So I was casually browsing tumblr, as most of do these days when I came across this picture.
After reading it, I had the most ridiculous urge to write. Something I have not felt for a long time. There's nothing really special about the picture, and it is so rare that I draw inspiration from something like this, which has absolutely no connection to my life in it's current or past state. Yet, it fuelled my brain with creative juices and ideas. Unfortunately, those creative juices and ideas have resulted in a cheesy, predictable, mediocre sort of thing. But I'm rather proud of it, and glad that my brain had somehow come up with this. Maybe I'll continue writing more little cheesy stories like this, or maybe I'll post up some of my previous works. Who knows what the inner workings of my mind will decide on? Till next time dear readers.
Ciao4Now
Fifteen long years, she had known him. Watched him grow and change from a snot-faced pudgy kid into what modern society deemed, ‘fit’. “A prick, am I?” She could hear the smile in his voice. That stupid grin he always had when he succeeded at getting on her nerves. “Yes, Liam. A prick. You are a prick. There is no other more blatant way to say it,” Grace said through gritted teeth, holding back the string of swear words she always reserved specially for him.
Their eyes met and her anger nearly deflated. Nearly. He had his hands shoved in his jeans pockets, as usual. His grey flannel shirt hung loosely on his broad shoulders under his black leather jacket, a navy blue scarf around his neck. He looked somewhat impish with his lopsided grin and one could see flecks of gold in his sea green eyes. His hair was a mess, which had become a norm for Grace. She knew he didn’t own a comb because he saw no point in combing the bird’s nest atop his head. “What’s the point,” he would say whenever she asked or remarked about his hair, “in doing the undoable? My hair is, and always will be, as stubborn as you. Your argument is invalid.”
Grace looked away in a huff and started to march off. Any bystander could probably see how irritated she was as she was positive that she had clouds of steam coming out of her ears. “Not going to answer my question, are you?” Liam called after her. She stopped walking and she could hear him shuffling towards her. “I’ve already answered your question. No one.” Grace said to him without looking back.
She could feel him next to her, standing too close. “Oh really?” he said to the top of her head. He had a good 5 inches on her. Back then, it was the other way around and he was the one who had to look up at her. “Yes, Liam. For the 17th time, no one!” It had been a long day for Grace, and she hadn’t eaten since breakfast. Lethargy and hunger are never good combinations for anyone. “Are you sure you don’t fancy anyone, Grace?”
She swung around in a fit of rage. Liam flinched, as he anticipated the start of their verbal war. Instead, Grace merely asked, “How many times are you going to ask that?” The tone of her voice was piqued, and her blue eyes reflected how annoyed she felt. Her hair, which she wore down today, was starting to frizz up. Something he found endearing. Actually, everything about her was endearing. How she never ate the same kind of breakfast cereal two days in a row, how she was normally much more laid back than this, the way she bit her lower lip whenever she was thinking and how she could never sit through a horror movie without covering her eyes and ears.
Now, even as she glared at him, hands on her hips, ready to kick him in the nuts if he set a toe out of line, he found her beautiful. The sun was setting in their quiet neighborhood, and the orange sky made her hair look strawberry blonde. He suddenly remembered she had asked him a question. “How many times am I going to ask that?” Liam repeated the question, pretending as if he didn’t hear it clearly. Grace didn’t even bother to answer anymore, she just looked at him, her gaze filled with loathing.
Liam sighed and stepped closer. There was only a tiny gap separating them now. He supposed that now was as good a time as any to tell her. His feelings weren’t unrequited, that much he knew, but lately, all his relationships had been wrong. Why not take a chance? A voice in his head said. After all, this was Grace. Liam wasn’t much of a risk taker, then again, this was no ordinary girl…
“As many times as it takes for you to say my name.” Liam looked her in the eyes with all the seriousness he could muster. Something changed in the way she was looking at him. Her expression softened, her jaw hung slack. She tried to say something, but ended up opening and closing her mouth like a gasping fish. Liam smirked at the sight of her trying to say something.
“Tell you what, love. How about I save both of us the awkward silence?” As he said this, he moved to cup his hands around her face and kissed her full on the mouth. He could taste her cherry lip gloss and the coffee she just had. It was a kiss better than he had imagined it to be, and he had imagined it numerous times. Her hands snaked up to his neck as she deepened the kiss, pulling him closer to her. She suddenly broke the kiss and looked up at him.
“Ask me again,” she blurted out. Liam raised an eyebrow at her, unsure of what she meant. “Ask me who I fancy,” she said to him with a wide grin. Liam’s hands moved down to her waist as he tried hard to suppress his smile. He put his forehead against hers and said in what sounded like a whisper, “Who do you fancy, Grace?”
Grace let a moment of silence hang in the air, for dramatic effect, as she would later insist. “You, Liam Parker. I fancy you. Do you know how damn long I’ve waited to say that?” “Probably not as long as I’ve wanted to kiss you, Grace Josephine Evans.” He moved in to kiss her again but she abruptly pushed him away. “I told you to NEVER use my middle name! Ever!” She looked as she had a few minutes earlier. Peeved.
“Oh come on, love…” Liam tried to coax her back into his arms. “Don’t ‘come on, love’ me!” she said in a mocking tone. “It’s been ages and you still forget. HOW does one forget something so simple as that?!” She flailed her arms around in a dramatic fashion as she said this. Liam hung his head in disappointment, all that romantic atmosphere had vaporized in under a minute. “Because I’m a stupid git, alright?” He felt his male ego deflating, but the smirk on her face sort of made up for it. “You’re saying that just to appease me. But yes, you are a stupid git. Add pompous and prat to the list as well while you’re at it.”
“Now now, my male ego can only take so much in one day. Walk you home?” He offered his hand. She pondered a while and shrugged. She laced her fingers through his and they started walking back. “I suppose asking for another kiss is out of the question, then?” Liam let go of her hand in exchange for wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “Don’t push your luck.” She retorted as she wrapped her arm around his middle. “No matter,” Liam said with an airy tone and kissed the top of her head, “there’s always tomorrow.” And they continued walking amidst the blooming acacia that chilly August evening.
