#live singer at the restaurant sang to me

[duelheld]

its my birthday today! i got some cool stuff and had a delicious lunch with my family

[alisonsfics]

his little superstar

pairing: carmy berzatto x reader

summary: you’re a local singer in chicago. the bear crew ends up at one of your shows, and carmy is absolutely speechless the moment he lays eyes on you.

word count: 1.5k

warnings: awkward and bashful carmy that will make you MELT

“Do we really have to go to this thing?” Carmy complained. He had been convinced forced to go out to a bar by his friends. “C’mon, you need to get out. You spend too much in the kitchen screaming at us.” Richie added. So, that was how he ended up in a line outside a bar with Richie, Sydney, Marcus, Natalie, and Pete.

“Isn’t there supposed to be some singer here tonight?” Sydney asked, looking over at Nat.

“Oh, yeah. I think I saw a poster that said that. I saw her here last week. This friend from high school invited me for her birthday. She was really good though. Her songs were great.” Nat started to tell Sydney.

Carmy started to zone out, thinking about all the other places in the world he could be. Once every month, Richie made an effort to drag Carmy to some party or bar. If not, Carmy wouldn’t get out at all. If Carmy had it his way, he’d basically live at the restaurant.

When they finally made it inside the bar, Carmy rushed to the bar to order a drink. He’d barely gotten his drink when Nat and Sydney pulled him over to a high-top table that they found. He was already mentally doing the math on how long he needed to stay before he could leave early.

He was brought out of his thoughts when he heard Nat start cheering. He looked over his shoulder and saw you walk onto the stage. The last thing he was thinking about was leaving early.

He didn’t know what he expected, but you weren’t it. You caught him by surprise, and he felt a smile slowly start to form.

Carmy didn’t realize his mouth was hanging open until Richie elbowed him in the side. “Close your mouth. You’ll catch flies.” Richie teased, noticing the way that Carmy was drooling over you.

“Oh shut up,” Carmy said, rolling his eyes at Richie.

Throughout the show, you made eye contact with Carmy a few times. Every time you met his gaze his cheeks instantly turned bright red.

He stuck out to you.

Most people were drinking and chatting with their friends, blissfully ignoring your presence. Some were silently swaying to the music. Not Carmy. He had his eyes glued to you.

You’d be lying if you said you didn’t playfully bat your eyelashes at him during some of the more flirtatious lyrics you sang.

After you finished your last song, you winked at Carmy before thanking the crowd and leaving the stage.

“Carmy��s got a crush.” Nat said in a singsong voice. Carmy’s cheeks were bright red. Richie slung his arm around Carmy’s shoulders. “Oh, you totally do, cousin,” Richie said, laughing at Carmy’s embarrassment.

“You all are children. I hope you know that.” Carmy said, pulling away from Richie and heading out the front door. He walked outside the bar and pulled out his pack of cigarettes.

He quickly lit one and tried to distract himself from the nagging that was waiting for him when he went back inside.

The stage door beside him swung open, causing him to jump backwards. “Oh, shit. I’m so sorry. I didn’t think anyone would be out here.” The voice quickly apologized.

Carmy looked up and realized it was you. Every coherent thought left his brain. When Carmy realized he hadn’t replied, it was too late to say anything.

You noticed how timid he was. His eyes were glued to the ground, and he hadn’t said a word. “So, did you like the show? I saw you in there.” You asked him, as though he wasn’t overly aware that you’d been watching him all night.

“Oh yeah yeah— it was good. I mean…just wow, you were great.” Carmy said, quickly mumbling through the words.

He was too busy avoiding eye contact to notice the smile on your face. You definitely thought Carmy was cute.

“I don’t think I’ve ever gotten such a raving review before.” You playfully teased him. Carmy finally looked up at you. He was partly shocked he hadn’t scared you away yet.

“Sorry,” he said, sheepishly. You took a step closer to Carmy, testing the waters. He didn’t move away. “Don’t be. It’s cute,” you said, subconsciously twirling your hair around your finger.

Carmy felt like his skin was on fire. You were looking at him. He felt like all of a sudden he couldn’t remember how to breathe.

“I’m Y/N, by the way,” you said, sticking your hand out. He quickly switched his cigarette into the other hand, so he could shake your hand. “I’m Carmy.” He said, giving you a small smile.

“Oh, shit. You’re the guy. The Bear guy.” You said, remembering seeing his name in a newspaper. If it was possible, he started blushing even more. “Yep, that’s me. Have you been? To the restaurant, I mean,” he asked you.

He started worrying about the possibility of you having already gone to the restaurant and seeing him in one of his arguments with Richie.

“No, I haven’t had the chance yet. I don’t know a lot about food. I feel like I wouldn’t be able to truly appreciate it, but maybe if I had someone to teach me and explain it to me…” you suggested, giving Carmy a smile.

His jaw dropped, and his cigarette almost fell out of his lips. “Wait…me?” He asked, feeling like he was definitely in a dream. You giggled at his shock. “I mean, you are the chef.” You said, nudging him.

“Just to be clear, like a date?” He asked.

“That’s up to you, Romeo,” you said, brushing a piece of his hair behind his ear. You watched him shiver as you touched him.

“Can I umm…get your number?” He nervously asked you. You quickly grabbed a pen out of your purse. “Took you long enough,” you said, giggling at him.

You grabbed his hand and quickly scribbled your number on the back of his hand. He stared at it for a few seconds. Carmy was having trouble processing any of this conversation.

“You’re really pretty.” Carmy said, feeling a bit braver but not a lot.

“Thank you. That’s really sweet. You’re also very pretty.” You said, giving his hand a quick squeeze.

Carmy dropped his cigarette and stomped on it. “I should probably go back in. I don’t want to keep you.” He said, starting to walk back towards the front door.

“Hang on a second, pretty boy,” you called after him, stopping him in his tracks. He turned around to face you, confused and nervous. “You forgot something.” You said, taking a few steps towards him.

He instantly checked his pockets. You grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him in to kiss you. It took him a second to kiss you back, having to process his initial shock. Once he kissed you back, he was still too nervous to touch you.

“I’m not going to break, I promise,” you teased him. You grabbed both his hands and moved them to wrap around your waist. He tightly held onto your waist and didn’t let go. You pulled him back into the kiss, letting your fingers run through his hair. He lightly hummed against the kiss, causing you to smirk.

You pulled out of the kiss. “You better call me.” You jokingly warned him.

“Don’t think I could forget if I tried,” Carmy said, as you headed back inside through the stage door.

He let out a sigh and raked his fingers through his now-messy hair. “She’s perfect,” he mumbled to himself. He took a few deep breaths before heading back inside.

“Ay, he’s back. We were starting to think you left, Carm.” Nat said, as Carmy rejoined their group.

“Holy shit,” Richie said, staring at Carmy in shock. Carmy froze, having no idea what Richie was talking about. “What?” Carmy asked, cluelessly.

Richie just chuckled at Carmy’s clear confusion. “Who were you outside with?” Richie asked, smirking at him. Carmy’s eyes went wide. “What—uhh what do you mean?” Carmy lied.

“So, that’s your own lipstick that you’re wearing?” Richie asked. Carmy realized what he meant and started furiously trying to wipe your lipstick off his lips, causing the whole group to start laughing. “So who was it?” Nat asked. Carmy refused to even look her in the eyes.

Then, Sydney spotted something on his hand as he tried to remove the lipstick. She grabbed his wrist and flipped his hand over. They all saw your name scribbled on his hand next to a phone number.

“Oh, shit. You got yourself your own little superstar, cousin?” Richie said, in shock.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Carmy said, pulling his hand away from Sydney. Carmy knew what teasing awaited him for the rest of the night. “I’m not gonna lie, I’m impressed. I didn’t think you’d be able to pull that off” Nat teased him.

Carmy wasn’t offended. He also was left wondering how he managed to get your phone number.

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Let me know if you want to be added to my taglist for all my imagines or for a specific character/fandom!!

[isuckatwritingsobenice]

can you do human Alastor with reader who’s like Velma Kelly from the musical Chicago? Fem reader please! and maybe mimzy is a bit jealous?

A/N: I love Chicago and Velma Kelly! I’ll be basing it off of the movie version just because it’s easier for me but tysm anon for your request!! I was on a writing block / super long break, but i’m hoping to try and get into the swing of things again! Hopefully I’ll be posting more and getting requests out since I have some good ones I do wanna expand on! We all know I’m a fien for human Alastor so I was really excited to write this.

Warnings: mentions of death & murder, fluff

Navigation!! // Masterlist!!

All That Jazz

He thinks you’re too full of yourself

He doesn’t like it about you, but also doesn’t like when other people insult you

Hes seen you live before, and honestly he was impressed

You dance quick and can keep up with him when you both dance together

He loves when you sing All that Jazz, he’s even rehearsed with you before

Now he does know about your sister and how you… you know, got rid of her and your ex-husband

Unfortunately for him, you work at Mimzys rival speakeasy, so Alastor sneakily goes to see you, though he doesn’t really care if Mimzy does find out

In his opinion his darling doe is a fine better singer than Mimzy but he’d never tell her that

He doesn’t have too, not when Mimzy drags him and a few of their other friends to your club to see you preform

Mimzy quote ¨didnt know why you were so popular¨

I mean for christs sake you killed a man and your own sister!

Well now she understands why you’re so popular, after seeing the way you sang and danced on stage

People were cheering and clapping by the end of your number, but you had so much more in store for them tonight

Especially if you knew you were being watched by a certain someone

You shake your hips a bit more and lift your skirt just enough to entice the crowd, give them something a little more to look forward too

Mimzy almost dies when you and Roxie do a number together, the guns and the flare, the white coats and dresses

People throwing roses at the two of you as you both exit the stage and Mimzy is fuming in her seat, no wonder her club is losing money when they have two acts practically running around naked on stage

Alastor meets you backstage in your dressing room where you’re freshening up your hair

Your manager comes in with Alastor in toe, his grin wide as he holds out a bouquet of roses.

¨You were great tonight dear!¨ He says, handing the flowers to you. Your dressing room has various bouquets all from him sitting on different shelves and tables.

