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humanitiesnb · 2 years

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PHOTOGRAPHER'S EYE

The theme for my photo collection is "insanity". In the quest for perfection, I've done some things that other people might consider foolish. Looking back at my past (and current) actions, I realize that I was so consumed with flawlessness that I neglected my health and damaged my relationships. I believe that no matter who you are, absolutely anybody can fall victim to the obsessive nature of the need for perfection. When we talk about mental illness we never include perfectionism and how it can severely alter one's mental, emotional, and physical health.

COUNTDOWN

I took a picture of the weight scale that I have in my bedroom. No matter where I am or what time of day it is, I always have to weigh myself. My weight has always been the focal point of my obsession and even more so when I purchased this scale. When I first wake up, I weigh myself. After I eat and drink, I weigh myself. After I go to the bathroom, I weigh myself. If I know that I'm going to be out of the house for a long duration then I take my scale with me. After I exercise, I weigh myself. Before I go to sleep, I weigh myself. Every minute of my day has been primarily spent weighing myself. I refuse to let hours go by without stepping onto my measuring device. This behavior of constantly doing weigh-ins has distorted my view of food and has disrupted my sleeping habits. For example, during my night weigh-ins, if I see that I didn't return to the weight I originally was in the morning then I would set an alarm clock so that I can wake up and weigh myself. Instead of the scale serving me, I know that I'm a servant to it. To me, the scale is the only indication that I'm on the right track to a healthy lifestyle. I realize that to some people this may seem excessive but honestly, I'm apathetic to their concerns. I feel a sense of euphoria each time I see that I lose a pound or two.

MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL

This photo is of a full-length mirror I have in my room. Before leaving the house, it's normal for an individual to check the mirror to see if anything on their body is out of place. This isn't the case for me. Just like with my weight scale, I constantly check my appearance in the mirror. It has gotten to the point where I would be in my bed and suddenly get this urge to analyze myself in the mirror. I certainly don't do this because I'm a narcissist but because I enjoy scrutinizing myself. Inspecting and picking apart my flaws through the mirror allows me to quickly see what specific areas of my body I need to tinker with. This mirror obsession fits in with my central theme of insanity because of how frequently and how long I look at myself. Any sane person would spend only a couple of minutes (possibly every other day) checking themselves. For myself, I spend practically every waking moment for hours on end just dissecting and criticizing my appearance through the mirror.

GETTING READY FOR BED

This is a picture of all the products and devices I use in my nighttime routine. Because I'm extremely diligent in taking care of every aspect of my body, it takes me five hours in the bathroom to get ready for bed. There have been days when I didn't want to do my routine but the thought of crawling into bed with the day's dirt on me is just repulsive. I have a specific routine in the shower and out of the shower that I can't deviate from. For instance, taking a shower is the first step in my nighttime routine. While showering, I always have to execute these actions in this particular order: lather and scrub, apply body oil, exfoliate, apply body mousse, and finally apply body conditioner. After exiting the shower, I move on to my body care. This part of the process takes a quarter of my time since I utilize a plethora of body products. For my whole body (making sure that I don't miss any crevices), I have to apply these products in order: toner, lotion, butter, oil, Vaseline, and lastly powder. Since I spend the bulk of my time on them, I reckon one can say that my teeth and my face are my most essential regions. I take pride in having a ravishing smile and a blemished-free visage. However, in order to maintain what I have, there's a need to spend copious amounts of time, energy, and money. I've received criticism from my parents, siblings, and my friends for my "ridiculous" and intricate routine. I pay them no mind because my routine lends me the opportunity to de-stress.

A WATER A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY

This photo features my water bottle that goes everywhere with me. For an average person, water is the quintessential basis of life. In fact, a human can only survive up to 3 days without water. Despite the benefits, H2O has always been my source of suffering. In the hopes of slimming down, it was customary for me to do a water fasting diet. Water fasting is a type of fast in which a person can only consume water. The recommended duration that one should water fast should be 24 to 72 hours long. Anything longer could cause severe side effects such as overeating, constipation, and/or migraines. However, as with everything in life, I took water fasting to the extreme. For the first seven days of every month, I used to completely abstain from food and only ingested water. Considering that food supplies energy, there have been numerous times when I would be unable to think, make sound decisions, faint, and/or become exceedingly lethargic because of a lack of energy. A sensible person would listen to their body and surrender. However, I was so blinded by the lure of being thin that I disregarded all warning signs and continued to put my health at risk.

THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS

This picture is from 2020 when my family and I took a road trip from Florida to New York without stopping at any rest areas. Out of all the images, this may seem like the one that's most out of place but to me, this shot encompasses "insanity". Originally, each member of my family was going to take turns behind the wheel. My father would be the first to drive and then it would go to me, my brother, my mother, my cousin, and then finally my uncle. When I took over the driver's seat, instead of driving for only six hours and then transferring the wheel to the next person, I drove the rest of the way there. Even when night fell and I felt sleep overcoming me, I still drove. Even when my arms started to ache, I continued driving. I hadn't slept for about two days and thought it was a fantastic idea to get behind the wheel—sleep-deprived and all— for approximately 14 hours. Unfortunately, this was also the time when I was doing my water fasting. Driving while being drowsy, light-headed, and famished was an extremely foolish thing to do on my part.

There's nothing wrong with being the best version of yourself. The problem lies, however, with developing an unhealthy view of perfection to the point where it drives you insane and takes over your life. I've acknowledged that it's OK to have setbacks so long as you get back up and try again. It's not about how fast you can achieve your goals instead it's about being persistent and taking things one step at a time. Even though I have destructive habits that I still need to fix, it amazes me how far I've come.

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steviemae · 5 years

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study buddy // sp

requested by @ruwaidahmulia

“Will you please help me study for this stupid test, y/n?” Sweet Pea begged.

“No, Pea. if i’m the one who helps you, you won’t actually study. You’ll just get distracted and i want you to pass just as much as you do.” you said shutting your locker door and facing him.

“I’m desperate to pass.”

“No. you’ll spend the entire time trying to kiss me.” you said rolling your eyes.

“I’ll keep my hands and my mouth to myself, i promise.” he said raising his hands up in surrender.

“Have Doiley tutor you. He’ll be less of a distraction.” you said patting his chest.

“Are you serious?” he called after you as you walked down the hallway. You ignored him making him sigh in frustration and turn to head towards his own class.

Over the next couple of days Sweet Pea still begged for you to help, you held your ground and told him you couldn’t help him because he wouldn’t take it seriously around you. In the middle of your math class you began to think of ways to help Sweet Pea study without being there physically, when an idea popped in your head that would be beneficial for the both of you. You quickly asked for permission to use the restroom, but headed straight for the lounge where you knew Sweet Pea was as it was his free period.

“Sweet Pea, i have a proposition for you.” you announced as you walked in.

“You’re finally going to help me study?” he asked.

“I am. Meet me at my house tonight after your meeting and we’ll get you a passing grade in no time.” you said smiling at him.

Sweet Pea showed up to your house in lounge clothes and his backpack ready to learn all things chemistry so he could pass this test.

“So what was this proposition you were talking about today? You never told me.” he said as he followed you up to your room.

“Well, i was originally thinking of way to help you study without being there physically - flashcards, power points, study sheets, that kind of thing. But then i remembered that that’s not how you learn so i came up with this idea.”

“And how do i learn?” he asked furrowing his eyebrows.

“Well you’re very what’s in it for me. So i figured if you had some incentives for each question you got right you would be a chemistry nerd in no time.” you grabbed his bag from him, taking out his notebook and going over the notes and the shitty study guide the teacher handed out to see what kind of information you were working with.

“Okay so Mr. asshole here is known for giving study sheets that have a bunch of stuff on them that won’t be on the test so we’re going to get rid of that,” you said crumbling up the study guide and throwing it in the corner where your trash can was, “let’s work chapter by chapter, using the questions the book provides at the end as the study guide.” you said flipping to the first chapter out of the three he will be tested on.

“Wait, what’s the incentive for whenever i get a question right? You never finished explaining.” he asked as he sat on the floor leaning his back against your bed.

