TVCH FORUMS HOME . JOIN . FAN CLUBS . DONATE . CONTACT . CHAT  
 Wikia  Quick Links   TOPICS . TREE-VIEW . SEARCH . HELP! . NEWS . PROFILE
Archive through June 20, 2006

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: 2006 Jun. ~ 2006 Dec.: Free Expressions (ARCHIVES): Writer's Corner: Short Stories: Archive through June 20, 2006 users admin

Author Message
Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 2:17 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Escapee a private message Print Post    
Ok, I am starting a short stories thread for all of you closet writers (or out of the closet writers)


Here goes.

Sweet 17 (working title)

In August, the air is heavy. It sits on your shoulders and I swear if you stood on a scale in August, you would weigh ten pounds more because of it. When the air is that heavy, the clouds that seem to give you a break from the blaring sun, sit flat bottomed on the horizon, like they are waiting in line for the sun to go down; to punch their clock for quitting time. In the evening when things get quiet, the smell of the rice ready to harvest in the fields intensifies. Most people don’t even realize that rice has a smell, but it does. It smells sweet and sugary and it fills your senses until it makes you almost nauseated.
During this time of year, when innocent summer fun is coming to a close, and preparations for school, harvest, and the holidays grow close, summer hangs on with every it has. It sends in it’s most intense wave like a last kiss, so fiery, you don’t forget about it when it’s gone. Perspiration is inevitable. Hairstyles, makeup, and the latest fashions are no match for the end of Summer heat. There is no point in even trying. For a girl, your best bet is to pull on your cut offs over your bikini, cover that up top with a tank top, and have your flip flops handy. You never know when someone is going to say ‘let’s hit the swimming hole and cool off before the party.’
The summer before I turned 18, every night was like a Saturday night. My junior year had ended and come September I was going to be a senior. I was so close to the finish line, so close to freedom, the thought of it made my heart beat ten extra times a second. I had spent most of that summer working in a pet store with no air conditioning. My daily routine went from holding up the counter and gabbing to my friends on the phone about what party was happening that night, to going next door to the A&P for ice cold Coke and Marlboro Lights for my smoke break. I made just enough in my pet store career to cover that expense along with gas for my pickup truck. I miss that pick up truck. It was so custom, so fitting for my personality. It was complete with tool box, diamond plate of course, big tires, shiny wheels, a dent and scratch or two for character (from off road excursions) and “in your wildest dreams” painted right on the side. It legally sat two people, but I could fit five if need be, all the while blasting the latest country single on the charts. My truck either had to be pristine clean, or top to bottom mud, no happy medium would do.
Nightly parties, where we would drink too much, be too social, and just barely escape the local law enforcement, usually went on out near the bypass, right on the levee,. There, the mosquitos are drawn to the heat of the bon fire, so the smell of bug spray and beer seeping through your pours gives off a scent they should bottle, like redneck perfume. Yet, every so often we were lucky enough to be at someone’s house where their parents were gone for the weekend and we could really tear the place up. There were even a couple of friends who’s parents were so filthy rich and above the law, they would host the parties, tend bar for us, then let us all pass out on the living room floor. That didn’t happen very often. In fact, I think it only happened about two times.
This is the time in your life before children, if your lucky, before mortgages, responsibilities, careers, college, and growing up that they tell you will be the “best time you’ll ever have”. Who knew it would be the time when you would learn the most……


To be continued (if there is any interest)

Gidget
Member

07-28-2002

Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 3:34 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Gidget a private message Print Post    
This is wonderful Escapee. For sure I would like to hear more.

Skootz
Member

07-23-2003

Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 3:59 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Skootz a private message Print Post    
Great job Escapee...waiting for the rest now...interest here forsure.

Rosie
Member

11-12-2003

Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 4:00 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Rosie a private message Print Post    
And then, and then?

Skootz
Member

07-23-2003

Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 4:08 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Skootz a private message Print Post    
Ok..this is too much..I read the first segment of your story Escapee....as I am reading, I am thinking of being young, single and free again and then I finish reading it, go check my email and I get the following sent to me...I just have to share it now lol

25 SIGNS YOU HAVE GROWN UP


1. Your houseplants are alive, and you can't smoke any them.

2. Having sex in a twin bed is out of the question.

3. You keep more food than beer in the fridge.

4. 6:00 a.m. is when you get up, not when you go to bed.

