When he came into the library, I panicked. I was afraid that if he saw me, he would come over and say hi and I was petrified that I wouldn’t be able to hide my feelings from him. He was the most popular guy on campus and I was—well, the girl least likely to attract someone like him.
“Hi.”
“Hi,”
“May I join you?”
“Yes.”
He sat down and stared at me so hard that I wanted to cover my face. “Are you busy Saturday night?”
“No.”
“How about dinner and a movie?”
Stunned, I nodded.
He grinned.
99 Words
This was written for the Friday Fictioneers challenge hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields For more details, visit Here. To read other stories based on this week’s prompt, visit Here.
Unlike her friends and almost everyone she knew, she wasn’t plugged into Social Media and had no interest whatsoever of joining her friends and family on Facebook. Befriending people the old fashioned way suited her better. And it was safer to connect to people she could actually see. She didn’t trust anything online—too intrusive and dangerous.
She couldn’t believe how people indiscriminately shared their information with people they didn’t really know and how eager they were to get those “likes”. She had seen the toll Social Media had on youth. Online bullying had led to her younger sister’s suicide.
100 Words
This was written for the Friday Fictioneers challenge hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields For more details, visit Here. To read other stories based on this week’s prompt, visit Here.
Although my gaze was fixed upon the water as it rushed forth as if it were late for an appointment, my heart was otherwise engaged in a very distressing matter–a matter which has placed my very constitution for happiness in grave danger.
The whispers of the impending nuptials between George Allerton, my employer and the beautiful Lydia Bridewell have been growing louder. Yesterday, I overheard Alice, the maid telling Beatrice, the cook that the wedding could be as early as a fortnight. I wanted to inquire of Mrs. Moore, the housekeeper, if this were true but thought it best not to touch on the subject for fear of betraying my feelings if she did confirm it. So, I held my tongue and suffered in silence.
For his part, Mr. Allerton has said nothing to me which I find to be very strange as it would be imperative for me to find employment elsewhere. The thought of leaving Riverdale Manor, little Amy and Mr. Allerton fills me with torment. Over a span of four years, I have grown to love my life here. I cannot imagine finding the same happiness elsewhere.
Necessity bids me now to bring the matter of my leaving before Mr. Allerton as soon as possible. I have made up my mind to broach the subject this evening after dinner and when we are alone in the drawing-room where he and I have spent many evenings together engaged in stimulating conversations. It is obvious to me that he enjoys my company as much as I enjoy his and it warms my heart that he treats me not as a servant but as an equal.
My gaze swept over the beautiful landscape with the lush green grass and trees which swayed gently in the breeze. I shall miss this place which has brought me such joy and peace. I shall miss the solitude and the walks I have enjoyed with Mr. Allerton. I shall miss seeing little Amy chasing after butterflies while I read or sketched. And I shall miss Mrs. Moore who has been so kind and good to me.
Tears pricked my eyes and I turn to head back to the manor when I espied Mr. Allerton striding towards me. I stood there, my heart racing. Perhaps, he was coming to address the very matter I wanted to bring to his attention this evening. He had been in town on business. The manor was never the same when he wasn’t there. When he went away for days and weeks at a time, it was torture for me. I missed him dreadfully.
He was standing before me now, his hair as black as the night was tousled from his habit of running his fingers through the thick tresses and his face was slightly flushed from the exercise. His eyes raked my face making me feel as little self-conscious. I touched my face which felt hot.
“Miss Foster,” he said as he towered over me. “I was told that I might find you here. How have you been?”
I wanted to say that I have been miserable because he had been away and because of the news of Miss Bridewell and him. Instead, I stepped back a little, attempted a smile and replied, “I have been well, Sir.”
He studied me with those penetrating dark brown eyes of his. “You don’t look well,” he said, looking concerned. “In fact, you look very pale. Are you unwell?”
“No, Sir. I’m fine.”
He didn’t look convinced but he didn’t press the matter. “Let us stand over there in the shade,” he suggested. I followed him over to a group of trees and we stood under their shade.
