#why is it that he and madison have such a rocky relationship

[klucis]

So…season 4B, eh?

I’m the kind of person that doesn’t like to pile on something without suggesting a better alternative. Therefore, after reading everyone’s takes on what was done wrong and how they would have done it differently, I’ve finally decided to throw my own 2c in, too.

Before I get to ‘my version’, I must comment on some of the most glaring moments of 4B in which the bag was monumentally fumbled with JJ and Jiara.

1. All of the near death experiences of JJ falling into water. First, the villain boat night trip. Second, being left to die by Groff at the sea. HOW IS IT POSSIBLE that Kiara, JJ’s girlfriend, has 0 reaction??? Especially because we have the exact same scenarios to compare it to from previous seasons. Aka, the infamous ‘sup?’ scene from season 2 or the bike crash scene from season 3. Girlie was so worried. Now we don’t even get a hug??? It is so weird, that it pulled me out of the story. Those are not two people in love, or even two people who are friends. That’s the reaction one would have about a coworker at best.

2. JJ and Sarah almost dying at sea. John B runs to Sarah the millisecond he sees them. Kiara doesn’t even stand up??? What?! That was so bizarre I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I don’t know how to possibly read it as anything other than “I don’t care”.

3. Another peak stupidity moment - why would JJ turn his back to Groff who was just threatening Kiara with a knife? He’s always had above average survival instinct and reflexes, what was that? How about you get away from the lunatic who’s already tried to kill you once before the emotional reunion? Beyond stupid. Just out of character and bad, no excuse there.

4. JJ abandoning all of his spidey senses when road tripping with Groff and acting so incredibly out of character that it was sad to watch. Where all the trust issues go? It’s BAD writing.

5. JJ having to open his mother’s casket… literally why? What was the point. I am literally speechless. Haven’t seen this much unnecessary suffering bestowed upon a character since reading A Little Life.

Now here’s how I would have done it. The three main variables I’m working with are i) Rudy is leaving; ii) Rudy and Madison have some sort of an issue and need to touch as little as possible; iii) Netflix demands a fifth season.

1. As much as I loved the slow burn of Jiara in the first 2 seasons and even the 3rd, given the actor drama, clearly it’s impossible to have those two as a couple. So during the 2 years time jump have them give the relationship a try and ultimately decide that it can’t work. Continue on the season 3 line of JJ being freaked out about letting Kie that close and ultimately she’s afraid to lose him as a friend and mess up the group dynamic too, so they call it quits. When we meet them after the time jump they are no longer together, but there are lingering feelings communicated through stares + the awkwardness between the actors (which we all felt) would work in favour of this plotline if interpreted as ‘it’s awkward to touch you / be near you, because we have crossed that line and maybe a part of me still wants that’. It would also work perfectly well with JJs other plotlines and the sense “that everything I touch turns to shit”. No romantic touching really has to be involved at all. Drama averted.

2. Turn up the volume of the found family trope. My jaw dropped when we got that 6second scene from the Pogelandia house with the Pogues cooking and JJ eating pasta off the wall. We needed more of that! Why didn’t we get more of that?! Maybe have that be the first year in the house when everyone was coupled up and it was “perfect”, then followed by Jiara break up and things getting rocky financially. This strengthens the idea that “good things don’t last” for JJ.

3. I think I would keep Luke as JJ’s real father but have him think that the mother chose Groff and was going to raise the baby as theirs. Have Luke really love the mother but also be incredibly resentful that she ‘didn’t chose him’, which he projected on JJ, who also looks like his mother. Then have JJ and the audience learn through Groff that actually the mother was about to leave Groff for Luke. When JJ learns of this he might go somewhere and notice a happy family of three and think of an alternate universe where that could have been his family. This could be nicely integrated with Sarah pregnancy storyline too. All this gives JJ the feeling that everything about his life was already decided when he was a baby and there is no point to his actions anymore.

4. Throughout the season, put emphasis on JJ being the last surviving heir and make it clear that while he is alive Groff will want to kill him so that he inherits all. Thus, JJ has to disappear for a while. Let’s also not forget the murder charges against him and everything. It is clear that JJ has to disappear to protect himself and his friends and to have a chance at having a full happy life in the future. In a way, JJ still sacrifices everything - can’t stay in his town, in his house with his friends/family, can’t figure out whether there is anything left between him and Kiara, etc. But he is alive. Get the tearful goodbyes and everything.

5. Then season 5 is still getting back at Groff and the Pogues making sure that JJ has a chance to come back. JJ is completely off the grid. Then at the very end, possibly after another time jump, have the Pogues be summoned by the new mysterious owner of Goat Island and learn that in fact part of it is being turned into a nature reserve. Surprise, surprise, once the Pogues get there, it turns out that JJ is the new owner and voila we get a happy ending after all the crap. Maybe throw in one more ‘Stupid things have good outcomes all the time’. Plus, have one last Jiara hug + a “Welcome home” + a loaded look implying that the year/s apart have shown them that they do belong together. Film it before Rudy leaves or negotiate him coming back for that one final episode. If thats not possible at all, then pull out the alleged body doubles and make do.

That’s my take on the situation. JJ deserved better, the story deserved better, we deserved better. This turn of events was tragic.

[zahri-melitor]

I missed writing up my Helenapoll thoughts so here we go:-

Joey Cavalieri – I think Cavalieri does some interesting complex things with Helena’s background and in grounding the fundamental trauma that made her Huntress, from the ‘danger of being raised female’ to ‘danger of being a Bertinelli heir’ to ‘danger of mob connections’ to ‘danger of being a vigilante’. It has a level of realism that you don’t generally get in the regular DC comics universe in regards to some of these topics.

Chuck Dixon – Dixon’s the one who cemented Helena into Gotham and put the work in to establish her rocky relationships with everyone else. He gave us Robin III: Cry of the Huntress which set up Tim and Helena’s relationship, which I adore. He gave Helena a clear role in Gotham as the outsider, which is not always fair on her, but provided plenty of conflict for plot momentum and let her yell at Bruce more often. I think Gotham would be lesser without Helena having that position in the group.

Grant Morrison – so DC One Million is unexpectedly good Helena content, to my surprise. It’s one of the few places outside that uses her experience as a teacher really naturally in terms of how it frames her views and actions as a vigilante (apart from all of those regular Helena solo stories where she goes off hunting down the abusers of her students, of course. Which is apparently the ONLY plot anyone can come up with any time Helena gets pitched for a short story/single issue)

Devin Grayson – ooh let me get spicy for a moment. I think Nightwing/Huntress is bad Dick Grayson. I’m less convinced it’s truly bad Helena. Now the fallout from this by creating the ‘you stole my man’ narrative that ends up being the overarching topic of the Helena and Barbara dispute (even though they have multiple other fascinating points of contention) is irritating, but it’s interesting in terms of Helena testing if this helps in any way with how she relates to the rest of the Bats. (It fails) In terms of her other stories, I don’t actually mind Fear of Faith or Spiritual Currency, but they’re very one trick only (She’s! Catholic!) with Helena. They are helpful in building the reasoning for why Helena joins with Pettit.

Greg Rucka – it’s the man himself! Cry For Blood is easily my favourite Helena story, and his hand is obvious in all the best parts of Helena in No Man’s Land. If you don’t like Rucka’s Helena, you don’t like Helena.

Gail Simone – I maintain that Simone took a very complex situation, with Barbara and Helena’s layered antagonism over Dick, the Bat(girl) costume and the two betrayals surrounding it, their differing moral stances on when killing is acceptable and why, their mutual lack of trust from previous failures and personality clashes, and found a way to work through it so they weren’t at eternal loggerheads. They were both justified in their dislike for each other, but finding a way for them to become friends (with screw ups along the way on either side) and move them away from that eternal ‘two women cannot be friends if they’ve ever been attracted to the same guy’ canard was just a really important moment for their mutual stories. Plus it was the first time anyone had really given Helena time to be in a title with more than one other woman (Zinda and Helena and Dinah getting drunk and kicking heads together is something that can be so special).

Tony Bedard – oh the other Birds of Prey writer we tend to ignore. The interesting thing with Bedard’s run is that he gives Helena the space to work as the BoP field leader, given Dinah’s absence, which is a role nobody would have considered for her until Dinah resigned. It’s a growth period for her.

Ivory Madison – I like Huntress: Year One. I really enjoyed it as a story. I think Madison had a lot of fun drawing out the parallels and future echoes in it, and I really just enjoy the background competence given to Helena even at this early stage as she learns to be a vigilante.

[vatt-world]

ucla

Pearl mia goth ti west

Genre: Horror Barbarian

Genre conventions: monster, isolated setting, "final girl" battle. Filmmaking elements: dark lighting, close ups, long uncomfortable shots

Genre : action Terminator2 judgement day

car chases fight scenes fast paced music slow motion shots

themeatic conventions that repeat futuristic element cautionary tale allegory in science fiction movies wally

crime movies

is it result of flawed society

crime doesnt pay

better call saul -- life with kim

why is it the woman ?

it creates suspense

scream franchise

scream 5 - has a set piece

slasher film - sexually active woman dies .. virgin lives and fights

barbarian movie

bojack movie

traditionally shot - drama

The Prom movie

blues bugs musical

house of spirits magical realism

crime movie-- establishing shots low lighting gore guns props

prisoners movie

it helps make connections

connect to that emotion - anger

bullied

allegory

sci fi horror films

slasher movies 1980's

saw - torture porn

rocky he didnt win

little mermaid movie

coco movie

banshree movie fargo -- blk comedy

superhero films

shang li

genres same with little different

same movie with a twist

wierd al movie

wierd al movie

daniel radcliffe actor

sociopath

searchers movie

dancing with wolves

brick is film noir

district 9

subverting genres

shazam flopped guardian flopped

page clements class

throw back /softball heavy lifting heavy carpet hello floor hand in front will to prepare to win mix it up

Genre: Horror From Britt Curry to Everyone 10:17 PM Genre: Drama or Comedy-Drama From Durva Kapadne to Everyone 10:18 PM psychological thrillers - gone girl

wide lens to show distorted and chaotic state of mind

dolly zooms to invoke fear or hyperawareness

reveal/shock

emotionally complicated characters/ anti-heros

protagonist acts in extreme ways to reflect how their environment affects them From Britt Curry to Everyone 10:19 PM Genre: Drama or Comedy-Drama. Conventions: Emphasis on the human condition/life, focused on character relationships, conversation-focused a lot of the time. Can blend with most other genres. From Madison Mitchell to Everyone 10:19 PM Musicals:

Narrative conventions: -Somehow related to show business -Involves the courtship of a couple -Tends to lean into the positive

Formal Filmmaking techniques: -long takes -crane shots & high angles -brightly lit From Swastik Yadav to Everyone 10:20 PM Genre: Drama From Lauren Baker to Everyone 10:21 PM I’m having a hard time with mine… Magical realism is my favorite but I don’t know that their are a lot of conventions or my brain isn’t working Genre: Crime From Swastik Yadav to Everyone 10:23 PM Genre: Drama [Licorice Pizza , Good Luck to You, Leo Grande] Conventions: 1) Emotionally charged narrative 2) Character Development 3) Authentic and intimate portrayal

Techniques 1) Cinematography 2) Sound and music 3) Editing and pacing From Lauren Baker to Everyone 10:24 PM Genre Crime - Movie: Fargo - Car chases. Bad guy gets away. Breaks in the case. Techniques: Tense music. Short cuts. Wide shots

[avatar-anna]

“I just want to catch up. As friends.”

Hi I wanted to know if I could request something where harry is the one who fucks the relationship up (but no cheating bc we would never go back) and the reader is living their best life and has maybe even slept with a person or two and harry is miserable but they do end up together again and have a happy ending and she forgives him bc she loves him and she's like " I want you. I don't need you. Remember that" anyway sorry if it's not good or whatever. You don't have to do it remember that. Anywho live for your work !! <3

sure!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Just come tonight.”

“I just want to catch up as friends.”

“We can do that, can’t we?”

Those were the things Harry said to you over the phone when he called you out of the blue.

You’d been broken up for about three months. For good this time. Your relationship with Harry was...rocky. On and off. Toxic? No, not toxic, but breaking up with him for the last time was freeing.

After being completely heart broken for almost two months, but you were past that now.

So much so that when Harry called you earlier today, you agreed to his request to come to one of his shows. It had been enough time, and there was a time where you and Harry were close, and you wanted to explore that again. As friends, of course.

So you were at Madison Square Garden, his first ever show there as a solo artist.

Harry promised to take care of tickets, but you ended up buying your own and giving the free ones to your friend and her girlfriend. When you and Harry broke up for good, you were known to the world as “the woman who broke Harry Styles’ heart.” You didn’t need the attention from fans while you and Harry were having this weird, new experience.

The back of the venue wasn’t so bad. Young girls were dressed to the nines and singing their hearts out while you swayed in time with the music. He was so talented, was so meant to be a star. You used to tell him that you couldn’t imagine him doing anything else, which was part of the problem in your relationship.

You never wanted Harry to change, or give up his life for you, you would never ask him to do that. But you wished that just once in a while he would choose you over the music. Not all the time, just a few. The last straw was when he said yes to performing at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, after you’d asked him not to. It wasn’t because you were insecure around models or anything like that, but that he would be around one or two of his exes, some of which you had a feeling would try to take this opportunity to throw themselves at him.

He said he wouldn’t, but caved when his managers urged him to do it. Betrayed wasn’t the right word for how you felt, but something close to that was fitting. It felt like he only cared about his career, that he’d grown comfortable with you not putting up a fight when he had to be somewhere or do something or jet off to another continent at the drop of a hat.

You couldn’t do it anymore. So when Harry returned from the fashion show, he came back to an empty house and a note that explained why you left. You hadn’t really spoken to him since.

Until his phone call. It surprised you, but what surprised you more was how much you wanted to see him. So, going with your gut, you said yes, but on your terms.

