ABSOLUTE CHAOS WITH PRETTYMUCH (Walmart Ver.)

• the boys are wild enough as is so things are bound to get worse when it's obscenely late at night and their minds and bodies aren't quite synced • like, the day has been long and they know that they should sleep but their minds are racing and it's prettymuch (hehe) straight adrenaline coursing through their veins • when they're by themselves it really isn't that much of an issue and it probably makes them more productive than usual, but when you throw them all in the same room, one of three things happen • ‎they're either collectively more productive and churn out a surprising amount of work, they're as cracked out as they come and prettymuch (sksks) destroy the house, or some combination of the two • ‎tonight its the second option • ‎you showed up around eight for a movie marathon, and as the night progressed things got more and more chaotic • ‎obscene amounts of caffeine and sugar had been consumed, and by the time you got around to the third movie in your list, it had been noted that you guys had run out of snacks • ‎and what kind of movie marathon doesn't have quality snacks? • ‎an absolute trash marathon, that's what kind • ‎you had offered to run to the store on your own to buy some more, but the boys were quick to interject, stating that you wouldn't be able to get everything that everyone wanted • ‎before you had the opportunity to point out that you cOULD if you made a list, everyone was getting up and growing on their jackets and shoes, filing out to the car • ‎let's just say that the drive to the store was not an easy one. how do out get six people from point a to point b in a vehicle that can really only comfortably fit four or five people? magic, that's how • ‎given the tight fit, you figured it would be best to stop at the nearest store • ‎which just so happened to be walmart • ‎things were fine enough at first. everyone had taken off in separate directions so that they could find their favorite snacks, and it truly seemed as if you'd be able to get in and out without issue • ‎it wasn't long before this notion fell flat on its face, though • ‎you were in the chip aisle, silently mulling over what you wanted when something rather large and oddly shaped moved in your peripheral • ‎you turned to see what it was but saw nothing. when you turned back to the array of chips that lay before you, you saw that same strange object passed once more • ‎when you turned this time, you kept tour gaze forces on the end of the aisle, determined to see whatever it was that passing by • ‎ sure enough, the strange object passed by again mere moments later you were surprised to see that it wasn't, in fact, some strange machine or some sort of monster, but a shopping cart filled with humans • ‎and by humans, I mean zion and edwin • ‎you know that vine where that dude is pushing his friends around in the shopping cart?? the one where they're mimicking the infamous titanic pose while "my heart will go on" plays in the background? • ‎yeah, that's exactly what's going on here.  Austin is pushing them around and singing very loudly and very off key • the real kicker?‎ • zion was rose in this situation • ‎you chased after them, frantically whisper yelling for them to get out of the cart. cameras were everywhere and getting thrown out of walmart at 2:30 wasn't on your list of things to do • ‎it went without saying that they weren't exactly complying with your wishes • ‎in fact, they ran from you. • ‎zion and edwin sat, shifting about so both of their bodies kind of fit in the basket. austin was nearly sprinting at this point, laughing through labored breaths • ‎it wasn't until they went to turn the corner at the end of the aisle that they stopped • ‎and even then it wasn't by choice • ‎when they moved to go down the next aisle, austin clipped a small piece of metal that protruded from one of the shelves. it was an easily correctable mistake, but the combined weight of zion and edwin had shifted to the left and forced the handle of the cart out of austin's grasp. • ‎it hit the ground with a thud so loud that you were sure everyone within a twenty aisle radius had heard it. • ‎the boys didn't stick around for long, scrambling off the minute they gained their footing to avoid your wrath. • ‎you stopped near the frozen foods, doubling over as you tried to catch your breath. a familiar voice caught your attention, and before you knew it you were off again, trying to find one of your - hopefully behaving - friends • ‎your hopes were dashed rather quickly • ‎you had come to conclude that the voice you heard belonged to brandon, but it began to fade rather quickly • ‎hoping to talk to him, you followed the sound, eventually finding yourself in the clothing section • he went quiet, and you were afraid that you had lost him until you heard some suspicious rustling and the slap of clothing hitting the floor • ‎you silently inched closer, peaking between racks to see what was going on • ‎it was brandon, sure enough • ‎what was he doing, you ask? • ‎redressing some of the mannequins • ‎let's just say it's a good thing he decided to do music and not fashion. • he had just stripped one the mannequins and was now beginning to redress it, pulling different items from nearby sections. • he attempted to had slipped a pair of shorts that were easily four sizes too small up its legs. they didn't even come close to fitting. • brandon had also tried throwing a flannel on the oversized doll that stood before him, but something had gone seriously wrong, and the arms of the mannequin slipped out of place and down the sleeves, making them look horrendously long • a nightmare on wheels, man. • or heels, rather. he must have stopped in the shoe section before making his way over here because the mannequin was sporting some neck-breaking heels. well...one heel the other was a flat •  the heel was strappy and blue, by all means, a very cute shoe the other shoes, a flat, was far too large and looked like something his grandmother would wear • it was so large, in fact, that the only thing keeping it in place was the fact that the mannequins foot was slightly curved at the toe. • to complete the look, he had opened a wig (from where he had got it, you would never know) and had placed it on the mannequins head, a large cowboy hat resting on top of the matty red locks. • brandon stood back, hands on his hips as he admired his work •  "beautiful." • "absolutely stunning," you snickered • he whirled to face you, eyes blowing wide. a slightly embarrassed flush dusted itself across his cheeks. • "how long have you been here?" • "long enough." • wanting to avoid any more awkwardness, he slowly backed away. when there was a sufficient amount of distance between the two of you, he turned and booked it. • at this point, you could only imagine where nick was and what he was doing • honestly, you didn't even want to question it • you shook your head, making your way back toward the front of the store so that you could pay for the snacks you had managed to grab and go wait in the car • you had almost made it to the registers when the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps reached your ears • before you could do so much as turn and see who was coming up behind you, you were being picked up and thrown over someones' shoulder, snacks hitting the floor • you went to scream, but nick's voice rang out before you could, setting you somewhat at ease. • "come on, we need your help with something." • "with what?" • "something." • that alone was enough to have your anxiety kicking into overdrive again • he carried you to the front of the store and, given that you were so close to the doors, you assumed he was going to carry you back out to the door • it became apparent very quickly that this was nOT the case. • he stopped just short of the doors, depositing you in the basket of the electric carts housed near them. • you immediately went to climb out, but one of your belt loops had snagged on something and had rendered you immobile • nick made himself comfortable on the seat, pretending to rev the cart up. • he was zooming off in no time, weaving through foot traffic as he made his way toward the camping section • the rest of the boys had already collected there, two more carts resting nearby. they were chatting amongst themselves as they looked through the fishing gear • after a bit of deliberation, several rods were picked out. given that you were still unable to get out of the cart, nick had to pick one out for you. • after handing it over, he returned to his seat • the others partnered up, brandon and edwin climbing in their respective cart baskets while zion and austin sat down and got to driving. • you, of course, still had no idea what the heck was going on but saw no reason to complain • this wasn't the weirdest thing that had happened tonight, after all • the six of you drove up and down nearby isles, getting a feel for everything that was there • when it felt as if you had a pretty good idea of what was there and where it was, the real fun began • the boys began to "fish" for things, judging one another on who managed to bring in the best haul (or knock over the most stuff because there weren't real hooks on the end of the lines and it was surprisingly difficult to grab anything with the plastic ones that they had found) • figuring this was the least chaotic thing that had happened thus far (and you had done a lot more observing than participating) you figured you might as well join in • the six of you continued on like this for nearly fifteen minutes, screaming as you tried to haul things over the shelves and into the car. • by the time security got over to you guys, the aisles were littered with various boxes and odd items (clothing, accessories, decorations, stuffed animals...you name it, it was on the floor) • seeing the officer coming down the aisle, you all scrambled • you were still stuck though...so zion practically had to yank you out of the cart and then sprint out of the store with you balanced precariously in his arms • you all piled breathlessly back into the car, silence falling over the six of you • after a few moments, you all burst out laughing, the intensity of it making your stomach hurt and your eyes begin to water • the trek back home was shirt yet fun, full of jokes and you poking fun at one another • when you finally got back to the house, you all trekked back inside and collapsed onto the couches, feeling significantly less energized than you had at the store • you grabbed the television remote, ready to pick up where you had left off in your marathon • then it hit you • "did anyone manage to grab some snacks?" • "no..." came austin's timid response • "should we go back?" brandon chimed • "do you think they'd ever let any of us step foot in there again?" edwin snorted • "....no...." • "we'll just postmates something," zion said simply, pulling his phone out of his pocket. "what do y'all want?' • when you finally agreed on what to buy and the food and been delivered, you fell back into your movie, relishing in one another's company as you half-watched what was playing

prettymuch: wants to release music

prettymuch: does not promote singles/eps for more than two days

prettymuch: went all twelve months of 2019 without being on a single tv screen (they did a buzzfeed video though!)

prettymuch: doesn't do anything to get their name out there

prettymuch: is surprised their label won't allow them to release music

AUSTIN PORTER YOU JUST WHAT

NICKS AND ZIONS SMILE AHHHHHHH

BRANDON AND EDWIN TAKE ME WAYYY

so prettymuch is playing us, you ask?

pretty much.

skskskfubnkk

after six months my best friend finally stops sleeping on these babes

an imagine with zion based on the gone 2 long lyric, “i can’t find my love anywhere without you” pretty please?

it’s sad boi hours

it had been three weeks since you and zion had broken up. the reason had come from zion, who felt like he was being tied down, and as his fame with the band grew, he wanted more of an opportunity to explore new things.

it hadn’t been a pretty breakup. you saying it was an immature reason to end the relationship, while zion insisted that you were just being a nag about it. you’d left his house in tears, blocking all of his social media accounts as well as his number. but even that cleanse hadn’t made you feel better, in fact, it made you feel even worse knowing that it was actually over.

your phone ringing one night, displaying the contact name as brandon arreaga, jolted you out of your sleep. picking it up, you said tentatively, “hello?”

