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Post by Admin Sydnee on May 9, 2013 11:53:54 GMT -6
Summer was here and Leighton had spent her first summer Saturday morning out in the tennis courts with her father as he vigorously trained her. Sure, she was relatively skilled at the sport, but she absolutely hated it and could only laugh when she watched others play with the seemingly obligatory grunts each time after their racket hit the tennis ball. She just didn't find it all that exciting and yearned to be in the water.
She hadn't even asked Pax to come with her to the beach. As far as she knew he'd locked himself in his bedroom to write another award winning essay for a summer contest when the deadline wasn't even until July. He was far too dedicated, which only made Leighton roll her eyes. It wasn't as if he did it because he had a passion for it, he did it to be recognized.
She climbed out of her baby blue convertible and grabbed her beach bag, slipping her heart shaped shades over her eyes. Sure, she would set up a spot and read a classic novel for a bit in the sun, but she wasn't all about tanning like most of the East Oak girls were. She would actually go out into the water and swim, as that was what she really liked to do, not run around on a tennis court, but she did want to get started on the play by the literary genius Oscar Wilde and so she laid out her towel when she found a spot on the beach relatively far from other people and pulled out the beautiful hardcover to start on it, leaving on her cut-off shorts and t-shirt over her bikini which was a bright lime green. She ached from this morning anyway and so she stretched her legs out and tried to relax.
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Josh
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Post by Josh on May 12, 2013 15:49:20 GMT -6
Earl grabbed his longboard and headed for the door of his house. He didn't feel like listening to his father talk about his poem, "The life of an Earthworm" anymore. It was about an earthworm for God's sake, why do people like this stuff? Earl questioned how he ended up rich because of poems and novels like that, but just accepted it. Today was a lonely day and he felt like going to the beach to clear his mind.
He quietly opened up the front door and skated down the driveway and into the street. His plan was to go to the beach and write for a while, throwing in some swimming while he was there. Swimming was alright at best, but it was mainly to work his core and his arm strength. There wasn't much fun involved; being in the water was something that had to be done, rather than could be done. He was skinny and needed some muscle.
As the gel wheels of his longboard took him to the edge of the beach, he noticed that there wasn't many people around. Over at the tennis courts nearby, some middle-aged men were whacking balls at each other, grunting every time it stuck their racket. It was funny to look at; they all looked ridiculous. Across from that, there were some tan girls laughing at each other, yapping about how tan they will look; more like carrots, if you asked Earl. But away from all of the ruckus, there was one girl, bright lime clothing, laying on the beach, reading a very thick book.
He took off his tank top and threw it into his backpack along with his shoes, socks, hat, and phone. He took out a towel and writing pad, looking to sit near the mystery girl.. Putting his backpack and board into one of the outdoor lockers, he jogged along the beach towards her, hoping she would glance his way when he laid down to create. Maybe this day wouldn't end up lonely after all.
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Post by Admin Sydnee on May 12, 2013 16:35:39 GMT -6
Leighton tried to ignore the chatter around her of the obnoxious girls going on about their tans, her eyebrows knitting together in concentration as she turned another page of the thick volume in her hands. The sun was warm on her red hair and her skin and she was glad not to be playing tennis anymore, killing herself to impress her father. She hated that game, loathed it. So she tried to enjoy her solitude and continued to read on, a small smile playing about her lips as she did. She'd been reading since she was young, the only reason she really cared to be wealthy was all of the books she could buy and that was the truth. She'd started out with Nancy Drew novels and worked her way up. She remembered how Pax would often call her Nancy Drew because she often acted like it, although he did it in a snide way. It didn't matter to her though, she knew she was a curious person and nothing was wrong with that.
She looked up as a small breeze came through and sighed. The water looked so inviting. There was a figure jogging in the sun through the sand and Leighton smiled, amused at the fact of somebody running through sand. It wasn't at all an easy task, but he seemed to be managing.
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Josh
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Post by Josh on May 12, 2013 21:13:53 GMT -6
Out of the corner of his eye, Earl caught the girl looking up from her book his way. He tried to play it off, acting like he didn't see it, but inside he was quite intrigued. Why didn't she tan with the other girls? She looked as pretty, if not prettier, than the girls on the other side of the beach. It was odd to see someone off alone reading.
He decided to do a quick lap around the beach, circling her. He ended up laying his towel a couple feet away from her, but closer to the beach. The soft splash of the water coming off of the shore was always a pleasant surprise. Earl opened his notebook up to the page where he had left off. He had been in the middle of a stream of consciousness, writing his sudden thoughts down.
Its amazing to think that a book is written one way, and one way only; the author's way. But everyone who reads the story reads a different story; different interpretations, different emotions felt he quietly said, not realizing he was talking.. |
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Post by Admin Sydnee on May 12, 2013 22:06:02 GMT -6
Leighton shook her head, still looking at him from underneath her sunglasses. When she tried to run in sand, she fell; however, this guy didn't wipe out once. How graceful.
He finally stopped running and settled down with his towel several feet away from her, taking out what appeared to be a notebook. Leighton's curiosity was getting the best of her as she slowly slipped a bookmark into the novel and looked over at him, wondering what he was writing. People intrigued her and her family (especially her brother) were constantly on her about not staring at people or getting into their business. Leighton was just an observer and that's what she'd always been. She liked to find out what people were all about, and what made them tick.
She leaned forward on her towel, as if that could help her see any better and then he started speaking and she could just hear him over the water and the other people around them. She cocked her head, listening to him speak words. Was he reciting what he was writing? She fought the urge to get up, as she always wanted to just talk to people and get to know them, well...if they didn't seem totally braindead like those girls tanning.
