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

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 10!!

Hi everyone!
  Thank you sooo much for posting your comments and giving me feedback!  You are all so supportive and  very auspicious.  Anyway, here is Day 10!

The next morning, like normal, Velvet woke up after Yori, missing her completely in the bathroom and in the cabin.  Velvet couldn’t have wanted anything more than that.  Velvet didn’t think she could face Yori in the morning.  It wasn’t because she was afraid or guilty, but it was because Velvet wanted to wear some of Yori’s clothes.  And Yori couldn’t take them from Velvet when she was already wearing them.

            After showering, Velvet hurried into cabin 2A and sifted through Yori’s sides of the drawers.  She found mini skirt after short shorts after one-strap blouses, not picturing herself wearing any of that.  Finally, Velvet found a summery dress that was brightly floral and a halter top.  Velvet didn’t usually wear anything like that, but if she liked Brody, she liked Brody and in order to surpass her feelings she would need to do something to change.  And that would start with her clothing, she guessed.

            The dress was a little tight around the waist, but Velvet sucked it in and went to put on her shoes.  She started lacing up her blue high tops before she realized the summer dress and the Converse might not work so well together.  Kicking her regular shoes under her bed, Velvet looked through Yori’s shoes that were lined up neatly by the drawers.  There were pink heels and boots and wedge heels and strappy, heeled sandals.  Velvet picked a pair of yellow, heeled, and strappy shoes, spending a good five minutes trying to figure out how to put them on and wincing when they finally fit tightly on her big feet.

            Once Velvet was dressed, she delved through Yori’s makeup case, secretly weeping over all her morals of not stealing nor trespassing.  Velvet found a beige, lipstick looking cosmetic that’s words were scratched out on the side.  All she could read was something about pores or pares…whatever it was, Velvet uncapped it and spread it generously over her chapped lips.  Confused at the style, but not questioning it, Velvet kept on the brightly beige and somewhat bumpy lipstick.  Maybe it was one of those lip-liner things.  After delicately spreading a little pink blush on her eyelids and outlining her eyes with the eyeliner stick, Velvet had had enough and put away Yori’s makeup.  Glancing once in the mirror, Velvet shrugged, not really getting the whole makeup fashion and headed out.

Velvet carefully made her way out of the cabin and down the porch which was much more hard to maneuver in the heels.

            Velvet made clicking noises all the way down the pavement, wincing at each loud step.  She hated making an entrance, but the results would be worth the sacrifice.  Finally, Velvet found Brody, Matt, and Yori all sitting on a couple of logs with their plates of food.  Matt was talking and looking directly at Yori who kept the corner of her eyes on Brody.  Velvet smoothed down her hair and walked up to the group.

            “Hi guys,”  Velvet said as smoothly as she could, smiling lightly.  Brody looked up, flinched a little, and lost his balance, slipping off his log and spilling his food onto the grass.

            “What did you do to your face?”  Yori asked, looking intently at Velvet.

            “You have something on your lips,”  Matt commented, gesturing to her lips.  Velvet snapped her hand to her lips, covering them as much as she could.  Had she done something wrong?  Yori started laughing.  Brody even began to chuckle.  Matt just sat there, confused, and analyzing her face.

            “Wait!  Is that my dress?”  Yori snapped, standing up and feeling the material on Velvet’s dress.

            “No…”  Velvet started to feel strange.  She obviously had missed something and that something was apparently what would have impressed Brody because he was not in awe at all.

            “Yes, it is.  Those are my heels, too.  Why are you wearing my things?”

            “These are my things,”  Velvet stumbled, swiping the back of her hand across her lips.

            “Obviously, none of it is,”  Yori started.  “Because, honey, you’re lipstick is for covering up pimples.”  Matt’s turned his face, placing his hand over his nose.  Velvet’s face turned red and her palms started getting sweaty.

            “Why are you wearing heels, Velvet?  The campers are coming today and you’re going to need to run when they come,”  Brody said.  “Even Yori is wearing tennis shoes.”  Velvet immediately directed her eyes from Yori’s smirking face to her feet.  Velvet’s tanning tennis shoes were placed loosely on Yori’s feet and Velvet could see Yori was even wearing a second pair of socks.

