July Writing Craze: Day 29!!

Hey everyone!! Day 29, here we go!

Chapter Twelve:  Velvet

Expert’s Luck

            “Have you seen my white sweater?”  Yori asked, digging through her drawers, flinging a piece of clothing here and there.

            “No, I didn’t take that one.  Actually, I’ve never seen it.  Check under the bed,”  Velvet responded, lacing up her hardcore tennis shoes.

            “Katie thinks we’ve given in, Brody’s making the call to Martin, and everyone in the camp knows about mission HD,”  Yori said, crouching to the floor to hunt down her white sweater.

            “HD?”

            “Havoc Day!”  Yori said, pulling out her suitcase to check for her white sweater in there.

            “I hope Martin agrees to come,”  Velvet commented, straightening her white socks.

            “Me too, it would be really great if he could.  But…if he can’t, there’s always Plan B,”  Yori mentioned, stringing out her white sweater from her suitcase.

            “Which is?”

            “Let the press pick up the out of control mayhem and let it travel, grapevine style, to Martin.  If Martin hears about it through a mess of opposing and rivalry camp chains, he’ll be so madly embarrassed, he’ll have no insane reason not to fire Katie,”  Yori explained, shrugging into the attire.

            “That’s genius,”  Velvet said, impressed.

            “Thank you.  And look, I found my sweater.”

            “I see that.  Left it in your suitcase?  Why do you need it anyway?”

            “It’s my going away sweater.  Whenever I leave someplace I like, I wear it,”  Yori said.

            “You like Camp Sing-Song?”

            “You’re here, aren’t you?”

            “Wait, but if you wear it, don’t you think it’ll be bad luck?  I mean, then the world might think you’re actually going away and the plan will fall through,”  Velvet mused aloud, praying to the superstitious gods her jinxing thoughts wouldn’t pursue.

            “You’re getting anxious, Velvet.  Obviously, you’ve never been the trouble-maker anywhere before,”  Yori responded.

            “Never in my life.”

            “Welcome… you’ll have fun,”  Yori replied, smiling.  Velvet rolled her eyes and hope that Yori was right.

            “Have we been up here long enough to make Katie think we’re packed?”

            “I guess so…we should intercept her mail to Martin anyway,”  Yori said, looking around the room to see if she forgot anything.  Her long eyelashes swept across the room like an eagle’s graceful wings.

            “Lucky girl with the long eyelashes,”  Velvet said, crossing her arms across her chest in mock despise.

            “These brittle things?  Please!  At least you have thin eyebrows, mine could not get bushier,”  Yori complained, turning around to compliment Velvet.

            “Never thought about my eyebrows…I’m gonna run to the bathroom before we head out, okay?”

            “Sure,”  Yori said, kicking her suitcase back underneath her bed.  Velvet headed towards the green curtain, waggling her toes in her slightly tight shoes, looking down to see if her toes had enough room.  As he eyes reached her feet, Velvet noticed something out of the corner of her eye.  A half sheet of shredded-edged paper peered at Velvet in the corner of the room.  Velvet bent down, picked it up, and deciphered what it said. 

Yori,

                        I hope I got your camp address right.

Yori at Camp Singing, STOP READING.  Thanks.  Any,

 about everything going on at home.  But, either wa

 can’t have girl drama in my life, to be frank and st

            Later,

                        Steve

“Hey, sorry about your boyfriend,”  Velvet said, shaking the paper in her hand to explain to Yori.  Yori looked over at Velvet, at the paper, and then back to Velvet.

            “Forget about it.  Like you said, I don’t need scummy dirt like him in my life,”  Yori said, a twinkling in her wink.

            “I don’t think I said it exactly like that…”  Velvet said, tapping her chin and throwing the paper to the ground once more.  “Oh, Yori?”

            “Yeah?”

            “Was your mom really in Europe?” 

