Shadowing Practice: This Is How I Turned My Boyish BFF Into A Princess - Learn English Speaking with Video
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My heart soared with joy as I stepped on stage for my latest local fashion show.
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The crowd whistled and erupted with applause, which just made it sweeter.
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Stop, stop, I'm blushing.
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Anyway, welcome to the showcase of my spring collection.
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I'm available for interviews, autographs, and compliments afterwards.
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I love you all!
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I blew a kiss to the audience as the lights dimmed and I walked off the runway.
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Hi, I'm Sonia from Spain, and I'm a fashion designer who met success at only 15 years old.
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I'm not a billionaire yet, but people tell me I'm well on my way.
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Sorry, not to brag, but before I continue, please like and subscribe.
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After the show, I was getting ready to go home when a man approached me and my parents with a crazy opportunity.
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He was a recruiter for a fancy fashion school in New York City.
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He said only the most gifted students attended, and that it would help me take my career to the next level.
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Except, my parents were reluctant to send me so far away.
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Sure, they could afford to, since we were ridiculously wealthy.
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But they said I was too young and inexperienced to be out on my own in an unknown place.
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I wasn't even used to cleaning my own room, since our maids always did it.
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But I begged and pleaded until I finally convinced them.
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And just like that, I was off to New York for a new chapter of my life.
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On my first day of school, I was looking at my new schedule when a guy walked over with stars in his eyes.
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Can I take a selfie with you?
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I follow European designers and found you on Instagram, and I've been a huge fan of yours ever since.
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Wow, that's so sweet.
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You have good taste, cutie.
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The guy leaned in for a selfie and our cheeks touched, which felt very nice.
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He winked at me before he left.
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Whoa, he was totally flirting with you.
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His name's Ryder.
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I thought he was gonna ask you out right on the spot.
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Are you guys kidding?
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Ryder probably isn't gonna date anyone ever again.
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Last year, he dated a girl at school who turned out to be a psycho criminal.
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She broke into his house one night and robbed it.
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And when he broke up with her, she tried to set his bedroom on fire.
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Even though she's in jail now, she's gonna come back to the school at some point.
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Hopefully, Ryder gets a restraining order.
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Geez, poor Ryder.
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If that was me, I'd be living in fear 24-7.
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A couple of weeks later, I was walking to the subway for a doctor's appointment.
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When I saw Ryder, suddenly, we heard a crazy announcement through the speakers.
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There was gonna be a hurricane, which meant they'd have to close down the station because it was too dangerous to go outside.
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We'd have to sleep here tonight.
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Wow, I guess that means you and I are gonna camp out here together.
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Yep, I guess you're stuck here with me then.
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So, in a way, I guess I'm happy there's a hurricane?
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Is that an awful thing to say?
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I laughed, and Ryder began to tell me how I was the one who inspired him to go into fashion design.
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He'd even printed out a photo of me from Instagram to hang as a poster in his room.
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I hope that's not creepy or anything.
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I'll let you off the hook, cause I'm semi-famous.
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And you're probably not the only guy who's smitten with me.
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But there was one thing I was especially curious about.
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What had happened with Ryder's criminal ex-girlfriend?
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Ugh, that chick is in jail now, thank God.
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She basically worked at her school as a teen model for runway shows.
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Too bad she was such a psycho, cause she was insanely beautiful.
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But I think you're prettier.
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Ryder stared at me, and his cheeks turned bright pink.
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I was dying for a boyfriend, and Ryder deserved someone sweet and pretty who wasn't gonna set his room on fire.
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So on an impulse, I decided to kiss him.
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After the station opened the next morning, Ryder asked me out, and just like that, we were an official couple.
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Things went well for a couple of weeks, until one day, Ryder gave me some disturbing news.
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Sonia, we're in danger.
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My ex-girlfriend Jane got out of jail and she's coming back to school.
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She's gonna come after us.
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I just know it.
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Oh man, I forgot those girls had told me Ryder's ex was coming back to school.
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Was I risking my life by dating this guy?
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Maybe I should just break up with him.
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But Ryder was panicking and hyperventilating like a baby.
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Dumping his butt right now would probably make me a jerk.
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When Jane returned the following week, all eyes turned to her.
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Ryder was right.
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Jane was extremely beautiful, but she also wore tattered black clothes
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and had a crazy look in her eyes that freaked me out.
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I was sure Jane knew who I was, since Ryder and I were the school's hottest couple.
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Well, as long as I avoided her and didn't get all lovey-dovey with Ryder in public, I should be safe, right?
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But one day after class, something horrible happened.
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The teacher called me over to tell me Jane was struggling with schoolwork and I had to help her out.
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I was assigned as her tutor for the whole semester.
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Sure, you have to tell the teacher to ask for someone else.
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I don't want my ex giving you any trouble.
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But we didn't have a choice.
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Jane and I sat in the library together after school, and I was positive she was giving me death glares.
