Accel World Male Oc

A 24-year-old woman traveled to the novel world due to a plane crash. She takes over the body of a cannon fodder who bears the same name as her. She traveled to a time when everything was scarce. The moment she opened her eyes, she was told that in two months, she would marry a lame man. Flustered girl : "Why didn't anyone tell me that my fiancé is so good-looking?" Proud fiancé : "Baby, I'm glad you like my face and body. Shall I warm your bed now?" Confused girl : "Didn't they say you are a cripple? How can you move so vigorously?" Vigorous husband : "Where did you hear such rumors? It seems that I need to prove myself to you." Shy girl : "So shameless..."

Adeline didn't expect she would transmigrate into the trashy novel she read years ago. The plot was so cliched that she couldn't bring herself to finish it. Years later, she found that very book on her bed, the page was open to the villainess' execution and before she knew it she found herself in the very novel she hated. The evil villainess who couldn't stand her two childhood friends become completely enamoured by the female lead, she decided to take care of the matter herself and thus became the public enemy. "I do not accept this!" Adeline yelled at the top of her lungs. "I will change the plot." The Crown Prince she rejected won't leave her alone. The cold Northern Duke clung to her and wouldn't let go. The Arch Mage wants to abandon his duties and serve as her personal knight, and the Head Priest is obsessed with her! The Male leads she wished to avoid won't leave her alone! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Obsessive male lead- check. Funny but strong female lead- check. Amazing family- check. Annoying Goddess- also check.

Vanya Mickelson come to know the world she is living a novel world and she was the villainess. Her boyfriend is the Male lead and he will reunite with the female lead who happens to be his first love on their engagement banquet. So she left him to his first love and wished them happily ever after. Years later after coming back to her home what she didn't expected to see was her ex-boyfriend wailing and blaming her for abandoning him. Vanya : Now what kind of plot is this ?

Rise Lee, a well-known A-rank esper in the federation. He was even ranked as one of the strongest among the A-ranks and recognized as one of the hopes for humanity.  However, he wasn't only famous because of his prowess or his attractive appearance; Rise was more infamous because of his terrible personality. He was called a villain by most guides and espers for a reason. And who would guess that Rise Lee was really a villain, in a literal sense?  The terrible truth then unfolded to him.  He, Rise Lee, is one of the main villains of the novel.  Rise Lee spat out a mouthful of curses and swore that if he had a second chance, he would mess up this damn novel until everyone went down with him. If the author was in front of him, he too would be destroyed with him!  And a second chance did come! Rise Lee, the villain, woke up five years before the main storyline! Heh.  So what if he was a villain destined to die? That protagonist who killed him, and the author... He would screw them over.  Being a villain, be damned. In this rebirth, he would take and mess up everything.  What did you say? The protagonist’s love life? Heh. That too. Rise would take his lover. The male lead... will be his.  - - #Guideverse #guide #espers #bl #r18 #rebirth

Jun Haoyu is a wise and smart man. But even he has his moments of weakness. [Hello, I'm Zero. Would you like to sign a contract with me?] In a fleeting moment of weakness (while sleeping), Haoyu hummed in response. [Ding! The contract has been established successfully! Transferring the host!] [Ding! Welcome to the new world! Please complete the missions well!] Abruptly thrown into a new world, Haoyu quickly adapts. Fortunately, he gains a wife along the way, healing his wounded heart bit by bit. Disclaimer: - This is my original work! - This story is my means of survival, for myself and others like me who are starving (for seme MC stories). - Gong/Top/Seme MC!!! The MC is the Gong! - 1v1, with the shou's soul remaining consistent across worlds-it's always his soul. ... #GongMC #SemeMC #SemeProtagonist #MainAttack Lastly, thank you for reading! Please follow the author, vote, comment, and share the story~! Also, please consider buy this broke author some food: ko-fi.com/despicablechili

