March Writing Challenge: 100 Stories, 1 Month

[Valerie Danner]

#27 - "Nobody's Perfect"

Warning: Excessive amount of clichés, corniness and tears of cheesy joy.

Upon entering the kitchen, at the sight of the seven year old boy, Sawyer did a double take when she realised he was reading one of her uni textbooks, leaving crumbs from the biscuit he was devouring like a monster.

"Um, baby boy...what are you doing with mama's book?" She asked, opening the fridge door to take out the bag of mango she had cut up earlier that day. The boy looked up with furrowed eyebrows and sucked in a breath. "I don't understand what this means." He pulled his knees up on to the bar stool and pointed to a word repeatedly. "Ha...bees core...pus?"

Raising an eyebrow, Sawyer walked over to her adopted son and looked over his shoulder. "Are you trying to tell me you understand every other word in that sentence?" She asked out of curiosity. "Well, I know what one means. And charged. And is. And..."

"Hey, don't be smart with me, kid." Sawyer warned him, poking him on the side as he giggled. "Mama! Ye ticklin' me." He scolded with a pout. "I'm not sorry." She shot back with a snort just as Michael walked into the kitchen.

"Pa! Mama's ticklin' me and she ain't sayin' sorry!" The little boy cried out indignantly. "Hey, she's your mother. You discipline her." Sawyer's partner held his hands up in surrender before coming up behind her and pressing his lips on top of her head, making her smile.

"You heard the man." The voice mimic dropped some ice cubes she got from the fridge into a blender and added the mangoes in. The boy jumped off the stool and bounded over to the counter where Sawyer was making her smoothie, climbing over the counter and cupped her cheeks before pulling her face towards him. "Mama. You know I don't like being tickled." He started and Sawyer bit her upper lip to stop herself from laughing at how intense he looked. "I would like a formal apology in the form of an ice cream sundae with chocolate sauce and rainbow sprinkles. That is my final offer."

Sawyer heard Michael snort as she pulled the small hands off her face and stared into his dark brown eyes. "Peyton Lynn. My love, my boy." She paused, trying very hard to keep her voice steady. "You really need to stop watching my law dramas and you really need to understand that I will not apologise and give you a treat just because I made you giggle." She nodded finally, much to Michael's amusement.

"Oh kid...you're arguing with a logical woman." He sighed with a serious shake of his head. "I don't mean that as a compliment, dear. Just so you know."

Snorting, Sawyer looked over her shoulder and stuck her tongue out at him. "Joke's on you, I never take anything as a compliment." She joked before turning back to her son and gave him an evil grin. "But I will promise you this." She started. "By the time I finish my final offer, you will be calling out for mercy." Quickly, she picked the boy up and threw him over her shoulder, ignoring the squeals as she ran out to the living room, dropping them both down on the large beanbag chair.

"Nooooo!" Peyton squealed as he giggled at his mother's tickling fingers. "Mama please no I beg you!"

Sawyer cooed at her son's begging. "Aww, is your offer of ice cream still standing?" She asked with a grin. "No! No!" The little boy giggled, smacking Sawyer's hand away. "Are you calling mercy?" The voice mimic asked teasingly, still mercilessly tickling the boy.

"Mercy!" He squealed and finally Sawyer conceded. "That's what I like to hear." She cried out, pumping her fist downwards in victory. As her son wheezed with little bouts of giggles, Sawyer pulled him up and ruffled his hair. "I'd be the perfect villain in a movie. If the protagonist was a seven year old, that is."

Catching his breath, Peyton looked over to Sawyer and shook his head. "Mama please. Nobody's perfect." He shuffled over to Sawyer on his butt just as Michael entered the living room. "She likes to think she is." He teased. "Correction. I am." She responded with a finger up in the air. "And you know why I'm perfect?" She asked, grabbing hold of Peyton and pressed her forehead against his. "Because I've got you. And I don't need anything else."

Peyton smiled and once again cupped her cheeks to squish them, just as she always does to him. "Not even Pa?" He asked, chuckling as he looked over her shoulder. As did she, to bite her lower lip at him before turning back to the boy. "Pa's just here for entertainment. He knows that."

Michael piped in with an amused grin. "I know that." Peyton giggled at his answer and slipped his arms through Sawyer's to wrap it around her tiny frame. "Okay. Apology accepted." He murmured hugging her tight. Sawyer laughed in surprise. "Well played." She chuckled through her response, just as her arms wrapped around the little boy.

"Oh look, Hallmark moment." Michael chimed in and Sawyer gestured for him to come over. "Not yet. Come here, my big entertainer."

Once Michael trudged over, Sawyer pulled him down and leaned against him. "Psht. Nobody's perfect." Sawyer snorted, ruffling Peyton's hair. There wasn't much she'd call perfect. But this...this came pretty damn close.

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

35. Unity.

When the kindergarten had called, neither Penny nor Lucy knew what to expect. But it was strange all the same that they felt the need to make any kind of phone call. The news received regarding their six-year-old son was, in short, worrisome.

“Lincoln,” Penny started. When it came to things like these, it was a given that she’d always be the one to start. Lucy purposely stood slightly behind her to one side. It was the kind of thing she took charge for, and the ink manipulator provided a type of support. “You know what you did wrong, don’t you? Do I need to explain it to you?”

He shifted in the same spot, his hands clasping together behind his back. His eyes turned away. He wasn’t looking at either of them. He wasn’t talking.

Penny breathed a frustrated sigh; “You hit another boy. You-” She paused, struggling to find the understanding behind the action. The reasoning. And the means to really articulate the problem; “You hit another boy?”

Lucy exhaled a sharp laugh, which dragged Lincoln’s eyes towards her. She quickly pressed her hand to her mouth, but she was grinning. And he knew it. They all did.

“Lucy.” Penny breathed quickly.

“Sorry.” She replied. But she wasn’t.

Penny still turned her attention to the little boy anyway.

“What on earth possessed you to do such a thing?” She pressed on. Lucy shook her head towards the little boy, her face changing to clearly wear a replica of the frustrated expression her wife wore. “Do I want to know what possessed you to do it?” As Penny tried again, Lucy shifted her hand slightly, giving her beloved Link a thumbs up. It caused him to giggle almost uncontrollably, losing the severity of the situation. So he immediately pressed his hands to his mouth. When Penny moved to glance at Lucy, the ink manipulator shifted her hand to run her fingers through her hair.

