#I-10 freeway closure
Text
Metrolink Expands Service: San Bernardino Line Supports I-10 Closure
🚆 Traveling to downtown LA? Metrolink has expanded service on the San Bernardino Line during the I-10 freeway closure, providing a convenient alternative. Beat the traffic! 🚗🚦 #Metrolink #Transportation #LA
Image: Metrolink
In response to the recent closure of a crucial section of the I-10 freeway in downtown Los Angeles, Metrolink has stepped up to provide expanded weekday service along the San Bernardino Line. This measure aims to ensure that travel from the Inland Empire to downtown Los Angeles remains accessible during the closure period. The closure, caused by fire damage, has significantly…
View On WordPress
#downtown Los Angeles#expanded service#I-10 freeway closure#Inland Empire#Metrolink#San Bernardino Line#traffic congestion
0 notes
Text
September 7th 2023 | Cores for Heroes Submission | M. Ford | 1963 Beetle
I served in the USMC from 05-09. I went through boot camp at MCRD San Diego and School of Infantry at Camp Pendleton CA. I was sent to 7th Marines in 29 palms the end of January and February 14th we left for Iraq. I had to learn everything on the go, baptism by fire. My 1st tour was in a town called Husaybah Iraq, on the boarder of Syria, and the Euphrates river. Was a wild west kind of town. My 2nd tour was in a small town called Kubaysah, just outside of Hit Iraq. My journey took me to Baghdad to testify against two bad guys we caught throwing grenades at our patrols. The best part of that trip was swimming in Sadam Hussain's pool, and i have the picture to prove it! My 3rd and last tour was in Karma and NE Fallujah, sadly having to leave my post early I was sent home due to my Dad's untimely passing. Upon arrival back in the States I also lost my great grandmother within two days of being home, grateful I was able to tell her goodbye, wish I could have had that closure with my Dad. My Dad and Uncle Dave brought me up with a love of cars and Racing. My first car was a 69 bug that I drove while in HS and sold it before I joined the USMC. I regret selling it to this day and no pictures remain of it. My favorite past-time was cruising in my 69 bug all over the Columbia River Gorge corridor and county back roads. After moving from Oregon to Texas I decided it was time to build something. So I found a 1963 that I am currently restoring from the ground up. The theme for this bug will be USMC, going to call it the "Teuful Hunden" bug or as most people know it "Devil Dog". It will be painted red, with gold doors and rims, the Marine Corps colors. This build is really helping me find parts of me I left over seas. It's going to be a long build being a disabled veteran and on a budget. I have been ordering all the new body panels first. Was going to order a pro beam with disk brakes and a Freeway flyer with disk brakes from Air kewld but having a chance to win them is really awesome of you guys. Thanks for the opportunity and your time. M. Ford USMC
M. Ford is entered into our Cores for Heroes Program here - https://www.airkewld.com/Cores-for-Heroes-Program-s/2532.htm
To date, we have 12 submissions to win and we have raised $445 dollars of our $10,000 goal.
In our honest opinion, the US Armed Force members, are so under-appreciated. The PRO's are finally in a place to put a plan together that helps everyone that participates, but more importantly, those who served or serving.
Details will slightly change as we get more context, but here's the idea.
I want to give back to those who have fought for our freedoms, regardless of our political beliefs. I didn't fight for my country but my father did and he is fighting PTSD, mental disorders, agent orange, etc., etc. I get to build products for the greatest clients in the world because of it. So, how do I make something happen?
The PRO's need cores. The AirkewldArmy has cores. Within the AirkewldArmy community, reside members of the US Armed Forces that want/need/could use a boost in their life, whether it is financially or upgrades to their favorite VW.
To give some context on our Core Program, the PRO's need certain parts to make our PRObuilt Line of Classic Volkswagen Drive-Train Components. In the past, the PRO's would print out a prepaid shipping label and rebate an order if our client/s sent that core in and it checked out. Payment would be reimbursed to the client, store credit or trade for something else, would take place. With a unique but small twist, a BIG change can make a humongous difference.
If our current or past clients, the AirkewldArmy, sent their cores in, based on a value proposition, the PRO's would give them the opportunity to win two ways. The first, for every $10 in core value, would be one entry on a quarterly drawing to win Airkewld Swag, like work shirts, tee's, hats, stickers and air fresheners, $100 gift cards to Airkewld.com or even a $500 Visa/Airkewld gift card. The second, for every $10 in core value, once the PRO's accrue $10,000 in cores, the PRO's select a Hero, to receive a Complete Airkewld Drive-Train Package or $10,000.00 (Our CEO would fly to them and personally hand them the check), delivered to their door, FREE of charge. Heroes would enter by telling their story, both about their military experience and passion for their Classic Volkswagen.
Airkewld receives usable cores. The AirkewldArmy wins FREE Stuff. Together, the PRO's and the AirkewldArmy show appreciation to someone who deserves better, our Military Heroes.
Who's ready to make a difference today?
8 notes
·
View notes
Text
2023 Year End List - #10
Raven - Kelela
Main genres: Alternative R&B
A decent sampling of: Ambient Pop, UK Bass, IDM, Art Pop, Breakbeat, Downtempo
In the mid-2010s, Kelela burst onto the then-burgeoning alternative R&B scene with a force so powerful that it felt like she was almost certainly going to be the next really big thing.
For those not in-the-know, the artist Kelela a.k.a. ከለላ (as it is written in her ancestral Ethiopian Semetic language Amharic) is an American singer from Washington D.C. who pretty quickly established herself as possibly the most popular and influential female artist in her artistic movement for the brief period that she had previously been active.
Her vocal timbres manifest as cool shades of arctic blues. She channels the smooth, ornamented technical performances that many famous women in late 90s and early 00s R&B really mastered, artists like Ashanti and the members of Destiny's Child. But her full talent is really brought together by the powerful air of sophistication she exudes in the way she carries her voice, establishing her presence essentially as the ruling gentle ice queen sovereign of R&B.
I didn't end up checking out her now certified modern classic 2017 debut LP Take Me Apart until mid-pandemic in 2020, and I kinda felt like I had missed out on something huge. Because just as fast as she took storm of the alternative music world, Kelela all but vanished, maintaining a relatively low profile and sharing almost no new material for the better part of half a decade.
So imagine my excitement when Kelela finally dropped the lead single for her latest project towards the end of 2022. Finally, I would get to experience the roll out as it happened in real time. And what a treat it turned out to be.
Raven is subtle, pristine, sensual, untouchable, and captivating. The album is an R&B enigma, dissolving all of the crucial elements of its genre at the molecular level, and reconstructing those components into a different state of matter - a gaseous fluid of ambient melodies and misty vocals that you can feel breathing down the back of your neck, making the hairs stand on end with the tingling sensation.
I don't know how she managed to do it, but Kelela and her team made a record even more revisionist to R&B than her previous Take Me Apart. This is a definitive benchmark in the evolution of its medium.
The record begins with the ambient dreamscape of vast star-rising horizons on barren planets that is "Washed Away". This could easily represent a sort of baptism or rebirth for the artist - a hell of a way to make a much anticipated comeback after six years between this and her last record. The song introduces the "far away" lyrical motif that will be revisited on later tracks, adding to the album's otherworldly properties.
"Happy Ending" is a robust athletic and deeply sensual breakbeat frenzy, like a kickboxing match that ends in intense oral stimulation with your sparring partner. It's the sound of everything that happens in the dark after you turn the lights off with a fiery passionate lover, giving in to the heightened imagination of the remaining four senses. Also, "Let's play catch babe - I'll throw it back" is absolutely the #1 best sexual lyric of 2023.
"Closure" opens with this really chilly, illusory tinkering bell synth arpeggio that just - UGHHH it's so satisfying. The rest of the track is dungeonesque, dark and icy cold like a warehouse freezer, fusing elements of dubstep, UK bass, and trap into an atmosphere so vivid and dense, I could swear I feel the temperature around me dropping. And guest underground rapper Rahrah Gabor absolutely kills it with her ice cold bars about hot steamy sex (You see what I did there? Yeah I'm pretty clever thank you so much for your validation).
"Contact" incorporates punchy 2-step into it's breakbeats, riding on heart-racing beats drag racing down interstate freeways, before diving into blurry midnight unknowns and landing under velvety bedsheets that transport you to dreamy (wet) fantasy worlds. The production alone could tell the exact same story that the lyrics describe. Never ending city lights and the soft glow of the full moon. This is what every Friday night should feel like.
For the finale, "Far Away" reprises "Washed Away" with an even greater sense of majesty, eschewing the cloudy compression of the original to give way for a much clearer, more organic, and expanded sound. In a way, it feels like the album cover itself - finally peeking your head out from the submerged ocean depths to experience the setting stars with a truly stunning and sublime clarity.
My one misgiving with this album is that I find myself a bit run down and fatigued with its tracklist length and total runtime. I've seen many others share this sentiment - It's a gorgeous record throughout, but there are moments that feel like repeats of others, and some of it really just melts together in a way where half the runtime is significantly less memorable than the other half.
But when it's great, it's goddamn spectacular. I honestly feel like I'm being unfair to this one by having it so low on my list - it's objectively a beautifully conceived project.
Regardless, Kelela has, for the most part, totally delivered on the seemingly impossible task of satisfying the expectations created by her long hiatus. Raven is what every comeback record should be - a reinvention of the artist that stays true to their roots, but breaks new ground and raises the bar.
8/10
Highlights: "Contact", "Far Away", "Washed Away", "Closure", "Bruises", "Happy Ending", "Enough for Love"
1 note
·
View note
Text
After I-10 closure, America's car capital grapples with freeway future - The Washington Post
After I-10 closure, America's car capital grapples with freeway future The Washington Post http://dlvr.it/Sz0Xlp
0 notes
Text
Massive Arson Fire Closes Key LA Freeway, Residents Beg Xi Jinping to Visit so Authorities Will Fix It
As if big-city life in Los Angeles wasn’t already stressful enough, a huge fire broke out underneath the 10 freeway Saturday, damaging the structure and causing a closure for an undetermined length of time. Officials told residents to brace for significant traffic issues as they assess the damage to the crucial artery.
The cause of the fire has been determined to be arson, Governor Gavin Newsom announced Monday. Most people who live in Tinsletown immediately concluded that it likely started at a homeless encampment because blazes emanating from camps routinely break out in the city, which is in a state that hosts the largest homeless population in America. I live not too far from the 170, and brushfires at the exits are seemingly weekly occurrences—and they don’t just break out by themselves.
Watch:
Newsom:
Gov. Gavin Newsom said investigators were trying to determine if one person or more were involved. He gave no other details.
“I have to stress that we have determined what started the fire,” Newsom told reporters.
The fire erupted Saturday in two storage lots under Interstate 10.
Construction materials combusted quickly and the fire grew. It left many columns charred and chipped and the deck guardrails twisted.
Some are hoping Florida Governor and GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis can help because he has a reputation for getting stuff done, while Newsom has a record of destroying things.
At this point, officials aren’t even sure how badly the overpass is damaged or how long it will take to repair. Meanwhile, residents will be living in a traffic nightmare, and even supply chain networks will be affected.
Beyond a massive traffic headache, the closure is expected to be felt well beyond the metropolis, including possibly slowing the transport of goods from the twin ports of LA and Long Beach, federal officials have said.