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So, rumor has it you're an Instagram famous designer who's dating my ex-boyfriend.
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Okay.
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Yeah, it's true.
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We're an item.
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If you want to punch me in the face, I get it.
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But can you avoid my nose?
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Because it's my best feature.
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I never said I'd punch you, geez.
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I just feel bad for you.
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Ryder's a loser, and you're way out of his league.
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As the semester went on, I continued tutoring Jane, and we actually became friends.
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She never told me the details of what happened between her and Ryder, and I tried not to rub my relationship with him in her face.
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I thought Jane was cool.
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She also had some crazy stories to share from when she was in prison, but my boyfriend was not pleased with our relationship.
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You're supposed to tutor her, not become her new sidekick.
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Jane is not a girl that can be trusted.
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One day, she's gonna put you in danger.
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Don't be a drama king.
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I know she's done some messed up stuff, but she seems super chill now.
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Then one night, things took quite a turn.
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I was getting ready for bed when Jane came into my dorm, begging me to come with her downstairs and outside.
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I have to show you something important.
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She led me to a mysterious car, which was unlocked, and then she hopped into it.
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I thought this was weird, but I was kind of in the mood for a midnight adventure.
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So, what is it that you want to show me?
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We're going on a little road trip, Sonia.
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You're in for a surprise.
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At that second, I noticed we were heading down a sketchy, secluded road.
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Suddenly, I had a bad feeling.
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Oh my god, you're totally kidnapping me, aren't you?
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That is so rude and illegal!
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I opened the door and started to run.
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I was such a moron for trusting a girl with a criminal record.
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But moments later, Jane caught up to me.
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Sonia, where are you going?
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I wasn't kidnapping you.
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I wanted to surprise you and take you somewhere special and romantic.
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The truth is, I really like you.
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Wait, you have a crush on me?
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And you had to whisk me away in the middle of the night to tell me this?
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Anyway, you are super pretty, but I have a boyfriend, man.
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Sonia, Ryder's a pathetic loser.
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The summer we dated, my mom and I got kicked out of our apartment
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and we were living on the streets so I asked if I could stay with him for a couple of nights.
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But he said no, and that he'd never be caught dead associating with a dirty homeless girl.
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Yeah, I robbed his place because I was mad.
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But it was also because we were desperate for money.
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And yeah, I set his room on fire too.
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I was really upset.
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I was speechless as Jane told me all of this.
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All of this was a shock to hear.
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Jane took my hand right then, and my heart raced.
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Everything was happening way too fast.
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I needed to be alone, back at my dorm, now.
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Jane drove us back, but I could tell she was upset.
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In fact, the next day, she didn't speak to me at all and even canceled our tutoring session.
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So Ryder said he'd take me out to a movie instead.
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But after what had happened last night, I just wasn't in the mood to go on a date.
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Sonia, what's up with you?
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Is there anything I need to know about?
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I told Ryder everything, and when I was done, his face was purple with rage.
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Just then, Jane walked by, and he lost it.
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You've done a lot of messed up things, but kidnapping my girlfriend and trying to manipulate her?
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You're playing a very dangerous game.
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I'm just trying to prevent her from falling for such an awful, disgusting human.
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And don't stand so close to me.
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Jane pushed Ryder backwards and he was about to lunge back at her when a teacher separated them.
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They were both sent to the principal's office, but Jane begged to go to the bathroom first.
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And when the teacher gave in, she asked me if we could talk.
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Why would you even want to keep dating Ryder after what I told you?
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Doesn't it make you angry how he treated me?
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I had no idea how to answer.
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God, why did I have to be in the middle of this?
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Well, maybe it was because Jane had feelings for me.
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She was already trying to hold my hand again and stare into my eyes.
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And as lovely as she was, this was all getting to be too much.
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I told Jane I needed some time to think about it.
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You know what?
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Forget it, Sonia.
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Keep dating this heartless jerk who left my mom and I to starve.
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It's not like you'll ever know what that's like.
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You're just a spoiled brat who lives in her own world.
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Yeah, I said it, witch.
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People like you and Ryder have never suffered a day in their rich, cushy lives.
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That is so not true!
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My life can be stressful, I'm always getting Instagram notifications, everyone's obsessed with me, so I can never get any peace and quiet.
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Also, there's never any excuse for robbing houses or setting bedrooms on fire, no matter what.
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Ryder was smart to dump you, and just like that, I chose Ryder over Jane.
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Who did she think she was blaming the world for her problems?
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Luckily, she ended up transferring the next year, and Ryder and I stayed together.
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By the time we graduated, I'd reached international fame for my designs, just as I dreamed.
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I even bought a fancy apartment for Ryder and I to live in after high school.
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One night, we'd invited my parents over for dinner, but as I was cooking, I started feeling dizzy and suddenly blacked out.
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When I opened my eyes, I was in the hospital with Ryder, my parents, and a nurse.
