Diary of a Broken Girl: Day 27

Is she ready to get back on the saddle and start riding that horse again?

Kat had a day off from the diner; Buck thought she should relax when he heard what happened the night before. She was walking around town window shopping when she came upon a men’s store.

I should buy Mark a shirt to replace the one that got ripped. She thought

She went in and browsed for a while until she found a shirt that would compliment his eyes. Next she went and bought a gift bag to put the shirt in. when she was all done with her shopping she went to the auto shop to drop off the gift.

When Kat arrived at the shop, she spotted Mark working on a Silverado.

“Excuse me?” she said.

Mark came out from underneath the truck, looked at Kat and smiled. “Hey there.”

“Hi.” She took a step back as he got up. “I just wanted to give you this to thank you for what you did for me.”

She handed him the gift bag and watched as he pulled out the shirt.

“Wow! Thanks a lot; you didn’t have to do this.”

“I know, but I just thought that saying thank you wouldn’t cut it. Also, it’s to replace the shirt that got ripped.”

Mark gave a small laugh and for a few minutes no one said anything; they just stood there and stared at each other.

“Um… I better get going.” Kat said.

“Hey well are you hungry? Because I was about to go to get something to eat and I would like it if you joined me.”

“Oh…well…sure.”

“Great. Hey John I’ll be back, going on my lunch break!” He yelled. “Do you like Mexican?”

A few minutes later they were at a Taquería (Mexican Restaurant) eating fajita tacos.

“Mmmm, this is delicious.” Kat said.

“I knew you’d like it. So what’s a girl like you doing walking alone in the middle of night?”

“I had just finished a double shift at the diner and I was heading back to the hotel.”

“Are you planning on leaving soon?”

“I was, but now I’m staying and I’m trying to save up to get an apartment.”

“What made you stay?”

“I don’t know. Everyone was just so nice and this place feels like home.”

“Where were you going before you decided to stay?”

“I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know? You had to have been going somewhere.”

“I really didn’t care where I was going.”

“Sounds like you were running from something.”

“I wasn’t.” Kat started feeling uncomfortable.

“Well that’s what it sounds like.”

“Well I wasn’t ok, can we drop this?”

Mark left the topic alone when he heard the hostility in her voice. He couldn’t help but feel she was hiding something, but what? He quickly changed the subject and started talking about himself.

He told her how he dreamed of owning his own auto shop and eventually settle down with a nice woman and start a family.

Kat sat there listening to his goals and ambitions; she couldn’t help but find even more attractive. Every time she’s around him she feels all warm and fuzzy.

Mark was feeling the same way about her. He loved her smile, her silk black hair and her beautiful hazel eyes especially when the sun hit them just right and make them seem almost green. But he couldn’t help but notice a hint of sorrow in them. Every time he stared at her, he just wanted to hold her in his arms and make that sorrow disappear. Mark wanted to know more about her; in fact, he wanted to know everything about her. He asked her about her dreams, hobbies and wanted to know all her favorites.

Kat was reluctant to talk about herself, but every question he asked she answered. She tried to keep her answers short and simple so it doesn’t somehow lead to her talking about Vincent or her parents.

“Oh wow! My lunch hour is almost up.” He said as he looked at his watch.

“Oh well thank you for a wonderful day.” Kat said.

“Thank you for the shirt.”

She gave a girly giggle and as they exited the restaurant and stood outside neither one said anything; they just stared at each other once more.

“So listen, I was wondering if you wanted to do this again tomorrow.” Mark asked.

“Oh, well I would love to, but I have to work until 5 pm.”

“That’s perfect because I get out at 6, maybe I can pick you up and take you to another restaurant that serves delicious food; and we can continue our talk.”

Kat laughed and hesitated on saying yes, but she couldn’t resist his charm.

“Ok then, 6 o’clock it is.”

“Great. See you then.”

Mark began walking toward the auto shop and Kat stood there and watched him walk off. As she headed back to her hotel room, she couldn’t help but smile and feel nervous at the same time. Once she arrived she took out her notebook.

Dear Journal,

I’m going out with Mark tomorrow and I don’t know what to feel. A part of me is really excited but the other part of me still has my doubts. My heart is still scarred from Vincent, I know I should begin the healing process by moving on, but how can I after such a short time. He took 2 years of my life, am I ready to give someone else 2 more years of my life just to have them thrown back in my face? Mark is such a nice guy and he’s soooo handsome, I just don’t know if I’m ready to trust him or any other man for that matter.

Reviews

[Pema Dorje]

sweet ... I like your characters conversations. They are not two dimensional but believable interactions. I look forward to Kat and Mark finding out more about each other. We are perfectly flawed and even our heroes are often conflicted ... such as we are!

[Jake Donald Stephens]

You know, this is very different from most romance stories, because there is a realism to it which makes the charaters easier to relate to and the story itself easier to stay interested in. My wife has hundreds of romance books, and whenever I try to read one I get bored as hell before the first chapter ends. This book, though, is anything but boring. I can't wait to see where Kat's new relationship with Mark goes. I'm still loving this, so keep up the great work.

[H. A. M.]

I like the pacing of this. It doesn't feel to hurried for me.
On to the next chapter.

she couldn't help but find even more attractive/him

[pal]

this is nice story..
the character.. kat is building up fine..
the journal is really bulging up.. nicely

pal

[Ice Queen of the Vampir..]

Ooh, this part is very interesting. I like it and I can't wait to read more!!! Great work!!!

Heather

[James Mayfield]

This kind of story isn't usually my kind of read but you have continued to hold my interest. I've followed since the first entry and enjoy how well you've developed your characters and kept the plot moving. Very well done here. I'm looking forward to more.

[Ismael Rodriguez Jr.]

deeply emotional story

[Diana Owen Busy with Li..]

Just loved it.. I really felt this piece.

[Gary H]

OK, from my writing course I will tell you what the teacher would say. First off, you could do with some more descriptive parts to the locations the characters are in. Also to break up the dialogue you could add things like, 'she felt a bead of perspiration....' or 'he rolled his shirt sleeves up' or 'they were distracted by a noise from the kitchen' etc. All of this just adds to the ambience and creates a scene. Although this is very good I tend to be caught between reading this as a play more than a story.

Easy to read though, well set out, and the dialogue is working well. Please note. I do not set out to critisise. I'm only writing from the perspective of how my work is being pulled apart in class to offer you some help. I'm paying for my course so I may as well share the benefits!

[Jenny Davis]

Ahh, there is nothing like new love and this is where I see this story going...it is going to be hard for Kat to trust again but with a guy like Mark, somehow I think she will...I enjoyed this! Thank you :) Keep em coming!

[Autumn Dawn Gorny]

Aww poor Kat, I think everyone can relate to her fear of getting hurt again