#where to buy saffron

[kongposh]

Where to buy saffron in kl

Saffron is a highly prized spice that is known for its unique flavor, aroma, and vibrant color. It is used in many dishes around the world and has been cherished for centuries for its culinary and medicinal properties. If you are looking for where to buy saffron in KL, there are several options available. However, it is important to choose a reputable brand that offers high-quality saffron products.

One of the recommended brands for buying saffron in KL is Saffron Cottage. They are a family-owned business founded by Dr. Bilal Ahmad Bhat, who comes from a long line of Kashmiri saffron growers. They offer premium quality saffron that is handpicked and carefully processed to ensure the highest quality. Saffron Cottage’s saffron is known for its deep red color and strong flavor, which is highly sought after by chefs and home cooks alike.

Saffron Cottage offers a range of saffron products, including whole saffron threads, ground saffron, and saffron-infused products like tea and honey. They also provide a wide range of packaging options to suit your needs, whether you are a home cook or a professional chef.

Another option for where to buy saffron in KL is at a reputable spice shop or international food market. These stores often carry a variety of high-quality saffron products, and they can provide guidance on selecting and using saffron. When shopping at a local store, be sure to look for saffron products that are labeled with their origin and quality, and check the expiration date to ensure that the saffron is fresh.

If you prefer to shop online, there are many reputable sellers of saffron products. When shopping online, look for sellers that offer high-quality products, have good customer reviews, and offer a money-back guarantee. Be wary of saffron products that are priced significantly lower than other products on the market, as they may be counterfeit or low-quality.

In conclusion, finding where to buy saffron in KL requires a little research and careful consideration. Choosing a reputable brand like Saffron Cottage or a reputable spice shop can ensure that you are getting a high-quality, authentic product. When shopping for saffron, look for products that are labeled with their origin and quality, and check the expiration date to ensure that the saffron is fresh. With a little effort, you can enjoy the unique flavor and aroma of this precious spice in your favorite dishes.

[onlinemathtutoringservices]

Know More About the Math Quotient Training Institute in Dubai | Math Quotient

Math Quotient training institute in Dubai is a specialized institute that offers mental arithmetic training to students of all ages. This type of training is designed to help students improve their mental calculation skills, concentration, and speed in solving mathematical problems. The goal of online math tutoring servicesis to help students perform mathematical calculations quickly and accurately without the use of a calculator.

[cheswirls]

AAAAAAAAAAAAA i didnt realize this frlg rom reset gym leader lvls to gen 1′s which means they are absolutely stacked compared to the rest of the game and i am not flying thru this so quick anymore

[healthymakhana]

Buy 1 gm pure kashmiri kesar (Saffron) online at best price

Saffron, also called the "red gold spice," is easily found in almost every Indian kitchen. From adding flavour to your favourite biryani to giving colour to your sweet dishes like kheer, saffron (kesar) has been in use for time immemorial. But do you know? Saffron has amazing medicinal properties that offer incredible health benefits to pregnant women. Curious to know its health benefits? Read on to learn more! 

Pregnant women often have a slower metabolism, which causes their digestive system to slow down. According to studies, saffron consumed during pregnancy plays an essential role in the treatment of numerous digestive system diseases. Saffron has been shown to increase blood flow in the arteries of the stomach, which aids digestion. 

We all know that mood swings are one of the most prevalent symptoms of pregnancy. Saffron milk during pregnancy may help alleviate mood swings and prevent postpartum depression, according to research. Saffron serves as an antidepressant by boosting serotonin (a chemical that elevates mood) levels in the brain.

A sound night's sleep is something that almost all pregnant women desire. Because of discomfort and cramps, pregnant women find it difficult to sleep well as their pregnancy advances. Saffron (kesar) is not only an excellent antioxidant, but it is also a herbal sedative that helps reduce cramps and relax you, allowing you to get a good night's sleep. 

Saffron contains antioxidants, flavonoids, and potassium, which help lower the risk of heart disease. Crocetin, found in saffron, lowers bad cholesterol levels and prevents fat and cholesterol buildup in and on the arterial walls of the heart. 

Pregnant women's heart rates and blood pressure levels fluctuate frequently. Saffron use throughout pregnancy can help in managing blood pressure as kesar is rich in antioxidants like crocin, picrocrocin, safranal, and crocetin. Adding 3 to 4 strands of Kashmiri saffron to milk can help pregnant women decrease their blood pressure. Saffron also relaxes muscles and stimulates the uterus.

Many pregnant women have hair loss as a result of hormonal imbalances. Applying a paste of saffron, milk, and licorice helps prevent hair loss during pregnancy and stimulate hair growth, according to old wisdom. 

In the third trimester, many women complain of leg and abdominal cramps, as well as joint pain. Saffron, which is known for anti-spasmodic and antinociceptive qualities, can help relieve excessive muscle cramps and relax joints, thereby lowering muscular discomfort during pregnancy.

Saffron should be avoided during the first trimester. Ayurveda recommends consuming saffron only during the fourth month of pregnancy, when you begin to feel the baby move in your womb. However, you should be aware that, till now, it has not been scientifically confirmed that consumption of kesar milk during pregnancy will influence the complexion of a new born infant. A child's skin colour is genetically established.

Conclusion

Saffron during pregnancy is highly recommended for pregnant women because of its amazing health benefits. However, you must consume kesar in moderation to avoid complications and health issues like nausea, anxiety, dry mouth, and numbness. You must consult your gynaecologist before consuming kesar during pregnancy. You can order premium-quality Kashmiri kesar online from Healthy Master.

[chthonic-cassandra]

because you requested asks: would you like to make a post of your favorite teas? i know, that's too broad, but i'm leaving it open on purpose so you can do whatever you like with it--organized however you like, flavored and non-flavored; black, green, oolong, white, etc; whatever sparks joy. also this one's a selfish question: do you have any absolute favorite tea brands you like to order from, brands that you know whatever you're gonna get will be good? selfish bc i hate paying multiple shipping fees so i'm always lowkey looking for The One (or maybe the Two or the Three). if that part feels too weirdly blatantly advertise-y for a post but you'd like to answer, you can totes DM me the answer

Let me trying doing this while I really want tea...

I'm afraid I don't have a singular tea brand that I love for every type of tea, and I feel you on the conundrum of shipping from multiple companies. I get around this partially through an impressive local spice and tea store which sells many brands as well as a wide range of house blends.

I'm not going to share that store publicly here, and am also not going to share a couple of other absolute favorite teas which are house blends of specific tea houses which would reveal my location.

As far as brands - in general, if I am buying tea from a grocery store, I am probably going to go with Bigelow or Ahmad. If it's a fancier grocery store, I might go for Harney & Sons.

