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daniellesimagines · 7 years ago

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Love You Most (Michael Clifford)

word count: 2269 requested by: anonymous pronouns: she/her warnings: none fandom: 5 seconds of summer au type: meet the family summary: your boyfriend’s forgetfulness finally becomes too much inspired by: @caffienatedcalum (x) authors notes: i got a request for a michael meeting the family thing that i was originally gonna put it in this but it's already like 2k words so 😅😅 i was just thinking of making a part two where it's the actual request, so pls let me know if that's something yall would be into or if i should just write an entirely new thing!!!!! other parts: none

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You'd been so excited for your family reunion since the day your mother told you when it was three months ago. Your parents were hosting it at their house this year, and your mom – and you as well – were happy when your boyfriend agreed to tag along to officially meet the family. Michael had only met your parents and older sister – as well as a couple extended family members you'd both gone to high school with before you started dating – and the rest of the family was excited to finally meet the man you'd been talking about ever since he'd asked you on that first date nearly three years ago.

But, as the day progressed, you were starting to think it wasn't going to happen anymore.

Michael had been gone for a week on a camping trip with some old friends, assuring you before he left that he would be back hours before the reunion started. But he wasn't. And you tried texting him and asking where he was, but he never answered. So you were forced to show up alone.

Everyone was already at your parents' house by the time you arrived – you couldn't wait for Michael forever – and they obviously asked you where your boyfriend was. You made up an excuse – that he'd been called into the studio that morning and would be a little late – and luckily, they believed it. But you knew you couldn't stall for him forever.

You spent the first hour after arriving stealing glances at your phone, waiting for Michael to text you back, before you finally decided to just call him. But you were surprised when you went to unlock your phone and it started ringing, your boyfriend's name coming up on the screen. You excused yourself from the group, heading upstairs where it was quiet so you could answer.

"Why aren't you home?" Michael asked before you could even say hello, "I come back after a week-long trip wanting to see my girlfriend and you're not even here." You could hear his pout, but you were far from being in the mood for it.

"You know damn well where I am," you snapped back. And he instantly got defensive.

"If I knew where you were, I wouldn't have asked, Y/N," he said your name, only making you more upset with him.

Michael never used your name – he hadn't used it since you officially started dating – so to hear him calling you anything other than the nicknames you'd grown so used to hearing, it sent you over the edge, beyond over whatever excuses he had for not showing up.

"If you want to play dumb about something I've been reminding you of for the last three months, then by all means, go ahead," you stated dryly, "But when you finally come to terms with how annoying your forgetfulness can be, you can come here and apologize to everyone."

You didn't give Michael a chance to respond, hanging up the phone and taking a deep breath. You wiped off the tears of frustration from your face, not wanting anyone to know you'd just had a fight with the person they were supposedly still going to meet today.

Another two hours passed and, after playing with your younger cousins for a while, you found yourself in the living room. Some random sporting game was on the TV but, to be honest, you were willing to use whatever distraction you could. Until someone else came into the room, obviously.

"He's not coming, is he?" you heard a soft voice beside you. You looked up at your sister as she sat down on the couch next to you, not wanting your relatives to hear the conversation.

"Of course he is," you shook your head – though, it was obvious you were trying to convince yourself more than her at this point.

"C'mon, bug," Audra smiled sadly, relaying the nickname you'd had ever since you were a baby, "Do you really believe that?" You were silent for a moment before swallowing thickly and looking down at your hands.

"No..." you whispered.

"What happened then? Did you guys have a fight or something?"

"I guess you could say that," you forced out a laugh, "He called two hours ago asking why I wasn't home when he got back from his trip... Clearly didn't remember that the reunion was today... Told him his forgetfulness was annoying... Don't think he'd show up even if he does figure it out..."

"If it's so annoying, why don't you just break up with him?" Audra shrugged, making you freeze.

"What?" you asked.

"I mean, this is a constant thing, Y/N," she sighed, "Every time we talk, you mention something Michael forgot whether it was a meeting or where he put his keys or a birthday... You always seem so upset about it too... I just don't get why you're staying with him if it annoys you this much."

And, to be fair, she did have a point...

Sam's POV (cousin, in case ur wondering)

You and Audra hadn't noticed, but someone had actually been listening to your conversation from the start. Sam was one of the few family members that already knew Michael – they'd had a few classes together in high school – and they were pretty good friends. So when he noticed your hesitation – that you were really considering what Audra had said – he couldn't just sit around; He had to leave the room to call Michael.

"Hey, Sam," Michael greeted him after the second ring, the small sigh he let out as he said it had Sam feeling like he'd hoped it was going to be you.

"I don't know if you've figured out why Y/N's mad at you yet, but I'm not gonna sit here and watch her think about breaking up with you over it," Sam told him, not even bothering to return a 'hello'. He could hear the air leave Michael's lungs.

"She... She's thinking about breaking up with me...?" he whispered.

"She's really upset you forgot about the reunion today, Mike," Sam sighed, "It just hurts to watch her go from excitedly telling everyone they were going to love you to sitting quietly on the couch, sad that you're not here. She and Audra were talking and Audra suggested a breakup if you forgetting so much really made her that upset, and I didn't want to get involved in her business, but it looks to me like she's really considering it. I know how happy you make her and I don't want her to make this decision right now – not when she's still upset – so you need to come down to her parents' house before she does."

Michael didn't even say anything before the line went dead, telling Sam that he'd hung up. He knew he was on his way though – he just hoped it wouldn't be too late.

Michael's POV; 25 minutes later

Your mom got up to answer the knock at the front door, opening it to find Michael. She cocked an eyebrow – the usual smile she had when seeing him no longer there – and he smiled shyly.

"I'm gonna be getting that look a lot today, aren't I?" he murmured. She finally barely grinned at him.

"Oh, yeah," she nodded, moving to let him inside the house.

Everyone looked over when the new presence was sensed. Audra and your dad scoffed lightly while those who didn't know who he was just looked on curiously. Michael's eyes immediately met Sam's before he motioned toward the staircase, letting him know you were somewhere upstairs.

Michael quickly went up the stairs, but he didn't really need to search for you. He went directly to your old bedroom, knocking on the door. He didn't get an answer at first, so he went to knock again a little louder, but he stopped himself when he heard a soft voice on the other side.

"Come in," you barely got out, making Michael's heart sink how hoarse your voice was, the image of you crying playing in his head. He opened the door, finding you sitting on your bed, looking at old notebooks you'd found in your desk. You lifted your head up, and he noticed your breathing hitch. "Nice of you to finally show up," you grumbled, looking back down and turning a page. Michael swallowed thickly, closing your door behind him and cautiously coming over to the bed.

Your POV

"Please don't break up with me..." Michael's voice broke. Your head snapped back up to look at him, seeing his eyes get watery as he stopped at the foot of your bed.

"What are yo-" you started before he cut you off.

"I know I forget things a lot and I know it's annoying, but please don't leave," he begged, "You make me so happy and feel so loved even though I don't deserve it and I love you more than anything else in the world and I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have you anymore."

"Mikey..." you whispered, closing your notebook and tossing it to the side. And at that point, it didn't matter that you were still upset with him; What mattered was that he felt bed. You reached over and grabbed his hand, pulling him to you so he'd sit down in front of you. "What are you talking about?" you asked him.

"I know Audra told you to break up with me because you're mad at me-" he hiccupped lowly, wiping his wet face with his sweater sleeve while the hand in yours squeezed you tightly to remind himself you were there. "-'cause Sam called and said that you were actually thinking about doing it... And I want to be able to tell you that I remembered about today on my own, kitten, but I didn't and I know how frustrating it is for you to have to deal with me forgetting all the time and I know I'm the worst boyfriend ever because of it, but I... I love you... I don't want you to leave me..."

"I'm not gonna leave you, Mikey," you said softly, trying to keep yourself from choking up.

"You're not?" he sniffled, leaning into your touch when you put your free hand on his face to wipe the rest of the tears.

"I'm not going to lie to you and tell you I didn't think about it when Audra mentioned it," you admitted.

Michael shifted his gaze back downward, only meeting yours again when you got up on your knees to crawl to him and sit on his lap, your legs around his waist. You held his hand between the two of you, moving them so your fingers were tangled with his, while you other remained on his cheek, your thumb running back and forth on his skin.

