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| USWNT Alum Carli Lloyd Is Pregnant, Expecting Baby No. 2 With Husband Brian Holl |
| Posted on Monday, April 20 @ 00:02:22 PDT (9 reads) | |
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A joyful expansion of family ties
in the warm glow of april sunlight filtering through their home in the united states, former soccer superstar carli lloyd sat at her kitchen table, her phone in hand, ready to share a deeply personal milestone with the world. At 43, a woman whose life had been defined by chasing dreams on the field, she was no longer just a retired athlete married to her husband, brian hollins, a supportive partner who stood by her through every pivot in life. Together, they had built a loving nest—first as a devoted couple since their 2016 wedding, and then as parents to their 18-month-old daughter, harper, whose giggles and tiny footsteps filled their days with unexpected joy. But now, with handwritten notes from friends and family scattered across the table, carli felt an even deeper calling. Their family was growing again, and this time, the anticipation was laced with a profound sense of gratitude. “Our family is growing, and we couldn’t be more grateful,” she wrote on instagram that sunday in april, her words beaming with authenticity. She spoke of soaking in every moment of love and excitement, as they prepared to welcome another “little miracle.” It still felt surreal to her, like a dream she never dared to dream too vividly, yet here it was, her heart fuller than ever. As a two-time olympic champion who had once captained the u.S. Women’s national team to victory in the 2015 fifa women’s world cup, scoring that historic hat trick against japan, carli had always seen herself as a fighter. But this announcement wasn’t about trophies or accolades; it was about the quiet strength of building a life beyond the spotlight. Brian, at 41, a steady presence with his own entrepreneurial ventures, wrapped his arms around her as they posed for the maternity photos that would accompany her post. He held up the sonogram image with a tender smile, while harper, their firstborn, toddled ahead in her pink “big sister” sweater, unaware yet of the role she’d soon embrace. The photo captured the essence of their blended worlds—carli’s athletic grace in her cradle of the baby bump, brian’s protective love, and harper’s innocent wonder. Hashtags like #familyoffour, #ivfjourney, #grateful, and #blessed dotted the caption, symbolizing the many layers of emotion behind it all. Carli reflected on how motherhood had reshaped her, turning a fierce competitor into a woman who cherished the slow, nurturing rhythms of family life. She thought back to the long nights adjusting to diaper changes and breastfeeding, learning to navigate the unpredictability of parenthood. Yet, amidst the exhaustion, there was pure magic—harper’s first words, her wobbly steps, the way she mimicked carli’s determined spirit even at such a young age. This second pregnancy felt like a continuation of that magic, a testament to resilience. Carli had always been candid about her journeys, drawing strength from vulnerability. Sharing this news publicly wasn’t just an announcement; it was an invitation for others to see the humanity in her story. Many knew her as the player who overcame injuries, societal doubts, and the physical demands of elite sport, pushing boundaries to become a legend. Now, she invited fans into this new chapter, where fuchsia the cat became a playful guardian for harper, and quiet evenings were spent dreaming of future family adventures. The due date of september 2026 loomed like a distant horizon, full of promise, reminding her that life’s most profound victories often unfold in the ordinary moments she once rushed past during her soccer career. This expansion wasn’t just about numbers; it was about deepening bonds, embracing the unknown, and celebrating the miracles that defy the odds—much like the career that had made her name known around the world.
welcoming harper: the first chapter of parenthood
eight years into their marriage, life for carli and brian took an exhilarating turn when they first shared the news of their growing family. It had been a whirlwind of emotions, from the initial disbelief to the cultivation of hope, as they navigated the complexities of starting a family later in life. Carli, having hung up her cleats after her 2021 retirement from professional soccer—a decision that came after accolades like her 2016 summer olympics gold medal—felt a mix of relief and readiness. She recalled the early days of marriage, filled with laughter during road trips and intimate dinners, where conversations turned to the future. “Being a mom was always something i wanted, but it wasn’t necessarily front and center,” she had told women’s health, reflecting on how her single-minded pursuit of excellence had shaped her priorities. Soccer had demanded everything: rigorous training, international travels that spanned continents, and a mindset where personal sacrifices built empires. Yet, beneath the surface, carli harbored a softer dream—a family that mirrored the support systems that kept her grounded off the field. When harper arrived in october 2024, after an arduous journey filled with medical consultations and heartfelt prayers, the couple’s world transformed. The birth, surrounded by a dedicated medical team, was described by carli as the hardest thing she’d ever endured yet the greatest fulfillment. “So very grateful for this amazing blessing,” her instagram post read, her voice echoing the raw honesty of a mother whose life had been redefined by tiny hands and endless cuddles. Harper, with her chubby cheeks and brian-like mannerisms—as carli jokingly noted in a hashtag—was a “mini brian,” blending her parents’ traits into a bundle of energy. Carli spoke openly about the postnatal challenges: sleepless nights that blurred into days, the learning curve of feeding and soothing, and the overwhelming love that made every sacrifice worthwhile. She remembered holding harper for the first time, feeling a connection that transcended words, as if all the years of pushing her body to limits on the pitch had prepared her for this gentler marathon. Their home, adorned with soccer memorabilia intermixed with baby toys, became a sanctuary. Brian, ever the doting father, would sing lullabies while carli shared stories of her playing days, weaving lessons of perseverance into bedtime routines. “We just can’t get enough of this little peanut,” carli had written, promising to equip her daughter with the tools to thrive. The journey reinforced themes of love, patience, and building human connections that lasted beyond victories. For carli, who had once faced stadium crowds chanting her name, the quiet joys of motherhood became a new arena—one where the goals weren’t scored but lived in daily embraces. This first pregnancy set the stage for their family, proving that after the roar of victory, life’s true essence often lies in the subtle, unspoken bonds forged in the warmth of home.
a career’s legacy and the call to motherhood
stepping back from the fast-paced world of professional soccer allowed carli to rediscover facets of herself long overshadowed by the demands of the game. Retired in 2021 at the peak of her fame, she had spent over two decades dedicating her life to the sport—starting as a college standout at rutgers university, where she earned accolades like the ncaa championship, and evolving into an icon who shattered records. Her career was a testament to grit: enduring acl tears, battling critics who doubted women’s soccer’s viability, and leading a movement that elevated female athletes globally. But beneath the jerseys and trophies, carli yearned for balance, a life where she could explore interests beyond the field. Post-retirement brought freedom—traveling with brian to exotic destinations, launching speaking engagements that inspired others on mental toughness and teamwork, and even dabbling in philanthropy, supporting causes close to her heart like girl empowerment through sports. Yet, as the years passed, a new desire stirred. Carli had always envisioned motherhood, but timing was everything. Playing soccer, with its grueling schedules and physical toll, had been her sole focus, requiring a “selfish mindset” as she once called it, where personal aspirations took precedence. Only after retiring could she pivot, embracing the idea of expansion at a more reflective phase. In the summer of 2022, after brian and his gentle encouragements, they decided it was time to pursue pregnancy. Carli approached it with the same defiance that characterized her playing days. “My whole life revolved around defying odds,” she recalled, her voice carrying the weight of experience. However, the casual optimism quickly morphed into a challenging reality. Month after month brought disappointments, emotional lows that tested their resolve, echoing the highs and lows of her athletic career. At 40, the ticking of her “biological clock” amplified the pressure, turning what should have been joyous anticipation into a race against time. Through it all, carli leaned on brian’s unwavering support, seeking solace in candid conversations over coffee. The process unveiled vulnerabilities she hadn’t confronted on the pitch: navigating doctors’ appointments, hormone treatments, and the financial toll of ivf. Yet, it also reignited her sense of purpose, teaching her resilience in the face of uncertainty. She humanized the struggle by sharing glimpses online—not as a plea for sympathy, but as a beacon for others. This phase of life bridged her athletic legacy with new aspirations, proving that champions aren’t defined solely by wins, but by the courage to embrace life’s next chapters, even when they come unexpectedly late.
navigating the roller coaster of fertility challenges
the fertility journey, as carli described it to women’s health, was an “indescribable roller coaster”—a mix of hope, heartbreak, and eventual triumph that tested the deepest recesses of her spirit. Unlike her soccer career, where issues were solved through strategy and sweat, this path demanded surrender to forces beyond her control. After experiencing failed cycles, the couple faced moments of despair that mirrored the post-game comebacks she had orchestrated time and again. Ivf wasn’t just a medical procedure; it was a holistic ordeal, involving emotional counseling through video calls during pandemics, and reflections on what it meant to be a woman in her 40s yearning for motherhood. Carli opened up about the isolation—explaining to brian her fears of letting him down, of missing out on the family life they both envisioned. Nights spent researching success stories online blurred into tearful embraces, yet these moments forged a stronger partnership. Brian, always her anchor, offered reassurance, reminding her of her past victories over adversity. The process also brought unexpected lessons: patience amidst delays, gratitude for medical advancements that made dreams possible, and empathy for others walking similar paths. It shifted carli’s perspective, blending her competitive edge with compassion. She envisioned the baby not as another goal, but as a reward for perseverance. The highs came in glimpses—renewed hope with each treatment cycle, shared laughter during clinic visits—and the lows in dashed expectations, fostering a deeper appreciation for life’s unpredictability. This journey humanized her, stripping away the superstar facade to reveal a woman grappling with universal desires. Support from friends, fellow athletes who shared their own stories, and online communities provided solace, turning solitude into solidarity. By the time harper arrived, the roller coaster hadn’t just ended; it had elevated carli to a place of profound gratitude. She emerged stronger, not just as a mother, but as someone who understood that true strength lies in vulnerability. The experience became a narrative thread in her life story, one she wove into motivational talks, inspiring others to confront their own obstacles without shame. It was a reminder that miracles don’t always come easy, but their sweetness is all the more cherished when attained through hardship.
celebrating the new arrival: family in focus
with the april instagram announcement, carli and brian invited fans into their intimate bubble, sharing a snapshot of domestic bliss that captured the essence of their evolving family. The maternity photos, taken in their cozy home surrounded by personal mementos, radiated warmth. Carli, with her signature determination softened by pregnancy glow, cradled her baby bump against flowy fabrics, her eyes sparkling with a mix of serenity and anticipation. Brian, standing beside her, gently held the sonogram with pride, his face reflecting years of shared dreams. Harper, their little adventurer, stole the show in her pink “big sister” sweater, her tiny fingers grasping at the air as she posed innocently. The image symbolized transition—from a family of three to four, with ivf etched into their journey as a symbol of determination. Carli’s caption, thoughtfully composed over morning tea with brian, emphasized the surreal beauty of it all. Hashtags like #familyoffour underscored the completeness she felt, while #ivfjourney paid homage to the tribulations that paved the way. #Grateful and #blessed encapsulated the emotions bubbling beneath the surface—gratitude for health, blessings in abundance, and a future filled with laughter. She thought of the logistics: preparing a nursery adjacent to harper’s room, adjusting nap schedules, and the joy of sibling bonding. Behind the post was a narrative of growth, where carli’s past triumphs fueled her present peace. The announcement sparked memories of harper’s first ultrasounds—times filled with nervous excitement and brian’s comforting hand-holds—and how those moments now paralleled this new joy. Carli, who had always been vocal about women’s health, saw this as an extension of her advocacy, encouraging dialogue around fertility myths and the beauty of later-life families. Responses poured in: friends texting congratulations, soccer fans reminiscing her glory days, and strangers inspired by her openness. For carli, it was more than visibility; it was camaraderie. She recalled how harper’s arrival had taught her to cherish the mundane— bath times, story readings—and now, with another miracle on the way, those joys would multiply. The due date in september 2026 felt like a horizon of hope, brimming with possibilities for first kicks, nursery decorations, and building lifelong memories. This chapter humanized the story, turning celebrity into relatability, reminding us that even icons like carli lloyd experience the universal thrill of family expansion.
embracing the future: lessons of love and legacy
as carli lloyd gazes toward the horizon of september 2026, she does so not with trepidation, but with a heart open to the unfolding narrative of family. This second pregnancy, a testament to perseverance and love, promises a chapter rich with new experiences—watching harper blossom into a big sister, navigating the logistics of bedtime routines for two, and perhaps even incorporating soccer drills into family play. She and brian envision outings to the park, where harper might learn to kick a ball under her mom’s watchful eye, blending athletic heritage with parental nurture. Carli’s reflections often circle back to gratitude: for the medical team that guided their ivf, for brian’s steadfast companionship, and for the life lessons parenting has instilled. “We love you so much and will do our best to give you the tools necessary to be a good human being,” she had vowed with harper, a sentiment extending to this new life. The journey has deepened her empathy, transforming a woman of records into a beacon of realness. Challenges like adjusting to physical changes during pregnancy or balancing brian’s support amid his own pursuits add layers to their story, yet they reinforce the bonds that make families resilient. Beyond the home, carli continues her legacy through speaking engagements, sharing how motherhood amplified her advocacy for equality in sports and health. She thinks of the future: grandchildren conversations, family traditions born from soccer victories and ivf triumphs. This expansion isn’t just addition; it’s enrichment, proving that life’s greatest achievements lie in the love we cultivate. As they prepare, with ultrasounds and baby registries, carli humanizes the process—one filled with late-night cravings, heart-to-heart talks, and hopes for a world where every family story feels equally valid. In the end, her tale inspires: champions are made not only on fields, but in the everyday acts of love that shape legacies beyond the game. Tomorrow’s joys, stitched with yesterday’s struggles, affirm that growth, like life itself, is beautifully unpredictable. |
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| SEVEN DAYS | 01 |
| Posted on Monday, April 20 @ 00:02:22 PDT (6 reads) | |
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Seven days | 01
pairing: jeon jungkook x reader
genre: beachtown au / smut, fluff, slight angst
word count: 19,247
description: you thought that it was just going to be be a normal vacation to the beach. Seven days of hanging out with your parents before moving across the country to start your new life at grad school. It was supposed to be that simple. However, when you meet a local boy that wants to show you how life is lived by the water, you don’t realize just how quickly you can be swept away.
note: this is part 1 of 3
day 01: the sandbar
“are you gonna stay underneath that umbrella the entire time?”
your jaw clinched, toes nestling themselves further into the sand, as if that would somehow anchor you in place. The constant crash of the waves in front of you had induced an almost trance-like state, so the sound of your mother’s voice had thrown you off completely.
“it’s hot,” you responded, turning to face your parents who were just a few feet away, relaxing in their lawn chairs. “And i enjoy the ocean a lot more when i don’t have to squint while looking at it.”
“it’s called sunglasses.” Your mom tapped her glasses, showing off the simple fix to your complaint.
“well, it’s still hot.” You shrugged.
“go in the water then. You haven’t been in all day. You’re gonna waste your whole time here.”
you sighed heavily. Wasn’t the point of vacation to spend it in whatever way you found pleasurable? And if for you that was relaxing beneath the shade, what was so wrong with that? Plus… your fear of the ocean and all of its infinite surprises lurking beneath might also possibly be a factor, but nonetheless.
“fine, but i’m going to the pool.” You stood up, grabbing your towel and sliding on your flip-flops.
“you know, for someone starting grad school at their dream college in a couple of weeks, you’re surprisingly grouchy,” your dad commented as you began to walk away. You stilled momentarily, teeth sinking into your bottom lip as you made the decision not to respond.
instead, you started your trek through the sand, but that didn’t mean the words from your father weren’t still ringing in your head. Grad school, dream college, these words did nothing but cause a giant pit of anxiety to unfurl inside of you. And admittedly, it was in fact the reason you had been acting so waspish towards your parents lately. They had been making comments about your irritable mood all summer, but to be fair you weren’t doing your best at hiding it.
after graduating back in may, your parents thought it would be a good idea for you to move back in with them until you started grad school in early september. You were moving across the country, and wouldn’t be able to see them as much as before, so you couldn’t really argue with their reasoning. Not that you minded it. You and your parents had a good relationship, but that also meant they could tell almost immediately when something was off with you. Which was why you hadn’t been too keen on living with them again. But hey, four months of not having to pay rent and having home cooked meals was a hard perk to turn down.
you hadn’t meant to turn this past summer into a sulking fest. But as the deadline of getting in that car with the belongings you had acquired over your life to move all the way across the country loomed closer, you couldn’t help but start to retreat into yourself.
the thing that killed you was that you had been so excited at first. You remembered reading the first line of the acceptance letter last year with all of your friends surrounding you, tears streaming down your face from the overwhelming joy; but now, you were scared, unsure, fucking terrified.
you were going to get your master’s in architectural engineering, which had been your goal since learning about the ins and outs of the job during an introductory class your freshman year. It was something you had worked incredibly hard to achieve, and now that you actually had the manifestations of all of your efforts sitting in the palm of your hand… you just weren’t sure anymore.
was it the right choice for you? Was it something that in five, ten, fifteen years down the line, you would end up regretting? Was it worth packing up your entire life to move to a place where the closest person you knew was a thousand miles away? And most importantly, would you fail?
the questions continued to rattle inside of your head, sending violent swaths of anxiety through your limbs every time a new disastrous hypothetical managed to conjure itself to life. You tried shaking them away as you pushed open the gate to the pool that sat outside the community of beach houses, one of which your parents had rented for the week.
it was a beautiful place your parents had picked. The houses were right on the beach, so you didn’t have to walk too far after hours of soaking in the sun. All of the houses were lifted high into the air by stilts to protect them against the possible flooding from hurricanes. Thankfully, since there was actually one scheduled to pass by in a couple of days. Luckily it was predicted to miss for the most part, just some outer bands that could bring heavy rain and some power outages. Plus, it wasn’t supposed to happen until your second to last day here anyways.
you dropped your stuff onto one of the empty folding chairs. Didn’t seem the pool was a very popular destination at the moment. You were the only one here. Great, more time to spiral in silence. You were expecting a rowdy kid, or something at the very least, hoping the splashing and screaming would do something to keep your mind occupied.
you walked over to the steps, slowly making your way down into the water. You sighed in relief from the coolness dulling the harsh rays from the sun. It was a perfect day, not a cloud in the sky. You’d never expect a storm was coming soon.
you found yourself swimming towards the deep end, treading water for a moment, before forcing all of the air out of your lungs and yourself to sink to the bottom. Your feet scraped at the concrete flooring for traction, wanting to stay in this serenity just for a minute. Down here, with water engulfing your entire body, the stream of the jets reverberating in your ears, you found peace.
on land, you couldn’t stop the constant nagging about your impending future, but down here, even though it was even quieter, everything stopped. You weren’t y/n, future architectural engineer. You were just a mass of cells teeming beneath the surface. No thoughts, no future, just here—in the moment.
you stayed like that for as long as you could. Your body starting to betray your desire to stay down here as it demanded oxygen. You were just about to relent and push your way back to the to the top when the calm water around you suddenly fractured. You opened your eyes and started to turn towards the disturbance, but before you could completely twist your body in that direction, a pair of arms suddenly enveloped you; speeding you towards the surface.
the panic from being grabbed by whoever the hell this stranger was caused you to inhale on the way up. The water had filled your throat, causing you to start to choke as you finally emerged and felt the air around you.
