#chelsea news transfer today live

[sportbarcelona]

BARCELONA FACING COMPLICATIONS IN THEIR PURSUIT OF PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG

[rightnewshindi]

स्कूलों में आवश्यकता से अधिक 163 प्रवक्ताओं के हुए थे तबादले, उच्च शिक्षा निदेशक ने लगाई रोक

स्कूलों में आवश्यकता से अधिक 163 प्रवक्ताओं के हुए थे तबादले, उच्च शिक्षा निदेशक ने लगाई रोक

Himachal Transfer News: हिमाचल प्रदेश में मंगलवार को स्कूलों में आवश्यकता से अधिक नियुक्त 163 प्रवक्ताओं के तबादले कर दिए, लेकिन बुधवार को इन आदेशों पर रोक लगा दी गई। उच्च शिक्षा निदेशक डॉ. अमरजीत शर्मा की ओर से शिक्षकों के युक्तिकरण व प्रवक्ताओं के तबादला आदेशों को स्थगित करने के कार्यालय आदेश जारी किए हैं। मंगलवार को जारी आदेशों के तहत प्रदेश में नया शैक्षणिक सत्र शुरू होते ही 33 स्कूलों के…

[leah-lover]

Closed for maintenance . Leah Williamson × reader

Reader embarks on a new journey with a new club. Part 1.

My day started out like any other in the past 4 weeks. The beeping sound of my alarm wakes me up, I dread the thought of getting up even though I still do, I get my shit together, I leave for training, come back a few hours later and go to bed early.

My days have been blending in ever since that heart shattering break up. However, today had a little twist to it. As I was leaving the gym to go to the physioroom I got called into the Manager's office. Upon getting in, the coach said “hey, so I called you here to let you know that we are going to transfer you. You have been an absolute killer for our team. You will always have a place between us. The thing is your dynamic with the team has been off which has been causing some tension. And the best thing I thought to do was to transfer you this January.” Shock couldn't describe the state I was in. Running on autopilot, I got out of the coach's office, got my things and departed home without talking to anybody, which has been my pattern this past month.

My head was in the clouds for the entire drive, and when I got home I threw myself on the coach and started sobbing. About 20 minutes later I called my best friend the only person I trusted more than anything.

“Hey are you okay? The girls are worried about you, tell me what is going on please”said kristie with a worried tone

“Well tell Sam and the team not to worry anymore. Emma has decided to ruin my life and get rid of me. I won't be at Chelsea anymore. I am basically fired.” I replied, now more angry than sad.

“What the hell are you talking about? Are you transferred where? when? How ? Are you okay? Did you tell her?.” She asked.

“I think it will be announced tomorrow at the meeting. I don't know anything kristie Chelsea is home. Niamh is home. I can't live without them.” I replied, memories of Niamh and I fludding my brain.

“Sure you will. I love you bubs no matter where you go.” She said, “Me too buddy, me too.” I added, sadness creeping into my heart again.

—-------—---—------------------------------------

It has been an eventful week. It was announced that I would leave Chelsea for Arsenal. The topic has been the talk of the town. From newspapers, Instagram pages, fans on Twitter, Arsenal fans were excited to have me. However, Chelsea fans were bitter I was let go. Most of the mean comments were directed at Emma and Chelsea which I thought was fair. I was the leading goal scorer in the WSL and we were on a great track record to win the league again.

I got a new apartment, and a new car. I tried to begin again. A clear slate and a focus on winning with my new team, the gunners.

Today was the first day of practice. The girls are really nice. This team, this family, seem really gelled together and they seem to start getting me out of my dark hole.

“Hello you.” Said Beth, “I hope you are well and I well we want to let you know you are very welcome and we hope you have a great time with us here.” she added. “Me too “ I responded.

__________________________________

It has been over 2 months since that last interaction with Beth, who I can call my best friend now. Her, Steph ,Katie and I have been inseparable. Arsenal have been on a winning streak since I got here. I seem to enjoy the way they play and interact with each other.

The player I enjoy hanging out with the most is my second Captain, which I can never fully admit.

Leah has been fun, heart warming, safe and a friend and a good one. I can't let whatever is happening affect my career again. I dated a teammate before it ruined my career, or so I thought.

“Ladies, how are we feeling about a party? We won again thanks to wonderful strickers. Let's have a party, we deserve it.” Said Katie on the bus. Shortly after a plan was made.

We went to a bar, we drank, sang, danced, and it was that time of the night where I got hungry for warmth. Human connection however unmeaningful. So I kissed the first girl I fancied.

That's when I felt a hand separate me from the girl and drag me outside.

“You are drunk, let's go home before you do anything you will regret.” Said Leah with an angry tone. “ Let go of me, I am lonely. I need this, please let go.” I pleaded with the alcohol affecting my judgment.

“ You are a fool if you think I would let you put yourself in danger. You are important to me, you should know that. Now let's go.” She ordered.

“ I am not going anywhere with you, you are not my girlfriend.” I protested.

That's when she pulled me in for a small kiss. That felt reassuring but not abusive of my drunk state.

“ You are not kissing anyone or going anywhere tonight. Home it is. Now stop complaining and get in please.” She said with a pour on her face. I did as she said, my mind still on the feeling of her lips.

This is going to be a lot to unpack in the morning.

[lucy90712]

Maybe something with Marc Guiu getting hate for transferring and him lashing out at reader but they make up in the end..? Thank you!

Marc's transfer to Chelsea came out of nowhere for the fans everyone in his life including me had known about it for a while but it was kept secret until things were official. I helped him decide what he wanted to do as it was a hard decision for him to leave Barcelona and all his family and friends. Together we went through every pro and every con of moving or staying and in the end Marc decided that he thought he had better opportunities if he moved to Chelsea and the premier league. It was a really hard decision for him to make and he thought about it for weeks and sometimes even sat up at night stressing over the decision before he finally made his decision and the deal was done. 

Since his decision was made life has been incredibly chaotic Marc had to go to London to sign his contract and do all of the pictures for the announcement and of course me and his family went with him. Since then his family have gone back home but I stayed to help him find somewhere to live and to settle in. I was supposed to go back with his family but Marc begged me to stay as he didn't want to be alone in a new country where he doesn't know anyone so of course I had to stay with him. He wants me to live with him here but that's something I have to think about as it's a lot to leave my family behind and I was supposed to go to university back in Barcelona so I'd have to figure that out too plus Marc won't always be here when he has matches. Moving is something I'd told him I'd think about and staying with him is like a trial run to see what life would be like in London. 

Today is a big day though it's the day that Marc is officially announced at Chelsea. He signed his contract a few days ago but the announcement is going out today which is really exciting. The announcement came a few hours after we woke up, I loved seeing all the content as I had no idea what they filmed. Marc also posted a statement thanking all the Barcelona fans and the club for what they've done with him. I thought it was a really sweet statement as I know how much the club and all of the fans mean to Marc but then I looked at the comments and realised other people didn't feel the same. There was a lot of hate comments calling Marc a traitor which hurt me and they aren't even about me. I then went down the rabbit hole of looking at more than just the comments on Marc's post I went on Twitter and saw that things were just as bad on there even on tiktok there was people hating on him. 

For as long as I could I kept Marc off his phone so he could just enjoy his first official day as a Chelsea player but of course I could only keep him distracted for so long. He's had a smile on his face all day but once he started looking at his phone the smile went away. For a while he just scrolled and I couldn't stop him but eventually he put his phone down but even then his smile didn't come back and I knew he had been affected by the comments and he won't admit to it either. Marc always tries to pretend things don't affect him which at times is hard as he bottles things up until they get too much and I've been trying to get him to share his feelings with me but he just finds it difficult. 