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Josh
Oakbrook Newbie
Beast mode.
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Post by Josh on May 13, 2013 6:37:58 GMT -6
Earl finished writing his thoughts down and sat down cross legged, looking into the ocean. He tried to understand how the ocean looked so serene. It was during this time of the day where the light from the sun really showed the beauty in the water.
Out of nowhere, the tide came in and swept his notebook from him and carried it behind him, toward the girl. Silently cursing, he slowly got up and shook the sand off of him. He turned around and started walking towards his now soaked notebook, which now lay about a foot in front of the girl - who, as he now noticed, had stopped reading and had apparently been trying to look at him from the back. He pretended not to notice, but had a small smile on his face, and went to reach for his notebook. [/color] |
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Post by Admin Sydnee on May 13, 2013 15:49:49 GMT -6
Leighton was still having an inner war with herself on what to do and she picked up her book again, figuring she should just read instead of getting herself distracted by picking apart people at the beach. Usually it ended in bad reactions of people freaking out for her 'staring' at them, or people thinking she was checking them out, or just being plain rude. It wasn't like that at all and Leighton wasn't really sure how to make anybody understand, because she was just observant.
She would have fallen back into the world of Oscar Wilde, had she not seen the tide come in and wash back his notebook in the water towards her. He got up, seeming a bit flustered about how it had happened and reached for his notebook that had landed near her.
"I don't suggest writing so close to the water. You should have expected something like that to happen," she said, matter-of-factly, looking up at him. He'd cast a shadow over her, blocking the sun temporarily and she lifted her sunglasses from her eyes.
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Josh
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Beast mode.
Posts: 13
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Post by Josh on May 14, 2013 20:48:22 GMT -6
Earl down at her; she looked smug and comfortable telling him about what he did wrong. But, he first noticed her long, flowing, red hair - he loved girls with the auburn colored hair; it made them different, but practically every girl he's seen with red hair has been quite attractive. This girl, cute face and a slender body, was the epitome of beautiful to him. Although, inside he felt like she might be too good for him. Then again, he's here, and he has his chance to converse.
Smirking, he told her "Well, this seems to be the only place close to my house where I can really relax and think about life, art, the mind, and whatever else comes into my head." He glanced over at the book next to her, eyeing the author, a small smile forming on his face. I see you're reading Oscar Wilde. I personally love "The Importance of Being Earnest", mainly because of it's humor and his sarcastic intellect. What's your favorite piece?" He asked inquisitively, taking a seat next to her, crossing his legs.
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Post by Admin Sydnee on May 14, 2013 21:34:37 GMT -6
"Aren't you philosophical," Leighton teased as he picked up his notebook, but truly she found it endearing. A lot of people on the East Side weren't concerned with matters like that, only with material and social gain. She was sure she'd seen this guy around, his blonde hair was a dead giveaway of his appearance. Wasn't he a year younger than her at East Oak Prep? "What are you writing exactly?" she asked curiously, trying not to have her eyes wander towards his notebook. "Prose, poetry, lyrics, your will?" That last part was a joke and she smiled lightly as he sat down next to her.
He asked questions. Just like she did. If there was one thing that bothered Leighton, it was when people couldn't keep a conversation. She liked getting to know people and she'd keep pressing them with questions anyway. She was used to being the talker. People were interesting and you didn't know enough about them by just observing. She reached over for the book when he mentioned it and picked it up again. "Yeah, the humor Wilde uses...I just can't get enough of it. He's...constantly making fun of the upper class in this play, I find it kind of funny. Sometimes I relate it to East Oak. How ridiculous the people act here sometimes..." she trailed off and tried to think about her favorite piece of his. "I guess Dorian Gray would be my other favorite of his."
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Josh
Oakbrook Newbie
Beast mode.
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Post by Josh on May 15, 2013 11:34:54 GMT -6
Earl was surprised, although not showing it. This girl was actually smart and knew about books and Oscar Wilde and whatnot; unlike some girls, who like to rant about different pieces of literature, but have no idea what the story is actually about. "I love Dorian Gray; I think it's a wonderful piece that really dissects the human characteristic of selfishness and pride." He noticed her eyes open up more as they spoke; maybe she was enjoying this as much as he was, or maybe more.
"Oh! And the notebook; it's just a collection of everything. Poems, short stories, you name it. Over there, I was writing down a stream of consciousness." He laughed at himself, "So it's basically just random thoughts. But, if you'd like, I could show you some of the other stuff?" He picked up the notebook and opened up to the front cover, where he wrote a foreword to his future self:
When your mind roams free and absorbs the life around you, your imagination blossoms. You become one with the surrounding world and you can see things through new eyes. Let the writing inside this notebook be not forgotten. When you look back upon this, remember what you once were, and cherish the memories till death.
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Post by Admin Sydnee on May 15, 2013 20:28:51 GMT -6
"Definitely. Wilde really captures the human condition and how complicated it is," Leighton agreed. She wondered if what she said had sparked any thoughts within him. What did he think of East Oak? And the people here? What did he think of the separation of the two parts of town in general? She tried not to jump the gun and ask him too many questions. That usually scared people off, but she was just so curious and interested and so she had to hold herself back.
"So it's sort of like a journal," she understood, nodding at him. She had several notebooks filled at home with her thoughts of living on the East Side and just things that passed through her mind in general. She kept them hidden though, so they wouldn't be found, although she was sure Pax wouldn't waste his time rummaging through her room. "Well...a soggy journal now."
She leaned forward to look at the front cover of his notebook and the words that were there, slightly smeared now, but still readable. "I think a lot of people around here could use your imagination," she commented.
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