FictionPress.com - let the words flow
| FictionPress.com - let the words flow |
|
| Home Just In Communities Forums Beta Readers Dictionary Search | Login Register Extras |
Chapter Nine: Ninety-Nine Bottles of Beer on the Wall?
I Think I Hear a Challenge...
by: Secretive
I hid my deepest feelings so well I forgot where I had placed them .
- Amy Tan
Javier's Point of View
“Do you want to go back to my place after this?” April Parks asked me, smiling up into my eyes and rubbing her body against me suggestively. I'm not sure why she felt that she had to be any more suggestive; the skin tight dress was enough of a suggestion. The fact that she had been trailing her hands around her chest for most of the evening had been enough of a suggestion. Hell, everything she had done all night had been a suggestion of sex in one way or another. Part of me felt like I should tell her that I got it already and that she didn't need to try so hard.
However, a greater part of me just wanted someone to rescue me from her. I had a feeling she wouldn't be being quite as suggestive if she didn't have money riding on whether or not she could get me to sleep with her before any of her friends. And if I were any other man in my school, I'd probably be jumping at the chance to be with her. But if I actually did chose between April Parks, Stephanie McGee, and Candi Adders it would just be degrading myself. Not that they aren't three beautiful women, but they only want me because of some stupid competition between the three of them. To sleep with any of them would just be making a fool of myself.
But I guess none of them are getting that message.
Why did I agree to go to this stupid Winter Formal again? How half dead to the world was I when I agreed to be April Parks date? Or was it even me? Because I really can't remember ever saying that I would go with her. And my friends are forever making promises to other people for me... In all honesty, I didn't even realize that she and I were going until she told me what color her dress was two days ago and then told me to pick her up at seven.
“Javi?” April asked, dragging me from my thoughts. When I finally focused my attention on her, I found her pouting up at me. “Are you coming home with me?”
It was as I opened my mouth to tell her no that I realized that it would be the first thing that I had said to her all night. Not that I'm not used to this kind of thing, but we had gone out for dinner before coming to the dance – how had she managed to dominate the conversation for that long?
“Javi?” A very familiar voice called out from behind me. I turned from the pouting April to find my cousin making her way towards me. I couldn't help but feel like I had finally been rescued like I had been praying for ever since I had picked April up from home. I know in that light, that makes my cousin my knight in shining armor, but I don't really care; I had been feeling a little in distress.
“Hey, Bree.” I greeted warmly, trying not to grin too widely at my savior. I didn't want to give April the idea that I hadn't been enjoying my time with her...no matter how much that was the case.
She smiled, “I need to ask a favor of you.”
“He's kind of in the middle of dancing with me.” April interrupted in a snide tone.
Bree turned her attention to April and smiled, “Then can I please borrow my cousin for a moment?”
April kind of sneered at her, “Of course.”
I glanced back and forth between the two of them and wondered what kind of girl war had just been fought and won there. Women are always going on about how ridiculous and idiotic guys are with out testosterone battles and our need to prove ourself macho and whatnot, but serious: they do it just as often as we do. And it's just as confusing to try and understand as I'm sure our wars are to them.
Though a bit more polite.
Bree turned and grinned up at me, “Okay; Rosie's mom dragged her to this dance and she won't let her actually leave the gym until she actuallysees her dance with at least one guy, so...” Bree had started speaking Spanish the moment she had won her little scrimmage with April, just so that she wouldn't know what was going on. And I had the feeling that April didn't appreciate that very much; if the way she was glaring holes into the side of Bree's head was any clue.
“And you want me to be that one guy?” I asked, but in English so that I wouldn't be rude to my date. The fact that she had no idea what we were talking about kind of helped the decision of being polite to her, I must admit.
“Yeah.” Bree finished, taking a cue from me and switching over to English. She grimaced and then looked up at me sheepishly, “Please?”
I glanced at my date and then back at my cousin, “Sure.”
Bree read my look and smiled, “I had a feeling I was saving you from something.” She said softly in Spanish and then smiled at April, “I'll see you later!” She said cheerfully and then grabbed my wrist and dragged me away from my date. She didn't stop until she was standing right behind Rosaline, who had been staring at a glaring Lianna Bennett as though she were possessed.
Bree tapped her shoulder and then grinned, “Alright Rowe, meet your dance partner.”
As I wondered about how many nicknames this girl had acquired, she turned around and glanced over at me. Instantly her eyes narrowed and filled with anger. “You.” She hissed at me.