“hey, i know that we haven’t spoken in awhile because of you and zion, but i need you to come over now,” brandon rushed out.

“what’s wrong?”

“z locked himself in his room with a bottle of vodka, and all we can hear is him shouting and breaking things. i know you two didn’t end on the best of terms but we all know he’ll still let you in.” that was all it took for you to get in your car and break the speed limit just to be by his side.

“it’s quiet,” you commented as soon as brandon let you into the pm house. and it was. no shouting or things crashing to the floor could be heard.

“yeah, after i called you it stopped, but i figured you still might wanna see if he’s okay.” nodding, you took the familiar route up to his room, each step feeling heavier then the last.

knocking on the door, you could hear some shuffling from behind the hardwood. “i told y’all to leave me the fuck alone,” zion yelled.

“it’s me.”

it went quiet instantly, a minute passing before the door opened slowly. your expression softened when you took in his appearance. his hood was drawn up tightly around his face, his eyes were bloodshot red, the only remnants that he’d been crying. his clothes were wrinkled, giving you the illusion that he’d been in them for quite some time.

“what are you doing here?” he asked, stepping aside a little. you took that as an invitation to walking further into his room. you could see the bottle of vodka in the corner, though it hadn’t even been opened. zion watched you with careful eyes as you assessed his room, a room you’d been in a thousand times but somehow it felt foreign now.

“brandon called me,” you finally said, turning to face him.

zion cursed softly, sinking into his mattress. “sorry he made you drive all the way over here.”

“i came because i’m worried about you,” you said honestly.

“why?” he laughed dryly. “i broke your heart, and for what? to fuck different girls and be an asshole.” you stayed silent, watching him struggle to find the right words. “can i be honest with you?” you nodded.

“i fucking miss you,” he said, voice cracking. “i can’t even look at another girl without immediately thinking about you. i thought i was better off without you, that i could find some form of what we had with someone else, but i can’t. all my love is for you, and it’ll always be for you.”

his stare was intense, burning into your skin. you felt a plethora of emotions. this moment that you’d been dreaming about since zion broke up with you.

“i miss you too,” you admitted, moving to sit next to him on the bed. “i’ve missed you since the day i walked out, and it physically hurt because i knew that i shouldn’t miss you.” zion was now quiet, waiting for what you had to say.

“what do we do now?” he asked. his fingers were restless on his lap, wanting to just reach over and touch you.

as if reading his mind, you lifted your hand up, your own fingers tracing over his face, stopping at the top of his lips. “fix what‘s broken.”

he smiled, reaching over and grabbing your chin, bringing your face closer to his. you missed his lips on yours, the feel of excitement bubbling in your stomach.

“and i’ll never break it again.”

16 and brandon😂

16. “You’re getting crumbs all over my bed.”

i guess it’s a brandon kinda night? -rei

College is, was, and always will be the bane of your existence. Brandon Arreaga made it a lot easier though. You’d met Brandon at freshman orientation and you’d become best friends because you were both singing the first song that came to mind under your breath as the overly-zealous presenters talked about tutoring services.

A year and a half later, you were best friends and lived across the hall from each other in your co-ed dorms. Right now it was 2AM and you were supposed to be studying for mid-terms, but you were laid on the floor with your legs up on your desk chair and Brandon was in a similar position on your bed with his legs up on the wall. Big difference was he was munching on Pringles while you both stared into space wondering if it was too late to drop out and move to the mountains and become sheep farmers.

You sat up suddenly and the room spun a little as all the blood in your head rushed back to the rest of your body. Brandon’s head popped up a little seeing your movement and your brow scrunched up when you saw the mess on you bed. “You’re getting crumbs all over my bed.” The grin that broke out on Brandon’s face left your heart stuttering in your chest.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK! Your brain screamed as your heart rate sped up. You’d sword to yourself when you first met Brandon that you weren’t gonna fall for him. You just wanted to have a best friend. Brandon checked all those boxes. He drove you absolutely insane for shits and giggles sometimes. Pushing you over dumb subjects that you happened to have passionate opinions about just to see your chest heaving when you were out of breath from ranting. Without fail every time, you’d not realize that he was just egging you on until you saw that stupid grin on his face.

Now here you were, at 2AM in a delirious state finally accepting the fact that you were in love with your best friend. Brandon had sat up from your bed and cleaned the crumbs off while you’d sat on the floor with a stressed pout on your face. “Y/N, earth to y/n!” Brandon waved a hand in front of your face startling you out of your thoughts. You looked at him and blushed. “Sorry, I think I’m a lot more tired than I thought I was,” you picked at your nails not wanting to make eye contact for the fear that he might see your feelings on your face like he always seemed to.

“C’mon, let’s destress before this test tomorrow. Where are you face masks?” He got up from you bed and padded to the bathroom attached to your room and started looking through your medicine cabinet. You rolled your eyes and got up moving to help him find the tubes of skin care products he was asking for. Once you finally found the mint julep masque in the back of your cabinet that was Brandon’s favorite, you had almost forgotten about being nervous about your feelings. Suddenly they were right back in the front of your mind as you stood in front of Brandon between his legs applying the mask to his face. Without his glasses on you knew that he probably couldn’t quite make out your facial expressions but that didn’t cover your blush. “Are you feeling okay? You’re really flushed tonight,” he reached a hand up and pressed it to your forehead to check for a fever with a pout on his face. You shook your head as you finished applying his mask and moved to apply your own so you could hide the blush.

The two of you moved back to your room to wait for the masks to dry and looked for a movie to watch on Netflix. You spent most of the 15 minute wait arguing about whether you should watch a Disney movie or a Dreamworks movie. Brandon was firmly in the Disney camp, while you were stubbornly in the Dreamworks division. The timer on your phone you’d set for the masks went off distracting you from the disagreement and took you both back to the bathroom to wash off the masks.

Since Brandon couldn’t really see, you always had to wash his mask off. When you were in denial about your feelings this hadn’t really been a problem because the faces Brandon pulled while waiting for the mask to be fully removed made you laugh hard enough to crack your own mask. Once his mask was fully off and he was able to put his glasses back on he grabbed the towel out of your hand that you’d began wiping your mask off with. “Lemme do it,” he said moving to start taking your mask off. You did everything in your power not to look him in the eyes no matter how hard it was since he was so close to you and looking directly at your face. “There,” he smiled softly at you before handing you a dry towel to dry your face off. When you pulled the towel away from your face you saw Brandon looking at you in a way you’d never noticed before. “What? Did you miss a spot?” You asked turning to look in the mirror quickly. Brandon chuckled low and shook his head stepping close to you from behind and leaning his head on your shoulder. “Nah, I was just admiring my beautiful best friend.” The blush returned to your cheeks and you were suddenly hyperaware of how warm his breath was across your cheek. “You’re red again. Are- are you blushing?” the grin that broke out on his face as you made eye contact in the mirror had you hiding your face in your hands.

You felt Brandon’s arms wrap around you middle from behind and his nose was pressed into the spot where your neck and shoulders met as he laughed lightly. “Do I make you blush mamas?” The nickname had butterflies and heat swirling around in your stomach. “Stop it B,” you pouted crossing your arms over your chest above where his were still wrapped around you. “Wanna know a secret?” he whispered after a few moments of maintained eye contact in the mirror. He turned you around in his arms so you were leaning against the sink still pouting with your arms crossed in front of you. “I’ve kinda had a crush on you since Freshman year,” he leaned forward and whispered into your ear.

Your eyes were wide as he pulled away to see your whole face and squeezed your hips. You chewed the inside of your cheek and weighed your options in the moment. Your best friend just admitted he had feelings for you and you had just come to terms with your own feelings for him. You narrowed your eyes at him and pressed a finger to his chest, “If you think this means I’m gonna let you convince me to watch a Disney movie you’re so wrong.” Both of you broke out into grins as laughter took over you both. “I wouldn’t dream of it,” he said before taking your chin in his hand and pressing his lips to yours. “This means you’re mine right?” he whispered against your lips. “Only if you’re mine,” you responded before pushing yourself closer for another kiss.

PRETTYMUCH – The Met – Philadelphia, PA – July 20, 2019

If you think the boy band era came to a close with One Direction’s 2015 split, you probably haven’t met PRETTYMUCH yet. This Teen Choice nominated band made up of Brandon Arreaga, Zion Kuwonu, Edwin Honoret, Nick Mara, and Austin Porter offers a unique, refreshing sound to pop music as well as rap. Similar to One Direction, Simon Cowell founded the group, but that is where their similarities lay. Currently, they are touring to promote their new album Phases.

