Short Story // Opportunity // And a quick NaNo update


And how is NaNo coming for you, friends? And if you are not doing NaNo, how is July so far? We're one third way through.



image from Pinterest
                                                                

You don't really want to know about my NaNo. Because I have written only 2,850 words of my novel. I got distracted and did some 2,400 words on short stories. *sigh* Do you notice that what you are not supposed to be writing suddenly seems so much more inspiring than what you should be writing? My cabin mates second me on this. 

Anyway. Since non of those short stories are ready and I haven't written enough to give you snippets, here is a short story from the spring. It's actually nonfiction, but you wouldn't know unless I told you :D

(Originally submitted to the TBLN 7th Annual Writing Contest.)


* * *

Opportunity

A boy stood in the centre of a circle of teenagers sitting on benches, chairs, and couches. They were all watching him intently, calling forth the names of fruits as suggestions, ready to jump up.

“Apples, pears, and oranges!” he called and a quarter of the kids leaped from their seats, and darted for another one that had just been vacated. The boy who had been standing in the centre dove for an empty chair. Everyone scrambled for a few seconds, and then it was over. One girl was slower than the rest, and she was left without a seat, standing in the middle.

“Strawberries, bananas, and pineapples!” she yelled, and again some kids jumped up and darted for a place on the other side of the circle, shoving each other out of the way, bumping into their friends, all grinning and laughing as they threw comments and mock arguments at each other.

One girl didn't move and didn't say a thing.

She bit her lip.

She'd never played this game before.

She'd never been in a youth group before.

She'd never found herself in a group of teenagers before.

Her heart dropped into her stomach as she watched the game.

You can do this, she thought to herself, just go.

And she started as the new boy in the middle yelled “Fruit basket!”, but as everyone sprang up and a mad scramble ensued, she sank back down.

She couldn't.

She'd be the one left standing.

She wouldn't make it more than three paces.

But it was just as bad sitting there, knowing that they all knew she was new, knowing they'd all notice she was too scared to try.

“Everything you put in a sub!” someone, the person who was it, called.

She watched halfheartedly, and sidled closer to the edge of the bench she was sitting on as a boy tumbled into the empty spot next to her.

He sat down grinning. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he watched the rest of the kids claims their places.

There was a click in the girl's mind. She remembered this guy. She'd seen him before, and she remembered him because of his wavy sandy hair.

As the kid standing in the middle paced and contemplated the names of fruits, the others called suggestions to him, the fruits they wanted him to choose.

The boy turned to her and asked, “What fruit did you pick?”

She turned her head to look at him, for a moment so surprised that her mind went blank.

After a few seconds of scrambling in her brain, she replied, “Pineapples.”

He nodded, and turned back to watch the game.

She wondered why he would ask. Just curiosity, she decided, but then she heard him calling to the it, “Pineapples!”

And the only thing she heard when the kid called out the fruits he had chosen was “pineapples”. He'd said other fruits too, because the boy who'd sat next to her was gone again, but all she could think of was that he'd said “pineapples”, and she hadn't moved.

Regret swelled in her chest.

She wondered why she suddenly wanted to do it so badly. Maybe just so that the boy's help wouldn't be in vain.

He'd given her a chance and she'd missed it.

She set her jaw.

No, she decided, she wasn't letting this opportunity slip between her fingers.

So what if she could make it only three paces? That would be a start, at least. She didn't have to run to the other side of the circle.

“Fruit basket!” came the call again, and she made her moved.

She launched herself for a seat a just a few places to her right, and flung herself into it before anyone 
else could claim it. She reached it, and exhaled as she sat down. A smile was mounting on her face. 

She'd done it. Just a few paces, but she'd done it.

She had to wait two turns before someone called “pineapples” again, but when it came, she was 
ready.

She sprang up and bowled across the circle.

She fell into a chair, and sat there triumphantly, grinning at everyone else.

She knew she could play this game.

And she knew she would love it.

It was just about grabbing the opportunity when it presented itself.

And sometimes it helped to have a little nudge in the right direction.


* * *




And as a side note, you will excuse me, won't you, if I only post weekly for July? Yes? Good. Also I may or may not redesign my blog because I'm still a newbie and I want to try things out and explore :D

So until next time, 
Happy noveling!


xx Lisa






13 comments:

  1. I really like your story! I haven't been writing anywhere near enough. But oh well. I had a really good first couple of days.

    It's good to experiment with your blog when you're starting out. Good luck! :)

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    1. Thanks Elaikie! We will conquer Nano yet! Wait and see xD

      Definitely. I am working on it, so excuse me if looks strage or is missing something now and then xD

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  2. I cannot even tell you how much I changed my blog around when I first got it. It was like I got a new theme every other day!! Now I've been using one theme for a while but I'd like to change it eventually. It's fun to experiment at first. 😊

    I would have never guessed that was a real story! Good job! ❤

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    1. That's good to know! I'm not the only one! Yay!

      Glad you liked it. Yes guess who the girl was? Me. I don't always act extroverted hehe :)

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  3. I like your new heading, Lisa! (And I completely relate to that story :)
    Jem Jones

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    1. That's nice :) It's ridiculously simple - the image being from Pinterest. What do you think of the rest of my design? I am still on the hunt for templates but this seems sufficient for the moment. (That's awesome Jem!)

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    2. You've changed the text in the heading since yesterday! It's simple but elegant, and the letters are a bit more flowing than in the last one, I think? And your colour theme is nice! I wouldn't have a clue about templates, though - I just fiddle with the CSS on the Theme function on Blogger until I'm too tired to care any more... I mean, until I have it how I want it. (of course...)

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  4. Looks great!

    I would sincerely appreciate it if you checked out my book reviews blog at https://elsbookreviews.blogspot.ca/ and possibly give it a follow as well! Excited to read more of your posts!

    - El

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    Replies
    1. Hi El! Thanks for checking out my blog! I'll definitely check your out and follow! I love book blogs :D *runs off to do it immediately*

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    2. Did it! Great blog you have!

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  5. Awesome short story. I really liked it. I totally agree with what you said at the beginning. Glad its not just me. :)
    You have a really nice blog. I changed mine up, too, a couple times. I get really indecisive.

    God bless you!

    iviewrites.blogspot.com

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    Replies
    1. Glad you liked the story. And glad you like the blog. It's a lot of work you know :D

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    2. Yes! Blogs are sooo much work. :)

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