#and he probably shares that with test tube occasionally. like if it's a pairing she likes or something he thinks she'll enjoy

[wheucto]

test tube reads fanfiction...

[exi-dentally]

Chemistry - Moon Bin x Reader

Title: Chemistry Author: Haru. Pairing: Moon Bin x MC Summary: “We have so much chemistry together!” “You mean the class, right?”

The set-up for the lab was a lot more.... complex than most of the labs they have done previously. "You have nice handwriting right?" Asked her teacher, walking up to her as the senior student walked into class, books - her notebook, textbook, pencil case with various office supplies galore and calculator - at her seat on the lab bench on the far right of the room. She placed her books down and nodded, "Yeah, kind of, yes." "Great," He then handed her a pad of lined paper and a black white board marker. He then walked over to a metal push cart piled with chemicals, various sides of beakers and gloves. He then fixed his red safety goggles on his face, straighten out his bright white lab coat - okay since when were lab coats this clean? Seriously! Everyone gets theirs dirty while the teacher's looks so pristine - and pushed his cart to the first station. "Label those beakers," He placed a white container with a lid on the table and looked over at the girl. "Label this one as waste bin," Which she complied as she popped the cap off the marker and, in her best handwriting, wrote what she was told to write on the lined paper. "And then, tape it with this," He handed her a roll of scotch tape and pushed his cart to the other stations as the girl followed and labelled what had to be labelled - chemicals and the waste bins. "Once you're finished, keep following me around the class so that we can label everything else." "This," He picked up a beaker which another student that had helped set up, place and looked down at the paper he had taped on the desk previous to the lab at the type of chemicals he needed to provide for the students. "Is hydrochloric acid, or HCl," he then grabbed some silver, metal ribbon and placed it into a smaller beaker along with some wire clippers which was laid to the left of the beaker. "Also label this as magnesium ribbon." And with that he pushed his cart to the next station. Since when did Science labs require this much work? "He said it was a carousel type of lab," The girl muttered under her breath as she uncapped the white board marker and labeled what she was told on the beakers and on separate lined pieces of paper. "I thought carousels were supposed to be fun." The senior student taped the paper to the desk and continued to follow her teacher like a lost puppy and obeyed his instructions. "Alright students!" The teacher stood in front of the class, standing behind his desk in front of the room. "Before we start the lab I need you all to grab safety equipment," The students eagerly stood up, making the professor in the front clear his throat. "After you clear your lab benches, tie up your long hair and take off your hoodies." "But it's cold," One of the students groaned as they hugged themselves to preserve their body heat. "Can't I keep it on, sir?" "If you'd rather risk your life and get chemicals on your hoodie," He popped the collar of his white lab coat to emphasize his point. "Which is probably the type of material which will allow liquid chemicals to seep into it and come in contact with your skin and severely injure, not only yourself, but someone else as well." The student, who was unable to refute against their teacher's argument - ah, since when did Chemistry class turn into Debate class? - stubbornly took off her hoodie and folded it messily before stuffing the damn thing into her lab bench cubby. The rest of the class laughed as they continued to follow the rules - tying back long hair with an elastic band and hoodies off their person - and walked over to the rightmost wall of the room where plastic, clear, rectangular organizing boxes were filled to the brim with safety goggles and lab aprons. "Make sure to grab the goggles which over around your eyes," He took off his bright red safety goggles and gestured to the grey silicon covering around it with his index finger. "So that nothing, and I mean nothing, gets into your goggles and contaminates or destroys your eyes. We are working with chemicals, and even though I know most of them aren't as harmful as some you might use in University, it's always good to be cautious!" Most of the class began to pair up with their friends for the group of two carousel lab, and since their class was an odd number of students, one of them was left out - Moonbin, one of five other boys who were the school's pride and joy, ASTRO, the school's award winning glee team... That is, if you actually cared about Glee. "Binnie-ah," The teacher leaned over his desk and rested his chin on his palm which was propped up by his elbow. "No partner?" "No," The boy politely replied, looking around at the other groups of two in the class. Why couldn't his friends take Chemistry with him? Oh, right, they signed him up for this class since his crush, the decently popular (Y/N), was in it. "I can do it alone." "Labs require you to have a partner," The teacher replied, trying to find a group who wouldn't mind another joining them. "How about you join them?" He then points to a group heating a small, wire  of copper over a bunsen burner with tongs - Station B. To his luck - he couldn't tell if the fates were trying to hint at something - the group consisted of his crush, the beautiful ball of stars herself and another student he swore he shares music class, 3rd period, with. "Sure." The boy held in his delight as he made his way - more like skipped - over to his assigned group.

"So, you're joining us?" The girl, his crush, spoke up as he neared her, sending a sweet smile his way. "Yes, is there a problem? Because I can join another--" "Oh, no it's fine!" The girl raised her hands in protest for a couple seconds before handing him the tongs which held the heated up iron wire. "Here, tell me what you see." "Wha--" "Just do it," She giggled and let the dark bluenette observe the wire much closer. "We need a 3rd observation point, and Haru and I only came up with three." "What do you have so far?" "Just that the iron changed color as it began heating up," Moonbin was trying so hard not to stare as the girl was glancing down at her observation table and reading what they had seen. "No carbon residue was made." "It turned green," Spoke Moonbin as he held it closer to his face, squinting a little. "I mean, it's really faint and hard to see, but it's there." "It's green?" The girl scooted over to Moonbin, making him almost... almost blush. The proximity of her face, seeing the roundness in her lips and how her cheeks looked soft and-- Oh, someone help before he kissed her and outed his crush on her. "Woah, that's so cool! I wonder why it's green!" "It's because when copper becomes oxidized, meaning it comes in contact with enough oxygen, it turns green," Their teacher explained as he made his rounds to the groups of students around the lab benches. The senior girl moved away from Moonbin and turned around as soon as she heard her teacher answering her question. Oh, thank the lords the teacher answered his silent plea. "The statue of Liberty, before it turned green, was made out of copper. The reason it's green now is because of oxidization." "Huh," The girl's eyes then travelled to the small stripe of green on the end of the copper wire. "Then why isn't it completely green where we applied heat?" "That depends on how much you heat it up." "Makes sense." Binnie placed the copper wire in the waste beaker and wrote down his observations using his pencil, occasionally glancing over at his crush.