“Right. For every question you get right, i’ll take off an article of clothing. For every question you get wrong, i’ll put one on. But seeing as i’m fully clothed i’ll skip the put something on until i have at least one thing off.” you explained. You were sure to put on spandex shorts under your sweats and a shirt under your hoodie to at least make this last longer than you thought it would and so you didn’t end up naked before chapter two.

“Ballsy. I like it.” he said making an impressed face. You weren’t normally one to put yourself out like that, but you knew with Sweet Pea, you could trust him. You also had this burning crush for him and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to act on it. You moved to sit on the floor in front of him making yourself comfortable.

“Alright, first question.” you said sitting criss-cross-applesauce and placing the book on your lap.

You went through every question in chapter one and Sweet Pea hasn’t managed to get any of them right causing him to get frustrated.

“I can’t tell if you’re frustrated because i haven’t taken off any of my clothes or because you’re getting these wrong.”

“If i’m being completely honest, both. But i’m more frustrated that i’m not getting any of this.” he said running his hands through his hair.

“Okay, break time. We can study all night long if that’s what it takes. Let’s take a break and grab some snacks before we move to chapter two. We’ll come back to chapter one later.” you said putting the book on the floor in front of you as you moved to stand up. Sweet Pea followed behind you, audibly annoyed with himself and chemistry.

When you returned to the room with all of your snacks you jumped right into chapter two. Where Sweet Pea again, got all of the questions wrong.

“Sweets, how about you take some time to read over your notes. Maybe the reason you’ve gotten them wrong is because you haven’t looked at your notes since you took them in class a week ago.” you said.

“Good idea.” he grabbed his notebook, flipping through his notes. He read through them as he munched on the peanut butter sandwich you made him. You took the time to scroll through your phone for a bit, responding to Toni’s message asking how the study date was going. After a while, Sweet Pea closed his notebook and gave you his full attention, “Alright, i’m ready. Start with chapter one.” he said. You smiled and grabbed the book asking him the first question.

“Okay, one of the essential minerals in the human body is salt. How much salt is in the average adult body?” you asked looking at him when you finished reading the question and patiently waiting for his answer.

“250 grams.” he said. You eyes widened as he gave you the right answer.

“That’s right. You got one right Pea!” you said happily.

“That means you have to take off a piece of clothing.” he smirked. You rolled your eyes, moving the book from your lap long enough to take off your hoodie.

“Alright, next question. The symbol Sb stands for stibnum or stibnite. What is the modern name of this element?” you asked.

“Antimony.” he answered. You moved the book again, standing up and pushing your sweats down your legs leaving you in your shorts and t-shirt.

The rest of the night went like that - Sweet Pea knocking every question out without getting one wrong. He was on a roll. You were left in nothing but your sports bra and underwear.

“Alright, Pea. last question.” you said giving him a look that says don’t fuck up your winning streak right now, “a mole contains Avogadro’s number of items. What is Avogadro’s number?” you waited patiently as he thought about the answer.

“6.023 x 10^23.” he answered. A wide smile spread across your face. “Did i get it right? Or are you smiling because you get to put on an article of clothing?” he asked.

“You got it right, Pea. which means i’m either going to be naked on the bottom half or the upper half. Your choice.” you stated.

“Keep them on. I’m just happy i got to see you this naked.” he flirted.

“Well let’s raise the stakes then shall we.” you said crawling over to sit on your knees right in front of him, leaning in so you face was only an inch from his, “if you pass your test on friday, you can have your way with me.” you whispered.

“You sure you want to give me that kind of freedom, y/n?” he challenged.

You shrugged your shoulders placing your hand on his thigh, “you only get to if you get above an 80% on that test. So this all sits in your hands.” you whispered. You placed a teasing kiss on the corner of his mouth before standing up and putting your sweats and hoodie back on.

It was Friday, the day Sweet Pea got his results back on the chemistry test you helped him study for. You were currently in the Blue and Gold with Betty and Veronica going over some of the prom pages and how you guys were going to design them.

“y/n!” Sweet Pea yelled from the hallway.

“In here, Sweets.” you called back as he past up the B&G door. He leaned back poking his head in the doorway.

“There you are. I’ve been running around like a madman looking for you. Here.” he said handing you his test. There on the corner in bright red was 100%.

“Oh my god, Sweet Pea. You aced it.” you jumped up, wrapping your arms around his neck telling him how proud you were of him.

“So i’ll be over tonight. Don’t make plans.” he said pulling away from the hug.

“What’re you talking about -” you stopped mid sentence realizing what this score meant - Sweet Pea gets to have his way with you. Your face immediately got red. The smirk on his face grew as he saw how bright red your face had gotten and he let out a soft chuckle.

“Don’t act like this whole thing wasn’t your idea, y/n. I’ll see you tonight.” he said giving you a wink as he walked backwards out the door.

“What was all that about?” Veronica asked.

“I’ll explain everything later. At the sleepover.” you said grabbing your stuff and heading out of the room. Thankfully it was the end of the day so you could go home and get ready for tonight. You got in the shower as soon as you got home, making sure your skin was exfoliated and as smooth as the skin on a newborn.

A couple of hours later, Sweet Pea showed up. You opened the door to find him smirking. You rolled your eyes asking him if that was permanently embedded in his face.

“For the rest of the night it is.” he said stepping towards you, grabbing your face in his hands bringing you in for heated kiss. He stepped forward, making you step backwards allowing enough room for him to kick the front door shut.

“Pea, let me lock it and then we can go upstairs. I don’t think my parents would appreciate coming home and finding us on the couch.” you mumbled against his lips. He agreed, letting your face go so you could lock the door and lead him to your room.

The next morning you grabbed the loose blanket, wrapping it around your body and headed towards the bathroom that was conveniently connected to your room. You gasped when you looked in the mirror and saw all the marks that littered your skin. Thankfully none were left on your neck making them easy to hide from your parents. You heard shuffling from your room and then Sweet Pea’s half naked body walked into the bathroom, standing behind you and placing soft kissed along your shoulders.

“If i had known this is what my skin was going to look like afterwards, i would’ve made sure you had just as many as i did.” you joked.

“well , judging by the dull stinging on my back i’d say we’re even.” he smiled against your skin. You made him turn around so you could see, your eyes widening at the harsh red marks going from his shoulder blades to his lower back. You rushed to your room to grab your phone, taking a picture of them so he could see how bad they were.

“Yeah, we’re definitely even.” he leaned his head down to catch your lips in a kiss, taking you by surprise. Sweet Pea pulled away from the kiss giving you a confused look.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing i just wasn’t sure if this was a one time thing or not.” you said.

“Definitely not. You’re completely oblivious sometimes, y’know.” it was your turn to give him a confused look this time, “the teacher was going to pair me with someone in my class who know their shit, but i practically begged him to let me choose someone myself. He only allowed it because i told him it was you and he knew just how smart you were. Said you were top of his class. To be honest, i wanted no one else's help but yours. This whole study buddy thing was, well to help me ultimately but also an excuse to get into your bedroom and to spend time with you outside of the group.” he explained. The smile on your face grew with every word he spoke.

“Wow, who knew the always angry Sweet Pea would actually be a sweet pea at heart.” you laughed.

“Oh shut it.” he said pulling you in for another kiss, “So tonight, how about we have our first official date?” he asked when you pulled away.

“Unfortunately, i’m gonna have to rain-check for sunday night. I promised the girls and Kev a sleepover so they will be here by 7.” he jokingly pouted his lips making you kiss him softly.

“That’s fine, baby. We can get lunch before you have to meet the girls and Kev.” he suggested.

“I’d love to, Sweets.” you smiled.

“And that’s the story on how Sweet Pea and i got together.” you said as you finished telling them the whole story.

“Damn, girl. You busted out your shell.” Toni said giving you a high five.

“Let’s see those marks you mentioned.” Veronica said as she wiggled her eyebrows playfully. You took your t-shirt off leaving you in your bralette, showing off all the marks across your breasts and shoulders.