Synopsis: Demian Maxwell is the Crown Prince to the Grove Kingdom and an alpha. It's his first year at Oakswood Academy and a certain beta has garnered his attention, but why does Ophelia Rosewood keep popping up when he least expects it? Remi Sato is a renowned name in the science community, and this famous herbologist is starting his first year at Oakswood Academy. But this boy has a secret, and lots of them. He is secretly the omega prince, Remington Arlow and a reincarnated soul who just wants to be with his favorite otome game character. Excerpt: Remi looked at him in confusion. Demian saw the moment that Remi realized what he wanted when Remi's face turned a brilliant shade of scarlet, matching his beautiful pink eyes which seemed a tad darker than they were just moments before. "You-" Remi started, his words dying out. Demian pointed to his still open mouth, uncaring of how undignified he looked at the moment. This was something he needed, a peaceful, uncaring day with a beautiful beta to tease to get his mind off the nightmares he had recently been plagued with. Remi chewed on his bottom lip in contemplation. Before Demian could tell Remi that he was only teasing him, Remi picked up a fork and speared a piece of fish on the tines. With a red face, Remi raised the fork up until it was even with Demian's mouth, his hand under the fork to catch the food if it fell. Demian's eyes widened minutely but he refused to pass up the opportunity that was given to him. He leaned forward and took the piece of fish between his teeth, sliding it off the utensil. A rich, nutty flavor with a sweet sugary taste coated his tongue pleasantly. "This is really good," Demian said after swallowing his food. "I'm excited to try other dishes made by you." Remi flushed crimson once again. It was interesting to see such contrasting reactions out of him. One minute, Remi could be daring and confident, and in the next he could be timid and shy. "How about some vegetables this time?" Demian once again opened his mouth. A salty, leafy taste filled his senses this time. The salt wasn't overpowering and it brought out the natural flavors of the mixed vegetables that included asparagus and carrots. Remi lowered the utensils and looked away. "You have two perfectly good hands, feed yourself," he mumbled. The back of his ears and neck were tinged red. *This a teen-fantasy-romance novel set in the omegaverse.*

Rain opened her eyes and found that she got reincarnated in some else's body. she got surprised to know that she got transmigrated in her favorite werewolf's novel,so she wanted to meet and saved her favorite character in this novel, the second male lead but she got to know that she can't save him and claim him as her mate without making him pregnant.so ,now her goal is to impregnate him without forcing him.

She was sent without warning inside the story she wrote, and now Kate, who transmigrated to every plane she solely wrote, embarks on the road of saving her male leads from destroying the world. But... Does the male lead really need to be saved by her? It seemed that she was the one who needed to be saved from these clingy and paranoid male gods in which they did not want her to leave their sight, even if it was just for a mere second. "...." Arc 1 - Parasite Monopolized Lover - There is an alternative name I made for this book. "Saving You In Multiple Dimensions" -soon available in babelnovel, kiss/myfiction/chapters visual -available in chapters taptales/tapas

On the fourth day of May, Kevin was murdered in his apartment. He has no enemies and no friends. His parents have their own families, and he lives alone in a 200 meter square apartment – in other words, he does not have anyone who bores hatred against him. But he died. And the police concluded his death was an act of revenge homicide. Kevin pondered who would kill him when he suddenly woke to unfamiliar surroundings. And it took a few minutes to be processed in his head… Why are the furnitures so big?! The bed's mattress is so wide it's like the whole floor uses it as a floormat! The window is so high Kevin felt he was inside a church with glass walls as high as a three-storey building! Even worse, the appearance of a flower vase at his side is as tall as him! What the hell is going on?! [Host, you now possess the identity of the Male Lead's precious cat!] Kevin: What did you say? [Current Mission Progress: 0%] [Host, please work hard and prevent the Male Lead's terrible fate!] Kevin: …… What nonsense?! I just died! ………………………. [Host, the villain is one step closer to harming the Male Lead's life! Please prevent them!] Kevin: …… [Host, a villain's lackey wants to kill the Male Lead! Please stop them!] Kevin: ….. [Host, the Male Lead incurred a huge loss because of the villain, please bring him home and pamper him well!] Kevin: …… [Host, the Male Lead is injured because of the villain! Please nurse him back to health!] Kevin: …… Am I the Male Lead's mom or a pet?! ______________________________________________________ Updates are on Wednesday and Thursday.

