Emotions

A young adult battles with her 'bottled' emotions to understand and sort through them properly.

Emotions

The apartment was trashed, clothes on the floor and old dishes lying around the sink. Coffee mugs were on books and shelves; left so long they stuck to any material they rested on. On the coffee table sat delicate glass bottles, filled with different colored liquids. They swirled around their containers like glittery gases. Beside each bottle was a syringe, carefully placed so they wouldn’t roll off the table. A shaking, small hand reached out from the couch and gripped the first syringe. The delicate fingers slowly pressed the needle into her vein and the girl released a long breath. The liquid was pink and marked ‘Passion’. Her vision blurred as she rested against the couch and closed her eyes, letting the drug suck her down.

            “Stop dawdling, it’s freezing out here!” There came a tug on her hand, but she stayed looking up the sky. The pollution made the stars barely visible, but the brightest peeked through the haze. In the late night the only sounds came from the clubs and drunks meandering through the streets. “Hope, is everything alright?”

            The deep voice caused Hope to turn her head. Her long hair whipped the voice’s owner and he sputtered and laughed. The sweet-smiling boy gave another tug on her hand. She let out a giggle and nodded. “I was just thinking.” She shivered and hurried forward, making him stumble after her. “You’re right, it’s cold. Let’s get inside!”

            They hurried up to a building that was tucked within the identical structures. Most had a business below and apartments above, though most lights were off. The brick buildings loomed over the street, marking a richer area of their city. He knocked in a certain pattern on the door, jumping slightly at the heavy set guard that opened it. “We’re on the list!” He shouted over the music pouring out of the club, the haze too heavy inside to distinguish how it appeared. “Austyn Dunn.” The man looked over his clipboard and Austyn coughed, “With a ‘Y’.” At the skeptical look from Hope and the guard he rolled his eyes, tipped his head back, and shoved his hands into his pockets. “No one appreciates the significance of a name anymore, do they?”

            “Not when you get all weird about it!” Hope shot back as she pulled him into the club, finally given access to enter it. Lights flashed around them and Hope pulled Austyn further inside, the crowd becoming thick the moment they entered the fray. The lights changed his light, blonde hair to whatever color hit it. Hope smiled as she put her arms over his shoulders. Austyn’s hands went to her hips as they moved to the deep bass sound pulsing through the floor. The actual music, though still electronic, could barely break through the low, pulsating thumps that resonated off the walls.

            They danced for a long while before Austyn spoke, but Hope just shook her head, unable to catch what he said. He gave a short laugh, by the shake of his shoulders, and grasped a dark strand of her hair. ‘Pretty’ he mouthed to her again. Hope rolled her eyes, and he tapped her small, stubby nose and mouthed the same word again. The music changed, but each song seemed the same, just pulsing remixes of other tunes. He leaned closer like he was going to whisper, but just pressed his lips to hers. Finally he turned his mouth to her ear and declared, “It’s kind of loud in here.”

            She pulled back and laughed, loud enough for him to hear her. “I hadn’t noticed!”

            It was Austyn’s turn to roll his eyes at her. “You are- irrevocably-” He cut off as the music suddenly grew louder again and scowled, “The most irritating girl on this planet!” He spoke quickly through a break in the music.

            Hope laughed, as he didn’t know the music well enough. “Should we leave?” She asked as the song started to die. Austyn nodded and guided her away from the gyrating bodies back out of the club. Hope checked her watch and gave a short laugh as they walked. “Well we lasted over an hour this time; I suppose that’s a record.”

            “Why is it,” Austyn questioned as he shrugged off his jacket and put it around her shoulders, “That everyone finds clubs fun? It’s just loud music and closeness with people you’d rather not touch.”

            Hope gave a small giggle and leaned against him as they walked. “Well, probably because you’re such a freak that actually enjoys talking to your date.”

            “Oh please, we can both agree that my date is only ever you.” At his words, Hope shoved into him, which caused him to snort, “What did I say? I thought girls wanted to hear all that mushy stuff like in the books.”

            “That mushy stuff is not fun and you’re generalizing.” Hope peered up at him, the moon reflecting off her dark eyes. The streetlights that had been florescent by the club slowly start to fade. Some flickered and others hadn’t illuminated the sidewalk in months. The buildings started to deteriorate and become reclaimed by the earth, vines creeping up the sides and into the shattered windows.