The ports handle more than half the goods coming into the country. President Joe Biden had been briefed on the fire.
“It’s disrupting in every way, whether you are talking about traveling to and from work or your child care plans and the flow of goods and commerce, this will disrupt the lives of Angelenos,” LA Mayor Karen Bass said.
The damage appears to be extensive:
Mayor Bass also said, "There is no reason to assume the origin of this fire ... is because there were unhoused individuals nearby." No, no reason at all, Karen, except for the fact that there are up to 24 fires a day that start in homeless camps.
Residents have hope, though—perhaps Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit LA and authorities will wondrously clean things up like they did in San Francisco. SoCal attorney Julie Hamill:
"Xi Jinping should visit LA next and then they will clean it up!" Citizen Free Press posted on social media.
Perhaps those who theorize that the fire came out of a homeless camp will be proven wrong and it will turn out that somebody did this for other nefarious reasons. Nevertheless, you can certainly forgive residents for coming to that conclusion because the conditions are more than ripe under the "progressive" policies that have turned this city and this state into a laughingstock that even the Chinese media mocks.
Until Xi or DeSantis stops by, however, many Angelenos will be living in traffic hell while our officials tell us, "Nothing to see here, folks!"
0 notes
Text
"There was malice intent": Gov. Newsom says arson caused massive fire under I-10 freeway in Downtown LA
CBS News
BY DEAN FIORESI, MATTHEW RODRIGUEZ
UPDATED ON: NOVEMBER 13, 2023 / 4:32 PM PST / KCAL NEWS
During a press conference on Monday, California Governor Gavin Newsom disclosed that a preliminary investigation revealed that arson appears to be the cause of the massive inferno that forced the indefinite closure of the I-10 Freeway over the weekend.
Read more…
View On WordPress
0 notes
Text
Entry 4 - Challenges you faced (the nature of the work, working hours, organisation, motivation, tabling of ideas).
The biggest challenge I faced by the length of the Flemington straight was the unreliability of the Adobe Premiere Pro Software due to the slow and crowded servers at SEN. Specific clips such as ones recorded in the Melbourne studios would be quick to edit and upload as export times would only take a minute or two and footage would be clear to skim through to cut the correct timecodes. However, for the likes of clips to be produced from the Adelaide, Sydney, Perth and Brisbane studios not only would export times have me twiddling my thumbs for up to 10 minutes, but also footage that needed to be watched through wouldn’t be able to load properly.
This meant that I would attempt to go back and reload a part of the video that was skipped past and not played in order to try an understand what part of the clip I was up to. This process, especially from the Sydney and Adelaide studios would have to repeat every ten seconds of the clip at hand.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1595975570256547841
(Kymbo & The Rooch were one of SEN SA shows that would take forever to load and export, SEN SA 1629)
I wouldn’t have to face this as much on Saturday shifts. ECN (2017) determines that in the internet ‘rush hour’ “data speeds drop by up to 30%”. Therefore, I believe that due to the more frequent foot traffic in the office throughout the week this was the reason behind the painstakingly slow exporting and loading times.
Another challenge I faced was the commute to the office. Being from Berwick, traditionally a trip to the city would take approximately an hour or so whether it be via car or train. Throughout the duration of the internship there were several Pakenham line closures that Berwick Station is on meaning it wasn’t a reliable service. On top of that the station that is only two kilometres from my house, was upgrading its car park for a 2023 expansion. This meant that in the meantime half of the car park was unavailable for use, thus scratching the option to go into SEN via Berwick Train Station. Driving in the full way was also not an option with parking on weekdays not only limited to a couple of hours but it also had to be paid for. This meant for all weekday shifts I was given that I would have to create a hybrid use of multiple forms of transportation to get to work.
It would go as follows. Drive from my house in Berwick to either Holmesglen Station or Huntingdale Station depending on track works or the congestion on the Monash Freeway. Next, take the train in from either station to Flinders Street. If I was going in from Huntingdale Station, I would have to get off at Richmond and change trains to skip wasted time through the city loop for an alternative train that goes directly to Flinders Street. From there it was a tram ride either down St Kilda Road to the Shine of Remembrance stop to then walk down the duration of Coventry Street, or if I was lucky a rare South Melbourne tram would appear and take me to the Kings Way stop dropping me off right outside SEN’s doors.
(Roadworks on the Monash Freeway lasted half the time I was with SEN. The other half was just as congested, The Age)
All up a trip to my internship on average would take 1 hour and 50 minutes each way. This meant early trips meant earlier alarms and long shifts meant late night arrivals back home. Despite this I can proudly say that I was never late to a shift.
In recollection of these challenges, I’m glad that the challenges I faced were those not in my control and didn’t reflect on my overall ability and performance.
REFERENCES
ECN. (2017). Slow internet? new technology to speed up home broadband dramatically. Rockaway. https://www.proquest.com/docview/2003029640?pq-origsite=primo
SEN SA 1629 (@1629senSA). (2022, November 25) Isaac Keeler talks the clubs that have shown interest in him ahead of the draft!. Twitter. https://twitter.com/i/status/1595975570256547841
The Age (2016, November 4) The Monash Freeway. https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/monash-freeway-delays-crash-and-road-widening-works-cause-traffic-headaches-20161104-gsht04.html
0 notes
Text
Carmageddon 2 los angeles
Carmageddon 2 los angeles drivers#
Carmageddon 2 los angeles full#
This article was amended on 18 July 2011 because the original said Real Madrid were playing against David Beckham's old team, the LA Galaxy. LOS ANGELES 'Everybody predicted the worst traffic, a nightmare, Armageddon-type nightmare. CARMAGEDDON - Transportation - 100 S Main St, Los Angeles, CA - Phone Number - Yelp Carmageddon 3 reviews Unclaimed Transportation Frequently Asked Questions about Carmageddon How is Carmageddon rated Carmageddon has 1.5 stars. Carmageddon 2: Don't Get Complacent, Officials Urge Officials caution that the Sept.
Carmageddon 2 los angeles full#
And Sarah McLachlan still managed to pack the outdoor Hollywood Bowl for a two-night engagement with a full symphony orchestra, even if many tickets were purchased at the last minute with a steep discount. Carmageddon 2 was a 'resounding success' - officials. Shopping revenue was down, but nobody seemed to mind. In July of 2011, Los Angeles closed a 10-mile stretch of the 405 Freeway for 36 hours in order to do roadwork. A budget airline, JetBlue, offered a $4 flight across the city from Burbank to Long Beach, while a group of cyclists known as the Wolfpack Hustle instantly challenged the airline, saying they do the same trip faster. Carmageddon II: Braess’s Paradox Gives LA Hope. But the warning did have the effect of promoting the attractions of public transport, neighbourhood block parties and exercise. Monday, with ramps reopening at 6 a.m., in time. Join Take Two each weekday at 9 AM where we’ll translate the day’s headlines for Southern California, making sense of the news and cultural events that people are talking about. Officials hope to reopen the freeway by 5 a.m. Weeks ago, he and other city officials began issuing alerts about the consequences of closing a 10-mile stretch of the San Diego freeway for the weekend so road workers could demolish a bridge.Ī city hooked on earthquake, fire, flood and landslide disaster scenarios was duly impressed. At 10 p.m., crews started closing lanes on the freeway, and it will be completely closed by midnight. "It's dead as a doornail out there," said a delighted Zev Yaroslavsky, the LA county supervisor credited with coining the term Carmageddon. The beaches, usually packed on the weekend, were left to local joggers and children and dogs. View A worker services a piece of heavy machinary in vacant lanes of the 405 Freeway Septemin Los Angeles, California. With traffic way down, the California summer light was delightfully smog-free. To avoid any unnecessary delays, visit online or on-the-go for 24/7 traffic information.Having been told for weeks that the closure of one of America's busiest stretch of freeway would throw the city into chaos, Angelenos stayed home, skipped town, hopped on their bikes, or took the bus.Īside from one snarl-up near the LA Coliseum, where Real Madrid, David Beckham's old team, were playing against the LA Galaxy, his current one, the city was a breeze. Personalize it with photos & text or purchase as is Carmageddon II - 09/29-09/30 2012 - Recommended Detour. The 405 opened on schedule this morning at 5:00 a.m. Shop I Survived Carmageddon 2 - Los Angeles 405 Closure T-Shirt created by Megatudes. California Department of Transportation officials had said for Carmageddon 2 to be successful, about two thirds of those motorists would need to find alternate routes. The 405 had to be shut down for two days to accommodate the tear. The section of the 405 freeway that was closed over the weekend normally carries about 500-thousand vehicles on an average weekend day. Construction crews demolish the Mulholland Bridge over the 405 freeway. The "Los Angeles Times" says the troublemakers included a group of rollerbladers and newlyweds who wanted to celebrate on the closed roadway. California Highway Patrol officers did have to cite several people who made their way onto the 405 Freeway yesterday morning.
Carmageddon 2 los angeles drivers#
Officials have been warning drivers for the past several weeks to avoid the area on the west side of Los Angeles. It's all part of a billion dollar project that will widen the freeway with the addition of a new carpool lane.Ĭarmageddon 2 is the sequel to a shutdown last year of a ten-mile stretch of the 405 running through the Sepulveda Pass. Crews began working on Friday evening to tear down all but two columns of the Mulholland Drive bridge above Interstate 405. Neighborhood Unity One Chord At Time: Welcome To The Hermon Park Community Band. Uplands Plane Problem: Why Small Aircrafts Are Accident-Prone. (Los Angeles, CA) - Los Angeles seems to have survived "Carmageddon 2." Officials say the demolition of a bridge that forced the weekend closure of one of the busiest freeways in America went off, for the most part, without a hitch. ‘Carmageddon 2’ accelerates plan for LA freeway improvements. By Paul Peterson, Reporter / Total News Source
1 note
·
View note
Text
Caltrans broadcasts I-5 connecting ramp closures in Stockton
STOCKTON, Calif. (KTXL) — If you happen to’re driving on Interstate 5 this weekend, there will likely be some ramp closures in Stockton.
In response to Caltrans District 10, the I-5 northbound lane may have 79-hour connecting ramp closures starting 10 p.m. Thursday till the early hours of Monday, Oct. 3. All of the ramp closures will have an effect on the connecting ramp of Freeway 4 and Crosstown Freeway, in line with officers.
One of many ramp closures is from the northbound and southbound lanes to the connecting ramp of eastbound Freeway 4 and Crosstown Freeway. The closure is predicted to final via 5 a.m. on Monday.
One other ramp closure is from northbound I-5 to the westbound connection on Freeway 4 and the Crosstown Freeway ramp. That closure additionally began on Thursday at 10 p.m. and is predicted to finish on Monday.
Click on right here to view FOX40’s stay visitors map
The ramp connection from the I-5 northbound lane to eastbound Freeway 4 and Crosstown Freeway will begin on Oct. 6 at 10 p.m. and can reopen on Oct. 10.
Caltrans recommends drivers use Freeway 4 and Constitution Method as a detour.
Caltrans introduced weekend highway closures close to the crosstown freeway in Stockton. Photograph courtesy of Caltrans District 10.