After Marc put his phone down he just wasn't the same he didn't talk to me pretty much all day he was just distant. I wanted to talk to him but I know that now is not the time he needs some time to think for himself before I can try and make him feel better. 

~~~~~~~~~~

For the last few days Marc just hasn't been himself. He's been distant and cold and whenever I try and talk to him he is very short with me. He's been difficult to deal with I want to help him but I can't get anything out of him he doesn't let me talk for long enough to try and get him to admit that the comments have affected him. As much as it's been difficult I'm glad I'm here as I don't even know what Marc would be like if he had no one with him he'd probably still be scrolling through his phone and laying in bed all day. 

This morning I decided enough was enough today is going to be the day that I get Marc to talk to me and admit that the comments have hurt him. I can't just talk to him as soon as he wakes up though unless I want him to snap at me so I got up and made breakfast for us so he can eat before I try and talk to him. Like always he went to the gym first thing this morning but by the time he was back I had finished breakfast. For once he actually smiled at me when he came in which is definitely progress and he even kissed my cheek so maybe he's starting to get over the comments. 

After breakfast he went to shower so I got dressed then started to pace around the apartment thinking about what I'm going to say to Marc. If he's starting to forget about the comments I don't want to make him feel worse but I want him to let me in and tell me how he's feeling. The comments were awful and they shocked me so I know they will have hurt Marc but I don't know how much until I get him to open up. Once he got out the shower he came to join me on the sofa where we sat in silence for a minute until I figured out how to start this conversation. 

"What's been going through your mind the last few days?" I asked 

"Nothing" he said 

"Come on please let me in you haven't been yourself since the announcement and it's starting to hurt me too" I said 

"It's nothing" he said slightly angrier this time 

"Please Marc you can't keep doing this I'm here to listen to your feelings and make you feel better pushing me away and snapping at me when I try to talk to you won't make it any better and I can't put up with this forever you want me to move here with you but if this is what it will be like I don't think I can do that" I said trying to make him realise that his actions don't just affect him 

"I know but it's just so dumb you'll laugh at me" he said finally giving in 

"I would never laugh at something that's upsetting you it can be the stupidest thing ever and I wouldn't laugh" I reassured him 

"Those comments they got to me I couldn't be more thankful to barcelona and the fans but they think I've betrayed them and that hurts I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Barcelona the club will always be part of my life and my heart and now it just feels like I've made the wrong decision" he admitted 

"You haven't made the wrong choice the people saying those things aren't real fans the real fans will support you and see that you made this decision as you thought it was best I've seen so many people wishing you the best now that it's not such a shock I promise that everyone important in your life doesn't think you've betrayed barca" I said 

"I know it just feels awful to think I've let some people down" he said 

"And it's ok to feel that way but you have a bright future ahead and an exciting new start so that should be at the forefront of your mind not the negative parts of leaving barca" I said

"I suppose you're right" he said 

He thanked me for making him open up and then making him feel better but I’m not here for that I just want him to be happy with his life and the decision he made. He also apologised for the way he treated me for the last few days but I told him to forget about that as it’s not important anymore although he still promised that he’d make it up for it and he’d show me how fun it would be to live here with him. 

[ejesgistnews]

Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines online Today, What are the top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines for Today, Friday, 23rd August, 2024.   Staying updated on the latest developments in Nigeria is essential, especially in today's fast-paced world. Here are the top 13 Nigerian newspaper headlines for August 23, 2024, that capture the most significant news across the country. From breaking stories to in-depth analyses, these headlines reflect the top news in Nigeria this morning. Whether you're interested in politics, business, or social issues, these latest Nigerian newspaper headlines will keep you informed. Dive into the top stories in Nigeria today and stay ahead with the latest updates. The latest Nigerian headlines for August 23rd, 2024:   1. FG Unveils Power Sector Communications Team: The Federal Government has inaugurated the Power Sector Communications Team (PSCT) to enhance transparency and communication within the power sector. The team, led by Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu, aims to bridge the gap between the power sector and the public by translating complex technical issues into plain language and fostering collaboration among stakeholders¹.   2. Tinubu’s Daughter Resolves Lagos Butchers Union Crisis: Mrs. Folasade Tinubu-Ojo, daughter of President Bola Tinubu and Iyaloja-General, successfully mediated a dispute between the Lagos State Butchers Association and the National Butchers Union of Nigeria. The crisis involved attempts by the Lagos State chapter to withdraw from the national body. Tinubu-Ojo urged both parties to maintain peace and work collaboratively⁵.   3. Guinness World Record Names 116-Year-Old Japanese as World's Oldest Person: Tomiko Itooka, a 116-year-old Japanese woman, has been officially recognized as the world’s oldest living person by Guinness World Records. Itooka, who resides in a nursing home in Ashiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, enjoys bananas and drinks Calpis every morning³¹.   4. Chelsea's Conor Gallagher Joins Atletico Madrid: Conor Gallagher has completed his move from Chelsea to Atletico Madrid for £36 million. This transfer was part of a deal that saw Joao Felix move to Chelsea for £46.3 million. Gallagher's move ends a weeks-long saga and is expected to strengthen Atletico's midfield¹²¹⁵.   5. 27 Kidnappers, IPOB Members Killed in Enugu: A combined force of security agencies neutralized 27 individuals suspected of being kidnappers and members of the Eastern Security Network, the security arm of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), in Enugu State. This operation is part of ongoing efforts to combat criminal activities in the state¹⁷¹⁸.   6. Kwankwaso’s Nephew, Four Others Arrested Over N347m Drug Scam: The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission arrested five individuals, including Garba Kwankwaso, nephew of NNPP National Leader Rabiu Kwankwaso, over an alleged N347 million drug supply scam. The suspects were accused of awarding a contract for drug supply that was never fulfilled⁸⁹.   7. CBN Posts Highest Remittance Inflow of $553m in July: The Central Bank of Nigeria reported a record remittance inflow of $553 million in July 2024, a 130% increase from the same period in 2023. This increase is attributed to policy measures aimed at enhancing liquidity in Nigeria’s foreign exchange market²¹²³.   8. BUA Foods to Raise Milling Capacity by 3,200 Tonnes: BUA Foods Plc has signed an agreement with Turkish flour milling equipment manufacturer IMAS to build four wheat and flour milling factories with a cumulative capacity of 3,200 tonnes per day. This expansion is part of BUA Foods' strategic plans to address food challenges in Nigeria²⁸²⁹.   9. Port Harcourt, Warri Depots Receive Petrol as Queues Linger: The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has supplied petrol to the Port Harcourt and Warri depots to alleviate fuel scarcity. Despite these efforts, fuel queues persist in various parts of the country as the supply struggles to meet demand³⁵³⁶.

  10. Naira Weakens to N1,600/$ in Parallel Market: The Naira has depreciated to N1,600 per dollar in the parallel market, reflecting ongoing economic challenges. This depreciation is causing concern among businesses and consumers alike.   11. Minister of Justice Issues Warning on Democratic Process: The Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, warns against any attempts to undermine Nigeria's democracy, stating that leadership can only change through elections.   12. Tinubu to Swear in New Chief Justice: President Bola Tinubu will swear in Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the new Chief Justice of Nigeria today, following the retirement of Justice Olukayode Ariwoola. 13. Peter Obi Supports NLC Amidst Police Investigation: Peter Obi urged the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to remain steadfast after its president, Joe Ajaero, was summoned by the police, viewing the move as an attempt to intimidate organized labor.   That is all for today on Nigerian Newspaper Headlines. Click here more Naija News.

[qudachuk]

Looking ahead to World Cup final and Premier League fixturesGet in touch! Email Barry or tweet him @bglendenningHaving snubbed overtures from Liverpool, even after Chelsea signed Moises Caicedo from Brighton, Romeo Lavia will be unveiled at Stamford Bridge today...

[utterlyinevitable]

The Conference (Part 9)

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 

Paring: Dr. Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Dr. Rebecca Lao) Word Count: 3.7k Rating: T+ Warning: Some cursing Summary: It’s the evening after the keynote and they go out for a civil dinner date.

A/N: shout out to ruby @starrystarrytrouble for reminding me people actually like reading this mess 💕

________________________________________

After we finished up the panel I stuck around the conference hall to network whilst Ethan had ditched the crowd at the first opportunity he got, heading back to our hotel room and venturing away from the pecking vultures. To be honest, I didn’t really blame him. Everyone wanted a piece of the poor, well-endowed man. 

A couple hours later, I shuffled back into our apartment. My aching feet somehow prevailed without causing me to collapse on the odd geometric carpet floor, or ditching my heels along the way and walking barefoot like some uncultured frosh stumbling home at 3AM. Once through the heavy metal plated door, I headed straight to my room, not throwing a single pleasantry towards Ethan in the seating area. From what I could tell he was typing furiously on his laptop after nursing a scotch - the empty crystal tumbler on the table was a dead giveaway. 

The anxiety and delirium inducing stress of the day lifted the second my kinda-sweaty body collapsed onto the private armchair in my room, clutching its aqua-colored arms and sinking into the velvet cushion. Staring out at the familiar skyline my mind started to replay the happenings of the day; every little thing that happened - from the confidence I felt during our speech, to the way that asshole called me out, and how Ethan stood up for me every step of the way. How proud he was even if he relayed the sentiment in such small words. 

We survived today. We haven’t strangled each other nor suffered any little deaths. All that’s left for this trip is the tour we have tomorrow morning, and then we’ll be on our way back to Edenbrook. Back to the way things were… 