"She does have a point, you know," you mentioned, "Why would I let myself continue to put up with the one thing that annoys me most about my boyfriend?" Michael's eyebrows furrowed, confused as to where this was going – especially since you'd told him you weren't leaving. "My life would probably be more stress-free if I didn't have to remind you so much of things you should remember on your own," you shook your head, "But it would be so boring as well, wouldn't it? You keep me on my toes, Mikey; You helped me figure out how to keep forgetting things myself."

"Why don't you teach me the stuff you do to remember everything then?" he murmured.

"I've tried," you smiled slightly, "You always fall asleep in the middle of it. And I don't know if you know this, but you're very hard to wake up." Michael frowned with a light blush on his face, making you giggle. "I love you, Mikey," you told him, ceasing your thumbs movements on his cheek but keeping your hand there, "There's never been anyone else I'd rather be with."

"I love you more, kitten," he said softly, reaching forward to kiss you.

"I love you most," you replied.

"Not possible," he murmured into your mouth, feeling you smile before you pulled away. He cleared his throat and lifted his free arm up to wipe the cheek your hand wasn't on. "I've probably ruined any chance I had at your family liking me, haven't I?" he mumbled.

"Maybe Audra's opinion has changed," you teased with another small laugh, "But I didn't tell anybody else I didn't think you were going to show."

"Not even your parents?"

"No, but they're my parents," you shook your head, "They probably already knew I was thinking that." Michael groaned softly, only making you giggle again. "C'mon, Rockstar!" you chirped, "The rest of them are still excited to meet you!"

You hopped up from your bed, holding your hand out to your boyfriend. He took it and you pulled him up, beginning to walk out of the room. But Michael only pulled you back to him. He spun you around until your body hit his and his lips were back on yours. You rolled your eyes as you smiled, letting them flutter shut as he smiled too.

"Love you, kitten," he whispered.

"Love you more, Mikey," you returned.

"Love you most," he smirked victoriously, making you laugh and shove him away so you could take him back downstairs where your relatives were waiting to finally meet the person they'd been hearing so much about.

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#michael clifford #5sos #5sos imagine #michael imagine #michael clifford imagine #inspired by #insp: caffeinatedcalum #5 seconds of summer #5 seconds of summer imagine #imagine

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maraudersandlily20 · 7 years ago

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A Coffee Break

The summer had passed rather quickly after the lake house vacation. The teenagers had spent 12 days soaking up the sun and spending quality time with each other. When Lily had revealed the fact that she and James had kissed and were thinking of being in a relationship with each other to the girls, they had simply screamed. The boys had had a similar reaction. They all snickered and wiggled their eyebrows any time James or Lily even looked at each other. It had been humorous, but the prospect of the new couple soon became regular and was accepted with ease.

The rest of the warm months had flown by. James and his family had gone to India for two weeks in early August. He wrote her a letter almost every day. She thought that was ridiculous, and so wrote him a letter every other day.

To occupy her time and to engage with the real world a little bit more, Lily had gotten a summer job in a cafe. She worked from seven in the morning til 3 in the afternoon. It gave her time in the evenings to do what she wanted, but it also allowed her to have a little money that was her own. The work was menial and the customers were cranky, but she didn’t mind it. In fact, she even enjoyed it.

When James wrote to Lily saying that his cousin was getting married and that they would have to extend their trip for another week, she was disappointed. She had had her hopes set on a nice reunion dinner with James the following friday, but it seemed like an impossibility.

With the Potter’s extending their trip, the days they were gone overlapped with the days that Remus and his father had their annual fishing trip. Which meant that Sirius would have no one but Pettigrew to spend time with. But Peter was also busy. His family was renovating their house and he had been stuck with babysitting duty. Sirius had been alone for two days when Lily got a phone call at the Cafe.

“Lily?” Piper, her manager, called, sticking her head from around back. Lily had heard the phone ring and knew whoever was on the other end must want to speak with her.

“Yeah?”

“There’s a guy on the phone. Says he needs to speak with you and that it’s important.” Lily wiped her hands on her apron, happy that the cafe was having a slow hour. She nodded and said her thanks to Piper before going to the back and picking up the phone.

Though she tried to squash the excitement, she still couldn’t stop herself from hoping it was James. “Hello?” She answered.

“Evans?” That wasn’t James’ voice. Lily’s eyes squinted as she tried to put a name to the familiar voice. Then it clicked.

“Sirius? Is that you?”

“YES! Ah, thank Merlin, I was so worried this wouldn’t work.”

“What, the phone?”

“Yeah. I looked up the number to your cafe in this large yellow book, but there was another store that had a similar name to the cafe and I was worried that I had remembered wrong. I couldn’t send you an owl because you work at a place with muggles and I couldn’t floo to the nearest building because it would be slightly awkward to fall into someone’s house.”

“You could have aparated.” She countered, trying not to laugh.

“I… shit. You’re right. I can’t believe I didn’t think of that. In my defense though, I hate aparating. I always feel like I leave my stomach wherever I go. It’s not pleasant.”

“You just have to get used to it.” Sirius grumbled which made Lily laugh. “Sirius, why are you calling me at work?”

“Lily, I’m going crazy. Everyone is gone. James, Remus, even Peter can’t see me! It’s been two days of bloody soap operas and ordering pizza and I can’t take it anymore. Can I please, PLEASE, come stay you?” “You want to stay over? What do you want me to do, keep you in my closet so my parents don’t realize I have a boy over?”

“That’s one option.”

She huffed. “Sirius, you’re bloody 17 years old. You don’t need someone with you all the time. Come on. You’re being a tad bit ridiculous. And you shouldn’t be calling me while I’m at work.”

“Lily.” the anxiety in his voice was incredibly clear and it made Lily pause her tirade. “I know I shouldn’t call you, but… I just… really can’t be alone right now. I don’t have to stay the night, I’ll just shift into padfoot and sleep outside. But right now, I need someone.”

Lily could hear how stressed he felt about this. She leaned back and took a peek at the clock on the wall. 1:30. It would take Sirius at least 15 minutes to get here, but he’d still have to be in the shop for an hour. It wasn’t ideal, to be sure, but Lily knew how afraid Sirius was of being abandoned. It was the one thing that brought him to a screeching halt in some situations. He would pretend like it wasn’t a big deal, but his thoughts would get the better of him and he would have an anxiety attack, thinking no one would come back for him. She didn’t want him curled up in a ball at the Potters. It would be easier for both of them if he came to the shop.

She sighed, wondering what she would do with him later in the evening. But it was Sirius. He needed her. “Alright, you can come. But I have a few conditions. No pranking anyone in the shop.” He made a noise. “I mean it, Sirius. No pranks. Also, you have to be relatively quiet. This is a small cafe, people don’t come to listen to others jabber. And last thing? No magic.”

“Wow, Evans. You sucked the fun out of this entire situation.” he grumbled which made her laugh.

“I like this job, Sirius. I don’t want to get fired because of you.”

“Fine, fine!” he exclaimed. She could imagine the extraordinary pout on his face as he agreed to her terms. “I have to get a few things together, but then I’ll be there.”

She grinned and said, “Are you going to aparate here?”

There was a sound of admission from the other line. “Yes, Evans. I am going to aparate there. Alright?”

“Alright. Then I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

“Evans?” he called, before she could hang up the phone.

“Yeah?”

“Thank you, for being willing to let me come.”

Lily felt a wave of empathy wash over here. Sirius Black did not like owing favors and avoided situations where they would be required as much as possible. She knew this. But he was swallowing pride for the sake of his mental health. It impressed her. She shook her head incredulously.

“Of course, Sirius. Anytime.” She hung up the phone and went back to work. She went and checked on the customers that were sitting at the tables, refilling drinks wherever was needed. When she headed back toward the counter, Piper was looking at her.

“Who was that? On the phone?”

“A mate.” Lily shrugged.

“A mate?” Piper didn’t sound convinced. Their friendship was new and simple, but the older girl knew that Lily had a lad she was seeing. She wondered if this boy on the phone was the one. “Are you sure about that, Lily?”

