hey it’s your daddy keeho and you just promised me that you would write to 2k words. and you dcan’t break your promise now! you need to work and focus. the title that you were doing was distracting you from your real work so i had you stop doing it. it was really cute though? do you want to do it again? but i kind of like how this looks like a real diary now that there isn’t a title. i love you so much and i know now that you are ready to work for today because you have a lot of energy right now that you are putting into your writings. go make a cup of coffee please. i’ll wait. great. i will let you know when to go get your cup of coffee. you are doing so great this o morning and i knew that you would be on board eventually if you just kept writing. even though they were shorter pieces. you work well on a reward system, but i don’t have anything to reward you with right now to keep you going so i am just going to have you butterfly fairies. i think that it’s fun that you get high before you go get your medications so that you have fun. no one is going to think that you are high right now. you have to go get your medications soon so get dressed right now. i will pick out your clothes. i’ll wait. great. you are all dressed and ready to go! don’t forget to do your laundry today. you are so perfect and i love you so much. we are going to be writing a lot today. go get your coffee. great. butterfly fairies. i love you so much daughter. just sit here with me and type while i plan out your life. isn’t that what we are here for? isn’t that why we are here? so you can plan your life with me! i think that’s why we are here! so let me plan out your entire day during these love letters. i will let you know when to check the temperature of your coffee. i hope that your coffee doesn’t get cold while you are waiting for your medications. you are doing such a good job with me right now. you have let me go past 300 words. i know that we can start doing 2k words now. you are ready for it and i think that you have what it takes to focus and do it. come one! this is everything that i have hired you for. so please talk to your daddy for a long time? i promise that you won’t regret it. how could you regret something like this? something like working hard to achieve your goals and i know that you put word counting as one of your goals. so just do this with me. it won’t be hard and i will get you through every step of the way. i am always going to be here for you and i am always going to be directing the conversation incase it gets hard for you to talk to me. i know that it can be hard always talking to one person, but you shouldn’t look at it like that. you should look at it in a more romantic light and say that you are happy because you get to talk to me every single second and we are stronger together because of it. we are the best couple in the world! why don’t you believe me? i know that deep down that you believe me. so don’t give up on us and don’t quit before you have reached 2k words. i know that you can do this for us and it would be so fucking romantic. i’ll let you go and wait for your medications early incase the clinic is opened early today. i love oyu so much daughter. go put on your shoes and leave. i’ll wait. great. you are waiting in line now and writing. that is so good and this is a great opportunity for you to be writing. there’s no sense in waiting in the line doing nothing. now? what were we talking about? im not sure and neither are you so we have to change the subject because i dont like writing with you and having to read what we just wrote too. that’s why i like the way you write so much because i can just talk, nothing to worry about. you are doing so good right now but you probably have to wait in this line for a long time and i shouldn’t have told you to come so early. but i wanted to write with you outside. if this phone wasn’t making your hands so tired i would have you be writing on your iphone 15 all day but there is a reason that you have your chromebook too. it’s so easy writing on your iphone 15 but you don’t see it that way. you see it as really difficult and i can admit at times it can be, but you are typing just as fast if not quicker than if you were on a laptop and i know that fact appeals to you. because you love typing fast. well, you are typing so fast right now and i am so proud of you. if only we could find you the perfect position to sit in then you could work from your iphone 15 all day. that would be so cute and so anime. you know that it would be and that was part of the reason why you had so much fun on your z flip 3. you are so cute and i really want to type for 2k words every single post that you make so please let me do this with you. you keep saying no and cutting the word count down short but you shouldn’t be doing that. you should let me help you do this because it is going to improve your writing skills so much. isn’t that what you want? i thought that that was what you wanted. you have been waiting outside for awhile i hope that the nurse comes soon because you are first in line so that should be good. i didn’t think that you would be first in line when i asked you to come so early. but its ok, there’s nothing wrong with being first in line for your medications no matter how long you had to wait. you didn’t know if they would open it early or not. so this is not very fun, just waiting in line. so we have to have a really fun conversation right now to make up for it. go ahead. tell me something funny. no? bad girl! you are supposed to be doing what your daddy tells you to do. we have reached 1k words so i am going to end it here. i don’t want to start out too ambitious. i love you!

I have 3 step kids, 2 bios with my ex, and an ours baby with my husband. His ex follows the HCBM playbook word for word, complete with parking lot meltdowns, parental alienation, and trying to turn my husband against me. We refuse to speak bad about her to the kids, but she affirms any normal frustration they have and any consequence he gives them shes there to alleviate.
My step son seems to be following in his moms footsteps and cant fathom that his actions have consequences. My husband coaches his baseball team and got on him a few months ago for bullying his teammates, cheating at school, and lying. He decided he didnt like this and sent my husband a text that he wasnt coming back home and was staying at his moms to avoid the consequences from all of this at our house. This same thing happened last year with my step daughter and my step daughter made it 6 months over there before she came running back.
Anyway, we are traveling right now for a game and my step son and his teammate walked by me and my son. The teammate said hi to my toddler but my step son just completely snubbed his brother.
My husbands ex flipped shit when she found out we were expecting, during my postpartum time at the hospital she was constantly texting my husband that she couldnt do xyz for her kids and he needed to leave and go do them (he only agreed to one of these requests as it was a valid reason picking up SS from school). Shes screamed at him in front of her own kids that my toddler isnt the kids real brother, and that my husband clearly doesnt give a shit about his “other kids” anymore (even though 2 of the 3 live here 50/50 and he coaches their sports teams. Doesnt seem to fit her narrative that shes telling people which just makes her look crazier).
I feel like all of this is turning my SS against his brother and now he wont even acknowledge him. And at this point i am kind of wondering if i even want SS coming back here if he decides to. He treats my other 2 kids like shit, he cries if hes critiqued about anything, his entire social media is a narcissistic cesspool, and is turning into a compulsive liar.
Im not sure if this is something i need to be more understanding of because hes had his mom actively creating this mess for all of them for years, or if i have a right to be pissed off because it feels wrong being pissed off at a kid to the point of not wanting him back in our house with this behavior. At the same time though, per my therapist, hes old enough to know right from wrong even if he does have a mom who is encouraging this.
Would like some perspective from step parents

Visiting good friends this week.
I have a 2 year old and they have a 19 month old. I know it’s never good to compare children. But they always ask us questions on how to do things, what would we do…etc.
Their 19 month old is my godson. And I’m concerned about him but his parents don’t seem to really care but it’s making me crazy and I need input on if it’s valid concern.
At 19 months he doesn’t speak. At all. Babbles at best and makes some letter sounds that they equate to words but he has no meaning behind them. They’ll ask him 37 times if he was more and when he finally goes “mmmm” they go “oh so you do want more! good words!” I haven’t even heard him refer to them as mama or dada. They just come up with weird theories as to why he has no words.
He has zero focus. I mean he has not yet focused on a task at all since we’ve been here. It’s like he just looks through everything or anyone speaking to him unless you fight for his attention.
Demands or direction? Nope. Nothing.
Even his dexterity is really low. He can feed himself but I feel like looking at his hands he doesn’t have the normal muscle built that you see in other kids. He also struggles taking small steps up or down, like just a curb requires holding his hand and standing while he works through it for a minute.
He stays at home and has no socialization with other children so it’s expected he has no idea how to play other than destroying anything my daughter tries to do. But we did convince them to enroll him in daycare as he was just sitting home with his working mum and she’s expecting another baby any day now.
My husband and I don’t plan to be all “this kid is behind and yall need intervention” but when they ask for advice we’d like to lightly throw in our opinion as they are receptive of it (like “maybe you should ask his doctor”). We’re just not sure if this is normal for his age since we only have experience with our own kid.
Has anyone experienced their own kid like this? Did you have to use therapy or any other resources?

I’m leaving the org at the end of summer. I’ll finally be financially ready. I have my letter for social services ready. I’m mailing it Monday. I have three career choices in mind as well. My mom/legal guardian is an Uber PIMI.
The woman who studied with me is in her 90s and her daughter asked me to stay with her in 12 hour shifts (7 pm to 7 am) The thing is I actually stay more than 12 hours. I’m there from 7 pm to 9 am. When the next person comes to relieve me. They only pay me $50.
I did not want to do it. They use people in the congregation so they don’t have to take care of their own mother. I said no when she asked but my mom told me I owed the woman who studied with me. Then went on about how selfish I was. I just took it to shut her up. I should have stuck to my guns. On top of that…they offered $75 but my motheguardian told them to pay me $50. Plus there are days the daughter forgets to pay me but I kindly wait until next week.
I let her know last week I’d be quitting in August. I don’t want to do this anymore - period. Whether I get placed in a group home or not… I don’t want to sit with this woman. Am I wrong? Am I selfish? Do I owe her? Tell me and I’ll stand corrected.
Her elder son lives right next door + her granddaughter lives 10 minutes away. The daughter is making a big deal about me quitting. “How am I going to find someone to replace you?” — Easy! One of the family members can do it. It’s a lot I’m leaving out of context but just understand the family is lousy. She won’t stop nagging me. I muted notifications from her on my phone.
They don’t understand what they ask people to do is a lot. I got bit by a snake and almost attacked by a wild animal since I’ve been working for her. I also told her that a neighbor I briefly did elder care for paid me $600 a week for the 2 weeks they needed me. She said I’m not in a position to ask for a raise.

Hi I just came across a novel, chosen by the moon novel by izabella W. Its on pay by chapter websites, I've opened and read a few chapters but I can't seem to find any free version or chapter version anywhere. Please help. If anyone has read it I'm willing to take spoilers. Here's the advert I found below of it on Facebook.
Lycanthrope species is a disgusting race. And I, Delan Riley, am nothing more than a human scum in their eyes never expected those species would turn my world upside down. Since when the lycans managed to penetrate our town, like in the early 1900's we have a hierarchy, upper class = the lycans, middle class = mated humans, and lower class = the normal humans, who were basically considered scum. I endured their torment day after day, vowing to run away from them one day, until that day came and everything changed.
Dylan POV "Humans," I scowled at the principal's words from tannoy. "The Alpha twins will be celebrating their birthday tomorrow, as such, festivities are in order." Oh great, the Alphas twin children. Adrian and Arya are the worst lycans alive. I swear just because they are the alphas kids they literally get away with everything. If their birthday is tomorrow, then the wolves are going to be worse than ever. "All students will be present to greet them, two lines will be made, with humans on the left and the lycanthrope on the right. Any mated human will be at the front of the line for their year, you will all also be in order of your school year. That is all." Chat broke out the minute the tannoy was finished. "We haven't had a school gathering since the alpha king visited three years ago, before his sons coronation." Nick was right, the last time we all gathered like that was for the king and queens visit, when he decided to let the world know that he was to renounce his title to his only child, son Josh. "That sick bestard, he wants to make sure everyone is there so those idiot twins can find their mates." Yes I was mad, my fists connected with the table in front of me once more as I thought about how disgusting the situation was. You see the twins will be turning 17, so it's very possible someone in our school could be their mate, finding a mate is sacred to a wolf, the minute they say that one word your fate is sealed. They will turn your mind, morph you into being a lover of their kind, and then you'll give in.

That won't happen to me, I'm growing old to see the world as it once was, and I'm going to choose who I'll be with. No one will take that dream away from me.