Somehow my tired and self destructive brain decided it wanted to revel in the memories of the last few days. Thinking about all the non-work things that happened this trip. Thinking of all the words shared, and the blast from the past. And the revelation that little adventure birthed. 

Fuck me...

Things are weird. Like, so weird. I don’t know what I’m doing or why I’m even thinking this… but I miss him. Today showed me how great we are together! Professionally and as friends. We’re the dynamic duo: Ramsey and his Rookie. His. I - 

I need to stop thinking that. 

I belong to myself. I do what I want when I want and with whom I want. 

And so does he. And that’s why I walked away. I’m- 

I’m still getting over him. 

While simultaneously trying to get under him… 

Thoughts wandered back to Ryan and how long it took me to get over the detrimental ‘what if’s of him. If I held on tighter and longer and didn’t get in the way of myself back then - if one thing was different - everything could be different. 

A small, revelatory gasp escaped me. 

I didn’t want things to be different. 

After eight fucking years I finally understood. 

If I didn’t love and lose Ryan I never would have found my way to Boston. To Ethan. And here - knowing what I do and having all the experiences of the last few months - I couldn’t continue a life without knowing Ethan Ramsey. 

I’m going to do whatever I can to repair our friendship. 

I changed my clothes into something not requiring heels - black skinny jeans, a blouse and my trusty Chelsea boots - and my hair pulled back into a bun. Simple, sleek, and completely me. No pomp and circumstance, or hiding behind anything. Just me, making an effort.  

With all the determination I could muster I sauntered into the living room where I assumed Ethan would still be. 

I was right; he hadn’t changed positions at all. Sitting there on the couch, his feet up on the gaudy footstool with his laptop perched on his lap, tortoise-patterned glasses framing his face, and furiously typing on the keyboard. 

“So...” I trailed awkwardly to break the tension surrounding him, leaning against the wall with my hands stuffed in my armpits. “What do you want to do for dinner?” 

“Oh,” He planted his feet on the floor and turned to face me fully, moving his laptop off of him and folding his arms in his lap. “Uh, well-”

Quickly I added, “If you’d rather eat alone it’s fine by me. I was thinking of grabbing pizza at John’s.” 

Ethan nodded in response, saying, “Sounds good.”

“Cool,” I nodded back. “You ready or…?”

“Let me grab my things,” he stood, collected his things and headed to his room.

Less than two minutes later we headed out of the apartment together, walking side by side. Though this time wasn’t like earlier. There wasn’t the blind determination and need to impress like this morning. Right now we were two people who used to know one another going out to dinner in a spectacular converted synagogue.  

***

For anyone who doesn’t know John’s, it’s a local family-style pizza joint. There’s three restaurants around the city and the Times Square location is by far the best. Every time I have a hot minute to spare I try to go - the stained glass and craftsmanship of the building is everything! But you don’t want to hear about that… and neither did Ethan when I tried to fill the silence during our walk with all the reasons to love this place. For some reason he preferred to barge and weave in silence. 

Whatever. 

Lucky enough he was more chatty once we were seated. 

Our table was in the mezzanine with not much of a view besides the stone staircase in the corner and the large dome towering above. The dim lighting complimented the deep wooden table and beige upholstered seating. 

We ordered. And without the menu to keep our attention, I tried my hand at conversation once more.  

“Be honest, how did we do?”

Looking me in the eyes, ones that mirrored mine, showed such confidence and pride as he said his next words;

“You handled it well, Becca.” There was a tug at the corners of his mouth that pulled at my own. I was about to get a rare Ramsey smile - one I’ve been devoid of for far too long. 

“Dare I even say, like a natural.” 

I got to revel in the small compliment for a few moments as the server brought over our food - garlic knots, small veggie pizza, and a chef’s side salad. 

“I didn’t stutter too much or come off too young?” I couldn’t help but ask when it was just us two again. His opinion matters more than anyone else’s when it comes to my career. 

“You did.” 

“But you -” 

He cut me off, a slight shake of his big head, “You are young and this was your first keynote.” he clarified. And once more he said pridefully, “You did well.” 

After what felt like ages we shared a private smile. How he was able to bring me back into myself with a few words and stop fussing over imposter syndrome is a wonder.  

“Now eat some pizza and be happy.” 

My smile grew to a goofy one by the way he was looking at me, bemused. I refrained from sticking my tongue out and dug into a little slice of heaven. “Don’t have to tell me twice.”

We dug in. Letting the flavors dance over my taste buds and make me only as happy as a New York slice could make me. No amount of fantastic sex could compare to pizza. Everything kind of disappeared - time stopped while the first bites settled in my tummy. Even Ethan looked to be enjoying it even though it’s not fancy smancy and artery clogging. 

Eventually I broke our companioned silence;

“How was lunch with Chief Fredericks?” I asked as I reached for a scrumptious ball of garlicy dough. 

The response left his lips so swiftly he didn’t even bother to look up from his plate; 

“Informative.”

I scoffed at the non-answer answer. 

My little grumble pulled him out of his bubble and he looked over at me - those damn baby blues challenging my thoughtfully indecent outburst. I just gave him a look right back. 

Ethan rolled his eyes and reached for another slice. Cutting it up with a fork and knife like an absolute weirdo.  

“He heard about the state budget cuts. Wanted to know what I think and if I’d be open to consult every so often.” 

“And?” I probed. 

“And what? You know how I feel about the future of Edenbrook.” 

“Yes. But if it goes under, what do you think you’ll do? I mean, everyone’s going to be throwing themselves at you.” 

I shoved some greenery in my gob to keep from adding the jarring truth. 

Everyone throws themselves at you. 

But who he gives his attention to is another story.  

Ethan shrugged ever so nonchalantly, “I haven’t thought about it.” 

The cavalier way he was speaking of his life after Edenbrook had thrown me off. Ethan was never this laid-back. It just wasn’t in his nature. There’s always something for this man to stress over. And Edenbrook’s closing should be his anxiety numero uno. 

But here he was, ever so calm. 

Hmm... 

“Are you in denial?” I said through a bite, fully anticipating another non-answer.  

“Maybe.” 

The way he said it took me aback. It was inherently honest and soft. All of his jagged features were rounded and there was a dulled little twinkle in his eye. 

Yeah, something’s going on here he’s not telling me.  

“Ethan -” 

And of course he deflects by turning the conversation on me; “What are you going to do?” 

Keeping from rolling my eyes at his obvious deflection from roaming into his feelings deeper, I replied, “Transfer my residency.” 

“Where?” 

“I…” - dammit - “don’t know.”

I haven’t really dwelled on what happens when the hospital closes. Obviously I need to finish residency if I want to be an actual practicing doctor. But the matching process can go screw itself. I don’t never ever want to do that again - all I cared about was matching with the best. And I did. So who’s the second best now? 

Is it wherever he goes?  

There’s just so much to think about, and I’d really rather not. Not until the last few nails are lined up against the coffin. 

“See,” he said with a hint of a lopsided grin, “Neither of us are ready to leave Edenbrook behind.” 

He was right. Of course he’s right. You didn’t need to be a diagnostician or even a doctor to see that we’re holding out hope of a buyout. 

I’ve just gotten to Edenbrook - only a few months into my dream career with my dream boss - and now, what? It’s all over before it even really began? No. I can’t accept that. 

There was a beat of silence as we both reached for the salad tongs, our hands brushing on accident. Both our eyes shot to bear witness to the contact, pulling us out of whatever ran wild through our thoughts and into this new, secluded moment. Everything around us dulled in the distance; the sounds swirling in the air muted and like a faint breeze. The warm lighting dimmed further, yet there was a spotlight on the salad bowl. The greens and reds and purples of the ruffage illuminated like it was the only thing that mattered. Like right now the earth was spinning just for this moment of closeness. 

Surprisingly, neither of us made a motion to move. His large hand overlapping my dainty fingers, the metal underneath the pads of my fingers warming up instantly. Electricity still coursed through me like the very first time. Except now it carried the memories of all the other times and places he set me aflame. 

I had to be the one to pull back. 

Almost, like it needed time to comprehend why the moment was intentionally ruined, the atmosphere around us began to revert back slightly. I could hear the idle chatter of those around us now. I could see the full picture of Ethan sitting across from me and all the individuals pattering around behind him. What couldn’t pretend to go back and hung off kilter was the beating in my chest - I could feel the electricity coursing through my veins and putting my heart through the ringer. 

Ethan made up for it by serving me. 

Does he know he still has such an effect on me?  

Quick! I needed to divert my thoughts off of the creeping flush and want from taking hold. So I went back to talking about work, our safe topic. 

“If you could work anywhere else in the world where would it be?” I asked.  

Ethan took a moment to think as he served himself some salad. He looked like he was actually thinking of an answer, maybe, for the first time he’s digested the hospital’s fate. 

“I think the next logical step would be the Mayo Clinic. They’re the best diagnostics in the world.” His eyes diverted back down to his plate and, after a beat, he added, “I also wouldn’t mind spending more time on missions with The WHO.”

My eyes searched his as they looked anywhere but where I was seated across from him, trying to find any sort of fault in his features. Something, anything, that I could hold onto. Nothing. Just stupid sincerity. The first fucking time in weeks he actually lets us talk about his time in the Amazon I can’t be mad at him.  

“You really enjoyed your time there, huh?” 

“It…” he hesitated, choosing his words carefully. 

We’ve wandered into emotional territory and we both needed to tread carefully. I need to remember that he was never mine, as much as I felt like his from our first kiss. Need to recall that back then everything was drawn out in plain sight. Our end was always just that - an end. I Need to forgive. And try to remember that at one point he did try to fight for me, in his round-a-bout noncommittal way, and I was the one to end things officially. 

We both need to forgive. Especially if these are the last few months we have working together. 

