Ok, so I entered this writing challenge in january, as a motivator to keep me writing. I have to admit that just three months into it, I already cursed this decision, but so far I have kept it up. Knowing myself I reread the rules today and saw that I was supposed to put my intentions to join this challenge up on my blog. So here they are. I intend to stick to this challenge, as another attempt to improve my writing. Check out the contest on:
http://www.aerin.me/Writing_Challenge/About.html
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Time to move on...
“Mace, you on that treadmill AGAIN?” Angela tried to raise her voice over the music I was playing to keep me going on a steady pace. The fast baseline of ‘Freestyler’ by Bombfunk MC’s was busting through my surround sound system. Pearls of sweat had formed on my face and I grabbed the remote to turn down the volume.
“Yeah, sure, you know I need to keep in shape!” I answered while still trying to maintain the same pace. It was one thing to work out alone, with some good music to keep you going, it was another to also talk at the same time. Angela gave me a pitiful look but I ignored her as I took a big gulp from my water bottle. I was going to get that firm ass and those sleek thighs, even if I had to work out two hours a day.
Angela walked out into the kitchen to get herself a drink and I tried to get back to focusing on the task that lay beforehand. Thankfully, time had flown by faster than I thought and my alarm was already going off. I slacked off my cooling down period and enthusiastically jumped off the treadmill. Not a smart idea after being on it for forty minutes. With a loud “OOMPH!”, I smacked to the ground just as Angela came walking back in. “Smooth moves Mace, is that also in preparation of your big night?”
I hated how she pronounced ‘big night’ in a condescending way. She knew what this night meant to me. It would be a chance for a new beginning. Stumbling back onto my feet I grunted: “Shut up!” in my defense. Angela just laughed and followed me to my master bedroom.
As I started stripping off my sweaty clothes I continued: “I want to look my best, you never know who I might run into!”
“Yeah girl, you might just meet your knight in shining armor, who knows.” Even though Angela’s voice got muffled a little because I continued my way into the bathroom, leaving the door half-open, I replied: “Hey, at least I am trying to do something about it!”
“Can’t deny that!” I heard her answer right before I turned on the shower. After a quick shower we took an hour and a half to get through all of my wardrobe possibilities and then ordered some take-out and spent the rest of the night on the couch.
“Sweety it has been nine months, it’s time to move on! He has!” She added on, mumbling: “Lord knows, he has.”
“You’re not being helpful!” I said in a scornful tone. I could hear her sigh on the other side of the line. “Ok, Mace, look at it this way, you paid forty bucks for this night. Drinks are included, at the very least you can get yourself drunker than ever for forty bucks!”
I burst out laughing. “Angel you are crazy, but you’re right.” My breathing was still uneven. “I need to lighten up a bit.”
“Time to put your outfit on, remember, you want to say sexy, but also distinguished and independent!” I crawled up from the floor and walked to my closet. I knew exactly what I would wear. I had the perfect black pants that I had bought months ago, one size too small, but thanks to my treadmill they fit now. On top I put on a blouse, with a fine crease pressed into it. The blouse was aquamarine blue, it brought out the color brown of my eyes. Leaving the top three buttons open I showed just enough cleavage to show it was there, but still be mysterious enough about it.
“Angel I need to blow-dry my hair, need to let you go, ok?”
“Are you sure you’re ready? Can I let go of your hand now?”
“Yes”, I sighed, “I am fine now, thank you! Love you, bye!”
By this time I was standing next to the machine and clicked Angela away right after these words. Time to get my hair and make-up ready, both of course had to look like I had put no effort into it at all, which result could only be achieved after at least an hour of work.
An hour later, after checking my butt in the mirror one more time, all ready and a little ahead of schedule I stepped into the elevator of my building.
“Excuse me, what floor is this?” Two bright green eyes looked straight into mine.
“I’m new to the building.” He added as he shook my hand after I had taken his. “In fact, I am new to the city.” I had already opened my mouth to introduce myself but he interrupted me.
“I am Macy, 5F.” I said in a way to businesslike way. Again he gave me his nice smile and I suddenly felt the need to lean into one of the elevator walls.
“So where are you from?” I asked him, hoping that I sounded casual this time.