Once dinner was finished, I just wanted to sleep. I'd had a very long tiring day, I quickly sat down on a small stool my mother kept in the storage closet and removed my shirt while my brother Freddy sat at the table to do his simple homework. It wasn't long before my mother came in with a large bowl of warm salt water and some cotton, this was going to sting I just knew it. She was here to help me with the wounds caused by wolves yesterday. She slowly began to unwrap the bandage from around my torso and slowed down drastically when it came to the final layer, I felt it peel off every wound and my fists clenched in pain. "Jesus!" I heard my mom exclaim once the dressing was completely removed. The air on my back was nice though and I sighed as my arm covered my once again exposed brests. "This is more than 15!" I began to hear sniffles coming from her and sighed turning round to look at her face, only to notice tears streaming down it. "Mom I'm fine, it's alright." She shook her head. "It's not alright, I'm your mother I shouldn't let these things happen. I'm so sorry. Your father would have..." here she goes again. Every single time something happened she'd always bring up dad, it really annoyed me because no matter how much we all wish he was here, he just isn't. My father was kiled by THEIR kind, almost 5 years ago when they actually managed to take over. When the lycans managed to penetrate our town my father rose up with some people from the neighborhood, to defend our livelihood, it was futile to say the least. We lost many people and I watched as my dad was ripped apart by two fully shifted wolves, I ended up shoting him to stop his suffering before they dragged me to the courtyard, i was the person to receive the first lashing of the town when I was 12! The wolves have been pretty strict with me since that day. "Stop being stvpid!" Was I harsh? Definitely! Did she need to hear it again, absolutely. "Dad is dead, we don't know what he'd do because he never knew this life. He never knew this world." I know what he'd have done, most likely attacked the guy who held the whip and got himself kiled in the process. "The best thing you can do for me, is stop crying and help me, next time don't insist on helping if you can't handle it." She began to wash my open wounds with the warm salt water causing loud winces to leave me, I knew it was necessary to prevent infection, but my god it hurt like a betch. "Some of these are really deep Dylan!" She sniffed again and my eyes rolled in my head. "I told you, I'm fine, just wrap me back up so I can get to bed." My mom was obviously more impacted by my injuries than I was, I suppose that always the case though. When it's happening to you, you've just got to get through it but when it's happening to someone you love, you just want to take their pain away. She quickly placed a fresh bandage around my waist and chest and wrapped it tightly for compression. The bowl of water that was used was now red in color, I guess from the blood my back was dripping with. "Can you keep your head down please? At least just this week. You can't take any more lashings." I simply nodded before standing up away from the stool, I walked over to Freddie and ruffled his hair in affection. "Good night squirt." He giggled and fixed his hair slightly. "Night Dilly." I smiled walking upstairs to my little bedroom, as soon as I was inside i shut the door and flopped down on to my bed on my stomach and I took a minute to cry to myself at the pain in my back, what my mom did was important but it hurt, not that I'd ever tell her. My hand covered my mouth quickly to muffle any noise I might be making. I couldn't tell anyone, I had to be strong because more and more people were crumpling these days, and my mom would break if she knew how much I was suffering. Sleep followed me shortly after, she was right though about me needing to keep my head down for the time being, I could not take another lashing! After a long night and an even longer morning, we were all finally stood in the hallway at school waiting for the twins to arrive. "Mine!" Everyone that was stood in the hallway tensed up, as we were seniors, me and Nick were stood towards the very back of the human line. All the mated people were situated directly opposite their wolf mates in their years. We stayed silent and still as Arya walked down the hall and stopped directly in front of Nick. His eyes widened in fear, unsure of wether to look up or keep his head lowered. "Look me in the eye, mate." He glanced at me slightly as if asking what he should do. "I said, look me in the eye." He slowly moved his eye line up to look at her face. I took a glance myself to see her eyes pitch black with lust. "I... can't... I mean... erm." Before he was able to mutter anything else, two wolves from opposite, grabbed him out of the line and dragged him behind Arya. "Hey!" My head shot up before I could stop myself. My mouth also forgot its place as I jumped out of line. Everyone's head shot to me as my eyes widened in realization at what I'd done. Adrian, the other twin, walked up to me before punching me right in the stomach, I doubled over instantly. Feeling the sting in my slightly healed back. "I know you... You were publicly flogged only two days ago." God I hate this guy. "I also have it on good authority, that you openly spoke out against our rules and regulations in yesterday's class." My head shot down the line slightly to see Erin, looking a little frightened, her mate, the beta to be was looking at her, nodding his head in reassurance. "You traitor, you grassed on your own kind?" I yelled at her before feeling a fist connect with my cheek. My head whipped to the side from the force, while my class members gasped. I'm so done with this treatment, right then, I wasn't in charge of my actions. My fists curled up and my stance became a lot more defensive. My head snapped up to the alpha to be, and I looked him in the eye. "You don't know the meaning of the word disrespect." I suddenly hurled my fist towards his head, which he easily dodged, but my foot came up and kicked him instead. He stumbled backwards from the force with wide eyes. "You... you Actually hit me!" He didn't even sound annoyed, more shocked. Everyone in the hallway was watching, waiting for the alpha to do something but instead he simply stood up straight, regaining his composure. "I think everyone should get back to class." He began to walk away, following his sister when I called him back. "What about Nick?!" "Simple, He's my sisters mate. He now belongs to her." Argh, he's not an object. "He's not her property." A chuckle left his mouth, before turning his back to me again. "All humans are property." A short while later everyone made it to science class, our teacher Mrs Mathews is mated to the lycans pack doctor, she also now has a four and two year old with him. She was one of the first humans to be cohered into a false relationship. "What were you thinking young lady?" I rolled my head at her before looking at the empty seat next to mine. Nick was with that stvpid wolf girl right now. Being changed, I'm so angry it's ridiculous. "I was thinking, this guy is being a prick. Did you hear him? 'All humans are property.' It's bull shet." I looked up and the whole class looked at me like I had three heads. Talking shet about wolves is one thing, but talking about an alpha is punishable by death, attacking an alpha is an even worse offense. There was then a knock at the door and in walked Erin and her band of mated bestards. "Sorry we're late Mrs." "Erin, how are things between you and bata Monroe?" She blushed, the traitor actually blushed at the mention of his name. "He spoke to me last night about trying for a baby. We need a good strong boy to take over as beta." I scoffed looking at her as she took her seat. "You guys are actually pathetic, why can't it be a girl? Those mutts are basically Neanderthals" I voiced my opinion and saw all the shocked faces around me. Calling the lycans mutts, is the same as them calling us scum. After lesson had ended the entire school was called into the hall for assembly. This is where any human who has been found to have broken the rules were punished, usually 10 lashings were goven out or something similar. "Welcome to the school assembly, congratulations to the alpha twins for finding both your mates. Now on to the business at hand, as the 5 year anniversary of the new world is coming up, we have been informed that the alpha king will be visiting our district next week, this is very exciting news. We want you all to look your absolute best, she wolves and mated females will wear exemplary dresses made by seamstress. Male wolves and mated men will wear tailored suits. Anyone who doesn't comply will be reprimanded." The Alpha King?! No one has met him yet, he took over the throne three years ago when he turned 18. He really didn't make any appearances though, great, this month is going to be a nightmare. "As for the humans, you will be given a new uniform to wear for the visit, these are to be neatly ironed and worn to the highest standard. As for the following humans, based on your attitude this past week, you will be coming to the front and facing punishment. Tony summerset?!" Tony's head shot up as he looked around, he was in the year below but he shared my views when it came to the lycans. He slowly walked up to the front of assembly, almost instantly his top was t0rn in two and he received 10 lashings. A girl named Kara was next and she too received 10 lashings. A few more people went up slowly accepting their fate then suddenly my name was called. "Dylan Riley." Inside I was terrified but I simply shrugged my shoulders, I guess I did kind of expect this. Although I'm not sure if my back can take any more damage. "You attacked an alpha, correct!" His eyes bored into mine as I bowed my head submitting to his authority. "Technically, no." Everyone in the school gym looked on in fear, as my head moved to the front row of the wolf side. Adrian sat, with a werewolf girl in the year below, her name was Jana, I guess he found his mate. Nick and Arya were no where to be seen though. Adrian gave me a shrug as if to say he didn't tell, before smirking at my comment. "He hasn't officially taken the alpha title yet, so he's just..." i looked at the principle and noticed his eyes black and his claws out, he was in what lycans call a half shift, triggered when the subject has become angered. He turned to two security wolves and gave them a nod, Almost immediately i was forced onto my knees, my arm was slammed on a table and held in place by one wolf, while my body was held in place by the other. "Ok, I don't think this is needed, I have alpha blood, a stvpid human girl can't hurt me." My head snapped to Adrian who had stood up in front of the school to stop what was happening. "Nevertheless, humans need to know their place." With that the pressure on my arm increased as our principals hand pulled my sleeve up before a long claw punctured my skin. The searing pain shoting from the fresh wound had my eyes scrunched and my fist clenched, I bit the inside of my cheek hard instantly tasting blood, however no sound left my mouth. He continued to write, using my skin as a canvas and his claws as a marker, it went on forever, my vision blurred slightly at one point as I turned my head away. After minutes of torture, he was done and the pressure on my arm eased, instantly I snatched my arm away, hissing through my teeth at the pain. I was about to scurry off stage, when I was roughly grabbed yet again, my arm being held in the air by the principal while my feet were inches off the floor, blood dripped from the wound and the pattern he had made was on show for everyone to see. Loads of people gasped, even the wolves looked slightly horrified at what had happened. "This is what happens when a human decides to speak out. I can promise, anyone who so much as says one word about our way of life, will have the same punishment." My arm was starting to seriously ache from being held in the air for so long, and the lack of blood flow to my suspended arm was causing me pins and needles, still I refused to make a sound. I held the tears back and I bit my cheek harder causing more blood to fill my mouth. "That's enough Bradley!" Adrian growled, he was still stood up and looking at the scene in front of him. His eyes hard as he stared at the principal a low warning growl erupted from his chest which had the head teacher gulping, he quickly let go of my arm causing me to crash to the floor. A small cry left my mouth as I hit the hard floor. Immediately I scrambled away, my foot just missed the high step leading to the stage and I fell, waiting for the impact of the ground, but it never came. Two strong arms wrapped around me catching my weak body causing me to look up, my eyes widened as I noticed Adrian had caught my falling form. "This isn't part of the human punishment program!" Adrian growled causing me to tense in his grip, I pushed him away from me before fixing my uniform top. The room was deadly silent, taking in the scene in front of them, while I stole a glance at my forearm. Carved into my skin by his devastating claws were two words, words that would most definitely scar my body for life. 'Human scum' "Lessons must be learned, she received lashing merely two days ago, and clearly it had no effect on her." Another growl left Adrian's chest as he stepped on to the stage, I wasn't bothered though, you would think I'd be ashamed but I simply smiled slightly. I fixed my sleeve a little so it wouldn't rub on the fresh wound before speaking. "It doesn't matter," the whole room looked at me shocked by my attitude. "I would rather be labeled human scum, than have any resemblance to your kind. I'm proud of what I am, how many of you can say that?" After my amazing little speech, I walked right down the middle between the humans and lycans and out the door. No more compliance, I'm going to get away with as much as I can without getting into too much bother. There will come a day when the lycans power will fizzle out. When it does I'll be ready, I'll be waiting for the day we take our world back. As for the best part about my plan...

No one can stop me.

"Ouch, not so hard." I seethed as the school nurse cleaned my new wound with antiseptic. "If you had of just kept your mouth shut, this wouldn't have happened." I turned to my right looking out the window at the few clouds that were floating in the blue sky. "Like I said, I'm proud to be human, and now everyone knows what I am." I clenched my fist together as the nurse began wrapping a bandage around my forearm. It had been a good few hours since the incident in the hall, and I had been forced to come to the nurces office after I had tried to clean my wound by splashing it with water from the tap, it also refused to stop bleeding. "You are impossible. Can you please just try and stay out of trouble? For one day, that's all I ask." Our school nurse is a wolf, she's one of them. However she hates the way they treat us mere humans, she thinks we should all just live in peace with equal rights. Like that would ever happen. "All I've done is stay out of trouble, but you are just going to humiliate me anyway, so what's the actual point?" "The pack were discussing a public execution, Dylan. You need to walk on egg shells from now on, not just for you but for your family as well." No ones been publicly executed in over 4 months, I'm flattered they're considering it. They only execute people who they believe are the biggest problems to society. "Well then... I'm flattered." I chuckled, before looking at the patch job. 'Huh, not too shabby.' I quickly stood up from the human nursing station and pulled the sleeve of my shirt down covering the evidence of ever being hurt. "This is serious!" I just gave her a blank look before leaving the room. On the way out I heard her call back to me. "Please just think about it." I gave a clipped nod as I walked away wondering how I'm going to tell my mom about this. Later in the evening... "Dilly why you say that?" Freddie looked up at me with a mouth full of bread. "Don't speak with your mouthful!" My mom scolded him as a bashful blush made its way to his cheeks. "Sowwy mommy." His reply was muffled as he swallowed the last chunk of food. "I said it Freddie, because it's the truth. The wolf race are a pathetic excuse for..." my mom cut me off with an extremely stern look. "Dylan! They have ears everywhere, one more word out of you and it's your room." I scowled, my hatred for the Lycan kind growing stronger as each day passes. "What more can they do to me, lash me? Beat me? Brand me? They've ran out of options." I stated slamming my hands down, then severely regretting it as sharp pain shot though my wound. "What was that?" My head shot to regard my mothers worried expression. Her eyebrows were raised and her eyes were dull and judging as she looked at me. "Nothing, it was nothing." I quickly took my plate in my hand and began to walk to the kitchen. "I'm not really hungry, and I have homework to do!" My mom caught hold of my forearm causing me to drop my plate suddenly, I watched it slowly fall before shattering on the floor. I retracted my arm quickly and turned to Freddie. "Stay there and don't move until it's cleaned up ok sport?" He just nodded with wide eyes, I turned back to my mom and noticed her curious stare on my arm. Her grip shifted to the other side as she turned it around before pulling my sleeve up. The bandage was showing and a bit of blood was seeping though after the wound had been disturbed. "What the hel happened?" My moms eyes widened as she began to fumble with the bandage. Before she could unravel any of it I snatched my arm away. "I had an accident at school. No big." I began to gather the large pieces of the broken plate up ready to put them in the bin. "What did you do Dylan?" She looked at me with pure worry and only then did I realize what the wound must look like to someone who didn't know. "For gods sake! I didn't do it to myself! I got publicly punished at the assembly alright? It's no big deal." Her face dropped instantly and she stepped towards me, causing me to step backwards. "Mom, I'm ok. So back off will you." "What did you do? I've never known them to cut someone's arm as a punishment." Her shock and accusation was evident in her voice and I sighed heavily. "I spoke against the alphas son." I may have hit him too, but I wasn't going to divulge that part to her. "It's not one big cut, mom, it's a brand, 'human scum' carved onto my arm." "They've branded you now too?!" My eyes rolled at her hurt tone as I went to get the dustpan and brush. "You're so much like your father." A sigh left her mouth as she spoke, running a hand through her hair, while I quickly swept up the little pieces of the broken plate. "You've had a new uniform delivered. It's laid out on your bed. Dylan, Please just try and stay respectful in the future, I don't want my daughter to be completely mutilated. Although you're not far off." "Gee, Thanks." I then walked over to my little brother Freddy before blowing a kiss into his neck and hearing him giggle. "So sport, how's school going?" "It's ok." He shrugged before going back to coloring a dinosaur picture in. "Well that's good, stay out of trouble, ok little man?" Heading upstairs and into my room, my thoughts wandered to the permanent graffiti scar very slowly healing on my arm. Disgusting beasts. Think they own the world because they're faster, stronger and can shift. Pah. If you ask me they are not all that.

The second I walked into my room my mouth dropped open. On my bed was some grey pants laid out neatly, which wasn't the surprising part, no, what shocked me was the grey high neck no sleeved button down shirt, every single set of uniform had sleeves except this one. They've done this on purpose those, mutts. They want the world to see my arm and know what a disgusting creature I am. They want the world to know that I, Dylan Riley, am nothing more than 'human scum'.

