SUMMARY
I'll just share the summary of the story I'm working on this summer. It's behind the LJ cut (if it works!) My LiveJournal is all screwed up.
Onward to summary
SUMMARY
Carmen M. is a high school senior. Mr. Clarke is her new Language Arts teacher. Her new, sexy Language Arts teacher. Through no fault of her own, she falls in love-she believes-with him. And he falls in love-he believes-with her.
Their relationship is doomed from the beginning. He is her teacher, and she is his student, and non-platonic relations of that sort are taboo and also illegal. The story is about how and if they make it work.
But aside from that, there is someone who would not appreciate what was going on.
James is Carmen’s good friend, one of her best, in fact. She’s unaware that he’s been harboring a flame for her since 10th grade. He hasn’t acted upon it at all, but this year, he decides, is THE year. With senior exercises and prom coming up, he needs a girlfriend, or even a date, in Carmen.
He’s a bit thick, as some people are. So it takes him a few months to realize that Carmen is either disgusted by, or unaware of, his advances. In fact, it seems as though she’s a little too close to Mr. Clarke; talking, exchanging glances, once he saw them hug.
This is really sad. It’s terrible to be rejected, but even worse to be ignored. James is angry because she’s ignoring him for her teacher, no less. So, he thinks about how to inadvertently force Daniel to quit it with Carmen.
His thoughts are mostly futile until one day, he’s sitting in a stairwell with a girl friend of his, Elizabeth (she is also Carmen’s friend. James, Liz, Carmen, and Nova are a close group of friends) when they overhear two teachers talking in hushed tones about Mr. Clarke, his former teaching positions, and his being fired. They don’t know why of course, but one of the teachers says something like it must be really bad because the principal isn’t saying and he isn’t usually so close-mouthed.
James thinks long and hard about what he’s heard. Then he comes up with an idea so ingenious, so positively fool-hard and brilliant, that it shell-shocks even him.
Why not tell Carmen that he heard, from highly reliable sources, that Mr. Clarke was fired because he got too close to one of his female students? If Carmen believed him, she’d feel like one of a long line of susceptible girls, and break it off with Daniel. If she didn’t, he had nothing to lose.
James takes her aside and lies to her. The irony is that his lie is the truth, but he doesn’t know it. Carmen refuses to believe James at first. Then she gets to thinking, and decides to confront Mr. Clarke.
Daniel is more than a little horrified that Carmen has found out about the events last year, and-without thinking about her source or anything-he tries to explain what happened. Carmen refuses to hear him out, and leaves (I guess this scene takes place after school).
For a few weeks (a month or two?) they’re both on pins and needles, and it is during this time that James decides to make a move on Carmen, with Liz’s encouragement. However, Carmen is more than jaded concerning dating and so forth, so she gently-but firmly-turns him down.
James is angry, because his ploy was a waste of time. He says some mean things and admits that everything was a lie. The group of Carmen, Liz, James, and Nova is split into Carmen & Nova, and Liz & James.
Spring is waning when Carmen, aware that James’s accusation was false, goes to Daniel and apologizes about not trusting him, etc. They are together again.
Even though James thought he was lying, Daniel knows that he was actually being truthful. So, he thinks about whether he should tell Carmen the truth or not, and decides to tell her. So, one afternoon after school they go out to eat, and Daniel tells her the story in 3rd person. (It may be italicized and will be an actual recounting; a flashback, kind of like the Prologue). Carmen is once again shocked and angry, but this time sticks around.
She decides to give him a chance.
I THINK THE STORY MAY GO STRAIGHT TO THE BELOW SCENE. SO TIMING MUST BE GOOD
I think I want the story to end up with Carmen at the Senior Prom. A quick note of James dancing with Liz, and Nova going stag.
There are teacher chaperones (are there? Check out. Ask around). Carmen is talking to Nova, (Carmen also went stag) when she catches Daniel’s eyes across the room. She takes a step toward, then hesitates. Nova playfully pushes her in his direction. He begins walking towards her.
Carmen thinks good stuff mentally, and the story ends with them only a few steps away from each other. Daniel slowly smiles. Carmen forgets about everyone else…
THE END
Aside from that, everything's okay. I love the writing workshop I'm doing. My group is great and my story is progressing nicely. Actually, I'm trying to write right now, but writer's block is screwing me over. Or maybe it's just me being lazy.
I can't wait until school starts. Don't ask me why. I just need some normality and order to come back into my life, quickly.
When I'm less paranoid, I'll post the Prologue, and then the first couple of sections.
