You’re Trying To Save Me Chapter 16 is up, check it out, enjoy and let me know what you think!
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“I’d fight battles with the sun to rest against you tonight.”
— Yarn, Andrea Gibson
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Chapter 16 is out now!
Every Me, Every You by Kris Black
🔗 Read on AO3 | 🔗 Read on FF.Net | 🔗 Read on Wattpad
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🟤 HERMIONE POV
Chapter 16 Teaser
Today, she’d be using magic as it should be—for wonderment.
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Chapter 16 will be out on Sunday, August 17
Every Me, Every You by Kris Black
🔗 Read on AO3 | 🔗 Read on FF.Net | 🔗 Read on Wattpad
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⚫ DRACO POV
Chapter 16 Teaser
Hermione acted as if Draco were worth choosing.
He couldn’t bear the thought of proving her wrong.
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Chapter 16 will be out on Sunday, August 17
Every Me, Every You by Kris Black
🔗 Read on AO3 | 🔗 Read on FF.Net | 🔗 Read on Wattpad
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https://archiveofourown.org/works/58636978/chapters/162283414
Chapter 16 of Bad Habits is live. Linking is still down, but I hope you all will enjoy!
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A Mutually Beneficial Arrangement - Aria_Lerendeair - Shadowhunters (TV) [Archive of Our Own]
Chapters: 16/16
Fandom: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Characters: Magnus Bane, Alec Lightwood, Maryse Lightwood, Isabelle Lightwood, Jace Wayland, Clary Fray, Lilith (Shadowhunter Chronicles), Meliorn (Shadowhunter Chronicles)
Additional Tags: Prince of Hell Magnus Bane, Wingfic, Some Nephilim have wings, Bad Parent Maryse Lightwood, Demon Deals, Alec makes a deal to save his sister, Domestic Hell AU, Domestic Boyfriends, Bodyguard Romance, Bodyguard Alec Lightwood, BAMF Magnus Bane, BAMF Alec Lightwood, This is a domestic prince of hell AU, Getting Together, Love Confessions, Immortal Husbands, BAMF Isabelle Lightwood, Alec saves the day, Asmodeus does not appear in this fic, Inexperienced Alec Lightwood, Slow Burn (kinda), Protective Alec Lightwood, Magnus is lonely, Frottage, Making Out, Biting, Marking, handjobs, Coming Out, Communication, Wing Grooming, Bonding, Happy Ending
Series: Part 7 of The Immortal Alec Method List
Summary:
When a Nephilim descends into Edom, alone, Magnus orders that the angel be brought to him. After all, the Nephilim never attacked without a plan and he had other problems to worry about it.
But when the angel informs him that he’s there to fulfill the terms of a deal, well. Magnus might just have to find a way to twist things to his advantage.
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TO BELONG, CHAPTER 16: Varykino is now UP on AO3!
A swath of sunbeams shone across the hall and Rey stepped into one feeling the glow of warmth and comfort as she took in the beauty of this place. Each column in the entrance hall had large winding vines from floor to ceiling bursting with fresh blooms of pinks, oranges, and purples. But as her breath caught in her lungs, she forced a blink and came back to herself and her purpose in this beautiful and wondrous place. She crossed the hall slowly, again allowing her feet to lead the way with the Force guiding her. She swept up a large, grand staircase, breezed through a long hallway with many doors, and came to an open door of what appeared to be a ballroom. She edged into the room and saw light streaming in from three vine-covered archways that seemed to open out onto an expansive terrace.
She crossed the room and saw him, legs crossed in a meditative pose as he hovered a few feet off the ground, his back facing her. Sun poured over his form and it broke her a little to see him so serene and at peace. She leaned against one of the archways to take him in and wished she could suspend this moment and this version of him in her mind, but she knew it couldn’t last.
“Rey?” His voice was quiet, edged with uncertainty and fear. He dropped from his meditate pose, allowing his long legs to take his weight again and he turned to face her. She was reminded again why he wore a mask for so long in the First Order. His face always betrayed him. He attempted to keep himself closed off but she saw the surprise, the fear, and the desperation behind his eyes. Stubble marred his jaw and there were darkened circles beneath his eyes.