The next station was about double displacements - where the most electronegative ion displaces with the least electronegative ion. "What's the first two elements that need mixing?" (Y/N) asked as she took out latex gloves from the freshly opened box and snapped them onto her hands. "Um," Moonbin glanced down at his sheet, making sure he was reading the right thing by underlining each word he was reading with his index finger. "Sodium Sulfate," The girl picked up the pipette which was placed in the liquid chemical named and squeezed some into the test tube in her hand. "And Barium Chloride." "It makes a cloudy liquid." "There's some white stuff at the top too." "That looks disgusting," The girl spoke as she carefully put the test tube on the wooden rack before grabbing another clean one. "Okay, next?" "Potassium Iodide and Lead (II) Nitrate." Once the two chemicals reacted, a yellow liquid started to form, making the three chemistry students gasp. "The tube's turning yellow too!" Moonbin quickly scribbled down observations as his angelic crush tilted the test tube around, watching as the yellow liquid tinted the sides of the tube. "Awesome!" "Next one is Sodium Carbonate and Calcium Chloride." "Comin' right up!" The girl laughed as she picked up another tube while placing the other one down on the rack. "Na2CO3," She sang as the pipette sucked up some of the liquid chemical and squeezing it into the test tube without touching the base of the tube as instructed. "And some CaCl2. That makes--" "Nothing." "Geeze, what a let down." "It's slightly cloudy." "But not as much as the first one." "Still kind of a let down." The class ended as soon as they finished that experiment, taking off their goggles and safety equipment, placing it in the right places - their teacher really adored organization - and packed up their things to head to second period. Luckily enough, Moonbin and the female student, which he liked with all his heart, shared a spare. "Goodbye, Sir." He heard the girl bid her professor farewell politely as she started to walk out of the classroom. Shit, move faster, Binnie! Bolting out of the room, he barely bumped into Sanha, another member in his Glee club group, ASTRO. "Binnie-hyung!" The elder sighed as he lost sight of his crush. Great, there goes his chance to talk to her. "Eunwoo-hyung said that there was a Glee club meeting during second." "But Eunwoo-ah has History in this period and there's a test--" "It's for nationals," Sanha explained as he swung an arm over his hyung and started to make their way to the dance room located on the first floor. "Apparently Jinwoo-hyung says that there's people scouting people to become idols!" "Idols?" Moonbin raised a brow at the brunette's claims. Idols? Them? It was a miracle they made it to nationals last year - since the other bands had spied on them, and stole their opening song aka... Cheating. "That's a pretty crazy thing, Sanha." "Ah, hyung, don't be like that," Sanha opened the door for Moonbin and allowed him to pass through before the younger male. "We can kick their butts! If we made it through Sectionals, we can make it through Nationals!" "That'll take a million miracles." The next day, the lab was to continue as soon as the students stepped into class - since the teacher had a lesson to finish up after the lab so that their test, which happened to sadly be next week, would feature both of the labs they had done this week. "Hey, partners!" The girl greeted with a grin as she pushed the goggles down from her forehead and covering her eyes. "Ready to finish the last few stations?" "Yeah!" Her other partner replied, sporting the same bright grin as the girl - damn her smile was cute and contagious. "Which ones do we have left?" "The teacher demo, which he advised to do last," Moonbin replied, scanning the sheet at the different stations they had to do. "And Station C." "Station C it is!" The girl grabbed ahold of the sleeve of Moonbin's lab coat and guided him to the station. Even if it was minimal contact - if only they didn't have to wear these stupid coat, his skin would come in contact with her smooth, small hands - it made him giddy and blush. Oh someone help this poor unfortunate soul. "So, do we put the Magnesium before we put in the acid, or after we put in the acid?" Asked (Y/N) as she measured a decent length of Magnesium ribbon with her thumb before using the wire cutters to cut the ribbon. "I think we put it before." "But it says to put it into the solution." "So then after?" "But when he showed us, he demonstrated putting the ribbon before--" "Oh screw it," The girl hastily threw the ribbon into the test tube and used the pipette to squeeze some water into the tube. "I'll do it my way. The stupid instructions aren't clear enough." Once the two reacted, she handed the tube over to the dark bluenette, who covered the opening of the tube with his finger. "You have to tell us when you feel pressure." "And how long will that take?" "Just hold it tight," The girl replied with a laugh, lifting up her hand and ruffling the front of his hair. "Be patient. Patience is key." "Being patient is boring." "Being patient means that when you finally get whatever the hell it is done," The girl side-stepped around Binne to pick up the lighter for the bunsen burner and tried making a spark with it to practice. "It'll be worth the wait. Makes sense?" Of course it does. He has tons of patience... When it comes to her.

Class ended without a hitch, nothing was burnt down and Moonbin gained a little bit of confidence to talk to his crush without making a complete fool out of himself - doubt she remembers, but he recalled in 6th grade that he made Jinjin invite her to play with them during recess just so he could try and talk to her... He ended up freaking out in the bathroom the whole time. "Uh, hey, partner!" Binnie called as he ran down the hall to catch up with her, making her turn as soon as she heard the little inside joke. "What's your next class?" Horrible conversation starter; you both share a spare and usually spend it in the library. "A spare," She replied with a smile as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear with her free hand. "You?" "Ah, same!" He tried to play it cool, sending her his signature smile that made the ladies - who were into Gleeks - faint. "Do you... want to spend your spare with me?" The girl thought for a second, probably thinking of ways to reject his offer, but; "Sure, why not? I'm kinda done with studying for my math test, I already know I'm going to flunk it!" "Oh, c'mon don't say that," The two turned and started to make their way towards the library, laughing. "You're pretty smart." "Says the one who's on the honor roll!" "That was last year's honor roll, and that was, for your information, the first time I've ever gotten that award!" Chemistry. They sure had it. You could clearly see it. And yes, I meant the class.

