Young Writers Society

EVELYN GARCIA

I am not going to admit that I was attracted to him, because attraction usually turns out to be a psychological pain-in-the-a**, and I really don't need any more of that in my life.

I sort of was, though, but whatever.

His cousin was hilarious. I like observing people like that, with their annoyingly boundless enthusiasm. Her concern for Alex, or 'Allie', reminded me in a way of Catie's. My Mother's concern, of course, was a whole different breed.

I make the comment mostly to myself. "Jeeze, your family is worse then mine Alex."

"Wh-What?"

I shake off any boundaries I may have and put up tent walls in place of bricks. "Your excuse is Italian. Mine is Hispanic. Just as protective, a bit less... nosy. Though, I have a teenage sister, and that general rule doesn't apply to her, trust me." He smiles. "So, I guess, That's one thing we have in common. Mine doesn't sound as expansive, though."

"Yeah, my family is all over the place. It's absolutely exhausting. Sometimes, I just want to be alone, but I don't know if I could really deal with it."

"I... well, I had to live without mine for awhile." I think back to my early college days, before my Dad died. The support for my career was nonexistent, and he was the cause for it. Despite his being in the grave, I can't really forgive him for that. "Trust me, you miss them."

There's a silence, but it isn't crawl-under-your-skin uncomfortable, just I'm-not-sure-what-to-say squirm. Charlotte brings us the drinks, and seeing her reminds me of her words. Plays just like a normal guy, but isn't, not really. Alex ordered a beer, and I have some wine, the much classier choice.

"Playing up the normal guy?" I ask, nodding at his drink.

He shakes his head, knowing what I'm referencing. "Ha, no. I genuinely like beer. No playing up anything here. You act like you don't." I make a face, and he bucks. "You're kidding."

"No, I mean, if you're going to drink... Might as well make it quality, right?"

"Beer can be quality!"

"Says Busch."

"Alright, when Lottie brings our meals, you are getting a cup and trying some."

She does, and I do try it. I don't like it, but the face I make makes him laugh.
-------------

We go to the museum next, a special night presentation of the plasticized bodies. I'm really excited; I don't get to see much of the others branches of science as much as I'd like. I feel almost like a kid, with such excitement.

We pay the fee, and move to the first body. I think back to how the whole process happens, how everything works, and Alex mutters something.

"What was that?"

"The organs looks so much different when they're functioning. I mean, everything is preserved, but not so lifelike as fully accurate, you know?" For once, I draw a blank.

"Yes." I say, despite not knowing. He frowns at me, and I balk a little. "Though, I'd like you to keep talking so I could learn more."

ALex:

"Though, I'd like you to keep talking so I could learn more."

I was a little taken aback by this, she had been "Miss know it all" Up until now, I eyed her and tentatively began explaining some of the basics of the anatomy, the plasticized process, things I knew.... and she listened. Once she had got me started talking about it, it was hard to stop.. I may not be a real doctor now, but once a doctor always a doctor and the human body fascinates me to the extreme. We went from display to display, Evelyn listening, my running my jaw off.... slowly I became aware that I had gone from explaining it like I would to my sister or my Brother to using medical jargon.

"Dammit Sorry... " I mumbled shly looking up, "I keep doing that.... old habit I guess..."

"Oh Its fine, it's interesting you know- hearing you talk." I raised a brow,

"R-really?" She nodded, "You like anatomy that much?"

"Oh no, well yes but I didn't mean that. I meant hearing /you/ talk. it's interesting." She gave me this smug look so I knew she didn't mean that in a flirty way.

"Care to explain?"

""Well what I mean is you can tell a lot about a person by the way they talk- you are trying to hide things."

"I'm what now?"

"Trying to hide how you would normally talk. Putting together what your cousin said and things you say- I'm starting to get a good picture of who you are."

I was lost for words, was Evelyn really trying to pick me apart like a science formula?

Olivia Spencer

It's Wednesday night and I still haven't finalised a date with Alex. I sigh, pull out my phone and dial his number.

