|
|
Hi, my name is Delanie
Rosen
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 | The Forbidden Fruit Tastes The Sweetest :02: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 5 with 2 vote(s)
|
|
| Created: 2009-01-08 21:38:52 |
|
|
|
A/N- You'll need to read the first chapter. I'm sorry if these first couple of chapters are boring and elusive. I promise, I have a plot thought out and a progression. I just need to work up to that point and, unfortunately, I don't have that much computer time.
But I'm looking for comments in regards to my writing. Does this style work for this particular story? Is it monotonous? I want to get better ya'll, so constructive criticism is loved.
~~~~
I woke at an astoundingly early 7:45 on Sunday morning to the sound of a heavy rain beating on the roof of the cabin. I sighed and rolled over, willing myself to go back to sleep. But that wasn’t going to happen anytime sound. The rhythmic pounding of rain sounded ominous in my new room and did nothing to nurse my already depressed mood.
Giving up on the sleep endeavor, I rolled out of bed, groggily making my way out of the room. Tanner and Chandler were in the rec room, playing on the Play Station. I squinted, trying to determine what the game was through my tired eyes, but the only thing I could distinguish was that it was loud, noisy, and it involved guns.
Chandler looked my way and smiled. “Morning sleepyhead. Did we wake you up?” I shook my head weakly. “The rain?” I nodded. My brothers knew me too well. He shrugged. “Sorry. That’s just something kind of unavoidable. Anyways, Taren made pancakes this morning. I think there’s a plate on the counter for you, though I suggest nuking it for awhile, incase Taren breathed any nasty bacteria on it.” You could hear the laugh in his voice.
I shuffled down the hallway and around the corner. Taren was in the living room adjoining the kitchen. It looked like he was doing some last minute homework. He smiled at my entrance. “Hey, Lanie. Did you sleep okay?” I shrugged, popping the plate of pancakes in the microwave. “It’s a little early for you to be up, anyways, isn’t it? You don’t sleep like this in New York, do you?” I spread my hands helplessly. This wasn’t New York, so things were bound to change, I thought grimly. My brother sighed. “Too tired to talk?”
“No. I just don’t feel like it.”
I grabbed my pancakes, adding a hearty coating of syrup to the top, before taking up a couch in the sitting room. Looking out the window was like staring at an alien planet. I had become too accustomed to the spacious loft apartment overlooking the busy streets below. Here, it was an endless panorama of greens, grays, and browns. The lawn was a rich emerald, the forest encroaching on all sides of the house mirroring its smaller compatriots. The brown trunks were swathed in spring, coiling moss, and the ground just on the periphery was sticky and brown. Mud.
I scowled, suddenly losing my appetite. I placed the plate back on the counter, Taren jumping as he heard the noise. Before he could open his mouth, I quickly intercepted. “I’ll eat later. Thanks, but I just don’t think I can stomach it.” He nodded, and I could feel his worried eyes on my back as I stalked off. Taren had always been the worrywart of the family. He was cautious and questioned everything before he jumped in, which is why I thought he’d make a great nurse someday.
Secluding myself behind the door of my room, I took the chance to actually look at my room. It looked hopelessly drab and blank, which might have been a contributing factor to my earlier depression. Now would be as good a day as any to settle myself in. I didn’t imagine that I’d have much time when school started. I played with the clock radio on my night stand table in hopes of finding something decent to listen to. There were a lot of news stations and even a jazz channel. But nothing like the swing, blues, or oldies I was used to. I settled for a Top 40 station that was practically drowned out by static.
I started with my clothes, filling up the dresser before moving on and occupying just under half of the closet space. I grimaced at my lack of clothing, resolving that I would have to go into town and supplement the empty space with some cold weather clothing. I put my lap top and work lamp on the desk, along with a few sea shells my dad had brought back from the coasts of Australia, and little wooden figurines depicting aspects of New York culture that I was so fond of. I cast a glance at the clock, noticing it was now past three. Things were all quiet outside my room, leading me to believe that Tanner and Chandler had given up the game. I sighed, filling the night stand table with my unimpressive collection of classic novels and meager CD stash.
Tanner knocked on the door. “Hey, Lanie, we’ve got lunch out. You might want to come out.”
I dropped the pile of shoe boxes I was carrying onto my bed. “Thanks, Tan. I’ll come out and eat.” I was really hungry now having neglected to eat breakfast. There was a large pot of macaroni on the stove, a bowl and spoon alongside it. Serving myself, I joined my brothers on the island, munching quietly away at my food. It would be nice living with them, I decided. They were quiet and didn’t put their noses in my business. They let me cope how I wanted, for which I was grateful.
I was still shoveling spoonfuls of noodles into my mouth when my brothers stranded me, dumping their bowls in the sink. “Guess what, Delanie?” Taren crowed, a devious smirk on his face. “We’re going to allow you to do the dishes.”
I cocked a brow, muttering around my mouthful of food. “So what, you can play video games or watch TV?”
“Precisely. It’s great that you understand.”
I rolled my eyes. “It’s my first day here and you’re already putting me to work?”
Tanner nodded. “Now we’ve got someone to actually do the dishes. Usually they just pile up until we have nothing left and then we HAVE to wash them.” He crinkled his nose.
