Photo: ABC

Sigh. Fine, let Sean and Catherine Lowe, the First Couple of Bachelor Nation, impart some “wisdom” to their single friend — and give their little boy Samuel something to talk about when he meets up with friends Ty (season 13), Ricki (Bachelorette, season 8), and Camila (season 18) in their weekly Bachelor Spawn-Anon meetings.

Photo: ABC

Hang in there, little buddy.

With the build-up over, Chris Harrison greets us at Casa Bachelor to introduce “some truly extraordinary women” who are ready to get wifed up. Robot roll call:

Chelsea, 29: Props to this single mom from Maine for not trotting out her little one, Sammy, for her intro package. The “real estate exec. assistant” also finds it “comforting” that her Bachelor is Arie, because he proved during Emily’s season that he’s not afraid to fake settle down with a woman and her child.

Caroline, 26: Another real estate professional! Though she’s “really good” at her job, Caroline says being a wife and mother is “at the top of my priority list.” Well, as that Rasta dude says at the end of Pretty Woman, “Some dreams come true, some don’t — but keep on dreamin’.”

Maquel, 23: This professional photographer from Utah is admittedly “jealous” of the happy couples she photographs… but not in a scary, Lifetime movie way, okay?

Nysha, 30: “The more blood, the better for me!” No, that’s not Nysha’s plan for eliminating her competition in the house — she’s a nurse, silly! One who likes patching up seriously-injured patients — and one who already took a Bachelor-approved Leap Of Faith™ by sky-diving for her 30th birthday.

Tia, 26: Living in the tiny town of Weiner, Arkansas means Tia and her friends have to “make our own fun” — like exercising their 2nd Amendment rights.

Tia’s got her gun.

Oh, look who it is!

Photo: ABC

If you thought Tia seemed a little familiar, what with her long-layered dark locks and her Southern twang, that might be because she’s modeled after/a “good friend” of Bachelor Nation favorite (and fellow small-town Arkansas girl) Raven Gates. (And if you’re playing Bachelor bingo, be sure to stamp “Bachelor in Paradise shoe-in” on your scorecard.)

Kendall, 26: What does “weird” look like on The Bachelor? It’s tall, blonde, blue-eyed, and surrounded by stuffed animals.

Photo: ABC

Yep, Kendall collects taxidermy, and her longest relationships tend to be with preserved animal carcasses, not human beings. Team Bachelor pushed things a little too far with the ukulele bit, though — now Kendall’s not only quirky, she’s annoying.

Bekah M.:  Much has been made of Bekah, both for her short haircut — how did she even get in the door??? — and for the fact that she’s so young. Though producers are playing coy with her age, you don’t need a birth certificate to see that this girl is just that — a girl. Honestly, she looks like she could be a stand-in for one of the kids on Stranger Things.

Photo: ABC

Marikh, 27: This stunningly beautiful woman co-owns an Indian restaurant with her mother and, even more impressively, she did not punch the producer who asked her to say this on camera:

Photo: ABC

Krystal, 29: Oh man, why do bad shows happen to good people? Krystal is a fitness coach who volunteers distributing food to the homeless men and women of San Diego, because her younger brother is currently living on the streets. “I try to treat people how I would want someone to treat him,” she says through tears.

Enough humanity! Send in the chattle — bathed, perfumed and bronzed for Arie’s enjoyment!

Photo: ABC

And the first “lady” out is… Caroline the realtor! She makes a cutesy joke about taking Arie “off the market,” and then beats a hasty retreat inside. Up next is Chelsea the single mom, followed by Kendall the token weirdo. Our first new face is Seinne, who works in real estate (Arie clearly has a type) and who’s also the first woman to bring Arie a gift: Elephant cufflinks. “An elephant never forgets, so don’t forget to find me inside,” Seinne says with a smile. Survey says? Just the right amount of cute.

Tia (who shall heretofore be known as Raven 2) hands Arie a small, plastic hot dog. “Please tell me you don’t already have a little wiener,” she drawls, as all the 7th grade boys who apparently produce this show crack up in the control room. Poor Arie, though, doesn’t quite seem to get the joke. “I do not have this,” he replies, holding up the trinket. “You did good.”

Next up is Bibiana, a fertility-minded executive assistant from Florida (“Oh my god, our babies would have blue eyes!”), followed by Bri, a sports reporter who greets Arie by tossing him a literal softball. Jenny the 25-year-old blonde gets the intro brush-off in favor of Brittane J., who decides to mark her territory by slapping a bumper sticker on Arie’s behind.

Photo: ABC

Jacqueline the research coordinator assures Arie all he has to do is “stand there and look pretty,” but Krystal disagrees: She commands Arie to close his eyes, take some deep breaths, and “reflect on feeling so grateful for everything leading to this moment.” (I suspect that somewhere, Peter Kraus is taking some much-needed deep breaths too.)

Nysha bucks convention by opting for a cocktail length dress rather than a gown, while Valerie the brunette waitress opts for a canary-yellow number that contrasts sharply with the purple undertones of her hair. Team Bachelor intercuts all the less showy arrivals with shots of the “ladies” in the house shifting nervously in their seats every time a new woman enters the mansion. Except for Chelsea, that is: “I’m not worried,” she sniffs. “There’s [sic] no threats.”

Bekah makes the first thematically-mandated auto entrance of the evening, driving up in a cherry red Mustang convertible. “I may be young,” she tells Arie, “but I can still appreciate something classic.” Translation:

Photo: ABC

And he LOVES it. “She is so beautiful,” he whispers as Bekah bounces inside.

Jenna, the 28-year-old social media manager, can’t stop waving her arms around during her introduction to Arie; Jessica the TV host emerges from the limo clutching something called a “gratitude rock,” which sounds like a hotel gift shop trinket — but points for effort, I guess?  Marikh the restaurant owner goes back to the spice well, joking about Arie’s “salt and pepper” hair, and then we get a brief glimpse of Olivia, a 23-year-old marketing associate from Chicago.

Becca K. (not to be confused with Bekah with a k) instructs Arie to get down on one knee and ask her if she’s “ready to do the damn thing.”

Photo: ABC

Is it me, or does long-suffering Arie seem a little annoyed? “That was a first for me,” he mutters drily to the camera, fishing Becca’s ring from his coat pocket like he can’t get it away from him fast enough. And still the limos keep coming.

Photo: ABC

A second social media manager? Perhaps that’s the new “VIP Cocktail Waitress.” Next up is Lauren J. from Louisiana, who one-ups Raven 2 and her plastic wiener by giving Arie some giant balls (in the form of Mardi Gras beads). But the Laurens aren’t done with us yet, folks.

Photo: ABC

And remarkably, they’re not all blonde.

Photo: ABC

The “Lauren Limo” tops out at four, and so it’s on to Ashley and her checkered flag; Brittany T., who attempts to say “You’re handsome” in Dutch (a language Arie speaks fluently); and Amber, who makes a memorable first impression by telling the Bachelor about one drawback of owning a spray-tan company:

Photo: ABC

But honestly, rose lovers, Amber’s ice-breaker is Emily Post-level conduct compared to Ali the personal stylist dreams up:

Photo: ABC

It’s a “pit stop”! Get it? Because he’s a racecar driver? Yeah, let’s just move on.

Photo: ABC

Okay, Annaliese, your joke about Arie’s “kissing bandit” nickname is cute, but talk to me when you’ve kept that mask on for days, like Jeff from Ashley’s season of The Bachelorette.

The deafening roar of an engine precedes our next arrival. “No she didn’t!” gasps one of the women watching from inside the mansion, as Maquel climbs out of an IndyCar. Honestly, did they really think Bekah was going to be the only contestant who showed up on wheels?  The other bachelorettes are so annoyed by Maquel’s flashy entrance, they park themselves right in the shot as she introduces herself to Arie.

Photo: ABC

Simmer down, “ladies” — your probably-not future husband is making his way inside right this very minute. Chelsea tries to offer him a drink, but Arie’s too focused on making his welcome speech sound as earnest as possible.

Awkward.

An off-camera producer mouths something like “take the damn drink, you moron” at Arie, and he pauses to accept the glass from Chelsea. “See, I’m already messing up!” moans our Bachelor with a chuckle.

Seeing that Chelsea already had the pimp spot, is it any wonder that she’s the first one to “steal” Arie for a chat? “I’m not a rude person,” she says. “But I want to get to know him quickly so I can proceed with the rest of my life, possibly with him.” As we saw from her introduction, Chelsea’s whole shtick is being “mysterious” — which mainly means talking about herself in the past perfect tense, like “there have been some sacrifices that were made.” And he LOVES it. “Chelsea’s very good at leaving me wanting a little bit more,” he says. “It’s working.”