A/N: I finally had the energy to write! I’ve been keeping this idea of mine in the vault of ideas since I didn’t really have any exciting labs ... but yesterday was the fated day! So here, have some Chemistry Partners au! Binnie.

-H.

[a-friendinthedark]

and three, two, one, go!!1!

 as asked by my bff, fellow God of our oc world, @sakamotorei

5. On an average day, what can be found in your character’s pockets? 

Emily –

Cash/change/cards/keys

Compact mirror/lipstick/lip-gloss/misc makeup stuff (she checks and redoes her makeup frequently)

Breath mints (in case she needs to kiss anyone lol)

Phone/portable phone charger (never leaves the house without them)

Sunglasses (there’s always a pair of sunglasses somewhere in her bag)

Pepper spray

Pads

Sometimes, jewelry she took off when she’s out 

Occasionally, bubblegum (she likes to chew them and blow bubbles, also this is a way to make her look mysterious in insta pics lol) 

6. Does your character have recurring themes in their dreams? 

Jacob –

Can’t think of any for this

7. Does your character have recurring themes in their nightmares? 

Jacob –

When he was around 7 all the way till maybe 12 he used to have dreams where he went to school, but he wet his pants, and everyone laughed at him. He would be hugging his soft toy and feeling horrible

Another dream he had all the way till he was a preteen/around 12 was a dream where he would be out with Yvonne in a foreign country but then they got separated and he couldn’t find her. He would spend the whole dream looking for her in grimy, threatening places where people leered at him

I feel like being lost in a crowd is a genuinely terrifying fear he had when he was younger. He would clutch Yvonne’s hand very tightly when they were in crowded places and press quite closely to her.

4. Has your character ever witnessed something that fundamentally changed them? If so, does anyone else know?

Jacob –

So, as a follow-up from the previous question, he probably did get lost once. It was probably when he was a kid. He was with Yvonne in a crowded place. They got separated by accident, and he couldn’t find her. He was very, very scared, and I don’t think he remembers how it ended. He only remembers that it felt like a nightmare.

Yvonne was honestly horrified/horror-struck when she realized that she lost him. She would have fiercely/frantically went to retrace their steps, but quickly decided that a faster and more efficient way was to just to go to the information counter to ask them to announce it.

It scared him badly enough that he has nightmares about it.

Nova –

If you’re looking for some deep, dark secrets……the answer’s gonna be no

I can’t think of any life-changing moments. I can see smaller moments; she was an avid reader when she was a teen. She read classics, history books, critical thinking books, all kinds of books. It started because she read a novel for school that made her think, and opened up her world-view. She was fascinated by all this information.

The other incident that affected her was when her family moved to the US in her midteens.

11. In what situation was your character the most afraid they’ve ever been? 

Jacob –

That time when he got separated from Yvonne.

Emily –

She has had one or two experiences walking home at night when she almost got mugged. She was both furious and also terrified. It’s why she carries pepper spray everywhere.

Also, it’s likely one of the many guys who liked her tried to harass her. Though I don’t think she was scared. Maybe a little. But mostly mad.

Nova –

If someone she loves was in danger. She would be terrified but furious.

12. In what situation was your character the most calm/comfortable they’ve ever been?

Jacob –

At night when he is at home, and Yvonne is also at home. It’s his safe place. Maybe he reads a book or watches TV with Yvonne. He’s peaceful and content.

Nova –

She is calm nearly 80% of the time (the other 20%, she is angry).

She is most calm and comfortable when she is spending time with people she loves (her family, Emily).

Emily –

When she’s doing something engrossing and no one is interrupting. E.g. when she does her makeup, she hums cheerfully/energetically to herself.

She is most comfortable when she’s 

13. Is your character bothered by the sight of blood? If so, in what way?

Jacob & Nova & Emily –

Around the same tolerance for all of them tbh, in other words, it depends on how much blood. 

None of them are bothered by a bit of blood. E.g. if you get a papercut or a scratch.

If they see test-tubes of blood or blood in packets, they are also not very bothered by it. Jacob will be uneasy and grossed out if he can taste or smell blood.

If there’s a lot of blood, then naturally they are all anxious/concerned/worried. Nova keeps her cool best, and starts giving orders. Emily might start panicking. Older!Jacob can keep a cool head, and will quietly/urgently try to staunch the blood.

19. What is your character’s biggest relationship flaw? Has this flaw destroyed relationships for them before? 

Emily –

Depends on which age the question refers to.

When Emily was younger, one relationship that was ruined was teen!Wemily. Because of her fun family and siblings, she had a pretty good time at home, so she was very cheerful in a way that’s breezy. Think kid!Judy Hopps. She was happy about everything, and she liked everything. She didn’t really stop to appreciate or think of the meaning something might have had to her. That kind of ruined her relationship with Wendie.

When she’s 20+, she appreciates people more and spontaneously shows affection. She’s quite easy-going about most things…maybe her temper? When she lets her temper get the better of her and she says blunt things? E.g. Ana calling Elsa out: “There it is, the door you love to slam in my face.” (Sagittarius lol) She doesn’t mean it maliciously, she just calls it as she sees it. Her temper blows over quickly, so after she vents it, she’s fine.

Nova –

When she was younger, she kept to herself a lot, and showed outsiders a cool, composed, and controlled front. That guarded facade stopped others from getting close to her/her from getting close to others. Also, she was more rigid and controlling.

Now that she’s 20+… It depends. She doesn’t proactively share about herself/she’s quite taciturn, so that could be a problem…but she voluntarily shares information about herself if the conversation is on that topic. She just doesn’t volunteer information out of the blue. So, I’d probably pick her detachment/indifference. When she is closer to a person, she does show more warmth. Hasn’t ruined any relationships yet.

20. In what ways does your character compare themselves to others? Do they do this for the sake of self-validation, or self-criticism? 

Emily –

In the timeline without her siblings, she used to compare to validate herself when she was a teenager. She would frequently compare herself with others who were ‘uglier’ than her, or of lower social status, and she would dismiss/reduce them, so it affirms how she’s the queen bee.

