Mistress Abbigelle
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Y a m i - D h a m p i r
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- Posted: Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:42:25 +0000
Mistress Abbigelle
CRAP!! I cant join cuz of my Stupid computer not having the tools to count the words. T-T Sorry.
Ohhh... There are things online to do that if you want. I can find a site for you if you still want to join. ^^;
TesselationRey
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- Posted: Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:19:01 +0000
Write or Die is essentially a word counter. Just make sure you don't use suicidal mode when you copy and paste your story into the writing box.
Y a m i - D h a m p i r
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- Posted: Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:24:53 +0000
What do you mean by 'Suicidal mode'...?
TesselationRey
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- Posted: Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:09:32 +0000
Write or Die is a "prodder" it uses annoying music, red backgrounds, etc. (depending on the settings you choose) to prod you to keep typing. There's a suicidal mode that if you stop typing, at all, it will start to delete your work, one word at a time until nothing is left. I did this one time just joking around and nearly had a heart attack when I realized what was happening. Luckily it was just for giggles and afterwards I was able to, well, giggle about it.
Cupidette generated a random number between 1 and 15 ... 8!
Cupidette
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- Posted: Sat, 05 Dec 2009 01:36:02 +0000
This is my entry, I hope you like it! Thanks!
2168 words
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Leahna was in love. Her love was true, deep, and real; she loved his weaknesses, and his strenghths. Nothing but the strongest magic could ever break them apart. Leahna loved Ben.
Ben and Leahna lay beneath a weeping willow, holding eachother. A small brook babble to their right, and green light filtered through the leaves; Leahna sighed with happiness. Ben brought her up to his face, and kissed her; Leahna kissed back. "What else could this be, but love?" thought Leahna, absorbing every passionate feeling she got from Ben's lips. Both teens felt so lucky to be able to experience love at the early age of seventeen. Ben said, "Lea, babe, have you ever been to Hawaii?" Lea shook her head, wonder glistening in her green eyes. "Well, I, You wonderful boyfriend, got two way tickets to Honolulu." Lea lit up and jumped onto her boyfriend, hugging him and laughing. But then the light left her eyes. "My parents," she said, sadly, "they'll never let me go!" Ben smiled and reminded her that her parents were going to England on business, and they could go then. "It sounds so simple," said Lea doubtfully. "It will be simple!" Ben laughed.
The plan was working perfectly. Lea's parents were in England, and Ben was on his way out of his car. Lea packed bikinis, sundresses, flipflops, and money. Ben walked in whistling, and Lea hugged him. Ben took her face, and they kissed their way over to the couch. They sat, kissing, for a while, and then Lea sat on his lap and lay her head on his chest. "Oh Ben," she sighed, "this will be so exciting!" On the car ride to the airport, Ben held Lea's hand, and told her about all the fun stuff he had planned. Finally in the plane, the attendant went over safety guidelines, and they took off. Lea's mom called (which caused momentary panic) but they got high into the air without incident.
On the way, they had no transfers, but the people they sat next to changed four times. First, a small, wrinkley old lady stared out the window; then a tall man with a southern accent chattered with Ben; next, a young man, who kept turning around to the girl in the next row back (apparently his fiance). "Im sorry we couldn't sit together Anna!" he kept exclaiming. Finally, a strange woman with frazzled, orange hair; round glasses, and a crackling voice, like biting into a Crunch bar. "Im a butterfly scientist, see?" she said, while introducing herself. She kept going on about a "fanciful" new theory about "the transforming ones". While she was steaming about the ridiculous idea, Ben and Lea were busy looking deep into each others eyes, silently laughing at the crazy woman. Overall, the trip was short and by sunset the couple was in a duplex, changing to go into the hottub. Lea dig out a gold, matalic bikini and put it on. Outside, Ben opened his arms and said, "You look gorgeous, babe," Lea smiled and jumped into Ben's arms. Pausing only for a minute, to look into Lea's eyes, Ben brought Lea's face to his and kissed her. Adrenaline rushed through Lea, as she kissed the guy she loved. Ben had never kissed her like this; body, soul, and tongue totally in sync with hers. Lea felt her top slightly slipping, but she didn't care; true love doesn't stop for something as petty as that.
All good things must come to an end, so when the couple was out of the hottub, Lea changed into a tight tank and boxer shorts, and then rushed to the master bedroom where Ben was. Ben sat in the bed, shirt off, basketball shorts on. His mouscles glowed, still wet. He opened his arms, and the couple intertwined. They laid like this for quite some time when Lea felt the feminine signal to leak. The poor girl was worried that if she broke up the loving cuddle, then it would not continue after her...break. She situated herself closer to Ben, tightning her legs, but after a couple more breathless minutes, Lea could not stop herself and to her horror, she felt the uncomfortable trickle come down her legs. Since the teens were so twisted, the stream branched off onto Ben's leg. "Did you just pee on me?!" he shouted, jumping up.
Humiliated, Lea rushed to her room, changed, and cried; it was over now. She would go back home, and never be with Ben.
The door creaked open, and Lea looked up to see Ben walk in. He sat on the bed, and rubbed Lea's back. "Hey," he said, smiling, and it spread to Lea's face. "Want somethin' to drink?" he asked, and Lea thought once again how lucky she was to have such a sweet, considerate boyfriend.
As the sun came up, Lea smiled to see Ben on the bed next to her. Lea put on her red bikini and a yellow dress over it, then went to get some breakfast. After they ate, the couple went down to the boardwalk and ventured to a crowded beach. They set up a blanket in a small, damp cave (the only spot availible). While talking, kissing, and other things, the teens stumbled apun a small hole that led to an undiscovered beach, It was empty; no people to bug them, only clear skies and blue waters. Laughter rang throught the white sands as Ben led Lea out to a huge sand bar. Waves crash against their feet, the couple so small surrounded by such the enormous ocean. Amongst the white wings of gulls, a dark black and purple butterfly fluttered overhead. "What's she doing all the way out here?" giggled Lea, then uncaring, she ran back to the beach. The rest of the day was spent collecting sea shells, swimming, and (of course) kissing. At the end of the afternoon, Ben suggested they go to a party at the boardwalk he'd heard about. Lea agreed, and Ben pulled her hips in and hugged her close.
At he Luau, Ben bought Lea dinner and they danced to the hawaiian music. Ben did a carnival game called: Aloha Ukelale. He had to try and play a song on a ukelale; while he failed misrably, Lea did pretty good. Ben noticed a tall, thin girl playing a ukelale on stage. She had long black hair and a purple bikini. Somehow, she seemed seperate from the other placers; although, they were in one big group. "Babe," he said, absentmindedly, "Go head and go to the duplex. I uh- got to get something." He winked, trying to give her a feeling of trust and love, but he sensed Lea still felt suprised. "Ok," she said, and kissed him goodbye, trying to get the same feeling of love and sync. Ben went up to the stage and when the girl got done and came down, he introduced himself. "I'm Victoria, but you can call my Tori," she said. The girl was smooth, quiet and beautiful; he found himself drowning in her eyes. He knew in his heart he shouldn't ask to see her again, but her couldn't help it. "Can we hang out sometime?" he asked. The girl nodded and gave him an address. Ben skipped home and picked up a long white dress to explain his absence. Lea was enthralled, and kissed her boyfriend passionatly, but both could feel a difference.
The next day could not go fast enough for Ben. He tried to pay attention to Lea, but he had a hard time, and Lea noticed. "Are you feeling ok?" she asked. Ben shook his head and they went home to "rest". As soon as Lea locked her door, Ben hopped out his window and ran down to 14790 Honi Street. He knocked on the door. "Sorry I'm so early, Tori." he said. Tori didn't seem suprised at all. "No problem," she said; "Come on in." The house had black, leather furniture and dark silk curtains. Tori qore a dark purple dress to her knees with short sleeves. Tori put in a movie about a town destroyed by spiders. At the end, Ben laughed. "No small insect could do that," he said. Tori shrugged. " Maybe if they went one by one." Ben looked at her confused, and left.
