Cookies and Cream 4, Chocolate 11.
Author: Shadowstar
Story: Out of my comfort zone (untitled really but that sums it up well!)
Challenge: Cookies and Cream 4 (smile), Chocolate 11 (confusion)
Rating: PG13
Word Count: 1213
Notes: Been a while since I last posted anything and what I’m currently working on is so different to what I usually write that I’ve been a bit hesitant to share it anywhere. But here’s one of the pieces I’ve written on it. The characters have been in my head for years but I've not been able to write about them before now for some reason. And even now what I am writing seems more along the lines of just feeling them out than anything.
She watched him out of the corner of her eye. He looked sad. Not that there was anything new there, he always looked sad. He always looked saddest in that split second before he turned away from watching her though. He was watching her now and if she turned in his direction his gaze would dart away, he’d pretend he hadn’t been, pretend to be engrossed in something else. Perhaps the study of his feet or the view out of the window. It didn’t really matter as long as he could find a way to pretend he hadn’t been watching her. It occurred to her then that she had never seen him smile. Not once in all the years she’d known him had she seen a smile light up his face. She supposed he didn’t have much reason to smile. Not where she could see him anyway. Perhaps at home he was the life and soul of the party. But here and now he just looked lost and unhappy. Could she make him smile? Could she give him even a brief moment of happiness?
She doodled on the piece of paper in front of her while she considered the options. She knew practically nothing about him, knew nothing about what might bring a smile to his face. That would make things difficult. As would the fact he’d likely run if she tried to approach him. Perhaps it wasn’t worth the hassle. She glanced in his direction again. No, it was worth it. There must be something she could do, if not something that would make him smile then something that would allow her to get to know him better and find out what would. She frowned. Why did making him smile suddenly seem like it was hugely important? What did it matter to her whether he was unhappy? Why did she want to see him smile? Why was she even wasting her time thinking about him in the first place? Another surreptitious glance in his direction. He was still watching her and the look in his eyes made her catch her breath. She turned slightly in his direction and he turned to stare out of the window as she’d known he would. She gazed at him for a minute or two, frowning slightly, before turning back to her doodling. Perhaps cornering him and simply not letting him run away would be the only way to get close to him at first. She looked at the girl sitting next to her. She doubted even her best friend would understand this sudden attraction never mind anyone else so enlisting anyones help was probably out of the question. She glanced over at him again, he was staring again. She was going to have to do something about him and making him smile seemed a more worthwhile challenge than making him cry. It might even be fun.
Valentines Day was coming up, she could always send him a card. But that wouldn’t really do anything to help and besides, he’d probably think it was just a joke. It was the sort of thing some of the girls had done before and probably would again. That might cause her problems in general in fact. He’d likely treat any friendly overtures as highly suspicious, just a way to throw him off guard so someone could jump him when he wasn’t expecting it. Or worse. She knew worse had happened, had seen it happen in fact, and been so disgusted by it that she’d actually spoken out and stopped it. Not before he’d been badly hurt and humiliated though. It made her even angrier thinking about it now. She looked over at him again, flashing him a quick smile before he could look away. She saw his brow furrow as he looked away and a moment later he looked back. She smiled again and looked away herself. Glancing back out of the corner of her eye she sighed. He looked confused and worried. Not what she’d been aiming for but she supposed she should have expected it. People didn’t act nice to him. Not without an ulterior motive anyway. Well she’d just have to keep trying and hopefully get through to him. God, why was she so bothered by him? Of all the people to be attracted to why him? Well there wasn’t much point wondering and worrying about it. It was what it was and all she could do was make the best of it. How she was going to do that she wasn’t quite sure. Yet.
He sat watching her, frowning. What was she up to? She had smiled at him. Twice. That didn’t bode well for him, he knew that much. It hadn’t stopped his body responding though. Just like it had responded the last time a girl had smiled at him like that and look how that had ended up. She had stepped in and rescued him then, not that he’d ever been able to thank her. Hell, she was the last person he wanted to face after that. Forget it, he told himself. Nothing good is going to come of it. There is no way it’s anything more than another nasty trick. He could dream though, he could dream that that smile really was meant for him. And where it might lead. Here probably wasn’t the best place for that though, it could be embarrassing. And painful. They didn’t need much of an excuse to start in on him and openly lusting after one of the girls all the guys wanted would give them all the excuse they needed. She looked over at him again. And smiled again. He didn’t look away this time, just sat with his chin resting on his hands watching her. She obviously knew he’d been staring so he might as well carry on. She held his gaze for a time then dropped it and turned back to what she was doing, still smiling. What did she want? No doubt to try to lure him out to somewhere where he’d be jumped by a bunch of guys out for his blood. Well he wasn’t going to fall for that. And he’d be extra careful too, making sure not to fall for anything else they might have planned for him.
She smiled to herself. So now he knew she knew he was watching he was going to stare openly was he? She had to admire his guts really. One word from her and practically every guy she knew would kick the crap out of him. Not that she’d give the word of course. She never had. Perhaps getting him to smile wouldn’t be as difficult as she’d initially thought. Getting more than that however… She frowned. More? This had started out as an attempt to make him smile! Why was she thinking of more? Okay so she was attracted to him although god only knew why but she wasn’t going to act on it! Not with him. If she did she’d regret it for the rest of her life. But right now she realised that she wanted to. Perhaps she should rethink this whole thing. She glanced at him again. No, she couldn’t. She wanted to see him smile. Just one smile.