“Judging by those marks i’d say the sex was as good as you described it, holy cow.” Betty said.

“Please tell me you have a picture of his back.” Kev asked.

“For what reason? So you can ogle his back muscles?” you teased.

“So i can see the marks,” he said looking around, “and so i can ogle his back muscles.” he shrugged making you laugh. You showed them the picture, the teasing and joking never stopped and your face continued to get more and more red. The jokes got worse when you tried your hardest to change the subject but you honestly couldn’t be happier. And of course, Toni saying the guys were given Pea a hard time as well, which made you feel a little better about their teasing.

#riverdale imagines #sweet pea imagines #riverdale imagine #sweet pea imagine #riverdale #sweet pea x reader #sweet pea #writing #imagines #steviemae

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niallismymuse · 5 years

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Chapter 6

When Leah arrived to move in her things, Tessa stayed out of her way until Leah decided it was going to take her forever by herself and asked for help. Then she gladly gave it, and even helped cart up an IKEA box that would one day serve as a bookshelf, once Leah got around to putting it together (that was how she put it, anyway).

Once she was moved in fully, which only took the one day, they put down some ground rules for each other: clean up after yourself in all areas of the apartment, do your share of cooking and cleaning, try not to be too crazy with the whole YouTuber thing (that was directed at Tessa, obviously) and if a significant other is coming over, alert the other person and try not to have sex too loud.

The last part had Tessa blushing, mostly because the only person she could currently imagine that scenario with was Niall, and, well, they weren’t even in a relationship. Not that she was against casual sex; she just wanted more with Niall.

So, Leah was moved in, but Tessa didn’t really see her for pretty much the entire next day because she had work. She did text and say it was a lot more of a convenient distance to drive to work now than from where she had previously lived.

Finally, the day of Hamilton came around, and Tessa had been so excited the night before that she had hardly slept. She kept picturing how Niall would dress, and how good he would look, and wondering if this was maybea date. Thinking about pretty much everything except the actual musical they would be attending kept her up until two in the morning. When she eventually fell asleep, she woke up the next day around eleven.

Tessa groaned when she checked the time and covered her face with her hands. The play didn’t start until eight; she was going to pick Niall up at seven, and then drive to the theater. There was so much time left in the day!

She started out slow to burn the minutes, and cooked chocolate chip pancakes and bacon. Leah had already left for work, so it was just her in the apartment. After eating, she cleaned up the dishes and glanced at the clock, only to see that it was only quarter to noon.

Tessa rolled her eyes at the clock and padded into her bathroom to shower. She decided it was going to be one of those long showers where she got everything shaved, exfoliated, and moisturized. Usually she only did this when she wanted to go out and have sex, but she had enough time, and who knows? Maybe this potential date would go a little further.

It’s not even a date, she chided herself as she scrubbed her entire body down. But her heart kept whispering that maybe Niall thought it was, and she was terrible at ignoring that foolish thing.

The showering process lasted close to two hours, which was good enough for Tessa. She toweled off and stood naked in her bathroom, blow drying her hair. Once it was dry, she curled it slightly, giving it a nice little wave rather than full on ringlets. She was awful with hair, so it took forever, and by the time it was done in a satisfactory way, it was three thirty.

That left plenty of time for her makeup, so Tessa made a quick sandwich to munch on before she started. They weren’t going to get dinner before the play, so she would have to eat something before she left, too. Luckily there was dinner leftover from last night.

Tessa started her makeup after brushing the crumbs off of her face. She decided on going for a more natural look; she wanted Niall to think about how beautiful she was, and this would only serve to remind him of that. She went full out product-wise though: primer, foundation, concealer, all the works. Her eyeshadow was a neutral shade, her eyeliner winged just slightly. Okay, it wasn’t that natural looking, but it wasn’t anything crazy either.

When that was all done and all she had left to do was her lips, she checked the time: nearly six, and she had to leave at six thirty. She made a quick trip to the fridge and ate her leftovers, and then hustled back to the counter. Tessa chose a nude colored lipstick, and once that was perfectly applied, all she had left to do was get dressed.

Her dress was a silverish-gray and knee-length. There was one shoulder strap, and the other side was left bare. The strap was detailed with some flowers, but besides that her dress was plain. It fit in snugly right beneath her bust, and then trailed outwards. It was beautiful. She had been waiting for just the right opportunity to wear it, and finally, the time had come.

Tessa slipped it on as carefully as she could and fumbled with the zipper for a few minutes before managing to tug it completely up. She stepped into some nude heels, and then took a look at herself in the mirror.

She smiled at her reflection. “Go get him, girl,” she told herself before sashaying out into the living room. A quick glance at the clock told her she was right on time, and she grabbed her wallet and keys before leaving the apartment behind.

Tessa clacked her way across the asphalt to her car and then climbed inside in a slightly awkward way, folding herself up to get in. Her car felt too short and she felt too tall to correctly maneuver, but she managed just fine. After buckling herself up, she plugged Niall’s address into her phone and set off for his home.

He lived in a wealthier area of LA, which made sense, considering his status. Tessa hit a bit of traffic on her drive, which stressed her out to the point where she was tapping tightly on the steering wheel, squeezing it beneath her fingers.

But she arrived on time, pulling to a stop outside of a gated home. She could see the top of the house set a little further back, and because she saw no other option, she shrugged to herself and drove closer, noticing a button on a little panel besides the gate. She pressed it, and for a few seconds nothing happened. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the gate silently swung inward. Tessa stared for a moment and then pulled inside – Niall probably had cameras set up around the perimeter, so he had most likely seen her approach.

She parked in the driveway and waited, looking around and taking it all in. The home was a bit of a modern-contemporary style, and huge – it was so much bigger than her apartment or even her childhood home that she honestly felt a little intimidated. Niall was fucking loaded.

Still, he didn’t come outside, and Tessa hesitated for a little longer in her car before shutting it off and clambering out of it. The front door was set up on a deck, so there were some stairs that led up to it. Everything was painted a beautiful white color, and she couldn’t help but stare in awe at it all in front of her.

Tessa shook her head quickly, trying to push the intimidated feeling out of her brain. This was Niall. Niall, who she had danced with at the cabin and nearly kissed. Niall, who drove her home when she was heartbroken from Jess’ words. Who she laughed with, who she liked so much. This was just Niall.

Taking a deep breath, she rang the doorbell and took a nervous step back. She fidgeted with the edge of her dress, listening for any movement inside. After a moment, she heard muffled footsteps on the other side of the door, and then it swung open, and she was face to face with Niall.

Her breath caught in her throat, and her heart fluttered hard in her chest.

Niall was dressed in a navy, checkered suit, with a white collared shirt beneath it. The suit fit snugly to his body, looking a little tight across his shoulders, emphasizing how broad they were. His jaw and chin were peppered with stubble. His hair was styled and pushed back, and Godhe looked good. Tessa could hardly believe that this gorgeous man was about to go see a musical with her.

Niall seemed equally dazed. Tessa held her breath as his eyes slowly trailed over every inch of her body, lighting her skin on fire. His lips parted, and he nervously cleared his throat before reaching back to scratch at his neck. He was fidgeting, just like her.

“You…ya look really good, Tess,” he finally murmured a tad shyly, and his words sent a deep flush to her cheeks and chest. “Beautiful, in fact.”

“T-thank you,” she stammered back. “You look really handsome.”

Niall grinned bashfully. “Oh, I just threw this together last minute, you know.” He teased, laughing quietly. “Oh! Why don’t ya come in for a second? I got somethin’ for ya.” He gestured for her to step inside, and so she did. Niall closed the door behind her, leaving them together in this small foyer.

He stepped around her and started walking down the hallway. Tessa, unsure about what exactly was going on, followed him, looking at anything and everything she could. The walls inside were also white, but there were picture frames on the walls and even some award plaques he had received, but no other decoration.

Realizing she had paused to read over a particular award, she scurried down to the end of the hallway, where Niall was waiting with a bemused smile on his face. “Hope I don’t intimidate you with all of my talent.”

