College Book

6 Days Till Wedding
    Church in a small town, was a big deal. Missing one service, would mean the talk of the town. There was never an excuse for missing a church service. So the next morning, church came way to early for everyone in the wedding party. It was only the beginning of the week of the wedding, and everyone was already tired. Michelle silently wondered how she would make it through this busy week. There were too many things that had to be done in such a short amount of time. She knew that she had to get up and go to church. The hardest part, though, was always getting out of bed. All she could think about was turning her alarm off and snuggling back under her covers.
    That morning was just as hard on the rest of the wedding party as it was on Michelle. They had all been the last ones to leave the bridal shower the night before. None of them could think of anything better than skipping church and spending the day in bed. But all of them knew the rest of the town wouldn’t approve of that decision and none of them wanted to be the talk of the town.
    However, RJ had other reasons for wanting to skip church. He felt a desperate need to see Michelle again. To see how she was doing after the successful party, and late night cleaning. Just being with her for a short time, made him want to spend more time with her. But his need to see her didn’t make him any more excited about showing up at church. People in town had been watching him closely for the last three years. Ever since he turned 25, everyone was waiting for him to find some woman that would make him want to settle down. Now that he had made a public display of affection, in front of the whole town no less, everyone would be gossiping that Michelle was the woman. RJ hated being the talk of the town. But despite this, he had no choice; he had to go to church. It would look worse if he didn’t show up. He could only hope that no one was watching him when he arrived.
    As fate would have it, RJ pulled into the church parking lot the same time as Michelle was climbing down from the backseat of Dan’s Ford truck. The truck had been lifted so it was quite the jump down for Michelle’s short 5 feet, 4 inches. RJ couldn’t help chuckling to himself. She made quite a sight in her knee-length, flowered summer dress and her cowboy boots. By the time RJ had pulled his own Ford truck in next to Dan’s and gotten out, Michelle was out of the truck and standing next to Dan and Elizabeth. They were waiting for RJ to join them.
    By the time RJ reached them, Michelle had turned into a ball of nerves. She had been so tired while he helped her clean up after the bridal shower. She hadn’t had enough energy to be nervous around him. But the second she was him pull in the parking lot in his truck, she remembered just how gorgeous he was. She remembered that just the sight of him made her nervous. Especially today. She had only seen him dressed casually and while church wasn’t a black tie affair, it definitely wasn’t dirty jeans and T-shirts. RJ was wearing clean jeans with clean cowboy boots, a button up flannel shirt and a cowboy hat. Most of the men in church were wearing cowboy hats.
    Once everyone exchanged their hellos, the four turned and headed into the church. Elizabeth and Dan, looking like the happily engaged couple that they were, held hands while they walked. They were walking a couple steps ahead of RJ and Michelle, and seeing her cousin so happy and comfortable with someone, made Michelle slightly jealous. Not that she wanted Dan or anything; she just wanted what Elizabeth had with Dan.
    “You look beautiful.” RJ told Michelle as he gave her his arm. Without thinking about it, Michelle slid her arm through his. It felt right, and both couldn’t help but notice.
    After a few minutes, Michelle realized she hadn’t responded to his compliment. She had been too surprised to respond. By the time she had stammered out a thank you and gave him a shy smile, they were already at their seats. Elizabeth and Dan usually sat in the fourth pew from the front, and since Michelle had been staying with them, she sat with them. RJ usually sat with his parents in the second pew on the right. This time, he slid in next to her after Michelle sat down.
    “Not sitting with your parents?” Dan asked. He had a look on his face that said he knew why RJ wasn’t sitting in his usual seat. Whatever the reason was, Michelle wanted to know. Everyone in this town was stuck in a rut. They all did the same thing, every of every week. RJ sitting with them would throw everyone in church off and definitely be the talk of the town for a few days.
    “Not today, man. I couldn’t let this beautiful girl sit all alone.” RJ winked at Dan. Michelle had been staring at her hands, neatly folded in her lap, and missed the wink. But she did look up in time to see him turn his gaze to her.
    Twice now he had called her beautiful. Was that supposed to mean anything? Michelle wasn’t sure. She knew RJ was a man with his own mind, impossible to break, but the town was starting to think that she was going to be the one to break him. She didn’t know if she was up for the challenge.