Luckily for Ben, Lea was still in her room when he got home. Ben started to make a quick dinner. When Lea came out she still looked tired. "Hey baby, feelin' better?" she yawned; Ben nodded. At that moment, Lea's cell phone rang. She picked it up and said, "Hello? Hi Mom....ya i'm fine....uh huh.....what?.....three days? Um....ok, see ya then.....bye." Lea sank into a chair. "My mom's gonna be home on Tuesday!" Ben shrugged, "We'll have to go home Monday then." Lea looked up. "Ben, that's the longest sentence you've said all day! Whats wrong?" Ben shrugged and went into his room.
That Sunday was going to be their last day, and Ben was crazy to see Tori one more time. "If I see her once before we leave," he thought, "I'll be fine going home with Lea for good." All day Ben worked hard to concentrate on Lea. He took her shopping and then to lunch. He laughed with her, talked with her, and tried his hardest to kiss her with passion. At about 5:00, he took her to a small movie theatre; it was funny and afterwards he took Lea home. "I'm tired," she said, "and we have to leave early. G'night." Ben was thrilled with his luck. He sprinted over Tori's. She opened the door (in a short purple dress with no straps) and said, "Hey Ben, how ya-" she was cut off because at that moment, Ben grabbed and kissed Tori. He brought her to the ground, rolling in the grass, kissing. He hadn't planned it, but he loved it. Turning all over, Tori's skirt came up and Ben's shirt came off. Ben felt Tori's tongue rolling around in his mouth. He pulled her closer, touching, feeling. Breaking their kiss only long enough to get inside and close the door, Ben immediatly pulled Tori down and kissed her again. Body. Mind. Soul. Tongue. They were his. Tori's legs were around his waist, her tongue all over his mouth and lips. Ben felt himself let loose, and he pulled Tori higher and closer. Still kissing and exploring her mouth with his tongue, Ben moved his hands all down Tori's back. Her dress was coming off, her angelic body soon all his. He kissed her arms, her neck, her body, and back to her mouth. He wanted to suck on her tongue, clean her teeth, touch her, so he did. They lay quietly on the floor panting for a few seconds. "Tori," wheezed Ben. "More?" she asked, and it went on. Ben felt love rushing throught his body. Tori submitted herself, and they rolled all over the room, legs around eachother. Glass crashed around them, but Ben and Tori didn't stop. She breathed out; he breathed in; they were one. "I'm sorry Ben," she said. "I almost want to keep you, but," she left off, "your blood! I feel it in my mouth with your tongue, in my body with your legs and hands. Besides," Tori smiled sadly, "everyone has to eat." Ben screamed, but it was too late.
At 9:00pm, Lea woke up in a cold sweat. She went into Ben's room. "Ben?" she whispered. She jumped into the bed; it was empty. She turned on the light, and saw a slip of paper with an address on it. She ran down the road. Lea knocked for a long time, but when no one opened, she went in. Before she turned the light on, a dark purple and black butterfly flew outside. As Lea ventured farther in the dark house, she felt herself let out her expensive dinner all over.
Ben lay dead on the floor, panic still captured in his eyes. He was pale except for a bright red lip mark on his cheek. His clothes were covered in blood and now puke. Memories flooded Lea, and she started to cry hysterically. She called the police, but they could not find any evidence of the criminal. Their records stated this house as vacant. Lea went home, scarred. The police searched for months but nothing was ever found. Ben's parents developed depression and Lea never dated again, or married. She committed suicide at 34 and her parents died in a car crash 2 months later; however, no one knows if it was purposful, or not.
A boy and a girl, a butterfly, and a kiss. A secret, new feelings, and death. Victoria has eperienced it all many times.
2168 words
Cupidette heart
Leahna was in love. Her love was true, deep, and real; she loved his weaknesses, and his strenghths. Nothing but the strongest magic could ever break them apart. Leahna loved Ben.
Ben and Leahna lay beneath a weeping willow, holding eachother. A small brook babble to their right, and green light filtered through the leaves; Leahna sighed with happiness. Ben brought her up to his face, and kissed her; Leahna kissed back. "What else could this be, but love?" thought Leahna, absorbing every passionate feeling she got from Ben's lips. Both teens felt so lucky to be able to experience love at the early age of seventeen. Ben said, "Lea, babe, have you ever been to Hawaii?" Lea shook her head, wonder glistening in her green eyes. "Well, I, You wonderful boyfriend, got two way tickets to Honolulu." Lea lit up and jumped onto her boyfriend, hugging him and laughing. But then the light left her eyes. "My parents," she said, sadly, "they'll never let me go!" Ben smiled and reminded her that her parents were going to England on business, and they could go then. "It sounds so simple," said Lea doubtfully. "It will be simple!" Ben laughed.
The plan was working perfectly. Lea's parents were in England, and Ben was on his way out of his car. Lea packed bikinis, sundresses, flipflops, and money. Ben walked in whistling, and Lea hugged him. Ben took her face, and they kissed their way over to the couch. They sat, kissing, for a while, and then Lea sat on his lap and lay her head on his chest. "Oh Ben," she sighed, "this will be so exciting!" On the car ride to the airport, Ben held Lea's hand, and told her about all the fun stuff he had planned. Finally in the plane, the attendant went over safety guidelines, and they took off. Lea's mom called (which caused momentary panic) but they got high into the air without incident.
On the way, they had no transfers, but the people they sat next to changed four times. First, a small, wrinkley old lady stared out the window; then a tall man with a southern accent chattered with Ben; next, a young man, who kept turning around to the girl in the next row back (apparently his fiance). "Im sorry we couldn't sit together Anna!" he kept exclaiming. Finally, a strange woman with frazzled, orange hair; round glasses, and a crackling voice, like biting into a Crunch bar. "Im a butterfly scientist, see?" she said, while introducing herself. She kept going on about a "fanciful" new theory about "the transforming ones". While she was steaming about the ridiculous idea, Ben and Lea were busy looking deep into each others eyes, silently laughing at the crazy woman. Overall, the trip was short and by sunset the couple was in a duplex, changing to go into the hottub. Lea dig out a gold, matalic bikini and put it on. Outside, Ben opened his arms and said, "You look gorgeous, babe," Lea smiled and jumped into Ben's arms. Pausing only for a minute, to look into Lea's eyes, Ben brought Lea's face to his and kissed her. Adrenaline rushed through Lea, as she kissed the guy she loved. Ben had never kissed her like this; body, soul, and tongue totally in sync with hers. Lea felt her top slightly slipping, but she didn't care; true love doesn't stop for something as petty as that.
All good things must come to an end, so when the couple was out of the hottub, Lea changed into a tight tank and boxer shorts, and then rushed to the master bedroom where Ben was. Ben sat in the bed, shirt off, basketball shorts on. His mouscles glowed, still wet. He opened his arms, and the couple intertwined. They laid like this for quite some time when Lea felt the feminine signal to leak. The poor girl was worried that if she broke up the loving cuddle, then it would not continue after her...break. She situated herself closer to Ben, tightning her legs, but after a couple more breathless minutes, Lea could not stop herself and to her horror, she felt the uncomfortable trickle come down her legs. Since the teens were so twisted, the stream branched off onto Ben's leg. "Did you just pee on me?!" he shouted, jumping up.
Humiliated, Lea rushed to her room, changed, and cried; it was over now. She would go back home, and never be with Ben.