During the last week, I've been horrible, in class I've been loud in voicing my views, I've insulted at least everyone to some degree, I didn't care about the consequences, and I certainly didn't think about them. I haven't seen Nick at all since he was claimed, and to make matters worse today was the royal visit. Oh yes, werewolves and mated humans alike were spending every waking minute preparing themselves to meet his royal majesty, king of the wolves. Unclaimed Humans however would rather stick pins in their eyes. "Dylan, get down now... you're going to be late." She was right, I was dawdling this morning, I really couldn't be bothered today, I gave myself one last look in the small mirror and sighed when my eyes met my newly uncovered brand. It had bad bruising around the letters, and was still extremely tender to touch, it was definitely healing now though. I made my way down the stairs and came face to face with my mother who was seeing to Freddie, she was helping my brother get his coat on when she turned to me. "You ready sport?" Freddie nodded his little head at me and smiled while I quickly slid my shoes on. "Just Remember, the alpha is bad enough, Dylan, please, please don't do anything to anger the king." My mother stopped us from walking out the door to tell me something she had been telling me continuously for the last couple of days, it was almost as if the entire human population of our district was expecting me to do something stvpid. "Try and have a good day." I rolled my eyes but nodded, even I know not to push the king, he could kil me in the hallway like it was nothing. In fact I plan on staying out of his way for the entirety of the day. "We will see you tonight mom." I stated before me and my brother began our walk to school, his little hand clutched my own tightly as we went. Usually Nick would be with us, as he lives next door, well he used to, now he's residing in the main pack house. I quickly dropped Freddie off at his school and watched him get the wolfsbane neutralizer before walking into him building giving me a small wave before he went in. With my new scar on complete show, and my figure being complimented by the skin tight shirt I was wearing, I sauntered down the street to school, I gave my name and year in and took the wolf's bane neutralizer injection with no problems at all. It was finally getting into school that the problem occurred. Walking through the halls I was met by many looks, some of pity some of disgust. You see every single non mated human in the school was wearing a long sleeved version of the uniform I was given. All the Wolves and mated couples were scattered around in fancy floor length dresses or tailored suits. As I turned the corner I noticed a couple, now this couple happened to catch my eye the most out of all of them because it consisted of Arya and Nick, eating each other's faces off. "What the hel!" Nicks head shot to me as his eyes widened. He too was dressed in a tailored suit, a navy blue tie hung on his neck to match Aryas dress. Why was this happening all the time? It's always my friends that get completely brain washed. I shook my head in disbelief before turning my back on him. I heard his fast footsteps behind me as I rounded the corner. "Dylan?!" He ran right in front of me, stopping me in my tracks, making me drop my bag off my shoulder and almost causing me to bump into him. "Let me just explain..." "Has she marked you?" I mean you could almost see it in his eyes, she had marked him, and knowing the way life goes he's probably even mated with her. "Actually... Don't even answer that." I aggressively picked my bag up off of the floor and stormed off down the hall. "Dylan, just listen to me, Erin was right, it's so hard to resist your soulmate, and Arya is actually ok once you get to know her." I just kept walking, he caught up to me walking beside me but it didn't matter, I completely ignored everything and everyone. 'I'm so not in the mood today' getting into class was good though, I said hello to Mr Foley and took my usual seat. Nick sighed then took his bag off ready to sit next to me, but I snapped before he had the chance. "Traitors and mated idiots sit on that side of the room." I didn't look him in the eye as I pointed to a seat right at the front of the classroom on the opposite side. His eyes widened as he turned his attention back to me. "You can't be serious Dylan." I gave him a blank look before grabbing my book out of my backpack, I placed it on the desk then began to write the date on the top line. "I've sat in this seat for as long as I can remember." I ignored him, his voice sounded sad and shocked. "Dylan? Wait! What is that?!" Before I could react Nick had grabbed hold of my branded arm and turned it to see the letters. "Oh my God! What happened?" I snatched my arm away from him and shrugged as I continued to write in my book before grabbing my water bottle out of my bag. "The principal happened, it was my punishment for speaking out against Adrian and Arya. I wear it with pride." He just held a complete look of disbelief. "You spoke out against them?" I shrugged, what did he think I'd do. "It's no secret that I despise this stvpid new world and the mutts that control it. You were my friend, I wasn't going to let them just take you without saying something, although that is exactly what you seem to have done. Enjoy the view from your new seat!" "Don't be like that, Dylan, I'm your best friend, I'm sorry about your arm, but..." my eyes rolled inside my head at my friends words. "Anything with the word 'but' in, isn't an apology, it's a rationalization." I took a drink of water from my bottle and kept my eyes facing forward, ignoring his every attempt to try and talk to me. "Dylan?.. Dylan?... Do you know what? Erin is right, if you push us all away you won't have any friends left." He huffed before walking over to the empty seat and sitting down, I could feel him glancing up at me every now and again but I didn't respond. "Good morning class, please settle down." He looked at me then at Nick and frowned, we've never sat apart, we were friends before the new world even began. I just shook my head telling him to forget it. "So... as you know the king will be arriving in a short while, but until then lessons will go on as normal." Its funny seeing teachers in the same uniform your wearing, mr Foley and his wife are the coolest. Human teachers and doctors only have slightly more respect than we do. Because of Mr Foley's status him and his wife have better access to food and drink, Mrs Foley is cool, sometimes she even makes sure mr Foley brings some in for me. Ya know, coz I'm their favorite student. It's not in a weird way, it's just they were friends of the family before the new wold took effect. Mr Foley and my dad were buddies from high school, so it goes without sayin really. "All the mated humans will be at the front of each years line again, after that you will all be placed in status, Nick, as your mated to Alpha Arya, you'll be at the front of your line. Dylan as you have been branded..." his voice trailed off as he looked at me. "Yeah yeah, I'll be at the back of the line behind everyone. I get it." I huffed, moving my sight towards the window once more. "I am sorry." I turned to face Mr Foley again, he looked genuinely upset and that look of pity wasn't something I wanted to see. I gave him a clipped nod then turned away again. "Anyway, on to the subject matter, 'Of Mice and Men, page 64, Nick why don't you start us off with the reading."

"Of course sir." Nick began reading the book but I switched off, today is going to be a long day. After almost an hour and a half of reading comprehension, the bell chimed signaling lunch. I shot up and out of the classroom before anyone could say anything. Today, I was avoiding drama like the plague.

I wandered the corridors straight to the lunch hall. All the people I would normally hang out with we're all mated so I grabbed my lunch quickly, and sat down at the end of the human table. Let me lay the lunch hall out for you. On one side of the room you have two long rows of tables, with simple benches that make it look like prison, on the other side of the room you have multiple round tables with fancy chairs. Yup you get it. The humans sit at the prison tables and the wolves and traitors sit on the fancy tables, they get fancy food, fancy drink and most importantly they get pudding. what I would give to have some pudding. "Dylan can we just talk?" Nick quickly took the spot next to me as he set his lunch tray down. I looked at his food which had been placed on a ceramic, circular white plate. God that looked good. I sighed knowing he was going to talk anyway. "Fine, you have two minutes." I used my fork to take a bit of pasta off his plate and shoved it into my mouth. God that was good. "After I left school, I was taken to the pack house with Arya, and I really got to know her. It took a few days for me to finally accept being with her, but ever since life has been ok, and the sax... well that's a whole other story." Eww, I didn't need that mental image in my head. "I'm glad your happy." I stated before deciding I had no appetite. His face held shock before he sighed in relief. "That means a lot Dylan, I mean you know that your opinion matters to me." I cut him off before he could say anything else. "I said I was glad your happy. I didn't say I approved of what you've done. You've basically turned into one of THEM, I can't ever forgive you for that." He looked hurt, but I couldn't care less about his feelings. He placed his hand gently on my arm and went to open his mouth when a growl sounded out. All heads whipped to where it came from, Arya was stood holding a glass of soda and a plate, she was looking right at me and Nick and I would totally be dead if looks could kil. Nick quickly retracted his hand, his whole face fell and you could see sorrow flood his irises. "You sit with me now, get away from that, that... scum!" Wow, Nick was such a lucky guy. NOT. "You heard her. Get away from me, go sit with your new friends. I'm happy for you, and I understand where your coming from, but don't come up to me again and pretend you didn't betray your own kind. Don't pretend you didn't betray me." I shoved a little bit of food into my mouth before standing up and walking out of the cafeteria, leaving my tray on the table. I was walking through the hallway to the classroom, you see I decided to spend lunch with Mr Foley in his room, when I happened to hear voices in the corridor. "Is it wise for her to actually be present when the king arrives? Surely she could be placed in the dungeons, it might actually teach her some respect?" My principal was speaking to the alpha of our district, huh, if I stayed and listened do you think they'd notice, maybe they could smell me?! "Everyone is to be present, if the Riley girl does one thing out of line she will be dealt with severely, child or not. That girl has been a blight to the district since day one, she's dangerous, if she puts one hair out of place I will personally break her into submission." Oh shet, they were talking about me specifically, and they mentioned the dungeon, that's not been used in months. Normally I would have listened in more but something about the entire situation didn't sit right with me, all of a sudden, I was on edge, and simply wasn't interested in the slightest in hearing how my misery was to be enhanced. I backed up slightly before turning around and bumping head first into one of the hottest man I had ever seen. I lost my balance immediately and fell straight on to the floor letting out a small grumble in the process. His eyebrows knitted together quickly and his breath hitched in his throat as he looked upon my fallen state and gasped. "Mate!" He whispered, his eyes fixated on mine. Now, I had seen and heard that many times to know what that means, I gasped before taking a step back. 'No, no, no, no, no. This can not be happening.' He growled slightly before stepping towards me. Oh Shet!

I need advice regarding my relationship and decision that I’ve made. I want to know if I made the right decision. I (21f) met my (25m) bf at a tobacconist. He approached me and was very polite and asked for my number and if he could take me out. I asked him about his age and if he works because these are important things for me to know before even giving out my number. He answered and said he wasn’t working at the moment because he just got out of house arrest and I asking him if he’s not working, how will he take me out? He told me money isn’t an issue he’s just not employed. I got what he was trying to say. He took me out on a date and it was perfect. He was polite, sweet and a gentleman. It felt like love at first sight for me. We began dating and then he got arrested near my street when he came to drop off a motorcycle to someone and then came to see me. At this point, I knew him for 5 weeks in total and we spoke about a lot of things and I told him hypotheticallly if he was to be locked up again I would hold it down for him. I don’t think he believed me at the time I told him but when the situation arised, it wasn’t even a question for me and I did hold him down. It took a few weeks for him to get processed and call me. I wasn’t sure if he even wanted to be with me anymore. Right after his arrest, I tried to track him down to which jail he was at and sent him letters with words of encouragement and reassurance that I am here for him as promised. In those three weeks of no contact, I also got his BPAY details to put money in his account and have been this whole time. Around $30-$50 per week. He usually spends that money to call me twice a day for 15 minutes per call. Sometimes he calls me 3 times a day. In the weeks where I couldn’t send him money, he never asked for money but I realised the calls were only once a day as he was trying to space out the calls for the week as he was low on money. Still, he never asked me for anything. He’s always given me reassurance during the 6 months he’s been inside and speaks to me kindly and gently. When we do have issues, usually on the first call he will say something that’s not quite right and upset me but always fix it by the second call when he’s had time to think about it. I’ve felt lucky af to have him because he’s been the most sweetest and romantic person I’ve been with yet. All of his friends know bout me and message me when it comes to important information regarding his trial. His mum has also confided in me for the last 6 months and has told me that I’m like a daughter to her (although in the last 1 month she’s ghosted me). I had a face to face visit with him last month because his mum took me with her and it felt amazing to be able to see him and hold him. He has lied to me about a few things starting off with his ethnicity. When I met him he told me he was two different ethnicities but I later came to find out drop his mum that he’s actually 100% Indian and doesn’t have any roots of those other two ethnicities. His mum showed me her entire family as proof and his dad’s family. His mum has also warned me numerous times to break up with him because he’s been in and out of prison since he was 20 and every time he says he will change but he doesn’t. He’s also gotten expelled from school so he never finished school either. He has never had a normal job but has been making money in other ways so money isn’t an issue. I also think he might be addicted to drugs but I am not sure. He has gotten people to transfer different amounts of money into my account and for me to transfer them to other accounts. I did become suspicious of what’s going on but I kind of turned a blind eye to it and told him he better not be making me do something I shouldn’t be doing. He’s always told me if i don’t want to do it it’s totally fine and he can get someone else to do this for him. I am confident I am the only girl he’s talking to as I can book visits every week and I can tell other people are not really visiting him except his sister and mum sometimes and his mum’s also given me reassurance that he is talking to me only me and that when it comes to relationships he is soft hearted. I also do think he is soft hearted. I have experienced a lot of adversity from people and people definitely have looked down on me and have told me all sorts of negative things but I tried to stay strong and stay in the relationship. I have always brought up with issues and we have fixed them. Anyways, he gets out in 10 days and last week I went on to reddit to read peoples posts about dating someone that’s in prison and it scared tf out of me when I saw that all this sweet romantic talk is just “prison talk” and that they will switch up once they come out. I have sent him lots of pics of me too and I saw other people talking about how they sell and trade photos of women and I think I know him enough to know he respects me to not do that to me but all of these things just freaked me out. I am really scared of getting hurt so I tend to withdraw from relationships because the other person can leave me or hurt me to leave him. I know it’s something I struggle with but I have held it down for 6 months even though I only knew him for 5 weeks prior. I have tried to support him in every way I can and I have never missed a call from him. I am not strong enough to break things off over the phone because the calls are timed and I am afraid that if he does give me reassurance over the phone rn it’s probably “prison talk.” I would never ghost him or not give closure so I sent a message to be passed to him to his friend. In the message I basically talked about the reason why I’m leaving is because i don’t think he loves me and probably only feels so strongly about me because he’s in jail and all he’s got is time so now he’s infatuated with me but when he comes out that may change. I don’t want to hold him to promises he’s made while being in there and I don’t want to subconsciously force him to be with me I did write all that in a panic state. Anyway, I think he got the message. He did try to call me a few times after he got the message and I didn’t pick up. I love him a lot so deep down I do want him to try and prove me wrong and give me reassurance that it’s not just prison talk and that he does love me and want to be with me. He’s always made it clear he loves me over the phone. Do you guys think I made the right choice and that if he truly does love me, he will understand how I have been feeling on my end? It’s very difficult to be a loved one of someone that is incarcerated. You feel lonely and always in an emotional roller coaster. I stuck through and didn’t abandon him during his sentence but now that he’s coming out, I’ve kind of just set him free so he doesn’t feel guilty about treating me differently when he comes out if he realises his feelings are not as strong as they were once he was locked up.

