Burntcore Week 47: Stillness of Color

Burntcore
Thursday


Picture 1

Picture 2


Burntcore's Choice: both


Title: Stillness of Color
Melanie sighed as she flopped on my bed. “Do you think we’ll ever be as cool as Marlon Brando?” she asked, gazing longingly at my black and white poster of Marlon on my wall.

“Maybe,” I mused. “If you stop being such a goober all the time.”

I smirked at Melanie as her jaw dropped in shock.

“Goober? Who are you calling a goober?” she demanded, throwing a pillow at me.

“Who you callin’ a cootie queen, you lint licker!” I quoted an Orbitz gum commerial as I caught the pillow and tossed it back at her.

Melanie laughed and sighed lustily over Marlon Brando’s picture again.

“They just don’t make them like they used to, do they?”

“Hmm?” I asked, as I dug through the piles of organized chaos on my desk to find a SD card for my camera.

“Men like Marlon. They don’t make them like that anymore. Hollywood just isn’t like it used to be.”

“Aha!” I crowed happily as I branished the sought after SD card. “Found it!”

“Seriously, Linds, what do you think? Do you think Hollywood is different now?”

I sat in my desk chair with a flop and pondered her question. “Of course it is. Half the shit that men like Brando got away with back then couldn’t be done now. Everyone romantisizies how things were back then but was it really that great?”

“If you feel that way about that time, why do yo have a poster of Brando on your wall?”

I laughed, “Cause he’s fucking hot! Duh!”

Melanie joined in my laughter as I swapped out SD cards on my camera. Regardless of how much of a sexist pig Marlon Brando may have been, he was still one of the finest men to ever grace the big screen.

Our laughter died down and I gathered my camera bag and lenses. Melanie said she wanted to come with me on this trip. I next assignment for my photography class was to interpret the phrase “Stillness of Color.” I wasn’t sure just how I was going to do that but we were going out to find just what that would mean.

“You ready?” I ask, as I slide the last of my stuff into my bag.

“Yep,” Melanie said, as she got up from my bed and grabbed her purse. “Where are we going exactly?”

“I have a few ideas where I think I can find something that fits... the lake is one, and possibly the arboretum. We’ll hit the arboretum first as it is closest. After we’re done, you wanna grab a bite?”

Melanie eagerly agreed, “Yes, please. I’ve hardly eaten all day.”

We ran out of my apartment and hopped in my trusty Honda Civic. It had seen better days but it still ran great and got me where I needed to go. The gas mileage couldn’t be beat for a standard combustion engine either.

It didn’t take long before we got to the college’s arboretum. Thankfully, it wasn’t that busy. As we walked around, I took a few photos of interesting things I saw but nothing really stuck out at me. Melanie even tried to help by pointing out a few things she saw that caught her eye, but nothing was working. Nothing was It. We had gotten about halfway through the arboretumwhen I realized that I wasn’t going to find what I wanted there.

“Come on, Melanie. It’s just not working here. Let’s try the lake.”

“Really? There are so many beautiful things here,” she replied, looking around with a smile. Melanie loved the arboretum, which was fitting since she was studying to be a botanist.

“There are,” I agreed. “But not what I need for this assignment.”

The drive to the lake took a little longer. We chatted easily about our plans for later that night. Melanie and I both had dates with guys from our Ethics class, the one class we both had together. This was my first date with Jason but her third with Matt. She was eagerly looking forward to how the third date shenanigans would go.

“You are such a slut,” I teased.

“What? He’s hot!” she retorted.

“Yeah, but still, that doesn’t mean you have to give it up just because it’s the third date.”

“I know that, mom, thanks,” she said sarcastically. “I really like him so we’ll just see where it goes.”

I nodded, knowing that nothing I said would sway my friend from her goal of getting into Matt’s pants. He was a good lucking guy and all but there was more to life than sex. Not much, but there was.

Finally, we pulled up at the look-out point for the lake, which was also blissfully empty. The sun had just set and colors were streaking across the sky.

“Oh my God,” I whispered. “Mel, this is perfect.”

I barely remembered to park the car and shut it off before I was out the door and setting up my tripod. I heard Melanie get out of the car and join me on the bank of the placid lake.

“Wow, that’s amazing, Linds,” Melanie whispered.

I nodded as I attached my camera to the tripod and dug through my bag for the right lens. The colors were deepening as the sun continued it’s trek across to the other side of the world. I only had moments to capture this. With a quiet snick, the lens locked into place and I began setting the aperture settings.

Gazing through the viewfinder, I watched the oranges and the blues of the sky streak against the high, puffy clouds. The placid, calm lake mirrored the image, providing a fantastic backdrop to the dead tree that stood off to the side. Finally finding my moment, I focused on the limbs of the dead tree with the last of the sun streaming behind it in glorious golds that contrasted the blues and oranges of the sunset.

Click.

Kimmydonn Week 47: Misfortune

Kimmydon
Wednesday


Picture 1

Picture 2


Kimmydon's Choice: both


Title: Misfortune
What was I doing here? I should have learned my lesson from his last show, but no, I’d decided to try to make it to another. Sure, there was the lure of the new songs, written about characters I had created, but Dan would have been happy to sing them for me somewhere quiet, well-lit, and warm. Instead I’d wedged myself into a milling crowd, sure my shoe was slipping in something not from a glass. I’d made it through three numbers before I couldn’t take another minute. The people felt like insects, swarming me. I ran from the bar and heaved a sigh of relief from beside the bouncer still taking cover fees.