I couldn't help but smirk at her antics, “Me.” I replied, trying not to laugh at how childish our conversation had already started out.
“You.” She repeated with more venom this time.
I raised an eyebrow and smirked at her some more, “Me.” I repeated, definitely amused by this point. There was something about how blindly this girl hated me that I couldn't help but find amusing.
Well...I don't always find it amusing, but at the moment I do. I guess I can't really explain my amusement: the way she's always attacking me is kind of tiring. And painful when she actually manages to say something that doesn't sit right with me...sadly that happens a lot. I'm not sure why her opinion means so much to me, but it does. I don't give a damn about what girls like April think about me and I couldn't care less about how my friends see me, but St. James? For some reason Rosaline St. James' opinion means the world to me and I'm not sure why.
Just like I don't understand why the sight of her in her pale pink dress made my heart begin to race a little. The way it softly hugs her curves, in no way like the extreme way that April's hugs hers, is beautiful. Knowing her, she probably tried to pick the most innocent dress that she could find: one that was modest and screamed that she didn't want to be messed with. She had no clue that she didn't need an overly sensual dress in order to be breathtaking.
God, what am I even thinking like this?
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
Why the hell is someone knocking in the middle of the dance?
Wait...why does it sound so close?
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
I jumped at the loud rapping on my door and sat up in bed, kind of awake. At least more awake than I had been a moment ago, when I had been still dreaming about an event that had happen almost a week ago. I guess that would make it a flashback, since I had actually lived through it. Therefore I hadn't been dreaming, I had been...flashbacking? Wait...that can't be a word... Oh God, I'm tired.
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
Suddenly remembering what had woken me up in the first place, I rolled out of bed and landed on the floor. Groaning, I pushed myself up off the floor and stumbled over to my bedroom door. If someone was waking me up for a reason I didn't find worthy, I was going to kill them. Or at least fall on them, since I'm not that coordinated after just waking up. I'd make sure to fall on them with a purpose at least.
When I finally made it to my bedroom door, I considered just falling asleep where I stood. But then I thought about the loud rapping and opted to open the door and deal with whoever was on the other side. Unfortunately I managed to open the door right onto my face and none too gently. As I was holding my head in pain and wondering about my suddenly gracelessness, a seeming stampede of people flooded my bedroom.
Okay, four people, but it was still a lot for my bedroom.
“Javi, are you okay?” Bree asked, turning on the lights. I immediately squinted against the bright, unwanted light and then glanced at the clock on my wall.
“Why are you in my room at four in the morning?” I asked in a voice thick with sleep. Then I glanced around at the people that had made their way into my room and then frowned. “Why are there so many girls here?”
“You were right, he is really cute when he's sleepy.” A short, blond girl declared, smiling brightly up at me. I knew her name, I knew she was one of Bree and Rosaline's best friends, but my sleep addled mind couldn't remember that name for anything. All I knew was that she seemed unnaturally perky for so early in the morning.
A girl that looked exactly like Jade, rolled her eyes but then grinned. “Agreed; he looks more than a little confused right now.”
“Dude,” a girl with light brown skin and long black hair murmured, “He can hear you.”
I think someone was named Ellen, but I can't figure out which one.
“Does anyone feel a little wrong about doing this behind Rosaline's back?” The perky blond asked, looking at them all with nervous eyes. “I mean, I know it's for the best and everything, but... She's going to kill us.”
I wonder if anyone would notice if I just went back to bed?
I glanced over at my bed longingly, but then caught Bree's pointed look and sighed. Apparently I had to stay awake for whatever this was. Did they really come to my room just to talk about me right in front of me? Because if they were going to talk behind my back, I'd really rather they did it in their own homes and not in my bedroom.
“Bree?” I croaked and she seemed to pick up on all the questions in my voice.
“We're here because Rosaline is planning on giving up her reformation for you.”
“Okay.” I murmured and walked over to my bed and sat down on it. “If that's all, can you shut off the light on your way out?”
“You can't let her give up on your reformation.” Bree said after smacking me upside my head.
“Gee, thanks for the compliment there, cuz.” I muttered stretching back out on my bed. She kicked the side of my bed and I immediately sat up. “Why are you in my room at four in the morning?” I repeated, staring at all of them. “Why are all of you here at four in the morning?”
“Because we've decided that we want to do something for Rosaline.” The one that looked just like Jade announced.
“We want to help her in the way that she helped us.” The one that had pointed out that I could hear them, added.