On Saturday night, they brought their high energy along with thousands of fans to The Met for their 2019 FOMO tour. The crowd contained all ages, from young girls, to teens, to parents, all of them excitedly awaiting their favorite band. For a newer band (formed in 2016) PRETTYMUCH’s fan base is massive. Outside the Met, hundreds of fans waited in line.

In spite of the 100-degree weather Philly was facing, fans were bright-eyed and eager: taking Instagram photos, dancing without music, and singing their favorite PRETTYMUCH lyrics. They didn’t have to wait too much longer – and everyone was relieved to get to their air-conditioned seats. Even inside, the energy didn’t die down. From the balcony, I watched groups of teens dancing to the preshow music and excitedly checking the boys’ social media pages for any updates.

After some waiting, the night began with a performance from former Dance Moms star, Kenzie. At only 15, she is already touring with for PRETTYMUCH across the country. Most fans know how talented a dancer she is, but as of 2014, she has broken into music. She recently dropped her new single “Hot,” which trended worldwide. She strutted on stage to a screaming crowd surrounded by four background dancers and a whole lot of confidence.

She opened with her song “Nothing on Us,” and sang her heart out all while performing some amazing choreo that had the entire audience dancing along. Kenzie ended with an emotional performance of “Breathe,” and thanked everyone for coming out. As much as no one wanted Kenzie to leave, they equally wanted PRETTYMUCH to come out. Shouts begging for PRETTYMUCH to come up filled the entire time period between Kenzie and PRETTYMUCH.

A futuristic voiceover boomed across the venue and introduced each of the boys with a flash of their silhouette. Then smoke and bright yellow lights filled the stage, when the smoke cleared, the band was there. When they appeared the screams of fans were so loud that it made it difficult to even heard their opening song, “Lying.” All five of the boys seemed extremely comfortable on stage. They came out dancing with choreography just as high energy as Kenzie’s.

The stage was set up with scaffolding they jumped around on and color-changing lights. The only time they stayed still was when they all sat on stools to perform “Gone 2 Long.” The audience filled with waving phones lights to accompany the song. The group’s dynamic showed how close they all are: laughing, cracking jokes at each other, improvising dances. You would never know that they had been separate artists before they came together. At some point, Edwin lost his shirt (not that the fans were complaining). They ended their set with “Phases,” but the crowd was still cheering for more. They ran back out with a preplanned encore and sang “Open Arms.”

PRETTYMUCH had unmatched energy and a lot of it. It is clear that the five of them are not only passionate and hardworking but love what they do. They own the stage as soon as they come out. PRETTYMUCH is not a traditional boy band by any means. Their audience may be on the younger side, but they don’t let that limit them creativity or censor themselves. Their sound is something you would expect a boyband to be able to pull off, but they do it flawlessly.

Many bands feel like they must form a persona, but when PRETTYMUCH gets on the stage, they are their true, authentic selves. They produce all their music and write songs for themselves, not anyone else. They’re only in the beginning stages of their careers, and I’m excited to see which direction they head as they gain a bigger following. But for three years in, their success has been astronomical.

Emma Cameron

Copyright ©2019 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: July 22, 2019.

Photos by Isa Barnett © 2019

✭・.・― have you seen SLADER ALVAREZ around monterey? every time i see the BRANDON ARREAGA lookalike, all i can think of is SKATEBOARD WHEELS ON CRACKED PAVEMENT, DIRTY MONEY, and SILVER CHAINS. known around town for their job as a PLUG, the TWENTY year old MALE is known for being RESOURCEFUL and ALTRUISTIC but could also be RECKLESS and IMPULSIVE. i don’t know if you know, but their big little lie is that HE STARTED DEALING TO PAY BACK A DEBT HIS MOTHER OWED.

. what’s gucci what’s poppin’ i’m meg i’m ready to go crazy AND stoopid with all of you ! anyways this is my weed slingin’, skateboardin’ soft boi slader and a lil bit about him !

slader grew up in the shadow of wealth, born into a low-income family in a shitty suburb on the outskirts of monterey. he was a happy kid, seemingly uninfluenced by the poverty and crime that ran rampant in the streets. 

he was smart - smarter than his school and his parents were equipped to handle - so he kinda fell through the cracks. he coulda gone places had he the fortune of attending one of monterey’s private schools. part of him knows this, and that part of him can’t help but hold a grudge. 

slader, like many other kids from his neighborhood, picked up skateboarding at a young age. in his adolescence, he used skateboarding to escape life’s inconveniences and, unfortunately, get through his father’s untimely passing at the age of fourteen. ( and pick up chicks, but that’s beside the point )

his dad’s death left slader the man of the house, being the oldest of four kids. he took this role seriously and despised the deadbeat men his mom shuffled through to fill the void of his father’s absence.

at sixteen, slader came home to a heated argument between his mother && her boyfriend. the boyfriend, a notorious dealer and all-around scumbag, claimed that slader’s mom got in the way of a huge deal - ultimately costing him upwards of $50k. he insisted she pay him back. she refused. he threatened to kill her. 

desperate and naive, slader offered to pay off the debt. knowing damn well the kid had no money, the boyfriend made a deal with him - work off the debt and all would be settled. 

of course, the ‘ work ‘ was less filing paperwork and fetching coffees && more running narcotics across the city. this was everything anyone had warned him not to become, but the kid had no choice.  

slader caught on quickly. his sharp intellect, knack for numbers, and sociable nature made him the perfect plug, as much as he hated to admit it to himself. he had fallen into the trap. 

fast forward a few years and the debt was paid off. for so long, slader told himself that this was the end of the road - no more after this. but he had to face it...he was good. and so was the money. while everyone else packed up and headed for college, slader packed up and headed to his shitty new apartment in downtown monterey to run with the big dogs. 

TL;DR : slader grew up in a shitty neighborhood outside of monterey. he was dummy smart but didnt have the education to back it. his dad died when he was fourteen, leaving him the man of the house. at sixteen, an ~incident~ left his mother indebted to her dealer boyfriend. offering to pay it off, slader began to deal under the guidance of the boyfriend. being the smart cookie he is, slader was dummy good at it and continued after the debt was paid. now he’s running with the monterey crowd, selling drugs to corporate assholes and teenage stoners alike. also he skateboards. 

. ofc ofc i would love love love to plot with all of y’all so throw a LIKE on this post if u want me to hit u up ! im also down to do just about anything so hmu if u’ve got anything u wanna try out ! i promise im cool 

some lil connections i’d like to see to get the ball rollin’ are:

* ppl he sells to ( esp. ppl u wouldn’t assume to b purchasing drugs from some kid )

* fellow city scumbags he hangs around with/skateboards with 

* childhood friends/neighbors 

* ~love interests~ or whateva 

* enemies !! ppl that just despise the fuckin kid 

Watercolors (Brandon Arreaga) ~ Chapter Nine:  Cézanne

Summary:   17 year old Amina Parker was far from a blank canvas, but he still managed to make a finger painting with her love.

A/N:  I really don’t know what to say about this story.  Should I make a taglist?  If so let me know if you would like to be on it.

Part Eight    Part Ten

Zane was always dramatic; Amina knew that. Even still, there were times she didn’t understand her best friend. Why Zane felt the need to text her but then refused to talk to her until she could see her the next day was one of those things she wouldn’t ever get.

Zane lounged around Amina’s living room, hair up in a messy bun and stained sweatpants low on her hips. She always took “make yourself at home” very literally. Amina sat next to her, alternating between folding clothes and shoving potato chips into her mouth.

“So why am I in trouble?” Amina managed through a mouthful of food.

Zane perked up, as if she suddenly remembered exactly why she was there in the first place. “Zion told me something very interesting yesterday. He said he walked in on you and Brandon…”

“We were just dancing. It wasn’t like that.”

“Dancing with your back to his chest? That sounds a lot like grinding to me.” Zane cocked an accusatory eyebrow.

Amina groaned, feeling the heat rise to the apples of her cheeks. She didn’t know what she expected Zane to say, but she knew it wasn’t that. Amina wasn’t that type of girl. And judging from the month she had known Brandon, he wasn’t that type either.

“You and I both know that wasn’t what happened.”

Zane shrugged, reclining further into the sofa. “I don’t know, Mimi. Zion seemed pretty convinced.”

“Trust me, we weren’t doing anything like that.”

“If you say so…”

Zane reached across Amina’s lap to reach into the bag of Lays. She smiled happily as she crunched down on the chips. Amina knew barbeque was her favorite. Amina always preferred original.

When the doorbell rang, it was Zane who popped up to open it first. Amina barely noticed; it was custom for Zane to act like it were her house. Amina found it somewhat comforting.

“Mimi!” Zane called from the doorway. “Brandon’s here.”

Amina could hear the pitterpatter of her younger sister’s feet from upstairs. She immediately shot up, running for the door before her little sister had the chance to make it down the stairs. She vowed that she would never let Cheyenne embarrass her in front of Brandon again. Zane retreated back into the house once Amina appeared.

Brandon looked comfortable today, probably more comfortable than Amina had ever seen him look. He was in a simple white tee with grey joggers and a denim jacket: the stereotypical look for boys their age. In true Brandon fashion, however, he still sported his two daily chains and a nice gold watch.

