#Midweek past result
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What is your path? PAC
Welcome to another midweek reading, lovelies! Today, I have a PAC to help you explore your current path. I guide you through where you are currently, your next step, what you need to know, and where your current path will lead you.
Take a deep breath, relax, and let your intuition guide you to the reading for you.
As a disclaimer, my readings should only be used for entertainment, the choices you make are your own.
I see that right now, you are patiently waiting for the next step in your life. You’re waiting for your ship to come in. You have your aspirations and wishes figured out and you’re ready to realize them. I get the feeling that you’ve achieved harmony and balance in your life and you’re ready for the next step. It’s time to create this life you want. Use what’s at your disposal and watch abundance pour in. I’m seeing that you’ve already planted the seeds and now it’s time to nourish what you’ve created. Before you know it, you’ll be surrounded by the luxuries you’re dreaming of.
You’re entering a new phase of your life. All that you need is within you. Now is the time to embrace new ideas and growth! Maintain this serenity that you’ve gained and keep hope for the beautiful future you want. I’m seeing total emotional fulfillment in your future. Everything is leading up to you getting everything you want. I see so much abundance and happiness for you!
I’m seeing that right now, you’re in a very collaborative place. You’re consulting others, you’re making plans for things that you want to do. I’m seeing something you’re wanting to do, something you’re wanting to build or create. Right now you’re in the phase of having made the plans, and looking to move forward. The next step I’m seeing for you is to take the leap, put the plans into action. You’ve got things figured out, now all that’s left to do is charge forward. Remain resolute throughout the actualization period.
You need to know that you will succeed. There’s so much hope for you, it’s almost guaranteed. Given the other cards in this reading, I’m seeing very little chance for failure. The Star in this reading seems like more than hope. It’s a shining beacon there to remind you that you’re on the right path. The end result will be satisfaction. I’m seeing happiness and accomplishment from the Nine of Cups. I’m seeing that in the end, you will have this finished product in your hand.
I’m seeing that right now, you’re feeling very nostalgic. There’s something from your past you’re romanticizing. You’re having a very hard time letting this go. You’re keeping your eyes on the past. I’m seeing that it’s time for you to choose a new direction. You don’t have to completely let go of the past, but it is time to set a new goal. Get excited about the future, find a goal that motivates you. It’s time to choose a new conquest.
Remember during this time that there is more prosperity and pleasure for you in the future. It’s not all in the past. You felt secure in the past, but that time has passed. Holding on to something long passed will lead only to heartbreak. If you continue on the way you have been, unable to let go, I see grief and pain for you. Letting go, moving on, will allow you to receive all the abundance life has for you.
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Taylor Swift has done that rare thing in recorded music in 2022 by exceeding expectations for her latest album.
At a time when even the biggest artists’ releases tend to perform less well than previous albums, in large part because of the shift to a consumption model, Swift’s 10th original studio album, Midnights, has stunned the industry in the past week. Its weekly sales are, in fact, higher than any of her previous albums by more than 100%.
Swift also secured the UK charts double with Anti-Hero debuting at the singles summit. Swift is the first female artist since Miley Cyrus in 2013 to achieve an albums and singles chart double.
Midnights (EMI) opened at No.1 with blockbuster sales of 204,501, which is more than the rest of the Top 14 albums combined. The album has also broken vinyl sales records for the 21st century, and secured the biggest weekly streaming total since Ed Sheeran’s Divide in 2017.
The result powered EMI to a 16.8% share as the No.1 label based on the All Music (All Albums) and (Artist Albums) metrics. The label also had the Top 4 singles (including former No.1 Unholy by Sam Smith & Kim Petras), and five of the Top 6 (including Lewis Capaldi’s former No.1 Forget Me).
Swift’s latest LP is the first to top 200,000 sales since Adele’s 30 in December 2021, which was itself the biggest weekly sale since Ed Sheeran’s ÷ posted 206,411 in its third week at No.1 in March 2017. Midnights is already the third biggest album of the year to date, behind Harry Styles’s Harry’s House and Ed Sheeran’s =.
Even before the final result, Midnights was declared the fastest-selling album of 2022 so far based on Midweek sales flashes. It surpassed the 113,812 week one sales for Harry Styles’ Harry’s House by the weekend.
Swift’s week one performance means that she has also beaten Harry Styles’ record for the fastest vinyl sales of the 21st century. Midnight’s staggering vinyl total of 61,948 was helped by multiple coloured editions for fans. It also sold 75,667 CDs, helped in part by the deluxe CD edition’s bonus track, Hits Different, which is not on DSPs.
Physical sales of 139,450 dominated the week one total for Midnights, but it has also been a streaming phenomenon. With 57,964 sales-equivalent streams, the album has the biggest weekly total since Ed Sheeran’s second week at No.1 with ÷ in 2017 (58,280). The ÷ week one tally of 78,944 suggests that it will hold on to that streaming record for some while yet.
Midnights racked up 72.5 million streams in seven days, surpassing Harry Styles’ 53.9m with Harry’s House earlier this year.
Of course, the streaming performance is evident on the singles chart where, as well as No.1 with Anti-Hero (78,993 sales), Swift debuted at No.3 with Lavender Haze (51,308) and No.4 with Snow On The Beach feat. Lana Del Rey (48,417). But for chart rules limiting a primary artist to three entries, Midnight’s tracks would have made up 13 of the Top 16 entries.
In the albums chart, Swift powered ahead of chart rival Arctic Monkeys, despite a strong performance from their seventh album, The Car, which moved 119,016 copies and also improved on their previous release’s week one performance by 37.8%. Its vinyl sales of 37,866 would have set a 21st century record but for Taylor Swift’s Midnights. The pair of huge releases helped physical sales reach a 24.3% share for this chart week.
Martin Talbot, chief executive, Official Charts Company, said: “Many congratulations to Taylor Swift on her fantastic achievement in topping 200,000 sales this week. We always knew this would be a huge week for fans of Taylor and Arctic Monkeys, following the release of their brand new albums - and their combined first week total of more than 320,000 chart sales indicates that their pre-release excitement was well placed. Coming so soon after a fantastically successful National Album Day earlier this month, the successes also highlight just how popular albums continue to be in the digital era – and suggest that the pre-Christmas sales surge is underway.” Midnights is Taylor Swift’s ninth consecutive No.1 album (including the re-recorded version of Red and Fearless in 2021). It is also her fifth No.1 in just over two years.
With nine consecutive chart-topping albums, Swift has overtaken Madonna to set a new chart record, generating the fastest succession of nine UK No.1 albums of any female artist. Madonna retains the title of the female artist with the most No.1 albums (12), but Swift has overtaken Kylie Minogue to follow in second place. Swift has also extended her lead as the female solo artist with the highest collection of No.1 albums this century.
Red (Taylor’s Version) became Swift’s fourth No.1 album in 476 days last year, beating the previous record of 518 days set by The Beatles in 1964/65.
For Midnights, comparisons with previous Swift releases are problematic. Red (Taylor’s Version) posted 72,319 week one sales last November, but that was not an original studio album. The same applied to Fearless (Taylor’s Version), which debuted at the summit in April 2021 with 21,145 sales.
In 2020, Swift secured No.1 lockdown albums with Folklore (37,060) and Evermore (27,532) - but both of those were initially digital-only releases.
Lover, released in August 2019, had opening sales across digital and physical of 53,015. The album marked Swift’s embrace of streaming, following the windowed release on DSPs of previous albums. Reputation, released in November 2017, opened with pure sales of 83,648 (including 41,795 from paid-for downloads). It arrived on streaming platforms some months later.
On a streaming basis, which is a more direct comparison, Midnights (on 57,964 sales-equivalent streams) has clearly outperformed its studio album predecessors for its week one total: Evermore (20,771), Folklore (24,050), Lover (17,891).
For the record, 1989 sold 90,336 copies on its August 2016 debut; Red, which started her sequence of chart-toppers, sold 61,779 copies in October 2012. As well as providing her biggest first week sale, 1989 is Swift’s biggest-seller overall, with consumption of 1,517,982 copies so far.
Taylor Swift scored her first UK No.1 album 10 years ago in October 2012 with Red, whereas it took Madonna 21 years to reach the same tally.
The Beatles hold the overall record, racking up nine chart toppers in five years and seven months between their debut album Please Please Me in May 1963 and The White Album in December 1968.
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Cancellation Of Premier League Fixtures Proves We Never Left The Dark Ages
“The only good things to ever come out of England, are Drill Music and Premier League Football”
The passing of the queen of England was like a silent fart in a gust of wind as far as I’m concerned, you know, worrying about the queen would be like wondering if the suns gonna come up.
The great hypocrisy that needs discussed, is how a country like England, successullfy “exported” their culture and ideology to the rest of the world, all while mocking how backward those in 3rd world countries are, yet today, still feels the need to treat thier stupid monarchs with reverence.
I mean, leave it to me to be the one to point out how backwards, ignorant, uneducated, tone deaf and out of step with the times this really is.
So your oldest living monarch dies, and you think the best response is to ensure her death is mourned by these guys..........
If there’s one thing I could assure you of, it’s that the queen of England would never associate herself with the average English football fan.
Never in a million years.
I can almost assure the English royal family views the average English football fan and the rest of the tax paying public, as little more than gum under thier sneakers, you know what I mean?
And I’m dead serious.
It’s one thing for you to cancel the greatest past time of all modern times in the form of a 10-day premier league break, but you better not dare to touch that Champions League schedule.
Manchester City, Rangers, Liverpool, Chelsea, Celtic and Tottenham Hostpur are all expected to represent thier respective leagues in Europe during midweek, and should they fail to do so, it would not only cause a scheduling conflict due to the World Cup being played in December, but it would put on display the kind of bullheadedness that resulted in Brexit.
And Brexit was a roaring success wasn’t it?
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You may wonder why Ol’ Defense Films seems to have an extra bit of venom towards your fallen monarch, and I’d only be happy to inform you mother*****r.
Anyone that has grown up in a Commowealth country, or a former English colony, will tell you that the tone and language that I’m using in this article, is the most British thing on earth.
