#i got my drivers license the second i was able to actually do it

[anantaru]

always remember, you don't need a drivers license to ride your fav🤍

[authorhjk1]

Two Rings

(Kim Minji X Male Reader)

@mintwithchoco thank you for the prompt and hosting.

You walk up to her from behind. Minji is sitting on a bench, taking pictures of the beautiful scenery. With two cups of coffee in your hands, you lean over her.

"Here you go, birthday girl."

Minji looks up at you. Her generous, loving smile makes your heart melt. You are lucky, since you get to see this smile almost every day. And yet, you can't stop looking at it. It makes you feel warm.

"Thank you, young man."

Her cheeky comment makes you chuckle. Minji doesn't ever waste a single opportunity to remind you that you're younger than her.

"Are you ready to go back?"

Your girlfriend nods and you offer her your free hand. The two of you turn your backs on the beautiful mountain range and start to walk back down on the path you came on earlier. Minji takes a sip of her warm beverage, a blissful smile on her face.

"How did you get here anyways? Isn't your car at the workshop?"

You smile, still happy that you were able to surprise her earlier.

Busily preparing for their comeback, the Dreamcatcher girls filmed their MV near here today. After their last trilogy ended, their new one will evolve around nature and climate change. Similar to their Apocalypse trilogy. That's why their filming site was outside.

"It is. I came on my bike."

"Your motorcycle?"

You don't have to look at her to know that Minji is sending a disapproving glance in your direction.

"Yeah."

"You know that I'd prefer it if you'd take the bus, instead of the bike. Especially in Seoul."

You silently walk next to her, while Minji keeps going. You can't blame her. Actually, it feels nice to know that she cares so much for your safety.

"...especially other drivers. And also-"

You shut her up with a kiss. Minji's lips taste like the coffee she is drinking. Sweet, a hint of bitterness. The two of you close your eyes. Within a second, the whole world has disappeared. The only people that exist are the two of you.

Once you and Minji finally reach the street, you walk towards your bike. It's an older model, but you already own it for years. You first bought it right after you got your license. But you don't drive often. Minji is right. A car is much safer in the city than a motorcycle.

"Here you go."

Minji's face lights up once more, when you pull out her helmet. It's all fury, decorated with bunny ears. You bought it for her two years ago, when she asked if you could take her for a ride for the first time.

The two of you both put your helmets on after throwing the empty cups into a trashcan nearby. Minji's appearance makes you laugh. Her beautiful, elegant white dress and that bunny helmet. A perfect combination.

Starting the engine, you feel her hands wrap around you.

"Where are we going by the way?"

You barely hear her as you drive off.

"Surprise."

Minji smiles into her helmet. Every birthday with you is special. No. Every single day with you is special. She loves it when you plan things like this for her. Taking her mind off work, just so she can relax a little.

It has already gotten a little darker, once the two of you reach the road at the coast you were looking for. You point to your right. You feel Minji move her head and you glance in the rear mirror on your left. Her white dress is flapping in the wind.

"Wow."

You made it just in time. Minji's appreciative gasp makes you smile. She watches the sundown with big eyes. The sun kisses the sea, disappearing in the orange sky behind her.

Ten minutes later, the two of you walk along the beach. Minji's fingers are locked with yours, her head resting against your biceps. Your leather jacket is draped over her shoulders.

Checking your watch, you make the two of you face the ocean.

"Twenty seconds."

"Huh?"

Minji looks up at you.

"This is already beautiful enough. You don't have to do more."

You can see a hint of guilt in her eyes.

"Trust me, you'll love it."

You squeeze her hand, pretending to be calm. Just like you did the whole day. But in reality, your heart has been pounding since you surprised her earlier. This is gonna be the highlight of the day. You hope.

A moment later, you hear the fireworks go off. You and Minji look up at the night sky. Slowly, red letters start to form. They sparkle in the night. You glance at Minji.

"I love you."

She whispers, reading out the text you've written. Your heart beats faster than never before. Your hands become sweaty. Taking a deep breath, you kneel. Minji is still staring at the fireworks with a wide open mouth.

"Oh my gosh, baby."

A huge smile appears on her face. You can literally feel how happy she is right now as you reach for the ring inside your pocket.

Finally, Minji turns towards you.

"Oh my dear god!"

Your girlfriend covers her mouth with her hand in surprise. She sees you kneeling in front of her. The ring in your hand.

"Yes! Yes, I will!"

You burst out laughing.

"That's not how this works. I have to ask you first."

"Right, sorry."

You see Minji pressing her lips together, her eyes beaming with love.

"Kim Minji. Will you marry me?"

"Yes, I will."

Your fiance leans down, cupping your cheeks and rests her forehead against yours.

"I love you."

You kiss her back, when her lips meet yours. The two of you lose yourselves in the moment once more. It feels like you've already accomplished everything you've ever dreamed off, now that Minji said yes. The realisation slowly catches up with you. You're engaged. Kim Minji is going to be your wife.

Once you calm down, you start to put the ring on her finger. It's not a big one, but it fits her perfectly. You push it along her finger, until it rests against the ring you bought her, when you asked her to be your girlfriend.

"Now I've got two rings."

Minji smiles down at you.

"Give me a kiss, Mr. fiance."

You get off the sand and hold Minji by her waist as you lift her up. Her giggles get silenced by your lips. Her hands go through your hair, giving it playful tugs as the two of you engage in another deep kiss.

You have to admit that you were a little scared. The possibility of her saying no was slim, but you never know. And the ring too. You're still wondering, if you shouldn't have bought her a bigger one. But then again, Minji didn't even look at it clearly. She seemed way too happy to care what type of ring you got her.

[eocon-fr]

ᯓ translation of Esteban' interview by La Boîte A Questions ( the Question Box )

Q : Where do you feel better: in the seat of La Boîte A Questions or in the seat of your F1?

Esteban : I think there we should put a little more foam on the back of the seat, there and probably raise the legs a little bit, like that. like that, yeah with a little steering wheel to hold on to. And I think we could do the interview like that.

>Esteban making the buzzer sound

>Title screen

Q : How are you feeling today ?

Esteban : It's crazy to be in La Boîte A Questions ! It's something I've been watching for a long time now, so I'm so happy to be here today !

Q : 3 reasons to follow the 2025 Formula 1 season ?

Esteban : The first is that there are a lot of drivers who change teams. The second is that I am also changing teams. I will drive with Haas F1 Team. And normally it should be the closest Formula 1 season in history [in terms of points]. We keep our fingers crossed that this is the case !

Q : Your first emotional memory with a steering wheel ?

Esteban : It's the first one when I was about 4 and a half, I got in a little go-kart for the first time. I jumped in and the people who were running the go-kart couldn't stop me anymore actually. And I was dodging them like they were cones. It must have been my dad who had to come onto the track to stop me. So yeah that's my first memory.

Q : Did you get your license first time ?

Esteban : I got it first time. I was already testing in Formula 1 at the time but the examiner didn't know and he told me: "you've been the best for a while", so little proud of me !

Q : What is it like to work with Laura Müller, the first female track engineer in F1 ?

Esteban : It's great ! Laura is super motivated. We're getting to know each other of course. She'll be my eagle eyes outside, she'll be able to guide me on the radio. And yeah I can't wait to start the season and she can't wait too so yeah, we're super motivated !

Q : How does it feel to be the tallest driver on the track ?

Esteban : It wasn't always the best thing to be 1m88 in a single-seater. I didn't fit in many single-seaters at the time and now we're lucky to have rules in place so that single-seaters are longer than before.

Q : What is the fastest speed you have ever reached ?

Esteban : It must have been in Mexico and I think it was 375km/h or 377km/h.

Q : In 2023, we asked Depielo [a YouTuber and friend of Esteban] this : How was it to lift your trophy with Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon ?

Depielo answer : Heavy ! It was way too heavy ! What a crazy idea to make a 28 kilo cup. On the other hand, doing this with Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon is priceless !

Q : What memories do you have of Squeezie's GP Explorer 2 ?

Esteban : Crazy memory actually ! I think what Squeezie managed to organise was something we never thought possible, it was something motorsport never thought possible in the past. It was a crazy atmosphere like I've never seen to be honest, even in F1 races. It's just an explosive atmosphere and I hope there will be many more.

Q : Your favorite helmet to wear?

Esteban : This was the first helmet my dad made for me. He painted it, it was a replica of Michael Schumacher's helmet. I think it's the helmet that has the most sentimental value actually.

Q : Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari, what did you think ?

Esteban : Great image actually ! And I was lucky to be at the same place on the same day because I was also at the simulator at Ferrari. So there was a crazy atmosphere, people were like crazy. And it's just wonderful to see that there is so much passion for Ferrari, for F1 in the world of course and that it's growing all the time ! And it's clear that having the greatest driver of our generation in the most successful team is just crazy. So yeah, I can't wait to be able to fight on the track with him, that's for sure.

Q : The best song to listen to on a car ride ?

Esteban : I listen to a lot of Polak, yeah PLK. It's the best !

🎧 excerpt from PLK music

Q : Esteban, in the passenger seat, is he annoying ?

Esteban : So I would say that he has a tolerance for danger or for getting too close to certain things that happens very early, let's say. I'm going to make some little remarks!

Q : Your second trophy is for this year ?

Esteban : Don't bring bad luck, but yes, we are working on it in any case ! We will do everything for it !

>Credit

Esteban : I'm so happy now ! See you soon ! Ciao, ciao !

[goldenraeofsun]

Paging Dr. Dad

Bruce wakes up to his phone ringing.

He clears his throat, swallowing past the lump of dread. “Go,” he says by way of greeting. No time for pleasantries at two in the morning.

“I just got a notification Steph is in the hospital,” Barbara says without preamble because they are actually very alike, not that Barbara would ever admit it. “Everyone’s on patrol except you, and I’m tied up with the Birds.”

“Her status?” Bruce asks as he gets up from bed, grimacing as his ankle boot bangs against the bed frame.

“Stable, according to her hospital intake form,” Barbara says, and some of his tension uncoils. “But,” she falters, “she shouldn’t be by herself. Not there.”

Bruce glances down at his flannel Superman pajamas Clark got him for Christmas partly as a joke. He’ll only admit it to Clark upon pain of death, but they are surprisingly comfortable and warm. He could wrestle them off over his boot and pull on a pair of sweatpants with even more difficulty, for what, his image? Stephanie is in the hospital, alone.