“what the—” cough. “F-fuck!” Cough. “Who the hell— cough.
suddenly an open palm started to repeatedly smack down onto your back as you felt yourself being dragged back towards the shallow end. The hits helped more of the water clear out so you could get in some much needs breaths. Your chest was rising and falling rapidly as you felt your feet come into contact with the bottom of the pool.
“you okay?” The person who grabbed you—and almost killed you—asked.
even in your adrenaline induced state, hot anger flared as you whipped to face this person who apparently thought it was funny to mess with people in vulnerable states. You had an insult already on the tip of your tongue, but when your eyes settled on this mystery man, the words disappeared like vapor.
you knew you had just been cursing him inside of your head, but almost murdering you aside, this man was absolutely gorgeous. He was muscular and tan, tattoos completely covering both of his arms. Black, wet hair pushed back off of his face that was adorned by an eyebrow and lip piercing covered in jewelry as well.
you realized unfortunately that you were not being subtle in the meaning behind your staring when his lips started to slowly curve into a smirk.
“almost drowning certainly didn’t stay on your mind long.” He smiled. “Glad to be of service.”
you scoffed. Great, now the arrogant bastard thought you were some air-headed idiot who would get over her near death experience simply because she saw a pretty face… and sure, maybe that had actually happened, but you weren’t going to let him think that.
“the only reason i almost drowned was because of you.” You scowled.
he cocked his head in confusion. “So i should’ve just let you die at the bottom of the pool then?” He crossed his arms, the sun rippling over the droplets covering his skin.
god, why did he have to look like that?
“i wasn’t dying. I was…” you trailed off, not wanting to sound stupid, but at this point the situation was already past that. “I was trying not to think. I was about come up when you grabbed me. It scared me, and i inhaled some of the water. That’s all.”
realization dawned on his face, hand scratching awkwardly at his eyebrow. “Wow, you must think i’m a total jackass, huh?
well, i thought you were a murderer there for a minute, but you seem… not the murderous type—for now.” Smooth, really smooth. You were just going to use the excuse that you were still trying to get oxygen to your brain.
“glad my name is cleared then.” He laughed, the sound sending a shiver down your back. “I really am sorry. I just got off a shift at the marina down the road. I sometimes sneak in here after and just swim for a minute to unwind. I saw you at the bottom and just thought the worst.”
wow, he really did think he saving you. From his perspective you were down there for a while, making no move to come back up. Now you were the one that felt like a jackass for being rude to him. “I guess we both have jumping to conclusions in common then.”
“seems we do.” He smiled. “I’m jungkook, by the way.”
“y/n,” you replied, rolling the sound of his name around in your head. “Thanks for saving me, even if i didn’t need it. The thought that counts.”
“thanks.”
“if anything, i’m sorry. You said you just got off work and i probably gave you a heart attack when you saw me. Wouldn’t have been fun finding a dead body after getting off your shift.”
jungkook said he worked at the marina down the road. You had seen it when you and your parents were driving by earlier today. It was where people docked all their boats or where you could go to rent them for the day. There had been everything, from small fishing boats to luxury yachts. If he worked there that must mean he was a local.
“definitely not.” He agreed. “But really, no need to apologize about earlier. If anything i’d like to make it up to you. There’s a hurricane coming in a couple days, can’t let you leave here without making some memorable experiences.”
you pursed your lips in confusion. “What do you mean?” Jungkook suddenly stepped closer to you in the water, hovering only about a foot away from you now. There was sparkle in his eyes. The action made you tense before throwing a hand in his face to stop his advancements. “Hey, you’re hot and all, but i don’t need you to make it up to me by using your dick.”
his mouth dropped at your words, and then he was doubling over as he burst out with laughter. After he stopped his giggling fit, he brought his hand up to wipe a tear at that had formed at the corner of his eye. “You’re funny, city girl. And you definitely weren’t lying about jumping to conclusions.”
“city girl?” Your brows furrowed, seemingly more irritated by the nickname than the fact that he basically just said he was not in fact trying to fuck you like you had implied ten minutes into meeting him.
“you can just tell after a while of living here.” He shrugged, ruffling some of his still wet hair onto his forehead before leaning into whisper next to your ear. “And, uhm, the service i was going to offer you was unfortunately not as enticing as your idea. But hey, i’d be more than willing to help you out, if that’s what you need to… what was it, again? Not think?”
there was an instantaneous rush of heat that sliced up the back of your neck and through your belly. You couldn’t help the way you pressed your legs together in response. But you quickly pushed away the feeling, turning to whisper your own response back. “Wow, the beach boy is easy. I’m completely shocked.”
jungkook smirked, pulling his head back to look down at you. “Okay, i deserved that, but to be fair you brought up my dick up first.”
“simple misunderstanding.” You tried acting innocent to your part in this whole conversation. “So if not that, then what were you going to offer me as an apology for almost downing me?”
“i was going to tell you that there are better things to do around here than sit at the bottom of a pool to get your mind off of whatever’s bothering you.”
you couldn’t lie and say that you weren’t just a little bit interested. Granted, you had just met jungkook, but he seemed like he could be a fun time, even if it was just a hook-up at some point this week. Plus, regardless of whatever his ideas to distract you were, just being in his presence was a distraction in itself. With that decision, you made your way up the steps of the pool, grabbing the towel you dropped on the chair earlier. “Show the way then, beach boy.”
— — —
“how long are you here for, by the way?” Jungkook asked, tapping at the steering wheel of his truck as he drove down the road.
probably not the smartest idea to get into a strange man’s vehicle, but you had at least told jungkook you had to go let your parents knows you were leaving. They seemed a little hesitant about you going off with someone you didn’t know. You were their kid after all. But after a brief description of the interaction you’d had with jungkook they said it was fine, seeming to find the story amusing.
“a week. We just got here earlier today.” You answered, leaning against the passenger’s side door. “So, are you actually from here?”
“born and raised.” He tapped on his turn signal. He told you during the walk back to the parking lot that the place you were going was only a few minutes away. “Probably gonna die here too.”
“wow, morbid.” You whistled. “Thought you guys were supposed to be all chill vibes. Fun in the sun, life by the water, all that jazz, you know?”
jungkook chuckled, seeming amused by your stereotyping. “I never said i was sad about it. Just stating a fact.”
“actually, you’re right. In all those country songs they’re always talking about dying in their hometown and being happy about it or something, right? Never really got the appeal, but i guess i also don’t live in a place like this. Maybe if i grew up five minutes from the beach i’d feel the same.”
jungkook hummed. “Don’t get me wrong. It’s not perfect. But it’s hard to leave once you’re here, and well, i didn’t really have a choice in the matter, being born here and all.”
you understood what he meant. For you, it was an easy decision to go to college a couple of hours from home after you graduated from high school. You lived in a decently sized city, but nothing special. Not like this place that jungkook grew up in. It was one of those idealistic beach towns that you saw in movies and tv shows. It wasn’t some huge, tourist riddled, spring break bait type of beachtown. There were still tourists of course, you were here obviously, but it was calmer, more serene. You saw how it would be hard to give this is up. Jungkook was pulling into a parking space as you finished up your thoughts on the matter. He opened his door before rounding the truck to open yours, a backpack slung over his shoulder.
“we have to walk like ten more minutes to get there from here. You’ll probably have to put your shoes in my backpack.”
you raised a brow, but still moving to hand him your shoes to put them away. “Why do we have to walk barefoot?”
“because we have to go through the water?”
your eyes widened, heart stuttering. “Uhm, how deep is this water?”
“about to your waist.” He motioned for you to follow him, stopping at a clearing in the trees.
“we’re going in that!? You gasped, skin already crawling. It wasn’t that the water wasn’t clear. You could see to the bottom, but it was a narrow channel carved out at some point in time by the ocean. There was lots of shrubbery on either side—plenty of places for animals to hide in. What about snakes? Spiders? Sharks?”
jungkook laughed, taking his own shoes off now. “You really think there’s a shark in there?”
“you said it’s waist deep! It’s certainly possible.”
“yes, i will admit it’s possible, but very improbable. It’s so narrow. They wouldn’t wanna risk getting stuck coming through here.”
even with his explanation you weren’t sure if you could do this. You didn’t like unknown. You wanted to see numbers, facts, guarantees. Not the wild mystery of ‘improbable.’
jungkook could clearly see your hesitation. He stepped down into the narrow channel of ocean water with no hesitation. “Come on. Get on my back.” He twisted his backpack so that it was now over chest.
“you’re gonna carry me?” You asked, taking a small step forward.
“yeah, i can tell the second you stepped in some seaweed you would jump out of your skin.” Jungkook teased, grabbing your hand to pull you closer to the edge. “Just easier this way.”
you huffed, relenting as you slipped your legs into the water, and the second you were fully standing on the ground, shells, rocks, twigs and whatever the hell else touching your feet, you instantly jumped up wrapping your legs around jungkook’s waist, arms encircling his neck.
“oh, god.” You nuzzled your face in his neck. “Was this all just a trick to get my legs around you, because you could’ve just asked nicely instead of risking my life.”
he laughed, the vibrations rumbling against your chest as he began to wade through the water. “Risking your life? We haven’t even gotten to the fun part yet.”
you were starting to think it was a mistake coming along on this little adventure, but you had to admit, you sure as hell weren’t spiraling about grad school right now. “Just go fast. You said no sharks, but what about the snakes.”
“oh, there’s definitely snakes.”
you let out a small scream, clamoring your way higher up his body as he continued through the water. “Why the hell would you tell me that!?”
“just trying to desensitize you is all. You said you were only here for a week right? Got a lot of stuff to show you over the next seven days.”
“what?” You asked, starting to get a little more comfortable the closer you got to wherever this channel of water ended. “You’re gonna be my personal tour guide for the week? I’m sure you have better stuff to do than—oh, wait.” You cut yourself off, suddenly realizing. “Is this like your thing? Swoon whatever girl you stumble upon for however long they’re on vacation for?”
jungkook turned his head, looking at you over his shoulder. His mouth not even an inch away from yours, making your breath hitch. “So i’m swooning you, am i? Haven’t even shown you anything yet.”
you didn’t pull away. You accepted the challenge. “Well, you better hurry up then, or you might have to find a new girl of the week.”
he smiled, eyes flicking down to your lips. “Noted, city girl.”
he turned his attention back to the path the two of you were following. He was moving a bit more quickly now, and after another couple of minutes you saw where the path flowed out into the open goddamn ocean.
“oh, what in the actual fuck?” You asked, squirming on his back. “Straight into the ocean?”
“there’s a path on the side that’ll take us to shore. I’m not evil. I’ll let you have a break before i make you go in.” He grinned devilishly as he dropped you from his back before helping you find your footing on the worn down path he had been talking about.
“oh, so you’re making me go in now?” You asked, hands on your hips as you stared down at him still in the water.
jungkook lifted himself up, slinging the backpack over his shoulder. He leaned down, breath fanning over your jaw. “Yes, i’m making you. How else are you gonna get the sand dollars, sweetheart?” He reached up, gently pinching your cheek before pulling away and starting down the walkway.
you were left temporarily stunned for a moment before you turned to chase him down the path. “Sand dollars? Like the things they sell in gift shops?”
“yes, except these are free, and not whatever upcharging bullshit they try to pullover on people like you.” He winked.
you waved your hands in the air. “Ah, yes, the girl from the city doesn’t know how to traverse the sea for these magical ocean coins. Call the police.” But you decided not to mention that your mom had already bought at least fifty dollars worth of these sand dollar things and you hadn’t even been here a full day, so maybe his comment was warranted.
“traverse?” He snorted as the two of you finally stepping onto the actual shoreline. You breathed a little easier, your toes digging into the sand instead of branches and wet grass. “We’re hardly traversing. We’re just swimming to the sandbar out there.”
you looked to where jungkook was pointing and immediately went bug-eyed. “Excuse me? That light colored water is where we’re going? That’s at least fifty feet out!”
“it’ll be okay.” He dropped his backpack that held your shoes onto the ground.
your heart was thumping wildly now. You weren’t sure why you were like this. The ocean was one of the only entities that you had just never been able to get past. You went to the beach a couple of times as a kid but never went past your waist. The concept of all of the animals surrounding you as you trespassed through their home scared you, and it was just something you never really got over. So what jungkook was asking you to do was simply impossible. You’d never gone out far, let alone go out fifty damn feet.
“jungkook…” you trailed off, not wanting to admit how nervous you were. It was just a bit embarrassing. You were an adult and you couldn’t just go out in the ocean. Even children could do that. It sounded ridiculous.
he glanced up at as he continued to rummage through the bag, doing a double take when he noticed your expression. He stood up, bringing one hand gently onto your shoulder. “Hey, i was just joking. You don’t actually have to if you don’t want to. I’ll go get them for you.”
you bit your lip, looking back and forth between jungkook and the sandbar. You didn’t like the fact that you were making this into such a big deal. You could do this. It was just water—albeit a massive body of water, but water all the same.
“ill… i’m gonna try,” you finally said after a minute.
he gave you a small smile, his hand lifting itself from your shoulder, fingers lightly grazing your cheek. “I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.”
there was a flutter beating beneath the bottom of your ribcage. The feeling trickled out slowly down your arms and legs. Wow, this guy was really good. You had to admit, this week was certainly going to be interesting.
“sweet, but i don’t think the sharks will care much about your promises to me.” You slipped around jungkook’s reach, the quivering sensation in your stomach dissipating somewhat. You walked onto the shoreline, where the waves slowly lapped at your feet.
jungkook joined your side, shoulder pressed against yours. “I’ll keep a look out, and if i see one coming i’ll just punch it in the nose. Easy.” He shrugged. Just shrugged at the idea of getting into a fist-fight with a damn shark. “Might lose a hand. Which would suck because i wouldn’t be able to play the guitar anymore, but hey, i have to keep my promise.”
“you play guitar?” You asked, trying to delay the inevitable of going deeper into the water.
“i do.” He grabbed your hand suddenly, pulling you further in, clearly noting your attempt at delaying this. The ocean now swaying at about your mid-calf. “Me and a couple of my friends play in a band at a few of the bars around here sometimes.”
“hmm, like jimmy buffet type stuff?” You asked.
he stopped, letting out a small laugh as he pointed to his face. “Do i look like i listen to jimmy buffet?”
“doesn’t everyone at some point? Just need the beach and a drink in your hand and i think his voice just magically starts coming from the clouds or something,” you said sarcastically, but it earned you another chuckle as jungkook paused once the water was at your waist.
“trust me, i’ve heard that man’s songs enough living here to last a lifetime.” He was still holding your hand, moving to stand in front of you. “But i’ll admit i can’t help but sing along when i’ve had a couple drinks.”
“maybe i’ll get lucky and see that at some point this week.” Your breaths were getting a little shaky now, but jungkook standing in front of you and blocking out the vast ocean was helping somewhat.
“definitely a possibility.” He brought his other hand up to tap the the underside of your chin, forcing you to look at his face. Jungkook really was something. His hair was dry now from sitting underneath the sun, the glare reflecting off of his piercings serving as shiny beacons fighting for your attention. “Yeah, just keep looking at me exactly like that the entire time, got it?”
you felt yourself get a little flustered. “Looking at you like what? I was being perfectly normal.”
“i didn’t say it wasn’t normal, but thank you for confirming it with your defensiveness.” He smirked. “But seriously, i’m gonna walk us backwards, and you’re going to keep your focus on me. Try not to look at the water.”
“wouldn’t it be better if i walked backwards so i can still see land?” That seemed the most logical.
“you would think, but you’re just going to see it getting further and further away the more we go out. It’ll freak you out seeing it like that until your feet can touch something again at the sandbar.”
that made sense. Even if you glanced over his shoulder at some point on the swim over there it would still just look like the same ocean that you were standing in right now. But seeing the shore get smaller might send you into a tailspin. Your only saving grace in this situation was that the waves in this town were thankfully calm. Nothing you could go surfing on, just small caresses.
you nodded. “Okay, yeah, i’ll just keep… looking at you.”
jungkook gave you a reassuring look—and then you were being pulled in. Water sloshed above your shoulders, your feet sliding down the steady decline of the ocean floor.
“oh, fuck, fuck—” you were already panicking, and you couldn’t help the way your head was already twisting to stare back at the beach. But before you could fully turn your head jungkook grabbed your jaw forcing you to look at him again.
“eyes up here, remember?” He was staring at you intently, water swaying gently beneath his chin.
you took his advice seriously this time, locking your gaze with his. You were glad to see there was no smugness or annoyance or just any type of negative emotion at your fear. Just the slightest hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth as he waited for you to say you were ready.
after about a minute of staring at him, his dark eyes waiting patiently for your answer, you were finally ready—or as ready as you were going to be. “Okay, go. Just do it.”
jungkook pulled you gently, the water finally reaching your lower face. “The bottom is about to be too deep for you to stand, okay.”
“okay.” You nodded, still not breaking eye contact, and then suddenly you were off your feet, quickly beginning to tread the water as he continued to pull you forward.
“just like that.” Jungkook smiled at you encouragingly, and it made you feel surprisingly relaxed. Him looking at you with such pride at doing something so small. “See just like swimming in the pool earlier—well besides the sinking to the bottom part. Don’t do that.”
you laughed, relaxing a bit further as you continued to keep your head above water. “I mean at least you’re here to save me again if that happens.”
“yes, i swear if at any point this week i see you drowning i will absolutely save you,” he said, when a bigger wave suddenly lapped over the back of his head and straight into your face.
