Looking for a Story

Rose sat shackled to the wall of the home her ‘mother’ kept her locked in. Sure, she had more freedom than she had had ten years ago, but she was still held captive. She thought back, over the last ten years, to the men who had come into her life and had tried to save her, to free her, and yet they had all failed…. Rose remembered that day…. She was sitting at the only window in her tower like she did every day. Her sixteenth birthday was just around the corner. And like most days, she was lamenting the fact that she was still stuck in the tower. Her ‘mother’ always told her that the world was too dangerous and the tower was for her own safety…. But Rose had memories of life outside the tower, so distant that she was almost convinced they were a dream, yet so vivid that they couldn't be. She remembered running through fields of flowers, wearing fine clothes, enjoying her father's warm hugs, and hearing her mother's soft laugh that was so different than that of the women she lived with now. As a young girl, Rose had trusted her ‘mother,’ but now as she got older she no longer believed that the woman she called ‘mother’ really was her mother. In her heart, she believed she had a family that was still looking for her. But why hadn't they found her? Just as she turned to leave the window, she saw him - a knight, coming from the kingdom! Had he come to save her? When she waved he did not seem to notice her, nor when she yelled. Then she sang because her ‘mother’ always made her sing a goodbye whenever she left for a trip into town. Wasn't she lucky that her ‘mother’ was out today! The knight seemed to hear her song because he stopped and looked around. "Hello?" "Hi! I'm so grateful you have come!" Rose looked down at him. "Won't you come out from hiding?" He seemed to not see her tower. She wasn’t sure how he could miss it though…. “Can you not see my tower? It's rather tall…." Rose leaned out the window. "Fair lady, I see no tower. But I have an idea." He walked towards the base of her tower and reached out his hand. As he did so, the view from the window vibrated like something had shattered. "Just what I thought, hidden by magic!” He started to climb up her tower. That day had changed her life. Not only had the knight been the first person she had seen other than her ‘mother,’ but she had also learned that the tower had vines. Whenever she tried to step down, these vines grew sharp spikes, preventing her from leaving the tower. The knight, determined to be the hero, had tried for two years to free her from the tower. In that time, she had fallen in love with him, and he had learned that she must be the daughter of the King's seamstress and Head Chef. She was supposed to become a lady in waiting for the princess. He had also learned that everyone was sure she was dead, but no one would talk about what had happened. He had not been able to get anyone to believe him that there was a tower in the forest. However, all good things must come to an end…. One day as the knight was leaving the tower, Rose's ‘mother’ saw him climbing down. Rose saw her ‘mother’s’ hand glow red as the knight climbed down the tower. Her ‘mother’ moved her hands and the spikes came from the vines. He screamed in pain and fell from the tower, landing with a sickening thud. Rose’s scream caused all the birds to flee the forest. Rose’s ‘mother’ called up to her, "I told you, daughter, the world is dangerous. You should have listened; that was a test and you, my dear, have failed!” Rose watched helplessly as her ‘mother’ took away the body of the only person she'd ever loved. Then she curled up in her bed and cried until her ‘mother’ came into her tower. "I told you, Rose, not to let anyone in your tower. Now," her mother moved her hands and they glowed again, "tell me, how long has he been coming to see you…?" Rose was scared. She'd never seen her mother mad. She hummed a tune without knowing why she remembered it. And slowly the world went dark. She woke up with a headache and burning eyes. "Shh, Darling…. A mean man broke in and tried to steal you from me. I got here just in time." But Rose knew what her ‘mother’ said wasn't true. She shook her head now at the memory…. It had taken her weeks to recover from the grief, and adjusting to her lonely life in the tower had been torture. She avoided thinking of what few memories of the knight she had left. Nothing her brought her joy anymore, not even singing. Her next visitor had come just after her nineteenth birthday. He was a clergyman. She had tried to get him to stay away but he hadn’t listened to her. He kept coming, so she stopped fighting for him to leave. When he did visit, he told her about the Kingdom and about the royal family. He even told her about the servants who worked in the palace. It was amazing to hear about everything. The memory pained Rose…. After much time together, he finally asked the question she'd been dreading. "Won't you leave with me, Rose? Your mother shouldn't keep you here forever.” “No, I can't. The tower won't let me. It's enchanted. I'm… I'm happy here." She tried to make it sound convincing. He started to argue, even trying to force her to leave. But her mother burst into the tower. "My daughter said no!" Using some kind of spell, she made him vanish. "Thank you, Mother." Rose hung her head. "He…he wouldn't leave." Her mother stroked her hair. "I know, my dear. Don't worry, he won't be back." Her mother's smile was almost cruel. Rose avoided thinking about the clergyman. The guilt of what happened to him ate away at her. She had just turned twenty when a mage came, looking for the answers to find out what had happened to the clergymen… He saw what she knew looked like a pile of rocks and laughed. As he moved his hands, the tower almost shook and he floated up to her at the top. She simply stared at him. "So, he said, “those two weren't lying about a girl in a tower. I told the king he should let me come investigate….” He paused and looked at her. "Rosie?" She looked at him for a moment, willing her mind to remember, but she couldn't. "Rosie, you're alive! I can't believe it!" He hugged her, and for a moment she felt safe. Then he looked into her eyes. "Oh, Rosie, you have no idea who I am, do you?" The mage and Rose had been best friends growing up. He had used his magic to lessen the power of her ‘mother,’ whom she now knew was Lady Addison. A former kingdom mage had used magic to wipe her memory. And while he wasn’t strong enough to undo all of it, he did give her more clarity. He was able to fill in the gaps that she was missing from the others. The knight had been right about her parents; apparently, when she was six she had started to show magic abilities, and the King had insisted she join Lady Addison in training. She apparently took to it too well and Lady Addison grew jealous. During training there was an accident, Rose had died, and Lady Addison had been banished. “Wait, so if she tried to erase my memories, why did I still have faint memories?” Rose looked at the mage. “Your own magic would protect you. But you weren’t strong enough to stop her.” The mage gave her a sad smile. “And the reason you can’t use magic now is that she’s broken your childlike spirit. Childlike wonder makes magic easier. And you had it in spades." He shook his head. "That makes sense… but you clearly are magical; can you get me out of here?” She felt more hope than she had in years. He looked down. "No, after your death, the king limited what mages could do. Lady Addison shouldn’t be able to do what she does….” "Oh… So you can't free me either." She sat on the ground, feeling defeated. "No, but here…” he handed Rose a small book. “It’s a book that will show you anything you want if you simply ask. Use it to learn more about your magic.” She slipped the book into her pocket. “Lady Addison is back, I can feel it. I must leave." He floated out of the tower and landed right in front of Lady Addison. "Lady Addison, you think you can get away with this? If Lady Rose hadn't been so under your control I would have taken her with me. I will be telling the king. And you will truly be gone." He stood ready to take a hit for Rose. "Oh you foolish boy, you won't remember me or Lady Rose when I'm done with you." Rose watched Lady Addison shoot at her oldest friend. She knew she couldn't cry. After that day Rose had convinced Lady Addison that she wanted to help her make money by learning about magic too. After some lessons, Lady Addison moved her from the tower to a house in the town a few days' journeys away from the kingdom. Lady Addison read fortunes and healed people…for a price; she even sold spells. Rose’s voice was where her power came from. She could use her voice to fill her listeners with joy or peace or whatever she chose. After proving that she wouldn’t run, Rose was given the freedom to walk around in the garden, and she felt herself growing stronger. When she was twenty-one, while she worked in the small house with Lady Addison, a painter became a regular at her shows. He would paint while she sang. Under Lady Addison’s watchful eye she became his friend. They talked about nothing too deep, but she loved watching him work. He even made a painting for her of lights dancing in the sky. She started to fall for him - he was so kind and sweet. Then one day he made a mistake. "You know, Miss Rose, I would very much like to take you home to meet my mother. She is ill. She lives in the kingdom a few towns over. I could have you back in a week, and maybe then I could seek your hand from your mother?” His smile was so gentle; he had no clue what he’d just done. Rose never did learn what Lady Addison did to