#she needed to be prepped! but he didn’t want her to fly back to Vancouver and go ‘That’s was fun. ✌🏼’

[luxurybrownbarbie]

One more take because I’m in the office for another two hours and bored.

Henry Charles Albert David. He knew exactly what he was bringing this woman into. I get it. He found someone who is, by all accounts, his perfect match, worth building with, and he didn’t want to chase her away with the realities of The Firm. But my god… he needed to say something to prep her. He threw his wife to the wolves, assuming she would be okay, and it nearly killed her. Who. Else. Did. That. Henry. I’m glad he has enough sense to protect her now that they’re locked in.

[crqstalite]

Epoch.

(n.) a particular period of time in history or a person’s life.

for MER 2020. day 3, mass effect + andromeda. set in 2185/6 + 2819.

-

23:45. sent november 13th, 2185.

>> video recovered.

>video playing.

"Hey Dee--No that's wrong. Shepard? Kodelyn? Commander? Fuck. Y'know what? No script."

[inhale and subsequent exhale. camera shifts to focus on dark haired woman in alliance clothes.]

"Shepard. I don't know whether to believe the rumors or not. For nearly a year they've said that you're alive. Hell, Alenko came back a while ago from Horizon, shell shocked saying that Anderson was right. Don't even know how I'm supposed to feel about that."

"Feels like everything fell apart when you died. I lost my best friend, I lost the first ship I'd ever served on. I lost basically all of my contacts. The only person I'm still even in sort of contact with was Joker, but that was nearly...two years ago? I see Alenko whenever he's on the Citadel, but he's clammed up. Won't say a word about you, about the Normandy, about anyone but his current assignments in the Terminus Systems. I think he's in denial."

[dry chuckling. sighs.]

"We're all in denial, by the way. I wanted to go after Liara, find what she knew. Apparently she set up shop on Illium, but by the time I got there, she was gone. No one would tell me where she was. Alenko said Garrus was with you, so that's some solace if you're still out there. You know he'd follow you to hell and back after what you did with Saleon for him."

"I still don't believe you're alive. I saw the reports. Saw the whole debacle over what attacked the Normandy. Good old Council, still denying everything. There's no way that was the Geth. They're only claiming that it was because they don't want to start a mass panic over what they don't know and can't fathom in their peanut sized brains. I'm going to biotically smack Sparatus into next week if he claims Reapers don't exist again."

[muffled conversation]

"The real reason I'm making this video is because the Initiative is taking off in a bit. I know, it moved fast since my dad got shut down over SAM. We're set to take off in the next two weeks, so everyone's cleaning up shop. Farran has had his apartment cleaned out since we got clearance for the arks. He's always been on board to head to Andromeda."

"I didn't want to leave at first. I helped the best I could before I headed off to Therum with Liara, but I thought that's what was here for me. The Milky Way is my home. Then the Geth attacked and I saw you again. Then I decided I might just be a career soldier like my dad always wanted. I'm trained as an adept, you know. I was happy on the Normandy. Helping Liara with research, going out to uncharted worlds with you. I had my best friend and new friends all around me. It was far from perfect, especially with Hackett throwing mission after mission at us, and then Virmire..."

[rustling of datapads. gets up, paces back and forth. sound is viable, but accompanied by the sound of socked feet on linoleum.]

"Then you died. Then I didn't have a purpose anymore, sitting in that escape pod for nearly a day, acting like a child. Rocking back and forth, crying to the point I couldn't even really see or breathe. I didn't want anyone to touch me, hell I went out on my own to search for you. I got lost. Tali found me, throwing pieces of the Normandy around like a raving idiot searching for anything that would point me back to you."

"After that, I threw myself back into helping my dad. He was disgraced for SAM -- I'm sure you know that bit by now. Everywhere on the Citadel reminded me of you. Everywhere in the Milky Way reminded me of you. I had to get out of here, and acting like the rest of the galaxy didn't exist sounded like it would be the best course of action. Somewhere completely new, somewhere I could wipe the slate clean. Start over. Be happy again."

[laughs. sigh of disappointment. looks over to clock.]

"Joker came to me in...late 2183, I want to say? Said Cerberus -- yeah Cerberus of all people, those guys mixed up with the marines? -- had you. Said they were rebuilding you and he had proof. I denied him, didn't believe him. I knew he'd taken your death the hardest, that he blamed himself for it. I said things I shouldn't have. I know I can't justify it that 'I was in a bad place'. I hurt him, I know I did. Then he was just...gone. Completely off the grid. Anderson couldn't track him down. Your sister disappeared after that as well."

"I felt so alone. Farran tried to comfort me. Didn't work. The Initiative was tangible again, and I didn't see dad for a while. I had never been so ready to leave before. Now looking around, the empty room, the severed ties with anyone else in the Alliance? I ask myself if I'm doing the right thing or not. Whether leaving it all behind is the right decision."

[more muffled conversation. swiping of another tab before returning to chair and sitting down.]

"Look. If you are with Cerberus, I know you're doing it for a reason. Maybe you're a mole or something. Tearing them apart from the inside out. If you're alive, shit if you're even a little alive, please send me something. Confirm it, please. So I can reconsider all of this if I have to. I'd do anything to fight by your side again. Stop me before I make the most irreversible mistake in my life, Shepard. Kodelyn, please. Andromeda is full of opportunities, but you were everything to me. Alenko can mope all he wants, yes I knew about that, but you were my friend first, my sister first. You gave me so much, and now I can't pay you back."