“You okay?” he asked, eying me over. “Need me to get a cab?”

I should have accepted, instead I foolishly thought a walk would do me good. Fresh air wasn’t a bad idea, but the neighborhood I’d chosen couldn’t be much worse. Dan wouldn’t swoop in and save me now. I didn’t have a knight sworn to protect me. I was going to be crushed by the monster that dogged my steps.
I froze in front of a lighted window, praying the neon would repel him, like some magic barrier.
It seemed to work at first, he stalled anyway. Then he came on, grabbed my arm and pushed me past the window, into the alley.

“Come along, little girl.” His voice dripped venom and I started to scream. His hand wrapped around my mouth, muffling it. It was cut by the knife he produced. “Now play nice and I won’t have to use this,” he warned, twisting the blade so it shone in the sparse light. Tears filled my eyes but I nodded slightly.

”Aren’t you lucky I have a strong constitution? Amnesia, the knight muttered.

The princess clung to the knight’s back as he rode out of the cave. “How do you get me into these things?” he asked.

“I’m beginning to believe your reputation is bringing disaster,” she retorted, losing breath as she connected hard with the saddle.
“Heh, suppose it could be. You never see the inept ones I put down. It’s mercy-killing, I swear.” He chuckled and held a hand over hers where it clung to his breastplate.

“Well, if you will kindly return me to my fortress, I will attempt to make your job easier,” she answered coolly.

“How’s that?”

“Better fortifications, of course. Less chance...” His laughing cut her off.

“You think they won’t find a way around? They always do. How many times have you been captured this month? this week? I’m starting to think you’re running off with them to make me come for you.”

She seethed, wishing she could cross her arms. Finally she did let go and slipped form the saddle to the dirt. She tumbled once, her rags picking up more filth. This last captor had not been gentle.

Rearing, the knight pulled rein, and dismounted, coming to lift her. “Why?” he asked.

She kicked a little, ineffectually, until he plopped her in the saddle, walking with the reins. She quieted some then.

“Why?” he barked again.

“I don’t know,” she answered. She knew the question. Why did she fight him? Why didn’t she let him protect her properly, all the time? Why did she refuse his presence so often?

“Try to figure it out,” he grumbled.

Scooping a glob of jam onto my bread, I joined Marla at the table.

“What happened to you?” she asked, alarmed. “Where were you last night?”

I didn’t answer, slugging back coffee and choking on it. “Nothing happened,” I said when the coughing died away. “I went to the show, then Dan brought me home.”

She smirked. “Dan did. Is he coming by again today?”

“Yes,” I said in a whisper. Appetite gone, I dropped the bread to my plate and turned back for my room.

“Wait,” Marla called. “Your face. What did you do? Fall?”

I ran a hand of the shallow scrape and bruise. “Yeah. I fell. Near a wall.” It was pushed against a wall, but close enough.

“You’re not going to eat that?” she asked, pointing at the bread and heart-shaped glob.

“No. In fact, I’m going for a walk. Tell Dan I’m at the park?” I didn’t bother with bag or coat, walking out.

I sat staring into grassy field, not seeing the kids playing, or dogs walking. Leaping of the bench, I punched Dan in the jaw as he tried to hug me.

“I’m sorry!” I shouted, putting my hand to the spot. “You scared me.”

“I deserved that. Should have warned you. You forgot this,” he said, pulling my notebook from his coat pocket. “That nearly scared Marla to death. You’ll have to tell her something when you get back. As soon as she told me you were gone, I guessed where.” He moved to sit next to me. “May I?” he asked, lifting his arm and setting it well off my shoulders behind me.

I nodded and leaned into his chest, tucking my head under his chin. “Thank you,” I whispered. “It could have been so much worse. It was bad, but...” I sniffled unable to relive any of the night before, yet.

“I’m here for you, Chase. Always. I’ll come for you anytime, anywhere. I just wish I’d known you were coming. If John hadn’t spotted you in the crowd, if I hadn’t gone looking...” We both shuddered at the implications.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked after several minutes of silence.

“No,” I whispered.

“Want to hear a story?” he asked. “About a little boy who got caught by bigger boys?”

“No,” I answered honestly. “Unless it’s about the little boy kicking all their asses.”

He laughed, and I could feel it rumble through him. “Don’t let him get you, Jenny. He’s gone. You will never see him again. No one is going to see him again for months.”

I let the words calm me. He was right. The creep was a repeat offender. I probably wouldn’t even need to go to court. Dan’s hand never stopped moving on my back, slow strokes. He turned his head to kiss the top of mine.

I shifted, bringing my face up to his. I held those deep dark eyes for a moment before pressing my lips to his.

His response took me by surprise. He jumped and seized my shoulders, pulling me away slightly. “Whoa. You sure you wanna do that?”

I sighed a little. “No,” I answered honestly before deflating completely. I was a puddle of Jennifer in his lap, no will to stir from the spot.

His hands found my hair and started combing through it. “‘Why?’ he asked. I opened my notebook to what I’d written after he dropped me off.

“She kicked a little, ineffectually, until he plopped her in the saddle, walking with the reins. She quieted some then.

“‘Why?’” Dan continued to read.

“I don’t know,” I answered. Then the tears came. I’d cried on him last night, and then it had been okay. I mean, I’d been assaulted and nearly raped, that excused a few tears, but now? Now I didn’t know why I was crying. Probably because I was a girl.

“It’s okay, Chase, cry it out.” It wasn’t what I’d expected to hear, and the tears slowed as a result.

