The Story
Hello one, hello all.
I have been very slack about my postings. Guess you could say i've been uninspired...
But today, at work, i decided to be productive with my time and start writing a short story.This is what i have so far. Hope you ENJOY!
Chapter One
Littered with leaves, twigs and day old trash blown in by the wind, Angelica Ramón walked down the steps of her ragged basement duplex she called home. She had never had a real family, so living alone hardly had any effect on her. She had learned to enjoy the silence of an empty house, but on this particular day, the silence was too much. Alone. That’s all that ran through her head as she sat in the cold dark basement and listened to the screaming wind yell at her. The phone rang. The sound of her pop music ringtone jolted her into reality as she reached around in a groggy haze to find the phone. "I didn’t even realize I had fallen asleep…" she mumbled to herself as she glanced at the screen to see who was calling.
"Peter…." She let out a long sigh, "will he never give up?"
She had met Peter three weeks ago at a celebration thrown by her business associate, Arthur. Initially she thought he was pleasant enough, right up until he opened his mouth. She wasn’t sure how, but he had convinced himself that he would win her cold heart and sweep her off her feet. He was sadly mistaken. Unfortunately that didn’t stop him from calling.
Under normal circumstances she would have hit ignore without thinking twice, but tonight was a bit different. The stone walls in her basement apartment had made the air particularly cold, and the lack of electronics or food made the room feel more like a prison than a home.
She reluctantly answered the phone.
"Hello…" she answered.
"Uh, Hey! Angelica, wow, I uh, didn’t think you were gunna answer, but uh hey, so, yah, do you have plans tonight?"
She rolled her eyes and slumped down lower in her sofa staring at her toes. She sat in silence for a few minutes contemplating what her next words would be.
"…you still there…?"
She exhaled loudly
"Yeah," She tried to sound a little more enthused then her actual emotions portrayed. "What did you have in mind?"
Have I really gotten this desperate that I’m letting Peter Poppins take me out? She thought to herself. I mean what kind of name is that anyways...
After some more jumbled nervous conversation by Peter, Angelica finally made the decision to meet at the bar that was within walking distance, Ellington’s Restaurant and Jazz bar. At least the music would drown out his endless chatter.
She bundled herself up in her black wool coat and grey scarf, and pulled on a cap to block out the wind. Her mind wandered as she made her way to the bar.
"Two more weeks, and I won’t have to resort to men like Peter taking me out to dinner....damn I still need cat food. How can I litterly have NO money, what a lovely shade of orange... I wonder if..."
Before she realized it she was at the doorstep of Ellington's with Peter waiting there like a good little puppy, wagging his tail and almost pissing himself in excitement.
"Two more weeks, two more weeks, two more weeks," she repeated to herself over and over as she gritted her teeth and tried to fake a smile.
As she walked in she slid off her thick overcoat to reveal the black dress underneath. It had always been her favorite for recruiting meal tickets like Peter. It was revealing yet tasteful, tight but not restrictive. Her movements were fluid as she walked to the table in the far corner of the bar, ignoring the eyes that followed her there.
The music was thick, the air was heavy and her mood was alike. She closed her eyes and deeply inhaled as she took in the sounds and smells of the underground survival known as Jazz.
A single strand of her dark brown hair fell over her eye as she looked down at the menu. The animalist nature of men never ceased to amaze her as she noted the hunger in Peter’s eyes.
The night passed slowly. Peter’s incessant chatter had become a dull hum in her ears as she methodically answered the questions and comments he rambled about. Her eyes began to wander with her lack of interest searching out for something to grab her attention. The door opened, as a gust of wind burst in the bar bringing with it the aroma of fall leaves, car exhaust and cologne. There he was. Tall, slender, and dressed in a fitted black suit, she had to catch her breath as she realized she had stopped breathing. She caught his eye as he walked to the bar. She was engrossed by his every movement as ordered his drink.
"Angelica…..Angelica!!" Peter barked as she snapped her head in his direction.
"Yes I’m sorry I just got a bit distracted"
An annoyed look swept across his face as he mumbled something under his breath. An angry meal ticket means no meal at all she remembered, as she forced herself to smile and engage herself in the rambles of this whimpering dog.
As hard as she tried to focus on Peter, her eyes were constantly drawn to the bar where he sat. He was quite, calm and refined. He exuded class and charm. Her mind began to wander again unknowingly as she played out the scenario in her head.
She twisted in her seat feeling the cold blade of her steel knife prick her inner thigh like a painful reminder of the cardinal rule: Never fall for a mark.
This entry was posted
on April 29, 2010 at 3:29 PM.
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