Unfortunately for Chelsea, she barely has time to drape Arie in her shimmering veil of mystery before Maquel shows up and politely asks to cut in. Though Maquel could not have been nicer about it, Chelsea immediately begins swanning around the house complaining about “the girl that makes all the noise,” who interrupted her time with Arie. This, coupled with all the other snotty things we’ve seen Chelsea say so far tonight, makes it pretty clear that she’s getting the Villain Edit. And by “Villain Edit,” I mean that cameras have captured Chelsea being bitchy several times, and producers have opted to use that footage.

Perhaps producers were focusing so much on Chelsea’s rude behavior because so many of the other women are actually being… nice to each other? Here they are sharing their feelings on interracial relationships:

Photo: ABC

And here they are bonding over the fact that, OMG, they’re on the freakin’ Bachelor!

Photo: ABC

Meanwhile, the get-to-know-you chats are proceeding apace. Brittany T. challenges Arie to a battery-operated car race…

Photo: ABC

…and even though her victory is totally fraudulent, she still claims her prize: The night’s first kiss. Cue the “nervous ladies start steppin’ up their game” montage! Kendall serenades Arie with an original ukulele composition about roses and fish; Caroline brings Arie some pizza (which looks like it was sitting out on the craft services table for a while, but again, points for effort); and Lauren G. shoves some fruit in Arie’s mouth and informs him that “pineapple” is her safe word.

Photo: ABC

Jenna the social media manager gives Arie a socks-off foot massage while blathering on about her “super-in-tune” senses and all the free food and “spa stuff” she gets on a regular basis. For some reason, Arie finds this whole flibbertigibbet act “intriguing” — it might have something to do with Jenna being a tall skinny blonde, but that’s just a guess.

Oh snap, look who’s here.

Photo: ABC

The first impression rose means that the clock (biological and otherwise) is ticking. Form an orderly line, “ladies” — and then watch as Chelsea cuts to the front. “I understand that I’m in a sea of beautiful women and they could possibly get mad at me,” she explains, “but I don’t care.” Arie doesn’t seem to mind, either.

Photo: ABC

“You snuck up on me there, but I liked it,” he murmurs after their face-mash time. Will Chelsea’s surprise smooch top Jenny’s graphite portrait of Arie in a sports car? Or Jessica’s reveal that her late father met Arie and rooted for him on the race track? Or Bekah’s flirtatious, short-haired joie de vivre?

Yes. Yes, it will.

Photo: ABC

Clink clink clink! Here comes Chris Harrison and his Butter Knife of Bad News. “Ladies,” please proceed to the rose ceremony… as soon as you’re done with your coffee.

Photo: ABC

Indeed, the sun is beginning its arc across the sky over Casa Bachelor when Arie finally begins handing out roses. Becca K., Marikh, Kendall, Lauren G., Krystal, Bekah M., Lauren S., Seinne, Caroline, Brittany T., Bibiana, Annaliese, Jenna, Valerie, Jacqueline, Jenny, Lauren B., Ashley, Tia, Maquel, and Chelsea are still in the running to become America’s Next Top Fiancée. Which means this is goodbye for Ali, Amber, Bri, Brittnae J., Jessica, Lauren J., Nysha and Olivia.

Emotionally drained and exhausted from the all-nighter, poor Jessica takes the rejection the hardest — but her tears are more for her father than the Bachelor. “Now my dad will never meet my husband,” she says sadly. (Remember kids: It’s never a bad time to call your parents to say “I love you.”) Amber the spray-tan proprietor is pretty crushed, too. “I’m so disappointed in myself,” she says in a wobbly voice. “I had, like, my family rooting so hard for me. I feel like they’re going to be disappointed, you know?” Focus on the positive, honey: They didn’t disown you for going on The Bachelor, so they’ll probably forgive you, someday, for getting kicked off.

Wow, have we made it to the “this season on The Bachelor” preview already? Man, those two hours just flew by. As usual, the super-tease has a stellar crying montage.

Suitable for framing. (Photos: ABC)

Oh, and how about that disembodied voice barking “I don’t want to be on the show! I want my girl!” at a producer toward the end of the preview? Any guesses on which “lady” that riled-up beau belongs to? (I’m going with Raven 2 or Krystal.)

Congrats on getting through week 1, rose lovers! Now tell me, did Arie meet your (lowered) expectations? Post your thoughts now! And be sure to check out Chris Harrison’s behind-the-scenes blog here.

The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC.

Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:

Winter TV Preview: The scoop on 10 returning favorites

Inside the Bellas’ final riff-off in ‘Pitch Perfect 3’: An aca-oral history

New Year’s resolutions celebrities should be making for 2018

[rainydayswriter]

RFA + Minor Trio Play Until Dawn

A collab I did with @reifromrfa! Truly a wonderful person and writer! If you enjoy Mystic Messenger (or just laughing in general) you should definitely check out Rei’s blog! I had so much fun doing this, so much laughter and keyboard smashes went into these, so I hope you enjoy it! ^^

Yoosung

This poor boy, how you convinced him to play a horror game is beyond anyone

All the lights stay ON whether it’s the middle of the day or not

But he really enjoys this game and tries to make the best decisions and tries to save everyone

Specially the wolf (makes you Google how to save it)

Gushes about the graphics half the time

Horrified that there’s even a choice to harm animals

Screams his head off when the wendigo first makes its appearance

And also screams when the flamethrower guy appears in the mines

Practically THROWS the controller at every scare, you’ll have to play through some high-tension spots for him

What is he more afraid of: gore or needles? BOTH, apparently ;;;

He answers Dr Hill’s tests truthfully so the game is 1000x scarier for him now ;;;

Explores the most, probably to stall but also finds most of the clues and totems

Unfortunately he gets a little too curious about every single item, and ends up getting Mike’s fingers caught in the bear trap

Makes you decide what to do because he can’t watch

You decide to just hack off Mike’s fingers

Yoosung flees for the bathroom

He couldn’t save everyone and he feels really really bad about it; you have to console him when he accidentally kills Chris and Ashley gets upset

“Yoosung, you can just replay it later-”

“NO, they deserve to be together now!!”

Restarts the game and still falls for the same jumpscares

What a (lovable) dork

After finishing up the game, he will need to watch no less than four romcoms to calm down

Throw in plenty of cuddles and praising his bravery and he’ll be so happy

Zen

Mike is his favorite character: buff hero on a mission to save his girlfriend, befriends a wolf, kicks Wendigo ass? He’s so there

All those innuendos at the beginning of the game?? He’s wiggling his brows at you the whole time

“A romantic getaway in the mountains sounds nice, huh babe~?”

“Yeah Zen nothing like a crazy flamethrower murderer to set the mood.”

Definitely gets Jess to take off all her clothes and gets flustered when you tease him about it 

That part where Matt climbs the fire tower and leaves the axe? You can bet Zen is swearing profusely at the screen

High key makes fun of the horror-movie acting

Pauses the game to debate almost every decision 

Sorry Josh, he’s saving Ashley no ifs ands or buts

Protects your precious eyes from any gore (almost smacks you in the face with the controller in his hurry)

The first Wendigo scares the hell out of him and he lets out the most high-pitched screech 

I didn’t know you had such a ladylike scream, Hyun~

Tries to save everyone because he’s ZEN THE KNIGHT

Not a big fan of Emily because she’s such a bully but still saves her because he wouldn’t kill anyone just because they were mean

Sucks at quick time events, though, and probably curses the entire time

Both of you are yelling when someone’s getting chased, there is arm slapping involved

Manages to kill off a few people, including Emily

But of course he saves Ashley and Chris, Sam, Mike and Jess

Jaehee

Isn’t much of a gamer to begin with, but is willing to play with you for moral support

So done with all of these kids already, where are their parents, why are they on an isolated mountain after two girls died due to a prank they played??

Almost as jumpy as Yoosung, and tries to play it off but at one point spills her coffee all over the couch

“Why do you enjoy this?!”

She can’t understand who would willingly put themselves in stressful situations for fun?

Surprisingly sarcastic at times, as a defense tactic against the fear

If one more person mentions the butterfly effect

“Worst fear? Bad Zen fanfiction.” Jumin in a cat suit 

Criticizes the characters ruthlessly 

Sam running around in a towel -- “How is she still alive and not freezing to death?”

Doesn’t want anyone to die, but you swear she smirked when the revenge plot was revealed

“This story is so cliche-wait what the hell is that thing?!”

MUTE TERROR as the wendigo screams at your character

Needs to take frequent breaks to calm her poor heart

Clinging to you for dear life

Jaehee please I can’t feel my arm

How can any of these kids be sane???

Sam is her favorite character. Takes a bath for hours and then saves everyone at the end. If you end up killing her, Jaehee will be salty af

Jumin

At first glance you wouldn’t expect him to be the type to play video games, but he owns a Gray Station and a ZetBox so

The lodge in the mountains looks nice and he considers investing in a ski resort

But comments on Josh’s poor planning skills and says he’s a terrible host ;;; 

Jumin honey it’s just a game ;;; 

You’ve seen his attempts at taking pictures. The parts where you’re supposed to keep the controller still? Better snatch that controller from him and set it on the table or you’re DEAD.