“What?” I asked.

“That’s what that little boy did, after he got back to his mom. She held him, and let him cry, until he was ready to try again.”

I half-expected the tears to return, but they didn’t. Instead I threw my arms around his neck, half-straddling him. He gave a gasp in astonishment. “Thank you. Thank you so much. I shouldn’t have left alone. I shouldn’t have gone alone. I’ll never be so stupid again.” Pressing my face to his neck, I pursed my lips to kiss it.

“I’m so glad I found you. John and Eric still weren’t talking to me this morning, but they will when I tell them why I didn’t come back. I can’t believe you came at all, alone or otherwise. Why did you do it?”

I sniffled and pulled away enough to look at him. “42.”

He put his forehead to mine. “You’re telling me,” he murmured.

His smile warmed me where I thought I’d be frozen forever. It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours, but it felt like eternity.

“Take me to heaven?” I asked, an errant tear tickling my nose. His lips moved to kiss it away.

“One day soon,” he promised. “First, I want to have you here a little longer.” He hugged me tight again, stroking my back and rocking. I wouldn’t argue. There wasn’t anywhere else I wanted to be.

Destinee Week 46: We All Need a Little Fun

Destiny Cullen
Sunday


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Picture 2


Destiny Cullen’s Choice: both


Title: We All Need a Little Fun

Sara was laying on her bed trying to get back into her book, but she just couldn’t concentrate. She laid the book on her chest and stared at the photos she had on her surrounding walls. She smiled looking at each picture, remembering each moment that was caught forever and posted on her wall. She remembered each laugh, each smile, each hug. She remembered feeling. . .alive.

She wanted to feel happy again, like she did before - before she had to get a second job to pay for school and bills that weren’t even hers. She didn’t have any drive, no passion for school anymore. She sighed and took her feet off the wall, throwing the book across the room.

“What the hell? Are you trying to kill me?”

Sara laughed and sat up to look at her best friend. “What are you doing here? I said I couldn’t meet you at the mall, I have to study.” Her friend gave her an ‘oh really’ look and glared at the book that had almost hit her. “Don’t give me that look, Beth. You know I have finals next week.”

“Sure Sara. Anyway I came here, even after you blew me off, to tell you something really ultimately life changing!”

Sara rolled her eyes. “Did you win the lottery?” God knew she needed that for all the hospital bills of her late parents.

Beth scoffed. “No! It is way better than that. Try. . . Tickets to see The Sex Brothers! They had a free give away at the mall and I won! And what is even better you ask? We get to meet the band after the concert!”

Sara’s eyes were about to pop out of her head. The Sex Brothers? They were the biggest thing right now in rock music. Not to mention the sexiest band ever. Not one person in the band was ugly, but Sara had a huge crush on the guitarist.

“I don’t think I can Beth.” She sighed and headed to her closet so she wouldn‘t give in to temptation, but Beth blocked her. “Don’t you dare ditch me, Sara! I know you can go. I’ll even help you study tomorrow. All day! You know Saturdays are my flirt days at the beach.”

Sara couldn’t help but laugh. She glanced over her shoulder and looked at the pictures of her old happier self. She wanted to feel alive again, right? Before she had to take care of all the responsibilities? She wanted a little spice back in her life. Why not go to the concert that was bound to have adrenaline running through her veins? It may be temporary happiness but she’d take it where she could get it.

She looked at her watch and knew that if the show started at seven then they only had about six hours to wait in line. “I’ll have to hurry up and get dressed. If we want to be up front and actually see them during the show, we have to leave in the next twenty minutes.” Sara whispered not really sure if she should do this. Suddenly Beth crushed her in a tight hug and squealed with happiness.

“I have the perfect shirt for you to wear to the concert, it may be white but it describes you.” She snickered and Sara was instantly worried. “Come on,” she waved Sara out of her room. “I have an outfit for you in the car, just grab your camera and I.D.”

Sara threw on her converse and ran to her friend’s car, hoping no one saw her in her shorts and sports bra. They weren’t even the cute ones she ran in. “The bag is under your seat.” Beth smiled as Sara pulled out a plastic bag. “Just so you know, you have to wear what is in there because there is no way you are going to meet The Sex Brothers in ugly shorts and an old sports bra.”

Sara glared at her and jumped into the back seat and Beth sped off toward the arena. “I swear that if these clothes are too small I will kill you and feed you to the groupies.” She glared at Beth in the rear-view but her friend just told her to put on the clothes and quit complaining.

Of course Beth had to get on the freeway, and Sara was sure those honks weren’t for Beth’s bad driving. Finally dressed in a new bra, shirt, and pants Sara climbed into the front seat as they entered the parking garage.

“Are you ready to have to time of your life?” She smiled at Sara, and it was infectious. Sara was already forgetting all her troubles. She grabbed Beth in a rib-crunching hug. “Thank you so much for doing this for me. I really needed to get out and have fun.”

When she finally let go, Beth took her toward the already large line of fans. “Shit, we’ll never get to stand by the stage!” Her face fell, so much for getting Ryan’s guitar pick. Sara crossed her arms and stood behind a girl with a bright red Mohawk.

“Don’t act like that! Remember what we get to do after the show.” Beth smiled and leaned in close to her ear. “I know you want Ryan’s pick but imagine you could get something better. Like a shirt, or a kiss.” She giggled like a school girl; that earned some glances.

