13 X's: A Collection of Short Stories

Which story do you like the best?

Dorkerella's Prince	0.0%	[ 0 ]
You Kiss by the Book	0.0%	[ 0 ]
Slide to Leap, Leap to Fly	0.0%	[ 0 ]
Sleep	0.0%	[ 0 ]
At First Sight	100.0%	[ 1 ]
Total Votes:			[ 1 ]

[Kcera]

13 X's

A Collection of Short Stories

The stories below are a basically a collection of what I like to call fluff that I've written over the past two years. For the most part, they have no real plot line, but if you look at them as a whole, you see a common component. They all tell the tale of a first kiss. For now, I'm up to only... 9 is it? But I will eventually make it a round 13.

Please, feel free to criticize my work. biggrin I generally do not enjoy criticism, but I won't balk at it. In fact, I will be a fairly good sport. I give my word. Altho' if you try to tell me they need plot lines, I'll just give a sarcastic quip and reference the first post.

So, sit back, and enjoy the tale of first kisses. I hope it warms someone's heart. wink

[Kcera]

Table of Contents

And author's comments

Page 1 ~ Dorkerella's Prince ~It got the idea from my past considering my friend and I used to play act to movies like that. Altho' instead of Cinderella, it had been Anastasia for me. I was watching the movie the other day and got the idea, what if... And the story was born. One of the first written and one of my favorites considering it's the one most connected to me. biggrin

Page 1 ~ You Kiss By the Book ~ This has been an ongoing idea for the past two years. I was sitting in my French class listening to my boring teacher speak on and on about something of no importance when I just started doodling. Eventually it formed this interesting piece of work and was my first one done. I've used it for several things including a one act play that I entered into a contest at my school that won and was acted on stage with five other one act plays. Twas interesting if nothing else.

Page 2 ~ Slide to Leap, Leap to Fly ~ I just came up with that title. And I am so completely proud of it. My Senior year was... like this without the extreme. I really did want to talk to someone about how much they meant to me with no real romantic thought to... and then I was like, Story! And this appeared... I don't know how well this was comprehensive. xd I'm a tad tired.... So yes... Just like it. tis an order. ... xd

Page 2 ~ Sleep Meh. I vaguely like this one... I wanted something that... wasn't exactly happy. Honestly, to me, this feels like two friends who got caught in the moment. The guy made a mistake, and suddenly the girl is left confused and hurt because of it. Not every first kiss can have a happy ending. I wrote it a long time ago, but was unable to get on long enough to actually post a story.

Page 2 ~ At First Sight I honestly don't know what to say about this one. I love the boy... Dean. He's got this innocent naivety that is... cute. I don't want people to take this in a creeper fashion. I actually wrote it a long time ago, and these worries are what mostly stopped me from posting it for so long. I also don't know how many stupid mistakes are in there, because I might have grabbed the wrong version... Ah well! Enjoy.

[Kcera]

Reserved

[Kcera]

Dorkerella's Prince

I’d been young when I last watched this movie, with all the dreams of a young girl swimming through my heart and mind. I’d wanted a prince like the fairy tale movies to fall in love with me and give me that one kiss of true love. I’d wanted to have only good things happen in my life. I’d wanted to be a Cinderella.

Yet, I’d grown up. My ideals in men were different, and the way I saw them had changed. Instead of the numberless princes who always did what was right, there was the countless number of idiots who had to be pardoned of most they did so they could be counted as the prince of my dreams.

With age had also created the new idea of a kiss: they were nothing special. I’d never kissed a guy, and yet, now I didn’t care. In my new eyes, kisses didn’t symbolize true love. They symbolized a boyfriend, a date… all the things I couldn’t have.

In my heart, I still yearned to go back. I wanted to see things through the eyes of my young self who dreamed of that tall, handsome stranger. I wanted so badly to be that fairy tale princess. And in my brain, the organ that controlled all, little signals were informing me, “Impossible, Dorkerella! Impossible.”