He’s so focused when he plays, and he manages to keep a straight face through most of the game. Hardly even flinches

How

Unfortunately, he isn’t too keen on lingering or searching each and every room, so he misses unobvious clues and totems

But will definitely replay the game until it says he’s completed it 100%

Refuses to read any walkthroughs or accept Seven’s “help”

Jumin no you can’t skip work for this 

Ashley or Josh? That decision was tough since it made him think about you and V 

He saves Ashley but you can see it bothered him

How can a game make me feel such things?

This guy may be cold and calculating to other people, but he’s fiercely loyal and protective so he tries to save as many characters as he can and you find yourself more attracted to him

When he learns about Josh and the whole revenge thing, he still fights to save Josh because that’s just what friends do and he understands how Josh was going through a tough time because of his sisters

Finds himself addicted to these types of games and buys similar games for you two to play

Saeyoung

LOLOL a game where he can decide the fate of 8 teenagers? LOLOLOL 

Turns all the lights off for ~atmosphere~ and yells at tense moments to try and scare you

Guesses who the Psycho is right away

Laughs at all the lame puns and jokes 

Won’t stop quoting the game for days (“Hello, friends and fans!” “Ugh, unfollow.” “It’s mammoth!” “You know what else is mammoth, MC? Me.” wiggles eyebrows suggestively)

Fear: cockroaches

Jokingly shoves the controller into your hands at the worst moments

Makes THE MOST RANDOM decisions ever: “I wonder what will happen if I FOLLOW JESS’S VOICE?”

“Saeyoung you know that isn’t Jess!”

“So are you saying I shouldn’t open the trapdoor? The one right here?”

Good luck prying him away at any point, he’s not leaving till he’s found all the clues and unlocks as many endings as possible

Not above trying to distract you when it’s your turn to play

“Saeyoung if you poke me one more time-”

Chris gets beheaded by the wendigo

“FA;DFKLDJS SAEYOUNG!”

He’d just laugh ;;; Seriously this man :)))

Sam’s “Don’t move” parts?

HE POKES YOU

AND SAM DIES

“OH MY GOD SAEYOUNG CHOI”

“MC, it’s just a game, we can always replay it~”

Just like you keep replaying my route~ 

Never playing this with him ever again ;;; He’s more stressful than the game ;;;;

V

Never really had much interest in video games, but if you want to play it he’ll be right there beside you

He’ll get surprised at jumpscares but wouldn’t make a sound

He’ll immediately hold you when you get scared or scream though

Makes all the righteous choices and even though Emily’s such a horrible person, still makes it a point to save her

Protect this man

What do you fear most? Gore. This cutie apparently hates gore and he closes his eyes when Matt dies coz he tried to save Emily

That photo with the scarecrow? He felt calm looking at it, probably because he usually went on hiking trips alone for his photography thing

This guy is good with the “don’t move” scenes too, since he’s used to staying still when taking photos

Sucks at quick time events though ;;; He panics too easily and misses the buttons but thank God you learned about this early on in the game ;;;

Same as Jumin, he has a hard time choosing between Ashley and Josh

“I would give my life instead, why can’t that be an option?” 

But he also chooses to save Ashley and also feels bad about it afterwards 

Ashley or Chris? You already know this man will choose to kill himself than hurt the people he loves

And then he finds out that it was all a revenge scheme by Josh and he’s so surprised because how can someone do that to their friends?

He’s on the edge of his seat during Emily’s trip down the mines part

Super invested in the mystery aspect, ends up talking and theorizing through some cutscenes 

V there are Wendigos PAY ATTENTION

Will make you look for all the clues and totems because he’s so invested in this game and really wants to save everyone

And he feels terrible when the flamethrower guy dies even though there was really no way to save him 

When he finds out what really happens to the twins, oh my God, he’s so done with this game

Why would you make Hannah eat her sister??? And how come nobody searched the mines? Surely someone must have known about it?

If horny teenagers can find this mine in the middle of a snowstorm HOW COME THE SEARCH PARTIES WEREN’T ABLE TO SAVE THEM???

Surprisingly saves everyone except Matt because he was so stubborn about trying to save Emily

Saeran

Let’s face it, this guy would probably kill all the characters

You see his face change when he sees the twins in the beginning of the game though, and he totally chooses the option to let go and fall together instead of letting the other twin die alone

Hates the other characters because they were mean to the twins

Yup, he kills all of them

Except Sam, Chris and Josh because they weren’t involved in the prank

And also, the wolf 

Fair enough, you roll with it

He decided he would save Chris but when he finds out Chris likes Ashley, chooses to shoot himself

Marry him

Then he finds out Josh tried to get revenge for his sisters

Is now super determined to save him

Unlike Saeyoung he’s kind of impatient but he reads through the stuff

Still shoots Emily because she was such a bitch

Kills Mike as well, because he was seriously a jerk to Hannah but everyone sees him as the hero --not Saeran though, so bye bye Mike

Matt finds Jessica and he’s considerate of her and chooses to hide instead, saving both of them

It wasn’t really his intention since he wanted to kill everyone, but you kiss his cheek saying how cool he is and he blushes

So upset when he finds out Hannah became a wendigo because how could she eat her sister? That’s really really messed up

And when he finds Hannah’s diary in the mines? You hug him because he goes silent and stares at the screen blankly

Saves Sam as well and he never plays the game again ;A;

Next time you’re playing Tekken

Vanderwood

Ha? What’s this game you want to play?

Pretends he’s bored with the game but deep down he’s LOVING it

Kills the quicktime events

“This is so easy.”

Gets so annoyed like wtf is wrong with these kids??? Why are they so horny???

He doesn’t always make the right decisions though and ends up killing a few characters

Swears a lot

Devastated when the wolf dies but he wouldn’t show it

So when you gently squeeze his arm and tell him it’s alright, you see him purse his lips

He’s crying inside

Oh it was all an elaborate prank by Josh?

FUCK YOU JOSH YOU DEAD 

Wendigos are after him? Has no problem staying still and doesn’t miss a shot during Mike’s chapter 

Hates Dr. Hill’s character because he felt like someone was probing into his brain and he doesn’t like it

Chris and Ashley are his OTP so he definitely saves those two

He finishes the game and tells you he’s done playing it, but you’ll catch him playing it late into the night when he can’t sleep, trying to get all collectibles and save everyone

[lovelydeceitff]

Chapter 4

I don’t ever tell you how I really feel, cause I can’t ever find the words to say what I mean… Just a little bit of your heart is all I want

Shay

It’s only been 3 weeks into the semester and sad to say I’m already over it. Well not completely, I guess you can say I’m more overwhelmed. I’m taking 18 credit hours and I’m trying to get a head of my syllabus before I become lazy. My classes aren’t bad.. it’s just a lot of work. I have a solid 3.0 cumulative right now and I’m trying to raise that as high as I can by the end of the year. Im shocked that my gpa isn’t higher than that being that I’ve had over a 3.2 for like 3 semesters but whatever.

Living with Keith has became a bit stressful too… on top of my job and school work. He gets so stressed and takes it out on me. Right now we’re going through a thing where he’ll give me an attitude for no reason at all. I get him food, he has an attitude. I talk to him, he has an attitude. I’ve been dealing with this for so long I really should be used to it. He gets so stressed with school and work that I just become like a fly that won’t leave him alone. I understand. I try my hardest too. But imagine going through this often. Like at least twice a month, but for days each time. It’s tiring.

It makes me not want to be around him, but since he’s staying with me I have to. Some times I just leave my room and hang with the other people in the building when he lays down for bed so I won’t go to sleep angry. He’s so up and down I never know what to expect with him.

Right now I’m in my room waiting for Keith to tell me to come let him in. Today has actually been better than others. We’ve been texting all day and honestly that could be the reason I’m in a great mood. Keith plays a big part in how I’m feeling for the day unfortunately. If he irritates me, I’ll be annoyed until I can get my mind off how much he pissed me off. But today we’re good.

9:06pm Keith❤️: leaving the rec now, I’ll be downstairs in 5 minutes.

Once I got that text, I hurried up and cleaned the little mess I made trying to get dressed this morning then I went down to let him in. He wasn’t there yet, so I conversed with my coworker who was working the front desk until he arrived.

He knocked on the glass door to signal me that he’s here, I went towards the automatic doors so he can come in.

“Hiiii baby” I happily greeted him as he walked in.

“Hey” Keith said dryly.

See, up and down with him. He was just fine.

We’re waiting on the elevator which is right off the sitting area of the lobby. It’s people down here tonight and for some reason I feel like everyone can sense how awkward we look. Well, how uninterested he looks. I always feel this way even though we aren’t talking very loud and chances are no one is paying us any attention.

“How was your day today?” I asked trying to make some type of small talk to break the ice.

“It was cool.”

We got on the elevator. “Yea mines is going pretty good. You okay?”