Surprisingly the hours waiting in the hot sun went by pretty fast and the venue staff let everyone in after verifying bags and tickets. Beth and Sara were about six rows of people away from the stage and figured that it wasn’t that bad. The tricky thing with general admission was that you never really stayed were you started out.

An evil grin spread across Sara’s face. She was going to be in front tonight, no matter if her clothes got ripped. Despite what it said on her shirt, she was not going to act like a lady tonight.

Not long after, the general admission was full and most of the stadium filled. Sara glanced around and saw the opening band start a sound check. She tugged Beth’s bra strap, “I need you to be ready. Once the band starts playing and everyone starts jumping around, we need to push our way up to the front.” Beth smiled and nodded her agreement.

After the final four bands played Beth and Sara were only a row of bodies away from the stage. The Sex Brothers came on stage and the whole place erupted in screams. Sara couldn’t help but stare at Ryan as he slung the red and black guitar over his shoulder.

The whole place vibrated with excitement and Sara smiled so wide it hurt. This was the feeling she was missing; she really needed to find a way to pay back Beth. The band started playing, and she could feel the music in her bones. The music from the amps shook her necklace on her chest.

Sara and Beth avoided the circle pits as best they could. A huge guy almost pulled Beth into the circle but Sara somehow got her back to their place up front. Ryan was in the middle of his epic solo when the huge guy from before came back around the circle pit and hit Sara square in the jaw.

Sara’s vision got flooded with black dots as the pain erupted in her head. She was here for the feeling she was missing and she got more than bargained for. She glared back at the guy but he was too into the music to figure out he just punched a girl in the face.

Fighting the tears, she put her all her focus back to the stage and she saw Ryan staring at her. Sure, everyone thought that a famous band member was looking at them during the concert, but he was really looking at her. She looked over at Beth and she was screaming for the lead singer, Darren, to look at her.

At the end of that song set, Ryan stepped on the ego riser, leaned over security, and held out his hand to her. Sara couldn’t breathe as she looked into his hazel eyes. Screams shredded her eardrums and hands bashed against her body to get closer to Ryan.

She shook the shock away and reached her hand out and took what was in his. He smiled as she took his pick and mouthed ‘sorry’ to her before he straightened and headed backstage. She was dumbstruck, but she couldn’t stop smiling even when her face protested.

“Thank you for coming out tonight! You made our stay in California worth it!” Darren yelled into the microphone.

“I want you, Darren!”
“Marry me, Darren!”
“You’re my baby’s daddy!”
“I love you!”

He laughed at the screaming fans, said his ‘I love you’s to all the screaming girls, and avoided the baby daddy comments. Finally the whole band came back on to say goodbye and then they were gone. The lights came on and everyone started for the doors.

“You got his pick, you little bitch!” Beth laughed as she hugged her. “Oh shit, your face! What the fuck happened?” It was Sara’s turn to laugh. “Nothing that matters, I got Ryan’s pick and I’m ready to go home.”

“Not so fast! We get to meet them backstage remember?” She smiled and thought about actually talking to her fantasy. “Lets hurry up before the groupies ravage them. I want Darren’s shirt.”

Thirty minutes later, they were backstage, but it wasn’t roadies and the band they were greeted with. It was the police. “You ladies need to leave. There will be no meeting the band tonight.”

Beth scoffed. “We have tickets to see them.” The policeman eyed her and then looked at Sara. “There will be no meeting the band. I suggest that you ladies go home.” He crossed his arms across his chest as his partner cupped his taser.

“This is bullshit!” Beth stormed out of the arena and slammed the door to her car. “This is utter bullshit, Sara! We deserve to see them! You got clocked in the face, for shit’s sake!” Sara patted her friend’s arm since smiling was out of the question - her jaw was already swollen.

“I know, I know. I’ll take you home now. At least you got a pick out of the punch to the jaw. I’m going to complain to the manager who gave me the tickets. We are going to meet them one way or another, Sara.”

Sara laughed at her friend. “Yeah, right. You know, they don’t give a shit if we see them or not.” Beth shot her a death glare and she shut her mouth. Beth parked outside the house and waved bye before zooming off into the night.

Sara smiled as she walked into her room and falling limp on her cold sheets. She moaned as she curled up in the most comfortable position ever. “Best. Night. Ev-” She was cut off by the chirping of her phone.

She groaned eyeing the device on her nightstand debating if she could reach for it without moving from the comfy position. It chirped again and she glared at it and moved to get it. It was texts from Beth.

I’m home safely and on the phone with the manager right now. Wish me luck or you’re not getting to meet them with me!

Still on hold but not giving up.

Sara rolled her eyes, knowing she wasn’t going to get new tickets to see them but texting back her wishes of luck to her hopeful friend. She laid the phone right next to her pillow just in case her friend decided to text again.

Insistent ringing woke Sara up and she looked around her room wondering why her head hurt so bad. She wanted to shut that annoying ringing up. She found her phone under her pillow right where her ear was and looked at it, wishing she could turn it into mush with one thought.

But instead she looked through the messages. Fifteen missed calls last night from Beth and ten text messages from her, eight in from the last five minutes.

Bitch answer the phone!
You think I won’t go to your house and wake your ass up?
I have good news bitch!
Fine, I guess you don’t want to know!

Sara stopped looking through the texts and decided to call Beth before she had an aneurysm. Beth answered on the second ring. “Finally! I thought someone might have killed you last night. I mean you are a sexy twenty-two year old.”

Sara rolled her eyes. “The good news, Beth. I need to get some aspirin and get back to bed. My face is killing me.”