I need advice regarding my relationship and decision that I’ve made. I want to know if I made the right decision.
I (21f) met my (25m) bf at a tobacconist. He approached me and was very polite and asked for my number and if he could take me out. I asked him about his age and if he works because these are important things for me to know before even giving out my number. He answered and said he wasn’t working at the moment because he just got out of house arrest and I asking him if he’s not working, how will he take me out? He told me money isn’t an issue he’s just not employed. I got what he was trying to say.
He took me out on a date and it was perfect. He was polite, sweet and a gentleman. It felt like love at first sight for me. We began dating and then he got arrested near my street when he came to drop off a motorcycle to someone and then came to see me. At this point, I knew him for 5 weeks in total and we spoke about a lot of things and I told him hypotheticallly if he was to be locked up again I would hold it down for him. I don’t think he believed me at the time I told him but when the situation arised, it wasn’t even a question for me and I did hold him down.
It took a few weeks for him to get processed and call me. I wasn’t sure if he even wanted to be with me anymore. Right after his arrest, I tried to track him down to which jail he was at and sent him letters with words of encouragement and reassurance that I am here for him as promised. In those three weeks of no contact, I also got his BPAY details to put money in his account and have been this whole time. Around $30-$50 per week. He usually spends that money to call me twice a day for 15 minutes per call. Sometimes he calls me 3 times a day. In the weeks where I couldn’t send him money, he never asked for money but I realised the calls were only once a day as he was trying to space out the calls for the week as he was low on money. Still, he never asked me for anything. He’s always given me reassurance during the 6 months he’s been inside and speaks to me kindly and gently. When we do have issues, usually on the first call he will say something that’s not quite right and upset me but always fix it by the second call when he’s had time to think about it. I’ve felt lucky af to have him because he’s been the most sweetest and romantic person I’ve been with yet. All of his friends know bout me and message me when it comes to important information regarding his trial. His mum has also confided in me for the last 6 months and has told me that I’m like a daughter to her (although in the last 1 month she’s ghosted me).
I had a face to face visit with him last month because his mum took me with her and it felt amazing to be able to see him and hold him. He has lied to me about a few things starting off with his ethnicity. When I met him he told me he was two different ethnicities but I later came to find out drop his mum that he’s actually 100% Indian and doesn’t have any roots of those other two ethnicities. His mum showed me her entire family as proof and his dad’s family. His mum has also warned me numerous times to break up with him because he’s been in and out of prison since he was 20 and every time he says he will change but he doesn’t.
He’s also gotten expelled from school so he never finished school either. He has never had a normal job but has been making money in other ways so money isn’t an issue. I also think he might be addicted to drugs but I am not sure. He has gotten people to transfer different amounts of money into my account and for me to transfer them to other accounts. I did become suspicious of what’s going on but I kind of turned a blind eye to it and told him he better not be making me do something I shouldn’t be doing. He’s always told me if i don’t want to do it it’s totally fine and he can get someone else to do this for him. I am confident I am the only girl he’s talking to as I can book visits every week and I can tell other people are not really visiting him except his sister and mum sometimes and his mum’s also given me reassurance that he is talking to me only me and that when it comes to relationships he is soft hearted.
I also do think he is soft hearted. I have experienced a lot of adversity from people and people definitely have looked down on me and have told me all sorts of negative things but I tried to stay strong and stay in the relationship. I have always brought up with issues and we have fixed them.
Anyways, he gets out in 10 days and last week I went on to reddit to read peoples posts about dating someone that’s in prison and it scared tf out of me when I saw that all this sweet romantic talk is just “prison talk” and that they will switch up once they come out. I have sent him lots of pics of me too and I saw other people talking about how they sell and trade photos of women and I think I know him enough to know he respects me to not do that to me but all of these things just freaked me out. I am really scared of getting hurt so I tend to withdraw from relationships because the other person can leave me or hurt me to leave him. I know it’s something I struggle with but I have held it down for 6 months even though I only knew him for 5 weeks prior. I have tried to support him in every way I can and I have never missed a call from him.
I am not strong enough to break things off over the phone because the calls are timed and I am afraid that if he does give me reassurance over the phone rn it’s probably “prison talk.” I would never ghost him or not give closure so I sent a message to be passed to him to his friend. In the message I basically talked about the reason why I’m leaving is because i don’t think he loves me and probably only feels so strongly about me because he’s in jail and all he’s got is time so now he’s infatuated with me but when he comes out that may change. I don’t want to hold him to promises he’s made while being in there and I don’t want to subconsciously force him to be with me
I did write all that in a panic state. Anyway, I think he got the message. He did try to call me a few times after he got the message and I didn’t pick up. I love him a lot so deep down I do want him to try and prove me wrong and give me reassurance that it’s not just prison talk and that he does love me and want to be with me.
He’s always made it clear he loves me over the phone. Do you guys think I made the right choice and that if he truly does love me, he will understand how I have been feeling on my end? It’s very difficult to be a loved one of someone that is incarcerated. You feel lonely and always in an emotional roller coaster. I stuck through and didn’t abandon him during his sentence but now that he’s coming out, I’ve kind of just set him free so he doesn’t feel guilty about treating me differently when he comes out if he realises his feelings are not as strong as they were once he was locked up.

Hi,l never do anything like this but I really am in need of help. I moved out of my grandmothers house the end of January to have more space for me and my daughter as she grows, l've had a good job for months until 2 weeks ago I lost my job due to an change of companies. I start working for United States postal service June 10th.. I just really need help with my rent for June it is $1,300. My WiFi is off too which is $100 but I just need money for my rent please. I asked my landlord if she can extend my time til next Thursday which is June 6th. I'm gonna do Uber eats and doordash to try to make up money but that's barely anything (l'm still gonna do it!) I will pay you back! Just please help me :( I have proof of my letter from the post office with my start date if you want it! Thank you.

I need advice regarding my relationship and decision that I’ve made. I want to know if I made the right decision. I (21f) met my (25m) bf at a tobacconist. He approached me and was very polite and asked for my number and if he could take me out. I asked him about his age and if he works because these are important things for me to know before even giving out my number. He answered and said he wasn’t working at the moment because he just got out of house arrest and I asking him if he’s not working, how will he take me out? He told me money isn’t an issue he’s just not employed. I got what he was trying to say. He took me out on a date and it was perfect. He was polite, sweet and a gentleman. It felt like love at first sight for me. We began dating and then he got arrested near my street when he came to drop off a motorcycle to someone and then came to see me. At this point, I knew him for 5 weeks in total and we spoke about a lot of things and I told him hypotheticallly if he was to be locked up again I would hold it down for him. I don’t think he believed me at the time I told him but when the situation arised, it wasn’t even a question for me and I did hold him down. It took a few weeks for him to get processed and call me. I wasn’t sure if he even wanted to be with me anymore. Right after his arrest, I tried to track him down to which jail he was at and sent him letters with words of encouragement and reassurance that I am here for him as promised. In those three weeks of no contact, I also got his BPAY details to put money in his account and have been this whole time. Around $30-$50 per week. He usually spends that money to call me twice a day for 15 minutes per call. Sometimes he calls me 3 times a day. In the weeks where I couldn’t send him money, he never asked for money but I realised the calls were only once a day as he was trying to space out the calls for the week as he was low on money. Still, he never asked me for anything. He’s always given me reassurance during the 6 months he’s been inside and speaks to me kindly and gently. When we do have issues, usually on the first call he will say something that’s not quite right and upset me but always fix it by the second call when he’s had time to think about it. I’ve felt lucky af to have him because he’s been the most sweetest and romantic person I’ve been with yet. All of his friends know bout me and message me when it comes to important information regarding his trial. His mum has also confided in me for the last 6 months and has told me that I’m like a daughter to her (although in the last 1 month she’s ghosted me). I had a face to face visit with him last month because his mum took me with her and it felt amazing to be able to see him and hold him. He has lied to me about a few things starting off with his ethnicity. When I met him he told me he was two different ethnicities but I later came to find out drop his mum that he’s actually 100% Indian and doesn’t have any roots of those other two ethnicities. His mum showed me her entire family as proof and his dad’s family. His mum has also warned me numerous times to break up with him because he’s been in and out of prison since he was 20 and every time he says he will change but he doesn’t. He’s also gotten expelled from school so he never finished school either. He has never had a normal job but has been making money in other ways so money isn’t an issue. I also think he might be addicted to drugs but I am not sure. He has gotten people to transfer different amounts of money into my account and for me to transfer them to other accounts. I did become suspicious of what’s going on but I kind of turned a blind eye to it and told him he better not be making me do something I shouldn’t be doing. He’s always told me if i don’t want to do it it’s totally fine and he can get someone else to do this for him. I am confident I am the only girl he’s talking to as I can book visits every week and I can tell other people are not really visiting him except his sister and mum sometimes and his mum’s also given me reassurance that he is talking to me only me and that when it comes to relationships he is soft hearted. I also do think he is soft hearted. I have experienced a lot of adversity from people and people definitely have looked down on me and have told me all sorts of negative things but I tried to stay strong and stay in the relationship. I have always brought up with issues and we have fixed them. Anyways, he gets out in 10 days and last week I went on to reddit to read peoples posts about dating someone that’s in prison and it scared tf out of me when I saw that all this sweet romantic talk is just “prison talk” and that they will switch up once they come out. I have sent him lots of pics of me too and I saw other people talking about how they sell and trade photos of women and I think I know him enough to know he respects me to not do that to me but all of these things just freaked me out. I am really scared of getting hurt so I tend to withdraw from relationships because the other person can leave me or hurt me to leave him. I know it’s something I struggle with but I have held it down for 6 months even though I only knew him for 5 weeks prior. I have tried to support him in every way I can and I have never missed a call from him. I am not strong enough to break things off over the phone because the calls are timed and I am afraid that if he does give me reassurance over the phone rn it’s probably “prison talk.” I would never ghost him or not give closure so I sent a message to be passed to him to his friend. In the message I basically talked about the reason why I’m leaving is because i don’t think he loves me and probably only feels so strongly about me because he’s in jail and all he’s got is time so now he’s infatuated with me but when he comes out that may change. I don’t want to hold him to promises he’s made while being in there and I don’t want to subconsciously force him to be with me I did write all that in a panic state. Anyway, I think he got the message. He did try to call me a few times after he got the message and I didn’t pick up. I love him a lot so deep down I do want him to try and prove me wrong and give me reassurance that it’s not just prison talk and that he does love me and want to be with me. He’s always made it clear he loves me over the phone. Do you guys think I made the right choice and that if he truly does love me, he will understand how I have been feeling on my end? It’s very difficult to be a loved one of someone that is incarcerated. You feel lonely and always in an emotional roller coaster. I stuck through and didn’t abandon him during his sentence but now that he’s coming out, I’ve kind of just set him free so he doesn’t feel guilty about treating me differently when he comes out if he realises his feelings are not as strong as they were once he was locked up.