“Except it won't be the same and it's not like we're trying to make it so that we don't owe her anything. We just want to give her the same kind of happiness and security that she gave us.” The little perky one finished, smiling brightly at me. I stared at her for a long moment and then decided that she was the one called Ellen.
“What does this have to do with me?” I asked, staring at them all in turn. They all shared a look and then they glanced at Bree. I followed their gaze and found myself staring at my cousin as well. “Bree?”
She looked uncomfortable for a moment, but then she smiled. “Because you are that happiness and security.”
I was silent for a long moment as I tried to figure out what the hell that had meant. “I don't get it.” I announced and then went back to looking at the rest of the girls in my room. “Is one of you named Ludema?”
“I go by 'Lulu'...not that that sounds any better.” The Jade clone replied.
“You've been sleeping with her sister behind her and all of our backs. Which thus lead her – Jade – to hurt Rosaline in a way that only men have ever managed to, and broke us into a group of five instead of six.”
“Ellen!” The 'dude' girl hissed.
She shrugged, “It's the truth.”
“It's not Javier's fault that Jade chose him over us.”
“I'm not exactly blaming him – I know it was Jade that made the decision to stop being friends with us. But that doesn't change the time line of how everything happened: she did break up with us after having destroyed Rosaline, which came after being with Javier.”
Lulu looked at me sympathetically, “Don't mind her.”
“Hey!” Ellen exclaimed.
“It's okay, all she's saying is the truth.” I said in a yawn, “That is how it happened.”
“Thank you.” Ellen replied, smiling warmly at me. Then she looked over at Bree, “Can I keep him?”
Bree rolled her eyes, “Ellen, if Javier can win the heart of Rosaline, then he'll be around all the time anyways.”
“Wait, what?” I asked, turning all of my attention to my cousin. “What was that?”
“I said that you'll be around all the time once you get with Rosaline.”
“What?” I repeated, sounding a little more alarmed.
“What part of you being her happiness and security didn't you get?”
“The part where it meant that you all think that I'm her future boyfriend!” I exclaimed and then stood up, “Why does everyone keep thinking that there is something between the two of us?”
“Because there is.”
“There really isn't: she can't stand me, remember? I'm the one she calls a manwhore, she's the one that told everyone that I was riddled with all kinds of STDs, I'm the one that she made up countless rumors about because she doesn't like me. Not even a little bit, not even at all!”
“Are you quoting from Ten Things I Hate About You?” Nikki asked.
“I miss Heath.” Ellen sighed.
I ignored both of them, “You guys are her closest friends, you should know how much she hates me.”
“She doesn't hate you.” Lulu replied, “She just now starting to get to know you.”
“Trust me, she'll hate what's there.” I murmured and then looked at Bree, “Bree, you know that she couldn't possibly ever like me.”
“You know what I'm hearing a lot of? I'm hearing a lot of you saying thatshe doesn't care for you. What I want to know is if you care for her?”
I opened my mouth and nothing came out. I stared at her for a long moment and then sat back down on my bed. “Do I like her?” I asked no one in particular.
Did I?
I didn't think I did...or at least I used to think that. Even though I have all the symptoms of liking her according to Bree, I was willing to think that I didn't like her. But now I, after reading so much chick lit, I'm having to deal with something much worse than having symptoms of liking Rosaline. I'm having a little trouble dealing with the fact that I might be feeling something that I'm not quite sure I'm ready for. And I used to be so great ignoring my feelings when it came to Rosaline; I even had myself convinced that I was practically indifferent to her.
But I'm not.
I'm really not.
I'm about as indifferent to Rosaline as Mr. Darcy was to Elizabeth.
Granted, I'm not really ready to share that with the world just yet. It's bad enough that I'm dreaming about the fact that Rosaline affects me in such a way. I don't need anyone else making me thinking about it, because I honestly just want to go on pretending like I haven't noticed how I feel for Rosaline. It's nicer to act like I don't care, it's so much better to act like she doesn't have any hold over me, that I'm not happier when she's around.
And I was managing to convince myself that I didn't feel for her the way I was beginning to think I felt for her. Moreover, if I hadn't gotten a phone call from some girl Beverly, I probably would've been able to convince myself that Rosaline didn't mean anything to me. But Beverly called and for the ten minutes that it took to figure out who the hell was on the other side of my phone, I came to a realization that I really wish I hadn't.
There are a lot of girls out there that have my number; a lot because I've flirted with them or whatnot, a few because I've slept with them, and then there are the ones my friends give my number to. My point is that I hardly ever know who I'm talking and I'm really bad at putting names and voices together. It's especially hard when there are so many people that I don't know or have their numbers, that are forever calling me on my cell.