"We can talk about Cerberus if that's what you want. We can talk about whatever's going on. Anything you want. I won't judge."

"Please. Come home, Shepard. I need you."

>video playback ended.

>>video archived.

23:56. november 13th, 2185.

-

>received november 14th, 2185.

>>opened july 8th, 2186.

-

16:18. sent july 8th, 2186.

>>video recovered.

>video playing.

{crackling. mumbled words. indecipherable. recorded on omni-tool.}

{clearing procedure}

{video stabilizing}

[woman appears. dark haired. recognized as commander shepard of alliance navy.]

"Fia. Hi."

"This is an entire year late. I know. I was too late, I think. I don't know. Any records of the Myungs were erased from the Citadel databases. I just recently got access to classified and personal files back, yeah long story I was arrested for a couple months. Reinstated as of a few minutes ago."

[mumbled conversation from male voice behind subject. ignored.]

"Find Vega, get him prepped for Mars. We're going in quick and quiet but tell him to be ready if things get hot."

[video refocuses.]

"Earth was just attacked. The Reapers are here. Sparatus is going to eat whatever a hat is in Turian places for denying their existence all these years."

"The suicide mission against the Collectors was a success. They're no more. But the Reapers...shit I just watched them take out Vancouver. We're getting reports of other attacks all over the planet, more in the Sol system by the hour."

[woman pulls helmet out. video focuses.]

"Shit shit shit shit. If it's any solace, my parents are alright. My brother is as well. Lali's onboard with me. As far as Dr. T'Soni and Lieutenant Johansson are concerned, we don't know. Last we heard they were on Mars, fighting their way to the archives for anything to fight the Reapers with. Staff Commander Petrakis has been off the grid for a couple months now, not a word out of her since the collector base assault. Major Alenko doesn't know where she is, but we know we need to get in contact with her, and in turn Garrus and the others if we can. We need every force we can get."

[clattering noise sounds. more cursing.]

"Fia. I'm so sorry. I heard AI took off a few months back while I was under house arrest. I know you're probably gone, and I wish I'd seen it before. My omni-tool code changed back late 2185, security risk so close to the base assault. Lawson was worried after Horizon that brass would come after me. I'm so damn sorry."

[incoming call on another line.]

"Please. If you get this, be careful. I don't know if the Reapers will come after the Initiative. Be ready for anything. They will not stop at Earth, I know that much. Tell your father, Garson, anyone to be ready for whatever comes your way in Andromeda. I've always loved you, sister, best friend. You know that. I’ll always be with you, wherever you are."

[incoming call.]

"Be careful, tabula rasa. There's another galaxy out there, and if you all are the last humans out there after all this goes down, make us proud."

[incoming call.]

"Don't let the cycle take us again."

>video playback ended.

>>video archived.

16:25. july 8th, 2186.

-

>received august 22nd, 2186.

>seen august 30th, 2818.

>>opened june 1st, 2819.

-

"So the Reapers were real then," Cora says, turning to the Pathfinder, deep in thought, "They were in such a hurry to deploy us because whoever funded the Initiative--"

"They knew the Reapers were coming. We were humanity's Noah's Ark," Fiametta Myung responds, shutting off the blue and white display in her father's old quarters. Stepping back, she runs a hand through her brown and purple hair, "And now? We don't even know if Earth survived all of that. And Shepard..."

"It's been six hundred years. I get the picture," Cora muses, "You said Dr. T'Soni travelled with her early on though? You think you might be able to get a message out to her?"

"If I could, I think we would've got one first from either her or Shepard. Either with the destruction of the galaxy or one of victory," Frustrated, Fiametta sits down on the edge of the bed, "Cora, forget that T'Soni might still be alive. Do you think there's a chance the Reapers could come for us?"

"All the way in Andromeda?" The commando shifts her posture, crossing her arms and leaning against the desk, "If you want my opinion, it's a flat I don't know. You worked with her closer than I did. Any Reaper information I heard about was secondhand accounts from you."

"Great. I'm flying blind again. Tann is going to have my ass if we know about this and they show up in a couple months to finish the job," Fiametta drags a hand down her face, flopping back on the bed unceremoniously, "I'm the worst pathfinder to ever pathfind. First my dad dies, then every planet in uninhabitable, can barely reunite all the races, can't find the Quarian ark, and to top it off, nearly lost the whole Hyperion taking Meridian."

"Well I was going to say that if they did...well we could get a headstart on them? Start bunkering down before they find us, so they don't catch us off guard like they did the Milky Way," She says, gesturing to the computer. That made sense. They probably hit Earth so hard because they hadn't been ready. Fiametta scoffs inwardly, damn War Council never took Shepard's word for anything and now they'd paid for it dearly. Her tone is still concerned, but softens, "And don't say that. First, who knows if they managed to take down the Reapers anyway? Second, we don't know jack about what's going down in the Milky Way right now. Anything could've happened, and we could be worrying for nothing. You found Meridian, we took Meridian and took down the Archon. Hell you made every viable world habitable for generations to come. What's a couple more to add to the list of achievements?"

"Cora, the Archon was one dude. The Kett retreated, probably to gather more forces. These Reapers? They've been in this cycle for fifty thousand years, probably since the beginning of time. The Protheans weren't the first to be wiped out, and they might not be the last either," Fiametta curses under her breath, "We aren't prepared for war. We've barely got enough forces to fight off the remaining Kett, much less another wave of space cthulus. We're explorers, not an army."

