Audacious August Author!

Hey everyone!
  Now that July Writing Craze is over and I had so much fun with it, I would like to introduce a new August journey that I have decided to take on.  You can find the blog on my profile page, Audacious August Author.  Please join me on this new weekly journey.
ABC 123,
               Maddie

July Writing Craze: Day 27!!

This is crazy how close the end is!!!

The floor creaked under the weight of everyone, the anticipation in everyone’s breath blowing through the air.

            “Okay, Jane,”  Matt whispered.  “All you gotta do is plug this cord into the PA system box and we’re set to go.”  Velvet focused on Jane’s hair that poked out from her loose ponytail.  The hairs were like crazy pig curly-cues.

            “Remember, all you have to do is get her distracted,”  Yori added.

            “And the reason you left with us was because you were trying to chase us down, but lost us on the way.  You have always been on Katie’s side,”  Brody commented, giving Jane an excuse for leaving her boss.  Jane sucked in a huge breath of air, her little extra tummy trembling on the exhale.  She gripped her clipboard and pen.

            “Wait a minute,”  Yori stopped Jane.  Yori pulled Jane’s old notes on the originally blank piece of paper from her clipboard and folded them up.  “Now you can go.”  Jane grabbed the black cord, held it close to her side, and knocked on Katie’s door.

            “Come in,”  a tense voice called from the inside.  Quickly, Jane entered, sweeping the cord under the crack in the door.  She glanced quickly at the others before shutting the door.

            “You think she can do this, right?”  Yori asked, worried.

            “Of course,”  Velvet replied.  “Let’s go out and see if we can hear anything.”  Matt pushed the red robot his campers and him had been working on off to the side out of plain view.  He pressed a button and then Yori, Velvet, Brody, Matt, and all their campers trekked out of the office and down to the main field, standing close to the nearest PA speaker.  Moments went by and soon minutes.  Nervousness crept onto everyone’s waiting shoulders, prodding and poking at their minds.

            Then, a click and a crackle echoed throughout the field and all the campers and counselors halted to listen to the announcement.

            “Have you gotten the balloon arcs or what?”  that was Katie’s voice.  A shift went through the listening ears.

            “I have,”  Jane lied.  “Have you told Yori yet?”

            “I did, but like you, I lost her and the others on the run.  That brat needs to get out of here quick.  The faster, the better.  She can’t be here when the press comes.”  Velvet felt her heart and mind ease up as the truth started spewing out.

            “You’re telling me,”  a shaky Jane responded.  Jane just needed to keep her cool for a little longer.

            “All those other counselors think it’s so unfair…Yori didn’t do anything wrong…blah, blah, blah!  It doesn’t matter if Yori did something wrong or not, she’s in my way and if everything isn’t perfect for tomorrow, I’m suing someone and asking for a raise.  This review could get me one more digit in my salary.  Five zeros isn’t enough right now.”  Katie was sharing more than Velvet knew.  And Velvet liked it.  Brody tapped Velvet and pointed out to all the listening counselors and campers.  Looking, Velvet liked what she saw.  Everyone was gaping and snickering.  They gave each other questioning looks, but most of all people looked stunned and offended.

            “We should start spreading the word,”  Velvet said, nudging Yori.

            “I know—“  Yori began, but suddenly a loud voice overcame the speaker, causing a little distortion.

            “You know what, I’m finding those idiot teenagers!  You know why?  ‘Cause I’m in charge and what I say, damn well goes!”  Katie hollered.  Footsteps sounded and a slamming door was heard in the distance.

            Suddenly, Jane’s voice was heard over the PA, “Create insane havoc tomorrow when the press comes so we can get rid of Katie!  Any chaos you can think of, please do, so we can make this camp more than what it is!  Thank you!”  Hundreds of campers (those who were old enough to understand) and hundreds of counselors cheered and nodded their heads in agreement.

            “Jane was smart,”  Velvet said.  “The only part in the camp where you can’t hear the PA is in the waiting room of the office.  Jane spoke about creating havoc tomorrow right when Katie was in that prime spot.”

            “Perfect, absolutely perfect,”  Yori bragged, smiling. 