“Lucy.”

Instinctively, the Australian raised her hands in her defence. “I never said he should hit a kid in the face, love.”

“Nope,” Lincoln started slowly, “You just said-”

When he started, Lucy quickly breezed past Penny towards the boy in the Legend of Zelda shirt, clasping a hand over his mouth before he had a chance to go on. Penny raised her eyebrows, dropping her jaw to speak. Link’s hands curled around Lucy’s, pulling it away quickly; “Grandpa said it’s okay if-”

“Let me handle this.” Lucy quickly shot out, ensuring her hand was tight around his mouth this time. “For you.”

“For me.” The psychometrist repeated, scepticism radiating through her tone. Of course she knew what Lucy was doing.

Stifling a grin Lucy hauled her arms around the little boy who couldn’t stop himself from laughing long enough to actually speak. “For you.” She repeated definitely, sticking to her conviction. Hoisting him up, Lucy deftly hauled the boy over her shoulder. “C’mon, bud. You’re fully going to your room so you can think about what you did wrong.” She tried, taking purposeful steps away.

Penny just sighed heavily once they were out of range. She knew he had some kind of gaming console in his room, and that she’d lost her wife to that for at least an hour.

[Mia Bell]

22.Confessions

Kamillia skateboarded into the park; it was summer, which meant no more snow. Which meant she could skateboard, wearing her favorite tank tops, and enjoy life again. Okay that latter one was an exaggeration, these past couple mouths, even with snow and cold, Kam had enjoyed life very much. There was something she felt inside of her that she had never felt before. It was different, a good different, but different. The thing was, before December her life had made a turn for the worst. She had lost her confidence and pretty much her ego. She lost what she had held so close to her, and the thing that made her who she was. Yes, her confidence played a key role in her personality, call her vain but that was how she was.

Sitting on a bench near the playground, sighing as she looked around; this park was more than just a park, and the bench she was sitting on was more than just a bench. It all was a memory, and one of her greatest, and happiest. This was where she got to fully know Adam Anderson, the guy she had feelings for. If it hadn’t been for her taking a chance on the boy working at a gas station, she would have never knew how awesome that boy was. Risk, to her, they were worth taking every time. Speaking of Adam, he was supposed to meet her here, there was something she just had to tell him. She couldn’t keep it in any longer, and she wanted her confessions to be special. It wasn’t every day that she spilled her heart out to, well anyone.

Seeing Adam walk toward her made her heart skip a beat. They greeted each other, as Adam sat down next to her. “Why did you want to meet me here?” He was a bit confused as to why she wanted to talk, and here of all the places. He didn’t see that this spot was meaningful, at least not as meaningful as it was to Kam, maybe. “Well… I kind of wanted to talk. If that’s alright?” Adam looked at her, and nodded “Of course it is. It’s always a pleasure to talk to you. Though you could have just called, or texted.” Kam bit her lip and looked at the ground, “I feel like what I wanted to talk about shouldn’t be talked about over the phone.” She looked at him, hoping to see that maybe he was connecting some kind of dots, but all she saw was confusion. ”Alright, is everything okay?”. Kam sighed, and shrugged her shoulders, looking up to watch the children play. “Yes and no.” She chuckled, knowing that she didn’t have to look at Adam to know that he was probably even more confused. “Let me explain…” She had to pause because she was trying to figure out how to say what she wanted.

“Well… I feel like we are very close, I kind of consider you as my best friend. And it’s okay if you don’t see me as your best friend. I’m sure you’re not as lame as I am… For these past couple months you have made my life more meaningful, and happier. That really means a lot to me, because not a lot of people can actually do that… I feel like we have so much in common, and it’s kind of hard to believe but it’s hard to find someone who has as much in common with me as you do that is so sweet, and caring… Most of them a douchbags, really.. Since we talked that one night, at this park, on this bench, with the beer, I have had feelings for you… All the feelings in the world, my heart beats faster every time I see you. I feel like a 12 year old girl who is a huge fan of Justin Bieber. So.. I like you, Adam, I really, really like you.” She had been looking at the ground the whole time she was talking; she couldn’t bring herself to look at Adam.

Adam on the other hand, at starred at her throughout the whole thing. He was blushing; no girl has ever confessed her feelings like this to him. Half of this situation made him happy, the other half was pretty sad, because he didn’t want to hurt her, yet he had to. ”Kam…” She looked at him when he said her name, from the tone of his voice, she knew what he was going to say before he said it. “I’m so, so sorry… But.. I’m already seeing someone..” Kam nodded, “Alright, I understand..” She knew it would have been too good to be true if he had said he had the same feelings for her. She nodded once more as she took a deep breath. “Alright… Hmm… Well forget I ever said anything then. And please don’t feel like you have to call me or still be my friend.” Before Adam could say anything, Kam got up, hopped on her skateboard, and made her way out of the park as fast as she could.

[Rowan Booker]

#4. Haunted


"Do you ever think about what it'd be like if we were all angels?" 

"What are you talking about, Row? You sound crazy. Why would we all be angels? They don't even exist, lame-o," The dark-haired boy glanced over at his cousin as they both laid in the grass, watching the boats coming in on the harbor. 

"It's just a thought, Benny. And they could exist, you don't know that. I just mean, what if after we died, whenever we die, we became angels and yet we still lived on earth but with no one to see us?"

"You've been watching too much tv, nerd. That's not how it works."

"Then what is this crap about guardian angels, huh? I mean...you can't be sure, ya know?"

"Jesus, Booker, you're head needs to get outta the clouds. Besides, we're not going to die for like a hundred years. Who  knows, maybe we'll be infinite?"

"Now who sounds crazy?" The boys laughed and Rowan snorted. "I dunno, Benny. I just keep thinking about it, life after death I mean. I know we've got a bunch of years to think about it, but I can't stop."

"Like I said, too much tv. You just focus on dancing, twinkle-toes," the slightly older boy smirked and nudged his cousin.

__________________________

Rowan's eyes snapped open and he shivered. Drenched in a cold sweat, he glanced around his room, flipped on the lamp beside his bed and ran his hand through his hair. The sick twisting in his stomach had become normal as of late. The constant dreams about the conversations leading up to the death of Benjamin always found their way into his mind. Sitting up in his bed, he rested his elbows on the tops of his knees, his head shaking from side to side to rid himself of the images of his cousin.