him. He just stopped coming around, and her heart ached for him. She was so lonely and once again was losing hope. She had more freedom but she was still trapped, and she didn't trust her magic enough to leave on her own. She felt desperate for help. The last man who tried to free her was a bard. He had started coming by, and after her shows, he would tell her about the world he’d travelled. He started to lift her spirits, and maybe that’s why Lady Addison let him play music with her. After all, Lady Addison needed the money Rose brought in, so she needed to have some joy…. Soon the two of them plotted for her to escape and how they would travel the world together. Rose was hopeful this would work. They'd been careful, they’d saved up money, and it was time to flee. They made it out of the house, then out of the town. Rose couldn't believe it! She'd never made it this far before…. Then Lady Addison descended from the sky in a fiery rage. Hands flaming red, she burned the bard to the ground in seconds. Then Lady Addison took Rose home."I gave you more freedom, I let you chat with the townsfolk, I even trained you in magic! AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY ME!?" Lady Addison's voice echoed into the night. "Since you want me to be your nightmare…" With hands glowing red, a chain was wrapped around her ankle. "There! You can't leave this house. If your voice wasn't so loved by the people, I would keep you only in this room." That is why Rose sat there, shackled to the wall. She had never felt so low. She couldn't even practise her magic. She sang, but it took more out of her, leaving her weak. Even if she found her strength again…. She looked at the chains; her magic was likely too weak anyway. She was twenty-six now. She almost wished Lady Addison would kill her. But she knew the chances were low. Tonight, however, she noticed a loose panel in her roof. Looking up through the gap, she couldn’t see stars but rather bright white light. She reached out and climbed onto the roof…. And Rose found herself in a space she didn’t recognize. She was standing in a fancy room with brightly coloured furniture, and the white light she had seen came from some kind of box made of small tiles with letters on them…. What was this? She was afraid to touch it. She ran out of time because someone walked into the room. "Oh!” She looked at Rose and then at the lightbox. “You must be Rose. I'm Ally, the author of your story." "Author? Meaning, you write my story? Why am I still stuck at twenty-six?!” Rose was furious. “Because I am stuck." Alley sat down in her chair. "When I started your story, I was sixteen and in love; now I am alone and debating love. I used your story to deal with the boys in my life." "But I have literal magical powers. Surely I can get away! Do you need a man to do things for yourself?" Rose snapped at the girl responsible for her life that had always been trapped in rooms. Ally sighed. "I was just coming to that realization. Here, I'll fix your story. While also fixing my own." The girls shared an understanding smile, and Rose closed her eyes. When she opened them, she was back in her room. She had an escape plan. She sang a song that made her feel brave and strong. She then looked at the chain on her leg. As she sang, holding the chain in her hands, it shattered. She quietly walked through the house and found Lady Addison sleeping. She sang a song that put her into a deeper sleep. Then, using the same song, she erased Lady Addison's memory of Rose and of all magic. She'd be in ruins tomorrow morning. Rose slipped out of town, book in hand, ready to face whatever came next for her in her newly-found freedom. Maybe she would find her family, or maybe she'd find a new life all her own. Did you like what you read? Do you want to get notified when I post a new story before my Facebook or Instagram followers do? If you do, click the Login/Sign Up button at the top of the blog post and you will become a site member and get notified when I post a new story every Friday! Or you can follow me on Facebook or Instagram and get updates later on in the day!

For a moment everyone stared in horror at the boy-turned-Heart Breaker. “Everyone, scatter!” Andrew yelled. He reached to grab Penny’s hand and make a run for it, but she was already gone, helping a young mom and daughter get away. The monster was looking right at them. Andrew had to help them. Think, think! What can you do? He asked himself. Then he saw it - the candle display at the front of the art gallery! It was supposed to stand for something like eternal hope, but right now it was his only hope to save his friend. He ran over and broke the candle free. “Hey, Lover Boy!” This got his attention. “Leave the ladies alone!” The monster charged at him. “I have no use for love!” Heart Breaker called out. He was ready to pounce when Andrew revealed the candle, wielding it like a sword. “No, keep that away from me! I can’t go near the flame! I’ll melt away!” Heart Breaker stayed back but soon started looking for a new target. Andrew wasn’t sure how to distract him again when suddenly a wave of water came crashing down and landed on the metal-covered monster. Trevor had no idea where it had come from, but he took the chance to run and hide in an alleyway, make a new plan, and hopefully find his friends. As he tried to form a plan, an orange light wrapped around him, and a bracelet with a silver flame appeared on his wrist. “What in the world?” He tapped the bracelet, and…. his street clothes had been replaced with a costume? It felt like his dance nylons, fitting his body nicely without making him feel uncomfortable. The main colour was what Sophie would call charcoal grey, and it had orange stripes that spiralled around each of his legs, turned into straight lines at his waist, and then crossed over his shoulders. Across his shoulders sat a cylindrical shield that reminded him of something he’d seen firefighters use. He also had a helmet with a tinted visor. “What is all this?” he wondered aloud. “Hello, new hero! You are the holder of the element fire. It seems the heroes of the elements are needed now, so we will train as we go. But one thing - one never uses their real name, so you need a hero name.” A voice came from his helmet. “I guess I’ll be Flint - seems to fit.” He looked own amazed at the suite “Wise choice. Your power comes from your hands. I apologize, but the fire element will not give you the ability to fly. However, using your heat will help you jump higher and farther, and you can levitate for a few minutes. Your suit is made from fireproof material, so your flames won’t burn you and it won’t burn others; you might char a few things around you but not people. But we should go meet your team; you will learn more as we go.” Andrew felt a bit silly, but he jumped up and found himself rising. He grabbed the windowsill and leapt again; this was going to take some getting used to. “What do I call you? I would hate for you not to have a name.” “Call me Flicker.” the voice said. Andrew simply nodded and looked over, trying to spot Penny. He saw her helping that young mother and daughter, with the monster right behind them. Maybe whoever had poured the water down could help him save her. And how could he not tell her about this… *** “Quick! In here!” Penny guided the mother and little girl into an alleyway. The monster was close behind them, now soaking wet. Looking around, Penny saw a small potted plant. She grabbed the pot and tossed the flower and dirt at him, blinding him with mud. “Here.” She boosted the mom up to a window, then handed up the daughter, and the two quickly disappeared from view. Penny immediately hid behind the building, “Now what? I can’t just hide here.” She wanted to get back out and be helpful, but what could she do? Suddenly, she found herself wrapped in pink light and felt a cold metal landing on her ear. She reached to grab it but as she did, something like vines wrapped around her. Penny looked at herself in the window reflection; she was in a dark brown suit that reminded her of her dance leotard. It went from her shoulders to her feet, leaving her arms exposed. A green vine pattern wrapped around her body, red rose patterns sat at her ankles and wrapped around her waist, and a vine lasso was attached to one of the roses on her hip. Her hair was up in a bun with roses tucked at the base. Two vines came from her bun and were attached to a green mask that made her eyes and freckles pop. She noticed her ear cuff was also a rose and wrapped around the top of her ear. She kind of liked this; she felt good. But what did it all mean? Before she could speak, a voice came from her ear cuff. “Greetings, new hero. You are the new holder of the element earth. The heroes are needed now so I will train you as we go. But first, you need a name; you can’t use your real name.” Penny’s mind raced. She, a hero? Sure, she wanted to help, but to wear a costume and be a hero? Could she do this? Suddenly, someone screamed in the distance. Penny needed to help, so she was going to do this. “I’ll be Rose Thorn.” “I like it. You can call me Shrub, and I’ll be your guide. To start, as the holder of the element earth you can move the ground and make plants out of nothing. Your vine lasso won’t break, but if you try to throw it too far you could fall. However, you can make flowers to land on. You will have to trust your instinct. It will guide you. We must meet the rest of your team.” Rose Thorn took her lasso and tossed it to the top of a building as she glanced around, hoping to see the rest of the team. While she glided through the sky, she noticed Trevor fighting off the victim with a