Granted, I didn't even recognize Jade when she called me until halfway through our conversation with each other. I couldn't recognize Jade's voice and we had been sleeping together pretty regularly before that. I'm really bad at putting names and voices together, it's just one of those things that I've never been able to do. Yet, there are two girls that can call me and I can recognize their voices immediately: Bree and Rosaline. Bree I suppose is kind of obvious, since she is my cousin, I could probably identify her by her breathing patterns. But the fact that I can identify Rosaline (who I've only ever talked on the phone with twice) is a little weird. At first I didn't think anything of it, but now I'm beginning to think that maybe it's a pretty big deal.
Another thing that I'm keeping to myself.
God, I hate girls and their stupid eye opening chick lit. I would've never have second guessed my ability to recognize Rosaline by voice if I hadn't been trying to convince myself that I didn't care about her. I would've never thought about the fact that I am feel happier when she's around; even when we're fighting, even when she's acting like I'm a walking disease. I'm always happier to be around her because... Hell, she cares enough to feel that strongly against me. She's always cared enough to be ticked off/disgusted/angry at me. You can't buy that kind of attention; I came to town and managed to immediately rub her the wrong way (well...I rubbed her the wrong way after sleeping with Marissa Coolidge, the most popular girl at school at the time) and from that moment on she seemed to vow to hate me.
And sure, a lot of what she has said to me over the years has mirrored what my mother has said, and yeah, that hurt. Yet... I think there is a part of me – a part that I'm disgusted with – that needs that attention. I need to have affected someone outside of my family in some kind of way. Rosaline doesn't even ever have to like me, I'm okay with meaning enough to her that she wants to change anything and everything about me. And I am very much aware of how wrong a comment that is.
Just like I'm aware of the fact that she doesn't even want to do that anymore.
“You know, it's taking you a really long time to deny the fact that you like Rosaline.” Bree pointed out, dragging me from my thoughts.
“What?” I asked, looking up and finding them all grinning at me.
“He likes her!” Ellen screeched, sounding very much like a cheerleader and making me wonder what would happen if my parents heard her and woke up. I wonder what my mom would have to say about the apparent harem – sans Bree – I had in my bedroom.
I grimaced at the thought and then shook my head, “I never said that I liked her.”
“But you never said that you didn't like her.” Ellen pointed out, grinning from ear to ear. She was just way too happy for so early in the morning. It was eerie.
“Javier, you like her,” Nikki said, crossing her arms against her chest and smirking at me. “Stop denying it already.”
I looked at them all in turn and then decided that I really wanted them out of my room. Perhaps I should try the falling with a purpose idea. There is a chance that I could take them all out that way, granted they'd have to cooperate by standing still and waiting for it to happen. And then I would have to figure out what to do with their limp bodies... There are way too many faults with this plan.
I guess I could just kick them out.
“All right, I think it's time for you all to leave.”
“You do understand that attempting to run away from your problems – as you are trying to do now – just further proves our assumptions. You care about Rosaline in a way that you have no idea how to deal with, am I right?” Lulu asked, quirking an eyebrow at me and smiling a little.
I stared at her in amazement for a moment, and that was my biggest mistake.
“I knew it!” Bree declared and then started to do a little dance around my room. “Did I call this or what?” She continued on with her dance until I was almost certain that my mom would burst into my room and start screaming at everyone, mainly me, and break up the little intervention that was going on. For a moment I prayed for it, but then decided that that wouldn't help matters at all.
Climbing to my feet I walked over to my bedroom door and held it open, “Not to be rude, but I'd really like you all to leave now.”
“Is it really that hard to admit that you like her?” Lulu asked, her dark eyes taking me in and reminding me of Jade. Only it was so obvious that it wasn't Jade standing before me; Lulu was calmer, more introspective, and I had to feeling that she already understood me more than Jade ever had. Which is pretty sad, since it was Jade that I had had the twisted relationship with.
“Yeah.” I whispered, “It is.”
“Why?”
I leaned against my open door and sighed, “What do you want to hear from me? Because I have nothing else to say.”
“I want you to admit to caring about her, I want you to admit to liking her, I want you to—”
“Why do you think I care about her? Why do you think I like her?” I turned and gazed at them all, “Why?” When none of them answered, I nodded my head. “That's what I thought. You just want me to, it doesn't matter if what you say is the truth or not. Not as long as there is some kind of drama going on in your lives.”