The door creaked open, and Lea looked up to see Ben walk in. He sat on the bed, and rubbed Lea's back. "Hey," he said, smiling, and it spread to Lea's face. "Want somethin' to drink?" he asked, and Lea thought once again how lucky she was to have such a sweet, considerate boyfriend.
As the sun came up, Lea smiled to see Ben on the bed next to her. Lea put on her red bikini and a yellow dress over it, then went to get some breakfast. After they ate, the couple went down to the boardwalk and ventured to a crowded beach. They set up a blanket in a small, damp cave (the only spot availible). While talking, kissing, and other things, the teens stumbled apun a small hole that led to an undiscovered beach, It was empty; no people to bug them, only clear skies and blue waters. Laughter rang throught the white sands as Ben led Lea out to a huge sand bar. Waves crash against their feet, the couple so small surrounded by such the enormous ocean. Amongst the white wings of gulls, a dark black and purple butterfly fluttered overhead. "What's she doing all the way out here?" giggled Lea, then uncaring, she ran back to the beach. The rest of the day was spent collecting sea shells, swimming, and (of course) kissing. At the end of the afternoon, Ben suggested they go to a party at the boardwalk he'd heard about. Lea agreed, and Ben pulled her hips in and hugged her close.
At he Luau, Ben bought Lea dinner and they danced to the hawaiian music. Ben did a carnival game called: Aloha Ukelale. He had to try and play a song on a ukelale; while he failed misrably, Lea did pretty good. Ben noticed a tall, thin girl playing a ukelale on stage. She had long black hair and a purple bikini. Somehow, she seemed seperate from the other placers; although, they were in one big group. "Babe," he said, absentmindedly, "Go head and go to the duplex. I uh- got to get something." He winked, trying to give her a feeling of trust and love, but he sensed Lea still felt suprised. "Ok," she said, and kissed him goodbye, trying to get the same feeling of love and sync. Ben went up to the stage and when the girl got done and came down, he introduced himself. "I'm Victoria, but you can call my Tori," she said. The girl was smooth, quiet and beautiful; he found himself drowning in her eyes. He knew in his heart he shouldn't ask to see her again, but her couldn't help it. "Can we hang out sometime?" he asked. The girl nodded and gave him an address. Ben skipped home and picked up a long white dress to explain his absence. Lea was enthralled, and kissed her boyfriend passionatly, but both could feel a difference.
The next day could not go fast enough for Ben. He tried to pay attention to Lea, but he had a hard time, and Lea noticed. "Are you feeling ok?" she asked. Ben shook his head and they went home to "rest". As soon as Lea locked her door, Ben hopped out his window and ran down to 14790 Honi Street. He knocked on the door. "Sorry I'm so early, Tori." he said. Tori didn't seem suprised at all. "No problem," she said; "Come on in." The house had black, leather furniture and dark silk curtains. Tori qore a dark purple dress to her knees with short sleeves. Tori put in a movie about a town destroyed by spiders. At the end, Ben laughed. "No small insect could do that," he said. Tori shrugged. " Maybe if they went one by one." Ben looked at her confused, and left.
Luckily for Ben, Lea was still in her room when he got home. Ben started to make a quick dinner. When Lea came out she still looked tired. "Hey baby, feelin' better?" she yawned; Ben nodded. At that moment, Lea's cell phone rang. She picked it up and said, "Hello? Hi Mom....ya i'm fine....uh huh.....what?.....three days? Um....ok, see ya then.....bye." Lea sank into a chair. "My mom's gonna be home on Tuesday!" Ben shrugged, "We'll have to go home Monday then." Lea looked up. "Ben, that's the longest sentence you've said all day! Whats wrong?" Ben shrugged and went into his room.
That Sunday was going to be their last day, and Ben was crazy to see Tori one more time. "If I see her once before we leave," he thought, "I'll be fine going home with Lea for good." All day Ben worked hard to concentrate on Lea. He took her shopping and then to lunch. He laughed with her, talked with her, and tried his hardest to kiss her with passion. At about 5:00, he took her to a small movie theatre; it was funny and afterwards he took Lea home. "I'm tired," she said, "and we have to leave early. G'night." Ben was thrilled with his luck. He sprinted over Tori's. She opened the door (in a short purple dress with no straps) and said, "Hey Ben, how ya-" she was cut off because at that moment, Ben grabbed and kissed Tori. He brought her to the ground, rolling in the grass, kissing. He hadn't planned it, but he loved it. Turning all over, Tori's skirt came up and Ben's shirt came off. Ben felt Tori's tongue rolling around in his mouth. He pulled her closer, touching, feeling. Breaking their kiss only long enough to get inside and close the door, Ben immediatly pulled Tori down and kissed her again. Body. Mind. Soul. Tongue. They were his. Tori's legs were around his waist, her tongue all over his mouth and lips. Ben felt himself let loose, and he pulled Tori higher and closer. Still kissing and exploring her mouth with his tongue, Ben moved his hands all down Tori's back. Her dress was coming off, her angelic body soon all his. He kissed her arms, her neck, her body, and back to her mouth. He wanted to suck on her tongue, clean her teeth, touch her, so he did. They lay quietly on the floor panting for a few seconds. "Tori," wheezed Ben. "More?" she asked, and it went on. Ben felt love rushing throught his body. Tori submitted herself, and they rolled all over the room, legs around eachother. Glass crashed around them, but Ben and Tori didn't stop. She breathed out; he breathed in; they were one. "I'm sorry Ben," she said. "I almost want to keep you, but," she left off, "your blood! I feel it in my mouth with your tongue, in my body with your legs and hands. Besides," Tori smiled sadly, "everyone has to eat." Ben screamed, but it was too late.
At 9:00pm, Lea woke up in a cold sweat. She went into Ben's room. "Ben?" she whispered. She jumped into the bed; it was empty. She turned on the light, and saw a slip of paper with an address on it. She ran down the road. Lea knocked for a long time, but when no one opened, she went in. Before she turned the light on, a dark purple and black butterfly flew outside. As Lea ventured farther in the dark house, she felt herself let out her expensive dinner all over.
Ben lay dead on the floor, panic still captured in his eyes. He was pale except for a bright red lip mark on his cheek. His clothes were covered in blood and now puke. Memories flooded Lea, and she started to cry hysterically. She called the police, but they could not find any evidence of the criminal. Their records stated this house as vacant. Lea went home, scarred. The police searched for months but nothing was ever found. Ben's parents developed depression and Lea never dated again, or married. She committed suicide at 34 and her parents died in a car crash 2 months later; however, no one knows if it was purposful, or not.
A boy and a girl, a butterfly, and a kiss. A secret, new feelings, and death. Victoria has eperienced it all many times.
Y a m i - D h a m p i r
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- Posted: Sat, 05 Dec 2009 22:46:10 +0000
Thank you for your entry! ^^
Orange Chus
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- Posted: Tue, 08 Dec 2009 01:47:44 +0000
It says Kamikaze, not suicidal.
How likely is it that you'll add more prompts?
How likely is it that you'll add more prompts?
TesselationRey
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- Posted: Tue, 08 Dec 2009 03:07:27 +0000
Username: TesselationRey
Title of story: The Common Jezebel
Word Count: 3,904
Story:
Sandy sat on the bar stool twirling the mixing straw between her fingers and laughed. “Julie, please tell me you did not honestly fall for a cheesy pickup line like, ‘So, how much did it hurt when you fell from Heaven?’” Sandy dropped her voice into a deep bass for the impersonation but it broke as she cracked up laughing. “God, that guy was horrible. Did you see the cowlick? I thought I was flashing back to the Little Rascals,” she snickered.