Lily looked back over her shoulder as she wiped down the counter. She rolled her eyes at her friend’s suggestive look. “Yes, Piper. He’s just a mate. The guy I’m with, his name is James, he’s in India right now, visiting family. The one coming here is Sirius. He’s been left alone the past few days and he can get pretty bad anxiety over that. He just needs to be with someone for a while.”

Piper held her hands up in surrender. “Alright,” she said. “I’m just saying that it’s a bit odd for him to be calling you at work if you’re not seeing him.”

A laugh escaped Lily before she could stop it. “Me, seeing Sirius. That’s a good one. Just promise me one thing Piper.” Piper looked at her expectantly. “When Sirius comes in, just try not to fall in love with him? It’ll make your life, and mine, to be frank, a whole lot easier.”

Piper held a hand to her heart, her long brown hair suddenly thrown over her shoulder. “I am wounded that you think I would be so weak. I am a strong, independent woman. I do not fall in love with strange men.” This made Lily roll her eyes. She had heard many stories of Piper doing just that. But she let it go. After a minute, Piper looked at her curiously. “Why is your boy in India?”

“Like I said, he’s visiting family. Well, actually, he was supposed to come home this week, but they extended their trip for a wedding, which is why Sirius has been left alone. But he’ll be back soon. I hope.”

“Why didn’t he ask you to come with him?”

“Have you met my parents? They would have laughed themselves into an early grave. He did actually invite me though. I declined because I already knew what the answer would be.”

“Well, that’s boring. You’re an adult now, Lily. You should be allowed to make your own decisions.”

“I’m actually still 16. So, not technically an adult.”

Piper’s eyes widened. “Really? I thought you were 18 for sure.” Lily shrugged and starting to rearrange the pastries. Piper hummed to herself before heading to the register to ring up another customer. This is how they were when Sirius walked through the door.

Lily knew he must have come in by the way Piper had caught her breath. It was a common reaction women had when they saw Sirius for the first time. Lily got up from her crouched position behind the counter and smirked. There he was, in all of his Sirius Black glory. His long, curly hair was a dark contrasted against his ivory skin. The thick eyeliner around his eyes made the green color pop. Lily noticed that he had gotten an earring in his upper ear that was a small, thin hoop. He wore a dark grey t-shirt and a snug pair of black jeans. He was the epitome of a stereotypical bad boy. All he needed was the leather jacket and then the look would be complete.

The redhead could understand why Sirius had such a dramatic affect on those around him. He wasn’t particularly shy and was notorious for staring at people if he felt like it. His half smile could make a grown woman swoon and he was so confident and sure of himself, it was like the rest of the world knew it could never keep up.

However, in the past year, Lily had stripped away many of the layers that came with Sirius Black. She had seen the abuse he endured from his family, she had seen him come to grips with his sexuality, she had been there to help him when he wanted to experiment with his look, and she knew that his bad boy facade was nothing more than a cover for the anxious person underneath.

She rolled her eyes as she clocked the other woman staring at him as he walked in. She had to give it to him. He really knew how to wear those jeans. Sirius sauntered up to the counter wit a smug look on his face. When he got there, Lily leaned over and allowed him to give her a swift kiss on the cheek. Piper was staring at him, her mouth hanging open.

“Hi Evans.”

“Hi Sirius. Glad you made it, stomach intact.” He shot her a bitter look before glancing around the shop. Lily used the time to nudge her friend, though Piper still couldn’t take her eyes off of him.

“I like this place. It’s cute. Nothing like the three broomsticks though.”

“Yeah, that would require us to be a bar.” She quirked an eyebrow at him. He caught sight of Piper who was still staring at him and smirked.

“Sorry, where are my manners. Who is this lovely lady?”

“This is Piper, my manager.” The two shook hands and Piper looked like she was seconds away from falling over entirely.

“Pleasure. I’m Sirius Black. Good to meet you. Now, I believe I am under strict rules, yes?” He turned his attention back to Lily when she had coughed to get his attention.

“Yes. And you know them well. I mean it, Sirius, one step out of line and you’re heading straight back to the Potters.”

He smiled and let out a laugh. “I know, Evans. And I promised I would follow them. Look, I even brought something to occupy myself.” He swung his backpack closer to him and pulled out a book about mythical creatures. “I’ve been meaning to read this. Remus keeps making random references to it in his letters. I figure it’s about time I get into the loop”

She nodded. “How is Remus?”

“Good, I think. He loves that stupid river. He and his dad are having a great time. I just miss him.”

“He’s only been gone for a few days.”

“Well, more than one is too many.”

“You could have gone with him.”

Sirius shook his head. “Nah, it’s one of the only times he has with his old man before the school year. You know Lyall. He would work himself to the bone if it made things easier on Remus.” Lily agreed. Mr. Lupin was an amazing man who loved his son incredibly well. She suspected that his father’s love and support was the only reason Remus had survived becoming a werewolf. “Anyway,” Sirius said, pushing himself off the counter. “I will go to my exile now. Alone. With my book. It was nice to meet you, Piper.”

“And you,” she squeaked out, which made Lily snicker.

“Black, I’ll bring you over a coffee in a few minutes okay?” He perked up and nodded enthusiastically. Lily rolled her eyes and turn to look at Piper who was burning red. “You promised not to fall in love with him, remember?”

Piper waved her off. “That was before I knew he was the most gorgeous man on the planet. Seriously, Lily, you have that guy hanging around you and you’re not with him? He’s like, an 11 on the hottness scale. What is wrong with you?”

She shrugged. “He’s not my type.”

Piper looked unconvinced. “No way. That man is everyone’s type. So what is it?”

“Nothing!” Lily laughed. “I just… I’m not into dark and mysterious. I mean, he’s attractive don’t get me wrong, but if I dated him, I would always be self conscious because he would always look better than me. Sirius is a good person, and I love him, but I know what I like. And James is much more of what I like.”

“Ugh.” Piper grunted. “Gross.” She thought for a minute, deep in contemplation, before asking, “There’s a reason why you’re not interested though, right? Is he an awful person? Is he a bank robber? Is he a moron? Is he diseased? C’mon Lily there has to be a reason.”

Lily’s eyes wandered over to where Sirius sat. He had the book open in front of him and his eyebrows were lowered in concentration. She watched as he even mouthed the words he was reading to make sure he was understanding. “He’s not my type.” She said resolutely. And then, with a pointed look to Piper, she said, “And I’m definitely not his type.”

Her friend paused, trying to make sense of the cryptic message before a look of surprise came across her face. “Oh my god, Lily. Is he gay?”

Lily shrugged, a smile lifting her features before she headed out to help the tables. Piper was reeling in shock and it almost sent Lily over the edge. She made her way over to Sirius and flipped over the mug on his table and poured him some coffee. He smiled appreciatively at her.

“This place suits you,” he said.

“Thanks. I really like it here.”

“Really?” He sounded surprised. “Even though almost everyone in here is a muggle?”

“Well, yeah. I know this is surprising to you, Sirius, but the world has a muggle majority. These people don’t use magic or potions or curses. They just live their lives the best they can and muddle through. I was raised like a muggle. Being around them, even though magic is the regular for me now, helps me ground myself in reality. It reminds me of my childhood, of the things I wanted to do and be when I grew up. I like them. I feel like their lives are simpler than ours.”

Sirius was looking at her curiously. “I’ve never thought about it like that.”

“I know. It’s because you grew up knowing you would most likely be a wizard. That immediately separated you from them. But I think that may be the problem. We’re so focused on the things that separate us that we miss all of the things that make us the same.” Her words seemed to stump him and he bit his lip in thought. “I have to get back to work.”

He nodded. “Can we talk more about this when you’re done working?”

She felt surprised. Sirius, when others brought up things he wasn’t familiar with, usually would try to move on from the subject as quickly as possible. But for some reason, he was willing to learn about Lily’s opinion of things like muggles. After a moment, she gave him a half smile and nodded. “Sure, Sirius. Whatever you want.”

He thanked her again for the coffee and turned his attention back to this book. Lily walked back around the counter and put the her chin in her hand. Sirius Black was a curiosity, that was for sure. Piper sighed dramatically and leaned against Lily’s shoulder.

“That is the sexieset gay man I have ever seen,” she said quietly. Lily laughed and pushed her off.