Harry was a force on stage, high energy and passion in every note he sang and with every strum of his guitar. He still used the one you gifted to him after he finished his album, and the sight of it tugged at your heartstrings in a way that you didn’t expect.

Getting over Harry was hard, but you did it. He’d been a part of your life for a long time, and letting that companionship go, letting go of the one person who knew every little thing about you, wasn’t an easy feat.

But you did it. You started going out again, seeing friends at bars and brunch tables. You changed your hair, but only slightly, thinking that maybe you just needed to change the person you were with Harry on the outside to solidify that fact on the inside. You worked long hours and volunteered at an animal shelter by your apartment. You were healing, finding out who you were without Harry.

You even made an online dating profile, though you didn’t use it very much. A coffee date here, dinner and a movie there, but none of them stuck. Not that you really wanted them to, you just wanted to see if you could do it. See if you could be a girlfriend to anyone but Harry.

As the night progressed, Harry performed a number of songs. You knew all of them, but it was like hearing them all for the first time now that you weren’t together.

And then he started playing the familiar chords of a song. One that wasn’t on his new album.

“If I could fly, I’d be coming right back home to you.”

It was your favorite One Direction song, and Harry knew that. He used to hum it under his breath whenever you were laying together, or say, “Missing half of me more than usual today, baby,” over the phone while he was away. In a lot of ways, it was yours and Harry’s song, even if he was the one singing it.

You still there in shock, eyes wide as phone flashlights winked on and lit up Madison Square Garden like it was the night sky. You expected him to search for you in the crowd, but he didn’t, just kept his head down and his eyes closed for most of the song. He opened them briefly during the bridge while the whole crowd sang to him, and you swore you saw tears in his eyes, but it was hard to tell because of how far you were from him.

Your suspicions were confirmed when he wiped his eye at the end of the song, but you couldn’t tell if it was because of the touching moment with his fans or if it was you.

The rest of the concert went by in a daze. Harry continued to perform like nothing was the matter, but all you could do was replay that performance over and over and over again.

Your emotions were all over the place, buzzing around inside your body and making you weak in the knees. Doing your best to stay upright, you watched the rest of the concert in a daze.

When it was over, you thought about what to do next. To call him, to text him, to try to go backstage and see him. You had to do something, you just didn’t know what.

But Harry decided for you, his name appearing on your phone screen with an incoming call.

“Ha—”

“You said you would come.”

“I know, I just—”

“No, Y/n, why would you make a promise like that and then just hang me out to dry?” he said with a sniffle. Was he crying? “I—I know we’re not together anymore, but the decent thing to do is tell me if you changed your mind about coming.”

“Harry, I—I came. I’m still here,” you said, feeling breathless for some reason.

“You what? But you weren’t—”

“I gave the tickets to a friend and bought my own,” you explained. “I thought it would be easier to watch from a little further away.”

“You’re here?” Harry sounded hopeful, and you could practically see his eyes lighting up.

“Yeah, I was just deciding what I should do—”

“Come here. Backstage,” he blurted. Pahsing for a moment, as if to contain himself, he said, “I—It would just be nice to catch up, you know? I’ve missed you a lot.”

The words, I missed you too were on the tip of your tongue, but you didn’t let them fly.

You and Harry were walking a fine line. Emotions were running high after the concert, and while he was inviting you backstage with the simple request to “catch up,” you knew that could lead to more. The question was, did you want it to?

Your life had been in shambles after leaving Harry, but you’d since picked up the pieces. You learned how to live a life that didn’t have him in it, and it was a good life, one you enjoyed quite a bit.

“Y/n? Did you hear me? I was wondering if you—”

But Harry was...Well, he was Harry. So charming and so kind and so endearing. If he said the right things, you would cave, and that was what worried you.

“I’m scared,” you said, cutting him off.

“Scared?”

“I’ve, um, I’ve learned how to live without you, and I’m scared that’ll all come crashing down if I see you.”

The only sounds over the phone for a few seconds were heavy breaths and the occasional sniffles, from you and Harry.

Then, in a voice so small, you were surprised it could even be Harry’s, “I haven’t.”

That made your stomach drop. You figured he would’ve moved on by now, that he would at the very least be okay. But he didn’t sound okay. Not at all.

“And—And I don’t want to, Y/n. I still love you. I don’t think I can move on. I’ve tried, but I can’t, I just can’t.”

Fresh tears welled in your eyes. Deep down, you knew that. After hearing that song, you just felt it in your bones that he was still in love with you.

So what did you do now? You’d broken his heart once before, and you didn’t think you had it in you to do it a second time. But you also broke up with him for a reason. A valid one.

And you’d moved on. Not to anyone in particular, but you weren’t the same person anymore. You were more independent, more outgoing. Would you revert back to going along with whatever Harry or his managers planned if you let yourself be loved by him again?

“I don’t know if I could do it again, Harry,” you said, trying to hide the wobble in your voice. “I came second to everything when we were together, and I would never get in the way of your career, but—”

“Do it. Get in the way. Y/n, please. I’ll never make the mistake of making you feel like anything else matters more to me than you do. Just—please. Can you come here? So we can talk?”

You found yourself nodding, wiping tracks of tears from your cheeks as you did so.

That was all you ever wanted from him. To know that you meant more to him than a performance or a writing session or a fitting.

“I—I’d like that,” you eventually said, nerves coiling in the pit of your belly.

“Thank you,” he muttered under his breath, but you weren’t sure if f you were supposed to hear that or not. “Just, um, make your way backstage. I’ll let someone know you’re coming.”

“Okay. See you then.”

You hung up the phone, but part of you didn’t want to, even if it was silly. You walked towards where you’d seen Harry and his band disappear after the show ended. Just as he said, you were let in without any fuss, and when you rounded the corner of a dark hallway, someone was at the end of it. It was dark, and all you could see was a silhouette, but you would know it anywhere.

Subconsciously, you picked up speed, letting your legs carry you quickly to where he was waiting. And when you were close enough, you launched yourself at him, cradling the back of his head with your hand while he squeezed you as tight as he could.

“I’m sorry,” he sobbed, his shoulders shaking with the sheer force of his crying.

You held him tight, letting him get all of his emotions out before speaking. You were sorry too, of course. Leaving him the way you did wasn’t right, but you were so hurt, you felt it was the only way to make him understand. And you worried that if you tried to break up with him to his face, you wouldn’t have been able to do it. So you took the cowardly route.

When the shaking mostly subsided, you leaned back far enough to hold his face in your hands.

“I forgive you.”

Harry’s smile was watery and weak, but it held hope, and you were sure you looked about the same.

Carefully, you lifted up on the balls of your feet and leaned in, pressing the gentlest kiss to his lips. It was short and sweet, but held every little thing that you couldn’t find the words to say.

Harry was quick to shake his head. “No. I’ll never be busy when it comes to you. I promise.”

“Are you busy right now?”

That was a pretty big promise, one that you weren’t sure if he would be able to keep, no matter how much he may have wanted to.

But you were okay with that. He meant it, and you believed him, and you just wanted to be in his arms again.

You’d moved on, and it was a fine life without Harry. You would be happy living without him, perhaps even better off, but you didn’t want to live without him. So you took his hand in yours, kissed his knuckles, and led him out of the venue, hoping against all hope that following your heart would lead you to a greater happiness.

[alastairsqueen]

I personally don’t think Kevin and Madison will be together in the future despite Madison present in the flash forward. The actress who plays Madison is Dan Fogelman’s wife, and he’s a writer and producer of This is Us. He apparently made a joke about not wanting to see her in sex scenes and things of that nature, but also, who would want to be the other person in that scenario? You’re literally kissing your boss’s wife while he’s present. I just don’t see it happening, tbh. 

I think they made it pretty clear that Kevin still has feelings for Sophie. Why have an entire episode before a wedding episode where it focuses on the relationship with Kevin and Sophie? I just feel like that’s going to come back into play.

I’m also not that surprised that Kate and Toby aren’t together in the future. They hinted at their problems last season when Toby was working and going to the gym. That woman had texted him and was interested in him, but he was using the Crossfit group as a way to vent and talk about things. He also didn’t want to be home because Jack not being able to see made him sad. I get that, and it can’t be easy to deal with, but like......your wife has to deal with it too. 

And then they adopt another kid, and the moment that Toby has to stay at home with them because he lost his job, he can’t really handle it. It’s just the assumption that Kate would give up her job the moment he finds another one. And while that might be what’s best for them in the long run, he didn’t really ask her. In fact, he then makes some comment about how he loves the kids but...

Between what happened last season with him being at the gym because of Jack, and now being sick of being around his kids, it just kind of makes me question why he wanted kids? Like I get being around them all the time is probably too much for him, especially if he’s used to keeping busy, but it was literally his idea to adopt their 2nd kid. Their relationship was already somewhat rocky before they adopted their daughter, and to me, it kind of felt like he was trying to slap a bandaid on their marital issues by doing this.

We saw what happened with Kate and Mark, how he controlled her, and I think that will play a huge factor in what happens with Toby and her. They both clearly have different ideas of what their family should be like, so even if they try to make it work, it just won’t. 

I also feel like they will probably make Toby the bad guy. In the one flash forward he said ‘she probably doesn’t want me there’. I feel like two people who split amicably probably wouldn’t have this kind of mentality. I sensed some guilt in his voice, like he did something wrong and that’s why she wouldn’t want him there. 

Of course, this is all speculation, but yeah. I’m honestly not that surprised by Toby and Kate not being together in the future.

[dream-a-little-bigger-x]

Chapter 15 -- Perfect Harmony | Charlie Gillespie

Summary: Emily Fox is a talented 17-year-old with a passion for all things music. Her dream is to become a successful singer-songwriter one day. But to achieve that dream, she needs to get into one of the most prestigious music schools in her district – it’s all been part of her plan since she was six. Sadly enough, those schools cost a ton of money that her parents don’t want to invest. They don’t even want her to pursue her dream. So, now Emily’s hustling, working at the music store to save up to get into college. That’s until she meets Charlie, an annoying seventeen-year-old boy with the same dream as her. The only difference is, he’s just doing it. He doesn’t need a fancy college to pursue his dream to become famous with his band. He just writes his songs and books small gigs here, there and everywhere. Will meeting Charlie defer her from her dream college, or will he actually help her achieve the dream?

Pairing: Charlie Gillespie x OC (Emily Fox)

Warnings: mentions of death, sexual assault

Important note: the characters of Charlie, Owen, Jeremy and Madison are based on the characters they play on the show and i do not own their names, only OC are mine. The songs aren’t mine either, they’re all from the show except for one.

Chapter fifteen 

~|Emily Fox|~

I don’t think I have ever run this fast. Not even in PE class when I was graded for it. But I have to get to my house as fast as possible, knowing Madison would still be there waiting for me. Uncle Mitch probably would’ve told her to wait. When I arrive, I find Madi sitting on the porch in front of the red door, playing with the bracelets around her wrists. My heart breaks at the sight of how sad she looks. “Mads, I am so, so, so sorry!” She looks up at me, the sadness vanishing into pure anger as she gets up from her spot. “What was more important than hanging with your best friend?” she asks me. I can’t answer. I don’t dare to. Not honestly at least. “I’ll tell you, your stupid band and your stupid boyfriend you never bothered to tell me about!” I flinch at the loudness of her voice and the truth brutely smacking back into my face. “Since when do we keep things from each other, Emily?” “I’m so sorry, Madi. I just—” I take a deep breath to try and find the correct words. “You what? You just forgot about your best friend?!” “No, Mads, of course not!” “Then what is it?!” Madison never gets angry at me. Ever. “I just didn’t know how to tell you about something I didn’t even understand! I joined a band when I have never written or sang songs with anyone else but Uncle Bobby, and I don’t even know how this thing between Charlie and me happened. I just wanted to make sure either of those things is what I wanted before I told anyone!” “Oh, but you go and flaunt your little relationship and play a gig at Brianna Holly’s party. Brianna Holly’s party, Emily!” She has a really good point. “I thought you’d rather die than go to Brianna’s party, but I guess you’d rather ditch your best friend instead.” The volume of her voice has diminished, and she sounds a lot more broken and hurt now. “Madi, that’s not—” “Save it, Emily,” she cuts me off, and pushes past me. Ever actually felt your heart break? Because that’s what I’m feeling right now. I can’t believe I never told Madison about Charlie or Sunset Curve. That’s about the stupidest thing I’ve ever done. It even beats ever trusting Jake. “Muffin,” I didn’t even hear the door opening through the sadness filling the air around me, “Come inside.” I turn around and walk into Uncle Mitch’s open arms as he guides me inside and towards the living room. “I’ve done something so stupid,” I cry out in between sobs whilst Mitch goes off to make me a hot cocoa, I assume. “I should’ve never kept Charlie or the band from Madi. She’s my best friend. I share everything with her, all the time.” “Why didn’t you share this thing?” Uncle Mitch asks from the kitchen. “I don’t know… I wanted to make sure that it was what I wanted before I told anyone?” “You told me,” he points out, but I shake my head. “I told you about the band, you figured me and Charlie out with your love-dar.” I can’t help but chuckle at the memory of last night. “Technically, no,” he captures my attention with this, “I knew something was going on when you talked about the band and talked about this Charlie kid you wrote songs with. You couldn’t stop smiling and your eyes just sparkled,” he walks into the living room again with two cups of hot cocoa. “Besides, you don’t think I didn’t notice the both of you sneaking onto your balcony, did you?” My eyes widen at his confession. Uncle Mitch is all-knowing. Nothing ever gets past him and I should’ve known. “You were careful, right?” I nearly choke on my hot beverage. “We just hung out, Mitchell!” He raises one hand in defense. “Just making sure, Muffin.” I shake my head at him. He’s unbelievable. However, it did make me forget about the fight I’d just had with my best friend. Or at least for a moment until it dawned on me again. “Hey,” his voice makes me look up again, “Any clue what you’re going to do about Madi?” I shake my head glumly. “I doubt she’ll ever talk to me again…” “Then don’t give her the chance to talk. You talk or something else that might capture her attention…” I raise my eyebrows at him. He’s onto something, but I doubt he’ll tell me straight up. Mitch is all about the mysterious hints rather than revealing his thoughts. He’ll get you thinking about an answer instead of giving it away. But it does put a thought in my head of which I think is what he means.

