He's There - Chapter 27
I'm kind of disappointed with this, even though the chapter made me laugh and every once in a while a conversation like this is nice to throw in. I'm mainly disappointed because I had bigger plans and some parts written out for it already, but it was too late last night for me to write everything between this and those. I blame it on Robert-Phantom and Charles-Phantom, and working on the website (which is going okay). I'm hoping not to be distracted this week besides with homework, and just write out as much as I can. Worry about the site during Winter Break, which would be the best time.
I also wanted to say that (mostly to Sara, because she reads this :3), but RAYE TOO IF YOU HAPPEN TO STOP BY, I'm perfectly open to requests for specific scenes to illustrate. It allows me to think less. lol
Anyway. Um... I'd say there's still hope to make a dent in the Nanowrimo business, I just need to find a good time, light a candle, get a big cup of chamomile, and go for it.
8100 / 50000 words. 16% done!
Favorite Quote(s)
"That really did remind me of your Phantom, though. Except replace the feathers with... plastic. Whatever it is on his face."
"I just pictured him in feathers, now. Thanks a lot."
HE'S () THERE
Chapter 27 - Don't Forget About Me
I did not fall asleep until very late in the night, technically the morning. Couldn't. I would get into a comfortable position, close my eyes... then a minute later I was thinking, and they were traversing the glow-in-the-dark stickers on my ceiling.
I don't know why, but I woke up generally uninspired to either receive or even send any type of message to him. I didn't know if he was disappointed with me for leaving, if I was to begin with even reacting properly to essentially hearing "the three words", or... if I was going to be cornered again, with a pulling silence. So I just avoided him.
It was easier to do than I expected because all I heard about the following day was Jeffrey. Mariam was also up all night, talking to him until her eyes burned from the computer screen. She read me nearly the entire transcript through her aim logs, and I have to say right off the bat -- she didn't pick a bad one. He seemed like he was actually nice and not talking to her out of pity or boredom. (Not that I worry Meg bores people... guys are just jerks.) He was psyched about taking Astronomy next term, him and Meg had very similar taste in music (which she figured by all his t-shirts), and he had immensely enjoyed Fool's Dance on the second night, even recognized her. He called me/Vivian "the fiery brunette". Tch. It made me curious what this was going to turn into considering how non-awkward their first conversation was. I don't know about her, but I was already ready to meet him.
Of course, I became Advisor #1, while Paulina was still recovering and unable to offer her services.
Meg appeared at our door, just to prove to my parents we were actually together, and we went on a Consoling-Mariam-About-Jeffrey walk later on, which consisted of both reasonable and nonsensical questions.
"Do you think next time he logs on, I should say something first?"
"Uhh..."
"Or should I wait for him? So I don't look like I'm too interested in talking?" She was following behind me with a sort of trot, hands in her coat pockets.
"Well... I mean... you are interested in talking to him. Don't you wanna get the point across?"
"I know but-"
"If you don't ever act like you're into him, he'll be a typical guy and never realize he can date you and move on to someone else. Unless he's persistent. But don't count on it."
"Yes, I know you know all about persistent men,-"
"Okay but still?! Don't you think I have a point here?"
"Yeah, but it's a point you never would have made prior to...'Erik'." Her derisive air-quotations barely effected me.
"On the contrary, I have not been very supportive of his romantic efforts."
"I hate that romantic efforts even have to come into play eventually. I mean just knowing that we're kind of becoming friends right now but eventually I have to do something awkward..."
"I know..."
"What if he realizes why I ever IMed him in the first place and thinks it's creepy?"
"...Creepy? You?" I flicked the diddly-bob cherry pin in her hair. "You don't have a creepy bone in your entire body. You just have a crush on the guy. I'm sure he can appreciate that, even if he's not looking for a girlfriend."
"Oh God, I don't even want to think about admitting it right now!"
"Fine! Fine. Relax. You haven't even met him yet. There's time, believe it or not."