The character on my TV screen began to dance, her tattered skirts twirling around her as she sang to the surrounding animals. I started to hum the tune, slowly coming back down to earth from my inward rant. Slowly, I rose to my feet, my eyes closing as I let the old emotions of giddiness wash over me. From the memory of millions of watches, I mimicked the girl on the screen, my invisible skirts swirling in a mass of ghostly blue silks and jewels. My voice rose with the crescendo. Sometimes, I couldn’t remember the words, but I didn’t care. I plowed through, just wanting to sing. No one was at home. No one would see me or make fun of me.

I was so intent, so zoned into the moment of relived childhood, that I didn’t hear the knock on the door… nor the creak of a door opening… not even the tentative call of “hello?” Not until a hand was added to my shoulder did I start with a scream, my whole body tumbling backwards in an innate attempt to get away. Almost in a panic, my eyes rose to meet the blue-eyed, laughing ones of—Caleb.

My body immediately relaxed, my eyes rolling as he began to laugh. Yes, one of my closest friends and perfect example of the idiots I’d found in my lifetime. Thankfully, time had helped, along with my many prods in the right direction, but still… an idiot can’t seem to be changed for the better.

“Are you okay?” he asked through his laughter, offering me a hand.

“Yeah…” I muttered in reply, blushing to my roots in realization that he’d come in at the end of my dance. He’d witnessed my childish actions, and now, he would make fun of me.

“What movie?” he asked, glancing at the TV. With his help, I flew to my feet, narrowly missing a collision by forcing my weight towards the couch where I collapsed instead.

“Cinderella. I’ve felt very nostalgic lately, and decided to turn it on. This is the… sixth VHS I’ve turned on this week.” I replied, patting the seat beside me. He took it, situating himself so that he was comfortable. His knee pressed against mine in the end, but as he didn’t seem to mind, I took it upon myself to move my knee away inconspicuously.

“Ah sweet, I came in at a good time,” he said, his eyes never leaving the screen. I did a double take, my eyes widening.

“What?” I asked, shock the prominent emotion on my face. To my surprise (again), his cheeks tinged a light red, his eyes reverting to my knees.

“Well… Casey likes this movie… and she’s made me watch it a few times and… the escape scene is the only good part…”

I smirked, an eyebrow raised as I turned sideways in my seat to look at him. “Yeah… right. Casey likes this movie.”

“Shut up,” he said, his hand shooting out to poke my side. He seemed to take pride in the resulting hiccup-like gasp and a smirk spread across his face.

“No,” I demanded, throwing my arms in front of me in self-defense. Grinning wickedly, he shifted in his seat, leaving both hands ready. Again, I waved my arms, pretending to karate chop the air. He dodged around my hands, attacking my sides mercilessly. My giggles and shrieks erupted, and I attempted to wriggle away, only succeeding in wedging myself farther under him, completely open to his attack. Needing an attack of defense desperately, I latched onto his head, rumpling his hair like I knew he hated, making him growl in irritation. His head burrowed into my shoulder, trying to avoid my hands, the idea working, although he was so far off balance that he couldn’t tickle anymore.

For a moment, we both surrendered, his body pressed against mine as his head remained buried against my neck. Both of us were breathing hard from our laughter, tears squeezing out of the corners of my eyes. All was silent except for the voices coming from the TV. And then, Caleb shifted, his arms pressed to either of my sides as he braced himself.

“You realize, if anyone walked in…” he muttered against my neck, making goose bumps suddenly rise along my back. I left the cloud I’d been floating on, moving my arms quickly in between the two of us so there was a barrier between myself and Caleb. He lifted his head, smiling down at me. “Nervous?” he asked, sliding his arms underneath my back and hugging me tightly to him.

“Caleb, get off,” I said, pushing against him. Again, he smirked, but he did as he was asked and let me go. I sat up, looking back at the movie. Silence. Vaguely, I thought that maybe he had forgotten the incident he’d walked in on. However, the characters were just starting another song, when suddenly, Caleb turned in his seat to look at me, his elbow propped against the back of the couch so he could rest his head on his fist.

I looked to him, an eyebrow raised. He grinned. I grinned back, waiting. “So…” he began.”