“Yup”

We got off the elevator and I keyed into my room. Silence. No words from him. No words from me. Keith began to heat himself up some Ramen noodles and then got the books out of his book bag. I guess that’s what’s wrong, he’s stressed again

“You sure you okay? You must have a lot of homework.” I asked

“Im fine. I just have to revise my paper and turn it in. ” Keith said plainly as he started to eat his food.

“Well let me tell you about my day…”

I began to tell Keith about a situation that happened with my coworker and I. I started off with a what would you do question. But I got silence so I never even was able to actually tell my story. I literally asked what would you do if blah blah? And I got nothing back. Was I talking to a damn wall? Come on now.

“Keith, what would you do?”

Silence. He was eating his noodles while starting up his laptop. He gave me silence as if he started revising his paper and was trying to focus. To stop me from snapping, I just quit everything I was doing and went to shower.

This happens too often for me man. Imagine being so excited to talk to your boyfriend just to get pAid dust. All the time. It really sucks because when we’re good, We’re excellent. Imagine your significant other treating you so awesome and like you’re the queen of his world in front of all your friends. Making you smile and feel all special. Just for you to go upstairs to your room and not get that same energy. Instead you feel like you’re unwanted.

Unwanted. That’s how I’ve felt on way too many occasions. I’m fed up. Keith is so complicated and I hate it.

Before getting in the shower, I opened Twitter just to let out some type of frustration.

@ShiningShay: I’m so tired of this shit man

I scrolled a bit then got into the shower. I immediately started to cry. I’m not emotional from this one incident it’s this one and every time and other thing before it. He keeps coming to MY room and won’t even talk to me. That’s so disrespectful. Act like you love me, then you can get all sour. This particular thing has been going on for a few days. Eventually we’ll be good again, I just don’t know when.

I got out of the shower. And just relaxed in my towel for a minute. I didn’t even want to leave the bathroom. I grabbed my phone just to find a text message from Chris.

10:02pm Chris: You okay?

10:07pm Shai: Yea, I’m fine. Thanks for asking.

I really just wanted to tell him everything that’s going on. But, that’s against the code. You don’t tell your relationship problems to another man.

10:07pm Chris: No problem, just checking on you. How’s your relationship going?

This is not an uncommon question for Chris to ask. I was never able to figure out why he asks me this. I think he just wants to make small talk, but sometimes I’m like naw…he wants to know if I’m single.

10:08pm Shai: Going good, hbu? Got yourself a girl yet?

Last semester, our spring semester of sophomore year, he’d come to my room in between our classes and we’d talk about his girl problems. Seriously. His girl problems, his friend problems, and any other thing. He claims he’d come to my room to nap since he moved off campus but this dude never went to sleep. He’d always wanna talk.

I decided to leave the bathroom. Keith and I still said no words to each other, it was still awkward and I kept laughing because of it. Not too long after i made myself comfortable, Keith closed his computer and got in the shower. I always feel like he’s cheating on me when these times come around. Keith honestly doesn’t have much time to cheat and I truly believe he couldn’t. I become the girlfriend that checks her boyfriends phone around times like this. I know, horrible. But can you blame me? If Keith isn’t talking to me, he gotta be talking to somebody but no. He’s never secretive. He’ll leave his phone around me, even ask me to check and respond to messages. He doesn’t do weird things that make me suspect that he’s cheating other than not talk to me.

It doesn't help that Keith is as fine as he is. So I always end up thinking some girl stole his attention from me. Keith and I met through mutual friends but I already knew who he was prior to us meeting. He was literally jaw dropping fine. I seen him and was stuck one day. Yea I don't know how I got him. But the universe wanted us together for whatever reason. It worked out though. Through his rollsrcoaster emotions we made it 1 year and 6 months. We'll make 2 years in March. If we can get to March.

10:24pm Chris: Lol no, no girlfriend. You know that.

10:25 Shai: I was just asking lol remember last semester you was telling me about those girls. You said you was thinking about wifing one.

10:25 Chris: Oh yeah! Wow Shay, that was so long ago. Things changed lol. If I had a girl, you’d know. No doubt.

I probably wouldn’t know. I don’t talk to Chris like that. We made a promise that we’d try to work on our friendship over the summer. We said that when school started we’d talk and hang more. So here we are.

Keith came out of the bathroom and began getting his things together for tomorrow.

“Did you get your paper turned in?” I asked him

“Yes” He said, but this time not as dry.

10:29pm Shai: You’ll get one lol then we’ll see.

I turned my phone on vibrate. I didn’t want to start any arguments on why Chris was texting me. Keith and Chris don’t know each other. They’re two different kind of guys, they’d probably never even run into each other. I don’t mind them knowing each other, Keith does know that Chris and I are friends. I just don’t want him to trip that it’s 10:30 and we’re talking about him not having a girlfriend. Even though the conversation isn’t like that.

Keith got into bed after he finished up his nightly routine. He told me goodnight and rolled over. I continued to play on my phone and text Chris. Homecoming is in 2 and a half weeks so I’m choosing between my final 3 outfits so I can order them. Homecoming came quick this year. September 30. Like wtf. We just started school. How can I focus on school work and what I’m gonna wear to the hoco parties??

I sent pics to my best friends, Ashley and Kammy. We’ve been helping each other so we won’t go out looking busted. Or in the same outfit.

I eventually finished up my convo with Chris. He asked me what I was doing, I lied and told him I was going to sleep. We ended our conversation with a goodnight. I really didn’t wanna keep talking with him. Plus I really did need to go to sleep.

————

I woke up the next morning to Keith calling me to open my door. He went to work and class. So it’s almost 9:30am. I hate being woken up out of my sleep so much. He knows that but, I’ve been doing better. I normally give him a huge attitude when he calls in the morning to open my door. I have no clue how he gets in the building but whatever. He came in and greeted me happily, shockingly. He talked to me about work and then we went back to sleep until it was time for his next class and my first.

I woke up to Keith preparing for his next class, meaning that it’s time for me to wake up. It’s 10:50. My class is at 12. I kissed Keith goodbye and then checked my phone.

10:37am Chris: Goodmorning Shay 😌

I sent him a good morning back while carrying confusion all over my face. I don’t usually get a good morning message from Chris. I thought he was gonna say that he was about to come over and nap before his class or something. Like he used to. But no instead he sent:

10:40am Chris: how’s your morning going?

Since when does this happen? I only get messages like this from Keith. He texts me good morning everyday while he’s at work. Chris must be trying to make sure I’m not sad from yesterday. Matter of fact, that HAS to be why. It is why. That’s how Chris is. Being thoughtful and trying to make sure others are happy.

10:45 Shai: just getting started, I just woke up

10:46 Chris: I forgot you said you start at 12! Well enjoy your day Shay 😌

Let me stop thinking so hard on this…

Time to enjoy my day, as he said.

[janeykath318]

Enterprise Models 4

Jenna and Carol (and Chris) Jenna had spent a busy Friday morning wearing various white gowns, posing like a bride and keeping her eyes peeled for evidence of any ties to Nero. Her inner girlish princess was thoroughly enjoying the myriad styles she was Modeling--from mermaid to ball gown. She'd even been been given veils to wear with some of the designs which fired up her romantic imagination. Carol was currently being photographed in a vintage lace number and Jenna's hair was being piled on top of her head for the next shoot for which she'd just put on a glorious strapless satin A line, glittering with crystal beadwork, when Ashley the assistant got her attention. 