Shut Modal
Counsel a Correction
Counsel a Correction
Originally published at Sacramento News Journal
0 notes
Text
[ad_1]
All northbound lanes on the 5 Freeway can be closed for a number of nights as crews work on opening a 3rd lane and make repairs brought on by the Route fire, in keeping with Caltrans. The first phase of the closures started Thursday at 10 p.m. and continued till Friday at 10 a.m. as a way to place 2,400 toes of asphalt concrete on a piece of the freeway that has already been excavated, officers mentioned in a information launch. The contractor has been attempting to get the excavated portion paved as shortly as attainable earlier than the arrival of Tropical Storm Kay on Friday. “The safety of the motorists and truckers is our primary goal,” Gloria Roberts, Caltrans District 7 appearing district director, mentioned within the launch. “The Route Fire caused extensive damage to the two retaining walls, and traffic cannot travel on the two right lanes until more permanent repairs are completed.”During each evening of the closure, the gate at Parker Road can be opened so drivers can get to southbound I-5, which means that three left lanes of southbound I-5 can even should be closed so vans may have sufficient room to show. Caltrans really useful drivers use State Route 14 north of Sylmar on I-5, State Route 126/Newhall Ranch Road from I-5 to the 101 Freeway or the 101 from downtown Los Angeles. Delays are anticipated on southbound I-5 and motorists ought to use eastbound State Route 138 to southbound State Route 14 as a substitute. The second part of closures will start Sunday and final till Thursday to ensure that the contractor to put a 6,000-foot structural part north of the concrete part and to restripe the lanes. The further closures of northbound I-5 embrace: Sunday at 11:59 p.m. to Monday at 10 a.m. for pavingMonday at 11:59 p.m. to Tuesday at 10 a.m. for pavingTuesday at 11:59 p.m. to Wednesday at 10 a.m. for pavingWednesday at 11:59 p.m. to Thursday at 10 a.m. for cleanup and restriping.Drivers may have three northbound I-5 lanes for journey on Thursday. The Route fire, which was first reported final week close to Castaic alongside the freeway close to Lake Hughes Road, shuttered lanes of the northbound 5 Freeway as crews labored on assessing the harm. Caltrans mentioned retaining partitions alongside the freeway was broken by the fireplace and repairs might take till mid-November. Vertical metal columns had been additionally warped, wall tiebacks had been damaged and horizontal anchors into the dust might have been broken. The cracks on the asphalt street have additionally widened and timber lagging has falling off the wall.
[ad_2]
Source link
0 notes
Text
LIMERENCE
(n) the state of becoming infatuated with another person
pairing: hyunjin x female reader
summary: you haven’t spoken a word to hyunjin since he ghosted you after a fun new years eve together, so what’s the worst that could happen when fate (or chaeryong,...well, same thing) pairs you up for a road trip across the country?
warnings: e2l (ish), university student!au, non idol!au ,a lot of swearing. alcohol consumption,long flashback, mentions of infidelity, hyunjin is a giggly sweetheart, smut as in: dom!hyunjin, unprotected sex (wrap it up luvs),fingering, oral (f recieving), slight choking, praise kink, hand & strenght kink (manhandleing oopsie), slight overstimulation, hyunjin is really enthusiastic about consent (as you should be, periodt), reader is nervous and scared of hyunjins big pickle (ew i hate myself), motel sex (but it’s not trashy i promise!)
8.6 k words ,meaning grab a snack and a drink,
and enjoy!<3
---
"alright everyone" your professor rubs his hands together "that was it for today... i hope you all have a great break and i'm very exited to see all of you again next semester. hopefully in person again" he chuckles.
You and your classmates exchange goodbyes with him before one after the other exits the zoom call.
"fuck" you sigh after closing your laptop and lean back on your bed.
"you did it girl" your dormmate chaeryong claps, at which you giggle before shifting your eyes to her on the other side of the room.
She's sitting on her bed, folding her clothes before putting it in her suitcase thats placed in front of her.
"finally" you sit up and watch her roll up a pair of socks.
"my last class was yesterday and mrs kim teared up" she giggles "it was kinda cute not gonna lie"
"oh god" you snicker.
"hey did you find someone to take to yongin?" you ask, remebering chearyong talking about wanting to find someone to share gas expenses with in exchange for a ride to her hometown.
"oh yea, i did" she turn to you "i think you know him, seo changbin?"
You furrow your brows in thought, you feel like you've heard of the name.
"he's a music major, one year above us, hes also from yongin" she continues folding a pair of jeans "funny you'd ask actually cause he told me one of his friends was looking for a ride to seoul, isn't that where you're going?"
"Yea i was thinking about finding someone honestly because gas is really fucking expensive if you aint rich" you say, placing your laptop onto your nightstand.
"Mm you aint gotta tell me girl" chaeryong mumbles, folding a sweatshirt.
"so who's that friend?" you ask, stretching out on your bed.
"he's in his grade, hyunjin"
Your neck almost cracks from how fats you whip your head “hwang hyunjin?”
"Oh yea" she points at you "you know him?"
"unfortunately" you huff.
"o-oh, what"s the tea?" your roommate wiggles her brows at which you shake your head.
"nothing much really" you sigh, leaning back again "he's just like the most arrogant and stuck up fuckboy ever"
"wow, well thats not nothing" chaeryong laughs "any reason as to why you think that?"
"you could probably ask any girl on campus and she'll tell you the same" you scoff.
"really girl?" chaeryong squints an eye at you playfully "cause i've only heard of him being hot but never of him being a hoe. And you know i'm the first to know the hot gossip" she winks.
Laughing defeatedly, running your hand through your hair.
"it's just- we hit it off at the campus' new years eve party, like really hit it off- at least thats what i thought"
"oooh spill it spill it" chaeryong leaps over to your bed to sit at the end of it.
"well there's really not much to spill, i gave him my number and he was talking all that smack about taking me out and stuff aaand to make a long story short i never heard from him again"
"well" chaeryong speaks slowly, biting her lip guiltily "i dont think you'll be very happy about me giving changbin your number for him, then?"
"you did what???" your eyes almost pop out of your head.
"sooorryy" she jumps up from your bed, clutching her hands apologetically "i didnt know"
"aaaaarghh" you whine, burying your face in your pillow.
"maybe he won't even text you though" chaeryong tries to console you, but the damage is already done...
-
unknown number - hey i got this number from changbin, i heard you're driving up to seoul, i'd love to tag along if you're looking for someone to share expenses with -recieved at 9:12 am
You huff looking at the message on your phone.
After chaeryong had left last night you really convinced yourself that he couldn't possibly dare to reach out to you.
But here you are reading his message after just waking up, and your day is already ruined.
you - who is this? - sent at 9:56 am
You know who it is, but you're not going to give him the satisfaction of thinking that you do.
Scoffing when he answers almost immediately.
unknown number - this is hyunjin, did i reach the right person? - recieved at 9:57 am
You have two choices at this point.
1. be petty and bitter about a boy who probably doesn't even remember you.
Or 2. move on and help someone who is also just trying to get home and also maybe get some closure.
So you curse your mother for rasing you so well and suck it up.
you - yea sure, i planned on leaving tomorrow at around 6 pm - sent at 10:02 am
Damn you and your common human decency.
he sus - oh okay great :) i only have one suitcase and a backpack btw so i wont take up alot of space or anything - recieved at 10:05 am
he sus - also i feel weird bc i dont know ur name or anything changbin literally just sent me the number and nothing else lol, also 6 sounds good should we meet at the main building then? -sent at 10:06 am
You're quite honestly not shocked that he seems nice over text because he was the same when you met on new years eve.
you - sure lets meet at the main building, my car is white and my name is y/n - sent at 10:09 am
Cringing as you press the send button because you are 99% certain he won't answer anymore; not that you'd care, obviously.
he sus - alright y/n see you tomorrow at 6 then :) - recieved at 10:14 am
You raise your brows when your phone lights up with his message, does he really not remember you?
Was he that drunk?
Well, it doesnt matter because you don't want to pay for all this gas alone and he seems to be the next best option to fix that.
So you shrug it off and get out off bed to run some last errands and start packing.
-
Your heart is beating unreasonably fast when you take a turn towards the main building at 5:55 pm the next day.
Calm down y/n it’ll just be 5 hours and who says you have to talk to him?
However you do know deep in your heart that you only wanted to arrive just a little early so you could complain about him being late.
That plan got cut short because your eyes fall on him as you pull up to the main building.
He’s- oh my god he’s blonde. You stop your car and he looks up at you.
“it is you!” hyunjin smiles at you when you step out of the car.
“who else would it be?” you ask, a little irritated at his reaction.
His face drops a bit when he sees you clearly annoyed by him, but the doesn’t blame you; he’d be mad too.
You open your trunk for him to put his weirdly small suitcase into, looking him up and down as he lifts it inside.
He’s wearing dark baggy pants and a windbreaker jacket, the top part of his chin-length blonde hair is pulled back into a messy ponytail.
He seemed to have bulked up as well, shoulders looking broader than what you remember.
The hair is different than the jet black hair that you remember on him, but it suits him very well; to be honest he would look good in any hair colour, not that you’d care though.
The first thirty minutes of the ride go by agonizingly slow and in complete silence.
When you drive onto the freeway you can’t take it anymore and mumble something among the lines of ‘wanna listen to some music?’.
You don’t wait for an answer, pressing the radio button right as you finish your sentence.
“uh, actually” hyunjin starts, his hand lifting to turn the radio back off, your eyes snap towards him, is he serious? Turning off your radio in your car?
“I wanted to address this situation” he says rather quietly.
You scoff “what? You realized that this is awkward just now?”
“no- I mean- yes I understand why you would think that but I just really want a chance to explain myself” he stutters.
“explain yourself” you repeat after him before mumbling “sure because there’s so much to explain”
“listen, I know you think I’m an asshole who just ghosted you b-“
“listen, I can handle rejection, you could’ve just said that you weren’t looking for something serious and I would’ve accepted that. The thing I’m mad about though is you literally making false promises and shit”
Hyunjin blinks at you “can I please just explain to you what happened?”
You let out a long huff “sure” you wave your hand “go ahead”
“when you and your friends left at around 4, you wrote your number on my arm with your eyeliner, correct?” he asks.
Glancing over at him, you nod.
“after you where gone, I was already pretty drunk but then my friends decided to drag me with them to a different party that was still going” you see him fiddling with his hands in your peripheral “well I got super fucking shitfaced at that party and ended up puking on this one guys shoes”
You raise your eyebrows and hold back a laugh, which he notices.
“its okay you can laugh” he chuckles as well.
“anyways that guy was not very happy about it and busted my lip before kicking me and my friends out, so then back in the dorm my roommate sat me in the shower because I was full of alcohol, blood and puke”
“ew” you chime in.
“and when I woke up the next morning your number was gone” hyunjin looks over at you “we don’t have any mutual friends, I didn’t know what your major is so I couldn’t even asks for you in the administrating office, and then the covid lockdown happened and here we are”
“you called the administrating office?” you look over at him, he nods a little smile on his stupid pretty lips.
“yep, so, sorry to tell you but your eyeliner is not waterproof” he jokes at which you playfully knit your brows at him.
“believe me, I wanted to text you. I really wanted to take you out; and when you sent me your name yesterday I didn’t know if this was a lucky coincidence or if you’re a different y/n, that’s why I didn’t say anything” he explains.