bucket of water. She smiled. He really is brave; I wonder if he will get to be a hero too… *** Trevor tossed his third bucket of water at the monster. He had found a hose and bucket near the community garden, and while it wasn’t much, it gave the people being chased by the monster a chance to get away. But he couldn’t keep doing this. After one final toss, he jumped into the garden shed to catch his breath before going back out to help again. While taking a moment to breathe, he was wrapped in a blue light and felt something like cold metal land on his hand - a ring with a glacier engraved on it. He carefully touched it. He found himself being covered in a suit, dark blue on one side and white on the other. Down the centre, the two colours made jagged lines, matching the glacier design on his ring. His eyes were covered by what reminded him of ski goggles. Across his back, he had a sword made of ice, like the ones he wrote about in his stories. “Whoa! This is so cool!” “Glad to hear you are so excited, new hero! You are the new holder of the element water. You control water and ice. We don’t have time to train right now, so I will explain as we go. But first, you need a name. So, new hero, what shall it be?” Trevor liked this voice; it seemed to be funny and puny just like him. “Hmm, well… the villain calls herself the Metallic Owl, so I shall call myself Ice Raven.” “Clever! I knew I liked you. As I already said, your powers use ice and water. You can use the vapour in the air to fly. I will teach you the rest as we go; you seem to catch on quickly.” Trevor noticed that the window in the shed was open, so he jumped through and found himself flying! “Best day ever!” He’d never felt so free! As he did loops in the air, he called out, “Hey random voice in my head, what should I call you?” “Call me Talon.” Ice Raven nodded and smiled. Feeling the wind through his hair, he wondered, Is this what freedom tastes like? He saw Sophie leading the monst - he stopped himself - the victim, from chasing after some children. Her father would be proud. If only his mother would be just as proud, but his muddy clothes would only get him scrolled tonight. *** Sophie was tired of running. Didn’t this monster have someone else to chase? She wanted to get back and find her friends so they could make a plan to stop this guy. She dug through her purse and found a container of craft glitter. Quickly opening the container, she threw the glitter over her shoulder, hoping the wind would carry it and monetarily blind the monster. She heard him grunt in anger, so she dove between two buildings. It was a space small enough that she could just fit through. She noticed there was light on the other side, so she slowly walked between the two walls, hoping for a place to breathe before going back and dealing with the monster again. She found herself on the other side of the community garden. As soon as she stopped moving, Sohpie found herself being wrapped in purple light and felt something cool wrapped around her neck. It was a necklace with a charm forming a straight line with two curls at the end, going in opposite directions. She touched it. “What is this?” As she spoke, her clothes changed into a high-low dress that was purple and so flowy! She had black leggings under the skirt, and her bell sleeves were translucent and sparkly! She didn’t have a mask but rather fantastic eye makeup that hid her facial features well. She felt amazing in this outfit; as a designer, she knew that the right outfit can change everything. A fan sat on her hip, and she wondered how she could use that. “Hello, new hero. You are the new holder of the element wind. We don’t have much time; the battle is already happening. I will explain as we go. But first, we must choose your hero name. Your real one cannot be used in the costume.” Sophie paused and gave it some thought. “Mighty Mage.” Sure, the name didn’t completely match her powers, but her colours reminded her of her favourite superhero comic! “Ohh, that’s different, I like it! You control the wind. You can make wind tunnels or even platforms from the wind. You can also fly, so have some fun with it while we go find your new team. Once there, the other elements will link up and we will talk as a team. Also, call me Gale.” Mighty Mage smiled and lept into the air. Starting to fly, she couldn’t help but laugh at this freeing feeling. She headed toward the top of the museum, where she saw the three other costumed heroes standing, and landed with the group. What new adventures awaited them? Did you like what you read? Do you want to get notified when I post a new story before my Facebook or Instagram followers do? If you do, click the Login/Sign Up button at the top of the blog post and you will become a site member and get notified when I post a new story every Friday! Or you can follow me on Facebook or Instagram and get updates later on in the day!

"But Mother, the last place I want to be is at Leigha's glorified tea party,” Princess Candance huffed as she sat at the breakfast table. "Now Candance, you need to get used to calling her High Lady Leigha. She is Crown Princess now and will be queen in a few months. And, it isn't just a tea party, it's a celebration of her engagement. We are lucky to be invited." Her mother wasn't wrong. She was from the Kingdom of EL, one of the smallest Kingdoms in the League. They had managed to remain a separate Kingdom through marriage licences and trade deals. High Lady Leigha came from the largest and most important Kingdom in the League. "But Lady Leigha shouldn't even be crowned Princess! She never showed any interest in the ruling. She actively avoided that part of tutoring. It should be Lord Theo. He's been properly preparing his whole life." Her mother sighed, composing herself. "Candance, you know that's not how this works." Her mother was clearly trying to stay calm. "Rules are simple: The first child to wed after 18 will be King or Queen. Lord Theo had a whole year on High Lady Leigha and he didn't accept any matches his parents offered or were offered; he has no one to blame but himself." "High Lady Leigha took the first match she was given with no regard for who he is or what he stands for!" Cadance was angry. Theo would be a far better king than Leigha would be Queen. "That's how it should be, dear. Marriage isn't about love or even compatibility, it's about duty; you get married and learn from your parents and how they made it work. Like your brother and his wife have done, and like Leigha and her husband will. You should take notes. You and Lady Leigha are the same age; it's time we find you a lower-level prince or a general or an adviser...." Candance stopped listening to her mother. She knew why Theo had said no to every offer his parents had made him. He was in love with her. The youngest daughter of the smallest Kingdom of the League, she already had older siblings who had helped maintain the alliances they needed. So her parents decided they didn't need to find her a high-ranking match. She could marry anyone who wanted her. Except for the Prince, whom she wanted most. She was considered below his rank and he above hers. But they loved each other. Like all royal children in the league, they grew up going to balls, parties, and league meetings. The two of them would often sneak off together to get away from the crowds…. "Candance!" Her mother's voice was stern. "Sorry, Mother, I was distracted!” Candance shook her head, hoping she wasn't blushing. "I'll say. Now, enough of this foolishness. Go put on the dress I picked out for you. I want us to be on time, maybe we can impress some of the mothers who have sons available." Candance gave no argument. She was met by her maids in her room, ready to help her dress. "What dress did mother pick this time?" "Ah, she picks one, miss. She said the colour would match the spring theme." The maid was new; evidently, Candance had gotten too close to the other maids. "Ah, she knows I despise that pink dress. It's icky and so gaudy. No, I'll wear the pastel pink one instead. It's bearable. And if I have to go to the ridiculous tea party I'm going to be comfortable." Lord Theo would laugh at her in this dress, knowing she had made the switch. Her mother called this dress simple. She smiled to herself. "Of course, miss, I'll grab it while the other girls help you change." The maids made quick work of getting her ready. Within forty minutes she was all done up and dressed up. She was grateful they had done her make-up before breakfast. They had pulled up her hair, which she hated, but that was the way of the royals at parties like this. She'd rather wear hers down but she'd already switched dresses on her mother. No need to fight about the hair. She joined her mother in the carriage. Her mother's face fell, but she composed herself quickly. "I've been thinking, and you should try to impress Queen Lucy. Her nephew is here for the upcoming season, and she is tasked with finding him a wife since her brother can't find the time. He is a suitable match. Last in line for the throne, but providing him with a match would put us in favour with the northern kingdoms of the League. " "Yes, Mother."Candance didn't really want to, but she didn't have a choice. At least life in the northern kingdoms would keep her from watching Lord Theo marry someone else. "I received a letter from your brother. He would like us to come home soon. He needs your father's help getting ready for the transition of power. I need to go with him to help his wife with celebration prep. So all three of us will leave the Heart of the Ledge and go help. Then you and I will come back for the social season. Just