Her cheeks
burned with fury as she watched her new boyfriend hug another woman. Who the
hell was she?
Who did she think she was
hugging her boyfriend? Bitch! She would claw her eyes out! She would kill him, the asshole! All of a sudden they headed her way. “Hey Claire,
meet my sister Danielle!”
He told everyone who had asked that he was in a relationship so they would back off. He had even casually told her. He talked to her every chance he got. Women always threw themselves at him which irked the hell out of him. Not her though, she was different. She had shot him a “well good for you” look when he bragged about his girlfriend as if she couldn’t care less which only made him want her more. One day he would grow the balls needed to tell her she was the lucky one who had stolen his heart.
After having so much fun writing "Counting Stars" for the Speak Easy #148 writing challenge, I continued the story with "According to Stars". Now I bring you the conclusion. Hope you like it as much as I enjoyed writing it. ♥
Katie’s breath caught as she took the
envelope from Parsons School of Design out of the mailbox. Ripping into the envelope with excitement she
quickly scanned its contents. She had
been accepted into the art program in Paris!
Paris! To study art in the city
of lights a short walk away from the Louvre is more than she could have ever
imagined in life!! She was thrilled to
her very core.
Her diamond engagement ring sparkled in
the sunlight bringing her crashing back to reality. Rob.
Oh dear God. She was engaged to
marry Rob! She had accepted his proposal
only because she never believed her dream of being an artist would become
reality. But now, her dream was coming
true. She could reach for the stars with
both hands. She could study art in
Paris! With that realization another
quickly came on its heels. She could
never marry Rob. That nagging doubt that
had plagued her since she had said yes and accepted the ring seemed validated
now. She had to follow her dream. It was her destiny. He simply wasn’t. This was the sign she needed. She cared about Rob, but now she wasn’t sure
if she even loved him if she could cast him aside so easily. Breaking off the engagement was the right
thing to do. She hated to break his
heart, but deep down she was sure he would understand.
Rob and Katie had been growing apart
since that night with Emily. It seemed
as if they were both going through the motions. He had been entertaining serious doubts
about going through with the marriage but had no idea how to break it off. He didn’t want to hurt Katie, but deep down
he couldn’t deny any longer how much he loved Emily, had always loved Emily. When she had finally told him about Paris,
it gave them both an easy out. They
parted as friends going their separate ways with no regrets. He had to find Emily. He had to tell her how he felt and see if she
would have him. He found
her that evening sitting on the end of the pier dangling her feet in the
water. She had always been there for him but lately
she had been avoiding him. He missed
her, really missed her and all of a sudden when he needed her most, there she
was just where he knew she would be. He
walked to the end of the pier and sat down, took off his shoes, and splashed
his feet in the water beside her.
“I heard you were a free man now” she said
with a small smile and a sideways glance. “Are you Okay?”
“Yeah, guess so. Things
are as they should be. Katie is living
her dream. She is happy. She would have never been truly happy if she
had settled for a life with me.” He smiled
back and gazed out over the water. “Remember
the last time we were here Emily?”
“Yeah, how could I possibly forget? It was quite the memorable night.” She smiled
feeling her cheeks grow warm.
“Are you sorry?” He didn’t look at her but
keep gazing out at the waves. He waited,
and when she didn’t answer immediately he looked her way.
A lone tear made its way down her face. She struggled with the words. She didn’t know how she could tell him, but
she knew she had too. It was now or
never. She couldn’t keep it from
him. Oh how she loved him, had always
loved him. She dreaded telling him. He would hate her, and she couldn’t bear it.
“No,
Rob. I am not really sorry. I have had days that I was, but I realize
that I’m really not. Everything happens
for a reason, and I have accepted that.”
She looked at her hands and the tears flowed faster now. She gazed into his eyes with
determination. “It was magical…I don’t
regret it. You gave me something
precious that night that I don’t regret one bit and I am sorry if you choose to
hate me, but I am pregnant. I am keeping
our baby whether you like it or not. I
have always loved you, and if I can’t have you I can at least have our baby.”
“Seriously, you’re pregnant?” he looked
deeply in her eyes and took her hands in his as she solemnly nodded. He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her
passionately. The chemistry that sparked
between them was electric just as it had been that star filled night. “What would you say to counting stars
together for the rest of our lives?”
Her smile could have lit up the
night. “I think I would like that very
much. Are you sure?”
Taking her hand, he looked deeply into her
eyes. “I can’t think of anything that I
am surer of. Katie will be following her
dreams in Paris, and I have my dream here with you. I’ll love you forever Em.”