“Party pooper! Anyway. I was calling you to tell you we get to see the band next Friday in San Diego! And this time we have backstage passes! We get to see the whole show backstage.”

Sara’s eyes bugged and she couldn’t form words. “How the hell did you pull that off?!”

“I have my ways. But it might have to do with something about my best friend getting hit in the face and us not being able to see them, becoming emotionally unstable. Oh and lawsuit and killing spree might have been thrown around.”

“You made me sound like a lunatic.” She put her arm across her eyes, her room seeming too bright.

“The details don’t matter. Just get better and get an outfit ready for next week!”

The call was disconnected and she let the cell fall from her ear. She took a deep breath and smiled. She was looking for happiness? She found it, and it wasn’t even temporary. She just needed to open herself up to the opportunities.

Snapple Apple 450 Week 46: Floating

SnappleApple 450
Saturday


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Picture 2


SnappleApple 450's Choice: both


Title: Floating
Have you ever wanted to fly away? Simply float up to the heavens and disappear into the clouds? I have. Whether it be by growing wings like a fairy, sprouting feathers like a bird, or defying gravity like a balloon, I wanted to fly. ...Never once in my wildest nightmares did I think my wish would come true like it did...

When I was eighteen, I was diagnosed with cancer. My life seemed to be terminated. Expired. Suddenly I had a deadline on life, literally. My family did everything to pay for the best treatment. I hated watching them fall deeper and deeper in debt. I knew I was going to die so I didn’t want them to continue to pay for their dead daughter’s hospital bill. It was a morbid way to look at life, but when death is knocking on your door, you don’t hold many optimistic thoughts of the future. Mostly I thought about what I was leaving behind, what I hadn’t done yet, what I needed to do before I died. Surprisingly, having my first kiss wasn’t a big deal to me. I mean, yeah, every girl dreams about their first true love, but I had my family and with my life soon to end, I didn’t want to bring anyone else in only to say goodbye.

The last thing my dad did for me before I died was take me skydiving. The rush of falling through the sky was indescribable. I cried on the way back to the hospital that day. Not sad tears and not flat out bawling either. I hadn’t cried even once that entire year on the hellish ride, but I did on that car ride. My wish was granted. I flew...

I died that night. My family cried. A few of the nurses even cried. They said I had a spirit not even death could kill. My little brother didn’t talk for a whole month after my funeral. I continued to watch over my family. Everyone was so sad. I wished I could make them happy, but I couldn’t. I worried most about my brother, he didn’t go back to his former self. It was like he retreated into a shell and never wanted to come out again. And then one night, my little brother went downstairs long after his bedtime and showed my parents a picture he drew.

“Look.”
“What is it, sweetie?” My mother asked, taking the paper from him. She saw the girl flying through the clouds and sky with large white wings.
“What is this?” My father whispered.
My little brother smiled for the first time in a long time. “She’s finally flying.”

And just like that, I knew my family was going to be alright...

Burntcore Week 46: Heeeello Vacation

Burntcore
Thursday


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Picture 2


Burntcore's Choice: Picture 1


Title: Heeeello Vacation
This vacation was all Kim’s idea. She said I needed to get away for awhile to someplace warm with lots of pleasant sights. After my break up with Chester, I had been just kinda wandering aimlessly. I should’ve known he was a douche-bag. I mean really, who names their kid Chester? The only Chester I wanted to know was Chester the Cheetah on my bag of Cheetos.

Anyway, I didn’t want to go but I gave in after she kept on nagging me. After that, Kim kept coming over with stacks of brochures to a variety of different places. I gave up trying to decide after about the twenteth flyer was waved in my face so I just gave Kim my credit card and told her to keep it reasonable.

So, that’s how I found myself here at this island resort where there were a LOT of pleasant sights, if by sights you meant lots of fine, tanned, athletic men who were more than willing to pamper and wait on you at any time.

Yes, I would call those pleasant sights indeed, even if it was completely superficial.

I saw a lot of older women on the beach with throngs of young men surrounding them which made me laugh at how ridiculous it looked, but was I much better? I may be younger, but I was a paying customer at this rather peculiar resort. I sighed and tried to enjoy all the eye candy and ignore the cougars.

This resort literally had every type of man, provided that they weren’t past their 30’s. If you liked blond, brown, lean, tall, short, meaty, tanned, pale... any combination could be found. It was better than flipping through an Abercrombie catalog. I’m sure with men that pretty that most of them were gay, or at the very least bi, but I didn’t care. They were eye candy through and through, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

When I got tired of all the pretty, I retired to my cabana to read or relax or do whatever I felt like. This vacation was just what I needed. During the middle of my week in Boytoy Fantasyland, the nickname I gave the resort, I was in my cabana halfway through a pitcher of margaritas and a good book. I was deep within the story of a buxom maiden being saved by a virile, strapping knight when I heard a knock on my door.

I looked up from my book, middle of heaving breasts and throbbing manhood, and my eyes nearly bugged out of my head. Standing on the other side of my doorway was one of the handsomest men I had ever laid eyes, and that was saying a lot considering the scenery I had been enjoying at the resort.

And he was shirtless.

And tan.

Did I mention handsome?

“C-c-can I help you?” I stuttered, then promptly blushed over my inability to form a coherent sentence.

“I was passing by and I noticed you in here all by yourself. A beautiful woman such as yourself shouldn’t be alone,” the man said, slowly stepping into my cabana. His voice was soft and velvety.

Oh, he’s smooth.

