by J. S. Lynn
She didn’t know what the hell he was talking about. Ana pulled the phone from her ear and looked at the message she had attached with the last call and text. She gasped at it. It was a picture of Carl sliding into her and her face as she came. Ana didn’t even know the picture was taken. The words were added, ‘Your loss.’ And when she scrolled to the second one, he was lying next to her and she had passed out. Their naked bodies were curled together and it said, ‘Mine now.’
Ana had mixed feelings, but she remembered she was on the phone with Kevin. “Sorry I called. Someone had my phone.’
She hung up, not caring what more he had to say. It was clear Carl had been in her phone and then she saw that there was an addition to her wall. Herself. Carl was the first man to lay her out and she wondered what that meant or why he’d put it there.
Sighing, she closed her phone and saw the piece of paper folded up that he had handed her. She opened it and started to read the part that she wanted him to sing. The title of the song was, “Taking down the Wall.” Ana smiled. He was so clever and the words told her exactly how he felt.
THE END
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Highland Songstress
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The full moon glistened down on the Machair grasslands just west of Scotland. It illuminated my surefooted, red headed, and slender body meandering through the carpet of flowers. I was headed away from the Blacklands and towards the stream next to the marshes. There, I knew he waited for me. There, we would paint the night with the colors of our romance and make our bodies raw in attempt to quench the desires we knew winter would bring us.
At least, that was what I believed as I lifted my long tartan skirt to show off my fair and slender legs to the dark manly silhouette that had appeared ahead in my path. The man who had made me forget the ache of loneliness was right in front of me, smiling.
Savoring the moment, I whipped my waist-length red curls over my shoulder as the moonlight glistened in my topaz eyes. The tall masculine silhouette I knew so well, clad only in a long woolen shirt, a leather belt, and boots, closed the distance between us. He grasped my freckled face into his firm hands and locked his brown gaze as he stared into my soul. I looked down shyly, noting that he wore no pants despite the frigid weather.
“To impress you, my flower,” he said. “I couldn’t wear a kilt, so…”
His deep voice tingled in my ears and feeling his warm touch on my cool skin left my heart in puddles. Though he was a Viking, he did little things that made me wish so badly that he had been of the Laird clan. He was a fine specimen and he was perfect for me. But he was also a Viking, so perhaps not so perfect. Vikings and Highlanders could not be friends, let alone lovers, but I did not care for the status quo. My heart had found a home.
“Oh Gurt!” I whispered, my youthful eyes searching his mature face.
He fondly wrapped his arms around my torso then pulled me close. I stood on my toes and tilted my head so as to reach his lips. With his masculine arms, Gurt pulled me up and smashed his warm mouth against mine. It was euphoric...
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“ THIEF IN THE LIGHT”
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- Chapter 1 -
"Damn it!" I breathed through my teeth as I lost my balance for the tenth time. I was practicing my coordination exercises, staring intently at the wall of mirrors in front of me. I furrowed my eyebrows, trying to figure out what was making me unsteady. I looked at my shoes’ reflection and wondered briefly if I should order new heels.
As I inspected my shoes, I heard the door open behind me and I turned to see Nancy, the hard-ass owner of the dance studio to which I was employed; she squinted slightly as she walked into the room. I always turned off half the lights while practicing as I hated harsh, artificial lights.
"Jenny, how can you see anything in here?" She flipped them back on as I walked to the stereo and dialed down the music as she tried to speak over the volume.
“...as you know, this showcase is going to be one of the largest since I opened the studio. So, I've decided to hire one of the best ballroom dance coaches in the city to come and assist in preparing the students. I’m going to leave time for him to help coach all of the teachers as well. Can you come in early tomorrow so that you can get introduced and discuss time-slots for your training?” This was not a question. That was the thing about Nancy. Even if it sounded like a question, she expected you to say yes.
“Alright, that’s no problem, Nancy.” I smiled as she nodded and walked back towards the door, pausing for a moment.
“I also need you to pause what you’re doing and help John with his couple’s lesson in ten minutes.”
She left the door open as she exited. I sighed. Early. No problem, Nance, it’s not like it’s my anniversary or anything. I knew her too well by now to bring up my special day. Nancy wasn’t a very sentimental person, and in the two years I’d known her, I knew nothing about her. But she knew a fairly good deal about me. On the few occasions that I had let a fight between Elliot and I affect my attitude, she had immediately pulled me into her office.
At first, I thought she was just berating me for my unprofessionalism. But I came to learn that it was also her strange way of showing concern for my life outside of work. She had never approved of Elliot, and she was very up front in her belief that he was holding me back from a lot of things. I thanked her for her advice every time, but mentally brushed them off as soon as I left the office. I wasn’t about to let an emotional robot give me love advice.