Written
today for the NaBloPoMoprompt: “What does it feel like to fall in love?”
What does it feel like to fall hopelessly
and madly in love? How does it happen
and when? When the time is right and all
the planets align fate takes its course.
It is destiny. Two people meet. Immediately, there is a physically mutual
attraction which is pure chemistry. You
look into each other’s eyes and sparks fly.
Your pulse speeds up. You finish
each other’s sentences. You understand
each other on a deeply spiritual level.
You feel happy whenever you are together and as if something is missing
when you are not together. You laugh at
each other’s silly jokes and seem to connect on every single level.
Your heart pines for that person when you
are apart and rejoices when you see them or hear their voice again. You always have something to say to each other
and you realize as time passes that you never want to be without that person
because without them you are nothing.
That person completes you like no other ever has. You are at peace. You are over the moon. Nothing else is as important as being with
that person. It is as if all the light
goes out of the world when they are not at your side and the sun, moon, stars
and all lights in the world illuminate when you are together. Even better, not only does that dear soul
care deeply what happens to you they want nothing more than to have you be the
last thing they see before they shut their eyes at night and the first thing
that they see when they wake up in the morning.
You feel safe when you are together.
Before long you wonder how you ever lived
without that person in your life and you realize that without them, nothing
else matters. Before you even know what has hit, you fall
in love and life is never quite the same again.
You feel euphoric, as if you have won a million dollars, like dancing, kicking
up your heels, and laughing yourself silly.
It is when sparks fly, love ignites, anything is possible, and nothing
will ever be quite the same again. You
just know!
I remember when I first married my husband
my grandma telling me I couldn’t just have one baby. I needed to have at least two. She was convinced that a child would be
better off with a brother or sister.
After my Dad died, I yearned for a son that I could name after him. Before a year passed I was pregnant and I got
my little boy who I named after my Dad.
I will never forget
when I found out I was pregnant. My
daughter told me she had prayed for a brother and couldn’t wait to go pick him
up. She actually asked me if we could go
get the baby the next day.
Unfortunately, it takes a little longer than a day for a pregnancy.
I have to admit I
had another reason for wanting a brother for my daughter. I had a sister who I never got along
with. Our relationship had been chaotic
and a nightmare from hell from the start.
I never see her and we don’t speak.
It is like not having a sister at all.
In the long run, it is better this way.
The fighting, hatred, and drama just isn’t worth getting together for. Life is too short. It doesn’t mean that I don’t think about her
sometimes. I wish her well. I do.
It is just that it is pointless to have any kind of relationship with
her. It is too much water under the
bridge as they say.
Because of the hellacious
relationship my sister and I have shared, I feel
even more blessed and relieved that my kids get along and probably always will. My family is important to me, although I know
a lost cause when I see it. I remember
telling my dad before he died that once he was gone there would be no reason
why I would have to put up with her crap anymore. He was saddened by my statement but he
understood better than anyone could. Like
a prophecy my words that day became reality.
One truth remains…you don’t get to choose who you are related to. You can only do the best you can and live
your life.
Isn’t it amazing how time, experience, and the artful process of aging makes a person wiser and realize things in hindsight that it sure would have been convenient to know back in the day? When I was growing up I would have given my future offspring’s nuts to be popular and well liked and have the golden key to the popularity crapper. I was involved in lots of activities and knew a lot of kids. In hindsight it may have been my personality and tendency to fly below the radar while keeping to myself that kept me apart from the popular kids. I didn’t have the “look”, I didn’t talk the “talk”, and I was pretty independent in my thinking which meant I didn’t let others sway me. I did my own thing and without even realizing it I kept to my own devices and skimmed the outskirts of the cliques.
That didn’t mean that I didn’t antagonize about “why” the beautiful people didn’t welcome me into their numbers with open arms. I honestly thought that there was something wrong with me. In hindsight I realize it was their loss and something was probably more wrong with them than me. It depressed the living hell out of me at the time though. My daughter observes the “in” crowd as being rude and a tad obnoxious. I laugh when she describes them as thinking they are all that with a bag of chips and on the whole prissy or idiots. Obviously she is not impressed. Several popular kids in the 6th grade are supposedly “going” together. The smart ass in me wonders “Just where the hell can they GO when they can’t drive?” Evidently the dynamics of “going together” has changed since when I was a kid. Now the couple barely speaks to each other or is seen with each other. Back in the day if kids were “going together” they were seen holding hands or standing so close to each other that it was a sure thing their personal space was being violated. The girls drew hearts in their notebooks proclaiming so and so plus so and so. You could tell they were “together”.