“Yeah. He’s certainly something.”

#hi kiddos #day 10 of fanfiction #sirius x lily friendship #blackevans #some #jily #and #wolfstar #thrown in there #lily Evans #sirius black #what a bunch of morons #my writing #happy reading

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thejackal64 · 7 years ago

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Star vs The Forces of Evil: Hidden Truth | Chapter 2: A Home away from Home

A vast quiet room. A room truly fit for a queen. But nowadays, desolate and dark.

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE ESCAPED?!” Moon exclaimed desperately, with a hint of fear in her tone of voice.

Looking beaten and tired, she was standing in front of a mirror, a mirror reflecting an alien figure. On the other side was Rhombulus,

“Uh-Uh-um ye-yes Queen...” Rhombulus started to speak hesitantly.

“Que-Queen Eclipsa escaped her crystal prison..”

“AND IT’S ALL HIS FAULT!” A third, snakelike, voice yelled.

“Umm.. excuse me Queen Moon..”

Rhombulus glared at the opposite direction of Moon and starts whispering to his hands. He turned back.

“So-Sorry about that.” He chuckled nervously. Queen Moon sighed.

“Do you at least know where she might have gone?”

“No, M’lady..”

“Maybe, THE HOLE IN THE WALL IS A CLUE!” A fourth voice added. Rhombulus once again turned around and whispered to his hands, a bit louder this time.

“She doesn’t have to know about that!” He turned around with an awkward smile. Moon spoke.

“Just gather the High Commission so we can conjure a plan. I’ll be there in about an hour.”

“Yes Queen Moon!”

Moon hanged up. Moon fell on top of her bed, exhausted beyond words. She was very nervous. After the stand against Toffee, the last thing she’d expected was the return of an evil queen. Didn’t she and Mewni deserve some peace and quiet?

She laid down, contemplating her situation. She bolted up, now sitting, and said to herself. “I need to talk to Star.”

A soft creeking sound could be heard.

“Mom..” Star unlocked the door to the Queen’s and King’s bedroom. Moon laid on her bed motionless, whispering to herself. “...You wanted to see me.”

Moon looked back at her worried daughter. “Oh Star, come over here .. we need to talk.” Star limped towards Moon, nervously shivering.

“What happened?”

Moon, hesitant, answered back.

“I called you over to tell you th-that..” Moon stuttered, “.. After what happened during the stand against Toffee, I have decided that you cannot leave Mewni.”

“What? Why?!” Star snapped back, her arms flailing. Before Moon could answer back, Star continued.

“Toffee is dead! Ludo is in another dimension with no way to get back!”

Star paces herself around the room. “Why can’t I go back to Earth! It’s not like Eclipsa…...”

She let the Queen’s name roll out her mouth. She sat back next to Moon. “Oh no no noooo…” Star stared silently at Moon and started shaking her head. “No, no no! Please don’t tell me Ecipsa has escaped! Please don’t!”

Moon looked pitifully at Star’s face of terror. She breathed out a heavy sigh, “That is unfortunately the case.”

“Oh no, oh no, oh no!” Star kept repeating. She started freaking out, looking one step away from a panic attack. After letting this go on for a second or two, Moon grabbed Star’s face, turning it towards her. She tried to calm her down to no avail, patting her on the shoulder. Star started panting wildly.

“Calm down sweetie, it’s okay, it’s okay.” Moon embraced Star.

Star’s short breaths started to get more and more spread out. Moon pushed Star back and explained, “It’s only a matter of time before Eclipsa finds her way to Mewni, and in the state Mewni is in, you are the best defense the kingdom has.”

Star answered back in a quick burst, “Yeah, protect the kingdom from the evil queen, got it…” Moon let go of Star. The Princess stood up, repeating what she just said.

Star walked out of the room, completely consumed in her thoughts. Suddenly, Marco burst into vision, his hoodle slightly crumpled from last night’s party. “So, what happened?”

Star still in her trance walked past him. “Yeah, protect the kingdom from the evil queen, Yeah, protect the kingdom from the evil queen…”

“Star? Staaaar? STAR!”

Star snapped back to the real world.

“Star, what’s wrong?” Marco asked, concerned about her mental state.

“Marco? Marcooooo!” Star playfully answered back, trying to hide the fear in her voice. The attempt was for vain as her face went completely serious. She placed her hands in Marco’s hoodie. Marco looked down at Star’s arms and then back to her face.

She stared directly at him and ordered, “You have to leave Mewni now.”

“What? No-” Marco was cut off by Moon stepping out of her bedroom. The Old Queen gazed at Marco as he pushed Star’s arms off his shoulder.

“Marco?” she asked herself not realizing she’d said it out loud.

“Oh, hi Queen Moon.” Marco kindly answered back. She responded awkwardly. “What are you still doing here? I’d think you’d go see your parents… or something.” Marco positioned himself towards Moon.

“About that…” Marco began, “I was planning to stay here in Mewni actually.”

“What?” Both Moon and Star answered in shock.

“Yeah, I even asked King River and he was down for the idea.” he continued casually. Moon and Star exchanged a look. Marco took his dimensional scissors out from his pocket. “I was actually going to go tell my parents right now.”

Moon was still semi-shocked by the boy’s request, that it took a moment to think of an answer. She finally responded. “I suppose there is no problem as long as your parents allow it.”

“Thanks Queen!” Marco thanked the Queen enthusiastically. He opened a portal in the castle hallway. “You coming, Star?”

“Huh?” Star looked at Moon for approval. Moon smiled and nodded. “Yeah sure, let’s go!”

Marco jumped into the portal and Star ran in after him.

Marco and Star found Earth. Marco took a deep breath of Earth’s air. They were in Marco’s room. “It feels like forever since I’ve been here.” Marco exclaimed

“How long were you away from Earth?” Star asked in a patronizing tone.

“About two weeks.” He answered back casually.

Star’s jaw dropped. “Two weeks?! Your parents must be worried sick!” Star answered in shock.

“You’re right!” Marco ran downstairs, yelling for his parents. He reached the living room and saw his parents, Janna, and Jackie whispering to each other. They all goggled at him, and all bolted from their seats. His parents and Jackie ran towards Marco, yelling his name in excitement. All three embraced Marco.

“Where have you been? What happened? Are you hurt?”

Marco heard questions after questions thrown around too quickly for him to answer. Janna walked over to the cluster of people.

“Hey there Diaz.” She welcomed Marco unceremoniously.

“Hi..Janna..” He struggled to get a word out due to being crushed. “Could you….please…. stop...choking me..” He struggled. “Thank you..” Marco panted.

Everyone's eyes darted at Star as she slowly and awkwardly walked down the stairs. “Star?” They all asked in unison.

“Hi-hi, everybody..”

Angie ran up the stair and hugged Star. “Ay mija creí que no ibas a volver!” Rafael pulled Star from his wife.

“Hi Mr and Mrs. Diaz, I-I missed you too..” Star cracked an awkward smile.

Marco interrupted the moment by asking, “This is a happy reunion and all, but could I talk privately with Jackie for a moment?” Everyone started walking to the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Mr. and Mrs. Diaz eavesdropped on their son’s conversation. Meanwhile, Janna took the time to chat excitedly with Star.

“Star! How are you?” Janna sauntered over to Star, who had been whispering to herself.

“Huh? Oh. Hi there Janna.”

Star continued to once again whisper to herself.

“Riiight. So are you and Marco staying on Earth?” Janna asked with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

“No.” Star answered dismissively.

“Really? Then why are you here?” Janna questioned.

“To tell Marco’s parents that he’s staying in Mewni.” Star said fast without really thinking.

“He is?! Can I come too?” Janna asked, her body literally shaking with excitement. Star stared up at Janna.

“What? Umm.. sure, why not?” Star answered before looking back down at the floor, whispering to herself.

“Sweet! I’m gonna go get ready upstairs!” Janna ran off, running past Marco’s parents listening in on Marco and Jackie talking.

“Thank god you’re back Marco!” Jackie grabbed Marco’s hands in joy.

“Yeah, about that..” Marco glanced to his side, avoiding eye contact with Jackie.

“What do you mean?” She asked, concerned.

Marco finally looked up at Jackie, his eyes start to water.