"I wish I could tell him the truth, get his reaction, and then zap his memory." She made a popping sound and pointed at my head. "And then I'd just know. And we could keep being friends without feeling uncomfortable if it was never meant to be."
"I'm sure you'd use that memory-zapper for much more than just that."
Meg stared at me, mouth agape, then reconsidered.
"Eghhhh... yes. Yes, I would..."
.
.
.
"... So when did you admit to the Phantom?"
"Admit what?"
"...That.. you know... it wasn't just a one-sided thing."
"Actually, I never did. I think he just figures... 'she puts up with me. My foot is in the door for the time being. Fine by me.'"
We decided to approach a bench lit by a street light at the end of the main drag. Meg plopped down and gawked at me.
"Jesus!" She laughed to herself as a couple passed us, wondering what inspired her to shout the name of the Holy Son right at that moment.
"What?!"
"You know, from the sound of it, you aren't very nice to him."
"WHAT?!" I screeched, realizing a second later that a family in the window of a restaurant nearby was looking at me swish my hands around.
"Well! I mean really. I'm not saying he's that nice to you either, just that..."
"You don't know how I treat him," I convinced myself.
"Lily. Just the other day you said you wanted to hit him over the head. With a baseball bat."
"I was joking!" She squinted at me skeptically. "It was part of the song!"
"Uhuh."
"I don't want to cause actual physical harm to the Phantom. I promise. He was very nice to me recently and I intend to reciprocate."
"Reciprocate, eh? That's a strange word to use colloquially."
"Speak for yourself, Mrs. Colloquial." She stuck her tongue out at me and I mirrored her dramatically. "Or should I say, MRS. VANHORN." She jumped up and covered my mouth with her hand. I glanced back to the window and the little boy at the booth was still watching us. I decided to put on a good show for him and jump up from the bench.
"I challenge you to a duel!"
"What?!" Meg answered, wide-eyed. I could tell suddenly that this probably wouldn't going anywhere.
"I don't know.. Nevermind." She took that as good enough and crossed her legs, bouncing her top leg over the other and watching the cars pass in the distance. I wet my lip and tried to turn this back around. "Okay okay, what if... He just came to your door one day..."
"...Yeah?..."
"And he was wearing a full-on Big Bird costume. And he was like 'Mariam... I need you right now.'"
"What the fuuuuck!..." She half-whispered in a high soaring voice, keeling over in her seat in embarrassment.
"Would you let him inside of your house?"
"I... I.. Yeah, I guess so, but... I'd be very confused."
"Okay but what if you tried to ask about the costume and he was appalled that you would even bring it up, because obviously he was there for a serious reason."
"He's the one that showed up in it -- the least he could do is explain!-"
"Yes, but he is in a state of passion."
She thought a minute.
"Okay... well... what exactly does he want."
"He wants to make love to you."
"I... I really don't think I'd be much in the mood for it under those circumstances-"
"But he says it's the only time you'll ever be able to."
"Why?"
"He won't say."
"Gee, sounds a lot like your boyfriend." I pursed my lips at her. "Well if he's that uncommitted, maybe I don't want to have sex with him."
"What if he starts making advances on you anyway?"
"I'd call the police?" She answered with a questioning inflection, like I had lost my marbles.
"Oh God, I just had this image of Jeffrey looking all melancholy in the Big Bird costume, inside the police car window."
Meg snorted.
"I'd feel bad, but, I mean... he had it coming."
I sighed. "True."
Suddenly an unwinding silence swept over us. I was staring into the foliage nearby and Meg was examining her nails. Eventually she turned in my direction.
"That really did remind me of your Phantom, though. Except replace the feathers with... plastic. Whatever it is on his face."
"I just pictured him in feathers, now. Thanks a lot."
"HAHAHA, if only."
"You know, his mask... looks a little like a beak. I mean just a tiny little bit. It being so pointy.."
"Oh yeah, I guess it was. It's been a while since I saw it, but I see where you're going." I don't know why, but it felt so strange thinking she and him had been in front of each other at one point. She hadn't really talked about it before, either.