    Elizabeth bumped shoulders with Michelle and when she turned to look, gave her a knowing look. The two women smiled at each other while the men looked on. Dan about thought how lucky he was, to have a woman like Elizabeth agree to marry him, to know longer feel the need to look for someone to spend his life with. He had already found her. RJ felt the need to get to know Michelle better. There was something so intriguing about her. He couldn’t help himself.
    As the church began to fill up, the four couldn’t stop from glancing around. People were definitely talking about RJ’s mysterious reason for not sitting with his folks.     At five to ten, Jeff and Sara came striding in, hand in hand. They were always right on time; never late, never early. Jeff slid in next to Dan, leaving Sara sitting on the end of the pew. As Sara set her church on the floor and got out her bible, Jeff turned to Dan.
    “What’s with RJ sitting over here?” Jeff asked quietly. He could just ask RJ himself, but he didn’t think he would get an appropriate answer for church.
    “I think it has something to do with the maid of honor. Not that he would say the same thing.”
    While Dan and Jeff chuckle quietly, Elizabeth smacks Dan’s arm. “You two are just as bad gossips as us women. If your so curious, just ask him.”
    Just then, the pastor walks up behind the pew. Simultaneously, all the men take their cowboy hats off, and politely set them in their laps for the rest of the service. Once RJ has set his hat in his lap, he reaches for Michelle’s hand. He knows people are watching them like hawks, but he doesn’t care. She’s sitting so close, he just has to be touching her. She doesn’t pull her hand away, so he figures he has her permission. He can see that Michelle is looking at him out of the corner of his eye. He turns just enough so he can look her in the eye. Michelle is studying him. When she noticed that he was looking at her, Michelle looked down at their interlaced hands, then back up at him, and smiled. With that, they both looked back at the pastor and paid attention to the church service. Neither one made any move to separate their hands. RJ could tell that he had surprised her, but everyone knew he was spontaneous and unpredictable.
    By the time the service was over, it felt normal for Michelle to hold RJ’s hand. However, everyone else in town didn’t think it was too normal. Everyone slowly began to file out of the church, stopping to shake hands and exchanged pleasantries with the pastor at the doors. It took a full fifteen minutes just to get out of the church, and when they did everyone stood around for a while, chit-chatting.
    “Max and Lilly missed church. Again.” Sara said, ever the goody two shoes. Her and Jeff never missed a church service. It wasn’t that they were serious Christians, Sara just couldn’t stand the thought of having everyone talk about her missing church, which always happened to Max and Lilly.
    “They probably had another fight.” Elizabeth added. Everyone had filled Michelle in on their relationship when she arrived. Max and Lilly were the typical on and off again couple. Everyone knew it, even them, and no one expected it would change.
    “Let’s not waste our breath discussing their relationship.” RJ said. Before he knew what he was doing, RJ was steering Michelle away from the group and asking her to have lunch with him. He definitely hadn’t planned on asking her to lunch, but the minute the words left lips, he liked the idea of spending more time with her.
    “Everyone’s going to talk if we have lunch together. They’re already talking about us. I don’t think it’s a good idea to be seen alone together too much.” Michelle said, as an excuse. She wanted to not think about it and say yes, but she didn’t want to be stared at any more than they already were today. She hated being the center of attention.
    “Who the hell cares if people talk about us? I want to have lunch with you, and I think you’re just using that as an excuse.” RJ began leading her toward his truck; he wasn’t taking no for an answer. Especially when he could tell from the look on her face, that she wanted to say yes. “We’ll see you guys later.” He yelled over his shoulder to the others who were staring after them.
    “I thought I said no to lunch?” Michelle was confused. She had told RJ, outright, that she would not be having lunch with him, but here he was, herding her like an animal, toward his truck.
    RJ didn’t say anything when they reached the truck. He just opened the passenger door and took Michelle’s right arm to help her into the truck, which was also lifted just as high as Dan’s.
    Michelle backed a few feet away from RJ, took her arm back, and put her hands on her hips. “I don’t think your listening to me. When a woman says no, she means no. Just because I’m quiet, doesn’t mean I’ll do whatever you want me to.  I don’t think you want to mess with me.” She was trying so hard to sound serious and not smile, but honestly, she liked confident men. And she did want to spend more time with him, she didn’t want everyone in town to know that.