“Was important work and I got to make a difference in the lives of thousands of indigenous people.” Ethan took another small pause for breath. When he continued, his deep baritone voice was lower, “Even if my intentions for going were skewed, it was an opportunity of a lifetime.” 

The simplest thing to do would be to nod, or eat - distract myself - or even change the subject. To try not to dwell on the implications of the statement. But I couldn’t. My body tensed and the warmth from moments before fled completely. 

We were silent. The brutal truth of why he left stinging just as much as it did the day I found out. 

Minutes, many many minutes passed with me finding solace in sweet savory carbs and Ethan pushing things around on his plate. 

Eager to change the subject there was one other topic of the day I was endlessly curious to know more about; 

“So, what’s the deal with Dr. Schwab?” 

“Don’t.” He dismissed, his authoritative voice seeping through just a tad. Though I’d like to think he’s smart enough not to use it with me outside of Edenbrook.  

“If you don’t tell me I’ll be forced to fabricate my own. I’m feeling a one-night stand gone wrong.” 

He looked back down at his food. 

“Oh my god, I’m right.” The smile that erupted literally took over my entire face. I could not hide it even if I tried.  

“Rebecca,” he tried to scold. 

“Now you have to tell me.” 

Just like earlier he turned the conversation back on me; “What’s with the frat boy?” 

“Ryan was never in a fraternity,” I responded, not hiding the grin that formed by putting Ethan in his place. “He’s a jock though.” 

He expelled a dry laugh, “I don’t think that’s any better.” He took a bite of his salad. Something radiated off of Ethan I couldn’t quite place. 

“We were close in high school,” I added for reasons I’m not quite sure why. Like that explained who Ryan was and why he came back into my life now, of all times.  

Ethan made a condescending, “mhm”. 

I rolled my eyes; “We had a thing for a while, okay.” I conceded. “We grew apart senior year, and then I went off to college. Last night was the first time we’ve spoken in, like, eight years.” 

Ethan made absolutely no reactions to the statement. Not even a stupid wiggle of his dumb perfect eyebrow. 

Is he even paying attention? 

“Now tell me about Schwab - sorry, Hilary,” I coaxed.  

Ethan’s hand flew to the bridge of his nose and up to carefully rub his eyes. 

This has gotta be good. 

I waited patiently and eagerly for this story. She couldn’t have been Ethan’s type and yet… What happened!? 

Eyes still shut tight, he grumbled, “What’s there to tell?” 

“Obviously something happened,” I couldn’t help but mock, “You slept together!” 

“Yes, and it’s something I do not like to dwell on.” 

“Sorry, buddy, but it looks like she does.” 

He groaned. Then shifted in his chair. Ethan took a long drag of his drink. And just when I figured he was going to wait this out until one of us changed the subject, he spoke; 

“A moment of weakness a few years back. And she was…” 

Ah! It’s actually happening! Ethan’s telling a salacious story! 

Shifting in my seat and placing my head in my hands to give him my full attention; My brows and smile grew as I finished the sentence for him, “Eager?” 

He scowled. 

“Jesus Christ, Ethan, just tell me what happened!” 

“I will not go into details.” 

“Fine.” I made a motion with my hand for him to continue without the juicy details. 

“Harper and I had just ended things for good not long before…” 

We ended up going back and forth for a while - Ethan not wanting to give anything up and me pulling as much as I could out of him. Long story short, Ethan was in a weird mental state after breaking up with Harper for the hundredth and final time in their six year relationship. He took up a conference opportunity to get away for two nights. Knowing how much he loves people, Ethan spent most of his time drowning his senses at the hotel bar. And low and behold, enter Hillary. 

From the sounds of it she was agreeable and very very forward. And Ethan was so lost in liquor that her voice didn’t irritate him as much as it did the next morning, and every single time they were in close proximity thereafter. Hillary had been going through a separation with her husband and needed a distraction just as bad. Really, who could blame her? Toting Ethan around would be the best revenge. 

The first night of his stay was fine - apparently the sex was satisfactory and she didn’t do anything remarkably memorable. Or so he says. I still think she looks like a squawker. He didn’t linger around long after before retreating to his hotel room. Then the next afternoon he was bored and weak and agreed to lunch. And lunch turned into drinks which turned into round two. In his room. And she didn’t leave. She wasn’t leaving. So Ethan bought an earlier plane ticket, and shook her awake before checking out. 

And every conference since she seems to want to entertain a rematch. 

“Oh my god, you’re horrible!” I exclaimed ever delightfully. This was hilarious! 

“I shouldn’t really be surprised. You flew to another continent after we slept together.” Shaking my head, a stupid little smirk on my lips I asked, “Have you ever had a one night stand before?” 

“Wha - of course I have!” 

“One’s that didn’t end up with you getting on a plane?” 

He leaned back and folded his arms across his chest. “If you must know, I’ve had my fair share in undergrad.” 

Now it was my turn to send a condescending “mhm” his way. 

We spoke longer and polished off our plates - not a single crumb remained. This was nice. Really nice getting to be close to him again and just being friends. Telling stories and exchanging playful jabs here and there. It’s how I fell for the idiot in the first place. 

Baby steps.     

-

Two hours after we arrived the server came over with the bill. 

She was friendly and lovely the whole meal. The best part about her style of service is that she let us just exist and didn’t check up all that often. When she did I could tell she overheard someone of the crap Ethan and I were spewing. She had one of those knowing smiles, like she was in on our jokes the entire time. 

“Can I just say, you guys are adorable,” she relayed with the brightest of smiles after setting the padfolio on the table, her hands clapping together excitedly. She looked like a child who had just met Santa Claus for the first time. 

L O L she thinks we’re together.  

At that I actually laughed out loud before informing, “We’re colleagues. In town for a conference.” 

The horror on the girl's face said it all. 

“Oh! My mistake, sorry. I can split the bill for you.” She reached for the pad where it sat in front of Ethan. 

He grabbed the black leather at the same time I spoke;  

"Nope, dinner’s on him.” I cupped a hand over my mouth and pointed a not-at-all discreet thumb towards him, “He'll get reimbursed," I laughed more to myself than anything. 

She smiles, a little relieved by my warmth, then turns to look at Ethan - silently asking permission or if it’s okay that he pays. Generally looking for some sort of direction from the old man.    

He shoots the server a look. Then forks over his credit card. 

As she saunters off, I smile at him sweetly, “Thank you.” 

Of course he rolls his eyes. But that rise in the corners of his mouth says so much more. 

________________________________________

A/N: sorry it’s shit. thank you for sticking with this series 💕 we’ve just got one chapter left! 

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[footballxwrites]

A ben angst one please where ur together and u only find out hes going to chelsea through the media so u confront him and it ends in angst

*Didn’t proof read cos I’m a lazy sod, ignore any grammar mistakes and that lol x

“You better get packing then eh” you heard the voice of your best friend speak the moment you opened the front door, only for her to be stood with a huge smile across face and for some reason excited for you. “What are you on about now” you giggled, strolling through to the living room as she happily followed behind, chatting what sounded like a load of gibberish seeing as you hadn’t the first clue as to what she was on about, “we’ll surely you’re going down London with him- aw you’re gonna a London gal, leaving the northern roots behind-“ she rambled on as your Brian tried to process all the questions she was asking by the minute.

“First off how’s about telling me what you’re on about babe and why you thinking I’m moving to London all of a sudden” you laughed, stopping her in her tracks when she realised you clearly hadn’t been on social media today, “oh erm...I’ve put my foot right in it now” she nervously replied, hesitant to answer your question. “Come on you have to tell me now you’re worrying me” you said with furrowed eyebrows, knowing you were bout to get the Intel from her one way or another, “I mean these are just articles so it might not be for certain or anything” she quickly shrugged with a small laugh passing the phone for you to scroll through the hundred headlines including your boyfriend’s name.

Your heart dropped at the news of a transfer, it was bad enough seeing it meant you’d have to travel a couple more hours down the country and go even further south but it hurt to know the papers found out before you, he didn’t even have to decency to tell you at all never mind face to face. “I’m going to kill him” you said through gritted teeth, running a hand through your already messed up curls as your friend thought it’d be best to make tracks and leave you to wait for Ben to get home from probably his last training session at Leicester it would seem. “I’m sure he’ll have an explanation for all this, Ben’s not the type to keep things from you” your friend sorrowfully spoke, giving you a hug before heading for the door, “yeah I hope so” you sadly smiled, heartbroken to say the least.

——————————————

“Something smells good what you been cooking” a happy looking Benjamin smiled, waltzing into the dining room where you were sat at the table emotionless as ever. “When were you going to tell me, tomorrow, next week or maybe in a months time when you’ve got your bags packed and ready to go” you spat, shaking your head as you sat firm with folded arms, “it’s not like that I was planning to tell you, of course I was” he sighed, taking a seat at the table across from you, his voice trembly as ever, preparing to have the conversation he’s been putting off.

“I didn’t want to say anything till I knew it was for certain...and till i signed the contract” he quietly said, reaching a hand over the table to grab yours to which you avoided, too hurt to even look him in the eyes, “and I’m guessing that was today” you sniffed, putting two and two together as he softly nodded. ��I know I should’ve told you, I didn’t really know how to” he gently said, slumping back on his chair as you raised your gaze and presented him with a nice big frown, “well Ben, you sit down and say I’m off to play for Chelsea football club because it’s something I’ve been wanting to do for ages, would you care to join me down London?” you joked in a huff, wondering that goes through that lads head at times if he can’t even tell his own girlfriend that’s he planning a transfer.

“It’ll be a fresh start, for the two of us” he smiled resting his arms on the table, carefree as usual and clearly not taking your feelings into account, “my job is here in Leicester, my life is HERE, how can I just throw it all away” you sighed with a sarcastic laugh as he looked disappointed by your reaction but I mean what did he expect, for you to just say ‘fuck my career, course I’ll come to London’.