More specifically, and mostly about flavored teas:

Earl Grey is my typical morning tea, so I go through a lot of it. I typically buy Bigelow's earl grey, which in my opinion has the strongest bergamot flavor of the popular commercial blends, or I buy one of the house blends from the tea store I mentioned above. I also like a good lavender earl grey, and have recently gotten into Harney & Sons' Victorian London Fog. Harney & Sons' Paris is in the same family as earl grey and very lovely.

I almost always love floral black teas. Right now I have two rose teas I go back and forth between: Tay Tea's Persian Rose and Fortnum and Mason's Rose Pouchong. I have generally thought that Fortnum & Mason is overrated, but I was given this one as a gift and it's gorgeous. I am presently eking out the last bit of a tin of Bellocq's The Queen's Guard, also beautiful.

For chai, Vadham has a wide variety of chai varieties, all of which are excellent, and I also love Ahmad's cardamom black tea.

Other spiced black teas I love include Bigelow's classic Constant Comment, August Uncommon's Painted Desert, and Witchwood Tea House's Witch's Brew.

Oolong is pretty magic to me, and I love most varieties, including osmanthus oolong, orchid oolong (I have one from Art of Tea), and milk oolong. August Uncommon's Dark Iris, which is oolong with peach, pistachio, and rose, is a delight.

I like the main varieties of unflavored green tea, will never say no to a good jasmine green, though I'm not wedded to a particular brand. I absolutely adore kahwa, which is a green tea with saffron and almond, though the place where I got the one I love is no longer making it.

For iced tea, my absolute favorite is this raspberry rose oolong from a company that's no longer extant; once I'm running low I'll be looking for a replacement. Ahmad has a number of fruity teas which I love to make iced.

ETA unflavored black teas, quickly, because I feel bad about leaving them out: I don't have specific brand recommendations because I get a house blend typically, but I am mostly into darjeeling and ceylon, some assam! Smoking teas like lapsang souchong typically aren't for me.

[tac-the-unseen]

What COD characters smell like

Yes, they all smell like Gunpowder and Ash. But besides that...

Ghost:

Simon has a sweet, earthly smell to him. His shampoo is cedar wood heavy, his cologne has some cinnamon overtones, and the cigarette smoke buries itself into his clothes. All of them are strong but weirdly enough they balance each other out. Overall a warm scented man.

Main tone: Cedar wood

Middle tone: Cinnamon

Undertone: Cigarettes

Soap:

John has a cozy log cabin scent. He starts his day off every morning with coffee and the smell tends to linger. The vetiver and pine comes from his body wash that he also uses as shampoo. He says it's fine, it's not.

Main tone: Coffee

Middle tone: Vetiver

Undertone: Pine

Price:

The Cigars are what most notice and expect out of Captain Price, but if they got as close to him as you do they'd be able to smell the sweet caramel and saffron cologne.

Main tone: Cigars

Middle tone: Caramel

Undertone: Saffron

Alejandro:

Alejandro has a soft spot for the rich, dark rum scent. His cologne also came with All spice mid tones and peach undertones. He loves it and really you're the only one get close enough to smell the undertones.

Main tone: Rum

Middle tone: All Spice

Undertone: Peach

Gaz:

Gaz is a huge fan of earth tones and actively seeks out shampoos, conditioners, body wash, and other care products with those tones. He is a fiend for Sandalwood and green tea. Almost all his body care products are sandalwood or green tea. The dirt smell comes naturally when you're getting knocked to the floor as often as he does.

Main tone: Sandalwood

Middle tone: Green Tea

Undertone: Dirt

Roach:

Roach smells like the outdoors because he's always outside. He feels very secure in nature and just wants to smell like that all the time. Most of his body care is based off of citrus but with how much he's outside it gets overpowered by Oakmoss and mud.

Main tone: Oakmoss

Middle tone: Mud

Undertone: Citrus

Konig:

When you started dating he actually started to look at what kind of shampoo and conditioner he was buying. He took his time trying to figure out what you might like, before settling with a Vanilla and amber blend. The charcoal scent comes from his deodorant and body spray, both being charcoal based.

Main tone: Vanilla

Middle tone: Amber

Undertone: Charcoal

Rudy:

Rudy has an overall spicy sweet smell embedded into all his clothes no matter what. He has marshmallow scented shampoo (which you'll have to pry out of his cold dead hands if you don't like it). He also loves red chillies and puts it in everything. Both of you don't know where that campfire smell comes from though.

Main tone: Marshmallows

Middle tone: Red chillies

Undertone: Fire wood

Mace:

Mace is always covered in metal, whether he's in uniform or not. No matter how long and/or hard he washes that smell is not coming out. However when he's not in uniform, he's in leather. And he treats his leather properly with jasmine scented leather conditioner. All of it mixed together is a little odd, but it's him.

Main tone: Metallic

Middle tone: Leather

Undertone: Jasmine

Let's be real with ourselves, They all smell like straight booty :(

[meltedbluecaterpillar]

Olfactophilia

QUARTET NIGHT - HE★VENS

TW FOR SEMI SUGGESTIVE CONTENT! These are my personal headcanons on what I think the idols would wear. You do not have to agree with me. I just dislike how Broccoli always gives their character merch scents like; apple or lavender. They are adult men in an entertainment industry. They usually get promotional items so I think that they have preferences... But I also have a thing for exploring the world around me with my nose first. I hope you enjoy.

Quick explanation; top notes, middle notes, and base notes are the length of how long the scent will last when applied. Top notes; 5 - 15 minutes / Middle notes; 1 hour / Base notes; Max of 6 hours

Otoya Ittoki

God of Fire by Stéphane Humbert Lucas Unisex Cologne Around 200 USD // 29,896 Yen

I chose this particular cologne based on my personal views and how I see Otoya Ittoki. Usually for character merch he has a very delicate and gentle smelling item (lavender usually) but I personally do not think it fits him. Especially now that he is a fiery adult! Do I think he would actually spend that much on cologne? Once... If he is planning to go on a special date or he has to go to a big fancy event he will have this prepared. God of Fire has the scent of smoke and embers. Imagine a wildfire that has reduced it's surroundings to ash. Otoya is a very free spirit and he is full of energy like a burning flame. He and I also share a star sign, so I know my Aries men the best. The top notes are mango, ginger, lemon and red berries (usually this is raspberries) which gives it an upper tropical and fruity smell. Middle notes; Coumarin (a grassy smell mixed with vanilla), jasmine and cedar. Making it very woodsy! And base notes have musk (this usually means fabric, soft and clean), amber, agarwood. The base notes are the raging, smoky flames that will reduce everything above to ash.

You won't be burned by Otoya, although he is much hotter than any sun...