“Other side of the country.” He answered short but amused. “I am from Charleston, North Carolina.”
“How nice to have a Southern gentleman added to our building.” My attempt to be friendly was lame, I knew, but I found myself not knowing anything better to say.
However he laughed at my remark and said: “You might want to leave the gentleman part out.” He added a little wink. Was he flirting with me? By this time the elevator bell dinged and we both had to get out on the ground floor. Southern gentleman or not, he let me step out first and then rushed past me to open the door for me.
“TAXI!” I had walked up to the curve and hailed a cab to get me downtown. No way I was going to take the subway in this outfit!
I got into my taxi and before it took off I glanced at my new handsome neighbor and wondered if my plans for tonight might be redundant. Perhaps I should look at what’s right in front of me. As the city started rushing by though, I quickly forgot about my conversation in the elevator and tried to poise myself for the night ahead of me.
After yet another hectic cab-ride (why do I still keep getting in?) I finally got there about ten minutes before it was supposed to start. I liked being early, especially when I had to go somewhere so far out of my comfort zone. It gave me a chance to score the room, make me feel more comfortable. The other advantage I found out was that I got to pick a table because I was so early.
Ten minutes later, after carefully scoping out the right table, the room started filling up very quickly with men and women my age. I looked at the women to see if there was any competition. I saw a bunch of women who must have been at least five years younger than me, it was more obvious in the way they dressed and handled themselves then by their faces. Women in their early twenties tend to dress a little more obvious. Show more cleavage and legs because in their minds more is less. When you pass twenty five you start learning that less can be more and sexy is not in the way you dress. I noticed a bunch of guys who would definitely go for these younger women, they were already eyeing them from the other side of the room. Well, I wasn’t looking for a man like that anyway. While I was still scoping out a possible date, suddenly a bell rang and a guy sat down in front of me.
I tried to smile and take my time but he started talking immediately, it was obvious that he had done this before. While he was introducing myself I had already decided that I wasn’t going to like him, since he was one of the guys scoping out the half-dressed girls earlier on. I guessed he was in his early thirties, a career man but even though he had the arrogance, he lacked a certain charisma and I guessed he wasn’t as successful as he made it sound. He had dark blond hair and a very standard I-go-to-the-gym-every-morning-posture. When the bell rang it felt like it had been an hour and I couldn’t remember saying much at all.
Soon enough the second guy sat down. I had to look twice and try not to laugh. A four foot five, bald and clearly middle aged guy, with glasses from the eighties and a history professor like tweed suit sat down and stuck out a small but sweaty hand. Out of politeness I took it as he began to speak with a voice more fitting a squirrel then a grown man.
“Hi, I am Donald, nice to meet you!”
By now I had given up on the concept, I looked at the faces around the room, all still full of expectation. I wished I still had the innocent expectations some of the people here had, I had lost my naivety after Branden had broken up with me. He had cheated on me and not only that, just three months after our break-up they had announced their engagement. We had been together for six years and he never even hinted towards marriage, but apparently, while still with her, he had found the love of his life.
Lost in my thoughts I had not even noticed the next guy who had moved towards my table and had sat himself down. And somehow he had not felt the need to draw my attention.
“Are you as bored by this as I am?” The voice, that sounded somewhat familiar, woke me from my daydreams and I focused on the face in front of me. If I had meant to make a funny retort, my words left me the instant I looked at him. And to top of the wonderful impression I was making on him, I started stammering.
“I…uhm…well I wouldn’t say…he…eeerhm…Hi!”
“Wow, so boring it’s got you at a loss for words huh?” He had a slight grin on his face as he said this. Was he taunting me? He quickly glanced to the guy to the right from him, Donald. When he turned back to me his smile had grown wider.
“So this guy must make a really good chance, should I even talk to you?”
That finally broke the ice and I started laughing.
“I am sorry, after the guys that have sat down at my table so far I wasn’t expecting anything good anymore, especially not you!” Oh no! Did I really say that? Now he must think I am some weird sad girl. And just being here already added to that fact. But wait, he was here too!
“So what brings you here?” I dared to ask him. He smiled again and with his slight Southern accent said: “Figured it would be a good way to meet some new people here. Didn’t realize I was going to meet my neighbor, haha!”