“Surprise surprise. Look who it is! The inventor of the human shield.”

Brandon smiled, leaning against the doorframe. “Glad you’re giving me the credit.”

“To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“I just wanted to hang out.”

Amina’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Surely Brandon did not expect to be able to hang out on such short notice.

“Right now?” Amina felt herself stuttering over her words.

“If you can. If not, I can always walk back to Porter’s.”

“Zane’s here…”

Brandon shrugged, cocking his head to the side in an adorably childish manner. “Zion may have said he was going to call her to pick her up in a bit.”

As if on cue, Zane came bounding towards the front door, jacket and cell phone in hand. Amina just rolled her eyes at Brandon, wondering how he made this all work.

“Z called, he wants to hang out. I’ll see you later Mimi. Bye Brandon!” Zane squeezed her way between the two in the doorway, making a right down the street to her own house.

Brandon raised an eyebrow at Amina, smirking softly. Amina couldn’t tell if she was endeared or ticked off. It was definitely a combination of the two.

“Okay, I don’t know what kind of voodoo magic that was, but still. I’m black, Brandon. You can’t just show up to black people’s houses like that and expect for my parents to say yes.”

Amina tensed at the sound of soft footsteps behind her. She knew she was going to be grounded. She threw her head back in distress, turning to face her mother.

“Well hi there,” Nurse Parker said in her sweet, southern drawl. “Who is this, Amina?”

“Brandon Arreaga, ma’am. Nice to meet you. I go to school with Amina.” Brandon extended a hand for Amina’s mother to shake.

“Nice to meet you too. Not to be rude or anything, but what are you doing here? You and Amina hang out on Fridays, right?���

Brandon blushed. “We do! I was just wondering if it would be okay for Amina and I to hang out for a little bit? Just a short walk around the neighborhood.”

Amina leaned against the doorframe, watching the encounter with anxiety. It was often that Amina’s mother scared people. Maybe it was the scrubs, or the overly nice accent, but everyone always told Amina how afraid they were of her mother. In all honesty, Amina was a little afraid of her too.

“I suppose that would be fine,” Nurse Parker looked back and forth between the two. “Mimi, sweetie, go run up and grab a sweatshirt or something. As long as you two are back in an hour, we should be alright.”

Amina nodded, wordlessly doing what she was told. Obedience wasn’t an option in her family, it was an expectation. Neither Amina nor her older brother went through a teenage rebellion phase, simply because it was not an option. When her parents asked her to jump, Amina’s only question was “how high?”

Amina threw the clunky, red sweatshirt over her braided hair, grabbing her phone and wallet to head out. Brandon, unsurprisingly, was talking to her mother once Amina returned. She called a goodbye over her shoulder, whisking Brandon away from the doorway. He chuckled.

“Someone’s in a rush.”

“I just didn’t want her to ruin your mood. She has a reputation of doing that to my friends, ya know.”

Brandon’s upper arm brushed Amina’a shoulder as the two continued down the street. The day was beautiful for late September: crisp, bright, and sunny. Amina’s running sneakers crunched against the few leaves that had begun to fall.

“So why did you want to take this impromptu walk?” Amina asked, looking up at Brandon’s profile.

“I don’t know. I guess I just needed a break from the chaos of Austin’s house. Plus, it kind of forced me to stop obsessing over my art. Midterms are due in two weeks.”

Amina nodded, averting her gaze back to the cracked sidewalk in front of her. “And do you have any idea what you’re choosing for your final piece?”

“I know I want to paint, which is a start.”

The two hung left, turning the corner onto the major road perpendicular to Amina’s. The neighborhood changed right around here. The houses instantly got more compact, closer together. Small bodegas and corner stores began to pop up at the blink of an eye. It was a very different Towson, New Jersey than people at Amina’s school were used to.

Amina expected Brandon to ask to turn back, or to ask why everything had changed, or what was wrong with this neighborhood. He didn’t, however. Brandon just pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose and kept walking forward, uneffected.

“Do you know what the subject of the painting is going to be?” Amina found herself asking.

“I have some ideas, but none of them are concrete. I’m just worried my head won’t be in it, and then I’ll have shitty art.”

Amina stopped him, pulling him by his elbow until he turned to face the smaller girl. Brandon was a lot of things, but he was never insecure.

“Look, B, I know you have a lot going on. I’m sorry about the whole Valerie thing. No one deserves that. But you and I both know that you could never produce shitty art. You’re amazingly talented. Don’t you ever forget that.”

Brandon watched Amina’s curvy figure continue walking ahead, not even waiting for his response. Amina knew what she was doing. Brandon needed strong encouragement. If he wasn’t going to encourage himself, Amina was happy to do it for him.

“Coming?” Amina asked, looking back to see Brandon stuck in his place. He just shook his head and jogged to catch up.

.          .          .

October first was one of Amina’s favorite days of the entire year. Since she was 14, she had a tradition: Black lipstick. She always started off the month with her favorite glittery black lipstick with the hopes of a good Halloween. October first, 2017 was no different.

“You look so badass,” Edwin commented at lunch that day. “Not everyone can pull off black lipstick.”

Amina smiled, ducking her head slightly. “Thanks. It’s probably one of my favorite colors.”

Next to Edwin, Austin marvelled over the tube that Amina had let them see. He kept twisting the stick higher and lower, seemingly mesmerized by the lipstick.

“How do they get the glitter in there?” He asked.

Zane laughed, patting Austin on the shoulder sympathetically. “Oh, sweetie. You have a lot to learn.”

Austin’s eyes grew to the size of saucers. “Mimi, are you going to be a makeup guru?! Can you teach me how to be a makeup guru?”

Now it was Amina’s turn to laugh. She took a sip of her raspberry lemonade, the glitter of the straw twinkling in time with her matte lips. She was amazed at how pure Austin was. From day one, she knew he was a sweetheart.

“I was not planning to be a makeup guru, Austin. But, I can still teach you. I can teach you what I know at least.”

Austin nodded. “Boom, awesome. That means Amina’s doing makeovers this Friday.”

The rest of the boys around the table groaned. Nick looked especially unhappy with this declaration, nudging Amina with his shoulder.

“Look what you did,” he complained. “Now I’m gonna have to walk around in a full face of makeup.”

Amina cocked an eyebrow in a challenging manner. “What? You’re too macho for makeup?”

“Ain’t nobody putting makeup on me, that’s for sure.” Zion interjected from across the table. Zane swatted his hand as he reached for one of her apple slices.

“What’s wrong with that?” Austin questioned.

“Makeup is for girls. Let’s keep it that way.” Nick responded, seeming final in his tone. An alarm went off in Amina’s head.

“And why is that?” Amina’s fingers tightened around her glittery, reusable cup. “Who said makeup is just for girls? Why can’t people express themselves the way they want? If boys wanna wear makeup, then why shouldn’t they?”

Brandon nodded from next to Amina. “Exactly. I don’t know about forcing boys to put on makeup, but if they want to wear it, what’s stopping them?”

“Listen,” Zion raises his arm from around Zane’s shoulders. “I’m not trying to start shit. But I agree with Nick. Historically, makeup is for girls. Girls look good in makeup. So why not just leave makeup to the girls of the world?”

Zane looked shocked. “You really feel that way?”

Zion nodded.

“That’s a really ignorant point of view to have. By those standards, I must be a boy because I don’t wear makeup, or because I love Thursday night football. And any boy who wants to wear the color pink, or wears makeup, or likes fashion must be a girl? All these gender roles and stereotypes are fake, Z.”

“That’s not what I’m saying. I just think that there are girl things, and there are guy things. Some of them overlap, yes, but some of them don’t. And that’s fine. We should keep it that way.”

Zane scoffed, rolling her eyes. “I didn’t know I was dating ignorant trash, wow.”

As Zane gathered her things, Amina averted her eyes. Leave it to Zane to cause a scene in the middle of the cafeteria. As she walked away, Zion’s calls for her to come back gained some attention from the surrounding tables. Amina just hid her face in Nick’s shoulder. She always despised causing a scene.

“Fuck, that girl is such a piece of work,” Zion said after a moment of silence.

“I mean what you said is kind of messed up, dude.” Edwin shrugged unapologetically.

“How was I supposed to know she’d freak out like that?” Zion retorted.

Brandon looked disappointed. “She’s your girl, Z. You’re supposed to know her better than anyone. That includes knowing what not to say. You should’ve stopped the minute she disagreed.”

Amina was glued to her seat, mouth taped shut. Realistically, she knew that she should have been the one to speak up about what ticked her friend off, but like everything, she felt like it wasn’t her place.

“You’re allowed to disagree, though, Z.” Nick spoke up.

Edwin shook his head. “If my mama taught me anything in life, it’s that your girl is always right.”

“You’re all stupid,” Amina muttered under her breath, catching the attention of every boy at the table. Zion looked at her challengingly. “This isn’t an issue of ‘your girl is always right.’ Zane’s allowed to be upset if her boyfriend has a slightly bigoted opinion. I’m sure you’ll work it out between the two of you. Relationships need fixing sometimes.”

Zion scoffed, rolling his eyes. “I’m not sure I want there to be a relationship if that’s how she acts at the first sign of a disagreement.”