¨Thank you so much, these will go right next to my mirror.¨ You say, taking the bouquet from Alastor with a kiss on his cheek. He smiles as he watches you put the bouquet next to your mirror.

¨ Would you like to get dinner dear? I hear a new restaurant has opened and it would be nice to give it a try. What do you say?¨ He asks, before you smile at him through the mirror.

¨I think I like that idea ¨ you say.

Heaven forbid anyone ever offend you in his presence, he WILL throw a fit and then go on a ten minute rant about how good of a dancer and singer you are.

Will sing with you while he plays the piano

Will ask you to sing for him whenever, but loves when you sing to him before bed

[hopkei]

Fantastics 100 Questions & Answers! Pt.2

Source: Monthly Exile August 2020 (Part one)

🚨Warning: may contain inaccuracies!🚨 Feel free to share elsewhere but please credit me🌻

~~

Questions 11-20

11. The surprise that made you the most happy so far? Sekai: When I became a member of Exile Taiki: My 20th birthday. Akira-san hosted the TRIBE members and Odake Masato-san and we did a countdown! (tn: Odake Masato is a lyricist, some of the songs he has written for Fantastics include Terminal, Dear Destiny, and Flying Fish, as well as songs for Exile, JSB3, Generations, and more) Sawa: 2018/1/29 when all the members wished me a happy birthday! Leiya: Birthday surprise from my peers/colleagues Hori: Two years ago when FANTASTICS got to join EXILE on their “STAR OF WISH” tour, on the day of rehearsal manager-san led me into Exile’s dressing room but it was completely dark,, then Exile and Fantastics members all celebrated my birthday. It is the memory of a lifetime!! Keito: My 20th birthday Yusei: While shooting the “Supersonic” music video for BOT, Generations senpais and Fantastics members prepared a cake and wished me happy birthday! Sota: When I turned 20, my parents sent me an album they made with a lot of old photos and messages from various people. Honestly, I looked at the messages when I was alone at home and cried a lot. (laughs)

12. What do you do when you’re soaking in the bath? Sekai: I don’t do anything Taiki: I blast music super loudly and sing! Read scripts for work! Sawa: I space out and try to fall asleep. I just barely manage to stay awake Leiya: Make songs Hori: I watch videos on my computer Keito: I watch anime, movies, and dramas on a streaming site. Yusei: I close my eyes and imagine a forest Sota: Lately, I’ve been practicing English by explaining what I did that day or things that happened! By myself. (laughs) Sometimes I’ll ask the wall questions and a chaotic time will pass in the water. As chaotic as it can be when you’re taking a bath

13. In your group, which member has the most amazing gap? Sekai: In Exile, Tetsuya-san. In Fanta, there’s no one lol Taiki: Seguchi Leiya. There is a big difference between when he is ON and when he is OFF. (laughs) Sawa: Yusei (゜∀゜) Leiya: Keito Hori: Sawanatsu-kun Keito: Horinatsu-kun Yusei: Yagi Yusei Sota: Sawamoto Natsuki-kun! Usually he is the laidback type that doesn’t come forward and talk much but in the dressing room or at a restaurant he becomes the most animated and excited! (laugh)

14. When did you decide/want to become an artist? Sekai: Through the experience I had in New York when I was a teenager Taiki: I watched an EXILE concert in 2009! Sawa: When I was dancing support for J SOUL BROTHERS / 「BLUE IMPACT」 Leiya: (I wanted to) ever since I became conscious  Hori: When I had the opportunity to be a support dancer for Sandaime J Soul Brothers LIVE TOUR 2014 "BLUE IMPACT”, and being able to accompany members on stage and see them up close, it seriously made me want to become an artist!  Keito: When I was participating in in the 2010 Exile Stadium Tour Yusei: When I was in middle school and sang in front of other people Sota: I like to sing and play instruments so jokingly my friends and I would sing lots of songs like a band, and it made me happy to see everyone from school watch my Timeline or receive messages, and I even won the singing competition alone at the school festival, then since I declared to the whole school “I will become a singer on the stage!” it became a dream that had to become true! (laugh) (tn: LINE Timeline (since changed to LINE VOOM) was a feature in the LINE app that allows users to post news and photos. it was essentially like facebook within the LINE app)

15. One song that has supported you through life? Sekai: Kageyama Hironobu - WE GOTTA POWER Taiki: Ketsumeishi - Nakama Sawa: EELMAN / 「Simple」 Leiya: Ketsumeishi - Nakama Hori: EXILE / 「Pure」 Keito: Going ON / EXILE, Tenohiranosune / EXILE, Kokoroe / Road of Major Yusei: Utada Hikaru - Hikari Sota: BEGIN ft アホナスターズ - Egao no Manma

16. The qualification do you want to get most right now? Sekai: Game programmer, Manga artist Taiki: Kanken (tn: The Japan Kanji Aptitude Test, it is to test the ability to read, write, and understand kanji) Sawa: Chef Leiya: Large motorcycle license Hori: Diving license (tn: this is not a typo. as in scuba diving.) Keito: Nutritionist Yusei: A teaching license! Sota: Mental health counselor. Because I love people! Please get more scared (laugh)

17. When you eat taiyaki, do you eat it starting from the head or the tail? Sekai: Head Taiki: Head Sawa: Head Leiya: Tail Hori: From the head! Keito: Head Yusei: I eat it from the head! Sota: The head! Did you think it’s the tail? It’s the head! #It's long #This is not something that needs a long answer

18. The strongest memory of shooting or interviewing with “Monthly EXILE”? Sekai: The first time we all came and made the page together by hand for the planned shoot (2017 February edition) Taiki: When we wore colorful shirts and shot a two-page layout. It was fun wearing glasses and colorful shirts like cicadas! (2019 November issue) Sawa: When I shot with Taiki-kun! (2019 May issue) Leiya: Taiki-kun’s individual published “Wanna Be, Wanna Do” Thanks to Taiki-kun’s consideration I was able to shoot something in a style I wanted to do for the first time (2018 December issue) Hori: The time before debut for Taiki’s issue and we did a shoot together with just the two of us. Even now when I think back on it, I think it was the most fun shoot! (2018 October issue) Keito: Fantastics first cover shoot (2019 February issue) Yusei: The shoot for the first time Fantastics was on the cover! (2019 February issue) Sota:The first time you let Fantastics shoot for the cover! (2019 February issue) With all of my might, thank you so much!

19. If you could use magic just once, what would you use it for? Sekai: I would make the number of uses unlimited Taiki: I want to restart my life from when I was 20! Sawa: I want to make a different self  (= ´ ∀ `)人(´ ∀ ` =) Leiya: Go back to a certain time and talk a lot Hori: To fly in the sky Keito: To fly Yusei: I want to fly! Sota: The magic to make a door anywhere #After that you can have a door everywhere

20. What do you want to be your last meal? Sekai: The tastiest thing in the world that I haven’t had the chance to eat yet Taiki: My mom’s homemade cooking Sawa: Grilled eel rice bowl!!! Leiya: My mom’s food Hori: Akadashi Miso soup (tn: miso soup that uses red bean paste) Keito: Yakiniku (grilled meat) Yusei: My mom’s homemade cooking! Sota: A hamburger!

[mercerislandbooks]

50 Years of Island Books: Nancy Stewart

If a bookstore could have a house band for kids, Nancy Stewart would be it! Nancy has been an Island resident and children's singer-songwriter for nearly forty years and over that time has become a fixture at Island Books storytimes. Her passion for the connection between early literacy and singing is infectious, and at times makes Saturday mornings noisy and happily disruptive.

Miriam: Can you tell me about how you first came to Island Books, Nancy? What was the Mercer Island community like at the time?

Nancy: We moved to Mercer Island in 1981, and even then, Island Books was the hub of the community. I was still performing in nightclubs at the time (among other things I was the house entertainment for an elegant little restaurant called Klahowyan, located in a little one-story mall across from the QFC). I began singing for children and when I made my first children's recording in 1989, I took it to Island Books. When I asked Fam Bayless, the owner at that time, if she would sell it, she said, "Well, I'll listen to it and if it's good, I will." It was that simple, and that began the wonderful relationship I have had with Island Books for the last forty years. In those days bookstores were the main retailer of children's music. The bookstore hand-sold our cassette recording for many years, and then the CD, along with many of my other titles, although Goodnight, Sleep Tight was always the best seller. Mercer Island looked quite different then, of course, but it always had a reputation for being a great place to raise kids, and a beautiful place to live. 

(An off-topic random piece of Island Books trivia I'm sure you know, the inside of the playhouse is decorated with sweet little drawings done by local artist and art teacher, Poo Putsch. I featured them as part of my sing-along scavenger hunt when I started Sing With Our Kids in 2012. Most adults have never been inside, so don't know).

Miriam: I didn't know that! There are so many personal touches and hidden stories in the store. Can you tell me about the most memorable events you participated in at the bookstore? We'd love to hear if you have any special anecdotes or mishaps to share.

Nancy: Ooo. So many events over almost forty years! The only mishap I can remember happened early on in my time at the bookstore, and it wasn’t exactly my mishap. Roger and Nancy were big fans of my Goodnight, Sleep Tight Lullaby recording and had the great idea of hosting pajama concerts at the store. What could go wrong? We got great crowds that could fill up the entire children's area. Barney (The Purple Dinosaur) and Friends was a very popular children's show at the time, and I had commented on how children often said, “Barney wrote that,” when I sang a traditional or even my own songs! Roger was very proud of the fact that he didn’t own a television and his kids wouldn't even know who Barney was. The “mishap” occurred one evening when Roger’s young son, Lewis, was in the front row. I asked for requests, and he began loudly chanting, “Barney! Barney! Barney!” Roger feigned total mortification and I, of course, never let him forget it! 

In 2012 when I launched my Sing With Our Kids Community Project, I knew I wanted Island Books to be an active partner. I scheduled a formal meeting with Roger to pitch my plan, and he immediately and enthusiastically got onboard. And that led to the next memorable event. 