You take a deep breath as you realize you have to apologize for going off on him just now, you believe him but you hate apologizing.
“well, I feel like an ass for going off on you like that after hearing all this” you chuckle “I’m sorry” you eye him shortly before looking back on the road.
“it’s okay, you don’t have to apologize I get how it looked, very much sus” he laughs with you.
-
Coming back to your car after you took a bathroom break on a highway rest-stop, you see hyunjin sitting in the drivers seat.
“what do you think you’re doing?” you smile as you sit down on the passenger seat.
“I thought maybe you’d like to sleep since its dark already and you’ve been driving for almost 3 hours” he suggests while putting on his seatbelt.
“well, I wont say no to that” you shrug and put your seatbelt on as well.
“so when did you go blonde?” you ask curiously.
“uh- around end of june” hyunjin chuckles “it was a dare if I’m being honest but I ended up liking it and got it redone”
“oh okay” you check out his profile once more and follow his hair with your eyes “I like it”
“yea?”
“yea, which is weird cause I’m usually not into blondes at all” you wonder.
“hm” he grins “must be me then” he says before winking at you.
“pfff, in your dreams” you rebuttal playfully, at which he laughs and mumbles a ‘true’.
You don’t react to it because you think your ears are playing tricks on you.
“hey I have a question too” hyunjin says.
“what’s up” you lean your arm against the window as you look over at him.
His face is slightly lit by the lights of the other cars, no seriously, how can a side profile be so perfect?
“why did you even agree to take me with you if you thought I ghosted you?” he grins.
You laugh “well, I’m a nice person and I know not a lot of people there are from seoul and my mom raised me right, okay?”
“okay okay” he giggles, the way his eyes crinkle when he does makes you smile everytime.
“or…did you have such a good time with me on new years that you just had to jump on this opportunity?” he quips, carefully stealing a peek at you.
“sure, why do you think I was so upset when you didn’t text” you feign sadness.
The both of you laugh before falling into comfortable silence.
When looking outside your window, you think back to said new years eve.
-(flashback)
“oh my god” you said, stepping into the big hall that usually is the universities gym. But whoever planned this outdid themselves.
A dj was placed on one of the tribunes and a whole buffet of drinks and punches on the other, as well as a big disco ball hanging from the ceiling, making the room shimmery and shiny.
You could see people coming out of the doors that connected into the universities hall on one side and into the locker rooms on the others, as if it wasn’t already packed.
“this is fucking insane” lia, your roommate from last semester, squeaked while grabbing your arm and jumping a little, her voice overpowering the blasting music..
“I wanna get fucking hammered tonight” you turned to her.
“oh babe don’t worry, we didn’t come here to drink soda” she laughed before spotting some of your other friends.
About five minutes before midnight you and some more girls gathered at the buffet of drinks and started doing shots.
You all had decided that instead of kissing someone at 12 o’clock you’d ring in 2020 with a shot, because alcohol can’t cheat on you.
You were laughing at something when some people started the countdown.
10!
9!
8!
7!
6!
5!
4!
3!
2!
1!
“HAPPY NEW YEAR”
Every one shouted and celebrated in union as you downed your shot.
“happy new year babe” lia hugged you after downing hers.
“happy new year!” you shouted into her ear, full of relief that this stressful year was over.
“lets do another one” she grinned widely after your whole friend group had shared their wishes with each other.
A girl you didn’t know very well handed you another shot, just as you emptied your glass you heard a guy yell something before stumbling into your back.
“jesus” you stumbled forward a bit before turning around, ready to throw someone a dirty look.
“I’m so sorry, are you okay?” in front of you suddenly stood a tall dark haired young man with almost too perfect facial features, frowning a little out of concern.
“nothing happened” you smiled, taking a step towards him so he’d hear you better.
“I’m glad” he replied, a grin slowly stretched across his handsome face
“I’m y/n” you giggled as you held out your hand.
His eyes crinkled with his smile as he took your hand in his “I’m hyunjin” he said before pressing a kiss to the back of your hand.
“okay guys let her have her fun lets go over there” you hear lia usher your friends away from behind you.
“happy new year y/n” he said before instinctively pulling you a little closer to him when a group of people passed behind you.
“happy new year hyunjin” you replied, a slow blush creeping on your face from how intensely he was taking in your appearance.
“well yea happy fucking new years to me for running into you” he joked before taking a sip, your brain wasn’t able to function anymore so you just giggled and nervously pushed your hair behind your ear.
It had been way too long since you’d talked to a guy, especially someone as attractive as him
“you’re fucking stunning” hyunjin complimented you and lifted your hand with his to make you spin for him, to which you complied because you took a long time getting ready and always appreciate being appreciated.
“thank you” you were crimson red by now but hoped he wouldn’t see because of the dimmed lights.
“how come I’ve never seen you around? I would’ve remembered you” he tilted his head.
“oh this was my first year here and I live on the other side of campus so…” you nodded slowly “but yea I would’ve remembered you too”
He grinned before downing his drink and putting on the table next to the both of you.
“wanna dance?”
That’s how you found yourself on the dance floor with hyunjin pressed against your back.
Slowly but surely the alcohol made you braver; and it didn’t take long for the dj to play perfect songs to grind yourself against his toned body to.
His reaction was instant, hands gripping even harder at your waist and his own movements matching your own.
You looked back at him just to have the air knocked out of your lungs, a barely there sheen of sweat was covering his forehead; his pupils were dilated and his lips were slightly parted before his tongue swiftly swept over his lower lip.
He looked like sex on legs and moved like it too.
His plump lips formed into a grin when he noticed you staring, you didn’t know if it was the alcohol running through your system but you so desperately wanted to kiss him.
“can’t stop looking at you either, pretty” he lowered his head to mumble against your cheek before pressing a kiss there.
“you’re so goddamn sexy” you blurted out as you turned around to face him, running one of your hands through his dark hair before positioning them on his firm chest.
He threw back his head as his chest vibrated with laughter.
“don’t laugh at me” you laughed as you locked eyes again.
“you’re cute when you’re drunk” hyunjin brought one hand to your face to tuck a strand of hair behind your ear.
“you dont even know me sober” you giggle “also i’m not drunk!” you protested playfully, his hands found your waist in the meantime to pull you flush to his body; at which you gasped almost inaudibly.
“oh really?” he looked down at you, clearly amused “didn’t you drink like 5 shots half an hour ago?”
“well well well, I didn’t know I had an audience” you countered, looping your arms around his neck.
Hyunjin prodded at the inside of his cheek with his tongue before looking away for a swift second, slightly embarrassed because he just exposed himself.
You felt yourself gush a little when he licked his lips again after bringing his gaze back to you.
“so you almost knocked me over on purpose?” you grinned even bigger when he shook his head laughingly.
“listen” he chuckled, leaning down unnecessarily close because you could hear him perfectly fine but you weren’t going to complain.
“I actually didn’t run into you on purpose, that was my friends doing after he saw me notice you” he said.
You mouthed an ‘ahh’ while nodding, feigning disbelief.
“I’m serious” hyunjin laughed “I still have to thank him later; I would’ve probably chickened out”
He got quieter at the end of his sentence, his eyes jumping to your lips when you wet your lower lip with your tongue quickly.
“i-m glad he pushed you then” you replied, trying to hide the fact that your heart was pumping your blood in record time.
“yea” he inched his face closer to yours as you tilted your chin up to meet him in the middle “me too”
His eyes switched from your lips to your eyes one more time before closing the gap between the both of you.
His lips were firm but soft at the same time in the way they moulded against yours, you swore you could hear lia squealing from somewhere but maybe you were just hearing things.
But when his tongue touched yours in the most tentative way you lost contact to what was going on around you, slinging your arms tighter around his neck and deepening the kiss.
A tiny groan escaped hyunjins throat when you carded your fingers through his hair to tug on it and release some of the adrenalin that rushed through you.
He was slow and explorative and let you take control from time to time before sucking on your lower lip and making you loose it.
You didn’t know how many songs had passed; to be honest you didn’t even remember what song was playing when you started kissing.
All you knew in that moment was hyunjins lightly flushed cheeks, swollen lips and dark glistening eyes.
“let’s go somewhere else?” he questioned in a whisper when you bit your lip, nodding at his question.
He grabbed your hand in his before manoeuvring the both of you through the dancing and celebrating crowd.
Before you knew it, hyunjin pulled you into the entrance hall of the university where multiple people had the same idea as you.
Couples scattered across the big room, some just talking, most of them however making out heavily.
“come on” he softly tugged at your hand, smiling when your gaze falls on him.
He lead you up the big flight of stairs onto a floor of the building you’ve never been to, stopping in front of a random room before pulling a small set of keys out of his back pocket.
After unlocking the door, he opened it to let you step inside.
It was a dance studio, the wall right across from you was just one huge mirror through which you could see the big couch in the back of the room and the water dispensers next to it.
“why do you have the keys for this room?” you asked, giggling.
Hyunjin grinned as he closed the door “I’m a dance major, we all have keys for the practice rooms”
“that’s so cool” you beamed “I wish I could dance” you looked around the room, walking towards the mirrored wall a little bit.
“you were moving just fine earlier” hyunjin came up behind you, nimble hands finding your waist as he looked you up and down through the mirror intensely, now that you were under the bright lights of the room.
You couldn’t help but to smile a little at that, the tight little glitter dress that you had chosen really did accentuate your curves in the best way possible, paired with the cute black heels which made your legs look way longer than they actually are.
“but that was like club sexy dancing, you know?” you elaborated.
“hm” he hummed amusedly “whats wrong with sexy club dancing?” you turned around to him.
He didn’t look to shabby himself, all in black, a chic button up with some jeans and a belt; accessorized with rings on his pretty fingers, a dainty silver necklace and some small earrings.
Some might say he was underdressed, but the way he carried himself with such confidence, and that face of his must for sure be a panty dropper, you thought.
“nothing but… I don’t know, teach me something” you pleaded.
“what do you want me to teach you?” he laughed.
“I don’t know a pirouette or something” you suggested, laughing as well.
“okay” he grinned “this is like the base stance” he positioned himself correctly before looking at you to see if you were following his instructions.
“mhm” you hummed, replicating what he was doing.
“and then you get momentum with one leg to be able to swing yourself around, like this” hyunjin explained before executing a perfect pirouette and ending it back in the base stance.
“that was fast” you chuckled.
“your turn” he grins before moving behind you “try to keep your eyes on yourself in the mirror otherwise you’ll loose balance”
“okay” you said unsurely.
“I’ll catch you if you fall” he winked at you, at which you scoff playfully before carefully swinging yourself into a pirouette.
You landed on wobbly legs but before you could tip over hyunjin stabilized you with a firm grip on your hips.
“you’re a natural” he grinned at you through the mirror.
“well thank you” you playfully feigned cockiness before he spun you around himself.
A few seconds pass of the both of you taking in each others features in silence, the only thing you could hear was the faint music of the party downstairs, before hyunjin spoke up.
“can I kiss you?”
You fell into giggles again as you let your forehead rest against his collarbone before looking up again “we’ve kissed before”
“yea but that was like a moment and I don’t want to catch you off guard or anything” he mumbles cutely.
“mm” you nod “ you can kiss me”
And with a smile, he does.