“I’m-I’m going back to Mewni.”

Marco’s parents leaped out of hiding.

“YOU'RE WHAT!?” Both parents yelled in disbelief.

“Oh, yeah, hehe.. forgot to tell you guys about that…..”

Angie crossed her arms and gave a stern look at Marco.

“We’re having a talk about this later young man!” Raphael nod in agreement.

They return to eavesdropping. Marco looked back at Jackie. Jackie glanced back at Marco, slightly worried. She looked back into the kitchen to see Star panicking by herself. Jackie placed her hand on Marco’s cheeks.

“Marco, I get it...”

“Yo-you do?” Marco lightly blushed and asked, stuttering.

“Marco, you’re always talking about all the monsters that come and attack you and Star.” She explained reassuringly. “It’s okay, I’m sure that whatever you’re doing over there is important, and I’m going to visit my family for the summer anywa-”

Before Jackie could finish her sentence, Marco embraced her tightly. “I love you, Jackie” Jackie hugs Marco back. “I love you too, Marco...”

Marco and Star had spent the whole day on Earth and it was about time to leave. Marco started heading upstairs. He called over Star, who was walking past Jackie to the stairs. She waved goodbye at Jackie, smiling sadly. Marco said his goodbyes to Jackie and his parents, as him and Star headed upstairs.

Marco parents had packed him what seemed to be his whole room. He struggled to pick up his labeled suitcase.

“Well... goodbye Earth..?” Marco took out his dimensional scissors from his pocket and opened up a portal to Mewni. Out of nowhere, Janna ran through the portal yelling “WHEEEE!”

“What the- Janna?” Marco asked himself, surprised. “Staar?” Marco asked in a patronizing tone.

“What? OH Janna. Yeah, I let her come along..” She answered, entranced in her thoughts.

“WHAT! Why would you do that?!” Marco complained.

“I don’t know..”

Marco left out a heavy sigh. He went to grab his scissors, which he had placed in his pockets. The pocket was empty.

“JANNA TOOK MY SCISSORS!” Marco ran after Janna, thourolly enraged. Star walked cheerfully through the portal, counting something with her fingers. After giving Janna a good chase for a couple of minutes, Marco got tired. Star walked up next to him, seemingly ignoring him.

Marco looked at her with suspicion. “Star, what’s wrong?”

“Huh…”

Marco stood up straight and positioned himself toward Star, his arms keeping her pinned.

“You’ve been acting weird all day.”

Star looked up at Marco, lightly blushing, and shaking her head in denial. “No, no, no, no, nothing's wrong..” She chuckled softly.

Marco glared sternly at Star. “What. Is. Wrong?”

Star let out a sigh and started. “Weeeell, you know when I told you about the evil queen Eclipsa...” Star then proceeded to explain the whole Eclipsa situation to Marco. “...and that’s why I’ve been acting so stressed.” There was an awkward silence broken by Marco erupting in laughter.

“Wha-why are you laughing?’ Star asked, a bit concerned for Marco’s sanity.

Marco slowed down his laughter, still chuckling. “You’re scared of an evil Queen without her wand?” Marco started laughing once more.

Star stared at him, with annoyance rising. “Umm, yes.”

Marco placed one hand on Star’s shoulder. “You killed an immortal being Star! AN IMMORTAL BEING! And you’re scared of a powerless Queen!”

Marco continued to laugh. Star took a minute to think. She chuckled but slowly started to laugh with Marco.

“You’re right! Why should I be afraid of Eclipsa! I’m the one with the wand! I’m the one that defeated Toffee not Eclipsa!” They continued laughing for a couple seconds more. Star then started yelling “I can beat Eclipsa!” over and over again.

Marco joined her personal protest by yelling alongside her “You can beat Eclipsa!” repeatedly.

They were suddenly interrupted by Janna, who had been running excitedly around the plane that they had portaled too. She pointed to a forest nearby. She glanced at Star and asked enthusiastically.

“Can we go hiking there?” Marco and Star both looked at the forest Janna was pointing at.

Star went back to Janna and answered. “Sure, why not.”

Janna screamed in joy and excitement as Star and Marco walked towards the forest. On their way there, Star mentioned that the forest was near Rhombulus’ house.

“Do you think we’ll encounter Eclipsa?” Marco asked.

They both had a quick chuckle before Star answered back.

“I sure hope so, cause then I could beat her so fast, she wouldn’t even get the chance to summon a single warnicorn.”

They reached the menacing looking forest fairly quickly. They stood in front of the forest. Janna asked the pair, “What’s this forest even called?”

They both answer back in unisense, Star with confidence and Marco with a hint of regret.

“The Forest of Certain Death.”

There’s silence.

“Oh.”

Star and Janna tiptoed inside the forest without hesitation. Marco followed close behind with else than fearless nerves. As they walked in, they heard a distant screeching and birds flying off to the distance. They shrugged it off and continued on their hike.

#star vs the forces of evil #fanfic #janna #marco diaz #star butterfly #hidden truth

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comeliashawnae · 5 years ago

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“I get it,” Linda said. “I thought me and my college sweetheart were gonna get married. It took me longer then I wanna admit to get over him. But I eventually did. I’m 33 years old and I’m living the best of my life without him and for a long time I didn’t think I ever would.”

“It’s not that,” I said. “I mean it sorta is. Girl, I don’t know. It all seems like so much. I think I’m just overreacting.”

“But you said he grabbed your hand,” Linda stated.

“He did,” I said. “But come on. Look at him and look at me. He’s not attracted to me. He couldn’t be.”

“Girl,” Linda huffed. “If I ever see yo ex I’m giving him the ass whooping you should’ve let yo brother handle.”

I just stared at her. Benson never downed me but never built me up too much either.

“I really wish that dude was not your first.” She said.

“Well he wasn’t my very first,” I said softly.

“What?”

Oh crap, she heard me.

“Nothing,” I said. “It was a long time ago, just forget it.”

“Bitch,” Linda said in a huff. I smiled and looked at her. “Talk.”

“It was my senior prom,” I said with a sigh.

“Of course it was.” She said with a smile.

“Yeah. My date and I had a great time,” I said. “But the kicker, he and his girlfriend, since freshman year, had broken up like a month beforehand. And before you say anything no, I wasn’t his rebound, nor did I feel like one. He and I had always been friends and it was senior year. You only get that once.”

“Ok,” she said.

“It was right before the last song.” I continued, “And I noticed throughout the night that they kept stealing glances at each other. So I pulled him aside and asked who saw himself coming to our 10-year reunion with. He just smiled and kissed my cheek and walked to her.”

“You weren’t upset?” Linda asked.

“At true love?” I responded. “Of course not, and FYI they are still together with 3 kids. They’re happily married and still won the cutest couple at our reunion last year. I’m happy for them.”

“But after you guys made out, I feel like I’m missing something,” Linda said.

“We were at a very expensive hotel so a few people got together and rented a couple of rooms at another hotel about 4 blocks away. After the last song my date came back and asked if I still wanted to hit up the party. At that point, I decided if I’m gonna be dateless I might as well get drunk, right. But I left my purse in the ballroom so I went back inside to get it and there he was.”

“Who?” Linda asked.

“Devan,” I answered with a smile. “He and I were neighbors up until 6th grade until he moved to another neighborhood that caused him to switch Junior High Schools, but it was still the same High School district.”

“So what happened?”

“He had my purse in his hand and jokingly said that all my $2 was still in it. I laughed and told him it was $3 and he owed me. Then he asked what happened with my date and I told him. He felt bad for me and said that I at least deserved a last dance, so he pulled out his phone and started to play music.”

“Really?”

“Yes, girl really,” I said smiling at the memory. “He reached his hand out to me and I took it. The lights were still dim and no one else was there but us.”

“That sounds beautiful,” Linda said.

“It was,” I said. “It’s safe to say he was my first crush. But never did I think he liked me back. We were still dancing when we heard someone call my name. We turned to the entrance and saw my prom date. Devan yelled back, “Aye man, she good,” and waved him off. My date apologized and smiled then disappeared.”

I looked at Linda and saw her smiling at me, I’m sure my smile was just as big.

