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Post by Octie on Feb 23, 2009 10:50:06 GMT 12
Yeah, beautiful. And nice style I wonder what Lennard's game is... he's been following Amanda since he saw her at that hotel, he wanted to turn back at some point, and he really doesn't want her to leave him... I'm thinking either he's had "love at first sight" happen to him, or he has some plans... Waiting for the next one Sparrow
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Post by pbeng on Feb 24, 2009 3:56:31 GMT 12
cool chapter,its getting more interesting ;D
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Post by sparrow on Feb 25, 2009 6:44:25 GMT 12
CHAPTER 5: Later maybe.
Amanda had her chin in her palm, staring out the window. There really wasn't anything to see, though. Sure, the nature was pretty, but it went by too fast, and it looked pretty much the same along the road.
The forest wasn't that thick here, but it was still like a fence on both sides.
"There's the diner" Lennard pointed and Amanda followed his fingers direction.
"Oh.." she exclaimed kinda confusedly as she sat up in the seat.
He pulled in to the driveway and stopped.
"Some fresh air is going to be great, or what?" A charming smile glittered on his face, and Amanda squinted at she got out of the car.
"Mmhm" she slurred and smiled back at him as they up to the diner together.
Amanda had almost forgotten their turmoil earlier, as it was overshadowed by his nice looks and charming ways.
Now, as they made their way to the diner, she felt safer than she had ever done. She was still unsure of him, but he had a very special energy, and his tall, lean body towered next to her.
Like a great dane watching over her.
Amanda couldn't help but smile, and she looked down at her feet.
Lennard bobbed his head, "what are you smiling about?" he asked curiously. Amanda was caught offguard by him, "Oh, nothing." she said with a slow shrug and they looked at each other, as if both knew she didn't mean it.
He left it at that.
As they got in, Lennard slowed his pace, letting Amanda go first.
He had a feeling she would want to pick out a table.
He watched her survey the place and scurry over to a table far away from the others.
Sauntering slowly after her, he sat down across her.
Hidden behind a menu, she had seated herself in a the corner of a couch.
It was a horse-shoe shaped couch, and so Lennard decided to sit down on the other end.
Lennard grabbed a menu and quietly studied it. Amanda's spider-senses told her that he wasn't looking, so she peeked up from her menu, staring at him again.
She could not believe how handsome he was. His dark eyelashes, the narrow but masculine face. She could only see the upper half of his face from here, but it didn't bother her.
Now she noticed how his brows furrowed slightly when reading and she almost forgot to breathe again. She had frozen behind her menu, too fixed on his looks to remember anything else.
Lennard quickly looked up from his menu. Amanda ducked behind hers.
He had so busted her. He could tell she had been staring again. It was hard to not feel her burning stare.
Lennard wanted to smile, but tried to hold it back.
"Have anything you like, my treat." said Lennard kindly and put down his menu.
Amanda ppopped out from the side of her menu, "really?"
There was almost a hint of sceptisism in her voice. But she followed it with a thankful smile.
A waitress came over to their table, "can I get you anything?" she asked.
Lennard looked up, "Yeah, I'll have the californian sandwich, and a cup of coffee please.", "coming right up. What about you?" the woman asked cheerfully.
Amanda twisted a lock of her hair as she had put down her menu, giving it one last glance, "uhm, I'll take a chocolate milkshake, and the house-steak" she finally said.
"Okay! Coming right up" The waitress chirped and walked off to the kitchen.
A silence draped the two of them, making it uncomfortable and weird to sit there together.
Lennard wanted to get a real conversation out of this girl. He felt like he owed her that.
That made no sense, but he didn't bother.
"So," he started and leaned his elbows on the table. "Amanda." he added. "how come you were walking out there in the middle of nowhere?" he asked quietly, figuring she didn't want everyone to know.
Amanda felt like she choked. There was a panicked look on her face and she almost twisted in her seat.
Lennard noticed, but tried to ignore it. He still waited for an answer.
Amanda let a sigh seep out as hushed as possible. "I.." she drawled, and glanced at the other customers, who were busy eating, "don't really want to talk about it here" she said.
Then she stiffled an unplanned inhale that wanted her to get as much oxygen before she started bawling.
But there was no way she was going to cry.
Not here, not infront of him. Not because of her actions. Not ever!
Lennard pulled back a bit. He saw how uncomfortable he had made her.