            Austyn snickered and gave her the sweet smile that only appeared when she was alone with him. His pale freckles were illuminated by the dim lighting; he seemed much younger than he actually was. “You didn’t seem to mind it the other night.” He dropped his voice lower and moved his lips to her ear, his nose brushing at her thick hair and warm breath causing a shiver to course through her.

            Hope shoved him forcefully and ducked out of his grip with a laugh. “Shut up, you.” Austyn chuckled, grabbing for her wrist, but Hope only evaded him again. Finally she backed up against one of the buildings, the hard surface pushing at her short skirt. Austyn’s hands went on either side of her shoulders, blocking her escape. “You know we’re in public.”

            “That excuse doesn’t work at two a.m.” He advanced in and kissed her, his hands moving to her shoulders and down her arms. There was a crash down the sidewalk followed by drunken laughter. Austyn pulled back with a groan, “Why must we always get interrupted?”

            Hope clung to the collar of his shirt and forced his gaze back to hers, “Why do you ask so many questions?” Her voice was a low whisper and he grinned as she pulled him back.

           

            When she sat up again, her limbs felt stiff, but the emotion had died off quickly. ‘Passion’ never stayed with her after the drug had worn off. Hope figured it was significant, as even true passion didn’t last until the morning. She glanced up at the mirror hanging above the mantle. Her usually luscious hair was frizzy and had lost most of its color. The beautiful, sharp features that turned heads had dissolved to give her a skeletal look. After a moment of staring, her hand reached for the nearly empty bottle, and she chucked it at the mirror. The mirror shattered with a sharp crack, the web stretching across its entire surface.

            With shaking hands, Hope reached for the next syringe in desperation, the dirty one going beside her on the old cushions. She plunged it into the green, foaming liquid and then into her other arm. She let the syringe drop, and it shattered on the floor as ‘Envy’ overtook her much faster than the first. It was a virus, seeping through her veins like fire and pulling her under. Hope slumped to the side, her head against the arm of her couch.

 

            “I can’t tell if I want coffee or tea today. What do you think, Hope?” The girl stood with hands on her hips, glaring up at the café’s menu as if it meant life or death. Her fiery red hair hung in perfect curls to her shoulders and she had enough makeup on to fool a clown.

            “I don’t really care.” Hope pushed past her to the counter and ordered her espresso as quickly as she could.

            She collapsed into a window table and leaned her head against the cool glass. Her companion sat in front of her with tea in her hands. Skye frowned as Hope sipped half-heartedly at her drink. “You can’t dwell on the past. It’s unhealthy and all this pouting will give you wrinkles.” Hope turned a glare on her friend and the girl put her hands up. “I’m just trying to help you as a good friend.”

            “Thanks for trying then.” Hope continued to sip at her coffee and listened to flawlessly manicured nails tap on the table in a rhythm. After a while of the ear bleeding noise, Hope let out a low groan, “Okay what is it?”

            Skye’s head popped up from watching her lap and she pulled out her phone, thumbs flying wildly over the keyboard. “I was just talking to Al about when we were going to meet today. You don’t mind if he comes down here do you? He wanted to pick me up.”

            Hope gave a long sigh and shrugged, “I don’t care.”

            Skye gave her a wide grin and replied, “Good, because he’s already here!” She turned and hung over the back of her seat to wave as the bell on the cafe’s door twinkled. Al, a tall and lanky boy, made his way over. Hope was confused why Skye found him attractive. His smile revealed big front teeth, but Skye just leaned up and pecked his cheek. “Here, swing a chair ‘round!”

            He pulled up a chair and pressed it against Skye’s. “Hey Hope, how’s your day going?” He put his arm around Skye’s shoulder and reached for her tea, trying to be delicate as he grasped it, sipping some himself.

            “Hey, buy your own!” Skye’s voice went into a higher register as she spoke to him, and then she let out a giggle that Hope almost cringed at.

            Hope leaned back and sipped at her coffee before she dismissed them. “You two can go. You really don’t have to entertain me.” There was a ringing as the café’s door opened and her eyes drifted up. Hope almost choked on her coffee, and her features paled.

            Skye turned in her chair, almost bringing Al with her, as she looked at who had entered. Her friend muttered a curse under her breath and turned back to face Hope. “Maybe he won’t notice you. Just play it cool. You’re out with us, what could look bad?”