Glancing up again, he shivered and squeezed his eyes shut. Angels. Right. Sometimes Rowan wished that he'd never brought it up. Talking about death at such a young age, like he knew it was coming, but he didn't know which one of them it would be. The thought had always crossed his mind. It should have been him. Benjamin could have been so much better at this whole living life to the fullest thing. He'd make something of himself. Beatrice wouldn't be as shut off from everyone if he hadn't died and Maryna wouldn't avoid the room across from theirs the way that she does now.

Rowan didn't have a whole lot in life. He didn't try his hardest in school. He was failing. He had friends, but only a few of them were worth anything to him. He had Beatrice, but she would have been happier with Ben. It should have been him because Benny wouldn't have wasted a moment of his life on anything stupid the way that Rowan did. He shook his head again and shivered at the cool breeze he felt on the back of his neck.

Damn draft in the room. Rowan just wanted it fixed. It was like every time he woke up from these dreams, he was freezing. What was with that? He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose before glancing at the picture of Ben, Beatrice and himself that was pinned to his board across the room. Raising his hand, he covered himself up from his viewpoint and sighed, that's how it should have been. 

The lamp flickered and he frowned, tapping the lightbulb to make it stop. It flickered a little more rapidly and burnt out. Rowan frowned, "Of course."

Standing up from the bed, Rowan walked over to open the window. He felt the wind breeze past him and a stray magazine that was sitting on his desk flipped open. Such an out of control ability. Turning to the desk, he straightened up everything that got blown around and glanced at the page that the magazine was open to. There on the page...was an angel. 

And it read, "Your guardian angel is out there somewhere."

[Carleigh Davidson]

87. Pebbles

August 2004, California

Carleigh giggled, chasing her brother through one of the many walking trails in the park. She ambled along as quickly as her seven year old legs could take her, only tripping over her feet a little bit. "Brody! Wait." she giggled again, with a joyous laugh that all children seemed to possess.

She loved spending summer days with her older brother. They went on adventures together, discovering new hiding spots and places to explore. The town was their endless jungle and full of opportunities. Today they were in one of the parks nearby their house, using the beautiful summer weather to their advantage. A lot of people were escaping to the beaches to try and beat the heat. The two kids didn't didn't mind the summer weather, use to the climate.

Carleigh's tired legs were beginning to slow down, her breath heaving at this point. She could see her brother off in the distance, now stopping to wait for the little blonde to catch up. Sweat beaded down her face, and Carleigh wiped a hand across her forehead. "I'm tired!" she whined, breathing heavily.

With a boyish grin, an eleven year old Brody stood in front of the creek that rain through the trail. There was an old, wood bridge that lead to the rest of the trail but his destination was right here. It was peaceful here, with the gentle running water and birds chirping in the background. "It's okay lil sis, we're here." He announced, gesturing to their surroundings.

Carleigh frowned, sitting down on the dirt trail. "What's so exciting about this?" She was confused. The beach had nicer water, more people and the sun beating down on her back.

"Shhh. Just listen." Brody whispered, grinning. He was surprisingly insightful for a young boy. Instead of being fascinated with toys and games, Brody loved taking his sister out on these adventures. It got them out of the house. Carleigh was too young to have her childhood ruined. With a mommy who couldn't put down the bottle and a dad who was always away, being around the house was... unhealthy. He wanted her to have creative and healthy memories.

The little girl hushed down, staring intently at the creek. Water whooshed by in its natural rhythm, a small smile appearing on her face. Okay, this place was pretty interesting. "Are there fishies in there?" She asked, pointing a finger to the creek.

Grinning, Brody walked closer to the creek. "Maybe. I don't see any right now." He said, bending down to pick up a handful of pebbles that littered the shore, letting the wet rocks slip out of his hands. "But come look at all these rocks!"

Carleigh stood up, wandering over, hesitating near the creek. What if she fell in? The tiny girl had a worried expression on her face, looking up at her brother for reassurance.

"Don't worry, I got you." Brody reached out, grabbing onto one of her hands.

They both crouched down, using their free hands to grab a handful of pebbles.

Carleigh giggled, looking at the pretty little rocks. There were plain grey ones, a few scattered black ones and one white one. She stared in awe. "Look! A white one!"

Brody let go of his other rocks, grinning. "Wow!" He picked out the white one, as Carleigh let go of the other pebbles. "Better put that one in your pocket!"

They continued searching for rocks, finding a couple of flat ones. Brody ran his thumb over the smooth, wet surface, as he flicked his wrist back to skip the stone across the water. It danced across the surface three times before sinking.

Eyes widening, Carleigh gasped. "Cool!" She squealed, grabbing a handful of pebbles. She tossed them in the water, frowning when they didn't skip like Brody's did.

"Here, let me show you." Brody said with a laugh, handing over the other smooth stone without hesitation.

These were the memories he wanted Car to remember.

[Oliver Barnes]

43. Proposal 

Running a hand through his meticulously styled hair, Oliver flashed a smile to AJ as he looked over the menu to the restaurant. They had been here on dates a few times, and had great dinner options for a moderate price. Not that he didn't mind splurging on his girl, but why spend more than necessary? He looked over the menu, only to see AJ trying to hold back a giggle. "What?" he asked, frowning. Suddenly, he felt very self conscious.

"You always look over the menu, but get the same thing. Seafood fettuccine alfredo." AJ answered, still laughing. "It happens every time." And every time it was cute. 

A faint blush appeared on Oliver's cheeks. "It's damn good." he replied, chuckling. Maybe he was a little too predictable at times. Hopefully she hadn't caught onto tonight's event, though. That would ruin the surprise. "You should try it sometime."

Shrugging, AJ smiled sweetly at her boyfriend. Didn't hurt to try it right? "Sure." she said, closing her menu and placing it on the table. 

------

A couple hours passed, filled with good food and great drinks. Oliver had an irreplaceable smile on his face, sipping on his glass of wine. He was beginning to doubt himself. What if she found it cliche? What if he screwed up? What if he fumbled and made a fool of himself? All of the 'what ifs' ran through his head.

Oliver couldn't stop staring at his love. He beamed. Her gentle smile. Her kindness. Her infectious laugh. Everything about AJ, Oliver loved. Her nervous habits that mirrored his own. Her love of literature and writing. God damn he was in love with this girl. Oliver didn't know if he could wait any longer. Twenty three years was already long enough.