With her siblings around, she tends to look down on people less. She tends to find people cool more often, and look up to these people. So…encouraging/positive self-criticism?

Nova –

During her teenage years: in school, she tended to compare to others who were not as successful as she is, and feel validated. She would also compare to other students more successful than her and feel begrudging/resentful/jealous/insecure. It was because she felt that she was superior, so she should be the most successful/superior.

But she also aspired to be like her father, or to live up to him. 

When she grew a little older, she also started to aspire to be like certain public figures who caught her attention.

Jacob –

He doesn’t compare to validate himself, but he doesn’t really compare for self-criticism either. Because he doesn’t really….he doesn’t really take other people’s achievements personally? I guess? Even if he saw people successful, he thinks “That’s nice", but he never thinks of it in relation to himself. He rarely wants to be like other people. 

Even if he met someone who was good at something he likes, he asks the person for help, but doesn’t feel insecure about it. I can see him starting to compare in a self-criticizing way when people around him start to deride him while praising the other person. He starts to feel bad about himself, and he wants to be like that other person. But he doesn’t really want to be that person, he just wants the acceptance that the other person is accorded.

22. What does your character like in other people? 

Nova –

She tends to like people who know what they want. She also likes people with opinions, especially if they are unconventional. She might not agree, but she is interested in hearing their reasons and she thinks it shows that the person has depth, coz it means they think about things. (Unless it’s someone like Theo who is deliberately provocative and has no real reason for things except just coz he can). She also appreciates expressive and social/friendly people coz she is not good at small talk.

A dealbreaker for her is sloppiness. She is very irked by disorganization and bad habits, like leaving things on the floor, not tidying up after yourself, dumping everything everywhere…

Emily –

She likes people who know how to have fun. She also likes people who can match her pace and introduce her to new things; and she likes people who are unique and bold.

A dealbreaker for her is someone who is a wet blanket. Debbie Downers, and people who are pessimistic and bleak. It makes her feel really constricted/restricted, and she really hates that.

(I’m seeing even more why Nemily works out).

Jacob –

He likes people who don’t make him feel threatened and unsafe, e.g. loud, obnoxious, invasive, rude (think Theo). He doesn’t like things to be sprung on him, and he likes people who are reliable, trustworthy, and consistent.

23. What does your character dislike in other people? 

Emily –

When it seems (to her) like you’re purposely being an ass. E.g. Theo. Someone who is very antagonistic and hostile to anything she says, tries to turn every friendly overture she makes into something to attack her with. She starts frowning a lot, and after a while, she sharply calls you out and then goes off in a huff to talk to someone else

When you talk shit about people in a way that uses personal attacks and makes it very ugly, especially if it’s someone she likes. She bitches about people too, but it’s more of a vent/expression of her frustration and irritation, and less of a personal attack. So, if you do this around her, she starts to frown. She finds it unreasonable and she doesn’t like it. She will try to redirect the conversation, but if she can’t, she will just leave lol

When you try to tell her what to do. When you condescend to her, tell her what choices/decisions she should make, how she should feel, tell her what to do, judge her, control her… She’s pretty fine with it if you don’t like things she does. She’s not okay with it when you try to change her

37. Is your character more concerned with defending their honor, or protecting their status? 

Nova – 

Dignity and honor are most important to her. But how she chooses to act depends on what’s at stake in each situation. In some cases, she would swallow her dignity and pride and protect her status instead, because she thinks it’s more important to the long run. In others, she chooses to defend her honor.

Emily –

I feel like honor = status to her? So defending one is defending the other?

41. Does your character feel that they deserve to have what they want, whether it be material or abstract, or do they feel they must earn it first? 

Jacob –

He doesn’t have inferiority issues, so, not really.

But I think he feels better working/earning for what he gets/wants. Coz if he got everything he wanted without any kind of effort, I feel like he feels uneasy about how lucky he is.

44. How easy or difficult is it for your character to say “I love you?” Can they say it without meaning it? 

Nova –

Doesn’t say it unless she means it. She always says what she means and means what she says. 

It is a little difficult for her to say it. She expresses her love in other ways, and tends not to say it (forgets to, if that’s possible) except when she’s feeling really affectionate.

Emily –

Says it quite easily and casually. Someone does a favor for her, she’s like, “Thank you so much!! I love you!!”

I don’t think she can say it without meaning it coz she doesn’t lie, she’s very guileless to the point of bluntness on occasion. But she’s already very casual about saying ILYs, so it’s really people she doesn’t like that she can’t say this to.

Jacob –

He is self-conscious, because Yvonne brings him up and she doesn’t express her love for him in this way. It’s probably coz of Day that he is comfortable with it at all. When he is older, he is comfortable with it.

He can’t say it without meaning it. He would just keep quiet in that Jacob-way HAHA. He only ever says ILY to Day lol.

Thanks for asking! That was really long and I tried to keep it as organized as possible. Hope it was entertaining and easy to read.

[robertkstone]

2019 Volvo XC40 First Drive Review: Redheaded Stepchild

Volvo’s three SUVs are all similarly dressed and obviously related, but line them all up, and the new little 2019 XC40 kind of stands out like a brutha-from-anutha-mutha. Like maybe dad stepped out on the XC60 and XC90’s handsome blonde mom and knocked up a vixen from the other side of the tracks. Short overhangs push the wheels to the corners, the beltline swoops up into a blind-spot-inducing C-pillar, the other vehicles’ LED headlight hammers morph into Thor’s divining rods here, and the XC40 wears the XC90’s grille inside out. It is designed so that you can assign digital keys to the smart phones of family members, loved ones (or perhaps the occasional renter) for car sharing. And the XC40 won’t force you into an arranged marriage involving laborious purchase or lease negotiations with a dealer. You can effectively “swipe right” on an app and hook up with one for as little as a year (learn about Care by Volvo below).

BLACKTOP R-Design models all get a black roof and roof rails, grille, mirrors, and an embossed black R-Design logo on the C-pillar. Momentum trim levels can have a white top for $300.