            “Europe? …Oh…no, she’s been at home.  I never called her actually, I was just making a spectacle, I guess.  I needed some space and I needed a reason.  I’m not here for my college apps either.”

            “No?”

            “Nope.  I’m here because my mom wanted me to get away for the summer since we hadn’t heard from my dad for a while.  Since we were getting worried, my mom made me go and do something to keep my mind off of it.”

            “I see…”

            “Plus, I’ve already gotten into UCSD,”  Yori bragged, smiling proudly.

            “No way!  I’m heading there myself!”  Velvet remarked.

            “Are you serious?  What are you majoring in?”

            “Elementary education, you?”

            “Fashion and Design,”  Yori replied.

            “Amazing!  What a freaky, but good, coincidence.  Hey, I’m gonna run to the bathroom and then we can meet up with the others and plan the next move,”  Velvet commented.

Heading down the pavement, Velvet couldn’t help but wonder if Yori would Matt a chance.  Matt had obviously been trying to get Yori’s attention for the past week, with no avail, and now that Yori was renewing herself, maybe Matt could be in Yori’s line of vision.  The only way to find out was to ask.

            “Yori, do you like Matt?”

            “Matt?!”  Yori exclaimed, looking up from her black flats to Velvet.

            “Why not?  He’s nice and smart and fun.  You should give him a chance,”  Velvet said, aiming to persuade Yori.

            “Hey, I never said no.”  Velvet let out an excited yelp.  That was a yes!  It had to be a yes!!  They would be the cutest couple, flirty and princess-y matched with clever and astute. 

            “You two would be sooo cute together!”  Velvet couldn’t help but blurt out, covering her mouth, trying to smother her exhilarated emotions.

            “Just don’t say anything, okay?  I don’t want him to think I’m the dumb, prissy girls,”  Yori pressed, looking firmly at Velvet, but a tint of a smile on her lips.

            “Of course not.  Of course not.  Of course…maybe I’ll just hint!”  Velvet said and bolted.  She sped down the pavement, attempting to see what was going on around her as she whizzed past people and games.  Velvet could hear Yori only footsteps behind her.  Where was Matt?  Where was Matt?!

            “Velvet!  Yori!”  Brody called out before Velvet could find Matt.  Velvet hurried to a stop and waved to Brody.  Yori screeched to a halt, close behind Velvet.

            “Did you get hold of Martin?”  Yori asked, her eyes eager.

            “Yes, I told him it was a counselor decision that we wanted him there.  And I reminded him that the press would be there, hoping to speak to a person in charge!  He said he’d be able to fly in at noon.  He’ll come right when the press will be arriving,”  Brody answered.

            “All right!!”  Yori cried out.

            “We’ll have to get the havoc rolling quick, then, because Katie will be making sure me and you, Yori, will be goners before then.  We’re gonna have to be on the run around noon,”  Velvet said worriedly.  It would be a close shave, if it didn’t turn into a shave at all.  Velvet looked at Yori and noticed a flicker of flinch in her expression.

            “You’re right…we won’t be able to organize the havoc then,”  Yori commented, disappointed.

            “Me and Matt will get it going then,”  Brody offered.

            “You might need to…I hope there’ll be time for me and you, Velvet, to create mayhem, too, though…”  Yori thought out loud, obviously concerned.  Yori must be really invested in her trouble making by the looks of it.

            “We’ll make time…if you excuse me, I need to talk to Matt!”  Velvet broke out and made a mad dash for it.  She heard a fake-frustrated outcry, but no footsteps.  After a few yards, Velvet stopped and turned around.  Back at the original spot, Yori and Brody were there, talking.  Brody was nodding his head while Yori talked and then Yori looked intent on listening while Brody spoke.  Lastly, Yori and Brody hugged and smiled a friendly smile at each other.  Velvet hurried back to the two, hoping the two didn’t mean a couple.

            “Don’t worry, Velvet.  We were just resolving things,”  Yori said when Velvet reached them.