"Oliver.... Oliver! Earth to Ollie." AJ sang, reaching across the table to gently shake him. All night he had been abnormally quiet, keeping the conversation short and simple. Something was preoccupying Oliver's thoughts and she was a bit worried for him. "You okay?" She asked, frowning slightly.

Blinking, Oliver shook his head. "Oh... yeah, sorry." He replied, his hands clammy. He felt like the black velvet box in his pocket was on fire, burning through his thin pretense. "Just... something on my mind, that's all." He brushed off, slipping a hand in his pocket to feel the box. It felt hot to the touch, commanding all of his attention now. He felt... overwhelmed, to say the least. Oliver had been practicing for weeks what to say, scribbled out words littering pages in his notebook. And nothing felt natural or right.

AJ's worried expression didn't fade. Oliver ran a hand through his hair again, ruffling it up with nerves. "Well... guess it's now or never." He said with a nervous laugh, standing up.

"Oliver, what are you doing?" AJ asked, confused by his behaviour. 

"Frankly, I don't know." Oliver laughed, his voice shaky. "I... I tried to make this perfect. Like in the novels we read. But, I guess real life isn't like that." He licked his lips, fiddling with the box in his pocket.

"AJ, I've known you for a long time. We've grown up since then, facing our own issues and... well, what happened sophomore year. And I wouldn't change any of that for perfection. What we have... what we have is so undeniably right." Oliver grinned, chuckling under his breath. "It's so right. Our ups and downs don't define who we are. And.. we're perfect. At least, I think so." He let out another nervous laugh.

Dropping down to one knee, Oliver flipped open the black velvet box, revealing a beautiful, yet simple, ring with diamonds. "And... and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Our own little perfect life. It may not be the ideal novel plot, but I love us anyway. I love you." Other patrons of the restaurant gasped, echoing AJ's own response. He looked around, grinning even wider with the other dinner goers' silent support. "So, my Amanda Joy Lane, will you marry me?"

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

63. Red

Penny hadn’t thought of anything in particular when she decided to buy the pea coat. Fall was rapidly approaching, and the Vermont air was getting cooler as the days passed. The Brit needed a new jacket, and so she bought one. Simple.

Apparently something about it was amusing, however.

“What?” she asked, eyebrows furrowing at her counterpart.

“Nothing.” Nothing ever meant nothing. Not with them. And especially when Lucy had that grin. That grin always meant something.

“You don’t like it.” Penny quickly decided as she started to slip off the wool material.

Lucy breached the distance between them, her fingers lightly running up the form of the jacket, pulling at the collar to keep the Brit from continuing to take it off. “No,” she said, but the amusement remained in her tone.

“I’ll retur—“

“I like it.” Lucy cut the psychometrist off, bringing her hand up to cup the psychometrist’s cheek. “It looks good.”

Penny pursed her lips, her dark eyes catching Lucy’s as she tried to find the answer to the Australian’s amusement. Still, nothing. Her eyes flicked downward to catch Lucy’s lips pressing into a hard line; a poor attempt to hide her grin. After a moment, an inevitable laugh escaped the ink manipulator’s lips.

“What is it?” Penny was starting to get frustrated with the lack of information her counterpart was offering.

Lucy shook her head, her grin coming through again. It was impossible to hide it. “The color.”

The statement caused Penny to raise her eyebrows, and she looked down at the jacket. “What’s wrong with it?”

“There isn’t anything wrong with it,” Lucy started, leaning inward, just enough to brush her lips against the Brit’s. She paused a moment, and Penny could still feel Lucy’s grin against her lips.

“It suits you, love.”

[Mia Bell]

80. Drunk

It was Friday night, which meant he could get wasted, and it wouldn’t matter (except to his liver), because it was the weekend! He wasn’t one to get smashed at a bar, that wasn’t his style; he didn’t want to end up doing something stupid. Maybe that was how he ended up with his collection… He started collecting liquor right after his twenty-first birthday. Long story short, on the day of his 21st birthday his friend took him out to drink, they all ended up wasted, not knowing better one of his friends who was also drunk tried to drive him home, they ended up getting in a car crash, luckily no one got hurt. But that wasn’t a memory he wanted to remember, nor did he want to relive. However, he decided instead of not drinking, because let’s face it, he liked drinking. He really never realized how far he had gone till he had to make a shelf in his room for all of the different liquor he had. No, he didn’t buy most of them to drink them, more like just to taste them. But then, he wanted to do more with them, so he looked online of how to make drinks, lot shots, and other things. Which got him started in the tradition of making these shots every Friday; and he rarely got drunk.

This Friday he had invited Adam, his best friend over to make drinks with. Some Fridays he would invite him over, just because neither of them had anything better to do. And drinking with someone was a lot funnier. He heard Adam knock on the door, and he went to open it, “Hey Man!” He gave Adam a manly hug, then let him in. “Yo dude! What are we drinking tonight?!” Dakota laughed, “Dude, you know I don’t tell you till after you drink them!” It was a lot more fun that way. “I have everything we need on the dining room table. “ Dakota lead Adam over, “shesh, dude, I really have to come over more often to drink with you.” Adam was jealous, yet amazed that Dakota had all that money to buy all these liquors. “You know you can come over whenever you want. “ Adam nodded, yeah he knew that, he didn’t know why he didn’t come over more, maybe it was because he didn’t want to be a burden to his best bud.

“Let’s start!” ”And get drunk!” Kota started to make the shots, and other drinks for them, as they both took them, they both started to get wasted. It didn’t take either of them very long to get drunk either, a lot of the drinks Kota was making had a bit of a kick to them. Their livers weren’t going to thank them later. “I think we should totally stop now dude.” Kota suggested as he started to feel like he was going to fall down. ”Sounds good to me!” Adam made his way over to the couch, and plopped onto it, ” you know, I always love hanging out with you.” Kota followed him slowly to the couch, and mimicked Adam’s actions. Kota placed his hand on Adam’s knee, “Same here man, same here.” Adam looked at Kota’s hand, then placed his hand on top of it, squeezing it a bit. “You know, if you were a chick I would totally bang you.” Kota couldn’t help but laugh at that, “You know, if you were gay or bi, I would totally bang you.” Their eyes meant, and something in Kota told him to lean in and kiss Adam. Maybe Adam would change once he realized kissing a guy wasn’t any different than kissing a girl.