            “Havoc, any kind!  Get Katie gone!  We need more fun and fairness!”  Matt started yelling to all the counselors.  “Anything you can think of!”  Velvet noticed Yori smiling a little at Matt’s helpfulness.

            “Havoc!  Havoc!”  the counselors started cheering. 

            “Hey, look at that!  We did it, we got the word out,”  Brody stated, elbowing Velvet.  Out of nowhere, Brody pulled Velvet into a warm hug.  Velvet cherished every nanosecond of the loving embrace.  If they were boyfriend and girlfriend, she guessed that was what they would do and Velvet had no problem with that.

            “Enough, you lovebirds!”  Yori teased.  Pulling out of the hug, Velvet and Brody giggled nervously, turning a bit red.  Yori poked Velvet and smiled.  “Congrats,”  Yori whispered.  Velvet could have cried.  She even felt that bulbous lump forming in her throat.  Yori had said something nice to Velvet with a true sincerity to it.  What was going on in the world that had changed Velvet’s life so quickly?

            “Okay, I see Katie coming.  I’ll go find Martin’s number and call him up,”  Brody announced.

            “I’ll take the kids to the dock,”  Matt said.

            “I’ll stay here,”  Velvet offered.

            “Me too,”  Yori added.

            “Okay, good luck with Katie!”  Brody called and made a bee line for the main office, avoiding Katie very nearly.  However, Katie found and confronted Yori and Velvet very easily and angrily.  Only Yori and Velvet noticed the snickering and glaring counselors as they passed by the double-chinned and up tight Katie.

            “Yori!  Out. Of.  My.  Camp.  Velvet, you’ve been one of my favorite counselors all these years, but I can’t let anyone get in the way of this good review.  If there’s a good review, there’s a good chance I get a sixth zero added to my salary and you aren’t going to ruin it,”  Katie hissed.  Velvet, even knowing that the plan might get Katie out before she could actually be suspended, still felt her heart drop a mile.  Camp Sing-Song was Velvet’s summer life.  It was such a surprise hearing those words directed at her.

            “But Katie—“

            “Velvet, give up.  Let’s just go pack.  You win, Katie.  You win,”  Yori gave in, her face slacking and drooping.  Katie’s lips pursed and drew into an annoyingly smug smile.

            “Thank you.  Have a good rest of the year,”  Katie chirped, almost mocking them.

            “But Yori—“  Velvet protested, gaping at Yori.

            “C’mon, let’s go,”  Yori said and led Velvet away from the taunting Katie, up the pavement to cabin 2A.

            “Nice job, Yori!”  Velvet praised, once they were both in their cabin. 

            “Not too bad yourself,”  Yori replied, smiling.  They were standing opposite each other and smiling for a moment, which finally led to their first embrace.  It was just as warm as Brody’s.  Velvet felt her heart swell and her smile widen.

            “We need to make sure Katie doesn’t get a chance to send the paperwork to Martin about our suspension because then our plans will totally fall through.  Let’s get on that,”  Yori said after they had departed from their hug.

            “Definitely.  But before we do…can we talk?”  Velvet asked, sitting down on one of the bunk beds.

            “About…?”

            “A lot…but mostly your dad.”

Thanks for reading!!  Sorry it's so late!

And remember guys:  Font and type size has nothing to do with your plot or characters.  I use to get really caught up in what font I would use for my next story.  If you're doing that, you might need to rethink your plot because obviously you are stalling to get started.  Try a new approach to your idea maybe!

ABC 123,

                Maddie

July Writing Craze: Day 22!!!

Is July almost over??  Wow!!

“Have you been in this boat all morning then?”  Brody asked.           

            “Yeah…I haven’t moved.  I didn’t even see Katie today,”  Yori replied.

            “Well, Katie might not have been the one who saw you…Katie said you were seen in the woods, so someone might have reported you,”  Velvet explained.

            “Well, that blind bat got the person in the woods wrong!  I can’t believe Katie is going to suspend me based on someone else’s awful distinguishing skills,”  Yori ranted.  Velvet was glad Yori wanted to stay.

            “Well, if you weren’t in the woods, we’ll just tell Katie and it’ll all be cleared up.  Katie is nice, she’ll—“

            “’Nice?’”  Yori scoffed.  “Katie is stubborn and rude.  She barely let me into this dumb camp.  She was so grudging to it that I thought I would have to break my way into the silly wooden gates of this camp,”  Yori remarked, her nose flaring with frustration.