Ren Jinguji

Triumph of Bacchus by Argos Masculine/Unisex Cologne Around 250 USD // 37,370 Yen

Ren usually will have citrus as his scent. Oranges... But I think that is overplayed. Allow me to entice you my little lost lambs!~! This cologne is designed to seduce. And Ren is also a nepobaby so I don't think he looks at prices very much? As long as it is something he truly wants. And what he wants is to charm you out of your clo- I mean... Take you on a date... And fun fact, Bacchus is one of the twelve Olympians and he is the god of wine making, fertility, ritual madness, theater, and 'religious ecstasy'. Catch my drift? The top notes are Rum, white peach, green apple and saffron which are nice and fruity!~! Middle notes are tonka bean, patchouli, jasmine and vetiver (it's a grassy smell with wood as well). This is where the more sexy aspect starts to really kick in especially when he hugs you tightly against his chest... The base notes are tobacco, vanilla, amber, sandalwood and musk. Tobacco (natural and unburned) is actually oddly sweet so it fits extremely well to me.

Don't lose your way little lamb, the big bad wolf might lure you in... Just kidding, it's only Ren...

Natsuki/Satsuki Shinomiya

Au Lait by Alkemia Unisex Perfume 20 USD // 2,990 Yen

Le Lion by Chanel Unisex Perfume Around 325 USD // 48,581 Yen

Natsuki is our double dipper because he is a very special case. His scent is... Pure yellow. But that reminds me of extra strength cleaner which is so horrific. I like these instead! The first one is something I think he would buy because it reminds him of bouncy fresh bread. He doesn't seem interested in prices or anything like that. Just if something is small and cute. Because it isn't a luxury brand... Fans would go insane knowing this is what he wears. It has only a few ingredients which aren't really categorized. But we have wild honey, hints of brown sugar, tonka beans and creamy milk. Some reviews say it really does smell like fresh buttery bread which I adore. The next one is technically Satsuki, but still Natsuki. But please interpret this however you want. I picked this particular fragrance for many reasons , but I won't bore you to death! Honestly... A fan probably bought this and sent it to the company PO box... The top notes are bergamot and lemon. Which is very acidic and citrusy, like a sudden jolt when you inhale. Crackle even. The middle notes are labdanum(woody smelling resin from a species of rockrose) and amber. This makes it have a very inviting and somewhat... Almost animalistic... In a good way. Kind of wild and a little... Dangerous. But it lingers around because if Natsuki is wearing it there's nothing to worry about... Right? The base notes are vanilla, patchouli, sandalwood, and musk. This is where that charm really shines through for me Natsuki wise. It's delicate and masculine, still inviting and strong just like he is.

Natsuki wishes he could hold you all the time... Satsuki has other intentions...

Cecil Aijima

Oro Verde by House of BŌ Unisex Perfume 175 USD // 26,159 Yen

Unfortunately Cecil is a victim of the green apple craze. I do not think green apple suits him at all it is such a childish thing. Something I would get at Claire's. So I choose this. Which is very simple but I also do not see Cecil as someone who would wear a lot of cologne? He doesn't want to rub stuff on his skin that isn't natural so he probably dabs this on his clothes or staff will ask to put it behind his ears/on his wrists. The top notes are bergamot, cannabis, mate- LOWER YOUR PITCHFORKS! Cannabis smell when it is unburned has an earthy scent to it. Somewhat sticky and almost like fresh cut grass. When it is burned that's when you get the skunk and garlic... Okay? Middle notes are basil, watermelon, and vetiver sables (earthy like rotten log smell). This with the light scent of lingering fruit really makes me smile it has a very fresh smell which I really like. Like the scent of your skin when you sunbathe. And finally the base notes are herbals and spices (I don't want to list off all of the plants). When they say spice that actually is in reference to black pepper! Which all together is so wonderful to smell. And Cecil is a prince so of course he smells good.

The fresh scent lingers on your clothes, just as Cecil had hoped!~!

Masato Hijirikawa

Quasar Ice by O Boticárioro Masculine Cologne 50 USD // 7,474 Yen

Of course our ice prince gets something ice themed. I did not want to give Masato something expensive like the others just because I don't think he is into luxury items. I am not suggesting the others are... I am implying that he doesn't think to hard about cologne. As long as it smells nice for a meeting he won't mind. The only issue is that this is an alcohol base so he would spray it gently... Leaving a nice fade out. No dousing... The top notes are ice (this is hard to explain but it is the molecule that allows you to smell cold air), lime, sage, and cardamom. So in other words... A store bought key lime pie! I wanted something sweet for Masato since I think he is a very sweet guy, even if he doesn't look like it. The middle notes are cedar, black pepper, bourbon geranium, and lavender. This will reminisce a nice winter walk though the forest! And the base notes are oakmoss, amber, sandalwood, and cashmere. So after your frozen pie and a chilly walk, it's like you've returned to a nice cozy cabin with him at the end of the night...

To think that even Masato could wear something so romantic...

Tokiya Ichinose

Midnight by Rawchemistry Masculine Cologne/Pheromones' 30 USD // 4,485 Yen

My original choice for Tokiya was something different. However I cannot find the original scent and nor do I think it truly fits the Tokiya that lives in my mind anymore. So, I chose this. It is also not an alcohol base which I think Tokiya would like because he is overly conscious and critical of everything he eats/wears/does. And this is technically pheromones. Not cologne. So there aren't really top, middle and base notes. Just an overall scent. And that would be; lavender, orange blossoms, patchouli and vanilla. And if you didn't know... All four of these are aphrodisiacs. The usual notes used in cologne are made in fact to attract. But these all together are made with the intent to seduce if that makes sense since there are no other ingredients to note. Is Tokiya a sexual character? No. But he is designed and written to have that form of charm without directly saying it. So that is also why I chose this. He is very confident with what he does as an idol. So... He wants you to understand that without him saying it...

Maybe there is some appeal to Tokiya after all... Just kidding...

Syo Kurusu

Sahara Rose Absolute by Habibi NY Unisex Perfume 135 USD // 20,180 Yen

So... Usually Syo will have a rose scented item. Which... I personally like a lot actually. He is a character designed to not fit into most traditionally masculine stereotypes while still being very masculine. So I chose this scent because it sort of replicates what I think his actual character scent actually is and what he would like to wear. Although I regret to inform the masses that he used to drown himself in Axe body spray... Thankfully he's grown now and he knows that shit was wack. The top notes are Turkish rose, geranium, jasmine and black currant. Very floral and very delicate which is so pleasant when it lingers. The middle notes are pink pepper, saffron, incense, and agar wood. These are spicy and semi-sweet, the balance between femininity and masculinity. The incense offering a powdery-ness that makes it not overwhelming. And finally the base notes are musk, sandalwood, vetiver, and amber. Very sensual at the end, and again not overpowering. I love the balance it has personally and this one was my 'absolute' favorite.