Flash mobs were popular then, and I thought it would be amazing to have a flash mob with young children and their families at Island Books. I asked my fans to arrive at the store on a certain date and time, and simply browse in the children’s area. I would ask Roger if he had a copy of the Wheels on the Bus, and when he handed it to me, I would begin reading and singing. Families were to join in singing and make their way towards me as we all gravitated to the game area in a small mob. I’d even enlisted my friend, Charlie Williams, aka “The NoiseGuy,” a sound impressionist and comedian to perform his Noisy Alphabet after we sang. I had told everyone in advance we would video the whole thing and post it on YouTube. The excitement and silliness in the store that morning was incredible, and it was one of my favorite events ever. Roger was over the top in his impromptu role, and the parents and grandparents were dressed up and ready for the camera. Everyone sang along and it was an absolute blast! You can see video here https://youtu.be/DnFA4DOIwdc . It’s not great, but it is fun!

Miriam: That is awesome. Tell me about how Covid affected your relationship with the bookstore.

Nancy: I can’t reflect on Island Books without including Covid times. When Laurie bought the store, she asked the customers what changes they would like to see, and one of them was having a weekday storytime. She asked me to do it and we agreed on Wednesday mornings. It was very popular, and we had large groups of regular attendees. I had also just revamped the Saturday Evening Storytelling series and had scheduled some great guests. Then came March 23rd, 2020. I remember finishing what became my last storytime on the 18th, and it was eerily quiet in the bookstore. We all knew things were going downhill quickly, and sure enough, on March 23rd Governor Inslee issued the stay-at-home order. 

It was heartbreaking and surreal, but Laurie didn’t skip a beat. She asked if I could video and post Wednesday storytimes to keep them going. I knew nothing about how to do it and had only my phone and some lighting I borrowed from my son. For the next few months, I would let myself into the store through the back door and set up in the back of the children’s area. I won’t lie, it felt a bit dangerous. Laurie was working at her desk, but most of the time I didn’t even see her. I’ll never forget sitting by myself in this familiar beautiful space, now seemingly frozen in time. Although publishers had issued emergency permission to read and video their books, the first time I tried it my video was taken down within an hour. After that I only sang my own songs, and used my own visuals, sometimes just holding up a favorite book. It was surreal. You can still find those storytimes here https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyQQLjelm7Rt-0bLnkwZ6QDjsJxIULP3m

But we made it through, thanks to Laurie’s tireless work and ingenuity, and of course, dedicated staff. Our sweet, sweet families are back, and Island Books is once again filled with all the community sights and sounds that help make this such a magical place. The old ceiling fan once again works its magic calming fussy babies and customers once again must take the alternate path through the store as we spill into the main aisle on Saturday mornings. It’s the most joyful full-of-possibilities place I know, and it’s enough to make me want to sing (and read, of course)!

Miriam: Me too. I have the best memories of bringing my kids to your storytimes when they were little.

To our Island Books community: In the next 50 Years of Island Books installment, I’ll be talking to our key sales reps from the big publishing houses. They all have long-standing relationships with Island Books, and play an important role in our history.

—Miriam

[oliviab-scstudyabroad]

Argentina, Me Encantas

Hey friends! This past week and a half I had off for Semana de Turismo, like Spring Break in the U.S. All of the girls and I from my apartment decided to spend it in Argentina! There is so much to write about, so here is part one of my 10-day trip to Argentina.

The girls and I left early on Friday, March 31st and took a bus ride to Colonia, Uruguay, where the port is located for passengers to take a ferry to Buenos Aires. We rode on the Colonia Express ferry and enjoyed the 45-minute ride. When traveling to and from Argentina, most Uruguayans take the ferry because it’s cheaper, more convenient, and fun!

We arrived in Buenos Aires that afternoon and spent the night there. Something I immediately noticed is that Buenos Aires is HUGE! It’s so full of life, and it seems like there is always something to do (great people watching too). My first objective was to change my dollars to Argentine pesos, and it was a startling to hear people in the street yelling “cambio, cambio!”. Luckily, my friend who’s from Argentina had told me that the cuevas are wanting to exchange your dollars for pesos under the “blue dollar.” Because the rate of inflation in Argentina is between 60-70%, the Argentine peso isn’t worth much, so Argentines like to “buy” the dollar because it’s a much more stable currency. And how does this help foreigners? Essentially, tourists can either can change their dollars for pesos under an official bank and receive 170 pesos for every dollar, or they can change under the dollar blue rate and get 350 pesos for every dollar. Fortunately, one of the girls’ cousins who is studying abroad in Argentina took me to a secure place to change my dollars, so I had money to burn!

After a night of munching on empanadas and trying some delicious helado (ice cream), the girls and I woke up early the next day to catch a flight to Salta, which is in northern Argentina! We headed straight to our Airbnb after arriving, which had a gorgeous view of the whole city! We then went to eat at la Vieja Estancia (recommended by our taxi driver) and tried a regional dish of locro! It’s basically a stew with cooked meat and vegetables. We also had a glass of white wine to go with it (Torrontes) because Salta is known for their local wines and brews. My entire meal was about $7. Can you believe it?! Everything was ridiculously cheap.

After that, we roamed the city and stopped upon some beautiful churches, including the Basílica Menor y Convento de San Francisco. I noticed that people are very reverent and respectful in the Catholic churches. Even if they are just stopping by to snap a picture, an Argentine will kneel and do the sign of the cross before leaving. The faith is an integral part of Argentines’ lives.

If you’re traveling to Salta, you must visit a peña. I had found through my research that peñas are restaurants in northern Argentina that have live folk music! I had asked the Airbnb host where the most local peña was, and she suggested La Casona del Molino. We decided to have dinner there at night! The line was long to get in and there was even some sort of security guard at the door with James Bond glasses, but once we finally got in, sat and watched a group of four play the guitar and tambourine and sing famous Argentine songs. There were several rooms in the Casona, each one with its own singer. I was most amazed by the fact that every Argentine knew the words to every song! The national anthem played at one point, and everyone stood and sang along. It was a special experience; I had goosebumps the whole time. Salta’s nickname is “Salta la Linda”, and for good reason.

The next morning, the girls and I rented a car to head to Tilcara-Jujuy! It was a struggle to rent the car because a lot of people had the same idea to travel to Tilcara during the break, and we couldn’t make reservations online. We finally lucked out and did the 3-hour drive through the foothills of the Andes. It was incredible to see loose horses, pigs, and lambs in the middle of the road!

We arrived and headed to our Airbnb (probably my favorite out of the 3 we stayed at). It felt like we were in the middle of nowhere, but that’s what I liked about it. We had a gorgeous view of the mountains, and because we were so high up in altitude (11,000 feet), the clouds were right above us! We went to another peña that night and listened to an incredible guitar player. He gave us a book of songs in which we could request one for him to play, and the book probably had about 200 songs in it that he knew by heart! We asked him to play “Under the Bridge” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers and “Love of my Life” by Queen. We were seated next to a group of five Argentine ladies, and at one point, they stood up and invited us to dance! We took each other’s hands and strutted around the restaurant, did the conga line, etc. Again, another experience I’ll never forget. They gave us their Instagram and told us that if we ever needed anything to let us know. Que linda!

Those were my first three days in Argentina. Stay tuned for Part Two!

[evedreams]

Jesse McCartney

Entry Number: 8 Dream: Justin Arana (8) Summary: Eve and Justin watch Jesse McCartney live. Rating: G

“Can you believe it,” Eve started, “we’re watching Jesse McCartney live.”

Justin admitted that he didn’t know Jesse McCartney too well. Eve joked that he was probably too young to remember. “I’m only three years younger than you!” he exclaimed. “Maybe you’re getting too old.”

Eve frowned. “Maybe I am.”

Justin gave her a tight squeeze. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding.” He kissed the top of her head. “We’ll watch him live, don’t worry.”

“I hope there aren’t too many people, and we get good seats.”

Unfortunately, when they arrived, the line to the restaurant was already long. Eve was disheartened, but Justin shook his head and said, “We’re going to get in, okay? I promise you.”

“But you don’t know that,” she said with a pout.

He smiled. “We’ll get in, I promise.”

The restaurant finally opened an hour later, and the crowd rushed inside. Justin held onto Eve tightly as the wave carried them in. The good seats were taken, but Justin spotted a table that seemed good enough.

“I told you, didn’t I?”

Eve smiled. She looked at the stage where the singer was performing “Because You Live.” “Because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help,” she sang along. “Because you live, girl, my world, has everything I need to survive…” Her voice softened. “That’s true, you know. You’ve been helping me with these thoughts.”

Justin reached out to touch her hand. “And you do the same for me.”

Eve leaned forward but jerked back and gasped. “I love this song! It’s my favorite!”

Justin looked up at the stage and tilted his head. “Which one is this?”

But Eve had already started singing along. “Don’t ever need to get caught up in jealousy. She can be a supermodel on every magazine cover. She’ll never ever mean a thing to me.”

Justin smiled.

“She’s no you, oh no, you give me more than I could ever want. She’s no you, oh no, I’m satisfied with the one I got, ’cause you’re all the girl that I ever dreamed. She’s only a picture on a magazine. She’s no you, she’s no you!”

Justin tried to squeeze in a few words, but she continued to sing along. “No one’s ever gonna get to me, oh, the way you do. Now baby, can’t you see that you’re the only one, the only one, who’s ever made me feel this way? Nothing’s ever coming even close, no, no one’s ever been comparable to you…”

“Peng—”

“She’s no you, I’m satisfied with the one I got, ’cause you’re all the girl that I ever dreamed. She’s only a picture on a magazine. She’s no you, she’s no you!” Once the music died down, she clapped her hands with great gusto. “Woo!”

Once she was done, she turned to Justin with a huge grin on her face. “I love that song,” is all she said.

“I noticed,” he replied with a laugh.

She laughed as well. “It’s my favorite Jesse song.”

Fortunately, it was intermission, and Justin and Eve were able to talk properly.

“Penguin,” he started, “that song, um… ‘She’s No You’? That song fits my thoughts perfectly, to a T.” He smiled. “So whenever you overthink, just sing your favorite Jesse song and remember that’s how I feel.”

“I told you I stopped overthinking,” she said, lying.

“I don’t believe you’ll ever stop overthinking, honestly.” He sighed. “Even when we’re married, I know you’ll overthink.” He took Eve’s hand and rubbed the ring on her finger. “But I promise you, ‘She’s No You’ portrays my feelings exactly.”