“ugh!” You yelped, spitting out the saltwater that had managed to slide past your lips. In the commotion you didn’t realize you must’ve panicked and threw your arms around jungkook’s neck, and he looped one of his arms around your back to keep you steady.
“easy, girl.” He whispered, reaching to smooth a piece of hair that had fallen against your forehead. “Here let’s try something different the rest of the way.”
“like what?” You asked, nervous for change when you were already in an area that you couldn’t stand.
“keep holding onto my neck. Keep looking at me. I’m gonna lay on my back and kick my feet to pull you that way. It should be faster too.”
as long as the idea didn’t involve him leaving you stranded out here you truly didn’t care, so you agreed to the plan quickly. But when he suddenly leaned back, his hair submerging in the water, you felt yourself being pulled closer to his chest from your arms being looped around his neck. Not only that, but his crotch was suddenly grinding against your stomach with every thrust of his legs propelling the two of you further out. You felt the tips of your ears start to heat up, because you still refused to look away from his face and that was causing a very lewd image to appear beneath you.
jungkook bared his neck as he looked up at the sky, breathing heavy as he continued to pull both of your body weights through the water. You felt your eyes drift down his chest, the constant flex of his stomach beneath you making you unconsciously dig your nails into his skin as you imagined this scenario of you being on top of him in a different setting.
“you’re not doing a very good job at hiding what you’re thinking about right now,” jungkook said, amusement fusing with his voice. You looked back up at him wide-eyed, mouth opening and closing like a fish at being caught, but before you could lie and refute his claim, he continued. “I didn’t say you had to stop imagining it.”
“you are…” you trailed off, letting out an incredulous laugh. This man was seriously doing something to you. He made your body feel it was vibrating when he said things like that.
“i’m what?” He asked, not letting you get out of it that easily.
“you’re not very humble, are you?”
“hey, i was just pointing out the obvious.”
you huffed, not liking this imbalance. “Well, sorry i’m so obvious.”
jungkook suddenly shifted beneath you, making both of your bodies go vertical, his arms squeezing around your ribs to pull you closer. You gasped, his nose grazing yours as you both fought to stay above the water. “Never said i wasn’t thinking the same thing as you.” He whispered. “I’m just better at hiding it.”
“and why would you need to hide it?” You asked, starting to feel a little breathless from constantly treading water. Or at least that was the reason you were going to tell yourself why you were so breathless.
“wouldn’t want you to think i’m some sleazy guy who would take a scared woman out here for nefarious reasons.”
“nefarious reasons, huh?” You asked.
jungkook tilted his head, lips just barely brushing over yours so closely you could feel the drops of saltwater on his mouth. God, you really wanted him to kiss you. You knew you shouldn’t. You had literally just met him after all. However, it didn’t seem to matter because suddenly he was yanking you forward, head falling into the crook of his neck.
“we’re here.” His voice echoed against your ear, and it took you a couple of seconds to realize what he was saying.
you slowly stretched your legs all the way out, the soles of your feet suddenly coming into contact with sand, the water sitting just below your hips. You breathed a sigh of relief before turning in jungkook’s arms to face the shoreline. Giddy laughter erupted from your chest as you stared back at your starting point. The backpack jungkook had left on the beach now just a small black dot in the distance.
“i did it!” You clapped, jumping around in the water like a small child. “Well, you dragged me most of the way, but still!”
“hey, i won’t tell anyone if you won’t.” He smiled, sitting down to rest after what was surely a taxing journey for him.
you joined him, balancing on your knees in the sand as you took in the view around you. The sandbar itself was probably only about fifteen across, but it seemed like it went on for miles down the coast. It was strange, being so far out here but still being on stable ground.
“it’s oddly calming out here,” you said, continuing to look around you. You noticed a couple of boats off in the distance as they passed by.
“ah, has someone gotten over their fear?”
“not completely.” You wished that this sandbar was just a bit taller, but after being over the open ocean floor this felt like a safe haven. “But definitely better.”
“that makes me happy.” He smiled, shifting his position to dig for something in the sand beneath him. “Now let’s get to what we came here for?”
“the sand dollar things?” You asked, moving closer to him.
“yes,” he paused, his face lighting up when he seemed to find what he was looking for. He brought his hand up from the water, holding a white, patterned circle between his fingers. “The sand dollar things.”
you reached out, taking it from him. You turned it over in your hands, grazing the random holes that were pierced through it. “Wow, so you really can find these things easily. My mom’s gonna be so pissed when i go back with these for free.”
he chuckled. “Tell your mom i’m sorry for not showing up sooner. Could’ve saved her the trouble.”
“i will.” You handed the sand dollar back to jungkook, and you watched him shove it into one of the pockets of his swimming trunks that seemed to button shut. He would have to be the one holding them since you were only wearing a bikini. “So you just rub around in the sand?”
“pretty much.” Jungkook reached out, grabbing your hand beneath the water. He guided your hand to dig beneath the first layer of sediment. “There.” You felt the hard object beneath your fingertips before pulling it out of the water, the disc almost the size of your face. “Wow, that’s big.”
“look at you getting lucky on your first try.” Jungkook grabbed it, putting it in his pocket with the other one. “Come on, let’s walk around. Find some more.” He stood up, still holding your hand until you found your balance.
you nodded, excited to do some more exploring. “Okay, let’s go.”
— — —
“how’s my form!” Jungkook yelled, once again doing a backflip off the sandbar and back into the deep waters of the drop off. This was his third attempt.
“eh, it’s starting to get sloppy.” You gave him an apologetic look as he climbed back onto the sand to sit next to you. “But hey, sloppy for you is still pretty good.”
“aw, thanks for the compliment.” He leaned over, kissing you on the cheek.
even beneath the hot summer sun that two of you had been playing around in for about an hour now, your skin still managed to prickle at his touch. Time had managed to slip by before you knew it out here. Jungkook’s pockets had gotten full fairly quickly with all of the sand dollars you’d picked up. After that you just watched jungkook swim around, the sight giving you a little bit of anxiety at first. Not liking your guide putting himself back in deeper waters, but as the minutes passed you realized that this place seemed to be made for him. Like when it was being shaped all those hundreds of millions of years ago, they had him in mind. He was just made for the water in a way that you couldn’t explain.
“are you starting to get thirsty?” Jungkook asked, breaking you from your thoughts.
“uhm, yeah actually.” You hadn’t realized until he’d asked, but now you could feel that your mouth was incredibly dry.
“sorry, i should’ve asked sooner. We’ve been out here for a while.”
“it’s okay.” You shook your head. “I’m happy you brought me out here. I had a really good time.”
“i’m glad.” He smiled softly, reaching up and tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. “There’s a lot more i wanna show you this week. If you’re still interested that is.”
he was giving you an out. That maybe you didn’t want to commit to continuing to hang out with some guy that you had just met today. But there wasn’t a single thought in your mind that wanted to turn him down. “Yes, i’m still interested. I wanna see how life’s lived by the water. Will you show me?”
jungkook licked his lips, eyes flicking down to your mouth. Your body shifted closer to him. You hadn’t even done it on purpose, like your limbs were working with a mind of their own; their mind wanted to be as close as possible to this man.
“i would love to show you,” he whispered, head tilting towards yours. You could tell he was about actually kiss you this time. You angled your body towards him, getting ready to meet him in the middle, when a sudden interruption ended your impending serenity.
“look who it is!” Someone yelled over a speaker. The sound making you practically jump out of your skin. It had only been you, jungkook, and the sound of the ocean for a while now, so it took you by surprise. When you turned to look it was a boat not too far away. A group of people waved at the two of you.
just closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance. “Sorry, it’s my fuck ass friends.” He turned to the group and shot them the middle finger. “Fuck off,” he yelled.
“ladies and gentleman, just to your right here is a very rude man in his natural habitat.” There was a brief pause. “And it looks like he’s sitting next to an extremely lovely lady.”
you snickered. “Charming.”
“sorry, they’re idiots.” Jungkook stood up as the boat got closer. “What part of fuck off was not understood?”
now that they were stalling out about a ten feet away from the sandbar you could see the group more clearly. There was one guy and two girls. The man that was talking through the speaker earlier was still holding it when he replied.
he scoffed. “I see a stranded couple in the ocean, come to help, and i’m the bad guy? Wow, kook, you really are something.”
“yeah, it wasn’t just you being nosy or anything, right?” Jungkook quipped sarcastically.
“kim taehyung, nosy?” He grabbed at his chest dramatically. “I have never heard of such a thing.”
“yeah, yeah, whatever, but i’m charging you for a favor anyways.” Jungkook reached down, silently asking for your hand to help you stand. You took it, pulling yourself up beside him.
“what favor?” Taehyung asked, not using the boat speaker anymore.
“this is y/n. She’s here for the week. Can we catch a ride back to her place.” Jungkook turned to you. “Are you okay with that? Or do you wanna go back the way we came? Up to you.”
you couldn’t lie, you were pretty tired. All the swimming and baking under the sun had zapped most of your energy, plus you hadn’t had anything to eat or drink in a while. You didn’t know these people to just be getting on a random boat with them, but you trusted jungkook decently enough. Well, as much as you could for knowing someone for less than two hours.
“yeah, we can ride with them. That’s fine. Guess i’ll have to get a new pair of shoes though,” you finally answered, looking at the beach where you’d left them in jungkook’s backpack.
“no, i’ll come back and get them later. No one should mess with it.”
the boat was already banking against the sandbar. Jungkook motioned for you to follow him. He climbed up the boat first before reaching down and helping you climb in as well.
you looked around at the group that was now staring at you in close quarters. “Uhm, hi. I’m y/n. Nice to meet you guys.”
“hi,” they all said in unison.
“taehyung.” The man with the speaker from earlier said, giving you a wave.
the two girls rattled off their names: jihyo and nayeon. You gave polite smiles as they introduced themselves.
jungkook was rummaging through a cooler on the back of the boat, bringing a water bottle out. He handed it to you before guiding you to a pair of open seats. You opened the cap, practically chugging the entire thing in one go.
there was tsking sound coming from taehyung. “You brought this poor girl out here with no refreshments. Shame on you jungkook. Just shame.”
“that’s very funny coming from the guy who stranded you and jihyo in the middle of the ocean for five hours because you ran out of gas,” jungkook replied as he grabbed you another water.
“god, don’t bring that up. I just forgave him like a week ago.” Jihyo stood up, walking over to place a quick kiss on taehyung’s lips as she ruffled his hair.
“i don’t know, ji. Think you should make him sweat it a little longer,” jungkook shrugged.
taehyung threw an empty beer can at jungkook. He laughed as he swatted it away. “I hope my friend has been nicer to you, y/n, than he’s being right now.”
“well, besides almost drowning me earlier, he’s been pretty gentlemanly,” you said, smiling as jungkook palmed his face.
“jungkook!” Nayeon yelled. “You’re in the business of drowning tourists now.”
“it was a misunderstanding.” He explained. “I thought she was drowning, but she wasn’t, and i may have made her accidentally inhale a bunch of pool water.”
taehyung was laughing hysterically as he began to reverse the boat off of the sandbar. “Kook, i promise there are better ways to start a conversation with a pretty girl like her than using the excuse that you thought she was drowning,” he said with air quotes. “Which way am i going?”
jungkook pointed in a direction. You weren’t sure how he knew exactly where to go to end up back at where you were staying, but you guessed that was a perk of living in this town your whole life.
“i’m just going to exit that conversation,” jungkook whispered in your ear as the boat started off in the direction jungkook had indicated. “But i do promise it wasn’t on purpose.”
“i don’t know.” You tapped your chin quizzically. “Maybe he has a point.”
he made a sad expression, his head falling into your shoulder. “Ugh, not you ganging up on me too.”
“i’m kidding.” You giggled, pushing some of the wild strings of hair off his forehead.
he smiled up at you, placing a small kiss on your shoulder before sitting up straight again. “No rough driving, tae,” jungkook said as the boat started to pick up speed.
taehyung scoffed. “I’m a great driver. Don’t believe him y/n. He’s just trying to make me look bad.”
“honey, i love you and all, but you’re driving could use some work.” Jihyo grimaced, shooting taehyung (who you assumed was her boyfriend) an apologetic look.
“unbelievable.” Taehyung pouted. “Anyone else wanna throw in a jab while we’re all at it?”
everyone simply laughed as the boat picked up speed, making it hard to hear what anyone was saying over the wind. It felt nice though. The loud hum of the motor as the breeze blew against your skin. You hadn’t been on a boat in a couple of years, and that was just a lake. Nothing like this.
jungkook had his arm around your shoulder as you rode down the coastline. His hand squeezed your shoulder every time taehyung drove over a particularly choppy wave. You’d only been riding for about ten minutes before jungkook made a motion for taehyung to slow down.
“do you remember which house you’re staying at?” He asked.
“yeah, that light green one.” You pointed.
jungkook got up from his seat, walking back to where taehyung was steering. Jungkook pointed at the same house you had showed him. Taehyung nodded, but then started to smile before whispering something in jungkook’s ear that you couldn’t make out. Jungkook gave him an annoyed glare before lightly smacking him in the chest and returning to your side.
“i assume that was about me?” You asked, raising a curious brow.
it wasn’t that you were offended that they were talking about you. After all, if one of my friends showed up with a random guy or girl i’d also probably make a playful comment or two.
“yes, he said…” jungkook trailed off, clearly not sure if he wanted to tell you.
“i won’t be offended,” you shrugged. “What? You hooked a nice piece of ass for the week. Something like that?”
jungkook laughed, shaking his head. “No,no, he wouldn’t say something like that when you were right here. Granted, he’s probably thinking it.” He paused, looking around awkwardly before continuing. “He said he was starting to worry if i was gonna end the summer on a dry spell.”
“dry spell?” You asked, confused. But before he could answer, the boat suddenly stopped not too far from the beach. You and jungkook stood up, making your way to the ladder that led into the water. You turned to face everyone. “Thanks for the ride. Nice meeting you all.”
“i’m sure we’ll see you again,” jihyo said. “Hopefully we’ll get to actually talk without taehyung jerking us in every direction with his shit driving.”
“ji, you’ve been eliminated from the boat!” Taehyung yelled.
you couldn’t help but giggle as you whispered, “yeah, i’m looking forward to that.”
you and jungkook made your way down the ladder, the water you landed in coming just up to your knees.
“i’ll be right back. I’m just walking her up. Don’t try to leave me motherfucker.” Jungkook narrowed his eyes at taehyung who was grabbing his chin with a mischievous smile.
once you were a little bit away from the boat you decided to bring back your question from earlier. “So what were you saying about a dry spell?”
jungkook’s head dropped slightly as you both continued walking towards the beach, face twisting as he tried to find the right wording. “Well, i’m sure you already assumed this, but obviously living here our whole lives, we’ve met lots of women who kind of just want to have a fun time while they’re here on vacation.”
you gave him a knowing look. “Yes, you would be correct. I did assume that.”
jungkook was an attractive guy, and you were sure he was the target of a lot of woman’s desires when they noticed him while being here. Hell, you were one of them. So you weren’t offended by this information, because it was something you had just assumed to be a fact.
“well, i haven’t been, uhm, partaking lately.” He grimaced at the euphemism, but it made you choke with laughter.
“jungkook, there’s no need to be so polite about it. You have sex with a lot of woman who come here. I figured.”
he pinched the bridge of his nose, fighting the smile that was trying to bubble to the surface from the ridiculousness of this conversation. “I know, but i’m not usually telling them specifics. It’s just implied.”
you understood what he meant. You imagined most people just wanted the fantasy of feeling special when they met someone on vacation. Like it was some sort of precious moment in time. You unfortunately were a bit too cynical for that.
“well, you don’t have to use the innocent intentions act with me. I’m aware of what this is.” He was your distraction this week, and he was turning out to be a damn good one. The time you’d been with him today was the most you hadn’t thought about grad school in months. “So, is your dry spell ending or not?” You decided to ask straightforwardly.
jungkook’s eyebrows shot up, mouth curving into a smirk at your words. His demeanor suddenly shifted. No longer was the man trying to act coy and flirtatious, now his eyes glinted deviously like you’d awoken something in him. You felt your blood burn hot as he leaned down to whisper in your ear. “You want me to fuck you that bad, huh, city girl?”
you fought back the whimper that wanted to rattle past your teeth before responding. “I don’t know. Will you disappoint me?”
he pulled back, looking you in the eyes with an intensity so scalding you felt your lungs shudder. His gaze dipped to your mouth, your lips parting just out of sheer want, and jungkook didn’t seem to intend to deny you; his tongue slipping past your mouth as his hand found the back of your head, crushing you into a devastating kiss.
you moaned, hand wrapping around his chained necklace to pull him closer since he wasn’t wearing a shirt for you to grab onto. He hissed, gripping your hair even harder. His tongue gently stroked yours, and you suddenly felt the sensation of another piercing that was not the one on his lip. You gasped, and you could feel the way he was smirking against your mouth at your surprise towards his pierced tongue.
fucking christ, how was it possible for him to be even hotter than before? Unfortunately, the kiss only lasted a couple of more seconds before jungkook was pulling back, giving your bottom lip a tug with his teeth.
“fuck,” you whispered, thumb soothing your mouth as jungkook stared down at you. His mouth was red and swollen, and goddammit you just wanted to pull him right back in.
he tilted his head, thumb grazing your cheek. “Will i disappoint you?” He asked your question back to you.
your breaths were still coming out a little ragged as he waited, but even with just that little taste you knew the answer. “No, you won’t disappoint me.”
jungkook smiled. “I’ll see you tomorrow then? Meet you at the pool at five oclock after i get off work?”
“yeah, okay.” You nodded, trying to shift your expression back to one of indifference, but that didn’t last long as a familiar voice over a speaker began to crackle through the air.
“and ladies and gentleman, here we have two creatures in their natural environment partaking in a mating call involving a hot as fuck kiss.”
jungkook gritted his teeth, rolling his eyes as he threw a hand in their direction, silently telling them to cut it out. You found it kind of funny, however.
“alright, i’ll see you tomorrow, water boy.” You started to slowly back your away from him, towards the house you were staying at. Trying to snap this magnetic pull that wanted to you to stand next to him forever.
“oh, i’ve been demoted to water boy now?” He laughed, also starting to back away but towards the ocean.