So, he took a drunken chance, and did it, Kota leaned in, and kissed Adam, wrapping his fingers around Adam’s hand as he did so. Adam knew it was coming, he knew a kiss was going to happen when he saw it. In his drunken state, a part of him wanted it to happen; a part of him did feel attraction to Kota. So, he kissed Kota back, fully letting the kiss happen.

[Gryphon Matsuoka]

46. Loss

Trigger warning [just to be safe]: Mentions of car accident, loss of family, depression

The girl shivered in loneliness. She was empty, like a teddy bear who'd lost it's stuffing. No more hugs. She curled in on herself like a dying insect, trying to find comfort in herself, but still struggling to even comprehend what she had been told.

The phone she held was still connected to across the waters. To home. A woman on the other end, warm voice, cold news. She spoke her concerns now, filling the void of silence, "-Georgina? Are you still there?-" Her answer came as a loud sob. George shook in her sorrow, tears streaming and rolling like raindrops on a glass pane, down to the floor. No more laughter. Her phone followed them, hitting the ground with a thud, but still staying intact.

You never consider yourself to be part of a statistic. Never. You see those cold, hard numbers that are pure fact, and they mean next to nothing to you, because you're not involved. Why waste the effort? What people didn't realize, was that there were emotions hidden behind those statistics. Everyday, around 4200 people are diagnosed with cancer. That means 4200 families devistated everyday. The beginning of the end. George's grandma had been one of them, and it took her quickly. One moment, she was happy, the next, stuck in a hospital bed. And then she died. Cold. Alone.

Every minute and a half, someone dies. The only one in her family who had died recently was her grandmother. And she still fought to deal with that, even now. Possibly moreso now.

They had died quickly, apparently. Too swift and strong for them to survive. Her mother took the most impact, she was the one driving and she was closest to the truck.

They were all there, together. Driving to a destination they never arrived at.

"-Georgina; George, please say something.-"

The ghost of a girl wrapped her arms around her knees. She picked up her mobile and put it to her ear. Words. She tried to form words. Speech, some kind of signal that she was there, that she could hear. But was she there? This felt so unnatural. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. They were a family. They were supposed to stick together.

The day that she'd left for Hammel, DK had hugged her, told her to be careful, that he'd always be there for her if she needed it. Louise had been indifferent, jealous possibly, and had only hugged her because her mother demanded it. Mother... Mummy... she had cried at the airport. Nothing over-the-top, she wasn't that kind of person. But she remember reaching up and wiping away the tears, telling her that she'd look after herself, and that she'd cope. Her father had been her boulder, her rock. He never let her down, and always looked after her. Her statue of hope.

Why wasn't she there too? This felt wrong - if they were gone, why wasn't she? She couldn't do this, not without them.

"-Georgina?-"

"Leave me alone."

---

It wasn't like what had happened before. Before, when the boy with the razor teeth attacked her confidence and happiness, leaving her in a void. She struggled then, but she was left with her emotion, and her will to carry on then. Something that just... didn't exist anymore. Now, she was blank. Monotonous. Dull.

Like a voodoo doll, she dragged herself from place to place, lesson to lesson, hour to hour against her own will, trapped in a cycle. Friends weren't a part of her anymore, not important - what did she need with friends when she found comfort in nothing?

Of course, they tried. Phen called, texted, came over, comforted, did almost anything he could to try and bring her back. He was often accompanied with Oriel who tried to sort her out as well, but she was distant and detached, constantly. No explanation, no clue. She stayed silent most of the time, only speaking to quietly tell them to go away. She was outwardly calm, but in a worrying way. On the inside, she was gone. And she stayed emotionless. A ticking time bomb of a girl.

Knock, knock. "George." Phoenix spoke, trying to put a force of some strength behind his words, but they shook like a battered house on weak foundations. He'd seen her go through hell and back thanks to that fucked up bastard Kodi, but something seemed more serious this time. He couldn't read people easily, but he could tell that much. And she wasn't even talking to him this time, wouldn't even say 'hello'... "George, please..." he wavered, hovering by the door. He knew she was there, she didn't leave her dorm outside of lessons. And that just made him all the more concerned.

Georgina sat in her room with an air of pointlessness looming around her. Somedays, before, when her mind had wandered as she thought, it would have come across something like this, like 'What would you do if your brother died?'. Everytime, she was convinced that she would go through a lot of pain and suffering, but she would come out the other side smiling, ready to dedicate her life to what she always did - living to the fullest. Everything she did, she would do for those who passed. Now that she was actually in the situation... now that she couldn't just distract herself and remind herself that it was just a messed up thought, that it was never going to happen to her, that it was all okay... she was like a broken record. Repeating thoughts, dark and cold and harsh. Words that she remembered, voices that she smiled at, memories she cherished... all down the drain.

Phoenix frowned, "George, are you-"

"Leave me alone..."

Did she...? "...George?"

"I said," the girl stated, panting out in anger,

"LEAVE ME ALONE!"

---

She was giving up. Completely. What did she have to live for? Nothing was enjoyable anymore, it always came back around to... them. She cried and hid away from the world. Food was no longer a necessity in her eyes. Neither was sleep. She was so... so tired. But she, she didn't have the strength to help herself. What could she do? Anything she did wouldn't bring them back. They would never come back. The brunette rocked herself back and forth for comfort. One of her worst ideas was to try and track her family. They were all the same, all the time. At some kind of church, somewhere in England.

She was fading like a candle in the wind.

But... she had this thought. It floated in her mind. It only said one thing.

Help. Get help.

Why listen to a voice in your head? If you heard voice... you were insane. She was insane. She was going crazy, and she knew that before the voices opened their mouths. But she listened. She listened well. Her legs moved, almost robotically. The girl was functioning, but only just. She unlocked her door and stepped out into the empty common room. With weak limbs, but a slowly growing resolve, she left.

What was she doing? She was doing the only thing that seemed sensible. She hobbled down two doors, into Room 210. The front door was unlocked - it wasn't all that late in the day, so it was normal. Their common room was a void too. She eyed up that door, his door, and stumbled over to it. She would be lucky if he was there. Knock knock.

But he was. Phoenix unlatched the lock and opened his door, curious. He had been stressing out about multiple things, George being one of the main ones. His eyes widened at the sight before him and he gasped, wrapping his arms around the degrading girl, "George, oh my gosh..."