            “Okay…”  Velvet replied, skeptically for a laugh.  Pointing at a piece of paper Brody held in his hand, Velvet asked, “What’s that?”

            “This?”  Brody asked, holding up a sealed envelope.  “Katie’s mail.  When she caught me in her office right when I hung up, I told her I was looking for something for Jane.  She believed me and I guess thought I was talking about this mail.  It’s addressed to…oh!  Martin King, how funny.”

            “Martin?”  Yori asked, snatching the envelope from Brody.  She started ripping it open and peeling the papers from inside.

            “Don’t open it,”  Velvet protested, concern edging at her shoulders where her emotions rested.

            “These are our suspension papers, Velvet.  Katie must have just filled them out already!  Brody, thanks a bunch for taking this.  I’m gonna go hide it in our room,”  Yori exclaimed and without another word, hurried to cabin 2A.

            “That was pretty lucky, I guess,”  Brody commented as him and Velvet walked to the dock where Velvet remembered Matt saying he would be.

            “You know what else is lucky?  Yori likes Matt,”  Velvet gossiped, excitement barely able to contain itself.  A brief moment of surprise passed before they both took off running to tell Matt.  To tell Matt his summer camp dream had come true.

All right! Thanks for reading today!

And remember guys:  Your comfort zone, when writing, doesn't always have to be maintained.  Step outside of it.  Meaning, try a genre you never thought you would do before, write in old English, do some research on the time you are writing in, develop a character that is a little deeper than would first seem.  Just give it a try, no pressure or deadline!

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 18!!

Can you believe we only have 11 days left? :)

Chapter Eight:  Velvet

Hero Tolerance

Velvet couldn’t sleep that night and when she woke up in the morning, she wouldn’t stop yawning.  Yori had laid on the floor, crying, for a long time before she pulled herself up and went out for a walk.  Velvet had to explain to the campers that Yori had just hit her head and would be fine.  The girls seemed too tired to care and liked the excuse of Yori hitting her head to go back to sleep.  Velvet had stayed wide awake for hours on end, wanting to see if Yori would come back.  Velvet must have fallen asleep before Yori even headed back to cabin 2A because Yori didn’t seem to come back at all that night.

            In the morning, Velvet decided to let the campers sleep a little longer and jump into their Capture the Flag game late since the night before had been tiring and behind bedtime schedule.  Velvet could not imagine why Yori would be crying so hard from the mom’s letter.  Although Velvet had lied the night before and said she didn’t remember what the note had said, Velvet remembered quite well.  The mom had mentioned something about there being no record and it happening in Ghazni where no trace was found.  She had also told Yori to hold her head up high, ‘princess.’  Velvet guessed, knowing it was cruel, that Yori had lost a pair of high-heeled boots in Ghazni, wherever that was.

            Velvet, although she felt bad for Yori from her sudden and quite embarrassing breakdown, she still thought very poorly of Yori.  Yori was still as cold as ever, still stealing from Velvet’s camp experience and first possible boyfriend.  Yori still obviously hated Velvet for no valid reason and Yori also thought she could push herself through life just because she had money and connections.  If they lived in LA, that would be perfectly valid, but since this was an Idaho camp, it wouldn’t fly.

            Velvet gathered her bathroom items and headed for the bathroom.  She set up at the sink, rubbing her eyes from the eternal night.  Velvet washed her face and brushed her teeth.  She combed her hair and flossed.  Then Velvet went in for the shower room with her hair products and one-blade razor.  To her surprise, Yori was already turning on her water, wrapped in a fluffy pink towel.

            “Oh, Yori.  How are you feeling today?”  Velvet asked coldly, feeling zero empathy for Yori.

            “Why do care?”  Yori snapped, slipping her showering supplies into the holder hanging uneasily on the wall.

            “Oh, I don’t know, Yori…you were sobbing last night,”  Velvet barked, pulling the faucet lever for her shower head that was across the wall from Yori.