"And I had this dream once that there were birds everywhere..."
"Are you trying to say he's like the symbol for birds now?" We both cracked up.
"I'm just saying. He's had a lot to do with birds in the past."
Oh God. What in the world? Only a conversation I could have with her. Only her.
.
.
.
"...You mind if I bother you with another question?"
"Shoot."
"Where did he confront you? I'm just really curious."
"It was backstage, inside the make-up closet. I took my coat off because it was fucking hot in there and then it disappeared, and then someone said it was in there for some reason, somebody probably moved it thinking they were real smart... So I went and checked, and then he scared the living shit out of me."
"How did he do this, exactly?"
"By existing, basically."
"Heghgh. Really."
"No, I really was wondering if you even had a 'Phantom', and... suddenly he was all in my face. Staring at me. Handing me my coat."
"Telling you to lay off the investigation."
"Basically. Which is funny, because I didn't know what investigation he's talking about."
"Gi-... Paulina was trying to figure out who he was. She still is, technically."
"I know that now."
"Oh."
"What, you think she doesn't tell me anything?"
"No, I just didn't realize." Awkward again. "...I'm sorry if he scared you."
"No problem. You must be used to it."
"No, not yet, actually."
"I'm half kidding anyway... I sort of knew in that moment... you were the only one he'd ever be nice to..." I was not feeling confident enough in understanding his feelings to look her in the eye after that one. "You're his Christine... after all. Right?"
"The Phantom never hated Meg."
"I'm sure he'd off her if he had to!" I darted my eyes around. "I'd hate to think what would happen if there was a Raoul."
"Yyyyeah. There won't be."
"You never know. Some guy could just pop out of nowhere."
"No really, there won't be."
"Can you imagine? Two guys up in arms for you because of their undying love?!"
"No, I cannot. It's difficult enough having one. If Raoul comes along, I will have to tell him to go away, in all seriousness. With a face that looked like the one Squidward had in that episode where he was all 'does this face look unsure?'"
"BAHAHAHA~" She slapped me hard on the knee. "Okay fine. No Raoul. Only Phantom, never having to fight for your attention at all. Just don't forget about me."
I also wanted to say that (mostly to Sara, because she reads this :3), but RAYE TOO IF YOU HAPPEN TO STOP BY, I'm perfectly open to requests for specific scenes to illustrate. It allows me to think less. lol
Anyway. Um... I'd say there's still hope to make a dent in the Nanowrimo business, I just need to find a good time, light a candle, get a big cup of chamomile, and go for it.
8100 / 50000 words. 16% done!
Favorite Quote(s)
"That really did remind me of your Phantom, though. Except replace the feathers with... plastic. Whatever it is on his face."
"I just pictured him in feathers, now. Thanks a lot."
HE'S () THERE
Chapter 27 - Don't Forget About Me
I did not fall asleep until very late in the night, technically the morning. Couldn't. I would get into a comfortable position, close my eyes... then a minute later I was thinking, and they were traversing the glow-in-the-dark stickers on my ceiling.
I don't know why, but I woke up generally uninspired to either receive or even send any type of message to him. I didn't know if he was disappointed with me for leaving, if I was to begin with even reacting properly to essentially hearing "the three words", or... if I was going to be cornered again, with a pulling silence. So I just avoided him.
It was easier to do than I expected because all I heard about the following day was Jeffrey. Mariam was also up all night, talking to him until her eyes burned from the computer screen. She read me nearly the entire transcript through her aim logs, and I have to say right off the bat -- she didn't pick a bad one. He seemed like he was actually nice and not talking to her out of pity or boredom. (Not that I worry Meg bores people... guys are just jerks.) He was psyched about taking Astronomy next term, him and Meg had very similar taste in music (which she figured by all his t-shirts), and he had immensely enjoyed Fool's Dance on the second night, even recognized her. He called me/Vivian "the fiery brunette". Tch. It made me curious what this was going to turn into considering how non-awkward their first conversation was. I don't know about her, but I was already ready to meet him.