"Ms. Kirk, there's a man outside who says he needs to talk to you." "Is it urgent?" She asked, wondering if Bones had some instructions from the director for her. "I'm not sure. He said he had a message to deliver in person." "Ask him if he can wait fifteen minutes while I finish getting this ensemble ready. I'll have a bit of a wait after that to talk." She nodded and after a minute, returned to say the visitor would wait. Jenna returned to her dressing with alacrity and after her hair was done, glittery tiara in place and long white gloves painstakingly inched on, she picked up her train and slipped out the door, hoping to lure Bones inside to get a Good long look at Carol in her borrowed finery. She stopped dead in the doorway when the man in question was <i>not</i> Bones, but Chris. He was clearly as flustered as she was, given the way his jaw dropped and he stared at her for a full twenty seconds before saying "Wow" weakly and looking away nervously. "Pretty, isn't it?" Jenna preened. "I think this is my favorite one of the seven I've worn today. "It's...quite a stunner," he agreed. "Having fun?" "Oh, you know it." She whirled around to show off the beautiful glittery skirt. "I get to be a fairy tale princess for the day. How convenient that you just happened to drop by." She batted her eyelashes. Chris's mouth was dry and he was seriously wondering why he'd decided to carry the message himself rather than send it with someone else. "This is for you." He said bluntly. "It was labeled important so I thought you should have it right away." He could feel himself going red. Ugh, could he possibly be any more of a dirty old man? This was embarrassing. Jenna just smiled and reached out a white gloved hand to take the envelope he held out. "Thank you, Chris. That's really nice of you to come all the way down here. I'd ask you to come in, but it's kind of a madhouse in there." "Yeah, I know. Don't want to get in anybody's way, just thought you should see this right away." His excuses felt really really lame, but Jenna didn't seem to notice. She looked at him at him like he was the best thing since sliced bread, nearly finishing him. "New suit?" She asked. "Yes," he said. "Got tired of the same old black day after day." "I like it. Gray is definitely your color." She winked at him and he was a goner. "Dang it, Jenna," he muttered. "What have you done to me?" "Nothing.....yet," she replied innocently. "But I'll be good. I promise. I've got to get back in there before they put out an APB on me. Let me know if you'd like to have dinner sometime. You have my number." She picked up her skirts and swished through the door he'd opened for her. "See ya!" "Uh. Yeah. Bye, Jen," he managed through his haze, kicking himself all the way back to his office for being a fool. The image of Jenna he now had in his head refused to be banished, no matter what he tried. Meanwhile, Jenna was covertly ripping open the envelope and scanning the brief sentence it contained. Prepare for Paris. Two weeks. In Archer's lingo this meant that they were closing in on Nero and were going to wrap up at Fashion Week. Jenna cheered inwardly that she'd get to be part of the team going to Europe. She wondered who else was getting assigned to the job and wondered how Archer would pull strings to get them in the show. However he did it, he'd make sure Pike remained in the dark. "Ms. Kirk, they're ready for you." "Okay, Ashley." She called and crumpled the note up for destruction later. Another hour of posing later and Jenna and Carol were done for the day, the latter breathing a sigh of relief. "I thought they would never be done with us," Carol groaned. "I mean, the gowns were pretty, but I'm starting to go stir crazy without any attempted kidnappings to thwart or villains to bring down." "I know what you mean," Jenna sympathized. "But I think things are coming to a head soon. I heard from Archer." This made her friend and fellow agent perk up. "Oh? What did he say?" "They're planning on the final bust happening in Paris in two weeks," Jenna informed her. "Fashion week?" "Yep." "Glorious!" Carol exulted. "I'm itching to get away from McCoy's insufferable grumpiness." "Don't get too excited," Jenna warned her. "He's technically my partner, so there's a strong chance he'll be going too. What is it with you two, anyway?" "He aggravates me with his grouchy "the sky is falling" mentality and he's so ridiculously overprotective and acts like I'm stupidly naive about the world," Carol said. "And there's also the fact that he's ridiculously good looking and you're annoyed by it?" Jenna suggested. "Yes! I just want to wring his infuriatingly muscular, tan neck!" "Perfectly understandable," Jenna sympathized. "Bones brings out strong reactions in people, especially the ladies. I've developed an immunity to it, otherwise we couldn't possibly work together." "Do you think you can give me some tips for developing said immunity?" Her friend asked pleadingly. "Maybe," Jenna hedged, loading her bag into the car. "I'm not sure I want to just yet." She winked at Carol slyly, causing her fellow agent to throw her head back in frustration at aggravating, matchmaking-minded, blondes. 

[agermanbetweenscots]

Can I stay?

I am counting the weeks. And it is horrible. I fell in love with this place and these people and I don’t wanna leave. The date on my visa comes closer and closer and yes, I am well aware that I legally have to leave by the 4th of June. But also there is this nagging voice screaming, shouting at me that I should just stay. Not forever, but for a couple more weeks. It makes me realise how much time you waste. And you never waste it. Not really, anyway. Forming friendships and settling in takes time and bravery on both sides. It takes weeks and months for people to warm up to each other and become friends. And it always amazes me how quickly people can become friends – after four months since Seth started talking to me in Lab, they have become such good friends that I even got invited to his wedding! TO A WEDDING! When he invited me – I couldn’t believe my luck. Although the nagging thoughts stay behind in my brain, screaming at me “what if”. What if in one or two weeks, we lost contact. What if in one or two months our snapchats and random texts end. What if after one or two years I am merely a random person popping up facebook feeds and wedding pictures. And I also know its as much my responsibility to stay in touch, as it is theirs. I guess what this rambling is supposed to say is that I hate it. I love the travelling, I love getting to know people. But this also always means leaving parts of your part behind, that you wanna hold onto forever.

Enough of sad ramblings. Let’s catch up with what has been going on over the last few weeks. (I know, I know. I am being horrible. Don’t tell me) I found really good friends. Rayleigh, Hope, Russell, making me enjoy physiology lab so much more. I just got recently got added to their group chat via phone and they are hilarious! Every Tuesday I am grabbing a coffee between lab and history class with Hope. Every lecture we have this group chat going on talking about how Dr Clifford looks like he just got electrocuted. And how is absolute favourite word is poo. The last time before the exam we spent hours in the library just freaking out over the sheer amount of chapters we had to study. That was so much fun. But the people I got closest too – friends I wanna keep for life: Chris. Seth. Megan. Whitley. They make every day here so, so much better. I have been able to work on my line-dancing and country music recognition in Max’s Garage Bar four times so far Max’s is weird anyway. It has a bar, some standing-tables and a fenced of area where you are supposed to dance. And that area is not only fenced of but it is also covered in flour-like dust that apparently makes it able to slide across the floor better. Or fall on one’s arse. Whatever your skill and you prefer. There are also only two accepted styles of dancing – line- dance, which I absolutely love! and two-stepping, which you dance with a partner and is kind of like forward, forward, back and forward, forward, back. I can’t do it. I don’t like being lead and somehow these moves just don’t come naturally to me anyway. But fair enough. Chris and me tried – and somehow that feels weird. I love that he tried. But nah. I feel like partner-style dancing is something that you either need to be really good at or … I loved that I got to see him dance though. That was my plan all along, and I won’t even need to fill him up at Seth’s wedding anymore. The dancing here is scary anyway, the way all the people know exactly what dance goes onto what beat – this hive-mindedness scares me. Usually, me and Megan stay at her friend Bristen’s house, who lives in Muskogee. I love how in the beginning here, I felt so strange and not wanted and by now that has become such a fixture. I got included into the girl-talk, I was part of the girl-talk and I even borrowed clothes. But don’t tell her, she doesn’t know. Big shout out to Megan, by the way, who keeps driving e back and forth. Last time I actually wanted to hide petrol money in her car, but couldn’t decide where.

I also went glow building one Saturday, with Megan, Chris and Megan’s brother Cody and friend. (Cody is a very good dancer by the way. And huge. Like tall. Like seriously, where even does his head end and how does he fit into the car, tall. More about that another time).

Anyway, glow-bowling, because bowling (as much as it belongs into my past) is still very much part of an adolescents life in Oklahoma. I never glow – because my nice clothes are all black, but nevertheless. I am not horrible in it. I do use the children’s balls (even though the sign says to only use them when you are 12 or under but sue me. I cannot lift the other balls. I can hardly lift anything (you should see me trying to do one single push up). If I cant even lift my own body weight - how come they think I can move more than 8 kg. But still, I held myself strong and my head high (read: was not a total embarrassment) which me coming second and third of four. That is all right. I mean, I wouldn’t go and announce it to the world but nevertheless. Could have been worse. Kudos to Chris though you put us into a feeling of safety (as he was horrible and lost the first round but single-handily won the second one). Cannot believe I fell for that. After all, he lived here for an almost-decade. I also finally had the chance of being at a house-party (!!!) which featured 4 corgis, two drunk guys, way too many shots and my personal favourite: the typical red plastic cups. In case you don’t know what I am talking about – watch a college film: they are always shown. Seth and his fiancé were house sitting in the middle of nowhere and were apparently allowed to through a little soirée as Seth put it. But not let Seth Chapuis fool you with his ‘french’ and fancy words. It was a house party. With weird music because they had forget the speakers and we had to listen to Christmas music and Shakira CDs. I had so much fun. We weren’t many people, at some point we were 13 but only a couple actually stayed to the end. It is a weird experience, Seth and his fiancé are my age and their friends are all somehow married already (and a little older). Somehow that was a weird glimpse into early-married life. Because although I have friends that are in relationships, the inner cynic in me stops a little in shock when people get introduced as ‘the wife of’ or ‘the husband of’. And then these people are in their twenties, so they drink a lot and get drunk and have fun and talk about sex, all while being married. And I know that is normal, but when the only married people you truly know are of the generation of you parents that just stops you in your tracks. Anyway, we spent hours playing ‘kings’ with Ashley, Candace and Alexis and eventually also the guys like Chris and Seth. Kings is just like Ring of Fire. Minus the drinking. At least for me. But what else is new. Seth got really drunk though. Like really, really drunk. Half of us playing with him was spent by him trying to set me and Chris up. He got up, pointed to the bedroom I would occupy at night and told me I should share it with Chris. Like – geez Seth. Thanks for being subtle. Remind me never to hire you as a PI or wing-man. It was a really nice party though – Ashley and Seth got really drunk, everyone else left so early and so just me, Chris, Seth and Alexis and the dogs were left. I can’t believe how much our friendship has changed since then. I remember sitting in front of Chris and Seth and not really knowing how much friendship was between us. The same thing now would feel much less awkward I bet. Seth drove me to the airport the next morning. He swore that he wasn’t feeling that hangover – and I did talk the entire ride to the airport. And for those who know me, you also know, my voice is not a hangover-friendly voice. Plus he filled me in on the night he has had – where he thought the closet was the toilet and how he actually got sick like four times. Well at least he clearly found his limit. And then I was off flying to LA for spring break – and guess who was gonna get me at the airport in LAX? … Hanna! Another note on flying in the US, before I shall stop this entry and think about the next one talking about California - I love how I can fly domestically here by just using my drivers license. No visa, no DS form needed. Just my effing driving license. Even me! Even a German! Makes me feel so American.