            “Those…”  Velvet tried to push some kind of words out of her mouth, but couldn’t complete her sentence.  Velvet was so embarrassed, she hadn’t made Brody smile and she hadn’t shown up Yori.  Instead, she had made a fool of herself. 

            “Why don’t you go change?”  Yori said in a horribly sweet tone.  It was so sweet, Velvet could see the sugar grains glistening on Yori’s lips, or maybe that was just her lip gloss.  Either way, Velvet needed time alone and she abruptly turned away.  In her sharp turn, Velvet’s ankle gave way and she fell sideways, hearing a deafening crack. 

            “You didn’t!”  Yori screamed, running over to Velvet.  Velvet’s ankle burned from her  sudden fall from the three inch heels and her knees stung from the impact, as well.  Velvet tried to get back on her feet, feeling strangely off balance.  Yori, next to her, was holding a cracked high heel and looking down, Velvet saw that her right high heel was now a flat.  Velvet instantly felt awful.  She looked like a clown, she had been caught stealing Yori’s clothes, and to top it all off, she broke Yori’s heel because she didn’t know how to walk.

            Velvet stood up uneasily and started walking up to cabin 2A, not having any humility to apologize.  Yori ran up to meet her and glared her down.

            “Congratulations, Velvet.  You have officially made Brody laugh.  Too bad, it was at you.  Well…I guess this means, the ball is in my court, now, doesn’t it?”  Yori hissed, her smug look haunting Velvet’s soul.

Thanks for reading!  I got it up earlier today!! :)

And remember guys:  Try writing all different kinds of writing.  You might surprise yourself!

July Writing Craze: Day 9!

Here is Day 9!  Please check out my other blog, Summer Outfits.  It is about fashion and design.  Thanks!

Chapter Four:  Velvet

Trick For Treat

            For Velvet, the week of training passed like a montage:  the clear mornings with hummingbirds, the training afternoons at the cool lake, the feeling of speeding wind on her wakeboard after Brody had gave her a few pointers, the homey smell of pies and pastries from the cooking room, the spinning pottery wheel with gray clay molded in a layered shape, the buffets of picnic food on red checkered tablecloths, and the breakfasts, lunches, and dinners that she shared with Yori, Brody, and Matt, talking and laughing.

            It was Sunday, the day off of training, the day before the campers arrival, when Velvet realized something about the past week. It was that Yori was seeming to distant herself from the group.  Velvet noticed by the subtle things.  Yori wasn’t hinting to Velvet about Matt or trying to set the two up.  Yori wouldn’t wade her feet in the lake, but just tan on the dock, sunglasses shading her eyes.  Yori would listen to the instructor during the Water Sports training, even when Brody seemed to want to teach someone very badly.  Yori would be asleep by the time Velvet came into the cabin and be up and showered before Velvet even had the chance to rub her eyes awake.  It seemed as if Yori had just suddenly lost interest in the whole guy chase and camp experience.  Velvet wasn’t too sure of what was going on, but she wanted to find out.

            Yori was touching up her makeup, Sunday morning, as Velvet rushed to dress and catch up to Yori.  The two were going to eat breakfast together and then meet up with Matt and Brody in the rec room to play some pool and air hockey.  Velvet seized the chance to talk to Yori about the past week.

            “Yori, how have you been liking camp?”  Velvet asked, yanking her green shirt over her head, pushing her fallen hair out of the way.

            “It’s okay,”  Yori shrugged, spreading some kind of paint on her eyes.

            “You’ve seemed distant lately.  Is everything all right?”  Velvet replied, trying to seem nonchalant about it.

            “I’m not distant,”  Yori said curtly, brushing on mascara, possibly to avert her eyes form Velvet.

            “You just don’t seem super interested in Brody all of a sudden,”  Velvet replied, tying up her blonde hair in a ponytail.

            “I’m laying off a little, trying the more mellow approach, you know?”  Yori responded.

            “That makes sense,”  Velvet commented, relieved it wasn’t something bigger.

            “But you’re still going to help me get with Brody, right?”  Yori asked abruptly asked, putting down her brushes and looking over at Velvet. 

            “Of course, why wouldn’t I?”  Velvet replied, a little confused at the sudden change of conversation.  Yori laughed a little.

            “I don’t know, so you don’t take him for yourself or anything,”  Yori laughed, finally giving Velvet a smile.  Velvet smiled and they set out for the breakfast buffet.