“Hey, Mads…” I start when I see her at school the next day. She simply huffs at me. “I know you don’t want to talk to me, and I get it. I’ve been a terrible friend, but please, let me make it up to you? I have a little surprise for you tonight.” She looks up now, eyebrows risen with the scowl still on her face. “Come to the Music Store at 8pm tonight and you’ll see.” “Maybe,” she simply replies before leaving to get to class. At least that’s something.

“How are things between you and Madi?” Charlie asks when he and the boys meet me at the music store at closing time. He kisses my cheek before getting to his spot at the counter to sort through the invoices again. “Terrible… She’s really angry at me and didn’t really talk to me at school today…” The boys all give me a sympathetic look. Charlie probably told them about me bailing on Madison yesterday. “But! I asked her to come to the store at 8.” I reach into my backpack to grab my songbook. “I worked on a song for Madi last night and I was hoping you guys would help me surprise Madi with it?” They glance at each other before installing everything for an early rehearsal. Sorting invoices and cleaning up we’ll have to do later. I show them my lyrics, and they help me out with a melody and a beat. We rehearse it for about an hour until the bell over the door rings, signaling someone entering. My heart beats faster, hoping it’ll be Madison. “So…” she starts once she’s in front of us. “You wanted to show me something?” She still has that same scowl on her face. “Yes!” I walk up to her from behind the keyboard and grab her hand. “I wrote you a song last night and the boys helped me out with a killer melody. It’s not perfect yet, but I hope it’ll make you happy.” She lets out a small smile, but immediately hides it again, as I lead her towards a chair in front of our setup. I walk back to my keyboard and shake my hands nervously. “It’s called Flying Solo,” I tell her before starting to tap the soundboard to create a fun beat, just like we’d rehearsed. I then press the ‘loop’ button, so it keeps playing, and I can start playing notes on the keyboard. “If I leave you on a bad note Leave you on a sad note Guess that means I'm buying lunch that day” I glance up at Madi to find her nodding her a little. “I know all your secrets You know all my deep-dish Guess that means some things they never They never change We both know what I, what I What I mean When I look at you it's like I'm looking at me” The boys join in with their instruments now, bringing in the rocky sound we love using, and sing along during the chorus. “My life, my life would be real low, zero, flying solo My life, my life would be real low, zero, flying solo without you” “Hey!” The boys yell, making Madi jump slightly. “Yeah, yeah.” “Hey!” “Yeah, yeah” “My life, my life would be real low, zero, flying solo without you” I get out from behind the keyboard and walk up to Madison, kneeling down in front of her and grabbing her hand in mine. “Yeah, you know who I'm likin' way before I liked them, duh 'Cause you liked them first And if somebody hurts you, I'm gonna get hurt too That's just how we work, yeah, that's just how we work” A smile cracks through her angry façade. She’s warming up finally. “It will never change We both know what I, what I What I mean When I look at you it's like I'm looking at me” I pull her up from the chair and lead her towards the band. First, we jam a little with Jeremy. “My life, my life would be real low, zero, flying solo My life, my life would be real low, zero, flying solo without you” We now walk up to the drums together, Owen smiling at us from behind them. “Hey!” “Yeah, yeah” “Hey!” “Yeah, yeah” We walk over to Charlie, who offers me one of his beautiful smiles while still singing along with me and the boys. “My life, my life would be real low, zero, flying solo without you” I pull Madison away from Charlie now whilst they still play their instruments. “I’m so sorry, Madi. I know I shouldn’t have kept all of this from you and I don’t have a decent reason why I did, I just… I can’t have you angry at me. Will you please forgive me for being stupid?” Her smile widens, and my heart finally calms down. “As long as I’m allowed to be your roadie, your tour photographer and your marketing manager all in one,” she offers with that teasing grin of hers that always makes me the happiest. I glance over at the boys, awaiting their response. Charlie smiles, “Welcome to the crew of Sunset Curve!” Madison shakes her head and wags a finger at him, confusing the hell out of all of us. “No, no. She’s not joining your band. You’re joining hers. Y’all need some rebranding with your new lead singer.” Charlie gives me a questionable look, asking for some assistance. “Yeah, I’m going with what she said.” Charlie’s smile widens again as he shakes his head at the both of us endearingly. We pick up the pace again and continue with the chorus one more time. This time, Madison and I dance together too. “My life, my life would be real low, zero, flying solo My life, my life would be real low, zero, flying solo without you Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah Hey, yeah, yeah My life, my life would be real low, zero, flying solo without you” The music slows down as I pull Madison closer to me, our foreheads touching while I hit the final high notes. “You” I wrap my arms around Madison’s neck for the tightest hug she’s ever gotten. Over her shoulder, I glance up at Charlie, who’s already looking at us with the most precious smile. “Thank you,” I mouth, which earns me a wink.

Madison stays for the entire band practice and even helps cleaning up with the boys. I swear, they’re doing my job for me and I’m getting paid for it. To be fair, there’s no one I’d rather spend time with than these four people right here. “Emily and the Foxes!” Madison suddenly exclaims loudly and excitedly when we’re almost done. The band and I look up at her in confusion. “Your new band name!” “Oh! Because we’re foxy?” Jeremy questions, wiggling his eyebrows. Madi and I glance at each other. She has a questionable look on her face, almost as if she’s scared for his health. “No, Jere,” I reply, “Because my last name is Fox.” “Oh! Right!” He snaps his fingers and then points a finger gun at me. “I like it!” Owen chimes in and runs his fingers through his hair. “When’s your next gig?” Madi asks us as all of us rejoin in the middle of the store after the cleanup. Charlie comes up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist, and pressing his lips to my cheek. “I was thinking we could do Open Mic Night next week?” I suggest and place my hands on top of Charlie’s. “It’s basically where I fell in love with your music.” My cheeks flush at the confession. “And with Char,” Jeremy mumbles, earning a high five from Madi. “Don’t encourage him, Mads,” I tell her with a shake of my head. “Anyway,” she goes on after shooting me an apologetic look, “Do you want me to promote you guys on social media and stuff? I’ll make you an Instagram account and everything?” The band exchanges some glances again. “Uhm, yeah, sure?” I reply after a silent agreement from the boys. “Some exposure won’t hurt. We’ll talk about the setlist another time. Uncle Mitch wants me home before midnight.” I pat Charlie’s hands, and he lets go of me so we can grab our backpacks. “Can we ask your Uncle Mitch to sing that song about Hollywood with us?” Jeremy ask as all of us exit the shop together. None of us really respond besides an airy laugh. I sometimes wonder what’s going on in that head of his. All I know for sure is that I love these guys so much. All of them. I doubt I could get through a day without seeing them anymore. They changed my entire life.

Taglist: @parkeret​​ @lukeys-giggle​ @hannahhistorian92​ @gingerxarmy​ @marinettepotterandplagg​ @lovesanimals​  @thequirkybookaholic​ @calamitykaty​ Lemme know if you want to be on my taglist for this story/any of my other works!

[faedawayyy]

og verse: my plans for the guys.

this gif of chloe is nothing to do with this but i love the bratz lol. triggering topics below! read with caution.

DALLAS JACKSON, 23, third year. 

SECRET: he deals drugs. the jacksons are in the circle of wealthy families in violet springs alongside the calloways, hamiltons, carmichaels, barhams sinclairs etc.but they’re bankrupt, the family has a lot of dark secrets and the main one is that his dad is an addict to both gambling and drugs, to the point where their family is now bankrupt and loaning tons of money from other families are dodgy loan-sharks. the pressure from being the main bread-winner of the family has turned dallas into somebody he never set out to be. 

WHERE HE IS ATM: mentally, dallas is on a rocky road to health. he’s still addicted to drugs himself but after a very messy break-up with zara and a messier one with soraya, he’s working closely with friends to focus on his career and try to at least get his mental health in the right place.  MY PLANS: another downfall is literally inevitable, it’s dallas. i do think he’ll build himself back up to be huge, though, but he has a lot of resentment to a lot of people and can count on both hands the people he actually likes at st judes. i think there’ll be a lot more of OG dallas; hurting people/arguing with those he doesn’t care about etc.  UP COMING PROJECT: justice the album.

MASON CARMICHAEL, 26, fifth year.

SECRET: mason is the only child in the carmichael family who knows that their dad isn’t dead. after getting too close to being tied to a very serious money laundering case, he took his stroke in 2019 as a route out. however, he kept in touch with mason knowing he’s probably the most trustworthy to keep his whereabouts a secret. mason is sitting on the information but it’s getting harder and harder to do when he sees how much the loss of such a key figure is affecting him.  

WHERE HE IS ATM: at the moment, mason and kendall have been trying to start a family and he’s also found out that amy is his daughter. this threw him into a huge dilemma and he clashed extremely hard with madison over it. there are still hard feelings - and towards bash, who was just given the role of amy’s father despite mason knowing nothing about it.  MY PLANS: i think mason is going to want to see amy more and more despite knowing kendall isn’t hot on the idea/neither is madison to an extent. depending on how everything goes, he’ll definitely take madison to caught for joint custody of amy seeing as he’s never refused to be her dad or acknowledge her - he was just never told.  UP COMING PROJECT: princesses, the franchise. 

BRODY CARMICHAEL, 25, fourth year. 

SECRET: brody has very publicly become a father. he and disney have had their relationship watched by the world since they started high school musical at 14. on the outside, he has everything together. he’s the alpha male type; not that that’s great; think the character taylor plays in her “the man” video and pretty untouchable. on the inside, he’s seriously grieving the loss of his dad and isn’t coping well with the pressure of a new family. his drinking problem happens very much behind closed doors and is straining his marriage but divorce isn’t a marriage, both of them are way too invested in being the world’s most perfect couple.

WHERE HE IS ATM: he’s already had a warning from the hospital that another binge like he’s had could be the end of him and he’s on a very stern plan to become sober. again, nobody actually knows this so he’s kind of recovering in silence but i think he’ll genuinely get better.

MY PLANS: it’ll take a long time but he’ll definitely get better. i don’t think plots always have to be about characters spiralling. i’m also planning for him to see his dad by mistake or something of the sort. i feel like a lot of people will assume he’s high/drunk and it’ll really fuck with him but i haven’t sat and thought out of the details. 

UP COMING PROJECT: neighbours 2: sorority rising 

BLAKE CRUZ, 23, third year.

SECRET: he watched his brother die. blake didn’t really know what was happening at the time but when he was 12, his older brother charlie was 16. he’d come in after a night of sneaking out and crept back into their shared room as usual. blake was still awake and heard he was clearly drunk, but that wasn’t out of the ordinary. he only knew something was seriously wrong when he fell asleep, and then woke up a few hours later and realised charlie was unconcious on top of his bed, still in his clothes - he never just passed out and always got ready for bed; even when completely wasted. he finally called for his parents but it was too late. by morning, charlie was pronounced dead and blake is living with the guilt of not saying anything because he didn’t want to get his brother in trouble. instead, he just let him die. he still hasn’t come to terms with it and tells charlie’s old friends that his death was undetermined instead.  WHERE HE IS ATM: blake is very good at burying his memories of charlie and focuses on his relationship and career to stop him from falling down a rabbit hole of guilt and self blame. he’s focused on his new marriage and releasing music with the 5SOS boys, although he’s had his own projects in the works for a very long time - he just doesn’t know how to go about it.  UP COMING PROJECTS: CALM, 5sos. 

OTIS KINGSTON, 21, second year.

SECRET: otis actually wants to become a teacher. he’s enrolled in the academy for acting after his uncle pushed him towards doing it and he’s had moderate success but his true passion lies in teaching others and being out of the spotlight. that’s why he’s very slowly failing on purpose; he wants to be a seventh year and be given more normal career paths. it might have something to do with the fact that he was having an affair with his older brother’s girlfriend who also failed her final year and is currently a student teacher. his brother never bothers with her so it makes it easy for the two of them to sneak around.

WHERE HE IS ATM: otis is very good at pretending. he puts on such a show that when he loses out or doesn’t get a role, people think he’s GENUINELY upset when in reality, he probably did it on purpose. he feels a little bad taking the spot from someone who wants it, but he did what he needs to do.

UP COMING PROJECTS: euphoria (?)

NATE HARWOOD, 23, third year.

SECRET: nate never got into st judes to begin with. he cheated himself in by changing some of his exam results in high school. a good friend of his tried to push him to do the right thing and consider his other options but nate was fixated on getting into the school, along with two more of his friends who initially failed. his friend threatened him and told him that he’d let their professors know if he went through with it. to stop him getting anywhere near, nate and his friends spiked his drink to get him too drunk to remember on prom night; however, he was so drunk he fell down a huge staircase outside the venue on the fire escape and ended up paralysed from the waist down. 

WHERE HE IS ATM: nate has more or less buried the high school mistake but every now and then it comes back to haunt him. at the moment, he’s just making music and doing his best to live the dream he risked WAY too much for. 

UP COMING PROJECTS: a good friend is nice

DARIUS RICHARDS, 24, fourth year.

SECRET: darius is actually a west ivy’s student. he was selected by his principle to secretly enroll in st judes to check out the competition. he’s also behind a lot of the sabotages that have been happening in the school (including the up and coming fire). his main aim is to make sure that west ivy’s is better than st judes in everyway, no matter what it takes. 

WHERE HE IS ATM: he’s hiding in plain sight. nobody suspects a thing from him. darius is being extra careful with the projects he releases and to always stay a little bit below complete stardom - it makes it easier for him to navigate and do things unnoticed. but, he has met people he genuinely likes too and does his best to save them from sabotage. 