That was the first time Zion and Zane broke up. Amina knew it wouldn’t be the last based on the fact that they got back together two days later. Amina sandwiched her cell in between her shoulder and ear, using both hands to write an outline for her new adventure story.

“I just couldn’t break up with him over something that stupid,” Zane rambled. “And when he showed up with the flowers and the best sex I’ve ever had in my life, I had to take him back.”

Amina just hummed into the phone, not really focusing on Zane’s words in the slightest. It wasn’t that she didn’t care about her best friend’s dilemmas, but she knew that nothing she could ever say would ease the drama in Zane’s life.

A wet curl slid its way into Amina’s eyes, causing her to huff and flick her entire head back. Zane’s voice faltered for a second.

“Honestly, I blame Brandon for this whole thing.” She stated.

Amina’s head perked up at the mention of his name. “Why Brandon? He didn’t do anything.”

“Z said that Brandon kept pushing him to apologize and get back together with me. If he hadn’t done that then maybe my feelings would still be intact.”

“Your relationship drama is not Brandon’s fault. He only pushed Zion to apologize because he knows how much you two care for each other. You should be thanking him, not blaming him for your issues. He was just being a good friend to both of you, and you should appreciate that.” Amina let out in one long, labored breath.

Zane scoffed from the other end of the line. “I was joking, chill. Since when did you get so defensive about him?”

Amina floundered for a second. Her heart pounded in her chest, the type of rhythm that only came with anger. When did she get so defensive over Brandon? Amina just blamed it on her teenage hormones, and not the fondness she had admittedly developed for the boy.

“That’s not the point. I was just saying that you’re doing a lot of complaining over something that should be a good thing! You and Zion obviously really care for each other, so enjoy it. And maybe don’t be so willing to break up with him next time.”

Zane’s father’s voice was muffled in the background of the call. Amina heard her best friend before being dismissed with a quick ‘I have to go.’ Zane was never quite good at taking advice, especially Amina’s.

Amina just picked up her purple glitter pen and kept outlining her adventure story. The main character would be a boy, different from the usual heroine that saved the day in all of Amina’s stories. He would be tall, artsy, and a little nerdy—but he would secretly be a superhero. Amina groaned, reading her outline over. She wondered when Brandon had started to infect her mind, and how on earth did she not notice.

OOC: +18

IC:

Nome terreno: Rene Bennett-Morgan West Nome mitológico: Abbadon Faceclaim: Brandon Arreaga, PRETTYMUCH. Nascimento: 14 de Janeiro de 1998. Naturalidade: Dallas, Texas, EUA.

Ser: Semideus, filho de Éris. Tempo de treino: 8 anos. Nível: 02 Dormitório: Andromeda (Ala 02) - Quarto 03

Twitter: @abbadon_olp Ocupação: Aluno e Barista noturno no Garden Café.

Qualidades: Integridade, foco, autoconfiança, leal. Defeitos: Egoísta, controlador, impaciente, explosivo. Plots de interesse: Angst, general, crack, squick, fluff.

Biografia:

Nascido e criado em Dallas, no Texas, Rene cresceu saudável e "afogado" em afeto. O casal West, responsáveis por sua adoção, se esforçaram para que Rene não desenvolvesse a personalidade problemática de sua mãe biológica, Éris. Sua missão fora dada pela própria, não de impedi-lo de ser como ela, mas com a finalidade de apenas criar o menino. Infelizmente Éris tinha certo apego pelo garoto e sempre o visitava, o instigando a ir contra os ensinamentos de Rose, filha de Hécate, e Mason, filho de Atena; seus, até então, pais. O americano nunca chegou a desenvolver apego aos semideuses, apenas a seu pai biológico — com quem havia mantido contato desde sua entrada no orfanato, aos 2 anos de idade. Sua relação com Éris era mais como uma parceria do que mãe e filho. Fora a deusa que o separou de seu pai, então Rene apenas compactuava com ela naquilo que achava ser vantajoso para si.

No fim das contas a estratégia dos semideuses havia funcionado, mas só até certo ponto. Ainda bem pequeno, Rene tinha certas dificuldades para controlar tanto os poderes como a raiva. E foi por volta de seus 12 anos que chegaram a conclusão que o melhor seria enviá-lo para o instituto. A princípio protestou. Mas quando pôs os pés no lugar, conheceu a rotina de treinamento, o que o fez ficar encantado com as lutas e desavenças que aconteciam ao redor. Em seu primeiro dia assistiu a um combate. O encarregado era durão e sua expressão chegava a dar calafrios. Mas ainda assim, Rene se animava com a ideia de lutar com equipamentos tão mortais. Seus olhos brilhavam ao ver outros semideuses utilizando de suas habilidades. Queria se tornar tão poderoso quanto.

Durante o ensino médio desenvolveu gosto por música. Aprendeu a tocar alguns instrumentos e a cantar. Participava dos eventos de música que aconteciam na sua cidade e na escola, chegou até mesmo a realizar trabalhos profissionais. O que considera seu maior feito na vida. A alguns anos, na última vez em que entrou em contato com seu pai, descobriu não ser filho único. Tinha uma irmã mais nova, fruto de uma relação com Deméter. Queria que o mais velho conhecesse sua irmã, mas Éris não gostava da ideia. Na época, Rene era fiel a mãe. Então depois desse dia, nunca mais entrou em contato com seu pai. E nem ele com Rene. Embora não demonstrasse, sentia falta do pai. Mesmo tendo Mason ao seu lado, não era a mesma coisa. Poucos anos depois, descobriu que o motivo de seu pai não ter entrado em contato. Éris havia ameaçado a ele e sua família.

Desde então a relação entre Rene e Éris se tornou abalada. A raiva que Rene sentia de Éris ocasionou o primeiro descontrole de suas habilidades. Mesma ocasião em que sua transferência para o instituto havia sido decidida. Passou a confiar mais em Rose e Mason, pois mesmo estando sob ordens de Éris ainda estavam ao seu lado e traziam notícias de seu pai. E foi assim que passou a se atualizar sobre o mesmo. Com o tempo passou a realizar oferendas a Hades, obviamente para ganhar algo em troca. Era curioso sobre o submundo e gostaria de entender melhor aquele lugar, também queria que protegesse seu progenitor. Construiu uma relação de parceria com Hades, assim como tinha com sua mãe. Realizou missões para o mesmo e pôde finalmente falar com seu pai novamente. Dessa vez, cara a cara. Mas também fora a última vez em que havia conseguido entrar em contato.

Habilidades:

01. Alimento: A discórdia alimenta os poderes dos filhos de Éris, ou seja, se estiverem em um local onde os “companheiros” estejam ora com ódio, ora com medo, ora irritadiços, seus poderes se intensificam. Tirará poder da confusão e do caos. O deixando mais forte, rápido e poderoso.

02. Aura do Terror: Assim como sua mãe, o semideus tem uma aura que exala terror. Dessa forma, quando está irritadiço uma aura preta surge em torno de seu corpo, emanando medo e receio das pessoas à sua volta. A habilidade dura enquanto o garoto estiver irritado, mas não funciona em pessoas com bloqueio mental. 

03. Unhas Mentirosas: Filhos de Éris fazem crescer unhas afiadas, feitas de uma espécie desconhecida de aço, que ao cortar o oponente, o faz ter alucinações, como de discussões com entes queridos ou perdas, por tempo suficiente para o filho fugir ou atacar.

04. Voz da Tortura: O filho de Éris poderá, com a vontade, fazer com que o inimigo que ouvir sua voz sinta a pior dor imaginável. Mas se usada por mais de 2 horas seguidas, começará a surtir efeito no próprio semideus.

05. Punho do Caos: O punho do filho de Éris é envolto de pura energia caótica, fazendo com que um soco normal possa nocautear alguém imediatamente. Um soco de um filho de Éris neste nível pode facilmente quebrar a clavícula de um filho de Hefesto. Devido a fragilidade de um corpo mortal, dependendo no material a ser atingido, poderá causar fraturas e machucados leves a sérios.

06. Olhos sangrentos: Ao olhar diretamente nos olhos de seu oponente, ou até mesmo se este olhar o filho de Éris nos olhos, flashes de imagens horrendas invadirão a mente do inimigo, estonteando-o e deixando-o momentaneamente enlouquecido, e isso o distrairá por um período de 10 minutos até conseguir voltar a realidade. O semideus não consegue usar o poder repetidamente, precisando esperar pelo menos 1 hora para poder utilizá-la novamente.

07. Invisibilidade: Éris conseguiu passar por Ládon, roubar uma das maças de Hera protegidas pelas Hesperides, entrar numa festa de casamento divina, cheia de parentes, e ainda causar uma briga entre Afrodite, Hera e Athena sem ser vista. Quando essa habilidade estiver ativa você passa a ser tão furtivo quanto sua mãe, ficando invisível. Dura aproximadamente 2 horas seguidas e deverão ser aguardadas 24h para próximo uso.

08. Mente confusa: Qualquer um que tentar ler ou invadir a mente de filho de Éris será invadido pelo conceito da pura discórdia, entrando em desavença consigo mesmo, podendo até mesmo ficar louco. Voltar-se-á contra si mesmo, e atacará a si próprio, discordando dos próprios pensamentos.