    “I am listening to you. I just don’t think you mean what you say. You know you want to have lunch with me.” RJ was inching closer and closer to Michelle, slowly pushing her up against his truck. Everyone who was still chatting in the parking lot, stopped to watch what was going on. However, RJ was close enough, and talking softly enough, that no one could hear what he was saying. “And honey, I think I do want to mess with you. Just not with all these people around. No why don’t you get in the truck. We’ve given these people enough to talk about for today.” This time when RJ tried to help Michelle in the truck, she let him. It was pointless to try and stop him.
    “Do you always get what you want?” Michelle asked him once he was behind the wheel and they had pulled out of the parking lot.
    “Yep.” RJ grinned at her. “But you have to admit, you wanted to say yes.”
    “You’re a cocky son of a bitch.”
    “You know you like it.” RJ reached over, grabbed her left hand, and slowly brought it to his lips. Kissing the back of her hand lightly, he glanced over at Michelle; she was looking out the window, shaking her head, but smiling.
    “I hate when your right.” Michelle laughed as she pulled her hand out of his grasp.
    Five minutes later, the two pulled up outside the casino, right outside of town.
    “This is where we’re eating lunch?” Michelle asked, surprised. She had been expecting someplace in town, where people would see them.
    “You were worried about being seen together. Whoever see’s us here, isn’t going to care that we’re together.” RJ’s reason made sense.
    Michelle shrugged her shoulders and opened her door. RJ quickly turned off the truck and hopped out. He was over by the passenger door in time to help Michelle out of the truck gracefully in her dress and boots. “Thank you.” Michelle automatically responded as he closed the door and locked his truck.
    “It was my pleasure.” As they turned and headed into the casino, RJ noticed that Michelle had been sure there was space between them as they walked. RJ also made sure that there was no space between them. He walked next to her, bumping shoulders with her and grabbed her hand.
    Walking into the restaurant in the casino, Michelle understood much better why RJ had picked to come here. The restaurant was practically empty, with only a few tables occupied, and the people at the tables looked as if they had been up all night. They definitely didn’t care who was eating with who.
    A waitress who quickly came over to show them to a table. RJ requested a table in the back and the waitress muttered under her breath something that sounded like, of course they do. Michelle definitely didn’t get a fuzzy warm feeling about this woman. The second they sat down and had their menus, the woman disappeared, to go take a smoke break Michelle assumed.
    “I would have taken you somewhere nicer, but you didn’t really give me many options. It was either here or my place where I can make some sandwiches.” RJ was grinning at her and he looked more comfortable in this place than she did. She could picture him, sitting in the casino, playing poker until late in the night.
    “This is just fine.” Michelle said primly. Now that they were sitting down, she wasn’t sure what to do with herself. They were sitting across from each other in a booth in the back corner. RJ seemed to be able to read her.
    As she was sitting there, trying to come up with something clever or smart to say, he just reached over and grabbed her hand. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. “You’re nervous.” He didn’t say it as a question, he said it as a statement. Michelle didn’t understand how he was able to read her so well, was it really that easy?
    “Why do you always hold my hand?” Michelle couldn’t think of anything to say to his statement, so instead she decided on a question.
    “Because I like holding your hand. It’s soft and warm and small; it fits just right in my hand. Do you not like it?” RJ had asked the question, but he wished he hadn’t. He didn’t plan to stop holding her hand all the time; as long as she was around he would do it. But if she had a problem with it, that would make it more difficult.
    “No. You can hold my hand.” Michelle told him. She had been looking him directly in the eye when she responded, but she looked down at their interlaced hands immediately after. She seemed so unsure about herself. RJ didn’t want her to ever feel unsure; about anything.
    The rest of the lunch passed uneventfully. Neither one talked much and when they did, it wasn’t about anything important. RJ held Michelle’s hand up until their food arrived and he grabbed it again the second they were both done eating. He liked that they could sit and enjoy a meal together without having to talk. He felt comfortable just sitting with her and looking at her, and he thought she felt the same way.