“I do really love that song,” she scoffed.

Justin leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

The show began again, and whenever Eve sang along, Justin did not bother to interrupt. Towards the end, people asked for an encore. Jesse chuckled and asked which song. Eve, of course, wanted “She’s No You,” but she knew it would be “Beautiful Soul.” And it was.

“Am I crazy for wanting you, maybe? Do you think you could want me too? I don’t wanna waste your time. Do you see things the way I do? I just want to know if you feel it. There is nothing left to hide…”

Now Justin could not help but grin.

“I don’t want another pretty face. I don’t want just anyone to hold. I don’t want my love to go to waste. I want you and your beautiful soul… Beautiful soul, yeah… Oh yeah, your beautiful soul… Yeah…”

She turned back to him. “Do you know him well now?”

“Still no,” he said. “But he’s pretty good. I can see why your generation loves him.”

“My generation?”

He winked.

[writerchickmarie]

John Lloyd Young - A Magical Musical Trip Through Jersey

John Lloyd Young was in a Jersey State Of Mind on Friday night...even more than usual. And he led those of us who were in the audience on a magical trip through Jerseyland, which made for an unforgettable evening at Bell Theater in Holmdel.

This adventure took many forms, including stories both about the Jersey Boys productions that JLY has been in, and the various experiences that he has had in the state itself, from where he lived at various points to Italian restaurants that he loves to visit while back in town. It was a fun and knowledgeable history lesson than enhanced the musical selections of the evening.

He opened with "Walk Like A Man", starting everything off on a strong Jersey related note. He then moved into his powerful version of "My Prayer", filling the theater with his rich voice and commanding the stage from the start.

Accompanying JLY on piano was Andrew Hertz, a friend and fellow Brown alum who not only shared his skills on the keys, but provided some very cool background vocals as well. It all added to the enjoyment of the night.

JLY mentioned that when he got his big break playing Frankie Valli on Broadway, he lived in Jersey City and commuted to NYC to perform. In honor of his Broadway dreams coming true, he performed a beautiful "I Have Dreamed" from The King And I. He followed with "In The Still Of The Night", which showcased his non-JB falsetto abilities.

He told the story of finding out that he and Frankie both have the same vocal idol, then performed two of this singer's tunes. One is extremely well-known, and JLY made "Only The Lonely" his own while paying homage to the original. The other song was a previously unreleased Roy Orbison track that he likes to perform on occasion. The haunting "Say No More" is a perfect fit for him, and I hope he is able to get whatever permission he needs to record and release this song himself. It is THAT good.

After a poignant "Since I Fell For You", JLY came around to greet the audience while singing "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me". It's always a thrill for us...and also so special to witness new audience members receive that thrill for the first time.

Up next was the dedicated Jersey Boys segment of the show, beginning with favorite "Can't Take My Eyes Off You". JLY also brilliantly performed a section of the song in Italian, which he said he definitely needed to do for the New Jersey Italian contingent. He told stories about his trip to Cuba in conjunction with "Big Girls Don't Cry", and we got to participate in this one as well. Along with tales from set and on location filming the Jersey Boys movie, and singing the lovely "My Eyes Adored You", he told the interesting story of how the mayor of Jersey City gave him the key to the city after he had been on Broadway for a while. It definitely sounded like a Gyp DeCarlo moment!

He related the entertaining story of singing to Smokey Robinson in Cuba, then sang that song for us. "Ooh Baby Baby" was perfectly done, also showing off that incredibly stunning and clear falsetto. JLY then said he had to add another Broadway song for the evening - the soul-stirring "Empty Chairs At Empty Tables". I still wish I could have seen JLY play Marius in Les Miserables at the Hollywood Bowl...but I'm so glad he still performs this song in his sets for us.

He finished the night with "Show And Tell", complete with audience participation, his incomparable version of "Maybe I'm Amazed", and a little more Jersey Boys with "Working My Way Back To You" and "Sherry, with all of us on our feet and singing along.

There were quite a few priceless, fun moments that are difficult to describe in detail; they were something you had to experience in person. (Extra incentive to come see JLY in concert as often as possible!) Those of us who purchased VIP tickets in the first two rows also got to have a reception/meet and greet with JLY after the show, where we had a chance to talk and take pictures together at the microphone. It was a wonderful evening in Jersey, in every way.

JLY has many concerts and special tour events coming up, so be sure to check his website so you can also participate in all of the fun. The best is yet to come...and I am so glad that we as friends and fans are all part of this magical ride!

[1d1195]

you're SO REAL for calling those children feral bahah Im not sure if you ever answered this but what's your ideal age range to teach?

I AM MOURNING MY HOT PROFESSOR 😭

THOSE DO COUNT BESTIE!!! I am a HUGE supporter for funding the arts especially in public schools! but NOT THE VOICES?! but lowkey me too lol But i bet your voice isn't as bad as you may think!! Also you having a Harry air freshener is very much on brand for you in the best way possible! what's the scent bestie? do you lean more towards sweet scents or floral?

Omg Harry would not want me in a band like that Im not cool enough hahah so i played the tuba... wild bc I started when I was like 7 and it was such an odd instrument for a young child BUT my first music teacher saw like "potential" in me or whatever and honestly i was wanting to play something shiny lol and all my education was done through school and luckily they were all preforming art schools! and like my connection to music is more complex than that but yeah lol which is also why i am a big supporter for anything creative in general!

ALSO THE PHYSICS EXTRA WAS SOOO GOOD!!!! They are just so cute! I do love some angst once in a while and once again I am living through them lol Makes so much sense that they would have this "misunderstanding" of them being official or not. Especially if they never stated it and knowing how the MC does have her insecurities surrounding the girls Harry use to surround herself with, I don't blame her for answering like that! Oh and it was so cute how we got to see them both slightly freak out about one another lol

AND THEY SAID THEY LOVE EACH OTHER😭 AND HARRY ASKING HER TO BE IS GF?! SO CUTE! all of it was so cute! You did so great bestie! Hope you're okay, love you!-💜

It's my own fault tbh. I teach at the high school level. Mainly 14/15 year old hooligans but I have a group of 17/18 year olds that are a delight to teach despite the fact they probs hate me lol. Add in teaching math they get tired of me pretty quick (it was pi day yesterday! 🎉) though I can't imagine why! 😂

I am in no way tooting my own horn but I am a good singer (you would hope, I sang for a really long time. I would think one of my teachers would have told me) I just am too shy to sing in front of people lol

Ma'am the Harry air freshners I have are HORRIBLE scent-wise HAHAHAHAHA but the scent goes away quick and honestly I just keep them to look at Harry while driving. The current one i have is him dressed as Dorothy from Harryween but I think it's time to swap him out for another one. I got them off Etsy! They're really cute even if they smell bad. I don't know how to say this but I don't know what scents I like? I like the idea of florals but it's gotta be subtle. I love the smell of cotton/clean linen type scents (anything that smells fresh) and I also LOVE Christmas candles. If it smells like pine, or balsam, or sandalwood count me in. I want it to smell like a campfire without the campfire if that makes sense.

Harry would appreciate the musicality in you for sure! I bet we could pop some tuba into one of the songs! Music for a Sushi Restaurant already has a lot going on, why not add the tuba as well? It's so special music is something you are so passionate about and I think it's really cool you're into the technical side of things of music as well. I never took music theory (but I hear there is some math involved so I wish I did!) but nonetheless, I love STEM stuff but you can't have one without the other. I think I would die without music.

SO glad you liked Physics! I know you saw I really wasn't sure what to do with it so I'm glad it worked out well! It's really nice I have you to analyze my own writing because sometimes I miss the stuff you point out (like the part regarding how she doesn't know it's official/how he was around other girls) LOL Usually I just write stuff until I see fit and post it without thinking much of it outside of grammar, spellcheck, and making sure it flows okay hehehehe I appreciate you so much! 💕 I think they'll both be much happier being official now too 🤭

hope you have a lovely weekend!

xoxo

[nickgerlich]

Long, Strange Trip

The Grateful Dead once sang, “Lately It Occurs To Me, What A Long Strange Trip It's Been.” I can’t think of a better way to describe the last 12 weeks.

Back when we started the semester on the 21st of August, I’m betting some—OK, many—of you were wondering just how in the world you were going to get through 84 of my blogs. It can seem daunting, for sure. But you hung in there and made it to the very last one.

Tomorrow morning you can kick back and relax. I will too, because my fingers and my brain need a little break. That doesn’t mean that I won’t keep looking for newsworthy items, because that is a habit I instilled many years ago.

If you’re going to be in business, regardless of whether you are a marketer, financier, accountant, HR specialist, or whatever, you must keep your ear to the ground at all times. Change is around us, and if you can’t stay in front of it, then it may very well kick you to the back of the line.

And that is my broader message and reason for doing things the way I do them. Think of the last 12 weeks as a sort of boot camp, an intense period of training and getting used to the rigors of good professional health. I’m sure it hurt at times. And to be fair, every once in a while it hurt over here, too, because topics don’t always just fly off my computer screen every day like a drip irrigation system.

I have enjoyed reading your responses. You have shown great progress in assessing a situation, and seeing how it applied to your life, your line of work, and so forth. That was my point.

As for this long, strange trip we’ve been on, think back to the very beginning. If you are interested, you can find everything at nickgerlich.tumblr.com, and click “Browse The Archive.”

Our first discussion focused on the biggest movie of the year, Barbie, and what a marketing bonanza that has been for Mattel. In that same blog, we also noted the difficulties Bud Light was���and still is—having following “that incident” last April.What a way to kick off the semester, eh? Brewing controversy and a movie that some also saw as controversially “woke” helped set the stage for a memorable term. There’s never a dull moment in marketing.

From there we dove into how Taco Tuesday is now more or less in the public domain (even though restaurants had been acting like it was for years). ChatGPT and AI in general became the elephant in the blogging living room. We mourned the death of Jimmy Buffett, one of the most successful singer/songwriters ever who just also happened to be a savvy businessman.

And then there was the “wave your hand” of shopping at Whole Foods, and paying with a quick scan of your palm. That freaked out some folks. We visited robotics on more than one occasion, and hit on a Christmas shopping season that started while it was still sizzling hot outside. Those marketers, I tell you. If they could get away with it year-round, I’m sure they would.