09. Vocabulário Peçonhento: Filhos de Éris provam que palavras podem ferir, ou no caso, envenenar. Ofendendo e humilhando alguém, os semideuses terão a capacidade de criar um efeito de veneno na pessoa, como se uma serpente altamente venenosa tivesse picado o adversário. Pode ocasionar a morte, mas para isso exigiria enorme esforço do semideus, provavelmente o matando também.

10. Anjo da Discórdia: Você poderá convocar uma tempestade de fogo caótico, que tem o poder de destruir tudo a sua volta. O fogo causa fortes queimaduras, dependendo do tempo em que o oponente fica sob o fogo. É possível, inclusive, ter o corpo inteiro queimado. A tempestade tem um raio de 10km e dura aproximadamente 3 minutos por conta do desgaste de sua energia. Após o uso da habilidade, o semideus necessita de, no mínimo, 30 minutos de descanso ou irá começará a suar sangue. 

11. Lar Doce Lar: O semideus consegue, nesse nível, abrir um portal sozinho para o Tártaro - residência de sua mãe. É possível levar alguém consigo, mas não mais do que duas pessoas e, caso excedido, causa náuseas extremamente fortes por 1 hora.

12. Asas negras: Assim como sua mãe era uma deusa alada, a prole de Éris terá um ar de longas asas negras penosas, que poderão se mimetizar em uma peça de roupa. Com essas asas, o meio-sangue pode se defender de quase qualquer ataque (já que elas são tão resistentes quanto o pelo do Leão de Nemeia), voar livremente pelos céus e mesmo controlá-los. Pode criar enormes tornados com o auxílio de suas asas e mesmo varrer áreas inteiras com seus ventos. Assim como numa maratona, o semideus pode se cansar e não aguentar mais planar.

Got Boybands?

Beatles, boys who cry, Boyz n motion, and big time rush has something in common and its not that all of them starts with the letter b, its that they are all iconic boy bands. boy bands been around for years swooning queens of all ages. Ever since one direction hiatus I thought boy bands were dead. I failed to realize that the boy bands didn't stop they are just overlooked so I'm here to point some out talk about them maybe help them get some more support I don't know.

I was going to save this for last but I will be distracted the whole time if I did. Prettymuch. woohoo! anyway my friend showed me "open arms" my attention was grabbed wig snatched I wasn't prepared for the beat to drop like that but it did so did my heart. I loved it. um, they make straight bops. from what I understand a lot of fans feels neglected by them. "where's the album" is a common saying by the BEANZ. BEANZ are the fans in the fandom. it stands for Brandon, Edwin, Austin, nick, and Zion. they are a pop group with a hip hop sound at times. all of them can sing. they don't always get the same amount parts on songs but all of them can sing. it was formed in 2017 by Simon Cowell. I'm going to try to describe each member of the group the best can. starting with Brandon Arreaga. born December 14th 1999. he is 19 years old (the youngest) he is from Texas. He is white and Mexican he is good just about everything. one of the best dancers in the group. my favorite vocalist in the group. he has a deeper richer tone in his voice but can easily go up an octave or two he is a sick producer. he seems like one of the leaders in the group. I think he sings the most out of all of them. it seems like he is constantly working on his craft which I love. he loves food. his runs are superior. next up is Edwin Honoret. Edwin was born Feb 12, 1999. he is from the Bronx. he is Dominican. first thing to come in mind is fashion. don't get it twisted they all got style but with Edwin its evident that fashion is his thing. he seems positive most of the time putting out positive messages through social media. sports is not his thing but skateboarding is. he has a higher tone of voice but not the highest pitch in the group. next is Austin porter. born Aug 14, 1997 in North Carolina. This 21 year old (oldest) is lit. he always seem to be energetic and upbeat. he paints a lot . he gets the least amount of singing time but he is a great singer . he has a deeper tone of voice as well. he likes rapping. he seems to be very family oriented. all of them do but I notice it more with Austin. he seems very talkative and could relate with just about anybody. Nick Mara is up. he is also 21. he was born Nov 8,1997 in new jersey. he is the best dancer. has the highest tone voice. he seems the most serious out of everybody but stills jokes around. he has crazy shoe game. he's just suave. last one is Zion Kuwonu. born June 29,1999. he is Canadian. he is tall. loves Fortnite. he probably the second most amount of times. I think he is talked about the most in the fandom. prettymuch symbolizes quality to me. things take time with this group. they have 13 songs but you can bump to all of them. their lyrics are great, all of them can dance, they have a hip hop feel to them, and their music is constant. I feel like their motto is quality over quantity and out of all of them I feel like they have the best chance to really break out. my favorite released song is healthy.(they have a bunch of unreleased music) my least favorite is Jell-O. don't get it twisted Jell-O is still a bop but not "the" bop. BLiND is their most recent bop released(01/25/19). that song slapped video made the song even better. I honestly didn't know that was possible but they proved me wrong. I like blind because everybody did their thing and everybody vocals had a shinning moment. also the video was an aesthetic within its self. their first song released is would you mind(07/21/17)

next group is why don't we. I don't know why don't we as well but they seem like more on the quantity side. I say this because they have the most amount of songs out of all of the boy bands but not all of them are bangers in my opinion. I feel like most of my friends cant get into them because they do occasionally have a childish sound and their songs don't have as much depth as other artist do. what I mean by this is a lot of their songs are repetitive and the only thing is different about them is the new person singing the same verse. they also cant dance, but here are the reasons why you should give them a chance. they are very stylish, they voices are very distinctive, and they have one of the best melodies when its a banger. the group started in 2016 and consist of jack Avery(19), Corbyn Besson (20), Jonah Marais (20), Daniel Seavey (19), Zach Herron (17).their fans are called limelight I want to know why but I don't know maybe something dealing with the first song taking you. the childish sound songs are like trust fund baby and these girls. 8 letters was the first song I heard by them (jack Avery stood out to me for some reason). my friend was talking how she couldn't get into them so I decided to do my research. 8 letters was decent but I had to see if they had more hits and they do but I had to dig deep. talk(fell in love with Daniel), something different(loved the beat and video was sick), into deep (fell in love with Zach's voice and the melody was nice), nobody gotta know (started to appreciate Zach even more and all to them together and melody was clean as well), choose (I loved it gave me 00s' Justin Timberlake vibes the beat was great and the melody was another hit), why don't we just (was a decent song seemed really repetitive but it was catchy), invitation (had a r&b feel to it was catchy and the video was funny), words I didn't say (it was cute), turn it off ( the melody was good), made for( I loved the beat and it was cute). I think they have 40 songs don't quote me. their latest song was big plans which was a banger released (01/16/19). their first song released was taking you (11/25/16)

next group is in real life. the were the winners of ABCs 2017 tv music contest boy band. the group consist of chance Perez(21) Brady Tutton (17) Michael Conor(19) drew Ramos (21) Sergio Calderon(18). All of their songs are catchy and has the typical pop boy band sound but with a . they have 7 released songs including 2 Christmas songs.one thing different about this group is that Michael Connor can rap. my favorite song is how badly and my least favorite is probably got me good (their most recent song released 09/06/18) its still a good song though. their first song released was eyes closed released 08/25/17.

4th ave consist of Mikey Jimenez (19), Marcus Pendleton(18), Jaden gray (17), cam Jackson (20) who all compete individually on the sow boy band with the members of in real life. all of them can really sing. their runs are crazy but I feel like cam and Jaden mastered them the best and Jaden has a wider range. this group pop/r&b group. Jaden and Marcus are my favorite because Jaden just seems very confident and its cool plus his vocals are mental, Marcus because he like the homie he can get lit but he seems like a chill guy who cracks jokes.4th ave can dance , its not extreme like prettymuches but its way better than why don't we or the other bands. they have 12 songs and a fire interlude including 5 holiday songs. my favorite song is probably 4 u(honestly all of their songs was my favorite at least once). my least favorite is probably exit. their first song released was xoxo (02/8/18) and their latest song released is us (01/25/19).

the next group is cnco. they are a latin boy band who are from the show called la banda (executive produced by Simon cowell). the group includes Joel pimental(19), Erick Brian colon (18), Christopher Velez Munoz (23), Richard Camacho (22), Zabdiel de jesus (21). i think they have 45 songs including the remixes. tan facil is their first song released (01/29/16) and their latest song released was hey dj the remix (11/9/18). Mala actitud id my favorite and mas alla is my least favorite.

new hope club is the next group. this band is a pop British trio. Blake Richardson(19),George smith(19),and Reece Bibby(20).

they have 14 songs. fixed being the first(05/05/17) and permission being the latest(02/01/19). i love their music and their feel. they have nice vocals and their songs has a vintage sound to it with rock tendencies. crazy is my fav amd tiger feet is my least favorite.

next town down is the next group on the list. NTD is a an r&b group with Malik Knighten(19), Terence Thomas (24), Trevon Water(22), Chris Louis(21),and Leon Outlaw jr(16). they have 8 songs but they spoil us with covers on youtube. their first song released was easy (05/11/18) my favorite song of theirs will have to be easy and the least is kissin on.

the last final group i will be mic lowry. they are a r&b band from liverpool. Delleile Ankrah, Akia Jones, Kaine Ofoeme, Ben Sharples, and Michael Welch embodies old school r&b with new school flare. They were formed 2011. tuxedo is their first song released 05/18/15. their latest song is Tesla 10/19/18. they have 16 released songs.