    RJ and Michelle sat in their booth long after they were both done eating, waiting for the other to say they should get going. Finally, RJ had to be the one to say it. He didn’t want this meal to end, but it seemed inevitable and Dan and Elizabeth would be wondering what happened to Michelle, if he didn’t get her home soon.
    Having paid for their meal over a half hour ago, RJ stood up and offered his hand to Michelle once again. They walked out of the restaurant in companionable silence but once they were outside, in the bright sun, it was like the comfortable time they had spent together hadn’t happened. When they stepped outside, RJ could feel Michelle tense up beside him.
    Michelle didn’t know what to think. During lunch, it had seemed so simple. She took RJ for a honestly, loyal man but what she had heard about him, didn’t say the same. It felt like she knows a different RJ than the rest of the town. It was easier, in the dark casino restaurant, to believe that she was right and the rest of the town was wrong  about RJ. But now, she wasn’t so sure. As RJ helped her into his truck, again, she could feel the tenderness underneath his touch; she didn’t think he would ever hurt her. But she knew that he had broken many women’s heart and she didn’t want to be one of those women.
    The ride out to Dan’s ranch was made in silence, like their meal was, but this time it wasn’t comfortable.  Michelle spend the ride trying to figure out her feelings for the man beside her, and RJ spent the ride trying to figure out what had changed between him and Michelle. He could tell that she was rethinking things, but he wasn’t sure what she had to rethink. As he pulled into Dan’s long driveway, he decided that he needed to give her something to think about. He didn’t want her to rethink anything, he was doing damage control.
    Being so lost in her own thoughts, Michelle didn’t notice when RJ turned his truck off, or even when he got out and went to her door. All of a sudden, he had the passenger door open and was reaching for her. Once she was out of the truck, with the door closed behind her, she expected RJ to just say goodbye and get back in his truck. She have known better by now. RJ was never predictable, he never did what she expected him to. Michelle found herself trapped between the truck and RJ, again.
    “You’re not getting away that easy.” RJ whispered in her ear. “There’s no one watching us anymore.”
    Before she could respond, or even try to put space between them, RJ was kissing her. Every time he did, it surprised her. When his lips touched hers, she no longer want to put space between them; she didn’t want there to be any space.
    RJ had kissed many women in his time, but no one quite like Michelle. He could feel the hesitancy and tension leave her body as she moved as close to him as she could. All of a sudden, the kiss wasn’t just a nice good bye kiss, RJ felt passion he hadn’t felt when kissing any other woman.
    He had meant the kiss to be gentle and comforting, to show Michelle that she didn’t need to be scared of him, or what they had together. However, it quickly changed from a gentle kiss, to both straining to be closer. RJ had her pressed completely against the truck, and Michelle had her arms around his neck. She had molded herself to his body, and RJ had to admit, he liked the feeling.
    It seemed like the kiss lasted forever, but all too soon, RJ was pulling back. Michelle desperately wanted it to keep going. Everything felt so much more clear and simple when RJ’s lips were on hers. When he had pulled back far enough to look in her eyes, Michelle could tell that he felt the same way. As she stared into his eyes, Michelle realized it was too late to stop the town from gossiping. She was in over her head with RJ, but she no longer cared.
    Dipping his head once more, RJ placed a quick kiss on her lips. He need one more before he could let her go. He walked her to the walkway that led to the front door, and patted her on the butt saying “I’ll see you later,” and then he was gone. If he hadn’t left quickly he would have put her back into his truck and taken her back to his house, which he knew neither were ready for. Michelle was left watching the dust disappear from his quick getaway, confused.
    Michelle was standing exactly where RJ had left her a few minutes later, when Dan and Elizabeth found her. They were walking out of the barn, having just fed the horses.
    “Well where did you disappear to?” Dan asked curiously. Everyone saw her drive away with RJ; everyone wanted to know where they went off to.
    “What?” Michelle asked confused. She hadn’t even seen them walk up to her.
    “Why don’t we get you some coffee.” Elizabeth said. She could tell by the look on her cousins face that, right now, she was just as confused as everyone else. The last thing Michelle needed was to be interrogated.
    “Okay.” Michelle, mindlessly, followed them into the house. She was too wrapped up in what had just happened to pay attention to what was going on.