5. You hear your favorite song in an elevator.

6. You watch the Weather Channel.

7. Your friends marry and divorce instead of "hook up" and"break up."

8. You go from 130 days of vacation time to 14.

9. Jeans and a sweater no longer qualify as "dressed up."

10. You're the one calling the police because those %&@# kids next door won't turn down the stereo.

11. Older relatives feel comfortable telling sex jokes around you.

12. You don't know what time Taco Bell closes anymore.

13. Your car insurance goes down and your car payments go up.

14. You feed your dog Science Diet instead of McDonald's leftovers.

15. Sleeping on the couch makes your back hurt.

16. You take naps.

17. Dinner and a movie is the whole date instead of the beginning of one.

18. Eating a basket of chicken wings at 3 AM would severely upset, rather than settle, your stomach.

19. You go to the drug store for ibuprofen and antacid, not condoms and pregnancy tests.

20. A $4.00 bottle of wine is no longer "pretty good shit."

21. You actually eat breakfast food at breakfast time.

22.. "I just can't drink the way I used to" replaces "I'm never going to drink that much again."

23. 90% of the time you spend in front of a computer is for real work.

24. You drink at home to save money before going to a bar.

25. When you find out your friend is pregnant you congratulate them instead of asking "Oh shit what the hell happened?"

Bonus:

26: You read this entire list looking desperately for one sign that doesn't apply to you and can't find one to save your sorry old ass. Then you forward it to a bunch of old friends cause you know they'll enjoy it & do the same

Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 9:26 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Escapee a private message Print Post    
Today's installment:

continued

...Now, this was a time when cell phones weren’t carried by kindergarteners. This was when cell phones weighed ten pounds and could kill someone if need be. There were no service plans, so one bill could be more than your house payment if you weren’t careful. Yet, I had one for emergency purposes. That summer, my mom had loosened up my curfew by two hours. I had to walk into the house by 1:59:59 am, or my curfew would drop back to midnight and I wouldn’t be able to go out with my friends the next night. She was in her own way trying to teach me responsibility. I had to call her and tell her where I was, who I was with and what my plans were. As long as I kept her informed, I wouldn’t get in trouble. The biggest rule was to NOT DRINK AND DRIVE. I abided by this, too. If I had one sip, I called her up, and she would come and pick me up and whoever else needed a ride. She would, more often than not, let my friends’ camp out on our pull out couch so they wouldn’t drive, then she would take them to their vehicles the next morning. How many lives do you think she saved by being the “cool mom”?
Most of my teenage years, my “friends” consisted of me and a group of guys. Not that I didn’t have girlfriends, I had several, but most all of them were tied down to those oh so serious pre-adult relationships. We’ve all had them. Those that were so dramatic, based on a movie scene, yet so intense and innocent with the first pangs in your heart of real love. Remember how hard it was? The fear of rejection, the excitement of that first heart beat skipped when you gave in wholly to a feeling. Then, trying to separate yourself from your heart as a child and your heart as an adult almost gives you a heavy feeling in your chest and uneasy feeling in your stomach, but it feels so right.
The group I ran with were a bunch of “good ol’ boys”. You know the kind: good looking, tough exterior, fun loving, fearless, scared little boys on the inside. You gotta love em. I was considered one of them, one of the boys, and I got to the point where I preferred it that way. They say the best relationships start as friends. That may be true, but once that relationship dies or fizzles out, it’s hard to be buddies again. I loved having them as buddies. I learned early on that it isn’t worth risking a friendship over. I did give in a couple of times, but I learned my lesson. It’s a difficult situation, testing the water between two friends and, as a woman does, holding on to that hope that a great relationship can start as friends. Why do women each have to learn from our own experiences that at that age, guys don't want more from you. They aren't interested in anything serious, and I swear that they have a secret quota to meet before they hit 21 years old. Well, que sera, sera. I had to learn that intense instances of pleasure don’t equal a relationship. Even though we are told that by our wiser older mothers, sister, etc. we still have to experience it on our own. It was difficult because you wouldn’t believe what a cute butt and a nice truck can do to a girl of 17. But, in the end, the awkwardness that comes after the thrill of a two minute romp just isn’t worth the time it takes to get back to that “buddy” phase where you can joke about the illicit affair that happened across the bench seat of an old Chevy.


Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Thursday, June 15, 2006 - 9:08 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Escapee a private message Print Post    
(is interest gone?)