“No, actually his pick up line was ‘Is that a keg in your pants? Because I’d like to tap that a**.’ I’ve never been so insulted by a pickup line in my life. I mean seriously, that line might as well insinuate I’m fat.”
“You’re not fat,” Sandy chuckled before taking a sip of her martini. “You’re skinny as a rail. I still don’t know how you manage to lift your cello.”
“Neither do I,” Julie replied with a toss of her long brown hair. “Usually I just find some cute, strong trumpet player to do my heavy lifting.” Julie batted her long eyelashes over the kind of pale blue eyes that boys swooned over. Sandy had been jealous of those eyes since they’d been preteens.
Sandy just rolled her own steel blue eyes as Julie giggled and drank from her sex on the beach. Sandy had been blessed with anonymous dirty blond hair and a comely face that blended into crowds faster than ice cubes could melt in boiling water. If she hadn’t become best friends with Julie in middle school, she’d probably still be a wallflower now. But instead she’d found herself nearly dragged off to Julliard.
After a moment Sandy glanced up and let out a soft sigh before catching herself as she threw a hand up over her mouth. “Oh my God, it’s him.”
“Him who?” Julie asked nearly whipping her head around to look.
“No, don’t look. Eyes here,” Sandy hissed hooking a finger towards her own face. “It’s that guy. The one I told you about seeing in here before. Mr. I-Drink-Straight-Scotch.
“Oh. Scotch Boy!” Julie whispered excitedly. “The one with the blonde hair that falls in his perfect green eyes?” she said in such a way to hint that she was used to listening to Sandy give the same description over and over. She giggled prettily and gave the slightest of head shakes at her friend’s adolescent-like crush.
“Yes, him. He’s totally coming our way. Act cool.” Sandy ratcheted up straight her hand tightening around the martini glass until she was afraid that the stem would snap under the pressure.
“I am cool,” Julie twittered her long fingers tracing the edges of her glass.
“Good evening. May a thorn sit down among the roses?” Julie looked up for the first time to see Mr. Straight-Scotch and her breath caught in her throat. All she managed was a feeble nod of the head. So much for being cool. Sandy wasn’t much better and she wasn’t even the one making eye contact, not for lack of trying. “Now, I couldn’t help but notice that by comparison, the rest of this bar is just a dull shade of gray. What did all of these other girls ever do to you to make you so determined to outshine them all?”
“They hate music,” came Julie’s response after she recovered from her shock. Her cool demeanor had returned full force, exuding vibes of indifference and sex in equal shares.
“Excuse me?”
“We’re musicians. We carry a certain aura about ourselves. Sure, it’s not humble, but we can’t help it if we’re perfect.”
“So I wasn’t mistaken when I thought I saw two angels sitting at the bar. And what names would God have blessed two creatures such as yourselves with?”
Sandy suddenly found her voice again and managed to control it after swallowing once. “I’m Sandy, this is Julie.”
The man turned to face Sandy and smiled such that dimples creased his cheeks giving him a ruggedly boyish look. “Sandy, Julie, it is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Ben, I’m funny, financially stable, and have a very interesting DNA structure.” He held out both hands, crossing his arms in front of his chest and the girls laughed as they each clasped a hand and shook it.
“You’re a scientist?” Julie asked curiosity getting the best of her.
“Beautiful and smart,” he responded with a wink. “I am. I work at the hospital in research.”
The night went on with more flirtatious conversation as Ben bought them both drinks and proved to be far more interesting conversation than either had thought the eye candy to be capable of at first. Eventually, Julie excused herself to go to the bathroom leaving Sandy and Ben alone.
“So, not to be an a**…” Ben started.
“But to be an a**,” Sandy echoed but smiled nonetheless. What could she ask for from a guy she was meeting in a bar?
“Do you think you could give me her phone number? Julie’s?” he asked nervously. “I’d owe you big time. Like twenty drinks. Actually, drinks for as long as I live.”
Sandy just rolled her eyes and took a deep breath. She was starting to get used to always being over shadowed by Julie. It was a gambit one ran when befriending one of the most beautiful, talented people in the city. “Give me your cell,” she said holding her hand out expectantly. Moments like these required her to swallow every ounce of her pride but she’d be damned if she’d regret for one moment screwing up what could possibly be a decent relationship for Sandy.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” he murmured obligingly handing over the phone. A few moments later, the phone was returned and he grinned as he pocketed it right before Julie perched herself back on her bar stool.
“So, why do you look like the cat who just ate the canary?”
~*~*~
Sandy walked down the aisle to the front of the church and took a long, deep breath. It wasn't as if this was the first time she'd forced herself to get up in front of a crowd. It was just the first time she was doing it and not hiding behind her cello. She wished that Julie was there to hold her hand, give it that reassuring squeeze she used to give before each concert. But Julie wouldn't be giving hand squeezes anymore.
Sandy found the podium a little blindly. She had to close her eyes in order to avoid looking down into the casket because if she looked, she'd never get through this. How could she look down at her friend and know that they'd never make fun of boys at the bar again or lounge at the pool or play their cellos together? How could she open her mouth and speak if she was too busy thinking about all the things they'd never do again?
"Julie was my best friend," Sandy started before staring down at the podium chagrined. Duh. They know that. Stick to the plan. "Julie was the most loving person I've ever met. She loved her music. She loved her family. She loved flowers and sunny days in the park. She loved life." And now she's dead. "She loved life so much that I don't think she'd want us moping about because she's gone. On more than one occasion she told me that I was supposed to throw her a bender when she died." That's so inappropriate. Her mom is right there in the front row. Don't make eye contact. Don't make eye contact! Sandy swallowed hard and resisted the urge to press her forehead into the palm of her hand. It was best to keep such embarrassment hidden rather than wear it on her sleeve. "Julie was one of those truly beautiful people. I mean, she not only got the perfect hair from her mom and her dad's eyes, but she was beautiful on the inside too. She could play a piece of music and make your heart soar or break. You had no choice but to feel her when her hands were on the strings and bow." Sandy could feel her throat tightening as she started to forget the carefully planned words of her eulogy. It was getting harder to ignore the presence of the large oak box that was going to serve as the final road block to her friendship. “Julie swore to me that nothing would ever come between us. I’d like to think that she’s always going to be with me from now on, even if just in my memory. I know I’ll never sit down to play without thinking of her.”
Sandy’s eyes flickered upwards to see the sea of faces staring back up at her. Some of them were damp with tears, others were nearly deadpanned expressions as people suppressed everything. It was a strange perspective on the people of Julie’s life. “Julie would hate this. Why are you all sitting here crying?” she asked as the tears started to slip down her own cheeks. “You should be out there living. Not listening to me try and summarize my best friend in a hundred words or less. She wouldn’t want this. Don’t you get it?”
Whether or not it’d been her intention, every eye in the church was suddenly dry. Those who’d been crying were now wearing deer-in-the-headlights expressions while those who’d been deadpanned now looked like an angry mob ready to get their pitchforks and torches. Sandy drew in a deep breath and quickly made her way back down the aisle and didn’t stop until she’d gone through the double doors and was standing in the church’s foyer. There she dropped onto a bench and let the tears fall. “God, Julie, how stupid could you be?” Striking the bench with her fist, Sandy looked up and was assaulted by the sight of a gaudy crucifix hanging over the main entrance. “What are you staring at?” she hissed as she stood up and turned her back.
From beyond the double doors she could hear the minister trying to lead the group in prayer with mixed results. After Sandy’s departure it seemed as if tears were free to flow again and there was a stronger chorus of ragged sobbing than there was for the praises for God. The volume swelled for a moment before being cut off again by the sound of the heavy doors clanking shut. “That was, uh, some speech out there,” a male voice spoke up and Sandy huffed giving a weak one-armed shrug. “So what do you say to that bender?”