Of course, I became Advisor #1, while Paulina was still recovering and unable to offer her services.
Meg appeared at our door, just to prove to my parents we were actually together, and we went on a Consoling-Mariam-About-Jeffrey walk later on, which consisted of both reasonable and nonsensical questions.
"Do you think next time he logs on, I should say something first?"
"Uhh..."
"Or should I wait for him? So I don't look like I'm too interested in talking?" She was following behind me with a sort of trot, hands in her coat pockets.
"Well... I mean... you are interested in talking to him. Don't you wanna get the point across?"
"I know but-"
"If you don't ever act like you're into him, he'll be a typical guy and never realize he can date you and move on to someone else. Unless he's persistent. But don't count on it."
"Yes, I know you know all about persistent men,-"
"Okay but still?! Don't you think I have a point here?"
"Yeah, but it's a point you never would have made prior to...'Erik'." Her derisive air-quotations barely effected me.
"On the contrary, I have not been very supportive of his romantic efforts."
"I hate that romantic efforts even have to come into play eventually. I mean just knowing that we're kind of becoming friends right now but eventually I have to do something awkward..."
"I know..."
"What if he realizes why I ever IMed him in the first place and thinks it's creepy?"
"...Creepy? You?" I flicked the diddly-bob cherry pin in her hair. "You don't have a creepy bone in your entire body. You just have a crush on the guy. I'm sure he can appreciate that, even if he's not looking for a girlfriend."
"Oh God, I don't even want to think about admitting it right now!"
"Fine! Fine. Relax. You haven't even met him yet. There's time, believe it or not."
"I wish I could tell him the truth, get his reaction, and then zap his memory." She made a popping sound and pointed at my head. "And then I'd just know. And we could keep being friends without feeling uncomfortable if it was never meant to be."
"I'm sure you'd use that memory-zapper for much more than just that."
Meg stared at me, mouth agape, then reconsidered.
"Eghhhh... yes. Yes, I would..."
.
.
.
"... So when did you admit to the Phantom?"
"Admit what?"
"...That.. you know... it wasn't just a one-sided thing."
"Actually, I never did. I think he just figures... 'she puts up with me. My foot is in the door for the time being. Fine by me.'"
We decided to approach a bench lit by a street light at the end of the main drag. Meg plopped down and gawked at me.
"Jesus!" She laughed to herself as a couple passed us, wondering what inspired her to shout the name of the Holy Son right at that moment.
"What?!"
"You know, from the sound of it, you aren't very nice to him."
"WHAT?!" I screeched, realizing a second later that a family in the window of a restaurant nearby was looking at me swish my hands around.
"Well! I mean really. I'm not saying he's that nice to you either, just that..."
"You don't know how I treat him," I convinced myself.
"Lily. Just the other day you said you wanted to hit him over the head. With a baseball bat."
"I was joking!" She squinted at me skeptically. "It was part of the song!"
"Uhuh."
"I don't want to cause actual physical harm to the Phantom. I promise. He was very nice to me recently and I intend to reciprocate."
"Reciprocate, eh? That's a strange word to use colloquially."
"Speak for yourself, Mrs. Colloquial." She stuck her tongue out at me and I mirrored her dramatically. "Or should I say, MRS. VANHORN." She jumped up and covered my mouth with her hand. I glanced back to the window and the little boy at the booth was still watching us. I decided to put on a good show for him and jump up from the bench.
"I challenge you to a duel!"
"What?!" Meg answered, wide-eyed. I could tell suddenly that this probably wouldn't going anywhere.
"I don't know.. Nevermind." She took that as good enough and crossed her legs, bouncing her top leg over the other and watching the cars pass in the distance. I wet my lip and tried to turn this back around. "Okay okay, what if... He just came to your door one day..."
"...Yeah?..."
