#it's crazy how you can make a set where we basically only see shauna and yet jackie's everywhere

[lheautontimoroumenos]

Shauna Shipman (& Jackie Taylor) in YELLOWJACKETS (2021-) / "Baggage" from Honeybee, Trista Mateer

[hunnywrites]

Arcade Dreams: Chapter Eight

Summary: There’s a new girl working at the Palace Arcade and Hawkins’ Family Video. Billy can’t stand her, and the feeling is mutual. No matter what everyone else seems to think.

Pairing: Billy Hargrove/OFC

A/N: Sorry I didn’t get this up sooner! We’ve been getting ready for the hurricane!

“Alright, Teddi. You gotta tell me your address so I can take you home.” 

Teddi scoffed. “Why? So you can stalk me some more?” she snapped, crossing her arms firmly and dramatically across her chest.

Billy’s hand slightly clenched around the steering wheel. If Teddi was stubborn on a normal day, she was at least five times more stubborn when she was drunk. “Larsson, I’m not fucking around here…” he warned. 

Teddi sighed loudly and sunk in her seat. She leaned over and rested her head against the window, watching the trees pass by in a blur. “I don’t wanna go home.” 

Billy looked over at her. He grabbed the shoulder of her coat and pulled her upright before looking out the window made her blow chunks all over his car. “And why not?” he asked. He knew, or at least he had an idea, but he was still a little curious about whether his suspicions were correct. 

“If my dad knows I was out this late and sees how shit faced I am he’ll kill me. Like literally kill me. Fucking prick. You know I used to do this all the time back home? Yeah. I went to parties like...all the time. And I used to smoke because I thought it made me look cool, and I was actually popular until I moved to...this.” she waved her hands at the bland scenery that was passing them. 

Billy admittedly had sort of a hard time imagining that. Maybe New York was different. Teddi was more like that girl Samantha in his Biology class, Johnathan Byers and that chick Robin (who he was also pretty sure was a lesbian because he had tried putting the moves on her during lunch once and she had laughed so hard milk came out of her nose); weird and very not cool. But he smirked over at her anyways. “Is that right? What happened?”

“I moved to Hawkins and I died inside,” they both laughed. Teddi studied him for a moment. “Is all this part of you trying to be nice? Like with the beer?”

Billy shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t know...I guess.”

“Well, how come you wanna be nice all of the sudden?”

“I don’t know,” he huffed. He supposed he could give her the long version. Complete with Max almost chopping his dick off. But he figured Teddi was a little too drunk to take any of that in. “I guess...ever since we moved here I’ve sorta been…”

“The worst?” Teddi finished for him with raised eyebrows.

“Yeah. I’ve got a lot of shit going on and-”

“I’ve got a lot of shit too. But I learned to stop being such a jerk to everyone.”

“Yeah? Well, you’re sure as hell a pain in the ass.” he argued. He didn’t know why Teddi drove him up the wall the way that she did. Maybe it was because he knew she was right. He hated it when other people were right about him. 

Teddi crossed her arms and glared over at him. “...What’s your zodiac sign?” she asked suddenly.

Billy shot her that look again. That one that like she had sprouted another head. “My what?” 

“Your zodiac sign! You know, with the stars and all…” Billy only blinked. Teddi huffed. “When is your birthday?” 

“...November 28th.” 

Teddi groaned. “A Sagittarius.” she said curtly. 

Billy didn’t know why, but he felt offended by her tone. He looked over at her with an annoyed and expectant look.  “And what the fuck is that supposed to mean?” 

“Nothing. It just explains a lot. Do you know what time you were born? Or in what city?” she hadn’t even noticed that Billy was looking at her like she had gone absolutely insane. 

“How the fuck am I supposed to know any of that? And what does it explain, weird girl? What the hell is a Sagittarius?” Teddi didn’t answer him. She just sat there with her arms crossed and looking like she was going through some weird girl rolodex in her head. 

Suddenly she perked up. “Ooo! That means we’re sister signs! I’m a Gemini!” as if Billy was supposed to have any idea what that meant.

“Gemini? Sister signs? Larsson, what the hell are you talking about?” he asked incredulously. 

