This is a partial story from one of my "character clusters." The original reason for this post was going to be for help. I had multiple ways of how this story could go running through my head so I started all of them, but I think I figured it out. Although I like the ones I didn't choose for various reasons I feel like the way I chose is the most appropriate for the characters. So here we go:
“Hey, so, I don’t think I’m going
out tonight,” he texted.
“Oh?
Why?”
“Just
not feeling it.” I knew he was going through a rough patch.
“Okay.
Well you want me to come over? Just chill. Night in?”
“No.
Go out.” I wasn’t about to leave him sitting at home, alone, moping. I got
undressed and threw on a tee and baggy jeans; I didn’t need a dress for a movie
night. I washed my face to rid myself of the mask I’d drawn on earlier and
replaced in with a natural look. O grabbed my leather jacket and keys and put
on my worm- out sneakers.
On
my way to campus I stopped and grabbed chips, dip and pop. When I got off the
bus in front of the library it had started to rain, just a light drizzle. I
walked quickly to Dante’s Building. When I got to his floor the door was
propped open so I let myself in. I walked down the hall to his room and knocked
on the door.
When
he opened it there was something wrong. He didn’t say anything, his jaw dropped
and he kept the door mostly closed. “Hey,” he said finally, uncertainly.
“Hi.”
“What are you doing? Shouldn’t
you be out at the club?”
“I figured you were here
moping so I thought I grabbed some snacks and came over.” I pushed the door
open to walk in. It was my turn for a jaw dropping experience. The room was
dark, and then lightning flashed and illuminated what was on the table: a
needle, a spoon, an elastic and a small bag.
OPTION 1
“Uh, Dante?” I said turning to
find him with his head hung low, leaning against the wall. “Is that---?“
“Just leave. I know you want
to.” He pushed the door wide open. I walked over and closed it.
Dante looked up surprised. “But---“
“Look Dante, I don’t approve
but I’m not leaving.”
“You’re not?”
“Nope, so clean that shit up.
I’ll grab some glasses.” I went over to the kitchenette, poured the ships into
a bowl and the coke into glasses. He grabbed the paraphernalia and hid it in
his room. I joined him and sat on the bed, “You wanna talk about it?”
“Another time. Let’s just
watch a movie, okay?”
“Yep, pick something and put
it in.”
OPTION 2
I dropped the bag and rushed
back out the door.
“Deirdre!” I heard him call
after me. I just kept running. It was pouring outside now. I didn’t stop at the
bus stop, I just kept running. My breath burned in my lungs, my mind raced, the
thunder cracked; I just kept running.
Soaked. Confused. Scared. I
walked into my house where my roommate sat sipping tea and reading. “What the
fuck happened to you?” She asked upon seeing my running mascara, hearing my
laboured breathing and feeling the tension in the air. I said nothing. I walked
past her and sat on the floor by the balcony door. “Deirdre?”
I looked up at her. “Yeah?”
“What happened?”
“I went to Dante’s” I thought
about telling her but clearly he didn’t want anyone to know. “Don’t worry about
it.” I smiled; it was a fake smile.
“Kay,” she said, unimpressed.
“Jules?”
“Yeah?”
“Can you make me some tea?”
She smiled and nodded before leaving the room.
OPTION 3
I dropped the bag. I looked
back at Dante who just stood there, watching and waiting for my reaction. I
walked over to a chair and sat abruptly. I put my elbows on my knees and my
head in my hands. He approached me slowly, cautiously. He stretched out his
hand to put it on my shoulder.
“No!” I said. He recoiled and
retreated. There was another moment of silence.
“Deirdre?” he said in a quiet
voice. “Deirdre, can you say something?” I looked up. He was sitting across the
room, on the floor, in a corner, pulling his knees to his chest.
“Honestly Dante, I’m not sure
what to say.” He went to speak but I shushed him. “I mean, I’m not sure what to
say or what to feel. I’m confused. I’m scared. I’m worried. I don’t know why
you’d share everything else with me but keep this a secret. I don’t know if I should
get out now before I get pulled into it. I don’t know if I should try to help.
Would you even accept my help? I really don’t know what to say, so how about
you say something?”
OPTION 4
“Oh,
look, heroin!” I said. “I didn’t know you were a drug addict. Can I try? Will
you show me how? What does it feel like?”
“Deirdre?”
“Yeah?”
“You’re
kidding right?”
“Nope!
Let’s go! How do we do this?”
“Deirdre,
stop!” He yelled pulling things from my hands.
“Why?
You do it? What’s so bad about me joining you? Just another thing for us to
bond over.”
He
sighed. “Because it’s not good. I need out but---“ He had a tear in his eye; it
rolled down his cheek.
My
heart broke. “Dante,” I started. “I shouldn’t have been so insensitive. I didn’t---“
I trailed off.
“No,
you were just reacting. I get it. You can leave if you want. I won’t hold it
against you.”
“No,
Dante. I don’t want to leave.” I thought for a second. “Unless you want me to
leave?” I asked hesitantly.
“No!”
he said surprisingly loud. “No. If you’re here, I won’t use.”
“Okay,
put on a movie. I’ll grab us some glasses.”
He
walked away, he looked relived.
So that's what I came up with, please leave your comments below. In a few days I'll post my own thoughts and the piece that I actually chose to go with :)
