I tend to lose myself in a love story. This isn’t always bad only it\u2019s a love story in my head. Not always the same one, but just a love story. I like the meet cute and the slow walk along their path of figuring out they are meant for each other. I develop back stories and situational scenes for my characters. And I get bogged down with all of these details when I try to write it all down.\u00a0 How do I bring up the details of a characters past when it has little to do with what is happening now? Is it important why the character is in a particular store or walking down a particular street? Will it detract; will it add to the story? I have one story that I’ve written a scene five different ways to see which works better. I\u2019ve begun to actually fantasize of a different way the scene should take. I don\u2019t know if that story will ever come to a close.<\/p>\n
To battle my overwhelming daydreams, I sat down and wrote a scene stripped down more than my normal style. This is a bit of a fan fiction scene that I\u2019ve been thinking about (and to be honest stuck on for a few months now). I have no major characters names listed in the story and needs work in terms of fleshing out the back story and where the characters go but I don\u2019t know how I would use it in an original story. It may stay in the fan fic world of my head.\u00a0 So I will share it with you now. \u00a0Enjoy.<\/p>\n
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\nThe diner was a little slow that night.\u00a0 Mama Ruth was at class and I was filling in for her at the restaurant while she was away as I always did on Thursdays.\u00a0 As I\u2019m wiping down the counter one of my regular\u2019s comes into the place.\u00a0 This time he\u2019s not alone. He has a man and a woman with him. I stop what I\u2019m going and I smile his way.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey Handsome, take a seat anywhere and I\u2019ll be right with you.\u201d<\/p>\n
He nods and smiles back.\u00a0 I like that smile.\u00a0 He\u2019s been a regular for about two months now and I\u2019ve called him Handsome since day one. I only work Thursdays and he comes in on that same day every week. I never ask if he comes in on a different day. I prefer to think he only comes in when I work.<\/p>\n
I go and put away my rag and wash my hands.\u00a0 Walking over to where he and his friends are sitting I can\u2019t help but notice that his two friends are on the opposite side from him.<\/p>\n
Handing out the menus I say, \u201cHey Handsome, how are you today?\u00a0 I see you brought some friends to try our wonderful food.\u201d<\/p>\n
He smiles at me with some of his brown hair falling in his face. His tie is crooked as always and there is just something about that tweed jacket that makes me happy. People don\u2019t wear enough tweed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m well today. Yeah, they wanted to eat here since I\u2019m always talking about it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell good. I\u2019m Claire,\u201d I said turning toward his friends, \u201cMama Ruth made the chili and gumbo today so they are both excellent. What can I get you to drink?\u201d<\/p>\n
I filled their drink order and put the full order into the kitchen. I started helping Maria clean up her tables.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo Claire, I see your man is here today\u201d she says with a smile and wink at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s not my man, Maria.\u201d I said back with a turn to look at handsome.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh yeah, why you blushing\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn’t think my crush was so obvious\u201d<\/p>\n
I picked up the rest of the dishes on the table we were cleaning and started walking toward the kitchen. I could hear her giggling behind me.<\/p>\n
\u201cStop\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cStop? Really?\u201d Maria says as we put the dishes down in the kitchen. \u201cYou of all people not taking a joke?\u00a0 You must really like him.\u201d<\/p>\n
I blushed more. I could feel my cheeks heating up. \u201cYes, he\u2019s nice and smart and super cute.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd super nerdy\u201d Maria said. \u201cI think he\u2019s perfect for you \u2013 nerd. What\u2019s Ms Ruth think?\u201d She pinched my arm, laughed and walked out of the kitchen.<\/p>\n
I followed her out of the kitchen.<\/p>\n
\u201cMama Ruth doesn’t know \u2013 so hush up\u201d I gave Maria a wink in turn and started on refills for Handsome\u2019s table.\u00a0 Looking up I could see their food was almost all ready to be taken to the table. I carried the drinks over.<\/p>\n
\u201cHere are some refills. The food should be ready any second now.\u201d<\/p>\n
I started handing out drinks and leaned in to get a drink to the woman in the corner of the booth when I felt something near my face and a soft kiss on my cheek. I looked to my left and froze. There he was eyes as wide as my own. He kissed me. I was in shock. I think he was in shock as well. It felt as if we stared at each other for half an hour. In reality it was only a few seconds.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m \u2026um\u2026\u201d Handsome stuttered looking for words.<\/p>\n
\u201cI, um, will be right back with your food.\u201d I didn’t know what to say. That\u2019s not what I wanted to say. Bolting up right I walked over the kitchen and grabbed the food on a tray and headed out the door. I looked up and saw Maria staring at my mouth wide opened forming into a smile.<\/p>\n
Walking to the table I noticed he was gone. His friends remained but he was gone.\u00a0 I put the edge of the tray on the table and started setting the plates on the table. I looked up at his friends.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere did handsome go?\u201d I asked, as if it was his real name.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe left.\u201d The woman said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat? Which way?,\u201d I asked in a slight panic.<\/p>\n
\u201cOut the door and to the left.\u201d The man offered.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh crap.\u201d I said and left the tray on the table and ran out the door.<\/p>\n
Running it occurred to me that I was running after a man I only saw on Thursdays and had no idea what his name was because he always paid in cash. I knew we had similar interest and talking to him came easy. I never had to put on a fake laugh for him and because of his Thursday night visit I began to look forward to working Thursday nights after my regular work day.\u00a0 Was all that worth running after a man I hardly knew? Apparently it was.<\/p>\n
\u201cHANDSOME!\u201d I yelled out as I saw him in a distance. \u201cWAIT.\u201d<\/p>\n
He turned slowly his hands in his pockets and his face red from embarrassment. He was shocked to see me approach him.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t go.\u201d I said as I finished walking toward him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m so sorry.\u201d He said as I approached looking down at his feet.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not.\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
He looked up at me and stared at me mouth ajar. \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
I just smiled back at him.\u00a0 I reached up and pulled him down to my level.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not.\u201d I repeated and kissed him on his soft lips. We stayed that way for a while, arms wrapped around each other.<\/p>\n
*****<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"