You weren’t surprised when his first gentle ministrations turned into more desperate ones rather quickly because you could feel the warmth spread in your lower regions as well.
He walked the both of you over to the couch, only parting from your lips when he sat down on the black leather material of the couch.
“come here, pretty girl” he took your hand to help you straddle him, your dress riding up but you couldn’t care less if he saw your safety shorts, and he didn’t seem to care either by the way he feverishly connected your lips again.
His hands travelled down to squeeze at your waist before smoothing over your ass and grabbing a handful of each cheek, you moaned into the kiss when you realized how big his hands were.
Your own hands were squeezing at his shoulders before one moved into his soft hair while the other softly rested on his cheek.
The kiss was messy and desperate, teeth clinking together and tongues licking at each other.
The things that riled you up the most however were his groans and praises.
“you’re so fucking sexy” he groaned before moving down to kiss at your jaw and down your neck.
A needy whimper escaped from your throat when he started suckling the sensitive skin at the base of your throat.
“fuck-hyunjin” you moaned when his teeth grazed over your clavicle.
Your hands fumbled before landing on his belt, at which he pulled away from your skin, gently taking your hands off of his belt.
“I’d love to take you out first, actually” his pretty kiss swollen lips twitched up into a shy smile as he pants.
“oh” you were taken aback, you were almost certain that this was something regular for him “I thought-“
“I mean if you just want to fuck we can fuck of course” he chuckled “but- I actually think you’re really cute and fun and I’d love to get to know you better”
Your mouth stood a little agape “uh- I mean-I” you stuttered, your brain not functioning properly because of the alcohol running through your veins but also him!
“its okay if you just want, you know-“
“no!” you blurted out all over sudden, making him flinch a little “sorry, uhm- its just been a while since I had a date” you smile apologetically.
His expression visibly brightens “that’s okay” he giggled “so is that a yes?”
You grinned, leaning in to just barely brush your lips with his, his head twitching upwards in an attempt to connect them fully.
“yes” you whispered, at which he smiled brightly before pulling your in for a kiss by your neck.
-(flashback end)
“y/n”
“hey, y/n” you grumble when you feel someone gently rocking your shulder.
“mmm-what?” you peek your eyes open just to see hyunjin smile at you.
“good morning sunshine” he teases as you sit up in your seat when you realize you aren’t driving anymore.
“just kidding its not morning” he says as you look around your car, realizing your on a parking lot.
“where the fuck are we?” you whip your head towards him “did you bring me here to kill me? kidnap me?”
“wha?- no” he laughs “no, I’m sorry. Right after you fell asleep there was this huge traffic jam because of an accident and we stood there for almost 3 hours so I drove off and found this” he points out the rear window, where you see a small motel building.
You look back at him before checking the time on your phone, seeing it was indeed almost midnight.
“fuck” you swear to yourself.
“I didn’t know if you wanted to keep driving because I was getting tired so I thought maybe-“ hyunjin starts rambling guiltily, not wanting you to thing that this was an attempt to get in your pants.
“hey” you put your hand on his shoulder after taking off your seatbelt “this is good, you made the right decision I think we both could use some sleep” you say.
You each take your suitcases and walk inside, it’s an old building but it looks pretty clean for a motel off of the highway.
“good evening you two” an old lady sits behind the, probably just as old, reception.
“good evening, could we get 2 single rooms, please” hyunjin speaks up politely.
“I’m afraid we only have 2 double bed rooms available, if you’d like to take them, they will however be more expensive than the rooms for one” she explains politely.
“its okay, we’ll take one of those, please” you decide, hyunjins head snapping towards you.
“is that okay?” you ask him.
“yea- sure” he nods.
“alright, room 301 it is” she hands you the key before stating that you’ll have to checkout before 12 pm and what the room costs.
“do you accept card?” hyunjin asks at which the friendly old lady nods before taking his card and swiping it through her little machine.
“I’ll venmo you half of what you paid” you say after unlocking room 301.
He tsk’s at you before shaking his head “don’t, it was my idea so I’ll pay”
“are you sure?” you ask closing the door behind you when he turns on the lights.
“yup-oh” he exclaims.
“this room is cute” you say, it’s small but the walls are a soft sunflower yellow, decorated with paintings of autumn leaves .
The bed looks clean, and when you smell the mouse gray blankets and pillows, they smell fresh as well.
“stop smelling the pillows” hyunjin laughs.
“I’ve never been to a motel, I thought everything would be dirty or ancient” you confess comically.
He chuckles as he comes out of the small bathroom “the bathroom is clean too, don’t worry” he says when you look at him expectantly.
“I’ll sleep on the floor if you want” he offers as you open your suitcase to get out your toothbrush and pj’s.
“it’s fine, hyunjin I’ve slept in the same bed as a male before” you joke.
“well how am I supposed to know that?” he counters, at which you throw your pj shorts at him out of reflex.
When you realize what you had done it was too late, he was already holding them out in front of him before giggling.
“very cute choice” he mocks the small white shorts with red hearts all over it.
“stoop” you whine, trying to fish it out of his hands but he holds them over his head like a kindergartener.
“I remember why I don’t like you” you pout, crossing your arms.
His face drops alongside with his arms “I thought we were past that”
You use his moment of weakness to snatch your shorts out of his hands “gotcha”
-
“see I told you I was gonna take you out” hyunjin beams at you before looking down at the various snacks he took from the motels vending machine, which were laying in between the both of you on the bed.
“and so luxurious too” you joke, crossing your legs.
“only the best for you” he grins when you open a pack of fruit jellies.
“you know, I was thinking about new years” you say “ and I realized that it was your fault!”
Hyunjin throws his head back as he groans playfully “why?”
“if you hadn’t lost your phone when we got back downstairs, I wouldn’t have had to write my number on your arm; or you could’ve just given me your number and I could’ve text you. But you didn’t even know your own number!” you laugh in reminiscence.
“listen” he laughs “I was drunk and you’re hot! I couldn’t think” he defends himself before taking a bite off a chocolate bar.
You blush a little but play it off with a laugh.
“but yes, I admit, it was indeed my fault” he dramatically holds his hand in front of his eyes.
“yeeees!” you exclaim victoriously.
“I’m kidding though” you pat his knee “I forgive you”
“I’m glad” he smiles.
After the both of you are done eating way too many sweets, you find yourself being really comfortable when talking to hyunjin.
He’s funny, doesn’t seem like he’s full of himself and just in general seems like a very kind person.
“I thought you were a fuckboy when me met” you confess, looking at him.
Propped on one elbow looking down at you, while you lay on your side towards him, his face illuminated only by the little lights on each of your nightstands.
“you did?” he asks confusedly.
“yea” you chuckle “you were so confident and…sexy I don’t know” you place your hand over your face in embarrassment.
“oh that was the liquid courage talking, I’m usually pretty shy” he shakes his head smilingly when you peek through your fingers.
“don’t lie” you push his shoulder softly.
“I’m serious!” he laughs.
“you were the first guy to approach me at a party” you pause “like ever”
“no way, you’re lying now” he furrows his brows.
“nope” you shake your head.
“but I was really close to not talking to you as well, I’m sure there were many guys before me that just didn’t have the liquid courage, like I did” he speculates.
“maybe” you say.
“have any exes?” he asks after a few seconds.
“yea, one”
“well how did you meet him?”
“he showed me around on my first day of freshman year, I transferred like in the middle of the first semester so I wasn’t with any other freshmen” you tell him.
“why’d you break up if I may ask?” hyunjin asks carefully.
“oh we were only together for like three weeks, you can’t even call I relationship. He used me to make his hot ex jealous and cheated on me with her” you say “but hey they’re back together at least” you scoff.
“i’m sorry” he mumbles at which you look up at him.
“it’s not your fault” you chuckle.
“well, still no one should feel that way” he says “you know that you were way too good for him right?”
You nod.
“what about you? Have any exes?” you ask back.
He snickers “only one in seoul”
“why didn’t you last?”
“it was a long distance situation, she was super jealous and couldn’t trust me. which I can understand to a certain degree but everytime I went out she wanted me to facetime her and show her what kinds of people were there with me. That was just too much” he explains.
“wow” you chuckle “that doesn’t sound fun either”
Hyunjin shakes his head “nope, but hey we got rid of ‘em, didn’t we?”
“yea” you giggle “plus if I hadn’t broken up with him I would’ve probably never gone to the new years eve party”
“I guess I owe him something then” he grins as you scooch up on the bed.
“can I kiss you?” you ask after a few seconds of silence.
“hm?” hyunjins eyes almost spring out of his head.
“I don’t want to catch you off guard” you grin as you repeat his words from the night you met, sitting up.
He licks his lower lip as a grin stretches over his face as he sits up as well “do your worst”
You get up on your knees to shuffle over to him, when you get close enough hyunjin grabs one of your thighs and lifts it over his legs so you’re straddling him.
Once you sit down on his lap, your eyes lock again and you’re once again baffled as to how someone can be so god damn attractive.
His eyes flicker from your eyes to your lips expectantly, a shaky breath leaving his lips when you lean in.
Your lips connect and it feels like all the pent up energy of liking him since that night finally gets set free, sparks glowing behind your lit and his hands leaving a trail of fire where ever they go.
They squeeze at your thighs and waist, pulling you impossibly close to himself.
A whimper tears from your throat when his tongue licks at yours, he tastes like chocolate and what could only be described as him.
He moans into the kiss when you tug at the blonde locks that weren’t pulled back into the ponytail; before pulling the hair tie out of his hair to free it and finally card your fingers through all of the blonde glory.
Before you realize what’s going on, hyunjin lifts the both of you before dropping you on your back and crawling above you.
The fact that he just lifted the both of you from a sitting position as if you weigh nothing makes you feel all types of hot.
“you’re so hot holy shit” you pant as you push his long hair out of his face.
“ditto” he only grins before attaching his lips to your exposed collarbone and sucking a bruise into the skin.
“take it off” you moan as you tug on the dark blue calvin klein shirt he’s wearing.
His lips release the skin of your collarbone before sitting up to pull the shirt over his head.
If your mouth wasn’t already open from your heavy breathing, you would’ve opened it now because his body is more sculpted and toned than you had expected.
Your hand lifts to smooth over his abs, muscles flexing as he connects your lips again.
His one hand slides from your waist up to cup one of your breasts, gently palming the soft flesh.
“I know I said I wanted to take you out first but-“ he mumbles against your lips.
“you bought me a lovely dinner” you interrupt him, threading your fingers through the hair that’s falling down into his vision.
He grins, dropping a short peck to your lips before his the grin gets wiped off his face “I don’t have a condom with me”
“I’m on the pill” you let him know “I got tested before the lockdown and I haven’t been with anyone since soo…”
“yea, me too, I was tested a few months ago” he nods.
You nod back, biting your lip as you absently play with his hair.
“do you trust me?” hyunjin asks, observing your demeanour.
“yea- yea I do I’m just nervous” you smile awkwardly.
“no” he coos before kissing you “why are you nervous?”
“just haven’t been with anyone for a while” you confess.
Hyunjin nods understandingly “if you don’t want to do this we’ll stop”
“no I really want to” you look into his eyes as confidently as you can.
“okay” he smiles, planting his lips on yours again.
“can i?” his voice gives you goosebumps when he mumbles against the sensitive skin under your ear, his fingers slowy undoing the loose knot of your heart shorts.