UP COMING PROJECTS: starboy

TATE SIMPSON, 26, fifth year. 

SECRET: back to the tragedy in his home...it’s true that tate was never harmed by anyone growing up; not physically, anyway. but that doesn’t mean his home was perfect. his parents were young when they had him and he grew up with little money. this put a lot of strain on them and his dad couldn’t deal with it. he resorted to cheating, drinking and being wildly abusive. there were mornings tate turned up at school without sleeping because he’d been up all night hearing his parent’s argue and fight. it escalated. his father moved on to beating his mother and he’d feel helpless. one night while they were arguing, the fire alarm went off due to them leaving the oven on and it stopped them. so, the next time the fighting got severe and tate heard his mother being beat again, he had an idea. he grabbed a lighter from his parents bedroom and set fire to one of his stuffed animals to set the fire alarm off - it did, and his parents stopped arguing, but not before the fire had spread across the top floor of their home. the fire brigade rescued tate and his father, but not his mother. she passed away and he’s blamed himself ever since. nobody ever found the real case, but that doesn’t make it much better for him.

WHERE HE IS ATM: he’s new and just starting out! 

UP COMING PROJECTS: big time adolescence 

MARCUS CARMICHAEL, 26, fifth year.

SECRET: marcus is often used as his uncle’s scapegoat. james never wanted to get leo, mason or brody too tied into the shadier side of the family business so marcus; child of a single mother and secretly desperate for an in to their world was the perfect candidate. he’s never minded either, to be honest. if he gets paid for shifting some money around or scamming a big time director, so be it. however, the last job he did for james was way too intense, even for him. it included the trafficking of janey and collecting the money made off of her. he had a chance to save her, he knows that, but not without exposing his uncle’s dark secrets. he was never DIRECTLY involved but he knows that doesn’t make him any better. 

WHERE HE IS ATM: marcus is focusing on his acting career and making a conscious effort to be better and stay out of trouble. with ghosts from his past constantly showing up, though, it really is proving to be difficult. 

UP COMING PROJECTS: hemlock grove

ANTHONY HENSHAW, 27, fifth year. 

SECRET: anthony is a stalker. he fixates on people and it gets intense. after being bullied in high school, he latches on to the people who’re nice to him and reads too much into small acts of kindness. he can actually be incredibly dangerous; not many people have noticed yet. 

WHERE HE IS ATM:  he’s currently fixated on natasha but always open for more.

UP COMING PROJECTS: probably some kind of deal with spotlight to shoot different students idk 

KRISTOFER NILSEN, 27, fifth year.

I’LL DO HIM WHEN I CBA 

PHILIP LAWSON, 27, fifth year. 

SECRET: the stunt at the calloway isn’t random. his dad persuaded him to get it in order to get more information on gerald and more specifically, his account details. believe it or not, philip has already managed to access one of his minor accounts after snooping through a secret office of his, but it only had hundreds in there. he’s ok though; he’s ready to play the long game - and steal from all his less privacy-savy friends while he’s waiting.

WHERE HE IS ATM: just starting out! 

UP COMING PROJECTS: big time adolescence/bloom

JUDE BAKER, 18, first year.

SECRET: he’s family are super broke, but he doesn’t let on TOO much. everybody in town knows that his family own the motel that’s on the border of violet springs and london, but that leads to people assuming he’s quite well off or at least average which is how he likes it. his dad is way too carried away with his dream of being a hotel owner which has lead to the baker family selling everything. he literally lives in the motel and really doesn’t have much else to report on.

WHERE HE IS ATM: he’s quiet, anxious and i feel like he’d have one friend who isn’t exactly popular either. all through attending springs park, he was bullied by assholes and st judes was meant to be his fresh start, but he’s realised everybodys worse and with a bigger ego. he keeps himself to himself and is just tries not to be a target. 

UP COMING PROJECTS: stranger things >:) 

EZRA HUGHES, 25, fourth year.

AGAIN I’LL DO IT WHEN I CBB 

[idio-cies]

JATP- Wake Up Dissection

“Wake Up” is structured like a conversation between Julie and her Mother. 

Not only did her Mother (I think we are all agreed on Rose here?) write it for her, knowing that Julie will have a tough time, but she left gaps for Julie to fill. Julie is Rose’s legacy, by Julie filling in the gaps, she is continuing the memory of her mother. This is what Julie realises; she can keep her mother “alive” with music- which figuratively is what Luke, Reggie and Alex experience, and also how Julie “awakens” them in the first place is by playing their music. Anyway. This is about JULIE.

Just a PSA. Wake up is the first song I listened to before I watched the show so I could see if I wanted to watch it or not. Madison absolutely blew me away with her vocals, she has that raw talent that you just can’t autotune to make it that way. That is what had me sold, along with the meaning of this song etc. The raw piano throughout this is one of the reasons why I love this song as well.

This song is so emotionally driven and deep. I have seen people compare it to Unsaid Emily. They do contrast, but mostly point out how Unsaid Emily is possibly more upsetting. Wake Up is emotional, because the journey Julie has in this one song counteracts the sadness, it is meant to make you feel warmer and happier because that is literally what it’s doing for Julie; it is revitalising her!

Anyway the song!

The feel of the keys- She does this in her audition as well, showing how emotionally painful it is.

The piano in this is just beautifully powerful, if you could imagine listening to this as an instrumental, you can almost imagine that the sun is rising��� it starts off like nature is waking up, it really is special. Julie’s expressions are so key as well.

“Here’s the one thing that I want you to know, you got someplace to go”- this is her mum telling her that she has talent and that she can see her going far in this pursuit of music. Her Mum is giving her advice in this song. Julie is focused on her mother’s words

“Life’s a test, yes, but you go toe-to-toe”- This is pretty self-explanatory. You take life one step at a time, even if it is cumbersome. Julie smiles a little at this, it’s a little bit of rhetoric, as she knows life is tough. 

“You don’t give up, no, you grow”- Julie did give up, she was very close to giving up all together because it was too much for her. But Rose here is giving her that little extra push and love telling her that she will be alright and it’s all part of life. 

“And you use your pain, ‘cause it makes you you”- The expression “it's not what the pain is, it’s how you deal with it” comes into mind. How one responds to pain is what determines what type of person you are. Julie did run away from it, she wasn’t yet ready to face it and move forward. She was letting grief rule her, but Rose here is telling her that pain; adversity can be a blessing. It can make you stronger and brighter. Also look at Julie’s expressions here, she is thinking it over and considering them. She is listening and feeling her mother’s words

“Though I wish I could hold you through it”- This is where it is most prominent (other than the fact that Rose left this song for Julie in the first place) that they all knew her mother was going to pass away. So it was a terminal illness. She is sorry that she is going, but she is trying to give her life and a meaning to keep going in response, because she knows what talent Julie has, and knew how Julie would respond I imagine, hence why she left the song for her. Julie looks up at this point and this is where she chokes up a little. This phrase has a deep connection to when Julie is outside the Orpheum and asks for Rose to hold her and tell her everything will be okay.

“I know it’s not the same, you’ve got living to do, and I just want you to do it” I like how straightforward Rose is though. She knows that physically being there is what is wanted, but she is hoping to get Julie to realise that wallowing in her grief will not allow herself to live a good life that she is destined to have, which is what she needs. 

“So get up, get out, relight that spark.” - Julie suddenly becomes very serious and determined in this moment. She got the heartwarming speech, and now she is being told directly to literally “get up”. This just speaks a lot to me. I’m a lucky person who has a good relationship with my mum, I know not everyone does. But you know when you go through pitfalls throughout life, whether its a scrape of the knee when you’re young, a breakup or fallout, a depressive episode, or not knowing where life is headed for you and you just have a sob and  you wish for your mum (or dad) to be there to just give you a hug and give soothing words, then when you’ve calmed down they tell you that you can continue because they know you are capable, but they urge you on so you realise that for yourself. I can’t imagine losing that. My mum lost her mum last year. They had a rocky relationship to begin with, but ended up with a good relationship and ever since then I realised how much pain my mum must’ve been in, so I very much bawled at this song. 

That little soothing and then the short words of “get up, get out” is what Julie needed. Julie clearly had security from her parents, but she needed a bit more of a push. Interestingly the “soothing” words is the approach that her Dad tries and probably Mr. Turner, which she did not appreciate. Julie also pointed out how she felt everyone around her treated her life she was about to snap. They were being too soft on her, so this little push is what she needed.

“You know the rest by heart”- Rose knows Julie is talented, and that Julie will know what to do when she comes to it. This is the turning point.

“Wake up, wake up if it’s all you do”- I identify this as referring to depression, something that you will no doubt feel when a loved one passes away. Sometimes it’s very hard to just wake up and get out of bed, so the fact that Rose tells her to “wake up if it’s all you do” is something that speaks to me, and also links to when she was saying about taking things a step at a time. 

I need to go off a minute on the cinematography here! First we get the piano which is Julie’s instrument that she inherited(?) from her mother, and the fact that we see it in the dark, and as it progressively gets lighter is another symbol of saying “This is a reflection of Julie” and how the light is coming back into her. 

Then a totally different angle with the sun rising as it literally lights the room. Julie literally reawakens the room with her music. She brings life back into the room (remember when she talks to Emily about how magical and good the studio is). This angle as well makes it look like Julie is some kind of avenging angel. It is meant to isolate her, but it does the exact opposite. You have absolutely no feeling of isolation or sadness. If there was this angle at the beginning then yes it would, but the addition of the sun makes it warm and welcoming.

“It’s not what you lost, it’s what you’ll gain raising your voice to the rain”- It’s all about the strength that Julie will gain from her loss. “Raising your voice to the rain” Is such a beautiful line for many reasons. There is a metaphor of whatever Julie creates, is beautiful. I also interpret: Rain can be loud, and metaphorically speaking when you are “grey” or a “clouded mind” you are depressed and that can make your head feel loud and this line is saying to go above that. “Raising” as the sun is raising is very significant. It is “relighting” Julie and that she is the sun breaking through the “rain”. The Sunrise is also symbolic for new beginnings as well. But the rain can be a good thing; it means there is life and nourishment. Julie has found life to herself after the rain, as sun and water are needed in order for a plant to GROW. I mean the plants are literally all behind Julie...

Also I can’t help but think about how the sun and rain work together in this, and there are A LOT of rainbows in this show. I mean I know we have Alex, but there is only one around him and that’s his bracelet which is meant to tell us “This dude’s gay” the other rainbows are something else. 

“Wake up your dream and make it true”- telling her to re-establish her dream, and go for it.

“Look out, look inside of you”- repeat, but this is where we see Ray along with “It’s not what you lost” and I just love that they added her family in. Ray was the one who didn’t want to push her, but was always there to encourage and support her. I added this in with “It’s not what you lost” because I think you can also associate it to her family. He lost too and he was losing another part of Rose with Julie and the instruments and he didn’t want Julie to hurt anymore. He must’ve been so proud of her to just sit at that piano.

“Relight that spark, time to come out of the dark”- a variation of what Rose has already said to Julie, but really hammering home the constant symbolism of Julie being the “spark”. Again, I like how straightforward she is being “Time to come out of the dark”. It’s been a year at this time with Julie and she is at a crossroads, but the song isn’t pushing her so far, it’s literally just like giving her the matches and she’s the one that needs to take one out and light it. 

“Better wake those demons, better look them in the eye”- trample on those demons girl, you’ve got this. I can’t tell whether this is Julie, or Rose. I think it’s Julie considering the rest of the verse. This is ironic. You would expect demons to be “awake” at night, but this song is talking about coming out of the dark, so she is basically bringing light to her flaws/pain, not letting them haunt her and owning them.

“No reason not to try”- she shouldn’t hold herself back because there shouldn’t be anything hindering her. Look at her though! She is enjoying this so much.

“Life can be a mess, I won’t let it cloud my mind”- It is literally Julie’s response to what Rose was telling her about life being a test etc. Julie is embracing it now and she will stand up to fight.

“I’ll let my fingers fly”- I like this. Julie is linked to butterflies (another rebirth symbol), but also with music much of it comes from your fingers anyway by playing instruments or writing music etc., so I just thought this was cute.

“And I use the pain, ‘cause it’s part of me. And I’m ready to power through it”- again responding directly from what her mother told her to use the strength from pain as it makes her who she is. Also just look at how much power and emotion she is putting into these lyrics. She knows she is ready to go forward. She arrived at that herself, she could’ve stopped, or not responded, but she knows. 

“Gonna find the strength, find the melody. ‘Cause you showed me how to do it”- Her mother is within her, she is the one who taught her, but ultimately Julie will ride to her own beat, carrying the memory and legacy of her mother. 

Repeat of the chorus, but she looks up again on “you know the rest by heart”, however, this time it’s  as if she was saying thank you with power and strength under her belt. Julie completely gives herself over to the music as well

I also like that they included Carlos also admiring Julie, he clearly was also proud of her for picking up music again, and I just… I know there wasn’t terribly much with Julie and Carlos but it just shows you how much he looks up to her. Plus, this probably makes him reminisce about his mother in the best possible way as well. Carlos and Ray are kind of the same in this instance, though I would argue to say that Ray was more emotional, Carlos is just more content. 

“So wake that Spirit, spirit”- I do think this is ironic, because of the Phantoms, as well as it being Julie’s spirit inside of her. Julie did ignite the guys’ spirits, metaphorically and physically. Listening to their music is what brought them back, but their spirit for music and being able to connect was also reignited. I mean she literally rises up like a “spirit” in this moment...

“I wanna hear it, hear it” At this point Julie looks up, like she is singing so loud, she wants her mum to hear it. I think these are Rose’s words once again and is the reason Julie is belting up.