As usual, there were companies that showed up several times, like Amazon and Walmart. When you are a mover and shaker, you wind up in the news a lot because you are taking chances and making things happen. I will never avoid a company that keeps forging ahead, even if they have five or more mentions in the term. Heck, Coca-Cola needs an honorable mention for making it into the blog only three days apart this last week.

Yes, a long, strange trip indeed, and every semester is different from the ones before. I never know where this thing is going to go, although I confess to looking far and wide for some examples of key topics that need to be illustrated. You have all played a role in writing the unofficial text book of the course, the compendium of blogs and responses.

And you have done superbly. I tip my hat.

Here we are, in the middle of November. Aside from a bunch of grading and a few more in-class lectures for my undergrads, my work is done. After 69 semesters and 34 summer terms, one might think I’d be getting tired and ready to re-tire. But no. I’m still loving every minute of it, and will keep doing this until I don’t. In some regards I feel like I’m just getting warmed up.

I hope you feel the same way, too. You’re just getting warmed up. The best is yet to come. As we draw this term to a close, may you go in peace with the knowledge you have gained in this course. May you keep your ear to the ground, ready to respond at a moment’s notice to the changes that will affect you and your job. And may you all do good wherever you go, to whomever you are with.

In so doing, you will have proven yourself as the ultimate professional.

Dr “Signing Off For Two Months” Gerlich

Audio Blog

[fatopiaplus]

Rob Ratcliff

Hey. How ya doin'? As you can see, my name's Rob Ratcliff. I'm not really here because I think I deserve to be here ... but Kia was a sugar and insisted I belonged her because of the circumstances of my, shall we say, transformation. Me, bein' a rat and she's a lioness, I thought I'd better agree.

I left home when I was pretty young because my parents and I didn't much get along well and I had grandiose dreams of being a rock star. I played guitar and sang, but I really didn't hit the big time like I'd wanted. My dad died sometime after I left, and I felt so much shame that I never went back home. I was working at a restaurant in the daytime and worked as a musician in bars at night. This isn't what I wanted. I got into a band as lead singer and guitarist and we went on a college tour, gaining a little popularity. Then, when I'd gone near my hometown, I saw that there was a fundraiser going on to get this girl an operation to save her eyesight and if she didn't have the operation, she would eventually go blind, or worse, the tumor would continue to grow and kill her. My mouth dropped when I saw that it was my little sister, Sarah. I didn't want her to know I was there ... so I went to the hospital and talked to the doctors to find out just how expensive the operation was going to be. The cost was several hundreds of thousands of dollars and although they had insurance and had raised a lot of money, they were still about $34,000 short. I couldn't afford that ... but I couldn't let Sarah die either ... That's when I saw the ad for a clinical test subject. They said the non-physical test subject would be given a bonus of $25,000 and would receive comfortable living, including a residence and furnishings, clothing allowances and pay of $2500 a month. Anxiously, I called the number and waited for an answer. After a few minutes of talking to the woman on the phone, I was overjoyed to hear that no one had yet filled the non-physical test subject. In twenty minutes, I was on my way to be interviewed. The woman who interviewed me was attractive, if a little older than me and she sat me down to fully explain what was expected of, and what was going to happen to, me. She told me that Gainex 6 was a dietary supplement that was designed to give extra energy to athletes or to provide extra nutrition to those who were malnourished or grossly underweight. In order for me to, basically be set for life, I would take the supplement as if I were a world class athlete but refrain from doing any strenuous activity. In essence, they were gonna see how much fat I gained taking the supplement if I did no exercise. I agreed. The woman asked me why I was doing this. She asked if I was a feedee. I told her I didn't know what that was, but my little sister needed an operation and without she'd die. I told her how much the operation was and she made arrangements to have the bill paid when I began treatment. I asked her not to tell my mom and sister where the money was coming from. I didn't want them to know. The woman agreed. The next day, I had all my physical stats measured and documented. Then the twelve week treatment began.

End of First Week: By the end of week one, I've gained 20 pounds, bringing my weight to 181 lbs. I'd been given the dosage of two pills twice a day. I have a hard time believing how fast and easily the weight had come. I hadn't eaten any more food than I normally did and now my pants are really tight in the gut. It's really dawning on me why I 'm the only one to volunteer ... or be chosen.

End of Second Week: The second week shows me a gain of 25 pounds, for a total of 45 so far. I had to wear my belly over my pants by the middle of the week because I couldn't get them fastened any other way. Weighing in, I was 206 pounds. It's my heaviest weight ever. I feel depressed and a little disgusted at myself, having to resort to��being a lab rat to help my little sister. It sucks.

End of  Third Week: An additional pill for each dose was added to my regimen daily and by the end of the third week, I gained 50 pounds. 256 pounds. I can't even get my jeans up past my hips. My gut is getting huge and my thighs look pretty fat. If I'd gained 95 pounds in three weeks ... I can only cringe at the thought of the remaining nine weeks. I understand why the stipend is so high. I'm not going to be able to do anything. What have I done? What have I done?

End of  Fourth Week: When I woke up this morning, I was 60 pounds heavier for the week. 316 pounds and 155 for the study. Over the last week, I stopped to really take note of myself and what was going on. There were worse things in life than growing obese. Lots more. And if it meant that Sarah would be well again, who cared how fat I got? If  I got bigger than a house, then at least my baby sister would be taken care of and that's what mattered to me. The research scientist, Hollie Ward, noted my more jovial attitude and complimented me on it. She was quite pretty when she smiled and I began to look forward to her thorough weekly exams.

End of Fifth Week: This morning was a bit of a benchmark as I'd gained 75 pounds. I am 391 pounds now and my stomach is getting bigger and bigger. And softer. Every single pound I've gained went right below the skin, so when I walk around, I jiggle like Jell-o. Hollie cut me back to one pill three times a day and we both waited to see what would happen.

End of Sixth Week:  Call me crazy, but I am acually disappointed to find I've only gained 32 pounds this week. I'm up to 423, but I feel as good as I did when I was thin. Actually, I felt better. Funny, huh? My face has gotten rounder now, and I have a distinct double chin, but I feel very contented. Hollie wants to keep me on a lower dosage and there's nothing I can do to stop it.

End of Seventh Week: This morning's weigh-in confirms that the drug doesn't stay long in the system, because I've only gained another 31 pounds. I'm up to 464 and I'm hoping Hollie will up the dose again. I feel very good about being fat now and I do want to be bigger than I am right now. I'm going to talk to her about it tomorrow when I go in for my weekly supply of pills.

End of Eighth Week: Still no increase in pills. In fact, she took me down to one pill a day from three. Over the week, I gained a miserable four pounds. I'm only 468. Shoot! I think I can do better than that on my own by just eating a couple of pies. My fat is kinda like a drug, because I want more. I'm not addicted or nothin' but I would like to be fatter.

End of Ninth Week: I'm now up to a whopping 473 due to the fact that I'm still on only one pill a day. I guess I should be grateful because I'm not losing weight. I took time off during the week to check in at the hospital to see how Sarah was doing. She'd had her surgery the week before and the doctor said she was doing very well and that the surgery was an incredible success. She must have heard me asking the doctor about her, because I had seen her peek out from her room and look down the hall at me. She said my name, as if she sorta recognized me, but wasn't sure. I almost looked at her, but instead, hurried away. She came after me, calling my name again, but I was into the elevator before she could really see my face. How grateful I was to have my fat body. She wasn't sure it was me, and I didn't want her to know it was me. I couldn't come back into their lives now ... not when I'd abandoned them. That would be too selfish.

End of TenthWeek: Success! Hollie gave me eight! Eight pills a day for one week only! When I rolled out of bed this morning, I waddled (yes, I no longer walk - I waddle) to the office for my weigh-in. Drum roll please! I am now 602! That's 129 pounds gained in seven days! My total weight gain in ten weeks is 431 pounds. I've gained more than three times my original weight. Hollie seems to linger a little longer these days when she's measuring my waistline. I asked her if she liked me ... as boyfriend material. I told her I wasn't as smart as she was, but I could sing to her and play my guitar to serenade her. She smiled and told me yes. I couldn't believe it! She said she liked me as a boyfriend ... but then I asked her if she had a boyfriend. She told me yes. My heart sank. She told me about him. His name was Robert, but he went by Rob and that he was a very fat guy, but he was sweet and selfless and that she had been dating him for about ten weeks. Imagine my shock!

End of EleventhWeek: This week, Hollie cut me back to four pills and I only gained 35 pounds because I was using more of the calories to maintain my weight. If I wanted to stay big, I'd have to continue taking 2-3 pills a day. If I wanted ... If ... as I sit here and write this down, there's no doubt in my mind. I don't want to be thin ever again. I love this man that I've become, down to the last flabby inch and pound. I'll never go back unless my health fails, but again, I feel better now with all this poundage than I did when I was skinny. Hollie says that the medicine has adapted my body for extreme fatness and that the fat has made me healthier. Sounds really odd, but I believe her. My weight this morning was 637. Maybe I'll make it closer to 700 for next week. It's my last week. I can feel my pants getting tighter every day and it won't be more than three or four days before these pants are history. I can barely get them on now. As for my neck, it's history. I've only got chins. =) )) I'm happier now than I've ever been. Thank God for this clinical trial!

End of Twelfth Week: Hollie was an angel! She rigged it so I would gain close to a hundred pounds. A little under, but I'm happy to be an enormous 721 pounds. Now that I'm so obese (and happily so!) she's taking me to the wonderful home I now own. I was really shocked to see the house. It's so huge! Everything inside is geared for my size. My bed, bathroom, everything is designed with a super-sized person in mind. There's even a bidet! Lord knows I need one, as big as my butt is. For the first time since this started, I got to look at myself in a full length mirror. Man! I'm a lard-bucket! A handsome, super-fat man. I could see that my belly was down to my knees and my thighs and calves had rolls of fat on them which made them a little lumpy, but it was fine with me. Happy at last. My sister was being cared for, and I had a place of my own and money to keep me living comfortably.