“It was my turn to come back for you, Ben,” her voice was quiet and mortifyingly broken on his name. She took a breath in. Now was not the time to cry, she had to calm herself so they could talk. There was much to discuss.
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Link to the chapter ————> HERE!
Link to the NSFW art piece commissioned by star_stuff for chapter 16 can be found ————> HERE!
Fan art in the moodboard was from thedinkum_reylo on Instagram, and yes I used the Adam Driver Burberry image in my moodboard. Quench the thirst, baby.
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Thank You @solestage (especially Carol) for making my 1st time #SneakerShoppingOnFairfax so kewl.
Now My Daughter’s 16th Bday Wknd Got DRiP!!! I’ll be back for the 11’s and The Orange Thangs For My Wife @tankinchen SOON!
This Is #Chapter16
#iOnlyGot2PairsOfSneaksEvertYear
#MyDaughterIsTheSneakerhead
#JustWaitTilYallSee
Thanks Uncle @bighomiebiiz & Uncle @ariestaurus19 for teaching me the Wayz Of The Sole! (at Solestage)
https://www.instagram.com/p/COWhbBLLkbR/?igshid=1ky0nuw12cpx9
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DollTale Chapter 16
Page 10
COMIC: FIRST / PREVIOUS / NEXT
COMIC AND ASKS: START / PREVIOUS / NEXT
Noooooooo! You two dorks!! This is not a good idea!! DX
DollTale info | Master posts | Doll commission info (closed) | Ask away
(posted February 6th)
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DollTale Chapter 16
Page 9
COMIC: FIRST / PREVIOUS / NEXT
COMIC AND ASKS: START / PREVIOUS / NEXT
Uhhhh… maybe better you don’t? That just seems reckless and dangerous DX
DollTale info | Master posts | Doll commission info (closed) | Ask away
(posted February 3rd)
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DollTale Chapter 16
Page 8
COMIC: FIRST / PREVIOUS / NEXT
COMIC AND ASKS: START / PREVIOUS / NEXT
Ufffff… maybe it would have been better if they stayed bored >.>
DollTale info | Master posts | Doll commission info (closed) | Ask away
(posted January 30th)
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Into Duskwood: Chapter 16
If my eyes could talk they would be screaming abuse at me for staring too long at the computer screen. Somehow, I was hoping that there will be a clue hidden between the letters, but the cursor just kept blinking, like we’re waiting for each other to make the next move. Feeling defeated, I stood up from my seat, resting my stinging eyes and stretching my legs. I started walking around the room and noticed the layer of dust that covered the place. Nobody must have been here in a while. There’s nothing much except for the stack of faded newspapers and articles in the shelves beside the computer, some of it dating back at least thirty years ago. Most of the print is already unrecognizable and worn black and brown, indicating a burn on some of the pages. There’s also a stack of paper that looks like some kind of scholarly article, full of medical terms and such.
[[MORE]]I glanced at Jake while he inspects the cables and hardware of the computer set. He seemed to be lost in thought, his brows furrowed in frustration.
“This thing looks ancient.” I said, spotting the floppy disk slot on the processor and some kind of paper feeder that I don’t recognize. It doesn’t even have a computer mouse. “Who uses floppy disks nowadays? Is this still available in the market? And what’s this, a paper shredder?”
He followed my gaze to the equipment, slightly annoyed that he was disturbed. “A dot-matrix printer is the least of our problems right now.” Jake corrected. I looked back at the equipment again, mouthing dot-matrix printer so I would remember. “This thing – ” he said, mimicking what I said earlier, “is not connected to any network. I was thinking of hijacking the TCP/IP session so we can skip the password authentication, but without a network connection we don’t have an IP address, and there’s no way to access the files. A brute-force attack on the password might help, but it will take a lot of time.” He said everything so fast that the only thing I remembered was the word connection.
“English, please.” I said, confusion visibly shown on my face.