“see you tomorrow, jungkook.” You waved, turning your back towards him before your body physically forced you to run over and tackle him into the sand to keep kissing him.
“i’ll be there,” he said simply before jogging the rest of the way back to the boat.
and as you made you way beneath the stilted house and towards the steps that led upstairs, your heart was racing with one singular thought: this was going to be a very interesting week.
— — —
day o2: shark teeth over seashells
the next day moved at the pace of a muddy crawl. Breakfast with your parents. Walking up and down the beach. Lunch with your parents. Walking up and down the beach. An afternoon snack with your parents. Again, walking up and down the goddamn beach.
there was only so much you could do in this place when you didn’t know anyone. Well, technically you did know someone now. Unfortunately, he had managed to morph your brain chemistry within the span of a couple of hours to become completely obsessed with him.
you rolled over on your bed, letting out a muffled scream into a seashell patterned pillow that matched the seashell patterned comforter and seashell pattered drapes. This room was starting to taunt you, with its perfectly themed decorations. Only because you knew there was so much out there that you could doing… that a certain someone could be showing you.
you opened your eyes, staring up at the ceiling fan as it spun around the room. Time passing as you let yourself drift back to yesterday. Being in that open water, walking along that sandbar, kissing him. God, you couldn’t stop thinking about that kiss. It was only a couple of seconds but so fucking intoxicating.
you sat up immediately. No, you were not doing this. You were not going to waste time laying in this bed, thinking about a guy you had only known for a day. Absolutely not. Instead, you jumped up, shoving your feet into a spare set of sandals you had. Your flip-flops from yesterday still in jungkook’s backpack. When you opened the door to your room and made your way downstairs you found your parents standing in the kitchen making sandwiches.“Honey, do you want one?” Mom asked, holding one in the air.
“no, i was actually gonna walk to that restaurant down the street.” You had noticed it on the drive in here yesterday. It wouldn’t take longer than ten minutes to get there by foot.
“oh, yeah. What was it called again? The rusty pelican or something?” Your dad asked.
“something like that.” You shrugged, not caring what it was called. You just knew it probably had a band and drinks, and that was what you could use to get your mind off the tattooed siren trying to consume your every thought.
“thought you were meeting up with that cute young man you were telling us about yesterday?” You mom unknowingly brought up the very reason for your sudden departure.
“yeah, but that’s still a couple hours from now. Just wanted to do something fun before then.” You weren’t even sure if you would qualify this as fun. It might end up being boring hell, but hey, you were trying here.
“okay, be safe.” They both gave you a kiss on the cheek before you left.
you quickly made your way down the stairs and started on your walk to the rusty pelican. You weren’t sure if you liked that name, but it was just another thing in this town that fit the theme of where you were.
you were practically panting by the time you got there. That little ten-minute walk was a lot more brutal in beating sun than you had anticipated. There seemed to be a decent amount of people sitting on the outside deck. There was a band playing and lots of drinks flowing just as you had assumed there would be. You decided to sit down at the part of the bar that connected to the patio area, and through the large rectangular window you could see the inside where people were mingling and playing darts.
you turned your attention to the band playing in the back corner. It was a group of older gentleman, probably in their sixties, all wearing hawaiian shirts and sunglasses. They were playing some sort of bee gees tribute from the sound of it. It was all exactly the sort of thing you expected. You wondered if that ever got boring to the people born here. Maybe that was what jungkook meant yesterday when he’d told you that living here wasn’t all good. Though, you could say that about most cities or towns. The day to day never changed all that much.
“need a drink, miss?” The question broke you from your thoughts about this place.
you turned back around to face the voice. The answer ‘yes’ almost formed, but your voice stuttered in your chest as you took in the man before you.
it was deja vu. The tattoos, the piercings, the gorgeous face. He was the same but different. Softer features and eyes that turned into amused crescents as you continued to stare at him for what was clearly an unnatural amount of time.
“uhm, yeah.” You shook your head, clearing your shock away. “Mich ultra, please.”
he smiled, winking at you. “Coming right up.” You watched as he grabbed a bottle out of a cooler, popping the top before sitting it down in front of you. You thought he was going to continue down the line of patrons next you to ask for their orders, but to your surprise he continued to stand in front of you. “So, how’s vacation going so far?”
“it’s my second day. Just decided to get out and see what there is to do around here.” You shrugged, trying to act nonchalant about this strange coincidence.
he nodded, scratching the back of his neck. “I know i work here and all, but there’s way more interesting things around here than this place, trust me.”
“yeah, like what?” You asked, taking a sip of your beer.
he pursed his lips, mouth ticking into a slight smirk. “Could show you around after my shift if you want.”
you scoffed. This was truly unbelievable. The second time in two days a man had offered his services to you—probably with less than pure intentions. But at least jungkook had attempted a conversation with you… of course, it was after almost drowning you, but hey, semantics. You didn’t even know this guy’s name and he was already trying to get you to run off with him. Regardless, you already had someone who was haunting the corners of your mind.
“i’m busy—” you started to turn him down when a you were suddenly cut off.
“sorry, jimin. She’s taken.” It was a feminine voice that was vaguely familiar. You turned to see who it was, and to your surprise jihyo was pulling out the seat next you and joining the conversation. “Hey, good seeing you again.” She leaned in, giving you a small hug that you returned.
“ah, so which one of my friends was lucky enough to get your attention?” The bartender asked, whose name was apparently jimin.
you laughed, because of course two people that looked like that in a place like this were friends. “Should’ve figured you knew each other. Same looks. Same tactics.”
jihyo made a disgusted sound. “Jesus, jimin. You were talking to her for all of two seconds and you were already trying something?”
jimin threw his hands up in defense. “She—” he paused, looking slightly awkward. “I’m so sorry, and i know this doesn’t make me look any better… what’s your name?”
jihyo tossed a wadded up napkin at jimin’s head. “It’s y/n, you fucking dog.”
you were honestly finding the situation extremely amusing. Being hit on my someone that looked like jimin wasn’t exactly a negative, even if he was thinking about sex at the time. But hey, you couldn’t exactly blame him. You were in the same boat when it came to jungkook at the moment.
“hey, it’s fine. I really don’t care.” You attempted to calm the playful back and forth of them throwing things at one another while trying not to disturb the other customers.
“good, would hate to tell jungkook that you were completely turned off by him because his friends have no tact.” Jihyo gave jimin a look when she said jungkook’s name, and his eyes widened in response.
“jungkook? Huh, so he’s finally out of his little mood then.“ Jimin turned to look at you, giving you a sly smile. Lucky girl.”
“wow, that’s some high praise for him.” You chuckled, surprised.
“ah, so you guys haven’t slept together yet,” jimin said, like it was a complete and undeniable fact. It made you half choke as you sipped your beer.
“and how are you so sure of that exactly?” You asked once you finally cleared all of the inhaled liquid.
“because if you had you wouldn’t be questioning my high praise.” He shrugged.
your eyes widened. “Wow, with how sure you sound, you make it seem like you’ve slept with him.”
jihyo busted out into insane laughter as jimin made a disgusted face at your joke. She grabbed your shoulders shaking them, trying to catch her breath. “You do sound like a jealous ex-girlfriend right now, jimin,” she said, wiping a tear from her eye.
jimin waved his hands back and forth, clearly denying your accusation. “I simply meant that i’ve heard so… well, i’ve also seen so—but i was absolutely not the person he had his dick inside.” He quickly added as you opened your mouth to make another quip.
you leaned back in your chair, mulling over what he’d just revealed. “So… a threesome then i assume is what you’re implying.
jungkook’s gonna kill me if he finds out we’re taking about this.” Jimin ran a hand down his face, but you could tell that he also found this line of questioning funny. Jihyo also seemed to be interested in how this conversation was going to to go.
“oh, come on.” You grabbed your drink, taking another sip. “I’ve known him for a day. Its not like i’m his girlfriend and this is some inappropriate conversation.”
jimin pursed his lips, tilting his head at your logic. “Fair.”
“so tell me, jimin.” You leaned in closer to whisper. “How fast do you think jungkook will be able to make me come?”
jihyo half-screamed next to you. “Oh, my god! I literally love you. You’re hilarious.”
you couldn’t keep up the serious face you were making, a grin slowly breaking across your lips as jimin stared at you with his mouth agape.
“i’m kidding,” you finally said. “I’ll let it be a surprise.”
jimin smiled. “I can see why you’re the one that’s gotten him out of his little mood.”
he turned to go ask other customers for their orders before you could ask what he meant by that. Yesterday, you and jungkook had discussed his dry spell’ or whatever he wanted to call it, but you hadn’t gotten the chance to ask him the reason behind it. And apparently his hanging out with you was such a big deal that everyone who found out about it couldn’t help but make a comment.
“shots when you get a chance, jimin.” Jihyo suddenly yelled , and you watched as he gave a thumbs up. She turned back to you, practically beaming. “I’m so glad i ran into you here. I wanted to talk more on the boat yesterday, but the boys were in the way.”
jihyo seemed to have a very infectious way about her. If she was smiling you couldn’t help but smile back. If she was laughing you couldn’t help but laugh back, and apparently if she was taking shots you also couldn’t help but partake with her. Because as the shots made by jimin appeared in front of the two of you, they just as quickly disappeared.
“me too,” you finally responded after successfully not choking on whatever type of liquor had been poured into those glasses. “Sorry i didn’t talk much yesterday. I was exhausted from all the swimming and the sun. I’m not used to it.”
jihyo waved your concerns off. “No, no, you’re fine. Trust me, those boys are like fish. They were born here so they don’t understand how tiring the water can be.”
“oh, you’re not from here?” You asked. They all seemed so close, you assumed they’d all grown up together.
“no, my parents are older. They retired here when i was like fifteen. That’s when i met everyone,” she answered as jimin set another round of shots down in front of you.
“not sure if i should drink much more. I’m supposed to meet jungkook in like two hours.” Though, you had to admit you were having a good time and wouldn’t mind continuing under different circumstances.
“yeah, i totally get it.” She grabbed both shots, handing one to you. “Last one?”
“last one.” You clinked your glasses together, downing that oh so addictive burn.
— — —
you weren’t sure exactly what happened. Maybe after that second shot the logical part of your brain simply made way for the part that was enjoying all the fun you were having. Because at the moment you and jihyo were currently heading a conga line around the bar, you’re fifth, sixth (you weren’t really sure), drink in your hand.
“okay, let’s sit down.” You yelled over your shoulder to jihyo, pointing at a table that was in front of the band.
“yeah, sit down. I’ll grab us some waters,” she replied, hard to hear over all the music.
you nodded, practically collapsing into the chair as you passed by it. You really hadn’t meant to continue drinking, but as you and jihyo had continued to exchange stories about each other, it just kind of happened. You told her all about your worries of grad school. How you weren’t sure if you were going to be happy. How you weren’t sure if you were choosing the right path in life. While she admitted that she felt trapped in this place with her parents. She was the same age as you but knew that this place offered her no future. No job she could see herself having forever, but also feeling stuck because she didn’t want to leave taehyung who, just like jungkook, seemed to want to die in this town. Her and taehyung had been dating for a couple of years now, and she didn’t know how to navigate her two polar opposite desires.
—so yeah, the two of you had gone a little overboard on the drinking. But hey, when you were talking about the heavy things in life, it was hard not to.
jihyo eventually returned with the waters, and you immediately gulped down the entire thing in about two seconds. “That’s better.” You sighed, propping your elbows up on the table to hold your head.
“i’m so sorry. I didn’t meant to make you drink so much.” She frowned, looking genuinely apologetic.
you waved off her apology. “You didn’t make me, and i’m fine. I promise i’m more buzzed than anything.”
“well, i still feel bad. How long until you’re supposed to meet jungkook?”
“about…” you glanced at the clock above the bar. “An hour.”
“oh, that’s plenty of time to sober up.” She stood up from her seat. “I’m gonna get us some more waters.”
“thanks. You’re the best.” You smiled, head slumping onto your shoulder.
she ruffled your hair and it made you relax further into the chair as you closed your eyes to wait for her to come back. The rowdy sounds of the afternoon vacationers surrounded you. It was strange, but the lack of silence was very peaceful to you. It always had been, ever since you were a kid. You let yourself get lost in the humming noise of conversation and glass bottles clinking, when a suddenly not so peaceful sound suddenly reverberated around you. The sound of a voice booming into a microphone next your ear startled you upright.
“hey, no sleeping in paradise, young lady.” It was the older singer from the band that had been playing since you got here. You gave him a sheepish smile, scratching at your head awkwardly. “Come on, let’s get you awake!”
your brows furrowed. “What—” your question was cut short as he grabbed your hand, bringing you up onto the tiny stage that sat only a few feet away.
“how about a little impromptu karaoke everybody!” The singer yelled into the microphone, making the crowd cheer loudly.
under normal circumstances you would’ve ran your ass right back to your chair, but you were tipsy, and you actually enjoyed singing and had been told you were very good at it over the years. All of the bars that hosted karaoke around your college had heard you on at least one occasion during a drunken night out with friends. Especially towards the end after you and your boyfriend had broken up. You had sang every song in the book about how badly that had went. So when he started singing a song that you were familiar with while handing you an extra microphone, you decided to just go with it.
you started singing with him, and you saw his eyes light up when he realized you could actually carry a tune. Everyone in the bar started to cheer, and it energized you further. The only time you could get up and sing like this was when you’d been drinking, never having the courage to do so while sober.
you continued on with the song, everyone starting to clap their hands in unison to the beat, and when you glanced down you saw jihyo staring at you with her jaw hanging open and the waters in her hands. She set the cups down on the table and immediately started jumping up and down as she watched you.
“yeah! Go, y/n!” She yelled with her hands around her mouth.
you finished the final note, the singer who had dragged you up here giving you a big hug. “Now that’s what time talking about! Who wants to follow up this lovely lady’s performance!”
you jumped down from the stage, jihyo immediately grabbing your shoulders in excitement. “You didn’t tell me you could sing!”
“only when i’ve been drinking.” You shrugged.
“well, if that’s how you sound while drinking i couldn’t image what you’d sound like sober.” She handed you your water before looping her arm through yours and pulling you towards the bar that was way more packed than before.
people were holding their hands up to high five you for your performance, and you gave them all polite smiles as you passed. When the two of you finally managed to wedge your way in between the mass of people, jimin was waiting on the other side.
“so, she’s got a dirty mouth and she can sing.” Jimin gave you a once over. “Jungkook may have found his match.”
you rolled your eyes. “Yeah, yeah, just give me my tab. I gotta head back to my place to get ready.”
jimin shook his head. “No charge. Your performance was payment enough.”
you scoffed. “Oh, come on. It was not that good.”
“what’re you taking about? You were awesome! Give yourself more credit.” Jihyo shuffled around in her purse for a minute and threw a twenty dollar bill at jimin. “Don’t spent it all in one place, my friend.” He did a little dance as he tucked the twenty into the waistband of his jeans, earning a laugh from you as jihyo started pulling you towards the exit.
“that was a lot of fun,” you said once the two of you found yourselves standing in the parking lot. “I’m glad i ran into you.”
“same! It was so fun. We have to hang out some more before you leave. But for now, let’s walk you back to your place so you can get ready.”
“it’s like a ten minute walk there. You sure?”
“of course. I can help you pick out something to wear.” She did a little excited clap.
“that sounds great.” You smiled, happy to meet someone like her while you were here.
the two of you started on the walk back to the beachhouse, and it was abundantly clear that you were both still extremely buzzed. You were a pair of walking hazards trying to stay up right as you made your way down the grassy path next to the road.
“god, it’s so fucking hot.” You panted, foot suddenly slipping as you fell ass first on the ground. Jihyo tried helping you but ended up falling herself. You both looked at each other in silence for a second before devolving into laughter.
“i don’t know if we’re gonna make it back in time,” you said, when suddenly a truck that was passing pulled off onto the grass in front of you. It looked familiar, but all trucks looked the same to you for the most part, but when the door opened and the driver exited the vehicle, your heart began beating violently.
“our knight in shining armor!” Jihyo beamed as jungkook approached the two of you laying on the ground, an amused smile adorning his perfect face.
“looks like you guys had fun.” Jungkook knelt down next you, offering you a hand to help you sit up.
you dusted at the back of your head that was now probably covered in grass and dirt. You probably looked a complete mess right now. You silently cursed yourself for drinking so much.
“yeah, i just went out for a beer or two, but, uhm, well you see how that worked out.” You offered him an apologetic expression.
“it’s okay,” jungkook said, pulling a twig out of your hair that you’d missed. “Ji tends to have that affect on people.”
jihyo scoffed next to you. “Hey, it wasn’t me. It was jimin.”
jungkook’s jaw hardened slightly, but he still held a soft smile. “Ah, so you met jimin. How’d that go?”
normally you would’ve been more nonchalant, but the alcohol was making your tongue looser than normal. “Oh, you know. He just told me all about the adventurous threesomes you guys have had over the years. Nothing crazy.” You shrugged, but jungkook’s eyes went wide, lips shifting into a thin line.
“i’m gonna kick his fucking ass when i see him.” His eyes turning towards the direction of the rusty pelican.
“hey, he also said some very nice things about you.” Jihyo finally sat up next to you, grass and twigs still twisted in her hair as well. You reached over, taking some of them out.
jungkook smacked his lips. “Oh, i’m sure. Like what?”
you couldn’t stop the words from coming out of your mouth.“That you had like the best dick ever, and i was going to enjoy myself very much.” You paused. “Yeah, he said something like that.”
jungkook’s annoyance disappeared almost instantly, laughter suddenly bubbling past his throat. “I don’t believe he said that.”
“well, maybe not in such specific words, but he definitely implied it,” you said.
“it’s true. I was there.” Jihyo leaned in, defending your story.
jungkook pursed his lips, once again looking back in the direction of the bar. “Well, jimin may be an oversharing jackass at times, but he isn’t a liar at least.”
you raised a brow at him. “About you having the best dick ever part or the me enjoying myself part?”
he leaned in slightly. “Don’t worry. You’ll find out soon.”
you felt your breath catch, your eyes flitting down to his lips. You just wanted to have his tongue inside your mouth like yesterday. You almost closed the distance in your drunken haze when jihyo broke the tension.