            Throughout breakfast, as the two chatted, Velvet started pondering about what Yori had said.  So you don’t take him for yourself.  Why would she have said that?  Did something in particular make her say that?  At least it was all a friendly joke.

            “Hey!”  Velvet said, coming up with a great idea.  “Why don’t we go to the tennis courts and play doubles?  You can be on Brody’s team.”  Yori didn’t say anything for a moment, seemed to inspect Velvet’s creases on her face, and then brightened.

            “I’ve played that before,” Yori remarked, throwing out her leftover food and placing the tray on top of the trash can.

At the rec room, Brody and Matt were playing an intense game of ping pong when the girls walked in.  From the window, Velvet could see that the tennis court was free.

            “Should we play tennis?”  Velvet asked, once the ping pong point was over.

            “Sure, I call you as my partner,”  Brody said, setting down his tiny racket and leaning his elbow on Velvet’s shoulder.  Velvet could feel her face growing hot so she slipped her shoulder away from Brody and tittered.

            “Why don’t you be with Yori, though?  She said she wanted some tips on her game and you’re pretty good,”  Velvet said, looking nervously between the two.

            “You think I’m good?”  Brody asked smoothly.  Velvet cocked her head to one side, questioning Brody’s weird actions, and hooked her arm with Matt’s.

            “Matt’s my partner,”  Velvet decided and paraded out of the rec room to the tennis courts. 

            “Fine,”  Velvet heard Brody grumble and follow the two.  They each grabbed a racket and a few tennis balls, Yori serving first.  Velvet missed Yori’s first dead-on, fierce serve, not realizing Yori was so good.  As the match continued, Yori and Brody continued to score and Velvet and Matt just kept missing Yori’s intense hits.  Velvet actually sensed that Yori might be hitting the tennis ball extremely hard on purpose.  But Velvet also noticed how athletic Brody was.  He was light on his feet when he ran and always hit the ball over the net (even though it was usually out of court), showcasing his strength.

            A few more tennis matches, a long swim in the lake, and a couple of games of ultimate Frisbee later, the evening started to close in and the four counselors met up for dinner on the main field like usual.  Selecting a slice of pineapple and green pepper pizza and dishing a couple of large scoops of soaked Caesar salad, Velvet said, “Last night before the little ones come in.”

            “I can’t wait to get started with the campers in the lake,”  Brody said, his perky cheekbones lifting with his bright smile.

            “Me either,”  Yori blurted, Velvet secretly rolling her eyes, knowing about Yori’s mock interest for “other reasons.”

            “One of my camper’s names is Plume,”  Brody commented, attempting to suppress a chortle.  “Plume.  I mean, what do you say to that kid?  Poor thing, must get it hard at school.”  Velvet cracked up at that; Brody had such a great sense of humor.  And as the night went on, all Velvet could think of was, so you don’t take him for yourself or something.

That night, Velvet tried to get ready for bed at the same pace as Yori so she could catch her before she fell fast asleep.  Velvet needed to tell Yori something important.

            Yori shut off the light, the two girls tucked in in their beds.  They both lay there for a moment, in the illuminated darkness, the quiet seeping from the crack underneath the door and from the cobwebs in the corner.

            “Yori?”  Velvet called out into the endless darkness, feeling the words shiver in her throat.

            “What?”  Yori snapped, obviously wanting to sleep.

            “I have to tell you something important…” Velvet began nervously, shifting from side to side.  The creaking of her bed was killing the silence.

            “Yes…?”  Yori responded edgily.

            “I…like Brody.”  The silence returned, before the inevitable bedside light flipped on.  Yori was sitting straight up in her bed, propped up on her elbows.  Her eyes were nothing like Velvet had seen before.  They were a glowing, steamy mad.

            “You what?!”  Yori barked, staring daggers into Velvet.

            “I…I didn’t before, but it was just something this year that…that was different.”

            “You promised, Velvet, that you would help me be a couple with Brody!”  Yori pushed her covers off her legs and shot out of bed like a rocket.

            “I know, and I promised before I knew I had feelings for him.  But this past week, my love for him really evolved.  We’ve been talking a lot and he is just so fascinating and has a great personality,”  Velvet gushed, propping herself up on her elbows, her eyes following Yori’s pacing.