Jake looked at me and sighed, shaking his head with a smirk on his face. Seeing me confused about something trivial such as a dot-matrix printer seemed ridiculous to him. “Every computer connected to the Internet has their own IP address, like an identification tag. I was thinking of bypassing that connection to gain access to the information on this computer and skip this password prompt. The problem is this computer is not made to be connected to the Internet. This place also makes it hard to even access the nearest possible Wi-Fi. Simply put, we really need that password.”
I took my phone from my pocket and understood what he was talking about. Even the signal strength is poor in this area. Feeling stuck, I thought of the password prompt again. Of the graven sin. What sin could Alan be talking about that cannot be forgotten it was engraved? And he even expected Hannah to know about it?
“I’ve been staring at these words for too long they’re starting to double and jumble in my vision.” I said, sitting back in my chair and closing my eyes. The only thing I can remember that ties Hannah with a sin is the legend of the Man Without a Face.
Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind and it all dawned on me.
“I’ll be damned.” I thoughtlessly uttered, sitting up straight and looking at Jake with a shocked expression.
“What is it?” He asked, nervously waiting.
“Anagram. The letters are rearranged into another word that will reflect or comment on the subject which in this case is – ”, I typed hurriedly the words in the keyboard, trying to catch up to my train of thought. “ – the password.” I stopped after the last letter, my finger hanging above the enter key.
O F T H E G R A V E N S I N
S I G N O F T H E R A V E N
Jake looked at the words I typed, stunned that it fit perfectly on the spaces provided by the prompt. “That cannot be a coincidence.”
“At this point, I don’t believe in coincidences anymore. Everything seems to be connected, but it feels like we’ve barely scratched the surface.” A lot of things ran through my mind. I thought about Hannah and how she knows me. I realized that it cannot be a coincidence, too. I snapped out of my trance and focused on the task again.
“Here I go.” I sighed and pressed the key. Jake was on the edge of his seat, waiting for the computer’s response.
The lights on the screen flickered and a small window popped up. I glanced at the astonished look on Jake’s face. “It opened.”
Shaking his head from disbelief, he asked, “How did you know about that?”
“Emma and I used to make anagrams like this when we’re bored. I never thought it would be useful on a time like this.” I mused.
Jake was still staring at me with a look of admiration. “You’re amazing.”
“Stop it.” I said, a blush creeping on my face.
“You’re wonderful.”
“I said stop.”
“You’re incredible!” he blurted out as I move to cover his mouth. I can feel the tips of my ears burning from embarrassment. I’ve never been praised for knowing things like anagrams. Jake laughed as he tried to avoid my hand, holding it tightly in his.
We returned our focus on the window that opened, and I stared on the black screen. “Is this a command prompt?”
He nodded his head in agreement. “Yes, it looks like it.” He paused, looking at me inquisitively. “Don’t tell me you also know how to type in commands?”
“Well, commands are before my time so this, as they say, is your area of expertise.” I quipped, lying back on my chair to let him take over. Jake smirked and started typing effortlessly on the screen words that I cannot understand. He stopped after a while, pressing the ENTER key hard with a smug look on his face.
“Show off.” I jested. “So, what happened there?”
“I looked up the computer’s directory to see what kind of files there are. It seems that there are only text files in here, but I don’t want to look into them individually so I entered a command to have it printed.” He said, then the dot-matrix printer started to make noises, and the document started showing line by line. “This might take a lot of time.”
I stood up from my seat, walking to the door where Phil disappeared earlier. “I think I need a drink. Do you want another one also?”
He craned his neck in my direction as he looked for printing paper on one of the shelves. “Are you sure you should still be drinking?”
I scoffed at that. Does he think I can’t handle two glasses of beer? “You might not know this, but beer helps boost your memory. Studies show that at a certain amount, the bitter components in beer improves spatial memory and object recognition.” I told him and winked.
“Show off!” he yelled as the doors closed.
********
The Aurora is starting to fill up with people when I came up to Phil at the counter. He didn’t notice me immediately as there are quite a number of people trying to get their drinks. When he saw me at the crowd I lifted my fists and shook it to signify my request and he nodded in agreement. Taking an empty seat while waiting, I glanced around the bar and observed the type of people that are coming in. Most of them are young adults, those who meet their friends after a hard day’s work. There are also a number of elderly people, but not as many as the younger generation. As my eyes wandered to the door, I could’ve sworn I saw a man in a hoodie, lingering there like he’s waiting for something. The door opened and he was obscured from my view and when it closed again, he was no longer there.