I smiled and again found myself at a loss for words. Why couldn’t I just make conversation with a handsome guy? Even if this wasn’t going to be anything romantic, at least it would be nice to have a nice male friend in the building. Suddenly I heard Angela’s voice echoing through my head: “What do you have to lose?” and whether this was her speaking or my un conscious, I decided that the voice was right.
“Well, I’ll be happy to show you some nice coffee places and bars you can check out!” I gave him my warmest “I-am-not-trying-to-come-on-to-you-but-do-you-like-it?” look.
“Well that sounds like an excellent plan!” He leaned in closer and said: “In fact, why don’t we call this thing a night and go find one of those places?” I suppressed a giggle. Did he actually say that? Were they really that tacky in North Carolina? Because here something like that would never fly. And yet I could not stop myself from saying: “Good idea, I have seen enough here!”
I felt like a teenager sneaking out of school as we stood up, as casual as possible, and slowly started walking out of the room. I tried not to look at all the people looking at us, and in an attempt to do that, I looked at him. He gave me a warm smile and suddenly I knew walking out of here with him was the smartest thing I had done in months.
As we walked to the elevator I glanced at the organizers of the night and could see their surprised looks. One of them was definitely not a star in subtleness as she bent over to her college and whispered just a tad too loud: “I hate it when there’s two people who cannot even wait an hour until the night is over before they hit the sack together.” All I did was smile at her. Little did she know.
When the elevator doors closed he looked at me and said: “So, Macy, 5F....” This time his smile was seductive and slowly I leaned into the elevator wall again. This could become a very interesting night……
“Yeah, sure, you know I need to keep in shape!” I answered while still trying to maintain the same pace. It was one thing to work out alone, with some good music to keep you going, it was another to also talk at the same time. Angela gave me a pitiful look but I ignored her as I took a big gulp from my water bottle. I was going to get that firm ass and those sleek thighs, even if I had to work out two hours a day.
Angela walked out into the kitchen to get herself a drink and I tried to get back to focusing on the task that lay beforehand. Thankfully, time had flown by faster than I thought and my alarm was already going off. I slacked off my cooling down period and enthusiastically jumped off the treadmill. Not a smart idea after being on it for forty minutes. With a loud “OOMPH!”, I smacked to the ground just as Angela came walking back in. “Smooth moves Mace, is that also in preparation of your big night?”
I hated how she pronounced ‘big night’ in a condescending way. She knew what this night meant to me. It would be a chance for a new beginning. Stumbling back onto my feet I grunted: “Shut up!” in my defense. Angela just laughed and followed me to my master bedroom.
As I started stripping off my sweaty clothes I continued: “I want to look my best, you never know who I might run into!”
“Yeah girl, you might just meet your knight in shining armor, who knows.” Even though Angela’s voice got muffled a little because I continued my way into the bathroom, leaving the door half-open, I replied: “Hey, at least I am trying to do something about it!”
“Can’t deny that!” I heard her answer right before I turned on the shower. After a quick shower we took an hour and a half to get through all of my wardrobe possibilities and then ordered some take-out and spent the rest of the night on the couch.
***
“Mace, calm down, you will do fine!” Angela’s voice echoed through my apartment from the speakerphone in my bedroom. I was sitting on the floor in front of my bed, in a pair of pants and my bra, my knees pulled up, my arms leaning on my legs and my head resting in my arms. I was trying not to hyperventilate. “Angel, I can’t do this. I am not ready yet!”
“Mace, calm down, you will do fine!” Angela’s voice echoed through my apartment from the speakerphone in my bedroom. I was sitting on the floor in front of my bed, in a pair of pants and my bra, my knees pulled up, my arms leaning on my legs and my head resting in my arms. I was trying not to hyperventilate. “Angel, I can’t do this. I am not ready yet!”
“Sweety it has been nine months, it’s time to move on! He has!” She added on, mumbling: “Lord knows, he has.”
“You’re not being helpful!” I said in a scornful tone. I could hear her sigh on the other side of the line. “Ok, Mace, look at it this way, you paid forty bucks for this night. Drinks are included, at the very least you can get yourself drunker than ever for forty bucks!”