“It’s a big place, London, more opportunities, higher pay...you’ll get a job no problem” he blurted out in a hope you might be persuaded by his efforts, “it’s not just about that Ben, I already live three hours away from my family and that’s hard as it is...seeing them what, four times a year if I’m lucky. Not to mention the only friends I have are here” you sobbed, not ready to make the sacrifice of seeing them even less. “But we- we can travel, get the train up. I know it’s a distance but we’ll make it work, I swear” he continued, springing ideas at you left right and centre, “I can’t...you know I love you Ben and would go to the moon and back for you, but there’s too much to lose. I’m sorry” you interrupted, taking his hands in yours as he sighed in defeat, devastated by your faint words.

“Right, well thanks a lot Y/N nice to know you’re a supportive girlfriend” he noted, pulling his hands from yours and leaning back in his chair once again with a groan, “what about me and my career? A new chapter in my football life is too much to ask for is it? You know if the roles were reversed I’d be already up them stairs packing the suitcases” he stated in disgust as you sat very much taken aback by his selfishness. “Don’t you dare make me out to be the bad guy Chilwell because we both know I’m not” you fought back, standing your ground as an awkward silence filled the air.

“It’s your choice, come to London with me and start fresh or stay here in Leicester alone, without our relationship” he said, clear as ever with the two options which completely tore you apart, having no desire whatsoever to go with him. “I’m not going Ben, I’m so sorry in that I can’t and I’ll wish you good luck with everything and my love for you will never go away...” you concluded, giving him a light kiss upon his head as he placed hand to your cheek and stroked it, the heartbreak evident in his eyes. “I love you too much to argue with your decision” he hastily laughed as you smiled, “I go the start of next month so I’ll leave the house to you, it’s better than selling it and the least I can do for you” he elaborated as you nodded before excusing yourself from the room, not quite believing your relationship of three years was at an end 💔

[goalkepa]

as an asian football fan it’s always hard to keep up with live match due to time difference. i couldn’t sleep well last night because of the match later that I woke up at 4 am, checking my phone and found out we were 1-0 leading, I went back to sleep and then woke up again at 5 am and that we were in the final of champions league. It was all like a dream but a dream that made me cry with happiness and proud.

honestly the reason why I started to watch chelsea was the weirdest. my cousin introduced me this team when I first entered this football world and it was because of kepa and a friend on here convinced me to support this team with her, that’s how it all started. and it was season 2018/19, that I followed every match of chelsea but also it was the last season for eden at london, and I’ve always felt like I’ve missed a lot of great memories and trophies and a whole era. I was so happy when they won europa league at the end of the season but i was also kinda worried about the future of this club once eden left.

then, frank lampard arrived. no one believed in chelsea at the beginning of season 19/20 but then our academy proved the doubters wrong by winning matches and scoring, even tho our defense was still shitty haha. it was a miracle for this team to finish at the top four at the end of the season, a result that no one expected but I’m sure the players have always believed in themselves, just like how they did last night. we all know that frank's stories didn’t end well, however, today's chelsea should definitely be partly credited to him. he arrived at the hardest time for this club, when our main player left and with a transfer ban. he trusted the youngsters from the academy, mason, tammy, reece, fik, billy, frank gave them chances to play because he recognized the potential and mentality in their blood. he also brought in players like hakim, timo, kai, edou. just top top quality players with lots of potential. (yeah I know the decision was made by the board eventually but I believe it’s because of frank that made the board believed all these signings will work!) without frank, you won’t see the chelsea nowadays, with so many incredibly talented young players and strong determination. I agree that frank is probably not fully ready for this big stage, but he is undoubtedly part of the positive factor why we are here today.

and yeah for the final part, thomas tuchel, who exactly knew what he wanted on his first day at the cobham training ground, who found the best strategy for this team, giving praise to the players when it’s deserved but also not holding back when criticizing is needed. his press conference has always been genuine, always full of confidence, and that’s what this team needs. thomas made the players believe what they can do and now he made the fans believe that this club they are supporting is on to a right path leading to another glory era. for me, thomas tuchel is literally our signing of the season.

I wouldn’t have any faith to play against man city before this season (I meant remember we lost five or six goals ?! that still gave me nightmares) but after what this team has gone through these months, after reaching two finalists of each tournament, I have faith that we could actually be competitive at Istanbul. we are in the final not just because we are lucky, but also because we indeed got something that surpasses the other teams, and that leads to the conclusion that we deserve to be in this stage.

as I mentioned in the previous paragraph, I thought I was missing an era, but now I realize I’m literally part of this new era which is writing its own history. I couldn’t feel prouder to be a fan of this club. and this is the feelings I’ve never had before since the first day I watched football.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL HERE WE COME!

KEEP THE BLUE FLAG FLYING HIGH 💙💙💙

[purplesurveys]

1125

survey by nadine07

[..Introductions..]

First Name: Robyn.

Middle Name: I don’t think I’ve shared it on here and I doubt I will.

Last Name: Not providing it either but it starts with a C.

Birthdate: April 21st.

[..First Things First..]

What was the first thing you did after you got up? I rushed to the rooftop so that I could see the sunrise. I also got in the random mood to do a time-lapse of it, but the sun took forrrrrrrr-freaking-ever to come up entirely. I was holding up my phone for like 15 minutes and nothing was happening, so I quit halfway through lol.

What was the name of your first pet? Goldie, because it was a goldfish.

Who was your first big crush? Gabie, I would say.

Where was the first place you drove after you got your license? Chelsea’s 18th birthday dinner was scheduled right after I happened to get my license, and the event took place in a small, quaint little restaurant in Marikina. 

There’s a bit of a funny story here, too – Aaron needed a ride to get there and so I offered to drive him. I picked him up and we were having small talk in the car, and he asked me how long I’ve been driving. I told him that moment was my literal first time driving out and that I just got my license the day before, and he is my first-ever passenger (at that point I’ve never even tried driving solo yet). The horror and immediate distrust on his face was something I will never forget HAHAHA. We got to the place unharmed, but it’s still one of my favorite stories to tell.

Who was your very first friend? It was a kind girl named Kaye back in kindergarten. We were always next to each other in our class lists, so it was inevitable for us to befriend one another. She transferred schools in first grade and I have not seen nor heard from her since.

What was the first thing you ate today? I had another bag of salted egg chips. I’m extremely hooked, lmao.

What was your first job? I work as an associate at a PR agency.

[..Colors..]

Name something red in the room you are in: We have an unopened bottle of wine here on the dining table and there’s still a red ribbon wrapped around it.

Is orange one of your school's team colors? No, neither of my schools had orange as one of its colors.

How many yellow shirts do you own? I can think of 5 tops hanging out in my wardrobe at the moment. Two of them are class shirts from high school; the others were tops I bought when I started getting into mustard yellow.

Name someone you know who drives a green car: I believe Angel, a classmate from high school who also studies in UP, also drives a Mitsubishi Mirage, albeit a lime green one.

Is it a blue sky outside right now? Yes for the most part, but the sun is setting soon so the sky is bound to change into many pretty colors as it usually does at this time of the day.

What is the first thing that pops into your head when I say 'purple'? Barney the dinosaur, and ube.

Are the walls in the room you're in white? Yes, all our walls indoors are white.

Does black make you think of depressing things? Not always, but if used specifically in that context, it definitely helps boosts the mood.

Jewelry: gold or silver? Silverrr, always.

[..Phone Stuff..]

Who is your provider? Nothing you would be familiar with, but I use Globe.

How long have you had your current phone? It’ll be three years this year. It would be nice to upgrade, but I’m also still happy with my current phone so it doesn’t really matter to me.

What did your last text say? The last one that came through that didn’t come from my mobile services provider was from someone in the media. It was his birthday last Friday and I messaged him if he’d like to receive a gift from us, on behalf of one of our clients; he just replied with his confirmation and details.

If you woke up naked next to the last person to call, would it be awkward? Yep and I’d feel like throwing up almost immediately.

Was your last missed call male or female? It was from my mom.

Who is your 10th phone contact? It’s from Jum, who I realize is still listed as Ate Jum on my phone. That’s cute hahaha; I must have gotten her number when we weren’t super close yet. Anyway, she’s been super MIA for like the last two years...basically, ever since she graduated. I believe she has also since moved back to Bicol, so it’s become virtually impossible to see her again. Bums me out and I look forward to the day we somehow end up in the same room once again.

How did you meet them? I met her in my very first journalism major class. I had mixed feelings towards her at first since I found her to be super loud in class, and I initially thought she would only be a one-time classmate and nothing more; but I got to know her more and we even ended up as orgmates, and it turns out she is literally the most hilarious person I know.

Are you related to your 17th phone contact? I have absolutely no clue who it is. I no longer remember what led to it, but Gabie and I swapped the SIM cards in our phones at one point, and for some reason it made me have access to her contacts; the 17th contact on my phone is someone from her list. And since I never hang out in my Contacts app, I’ve never gotten around to deleting those extra numbers I received.

How long have you known your 1st phone contact? Around 6th or 7th grade. I can’t remember the exact grade level she transferred to my school as a new student.