“So…” I prodded, poking him teasingly in the side. He wasn’t ticklish.

“What were you doing when I first came in?”

The blood in my face left, drained for a brief second before it all came back with reinforcements. Laughing, he put a cool, big hand to my face, cupping my cheek. “You gonna be okay?”

“No,” I said, shaking my head against his hand.

“Well, tell me anyway,” he said, tweaking my nose before he let me go once again.

“Well…” I murmured, my eyes catching his and holding the gaze. With that, my fate was set. There was no lying to blue eyes as pretty as his. “When I was a little girl, me and my best friend would get together and play act a lot. Usually, it was just a little 30 minute kung fu kids movie, but one day, we decided we wanted to do a full movie. And so, we picked Cinderella. I was watching it just now and thinking of the injustice of it all, being nostalgic and that crap when you walked in.”
“Play acted?” he asked, reeling back slightly as he imagined it. “Injustice? Explain.” I took a breath, knowing full well that once he heard my story, he was going to make fun of me.

“We’d each pick a part and follow along with the movie. The injustice comes in on the character choice. Like in that kung fu kids stuff, Nikki was always the pretty gal while I had to be the not as attractive other chick. It wasn’t fair!” His amused gaze left my face for a moment to glance at the TV screen, and then he looked back to me.

“And… Cinderella?” I gulped. His eyes were back on mine again, though, so I had to tell him.

“She was Cinderella… and somehow… she talked me into being Prince Charming… It always makes me so mad just thinking about it.” My eyes had left his, their gaze focused on the big hand resting on my knee. Silence, the song on the TV ended, leading into the next scene—a romantic scene. My mind went back to when I had been a little girl forced to lead Nikki into a childish form of a “waltz”. Irritated, I looked back at the TV screen, waiting for the awkward moment when Prince Charming and Cinderella stood across from each other.

Suddenly, Caleb stood, taking my hand and pulling me to my feet. When I looked in his face, I was surprised by the expression. His smile was almost… gentle. Almost like…

“You’ve always wanted to be Cinderella, haven’t you?” he asked, taking my hand in his and placing my other hand on his shoulder before he took my waist.

“Well… I don’t care as much now, but when I was younger, I wanted to play the part so badly. It was never really fair…” The music started and he began to lead me in a waltz. He held me close, his eyes twinkling at me sweetly. My hand trembled in his, my other gripping his shirt uncomfortably. This wasn’t like Caleb. Not around me. So then… why?

“So, what’s it like?” he asked, twirling us around. Somehow, I felt graceful, like I could really dance just as well as nonclumsy people and a small smile teased the corners of my mouth. “To be Cinderella?”

“It’s like… I’m a graceful princess,” I replied quietly, my eyes closing. They opened once again, however, when the music ended. My spell disappeared along with my smile.

He let go of my hand, instead taking my chin and guiding my gaze to his. An eyebrow was raised, and I gasped when his thumb started stroking my chin, caressing my bottom lip sweetly. “What’s wrong?” he asked, cocking his head.

“Nothing!” I gasped, pushing my hand against his stomach. He ignored it, wrapping his arm against my waist and pulling me close.

“No, there’s something wrong,” he murmured. Our eyes met. I watched him move closer. He was acting like he was going to kiss me!

“No,” I whispered, my eyes wide. He was too close. My hand shot up, clapping over his mouth, stopping him from the mistake he didn’t want to make. My hands shook badly, but I didn’t care if he noticed or not.

Caleb didn’t want to kiss me. He would regret it and then I would feel ultimately low. There was no way. A look of irritation crossed his face as I slipped from his grasp, backing away from him.

“You’ll not be going with the movie,” I said, forcing laughter into my voice. I sounded insane. I turned away, intent on moving to a single chair in the corner of the room, when he caught my hand. Again, I gasped as I was pulled back to him. My eyes met his again and he smiled.