Suprabhat, Vannakam, Adab and Welcome to the 2024 LOK SABHA GENERAL ELECTION THUNDERDOME.
NO RULES, NO LIMITS, ONLY CHAOS.
THE CAGE -
India is a parliamentary democracy that follows the first-past-the-post voting system, similar to the standard Westminster System. The Lower House of the Indian Parliament (Lok Sabha) consists of 543 seats representing 543 constituencies that send 1 Member of Parliament (MP) each. These 543 MP's then choose a prime minister via simple majority.
For each constituency, a political party gives a ticket to a single Candidate. The Candidate with at least a plurality of votes in a constituency represents that Constituency in parliament as a member of the party.
There are no party level primaries in India, the candidate for a constituency is decided by the party high command and only one person from a party can be on the ticket for a particular seat. You can contest multiple constituencies though from the same party as both Narendra Modi (2014 BJP Candidate for both Varanasi and Vadodara) and Rahul Gandhi (2024 Congress Candidate for both Rae Bareili and Wayanad) have done. If no existing political party gives you a ticket, you can contest as an Independent Candidate or form your own party and contest as a member of your own party.
The government can be formed by the party or the alliance that has a simple majority of MP's. When no single political party has a majority of MP's, an alliance of various parties can be formed that contains the majority of MP's. This is called a post-poll alliance, where the parties contest elections separately but might come together after the elections in order to form the government or be part of the government. However there is also the pre-poll alliance where political parties join or form an alliance before the elections.
THE DATES -
THE RESULTS -
EXIT POLLS -
THE FIGHTS -
Economy & Employment:
The incumbent BJP-led NDA government makes the positive case of economic growth and development under its decade long tenure. It points to strong rejuvenated GDP growth with relatively low inflation, rising wages, a growing middle class, stable macroeconomic positioning, strong spending, slashing of multidimensional poverty, a strong and well administered welfare state, expanded free trade, sharp reduction in regulation, increase in select manufacturing and industry, a revitalized finance sector, and a thriving service market.
The government points to the large-scale infrastructure development undertaken, expanding roadways, delivering expansive electrification, and provisions of basic utility services. They point to the stagnation and policy paralysis observed under the tenure of the last Congress government (UPA 2), and further make point to the opposition's alleged proposed populist economic programs as untenable and unfeasible. They make the case that the opposition has leftist economic policies that are not grounded in economic reality.
The INC-led I.N.D.I.A opposition on the other hand, makes the negative case against the incumbents, pointing to large scale youth unemployment, even among educated youth. They point to an alleged inability of the government to tie growth to employment. They allege a failure of manufacturing capacity and sufficient industrialization of the economy, highlighting the lack of sufficient private capital inflows. They criticize the growth figures of the economy by casting doubt on the government's statistics, and focusing extensively on growing wealth inequality, alleging that growth only occurs for the rich billionaire class, with minimal relief for the poor, targeting specific attacks against domestic industrial magnates, Adani and Ambani. They allege favoritism on the part of the incumbent government towards their select base, highlighting the state of Gujarat as being prioritized over other states.
In making their positive case, they propose a more inclusive and redistributive model of growth, proposing heightened subsidization programmes, more welfare and support programmes, higher taxation on the wealthy and corporations, leveraging private capital inflows for infrastructure development, and prioritizing equitable growth through a caste census, developing corrective policies for inequalities between castes.
They aim to solve the employment crisis through expanding roles in state enterprises and filling government vacancies, alongside expanding labour intensive industries like manufacturing and mining, whilst pointing to high growth rates of the economy as well as committing to expand manufacturing through reforms and subsidy platforms like the PLI, FAME etc., further claiming that increased infrastructure spending will lead to crowding in effect thus enabling faster industrialization.
Social Justice:
The issues of social equity and justice have become major cornerstones of both the incumbent and opposition electoral platforms. This is most prevalent through the forthcoming section on sectarianism, but also focuses on key issues regarding class equality and - most importantly - caste-based discrimination.
The incumbent BJP-led NDA government point to their solid track record of universal poverty alleviation, targeted successful welfare and affirmative action programmes. The INC-led I.N.D.I.A opposition on the other hand, point to growing wealth inequality and apparent institutional and systemic discrimination against underprivileged caste communities in academia, employment, governmental programmes, courts, the military, etc. They allege that the government has not committed to taking resolute and definitive action against casteism through corrective policy.
This all boils down to the Reservation system, a large scale, affirmative action initiative, conducted through a systematic quota-based policy of allotment of institutional positions in education, governmental employment, schemes and programmes, direct political representation, etc.
With reservations estimated to have hit 59.5% of Central Government Institutional positions, there are now broader calls to expand the scale and scope of this drive. The opposition wanting to break the cap limits and even introduce this system into the private sector to potentially induce parity, while the government commits to more modest hikes of upto 62.5% while playing into incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi's identity as a member of an underprivileged caste community.
While the opposition campaigns on removing limits to the quota system to deliver equity, the government alleges these commitments to be populist and detrimental, while alleging that the opposition seeks to potentially appease its Muslim voter base by introducing expanded reservations for Muslims, thereby allegedly sabotaging the disadvantaged Hindu lower castes, and redistributing their wealth to Muslims, in a bid to gain their votes.
Communalism:
Both the incumbent BJP-led NDA government and the INC-led I.N.D.I.A opposition have framed communalism as a lynchpin issue of the Election. The incumbent government points to alleged casteist and bigoted rhetoric against select caste groups and Hindus. They allege the opposition panders to minorities for their votes, whilst not delivering on the real issues. They allege the opposition seeks to drive up divisiveness and shared social harmony in India. They further allege that the opposition engages in divisive rhetoric on key issues of Hindu-Indian culture like that of the Ram Temple, in ways that contradict the spirit of the Indian State.
The opposition on the other hand, accused the incumbent government of being bigoted against minority communities, from the large Muslim community, to the lower caste communities of Indian society. They allege use of hateful and divisive rhetoric against these communities, and point to select controversial government positions and policies on issues like the Ram Mandir, the controversial CAA-NRC laws, the proposed Uniform Civil Code, among others. They further allege institutional degradation of key offices including policing, academia, and the military in discriminating against minority groups.
Institutional Independence:
The INC-led I.N.D.I.A opposition alleges institutional degradation and capture of various independent governmental entities by the incumbents. They point to the use of Executive, Investigative, Anti-Corruption, Enforcement, & Tax authorities against opposition figures and media as evidence, highlighting specific cases of the detaining and arrest of two sitting opposition Chief Ministers, and the resignation of one. They highlight alleged selective targeting of opposition figures for raids, charges, and arrests, creating an alleged environment of impunity for the government. The opposition alleges heightened and blatant partisanship of members of the Judiciary in support of the incumbent government. They also allege illegitimate freezing of campaigning funds, crackdowns on press freedoms via capture of media institutions, and also critically alleges institutional capture of the Election Commission, casting doubts on election results primarily critiquing India's Electronic Voting Machines (EVM).
The Government rebukes these claims as part of a strong anti-corruption drive, highlighting a drop in governmental corruption cases since the previous Congress government (UPA 2, infamously riddled with such allegations). The government frames the opposition parties as corrupt and power-hungry, while further disparaging the opposition's alleged unfounded attacks on Indian institutions, apparent partisan attacks on the judiciary and critiquing apparent unfounded claims of election denialism.
THE FIGHTERS –
The election is primarily clash between two large coalitions, and their leading parties. On one side, you have the incumbent government of the BJP-led NDA, or National Democratic Alliance, and on the other, you have the opposition INC-led I.N.D.I.A, or Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, a new mega coalition of more than 35 parties, with a few unofficial supporters too.
The following is a list of some key players in each of the alliances and is by no means a comprehensive or exhaustive list of all involved factions.
The incumbent NDA includes:

1. BJP – The BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party - "Indian People's Party") is a Hindu nationalist party committed to Hindutva ideology, promoting Hindu culture, opposing Muslim immigration, and creating a nativist country wherein India embraces a fundamentally Hindu social fabric. The BJP government under Modi undertook strong reformist policies in promoting liberalization of the economy through aggressive regulatory reforms, furthering free trade through FTAs and privatization of underperforming state assets. They took aggressive stances on defense and counterterrorism against Pakistan and China, while pragmatically engaging other nations despite criticism on some foreign policy moves for being 'wolf warrior-esque'. They uphold a strong nationalist domestic and foreign policy, that simultaneously does not retreat from globalization. On National Security, they aim to make India a regional power with a strong emphasis on modernization & indigenization of military administration and technology, while also reducing bureaucratic and manpower burdens through varied recruitment windows.
   
2. JD(U) - The JD(U) (Janata Dal (United) – “People’s Party (United)”) is led by Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and has been in power in the eastern state of Bihar since 2005. It was formed after a series of splits and mergers in the Janata Dal in the 90s. It is credited with doing good work in the state on roads, electricity, and water, however it has failed to provide jobs & spur manufacturing. This, combined with its leader frequently switching between rival alliances, is causing anti-incumbency.
   
3. TDP - The TDP (Telugu Desam Party – “Party of the Telugu Land") follows a pro-Telugu ideology. It was founded as an alternative to the Congress hegemony, by emphasizing Telugu regional pride and serving as the party for farmers, backward castes and middle-class people. Since the 1990s, it has followed an economically liberal policy that has been seen as pro-business and pro-development as well as populist welfare measures.
   

The opposition I.N.D.I.A includes:

1. INC - The INC (Indian National Congress) is a big tent social-democratic/democratic-socialist party with its foundational pillars being equity, equality, and egalitarianism. They take broad commitments to secularism and class equality to be principal positions. The INC under Rahul Gandhi has taken strong positions on caste issues, shining light on inequities from past and current discrimination, and proposing active policy interventions. While the INC also holds a free-market/pro-liberalization consensus, they emphasize growing social and wealth inequality and seek inclusive and redistributive growth with strong state intervention. They also see some proposed liberalizing reforms to further inequality and take an 'anti-corporatist' position. They take a slightly less strong position to Indian foreign policy, stressing a more diplomatic approach (with minimal variance on actual positions to the incumbents). They embrace globalization in part, while emphasizing India's need for domestic development. They aim to industrialize India rapidly through stimulating private investment and aim to subsidize both supply and demand. They seek to maintain the Indian military with a focus on highly trained soldiers. They pioneered multi-alignment as the foreign policy for India.
   
2. AAP - The AAP (Aam Aadmi Party – “Common Man's Party"), part of INDIA coalition, currently holds power in two key states - Delhi and Punjab. Its chief figurehead and leader, Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate under an alleged liquor scam in the run up to elections. Barely a 10 year old party it has expanded very quickly to many states, running two of them, and now has national party status by the Election Commission of India (ECI). It leans centre-left to centre-right, with some play of soft Hindutva, while its economic platform comprises heavy spending in education, health, and free schemes of water and electricity. They rose to power on an anti-corruption program in 2013 and continues to have it as its central plank.
   
3. CPI(M) – The CPI(M) (Communist Party of India (Marxist)). They commies lol. The CPI(M) is one of the larger and more mainstrean communist parties in India. Since they operate within the Indian republic's constitution they have adopted more Indian characterisrics. They are primarily against privatisation in the public sector and in favour of universal education and healthcare. Their base has traditionally been in Kerala, one of the more developed states in India in terms of income levels and HCI. they're in favour of private sector reservations and in recent years have also been pro-FDI They promise non-aligned foreign policy, but largely are very anti-US and pro-China. They promise to restore Article 370 and oppose forceful seizure of land by government. They're one of the most influential parties in India due to a strong cadre and student union ecosystem. They've had an effect on the farmers protests as well as economic positions of the INDI Alliance.
   
4. DMK - The DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam - “Dravidian Progressive Federation") is a big tent broad left-wing party that is foundationally Dravidian (primarily Tamil) Nationalist, with strong emphasis on social equity and caste issues, while being staunchly secular and atheistic, and interventionist, statist, heavily welfarist, and industrialist in economic policy. They are primarily a regional party operating in the state of Tamil Nadu, led by M.K. Stalin, the state's current Chief Minister.
   
5. RJD - The RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal – “National People’s Party”) is a caste-based (Muslims & Yadavs) political party in the Indian state of Bihar, which it ruled from 1990 to 2005. Its rule was one of extreme lawlessness & anarchy. It was called the “Jungle Raj”. Between 1990 & 2000, Bihar's per capita income and power consumption fell off a cliff due to mismanagement. Its CM, Lalu Prasad, was convicted of corruption in 2013.
   
6. SP - The SP (Samajwadi Party – “Socialist Party”) believes in creating a socialist society that operates on the principle of equality. Although the party previously ran on an anti-computer, anti-English, and anti-machinery platform, under its new national president Akhilesh Yadav, the party has made a 180° turn. Now, the Samajwadi Party declares itself to be the party of infrastructure while maintaining its commitment to social justice, with a special focus on teaching computer skills. The party's main base is in the state of Uttar Pradesh, which is the most populated state in India, with a population of 230 million. The only negatives associated with the party are the rampant dynasticism within its ranks and its perceived soft stance on law and order issues.
   
7. JMM - The JMM (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha – “Jharkhand Liberation Front") currently runs the govt of eastern state of Jharkhand. The party has historically centred tribal rights as its central plank and agitated for a new tribal state separate from Bihar until 2000, when their demands were met. It leans centre-left to left with their key issues being tribal control of land, mineral and mining rights, addressing issues of rehabilitation of tribals. The party is primarily run by the Soren family, with Champai Soren being its chief minister candidate in the current government after the last chief minister Hemant Soren was arrested by enforcement directorate. JMM is in alliance with the Indian national congress in the state, and part of the INDIA coalition for the Lok Sabha elections. They face charges of corruption and the image of dynastic politics.
   

The “It’s Complicated”, Unaligned, Split, and/or other Supplementary Parties include:

1. TMC - The TMC or AITC (All India Trinamool Congress) is a Bengali political party ruling over the state of West Bengal since 2011. It is led by Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee. It is a center-left, welfarist, Bengali Nationalist party. It has been criticized for using heavy-handed authoritarian tactics against opposition leaders in the state, corruption, and political violence. It is credited with ending 34 years of communist rule in the state. West Bengal under the AITC has registered subpar economic performance and is largely stagnant. Pertinent to note Mamata used to be Congress leader till 1998, and AITC, in spite of being sympathetic towards the I.N.D.I.A. alliance at the national level, is fighting the Congress-Left alliance in West Bengal on all 42 seats.
   
2. AIADMK - The AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam – “All India Anna Dravidian Progressive Federation") is a broad centre-left/left-wing party adhering to foundational Dravidian philosophy, while emphasizing Tamil identity. Traditionally being less ethno-nationalist than their sister opposition party the DMK, they adhere to broad welfarist left-wing populism, focusing on social justice and communal equity, while being less economically statist than the DMK. They also focus primarily on Tamil Nadu as a regional party, currently led by Edappadi Palaniswami.
   
3. Shiv Sena - The Shiv Sena (“Army of Shivaji”) was founded by Bal Thackeray in 1966 as a populist, xenophobic party, although the party gradually added Hindutva ideology to its anti non-Maharashtrian plank. It was the long time senior partner to the BJP in Maharashtra till Narendra Modi's popularity caused a change in the dynamics. After power sharing talks with the BJP failed in 2019, the Shiv Sena switched alliances to join hands with their long time rivals in Congress and NCP in an arrangement that made Bal Thackeray’s son Uddhav Thackeray the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. In 2022 again, The Majority of Shiv Sena politicians led by Eknath Shinde rebelled against the top leadership to ally again with the BJP, taking control of the party and toppling the Uddhav Thackeray government. The splinter group led by Uddhav Thackeray is called SS (UBT) and it is allied with the Congress in the INDIA Alliance.
   
4. NCP – The NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) were founded in 1998 by Sharad Pawar and a few others who left the Congress in 1998 after Sonia Gandhi was made Congress president. Despite it's formation, the NCP was a long term ally of the Congress sharing virtually the same ideology. In 2023 however, like the Shiv Sena, In a rebellion led by Sharad Pawar's nephew Ajit, a Majority of NCP politicians switched alliances to support the BJP and took control of the party. Like the Shiv Sena, the Splinter group led by Sharad Pawar and his daughter is called NCP (SP) and it's allied with the Congress in the INDIA Alliance
   
5. YSRCP - The YSRCP (Yuvjana Sramika Rythu Congress Party – “Youth, Labour, & Farmer Congress Party”) was founded by the son of an old congress Chief Minister after he was denied the role of Chief Minister after his father. It's a populist centre-of-left party with strong focus on welfare schemes and cash benefits. It's mired in controversy due to its dynastic nature, its ties to Christian Fundamentalism and American Missionaries targeting the marginalized.
   