like I did for your siblings. Understood?" Her mother gave her a firm smile. "Yes, Mother. I look forward to the social season." Candance hated the idea, but maybe she and Theo could share a few dances during the season. Soon they arrived at the tea party. High Lady Leigha was greeting her guests. "Welcome, Your Majesty, Lady Candance." Leigha bowed to her mother and offered Candance a hug. "My brother is waiting near the garden to say hello,” Leighas whispered while sharing the hug. “I'll do my best to distract our mothers." The girls were not close, but Leigha did love her brother. "Lady Candance, that rose bush you love so much is in full bloom.” Leigha waved Candance off and turned to Candance’s mother, “Your Majesty, you must see my ring; Nathalie did an amazing job. We can catch up with Lady Candance in a moment.” Candace headed to the garden, hoping to meet with Theo. But she was stopped by Queen Lucy. Her heart sank when she saw that she would have to talk to her. She watched Theo slip away from his hiding spot, knowing that their moment was gone. Disappointed, she walked with Queen Lucy and they entered the ballroom. Yep, a glorified tea party. She did her best to mix and mingle with all the people that her mother would want her to. After what felt like forever, Leigha approached her, mouthed, "I'm sorry," then promptly tripped into Candance, spilling her drink all over the pastel pink dress. "Oh my! I must have had too much wine!” Leigha exclaimed. “I insist on giving you one of my dresses. Come to my room, my maids will help you." Candace was too stunned to speak; she just followed Leigha. "What?” She whispered. “Why?" Candance's mother would be livid about the dress; if only she'd worn the dress she'd been told to wear. "You think my brother only had one plan?” Leigha whispered back. “Please, he wants to see you. And," she opened her bedroom door, "he wanted to give you this for your birthday, but my parents forbade it." Leigha handed Candance a box. Candance sat on the bed and slowly opened the box. Inside was a simple but elegant baby blue dress. "Oh, it's perfect! He remembered...." She pulled the dress close to her heart. "Yeah! Yeah, it's amazing. Change quickly and slip onto my balcony. I can buy you two like 20 minutes before your mother gets worried." Leigha gave her maids a look and they simply nodded. "Meet him on the balcony." She smiled and headed back to the party. The maids moved quickly, and within minutes Candance was on the balcony. "Darling." Theo was leaning against the railing. "Dearest." She did a spin, showing him that she loved the dress. "I see I made the right choice." He laughed and pulled her into a hug. "Oh my, how I missed you." "I missed you too. I'm sorry my status keeps us from marrying, Theo." She didn't let go, not yet. "Candance, what if we weren't worried about our status?" He slowly relaxed his embrace but kept her close. "Dearest, you know we can't think like that. We would be days away from our wedding…I would have been promised to you as soon as I was old enough." She didn't look him in the eyes, staring instead at his feet. "Darling, please." He gently lifted her face. “Run away with me?” She looked at him. Was he serious this time? "Where would we run? You know none of the Kingdoms in the League would take to run away Royals who simply want to break tradition and wed." "Well, not none…." He took a breath. "My uncle is ready to pass on his throne, and he knows many families are ready to fight for it. Or, to marry their young daughter to him so they can wait till he dies and then fulfil a different marriage contract." "I know how all this Theo, what's it got to do with us?" She was running out of time, he needed to get to the point. "Since Leigha has taken my place as a ruler, he has asked me to come and take his place." Theo reached into his pocket. "I told him I would only come if you could be my Queen. He'll protect us. And just imagine walking into this social season as a Queen." He handed her a box. Inside she found a ring on a long gold chain. "Theo... " She paused. "This could cause so many problems. What if…?" So many what-ifs. This could cause war…. Was it worth the risk? She could turn around right now, go win over Queen Lucy, and live a pretty settled life. No one would blame her. Or, she could… "Yes. I'll go with you." "You will? Oh, Candance!" He spun her around. "I'll make plans." She wasn't sure how they would run away without starting a war, but she knew at that moment she was going to be with the man she loved. For now, that was enough. Did you like what you read? Do you want to get notified when I post a new story before my Facebook or Instagram followers do? If you do, click the Login/Sign Up button at the top of the blog post and you will become a site member and get notified when I post a new story every Friday! Or you can follow me on Facebook or Instagram and get updates later on in the day!

Suit Up 1 A few months had gone past and the group had already grown close, creating a website together to share their talents. Since Trevor was a writer, they would make his stories come alive with Andrew’s music, or Penny and Sophie would do a photoshoot to match the story. The group had so much fun learning together! Penny and Andrew even taught Trevor and Sophie to do their special handshake, high five, low five, and lock pinkies. The four friends were a consistent conversation topic amongst their classmates, who even had bets on which set of friends would end up together. The four were vaguely aware of this but often were too focused on whatever project they had on hand to care. Their current project was making little headway and causing them no end of trouble; they needed some inspiration. “Hey, my dad was telling me there’s a new display at the art gallery; we could check it out and see if that kills the creative block!” Sophie shared excitedly. “Let’s do it!” Andrew quickly agreed. And soon a plan was made, that they would meet up next week. On the set day, Andrew and Penny were waiting outside the art gallery for their friends…who were running late, which wasn’t surprising. Their parents often delayed them with lectures about being good examples and representing their parents’ brands well. Pen chuckled. "Think they’ll make it?" "I bet we have at least fifteen minutes." Andrew laughed, then took in Pen’s newest outfit. “You dressed up a bit for the occasion….” “Yeah….” She blushed. “I was kinda hoping Trevor would notice.” Andrew laughed. “I knew you liked him! Well, maybe I’ll distract Sophie for you.” He winked. Penny's blush deepened and she hit him on the shoulder. She wanted to argue with him, but a young girl came up to them. "Are you two Miss Elle’s star students?" "Yes, little lady, we are! But we are just her showcase students at this point," Andrew answered proudly. "Would you dance for me, please?!" The little girl begged. "You wearing your clip-on heels, Pen?" Andrew asked, already knowing the answer. "With you around, they're always in my bag," she teased. She pulled the heel attachments out of her bag and clicked them on. "Alright, little lady, you take a seat." Andrew stood, first pulling his phone from his pocket. Unknown to both Penny and Andrew, Sophie and Trevor had finally arrived and were confused, watching what was going on. Turning his phone to max volume, Andrew chose their swing dance song. Might as well put on a show, he thought to himself. As the music started to play, he did a little move and helped Penny up from her seat, and they improvised their way into their choreographed routine. The little girl clapped and hopped to the music. Trevor and Sophie came closer to get a better look at their friends’ dance skills. Just then, the song ended and a loud clap of what sounded like thunder rang out. Atop the Art Gallery stood a woman who looked to be made of metal. When she lifted her arms, wings formed; and she glided down screaming, which is where the sound of thunder came from. Her voice was so shrill that it broke several windows nearby. She landed on the ground in front of them. “I am Metallic Owl. I am looking for the other four elements of magic. In exchange for them, I will let your little city stand and be my headquarters, and you will all serve me! Won’t that be fun?” She clapped her hands like she was clapping for a servant. No one moved. Penny looked around at all the scared faces. She had to do something. “We don’t have these elements you’re looking, for so leave us alone!” “Ah! So someone in this group is bold.” The woman tapped the glasses she wore. “But no, according to my chip they have to be here. But if you all insist on being difficult, I’ll take matters into my own hands!” Moving her hands, she created a ball of liquid metal, then looked around. “You!“ She pointed to a rather angry-looking teen. “You look like you have someone who made you upset; I can work with that.” The ball of metal moved toward him and covered him in a shiny liquid. “You could try to fight it, but you will cave to my help.” “I am Heart Breaker and will remove all love from this world!” The boy had turned into a monster and started looking for any kind of love to destroy. “Good little pet! I won’t set him free till you bring me the elements. Good luck!” She laughed and disappeared into the sewer system below. Did you like what you read? Do you want to get notified when I post a new story before my Facebook or Instagram followers do? If you do, click the Login/Sign Up button at the top of the blog post and you will become a site member and get notified when I post a new story every Friday! Or you can follow me on Facebook or Instagram and get updates later on in the day!