“What if I don’t want to go with the movie?” he asked, an arm going around my waist and another cupping the back of my head. My eyes closed as our lips met. Gently, a teasing kiss. My heart beat faster, my body froze. I couldn’t think. My mind had fogged or scattered… maybe both. Several kisses in succession were pressed to my lips, and I remained frozen, not knowing what to do. Eventually, he pulled back. I could feel him examining my face, but I refused to open my eyes.

“Jennie…” he whispered tentatively; my eyes opened. His eyes were on mine, filled with doubt suddenly. “Are… you okay?”

“Why’d you kiss me?” I asked. His eyes widened, almost in terror.

“Because… Because…” I waited, my hands gripping his shirt front in an attempt to keep him near. “Because… I’ve wanted to. For a really long time…”

I wanted to step away, wanted to reel back in shock. But I also didn’t want to get away at all. I closed my eyes, trying to calm down my heartbeat. “I’m sorry,” he whispered so I could barely hear him. “I couldn’t help it. If-If you…”

But I didn’t want to hear it. My hand shot out, clapping over his mouth. Then, leaning in, I pulled his head to mine, my lips pressing to his. It was his turn to be surprised.

“Thank you,” I whispered when I pulled back.

“For what?” he asked, placing another kiss on my lips. I smiled, wrapping my arms around his waist.

“For showing me that kisses really do mean something.”

[Kcera]

You Kiss By the Book

The class continued, a never ending stream of mumblings about the famous play, Romeo and Juliet. Yet, when this stupid professor spoke, it seemed to turn the tragic play of action and love into a monologue five million years long. The clock ticked in the corner, the loud sound assaulting Julia’s ears as her mind remained far away from the lesson. It was 11:10 exactly, meaning they still had another 10 minutes until the bell would free them from their prison. She was officially doomed. The sound of ticking mingled with the sound of the restlessness of the class. No one was paying attention. Her head fell forward until it rested on her arms, her eyes still glued to the clock’s face.

11:11. Her eyes clouded over. And then, she felt a hand on her back and she jerked up into a sitting position, her eyes wide. A snicker came from behind her while the teacher continued droning from the front of the class. It had been Roger, that idiot. Sighing silently, relieved, she leaned back so that her head touched his desk, her eyes meeting his. She gave him a glare. He merely smiled. “Tired?” he mouthed, putting his hand on her forehead. She shook it off, sitting up again with her back straight. His hands found their way on her head, his fingers running through her hair and brushing her scalp. Her eyes rolled back happily. Unconsciously, she slouched down in her desk so that she could lean back, her neck supported by the back of her chair, and her feet propped on the basket of the person in front of her. His laughter was silent from behind her, but he continued to stroke her hair. Her head tilted, and he took that to mean, “behind my ears!” as she had told him enough times already that that’s what she liked.

“You’re too cute,” he whispered into her ear, his warm breath sending chills down her back. She waved him away, ignoring his comment. He always said stuff like this. It didn’t mean that he actually meant it. Her eyes closed. She was far too close to falling asleep. She forced her eyes open, looking immediately to the clock. 11:13… this was taking forever. Suddenly, his hands left her hair and she glanced to the front of the classroom. Their teacher’s eyes were on them, his glare showing perfectly that he was mad.

“I see. Miss Julia, Mr. Brinkman, since I seem to bore you, why don’t you show us how Romeo and Juliet should act in our latest scene.” The class was silent, all eyes on the two in the last row. Julia felt her face turning a dark red. The recent scene…? What had he just been talking about…? Wait! That was… NO!

The teacher seemed to grow triumphant as they hesitated. He had found a perfect punishment.

“You are both actors, are you not?”

“Yes, we are,” Roger replied. He sounded entirely too calm. Julia could just imagine him lounging backwards in his seat, his arms crossed against his chest.

“And you’re both in the play, right? With the role of each other’s lover?”

“You are correct.” Murmurs. Julia’s face turned even redder.

“Then come up here and perform. I want to see the best acting you’ll ever produce.” Roger stood, his hand catching Julia’s arm and helping her to her feet. He led the way to the front of the classroom, his eyes full of stubborn pride. He was going to act, alright. The best he’d ever done. He was going to prove to that old man that he was the best. The books were handed to Roger before the teacher passed them to sit at Julia’s desk. She looked at the white board absolutely terrified. Roger took her hand, placing one of the small books in it. She looked up to his face, and he smiled at her. Then he bent, his hand still on hers.