He forgoes his crutches – they’ll just slow him down – and clunks out of his bedroom. “I’m on my way,” he says. 

“I think her com got knocked out during the fight,” Barbara adds, “so she has to be pretty bored by now.”

Despite himself, Bruce smiles. “Well, we can’t have that. I shudder to think of what a bored Stephanie Brown can get up to.”

“Why do you think I called you?” Barbara says, her voice wry. “Thanks, Bruce.”

“Of course.” Bruce grits his teeth as he painstakingly makes his way down to the entrance hall. “I’ll be there in thirty.” 

“Twenty,” Barbara corrects. ��I already sent a taxi to the Manor. Look, I’ve got to go. Give Steph a hug for me. I know you can. I know your arms are working just fine.”

Bruce says dryly, “Thanks for calling, Barbara.”

“See you at the next crisis.”

He hangs up and focuses on not tripping down the staircase and joining Stephanie in the hospital. After scribbling a note for Alfred still down in the Cave, he grabs his coat and heads out the door.

He waits for the taxi, hands shoved deep in his coat pockets, breath misting in the cold winter air. He hasn’t been further than the front lawn in a week, laid up with his broken ankle.

He thumbs his dark phone screen, lips pursed. He could call one of his sons for a full rundown of what went wrong and why Spoiler ended up in the hospital, but who knows if they could afford the distraction. If one of them could have been spared, they would be on their way to her, not Bruce. 

* * *

An extra fifty to the cab driver, and fifteen minutes later, Bruce is rushing through the doors of Gotham General. He throws the tired receptionist at the ER a winning smile that once made Miss America herself swoon. “I’m here to see Stephanie Brown. She was admitted about a half hour ago.”

The receptionist taps a few keys with one hand as she lifts a truly massive thermos with the other one. “ID?”

Bruce fishes out his wallet and hands over his driver’s license. “Bruce Wayne.”

The receptionist doesn’t blink as pushes it back towards him, “You can go on back,” she says. “Next!”

Bruce hurries around the welcome station, scanning the people in the ER slumped over in chairs, their expressions a mix of boredom, consternation, and pain.

If Stephanie was badly hurt enough to be admitted to the hospital, she wouldn’t be able to sit up, so he starts on the curtained off areas along the left wall, where the beds are. 

The first has an elderly lady spitting Spanish at a chastised-looking young man, so Bruce just mutters a low, “Lo siento,” and moves on. 

The second has an unconscious teen surrounded by his parents. His mother pats his hair worryingly, while his father is bent over a rosary. Bruce passes them by without saying anything. 

The third has Stephanie, just clad in her black nondescript black undersuit. Ice packs are shoved against her left side, and her left foot lays against the bed all wrong, the arch flat against the bed.

A doctor is talking to her in a low voice as he taps away on a tablet. 

Her eyes widen as Bruce pulls the curtain back so he can edge inside. 

The doctor looks up – Dr. Douglas Woods, according to the ID hanging off his lanyard. He’s young, his early thirties at most, and doesn’t yet have that haggard look of most of Gotham’s medical professionals. “I’m sorry, man,” he says to Bruce, “but you can’t be in here. We’re swamped tonight, but we’ll get to you as soon as –”

“He can stay,” Stephanie interrupts. “He’s family. He’s,” she throws Bruce an inscrutable look, pausing infinitesimally, “my dad. But most importantly, he’s wearing Superman pajamas. Do you have no pride, man?”

Bruce glares, his irritation spiking. This is what he gets for rushing to her side. “They were a gift.”

“From who? A novelty store BOGO sale?”

“From Clark,” Bruce says through gritted teeth. 

Stephanie’s eyes dance, and Bruce’s rigid posture loses some of its tension. If she can sass him, she can’t be in too much pain. “That man must have balls of steel.” And then she winks. 

“Stephanie.”

Dr. Woods coughs. “As I was saying, Steph, you got pretty roughed up.”

“Turns out I shouldn’t have tried to fight a speeding Subaru,” Stephanie drawls. “Not after I skip leg day.”

Bruce suppresses a pleased smile. A car accident is smart. 

“Yeah, don’t do that again,” Dr. Woods says with a small smile. “Your hip is dislocated, and we’ll try to set that in a few minutes. If we can’t get it on the first try, we’ll put you under anesthesia and pop it back. Do you consent to that, if we have to?”

Stephanie’s gaze darts to Bruce, who nods. He has dislocated his hip before; from experience, it should get back in its socket as soon as possible. 

“Yeah,” Stephanie says, subdued. 

“We’re going to get you to radiology to get that wrist looked at,” Dr. Wood says, “but it might be a while. They’re backlogged after that explosion in Chinatown.”

“I bet,” Stephanie deadpans, and ice wouldn’t melt on her tongue. 

Bruce’s gaze flicks up to the singed edges of her bangs.

“There’s not much we can do for your ribs,” Dr. Woods continues apologetically. “Just press the alert if your cold packs need replacing, and a nurse can help.”

“Thanks, doc,” Stephanie says as he gets up to leave. 

“How long until radiology will be able to look at Stephanie’s case?” Bruce cuts in before Dr. Woods can move on.

He grimaces as he glances down at his watch. “An hour?”

Two hours, then. 

As Dr. Woods pushes the curtain aside, Bruce asks loudly, “Are her ribs bruised, cracked, or broken?”

Stephanie shrinks down on her hospital bed, her expression darkening.

“Bruised, definitely,” Dr. Woods says. “But I wouldn’t rule out a few fractures from the impact. Regardless, treatment is the same.”

“What painkillers is she on?” Bruce presses.

“Just ibuprofen, but she’s also free to request aspirin from the nurse.” He frowns. “With her current injuries, I can’t prescribe her narcotics.”

“Will she need to be admitted overnight?”

Stephanie winces.

“It depends on that hip,” Dr. Woods says, clearly growing impatient at all the questions. “If we can’t set it without anesthesia, we’ll have to keep her, since it’s already,” he checks his watch, “three in the morning.” He more forcefully pulls the curtain back to leave. “I’ll stop by again soon.”

Once the curtain settles back in place, shielding Stephanie and Bruce from view, he turns back to find her glaring defiantly up at him, the fingers of her good hand tapping against the plastic bedding. “Well? Get on with it.”

Bruce frowns. “Get on with what?”

“The lecture.”

“What lecture?”

Stephanie huffs, “I don’t know. The You Took Unnecessary Risks lecture. The You’re Benched lecture. The You Fucked Up lecture. Take your pick.”

“I didn’t come here to lecture you,” Bruce says truthfully.

Stephanie makes a very skeptical noise in the back of her throat. “Then what are you doing here? Damian will report our run-in with the Ghost Dragons. Hopefully he’ll write in wherever he stashed my suit. Knowing him, the sewer, probably.” As Bruce just stares at her, her jaw takes on a distinctly mulish set. “Just get it over with, Bruce. My hip hurts, and I wanna pass out.”

“I didn’t come here to lecture you,” Bruce repeats.

Stephanie purses her lips. 

“I,” Bruce swallows, and why the hell did he race here, if Stephanie would clearly rather be alone? “I came here to keep you company,” he says, deliberately keeping his voice detached.

Stephanie chokes on air.

He surges forward, his concern spiking. “Stephanie –”

“I’m fine,” she coughs. “Just surprised.”

“Barbara called me,” Bruce says by way of explanation as he sits down in the chair Dr. Woods vacated.

“And you, what, rushed to my sickbed?” Stephanie asks, her tone still skeptical. “At three in the morning? Just to – what, make sure I can make it through the big bad ER?”

“Yes,” Bruce says helplessly.

Stephanie cackles.

Bruce feels vaguely offended.

As her grin fades, she says, “I didn’t – I would never have – what I mean is,” she squares her shoulders, meeting his gaze squarely, “Thanks, for coming. You didn’t have to.”

He scoots the chair closer. “It’s nothing, Stephanie. And, yes, I did.”

“But–” Stephanie cuts herself off as a distinctive voice from the waiting room doesn’t so much as float in but barrel through.

“Where is Brown? Where is my father? I demand –”

“No way,” Stephanie breathes.

Bruce barely has time to brace himself before Damian shoves the curtain aside. 

“There you are,” Damian says impatiently, but Bruce can read the concern in his youngest’s face clear as day, the pinched set to his mouth, the furrow between his brows, the way his eyes rove up and down Stephanie’s body, lingering on her ribs and hip.

“Hello, Damian,” Bruce says over the sound of rushing footsteps. “Dick,” he adds as his oldest skids to a stop behind Damian. “Where’s Tim?” Bruce asks because his family tends to travel in packs.

“Picking up Babs,” Dick says cheerfully. “Here, Dames, you forgot this.” He hands over a purple stuffed rabbit.

“I did no such thing,” Damian says, lifting his nose into the air. He makes no move to take it.

“Mm hm,” Dick hums, shaking his head. “This is for you,” he says, turning to Stephanie and tucking the purple rabbit against her good ribs. “Damian spotted it in the gift shop and thought you’d like it. He ran off while I was paying.”

Damian hisses, “You did not have to buy it, Richard.”

Dick chuckles, a broad grin spreading across his face. “Like I was going to steal from a hospital –”

“That’s not what I meant!”

Stephanie raises the rabbit to eye level. Casually, she asks, “What’s its name, Damian?”

Damian turns to her, his eyes wide. “I did not –”

Stephanie lowers the rabbit. “Seriously? You’re gonna lie to me when I’m wounded, suffering and in pain, could be dying –”

“… Antonia.”

Stephanie absorbs this for a long moment. “That’s a dumb name.”

Damian rears up. “It is not –” 

Bruce settles back in his chair, content to listen to them bicker. He keeps his gaze trained on Stephanie, though, watching as the tension eases from her face the longer she goads Damian, distracting him from his worry. 

As Damian and Dick get into an argument about Dick’s naming abilities – at least they keep their voices down as batarang, batcomputer, and batmobile get thrown down like gauntlets – Bruce leans in towards Stephanie. “If you’d like to pass out, now is the time to do it.”

“Roger,” Stephanie says, blinking heavy-lidded eyes. “You’ll take Antonia if I have to go to surgery, right?”

Bruce reaches over to rub one of Antonia’s soft ears between his thumb and forefinger. “Damian will probably guard her with his life.”

“And you?” she asks.

“To be honest, I’m far more concerned about you,” Bruce says. “You should get some sleep.”

