Friday, June 8, 2012

Free Write #2

I stare at the board, bemused and completely unfocused. Al the letters and numbers made absolute no sense to me at this point. I was overworked, stressed, and just plain tired. Thank goodness it’s almost the end of the day, I think. Then again, it’s only fifth period.
I look around the room, not bothering anymore to try and pay attention; I was passing this class, anyway.
My friend’s face was blank, completely apathetic.
I continue to look around the room, each face containing a different expression; one of curiosity, one of boredom, one of interest. Someone was sleeping in the back.
My eyes land on a boy I’d seen in a couple of my classes, mainly just this one, art, and lunch. I couldn’t remember his name. I could hardly remember anyone’s name right now, my mind was in a state of numbness, unable to process anything.
He seemed pensive, his eyes far away, thinking of something, or someone, else.
I took a closer look at him, noticing the maroon color of his eyes that I hadn’t noticed before. His jaw was firm; his shoulders were very tense; his hair, his hair was a mess. He had ruffled, light brown hair that looked like he didn’t care about his appearance. But I was sure, no matter what he wore, no matter how his hair was, he’d always be just as good-looking. He was handsome, and everyone knew it. Everyone except for him, apparently.
“Miss De Aza, why don’t you come up and try the next problem?”
I felt myself gulp. It was bad enough that I hadn’t been listening this whole class, but it was even worse that the topic we were studying this week had complete power over me. I was horrible at math. Plain and simple.
I shift in my seat, standing slowly, taking the dry erase marker from Ms. Parker. She smiled, encouraging me to go on.
The problem was written out, luckily. Now all I had to do was solve it. I had to stifle a laugh and fight the urge from erasing the problem and announcing, Problem solved.
Instead, I acted on instinct, using all of my prior knowledge, or at least all that I had about this type of math. My marker squeaked against the board as I continued to write out each step.
Then I stopped.
I was completely stuck.
“Um,” I began dumbly. “Could I get some help?”
Ms. Parker smiles. “Sure. Xavier, why don’t you come up?”
The boy I’d been staring at stood. Xavier. That was his name.
He was swift and quiet as he got out of his seat, walking up next to me, taking the marker from my hand; his fingers lightly brushed against mine.
“It’s simple, really,” he mutters, looking straight at me with his bright red-brown eyes. “You take this…”
I dozed off. His voice was so rough, yet so smooth. I nodded, pretending to listen. He finishes the problem, and Ms. Parker nods in approval. “Thank you Xavier. Good try, Natalie.”
The walk of shame to my seat would have been twice as horrifying if it hadn’t been for Xavier.
The bell rang, startling my deep thoughts. The class shuffled to their feet and left the room, while I took my time to stuff my books into my bag, sighing, half of relief, and half of distress.
“You have art next, don’t you?”
I turn quickly, my cheeks turning a deep shade of red when I see Xavier staring at me with an awkward smile. A half smirk.
“Uh, yeah,” I mumble under my breath. I begin to leave, and he follows me. My skin feels hot and I’m unable to speak.
He moves up beside me. “So…Natalie, right? Nice name.”
“Th-thanks.”
He gives a small laugh. “Are you shy, or do I just make you nervous?”
I narrow my eyes, and groan. Great, I think. He’s one of those guys. Snotty, obnoxious, haughty…
Hottie is right.
Wait, what was I thinking? I walk away, shaking my head.
“Hey, wait. I’m sorry. I’m just trying to be funny. Guess that didn’t work then, huh?” He looks at me sincerely, smiling a cute smile.
He walk around the corner, making our way into the art studio.
“Anyways, um…want to sit next to me?”
My heart begins to race. “Sure.”
As the teacher begins to explain to us the techniques we’ll be using this week, Xavier pulls out his sketchbook and turns to a blank page.
When the teacher is done talking, he tells us to pair up with a partner and draw a portrait of them. Students begin to move, but I stay in my spot. Should I ask him if he wants to be my partner? Should I pair up with my friend?
“What do we have to do?” Xavier asks, as if he hadn’t heard anything.
“D-draw a portrait of someone,” I stutter.
He laughs. “Well, I guess I’m already done. I hope you don’t mind.”
He stretches out the sketchbook in his hand, revealing his quickly sketched art. I gasp.
On the page was a replica of me. He captured me so beautifully, I didn‘t even think it was me. My hair fell gracefully over my shoulders, my head tilted in the slightest way. I was smiling.
My whole body felt warm, including my heart. Aside from the portrait, there were other things in the image in a collage style.
“What’s that?” I ask.
“Shards of glass. You seem like the kind of person that is so delicate, so easily broken, yet can slice through skin just as easily.”
I look away. “Well, that first part sounds like me.”
He chuckles. “Trust me, so does the second part.”
“And that?” I point to a strange pattern in the corner.
“It represents chaos. I was watching you in math class. Looks like you have lot going on in your life, you know, too much stuff swirling around in that pretty little head of yours.”
I blush, trying to decide if he was calling me pretty. He clears his throat. “Um, well, yeah. Do you want to draw me?”
I nodded, but was afraid of capturing him horribly, that it looks nothing like him. I could never show him in the sentimental way he did with me. It’s like he’d known me for my whole life. Like he knew what I was thinking, what I was going through.
Xavier smiles as he says. “I think we’re going to get along just fine.”