Kathy sat in her old rocker watching her grandchildren play with building blocks. She loved it when they came to visit for the afternoon. Soon her son came to pick up his kids. "Hey Mom, did you know you got a package out here?" "A package? I didn't order anything…." By the time she got up, her son had made his way to her dining room and set the package on the table. She glanced at it. "Maybe it's another gift from a friend. I'll look at it later." Kathy shuffled to the table, where she and her son enjoyed a cup of coffee and a list before he took his kids home. Sitting alone at the table now, Kathy slid the package in front of herself and looked at the address. It was from Jill Green - that was a blast from the past! Jill had been her best friend in high school. Kathy slowly opened the box. Inside she found a letter and a smaller box. She opened the letter. Dear Kathy, It's been years, eh? I know we haven't spoken since sometime in College. But the other day I was at a thrift store and found this tea cap. Do you remember in high school when you were trying to find all the missing pieces for your grandmother's china set? We would go visit thrift stores and take mini road trips. We found almost all of them - all but one cup. And would you believe that all these years later I still looked for it? I hope this finds you well and I hope it completes your set. Lots of love, Jill Kathy set the letter down. "No way... After all these years, she found it." She opened the box and found the teacup, then looked to her china cabinet, where a spot sat empty. Some time in college she had given up the search, thinking she'd never find it. Or maybe she’d given up because she'd lost touch with Jill and it wasn't as fun alone. She remembered the day she had gotten the china set… Jill came over a few days after Kathy’s grandma's funeral. "Hey, how are you doing?" Kathy gave her a soft smile. "I'm okay, I still feel sad…." Jill sat next to Kathy. "I think that is expected.” Jill looked around. “Hey, that box is new…." "Oh! Gramma left me her china set. It's not complete though," Kathy explained. "Well, can I see it?" Jill brought the box over to Kathy. "Yeah, that would be nice. I haven't looked at it." The girls slowly opened the box and unwrapped the four pieces of fine china. "Whoa, I haven't looked at this set closely before!" It was a lovely floral design. There was a teacup, saucer, sugar bowl, and cream dish. Jill picked up the cup and found the name of the company that made the dishes, then picked up her phone and looked up the set online. "Hey, look at this!" Jill handed Kathy the phone. "Wow, the set is really pretty. Oh, but they don't make it anymore." Kathy sighed. "So?" Jill asked. "We can look around at yard sales and thrift stores." "Really? You'd spend your summer doing that with me?" Kathy looked at her friend, amazed. "Sure! Thrifting is fun, and so is yard-saling. So let's see how many we can find over the summer!" Kathy smiled at the memory. They had gone to every yard sale in their town that summer and had checked every store at least twice. They had found a few pieces in their town. She remembered when they had found the teapot. It was close to Christmas time. The girls were seventeen, and they got permission from their parents to go on a short day trip to a small tours festival. It was only a forty-five-minute drive away. The girls were excited to do something that felt so big without their parents. "Girl! I can't believe we are doing this!" Jill sat in the passenger seat, chattering in excitement. "I know! It's so cool!" Kathy focused on the driving, smiling brightly. They made it to the festival without a problem, and they even found parking! With warm drinks in hand, they walked down the main street, enjoying the music and the sound of bells. "Jill, look! Thrift store!" Kathy pointed and smiled brightly. Jill laughed and pulled Kathy into the store. They looked through shelves of books, clothes, CDs and finally china. That's when she saw it. "Kathy, look!" Jill pulled Kathy towards a shelf. "Oh my!" Kathy picked up the teapot. "It's in perfect condition too…." Jill looked at the sticker. "And it's only five dollars; girl, you have to get it!" Feeling happy about the find, they bought it and engaged for the rest of the festival. After a while, they headed home. On the drive, Kathy hit a patch of ice and they hit a ditch. Both girls were fine, their fathers were called, and everything was alright. Well, almost everything. The lid of the teapot was broken. But with a little super glue, you could hardly tell…. Kathy looked at her teapot with a smile. All these years and the lid had stayed together. She slowly stood, her body aching, and walked to her china cabinet. She opened the doors and looked at all the pieces - each one a special moment, before college took them to different coasts, before husbands, before children, before loss. A time when love was meant for nothing more than best friends. Kathy took out each piece of china and set it on the table, and a faded photo fell from a teacup. She slowly picked it up. Two girls in grad dresses sat at a tea party; she remembered the joy and sorrow this day had held. "Kathy, we found almost every piece." Jill smiled as they set up their tea party for the photo shoot. Hair and make-up were done; all they had left was the dresses. "I know, just missing one single teacup." The girls laughed after four years of hunting, trying to find the cup. They got to be such regulars at the shops that the workers and owners knew their names and what they searched for. They all promised to set the teacup aside if it ever came in. But the girls went anyway. It had stopped being about the hunt years ago. It was just something to do with one's best friend. Their mother's laughed. "We'll take it from here." The girls took off to help each other get ready. Their moms could hear laughing, giggling, and fangirling as they put the finishing touches on the display. Kathy and Jill stepped outside and twirled, and their moms clapped. "You girls did a great job with this display," one of their moms commented. "Thank you! We wanted to use the tea set in our photos." The girls spent the afternoon posing and smiling, and they had the best time. As they cleaned up, their moms handed them letters. "Your letters from that college you both wanted to go to came in. And we figured you would want to open them together." Kathy and Jill took the letters and ripped into them. "Oh my gosh!" Kathy squealed. Meanwhile, Jill looked down, defeated. "Oh no…." Kathy pulled her best friend into a hug. "We'll make it work." And make it work, they did. Kathy prepared to go to her dream school on one coast, and Jill made plans to attend one of her second choices on the other. They knew this summer was the last time they'd spend this much time together for a while. They looked at all their favourite thrift stores and little shops. They never found the teacup, but they didn't mind. They found decor for dorm rooms and cute new clothes. They helped each other pack. They made memories and the summer came to a close. Placing the photo back in the teacup, Kathy remembered the sadness of the day she had left without her best friend…. Kathy was soon the first of her friends to leave for college. So, her parents threw a little going away BBQ for her. Kathy went to bed feeling ready to leave in the morning. Jill showed up at the end of her driveway at 5:30 in the morning. “What are you doing here!" Kathy ran to her friend. Jill laughed. "You think I'd settle for your big group goodbye last night? No way! I came to see you off with your parents." The girls shared more tears and held each other. After a moment they let go. Kathy got in the car with her mom, and Jill waved to them as they drove away. Kathy felt a tear roll down her cheek as she looked at the photo. When was the last time they had spoken or seen each other? Could she even remember? Slowly it came back to her. It had been Mother’s Day. They went out for ice cream. Jill sat across from Kathy. It had been over a year since they had last sat down together. They visited and laughed about memories, about travels, about timelines with their current boyfriends; and they parted ways promising to visit each other soon. But they didn't. They were at each other's weddings but not in them. They had friends from college now; life just moved on. But maybe things didn't have to stay that way…. Kathy looked at her now-completed tea set and then back at the letter. Looking at it more closely, she noted a phone number on the back. Smiling, she picked up her phone and called the past. Did you like what you read? Do you want to get notified when I post a new story before my Facebook or Instagram followers do? If you do, click the Login/Sign Up button at the top of the blog post and you will become a site member and get notified when I post a new story every Friday! Or you can follow me on Facebook or Instagram and get updates later on in the day!

"If one more person asks me about getting married or having children I am going to punch them." I look at my friend Lucy over a cup of black coffee. "Sure you will, dear." Lucy shakes her head. She knows I am too gentle for that. "Have you thought about going to the mixer at church? Just to get people off your back?" "You know that sounds like the worst night ever." I look at the ceiling. I don't want to even think about going. "Girl, I like my solo life. I don't need a man.” "So, go and then say you had the worst time and will stay out of the dating scene a bit longer." Lucy used to be my other single friend. But, in one year she had gotten a ring, which makes me the last one in my age group at church without a man. So all eyes are on me. "Or you know,” she continued, “make your mother's nightmare come true and get a cat, or a dog…whatever suits you fancy. Become one of those pet-moms and only show photos of your fur-baby." "Come on Lu, you know I never understand those people. And, “mom's nightmare” - isn't that extreme?" I can't help but laugh. "I don't know, it might be. But the mixer is tonight and you might as well go and get it over with." Lucy winks and hands me an invite for the night. "Fine, I'll go... but not happily." — Tonight is a theme night so I dress up, smile, chat with some of the other singles, and just feel uncomfortable. Once I finally get home I make up my mind - tomorrow I am getting a dog. With an early-morning spring in my step and a dark roast in my hand, I head off to the pet store, I saw online that the local humane society has a few puppies at the store for an adoption promotion. Maybe I can find my perfect match here. "Oh my gosh! They are so cute!" There is a group of puppies in the corner of the shop. I plop down on the floor and play with the small, cuddly puppy. "I see that you've taken a liking to Sunshine there.” A young girl in-store uniform starts a conversation with me. “He's not quite as crazy as his sisters or brothers. But he can be, in the right space." "Yeah, I think he’s a sweetheart. If I did try to adopt him from the shelter, what would I need to know?" "Oh! Well, first you need to understand that puppies need exercise and consistent discipline. The first few weeks could be draining but once they get settled it's great." She keeps talking but I stop listening. I start thinking about my eight-hour work day and all my evening events. I'm away from home four nights a week. I look down at the little guy nearly asleep in my lap. He is so cute and so sweet…. But it isn’t going to be a fair life