With that, her eyes close, and Bruce settles in to wait.

[absolutedaisy]

Hatchetfield Femslash Fortnight Alt Prompt - Roller Skating

Deb and Alice are definitely, very good at skating.

(Ziggs is not)

“Come on, Alice!” 

The sun was shining, the birds were singing, the parking lot of Hatchetfield High was empty, and Ziggs was skating around, or attempting to skate, at least. Really, what they were doing was wobbling like a newborn giraffe. Alice Woodward laughed to herself, perched on a bench that sat outside the school, donning a pair of second-hand skates she’d borrowed from her mother just for the occasion.

“Shut up, you know I can’t skate well.” She stretched her legs, watching as Ziggs took a nosedive onto the pavement, then stood again, laughing wildly.

“Come on, don’t leave me alone out here!” Ziggs whined, attempting to push off but falling again, this time into the grass at Alice’s feet. “I don’t wanna fall on my ass all alone! It’s not my fault I’m built like a baby horse!”

Alice giggled, sighing and reaching out for their hand. “Deb’s not even here yet and you’re already covered in dirt.”

“I’m always covered in dirt,” they stated proudly. “It’s my natural form, Alice. High off my ass and laying on the ground.”

“Whatever you say, Ziggy.” She helped them to the bench beside her. Their breath heaved, but they were grinning. A few moments passed before Deb rolled in.

Deb had never gotten her driver’s license, nor her permit. The moment she pulled aside, Ziggs was shooting out finger guns. 

“Yo! Stupid bike!” They called. Deb flipped them off, swinging a leg over the old black bicycle and leaning it up against a nearby tree. She made a beeline toward Alice, who practically jumped into her arms, unsteady because of the skates. 

“You two haven’t been having fun without me, have you?” Deb stepped back, still clutching Alice’s hand to keep her upright. She was wearing a plain white tee, arms covered by her favourite tattered orange flannel, a pair of paint-stained jeans with a carabiner clipped to a belt loop, and a pair of brown hiking boots. Her backpack was slung over her shoulder, and her curly reddish brown hair was tucked neatly under a beanie. Smirking, she helped Alice back to the bench, kicked up some pebbles in Ziggs’ direction, tossed her bag down on the ground, and removed her skates from it.

Alice shifted over on the bench to give her girlfriend room. “You’re gonna teach me, right?” She batted her eyelashes. 

Deb elbowed her jokingly, sliding off her boots to reveal mismatched socks underneath. “I’d be honored.” She thrust her right foot into a skate, then her left, and tied them tight. “Your skates fit?”

“Well enough,” Alice shrugged. 

“I’ll get you new ones, princess.” Deb winked flirtingly, and Alice felt her face grow warm. It was funny, the way Deb was able to make her feel so flustered, like a schoolgirl with a crush, despite the fact that they’d been dating for almost a year.

“Let’s see if she can actually do it, first.” Ziggs stumbled to the side of the bench. Deb shot them a look, then proclaimed matter-of-factly: “Of course she will. It’s you I’m worried about, is that a bloodstain on your leg? Did you cut yourself?”

“Skinned knee shminned shmee~” Ziggs attempted to spin, lost their balance, and almost ate the pavement. Deb smiled and rolled her eyes.

“Well, c’mon, Alice.” She got to her feet and pulled Alice up with her. “We’ll start slow so you don’t end up like this dumbass.”

Alice shifted her weight onto Deb, hunched over like a grandma on her walker. “Catch me, please, Deb, we know I’m gonna fall!” 

“Nuh-uh!” Deb pushed off, tugging Alice along. They moved slowly, but Alice was gaining confidence fast. She stood up a little straighter, put more pressure on her own two feet. 

“See? You’re doing it, Al!” Deb linked her arm with her girlfriend’s, beaming. “You’re gonna be a pro in no-time!”

“Next time, maybe we should go to the Rollerama.” Ziggs pointed out helpfully from the ground. “You know, so Alice and I can actually learn?”

“Shut it, fuckhead,” Deb teased. “Alice is learning just fine from me, you’re just stupid.” 

“Touchee…” 

“Though I don’t doubt you’d love to use one of those plastic things they teach little kids to skate with.”

“Hey!”

It went on for hours. They had originally agreed to meet at two and skate for an hour or so, then split. But once Alice had the hang of it, she was living the dream, hand in hand with Deb, flying around the parking lot. By the time they were done, the sun was far west in the sky.

“We should probably head out…” Deb whispered into Alice’s neck, pulling her back into a hug and holding her close. Alice leaned into the warmth, entangling both hands with Deb’s.

“See you tomorrow?” She murmured, to her girlfriend and to herself. Deb nodded against her skin. Alice pulled away, turning around embracing Deb from the front. Deb placed a kiss onto her forehead, sweeping her hair out of her eyes and tapping her finger against her nose.

“You free on Saturday, princess? I wanna take you skating for real. You, me, Rollerama, as long as you want. Sounds good?”

“Sounds great, babe.”

As if on cue, Deb cupped Alice’s face in her hands and drew her in for a quick peck on the lips, which quickly turned into a scattering of kisses all across her face. Alice squinted her eyes shut, blushing profusely. 

“See you Saturday. I love you, princess.”

“I love you too, Deb.”

[myloveforhergoeson]

hello. in usual ash fashion i want to write but i don't want it to be any of my current works. so i'm taking a crack at @partiallypearl 's ipod shuffle challenge! though im cheating by using spotify, i'm just going to put on my liked songs playlist and see what comes up :) continue reading if interested <3

hayloft - mother mother

pairing: rames

james knew sneaking into roxy's bedroom was a bad idea. her father had been clear about that from the moment they'd started dating.

but he didn't care. it's not like declan would actually do anything to him, considering how that would affect the daughter he'd give the entire world to.

james would give her the world too - declan just couldn't tell that from the incriminating position he'd found the two teenage lovers in under her bright red duvet.

good thing james had left the window open, considering he'd scrambled out of it as quickly as he could.

roxy was screaming, so was declan, as the man crammed himself through the doorframe and began to take off after james. he chased him all the way down the block and into the forested trail, yelling some of the scariest threats the teenager had ever heard.

-

i never told you what i do for a living - my chemical romance

pairing: rames (rockstar roxy au)

"what brings you around here?" he asked, gazing out at the palm woods pool as he finally managed to catch the girl's attention. "i thought you already had a place with your dad."

"i do," she said, buffing her nails on her shirt. "he's hard to live with, rockstar lifestyle and all. figured it was time i flew the coop and got a place of my own."

"and you can... afford that? aren't you my age?"

"you know how well performing pays the bills."

that caught james' attention. "what...?"

"oh, come on," roxy laughed, a hand reaching out to brush his arm. it reminded him of their little encounter of the rocque records conference room. "i never told you what i do for a living?"

the boy shook his head, confused.

"i'm a performer, just like you," the girl shared. "time to forge a rockstar lifestyle befitting me, not him."

-

older - five seconds of summer

pairing: kaisy-ish. if you squint. more like mae walker x jasper walker lol

daisy didn't think there was anything better than watching her grandparents together. they had a bond that endured all; happiness and heartbreak and everything in between.

the two of them had been through so much together, it was almost hard for her to fathom.

the two of them sat in the study, next to each other on the worn out couch they'd had in there forever and ever. her grandpa had a world war 2 book cracked open for the two of them to read. while he was focused on the pages, his hand cradled hers.

he knew that she was starting to fall asleep on his shoulder, but kept as normal anyway.

daisy wanted something like that. something real. natural. as easy as breathing.

she didn't want to get older without a love like that, she decided, pouring over the sketchbook in her lap. just as she decided what to begin to draw - the scene in front of her - the chime on her laptop went off to alert her of a new message.

-

driving through a dream - andrew mcmahon in the wilderness

pairing: rames

one of these days, roxy was going to force james to get his driver's license. it always stressed her out so bad when he drove without one, but tonight they'd had no choice as they headed back into la from santa monica.

the songwriter was literally falling asleep on her feet after their jam packed day of fun, hardly able to keep her eyes open long enough to focus on anything in particular.

the radio was on, a tape of her favorite songs blasting through the stereo of the old pontiac gto, and the music mixed with the sound of the rustling wind as she laid her head on james' shoulder as they soared down the highway.

he always looked so cool, even with the wind whipping his hair wildly. he knew it too; she didn't need to peek at him to know the smirk growing across his face as she cuddled closer into him as the fall air chilled her skin.

"try to get some sleep," he told her, barely audible over all the other highway noises. "i'll wake you at home."

-

miss you - louis tomlinson

pairing: olive & roxy (college au)

"everything is great," olive assured her best friend, cradling the half-drank mug of beer in her palms. "everything is fucking great."

roxy knew this was the furthest thing from the truth, however. olive always got like this when her on-off relationship with the boy from her psych 101 class was going downhill.

"it will be," the other girl promised. "after one more pint... or five..."

olive snorted, looking out at the others hanging out around the sleazy bar 20 minutes away from their dorm. without saying anything, she got up and ordered four shots from the bartender.

not too long later, she and roxy were the only ones on the makeshift dance floor, singing along to the justin bieber tune roxy had begged the dj to play for them.

-

INFATUATION - i don't know how but they found me

pairing: kaisy

if kendall didn't have his phone on him, it made him anxious.

what if daisy-mae sent him a message and he wasn't able to reply to it?

would she think he had better things to do than talk to her?

he didn't think he ever would for the rest of his life.

besides, she said she didn't have a good way of reliably communicating with him until the laptop she'd ordered arrived. the laptop she'd bought just to talk to him.

how crazy was that? was it crazy to be crazy about her crazy decisions?

talking to her was his only repeive from the mess of his current state. no need to worry about hockey, or his knee, or anything else.

his friends said it was infatuation... katie had called it obsession... and kendall had no idea which term he preferred.

-

lost my cool - stand atlantic

pairing: roxy & mag

waiting was all roxy did. for the right time to share the song. for mag to indicate he liked her as much as she liked him. for any sign brand new day had a gig. for an excuse to hang out around the boy she might have been falling in love with.

what a fat lot of good that did her, considering she was running down the halls of her high school, face in her hands trying to hide the tears streaming down her face.

normally, she prided herself in being able to control her emotions well, but after mag had laughed in her face at the thought of them being together... anyone in her position would do the same.

she'd always thought it was so cliche when that happened in the movies or tv shows she watched, but now, living it in her own reality, she felt far more sympathetic to the plight of protagonists like kat stratford. maybe she should take a page out of her book and tell mag to eat shit, but the thought of ever seeing him again made her begin to cry even harder.