“Fine,” I mumbled, chucking a noodle at them. “But don’t get used to this. I demand a reprieve on Fridays and sick days.” They nodded, walking off. Once they were around the corner, I stared at the sink, allowing a groan. I hadn’t noticed the mountainous pile of dishes last night and I was already anticipating dry and cracked hands after this. But, grabbing a sponge and drawing some hot water, I bravely dove in to what was sure to be a daunting task.
~~~~
It was nearing 10 o’clock when I stumbled into my room that night. After the dishes, I had enjoyed an evening sitting with my brothers on the couch, while they screamed at “biased football calls”. I didn’t understand the game at all, and only nodded so they knew I had heard them. Then they suckered me into making dinner, though I kept it simple with baked potatoes, chicken, and a salad. Finally we all crowded around the Xbox, and the boys were attempting to teach me to play Tokyo Drift. I think I was starting to get the hang of it, but then Chandler went and mentioned the time and I immediately felt exhausted. I excused myself, saying I still had some decorating to do before I went to bed that night.
I just had to add a few posters, nothing flashy. They mostly involved The Beatles, Queen, and Jimi Hendrix, though there was one or two of New York at night. There were a few photos in the one shoe box which were pinned to the corkboard. In the last there was a scattered collection of newspaper clippings. I looked down at them dubiously, her face staring back at me. I turned, tucking them into the top drawer of my desk. Now was not the time.
It finally hit me, just as I was falling asleep, that I had school in the morning.
~~~~
I woke with faint nausea rolling in my stomach. Of course I would be nervous. It was my first day at a public school in ten years, and not to mention it was a small school at that. In a town this small, I was bound to be noticed immediately, and I didn’t want to stretch my alibi too far. If people started asking questions, I’d probably start breaking down.
I slowly rolled out of bed, not wanting to encourage my stomach to unleash its contents, shuffling to the wall. I leaned heavily against the door frame as I turned the light switch on, wincing in the sudden flood of light. The rain still kept up its drumming melody outside, much to my dismay. I pulled out a thick sweater and pair of well-loved jeans from my drawers, tossing them on my bed before inspecting my reflection in the mirror.
Like most people, I looked horrible in the mornings. My gold-tinted hair was tangled and knotted wildly about my face, my eyes squinting against the light, and my freckles looked quite prominent against my peach-colored skin, which had a faint shade of green under it. I scowled unattractively, yanking a brush obstinately through my hair. What did I care? I was not here to impress. I was here to be safe, to start over, and I needn’t worry myself with the petty concerns of the normal teenagers.
I found Chandler in the kitchen, cereal bobbing in his bowl of milk. He glanced up, acknowledging my presence. “Hey,” he mumbled.
“Hey. Taren and Tanner leave for the hospital already.”
He nodded. “Usually they are here in the mornings, but because we had to pick you up from the airport on Saturday, they had to miss a day of work. So they’re trying to make up their hours.”
“Hmmm..” I mused, taking a granola bar from the box and sitting at the table with a glass of orange juice.
Chandler snorted. “You’re not going to eat anything more substantial? You know they say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”
He’d been living with my brothers too long. I sighed, patting my already upset stomach. “I don’t think I could stomach it, Chan.”
“Nervous?” At my nod, he reached over to take my hand. “Don’t be, Delanie. You’ll see. The kids there are nice, well, for the most part. The teachers are cool, and you’ll be able to keep up the ruse. I hope.” I scowled. I had always been a terrible actress. I quickly swallowed the granola bar, chasing it down with the juice before grabbing my rain boots and jacket from the closet by the stairs.
“Where you going, Lanie?”
“Ummm… school, silly.”
“Well, I’m supposed to drive you the first day.”
I put my hands on my hips. “Says who?”
“Taren and Tanner.” I rolled my eyes. Who else?
“Why can’t I drive myself? I have my own car.” Which I was very eager to start driving.
“After the first week. That way you know what you’re doing and where you’re supposed to go. Do you want to be circling the campus for hours trying to find the main office?” I scowled again. I had a knack for getting myself lost, even with the most advanced GPS system in front of my nose.
“Fine,” I finally assented. “But let’s go. I’d like to get there early and pick up my papers.”
Chandler gobbled down the last bits of his cereal, handing me my backpack before shouldering his own. We put our hoods up as we dashed across the lawn to the garage.
Chandler’s Expedition was the only practical car out of all of them, so, considering the torrential downpour, it was probably wise I had opted to ride with him.
As we pulled out on to the main road, fear once again clenched my stomach. I tried to keep my eyes locked ahead, blocking out the endless screen of brown and green fling by on either side of me.
Aspen High School was relatively close to town. The stream of students, all in similar wet weather wear was daunting and I swallowed hard, my granola bar fighting to make itself known again. Chandler parked in the back lot and as soon as the ignition was turned off, my heart beat became very audible. I swallowed, putting up my hood again and bravely following Chandler to the main building.
I paused in the doorway. “Here goes nothing,” I mumbled, opening the door to the bright, early morning chatter of teenagers discussing their weekends. |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
![The Doll Palace Home
[Where Cartoon Dolls Live]](http://ww2.thedollpalace.com/images/tdp_banner.gif)