Sarcasm, crassness, a lack of empathy, the constant dehumanization of others as a way to elevate and relieve your own very frail sense of superiority. These things are as English as tea and biscuits.
Talking to people in this way, is England’s greatest contribution to global society. The other is the art of stealing natural resources from indegenous people.
Long story short, the only good things that ever came out of England, are Drill Music and Premier League football.
Now piss off!!
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Two for the price of one!!
What a travesty!! I forgot to publish my football correspondent’s masterly report on our victory at Luton. SHAME on me!! But first, you will have to read his thoughts on our lamentable performance against Fulham…
hi - united have done well recently but with the exception of the 3 goal victory v west ham the general feeling has been that united have been winning in spite of themselves and that success has been largely due to the deficiencies of the opposition and a bit of Lady Luck
fulham are poor travellers and have not won away since the opening day and last won at united in 2003 so despite the loss of shaw and hojlund due to injury one felt united would have enough to win
united made a slow start and similar to recent opponents fulham had a lot of the ball and created some opportunities which were either squandered or required onana to make some good saves - at the other end debutant forson was not having much of an impact but neither were senior pros like rashford and fernandes - united had rashford at no.9 and garnacho on the left and forson on the right - if it were down to me i'd have had mctominay as a straight replacement for hojlund but mr ten Hag disagreed
the match meandered into the 2nd half and half way through fulham forced a corner - the cross went over lindelof and was headed by bassey into the body of a colleague - bassey pounced on the rebound and smashed in the opener
united tried to rouse themselves but in truth didn't look like scoring - i was saying as much to a fellow fan when Fernandes crossed and leno pushed it aside only for the lurking maguire to equalise on 89 minutes - with 9 minutes of stoppage time to be added on it seemed written in the stars that a trademark late winner would arrive
it duly did and the celebrations on the field were joyous and prolonged - unfortunately the majority of the crowd did not share the same feelings because it was the visitors who found the net - a united attack had petered out when lindelof miscontrolled in the box though he prevented a fulham goal kick by putting the ball out for a throw near the corner flag - a long throw found traore who sped away from eriksen and maguire and raced into the united half - he found iwobi at the corner of the box - a clever jink made space and he clipped the ball into the corner past the wrong footed onana -
thats the trouble with late goals the opposition can score them as well - united have won this way at fulham a couple of times in the recent past - this time the boot was on the other foot - i also recall united levelling against palace thru dan james after 89 minutes only for van aanholt to grab the winner
no one was bad for united - trouble was that no one was good - it was all bang average and another let down for the supporters whose hopes of a top 4 finish had been raised only to be undermined yet again by a hugely underwhelming performance
post match ten hag praised his players for their character and spirit and that the bigger picture looked good - maybe he or i need to go to specsavers
in midweek it is the cup at forest followed by city on sunday - a win in the former and a loss in the latter seems probable -defeat in both might have jim ratcliffe contacting someone like graham potter - we shall see
bye
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hi - thus far in 2024 results have been kind to united and they have yet to taste defeat - luton promised to be a venue where united ought to achieve the victory that is necessary if top 4 ambitions are to be realised
luton kicked off and their first attack was repelled when casemiro whacked an aimless clearance downfield - defender bell tried a backpass but made a complete hash of it and hojlund collected, drove forward and drifted wide of the keeper before making it 1 - 0 after 30 odd seconds
a few minutes later a garnacho shot from a corner was cleverly diverted into goal by hojlund's chest and united were 2 up - it was reminiscent of the fast start at newport
unfortunately just like at newport united allowed the opposition back in the game - luton halved the deficit on 14 minutes - luton pressed and harassed united - an unsettled casemiro gave away numerous free kicks and may have been red carded - just like at newport united were grateful for half time
luton dominated possession in the 2nd half but it was united who made - and squandered - all the chances - garnacho, fernandes and dalot all just had the keeper to beat but failed miserably - keeper saved well from rashford - fernandes also shot wide when just faced by the keeper -luton hit the top of the bar with a header from the last corner of the game - united hung on fairly comfortably as onana didn't have to do much after the early flurry of goals - luton had huffed and puffed but couldn't blow united's house down
so another win for united but there are still concerns to be addressed - it is a strange thing to say but the time to worry as a united fan is when the team takes a 2 goal lead - sensible game management is absent as 11 individuals try to get into the scoring act - it is frustrating as the same pattern is repeated - it seems an impossible dream that united will be able to shut up shop and see out a 2 - 0 win
on a positive note mainoo was marvellous - always cool, calm, composed and collected - evans performed splendidly as a 2nd half sub
in a couple of weeks it is city away - would i take united having a 2 - 0 lead - oh yes i would - as long as they came after 89 and 90 minutes that is
bye
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3/12/23 Results + Midweek Predictions
Results:
Liverpool:4 Fulham:3 (Alexander-Arnold hero as Reds grab late win.)
Man City:3 Tottenham:3 (Spurs level late in thriller.)
Bournemouth:2 Aston Villa:2 (Villa 90th minute leveller earns point.)
Chelsea:3 Brighton:2 (Fernandez double sees Blues past 10 men.)
West Ham:1 Crystal Palace:1 (Hamners error sees points shared.)
We have a midweek round with 10 games spread over 3 nights.
5/12/23
7.30pm- Wolves v Burnley- Wolves win.
8.15pm- Luton v Arsenal- Arsenal win.
6/12/23
7.30pm- Brighton v Brentford- Brighton win.
7.30pm- Fulham v Nottingham Forest- Fulham win.
7.30pm- Sheffield United v Liverpool- Liverpool win.
7.30pm- Crystal Palace v Bournemouth- Palace win.
8.15pm- Aston Villa v Man City- City win.
8.15pm- Man Utd v Chelsea- United win.
7/12/23
7.30pm- Everton v Newcastle- Newcastle win.
8.15pm- Tottenham v West Ham- Tottenham win.
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During the closing stages of Friday night’s cup clash, the home support began to sing ‘Europa League - you’re having a laugh’ which whilst being generally quite irritating, may have also been a bit too close to the bone for many of the travelling Aberdeen fans. Whilst for me, Aberdeen did well to navigate what had always looked to be a tricky tie away from home, albeit against a lower league side, there were parts of the performance which do make the upcoming European fixture a tad concerning. At both Livingston and Stirling, we have failed to create and excite and whilst being (mostly) defensively sound, there have been some signs we may still be suffering from the road sickness that has plagued the last several seasons. With two huge away games this week, in Europe and the league respectively, there is some concern that this could cause us to stumble just as we look to get the season properly up and running.
Firstly, the game away to Hacken looks like a preferable tie compared to some of the sides that we could have faced at this stage of Europa league qualification and means a romantic return to Gothenburg for Dons fans. Courtesy of my friends at the ABZ Podcast, their lo-fi counterparts at Red Tinted Glasses and their respective guests on this week’s instalments, I’ve learned that it looks like the Swedish side will be hoping we go there to try and play expansive, free flowing football, with the home team very much fancying their chances in a fast-paced shootout. The supporters of the Gothenburg team seem almost content knowing that their side are likely to concede, such is their confidence in their sides ability to score goals. Barry Robson has talked extensively about results being his main area of concern for his Aberdeen team and I think the majority of Aberdeen fans expect that he will take a pragmatic approach to the tie, particularly the away leg and that tomorrow night we will see a side set up to frustrate and try to grab a goal if the opportunity presents itself. It might not make for the most exhilarating night of RedTV, it might not be what I was dreaming of when urinating in a lay-by on the way back from Stirling last Friday but if this approach can get the tie back to Pittodrie on level terms, with a lead or even a small deficit, it sets up what promises to be a brilliant occasion on home turf next week and it might just be our best chance of reaching the coveted Europa league group stages.
Paisley hasn’t been the happiest hunting ground for Aberdeen, in recent years, or ever as the records show but with the way the fixtures have lined up for this opening period of the season a result here could be invaluable in ensuring we don’t start to drift in the league. St. Mirren have themselves had a great start to the campaign and after their record at home last season, will fancy their chances on Sunday afternoon, as they will against most, if not all, opponents in the league. This will be another opportunity to try and override some of our struggles away from home and a first chance to prove that a European hangover won’t distill our league efforts. Hearts and particularly Hibs, have already shown so far this season that the additional midweek games can stretch a squad, which makes this week’s timely additions even more welcome.
What to say on Jamie McGrath! For someone it feels like we should know plenty about, the jury still seems to be very much out on how to view our newest midfield acquisition. Well regarded during his time at St. Mirren, completely overlooked at Wigan and relegated with Dundee United, albeit seen as relatively well performing within a struggling side, it feels like we could be getting a player with good experience in the Scottish game who offers another good attacking option from midfield or someone slightly out in the wilderness, who has eventually made his way to Aberdeen after much speculation of our interest in him over the past few years. Either way, this looks like one that will need to be proven on the pitch but with our fixtures mounting up and given that Jamie has signed on a permanent contract, this to me looks like a sturdy, if not scintillating, addition to the squad.
I won’t pretend to have an extensive knowledge of Dutch or Polish football, or of Richard Jensen as a player, but considering that we have been crying out for left sided defenders in more windows than this one, I’m delighted to see this deal get done. At 27 and with around 150 senior appearances, he looks to be the kind of experienced of defender we will need this season. It will also come as a relief to some I’m sure, that this deal finally puts to bed the rumours of Liam Scales return, with this now looking highly unlikely. Whilst I rated Scales during his time at Aberdeen last season and will always feel indebted to him for that goal he totally meant, it didn’t sit well with most Aberdeen fans that we’d either be taking him on loan again or being held to ransom by Celtic for a permanent move and with their mounting defensive injuries, it seems for the best that this move can finally be dismissed.
In a week where it feels much has happened with lots yet to come, I’ll wrap up by saying to those in Gothenburg, Aberdeen or wherever else, have faith tomorrow night, that as Jack Mackenzie’s eleventh lumped clearance soars through the air or across your screens it could be just what’s needed to set us up for something very special in one week’s time. Safe travels, happy streaming, stand free!
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Delta: Fuel subsidy, simply punishment for Nigerians – Prophet Ariole
The General Overseer of Goshen Freedom Tabernacle, GFT in Effurun, Delta State, Prophet Austin Ariole has said the fuel subsidy removal is another punishment on Nigerian citizens.