“What if I want to be alone?” I challenged, arching a brow as I laid my book in my lap and took a sip from my margarita.

“Why would you be here at this resort if you wanted to be alone?”

“Because it beats being at home?”

The man knelt down before me and idly stroked my bare feet. I fought the urge to giggle as his touches tickled me. I was surprised that I didn’t immediately pull away from his touch, but perhaps the margaritas were talking. It wouldn’t have been the first time that alcohol got me in trouble. He looked like the good kind of trouble. The really good kind.

“Do you really think that?” he asked, looking up at me. I was dumbstruck by his soulful blue eyes and how incredibly handsome he was. While I had seen many, many handsome men during the past several days at the resort, I knew his face was not one I had seen before.

“I haven’t seen you here before,” I said softy, as his hands moved up to my ankles. His touches felt good, but it was still a little strange to have someone I didn’t know touching me the way he was. It certainly wasn’t indecent, but the gentle caresses he was pampering me with were certainly not just merely friendly gestures. It felt wonderful but I was getting a little uncomfortable, even with the tequila in my system.

“I just got in. I’m in the next cabana.”

Wait, what? He didn’t work here?

“You are the only actual male guest here I think I’ve seen. All the other men I’ve seen here work here.”

The man laughed and sat back on his haunches, removing his hands from my legs and resting them on his thighs as he regarded me. I felt a twinge of disappointment at the loss of contact.

“Yes, I noticed that, too. My co-workers must be laughing their asses off right now.”

“Why is that?”

“They told me to come here and I pretty much booked it without looking at the resort’s website. I really needed a vacation, some time off, and apparently they thought it was a place like this... where I could relieve some tension.”

The man had the decency to blush as he finished speaking. He looked down at his hands before flushing even more and running his hands through his hair.

“So you decided to come into my cabana to do that?” I asked, a little affronted at his presumption that all he would have to do is waltz in and find a willing partner. Feeling uncomfortable in his proximity, I tucked my feet under me.

His eyes widened as he lifted his hands up in a placating gesture. “No, no, God no. I didn’t mean it that way,” he insisted, his voice flustered. He shook his head and looked down at the floor. “I am really sorry, I didn’t mean it that way.”

“Well, what exactly did you mean, then? You come in my room, immediately start touching me, and then say you are here to relieve some tension,” I stated, my temper starting to flare. This man may have been devastatingly handsome but he also seemed like an ass. “You didn’t even have the decency to introduce yourself,” I added, glaring at him.

The man scooted back, still kneeling. “I really am sorry. I’m not normally that forward. You were just so beautiful sitting there reading and I couldn’t help myself from coming in.”

While I was still upset, I couldn’t help the thrill of happiness that he thought I was beautiful.

“I only meant to try to talk to you, but when I got closer, I couldn’t help myself,” he continued. His face was still apologetic as he pleaded for me to believe him. “I don’t know why, I just had to touch you.”

I eyed the man dubiously. I’ve never met anyone I just “had” to touch, although I supposed if I was, he’d be the one I would. Perhaps if I had more margaritas, I would’ve been more willing.

“Have you been drinking?” I asked.

“Er, no, but I think I will need one just to erase how embarrassing this has been.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at him this time. He was still drop dead gorgeous but this somewhat awkward, unsure side was more endearing. He smiled hesitantly at me as my laughter helped break the tension. I still thought he was kind of odd—hot, but odd.

“My name is Ginger,” I said, introducing myself. He may be a little touchy-feely, but my curiosity over this man was piqued. It was a strange man indeed, or a gay one, who would come to a resort like this to relax. This resort was definitely not designed for the male guest.

“I’m Anthony.” He slowly stood up and looked down at me sheepishly. “Now that we are properly introduced, can we start over, and hopefully I don’t act like an ass?”

I stood up, my head spinning slightly from the margaritas, making me wobble as I tried to regain my balance. Anthony reached out and grabbed my elbow to help steady me.

“Easy there, killer. How many of those have you had today?” he asked, gesturing to the pitcher.

“Ah, a few,” I laughed. “I wasn’t planning on company so I decided to just enjoy myself.”

Anthony smiled, anl honest smile this time, and it lit up the room. My breath caught in my chest and stayed there as I looked up at him.

Oh my, he’s tall, too.

I’m in trouble.

“So, about that re-do,” he murmured, taking a step closer to me.

“Yeah, about that,” I whispered, my heartbeat accelerating as he inched closer. A different kind of tension filled the room and the only thing I could think of was to stick out my hand. It effectively broke the tension between us.

“Hi, I’m Ginger.”

Anthony smirked but took my hand in his and shook it gently. “I’m Anthony.”

Right when I thought he was going to release my hand, he pulled it up to his lips and kissed my fingers. I blushed furiously and tried not to swoon as the tension came back in full force.

“Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?” Anthony asked softly as he released my hand.

The fingers of my other hand ghosted over the spot he kissed involuntarily. As soon as I noticed what I was doing, I dropped my hands to my sides. Anthony hadn’t missed the gesture and wore a lop-sided grin on his face.

“Sure, why not,” I agreed, trying to sound as casual as I could.

We made plans to meet up later that evening. There was a luau scheduled for that night, but we both wanted to avoid that like the plague. The hula dancers were going to be all men and based on the description in the resort calendar, the luau sounded like it would end up being like a male review.

Now, I didn’t mind stuff like that, but it wasn’t exactly constructive for a dinner date.

Was this a date?

Oh Lord, I’m in trouble.