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You had a serious accident, miss.
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We're gonna run some tests and figure out what's wrong.
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Then an hour later, the doctors hit me with scary news.
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I had a medical condition that would leave me feeling weak all of the time.
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For the next several weeks, I wasn't able to do anything.
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I was literally too weak to leave my bed, which meant Ryder cooked and cleaned and stayed by my side every minute.
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I felt bad, but I didn't know what to do.
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Then one day, things really got out of hand.
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Ryder got a huge work opportunity in Paris, but on the night he was supposed to leave, they had a health emergency and had to be rushed to the hospital.
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Babe, it's okay.
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You can still leave for Paris.
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I'll manage.
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No, it's fine.
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Leaving you would make me look like the world's biggest jerk.
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But after that, I felt my boyfriend growing really resentful, and one night, he totally lost it.
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You've become a complete burden.
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Do you know how exhausted I am, fetching your medicine and cooking for you?
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And I turned down the biggest opportunity of a lifetime.
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I I could have become 10 times richer and more successful than you.
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I think you're exaggerating this illness.
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You've just become a lazy freeloader.
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Ryder, that's not true.
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I really miss working.
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What if I hire a nurse so you can get back to your life?
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Except later that day, I discovered I couldn't hire a nurse because my bank account was empty.
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How was that possible?
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I've made millions of dollars from my designs.
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How could it all be gone?
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Unless...
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Hey, so, funny story.
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I don't have any money in my account, even though I'm a millionaire.
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You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?
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Oh, yeah, I meant to tell you.
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I used your credit card to buy a beach house upstate.
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Just for myself, though.
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You've become pretty depressing to be around.
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You spent all my money on some beach house?
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It's our money.
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We have a shared account.
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It's still money that I earned.
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And you know my condition's been hard on everybody, but it's not my fault.
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I can't believe you.
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That week, I filed a report against Ryder to get my money back.
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I couldn't believe how selfish and insensitive he'd become.
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This was not the guy I fell in love with.
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So I made him move out of my place and blocked his number.
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I already felt better with that jerk out of my life.
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Over time, my health improved and I had more energy.
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I was working out in the park when suddenly someone came up to me.
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Holy crud, it was Jane.
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Sonia, is that you?
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Whoa, long time no see.
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Um, how are you?
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I've been good.
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And I heard you're doing well too.
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And that you and Ryder moved in together after high school.
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Yeah, we did.
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Um, but we broke up a month ago.
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I don't know why, but I started pouring my heart out to Jane about everything that happened.
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I guess I finally saw that selfish side of Ryder you told me about.
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I'm sorry I wasn't more sympathetic to your situation in high school.
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But what can I say?
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I was a spoiled brat living in my own world.
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Jane just laughed and rolled her eyes at me.
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I found out that she'd gotten into medical school and hadn't robbed anyone or been to jail in years.
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Good for her, right?
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It's so good to see you again, girl.
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It's good to see you too.
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We have a lot to catch up on.
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Why Practice Speaking with This Video?
This video is a goldmine for english speaking practice because it blends casual conversation with personal storytelling—perfect for learning how to communicate naturally. The dialogue flows like real life, with playful banter, emotional moments, and everyday situations (like meeting a fan or getting stuck in a hurricane). Practicing with it helps you master tone, pacing, and how to express excitement, empathy, or humor. Plus, the mix of formal (fashion show remarks) and informal (chatting with a classmate) speech gives you versatile skills. Try shadow speak—repeat lines right after the speaker—to mimic their rhythm and confidence!
Grammar & Expressions in Context
Let’s break down 3 key phrases to boost your fluency:
- "I was getting ready to go home when a man approached...": The past continuous + "when" structure is great for describing interrupted actions. Use it to tell stories: "I was cooking dinner when the phone rang."
- "He said only the most gifted students attended...": "Only the most + adjective" emphasizes exclusivity. Practice with: "Only the most dedicated learners master shadowspeaks."
- "I'll let you off the hook, cause I'm semi-famous": "Let someone off the hook" means to forgive a small mistake. It’s a fun, conversational phrase: "I forgot your birthday, but you can let me off the hook if I bake you a cake."
Common Pronunciation Traps
Watch out for these tricky words to improve english pronunciation:
- "Billionaire": Don’t rush the "li" sound—say "bil-yun-air," not "bil-yun-er."
- "Reluctant": The stress is on the second syllable: "re-LUC-tant," not "RE-luc-tant."
- "Hurricane": Make sure the "cane" part is clear—"hur-ri-CANE," not "hur-ri-kin."
Use shadow speech to copy the speaker’s Spanish accent influence (like the soft "th" in "the" or elongated vowels) for a more natural flow. You’ll sound confident in no time!
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've been · You've done · have never suffered |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | was assigned · can be trusted · was unlocked |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | one who inspired · car, which was |
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.