Even though Syo is so strong... He still leaves that rose colored hue behind...

[mahoutoons]

i'm sure my non indian followers are confused about why i'm suddenly reblogging stuff about a temple. so let me explain.

on 22nd january, 2024, the ram mandir in ayodhya was inaugrated. it was believed to be built on the birthplace of the lord ram, a hindu god. celebrations were everywhere. not just in india, but abroad, the indian hindu diaspora also celebrated the opening of the temple. saffron flags and chants of "jai shri ram" were everywhere.

so, what's the problem?

the first is that this temple was built on the side of a 500 year old mosque, which was demolished by hindu extremists in 1992. you're probably going to hear that this mosque was built on the site of a demolished temple originally, and they're just reclaiming it. but that is a lie. in fact, the supreme court claims that there was no evidence of a temple under the babri masjid. in fact, that is one of the longest run s@nghi misinformation campaigns. once upon a time, the demolition of the babri masjid was seen as a national shame, the actions of a few fringe hindu nationalists. but now, its a celebrated almost mainstream event, which does not hold promise for where this country is headed.

oh, but hindus are just celebrating a place of worship being opened on what they believe to be a holy site, right? wrong. its not just about the celebrations, but how the treatment of religious minorities in india would get worse. it was already pretty bad, especially under our current fascist government, but now we're seeing churches and mosques being vandalized with saffron flags and chants of "jai shri ram", muslim owned shops being burned, crowds calling for the demilition of more mosques, muslim owned properties being subject to more violence than ever, and honestly many more that could be happening as we speak.

india has always been a hellhole for religious minorities and it has been more so ever since m0di gained power. but the building of this temple is just going to make things so much worse, especially for indian muslims. remember that when you see someone celebrating the ram mandir, this is what they're celebrating. this is what they're turning a blind eye to and even encouraging.

with all this in mind, i encourage non indians to steer clear of anyone celebrating the ram mandir. i don't care if its their religion, i don't care if they're "just celebrating", what they're celebrating is a temple built on the site of a demolished mosque and with the blood of many. don't buy their "500 years of struggle" bs, its a lie.

[thatpikmin]

So I had Popgoes brain rot and decided to draw them I tried doing digital doodles and failed, so I made a illustration of Popgoes as a sticker

But that didn’t stop me from continuing to rot about them so I started with drawing the whole cast

I did make a few mistakes when first drawing them but it’s whatever (ones that bothers me the most are Blake’s outfit and Holly’s head feathers) either way love how I drew them so I moved onto the next page

I started with a drawing of manora fangirling over Popgoes and holly being confused about her spending habits at the place (ex. Buying pizza even if she doesn’t like it)

Next is candy and Popgoes, I just really like that idea of candy being so oblivious while Popgoes is the one to make plans (or as explained in the drawing the dumb and smart one)

I made more of them

I continued on with a silly headcanon? Idea? Of morse and blake looking at blueprints together, since their both technicians 

I then thought of holly, I love how I drew her so decided to draw her again but from a different angle, unfortunately, doesn’t look at cute but still pretty good

Ignore the whiteout

Next one to draw was stone, I remember how one of his occupations is that he can replace anyone when something happens, so I thought “if that’s true that means he can replace Popgoes if he’s ever sick” originally I was gonna draw a sick Popgoes but didn’t know how to or where to put him

I was still bothered that I can’t get popgoes’s prints right so I drew him again just to figure it out

I realized I drew everyone except the sisters, so I drew Sara and saffron admiring jewels saffron had

I HIT THE IMAGE LIMIT FUDGE-

Will reblog with continuation 

[tj-dragonblade]

Last Line Tag Game

Tagged by @amielot and @teejaystumbles - thank you!

I am currently drifting from one wip file to the next leaving dribs and drabs on each. There is still intent to write a sequel to the Hob-in-short-short-cutoffs fic from last summer and the most recent blurb that I wrote went on that:

"Know why I picked this color?"

"Do tell." Dream is far more captivated by the wet curls of hair on the backs of Hob's thighs and where they climb the swell of Hob's arse before disappearing beneath the frayed edge of his shorts than the color of the car Hob is washing, but Hob's stories are always of interest, even when the man himself. Is a distraction.

"Saffron yellow, it's called. When I was born saffron was this crazy-valuable thing that I never even heard of until much later in my very long life." He bends along the side of the car, swirling soapy water across the bottom of the door with a rhythmic little bounce in his hips that Dream recognizes is deliberate and entirely for his benefit.

"And now I can just—" he waves the sponge around in a vague circle as he straightens up "—pop over to the shops and buy, for a very reasonable price, what would have been a king's ransom back in the day! Makes me appreciate, y'know?" He cocks a hip and rests the fist with the sponge on it, shakes out his wet hair, drags his free hand through it, then down the front of his transparently-wet shirt in a way that Dream cannot help but follow avidly with his eyes, as he's quite sure he's meant to. "It's so good to be alive, and there's always so much to experience."

Tagging, no obligation as always: @staroftheendless, @chaosheadspace, @delta-pavonis, @lenreli, @immacaria, @bruce-wayne-simp

[treason-and-plot]

‘Downstairs’ is what a real estate agent would describe as a ‘teenage retreat’ with a comfortable leather couch and beanbags, several gaming consoles, a state of the art foosball table, and a huge TV screen. As Connor promised, there is also a fridge containing a bottle of vodka. He pours them each a glass and adds a generous amount of ice cubes. He sits down on the couch and sips his vodka while Saffron continues to look around.

“Are you going to sit down?” he asks her. She sits down and takes a couple of prim little sips from her glass.

“Shall I start?” he says.

She shrugs.

“Truth or dare?”

“Truth.”

“What is something you’re glad your parents don’t know about you?”

That I’ve been having sex with a married teacher for the past nine months?

“Hmmmm,” she says. “Probably that I used to regularly take money from their wallets to buy cigarettes. And drugs.”

“Drugs?” he says.

“Party drugs. You know, like white llamas and stuff. I used to spend nearly every weekend clubbing with Syb a couple of years ago. Before…” Before she met Josh and he replaced me as the most important person in her life. “...before I realised I had to get serious about studying if I wanted to get into Law School.”

“Syb? She’s your step-sister, right?” he says. “I remember you two used to be inseparable.”

“I guess,” says Saffron, taking another swig of vodka. “Okay, truth or dare?”

“Truth,” says Connor.

“What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done?” Saffron asks him. After a few moments spent squinting into his glass he finally answers.

“I faked being sick to get attention from my parents,” he says.

“What do you mean?”

