Pistachio #3/Rocky Road #12/Strawberry #22
Author: Kitrona
Challenge: Pistachio 3 - ceremony, Rocky Road 12 - classroom, Strawberry 22 - flowers
Word count: 1065
Rating: G
Summary: Time to get to work.
Cathrynne sighed. "I /really/ have to do this?" She gestured at the dress she wore, intensely pink with a fluffy skirt in a fairly modern style.
"I /am/ the expert here," Kiernan answered wearily. "That's what she needs, yes. Just remember the tiara and who you are, and it'll all go fine. Besides, we're /professionals/." He rolled his eyes toward an attractive middle-aged couple standing nearby. The signs of stress were subtle, but definitely present: hands tightly entwined, dark circles under eyes betraying lack of sleep, a certain brittleness about them. "Don't make this harder on them than it already is."
She glared at the other person present, nodding acknowledgment to Kiernan, then grumbled a bit, purely for form's sake, as she stepped into a pair of kitten-heeled pumps the same eye-popping shade as the dress and fluffed her curled brown hair. "Showtime," she murmured to herself, then broke out into a dazzling smile that transformed her fairly unexceptional Midwestern looks into beauty. The couple's gasp echoed throughout the gym, and for a moment she felt the crowds pressing in on her as she approached the small dais. Kiernan, dressed in his best suit, met her at the bottom and offered his arm. Cathrynne took it, mentally thankful for even the small heels; Kiernan was a good foot and a half taller than she. As they slowly ascended the three shallow steps, she inhaled, closing her eyes, and caught a whiff of perfume, something light and suitable for a young woman, but with a curious sense of age. She felt the presence settle into her, over her skin and centered on the back of her head, and raised her chin proudly, ignoring the small noises from the couple; concentration was very important, especially at this stage. She reached the top and turned around, wobbling a bit on the unfamiliar heels. She concentrated on retaining the presence just a bit longer.
The other person, the principal of the school, sneered a little as he announced to the nearly empty gym, "Ladies and gentlemen, your homecoming king and queen, Scott Schuyler and Georgia Archer!"
The experience took over for a moment, and Cathrynne let it. The crowd was roaring approval, the light was half blinding her, and she was next to her beloved Scott. She'd done it! She'd made it to homecoming /and/ been elected queen! The surge of elation was bittersweet; she knew this was it, the high point of her life. But she pushed that out of her mind and decided to enjoy this. Someone handed her a sheaf of roses, and someone else nestled the tiara into her shiny blonde hair, and her big blue eyes teared up, thankful that she'd worn waterproof makeup tonight. She felt an immense upwelling of /love/, from her friends, from Scott, from the world, and it was almost enough... she could almost forget...
The sensations faded, and Cathrynne stumbled a little. Kiernan steadied her, and she gave him a weak little smile, but her attention, and that of everyone else in the room, was caught by something hovering a little above and in front of her. It looked like a wisp of fog. In fact, it was easier to see out of the corner of the eye than straight on, but it was definitely there. A gentle feeling of love, thanks, and a tinge of regret were palpable to everyone; even the principal's eyes widened, and the woman let out a choked sob as the man clutched her tightly. Then it faded, sensations and fog, leaving the room feeling just like a large, dusty, well-used gym after school hours.
Cathrynne sat down and kicked off her shoes, closing her eyes and sending her thoughts down, into the earth, to ground herself. It took only a few seconds, and soon she stood up and joined the group.
"Oh, thank you, thank you so much," the woman smiled, happy tears streaming down her face. "It was beautiful, and you actually looked like her for a minute... thank you..."
Kiernan smiled over at Cathrynne, his hand being firmly shaken by the man. Cathrynne smiled back and hugged the woman. “Mrs. Archer, you're quite welcome. Yes, it's funny how the mind can play tricks on us, isn't it?”
Mrs. Archer wiped her eyes and nodded. “Just for a minute, I actually believed you were Georgia. Oh, I wish...”
She didn't get to complete the thought, interrupted by the principal. Cathrynne was quietly relieved; wishes could be dangerous. Unlikely in this case, but better safe than sorry. “Yes, that was... unusual,” he said gruffly. “You think it's gone?”
Kiernan gently extracted his hand and nodded. “In my professional opinion, Mr. Kane, this year's homecoming should be interference-free.”
“Hmph. It better be. That's the damnedest thing, though. Nothing for years, and then this, not to mention all the other incidents... I wonder why.” Kane shrugged and stomped off, leaving Kiernan and Cathrynne with the Archers. They all glanced at each other and smiled; they knew why. The door to the gym opened and they turned to see a tall, blonde young woman enter.
“Is it over?” she asked, her voice high and uncertain.
Mr. Archer nodded and opened his arms; she rushed into them, accepting the hug. “It is, sweetheart. She won't be bothering you anymore.”
A huge, shuddering sigh shook the girl's shoulders. “Good.... I think... I think I'll miss her, but... it wasn't... right. It wasn't /her/.”
Mrs. Archer stroked the girl's hair. “I know, Lily. I'll miss her too, but you're right, it wasn't her. Just her dreams and wishes. Maybe she can rest now.”
Cathrynne smiled. “She already is. I'm only sorry that you couldn't feel her sending at the end.”
“Such a shame she couldn't make it that long,” Mrs. Archer mused. “To die the day before...”
“Unfinished business,” Cathrynne agreed softly. “Now finished.”
Lily, quiet and thoughtful, spoke up. “I did feel it.”
“You what?” her father asked.
“I did feel it, at the end. I was sitting on the bench out there, and suddenly just this huge wave of... love, happiness, y'know?” She smiled; it was a memory both comforting and painful. “And then this was sitting next to me.”