Today's installment:
Earlier in the year, I had met a girl named Molly. We didn’t attend the same school and had met at a party. She had an amazing Mustang convertible. It was cherry red with black leather interior, which was hot in the summer, but worth it when you took the top off. She had worked hard for that car. She was one of those people who worked every minute she wasn’t playing. She had saved every penny she had ever made to buy her precious car, and she knew it was hot and she knew she was hot, and she used that to her advantage with the guys.
We were the only two at the party where I met her that weren’t drinking. We got to talking about people we knew, things we like and she offered to give me a ride in her car. I couldn’t refuse that, but during our trip, she pressed me for information about every male in attendance. I quickly realized why she had invited me. The kind of girl that is only interested in cheap rendezvous' usually bugs me, (because once or twice that had been me) but she was funny and outgoing, and we shared a lot of the same character traits, so we got along well anyway. We had spent a lot of time together, talking about things I couldn’t talk about with my group of buddies. She satiated my need for female bonding. And, of course, cruising in her car, top down, music up, bikinis, cigarettes, sunglasses, and sunburns because of it.
Molly was one of those girls who lit up a room. She was built very small and thin, and she made me look like a lumberjack standing next to her, even though I was built thin as well. She was very delicate in appearance, but her bubbly and vivacious personality made up the difference.
She was perfectly tanned, with beautiful golden hair that had been kissed subtly by the sun, setting off platinum shades in each soft wave. She was always perfectly coifed. There was never a wrinkle in her ensemble or a hair out of place. She was easy to hate if you didn’t know her, and many girls did.


Cindori
Member

07-25-2003

Thursday, June 15, 2006 - 9:40 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Cindori a private message Print Post    
I'm enjoying it, Escapee.

Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Thursday, June 15, 2006 - 11:23 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Escapee a private message Print Post    
Cindori, You just made my day!

Shashakaye
Member

05-19-2003

Thursday, June 15, 2006 - 12:18 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Shashakaye a private message Print Post    
This is great, Escapee. Keep it coming.

Cindori
Member

07-25-2003

Thursday, June 15, 2006 - 12:57 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Cindori a private message Print Post    
Glad I could help, Escapee. I second Shashakaye's "Keep it coming."

Babyruth
Member

07-19-2001

Thursday, June 15, 2006 - 4:58 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Babyruth a private message Print Post    
I'm enjoying it, too, Escapee!

Skootz
Member

07-23-2003

Thursday, June 15, 2006 - 5:56 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Skootz a private message Print Post    
I cannot believe that it is after 11pm and I just realized..holy crap...I have to check for the next part of the story. Keep it coming!

Herckleperckle
Member

11-20-2003

Thursday, June 15, 2006 - 7:09 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Herckleperckle a private message Print Post    
Escapee, I just stopped in tonight for the first time. I am enjoying it tremendously--really love some of the metaphors you've created. You are a very good writer! Autobiographical, I take it?

Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Friday, June 16, 2006 - 5:27 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Escapee a private message Print Post    
It's basis is real, but the story, not really. Some of the aspects of it are right on, but others are purely artistic license.

Gidget
Member

07-28-2002

Friday, June 16, 2006 - 8:18 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Gidget a private message Print Post    
i dont always get a chance to log on and applaude but be sure this will be one of my first stops when i do to catch up on the adventures of escapee. i like it. and i hope others will jump in and contribute too. it's cool seeing all the talent here.

Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Friday, June 16, 2006 - 8:45 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Escapee a private message Print Post    
Continued
Early on a Friday morning, my phone rang. “Hey,” it was Molly, “what time do you work today?”
“Ten to six and I get a 30 minute lunch, why?” I said back sleepily
“Because, there is a party tonight at Jeremy’s house and he wants you to bartend.”
“Oh…ok, pick me up at 7:30, so I can get a shower and stuff first. I am off tomorrow, too” I said back, checking the alarm clock on my nightstand, which was shining 8:29 a.m. Great timing, Molly. That extra minute of sleep would have helped, I am sure.
I hit it as it began to screech its wakeup call. Molly said she’d give me a call later and we’d coordinate. I dug myself out of bed, and stumbled down the hall into the bathroom to get ready for work. I felt sticky from the heat and a cool shower was just the thing to wake me up.
Jeremy was a friend of Molly’s from the school she went to, although he ran with a lot of the same people we did, so our cliques meshed well together. He was a year older than us and his parents had a really great house with a completely finished basement. They used it for a game room; it had a pool table, several comfy chairs and a fully stocked bar in the corner. My favorite thing was to pull the keg behind the bar, pour drinks for everyone, and mix up some concoctions from their liquor stock pile and act like a real bartender. In doing this, I got to be social with everyone, and I didn’t have to drink. I got pretty good at it too, and at a time had even considered it as a career choice, if not only to give my mother a heart attack.
The most exciting part of the whole evening, in my opinion, was going to be spending time with Jeremy. Since he wasn’t a part of my immediate group of guy friends, he was fair game. He was taller than me, which is a feat all in itself, and kind of quiet, but in a sensual way. He had a very muscular build, light colored hair, and beautiful, crisp, and mesmerizing blue eyes. I was so deep in “like” with him, my heart fluttered and I blushed when I was around him, something completely unlike me to do. I had such a tough exterior, and that just made it more obvious. So, you can imagine how hard it was to keep my elation under wraps when Molly said he wanted me there. Great, now I had to think about what I was going to wear.
Work went by that day like molasses in January. Business was so slow it took all I had to stay awake. The slow flow of customers arranged from browsers to those stocking up on their pet chow while they went out of town for the last weekends before school was back in session. It was a good thing I was an hourly employee and not working on commission. People tend to care of their fish more in the winter than the summer, and fish sales had hit an all time low. I think it had something to do with being indoors more in the winter. When my lunch break rolled around, I went on about my normal routine. I went next door to the A&P and grabbed a coke and a book of matches to light up a smoke for that afternoon buzz I needed to keep me going. It was so humid it was hard to breathe and the sky was thickly overcast. The threat of a summer storm was on the horizon, I could smell it in the air.
I had parked my pickup behind the building and popped the tailgate to spend the rest of my break thinking about the night ahead. I really needed to quit smoking, I knew it, but each drag felt like velvet on my senses. So ashen and savory and only made more intense by each sweet drink of my caffeine fix. When I drew in my last drag, I blew it out my nose, sucked down the last of my coke while grounding out the butt on the asphalt. Back to work.
The afternoon was slower passing than the morning, and as soon as the clock struck six, I punched out, ripped off my apron, and headed out the door. My excitement about the night ahead was growing rapidly, and it reflected on my speedometer. The sky was still threatening rain, but the heat was holding out. Shortly after I pulled into my driveway, Molly pulled in behind me. She had gotten off of work at five, and had timed it perfectly for when I was going to be home. She was wearing a tight pink sundress with strappy tan sandals and painted pink toenails. As always, she looked beautiful, and anything I was planning on wearing was going to look frumpy next to her. I cursed my genetics and got in the shower while Molly waited for me in my room. When I got out I draped myself in a robe, and trodded off to my room, towel in hair. Molly was sitting on my bed next to an outfit she had laid out for me. “You should wear this.” She said proudly.
She had picked out a tight black halter style top, blue jeans that would accentuate my “ass”ets, and my black boots. She had even pulled out a black strapless bra and black panties to go with it. I shook my head and laughed. If we weren’t opposites already, this outfit was going to make it so. “What about socks?” I asked her and she laughed while informing me that I could pick out my own socks as long as they matched.
I got dressed and proceeded to fix my hair. I ran the blow dryer and a brush through it until it was dry, then styled it in loose curls all over my head. I took care with my makeup, making sure it was perfect, right down to the shimmery shadow and pinkish lip gloss. Standing back from the mirror, I gave myself a passing grade. I was confident in my appearance, for once, but so nervous about my crush.
“He’s going to drool over you, you know?” Molly said leaning against the doorway.
“Shut up,” I said back, “it’s not like that with me and him, we’re just friends.”
I was biting my bottom lip to keep from screaming and being all “girly” and gushing openly. It just wasn’t my thing. Fear of rejection I guess.
“Whatever, you know he likes you and I KNOW you like him. Otherwise you would have said ‘we’re just buddies.” She said matter-of-factly.
I was busted, but I kept my composure and continued to brush it off. She knew me so well. “What about you?” I snapped back, “Who is it that your after today?”


Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Friday, June 16, 2006 - 11:45 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Escapee a private message Print Post    
Molly smiled revealing her perfectly straight teeth and dimples. "Don't you think Andrew is hot?" she asked pensively.
Andrew was short and thin, almost to the point of skinny, but good looking. He was also 21, which made him even more attractive. Three years is a big difference when you're that young. He was a bad boy in every sense of the word and an uglier boy would have been shipped off to military school or something long ago. He had that charm that made girls swoon, even me at one time, but I got over that quick when his arrogent attitude change my mind. Andrew's thick dark hair set off his deep brown eyes. He was a good buddy of mine, even though his stubborness mixed with mine made us butt heads on more than one occasion, but always coming back to our normal status before too long.
"Well, if there is beer there tonight, you know he'll be there." I said sarcastically, "I thought you were picking me up at 7:30 anyway, how come you're here early?" I asked her remembering our earlier conversation.
Molly smiled devilishly and replied "Could you take your own truck incase Andrew and me, ya know."
I snickered and shook my head, "You're kidding right? I mean you aren't seriously thinking of rushing into things that fast?"