Here’s another story I’ve been working on. I have a lot of ideas for it. This one is definitely my favorite for the time being. It’s still a very rough draft, but here’s what I have so far!

7 Days Till the Wedding

The outdoor barbeque was in full swing; children were running around, chasing each other, while the adults stood by and chatted. Everyone was eating and drinking and having a great time. The only thing that was missing was the four men who were always the talk of the town; Dan the groom, RJ the best man, Max the brother, and Jeff the soon-to-be, brother-in-law.
    The four men had been gone on a week long camping trip that they insisted would never happen once Dan married Elizabeth. However, everyone knew that it was just an excuse for the men to go fishing before the crazy week before the wedding. Michelle, being Elizabeth’s maid of honor, had decided the men’s homecoming would make for the ending to a perfect bridal shower. Elizabeth had insisted that she didn’t want a bachelorette party, saying that they were for women who didn’t really want to be married, so Michelle had decided that she would through a bridal shower instead. What Elizabeth didn’t know, was that Michelle was also planning a bachelorette party for the night before the rehearsal dinner. No matter what Elizabeth said, she really did want a bachelorette party and Michelle knew that she would regret not having one.
    Michelle had flown into the small town where Elizabeth had lived her whole life, and where Michelle had come every summer to visit her cousin, two weeks before the bridal shower. She had received a call from a frantic Elizabeth, who was threatening to call off the wedding if no one stepped up to help her. She said expect it to be Michelle, even though she was her maid of honor, because she didn’t live in town. Even so, Michelle felt she wasn’t doing enough and jumped on a plane to come to her cousin’s rescue. She had immediately taken time off from her job at the banke, to come help plan the perfect wedding.
    Even though she hadn’t been in town long, Michelle knew that this group of friends was anything but rule followers. Her cousin’s bridal shower was unlike any other shower. It was more just an excuse to get everyone together and have a little fun. Michelle had planned the whole evening, only telling Elizabeth when it was. Almost everyone from town, was at this bridal shower and it had quickly turned into one of the biggest parties of the year. However, it was very obvious who was missing. Elizabeth wondered around, talking to whoever came up to her, but she looked like a lost puppy, looking for her mother. Every few minutes, she would scan the crowd, searching for Dan, who wasn’t there. Michelle knew that she would be thrilled when the men arrived and anxiously awaited their arrival herself.
    While everyone was enjoying the company of friends and family, Michelle was constituently surveying the pasture where the men were supposed to appear any minute. She hadn‘t spent much time with any of the men, expect for Dan, and she was curious about how they all stayed such good friends, being that they were all so different. The women at the party had felt the need to tell her all about them, but she wasn’t sure what was rumor and what was true. She had learned that Jeff and Sara were married and had been together forever. They were high school sweethearts and had stayed together through Sara’s time away at college. Every couple went to them when they needed relationship advice. Dan and Elizabeth had only been dating for two months before Dan proposed, but they had been friends since kindergarten. The whole town was still a little worried about the quick proposal and short engagement and some even wondered if it was because Elizabeth was pregnant. But Michelle had no doubts about them. She knew that Elizabeth and Dan were perfect for each other and it didn‘t take them long to realize it. Max and Lilly were the typical on-again, off-again couple who only stayed together so they wouldn’t be alone. No one in town saw their relationship being permanent, everyone was patiently waiting for their final break-up. RJ was a whole other matter though. He was the only single man in a group of couples. He was always the third wheel and the town suspected he liked it that way. All the women Michelle had spoken too would blush and turn quiet when she asked about RJ. The only details she had learned about him had come from Elizabeth. She had said that he could have any women in town he chose, he just never chose any. He seemed content to stay single for the rest of his life. No one expected that to change anytime soon, but all the single women in town hoped they would be the one to change his mind.
    Suddenly, Michelle spotted dust rising in the far back pasture. The men had arrived. Once she noticed the dust, it only took a matter of seconds for all the guests to notice it too. Everyone stopped what they were doing to stare out at the pasture until the men appeared galloping in on their horses. Everyone immediately started yelling and clapping at the four men riding up. The men were riding side by side with Dan and RJ in the middle, all wearing cowboys hats that had seen better days. They definitely looked like they had been camping for a week, Michelle thought. They were covered in dirt and dust but it didn’t matter to them. These men and grown up covered in dirt. It was like their choice of clothing. 
    The four were a good ten feet in front of all the guests, they dismounted their horses in sync. Michelle couldn’t help but think they planned their entrance. Dan, Jeff, and Max stared at their women, and walked, determinedly toward them. They had definitely planned it. But RJ was the only single man of the group, he didn‘t have someone waiting to great him. Everyone gave the three couples their privacy as the men were greeted, and watched RJ’s every move. He was staring at Michelle, moving slowly toward her. Feeling nervous under his constant gaze, Michelle glanced around her to make sure that it was her he was looking at. She noticed, that everyone had backed up to give RJ space as he greeted her. She had only met him once, and it hadn’t felt like he was very interested in her. He was the only person in the wedding party that made Michelle feel nervous.  She didn’t know what to expect from him. 
    It felt like it took hours for RJ to reach Michelle and by the time he had, she was a nervous wreck. Her heart was pounding in her chest so loudly, that she couldn’t hear the guests chatter as they watched what was going on. She knew they were there; she could feel everyone’s eyes on the two of them, but she couldn’t hear them chit-chatting. 