“I’m not really in the mood right now,” Sandy snipped without looking up. She was afraid Jesus would be frowning down on her and she wasn’t sure she could handle judgment at the moment, let alone divine judgment.
“Come on, the first drink’s on me,” the man pleaded and Sandy finally looked up and was shocked by the sight of the man before her.
“Ben.”
“That’s my name, don’t wear it out. Now, what about that drink? If I recall, I owe you a few anyway.”
“I think it’s safe to say your obligations are null in void.”
Ben let out a low whistle between pursed lips and shook his head. “I’m a man of my word. And you were a woman of yours. So, drink?”
Sandy looked up at him, her brows furrowing with mixed emotions. But there he stood with one hand held out and a s**t-eating grin that seemed determined to make her bend to his will, no matter how long it took. Besides, it wasn’t as if she still wanted to be here when the mob made their way through the coat check and reclaimed their pitchforks. “Ok!” Sandy sighed throwing her hands up in defeat. “Drink.”
~*~*~
Sandy sat next to Ben at the bar and sipped from her martini balefully. "So why did you come?" she asked finally finding her nerve. "You two went on like one date."
Ben shrugged and stirred his drink for a few moments before looking up. "I was worried about you."
"You barely know me."
"I'd like to know you better."
"Please, the last thing I'm looking for right now is some awkward hook up with my dead best friend's pseudo boyfriend."
"Ouch. You're kind of a b***h, aren't you?"
"And you're an a*****e."
"You're an alcoholic."
Sandy nearly spat out her drink as she whipped her head around to look at Ben. Her eyes narrowed as she considered the vast number of things she could do to him that would forever hinder his ability to bear children. “Alcoholics go to meetings,” she muttered.
"Cute,” came the nearly instantaneous reply. Once more he was wearing a toothy, boyish grin that pushed every button Sandy had remaining.
Instead, she just gritted her teeth and forced a smile. If he wanted to play, so could she. "You know, I'm funny too."
Her wit only made him smile more if that were possible. He was certainly enjoying himself as he chewed on his mixing straw thoughtfully before raising his hand to get the bartender's attention. "Another martini straight up, stirred and another scotch on the rocks." After ordering the drinks his demeanor seemed to calm into something resembling business-like. Not that she’d ever seen him capable of such a feat.
"Thanks," Sandy said quietly. "So why were you worried about me?" She used the tiny plastic sword to impale her olive before eyeing it up closely. It was better than making eye contact with him for now.
"Like I said, you're an alcoholic."
"So why the hell did you insist on buying me a drink?" she shrilled as the bartender arrived. For a moment he hesitated unsure of whether or not to set the glasses down but Ben tapped the counter and nodded.
"Well, I'm one too. And I didn't particularly feel in the mood to be drinking alone."
"So you dragged me down with you?"
"I don't recall it requiring all that much dragging. You seemed anxious to get out of there all on your own. Trust me, I wish I could take credit for that speech. I wish I’d recorded it just in case I ever have the misfortune of giving a eulogy. There were some real gems in there. I especially liked the way you made Julie’s mother cry.” Sandy shot him a dark look and he held up his hands defensively before he curled his fingers down to leave his index fingers up. He then took a long drink before raising his gaze back up to her. He looked like a man preparing for the noose. “Do you wanna talk about it?"
"Talk about what? My alcoholism?" she responded snappishly.
"No. Julie."
"Apparently you do,” she muttered as she picked up her drink and sipped on it. The wide brim made it hard to shoot it down quickly despite how much she wanted to do so at the moment. The gin burned as it slid down her throat and she considered accidentally on purpose choking on the olive.
"I'm not opposed to it,” he said running his finger along the rim of his glass.
Sandy narrowed her eyes at the familiar gesture and frowned. "Fine. Why do you think someone in the prime of her life, on the cusp of success was cut down? Because unless there's a damn good reason for it, I don't really want to talk about it."
"Ever hear of the chaos theory?"
"Isn't that about some butterfly causing hurricanes?"
"That's one breakdown. Essentially it's about taking very small variables, such as a butterfly flapping its wings, and understanding the chain of events that is created."
"Are you proposing that a butterfly killed my best friend? Because I’m pretty sure it was a drunk driver who jumped the curb."
"My money is on a Common Jezebel of India,” Ben deadpanned raising his glass to his lips again. And no matter how hard Sandy tried, he wouldn’t make eye contact with her.
"You're serious, aren't you?"
He finally turned and faced her, his arm resting along the bar, the other across the back of his stool. His sudden openness took her by surprise. "It makes me feel better knowing that some things are just beyond my control and understanding."
"I'm not really buying that as a reason."
"Fine, then think of it as her death is the butterfly. And from this event, how many other events will be spawned and formed just so and wouldn't and couldn't have been without it happening?" He gave a small shrug of his shoulders to reinforce the idea and smiled. “Based on your version of a eulogy, that’s what she wanted, right?”
Sandy stared down into her drink and frowned. "I don't want to consider it. Because everything that's happening because of it is either too horrible to think about or too good."
"Too good? Now I’m curious. Consider this fish to be biting."
"She was to play a solo in the next concert series. Now it's mine. But I'm not sure I want to play without her. I don't know if I can play without her. It feels wrong when it was supposed to be her big break.” Sandy sighed and glanced away trying to forget the retched feeling she’d had yesterday when she’d sat down at her cello for the first time in a week. She’d thought it’d be easier to do so with the entire orchestra, but it’d been so much worse. She’d frozen, the orchestral director stabbing his wand in her direction with such ferocity that she was afraid that if she continued to not play, he’d come down and stab her himself. Leaving the stage that night, she’d felt the rest of the cellists’ eyes on her back and knew what they were thinking. She didn’t deserve the solo, especially if she couldn’t bring herself to put the bow to strings.
"What do you think she would have said?" Ben asked breaking her thoughts into small shards and fragments, too small to consider any longer.
"'Shut up, you stupid git, and make sure your cello is tuned properly. And for God's sake, don't forget to practice,'" Sandy replied in a near perfect impression of Julie’s contralto voice.
Ben chuckled as he took a long slow sip. "I think that sounds about right. You should follow that advice."
"I know I should. It just feels weird, you know?"
"It's always going to feel weird without her."
Sandy just snorted and shook her head. "You've got to stop acting as if you knew her,” she said before draining the rest of her drink. She raised her hand and without coming over, the bartender began to make up their next round.
"I told you, I'm here because I want to get to know you better."
"Then why'd you ask for her phone number?"
"Because I wanted to pick her brain about how to get in better with you. You’re relatively off putting and call me crazy but that’s what’s attracted me to you. Perhaps I have a thing for emotionally stunted women. Or perhaps it’s just women who are incapable of behaving themselves in public,” Ben replied as the next drinks were set down in front of them. He smiled gently to the bartender who immediately disappeared to add the total to Ben’s tab. He took a deep breath before sneaking a glance at Sandy who just stared openly at him. Unnerved by her stare, he picked up his drink flicked aside the mixing straw and drained it all. A small tap on the bar and another scotch appeared for him to again drain. Looking back at Sandy he could see she hadn’t moved and her gaze had not decreased in intensity. “Can you please say something?”
"Has anyone ever told you that you have terrible timing?"
He released the breath he’d been holding and smiled. "Absolutely. Then again, if I had good timing, I probably would never have any fun." It was Sandy’s turn to be rattled as her lips tightened and she gazed away. “You know, this friendship thing will work so much easier if you give me your number.”
“Friendship? Aren’t you aiming a bit high?”