All of this is carefully planned to steer upscale millennial buyers away from the established players and into Volvo’s open embrace. As the first product on the Geely group’s new CMA small-car platform, the first 40-series car Volvo has offered on a global basis, and the brand’s first entry in the fast-growing premium compact CUV space, expectations for the XC40 are pretty high. So is the body (Volvo asserts best-in-class ground clearance and height) and the equipment specification, with the safety gear list mostly identical to an XC90’s—Pilot Assist (adaptive cruise and lane-centering), City Safety, run-off-road protection and mitigation, cross traffic alert with brake support, and a 360-degree camera system to help drivers maneuver their car into tight parking spaces. To assess its chances of success, we channeled our inner entitled, lazy, selfie-snapper and headed to Barcelona to sample what might be the most youthful Volvo since the 1957 P1900 roadster.

The only trim level available for test-driving was the range-topping T5 AWD R-Design, and we gravitated to a white one with the “molten lava” orange carpet and door insert trim (a $100 option on R-Design models only). As with the exterior, the XC40’s Sensus vertical iPad-like infotainment screen, A/C vent design, gauges, and fonts say Volvo, but the lack of a woodgrain trim option and the techie metal trim—not to mention that bright orange carpet—all reflect Volvo’s desire to lure the youth. Nothing’s getting lost on this floor or in the gigantic door storage pockets, which benefit from ditching the bass speakers from the lower door trim and replacing them with a single big bass speaker mounted to the firewall just under where the right wiper parks. The interior bristles with clever storage solutions. There’s a retractable hook above the glove box described as a place to hang carryout food bags (an owner’s mom could hang her purse there, too). A console trash bin with a lid comes out for easy emptying, and Volvo introduces its first wireless phone-charging doc in the console. The rear cargo floor folds to form a divider, with three hinge points that serve as bag hooks (another pair of bag hooks flank the cargo area for when the floor is left flat). We also like the rigid cargo cover that stows beneath the floor when carrying taller items.

XC40 T5 models are powered by a 2.0-liter turbo that’s rated for 248 hp at 5,500 rpm and 258 lb-ft between 1,800-4,800 rpm. The engines in the senior XC T5s make two more horses and reach peak torque 300 rpm earlier. A T4 front-drive base model will trail the T5 to market, outfitted with a smaller turbocharger producing 14.3 pounds of boost (down from the T5’s 20.0), so output peaks at 185 hp and roughly 195 lb-ft (full specs are not yet available). In other markets, the XC40 will introduce Volvo’s forthcoming I-3 engine making 150 hp and 207 lb-ft, and we could yet see hybrid and/or fully electric variants. The XC40 uses its elder siblings’ eight-speed automatic, ratios and all.

The all-new CMA platform employs struts in front and a fully isolated four-link rear suspension. Base cars get twin-tube shocks, the optional sport suspension (standard on R-Design) gets fancier mono-tube shocks with stiffer damping and spring rates, and an optional Four-C suspension will eventually be available with continuously controlled damping courtesy of Tenneco valves on Öhlins dampers. In another departure from SPA practice, the electric power steering system’s electric motor moves the steering rack via a second pinion instead of via parallel belt-drive and worm gears. The effort map looks like a deep notch, ramping up quickly just off center in each direction. Base cars get 18-inch wheels, 19s and 20s are optional, all shod in all-season tires for the U.S. There’s a 21-inch accessory wheel that gets summer tires.

FLAGGED The first 5,000 XC40s will feature this little rubberized Swedish flag, adhered to the clamshell hood on the driver’s side and echoing the cloth one that’s been affixed to Volvo seats for years.

So how does it feel, zipping around the twisting Catalonian roads below Montserat? Compared with an XC60 T6 AWD sampled on these very same roads in May, it’s considerably lighter, more compact, and nimbler. Volvo estimates our XC40 will hit 60 mph in 6.2 seconds, and indeed it feels nearly as quick as our last XC60 T6, which hit 60 in 6.1 seconds. Clearly trimming 600 pounds is roughly equivalent to adding a supercharger, as our XC40’s engine is towing just a fraction of a pound-per-horsepower more weight than its big stepbrother. Bury the throttle to pass a slow-moving local, and revs build quickly and class-competitively, but we wish the engineers had better differentiated this engine’s sound signature. When it’s on the boil, it has the exact same angry-horseflies buzz one hears in the big-boy XCs. Oh well, crank up the Harman Kardon jams.

As in 60- and 90-series Volvos, the driver can select between Eco, Comfort, Dynamic, Off-road, and Individual driving modes that tailor the throttle and transmission response, brake and steering feel, all-wheel-drive torque bias, and damping level (when so equipped). Sadly, XC40s trade the console-mounted diamond-milled rotary push knob for a plain black button on the center stack. Dynamic mode brightens up throttle response and sharpens transmission logic quite noticeably, but any variation in steering or brake feel were too subtle to notice on this drive. At one point an aggressively driven older VW GTI gave chase, and we were impressed by the flat cornering and high levels of grip afforded by the R-Design’s standard sport suspension. Of course our Euro-spec cars were shod in optional 20-inch Pirelli P Zero summer rubber. America gets standard all-season fitments, so we should expect more tire squeal and fewer cornering gs. None of the bumps we encountered with these sport suspenders threatened to knock passengers’ phones from their hands. If our drive raised one caution it’s on the fuel economy front. If the computer’s self-reporting is to be believed, we managed just 22 mpg over 180 miles or so, probably half of which was gentler highway cruising.

Customer deliveries are expected in the second quarter of 2018. Before then we’ll ask our own millennial staffers to rank this wild Swede amongst its Eurasian peers, the BMW X1, Audi Q3, Infiniti QX30, and Mercedes GLA-Class. Their eagerness to assume the task might be our first clue to the vehicle’s success.

NORWEGIAN WOULD? The interior manages Scandinavian sleekness without wood. It looks upscale despite conventional starter and mode-select buttons. The by-wire shifter requires two taps forward or backward to engage R or D as in T8 Volvos.