I’m gonna kill Kim.

Kimmydonn Week 46: Parting

Kimmydon
Wednesday


Picture 1

Picture 2


Kimmydon's Choice: both


Title: Parting
The princess gathered her basket of herbs and turned back for the castle. The knight stood in her way, taking the basket from her arm.

“Don’t strain yourself,” he said, with a smirk.

“Don’t mix them up,” she relied coolly, resting a hand on his arm as she picked her way out of the meadow. “Why are you here?” she asked imperiously

“It isn’t safe for you to be out here alone. I’ve told you so before. I’m going to wind up rescuing you from some evil sorcerer yet,” he grumbled.

“I am hardly defenseless,” she reminded him. “With the contents of that basket alone I could chase off any number of lurkers.”

She stopped abruptly, seizing his arm in both of hers. The knight wasn’t sure if it was fear or excitement that gripped her, until the tiny creature stepped out of the trees - a fawn, still speckled. “Isn’t he dear?!” she cooed.

The knight guffawed loudly, frightening the animal away. The princess scowled at him. “Well he is, deer,” he managed between snorts, upending her basket. Swinging the now empty vessel at his helmetless head, she bent to beginning sorting through the mess of stems in the grass.

Marla gave me an odd look as I walked through the kitchen, pulling my blond locks into a tail. “What?”

“You’re going out?” she asked.

“Yes.” I opened the fridge and pulled out the juice. “Is that a problem?”

“No,” she said smiling. “You’re going out with Dan?”

I set the carton back down with a thump. “Yes. Is that a problem?”

“Nope,” she said, popping a spoonful of yogurt into her mouth. “Have fun,” she managed around the metal stem still between her lips.

“Thanks,” I said, swallowing my juice. “We’re not dating.”

“Uh-huh.” She didn’t even pretend to believe me. Setting my glass in the sink, I nearly ran out of the apartment. Dan had planned to meet me at the park. He had some new lyrics he wanted me to hear and to give me back my notebook.

I sat on the bench with my new notebook, jotting down more notes for my story. I pushed my glasses up just in time to see a small boy wave at me and blow me a kiss. He had liquid dark brown eyes and eyelashes that seemed endless. His dark hair was curly, adding to his cherub-seeming. His pudgy hand reached out with the kiss, and I put my fingers into it, index and middle. He smiled and squeezed them. It was only then that I saw Dan standing beside and slightly behind him.

“Are you going to introduce us?” I asked.

Dan smiled. “This is Damien. Damien, meet Jenn.”

“Hi,” he said, before turning and tucking himself between Dan’s legs.

“What a sweetie. Not yours, I hope,” I half-joked. I would hope if he had a kid he would have mentioned it by now. Also, I could not picture him a responsible father.

“Why not? Isn’t he as adorable as me?” he asked, picking up the toddler and hugging him.

“Yes, he is, which is part of what frightens me.”

Dan chuckled. “It should,” he said in the voice that made me squirm in my seat, waggling his eyebrows at me. I nudged him with my shoulder in the hopes of stopping him in his tracks. It seemed to work. At least he never pushed. Constantly hinting, flirting, but never pushing.

“No, I had one near miss. A girlfriend missed a period, but no kids for me, yet. This is my cousin.” He turned Damien toward me and he started to babble. I only understood every third word from his mouth and they didn’t fit together at all: Ma, juice, home, Nana, sand, tree, truck. On and on he babbled while I nodded and asked him questions like. “You have truck?” or “You love Nana?” And he would continue. Dan’s mouth was slightly agape.

“I didn’t know he knew that many words.”

I chuckled. “Do you have trouble getting a word in?” I asked Damien.

He continued to babble; I understood none of this barrage. “How old is he?” I asked Dan.

“Not two yet. Seriously, I figured he’d just play in the grass. I didn’t expect this.” He looked down on his cousin in wonder.

“Well, why don’t you read him some of your lyrics. He might like them. Do you like Dan to sing?” I asked Damien. His chubby cheeks lifted in a smile and then he twisted to smile at Dan. He clapped his hands together.

Dan chuckled and pulled out my old notebook. He flipped to the back and began singing. Damien crawled over into my lap and snuggled into my arm as Dan sang for us.

“You could use live instead love there,” I mentioned on one line, “just to make a change.”

“Yeah. That’d work. Thank you for this. As you’ve heard, I pulled six songs from your characters. I think the princess and knight have to be the best though. You’re still writing them, aren’t you?”

My jaw fell a little. Damien shifted slightly in my arms as I stiffened. He was almost asleep.

Dan chuckled and flipped a page. “Here Damien, you’ll like this. ‘Once upon a time, in a kingdom far away, there lived a princess. She had magic powers, but she wasn’t strong. She needed someone to defend her. She used her magic to protect her kingdom, but she had run out of the special root that ringed her castle in fire. Her guards fought against the attackers, but they were falling one by one.

“‘Her special knight, the strongest of them all, had been sent away by the princess, not on a special mission, but because she wanted him out of the castle. It was a mistake. He could have helped her if he’d been there.’” He was paraphrasing a lot, but I didn’t see the need to correct him. “‘He arrived just in time with the root, allowing the princess to cast her spell.’ The knight and the princess didn’t get along, but they needed each other. Even if neither could admit it.”

Damien was a dead weight in my arms, passed out only a few lines into the story. Dan took complete advantage of the fact that my hands were full. He leaned over the toddler to put his lips on mine. “I can admit it,” he whispered. “I need you, Jenn.”