"It took us six hundred years to get out here. Maybe it'll take the Reapers a whole lot less, but we've still got time if they do. I'll requisition Tann for more forces on the edge of Heleus in a few years time if you're still really worried. We just need to establish a foothold first and then we can have patrols out."

"Now you're making me sound crazy," she notes, "Forget the Reapers for right now. Just stick a pin in it, Cora. I'm rambling, you don't have to pay attention to me."

"If that's what you want," Cora chides, striding over to the bed, "Hey. You've done a damn good job at colonizing Heleus. If anyone can take the Reapers, it's you."

"It's Shepard, actually. She was the one with a Prothean cipher in her head," While Cora sputters at the news, Fiametta chuckles, "Early 2183. Feros. Thorian. Some asari. I wasn't there for it. Just... stressed about finding this all out now."

"She was really important to you, huh?" Cora questions, gears still turning in her head, "She'd be proud of you. Just like your father would be."

"Hope so," Fiametta answers, sitting up to face her second in command. She doesn't know if it's true, but if it makes Cora feel better about their situation, she can at least pretend to take the praise in stride. Her heart hurts, Shepard had always been there to guide her through the worst of it. And now? She was all alone, pathfinding without a path to follow, "C'mon, let's get out of here before Jaal tears the Hyperion apart looking for me."

Cora nods approvingly, a smile crossing her features. As the other woman leaves, Fiametta stands again. She pulls up the UI with a few swipes, scrolling back to the message. She watches it again. Shepard hadn't looked all that well in those final moments. Bloodied and bruised, torn BDUs. Arrested? For what? Working with Cerberus? Hell if this so-called suicide mission was so successful, they should've given her a medal like they did after the Skyllian Blitz. Johansson -- that was Annika. Petrakis was Brione. Vega, she hadn't heard of a Vega before. Alenko...that meant Kaidan had been promoted after she left.

She misses them. Six hundred years separates her from the people that knew her best. 

Six hundred years separates her and Shepard. Her best friend. Her everything at one point. History would remember them for their sacrifices. They’d better remember her sacrifices specifically. Maybe she should try to get in contact with Dr. T'Soni. If Shepard's message made it to them in-transit, maybe with the Nexus' connections she could get her own out to the Milky Way. Find one of Shepard's descendants, or one of the species that hadn't been entirely destroyed if Liara's research had been truthful when they had been working together.

Her hand hovers over the UI, considering. Her old life had ended. She hadn't woken up a tabula rasa, but instead had changed Heleus for the better. She hopes.

Staying in the past wouldn't get her anywhere.

>video saved. june 1st, 2819.

>>removed from active messages. june 1st, 2819. archived by pathfinder fiametta myung.

[mybukz]

Work-in-progress: When Plan's Stolen by Fate by Deborah Wong

Image by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

When Plan’s Stolen by Fate (Novel excerpt from “One Maple Summer’) By Deborah Wong

It’s July 2010. I’m praying the germ-infused Boeing 777 will land in one piece at Vancouver International Airport, and my Nokia 1202 from back home will function. The Pacific Coast forces may have stolen a bit of my luck as I now have no signal—the battery was well-fed and ready to kick ass.

“If you need any assistance, please don’t hesitate to call me,” Sandy, the UBC accommodation officer says. Her smile shines sunnier than the Kellogg’s TV happy family commercial.

I thank her and she hugs me.

“Is there a public phone I can use around this area?”

“There’s one at the concierge but it’s under repair. You can try the one at the Student Centre, about ten minutes walking distance.”

“Alright, thanks for the info.”

“No worry. Take care.”

My heart sinks faster than the Titanic; my headache from the jet lag keeps me up like synchronised car hydraulics coupled with Eminem’s rap. To make matters worse, I’m unable to call my parents about my safe arrival—thanks to my dead phone. Sitting here alone, I want to throw myself off the bouncy comfortable bed, snooze off, and let the tantalising air joyride into a lullaby. No one would yell at me for falling asleep; I smell like an overripe durian.

The digital clock in black and white on the wall states 4:44pm.

With a foggy light brain, I try to balance and change into a fleece hooded sweater and denim shorts. I have no choice but to head to the Student Centre. I hope to stumble—miraculously—onto a phone booth. I roll my Holy Rosary in my pocket.

I step out of the dorm and lock the door like an infant experiencing the glaring evening sun at the foreign land. The cold breeze sweeps onto my face and penetrates my head and whole body. I solemnly declare my brain frozen without the help of immense scoops of Haagen Daaz.

I hear thumping footsteps. I brace for the worst. My hand grips the tree, and I prep myself to fly kick à la Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon.

As the footsteps get closer, I punch out my left fist and yell.

When I open my eyes, a man in glasses frowns. “Are you okay?”

I clear my throat and adjust my hooded jacket, embarrassed. “Of course, I…was practising my Kung-Fu.”

He smirks. “You picked the wrong place. What if I carried a knife and I stabbed you as self-defence? You’re lucky I’m not a pervert. You never know what a motherfucker will do. Next time don’t hide behind the tree.”

“Okay, thanks for your advice.” I choke as I feel my face heat up like a red lobster.

“Have a pleasant day and a great summer.”

“I know this sounds crazy but if you don’t mind, could you please lend me your phone? I need to send a text home.”