It intrigued him, but he didn't want to scare her off, especially at this diner full of people.
"Alright" he said, reminding himself to take this conversation back in the car. He really wanted her story. He didn't need it, but he wanted it for his own sake. Or hers. That, he wasn't sure of.
But he was pretty sure it would be good for her to talk.
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Post by wesireal on Feb 25, 2009 6:51:38 GMT 12
Wonderful.I hope more is coming.
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Post by sparrow on Feb 25, 2009 8:22:25 GMT 12
CHAPTER 6: Now that you survived suicide.
They had both finished their meals, and Lennard was now in the men's room.
He stared at his reflection and sighed. He was a bit tired from all this. This act, or whatever he should call it. At the same time, it was what he was good at, and he would not fail.
Right now, he was more worried that she would get away from him.
He opened the door slightly and peeked through. He could see her at the other end of the diner.
Amanda was slurping at her milkshake, staring out towards the window. He watched her for a few seconds, seeing that she suddenly got up and sauntered over to the ladies' room.
Stepping back and letting the door close slowly, he looked at himself in the mirror again. This time, he was sure he had been standing there a whole minute atleast.
You can do this. Of course you can. It's easy. It's nothing.
He brushed a bit at his hair, making sure it was in place. This made him feel confident that he would make this work out.
Exiting the men's room, he walked with his ususal determined stroll to their seat.
Amanda was back in her seat, watching him come closer. He glanced out the window then back at her.
"You finished?" he asked, towering infront of her.
Amanda looked up at him, still clutching to her milkshake, she nodded, "yeah, " she shot up from the seat and followed him outside.
His pace was a bit too quick, and she sped up until she got next to him, "hey" she said as she accidentally brushed against his arm.
He stopped, looking at her. "Thanks a lot for the meal. That was really nice of you." she said and sat down on the hood of his car.
"I mean, it was the best damn dinner I've had in weeks." she confessed, squnting her eyes to look at him without being blinded by the sun.
Lennard sat down next to her, "Don't mention it." he told her, and inhaled the fresh summer air.
He glanced over at her again, smiling and squinting his eyes aswell.
Amanda squinted at him again, to the point where her eyes were completely shut. She grinned sheepishly while doing so, making him keep his smile.
Seeing that he was, atleast slightly, amused, she laughed and pulled back a bit, watching him to see if he thought she was just a total moron.
"Ah, let's get going before it get's too late" he said and got up.
Amanda hopped up aswell, twirling around to get to the door.
As they were driving again, Lennard decided to ask Amanda again.
"I don't want to pry, but how come you were walking here all alone?" he glanced at her, trying to see what her reaction was.
Amanda knew someone would ask her eventually. Yet, she hadn't prepared any lies.
So maybe, subconciously, she wanted to just tell the truth.
Atleast she had given herself a new name. With that, he couldn't trace her background or know who she was, simply because she, in a way, didn't exist.
Amanda sighed, "Oh God" she whispered under her breath, as inaudible as possible.
"There's nothing much to tell. Just another girl from a broken home, tired of it all." she explained.
Lennard gaver her a long glance. "I dont believe you. I think you have a lot to tell" he said as kindly as he could.
He could tell it was a touchy subject, so he tried to go easy.
Amanda looked back at him, "It's just so embarrasing. I've tried all my life to hide how white trash I really am." her voice trembled and she didn't manage to look him in the eyes anymore.
"There's just too many things I've had to deal with. Things no one should have to deal with." her speech was greatly influenced by her emotions that she were holding back as best as she could.
"Such as?" Lennard quickly shot in.
Amanda knew that question was coming. She looked out the window for a few seconds, forcing her tears to stay back.
"Just in general, a lot of family drama. Parents tormenting each other. Knives, throwing things, fighting, the sorts" she could feel her breath hitch as she inhaled.
"More than once, I've had to call the cops to come and end violent arguments." she exhaled and grew quiet.
Lennard cleared his throat quietly, "so your parents are divorced?" he asked, keeping his eyes on the road.
"No, they're togeher. If only they had moved far away from each other. Maybe I would't have to be a guided missile between them anymore."
Lennard didn't seem surprised, but he listened carefully.
"But how would it help that you ran away?" he asked, now looking at her.
She glanced back at him, "It wasn't suppose to help." she said dryly with a blank face.