She held up a single, perfect red rose.
Challenge: Pistachio 3 - ceremony, Rocky Road 12 - classroom, Strawberry 22 - flowers
Word count: 1065
Rating: G
Summary: Time to get to work.
Cathrynne sighed. "I /really/ have to do this?" She gestured at the dress she wore, intensely pink with a fluffy skirt in a fairly modern style.
"I /am/ the expert here," Kiernan answered wearily. "That's what she needs, yes. Just remember the tiara and who you are, and it'll all go fine. Besides, we're /professionals/." He rolled his eyes toward an attractive middle-aged couple standing nearby. The signs of stress were subtle, but definitely present: hands tightly entwined, dark circles under eyes betraying lack of sleep, a certain brittleness about them. "Don't make this harder on them than it already is."
She glared at the other person present, nodding acknowledgment to Kiernan, then grumbled a bit, purely for form's sake, as she stepped into a pair of kitten-heeled pumps the same eye-popping shade as the dress and fluffed her curled brown hair. "Showtime," she murmured to herself, then broke out into a dazzling smile that transformed her fairly unexceptional Midwestern looks into beauty. The couple's gasp echoed throughout the gym, and for a moment she felt the crowds pressing in on her as she approached the small dais. Kiernan, dressed in his best suit, met her at the bottom and offered his arm. Cathrynne took it, mentally thankful for even the small heels; Kiernan was a good foot and a half taller than she. As they slowly ascended the three shallow steps, she inhaled, closing her eyes, and caught a whiff of perfume, something light and suitable for a young woman, but with a curious sense of age. She felt the presence settle into her, over her skin and centered on the back of her head, and raised her chin proudly, ignoring the small noises from the couple; concentration was very important, especially at this stage. She reached the top and turned around, wobbling a bit on the unfamiliar heels. She concentrated on retaining the presence just a bit longer.
The other person, the principal of the school, sneered a little as he announced to the nearly empty gym, "Ladies and gentlemen, your homecoming king and queen, Scott Schuyler and Georgia Archer!"
The experience took over for a moment, and Cathrynne let it. The crowd was roaring approval, the light was half blinding her, and she was next to her beloved Scott. She'd done it! She'd made it to homecoming /and/ been elected queen! The surge of elation was bittersweet; she knew this was it, the high point of her life. But she pushed that out of her mind and decided to enjoy this. Someone handed her a sheaf of roses, and someone else nestled the tiara into her shiny blonde hair, and her big blue eyes teared up, thankful that she'd worn waterproof makeup tonight. She felt an immense upwelling of /love/, from her friends, from Scott, from the world, and it was almost enough... she could almost forget...
The sensations faded, and Cathrynne stumbled a little. Kiernan steadied her, and she gave him a weak little smile, but her attention, and that of everyone else in the room, was caught by something hovering a little above and in front of her. It looked like a wisp of fog. In fact, it was easier to see out of the corner of the eye than straight on, but it was definitely there. A gentle feeling of love, thanks, and a tinge of regret were palpable to everyone; even the principal's eyes widened, and the woman let out a choked sob as the man clutched her tightly. Then it faded, sensations and fog, leaving the room feeling just like a large, dusty, well-used gym after school hours.
Cathrynne sat down and kicked off her shoes, closing her eyes and sending her thoughts down, into the earth, to ground herself. It took only a few seconds, and soon she stood up and joined the group.
"Oh, thank you, thank you so much," the woman smiled, happy tears streaming down her face. "It was beautiful, and you actually looked like her for a minute... thank you..."
Kiernan smiled over at Cathrynne, his hand being firmly shaken by the man. Cathrynne smiled back and hugged the woman. “Mrs. Archer, you're quite welcome. Yes, it's funny how the mind can play tricks on us, isn't it?”
Mrs. Archer wiped her eyes and nodded. “Just for a minute, I actually believed you were Georgia. Oh, I wish...”
She didn't get to complete the thought, interrupted by the principal. Cathrynne was quietly relieved; wishes could be dangerous. Unlikely in this case, but better safe than sorry. “Yes, that was... unusual,” he said gruffly. “You think it's gone?”
Kiernan gently extracted his hand and nodded. “In my professional opinion, Mr. Kane, this year's homecoming should be interference-free.”
“Hmph. It better be. That's the damnedest thing, though. Nothing for years, and then this, not to mention all the other incidents... I wonder why.” Kane shrugged and stomped off, leaving Kiernan and Cathrynne with the Archers. They all glanced at each other and smiled; they knew why. The door to the gym opened and they turned to see a tall, blonde young woman enter.
“Is it over?” she asked, her voice high and uncertain.
Mr. Archer nodded and opened his arms; she rushed into them, accepting the hug. “It is, sweetheart. She won't be bothering you anymore.”
A huge, shuddering sigh shook the girl's shoulders. “Good.... I think... I think I'll miss her, but... it wasn't... right. It wasn't /her/.”
Mrs. Archer stroked the girl's hair. “I know, Lily. I'll miss her too, but you're right, it wasn't her. Just her dreams and wishes. Maybe she can rest now.”
Cathrynne smiled. “She already is. I'm only sorry that you couldn't feel her sending at the end.”
“Such a shame she couldn't make it that long,” Mrs. Archer mused. “To die the day before...”
“Unfinished business,” Cathrynne agreed softly. “Now finished.”
Lily, quiet and thoughtful, spoke up. “I did feel it.”
“You what?” her father asked.
“I did feel it, at the end. I was sitting on the bench out there, and suddenly just this huge wave of... love, happiness, y'know?” She smiled; it was a memory both comforting and painful. “And then this was sitting next to me.”
She held up a single, perfect red rose.