“I was about eleven or twelve, and I was just feeling sad and lonely because they’d left me again with some random babysitter to go to some fundraiser or something, and I faked being sick so they had to come home. I was pretending I had excruciating stomach pains except I faked it a bit too well and the babysitter called an ambulance. I remember crying for real because I was so scared of what I’d done. My mother turned up to the hospital absolutely hysterical. Dad was pretty shaken too. They were running tests on me for two days. Must've cost my parents an absolute fortune."

"Woah," says Saffron. "That's pretty wild. And they never found out you were faking?"

"Nope," says Connor. "Okay, my turn. Truth or dare?"

"Truth," says Saffron, taking another deep gulp from her vodka glass.

"Where did you meet the fuck buddy dude?" says Connor.

[saffronwholesaler]

Pure Saffron for Sale

Pure saffron for sale looks for stores that specialize in spices, herbs, or international foods. These stores often have a wide variety of saffron for sale options available. Search for saffron producers or distributors in regions known for saffron production. Some suppliers have websites where you can purchase saffron directly from them. 

[onlinemathtutoringservices]

Choose the Best Math Quotient Training Institute in Dubai | Math Quotient

Math is a subject that requires constant practice and a strong foundation to excel in. Quotient training, also known as mental arithmetic, is a crucial aspect of mathematics that helps in improving mental calculation skills, concentration, and speed. In Dubai, there are many institutes that offer math quotient training, but choosing the best one can be a difficult task. This article outlines some of the factors that you should consider while choosing the best math quotient training institute in Dubai.

[rc--chan]

Gym Leader Pokespe AU

This is basically an au where the dexholders are gym leaders. I picked what types they use based on which type is the most populous in their teams for the most part, but there are cases where a) there are no repeat types in their team, b) I don't think that specific type fits them or c) someone needs to take that type for some variety. I am also making their teams as if they were the 8th gym leader, so you can just imagine the pre-evolutions for earlier gyms.

Red: Fighting type gym. Yes I know Red had 2 water types on his team but I do not see him as water type gym leader. Also he's the Fighter so…His gym is located in Saffron City, Sabrina finally gets booted like she deserves, in place of the Fighting Dojo. He has a strength gym puzzle, if you place the boulders correctly around the room a door opens up that leads you to him but if you fail a trap door opens under you and you fall into a room filled with trainers. There are also Machokes in the room with the puzzle that will try to mess with things so you have to defeat them if you don't want to restart everything. His team is: Hitmontop, Machamp, Hitmonlee, Primeape, Hitmonchan and Poliwrath. Poliwrath is obviously the ace. If you win you get the Dynamic Badge and the TM for Dynamic Punch.

Green: So I know Green already is a gym leader, but I still wanted to give him a monotype team, so…he's a Steel type gym leader now. Did I choose steel simply because I like Scizor a lot? Absolutely. Do I regret it?…partially. I am trying to give them teams that mostly have pokemon from their home region…but Kanto has like…two steel types and that is the Magnemite line so…yeah I had to get some other generation steel types in here. But anyways, onto the gym puzzle…it's the exact same, hooray! His team is: Skarmory, Steelix, Alolan Sandslash, Magnezone, Aegislash and Scizor. I know none of these are gen I pokemon…but I'm doing my best. Steelix, Magnezone and Scizor are evolutions of Kanto pokemon, Alolan Sandslash is an alternate form of a Kanto pokemon and Aegislash he could have picked up while he was in Kalos. Skarmory is there just to set up Stealth Rocks. Scizor is his ace. If you win you get the now renamed Metallic Badge and the TM for Iron Defense.

Blue: So before Fairy was introduced, Blue basically had 4 normal types on her team, so she's a Normal type gym leader. Her gym is located in Vermilion City, since you use a boat from there to get to the Sevii Islands so I think it works for her. Her gym puzzle is basically a sales pitch. You craft some items, like TMs or potions and then you try to convince the gym trainers to buy them. You need to get 1000 pokedollars from your sales if you want to fight Blue. If you don't manage to convince the gym trainers to buy, you have to fight them for the money. Her team is: Ditto, Persian, Kangaskhan, Chansey, Snorlax and Wigglytuff as the ace. If you win you get the Craft Badge and the TM for Hyper Beam.

Yellow: Electric type gym. Pikachu is her whole thing, it would be wrong not to make her an electric type gym leader. Her gym is located in Pewter City since it's the other city close to Viridian Forest. Her gym puzzle is finding 'injured' pokemon in Viridian Forest and healing them. They're not really injured, they're pretending to be for the puzzle. Around the forest there are gym trainers that will battle you to prevent you from helping the injured pokemon. Her team is: Electrode, Jolteon, Electivire, Raichu, Alolan Golem and a Pikachu with a Light Ball to make it strong enough to be her ace. I did not give her any pokemon from the Magnemite line because I don't want 2 gym leaders from the same pokemon line in one region. So she gets Alolan Golem, an alternate form of a Kanto pokemon and Electivire is there because it makes sense as the evolution of a Kanto mon. If you win you get the Lightning Badge and the TM for Thunderbolt.

Gold: Fire type gym. So, personally when I think of Gold the first pokemon that pop into my mind are Togetaro, Mantaro, Explotaro and Ataro, since they are his most iconic in my opinion. So it was a choice between these 4 and since Typhlosion is my favourite starter, he's now a fire type gym leader. His gym is located in Goldenrod City, since it's next to the Day Care. RIP Whitney's Miltank, you will not be missed. His gym puzzle is hatching 4 pokemon eggs and delivering the babies to their mothers. You have 20 minutes after the first egg hatched to deliver them and gym trainers will do their best to stop you, either by stealing the baby pokemon or by putting obstacles in your path. His team is: Arcanine, Magmortar, Ninetales, Magcargo, Houndoom and Typhlosion as his ace. If you win you get the Hatching Badge and the TM for Blast Burn. Yes ik in the pokespe world this is not a TM but let me have this, I swear I have a legitimate reason for giving them the ultimate moves as TMs.

Silver: Water type gym. Silver has 3 water types on his team, ain't no way I am giving him something else. Sorry Weavile. His gym is located in Blackthorn City simply because we cannot have 2 Kingdra trainers in one region and also fuck Clair, she sucks. His gym is a trading game, you give your pokemon to the Gym guide and he distributes them among some of the gym trainers, then you have to trade using rented pokemon to get them back. However if you ask someone to trade and you do not have the required pokemon they will challenge you to a battle using your own pokemon and another pokemon that you might need for another trade. After you get your team back you can challenge Silver. I feel like his gym would be very popular among people that want to evolve their pokemon but don't have friends to trade with. His team is: Shiny Gyarados, Lanturn, Azumarill, Slowking, Kingdra and Feraligatr as his ace. If you win you get the Trading Badge and the TM for Hydro Cannon.