Perhaps now was the time for me to bring the matter of my leaving to his attention. Taking a deep breath, my hands tightly clasped in front of me, I said, “Sir, it has come to my attention that I need to find myself another situation. I will advertise and hopefully find a suitable position very soon.”
He stared at me. “What the deuce are you talking about?” he demanded. “What new situation and why should you advertise? I think you may have been out in the sun too long, Miss Foster.”
“Sir, it would not do for me to remain in your employ after you are married.”
“Married? Now, I know you have taken leave of your senses. Where the devil did you get the idea that I’m getting married?”
“There has been talk of your upcoming nuptials to Miss Bridewell and—”
“Miss Bridewell and I?” he exclaimed.
“Yes, it is believed that in a fortnight you two shall wed.”
He laughed. “It is true that in a fortnight, Miss Bridewell shall wed but it shall not be to me.”
I looked at him, confused. “But, Sir, everyone said that she was to wed Mr. Allerton.”
“Yes, she is to wed James Allerton, my cousin.”
I was so overwhelmed with relief that I had to lean against the tree lest my legs give way beneath me. When I heard the name Mr. Allerton in relation to Miss Bridewell, I just assumed that it was him to whom they referred. I had forgotten all about his cousin, James whom I recalled had been particularly attentive towards Miss Bridewell whenever they were in each other’s company.
“There is color in your cheeks again, Miss Foster,” Mr. Allerton remarked now, watching me closely. “I suspect that it has to do with my clearing up a little misunderstanding.”
“Yes, Sir. It means that it is no longer necessary for me to quit your employ. I can stay at Riverdale for as long as I am needed here.”
His expression became very serious and he moved closer to me. “What if I needed you to stay permanently at Riverdale?”
My eyes widened. “Permanently?” I repeated. “What about when Amy no longer needs a governess or you decide to marry?”
He reached for my hand. The feel of his warm fingers against mine made my heart flutter and my breath quicken. His eyes met mine in a steady gaze. “Miss Foster—Emma, Amy is no longer in need of a governess,” he said quietly. “She’s in need of a mother and I am in need of a wife.”
I gawked at him. “You mean…?”
“Yes, my dear Emma, I am asking you to marry me.”
I felt as if I were in a dream, one from which I hoped never to wake. This was all so incredible. My heart was pounding wildly against my ribs and my face was on fire. “But what will everyone think of you marrying someone beneath your station?”
“When it comes to my heart and what constitutes my happiness, I care not about what others think. And I have always treated you as my equal and not as someone beneath my station.”
I smiled. “That is true, Sir.”
He smiled. “Since I am soon to be your husband, don’t you think it’s time you called me George?”
“Yes, George.”
He didn’t answer. Instead, he held my face between his hands and kissed me. My heart was bursting with happiness.
“Have you told your parents?” she asked, toying with the straw in her milkshake.
He shook his head. “Not yet.”
She sighed. “How long are you going to keep putting it off?”
“I promise, I will tell them—when the time’s right.”
“And when will that be?”
“I don’t know. My parents are old fashioned…”
“So, they won’t accept me because I’m Japanese. I’m American too.”
“They’re not racist, it’s just…”
“It’s just what?”
“They don’t believe in races mixing.”
“That’s racist.”
“Look, today’s the Fourth of July. Let’s just celebrate.”
She stood up. “You can celebrate. I’m leaving.”
“Tomika!”
100 Words
This was written for the Friday Fictioneers challenge hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields For more details, visit Here. To read other stories based on this week’s prompt, visit Here.
I wish everyone in America and Americans living abroad a Happy Fourth of July!
I walked into the house. It was quiet. It meant he hadn’t come as yet. The corridor stretched endlessly before me. I wondered what to do while I waited for him. Ahead was the door leading to the large and cozy living-room. That’s where he and I sat, curled up on the sofa, listening to Smooth Jazz while sipping wine. I could wait in there. I could go into the kitchen and prepare something for us to eat. Or I could go upstairs and slip into something more comfortable.