“No. Aiming high would have been asking you out on a date. But timing is poor so I’ll settle for friends in the meantime. Maybe after you become a big cello playing starlet then I’ll ask you out only for you to shoot me down because you’re out of my league.”
“Wouldn’t that still be bad timing?”
“Yes, it would. So what do you say?” he asked dangling his cell phone in front of her. “Going to give me those magic digits or do I have to stalk you instead? Personally I find my couch at home to be far more comfortable than the bushes outside your apartment.”
Sandy frowned at him before snatching his cell phone from his hand. “And what if I give you a bad number?”
“I don’t think you will.”
“And why do you say that?”
“Call it optimism. I think you need a friend.”
Sandy started to open the phone and then stopped. “What did you do that night with Julie?”
“We went for coffee—and talked about you the entire time. It’s how I know you live in an apartment, the second floor of a walk-up in fact. You have a cat, which means I’ll need to get my allergy meds refilled I’m sure. You almost didn’t go to Julliard in favor of pre-med. You’re parents are divorced, only your father remarried but your mother’s currently dating. You’ve got no siblings and Julie was like a sister to you.
“What do you think we did, Sandy?”
Sandy froze as she stared at Ben. Despite all that they’d had to drink, neither of them were showing any signs of the alcohol. Apparently the high emotions of the day were victorious against stupor. She licked her lips and diverted her gaze downward only to be greeted by his cell phone. She flipped it open and her mouth worked silently in her shock as she gazed down at the background. It was a beautiful yellow butterfly with orange wing tips. “Is this…?”
“A Common Jezebel,” Ben supplied. “I actually already have your number,” he said taking the phone from her trembling hands before she could drop it.
“Julie would have loved it,” Sandy said softly gazing at the picture still. Before she could stop herself, she reached over grabbing Ben’s wrist and pulled the cell phone back towards herself so she could look at the picture more closely. “And I think you’re right. I like the idea that this butterfly flapping its wings killed Julie. It’s easier.”
Ben smiled as he dropped the phone on the bar and pulled Sandy into a tight hug. She cried for the first time, her tears slipping down her cheeks to be absorbed into Ben’s shirt. She felt as if she’d never cried so hard in her life and that she might never stop. And somewhere a voice spoke to her the same way Julie had all those years ago when stupid Tommy Benson had broken up with her in tenth grade. “It’s ok; it’ll be ok, Sandy.”
Here be spoilers!!! BEWARE!
Numbers of the requirements used: 1 (five or six depending on your level of cheesy), 4 (2 cellists), 9 (funeral, funny?), 10 (killer butterfly achieved!), 11 (woot for alcoholism—I mean no, bad kiddies, alcoholism is not at all condoned!)
Extra credit?: Seether ft. Amy Lee – Broken (captures the essence of the song, but not literal as it is more or less Sandy's feelings towards Julie)
Title of story: The Common Jezebel
Word Count: 3,904
Story:
Sandy sat on the bar stool twirling the mixing straw between her fingers and laughed. “Julie, please tell me you did not honestly fall for a cheesy pickup line like, ‘So, how much did it hurt when you fell from Heaven?’” Sandy dropped her voice into a deep bass for the impersonation but it broke as she cracked up laughing. “God, that guy was horrible. Did you see the cowlick? I thought I was flashing back to the Little Rascals,” she snickered.
“No, actually his pick up line was ‘Is that a keg in your pants? Because I’d like to tap that a**.’ I’ve never been so insulted by a pickup line in my life. I mean seriously, that line might as well insinuate I’m fat.”
“You’re not fat,” Sandy chuckled before taking a sip of her martini. “You’re skinny as a rail. I still don’t know how you manage to lift your cello.”
“Neither do I,” Julie replied with a toss of her long brown hair. “Usually I just find some cute, strong trumpet player to do my heavy lifting.” Julie batted her long eyelashes over the kind of pale blue eyes that boys swooned over. Sandy had been jealous of those eyes since they’d been preteens.
Sandy just rolled her own steel blue eyes as Julie giggled and drank from her sex on the beach. Sandy had been blessed with anonymous dirty blond hair and a comely face that blended into crowds faster than ice cubes could melt in boiling water. If she hadn’t become best friends with Julie in middle school, she’d probably still be a wallflower now. But instead she’d found herself nearly dragged off to Julliard.
After a moment Sandy glanced up and let out a soft sigh before catching herself as she threw a hand up over her mouth. “Oh my God, it’s him.”
“Him who?” Julie asked nearly whipping her head around to look.
“No, don’t look. Eyes here,” Sandy hissed hooking a finger towards her own face. “It’s that guy. The one I told you about seeing in here before. Mr. I-Drink-Straight-Scotch.
“Oh. Scotch Boy!” Julie whispered excitedly. “The one with the blonde hair that falls in his perfect green eyes?” she said in such a way to hint that she was used to listening to Sandy give the same description over and over. She giggled prettily and gave the slightest of head shakes at her friend’s adolescent-like crush.
“Yes, him. He’s totally coming our way. Act cool.” Sandy ratcheted up straight her hand tightening around the martini glass until she was afraid that the stem would snap under the pressure.
“I am cool,” Julie twittered her long fingers tracing the edges of her glass.
“Good evening. May a thorn sit down among the roses?” Julie looked up for the first time to see Mr. Straight-Scotch and her breath caught in her throat. All she managed was a feeble nod of the head. So much for being cool. Sandy wasn’t much better and she wasn’t even the one making eye contact, not for lack of trying. “Now, I couldn’t help but notice that by comparison, the rest of this bar is just a dull shade of gray. What did all of these other girls ever do to you to make you so determined to outshine them all?”
“They hate music,” came Julie’s response after she recovered from her shock. Her cool demeanor had returned full force, exuding vibes of indifference and sex in equal shares.
“Excuse me?”
“We’re musicians. We carry a certain aura about ourselves. Sure, it’s not humble, but we can’t help it if we’re perfect.”
“So I wasn’t mistaken when I thought I saw two angels sitting at the bar. And what names would God have blessed two creatures such as yourselves with?”
Sandy suddenly found her voice again and managed to control it after swallowing once. “I’m Sandy, this is Julie.”
The man turned to face Sandy and smiled such that dimples creased his cheeks giving him a ruggedly boyish look. “Sandy, Julie, it is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Ben, I’m funny, financially stable, and have a very interesting DNA structure.” He held out both hands, crossing his arms in front of his chest and the girls laughed as they each clasped a hand and shook it.
“You’re a scientist?” Julie asked curiosity getting the best of her.
“Beautiful and smart,” he responded with a wink. “I am. I work at the hospital in research.”
The night went on with more flirtatious conversation as Ben bought them both drinks and proved to be far more interesting conversation than either had thought the eye candy to be capable of at first. Eventually, Julie excused herself to go to the bathroom leaving Sandy and Ben alone.
“So, not to be an a**…” Ben started.
“But to be an a**,” Sandy echoed but smiled nonetheless. What could she ask for from a guy she was meeting in a bar?
“Do you think you could give me her phone number? Julie’s?” he asked nervously. “I’d owe you big time. Like twenty drinks. Actually, drinks for as long as I live.”
Sandy just rolled her eyes and took a deep breath. She was starting to get used to always being over shadowed by Julie. It was a gambit one ran when befriending one of the most beautiful, talented people in the city. “Give me your cell,” she said holding her hand out expectantly. Moments like these required her to swallow every ounce of her pride but she’d be damned if she’d regret for one moment screwing up what could possibly be a decent relationship for Sandy.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” he murmured obligingly handing over the phone. A few moments later, the phone was returned and he grinned as he pocketed it right before Julie perched herself back on her bar stool.