            “Whatever are you talking about?” Yori replied, pursing her envy-worthy plump lips.

            “Are you kidding?  You woke up the campers,”  Velvet responded, almost laughing.  Was Yori really going to be in denial over something so obvious?

            “Velvet, you know I like to shower alone.  So, why don’t you leave and lock the bathroom door behind you,”  Yori suggested, sass practically spilling from her every word.

            “Yori, you can’t just ignore that you broke down yesterday,”  Velvet pressed, wanting answers.  Was it just a pair of boots? 

            “You don’t seem actually concerned, so I don’t know why I should tell you anything about anything,”  Yori returned, letting the water run as she held her towel up.

            “I’m not concerned, but I think it would be a good thing to know…as…roomies,”  Velvet stumbled, hoping her rosy cheeks wouldn’t give away her impromptu lie.  Velvet had absolutely no concern for the well-being of Yori; she just wanted to see if it was anything good to use with Brody if Yori hadn’t already scared him away based on the cut short conversation the night before.  Velvet was dying to know what Yori had done to Brody in the rec room and if the letter could help her either know, or be of her use to push Brody away from Yori for good.  If it was something incredibly stupid like a lost pair of shoes, Velvet would have Brody away from Yori forever and Velvet and Brody could be together happily.  Or maybe the letter was a report saying that Yori had a disease that forbade her from dating and they lost the…cure for singleness in…Ghazni?  Velvet was betting on the boots.

            “Please, Velvet.  There is no roomie code of honor at dumb camps like this one,”  Yori responded, rolling her eyes and tapping her foot impatiently.

            “You know, I happen to like this camp and you always putting it down is really annoying,”  Velvet finally stated.  She dropped her towel as if to indicate she wasn’t leaving the shower room.  Yori took in a deep breath and her thin eyebrows started to narrow.

            “You like this camp, do you?  Where everything is so perfect and happy?  You think this camp is all what it is on the surface, don’t you now?  Everyone is actually happy, right?  Because their exterior is what it’s all about.  Wake up, Velvet.  There’s more to people than that,”  Yori lectured.  Flustered and startled, Velvet started to shampoo her hair.  She didn’t understand why Yori was saying all that.  Velvet knew there was more to people than their outside; she wasn’t that naive.  She wasn’t…right?  Seeing that Yori wasn’t dropping her towel to shower, Velvet turned to face the wall, so Yori could cleanse herself.  A half a bottle of conditioner, three pumps of camp soap, and three nicks in Velvet’s leg later, Velvet turned off her faucet, and draped her towel around her.

            As she gathered her things, Velvet said, “Can I turn around now?”

            “By all means,”  Yori replied, not sounding at all muffled by the water.  Velvet turned around and saw that Yori was still standing in her towel, the water still on.

            “Oh, get over it, Yori.  Besides, you’re wasting water,”  Velvet remarked, juggling the bottles in her arms.

            “You can leave,”  Yori said, clearly annoyed for having to wait so long.

            “I bet I know what was wrong…” Velvet suddenly brought up, deciding to say what she wanted!

            “’Pray tell,’” Yori mimicked Velvet from the night before, before the rec room incident.

            “In Ghazni, I bet there wasn’t a record of…your precious Prada boots, ‘princess,’”  Velvet taunted, mocking the letter.  Velvet felt pleased with herself for saying what was on her mind.

            “You don’t have to be such a bitch,”  Yori suddenly snapped and ran out of the bathroom, still in her towel, letting the water run.

Thanks for reading!

And remember guys:  The more you write, the easier it gets to overcome writer's block!  Did I say that one already?  Oh well, it's a good one to remember! :)

July Writing Craze: Day 16!

Happy reading!

Chapter Seven:  Yori

Never Kid on the Block

“4B…4B…” Yori muttered to herself, trotting down the pavement with the four campers clutched to her robe.

“It’s so scary,” Kristina mumbled, her nails sawing through Yori’s silken attire.