Care by Volvo—Netflix for Premium CUVs

Today’s harried millennial has no appetite for the hassle of dickering to buy or lease a vehicle, cross-shopping insurance, contemplating maintenance plans, etc. He or she just wants to pick the colors, twiddle a smartphone screen, and drive off. That’s all it takes to download a movie or TV series from Netflix or Amazon, and now as little as 10 minutes of phone-fiddling can also “download” a nice Volvo XC40 (T5 AWD Momentum trim with five popular options) for $600/month or a nicer Volvo XC40 (loaded R Design) for $700. During that time, Care partner Liberty Mutual Insurance assesses your risk profile and either accepts or declines you for its $500-deductible standard insurance plan—there’s no discounting or surcharging based on your location or driving record. The contract is for two years at 15,000 miles per year, but after just 12 months the car can be swapped for another one by signing a new 24-month contract. These mono-spec cars will be stocked and distributed by Volvo and delivered and serviced by local dealers. All the subscriber pays for is gas and local taxes/fees (this is an ownership model, not a rental model like Cadillac’s Maven). The first Care subscriptions will be offered in March, selling on convenience, not lower overall costs.

Learn more about Care by Volvo here

2019 Volvo XC40 BASE PRICE $34,195-$38,695 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, FWD/AWD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV ENGINES 2.0L/185-hp/195-lb-ft (est) turbocharged DOHC 16-valve I-4; 2.0L/248-hp/258-lb-ft turbocharged DOHC 16-valve I-4 TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT 3,450-3,550 lb (est) WHEELBASE 106.4 in LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT 174.2 x 73.3 x 65.0 in 0-60 MPH 6.2-7.0 sec (MT est) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON Not yet rated IFTTT

[anavoliselenu]

Beautiful lies chapter 7

When I reach the house, I stumble inside, grateful to feel the cool air conditioning against my overheated skin. I slump to the floor in the mudroom, sucking in deep breaths, and tug off both shoes. Justin’s suit coat is laying on the bench. He’s home? Maybe that explains Marta’s late afternoon visit. I know I should straighten my disheveled appearance – fix my ponytail that is half out already, but as I sit there trying to calm my ragged breathing, I get the sense of being watched.

"Hey there, sweetness," Justin’s rich voice rasps over my flushed skin and my eyes jerk up to his. He’s leaning casually against the door frame, one ankle crossed over the other. His shirt is unbuttoned at the collar and he looks both happy and relaxed. My eyes are unfortunately drawn to the front of his dress pants, which refuse to lay flat over the impressive bulge he sports. Heat flares up my spine as I wonder what he and Marta were up to. He’s never been home this early before, and I can’t help but think her being here isn’t just some random coincidence. "Have a nice run?" he asks, his dimple peeking at me from one cheek.

"Uh huh." I nod, still utterly out of breath.

He enters the room, stepping closer and frowns down at the running shoes I’ve kicked off. I had my mom send me a package with a few things I missed from home. Mainly these shoes and my iPod for running. He toes one of the shoes, flipping it over, with a frown on his full lips. "These are what you wear to run?"

He checks for my reaction and I nod again. "They’re comfy." I know they’re old but they do the trick. They’re worn in all the right places.

"There’s no tread left on them. No support. You need a new pair every few hundred miles. How long have you been running in these?"

I’m guessing "since high school" is the wrong answer. My parents bought me these when I joined the cross country team my senior year. "A while."

"I’ll give you my credit card, you can order a new pair and have them delivered." His tone is direct and there’s something I dislike about being told what to do. I’m here on my own accord, making my own choices. Running is one of them. "If I want a new pair of shoes, I’ll get them. I don’t need you buying me anything."

His brows squeeze together like this is a foreign concept to him. Geez. Just because he has money, doesn’t mean I’m okay with using him or taking advantage of his hospitality. What kind of women did he date in the past?

"If I’m offering the help, why refuse it?" he asks.

"Because I like taking care of myself." I silently add that I don’t need a man to provide all of my needs. Despite selling my body into this jacked up arrangement, I am a strong, smart, independent woman. I wouldn’t compromise on that.

He raises his hands in front of him in a silent peace offering. "Okay. I’m sorry. I just don’t want you to twist your ankle. These have no support left in them."

His concern softens me. He offers me a hand, and I accept, letting him propel me off the floor and to me feet. Now that we’re standing face to face, I’m self-conscious about my sweaty skin – the droplets of perspiration that still clung to my upper lip and between my breasts. I want to ask him why he’s home early, but he distracts me, lifting a damp lock of hair from my neck and tucking it carefully behind my ear. The brush of his fingertips against my neck sends a chill zipping down my spine. His touch lingers there, stroking the column of my throat and my collarbone as if to test my reaction. His finger runs from my neck down to the tops of my breasts which heave with each ragged breath I draw into my overworked lungs.

"You need to understand you’re mine to look after," he says, his voice rough and full of need.

That had never been explicitly part of our arrangement and we both know it. But somehow, along the way, his concern for me has grown. I’m not about to complain, I just stand here, transfixed by these new and developing feelings growing between us.

The rush of his fingertips against my hot skin force my eyelids to drift closed. Most of my life, everyone’s focus and attention had been on Becca – as it should be, but here, in his presence, I’m the one that matters. His attention feels nice.

But just as quickly as he began touching me, his hand drops away and he takes a step back.

"I’m going to shower," I exhale.

He nods, still looking down at me like there’s more he wants to say.

I exit the mudroom and head for the stairs.

Justin

Seeing Selena after her run – breathing hard from exertion and pink as a berry makes me want things I told myself I couldn’t have. She’s not really mine, so none of this should matter to me, yet it does, tremendously.

I head to my office, needing to relieve some sexual tension. It would be so easy to fall into familiar routines. I could make one phone call – fuck, I could even just send a one-line text and have Marta back over here, ready and willing to suck me off. Lord knows she’d do it. Probably drop everything and jump at the chance. Though it’d been a long ass time since we’d done anything like that, the way she still occasionally looks at me, her eyes wandering over my toned chest and abs told me she’d be up for some genital-on-genital contact. Even after I’d told her that despite what had happened in the past, she and I needed to remain on a professional level, she’d kept herself single all these years, waiting, silently watching my relationship with Stella build, and then fall apart. But I knew if I made that call, I wouldn’t get the satisfaction I was seeking, and I’d end up feeling worse. Regret would churn somewhere deep inside me. I didn’t want Marta. I wanted Selena. And ever since my life – or at least my love life – went down the tubes two years ago, I vowed to live life with no regrets, so it was back to the original plan.