“So, why do you look like the cat who just ate the canary?”
~*~*~
Sandy walked down the aisle to the front of the church and took a long, deep breath. It wasn't as if this was the first time she'd forced herself to get up in front of a crowd. It was just the first time she was doing it and not hiding behind her cello. She wished that Julie was there to hold her hand, give it that reassuring squeeze she used to give before each concert. But Julie wouldn't be giving hand squeezes anymore.
Sandy found the podium a little blindly. She had to close her eyes in order to avoid looking down into the casket because if she looked, she'd never get through this. How could she look down at her friend and know that they'd never make fun of boys at the bar again or lounge at the pool or play their cellos together? How could she open her mouth and speak if she was too busy thinking about all the things they'd never do again?
"Julie was my best friend," Sandy started before staring down at the podium chagrined. Duh. They know that. Stick to the plan. "Julie was the most loving person I've ever met. She loved her music. She loved her family. She loved flowers and sunny days in the park. She loved life." And now she's dead. "She loved life so much that I don't think she'd want us moping about because she's gone. On more than one occasion she told me that I was supposed to throw her a bender when she died." That's so inappropriate. Her mom is right there in the front row. Don't make eye contact. Don't make eye contact! Sandy swallowed hard and resisted the urge to press her forehead into the palm of her hand. It was best to keep such embarrassment hidden rather than wear it on her sleeve. "Julie was one of those truly beautiful people. I mean, she not only got the perfect hair from her mom and her dad's eyes, but she was beautiful on the inside too. She could play a piece of music and make your heart soar or break. You had no choice but to feel her when her hands were on the strings and bow." Sandy could feel her throat tightening as she started to forget the carefully planned words of her eulogy. It was getting harder to ignore the presence of the large oak box that was going to serve as the final road block to her friendship. “Julie swore to me that nothing would ever come between us. I’d like to think that she’s always going to be with me from now on, even if just in my memory. I know I’ll never sit down to play without thinking of her.”
Sandy’s eyes flickered upwards to see the sea of faces staring back up at her. Some of them were damp with tears, others were nearly deadpanned expressions as people suppressed everything. It was a strange perspective on the people of Julie’s life. “Julie would hate this. Why are you all sitting here crying?” she asked as the tears started to slip down her own cheeks. “You should be out there living. Not listening to me try and summarize my best friend in a hundred words or less. She wouldn’t want this. Don’t you get it?”
Whether or not it’d been her intention, every eye in the church was suddenly dry. Those who’d been crying were now wearing deer-in-the-headlights expressions while those who’d been deadpanned now looked like an angry mob ready to get their pitchforks and torches. Sandy drew in a deep breath and quickly made her way back down the aisle and didn’t stop until she’d gone through the double doors and was standing in the church’s foyer. There she dropped onto a bench and let the tears fall. “God, Julie, how stupid could you be?” Striking the bench with her fist, Sandy looked up and was assaulted by the sight of a gaudy crucifix hanging over the main entrance. “What are you staring at?” she hissed as she stood up and turned her back.
From beyond the double doors she could hear the minister trying to lead the group in prayer with mixed results. After Sandy’s departure it seemed as if tears were free to flow again and there was a stronger chorus of ragged sobbing than there was for the praises for God. The volume swelled for a moment before being cut off again by the sound of the heavy doors clanking shut. “That was, uh, some speech out there,” a male voice spoke up and Sandy huffed giving a weak one-armed shrug. “So what do you say to that bender?”
“I’m not really in the mood right now,” Sandy snipped without looking up. She was afraid Jesus would be frowning down on her and she wasn’t sure she could handle judgment at the moment, let alone divine judgment.
“Come on, the first drink’s on me,” the man pleaded and Sandy finally looked up and was shocked by the sight of the man before her.
“Ben.”
“That’s my name, don’t wear it out. Now, what about that drink? If I recall, I owe you a few anyway.”
“I think it’s safe to say your obligations are null in void.”
Ben let out a low whistle between pursed lips and shook his head. “I’m a man of my word. And you were a woman of yours. So, drink?”
Sandy looked up at him, her brows furrowing with mixed emotions. But there he stood with one hand held out and a s**t-eating grin that seemed determined to make her bend to his will, no matter how long it took. Besides, it wasn’t as if she still wanted to be here when the mob made their way through the coat check and reclaimed their pitchforks. “Ok!” Sandy sighed throwing her hands up in defeat. “Drink.”
~*~*~
Sandy sat next to Ben at the bar and sipped from her martini balefully. "So why did you come?" she asked finally finding her nerve. "You two went on like one date."
Ben shrugged and stirred his drink for a few moments before looking up. "I was worried about you."
"You barely know me."
"I'd like to know you better."
"Please, the last thing I'm looking for right now is some awkward hook up with my dead best friend's pseudo boyfriend."
"Ouch. You're kind of a b***h, aren't you?"
"And you're an a*****e."
"You're an alcoholic."
Sandy nearly spat out her drink as she whipped her head around to look at Ben. Her eyes narrowed as she considered the vast number of things she could do to him that would forever hinder his ability to bear children. “Alcoholics go to meetings,” she muttered.
"Cute,” came the nearly instantaneous reply. Once more he was wearing a toothy, boyish grin that pushed every button Sandy had remaining.
Instead, she just gritted her teeth and forced a smile. If he wanted to play, so could she. "You know, I'm funny too."
Her wit only made him smile more if that were possible. He was certainly enjoying himself as he chewed on his mixing straw thoughtfully before raising his hand to get the bartender's attention. "Another martini straight up, stirred and another scotch on the rocks." After ordering the drinks his demeanor seemed to calm into something resembling business-like. Not that she’d ever seen him capable of such a feat.
"Thanks," Sandy said quietly. "So why were you worried about me?" She used the tiny plastic sword to impale her olive before eyeing it up closely. It was better than making eye contact with him for now.
"Like I said, you're an alcoholic."
"So why the hell did you insist on buying me a drink?" she shrilled as the bartender arrived. For a moment he hesitated unsure of whether or not to set the glasses down but Ben tapped the counter and nodded.
"Well, I'm one too. And I didn't particularly feel in the mood to be drinking alone."
"So you dragged me down with you?"
"I don't recall it requiring all that much dragging. You seemed anxious to get out of there all on your own. Trust me, I wish I could take credit for that speech. I wish I’d recorded it just in case I ever have the misfortune of giving a eulogy. There were some real gems in there. I especially liked the way you made Julie’s mother cry.” Sandy shot him a dark look and he held up his hands defensively before he curled his fingers down to leave his index fingers up. He then took a long drink before raising his gaze back up to her. He looked like a man preparing for the noose. “Do you wanna talk about it?"
"Talk about what? My alcoholism?" she responded snappishly.
"No. Julie."
"Apparently you do,” she muttered as she picked up her drink and sipped on it. The wide brim made it hard to shoot it down quickly despite how much she wanted to do so at the moment. The gin burned as it slid down her throat and she considered accidentally on purpose choking on the olive.
"I'm not opposed to it,” he said running his finger along the rim of his glass.
Sandy narrowed her eyes at the familiar gesture and frowned. "Fine. Why do you think someone in the prime of her life, on the cusp of success was cut down? Because unless there's a damn good reason for it, I don't really want to talk about it."
"Ever hear of the chaos theory?"
"Isn't that about some butterfly causing hurricanes?"
"That's one breakdown. Essentially it's about taking very small variables, such as a butterfly flapping its wings, and understanding the chain of events that is created."
"Are you proposing that a butterfly killed my best friend? Because I’m pretty sure it was a drunk driver who jumped the curb."