“Hey!”
“That's not it at all!”
“Javi, don't even try.” Bree said, speaking over her friends' outbursts. “Once again you are trying to distance yourself from her and how you feel.”
“Dammit Bree, why are you trying to press this on me?!” I bit out, much to the amazement of...well...everyone in my bedroom. I understood their looks of amazement though – I don't show emotion, it's not my thing. I don't react to problems; I just act amused at Rosaline's insults and jibes, I do the whole quiet/apathetic thing, and I generally use flirting as a deflection. I don't have outbursts, ever. I especially don't let my emotions boil over and onto Bree. I can let her handle me being sad, she can handle seeing some degree of my depression, and I'm more than fine with her seeing me when I'm fine, but mad? No, no one gets to see me mad.
Not that that's a big deal, I don't allow myself to get mad very often.
“Javi—”
“I don't want to pull the su...” I faltered and then closed my eyes. “I don't want to pull the...”
It's been a year.
I still can't say it.
“You know what? Forget it.” I walked out my open bedroom door, down the hall and stairs, and then out of the house. Only stopping long enough to grab a coat and some shoes. I was in my car in minutes and on my way to God knows where. All I knew was that I needed to get away from Bree and her trio of tormentors. Avoidance of them was key. Maybe if I stayed away long enough, I could be able to act like this night had never happened. All I had to do was avoid contact with Bree, Nikki, Ellen, Lulu, or Rosaline for the next week.
Yeah, I can do that.
I haven't done the drunk thing in awhile though, so perhaps I'm wrong. But I feel woozy, woozy's usually a sign of drunkenness, right? Woozy is a fun word, I think it should be used more often in day to day life. I should try to find a way to incorporate it into my everyday speech. Heh, woozy... Wait, no one actually takes the time to listen to me. Damn, I guess woozy is just going to be one of those unrealized words. No one will truly ever understand the joy of saying it, kind of like no one takes the same kind of pleasure out of saying 'incognito' like I do. Well...if I ever really talked to anyone, I'd probably derive a lot of pleasure from saying it; it sounds like a word that was created by sci-fi nerds: my brethren.
Okay, enough of that.
I sat up on the couch I had been lying on and looked around me: I was at Jarrod's New Years Eve bash and I most certainly was not having the time of my life. I'm certain that he had promised something along the lines of having the greatest time of my life, but he had yet to deliver. I was bored, drunk, and in the midst of a love affair with the word “woozy” all in all, it was not shaping up to be a good way to start the new year. And I feel very much like blaming Bree and her little trio of friends for this. And Rosaline. Definitely Rosaline. Actually, I think Mr. Darcy and that stupid Beverly girl – whoever the hell she is – are the true ones at blame here. Damn Darcy; damn chick lit in general.
I think I should go home.
Home would be good. Well...not good per say, but it would be better than sitting around in Jarrod's house and trying to avoid the women coming on to me. The last time I was drunk at Jarrod's house, I ended up sleeping with his older sister. She had been home for the summer and had taken to flirting with me every time I was around. I'm still convinced that she took advantage of me that night, because I honestly can't remember ever wanting her that way. She may be a knock out, but she also happens to be arrogant, mean, and related to Jarrod.
Come on, Jarrod.
He's spent the last two years trying to catch up with the rumored number of girls I've been with. He has no idea that he surpassed me within the first couple of months of knowing me. I don't understand why anyone believes the rumors, last time I checked I had been with half the female population of my high school. Half would be well into the three digit range and I've only lived here three years. I don't think anyone is that sexually active, especially not at eighteen. Jeez, have been able to have slept with the amount of girls I've been with, I would have had to have been sleeping with around a hundred a year since I was fifteen.
Who the hell is that sexually active?
And I'm thinking too coherently, obviously I need more alcohol.
Opting to ignore my drunken history at Jarrod's house, I climbed to my feet and stumbled towards the kitchen in search of more alcohol. He seemed to have everything in there from Budweiser to Grey Goose. I wasn't really sure what I wanted at the moment, I just wanted something to stop my thinking process. I wanted something to make me stop missing my cousin and freaking St. James. My goal for the night seemed to be to start the new year off in a drunken haze and I was completely fine with that.
Hey, it was better than how I wanted to end my Christmas last year.
I really don't do well on the holidays. Especially when I feel so alone; not that I don't usually feel alone. I'm always alone in the end, but usually I have Bree as a support system. I don't even have that and now I'm drunk. I'm definitely seeing a cause and effect here.