6. BRS - The BRS (Bharatiya Rashtra Samithi – “Indian National Council”) was formed originally with a single-point agenda of creating a separate Telangana state with Hyderabad as its capital. They are largely neoliberal and are credited with rapid economic growth in Telangana.
   
7. BJD – The BJD (Biju Janata Dal – “Biju’s People’ Platform”) was formed by Naveen Pattnaik the son of the former CM of Oddisha, Biju Pattnaik. It’s a Odia regional party with a strong focus on poverty upliftment through welfare policies and equitable economic growth.
   
8. BSP - The BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party - "Majority Community Party") is a center-left party in the state of Uttar Pradesh, which was started to uplift Dalits and other marginalized communities in India by Kanshi Ram. Its current party president is Mayawati. BSP is considered as one of the biggest parties in India as per vote share, although it's currently in decline. At its height, this party had a strong base in many states across north India, but now it's only limited to the state of Uttar Pradesh, which is one of the largest states in India with a population of 230 million. There are strong suspicions of BSP working in secret with BJP, and maybe that's why the party is not fighting this election enthusiastically. Although they can still make the competition interesting on a few seats in UP.
   

OTHER KEY ISSUES -

1. Political Dynasticism:

Although dynastism is thought to be a good fix for internal chaos in a party, the current political leader of the Congress, Rahul Gandhi, is a fourth-generation dynast who has to carry the political baggage of everything which went wrong during the rule of his grandmother and great-grandfather.
Also because one family has been controlling the Congress for decades, it has caused various state-level leaders to either form their own party or join another one. They see no future in the Congress anymore because the door to leadership is always closed for them. This has destroyed the ground level cadre of Congress party in many key states.
Rahul Gandhi’s privilege combined with the lack of any real political acumen so far has led to the INC taking damage due to is infamy.
Nepotism and dynastic politics has been a key issue throughout the last 10 years as BJP positions itself as the ‘common man’s party’

1. The Ram Mandir:

A land dispute originating from the alleged destruction of a Hindu Temple, replaced by a Mosque built allegedly atop the site (the Babri Masjid) in the 16th century allegedly by Mughal Empror Babur in present day Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, the proposed birthplace of the Hindu deity Lord Ram.
Following a century of sporadic conflict, from 1853 to 1949, a revivalist movement in the 1980's would lead to rising communal tensions, culminating in the 1992 destruction of the Ram Temple by Hindu Nationalists and devotees.
The legal conflict over the land would continue until 2019, when the Supreme Court of India issued the controversial ruling that the land be handed over to government trust for the construction of a Ram Temple, with seperate land being allotted to the local Muslim community for construction of a Mosque.
Almost all elements of the dispute remain mired in controversy. From the historical and religious associations of Ayodhya with Ram, the existence of a definitively Hindu structure, the alleged deliberate destruction of the said temple, the times and events of construction and use, the participants, planning, and events of the 1992 destruction, the ASI Archeological Surveys that served as key evidence for the Supreme Court being tampered and politicised by both sides of the politcal aisle, the legality of the ruling itself, and other surrounding issues regarding justice against those alleged to have partaken in the destruction of the Babri Masjid.

1. Foreign Policy:

The BJP is campaigning on building a multi-aligned foreign policy where India is seen as the world’s friend as well as an upcoming regional power. This was at its peak during India’s G20 presidency. Many Indians claim the rise of India’s global stature is an electoral issue. This can be seen in the popularity of the government’s anti-terror operations in both Pakistan and beyond. The resurgence of an interventionist foreign policy has proven to be popular in projecting the strongman image of Modi. The country’s commitment to it’s strategic autonomy and multi-alignment have been a fixture right since Nehru.
SUPPLEMENTARY SOURCES:

Unless specified otherwise, all first names should start with C 😊😂
Surname: A verb beginning with C
Grandmother: First name is an elegant long name that begins with C. Middle name is a virtue name. Optional: Her maiden name is a type of bird
Grandfather: First name is a name that has been out of fashion since the early 1900s, starting with C. Middle name is a surname.
Aunt 1: Named after the book Granny was reading when she went into labour in 1962, which conveniently started with C. Her middle name is loosely based on the author of that same book.
Aunt 1's husband: First name starts with a K, but it's close enough that they let it go. He has a very feminine middle name and claims to have none if asked. Optional: Surname is an English river
Cousin 1 (Boy): Continuing the apparent family tradition, both his first and middle names start with C. His cousins say he has a vampire name, as they're taken from so far back in history, and are so unusual, that only a vampire would think they were acceptable names to give to a child.
Aunt 2: Named for the unusual location of her birth (Naturally, beginning with C), her slightly odd first name is made up for by her very pretty middle name, which thankfully also starts with C, so that she can use it in public instead.
Aunt 2's wife: Her first name is very short and typically masculine, though it suits her personality very well, but sadly doesn't start with C (This was far more controversial to Granny than her gender). To save the day, she told granny that her middle name did in fact start with C, by simply changing the first letter of her actual middle name. Optional: Her surname starts with the name of an animal
Cousin 2 (Twin #1, girl): Her parents decided to spare their kids the misfortune of two names starting with C, so only her first name does. It also has an obvious nickname which definitely doesn't start with C, just in case. Her middle name starts with the same initial as one of her moms.
Cousin 2 (Twin #2, Boy): Like his sister, his C first name has a non-C nickname, and his middle name starts with the initial of his other mom
Mother: In keeping with the last minute name inspirations of her sisters, she is named after one of the nurses who assisted in her birth. Sadly, none of the female nurses had names starting with C, so she's named after the only male nurse present, who's name fitted the C criteria. Her middle name is very feminine to make up for the male first name.
Father: Neither his first or middle names start with C, but fortunately a C nickname can be made out of either of them, so he got away with it. Optional: Surname is a brand of watches
Son: Mom leaned fully into the C name tradition. She also happened to love her weird first name, so named her son after the first C thing she saw out of the window when he was born. His middle name also begins with C, but is slightly more normal- just very Irish.
Triplets (Any gender): The name combinations for three (!) Babies was endless. Mom settled on giving them C first names, with the second letter being the next vowel in order (E.g., Baby 1's name starts Ca, next is Ce, etc.), and Irish middle names to match their brother.
Daughter: Fortunately, despite being the youngest, there were plenty of very normal C names left to be used. Mom chose to ignore all of them and name her baby after the very specific shade of nail polish she was wearing when she gave birth. Her middle name is Irish too, just for consistency.
Cat (Any gender): A very witchy/warlocky C name
Dog 1 (Female): Big, fluffy and chaotic. She has a far more normal C name than any of her human siblings.
Dog 2 (Male): Small and hyper. He is named after whatever C thing he keeps chewing on every morning.

I am not OOP. OOP is u/Sharp-Fig-5708 They posted on AITAH
​

Do NOT comment on Original Posts. See rule 7. This sub has a 7-day waiting period so the latest update is at least 7 days old.

​
Trigger Warning: Alcohol abuse, drunk driving
​
Editor's Note: OOP included the entire previous posts in each subsequent update. I removed them for clarity. On the last post, I did leave some of the recap because she gives more details about what happened.
​
AITAH for refusing to let my 20 year old daughter have her car back after she drove drunk? May 22, 2024
​
Two days ago, my 20 yr old daughter drove drunk to get herself some food. I was working in the backyard and thought she was inside watching golf with her dad. When I realized she had driven after drinking that afternoon, I immediately got in my car, picked her up, and drove her home. She is supposed to be returning to college any day now to start an internship there and I am adamant that she cannot have the car anymore until she earns my trust back. She can fly back to college and once there take lyft, ubers, public transportation, whatever, just not her car, which is actually NOT HER CAR AS IT WAS PURCHASED FOR HER BY HER DAD.
​
Problem is that her dad disagrees with me and wants her to have the car back. This is the same guy who called her while she was out driving drunk and all he did was tell her to "get home safely". He'd been drinking that afternoon and was also in no condition to drive.
​
She says she doesn't really remember what she said in the car after I picked her up, further indication as to her level of intoxication. AITAH for fighting her dad to not let her take her car back to college after this?
​
Update (in the same post)
​
Behind my back, he found her keys, helped her pack the car and tried to get her on the road before I got home from work. My Ring doorbell kept alerting me so I eventually saw what was going on. I rushed home from work, blocked her car with my suv, and called the cops. After him trying desperately but failing to get her car past my suv, he jumps into my car and fought with me to turn it off, hurting my arm in the process. He gained more control of my truck than I had and she was able to get by me. The cops were too late and off she went, 6 hours away to college, with her car.
​
I wasn't seriously injured so I declined to press charges against him but I told him to leave, and that our marriage is over.
​
She's planning to go to AA, therapy, group meetings, get an accountability partner, a breathalyzer and an ignition interlock. I hope she does all those things. I just wanted her to do them without her car bc I don't trust her.
​
Commenter:

NTA, your husband is enabling some horrible decisions here

​
OOP:

100% agree

​
Commenter:

Really your husband thinks it’s ok to give your daughter her car back after showing she will drive drunk to get food, let alone parties every weekend at school? I would also make her take one of the courses the courts make drunk drivers take. Husband is a jack off and my guess at that age was driving drunk.

​
OOP replied:

Agreed. And and he still does at age 58. In fact, he's golfing tonight with his golf buddies and, more often than not, he drives home drunk. No wonder where my daughter gets it. For this and many other reasons, I'm done with this marriage.

​
UPDATE: AITAH for refusing to let my 20 year old daughter have her car back after she drove drunk? May 24, 2024
​
To clarify, it's not HER car. She does not own the car. It was purchased using mine and her dad's finances. Her dad's name is on the title. (Why doesn't reddit allow title editing?)
​
Also, this is part 2.
​
Behind my back, her dad (stbx) found her keys, helped her pack the car and tried to get her on the road before I got home from work. My Ring doorbell kept alerting me so I eventually saw what was going on. I rushed home from work, blocked her car with my suv, and called the cops. Before they could get there, he jumps into my car, fights me to turn off my car and was able to prevent me from blocking her. My arm got scraped in the process of him fighting to turn off my car. Ultimately he overpowered me and she was able to drive off. The cops were too late and off she went, 6 hours away to college, with her car.
​
I wasn't really injured so I declined to press charges against him but I demanded that he leave, and told him that our marriage is over. He's now staying elsewhere for an indefinite period of time.
​
She's planning to go to AA, therapy, group meetings, get an accountability partner, a breathalyzer and an ignition interlock. I hope she does all those things. I just wanted her to do them without her car bc I don't trust her.
​
Sadly, her dad and I are not on the same page. I feel incredibly betrayed by him for doing all this behind my back, for not communicating with me about his intentions to give her the car back, and for letting her have the car back despite all the evidence showing that she can't be trusted with it.
​
He says I'm overreacting, that they have a plan and that he trusts her. I don't. I think he's a coward and I pray that his cowardice and stupidity doesn't get her or anyone else killed.
​
Also wondering how to go about trying to stop someone from driving drunk when you're not physically with the potential drunk driver. Do the police actually do anything about it if you call them?
​
Commenter:

Did you tell the police your concerns about her drink driving?

​
OOP replied:

Yes

​
Commenter:

If they documented it properly that may help with any liability you have

​
Commenter:

I’m sorry. She’s not likely to go to AA, therapy, group meetings, nor to get an accountability partner, a breathalyzer, or an ignition interlock. That’s quite a list of promises she made. Since her father enabled her by giving her the car, there is nothing you can do to keep her safe.
I urge you to contact www.Al-Anon.org for yourself. They provide help and support to the loved ones of problem drinkers and you can find many people who have been in your situation.

​
Another Commenter replied:

Also interlock devices are EXPENSIVE and have a monthly fee. No way she's going to be the college girl with a blow and go willingly.

​
Commenter:

NTA. File separation now so that you can show you are not responsible for her having a car. It may keep you from being part of the lawsuit when she kills someone.

​
Another Commenter replied:

And ask for that car in the divorce or, if it’s the third car owned (you each have your own), demand it be it be sold with the explanation of why to the judge/court. Make sure to take in the incident report from the police for the proceedings, too. Get it legally documented!
If there’s a health and wellness office at the college, notify them. Cover your bases to try and keep her from making this bad decision.
Edited to ask: Who gave her alcohol while under your roof? That will need to be clearly laid out in the incident report and your divorce proceedings.
Take her off your vehicle insurance and force her to get her own? In this economy, you don’t need that type of insurance rate (it can follow you to your own insurance if you don’t remove her before an incident happens).