He turns and studies me.

“I know this sounds weird but I just got here and my phone isn’t working. I really, really need to send a text to my dad back in Kuala Lumpur, to let him know I’ve reached here. Why don’t I pay you a dollar?”

He thinks for a while. “Alright, I won’t charge a cent.” He takes out his Blackberry. “You want to type it yourself?”

“It’s better if you type it for me. It’s your phone anyway.”

“Okay.“ He types like a world champion, listening to me. “You may want to take a look before I send the text.”

I quickly read it. “Okay, you can send it now. Thank you.”

“That’ll be fifty cents service charge.”

“WHAT.”

“Hey, I was joking. I may charge if you’re texting your boyfriend. Anyway, welcome to Vancouver and UBC. I stay in Pacific Crescent.”

“Where is that?”

“Go straight from here, right behind the Asian Studies building, near the Nitobe Memorial Garden.”

“That place looks posh. I’m sure it cost you quite a bit.”

“I have friends coming over very often; hence staying in a dorm isn’t a smart choice. An apartment feels more like a home to me.” He glances at his gunmetal watch. “I need to rush to the convenient store. It’s a great pleasure knowing you.”

“Do they sell any sandwiches or pastries?”

“They only have selection of sandwiches, instant salad and packed sushi.”

“Great, maybe you can show me the way?”

“Sure, no problem…”

“I didn’t get your name.” I walk beside him.

“I’m Jun Nakamura.”

I have not been in this foreign land for twelve hours and I’ve been invited to this house party. Jun tells me Mansfield Heights is the most eventful student housing area in UBC, coming alive only in summer.

There’re blue poles along the cemented walkway and red lightings at each corner. If anyone looks suspicious, ready for misdemeanour or voyeurism, one presses the emergency intercom, a safety object for students, a deterrent. On the other hand, if I were in such situation, I’d run for my life and be sure to look out for this emergency button.

“There’s surveillance camera installed in each lamppost for supervision that links directly to the Vancouver Police Department,” Jun says. His hair is ruffled into pointy soft spikes. He is wearing peasant’s crinkled cut washed jeans and a white t-shirt that reveals his fine avid gym-goer chest.

“So, what kind of party your friend’s having?”

“Booze drinking, cigarettes smoking, chatting and whole loads of eating; take a look around you, it is Friday night but we have to clear the coast by midnight.“ He stops and studies me. “Have you been to any house party before?”

“I did but it was long time ago.”

“How long is long time?”

“I think about fourteen years ago.”

“Whoa, that’s like immeasurable yards away. Anyway we’re here.”

Jun ambles to this NHL nightclub bouncer lookalike, except he has a crimson face and dirty blondish hair. Their greeting is front and back palms slapping and then fists punching like the ghetto Harlem boys.

“Oh c’mon, we don’t welcome underage here.” He stares at me.

“I’m already twenty-eight.”

He laughs. “Sorry, my bad…But you don’t look like your age.”

“So, am I invited?” I raise my brows.

“Of course, you PYT, I’m Montgomery Peterson. Everyone calls me Monty.”

“I’m Maxine Cheong, nice to meet you, Monty.”

Out of nowhere, a girl hops into Jun’s arms, giving him a bear hug, and a quick peck on his cheek. She has porcelain skin and raven shoulder-length hair. “You’re late!”

“Kendra, I want to introduce you to Maxine from Malaysia.“ Jun lets go of her.

“Oh, how un-fucking-believable…” She covers her mouth and smacks his arm. “So, you decided to change your taste for the better, huh?”

“Well, I’m not Jun’s girlfriend,” I smile, curtly.

“Don’t be so serious and spoil the party, or else I’ll throw you out.”

I turn to Jun. Everyone seems to have gone quiet.

“I was just joking. I’m Kendra Choi.” Her tone becomes friendlier.

“Maxine Cheong.”

“You have the coolest name here in Vancouver so far lucky-lucky you.”

Jun returns to the crowd after answering a phone call. “It’s Makoto and he’s stranded at the guardhouse with Yosuke and Paul. The security guard refused to let them in, despite their party invitation pass.”

“Speaking of that guard, he kept calling me a Mongolian and asked whether my family slaughtered horses for a living,” Kendra says.

After Monty and Jun leave to rescue their friends, Kendra and I bump past party-goers before reaching the house living room. She speaks into my ear. “Sorry to disappoint you but it’s still too early to spot a drunkard.”

“I guess they’ll become Intoxicated Cinderella by midnight.”

All the seats are occupied. I have to sit on the carpeted floor, among vinyls of Ozzy Osborne, Green day, Dave Matthews Bands, Cypress Hills, Queen, David Bowie, Rage Against The Machine, just to name a few. Kendra has returned from the washroom.

“Monty once formed an indie rock band during his teens. The band was quite a success from Port Coquitlam to White Rock. But then a fight broke out a day before they were supposed to sign a million-dollar record deal. You wanna know why? The bassist caught the lead guitarist fucking his girlfriend in their trailer. Hell broke lose. All the instruments were damaged by the bassist who ran amok. Worse still, the boys have to pay off the loan and the damaged instruments to the music shop.”

“What instrument Monty played?” I refuse to accept an opened cap bottled drink from a random guy.

“Drums and percussion. He was also a turntablist,” she says with a shrug and a snort, “but one lesson that no other guys will ever learn: do not let your girlfriend join the band practise. Girls fall head over heels with men who play guitars or drums.”