The cleric made the assertion during a sermon at the church’s midweek service in Effurun.
Lamenting that the move has subjected Nigerians to abject poverty, he expressed worry that the people’s income did not increase with the removal of the subsidy.
He said, “fuel vanishes into thin air. You cannot buy 10 litres and use it for three hours. That itself is another punishment for man. You cannot use 10 litres fuel for three days.”
While noting that both past and present governments have failed with their agendas, Prophet Ariole said, “if you say you will not pay subsidy, let the people continue to suffer.”
He also emphasised the high rate of unemployment, insecurity, corruption and untold economic hardships in the country, saying these are the result of the wickedness of man.
Prophet said the only way Nigeria can survive and come out from wickedness is to listen to deep-minded thoughts.
He urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his advisers to listen to the voice of reasoning to move the nation into the Ark of God which he christened as a “symbol of an institution of discipline”.
Read the full article
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New nba jam pc
Forget the Rookies! Now play as the 1992 Dream Team!.
An overview of the key features is as follows:
Plus a few new court colors sprinkled in for fun…ĭownload NBA Jam 2K20 Tournament Edition here, and check out this topic in the NLSC Forum for more information, previews, support, or just to say thanks!Īn exciting new release by eskayelle has been added to our Downloads section: the Double Z Mod for the Super Nintendo version of NBA Jam Tournament Edition! The mod is an ultimate 90s update for NBA Jam TE on SNES, adding several new players and teams.
Konami codes from the previous hacks get you expanded rosters, plus either the 2019 All-Stars or the Grizzlies/Raptors/Pelicans.
Got a hankerin’ to put on a hurtin’? Injury stats max out at a whopping 50! No shove, no love!.
Bug fixes from past hacks remain in the game!.
Battle from worst to first based on the 2018-19 season standings and Playoffs.
“Greyscaled” uniform portraits for more seamless future roster swaps.
Contemporary logos are combined with some old favorites.
More sound clips! Wizards! Thunder! Plus a couple surprises!.
Bad boys Barkley, Laimbeer, and Rodman are all at your fingertips!.
New and old secret players are obtainable via initials and button combinations.
Beat the game to access the 2019 All-Stars, expanded rosters, and legacy players!.
All 30 teams are playable, the Grizzlies, World Champion Raptors and Pelicans prominently displayed on an Others team.
New players! Luka Doncic, Evan Fornier, Clint Capela, Moe Harkless, Myles Turner, Seth Curry, Zion Williamson…are all in the game.
Updated rosters! Starters and bench strength from the end of the 2018-19 season are here!.
It’s an interesting situation, so let’s take a look back…way back…įollowing the earlier beta release, eskayelle has uploaded the finalised version of the NBA Jam 2K20 Tournament Edition mod for the Super Nintendo version of NBA Jam TE! The patch can be applied to an SNES ROM, and played in an emulator.
There were changes in different revisions and releases of the NBA Jam games, and on at least one occasion, an update resulted in an error due to a cancelled trade. This was true of NBA Jam and its sequel NBA Jam Tournament Edition, which were stuck with out-of-date rosters once trades and signings occurred. If we go back even further, we’ll find a lot of games that didn’t receive any roster updates post-release, as well as titles that didn’t have roster customisation features. Of course, over a decade ago, official roster updates weren’t as common. We’re also able to update rosters ourselves, and that’s something we’ve obviously been doing for years in our community, for both NBA Live and NBA 2K. All of these transactions will be taken care of in NBA 2K20, which receives regular official roster updates. In the wake of all the deals that went down, several players have been cut, many of whom will no doubt attract some interest on the open market. We’ve just passed the trade deadline for the 2020 season, and saw a flurry of activity. This week, I’m taking a look back at a cancelled trade that made its way into the arcade version of NBA Jam Tournament Edition. You’ll also find old NLSC editorials re-published with added commentary, and other flashback content. Check in every Wednesday for retrospectives and other features on older versions of NBA Live, NBA 2K, and old school basketball video games in general. When it does I'm sure we'll get our first look at the new NBA Jam, but as of 10 AM Eastern Time, the site is offline.This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! In this feature, we dig into the archives, look back at the history of basketball gaming, and indulge in some nostalgia. We're very excited to give them their wish this year with the return of this iconic franchise.Фįinally, the game's official website will open soon at. УDiehard fans of the original game have been asking for a remake for more than a decade. УNBA Jam is one of the most recognizable franchises in videogame history,Ф said Peter Moore, President, EA Sports. The company assured fans that while the new NBA Jam will include plenty of new modes, it will also include the "high-flying, backboard-smashing dunks" the series is known for.ĮA has said they also plan to update the game's visual style by bringing "true-to-life body types, updated physics, and visible player " to NBA Jam. Part remake and part update, the new NBA Jam will reintroduce gamers to the classic sights and sounds of the franchise while also adding new game modes, characters and gameplay depth. Simply titled NBA Jam, the game is in development at EA Canada for a 2010 release. After much speculation, EA Sports has officially announced they will be reviving the NBA Jam series exclusively on the Wii.
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15/1/23 Results + Midweek Predictions
Tottenham:0 Arsenal:2 (Gunners go 8 points clear after assured derby win.)
Newcastle:1 Fulham:0 (Late winner moves Toon up to 3rd.)
Chelsea:1 Crystal Palace:0 (Blues edge past struggling Palace to ease pressure.)
There are 2 games this midweek rearranged from earlier this season.
18/1/23
8pm- Crystal Palace v Man Utd- Utd win
19/1/23
8pm- Man City v Tottenham- City win.
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Markets face what could be the most important week of summer with Fed, earnings and economic data
There’s a head-spinning amount of news for markets to navigate in the week ahead, the biggest of which will be the Federal Reserve’s midweek meeting.
The two largest U.S. companies — Microsoft and Apple — report Tuesday and Thursday, respectively. Google parent Alphabet releases results Tuesday, and Amazon reports Thursday. Meta Platforms, formerly Facebook, reports Wednesday. In all, more than a third of the S&P 500 companies are reporting.
On top of that are several hefty economic reports, which should add fuel to the debate on whether the economy is heading toward, or is already in, a recession.
“Next week, I think, is going to be the most important week of the summer between the economic reports coming out, with respect to GDP, the employment cost index and the Fed meeting — and the 175 S&P 500 companies reporting earnings,” said Leo Grohowski, chief investment officer at BNY Mellon Wealth Management.
Second-quarter gross domestic product is expected Thursday. The Fed’s preferred personal consumption expenditures inflation data comes out Friday morning, as does the employment cost index. Home prices and new home sales are reported Tuesday and consumer sentiment is released Friday.
“I think what those bigger companies say about the outlook will be more important than the earnings they post. ... When you combine that with the statistical reports, which will be backward looking, I think it’s going to be a volatile and important week,” Grohowski said.
The run-up to the Fed’s meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday has already proven to be dramatic, with traders at one point convinced a full point rate hike was coming. But Fed officials pushed back on that view, and economists widely expect a second three-quarter point hike to follow the one last month.
“Obviously a 75 basis point hike is baked in the cake for next week,” said Grohowski. “I think the question is what happens in September. If the Fed is continuing to stay too tight for too long, we will need to increase our probability of recession, which currently stands at 60% over the next 12 months.” A basis point equals 0.01%.
The Fed’s rate hiking is the most aggressive in decades, and the July meeting comes as investors are trying to determine whether the central bank’s tighter policies have already or will trigger a recession. That makes the economic reports in the week ahead all the more important.
GDP report
Topping the list is that second-quarter GDP, expected to be negative by many forecasters. A contraction would be the second in a row on top of the 1.6% decline in the first quarter. Two negative quarters in a row, when confirming declines in other data, is viewed as the sign of a recession.
The widely watched Atlanta Fed GDP Now was tracking at a decline of 1.6% for the second quarter. According to Dow Jones, a consensus forecast of economists expects a 0.3% increase.
“Who knows? We could get a back-of-the-envelope recession with the next GDP report. There’s a 50/50 chance the GDP report is negative,” Grohowski said. “It’s the simple definition of two down quarters in a row.” He added, however, that would not mean an official recession would be declared by the National Bureau of Economic Research, which considers a number of factors.
Diane Swonk, chief economist at KPMG, expects to see a decline of 1.9%, but added it is not yet a recession because unemployment would need to rise as well, by as much as a half percent.
“That’s two negative quarters in a row, and a lot of people are going to say ‘recession, recession, recession,’ but it’s not a recession yet,” she said. “The consumer slowed quite a bit during the quarter. Trade remains a huge problem and inventories were drained instead of built. What’s interesting is those inventories were drained without a lot of discounting. My suspicion is inventories were ordered at even higher prices.”
S&P 500 year-to-date
Stocks in the past week were higher. The S&P 500 ended the week with a 2.6% gain, and the Nasdaq was up 3.3% as earnings bolstered sentiment.
“We’re really shifting gears in terms of what’s going to be important next week versus this week,” said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at National Securities. “We really had an economic data that was largely ignored. Next week, it will probably equal the attention we pay to the household names that are reporting.”
Better-than-expected earnings?
Companies continued to surprise on the upside in the past week, with 75.5% of the S&P 500 earnings better than expected, according to I/B/E/S data from Refinitiv. Even more impressive is that the growth rate of earnings for the second quarter continued to grow.
As of Friday morning, S&P 500 earnings were expected to grow by 6.2%, based on actual reports and estimates, up from 5.6% a week earlier.
“We have kind of a perfect storm of inputs, pretty deep economic reports across the board, with things that have become important, like consumer confidence and new home sales,” said Hogan “For me, the real tell will be whether the attitude of investors continues to be that the earnings season is better than feared.”
U.S. 10-year yield year-to-date
While stocks gained in the past week, bond yields continued to slide, as traders worried about the potential for recession. The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield fell to 2.76% Friday, after weaker PMIs in Europe and the U.S. sent a chilling warning on the economy. Yields move opposite price.
“I do think the market is pivoting,” said Grohowski. “I do think our concerns at least are quickly shifting from persistent inflation to concerns over recession.”