for him. I look back at the employee - oh, she's still talking. "I'm sorry ma'am, but I don't think my lifestyle suits a puppy right now." "Ah! Well, that's fair. I'm sure we'll find him a home." She turns her attention to other customers. I carefully move the puppy off my lap and brush the dog hair off my pants. As I walk out the door I hear a little boy call out, "Mama! This sleepy puppy is perfect!" Yep, Sunshine won't be there too long. Walking to my car, I start thinking again. Maybe I could get a cat... Yeah, they could handle my busy schedule. Everyone else in my family has cats, so I could get help with any question I have. And, I have fond memories of Mom's old cat. I start to feel nostalgic over the memories. Yeah, I could handle a cat. I head down to the humane society that had brought the puppies to the pet store. As I drive, I think about my apartment and how I could set it up for a cat. Yeah, this could be really good! The humane society is a cute little building, and the place is quiet today. As I walk in, I am greeted by a young man working at the front desk. "Hello miss, how can I help you today?" "I met some of your puppies at the pet store, but I don't think my lifestyle works with a puppy. So I was thinking about having a look at your cats and seeing if any of them speak to me." The young man gestured for me to follow. "Now we have different rooms for kittens, cats, and elder cats; which would you like to start with?" Oh, I haven't thought about that. "Kittens have too much energy. Let's look at the elder cats first." Smiling, he unlocks that room and lets me in. "You visit and I'll check on you in a little bit." He leaves me alone in the room. I stand against the door for a moment, taking in the room. There are quite a few cats in this room. How do I pick one? Then something rubs against my leg. "Oh! I guess this is how." I look down and find a black cat rubbing my leg. I pick up the cat and he rubs against my chin. "Hi, buddy." I pet him and he starts to purr. "Oh wow, this is nice. I can see why people like cats so much." However, as I stand there holding the cat I notice something - the way the room smells. The cat litter smell is strong. Now to be, fair there are seven cats in this room. But that smell reminds me of my mom's old cat, and I hated having to change her litter. And the more I reflect on it, the more I remember I don't really enjoy cats - like not at all. So this isn't the choice for me. Just as I set down the cat, the door opens behind me. "So, any cats you want to adopt?” The young man looks at me. "Oh I know that face; that's a ‘hey I've realized I'm not ready for a cat's face." "Yeah, that's what happened.” We shuffle out of the room. “I'm sorry." "Don't be, it happens more often than you'd think." He walks me to the door. “If you're looking for a pet though, the toy store sells fish." "That's not a bad idea, thanks!" I get back in my car and drive across town to the toy store. As I drive, I look at the clock; it's nearly noon. How has this taken so much of my day? Alright, after the toy store I'm getting ice cream for lunch. My mother would be so proud. I laugh as I pull into the parking lot. I walk into the store and a young cashier walks up to me. "Welcome to Happy Land! Can I help you find a toy for that special kid in your life?" She’s bubbly - I'll give her that. "Actually, I'm here for a fish." I don't see any though. Maybe the kid at the shelter was wrong. “Oh, they’re at the back. Feel free to take a look. Once you choose, I'll help you get the one you want and find the supplies you need." She points to the back wall, where I can just see some movement behind all the toys. I nod and find my way there. The fish all move so gracefully. I'd love to have one at home to watch. I start to think about my apartment. Where would I put a fish tank? It needs to be somewhere I'll see and interact with it. Other­wise I will forget about it. Suddenly, I have images of a black fish at the bottom of a tank. That hardly seems fair. I walk back to the front. "So any luck?" The cashier comes around to the front of the till. "No, I don't think I'm ready for a pet, to be honest, but if I change my mind I'll be back." I wave and head out. What a waste of a day. I think ice cream for lunch is the best choice. Downtown is busy today, so I end up parking a few blocks away from the ice cream place. I don't mind the walk though. As I walk, I look at all the little shops lining the street. Some of the shops are cute and historical, while others are more modern. As I get close to the ice cream shop, another store catches my eye - Green Thumb Shop. A plant - I could handle that. And if I kill it, that's okay. I walk into the store. "Hello there my dear, what are you looking for today?" "My first houseplant. I live in a small apartment with a decent amount of natural light, but I'm forgetful." I look around at all the plants. Okay, this is a lot…. "Ah! Follow me." The older woman walks me to a shelf with all kinds of plants. "Here are some beginner-friendly plants. Which one makes you smile?" I look over the shelf, then notice a plant with pink flowers. I pick it up. "I like this one." "Ah, the Flaming Katy, good choice. Keep it on your windowsill and only water it when the soil is dry, and you should have a happy, healthy plant." "Alright, I'll give this plant-thing a try," I conclude as I place my cash on the counter. The woman gives me a smile and boxes up my new plant. I walk out the door, the spring back in my step as I head to the ice cream shop. After ordering a bowl of mint chocolate chip and finding a seat, I set my plant down across from me. Just then I get a call from Lucy. "Hey what's up?" I ask. "I want to know how the mixer went," she states. "You're as bad as my mother, you know." She says nothing and we both laugh. "It was nothing to write home about." "So, on to cats?" Lucy keeps laughing. "Nope, I tried that. I just went all over town looking at pets, and no luck. But, I did buy a plant..." Did you like what you read? Do you want to get notified when I post a new story before my Facebook or Instagram followers do? If you click the Login/Sign Up button at top of the blog post and you will become a site member and get notified when I post a new story every Friday! Or you can follow me on Facebook or Instagram and get updates later on in the day!

A Friendship Formed Andrew and Penny couldn't remember life without each other. They had been friends since birth. Their parents met as young adults in the city of Arcadia, all four trying to find their way in life. Penny’s parents opened a small but successful restaurant and lived in a small apartment above it. Andrew's parents ran a handyman and interior design business. Andrew was born a month before Penny, and soon her parents had built-in babysitters; Penny spent many days at Andrew's house because his mom worked from home and the restaurant took a lot of her parents’ time. As the two grew up, it became clear that Andrew had no rhythm and Penny needed coordination, so their parents put them in an after-school dance class. Andrew did find rhythm and a passion for music, so on top of the dance lessons, he took piano lessons. It did not work out as well for Penny; the girl had no grace in flats but put her in heels or point shoes and she could fly. Her teacher couldn't understand it. However, Penny loved the way all the costumes moved in the light, so she started working on her photography skills to take amazing photos of the dancers. She joined a photo club, and her dance teacher let her practice and used the photos that turned out well on the studios' social media pages. As they grew, the two kids found that ballroom dancing was their favourite, and they started doing swing and waltz for the yearly showcase They had a trust and bond that made them great partners. They briefly thought about becoming a competitive team, but their music and photography took priority. So they worked out a deal with the studio: the two got a free dance class and a Saturday practice space in exchange for helping out. Whenever their teacher needed a duet for a showcase they were her go-to team. Everyone thought these two would end up in love; their families were close and even went on vacations together. It seemed that Andrew and Penny could read each other's minds; they moved as one and hardly needed to talk. There was a betting pool going for how old they would be when they started dating. That was until Trevor and Sophie showed up on the same day. That first day of school changed everything. *** Penny and Andrew walked to school together. “I can’t believe we are about to walk into the high school as students!” Penny grabbed his arm and pointed to the building. “This is going to be the best year, I just know it!” “I know, Pen! Just think - driver's licences, and maybe a date or two.” Andrew winked. Penny giggled and stole his hat that he was never seen without. After all, it was one of the best gifts Pen had gotten him. “Whatever.” As they walked, Penny noticed two new students at the base of the ramp leading to the school. “Hey, look! I bet they're in our class. Let’s go say hi!” She pulled Andrew over. “Hi! My name is Penny, and this is Andrew.” Andrew took this chance to steal his hat back and waved to the new kids. The boy smiled at her. “Hi Penny, Andrew. I’m Trevor, and I have just met Sophie this morning. Her father is my mother's newest business partner.” Andrew gave them a once-over and noticed they came with some money. Trevor was wearing a loose-fitting blazer - what teen wears a nice blazer by choice? “Girl, is that a camera bag I see on your hip?” Sophie grabbed Penny’s arm. “Yeah!” Penny proudly showed off the small camera that Andrew had bought her a few years back; it allowed her to take better photos than she could on her cell phone, without having to carry her big expensive camera everywhere. “I’ve been shooting for years now. I even have a small business on the side!” Andrew watched her with pride. Pen had gotten so bold over the years and he was glad to see her share her passion with others. “This is great!” Sophie exclaimed. “I’m a bit of a designer. Would you like to work together sometime?” Andrew had to admit - even if he knew nothing about fashion - if Sophie had made the outfit she was wearing, she had some skill. “That depends…” Penny tapped her chin. “On what?” Andrew watched as Sophie’s face fell. “Are we friends? I love Andrew; he’s the best friend a girl could ask for…but a new girl friend would be great!” Penny smiled brightly. Sophie’s face lit up. “Oh yes! I would love that!” The two girls hugged. “Dude, did your best friend just replace you?” Trevor laughed and rested his elbow on Andrew's shoulder. Andrew laughed. “You know what, my guy, I think she might have. You want to take her place?” “Oh yeah, I do!” The two boys high-fived. “Rude! I never said I was replacing you, just adding to our group!” Penny laughed. “What do you say, Sophie? Think we can all be friends?” Sophie tapped her chin and looked at the two boys, who now put on dazzling smiles. “Yeah, I think we can.” She wrapped her arms around Penny, “I think this is the start of something amazing.” Did you like what you read? Do you want to get notified when I post a new story before my Facebook or Instagram followers do? If you do, click the Login/Sign Up button at the top of the blog post and you will become a site member and get notified when I post a new story every Friday! Or you can follow me on Facebook or Instagram and get updates later on in the day!