Teddi rolled her eyes. “It means that we’re like super compatible...huh. Wouldn’t have guessed that.”

“Compatible like...in bed compatible?” he asked, a smirk teasing at his lips. Teddi only scoffed at the question.

“Like compatible in general. Yin and Yang...I guess that makes sense. I’m like super chill and you’re basically the hulk,” she laughed. Billy was going to throw a smart ass response her way, but before he could Teddi reached over and snatched the cigarette that was between his lips. He let out a huff to show his distaste, but Teddi ignored it. She let out a loud groan as she took a drag of the cigarette. “Christ, I missed these things.”

Billy found himself chuckling. If someone had told him a week ago that he would be giving Teddi Larsson a ride home while she rambled on about zodiac signs and sharing a cigarette with him, he would have told them they were crazy. Yet there he was, taking his cigarette back from her after she handed it back to him with a happy, content look on her face. 

“What’s funny?” she asked, smiling over at him. 

Billy shook his head. “Nothing. This night has just taken a really weird turn.” that little part of him wished that this could be how things always were. Sure, he probably hadn’t had a friend that was a girl since the third grade, but he could see himself being friends with Teddi. If they could both get past that animosity that was always there. Well, more like if he could learn to control his temper a little more was more like it. 

He turned onto his street, slowing the Camaro down so that the engine wouldn’t wake anyone at home and let his dad know that he’d been out so late. He had missed his curfew by about two hours, but with Susan around now she and Neil held Billy to an honor system when it came to him going out. Teddi didn’t look as confused as he expected her to be as he pulled up to the curb. 

“You uh...said you didn’t want to go home so…” he didn’t know what else to say. He didn’t want Teddi to know that he had figured out her secret. He would play it off as her refusing to tell him her address. If he let on that he was onto Teddi, there was a chance she would start to ask questions and soon she would be onto his secret. 

Teddi looked over at Billy’s house with narrowed eyes before looking back at him. “This is your house?” she asked.

“Yeah...look, I’m not like putting the moves on you or anything. Trust me. You can crash in Max’s room. I just figured…” he wouldn’t meet her eyes. 

Teddi gave him a tired smile. “No, it’s...this is nice.” she nodded. 

Billy flinched a little. He hated that his first reaction to someone telling him he’d done something nice was wanting to make some sort of biting remark. He swallowed the nasty comment and only shrugged. He shut the Camaro off and climbed out, rushing over to the other side as Teddi nearly fell out onto the street. She was giggling loudly as she tried to get herself upright. 

“Christ, Larsson,” he muttered as he helped her stand. “You have to shut up, okay? If anyone hears you we’ll both be dead.” he snapped.

Teddi pretended to zip her lips before letting out a small giggle. Billy rolled his eyes and pulled her along. But he didn’t go to the front door. He led her around to the side of his house to what Teddi assumed must have been his bedroom window. She leaned up against the wall to try to keep her balance while he expertly slid the window open. Wordlessly he bent down, his fingers intertwined to give her a boost up. 

She wondered briefly just how many other girls he’d done this with before stepping into his hands and sliding clumsily into his room. It was a weird angle. If she wasn’t careful she’d land down on his stereo instead of the foot of his bed. Teddi wiggled through the window and aimed herself for Billy’s bed as best as her drunk mind would allow. 

She landed with a soft thud and groaned. Billy was in almost immediately after her. It was obvious that he had done this more than a few times. Teddi waved him away when he tried to help her stand. 

Billy’s room was...exactly what she had imagined. Not that she had spent a lot of time thinking about it. It was more or less as messy as she’d expect it to be. And it had that sort of “I don’t give a shit” attitude in the way he had decorated it that was very Billy. It smelled almost overwhelmingly like him. Cigarettes, his cologne and spearmint. His cologne had this really warm, woody smell to it. Sort of like a bonfire with a hint of something fresh and earthy. It gave Teddi this comfy sort of feeling whenever she smelled it and she briefly wondered if Billy had chosen the scent because it reminded him of back home. Teddi shook the idea away and looked further around his room. She rolled her eyes when she spotted the poster of Shauna Grant hanging on the wall. There were a lot of cassette tapes. Nearly anywhere Teddi looked there was a stack of tapes or vinyls along with a crushed beer can or two and an ashtray full of cigarette butts.