            “Hope, what a surprise, I didn’t expect to see you here.” A deep voice sounded from above them and Hope lifted her gaze slowly. The guy standing at their table was tall and muscular, which had originally drawn her to him. His arm though was around a skanky girl who had her eyes glued to her phone.

            Hope glanced back at the table and picked at the wood with her chewed down fingernails. “This is my usual café, Brandon.”

            He let out a deep laugh, “Crystal, go get yourself something to drink and get me my usual.” The girl gave a small salute and went to stand in line. Brandon leaned against Hope’s chair, his dark hair hanging low and framing his face. “Your hair is longer, Hope. Did you decide to grow it out for a change? I always liked it shorter.”

            “She did it precisely because of that.” Skye had suddenly spoken up. “Get out of here, Brandon. No one wants you at this table.” Al’s hand went to his girlfriend’s shoulder, the only weight keeping her in her seat.

            Brandon shrugged and flipped a strand of Hope’s hair before he turned away. The blonde skank handed him a drink, and he kissed her with fervor while giving Hope a mocking glare. His look resulted in a vermillion face and her breath to leave her. His hand traveled lower on the girl and Skye scoffed. She grabbed Hope’s hand and hurried out of the café with her friend in tow. Once outside, the cool air allowed Hope a moment to let her thoughts simmer.

            “What a…oh I won’t even say it. He doesn’t deserve anything that nice.” Skye put a hand on Hope’s shoulder. “Don’t worry; you can’t be bothered by him anymore, right?”

            Hope gave a short nod, but glanced back into the café and spotted Brandon with a laugh on his face and his arm still around the other girl. Skye pulled her away from the café and Al trailed after them. Finally, once Hope was shivering, she stopped them. “I’m fine Skye, didn’t you have other plans?”

            Skye bit at her lip and then nodded. “Call if you need anything, darling. You know I’ll always answer!” Hope tried not to scoff, knowing it would make the situation worse. Skye turned away down the street.

            As Al passed he put his hand on Hope’s shoulder. “You’ll find someone who’s worth it.” He gave her a tight smile, but Hope didn’t look up until he had turned his back. Al opened the car door for Skye and gave her a quick kiss before he went around his side.

            Once the car sped off, Hope leaned against a wall. She looked down at her shoes and gave and huffed in anger. She stayed a moment before she glanced around the street. Couples seemed to surround her and, feeling suffocated, Hope ran off. Her heels clicked against the sidewalk, and the wind pushed back her hair, and she didn’t slow until she reached her apartment.

 

            When Hope pulled out of her memory she was still sideways on her couch. She sat up slowly, her bones cracking in protest. She stood carefully and went to her kitchen, having to search through cupboards for a clean coffee mug. Finally she pulled the nearest one from the counter and washed it out. There were stains left over, but Hope ignored it as she made her coffee. Pressing the button on her coffee maker, Hope leaned back against the tile of her counter. She put her head back on a cabinet and turned to the clock. It read that it was early morning, when she had started with the emotion filled bottles hours before.

            When her coffee pot was filled, she searched in her fridge for creamer. After she dragged it out past the rotting fruits and spoiled meat, she sniffed it a few times before she shrugged. Hope poured her coffee and watched the cream swirl to the center before the liquid became golden brown. She sipped it until her eyes opened wider and her head cleared. The buzz from the temporary high of the drugs was finally wearing off enough for her to think clearly. Hope poured the remaining coffee down the filled sink, which was already stained brown.

            When she sank back onto her couch it squeaked and groaned its worn age. Her boot crushed glass at the foot of the couch, and she sighed. “At least I forgot to take these things off.” She was the only person to hear her mutter as she reached for the next syringe and bottle. The red liquid sloshed against its container as her vision blurred. Plunging the syringe in, Hope sighed as she drew out the liquid of ‘Anger’. Already knowing what was to come; Hope released the drug into her veins and sat back as her blood began to boil.

           

            A bang of the door closing rang throughout the apartment, causing Hope to jump off the couch. She planted a wide smile on her face and went to the door. “How was your day, Brandon?” She leaned up and pecked him gently on the cheek before her gaze traveled to his hand. “What happened to you?”

            His knuckles were raw and red, and an ugly bruise was forming on the side of his jaw. Brandon shrugged away from her and pulled bandages from the cabinet. “I took care of something.” His reply was short and snappy as he meticulously wrapped his hand.