The potential for volatility is high, with markets focused on the Fed, earnings and recession worries. Fed Chair Jerome Powell could also create some waves, if he is more hawkish than expected.
“There are a lot of signs out there about slowing economic growth that will bring down inflation. Hopefully, the Fed doesn’t stay too tight for too long,” said Grohowski. “The chance of a policy error by the Fed continues to increase because we continue to get signs of a rapidly cooling — not just cooling — economy.”
Week ahead calendar
Monday
Earnings: Newmont Goldcorp, Squarespace, Whirlpool, NXP Semiconductor, TrueBlue, F5
Tuesday
Earnings: Microsoft, Alphabet, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, General Motors, 3M, UPS, PulteGroup, Raytheon Technologies, Texas Instruments, Archer-Daniels-Midland, Chubb, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Mondelez International, Canadian National Railway, Pentair, LVMH, Paccar, Kimberly-Clark, Albertsons, General Electric, Ameriprise, Teradyne, Ashland, Boston Properties, FirstEnergy, Visa
FOMC begins 2-day meeting
9:00 a.m. S&P/Case-Shiller home prices
9:00 a.m. FHFA home prices
10:00 a.m. New home sales
10:00 a.m. Consumer confidence
Wednesday
Earnings: Boeing, Meta Platforms, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Ford, Etsy, Qualcomm, T-Mobile, Kraft Heinz, Norfolk Southern, Netgear, Cheesecake Factory, American Water Works, Ryder System, Genuine Parts, Waste Management, Hilton Worldwide, Boston Scientific, Owens Corning, Sherwin-Williams, Fortune Brands, Lam Research, Flex, Hess, Community Health Systems, Molina Healthcare
8:30 a.m. Durable goods
10:00 a.m. Pending home sales
2:00 p.m. FOMC statement
2:30 p.m. Fed Chair Jerome Powell press briefing
Thursday
Earnings: Apple, Amazon, Comcast, Intel, Merck, Pfizer, Honeywell, Mastercard, Northrop Grumman, Southwest Air, Harley-Davidson, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Diageo, Shell, Stanley Black and Decker, Carlyle Group, Southern Co, Lazard, Roku, International Paper, Sirius XM, Hershey, PG&E, ArcelorMittal, Keurig Dr. Pepper, Hertz Global, T.Rowe Price, Valero, Embraer, First Solar, Beazer Homes, Hartford Financial, Celanese, VF Corp, Eastman Chemical, Frontier Group
8:30 a.m. Initial claims
8:30 a.m. Real GDP
Friday
Earnings: AstraZeneca, Weyerhaeuser, Sony, BNP Paribas, Eni, Aon
8:30 a.m. Employment Cost Index
8:30 a.m. Personal income/spending
8:30 a.m. PCE deflator
9:45 a.m. Chicago PMI
10:00 a.m. Consumer sentiment
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Camp Evergreen: You & Me, Me & You {2}
Previous: You & Me, Me & You {1}
Pairing: Kim Taehyung x Reader
Genre: Summer Camp AU, Non Idol AU
Rating: PG15
Word Count: 8.2K
Warnings: Swearing!
Summary: The line you thought you’d drawn between you and Taehyung is quickly crossed, resulting in reality crashing down on both of you. But will that stop the budding romance you’re trying so desperately to keep aflame? Or will conflicting jobs, power imbalances and a certain co-counselor dampen the kindling before it has a chance to burn?
Notes: This is my Free Space for @bangtanwritingbingo
Beta Readers: @xiaokoo who I owe so much it isn’t funny at all.
Camp Evergreen Master List
Be the One Masterlist
The first week of camp is a blur, a complete acid trip that leaves you absolutely reeling. If it isn’t someone being put in Screenwriting 101 instead of Screenwriting 201, or nearly yelling at Asher in your impromptu midweek check in, it’s finding extra sunscreen for the Cabin Counselors to pass out to the teens with sensitive skin, making sure all medications are in their respective locations and labeled correctly, or calling parents to tell them their kid forgot underwear or pajamas or their retainer.
It’s all a blur of new camp chants, evening entertainment skits that have campers in stitches, and finding 15 water bottles without names by Wednesday. Wednesday. Not to mention the growing frustration in your blood over a certain someone who has started wearing a certain someone’s cap nearly every day, hanging by his side, unaware that she’s standing in the place where you are supposed to be.
If it was any other summer, you would be, right next to him, joking around, planning trips to town, sharing inside jokes and flirting shamelessly. But this summer, you’re a boss, an HBIC as Jimin put it, and you’re acutely aware of how desperate you would look clinging to Taehyung.
“Food for thought?” Seokjin asks, offering you a pretzel from his hand. He’s come to stand next to you, broad shoulders bumping yours. His kind eyes reflect the exhaustion in your bones, and you know, not just because you’ve heard their terse arguments, that this first week with Jimin has beaten him down.
“No,” You’re standing at the edge of the Mess Hall, watching Hoseok lead his class in a series of strength training exercises and stretches.
Jin hums, crunching down on the salty snack. “It gets better.”
“What does?”
“The job. You’re at the hardest part, it’ll get better, I swear.” Seokjin was Head Instructor for the past two summers, as per bylaws of camp, Head Instructor can only serve two non-consecutive terms, each term lasting two summers.
“I hope so.”
“You’ll sleep better too, wait until next week, you’ll be fine. The first week back is always the worst.” Jin reiterates.
“And if I’m not better?” You turn sideways to look at him, his pouty lips protruding as he chews. You’ve spent summers and years staring at him, wondering how he managed to be the most frustrating person in the universe, while simultaneously being deceptively charming. It’s somehow what made your friendship work, his duality as both leader and follower, knowing when to hide and when to shine.
“You know everything about camp instruction; you could run it in your sleep. You’re doing a great job,” Seokjin again offers you a pretzel, which you take.
“Are you just saying that? Does Namjoon think so too?” You question before immediately regretting your inquiry as his neck and ears burn red. Namjoon, though younger than you both, was Head Instructor the summers before Seokjin and a certified genius.
“Aye, is my word not worth as much as Namjoon’s? Isn’t it worth more?” Jin squawks.
“No, it is,”
“Then don’t ask about him,” It isn’t a warning or a request, but a demand, not just from your leader, but your friend.
“Alright, you two have got some weird energy,” You mutter, happily stealing a pretzel from his dwindling handful.
“I could say the same about you and –
“Kwan?”
Seokjin stares at you, a playful smirk contradicting his scolding eyes. “Do I have to remind you to be -
“Respectful? I am her boss, I am behaving appropriately, and I am sure she will tell you as much.”
“Good,”
“Hey Y/N!” Hoseok calls.
“Yeah?” You push yourself off the railing and walk towards him. Hoseok, much like all the other male counselors, towers over you. Craning your neck to catch his expression, you note the absence of his heart shaped smile.
“Wanna join?” He asks.
“Join?”
“Yes,”
“I’m the least coordinated person here.”
“Lies, can you just, for right now do this?” Hoseok’s pleading, the exhaustion in the bags under your eyes are staring at him begging him to not ask you to do one more thing. Your to-do list is barely shorter than it was when the day began.
“Fine, you owe me.”
He does, owe you, because whatever strength training and stretching that was, has your body screaming as you step into the steaming shower that evening. It hurts to raise your arms above your head, to reach behind your back, to do anything other than stand in the scalding water and let it work out the kinks you’ve created. It hadn’t been too aggressive, no tackling or rolling on the ground, but everything aches, muscles in places you didn’t know you had, begging for a respite.
Mid wash, another counselor enters the bathroom, first whistling, then humming, finally singing as they step in the shower stall next to you. A baritone voice, singing a song you know by heart, hits your heart, the voice you’ve been missing, dreaming of… You’d recognize it anywhere.
“Moon River / wider than a mile / I’m crossing you in style / someday / My dream maker / heartbreaker / wherever you’re going / I’m going the same,” He sings. You smile before joining in, harmonizing above him.
“Two drifters / off to see the world / there’s such a lot of world to see,” You let him set the pace, his superior vocals reverberating off the tiles as your muscles loosen. He sings it again, ad libbing and changing the tone while you finish cleansing your skin. You’re first to turn your water off, listening intently as he finishes the last chorus. He takes a moment to turn his water off too, and once again begins singing. You laugh, a little too loudly, as he begins the next song. You continue patting yourself dry, slipping on your ‘sleep bralette’ that’s seen you through many nights at camp.
“It’s your turn!” Taehyung laughs, he’s standing outside your shower stall, waiting patiently for you to step out. When you do, you roll your eyes, making him smile, boxy grin reaching his eyes.
“If you need me call me / no matter where you are / no matter how far,” You croon, unashamed to let your voice rise. It isn’t the first time he’s asked you to sing with him, or rather begged. It’s been karaoke duets, singing in the Mess Hall, instructor & counselor talent show performances complete with dancing… all of the above, all things Taehyung has wanted to do with you.
“I love singing with you,” He tells you. He’s wearing his striped and colored block pajamas, and is standing at the counter, staring at you through the mirror. His wet hair clings to his forehead, skin dewy as he applies his moisturizer, a brand you had forced him to buy and more importantly, use.
“Really?” You ask. It’s hard to believe he would, his stunning vocals making your knees weak every time he so much as hums, enjoying singing with yours, yours the voice who didn’t make it into a vocal ensemble in high school.
“Of course,” He doesn’t lose sight of you as he brushes his teeth, watching you delicately apply eye cream, and a moisturizing gel before adding the final step of moisturizer. You stick your tongue out at him, raise your eyebrows and make silly faces. Taehyung spits before rinsing his mouth, turning to rest his back against the counter, he peers at you.
“How are you doing?” He inquires.
You’re mid brush, holding your hand up to signal that you need one more minute, before you spit and cap your tooth brush.
“How am I doing?” You repeat, mimicking his posture.
“Yes. How are you doing? We’ve hardly spoken all week.”
Your head bobs up and down, the weightiness of his question slumping your shoulders. “Can we not?”
“Why?” He asks.
“Because I’m exhausted and if you ask again, I’m going to completely fall apart. Tonight, finally feels like the night my body will allow me to actually sleep at a normal hour,” You explain.