"Phen..." She let her fall onto him, and even with his weak structure, he managed to keep her upright. She felt the tears roll again, her voice full of breath and raw. This was her last resort. Her arms came up and looped around the boy weakly. She knew what she needed now.

"I don't want to be alone."

[Eric Jones]

86. mask

It was obvious to her, of course. From the minute he walked past her desk.
“Please, Shelly, if you’re not busy I’ll need the summery of the Slater case. Thank you.”

Shelly had worked for Eric Jones for 15 years. She knew how to read him. Did he honestly think she wouldn’t pick up on him using please, if you’re not busy, and thank you in one request?

The glass door to his office closed behind her. “Ok, what’s wrong?”

Only just seated behind his desk, Eric’s eyebrows raised as he spun towards her. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said, face set in a charming yet serious smile. It didn’t fool her for a second; it hadn’t for 14 years now.

“Your tie’s crooked,” she said, pointing one perfectly manicured finger at the offending length of blue and green silk. “A little to the left. You didn’t sleep well last night.” Her finger dropped, but she continued forward, her stylish yet comfortable heels not making a sound on the lush carpet. “I can actually see comb lines in your hair,” his eyes flicked upwards, “so you’re feeling stressed. And,” she glanced down at his suit of the day, then back up, “you’re wearing cornflower.”

Eric glanced down at his shirt, and then up, eyebrows still pointing towards his hair.

“You’re feeling protective,” Shelly supplied, “you last wore that when your brother was in hospital. So,” her eyes flicked up and down again as her momentum slowed and she crossed her arms. “What’s happened? Who’s in trouble?”

Shelly was also intimate with Eric’s family; she and Callie had dinner every now and again, and Niko had flirted with her at a function party.

“I should fire you,” Eric suggested, shaking his head. “It’s Callie.”

Already seated, Shelly crossed her legs and got her phone out. “Alright. Present, tickets, money, a car ride-”

“No.” His mouth twitched slightly, “she’s pregnant.”

For a moment, Shelly didn’t say anything except stare. Then, finally, “Well, you had to know that eventually-”

“I know!” Finally, he gave in and straightened his tie minutely. “I know. It’s still a shock though.”

“Flowers?” Shelly offered, “and chocolates? For congratulations?”

For a moment Eric looked mildly surprised, and then he shook his head. “Oh, no,” he said, “I need a seat on a flight to visit. Tonight, if possible.”

Shelly did not let even a tiny crease give away the smile she felt. For as long as she’d known him, the one thing that would frazzle her boss was his younger sister. “I’ll take care of that right away,” she said soothingly, giving him an affectionate look.

Shooing her out, Eric sighed let himself smile too, just for a moment. Then the mask was back on, and he started calling to make excuses for his departure.

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

70. Progress.

This was still new. Lucy was still unsure of herself. Penny, equally so. Lucy was so sure she could feel how anxious she was. And Penny was sure the tension Lucy was carrying was from the exact same thing.

They were girlfriends. They were in love.

And they were admitting it. Comfortably. To an extent.

To each other, anyway.

Penny didn’t have that many classes left. But the ones she had, she shared with the ink manipulator. She’d managed to drag said ink manipulator out of bed early enough to actually be ready for the first class of the morning. The compromise was that Lucy refused to be early. The later compromise was that Penny had to be a little early. In the end, Lucy supposed she had to concede, otherwise Penny was just going to leave without her.

The abrasively argumentative Australian had learned that some fights weren’t worth fighting. That the loss could be worth the gain.

Walking side by side proved more difficult than it should have been. Lucy felt the familiar need to breach the minimal distance between them. She glanced at her counterpart’s hands as they cradled the books she carried and held them close to her chest. The Brit had pressed her fingers between the cover and the pages, curling one between her fingers – idly or not. Her teeth sank into her bottom lip as Lucy’s eyes turned their attention back towards her face. Even without seeing her, she knew Lucy was looking at her.

Lucy slipped her hand underneath the strap of her own bag, offering it a slight tug over her shoulder. She wasn’t used to carrying this many books during the day. Penny had glanced over long enough to see the act, and the corner of her mouth twitched into a knowing smile. Lucy herself caught the seemingly involuntary smile she was wearing. So she offered a sliver of contact; she brushed her shoulder against Penny’s lightly as she breathed a laugh.

Through the halls, things were silent. Until Lucy managed a simple question; “History, right?”

“Yes.” Penny replied, though she wasn’t short with the singular word. Even if she knew Lucy knew the answer, something about it was endearing.

Lucy had every intention of following her into the classroom, but before she managed to do so, the psychometrist stopped in her tracks. The ink manipulator pulled up short as she turned around to face her, catching her eyes instantly. “When we-”

“I know.” Lucy interjected.

Penny pressed her lips into a line, furrowing her eyebrow. She hadn’t said anything. “I just-” She started, but she faltered. She wasn’t sure how to explain herself. That she needed distance. She needed to focus. They both did.

“I get it.” The Australian tried again, raising her eyebrows at the fact. As if that fact would ever change.

Silence fell between them for a moment or so, as if Penny had taken that time to contemplate over Lucy’s conviction-based answers. That she didn’t require an explanation. She knew. She knew her. Well enough to understand and express what she needed to in times she could not. Penny glanced down the hall one way, then the other.

She unfurled an arm from her books, her fingers drawing around the fabric of Lucy’s shirt lightly. And just as lightly, she pulled her in, pressing her lips to her Australian’s in a small, significant kiss.

When Penny pulled away, she watched the way Lucy tried to follow. Like she always did. Lucy opened her eyes to watch the Brit turn around and walk into the room. But she could have sworn she was smiling. So she waited till her own smile faded before she followed her inside, breezing past the psychometrist in the front row to take her place in the back.

And if anyone asked, she didn’t follow.

Even if she always did.

[Reece Morgan]

#54 - Sick

The retching noises were not what woke Ivan up. It was the sudden appearance of another...soul in the house when it was usually only one other beside himself. His senses were suddenly heightened and his Ruh awoke in him, ready to lash out at any dangerous intrusion.

It wasn't malevolent, he picked up. But it did cause Anastasia to not be in bed when he stretched his hand out to meet with hers. Sliding out of bed, he ran his hand over the bedside table surface until a soft click was heard and a compartment popped out smoothly, revealing a collection of serrated knives and daggers. He took out the one closest to him, which just so happened to be the most jagged edged, and silently slinked over to where he heard the noise.