Lennard nodded. "Then why did you leave it all?" he asked.
Amanda seemed baffled. "Isn't it obvious? I wanted to get away from it all. I want to start a new life. I don't ever want to hear from them again." she hissed.
Lennard didn't answer that, but listened. He was quiet for a while, letting her regain control of herself.
"Forgive me for sounding bold." He started and gave her a long look, "but could it be that there are things in your own life you want to run away from? And not just your family situation?"
A dead cold stare from Amanda. She stared right through him. "Does it seem like that's the case?" she asked.
Lennard shook his head lightly, "No, no. Just that it seems like you've gone to such great lenghts to leave everyting behind you."
Amanda took a deep breath. "I moved out a couple of months ago," she continued. "It didn't really help, cause they were constantly pestering me about their sorry lives. Anyway, "
Amanda pushed away some strands of her hair again. "I only worked part time, and so I needed a bit more money to cover the rent."
There was an oddly long pause, and Lennard looked over at her, seeing her drying some tears.
"Oh, I'm sorry" he exclaimed and qucikly reached for the glove compartment. Her knees were in the way, but he managed to open it nonetheless.
He got out some small towels, "here" he gave her one. She took it, but only to hold for now.
"Dont apologize." she said and sucked in air through her nose.
"I started soliciting" she whispered and tried her best at not breaking down and crying. I
t failed, and she had tears streaming down her face, accompanied by desperate sobbing.
Lennard looked at her now and she hid her face in her hands, muffling her crying. Lifting her head, she dried her eyes with the the soft paper.
"I hated myself for doing it, but at the same time, I didn't stop. It was better than going back home. And I was gonna stop when I had saved up some money, but it just never happened. It almost became an addiction."
She looked at Lennard, who was listening to her, his eyes on the road. He glanced at her.
What on earth did you say to something like this?
"If you were to say something to your parents now, what you say?" he asked her, his piercing, yet soft eyes seemed to grab her by he face and hold her tight.
Amanda sniffed a couple of times, and there was a grim look in her eyes.
"I'd tell them I hate them!" she hissed bitterly.
"Do you hate them?" he asked.
Amanda turned in her seat, facing him. The belt dug into her skin, but she didn't care. "Of course not." she barked.
"But I hate what they've made me. What they've done to me. I can never unsee what I've seen. Or unhear what's been said. It haunts me at night. And they don't even acknowledge it. Or me."
"I hate what they've done. What I've done."
Her voice was stressed and aggravated. Her eyes searched his face for something. For comfort, trust, anyting.
Lennard slowed down his car, glancing back at her. She looked feral.
He turned his attention back on the road.
"You know what? Let's not talk more about this now, okay? Unless you want to. I dont want to upset you just to satisfy my curiousity."
Amanda inhaled and gave him a long look while letting her laboured breath settle.
Why on earth did she share this with him? He must think she was so trashy and nasty. Even she was disgsusted by herself.
"You alright?" Lennard asked after a couple of minutes.
Amanda nodded and suddenly felt very sleepy.
He watched her settle down in the seat again, and decided to give her some time to relax.
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Post by Honey_Bunny on Feb 25, 2009 9:16:28 GMT 12
Very nice Sparrow! I think I can be pretty positive that Lennard is not bad news. This chapter so much reminds me of the Genesis song "Not son of Mine" Keep it up mate!
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Post by sparrow on Feb 26, 2009 1:28:38 GMT 12
haha honey,you're right! i had to listen to the song now, and lmao so true. haha.
new chapter coming up! thanks for still reading! <3 <3 <3
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Post by pbeng on Mar 2, 2009 6:36:33 GMT 12
good good =) this story is easy to visualise in my mind ^_^
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Post by sparrow on Mar 9, 2009 7:23:40 GMT 12
so much to do lately, but here it is! i almost finished it days ago, but yeah. arhf. my real life is getting in the way, hahaha.
excuse the lameness. I was in the mood for some sloppy clichè.
CHAPTER 7: So be it.
A man stood at the side of the road, waving for Lennard to come over. When the car got close enough, they saw it was a policeman.
Lennard rolled down his window, "Hi." the policeman said politely as he bent down to lean on the window.
Lennard nodded back. Amanda seemed a bit disinteresed, but turned in her seat to face the man.
"There's been a rock avalanche a couple of miles a head. They rocks are blocking the road." he explained.
