Good day to you!
It's Week 1 of my March Promptlies Link-up!
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Wait. I actually have my story ready BEFORE Friday---WHATTTT??? Since WHEN does this ever happen?? Hahaha. #NEVER
Seriously, though. This was SUCH FUN. I LOVED this prompt! (Probably why I chose it in the first place, right?? heheh)
Read on, if you wish to see my result of this week's writing prompt!
> > THE PROMPT < <
For this prompt, I decided to use a couple concept characters I've had in mind for a little while. It was so nice meeting up with them again. :]
> > MY STORY < <
She showed up at
his door, soaking wet, bruised, & covered in glitter.
In the few seconds
it took for him to answer the knock, a puddle was already forming at
her feet.
“Nanami.” He
couldn’t keep the surprise from his voice.
“Hi.” Her
sheepish expression was adorable, but it did nothing to hide the
exhaustion ghosting her features.
Or the bruise
blooming on her jawline.
A spark of concern
pricked his chest and he quickly ushered her inside, regardless of
her dripping clothes. Not to mention the glitter. When this rain
let up, he vowed he’d go for a hike or something. Maybe he’d ask
if she wanted to join him…
“Zak, I’m
sorry,” she began, obviously attempting to disguise the weariness
lacing her words. “Yours was the closest place I could think of. I
just need to borrow a phone, call a cab… My—”
He cut her off,
disliking the look of that bruise more and more. “Are you alright?
Just take it easy. Why don’t you come in, get dry, and catch your
breath?” He gestured to the large duffle she’d dumped on the
floor. “Got a change of clothes in that ginormous thing?”
When she nodded, he
stooped to pick it up, leading her into the open, kitchen-living area
of his small apartment. He pointed down the hall, “Bathroom is
first door on the left. I’ll have a hot mug of coffee ready when
you finish.”
She nodded her
thanks, took her bag, and made her way down the hall. It was then he
recalled she owned that old ‘82 Yamaha Virago. “Wait. Where’s
your bike?”
“Broke down on
--------Street… I was working late at the studio—” Another
shiver caused her to tremble, and he stopped her again.
“You walked
nearly a mile and a half to get here?” He was shocked. No wonder
she was spent. “It’s
okay, get changed and dry and we can talk over coffee.”
A soft smile
touched her lips before she disappeared into the bathroom.
He couldn’t help
it, but he cringed at the thought of all that glitter falling onto
his bathroom floor. Then nearly laughed when he realized he was more
surprised with the presence of such useless, shimmery stuff than the
fact Nanami Snow had showed up at his door at 11:23pm that night.
Having walked well over a mile in the drenching rain to
get there. In truth, they were mere acquaintances, but he
felt a good bit of pride that she seemed comfortable coming to him in
her present circumstances. Whatever they were.
With a shake of his
head, he shut off the TV and grabbed the empty popcorn bowl,
wondering if she’d eaten anything today. What little he knew of
her, that might be a no.
In just a few
minutes, he had coffee brewing in the single-serve machine and
leftover Alfredo pasta in the microwave. He had just placed the mugs
on the tiny kitchen table when he heard her returning—embarrassed,
but dry. Though the lingering fatigue had yet to leave her face, she
seemed much more at ease. Her long black hair was still wet, but
freshly combed and falling well past her shoulders. A large,
light-pink sweatshirt with “Brooklyn Ballet Studio” in swirling
letters on the front swallowed her small frame and highlighted the
pink blush on her cheeks.
Only when he’d
pressed the hot mug into her grateful hands and pushed the bowl of
pasta before her did she meet his eyes and—to his horror—burst
into tears.
He tried to look
away, completely at a loss of what he should do as she sniffled and
wiped her eyes, smudging the bit of mascara that remained on them. He nudged a napkin her way.
“Oh, Zak. I’m
so sorry to trouble you. It’s been a horribly long day—I can’t
thank you enough,” she managed, a genuine smile lighting up her
eyes, and bringing to his mind that thought of how adorable she
looked—mascara and all. He didn’t think she’d appreciate such
a compliment at the moment.
“Are you
alright?” he questioned instead, making a point to catch her eyes.
To his relief, she rallied and nodded, that smile returning.
“I am. You don’t
know how much your kindness means to me right now.” She must have
seen him looking at her bruise then, for her hand touched it gently.
“It’s nothing,”
she assured him. “I slipped on the stepladder in the dressing room
and jarred my chin on a shelf.” He relaxed, grateful it wasn’t a
fist.
“And the
glitter?” he asked, quirking an eyebrow.
If anything, her
blush only deepened and she winced. “Well… it was more of an
explosion. That’s kinda why I slipped and bruised my jaw in
the first place.”
“Ah.” He
couldn’t stop the grin tickling his face.
She sighed, giving
him a mock glare. “Like I said, it’s been that kind of day.”
“Well, tell ya
what. Here’s my phone, but don’t call a cab. I’d be happy to
save you the cash & take you home myself. Nope—no protesting.
It’s late enough already and you need your sleep.”
“No worries on
that end, praise God. I can sleep in tomorrow,” she replied,
relief overtaking exhaustion. With a small frown, she added, “But
I can’t ask you to do that.”
“You’re not.
I’m the one offering.”
She fiddled with
the pasta fork, visibly torn by refusing or taking him up on it. So
he changed the subject. “I hear this rain is supposed to clear up
tomorrow.” Awkward pause. Zak, you dork. “I swore I’d
go hiking once it finally quit… Would you care to join me?”
He caught her blush
again, pleased he was the cause of it.
“Does it involve
ice cream?”
“You bet.”
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Inspired? Itching to have a go?? There's still time to jump in on this one! And four more prompts coming in the following weeks. :] Even if it's just me and a couple others joining in, I'm already having a blast writing.
Have a lovely week, y'all!
This was really cute!! Zak seems like such a nice guy!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Yeah, he is ^_^ I'm not sure what his role is in that concept WIP, but Nanami is one of my favorite characters. It was such fun revisiting the two of them!
DeleteThis is adorable. It's just—yeah, that's all I can say. <3 <3
ReplyDeleteAwww, you are so very kind! *^ - ^* I really enjoyed this little short.
DeleteOh my gracious, THIS WAS ADORABLE. Both Nanami and Zak sound like such adorkable cinnamon rolls. I totally already ship it. HARD. I JUST LOVE THEM. It was so sweet of him to get her food and offer to drive her home. GAH. ALL THE PRECIOUSNESS. This brightened my day! <333
ReplyDeleteAlso, Nanami Snow is the most gorgeous name!
*blushes* You just made my day! You da SWEETEST. This was so fun to write. And I know for a fact guys like Zak exist, cuz I married one! ;D To me, it's rather refreshing to read about guys who actually ACT like gentlemen and not the de-masculinized pansies you see out in public... O_O harsh, but unfortunately it's true. :[ That's the type of hero I want to write about.
DeleteAwww, thanks! She was originally imagined in my head years ago as one of the cliche orphan girls dropped off at an orphanage in NY. I'm not sure if that'll hold over if I ever pick up her story again, but I do know she's had to learn to take care of herself from a young age and that she's worked harder than ANYONE to get to where she is now. (Sorry for long explanation! heheh) Nanami means something like "seven seas" in Japanese, btw. ^_^
Oooh, I loved this! Especially how it shifted from feeling sort of ominous to really hopeful—and was completely adorable! I'd love to know more about these characters! They have great chemistry. :)
ReplyDelete