A huge sigh escapes my lips as I save my work for chapter twenty of my book. I know it’s only been three weeks since I got the idea of making a book, but I’ve had a lot of down time. Kale has been taking extra shifts recently for Hollister. I figured instead of watching re-runs of “Everybody Loves Raymond” all day, I worked on the book.
I’ve been anxious through those weeks for a reply from one of the seven publishers I contacted. I haven’t gotten a reply, but I’m not giving up hope. Kale has been very lucky lately. He got more hours which is great, but also got to be in a photo shoot to be in the Hollister magazine.
After the transfer of my story from the computer in the lobby of the hotel to my flash drive I got from Kale, I head up the elevator to the room. As I’m walking, I pray no one will be on the elevator. It’ not that I’m scared of the people, it’s the looks of pity they give and how they think because I don’t have one arm, I am incapable of pressing a button to my floor.
Sadly, I am not lucky and I accompanied by an elder lady. The lady reminds me of the stereotypical old lady that gives out candy and makes cookies. Her hair is as white as snow and pinned neatly out of her face. She has a cute pink sweater and a long floral skirt. I would feel comfortable with them if it wasn’t for the sad expression the lady was giving me.
Walking close to the buttons on the elevator of the floors in the hotel, I look at the two and ask, “What floor?”
As expected, the old lady shakes her head, “Oh, I’ve got it darling.”
After I give her my floor number, because even though I am right next to the buttons I can’t do it myself, I scurry out of the elevator and unlock the hotel door to my room. Every time this happens, I can’t help but feel sad. If not the pity looks, it’s the snickering and if not the snickering, the stares. Am I really that different because I don’t have half of my right arm?
The time rolls by and before I know it, it is eight o’clock and Kale is stumbling through the door while carrying a large bag of Chinese food.
“Hey,” Kale says after he shuts the door with his right foot, “How was your day?”
I shrug, not taking my eyes off of the TV screen, “I finished chapter twenty.”
“That’s cool. When can I read it?”
Getting off of the bed, I help Kale unload the bag of food. “When I finish the book, you can read it. How was work?”
He shrugs, “Folding clothes is so boring.”
After dinner while Kale was in the shower, I took the stairs down to the computer in the lobby. I was itching to see if I got an email from an editor all through dinner.
Luckily, no one was on the computer so I quickly got to the computer and logged into my email. After waited for what felt like an eternity, the familiar monotone voice saying “You got mail” makes me all the more anxious.
“Oh my gosh,” I whisper to myself as my eyes land on the name of the person who sent the email. A publisher.
Dear Ms. Henning,
I was very intrigued by the idea of your story. I do love how it is based on your story, but different. If you are interested, I would like to publish your story. This may change if I read your book and I was not impressed. Please get back to me and if you are interested in this opportunity, email me with what you have so far.
Sincerely,
Linda Petom
I probably read that email twenty times before it finally sunk in. I have a better chance of writing a book. Returning an email of my work so far, I printed the letter from Linda Petom for Kale to see.
Running back up the stairs to my room, I run in the room waving the letter around crazily in the air.
“Kale! Read this!” I practically shove the letter into his hands.
Confusion flashes through Kale’s eyes before they turn wide with surprise. Quickly setting the letter on his bed, he looks back at me.
“You did it! Soon everyone will own this book!” Kale exclaims as his am wrap around my waist in a bone-crushing hug.
I chuckle before I release him. Kale’s hands remain on my waist and his eyes stare into mine.
“You did it,” he whispers before his lips clamp on top of mine.
I am frozen as Kale’s lips move lightly on mine. When he goes to pull back, realizing I wasn’t kissing back, I grab the back of his neck and pull him towards me. Our lips move in sync against one another. Shocks spread throughout my body and the butterflies in my stomach seem to be having a party.
Somehow, my back meets a wall and the kiss is no longer innocent but passionate. It’s like we are both releasing our feeling neither of us knew we had until this kiss.
It all makes sense. I’m falling for Kale Knight.
Once it becomes hard to breathe, I pull away from Kale and he rests his forehead against mine.
“You know,” Kale says breathlessly, breaking the silence, “I got a little nervous whn you didn’t kiss me back at first.”
I release a small giggle, before something dawns on me.
“Don’t we have to talk about this?” I ask in a small voice.
“What’s there to talk about? You like me as more than a friend, right?” I nod. “If it isn’t obvious, I like you too.”
Quirking an eyebrow, I ask, “That’s it?”
“Oh! Will you be my girlfriend?”
Giggling softly at how casual he asks that, I nod. “Yes, I’ll be your girlfriend.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Okay, I'm not going to lie, I feel proud of myself for writing this much:3
This isn't going to be a long story with 40 chapters, so this is actually the last chapter. The epiloque will be the next chapter. To be honest, this story was getting harder to write after the hospital and now that they are dating, I feel like that is their happy ever after.
But I have so many new ideas! I am going to add a new story after the epiloque called "The Instagram Challenge." I can't wait for that one! I haven't read anything that is like it so that makes me happy:)
Goodness, I'm going to miss Candle (that is Candace and Kale's ship name).
Until next time,
-Bethany:)
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Boarding Flight 227
Short StoryCandace Henning is seventeen when she decides to finally meet her birth mother. Living with her dad and his new awful wife, Jane, who is nothing but torture. She was almost always excluded from events and left in her room. Finally, Candace was able...