Thirty-year-old Zhou Yuwen found himself back to when he was eighteen, in the year 2010. Starting life anew, Zhou Yuwen didn’t have grand ambitions; he simply wished for a quiet life, to earn a bit of money, and perhaps to experience a romance. However, fate always seemed to have other plans…

m for mature

its in the title

Zhao Xi’er transmigrated into a novel, becoming a cannon fodder crossdressing female who disguises herself as a man. The male lead of the novel, Xiao Mohan, later becomes a business genius in S City, performing business miracles one after another. However, he was just a poor, pitiful man right now. Because of the lack of love and indifferent treatment he received in his younger years, Xiao Mohan developed a paranoid and cold personality. To change her own fate, Zhao Xi’er secretly cared for Xiao Mohan while still maintaining her villainous cannon fodder character. When Xiao Mohan fell ill and had a fever, she ignored it while in front of others, but immediately had medicine delivered to him after school. When Xiao Mohan was insulted, she taunted him in front of others, and secretly taught those bullies a lesson behind his back. When Xiao Mohan was falsely accused and helpless, she worked hard to collect evidence until the truth came out. Zhao Xi’er felt like she was going to explode from all the pretending! Fortunately, Xiao Mohan’s attitude towards her had improved a lot, so she was relieved! If one were to ask Xiao Mohan what he hated most in this world, he would say one was his birth father who abandoned him, and the other was Zhao Xi’er, who was in the same school as him, the guy who bullied him but also treated him well like some kind of maniac. One day, at the entrance of an alley, he heard someone speaking and saw Zhao Xi’er, who he hated the most. Zhao Xi’er was kicking a boy from the school next door who always bullied Xiao Mohan, and he said coldly, “You’ve got a lot of guts, huh? How dare you touch what’s mine?” “Yours?” the boy on the ground was confused. “I didn’t touch anyone who belongs to you! I’ve only beaten up Xiao Mohan recently…”Zhao Xi’er glared harder. “He’s mine!” Xiao Mohan: “...” Shameless! Zhao Xi’er was getting more and more shameless!

WARNING: Mature Content. Winner of WPC #197 (Silver) The handmaiden's hurried footsteps can be heard in the hallway, followed by a loud slamming of the door. When we were finally left alone, Rin's calm voice can be heard, "I don't like that maid of yours, I will have to get you a new one within the week." I nodded, by this time I am used to having my handmaidens changed. He took the comb and started combing my hair, his dark eyes looking straight into my eyes, the sheer perfection of his face in contrast to my ever-plain-looking face. I looked away, I can't bear looking at it, it reminds me of the book that I'm in and how this is not a fairytale. He held me by the shoulders and asked in a cold voice, "Why do you look away? Is the idea of us still so intolerable for you?" I don't know how to answer him so I just nodded and bit my lower lip. He carried me to bed as he kissed my hair. Then, he laid me on the bed, his eyes boring through mine. "I hate that you are afraid of me, and that the idea of us is unacceptable to you. But right now, the only thing making you stay with me is fear of what I'd do if I lose you, I have no choice but to hold onto it. Forgive me Maru, I have no choice but to cherish the fear I have inflicted on you." He disrobed me, his calloused hands rough against my skin, feeling, touching, and leaving warmth where it landed. I winced every time his fingers land on a bruise, or on some of the fresh marks he placed there last night. "Do you want this?" he asked me as his fingers curled against my breasts, pinching one taut nipple after the other. I nodded, unable to deny under his skeptical gaze, I moaned in pleasure when his lips replaced his touch. His tongue licked on a pinkish bud and then sucked so very gently. "Tell me, any time you want me to stop, Maru. One word, that is all I need," he whispered and I blushed as I was reminded that I never stopped his assaults. I was powerless against my own needs, in the modern human world, it seems I am a submissive. And right here taking me in for another torturous night, is my dominant. I am married to Rin Saito, the most powerful monarch this world has ever seen, and I... I think I may have found my master in him. "Raise your hands for me, raise them above your head, and clasp them together," he whispered, his mouth barely an inch from my ear. I obliged, my body trembling from desire and fear combined, anticipating his next orders and feeling my body give in to his control. He took a silky rope he has been keeping on the drawers of the bedside table, and smiling, bounded up my wrists. "Tighter?" his sadistic smile made him a bit more benevolent in my eyes. I trembled from excitement as I nodded my head. He tightened my bind and leveled his head with mine, then he dipped his head, claiming my lips as I squirm helplessly against him. He opened my lips and slid his tongue inside my throat, my own saliva dripping down my neck. "Beautiful, my beautiful Maru," I heard him whisper as his hands continued to travel down, stroking and sliding gently down my skin until it reached my undergarments. "You shouldn't even bother with this, you know of my appetite. I told you not to wear them at night, my love, do you really want to be punished that badly?" I moaned, his lips curving in a proud smile. "I like it when you lose yourself in shameless pleasure. I like it when I can sully the princess and turn her into my queen," he claimed my lips more possessively.