When was the last time you saw them? It’s been at least a year. I remember seeing her on campus very briefly when I was on my way to a certain building for class, while she was walking out of it.

Who is your 4th phone contact? LMAO, again, it’s from her contact list. Said person is one of her older cousins, I believe.

Have you ever kissed that person? No, and that is very weird and uncomfortable to think about.

When was the last time someone drunk dialed/texted/left a voicemail? Andi drunk messaged me a few months ago. November, I think.

[..Friends..]

Who is your #1? No Myspace but I’d say my top best friend is Angela.

How long have you known them? It will be 16 years this year.

Have you ever kissed? Oh my gosh, hell no. It would be like kissing a sister haha. She’s super affectionate and will sometimes kiss my shoulder or cheek, though.

Are you dating this person? No, never did and never desired to.

Do you have nicknames for each other? Not really exclusive to each other, but I call her Anj (and only a few people call her so) and she will occasionally call me Reben or Rolayn, both from past inside jokes.

What is your #2's full name? I am not sharing that, but I refer to them as Andi (you may remember them as Andrew from the past times I’ve mentioned them).

Do they live within 20 minutes of you? If there is zero traffic, I can probably make it to their place within that timeframe, yeah. But realistically, no they don’t.

How did you meet? We initially met in an anti-Marcos protest/rally – I approached they first because they had a wrestling shirt on, heheh – and that’s when I learned we were from the same college. But they rubbed me off the wrong way from our first meeting as they were too extroverted for my liking, and I spent a good chunk of time ignoring him whenever we crossed paths, lmfao. Eventually we were put in the same class at some point, and they even joined my org, and an intensely close friendship started from there.

Could you live with this person? Sure. I think they would never be a boring roommate.

Who is your #3? I’m gonna go with Kate for this one.

Where are they right now? I have no idea. We don’t really catch up with each other’s lives on a regular basis; we have a very chill, low-maintenance friendship.

When is this person's birthday? January 1st.

Has this person ever seen you naked? I don’t think so.

What is your #4's full name? I don’t think I have a 4th-tier best friend haha, but I’m gonna pick Tina.

When did you last see them? Last year, on the last normal day I was able to be on campus. She was set to present one of her projects at a journalism conference that was taking place in campus that day, but I was able to hang out with her for a short time before the event.

Have they ever dated one of your other friends? No. I knew she had a crush on someone from the college, though.

Do you know their favorite movie? I’m not sure about her favorite movie but I do know she loves Adam Sandler. I was never able to figure out if her interest was ironic or genuine but yeah, she enjoys a good number of his works.

[..Randomosity..]

What time is it? 6:20 PM.

Are you supposed to be doing something other than this? I wouldn’t say so. I do have deliverables for work but since it’s the weekend, I’m not thinking about them nor do I have the desire to touch those tasks until Monday.

Do you live on your own or with your parents? I live with my family. Considering my monthly income, it’d be close to impossible to sustain myself in my own place this early in my adult life.

Are you more of a cat or a dog person? Dog, for sure.

Are you allergic to anything? I don’t believe so.

Does your shirt have anything written on it? Yeah, it says “UP Fighting Maroons” styled in a varsity font since that’s the term for our sports team.

Have you ever tie-dyed something? I have, but only back in like Grade 6 when we had to do it for a home ec class. I remember wanting to buy a tie-dye set recently so I could revisit the activity, but I never got around to it.

Who can you always count on to cheer you up? Angela for the most part; but I also don’t want to be too reliant on my friends in this way. Sometimes I simply allow myself to be sad or upset, and sometimes I count on myself to cheer up.

How many places have you been today? I have been nowhere but at home today lol. I’ll be going to BGC tomorrow to have lunch with my godfather and my cousins, though.

Are you a forgiving person? No.

When was the last time you felt let down? Last night when I read the news that the government will be making All Souls’ Day, Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Eve working days this year. I already know I’ll be half-assing my way through those days lmao because whyyyyyyy the fuck would you make people work on family-centric holidays such as those

What is the title of the nearest book to you? There are no books here at the rooftop.

Are you wearing anything that belongs to someone else? Nope.

Can you whistle? Only through my lips. I can’t do the kind of whistle where you put your fingers in your mouth as well.

Do you look more like your mother or your father? My mom.

Are you still in high school? I’m well past that chapter.

Are you the oldest, middle, youngest, or an only child? I’m the eldest.

Has anyone ever told you that you talk in your sleep? No, because I don’t.

How many people have you kissed this year? None.

Is there anyone of the opposite sex you trust fully? Hmm, no one comes to mind.

Are you a night owl or an early bird? More of a night owl.

If you could have an exotic pet, what would it be? No thanks. I’ve never had the desire to have one.

Would you rather go to Brazil for the weekend or Finland for a month? I’d have to go with Finland. I feel like the cultural differences would be a lot more marked, plus the vacation is longer so that is an instant win for me.

[..And Finally..]

Where did you go the last time you drove somewhere? I was driving to the local coffee shop to spend some time with myself, and do a liiiiiiiittle bit of work as well.

Where did you last go out to eat at? Ramen Nagi. I was initially hesitant to show up there and ask for a table for one on a Sunday evening...but it turned out to feel incredibly empowering and freeing. It was definitely awkward at first, but it got a lot easier once I realized literally no one gives a fuck. Or if they did, they didn’t do anything about it and let me mind my own business. That evening was a crucial step in reclaiming my happiness, so I’m glad I made the choice to suck it up and enter the restaurant.

When was the last time you let someone borrow something from you? Last week, when Angela needed our abaca mat as an aesthetic for her grad shoot.

Was your last breakup a bad one? Yes.

What was the last song you listened to? Just checked my Spotify and the current song I have on pause is Descansos by Hayley Williams. 

What was the last movie you watched? Midsommar.

Did your last kiss happen in a public place? Not technically, but it did take place outside of my house so we were outdoors for some neighbors to see.

How did you meet the last person to leave you a comment? It was Andi, and I already explained how we met earlier in this survey.

[chilly-me-softly]

Since your last relationship ended up with your ex cheating on you, and the guy works with you within the medical team in Chelsea, you're scared to date again since you don't want to be hurt again and CHO is trying to convince you to let him have a chance and even his teammates try to convince you. However, your ex keeps interfering hoping to get you back, but after a while you start to trust and fall for Callum and he ask you to be his gf (sorry for giving you such a long request xx)

@blueforthejerseyandhiseyes

Nah it’s okay, I love that to be honest x

You tighten your grip on the clipboard in your hand as you watch the boys train according to different plans due to different injuries.

"Okay guys, that's enough for today" the two players stop what they're doing and head over to the bench to pick up some stuff they left there during the session.

You follow Callum walking out the door after saying goodbye and sigh, when you turn around you find Mason looking at you almost amused. "What's wrong?" you puff rolling your eyes as he puts his shirt back on and shrugs. "When are you gonna agree to a date with him?"

"Excuse me?"

"Come on, don't play dumb with me, we can see a mile away you like him"

"I don't like anyone Mount, and now get out before I extend your recovery session"

"You would never do that"

"Try me" he holds your gaze for a few seconds before he raises his hands in surrender and leaves the room too.

You sigh again as you sit on a bench and pass your hand over your face before continuing your day pretending you don't have that weight on your heart.

"(Y/N) a friend of mine opens a new club tonight, I was wondering if you would like to come with me" you look up at the boy in disbelief. "Really?" you ask a little annoyed and you try to leave but he grabs you by the arm and makes you stay where you are.

"Oh, come on, we've been together after all"

"In the past, you're right. I'd like to remind you how things ended"

"You should learn to be less resentful, darling"

"And you to keep it in your pants"

"I know you still like me anyway"

"Oh please" you scoff crossing your arms to your chest, he's about to say something when someone else gets in the way. "Is there a problem here?"

"No man, I was just on my way to my office" your ex, who happens to be doing the same job as you, seems slightly annoyed as he walks away red with anger.

"Are you all right?" Callum asks you when he sees your eyes are still pointed at the corner turned by the boy earlier.

"Yeah, just... things from the past I guess"

"Is that why you won't agree to go out with me?"

"No, yes. It's complicated" you puff passing your hand through your hair, "Talk to me"

You find yourself holding his hand and dragging him down those hallways to the office you use, which is empty at that moment. Callum leans over the desk, arms crossed, and you sigh. "There's nothing between me and him anymore"

"Well, it didn't look like it"

"That's the way it is. I mean, he betrayed me. I'd be a fool just to consider getting back together, to be treated like that again" a little smile is born on Callum's lips. "And I know it's been months since we broke up, but I'm not ready to start again Cal. Not with someone who works in the same place as me, not again. Because if things go wrong, I-"

"Why should it go wrong?" he raises his hands to the sky frustrated.

"Why not? It's life, it's unpredictable"

"Exactly, you don't know how it's gonna go. Don't live with regrets, let life take its course"

You look at him without saying anything, he's right but you can't avoid being afraid. "Little by little, let me help you"

"Doing what?"

"To trust me"

And it's a daily achievement now that he knows you're more open to him. Every day a small step, a glance, a smile that leads to the day you finally agree to go out with him. To the day you got caught kissing by the guys, to the day your ex asked for a transfer and to the day you agreed to be his girlfriend.

[lionspridetingz]

Sweetener - Mason Mount

Chapter Three - successful 

“Yeah it feels so good to be so young and have this fun and be successful, yeah, I’m so successful.” 

JULY 2018 