It wasn’t that sticky warm voice that made me melt, it was his speaking voice, only without any of the taunting it usually held. My heart was thudding fit to burst. Blood rushed to my head and cheeks making me dizzy. He was so close, his lips still on mine. How could I think? All I could see were his liquid dark brown eyes.

“No, you don’t,” I managed.

“I want you, then.” His voice drew on that husky tremor that made his singing mellow, that made me putty.

“You...” I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. He kissed me again. No more passionately than before, but his hand did brush my ear, cupping the back of head, waiting. “You don’t want all of me,” I claimed. “You don’t want my mind, my dreams...”

“Why do you think I took this?” he asked, smacking the top of my head with the notebook. “I love your mind. I love the way you beat me with it. I need armor against your rapier wit,” he teased. Neither of us laughed.

He was still too close. Why did he always sit so close, constantly touching me?

“Why won’t you let me in?” he asked, exasperated, sitting back a little. “Haven’t I been here? Haven’t I listened, offered my ideas, my words. Haven’t I taken enough haughty stares?” His finger traced my ear making me shiver. “I’m not asking for everything, just something.”

“Something,” I murmured, unable to resist his spell. I pursed my lips and his closed on them, sealing them. His teeth brushed my bottom lip, making me shiver again and gasp.

He took advantage again, and ran the tip of his tongue over the inside of my lips, and I leaned into him, seeking more.

Damien shifted, saving me from embarrassment. I sat up quickly, pulling the child closer, almost as a shield.

Dan smiled and pushed my glasses up my nose. “Thank you. That was definitely something.”

I tried not to cry. This was still a chase for him. I couldn’t let it be more to me.

The princess brewed her potion carefully, knowing she couldn’t afford a single element to go awry. When it was ready, she took it to the knight.

“Drink this,” she ordered.

He looked her over, far too familiarly, then downed the goblet in three long draughts. “Strength serum?” he asked.

“Amnesiatic,” she answered just before he passed out. She couldn’t let him any nearer than she already had.

Snapple Apple 450 Week 45: Stereotype This

SnappleApple 450
Saturday


Picture 1

Picture 2


SnappleApple 450's Choice: both


Title: Stereotype This
My name’s Elyssa. I’m a senior in high school with my best friend Alex. We do everything together, practically joined at the hip. No one can understand why we hang out together. She’s the blonde cute preppy girl in high school and I’m the gothic with an attitude that no one cares to know. I’m not sure how we get along, but we do.

My English teacher said I’m supposed to write about a past experience that means a lot to me during my years here in this school so here it goes. And Ms. Ricky, I better get an A+ for all the work I’m going through writing this stupid thing.

It was Sophomore year and we had all just gotten back from winter break. I remember my teacher came up to me after homeroom and asked me for something. It was slightly insulting the way she said “since you don’t have any friends...” and there was a good reason I didn’t. This school is based on cliques, as are all schools, but it was annoying. Nobody talked to me because of how I dressed. Yeah black was the main color in my wardrobe, but black was easy to match with. Black and blue...black and red...black and purple...black and white...you get the picture.

Anyway, the teacher asked me to give the new girl a tour of the place in my free time. Insert the lack of friends insult to really make me want to volunteer. I flaked out. The girl can find her way around on her own. That day at lunch I saw her in the middle of the crowd of cheerleaders and jocks. Yup, they ate her whole; I was waiting to see if she’d suffocate. She belonged with them, though. She didn’t need me anymore so I was off the hook.

To tell you the truth, I forgot all about her the following weeks. I saw her around, but it was no different than seeing the other students here. It was when I ran into her--literally--on my skateboard at the park that things changed. It hurt. We both have little scars on our knees where we fell on the concrete. I yelled. She pissed me off, but she looked like she was ready to cry, the wimp. Luckily, I kept a bunch of band-aids for “just in case” moments like these.

I’ll never forget what she told me when I asked her if she was okay... She just broke down crying saying she couldn’t take it anymore; the pressure and all, I guess. I remember her saying that she was sick of the people at school. They weren’t her friends, not really. The guys were just after one thing - go figure - and the girls were just fake bitches. She was tired of all the pressure they put on her from the moment she came here.

Apparently no matter what she did, she was always doing something wrong. She listened to the wrong music, liked the wrong guys, watched the wrong shows, wore the wrong clothes. “You can’t please anyone. Ever,” she told me. I remember it like it was yesterday. We immediately hit it off and have been best friends ever since. We don’t please anyone but ourselves. What we do, we do it for us. Now, I know that sounds selfish, but it’s better than being a mindless robot smoking pot because the stress gets to us.

So there you have it, Ms. Ricky. My past experience at this stupid school. Maybe I’ll title it “How I Met My Best Friend” but that seems overly cheesy and something Alex would do. I would probably gag myself if I ever acted like her, but that’s why we get along so well. Call it the Yin-Yang effect or whatever.
Name: Elyssa Jones
Date: April 15th
Subject: English

---

Ms. Ricky looked up when the bell finally rang, letting the class leave for the weekend. She watched as Elyssa and Alex gathered their books together and headed out of the class with the other students.

“What did you write about?” Alex asked.

Elyssa shrugged. “The time we raced through the store with our carts.”

Alex laughed. “I wrote about the first time I came here.”

“Oh, throw me a bucket!” Elyssa stuck her tongue out. She caught the teacher’s eye and Ms. Ricky smiled, putting the paper down.

“Have a good weekend, kids.”