“No need to fear it, you’re not alone” Definitely Rose’s words, another reiteration of what has been said previously. Julie has always had the support of her family and Flynn, but she also now has the support of the guys who were the ones who also prodded her to reawakening her music (Luke says about how playing music made him feel alive again and any musician would revell in how it would feel to get it back. This is what gets Julie thinking and what she feels during this song), and literally supported her on stage for the sake of supporting her (see bright performance).

“You’re going to find your way home”- the reassurance of Rose’s words at the beginning after telling her to get up and get out there. There is also a safe space for her to reside

This moment is just so powerful, she has fully succumbed to the music. The sun behind her with the plants and the glass. I just can’t help but feel like this is a sense of refraction because of when I was talking about the rain and sun making rainbows, but anyway. This scene is just beautiful because you just know that they are telling us that she has awoken and that her voice is a gift. That Julie is the light shining as well. It changes angle, and it was not until the third time I watched this song did I notice you see tear stains. She’s smiling, but those tear stains just tell me of the journey she made solely through that song alone, how she would’ve been crying because of the pain but also just crying from elation and figuring out what she has to do with her mother’s gift to her of music. 

This last chorus has “when you feel lost, relight that spark” and I just find it interesting that it pans to Luke with “when you feel lost”. This is important as he felt lost when he regretted running away, and how Julie and Luke’s story are connected in a similar way. Julie “lost” her music and Luke “lost” his chance at repair. But anyway, it’s still all the same message of “you will find your way back, just believe in yourself and your ability because you have the power to be great.”

How she ends it though, is just pure joy. As she should, she is clearly proud of herself as well, and I can’t imagine how much relief she must have felt after she took that stride. 

I also think that having the guys standing behind her with the light is meant to signify how they are behind her; they are a part of her support and will help her in her path to greatness.

Madison is amazing and I still can’t believe this is her first time acting. She executed it perfectly, from the emotion in her face, body language to her voice.

And then it reveals that Rose left a message for her. “Julie, you can do it <3  Love, Mom” and that is where you wail. Her mother believes in her so much and it’s honestly just so beautiful.

This has been my dissection of “Wake Up”

I hope I haven’t broken too many people

[wallofweird]

Hi! Don't u think that Kevin and Madison love story is gonna be SO INTENSE i mean he proposed to her in those THREE MONTHS sooooo they are gonna fall so hard for each other. And also do u think they will show the proposal?? (Maybe at the end of S5) Or gonna save it for the next season?

I really want to see a lot of them and this to be like Kevin season.

(Sorry if i write something wrong english is not my first language.)

Hello! Don’t worry about English not being your first language, it’s my and the case of a lot people in this fandom too. (:

And, yes! DEFINITELY!

There is technically something around six months, since the season finale canoncally happened on March 5th, but that’s still considerably fast to propose, imo. So it will most certainly be an intense relationship.

And yet it will make sense, because they’re doing things backwards. The pregnancy came first here, and I can see Kevin dedicating his full time to Madison (Justin also spoke about how he will be focused on her) and their children. And since they’re addressing COVID-19 on the show, I can see him doing quarantine with her, or maybe literally buying a house next to hers. Like, Kevin is so extra, these are their miracle babies, he will totally be there for them as much as he can since day one and I can see Madison letting Kevin be there because a) she understands how important it is for him because she also didn’t believe this would ever happen for her and b) she can use all the help she can get (it is twins and it seems to be a rocky pregnancy that will still give her morning sickness in her last trimester!).

So their special situation will make them skip all that formality and superficiality of the first moments of a relationship, when you play games, dress in a different way to impress the other person, avoid heavy topics because it is too soon to go there... They will sort of be a married couple without officially being one, they will dive into it and share some of their deepest moments in life from the get go, things that take couples years to experience, overcome and accomplish will already be happening through this pregnancy and that’s why it makes sense an engagement after only five/six months. Like, a lot of times pregnancy and having children can break a couple up because they believe it is all sunshines and rainbows, because they rushed into a relationship without properly knowing each other and what they wanted and brought kids to the equation before figuring everything out, but they will live all the highs and lows of this BEFORE a romantic relationship and the fact it will bring them closer and not the opposite just proves that not only their love will be intense, but resilient and capable of each and everything.

[sciencespies]

The Tragic Irony of the U.S. Capitol's Peace Monument

https://sciencespies.com/history/the-tragic-irony-of-the-u-s-capitols-peace-monument/

The Tragic Irony of the U.S. Capitol's Peace Monument

After the storming of Congress in early January, some rioters were apparently surprised to learn that the mere “traffic circle” where they were being arrested was, in fact, the Peace Monument, and part of U.S. Capitol grounds. Mostly unnoticed on ordinary days, the ghostly, eroded statue at the end of Pennsylvania Avenue became a focal point in the news footage of the violent afternoon and remains an enigmatic emblem of its aftermath.

The Peace Monument, strangely enough, got its rocky start as a war memorial, in honor of lost Union sailors and marines. It was conceived by Adm. David Dixon Porter, a famous commander, who intended it for the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, where he served as superintendent. He personally raised funds and, in 1871, commissioned the sculpture, even sketching out his own vision—and taking fire for it. Porter “knows more about the high seas than he does about high art,” one critic sniped.

An amalgam of classical allusions and Victorian funerary motifs, the sculpture remains something of a puzzle to modern eyes. “It’s a mishmash monument,” says Elise Friedland, a George Washington University scholar, who is researching a book about the capital city’s classical art and architecture.

At the top, which reaches around 44 feet, is the bookish muse of History, consulting a tome inscribed “they died that their country might live.” Another female figure, believed to be Grief, cries on History’s shoulder. Below gloats Victory; at her feet are cherubic versions of Mars and Neptune, toying with sword and trident.

Mars and Neptune frolic at Victory’s feet in the elaborate monument designed by a Union admiral.

(Gabriella Demczuk)

And where is the figure of Peace? Tacked onto the back of the sculpture like an afterthought.

Swept away by passion for his memorial project, Porter waited until his final fundraising efforts had all but capsized to share his plans with Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles. The two men had a contentious relationship—Welles “served his country in its darkest hour with fidelity and zeal, if not with conspicuous ability,” Porter once wrote—and Welles vetoed Porter’s plan. The Naval Memorial, as it was called, would not sail to Annapolis after all, nor be installed at the academy. But Congress scrounged up funds and found a second-best spot, at the foot of Capitol Hill.

Sculpted by the prolific Maine native Franklin Simmons at his studio in Rome, the star-crossed monument was shipped to the District of Columbia in pieces and finished in 1877. The statue of Peace was in fact a last-minute addition, and faces the Capitol in an inexplicably topless state. (“Why is Peace naked?” Friedland wonders.) Peace was perhaps a political compromise, added to mollify former Confederates in Congress who weren’t eager to support a tribute to the Union cause. Porter shot off a note to the Architect of the Capitol: “If this statue don’t make members of Congress feel peaceful I don’t know what will.” A novelty in a city full of war memorials, this makeshift peace shrine was not formally dedicated or even quite finished; the design called for bronze dolphins that still haven’t surfaced.

Made of Carrara marble, a material as vulnerable to the elements as peace itself, the monument has not handled acid rain and pollution well. The human faces have blurred. A marble dove at Peace’s feet flew the coop long ago. Body parts have snapped off and been replaced. Making sense of the elaborate artwork has never been straightforward. “This is the issue with these allegorical monuments,” says University of Pittsburgh art historian Kirk Savage. “They can kind of mean anything.” It’s inevitable, he says, that the monument would “be appropriated for other reasons and uses.” (Besides, he adds, “it seems pretty easy to climb.”) In 1971, Vietnam War protesters scaled the monument and rested with flags at the top, looking like statues themselves. During the insurrection this past January, somebody slung a scarf around Victory’s neck and a guy wearing a cowboy hat and holding a bullhorn loomed over baby Mars, god of war.

The Peace Monument, in a photo taken between 1909 and 1919, once served as a streetcar stop.

(Library of Congress)

Contemporary peace memorials tend toward radical simplicity—an installation outside Oslo City Hall, where the Nobel Peace Prize is handed out, is a smile-shaped arc. But some artists see immense power in antique statuary. Krzysztof Wodiczko, who works with video projections and has beamed the faces of traumatized soldiers onto the Lincoln Memorial in New York City’s Union Square Park, says the Peace Monument’s human forms have a hold on us. “We have a special relationship to those statues. We identify with them. We animate them without knowing who they are. We want them to witness what we want to say. Sometimes we sit on their shoulders and put flags in their hands.”

In the days after the Capitol riot, a new face appeared at the Peace Monument: Brian Sicknick, the Capitol Police officer who died of injuries sustained in the mob attack. Mourners left photographs of him beside cut flowers and American flags. A cardboard sign said, “Rest in Peace.”

British troops torched the building during a chaotic 26 hours in the War of 1812. But the symbol of democracy stood

By Ted Scheinman

Twenty-six months after the United States declared war on Britain, 4,500 British troops under Maj. Gen. Robert Ross serve a humiliating defeat to U.S. forces at Bladensburg, Maryland. Ross orders the redcoats to march the six or more miles to Washington, D.C.

(Courtesy of Stephen Campbell)

President James Madison, who rode with the American troops at Bladensburg, leaves the field for the capital city but will promptly flee, as will his cabinet. About 90 percent of the population is gone by the time the enemy arrives.

( Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division)

Toward evening, American troops fire on British forces approaching the capital from the northeast, killing several soldiers and Ross’ horse. Still, the invaders prevail before nightfall and are able to raise the Union Jack over Capitol Hill.

(Sarin Images / Granger)

Inside the original Capitol, which was opened to Congress in 1800, British soldiers lay waste to the east side of the South Wing, home to the House of Representatives. The building is largely brick and sandstone, but they slather gunpowder paste on wooden supports and structures and ignite bonfires. The heat is so intense the roof falls in.

(Library of Congress)

In the North Wing (on the right of the diagram), soldiers burn the Library of Congress (3,000 volumes), torch the Senate chamber and topple marble columns. The heat nearly crumples exterior walls, some of which will be incorporated into a restored and expanded Capitol in coming decades.

(Library of Congress)

British Rear Adm. George Cockburn—who had wanted to burn far more of the city, before Ross declared private property off-limits—infamously stands atop the chair of the House speaker while whipping up his troops. But the occupation doesn’t last: A powerful rainstorm the next day prompts British troops to withdraw from the capital. Four months later, British and American delegates will sign the Treaty of Ghent, putting an official end to the war.

(Library of Congress)

#History

[francoiserenaldt]

This playlist is for one of my ILITW MCs, Desirée Ashton. I hope you enjoy! Song explanations under the cut.

wings little mix

mama told me not to waste my life / she said spread your wings, my little butterfly

I wanted to kick off the playlist with this song because it’s the closest I could get to establishing who Desirée is as a person. People have talked shit about her all her life; growing up poor and black in an affluent, predominantly white neighborhood will do that to you, so this song represents how she manages to rise above it everyday.

omg little mix

i don’t even know / why they fall like dominoes

My girl is...not the best at relationships. She’s very stubborn when it comes to what she likes in a person, so she ends up in a lot of situations where people who don’t interest her in any way are attracted to her. It’s about as nightmarish as you’d expect. 

pray for me kendrick lamar ft. the weeknd

if i’m gon’ die for you / if i’m gon’ kill for you / then i spill this blood for you +

i fight the world / i fight you / i fight myself

This song represents Desirée’s relationship with her twin brother, Devon. Because he’s so much more emotionally fragile than she is, she’s constantly defending him from the community. She would happily die for him, but it wears on her constantly.

no tears left to cry ariana grande

right now, i’m in a state of mind / i wanna be in, like all the time

Her emotional state is a series of high highs and low lows because she’s always going through some shit, so it’s really an occasion when she’s feeling good. 

scrolling adrianxpression

i’m looking in the mirror to make me reconsider / but the hole that’s in my heart / it just keeps on getting bigger

This one is her when her anxiety acts up. 

i was here beyonce

i gave my all / did my best / brought someone some happiness

Desirée gives a lot of herself to the people she lets in, which is why it hurts when no one mourns her.

elastic heart sia

I’ve got thick skin and an elastic heart / but your blade might be too sharp +

you won’t see me fall apart / cuz i’ve got an elastic heart

elastic bali baby

fucked it up, made it back / it’s elastic +

i wanna go off / yes, i know it is tempting

Her resilience through everything she’s gone through takes its toll on her patience, so when it’s gone...let’s just say you don’t want to be the one she’s mad at.

successful ariana grande

it feels so good to be so young and have this fun and be successful / i’m so successful

Before her family got rich, she had a borderline unhealthy obsession with working hard because her parents engrained it in her mind (“work or die” and “go to school or die in poverty” type stuff) so this is sort of her enjoying the product of all of her work in addition to the money she has now.

icy girl saweetie

i don’t got time for these hoes / speaking on my name like i’m someone that they know

This is her attitude toward naysayers as an adult (think ILB age). In Wings, she was bothered by the things people said about her. Now, she’s mostly dismissive unless they really cross a line.

bartier cardi cardi b

cardi took your man, you upset / cardi got rich, they upset, yeah

Self explanatory.

joan of arc little mix

i don’t need a man / if i’m lovin’ you, it’s ‘cause i can / i don’t want your cash / i put my own rock on my hand

As someone who’s been on both sides of the class spectrum, she’s pretty knowledgeable about the power of money and what it does to people. Knowing that information has made her really cagey about who she lets herself depend on. 

home with you madison beer

you do what you wanna, wanna do / but i’m not going home with you, home with you

7 rings ariana grande

been through some bad shit, i should be a sad bitch / who would’ve thought it’d turn me to a savage?

pop shit molly brazy

fuck all that squashing that beef / bitch you know there ain’t know ending that

Desirée holds a mean grudge. Nuff said.

one woman army porcelain black

i’m on the battlefield like oh my god / knocking soldiers down like house of cards

This could be taken literally or metaphorically depending on how you look at it.

vroom vroom charli xcx

all my friends are princesses, we keep it whipped and creamy / ice cubes on our tongues because we like to keep it freezy

I included this song because I could see her blasting this in the car (when she eventually gets one) while driving with the other girls in the cast. 

cocky af megan thee stallion

cocky as fuck and my friends cocky too / if you got beef with me, they got it too

6 inch beyonce

she fights for the power, keeping time / she grinds from monday to friday / work from friday to sunday

Desirée is a huge fan of throwing herself into her work when she’s dealing with other problems. She kind of...spirals when she doesn’t have a project to focus on and I thought this song was a good representative of that. Also there is no such thing as too much Beyonce. 

i don’t feel anymore kahlen barry

want you to think about / everything you’re leaving behind / walk out that door, i promise i won’t cry / because i can’t cry / i don’t feel anymore

She takes betrayal hard. Yeah, no one takes betrayal well, but she becomes a different person when she’s been screwed over by someone she let in.

love is blindness jack white

love is blindness / i don’t wanna see / why don’t you wrap the knife / around me

This is her view of her parent’s relationship. Without getting too much into it, they’re an example of everything she doesn’t want for her future partnerships.

ball w/o you 21 savage

you was my rock, heavy metal / now you ain’t shit to me +

gave you my all / you was my dawg

This is the song about Noah Marshall, plain and simple. 

teeth 5sos

you turn into somebody i don’t know / and you push me away, push me away yeah

Desirée can be two completely different people when she hates them.

fashion killa asap rocky

i love your linda farrow / i adore your dior +

smiling is your treasure, you’re so well put together

Desiree is very into fashion and dressing well, so the new money gives her a chance to really show out.

not friendly flo milli

ain’t no competition to me / girl, i always seem to win / when i’m done wit ha / i bet she won’t try that shit again

Desirée does not put up with anything that harms her or her loved ones. Period.

girls in the hood megan thee stallion

because the girls in the hood are always hard / ever since 16, i been having a job / knowing nothing in life / but i gotta get rich / you can check the throwback pics / i been that bitch +

these bitches mad mad / they wanna hurt me

Self-explanatory.