Twenty-fourth Week after Treatment: My weeks of bliss turned to terror today. Sarah and Mom ... they found me. Seems Mom insisted to know who provided the aid to pay for the surgery. When White Plains Research Center's name came up, she called and through some smooth talking, she managed to get enough information out to get my name. A little more sleuthing and she found my home. When the doorbell rang and I waddled up to answer it, imagine my horror to see Mom standing there, eyes wide as saucers and slackjawed.  She'd last saw me three years ago, at 160 pounds and looking rather rough. Now I was in the grossly obese category, even though quite cleaned up. She spoke my name and I nodded, telling her that it was, indeed, her son Robert. Sarah pushed past Mom and pushed herself up against my gut. She said "I knew it was you, Rob!" in a rather, "I told you so" tone of voice. Mom told me that she'd wanted to find out who'd paid the hospital bills and that she'd gotten the info from the research center. She asked me where I got the money to help out. I put my hands on my fat belly and told her I volunteered to be a guinea pig and let myself be fattened by the Gainex 6 pills to pay for Sarah's operation. Mom's eyes filled with tears and she moved to me and hugged me. She told me I'd always be her little boy. Mom and Sarah's moving in with me and Hollie has agreed to marry me. I'm not a hero. I'm just an average guy who managed to get three wishes to come true: 1. I was able to get my sister cured. 2. I was able to come back home and find a girl who loved me without condition (save that I never decided to get thinner =D)) and 3. I've found what makes me truly happy. I've been very lucky. Thank you, God.

*A note from Akia: I've had the immense pleasure of meeting Rob in person. I've never met anyone as jovial and happy being so fat as he is. Hollie decided to take a week's worth of pills and now she's a plump 270 lbs herself. Take a look at Rob's band's album: Twenty Jars: Finding Yourself. Released on NewVision Records.

[tmlfan1977]

For those who don't know, I've been a singer for most of my life. I'd first discovered my love of singing when I was 11 years old when a friend of my sister's had invited us over to visit one day. It was there when I was introduced to karaoke. The girl's father owned a machine and a plethora of tapes. Up until that point, I'd spent much of my childhood singing along to songs on the radio. But karaoke was a game changer. The ability to sing my favorite songs using instrumental backing tracks was a concept I'd not known about prior to then..... and I was hooked!

It wasn't until I was 14 years young when I decided to take a chance by calling every bar and restaurant in town which ran karaoke. I was brutally honest with each of them by stating my age and that all I wanted to do was sing. Surprisingly, 95% of the places were cool with it! Even better, my mom was ok with me going to these places to do it!

I still remember the first bar I'd ever sang at. It was a place called "My Uncle's Pub". As coincidence would have it, the man who ran the karaoke there was none other than the father of my sister's friend who had introduced me to it only 3 years prior. Small world!

Needless to say, I took every chance I could to go out and sing, and even became a "regular" at a number of places. Friday nights (and some Thursdays), I'd sing at a bar called Brewsky's.... and Sunday nights you would always find me at the Desert Inn in a lounge called Stingers. A few years later, I'd spend my Friday nights singing at RJ's Bar & Grill, which was located inside Woodlawn Bowl (a bowling alley).

When I turned 19 (the legal drinking age in Canada), I switched up RJ's for Knights of Columbus on Friday nights, which became my watering hole for close to 20 years. I have so many great memories of that place, and had made a lot of friends!

It was around 2009 or so when I was asked by a longtime friend if I'd be interested in joining his band. He was a drummer, and his friend was a keyboard player. So the 3 of us played together for a few years. We didn't really "go" anywhere, save for a couple of private parties. Unfortunately, the drinking and the drugs between the two of them were a little much for me to deal with, so I chose to leave.

From that point on, I'd sang very little. I would go to karaoke at the Red Chevron Club maybe 2 or 3 times a year at best. I really didn't have the passion for it anymore.

This past October, I'd received a call from the aforementioned friend from my previous band of which I'd left, asking me if I'd be willing to sit in with him and another fellow who played guitar. Knowing why I'd left previously, I was promised that drinking and drugs would be non-existent. So I agreed.

We called ourselves The Basement Dwellers, a name I concocted as we played in the basement of 90 Carden Street in downtown Guelph. Google that address if you'd like to learn of its significance.... or lack thereof.

We didn't go far as a 3-piece, aside from a Facebook live stream we put together in mid-December. But, we were asked by the Pastor of the Royal City Mission to perform as part of their "Beat the Winter Blues" fundraising concert in March of this year.

That night will forever be ingrained in my mind as one of the greatest nights of my life. We performed a 7 song set along with a guest bass player. Prior to the show, I was incredibly nervous about being a "front man". After all, I'd done nothing but karaoke my entire life. They call your name. You get up. You sing your song. You sit down. You wait your turn to do it again.

For weeks prior to the event, I'd rehearsed in my head what I was going to say before and after each song. I'd literally never had to do anything like it before. So when I went up there that night, I'd put all insecurities aside, and I was a FRONT MAN! I had people clapping and cheering. I was cracking jokes. I sang "Happy Birthday" to one of the attendees. After our set, we even received a standing ovation. Watching the footage back, I'd absolutely shocked myself. I didn't realize I had it in me to do what I did that night. It goes without saying that I didn't come down from that natural high for days!

Anyway, we had decided before that point that this would be the Basement Dwellers' first, last and only gig. There were a number of issues surrounding a particular member of the band, which at that point had reached a level of absurdity.

But as they say.... When one door closes, another one opens.

I had started attending these Thursday open jams at a downtown establishment, where shortly after I was asked to join a newly formed band by the guy who was running the open jams. The rhythm guitarist from my previous band was also asked to join. Soon thereafter, a drummer had joined us, as well as a bass player, who concurrently played with the drummer in another band. We were known as the Downtown All-Stars.

From February until June, we'd play at the same place every Thursday hosting these open jams. It was fun for the most part, but quickly became cumbersome as many times our only audience were the same few regulars week after week. We had a handful of weeks where a plethora of talent would come and grace the stage. Those were the nights I enjoyed most. Unfortunately, in the four months we'd hosted this event, we received no payment of any kind. It seemed unfair because, especially on the busy nights, the establishment was thriving. I'd advertised the open jams to the hilt on as many platforms as I could find, and I gave 110% every single week on that stage to the point where my throat would be hoarse for most of the following week.

In late May, a gentleman saw us perform and had asked us to perform a set for Royal Distributing's inaugural "Bike Night" of the summer, an annual 2-month long event where bikers would come and show off their hardware, etc. I was absolutely ecstatic about being asked because I'd considered it our first big break!

During our soundcheck, I literally could not hear myself through the monitor to save my life. As any singer will tell you, you HAVE to be able to hear yourself. Otherwise, you're more or less tone deaf. I was quickly in panic mode because I literally didn't know how I sounded to the audience because I didn't even know how I sounded to myself. The problem was, the guitarists always had a tendency to be VERY loud. Even during open jams, you would constantly find the rhythm guitarist turning up his volume. The lead guitarist, who concurrently played in a punk band was equally as loud.

A few days following the show, I'd addressed the issue via group chat. The drummer and bass player were in agreement, whereas the rhythm guitarist's reply was standoff-ish, as though he'd done nothing wrong. It took 4 DAYS to get any kind of reply from the founding member and lead guitarist of the band..... Only for him to create a short video telling me that he didn't think anything needed to be changed. After all, he'd been in the business for yadda yadda years, and that there are a lot of places where singers can't hear themselves.

All this told me was that he didn't give a shit, and wasn't going to accommodate my concerns one iota. So I chose to leave. They'd held an open jam that following Thursday. I fully intended on going for one last go-round, but I'd decided against it at the last minute. If I was going to be disrespected THAT much, well..... What's good for the goose.

A couple of weeks after leaving, I'd posted an ad on the Guelph Musician's Hook-Up group, basically in search of another band looking for a vocalist. I'd specified that I was looking for like-minded musicians who were free from drama, ego and substance abuse issues.

Well wouldn't you know? This past Friday, I receive a private message from my former lead guitarist literally THREATENING me to take the ad down. He claimed that I was taking cheap shots at him, his band and his production company by stating "substance abuse" in my ad. The truth is, it had absolutely nothing to do with him. This was a personal preference..... a preference I'd even made when I created an ad 10 years ago when I was looking for a band. I told him. "Show me EXACTLY where I mention you, the band or your production company...... I'll wait......". He said if I didn't take it down, he would publicly defame MY character. For the sake of avoiding any kind of bullshit, I reluctantly took it down. After all, you can't reason with the unreasonable.

After talking to a few people however, I decided to re-instate the ad. I chose NOT to allow myself to get bullied, and I certainly don't take too lightly to threats. There were times over the past month where I had regrets, questioning whether leaving was the right thing to do..... but after he had threatened me, there was absolutely no question about it! I HAD done the RIGHT thing!

Anyway, as it stands. I don't know what the future holds in terms of singing. I'd like to think that the right band is out there somewhere. It's like someone said. You need to go where you are WANTED..... not needed. Truer words have never been spoken!

[evedreamsof]

jesse mccartney // j. arana

entry #17

summary: eve and justin watch jesse mccartney live

“can you believe it,” eve started. “we’re watching jesse mccartney live.”

justin had admitted that he did not know jesse mccartney too well. eve joked that he was probably too young to remember. “i’m only three years younger than you!’ he exclaimed. “maybe you’re getting too old.”

eve frowned. “maybe i am.”

justin gave her a tight squeeze. “i’m kidding, i’m kidding.” he kissed the top of her head. “we’ll watch him live, don’t worry.”

“i hope there aren’t too many people, and we get good seats.”

unfortunately, when they arrived, the line to the restaurant was already long. eve was disheartened but justin shook his head and said, “we’re going to get in, okay? i promise you.”

“but you don’t know that,” she said with a pout.

he smiled. “we’ll get in, i promise.”

the restaurant finally opened an hour later and the crowd rushed inside. justin held onto eve tightly as the wave carried them inside. the good seats were taken but justin spotted a table that seemed good enough.