“Hey Maddie, I asked you something.” Phil called to me as he handed two glasses of beer. “Any luck?”
I took one last look at the door before shifting my attention back to him, smiling. “Yes, we did. Jake’s running through the files right now.”
Shit. I just gave Jake’s name to Phil. I hope he doesn’t notice. Phil looked surprised that we were able to do it easily, but then looked convinced. Was he trying to open it before?
“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Both of you looked like you’re in a mission.” He mused. Phil looked hesitant about something and was silent for a while until he said, “Your friend, I feel like I’ve seen him before.”
I sighed in relief. Thank God he didn’t catch his name. I looked curious, asking, “Really? Maybe you know him a long time ago? He did say he was from Duskwood.”
“Nah, that can’t be. My family moved in here when I was a teenager. I’m sure I would’ve remembered him.” He said, thinking about it. “Are you sure you can trust him?”
I must admit Jake doesn’t look like the most trustworthy person with the way he talks and carries himself, but I’ve learned not to judge people by the way they look. At the moment, I need to get out of this conversation before he becomes more interested. I stood up from my seat and took the beer glasses from the counter. “Yes, of course. He’s been a great help to me. Anyway, I’ll let you know if we find something significant.”
“Be careful, Maddie. The sharpest knives cut the deepest.” He warned. I can see that him and Jake have that in common, too – talking in codes and metaphors.
I stared at him for a while, trying to understand the meaning of his words. While I understand his concern, I know I will not be fooled by Jake. And if he ever does – well, I haven’t thought about that yet. But if that day comes, I know I can make the right decision.
Smiling back at Phil, I replied, “Then I guess I better grip the handle tight and focus on the task.” He smiled back at me as I walk back into the basement, making sure that no one is following or looking at me.
********
I admit I can’t get what Phil said out of my head. I know Jake and I have already talked about trusting each other, and whenever I think about it I realize that I really have no choice. I must trust Jake if I want to find Hannah. I shake the thought out of my head and looked determined. There’s no time to dwell on doubts right now.
“How’s it going – ” I stopped as I enter the secret room of the basement.
Jake wasn’t anywhere to be found.
The printer laid idle, the printed pages scattered on the table. I put down the glasses of beer I was holding, taking a look around. The back door was also left opened, and I hurriedly walk to it and see if Jake’s there, but he isn’t. I closed the door immediately and locked it.
I breathed heavily as I look around the room, a bit frantic. Taking my phone out of my pocket, I started calling Jake, but the signal in the basement is so poor it couldn’t get through.
“Stay calm.” I said to myself as I try to even out my breathing and clear my head. I walked back to the table and looked at the documents. I must admit I wasn’t prepared for what I saw.
Project RAVEN.
The hair on my arms stood up as I read the document, my stomach tangling into knots. I know these names. Hannah’s doctor. Hannah’s father. Richy’s father.
But what shocked me the most was the name of the project’s head.
DR. JULIA HAWKINS.
J.H.
Jessy’s mother?
My hands trembled as I put down the project brief. It was all detailed in there. An experiment on emerald eyed persons that was geared to changing painful memories caused by PTSD.
As I scan through the other pages, I noticed an old brown sheet of paper that fell through the pile.
It must have been left in the box where the printer papers are placed, and Jake noticed it when he was looking for blank papers earlier. I took it and slowly opened the fragile creases.
It was a letter written by Anna Schmidt, the behavioral analyst of the group.
She mentioned about the study not doing well, and making the patients worse than they initially were. But what’s more disturbing is that there was a plan to expand the study area and let the Duskwood residents be unknowing participants. They were planning on releasing the drug in the air.
As I read the closing of the letter, I realized why Jake must’ve left in a hurry.
Anna Schmidt was her mother.