If you read all that, I love you. Thank you for your time and I hope you have a good day!

[sanoiro]

Lucifer 5x07 - Our Mojo - Spoilers & Speculation

Warning! There is always the possibility that certain scenes might have been mixed up under their non-respective episodes.

Written By: Julia Fontana

Directed By: Nathan Hope

Julia Fontana has written/co-written the episodes:

2x10 - Quid Pro Ho

2x15 - Deceptive Little Parasite

3x08 - Chloe Does Lucifer

3x16 - Infernal Guinea Pig

5x07 - Our Mojo

Cast: Tom Ellis as Lucifer, Lauren German as Chloe, DB Woodside as Amenadiel, Lesley-Ann Brandt as Maze, Kevin Alejandro as Dan, Scarlett Estevez as Trixie, Rachael Harris as Linda Martin and Aimee Garcia as Ella.

Season 5 Recurring Characters: None Officially Announced Guest Cast:

Giovanni Bejarano...Mario Canales

Nancy De Mayo...Nina

Glenn Fernandez...Danilo

David Figlioli...Les Klumpsky

Cara Koh...Madison Evans

Behind The Scenes

As we get close to the Midseason Finale S&S do remember the past seasons Midseason and Season Finales. There were never standalone. You see there is always a pattern to be followed and this will happen with 5x07 and 5x08. The two episodes 5x07 and 5x08 act both as a Finale but also as a medium to the story to move forward and for P2 to bring elements from P1.

Going back we should remember how the following episodes intertwined thus a recap is needed. 

1x12 - #TeamLucifer  & 1x13 - Take Me Back to Hell were based on three elements. One Lucifer’s vulnerability, Malcolm and the Pentecostal Coin. A bargain was made there which moved us to S2 and the introduction of Mum.

2x11 - Stewardess Interruptus, 2x12-  Love Handles and 2x13 - A Good Day to Die built up to the point of where the supernatural aspects of Lucifer’s mythos are explored with Chloe being revealed to be a Miracle while Dr Carlisle acted as a serial killer poisoning his victims and Chloe. What we also tend to forget here is that early in S2 Uriel’s threat was almost materialized as Chloe would have died if Lucifer had not gone to Hell and thus broke the balance of time and effect  Dr Carlisle had started. It is also why in that season we had to focus on Mum and the blade.

2x17 - Sympathy for the Goddess and 2x18 The Good, the Bad and the Crispy used the blade and Mum was set as yet another problem while Lucifer regained his wings. Again we needed two to three episodes if you add 2x16 - God Johnson into this, to build up the story.

In S3 3x09 - Sinnerman and 3x10 - The Sin Bin led to the Mid Season finale which foretold Marcus way of dying by a blade which Lucifer had struck. The end of S3 actually started from 3x19 and was led to the very end but again episodes 3x23 - Quintessential Deckerstar and 3x24 - A Devil of my Word delivered the conclusion of S3 and led to the issues of S4.

Now S4 actually help us structure S5. There were Kinley and the vial, in 4x04 - All About Eve we get Eve and the conclusion happens between the episodes 4x09 - Save Lucifer and 4x10 - Who’s Da New King of Hell. Also, certain episodes were connected like 4x06 - Orgy Pants To Work and 4x07 - Devil Is As Devil Does where Julian becomes the connection between the story as it involves

With all the above in mind, we see what the writers like to use but also how they pace their seasons and what is included.

In S5 up to 5x10 you will see this as far as I understand.

First 5x01 will set in motion an issue that needs to be resolved so Lucifer ascends but a new factor is introduced and that way the episode will end with a question of how things will move from there while the promise of Lucifer staying on Earth will not be that clear.

In 5x02 we get the realization that something is amiss and that action needs to be taken but that connects us to 5x03 so 5x02 and 5x03 connect through the lingering issue from 5x01, Lucifer’s desire to stay on earth or perhaps the insistence of others to keep him away from Hell. Hell you see is like a drug and it acts slowly so at some point we will get a cold turkey Lucifer in 5x02 with 5x03 acting as his re-introduction to society and his old life.

Amidst all that we get the consequence of Lucifer’s actions probably from 5x01 which I suspect will affect Dan and a more permanent solution will be sought which leads us to 5x04. 5x04 offers us a lot of answers but also questions and that is why it is tied so well with 5x05. Lucifer is not the same nothing is but a solution has been found as maintenance does not fix a hole in a sinking ship.

Along with all the above, we also have Deckerstar and revelations which are bound to be set in these episodes and which will lead to the rocky episode of 5x06. Fear not though as 5x06 opens the door to the last two episodes of P1. In these two episodes actions will be made that will turn the tables first to how our characters act but also what they expect from the future. It is also where we will understand why in 5x04 the title was “It never ends well for the Chicken”.

Divine solutions do not come without collateral and thus a sacrifice will be made yet to what extent and what that will mean for our leads it remains to be seen as we only have scattered pieces which hint that Chloe will take the blow but not in the conventional sense the fandom loves to lament over. Chloe dying is overplayed and in my opinion to fan fiction like to be put forward in the mid-season finale. No here we are talking about more revelations on Lucifer’s past but also Chloe’s which may date back to the Pre-Fall era.

So let’s try to go through 5x07 episode first as we connect it lightly to 5x08.

First of all, we know that we have a Serial Killer played by David Figlioli* in these two episodes so I would expect to see a plot similar to Dr Carlisle’s. That means that in one of the two episodes either the effect of the character will set in motion an unavoidable plot that will affect all the leads pr that past actions are bound to fade the immediate future.

*If you do not want to know who that is please do not look him up and think twice before spoiling that element to people who do not like spoilers or like the procedural subplot of the series. I do not add his bts here for that reason. 

Now our Serial Killer has been described as “Nerdy and Creepy” which fits the description from the locations they were used. 

At this point please remember that we usually LOVE to speculate only on Lucifer and Chloe but in reality their story is supported and the plot moves forward through the events on every single character’s life. So certain points might be considered from all angles meaning from every character’s point of view on 5x07 and 5x08. That is practically impossible as we have no idea what has happened to most of them during S5P1, we can only guess so let’s see.

Dan - We expect him to have a health issue that ties him to Lucifer for the most part of the season. As we have said Dan’s arc is very similar to Charlotte’s and also after 5x08 the bracelet disappears but that’s for the S&S of 5x08. So notice that Kevin Alejandro did not appear in the bts of 5x07 and 5x08 while the actor had some other engagement during the shooting of 5x07 and he directed 5x08. Of course, bts are not reliable on how much screen time a character has but is nonetheless suspicious. 

Amenadiel - It seems that Amenadiel according to his garments has decided run LUX early in S5 but in some bts there were some hints of boxing yet I cannot tie them to an episode so I’m just mentioning that here. We also know from the photos at Linda’s fridge is you look closely that he has a calm domestic life but here is the twist we do not know if he is romantically involved with Linda or if in S5 the usual working pair Maze and Amenadiel move from where they left things in S1-S2. Whatever happens, what we know is that Amenadiel is deeply involved in this seasons plot so keep an eye on him.

Maze - You have seen her in different clothes and it does not seem like she has left her demonic character attitudes and choice of wardrobe behind in S5. On the contrary, her relationship with humans like Ella and Linda seem to now be better and I do not think she will be bitter towards Lucifer although who knows, as he left her when he went back to Hell. In short, she seems to be coping well but there are a lot of fights which I’m not sure whether she acts out in S5 towards Lucifer and Amenadiel or tries to fend off whatever attacks them. Do not go to oh the demons have ascended scenario just yet…

Linda - Linda seems to be in a very good place we know she has her son, Charlie is growing and all the baby proof wrapper is still on so you never know when wings or powers might come forward in her life. We do know that she continues to have a close relationship with Chloe and Maze and also an amicable one with Amenadiel. Finally, we know that she resumes her sessions with Lucifer.

Charlie - Charlie is a bit of an enigma and he may be one of the contributing factors of these two episodes. For all, we know the kid finally gets some powers and do expect him to surprise you.

Ella - You just don’t know with this character as all of Aimee’s bts are vague at best yet I do not believe she has found out yet about Lucifer but P2 might be her time to do so. She does not seem to occupy much of S5’s plot but I would keep an eye on her on the second part of the season and especially on 5x10.

Trixie - Trixie’s role is doubtful to be elevated to something more in this part but she has some great moments with Lucifer. At the moment I cannot really speculate about her as whatever happens in the stages rarely gets out so we have very few appearances of Scarlet at the lot…

Lucifer - Lucifer seems to be getting a bit different, you see a different side of him one that the perhaps wanted to forget as his past comes knocking throughout the season. His evolution through the series is interesting but the supernatural elements worrisome. Again the fact alone he is willing to help Dan says a lot.

Chloe - As you saw I was very brief with Lucifer as I wanted to focus a bit more on Chloe. Aside from her relationship to Lucifer in S5 we get to see that every person has two sides even if for some they were unaware it existed. That’s not a good and bad side kind scenario but I’m talking more about Chloe being more than a miracle. Before you speculate and ask I would just say that her being a Miracle is not where S5 will step on so look for clues while you watch because all lead to 5x08. I may be right I may be wrong but I’ll spend some more time explaining this in the S&S of 5x08.

So let’s start with 5x07’s case. It’s the easy way to figure out what is going on or at least put in order the scenes. Here we have two plots and we do not know if the Serial Killer’s victim/s is the case of the week. We do know that the Serial Killer, for the most part, was in the lot so I do not think he was on location much. The reason for this is because we have two locations at the backlot where 5x07 was mainly shot.

The first one is a flower shop which if I can guess is connected to the Serial Killer perhaps. He might be this kind of peaceful guys who run a flower shop and who you would never suspect on killing people in their free time. It adds up a bit but I cannot be sure.

The second one is a house that was used as a crime scene location. In the heart of the WB lot they setup a house that exhibited a lot of wealth and eclectic taste. It’s only normal as this case is also connected to an opera?** performer or at least someone who is seen to be performing at the Los Angeles Theater a wonderful old Cinema and grand landmark in DTLA.

**We cannot know for sure of the genre he performs but the taste of his house shows he is into classical pieces so... 

(See the BTS video there I always include bts that I have not posted before and are all Lucifer related)

^The police car and the coronary’s car outside the lot house location. 

First, we need to remember that during a quick ext the cast and crew had to do from the Stages there was also an actress that played a human body. She wore a lot of grey and blue makeup and we can assume she was part of this story. I cannot tell if in 5x07 a body of that kind will make it to our screens but a cemetery will.

The cemetery most probably is though related to the season’s supernatural plot. They filmed at the Rosedale cemetery with several stunts and from the videos you can see that Lesley Ann had a lot of action scenes in this episode. At the same time, DB had twitted to have a lot of scenes with her in that episode. According to what DB revealed the two characters are working together. I would predict that this has to do with whatever Amenadiel is searching for since 5x05.

^In general D.B. has been thrilled with the final season and that pleases me a lot! 

The Rosedale cemetery has several wonderful tombs and crypts which some of them could be used to a similar theme that was used early in the season. Confusing I know but let’s say that in P1 it seems like they are trying to find something, an object perhaps and I wouldn't be surprised if it was either hidden in a cemetery or simply that the object that they are looking for is connected to the serial killer somehow… I mean remember Azrael’s blade… I doubt they will use the same scenario but the divine influence on mortals never ends well.

Now the second location which I mentioned before is the Los Angeles Theater. I do not know if Ellis and German were also in the cemetery but they will be at the Theater along with the opera? singer. There is also some stunts involved so I would keep an eye on someone escaping or at least putting a fight. For all we know this case might also be a bit similar to 3x17 one with Axara.

^The stand-ins taking notes for the scene

^We expect some to happen to that grand staircase oh and there were again a lot of stunts there so :D 

As you can tell the majority of 5x07 as an episode eludes us and there are bts we cannot really explain but we can only speculate about.