This line of thinking reminds me of the conversation I had with Selena the other night. Her sister’s illness, just like my previous harrowing experience puts your life into perspective. It makes you weigh the things in your life, and put everything under a microscope – what you’re doing, how you spend your days. After I found out the truth about Stella, I could have easily spiraled into a heavy-drinking male whore. Instead I threw myself further into my work and my charity. Doing anything else would have put me on the same level as her. And I wanted to be better than that, shit, I needed it.

My brothers’ conversation comes flashing back to the forefront. They were shocked to hear I wasn’t sleeping with Selena, but they don’t know the half of it. They’d be stunned to learn I haven’t had a single partner in two years – that I’ve been living a celibate life, devoting myself only to my work. They’d be even more shocked to learn that Stella wasn’t the one still holding things up between us. I was. And I had my reasons. Reasons I hoped to figure out and finally deal with soon. Maybe then I can finally put the past behind me and build a future –a concept that both excites and scares the fuck out of me.

I sink down into my office chair and click on my computer.

The first order of business is to get some sexual relief.

Selena

After I emerge from my shower, scrubbed clean and hair neatly combed, I dress and head downstairs to find Justin. Every little insignificant moment we share – like earlier in the mudroom when I refused his offer for new shoes and he looked at me with reverence in his eyes, like I was some strange creature he’d never before encountered, I can feel us growing closer. Our connection, however odd and undefined, is growing deeper with each passing day I spend here. It’s the last thing I expected. And my attraction to him is off the charts, making my body’s reactions more intense and harder to ignore.

When I near his office, I hear voices from within. Is someone in there with him? The door’s been left partially open, so I knock once and push it the rest of the way open, registering the sounds just as I enter the room. Dual feminine moaning coming from his computer. He clicks a button on his keyboard, silencing the noise in an instant. Oh my god. Was he watching porn? He’s seated at his desk in the huge leather chair, but his face gives nothing away. His eyes smoldering on mine are the only thing I can see.

My face heats with the secret knowledge that while I’d been upstairs in his shower, he’d snuck down here to watch some girl on girl action. Was he pleasuring himself here in the confines of his office? Don’t look down. I refuse to let my eyes fall to his lap. My curiosity is going to get me in trouble someday. What he does in here is his business. But if he has needs and desires, why not just come to me like he did in the beginning? Surely even a bad blowjob is better than his own hand, right? Apparently not. The rejection stings more than it has any right too. But the strange notion that he’s cheating on me worms its way into my head – however irrational.

"Did you need something?" he asks, his voice deep and slightly breathless.

"I…" Why had I come down here? When I didn’t find him in the kitchen, or the den, my feet led me to his office. There was no denying I looked forward to his company in the evenings. I pause and start again. "I was just wondering why you’re home early."

He lets out a heavy sigh pushes his hands into his hair. "I had something I wanted to take care of."

As soon as he’s says it, my mind dives into the gutter. Had he come home early to do this?

"Are you hungry?" he asks, his posture straightening.

"Sure."

He rises from the desk and leads me to the dining room. Apparently we aren’t going to discuss his failed masturbation attempt, or that I’d overheard him watching porn.

"Have a seat," he says, motioning to the dining table. "I’ll be right back."

Normally we carry the dinner dishes that Beth leaves for us together into the dining room, but him serving me feels nice. I pull out my usual chair, the one next to his spot at the head of the table, and plop myself down.

Justin soon returns with our plates and glasses of sparkling water, topped with sliced lemon. After my run, I feel like I can eat just about anything, but the food smells amazing.

We each dig in, the comfortable silence of routine settling over us.

At night is the time I have to ask him questions and get inside his head a bit. I’m pondering what to ask him about tonight when I notice him frowning at me.

"Why aren’t you eating?" he asks.

I look down at the pasta primavera on my plate. He’s right. I’ve barely touched it.

"Is everything okay with your sister?" he asks, setting his own fork down beside his plate.

I take a sip of water and lick my lips. "Yeah. Things are okay. She starts her first round of treatment this week."

He nods thoughtfully.

I can’t help but think I’ve infiltrated his life, his routines, with my own baggage. Maybe I should never have told him about Becca, because the way he looks at me now is like a sad, exploited girl.

"Do you regret bringing me here?" I blurt.

"Why would I?" he asks, his brows drawing together.

Because you haven’t laid a finger on me in days, because you bought me to take my virginity and I’m still as pure as they come? I shrug. "Nevermind, forget I said anything." An uncomfortable silence fills the room and we each continue picking at the food on our plates. "So, I’ve been wondering. Why don’t you don’t have a girlfriend?" I ask next.

He takes a sip of his drink, stalling for time.

Justin

Selena is watching me expectantly, waiting to hear about my relationship status. It’s not something I’m ready to discuss with her now, or possibly ever. Every damn muscle in my body is strung so tight I feel like I’m going to spontaneously combust. I’d been distracted as fuck at work again today, and came home to get a little relief in the form of an orgasm. Only I’d failed at that too.

I look up into the sweetest, most innocent pair of blue eyes I’ve ever seen and draw a shuddering breath. Sure, my last relationship had ended in disaster, but just because a beautiful, well-spoken, sweet woman is sharing my home, it shouldn’t turn me into a pile of hormonal goo at a basic question.

I need to man up. She’s seven years younger than me. I’d bought her for fuck’s sake. It makes me feel a bit like a creepy old man. Even though something tells me that’s not how she views me. No, when she looks at me I can see the pulse thrum in her neck, her cheeks blushing like a ripe berry. There is some chemical reaction, a basic attraction between us. She feels it. I feel it. Yet we both ignore it.