Kai is a 28 year old nurse. He works in a nursing home called Shady Pines. He works the overnight shift three days a week. He has been at his job for four years and has many residents and coworkers he enjoys. Recently, a new nurse's assistant began working, who happens to work the same nights as Kai. Unfortunately, the coworker seems to like teasing him. Liam, the tall, muscular, handsome CNA seems to have a thing for Kai. A slice-of-life boy love story set in a nursing home, written by a nurse who works the same shift in one. Yes, these things really could happen in a nursing home. ‐------‐-------------------- Some common terms used in a nursing home setting: ‐------‐--------------------- CNA - Certified nursing assistant. They are licensed to provide direct patient care under the supervision of a nurse. They may assist with activities of daily living such as toilet use, transfers, showers and eating. QMA - Qualified Medication Assistant. Many nursing homes will have QMAs working. They are a cheaper alternative to a nurse and unfortunately are often interchanged with licensed nurses even though the cannot legally assess patients. They are CNAs that have underwent a special program that allows them to pass medications under the supervision of a nurse. Resident - For most patients, a nursing home is their actual home. The correct term for someone living in a nursing home is resident. It is seen as more respectful and humanizing. Lift - A device used to assist residents to and from bed, a wheelchair or the toilet. They are different types of lifts. The most common lift is a hover lift. This is used to lift a resident into the air then lower their body to a surface. This is safer for residents who are unable to move their bodies appropriately. It also helps to prevent workplace injuries. **** This is my zany BL where my ADHD is allowed to run free. if you are looking for a well-planned BL which has two people fall into a deep, soul mate, forbidden love which will prevail against all odds, please see "The King Loves the Court Bard" which I am proud of. http://wbnv.in/a/9diXXtk

Lucien Blake is a twenty six years old shut in otaku. He live his life reading novels, watching animes, eating and staring at computer all day. One day he went out to buy his favorite chicken lunch box meal at the nearest convenience store. But a robber came in and decided to rob the store. Without knowing why or what for, the robber shot him in the chest before running away.  Can his life as shut in otaku get any worse?    A series of beeps flooded his head, forcing him to wake up. When he open his eyes he found himself in another world very much like his own. Except for one thing. His beloved protagonist from his favorite anime is staring at him face to face. A notif pop into his head saying, [Dear host, find and help the protagonist escape his fate of getting killed. Help him in his mission of eliminating the demons. Points will be added. Failure to do so will result to deduction. Zero points will lead to your death. Good luck.] Lucien was left no choice but to adapt to his life as a mob character, helping the protagonist pave his path into greathood. It was all good at first, if you count off the number of times he has to pick up his butt running away from hideous creatures drooling after his flesh, his life being protected from protagonist halo was awesome.  That is until.... the protagonist pushed him down to bed. _______________________________________________ Updates are on Wednesday and Thursday

Cen Lingqiu, a long-time employee of the Book Transmigration Bureau, takes on one final task before her retirement—preventing the female lead from committing suicide. The female lead is beautiful but frail, with paralyzed legs, and is treated as a substitute for the male protagonist's lost love, locked away in his mountainside estate, forbidden from seeing anyone. Cen Lingqiu transmigrates into the body of the male protagonist’s sister, a vicious side character who constantly bullies the female lead, making her life miserable. The system alerts Cen Lingqiu that the female lead has developed a severe self-destructive tendency. To advance the plot, Cen Lingqiu must prevent her suicide and reduce her self-destructive urges. Yu Mingjiao, the female lead, is stunning but deeply depressed and world-weary. Cen Lingqiu dutifully ignores her coldness, takes her to watch sunsets, nurses her back to health, and shows her kindness. After completing her mission and faking her death to leave, Cen Lingqiu is ready to retire when the system informs her that Yu Mingjiao's self-destructive tendencies have resurfaced, meaning her mission has failed. Forced to return to Yu Mingjiao's side, Cen Lingqiu unexpectedly dies again. When she returns for the third time, she finds that the once melancholic and quiet female lead has turned into a complete lunatic—suffering from hallucinations and delusions, with an intense obsession with her. In a neurotic tone, Yu Mingjiao whispers: “Lingqiu, if you leave me again, I’ll die.” Cen Lingqiu: “...” [Please note: The cover is AI-generated and does not depict elements from the story] [This novel is translated, 5 chapters / day, CT: 深又]