“hm, this is kind of hot.” She stood up, dusting off the dirt from her outfit. “Jungkook, take me to tae’s before you go to y/n’s.”
jungkook pulled you both up by your hands, steadying you as you wobbled slightly. “I obviously wasn’t going to leave you on the side of the road.”
“perfect!” Jihyo ran to jungkook’s truck, opening the back door and jumping inside.
you and jungkook were alone for the first time since yesterday. You were suddenly self-conscious now that jihyo’s bubbly personality was no longer a buffer. The things you’d just said to him and the situation he’d found you in suddenly making you feel flustered.
“uhm, i’m sorry about this. I wasn’t planning on drinking that much, and… ugh, this is really embarrassing.” You hid your face in your hands, trying to muffle the shame.
however, jungkook pulled your hands down, forcing your chin up to look at him. “Hey, it’s fine. You had fun. Nothing wrong with that.”
you gave him a small smile. “Okay.”
he pressed his hand to the small of your back as he led you to the passenger’s side door. He opened it and urged you inside before rounding the vehicle to jump into the driver’s side. When you looked into the backseat, jihyo was already laying down fast asleep.
— — —
taehyung’s house hadn’t been that far from where jungkook had found you and jihyo. Jungkook got out to help taehyung get her inside, both of you saying your goodbyes in the process. You really hoped you got to hang out with her again before you left.
it was about a half hour later when jungkook was pulling back into your place. The pool where this whole thing had started came into view. You both got out of the truck, jungkook grabbing his backpack from yesterday off the floorboard of his backseat.
“i got your stuff by the way. Flip-flops and sand dollars.” He patted the bag.
“thanks.” You motioned towards the house you were staying in off in the distance. “I have to take a shower and change. Do you wanna come in while you wait?”
“hm, having me meet the parents already,” jungkook joked, throwing an arm around your shoulder as you started walking.
you groaned. “I’m praying they won’t be there, but i have a feeling i won’t be that lucky.”
“why’re you hoping they won’t be there?” He asked, quirking a brow to insinuate your hopeful wishes were for less than saintly reasons.
you bit the inside of your cheek, not falling for his bait. “They just have no filter,” you said simply.
“well, i would hope not when it comes to the stranger hanging around their daughter. But also, if they are here, try to act like you haven’t been drinking. Wouldn’t want them to think i got you drunk just to sleep with you in this nice house they’re paying for.” He nipped at you earlobe, making you squeal.
you removed the key from your pocket to open the front door. “Well, maybe we won’t have to even deal with it at all. They might be gone for dinner already.” However, when it swung open, both of your parents stood on the other side, looking like they had just been ready to leave. You felt yourself sober up completely.
dammit. So close.
“uh, hey. You guys going out to eat?” You asked as jungkook’s arm dropped from your shoulder, his posture straightening out.
“yes,” your dad answered, approaching the two of you as he adjusted the cuffs on his long sleeved shirt. “And you must the boy that y/n mentioned yesterday.”
“yes. Jungkook, sir.” He reached his hand out, shaking your dad’s hand.
you wanted to shrivel inside your skin. You knew you were an adult, but things like this never got less awkward. And this wasn’t even a boyfriend you were introducing, this was just a fun summer fling, and they both knew it.
“well, he’s certainly as handsome as you said.” Your mom joined in, mortifying you further.
“thank you, maam.” Jungkook looked down at the floor shyly, but you could see the way he was grinning from ear to ear.
“at least this one has manners, unlike that last one. He who shall not be named.” She grabbed her chin, looking at jungkook with a bit more scrutiny. “Actually, he kind of looks like him, doesn’t he, honey?”
you palmed your face, even though you had also thought the same thing at first, but not before you saw jungkook give you a look of piqued interest at your mother’s comment. You couldn’t believe you were talking about your penchant for men with pretty faces and tattoos right now.
“okay, have fun at dinner, guys.” You grabbed jungkook’s arm, trying to force him towards the stairs up to your room, but he seemed to have different ideas as he held firm in his stance in front of your parents.
“i know you guys probably have your concerns about y/n hanging out with a stranger in a place you guys aren’t familiar with, but i promise she’s in good hands. I won’t let anything happen to her.” Jungkook held a serious face as he faced your parents.
you couldn’t help but be thankful as he said that. Even though your parents held a pretty lackadaisical attitude, you knew they still worried.
“we appreciate that,” your mom said, placing a hand on jungkook’s shoulder.
“oh, i also have a gift for you, from me and y/n.” He started unzipping his backpack, pulling out the sand dollars from yesterday handing them to your mom.
“oh, wow. Where’d you get all these?” She asked, shuffling through the dozen or so that you had found yesterday.
jungkook motioned towards you. “Y/n got them when i took her to the sandbar yesterday.”
“wait.” Your dad’s eyes widened in surprise. “You got her to go out into the ocean? She’s petrified of it. How’d you manage that?” He asked, looking genuinely impressed that someone was able to make you overcome your fear.
“lots of patience.” Jungkook chuckled, your dad laughing along with him.
“well, alright then.” He reached out, shaking jungkook’s hand once more. “You better watch out for her.”
“yes, sir.” Jungkook nodded, his expression once again serious.
“okay, honey. Let’s go. We’re already late.” Your mom chimed in, motioning towards the front door. “It was lovely meeting you, jungkook. You seem like a nice young man.”
“thank you. It was nice meeting you guys as well.” He gave them a polite smile as they grabbed their car keys off the table and finally left, the door closing behind them.
you let out a breath that you hadn’t realized you’d been holding. “That went just as poorly as i’d imagined it would.”
“really? I thought it went well,” jungkook said as he began to walk around the house. “I also got to learn some interesting stuff about you. Like the fact that you apparently have a type.” He turned towards you, his face amused as he motioned towards himself.
you rolled your eyes, pulling at his shirt to get him to follow you to your room upstairs. “Yes, it’s an unfortunate character flaw.”
you really wished your mother hadn’t brought him up. You and your ex-boyfriend had dated for two years, but broke up earlier this year. He said that long distance wasn’t going to be feasible for him after you got your acceptance to grad school. You had been sad, but also kind of… relieved? You knew he wasn’t the best person. He had rude and narcissistic tendencies. Your parents had never been a fan because of this. You had just felt stuck when it came to him, so when he ended it, you didn’t feel the need too argue. Though it did upset you that he had ended it so simply, as if you were just some placeholder he’d held onto during college.
“hm, guy really did a number on you, huh?” Jungkook asked, following you into your room as you made it to the top of the stairs. “We’re not all bad though. Promise.”
“yeah, i see you’re quite the charmer when it comes to parents.” You walked over to the mirror, straightening out some of your flyaway hairs. You watched in the reflection as jungkook laid on your bed, shirt hiking up around his ribs. You bit the inside of your lip at the sight. “So, what do you have planned for me today? More ocean adventures?” You asked, turning back to face him.
he flipped on his side, propping his head up with one of his hands. “No, i figured i’d give you a break after yesterday. I thought i’d go for something more relaxing.”
you sat down next to him on the bed, his hand finding the top of your thigh. You glanced down at it. “And what is this relaxing activity?”
jungkook smirked, lifting himself up so that his face lingered right in front of yours. “You already seem to have something in mind.”
you tried to act coy, shrugging. “No idea what you’re talking about.”
he leaned in closer, his breath fanning over your lips. “Okay, then. Since you have nothing on your mind, i won’t kiss you like yesterday. You can just go take your shower.” He flopped back down on the bed, putting his hands behind his head as he closed his eyes.
you scoffed. Oh, this was absolutely not how this was going to go. Him making you seem like you wanted him so desperately while he simply went along with it.
you immediately went to straddle him, throwing your legs on either side of his thighs. His eyes snapped open in surprise, hands settling on your hips. You shifted forward and grabbed his jaw. His breathing was instantly heavier, and you could feel his dick getting hard beneath you—well, that didn’t take long. But you had to physically force yourself not to grind against him. Which was being made much more difficult by the fact that jungkook was attempting to pull you back and forth over his length by your waist. You squeezed his face harder, and you could feel the vibrations of the groan clamoring up the back of his throat. You leaned in closer, and he tried lifting his head up from the bed to crash his mouth against yours, but you held him down firmly. You smiled as a pleading expression started to form in his eyes.
perfect.
you forced his face to the side, your lips brushing against the piercings that lined the shell of his ear. “Who has something on their mind now, hm?”
you jumped off of him, noticing the wild expression as you slipped from his grasp. You went straight into the bathroom that was inside of your room and closed the door. Your heart was beating fast. You knew that you had put on that little performance for your own sake, but you were starting to think that it had backfired. You felt the tingling rush in your lower belly, and all you really wanted to do was go back out there and get back on top of him; preferably with less material between the two of you. But you pushed that feeling away, reaching for the shower handle to turn on the hot water before removing all of your clothes.
you didn’t want to take too long, so you washed quickly. You scrubbed all the sweat and dirt off from being at the bar earlier, and the steam cleared any excess haze you had from the alcohol. Once you felt like you were finally clean you stepped out, wrapping a towel around your body. It was only then that you realized your mistake.
in your rush to get into the bathroom after teasing jungkook, you had forgotten to grab a change of clothes. Fuck. You shook your head, no this was fine. He’d seen you less clothed yesterday at the beach. It wasn’t a big deal, but you still felt awkward as you opened the door. Jungkook was still laying on the bed, his eyes immediately roaming up and down your damp body.
you ignored his stares, but you still felt his eyes burning a hole in your back as you turned to rummage through the dresser that held the clothes you’d brought for the week. You were holding up a couple of different shirt options when a sudden sensation running up the bare skin of your back shocked you into dropping them on the floor.
your head snapped up, breath tangling in your lungs as you saw jungkook’s body behind you in the mirror. His head was slowly rising up between your shoulder blades, and you realized the cool, wet feeling along your skin was him dragging his pierced tongue up the curve of your spine. You couldn’t stop yourself from whimpering as his eyes slowly revealed themselves over your shoulder. They were staring at you with such lustful intent, and you wanted so badly for him to take it out on you.
your breathing went erratic as he snaked a hand into your hair, pulling it so that the side of your neck was exposed for him to continue his path up your body. He stopped as his mouth hovered over your ear.
“that was mean, you know,” he whispered, wrapping his other hand that wasn’t in your hair around you stomach to pull you against him. You hissed at the feeling of his cock pressed against your lower back. “Getting me hard and running away like that.”
you swallowed, your mouth completely dry. You wanted to try and reply with a steady voice. “I was just getting back at you for teasing me.”
jungkook spun you around, and the reflection from the mirror had not been doing justice to the way that he was looking at you right now. His fingers played at the edge of your towel, pulling it slightly before it completely dropped to the ground and left you completely naked before him. His eyes raked over you, nostrils flaring as he took in the sight of you completely bare before him.
you were suddenly very aware of the fact that you were the only vulnerable one in this situation. Jungkook was still completely clothed. “Don’t you think it’s a little unfair that i’m the only one naked?”
he looked at you again, taking a break from his scowering of your body. “That just means you’re going to be the one that gets to come. Doesn’t that sound fair?”
you suddenly felt hot at the description of your apparently impending orgasm from jungkook. You only managed to nod your head, and it made him smirk as he stepped closer, placing both hands on either side of your face. Your breath hitched as he leaned in, placing a kiss against your mouth before pulling back just an inch. He stayed there, the playful glint in his eyes seeming to say, if you want this you’re going to have to come to me now.’
you didn’t hesitate to close the gap, wrapping your arms around his neck as you crushed your lips against his. The gentleness he’d pecked you with earlier was extinguished by the caress of your tongues as he yanked you back and laid you flat on the bed. His mouth moved to your neck, and his teeth grazed at the skin of your shoulder, sending a wave of electricity straight to your center. You gripped the back of his shirt, making your realize that something needed to change.
“take off your shirt at least. I don’t wanna be the only one naked.” You yanked the fabric up stomach.
he sat up, pulling the shirt over his head and throwing it onto the floor. The sight of him looming over your body made you quiver, arms shaking as you forced yourself to sit up on your elbows.
he smirked, one of his hands reaching down to squeeze the top of your thigh. “I think you just wanna watch me shirtless while i eat your pussy.”
that was exactly what you wanted actually. To watch his back flex while he had his head between your legs—but you weren’t going to tell him that. “If you do it well enough then i shouldn’t even have the energy to look down at you… i’ve heard your pretty good with your dick, but maybe you’re not very skilled in this area.” You quirked a brow a brow, shrugging your shoulder.
however, jungkook’s face shifted, and suddenly he was pulling your hips down the bed, your head falling flat against the mattress. He leaned down, face hovering above yours for a moment. He placed one hand by your head, the other cradling the side of your face. He used him thumb to coax your jaw open, and your breath hitched as he slid his tongue inside of your mouth.
the kiss from yesterday had been intense but quick. It was something done in the midst of a goodbye, no time for anything extra. This… this was different. Slow, languid movements that had you threading your hands into his hair to keep him in place. You didn’t want him to stop. You wanted that controlled and steady brush of his tongue to go on forever, and you realized that was what he was trying to show you. It had been a joke, you insinuating that maybe he wasn’t good at going down on someone. You knew he was probably good at it. But right now he was showing you everything that he was going to do to you between your thighs while he was inside of your mouth. The thought of it had to squeezing your legs together, and you could feel how wet your already were as you began to squirm. This went on for another minute or so, and you knew that he wasn’t going to move his attentions to where you wanted unless you ended this kiss. He wanted to make you admit it. God, this man was killing you.
eventually, you pushed him away. Your breathing grew heavy as you stared at the way his lips had turned red and glistening. “Okay, you win. You’re good at that too.”
jungkook smiled. “Good girl.”
he gave you a quick peck before he disappeared from above you, and your legs were suddenly being pulled over his shoulders. You sucked in a shaky breath as you felt him mouth his way up the inside of your thighs. He was torturing you, slowly making his way towards your center until you were fisting the covers as you waited. The longer it went on the tighter you squeezed.
finally, you couldn’t take it anymore. “Please—” you were going to resort to begging, but just as you said the word you felt the cool brush of his tongue along your clit. The sensation from his jewelry made you tense up, your thighs immediately trying to trap him there.
you could feel him chuckle against you as he forced your legs back apart. “I’m not going anywhere. I got you this fucking wet i’m gonna fix it for you,” he promised before his mouth was back on you.
“fuck, that’s feels so good,” you whispered, back arching off the bed as you grabbed the hair on the back of his head, urging him along in his movements. He groaned, the vibrations making you press your yourself harder against his mouth.
one of his hands traveled along your lower stomach, and he used his palm to press down gently, the extra pressure inside of you making your eyes screw shut. You didn’t think it could feel any better until you felt the brush his fingers from his other hand caressing at your entrance. You were so wet. His finger slid inside of you and your mouth fell open as you bucked against him, trying to get it to go deeper. But he held you down with a growl as he added a second finger, an your legs almost instantly began to shake on top of him.
it took every ounce of resolve you had to lift your head up so that you could look down at the man currently devouring you. You felt the instant punch to your gut as you watched him work between your legs, licking you in every place that you needed him to, never straying from a spot that wouldn’t make your toes curl. Every time his piercing slid against you clit you felt yourself getting closer and closer.
jungkook glanced up, and your expression must of been of someone fucked out of their mind, because his movements slowed down as his eyes darkened, like he wanted to just flip you over and fuck you face first into the sheets. You also wanted that, and you almost hoped he’d do it. But instead he started to suck at your clit with light flicks of the tip of his tongue, and your head instantly fell back against the bed.
“f-fuck, i’m gonna c-come. Gonna come.” Your hold in his hair was pulling even tighter now and you felt him hum as he continued to break you down. “Don’t stop. Please, don’t stop.”
he didn’t deny you. He kept going, fingers still pumping inside of you as you finally felt that building pressure snap and your lower belly convulse beneath his palm. You let out a high pitched whine as your hips lifted off the bed, your legs sliding down jungkook’s shoulders as he sat up. He ran his hands up and down your thighs, but your eyes were still squeezed shut as you tried to find some sort of control over your breathing again.
eventually you were able find some minute amount of strength to sit up, but your body felt weak as you did so. You looked up, and jungkook was staring down at you, patiently waiting for you to level out. But all you were focused on was the dripping wetness of your arousal still shining around his mouth and chin. His lips were swollen, and you couldn’t stop yourself from crawling towards him on your hands and knees before throwing your arms around his shoulders to kiss him.
it wasn’t like the one before where he was being slow with intent as he showed you the way he was going to eat you out. Which, truly hadn’t even compared to the actual act you had just experienced. Instead, this kiss was messy and desperate. You could taste yourself on his tongue as your nails scratched into the back of his neck while his hands tangled in your hair.
you forced yourself to pull away after you lapped away all of the your wetness from his mouth and face. “You’re gonna do that to me again, right?” You asked, practically panting. “Before i leave?”
jungkook grinned, pushing a strand of wild hair behind your ear. “Oh, i plan on doing that to you over and over and over again before you leave.” He placed a kiss on your lips. “But not just with my mouth.”
you looked down between your bodies, and your eye widened. You could see the way his cock was tented against his gym shorts, the stretchy material leaving nothing to the imagination of how fucking big he was. You felt your core swell with that feeling of want once again. You started imagining how well he could fuck you with it when he tapped your chin forcing you to look at him again.
“trust me, i want to.” He paused, licking his lips as he stared down at your face like he also truly wanted it just as badly. “But once i start with you i’m not stopping, and i’d really prefer your parents not come home in the middle of you screaming while i make you come.”
you felt yourself groan at the idea of him forcing yells of pleasure from you, but shivered in horror at the idea of your parents accidentally hearing it.
“yeah, i guess you’re right.” But you found yourself glancing down at his cock once again, still completely hard. “Do you want me to…” you trailed off, not sure why you were being coy about the idea of returning the favor by giving him head after he’d just had his tongue and fingers all over you.
he shook his head, but you saw the way his dick twitched inside of his pants. “I told you earlier, you’re the one who’s naked, so you’re the one that gets to come.”
his words suddenly made you realize that you were in fact still completely naked. It was stupid but you suddenly felt yourself covering yourself slightly with your hands.
he laughed, standing from the bed and facing away from you. “Would you prefer if i turned around while you got dressed?”
“haha, very funny,” you said as you climbed off the bed as well.