I grab a can of Dr. Pepper from the refreshment bar, while Kendra fills up a plate with finger food. A guy by the banister eyes us before taking up with a girl. Both head upstairs after the guy winks at me.

We spot a three-seater sofa.

“These seats are meant for both of you, my exotic princesses,” says a Hispanic-looking man. He has been feeding another man with bacon stripes.

The Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged record is spinning in the vintage oak wood player. I’ve always been mesmerised by Kurt Cobain’s baritone voice.

“I don’t like his grinding dick voice.” Kendra walks to the player and lifts the needle with the cue lever. “Thanks to Janis Joplin, Joan Jett and Amy Lee, rock music is in my blood now.” She puts on a vinyl of The Runaways, that Cherry Bomb song filled with chattering noises and perfumed muskiness.

“I love X-Japan. Do you like them?”

“Me too!” We do a high-five. “But if you want me to wear a hanbok and play the gayageum in front of Korean men. No way José! Over my dead body! It looks damn submissive. I’ve been referred as a ‘leftover woman’ for not yet being married.”

“You’re not alone. I hear that very often. It happens to me as well. And what a cruel term is that? Nowadays in the Asian community, single and unmarried women are hiring men online to be their boyfriend to please their folks during festive seasons, or to attend their friend’s wedding.”

“Women have the earning power and are financially independent too. Some will have to succumb to the social pressure of not wanting to be called ‘leftover’, hence they get married and start a family, work their peachy-butts out, struggle to get promotion at work, earning more monies for the sake of their children. In the end of the day, it’s always easy to say. But to preserve such feminist though is difficult.”

“I’m in my thirties and not looking forward into getting married,” she says.

“Let’s make a toast to both of us, the most attractive leftovers.”

I raise my paper cup.

She pokes her nose. “Damn, how come I don’t even know you’ve been drinking orange juice? Let’s get you a beer.”

“I’m still recovering from jet lag. Sorry.”

“You should come over to my place one day and we’ll cook up a storm.” She stretches to grab two bottles of beer. “I invite Jun along too. He’s good at ramen, sushi, butter-poached seafood and miso soup.”

“Isn’t that…a big task for him?” I take a bottle but put it aside.

“Give me a break. That guy’s a chef.”

“Jun…is a chef?”

“That smoochy-bear, he is freakingly dedicated and talented. He has worked in Washington DC’s Marriott for couple of years, and then quit after he was promoted to an assistant chef. As to why he quit, well, Jun doesn’t talk about it.”

“…must be those shitty management politics.”

“I still think teaching is the best work so far. Less office politics.”

“You’re a teacher?”

“I teach English to adults and young adults in Tokyo.“ She wipes bread crumbs from her mouth. “And I know this is something uncommon. Even my grandparents are strongly opposed to anyone of us working there due to the Japan-Korea Disputes. So what’d you do for a living?”

“I’ve worked in an insurance company’s claims department for three years. It’s a huge department but most employees quit after the three-month probation. I handle mostly personal accident, employees’ medical bills reimbursement and at times on workers’ provident fund dispute.”

“Any weird cases you’ve dealt with?”

I lean my head on the sofa. “I was reading a decomposed body autopsy report in the food court and a waiter cringed when he saw those bloodied photos of torn phalanges on the claim file. He asked whether the man’s still alive. I said he should be lucky that his fingers didn’t fly into his colleagues’ mouth. His reaction was like this…” I imitate the painting from The Scream.

“Your work is very CSI-ish, so to speak. By the way, I’m curious as to how Jun and you get to know each other.”

“I bumped onto him when my cellphone isn’t working and he helped me to send a text message home.”

“I think you’ve missed the most crucial part.” Jun is walking toward us with a bottle.

Kendra sniffs Jun’s neck. “You smell like fresh from the crispy oven.” She puts her arm over his waist. “He is always so helpful, but inviting you to his friend’s party is his first time. Lot of girls are trying to get their hands on him too.”

Jun whispers to me. “She’s out.”

She clutches her beer bottle, a smile forming on her face. “But you serve a good impression on me, but my experiences taught me not to trust an acquainted human girl too much.”

Later that night, Kendra follows me like a puppy afraid to lose direction. Her eyes stay on Jun whenever we’re engaged in an ear-to-ear conversation because of the loud music at the DJ stands. She puts three Budweiser in front of me. “You have to bottoms up. I don’t care.”

I still have those butterflies in my stomach and don’t have much appetite. But towards the second bottle, Jun pulls Kendra to the kitchen area, and asks Makoto to bring her more food.

Approaching midnight, Makoto offers to drive me back to the dorm, even though it’s only ten minutes walking distance. I’m unable to find Monty to bid goodbye. Jun tells me he’s already passed out near the toilet bowl, and he carries grumpy Kendra into the back of Makoto’s car. I wind down the window, inhale the gentle ocean breeze as the car moves along Marina Drive, but the tranquillity ends with Kendra counting chicken and sheep in a slur.