Tessa rolled her eyes playfully. “Please. I will only remember you as the Irishman who forgot how to deal with his hangover.”

He placed a hand to his chest, feigning injury. “You’re a cruel woman, to remind me of that.” Niall chuckled and then spun on his heel, reaching for something she couldn’t quite see. When he turned back to face her, she gasped. He was clasping a bouquet of flowers – yellow roses, white lilies, and some other flowers she couldn’t name but that added splashes of blue and purple to the overall look. It was beautiful.

“I got you some flowers, Tess,” he said very seriously, albeit unnecessarily.

“I can see that.” She laughed quietly and stepped closer, uncertainty reaching to take them from him. She inhaled deeply, enjoying the fresh scent they provided. “They’re beautiful…thank you so much, Niall. Really, I should have been the one bringing you flowers, I think.”

They both laughed, and Tessa’s heart thumped harder in her chest. It’s a date, it’s a date, it’sadate, it’sadate. Why else would he have gotten her flowers?

Then she realized that she was driving them both to the theater, and that this whole thing didn’t quite make sense. “Wait, do you mind if I leave them here? I don’t want them to desiccate in the car or anything like that.”

Niall looked a bit puzzled and then laughed sheepishly when he realized. “Oh yeah, I guess I did this in a weird way, didn’t I? I didn’t even think about that.” He carefully took the bouquet back from her and then set them back in the vase he had taken them from. Some water had dribbled on the floor, but he didn’t seem to mind.

Tessa giggled quietly and shook her head. “I don’t mind. It was really sweet of you, Ni.” They smiled at each other for a beat too long, so she gestured back towards the front door. “Are you ready to go?”

“Absolutely! Let’s get this show on the road.” Niall cheered enthusiastically, and then folded her arm through the crook of his elbow and directed them both out of the house. It was all achingly adorable and sweet, so much so that Tessa felt like she could get a toothache from it. He even opened her car door for her, and she smiled at him before she sat down inside, scooting in so he could shut it.

Tessa turned the car on as Niall walked around to the passenger’s side, and then glanced over at him as he got inside. “You can choose the music.” She informed him, and he smiled and nodded his head as he pulled his phone out to choose a playlist.

They sang (read: Niall sang and she hummed) and talked as she drove to the theater. She laughed more times than she could count, especially when he began to sing in a fake falsetto. That nearly brought tears to her eyes.

See, there was nothing to be intimidated about, she scolded herself. She couldn’t even focus on that though – instead, she thought almost entirely about how he had bought her flowers. Guys only did that for dates, right? So, was this a date? She felt strongly that it was now, but Niall hadn’t said anything, so neither would she. More analysis would come later.

Tessa parked as close to the theater as she could manage. Maybe she should have contacted the venue and warned them that a popstar would be coming to watch the show; then, maybe, they could have had a private parking space and help getting inside. But Niall didn’t seem anxious as he unbuckled, and when she (gracefully) climbed out of her car, she saw that the area around them was empty, not a soul to be seen.

As quickly as they could, they made their way to the theater and inside. Tessa held on to the tickets, showing them to the usher once they were scanned. He gave them directions and she led the way to their seats, Niall trailing behind her.

Their seats were twelve rows back from the stage, and on a slight incline, so they could actually see the stage instead of looking up at it. Niall let her go into the row first, and then he followed so he sat on her right side.

“These are nice seats, Tess. You did good.” He sounded impressed, and she grinned to herself.

“Thanks! I’ve always been meaning to see this show.”

Jess loves it, she added silently to herself.

“Me too. Thank you again for bringing me.”

Tessa’s smile softened. “There’s no one else I would rather have with me,” she told him honestly.

Niall bit his lip, eyes darting with hers. “Me neither.”

She half-expected someone nearby to shout, ‘get a room!’ but no one did. The intensity in his eyes…wow, it had her feeling everything she had never felt before. She had never felt this strongly for anyone before, not any her past exes or crushes. This man…he would be the death of her.

It didn’t help that though there was plenty of room in their seats, their legs were touching lightly together. Tessa thought about shifting away, but she didn’t, finding it comfortable to have this contact instead. Her right leg brushed slightly against his left leg, and she could have sworn he smiled to himself because of it.

When the musical started, her mind split in two. One half was focused on the play, which she had spent quite a bit of money on, and the other half was focused on Niall. He was entranced by the lyrics, and she could see him calculating every beat and every rhyme, a wide grin tugging his lips up. She was enjoying it too, but she was almost enjoying watching Niall more.

When George III came on stage and sang his ridiculous song, Niall’s laughter pealed out amongst everyone else’s, including her own. She had always loved his laugh – it was such a nice sound, and she couldn’t help but laugh herself whenever she heard it. It was a deep, rich sound, and even the breathy cackles were delightful.

During the intermission, Tessa turned in her seat to face him, a wide smile on her face. “What are your thoughts?”

“This is fucking incredible.” Niall responded sincerely, slapping his hand down on his thigh. “I love it. The music and the lyrics…everything about it is genius. Lin-Manuel Miranda did incredible work with it.”

“And you’re learning some history, albeit some of it probably isn’t entirely factual,” Tessa pointed out, and Niall chuckled.

“That is a good thing. I’ve never known too much about early American history, but I do find it interesting. Especially when presented in musical form.”

He shifted slightly in his seat, which made his leg press more firmly against Tessa’s. She bit her lip, but the real issue was that when he set his hand down, most of his palm was on his leg and his fingers wound up on her lower thigh.

She could feel them tapping out a quiet rhythm, and when she focused on what it was more than the fact that his hand was partially on her thigh, she found herself giggling. “George’s song?”

Niall tipped back his head and cackled softly, before launching into quietly mocking it. “Da da da dat da, datda da da da ya da…” He danced as he sang it, even throwing his hands up into the air at one part.

Tessa was laughing so hard she could hardly breathe, and her eyes were watering up from the force of it. “God, when you said you couldn’t dance, you really meant it.” She couldn’t help but tease him, and he belted out another laugh.

“I put on a song and dance for you, and you make fun of me for it. Jesus, woman. Most people alive would be thrilled.”

They were being totally ridiculous and obnoxious, but because most of the people surrounding them had gone to use the restroom during the intermission, no one seemed to mind.

The lights darkened and the show began again, but Niall once more set his hand down partially on her thigh. She smiled to herself in the dark, content with the warmth of his hand bleeding through her dress and the hope that it ballooned inside of her.

When the musical ended and the cast came out to bow, Tessa stood up with tears in her eyes and clapped so hard that the skin of her hands stung. She cheered with the rest of the thunderous crowd, Niall whooping along beside her. She cast her eyes toward him, only to see this huge, stupid smile on his face as he faced the cast. It made her stomach flutter and her toes curl up inside her heels – she was giddy, just from the sight of him looking so happy.

Once a few minutes of applause had passed, the cast went backstage, which meant she and Niall were free to leave. Loitering about while waiting for the theater to clear a little, she turned to face Niall. “What did you think?”

“It was so good. I get it now, what all the hype was about.” He grinned cheekily at her and tapped at the corner of his eye. “I see that your eyes are all watered up, Tess. Did ya cry?”

“No.” Tessa insisted stubbornly and tapped at the corner of her eyes, attempting to prevent her makeup from smudging. “He cheated on his wife, and I don’t cry for cheaters.”

Niall snickered quietly and affectionately drew her closer, slinging his arm around her waist. He leaned down, almost like he was going to press a kiss to her head – but then he didn’t, seemingly remembering himself and who and where they were. His grip on her slackened a little, but he didn’t let go, and a punch of disappointment struck her right in the gut.

Here was the hot-and-cold, then.

Eventually they were able to make their way up the aisle, and Niall released her and stepped back, following once more. Tessa ignored the bitter taste in her mouth and the feeling that something had significantly changed between them in so fast a time; she charged on, as she always did, and led the way back to her car.

Tessa situated herself in her car and prepared herself for the traffic she was about to get into. Niall, in the passenger seat, babbled on and on, back to his chatty self. She had a niggling feeling it was because they were in the safety of the car, and not in the public eye, but she felt hope again regarding them,nonetheless.