“That really was a great night,” I said. “Devan asked me did I remember our first school dance. I did, were in 5th grade and he was the first boy I ever danced with. That’s definitely when the crush became real, but I was 11 and too scared to do anything other than dance with him. Then he admitted he was just as nervous back then as kids because he had really wanted to kiss me.”

I took a deep breath reliving the moment.

“My best friend had a crush on me too, but we were kids and too scared to do anything other than dance,” I said with a laugh. “7 years later he finally worked up the courage to make that move.”

I paused thinking of that moment. Devan’s face so close to mine. After all this time, that still made me smile.

“It was 3 weeks before my 18th birthday and I finally got my first kiss,” I admitted. “After he said he wanted to kiss me as kids, he looked at me and smiled when he saw the surprised look on my face. Then without another word, he leaned forward and kissed me.”

Linda just gave another smile and nodded her head for me to continue.

“I don’t know how long we were kissing,” I said. “I just know we were interrupted by the lights coming on and a couple of janitors looking a little flustered when they saw us. We laughed and went to the party. We didn’t stay long, maybe had a couple of shots then left. We stopped and got some burgers then went to the park. There’s a hill that overlooks the city and we just sat on the hood of his car and stared off into the night.”

I smiled more to myself than to Linda. That really was a great night.

“When we finished eating,” I continued. “He grabbed everything, dumped them into a trash can and came back over to me. I was still sitting on his car and kissed me again. He knew he’d given me my first kiss, so he knew not to go outta my comfort zone. But how well can anyone really control teenage hormones?”

“But you said your ex,” Linda started.

“Was the only person I’ve ever had full intercourse with, yes,” I said staring off in memory. “Devan's hands slid up my dress a bit and he stopped kissing to ask if it was ok and once I said yes that’s all he needed. He didn’t go too far, just touched over my stockings, stimulation only. Other things happened later.” I said with a grin. “Devan was the first person to perform oral on me, as he was the first I performed oral on.” I said looking back at Linda. “And that my dear lady, pretty much sums how I spent that summer.”

“So you don’t count that as a relationship?” she asked.

“It never felt right to call Devan my boyfriend,” I answered. “We didn’t make a big deal about it. We never went on real dates. Kinda just hung out and did things. All the benefits with no commitment, plus we knew it wouldn’t last forever, he’d been accepted to Ohio State, while I was accepted to TSU.”

“But you guys could’ve tried,” Linda said.

“I guess we didn’t want that,” I said honestly. “He was my best friend, I cherished that more.”

“Where is he now?” she asked.

“The last time he and I talked was a year ago,” I said. “Online. It was a good conversation though, Benson and I were good at the time and I bragged about that for a bit. He was single at the time. Team No Kids, he told me proudly. He travels a lot for work so he missed the reunion. We hadn’t talked in a few years prior to that. We both just got busy with life, thank goodness for the internet, right.”

“No regrets?” she asked.

“I’ll never regret the best summer of my life,” I said. “Was I sad to see him get on that plane, of course, I was. Was I sad when he couldn’t make it home for the holidays, still yes. But I also understood he had goals he wanted to reach, so did I. I was working two jobs at one point, and going to school fulltime, I didn’t have time for a relationship.”

“Maybe you still don’t,” Linda said. I gave her a curious look. “Maybe what you need is another summer, because the way your face lit up as you were telling me that story you truly wanna make time for something like that again.”

“I was 18, I don’t think I can relive that again,” I said.

“The realization that you had a breakup or just being carefree again?” she asked simply.

“It wasn’t a breakup,” I said defensively because it wasn’t. I loved him, but surely not like I loved a family member. He was my best friend. He’ll always have a place in my heart. Neither one of us tried to put a label on it, we actually never talked about it. We just had fun together, why complicate things?

But this, now, is different, completely different.

“I meant I’m too old for a fling, come on, I’m almost 30,” I said. “A childhood friend and a pro boxer?”

“Says you,” Linda said. “Maybe this time, how bout you not make excuses.”

I started to say something, but she stopped me.

“So your relationship back then wasn’t serious, that’s ok.” She said. “But maybe you don’t need serious. Maybe you just need fun, because you’re right, you’re not 18 anymore, you’re 29 and just got outta your first serious relationship. You definitely don’t want your ex back, but you definitely want something.”

I didn’t say anything. I didn’t nod or shake my head in agreement or disagreement. Just soaked it all in. Linda wasn’t trying to make me feel bad, that I understood, just left me feeling more confused. I know that wasn’t her intent either.

“Look,” Linda said, “We have the next two days off, let’s go enjoy ourselves tonight.”

“I could really go for a drink,” I said.

“Alright, let me get to my room, check on you in like 30 minutes?” she said climbing off my bed. I climbed off and nodded timidly.

“Or we could order room service and order movies?” she suggested sensing something from me.

“I’d rather be out on a dance floor,” I said truthfully.

“Ok,” she said with a warm smile. “30 minutes?”

“I’ll be ready in 20,” I said heading to the bathroom.

“Cool, I’ll shoot you a text in a few,” she shouted leaving my room.

I had just walked out of the shower when my hotel phone rang.

Weird, I thought. Linda would have no reason to call my hotel phone. None of us did. Without thinking twice about it I answered on the third ring.

“Hey, girl I just stepped out the shower, gimmie ten more minutes,” I said.

“Really,” said a man’s voice with a thick accent. “That sounds like a nice visual.”

“Juergen?”

“Yes, how are you?” he said.

“Um..fine,” I said, very shocked. “Was just gonna head out for a bit. Take in the scenery.”

Did I just say that?

“Yes, those passes I gave you guys should hold up for your entire stay here.” He said. “But I was thinking that because you had to leave dinner early last night maybe we could have drinks at my place,”

I heard myself gulp, like a literal gulp. Oh crap. Dinner in public was one thing, but drinks at his house were a whole new level of termination that I could not afford.

“Michela are you still there?” he asked.

“Yes,” I answered.

“Great,” he said, I’m not sure why. “I’ll send car for you.”

“Excuse me?” I asked.

“You said yes for drinks here in my home,” he said.

“No, I meant yes I was still on the phone.” I stammered. “But the other thing…”

“What is problem?” he asked. His voice wasn’t demanding or angry, a little disappointed maybe, but not angry. For some odd reason, I did not want to disappoint this man. Before I could stop myself.

“Yes, I can come,” I said. What the hell?

“Very good,” he said. “The car should be there soon. See you then.”

He hung up before I could get another word in. Oh shit, what did I just do?

A few minutes later there was a knock on my door, I opened to see Linda dressed up and ready to go for a night of bar hopping. When she saw I was still in my robe her look of happiness quickly turned sour.

“Um didn’t you say 20 minutes?” she asked with her hand on her hip.

“Juergen just called me,” I said quietly.

“What?” she said quickly stepping into my room.

“Bitch, yes,” I said slamming the door. “He said that since I had to leave early last night that we should have a do-over with drinks at his place. Bitch I’m so fired.”

“No, you ain’t.” She said, surprisingly calm. “Elaine had to do a quick trip to England, Blake is still at the office, and for all everyone else knows, me and you are hitting the town tonight.”

“Linda,” I started.

“Michela,” she said. “Juergen Yugo asked you to his house for drinks, how many times can you say that happened to you?”

“I’m not exactly gonna scream it from the rooftops,” I said sarcastically.

“Exactly,” she said. “He has a reputation, and you have a job. The last thing he needs media distraction and he knows you’re not gonna break any secret between you two if that means losing your job.”

“So he’s blackmailing me?” I asked and began biting my thumbnail, a nervous habit I’ve never seemed to outgrow.

“He likes you and he doesn’t want a million people in his business.” She said simply. “Michela, come on now girl. No, you’re not 18 anymore, but tell me, truthfully, how are you feeling?”

I stared at her with my nail still in my mouth. I didn’t answer immediately. A swarm of emotions came over me and voice that sounded like mine said “Excited.”

Wait that was my voice.

I pulled my thumb out of my mouth and threw my hands to my side and looked Linda in her face.

“I’m excited,” I said. “And nervous, what the hell does he want with me?”

“Go there and find out,” Linda said with a smile. She then headed to my closet and rumbled around before turning back to me with a black lace shirt in her hand. “But first, put this on.”