“Better get into character. We need to prove that man that we were listening, right?” he murmured in her ear. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Roger smelled really good…

“Page 48, now… if you please,” the teacher said. He seemed to be enjoying his punishment. He was sure that the love scene would torture his two students… and in all actuality, that’s exactly the thought that passed through Julia’s head at first. She glanced to the clock. Three minutes was all that they had left. She took a deep breath.

Roger stood before the class and gave a synopsis quickly, his gestures wide and like a narrator’s. “Our two main characters have found a place to speak having just seen each other, and now they are alone.” The class perked up slightly, their eyes on the two. A love scene? This love scene? What was going to happen?

Roger turned to Julia, his eyes gentle and only on her. Another breath. She fell into character.

“If I profane with my unworthiest hand
This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this:
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.”

He took her hand as he spoke, pressing his palm against hers, their fingers intertwined. Julia ignored the pleasant feeling of his hand holding hers. As he finished his line, he pulled her hand to his lips, kissing the back lingeringly. She nearly blushed when she felt his tongue lightly brush her. She forced her mind clear. He really was playing the scene up.

“G-Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,” she began, looking up at him. His eyes caught hers and she couldn’t look away. She knew the lines already.

“Which mannerly devotion shows in this;
For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch,
And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss.”

“Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?” Rodger asked, his voice sounding much like a flirt. She smiled, delighted that someone could act in this play just as well as she did.

“Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer,” she responded, her voice teasing as she imagined Juliet’s would have been.

“O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do;
They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.” Roger spoke quickly as if he were excited. When he finished speaking, he tried to come in for a kiss, but Julia dodged away from him, a knowing smile on her lips.

“Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake,” she responded, holding back a laugh at the look on his face. For a Romeo, Roger was fairly adorable.

“Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take.
Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged.”

He bent down, turning her head slightly so that the others could not see. “I’m not going to kiss you this time,” he murmured, his eyes closed. Julia felt a sinking in the pit of her stomach, although there was a sense of relief there as well. When he pulled back, he dropped his hand from her cheek, allowing everyone to see Julia’s face once again. Everyone in the room knew it wasn’t a kiss and grew restless. Were these two not going to give them anything to gossip about?

Julia looked up, her eyes meeting Roger’s. She hesitated with her lines, wondering if his words meant that he would kiss her when the second time came. Then, she took a deep breath and looked thoughtful in character.

“Then have my lips the sin that they have took,” she pondered, pressing her fingers thoughtfully to her bottom lip. He smiled gently as well.

“Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged!
Give me my sin again,” he murmured so that the class could barely hear. He bent, the book falling from his hand as he reached up and cupped the side of her face that faced the white board. She reached up, catching his wrist with her hand as if to pull it away. Her book lay forgotten on the floor. His lips pressed to hers, gently. Her eyes remained wide open, her mind fuzzing. The class was dead silent. When he pulled back, there was the sound of the bell. No one moved.

“You kiss by the book,” he whispered into her ear, finishing their lines. Julia froze for a moment, unable to think. Rodger had… She shook her head, backing away from him. Rodger opened his eyes, brown meeting the blue of hers. Blushing vermilion, Julia ran from the room, pausing in confusion every now and then to glance over her shoulder at Rodger. No one moved. All was silent. And then, her best friend jumped up, gathering Julia’s books and running after her friend. The noise returned, murmurs full of gossip scattering everywhere. Still Rodger didn’t move.
“It seems you two were listening to me,” the teacher said reluctantly as he passed Rodger on his way to the desk. “You proved me wrong.”

For a moment, Rodger said nothing. His hand went to his lips, touching them lightly. Then, he slid his hand behind his neck, rubbing it awkwardly.

“Yeah… we did…” he finally muttered, returning to his desk and grabbing his things before leaving the room, nearly running into a girl as she entered.

[Kcera]

KICK!