[survivorpacificislandallstars]

Ep. 1 - “Have I ever seen anything that messy? Yes” - Madison (Pt. 1)

WOW ITS GOOD TO BE BACK!!!!!!!!!1 Although my tribe has some yikes people (Brandon) but I think me & stevie are good, me & Andrew should be good and Kevin seems nice! AND BILLY!!! I don't know why I always forget him yikes

DEAR GOD DAMN DIARY AND FRIGGING CASTING BUTTHOLES WTF WITH SOME OF THESE THOUGH ok like I get most of these casting decisions like don’t get me wrong, 32 is crazy and all and I’m happy to be back but SERIOUSLY COME ON, first of all Jose is the farthest thing from an all star and doesn’t have ANY, ANY WHATSOEVER RIGHT IN BEING HERE, he fell into the win because of another person’s temper tantrum, and this go around, I don’t care if it’s going to get me a low placement, I will destroy that non-star NEXT well this is the only other thing here you COULD LITERALLY PUT BILLY ANYWHERE AND YOURE LIKE OH HEY ANYWHERE, LIKE SWAP OUT LILY FOR BILLY FOR LILY TBH, cause yes he’s a staple of PI don’t get me wrong, but to say he should be defined as POTS, yeah no, thats more of a thrown together last minute cause people wanted to play the game for themselves instead of him, and him not liking it ruined it by his tantrums, did he deserve ing hurt, no, but did he deserve to be called POTS in Kanto, HELL TO THE NAW so in conclusion of my hate speech Swap Lily out of the season, put Billy in her place, Bring Liana in as the IZu POTS, and remove Jose from the season and replace him with Ricky, cause Ricky is a true finalist all-star compared to that flop ironically coming from the king of flop-stars like damn

So, PI all stars is finally here and I am ready to die. Seriously though I love this starting tribe, I am Wet for Whetu (said every single person in their first confession) But idk why the hosts put us all on a tribe together but I am so good here. I have Drew, Jay and Dan, like we are probably the four best challenge competitors in PI like were not going to lose. Also I got Ash who I love and Madison who is also good. But like it leave Van and Isaac sort of on the outs in my books which is kind of sad cause they both are great, but we won’t likely have to go to tribal on this stating tribe unless its a double one so hopefully they can stay and we can make good bonds with them. I am so excited, this beginning could not have went better for me. I am ready for all stars!

I can't believe I'm on a tribe with daddy Andrew. Anyway so um. This is happening. Yay, I guess. I'm ready for my life to get massacred by the apocalypse that is All-Stars. Nothing really has happened so I'm just gonna talk about people: Andrew: yes!!!! iconic and hoping we work together Lily: i??? love lily???? i don't know why but just l?? she seems very nice idk brandon: he's been pretty talkative and i liked that he tried to get the tribe bonding or w/e going on but i personally tried not to participate in that too much bc I didn't want to annoy people but? he's nice okay for the others...they're all cool everyone here is cool i'm just too lazy to keep writing they're nice they're just not much special. A lot of people know a lot of people which is a given in all stars but it's just kinda formidably scary bc I hardly know that many people in comparison but I'm hoping before our first tribal I'll get past that barrier (bike)

So lowkey, I have to go look at all those cast assessments, because I legit don't even know everyone who is cast LOL. I need to sharpen up my skills as a player here. So far, I like my tribe, which is a strange thing for me. I've got Jose, who I think likes me, so I can use that to my advantage. I LOVE Sam, and we've both been waiting to play a game together again, so hopefully that works in our favour. I don't know Nick, so I gotta work my magic with him, and see what I can do to bring him over to my side. Ashley, she's a coolio, someone I need to speak to more for sure! Then there's Karen... where it's like https://media2.giphy.com/media/KZw668D6xlXI4/200.gif#8 but also https://media3.giphy.com/media/FSfTrflUJJanu/200.gif#12 The thing is, I don't HATE Karen, but I don't like her either if that makes sense. She's someone who is so invested, that I can't have her around for too long, and it's like we have some underlying rivalry going. Which I don't really like. So, we'll see how this plays out for me!!! I'm hoping for the best!! <3

My tribe seems iconic, they're all super nice so far!! The only person I know is Jose, seeing Charlotte on the other tribe wasn't so great because we weren't on great terms the first time we played yikes. But on the other hand I'm really happy to be with Samantha, we got along in Niue and were pretty close and she made it all the way to the end, but I got screwed by that swap, so I'm hoping there's something there. I'm gonna try my best to keep the target off of Jose since he's a winner and hopefully we can start winning some challenges :- ). There's no ugly rats yet, but everybody has a dark side.

So I get that everyone thinks Katie is gunna be really good at this challenge and stuff but like we kinda just threw her into it without asking if she wanted to do it! And I don't know what "flag making challenges are all politics" actually means... Like I've never had an issue where people just pick their friends flags but okay... So I don't know if that means she doesn't want to but like frankly does she ever do anything? I know she's queen of old school tumblr survivor and stuff but I've never seen her do anything in games ever! It'd be awesome if she did because I'm sure she's a great player like damn I wanna see it in action! I really hope she does actually make the flag though because she's probably our best option

So night 1 was reasonably tame, its a good tribe so far, i’m liking them a lot. Anyways I got some theory’s about shit thats about to happen. See I get this theme of revisiting twists from past seasons and when I see this challenge from daydream, lights start going off in my head. I remember this challenge, I was here for this challenge, I did not submit for this challenge. All i know is that the winners from this challenge all god idols…. hmm interesting…. and this twist that we have to decide who did the most on our tribe…… let’s say i got some theories. So I share my theory with drew and we have a plan, because I can’t make flags for shit and well Drew can do them better than me. So we are going to put him in charge of the flag making and get him the reward so that he can share it with me. Sounds foolproof. So far so good, cant wait for it to blow up :)

god I’m so good at fag challenges

I cannot believe we have to go to tribal. I really really hope it's not me, I'm being so careful. I'm probably just paranoid but I feel like someone is gonna find out about me. How could they know??? Like there's no reason for them to suspect. I'm aligned with Mitch and Steffen but in separate terms. If someone suggested voting off jordan that would be perfect!!!

So like this week kinda sucked. That flag was hideous tbh and I tried to hint that to Drew as nicely as possible, but alas. I wish I could have been more of a part of the challenge and fuck Chris for thinking we didn't try to help conceptualize things for the flag as a group. Anywho, I have strong relationships with Jay, Jordan, and Madison so I'm hoping to exploit that as much as possible to keep me safe. I feel a much closer bond with Van this season than Niue so I definitely want to keep them around. I've played literally 75 games with Ash and she still doesn't talk to me, bye girl. Drew seems nice and I know he's good at challenges (that aren't flag making like the fuck???) so I want to keep him around too. Isaac? Cancelled. He's a surprisingly strong player so I'm thinking he'll be first boot. Or at least that's what Jordan wants. I'm gonna let Jordan be the ring leader for a bit until the target on his back swells like his ego and he gets voted out. Until next time, peace and love, Dan 