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Grogu!!! 💫💫
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#mandomonday #starwars #themandalorian #chapter16 #grogu #thechild #babyyoda #disneyplus (at Toys"R"Us Canada)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CJFZS9uB1Iy/?igshid=1ikq7oquay2c0
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#themandalorian #season2 #chapter16 #lukeskywalker vs #darktroopers
https://www.instagram.com/p/CJEbBEZgRNQvIM_kXTAzSl4iAZrYK-ipKjF4bs0/?igshid=yy291r1ykik3
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#themandalorian #season2 #chapter16 #lukeskywalker vs #darktroopers
https://www.instagram.com/p/CJEZ9frg4nGE7QhJsMPcWznVEG6X6Ha8yJLsAY0/?igshid=1jtu30w5vo30y
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Not Goodbye - Calico (Calico321) - The Mandalorian (TV) [Archive of Our Own]
Ok, I just had to expand on the ending. #sorry not sorry
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Was it worth it to get up at 4am to watch #seasonfinale of @themandalorian ? Hell yeah !!!! 💯🥺
(Swipe for teaser )
#Chapter16 #seasonfinale #mandalorian #mandowatch #therescue #babyyoda #darktroopers #mandalorianseason2 #mandalorianseason3
https://www.instagram.com/p/CI7_NexLQgX/?igshid=1woaslfj42t8o
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Süßmission - AceOnIce - The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare [Archive of Our Own]
Chapters: 16/18
Fandom: The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, Shadowhunters (TV)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Additional Tags: BDSM, Dom Magnus Bane, Sub Alec Lightwood, Alternate Universe - Human, Writer Alec Lightwood, Club Owner Magnus Bane, Gentle Dom Magnus Bane, Non-Sexual Bondage, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Strangers to Lovers, Friends With Benefits, Kinda, Pining, but like lowkey, Slow Burn, but not really because the author can’t write slow burn, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Aftercare, Spanking, Light Bondage, Rope Bondage, Panties, Blow Jobs, Sexting, Phone Sex, Bratting, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Orgasm Control, Vibrators, Flogging, Painplay, Safeword Use, Praise Kink
Summary:
When Alec visits a BDSM club to do some research for a book he’s writing, he doesn’t expect to find an attractive and kind Dom in the club’s owner. As Magnus teaches Alec the ropes, literally, Alec finds himself falling hard, wondering if Magnus could see him as more than a client. As their relationship progresses, Alec learns Magnus bares scars, physical and mental, from his past that make it difficult for him to be vulnerable. But Alec is nothing if not dedicated and he intends to prove just how much Magnus deserves to be treated well, inside and outside of their scenes.
*Finished and updated Fridays and Mondays!*
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New Sneak Peek: Open Arms, Chapter 16!
Here it is! The beginning of the next chapter of Open Arms! I know it’s been forever since I last updated. Life and writer’s blocks get in the way more often than I would like. Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 16: Tension
The sounds of dinner—the clinking of utensils on plates and ice cubes rattling in drinking glasses—gave way to an increase in chatter and laughter from three of the four occupants sitting around the table. The fourth picked at her food, having barely eaten any of it (claiming the lasagna was too messy and salad too difficult to maneuver a fork with her left hand), and refused to contribute anything to the conversation. Shelby sighed and pushed her plate away so she could prop her elbows on the table and rest her chin on her clasped hands. She regarded her daughter, the thick layer of sullenness hanging about the girl, and wished she knew why it was there in the first place. The two young women sitting across the table from them were both wonderful, thoughtful people. Shelby had taken a liking to them instantly, and the feeling seemed to be mutual—all except for Rachel. Not that Frannie and Quinn hadn’t tried with Rachel, the girl simply didn’t want to be bothered. And that bothered Shelby.
Rachel wasn’t being overtly rude, but she wasn’t altogether polite either. She was walking a thin line and Shelby was on the fence about whether she should call her out on it or not. It didn’t help that something felt distinctly off about the entire situation, but she couldn’t put her finger on exactly what. She needed more information or something to go on and it just wasn’t there. And without that, she had no hope of identifying the problem, let alone solving it.