“yes” you say when he locks eyes with you.
“I love these shorts” he softly presses a kiss to your knee, trying to calm your nerves a little, before he gently rocks your hips to pull them off of you.
You blush a little out of embarrassment but smile when you lift your hips to help him.
“cute” he whispers when he see’s your panties have a little bow on the front.
He chuckles when you hide your face in embarrassment, pulling you closer to him again by your thighs before you let him kiss you again.
“can I take this off too?” hyunjin whispers, softly pulling at the fabric of the tank top you’re wearing, at which you nod.
You are still wearing a bra when he pulls it off so you take it into your own hands and unclasp your bra.
Your nipples stiffen a little at the sudden exposure to air, as well as to hyunjin’s admiring gaze.
“fuck” he muses when palming your breasts in his big hands, gently pushing them together an running his thumbs over your nipples.
A whimper involuntarily leaves your lips when he wraps his plump lips around one of the perked up nubs and sucks gently.
“so fucking pretty, princess” you feel yourself pathetically clench around nothing at his praise.
You feel one of his hands wander downwards to provide some friction for you, he slots his lips against yours when you tentatively roll your hips against his hand.
Hyunjin feels his cock get even harder when an almost desperate moan tumbles from your lips against his. So he ads a little more pressure and starts circling your clit with two fingers, your sighs of pleasure mixing into the kiss.
“you’re so sensitive baby” he whispers as he parts his lips from yours “can I go down on you?” he grazes his lips over your chest, looking up at you seductively.
You nod as you bite your lip, hyunjin placing a few kisses on your tummy before shortly sitting up to also free you from your soaked panties.
The first stripe he licks up your slit, and how he swirls the tip of his tongue around your clit expertly sends you to heaven.
His hands are gripping your thighs to prevent you from closing your legs, your hands are tangled in his hair and the sheets.
“hyunj-fuck” you cry out when his tongue enters you.
He carefully prods one finger at your entrance “is that okay?” he asks, his voice hoarse and dripping with lust.
“yea” you sigh.
Once you adjust to one finger, he adds a second one, curling them upwards to search for that specific patch inside of you.
“yes-fuck right there” you moan when his fingers press onto the sweetest spot inside of you, tugging at his hair a little harshly. But you feel him moan against you, getting lost in your taste as he sucks your clit in between his soft lips.
Your hips buckle against his mouth as your eyes roll backwards, feeling the warmth of your orgasm approach rapidly.
“fuck fuck yes-hyunjin” you cry out just before he tipped you over the edge with his skillful ministration, your orgasm rushing up your spine and into your head, endorphins spreading everywhere.
A cry of pleasure fills the room as your thighs starts trembling with the aftershocks, clamping around his head when he drives you into overstimulation.
“oh-shit-“ you pant as you softly pushed on his forehead to get him away from your clit, his fingers still inside you, guiding you through your high.
He nibbles on your inner thigh apologetically. You can still hear your heartbeat in your ears after hyunjin removes his fingers from you and sits up, gently holding your legs together to help you calm down.
“fuck” you mewl, a soft smile tugging at his lips.
He’s wanted to do this for so long and there you are, with all of your naked glory in front of him.
While he’s daydreaming about you, you sit up and start fiddling with his sweatpants.
“you want more?” he quips, once he realises what you’re doing, leaning in to kiss you.
“mhm” you humm into the kiss affirmitavely when his hand holds you close to him by your jaw.
With a quick last peck to your lips he simultaneously shimmies the soft black sweats and his boxers off of himself.
You apparently visibly gulp at the sight of his cock because hyunjin smirks cockily “like what you see?” as he crawls above you again, his lips finding yours again and not waiting for an answer.
“I don’t know if you’ll fit” you mumble when he suckles at the soft nook of skin under your ear.
“we can stop here” he offers softly before locking eyes again.
You shake your head as you reach down to fist his length, slowly pumping it and smearing the few drops of precum around.
“no, you’re just really big” you huff with a shy smile on your lips at which hyunjin groans.
“you’re gonna be the death of me, you know?” he mutters against your lips before kissing you deeply, his hand smoothing over the slope of your waist before coming up to gently pinch at one of your nipples.
Eliciting a soft high pitched moan from you, this only spurs him on.
Rolling his tongue against yours desperately and making you taste yourself before sinfully sucking at the wet muscle.
All the while you’re stroking him with your small hand before cupping his balls, as if he didn’t already feel like he’s gonna blow his load way too early.
“please” you whine, guiding his reddened tip towards your entrance.
Hyunjin releases a shaky breath before replacing your hand with his, rutting his hips against yours a few times, coating his length in your wetness.
This already had your toes curling, suppressing a whine as you lock your legs around his waist.
“tell me if it hurts, yea?” he breathes, only pressing inside you after you nod, dropping a kiss to your swollen lips.
“fuck” he swears softly, tucking his face in the crook of your neck when he breaches your tight walls for the first time.
Your fingers tighten in his hair at the back of his neck when a subtle sting flares up inside of you.
“ah-“ your body flinches a little when he presses further inside, hyunjin notices, observing your expression before kissing your cheek and sitting up slowly.
“you’re doing so good, baby” he lifts his thumb to his lips, swiftly kitten-licking the digit before bringing it to where your bodies join.
Gently rolling your clit under his thumb to distract you from the pain.
“you look so perfect like this” his other hand travels over your stomach to gently squeeze at your breasts “all spread out for me”
You whimper, arching your back when hyunjin thrusts into you carefully; the pain slowly subsiding and the ache to be fully filled up by him growing exponentially when his cock rubs against your g spot.
“hyunjin” you moan, gripping onto his hand, which is resting atop your breast.
“yes baby, I’m here” he groans at how tight you feel once he’s balls deep inside of you, abandoning your clit to grab you by the hips for leverage.
His other hand resting on your cheek now, after a few trusts you moan “harder, please”
Hyunjin groans and fulfils your wish, at one particularly harsh thrust, you latch your lips around his pointer and middle finger, sucking at them.
“oh my god-that’s so fucking hot” he grunts through clenched teeth.
His cock dragging along your walls deliciously, filling you up to the brim as you hum around his slender fingers in pleasure.
“you like my hands that much baby?” his jaw is clenched and the grip on your waist is rough , the contrast to how sweet he was just a few minutes earlier had you clench around him furiously.
“fuck-“ he breathes when you nod to the best of your abilities, eyes wide open and holding his gaze.
You only release his fingers from in between your lips in favour for a loud high pitched moan when his other hand finds your clit again, rubbing harsh circles into the bud.
“-gonna cum-huynjin” you dig your nails into his biceps, eyes squeezing shut.
“yea?” he grits through his teeth the fingers that were previously trapped in your mouth now wrapping around your bared throat.
Not squeezing tightly, just resting there as if to show you that you’re his now.
Your thought gets confirmed when he rasps “you’re gonna date me after this, right pretty girl?”
You do look so pretty right now, tits bouncing and skin slapping because of the fast rhythm that he’s snapping his hips into yours, not to mention the subtle sheen of sweat that’s coating the both of you.
A desperate breathy chuckle tumbles from your lips “ yes-yes fuck” you feel your second orgasm creeping up on you.
“cum for me princess, all over my cock” he urges you on, his tip hammering into the sweet spot inside of you repeatedly before you crash into your second high of the night.
Your body convulses in pleasure as you call out his name mixed with profanities, your toes curling so hard you’re not sure if you can ever uncurl them again, and your nails probably leaving painful indents in his skin.
His thumb on your clit slows down until you grab his hand for him to stop, his hand around your neck grabs your free one, holding both of your hands over your head now.
“so good, baby” he mumbles, kissing your lips; mostly just breathing into each other as he rocks you through every wave of your orgasm.
Hyunjin looses himself in you not long after with a guttural moan and his eyes squeezing shut.
You coax him through it when he rests his face against your neck again, running your fingertips through his damp hair and over his broad back, muscles tensing under your gentle touch.
i“don’t fall asleep on me” you whisper sneakily, grinning when he chuckles against your neck, tickling the soft skin there.
He props himself up again to scan over your features, pushing some hair out of your face before kissing you tenderly.
“you okay?” his hand resting at your temple as he gently runs his thumb over your hairline.
“more than” you assure him, cupping his cheeks to pull his lips onto yours again.You think you can never get enough of his lips, anything about him for that matter; not when he makes you feel so cared about and safe.
“so does this mean we’re dating now?” he whispers after he has cleaned you up and tucked the both of you in bed.
“hmh” you nod your head sleepily, positioned on his bare chest.
“so I can spoon you once we fall asleep?” he asks, grin evident in his voice.
“you can spoon me but you can’t wake me up in the middle of the night if you get horny” you mumble jokingly, enjoying his fingers running down your spine as your eyelids get heavier.
“okay” he giggles softly, pressing a kiss to the crown of your head before you whisper your good nights to each other.
And as promised, he doesn’t wake you up in the middle of the night because he’s horny.
It’s you who wakes him, because after 10 months of wasted time, you have a lot of catching up to do.
-
a/n: oml this is my first ever long fic so pls pls pls give me feedback, i had so much fun writing his even though it made me feel even more single but hey :))))
allsooo i waited til after work to publish this and i just saw i hit 500 followers?!?!?! thats crazy to me omg i started this like 2 months ago and so many ppl liked my stuff so much that they decided to follow me?? so i just wanna say thank u thank u thank u for hitting the follow button even though im very unorganized and everything i do is spontaneaous and not thought out well. but hey i guess there is a reason that u followed me so thank u!
(i’d love if u sent me an ask with the first one of my writings that u stumbled across, and how <3 ...only if u want tho no pressure)
anyways thank u so much for reading if you’ve made it this far! i hope you have a great day/ night! much love
-aj
(this is a work of fiction and does not represent the real actions of stray kids or hwang hyunjin)
#omgaaaaa im finally done writing this oof it took forever but it was so much fun#thank u for reading my loves#and dont forget ur beautiful and loved and drink water#ily#hwang hyunjin#hwang hyunjin smut#hyunjin smut#hyunjin oneshot#straykids smut#stray kids#stray kids hyunjin#hyunjin e2l#hyunjin fluff#hyunjin college!au#big dick hyunjin#skskksks im sorry#i guess this is my 500 followers special lol#idk ahh ill add more tags later my brain be empty its late okay hahajajss
734 notes
·
View notes
Text
Let me vent & explain something to everyone, ok?? #triggerwarning ⚠️⚠️⚠️ wildfires/evacuation
So in my area, I've been evacuated from my home due to a fairly large fire close to a small town I'm in. I was pre-packed, tho my area wasn't evacuated right away. And really I'm so relieved I did that. When the fire blew up, the roads to my home were closed and my partner who just had a surgery and couldn't lift was at home, alone, with dogs who don't jump easily into his car. Luckily, my mother was closer than I was and convinced a sheriff to let her pass given the situation, the CHP I encountered was not letting anyone go due to it being the main access for firecrews... the town I live in has one major road going through it, one way in, one way out. There are some back roads and a mountain road that could take you into some areas, but those roads were already in, or dangerously close, to the fire.
