The Writer Games | Once In A Lifetime & World Edition

An Image Is Worth A Thousand Words: Emily Andersen

"You know, we are going  to stand in this line for hours, just for a 30 second ride." On an  ordinary day, I would have ignored someone talking to me at Disney  World. But his voice was on the border of flirty, and I couldn't ignore  it.

I flicked a piece of  blonde hair out of my eyes. "You know, my mom always told me no to talk  to strangers." Letting my guard down just a bit, I turn around, and look  at him. His hair is a deep brown color, something you'd find on a  model. His eyes were green enough to make Harry Potter jealous.

He extended his hand out  towards mine, and after a minutes hesitation, extended my own. "I'm  Roland. But you can call me Ro." He winked, and then cracked up at his  own joke. I bit my lip to stop laughing.

"I'm Emily, but you can call me Emily." Heat was creeping onto my neck, and I twisted my hair onto the top of head.

Ro cleared his throat  behind me, his finger twirling a chunk of hair on the base of my neck.  "Missed a spot, you know." Scowling, I ripped my finger away, trying not  to grin. "Why are you here all alone?"

Why? Oh, because my  brother was off with some friends he had run into, leaving me to face  the roller-coaster, our roller-coaster, alone. "I just felt like taking a  relaxing stroll through Orlando. Why are you here alone?"

"Oh, you know. Family trip. We just moved here, and my sisters were thrilled to see Mickey." That sparked some interest.

"Moved here? To Orlando?" Ro shook his head.

The line moved a bit,  and we walked in silence. "Moved to Florida. As of Monday, I will be a  student at William Prep. Exciting, I know."

I grinned. "William  Prep? In Orchid? No way! I go there!" Ro looked surprised, but it  morphed into a bright grin. I linked my arm in his, forgetting that I  was supposed to be angry at my brother. "Better get to know you better.  Wouldn't want you to have that awkward new kid lunch room drama."

"Roland. I swear, if you  do not wash the dog today, you'll be grounded." Ro sighed, sulking like  a little child. He smashed the phone down, frowning.

I smirked, stretching  out on his couch. "Ro, chill the fuck out. It is only one dog wash." Ro  put up a warning hand, and I sighed. "Chill out. Sorry." Ro smiled,  taking a seat beside me. I curled up beside him, forgiving him  instantly. He had been trying his hardest to cure my 'problem with  words' as he calls it. His mom is religious or something.

"Plus, the rain will  help with the fur and all that." I untangled myself from him and stood.  "I'll get the shampoo. You get a different shirt on. Don't give me that  face. You're not ruining your polo."

I grabbed the soap and  bolted down the stairs. Sure Ro's parents weren't as bad as mine were,  but his mom could be scary when she was mad. Better get this whole thing  over with. "Thunder!" I called, glancing around for Ro. When I  suggested a new shirt, I wasn't serious. He could have just went  shirtless. "Thunder, come on boy!"

"Woof." I inhaled a  breath sharply as Ro wrapped his arms around me. "Did I scare you?" He  planted a kiss on my lips, but I swatted him away. The real Thunder  barked on the other side of the house. He shook out his golden fur, his  tail wagging playfully. The rain had increased, now a steady drizzle.

"Nope. I am not  scarable. Is that a word? Because that's me. Miss-" He spun me around  and kissed me, right in the middle of me talking. Instead of protesting,  I wrapped my arms around his neck. It was a familiar feeling, one that I  had felt for over a year now. Maybe Disney World was the happiest place  on Earth.

"You know," Ro remarked, grinning, "Our relationship is like that Taylor Swift song. That one-"

I interrupted him.  "Wait. Are you telling me that after a couple weeks I am going to dump  you and then eat food that will make me fat and then write a song about  you while I am going through my angry phase, which will go platinum and  you'll look like an ass?"

Silence. Then we both  broke out in uncontrollable laughter. My face was a mixture of tears and  rain when I finally controlled myself. "Emily Anderson, you are too  funny." He said, turning the spout for the hose. "I wish I could be as  funny as you."

"Roland Holland, you are  fucking hilarious. Oops. I mean hilarious. Just hilarious." Ro tutted  under his breath, grabbing hold of Thunder's collar. The dog whined,  pulling away. He hated bathes, which made it all the harder.

I held onto the leash  while Ro covered him in soap. "Shit!" Ro cried, as I let go of the leash  in pain. Thunder bolted, running towards the backyard.

"Ro." I called, in a sing-song voice. "No swearing, my dear."

If his eyes could shoot  daggers, I'd be dead by now.An evil grin covered his face. "You  shouldn't have let go." He said, and then pointed the hose at me.

"Ro. No. Don't you dare!  Ro!" I gasped as the water hit me, my flip flops slipping off my feet  as I ran. "Ro! You are going to pay for that, you hear me?!" We chased  each other for a while, until I collapsed in exhaustion. He fell next to  me. I leaned in, and kissed me.

"I love you, Ro."

A drop of water hit my eye, and I blinked it away. When I opened my eyes, something frightening occurred.

Ro has turned into Pip.

I screamed, pushing him  away as tears streamed down my face. When I opened my eyes again, Ro was  gone. So was Pip. I was alone again. Just like I deserved.