Lennard's lips curled before he licked them. "So, is it gonna be long before they get it fixed?" he asked.
The cop didn't seem like he had good news on his mind. "Yeah, I think so. They're trying to get the vechicles up here, but it might not be fixed until tonight even. It should be done by tomorrow." he explained, knowing that people didn't like to be stuck like this.
"There's a small hotel just up that road over there, if you want to wait until tomorrow. I doubt they will get out here today." he said.
Lennard glanced at Amanda, who seemed to have tuned out. "Ah, thank you officer. We'll get to that hotel right away" he smiled and they drove off again.
Amanda stretched and sat up in the seat, staring curiosuly out the window. "That's probably the hotel!" she bucked forward in the seat, pointing past Lennard's face. He gave her a rapid glance before he continued looking on the dusty road that led to a small parkinglot.
In the reception, Lennard was paying for two single rooms. He had lured Amanda over to look at a big aquarium they had next to the staircase. He was sure she had the money to pay for her own room, but it was the least he could do.
She came up behind him, "did they have any rooms left?" she asked, looking up at him. Lennard gave her a key, "yeah, I got two." he mumbled as he fiddled with his wallet and picked up a grey bag he had taken from his car.
"Oh.." she sounded dumbfounded, looking at the keynumber and walking carelessly up the stairs.
Lennard kept a steady pace behind her. "There we go!" he heard her say a few meters away from him. He had already found his room. He secretly watched her disappear past the treshold before he aswell went to his room.
He put down his bag and collapsed in a dark brown recliner. What a strain this had been. Soon things would be even worse. Or perhaps even better. It was hard to tell. Maybe things would get better and worse at the same time. He suddenly realized he was staring at the floor.
How great it was to get some time alone. He forced himself up from the chair. A long shower would clear his head, for sure. Passing his bag, he stopped, took a few steps back and picked it up.
Feeling the need to go through it all one more time, atleast once before showering.
He opened it and got out a bottle of pills. Sleeping pills to be exact. They would make everything smoother. He had to do it tomorrow, or it would be far too late.
Repeating it to himself helped reassure him. Tomorrow. Tomorrow he would do it. He couldn't put it off any longer. He glanced at the bottle again.
The thing with some sleeping pills were that you could never tell how someone would react to them. When he had used sleeping pills, they just made him calm and tired. Some were knocked out cold for hours, while others didn't really fall asleep. They just became really sedated and drowsy.
His gaze had drifted from the bottle and to the wall, staring absentmindedly.
Knocking at the door made him snap out of it. Lennard quickly put away the bottle and went to open the door.
It was, as he could have guessed, Amanda.
"Hi!" she meekly smiled, "I was bored." she said, holding herself back a few seconds to let him invite her in, before she invited herself.
Lennard let her pass him. "Your room is just like mine, only mirrored!" she exclaimed and looked out his window. From his window, she could see the parking lot, the road, and a gas station.
Lennard closed the door slowly. "I'm going to take a shower." his voice sounded hoarse and tired, but there wasn't any trace of annoyance.
"Okay. D'you mind if I watch TV?" she asked, leaning her head back to look at him. "No, help yourself." he said and took his bag with him to the bathroom.
Amanda dropped down on his bed, throwing her key carelessly beside her as she turned on the tv.
About fifteen minutes passed, and when Lennard came out of the bathroom, he saw the girl sound asleep on his bed. The TV was still on, and the remote resting in her weak grip.
He couldn't have her sleeping here. His mind wandered and he found himself staring at the gas station.
Of course! Tomorrow, before they left, he would surprise her with some beverage from the gas station, and he'd crush the pills and put them in. Now he was calmed for sure. Even re-energized perhaps.
His eyes searched for her roomkeys. Grabbing the keys, he scooped her slowly up from the bed. It stirred her but she was too tired to bother doing anyting.
Lennard came out to the hallway and as he got to her room, he tried unlocking it without dropping her. His wet hair dripped on her and she curled her arms around his neck, breathing out slowly.
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Post by wesireal on Mar 9, 2009 8:54:55 GMT 12
Excellent! Keep it coming.
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Post by Honey_Bunny on Mar 10, 2009 10:30:08 GMT 12
Oooh! Very intriguing Sparrow! The girl is getting looser and the man is getting tighter!