For example why Lucifer wears a budge and has a gun? Why now? Is he threatened or Chloe has decided that enough is enough. Perhaps even in order to not endanger her Lucifer might have taken her badge and gun. The possibilities are so many yet a definite answer cannot be given. If we take into account that the title is Our Mojo it can be a million different things. Like the opera? singer has the same captivating effect as Lucifer’s mojo for some reason but not a divine gift. It might have to do something with Charlie or it can be taken completely out of context. All we know is that Lucifer has to be armed so I would speculate this.

I admit I was not the one to notice that but my dear Amy was :P I just did the visuals a bit clearer. 

Let’s assume that Lucifer’s connection to Dan is weakened him and it goes both ways hence why we do not see Dan as much in 5x07 and a permanent solution becomes more urgent. His strength, mojo and overall his capacity to protect himself. Or perhaps he has to pose as Dan but that wouldn’t explain the protection of authority and a gun full of bullets. So we know things are dangerous when Chloe? caves in and hands Lucifer a gun to protect himself or if Lucifer has decided that in order to keep himself safe he has to play with human toys.

What we also cannot totally explain is the green screen *around* the penthouse. After discussing this with some friends we have agreed that it should be a large scale event or something. We do not know when or if Lucifer and Chloe get intimate, if that’s why that green screen is there or if there is a divine consequence that has to be shown through VFX. All we know is that there is something big coming. The last time they had used such a big screen well it was smaller actually was for the Fall nightmare scene of 3x15.

Additional Info

The stunts were rehearsing a fight at the stages but that’s normal for when they have to perform on location. 

Something seems to happen at the precinct and mainly in episode 5x08. Something like a fight 

^Naughty Woman? Perhaps I’m wrong...

The director posted this as a lucifer bts but here is the thing little Charlie as far as the babies used go cannot operate that but with CGI everything is possible. Also, the babies used were shooting for a different show at that time. 

[snazzyjazzysjacksonville]

The best dog names, and how to name your puppy

Naming your family pet is one of  the most beautiful moment when owning a pet. Petbacker has been committed to help pet owners to decide how they should name their pets, and it took Petbacker more than 2 years to conduct a comprehensive surveys and gathered information from 400,000 pet owners in regard to the questions of “why you give this precious name to your dog” , “does the dog name match your character of your pet”, as well as “do you name your dog based on their breed”.

Based on our surveys, we want to share with all pet’s owner some inspiring and fun ideas that are relevant to giving names for your fur babies! 

For instance, we found that many owners named their pets after childhood movie characters, famous celebrities, their human friend, different seasons of the year etc. It is amazingly shocking to note that there are even pet owners who named their pets based on numerological method. 

Method that owners use to name their pets.

Less than 4.5% of owners named their Pets based on Seasons of the year

Each season represents its special meaning. Some owners love to name their dogs based on the seasons and months which they were born such as spring, summer, autumn and winter. For example, babies who were born during spring season can be named Haru, in Japanese, ha ru は る) means spring. Some babies who are brought home by their owners in summer are directly named as summer. For babies born in the cold winter, they can be named as winter. 

From the above ideas, the following are some of the names which you may take into consideration:

Spring - Asher, Abril, Lily or Spring rolls

Summer - Sunny, Lia, Lilac or Summer ball

Autumn - Pablo, Raven, Mooncake or Cinnamon

Winter - Polar, Santa, Sparkle or Gabby

More than 55.2% of owners named their Pets based on Human Names 

Human names make great and meaningful names for dogs and puppies too. If your dog loves running, you may consider one of the suggested human names below to give him or her some cool attitudes.

Female dogs can be named as Anne, Anna, Angel, Alice, Lucy, Emily, Juliet, Amy, etc. Alternatively, the owner can use the characters from TV series as reference. Male dogs can be named as Jack, Nick, Mike, Peter, David, Henry, Irwin etc.

Less than 4.1% of owners named their Pets based on Foodie Name

Food naming method is also a very popular naming method. The pet owner can base on food names according to their pets’ fur colours or their own favourite food.

White fur – Tofu, Cauliflower, Onion, Garlic

Yellow-ish fur – Milk Tea, Coffee, Potato, Banana

Black fur - Cola, Sesame, Pepper, Seaweed

You can also call these little guys directly with your favourite snacks, such as pudding, buns, milkshake, noodle, cheese, cupcake, dumplings and other food. 

To our surprise, about 30.3% of owners named their Pets based on Numerology method

Pet owners can actually name their pets using numerology naming method, owners will count the number belonging to their pets by deriving it from the dates of birth of their pets, and put a name that matches the pet birthday so the pet will have the character they want to have. 

This can be done by finding the pet Life Path number, these Number can be obtained by adding the birthday numbers together until you get a single digit, for an example, a pet was born in November 14th, 2018, it would be = 1+1+1+4+2+0+1+8 = 18 = 1+8 = 9 …, So their Life Path is a “9”.

With the life path number, they will then decide what name to give so the number changes slightly to what they wanted. How to count a name with number so they add together to become single number. 

For an example EDDY, E= 5,D=4,D=4,Y= 25 =2+5=7

Birthday date + Name = 9+7=16 

The final digit would be, 1+6=7

Here you go ! Your best friend Life Path Number is a “7” .

Here are some of the attributes of the different Numbers :

Number 1, is a number that represents Self, and it brings a very independent character. If your pet has a name that reduces to “1”, you expect them to be more independent, this pet will probably be headstrong! Your best friend is going to do what it wants to, so be patient. They can make excellent guard dogs or protective animals. 

Number 2, this is a Number of Cooperation and Relationships. This is the pet that will be happiest sitting in your lap! They will also like company, other pets, and humans. They don’t do well alone for extended periods. They can be naturally shy, and will dislike fireworks and thunderstorms.

Number 3, this is a Number of Creativity and Communication. With humans, they are likely to be on stage and often have a good sense of humour. They are quite social, and hyperactive, they love to be out & about, meeting new humans and other pets.

They are sometimes difficult to be trained due to a short attention span. They can be talkative too, so expect a lot of barking! They are typically good with children as they enjoy the busy energy that children brings.

Number 4, is a Number of Structure. Pets or animals with this Energy do best in structured environments. They like routines, such as feeding and training or exercise at the same times each day. 

Number 5, This is a Number of High-Energy, Chaos and Adventure. These animals love adventure! They don’t like to be cooped up too. They love riding in cars, going for walks at the park. They might not be the best choice for small children, but they will be entertaining!

Number 6, This is the Number of The Nurturer. Ideally suited to home and family, this is a very devoted and loving animal. They love affection and are quick to give it too. They love to sleep in bed with you and will love cozy warm places to snuggle in. These dogs also make for the best service animals and can be trained to help a human who has disabilities.

Number 7, This is a Number of Intelligence and Curiosity. Your best friend would probably like games or toys that challenge them …plus learning Tricks too! But they often need their own space and time. They probably have their own favourite place, and it will probably be away from everyone else. They need space, so I hope your bed is big, or they will try to dominate the space! 

Number 8, This is a Number of Abundance and Prosperity. They love studded collars, luxurious bed, even those animal-outfits! They love attention, and can be demanding. They are usually high-energy, be prepared to be lead around!

Number 9, This is a Number of The Philanthropist, Old Soul, Wisdom. They are Natural Leaders, but do not have a competitive streak, so not the best choice for a show animal. They are extremely sensitive. They know when you are hurting and when you are happy. They like a lot of physical contacts to assure that everything is alright.

Less than 3% of owners named their Pets based on Movie Character

Many young owners have their favourite cartoon characters, comic protagonists and so on. Hence, they can name their dogs by their favourite characters. For example, One Piece's Luffy, Qiaoba, Naruto, Kakashi, Doraemon etc.

About 2.9% of owners named their Pets based on Celebrity name

Pet owners do have their own favourite celebrities who they like and admire. Therefore, it’s pretty cool to name their pet according to the celebrity name, or the name of their fan club.

Imagine when he is running around on the street, and you call his name, people who passes by will think that there is a big star coming!

How to make your pets remember their name fast?

Giving a name to your pet is easy, but how do you want your pet to remember the name you gave or effect the change of name ASAP? We provide below some methods which you may adopt to make your pets remember their name.

1. Food temptation: After giving your dog a name, you need to patiently let him remember his name. One of the best ways is giving them food and treats!

2. Changing of tone: Under different circumstances, use different intonations to call the dog's name.

3. Name Tone: Calling names is limited to giving instructions and compliments, to give the dog a good impression. The next time you call its name, it will run to you right away.

After all the above suggestions, if you are still not sure of what name you give your dog, we would want to inspire you of what others named their dogs by sharing the names of the list below.

Top 20 types of dog breeds on Petbacker with the list of names that PetBacker owners have named their dogs

Chihuahua

(Male)Bella, Coco, Daisy, Nini, Chloe, Gigi, Ajax

(Female) Bella, Coco, Daisy, Nini, Peanut, Jesse

Jack Russell Terrier

(Male) Zeus, Bolt, Lucca, Steven, Jack, John

(Female) Hershey, Juno, Audrey, Bambi, Anthea

Toy Poodle

(Male) Louis, Alex, Maison. Jackson, Bleu

(Female) Cookie, Ginger, Nancy, Aries, Sandra

Shih Tzu

(Male) Micky, Charlie, Max, Patches, Rudy

(Female) Chewie, Nala, Madison, Rosie, Nemo

English Cocker Spaniel

(Male) Goofy, Stephen, Lucas, Loca, Lucca

(Female) Stacey, Zoe, Nancy, Zoella, Sandy

Yorkshire Terrier

(Male) Sydney, Elfie, Gatsby, Kingston, Logan

(Female) Zoe, Victoria, Sophia, Isabella , Arica

Dachshund

(Male) Felix, Frank, Ida, Billy, Fifi, Pippin

(Female) Piper, Nora, Rosa, Julie, Chilly

Pomeranian

(Male) Noah, Jose, Richie, Nugget, Marshall

(Female) Bubble, Fluffy, Buttercup, Blossom

Maltese

(Male) Oscar, Riley, Max, Harry, Rocky, Zeus, Zach

(Female) Sammy, Ladybug, Samantha, Katie, Rina

Beagle

(Male) Bagel, Gus, Hank, Winston, Harper

(Female) Mia, Belle, Shiloh, Ella, Emma

Crossed or Mixed Breed (Cavoodle, Mongrel , Singapore Special)

(Male) Sam, Finley, Scout, Roy, Russel, Lucky, Goodie, Baby

(Female) Sadie, Misty, Fenella, Luna, Marie, Mimi. Piper 

Shiba

(Male) Hanako, Haru, Kiko, Mio, Shinju

(Female) Kitsune, Foxy, Hiro, Akira, Aki

German Shephard

(Male) Max, Kaiser, Roxy, Louis, Tiger 

(Female) Erma, Ethel, Giltha, Ida, Jolie

Husky

(Male) Jet, Bolt, Alpha, Hunter, Wolf, Blackie

(Female) Xena, Mulan, Belle, Elsa, Tanya

Corgi

(Male) Junior, Peewee, Mike, Smalley, Shorty 

(Female) Pippa, Princess, Queenie, Winnie, Twiggy

Labrador

(Male) Henry, Buster, Louie, Olive, Oakley

(Female) Olivia, Sammy, Winnie, Lucky, Brandy

French Bulldog

(Male) Brewster, Brody, Corky, Buddy, Ernie

(Female) Bella, Cookie, Jenny, Chewie, Sophie

Pug

(Male) Lulu, Bentley, Dexter, Jack, Buster,Pepper

(Female) Ollie, Sandy, Mia, Piper, Peppa,Snow White

King Charles Spaniel

(Male) Henry, Hopper, Rowley, Doodle

(Female) Berry, Holly, Nancy, Chucky, Winter

Schnauzer

(Male) Anot, Cosette, Bangle, Spark, Atlanta 

(Female) Cherry, Lizzy, Lucy, Frida, Bella

   Still need more suggestion for naming your pet?

 Feel free to post a picture of your pet at the comment section below, and let other pet lover's to suggest a great name for you!

  More Details: 

Snazzy Jazzy's Pet Salon Jacksonville 14343 Jarrettsville Pike Phoenix, MD 21131 United States 410-926-6611 https://g.page/snazzy-jazzys-jacksonville?share https://snazzy-jazzys-pet-salon-jacksonville.business.site

BOOK NOW! Jacksonville Online Booking

from Blogger https://ift.tt/3imet6X via Pet Salon In Jacksonville MD

[calpalirwin]

According to Plan

A/N: So, in one of my first renderings of this story, Mads (originally Emma) was high-functioning autistic, and stuck to a very simple diet (very little typical sugars and sweets) because “research” (in quotes because I’m not sure if it’s factual or not) shows that diet can help with the brain chemistry or something. Anyway, that’s why she pretty much only drinks water. And I thought her first soda experience was cute, so I kept it in. Enjoy!

And away, and away we go!

~~~

Chapter 9

Madison

~~~

I walked with him to his truck after we finished up the assignment. “I’ll meet you by your locker,” he told me.

I smiled. Yeah. I’ll see you then. I’ll be online later if you want to play videogames. I was back to signing, having talked more in the last half hour than in the last seven years combined.

“Yeah, cool,” he smiled and kissed me.

I waited in the yard and watched as he drove off before I headed back in the house. I grabbed a water from the fridge before I sat down at the table.

“So, you’ve been spending a lot of time with Ashton. Things getting serious?” Mom asked.

I don’t know… I guess.

Mom and Dad exchanged a look. Dad coughed awkwardly. Mom cleared her throat. “Well, your dad and I would feel more comfortable if you started on birth control.”

Mike and I both choked. What? We’re not… I’m not… What?!

“Just as a safety precaution! It’s not permission, by any means. We’d much rather if you didn’t get involved that way. But, we’d rather you be protected if you decide to make that decision down the road.”

Okay, well if we’re on the topic of discussing change, I think I want to get the Cochlear implant.

“You do?” they asked.