Of course there where all of his weights and workout gear, that definitely didn’t surprise her. What did surprise her were the two neon boxes on a shelf in front of her. “Excuse me,” she hissed, reaching up on her toes in order to reach them. “These are Atari games!” 

Billy shushed her, shooting a dirty look in her direction. “So what?” he asked. He snatched the two games out of her hands and reached over her to set them back on the shelf. 

Teddi swallowed nervously as Billy’s chest bumped into hers momentarily before she took a step back. She shook her head and fixed an angry look up at him. “You can’t call me a geek when you’re a geek.” 

Billy rolled his eyes. “Everyone plays video games, Larsson. Now stop going through my shit. Unless you wanna sleep in here tonight. That’s more than alright with me…” he smirked down at her.

Teddi rolled her eyes dramatically. “Don’t make me puke, Hargrove.” Billy only chuckled, taking Teddi by the arm and sneaking out of his room and down the hall. He nudged Max’s door open, quickly pulling Teddi in before shutting the door behind them and turning on the light. 

Two heads popped up from the bed. Max blinked wildly as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. El watched Teddi and Billy with such a blank expression that Teddi suspected that El was positive she was only dreaming. “Billy? What the hell?” Max asked with a yawn. 

“I need a favor.” he began.

Teddi cut off whatever he was going to say next with a loud gasp. “Oh my gosh, Max, the sleepover!” she squealed. “Look, I didn’t miss it after all!” 

Billy slapped a hand over Teddi’s mouth and shot a glare in her direction. “I told you, Teddi. Be quiet.” 

“Drunk.” El whispered to Max as she watched Billy attempt to keep Teddi under control.

Max raised her eyebrows and nodded. “She’s trashed. Jesus, Billy, what did you do to her?” 

“I didn’t do anything,” he snapped. “Heather Holloway and about a dozen jello shots did this. Look, she won’t tell me where she lives and I don’t know what else to do with her. Just let her crash in here and make sure she doesn’t choke on her own vomit.” he helped Teddi over to the edge of Max’s bed so she could sit. 

Max and El both shot each other a few confused looks as they watched the pair. Billy struggled to keep Teddi still as he pulled her puffy coat and boots off. Teddi kept complaining, each time Billy hissing out a “stay still” before Teddi would pout and listen before the whole thing started again. Max didn’t think she’d ever seen someone look so inconvenienced by being nice to someone before. And what was even more confusing to her was the fact that Billy had nearly gone out of his way to put himself in this position. 

“Did he do that?” El asked Max quietly, nodding towards Teddi’s bruised eye.

Max shook her head. “She said she slipped on ice or something. It’s been like that for a few days.” she explained as El watched Teddi carefully.

Billy tossed Teddi’s coat and shoes aside and stood, jabbing a finger in Max’s direction. “Make sure she doesn’t wake anyone up, alright? I’ll take her back to her car in the morning. And neither of you tell anyone about this, got it?” 

“Whatever, Billy. Just get out of my room already.” Max hopped out of bed and nearly shoved her older brother out of her room. He shot a slightly worried glance in Teddi’s direction before glaring down at Max. He jerked away from her and disappeared down the hall to his own room. Max shut her door again and let out a heavy sigh. Teddi was lying on her back, staring blankly up at the ceiling.

“...You guys wanna play truth or dare or something?” she asked, her voice slightly slurring. 

Max and El both stifled giggles. “Teddi, it’s a little late for that. I think you need to get some sleep...what are you doing with Billy anyways?” Max asked as she got back into bed. 

“My date totally ditched me. And Billy said he’s trying to be nice...did you know that he’s a Sagittarius?” 

El frowned. “What’s a Sagittarius?” she asked. 

Teddi sat up quickly and turned to face the two girls. “What’s a Sagittarius?” she repeated, her jaw dropped. “You guys don’t know about zodiac signs either?” the two girls shook their heads. “God, what is wrong with this town? Okay, forget about truth or dare. I have like...loads to teach you. It’ll totally blow your minds.” 