“You’ve been drinking a lot of coffee this week,” Though you’ve barely spoken, Taehyung has been keeping tabs on you, watching you, worrying about you, hoping your clipboard brings you a little comfort as you tackle your new role.
“Are you keeping track?” Your strained voice is the confirmation Taehyung needs that maybe giving you space this week wasn’t the right move.
“I noticed, I’ve been worried about you,”
“Yeah, I haven’t been sleeping so coffee seems like the only solution unless you’ve got a bump of coke in your cabin.”
“I don’t, thankfully. Teenagers and cocaine seem like a bad combo.”
“And it’s illegal,”
“I gave you space, this week, I thought, I thought that’s what you needed,” Taehyung says.
“Look at how well that’s turned out,” You grumble.
“I’m sorry,”
You pause, feeling the air tensing. “I didn’t seek you out either,”
“You’ve been busy,”
“Tae?”
“Hm?”
“If we keep talking, I’m either going to fall asleep or start sobbing, I don’t really know which, maybe both.”
“Right, sleep.”
“We’ll check in tomorrow?” You offer.
“Yeah, we will. Can I walk you to your cabin?”
“I’d love that.”
Taehyung follows your trail as you step out of the showers and head towards your cabin. He’s so close that it feels strange when you take your next step and can’t feel him following. You turn, trying to find him in the darkness, only to be grabbed by his strong hands, and pulled to his chest.
“What are you doing?” You ask, voice muffled by his shirt.
“I just needed to hug you, that’s all.”
“In the dark?”
“Away from prying eyes.”
“Ah,” You pull away, eyes searching his for some sort of sign this is more than just him being a good friend. You get your confirmation in his lips pressing to your cheek, first your right, then your left. He lingers, breath fanning your face before he reaches for your hand and guides you to Cabin 11.
“Sweet dreams,” Taehyung tells you, a hope, a wish for you.
“Sleep tight,”
“Remember, you and me,” He winks.
“Me and you,” You turn, opening the door to your cabin, but not before you steal one last longing glance at him.
“Letters! Get your letters!” Counselor Jamie calls. Campers are waiting patiently at their tables, lunch cleaned up, anxiously anticipating the first mail delivery of the summer.
Parents are encouraged, required, to send in a letter to their campers with their completed registration. Registration isn’t fulfilled until a letter is received, forcing parents to get their acts together. It’s a policy that was implemented years ago and hasn’t failed yet. This ensures each camper a moment of connection, of familiarity, to both edge their homesickness and plunge them headfirst into it. Like Hogwarts during the post-delivery, the Mess Hall is abuzz with chatter over who wrote what, which parents sent the letter, if siblings would include artwork, what funny jokes their parents wrote… all giddiness and excitement at a chance to communicate with those nearest and dearest to them. Camp is notoriously low tech, internet in all buildings but good old Wi-Fi locked away, password protected. Everyone is encouraged to send good ole snail mail, with stamps freely provided.
You sidle into your miniature office, and search for your clipboard. It isn’t where you left it, on the shelf near the door, instead you find it on your desk. Pinned under the bar, a little note folded in half, some scrap of blue scrapbook paper decorated in white stars. The edges have been cut with scalloped scissors, and a heart is drawn in the corner in a vibrant plum purple. Opening it, you find a sentence written in sinewy thin lettering, handwriting you know by heart.
You’re never alone, especially when I’m around. Yours, Tae
The back, in large letters, sits the date and a number, one, followed by a smudged peach-pink thumbprint. Your mind races to all the possibilities of what it could be for, what it could mean, why he did it, his claim to be yours, all dashed when a knock is rapt on your door.
“Come in!” You call, slipping the note into the top drawer of your desk.
“Hi Y/N!” Margot says, chipper smile as she steps into your office.
“Marvelous Margot, have a seat!” You smile, her freckled face and green eyes one of your favorites.
“How’s this summer going?” You inquire, pen poised to jot down notes.
“It’s great, there are a few who are struggling, clearly struggling, and they’re having a hard time coming to see me or Jungkook during free time,” She laments.
“Ah yes, there’s something more exciting and enticing for them than practicing singing.” You explain.
“Which makes no sense, auditions are this week, they need to run their music.”
“Are they kids who are theatre track or just kids who wanted to take voice but will do stage work or write?”
“I should look.”
“And talk to Jungkook, too,” You smile at her, watching as she flushes.
“Yeah, okay.”
“Are things still?”
“Interesting… and things with you and,” She gestures to the clipboard behind you, a testament to a certain instructor’s affinity for you.
“Still complicated,”
“I’m sorry,” Margot’s smile weakens, she can see your hurt.
“It isn’t your fault. Sometimes things are just complicated.”
“Yeah, but wouldn’t it be nice if everything was easier? I’ve always watched you and Tae, just flirting and cozying up. I mean, look at your clipboards.”
“I know, I know,”
“I’ve just, sort of hoped that would happen for me, too,” A sigh leaves her, she wants summer love, some fallacy she’s dreamed of, only made more real by watching yours… but she lives across the country from Jungkook. Their summer sessions are the only time they’ve ever crossed paths, and eight weeks isn’t enough to survive off of the year.
“Tae and I, we’re, it’s complicated. I wouldn’t wish the level of intricacy and angst on you, though.”
“But outside of camp, you two are, something?”
“How would you know?” You ask, not that you’re caught off guard, but curious. No one has point blank asked you.
“I hear things,” Margot glances out the window.
“Oh?”
“Yeah, and just, I don’t know if it’s true,” She pulls her gaze back to you. “but Asher and I heard Jungkook and Jimin talking about how Taehyung’s parents sent him on a few dates with some girl.”
“What?”
“I don’t know if it’s true, but I wanted you to know, seeing as how you two are so… close.”
Your mind is moving so fast, too fast, “Do you know when?”
“Uh, it sounded like New Years and then this summer… I didn’t want to tell you, and I was going to wait it out –
“How very Felicity of you,” You say.
“Felicity?”
“Yeah, she catches her friend’s boyfriend cheating and instead of telling her right away, she lets it sit because the truth eventually comes out. But I guess, since he hasn’t said anything to me, it’s good you told me.”
“I don’t want it to cause trouble between you I just… I wanted you to know.” It isn’t hard to miss the guilt in her eyes, like this was some sort of betrayal.
“I appreciate that, Margot. I really do.”
Margot appreciates your fake smile, a poor attempt to reconcile the shock in your bones with the hurt in your eyes. She’s watched you and Taehyung for years, seen the Instagram pics and read texts. She couldn’t believe Taehyung would do that, but then again, she isn’t in your relationship, she doesn’t know the delicacies of it. And maybe, perhaps, neither do you.
A knock on your office door, too late to be a camper, too late for anyone to be wondering why the light in your office is still on. There’s only one person who knows your Thursday night ritual, sitting in your office, aligning documents and plans that are usually too difficult to focus on when everyone is around or you’re out engaging in classes with the campers. Sometimes, it’s just nice to sit where no one needs you, and you can just fucking breathe. Or cry. Which is exactly what you’re doing tonight.
“Go away,” You call, reaching for a tissue from the white metal box with ‘Bless’ written in boldface type.
“Nobody puts Baby in a corner,” Taehyung doesn’t wait for an answer, instead he opens the door and steps inside. His dark irises survey your space, neat piles, a little shelf, the others filled with documents and binders for Camp. He doesn’t waste time saying exactly what you didn’t want him to. “Baby, what’s wrong?”
“I’m fine,”
“You’re lying, come on. It’s late, let’s go sit on the beach.”
“I have to go to be-
“Twenty minutes, Y/N, please,” Taehyung is begging, pleading, an action you’ve never seen him partake in. You’d liken it to watching Michelangelo’s David weeping on the floor of the Accademia in Florence, or Giotto’s Madonna Enthroned nursing her child. Too beautiful, too painful.
“Fine,” You rise from your chair, grabbing your keys and waiting for him to exit before locking up. The butterflies have returned, sweeping, wings spanning the expanse of your abdomen. You’re too tired to fight him, instead you walk towards the side exit of the Mess Hall.
“Come here,” Taehyung extends his arm, waiting for you to step closer so he can drape it around your shoulders.
“People will see,”
“It’s pitch black, campers aren’t leaving their bunks, come on, just, let me put my arm around you,” He pleads again.
“Fine,” You step closer, his arm draping, pulling you as closely to his side as he could muster, holding tight like you might change your mind at any moment.
“I’ve been missing you,” Taehyung admits. He’s grateful the moon doesn’t illuminate the blush on his cheeks, the smitten glow in his eyes now that he always has you in his arms.
“Yeah?”
“Of course, did you read my note from today?”
“No,” You don’t lie. “I just, I didn’t get a chance with Jimin storming into your studio, seeking revenge, interrupting someone’s class.”
“I, okay, fair,”
“So, in retaliation, I didn’t read it,”
He chuckles, hearty and guttural, “Do you want to know what it said?”
“No,”
“Why not?” Taehyung tosses out a blanket for you both to sit on, waiting patiently for you to plop down next to him.
“Tae,”
“I missed the way you say my name,” He whispers, eyes scanning the tracks of tears down your face.
“Taehyung,”
“What?”
“I didn’t read the note because I can’t fucking believe you did that to Jimin,” It was true, you couldn’t, and you absolutely could not believe that you found out about it from catching Jimin after he stormed into the Arts & Crafts Cabin, specifically beelining into Taehyung’s studio.
“Ayesh, he’s already forgiven me,” Taehyung shrugs.
You shake your head, ponytail swaying against your neck. “I’m not mad at you; I don’t even know what you did. But I gather it was a shitty thing to do, and the fact that you did something shitty really pisses me off.”
Taehyung gazes out at the lake, the impenetrable navy water swaying lightly in the breeze, letting your words wash over him. He has two options, wait for you to tell him why you’ve been crying and why you’re upset, or ask. He’d be lying if he said he hasn’t missed your voice, your laughter, the way you stare at him from across the room or always manage to catch his little jokes. He’s missed it all, missed your company and the way you get him, most of all.
“Then why are you so mad at me?” Taehyung makes his decision.