Perhaps it was a touch of jealousy on Rachel’s part. They had had their fair share of that crop up recently regarding family, and maybe that had something to do with tonight. After all, mother and daughter were still getting to know one another and Shelby knew Rachel wanted alone time with her mother. The girl was struggling for it at the moment, and Shelby was still learning to find a balance. Still, they had had plenty of alone-time togetherness over the last couple of days. Rachel also needed to learn how to share Shelby’s attentions.
Or maybe it wasn’t jealousy at all, and Rachel was feeling uneasy around new people. Thinking back, Rachel had been unsure of herself around their family at first, worried over whether they would like her or not. She had warmed up to them quickly after the initial meeting, but Frannie and Quinn were different. They truly were unknown—to both Rachel and Shelby.
Yes, that seemed to be the more reasonable answer for Rachel’s aloofness. Shelby decided she needed to have a quick word with her daughter to settle her fears when Rachel made it clear she needed a word for a completely different reason. Shelby watched in abject horror as Rachel very deliberately snubbed another attempt at conversation from Quinn. She went so far as to look directly into Quinn’s eyes, reach into her lap and produce her phone, and then made a big production of focusing on the device. The girl couldn’t dress, bathe, or feed herself, but had no problem navigating her phone with her non-dominant hand.
Narrowing her eyes, Shelby shook off her astonishment and got to her feet. She began to gather the dinner plates, then added to her daughter, “Rachel, help me clear the table, please.”
“Mmmm, that sounds like a bad idea that won’t end well,” Rachel said, her eyes never leaving her screen.
“Rachel,” Shelby hissed. She was honestly shocked at her child’s gall.
Rachel looked up at the tone and gave her mom a bewildered look—Shelby looked pissed. “I-It’s not like I’ll be much help…with only one arm?” She gestured to her cast for good measure; the angry glower on her mother’s face lessened, but didn’t go away fully. Jeez, Rachel thought, It was a joke!
“I don’t mind helping, Shelby,” Quinn offered, rising from her chair.
Frannie quickly pulled Quinn back down, shaking her head ever so slightly at her sister’s confused frown. She, unlike the two teens in the room, understood what Shelby was trying to do. It wasn’t about needing help clearing the dishes but rather wanting a private word between mother and daughter. Shelby met her eye and gave her a grateful smile, which Frannie returned.
“I appreciate that, honey, but we’ve got it,” Shelby declined Quinn, noting her daughter’s divisive scoff in response. She took a steadying breath, then said, “Grab your plate and follow me, Rachel.”
Rachel sighed—she didn’t understand why she had to carry her own plate when it would’ve been easier to just add it to the other three—but moved to do as she was told anyway. Besides, the alternative meant she would have been left alone with the Fabray sisters and that wasn’t something she wanted to do, even for a few minutes.
As mother and daughter reached the island counter, Shelby turned to take Rachel’s plate and set it, along with the stack she had, down on the granite surface before staring her child down, hands on hips. “You were extremely rude just now, young lady.”
“Wha—Mom, it was a joke!” Rachel defended. “I didn’t know you only wanted me to carry my plate—kinda silly anyway, but—”
“This isn’t about plates, Rachel! I’m talking about how you’ve been treating our guests!” Shelby exclaimed.
“What?! I haven’t said anything to them! How can I be rude if I haven’t—”
“That’s the point,” Shelby said. “You’ve refused to join in the conversation all evening, regardless of how many times we have all tried. And I watched just now as you deliberately ignored Quinn to play on your phone. It’s rude, Rachel. We’ve talked about this. And I told you to behave yourself tonight, didn’t I?”
“Mom—”
Shelby sighed and held up a hand. She didn’t want an argument, only to correct the poor behavior before it could escalate. And there was still the matter of why Rachel was so reticent in the first place. The mother still suspected her child was nervous and the less-than-polite attitude was simply a symptom of that. Even so, she would not let the girl be rude, no matter the reason.
“Alright, Rach, let’s both calm down,” she began. “I’m upset about how you just treated Quinn and I do not want to see that sort of behavior again, not to Quinn or anyone else—” She held up her hand again as Rachel opened her mouth to argue. “—but more than that, I wanted to check in and see how you’re feeling, what you’re thinking.”