I slipped off my sandals and walked through the first open door which led to the winding staircase. I went upstairs to the master bedroom with the enormous canopy bed where he and I enjoy many trysts. I opened my overnight bag and took out my new black negligee. I changed into it and put my clothes in the chair beside the door. I ran my fingers through my hair as I crossed the carpet to look out of the window.
The view was splendid. Thick foliage dotted the sprawling well maintained garden. I loved this house. It held so many wonderful memories for me albeit stolen ones. This was our love nest. I sat down on the window seat, drew my knees up and wrapped my arms around them. Any moment now, I should hear the approach of his car. As soon as I do, I will run down to greet him with a hug and a kiss.
I tried not to think about what I was doing. I had tried not to do that for five years now. Growing up in a Christian home, I was always taught that marriage was sacred and that adultery was a sin. I used to look down on friends and family whom I knew were having extramarital affairs. Not once did I imagine that one day I would do the very thing I condemned others for. When I met Julian, I didn’t know that he was married. He was handsome and charming. I fell quickly and hard.
We started seeing each other. I suspected that something was up when we always go together at my place and I was never invited to his. And we went to certain restaurants and I didn’t have his home number. I didn’t know where he worked or anything about his family. Whenever I wanted to introduce him to mine, he would find some excuse why he couldn’t. One night, I asked him pointblank if he was in a relationship. He reluctantly admitted that he was married. That floored me. A girlfriend or even a fiancee I could deal with but a wife?
When he saw my reaction, he apologized for not being open and honest with me. He said that he was afraid that if I knew that he was married, I wouldn’t get involved with him. He knew I was a Christian and what I believed. I went home that night and cried. I was so torn up inside about the whole thing. I was madly in love with him. I loved being with him. I was happiest when I was with him. He was my world.
For weeks, I wrestled with my heart and my conscience. My heart won and I continued seeing him. I stopped going to church because I didn’t want to be a hypocrite. I still read my Bible but I avoided the scriptures which spoke of adultery and fornication and such things. I loved Julian and I wanted to be with him.
I know that Julian loves me and I make him happy. I don’t think he loves his wife or that he’s happy with her. I hope that one day, he will end his marriage. Until then, I will continue to see him on the quiet like this. I hear his car now. Eagerly, I rise from the window seat and race out of the room. Taking two steps at a time, I reach the bottom of the staircase just as he opens the door and steps into the foyer. He smiles when he sees me and as soon as he closes the door, I rush over to him and throw my arms around him. He laughs, picks me up, swings me around before he kisses me.
At this moment, I’m not thinking about his wife or how far I have strayed from my moral principles. All that matters right now is that we are together.
The few hours I spend with you are worth the thousand hours I spend without you. – purelovequotes.com
It was a nice, summer day. After lunch, my father and I went to matinee show at the theatre which was within walking distance from the apartment I shared with my mother and sisters.
Later as we were walking back to the apartment, a cute guy was approaching from the opposite direction.
He looked at me, smiled and said, “Hi.”
“Hi,” I replied, smiling.
After we passed each other, my father asked, “Do you know him?”
“No.”
He laughed, looking surprised and amused. I guess in his day, a guy didn’t say hi to a girl unless he knew her.
100 Words
Although I changed a few details, this actually happened years ago when my Dad was visiting me in Queens, New York. We were returning from somewhere and a guy I had never seen before said hi to me. It wasn’t the first time that happened but it’s one of the many fond memories I have of my father.
This was written for the Friday Fictioneers challenge hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields For more details, visit Here. To read other stories based on this week’s prompt, visit Here.
Jilian sat there, watching the different passengers. Flying always made her nervous, especially since 911. Still, it was nice getting away for a bit. And she was looking forward to seeing her family. Seven years had passed since her last visit. This was a special occasion. Louisa, her eldest sibling was getting married to Dane, a childhood friend.
Dane. She smiled as she remembered how kind he had been to her when at eight years old, she’d fallen off her bike and scraped her knee. He’d made her smile through the tears. She especially looked forward to seeing him again.
100 Words
This was written for two prompts, the first is for the Friday Fictioneers challenge hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. For more details, visit Here. The second is the Ragtag Daily Prompt word Sibling. If you’re interested in participating, click Here for more information.