Crystal: Mega is absolutely her most iconic pokemon and since Parasee is part grass, this makes it her most populous type on her team. Technically so is Psychic due to Chumee and Xatee but we'll ignore that. So she's a Grass type gym leader. Her gym is located in Violet City since that's where the orphanage/Pokémon Academy is located. Her gym puzzle is catching specific pokemon that can be found in the grass in her gym. You get 10 of each pokeball and you have to catch a pokemon for each one. The gym trainers will try to stop you either by catching a pokemon before you can get it, scaring pokemon away or battling you. Her team is: Parasect, Jumpluff, Exeggutor, Bellossom, Vileplume and Meganium as her ace. If you win you get the Catching Badge and the TM for Frenzy Plant. So, for the record, I did not plan for the Johtrio to be a fire, grass, water trio, it happened on accident as I was deciding the types for their gyms and I decided to just roll with it and have them match by giving all 3 the ultimate moves as TMs.

Ruby: Fairy type gym. Fairy is like a very pretty type and Ruby is someone who values beauty so it works. Also I refuse to make him a water type gym leader. Sorry Mimi. His gym is in Lilycove City because that's where the Master Rank Pokémon Contests are held. His gym puzzle is basically a bastardized version of a Pokémon Contest, the only difference is that if you don't get a high enough score you have to battle a gym trainer. Ruby, Wallace and White via video call are the judges. His team is: Mawile, Wigglytuff, Clefable, Togekiss, Azumarill and Gardevoir as his ace. Ruby is in a similar situation to Green, not a lot of fairy types in Hoenn so I borrowed from other generations. Also since this is a different region Wigglytuff is fair game for Ruby to have. If you win you get the Beauty Badge and the TM for Charm.

Sapphire: Rock type gym. Imma be honest, I did not know what to do with Sapphire, so I just took all the types of her team, put them on a wheel and it landed on rock so…yeah. If you're disappointed in me, trust me, so am I. The gym is in Rustboro City because we cannot have 2 rock type gym leaders. Her gym puzzle is basically the tower defense game, you get to construct your own secret base and you have to defend it from invaders, be they wild pokemon or gym trainers. If you manage to successfully defend your base for 30 minutes, Sapphire will come to your base to battle you. She's basically the final boss. Her team is: Relicanth, Armaldo, Cradily, Kabutops, Tyranitar and Aggron as her ace. I gave her Tyranitar to make up for the fact that she has Relicanth, Armaldo and Cradily. I feel like these three's uselessness balances out Tyranitar's power. People who play competitive pokemon know what I'm talking about. If you get past Tyranitar you win the Corundum Badge and the TM for Sandstorm. Fun fact, corundum is what sapphires are made of.

Emerald: Psychic type gym. Emerald was the exact opposite of Sapphire, the moment I looked at him I was like, 'Psychic, Emerald is a Psychic gym leader and I will not take any criticism'. He also has a connection with Jirachi, Latias and Latios, who are all psychic types so it works. His gym is in Mossdeep City because again, we cannot have 2 psychic gym leaders. In his gym you are handed a slingshot and small capsules with soil from a pokemon's birthplace. In the gym there are wild angry pokemon you have to shoot the soil at to calm them down. After all of the pokemon are calm you can challenge Emerald. Gym trainers will attempt to anger the pokemon again and if you want them to stop you have to defeat them in battle. His team is: Grumpig, Medicham, Claydol, Starmie, Xatu and Mr. Mime as his ace. If you win you get the Shooter Badge and the TM for Psychic.

Platina: Ghost type gym. This is the exact thing that happened with Green, I really like Froslass so she gets to be a ghost type gym leader. Her gym is located in Hearthome City because Fantina exists so we have to steal her gym. Her gym puzzle is a trivia game combined with an escape room. You get into a room and are given a piece of paper, a feather, the TM for Thief and an Ultra Ball. On the paper there are 3 pokemon listed: Mismagius, Bastiodon and Milotic. Bastiodon's Sinnoh Dex number, #039, ends up being the combination to a safe. You open it and you get a scale. The scale is a clue that leads you to figuring out you need to know the weight of Mismagius, 4.4 kg and with that you find out how much weight you need to put on a pressure plate. A door opens and you get led to another room where you find a plastic copy of the Griseous Orb, a stick and a wild Misdreavus. You use the Ultra Ball to cath Misdreavus and teach it Thief. You also find out it's holding rope. Milotic is 6.2 m long which is how much rope you need to create a pulley system using other items from the room that allows you to open a rusted trap door. You jump into the room and find a Glameow that is very skittish and won't stay still. You use the feather, a stick and some leftover rope to create a toy that will distract the cat long enough for the Misdreavus to use Thief and steal the item the cat had around it's neck. It is a locket with a picture of Giratina, you insert the fake Griseous Orb into the wall and a door opens up to a room where you finally reach Platina. If you don't manage to escape in less than an hour you get taken out of the room and have to beat 6 gym trainers. Her team is: Rotom, Drifblim, Gengar, Spiritomb, Mismagius and Froslass, with the ice type as her ace. If you win you get the Apparition Badge and the TM for Shadow Ball.

Diamond: A Normal type gym leader, because he has 3. This is our first repeat type because there are more dexholders than there are pokemon types. His gym is in Pastoria City because it's in between Hearthome and Sunyshore, which are the gyms of his friends. His gym is a cooking game, you are presented with 5 pokemon with different natures: Naughty, Bold, Sassy, Hasty and Rash. Your objective is to make Poffins that cater to their tastes. If you fail you have to fight that specific Pokemon's gym trainer. His team is: Purugly, Staraptor, Ursaring, Blissey, Lickilicky and Snorlax as his ace. If you win you get the Chef Badge and the TM for Return.

Pearl: Ground type gym. Pearl has almost no repeat types on his team, with the only overlap being Tauhiko and Chahiko, but I already made Dia a normal type gym leader so I went with ground because I also needed someone to take that type. His gym is in Sunyshore because I wanted to place Dia in between him and Platina. In his gym puzzle you are given a pokemon that knows Helping Hand, you have to traverse with the pokemon through a labyrinth. Inside the labyrinth there are pokemon that are able to shatter parts of the walls to make a path or to obtain you a clue, you have to determine what move the pokemon will use next and use Helping Hand to boost it. However if you guess wrong the pokemon will fight you instead. There are also trainers there that will try to stop you. His team is: Hippowdon, Gliscor, Rhyperior, Gastrodon, Garchomp and Dugtrio as his ace. If you get past Garchomp you win the Willpower Badge and the TM for Earthquake.