After all, he had bought her flowers, and put his hand deliberately on her leg. He wouldn’t do that if he didn’t like her…right?

Once again, she did her best to shake those thoughts out of her mind and tried to focus on what Niall was saying instead. He was listing his favorite songs the best he could considering he didn’t know the titles and barely the words. “Oh, I liked that one that came right after King George sang! Something about being a right-hand man or whatever.”

Tessa smiled to herself, eyes cast entirely on the road. “Why don’t you just admit that you like all of them?”

He huffed beside her. “Well, fine, I do. I think I’ll start listening to the soundtrack.”

She peered at him out of the corner of her eye. “You can put it on right now, if you wanted. Just grab my phone from my purse and find it on YouTube.”

“God, you’re brilliant.” Niall chuckled, leaning down in his seat to rummage about in her purse. “Why didn’t I think of that?”

Tessa didn’t answer, but she continued glancing over at him after giving him the passcode to her phone, watching as he typed for a little bit. That was a bit of a private thing she had just done – you don’t give your phone password to just anyone.

She switched her radio over to Bluetooth, and then the songs they had just heard played through her tinny car speakers. Niall immediately got into the groove, moving a bit in his seat: shimmying his shoulders, bouncing his knees, just moving to the music.

And he was a quick study, too. He could pick up the beats to the songs within seconds of listening to them, and he even was able to memorize a few of the choruses.

While an ad played before the next song started, Tessa cleared her throat. “You’re incredible.” She murmured over the sound of the Geico gecko, fingers dancing along the steering wheel.

The ad ended, but the song didn’t start. Confused, she glanced over at Niall for a second, just to see that he was already watching her. There was an odd intensity in his eyes, something that made her straighten up in her seat.

“So are you,” he replied quietly, the words filled with so much meaning that she didn’t know what to make of them at all.

Fittingly, Tessa pulled to a stop right outside of the gate to his home at that exact moment. Swallowing, she turned to face him, shifting in her seat. The seat belt pressed tightly to the skin of her neck, and with some frustration, she unclicked it and let it slide free. Niall chuckled, one corner of his lips pulling up at the edge. “That’s not safe, darlin’. Still got a bit of road to get down.”

That smirk nearly undid her; heat flashed through her entire body, shooting straight down to her core. If Niall hadn’t pressed a button his phone that caused the gate to swing open, she would have leapt across the seat and kissed him so hard, they both would have seen stars.

Instead, she faced forward again and drove into the driveway, parking close to the house. Niall unbuckled himself and glanced over at her. “Are you comin’ in?”

Tessa stuck her tongue out at him, ignoring the fact that she was blushing to hell. “You got me flowers, remember?”

Now Niall was the one blushing. “Oh, yeah. I guess you’ve gotta come inside to get those.”

She shook her head and giggled, before neatly stepping out of the car. Niall followed suit and together they walked up to the front door. It was almost comical seeing Niall do something as mundane as unlock his own front door with his key. Tessa told him as much, and he merely shrugged with a chuckle. “Locks are a guy’s best friend.”

She followed him inside, smiling to herself. Niall reached back and took her hand, leading her down the hallway they had been in only a few hours before. He reached into the fridge in his kitchen and grabbed the flower vase, setting it down on the counter. They were just as beautiful as ever, and she couldn’t help but smile so wide that her cheeks hurt when he handed them to her after drying the stalks off.

He bit down on his lip, eyes darting with hers. “I had a great time with you, Tess.”

Her smile grew even bigger. “Me too. I’m so glad you could come.”

Niall nodded bashfully. “It’s one of the best decisions I’ve made in recent time.”

They smiled at each other, and then Niall glanced away, his lips parting. When he looked back at her, he looked surer of something, more determined. “Tess, I’ve been thinkin’ a lot lately…and…I just…want you to know that I really like you.”

Her breath caught in her throat. She tried to say something, anything, but she was so shocked that nothing would come out.

“You’re passionate, you’re funny, and god you’re beautiful. I don’t know what I would do without you in my life.”

Tessa was literally about to die. She was going to spontaneously combust, and the last words she would ever hear were from Niall, her longtime crush, admitting that he liked her. Was she dreaming? Was this real life?

Dazed, she blinked a few times, noting how intently he was watching her every reaction. “Niall, I…I like you too. A lot. I never even hoped you would like me back.”

He gave her a knowing look. “Are ya sure?”

Tessa burst out laughing. “Well, no. There were a couple times I suspected, but I was never sure. You kept getting hot-and-cold with me.”

Niall flushed, reaching back to scratch at his neck sheepishly. “I’m sorry…”

Tessa waved her hand quickly. “Don’t be. This fixes it.”

Niall smirked down at her, reaching up to cup her cheek. She leaned her face into his callused fingers, her heart beating faster and faster. This was happening.

“This will fix it for sure.”

He leaned down towards her, eyes closing. Tessa almost fainted, but she lifted her chin up slightly, ready to meet his lips with her own. She was going to knock his socks off with such an awesome kiss that he would never recover.

But the kiss never came.

Tessa opened her eyes slowly, confused as to what was going on. Niall’s hand slipped off of her cheek, and she blinked rapidly, trying to figure out what had happened.

Niall’s expression had changed. His eyes had clouded over, hiding the bright intensity that had been there only moments before. He stepped away from her, turning his face away from her. “Tessa…I can’t.”

Her heart shattered in her chest, the pieces falling somewhere around her stomach. “W-what?”

He shoved his hands in his pockets, staring down at the wooden floor. “I can’t do this. I can’t…be with you. It’s just…not possible.”

Tessa’s hands tightened on the flowers, her nails cutting into the skin of the stems, cracking many of them. “Not possible? What the fuck, Niall?”

Finally, he looked directly at her. His expression was firm; his eyes were narrowed, and his lips were pressed tightly together. His mind was made up. “We aren’t possible.”

She could have cried right then and there, if not for her pride. Instead, Tessa did what she did best: she pushed all of her feelings aside and straightened up, pushing her chin out slightly, defiantly. “Well, thank you so much for leading me on, Niall.” Her voice was like ice – but it was barely holding back the churning emotions that were making it hard to breathe. “You can have these back.”

She dropped the bouquet on the floor, spun on her heels, and marched out of his house. Leaving Niall alone in the kitchen, with nothing but damaged flowers spread across his floor. Nothing but damage surrounding him.

Tessa didn’t start crying until she was almost home. It wasn’t a violent sobbing either, just tears streaking down her cheeks. When she parked her car in her space, she couldn’t find it within herself to get out quite yet. Instead, she leaned down and pressed her forehead to the steering wheel, closing her eyes and letting the tears continue to fall.

How had it all gone so wrong?

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eddieeatsass · 5 years

Text

Stripped Bare - Chapter 3

Summary: Eddie gets an offer from his company to work in Barbados over the summer. Beautiful weather, all expenses paid trip, and a stay in a suite at one of the most highly rated resorts in the world. How could he say no? Unfortunately, Eddie soon realizes there were a lot of reasons to say no. His skin doesn’t take kindly to the harsh sun, his suite ends up being the size of a shoe box, and, oh yeah, it’s also a nudist resort. Pairing: Reddie (side Benverly and Stanlonbrough) Rating: E Warnings: Eventual smut, explicit language

Read on AO3

The rest of the week was uneventful. Stan was back at work, as was Bill, and that combined with the tantalizing freedom that Friday offered was enough to put Eddie in a good mood. He got Saturdays off, the one day a week where he got to seclude himself in his room and recharge for the work week ahead. He’d been too reluctant to take advantage of the free spa services that employees had access to, his social anxiety getting the better of him, so instead he gave himself spa days. Crammed in the tiny bathtub that his room offered, filled up to the brim with cheap bubble bath, and adorning a face mask that made him just a little bit itchy. It wasn’t ideal, but it was much more enticing than the alternative that was currently being offered to him.

“Come on, Eddie! It’s so much fun. Don’t you want to see what this place is like after-hours?” Bill asked with a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows.