Free Write #1

Her eyes showed extreme sadness.
The poignant, faraway look she gave everyone didn’t fool me.
Lucy was a senior, like me. We never talked, or even hung out, but I’ve known her all four years; I know everything about her. She has two brothers, which she usually has to take care of because her mom’s a nurse working overtime at a hospital almost every night. She was always quiet; she had little friends, and even then, she hardly talked to them.
What did she look so worried for? The year was so close to over, we’d be off to college soon. The only thing left to take care of were the tests next week, prom, then graduation. She should look happier than ever.
But she isn’t.
This bugged me for the rest of the day, no matter how hard I tried to let it go. The bell announcing the beginning of 5th period rang. It was my lunch period, so I slumped into my seat, exhausted after waking up so early and starting gym first period.
“Jeremy?”
My heart froze as I heard her sweet voice. I turned quickly, admiring her beautiful features standing before me. Her reddish-brown hair fell in curls around her face, her bangs almost reaching her eyes. Her rosy-pink lips glistened in the sun peaking in through the windows. What always took my breathe away were her hazel eyes, a beautiful blend of grey, brown, and jade.
Her nervous smile is what caught me most off-guard. The fact that she was even talking to me seemed strange.
“Uh-um. Yeah? Do you need something?”
She set her books down on the table and sat at the edge of the chair. “Well, I…I was wondering-”
“Oh, please,” A rough voice came from behind. Not even two seconds later, Terry Johnson sat himself between Lucy and me. “Hope you’re not asking this loser to prom,” Terry said in a contemptuous tone, pointing his obvious annoyance toward me. Then, in a softer voice sang, “You should be asking someone like me.”
“As a matter of fact,” she retorted, talking the loudest I’ve ever heard her these four years. “I was asking him, before you so rudely interrupted. Besides, I would never go out with someone as self-centered as you. Jerks just aren’t my type.”
I stifled a laugh, realizing that the most popular jock in school just got burned from the quietest girl I’ve ever known.
Terry grunted. “Whatever, plenty of girls would die to go with me,” he mumbled, acting ambiguous, then walked away.
Lucy took a deep breath then looked back at me. “Well since he pretty much told you what I was going to say, I might as well tell you what I wasn’t going to. I’ve liked you for a long time, ever since freshman year, really. I always thought you had a cute smile, and your dimples are adorable.”
I grinned a little, probably showing off my huge dimples.
“You always tried to be nice, and I would never even say a word. I was always so nervous to talk to you. ‘Cause I figured a guy like you would never be into a girl like me. I would always get choked up when I tried to talk, but-”
I leaned in, pressing my lips softly against hers, doing what both us have wanted to do for so long, sensing a serene feeling washing over both of us.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

The Answer To Yesterdays Passage!