Teddi turned to face Max and El, crossing her legs. Max hopped out of bed once again before muttering “wait, wait, wait!” before disappearing for a few moments. She returned with a bowl of popcorn and three cans of coke. The three settled in and Teddi launched into her zodiac lesson. Maybe her night wouldn’t be such a bust after all. Getting drunk with Heather and teaching two twelve year olds about their zodiac traits at two in the morning way more fun than anything she would’ve done hanging out with some idiot on the soccer team. Hanging out with Billy hadn’t been so bad either. It was too bad she probably wouldn’t remember most of it in the morning. 

[walkingthroughthepages]

One of my absolute favourite part about the holidays has to be the fact that it means seeing my family. Even though Belgium’s not really that big? All my aunts and uncles, cousins and their children are basically spread out of the entirety of it. So getting to see all of them? And at the same time? It’s busy, it’s loud, it’s madness… And it’s absolutely amazing to be reunited for the holidays!

I was offered these ARCs by Netgalley in exchange for a review. All opinions are strictly my own.

A Christmas Gift, Sue Moorcroft

The story

Georgine loves Christmas. The festive season always brings the little village of Middledip to life. But since her ex-boyfriend walked out, leaving her with crippling debts, Georgine’s struggled to make ends meet. To keep her mind off her worries, she throws herself into organising the Christmas show at the local school. And when handsome Joe Blackthorn becomes her assistant, Georgine’s grateful for the help. But there’s something about Joe she can’t quite put her finger on. Could there be more to him than meets the eye? Georgine’s past is going to catch up with her in ways she never expected. But can the help of friends new and old make this a Christmas to remember after all?

The opinion

Last year, I got the chance to read The Little Christmas Village, which was also written by Sue Moorcroft. At that point, I wrote something to the extent of me really loving it when chicklit actually has a story to tell. Basically, The Little Christmas Village had character development, so many people to fall in love with, and of course: Christmas! Well, guess what? Sue Moorcroft’s done it again with A Christmas Gift. First of all, there’s Georgine who is, just weeks before Christmas (and, let’s be real, in the months before that as well), faced with money-problems and all the bad memories that go hand in hand with that. She starts out as someone who lets herself be manipulated quite easily, maybe even walked over (a realisation she reaches about halfway through the book!). In just a couple of weeks, though, she is faced with elements of various stages from her past – ranging from the “okay” to the “terrible” that face her to do a lot of growing. Two of the main reasons for that growth? Joe, who, as it turns out, is an old friend and has a bit of a hidden past ànd present himself. And Blair, Georgine’s sister who is trying so hard that even when things went terribly wrong? I couldn’t help but root for them. That is probably one of the main reasons I loved this book either way: whenever things go wrong (and, trust me, that happens quite regularly)? You can still see how those situations originated, you understand the why and the how. Sue Moorcroft has that most precious of gifts for an author of knowing just when to give up what piece of information to make for the most natural of progress – in relationships as well as in plot! What’s more, I’ve noticed recently that I’m finding it increasingly difficult to find books, especially cosy and fluffy books, that really hit the spot for me. I mean, if your characters fall in love, fine, but at least show your reader why, you know? Reading A Christmas Gift came as something of a relief, in that aspect. Sue Moorcroft manages to get the set-up of every piece of her story just right so that when fear, betrayal and joy hit? They hit not only the characters, but you as well. So if you’re in need of the kind of book that’ll have you smiling along, rooting for that happy ending and definitely some Christmas spirit? This is the book for you!

Rating: 3.5/5 (Goodreads)

Another Day in Winter, Shari Low

Story

On a chilly morning in December forever friends Shauna and Lulu touch down at Glasgow Airport on a quest to find answers from the past. George knows his time is nearing the end, but is it too late to come to terms with his two greatest regrets? His grandson Tom uncovers a betrayal that rocks his world as he finally tracks down the one that got away. And single mum Chrissie is ready to force her love-life out of hibernation, but can anyone compare to the man who broke her heart? After the success of the No1 best seller ONE DAY IN DECEMBER, comes the second unmissable read in Shari Low’s Winter Day trilogy.