"Hello?" he answers.

"Hey, it's me Olivia," I reply.

"Oh, hey,"

"About our date thingy, is Thursday okay?" I ask.

"I've actually got to help out my uncle with some stuff," I groan inwardly. This isn't working out.

"I can't make it any other day, so I guess we'll just have to make do with one date each."

"Yeah, I guess," he replies. We say goodbye and then hang up. I just hope that my date with John is more successful.



I pull my chocolate cake out of the oven and lay it on the table. It smells so good. It's not just a normal chocolate cake either, I has a mousse layer and a biscuit base to boot. I pack it in a bag along with some paper plates and serviettes.

I pull on a pair of jeans, a long top and a coat over it all.

I manage to get to the park on time (for once) and I see John standing near the gates. He always manages to look so serene and calm... even when he's fumbling with his phone. I run up to him and say, "John, hey- how are you?"

He smiles back at me. He's really cute when he smiles. He proudly shows me his bag of sandwiches which just makes him look even cuter, before offering his hand for a stroll. I let him guide me through the park, it doesn't matter that he's blind, he just gives off a sense of security. We pick a spot and sit down munching on and complementing each other's cooking skills. It was really nice. I feel I can be myself around John, he doesn't judge me by how I look just by who I am. At the end of the day he gives me a rose before we part. It was so sweet! Most guys I date are never that thoughtful. When I get home I put the rose in a spare vase. It was such a nice date. I'm just dreading the group meeting tomorrow night.

Jonathan Vanderbelt

John felt apprehensive about turning up to the group meeting. Partly it was that both of the girls he had taken on dates would be there, in the same room, and they might even talk to each other. Girls did that. John wasn't sure what he was nervous about them saying, but all of this felt a little bit awkward.

The other part which made him nervous was what they might have to do tonight. Would they have to evaluate their dates? He'd been trying to do that but he could honestly only say that he'd had a great time with both girls and he didn't know what to think beyond that. Should he have a preference? He thought he'd maybe felt more comfortable with Liv, but that might have been down to being at the park where there was lots of open space and he could find his way around. It wasn't fair to judge Stella on the location of the unfamiliar cinema.

There were a lot of people there already when John arrived. He found his way to a chair and sat down. He chose one on the end so he wasn't going to have to get by people when they started to move around and so he wouldn't get lost in the sea of chairs.

John heard a sound like wheels rolling across the floor and they came to a stop near him. "Hello," John said. "It's Alex right?"

"That's right."

"What do you think they'll have us doing this week?"

John thought Alex might be smiling, or he liked to think so.

"I don't know. Something we can't take part in I'm sure."

There was a fizzle of sound from the front and then the lady tapped on the microphone again. "Hello, hello! Welcome to the second week of our dating group and I hope your first dates all went well?"

There was a general mumbling around the room and John said nothing.

"Well, have I got a fun filled evening for you! We're going to start by writing down the qualities of what we're looking for in a relationship and then try to find someone in this room who has some of those qualities."

"Sounds like you're right for one of us at least," John said quietly to Alex. Writing was definitely not his strong point.

Alex Remington:

"Why don't you wear the green one?"

"Why don't you get the hell out of my room and go to hell."

"Aw come on Alex! don't be such an A-hole. Lord.... So grumpy all the time." My twin brother Charlie laid sprawled on my bed as I was looking for a shirt to wear- preferably one that wasn't covered in stains, grease from the shop, or logos from hospitals.

He cut a interesting picture laying there in his suit. Charlie, was a lawyer.

"Charlie would you please leave me alone? God almighty if it's not you, it's mother, or Bekah, or Charlotte or Dad or Uncle Phil..."

"We're a bunch of nosy people- get used to it. But seriously Alex- how'd the date go? We're all dying to know- is she nice? did you have fun? Get to second base?"

"Charles!" My mother scolded from the doorway- as usual she was listening in.

This can't get any worse.... this is worse then an interrogation.