            “Well…you’re only hurting yourself by doing that.  Trust me, I know guys like Brody.  He could never like someone like you,”  Yori replied, her voice tone tense but knowing.

            “What?”  Velvet asked, feeling her inner soul deteriorating as Yori continued.

            “Yeah, it’s sad, but hunky guys like him just aren’t interested in girls like you,”  Yori said.

            “You mean, I should change?”  Velvet asked, folding back her sheets and blankets.

            “No,”  Velvet snapped.  “You should stop trying.  Just stop.  Forget your dumb feelings for Brody and focus on the more important: helping me.”

            “But…Brody is different.  He isn’t just hunky, he’s interesting and involved and—“

            “I know Brody,”  Yori snapped.  “I can look at a guy and know everything about him, from his past to his future.  Believe me, Velvet.  You’ll only going to get hurt trying for a guy so out of your league.”

            “I…”  Velvet was at a total loss for words.  She had never had a boyfriend and really didn’t know anything about guys, so maybe Yori was right.  Maybe she should have never even mentioned it.

            “Now, I’ve been meaning to ask you.  Is Brody allergic to anything?”  Yori asked, her voice suddenly decreased to a calmed level.  Velvet didn’t answer right away, she was still thinking.  In fact, she was thinking a lot.

            Velvet wasn’t stupid.  Velvet knew exactly what was going on.  Yori was trying to keep Brody for herself.  Maybe Velvet wasn’t right for Brody, but that didn’t mean Velvet couldn’t change to be right for Brody.  It might take a little extra effort to make anything happen, but Velvet had the will and stamina and she wasn’t just going to throw it away because Yori was jealous and competitive.  Besides, she had taken too much guff off of Yori already.

            “Yori, have you ever heard of the saying, two can play this game?  Well, the ball is my court.  Night.”

Thanks for reading!  

And remember guys:  You have to read to write :)

July Writing Craze: Day 8!

Happy Friday, everyone!  Day 8-here it is!

            “Come on in, Yori,”  Katie said, signaling her in from her wooden desk.  “Take a seat and tell me what is going on.”

            “I accidentally signed up for On Wheels when I meant to sign up for Water Sports.  I would like to switch over, but Water Sports is all full.  You’ll need to move someone out,”  Yori said bluntly, smoothly down her skirt before she sat down on the black leather chair.

            “We can’t just do that,”  Katie replied.  “If they’re both full, they’re full.”

            “Wasn’t there anyone who chose Water Sports as their second choice and might want to do On Wheels instead?”  Yori asked, shifting in her chair, crossing her legs.

            “No, Yori,”  Katie said, stressfully putting her tan arm under her pointy jawbone.

            “What about someone who wants to switch into Pottery?”  Yori pressed.

            “Yori, not everything can be adjusted to your wishes,”  Katie droned, fingering through some of her files on the desk.  Taking out a chewed-on pencil like it was a piece of bubbly gum, Katie began writing out a few notes on the papers on her desk.  The door of Katie’s office opened and Jane Webster’s moussed down head of hair poked in.

            “Pottery’s booked.  There’s also someone waiting out here to see if there’s room in the Pottery class.  Do you want me to send her in once you’re through with her?”   she asked.  Yori raised her right eyebrow at Katie, smirking a little.  Katie narrowed what would be her eyebrows, although they were penciled in with a brown marker, and told her to send the other person in then.

            A few moments later, a short girl with bright red hair walked in and sat down in the chair next to Yori, side-glancing her nervously.

            “I didn’t know this would be a group conference,”  the girl squeaked after the door closed behind Jane.

            “What would you like to switch out of?”  Katie sighed, flinging her chomped on pencil onto her desk.

            “Gardening,”  the girl responded.  Yori bit her lip, disappointed that it wasn’t Water Sports.

            “Katie.  Can we focus on my problem before we get to Green Thumb over here?”  Yori snapped, getting more and more irritated as the time passed, time that she could be spending with Brody.

            “Yori, there isn’t anything I can do,”  Katie snapped back.

            “You are telling me, CupCakery’s daughter, that you can’t move anyone out of Water Sports?  Or, even easier, just add me in.”

            “Yori, with a course like Water Sports, we can’t just get more equipment!”  Katie was growing angrier and angrier.

            “Water Sports?  I’m signed up for that…” the small girl commented.