Yue Ning, after reading a novel was furious with the way the novel ended. After typing a long negative review, she went to bed. She did not expect to get transmigrated into the same novel, and that too, with a system. System: Save the second male lead! Yue Ning: You do not need to tell me before knowing what I have to do. But there's a catch, if she saves him, she can return to her world, but consequences await her if she doesn't. Yue Ning: You did not tell me this, now I have fallen in love with him, I don't want to leave him. System: Host, you have to read more novels to unlock skills. Yue Ning: Novels? Bring them on, I have to save this eye candy. A certain eye candy looked at his wife who was always reading novels, and he sighed in defeat. Eye candy: Wifey, when will you have time for your hubby? Yue Ning: One more novel would'nt hurt, right? Note: This is an original story created by me. Have any questions, hit me up on Discord Thank you for reading ~~

She read the novel just to find the 'white lotus' female lead was up to, seducing guys her left and right. Then the next day, "Where am I? What am I doing with the second male lead's mother? Forget it .Since I am here, I will do everything for the male and female lead to be together, even seduce the second male lead. She began to act clingy. But isn’t the second male a ball of sunshine, where did the black belly come from? "You kissed the female lead. I hate you. Let go of me" The milky voice cried out. "Cruel little thing, you want to run away after eating. Itching to get punished? " The baritone voice sneered as his hands roamed all over her body. Ruanruan wanted to cry without tears. This wasn’t supposed to happen. (The cover doesn't belong to me. My friend helped me with it.)

In ancient heavenly realm, the thirteen Olympians are the major deities of the heavenly realm, commonly considered to be Azazel, Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Hermes, and either Hestia or Dionysus. However, each of the gods chosen here represents an incomparable impact on a particular and essential sphere of human life. It is these fundamental associations which place Azazel, Zeus, Hera, Apollo, Artemis, Demeter, and Dionysus above all others. Those gods is the creator and ruler of the universe and source of all moral authority. Always been worship by mankind. Azazel the god of chaos, was being awaking from his slumber because of the constant disturb from the call of the consciousness of the world called The End, because of the newly born natural gods causing destruction around the small world.

Vailsaur, wakes up in the middle of the jungle, without any important information and prior knowledge, how he got there. Here, he starts his journey towards this new world and goes on to several adventures, Cultivates Immortality, makes friends and flirt with a lot of girls in between and do the deeds and make a name for himself. First thought comes his mind when he somehow understands his situation is that..........what type of world is he in.......cultivation world or game world....... Just he thought that what he should do from here, there is a 'Ding' sound came in his mind that jolted him.. After he came to know that there is an Anomaly present in his Daintain that could literally destroy this Plane and World only with its pressure. With System comes a Cosmic entity that tags along with Vail as he goes on to different Adventures. More Tags: #Dual Cultivation, #Mature, # Milfs, #Sexual Content, #Ecchi, #Face Slapping, #Guilds, #Sects, #Empires, #Older Love Interests, #Younger Love Interests,

I was doing fine but now I'm in a book!? and the male lead wants to kill me!? Lee Minho was doing a great job at hacking, inside a famous institution. But being impatient as he is, he started reading the last chapter of his favourite novel. Which turned out to be a super bad ending... Due to his anger issues he couldn't keep the rage inside him and made an error leading him to enter that very favourite novel of his. But he is cross dressing as the villainess!? also the male lead's wife who the male lead tries to assasinate!? He needs to prepare himself to survive each and every attack and find out the real villain behind the curtain but what if all he is seeing is nothing but just a lie... A lie that leads to a mistake that he created with his own hands.. Cover generated from ai

A reverse harem love story where the author, Maru Akari, finds herself trapped inside the WebNovel story she has written. ****** Who wouldn't want to be a storybook character if it means being his? ****** "Oh, don't you know how delectable you are my love? Have you never been had before?" ~ Paris Leblanc, a seductive artist who may be so much more than he seems. ****** "How sweet, if not for the fact that she is struggling from your grasp." ~ Daisuke Kane, a cruel mafia boss on the outside but a perfect gentleman to the love of his life. ****** “If you want the world to exist, you must continue living. You have that burden now.” ~ Rin Saito, a deadly assassin who doesn’t understand human emotions such as love.