PRETTYMUCH starring in THE FRESH PRINCE

“Mirror mirror on the wall, I'm not too short I'm not too tall, but damn if I don't got it all.”

ZION KUWONU as WILL SMITH

Often cracking jokes or doing something comedical. 100% of the time he's unashamedly roasting someone or putting them on blast. Always managing to find himself in a situation, though he's able to finesse through it. Never knowing when to shut up, sometimes saying things that make you question his intelligence. But when he has those times he can speak on something from personal opinions to pep talking, he won't disappoint. He knows how to get all the honey's, just gotta sit back and let him do his thang.

“For a long time, it gave me nightmares, having to witness an injustice like that. It shows you just how cruel this world can be. I can still hear them taunting him. 'Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids.' Why couldn't they just give him some cereal?”

AUSTIN PORTER as CARLTON BANKS

A sensitive bear that just needs a hug. Often can't catch a break though from Nick roasting him or putting him on blast to never being left alone for his class and style. Austin may seem like he's soft and a punk, but he has words that come in handy in a fight, don't underestimate him. He can be the life of the party...in a quirky way, but he gets everyone pumped.

“I need money, not boys.”

NICK MARA as ASHLEY BANKS

Look, don't get on his wrong side or catch him on a bad day, he WILL rip you to shreds. A majority of the time he can be America's sweetheart, but if provoked, let the chaos and confusion roll in, and don't think it won't last long. Usually bringing the common sense to the family and often opening their eyes to new perspectives. Aha, people over money?! Don't get it twisted sis.

“Have you ever seen so many fashion dont's in one room?”

EDWIN HONORET as HILARY BANKS

A fashion GOD and he represents the title well. Don't let looks deceive you, he's not getting his hands no matter what you say. Shopping spree? Here for it. Designer? Here for it. Yachts? Here for it. Knows how to give advice — sometimes — and it actually makes sense no matter how vain or ditzy he seems. And yes he's very much ditzy, taking a minute to catch onto jokes and common sense.

“Don't try and impress me with your fancy education.”

BRANDON ARREAGA as DJ JAZZY JEFF

Musically inclined, the way he makes beats and music, you would think he needs to be dj'ing but he doesn't, so he leaves you wondering..."DJ"...but not really dj'ing...Okay. He's the friend that just hangs around, wondering if he even has a life the way he's always over 24/7. He thinks he has a swag that draws all the ladies, when in all actuality he looks like a dork. He may seem stupid, but he's dumb, but sometimes knowledgeable.

I write shit for y’all’s imagination to be satisfied, but now it’s my turn to be selfish, thots.

CURLS | ARREAGA

“Breee..”

“Beee..”

“Where are you heading to, ma’am?” Brandon's eyes followed his girlfriend as she went past him to go up the stairs, but she stopped dead in her tracks to turn and look at him, “I’m going to go get ready for bed, B. Stay down here with everyone, I’m sure they wouldn’t want you to disappear right now.” She turned on her heels, cringing as she prayed that the wording was careful enough to keep him downstairs. When she started towards the second floor of the PRETTYMUCH house, Breeze heard Brandon’s footsteps echoing behind her own, she turned to see him looking at her with a neutral face. Her shoulders slumped and she sighed as she went towards the bathroom to start getting ready, “B, I wanted you to stay down there for a reason.”

“I know, which is why I followed you up here anyway. Nice try though.”

“Boopie, I’m tired, I didn’t get off of work with the kids until 8:30 and then had to hop on the next flight you paid for a couple of hours later to get here.” She sighed as she started to work on her hair.

“I know, and I ish sho happy, babe.” Brandon pouted his lip and then wrapped his arms around his girlfriend's waist to then kiss her on the cheek. Breeze smiled cheekily, “What are you even doing to your hair?” Brandon stuck his hands in the girl's curly ‘fro and ruffled it, "BRANDON! You can’t do that shit, I’m going to get a knot in it.” She whined out, only for him to blink in response, “Just comb it out.” He shrugged and then started to fix his hair in the mirror, making some faces as if he were taking shots for a magazine, whenever he got in front of a mirror he didn’t know how to act. She didn’t note the silly antics because it was normal of him, but she continued to brush out her hair, hissing when her brush caught a knot from one of the curls.

“Here Bre, lemme help you.”

“Bran-..”

“Oop, too late. Already got the comb, turn around.” She just sighed deeply when he snatched the comb off the counter before she could get her fingers on it. Her eyes narrowing at him, only for him to look at her with an unphased expression as he motioned for her to turn around. Breeze turned and she already knew Brandon didn’t know what he was doing when he put the comb in her curls, “OW! From the ends up, ah shit, fuuuuckfuckfuckfuck.”

“Oh my God, stop overreacting, it doesn’t hurt that bad.”

“When you’re tender headed it does you fucking jer...” She trailed off, grumbling the rest of her rant under her breath as she snatched the comb. Slapping Brandon frustratedly on the arm with it, “Hey! Oww.” Brandon cried out, fake sobbing, she could only roll her eyes at him, “Okay, okay, for real, teach me how to do your hair.”

“I’m tired Brandon, no.”

“I didn’t ask.”

“Oh, so you’r-..”

Brandon tried to pull an innocent smile, as much as she didn’t want to do it tonight, she knew Brandon would annoy her into the ground until she gave in, so it looks like she’d be giving Brandon natural hair night time routine lessons for a good hour and a half.

“Damn, I put too much leave-in in my hands. What do I do if it’s too much?”

“Brandon, there’s never ‘too much’ product with natural hair. The more, the better.”

“For real?”

“Deadass.” Breeze looked up at him from the stool she was sitting on in the bathroom, Brandon stared at her with his hands out with the leave-in conditioner  on them, he cracked a small smile, “Beeet.” She snickered a bit as she shook her head, letting him work the stuff through her hair, “Okay, so what does this ‘curling cream definer’ do?” Brandon had made Breeze get all the hair stuff she had brought with her and left at the house together so he could have ‘options’, “...It does what it says babe, the stuff literally curls and defines my hair...but with my hair you can’t just slap it in there and expect some defined curly shit like on the ads, you gotta put in some work.”

“Alright, what I gotta do?”

“You gotta flat twist it and then put these perm rollers on the ends.”

“...Flat what?...Isn’t a perm that chemical shit, why would you do that?”

“Brandon, no-...”

So, they spent a little bit longer in the bathroom, because Brandon wanted to know about every single product she had and he ‘envisioned’ how he wanted her curls to look once she explained the method to him and he grasped the understanding. Breeze had to roll her eyes when he said, “Okay, so tomorrow they should look like this when we take the pictures. Babe, we’re going to look fly as hell when we take those pics. Ooouuu, some mad 90s vibes too. Especially with how they frame your face with your glasses, aww, my baby ish sho cutes!” Brandon stated the last bit in a baby voice, only for her to giggle as he laid multiple wet kisses on her face, “Brandon, this is why I can’t get ready for bed with you around.”

Watercolors (Brandon Arreaga) ~ Chapter Twelve:  Pollock

Summary:   17 year old Amina Parker was far from a blank canvas, but he still managed to make a finger painting with her love.

A/N:  I lowkey despise this story now.  Oops!

WARNING:  Mention of pregnancy and abortion

Part Eleven    Part Thirteen

Amina hated that Halloween was on a Wednesday this year. There was something so badass about getting dressed up in a costume and showing off to everyone in the neighborhood while she took her sister trick-or-treating.  On a Wednesday, however, Amina had too much homework to be able to participate in her favorite tradition.

As she sat in the lunchroom on Wednesday afternoon, she pouted in her tuna salad.  She realized how ridiculous and childish she must have looked, but she couldn’t help it.  All she was looking forward to was dressing up, and she couldn’t even do that.

“What crawled up your ass and died?” Edwin asked, quirking an eyebrow at her.

Zane sighed. “She’s sad that she can’t dress up for Halloween this year. That’s a big deal for the Parkers.”

“I take my sister trick-or-treating every single year. But since it’s a stupid Wednesday, I have too much work for the first time ever.” Amina sighed. “It’s frustrating more than anything.”

“Fuck work,” Nick stated bluntly. “You should go out and have fun on your Halloween. Especially if it’s a tradition you look forward to.”

Amina felt like she was overreacting to the situation, but she couldn’t help her emotions. “I really can’t. College applications are becoming all too real, and I have so much homework.”

Brandon placed a warm hand around Amina’s shoulders, giving her a comforting squeeze. Amina could feel herself relaxing even the tiniest bit. She immediately wondered when Brandon became a source of comfort for her.

“I’m sorry that you can’t go through with your tradition, Amina,” Brandon looked as though he was genuinely upset for his friend.

Amina nodded, which everyone took as the end of the topic. Looking across the table, Amina noticed Zion staring directly at her. She was about to ask him what the problem was until she realized just what he was so focused on. It was Brandon’s arm...that hadn’t moved from its resting place on Amina’s shoulder. Zion finally met Amina’s eye, smirking slightly.