“wear something comfortable. Like sweats and a hoodie. I’m taking you down to the beach out front, and it’s only like an hour till sunset so it shouldn’t be too hot.” He was still facing away from you, letting your dress in private. It was strange, he had a dirty mouth, but then he would do things like turn around while you changed after giving you an orgasm. It was odd, but kind of sweet at the same time.
you followed his suggestion, fishing out an oversized hoodie and some sweatpants. You put the items on quickly. “Alright, i’m decent. But not like you haven’t seen everything at this point.” Jungkook faced you again, his dick slightly softer but definitely still visible. You pointed at it. “You’re going to scare the children, you know.”
he chuckled, sticking his hand down his pants and tucking it into the waist band of his boxers you assumed. He brought his fingers into the air, wiggling them. “Magic.” You snorted, watching as he grabbed a hoodie from his backpack that he’d discarded on the floor earlier. He slipped it over his head, and then walked over to you and grabbed your hand. “You ready?”
“yeah, ready.”
you interlocked your fingers with his, and he led you downstairs. Both of you headed for the backdoor and down the steps that went towards the beach.
“so are you showing me anything interesting today, or is this just a post-coital romantic walk?” Jungkook laughed as he guided you closer to the shoreline. He knelt down in front of you, pulling the legs of your loose sweatpants up to the middle of your calf. “What’re you doing?”
he stood up. “We’re going on a hunt for shark teeth, darling.”
your eyes widened as he turned to walk away, looking down at the sand as the waves lapped at his bare feet. Both of you opting to leave your shoes inside. “Shark teeth?”
he bent down, picking something up out of the sand. He held it up in front of you. It was a small, black triangle. “Mhm, like this.”
jungkook placed it in the palm of your hand. You poked at it with your finger. “Is this really a shark tooth?”
“it’s millions of years old, but yes, it’s real.” He put his hand in your lower back, ushering you down the beach. “It’s a tiny one, but you can find pretty big ones sometimes. They have so many teeth so they’re pretty much all over the shoreline here.”
“ you know, you’re really not helping the case for me getting back in that water this week. Showing me evidence of all of the creatures that could eat me.”
he pointed at a place in the ground, and you leaned down to pick it up. “These guys have been dead a long time. They’re not gonna give you any trouble.”
this tooth was a little bigger than the last, maybe the size of a nickel. “Their offspring might revolt at me stealing their ancestors body parts though.”
jungkook laughed hard, doubling over. “I know i told you this before, but you really are funny, you know that?”
“thank you. Now you can say you aren’t just sleeping with me for my good looks.” You flipped your hair dramatically, leaving him behind as you continued down the beach to search for more teeth.
jungkook stayed a little bit behind you, looking around for any that you may miss. It was hard to notice them when they were surrounded by distracting shells of all colors and shapes. You picked up one that was cream colored with maroon stripes. You turned it over it your hand. It reminded you of all the shell-themed decorations in your room. It was pretty for sure, but also so… typical? You weren’t sure if that was the right word. But in the end, you threw it to the side, deciding that the hunt for the teeth of the things that you had always feared was much more interesting.
you wondered around for a little while, finding a couple more of those elusive triangles in the sand, when you suddenly saw something sticking up from the wet sediment beneath your feet. You leaned down, digging around and you finally were able to pull it out.
“oh, my god! This was one’s fucking huge!” You yelled, waving it in the air. Jungkook jogged over to you, an impressed look on his face as he took in the shark tooth that was the size of your palm.
“damn, that’s a keeper for sure,” he said, putting it into his pocket.
you scoffed, reaching for it. “Hey, i’m the one that found it.”
he laughed, pushing your hand away. “Calm down. You’ll get it back, sweetheart. I’m just gonna do some stuff to it first.”
you narrowed your eyes. “Okay, but you better not be lying.”
“never.” He threw an arm around your shoulder, pressing a kiss to your temple. “Come on, let’s go sit up on that hill. The sun’s about to set.”
you nodded. “Okay.”
once you guys managed to make it through the sliding sand, both of you giggling as you tried to stop the other from falling, jungkook sat down, pulling you to sit in between his legs. He flipped the hood of your jacket up before pulling you back to lay your head on his chest. It felt comfortable in a way that it shouldn’t for someone you’d known for so little time.
you glanced out at the ocean, the orangey-red sky bursting with color as it refracted through the clouds. It was beautiful, the sky slowing darkening around all that light.
“this is probably something even someone who lives here forever never gets tired of, right?” You asked, bending your ne |
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| Area Briefs: Wood girls track wins Rocktown meet |
| Posted on Monday, April 20 @ 00:02:22 PDT (6 reads) | |
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Harrisonburg — the james wood high school girls track & field team placed first out of 24 teams at the rocktown raptors invitational on saturday.
the colonels scored 74 points, five more than runner-up fort defiance (69). James wood placed fourth in the boys meet with 36 points. Charlottesville was first with 75 points and spotswood was second with 70.
james wood girls leaders: isabelle french (100-meter hurdles, 16.56 seconds, first, long jump, fifth, 16 feet, 5 inches); alexis brown (100, second, 13.01); alina kieffer (1,600, second, 5:32.25); 4x100 (brown, sierra-nicole wimer, melanie padilla, french), second, school-record 50.13; 4x400 (grace thompson, peyton sinasac, mallory juvinall, reese lessard), second, 4:27.10; claire snell (1,600, third, 5:33.99); 4x800 (marley savino, vivian porter, bella posey, katelyn palmer), third, 10:46.75; emerson hart (3,200, fourth, 14:17.04); alexandra van meter (100 hurdles, fourth, 18.03); jordan bowes (100 hurdles, fifth, 18.25; 300 hurdles, fifth, 52.39); kylie salyer (3,200, fifth, 14:19.50); reese lessard (400, fifth, 1:03.20).
james wood boys leaders: 4x400 (ivan andrews, riley malone, jorel baltimore, connor kenney-fitzner), first, 3:40.80; duncan stanton (110 hurdles, second, 15.50; jorel baltimore (110 hurdles, third, 15.52; 300 hurdles, third, 41.41); ben clark (shot put, fourth, 41-1); connor kenney-fitzner (200, fifth, 24.15).
millbrook girls third at hampshire meet
romney, w.Va. — Led by janai washiingtons four event wins, the millbrook girls placed third to lead local performances on saturday at the 10-team hampshire invitational on saturday.
the pioneers scored 79 points to finish behind west virginia schools washington (135) and hampshire (103). Clarke county took fourth with 59.
in the boys meet, clarke county was fourth with 55 points and millbrook was seventh with 14. West virginias frankfort (189.5) and hampshire (98) took the top two spots.
millbrook girls leaders: washington (200, first, 26.62; 400, first, 1:01.55; high jump, first, 5-2; long jump, 15-10, first); aubrey steinmetz (3,200, first, 12:28.96); 4x800 (caydence bayne, aubrey steinmetz, marisol lara, adilyn steinmetz), first, 10:24.51; lara (3,200, second, 13:37.38); rowan mccullough (100, fifth, 13.59); sophia crosen (200, fifth, 29.25); adilyn steinmetz (800, fifth, 2:44.43); kennedy mccullough (shot put, fifth, 28-6.5, discus, fifth, 85-11).
clarke county girls leaders: haley foltz (discus, first, 110-2; shot put, fourth, 28-10); grace gerenski (400, second, 1:04.55); 4x400 (mia timberlake, emma husted, margaret myer, lyla gerenski), second, 4:31.59; paige stemberger (400, third, 1:05.27); 4x200 (grace gerenski, money, stemberger, carmen russell), third, 1:52.29; money (100, fourth, 13.50; long jump, fifth, 14-8); husted (400, fourth, 2:37.73); ella roberts (300 hurdles, 55.18, fourth); lyla gerenski (1,600, fifth, 6:09.32).
clarke county boys leaders: elijah abdulbarr (110 hurdles, 15.25, first); maximo aiello (discus, 134-3.5, first); brody ellis (800, second, 2:06.43); adam hillerson (1,600, second, 4:48.21); luke thompson (high jump, 5-8, third); lucas hornbaker (3,200, fourth, 11:59.66); sam donohue (3,200, fifth, 11:59.85); 4x400, fourth, 3:55.05; 4x800, fifth, 9:46.63.
millbrook boys leaders: samuel lapp (3,200, second, 10:35.81); 4x400 (andrew williams, justice blowe, nicholas taylor, jackson reid), third, 3:52.64.
handleys mullins wins at colgan invitational
manassas — junior ej mullins won the 200 meters to lead handleys performances at the 16-team colgan invitational on saturday.
team scores were not available. Mullins had a time of 25.19 to win by 0.58.
other handley girls leaders: amaya smith (high jump, second, 4-10, triple jump, 31-9.75); reagan edsell (discus, third, 80-9.75; shot put, third, 29-4.5); keila de la o granado (200, fourth, 27.10); cloy clain (shot put, fifth, 25-9.75).
handley boys leaders: isaiah baxter (high jump, second, 6-0; long jump, third, 21-0.75); tyler davis (discus, second, 130-8); reece mcalister (pole vault, second, 11-6); brock ashe (110 hurdles, third, 15.87); triston darling (discus, third, 130-6); everett otto (1,600, fifth, 4:40.61); keon ulmer (high jump, fifth, 5-6).
sherandos messick takes discus at cardinal classic
gainesville — sophomore emma messick captured the discus to highlight sherandos performances at the 28-team gainesville cardinal classic on saturday.
team scores were not kept. Messick had a mark of 97 feet, 11 inches to win by 1 foot, 4 inches.
other sherando girls leaders: aariya pun magar (discus, second, 96-7); hannah beck (discus, fourth, 91-1, shot put, seventh, 29-2); savannah judy (discus, eighth, 85-2); kalysta falls (100 hurdles, ninth, 17.66).
sherando boys leaders: 4x400 (quintin priest, chester konisiewicz, hatcher smith, tommy miles), fourth, 8:29.00; miles (800, fifth, 2:03.29); tate martin (discus, seventh, 131-8, shot put, seventh, 46-6.5); 4x100, ninth, 45.92.
college baseball: su swept by roanoke
winchester — no. 4 shenandoah university was swept 11-7 and 15-6 in an old dominion athletic conference doubleheader by roanoke college on saturday on the teams senior day.
the hornets (28-7, 11-6 odac) had the lead in both games against the maroons (20-15, 7-10).
in game 1, su led 1-0 after one inning and trailed 6-5 after five innings, 8-5 after seven and 11-7 after eight.
su was led by carl keenan (2 for 4, 2-run home run in fifth inning, 2 runs, walk); kyle garrett (2 for 5, double, rbi); jaime padilla (1 for 3, double, 2 rbis, walk); and kody dobyns (1.1 shutout innings, 2 hits, walk, strikeout).
in game 2, su led 3-1 after one inning, 4-1 after two, 4-3 after three and 6-4 after four. Roanoke scored four runs in the fifth inning for an 8-6 lead, then scored in each of the last four innings (one in the sixth, three in the seventh, two in the eighth and one in the ninth).
the hornets were led by garrett (2 for 4, 2 rbis), kemper omps (2 for 4, rbi); keenan (2 for 5); padilla (2 for 5, double, rbi); and dillon mauzy and adham sahebzadah (1 for 4, rbi, walk each).
college softball: virginia wesleyan sweeps su
winchester — shenandoahs 11-game win streak was snapped on saturday after being swept by no. 1 virginia wesleyan university in an odac doubleheader by the scores of 9-2 and 16-4.
the marlins are 36-0 (18-0 odac) and the hornets are 26-8 (11-5).
in game 1, the marlins led 3-0 after two innings, 3-2 after three, 5-2 after four and 7-2 after six in the seven-inning contest.
su was led by cadence rieg (2 for 3, double), brenna westwood (1 for 3, rbi), allison mcqueeney (run, walk), payton jensen (1 for 3, run); paige eagleton (1 for 3, double); and makayla cox (rbi).
game 2 lasted five innings, with the marlins scoring 11 runs in the top of the fifth for a 16-2 lead.
the hornets were led by westwood (2 for 3, run); jensen (1 for 2, triple, run, rbi); rieg (1 for 3, double, run, rbi); ella montgomery (1 for 2, rbi); and sydney adler (run, walk) and cox (rbi).
womens lacrosse: su 20, sweet briar 0
winchester — shenandoah celebrated its senior day with an odac win over sweet briar college on saturday in three quarters.
the hornets (10-6, 5-2 odac) led 10-0 after one quarter and 14-0 after two quarters against the vixens (0-13, 0-7).
su was led by emily ramson (5 goals), natalie opatovsky (5 assists), brinley tozer (3 goals), acadia massie (2 goals, 1 assist), cecelia rock and ayla jantz (2 goals each), sofia albi and sarah karlinchak (1 goal, 1 assist each), cameryn bowker (2 assists) and madison perry and erin nash (combined shutout).
mens lacrosse: virginia wesleyan 12, su 11
winchester — in its regular-season finale and on senior day, shenandoah fell 12-11 to virginia wesleyan university in an odac game.
two goals in the final two minutes of the game gave the marlins (11-6, 5-5 odac) the win against the hornets (5-12, 3-7). Su trailed 2-1 after one quarter, led 6-4 at the half, 10-8 after three quarters, and 11-10 with 3:25 left on a goal by xavier parker (2 goals) on an assist by jake green (4 goals).
su was also led by noah nolt (1 goal, 4 assists), cody griffis (2 goals), liam arnsmeyer (1 goal, 1 assist) and ryan feldman (12 saves).
mens tennis: su 6, guilford 1
greensboro, n.C. — Shenandoah ended its regular season with an odac win over guilford on sunday.
the hornets are (12-5, 6-2 odac) accumulated 12 wins for the fourth consecutive season and beat the quakers (2-16, 2-8) for the fourth straight season.
su singles wins: no. 2 lucas beasley 4-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-7); no. 3 artem babaiev 6-3, 6-2; no. 4 siddharrth rajagopalan 6-4, 6-1; no. 5 max arkans 6-0, retired; no. 6 neal love 6-0, 6-0.
su doubles wins (one su point): no. 2 shine tokas/beasley 6-2; no. 3 dominick suwak/aryanth chintharlapalli 6-1.
su 7, bridgewater 0
bridgewater — shenandoah beat bridgewater college on saturday in an odac match. The eagles are 8-10 (1-7 odac).
singles winners: no. 1 dominick suwak 6-1, 6-1; no. 2 shine tokas 6-0, 6-0; , no. 3 lucas beasley 6-0, 6-0;, no. 4 artem babaiev 6-0, 6-0; no. 5 siddharrth rajagopalan 6-2, 6-2; no. 6 max arkans 6-0, 6-0.
doubles winners (one su point): no. 1 babaiev/neal love 6-1; no. 2 tokas/beasley; no. 3 suwak/arynath chintharlapalli 6-0.
womens tennis: guilford 4, su 3
greensboro, n.C. — Shenandoah fell to 7-10 overall and 5-5 in the odac wih a loss to guilford (10-6, 6-4) on sunday.
su singles winners: no. 5 leigha montrief 6-2, 6-4; no. 6 madison shawver 6-0, 6-2.
su doubles winners (one su point): no. 2 erin talko/samantha calvert 6-2; no. 3 kendra gillette/montrief 6-0.
su 7, bridgewater 0
bridgewater — shenandoah defeated bridgewater in an odac match on saturday. The eagles are 6-12 (1-7).
singles winners: no. 1 atlee hilliard 6-2, 6-2; no. 2 olivia guzzo 6-0, 6-1; no. 3 erin talko 6-0, 6-1; no. 4 samantha calvert 6-2, 6-4; no. 5 kendra gillette 6-1, 6-2; no. 6 madison shawver 6-2, 6-0.
doubles winners (one su point): no. 1 guzzo/hilliard 6-0; no. 2 talko/calvert 6-2; no. 3 gillette/leigha montrief 6-2.