Shen Qingyue once believed that she was the luckiest person alive. During her school days, she had a childhood sweetheart to protect her. Later, it was love at first sight with her boyfriend, and they entered the sacred realm of marriage. She was blissfully happy for the three years of their marriage. She thought this was how life would always be. But then, an accident landed her in the emergency room, where she barely clung to life. It was then that she discovered that everything had been a conspiracy. Her marriage was nothing more than a bet! On her deathbed, she learned that her husband had a secret lover. While Shen Qingyue fought for her life in the operating room, he was dining by candlelight with another woman. The last person she saw before her death was Chi Ming, the man who had been protecting her from the shadows all these years. After she was reborn, she pretended to discover her husband's bet with his friends by accident. Her heart was dead anyway, so divorce was inevitable. With Chi Ming, it was a natural fit. However, she did not expect her ex-husband to regret his actions. He had already lost his heart in this bet, even though he was unwilling to admit it or let go of his past lover. It was the same in her previous life. When her ex-husband realized his mistake and scoured the world for her, he found her already married to someone else and carrying another man's child. In their previous life, he only had her grave for company, and he was filled with guilt for the rest of his life. In this life, he watched her get involved and be in love with someone else, and he could do nothing but regret for eternity.

SYNOPSIS Rachel sees her once-perfect life crumble, only to discover hidden truths and a chance to rewrite her fate. In this tale of rebirth and revenge, Rachel seizes the opportunity to protect her loved ones and claim a life free from Derek's manipulations. MORE DETAILS ARE IN BETWEEN THE CHAPTERS, PS: READ EVERYTHING.

#harem #yandere #girllove #sliceoflife Trinity Solaris was once a young girl born in a fantasy novel. With the protagonist being Adrian Fury. Trinity was destined to be the cannon fodder villainous. So when the Fury family came to propose marriage to Trinity's parents. Her parents let her decide and she said. "Hell no in this world I'm 100% Yuri all the way. I will have an army of wives." So her parents declined the proposal. Well saying no to the protagonist has its consequences. So one night Trinity's parents were killed and with the help of a friend she survived. Trinity Solaris is now the CEO of the shield group and so much more. Trinity has returned to Everose to steal what belongs to all protagonists his harem. She will bend them to Yuri and pick up a daughter along the way. Join her in her adventure. Advanced chapters available on my patreon join my growing community today. www.patreon.com/everstone

She died...virgin. [WARNING: EXPLICIT, MATURE CONTENT 18+] Cause of Death: Her overactive imagination and poor lifestyle. Binge-watched porn, dramas, and anime. Excessive indulgence in books, manga, Webtoon, WebComics, and Webnovels. Too much laziness and lack of sleep. Dehydration and an unreasonable amount of junk food. She never felt belonged in that world. Out of a sudden, she found herself alive in another person's body. So then she started leaping from one world to another, fulfilling the wishes of her new roles. Whether it would be salvation or retribution, she couldn't care less. Well, as long as it is interesting, why not try? *** World After Worlds CONTENTS 1st World: Brightest Star 2nd World: Hara (queen) 3rd World: Miss Officer 4th World: Azkin's Curse 5th World: Honey Trap *** Ran: "Please note that this book has not undergone editing and proofreading. This may contain errors in grammar, spelling, or punctuation. Reader discretion is advised. Kindly keep in mind that this content has not been reviewed or revised to meet the author's usual standards. If you are sensitive to such material or find it difficult to read, I suggest waiting until the edited version is released. Unfortunately, I do not have an exact date for the release of the edited version at this time." *** This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. 2021, Ran Barbasa. Image not owned. From Pinterest. (This is my first English novel. English is my second language. Please go easy on me!)