Opinion

If there’s anything studying literature and linguistics will teach you, it’s to appreciate a well-executed multi-perspective story. This one is a couple of steps above well-executed. Within the span of 24 hours, these Shauna, George, Tom and Chrissie’s paths will cross, their stories will meet and – as it turns out: it really is a small world after all. There are few things as difficult as making sure that every loose thread of a multi-level story gets tied up at the end. Making sure that the tone for each of the characters is distinct enough that as a reader, you don’t even need the name on top to know who you’re reading? That’s a gift not too many people have. I honestly loved every single thing about this book. I loved the strong friendship between Shauna and Lulu. I love their willingness to do something that most people would – rightly so – call a bit crazy. I loved Chrissie and the way her friends of all ages pushed her to go beyond what she dared to do. And that she actually took on that chance, that she was willing to look back to the past to be able to face the future. Also – her son? The cutest smart-mouth I’ve read in a while. I love George and the backstory of him and his two sisters, in this totally different world and time. For someone so near to death, he really did have a lot to say. And considering some rather important conversations took part on his bedside? I’m quite happy he turned out to be such a good listener. And then there’s Tom who, in the span of 24 hours, has his world turned upside down more times than most people could handle in a year. He just takes it all in stride – somewhat, at least – and still manages to hand out maybe the most satisfying type of punch: the warranted one. A thing which definitely shows, as you’ll learn in this book as well, that he takes after his grandfather. With Christmas running in the background, as a decoration, as a motivation, but never as a plot point? This was maybe the best winter book I’ve read so far, this year.

Rating: 4.5/5 (Goodreads)

Snowflakes over Holly Cove, Lucy Coleman

Story

As the snowflakes start to fall, the village of Holly Cove welcomes a new tenant to the beautiful old cottage on the beach… For lifestyle magazine journalist Tia Armstrong, relationships, as well as Christmas, have lost all their magic. Yet Tia is up against a Christmas deadline for her latest article ‘Love is, actually, all around’… So Tia heads to Holly Cove where the restorative sea air, and rugged stranger Nic, slowly but surely start mending her broken heart. Tia didn’t expect a white Christmas, and she certainly never dared dream that all her Christmas wishes might just come true… Set in Caswell Bay on the stunningly rugged Gower Coast, the cottage nestles amid the limestone cliffs and the woodlands; the emotions run as turbulently as the wind-swept sea.

Opinion

I really seem to have a thing about reading books with journalists as the MC. Or, maybe journalists just make for easy people to push into new situations. Either way, this particular journalist starts Snowflakes over Holly Cove with some serious hard break. As Tia has suddenly had pointed out to her: she’s an orphan now. Doesn’t matter what age you are – that’s never an easy thing to handle. That actually brings me right to maybe my *favourite* point about this book. It deals with working through loss so carefully, so respectfully. Lucy Coleman doesn’t shy away from the ugly parts of grieve – from that feeling of not knowing how to handle anything to maybe getting a little *stupid* because of it. Snowflakes over Holly Cove tells the story from the last Christmas Tia Armstrong spends with her mum, giving some background to exactly how deep their relationship is, to the next Christmas – her first without her mum. Considering that she’s been working on a Christmas feature for months by the time Christmas rolls around? The reader could easily have grown tired of Christmas already. That, instead, I was sat here just checking my countdown app *yet again* (yes, I’m that person)? Just shows how nuanced Coleman’s writing is. Now, I know that this book is at least partially a romance novel, but, for once, that is not the main thing making we want to immediately reread this book. Rather, it’s the attention to detail, the beautiful descriptions of the Welsh scenery and of course… That one plot twist near the end. And then that dramatic twist at the end… I honestly was not okay. And need to get back to this book ASAP.

Rating: 4/5 (Goodreads)

Now, as I said – I now the entire “reunited for the holidays” can be a bit busy. And loud. And overwhelming. So if you’re in need of an escape from the reality of it? Why not hide out with some stories showing its possibilities? Don’t worry – it’s my backup option too! Or, you know… You could go ahead and read the rest of my Christmas tag or check out this year’s blogmas-posts!

-Saar

Mini Reviews #9: Reunited for the Holidays One of my absolute favourite part about the holidays has to be the fact that it means seeing my family.