"My money is on a Common Jezebel of India,” Ben deadpanned raising his glass to his lips again. And no matter how hard Sandy tried, he wouldn’t make eye contact with her.
"You're serious, aren't you?"
He finally turned and faced her, his arm resting along the bar, the other across the back of his stool. His sudden openness took her by surprise. "It makes me feel better knowing that some things are just beyond my control and understanding."
"I'm not really buying that as a reason."
"Fine, then think of it as her death is the butterfly. And from this event, how many other events will be spawned and formed just so and wouldn't and couldn't have been without it happening?" He gave a small shrug of his shoulders to reinforce the idea and smiled. “Based on your version of a eulogy, that’s what she wanted, right?”
Sandy stared down into her drink and frowned. "I don't want to consider it. Because everything that's happening because of it is either too horrible to think about or too good."
"Too good? Now I’m curious. Consider this fish to be biting."
"She was to play a solo in the next concert series. Now it's mine. But I'm not sure I want to play without her. I don't know if I can play without her. It feels wrong when it was supposed to be her big break.” Sandy sighed and glanced away trying to forget the retched feeling she’d had yesterday when she’d sat down at her cello for the first time in a week. She’d thought it’d be easier to do so with the entire orchestra, but it’d been so much worse. She’d frozen, the orchestral director stabbing his wand in her direction with such ferocity that she was afraid that if she continued to not play, he’d come down and stab her himself. Leaving the stage that night, she’d felt the rest of the cellists’ eyes on her back and knew what they were thinking. She didn’t deserve the solo, especially if she couldn’t bring herself to put the bow to strings.
"What do you think she would have said?" Ben asked breaking her thoughts into small shards and fragments, too small to consider any longer.
"'Shut up, you stupid git, and make sure your cello is tuned properly. And for God's sake, don't forget to practice,'" Sandy replied in a near perfect impression of Julie’s contralto voice.
Ben chuckled as he took a long slow sip. "I think that sounds about right. You should follow that advice."
"I know I should. It just feels weird, you know?"
"It's always going to feel weird without her."
Sandy just snorted and shook her head. "You've got to stop acting as if you knew her,” she said before draining the rest of her drink. She raised her hand and without coming over, the bartender began to make up their next round.
"I told you, I'm here because I want to get to know you better."
"Then why'd you ask for her phone number?"
"Because I wanted to pick her brain about how to get in better with you. You’re relatively off putting and call me crazy but that’s what’s attracted me to you. Perhaps I have a thing for emotionally stunted women. Or perhaps it’s just women who are incapable of behaving themselves in public,” Ben replied as the next drinks were set down in front of them. He smiled gently to the bartender who immediately disappeared to add the total to Ben’s tab. He took a deep breath before sneaking a glance at Sandy who just stared openly at him. Unnerved by her stare, he picked up his drink flicked aside the mixing straw and drained it all. A small tap on the bar and another scotch appeared for him to again drain. Looking back at Sandy he could see she hadn’t moved and her gaze had not decreased in intensity. “Can you please say something?”
"Has anyone ever told you that you have terrible timing?"
He released the breath he’d been holding and smiled. "Absolutely. Then again, if I had good timing, I probably would never have any fun." It was Sandy’s turn to be rattled as her lips tightened and she gazed away. “You know, this friendship thing will work so much easier if you give me your number.”
“Friendship? Aren’t you aiming a bit high?”
“No. Aiming high would have been asking you out on a date. But timing is poor so I’ll settle for friends in the meantime. Maybe after you become a big cello playing starlet then I’ll ask you out only for you to shoot me down because you’re out of my league.”
“Wouldn’t that still be bad timing?”
“Yes, it would. So what do you say?” he asked dangling his cell phone in front of her. “Going to give me those magic digits or do I have to stalk you instead? Personally I find my couch at home to be far more comfortable than the bushes outside your apartment.”
Sandy frowned at him before snatching his cell phone from his hand. “And what if I give you a bad number?”
“I don’t think you will.”
“And why do you say that?”
“Call it optimism. I think you need a friend.”
Sandy started to open the phone and then stopped. “What did you do that night with Julie?”
“We went for coffee—and talked about you the entire time. It’s how I know you live in an apartment, the second floor of a walk-up in fact. You have a cat, which means I’ll need to get my allergy meds refilled I’m sure. You almost didn’t go to Julliard in favor of pre-med. You’re parents are divorced, only your father remarried but your mother’s currently dating. You’ve got no siblings and Julie was like a sister to you.
“What do you think we did, Sandy?”
Sandy froze as she stared at Ben. Despite all that they’d had to drink, neither of them were showing any signs of the alcohol. Apparently the high emotions of the day were victorious against stupor. She licked her lips and diverted her gaze downward only to be greeted by his cell phone. She flipped it open and her mouth worked silently in her shock as she gazed down at the background. It was a beautiful yellow butterfly with orange wing tips. “Is this…?”
“A Common Jezebel,” Ben supplied. “I actually already have your number,” he said taking the phone from her trembling hands before she could drop it.
“Julie would have loved it,” Sandy said softly gazing at the picture still. Before she could stop herself, she reached over grabbing Ben’s wrist and pulled the cell phone back towards herself so she could look at the picture more closely. “And I think you’re right. I like the idea that this butterfly flapping its wings killed Julie. It’s easier.”
Ben smiled as he dropped the phone on the bar and pulled Sandy into a tight hug. She cried for the first time, her tears slipping down her cheeks to be absorbed into Ben’s shirt. She felt as if she’d never cried so hard in her life and that she might never stop. And somewhere a voice spoke to her the same way Julie had all those years ago when stupid Tommy Benson had broken up with her in tenth grade. “It’s ok; it’ll be ok, Sandy.”
Here be spoilers!!! BEWARE!
Numbers of the requirements used: 1 (five or six depending on your level of cheesy), 4 (2 cellists), 9 (funeral, funny?), 10 (killer butterfly achieved!), 11 (woot for alcoholism—I mean no, bad kiddies, alcoholism is not at all condoned!)
Extra credit?: Seether ft. Amy Lee – Broken (captures the essence of the song, but not literal as it is more or less Sandy's feelings towards Julie)
TesselationRey
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- Posted: Tue, 08 Dec 2009 03:09:04 +0000
Orange Chus
It says Kamikaze, not suicidal.
How likely is it that you'll add more prompts?
How likely is it that you'll add more prompts?
Oops, my bad. I was going off memory. So leave it to me to have a semantical arguement with my memory.
Orange Chus
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- Posted: Tue, 08 Dec 2009 04:32:43 +0000
TesselationRey
Orange Chus
It says Kamikaze, not suicidal.
How likely is it that you'll add more prompts?
How likely is it that you'll add more prompts?
Oops, my bad. I was going off memory. So leave it to me to have a semantical arguement with my memory.
Okay.
Y a m i - D h a m p i r
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- Posted: Fri, 11 Dec 2009 02:10:33 +0000
I added more prompts Orange Chus. Not as many as I thought I could, but I tried.
And it hasn't changed on the front page yet, but, the deadline will now be on Wednesday, December 30th at 11:30 PM EST. I will change it soon, but I don't have time at the moment. So you all have about two and a half more weeks to get your entries in. I've been piled with a lot of school work, and this weekend will not be a good time to work on grading those. So I figured while I'm on christmas break, I can fit in some grading and such while I'm not so busy.
And it hasn't changed on the front page yet, but, the deadline will now be on Wednesday, December 30th at 11:30 PM EST. I will change it soon, but I don't have time at the moment. So you all have about two and a half more weeks to get your entries in. I've been piled with a lot of school work, and this weekend will not be a good time to work on grading those. So I figured while I'm on christmas break, I can fit in some grading and such while I'm not so busy.