She looked at me confused, then disgusted. "Oh my god," she said, "when I say alone time, I don't mean sex. Good lord what do you take me for? Don't answer that. No, there will be nothing like that. Maybe a little kissing, maybe a little 'get to know ya better'. That's all."
"Yeah right," I said teasingly, "Lets go and get some food before we go."
She agreed and we took her car to carl's jr. before we went to Jeremy's. I could barely eat, though. My nerves were really on edge and I couldn't quite decipher if it was him or if it was my sixth sense kicking in telling me something was wrong. After we were finished, she took me to my truck. I went in and informed my mom where I was going, who I was going with, and I promised her I would call if I had a drink. She smiled and said "I know. Have fun and I love you."
With that I was on my way. My heart pounded so hard in my chest and the adrenaline hurt my stomach. Why did I feel like this? I never felt like this? Why was this one guy getting me all giddy?
I pulled up in front of Jeremy's house right behind Molly. It was about 9:00 p.m. and already several cars and trucks were parked outside. Jeremy lived far enough out of town that his closest neighbors were over 300 yards away, so he could have some good parties without the police being called. His house stood way back from the road and towered with it's two stories and cape cod style structure. It wasn't a huge home, but amply laid out and nicer than most of our friends.
Before I got out of my truck, I adjusted myself, checking my hair and makeup, which was not like me at all. In fact, it wasn't like me not to have on cut offs and flip flops. Molly was having that effect on me. She grabbed my arm and said "You look gorgeous, now quit fussing and lets get inside." as she drug me inside, me still fidgeting and primping.
There were about 50 people down in the basement, most all of them I knew, and as we made our way through the crowd several people were cheering because "the bartender has arrived". That gave me an ego boost all in itself, but a sinking feeling thinking that was all I was invited for. As we made our way through the crowd, my friend Jason was already behind the bar, handing out drinks and hollering "You're late" to me without even looking up.
I elbowed him to scoot over and he looked up and said "I see why you're late, you look great."
Of course this sent me into another round of blushing as he gave me a hug.
Jason was one of my best friends. There was never a romantic interlude or anything, we just always clicked as friends. I began to dole out plastic cups full of beer to those standing in waiting. "Jeremy wants you to make some margaritas." Jason said over the sound of the music pumping
I looked up and around for our host, whom I hadn't seen yet. I spotted him in the corner talking to Molly, great, god only knew what she was telling him. He spotted me at the same time and came walking over, with a smile on his face. That's when I caught myself smiling back. God, I hope it didn't look goofy. I also noticed Molly smiling. Part of me was petrified at what she might have said to him. No worries because payback is a , I thought to myself. Jeremy leaned over the bar and handed his cup to Jason to fill up. "Hey." he said smiling.
"Hey yourself." I said leaning seductively over toward him. I caught myself and cursed myself for having absolutely no self control. I hoped my face wasn't as red as it was hot. My cheeks and ears were burning. Deep breaths, deep breaths.
"You look nice tonight. You gonna fix us some of your famous margaritas?"
"Yup, point me to the Cuervo and I am all over it." I said back, regaining my composure and partly realizing I was just the bartender tonight.
"Cool. The ice is there in the mini fridge with some strawberries, the Cuervo and other stuff is in the cabinet." then he smiled slyle and said "Hey, when you get an extra minute, come find me." Then he walked away to be a good host before I could say anything.
I had forgotten Jason was standing next to me until he started laughing teasingly. "Shut up, not another word." I threatened, but I was bouncy and nervous as a puppy who has to pee.
The evening went on, pouring drinks mixing margaritas. Molly had found Andrew and was flirting with all her best stuff. My nerves had eased a lot and when I checked the clock it was after midnight. About that time, Jason nudged me to let me know that we were low to no beer left in the keg. Molly walked over and offered to take up a collection to go and get more. Thankfully so, because a party with no beer, is no party. I saw her walk over to Jeremy, then wink at me as she walked off to find Andrew to see if he wanted to help her out. I decided to take that time to clean up the cups that were laying around and pick up some of the other garbage covering the bar. I also wanted a cigarette and a little quiet break. I ventured up the back steps and out to the backyard. Jeremy's mom was an avid gardener and her backyard was beautiful enough to be a cover page of Better Homes and Gardens. The summer flowers were fragrant, and the landscape lights she had placed really set them off. She had stone benches, bird baths, and various decor that was tasteful and inviting. A lot of money had been put into this. I lit up a cigarette and walked around the yard, admiring the time and intricate design thought that had been put into it. As I was walking I could feel someone watching me. The tiny hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and gave me a chill. I turned around quickly, as if to catch someone spying and knocked heads with Jeremy who was standing too close for personal comfort. I rubbed my hand over my head and picked up the cigarette that I had dropped in the collision. "Ouch." I said squinting my eyes.