We got evacuated due to road closure, not a map. We had patrols 2 nights before all over the streets above the main highway, but where we were was south and east of the highway and they didn't even have us in an evacuation warning yet. We packed anyway. I left work and did all the heavy lifting into both cars. We got essentials and paperwork in 15 mins because we already had stacks around our home, trash bags ready. This was 2 nights before the roads closed. We worked for an hour packing and situating both cars, and throughout the next two days pulled bags in for clothing and toiletries and took them with us whenever we left the house. It was annoying, but we were very luckily prepared.
2 days later I got almost instant telling of the evacuation directly from my boss, on the phone with a fire personnel family member. My area still wasn't evacuated but I felt uneasy. I talked to the other boss (who could cover my shift) and she instantly told me to leave. Got in my car and drove 100 yards away to the road to my town (I work right off a freeway exit nearly) and the highway was already blocked. Instant panic. My partner can't lift the dogs or too much weight at once. My Bluetooth was connected, I called him, explained. Started to drive around the long way. Called my mom, she was much closer to my house than I was. She got through. I waited for them at my moms house where we are staying with all of our dogs. I can still work. But the power went off at home for nearly 20 hours altogether...our plants are probably dead and I'm a new plant person so that sucks. Our food will all be gross & spoiled so the house will stink. My partner and mom are fire victims from a wildfire 5 years ago, neither of them had chance to grab anything because it was 10 miles away. *THAT* fire grew 10 miles, in 17 minutes... seventeen....minutes guys. You may be 2 mins from work to home and think you have a chance. I work 8 minutes from home. The road was closed. One way in, one way out, those firefighters need a chance to get through.
By the way, MY area wasn't ever put into a warning evacuation in any map or update. The first evacuation evening was on SUNDAY, not for us but that was the night I pre-packed. TUESDAY was the evening the blow up happened, & the road to my house got closed off for entry. Our home still wasnt in an evacuation order, NOR an evacuation warning. But I couldn't get home. On Thursday, the evacuation order for my area went into full effect. Law enforcement is then spread out over neighborhoods to help alert, evacuate, assist or watch over neighborhoods. When people stay, those officers and rangers are then put on rotations to do welfare checks and check ins for medical/emergency/food situations, especially when the power was out. The more people that stay, the more check ins and time it takes for these officers and rangers and crews to do their jobs. Staying home IS an option under evacuation order, but I INSIST you pack your cars ahead of time and live like a backpacker for a few days.
Please don't be stubborn and think if you're away you can get home in time. Due to wildfire conditions changing in a SNAP, or road conditions leading to closures for emergency vehicle entry only...you might not get home. Just be ready and don't be stubborn.
♡♡♡♡ much love.
#fire#wildfire#wildfires in california#cawildfire#emergency#triggerwarning#trigger#warning#evacuation#small town#mountains#country
2 notes
·
View notes
Text
Gracie Abrams song lyric writing prompts:
1) I missed your twenty-first birthday. I've been up at home.
2) Almost tried to call you, don't know if I should.
3) Hate to picture you half-drunk happy. Hate to think you went out without me.
4) I'm sorry if you blame me if I were you I would. Thought you'd see it coming, but you never could.
5) I still haven't heard from your family but you said your mom always loved me.
6) Lights on and it's black and white, I couldn't stay forever.
7) You'd be the love of my life when I was young.
8) When the night is over don't call me up I'm already under.
9) I get a little bit alone sometimes and I miss you again.
10) I'll be the love of your life inside your head.
11) Audrey said she saw you out past twelve o'clock.
12) Just because you're hurting doesn't mean I'm not
13) If it doesn't go away by the time I turn thirty.
14) I made a mistake and I'll tell you I'm sorry. "Sorry".
15) It's hard to pick up a hundred broken pieces. Thinking it's best if we just leave em there.
16) I don't want to know, about her, please leave me alone.
17) I crumbled once before you've done enough.
18) Pictures of the old us got me feelin' older.
19) I just thought you should know I never wanted closure but you had no problem leavin' now I'm the one to feel it.
20) I just can't believe you don't know what I'm feelin' guess you got the best of this.
21) Pickin' up the pieces, you just wanna leave 'em.
22) Killin' me a little bit
21) And I hate the way you love me and I hate that I still care.
22) Funny how you feel like we would ever talk again. How could you think I'd be your friend?
23) I'm sure you're doin' fine, but I don't wanna hear it.
24) And if I left my T-shirt, you can keep it.
25) I don't wanna see you again if it's different.
26) 'Cause I'll only see all the things that I'm missin'.
27) And I should've cut all the ties, but I didn't. I didn't let go.
28) Do you remember happy together? I do, don't you?
29) Then all of a sudden you're sick to your stomach. Is that still true?
30) Said forever, in the end, I fought it.
31) Please be honest, are we better for it?
32) Thought you'd hate me but instead you called and said, "I miss you," I caught it.
33) Good to each other. Give it the summer.
34) But I only saw you once in December. I'm still confused.
35) You said forever and I almost bought it.
36) I miss fighting in your old apartment. Breaking dishes when you're disappointed.
37) I still love you, I promise.
38) Nothing happened in the way I wanted.
39) Every corner of this house is haunted and I know you said that we're not talking but I miss you, I'm sorry.
40) I don't wanna go think I'll make it worse.
41) Everything I know brings me back to us
42) I don't wanna go, we been here before.
43) Everywhere I go leads me back to you.
44) Packing while you're asleep.
45) You were the catalyst.
46) I don't know what it is about how you breathe.
47) About how you breathe.
48) I want to be alone.
49) Hate it that no one knows, you're good to everyone. All them but me.
50) And if you hear me leaving in the morning could you just pretend that it was only wind?
51) 'Cause I can't love you even if I want to.
52) Got a lot to work through.
53) You don't know where I've been. It's been a long time coming.
54) Say something sweet to me.
55) It never meant a thing.
56) Used to the turbulence.
57) I wore long sleeves.
58) Fought till you tethered me.
59) Swept under surfaces.
60) Never enough of it.
61) You didn't think.
62) Talk to me more.
63) You're a little bit bored, I'm a little bit tired.
64) We don't fight though.
65) You've been acting so cold, I don't know what you wanted.
66) Every time we touch it's like the last time.
67) Holding onto something when it's not right.
68) Tell me to my face that you are all mine.
69) You don't know what I'm feeling.
70) Maybe that thing you said under your breath, you mean it.
71) Holding onto thin lines until we just walk between 'em.
72) Getting so loud, I can't pretend that I don't hear 'em.
73) Maybe that thing you said under your breath, you mean it. I know you mean it.
74) Do we let go
75) Are we too far gone I don't know where we started.
76) I guess I don't know.
77) Where took a wrong turn, everything got harder.
78) Hit me 3-1-0
79) And I'll be home at some point past sundown, 'cause traffic.
80) You already know that, oh.
81) I'll put on a show if you just come over.
82) I'm sorry your house is in Glendale or somewhere far.
83) I would drive all night to get to you.
84) But my curfew is early and mom's up at home.
85) I would run for miles to get to you but you gotta understand I can't, 'cause
86) M-i-n-o-r. I'm minorly stuck
87) And it's not your fault
88) Just how things are
89) M-i-n-o-r
90) I'm all out of luck
91) I'm minorly stuck, oh
92) We'll meet by the freeway
93) It's shady, but better than nothing.
94) Oh, take my word
95) I grew up not far but never been down here.
96) At this time your house is in Glendale or somewhere far.
97) I would drive all night to get to you
98) But my curfew is early and dad's at the door.
99) I would run for miles to get to you but you gotta understand I can't, 'cause.
100) You told me something when I left but I don't remember.
101) Maybe 'cause all I could do then was stare at the floor.
102) I held myself 'cause you wouldn't, all wrapped in my sweatshirt
103) Wonder if you even noticed that that one was yours.
104) When maybe I should've but I never told you "I'm sorry"
105) Know that I tried but my words always got in the way.
106) Could you hold me without any talking?
107) We could try to go back where we started.
108) I don't even have to stay.
109) I don't even have to stay but if I woke up with you in the morning.
110) I'd forget all the ways that we're broken.
111) I don't care if you've changed.
112) I don't even have to stay.
113) I don't remember the last time I heard from your sister.
114) Didn't expect to but I sorta thought that I would.
115) Wish I could tell you by now that I felt more indifferent.
116) Catch myself thinking about you more than I should.
117) And maybe I should've but I never told you I miss you.
118) I almost said it but don't know if you feel the same.
119) I'm living like I'm gonna lose you.
120) Oh I see right through it.
33 notes
·
View notes
Text
The Quarantine Chronicles: These Last Five Years & What I Thought I Wanted
There’s nothing like being alone in your own thoughts at 1:00am in the midst of a global pandemic... Instead of aimlessly scrolling through my Instagram timeline or checking my bank account with all the money I have saved from not going out, I’ve had time to think about what the 28 year old, almost 29 year old Amy needs versus wants...
I think in high school or at some point in our lives we have all fallen victim to “By the time I’m age this, I want to have x, y and z.” At 16, I thought at 25 I would have my life 85% figured out. Pretty funny concept now that you think about it, right? I actually laugh at how naive or how troublesome it is to have these unrealistic goals and tag an age onto them... I pictured myself living in a nice apartment, potentially dating someone, or if not just focusing on my career. Fast forward to 2020, besides this year being a complete clusterf*ck, I’ve had extra time to sit down and think of these last five years in a nutshell.
All I remember from 2015 was going to Vegas, still working in retail, having foot surgery and getting into CSUF. The rest is foggy because it’s been five years. Huh? I thought 2015 was last year...
2016 seemed to be one of my better years. I started at CSUF, went to Iceland, interned at Rastaclat, ended up getting a job at Rastaclat, entered into my first serious relationship, moved back out to Orange County and felt like at 24 - 25 I was killing the game (or so I thought.)
2017 wasn’t too bad. I graduated from CSUF in the spring, went to Oahu, continued on in my relationship and spent a majority of my time focusing on my career.
2018 is when life started to get real interesting. My pup, Ben G, passed away while I was out in Illinois visiting my cousin (long story to save for another post,) I started a new job at Pretty Great LLC, traveled to escape 99% of the time, started taking birth control that made me bloated, emotional and feel weird and moved back to Moreno Valley. During this time, my relationship started to crumble due to lack of communication, the wave of grief I was experiencing and everything in else in between that couples go through. I started going to therapy in July and in August, I had my first panic attack. In September, I decided I needed to get as far away from my life as possible. I booked a flight to Japan to visit Sarah since she was stationed out in Yokosuka. Yokosuka has a naval base and is about an hour from Tokyo. I talked to my boss at work a few weeks prior and asked for a week and a half off. Luckily, he was one of the most understanding and best people I have ever worked for in my career so far. Most bosses would have told you to “Get over it” or “Figure it out.” Rob Myers was a saving grace for me that year for letting me have my time off to not think about life.
While I was in Japan, I remember the time change messing me up quite a bit. I think it took around three days for me to finally be okay without passing out in the middle of the day. In short, this trip changed me. It changed how I traveled, it changed how I process emotions, it changed my outlook on life, it changed many things for me. I came back from this trip and my relationship was virtually over. I didn’t know how to feel, I didn’t know what to do, it just sort of fizzled like a candle using its last part of the wick. October came and I spent my birthday in Big Bear with my parents. I remember crying in the cabin when we got back from Octoberfest. I don’t think it really hit me that I was single, with no friends around and that 27 was already a shit show on day 1. I visited my best guy friend and his sisters in Arizona at the end of October to make up for the previous weekend. I had no idea that November could get any worse for me, but it did. It was two days before Thanksgiving, November 20th, 2018.