He’d been trying to convince Eddie to come to a little un-official staff party later tonight, or rather, early tomorrow morning. The pool deck didn’t close until 10:00, meaning the cleaning crew didn’t get done until 12:00. Meaning the party didn’t start until roughly 1:00am, which is roughly way past Eddie’s bed-time. He was surprised Stan had agreed to it so quickly, being the only person Eddie knew that had more elderly qualities than he did.

“I can imagine it from the comfort of my warm bed, where I’ll be asleep, at 1:00am.” Eddie said.

Bill pouted, actually pouted, and Eddie felt his heart soften just a little bit.

“But I wanna finally introduce you to Bev and Richie.” Bill fluttered his eyelashes as he continued to pout.

Eddie sighed, already resigning himself to defeat. Bill had been talking non-stop about getting everyone to meet. He knew if he missed it, he’d feel excluded later on. So, he let his FOMO drive him, despite his body already protesting the long night ahead of him.

“Will we get in trouble if we get caught?” Eddie asked, fighting the smile down as Bill’s eyes lit up.

“Nope! Mike is in on it!” Bill responded through a toothy grin.

Eddie sighed again. “Fine.”

Bill had him wrapped up in a hug before Eddie could even finish.

The night crept up on Eddie faster than he expected. He’d gotten off work at 7:00 and was left to kill six hours on his own. His first instinct was to take a nap to prepare for the late night he’d soon have to endure, but the fear of sleeping through until morning and having to see Bill’s disappointed face was enough to deter him. Instead, he decided to get ready early. He ran himself a bath, taking time to exfoliate his entire body and shave everything that needed to be shaved. Once the still water had lost its warmth, Eddie turned on the shower and washed off all remnants of cheap hotel bubble bath. He went through the steps of his shower routine, humming an indistinct tune as he lathered shampoo into his hair. The whole regime only knocked about an hour off his time, but he felt fresh and clean and more equipped to handle whatever tonight threw at him.

With newfound pep in his step, Eddie took the time to pick out something to wear. He hadn’t had many opportunities to wear his clothes yet. Five days out of seven he’s wearing his uniform and one day out of his remaining two he usually spends in his pyjamas.

After some consideration, he settles for a thin pink t-shirt and a pair of jean shorts; a simple outfit, but one that he knows will be comfortable for the long hours ahead of him. In the first few days of being at the resort, Eddie had gotten a harshly unwelcomed sunburn. After bathing in aloe and practically drinking sunscreen from then onwards, his skin was finally easing into a tan. He’d avoided wearing pink while his skin still rivaled a tomato, not wanting to bring extra attention to the burn, but now that the angry red was turning into softened caramel, his favorite shirt contrasted with his tan in a way that made Eddie look like he was glowing.

Eddie appraised himself in the mirror, doing a little twirl to check himself from all angles. These shorts hugged his ass a little better than any of the others he owned, and it may not have been a coincidence that he chose that pair to wear tonight. It’s not that he was trying to impress anyone… it’s just that this would be his first time since being here that he was getting together with his coworkers off work hours, and maybe he’s taken notice that everyone who works at this resort seems to be god-level good-looking… so sue him, he’s wearing the good ass shorts.

As he was beginning to style his quickly drying hair, a knock drew his attention. He set down his styling gel and comb and traipsed over to his door, opening it somewhat hesitantly. At the sight of tight blonde curls, he relaxed, opening the door wider to welcome Stan in.

“You look good… What gives?” Stan inquired, making a beeline for Eddie’s bed where he let his body flop down unceremoniously.

Eddie closed the door behind Stan and reclaimed his spot in front of the mirror, scooping a dollop of gel from his bottle and getting back to work on his hair.

“Nothing gives. I just want to look good for tonight.” Eddie responded.

“Mhm… So, who is it?”

“What?”

“The guy you’re trying to impress, who is it?”

Eddie sighed and let his hand drop from his hair, turning to level Stan with a look.

“There’s no specific guy. I just… figured there might be a guy…”

“Well as long as you’re not going after Bill. Or Mike. Because I’ve got dibs.” Stan stated matter-of-factly.

Eddie snorted. “Stan, you can’t call dibs on humans… And you definitely can’t call dibs on two humans, that’s just not fair.”

Stan shrugged as if to say ‘I don’t make the rules’. Eddie laughed despite himself and turned back to the mirror, determined to finish his task at hand.

“Well, they’re both good choices.” Eddie decided aloud. “You’d be lucky to get with either of them.”

“And what about them? Wouldn’t they be lucky to get with me?” Stan asked with mock offense.

Eddie made a show of looking Stan up and down out of the corner of his eye.

“You’re alright.” He shrugged before dodging a pillow Stan hurled his way.

“So, are we on operation Get Eddie Laid tonight?” Stan asked.

Eddie sighed as he abandoned his hair, deciding it was as good as it was going to get. He capped off his gel and set it aside along with his comb before joining Stan on the bed.

“If it happens, I’m definitely not gonna complain, but I don’t even know if anyone’s going to catch my attention.”

“What about Bill’s friend?”

Eddie’s nose scrunched up as he shoved Stan playfully with his shoulder.

“Come on, his own best friend describes him as ‘the world’s biggest nerd’ and goes on about his escapades of pantsing the principle at their high school graduation. Twice. Not exactly the makings of a stud.”

Stan shrugged. “Well, I’m sure there’ll be someone there tonight who gets the privilege of pulling the stick out of your ass before fucking it.”

Eddie rolled his eyes, choosing to ignore Stan’s sly jab. Stan was just as uptight as Eddie, if not more-so, in most aspects of his life. But when it came to intimacy, the chase, the pining, the flirting, the catch, Stan was different. While Eddie’s upbringing had caused him to stay sheltered and refined, Stan’s had led him to steer in the other direction. You wouldn’t know it by looking at him, but in the private parts of his life, Stan was unrestrained.

“So, Bill and Mike, huh?” Eddie steered the conversation in a safer direction.

Stan’s face seemed to soften under the mention of their names, but he tried to conceal his reaction with a non-committal shrug. “They’re cute.” Stan said.

“Come on, Stan. I know it’s more than that.” Eddie goaded kindly.

Stan let his posture relax a little, conceding to the line of questioning.

“Mike is… sweet.” He started hesitantly, trying to find the words to explain his thoughts. “He makes me feel safe, and every time he speaks, I feel like I’m getting lost in the sound. You have no idea how many times I’ve had to play catch up because I was too busy listening to his voice instead of listening to his words. But he’s also our supervisor, which gives the whole thing an extra thrill.” Stan smirked mischievously, causing a small chuckle in Eddie.

“And Bill is…” Stan sighed dreamily, in a way that Eddie doesn’t think he even notices. “Bill is funny, and so full of this life that makes being around him invigorating. Yet at the same time he’s thoughtful and compassionate, genuine and intimate, soft but not weak.”

“It sounds like you’ve really taken a liking to them.” Eddie acknowledged.

“Yeah. But we’re only here for another couple of months, so-” Stan tried to shrug again, his shoulders noticeably tenser than before.

“A lot can happen in a couple of months.” Eddie offered.

Stan let out a sigh before pushing himself up off the bed, resigning from the conversation.

“Come on, I found something the other day I wanna show you.”

The walk through the resort felt unfamiliar. Despite having been there for nearly two weeks, Eddie still hadn’t ventured far outside his work zone. The winding halls that carried them were surprisingly barren. Eddie supposes it’s because it was a Friday night and most guests were convened to the pool deck or the restaurants, or out exploring the city. It offered the perfect opportunity for them to weave in and out of new areas with no inhibitions.

Stan seemed to know where he was going, so Eddie followed dutifully. It was a good five minutes before they stopped in front of a set of tall oak double doors.

“Are we allowed here?” Eddie asked anxiously, glancing around him and seeing no one and nothing in sight.

“What, are they going to fire us and take on the new round of experienced workers waiting anxiously to get jobs at a nudist resort?” Stan’s dry humor did nothing to quell Eddie’s stress, but the view inside the room as Stan pushed open the doors was enough to disintegrate it within seconds.