“i told you, didn’t i?”

eve smiled. she looked at the stage where the singer was singing “because you live”. “because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help,” she sang along. “because you live, girl, my world, has everything i need to survive...” her voice softened. “that’s true, you know. you’ve been helping me with this...these thoughts.”

justin reached out to touch her hand. “and you do the same for me.”

eve leaned forward but jerked back and gasped. “i love this song! it’s my favorite!”

justin looked up at the stage and tilted his head. “which one is this?”

but eve had already been singing along. “don’t ever need to get caught up in jealousy. she can be a supermodel every magazine a cover. she’ll never ever mean a thing to me.”

justin smiled.

“she's no you, oh no, you give me more than i could ever want, she's no you, oh no, i’m satisfied with the one i got, ‘cause you’re all the girl that i ever dreamed, she’s only a picture on a magazine, she’s no you, she’s no you!”

justin tried to squeeze in a few word but she continued to sing along. “no one’s ever gonna get to me, oh, the way you do now baby can’t you see, that you’re the only one, the only one, who’s ever made me feel this way, nothing’s ever coming even close, no, no one’s ever been comparable to you...”

“peng--”

“she’s no you, i’m satisfied with the one i got, ‘cause you’re all the girl that i ever dreamed, she’s only a picture on a magazine, she’s no you, she’s no you!” once the music died down, she clapped her hands with great gusto. “wooh!”

once she was done, she turned to justin with a huge grin on her face. “i love that song,” is all she said.

“i noticed,” he replied with a laugh.

she laughed as well. “it’s my favorite jesse song.”

fortunately it was intermission and justin and eve were able to talk properly.

“penguin,” he started. “that song, um...she’s no you? that song fits my thoughts perfectly, to the t.” he smiled. “so whenever you overthink, just sing your favorite jesse song and remember that that’s how i feel.”

“i told you i stopped overthinking,” she said, lying.

“i don’t believe you’ll ever stop overthinking, honestly.” he sighed. “even when we’re married, i know you’ll overthink.” he took eve’s hand and rubbed the ring on her finger. “but i promise you, she’s no you portrays my feelings exactly.”

“i do really love that song.” she scoffed.

justin leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “i love you.”

“i love you, too.”

the show began again and whenever eve would sing along, justin did not bother to interrupt. towards the end, people asked for an encore. jesse chuckled and asked which song. eve, of course, wanted ‘she’s no you’ but she knew that it would be ‘beautiful soul’. and it was.

“am i crazy for wanting you, maybe do you think you could want me too, i don’t wanna waste you time, do you see things the way i do, i just want to know if you feel it, there is nothing left to hide...”

now justin could not help but grin.

“i don’t want another pretty face, i don’t want just anyone to hold, i don’t want my love to go to waste, i want you and your beautiful soul...beautiful soul, yeah...oh yeah, your beautiful soul...yeah...”

she turned back to him. “do you know him well now?”

“still no,” he said. “but he’s pretty good. i can see why your generation loves him.”

“my generation?”

he winked.

[gvldntrbl]

-⚜️-

Olivier sighed loudly once more when Toni announced that she was changing her attire. Again. Normally, the hybrid's patience wouldn't have ran as thin. But they had somewhere to be. A new reservation at the karaoke bar that he wanted to take her to. For those that knew Toni well enough, it was obvious that the witch was also a talented singer. Something that Olivier learned intimately since she moved in. The dark witch hummed and sang, depending on her mood, to herself and to the condo. Hell, it'd been unspoken for Ollie, but mentally since learning this habit of hers, he began to refer to her as Songbird. Fashionably, the artist wore dark colors. So not to clash with any of Toni's choices. ...If she finally decided on a look of their evening. Hell, Olivier wondered if instead of their reservation, if he simply should have closed down the restaurant instead. Or even bought the damn place for privacy.

While Valentine's Day wasn't exactly foreign to Ollie, some time had passed since he'd romantically participated. Today was the first Valentine's Day since they started living together. But wisely, he had Toni's gifts taken to the karaoke bar. Throughout the week, she'd gotten small gifts. Cute little tokens of his appreciation. The bar wasn't far and soon, hand in hand, the couple arrived. Color coordinating, of course and their table more than ready. After their drink orders were at the table, Antonia's gifts appeared for the witch. A smitten smile settled on Olivier features as her foot brushed his leg and she sang along, while dancing, to the tunes of the other karaoke singers during dinner. "Why do you think I reserved us a spot here?" Ollie asked before having another sip of his infused drink. The bar's literal hybrid food was good. But their drinks seemed better in that moment. "Do you want me up there? Unlike you, I'm not a good singer." Whichever deity above them deigned it right, in their wisdom, to not grant him that gift. Ollie laughed. "No. I have a few other talents. I'm not hiding them. But singing isn't one." He paused in brief thought. "Wait. Did I tell you that I can play a few instruments? The piano and violin."

"And of course, you're going to go up there and sing. Have you decided on your song yet?"

Who: Antonia + Olivier @gvldntrbl

Where: Northland Heights Karaoke Bar

When: Valentine's Day Flashback

Antonia had taken her time getting dressed for their date. She could feel Olivier probably rolling his eyes at her because she had changed three times. She wanted the day to be super special. She had already gotten him his gifts. And she wanted to look extra cute for their date. She had something special in mind for when they got to the karaoke bar and it was her turn to sing. For her this was the determining moment in their relationship. It was the moment she would ultimately tell him that she loved him. It would initially be via song, but still it held the same meaning.

Once they were there, she was glad that they had food options, because she was starving. She let her foot playfully brush his leg under the table as she ate, danced along, and carried on conversation with Olivier. "You already know I'm going to get up there, but am I going to get a surprise performance from you too? Which, now that I think about it, I've never actually heard you sing. Are you holding back on another talent? Surely, you aren't fine as hell, intelligent, talented with your hands and you can sing?"

[violetarks]

"stay with me!"

track 2: you better be joking

"Okay Armin, I think you've had enough." Y/N says, a small smile on her lips as she pulls his freshly open beer bottle out of his hands. He was more of a wine guy, but Eren said that he had to try something new for the new year. Dumb idea, but Armin fell for it. Y/N hands the bottle to Jean, who happily accepts. "Do you even know where we are?"

The blonde nods his head, leaning towards Y/N beside him pointing at her lazily. "We... are at a party. And you, heh, tried making out with Eren's brother...!" He sang, a laugh going along with it.

Eren throws a chocolate wrapper at Y/N. Mikasa shrugs her shoulders as she drinks from her glass. "I mean, he isn't wrong. You've clearly got a thing for older men." She says, making Eren and Jean nod in agreement.

She rolls her eyes and puts Armin back into his chair. "Whatever, you guys can babysit him. I'm gonna' go get some fresh air." She states, standing up with Armin trying to follow after.

"Don't be gone too long, countdown is starting soon." Jean warns her, taking another drink. Y/N throws him a thumbs up.

As Eren takes hold of his best friend, he calls out, "If I see you talking to Zeke—"

She flips him off.

Ymir and Historia were a well-known couple. Historia featured in countless movies and Ymir's worked as her manager. For their fame, there was always a loud and huge party to accomodate. Y/N kept in contact with Historia and Ymir, having gone to the same high school like the rest of them. She'd seen Sasha, who was now the owner of a highly-acclaimed restaurant. Annie worked as a fight choreographer and taught self-defense on the side. Hell, she'd even seen her upperclassman Bertholdt around here, and he worked with animals.

It was very nice to see everyone in the same place again.

Y/N was guilty though, she was in fact seeking out Zeke. Part of it was because she'd never met another band member who played bass. In her two years of playing music, she had only encountered an instrumental band tonight. Others were purely singers. It was nice to have someone to relate to on a work level. The other part of her was looking for Zeke because Eren getting angry is pretty funny.

Y/N checked her watch. It was 11:56 now. Midnight would strike soon. Her plan was to just say a quick 'happy new year' and go back to celebrate with her friends. She wanted to be polite, and also return the pick he was showing to her that she didn't manage to return.

Mikasa said they should probably leave after the countdown, so she didn't have any other time to return the object.

So she heads towards the glass door to the balcony, where she thinks he is.

11:58, she bumps into someone else.

"Oh, I'm sorry—You're Y/N!" A woman with dark hair says, stepping away from colliding with her shoulder again, "My name is Pieck, I'm the singer from Marley. You've met our bassist, Zeke, right? Do you think he's attractive?"

Y/N blinks at her before forming a gentle smile. "Zeke? Oh, um, I suppose. I'm Y/N, it's nice to meet you." She says, shaking her hand quickly, "You look amazing tonight, I should say."

Pieck grins back, placing a friendly hand on Y/N's arm. "You're too sweet. You're looking beautiful, as you always do." She compliments, "The band sees Paradís' live performances on YouTube a lot, Zeke likes to keep up with his brother's news."

She can feel her face heating up. Pieck was so nice to her, she didn't know what to expect. She could sit and talk to her for hours, but Y/N finds herself rejecting the idea. "That reminds me, do you know where Zeke is? I have something of his that I need to return." She states, showing the distinct pick in her palm.

"Oh, he's just out that way. The other balcony." Pieck responds, pointing to the left.

11:59 already, closing to 12, she thanks Pieck and makes her way through the crowd forming in the room.

10!

It's decently filled, all for the countdown that had begun for the minute to pass.

9!

People are pairing up and Y/N is keeping her eyes on the pick in her hand.

8!

She hears Historia cheering loudly and some flashes go off. People are filming and taking photos.

7!

Over some shoulders, she sees that the TV is streaming the city fireworks show.

6!

She looks up for a second as her shoulder collides with someone, making the pick fall from her hand.

5!

A small noise leaves the person's mouth as they see the pick fall as well. They catch it quickly.

4!

"Why do you have this?" He mumbles out, furrowed brows as he inspects the familiar object.

3!

"I was just returning it." She replies, looking back to the person she had bumped into, "Can I have it back?"

2!

He raises his brow at her before slowly placing the pick back into her palm.

1!

"Thanks—"

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!" Cheers right out across the room.

Someone accidentally knocks Y/N's back and she's nudged forward, resulting in Porco steadying her out with a hand holding hers with the pick, and the other gently on her upper arm.

"Jesus." He grunts, looking around to see people kissing and cheering for the new year, "It's like they can't see anything."

She retorts, shrugging her shoulder, "Everyone is drunk off their ass." Then, she gets a good look at the man in front of her. "Oh, you're Porco."