Black: From his team, the pokemon that always stood out the most to me were Brav and Musha, and I like Braviary more so, Flying type gym leader. His gym is in Mistralton City, because Skyla is a type overlap. In his gym you have to win 3 consecutive battles with only one of your pokemon against trainers who have 3 pokemon so it really forces you to strategize. You have to do this for each one of your pokemon, leading to 18 battles in total. There are flying Braviarys above you that you have to latch onto to get carried to the next trainer. His team is: Archeops, Emolga, Swanna, Mandibuzz, Sigilyph and Braviary as his ace. If you win you get the Aerial Badge and the TM for Aerial Ace.

White: Grass type gym leader because she has 2. Her gym is in Virbank City because of Pokéstar Studios. Her gym puzzle is a musical. Your pokemon have a chance to become actors and they have to reenact a movie where they are the heroes of the story. All trainers are hidden from view for the camera and gym trainer's pokemon act as villains for the movie. Once most of the story is over you get to battle White, with her pokemon pretending to be the big villains of the story. Her team is: Simisage, Lilligant, Ferrothorn, Whimsicott, Sawsbuck and Serperior as her ace. If you win you get the Story Badge and the TM for Magical Leaf.

Lack-two: This is another dexholder with three water types on his team, so he gets the Water Gym. His gym is in Humilau City because of Marlon. His gym puzzle is a murder mystery. You get a file for the fake victim and have to find who killed them. There are clues all around the gym and you have to battle the trainers if you want their testimonies. This all leads around to discovering that the murderer was actually the gym leader all along. Once you figure this out, you can challenge Lack-two. His team is: Simipour, Seismitoad, Jellicent, Carracosta, Kabutops and Samurott as his ace. If you win you get the Clue Badge and the TM for Scald.

Whi-two: Bug type gym leader. Whi-two has 2 pokemon if you don't count the Delphox she got at the end of XY and one of them is a grass type, so we only have one other option for her. Her gym is in Castelia City, taking the place of Burgh. In her gym you have to 'liberate' Pokémon from evil humans. Her gym trainers are pretending to be bad people that you have to defeat to steal their pokemon. Once you defeat them, you take the pokemon to a safe place. You have to be careful because the gym trainers will try to get their pokemon back. Your goal is to help as many pokemon as possible before 15 minutes are up and if you haven't managed to liberate at least 6, you fail. Her team is: Leavanny, Scolipede, Crustle, Galvantula, Volcarona and Accelgor as her ace. If you win you get the Critter Badge and the TM for U-turn.

X: Dragon type gym. Someone needed to take that type and Mega Charizard X is right there so…His gym is in Lumiose City because that's where Professor Sycamore's lab is and he's the one that gives the player the mega evolving Kanto starters. His gym is a long series of mega evolving battles, there are 10 gym trainers in total and all of them have pokemon that can mega evolve. After you beat all 10 you can challenge X. His team is: Tyrantrum, Dragalge, Hydreigon, Goodra, Noivern and Mega Charizard X as his ace. If you win you get the Scales Badge and the TM for Dragon Claw.

Y: Flying type gym. Everyone saw this coming. She's a Sky Trainer so it makes sense. In the games, the first Sky Battle happens on Route 8, if I remember correctly and the nearest city is Cyllage City, so that's where her gym is. Her gym puzzle is gliding down from the top floor of the gym to the bottom, along the way you have to fight gym trainers and defeat them. If you don't have pokemon that can participate in Sky Battles, platforms will appear in places for them to land on but the trainer cannot use them. Her team is: Altaria, Vespiquen, Crobat, Drifblim, Pidgeot and Talonflame as her ace. If you win you get the Sky Badge and the HM for Fly. I know normally gym leaders don't give you HMs, but it would be weird to give her anything else.

Sun: So Alola doesn't have any gyms, but they do have Island Kahunas, which are similar enough for me to make him and Moon a team. He specializes in Dark types, because he has 2 on his team, so he takes Nanu's place as the Kahuna of Ula'ula Island. The Kahuna grand trials are just battles so I'll just move on to his team: Sableye, Honchkrow, Umbreon, Malamar, Alolan Persian and Incineroar as his ace.

Moon: I think we all know what type Moon uses: Poison. She's the Kahuna of Akala Island, because both Slandit and Mareanie can be found there. Her team is: Tentacruel, Dragalge, Arbok, Gengar, Toxapex and Muk as her ace.

Sou: So for Sou, I did something a little different, I looked through the pokedex and searched which type has the most pokemon holding items, since that's his thing. And the answer to that is Psychic, with 7 pokemon if you count Galarian Slowbro's Shellder-gun-arm thing, which I have to, because otherwise I have to give him Hoopa and that is not happening. Does this make you mad? Because it makes me mad, but oh well. I did not spend 40 minutes searching for pokemon with items just to scrap this. I don't know if some of the pokemon in his team even are in the Galar pokedex, but I don't care. It's too late to change it now. His gym is in Stow-on-Side, because it has the Bargain shop and you can get cool items there. His gym puzzles are item based battles, like against a Focus Sash pokemon with Endeavor and Quick Attack or a Toxic Orb, Guts pokemon. You have to battle against 10 gym trainers if you want to battle Sou. His team is: Delphox, Hypno, Galarian Slowbro, Alakazam, Mr. Rime and Oranguru as his ace. If you win you get the Psychic badge, because Galar names their badges after types and the TM for Magic Room.

Schilly: Ice type gym leader. As I'm writing this I realize Platina would have made more sense as the Ice type gym leader but in my defense, I need someone to take the ghost type and Schilly has none but also, it's 5am as I'm writing this and I'm tired so you will just have to deal with it. Her gym is in Circhester because of type overlap and for her puzzle you get placed in a room in the middle of a blizzard and are given a drone that you have to use to find 10 pokemon before 30 minutes are up. As you attempt to do this, gym trainers will try to shoot your drone down so you will have to battle them if you want them to stop. Her team is: Weavile, Frosmoth, Arctozolt, Arctovish, Galarian Darmanitan and Eiscue as her ace. If you win you get the Ice badge and the TM for Ice Beam.

Bonus:

So we all know how close the Sinnoh trio is and it feels wrong to split them up in different gyms so I also did a version where they share a gym.

Sinnoh Trio: So the type that all 3 of them share, that isn't Normal, is Electric, so they share an electric type gym in Sunyshore, because Volkner is a type overlap. I really like the rotation battles that were introduced in gen V, so even though they don't exist in DPPt, I decided to give them a rotation battle gym. You have to win against 10 gym trainers to battle the gym leaders. And yes, even their battle is a rotation battle. Their team is: Magnezone, Jolteon, Raichu, Pachirisu, Rotom Wash and Luxray. If you win you get the Friendship Badge and the TM for Thunder Wave.