Before them was a giant room, completely empty of life and dimly lit, reminiscent of an 80’s style arcade. There were bright posters on the walls, unplugged arcade games with black screens and dimmed lights, dusty couches propped up in a corner, and in the center of the room laid a pool table, balls already racked in their starting position.

Eddie’s eyes were as bright as stars as they flickered around the room, taking everything in.

“What is this place!” He asked excitedly.

Stan closed the doors behind them and followed after Eddie.

“It’s an old game room. I’m assuming it’s not in use anymore because no kid is gonna wanna spend time here when they have every game they want at their finger tips now, and the adults who come here to vacation probably have better things to do.”

Stan broke off from Eddie to make his way over to the pool table. He ran a finger along the edge, gathering dust and wrinkling his nose at the grainy grey fluff that collected on his skin.

“Remember when I was USM’s 2014 Pool champion?”

Eddie rolled his eyes, throwing Stan a look over his shoulder. “How could I forget?”

When they were in college, Stan and Eddie had taken up pool. It had started as a casual way to pass the time between classes, blow off steam while studying for exams, and spend their Friday nights when they avoided the ragers being thrown in nearly every dorm on campus. While Eddie developed a healthy appreciation for the game, Stan became obsessed.

Near the beginning of their new hobby, Stan had found a monthly pool tournament run by some of the students on campus and had joined on a whim one fateful night. It soon became clear to everyone that Stan had a gift. He sunk every ball in record time, never flinching or second guessing his move. It was like this weird, lanky Jewish boy showed up out of nowhere and revealed himself as the Pool Messiah.

Stan’s competitive side bloomed quickly, and he continued to heighten the stakes with determination to sweep everyone under the rug. One tournament turned into two, turned into four, turned into a whole year of Stan obsessing over the game. He’d spend every free moment he had in their pool hall, even forgoing the usual ‘Stanley Uris essentials’ to get in more practice time. Pressed shirts and khakis turned to sweat pants and hoodies, daily showers turned into one a week, and his diet began consisting of Cheetos and Red Bull. Eventually the year rounded off, the last tournament came and went, and Stan earned the title of USM’s Pool Champion of the year. He didn’t get a trophy, no plaque or ribbon, there was no book to sign his name in for the future generations to remember him. But what he did get was the satisfaction of knowing he’d won, and it seemed to be enough to quell the competitive streak he’d been riding on all year.

The next day, the very next day, Stan was back to normal. He wore his usual slacks and button-down shirts, was freshly washed and freshly shaven, discarded all traces of junk food in their shared dorm room, he’d even shined his shoes. It was as if the last year had never happened.

Sometimes Eddie wondered if he’d dreamt it all. If it had been one long fever dream. He’s also considered that it may have been a drawn-out practical joke that only Stan was in on. Eddie wouldn’t put it past him to commit to a bit for an unruly length of time just to get to see people’s reactions.

But then there were moments like this, when Stan proudly brought up his title, and all Eddie could do was nod and pretend to be reminiscent.

Sighing, as if he was easing back into reality from a dream, Stan procured a small packet of wet wipes from his pocket (which he never went anywhere without) and began wiping down the pool table. "Wanna get in a few games before the party? See how rusty my skills have gotten? I bet I could still beat you-" Stan cut himself off with a tumultuous scream. Eddie's body reacted before he knew what was happening, and his legs were carrying him across the room, his arms reaching out for Stan who was stumbling back from the pool table in horror. Eddie's eyes grazed the table, half expecting to see a dead body beneath it, but came up empty. He grabbed hold of Stan, who'd backed himself up against the wall, and tried to make eye contact through the frenzy. "What! What happened!?" Eddie yelled, trying to get Stan's attention despite his gaze being firmly planted over Eddie's shoulder to the pool table. "Li-Liz-" Stan was interrupted once again, this time by the double doors bursting open and slamming against the walls. Before them stood Mike, panic written all over his face, and clearly out of breath. "I heard screaming, what happened?! Are you okay?!" Mike was asking them both, but Eddie noticed his attention was solely on Stan. Eddie turned back to his friend, eyes pleading for an answer. He could see that Stan's face was flushed from embarrassment, clearly taken aback by his own reaction to whatever had caused this commotion. After the three of them had stared at one another for what felt like one too many beats, Stan cleared his throat. He shrugged Eddie's grip off his arm and straightened his posture. "There was a lizard." Stan's voice quivered on the last word. Eddie and Mike exchanged silent looks, both battling internally to react appropriately to the (seemingly over dramatic) situation. Mike was the first to speak. He took a few tentative steps into the room, addressing Stan gently. "Where is it?" "O-on the pool table." Stan stuttered. Mike nodded and proceeded to the offending area. At first glance he couldn't see anything, but once he crouched down, he came face to face with the demon itself. Mike couldn't help but chuckle. "This little guy?" Mike cupped his hands around the lizard, removing it from where it gripped to the hardwood edge of the pool table. "This is a Hemidactylus Mabouia gecko, also known as a tropical house gecko." Mike began walking towards Stan, who's eyes were as wide as saucers as he traced Mike's every move. "They're non-venomous and completely harmless." Mike added, before stopping right in front of Stan. He opened his palms to show a tiny brown lizard no larger than 3 or 4 inches. The lizard was sitting still, seemingly content to be in Mike's hold. "You can touch him, if you want. He won't bite. But even if he did, their teeth aren't big enough to pierce the skin." Mike added the last part as if it was supposed be calming. When Stan refused to move a muscle, Eddie reached forward tentatively and began petting the lizard's back. “Huh… Kinda slimy, kinda rough… this is actually pretty cool! You should touch him, Stan!" Eddie knew that Stan could read through his fake enthusiasm, but he also knew that he wouldn't back down from this in front of Mike. Stan shot Eddie an inconspicuous glare before he outstretched a shaky hand. He closed his eyes and clenched his jaw as his hand came in contact with the terrifying animal. "There we go, see? He's totally cool." Mike supplied in an encouraging tone. Stan peeked one eye open, settling it on where his hand connected with the lizard. Its eyes blinked one by one and Stan suppressed a shiver. "You know, in some Caribbean cultures it's actually considered good luck to have one of these guys in your house. So... Seems like you might get lucky tonight." Stan's breath stuttered as he made eye contact with Mike, who was still gazing at him with the same tenderness as when he'd first walked in the room. Eddie watched the air between them become charged as Mike's comment sunk in. Without another word, Mike re-cupped his hands, sealing the lizard in safety so he could carry it outside. "Well, see you guys in two hours!" Mike shouted over his shoulder as he retreated, leaving the two boys in stunned silence.

#reddie fanfic #reddie smut #reddie fanfiction #stanlon fanfic #stanlon fanfiction #richie tozier #eddie kaspbrak #it fanfic #it fanfiction #it smut #it stephen king #it 2017 #reddie lemon #reddie lemons #my posts #my writing #stripped bare

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happy2bmyownboss · 5 years

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I had planned to just ‘chill out’ this weekend and maybe work on our next little house on the prairie adventure but lately, things rarely go as planned around here.

Friday had been rearranged for a very important event that didn’t happen because of a HUGE misunderstanding. To say I was disappointed would be a HUGE understatement but this event has been rescheduled for Wednesday, so fingers crossed that everything goes as planned.

Friday evening I had been binge-watching some Fixer Upper when a text came through. It was from Southwestern Produce to let us know that they had rescheduled the veggie pickup due to bad weather… well, that threw a little wrench in Saturday’s plans as I had already scheduled a few other things around the pickup but I quickly got to work a rescheduled things so I wouldn’t have to get up quite so early… yay! I still need to figure out a plan for next weekend as I already had plans for Saturday morning…

After the kids were in bed, I decided to go ahead and take a nice long hot shower and try out my new Norwex body cloths. I had heard that if you used them to exfoliate before shaving then you would have smoother legs for longer… it’s true. Almost three days later and I barely have any stubble… They also work well to remove makeup… even waterproof mascara!