            “Then, me and Velvet will talk to her.  Since we’ve known her longer, she might be more open to hearing what we have to say.  You’ll talk to Katie with me, won’t you?”  Brody offered, looking over at Velvet.

            “Of course…why don’t we go now before Katie starts to look for you,”  Velvet suggested and Brody and Velvet hopped out of the boat.  Yori’s head poked out.

            “Where are your campers?”  she asked, looking from side to side.

            “Looking for you,”  Velvet said.  “They’ve already checked our cabin…so why don’t you go change into…high heels and make sure you put in all your piercings…”  Velvet tried to be inconspicuous with no fortune.

            “You put me as a treasure hunt?”  Yori asked flatly.

            “Gotta go!”  Brody exclaimed and ran off with Velvet at his heels.  When they had reached the main field again, they slowed down, and thought about where Katie would be.

            “Probably her office, right?”  Velvet said, veering toward the office building.  Right outside the office building, Brody stopped Velvet from entering.

            “What are we going to tell her about our campers?  I don’t think she’ll like that we let them on the loose without supervision,”  Brody said.  Velvet began to think and blink her eyes, hoping an idea would come to her and quick.  Katie’s office door opened and Velvet checked her watch.  She had about forty minutes before the news would be broken into a million pieces.  Katie walked out of her office and over to the secretary on the other side of waiting room.

            “Yori’s watching them.  Yori was in cabin 2A the whole time, sad about her…”

            “Dad,”  Brody filled in.

            “Yes, her dad…getting over it, she came out, we told her about her suspension, and then she told us she wasn’t in the woods.  We then decided to lawyer for her,”  Velvet rapidly went through the “procession of events.”  Nodding his head, Brody opened the door and the two walked inside.

            “Hi Katie,”  Velvet said, forcing a smile on her lips.

            “Well, hi Brody.  Velvet…where are your campers?”  Katie asked, forgetting about Mrs. Jane Webster who frowned at the two counselors for interrupting their conversation.

            “Yori is watching them,”  Velvet swiftly said.  Katie rolled her eyes.

            “Great, great supervision.  You better get out there before her heels get stuck in the grass,”  Katie ridiculed, leading the two counselors to her office.

            “Katie!”  Jane Webster called, right before the three walked in.  “Are we still ordering 1500 balloons for tomorrow or is it twenty balloon arcs?”

            “Later Jane.  We’ll talk about this later,”  Katie said and slammed the door behind her.  Taking a seat on the more welcoming chairs than the boat, Velvet and Brody were ready to launch into their stories.

            “What is it you want to talk to me about?”  Katie inquired, sitting at her desk.  She took out a pencil and sharpened it, the whirring too loud for anyone to talk over.  Velvet and Brody waited until she was finished.

            When her pencil was sharp, Velvet spoke up.  “Yori was never in the woods, she told us herself.  In fact, she was in cabin 2A the whole morning.  Whoever reported to you, must have seen wrong.”

            “I’ll have you know, the person who reported to me is very reliable.  More reliable than Yori…I trust my reporter more than I will ever trust Yori,”  Katie stated, ripping a piece of blank yellow paper from a notepad resting on her desk.

            “But, you’re mistaken,”  Brody remarked.  “Yori was in cabin 2A the whole morning and she came down to play Capture the Flag with us from cabin 2A.  I saw her come out of the cabin and down the pavement.  She wasn’t in the woods.”  Brody looked intently at Katie who just pursed her lips and leaned back in her rolling, cushy chair.

            “I was told Yori was in the woods, in a pink towel.  That is pretty specific, don’t you think?  Who would make up those details?”  Katie asked.  Velvet noticed Katie’s second chin was smushed against her orange, shedding sweater.

            “True, but you said yourself that Yori is very…proper and pristine,”  Velvet added.  “She would never go in the woods.”  Katie lifted her head and raised one eyebrow.  Silent for a moment, Velvet could tell Katie was thinking.

            “It doesn’t matter, either way, if she was in the woods or if she wasn’t.”  Katie’s pencil dropped from the inner space between her squishy fingers.  Velvet side-glanced at Brody who kept his stare forward.