OH GOSHHHHH why am I doing this again after N*ue So, here I am again! Someone out there considers me an All-Star and that’s pretty good to hear for my ego. I ruined Niue so hopefully I can do my best to not ruin two seasons in a row. So, before I start talking to my tribe because I just got back to my room (thank geesus that the semester is almost over) I’ll talk about some other people that I know from other tribes. Ashley: Was in Niue, but I never met her. Jay: Also in Niue, and from what I heard from my ol’ buddy Ned when we started working together in Niue, that Jay’s vote out was a mess. Charlotte: Also from Niue, never met her. Kevin: <3 <3 <3 I LOVE KEVIN SO MUCH. We were in Niue and I never wanted to vote out that nugget though he revealed in Niue Ponderosa that he wanted me out after flipping on old Miti RIP but tbh that’s a fair reason. I trust him pretty well and as long as I don’t screw him over, I don’t think I have to worry about him coming after me if we ever meet in the game. For now. Karen: I’m aware she exists because of main season VL’s. Apparently an icon. Nicky: !!! A PURE HUMAN SOUL. Nicky is one of the best people ever and I wish that he won Niue. If I can’t win All-Stars then I want Nicky to. Stevie: HIYA STEVIE. We played in Aeolian back in the day and we were on opposing sides most of the game and then I idol’d him out oop. I know it’s a side season and stuff but if we end up running in to each other hopefully there’s no bad blood there. Regardless of anything though I love Stevie as a person <3 Steffen: HIYA STEFFEN. We also played in Aeolian back in the day and we were on opposing sides most of the game and well uhh there’s a lot that happened. Steffen is honestly one of the best people ever and I’m rooting for his success in FvF5 because he deserves it.  But as far as being in a game together uhhhh. I know what he’s capable of and he knows what I’m capable of so I’m pretty dang sure that I’ll be a target of his if we run into each other. So, uh….TO BE CONTINUED BECAUSE IDK HOW THIS WILL GO. But I still love you Steffen <3 Samantha B: Uh Sam’s a wonderful person but uh she kinda backstabbed me and Ned in Niue so um idk if I’ll even attempt to work with her in this game tbh. I don’t know what else to say. SO MANY NIUE PEOPLE HERE Billy: One of the Niue observers! He was pretty funny in the tribe chats in Niue and he seems like a nice guy. So, onto the main event! My first impressions of my own tribemates. Jay: We both played in Niue but from what I understand his vote was messy AF so we never met in the game. We bonded over our mutual love of John Coffey and we talked about Niue a little bit. I apologized for voting out Kait lmao which probably isn’t good for my game but at the same time I really am (even though I don’t regret going with Ned because it was a fun time). ANYWAY yes I like Jay and I’d love to work with him. Jordan Pines: You literally can’t spend more than a day in any VL without noticing Jordan Pines. Outside of the Aeolian cast (and the few people I remember from Spain lmao) Jordan was the first person that I remembered in the community. He’s hilarious and apparently the devil, but I’ll give him a shot just to be able to say that I did. We had a quick conversation about stuff and he seems nice enough.  Side Note: I have a good friend named Jordin with an “I” and not an “a” so I’m going to probably make this mistake all season. Like I had to go back and fix it twice so hopefully I don’t fuck Jordan’s name up too much Drew: I LOVE DREW omg. We bonded over books and we both read Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld and that was like a SKJDLFSJKDLFKSJ moment for me because it was the last book I read and I LOVED IT SO MUCH OMG. I love this dude so much. Issac: We talked about being in main seasons a little bit, but really that’s about it. He wasn’t around all that much because he had a rough week. Madison: We keep missing each other to actually talk oops but hopefully we can talk some more soon Ash: A massive sweetheart. <3 I like Ash a lot and wouldn’t mind working with them. Dan: Then we got DAN, who I was in Niue with! Who was, well, on the opposite side of me pretty much most of the game. Voted out my friends. Voted out me. But I still voted for him to win Niue and I think that he’s a great guy! <3 So, I half expected us to not win this first immunity challenge when each and every person on the tribe says that they’re not great at creative challenges. That’s life though! We didn’t end up winning of course and now we’re off to tribal council tonight. Which sucks because I honestly like everyone on the tribe. So, with that, I finally got online this morning and the first person to give me a plan about the vote is our very own Jordin Pines! He suggested Issac which out of everyone, is the person I’d probably want to see go the most honestly. I know he said he had a tough week which sucks but we gotta vote someone out. I’ll see where everyone else is at and hopefully the vote can go that smoothly. I don’t care to make another screaming “WAIT NO THINGS ARE BAD” confessional later because this one already has been long enough oops

so I really wish we won, i think that flag was very good the fact that it didn't win means these judges are biased whatever i  pmed people hoping i am not the vote so we'll see i guess 

[kbaldwin0609]

'The Bachelor' season premiere recap: Arie begins his race to the altar

Arie Luyendyk Jr. is racin’ to find a wife. (Photo: ABC)

Warning: This recap of the season premiere of The Bachelor contains spoilers.

Do elderly former reality stars deserve love, too? It’s a question that I fear will never be answered to our true satisfaction, rose lovers, but darn it if this season of The Bachelor isn’t going to try. Having resurrected former The Bachelorette runner up Arie Luyendyk Jr. from his death of real estate and mid-level racing obscurity, producers hope to break new ground with the first-ever grey-haired Bachelor… just not the one you were expecting.

Now that he’s had five years to heal his wounded heart, Arie is ready for “the most important race of his life”: finding a wife in nine short, heavily-produced weeks.

Man, is this previously-on recap still going on?

Photo: ABC

We get it, guys — Emily crushed Arie’s heart. But we’ve got 29 new “ladies” who want to get in his drivers’ seat, so how about we get this show on the road?

Photo: ABC

Sigh. Fine, let Sean and Catherine Lowe, the First Couple of Bachelor Nation, impart some “wisdom” to their single friend — and give their little boy Samuel something to talk about when he meets up with friends Ty (season 13), Ricki (Bachelorette, season 8), and Camila (season 18) in their weekly Bachelor Spawn-Anon meetings.

Photo: ABC

Hang in there, little buddy.

With the build-up over, Chris Harrison greets us at Casa Bachelor to introduce “some truly extraordinary women” who are ready to get wifed up. Robot roll call:

Chelsea, 29: Props to this single mom from Maine for not trotting out her little one, Sammy, for her intro package. The “real estate exec. assistant” also finds it “comforting” that her Bachelor is Arie, because he proved during Emily’s season that he’s not afraid to fake settle down with a woman and her child.

Caroline, 26: Another real estate professional! Though she’s “really good” at her job, Caroline says being a wife and mother is “at the top of my priority list.” Well, as that Rasta dude says at the end of Pretty Woman, “Some dreams come true, some don’t — but keep on dreamin’.”

Maquel, 23: This professional photographer from Utah is admittedly “jealous” of the happy couples she photographs… but not in a scary, Lifetime movie way, okay?

Nysha, 30: “The more blood, the better for me!” No, that’s not Nysha’s plan for eliminating her competition in the house — she’s a nurse, silly! One who likes patching up seriously-injured patients — and one who already took a Bachelor-approved Leap Of Faith™ by sky-diving for her 30th birthday.

Tia, 26: Living in the tiny town of Weiner, Arkansas means Tia and her friends have to “make our own fun” — like exercising their 2nd Amendment rights.

Tia’s got her gun.

Oh, look who it is!

Photo: ABC

If you thought Tia seemed a little familiar, what with her long-layered dark locks and her Southern twang, that might be because she’s modeled after/a “good friend” of Bachelor Nation favorite (and fellow small-town Arkansas girl) Raven Gates. (And if you’re playing Bachelor bingo, be sure to stamp “Bachelor in Paradise shoe-in” on your scorecard.)

Kendall, 26: What does “weird” look like on The Bachelor? It’s tall, blonde, blue-eyed, and surrounded by stuffed animals.

Photo: ABC

Yep, Kendall collects taxidermy, and her longest relationships tend to be with preserved animal carcasses, not human beings. Team Bachelor pushed things a little too far with the ukulele bit, though — now Kendall’s not only quirky, she’s annoying.

Bekah M.:  Much has been made of Bekah, both for her short haircut — how did she even get in the door??? — and for the fact that she’s so young. Though producers are playing coy with her age, you don’t need a birth certificate to see that this girl is just that — a girl. Honestly, she looks like she could be a stand-in for one of the kids on Stranger Things.

Photo: ABC

Marikh, 27: This stunningly beautiful woman co-owns an Indian restaurant with her mother and, even more impressively, she did not punch the producer who asked her to say this on camera:

Photo: ABC

Krystal, 29: Oh man, why do bad shows happen to good people? Krystal is a fitness coach who volunteers distributing food to the homeless men and women of San Diego, because her younger brother is currently living on the streets. “I try to treat people how I would want someone to treat him,” she says through tears.

Enough humanity! Send in the chattle — bathed, perfumed and bronzed for Arie’s enjoyment!

Photo: ABC

And the first “lady” out is… Caroline the realtor! She makes a cutesy joke about taking Arie “off the market,” and then beats a hasty retreat inside. Up next is Chelsea the single mom, followed by Kendall the token weirdo. Our first new face is Seinne, who works in real estate (Arie clearly has a type) and who’s also the first woman to bring Arie a gift: Elephant cufflinks. “An elephant never forgets, so don’t forget to find me inside,” Seinne says with a smile. Survey says? Just the right amount of cute.

Tia (who shall heretofore be known as Raven 2) hands Arie a small, plastic hot dog. “Please tell me you don’t already have a little wiener,” she drawls, as all the 7th grade boys who apparently produce this show crack up in the control room. Poor Arie, though, doesn’t quite seem to get the joke. “I do not have this,” he replies, holding up the trinket. “You did good.”