He's gone, Iris thought as she hugged her knees. Diego's gone and I didn't even get to say goodbye.
If only she hadn't let him go. The plane crash never would have happened if he hadn't gotten upset with her. Why did she call her best friend such horrible things?
Now she was all alone. She had no one, absolutely no one, left.
She eventually cried herself to sleep and dremaed of heaven, of a warm paradise. It took her w while to realize she was wrapped in a soft blanket. No...
They were wings.
She looked up.
"Hello, Angel," Diego said with his usual bright smile.
"You're the angel here," Iris said, laughing, tears rising."Your angel," Adam corrected.
She ran her fingers through the feathers of his wings. They looked so stiff and as hard as steel, yet they slipped right throug her fingers.
"Well?" he asked casually.
"What?"
"You got your wish. Say goodbye..."


Note: Tell the people you love just how much you care about them before it's too late, for life is too short.

I'll be stopping here to write more.

Stories Of Love, Loss, And Hope (Fifth Passage!)

He's gone, Iris thought as she hugged her knees. Diego's gone and I didn't even get to say goodbye.
If only she hadn't let him go. The plane crash never would have happened if he hadn't gotten upset with her. Why did she call her best friend such horrible things?
Now she was all alone. She had no one, absolutely no one, left.
She eventually cried herself to sleep and dremaed of heaven, of a warm paradise. It took her w while to realize she was wrapped in a soft blanket. No...
They were wings.
She looked up.
"Hello, Angel," Diego said with his usual bright smile.
"You're the angel here," Iris said, laughing, tears rising.
"Your angel," Adam corrected.
She ran her fingers through the feathers of his wings. They looked so stiff and as hard as steel, yet they slipped right throug her fingers.
"Well?" he asked casually.
"What?"
"You got your wish. Say goodbye..."

The Answer To Yesterdays Passage!

"There's no room for me in your life, Ellie," Noah told his golden-eyed lover. He couldn't even think how many times he thought about who was using who. Noah loved Ellie, but sometimes he couldn't help but feel guilty. Then again, Ellie was married, but Noah had still allowed himself to fall for her knowing this. That's probably all she wants me for, Noah thought. The passionate nights that her husband doesn't give to her.
"What?" she shot out. "How can you say that?"
"Ellie, you're married to Ben. He's your husband."
She frowned. "But I've told you so many times; it was an arranged marriage. He always showers me with presents, and he's shown me more than once that he cares about me, but I just don't love him the way he loves me."
"That doesn't change the fact that your his wife."
Tears welled up in her eyes.. "But Noah, you know I love you. I-"
"There's no room for me in your life," Noah repeated.
She took his hand. "That doesn't matter. What matters is that there will always be room for you in my heart."


Note: There are no boundaries in love. Nothing can tear two people apart.

Stories Of Love, Loss, And Hope (Fourth Passage!)

This is a pretty short one...

"There's no room for me in your life, Ellie," Noah told his golden-eyed lover. He couldn't even think how many times he thought about who was using who. Noah loved Ellie, but sometimes he couldn't help but feel guilty. Then again, Ellie was married, but Noah had still allowed himself to fall for her knowing this. That's probably all she wants me for, Noah thought. The passionate nights that her husband doesn't give to her.

"What?" she shot out. "How can you say that?"
"Ellie, you're married to Ben. He's your husband."
She frowned. "But I've told you so many times; it was an arranged marriage. He always showers me with presents, and he's shown me more than once that he cares about me, but I just don't love him the way he loves me."
"That doesn't change the fact that your his wife."
Tears welled up in her eyes.. "But Noah, you know I love you. I-"
"There's no room for me in your life," Noah repeated.
She took his hand. "That doesn't matter. What matters is that there will always be room for you in my heart."

The Answer To Yesterdays Passage!

Aaron was mesmerized as he stared at the strange human before him. Human with wings. He still didn't think it was possible. He never believed in angels, but here was one right in front of him, one so beautiful and goddess-like, he was almost blinded by her glory.She drew her sword and swung, sending the beasts pursuing him flying. She swung again, and then another time, then another, and then once more, not once stopping to catch her breath. When she finally got irritated enough, she pointed her sword in the air and a flame grew around it. There was a blinding light, and when Aaron was able to see again, all of the beasts were scattered, lying dead on the ground. He looked over at the angel so-called Camille as she dropped her sword and resumed to stare at Aaron."What the hell just happened?" he asked, almost positive that he would see this majestic creature once again."Simple, really," she responded, her voice as heavenly as her sky-blue eyes. "I just saved your sorry ass."



Note: Sometimes our savior can come in the most unexpected way.