I burst out laughing. “Angel you are crazy, but you’re right.” My breathing was still uneven. “I need to lighten up a bit.”
“Time to put your outfit on, remember, you want to say sexy, but also distinguished and independent!” I crawled up from the floor and walked to my closet. I knew exactly what I would wear. I had the perfect black pants that I had bought months ago, one size too small, but thanks to my treadmill they fit now. On top I put on a blouse, with a fine crease pressed into it. The blouse was aquamarine blue, it brought out the color brown of my eyes. Leaving the top three buttons open I showed just enough cleavage to show it was there, but still be mysterious enough about it.
“Angel I need to blow-dry my hair, need to let you go, ok?”
“Are you sure you’re ready? Can I let go of your hand now?”
“Yes”, I sighed, “I am fine now, thank you! Love you, bye!”
By this time I was standing next to the machine and clicked Angela away right after these words. Time to get my hair and make-up ready, both of course had to look like I had put no effort into it at all, which result could only be achieved after at least an hour of work.
An hour later, after checking my butt in the mirror one more time, all ready and a little ahead of schedule I stepped into the elevator of my building.
“Excuse me, what floor is this?” Two bright green eyes looked straight into mine.
“Fifth.” I answered and I added a little smile to my answer. He returned the favor and at the same time stuck his hand out.
“I’m George.” His voice was a warm baritone. Besides the amazing green eyes he had light brown hair, in a neat cut, a dimple in his right cheek and an athletic posture. He was wearing a nice pair of designer jeans and a buttoned-down black shirt.
“I’m new to the building.” He added as he shook my hand after I had taken his. “In fact, I am new to the city.” I had already opened my mouth to introduce myself but he interrupted me.
“I am so sorry, I am being rude, please, speak.” His whole manor had something very gentlemanlike and I found myself very attracted to him.
“I am Macy, 5F.” I said in a way to businesslike way. Again he gave me his nice smile and I suddenly felt the need to lean into one of the elevator walls.
“So where are you from?” I asked him, hoping that I sounded casual this time.
“Other side of the country.” He answered short but amused. “I am from Charleston, North Carolina.”
“How nice to have a Southern gentleman added to our building.” My attempt to be friendly was lame, I knew, but I found myself not knowing anything better to say.
However he laughed at my remark and said: “You might want to leave the gentleman part out.” He added a little wink. Was he flirting with me? By this time the elevator bell dinged and we both had to get out on the ground floor. Southern gentleman or not, he let me step out first and then rushed past me to open the door for me.
“TAXI!” I had walked up to the curve and hailed a cab to get me downtown. No way I was going to take the subway in this outfit!
I got into my taxi and before it took off I glanced at my new handsome neighbor and wondered if my plans for tonight might be redundant. Perhaps I should look at what’s right in front of me. As the city started rushing by though, I quickly forgot about my conversation in the elevator and tried to poise myself for the night ahead of me.
After yet another hectic cab-ride (why do I still keep getting in?) I finally got there about ten minutes before it was supposed to start. I liked being early, especially when I had to go somewhere so far out of my comfort zone. It gave me a chance to score the room, make me feel more comfortable. The other advantage I found out was that I got to pick a table because I was so early.
Ten minutes later, after carefully scoping out the right table, the room started filling up very quickly with men and women my age. I looked at the women to see if there was any competition. I saw a bunch of women who must have been at least five years younger than me, it was more obvious in the way they dressed and handled themselves then by their faces. Women in their early twenties tend to dress a little more obvious. Show more cleavage and legs because in their minds more is less. When you pass twenty five you start learning that less can be more and sexy is not in the way you dress. I noticed a bunch of guys who would definitely go for these younger women, they were already eyeing them from the other side of the room. Well, I wasn’t looking for a man like that anyway. While I was still scoping out a possible date, suddenly a bell rang and a guy sat down in front of me.
I tried to smile and take my time but he started talking immediately, it was obvious that he had done this before. While he was introducing myself I had already decided that I wasn’t going to like him, since he was one of the guys scoping out the half-dressed girls earlier on. I guessed he was in his early thirties, a career man but even though he had the arrogance, he lacked a certain charisma and I guessed he wasn’t as successful as he made it sound. He had dark blond hair and a very standard I-go-to-the-gym-every-morning-posture. When the bell rang it felt like it had been an hour and I couldn’t remember saying much at all.