Comments are very much appreciated! (Plagiarism is not)
Onward to summary
SUMMARY
Carmen M. is a high school senior. Mr. Clarke is her new Language Arts teacher. Her new, sexy Language Arts teacher. Through no fault of her own, she falls in love-she believes-with him. And he falls in love-he believes-with her.
Their relationship is doomed from the beginning. He is her teacher, and she is his student, and non-platonic relations of that sort are taboo and also illegal. The story is about how and if they make it work.
But aside from that, there is someone who would not appreciate what was going on.
James is Carmen’s good friend, one of her best, in fact. She’s unaware that he’s been harboring a flame for her since 10th grade. He hasn’t acted upon it at all, but this year, he decides, is THE year. With senior exercises and prom coming up, he needs a girlfriend, or even a date, in Carmen.
He’s a bit thick, as some people are. So it takes him a few months to realize that Carmen is either disgusted by, or unaware of, his advances. In fact, it seems as though she’s a little too close to Mr. Clarke; talking, exchanging glances, once he saw them hug.
This is really sad. It’s terrible to be rejected, but even worse to be ignored. James is angry because she’s ignoring him for her teacher, no less. So, he thinks about how to inadvertently force Daniel to quit it with Carmen.
His thoughts are mostly futile until one day, he’s sitting in a stairwell with a girl friend of his, Elizabeth (she is also Carmen’s friend. James, Liz, Carmen, and Nova are a close group of friends) when they overhear two teachers talking in hushed tones about Mr. Clarke, his former teaching positions, and his being fired. They don’t know why of course, but one of the teachers says something like it must be really bad because the principal isn’t saying and he isn’t usually so close-mouthed.
James thinks long and hard about what he’s heard. Then he comes up with an idea so ingenious, so positively fool-hard and brilliant, that it shell-shocks even him.
Why not tell Carmen that he heard, from highly reliable sources, that Mr. Clarke was fired because he got too close to one of his female students? If Carmen believed him, she’d feel like one of a long line of susceptible girls, and break it off with Daniel. If she didn’t, he had nothing to lose.
James takes her aside and lies to her. The irony is that his lie is the truth, but he doesn’t know it. Carmen refuses to believe James at first. Then she gets to thinking, and decides to confront Mr. Clarke.
Daniel is more than a little horrified that Carmen has found out about the events last year, and-without thinking about her source or anything-he tries to explain what happened. Carmen refuses to hear him out, and leaves (I guess this scene takes place after school).
For a few weeks (a month or two?) they’re both on pins and needles, and it is during this time that James decides to make a move on Carmen, with Liz’s encouragement. However, Carmen is more than jaded concerning dating and so forth, so she gently-but firmly-turns him down.
James is angry, because his ploy was a waste of time. He says some mean things and admits that everything was a lie. The group of Carmen, Liz, James, and Nova is split into Carmen & Nova, and Liz & James.
Spring is waning when Carmen, aware that James’s accusation was false, goes to Daniel and apologizes about not trusting him, etc. They are together again.
Even though James thought he was lying, Daniel knows that he was actually being truthful. So, he thinks about whether he should tell Carmen the truth or not, and decides to tell her. So, one afternoon after school they go out to eat, and Daniel tells her the story in 3rd person. (It may be italicized and will be an actual recounting; a flashback, kind of like the Prologue). Carmen is once again shocked and angry, but this time sticks around.
She decides to give him a chance.
I THINK THE STORY MAY GO STRAIGHT TO THE BELOW SCENE. SO TIMING MUST BE GOOD
I think I want the story to end up with Carmen at the Senior Prom. A quick note of James dancing with Liz, and Nova going stag.
There are teacher chaperones (are there? Check out. Ask around). Carmen is talking to Nova, (Carmen also went stag) when she catches Daniel’s eyes across the room. She takes a step toward, then hesitates. Nova playfully pushes her in his direction. He begins walking towards her.
Carmen thinks good stuff mentally, and the story ends with them only a few steps away from each other. Daniel slowly smiles. Carmen forgets about everyone else…
THE END
Aside from that, everything's okay. I love the writing workshop I'm doing. My group is great and my story is progressing nicely. Actually, I'm trying to write right now, but writer's block is screwing me over. Or maybe it's just me being lazy.
I can't wait until school starts. Don't ask me why. I just need some normality and order to come back into my life, quickly.
When I'm less paranoid, I'll post the Prologue, and then the first couple of sections.
Comments are very much appreciated! (Plagiarism is not)