Anticipation

Avatar Author: Nancy This is the website I've been waiting for my whole life. Read Bio

It’s amazing the way scent can invoke emotion. As Nicole pulled the sweatshirt out of her locker she was immediately awash in its odor… a pleasant mix of lavender, patchouli and a little stale smoke. Quickly she felt the familiar tight tingle in her stomach, reaching lower and waking her. She felt heat rise to her cheeks and surrendered to the urge to put her face into the sweatshirt and inhale deeply… as if it would infect her with some of the older girl’s coolness.

She knew it wouldn’t.

Standing on her toes, leaning over the sink, she looked at her face in the mirror and practiced the various facial expressions she knew she’d need in her repertoire. Cool indifference, the disdainful eye roll, slit eyes seething anger… she wanted to be the cool high school kid on the back of the bus but she knew she’d always remain in the shadow of Julia. And that was fine… she had no problem playing the role of understudy.

The bell rang; she headed outside the hallway her practice ground for a new walk…

View this story's details

Prequels

Oh no! This story doesn't have a prequel. Want to fill in the blanks and write one?

Write a Prequel

Sequels

Write a Sequel

Comments (18 so far!)

Average Reader Rating

  1. Avatar Vail Indigo

    see, now I’m torn.
    Do I go backwards or forwards?

  2. Avatar Nancy

    or both??

  3. Avatar Vail Indigo

    as I said on School Bus, this one lacks the srtength of the other.
    (btw, did you read my entry into second date?)

  4. Avatar Vail Indigo

    I may have to go backwards. I’m not sure I should continue forwards since I wrote the last bit there.
    oh decisions!

  5. Avatar Nancy

    yes, read it, and didn’t leave the comment I meant to! I might rework this.

  6. Avatar Vail Indigo

    if I can suggest…I’d have her prettying up more, or getting ready more intently (psychologically, or what have you), being critical, worrying, you know…the kind of thing you do before going to the coffee shop where you know THEY will be

  7. Avatar Nancy

    I was going to have her adjusting her boobs and doing a few other things but then I wasn’t sure if that would be over the top. Work is already out of control and I’m just sitting on my couch, but I’m hoping to have time to shut the door and take a little break to rework this. Keep the feedback a’comin’!! THANKS!

  8. Avatar Vail Indigo

    I’ll be waiting :)
    Btw, it really is all about the emotion (not that there’s anything wrong with boobs).
    I think you want to keep in mind the first line or two from School Bus. About ‘trying on’ and such. That really set nicole in my mind

  9. Avatar Vail Indigo

    and please tell me to hush with the ‘advice’ anytime you want ;)

  10. Avatar Nancy

    You’re probably right… too bad work is INSANE today… hopefully once I get out of here (or if it quiets down).

  11. Avatar Vail Indigo

    I can’t wait to see
    then I’ll decide which way to go
    But I can hardly wait to see what you reveal

  12. Avatar Nancy

    totally revamped it… still not sure if I’ve got it right!

  13. Avatar Vail Indigo

    Oh that is MUCH better! I think you did a great rewrite, much more in tune with the Nicole I’ve been picturing

  14. Avatar Nancy

    :) Can’t wait to see what you do with it next. I have to tell you, I freaking LOVE the sequel you wrote. Thanks for the additional pencil, too!

  15. Avatar Vail Indigo

    Jeez, now I have to figure out where to take this. Hopefully my sleep deprived brain will freeassociate all night until i get something. I’m tempted to just work backwards, I really like the hair pulling scene as an ender, but it is also so enticing to think about where that might lead

  16. Avatar Vail Indigo

    ok, I’m not smart enough to wait and so I posted something.

  17. Avatar Nancy

    I’m tempted to write a prequel to this… I don’t know why.

  18. Avatar Vail Indigo

    because it brings you furthre back, closer to the start and starts can be very exciting

Inspired by

Julia was a mystery Nicole desperately wanted to unlock; try on for size. She had a routine she went through. First, she’d wait for George, t...

School Bus by Nancy

This story's tags are