Once July hit the pre-season had begun for Mason. As usual, he had text you in the morning telling you that he’d be over in the afternoon after he finished training. But that day he didn’t have much training. The moment he walked in the doors at Cobham he was pulled in to a meeting with some board members along with the director, Marina. They sat him down telling him how amazing he’s been since he’s been back from the Netherlands. 

‘Ahh, the Netherlands’ he thought, the loan spell that took him from Y/N, not wanting to see the face of despair of telling her he has to go away again. 

The nervousness overtaking him as he fiddled with the necklace you gave him on his 19th birthday, the birthday that you surprised him all the way in another country for. The necklace with both your initials on it along with your anniversary, he never took it off unless he had to, always kissing it before every game then removing it having you on his brain. 

Then he heard it, the sentence he dreaded hearing again, the one sentence that made him stop his movements and fiddling fingers. The “Mason another team wants you on loan this season” sentence that fell out of Marina’s mouth. He looked at the board members in front of him with a blank expression, put on the biggest smile he could and nodded before asking, “What team?” 

Marina looked at him and smiled, “Derby County, under Frank Lampard.” Mason’s eyes widened at her response, not wanting to believe that a Chelsea legend wanted him to play under him. He nodded a bit more enthusiastically before the meeting was drawn to a close and Mason was allowed to go home to break the news to his family. 

‘Shit!’ he thought, how was he gonna tell them he was leaving again, this was a big opportunity for him to develop as a player with a manager that will give him a chance to prove to everybody that he was worthy of being on the first-team squad. His family would understand, I mean why wouldn’t they? 

 The moment he got home he was buzzing, immediately telling the news to his parents who had come over to his for a bit. His dad and him conversing about the whole move and discussing what this meant for his career, but all his mother could do was sit there looking at her son waiting for him to realize who he had to break the news to next. Running out of patience with her son she coughed to catch his attention. He whipped his head around to face her. 

“Yeah, mum?” 

“Isn’t there someone else you have to break the news to that you’re leaving again?”

He looked at her with a confused face before it dawning on him. “Oh that’s right I have to tell Y/N! But that should be fine, I’m going over to hers soon and I’ll probably spend the night there since we have a lot of planning to do.” he shrugged heading up the stairs to his room to change quickly so he can see his girlfriend. His mum following him confused as ever as to what he meant by ‘planning’. 

“And what planning are you doing might I ask?” 

“Planning to move to derby, of course, I mean think about it, she couldn’t move with me last season because I was in another country but this time around it was more doable, we can live together like we’ve always talked about!” 

“Mason are you hearing yourself? You’re planning on asking Y/N to drop everything to move with you to Derby, to leave school, her home, her family, it’s not that easy, you of all people should know that.” 

“Mum it’s only for a season, she can come visit her family whenever she wants and she can transfer to the local university or even do her classes online I don’t really see the big deal here…”

His mom looked at him at the door standing with his arms crossed and sighed, “as long as you let her decide and don’t pressure her into anything please, that girl loves you with her whole being but don’t ask her to climb mountains without her say.” Mason nodded before heading out the door. 

Mason, of course, thought about what his mum was telling him, he would never force you to do anything but surely he wouldn’t have to, you’ve been together for two years and have had plenty of ups and downs but you got through it all together, and this time around would definitely be an up. At least that’s what he thought.  

You heard a car driving into your driveway and headed downstairs from your room knowing immediately who it was. Mason only got the car door shut before seeing you come from your house entrance greeting him with a hug. He hugged you back even tighter, your legs eventually wrapping themselves around his torso and he carried you towards inside the house. He sat you on the sofa as you made yourself comfortable laying back as he plopped himself on top of you making you huff. Your hands immediately running through his short hair. 

“Long day at training?” you asked giggling a bit.

“Yeah you can say that..” his breath fanning over your neck as he pressed some kisses on the exposed skin. 

“Tell me about it… I could sense by your smile something good happened. Sarri gonna give you first team minutes?” you voice full of hope, you knew that Mase had been worried about not getting playing time so as soon as you saw the bright white smile you knew something good came out of today. 

“Well not exactly….butterfly…” he sat up looking in your eyes and you knew something was wrong. 

“What happened?” 

“I-uh another team wants me on loan this season….” he saw you lose your breathe, “but hear me out? It’s to Derby which is about 3 hours from here and it’s under Frank Lampard… which is huge for me, I mean he’s a Chelsea legend butterfly,” he was standing at the point, talking with his hands like he always does when he’s excited, a small smile on your face seeing him light up talking about his dream, “and since it’s not too far you can move in with me, switch schools, you can even stop going to school and let me take care of you! It would be perfect Y/N, like we’ve always talked about.” He finally stopped moving to see your reaction, and it wasn’t the one he was hoping for. The small smile disappeared from your face, a look of confusion replaced it, eyebrows furrowed together and a slight frown took over your features. “Please say yes…” he said lowly. 

“Mason... “ nothing good comes out of calling him by his first name, “Mase, baby, look at me… this all sounds amazing and the best opportunity for you but you know that it’s just not that easy to drop everything and go with you.” 

“Yes, it is butterfly! We’ve always talked about this, our future and living together and always being at each other’s side, waking up next to you every day knowing you’ll be here when I get home to do it all over again. Why don’t you see that thats all I want?!” 

“I do see that Mason! And I want us to have all that! But it can’t be now! I’m not gonna give up my dreams and goals just so you can have yours!” You huff standing up and throwing your hands up and raising your voice. 

“Do you think I’m asking you to do that?” he looked at you with wide eyes

“Mason that’s exactly what you’re asking me to do… I know you’re a footballer and I support you in every career decision you make but I’m not some WAG who’s gonna sit around waiting for you bring home the money… I’ve never been like that and I’m not about to start being like that now!” You plopped yourself on the sofa, crossing your arms not making eye contact with the boy. 

“I’m sorry Y/N….” he sighed sitting next to you and bringing you into him, “I don’t wanna force you to do anything but please… please think about it at least.” he kissed your forehead softly as you nodded, looking at the carpet on your living room floor. 

“I’ll think about it.”

[realtin56]

Hello everyone ! What’s up 😎🔥

Today i will tell about Hakim Ziyech 😄

Hakim Ziyech has officially arrived at Chelsea following his £35million transfer from Ajax

On Saturday, The dutch attacking midfielder, there was a picture on Chelsea's training ground. Show the availability, but no name on line up last night. Because waiting for the official presentation.

Interesting that Cristian Pulisic is "excited" to start playing with Ziyech and fellow new recruit Timo Werner and hope thay can help Frank Lampard’s side challenge for the title.

Chelsea football fans welcome him very well to the Stamford Bridge. And hope he can help the club and live with Chelsea happily.

This is the club that he has played.

2012-2014 SC Heerenveen

2014-2016 FC Twente

2016-2020 Ajax

2020- Chelsea

"First session done for Chelsea. Very excited and happy to be here and can’t wait to see you guys at the bridge soon."

Hakim Ziyech said. 🔥😎

Hope you like this post,Thanks 💙

[sciencespies]

What we don't know about parasites in our changing world could be deadly

https://sciencespies.com/environment/what-we-dont-know-about-parasites-in-our-changing-world-could-be-deadly/

What we don't know about parasites in our changing world could be deadly

In the salt water marshes of southern California, a splashing killifish is easy prey for a hungry shorebird. Like a jerking marionette, the helpless creature shimmies and flashes on the surface of the water. And all the while, hiding deep in its brain, an invisible other quietly pulls the strings.

The puppeteer in question is the super-abundant parasitic flatworm known as Euhaplorchis californiensis. Throughout its life, this one parasite will infect no less than three animals, and a bird’s intestine is the final destination it wants to reach.

To get there, the parasite’s larva must penetrate a killifish, crawl to its brain and lay down a carpet of cysts, which it then uses to manipulate the host’s swimming, sending it thrashing to the surface.

As it happens, infected killifish are preyed on by birds some 10 to 30 times more, which means that parasites are essentially increasing the amount of resources available in the ecosystem: a relationship we often overlook in the natural world.

The story of the infected fish is a tantalising peak backstage, but it’s also a reminder of our sheer ignorance. As the world’s climate changes, we can’t ignore our parasites any longer.

A parasitic dark matter

Though often hidden to the human eye, parasites are, by some estimates, more than half of all known species on Earth. What’s more, they can influence virtually every other free-living animal.

Humans alone play host to nearly 300 types of parasitic worm, and around a third of us are currently infected, whether knowingly or not, with at least one.

They’re everywhere, on all sides, maybe even inside. And yet when we picture a classic food chain, how many of us remember the lions, zebras and grass, only to forget their hidden puppeteers?

Compared to free-living species, scientists have collected relatively scant information on parasites. Historically dominated by medical researchers and overlooked by ecologists and conservationists (Darwin himself viewed them as “degenerates“), these organisms are often entirely missing from modern depictions of food chains; even though, in the average ecosystem, parasite–host links actually outnumber predator–prey links.

Only in the last 30 years or so have we realised our mistake.

 (Cizauskas et al., Royal Society Open Science, 2017)

Above: Global distribution of parasite climate change research. Research on parasitic species is disproportionately oriented towards human emerging infectious diseases (EIDs), especially in countries where the majority of parasite research occurs.

When parasites like E. californiensis are included in the ecology of California’s salt marshes, the classic food web – with a few predators at the top and lots of smaller species on the bottom – is almost literally “turned on its head“.

“Essentially,” the authors of a 2008 paper explain, “a second web appears around the free-living web, and this completely changes the level of connectivity.”