-

yellow - coldplay

pairing: kaisy

kendall wished being able to play the guitar turned him into songwriter he wanted to be. it wasn't enough that daisy liked the music he played, he wanted her to like the music he made.

he'd tried everything, scratching out all his thoughts onto the pages of his school notebook before tearing them out and crumpling them into a ball to trash in the corner of his room.

just as he went to write again, the chime on his computer went off. daisy was online.

look at the stars she sent aren't they exceptionally beautiful tonight?

he didn't think twice before he opened the blinds to his room, looking up at the same night sky as her, despite being thousands of miles apart. the streetlights outside his house doused his vision in a pale yellow.

and the lyric he managed to come up with then was just as stupid as the rest of them, but he wrote it out any way.

look at the stars. look how they shine for you.

the corner of his mouth perked up. that was a pretty good start, even if he could never put into words how much daisy meant to him.

-

one less lonely girl by justin bieber

pairing: roxy & logan (wag au), lolive if you squint

"you're not understanding me, hockey head!" roxy practically yelled at logan, taking his shoulders in his hands and shaking violently. "it's non-negotiable. you're singing this to her at the reception or else."

"we're not even engaged!" logan cried right back. not that he hadn't thought about it before...

"i don't care!" his friend continued to shake him. "there's no way i'm giving her to you unless you tell me right now - swear to me - you're going to do it!"

"she's not yours to give away," logan pointed out, starting to get a headache.

"do i need to get wren on the phone? because she'll be on my side!"

that threat did hold quite a lot of weight; when it came to olive's best interests, roxy and wren did tend to see eye to eye.

"...fine," the hocky player conceded, cheeks growing a firey red. "and not just because you're threatening me..."

-

when you need a man - the driver era

pairing: pre-relationship rames, dak x roxy

it was infuriating to see dak anywhere in the vicinity of roxy. james didn't understand how she couldn't see how miserable he'd made her over the last few weeks. standing her up at the party, getting all up in her shit for hanging out with other guys, a whole list of things he could think of off the top of his head.

but it didn't matter, at least not to him, because he'd be there for her regardless. that was what a good friend did, even if he desperately wanted to be more.

when she needed a man, she'd call on him, and he'd be ready to swoop in and take care of her. show her what a real relationship looked like. turn her entire world upside down.

--

hi! if you made it this far, you deserve a medal. these are so embarrassing. now you know why it takes me so long to get my chapters out LOLLL. writing with brevity is literally my worst nightmare!!!!!! but anyway i hope you enjoyed <3 ty for reading ily

[sunnshineyelllo]

Love the shirt. Definitely a MILF 🤤🫠. One is definitely LF 🤤🤤

Okay flirting aside. How've you been 🫂❤️. How were your holidays? I genuinely hope you're doing well 💕

This is a multifaceted answer to a both simple and incredibly complex question that most folks truly aren't actually prepared for me to answer. I am chronically overwhelmed and understimulated, I am lonely, othered, left out, isolated. I am "all dressed up with nowhere to go" ahem, as the euphemism goes. I grew up poor, and through a series of missteps and abusive relationships I had my first baby at 19 and stayed poorER throughout the majority of my adulthood, then had a second messy, contentious divorce at the height of the pandemic, had my ho phase and my second daughter with yet another shit human being at 33. All that to give you context for why I'm just now trying to find myself and my purpose and start up my career while simultaneously raising a teenager and a toddler simultaneously all by myself. I'm also learning through the journey to help my girls with their neurodivergent challenges that I myself am more than likely AuDHD and sorting out what that means and how it's informed a ton of my formative and traumatic experiences growing up and still today....sorry, overshare? Heh heh, turns out that's ALSO a neurospicy thing. 🙃 My holiday was...quiet, uneventful except for some emotional and disappointing conversations with people I was hoping to develop a connection with. And not being able to afford gifts or much for holiday food. I did get a donation from a sweet mutual which I used to restock my favorite supplements, that was so nice to feel like someone wanted me to be taken care of.

I'm not *not* doing well, I'm moving forward with my medicaid credentialing and in the last couple weeks of my 6 month Body Ready Method course, I have another meeting with a potential doula client this coming Wednesday. We started back up with speech and occupational therapy for the baby after holiday break and we got her into home based head start programming. My oldest is ready to get her driver's license. I'm awake and not crying (for the moment), as they say.

[fifteensjukebox]

tagged-ish by dani @elizabeth-mitchells

favorite movie: i truly got stuck on my late middle school favourite of scott pilgrim? like i haven't been able to define a different favourite movie since and i fear if i try i'll end up listing soooo many

favorite tv show: person of interest or leverage probably... also doctor who at the insistence of late middle school me but also present-day me

favorite musical artist: biiiig question.... probably metric followed by the kills and paramore? (slash their lead singers' other/solo projects <3)

favorite color: mint/turquoise or purple

favorite season: spring!! i hate hot weather but i hate being cold or carrying a big coat more so sweata weatha is the one for me

favorite book: to quote lizzie olsen i don't read benedict. no but seriously i need to read more books/audiobooks instead of just podcasts and fic... the last book i loved (even better in audio form w the author's beautiful irish accent) is out of love by hazel hayes. her new book is out but not on audio on the library so i need to convince myself to buy it

do you have any funko pops? no but i have been tempted they are very cute

do you play any instruments? played piano as a kid but it didn't really stick, played recorder and clarinet in school and i probably still could if i wanted to? started guitar after and definitely still could if i wanted to but im almost exclusively a chords girl. also i never learned to read music i got by for 3 years of middle school band (even made it to second chair clarinet for a bit) playing by ear...... i think so often about my high school guitar class when i had to ask my group (including cooper who ive mentioned had a crush on me) to tell me what chords the sheet music said for our performance near the end of the year... and now im thinking about the time i drove a group of our friends to the park after an exam and i had to have cooper fill up my car at the gas station bc i had been a licensed driver for a month but it had never come up somehow fjsksksj truly insane considering my parents' car tht i was driving then is Not fuel efficient

do you have any pets? no i've always wanted a cat but i fear i don't want a chaotic little guy in my house there's enough chaos in and around me :(

do you read or write fan fiction? i read so much and i haven't written but technically i do have three wild ideas all of which i've mentioned in tags and am interested lately it's hard to even read fic with my constant headaches so.... open to being encouraged to try though i do love my silly little ideas...

what songs have you had on repeat recently? divorce by housewife (and that whole ep), who's afraid of little old me by taylor swift (ginger's wicked fic inspired me yesterday), and popular from wicked (movie version) but i haven't ended to actually play it because it's just in my head 24/7

tagging whoever wants to do this plus the wonderful ginger @redheadedbrunette

[sirowsky]

--The Beauty of Mechanics--

This is the final of the Birthday Stories!

Description: Frankie's working away in his shop when an unexpected arrival makes him pause. Frankie Morales x Original Female Character.

Rating: Teen Warnings: Meet cute, a bit of shop-talk, fluff, Frankie's just a lovesick puppy. Mechanic!Frankie. AU. Word Count: 1500 Author’s Masterlist

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   The car sounded like it had swallowed a nightingale as it rolled up to the open garage doors of the workshop, and Frankie grabbed a towel to wipe some grime off his hands while he slowly walked out there to greet what was sure to be a new customer.    He didn’t recognize the car or the license plate, so it wasn’t one of his regulars, but he did recognize the make and model of the machine.

   A classic 1967 Mustang, one of his favorites. And this one was in mint condition, all black with silver detailing and tinted windows. An absolute masterpiece.    It looked almost alive and somewhat menacing when it was so well polished and it was clear that a lot of thought had gone into the styling, which was still true to the classic look, but utilized modern materials.

   When he got to the front left corner of it, the driver’s door opened, and his eyebrows shot up as he watched a woman step out and come towards him.    Not because he couldn’t believe, or for whatever reason felt, that women didn’t belong behind the wheel of such a car, but because this particular woman was even more gorgeous than her choice of vehicle.

   She was wearing dark brown worker boots, tight black jeans, and a black silk blouse to compliment the vehicle, but her short Pink!-style hair had a deep purple shade, fading into pale blue at the ends, a look which seriously suited her.    He also noticed that she wasn’t wearing any jewelry but had a Sinn watch around her wrist, a brand which boasts some of the toughest watches on the market, all of which gave him the feeling that this was no delicate flower of a woman.

   “Hey, sorry to drop by without an appointment,” she said while pulling off her sapphire blue Oakley sunglasses, revealing almost golden colored eyes.

   “That’s okay, I’ve got time. She sounds terrible,” Frankie replied, nodding towards the machine.

   “Yeah, I don’t know what happened, she was running fine five minutes ago.    Think you can take a look?” she asked, and he couldn’t help but smile.

   “She’s absolutely beautiful, I’d love to look at her all day. But yeah, pop the hood and I’ll see what’s going on.”

   She did as he asked, and the first thing he noticed was that this engine was custom built and by someone truly talented.    But at first glance, he couldn’t find any obvious cause for the racket, so he asked her to start it up so he could listen to the noise more clearly, and after just a few seconds he signed for her cut the engine again.

   “I’d say it’s probably coming from the exhaust. I’ll need to lift it up to know for sure.    You want me to try and fix it for you right now, or do you wanna make an appointment?”

   “If you have the time to take care of it right away, you’d be making my day,” she chimed, sounding absolutely astounded that he might actually be able to fit her in immediately.

   “Sure, I’ve only got a standard service scheduled for today and that customer is abroad, so it can wait. A beauty like this shouldn’t have to roll around sounding like a freaked-out crow,” he offered, and that made her smile, damned near taking his breath away.

   He asked her to drive it onto the ramp, letting her step out before he raised it, and she remained right next to him when he got to work. He noted that she was careful not to get in his way, though, and she didn’t attempt to criticize anything he did.    Instead, it seemed like she was just eager to learn more about the car and how to take care of it, which only made him enjoy her company all the more.

   “So, you were just out driving when it suddenly started sounding like this?” he asked, both to carry on a conversation, and to learn more about the problem.

   “Yeah, there was no indication at all that anything was out of order, it came out of nowhere,” she elaborated. “Normally, I’d have taken it to my regular mechanic, but he’s on vacation and I don’t trust his colleague with my girl. He’s way too sloppy.”

