" My wife, - You understand well that it is not proper for a man of the world, according to the rules of this our time, to continue to court and caress you; for they say that a sensible person may take a wife indeed, but to espouse her is to act like a fool. Let them talk; I adhere for my part the custom of the good old days; I also wear my hair as it used to be then; and in truth, novelty costs this poor country up to the present moment, so dear (and I do not know whether we have reached the highest pitch yet), that everywhere and in everything I renounce the fashion. Let us live, my wife, you and I, in the old french method...." - Michael de Montaigne. (in a letter to his wife.)
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When I arrived in gym class coach was already roughly barking out instructions on how to play badminton. I can’t be that hard, I scoffed; you just hit the thingy with the racket so it goes over the net right...? Right. Simple. I sat down on the bleachers as coach started calling out teams. I am so going to be the best at this one. I shall be UNDEFEATED! Arianna the badminton champion. Yes, I like that. I shall be remembered for decades as a total badminton pro. Ha! This was going to be too easy- “ARIANNA ALLEN!”
“WHAT?!” I yelled back at coach who was standing there red faced.
“Your partner is Zac Davidson, court three. And for your lack of attention in my class you have now have a detention with me. Tomorrow lunch, don’t be late.” At the mention of Zac’s name I think I may have stopped breathing, coach seemed satisfied with my shocked silence and stalked off to yell at someone else. A glanced across the room to Zac, he was grinned widely and beckoning me over. I finally exhaled. You can do this. He can never be better at badminton than you, you’re totally gonna show him up. Yeah, he will regret the day he ever messed with Arianna Allen. People will talk about my epic defeat of him for centuries to come.
“Shut up!” I sharply told the voice in my head.
“Uh...I’m sorry?” I looked up, breaking out of my trance to see I was now standing in front of Zac, who was looking more than slightly confused.
“For what? Earlier... or for being born? Because I expect an apology for both.” I narrowed my eyes, and glared crossly at him.
“Umm...yeah it was for both!” He grinned back at me, as I studied him closely.
“Hmmmm, okay, fine then. It still doesn’t mean you can beat me at badminton!” I yelled at him, jabbing for finger in his chest.
“Do you even know how to play badminton?” He asked sceptically.
“Yes!” I skipped happily over to our court grabbing my racket. “Where’s the thingy?” I asked Zac looking around the gym hall.
“The thingy?” He raised his eyebrow.
“Yeah, the thingy that you have to hit over the net.” I nodded enthusiastically.
“Ohh...you mean the shuttlecock.” I kept nodding. “Right there.” I pointed to the spot near to where I got my racket, and sure enough there was a tube of shuttle-thingys.
“Are you guys going to play or what?!” Yelled the girl from the other team
“C’mon partner, let’s go win us a badminton game!” Zac ran over to the left side of the court and started jumping up and down.
“Since when did you become a cowboy ‘partner’?”
“Since always.” He retorted. Sticking out his tongue. I glared back. “So since you’re the badminton expert you can serve.” He chucked the shuttle at me; I caught it and stared at him blankly. “You know serve...like hit it over the net.”
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It's A Twin Thing
Teen Fiction"His name was Noah Karson. He was just fifteen years old when he died." When Arianna Allen's life is ripped apart as her best friend dies, she is hopelessly carried along by life, trying to get through each day aided by alcohol, parties and one nigh...