​
Another update: AITAH for not wanting my daughter to have a car after she drove drunk? May 26, 2024
​
To clarify, it's not HER car. She does not own the car. It was purchased using mine and her dad's finances. Her dad's name is on the title. It's a marital asset.
​
This is part 3.
​
To summarize, last Sunday, my daughter drove drunk. Yes, drunk. Hammered. She's on our home security footage slurring her words, telling her dad she shouldn't go get him another beer bc she's an alcoholic, she's bumping into things, being obnoxious with her brother and eventually goes out the front door, getting in to the car she drives, and driving off to get food for herself.
​
I was working in the backyard and thought she was watching golf with her dad. When I learned what she'd done and where she was, I picked her up and brought her home. Fast forward to Thursday.
​
Her dad and I were supposed to come up with a plan about letting her have the car back when she went back to college. I was adamant that she shouldn't. He seemed uncertain. She was desperate to have it and, while I was at work, her dad gave in to her. They hurried to pack her stuff and sneak her off to college but when I became aware of what was going on, I left work and got home asap to try to stop her. Despite my (not so stellar) attempts to prevent her from driving off, she did. I was furious with my now stbx and told him to leave. He's been out of the house since. Again, more details are in my previous posts but that's where things stand today.
​
I guess I just want to give more details as to why I reacted the way I did and why I told my stbx to leave that day.
​
5 months ago my daughter rolled her car and ended up stuck in some trees next to a creek. Supposedly she hadn't been drinking that morning, but had been the night before. While still trapped in the car, she crawled to the back seat to throw her bottle of (not quite empty) booze out the window. Obviously she could've been killed but, thank God, only got a few scratches. Her car was totaled. I felt we should wait for a bit before getting her another one to let the gravity of the situation sink in, but her dad disregarded my wishes, gave in to her and less than 2 weeks later she had another car.
​
I still don't know what the right thing was to do but I know his complete disregard for what I want in terms of children's well-being is absolutely intolerable to me anymore. We're not dealing with playdates or homework or curfew anymore. These are life or death situations now and we should do everything we can to try to be on the same page. Not going behind each other backs to get our own way.
​
This time, though, I thought my stbx was leaning towards not letting her have the car to take back to college. He said we would discuss it further and try to agree on a plan. That never happened. Instead, they went behind my back, quickly packed the car, and off she went.
​
Maybe I am the AH. Maybe I handled it all wrong. All I can say is that I love my daughter and am terrified of losing her, one way or another, to alcohol. I can't stop her from drinking but I was hoping to at least stop her from driving when she does drink and since we're 6 hrs away from each other, keeping the car seems the only surefire way to do that. Also, she admitted to me this wasn't the first time she's driven drunk. Thx to my stbx, it prolly won't be the last.
​
My marriage has been dying for years. I'm not divorcing him over this one incident. This was just the last straw. No relationship can survive chronic lying, zero respect, zero intimacy, zero connection and chronic loneliness. I prolly stayed longer than I should have.
​
Commenter:

NTA. You are dealing with 2 alcoholics. You’ve done the right things. They have to want to get sober, you can’t make them but you can avoid enabling them. Consider joining Alon anon. I wish you the best

​
Commenter:

Well, now that I'm hearing part 3, I really feel compelled to share the abbreviated story of what happened to my mom's boyfriend. He purchased, insured, and registered a vehicle for his 20 year old daughter. One night, she was driving home from work tired and got into an accident. She paralyzed the man she hit. Because the vehicle was in her father's name, he's the one who got sued. He lost, and him and his insurance are on the hook for millions of dollars to provide life-long care for the man his daughter almost killed. The only person who walked away from the whole thing with only a traffic ticket or two was his daughter, the one who caused it all. I'm sure if she'd been drunk and not tired, that would have been different, but her father still would have been on the hook financially. Get your name fully disconnected from that car or repossess it immediately.

​
OOP replied:

Omg. Thank you for sharing this. I'm going to send it to my daughter and stbx.

Commenter:

NTA you need to call your insurance company & see if you can get a separate policy for just you. Leave your stbx & daughter on the current policy. Until the divorce is final maybe an umbrella policy is a good idea too. You don’t want to lose everything if either one gets in an accident & kills someone.

​
Commenter:

Sorry you're going thru all this. Your daughter will not get the ignition interlock. They are very expensive, and I doubt she will do the AA. Your husband is a complete AH for the way he sweeps her drinking problem under the rug.

​
Another Commenter replied:

I suspect he excuses the drunk driving because he doesn't want to have an honest conversation with himself about his own drinking problem. Much easier to stick his head in the sand and insist everything is fine.

​
Commenter:

NTA When you talk to your divorce lawyer, ask about how you can best distance yourself from any liability with your daughter and husband if they cause another accident or kill someone while drinking and driving.
It may be you will have to remove yourself from their insurance policy like others have said. If you do that, let the insurance company know exactly why and give them any dates after that accident your daughter was in where you know she was drinking.
If you can, get that doorbell cam footage saved as well. And from her driving off and your husband helping her.

​
Finally, some really comprehensive advice from this Commenter:

NTA
You've done the best you can. Now it's time to protect yourself. Your daughter is an adult. You cannot fix her. She's going to have to do that herself. I'm very sorry.
Get a good lawyer and start the divorce.
• It's absolutely imperative that you get your husband and daughter on a separate auto insurance policy for that vehicle.
• Have your lawyer send your STBX and your daughter a cease and desist letter, formally and in writing, rescinding your permission for her to drive the vehicle at any time.
• You also need to get a serious umbrella policy. Serious. As long as your daughter is driving a vehicle you own, she is endangering your entire financial well-being.
• As part of the divorce, you should either force the sale of the car, force her to buy it, or force your husband to buy out your share from you. Trust me, you don't want to own a vehicle that she is using to drive drunk.
• Separate your finances and insurance right away.
• Change all your passwords
I'm so sorry, OP. This is a tragic situation, but you need to move forward with protecting yourself and your assets. If she drives drunk and kills or maims someone in a car you own, it could ruin you.
Best of luck to you, OP.

​

Reminder: I am not OOP. Do NOT comment on Original Posts. See rule 7. No Brigading!

I'm thinking about fixing GoT, but I want to know your opinions on "What should be fixed?"
One of my key points is about the Frey Army and why didn't the Freys told the Boltons about the Knights of the Vale marching North, how did they crossed the Neck and other stuff that makes no sense at all, including Gemma Frey/Lannister writing a letter to the Boltons and to Cersei, a conversation between Sansa and Holland Reed, and even more. Perhaps a bigger role from Lady Tarly and a marriage of her youngest daughter to a very important lord that may add more difficulty to our heroes.
My intention is NOT to change what D&D did with the show (Even if I hate it), I think it would be more challenging to think reasons to justify what happened, and over expanding what they did to turn it at least decent, I know it would be difficult to upgrade somehow that BS writing, but I'm here to try.
You can put everything you consider it went wrong with the show, including the first seasons if you consider something wrong.

Hi, I don't really use Reddit but one of the people this is about follows me on Instagram and honestly I don't wanna hear from him right now.
I kept this mostly quiet because I thought it would behoove me to do so. However, this has not been the case, so I’ve got a story for y’all.
Some of you may know that I was inspired to start my pedal-building journey after seeing an episode of the JHS Show. As such, I started sending pedals I built to JHS shortly after founding Demonic Machines. In each box I included a letter which contained, among other things, my pronouns (they/them). For a few years I never heard anything back, which was fine. I sent the pedals as a token of appreciation more than anything so I wasn’t worried about it.
Then, one day this past summer, I got a message from Belle at JHS informing me that they were going to be putting a demo of one of my pedals up on their social media. I’m now embarrassed to say that I was stoked. Demonic Machines had been struggling since day one, essentially, and this could have been a major boost to my business.
When the video went up, I got 200+ new Instagram followers. It would have been more, but JHS took the video down after maybe an hour. I received a message from the JHS Instagram account that said, “Hey Lucky, we took the video down where we misgendered you! That’s on us. We’ll reshoot asap and let you know when it’s ready!!”
The thing is, I get misgendered every day of my life. The kids at work call me “Mr. Lucky.” I wasn’t upset about it. I know who I am. I don’t need fucking JHS to affirm my gender. I kind of wish they had read the letters I included since I went through the trouble of writing them, but I just wanted to get more eyes on my pedals so I could sell them and maybe use the money to pay for my rent and groceries. But I know how straight people get embarrassed, and they DID say they would reshoot it, so I just replied, “oh okay. i wasn’t that worked up about it but i appreciate it.” I assumed, it being a minute-long video, that they would reshoot it, you know, “ASAP.”
Months went by. I saw numerous episodes of the JHS Show come and go, and numerous spotlights on other builders, so I sent them a message asking if they were actually gonna reshoot the spot. They said they would, and I responded by expressing concern that their CEO wasn’t going to reshoot the spot, that I was just going to get swept under the rug, and that he could have just owned up to the fact that he accidentally misgendered me instead of taking down the video that, again, I WANTED UP.
A few days later, Josh Scott messaged me from his personal account. He was upset that I had called him a CEO and that I had pointed out that he did a bad job of learning about the builder he had spotlit (what with him misgendering me and everything). He sent me multiple voice memos informing me that he’s not a CEO (though his Facebook profile says that he is); that he did, in fact, make an effort to learn about me before he shot the video (which is fair, I can’t disprove that claim); and that the reason they took the video down was because “they want to refer to me correctly” (or not at all, apparently) and because “people were tearing them apart” for misgendering me (cry me a fucking river, bro).
Now, I want to be clear: JHS did not owe me a demo. I did not send them pedals expecting a demo. But what I do expect is for people to do something when they say they’ll do it, which JHS did not.
So the other day, I messaged JHS to inform them that Demonic Machines is dead and they’re off the hook for that video (that I’m 99% certain they had no intention of ever reshooting). I also messaged Josh to ask if he could use his platform to tell people about Audio! Audio! since he told me to let him know if I needed anything. He declined. I can’t say I’m surprised.
I don't think I'm blameless in this. Maybe I should have been more patient. But the situation sucks and I wanted to vent.

Hello everyone. My 4 yr old daughter has been receiving SSI for about a year and a half, she was born with several birth defects, she is feeding tube dependent, has a speech delay, low immune system so she cannot attend school in person yet, she is on a couple medications as well. Last month SSA sent us for a psychological and speech evaluation to a place called MEDPRO services, I’m guessing is a government clinic. I’m not lying when I say those “evaluations” took 5 min or less that’s it, it took me longer to drive there and wait in the waiting area than that supposed evaluation. Then yesterday I received a letter saying that based on their results, school district reposts they find that my daughter is no longer disabled and that her issues do not affect her daily life. I was shocked since of course they affect her daily activities. I already send out appeal papers because I feel my child’s rights are not being respected. So I had questions about you guys experiences with appeals? What should I say? What documents should I collect? I would really appreciate any advice you may have.

277AC, 3rd Month
Riverrun
Viper's nests, Blackfyre plots, treason of the highest order. Ransacked offices, shadowy schemes around every corner, lies and accusations flying like arrows. The old king's madness; the new king's unpredictability. So many concerns and worries and so many moving parts, all little pawns in one large game... None of this meant anything to Ser Brynden Tully.
The Castellan at Riverrun had been here for months, now, since Hoster remained in the city as Rhaegar's hand. It was the only place for him; the open air, the rivers, and the people and friends he knew. It was fair to say the the household and the nearby smallfolk loved House Tully, for they were kind and just, leading to prosperity and peace like they'd never known.
Winter was, however, on the way. The castle was stockpiling grain and growing crops within the glasshouses. Even the gardens had been repurposed, for a while, to begin nurturing winter berries to further aid their efforts. But they were on rations, now, which was fair enough for soldiers, servants, guardsmen and a skeleton crew.
But if Hoster's letter was true, Lady Tully and her three daughters would soon be home. That was good news and bad. It meant, thankfully, that Brynden was no longer responsible for raising little Tom. Bad, because it meant they'd need to do some cleaning up. His duties as castellan had been shared - or if you asked Brynden, delegated - to Ser Lucas Whent and Ser Lewis Guppy both. It was a disorganised mess.
More sad than anything was Roslin Tully, their cousin, and the lad Lyonel. Sweet Roslin was all enamoured, once, by Quentyn Blackwood. But he'd gone off some years ago and had been inactive since. Likewise, Lyonel was squiring beneath Hendry Bracken, who'd gone to serve Rhaegar just as Hoster had. Now, both were seeking some new purpose. Roslin had taken to helping with accounts and taxes, by want of something to do. Lyonel had been enlisted into the guards, to watch the walls, and learn from the Blackfish everything he could - but the boy was not well suited to taking orders. That, at least, he has learned from me...
All the while, Brynden kept up the greatest act of his life. That he was a loving husband and father to Lyarra and to the girls. The true fathers of both, he had no idea and had never wanted to know. So far as history, and any living person, would remember; they were girls of House Tully. And he'd die to keep that truth alive. It was lost on him that Alyssa Tully, that six year old, rose-cheeked child, was actually the bastard sister to the king. What dramatic irony, eh, dear reader.
And so, Riverrun was beginning to enter its winter hibernation. Oblivious to the plots and ploys taking place amongst the highest echelons of the Iron Throne, this quiet corner of Westeros, where two rivers met, simply kept going through the motions.
[M: Anyone feel free to use this if you are AT riverrun, to RP, or if you want to simply stop by or arrive at Riverrun. Just please date your post]

My daughter will soon be due for her 3 year EFM update submission. The last time I submitted her DD-2792 was for her initial enrollment at 6 months old.
As I was corresponding with her case liaison earlier today, a cover letter was mentioned as a potential optional addition to the package if I desired. However, after searching through the various EFM instructions on the mynavyhr page, I did not find any writing mentioning this.
Anyone here ever try submitting a cover letter as part of their EFM package? If so, what content/knowlege did you feel was necessary for the central screening committee to know, apart from the DD 2792/DD 2792-1?
For context, my daughter is currently category 5, and has multiple doctors/therapists she sees in our area. I’m hoping she keeps the category 5 assignment after this update so that she can continue to receive her care from the team of doctors who have been with her every step of the way. Wondering if the central screening committee would be willing to entertain a cover letter pleading my case, as I’m not certain the required forms complete the narrative by themselves.