Yeah. I’m gonna be on my own next year. I think it’s time. I left out the fact that I just really wanted to be able to hear Ashton’s laugh on my own.

“Okay,” Dad said. “But, Mads, you know this isn’t as easy as saying you want it and then you get the surgery. You have to prove that you’re a good candidate. It’ll probably take a while. Just don’t get your hopes up.”

I know. But I want to at least try. Can’t hurt to try, right?

“Can’t hurt to try,” my parents agreed.

When I played videogames with Ashton later that night, I typed into the chatbox to him:

So, my parents want me to go on birth control.

What? Why?

They want me to be protected now that we’re apparently getting serious. Just in case.

Wow, that’s… progressive of them. As awkward as it probably was, at least they’re being realistic. Most parents just ignore that part of their kids’ relationships.

But it’s still dumb. Like we’re not anywhere close to making that decision. Are we?

I’m not. I mean, I hope we’re getting serious, but I’m not ready for that.

I let out a sigh of relief. 

Good, because I’m not either. I mean, I like you… I like you a lot. But, I’m just getting used to being your girlfriend. And honestly, I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready. I mean, I never… well, y’know.

I’ve never either, actually…

You haven’t? I was a little taken aback. Given his relationship with Claire, I had sort of assumed he was experienced sexually.

No. I mean, we did stuff, but we never had actual sex. Our relationship was too rocky for me to feel comfortable to do that.

Wow, I didn’t know. I kinda just assumed. Sorry.

It’s okay, it’s not your fault.

No. You’d think for someone who hates people making assumptions about her, that I wouldn’t be so quick to make them about someone else. I’m sorry.

It’s okay. It just goes to show that just because it was a long relationship doesn’t make it a good one. It took me a long time to realize that. And as embarrassing as it is, I’m glad I’m still a virgin. I’m glad I didn’t make the mistake of being truly intimate with the wrong person.

I smiled. I liked that he put thought into his actions, or lack thereof. Having Mike, not only my brother, but as my only real friend for the last seven years, meant that I knew a lot about what teenage boys thought about teenage girls. And Ashton’s concept of sex was not necessarily unheard of, but definitely a rarity. At least, it was rare to say it out loud. It was nice to know that he took things seriously.

That’s not to say that I don’t think about sex, he was still typing. But, I don’t know… I just don’t want you to think that I’m going to pressure you into something that you’re not ready for. Like, I’m not that guy.

I smiled more. If it was one thing I knew about Ashton in our very short time together, it was that he was one of the good ones.

The rest of the week at school was much like the first day had been. Ashton and I walked from class to class with his arm slung around my shoulders, our fingers intertwined. The classes themselves had progressed from first day formalities to a “let’s get started because we have a lot to cover” pace that I found comfort in. The onslaught of assignments and deadlines made me breathe easier.

Friday, as I was getting everything from my locker at the end of the day, Ashton came up, his hair damp from his shower. “Hey, is it cool if Mike takes you home today?”

I paused what I was doing to stare at him. Ashton had taken me home all week, why didn’t he want to today? Why? Is everything okay? I asked, trying to keep my face neutral.

“Yeah. I just want to take care of a few things at home before I pick you up tonight.”

Are we going somewhere?

“Yeah, we’re going to the drive-in, remember?”

Oh, yeah.

“I’ll pick you up at 7, okay?” He kissed me just long enough for me to feel his lips on mine, but short enough to leave me wishing for more.

At ten minutes to seven, I sat on the couch, fidgeting. I had changed into jeans to ward off any nighttime chill and was debating bringing a jacket, but finally decided that my flannel would be enough. I continued to fidget as the clock got closer to seven, nervous about our first “real” date.

When the doorbell rang- the light in the entryway flashing brightly- I jumped and practically ran to answer the door. “Hey,” Ashton said. “Ready to go?”

Yeah. I smiled, a sense of calm washing over me, all the nerves disappearing.

“Don’t be out too late,” came the warning call from my parents before they let us leave.

The September air was cool against my skin as we drove through town. “We got some time before the movie. You hungry?” he was asking as I took everything in; something I had been doing a lot lately.

Yeah, food sounds good.

He turned to look at me and smiled that breathtaking smile of his.

We sat in the corner booth of the diner, quietly eating. He put a fry in his mouth as I took a sip of my water. “Do you ever drink anything else?” he asked, wiping ketchup from the corner of his mouth.

No, not really.

He pushed his soda glass over to me. “Here, have some.”

I hesitantly took a small sip. The sugary sweetness was both overpowering and refreshing. It’s so sweet! I pushed the glass back over to him.

“But it’s good, isn’t it?”

I nodded. Yeah, it was good.

He laughed and pushed the glass to where we could both reach it easily. “Go for it, we get free refills.”

I took several more drinks as we finished our food.

After we had finished and Ashton paid the bill, we got back in the truck and drove to the drive-in. He paid for the tickets and then pulled into a spot backwards. We can’t see the screen from here. I gestured at the nothingness in front of us.

“Oh, we’re doing this right,” he said with a mischievous grin as he reached into the backseat. He pulled out 2 sleeping bags, a blanket, and 2 big pillows.

I got out of the truck and eyed him suspiciously as he climbed into the bed of the truck with his supplies. He laid out the 2 sleeping bags, one on top of the other. He carefully arranged the pillows near his back window, then he finally spread out the blanket. “Tada!” he gestured at his masterpiece makeshift bed. “Come on,” he held out his hand to help me into the bed.

I sat on the sleeping bags and reclined into the pillows. Okay, this is pretty nice, I admitted.

“Good. Get comfortable. I’m gonna go get us some popcorn and drinks.” He kissed me before he climbed out of the truck.

I stretched out in the makeshift bed, laughing. Only Ashton would be this clever. He had clearly thought of everything. The second sleeping bag added just enough extra padding so lying on the truck bed wasn’t uncomfortable. The pillows provided a soft place to lay my head, and the blanket was thin enough so I wasn’t hot, but thick enough to ward off the September night chill.

Later, I wouldn’t remember the movie. But I would always remember his body pressed up against mine as we stared up at the stars.

When the credits finally rolled we reluctantly got out of the truck bed. I stood there, shivering, suddenly wishing I had brought a jacket. He stopped packing everything to reach into the truck. “Here,” he said, draping a grey zip up hoodie over my shoulders.

I slipped my arms inside and zipped up the hoodie, letting the warmth envelop me.

“Better?” he asked as he went back to cleaning everything up.

I nodded, holding my hands to my mouth and breathing in his scent. Thanks.

He looked over at me and let out a small laugh. “You’re cute, y’know that?”

I believe the word you’re looking for is ‘awkward’.

He stepped towards me and wrapped me in his arms. “No. I meant ‘cute.’ Breathtaking, actually.”

I was grateful it was dark so he couldn’t see how red my face got.

He drove me back home, me watching as his mouth moved to sing with the radio. “Sorry we didn’t actually watch the movie,” he finally said as he pulled up in front of my house.

We never really seem to do what we say we will, do we?

“No, we really don’t,” he laughed. “You still had fun though, right?”

I always have fun with you. It doesn’t matter to me what we do.

“Me too. I’ll see you tomorrow after your doctor’s appointment?”

Yeah, I’ll text you. I hadn’t told him about my decision to get a Cochlear implant. I told him that my doctor’s appointment was just a typical routine checkup thing. I kissed him before I opened my door and hopped out. I closed the door and made my way to the porch.

His hand grabbed my shoulder.

I jumped, startled by his touch, wondering when he had gotten out of the truck to get my attention. What? I asked once I had turned to face him.

“You think you can kiss me like that and then just leave?” he asked.

Yes? I was slightly confused. Was there something I was supposed to do instead?

“You do realize that you just kissed me, right? Like actually kissed me. Not on my cheek, and not without me kissing you first.”

I quickly replayed every kiss we shared in my head. It was true, I hadn’t kissed him once on the lips without him kissing me first. Until two seconds ago. Huh… I suppose I did.

His eyes were shining brightly. “Yeah. You did.”

I shrugged. It was bound to happen sometime. I wasn’t sure why he was making a big deal of it. Maybe if I had taken months to kiss him on my own, that’d be cause for celebration. But a week was hardly anything to make a fuss over.

“Keep doing it,” he said.

If I keep kissing you, we’d never do anything else.

“And that’s a bad thing?” he challenged.

I didn’t say that. I kissed him again. Good night.

“Night,” he breathed as he watched me walk away.

I closed the door behind me and watched out the window as he walked to his truck. He looked at the house one last time, smiling wide. Then, with a laugh and a shake of his head, he got in his truck and drove away. I almost felt bad I was keeping the Cochlear implant a secret, especially from him since he was a huge reason I wanted it. Almost, but I decided that I wanted it to be a surprise for him when I could finally hear that laugh of his for myself.

“Okay, Madison,” Dr. Parker said as she signed, after a series of tests. “It’s gonna be a long journey to surgery and after surgery. But it’s doable, as long as you stay determined.”

Really?!

“Yes, really. As long as you stay determined.”

Oh, I’m determined.

[lacktastrophe]

Hello Lack! How are you doing? Regarding Madison, even though I read "Afterglow", I still feel unfair her treatment of Paulo. I get that maybe Mad feels indebted to Rachel for all her support and help with Jess, so she wants her happy. I do think that Paulo tried to put distance, in an effort to not string Rachel, and that's why he flirted with other girls like Courtney. Yet, Mad sticks her nose in other's bussiness! Guess she fights for her friends? What is your opinion about her? Tyvm :)

 Hi again! Just got back from my holiday to the US.

I like Madison, I think her presence was a bit of a fresh air when she confronted Paulo about his flirty behaviour. She’s not really clued in to what’s really going on with Paulo, so she instead represents being an observer from the outside and she’s not afraid to doing something the majority of the characters won’t do - telling Paulo off when he’s doing something she’s not cool with, and it happens to turn out that Madison is really all about celebrating love and being loyal in relationships. She really is about fighting for her friends.

When it comes to Paulo, Madison already had a really bad impression of him when he attempts to flirt with her during the vollyball game in Golden Hour. Already being in a tight relationship herself and knowing that Paulo is in some-sort of a relationship, she’s not at all thrilled about the flirt.

That and…well…she’s just really madly in love with Jessica.

Paulo’s presence here also starts this in-joke in the group where Madison’s physical stature but more importantly her behaviour has some resemblance to some other girl Jessican and Paulo know. This turns into a huge insecurity for Madison because now she can’t help but wonder and feel threatened by the idea that she’s just a replacement. That doesn’t turn out to be her only insecurity as in ‘PDA’ a lot of Madison’s internal monologue comes out when she comes out about it to an otherwise unaware Lucy. 

Madison really values Jessica and their relationship.

When it comes to Paulo and Rachel’s relationship, it’s very rocky in that Paulo is set on the idea that he and Lucy are actually a pair and they’ll end up being together some time in the future once he figures out where she’s gone, and his current relationship with Rachel is very much being Friends-With-Benefits. This is something they’ve both agreed on. In Afterglow however, there’s an idea introduced in that Rachel is more likely using sex to try and win Paulo over. She’s in love with him. But Paulo is far too in love with Lucy and becomes shocked when Rachel attempts to suggest they’re having sex for some other purpose than for fun, only for Rachel to blame the afterglow for the idea. He’s none the wiser to the real purpose of their FWB relationship.

Madison has no idea about this and all she understands is that they’re both dating. She has no desire to learn more about their relationship because she’s more concerned with her own given her insecurities and Lucy’s return, and not to mention she doesn’t exactly like Paulo. But she’s to the idea that Rachel does deserve someone who does love her. So when she confronts Paulo in the school hallway in ‘Love Again’, she’s understanding he’s just being disloyal. In truth, Paulo’s hitting up girls in the hallways to distance himself from his problems, notably from people like Rachel so it doesn’t appear like he’s actually in a FWB relationship and also people like Daisy, who he’s trying to avoid because of Abbey.

It makes sense why Madison has gotten involved, wouldn’t you if you saw your friend’s partner being disloyal? Rachel is more than deserving of a lovely relationship with a loyal person. But nothing is really as black and white, and Paulo and Rachel’s relationship is nothing like that in the first place. 

It’s just complicated.

[realhousewives-fan]

A Rocky Trip to Colorado

As the chaos after hurricane Ashley Jacobs has calmed down the Charmers laughs the whole thing off as they start to pick up on the issues in their own group.

Why is Whitney Sudler-Smith denying sleeping with Kathryn Dennis during the summer? It’s weird and mean to laugh in her face about something like that. She probably feels like shit.

Naomie Olindo choose to not go on the skiing trip to Colorado and is having lunch with her boyfriend Metul Shah. But as awesome as she and Cameran Eubanks makes him sound, I don’t think I like him very much. If anything I think that Naomie looks so anxious around him.

But Kathryn isn’t the only one having a issue with Whitney. Craig Conover does not approve of his snobbish complaints during their travel to Colorado for their skiing trip. As annoying as Whitney can be, Craig’s reaction was uncalled for. Making Chelsea Meissner ask him if he in fact was drunk.

Craig’s rude attitude on the bus is appearently what makes Chelsea to go off on him, telling him that he needs to check his pants for a vagina because he’s being a pussy and claims that she has a bigger dick than him. What a wonderful line! As Naomie disappoints this season I’m falling head over hills in love with Chelsea!

The trip doesn’t start off great for Kathryn as she probably has the awkward conversation with Whitney and the legal case against Thomas Ravenel on her mind and then Austen Kroll tries to talk the group to buy marijuana, without taking into account that Kathryn lost the costudy of her children because of that substance abuse. It is a little insensitive of them.

And as negative and nightmare-ish Shep Rose and Craig has made Austen’s relationship with Madison look, there were some really sweet moments between these two on the trip so far. The lingering hug at the airport, the hot tub scene where their faces came up close. As their other scenes has seemed uncomfortable, these has seemed really sweet.

I can’t wait for this saga to continue.