That night my stomach started to hurt so bad… I guess those treats from the bread store do not agree with me anymore. I will miss my carrot cakes but I’m sure with a little bit of experimenting I will find something similar that is THM approved and my tummy will be happy again. I was up most of the night throwing up… I have such a bad gag reflex that if I even hear someone vomiting I will start myself, then once I start I can’t stop… not fun.

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–Thank you!

Saturday morning I woke up in the recliner feeling as though a herd of horses had taken turns kicking me in the stomach. I woke up early even though I’d planned on sleeping in but Ms. Comet has her routines and she lets everyone know when something is off.

After bringing her in from her walk I got a phone call from Mr. Awesome who was out of town for a meeting. He needed us to come to where he was which was about 3 hours away… sigh, I really didn’t feel like going but decided it might be fun to go and there was a square dance scheduled for that night as well.

I had to go out to the shed to grab the kids’ suitcase which is always half-prepped for travel. While I was out there I decided, for some unknown reason, to straighten things up a bit as it has gotten a bit cluttered from some shopping that I have done over the past few months.

Within a few minutes I had it looking pretty good and I just had one more box to move… a very heavy box. As I was moving the box I lost my balance and started to fall. I let go of the box, the box fell forward, and I went backward. I put an arm out… even though I knew I shouldn’t, and landed on my extended hand which snapped my wrist the wrong way. OUCH!!!

I got myself up and brushed off and grabbed the suitcase to head to the house. I had a good bruise and scrape on my left arm and it feels like a bad sprain. My arm was in a bit of pain but there was so much to do and just a little time to get it done. I still needed to run an errand and go by Walmart as I had promised to take a neighbor by there. While we were there I grabbed an arm brace and an ACE bandage to put on my arm in the hopes it would quit throbbing. I also took a couple of ibuprofen to help with the pain.

After finishing up our errands we headed on our drive. About midway, we stopped to go potty and grab a bite to eat. Traveling with all of these kids can be a little crazy so I decided to stop at a McDonald’s that was near the exit. After dragging all the kids to the restroom and coming out to go ahead and order some lunch I noticed someone had my oldest son, who has special needs, by the arm… I almost freaked out. I’ve heard all of those CRAZY stories and my mind was flooded with a million different thoughts.

As it turned out it was the manager and she was very helpful. She made sure to help us get our food ordered and even helped me get the drinks and all. It was extremely nice to find such a friendly person on such a CRAZY day. We got our order and were on our way again.

As we got close to our destination we saw some dinosaurs along the road… the kids really loved this and we plan to try to make another trip down to visit this place soon!

Upon arrival at our destination, I was a bit grumpy… really grumpy! My arm was killing me and my back was starting to ache as well and Mr. Awesome was not anywhere to be found! It turns out that I had made it there sooner than he had expected and he had gone to lunch. Yeah, I wasn’t really a pleasant person and I have apologized for my mood a couple of times.

Mr. Awesome gave me the hotel key and I punched the address into the GPS and gladly headed that way while he stayed for the second half of his meeting. I was really looking forward to getting everything unpacked and relaxing for a few minutes until we needed to pick up Mr. Awesome.

Well, as luck would have it our GPS was not cooperating and after making 3 U-turns I decided to head back to where Mr. Awesome was. I also stopped and grabbed a few snacks for the kiddos.

Mr. Awesome was surprised that we had waited in the parking lot and he thought it was kind of funny when I told him about the GPS malfunction… I really wasn’t in the mood to laugh.

I gave him the van keys and he took us to the hotel. When we made it to the room the hotel key card was not working which made me glad that we hadn’t made it to the hotel earlier. I would have been so upset if I had gotten there and couldn’t get into the room.

We got unpacked and got everyone ready for the dance that evening. Then we all went to Denny’s for dinner. I found myself getting grumpier and grumpier because I really didn’t feel well and I had already taken a few more ibuprofen to try to ease the pain. When I realized just how grumpy I was being I felt even worse and I apologized to Mr. Awesome.

After eating we headed to the dance and had a great time. Everyone there was excited to see the kids and the smiles on their faces made me feel better than I had all day long. Then Mr. Awesome took me to meet the caller, Tom Miller, and he actually recognized me as we are Facebook friends… lol. That was actually pretty neat!

We got our picture taken with him and he took up with William. He then asked to take some pictures with the kids and they were ALL being so SILLY! It was a great night and probably one of the best dances I’ve ever been to!

We ended the night with a trip to Denny’s for ice cream but unfortunately, they were out of vanilla ice cream. I had my heart set on some apple crisp but I didn’t think it would be quite the same with chocolate or strawberry ice cream so I settled with some cheesecake.

We headed back to the hotel and the kids were so ready for bed! I was ready too but I was so uncomfortable that I couldn’t sleep well and when my alarm went off at 6:30 I was so glad to be able to take a nice hot shower… I really wish I had thought to take a soak in the tub the night before though.

Mr. Awesome had one more meeting that we all attended and then we headed back home. My arm was throbbing so badly on the trip home… I had cut myself back to one ibuprofen at a time because I know how my stomach is and I knew that it would start hurting if I continued to take them two at a time on a consistent basis. We got home and caught up with Papa O and Nanny J before unloading the van.

I was excited to get the mail from Saturday as the optic scarf I had ordered came in. I thought this would be perfect for Mr. Awesome to keep on his bag to use for cleaning his square dance equipment. He seems to love it so far.

Norwex has a variety of scarves in different colors and patterns. I think I may know a few people who may get them for Christmas this year. They are great to have on hand for cleaning your glasses and tech devices while on the go.

Once the kids helped unload I gave them each a couple of assignments so that everything could get put back where it needed to be. The kids headed out to play and I sat down to rest. I wrapped my arm with the ACE bandage which felt so much better than the brace had and I dozed in the recliner for a bit.

Later that evening I made a quick dinner of baked chicken and baked potatoes. I really wasn’t feeling well and my stomach had started to hurt again. Needless to say, I didn’t get much sleep last night because I was in so much pain with my stomach. I can say that it has finally eased off but I have not been able to take any more Ibuprofen today so my arm is still a bit sore but better than it was before.

Last night was so rough though… I really had to remind myself to just relax and breathe. As I sat on the bed this morning I noticed a big fish crane out on the dock. I watched him for a good while and that helped me to relax quite a bit and made me more determined to have a good day today…

I also tried my best to reflect back on this weekend and to think about how much I have been blessed. I am truly so BLESSED in so many ways. I was reminded of this a couple of different times when strangers came up to compliment our family and to tell me just how much Mr. Awesome adores me… yes, I am so BLESSED.

Even though the pain was bad at times I told myself that it wasn’t gonna be any better if I just laid in bed. I’ve dealt with chronic pain for so long that I know that half of the battle is just showing up. I gave myself several pep talks and got out of bed and began to get ready for the day. There have been many times throughout the day that I’ve really just wanted to give in and go back to bed but I haven’t and I am feeling much better than I did this morning.

Today is a day that I am so glad for routines (and freezer meals) as I really relied on them to help me get through the day and get everything finished that needed to be completed. Right now the kids are laying down for some quiet time while I finish up this post. They are super excited to go to the dance tonight as they are in class right now. A lot of the dancers from this weekend were so excited to learn that the kids will be dancing soon and they invited us back again.

The laundry has been washed and is hanging on the porch… it is pretty humid today so it isn’t drying very fast at all. The dog has had a bath and the house has been fairly straightened up. I also have some Crockpot Italian Chicken on for dinner, this was one of the freezer meals we made earlier this month, and I will put on a pot of rice later and some green beans. We also pulled a pack of frozen rolls out of the freezer.

I think I may go ahead and try to get a little nap in before quiet time is over as I really am quite EXHAUSTED.

I hope you all have a blessed week and please stay tuned for some important updates later this week.

Monday Message: Seeing Your Blessings Through The Tears I had planned to just 'chill out' this weekend and maybe work on our next little house on the prairie adventure but lately, things rarely go as planned around here.

#norwexconsultant #norwexmovement #blessed #chronic pain #dinosaurs #freezer meals #grumpy #Kids #Life #national caller #road trip #square dance

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