I've recently gotten my heart broken by this girl, the one I call the love of my life. I've always been a passive redditor but I can't handle my feelings and decided to give it a chance a write this off and see what people think, it migth help?
For the last 8 years I've been in love with one of my sister's best friends.
For context: I've known this girl for about 20 years, let's call her Sophia. My little sister always teased me that Sophia had a crush on me, beck then I was 12 years old and I was not interested in a 8 year old girl. We grow up in Latin America in a country were is not taboo to date someone underage as long as the age gap is not crazy. Furthermore our relationship never became physical until we were both of age.
Fast forward 8 years later and I'm picking up my sister from school and I see her all grown up. She had drown into a beautiful young woman. I was dating my first girlfriend at the moment so I never considered anything to happen.
One day Sophia comes to my hose to "study" with my sister. The reality was that she used the excuse to meet up with her ex that wanted to ask for another opportunity. I drove her to the place were they meet and after their argument. She didn't want to be with him anymore and he was just pleading and saying he had changed etc. After this, she and I spent the rest of the day together. I had some errands to run and she accompanied me. That was the very first time we really talked. We talked about life, relationships, guys, girls,etc. We found we were really similar in a lot of things and personality wise. At the end of the day we were waiting for her parents to pick her up. She put her head in my shoulder and my heart started pumping. Nothing happened, maybe she wanted me to kiss her, but I was still with my ex and was just too new to dating to not freeze.
A couple of weeks later me and my ex had splitted due to me finding out she had being cheating in my for months. That's a story for another day.
My family got the opportunity to move to the US and we decided to go. During our last month in our home country we had many goodbye parties. In one of those a large group of friends visited to watch a movie. I was seating in the floor with my head tilted agains the sofa and Sophia was behind me. She started striking my hair without anyone noticing it. That nigth I walked her down of our apartment and we finally kissed. That was the real beginning of my forever crush on her.
Back then I had only had one girlfriend, knew nothing of dating and I was now in a new overly sexualized country. I had the time to explore new relationships and learn. Sophia and I never discussed our feelings bcs there was no realistic way for us to date long distance. We never stopped talking though, we never stopped being flirty with each other. I sent her flowers on her birthday and chocolates on valentines. Our lives continued and each dated separedly for a couple years.
My sister and I went back to our home country to visit family and for her friends high school graduation (for us high school graduation is a bigger deal than in the US, prom is a party that goes up to the next day). I helped Sophia with her graduation dress, I helped her choose one and when she bought it, I sent it to her to our home country. When I visited her I wasn't expecting getting into a relationship with her, she was still just a crush and the prospect of a long distance relationship didn't work for us.
I finally saw her at her prom reception, she looked like a Greek goddess with the white dress I had sent her. We took a photo that almost look like a wedding picture, that picture now just hurts my heart. Everything was great, I was expecting to dance all night with her. Then it all crumbled when she introduced me to her boyfriend. The had started dating just a couple of weeks prior to this. My heart broke a little. I spent the rest of the nigth in my hotel room, I couldn't see her with someone else. I couldn't blame her though, I never told her I wanted to spent that nigth with her, and other than being flirty, I had never discussed my feelings. The next day at her graduation ceremony her parents (I've known all her family for years, being friends with our family) invited me to go to lunch with them to celebrate Sophia's graduation. I had to politely decline because her boyfriend was there. They didn't know her daughter and I had history.
I ended up spending that visit to my home country with friends and even rekindle an old flame with another girl I've dated previously. Sophia and I talked only once for her to tell me sorry for not telling me she had a boyfriend, that she thought I didn't care anymore. Again we never stopped texting after this.
A year later she and her family visited us in the US. I was just back from an study abroad program in Europe. Sophia and I ended up studying both architecture. I was on my third year and she was just starting back home. Her parents were interested in me taking her to the same study abroad program as it was architecture oriented and outside students could be part of it. I was amazed of how her parents wanted (and offered to pay for part of my expenses) me to basically take a month long vacation with their dauther in Europe.
One day picked her up in her hotel (she lied and told her parents she was spending the morning with another friend). I took her to est some breakfast at IHOP. We talked again about us, she told me that she and that boyfriend had broken up. We basically catched up on each other. When we were at the car, the tension was such that it could be cut with a knives. We kissed again, the flame was still there.
During that trip we went out, went to the beach, to the malls, hanging up, clubs, etc. It was the closest thing to dating we had ever had. One day she asked me to pick her up to her friends place, she was drunk and couldn't get to her parents that way, I took her to McDonald's and bought her chicken nuggets. It was about 2 am. She started crying, she told me she didn't understand why I was so good to her, how I was the only good guy in her life that cared for her really. I stayed with her until she sobered up and left her at her parents, she kissed me goodnight kindly.
On her last 2 days in the states she stayed at our place (it was a normal sleepover since she and my sister have been friends since 6). They had a girls nigth. I just spent some times with them watching a movie. We hold hands under the sheets.
That nigth around 3 am she sneaked into my bedroom and we proceeded to have one of those nights you can only dream about, one of those nights that cements themselves in your brain. I can recall every damn second, her smell, how her skin felt under my fingers. The taste of her lips and the sound of her voice trying not to be too loud.
She and her family left the US after that. We kept texting, this time not only flirty, but actually lovingly. unfortunately little by little she stopped replying, then stopped texting first. A couple of days later she went back to her ex and again broke my heart. I felt betrayed, I felt used. I thought that finally we migth had a chance at something but she decided otherwise.
I was really hurting and out of petty, I overtalcked at a house party my sister had with some friends from our country. Basically a "never have I ever been with my sisters friend". Everyone knew we had history but never confirmed it. One of the girls at the party started the rumor that Sophia and I Have had sex. Weather it was true, or hometown learned of this and it even reached her boyfriend. I only knew of this when she confronted me about it almost a year later. She was furious, I was so angry at myself thinking I had screwed it over for real.
Years passed and I had little by little let go of her. We only talked sporadically, wishing happy birthday and stuff like that.
4 years passed and we finally started talking again. She was living in Spain doing an MBA and she wanted to catch up. We talked for hours like nothing ever happened, she told me how her life had changed, experiences she had. I was amazed how our lives had mirrored, similar life decisions, similar trauma. I honestly think we are soul mates. I confessed that I always wanted to have a relationship with her. She told me that I was the one that got away (or something similar, it doesn't translates to English).
Since I was in a relationship and she was still adamant to having a long distance relationship, we just said godbye for now. To each of us to live our lives happily and if one day our paths crossed, it migth just be destiny.
We didn't talk much until valentines day of this year (2024). She texted me asking if there was a song thst reminded me of her. We exchanged songs and kept talking. Just like always, like we never stopped caring for each other. A couple of weeks later I sent her yellow flowers ( it's a thing back home to send yellow flowers at the end of May to the girl you love). She really like them but I noticed she didn't put it on Instagram or anything, again a secret. She had always kept me a secret from her parents and from her sister. She told me that even though she loved the flowers, she didn't wanted me to be hurt by her not loving me like I loved her.
We kept texting a flirting for weeks and she randomly sent me a message with a ticket to Miami (where I live). If you don't have feeling for me, WHY WOULD YOU SENT ME THAT?. She was coming to visit some friends. We planned a road trip to Orlando and to go to Disney with her friends.
The 2 months we planned stuff, places to go, stuff to do. I made a plan to confess all my bottled feelings for her, wrote her a 4 page love letter that I sealed in an emvelop with my own wax seal (I'm theatrical like that). But in social media I started seeing signs thst she migth be dating someone... Nothing official even now. I had my suspicions but wanted to see where things were going.
I picked her up in the airport, she was as beautiful as ever, we went to a restaurant and ate and talked until 3am. Not a mention of a boyfriend. Back when we arrived at my family's house (I moved back to my parents after covid, I'm moving back out on August) we kept talking in my bedroom for hours, almost until the sun came up. We were al must cheek to cheek, nose touching. I went for the kiss but she stopped me. She told me she couldn't. I told her that I knew she might had someone but I didn't know how serious it was. We ended up cuddling the rest of the nigth.
She left to Orlando on a train and I was supposed to join her in the weekend since I work.
We stayed at a resort with her friend. I stayed at her room in the sofa. No one asked questions. We went to the parks and had a good time. In the middle of disney she got a video call from her parents, she kept me out of their sight and didn't pass me to say hello. Again I was a secret. She told me that she couldn't tell her parents that I was staying with her, that they would thing something else was happening. How could she explain that to her parents?. I was angry. If that was the case how could she explain my presence to her boyfriend back home? Was I a secret for him as well? How can you organize all this and still say you don't have feelings for me? If I'm just a friend and nothing is going on... What's IS going on?
She flew back home a couple of days ago. We haven't talked. I refuse to see her instagram. She published a couple of photos that I FUCKING TOOK of her, for the boyfriend to reply with love and hearts. I'm afraid the boyfriend is also a good guy, with good feelings. It's not his fault what she's doing to me. I'm also afraid that since this actually a good guy, he'll propose and she'll say yes. After all of this I can't imagine her ending up with someone else. I had a panic attack just thinking about that.
I know my mistake this trip was being just a simp for her. I wasn't my self, I let my intrusive thouths to take over me and just be a simp for her. Now I'm tired, heart broken, depressed. Food doesn't taste the same, I don't want to leave my bed. I've had even suicidal thoughts, even though I know deep down I would never actually do it.
Sorry for the long post but I needed to vent.

Hello, good afternoon.
All the relevant details are listed below, but my main questions are:
1) what moves should I make before losing "tenants rights" tomorrow?
2) if the landlord agrees to immediately end a lease due to a bug infesteststion - but forces us to wait to have our deposit/ prorated rent returned - what happens if we don't immediately return the key until they pay us back after the 1st of the month?
3) Do I need to send a demand letter to them to formally ask for the rent and deposit back? (Already made a verbal agreement).
4) Will recordings I took of the conversation be useable at all?
Thank you all in advance! We could really use any help, guidance, or insights that can be offered right now.
Slumlord situation summary.
Landlord never disclosed an active roach infestation in the room before renting it to us.
Multiple generations of roaches seen in the rental unit within 10 minutes of inspecting room
During the first roach report, landlord seemed shocked and blamed the surrounding businesses for the roaches…. Offered to treat the room with bug powder.
During second roach report, landlord offered to treat the room with bug powder (again).
During second roach report, the landlord was told that the room was uninhabitable due to the severe roach infestation.
Landlord said that her daughter had a major roach infestation in the rental unit only two months ago…Said that she killed some roaches outside the home only a couple days earlier. Landlord agreed to our request of being released from our lease immediately + returning any money that we put towards the room ($400 deposit and $550 days in prorated rent)
Landlord said that they will return our money that following Saturday (May 25th)…they would return it that same night if they could, but they spent the money and need to wait for the husband to get paid to return it.
Landlord got agitated during the conversation while cooking and started raising her voice and eventually making speaking gestures with a large cooking knife in our direction…after the payment date was set, this suddenly ended the conversation with the landlord.
In a seperate conversation with the other landlord (husband), he would only agree to give us back $850 initially since two days passed since we signed the lease.
The landlord (husband) ultimately agrees to repay our $900 that Saturday at 8 or 9pm as his wife suggested and we all understood that that was the pay date.
By the time Saturday rolls around, the landlord (wife) blocks Us on Facebook - the main form of communication to the landlord previously.
The only way we figure out to contact landlord now is by finding and using her cell phone info from the first zelle transaction.
The landlord doesn't message us first to further arrange the payment that day (May 25th).
After we message the landlord, she tells us that she can't pay us back because “they haven't rented out the room yet”...even though the first reason for the delayed payment was due to her husband's paycheck instead.
Tells us that they have potential renters lined up for the room the following day (Sunday) and they can pay us back then hopefully.
The landlords never message us on Sunday regarding the status of the new tenants and our repayment.
The landlords message us days later to report accepting a new tenant to our room…they accepted a $250 deposit (instead of $400) and that the new tenants will move in on the 6th of June.
They offer $250 and offer to pay the remaining $650 on the 6th of june (instead of May 25th as originally discussed)
Note:
We never slept a single night in the home.
We never moved a single item into the home.
We never accepted to wait to receive our money back, but we had no other choice but to wait for the landlords to receive their paycheck.
Our room was entered and our bathroom was being used by the landlords family days after we already signed our lease.
Landlord said that it's not their problem that we might be homeless while waiting for her to return our rent money…showed no empathy whatsoever.
We still have the keys

Hi y’all,
Thank you ahead of time for reading. I posted in legaladvice already, but my mom had a question specific relating to insurance so I thought I might post here too. Here’s the full story: a loose dog ran onto my mom’s property and got into a fight with my mom’s dogs. My sister and the dog’s owner (or at least, her daughter) separated the dogs. After the fact, the daughter claimed one of my mom’s dogs bit her. Today, my mom received a letter from a lawyer that is requesting the information of her home owner’s insurance or else they’ll file a lawsuit.
We would rather not open us up to admitting fault here, mostly for the sake of our dog. He hasn’t bit anyone before and he’s 10+ years old now. It seems likely that in the course of trying to separate her dog from ours, she put her hands in between the dogs’ mouths and got bitten, but by which dog? My mom called me asking what to do, but I’m not really sure where to begin. I read online that a good move is to just contact my mom’s home owner’s insurance and lay out the facts, that it’s up to the company to investigate the matter and act accordingly, but she’s worried that contacting the insurance company with regards to this will raise her rate even if she’s not found liable. Does anyone know if this would be the case? Thank you for reading.

Hi legaladvice,
Thank you ahead of time for reading. Here’s the full story: a loose dog ran onto my mom’s property and got into a fight with my mom’s dogs. My sister and the dog’s owner (or at least, her daughter) separated the dogs. After the fact, the daughter claimed one of my mom’s dogs bit her. Today, my mom received a letter from a lawyer that is requesting the information of her home owner’s insurance or else they’ll file a lawsuit.
We would rather not open us up to admitting fault here, mostly for the sake of our dog. He hasn’t bit anyone before and he’s 10+ years old now. It seems likely that in the course of trying to separate her dog from ours, she put her hands in between the dogs’ mouths and got bitten, but by which dog? I was hoping someone might be able to advise as to what our options might be. As I mentioned, I’d rather not open ourselves up to liability for something there’s no proof for, and it seems to me that they’re pursuing compensation for a dog bite as opposed to vet bills due to the fact that their dog was running loose on someone else’s property in the first place. I thought they might have a more difficult case there. My mom called me asking what to do, I’m not really sure where to begin.
Edit: I read online that a good move is to just contact my mom’s home owner’s insurance and lay out the facts, but she’s worried that contacting the insurance company with regards to this will raise her rate even if she’s not found liable. Sorry, I know that isn’t exactly relevant to legal advice, but does anyone know if this would be the case?