Parasites are thus described as a sort of hidden “dark matter“, not only in our ecosystems but also in our models of infection. When Chelsea Wood, a parasite ecologist at the University of Washington, first started researching mass fishing nearly 15 years ago, she told ScienceAlert that we had virtually no idea how this practice might impact resident parasites.

Even now, she adds, when ecosystems are facing unprecedented changes, we have only the foggiest idea how more than half the species on Earth are coping.

Whether acknowledged or not, parasites are key indicators and shapers of healthy communities, influencing the survival and reproduction of whole host populations, causing food web cascades or even epidemics.

Some call them the “omnipresent agents of natural selection“, others the “ultimate missing links“, still others the “invisible puppeteers“.

Whatever the label, it’s about time we consider the parasite.

Shooting in the dark

If the history of medical science has taught us anything, Wood argues, it’s that the emergence of a new infectious disease can go unnoticed for a long time: the tale of HIV, jumping from primates to humans decades before we recognised it as a global epidemic, is a prime example.

Today, a similar story might be unfolding in our oceans, like a shadow, creeping up the wall behind us.

“We really are just starting to scratch the surface on whether a changing world means rising rates of infectious disease,” Wood told ScienceAlert.

In the last few years, scientists have grown ever more concerned that our planet is not only getting warmer, it’s also altering the spread and distribution of parasitic diseases.

A recent finding, not yet published by Wood’s lab, indicates that from 1978 to 2015, there was a 280-fold increase in Anisakis simplex, a cold water nematode responsible for some 20,000 cases of herring worm disease, usually contracted from eating raw or undercooked seafood.

Whether the trend is due to fishing, climate change or something else, is hard to say for now. In Arctic waters, where this nematode flourishes and climate change is at its worst, we often lack baseline and long-term data, even for the best known parasites and their diseases.

Unfortunately, this means our future projections can often fall short of the rich reality.

The domino effects of climate change on parasites and their hosts. (Cizauskas et al., Royal Society Open Science, 2017)

The latest climate-parasite models are trying to fill-in this blindspot, incorporating not only climate data, but also information on parasitic life cycles, ranges, and opportunities for new hosts.

The initial results suggest that climate change will play a much larger role in disease transfer than we once thought. But what that specifically means for bird-flu, human malaria, A. simplex or other parasitic diseases remains unresolved.

After all, wherever there’s few data, there’s plenty of doubt. Even Wood, who directly measures parasite prevalence, admits that her research may well contain a sneaking bias. Researchers, you see, tend to pay more attention to those parasites that matter to humans.

“No one cares about parasites that are diminishing into extinction, because they don’t hurt people, they don’t hurt animals, they don’t cause outbreaks, they don’t ruin your fish fillet, they don’t crawl across your plate at the sushi restaurant,” Wood explains.

But that doesn’t mean they aren’t a vital part of our ecology. While an increase or change in parasite populations will no doubt have serious repercussions for health and agriculture, the flip side may well entail ecological upheaval. Some parasites are certain to flourish, while others will likely decline and go extinct.

A 2017 study on 457 parasite species predicts that five to 10 percent are committed to this fate by 2070, solely from climate-driven habitat loss. The researchers went on to create the first “red list” for parasites.

“Accounting for host-driven coextinctions,” the authors write, “models predict that up to 30 [percent] of parasitic worms are committed to extinction, driven by a combination of direct and indirect pressures.”

Will the aforementioned E. californiensis number among these wormy losers? Will another invasive parasite take its place? What then will happen to the size, distribution and abundance of killifish? The hungry shorebird? The precious salt marshes? The humans who rely on them?

Gathering answers on the complexities of parasite-host dynamics in all the thousands of mammal and bird species is a simply impossible task, says Konstans Wells, a parasite ecologist and modeller at Swansea University.

“We need more data for certain aspects,” he told ScienceAlert, “but we certainly can’t sample everything and we also can’t wait with the modelling because there is always a need to make better forecasting or maps where diseases are being distributed.”

As the clock ticks, researchers must act like ghostbusters, hunting down invisible foes, diseases that don’t yet exist or have yet to re-emerge in some new unexpected location.

Danielle Claar, a postdoc working in Wood’s lab, is studying the effect of El Niño events in the parasite-rich Tropics, because she says these can act as windows into future warming. Others in the team are sifting through countless museum samples and old journals for evidence of the past.

“When you arrive into science you think everyone’s got everything figured out,” Wood says.

“But as you get deeper in you realise there’s so much we don’t know. It’s staggering.”

As the climate crisis takes a firm grip, squeezing some parasites out and holding on to others, what we don’t know could very will kill many. And that goes for both parasites and humans alike.

A version of this article was first published in June 2019.

#Environment

[michtrace]

2020

Wow! I forgot to make this a big deal, so here’s my “making this a big deal” post. In my late twenties, New Years Eve lost the luster of the same magical feeling it used to have when I was a kid. I think it comes with the territory of expectation and what tv and movies make us think is supposed to happen. Yet even though all was lost in the anticipation, when midnight hit and balloons were popping all around me (family tradition)-- I felt a spark, like we’ve arrived. 

It’s time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings. 

I want to reflect quickly on the past ten years because I’m so proud and amazed of everything, the ups and the downs... and how excited I am because I know the best days of my life have still yet to happen. 

2010 - I started my job at the student centers at Rutgers and completed my first year of college. I had my first alcoholic drink this year, too... it was a jungle juice with an R-rated name. 

2011 - This was a big year for me in terms of manifesting independence (as much as a college kid can). I struggled with my identity a lot in college having been immersed in a fairly conservative community throughout high school. I went to the Philippines this year for the second time in my life and saw first hand where ad how my parents grew up. I joined a sorority and made friends. I lived in the Rockoff apartments and celebrated 11/11/11. 

2012 - This was the year CAF formed. I spent a portion of this year having fun in [what I’ll call] a relationship for lack of better words, but ended on an extremely toxic note and haunted me for a while. 

2013 - I graduated college this year. I applied for dozens of paralegal jobs thinking I wanted to keep going in that direction, and one HR job. After landing the HR job, the rest was history! I started working in the city in the Chelsea Market basement at Hale and Hearty. I had a ton of fun times galavanting in the city with my friends who either lived or also worked in the city, all whom I still call friends today! Allyssa, Gabby, Jelly, Bern. 

2014 - My dad’s been sick all my life growing up, but this was the year he had a stroke and survived. He was in rehab and therapy for a few months and we visit the center every day for a while. That’s probably the only notable thing I remember about this year. Looking back on my childhood I have a lot of fond memories of my dad being around and taking care of my brother and me both with time, resources, care-- but after his stroke, I felt like the four of us really became conscious of our commitment to one another and relationship as a family, which continues on in our lives today. everything before that seems almost like it didn’t happen. 

2015 - In 2015, I was in my first serious relationship (and it was long distance-- Texas). It didn’t work out but what manifested instead was an appreciation and realization of just how much love I’m capable of giving and receiving (I’m still often in awe when I look back at this). I am a firm believer that certain people just may not bring out the best qualities in you, but there will be people out there who can and will and you have to attract and keep those. I also started working for Amazon this year as an L3 HR Assistant. 

2016 - I moved out of home for the first time since college. I visit Brazil with friends. I received my first Amazon promotion as well. 

2017 - I moved across the country as I transferred to a new job within Amazon. I landed an HR Business Partner job at corporate (dream job at the time!). I adopted my best pal Hudson (the dog) in this year and he’s my favorite soul forever. I signed two leases that year at the Queensborough and Vivid Apartments, both in Lower Queen Anne near Key Arena. I vividly remember wanting to live downtown because I don’t know when else I might be able to. 

2018 - I lived in Seattle all of 2018 and shipped my car out in that year. My family and I visit Europe for the first time, funded mostly by my brother and me. It was the first family trip we’ve taken since we were kids on road-trips with our parents in the mini van. Rome, Capri, Paris and Barcelona. The Europe bug hits hard because I fell in love and constantly plan going back. On an honest note, 2018 was a little rough for me-- I think I was depressed but didn’t know it at the time. Whether it was loneliness, living paycheck to paycheck, I’m not entirely sure but it showed in my willingness to do things (or lack of), and I also gained the most weight that year despite trying personal training for the first time. 

2019 - I moved in with a roommate at the start of 2019 and she became one of my best friends (Mia!). We had a lot of fun with edibles (legal in WA), food adventures, our weekly routines, and feeding off each other’s energy. I promoted for the second time within Amazon at the start of 2019. I truly traveled alone for the first time this year. This was also the year I started watching Peaky Blinders and I don’t think I’ve ever loved a tv show more. I visit Sedona for the first time, Paris again and London, too and traveled a lot for work. I ended the year taking a new position within Amazon in the field/fulfillment and distribution side of the business and moved back home to NJ with big goals for the next five-ten years. 2019 I started to become more intentional about the things, people and energy surrounding me. This was also the year I wanted to take a more humble approach to life and relationships. I also feel I started walking into my self-confidence this year especially in my business matters, translating over from my personal life. I became more waste-conscious, health conscious (vegetarian for 4 weeks!) and look to manifest more of that ahead. I also started praying again and look forward to having a relationship with God. 

2020 - Bring it on!