“Yo, Javi!” A deep voice hollered over the sound of the loud music. I turned at the sound of my name and took the plastic cup full of something that was shoved into my hand, “You having fun yet?”
I smiled faintly at Jarrod and drank from the cup, “You know it.” I murmured and he grinned and clapped me on the back.
“I left a little surprise in my bedroom for you.” He yelled into my ear, “You've been looking a little down, buddy, hope it cheers you up!” He winked at me and then walked away, leaving me looking down the hall to were his bedroom was. I was just drunk enough to not really wonder what was in the room, I was just hoping that it wasn't his sister.
Because that would be...creepy.
Drinking from my cup – I think it was coke and rum – I headed down the hall, attempting to walk in a straight line and finding that I couldn't. Once I made my way to his room, I knocked lightly on the door before stepping into the room. April, Candi, and Stephanie sat seductively on his bed. They all smiled wantonly at me once I had stepped into the room and it took me about half a second to realize that they were all in their underwear.
April, with her voluptuous tan body and her raven hair was practically straining the fabric of her lacy white underwear. Candi, with her brilliant red hair and pale, freckled skin, may not have been as curvy as April, but she was looking as appealing in the silky black dress thing she was wearing – lingerie of some kind, but hell if I know what to call it. Stephanie was in red, with a garter belt and stocking on, as well as a pair of red heels. Her blond hair fell into her eyes, but that couldn't mask the lust in her eyes. In fact, they all had lust in their eyes.
Surprise indeed.
“Hey, Javi.” April purred, making my name sound like a moan and I couldn't help it; I was really turned on. Who wouldn't be? Three beautiful, scantly dressed women were in bed and waiting for me? Even a monk would've had a reaction.
“We've given up on our little competition.” Candi moaned in her raspy voice.
“We decided to come to you.” Stephanie finished and then quirked a finger towards me, motioning for me to join them on the bed. I let out a really weird noise then; it was kind of a mix between a whimper and a moan. Apparently it was a good noise, because it caused them all to smile wickedly at me.
God, they were so beautiful and they were offering me a male fantasy as well as an end to their stupid competition. And they were offering to practically double the amount of women that I've been with, in just one night. It would be amazing, I'm sure. I may not be the most experienced guy in school, but I knew that it would be great for all of us.
So why deny it?
I smiled at them and set down my cup, before walking towards them. They once again were smiling at me wantonly and I had a feeling that I was giving them the same kind of smile. I shrugged out of my jacket on my way towards the bed and tossed it in the general direction of Jarrod's closet.
“We've been waiting for you, Javi.” April purred, once again making my name sound like a purr.
“What a way to bring in the new year.” I murmured, smiling at they all began to crawl across the bed towards me.
What a way indeed.
Okay, I'm betting that a lot of people didn't see this coming and I'm betting that a lot of people aren't going to be happy with the end of this chapter. And to these people I can only smile and ask: how well do you think you know Javi?
Man, if I were reading an author that did as many cliff hangers as I did, I'd probably want to stab her with a pencil... Hehe...please don't? I promise I'll start right on the next chapter and not do anything crazy like, say, leave you on a cliff hanger for ten months. :) I feel like I'm digging a grave here, or something...
Thank you all for your lovely reviews! Reading them always makes my day! I always feel all confident afterwards (which is a big deal, since I'm not exactly one of those people with a huge ego. In fact, compliments tend to make me amazingly nervous...but I like them anyways. ;) Oh, and Sekhra? Thank you so much! Your words were so sweet and made me smile for the longest time. I do try my hardest to make my characters real, or rather, they are so real to me that I try to portray them as real as I possibly can. I really work on their personalities because I believe that that's what makes the story. Anyways, enough of my blabbering on and on: thanks!)
And yeah, I too have realized that I tend to write a lot of screwed up male leads. I guess I'm just really into the idea of a girl being able to be the one that finally breaks down all the walls to the emotionally distant guy. I'm also apparently really into writing drama – sigh – so that it has a lot to do with that too. But I am trying to get away from that tendency – Spencer has had a nice, normal childhood and has two parents that love him.
Maybe I should journal about this... (Sorry, I'm just trying to find a reason to use my LiveJournal account more – you can ignore me now.)
THANK YOU ALL FOR READING!
Soundtrack to this chapter: “Better Than Me” by Hinder, “If Everyone Cared” by Nickelback, “Life is Beautiful” by Sixx AM, “Against All Odds” by Postal Service, and “A Lack of Color Here” by Death Cab for Cutie.