            “Yori will be suspended anyway,”  Katie stated and stood up.  “I suggest you go back to your campers.”

            “She’s going to be suspended anyway?”  Velvet cried out, standing up.  Brody stood up, outraged, too.

            “That isn’t fair!  Yori wasn’t found in the woods,”  Brody exclaimed.

            “The only way you can be suspended from Camp Sing-Song is if you are found in the woods, taking part in illegal activity, or…”  Velvet started, thinking over the counselor manual.

            “If you abuse a camper.  And Yori did none of these things…she didn’t hit a kid, did she?”  Brody said, thinking twice over what he said.  Velvet could see Katie’s head shake a little in what seemed to be annoyance.  Her double chin looked strained and her face started draining red.

            “Listen.  I am the head counselor, therefore I call the shots.  Yori is being suspended and that is not any of your business in any way, got it?”  Katie snapped, glaring at Velvet and Brody.  Velvet and Brody looked at each other, but didn’t budge.

            “It isn’t fair.”  Velvet crossed her arms.

            “Why is she being suspended if she didn’t do anything wrong?”  Brody persisted.  Katie looked ready to explode.

            “Yori has been a pain and a brat from the very beginning.  The critics and magazines are coming in tomorrow afternoon and I don’t need Yori here, messing it up.  I’ve planned to have her suspended from the minute I knew she was trouble,”  Katie spilled, not looking guilty whatsoever.

            “You knew you were going to suspend her?  You can’t do that…”  Brody said, astonished.  What was Katie doing?

            “Of course I can do that!  I can do whatever I want!  I don’t care if Yori’s mom gives us supplies, I don’t want to get a bad review when the press comes.  I’ll get rid of anything that could mess this opportunity up,”  Katie spat. 

            “Isn’t Camp Sing-Song supposed to accept everyone and train them and help them along the way?  Everyone has fun, no one gets shunned, right?”  Velvet pressed, taken aback by the whole thing.

            “Oh, please!  Give it a rest.  Camp Sing-Song is just like every other camp all over the world…the only difference for this camp is that the stupid parents think it’s so great they’ll empty their wallets to me.  Please!”  Katie ranted.  Velvet and Brody stared at Katie, jaws dropped, totally blown away by the disgustingly fake façade Katie had been playing for years.  What had happened?  Where had they gone wrong?  Or more importantly, where did Katie go wrong?

All done for today!  Pretty early out, right?  :)  Thanks for reading!

And remember guys:  Editing can be done later.  Write, write, write.  And fix your punctuation later.

July Writing Craze: Day 14!!

Hi everyone!  Before we get started, I would like to devote this writing day to J.K Rowling!  It is the midnight premier for the last Harry Potter movie ever!!! J.K Rowling is such an inspiring and beautiful writer and I hope someday to be just like her!! Check out the sidelines for a link to her new Harry Potter website, pottermore.com!
Happy reading!

Leading the campers to dinner, Velvet could hardly wait until she saw Yori and Brody.  Velvet didn’t see the couple until all the troopers had gotten their food, picked a spot to sit, and had started in on their food.  Velvet was too anticipatory to eat.

            “It’s unhealthy not to eat,”  Sapphire told Velvet, stabbing a piece of grated corn with her plastic fork.

            “I will, I just need to talk to Yori and Brody.  If you see them, tell me, okay?”  Velvet said, scanning the big field full of hyped up kids and tired counselors.  She didn’t see either one anywhere and Velvet was starting to get worried.  She smoothed down her Camp Sing-Song counselor uniform, straightening out the cuffs on her cargo shorts.  If only the uniforms were a little more flattering for the situation she was about to confront.

            “Hi Velvet,”  a voice from behind her said.  Velvet twirled around, coming face to face with Brody.  Stepping back, Velvet waved and smiled.

            “Are you feeling better?  You seemed a little mad after Water Sports,”  Brody commented. 

            “I’m fine, thanks.  Where’s Yori?”  Velvet asked, looking around for any trace of the rat.  The one time Velvet wanted Yori to be there (really, the only time), she wasn’t.  Just Velvet’s luck.