   “So, no pressure, then,” he chuckled drily.

   “Oh, I already know you’re a better mechanic than that guy, so you can relax,” she reassured him, which really did calm him.

   So many customers, and especially those with fancy cars of any kind, would get so uptight about him not putting a scratch on their expensive toys, that they’d deliberately try and put as much pressure on him as possible.    But this lovely woman was just concerned about him actually fixing the problem, and seemed to understand that adding any tension to the situation was only going to make that harder.

   “Have you done any work on it yourself?” he asked, trying to distract himself from the fact that she was rapidly becoming very attractive, in every possible way.

   “Pretty much the entire exterior,” she started, and he was mildly surprised by that. “I’ve never worked with painting cars, but I’ve been doing it as a hobby since my teens.    I’ve ordered, but sometimes also made custom detailing, like the new headlights and the grill. I love that sort of thing. Tweaking tiny details to achieve the most aesthetically pleasing look, but without taking focus away from the beauty of the entire machine.    I’ve always wished that I could somehow do that stuff for a living, but I’ve just never been able to.”

   Seriously?    With that level of talent she should’ve been working at a custom shop a long time ago.

   “Wow. It’s actually kinda hard to believe that no one’s taken an interest, because the first thing I thought when I saw this car, was that it looks fucking perfect.    You’ve got a really good eye,” he complimented, meaning every word, and she seemed truly grateful to hear it.

   “I just love to make cars look their best. Like stylists do with people, or real estate agents with houses. It makes me feel all buzzed to look at a gorgeously styled car, or motorcycle, or anything on wheels, really,” she elaborated, and for the first time since he met her, she looked a little shy, or unsure.

   As if she wasn’t used to being able to say these things without getting laughed at.

   “Well, I’m just a small business grease monkey, but I’m pretty good at what I do too, and I’m telling you, if I’d only had the means, I’d have hired you on the spot.”

   She smiled so warmly at him as she heard that, and it made something very pleasant spread through his blood.

   It turned out that the problem was just the air intake tube on the catalytic converter, so it was an easy fix, and Frankie was almost a bit annoyed at that, because it meant that he would lose her company much too soon.

   “Okay, all done,” he announced once he’d lowered the car and had her start it up again to make sure that his diagnosis had been correct.

   “Great, I’m so glad it wasn’t something serious.    How much do I owe you?” she chirped, but he just shrugged, suddenly feeling quite unhappy.

   “Nothing. It took me less than fifteen minutes and that tube costs like a dollar,” he said, showing his hands in his pockets to keep them from moving around nervously.

   He really wanted to ask her out, but he felt like there was no way in hell she’d agree to that. He wasn’t nearly cool enough to hold the interest of a woman like that.

   “Oh. Okay…” she replied, suddenly looking so misplaced in his garage, with her quiet but strong confidence and overall powerful look, against the backdrop of clutter and dirt. “Well, if you ever need a paintjob, let me know.”

   “Sure. But I’d need your number for that,” he cheekily pointed out, thinking there was no chance he’d ever get it.

   Which was why, when she stepped over to a really dusty old car-door, standing leaned against the end of his workbench, and wrote her number in the dust, he just dumbly stared at her, unable to say a single thing.

   “I’ll look forward to hearing from you,” she said with a soft curve to her lips, and then she got back into her car and left.

   He stood there, still staring after her, unable to process what had just taken place, when his cellphone started ringing.

   “Morales,” he answered without even looking at the screen to see who was calling, because he was still staring outside, listening for the sound of that gorgeous engine.

   “Hey, Frankie,” he heard Pope on the other end, and the familiar voice broke through the stunned silence in his brain.

   “Santi… you’re not gonna believe what just happened at the garage…”

THE END

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Thank you for reading and helping me celebrate! I wish you a wonderful day <3

Tagging a few people who I think might wanna read these stories: @startrekkingaroundasgard @deadhumourist @tintinn16 @suttonspuds @tanzthompson @shsoba05 @f0rever15elf @justnat15 @lowlights @dornish-queen @radiowallet @spishsstuff @harriedandharassed @i-love-movies @tiffanypooh @chaoticfestninja @insomniamamma @pedrostories

[sadnesslaughs]

“And so I was cursed with immortality. Cursed to walk the Earth for eternity, never aging past 25 and never dying.” “How old are you now, then?” “…Seventy. It was quite recently, actually.”

(A response to a writing prompt)

“Can you really say you're cursed if you're only seventy years old? That’s not really curse territory, is it? More like a mild inconvenience. Even calling it a mild inconvenience would be a stretch since it hasn’t really affected you.” Diana said, not believing Xavier’s story in the slightest. Everyone always had some farfetched story when they came to see her, and in moments like these, she couldn’t help but entertain their delusions. Not to mention, entertaining their delusions got her out of doing any actual work, able to ignore the stack of papers on her desk. The ones that sat beside the framed photos of her loved ones and her favorite coffee mug.

“I’m telling you the truth. I’m seventy years old. Look, check my license. That will prove my age.” He pulled out his driver’s license, sliding it across the desk. Diana collected it, flipping it over, checking its authenticity.

No matter how hard she looked, she couldn’t find any signs of forgery. The way the light reflected off it, the correct number of layers to its design. If it were a fake, it was one of high quality. “Sorry, sir. I still can’t approve you for a pension.”

“But I’m seventy years old. Every seventy-year-old is allowed a pension. It’s the law.”

“Sir, even the best plastic surgeons on the market couldn’t make a seventy-year-old look as young as you do. Even with a license, I can’t imagine anyone approving your application. Is this for some sort of prank show? Are cameras secretly filming me? You’re the second customer I’ve had this month that’s claimed to be immortal.”

That was news to Xavier, unable to believe another immortal existed. “There was another? Who were they? What were they like?”

Diana tapped her cheek, trying to remember the name the man gave her. “Well, I’m not allowed to give customer details, but since it was a fake name, I suppose there’s no harm in it. He called himself Kevin, the grand wizard of Barlia. The one who slayed the awful beast, and claimed the land. The one who- Yada Yada. He was a real talker, that one. Said if I didn’t approve his request, he would kill the person most dear to me.”

Xavier gasped, the immortal feeling sorry for the poor women. Who had she lost? He knew he shouldn’t ask, but curiosity got the better of him. “Did someone die?”

Diana sighed, looking at the framed photo on her desk. It was a photo of Kipo, the blonde-haired bad boy with a gentle heart, who had been tragically killed off in season 2 of Sexy Kung-fu bad boys. She stared at the framed, animated man, letting out an even heavier sigh again. “I guess someone did die.”

The immortals heart wept for her, until he leaned over and saw the photo, growing more confused than anything. “Ah. Ok.” was all he said, standing upright again. “So, how am I meant to prove my age, then? Can they check my pulse or something?”

Pulling herself away from the photo, Diana thought about that. “We could cut you in half and check your rings. Like how they check a tree’s age. At least I think that’s how they check a tree’s age.”

“That isn’t helpful at all. Are you making fun of me?”

“No, not at all. I’m insulting you. This isn’t fun at all.”

Xavier took a pen from his pocket, folding up the form he had brought to the FSE Pension department. After writing a list of complaints, he pointed to their complaints box. “Don’t make me put this in the box.”

“Go ahead, try to stuff it in there. That thing hasn’t been opened in years. I think we still have complaints from before you were even born, Mr. Immortal.”

The man scrunched up the form, frustrating he couldn’t do anything to get this application through. “This isn’t over. I’ll find a way to get my pension.”

“Why don’t you try doing it online? That way, no one would see your face. I mean, they’ll still see your driver’s licence, but it’s less suspicious.” She said, deciding to offer him an actual piece of advice now that this conversation was dragging on close to her lunch break.

“Huh, that’s actually… helpful?” Xavier didn’t know what to make of that. He unfolded the scrunched up paper with a smile and scribbled a few compliments onto it. “Thank you. I’ll do just that.” He said, before putting his form in the thank you/compliments box. As the paper landed inside, a puff of dust escaped the box, like a spirit had been freed from its confines.

As Xavier left, a new person stepped forward, only to get blocked by Diana’s ‘be back soon’ sign. “Lunch break.” She said, leaving the line of already frustrated customers more agitated. Before leaving her desk, she smiled. “If you have any complaints, feel free to write them down. We are always looking to improve our services.” She teased, heading to lunch.

[mrsfrecklesmarauders]

This is based on a scene from the Netflix series Spinning Out, since Kat, Serena and their mother remind me of Sirius, Regulus and Walburga.

*********

"Maybe you should just leave everything there..." James said with a concerned voice "We can buy new stuff"

Sirius shook his head. There were some valuable things in there. Things that were irreplaceable. Like the collection of records he had received from Alphard. His books, his drawings, his pictures. Some other stuff.

God... Ok... Sirius hadn't told James that maybe the real reason he wanted to go back to that house was to see Reggie. He had been worried for the past three weeks, having terrible nightmares of Orion doing to him the same stuff he did to Sirius. He couldn't stop imagining Reggie all alone and scared. Like he used to be when he was a kid. Sirius had to see him. He had to ask Reggie if he wanted to come with him. Maybe he changed his mind. Maybe Sirius could convince him. Maybe Sirius could rescue him from that hellhole.

So they told Effie and Monty they were having a nice drive to celebrate James' new driver's license. But in reality, Sirius dragged him here.

"I'll be quick, Prongsie. I promise" Sirius said, trying to keep his voice steady. Keeping the bad memories from that night out of his mind. That was the last time he had been at Grimmauld Place.

"You can wait outside if you want" Sirius added.

James shook his head, then he smiled comfortably.

"I'll come with you"

Sirius smiled back. He couldn't do this without James by his side.

The guards were very stupid to let them inside the property. Perhaps Sirius' parents hadn't forbid him the entrance. Or perhaps they were expecting him to come back. Maybe it was all a trap.

James parked the car just outside the mansion. Both boys looked at each other and nodded encouraging each other to move. They got out of the car, and walked to the door quickly.

Sirius knocked before he hesitated. But once he did so, he started shaking.

"Orion is probably not here" Sirius said nervously "Let's hope she isn't as well"

James nodded with a comforting smile.

Sirius hoped Reggie was the only one home. Sirius really hoped Reggie was at home. Sirius wanted to see him.