Getting closer to the source of the noise, the presence pressed harder on him and he grew even more curious as to why it was there if it was harmless. It was nobody he knew, yet he felt strangely connected to it. Pushing the bathroom door open, his frown deepened when he saw his love on the floor by the toilet bowl, clutching to it like a life raft.

"Love, go back to bed." She said faintly, sending waves of <imfine/everythingisokay> with a hint of <iactuallydon'tknowwhatsgoingon>. It convinced Ivan to call their doctor, the presence pressing on to him incessantly.

While waiting for the doctor, Ivan helped his love relieve herself before giving her a glass of water to rinse her mouth and then to drink. He scooped her up and brought her back to bed, gently reassuring her that everything was fine. He sent her <love/reassurance/imhereforyou> and he got it back tenfold.

The doctor finally arrived and Ivan let her privately check on Anastasia while he paced outside the room, annoyed by the presence because he couldn't find it. He checked everywhere but he found that apart from the doctor, Anastasia and himself were the only ones present.

When the doctor got out of the room, she smiled and hurried off. It was procedure, whatever that was wrong, Anastasia would tell him so he wouldn't be tempted to kill the messenger. He walked in, sitting down beside her. She looked so thin, Ivan thought to himself, actually worried that he hadn't been giving her enough nourishment. Had that been the reason she was sick?

He wanted to ask her if she felt the presence in the house but before he could say anything, Anastasia took his hand and placed it on her flat stomach. A smile relaxed her face and she sighed. "You're going to have to teach another person where all the knives are." She said. And that was all she had to say. There was no worry, no anxiety, nothing. The presence was still there, but it no longer annoyed him.

[Everett Lilien]

52. Thunder.

Thunder. Thunder meant two things: Rain and the dreaded, horrid lightning that came with it.

Everett stood in his apartment, staring out of the window, watching the rain pitter-patter fiercely against the window. He should be staying away from the window. If he had absolutely no dignity he would be hiding under his sheets and wishing the storm away, but instead he was braving it, standing here. But that in no way meant he would go outside into the storm. He couldn't even begin to explain the amount of electricity he conjured up when there was lighting going on outside.

His hair was standing up on end and he could feel the static. There weren't a lot of things Everett Lilien was afraid of, however, storms were one of them. Whenever there was the least amount of prediction that there would be on in the weather forecast, he made sure he didn't go outside. He did not want to be caught in that. He conducted electricity and standing out there when lightning was flashing all around him would be a death wish.

But he couldn't help but stare at the flashes of bright light from inside his apartment. They were beautifully terrifying. He remembered his manifestation and how it had happened during a horrible storm when he was younger and how he didn't know what was happening when everything in his room started freaking out. His gaming consoles and lights and alarm clock were all flickering on and off and he felt a strange feeling in his body as if he was absolutely wired with an energy he'd never experienced before. He'd fried his Game Cube upon picking up the controller and while he was busy mourning the loss of one of his favorite past times, his sister burst into the room, telling him how lightning had struck a tree outside. Her blue eyes held amazement as she hadn't thought about how something like that could happen.

Everett was glad that he wasn't that tree. He was a walking hazard when it came to storms, like a lightning rod, there was no way he'd get out alive. The realization that something was wrong with him was completely terrifying and he'd hid in his room until the recruiters had come from Hammel and dragged him out, claiming he had developed meta powers.

He stared out into the night sky, illuminated by one of nature's natural processes and wondered why he'd been so cursed to dislike it and its beauty.

[Deleted]

96. Betrayal

Warning: mild violence, strong language

His breath was caught. His heart tightened. He felt like someone had just slammed his stomach in with a sledgehammer. All of a sudden he felt like he couldn't move, he couldn't breath, and trembled and shook all the way down to his bones. And then he walked right past as if there was nothing there. As if he hadn't just shown his face before him again, out of the blue, with no rhyme or reason for it. Oriel was good at masking his emotions.

"What's wrong, babe?" Phoenix looked up at his long-locked lover, reaching up a delicate hand to run through that soft mane as he affectionately hung off his arm. Figures that the one who'd been around the ink manip longest could tell with a glance when he'd been unsettled, though Oriel was certain he didn't know from what or to what extent. After all, Phoenix had never met Madison.

"Ain't shit wrong. I'm walking on the fucking moon," he replied, feigning his natural obscene attitude. Oriel protruded his tongue down at his lover and licked the side of his face.

Phoenix retreated with a pout. "One of these days I'm gonna...I'm gonna...."

"You're "gonna" what?" he teased, pushing even more on his meek lover.

Phoenix glared up defiantly. "I'm gonna do this!" He tweaked Oriel's nose between his thumb and finger and jumped back out of his boyfriend's reach. "Got your nose!" he announced, holding up Oriel's 'nose'.

Oriel looked up, wide-eyed and completely dumbfounded. "What're you, five?"

"...Maaybe." Phoenix looked away. And that was Oriel's chance. He pounced after his lover with a growl, coaxing a yelp of fright from the Korean boy as he turned to run through the courtyard like the prey he was. And for a moment, Oriel forgot about that deserter behind him. The one for whom Oriel, for the longest time, couldn't fathom why their separation had been so heart wrenching for him. Of course it made sense now. He'd been in love.

He still was.

--------------------------------

"What're you doing here?"

Madison looked up from his Big Mac, an unimpressed look in his eye. "You look like an 80s hair band." The whole band. He went back to his greasy meal.

Oriel stepped further into Madison's new dorm room and crossed the common room, slamming his palm harshly against the table. "I asked you a fucking question!"

"And I ignored it." Mads sneered up at his former lover, pushing up his thick rimmed glasses with his middle finger. The older boy - no he was definitely a man with the demeanor of a adolescent - took another bite of his burger, chewing it pointedly at the 16-year-old.

Oriel eyed the snarky nerd, passing his vision over that form that looked so unchanged from the last time he'd seen him. Well...maybe he'd gotten hairier. Which was no matter, Oriel had too. From the time they'd separated, the span of only 8 months, Oriel had grown from the image of a teenage boy to a young man. He was taller; Oriel wouldn't be surprised if he cracked six feet by his 17th birthday only two months away. His hair had grown into dark ringlets that caressed down over his shoulders. Even his facial fuzz was pushing through to make him seem much older than the mere 16 years he had. He sat down quietly across from the geek known as Madison. "...I still have that picture," he said after a long pause.