            “Oh, she’s changing into her uniform.  She’ll be down soon,”  Brody replied, sitting down on the ground next to his boy campers and Velvet’s girl campers.  Velvet immediately plopped down next to him, crossing her legs, and then extending them, and then crossing them, undecided on what looked cuter.

            “Everything okay with your legs?”  Brody asked, peering at her manic limbs.  Velvet finally crossed her legs and nodded her head, hoping the cold wind would cool her hot, embarrassed cheeks.  As Brody talked with a few of his campers about Pokémon, Velvet thought about how she could introduce the boyfriend topic when Yori came down from changing into her—uniform!  Yori would be in a Camp Sing-Song uniform?!  Baggy, cargo shorts and an awkward blue polo?  Velvet almost laughed out loud, but Brody said something before she had the chance to.

            “There’s Yori,”  was what Brody said, pointing to the pavement winding down from the cabins to the main field.  Yori was more than halfway down, strutting as usual.  Velvet dropped her jaw when she saw Yori.  Her camp uniform looked…good.

            Yori had ripped the collar from the polo and cut the scoop neck into a V-neck; her cargo shorts were missing a couple of the side pockets and looked like they were clothes-pinned in to look like skinny jean-style shorts.  And lastly, Yori had flipped her Camp Sing-Song cap backwards, allowing her flowing hair to spill over her shoulders quite nicely.  Even though most of the clothes were messily cut and ripped, they gave off a…gringe look?  A fringe look?  A grungy look?  Either way, Velvet glowed with envy, especially when Brody went up to meet Yori and give her a hug.  Mostly, Velvet steamed because during Yori’s hug, over Brody’s shoulder, Yori smirked at Velvet.

            Matt and his campers ended up joining them for dinner and they all had a nice time talking and laughing.  Except Velvet was plotting her plan very carefully.  When there was a break in the conversation, Velvet seized her ultimate chance.

            “Yori, did you open your mail yet?  What, do you have a letter from your…boyfriend or something?”  Velvet “teased.”  Everyone chuckled except Yori.  She stared at Velvet for a moment later than is normally socially acceptable and then let out a little giggle.

            “Boyfriend?  I don’t have a boyfriend,”  Yori said, nervously flipping her hair over her shoulder.

            “Really?  Have you ever had a boyfriend?”  Velvet asked, “out of curiosity.”

            “Well, yes, but that is kind of an awkward topic, don’t you think?”  Yori remarked, side-glancing at Brody who was trying to engage his campers in spoon-flicking food.  Velvet wanted Brody to hear this!

            “Oh, well you’ve never had a boyfriend, ever?!”  Velvet tried to raise her voice without seeming obvious.  Brody and Matt looked at Velvet before quickly diverting their stares, seeming to feel strange.  Yori grabbed Velvet’s elbow and turned her body away from the guys, forcing Velvet to twist away, too.

            “What is your problem?!”  Yori hissed, glaring at Velvet.

            “I know you have a boyfriend, Yori!  I opened your mail and I saw a letter from Steven!”  Velvet hissed back, her anger growth level going off the charts with just a look at Yori.

            “How dare you!”  Yori snapped, tightening her long-nailed grip on Velvet’s elbow.

            “Of course, I dare!”  Velvet snarled back.

            “Who do you think you are?!”  Yori growled, her grip only tightening as the conversation went on, but Velvet wasn’t going to end the discussion because of a little cut elbow skin.

            “You deserve it, Yori!  You took Brody from me when you knew I liked him!  All because you can’t have any competition!  Isn’t that right?”  Velvet brusquely remarked.

            “Wrong, actually.  I got him.  All because he liked me.  Brody likes me, Velvet.  Not you!”  Yori lashed, finally yanking her grip from Velvet’s trembling arm.  Velvet felt her face grow hot, not with embarrassment, but with anger.

            “Fine.”  Velvet tried to level out her shaking voice.  “Steven broke up with you.”  Velvet twisted back around and smiled a forced and slightly tense smile at the two guys who were obviously listening in.  Yori slowly turned back around, too and giggled a little.

            “Is everything okay?”  Matt asked, his eyes darting back and forth like a chicken trying to cross the road.

            “Peachy,”  Velvet replied, this time having her chance to smirk at Yori.