Unfortunately, it wasn't Reggie who opened the door. Not even one of the maids. It was Walburga herself.

Sirius took a few paces back. So as James.

Walburga looked furious, but also very tired. She wasn’t wearing any makeup or elegant clothes. She was actually in jeans and a sweater which made her look younger and weird. She had bags under her eyes. And she had a cup of wine between her fingers, like always.

She took a nasty glance at Sirius and then at James. Then she smiled evily.

"Look who is back from the death"

Sirius remembered the last words she said to him. 'Nobody is going to love you. You are nothing but a burden. Who is going to stand your temperament?' But he tried not to act scared or intimidated.

"I am here to get my stuff" Sirius announced as confidently as he could and pushed his way through the door.

"Hi Mrs. Black" James added nervously before following Sirius inside.

Sirius realized it was the first time James actually visited his house (ex house). When Sirius had visited his so many times he had always been welcome. He even lived there now.

Walburga didn't try to stop them. She just followed them with her gaze. And as Sirius and James climbed the stairs, Walburga followed them too.

Everything was the same as it always was. But at the same time, it felt so wrong being there. Sirius felt like an intruder.

Sirius was walking through the second floor corridor, when Regulus came out of his room. Sirius stopped on his tracks. Reggie!

His brother looked skinnier, paler, sadder. Could that be possible? It hadn't been so long since...

Sirius remembered Regulus' expression as he left that night. Tears on his eyes, scared, sad but also angry. Very very angry. Sirius hadn't been able to shake that image out of his head.

"You're back" Regulus said.

His voice sounded different now. He wasn't angry. There was hope in his voice. Hope. It broke Sirius' heart. Sirius felt an inexplicable urge to close the gap between them and hug his little brother. God, he had missed him so much.

"Sirius won't be here long" Sirius heard Walburga's voice behind him. Regulus' eyes turned to her with fear "I bet his new mommy and daddy would be expecting him for dinner..." she turned to James "Isn't that right, Mr. Potter?"

James didn't dare to say anything.

"Go back to your room, baby" Walburga said to Regulus "And close the door"

Sirius wanted to beg Regulus not to leave. But he didn't dare. Besides, Regulus' expression changed with Walburga's words. He became angry. He gave a nasty look at James. Then a nasty look at Sirius before getting back inside his room.

"Fucking hell, Walburga" Sirius snapped furiously.

At least Regulus was alright. At least Sirius saw him again. Now all he wanted to do was pick up his things and leave.

He got inside his own older room, followed by James. He was surprised to see everything had been moved or stored away in boxes. That hit Sirius in the guts. Sirius had ran away before, but when he was back, everything was always the same. But not this time. It meant one thing. It was over. It was really over. Sirius wasn't welcome anymore this time.

"Here" James passed him a bag he found on the floor.

Sirius tried to avoid the knot on his throat as he started putting in the bag everything he could. James helped as well.

Walburga was watching them from the door, arms crossed. Then she rolled her eyes and buffed.

"What do you think you are doing, Sirius?"

"I am moving out with James... So I am talking my stuff"

What Sirius didn't know was that Regulus had popped out his head out of his room to hear their conversation.

"Your stuff?" Walburga snorted "It's not your stuff unless you pay for it. And you didn't. They are my stuff. And you're not taking my stuff out of my house!"

Sirius was willing to ignore her. He just wanted to be out. He felt like he couldn't breathe in there. But Walburga walked towards them, he pushed James away and ripped the bag out of Sirius' hands.

"Are you fucking serious right now, mother?"

She squeezed the bag between her arms like a kid.

"You're acting like a child!"

"Who is the child here, sweetheart?"

Sirius and Walburga stared into each other's eyes defeintly, like they always did. They fought and fought until they tasted blood. They both had the same temper. They both wanted to win.

But out of the sudden, James sighed.

"Come on, Walburga..." he said "Why do you always have to be such a fucking bitch?"

Sirius was surprised to hear those words coming out from his best friend's mouth. He would've laughed if he wasn't so scared and stressed.

James was surprised of himself too because the minute he said that, he started blinking hard and he went bright red.

Walburga was taken aback as well. She blinked in surprised and ducked her head to the side.

Then she frowned furiously.

"Why did you just say to me?" she asked.

James was still frozen, so Sirius decided to act quickly. He grabbed the bag out of his mother's hands who gave in easily, still processing James' words. He took James' arm and dragged him out of there.

Regulus retrieved back to his room.

"Sorry, Mrs. Black" James finally said as they were climbing down the stairs. Walburga behind them "I always wanted to call you that... This might be my only chance"

Sirius and James got out of the house and Sirius inhaled the summer air outside. He had been holding his breath. But there were not quite out there yet. They needed to climb to the car and drive away from the property. Fast. Now.

Walburga was still behind them.

"Come on, Sirius. You don't even know how to wipe your butt. How are you going to survive on your own?" she said as Sirius put the bag in the back seat "Are you going to depend all your life on The Potters? Let me tell you, they are not going to last long"

Sirius saw James frowning as he got into the driver's seat.

"Fuck you!"

"You're not going to last very long without all the luxury from this house" Walburga added "You're a spoiled brat. And the Potters are not going to stand you!" she shouted "With your changing moods and tantrums..."

"I don't care!"

He didn't want to waste his breath explaining to her how The Potters had been everything she hadn't. How they were so amazing with Sirius. How he felt comfortable with them. How they felt like home and he wished they could be his real parents. They would never leave him, or get tired of him. Right?

'But what if they do?' A voice said inside his head 'Walburga knows you longer. She is your mother and she knows how insufferable you actually are. How you ruin things. How explosive you are. The Potters hadn't met that side of you'

Sirius shook that voice away.

"As long as I don’t have to live with you anymore!" Sirius added.

Walburga looked at him.

"Fine!" she said as Sirius got into the car, next to James "Fine, do what you want"

Sirius didn't know if he should feel relieved. He was about to close the door when she added.

"Just know you won't be back in Regulus' life as long as I have anything to do with it"

Sirius froze at those words. No! Reggie! Did this mean he won't be able to see his brother again?

Walburga walked back inside the house with a wicked smile.

Sirius took a look at the mansion in front of him.

Regulus was in there. Regulus was still in there.

"Come on, Pads!" James said, getting Sirius back to reality "Let's get out of here before your father gets home. He gives me the creeps"

Sirius closed the door in defeat and James started the engine, when Sirius saw Regulus himself getting out of one of the first floor windows.

"Wait!" he said.

Regulus was carrying a bag. Why was he carrying a bag? Did this meant he wanted to come with him?

"Hang on!" Sirius told James as he stepped out of the car.

"What are you doing, Reg?" Sirius asked as he approached him.

Regulus took a quick look at James' car before answering.

"You cannot leave without Rufus"

Sirius gasped when he saw the little teddy in Regulus' hands. Rufus was Regulus' teddy bear when he was a kid. He used to go everywhere with it. One night, when Reggie couldn't sleep, because of his nightmares, Sirius had told him that Rufus was magical. Like an amulet, he said. That every time he held him, he won't have  nightmares. Regulus believed it. So everytime, Sirius woke up with nightmares or couldn't sleep, Reggie would lend him Rufus.

"We can share him" little Reggie had said "I don't want you to have nightmares as well"

Sirius tried not to tear up as he grabbed the teddy from Regulus' hands.

"But he is yours" Sirius whispered.

"I bet you are going to need him more than me"

Sirius smiled but Regulus didn't. He sounded angry.

"Plus, I am a grown up now"

Sirius hugged the teddy between his arms as Regulus grabbed the bag from the floor.

"Your precious records" Regulus put the bag on Sirius' arms "Mother wanted to throw them away but I rescued them, in case you came back" he looked down now. Like those words hurt him "You're welcome"

Sirius didn't know what to say.

"Now go" Regulus added.

"Come with me" Sirius' voice broke. He was begging and pleading with his words, with his eyes.

Regulus looked up at him.

"We can live with James now and then get a flat of our own..." Sirius continued, he felt his eyes were full of tears "Come with me... Please Reg"

"No" Regulus answered. Just like that.

Sirius frowned and shook his head. He didn't understand. Why couldn't Regulus come with him?

"Reg..."

"You took your decision and I took mine" Regulus interrupted "I want to stay"

"But..."

The car's honk made Sirius jump.

"Pads! Let's go!" James shouted.

Regulus was looking at him with disgust.

"You don't want your new brother waiting, Sirius"

Regulus spoke with the same venom as Walburga had spoken minutes ago. Sirius realized how much Regulus resembled her. The same sarcastic tone. The same frown. The same way she twisted her mouth. He even had his arms crossed. Just like her.

"Reg..." Sirius tried "Can I see you at school?"

Regulus took his time to answer.

"Goodbye, Sirius" he finally spat before returning back to the window.

Sirius had lost his chance. His heart felt small. His body felt cold. He wiped the single tear that felt down his cheek.

"Sirius!" James called now more gently.

Sirius walked back to the car like a zombie. He got in without saying a word. And James didn't insist. He drove away.

The whole drive back Sirius was silent. James didn't insist on talking. He turned on the radio instead. The further they were from Grimmauld Place, the more Sirius felt he could breathe. But he also felt so small. So vulnerable. He held Rufus between his arms as if the teddy was his brother himself. He couldn't believe Reggie didn't come with him. Was there anything more he could've done? Some more convincing? Perhaps just dragging him against his will until he understood?

Sirius looked out of the window when he felt he couldn't take it no more. And tears rolled down his eyes. He didn't want James to see him cry.

Regulus was all Sirius thought about. He didn't know if Regulus hate him or not. He didn't know if he would be able to see him again. He didn't know what Walburga would do to stop him. All Sirius knew was that he wanted his brother back. This was so fucking unfair. Why didn't he come with him? Why did he choose them? After everything....

When they got back to the Potter's property, Sirius felt more safe. But he wished his brother was here. So he hugged the teddy tighter. Regulus was right. Sirius would need Rufus more.

James turned off the engine and looked at Sirius with concern. Unsure of what to do. Sirius didn't want to worry him. He had done enough.

"I can't believe you called my mother a bitch"

Sirius smiled. James too.

Sirius and James began laughing at that, breaking any tension.

"I can't believe it either!" James giggled now more relaxed "It felt so great"

"I bet" Sirius smirked "She is actually a bitch"

They laughed a bit more. Then James smiled at him.

"Hungry?"

"Starving!"

