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 Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 2:39 pm
In his bedroom, Jole was stirring fretfully. He hadn't slept all night, his mind was swarmed with images of Abby, Billy and a strange longing for his recording studio. A couple of times he'd picked up his old guitar and strummed a few chords, but he was immediately interrupted each time by a loud bang on the wall and an angry, "Shut the hell up and go to sleep, Jole!"
Staring morosely at his ceiling, Jole could hear the birds begin to twitter outside his window, and he finally gave up trying. With a hopeless sigh, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and perched on the edge of his duvet, his hair stuck-up in a most ridiculous way.
A loud, droning snore issued from the room next door.
As the room began to fill with a blue light, Jole lauched himself from the bed and opened his door. His parents were fast asleep in the room next door, but Jole knew it wouldn't take much to wake his dad. Tentatively, he crept down the stairs, breathing lightly and gripping the bannister. When he reached the bottom stair, he promptly collapsed against the wall and let out a relieved sigh. Almost in reply, another ripping snore sounded along the hall.
Running his fingers through his hair absent-mindedly, Jole sauntered into the front room and plonked himself down on the flowery sofa. A half eaten chicken sat on the kitchen counter, but Jole couldn't bring himself to appease his appetite. Moodily, he picked up the remote and switched on the aged television. An advert for an exercise bench flashed garishly from the screen. Jole didn't notice.
I wonder where she is now...
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Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 2:42 pm
Charlie grabbed her satchel, groaning. What did she do when she needed to think? Go throw rocks at the side of the Waffle house. She went into the alley between Jole's house and the Waffle house and began to throw the rocks.
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Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 2:49 pm
The harsh sunlight was seeping through the closed curtains. Jole didn't care. His mind was still on the blonde girl, who was now telling him she'd always felt the same way too...
A quick bang coming from outside brought Jole back to the present. He sat, startled, and listened, while a man on the t.v. waffled on about steam cookers.
A second bang issued from the side of the house. Jole knew that sound. Charlie wasn't in a good mood.
Hastily, he pulled on a pair of jeans and a green t-shirt and sprinted out of the house. A dark haired figure was moodily hurling rocks through the alley next to to the Waffle House. Jole stepped closer.
"Charlie? What's wrong?"
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Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 2:50 pm
"..." she tossed another rock, then looked at Jole. "Nothing."
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Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 2:56 pm
Jole raised an eyebrow sceptically. "Charlie," he began, drawing closer, "I've known you for a long time. I know when something's wrong." He stood next to her and picked up a large, dark stone at his feet.
"So what is it?" he asked, hurling the rock at the wall. It crashed against the faded bricks and skittered across the pavement. A sudden stab of panic clutched at his insides. He turned back to Charlie. "Is it Abby? Has something happened?"
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Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 2:58 pm
"No." she said sourly, then sighed. "Fine." She sat down, leaning against his house. She fumbled around in her pockets and pulled out the ring box. "Billy gave this to me yesterday..."
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Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 3:03 pm
Jole's eyes fell upon the small black box. He comtemplated it for a moment, unsure of what to say. An uneasy silence shifted in the alley.
"So..." Jole answered uncomfortably, his eyes still on the box, "That's a good thing, right?" He looked at Charlie, and then sat down next to her. He paused, biting his bottom lip, and then added thoughtfully, "So did you say yes?"
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Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 3:05 pm
"I haven't decided yet." she looked at the wall. "I'm not sure if I'm going to say yes." She tossed another rock, but it landed on the ground before it hit.
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Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 3:10 pm
"You haven't decided?" Jole repeated, a frown on his face. "But... I thought you loved this guy," he mused, throwing a rock half-heartedly across the alley. It hit Charlie's rock and rolled messily backwards, stopping a few feet away.
"And," he added, reaching out for the same rock,"He obviously likes you a whole lot..."
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Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 3:14 pm
"I do like him a lot..." she brought her knees to her chest. "But I'm nineteen. I'm not ready for it. I don't want to make a mistake by rushing it."
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Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 4:40 pm
Abby rolled out of bed. She got up and took a quick shower and changing before heading to the Waffle House for some breakfast. Right as she was about to walk in she noticed Jole and Charlie sitting outside. "Hey you two." She smiled then she saw Charlie's face. "Is everything alright." The box in Charlie's hand made the memories of yesterday come back. Billy had proposed to her. Abby sat down next to Charlie and put an arm around her shoulders. "You don't have to answer right away you know. If he loves you he can wait."
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Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 4:41 pm
She set the box aside."If he says Monday, I'll decide by Monday..." She whispered.
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Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 4:42 pm
Jole looked at her thoughtfully. He reached out his arm and put it around her shoulders, holding her close in a comforting embrace. "Look," he said softly, his head resting on hers, "I'm sure that if you just tell him you're not ready, he'll understand. I mean, if he loves you that much to propose, he should love you that much to let you make your own choices." His eyes stared ahead at the brick wall as he contemplated just what sort of man Billy was.
"At least you know he'd take care of you," he smiled, giving her shoulder an encouraging squeeze.
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Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 4:54 pm
Abby nodded. "Jole's right. If Billy loves you he won't care when you answer. Ok maybe he will care if you take like a gazillion years. He has to wait he will wait. I know he loves you. And he will wait."
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Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 4:55 pm
She smiled weakly. "You're right."
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