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Post by pbeng on Mar 14, 2009 7:24:23 GMT 12
nice,i cant wait to read more ^_^
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Post by sparrow on Mar 15, 2009 8:43:50 GMT 12
thanks for all your nice comments! <3 <3 always appreciated! you're all so sweet! :3 Honey, you're right about Amanda getting looser and Lennard getting tighter, haha I hadn't even noticed! :'D hey, here's some trivia I keep forgetting to say. All the titles are either songlyrics or songtitles from an artist named Morten Abel, and sometimes from a band he was in, called The September When. Oh, and I was listening to this song all through the chapter. www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiZ_XQ9USTsCHAPTER 8: Some of us will make it.Amanda came down the stairs, seeing Lennard getting seated in the restaurant. She had just gotten her clothes out of the dryer. One of few hotels with washing machines and dryers for guests to use. She would have to remind herself to thank the higher powers some day. Buckling the belt on her jeans before she got seated with him, the girl noticed that he was just as nicely dressed today as yesterday. A fit milkchocolate jacket over a white shirt with barely visible creamcoloured stripes. The collar of the shirt gracing his neck whenever he moved. His looks had consumed her so much lately. It was like she never got enough. It felt rather hopeless though. He was just a man giving her a lift. He probably had a job, a life. Kids of his own perhaps. A nice house and maybe even a wife somewhere, even though he had no ring. Her dad didn't have a ring either. Her mom was wearing both, because his didn't fit anymore. She wondered what her mother was doing now. She kinda hoped she was wandering restlessly around, wondering where her daughter was. At the same time, she didn't want her mother to hurt like that. It would be better if her mom didn't care. "Aren't you hungry?" Lennard's voice cracked her thoughts into crumbles and she found herself staring at him. "No, I've already eaten" she sighed and felt like she was miles away from everything. She wanted something, or someone to bring her back. But the only one in her life right now was busy eating scrambled eggs. Why could he not hear her mind calling out for him? Anything would do. Please, why could he not say something or even touch her? Her thoughts about her family and everything she had pushed behind her, was holding her hostage in her mind. Her thoughts slowly shifted towards him. It was slightly for the better, but she wanted to be in touch with reality again. All she could think of was his wife, if he had one. She imagined a long, slender creature with caramelcoloured curls and a silky dress with small, faded flowers. A woman who didn't demand anything but for him to be home once in a while and remind her that he still loved her. A woman who had never raised her voice to yell at anyone. She would have a special way of caressing his face. A sort of touch that he would miss when away from her. "I'm just going to fill up the tank on the car" Lennard said as he put down his empty glass. Amanda jumped in her seat and she looked like his voice had revived her. As if he had given her mouth to mouth and was now watching her as she came back to the world after almost touching the bright light. Lennard had too much on his mind to think about her weird reaction, but it was surely noticed. He walked off, looking like he was avoiding eyecontact with her. Just when she really wanted it. Lennard took his bag and headed for his car, closely followed by Amanda. "You're just gonna drive over to the gas station?" she asked. "Yeah" he said under his breath as he put the bag in the backseat. "Ah, I'm just gonna stretch my legs then" she smiled at his back and sucked in the warm summer breeze. Lennard's mind raced, but you could never tell by the calm look on his face. He quickly got a pill out of the bottle, and hid it in his pocket. Standing infront of the glassfrigdges, Lennard decided to buy two sodas. Glassbottles would be the best choice, as he would have them opened at the counter without it seeming suspicious. Lennard reached his car, having paid for both the gas and the sodas. Amanda was leaning on the side of the car, watching the road. "Here you go" he said as he held her bottle infront of her. The crushed pill slowly headed for the bottom, but before it got there, she took a long sip. The small crumbles were now going the other way, being washed down along with the soda. "Let's get going" Lennard said as he silently watched her. Amanda gave him a glance, "okay" she chirped and sauntered over to the passenger side. Lennard looked like he was regretting this, but now it was too late.
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Post by wesireal on Mar 15, 2009 10:00:53 GMT 12
Very good. Let us have more.
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Post by pbeng on Mar 17, 2009 9:54:23 GMT 12
This story reminds me slightly of the film "Snowcake" at the start of the film this middle aged man picks up a young girl who wants a lift and he starts to warm up to her after eating together etc but then shes killed when he crashes his car....hope that dosent happen in this one of course ^_^
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