He swore to himself he wouldn't give in but his friends wouldn't let it go. "Fine! I'll go ask her, but you all owe me a drink when she says no deal?" His friends all gave half-hearted agreements, some cheering that he finally was making a move. He rolled his eyes and left the coffee shop, heading back to work. She was the secretary at the office next to the building that he was doing construction on. Apparently, her boss was moving the company next door, so she had come over a few times to hand him papers to sign and sometimes she would bring coffee for his crew. They would visit every time one of them stopped by. He only had a few days of work left unless something major came up…and he wanted to keep seeing her. He paused at the window; if she wasn’t at her desk he would leave and try again tomorrow. Of course, she was sitting there, headphones in, lost in her own little world. He didn't want to bother her, so he turned to leave, but he saw movement in his peripheral vision. She was waving. Well, no backing out now. He walked in, trying to keep his cool. "Hey, I saw you outside; did ya need something?" Her smile could stop traffic. "Um, not anything work-related," he teased. "You’re in luck, I'm not on the clock yet. What's up?" She took out her headphones and put her empty lunch container back in her work bag. "Well, this job is over in a few days. Barring any slip-ups, I'll be out of here, never to be seen again." He added some drama just to make her laugh. "Oh my, whatever shall I do?" She made a show of swooning. The two were laughing now, getting dirty looks from her coworkers. They quickly pulled it together. He took a breath. "Go out with me? Next Friday…you won't be a client by then." He put his hands in his pockets, hoping he wouldn't die from embarrassment. "Pick me up at six?" Her eyes were soft and her smile contagious. "Not a minute late.” He handed her his card with his personal cell number written on the back. “Friday?" "Friday." With a shared nod, they part ways. -3 Years Later - He swore to himself he wouldn't give in but her friends talked him into it. He had planned this whole quiet night at home, but here he was, standing in the entryway of the same office building. "Thanks again, miss, for letting me hang out here. Her friends seem to think she'll love this. I think it gives everything away but hey, if it makes her smile, then it's worth it." "I think it's sweet, deary; take a seat. If you timed it right, she should be here any second." The secretary was a sweet old lady. He had sent his girlfriend all over town on a little scavenger hunt of all their favourite places around the city, ending here at her old office where he had first asked her out. Granted, it was next to her current office and she would complain about being this close to her work on her day off. If she hasn't already figured out what’s happening, he thought. He was careful not to crush the flowers in his hand. The ring in his pocket was something he couldn't ignore. Not that he thought she would say no. Quite the opposite, really. They had been talking about a wedding for six months now. He wouldn't be shocked if she had bought her dress already. He couldn't help but chuckle at the thought. She probably had a book already filled with notes for their wedding. He sighed and felt himself relax. Just in time, too. Right then, he saw her peering through the window, looking for him. He waved. Her face lit up and she walked in. She smiled at the secretary and grabbed his hand. "Oh! I love that, it was so much fun! I loved all the riddles and seeing all our places in a day. You should have come with me. But, why end here? So close to my job?" "Well, without ‘here,’ there is no ‘us.’ And I wanted to bring us to the place where it all began…." He handed her the flowers. She took up a deep breath. "Oh my! They smell amazing. Are they from Mom's shop?" "Of course, only the best for my girl." He paused and took a deep breath. "I love you." Before he could continue, she interrupted, "I love you too! You gave me such a great gift, how will I top this one?" She teased and turned to leave. He gripped her hand. "Wait." She stopped. "I love you. I never want a day to go by where I don't get to see you. Where I can't hear about your day. I want to spend the rest of my life with you." He smiled and reached into his pocket. "Marry me?" "Of course, I'll marry you!" She dropped her flowers and leaped into his arms. Once she let go she looked around and blushed. "Sorry for the scene, we'll let you go back to work now." Picking up her flowers and taking his hand she pulled him to leave. "No worries, deary; most exciting thing to happen in this office since we moved here." She waved them off. As they stepped outside, she lifted her hand to look at the ring in the sunlight. "Oh, I love it! It's so perfect. I can't wait to show It off." "Come on, I have one place left on our tour that I wanted to show you." "But, I already went everywhere today." She couldn’t stop staring at her new ring. "Oh, you did; this place is special to me. See, the day I asked you out, I met my friends here for lunch. They pushed me to ask you out. So, I figured we could get a treat here." He opened the door for her. "My lady." She giggled. "Thank you, kind sir…. What is this?" She walked in first, to find all their family and friends. "They couldn't wait." He laughed. "Don't worry we won't stay long." With his hand in hers, they went to visit the people who mattered most to them. - 5 Years Later- He swore to himself he wouldn't give in but today was the dance at his daughter's daycare…and how could he tell his little girl no? His wife was busy at work and it couldn’t be helped. She was training her replacement since she was going on mat leave soon; their second baby was due in a month. So, he stood outside his daughter’s daycare in his best suit, flowers in hand. He paused before he went inside and looked in the window of the play center. There she was, his little girl, in her brand-new dress. She'd had her mom take her dress shopping over the weekend. She hadn't noticed him yet. She was helping her teacher with some tasks he couldn't quite make out. He saw a few other parents pull up - oh good, he wasn't too early. Then she saw him. Her face lit up and she waved like a madwoman. He pointed to the door and headed inside. As soon as he opened the door he heard, "Daddy!" and his little girl came barreling towards him as fast as her four-year-old legs would carry her. He barely had time to brace himself before she jumped into his arms. "Hey, little one! Ready to get your dance on?" "You know it!" She giggled, sounding just like her mom. "What are those for Daddy?" she pointed to the bouquet in his hand. "Well silly girl, those are for you! I always try to buy your mother flowers when we do something special, and it seemed like it was time I did the same for you." He crouched to set her down and stayed at her eye level to hand her the flowers. “Are they from grandma’s shop?” She jumped up and down. He laughed as he stood up again. “Of course! Only the best for my girl!” "We can put them in my cubby!" She smiled and pulled him by the arm to show him where to go. He hadn't been to the daycare since she moved rooms so this was all new to him. They had all kinds of fun, dancing, jumping, and singing along to every song. He got to meet some of her new friends and exchange contact info with a few parents. As the afternoon came to a close, they packed up her flowers and loaded the car. As they headed for home, they were held up by a train. "Hey, little one?" "Yes Daddy?" She was so engrossed with her flowers that she was hardly listening. "We had a fun afternoon, right?" "Uh-huh!” She nodded her agreement. "And it would be nice to do something for your mom to make her day special too, don't ya think?" He watched her in the mirror. "Yep." She looked out the window at the train. "So, what if we went and got her ice cream from her favourite shop as a surprise?" Her eyes snapped to his and she lit up. "Ice cream?! Ya, let's do it!" She clapped her hands and kicked her seat. He laughed, and as the train passed he took the familiar detour to pick up a pint of ice cream. When they pulled into the driveway, he reminded her for the third time that this was a surprise before leading the way inside with the ice cream behind his back. "And what took you two so long?" His wife teased, getting up from the couch. "Train," he called, as he tried to slip the ice cream into the freezer unnoticed. "And we stopped to get you ice cream to make your day special too! Look, Daddy brought me flowers for the dance!" His daughter smiled brightly, unaware that she had just spoiled the surprise. "He did? Let me see!" His daughter handed her mom the flowers. She took a deep breath. "Oh, don't they just smell wonderful! Here, I'll put them in a vase so we all can enjoy them. You go take off your new dress and change for supper, okay?" "Okay!" She replied, and off she ran. His wife giggled as she set the flowers down and went looking for all she would need to take care of the flowers. "You know that after supper she is going to yell ‘Surprise’ like she didn't just ruin the surprise?" He sighed. "Ya I know one day she'll play along." He shook his head. "We had fun today though. She might not remember today forever, but I think I just might." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "Thanks for the ice cream, Love." "Just wanted to get you a treat, my lady." He caught her hand and kissed it. He may have sworn to himself that he wouldn't give in, but not a day went by that he wasn't grateful that he did. Did you like what you read? Do you want to get notified when I post a new story before my Facebook or Instagram followers do? If you do, click the Login/Sign Up button at the top of the blog post and you will become a site member and get notified when I post a new story every Friday! Or you can follow me on Facebook or Instagram and get updates later on in the day!