Soon enough the second guy sat down. I had to look twice and try not to laugh. A four foot five, bald and clearly middle aged guy, with glasses from the eighties and a history professor like tweed suit sat down and stuck out a small but sweaty hand. Out of politeness I took it as he began to speak with a voice more fitting a squirrel then a grown man.
“Hi, I am Donald, nice to meet you!”
“Macey, likewise.” I said with little to no enthusiasm. He seemed to be excited enough for the both of us. He couldn’t sit still on his chair as he was chattering away, constantly asking me the weirdest questions.
“Have you ever been married before? I have.”
“No.”
“What color are the walls in your house? Mine are all neutrals, I like neutrals, do you?”
“Sure.”
“What are your hobby’s? Do you like painting by numbers?”
“Not really..” I had no idea how to respond to this guy and couldn’t have been happier to hear the bell.
By now I had given up on the concept, I looked at the faces around the room, all still full of expectation. I wished I still had the innocent expectations some of the people here had, I had lost my naivety after Branden had broken up with me. He had cheated on me and not only that, just three months after our break-up they had announced their engagement. We had been together for six years and he never even hinted towards marriage, but apparently, while still with her, he had found the love of his life.
Lost in my thoughts I had not even noticed the next guy who had moved towards my table and had sat himself down. And somehow he had not felt the need to draw my attention.
“Are you as bored by this as I am?” The voice, that sounded somewhat familiar, woke me from my daydreams and I focused on the face in front of me. If I had meant to make a funny retort, my words left me the instant I looked at him. And to top of the wonderful impression I was making on him, I started stammering.
“I…uhm…well I wouldn’t say…he…eeerhm…Hi!”
“Wow, so boring it’s got you at a loss for words huh?” He had a slight grin on his face as he said this. Was he taunting me? He quickly glanced to the guy to the right from him, Donald. When he turned back to me his smile had grown wider.
“So this guy must make a really good chance, should I even talk to you?”
That finally broke the ice and I started laughing.
“I am sorry, after the guys that have sat down at my table so far I wasn’t expecting anything good anymore, especially not you!” Oh no! Did I really say that? Now he must think I am some weird sad girl. And just being here already added to that fact. But wait, he was here too!
“So what brings you here?” I dared to ask him. He smiled again and with his slight Southern accent said: “Figured it would be a good way to meet some new people here. Didn’t realize I was going to meet my neighbor, haha!”
I smiled and again found myself at a loss for words. Why couldn’t I just make conversation with a handsome guy? Even if this wasn’t going to be anything romantic, at least it would be nice to have a nice male friend in the building. Suddenly I heard Angela’s voice echoing through my head: “What do you have to lose?” and whether this was her speaking or my un conscious, I decided that the voice was right.
“Well, I’ll be happy to show you some nice coffee places and bars you can check out!” I gave him my warmest “I-am-not-trying-to-come-on-to-you-but-do-you-like-it?” look.
“Well that sounds like an excellent plan!” He leaned in closer and said: “In fact, why don’t we call this thing a night and go find one of those places?” I suppressed a giggle. Did he actually say that? Were they really that tacky in North Carolina? Because here something like that would never fly. And yet I could not stop myself from saying: “Good idea, I have seen enough here!”
I felt like a teenager sneaking out of school as we stood up, as casual as possible, and slowly started walking out of the room. I tried not to look at all the people looking at us, and in an attempt to do that, I looked at him. He gave me a warm smile and suddenly I knew walking out of here with him was the smartest thing I had done in months.
As we walked to the elevator I glanced at the organizers of the night and could see their surprised looks. One of them was definitely not a star in subtleness as she bent over to her college and whispered just a tad too loud: “I hate it when there’s two people who cannot even wait an hour until the night is over before they hit the sack together.” All I did was smile at her. Little did she know.
When the elevator doors closed he looked at me and said: “So, Macy, 5F....” This time his smile was seductive and slowly I leaned into the elevator wall again. This could become a very interesting night……
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