If there was any semblance of sentiment in Madison, it was only shown in how he didn't immediately respond with anything more than his nose twisting in disgust. "Throw that shit away," he complained, licking the excess ketchup off his fingers. "I should've never given that to you."

"Too fucking bad, Asshat," he countered with a smirk. Though maybe he was right. Maybe Oriel should just throw it away. All this time and he just couldn't bring himself to discard it and find closure. Well, Oriel never knew he needed to be looking for it. And now the chance was staring him right in the face, with that conceited grin on those fat lips, those dark brown eyes, and that stupid stubble over his chin.

There was no provocative remark, no glint in his eye, nothing to indicate an invitation or warning as to what Oriel did next. He leaped across the table towards the older boy, grabbing Madison by the collar and pushing him down to the floor where he pinned the scruffed up man under his own weight. Oriel stared down at him, into those eyes that seemed to dare Oriel to take it further, that would laugh at him for giving in, but also demean him if he chose to walk away. Madison rose a lip in a condescending sneer. "What's the matter? Poor little kid miss his favorite toy?"

"Shut up!" he screamed, red in the face to have the truth pointed out to him, just like the kid he was trying not to be. Oriel bent down, removing those black-rimmed glasses and forcing his mouth over Madison's, locking their lips into a long, agonizing kiss. It tasted like pickles. Oriel hated him for it. He grabbed two fistfuls of hair and pulled the other boy up. "Loser. You don't even need to say it," Madison taunted. And he'd be right, it was written all over Oriel's face and he couldn't stop it.

Oriel shut his eyes tight and trembled under the force of his own grip. "Just... just shut up and fuck me, you shitlord." With a smirk, Oriel took a breath and kissed him again, ignoring the twisting knot in his stomach and the sobs echoing in his ears. They sounded like Phoenix's.

"Then," he rasped out once Oriel finally willed himself to break away. His voice was shaky. "...never....let me see you again..."

~fin~

[Odion Martins]

2. Love

Lani & Odion - A Wishful AU

Odion was glad that none of his things had been stolen out of the classrooms yet. It was hard trying to keep everything hidden, but he had to. He wasn't sure if he could stay if he had nothing to stay for. Of course, he wasn't sure on anything yet, he wasn't sure if Lani wanted him back, but there was no point in putting in roots he would only end up pulling out. It wasn't that he didn't want to, but... He wasn't going to stay and stalk Lani either, that was stupid and he was desperate but not that desperate.

Currently, the time turner was in the process of rearranging some of the glass tubes that used to be on the top shelf, onto the bottom shelf so he could fit some of his shirts on the top shelf instead. As he was doing this, someone walked into the classroom. But whirled around with wide eyes. He must've looked ridiculous, standing on the counter like he was, staring wide eyed. But no one was supposed to be in here right now, there were no classes scheduled, no labs booked, so why was he being interrupted?

As soon as he realized it was Lani though, at first he relaxed, and then, he panicked further. Odion stood on the counter like a dear in the headlights, his hands still riffling through the chemistry supplies.

Lani looked amused. "What are you doing up there?"

Odion continued to stare, and then cleared his throat. "I could ask you the same thing."

Lani expertly put down his rucksack and his smirk grew. "I have some problems to solve." Odion continued to stare. "And you aren't in Chemistry."

This was true. Odion wiped his hands on the sides of his pants and gracefully jumped down to the ground. "I was rearranging the vials." He stated, since it was the truth.

Lani sighed, shaking his head. "Just because you have cleanliness OCD doesn't mean you have to ruin everyone else's lives."

Odion sighed, thinking it was a jab at how he had been gone for so long. Lani noticed the reaction right away and gave Odion an apologetic look. "I was just joking Odion," Lani said, taking out his laptop, and opening it to the home screen with his assignment already open. Odion decided he had better stick around just in case Lani might need any test tubes.

After a few moments had passed, Lani began moving around the room, gathering supplies. Odion watched the man move around with finesse, and his memory recalled the break and enters they had done in the past. Lani was extremely agile, and it only made him more attractive. He didn't seem to mind that Odion was watching him, and the time turner hoped that he wouldn't have to keep his things in this room for much longer.

Odi snapped out of his reverie as soon as Lani neared him. Lani stood there for a moment, deciding how to get the vials, and Odion didn't budge. Lani tried reaching over the ginger, but Odion had stood on his tippy toes. Lani had always been taller, but Odion was broader, and on his toes, could be just as tall. Lani was only slightly annoyed as he tried to reach further up and around, but Odion hunched his shoulders high and Lani slipped, their chests bumping.

"Do you mind?" Lani asked, clearly annoyed. He just wanted to get some homework finished so the weekend would be free. But being this close to Odion was causing him to flush.

"Not really," Odion replied coyly, putting his hands on the counter behind him and leaning back casually. He would stand here all day if he had to.

Lani's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. He tried again. This time he rushed at Odion, scrambling for the cupboard handles hoping he had the element of surprise on his side. Odion put his hands on Lani's chest, thought about pushing, but couldn't bring himself to do it. He could feel Lani's heart beating. Lani's focus was on the cupboards above, but Odion was staring at Lani's eyes, the curve of his cheekbones, and lastly his mouth.

Odion reached up instead, grabbing hold of Lani's face and kissing him roughly. Lani ended up being the one surprised, and at first he didn't do anything, only his hands were up in surrender. He thought of fighting back for half a second before his heart got the best of him and he too, was cupping Odion's face and kissing him back.

It was the moment Odion had been waiting for, and he didn't want it to end. After what seemed like a long, sweet, moment, Odion and Lani pulled away, red in the face and unsure of themselves. And to think, Lani could've just used his powers to retrieve the vials, and because of that, Odion thought this had happened on purpose - a happy coincidence.

Odion grabbed Lani's hands and drew their bodies close together, their foreheads pressed to one another's.

"I love you," Odion said, "I always will." His voice was steady, there was nothing anyone could do to change his mind.

Lani swallowed hard, having to think about all this. But God this felt right, why couldn't he just say the first thing on his mind? He loved Odion so much, but their time apart. They had changed.

But they hadn't changed that much.

Lani pulled Odion into another kiss, and Odion was happy to oblige.