[cadaverre]

omg to anyone who wanted to read the folklore trio fic i started for english class here it iss

It all started with Betty. 

James doesn’t remember when Betty turned from a face in the halls to someone that consumed all his waking thoughts. The one thing he does remember is that day in the cafeteria during sophomore year when he saw a girl with gleaming saffron hair and a smile that could not be dimmed by the sickly green lighting or dreary walls of the school. Seeing her sparked something in James that he had not felt since his mother walked out two years ago, and he was immediately addicted to it. Betty was the sun, beaming her untouchable joy through the forlorn clouds of high school. The mere thought of her became addictive – she was all-consuming, taking up all of James’ brain.  

But he knew Betty never noticed him. Who even was James Martin?  

By the time Christmas break of sophomore year rolled around, Betty had exchanged four conversations, twelve smiles and twenty-one glances in the halls with James. He didn’t need to write those numbers down. They were as ingrained in his head as the lyrics to his favourite song. James spent the break with his family, unwrapping books, and video games. After Christmas day, his father led him into a shed where a shiny new bike sat, gleaming in comparison to the rust that was taking over the unused space. It was a nice gift, but James knew that the bike was only because they couldn’t afford to buy him a car and his older brother was too busy with his job to drive him everywhere. James didn’t mind. He liked the bike and was grateful for his father for thinking of him.  

James rode his new bike all through the rest of the vacation, even through the cold snap and drifty snow that breezed through his small town in Tennessee. He couldn’t think of anything else to do; football training didn’t start until the summer. On the second last day of the break as he was rolling his bike out of the shed, he saw a girl leaving the house next to his. A rush of heat flooded through him as he realised it was her, the girl that would not leave his mind alone.  

“James! Hi!” Betty called out, noticing him and waving. 

James waved pathetically; his voice suddenly gone. He had never known that Betty lived right next to him, so close. It made no sense – but also made perfect sense. But could she have felt the waves of emotion radiating from him every night? Did she know that he thought of her so often, it felt like he knew her so well already?  

He tilted his head down and got on his bike, hoping to limit his conversations with Betty because he knew he was going to embarrass himself in front of her. But Betty had a different idea.  

“Hey wait up!” She walked down her front path, meeting him at the road. “Where are you going?” 

“Uh, just, around, I guess?”  

“Cool.” She smiled at him, her cheeks tinted pink by the cold. Betty’s small frame was covered in a large coat, her hands in chunky knitted mittens.  

“I’m gonna— “James started, but Betty interrupted him. 

“I was planning to get some coffee. You wanna come?” This shocked James so much he didn’t respond for far too long, leaving Betty standing there, her perfect face hopeful. 

After the silence, James remembered how to talk. “Yeah, sure.” He didn’t have the heart to tell her that he didn’t really like coffee, but her presence was so hypnotising James had a feeling he would have said yes to anything she asked him. 

“Great! Let’s go.” 

James rolled his bike alongside Betty on the walk to the centre of town. It didn’t take long, but in the time that they did have Betty asked him about his Christmas and described her trip to Nashville to see her grandparents. Every time her clear blue eyes landed on his he felt a tug in his chest, reminding him of how much he’d thought of her over the break. How obsessively he loved the idea of her, and the idea of her and him together. In that moment with Betty in the cold, James had the strange feeling that this would not be the last time.  

Betty sipped her caramel latte, glancing over at James. They were sitting on a frozen bench near Starbucks, James’ bike on the ground beside them.  

“So…” Betty started, always the one to start conversations. 

“What else did you do?” James cut in, desperate to keep talking to Betty. He didn’t want her to get bored of him.  

She went on to tell him a funny anecdote about her older brother. James listened, enchanted by her. When Betty asked about his, he didn’t know what to say. He didn’t mention that his grandmother left halfway through Christmas dinner because she couldn’t remember why she was there. He didn’t mention that his mother still didn’t reply to his letters that he had been sending since last June, every six months. He didn’t even mention that his father couldn’t afford a car for him, so he got a bike. 

“Yeah, it was cool. Nice to see family.” James said instead. 

A few days later, James was back at school. James walked through the hallways, his friend Max snickering at all the guys in their new cars. James nodded in the right places, but he couldn’t help glancing around the halls, longing to see a blonde head. Betty had waved to him that morning from her porch, and he couldn’t think of why he hadn’t seen her there before.  

“James!” Betty called out to him after the last bell had rung and James was walking out of the building towards his bike. She ran after him, her face shining despite the overhanging clouds.  

“Hey!” James said, surprised. “What’s up?” 

“Do you want a ride home?” 

James realised that she noticed his lack of car, his bike leaning against the school fence.  

“I uh…” James trailed off, unsure of what to say. His emotions fought a battle inside of him, his desire to talk more with Betty going up against his deep-rooted pride. If he accepts, he will have lost. He was 16. He should’ve been able to take care of himself. 

“It’s alright if you’re busy.” Betty noticed his silence, and while her smile never wavered, her voice dropped a bit. Guilt rolled through James. 

He politely declined her invite. 

One month later, and Betty kept offering to drive him to and from school. It took two weeks for James to accept, and soon Betty started hanging out at his house. Always in the living room – God forbid he bring a girl into his bedroom. It was like all the tension in the room evaporated the moment Betty walked in. James was comfortable with her, and it wasn’t hard for him to push his feelings aside. Betty seemed to like hanging out with him. It was a miracle. 

“Are you bringing anyone to homecoming?” Betty asked one afternoon while James was doing his Physics homework. James straightened his spine. He was trying to avoid the idea of homecoming, for he feared that he would accidently ask her out.  

“I mean…I wasn’t planning on it.” James said carefully, looking over at her. She was spread out on the couch, her hair up in a bun and long sleeves rolled up to her elbows. Betty didn’t seem to be embarrassed around him. She was just perfectly at ease with him. James couldn’t remember the last time that someone had just always wanted to be near him.  

“Would you…” Betty trailed off, her eyes wandering to meet his. “Would you want to go with me?” 

It was as if time stopped. This is exactly what James had been wanting to hear for the past year, probably more. Betty’s face was a picture of hope, her eyes wide and smile unsure. Paused in a moment of being so sure of wanting, James’ voice was stuck in his throat. Breath caught in his lungs like smoke, choking him from the inside and not allowing him to say anything.  

“Betty…” He said, his voice shaking and quiet. Betty’s eyebrows turned upwards, her face dropping slightly.  

“It’s ok if you don’t want to.” She said, clasping her hands and shrinking her figure. 

“No! It’s not that.” James said. He moved from the floor and sat next to her on the couch, clasping her hands in his. They were small and warm. 

“Yeah?” Betty said, the corners of her mouth upturning slightly. 

“I would be honoured to go to homecoming with you.”