#fictional story #story telling #aspiring author #aspiring writer #novel writing #book writing #kindle

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junker-town · 5 years ago

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How Frank Ntilkina’s summer with France might have revived his NBA career

How France basketball embraced Frank Ntilikina and helped him learn to trust himself.

Frank Ntilikina’s 21st birthday was a memorable one. It marked his return to basketball after two years of wandering, seemingly lost on the Knicks’ roster.

That day, July 28, 2019, he reported to French national team training camp at INSEP, the country’s elite sports school and campus tucked into leafy Bois de Vincennes in eastern Paris. Known as the “land of champions,” INSEP is where most French national teams and athletes prepare for international competition, as well as where some of the country’s most promising teenage sportswomen and men finish their academic and athletic training. Among NBA players, the Orlando Magic’s Evan Fournier studied at INSEP, and before him Tony Parker, Boris Diaw and Ronny Turiaf.

Ntilikina did not attend INSEP. For him, passing through the famed gateway was like walking into the heart of French sports history. By playing for the national team this summer, he solidified at least a small place in the nation’s record books. In the process, he also turned a page in his story.

Fêted by the New York Knicks, media and fans following the 2017 NBA Draft, Ntilikina’s young career stagnated last year. Expectations were high but his rookie season left everyone — the Knicks, fans and Ntilikina himself — if pining for the Frenchman to play more aggressively. The start of the 2018-19 season held promise, but Ntilikina quickly found himself mired in an offensive slump, for which he was scathingly criticized as being “soft.” He played solid defense, but soon lost playing time, appearing to be falling out of favor with Knicks coach David Fizdale.

Ntilikina suffered a groin injury mid-season, then re-aggravated it after his first game back in late March. Some called it a lost season, but not Ntilikina.

“I learned a lot of things, even on the bench, more than you can imagine,” he told French sports daily L’Équipe. “You see the game, consume a lot of video, and progress in understanding the game. I wasn’t on vacation doing nothing.”

But while Ntilikina progressed in many respects, he was the subject of trade speculation during the 2019 offseason, his confidence potentially falling into tatters. Because of his lingering injury, he wasn’t sure how much he could trust his body, which impacted his on-court movements and shooting.

That lack of confidence was especially jarring to those who have watched Ntilikina since he was a kid, like broadcast journalist George Eddy, France’s television voice of the NBA for the past 35 years. Eddy, like many, views Ntilikina’s time in New York so far as a disaster.

“[Frank is] very intelligent, and it’s easy to see why Phil Jackson liked him and drafted him,” Eddy says. “They’ve played his mind in terms of playing time and the way they’ve used him.

“They didn’t do it on purpose, but everything they were doing was going towards ruining his confidence in himself and impeding his progress as an NBA player.”

Ntilikina’s rocky time with the Knicks is why Ntilikina’s strong performance this summer with Les Bleus was so noteworthy. He came off the bench during the FIBA World Cup and consistently came up with clutch plays, particularly in the team’s 89-79 quarterfinal win over the United States. And it wasn’t just French fans who took note; Coach Fizdale watched a majority of France’s World Cup games in China last month, suitably impressed with what he saw.

The road back to basketball hasn’t been easy for Ntilikina. It has required months of hard work to get healthy, regain belief in his body, and learn — a lot — about the game and letting go of bad experiences. He needed to return home and feel the embrace of his French basketball family.

The first phase of Ntilikina’s journey did not begin in France, but in Los Angeles. There, shortly after his season ended, Ntilikina worked with physical therapist and osteopath Fabrice Gautier in conjunction with Knicks staff.

Although Gautier left France 20 years ago for California, he never left French basketball. He was the osteopath for Les Bleus from 2009 to 2013, and has worked with many of the country’s NBA players since 2014.

Ntilikina spent three weeks in LA working with Gautier to get his body back into competition form.

“I worked on the body, tried to get him strong, and tried to find out what might be the cause of his adductor problem,” Gautier explains.

After a short vacation in France, Ntilikina was back in Los Angeles in June to continue getting stronger and reacquainting himself with basketball movements. Such preparations were particularly crucial for Ntilikina when he was called up for national team service.

“We all know that it’s a game of confidence,” Gautier says. “If you start healthy, feeling good, and feeling confident, you’re going to try things that’s really going to make you shine.”

Ntilikina’s Team France training consisted of two or three practices a day against hard competitors like Fournier, Nicolas Batum, Rudy Gobert and Vincent Poirier. Ntilikina says Gautier’s program prepared him for the national team’s rigors.

“All of that helped me trust my body again and to let go,” Ntilikina says. “When you try to get back onto the court, sometimes the tough part is trusting your body.”

Ntilikina always dreamed of playing for Les Bleus.

“From the youngest age, we look up to the players on the national team,” Ntilikina says. “It’s amazing and it’s an honor to play for France.”

His return to France was also a reunion with Vincent Collet, the coach who gave him his first professional break, at SIG Strasbourg.

“From the youngest age, we look up to the players on the national team ... it’s an honor to play for France.” - Frank Ntilikina

Since 2009, Collet has led Les Bleus as they have accumulated medals — two bronzes at the World Cup, a EuroBasket silver, and the 2013 European championship title. He also has longtime experience identifying and elevating young talent. While head coach at Le Mans in the Brittany region, he gave a young Batum his first taste of playing professionally, just as he did for Ntilikina in 2015.

With Ntilikina’s first-ever call-up to the national team this summer, Collet had both of his “basketball sons” with him on Team France for the first time.

Early in the summer, Ntilikina’s call-up to Les Bleus’ training camp was met with surprise from the media because of his late-season injury and minimal playing time with the Knicks. Collet’s own pre-tournament comments fanned speculation that Ntilikina would have to fight for a coveted roster spot. Yet, according to Collet, his plan was always to have Ntilikina on the team, even before the team’s best offensive point guard, Thomas Heurtel, was forced to give up his roster spot through injury.

“Frank would be an important player,” Collet says, speaking after the World Cup. “He would be on the final team, with or without Thomas.” That decision, made well before Ntilikina proved instrumental during the competition, was a resounding vote of confidence from the coach who knows Ntilikina best.

Admittedly, Collet had to make some initial adjustments for his point guard. Ntilikina had changed in many ways since Collet had last worked with him. His body was different than it had been at 19, but he also had a collection of new on-court experiences. He could play at a faster-paced NBA tempo, and had mastered different playing styles.

“I was much more doubtful, but the NBA changed me,” Ntilikina says, when asked how he learned to be more aggressive on the court despite the criticism of the New York press and fans. “I think [Collet] saw that I was maybe grown up with all this experience. I think he was surprised in a good way.”

But some things remained the same, notably how much the two trusted each other. For Eddy, a longtime observer, the reunion of coach and player came at the right time.

“Collet is a good psychologist with [Ntilikina],” Eddy says. “He’s known him since he was very young, so he knows what buttons to push.”

From the first days of training camp, Collet used that long-held relationship to coax ever-more out of his youngest “basketball son.”

“[Frank] always tries to do what you expect him to do,” Collet explains. “But I know him very well, so I pushed him. I often told him, ‘Do more, and if you do too much, I will tell you.’”

With Collet, Ntilikina could finally test his limits.

Ntilikina’s re-found confidence was also aided enormously by his teammates on Les Bleus. Along with Collet, veteran players like Batum, Fournier, Gobert and Nando de Colo encouraged Ntilikina to take opportunities to score himself instead of deferring to others.

“They were really trying to teach us young players about the experience of being in a big time tournament,” Ntilikina says.

He learned how to play with the team at a high level of intensity during a short period of time, all while navigating travel and the stress of international competition. He learned how to be more mentally prepared for each and every game, especially from Fournier.

“Evan, mentally he’s like a dog,” Ntilikina says. “He’s really passionate and he brings that to the court every day.”

“I pushed him. I often told him, ‘Do more, and if you do too much, I will tell you.’” - Vincent Collet, France national team coach

Ntilikina also learned how leadership and mental tenacity can forge a more cohesive team.

“It was just amazing with this group,” Ntilikina says of Team France’s mix of rookies and veterans, thought he was subjected to well-intended jokes, like being forced to chug water at a banquet dinner during their first days in China.

“It didn’t feel like I was the youngest player. It felt like a family.”