"Sorry. I was leaning down to whisper in your ear." he said laughing quietly.
"What were you going to whisper?" I asked
"I was going to ask you what you were doing out here alone."
"Just taking a break."
"You never came and found me."
I smiled at him shyly "I never got a break until now."
With that he grabbed my cigarette, took a long drag off of it and tossed it to the ground before grinding it out. "Come on." he said, and grabbed my hand and led me over to a small gazebo at the far end of the yard, somewhat hidden by the Crepe Myrtle trees. I popped a peice of gum in my mouth before we stepped inside the gazebo, as a precaution and to get rid of the ashtray breath. I could barely breath as we set down on the built in bench. "It's nice and quiet out here." he said. I knew he was making small talk, which was fine with me.
"Your mom's yard is beautiful." I commented trying not to make eye contact.
"Yeah, I do a lot of the work for her, so I am kind of attached to it. Hey, don't let me forget to pick up that butt before they get home. It wouldn't have looked cool if I would have done it right then." He was smiling and looking right in my eyes, and I laughed at him to keep from melting to the floor.
"Are you ready for school?" he asked
"Nope, but I am so glad to be a senior. How about you? College?" I asked, suprisingly interested.
"Yep. I starts in two weeks." he replied proudly.
My heart sunk, but I tried to keep that under wraps as I congratulated him. I just assumed he was going away to school, as his parents had money and he had so much potential.
"Don't be so sad." he said, sensing my slight distress, "I am not leaving town, I am going to start in junior college, so I'll be around for another couple of years."
"Oh well that's good." I replied sarcastically.
"Hey!" then he laughed out loud and said that he was really hoping he could get to know me better over the next couple of years while he was still around. I told him that could be arranged. It had seemed like only seconds had gone by as we sat and talked. Every so often he would reach over and stroke the back of my hand, or push a hair away from my face. I caught myself rambling on about Molly and Andrew, my truck, random parties, etc. I stopped myself as I noticed he was either listening intently to what I had to say or I had a booger in my nose, either way, his focus and full attention was on me, his eyes were on my eyes. I was fumbling with my story, and had completely forgotten what I was saying as I felt the first drops of warm rain on my shoulder. I looked up through the top of the lattice on the gazebo as more rain fell on my face. "We'd better get inside." I said.
I had no sooner finished that sentance when his hand was on my cheek and his other was on my waist pulling me closer to him on the bench. To this day I think I had a small stroke when his soft lips pressed against mine. My hands and feet went numb, and the dizziness and lightness I felt left me helpless. I didn't, nor couldn't resist, and I gave in wholly to his kiss. It was fiery, yet sweet and inviting. It left me breathless, to say the least, all the while the rain falling all around us. I still don't know if it was the rain thumping against the ground or my heart that was beating so loud that brought me back to my senses long enough to return his kiss. When we finally released from it, it was like waking up from a dream, very gossamer and flowy. "I could sit out here with you forever." he said softly.
"Hmmm. Oh shit, what time is it?" I asked looking at my watch. It was a quarter to two. That revelation startled me out of my dream state and I said I had to be home by two. I apologized and told him why I had to leave as I was making my way to the house. "I'll walk you out." he said, trying to keep up with me.
I barely noticed that Molly's car was still gone. Had she even returned from the beer run her and Andrew had gone on almost two hours earlier? I didn't spend to much thought on it as my only concern was getting home. I climed in my truck and realized that the window had been left down and the seat with rain as it had began to pour. Jeremy had walked up beside my truck door, closing it for me and askin gif he could call me in the morning for breakfast. I nodded in agreement and smiled at the thought. "Goodnight, Jeremy." I said flirting, and before he could answer me, I left, my big tires humming on the wet street.
My stomach was in knots, but it didn't take me too long to realize it was because I didn't know where Molly was, and not because of Jeremy.