            After a moment’s pause Hope took a step back. “You took care of something or someone?”

            He snorted, which gave her his answer before he even spoke. “What does it matter? It had to be done and it’s over with.” When Brandon turned towards her again, he was smiling, all of the coldness wiped from his face. He stretched an arm towards her, beckoning. “Let’s forget about it and eat dinner.”

            Hope yanked back and scoffed, “You can’t just go around beating people when you don’t like how they act.”

            Immediately, his eyes narrowed and his arm retracted, muscles tensing. “I can do whatever the hell I want, Hope. Nothing you say will stop me.”

            Brandon advanced on her, but Hope stayed glued to the floor, for once standing her ground. “I’ll leave then. Staying isn’t doing me any good, and as much as I hoped, it isn’t changing you either.”  She slipped past him and went back to their room, starting to shove and stuff her things into a duffel bag.

            She was aware of his presence in the doorway, observing her every move. “Come on, Hope, don’t do this.” His voice was soft again but she could hear the strain behind it. “You know I can change.”

            With a short, humorless laugh, Hope spun back to face him. “Actually, you can’t. I won’t stay here anymore.” With a fluid motion she swung her bag over her shoulder and went to move past him. Before she could get a step from the doorway his hand clamped around her arm. Hope didn’t face him again when she spoke. “Let me go, Brandon.”

            He pushed her forward and forced her to face him. Hope took a step back, but Brandon lunged with his hand raised.  The force of the slap sent her stumbling back, free hand going to her burning cheek. As the stinging sensation worsened, Brandon’s hard gaze shifted once more, “Oh Hope,” he cooed, “I’m so sorry.”

            “Save it!” Her volume raised as tears pricked at the edge of her vision. Hope took hurried steps back and she dashed out of the apartment without a second glance.

           

            When Hope opened her eyes, she was sitting straight up with the fire still burning in her eyes. “You’ll pay; I swear to God, you’ll pay, Brandon.” Her voice was barely a whisper, and broke as she spoke. Hope shook her head and lunged forward to grab the next bottle.

            It was blue and moved sluggishly, marked ‘Sadness’, but it seemed almost too obvious to need a label. Hope almost emptied the bottle with her syringe and plunged it into her arm before she could regret her decision. There was a lurch in her stomach like she was free falling, and she didn’t hear the glass crash as she went under the emotion’s influence.

 

            The darkness of a private hospital room was worse than a crowded one with blood and emergencies. Hope had turned off the lights long ago and just sat with her head in her hands. There was a consistent hum of machines, and a steady beat from the heart monitor. She didn’t raise her head, because she knew the scene before her wouldn’t have changed.

            The body was unmoving, his usual round face sunken in and pale. Dark bruises covered Austyn’s face, arms, torso, and any part of his body that could be reached. There was a deep gash in his side, and one in the back of his head. The latter wound to his head was what caused him to be in the comatose state. Otherwise, the doctors said, he could have left the hospital in a week. However the head trauma caused a coma and Hope was alone, waiting patiently.

            He didn’t have any family, and his friends had work to attend to. Hope looked as bad as Austyn, at least in physical features. She didn’t have bruises or cuts, but she was pale and her face was sunken in. Her stomach growled constantly, but the only food she’d eaten was a picked-at muffin. Hope moved her chair closer and raised her gaze to Austyn’s closed eyes. She took his hand in hers, careful with the medical device on his finger.

            A nurse came in and nodded to her and then kneeled at the foot of the bed. Hope didn’t watch, already knowing the process of emptying the fluids from his body. The nurse rested a hand on her shoulder a moment before she turned away. Hope sighed and cupped his hand with both of hers, lowering her head to rest it there. “Why did you go out alone?” She asked him in a pained voice. “You know he was looking for you, but you walked into his trap. If he hadn’t already hurt me enough…he had to hurt you too.”

            “Hope…” The soft voice came from the door and not from the bed as she had hoped. Hope raised her head to see Skye. She wasn’t sure how long she had been sitting there after speaking, but it felt like it had been seconds and eternity all at once. “You should get out of here for a while. We could go get a real meal. Maybe you could change and shower?”

            Hope just shook her head and looked back at Austyn. “What if he wakes up and I’m not here? He’ll think I abandoned him like…like Brandon said I would.” She stood slowly and started to exercise his arms and legs.

            Skye moved in and put a hand on her shoulder, “Hope, you can’t live like this.”