    “Hey.” RJ said in his gruff voice as he took his cowboy hat in his right hand, dipped Michelle over his right knee, and kissed her full on the lips. He took her completely by surprise and she had no time to object to the kiss. The second his lips met hers, she was glad she didn’t. He made her completely forgot that they were surrounded by people and that they were, virtually, strangers. All she could think about was this mysterious man who was kissing her and wonder why he had chosen her, from all the women at the party.
    All too soon, the kiss was over and he standing straight and putting his hat back on. He seemed a good foot taller than Michelle’s short 5’4” as he stared down into her eyes. Feeling a need to break the silence, Michelle said in a shaky voice, “Welcome hom,.” at the same time all the guests began clapped. She looked around her, blushing and trying to find Elizabeth, immediately feeling sorry for, accidentally, stealing her cousin’s spotlight. She spotted Elizabeth standing in the front of the crowd of party goers, with Dan’s arm around her shoulders, smiling and clapping along with everyone else. Michelle felt instantly better, seeing that Elizabeth had no hard feelings. She smiled and slowly shook her head, her silent way of saying, I’m sorry.
    “Well everyone, now that the men are home lets crank up the music and keep this party going!” Lily shouted, turning everyone’s attention away from Michelle and RJ.
    The party kept going strong till around midnight, when everyone slowly started packing up their children and heading back home. Soon, only the wedding party was left standing in the mess that used to be the Elizabeth’s bridal shower party.
    “Thanks for a great party, Michelle.” Elizabeth said as she hugged her cousin. Everyone else was still busy surveying the damage from the party.
    “Of course. I’m glad you had fun. I’ll clean up the majority of this tonight and come back for the rest in the morning. You guys go home, get some sleep.” Michelle tells everyone, shooing Dan and Elizabeth toward the house and everyone else to their cars. She was filled with energy from hosting a successful party and wanted to get started on cleaning up the mess.
    “Are you sure?” Elizabeth asked. “Because we are more than happy to help.”
    “Yes, I’m sure. You guys go get some sleep.” She says, winking at the happy couple. “I can take care of this.”
    “Alright.” Elizabeth felt slightly bad about leaving the mess to Michelle, but not bad enough to want to help.
    While everyone headed home, Michelle grabbed garbage bags and began collecting all the discarded garbage.
    “Why don’t I help you with that.” RJ told Michelle as he walked up behind her, scaring her. She thought everyone had gone home and hadn’t notice that he hadn‘t left yet.
    “You don’t need to help. I’ve got it under control. Your probably exhausted from your fishing trip. Go on home.” Being alone with RJ didn’t seem like a good idea to Michelle. The last thing she wanted was to have the whole town talking about her and RJ rather than Elizabeth and Dan’s wedding. Just being seen with RJ would start the gossip reels. If she spent too much time with RJ, it wouldn’t take long until the whole town was talking about the two of them.
    “Let me help. Since I sort of jumped you when we got here. I feel kind of bad about that.” RJ said winking at her, when she looked up surprised. His wink showed that he didn’t actually feel bad about kissing her. Neither had mentioned the kiss since it happened, and Michelle wasn’t sure how she was supposed to react to it.
    “Fine. You can help clean up.” Michelle said, tossing him a garbage bag.
    Two hours later, the yard looked spotless. RJ’s help made the clean up processes speed up rapidly. Michelle would only have to do some dishes and put a few things away after church in the morning.
    RJ and Michelle were standing next to the barn, surveying the yard, making sure there were no stray pieces of garbage left out. They hadn’t spoken since they started cleaning, and Michelle didn’t want to be the first to break the silence. Silently working, side by side, had been nice. It seemed like she was always doing everything alone, it was nice to have the company. And for awhile she forgot that it was RJ, the town’s most popular bachelor, who was keeping her company.
    “Well, it looks like we’re all done for the night.” RJ said as he tried to hide a big yawn. It was past two in the morning and both RJ and Michelle were expected to show up at the ten o’clock church service.
    “Looks like.” Michelle replied. She was exhausted. “Thanks for helping. You definitely made it go faster. I’ll see you tomorrow at church.” Michelle added as she turned to head into the house.
    “Wait Michelle.” RJ yelled before she could make it all the way to the house. When she turned around to face him, he was running toward her. He grabbed her hand to keep her from walking away. “I just need to apologize again for the kiss.”
    “You already did. And honestly, I didn’t take your apology seriously. You don’t regret kissing me and making a scene at your best friends wedding shower.” It was so late, all Michelle could think about was going into Elizabeth’s guest bedroom, that, for the time being, was Michelle’s bedroom, and climbing into the big, Queen sized bed. Michelle was no longer thinking about what she was saying.
    “No, I don’t regret it.”  RJ was grinning down at her. She was a beautiful woman. She was successful and smart. Exactly the kind of girl RJ was never interested in. He usually went for the dumb ones, who he didn’t have to devout much time to. But there was something intriguing about Michelle. “I never said I regretted it. I just said I felt bad for the way I did it. You’re a beautiful woman, the whole town has been talking about guy in town was going to mark you as his territory. I was just beating every other guy in town to it.”
    “Oh, ok. Well thank you for clarifying. Now I’m going to go to bed. I’ll see you at church in the morning. Goodnight RJ.”
    As Michelle finally headed into the house to go to sleep, RJ couldn’t help but shake his head and smile. He was definitely in over his head. He had never dated a woman like Michelle, but she was all he could think about now. And now the whole town would be talking about the two of them. While Michelle was brushing her teeth and finding a big t-shirt to sleep in, she couldn’t stop herself from thinking about RJ. And while RJ was getting his horse out of the barn and saddling him up to ride back to his ranch on the other side of the driveway, he couldn’t stop himself from thinking about Michelle. Both fell asleep that night with the other on their mind.