"Mhm." He huns half-heartedly. Y/N raises a brow at him before ignoring it. Maybe he was just pissed off that he missed the countdown. Everyone else seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Y/N looks around as well, standing up straight and clearing her throat, "Sorry again."

He huffs back, peeling his hands from her, "Yeah, whatever." And walks off.

'That was rude,' She tells herself, squinting at him, 'I guess Jean has good instincts about people. Porco's kind of mean.'

"Did I miss the countdown?" Zeke questions, standing beside her. He smelt like smoke, invading the area.

Y/N responds, "Yeah, sadly. Just met your drummer, he seems to be in a bad mood."

Zeke waves his hand dismissively, fixing his glasses. "Oh, you get used to it. Porco always got something to whine about." He recalls, making her grin.

"Right, uh, here." She says, dropping the pick in his hand, "I forgot to return it, and we're leaving soon. It's was great meeting you, Zeke."

He nods his head, watching her walk off. "Tell Eren I said 'hi', we should catch up." He says to her.

Y/N chuckles, "Will do!"

When she makes it back to her friends, Jean tosses her jacket over her shoulders. "There you are, idiot. Come on, we told Ymir that we're going since Armin is dead-ass drunk." He says, nudging her to the exit.

She watches as Mikasa and Eren holding Armin up by his shoulders, apologising to other party guests around them.

"That poor guy." Y/N says, slipping her jacket on, "He's gonna' have such a big headache later."

"The fucker stole Eren's drink when he left to grab some water. I swear to God, I've never seen a guy down a beer so quick." Jean states, shaking his head, "Happy New Year, by the way."

Y/N smiles. "Happy New Year, Jean." She says back, giving him a gentle side-hug.

The car ride is pretty funny, considering how drunk Armin is. It's been nearly half an hour of this entertainment. Their private driver has had to shut the window between him and the passengers because Armin keeps trying to distract him. Eren pulls out his friend's phone, going on some game and handing it back to him.

With Armin distracted, the others can rest. Y/N is asleep on Mikasa's shoulder, out like a light. She'd spent so much time catching up with other people, she exhausted herself out. Mikasa was also tired, but awake, Eren trying to keep her warm as Jean watches Armin's Twitter Feed.

Something catches him eye, making him pull out his own phone to check for himself.

"What the fuck...?" He murmurs.

"What is it, horseface?" Eren questions, earning a kick from the drummer. But he sees anyway, the newest tweet from one of the country's biggest news pages. "Are you kidding me?"

Mikasa's turn to read. She squints her eyes for a bit before sighing out, "That's so stupid."

"There's gonna' be so much talk today." Jean sinks into his seat.

The three of them hear Armin giggling in his spot. And a few seconds later, they check their phones to see a tweet from Armin wishing everyone a happy new year.

track 1 | song list | track 3

anime: attack on titan (band! au)

character: porco galliard

summary: y/n, the bassist of the band 'paradís', finds herself in middle of a 'publicity stunt' with none other than a rival band's drummer. porco, the mentioned member of 'marley', doesn't care about her at all. but they can only ignore each other for so long.

status: ongoing

taglist: @makimakimi @hanmascult @ally22042000

[nickriversfan]

1. Shining Star 

Nick Rivers X Reader

Alert: It's for everyone I guess heheheh don't worry!

Word count: 1.3k

Summary: Y/n, is an aspiring singer trying to connect souls by writing music. What Y/n doesn't know is a thrilling musical adventure is awaiting you. More importantly, you are invited to participate in this electrifying journey with a shining rock star.

Recommended playlist:

Nick Rivers - Spend This Night With Me

Nick Rivers - Are You Lonesome Tonight

Hello guys! This is the first time I write fanfics so please bear with me! 🌼

......................................

“Nick Rivers gains global recognition with his magnificent album” 

“Nick Rivers is a young shining rock star, dominating the musical market”

As you could probably tell, the name ‘Nick Rivers’ went all over the US. Almost every person in the street recognized this young rock star. 

Of course, you also listened to his famous songs, like “Tutti Frutti” and “Spend This Night with Me,” on the radio. After listening to a few tunes, you instantly fell in love with his mesmerizing voice.  

From the age of 6, you had been in love with music like Nick Rivers does. In your free time, you like to use your imagination and write a few good tunes in your songbook. Your dad owned a restaurant, so you could go onto the stage and sing some of your originals. People were surprised by your amazing voice and songwriting skills. Some even questioned: 

“Why aren’t you famous?” 

You always have a model answer for this question. “Songwriting to me is about connecting souls, not just about making fame.” Indeed, your songs connected some people together. They always come and support you whenever you’re singing on stage. 

Then one night kicked in. You were preparing your guitar and stuff to sing one of your new originals. That was when you noticed a 6ft2 tall man walking into the restaurant, wearing a flat cap and a pair of sunglasses. Everyone wasn’t paying much attention to him since he covered himself well like an unopened gift. He sat in one of the booths, called the waiter, and ordered a drink.

“Y/n, get yourself ready!” Your friend Peter is one of your supporters. He likes working with you. “Thanks, Pete!” You gave him a soft pat on the shoulder. After making sure everything was all right, you went onto the stage. Everyone started cheering for you. The mysterious man sitting at the booth also turned around and saw what was going on. 

“Tonight I’m going to sing my new song! Hope you guys like it!” 

As you were singing the song, everyone was amazed by your voice and energy. Some even stood up and rooted for you. The mysterious man smiled all the time as you did silly dancing while singing on stage. That moment was when this mysterious man started to be interested in you. 

After the performance, the sound of applause echoed around the restaurant. Most people stood up and cheered for you. You bowed and said, “thank you.”

Walking back to the dining area, Peter gave you a warm hug. “You did so great!” He smiled. “Now I really want to rest and just chill the whole night.” You laughed. 

As you were sitting in one of the booths, you could feel somebody looking at you but couldn’t really tell who it was. You scanned all over the room and found that “somebody.” Although he was wearing his sunglasses, you could tell his face was directly facing you. Within seconds, he slowly approached your table and sat down. 

“Hi!” He sounded energetic.

“Hi.” You replied while touching your glass nervously.

“You sang beautifully. I love your voice! What’s your name?” He took a sip of his drink.

“My name is Y/n.” 

“What a gorgeous name.” He swirled his fingers on the wine glass. 

“Should I get to know your name too?“ 

“Nathan. My name’s Nathan.”

“Nathan… what do you do for a living?”

“Me? Oh, I sing. Just like you!”

You looked surprised as you thought he’d be a model with that perfect height. Sipping your drink, you came up with an idea. “Why don’t you sing for us? The stage isn’t occupied.” He smirked, “no, I don‘t sing on this stage. Come take my hand.“ 

You looked at him in confusion. ”What do you mean?“ 

He made a ”shhh“ gesture and whispered,  “Just take my hand.” 

You didn’t know what in the world motivated you to take a stranger‘s hand, but still, you gave him a chance. He took your hand and led you to the door. He pushed the door, and it swung right open. All of the sudden, he held your hands tighter, and you two started sprinting to the alley behind the restaurant. The street lights were dim here. However, the warm yellow light shined on you two like a romantic movie. The breeze also came in to join you two. It flowed softly in the air and helped you find Nick’s smell. He smelled like lavender, so light and fresh. 

“What are you planning to do?” You stopped for a moment to catch your breath. 

“This is my stage.” He giggled and touched your cheek. “So, this is a song I wrote for the cosmetic department of Macy’s.” 

“What are you talking about?” You laughed a little, unwilling to believe he was going to sing this commercial song.

“Shhhh… you’re going to love it.” He cleared his throat and started to sing… 

“Are you lonesome tonight? Is your kitchen a sight…”

His voice was soft, just like cotton candy. You somehow recognized his voice, and you instantly knew it was him. However, you refused to believe that this man in front of you was the one whom everyone talked about. 

“Is your heart filled with pain? Will you come back again? Shop at Macy’s and love me tonight.” He caressed your cheek as he took off his sunglasses with one hand.

It felt like that time had just frozen at this moment. You looked deep into those gorgeous green eyes.

“Nic-“ You were shocked and covered your mouth in disbelief.

“I’ve never sung that in front of anyone since I grew up. You’re the lucky one.” He smirked again, brushing your hair to the side.

“Guess I should say thank you then, Nathan.” You tilted your head a little and exaggerated the word “Nathan.” 

You definitely felt butterflies in your stomach as you gazed deeply into every unique feature of his face under the mellow street light. At that moment, all you wanted to do was stand on tiptoe and kiss his sweet lips. As you were about to do so, you heard someone speaking. 

“Y/n? Are you there?” 

That was Peter’s voice. He was worried since he saw you ran out with a stranger late at night. He believed you were still around somewhere. 

You knew it wasn’t the right time for Peter to discover a big star here since you could imagine how Peter would go crazy and scream and cry and ask stupid questions whenever he saw a star he liked. Soon everyone would know Nick had visited this restaurant, and the ending was foreseeable — Nick couldn’t ever come to this place again. 

You pushed Nick lightly on his chest and whispered, “Go! My friend will be here soon!” Nick stared at you in confusion, “I don’t understand. Maybe I’ll like your friend!” You rolled your eyes back a little, “You wouldn’t want him to discover you because soon everyone will know about your existence! At least you can’t let anyone know that you’ve been here singing to a person you’ve never met before!” Nick chuckled, grabbed your hand, and kissed it softly on the surface. You felt some kind of electricity running through your veins while watching him. 

“Will we ever meet again?” He asked. 

“Guess this restaurant is where you’ll find me.” You replied with a bright smile on your face. “Now go! Before it’s too late!” You instructed Nick on a way to get out of here without being found by anyone. 

“Y/n, you’re here!” Peter stopped running and caught his breath. “How do you know I’m here?” You asked. “You are always here daydreaming, isn’t it?” Peter looked around. “Where’s that mysterious guy? Didn’t he run with you all the way to here?” You tried to come up with a decent answer, “Just some random guy trying to flirt with me.” You let out a small chuckle. Somehow, the answer is true. 

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Tags (all Val lovers <3):

@vkhuckleberries

@blueeyeddarkknight

@callsign-dragonbaron

@thewolveswithin

@valmybeloved

@icemansgarden