            Hope pushed her off and Skye backed into the wall. “Leave me alone! You don’t care about him like I do! You can’t understand. What if it was Al lying here? You wouldn’t leave then, would you, Skye?”

            Her friend closed her eyes, and Hope noticed that the girl wore no makeup. Her face was clear and her hair was back in a messy ponytail. “I know. I would never leave him alone if I could have that chance to speak to him. I’m sorry, Hope. I’ll just go.”

            Before Hope could respond, her friend had hurried out the door and down the hallway. Hope didn’t go after her, and just continued the exercises with Austyn. She sat beside him until she had passed out from exhaustion with her head on the bed. When she awoke, someone had put a blanket around her, but she wasn’t sure who.

            Days passed before a doctor gave her a small tap on the shoulder. Hope turned her dead eyes up to him as he took a seat. “You’re the closest to family that we have here, Miss.”

            Hope gave a slow nod. “Yes what about it? I don’t mind staying here with him just in case. It’s already been…”

            “Two weeks.” The doctor finished. He was a heavyset man, his hair cut close to his head. He held a clipboard, and he seemed to look over it as an excuse to look somewhere other than her. “You’ve barely eaten and you’re slowly deteriorating in here. We need to talk about our options.”

            Hope listened quietly as he spoke, and by the time he’d finished, she was standing slowly. “No. I can’t give up on him”

            “This isn’t giving up on him. This is our best way to save him. With him like this, he isn’t even living.” He didn’t try to reassure her with a touch, or even with facts. He simply let her think.

            Hope shook her head slowly, “This is abandoning him. I can’t abandon him.”

            “I can give you a day or two to think it over. We want to give you this choice. Please though, get something to eat.” The doctor left her alone with Austyn again, and Hope sank into her chair with heavy tears.

            Hope had dreaded when the sun rose, but she took the pen almost reluctantly as she watched Austyn. Hope signed her name without looking, and heard words in her ear, but they didn’t get through. She just watched as the nurses turned off the machines. Hope moved forward like a robot and sat in her chair for the last time. She ran her fingers through his hair and leaned forward to give him a slow kiss on the forehead. She stayed in that position as the heart monitor was the last machine on, and the noise started to slow. Each time the beats got further apart, Hope thought it was over. Austyn’s heart would beat once more though, each time. When it finally went silent, Hope stayed put. She stayed when they covered his face and moved him. Hope stayed in her chair until Skye and Al helped her to a car and into her apartment.

            They dropped her on the couch and checked on her until she could smile and speak. Finally they left and she stayed on the couch, not even bothering to shop. She just sat until her tears ran out and dried to a permanent stain.

 

            Hope wasn’t sure she had woken, as her apartment looked the same in the last memory. She had curled forward and started to sob again, as loudly as she had the first night he left her. Hope cried until she almost puked from the strain of the tears and sat up slowly. She looked to the last bottle and reached for it slowly. Her hands were no longer tremored as she took the last bottle. The yellow liquid wanted to escape the bottle, to fly around the room like stars falling from the sky. The bottle was simply labeled ‘Joy’, but Hope barely believed it as she consumed the drug.

 

            The park was green, the trees full and flowers in bloom. Children ran around the grass, screaming in glee as they rolled down a small hill. Families walked their dogs and businessmen sped across the path that cut through the grass as a shortcut. Some had a hurried gate like they were in a rush, but even the ones that were frantic smiled at the birds singing in the trees above.

            Hope sat on a bench in the park with her book, her legs across the wood to take the entire space. Her bag was propped behind her as she flipped the pages quickly.

            “Are you even reading that?” A voice asked from over her shoulder.

            Hope jumped and sat up, turning to the boy behind her. “I read fast. Sorry do you…do you need something.”

            He laughed, the sweet tone resonating around her. His shoulders shook and his head went back. “No, I was just curious. A pretty girl reading in a park can be a rare sight these days.”

            “You shouldn’t generalize.” Hope swung her legs forward and closed her book slowly. “Did you need to sit at all?”

            He shrugged and moved around to lower himself next to her, “Well, I didn’t run a mile, so I don’t feel the need to sit.” He held out his hand to her, “My name is Austyn, by the way.”

            She shook his hand and grinned. “Wow, a boy knows his manners. It can be a rare sight these days!” He laughed again and she joined in, “I’m Hope, just your average book reading girl.”