Story: Out of my comfort zone (untitled really but that sums it up well!)
Challenge: Cookies and Cream 4 (smile), Chocolate 11 (confusion)
Rating: PG13
Word Count: 1213
Notes: Been a while since I last posted anything and what I’m currently working on is so different to what I usually write that I’ve been a bit hesitant to share it anywhere. But here’s one of the pieces I’ve written on it. The characters have been in my head for years but I've not been able to write about them before now for some reason. And even now what I am writing seems more along the lines of just feeling them out than anything.
She watched him out of the corner of her eye. He looked sad. Not that there was anything new there, he always looked sad. He always looked saddest in that split second before he turned away from watching her though. He was watching her now and if she turned in his direction his gaze would dart away, he’d pretend he hadn’t been, pretend to be engrossed in something else. Perhaps the study of his feet or the view out of the window. It didn’t really matter as long as he could find a way to pretend he hadn’t been watching her. It occurred to her then that she had never seen him smile. Not once in all the years she’d known him had she seen a smile light up his face. She supposed he didn’t have much reason to smile. Not where she could see him anyway. Perhaps at home he was the life and soul of the party. But here and now he just looked lost and unhappy. Could she make him smile? Could she give him even a brief moment of happiness?
She doodled on the piece of paper in front of her while she considered the options. She knew practically nothing about him, knew nothing about what might bring a smile to his face. That would make things difficult. As would the fact he’d likely run if she tried to approach him. Perhaps it wasn’t worth the hassle. She glanced in his direction again. No, it was worth it. There must be something she could do, if not something that would make him smile then something that would allow her to get to know him better and find out what would. She frowned. Why did making him smile suddenly seem like it was hugely important? What did it matter to her whether he was unhappy? Why did she want to see him smile? Why was she even wasting her time thinking about him in the first place? Another surreptitious glance in his direction. He was still watching her and the look in his eyes made her catch her breath. She turned slightly in his direction and he turned to stare out of the window as she’d known he would. She gazed at him for a minute or two, frowning slightly, before turning back to her doodling. Perhaps cornering him and simply not letting him run away would be the only way to get close to him at first. She looked at the girl sitting next to her. She doubted even her best friend would understand this sudden attraction never mind anyone else so enlisting anyones help was probably out of the question. She glanced over at him again, he was staring again. She was going to have to do something about him and making him smile seemed a more worthwhile challenge than making him cry. It might even be fun.
Valentines Day was coming up, she could always send him a card. But that wouldn’t really do anything to help and besides, he’d probably think it was just a joke. It was the sort of thing some of the girls had done before and probably would again. That might cause her problems in general in fact. He’d likely treat any friendly overtures as highly suspicious, just a way to throw him off guard so someone could jump him when he wasn’t expecting it. Or worse. She knew worse had happened, had seen it happen in fact, and been so disgusted by it that she’d actually spoken out and stopped it. Not before he’d been badly hurt and humiliated though. It made her even angrier thinking about it now. She looked over at him again, flashing him a quick smile before he could look away. She saw his brow furrow as he looked away and a moment later he looked back. She smiled again and looked away herself. Glancing back out of the corner of her eye she sighed. He looked confused and worried. Not what she’d been aiming for but she supposed she should have expected it. People didn’t act nice to him. Not without an ulterior motive anyway. Well she’d just have to keep trying and hopefully get through to him. God, why was she so bothered by him? Of all the people to be attracted to why him? Well there wasn’t much point wondering and worrying about it. It was what it was and all she could do was make the best of it. How she was going to do that she wasn’t quite sure. Yet.
He sat watching her, frowning. What was she up to? She had smiled at him. Twice. That didn’t bode well for him, he knew that much. It hadn’t stopped his body responding though. Just like it had responded the last time a girl had smiled at him like that and look how that had ended up. She had stepped in and rescued him then, not that he’d ever been able to thank her. Hell, she was the last person he wanted to face after that. Forget it, he told himself. Nothing good is going to come of it. There is no way it’s anything more than another nasty trick. He could dream though, he could dream that that smile really was meant for him. And where it might lead. Here probably wasn’t the best place for that though, it could be embarrassing. And painful. They didn’t need much of an excuse to start in on him and openly lusting after one of the girls all the guys wanted would give them all the excuse they needed. She looked over at him again. And smiled again. He didn’t look away this time, just sat with his chin resting on his hands watching her. She obviously knew he’d been staring so he might as well carry on. She held his gaze for a time then dropped it and turned back to what she was doing, still smiling. What did she want? No doubt to try to lure him out to somewhere where he’d be jumped by a bunch of guys out for his blood. Well he wasn’t going to fall for that. And he’d be extra careful too, making sure not to fall for anything else they might have planned for him.
She smiled to herself. So now he knew she knew he was watching he was going to stare openly was he? She had to admire his guts really. One word from her and practically every guy she knew would kick the crap out of him. Not that she’d give the word of course. She never had. Perhaps getting him to smile wouldn’t be as difficult as she’d initially thought. Getting more than that however… She frowned. More? This had started out as an attempt to make him smile! Why was she thinking of more? Okay so she was attracted to him although god only knew why but she wasn’t going to act on it! Not with him. If she did she’d regret it for the rest of her life. But right now she realised that she wanted to. Perhaps she should rethink this whole thing. She glanced at him again. No, she couldn’t. She wanted to see him smile. Just one smile.