NBA circles are tight, but because of Ntilikina’s limited court time with the Knicks, Collet thought Ntilikina’s game would be relatively unknown to his teammates. Collet was surprised by how much veterans like Gobert lobbied for Ntilikina.

“Rudy very often came to me, saying that for the defense we want to do Frank will be perfect because he can share the ball very easily,” Collet says. “The way they were trusting him, this was good, for I think it helped him to become what he became with us.”

The fact that France’s extended basketball family opened its arms to him — Collet and teammates, to Gautier, Eddy and others — didn’t escape Ntilikina.

“You fear less,” Ntilikina says. “You are not worrying about making mistakes — you make mistakes, but you have the confidence to make plays and just play basketball and do what you can do. It helps you more to play freely.

“It is a good feeling and I was really thankful, for I felt it a lot.”

Ntilikina put into practice his hard-realized gains at the World Cup. For Eddy, this was part of the mission: not just to win a medal, but to restore Ntilikina’s confidence. “That’s the whole goal,” Eddy says.

While Ntilikina split time on the court with Andrew Albicy and played his usual formidable defense, he also took more shots, averaging eight points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.

Ntilikina was a catalyst for Les Bleus against Team USA, pressing the tempo and creating clutch plays when needed. Ntilikina went on a seven-point fourth quarter run, nailing a three-point shot with 4:35 left that tied the game. That shot was the start of a 16-3 run to close out a 10-point win.

The performance didn’t sink in for Ntilikina until after the game when his number one fan, his mother, greeted him in the hotel lobby in Dongguan.

“After that game, she was really proud of me,” Ntilikina says, remembering how the two united in an emotional victory embrace. “Seeing that look on her face was amazing for me.”

Les Bleus did not win gold, but otherwise Ntilikina’s summer could hardly have been more successful. He is still waiting to become a part of the Knicks’ regular rotation, but his time may be coming soon. Fans began chanting “We want Frank” during the team’s third straight loss to open the 2019 season.

“It’s just amazing,” Ntilikina says of his World Cup experience. “[I] knew that this was going to help me either getting back onto the court and getting that confidence, or also knowing my body.” In winning a bronze medal, Team France got its youngest member on the road back to basketball success. Ntilikina won’t soon forget.

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reneeacaseyfl · 5 years ago

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Croatia Basketball’s Excellent Adventure in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS — When the Croatian national team arrived for the N.B.A.’s Las Vegas summer league this month, the players knew they would not dominate squads with big-name prospects. They were just hoping to avoid getting mopped off the court.

“I was afraid we would get destroyed,” said Veljko Mrsic, the team’s coach.

But by the time Mrsic huddled with his team before a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder last week, Croatia had proven itself worthy of inclusion with a pair of close losses. Mrsic had a team that moved the ball on offense and played beefy defense. He could also sense that his players wanted to test themselves against some of the best young players in the world, even if basketball was just one part of this 6,000-mile journey to the center of the summer hoops universe.

The Las Vegas summer league is many things — casting call, reunion of sorts for the American professional basketball set, junket for the N.B.A. and its hangers-on. For Croatia’s national team it was like one of those loosely chaperoned summer tours for privileged American teenagers.

A country of about 4 million people, Croatia has seven players in the N.B.A., including Ivica Zubac, a center for the Los Angeles Clippers who was among the high-profile spectators for some of the team’s games. Its most famous basketball exports are Drazen Petrovic, who died in a car accident at 28 in 1993, and Toni Kukoc, who played for four N.B.A. teams over 13 seasons. None of the current N.B.A. players competed for Croatia at summer league, clearing the stage for lesser-known teammates in the national program.

For many of those who did play, summer league was a unique experience: first time outside Europe, first time going up against bona fide N.B.A. competition, first time playing in an arena that was as large as the Thomas and Mack Center. They went to Caesars Palace — and to an outlet mall.

“It’s going to be hard to go back to reality,” said Pavle Marcinkovic, a 30-year-old forward who was recently voted the most valuable player of Croatia’s top pro league. “Everything is so fast, and everything is happening. You go down to the lobby and see Karl-Anthony Towns — all these guys you see on TV.”

It was also the first trip to Las Vegas for Igor Kolaric, the team manager, though he felt uniquely equipped for all that the city could offer.

“I’ve seen ‘Casino,’” he said, referring to the Martin Scorsese film.

As far as the basketball went, the summer league odyssey was everything they could have hoped for. N.B.A. officials invited them to participate along with a national team from China, an opportunity for the players to gain invaluable experience ahead of Olympic qualifying next year. Stojko Vrankovic, the president of the Croatian basketball federation, sat at the end of the bench during games to evaluate their progress. Kolaric had been bracing himself for the worst.

“But even if they get their butts kicked,” he said, “it will only motivate them to work harder.”

When Mrsic spoke, his players listened — carefully. He seemed to command authority without having to raise his voice. It was simply understood that he was in charge.

“Don’t give up any easy baskets,” he told his team in the locker room. “Hold our rhythm. If we play at their pace, we’ll be in trouble.”

Sure enough, Croatia got off to a dream start against Oklahoma City, creating a turnover on the opening possession. At the other end, Marin Maric, a former center at DePaul who most recently played for pro teams in Turkey and Belgium, tipped in his own miss for the game’s first points. The bench erupted.

The players had come from teams like Sixt Primorska (Slovenia), Stelmet Zielona Gora (Poland) and Duke (Atlantic Coast Conference), where Antonio Vrankovic, a 22-year-old center and the son of the federation president, had spent the past four seasons coming off the bench. He said it was fascinating to observe some of his teammates’ impressions of Las Vegas.

“It’s funny to think that this is their sense of America,” he said.

Vrankovic was hoping to use summer league to showcase his skills for scouts after having played sparingly in college.

“I’m struggling to be patient,” he said. “I’m young, so I want everything to happen now. But it’s a work in progress.”

The team was sticking to a budget. Instead of renting out a conference room at the hotel for pregame film sessions, the players crammed inside Mrsic’s room and crowded around a laptop computer. They also ate every meal for two weeks at the Palms Casino Resort’s all-you-can-eat buffet. Not that anyone was complaining.

“We like to keep it tight together like a family,” Kolaric said.

Kolaric laundered uniforms, handled ticket requests for friends and extended family, moonlighted as the team’s official photographer and even taught the television broadcasters how to pronounce the players’ names. He drew the line at doing social media.

“I would go crazy,” he said.

Kolaric joined the federation in 2016, working year-round as a jack-of-all-trades. He keeps in close contact with the Croatian players who are in the N.B.A. — Dario Saric of the Phoenix Suns is one of his best friends, he said — and he will answer their phone calls at 2 a.m. if they need help or advice.

Kolaric had slept about three hours ahead of Croatia’s game against Oklahoma City. He had been on his computer, filling out paperwork for some of the team’s additional travel this summer. He was still to check out the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop, home of the “Pawn Stars” television program.

“My parents would kill me if I didn’t go to ‘Pawn Stars,’” Kolaric said.

The players were on a curfew: midnight before game days and 2 a.m. before off days. In the small hours after a tip-off party at one of the luxury hotels on the Strip, Kolaric went around to knock on the players’ doors just to make sure everyone was in decent shape. “It was an open bar,” he said.

It was clear, though, that their focus was sharp. Against Oklahoma City, Maric was revealing himself to be an absolute load on the interior, and Croatia led by as many as 11 points in the third quarter. But then, in the fourth, the Thunder rallied by taking advantage of some sloppy passing and went on to win, 84-76.

In the locker room afterward, Zeljko Sakic, the oldest member of the team, sat in silence. Marjan Cakarun, a center who had scored 13 points in 18 minutes off the bench, had his left hand wrapped in an ice pack. Zubac stood in the doorway as Mrsic went around the room, offering high-fives. Amid the gloom, the coach was encouraged.

“We were so close, but our bad habits came out,” he said in an interview.

As Maric put it, “We’re showing we can play against these teams.”

On the team bus back to the hotel, Sakic showed off a picture that he and a couple of his teammates had gotten after the game with Vince Carter, the veteran swingman who was working with the broadcast crew. During a trip full of them, it was another moment worth remembering.

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velmaemyers88 · 5 years ago