“Oh, good.  The light is still on,” Yori piped up and flip-flopped up the porch.  Four pairs of tip-tapping feet trailed behind her.

“Knock-knock!”  Yori whisper-called into cabin 4B, lightly drumming her fingers on the wooden door.

“Yori?”  Brody came up to the door.  “What’s going on?”

“Late night rec room visit.  Wanna come?”  Yori replied.  “Chocolate pudding!”  The four boy campers snapped to attention and started running around Brody, begging to go.

“Do we wanna go, guys?”  Brody asked.

“Yessss!!!” the four campers yelled, running faster and faster.  Yori yearned to trip one of them so they would stop giving her motion sickness.

As air hockey tables hummed and billiard balls clunked and the freezer popped open and closed for tapioca and chocolate pudding, Brody and Yori sat in chairs across from each other, talking and ¼ watching their campers.

“Did Velvet not want to come?”  Brody asked.  Yori’s mind flashed back to the cabin twenty minutes earlier.

“No…she didn’t want to be the fun counselor.  She’s been a downer lately, you know.  Really…she never wants to come to anything.  She’s been weird…” Yori said, continuing to see how far she would have to go to get a reaction.  Brody just chortled and stood up.

“Want something to eat or drink?”  Brody asked, ignoring Yori’s spciel, and heading over to the kitchen where the theme of silver nauseated Yori.  The silver microwave with the black, flat buttons, the silver fridge with camp photos trapped to the surface by letter magnets, the white marble counter that had swirls and stripes of silver streaks, and the cabinets that were obviously originally plaster wood were painted over with a gray-silver that didn’t match the rest of the kitchen.  Yori winced at the vital mistake.

“Sparkling water if they have it,” Yori replied, watching as Brody hurried off to fulfill her order.  Brody was a nice guy who complimented her on her…inner beauty?  He told her she was fun and got her food because he wanted to, not because the other guy on their double date was and he felt obligated to.  Yori felt the foreign kindness start to go to her head.  He was so nice it was sickening.  The only other nice person she really knew and despised was…Velvet.  The two were so much alike and if it wasn’t for Brody’s great looks and Yori’s competitive nature, Yori would be throwing Brody away for Velvet faster than someone could notice the ugliness of the rec room kitchen.

Brody came back with a bottle of orange cream soda and a glass topped off with sparkling water, politely handing Yori the glass.  Yori took the glass, took a sip, and set it down. 

“So, Yori,” Brody began.  Yori inched forward, interested.  “Tell me about yourself.”  Yori couldn’t help but frown.  Why exactly had she chased such a winner down to the rec room?

“Me?  Let’s not.  Let’s talk about…let’s gossip,” Yori replied, eyeing Brody as he chugged his soda down in two gulps.

“Gossip?  Not much of a gossiper, Yori.  I don’t most guys are,” Brody responded, laughing and wiping his orange-tinted lips with the side of his arm.  Yori laughed, glad the conversation wasn’t going too deep.

“Fine, no gossiping.  But…tell me about Velvet.  What was she like when she was younger?”  Yori remarked, hoping Brody could come up with something that would send Velvet over the edge.  Yori had Velvet on the tips of her fingers, all she needed was one good thing that would force Velvet to give up so Yori could date Brody, in all his good looks, in peace.

“Velvet?  Well…she’s always been really nice.  She’s always doing something really great at school, too.  I mean, in ninth grade she started her band that actually plays some gigs now.  Isn’t that great?  And she has a great sense of humor, she’ always been—“  Brody listed off.

“Do you think she’s pretty?”  Yori said, a little shocked she would say something like that.  Yori had so many mixed emotions of jealousy, love, and disgust going through her system, that she was getting internally confused, leading, she guessed, to stupid questions. 

“Pretty?”  Brody gave Yori a funny look, then glanced at his cream soda.  Yori knew Brody wished he had more of his drink left so he could think of an answer while he chugged once more.