I shook my head as I shut off the stereo and turned off the lights.
***
“Did she forget that it’s our anniversary or something?” Elliot shifted his weight and turned from his desk to look at me. I walked over and sat on his lap, grabbing his arms and wrapping them around me.
“Oh, honey, I doubt it. I’m still technically the new girl, since Nancy is too picky to hire any of the applicants we’ve had. So I’m basically still the studio 'baby'. I’m really sorry though, can we take a rain-check?” I leaned in and kissed him, pouting a little.
“Hmm. You’ll have to make it up to me tomorrow night.” He kissed my neck and squeezed me. I giggled a little and nuzzled him.
“Alright, I’d better check on the pasta,” I said, getting up, but he pulled me back down.
“Oh, no you don’t. The toll is a minimum of 5 smooches.” I kissed him four times in a row, making a loud smacking sound. I pulled back and looked on his desk. Elliot was a pretty successful comic book artist, and he had left the company to work independently in his office.
“Is this your new story? What’s this one about again?”
“Oh, I scrapped that one. I kind of hit a wall. I’ve been brainstorming all day.”
I tilted my head in disapproval. “Elly, you can’t scrap every idea that isn’t perfect. You’d meet more submissions if you just stuck with the ones you have.”
“Babe, you don’t get it. I can’t just put out whatever comes to mind. I have to be happy with it or I’ll end up hating myself for submitting it, especially if no one bites.”
I internally rolled my eyes. The smell of burning pasta caught my attention and I hurried out of the kitchen.
***
I woke up to morning doves singing lo
udly outside my window. Stretching out my long, limber limbs and collecting my messy red hair, I rolled over and kissed Elliot’s shoulder. He was breathing softly, and I laid and stared at him for a long time. He stirred and I kissed him first on the arm, and then the neck, and then the cheek. He turned and kissed me on the lips, and sleepily pulled the covers to his chin and fell back asleep. I rubbed my eyes and rolled out of bed. It was 6:00 AM. I made a cup of my strongest tea and took a long, hot shower.
When I arrived at the studio an hour later, I didn’t see Nancy’s car. Oh, so you expect me to be here early, but you apparently get to sleep in. I pushed the negative thought out of my head, and yawned as I ascended the stairway, sipping on my second cup of tea. I bet this coach guy is going to be some ridiculous asshole, just like the last one. I don’t care how good at dancing you are, you’re not absolved of being pretentious about it.
I took out my keys and began to unlock the studio door, but was startled to find that it was already unlocked. I opened it slowly, and cautiously walked inside. Binghamton wasn’t the most dangerous city in New York, but I was paranoid out of principle. I spent most of my childhood in the heart of New York City, and never quite lost my tendency for imagining dangerous possibilities. I balled up my fist and proceeded carefully, checking all of the door handles of the offices on the way through. Finally, I reached the ballroom, and stopped just as I was reaching the corner. There was a shadow moving across the ballroom, almost soundlessly, and I could hear breathing. That’s when I heard the faint sound of Frank Sinatra playing on the main stereo, and I peeked around the corner, almost running straight into the shadow’s owner.
“Ooof!” I screeched loudly. I looked up and froze for a moment. I was staring into the most incredible eyes I'd ever seen. I was never much for brown eyes, but these were the same shade as a willow tree, and beautiful.
“Ah, I’m sorry about that.” The man spoke with a velvety, yet gravelly voice.
He had cropped brown hair that curled perfectly on the top of his head, and was both tall and lean in stature. I realized that I must have been staring at him a little too long, because he began to look at me curiously. I looked down and realized that my balled up fist was resting in his palm; I had almost reflexively punched him in the stomach. And he had reflexively blocked it without any noticeable effort.
I backed up immediately, my cheeks flushing wildly.
“I am so sorry, you must be the coach. I didn’t know you’d have a key, so I just assumed you were a robber or something, it was just instinct…” I cursed myself silently for stuttering a little, talking at frantic speed. I stopped talking abruptly and took a breath. I looked up and he was smirking, his head tilted slightly.
“It’s quite alright. Jenny, is it?”
“Yes, and you’re Luis, right?”
“At your service.” He chuckled, but I was still too exasperated to pay much attention to the odd way he spoke.
“What were you practicing?” I asked, trying to compose myself.
“I was working on my Viennese waltz.”
My jaw dropped. Viennese was one of the most difficult dances to do, mainly because it involved the wide, gliding steps of the waltz, with added quick steps and a much faster tempo. In addition to that, it includes waltz’s particular frame and poise; Nancy was the only dancer I knew who could do it perfectly.