I was driving from Moreno Valley to Santa Ana one morning on my way to work. I took my normal route, left at my normal time, a pretty standard commute. About 2 miles from work, I was at a stop light. At this stop light I waited for about 30 seconds while the other cars went. The light turned green. As I was pressing my gas to accelerate, out of nowhere, a semi truck plows its way through the intersection and t-bones my driver’s side. I remember screaming. I remember it being like a scene from a Final Destination movie where the victim doesn’t know that death or uncertainty is upon them. In that moment, I remember thinking “This is it.” My reflexes shifted real quick and that was it. I remember pulling off to the side of the road leading up to the 5 freeway. I felt like my soul left my body for seconds then came back. I was shaking. I called my dad first and let him know what had happened. I called my mom and then the insurance company. I exchanged words and information with the driver. I remember being upset, but I couldn’t yell or get any words out. I just went by the protocol of what to do when you get involved with an accident. Sure, I have been rear ended before, but never t-boned and let alone by a damn semi truck. This accident passed, I was awarded some half ass money and in the midst of it all, I remember being so mentally drained that I cried out for help on Instagram Stories... I remember going through survivors guilt. I remember saying to myself “Why am I still here? There are people that die in accidents or by drunk/distracted drivers all the time... Why do I still have to live this life of pain and suffering?” In my mind and in 2018, I never knew how to take pain and suffering very well. I didn’t know it would shape me for what these next couple years would throw at me.
December came and went. It was like a sigh of relief for me to know that the vicious cycle of the 2018 rollercoaster was coming to an end. At this point, I kind of gave zero f*cks as to what happened in life. A few days before Christmas, I visited my Grandma in Illinois and my grandparents’ grave site. I think my trip to Illinois was some type of closure to my 2018 year. I hadn’t been back to Illinois since my Grandma’s funeral in 2011. It was a cold and frigid trip. It was the first trip I had ever driven by myself. The only cool thing was running into Ja Rule at the Palm Springs Airport (before the Fyre Festival documentary came out, otherwise I would have yelled at him.) He was on my flight to Chicago. Jeffrey Atkins, you sneaky motherfucker, you! How I wish I would have known about you tricking people with that one guy... I ordered a “Survived 2018″ crewneck from this small online business store, went to Disneyland with my mom on Christmas and threw caution to the wind.
2019 was interesting, but not as heavy as 2018. I called 2019 the year where I “rushed to get back to normalcy.” I realized the commute to PG was getting tiring pretty fast, I accepted being single and got back into dance. Dance saved my life, point blank. Whether it was subbing, teaching, training or being on a team, it brought back a sense of joy and also established new friendships along the way. I started a job at a marketing agency in March 2019 that was a short commute and about 6 months in, I realized this was something I wasn’t a fan of. It took me a while to realize that that was okay to feel uneasy about the jobs I once knew.
If I had to rate 2019 on a point scale, I would say it was a 6/10. I felt like the last few months I was suppose to be back to normal and healed from a lot of things I kept to myself. Dating people was weird because 1. I felt behind. What I mean by that was I thought by age 27 - 28, I would have met my “person,” by now. As I seen other friends get proposed to, plan their weddings and start their families, I started to feel like the odd woman out. Was there something wrong with me? Am I that complicated or hard to love? Are my values not aligning with people I like? Am I going to be that person that gets married at 40 or even at all? Will I always be the friend and not the potential girlfriend or wife? Who knows? 2. The reciprocity factor of it all and setting boundaries. 3. I don’t think I ever got over everything that had happened in my first relationship because we never cheated on each other, our trust when out without each other was never questioned and there was a best friend component in it. I was filled with regret, frustration and memories I forced myself to black out even after going to therapy and journaling it. Fact: I dread my birthday each year. I don’t like my birthday in general, but October I have mixed emotions about. The anniversary of my Grandma’s death is on 10/13, my Grandpa’s birthday is 10/14 and my birthday is 10/20. I spent the last couple months of 2019 drinking more than usual, especially after my friend, Beka, passed away suddenly in November. December came and went. I had my first trip to Puerto Vallarta and enjoyed some much needed beach time. I had this “idea” that I would move to the east coast with Sarah because I wanted to start over. That idea went out the window. I ended 2019 with buying a new car after having paid off my Kia Forte back in 2016.
It’s now 2020 and boy... It has been a shit show for the world I feel like. I can’t even begin to describe what a rollercoaster of emotions everyone is feeling right now, but I do have one word for me personally: gratitude. I started off the year so uneasy with finding out my dad was diagnosed with colon cancer again for a second time. I remember going into February with no expectations, yet I had expectations (weird right?) Without going into too much detail I felt like that quote by DJ Khaled saying “Congratulations, you played ya self!” I was constantly frantic about work, friendships, relationships, my future, dance, my parents, basically everything. I was a walking, talking ball of stress. March came around and I downloaded Bumble (yup, I went there) and matched with a really nice guy who actually knew two of my nurse friends. Then, COVID-19 was in full effect in the states and suddenly the idea of dating or wanting any kind of human interaction made me cringe... I had to politely excuse myself and move on. I checked in on friends and they checked in on me.
I’ve spent more time with my parents, more time on myself and then it finally clicked: I am where I need to be in this exact moment. I don’t want to date anyone in quarantine, I don’t want to understand or have expectations for another human like I’ve been searching for these last 6 months. What the fuck, Amy? You are everything you need right now and it is not in another person. I’ve danced in quarantine, I’ve cried in quarantine, I’ve laughed in quarantine, I’ve journaled in quarantine, I’ve found myself again in quarantine. As easy as it sounds for most people, the concept is quite large. Since I was 18 years old, I have ALWAYS wanted to live by myself and try it out. It’s ten years later and in the midst of this uncertain time period, I know that 2020 is the year that I finally accomplish this. So, in short, 2021 I’ll be back on the “dating” field or whatever, but 2020 is my year to literally work. on. myself. This includes: my relationship with myself, my relationship with my friends, family, acquaintances, coworkers, etc., my health regiment, my mental health, my physical health, my emotional health, I think you get the point, right? In a time where some of us feel alone, I feel secure. My days vary and maybe I’ll post something tomorrow where I say “That post was trash, quarantine was terrible,” and while it is on most days, I’m so grateful to connect more deeply with people on a spiritual and conversational level. I was tired of hiding behind my day-to-day busy routine when I finally came to terms with myself.
We are all in this together. We are all processing what we need and want. I use this blog as a way to express and share what so many people keep to themselves. Maybe you can relate, maybe you think I’m too out there. Either way, to each their own.
Until next time.
2 notes
·
View notes
Text
Wednesday, 8 July
A weird day yesterday. We needed to buy a few perishables at the supermarket so did that early morning, then decided to take a drive to Walhalla. I find a lot of the signage around here confusing – an example was a small carpark with two entrances – both clearly signed ‘No Entry’. But many of the street signs and other directional signage is strangely drawn or ambiguously positioned so we found ourselves doing lots of U-turns and 3-point turns before we got onto the road to Walhalla. We decided to go via one road and return via another and found much of the signage near the Freeway (that we eschewed) quite confusing. Nonetheless, we persevered and reached Walhalla in time to enjoy our packed lunch. We have been eating a lot of creative salads lately, usually accompanied by something else – yesterday it was some of our beefed-up home-made sausage rolls – delish!
All the countryside is brilliant green in Gippsland – plenty of rain and all the stock look well-fed. Walhalla was its usual delightful self, quaint and isolated, albeit with a few more visitors than usual for this time of the year, despite almost everything being closed. But the drive was worth it, winding through deep rocky canyons surrounded by magnificent mammoth trees – quite awe-inspiring. To avoid the Freeway on the way home, we headed south to Mirboo North and thence meandering through to Warragul - with a 40 kilometre detour until we discovered that the signage had tricked us again and we were well on the way to Wonthaggi.
Back in the caravan, we got the news of the lockdown in Melbourne. I wish someone could explain the insanity of a partial lockdown to me. People are still free to shop, go to work, mingle with colleagues, exercise with others, visit a range of people and services, all or any of which have numerous other visitors potentially assisting the spread of any contamination. To me, it smacks of typical government reaction – something is happening so we need to be seen to be doing something – anything – and it is easier to punish the innocent than catch the guilty so we will start with that and see what happens. And how come there hasn’t been a constitutional challenge to the closure of State and Territory borders? We are all Australians after all!
We are lucky. We got out of Melbourne in the nick of time, but it is now seemingly illegal for us to return home (we don’t qualify for any of the four reasons for entering the locked down area) and if we did, we wouldn’t be able to get out again. We can still travel fairly broadly within Victoria, but our Fossil Dig in August is probably a lost cause, along with the money we paid for it. Even our camel adventure in April is at risk, along with the fees we have paid and committed for it. And who knows about the thousands we have paid for our second Antarctic Expedition in 2021-22? It is virtually impossible to get worthwhile travel insurance and without it, we are mandatorily excluded from at least two of those trips.
Tomorrow’s family catch-up with a few of Heather’s rellos has been cancelled and we have been ringing and emailing to cancel all the things we had booked for the few days we had planned to return home at the end of next week. We had also been going to visit Heather’s 102 year-old aunt in the next couple of days, but that is also now off the agenda.
With all of this going on, our heads were reeling by the time we ate dinner and got ready for bed. Started watching a new series of The Crown but were asleep in 10 minutes so will have to start it again. Woke up just before it finished and read for an hour or so, but fell asleep again to the sound of a hundred or more roosting corellas arguing about whose turn it is for the best spot on which branch tonight.
1 note
·
View note
Text
White Settlement
On Sunday, December 29, 2019, the West Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement, TX, was under attack by an enraged gunman, who killed two parishioners, but then was killed by the head of the volunteer security team, with one shot to the head.
I speak about this because it still has not left my mind and the wound is still fresh from that day. Although, I was not actually there when it happened, but I live right next door to the church, which is still frightening.
I do not want to take away from those who were inside at the time of this and I hope they all find closure and healing. My mom did hear a sound around 10:30 or so, but was not sure what it was exactly. This gunman could have easily started this outside and could have ended much worse than what it did.
I just have never been so close to a situation like this and it hits too close to home that I can’t even begin to process. The video of the shooting is tough to watch, with children in the sanctuary. My thoughts, love, and condolences are with the family and friends of the victims and those part of the church that had to live through this nightmare.
This post is not for attention, but I have been wanting to say this publicly for some time now. I sincerely hope that church members, families, and friends of these victims, once again, find the healing and closure they so desperately need. We will not forget the two that this church lost, and we will always think of Jack Wilson as a hero by stopping the shooter and preventing further loss of life. The entire White Settlement community thanks you for that swift and heroic action.
We stand with you members of the West Freeway Church of Christ.
1 note
·
View note
Last Seen Blogs
archonfurina
you're the brightest star in my universe;
austinvintagetoys
AustinVintageToys
denis-mauro
Sem título
countryraisedtrucker
Untitled
psychoticwillgraham
cubes with the boys