            “Are you sure?  Was there something about a boyfriend?  Sorry, I couldn’t help but hear,”  Brody commented, staring at Yori.  Velvet had finally gotten somewhere!

            “Boyfriend?”  Yori asked.  “Oh no!  Velvet thought I had a boyfriend back home, but I was just telling her that we had already broke up a long time ago.  Actually, I think I accidentally brought the letter.  How funny!  I think it got stuffed down in my purse from a while ago,”  Yori responded, her voice smooth and her eyes calm.  Lies!

            “You’re strong,”  Brody said admiringly to Yori, but Yori barely acknowledged the compliment.  In fact, Yori looked almost annoyed.

All right guys!  I'm off to the midnight premiere!  Good night :)

And remember guys: J.K Rowling rocks!!!

July Writing Craze: Day 13!!

Almost at the halfway mark guys!
Also, sorry if the sidelines are hard to read with the new background, I'm still trying to find new background designs that'll work.  Thanks for being patient! :)
Happy reading!

After Yori and Brody went to the main office and got Brody’s uniform, they went to sit by the lake on the rocks.  It didn’t sound super appealing to Yori to sit on old, pointy rocks, but when Brody suggested the idea, his eyes were so full of shimmer and romance, Yori couldn’t say no.  Trying to find a comfortable position on a particularly bumpy rock, Yori thought about how leprechaun-lucky she had gotten in one day.  Who knew running around with a few blockheads and lying about holding Velvet’s greasy hair could get her so far?

            “You know, Yori.  To be honest, I didn’t think too much of you when I first saw you,”  Brody admitted, slinging his brawny arms around her thin shoulders.

            “I didn’t think so, especially when you said you wanted to impress Velvet,”  Yori teased.

            “Yeah…”  Brody trailed off.  “Velvet has been a really nice friend.  I used to think I  could maybe see myself with her, but she never seemed interested.  And then I realized how genuine you are,”  Brody continued.  “When you said you helped Velvet when she wasn’t feeling well, it really hit me.  You, of all people, the one who likes to stay pristine, was willing to get a little messy to help one of my best friends.”

            Yori smiled weakly.  Was that all Brody saw in her?  Her kindness…which was actually a fib?  He didn’t see her charm, her stunning beauty, her put-together and well-maintained physique?  Did Brody have to be that deep?  Was that what Yori wanted in a boyfriend?  Someone who saw her for her personality?!

Chapter Six:  Velvet

Read Between the Lies

            “Shower up, guys!”  Velvet called out as the four campers rushed into cabin 2A, darting towards their beds and unpacked belongings.  Everything was so out of focus for Velvet right then.  It was like she was washing and scrubbing at a camera lens that’s purpose was not to be clean.  Velvet had never felt such a level of anger before toward anyone.  Yori had really gone far that time and Velvet didn’t know how to pass her up.  Brody was already taken anyway.  Did it matter?  Could she—

            “Are you coming to shower, Velvet?”  Kristina asked, tapping her lightly on the arm.  Velvet looked down and smiled at the shy little girl.

            “In a minute,”  Velvet replied, wanting some time to think things over in the quiet.

            “Okay.  Oh!  Velvet?  Do you know where we pick up our mail?”  Kristina asked, edging towards the door where the other three were waiting.  Mail?  Velvet felt the reels and chains in her brain chugging to life, steam wisping from the inner workings of her emotional brain. 

            “Soon!  Go shower,”  Velvet responded quickly, pushing the four girls out of the cabin and to the shower room.  Hurrying back to cabin 2A, Velvet’s brain started working overtime.  Back in the cabin, Velvet tore up Yori’s side of the room—her half of the drawers, her luggage, her shoe row, and her bed.  Velvet slid her hand underneath Yori’s pillow, hoping her fingers would at least glaze over Yori’s manila envelope of mail.  Velvet checked underneath the blankets and sheets, and finally, desperate as a housewife, Velvet lifted up Yori’s mattress.  On the wrought-iron base bed, laid a mildly colored orange manila envelope with YORI, CABIN 2A scribbled on the front with a black marker.

            Velvet grabbed the envelope, let the mattress fall back down with a bang, and ripped open the manila envelope, two letters falling out.  Velvet knew there had to be something she could find out from Yori’s mail that would be of benefit to Velvet.