“ I guess she’s pretty…but you are, too.  Besides, that’s not the only thing I notice in people, their looks, I mean,”  Brody said.

“Figures,”  Yori mumbled, not being able to contain herself.

“What?”  Brody asked, his eyes showing how utterly confused he was.

“It figures that you don’t look for appearance in girls.  Just their…personality.”  Yori knew she was jeopardizing how far she had come with Brody, but at the same time, felt that she needed to say what had been on her mind all day.  Why was Brody so interested in personality?!  Yori’s strong point was in outer beauty and he didn’t even care.

“Is that bad?”  Brody asked, bewildered.  He stood up so Yori stood too.

“Well, I mean, you haven’t said a thing about how…good I look, but you say it about Velvet,” Yori responded, planting her fists on her hips.

“You asked me!”  Brody cried out.

“Brody, why do you care about personality so much anyway?”  Yori barked, growing angry when Brody wouldn’t just give in and say she was pretty like her past boyfriends.

“I can’t believe you’re asking me this, Yori.  Good personality is a much better compliment than good looks,” Brody replied, narrowing his now-seeming overly bushy eyebrows.

“It is not!  You know, you are just like Velvet.  So obsessed with…”

“What really matters?  Why are you so pressing when you talk about Velvet anyway?  It’s like you’re in a more involved relationship with her than you are with me,” Brody responded, louder than before.

“Oh, shut up Brody.  You have no idea what you’re talking about,”  Yori snarled.

“Whatever, Yori.  Why don’t we just break this off, okay?  I didn’t know you were a one-day relationship kind of girl.  Let’s go guys.”  Brody rounded up his guys and left, not giving Yori a second look.  What had Yori done? 

There you go guys!  Thanks for reading!

And remember guys:  Give your readers something to look forward to about their characters.  Repeat a characteristic in each or a few of your characters that is funny or cute.

ABC 123,

                Maddie  

July Writing Craze: Day 15!!

Today is the halfway mark for July Writing Craze!!! Thank you all soooo much for all your support! :)
Enjoy!

“Go to sleep, you guys,”  Velvet called, titling back the green curtain, giving the four campers a reason to scream and scamper.  “We’ll be playing an early game of Capture The Flag tomorrow.”  Velvet went back into her room where Yori was already laying in her bed, flipping through a People magazine.

            “What are you reading?”  Velvet asked nonchalantly, pulling back her hair into a loose bun.  Yori flipped to the next page in her magazine, scanning through the pictures and captions.  Her manicured nails strummed lightly against the covers of the mag.  The crinkling of the flimsy paper and the muttering of the little troopers in the next room edged at Velvet’s mind.  The mix of negative emotions was getting to her.  She was feeling ire with a twinge of guilt from trespassing Yori twice in one day.

            “I put your mail back where I found it,”  Velvet tried again, grabbing her book from the floor beside her bed.  Yori closed her magazine, reached for her bag under her bed, and selected a nail file, proceeding to file her nails.

            “Okay, I get it.  You’re mad.  I still don’t think you should be doing what you are,”  Velvet commented, fluffing her pillows.

            “Velvet!  Can we go to the rec room for pudding?”  Sapphire cried out from the other room, her little feet appearing underneath the green curtain.  A small hand poked through the slit in the curtain and soon a short-haired head stuck out into the counselor room.

            “Sapphire, we can’t.  It’s time for bed, actually it has been time for bed for the past thirty minutes.  Bed, now,”  Velvet commanded, growing a little tired of the tedious routine of trying to get the campers to sleep.

            “Please, Velvet?  Can we go for tapioca, then?  Please!  Everyone wants to go,”  Sapphire persisted.  Velvet wanted to talk to Yori alone even though chocolate pudding sounded pretty tasty.

            “I’m going to sleep,”  Velvet said simply, demonstrating by tucking herself into bed.  Sapphire sighed in disappointment and turned to leave.