James nodded.

"Let's eat some of mum's pastries before dinner"

James rubbed Sirius' hair before getting out of the car. Surely after, Sirius got out too.

He was back home.

[professorsaber]

McFly July 8. Driver’s License

AO3 is down as of this posting, so I’m retroactively putting this on Tumblr as well—my McFly July entry for the 11th is a sequel to this one, so I want anyone reading that one to have context!

Thursday, March 7, 1996 3:40 PM      

Emmett Brown sat on the sign at the Hill Valley DMV.

Clara hadn’t yet learned how to drive an automobile, and her learner’s permit had almost expired when she woke her husband in the middle of the night and told him she needed to get an actual driver’s license now.

In the subsequent few weeks, he had given her a—no pun intended—crash course in how to drive. She had been a harder student than Marty, which was not only unexpected but almost impossible to believe. Her moods since that night had been incredibly erratic, and she had been prone to snapping at him at seemingly random moments—especially when she was behind the wheel.

It was all very strange.

She had taken the actual, DMV-supervised, behind-the-wheel test twice now. The second time she had done everything right—except when she hit the curb while trying to park the car when the test was over. That had been heartbreaking, even for Emmett. His wife, uncharacteristically, had broken into tears.

The first test was worse. The instructor had grabbed the wheel while a car was passing them in the opposite direction, and flunked her for it. Clara said she was certain there was enough room, and she had nearly—again, uncharacteristically—gotten in a fistfight with the instructor. Emmett had certainly been sympathetic, seeing as he not only trusted his wife’s judgment but had seen the instructor fail every single student she had that day. But he’d been able to convince Clara to drop it.

This was Clara’s third test. And, since the state of California apparently thought everything was baseball, a third failure would mean she’d have to start over from scratch.

He hopped off the sign and began pacing. He checked the watches on both wrists.

“What the hell is taking them so long?” he muttered to himself. He glanced at the payphone hanging by the door. They’d had to wait for an instructor long enough that he’d had to call Jennifer to pick up their children from school. She’d taken them back to the ranch with Marty, but she had to be wondering where they were.

He looked up, and saw his Ford Contour pull into the lot. With bated breath, he watched Clara pull the car expertly into a parking space—and stop three feet short.

Oh no, he thought. She’s failed the test!

Then, Clara turned off the car, got out, and raised her hands in triumph.

“Emmett!” she shouted as she ran to him. “I passed! I passed!”

“Thank goodness!” he said as she pulled him into a hug.

After they’d gotten everything sorted with the DMV, and after Emmett had used the payphone to call his children, Clara had insisted that he be the one to drive them home.

“Sorry,” she said, rubbing her eyes. “I’m suddenly so exhausted.”

“I understand,” he said. “I was so sure you’d failed the test. Because you parked so oddly.”

“I didn’t notice,” she said. She looked out the window. “I’ve been terrible these last few weeks.”

“Oh? I haven’t noticed.”

Clara gave him a look. “Emmett, I owe you an apology. And—oh, lord, pull over!”

Emmett slammed on the brakes. They had stopped along a country road. Clara opened the door, took off her seat belt, and threw up on the side of the road.

“’Mfine,” she said, waving away Emmett’s outreached hand. After some dry heaving, she sat back in her seat. “Sorry.”

“I didn’t realize you were sick.”

“Not sick,” she said. She sighed. “You’ll be glad you’re sitting down for this.”

TO BE CONTINUED ON THE 11TH

End notes:

Yes, to be continued.  Some of you may already know what's happening with Clara, and if you do please let me know if I've handled it insensitively.  But I've never actually ended something on a cliffhanger before, so when I realized I could do that here, I had to do it!

Also, Clara's DMV experience was pulled from mine—except for what's happening with her.

[pbandjesse]

I have a head ache tonight. I have felt very empty today. I was having trouble shaking my hurt feelings from last night. But the hurt feelings are my own fault, because I'm just sad I hurt someone else's feelings. And I can't find a place to let go of that. Normally sleep lets me process and let go when I put my foot in my mouth and say something that isn't received well. But with baby sleep isn't as healing I guess. It wasn't even bad sleep. But maybe I'm just more fragile right now. It would make sense.

Last night was pretty good though. Sylvie and me hung out and slept and when she fussed I fed her and it felt pretty good overall. James came down at 3 and took over. I had a spoonful of peanut butter and a few mouthfuls of milk and went to bed upstairs.

When I woke up I still couldn't shake my upset. So I texted Jess to talk it out and she helped me feel a little more grounded. I got dressed and tried to bandage my incision the way the doctor suggested. I also made a plan to pick up an antiperspirant today (but that ended up being a failure).

I went downstairs and fed Crabcake. I turned all the enclosure lights on. I said good morning to James and Sylvia and went and had a donut.

James asked me what I wanted to do. And it was decided that we would go to the Marshalls in Towson and then the grocery store next to it. I asked for a half hour to do a few things in the studio before we left.

I went and tried to take apart the hardware on a pair of thrift store shoes I got that has dry rotted soles. And once I was done that and had gotten together some stuff upstairs I was ready to go.

I didn't have the best time though. James was very distracted on their phone because the fire department had gotten back to them about the ambulance from their accident years ago that we recently gotten a weird random bill from. But it ended up being nothing and was already covered by insurance. But I felt like I couldn't just have a nice time looking around and was rushed. James wasn't actually rushing me but that's how I felt. And they didn't have the option I wanted or any good body washes. I ended up finding a pretty close one in clearance but it wasn't exactly what I was looking for to replace my discontinued orange body wash. I will continue to look. I did get a silly heated eyelash curled. And a couple snacks. But the antiperspirant I picked up I got home and realized I absolutely hated the smell of and now I have it and I'm annoyed that the smell disagreed with me so much. I am very sensitive about powdery smells and this was just straight powder. Sucks.

I was in a weird head space at the grocery store then. I tried to stick to the list like James wants us to. But this wasn't our normal grocery store and so James was a little stressed about that. And I just wasn't having a very good time. I was trying but I just wanted to go home.

We had some trouble at the check out and the girl had to come help us multiple times. But we paid and were able to go home. Sylvia cried a little bit but when the car was moving she was mostly fine.

When we got home I fed her in the studio. I often feel like I'm chasing the sun in our house. Changing what room I hang out in depending on where the light is. And so we were on the papasan chair and she was crying at me but she ate and everything was fine.

We did have a note on our door when we got home from the person who lived here before he. Apparently she ordered her new driver's license and accidentally had it sent to her former address. She left her number and so I texted her that I would be on the look out. She was very grateful.

The afternoon was fine. James made me a salad with mozzarella sticks as croutons. Sylvia was in her bouncer chair having a good time. She looked very cute in her baseball outfit. But would have to change to a second baseball outfit. Good thing we had two. She was super cute in both.

James would go for a bike ride. And Sylvia and me would hang out in the bedroom for a while. I worked on my drawing. Which is coming along great. I did a lot of the base through tracing but I'm almost at the point where I'm drawing drawing and not just tracing the base. So that's fun. And Sylvia was doing tummy time and hanging out on the bed. But when she got red eyebrows, which I have read means tired baby, I moved her to the bassinet and she actually chilled in there for a long time. It was nice.

We would go downstairs to hang out on the couch eventually. I would clean the room a. Realized why she has been acting strange. There was a bouncy ball stuck in the rollers. And James would come home. They would shower and come hang on the couch with us after they had lunch. And that's where we all stayed for a few hours.

Sylvia was very cozy sleeping on my chest. And eventually I had to get up so she got passed to James's chest. And she continued to sleep. I did some vacuuming and making sure the house was together for having guests over for dinner.

Around 5 the Fulwilers dropped off James's aunt and uncle, Robin and Marc, while they went to pick up a few pizzas from Mathews. And it was a nice couple hours. Sylvia ate dinner and we talked and showed off the house. But I felt a little awkward and off my game. I just was not myself. I really appreciated them bringing us food and desserts and drinks. But also I was just feeling weird and having trouble being present. I think I was probably fine but also I just felt awkward.

When the Fulwilers came back Anne was just happy to hold baby the whole time. I'm glad she loves her so much. It made me happy. And it was fun that Sylvie was awake for so much of the evening. Was just nice to see my beautiful little girls eyes. Especially because she's starting to focus on things and seem like she's recognizing stuff.

We looked at the milestones a one month old should be accomplishing (with a grain of salt because she was 3 weeks early) and she's hitting some. Her head control is good side to side, but if it flops forward she gets stuck. So keep working on that. And her grip is starting to be more deliberate. So she's on her way for sure.

Everyone packed up to leave around 7. Which was just fine. I thanked everyone for coming over and for the things they brought. The books they gifted and the neat little shelf shaped like a bench that they got for us. It's unpainted and I'm excited for the project. And after a few hugs everyone was off.

Me and James reset the house. I put the table cloth and table away. Put the napkins in the laundry. James put the dishes away. And we cut up the breakfast pastry they brought to store for the next couple days. It smells very good so I'm excited about that.

I would go and take a shower after that. Washed my hair. But when I got downstairs I got really upset about nothing. I think just the accumulated feelings from the doctors yesterday through today. And just cried and cried. We were feeding Sylvia and I was trying to be alright but I just wasn't.

James and me talked. And they tried to help. But I am just going through it. I honestly don't feel better. Even after my cry. I am just so tired.

Once I stopped crying I did try to move on. I went and got a bath started for Sylvia. James would lead the charge on this one. We have been switching off. And honestly this was the calmest bath we've had so far. Once she's done getting clean I always float her in the tub outside of the baby seat to get her used to the water but also to let her stretch out. I try to make sure she doesn't stick her whole face in the water but I think it's good to get her used to that too. Small steps.

Now we are in bed. Sylvia is snoring which is very funny but she may be a little congested. I am looking forward to sleep. I hope it's an easy night.

Tomorrow Sylvia is a month old. Which is insane. I hope to take good pictures. We have three different 'im this many months' props. So fingers crossed on that. I also just hope it's a good day.

Sleep well everyone. Have a good night!

[gilldrivingschoolblog]

How many lessons does a beginner need to pass the driving test in Sunbury?

The number of lessons a beginner needs to pass the driving test can vary. On average, most learners require 20 to 30 hours of professional lessons along with practice driving. However, this depends on the person’s learning speed, confidence, and previous experience.