“You can Viennese?!” I was too awestruck to feel self-conscious of my envy. He chuckled softly at my dumbfounded expression.
“Would you like to learn?”
I momentarily imagined the thought of him gracefully waltzing around the room, me in toe, tripping every other step. I was fairly new and nowhere near his level of skill. I shook my head fervently.
“Oh, no, there’s no way I could keep up with you. Not yet.”
“Nonsense.” He displayed an amazing smile. He didn’t have dimples, but the corners of his mouth created gentle creases that flowed handsomely into his cheeks. I found myself staring at them as he spoke. I tried to focus on what he was saying with mild difficulty.
“It’s never too early to learn.”
Before I could protest, he held out his hand in the traditional ballroom courtship. I look at him, feeling uneasy in how comfortable I felt around him already; I was usually wary of men I didn’t know.
“We’ll dance without music, so that you can concentrate on the movements to start off.” I felt drawn to him, and before I could think about it, I placed my hand in his and he led me to the middle of the floor. We got into frame, and I could feel his toned bicep under my hand, which laid gently on his forearm. I prayed that my palms wouldn’t get sweaty. The scent of his breath, which smelled like a warm breeze, intoxicated me. I mentally chastised myself for getting goose bumps as his palm gripped my shoulder blade delicately. He adjusted his frame and counted time in a practiced voice.
“1,2,3. 1,2,3. 1,2,3.”
We began to dance slowly, and I couldn’t believe how he seemed to glide effortlessly across the floor. It felt as if there was no weight to me at all as I followed his adept lead.
“Now, on the 2,3, you’re going to shorten your steps before the next measure.”
I panicked as we dove into the move, and I ended up tripping on myself. If he was frustrated, he showed no sign of it as he caught balance for both of us, still tightly keeping me close. He stopped.
“You don’t like following, do you?”
I became defensive instantly.
“No, it’s not that, I just…”
“....want to predict where you’re going. I know.”
I puffed my cheeks out a little in frustration, and looked up to see him smiling that lopsided smile again. I averted my eyes quickly, blushing.
“You also need to stop looking down when you dance.”
“But what if I trip? I mean, there’s nothing to trip on. And I don’t mean to, I just…” I trailed off. I was over-explaining again.
“Just keep your head up and your balance will improve.”
I pushed the defensiveness out of my head and nodded. He was a coach, after all, and I should be taking his word for it. We practiced like this for about a half an hour. Being so close to him made me breathless, though it didn’t take much time for me to realize just how unpracticed I was.
I heard the door open a few minutes later, and the familiar sound of Nancy’s impossibly high heels began to click down the carpeted hallway. She appeared from around the corner, looking extremely sharp, as usual.
“You two started early.” I hoped that she couldn’t read my face as well as she normally did. I let go of him quickly, and walked over to greet her.
“Not quite, I was just showing her a little Viennese” Luis said.
“You do realize that she’s still very new, don’t you? I appreciate you helping her craft her dancing, but I don’t want to overwhelm her with too much at once, Luis.” I had a feeling that the two had known each other for longer than this week. Luis flashed her that dazzling smile.
“Of course, Nancy. My apologies” Nancy shrugged her shoulders and began to walk into her office.
“Just remember that she’s still under my training, Luis. Try to stick to the syllabus that I’m teaching her, please.” She disappeared behind her door without another word.
I peered up at Luis. His expression hadn’t changed. Nancy had always mildly terrified me on some level. She was extremely smart, driven, and talented, and had a constant mask that never seemed to waver.
“She’s not mad, is she?” I asked.
“Nancy? Oh, no, she just likes to be in control of everything. You shouldn’t be so afraid of her.”
“I’m not afraid of her. She just has such a firm demeanor, and it makes me so nervous when I have to do skill tests while she’s watching me.”
“In this profession, you mustn't be afraid of anything. Not if you want to be serious about it.” He said, and then looked at me sideways.
“And don’t get nervous. She can smell fear.” I l
ooked at him, surprised. He laughed again at my expression.
“Relax, I’m just kidding.”
***
When I arrived home, I was completely exhausted. I plopped down on the couch next to Elliot, who was engrossed in a sketch. He looked up, smiling.
“Babe, how long have you been working on this new comic?”
“Pretty much since you left for the studio. I actually was so focused, I think I forgot to eat lunch.” He chuckled light-heartedly as I sighed.
“I’ll go cook something up for us. I’m starving.” I loved Elliot, but sometimes I wish I could come home to a dinner that I didn’t have to make. I internally shrugged my shoulders. I kissed him on the forehead and grunted as I made my way into the kitchen.
“How was training today?” He yelled from the couch.