“You didn’t tell me!” He jumps at your outburst. “You didn’t come to me or tell me what’s going on. You just...did it. You planned and plotted with, without me. Who ran around with you, Kwan?”
“You’re mad at me because you’re jealous?”
“I just, it’s been so hard these past few weeks. I’m overwhelmed and exhausted and I don’t know if this job is what I actually want anymore. You’re my anchor, Tae. It just feels like you’re tethering yourself further and further away from me,” Your sobs come tumbling down, alligator tears replacing the delicate ones you’d lost in your office.
He doesn’t wait a millisecond, instead pulling you to him as your last syllables leave your lips. His shirt absorbs the saltwater, his chest protecting and echoing your cries. His lips a fervor of ‘it’s going to be alright. You’re doing great. The first weeks are always the hardest’ while your tear ducts work overtime.
You’ve missed this, his comfort, his familiarity, his adoration.
“Baby, take a breath,” he says, gently pushing you from him so he can cup your cheeks in his strong hands, lithe fingers holding you steady. “Breathe,”
“I can’t! The more I do the more things get added to my to-do list and I can’t do more! I swear, I can’t.”
“They aren’t giving you more than you can handle, you’ve got this.”
“One of the cabin 10 campers came to my office and sobbed about the letter their parents wrote. I read it and tried so hard not to cry, but I couldn’t. So, I thought about last summer when you and Jimin went kayaking and he tipped you, in the middle of the song you were singing to Namjoon. All to stop the tears. But then I was laughing, and I had to explain why I was laughing.”
“Sounds like a mess,”
You smile, you are a mess, but only Taehyung can make it sound endearing.
“You’re in all my favorite camp memories, except this summer,” You whisper, the back of your sweatshirt dabbing at your tears.
“This summer’s just started, Y/N,”
“I know, I just, I worked all winter to not fail summer, and yet, here I am, failing.”
“Summer just started,” He reiterates. “You and me, baby, I won’t let you fail,” Taehyung’s lips press against your forehead, pausing as you absorb his touch.
You can’t look at him, opting to stare at your hands in your lap. “Why does it feel like it’s you and everyone else?”
Taehyung lets it sit, drinking in what you’ve said before speaking again. “Do you remember last summer, when you had to jet off to Rome?”
“You’re always going to be mad at me for that, aren’t you?”
“We’re still living with the consequences!” He argues.
“You’re so dramatic, also lower your voice.”
“What did we do, for the many weeks you were gone?” Taehyung brings it back, pulling the conversation to where it started.
You sigh, “We wrote letters via email, which some would call email.”
“We wrote letters, back and forth.”
“Yes, and?”
“What did I write in those letters?” He poses yet another question.
“All of them, or any of them?”
“Both,”
“You gave me lists of places to go see, a few restaurants to try, and my favorite, you told me about a few moments that made your heart hurt,” You answer.
“Why did I tell you those things?”
“Is this a Socratic seminar?”
He rolls his eyes. “Y/N, please,”
“I don’t know, to make me feel closer to you,” You grumble.
He chuckles at your stubbornness. “Do you remember what you wrote back?”
“Vaguely,” You fib.
“Don’t lie.”
“I told you how I missed you. I said that I wished you were with me, that I was spending every day imagining you in all these breathtaking places, sharing those moments that made my heart hurt too,” Again, you can’t look at him, embarrassed by your past choices, though what Taehyung is going to bring up is far more intimate and vulnerable than what you had just admitted.
Taehyung nods, he’s kept all your letters in an airtight scrapbook box, guaranteed not to yellow the paper. “An entire ocean and continent didn’t keep us apart, baby. Why this summer?”
You groan, his sentimentality oozing into you. “It’s different, Tae, it’s really different,”
“How?”
“How do you think?” You roll your eyes.
“I’m trying to read your mind, but I can’t.”
“Never mind.”
“Talk to me,” He asks, watching as the vulnerability in your eyes begins to dwindle.
“I need to go to bed.”
“No, it’s too soon.”
“Too soon?”
“I miss you,” Taehyung laments, eyes glossing in the moonlight. “It’s silly, I just, I feel it too. Except you’re off to sea and I’m standing still.”
You sigh, comfort in the rift between you being out in the open. “Camp didn’t always feel like this.”
“No, it didn’t,” Taehyung turns to you, eyes leaving the moon hanging to gaze into yours. He smiles, honored to have caught you staring at him.
“I feel so silly, missing you when we’re in the same place,” You can’t help it, your eyes wander down to land on his lips, and you can’t help it when your tongue licks your bottom lip, which you can’t help when your teeth drag it between them.
Taehyung splutters, words coming out quickly as he traces his hand slowly up your arm. “Me too, like I’m going crazy. We just, we haven’t had time together, it’s, we’ve never spent-
“I know,” You whisper, eyes flickering again between his and his lips, waiting, anticipating.
“I just thought,” Taehyung tilts your chin and licks his lips. “I thought this summer would be spectacular.”
Taehyung inhales languidly, his exhale fanning across your face as his lips move closer and closer to yours. Your eyes flutter shut, anticipating the pressure of his lips on you. He starts slowly, kissing just to the left of your lips. One feather light connection before repeating it on the other corner, smiling at the quiet whimper that slips through your lips.
“Me too,” Are the last syllables that slip from you before Taehyung is pressing his lips to you, hungrily moving with yours. He applies liberal pressure, not kissing to bruise, but kissing too not be forgotten as you eventually separate. His tongue licks across your bottom lip, then between them as he waits for you to open your mouth and let him in. You do so only after pulling his bottom lip between your teeth, tugging to mark him, to hurt him, to get him to understand the depth of your wants and desires. A greedy moan from him is all the confirmation either of you need that you want each other, and it’s the perfect moment for him to slip his tongue past your lips, exploring the cavern of your mouth.
Your head is buzzing, all white and black static, fuzz ringing in your ears, overwhelmed by the way his hand is cradling your head, the other resting on your hip. It’s all you want, getting caught up in him, in the way his black locks feel wrapped around your fingers, the sensation of his lips against yours, god the way they move, giving you everything you could dream of. But you can’t.
“Tae,” You say, pulling away from him, head turning to stop his lips from finding the column of your neck, but failing miserably.
“Baby,” He whispers, kisses slowing down, instead being left deliberately in trail back to your mouth.
“Tae, we can’t, we have to go to bed, I can’t,” Your hands push against his chest, and he finally lets up.
“Okay, okay, I hear you,” Taehyung sighs, forehead resting on your shoulder, lips leaving another kiss in your favorite spot. He sits up, smiling widely. “You look so beautiful.”
“What happened with Jimin?”
“He, in a particularly terrible way that I do regret, found out that Stella’s actually cheating on her fiancé with Jimin.” Taehyung hangs his head, bangs swooping to cover his eyes, a protective curtain from your gaze.
“What?”
“Yeah, apparently, they’ve been together for a few years, and this summer she showed up with a ring, but she’s been hiding it from Jimin.”
“How did you find this out?” You demand, needing him to divulge more information than he’s giving.
“You really want to know?” He warns, gaze finally lifting.
“Yes.”
“Kwan told me.”
You sigh, a slight bark and exaltation before scoffing. “She’s fucking everywhere!”
“I know, but I had to tell Jimin.”
“You didn’t just tell Jimin, did you?” You stare at him, he’s still withholding.
“No, I made it seem like he just stumbled upon it, but then he came for me, asking how long I knew and why I didn’t tell him when I found out.”
You chew on the inside of your cheek. “When did you find out?”
“The second day we were here. Kwan said she wanted to tell me something, and that was it.” Taehyung’s still holding fast to you, but his cheek has found rest on your shoulder.
“He’s really hurt, Tae,” You whisper.
“I know,” Taehyung answers. He does, Jimin’s barely spoken to him, stayed away as much as possible because he truly feels betrayed. “They, they talked about making this not just a summer thing, a fully time, real relationship.”
“Shit,” Is all you’ve got. You didn’t know it was this serious, Jimin and Stella. He hadn’t brought her up in months, you didn’t know they were anything other than summertime friends with benefits.
“Will you walk me to my cabin?” You stand, hands reaching to help him fold the blanket. He takes it from you before interlocking your fingers, holding your hand as he guides you back. He hums quietly, gentle harmony lifting into the air.
“Tae?” You ask, steps slowing down as your cabin inches closer.
“Hm?”
“What did the note say?”
“Roses are red / violets are blue / can’t wait to see you / under the light of the moon,” Taehyung recites. He’s still smiling, staring at you with far too much love and adoration in his eyes for nearly midnight.
“You planned this?” You whisper, awe struck by his thoughtfulness yet again.
He covers his mouth to mask his giggle. “You think it was a whim?”
“No, I guess, you’re the best, okay?” You sigh in frustration, only to be overcome by a yawn.
“Sleep tight,” Taehyung tells you. He doesn’t drop your hand, instead opting to pull you to him once more, a chaste kiss on your lips. “Sweet dreams, Baby.”
“Sweet dreams,” You answer, eyes fluttering open, watching him as he jogs the small distance to his cabin.
Shuffling to your bunk, you tuck yourself into bed, giving your phone a perfunctory glance – the text awaiting you sending fear down your spine.
Seokjin: We need to talk
You don’t sleep, not after the first melatonin, or the second, Seokjin’s text splayed across your eyelids. Did he see? No one had been watching you, you’d checked. You’d glanced around before you continued holding his hand through camp. You’d checked, you were sure.
But as hours ticked by, minutes slowly crawling to add up, you realized maybe you hadn’t, maybe you didn’t look closely enough, maybe in the darkness someone had gotten by, and maybe that someone had been your colleague. Your colleague and former boss, who is waiting for you in your office, eyes already raking over your exhausted state.
“Are you feeling better?” Seokjin asks.
“About?”
“About this job, about camp.”
“No, I mean, a little. I’ve been sleeping better which has been helpful. Thank God Asher has decided to calm down, otherwise I’d be a full wreck. And no one has reported that any TA’s and instructors are hooking up, so that remains the shoe I’m waiting to drop.” You sip the coffee in your travel mug, a tall silver cup decorated in stickers that you’ve collected, a few from Taehyung.
“He’s doing well, you should take responsibility for that,” Jin agrees.