            “Oh, I disagree with that.” Austyn grinned at her as he sat back, arms resting across the top of the bench.

            “How could you disagree with that?” Hope asked him with a frown as she packed her book away. A warm summer breeze pushed by them and lifted her hair from her shoulders. Hope closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

            Austyn smiled again, the action radiating his features. “I already stated that I think you’re pretty, so that makes you more than average.” His gaze went to her bag and he frowned, pouting like a child. “You aren’t running off on me, are you?”

            With a shake of her head, Hope repositioned her bag to be a backrest. “Not in a million years. You’re pretty good at this flirting thing. Would you want to go out for coffee some time?”

            Austyn thought a moment, “I like something more enticing. Do you enjoy clubs?”

            “Not particularly.” Hope said with a shrug, “I don’t really think you have to grind in a loud room to know a person.”

            “I don’t really either, but it seems to be what everyone else does.” Austyn shrugged and stood, “Besides, everyone likes coffee! Going to a club could strike conversation later. We can talk about all the weird people, the complaining later, and comments about the odd couple in the corner just watching.”

            Hope stood, taking his hand as he offered to help her up. “Are you referring to us as a couple, Austyn last-name?” He laughed again and gave her a questioning gaze. “Well, I don’t know what your last name is, or I would use it.”

            “Dunn,” He answered and gave her a low bow, one hand behind his back. “I am Austyn Dunn, and it has been a pleasure speaking with you. May I pick you up at eight in this spot Miss…?”

            With a loud snort, turning a few heads, Hope curtsied to him. “Miss Winters, though you may call me Hope.” They straightened up and she tilted her head up at him. “How do you know I don’t have a boyfriend?”

            “It’s a summer’s day and you’re alone, reading, in a park. No smart man would leave you alone for even a second.” Austyn put his hands in his pockets and stepped back, “Unfortunately I do have to run. I will see you at eight, right?”

            As he stepped back, Hope rolled her eyes, “Oh I hate all that mushy stuff. Of course I’ll be here, and if I am not then I’ve been brutally killed. Please avenge me if that happens!”

            With one last chuckle, Austyn saluted her and jogged the opposite way out of the park, leaving Hope smiling after him.

 

            Hope stood slowly from her couch and shifted through her clothes. She changed into a flattering black dress, with lace at the top. She went to look in her mirror, but remembering it was ruined, she simply sighed. Hope raised her phone to check her face and wiped the last of the tears from her face.

            As she exited her apartment, the morning light blinding her, she had to wipe a stray tear. “One last visit to a park then, Austyn, and you had better look ‘swell at your own funeral.” She moved through the halls, pulling at her sleeves to hide the marks from the drugs, though her eyes were still red. She stopped at the top of the stairs and tilted her head back to the cracking ceiling. She found herself smiling slightly as she hurried down and into the back of Al’s car waiting on the street.

            “Are you alright, Hope?” Skye had turned back in her seat and gave her a tight smile.

            Hope just looked up and gave a short nod, “As alright as I can be. I’m fine.” She paused. “I just had some things bottled up.”

 

Author's Note

This is a short story for my USC Portfolio I plan to submit in the fall.

Reviews

[Mandy]

This is such a creative idea for a story! You are a really descriptive writer, as I reader I can see the surroundings and experience the emotions with Hope, I also think that it's really creative that you named her 'Hope' as well in a story about emotions. Great story!

[Samantha Morrow]

Thank you very much! What's funny is that I actually changed her name after I'd written the entire story...though it fits.

[Rana]

The way you actually make one feel each emotion while Hope takes it one by one is really commendable, and the order used is perfect. Very creative, I love the idea you played with in here. All the characters were so real and that's what makes this piece as great as it is. All the dots were connected well, nothing amiss. I felt Sadness to be sketched the best out of the four, really moving. Also, loved the picture used. An engrossing story, Samantha.

[Samantha Morrow]

Thank you so much! I feel like Sadness might have been that way as I used personal experience in order to form it. I really like it, so thank you!

[Rm]

Nice story! Have you submitted it?

[Samantha Morrow]

Thanks! No, early decision isn't until December.

[Rm]

Ok sounds awesome!

[A Lonely Girl]

DAMN GIRL THAT ENDING. I LOVED it! Such a talented writer you are. Jealous. You poop. This is perfect for your USC portfolio! Post more pieces so I can read them!