Amina found it impossible to calm down her racing heart, unsure if it was from the physical contact or from the embarrassment of such a public display of affection. She tried to snap herself out of it. If it were Nick, Amina would not have thought twice about it. For some reason, it was different with Brandon.

A loud ringtone interrupted the comfortable chatter of the lunch table. After a few seconds, everyone realized its owner was Brandon, who got up from the table to take the call. Upset at the sudden lack of warmth surrounding her, she decided to lean her head into Nick’s shoulder, who wrapped an arm around her without skipping a beat.

.           .            .

Amina didn’t know how she beat Brandon to the art room after school. It was slightly concerning seeing as he had art last period, and tended to just stay there until Amina arrived. Amina just brushed it off, taking a seat on Brandon’s stool even though she knew he would make a fuss the minute he got there.

As if being summoned by someone else taking his place, Brandon walked through the door the minute that Amina’s butt touched the wood. His eyes were red and puffy, dripping with raw emotion. His steps were slow and uneven, as if he was unable to focus on the act of walking. Amina had seen Brandon emotional quite a few times, and it seemed as though every time he got worse.

“B, what happened?” Amina stood quickly, crossing the room until she stood right in front of her friend. “Are you okay?”

Brandon just sniffled, displacing his glasses in the process of wiping his eyes. Amina didn’t know what else to do but grab his free hand and lead him to sit down. Brandon immediately slumped onto his stool, looking as miserable as ever.

“Talk to me, Brandon. I can’t stand to see you like this.”

Brandon’s framed eyes met Amina’s, taking a deep breath before beginning to speak. “It’s Valerie,” he began. “She’s pregnant again now, with this one night stand’s baby. She’s keeping it.”

A piece of Amina’s heart broke for her friend. At a loss for words, she stumbled over what to do or say. Getting over an ex is hard; getting over an ex who aborted your baby is even harder; getting over an ex who aborted your baby and is now pregnant again is nearly impossible.

“I don’t even know why I’m so upset,” Brandon chuckled bitterly. “It’s not like I’m not over her. And I’m not the father of this new baby. It just...it just hurts for some reason. Not even in a ‘she kept this rando’s baby and not mine’ way. But more of a...I don’t even know. I feel like shit.”

Amina smoothed a hand over Brandon’s dark curls, secretly loving how soft they felt under her fingertips. “What do I always say?”

“I’m allowed to feel however I feel,” Brandon mumbled, reminiscent of a toddler reciting rules back to their parent.

“Exactly. It’s okay if you’re upset. It’s okay if you’re upset and you don’t know why. I’ll be here no matter what.”

“I guess there’s too much baby drama for a 17-year-old like me.”

“It’s not even my drama and it’s too much for me.”

Brandon looked up at Amina from his seated position. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Even though Amina could tell he was still devastated, there was a grateful twinkle in his eye.

“Thank you,” he began. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“Probably turn into a ball of sadness and die,” Amina joked, causing Brandon to chuckle.

“You’re probably right. I’d have any bit of sadness or drama and I would just combust. Or just make super angsty art about it.”

“That sounds like a much more positive outlet.”

Brandon continued to look up at the girl in front of him, this time with a smile on his face and dry eyes. Amina couldn’t stop herself from running a hand through his hair once more. The two didn’t speak, but they didn’t have to. They both simply enjoyed the moment.

It was Amina who decided to break the momentary silence. “You know you could always make art about this. Write Valerie’s name in super big pretty letters, then just splatter paint all over it.”

“I think my art is a little more sophisticated than that.”

“Of course it is, Mr. I’m-going-to-RISD (Rhode Island School of Design),” Amina chuckled. “But maybe it will help.”

Brandon thought for a moment before finally nodding slowly. He instructed Amina to grab a few tubes of paint and two smocks from the supply closet. She did so giddily, pointing out how she never got to paint and was excited to do so. Brandon just watched her bounce around the room with a lazy smile on his face.

Amina tossed Brandon his smock before attempting to put hers on by herself. She frowned when her short arms couldn’t reach the tie behind her do.

“Brandon? Can you tie this for me?”

The boy did as told, walking over to his friend and securing the tie around her waist.  He let the tips of his fingers linger on the small of her back, and smiled slightly when Amina shivered.  When she turned to face him, he clapped his hands together.

“Alright, let’s do this,”  he grabbed a piece of paper and spread it out on the table in front of them.  “So normally, I would outline the name in pencil, and then paint over it, but I’m impatient today.  What color should her name be?”

Amina shrugged.  “Maybe we should do something bright.  Then we can put darker splatters on it.”

“Alright, how about orange?”

The way Amina turned her nose up at the color made Brandon chuckle loudly. He watched as the girl picked up each individual color, inspecting the tube like they were in competition with each other. Eventually, she pulled out the yellow, smiling brightly.

“I think we have our winner!”

The two worked meticulously, watching each other as they alternated between broad strokes of the brush and short flicks. Within an hour the two were done. Amina stepped back to admire the masterpiece she and her friend had worked to creative. As she inspected the whole scope of the work, she couldn’t help but laugh.

“Brandon?” Amina managed in between her fits of laughter. “This looks like shit.”

This made Brandon’s indifferent exterior crack as he exploded into laughter. “Mimi, what did we do?!”

“I don’t know! I thought it would look good.”

Brandon placed a hand on each knee, doubled over with the force of his laughs. “It literally looks like a baby vomited on a piece of paper, smeared it, and called it art.”

“I know. It’s pretty terrible,” Amina rubbed her hairline with the back of her paint-covered hand. “At least we did it together right? And don’t you feel better?”

“I definitely do feel better.”

“That’s what matters,” Amina beamed.

The two were quiet as they began to clean up, washing dirty hands and brushes and hanging up their smocks. By the time they were done, the only evidence of their work was the paint smeared paper lying on the center of the table.

“Should I throw this monstrosity out?” Amina asked, still smiling down at their shared work.

Brandon hesitated before picking the painting up and holding it out in front of him. “Nah, I think I’ll keep it.

Amina was slightly surprised that Brandon would even want it, and was a little hurt when she realized that it still had Valerie’s name on it. That’s what it all boiled down to—Brandon and Valerie.

“Okay, well I’m pretty sure my mom is here,” Amina sighed. “I’ll see you tomorrow, B.”

“Of course. I’ll see you.”

Brandon waved as Amina left the room, still admiring the piece of work that the two created. Something about it warmed his heart, no matter how terrible it was. He smiled to himself.

“Oh, I’m totally framing this.”

.        .         .

As a compromise for not going trick or treating, Amina’s mother let her man the door for the entirety of Halloween Night. It wasn’t ideal for Amina to be curled up with a calculus textbook in one hand and a bowl of candy in the other, but she was happy to do something to celebrate the holiday.

After spending a few hours gushing over little kids and cute costumes, Amina closed the door for what she thought would be the last time. It was already 9:30 on a school night; no one would let their kids out this late. Her sock-covered feet turned away from the door and began to trek up the stairs until she heard the doorbell ring.

Groaning, Amina turned on her heels, picking up the candy bowl on the way. She flung the door open aggressively, obviously annoyed with this last minute group of children. What she didn’t expect was to see six familiar faces beaming at her.

“Trick-or-treat!” They all said in unison, making Amina break out into a wild smile.

Amina didn’t know if she was happier that her friends had come to see her, or that they were all dressed up in various costumes: Nick was a vampire, Edwin a werewolf, Austin was Ash from Pokémon, Zane was Number 4 from Codename Kids Next Door, Zion looked like some underground rapper, and Brandon was Spider-Man.

“You guys didn’t have to do this,” Amina started. “But damn am I glad you did. You’re all getting your picture taken.”

“Of course we had to do this,” Austin leaned on the door frame. “It’s Halloween. If you can’t go out and enjoy it, we’re going to bring the fun to you.”

Amina beamed. “Well thank you.”

“Thank Nick,” Zane replied. “It was all his idea. He even planned everyone’s costumes.”

Nick looked bashful, shrugging slightly. “It was nothing.”

Amina was speechless as she went down the line to hug each of her friends. When she got to Nick last, she hugged him extra tight. Nick did the same, clutching Amina close as if he were to never let her go.

“Thank you guys, seriously. This means a lot.”

Zion scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. “Um, not to be headass, but can we have some candy? Like we are here to trick-or-treat after all.”

Amina chuckled, passing around the candy bowl to everyone. She didn’t miss Austin taking at least six Kit-Kats, but decided not to say anything in effort to preserve the fun.

After a few minutes of the group talking and laughing in the doorway of Amina’s home, Zane declared she was tired, which was instantly met with agreement from the rest of the boys.

“Wait, before you go,” Amina interrupted. “We have to take a picture.”

Although reluctant, the group eventually settled into an appropriate formation, and with a count of three, they were done.

As everyone began to say their goodbyes, Amina found herself pulling Nick close once again, unable to begin to show her gratitude for making her night better. Nick seemed to understand, though, just wordlessly holding Amina until Edwin declared that everyone had to go.

“Mimi, thank you,” Nick whispered, pulling away.

“For what?”  

“Being patient with him.”

“With who?”

Amina didn’t get an answer as the group walked away. She just stood in her doorway, confused as hell, watching her friends disperse into the nighttime.