Regular practice, understanding road rules, and getting familiar with test routes can improve your chances of passing. A qualified instructor can guide you on when you're ready for the test.

How Can a Beginner Learn to Drive? This was truly the best advice I ever got and it came from my teacher. I was lucky to be taught by my driver, a true professional. As a new driver you have a tendency to want to drive quick. But if you tend to take it slow, you gain something extraordinary. Control. You can then drive fast but be a safer driver.

Some tips that can help you always on the road:

BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS. Know what is around your car at all times. Cars have blind spots so if you don't know who is trying to pass and you need to change lanes, there will be dire consequences. TWO CAR RULE: Just looking at the car in front of you may not be enough during a hazard situation. Look through the windshield of the car ahead towards the second car and your braking will be much smoother. DEFENSIVE DRIVING: You need to assume that the idiot driving ahead of you who can't maintain his lane, is probably distracted and you must pass him cautiously, if at all. KEEP YOUR COOL: No matter what, always keep your cool. Some guy honking and tailgating? Let him pass. Never step out of your car even if provoked. Nothing is more valuable then life, so value it. DISTRACTIONS KILL: Most people who crash, it is due to distractions. If you keep looking down at your phone to text your friend you're going to lose focus. And we all know what happens next! Driving safely is all about making good judgments. Your reaction time will get better as you develop your instinct. Practice a lot on empty parking lots etc before you actually drive on the road. This will help fight the anxiety new drivers usually face. Other than that, follow the laws and drive safe. Good luck!

The benefits of having more driving lessons Benefits of Driving Freedom is one of the key advantages of learning to drive. After obtaining your license, you are free to travel whenever and wherever you like. No more waiting for a lift from a friend or relative or depending on public transit. You will have the freedom to come and go as you like! Convenience is just another advantage of learning to drive. Imagine having the freedom to perform errands without having to deal with the schedules of others. Or not having to depend on the bus to get your children from school. You can do all of this if you have your own wheels! Independence: Learning to drive is also a terrific way to get independence. After you obtain your license, you won't need to depend on other people to get you around. Without needing to beg for a ride, you will be free to go wherever and whenever you like. Adventure & Exploration: Not to mention the independence that comes with having a driver's license. You can travel to all the locations you've always wanted to see if you own your own vehicle. Driving will allow you to view the globe, whether it's a close city or a distant nation! Improved Social Life: Learning to drive will also improve your social life. You won't have to skip parties or activities because you don't have a ride anymore. You'll be able to go out for a night on the town with your friends!

How Do You Know When You’re Ready for the Test? You’re ready for the driving test when you can drive confidently and safely without help. You should:

Know all road rules and follow them correctly. Handle different road conditions, like traffic, roundabouts, and highways. Perform key skills like parking, lane changes, and turning safely. Pass a mock test with your instructor without major mistakes. If your instructor says you’re ready and you feel confident, book your test!

Who Can Teach Driving Lessons and What Qualifications Do They Need? Driving lessons can be taught by:

Licensed Driving Instructors – They must have a Driving Instructor’s License, training, and experience. Supervising Drivers – A fully licensed person (like a parent or friend) can help learners practice but can’t give professional lessons. For the best learning experience, it’s recommended to learn from a qualified instructor.

Where to Find Driving Lesson Providers in Your Area You can find driving lesson providers by:

Searching online (Google, social media, or driving school websites). Asking friends or family for recommendations. Checking local ads or community boards. Visiting transport department websites for approved instructors. Look for experienced, licensed instructors with good reviews to ensure quality lessons.

Navigating Your Journey with Gill Driving School At Gill Driving School, we guide you through every step of your driving journey with professional, friendly, and expert instruction. Whether you're a beginner or preparing for your driving test in Sunbury, our experienced instructors ensure you learn with confidence.

We offer personalized lessons, covering road safety, test preparation, and real-world driving skills. With flexible scheduling, modern vehicles, and high pass rates, we make learning stress-free and enjoyable.

Start your journey today! Book a lesson with Gill Driving School and drive towards success!

[frogsandfries]

I'm into my thirties. Life was going well. I finally had my own apartment, I paid the rent all by myself and ate food delivered to me most nights, and still had money for hobbies.

Then I moved back to the state where I grew up. My sister got into an accident. I already hated my job, so the added stress of basically managing the entire house housewife style pushed me over the edge.

This house is in the middle of nowhere.

I don't have my driver's license. I sure as hell don't have a car. In fact, unmedicated/undiagnosed, I'm not even confident that it's safe for me to drive.

So I've been scraping together whatever pennies I possibly can.

First, I'd like to say, I'm kind of glad that getting paid to play stupid mobile games was not a thing when I was a severely neglected/underprivileged teen. I do very much believe that my dad still wouldn't have paid for internet in the house; so from the time the library closed until the time I got to go back to school, I probably would've been jonesing. Then, for sure, my dad would've been really annoying about like, "where are you getting all the money for all this stuff? You need to start paying for [gas/food/clothes/etc]." Like, I'm not sure if this is a thing, but maybe I could have slipped off to the bank to cash out the gift cards so I could save some of the money? But still, even if I could've like, opened a bank account to hide the money, I would've been kind of addicted.

Second, I'm upset that I didn't know this was a thing when I still had a job. Or when I had freaking COVID and couldn't get off the damn couch. Like, I'd heard of apps like the one I'm using, but I had assumed it was some kind of scam. And maybe it is--the absolute deluge of ads sure is annoying as hell--but if these gift cards work, that's what truly matters. But if I could've made another one or two hundred bucks a month from playing mobile games, life definitely would've been more pleasant.

Actually, I'm kind of curious to see what I can get out of this--obviously, the more time you can put in, the more you can get out, and I'm definitely not expecting like, full-time job money (though, in that kind of situation, you'd have to pry my phone from my hands and I would probably actually never sleep).

On the other hand, I'm a little concerned, because I'm actually trying to work on other revenue streams and this is making it kind of difficult. I'm seriously going to have to block out designated times and dedicate myself to sticking to my time-frames. I think the physical goods, if I can get them to move, will be better value for my time than mobile gaming.

The problem with having any kind of timeframe or planned out daily schedule (you know: 10am take out the dog. 11am have breakfast. 12pm start gaming. 2pm stop gaming, start working on bracelets), is that my sister is going to have her plans, and my goal is to try to have better sleeping habits and that's not going as well as it could.

At the same time, eight in the evening is not a bad time to fully set aside my phone, to say, I've earned what I've earned for the day, time to turn my attention to bracelets or notebooks or whatever.

Life isn't going the worst. Getting back into the workforce is not my core priority, but I could really use some money, obviously. I would like to pull my weight; I would like to do money things for myself. Like, if I take my sister up on the offer to take me into town with her while she goes to work, whether that's one or two or three days a week, I'd like to be able to feed myself or afford bus fare or whatever. I'd like to buy my cats their own food. I'd like to get a heated blanket, and actually, at this point, probably a bed tent thing. I'd like to purchase more media; I need a winter wardrobe. Which I'm actually dreading trying to get ahold of. Even if I get a nice jacket or something from like, LL Bean or Northface, I'm just dreading buying shit quality......

I did start this penny clutching endeavor on the first of the month. I could just leave it and see what I come up with by the end of the month.

I'm not incapable. I've proven that to myself.

But goddamn, I didn't realize how truly handicapped I am until moving into this house. It is just. So. God. DAMNED. Much. House. And the reason I like living in an apartment is, I don't need much space. I won't use much space. Clearly. If you give me a whole goddamn house, I mainly use two and a half spaces: My office desk, my bed, and then sometimes I sit at the kitchen table for a little while. And I have my systems. Mainly, those involve everything being reasonable in the same area. I'm not going to take my garbage into the next room, and dishes are going to pile up before I take them to the kitchen, because it has to feel worth the effort to me, and one single dirty dish isn't it for me. And then I'm having issues with my laundry. I don't really have a way I'm wanting to store my clothes, but moving my clean and dirty clothes with the upstairs door being dysfunctional has been a whole struggle.

I'm constantly getting half a task done and forgetting about the rest of the tasks.

I want to be better to live with.

I also wouldn't mind some money. That would be nice.

[thehumanexperience8b]

September 7th, 2024: GOOD MORNING WORLD!

Hey guys!! I know it’s been sooo long since posting… The last time I posted something normal was May 1st showing off the baby leaves on my maple tree! Now it’s September 7th and the leaves are falling off the trees. I decided it was time to return and give a LIFE UPDATE!! It’s 3 o’clock in the morning so that’s probably why I have so much energy! 

So, important news! I graduated high school, and moved onto college! It’s a nice community college a few towns over, and I’ve been able to drive there all by myself! Yep, that’s right I got my official driver’s license! I don’t have my own car though… and I lost my job; but that’s okay because we’re working things out. I finally got my FIRST PHONE that actually makes calls! And even a laptop for college that I already put stickers on... I also have my own bank account and made $50 on Snapchat last night so I wanted to go to HOBBY LOBBY but the closest one is in Rhode Island… so I don’t think so! But I’ve been feeling sooo FESTIVE and I just NEED more autumn stuff-- the autumn equinox is on the 22nd this year! I’ve also been getting more into paganism and spending lots of time thinking and reading about magick, which is something I found hard to find time to do! My school has a big library and you can just… GO INSIDE and you don’t have to ask for anyone’s permission; you can also just WALK OUT OF THE BUILDING and don’t get chased down by security! 

So it turns out I might have ADHD, and I only found out because you need proof of diagnosis to get disability accommodations for class so I was gonna try and get a diagnosis for funsies so I can stop having mental breakdowns in math class, but instead my therapist said I might ACTUALLY have it so now I have an upcoming appointment with a psychiatrist. Thursday morning, the day of my second day of algebra class, I decided I had enough and I was going to change my major and get out of math class once and for all. Even though having to quit pursuing environmental science is heartbreaking. I stomp my way down to the “guided pathways” office and make an emergency get-together with an advisor. That day I dropped the class to exchange it for regional geography!! How fun, I love geography! I’ve never felt better about school. 

My mama told me this winter is gonna be hard because the state is cutting $300 off my dad’s disability check, so we won’t have any extra money. But that’s okay, because I already lost 6 pounds this month from cutting out sugar and too many snacks! Well there’s just so many things I wanna talk about, I will have to write them down and make new posts about them! I’ll definitely try to update you more frequently because I love my blog and I love writing!

Don’t have a good day, have a GREAT DAY!!