"And he was wearing a full-on Big Bird costume. And he was like 'Mariam... I need you right now.'"
"What the fuuuuck!..." She half-whispered in a high soaring voice, keeling over in her seat in embarrassment.
"Would you let him inside of your house?"
"I... I.. Yeah, I guess so, but... I'd be very confused."
"Okay but what if you tried to ask about the costume and he was appalled that you would even bring it up, because obviously he was there for a serious reason."
"He's the one that showed up in it -- the least he could do is explain!-"
"Yes, but he is in a state of passion."
She thought a minute.
"Okay... well... what exactly does he want."
"He wants to make love to you."
"I... I really don't think I'd be much in the mood for it under those circumstances-"
"But he says it's the only time you'll ever be able to."
"Why?"
"He won't say."
"Gee, sounds a lot like your boyfriend." I pursed my lips at her. "Well if he's that uncommitted, maybe I don't want to have sex with him."
"What if he starts making advances on you anyway?"
"I'd call the police?" She answered with a questioning inflection, like I had lost my marbles.
"Oh God, I just had this image of Jeffrey looking all melancholy in the Big Bird costume, inside the police car window."
Meg snorted.
"I'd feel bad, but, I mean... he had it coming."
I sighed. "True."
Suddenly an unwinding silence swept over us. I was staring into the foliage nearby and Meg was examining her nails. Eventually she turned in my direction.
"That really did remind me of your Phantom, though. Except replace the feathers with... plastic. Whatever it is on his face."
"I just pictured him in feathers, now. Thanks a lot."
"HAHAHA, if only."
"You know, his mask... looks a little like a beak. I mean just a tiny little bit. It being so pointy.."
"Oh yeah, I guess it was. It's been a while since I saw it, but I see where you're going." I don't know why, but it felt so strange thinking she and him had been in front of each other at one point. She hadn't really talked about it before, either.
"And I had this dream once that there were birds everywhere..."
"Are you trying to say he's like the symbol for birds now?" We both cracked up.
"I'm just saying. He's had a lot to do with birds in the past."
Oh God. What in the world? Only a conversation I could have with her. Only her.
.
.
.
"...You mind if I bother you with another question?"
"Shoot."
"Where did he confront you? I'm just really curious."
"It was backstage, inside the make-up closet. I took my coat off because it was fucking hot in there and then it disappeared, and then someone said it was in there for some reason, somebody probably moved it thinking they were real smart... So I went and checked, and then he scared the living shit out of me."
"How did he do this, exactly?"
"By existing, basically."
"Heghgh. Really."
"No, I really was wondering if you even had a 'Phantom', and... suddenly he was all in my face. Staring at me. Handing me my coat."
"Telling you to lay off the investigation."
"Basically. Which is funny, because I didn't know what investigation he's talking about."
"Gi-... Paulina was trying to figure out who he was. She still is, technically."
"I know that now."
"Oh."
"What, you think she doesn't tell me anything?"
"No, I just didn't realize." Awkward again. "...I'm sorry if he scared you."
"No problem. You must be used to it."
"No, not yet, actually."
"I'm half kidding anyway... I sort of knew in that moment... you were the only one he'd ever be nice to..." I was not feeling confident enough in understanding his feelings to look her in the eye after that one. "You're his Christine... after all. Right?"
"The Phantom never hated Meg."
"I'm sure he'd off her if he had to!" I darted my eyes around. "I'd hate to think what would happen if there was a Raoul."
"Yyyyeah. There won't be."
"You never know. Some guy could just pop out of nowhere."
"No really, there won't be."
"Can you imagine? Two guys up in arms for you because of their undying love?!"
"No, I cannot. It's difficult enough having one. If Raoul comes along, I will have to tell him to go away, in all seriousness. With a face that looked like the one Squidward had in that episode where he was all 'does this face look unsure?'"
"BAHAHAHA~" She slapped me hard on the knee. "Okay fine. No Raoul. Only Phantom, never having to fight for your attention at all. Just don't forget about me."