“I suppose, I think working with Jimin is actually proving to be more beneficial than I realized, at least more than Hoseok realized.”
“You’re doing great, you really are,” Jin tries to drive the point home, it’s hard, though, to take him seriously when he’s normally cracking jokes and making you laugh. Seokjin, your friend, your favorite person to go out to dinner with, trying to encourage you when you both know this job nearly broke him.
“You can’t date Taehyung,” Seokjin says plainly, no mincing or parsing, no coded phrases.
“Why not?” You ask.
“He’s your subordinate.”
The panic attack hits, chills down your spine, heart thudding in your ears. “No?”
“Yes, the handbook states that employees in leadership positions cannot date their subordinates.” Seokjin is measured, calm, attempting to still lead you despite not being your boss any longer.
“I, I, but we, but he,”
“It doesn’t matter what happens outside of camp, within the confines of Camp Evergreen, Taehyung is your employee,” Seokjin explains.
You stare at him, mind racing, how had you overlooked this in all your documents? In all the rule books you’ve read, guides to camp, seminars and webinars, how had you missed this crucial clause?
“How, where?”
“It’s in the official Head Instructor Handbook, which you should’ve received after signing your contract.”
“I don’t know that I did,” It’s the only answer, not that you had overlooked it or ignored it, but that you hadn’t read it at all.
“Well, regardless, you and Taehyung can’t happen at camp.”
“But, we,” You continue to spew incoherent thoughts, ramblings that make no sense, but summarize the chaos in your mind.
Seokjin watches you, trying to connect the dots between what you’re saying to him as your colleague, and what you aren’t saying to him as your friend. He drops the tough exterior and looks at you as Seokjin, one of your closest friends. “What happened?”
“Nothing,” You shake your head. “Nothing,”
“I know you’re lying. Something happened between you,” Seokjin presses.
“No, I just, I don’t know how to explain to him, so he gets it.”
“Explain it to Taehyung, simply, I’m sure he’ll understand and respect the situation and how it affects your position.”
“Simply?” You ask, hung up on the descriptor.
Seokjin smirks, the devious side of himself taking over. You watch, unsure if he’s going where you think he is, what you think he’s suggesting.
“Is that a go-ahead to compare myself to President Clinton?” You ask.
He laughs, squeaky and booming, clapping his hands together. “If you have to,”
“You’re terrible and I won’t, also why do you sound like Namjoon?” It’s an easy wound to pour salt into, and it so quickly takes the heat off of you and onto him.
“Bite your tongue. Why don’t you think Tae will get it?” He tosses it back with ease, a gentle volley over the desk into your waiting arms.
“He’s Taehyung, his head is in the clouds half the time, the other half, he’s staring at me trying to get me to acknowledge that we have something. I’m fucking Eurydice, signed my love to Hades and Tae’s begging me to remember life outside of hell,” You regret the fall and winter… and summer you’d spent belting Hadestown.
“First of all, camp is not hell, you fucking shade, and secondly, you’re too smart for your own good,” Seokjin laughs, squeaky and pure.
“I spend too much time with Namjoon,” You counter, your second offense, bringing him up again.
Seokjin shudders. “You really should stop. Taehyung knows there’s rules, unless there’s something else you’re not telling me?”
“Tae wants the rules to not apply to him, at least when it comes to us.” You explain.
“Do you want me to talk to him?”
“No, we’re not fucking teenagers, Jin.” You scoff.
“Isn’t he cozying up to Kwan?” His second offense, payback for yours.
“They’re just friends,” Your tone bites, tossing out whatever phrase made the moment dissipate.
“If you say so,” Jin shrugs.
“Does Jungkook know he can’t fuck with Margot?”
“Jungkook knows every summer he can’t fuck with Margot, he just, doesn’t.”
“And because he’s a man he gets away with it?”
“It’s, I don’t know. I just do what I’m told.”
“Fine, but it’s fucked.” You watch him stand, discouraged by his words and take your notes out of your desk. “Wait!” You call to him, forcing him to stop at the door. The Orpheus in you is begging to ask the question you didn’t know you’d been holding.
“You think he’d give up on us?” You glance at Seokjin.
He sighs. “You’ve been at this for years, at some point the merry-go-round stops.”
“I hate merry-go-rounds,” You grumble, watching as he shuffles along into the hallway, silence greeting your ears.
You don’t wait long, slipping a text to Taehyung saying that you need to speak with him, ASAP. Of course, knowing his full schedule, and receiving a message from him reminding you of such, you’re resigned to wait until Quiet Time. Which, aside from your usual tasks, and baring any new crises you have to take care of, allows you ample time to plan what it is you want to say. Or plan what it is you don’t want to say, because you don’t want to have this conversation, at all.
“You’re thinking too hard,” Namjoon says, sitting down next to you at the picnic benches.
“I hadn’t noticed,” You answer.
“Spending an awful lot of time with Seokjin,” He mutters.
“You know Seokjin and I are friends outside of camp, right? Long standing friends, for years now,” You remind him.
“I know that,” Namjoon should be kinder, but the remnants of his last interaction with Seokjin remain palpable in his attitude.
“You also know we’ve all worked at camp together for a long fucking time.”
The jaw clicks, a telling sign that he’s annoyed. No eye “I know that too.”
“So why are you both getting so jealous? You’ve both been my bosses, and now I’m your boss. I’ve reported to both of you, hated your directions and have had to work through it. Now it’s reversed and you both are acting like Yoda, except I don’t need a Yoda, I need a Han Solo.” You’re scolding him, taking a tone he doesn’t completely love, but you are correct.
“Stop lecturing me,” Namjoon requests.
“Then stop acting like a child.”
He stares at you, unsure where your attitude has come from. “Why are you so feisty?”
“I-I have to talk to someone about something that I don’t really want to.”
“Why are you being so cryptic?”
“Because Jin already lectured me and I really don’t have the mental stamina to listen to a lecture from you too, especially when I know exactly what you’re going to say,” You glance at him, his eyes studying the frustration in your muddy irises.
“What am I going to say?” Namjoon questions.
“Exactly what I’m thinking,”
“Ah, but if you need a soundboard, I’m here,”
“I know you are Joonie,”
“And I give better advice than Seokjin,” He says.
“I’ll let you think that” You smile, patting him on the forearm before walking away.
It’s reassuring that Namjoon cares so much, but also so deeply exhausting that everyone has a comment about your relationship. The only person who should have a say in it is Taehyung.
“Hey,” Taehyung steps into your office, door open, an open invitation for anyone to walk in. “Open or closed?”
“Closed,” You’re seated behind your desk, waiting for him to sit, your demeanor closed off to any of the warmth he was expecting.
“What’s wrong?” He remains standing. The anxiety in his chest grows the longer you don’t speak. What had happened in the last twelve hours to turn you against him?
“Please sit. We just, we need to talk,” You’re already stuttering, a complete mess from the top.
“About?” Taehyung follows your request.
“I’m your boss,” You start.
“So?”
“I’m your boss,” Maybe if you keep repeating it, he’ll connect the dots without forcing you to say what you desperately do not want to.
“So?”
“Tae, I’m your boss,” Smiling is the wrong action, but his confused pout is so adorable, so kissable, it tugs on your heart.
He watches as you smile at him, confusion letting him slip a secret he was trying to keep. “Namjoon-hyung said-
“You talked to Namjoon?” You interrupt, smile widening.
“Maybe,” He shrugs, bottom lip out, eyebrows raising.
“What did Namjoon say?”
Taehyung watches you closely, trying to decipher what you’re getting at. “Namjoon-hyung said that it’s okay because we’re already, well, I don’t know what we are, but he said it was okay.”
You laugh, loud and clear, erupting like Vesuvius. “No, he didn’t,”
“Yes, he did, and Seokjin-hyung too,” Taehyung keeps digging in.
“No, neither of them did.” You’re still laughing, until you realize what you’ve just admitted.
Taehyung pauses, his smirk and quirk of an eyebrow clicking together the pieces you’ve set in front of him.
“How would you know what they said?” He inquires.
“I don’t, I know what policy says,”
“Screw policy, the only way you’d know what the hyungs-
“Namjoon isn’t my hyung,” It’s minutia, but it still bugs you.
“They’ve been your leaders, don’t change the subject,” Taehyung scolds, a mischievous glint in his eyes returning. “The only reason you’d know what they said is if you yourself asked them, or you were eavesdropping on my closed-door conversations, or if you, oh my god. You got in trouble!”
“I did not!”
“Did they see us outside your cabin? On the beach?” Taehyung gapes at you, waiting expectantly, taunting and teasing imminent. You hate the playful look he gets, that I know this is bugging you so I’m going to push it, drill it into you until you cave.
But you won’t cave, you can’t cave.
Rolling your eyes, you address him head on. “Stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what?” His deep giggle rumbles in his chest.
“Like I’m culpable in some weird version of Camp Clue you’re playing, it wasn’t me in the Mess Hall with the Walkie-Talkie,” You explain.
He laughs again, louder. “No, it’d be you, in the HI office, with your clipboard.”
“You painted my clipboard,” You remind him.
“I know,”
“I wasn’t –
“What?”
Trying to be brave, you tell him directly, “This can’t happen, Tae, not now.”
“How about tomorrow?” He’s still smiling.
“Taehyung, please,”
“What?”
“We can’t, this can’t… I’m your boss, you’re my employee. Rules state that we cannot date or be together at camp,”
There it is, the metaphorical elephant in the room that Taehyung couldn’t see, until now.
“That’s bullshit and you know it,” He speaks without thinking, words flying out.
You sigh, can’t he tell you’ve worked through all possible scenarios? All the combinations, all the situations, the loopholes, you’ve accounted for everything? “It doesn’t matter, nothing was defined when we got to camp, we didn’t, we haven’t.”
“So, because we didn’t say anything before camp, didn’t put labels on what we are to each other, we can’t be together?”
“That’s the rule, Tae.”
Taehyung stares at you, unmoving, chest rising and falling slowly. He can’t believe it, can’t wrap his mind around it, why hadn’t he made a move sooner? When did this law go into effect? Who decided this? Couldn’t you sign an affidavit saying you weren’t coercing him into this relationship? That’s what this was, is, a relationship, right? Taehyung feels the insecurity begin to ripple through, and he knows if he doesn’t walk away he’ll start crying and won’t be able to stop.