Shashakaye
Member

05-19-2003

Monday, June 19, 2006 - 5:21 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Shashakaye a private message Print Post    
Waiting patiently for the next installment.

Cindori
Member

07-25-2003

Monday, June 19, 2006 - 5:25 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Cindori a private message Print Post    
::again seconding Shashakaye::

Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Monday, June 19, 2006 - 1:35 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Escapee a private message Print Post    
I walked through the front door with seconds to spare. Luckily, my mom hadn’t been waiting up for me, but I did wake her when I came in to let her know I was home, and on time. She then asked me groggily, “Is Molly with you?”
“No, I am not sure where she is, she wasn’t there when I left. Why?” I asked, feeling little pangs in my chest.
“Her mother called about an hour ago, saying that Molly hadn’t called to check in at midnight as she promised she would.” She replied, waking up a bit more.
“Well, she and Andrew went to the store, but I am not sure what time they left, I got sidetracked. She didn’t tell me she was leaving. They might have gone to another party, or something.” I told her, thinking all the while how unlike Molly it was not to call me, or even let me know what the plan was.
My mom could sense the worrisome tone in my voice. “Well, if she calls, have her call her mom, and don’t worry so much, you are not her keeper.” My mom said, smiling while she yawned.
With that, I headed into my room, and shoved a pile of clean laundry onto the floor. I picked up the phone and dialed Molly’s cell phone, but it went straight to her voice mail. “Ok, Molly, you’d better not be doing anything I wouldn’t do.” I said laughing, “call me when you get this and you can tell me all about where the hell you went, oh and call your mom, she’s looking for you.”
After I hung up, I pulled off my jeans, and boots, and pulled on a pair of comfy shorts and tee shirt before sliding into bed. I pushed all the worry I could out of my brain, determined to get plenty of sleep before Molly called me and woke me up at some asinine hour. Sleep didn’t come easy that night, and I found myself staring up at the ceiling. My mind was milling over the happenings of the night: the conversation, the amazing amount of alcohol we served, and I allowed myself to gush a bit over the kiss. Then, like any woman, I wondered and secretly prayed he’d call tomorrow.
Sleep finally came, but it seemed like no sooner did I drift off, that the phone rang. Through squinted eyes, I looked at the clock. It was 5:30 a.m. I was about to reach for the phone when it stopped ringing. I was back to sleep in what seemed like a split second, only to be awakened by my mom standing in my doorway, asking me to pick up the phone. Still in a bit of a haze, I did so and she walked out of my room and back to hers.
“Hello?” I muttered, a little irritated, yet a little relieved at the thought that it might be Molly.
“Hi, it’s Jeremy.” My heart jumped.
“Oh, hey,” I said perking up my voice, “What’re you doing?”
There was a long silence on the line, then he said “I have some bad news.”


Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Tuesday, June 20, 2006 - 9:42 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Escapee a private message Print Post    
“What kind of bad news?” I asked, chills running up and down my spine.
“There has been an accident, a bad one.” He said, very softly.
I remember feeling very numb, and the adrenaline and fear that ran through me almost made me pass out. “I...” I never finished my sentence before Jeremy said he was coming to get me.
I was fumbling to answer him in some way, but the phone fell from my hand. My mind immediately began to deny. It could be anything. It’s not what I think it is. I found myself pacing. Then I began making deals as I was getting dressed. Ok, if it isn’t what I think it is, I swear I will never smoke another cigarette or touch another drop of alcohol again. Then, I began crying, and I didn’t even realize it, but I was sobbing as I was searching for my missing boots. My mom came in and asked what was wrong. “I don’t know, there has been an accident, a bad one, but that’s all I know and Jeremy’s coming to get me right now.” It came out as one long rambling word as I found my boots and pulled them onto my feet.
I was still sobbing. “Who-?” was all she was able to get out before I pushed past her and into the bathroom to wash the tear streaks off of my face and run a brush through my hair and over my teeth. I was trying to keep my hands as busy as possible because I knew the minute they stopped I might have to face my worst fears. I then began pacing, and the anxiety was enough to give a person a nervous breakdown. Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, kept repeating in my head. My mom tightened her robe, and tried to get me to sit down on the sofa. “No.” I said, sidestepping her and pacing around the room.
“What did he say when he called, honey?” my mom asked worriedly.
“Just that there was an accident, and it was bad, he didn’t say who, or if anyone was even hurt, but mom, I have had this sick feeling in my stomach since yesterday, and I haven’t been able to shake it.” I explained to her, choking back a sob, “then, when she didn’t call or come back, oh mom…” I began to sob again, and my mom hugged me close, smoothing my hair.
She stuffed some tissue in my purse as I heard a knock on the front door. I rushed to open it, my mom in tow, and Jeremy stood there, looking sullen, wearing the same close as the previous night, but covered in dirt and his boots were clodded with mud. The rain was still coming down, and hard for a summer storm. “I’ll call you, mom.” I said heading out the door.
Jeremy nodded to my mom “Ma’am.” He said politely touching the brim of his ball cap. My mom smiled and closed the door behind us.
I did my best to dry my face off once I climbed inside Jeremy’s truck. Turning to face him, I said “Tell me I am getting all worked up for nothing. Tell me it wasn’t Molly. She never called me last night, I didn’t even know when she left your house.”
Jeremy reached over and grabbed my hand and squeezed it slightly. I could see pain and fear in his eyes, mixed with strength and compassion. He didn’t say a word. He shifted his truck into gear and moved slowly out of my driveway and began down the road. “I am going to tell you what happened.” He began, “Last night after you left, I began to wonder why Andrew and Molly had been gone so long. I figured they had hooked up or something, and decided I would figure out a way to get some more beer. Me and Joey, you know that guy who graduated a couple of years back, well he offered to go with me to that store that’s about 4 miles from on the corner of Bradshaw and the highway.” My gaze was fixed forward as he went on, “well, the weather was pretty bad last night and it was hard to see the road, but as we came around that last curve before you turn onto the highway, my headlight caught the reflection of something in the ditch but hidden by all that overgrowth, something shiny. Any other time we would have ignored it and kept going, but something made me want to stop and check it out. It was really hard to see, so Joey turned my truck so the headlights were facing that way so we could see what it was.” His voice was beginning to crack as we drove the stretch of highway toward the area he was referring to. “And I hadn’t noticed it before, but as Joey was moving my truck, I heard crunching noises, and then I noticed that there was glass covering the ground. That caught my attention and I asked Joey to toss me the flashlight that was under the seat. I turned it on to find that the glass was everywhere, but we hadn’t seen it as we were driving. I shined it across the road, and I saw that someone had hit a big tree across the way. It didn’t take us but a second to figure that someone had hit the tree and spun into the ditch. It could have been because of the weather, but when we realized it was Molly’s car-“ he stopped and looked over at me, my eyes were closed and tears were falling against.
Then he continued, tears welling up in his eyes, and echoing in his voice. “I have no idea how much they had had to drink before they left, but I know Andrew had a lot. Joey and I climbed down into the ditch, which was starting to fill with water. The brush and the bushes made it really hard to get to the car, but we made it through it. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do, pull them out, make sure they were still alive, something. Joey was already dialing 911 while I was trying to find Andy and Molly. I couldn’t find them.” he said, regaining his composure, “the car is such a mangled mess, it was hard to make out the front from the back, and as much as I tried, I couldn’t find them, I couldn’t see…”
His voice sounded like it was a million miles away as he was regaling the story. He kept driving until we came to where the road was blocked by emergency crews. Two fire engines, two ambulances and a multitude of police cars were parked, lights flashing as Jeremy slowed the truck to a stop. He turned off the truck and continued, “We realized that they weren’t in the vehicle, so we climbed out of the ditch to wait for the police, we were afraid to look for them, and part of me was hoping that they had left the scene of the accident. The police arrived within minutes and began their questions before looking in the ditch themselves. More officers arrived, followed by an ambulance and a fire truck. They ushered us out of the area while they examined the scene and secured the area. They made us step out of the way. They found them both, Molly was near the tree, just off of the road and Andrew was just a few yards further from her. They didn’t make it.” He broke down, placing his head on the steering wheel, “I knew it was Molly by the pink dress. I couldn’t even tell it was Andrew before they covered him up. It was so bad.”
The ambulances were leaving the area at this time, slowly as if they were in no hurry to save lives that were already lost. The area was so rural, that there were no other bystanders, just the occasional passer by, who the police ushered through the scene, around the glass. A tow truck was backed up to the ditch and the cranking noise of its chain being retracted rang in my head like a siren, jolting me out of my catatonic stage. I climbed out of the truck, as did Jeremy, and we walked to the edge of the tape, both of us with tears stinging our eyes and staining our cheeks. He put his arm around me, but I wasn’t sure if it was for his comfort or mine as we watched the tow truck pull the garbled and muddled mess that was once a beautiful mustang out of the brush and mud that was the ditch. A chill had set over me, and the rain, which was warm, caused me to shiver uncontrollably. Anger was coming over me like a wave. Settling like a thick smog over my mind.


Tater
Member

03-19-2003

Tuesday, June 20, 2006 - 11:45 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Tater a private message Print Post    
and...

Cindori
Member

07-25-2003

Tuesday, June 20, 2006 - 12:15 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Cindori a private message Print Post    
Patience, Taterdoll!

Tater
Member

03-19-2003

Tuesday, June 20, 2006 - 12:18 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Tater a private message Print Post    
You of all people should know that I lack that quality! LOL!