            Velvet picked up the two letters.  Without looking on whom they were from, Velvet sliced open each letter.  The first one, on a nice piece of stationary, was from Yori’s mom, and the second one was on a coffee-stained, hamburger greased lined piece of paper, from someone named Steven Banks.  Yori’s mom’s note was brief. 

            Dear Yori,

                  I know you did not want a long explanation if any of the rumors were true, so all I can say is, I’m sorry, but there is no record.  They think it might have happened in Ghazni where not a trace was found of anything.  I’ll be coming home soon.  Hold you head high, princess.

         I love you forever, Mom 

            Velvet read over the letter several times, her curiosity overtaking her body.  She hadn’t expected something so serious (or so it seemed).  She had expected a nice post card from Europe with little candies and smiley faces next to fun parts of the mom’s trip.  Velvet carefully replaced the card and put the letter back in the envelope.  She unfolded the next one from Steven Banks, sat on her bed, and allowed her mind to go sober.

            Yori,

            I hope I got your camp address right.  If this is going to someone other than Yori at Camp Singing, STOP READING.  Thanks.  Anyway, if you are Yori, I’m sorry to hear about everything going on at home.  But, either way, I don’t think we can stay together.  I can’t have girl drama in my life, to be frank and stuff.  It’s been a nice run.  Thanks.    Later,

            Steve

Yori had a boyfriend?!  Adrenaline shot through Velvet’s stunned body.  Standing up, Velvet started to pace and ponder.

            First, Steve and Yori seemed perfect for each other.  Both totally unconcerned of other’s feelings and quite blunt with what they said.  Based on the mom’s letter, Velvet judged that the situation wasn’t all that great at Yori’s home, so seeing the breakup letter form Steve and how he couldn’t have “girl drama” in his life, really seemed like it was coming from someone that Yori would pick.

            Second, this was great war mileage for Velvet against Yori.  Telling Brody that Yori was already involved with some other guy, Velvet knew would turn Brody off.  After all, Velvet knew Brody better than most anyone.  Velvet didn’t need to mention that the Steve guy had just broken it off with Yori, the point was, was that Yori was with Brody at the same time Yori had another boyfriend.

            Velvet resealed the letter, replaced the manila envelope as precisely as she could, and grabbed her things to go shower.  Despite the saddening letters, Velvet felt on top of the world.

Thanks for reading!  Hope you enjoyed it!

And remember guys:  Writing by hand is a completely different experience than writing on a computer.  Try it out!

ABC 123,

                Maddie

July Writing Craze: Day 12!!

Hey guys!  Ready for another 1000 words?  Well, here they are!! :)

“Cannonball!”  Tegan yelled, bombing into the lake.  Velvet hooked up the boat and checked for all the wakeboards, skis, and lifejackets as Yori had the lovely task of lifeguarding the campers.  The Water Sports course would last two hours, leaving one hour before lunch for everyone to shower up.

            Thrown back from Velvet’s putdown, Yori fidgeted with her white, ruffled bikini bottom and straightened the white bikini top.  Yori hadn’t had time to open her manila envelope of mail, but she was dying to hear from her mom.  Her mom would have news on her dad and maybe after Yori read the letter, she could relax.  Or, once she read the letter, she could break down.  It was a pretty 50-50 chance.

            “Are you watching them?”  Velvet snapped, lifting a plastic lid.  “Tell them we’re ready.”

            “Okay guys!”  Yori yelled, clapping her hands.  “Guys!  Guys!  GUYS!”  The four girls gave in to treading water to listen to what Yori had to say.

            “Boat’s ready!  Hop in,”  Yori said and the four girls scampered out of the water to get into the boat first.  Yori got in last, giving one last check around the dock for Brody.  Right before Velvet zoomed away, Yori found Brody and his boys at the far end of the dock by the main office.  They were just getting in their boat, too.  The name of Brody’s boat was Melody.  Keeping that name in the back of her mind—front of her mind—Yori made sure to look involved and helpful.

            As the two hours went by, Velvet drove the boat as Yori helped the girls into their equipment.  Velvet would also give them pointers as Yori nodded her head in agreement as she kept an eye out for Brody.  In the last twenty minutes of the class, they decided to take one last trip around the lake, just cruising in the boat.