*

Deborah Wong: "My works have been published on numerous online journals and paperback magazine, including Crack the Spine, Rat’s Ass Review, Eksentrika, Thought Catalog, Liquid Imagination, Strange Horizons. Some are forthcoming from Frozen Wavelets and Seagery Zine. I have performed at local reading groups and open mic poetry sessions. I am currently working on a fictionalised travel memoir and some speculative poetry and fiction. I have an ongoing artwork-poetry crossover project with an emerging Australian artist on Instagram. You can follow me on Twitter @PetiteDeborah ‘When Plan’s Stolen by Fate’ is the first chapter of my work-in-progress semi-autobiographical novel ‘One Maple Summer’. The novel is about my intensive creative writing workshop at the University of British Columbia in the summer of 2010. At 28 I traveled for the first time 12 thousand kilometers to the other side of the continent. My debit card and cellphone failed, and the one-month stay at a pen pal’s place turned out not as imagined. However, things navigated otherwise when I received accolades from my creative writing course instructors. Discovering the melting pot of diverse cultural background of acquaintances made traveling worth a lifetime.”

[sammyhale]

J2 JIBCon 2017 Second Saturday Panel

At the beginning of the panel Jared sits on Jensen’s knee and then his phone falls out of his pocket lol.

J2 are given a toy mic and they proceed to throw it in the air for each other so they can kick it around lol.

Jensen: Hey Jared. Jared: Hey Jensen. Do you have a joke about alligators? Jared: What do you call a crocodile in a vest? An investigator. Jensen: Welcome to the dad joke segment of the day. It’s gonna be a punny night. 

Will they do Tough Mudder again? Jensen: We’d love to. Asks the fans to write their wives and ask for some time off. Fans offer to babysit. They will do it again but don’t know when or where but Jensen thinks they will do it again. Jared: Team Naked. 

Jensen looks at Jared and says “hang on.” He reaches to grab a fuzz or a hair that’s on Jared’s chin. Jared attempts to lick him but not before Jensen is able to snatch it lol. Jared laughs gleefully, then tells a story about when J2, Gen and Danneel were out and dinner and Jensen was getting something off of Jared’s face and Jared did the same thing (licking his hand). Jensen: Both of our wives were like, what is wrong with you guys? :P Boys are cracking up.

Fan is asking if there was ever a scene or storyline they read that made them think, yes, this is exactly what my character is. Jared: That’s a fucking great question. The boys talk to each other for a few seconds before Jensen says for this season in particular, Regarding Dean was one of his favorite episodes of the season and series. Because it gave him range of play and allowed him to go from dramatic, emotional to funny and ridiculous. It was a lot of fun. 

Jared: Yeah, and he was great. For Jared, he goes back to Heart, mentions there are some recent ones. Jensen: What was that, like season 3? Jared: Two. Jensen: Two? So 10 years ago you did something you were proud of? Jared: Yep. Did you not? Jensen: No, man. I get better with age. 

Jared mentions Heart, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Sacrifice, Red Meat. Jensen: I will say one thing about this one (Jared) and I’ve said this before. Jensen talks about The End, how it’s one of his favorite episodes of the whole series. He knew it was gonna be a heavy episode. Had to play two different versions of Dean opposite each other. He really worked hard on it, did a lot of homework and prep. It was very difficult. Jensen: and then, asshole here shows up like day 8 in his white suit as Lucifer and like nails it, like out of the park nails it. Well, that just became Jared’s best episode.

As Jensen is praising Jared, Jared is staring at the ground shyly. He nudges and pats Jensen a couple times in thanks. 

Fan says she loved the finale, is wondering if the goggle scene was scripted or improv? It was not scripted. Jared and Jensen were asked to break through a wall that was 18 inches of real concrete. They had them test hitting the concrete. There was a ton of debris flying at them. The boys were like, asking two Texans to do this? Challenge accepted! 

They didn’t ask for goggles at first. Jensen got some debris in his eye. Stunt coordinator came in and said: “These guys get eye-wear, period.” He said they would put in stunt doubles if they didn’t have goggles because it became a safety issue. They were “beating the shit” out of the wall. Their props lady, Robin, found some old school leather goggles. Even with the goggles on, Jensen would hit and kind of turn away because the rock was like cutting his face. They were going at it. The crew had told them: You can’t get through this. J2 looked at each other like, let’s do it. Jensen: You don’t challenge us with like physical feats. They were beating on the wall longer than what was shown in the episode. They were proud and they broke through. The set design and art department were like how did you break through 18 inches of concrete in like 60 seconds? Jensen: ‘Cause we’re awesome, that’s why. Jared: I believe we said, because we’re not the Losechesters. J2 both do a mic drop. 

Question about their friendship. Boys joke that their relationship is like a friendship prison for 12 years. They then answer seriously. Jared: “You know what’s fun? Somebody told me one time that their definition of friendship was when you could be around somebody and be silent. He and I fly a lot together from Vancouver to Austin...and a lot of times we’ll be around each other for 3, 4, 5 hours with not a word said. And it’s not weird.” Jared says it’s one of the coolest things for him. There’s no need to fill any void. They get each other. Maybe they’re reading scripts, watching a movie, etc. Jared loves being able to “experience this cool life with somebody” that you don’t have to talk to. Jared knows that sounds weird, but he means it. They can be together in that silence when one of them is tired or doing something, and feel absolutely comfortable and not awkward. Jared pats Jensen’s chest. 

Jensen answers by saying that he and Jared have a shorthand of communication that exists between them. Jensen: “It really makes the relationship easy and, you know, comfortable. He and I have quite a shorthand.” Jared demonstrates how they know each other so well that Jensen can be like hey candy and toss it at Jared and Jared will catch it no problem because he knew it was coming. Jared tosses Jensen candy on stage and Jensen catches it. Jared: “Like that kind of shit.” Jensen: “I knew he was gonna throw that. Like oh, here we go, and there it is. 