— compiled by robert niedzwiecki |
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| Alicia Carmody Reveals Real Reason She Hasnt Married Billy |
| Posted on Monday, April 20 @ 00:02:22 PDT (6 reads) | |
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The real housewives of rhode islands alicia carmody is shedding new light on her nearly decade-long engagement to fiancé bill billy kitsilis, including the real reason why they still havent gotten married.
during episode 4, alicia opened up about her issues with billys proposed prenuptial agreement, and she had even more intel to offer on the real housewives of rhode island after show. First of all, alicia insisted that she is obsessed with her fiancé, before also clarifying that she is more than willing to sign a prenup.
he came from nothing, she explained of the lawyer and restaurateur. His family was immigrants from greece. He went to college and did it all himself. Hes worked so hard. He owns a lot of businesses, more than 10; he started with his family. And some stuff i dont even know, you know? But hes quiet, and i love that about him. Hes not flashy. So, i think that, like, he is so protective, and i respect that.
related: a complete guide to the rhori casts families, friendships, feuds & more (exclusive)
alicia continued, so i was like, i will sign a prenup. I dont want to take away from what you did in the past. I dont want your businesses with your family and your friends and everything, but, like, i just want something.
as she previously shared on rhori, her attorneys looked over the initial legal documents and informed her that billy was not even leaving [her] with a penny, nothing. Alicia noted that hed also refused to put her name on the family home they share with their 9-year-old daughter, celina.
so, i feel like i live rent-free, she added on the after show. This is my problem. I dont really pay for anything. I pay for my nails. ... Deep down inside, im like, ok, like, youre not working. But he didnt really want you to work, alicia.
how the proposed prenup caused a setback with alicia carmody marrying billy
so, it wasnt, like, an easy situation for me, alicia elaborated. It kind of made me feel like, you dont trust me.
she went on to point out that she doesnt even spend his money now, even though she really could be buying f--kin whatever i want.
related: what does the real housewives of rhode island cast do for a living?
i feel like people that know me and love me know that the reason why they love me the most is because they trust me, alicia said. And the person that, like, i shared a daughter with didnt trust me. So, i felt slighted by that. And that, like, caused a setback in our marriage. Its made me feel like im not worthy enough.
when castmate jo-ellen tiberi theorized that it was alicias own insecurity that was holding her back from walking down the aisle, she agreed that it was probably true. Regardless, alicia had nothing but praise for her longtime fiancé.
hes the best guy, she gushed. He would die without me, and i would die without him.
why alicia carmody described herself as a runaway bride on rhori
during rhoris april 19 episode, alicia also unpacked her financial arrangement with billy, along with her history of getting cold feet when it comes to marriage.
billy is very much in control of my finances right now, and i hate having to ask him, now that im not working, for money, she explained in a confessional. From what i do remember as a little kid, my dad took everything we had, and we had no money. I get angry all over again.
as she further told a producer, ive always been a runaway bride. I was always in long-term relationships, just about to get engaged. ... And then right before, id be like, you know what? I dont think this is my forever. And i would break up with them. So, with billy, like, i got the ring, im finally engaged, and now i still am hesitant on getting married because its like i think i need more from him. I need to feel more of a commitment before i make my commitment.
later, alicia filled in her castmates on how she had been actively growing the pizza mamma business with billy, before underscoring the fact that none of it was actually in her name. I have all these ideas, she said. I want to show him, like, i can do it. Like, i am not just a girl thats going to do your laundry all day.
as alicia summarized in an interview, i hate asking billy for money. I feel almost embarrassed, intimidated with the whole financial thing.
as she navigates challenges in her relationship, find out what else is ahead for alicia on rhori season 1.
text usfor breaking news and more! |
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| York County Soccer Stars Selected for Clash of the Carolinas All-Star Showcase |
| Posted on Monday, April 20 @ 00:02:22 PDT (6 reads) | |
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Four standout soccer players from york county schools have earned spots on the south carolina roster for the 2026 clash of the carolinas, the nation’s only interstate prep soccer all-star event, set for june 20 at the orthocarolina sportsplex in pineville, n.C.
the annual showcase pits top graduating seniors from south carolina against their counterparts from north carolina, giving the region’s best players one final opportunity to represent their state before moving on to college programs.
local players earning spots
all four local selections landed on the boys roster, reflecting the strength of york county boys soccer programs this past season.
clover high school goalkeeper cohen brinkley earned the backstop role on the south carolina squad, one of the most prominent positions on the roster. His clover teammate evan tubilio also earned a spot among the field players, giving the blue eagles two representatives in the showcase. Fort mill’s juan jose gomez adds another local presence to the south carolina attack, while nathanael finley of catawba ridge rounds out the york county contingent, earning the copperheads a representative in one of the premier senior showcases in the carolinas.
the full south carolina rosters
the complete boys roster features 18 players drawn from programs across the state. Cohen brinkley, a goalkeeper from clover, anchors the back line. Field players include mohammad alahmad of wando, jacob braden of chapin, oliver cannon of james island charter, savvas chionakis of south aiken, smith darby of j.L. Mann, joshua desouza of ashley ridge, nathanael finley of catawba ridge, juan jose gomez of fort mill, trey hall of bishop england, luka kucinic of st. Joseph’s, cullen maas of a.C. Flora, wels mcleod of lucy beckham, brody pike of powdersville, jud scrivner of powdersville, evan tubilio of clover, jalen tucker of chapin, and owen willcox of west ashley. The boys squad will be coached by brian gamble of dixie and bob taylor of chapin.
the complete girls roster is equally geographically diverse. Emmy rikard of eastside, lila bowers of chapin, ava brown of southside christian, ally buchanan of mauldin, bela charriez of river bluff, adriana dunat of lexington, rose finnegan of greer middle college, natalie gullo of wando, emerson hamilton of greenville, jayden irby of eastside, keira jeffries of wando, lola kelly of st. Joseph’s, kelsey merriman of riverside, brooke ogorek of river bluff, ella petry of oceanside collegiate, bella spadavecchia of wade hampton, sydney stoner of chapin, and katie villiger of j.L. Mann make up the 18-player squad. The girls team will be coached by carlos osorio of dorman and sheila wyer of southside christian.
about the event
the clash of the carolinas holds a unique place in high school athletics as the only prep soccer all-star game in the country that crosses state lines. The event brings together the top senior players from both carolinas for a competitive showcase that draws college coaches and scouts alongside family and community supporters.
this year’s matches return to the south charlotte area after previous editions of the event. The orthocarolina sportsplex in pineville provides a premier venue for the occasion, with quality turf and facilities suited to a showcase of this caliber.
for york county soccer families, the june 20 matchup in pineville is an easy trip, with the venue sitting just across the state line from the fort mill and tega cay area. Fans looking to catch a final glimpse of some of the county’s top senior players before they move on to college programs will find the drive to be a short one.????????????????
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| York and Lancaster County Players Represent North Team at North-South All-Star S |
| Posted on Monday, April 20 @ 00:02:22 PDT (8 reads) | |
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Several players from york and lancaster county programs have earned spots on the north team roster for the 2026 north-south all-star soccer matches, set for saturday, june 13 at anderson university in anderson, s.C.
the north-south all-star event holds the distinction of being the palmetto state’s oldest high school soccer all-star showcase, bringing together the top graduating seniors from across south carolina and dividing them geographically into north and south squads. This year’s matches mark a venue change after seven consecutive years at t.L. Hanna high school, with anderson university hosting the event for the first time.
local players on the north roster
york and lancaster county schools placed several players on the north team this year, with representation on both the boys and girls sides.
on the boys side, fort mill’s chase fandel and andrew jackson’s lawson ardrey both earned spots among the north squad’s 18 players, joining a roster that draws from programs across the upstate and midlands. Indian land’s coen wilson also earned a boys selection, giving the panthers their own representative in the state’s premier all-star showcase.
the girls side features even stronger local representation. Fort mill placed two players on the north girls roster, with emma hilsmier and emerson shelton both earning selections, a notable achievement for the yellow jackets program. Nation ford contributed two players as well, with sophia banzon and annie newton both earning spots, reflecting the strength of the falcons girls program this past season. Indian land also placed two players on the north girls roster, with teammates cj johnson and berkeley slepokura both earning selections, giving the panthers strong representation on both the boys and girls sides of the event.
the local connection extends to the coaching staff as well. Lee hanna of andrew jackson will serve as one of the two north girls coaches, alongside greg boney of indian land.
north boys roster
coaches: david schroer, a.C. Flora; todd lea, greer middle college
• brandon jaramillo, eastside
• william ossman, christ church episcopal
• lawson ardrey, andrew jackson
• jeffrey bao, riverside
• johnny bunecke, st. Joseph’s catholic
• julio cruz-zepeda, dorman
• chase fandel, fort mill
• mateo gartner lavina, christ church episcopal
• alex hand, wade hampton
• erik martinez, southside
• steele miller, wren
• kyle monte, mauldin
• eric perez, woodruff
• zach pollard, dorman
• rhys roberts, st. Joseph’s
• seth williamson, pendleton
• asher wilson, eastside
• coen wilson, indian land
north girls roster
coaches: greg boney, indian land; lee hanna, andrew jackson
• sophia tzouvelekas, christ church episcopal
• sophia banzon, nation ford
• laura boggs, a.C. Flora
• haley campbell, wade hampton
• landry franklin, riverside
• emma hilsmier, fort mill
• cj johnson, indian land
• kinsie kulig, hillcrest
• corrine langston, j.L. Mann
• jillian muir, dreher
• annie newton, nation ford
• lydia parker, eastside
• emerson shelton, fort mill
• alyssa singh, greer middle college
• berkeley slepokura, indian land
• madison stanley, wren
• kate tiller, greenville
• hayleigh winkler, gaffney
south boys roster
coaches: neil veloso, fort dorchester; thad miller, river bluff
• rafael gusmao, fort dorchester
• keith mccune, ashley ridge
• david andrade, gray collegiate
• andres campo, gray collegiate
• wade douroux, river bluff
• hampton eirvin, waccamaw
• enzo fania, hanahan
• blake fuss, north augusta
• jason green-adams, waccamaw
• austin ipock, lexington
• ernesto marceleno-brazell, swansea
• caelen michner, lucy beckham
• cris morales, phillip simmons
• christian ott, myrtle beach
• cesar ramirez, academic magnet
• christian sanchez, st. James
• dominic smith, bishop england
• blake yarborough, academic magnet
south girls roster
coaches: emily heise, gray collegiate; jamie brindel, spring valley
• addison rollison, summerville
• anna bart, lexington
• elizabeth brady, bishop england
• maliha brown, river bluff
• brynn calendine, bluffton
• charlotte cline, bishop england
• vanessa coleman, gray collegiate
• victoria coleman, gray collegiate
• fay de los santos, carolina forest
• omi griffin, james island
• mckenna igoe, cane bay
• lilah jennings, waccamaw
• emily lorenzo, waccamaw
• avery morgan, fox creek
• madeline moye, academic magnet
• madeline runyon, carolina forest
• adriana sansonese, south aiken
• eiliyah tomes, cane bay
about the event
the north-south all-star matches represent the capstone of the south carolina high school soccer season, giving the state’s top graduating players a chance to compete one final time in a meaningful setting. The move to anderson university this year brings the event to a collegiate environment with strong facilities and a central location accessible to families from across the upstate.
for york and lancaster county soccer supporters, the june 13 date offers a chance to make the roughly 90-minute drive to anderson and watch local players represent their region against the best senior talent the rest of the state has to offer.????????????????
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get all the top stories delivered straight to your inbox every sunday morning—just like the classic sunday paper. Grab your coffee and catch up on everything you missed this week. Sign up today! |
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| Tracker Recap Season 3 Episode 17 Finds Colter Shaw in a First-Ever Situation |
| Posted on Monday, April 20 @ 00:02:22 PDT (8 reads) | |
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Tracker
tracker recap season 3 episode 17 finds colter shaw in a first-ever situation
tracker season 3 episode 17, titled “daughters,” found colter shaw in a messy first-ever situation, caught by the suspect (and killer) he was pursuing.
a serial killer, to be exact, which honestly isn’t a situation anyone should ever want to find themselves in.
colter took on the case to help find a missing girl named tori, who was a witness to a triple homicide.
the case was one of the more horrific ones colter has dealt with, as the parents were suffocated with a bag over their heads and propped up in their beds, while tori’s best friend, julie, was stabbed.
tori was sleeping at the time of the murders, but the killer knew not to leave a loose end, pulling her from under the bed, where she was hiding, and kickstarting a search mission for her that likely would not have ended successfully if her parents hadn’t hired colter.
the police and the fbi weren’t taking the case as seriously, aside from fbi special agent temple, who heard about the murders and was intrigued to see if it was the same serial killer she was investigating.
after chatting with colter, it was clear that the killer matched the profile and was the lead she was looking for to put an end to his crimes finally.
both temple and colter had the same goal in mind—to find tori by any means necessary and stop the killer from taking anymore victims.
and in this case, they were both equally as useful to each other. What colter didn’t see, temple did, and vice versa. She also had plenty of insight into the killer’s previous movements, allowing them to pinpoint that in this situation, the killer was surprised by julie and killed her in a panic.
they leveraged his misstep, including leaving behind the murder weapon, to their advantage.
without the murder weapon, they likely wouldn’t have been able to find where he was keeping tori, as the killer was simply that skilled at covering his tracks.
but tori was never the goal. He intended to take julie, but was forced to pivot after killing her instead.
colter’s past was also a huge help here, as the killer was a skilled hunter, so colter was able to understand his decisions and movements.
after realizing the knife was handmade, he was able to track down the person who made it, eventually leading them straight to g. Lee, the suspect.
and that, likely to no one’s surprise, was the hairstylist.
honestly, the moment they went to chat with him, it seemed like the obvious answer, but colter didn’t look into him at all. I guess he didn’t want to jump the gun and had no reason to suspect the hairdresser, but i’d have likely looked into anyone who came into contact with the girls that evening.
that being said, a photographer with previous charges was the perfect decoy. And the hairstylist knew it, which is why he planted the knife inside the guy’s rv who took the girls’ photos just hours prior.
steering the cops and fbi down a different lane bought the suspect some time, but colter was still pursuing other leads, especially when it was clear that the photographer had no clue about the murders.
and then in an unexpected twist, colter allowed himself to get ambushed while walking into the serial killer’s lair. His guard was up, but it wasn’t up enough.
when he woke up after being knocked unconscious, he was chained down. It was too close for comfort, i’ll say, but it also adds a smidge of realism that colter isn’t always coming out on top.
any normal person would’ve immediately lost their cool in such a situation, but colter wasn’t rattled in the slightest.
he was able to convince the killer to show him that tori is alive, which in turn bought him some time so that he could wrangle out of the chains.
thankfully, colter didn’t come to the killer’s house without telling anyone where he was going (a common tv series trope), but temple walked right into g. Lee’s trap, as she activated the motion sensors that allowed him to get a one-up on her, too.
he shot her in the clavicle, thankfully missing all the main arteries, but it would’ve ended poorly for her had colter not broken free from his restraints and snuck up on the killer.
the evening could’ve had a much different outcome, but it didn’t come to that. Temple survived, with colter restoring a sense of hope in her, reminding her that, although there is plenty of darkness in this world, it’s a better place because they try to make it so.
julie was reunited with her parents, and despite the trauma of everything she’d seen and endured, she was alive.
it was yet another gripping episode of tracker, proving that the series has found its groove when it comes to episodic cases, though it’s still missing out by not allowing things to get deeply personal for colter. I’m holding out for the finale for any momentum into the case involving his father’s death, though, i really don’t think we should be waiting till the final episode to make any headway either.
lizzy buczak is the founder of craveyoutv. What started off as a silly blog in her sophomore year at columbia college chicago turned her passion for watching tv into an opportunity! She has been in charge of craveyou since 2011, writing reviews and news content for a wide variety of shows. Lizzy is a music business and journalism major who has written for radio.Com, tv fanatic, time out chicago, innerview, pop’stache and family time.
tracker
‘tracker’ recap season 3 episode 15 – no good deed
tracker season 3 episode 15 delivered a deeply personal episode—not for colter shaw, but for randy
while colter usually operates as a lone-wolf survivalist, this episode gave us a chance to see the team dynamic up close, including a long-overdue in-person pairing with his go-to hacker, randy. And it make for great television.
randy is usually a wizard behind the computer, but in the field, he showed he’s a little rusty
normally, he’s the one saving colter’s butt, because, if we’re being honest, colter wouldn’t be able to move through these cases with the speed and efficacy if it wasn’t for randy’s talents, but this time, colter was able to pay back the favor when randy got in a bit of a sticky situation.
randy was almost a goner when he trusted the wrong man and didn’t realize there was another person in the house pointing a gun at him, but colter did, and he arrived right in time to save randy from a potentially disastrous conclusion.
the duo joined forces to help find randy’s good friend, who disappeared from his home while on house arrest.
the situation surrounding the disappearance was strange, no doubt, and at first, it seemed as though simon was kidnapped by the shady dude he was spying on in the neighborhood.
that wasn’t the case, however, as colter and randy soon learned that simon’s robin hood complex got him into a pretty sticky situation.
simon used his drone to spy on his neighbors and saw something he shouldn’t have.
when he saw the neighbor dragging a woman’s unconscious body from the back of his pick-up, simon sprang into action.
but as the title of the episode suggested, no good deed goes unpunished, as simon ended up lending a hand to a woman who was married to one of the biggest fentanyl dealers.
admittedly, it was one of the craziest twists i didn’t see coming.
bruna seemed like a victim, and while she still was, as she was clearly kidnapped, she also wasn’t completely innocent.
here’s where the case got a little complex and too difficult to follow, as bruna immediately resisted any treatment at a hospital despite bleeding out because she knew that would trigger an investigation.
and the kidnapping was actually staged by her husband, who was trying to get rid of her because it was cheaper than divorce, hence why he didn’t pay the ransom.
see—convoluted for no reason.
it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of seeing colter and randy in action together again, but it definitely felt a little far-fetched and forced.
there was a shootout, with bruna’s husband shamelessly taking a shot at her, before colter took him out.
bruna was left to pay the ultimate price for whatever it is she was involved in, and it allowed colter to deliver the best line on television—”i think he’s helped you enough”—when bruna, who killed simon’s friend, whom he called for assistance without even blinking an eye, had the nerve to ask him to help her.
randy and simon were able to come together after the ordeal, with a very important lesson emphasized—while randy and simon were best buddies, they also hadn’t talked for quite some time, but simon didn’t hold any of that against him, noting that randy “showed up when it mattered.”
as for simon, reenie was able to postpone his court date and possibly get him a plea deal for his cyberhacking crimes.
fans were also treated to a tender moment between reenie and colter, and i love that he didn’t skip town without checking on her. There was a time when romantic flickerings between these two existed, but the show has pretty much snuffed out any relationship potential here; it’s almost more meaningful that colter cares about reenie on a friendship level.
he’s worried about her because he sees the signs, while reenie is adamant that she’s okay because she’s in denial. Sometimes strong women feel like they have to keep the facade up because if they admit that they’re hurting, the whole empire comes crumbling down.
however, just knowing that there are people who care and see through the brave face that you’re putting on is enough.
what did you think of the episode? Do you want to see more of colter working in person with randy and reenie? I’m hoping as we inch towards the finale, the mystery surrounding his past and his father bubbles up, and whatever reenie’s new client is involved in requires colter’s expertise.
tracker
‘tracker’ recap season 3 episode 14: a field trip that’s far from ‘paradise’
tracker season 3 episode 14 delivered a solid hour of television as colter helped a desperate father find his missing son.
the one thing i’m constantly craving more of from the justin hartley show is that the cases connect with him on a more personal level.