In my darker fantasies, I’d eat a girl like her for breakfast, but as I’ve gotten to know her and forced myself to take things slow, a different side of me was emerging. He is kinder, more patient, and open to exploring the possibility of a woman in his life for the first time in a long time. I like him.

Selena’s still watching me across the table, still waiting to hear my response about why I’m single.

"I guess no one’s caught my interest in a while," I answer. It’s the truth. I hadn’t been looking for anything serious. Regular sex was the only thing I was missing – hence my impulse buy at the auction. I’d been in San Francisco for business when I learned about the auction – and bored, or just lonely, I’d gone if only to see what the fuss was about. I never truly expected to walk away with a woman on my arm. But Selena’s trusting eyes had implored mine, silently begging me to get her out of there.

"Come on, what’s the real reason you’re single?" she presses on.

"Not discussing that."

"Play along. Just let me in a little, and in turn, I’ll answer anything you want to know." She smiles adoringly, batting her eyelashes.

Her offer is enticing. I wouldn’t mind getting deeper inside her head. If she wants the truth, I’ll fill her in. "In my experience women are interested in two things. Money and power."

She opens her mouth to protest and I hold up a hand stopping her. "You wanted to know."

She motions for me to continue, then folds her hands in her lap.

"You can argue all you want, but I’m not just speaking about the women in my life. It’s biology. Have you ever studied evolutionary science?" She shakes her head. "Women are looking for the biggest, baddest caveman out there - a provider to protect her and her offspring. It’s simple science."

She seems to accept my line of thinking and I continue, after taking another swig of my drink.

"They want a well-hung, devoted husband whose wealth can afford them the type of lifestyle they dream of. He works all day, slaving away to make a living while his trophy bride is fucking the pool boy." Or gardener, as it were. A kid barely out of high school who wouldn’t know what to do with his dick in his hand. "She has everything she ever dreamed of, but she gets bored spending her darling husband’s money all day and soon needs a new toy – something fun and dangerous to distract herself with. If it’s not the pool boy, then its pain pills and wine-spritzers at ten am. Trust me, Selena, this is the world I grew up in. I know it well."

That last comment has her looking at me like she’s wondering about my own upbringing. Actually, my mom was so in love with my dad she never strayed, as far as I knew, and she passed away much too early. My dad was unfortunately the philanderer who couldn’t keep from humping his secretary. Just another reason why I don’t believe in the sanctity of marriage. I’ve seen it fucked six ways from Sunday.

I’d done everything I could think of to make Stella happy. The finest clothes, expensive jewels, flashy cars, taking her on dream vacations, yet nothing made her truly happy. Even coming home from work early to surprise her – she’d complain that I was interrupting her afternoon ritual. It left me messed in the head. I couldn’t do a thing right where women were concerned. Except in the bedroom. I never had any complaints there.

"Men think women are complex – and they are – but for the most part, they want to be left the fuck alone with his credit card." I drop my napkin to the table and push away my plate, my appetite vanishing.

Her posture straightens. "That’s not true at all. Maybe for some women – some horrible, deceitful women, but for most, they want passion, to be desired, loved and cherished." Her voice drops, going all whisper soft, and I realize she’s giving me a glimpse at what she herself desires from a mate.

"Can I ask you a question?" I say.

She nods.

"When you asked if I regretted bringing you here…do you regret going to the auction? Coming home with me?"

"No." Her voice is sure, steady. "I did what I had to do for my sister, and…" She drops her chin to her chest like she doesn’t want to continue.

I lift her chin with two fingers and force her eyes back up to mine. "Tell me."

She swallows, the long column of her throat moving in a pretty way. "This is going to sound weird."

"Try me."

She draws a deep breath and releases it slowly. "I’ve never had the luxury of time and space like this before – something just for me."

I can see what she means. Sleeping in and jogging and swimming every day has been good for her. Her skin is kissed in a sunbathed glow and her body is equal parts relaxed and toned. It’s a look that suits her.

Selena fishes the lemon slice from her water glass and brings it to her lips, sucking the sour juice in the most distracting way. Fuuuck.

She sets the lemon slice down. Thank God. And continues. "I was always the twin sister of the girl who had cancer. I never had my own identity. And even though I’m not there yet, this time away has given me some much needed perspective. It’s like there is life beyond hospital rooms and the crippling stress. It’s making me see that I wasn’t even truly living before. And I should be. If Becca’s illness has taught me anything, it’s that life can be taken away from you in an instant. I’ve been wasting mine. And even though I don’t know what’s next, I know I don’t want to continue to live like I was."

It’s deeper than I intended her to go, but I like hearing all of her inner thoughts. "What else?" I ask.

"I want to have a career I’m passionate about, I want to fall in love, travel the world, make lasting friendships…You know, basically conquer the world and have the best life ever. I hope Becca is right alongside me, but even if I have to go it alone, I will. For her." She smiles sadly up at me.

"Sounds like a brilliant plan. Let me know how I can help."

***

After dinner, I head over to Collins’ place for a mid-week drink with my brothers, needing the distraction. My cock feels like it’s about to explode every time I’m in the same room as Selena.

I find them sitting outside by the pool, a bottle of expensive bourbon sitting on the table between them. Seems like I’m not the only one having a long week.

I slide into the lounge chair and Pace hands me a glass, filling it generously with liquor. "Bottoms up, baby."

"What’s the occasion?" I ask.

Collins shrugs. "Tatianna’s talking about wanting an engagement ring. Leaving pictures of huge diamond rings all over the damn house."

"And?" I hadn’t realized their relationship was all that serious, even though she’s lived with him for about six months now. I figured it was more a relationship of convenience. When they started dating, she needed a place to stay, and he needed regular sex. Problem solved.

He looks down into his glass thoughtfully. "How are things going with the roomie?" Collins asks instead of answering.

"Fine."

"And how’s her job search going?"

"Good."

Collins rolls his eyes. My one word responses aren’t going to fly with him. He started it though by dodging my question about Tatianna.

"Have you fucked her yet?" Pace asks, much less tactfully.

Sunday is the o,x�B��2