Jensen: “There is a shorthand between he and I that exists. We don’t have to look at each other, we don’t have to say anything, it’s a real friendship. And it’s a real connection with another human being that is rare and it’s cool and great and I’m glad that he’s in my life.” <3

Jared is looking at the ground again and gives Jensen another pat on the chest. 

A fan says Sam and Dean and Jared goes: Salmon Dean? ;) 

Fan asks about Cas’ death scene. Jensen says what was going through his mind was that it was 5 in the morning and he was tired and wanted to go home and Misha was really making a meal out of it and it “was like God, just die, so we can go home and be done with this.” Jensen says in all seriousness that it was a hard scene because the brothers didn’t have a lot of time to react to everything that had happened; the brothers didn’t process what had just happened. Probably get more of that reaction in season 13. Jared: Or not lol. 

Jared says it was a hard scene to shoot, lots of stuff going on and it was discombobulated. Jared talks about how life doesn’t always happen how you expect it to. Jared enjoyed the abrupt, abrasive nature of Cas dying the way he did because it goes along with what life is like, how things can happen suddenly. They’re interested to see what happens in the first script of next season. 

Jensen: Hey Jared, give me your best Irish accent. Jared: Is anyone here from Ireland? I’m so sorry. He gives a ‘performance’ of his Irish accent, which includes singing about lucky charms and doing a little jig, with Jensen assisting by holding up his mic. Jensen says that it’s impossible for Jared not to moves his knees when he does it lol. 

J2 then discover the wheel on the corner of the stage, which the they spin to tell them what to do. Jensen: Hey Jared. He spins the wheel and music starts playing. Jared makes it land on the card telling them to drink, so Jensen takes a drink. This is repeated a few more times until Jared is laughing so hard he collapses on the ground. Jensen says he doesn’t want to play anymore because the “apple juice” is going to his head lol. 

Jensen looks over at a fan at the mic and asks: “Did we answer your question?” not realizing that the fan hasn’t asked one yet lmao. 

J2 start cracking up again. Jensen stands back up and once again spins the wheel while he and Jared dance to the music. This time Jared drinks. They are putting that whiskey to good use. 

A fan asks a would you rather question and Jared responds with one of his own instead. Whispers to Jensen and asks the fan: Would you rather audibly fart every time you said the word ‘the’ or have to pay $10 every time you say the word ‘and’? The fan chooses fart and Jared says Yes! But Jensen seems disappointed with her answer lol. This all results in Jensen saying Hey Jared, sticking his finger out, and having him pull his finger. 

More spinning of the wheel and dancing ensues. 

There’s a guitar on stage and Jensen grabs it. Jensen grabs it and says: “Hey Jared. Come here and sing something for me.” He says that when Jared spun the wheel it landed on sing or dance. “You spun the wheel, brother.” 

Jensen tries to get Jared to sing as he plays the guitar a bit, but Jared is obviously feeling shy about it. Instead, he messes around with the cards on the wheel. He grabs the one that says to imitate someone else so he impersonates Jensen. He then grabs one that says “Surprise” and presses it against Jensen’s crotch - who doesn’t even flinch and just keeps playing the guitar with a smile on his face while Jared puts the “drink” sign on his own crotch and wanders around the stage. 

Jensen says “Hey Jared” and plays a little song for a second. He then says that having the fans show up is a pleasure in their lives and thanks them. 

Jared removes the sign he put on Jensen as he talks.

Panel ends with Jensen saying that “maybe, just maybe, this *strums the guitar once* will turn into something a little bit more” tomorrow. 

Jensen gives love to the fans, Jared blows the fans kisses and follows Jensen off the stage, giving him a slap on the butt on the way. 

Info via: Periscope, Sil’s livetweet list

[writing-in-riverdale]

guest star | cole sprouse

request: can you write something about the reader being cole’s girlfriend and she joins the cast of riverdale as a guest star and because she’s a disney star too, the rest of the cast are ‘fangirling’ over her because they can’t believe she’s on their show? xx

a/n: y/n = your name | l/n = last name | y/d/s = your disney show

✖

dating someone like cole was never meant to be a breeze, it was something you just knew since the first day you met him. after all he was an actor since pretty much birth, and you well, you started acting when you were a young girl.

your schedules were beyond crazy and it was taking an awfully long time to get used to, but you did eventually after long nights and long distance for awhile you seemed to work around it, coming out on top, stronger than ever. for four year your whole life was consumed by college and it’s all you seemed to worry about, study, study oh and more study.

that was until you meet him, it was during your first year and it was one of your first ever college partie, your friends had dragged you out of your dorm and you were pleasantly surprised when you seen cole in the exact same dilemma not wanting to be out but being forced to socialise.

you started dating shortly after and you spent just about every day & night together, in the last year you lived in a small apartment right in the heart of new york. it was a challenge in itself but it turned out to be the best last year you could’ve asked for.

cole made the decision to leave new york to pursue an acting career, his manager managed to get him an audition to read for a character in the new cw’s hit series riverdale.

it was supposedly a mix of twin peaks & gossip girl, don’t get yourself wrong you were so proud and happy for him for choosing to return to acting after the long and needed hiatus you took but somehow you felt like you were somewhat losing him.

you both had been living in your own little bubble for the past four years and the next thing you knew cole had landed the role and was practically all set to fly vancouver to shoot for six and a half long months.