“field trip” was the perfect storyline to weave into his case involving the mysterious events surrounding his father’s death.
after all, he was helping a father who would do anything to find his son after a field trip gone wrong, including randomly attacking a man whom he thought may have been harboring information. It wasn’t the best decision on his part—and likely why colter never lets the client tag along on his fact-finding missions–though it was understandable. Tempers and tensions run high when a child is abducted, especially for the parent.
unfortunately, tracker didn’t use the father-child storyline to their advantage in the way they should’ve, slightly missing the mark to dig into colter’s personal life and emotional well-being. I understand putting the storyline on the back burner, but it’s been quite a while since we’ve revisited anything connected with it. The series even had the perfect setup with colter’s speech about most dads never getting second chances, so it’s clear that they haven’t forgotten the storyline. Maybe it’ll be the focus of the second half of the season, leading into the finale.
having paradise’s billy as the hot-tempered dad was a perfect choice, considering we got to see him fighting for something he cares about so deeply, though i feel that for someone who has such momentum to his name right now, jon beavers was slightly underutilized.
as for the storyline, well, it was deeply triggering for a parent, but also an important reminder that you can never be too careful who to trust. In this case, there were several potential abductors, of whom would have fit the bill—a mother who lost custody of her children and kidnapped a child the same age as her son, a teacher who has been tutoring his student and grew an obsession with him, and finally, a neighbor that the parents though they knew and trust who had been teaching the child chess.
two out of the three potential suspects had a chance to groom the child, but any one of them could’ve been responsible for the abduction.
in this case, the teacher definitely didn’t seem suspicious when the fire alarm went off, nor did he give any indication that he knew where alex was when the other teacher brought it up.
the neighbor, however, had enough information to know where the boy would be, know that he was sensitive to sounds, and built up trust with the child to know that he’d leave with him.
in a world where anyone can have terrible intentions, it’s not about isolating yourself and your children, but simply paying attention and teaching them to pick up on the signs. In this case, alex left with noah because he thought he was helping him, but he knew something was wrong the whole time. He knew he should call his mom because she would be worried. He wasn’t entirely fooled by the explanation that he could watch tv so late at night because his mother wouldn’t allow him to do that at home.
while sarah and james both felt that they should’ve seen through noah’s act and that they should’ve done more, the fact that alex was able to recognize that these things felt wrong—and knew to run when he saw noah fighting mr. Brooks—proves that they’ve done their job as parents.
and when colter came to the rescue, alex knew that this was a person who could be trusted; he didn’t push or try to convince him that everything was peachy.
eventually, alex was reunited with his parents, and while colter played a huge role in the successful rescue, it wouldn’t have been possible without randy.
randy, quite frankly, is the glue to this whole operation. Without his technical skills and abilities, colter would never have gotten anywhere in time. How else would he have even found the cabin’s address? Though i’m not entirely convinced that part was logical, even for a tech whiz like randy.
either way, it’s a good thing they upped lee to a series regular starting with tracker season 4, because he does all the heavy lifting.
and then there’s reenie’s case. I can’t say i fully trust maxine or that she’s got good intentions. Something just feels off about it.
but i do believe reenie when she says tells kurtis lauper that she’ll fight like hell for him to get justice from the corporation that made him so deathly sick and then tried to gaslight him and his loved ones into thinking it was all in his head.
i do think it will come at a great personal cost to reenie, but it may be her most important case yet, and at some point, will likely pull colter into the fold.
colter works in the field, so it makes sense that none of them ever share the screen together, but hopefully a case brings them to the same city soon enough. It’s a huge disadvantage.
what did you think of the episode?
tracker
tracker recap season 3 episode 12 – ‘do no harm’ brings revenge to the forefront
tracker season 3 episode 12, titled “do no harm,” found colter shaw navigating a case of deep trauma and revenge.
but the case didn’t pan out the way he expected.
after a doctor named evelyn went missing, colter tracked down her recent whereabouts to a bar, learning that she went home with a regular customer by the name of josh.
naturally, everyone assumed that josh was the suspect while evelyn was the victim, and that he kidnapped her or did something to her, but the further colter got into the case, the quicker he realized that it was the exact opposite.
evelyn pursued josh, sought him out at the bar and then kidnapped him. But why?
under the surface, evelyn was dealing with the trauma of something that happened to her while she was still in college. And with each additional piece of information colter was able to gather, it began making more and more sense.
evelyn’s boss, dr. Hopper, expressed that she’d been acting weird lately, pinpointing a moment where she refused to treat a patient who was brought in following a car accident.
that patient ended up being josh, a man that she recognized as the perpetrator in a brutal sexual assault during a halloween party in college.
evelyn’s trauma bubbled up to the surface as she began plotting her revenge against the man who took everything from her.
josh pretended not to remember any of it, but it was clear that he didn’t offer to drive her home when she was sloppy drunk out of the kindness of his heart, taking her to his place as she “stumbled” around, likely hoping to take advantage of her state.
the worst part was that josh didn’t even remember evie after all the pain he’d caused her.
while no one condones vigilantism, it’s understandable why she felt compelled to hold him accountable all these years later.
not only did she torture out a confession from josh, but she also got the name of his accomplice, though, as colter mentioned, this part of the revenge plot was being improvised rather than meticulously planned, which meant plenty could go wrong.
and it did.
seeing that victor had built a “beautiful” life for himself with a wife and children only fueled evie’s fire, as she broke into his home and pointed a gun at him. Victor, much like josh, pretended not to know who she was, but that was also a front.
victor’s wife was the unexpected obstacle, as she bashed evie over the head to save her husband, as he warned her not to call the police and take the kids to her parents’ house. That was the first red flag and indication that victor knew evie’s claims weren’t unwarranted.
when his wife was out of the house, he showed his true colors, turning into a ruthless monster, the one who raped evie all those years ago.
it was tough watching this scene play out, especially since evie no longer had the upper hand and was pretty powerless as she was being tossed around by victor, who attempted to silence her forever. The scene was even more terrifying when you think about the instances where this is a reality and no colter shaw is coming to the rescue.
thankfully, in this moment, colter was just a few steps behind evie, arriving in the nick of time.
while evie’s decision to go rogue and pursue revenge by going to such great lengths may not have been the best course of action, she felt she had no other choice. She needed to look them in the eyes, she needed closure, and she didn’t think anyone would help her achieve it.
and it did end with josh, who turned out to be a suspect in a number of assaults, going away for a long time, which is all thanks to evie.
there’s definitely plenty of concern for reenie this season, who’s been dealing with some ptsd of her own following last season’s kidnapping. Grief often catches you off guard, but reenie is trying to work through this on her own and under the radar, which doesn’t seem healthy or effective. Colter catches on that something is off, but she brushes him off, though i hope he’ll encourage randy to keep an eye on her, especially after she just made a deal with the devil by taking on that new case.
reenie is whipsmart, so she knows that something smells off, but i think she assumes that by taking on the case, she’ll be able to figure it out and bring justice. I’m not sure i’m convinced of that, as the woman she’s making the deals with is giving shady with a capital s. And i’m worried she’s going to drag down mel with her, not that i fully trust mel to begin with.
from the very beginning, mel has been way too obsessed with asking questions about colter and his gigs. It may be because she wants to crack her own mother’s cold case, or there’s something off about her, too. Either way, i think the situation with reenie will bring colter into the fold soon enough when it becomes too big for them to handle alone.
what did you think of the episode? While i found the case entirely satisfying, it didn’t intrigue me like some of the earlier ones this season. It didn’t necessarily require colter’s particular set of skills and felt more like filler than something to truly move the storyline along. And man, can we get some clarity on colter’s dad soon? |
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| The Dough Lady is on a roll |
| Posted on Monday, April 20 @ 00:02:22 PDT (7 reads) | |
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It’s been almost two years now since eric and amy lund opened their dough lady bakery here in millcreek, and more than five years since first launching its online predecessor. That’s easily tens of thousands of cinnamon rolls ago. And do you know who still can’t quite believe it?
amy. The dough lady herself.
“i’m genuinely shocked when someone comes through that door,” she says. “I still can’t believe they want to buy something i created.”
who knew? All she wanted to do was bake.
that’s what launched what has grown into utah’s latest sweet tooth phenomenon.
well, that and covid-19.
amy grew up in sandy with her sisters lindsay and aubrey, all of whom loved to bake because that’s what their mom, janene, loved to do. Janene had a baking philosophy that made it fun and took the stress out. Just follow the recipe, she’d tell her girls. “If you can read, you can cook. The kitchen is a laboratory.”
“we did a lot of hobby baking,” says amy. “Our whole activity on sundays was, ‘what’re we gonna bake?’ My dream growing up was to one day own my own bakery. It was just a pipe dream, though.”
one she abandoned when she went away to college at utah state, graduated in public relations and got a job working in marketing for a health care business.
but then two things happened, both in 2020, that changed the course of her life, one of them really bad, one of them really good: covid-19 and marrying eric.
the pandemic hit in the spring of that year, just as amy and eric — a fellow utah state graduate with a degree in accounting — were getting serious about their relationship. Undeterred by social distancing restrictions, they were married in the fall and moved into a 1,300-square-foot townhouse in woods cross.
luckily, they were both able to keep their day jobs, which they could do remotely, but like everyone else sheltering in place, they had a lot of time to kill and not a lot to fill it with. They started brainstorming about side hustles, which led to amy saying, “well, i can bake,” followed by, “you know, i can’t remember the last time i had a really good, gooey cinnamon roll.”
that’s paraphrasing, but not by much.
and so the dough lady was born.
“i’ve always had the mindset when i taste something, ‘i can make it better,’” says amy, who set out to make the best cinnamon rolls in utah. Her bedrock rule was (and is): “don’t skimp on filling and don’t hold back on the frosting.”
“utah loves sugar,” she adds, smiling. “Everybody has their vices, ours is sugar. We wanted to be high-quality sugar.”
the business was all online at first. Amy would advertise her frozen take-and-bake dough on instagram, and on weekends, she and eric would do what they called “pop-ups” at grocery store parking lots along the wasatch front to deliver the dough to their customers (and vice versa) and sell fresh cinnamon rolls.
they began doing this in november of 2020, just in time for the holidays. The first inkling they got that they were on to something was when they looked at the long lines forming in the parking lot. Standing 6 feet apart, people were queuing up to buy all the dough and cinnamon rolls the dough lady could make.
amy is quick to add that it took a lot more than just great cinnamon rolls, however.
“none of it would have ever happened without eric,” she says. “He was behind me from the start, encouraging us to do this. He knows accounting, he knows the numbers, he knows how to run a business. I’m just the girl who loves to bake.”
in 2024, the lunds moved into the brick-and-mortar phase of their business when they leased a building on 2300 south in millcreek that used to be a bakery. They’ve been adding customers and employees (they’re up to 23) ever since. In the near future, they have plans to open a second bakery in lehi.
all of it continues to be a constant source of amazement to amy.
she remembers back to when they first decided to go for it and bought a $3,000 mixer that they hauled into their tiny apartment and set up in the corner of the dining room.
she took one look at the machine, “and i started sweating; i had a hard time breathing. I said, ‘i’m gonna need a minute to lie down.’ I couldn’t believe we were actually doing this.”
five and a half years later, the dough lady’s disbelief remains as consistent as the lines out the door. |
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| International Talent Shines at Visit Goldsboro NC Junior Championship at Lane Tr |
| Posted on Monday, April 20 @ 00:02:22 PDT (6 reads) | |
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Goldsboro, n.C. — Top junior golfers from across the country and around the world competed in the third annual visit goldsboro nc junior championship hosted by the american junior golf association at lane tree golf club, wrapping up three days of competitive play and impressive performances.
the 54-hole stroke play tournament featured 78 boys and girls ages 12–19, drawing elite junior golfers from across the united states and internationally. After three days of competition, michael vivone of ottawa, ontario, canada captured first place in the boys division, finishing with an impressive 12-under-par.
second place went to jackson renquist of atlantic beach, florida, who finished at 10-under-par. Brady barnum of dublin, ohio secured third place with an 8-under-par performance.
in the girls division, keira shavitrankruk of orlando, florida claimed first place, finishing at 9-under-par. Second place went to juneo taino of pinehurst, north carolina, who finished at 4-under-par.
third place resulted in a tie at 1-under-par between pikeville native ella june hannant and kanchana duangsam rudd of orlando, florida.
local interest remained strong throughout the tournament as pikeville native zada hannant also competed, finishing the tournament at 10-over-par.
the tournament marked the third consecutive year the american junior golf association has brought the championship to goldsboro, further solidifying the area’s growing reputation as a destination for high-level junior golf competition.
the visit goldsboro nc junior championship continues to provide young athletes with opportunities for college recruitment, national exposure, and experience competing against top-tier talent — all while showcasing the goldsboro community to visiting players and families. |
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| Euphoria Season 3 has ruined Sydney Sweeneys character Cassie in humiliating way |
| Posted on Monday, April 20 @ 00:02:22 PDT (6 reads) | |
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Before i had ever watched a minute of hbo’s teen drama euphoria, i had already seen the bare breasts of cassie howard, played by sydney sweeney. In the gif i glimpsed, shared online, she was in the bathroom at a high school party, making out with jacob elordi’s character nate, the longtime on-again, off-again boyfriend of cassie’s best friend. Plenty such gifs exist on the internet—there are many horny users devoted to capturing, for posterity’s sake, any scene with topless cassie—but in this specific context, the poster was deploying it to advance an argument that sweeney was, counter to her apparently maga fan base’s beliefs, far from a heartland sweetheart on the brink of ending wokeness forever. She was, instead, they suggested, just an actress who would take a part requiring that she show chest early and often, while playing a character who was a dirty cheat.
that may have been the impression that cassie left many viewers with by the end of euphoria’s second season, but she wasn’t always like this. When i finally watched the show, in the lead-up to the long-awaited release of its third season this april, i felt a bit defensive on her behalf. It may be difficult to remember, considering the number of years that have passed in between seasons, but back then, there was a pathos to cassie that justified all the humiliating storylines thrown at her, and even her many nude scenes. No longer. Now, in season 3, cassie has lost everything that made her even a little bit interesting. Those omnipresent gifs—yes, more of them!—Of current-day cassie dressed as a sexy little puppy are not, as a cassie defender might still hope, obscuring some more interesting or subversive ideas about her character (at least, not in the three episodes that critics were able to screen). Finally, after all these years, those sweeney haters who think her part on euphoria is a useless humiliation ritual have been vindicated: euphoria’s most pitiful character has become the worst possible version of herself.
euphoria’s first two seasons were about high schoolers wrecking themselves on the rocks of life, largely unencumbered by parental guidance. It made sense for creator sam levinson to include a character like cassie, a girl cursed with a handsome, absent addict of a father, who’s been told since she was in puberty that she has the best face and body in school. (Parents of girls often wonder whether it is a bad thing to tell your daughter she’s beautiful. Cassie is proof it probably pays to be careful.) In season 1, you feel for cassie as she tries to keep a relationship going with mckay (algee smith), a boyfriend who’s gone off to college and is distracted by his new life. He won’t claim her in public, and he talks constantly about football. She reacts by taking ecstasy at a carnival, making out with another guy, and having a very public orgasm while riding a carousel (ah, euphoria), all of which only creates more problems. At the end of the season, after she terminates a pregnancy, her sadness about breaking up with mckay feels overwhelming.
in season 2, which opens with that infamous bathroom moment, cassie, uncomfortably single, swoons into a dalliance with nate, who has long been involved with her best friend maddy (alexa demie). Although he, a sadistic jock with high standards, doesn’t seem like someone who’d brook a fool like cassie, he can see the advantage of being with a woman who would do anything to keep him. “Pretty girl with daddy issues” is hardly a groundbreaking archetype, but something about cassie made it hard to look away, especially in season 2. She’s liquid without a bottle—constantly in tears, drinking too much, and throwing up in the hot tub. A memorable montage follows cassie setting her alarm for 4 a.M., Shaving her legs, donning beautifying masks, using rollers on various body parts, and painting on her makeup, as she prepares for school during a period when she and nate are on a break. ”Even if nate pretended not to notice her, it was her way of telling him she was his,” zendaya’s character rue says in voice-over. In this phase of her life, cassie’s volatility gives sweeney scope as an actress. Cassie’s mother, suze (alanna ubach), a wine mom in a bad way, can’t get on board with her affair with nate, confronting her about the “principle” of “not fucking your best friend’s boyfriend.” Sweeney ugly-screams: “that is what i”m trying to tell you, mom! They weren’t boyfriend and girlfriend, god!” (“I just want to watch my millionaire matchmaker in peace,” her mom replies.)
but in season 3, after the show’s five-year time jump, the spectacle of cassie’s former messiness has resolved itself into a dry, boring caricature of money-hungry self-obsession. She and nate are still together, and living in an unrenovated palace of a house in their hometown, while the rest of the characters have scattered to cities, doing the things twentysomethings do. Cassie used to prostrate herself for love; now, she’s motivated by money. She wants a fancier wedding than nate can provide—specificially, a wedding with $50,000 worth of flowers. “I didn’t wait my entire life to have a ghetto wedding,” is how she puts it, in a way crueler formulation than season 1 or season 2’s cassie would have ever used.
cassie turns to the idea of earning money on onlyfans after flirting with posting risqué content of herself on tiktok. Maybe she does so because, as rue says in voice-over, she’s “so desperate for attention she’s willing to humiliate herself.” Maybe the puppyplay photos—and the other pics and videos that juana (minerva garcía), their housekeeper, helps her take, including one deeply awful one of cassie holding her feet in happy baby pose and sucking on a pacifier—can be explained by cassie being a former high school hottie whose distracted husband isn’t providing what she wants. But these new humiliations feel distant, provoking no sympathy at all from viewers already repelled by sweeney’s public persona, still reeling from the slap of that “ghetto.”
but the most embarrassing cassie scene in season 3’s newly aired second episode is the one in which cassie and her former bff maddy, who now manages talent including actors and influencers, have poolside drinks after years of no contact. This interaction shows cassie at her least interesting: silly, grasping, ambitious but incapable. Cassie humiliates herself, and she has no idea. “I just feel like if more people knew me, i would be huge,” she says to maddy, who not-very-gently breaks the news: “the market’s just oversaturated with a lot of girls like you.” Maddy tells cassie she doesn’t know the right people, and has no taste; in maddy’s professional opinion, her content looks desperate. It “tries too hard, instead of just being.”
“being what?” Cassie asks, to which maddy replies: “yourself.”
“who am i?” Cassie asks.
“that’s a really good question,” maddy replies.
once upon a time, in the far-off world that was euphoria’s first two seasons, cassie was somebody’s daughter, somebody’s friend. You could even squint and see that she believed she actually loved nate, even if that was a dangerous delusion. The vulnerable qualities sweeney brought to the role gave you the feeling that this girl was intensely needy. For a star sometimes accused of doing too much for attention, who was at the time right at the precipice of fame, that old cassie made perfect sense. Now, sydney sweeney is a household name and a political lighting rod, and the character she became famous for has become inhumanly awful, with no relationship to anyone at all, except herself. “I honestly can’t tell whether levinson is obsessed with cassie or hates her—probably both,” wrote a fan on reddit about this new season. Before season 3 started, i would have picked the first option. Now, i’m not so sure. |
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