            “I’ll pay you 100 dollars if you switch into Pottery and out of Water Sports,”  Yori offered, her eyes brightening with anticipation.

            “Yori!  You can’t bribe someone like—“  Katie started to bark.

            “I’ll take it,”  the girl cut Katie off.  Yori unzipped her black Prada purse and dug out her alligator-leather wallet.  Taking two fifty dollar bills out of her wallet and handing it to the girl, both counselors stood up and headed for the door.

            “Oh, and Katie?”  Yori said, turning at the doorway.  “Everything can be adjusted for me.  See you at the lake for training after lunch!”  Yori was already thinking about the second suit she had brought and what earrings she could match with it as she waltzed out of Katie’s office, the main office, and back toward the field. 

            She spotted Velvet at the Activities booth, scheduling the extra recreations with Brody standing beside her.  Turning her stroll to a catwalk speed, Yori pushed her way through the crowd of people to catch up to Velvet and Brody.

            “Hi!”  Yori blurted out, tapping Velvet on the shoulder.

            “Are we in?”  Velvet asked eagerly.

            “Done, done, and done!”

            “What’re you talking about?”  Brody asked.

            “We’re in Water Sports!”  Yori exclaimed.

            “Fun!  Velvet, I can finally teach you how to wakeboard!”  Brody replied, smiling at Velvet.

            “I’d love to learn too,”  Yori interjected, smiling.  “We’re going swimming, right?”  Yori inconspicuously poked Velvet’s hip.

            “Yeah, Brody wants to come,”  Velvet said, smiling a knowingly smile back.

            “Grassome—I mean…”  Yori tripped up her words, her pink blush turning to a natural red.  Brody chortled, covering his mouth with his hands.

            “Grassome?”  Velvet asked, laughing a little.

            “I meant great and awesome…”  Yori started, pleading Velvet with her big eyes.

            “Can Matt come?”  Brody interrupted, bored with Yori’s mistake.

            “Of course!”  Yori piped up, winking at Velvet.  Brody gave Velvet a funny look, then left to find his friend.

            “Okay, Yori.  Before we go through with anything…I think you should know that I do not like Matt.  He’s just a friend.  I’ll still help you with Brody, but stop trying to set me up with Matt,”  Velvet stated, holding Yori’s shoulder before she got away.

            “Velvet, I know how it is…well, actually I don’t know how it is to like a geek, but it’s okay.  I already don’t think terribly high of you.  But I was just thinking you knew Matt was coming, so why did you bring that bathing suit?”  Yori asked, simply not able to fathom Velvet’s reasoning.

            “Let’s just go suit up,”  Velvet responded, turning in the direction of cabin 2A.

At the lake where the water was freezing, but felt like a hot tub with Brody there, Yori, Velvet, Brody, and Matt all dunked and jumped before lunch.  Well, Yori mostly waded her feet in the water on the side of the dock, occasionally splashing Velvet.

            “You should come in,”  Velvet called as she waded next to Brody and Matt, her blonde hair dripping across her face.

            “No, I’m fine!”  Yori called back, perfectly content with her view.  Yori daydreamed a little, mesmerized by the rippling water and Brody’ tan biceps, letting the time pass as the three others swam and swam.  When an hour was up, everyone dried off and started the trek back to their cabins to get ready for lunch.  Matt and Velvet fell behind as Brody walked up ahead and Yori got caught awkwardly in between.  Yori jogged up to meet Brody.

            “Hi,”  Yori said breathlessly, slowing down from her little workout.  “Lucky we got Water Sports together, right?”

            “Yeah…” Brody replied, a little uneasy at first from the sudden conversation.  “I’m totally psyched to teach Velvet something.  I hope she’ll be impressed with my skiing and boarding.” 

            Yori’s ears suddenly swelled up and the sounds around her mushed into one big smothered mess.  Her eyes turned blurry and she could feel her feet stop moving.  She could’ve sworn Brody said good-bye, but she couldn’t feel her ears working either.  Brody didn’t like Yori, he liked Velvet.  Yori’s world suddenly went into overdrive.

Today was a little hard to get going, but I tried to move the plot along.  Please give me feedback on what you thought of today.  Uggh, I'm having internal mindful conflict of the plot!  Don't worry, though, I'll fix it :)

And remember guys: If you, the author, can stand to read your own writing, it's good :)