𝚑𝚞𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚎 𝚡𝚟

It All Started With A Joke

It did. It really did. I think this previously unreleased first chapter of hn viii that i ever wrote only proves that. Yes, you heard damn right. I kept this in the vault for a whole entire year. I feel like hn viii wasn't entirely my style and somewhat evolved since then. 

I was barely new to hn and weren't as familiar with the members as I am now ( aPpArEnTLy oWeN tHoUgHt i wAs a gUy fOr a wHiLe ) and I just wanted to fit in and make a good impression. Since then I've managed to find my own style that actually feels like me. 

The first few chapters of hn viii were simply an attempt to not steer away from typical hn fashion. They're not bad and ofcourse I like them but just not entirely me. 

As you can tell hn xv has parted out to be a more creative space for me compared to hn viii, as I've come up with the lingering chapter concepts that stem from 'The Sweet Escape' series, The Therapy Sessions and most recently, The Sign of The Times series. 

May 3rd was supposed to be the original publication date for HN viii, but due to personal complications, that was then pushed to May 5th. Ofcourse, that was definitely a good day to publish either. Next deadline was May 8th. Did I publish it on that day? No. I really can't remember why. Finally on May 13th I did. *happy noises*

All these dates, what do they have in common? 5 + 3 = 8 [ 05/03 ], 5 + 8 = 13 [ 05/08 ] and *dun dun* 13 - 5 = 8 [ 05/13 ]. I tried to reference to the number of the hn volume but I guess no one ever did get that :/

'It All Started With A Joke' slightly focused on my friend Richie, who I still had kept in contact with until October. At the time I was also still hazed by New York and thought I'd ran away there to start off my music career once I turned 18. I no longer am and personally City Of Angels all the way.

 In my mind, you're either Team California or Team New York, you can't be both. I realized LA is the place where singer/songwriters start, right? I think??? IS IT??? That's what my mom's said in the past but I didn't literally ask her " Hey, I want a music career in the future. Is LA the place to become discovered and sign onto a record label? "

ONTO THE ACTUAL CHAPTER FROM THE VAULT:

It all started with a joke. Everything.

Even your life. Or why else would you be inhaling and exhaling air at this very moment, huh? *judgementally peers over*

Yes, I am I fact talking to you. Please pay close attention because you're definitely going to need it.

Now, besides your life what else started as a joke? Derren? Humorous Nonsense? Where you love perphaps? Maybe even that hideous sweater you're wearing right now. Personally, if I were you I'd change into something presentable at this very instant. Sorry to breal it to you but green definitely isn't your color.

Well in my case its nicknames people have given me these past couple of years. They're so terrible that I refuse to speak of them *quivers* .... but for the sake of this book I'll name a few.

Now, let me warn you, these nicknames are awful. Horrid, really. I wouldn't be surprised if you were to faint at the sight of them . I highly suggest laying down while reading this. Raw pancake batter anyone? *crickets* Damn those crickets....

Okay *mumbles* here goes nothing....

First we have 'wheezy' *eyeblink* Richie gave me that one. Oh wait-

Richie contributed to at least half of these nicknames. ( sorry Richie if you're reading this, which I highly doubt lol )

So you're probably wondering who is Richie, and why did she give me this nickname.

Richie is a friend, but not on wattpad. Friend as irl, because i'M nO lOnEr. In fact I'm perfectly finely capable of making acquaintances with the human race despite being that sorta socially awkward teenager who's really stupid, irrationally annoying and doesn't take anything seriously- and wattpad obsessed as well. During lunch I'd never shut about this app.

I'll clarify Richie DOES have wattpad. All of my rl friends do, but ofcourse I'd be invading their privacy if I told you their accounts. Plus, it's been a while since we last spoke anyways. Group chat = dead. More dead than the dead plague doctor over there *points to Owen* will ever be. Why? Because I filled it with my randomness.

I'd explain what the nickname means but it's an inside joke only Richie and I would understand. A really funny, strange inside joke....We'd basically annoyed each other with nicknames. 

You know what else started as a joke? New York. Not the state ofcourse ( you never know though ). I mean another stupid joke my friends *cough* Richie *cough* started; about me moving to New York in the future.

Funny how now New York tempts me. Half of the population is nocturnal, car transportation is rare, yummy pizza. Taylor Swift. What's not to love? Feels like home already. *reclines back while sipping bleach I stole from Audrey and Owen*

See how it all starts with a joke. " It's just a joke" they said " Just a joke".

I think not.

[ the end of that garbage ]

. . . 

[ present day ]

The iconic cover of HN VIII, how did it ever come to be? Well, Owen in a strange way was partially involved with the final decision. I strangely recall it being a year ago actually; May 3rd, 2021. It was evening, 3:34 pm to be exact . . . 

These were the messages sent on that day, at that time, in which I didn't change a single word. 

Me: Audrey says you're okay with me writing HN idk which number is next. Since you are the creator of HN may I ask to claim HN8? It'd be complicated to explain wHY ( *cough* it has nothing do to with the fact that it's my favorite number. Absolutely not *cough* *chokes* *dies* Ah, 3rd time I've died today. Death should really come with an instructions manual. Don't you agree? ) I promise to publish it this week. Maybe even tommorow IF I find a suitable cover.

No one. Literally no one.

Owen: AHA. A suitable cover I hear you say. I have quite a selection How to gain Owen's approval: fill it with compliments and he'll instantly give you a thumbs up, if he had any thumbs. They fell off due to derrenbite a few years ago. Of course you may have it

Me: Still searching for a cover *sigh* My choices so far are - pelican - ostrich - a bArNuBuS but there's nO sUcH tHiNg *glare* Hold up- I found one of cats but they're really blown up as if they're balloons. I can't explain it but it's fUNnY. Okay, never mind. I already chose one :) B a c k t o y o u d y i n g -

So yeah, the birth of Inflated Cats. ALL THANKS TO ME AND MY FLIMSY STUMBLING INTO A FUNNY PICTURE OF PUFFY CATS WHEN SEARCHING FOR 'FUNNY CAT PICTURES' ON GOOGLE. HAPPY ONE YEAR TO MY PRECIOUS BABIES. NOW GO AND TAKE OVER THE WORLD. I TAUGHT YOU WELL *sob* 

I was also watching the red tour on that day btw

- Clara, proud Inflated Cat army leader <3