“Ah,” She sighed, rubbing her forehead as she opened the door. “Another day, another pile of dead bodies for me to clean up. I mean, at this age, he should at least know to clean up his own messes!” The girl scoffed, rolling up her sleeves. “I’m sure this’ll be fun.”

No you,, you can’t keep all what’s yours but then try to take mine. No, you can’t tell me what I’m thinking as if I don’t know my own self. No, you can’t pick, and choose the certain parts of me you feel fits best in place. Loving all of me is something you won’t get any short cuts with. but Oh, why of course I’ll help you understand what you can, and learn what you seek., But, my weeping soul is fragile, with one chip to its exposed heart,, and We retreat! So no to the hatred knocking on our door too. Yelling “just who in the hell do you think you are”!? I yell back! (while making my self appear bigger and stronger) “I know who I be, do you know who you are?” I said my soul it’s fragile why are you pushing this hard. Do you understand that if I push back you’ll be pushed very far. Make sure if it does go to far remember what you already learned to create new ways to get back to where you are! Don’t take to long please, I told you this soul is fragile, so we have trouble holding our space. Easily distracted wondering away! So, if you find my love urgent please hurry, we may not be in that prior space. Will you continue in urgency, searching…, If you find my love urgent, then yes! Finding us will be a highly decorated task.

Amelia: “You look ravishing today Sarah, is that a new … hat?”

Sarah: “It most certainly is Amelia, thank you kindly for noticing.”

Amelia: “You’re welcome it just looks so … good.”

Sarah: “Do you like it that much? You can have it.”

Amelia: “Oh, I couldn’t possibly.”

Sarah: “I absolutely insist.”

Amelia: “No really it’s too much.”

Sarah: “No it’s fine, here you go.”

Amelia: “Thanks…”

Sarah: “I never liked it anyway I found it too gaudy, but I’m sure it’ll suit you much better.”

Becky realized that Fall was coming. She felt the familiar sensation lurching up her spine. Target was calling. I need another candle like I need a swift kick in the pants she thought. But it was too late..she slipped on her UGG chuckas, grabbed her pom pom fuzzy keychain and headed out her front door into the brisk October air. Pumpkin Spice season was upon her and the annual home décor refresh was happening.

Oh great. Yet another fucking bullet wound. You know being chased around the town I grew up in isn’t nice and easy. Especially when i’m constantly being shot like this. What do they think? that it doesn’t hurt? I mean yeah sure I can heal in an instant but come on it passed right through my stomach! I won’t be able to patch this up myself. “Do you need help? I can clean your wound” my brother says as if he can read my thoughts.

“oh uh.. yeah if you wouldn’t mind.”

“You do know that you were speaking out loud right?”

“Oh what. Dammit. sorry”

It starts with your Laugh Your joy causing tears to fall My hand placed on your cheek to catch its descent. I’d lean in for a kiss, Your Eyes gleam from the hint , You’d naught ever resist. So begins our song.

Accelerando The Melody of our bodies syncing as we love to its tune. Ordained by orchestra, we follow its lead.

Decrescendo Fingers intwined, our breathes begin their solo I need not to rest for you give me life , No candles to burn Heat still fills up the room I feel your skin. Balmy.

The music ends. You and I However, compose a few chords more

“Well, I gave you what you wished for.”

“Yes, Jeannie. Because when I wished for a billion dollars, being covered from head to toe in tiny doll hairs and bearing a striking resemblance to Cousin It is exactly what I had in mind.”

“Ah!” I curse under my breath as the beads I’m holding fly across the table. The thread holding them together has snapped. “Excellent, that’s exactly what I needed to happen while I’ve got three orders due and finals to study for.” I sigh, not bothering to try to pick up the super small seed beads. The project was going beautifully before this, too. It was an intricate design of pink, bronze, and blue beads woven together using copper wire and thread to form a delicate bracelet. Two hour’s work, spread across my bedroom floor. “Guess I’ll grab the vacuum.” I glance at the clock. “And a snack.”

Padding downstairs, I see my sister sitting on the kitchen counter, holding a mug. She almost throws it at me when I appear silently at the doorway. “What on earth are you doing down here at eleven PM on a school night? I can feel my heart racing, you scared me so bad.” I grin. “Working on an order. I’m behind.” I gesture to her mug. “What are you doing down here? You’ve got school too.” “I was thinking of skipping.” “Really?” “No. Too stressful.” She sighs, hopping off the counter. “Hot chocolate?” “Sure.” I watch her make it, taking her place on the counter. “Do you want any help with the orders?” I narrow my eyes. “What’s the catch?” “None. Actually, I take it back. When you’ve caught up with your work, you could make me one of those necklaces you made for Kari. They’re good enough that I’d order one if I didn’t want to give you the satisfaction.” That’s surprising. “You’d buy one of my products?” “No. But I’ll take one in exchange for a bit of labor.” “I didn’t know you thought they were good.” “Yeah, I like your styles of jewelry. Not the earrings though.” “What’s wrong with them?” “Too flashy. Anyway, so you want help or not? If you give me a pattern or whatever I could follow it. It’s just the designs that I have trouble with.” I consider. We haven’t really hung out in a long time, and I really do need help. “Yeah, that’d be great. It might be a bit before you get your necklace, though.”

It’s her fourth night in a row closing the bar and Dani is exhausted. By the time she gets home, she’s lucky to get five hours sleep before starting all over again. And that’s provided her reveller roommate doesn’t make the sound of a small tornado coming home from a night out. Same shit, different day. Between training for her swim team, classes, assignments, and working to pay tuition fees, rent and, last but not least, food, there isn’t much time left for self care.

Which brings us to this very moment. Poor, sleep deprived Dani mentally crawling her way to the end of a day that just won’t seem to end. The bar is more full than she’d like it to be considering they are closing in fifteen minutes. It means it will be harder for her to herd the remaining intoxicated patrons onto the street so she can get the hell outta here. Something tells her she’s going to get some resistance since one particularly obscene man twice her age has been proudly making his feelings towards her quite clear all night with the encouragement of his equally vulgar mates.

She finishes off wiping the bar and goes on to the floor. She makes her way from table to table, clearing empty glasses and wiping sticky residues. She passes the rowdy group playing darts doing her best to ignore them.

“Hey, sweetheart!” The vile man yells. “Why don’t you come over here and be my lucky charm?”

“Yeah, I’ll get right on that,” she mumbles under her breath as she walks away.

The beautiful dress, lay await in the store, for only me Just how lovely, that one would defiantly look, on thee

No one else, will have the chance, to be the only one I will race right down, to the place, it will be so fun

I’m acting, just like Cinderella, on her very special night I positively know, it will fit perfect, and I will look so right

So here I am waiting, at the now closed, empty clothing store The dress I long for, is gone from the window, that I adore

Now I’m sad, and dragging myself back, to my empty home Where my closet stands empty, and all others are very alone

I don’t really need, that beautiful dress, it probably wont even fit So I will have, some red wine, and a lonely candle, I will have lit