Bottom line, popularity doesn’t impress me much. What does impress me is my opinion of the person or thing. If I like them or it, that matters more to me than if everyone is doing it, if everyone else likes them or if it happens to be the “in” thing or “the“ person to associate with. I may try it or extend friendship to that person, but if it doesn’t do it for me or I don’t like them I am apt to choose my own way despite what the masses think. Everyone does the best they can. There are billions of people in this world. Chances are you are going to find somewhere to fit in with and be accepted for who you are. In my book it would be far more important to be me than be a clone of whoever happens to be “all that” today. I am an individual. Every single person is a miracle of G0d’s creation and far as I can tell, G0d doesn’t screw up. So with that in mind, everyone has something to contribute to this big ole world we live in. What or who happens to be the most popular of all is simply what or who has the most exposure being the best it or they can be. When people recognize those simple facts popularity begins. Popularity can be a double edge sword though. Those always in the spotlight show every imperfection in the glare and in the process offer themselves up for criticism. When push comes to shove to hell with popularity, I would just rather be me.
Katie’s breath caught as she took the
envelope from Parsons School of Design out of the mailbox. Ripping into the envelope with excitement she
quickly scanned its contents. She had
been accepted into the art program in Paris!
Paris! To study art in the city
of lights a short walk away from the Louvre is more than she could have ever
imagined in life!! She was thrilled to
her very core. 
Rob and Katie had been growing apart
since that night with Emily. It seemed
as if they were both going through the motions. He had been entertaining serious doubts
about going through with the marriage but had no idea how to break it off. He didn’t want to hurt Katie, but deep down
he couldn’t deny any longer how much he loved Emily, had always loved Emily. When she had finally told him about Paris,
it gave them both an easy out. They
parted as friends going their separate ways with no regrets. He had to find Emily. He had to tell her how he felt and see if she
would have him. He found
her that evening sitting on the end of the pier dangling her feet in the
water. She had always been there for him but lately
she had been avoiding him. He missed
her, really missed her and all of a sudden when he needed her most, there she
was just where he knew she would be. He
walked to the end of the pier and sat down, took off his shoes, and splashed
his feet in the water beside her.
Before long you wonder how you ever lived
without that person in your life and you realize that without them, nothing
else matters. Before you even know what has hit, you fall
in love and life is never quite the same again.
You feel euphoric, as if you have won a million dollars, like dancing, kicking
up your heels, and laughing yourself silly.
It is when sparks fly, love ignites, anything is possible, and nothing
will ever be quite the same again. You
just know!
I have to admit I
had another reason for wanting a brother for my daughter. I had a sister who I never got along
with. Our relationship had been chaotic
and a nightmare from hell from the start.
I never see her and we don’t speak.
It is like not having a sister at all.
In the long run, it is better this way.
The fighting, hatred, and drama just isn’t worth getting together for. Life is too short. It doesn’t mean that I don’t think about her
sometimes. I wish her well. I do.
It is just that it is pointless to have any kind of relationship with
her. It is too much water under the
bridge as they say.
Isn’t it amazing how time, experience, and the artful process of aging makes a person wiser and realize things in hindsight that it sure would have been convenient to know back in the day? When I was growing up I would have given my future offspring’s nuts to be popular and well liked and have the golden key to the popularity crapper. I was involved in lots of activities and knew a lot of kids. In hindsight it may have been my personality and tendency to fly below the radar while keeping to myself that kept me apart from the popular kids. I didn’t have the “look”, I didn’t talk the “talk”, and I was pretty independent in my thinking which meant I didn’t let others sway me. I did my own thing and without even realizing it I kept to my own devices and skimmed the outskirts of the cliques.
That didn’t mean that I didn’t antagonize about “why” the beautiful people didn’t welcome me into their numbers with open arms. I honestly thought that there was something wrong with me. In hindsight I realize it was their loss and something was probably more wrong with them than me. It depressed the living hell out of me at the time though. My daughter observes the “in” crowd as being rude and a tad obnoxious. I laugh when she describes them as thinking they are all that with a bag of chips and on the whole prissy or idiots. Obviously she is not impressed. Several popular kids in the 6th grade are supposedly “going” together. The smart ass in me wonders “Just where the hell can they GO when they can’t drive?” Evidently the dynamics of “going together” has changed since when I was a kid. Now the couple barely speaks to each other or is seen with each other. Back in the day if kids were “going together” they were seen holding hands or standing so close to each other that it was a sure thing their personal space was being violated. The girls drew hearts in their notebooks proclaiming so and so plus so and so. You could tell they were “together”. 
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