Next up is Bibiana, a fertility-minded executive assistant from Florida (“Oh my god, our babies would have blue eyes!”), followed by Bri, a sports reporter who greets Arie by tossing him a literal softball. Jenny the 25-year-old blonde gets the intro brush-off in favor of Brittane J., who decides to mark her territory by slapping a bumper sticker on Arie’s behind.

Photo: ABC

Jacqueline the research coordinator assures Arie all he has to do is “stand there and look pretty,” but Krystal disagrees: She commands Arie to close his eyes, take some deep breaths, and “reflect on feeling so grateful for everything leading to this moment.” (I suspect that somewhere, Peter Kraus is taking some much-needed deep breaths too.)

Nysha bucks convention by opting for a cocktail length dress rather than a gown, while Valerie the brunette waitress opts for a canary-yellow number that contrasts sharply with the purple undertones of her hair. Team Bachelor intercuts all the less showy arrivals with shots of the “ladies” in the house shifting nervously in their seats every time a new woman enters the mansion. Except for Chelsea, that is: “I’m not worried,” she sniffs. “There’s [sic] no threats.”

Bekah makes the first thematically-mandated auto entrance of the evening, driving up in a cherry red Mustang convertible. “I may be young,” she tells Arie, “but I can still appreciate something classic.” Translation:

Photo: ABC

And he LOVES it. “She is so beautiful,” he whispers as Bekah bounces inside.

Jenna, the 28-year-old social media manager, can’t stop waving her arms around during her introduction to Arie; Jessica the TV host emerges from the limo clutching something called a “gratitude rock,” which sounds like a hotel gift shop trinket — but points for effort, I guess?  Marikh the restaurant owner goes back to the spice well, joking about Arie’s “salt and pepper” hair, and then we get a brief glimpse of Olivia, a 23-year-old marketing associate from Chicago.

Becca K. (not to be confused with Bekah with a k) instructs Arie to get down on one knee and ask her if she’s “ready to do the damn thing.”

Photo: ABC

Is it me, or does long-suffering Arie seem a little annoyed? “That was a first for me,” he mutters drily to the camera, fishing Becca’s ring from his coat pocket like he can’t get it away from him fast enough. And still the limos keep coming.

Photo: ABC

A second social media manager? Perhaps that’s the new “VIP Cocktail Waitress.” Next up is Lauren J. from Louisiana, who one-ups Raven 2 and her plastic wiener by giving Arie some giant balls (in the form of Mardi Gras beads). But the Laurens aren’t done with us yet, folks.

Photo: ABC

And remarkably, they’re not all blonde.

Photo: ABC

The “Lauren Limo” tops out at four, and so it’s on to Ashley and her checkered flag; Brittany T., who attempts to say “You’re handsome” in Dutch (a language Arie speaks fluently); and Amber, who makes a memorable first impression by telling the Bachelor about one drawback of owning a spray-tan company:

Photo: ABC

But honestly, rose lovers, Amber’s ice-breaker is Emily Post-level conduct compared to Ali the personal stylist dreams up:

Photo: ABC

It’s a “pit stop”! Get it? Because he’s a racecar driver? Yeah, let’s just move on.

Photo: ABC

Okay, Annaliese, your joke about Arie’s “kissing bandit” nickname is cute, but talk to me when you’ve kept that mask on for days, like Jeff from Ashley’s season of The Bachelorette.

The deafening roar of an engine precedes our next arrival. “No she didn’t!” gasps one of the women watching from inside the mansion, as Maquel climbs out of an IndyCar. Honestly, did they really think Bekah was going to be the only contestant who showed up on wheels?  The other bachelorettes are so annoyed by Maquel’s flashy entrance, they park themselves right in the shot as she introduces herself to Arie.

Photo: ABC

Simmer down, “ladies” — your probably-not future husband is making his way inside right this very minute. Chelsea tries to offer him a drink, but Arie’s too focused on making his welcome speech sound as earnest as possible.

Awkward.

An off-camera producer mouths something like “take the damn drink, you moron” at Arie, and he pauses to accept the glass from Chelsea. “See, I’m already messing up!” moans our Bachelor with a chuckle.

Seeing that Chelsea already had the pimp spot, is it any wonder that she’s the first one to “steal” Arie for a chat? “I’m not a rude person,” she says. “But I want to get to know him quickly so I can proceed with the rest of my life, possibly with him.” As we saw from her introduction, Chelsea’s whole shtick is being “mysterious” — which mainly means talking about herself in the past perfect tense, like “there have been some sacrifices that were made.” And he LOVES it. “Chelsea’s very good at leaving me wanting a little bit more,” he says. “It’s working.”

Unfortunately for Chelsea, she barely has time to drape Arie in her shimmering veil of mystery before Maquel shows up and politely asks to cut in. Though Maquel could not have been nicer about it, Chelsea immediately begins swanning around the house complaining about “the girl that makes all the noise,” who interrupted her time with Arie. This, coupled with all the other snotty things we’ve seen Chelsea say so far tonight, makes it pretty clear that she’s getting the Villain Edit. And by “Villain Edit,” I mean that cameras have captured Chelsea being bitchy several times, and producers have opted to use that footage.

Perhaps producers were focusing so much on Chelsea’s rude behavior because so many of the other women are actually being… nice to each other? Here they are sharing their feelings on interracial relationships:

Photo: ABC

And here they are bonding over the fact that, OMG, they’re on the freakin’ Bachelor!

Photo: ABC

Meanwhile, the get-to-know-you chats are proceeding apace. Brittany T. challenges Arie to a battery-operated car race…

Photo: ABC

…and even though her victory is totally fraudulent, she still claims her prize: The night’s first kiss. Cue the “nervous ladies start steppin’ up their game” montage! Kendall serenades Arie with an original ukulele composition about roses and fish; Caroline brings Arie some pizza (which looks like it was sitting out on the craft services table for a while, but again, points for effort); and Lauren G. shoves some fruit in Arie’s mouth and informs him that “pineapple” is her safe word.

Photo: ABC

Jenna the social media manager gives Arie a socks-off foot massage while blathering on about her “super-in-tune” senses and all the free food and “spa stuff” she gets on a regular basis. For some reason, Arie finds this whole flibbertigibbet act “intriguing” — it might have something to do with Jenna being a tall skinny blonde, but that’s just a guess.

Oh snap, look who’s here.

Photo: ABC

The first impression rose means that the clock (biological and otherwise) is ticking. Form an orderly line, “ladies” — and then watch as Chelsea cuts to the front. “I understand that I’m in a sea of beautiful women and they could possibly get mad at me,” she explains, “but I don’t care.” Arie doesn’t seem to mind, either.

Photo: ABC

“You snuck up on me there, but I liked it,” he murmurs after their face-mash time. Will Chelsea’s surprise smooch top Jenny’s graphite portrait of Arie in a sports car? Or Jessica’s reveal that her late father met Arie and rooted for him on the race track? Or Bekah’s flirtatious, short-haired joie de vivre?

Yes. Yes, it will.

Photo: ABC

Clink clink clink! Here comes Chris Harrison and his Butter Knife of Bad News. “Ladies,” please proceed to the rose ceremony… as soon as you’re done with your coffee.

Photo: ABC

Indeed, the sun is beginning its arc across the sky over Casa Bachelor when Arie finally begins handing out roses. Becca K., Marikh, Kendall, Lauren G., Krystal, Bekah M., Lauren S., Seinne, Caroline, Brittany T., Bibiana, Annaliese, Jenna, Valerie, Jacqueline, Jenny, Lauren B., Ashley, Tia, Maquel, and Chelsea are still in the running to become America’s Next Top Fiancée. Which means this is goodbye for Ali, Amber, Bri, Brittnae J., Jessica, Lauren J., Nysha and Olivia.

Emotionally drained and exhausted from the all-nighter, poor Jessica takes the rejection the hardest — but her tears are more for her father than the Bachelor. “Now my dad will never meet my husband,” she says sadly. (Remember kids: It’s never a bad time to call your parents to say “I love you.”) Amber the spray-tan proprietor is pretty crushed, too. “I’m so disappointed in myself,” she says in a wobbly voice. “I had, like, my family rooting so hard for me. I feel like they’re going to be disappointed, you know?” Focus on the positive, honey: They didn’t disown you for going on The Bachelor, so they’ll probably forgive you, someday, for getting kicked off.

Wow, have we made it to the “this season on The Bachelor” preview already? Man, those two hours just flew by. As usual, the super-tease has a stellar crying montage.

Suitable for framing. (Photos: ABC)

Oh, and how about that disembodied voice barking “I don’t want to be on the show! I want my girl!” at a producer toward the end of the preview? Any guesses on which “lady” that riled-up beau belongs to? (I’m going with Raven 2 or Krystal.)

Congrats on getting through week 1, rose lovers! Now tell me, did Arie meet your (lowered) expectations? Post your thoughts now! And be sure to check out Chris Harrison’s behind-the-scenes blog here.

The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC.

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