Okay, so I just wrote this in class and the idea for this story has been forming in my head for a long time now. I never know which story to work on, so if anyone thinks I should focus on a specific one, tell me! Any advice is helpful! :D

All the anger welled up inside Amber and grew as the summer temperature rose. She was angry at all the people surrounding her, all enjoying the feel of the sun’s warmth on their skin. She was angry at her boss for always scheduling her to work during the day, when the sun was at its hottest, even though she had specifically told him she wanted to work nights. She was angry at Dan; it was his fault she was forced to wear jeans and a long-sleeved shirt to work that day, but she would be forever angry at him. But most of all, she was angry at her mother, who brought Dan into their lives and was too desperate to see how much harm he causes.
    Amber’s shift at the ice cream stand was only halfway over and she felt like she couldn’t last another four hours. Even though she was working under the shade of the stands big umbrella, she could feel the heat of the sun like she was standing directly under it.

For now, I’m calling this one Summer Time, I don’t really know why because it isn’t just going to take place in the summer. But anyway, I’ve been playing out the beginning of this story in my head for a few days now and decided that I might was well write it, but I haven’t got to that part yet, it’s still working up to it. But here is how far I am so far.

At the time Maggie didn’t know it, but the summer she turned twenty would be a summer that would changer her life forever.

A new restaurant called Jake’s had opened up in the tiny town where her Aunt Beth lived in Alabama. Knowing that she was looking for somewhere to work during her summer break, between her junior and senior year of college, her Aunt Beth had gone ahead and talked to Jake, the owner, about her being a waitress there for the summer. Being a small town where everyone helps each other out, Jake was more than happy to offer the job to Maggie. The catch was that she would have to go live with her Aunt for the summer break. Maggie’s parent’s lived in Georgia, a long drive away from her Aunt’s house. Even though she had been looking forward to spending the summer at home with her parents, Maggie took the job and agreed to living with her Aunt for the summer. She got along well with Aunt Beth and she could always go visit her parents, or they could visit her. It sounded like a good opportunity to make some money and meet some interesting people, which Maggie was always up for.

In the sweltering heat of an Alabama summer, Maggie drove up her Aunt’s long driveway in her old, beaten up VW Bug, which was jam-packed with everything she would need for the summer. After spending four relaxing days at home with her Mom and Dad, she had packed up again and began the long drive to Sweet Water, Alabama. When Maggie pulled up outside the old farm house, she noticed Aunt Beth kneeling in the middle of the flower bed in front of her house, weeding. She slowly climbed out of her car while Aunt Beth stood up and stretched. Taking a minute to look around, Maggie turned in a full circle, taking in her surroundings while her Aunt watched her cautiously.