            “We’re almost out of gas, but I think we can make it,”  Velvet commented and turned the engine on, the revving sounds startling Yori.  Velvet laughed at Yori and put the gas full on.  Yori screamed at the first jolt forward, feeling like she had left her insides ten yards back where they had just been.  The ride was nice for Yori.  The whipping wind and bumpy waves kept Yori’s mind off her dad…instead she tried to focus on not throwing up.  She couldn’t “copy” Velvet.  Bump, bump… Yori thought, trying to smile, but the wind pressing down her cheekbones.  Bump, bump…put-put….pssshhh….

            “What the…?”  Yori mumbled to herself, snapping out of her reverie, her body calming down from the rapid speed.

            “We’re out of gas,”  Velvet stated, looking at the monitor.

            “How far out are we?”  Yori asked, shielding her eyes form the sun with her hand.

            “Pretty far, get that orange flag and wave another boat down,”  Velvet ordered, pointing the flag on the seat beside her.  Yori grabbed it and scanned the empty lake for Melody, hoping Brody would come to help.

            “Okay, girls.  We’re out of gas, but it’s okay.  Someone will come and help us very…”  Yori heard Velvet say sweetly to the supposedly-worried girls.  Yori knew they would be just fine.  They had their cotton towels, their Camp Sing-Song water bottles, and their visors that pretty much covered their whole face.  Waving the flag vigourously, Yori started getting warm.  She had put on sunscreen, but she would not allow an uneven tan.

            “Is there any kind of covering around here?”  Yori barked at Velvet, letting her arm droop a little.  Velvet snatched the flag from Yori, held it up high, and shook her head rudely at Yori.

            “All you had to say was ‘no’,”  Yori growled and sat down on the warm, ripping cushion, shading her face from the sun.

            “There’s a boat!  There’s a boat!”  Mallory yelled out, pointing.  Sure enough, a blue and gray boat was coming right toward theirs, putting along slowly.

            “Out of gas?”  someone called.  Still shielding her face, Yori couldn’t see or recognize by the voice who it was.

            “Oh, Brody!  Thank god you came!”  Velvet called out, shoving the flag to Yori who let it drop to the floor.

            “Here, I’ll hook you up to my boat,”  Brody said and anchored the boat to his easily and quickly.  “I’m surprised you came out on the water today since you…were sick last night,”  Brody whispered to Velvet, but Yori could hear perfectly fine.  The campers were too busy jumping from boat to boat with the other little boy campers to hear.  Yori snickered as Velvet’s face turned to confused and embarrassed emotions.  Before Velvet could reply, Brody hollered out, “Pick a boat!  We’re going in!”  Velvet stayed back in the original boat, stunned and bewildered (or so she looked) by Brody’s comment.  Yori jumped in his boat just as he was driving off, prohibiting Velvet to jump in, too.

            “Do you like driving a boat?!”  Yori yelled, her voice trying to break through the wind.  Brody shook his head and shrugged.  “No?  Would you teach me then?”  Brody smiled and made some room on his seat for her.  Yori looked back at Velvet right before she sat down and smirked.  Velvet could have had smoke burning from her ears.  The drive back in was too short, Yori could have driven for the whole day, right next to Brody, his arms guiding hers. 

            When both boats were hooked up and everyone was on the dock, Yori gave Brody a peck on the cheek to thank him.  His skin was silky soft and even his cheekbones were muscular.

            “Sure thing.  Say, do you wanna come with me to get my camp uniform.  I forgot to get it and I need it by this evening,”  Brody offered, smiling at Yori. 

            “Sure,”  Yori answered.  “Velvet!”  Yori called, but Velvet was right there, her cheeks rosy, her eyes twitching, and her eyebrows narrowed.  She had seen and heard the whole thing.  Thank god!

            “Will you take the kids up, I’m gonna spend some time with Brody,”  Yori used her best taunting voice.  “Plus, I don’t want you to get sick again.”  Brody gave Velvet a sympathetic look, wrapped his arm around Yori’s shoulder, and the two strode off.

Thanks for reading!

And remember guys:  Bad experiences are great for writing! :)