now it was just you alone in your shared apartment waiting by the phone for cole to have any spare time to talk with you, but he barley had a chance to breathe for himself

when he wasn’t shooting his was practicing his lines and when he wasn’t running his lines he was catching up on sleep or eating and when he wasn’t doing that he was doing table reads and the list goes on and on

you knew this from experience but you couldn’t help but feel hopeless and fearful of where your relationship was headed, that was until you received an incoming call from your manager about having the opportunity to become a guest star on the show.

you marvelled at the opportunity and didn’t waste anytime flying out and learning more about your character and the her story, not to mention you could finally see your boyfriend after 4 long months.

after a whirlwind week you find your stomach flipping as you enter the set on your very first day of shooting, you were beyond nervous but you knew once you saw him you’d be fine

cole had bragged about how amazing the cast was and how close they all were to each other, they all sounded like high quality friends and it made me feel more at ease not to mention that they were supposedly fangirl material

you walk into set hand in hand with cole right by your side giving you a small tour before heading toward a small blue room where alot of what i assume our the actors seemed to be hauled up, scripts at the ready

cole pushes the door further open holding his arm out “m'lady” you giggle, blushing furiously as your boyfriend follows in suite standing next to you as he greets his friends.

you notice two familiar face spfrom photos, kj & lili. the blonde was sitting cross legged on the table, paper in front of her as the tall red head stood reading aloud

you unleash a huge smile tryin to disguise your thumping heartbeat, you were shyly hugging cole’s arm as he awakrdlt clears his throats to get the pairs attention, i tut him instantly feeling embarrassed

“cole they’re rehearsing we can come back” they share smiles and cole shakes his head, you glance over to the pair their jaws hanging open.

“guys this is (y/n) (l/n) my girlfriend” you smile brightly at the two

“kj apa” he steps forward giving you a small hug “nice to meet you”

you smile back politely “likewise”

the blonde steps forward a wide smile on her face “lili reinhart, cole you never told us you were dating (y/n) (l/n)!” she pinches the raven haired boys arm before enveloping you in a tight embrace.

you wrap your hands around his arm again, feeling somewhat safe in his arms, more at ease.

“i didn’t think he had to” kj let’s out a laugh glancing to the two of you before back at his co-star “he has photos of her literally everywhere” he emphasises on the word everywhere"

“not to mention he literally talks about her every day” the boy continues to ramble the blonde coming to realisation “see that does make more sense- i just thought it was some crazed obsession” she teases

“god would you two stop- and you’re staring, so you know you’re staring” you place a reassuring hand on his chest to let him know that it was okay, you were used to it anyway

“uh you’re right, im sorry- we’re sorry! we’re really big fans of yours” you chuckle as she rambles glancing to the tall boy next to her for some back up

“no introductions necessary, i know who you are, both of you, i adore you both and your work” you comment blushing they seem to lose control of their sense for a brief few minutes.

“she adores me!” she exclaims excitedly jumping up and down on the spot

“and you know what kj, cole never stops talking about you, like ever” you state straight faced causing the whole room to burst into laughter.

“god im also a huge fan of you- im pretty sure ive watched every single episode of (y/d/s), mainly because i just loved your character”

you blush and cole raises his eyebrows “easy there tiger" cole steps forward wrapping an arm around you as he's friends ogle at you.

after a short conversation with two of cole's castmates i was whisked away into the hair and makeup trailer to prepare for my shift scene

lili had entered the trailer aswell getting her infamous blonde pony tail prepped, she was still flabbergasted at the fact you were sitting down in the chair next to her

after makeup you moved toward the costume trailer and changed into your characters clothes, last minute check up with hair and makeup before im was pushed on my way out onto set

cole was waiting, dresses as jughead. he looks me up and down wolf whistling at you, you laugh playfully pushing his chest as he leads you down a small hall to the set you'd be filming on today

my black heels clicked against the wooden floor, hand in hand with your boyfriend as he leads you into a room that looked like it was the student lounge inside the high school.

two girls stand in the far corner, a raven haired girl stood next to a red head scripts in hand. your stomach started churning with anxiety but you walk if with confidence, your man with you ever step of the way

you walked toward the raven haired girl who you knew as camila, a shocked expression made known on her face "hello!" she greeted you a smile wide on her face "im camila mendes, nothing to do with shawn mendes and camila cabello" she rushes out

before you had a chance to reply to the young girl she spoke again a nervous twitch to her words "im a really big fan of yours, ive been watching you since i was little on (y/d/s) i swear i had so many posters" she gives a cheeky laugh

you blush trying to disguise your low chuckle "oh no- not with my horrible 90's haircut and style, i cringe knowing that there's still posters like that floating around" you joke letting out a giggle

"are you serious?! i begged my mum for bangs and three waiter jeans just because you wore them" the red head speaks, her red lips brought together in a closed mouth smile.

"im madelaine petsch and you guessed it, huge fan" you step forward hugging the girl, pulling away to see a wide smile on your boyfriends face

"you're hair is mesmerising, it's beautiful" you compliment, the girl absentmindedly playing with the long luscious locks, a blush covered her cheeks within seconds, turning her speechless.

the director wonders over calling you for a scene, you wave goodbye to the two girls and cole, placing a kiss on his lips as you follow the lady down the hall and into what was your character 'house'.

turns out today wasn't going out as bad as you thought.