Finally, turning to face her Aunt again, Maggie didn’t know what to say. Her mother had a sort of falling out with Aunt Beth, he didn’t know the reason, and it had been at least five years since she had seen Beth.  That was partially what made her take the job. Maggie wanted some time to get to know her aunt again and Beth had provided the perfect opportunity for her. After a few awkward moments of starving at each other, Maggie wiped her sweaty palms on her shorts and took a step forward. “Hi Aunt Beth,” she said smiling slightly.

That seemed to have been what Beth was waiting for. “Maggie! How are you? How was the drive?” She asked while quickly walking over to hug her. “Oh, you’ve grown up so much since the last time I saw you!” she said before Maggie could answer the questions she had asked her.

“Well, its been a long time since you’ve seen me.” Maggie replied as she thought back to that long ago day. Aunt Beth had always been Maggie’s favorite Aunt while growing up, but the last time she had seen her was at her Grandfather’s funeral. Everyone had been so upset and her mom and Aunt Beth had gotten in some sort of argument that had Beth leaving in a haste and not returning. The way Maggie saw it, she didn’t care what the fight had been about, she shouldn’t have left and never come back; she should have found a way to work it out with her mom.

“I am happy, just not with the girl you choose.”

                “First off, she isn’t a girl. She’s twenty five; I think that makes her a woman mother. And what is so wrong with her? What did she do last night that made you dislike her so much?” Alex was slowly starting to lose his temper with his mother. When he was younger and brought girl’s home, she always found something wrong with them so eventually he stopped bringing them home altogether. Now, he finally brought someone to meet his parents, even if it was last minute and not the type of woman they were expecting, they should still be happy he introduced someone to them.

                “Nothing is wrong with her, she just isn’t for you. She isn’t from here; she’s a tourist. Where do you really see this going? It’s just going to end up being a fling that the papers go crazy for. You’ve already created enough scandals for this family.” She had gotten up now to pace back and forth. Even though they fought more than they were civil to each other, his mother still didn’t like fighting with him; what mother liked fighting with her children?

                “Yes, she is a tourist. But you didn’t take the time to get to know her. Maybe if you had, you might have realized that even though she is a tourist, this doesn’t just have to end in scandal. If anything, the public will like me more because she is an ordinary woman; not a famous celebrity or someone from high class. They will see that she is a regular woman.”

                “You think I didn’t take time to get to know her? How was I supposed to?” She yelled at Alex. “You introduced us at our anniversary party! Your father and I had no time to sit down and get to know her so that is your fault.” Sitting back down, her majesty put her head in her hands, trying to come up with a way to make him understand without him getting upset. “You want me to get to know her? Okay, I will, but she gets one chance to impress me. I will send a car for her now. Marie!” She yelled. If he wanted her to ‘get to know’ this woman, than she would do it on her own terms.

As Marie walked into the room she looked a little nervous, she must have heard them yelling. “Yes, your majesty?”

“Would you please get the address of this Michelle woman and send a car to pick her up, please?” Her majesty gave Marie a kind smile. She had been with them so long and always done whatever she was told, she didn’t want Marie to think that she was angry at her, she was angry at Alex for putting her in this situation.

“Yes, right away.” Marie replied as she walked out of the room.

“Mother.” Was all Alex had to say; he was steaming mad.

“What? I am doing exactly what you wanted me to, so what are you so angry about now?”

“Do you have to do this now? It’s only nine in the morning and she was exhausted last night after trying to make a good impression for you. Can’t this wait until later? Please, she is probably still asleep.” He had planned on going on a rampage, yelling to get his way. But when he started, he saw the look on his mother’s face and knew that it wouldn’t work; she would still send the car. So he had decided that maybe pleading with her would work better. From the look on her face, it didn’t work.

“No. We will do it now.” With that being said, Her Majesty got up and walked out of the room.
She was done discussing this with her son. She had done what he wanted her too; he should just be happy about that.

ferociousbrocious:

She was going to move into a house with 3 other roomies. They were scared she was going to drink all their milk. So they told her they couldn’t have milk in the house because they were allergic to it. She decided not to live with them at the last moment possible. This sent the 3 girls into a frenzy of searching for new roommates and new places to live. Well at least the girl wouldn’t drink all their milk. -The End!

hmmm. i wonder who the girl is?