Rachel frowned and looked away. What was she thinking? She was thinking that her arch-enemy was in her home, having dinner at her table, joking and laughing with her mother, and all signs pointed to this becoming a thing. Rachel wasn’t dumb, she saw how Quinn was ingratiating herself with Shelby, and her mother was eating it up! She knew she was done for when Quinn and Frannie revealed their sob story about their parents being killed in a car accident two years ago and how Frannie stepped up to care for Quinn so that Quinn wouldn’t have to go into foster care. And okay, it was actually horrific and Rachel was truly saddened to hear about Mr. and Mrs. Fabray’s deaths—it certainly made her think about Quinn in a different light (at least for a moment), until she remembered how awful Quinn usually was to her. The worst thing was that she felt bad for Quinn, had sympathy for her, and for the first time ever, saw her not as some heartless bitch who tortured her for the fun of it, but as a broken kid who was hurting. Maybe they even had something in common—Rachel had her fair share of broken and hurting—but Rachel couldn’t believe it possible of herself to hurt someone the way Quinn had her, no matter the circumstances.
“I…I don’t—” Rachel sighed. “I’m ready for them to leave,” she answered truthfully. She was ready for them to leave and have her mother to herself again.
Shelby nodded in understanding. So it seemed both of her suspicions were right. Rachel was feeling jealous and unsure. “I hear you, honey, and they won’t be here the whole evening—I promise you and me will have our time tonight,” Shelby said, reaching out to rub Rachel’s good arm soothingly. “But I’m really enjoying myself and enjoying getting to know Frannie and Quinn. I know it can be scary meeting new people and knowing what to say, but they seem like very sweet girls—young ladies. I think if you give them a chance—especially Quinn—you will find a friend.”
Rachel groaned and rolled her eyes. Her mother had no idea—and it wasn’t like Rachel could clue her in! “What if I don’t want to be her friend?” she all but whined.
“Rachel!” Shelby half laughed, half scolded. “You can’t know that until you try. I want you to try, honey. Just talk to her, get to know her a bit before you make a decision.”
“Mom—”
“Try, Rachel. She’s been nothing but kind to you all evening and you’re snubbing all of her efforts. Remember what I told you last week—you can’t close yourself off to everyone. I understand last time she was over, Lexi was too and they already share a history together. I get that that can be intimidating, but you’re on equal footing with her tonight. I want you to stop ignoring her and put some effort in, alright?”
“I’m not ignoring her,” Rachel whined, but wisely chose not to continue at the look she was receiving.
“You absolutely ignored her not five minutes ago, on purpose. And before that, you were this close—” Shelby held her thumb and index finger a hair apart, “—to being rude in my book. And you know what will happen if you are rude, don’t you?”
Rachel’s face grew hot and she took an involuntary step backwards. She knew exactly what would happen—her mother’s warning from the weekend echoed in her head. She had no desire to be a part of any conversation that would include talking points over a maternal lap, thank you very much!
“Rachel,” Shelby prompted, raising her eyebrow for added effect, “Do I need to remind you what will happen?”
“Wha—? Yes, I—I mean no! No, Mo—uh—ma’am. No, ma’am. You don’t,” Rachel stumbled over her words. Her face was burning at this point and no doubt bright red, and she shifted her feet uneasily, purposefully avoiding catching her mother’s eye.
Shelby took pity on her girl and her stance softened. “I love you, Rachel,” she affirmed, her tone gentle. “You need to learn how to conduct yourself around others, especially when things aren’t going your way. I’m here to help you with that and steer you in the right direction, but I won’t let you get away with deliberate wrong-doing; there will always be consequences. Do you understand?”
Rachel sighed and nodded. “Yes, ma’am…I understand.”
Shelby stepped forward, reaching a hand out to lift her daughter’s chin. Meeting sad eyes, she gave the girl a warm smile. “You are a good girl, Rachel Barbra Corcoran. You’ve got a big heart and so much love to give. I need you to let your guard down just a bit and let others see how amazing you are.”