"Oh Come on Ma! he's been in a dry spell since getting back- only his legs got blown off."

"Okay, Charlie- Shut the hell up, seriously." I took her out for drinks, then we went to a museum, then I walked her back to her car and came home- that's it. NOTHING happened." I was ready to punch him, really close.

"Is she hot? Charlotte said she was totally your type- you going out again with her?"

"How about you wear the blue Navy shirt honey?" My mom said, effectively shutting my brother up- thankfully, "that one is nice. No stains." I shrugged. "Oh wait!" she cried, "I've got the perfect one- they just got here this morning." she skipped out and I looked at Charlie confused, he shrugged. In a flash she was back holding up a.... a Pink shirt.

"Mom you've got to be kidding... I'm not going to wear a freaking p-"

"There the "Fight like a Girl" Tee-shirts we got for your aunt Cindy's fundraiser."

Aw hell....


******

Needless to say an hour later I wheeled into the Singles group wearing my Pink shirt under my jacket, it was raining slightly outside, but I didn't care.... I was nervous about tonight.

I had actually enjoyed my date with Evelyn, like really enjoyed it but I wasn't sure if she was as satisfied as I had been. She was a hard person to read, one second I thought she was opening up, the next talking to me like I was the village idiot- really pissed me off, but I found her interesting to say the least.

Rolling into the room I realized I was a few minutes late so I stayed near the back, the blind guy John near by, I guess his bat hearing heard my wheels because the next second he looked over.

"Hello,It's Alex right?"

"That's right."

"What do you think they'll have us doing this week?" I shrugged, .

"I don't know. Something we can't take part in I'm sure." The Lady who was the leader walked across the little podium, her shoes clicking on the floor.

"Hello, hello! Welcome to the second week of our dating group and I hope your first dates all went well?" Everyone mumbled something, didn't seem like most were that enthused. I know I wasn't... I didn't get "dates" I had a date, and I wasn't even sure that date went well, Evelyn was hard to read like that.

"Well, have I got a fun filled evening for you! We're going to start by writing down the qualities of what we're looking for in a relationship and then try to find someone in this room who has some of those qualities."

Oh you have got to be effing kidding me...

"Sounds like you're right for one of us at least," John said quietly, pulling me from my thoughts, he was looking at his lap. my heart kinda went out to the kid. I mean, he seemed like a sweet kid, and he seemed genuinely wanting to find someone.

"Nah, you can do this." I said putting my hand on his shoulder. "I'll write your list- how about that? I'm only here because my therapist wants me to, you clearly want to be here."

"Y-you'd really do that?" He looked up hopefully, I nodded, then remembered the kid couldn't see that.

"Yeah. I got a couple of blind buddies, we help one another out- you know? We uh "special" people." I chuckled "Be right back- she's handing out pens and crap." I wheeled away towards the front- avoiding people and almost having some girl trip and fall into my lap. But I got the paper and pens, that woman winking at me as she handed them over- I almost flipped her off but I didn't, my mother raised me right.. I needed to be civil.

"Okay John," I said getting back to where he was sitting. "What's Mrs. Right got to have qualities?" He smiled softly, hands fiddling in his lap,

God he's so sweet I'm gonna get a cavity just being near him.....

"I want someone kind," He said, you know the normal good qualities in someone, but Kind, talented,"

"Talented?"

"You know, has her hobbies and her own dreams."

"Right." I wrote those down,

"Open minded, someone who can understand that being blind isn't always a weakness and who will let me help her as much as she helps me- you know?" I looked up at him, I had to admit I really was beginning to admire this kid,

"yeah, I know," Mumbling I wrote his last thing down. "Anything else?"

"Oh Lots but.. those,those are flexible but I'd...." He trailed off,

"Yeah?"

"I'd like it if she had a pretty voice." Hell, this kid was so sweet... I grinned,

"Singing voice or Speaking voice?" It was his turn to shrug.

"Both?" I finished writing that and handed him the list.

"Here you go," Then I grinned, "Go get em tiger." we both laughed.