            “Why ask Velvet?”  Yori piped up, throwing her blankets off her legs and standing up.  “I’m up for it.”  Sapphire’s face lit up.

            “Yes!  You guys, Yori is going to take us!”  Sapphire hollered to the other girls, running into the front room.  Yori hurried to her makeup case, rapidly coating her brushes with natural colors and then doing up her face with them.

            “We’re just gonna get dressed,”  Mallory called into the counselor room.

            “Don’t bother.  Just put on some slippers,”  Yori called back, setting down her brushes so she could drape her silk lavender robe over her shoulders.

            “Yori.  They need to go to—“

            “Yori, you’re the best!  Do you think the air hockey table will be plugged in?”  Tegan said, pinning back the green curtain.

            “I don’t know about you, but I know how to plug in a cord,”  Yori responded as she combed through her hair and gave it a messy toss.  Tegan grinned.  Velvet could feel the surge of jealousy creeping up her throat.

            “Yori, did you tell Brody I was sick yesterday?”  Velvet demanded Yori, grasping at something to keep herself from plain exploding.

            “Of course not, Velvet,”  Yori taunted super-sweetly.  “I told him that today.”  Velvet swallowed, hoping her jealousy would go down too.  After spritzing some perfume on her, Yori popped a breath mint in her mouth and looked through the green curtain.

            “Ready to go, guys?”  Yori called.  “Oh, Velvet?  Can I ask you something?”  Yori asked before she left.

            “What, Yori?  What could you possibly want from me?  After you’ve taken Brody from me, you’ve taken my campers from me, you’ve made lies up about me, and you’ve ignored me, taunted me, and insulted me…all because you need to keep a guy for yourself, you want to tell me ask me something!  Oh, pray tell, what you must ask me.”

            Yori’s lips curled up into a tormented little simper, her head falling limply to one side.  She slowly closed her eyes in a blink and when they opened, Yori shook her head, her black hair tossing from side to side.

            “Brody’s in 4B, right?  I think I’ll get him and his little campers to come too,”  she said.  Velvet’s heart burned.  How was it, that all the suck in the world could be bottled up and shoved into one person?  The one person being the one Velvet had to spend the two weeks that were supposed to be the best days of her life with?!

            “Can I ask you something Yori?”  Velvet said, surprised by how calm her tone was.

            “Go for it,”  Yori replied, taking a deep breath, her smile still goading.

            “How do you live with yourself, being so…mean and…difficult?”  Velvet spat out, staring at Yori’s feet, fearing she would slap Yori if she looked her in the eyes.

            “Live with myself?”  Yori asked, in a completely serious and sober voice.  “It’s harder than you would think.”  Velvet snapped her head up to meet Yori’s eye level,  expecting to see a disgustingly smug, obnoxiously righteous, and utterly sarcastic expression.  Velvet did a retake when she saw how solemn Yori appeared, her wavering eyes darting within Velvet’s.

            “Don’t be so hard on yourself,”  Velvet heard herself say.  Her body suddenly felt very achy as if all the fighting and tension between her and Yori had lifted off of Velvet’s body, leaving a painfully sore repercussion.  Was it over?  Was all the fighting done?  Could Velvet finally relax after all the guilt and jealousy and betrayal and immoral undertaking she had to go through?  Was Yori coming around to be—

            “So, it is 4B?  Oh, never mind.  I’ll find him, you get some rest, I can see the bags under your eyes forming already.  C’mon girls!  Who’s the best counselor?”  Yori interjected, whirling around and flouncing off in her nightgown, robe, and slippers, looking more like a Grecian goddess than someone who just hopped out of bed.

            Velvet flopped down on her bed, cursing herself for thinking anything had been resolved, especially as the cheers and praise for Yori echoed through the cabin.

Thanks for reading!  And thank you for coming halfway with me! :)

And remember guys:  "Most of the material a writer works with, is aquired before the age of fifteen."    -Willa Cather
ABC 123,
                Maddie