“Okay,” Is all he musters, turning on his heels and opening the door.
“Okay?” You ask, confused by his newly acquired inner peace.
“Yeah, I’ll see you later, I need to prep for class,”
“Tae,” It’s nothing but a whisper, a whisper he hears and stops for.
“Did you read your note?” He asks, back to you, hand wiping the few tears that have slid down his cheeks.
“Not yet,”
He nods, adjusting his snapback before walking down the hall.
You grab your clipboard, slipping the folded piece of paper off the clip and unfold it.
I could’ve kissed you all night. Yours, Tae
“Yo - Y/N, you good?” Asher stops abruptly at your door, eyes scanning your slightly disheveled posture.
“Yeah, come in,” You wipe your eyes again.
“You sure? I can stop by later,”
“No, we’re good, have a seat.”
“Did you see what’s his name, from cabin 7?” Asher asks, the jovial laughter in his voice irking you deeply.
“Asher, you have to know his name.” You snap.
“I know, I just call him Little Man.”
“You’re shitting me,” You spit, glaring at him. This is truly the reason why you wanted to fire him last year, you recommended it at least.
“No swearing!”
You shake your head, “Don’t, today has sucked and I’m not in the mood.”
“Alright, alright. Mason, he’s been doing really well, and I think he’s getting more confident in his other activities, which is dope.”
“I have heard that he’s becoming more social.”
“Yeah, his pirouettes are cleaning up too,” Asher continues to explain.
“All good things. How are the rest of the campers doing?”
“This week is full of duds; some can’t remember any choreography…. A few showed up late, and that was just Monday. I don’t know, somethings in the water, Kendrick Lamar,”
You stare at him, resisting the urge to roll your eyes. “Sometimes we have bad weeks.”
“Yeah, I’m tryna encourage a few of them to not come back next week, they just don’t get it, they aren’t dedicated.”
“Dedicated to voluntarily practicing their craft?”
He adjusts his cap. “Yeah, they don’t have the right mentality.”
“They’re hormonal teenagers.”
“Yeah, right, but they don’t get it,” Asher rehashes.
“You do?”
“Look, I know why I have this job, I know I fucked up last summer and that this is punishment for being a jerk to campers. I’m trying to redeem myself, but it’s really fucking hard,” His turn in mood is shocking, aggressive.
“Why is it hard?” Your genuine curiosity is seeping through.
“Because I suck, I’m terrible with kids. I’m too competitive and mean. I get it, that's why my parents put me in swimming and hip hop.”
“That’s why they put you in swimming?” You're both confused and curious, his broad shoulders a dead giveaway that he’d have ease in the water.
“I’m accountable only to myself. I bring down everyone on a team because they can’t live up to the standard I set for myself, and I stress everyone out. It’s a fucking nightmare, which is why they put me in swimming.”
“So, you can work alone? Why not tennis? Or long-distance running, or cycling?”
“I was faster in the water.”
“What about relay races?”
“I was kicked off of relay after our first meet,” Asher smiles, it’s golden and broad, if Hoseok ever had competition, it’d be in Asher’s sparkling grin.
“Wow,” You sit on it, wondering why you didn’t know this beforehand. Though knowing wouldn’t have hindered hiring him… well, maybe it would’ve. “So, they put you in dance?”
“I didn’t get competitive until high school, but yeah, by then I had worked through some of it.”
“Fascinating.”
“I’m trying though, really trying,” Asher’s voice wavers slightly, a break in the façade that he’s thriving two weeks in. You’ve never seen him this close to breaking.
“I know you are, and I see it. Jimin sees it too. Just, call campers by their names, okay?”
“Will do boss,” Asher flashes his pearly whites, showing evidence of his years of braces and retainer wear.
Asher closes your door behind him, and you’re met with relative silence. Relative, because the sound of campers still rings through the entire building, quiet time ending, giving way to a cacophony of sound.
Absent-mindedly, your hands open the top drawer and pull out the 12 notes Taehyung has written you. You’ve read them all, multiple times, heart swelling and tears forming at the sentimentality oozing from each pen stroke. It’s only four pieces of paper, but they contain the multitudes of your relationship.
Day 1: You’re never alone, especially when I’m around. Yours, Tae
Day 2: What does a painter do when they get cold? Puts another coat on! Yours, Tae
Day 3: Roses are red / violets are blue / can’t wait to see you / under the light of the moon. Yours, Tae
Day 4: I could’ve kissed you all night. Yours, Tae
Crying, you take the pieces, placing them in order, and stick them back in the drawer, into their cedar chest that Taehyung had made years ago during his woodworking phase, your initials burned into the base. Another piece of your history that you have to actively deny… another memory to be locked away until Camp Evergreen is empty, and summer is blissfully over.
Next: You & Me, Me & You {3}
#thebtswritersclub#bangtanarmynet#clubzerooclock#btsgoldnet#kim taehyung x you#kim taehyung x reader#Taehyung x reader#Taehyung x you#camp evergreen#summer camp au#teachers au#Taehyung fluff#Taehyung angst#Kim Taehyung angst#Kim Taehyung fluff#friends to lovers#ksmutclub
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The final whistle of each of the Orlando Pride’s three consecutive wins this past week signaled something just short of an explosion from players on the bench and on the pitch.
Defenders Ali Riley and Courtney Petersen launched themselves into the arms of captain Ashlyn Harris. After the team’s midweek win against Portland, defender Toni Pressley hurtled off the bench before the referee even signaled the game’s end.
After one team huddle, midfielder Gunny Jónsdóttir and keeper Erin McLeod lifted a drum out of the supporters section, leading a final chant as they stayed on the field to soak in the victory.
In the span of two weeks, the unbeaten Orlando Pride have begun to relearn how to celebrate.
It’s early in the season. The players know that. But for a team that hasn’t felt much joy for the past two years, these wins sink deeper — and the celebrations that follow are bound to be bigger.
“When we work so hard during games and it pays off — it’s just this relief, this passion, this joy,” Riley said.
After three straight losing seasons, the team picked up three wins in the past nine days to vault to the top of the NWSL standings.
As the Pride look ahead to the next five months of the NWSL season, the team feels bolstered by a sense of chemistry and connection that its captains say is unmatched by any prior Orlando team.
“We’re building an incredible culture here that people should want to be a part of,” Harris said. “That’s always been what we’ve wanted here. We’re so set up, we have everything possible we could need. The training facilities, the stadium, the support staff — the organization is incredible. And finally it was time to just put results up.”
Building a culture was a purposeful focus for the Pride as they entered this season. In the preseason, coach Marc Skinner tasked his team with assembling a leadership committee to begin cementing a formalized identity for the group.
“We’ve never had a culture here,” Skinner said. “We’ve had great people, great players, but we’ve never really had a culture within our team. We didn’t have the amount of leaders that we do — that can be the voice for each other, that can support each other.”
Along with Harris and co-captain Ali Krieger, Pride players selected McLeod, Riley and midfielder Marisa Viggiano.
Amid a group of veterans who have been professionals for over a decade, Viggiano’s presence in the leadership committee represents an important piece of the team’s goals to build for the future.
Since Skinner joined the Pride, the club has invested more heavily in young players than in years past. Draftees such as Viggiano, Taylor Kornieck and Phoebe McClernon quickly became staples of the starting lineup.
As these young players also find their voices, Viggiano is able to lead rookies to become leaders in their own right.
“She’s the bridge to connect the rookies and the older girls,” Kornieck said. “It’s really, really helpful to have that person to just connect us both. She’s been amazing to me in particular. ... She comes in and brings up everybody’s energy.”
On the Friday between the team’s matches against Portland and Kansas City, the Pride started a day of training with a team-building activity, dividing up in small groups led by members of the leadership committee to talk about the team dynamic.
Skinner wants the team to regularly make time for these types of activities even in the middle of congested weeks. After spending most of 2020 forcibly separated by the pandemic, Riley said the group has been eager to build on their bonds with one another.
“We were waiting to finally be able to become a team,” Riley said. “We have women on this team who are really prepared to put ourselves out there and try to make a difference. I think that was the goal from Day 1 this season.”
This attention to detail carries over into how the team celebrates. The first training session after a Pride win is always highlighted by a table laden with boxes of donuts and a bulletin board coated in clippings of positive messages from fans on Twitter.
From memes to a request for a Petersen fan club, the staff selects tweets that highlight the growing excitement surrounding the club.
“It’s been a long time since this team was given any positive reinforcement,” Skinner said.
In his first two years as a coach, Skinner felt the opposite effects of online fandom. The coach left social media midway through 2019, which allowed him to mostly block out online criticism.
Although Skinner still avoids Twitter — besides the few times when, to his chagrin, his dad brought up internet detractors — the coach says the positive of the past weeks has given a visible lift to his team.
“I think you can use it as your fuel,” Skinner said. “Some players need it; some people don’t. But they all deserve the accolades and the support they’ve been seeing.”
Other forms of team unity come from more unexpected sources. The night before the Pride’s match against Portland on Wednesday, players across the roster were focused on a different type of game-day preparation — charging their crystals.
Crystals have become a constant for the Pride — draped on chains around players’ necks, filling lockers for good luck.
Pressley gradually distributed them to her teammates throughout the last year, hoping their purported healing properties could help to elevate the team’s energy. Before the moon entered its full phase around 7 a.m. prior to the Portland match, Pressley sent a reminder to set out the crystals to “charge.”
Some teammates buy into these alternative practices more than others, but Pride players agree they have translated into a shared language throughout the team.
“I think [Pressley] has a method to the madness,” Riley said with a laugh. “We’re here for it. Whatever works, we’re going to do it.”
Pressley’s crystals might have cleansed the locker-room energy, but the Pride want to prove their early success isn’t about luck.
This summer will provide the greatest test as stars such as Alex Morgan and Marta are called away for the Olympics. But only two weeks into the regular season, the Pride already are aiming for postseason milestones.
“We haven’t won anything yet,” Harris said. “Winning three games, that doesn’t mean anything. We want to win a championship.”
Thank you!
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