Victoria Steel (portrayed by Olivia Rodrigo) is a famous pop star and the daughter of Tony Stark. Known for her powerful voice since childhood and heartbreaking lyrics, she draws inspiration from her old romantic experiences. Her songs portray heart...
As we continue browsing the racks, we stumble upon a rack of vintage dresses. Wanda's eyes light up as she pulls out a flowy floral dress, holding it up to herself in front of the mirror. "This is so cute!" she exclaims, twirling around in the dress. Kate and I nod in agreement, admiring how the dress suits her perfectly.
Meanwhile, Peter has found a corner of the store filled with old vinyl records. He flips through the collection with a look of concentration, occasionally pulling out a record to inspect it. "I can't believe they have all these classic albums here," he remarks, a hint of surprise in his voice.
After spending what feels like hours exploring the store, we each find a few treasures to take home.
By the time we finished our shopping spree, it was already 3:56 pm. I had picked out 7 items, Wanda had found 9 treasures, Kate and Yelena each had 5, and Natasha couldn't resist a vintage leather jacket (no surprise there). Peter seemed relieved to be leaving the store but also happy about his vinyl founds. Leaving the shop behind as we made our way back to the Stark Tower.
Before we left, I snapped a picture of Kate in her new sunglasses before posting it on my story. Satisfied with our haul, I tuck my phone away as we head back home.
victoriasteel 13s
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I have a love-hate relationship with social media. While I despise the idea of constantly sharing every detail of my life for the sake of publicity, I do find joy in posting about moments that bring me happiness. There are days when I find myself posting multiple times, eager to share parts of my day with my followers. However, there are also times when I go days without posting anything at all, simply because life gets in the way.
From an outsider's perspective, my life may seem glamorous and carefree. After all, I am fortunate to have a career that allows me to create music and collaborate with talented artists and big brands. But the reality of being constantly in the spotlight can be exhausting. The pressure to always present a flawless image, to bring out new music regularly, to engage with fans on social media, to attend interviews and events, and to maintain collaborations can take a toll on one's mental health.
While I am passionate about my work and the creative process, the relentless pursuit of perfection to sustain my career can be overwhelming. The stress and high expectations that come with the territory can sometimes feel suffocating. I can work perfectly while handling stress and meeting expectations, but there are moments when the weight of it all becomes too much to bear.
During those times, I find myself shutting down emotionally and withdrawing from those around me, including the people I care deeply about. It's a defense mechanism, a way to cope with the overwhelming pressure. However, I am aware that this behavior can ruin my relationships and cause unintended hurt to those who mean the most to me. It's a constant struggle to balance the demands of my career with my mental well-being and personal connections.
"Victoria, are you okay?" Yelena's voice snaps me out of my thoughts. "Hhm- what, yeah, of course, of course," I reply with a smile. This group really saves me. As we continue our walk home, I feel a hand touching mine. I look up to see Nat. "Thank you," I say quietly, and she squeezes my hand. Natasha holds my hand the whole time we head back, and I melt into her touch as her thumb ever so slightly brushes over my hand to make sure I'm okay.
As we walk, I can't help but feel grateful for the support of my friends. Yelena, Kate and Peter walk ahead again, chatting and laughing, while Nat stays by my side, holding my hand. Her touch is reassuring, grounding me in the present moment. I can feel the warmth of her hand seeping into mine, a comforting presence in the midst of my swirling thoughts.
I steal glances at Nat as we walk, admiring the way the streetlights illuminate her features. Her eyes are focused ahead, but there's a softness in her expression that wasn't there before. It's moments like these that make me realize how lucky I am to have her in my life.
---
When we arrive back at the apartment, we all disperse to our own rooms to freshen up or relax. I start unpacking the clothes I got from the thrift store when I hear a knock on my door. "It's open, come in," I call out without turning around. A familiar voice responds, "Hey," and I turn to see Natasha leaning against the door frame. "Hey, what's up?" I greet her with a smile, putting away a few old clothes and the new ones in my dirty laundry basket before focusing my attention on Nat.
"I just wanted to ask if you maybe want to watch a movie with me?" she asks, a hint of shyness in her voice. "Sure, my room or yours?" I offer, grabbing my pajamas. "Yours?" she agrees. "Okay, I'll just change. Be here in 10, and I'll bring the snacks while you bring the drinks?" I suggest, and she nods before closing my door.
I can't contain my excitement and bounce around like a kid who just got candy before heading to my bathroom to change. I clean my face with micellar water but leave my braids from earlier intact. I have a snack drawer in my room for cravings, so I pick out my favorites and arrange them on a tray. Setting up my projector for a better view, I close the shades to create a cozy movie-watching atmosphere—dark enough to enhance the movie experience but still light enough to navigate easily.
Not a moment later, Nat walks through the door carrying my favorite drinks, Ice Tea and Sprite. "Aww, you brought my favorites," I say with a smile as she places them on the tray next to the snacks. "Okay, so we have chocolate, chips, gummy bears, and some fruit chips because those are actually amazing. I set up the projector-" I begin to ramble, but Nat interrupts me. "What do you want to watch?" she asks softly as I sit down next to her on the bed. "Hmm, how about Castle?" I suggest shyly, grinning, to which Natasha chuckles before leaning back. Castle has been my favourite series since it premiered in 2009 when I was just 12 years old. (March 9 2009)
(Keep in mind this places in 2021 but COVID never existed so she's 24 now and is about to turn 25, her Birthday is on April 18th 1997. I'm gonna use a different age for Nat bc I'm not the biggest fan of 10+ age gaps so Nat was born on December 3rd 1993 and is 27 turning 28)
Castle holds a special place in my heart. I have a soft spot for crime shows, but I also appreciate a good love story. Even though I'm a lesbian, I can't help but feel butterflies when Castle and Beckett's relationship develops. The characters are so well-written, and it's hard to believe that this show has been my go-to comfort watch for 11 years now. When it was cancelled, I was devastated and cried for a week. But I find peace in rewatching every season, even though I know every episode by heart.
"Let me guess, Season 3, Episode 22, 'To Love and Die in L.A.'?" Nat teases, and I play along, sighing dramatically. "Nat, you know me so well," I giggle, putting on the episode before we lean back and enjoy our snacks while watching.