I was built in 1946 near the end of the year, as many soldiers returned from the war. My bright, new, red bricks, the freshly-painted walls and the cookie-cutter rooms made me a home for many. At first, only soldiers filled my numerous rooms. Some stayed only for a few months; others stayed for life. I have watched many couples come and go, some families start, and others families fall apart. One young man came just after the war ended. He always had a lady or groups of friends over. Yet as his friends got married, he stayed single. He never seemed to be sad though. He became an uncle to his friends’ kids and a grandpa to many more as he aged. But as the kids got older and his friends moved away, he became more and more alone. He and I have grown old together. I remember the day he died. He was watching his favourite show on the TV and he fell asleep there. That wasn't uncommon; he did that every night those days. Eventually, the sun filled his living room, but he didn't move. His coffeemaker dinged and the apartment filled with the smell of coffee, and still he didn't move. That's when I knew my oldest friend was gone. And I could do nothing for him. I watched over him for three days before his landlord came to check on him. It was a sad day. Not all my stories are sad, but that seems to be the only sort I can recall today. A family of three moved in…I can't even remember how long ago now. Their daughter was thirteen or so at the time. I heard so many fights, as well as nights of laughter, from that ground-floor apartment. I remember the first night a cherry-red pickup parked in my back alley, close to the daughter's bedroom, and a boy snuck in through the window. The girl must have been seventeen by then. I don’t recall how many times he came in through that window, but I do remember the first time the boy entered the apartment through the front door. I saw the hugs and the welcome to the family dinner. However, a few days later there was a fight, a blue test was thrown across the room, and the boy was told never to come back. Three days after that, two suitcases got placed outside the bedroom window, and later that night his cherry red pick-up pulled into the back alley. He tapped on her window and took the bags to the truck. She slid the glass pane up and slipped out. When her mother went to her room the following morning, she found only a note. I never saw the daughter come back. Her parents left a few months after she did. She has never came back with a baby, looking for her parents, and the parents have never returned to the apartment. I like to think they went after her, fixed things, and became a happy family again. But I'll never really know. Oh! I remember this one happy story. A group of boys moved into the building within weeks of each other. Soon, the three were inseparable. Almost everyone in the building knew about their friendship. As they grew up, the three boys decided they were going to start a pop band. After several complaints about the noise, the landlord made them a deal - if they mowed the lawn and shovelled the snow for him, the boys could use the basement as a practice space, since it was already soundproof. So they practised and wrote songs and even got a few on the local radio stations. The band never made it big, but they were happy. They have grown up, gotten married, and left my halls, but I know they still play together. I hear them on the radio in my halls. I'm proud of them. Within my walls, lives have been built, lost, destroyed, and made. But no memory scares me more than this one. The day started like every other. Kids went to school and came home, adults drove to work and returned to make dinner. As families gathered in their apartments for the evening, it appeared it was going to be a peaceful night like always. On my top floor was a boy of thirteen, watching his three-year-old brother alone for the first time. He had done such a good job; he'd made supper and gotten the toddler down for the night with no problems. However, the little brother had spilled some cereal and it had been ground into the carpet, so the older brother was going to save his mom some work by cleaning up the mess. It wasn't his fault and I don't blame him. He plugged in the vacuum like he'd done a hundred times before, but tonight was different. He plugged it in and turned it on, and suddenly the out­let started sparking. He turned off the vacuum but the sparking continued. The older brother didn't know what to do when suddenly the wall caught on fire! He ran to get his baby brother and ran down the hall screaming “Fire!” until he reached the fire alarm. He pulled it, then grabbed his brother and headed down the stairs. Once he got his brother out of the building, he handed him to a neighbour he trusted. Then he went back inside to help many of my older friends get downstairs, while waiting for the firetrucks to arrive. Once he saw the firemen, the boy made a point of telling them of all the apartments that he knew might need help. Then he found his brother and called his mom. I continued to watch as my friends rushed out of my building. I didn’t know if they were all okay. The smoke was too high. After what felt like an eternity, the smoke faded and I could see the orange light of dawn. I watched my friends leave, going to stay at hotels or with family friends as they waited to be allowed to come back home. This brings us to today. My bright red bricks are now faded and left with black marks. The walls of my rooms have not looked fresh in years, but now they are black or coated in water damage. A man with a yellow hat walks through my halls, making notes. The landlord looks sad as the man hands him the paper. After a few days, my friends are back! But nobody looks happy... In fact, some look angry. They pack up what they can find, leaving with boxes in their arms and tears in their eyes. A few more days and orange fences get placed around me. I know what that means; I've seen it happen to other buildings on my street. The repairs would cost too much, so the landlord took an offer from the city. Now, a work crew is at my door with big yellow machines. As the machines draw close, I only hope that they build a new apartment building and that they name it after the boy who saved my friends. Did you like what you read? Do you want to get notified when I post a new story before my Facebook or Instagram followers do? If you do, click the Login/Sign Up button at the top of the blog post and you will become a site member and get notified when I post a new story every Friday! Or you can follow me on Facebook or Instagram and get updates later on in the day!

They came back every year to this same spot. This little coffee shop on a corner of Main Street, in the small coastal town where their families vacationed for the summer. Ally had gotten there two days ago and she couldn't wait for Betty to arrive. Their holidays didn't line up perfectly this year, but they had still rented a cabin together. Betty was supposed to get here in time for lunch, so they had agreed to meet at the coffee shop. While she waited, Ally sat with the sun warming her back, as she looked around the little shop. She remembered the day they had met…. They were little girls. Ally had begged her mom to take her to the coffee shop because they had the best donuts. The family had been in town for 3 days already and they hadn't stopped in yet. Finally, Ally had gotten her mother to agree, and they went, just the two of them! They walked into the shop and the smell was amazing. The place was full, but they got donuts and tried to find a seat. Ally saw a spot there next to another mom and daughter. "Mommy, can we sit with them? We can make friends!" Ally pulled on her mom's hand. "Well, I suppose we can ask." They walked over. "Hi, would you mind if my daughter and I sat with you? It's rather full and my daughter wanted to make friends with your daughter." "Oh, of course! We just got here for our vacation and I would love for Betty to make some new friends." So the moms visited while the two girls got to know each other. “I'm Ally!" She waved. "I'm Betty! I like your shirt." She took a bite of her donut. "Thanks, it's Bambi. It's one of my favourite Disney movies." She pointed to Bambi and smiled. "What's your favourite Disney movie?" "Oh, Mama doesn't like those movies so I haven't seen many.” Betty sighed. "Well, stay my friend and we'll change that." Alley laughed at that memory now. She looked around the coffee shop filled with so many memories. They had grown up in this place. They had gone from exchanging letters to emails, to calling and texting over the years. No matter the distance, their friendship only grew. Ally remembered the summer both girls got dumped on vacation, Ally at the start and Betty near the end…. "Men are officially stupid," Ally sighed as they grabbed their chocolate peanut butter milkshakes and headed out of the coffee shop. "On that one, I agree." Betty signed just as heavily. "But, you know what helps?" "What?" Ally looked out at the beach. "Chocolate and amazing friends." Betty lifted up her shake, and Ally tapped her drink against her friend’s. "I'll drink to that." They laughed together. Ally once again realized she’d been lost in a memory. She took a sip of her shake. Coffee was overrated and it was summer; milkshakes were way better. Before another memory flooded her mind, Betty walked into the shop. Ally waved and Betty's smile was so contagious that some of the other people, who had been vacationing here just as long as the girls had, smiled too. They knew this was the first time the two friends had seen each other in a year. Ally got up from her seat and smothered Betty with a hug. "Go order your lunch, Gus is waiting to make mine." Alley sat back down. "Still starting with dessert, I see?" Betty teased. "Please, this is my drink; a donut will be dessert. Plus, I'm on vacation." Ally stuck out her tongue. "Now go order." Betty laughed and headed off. A few minutes later, Betty returned with her own milkshake. "And you judged me." Ally objected. "I never said it was a bad idea," Betty defended herself. "Sure…. Hey, you know what's crazy?" Ally tossed her straw wrapper at her friend. "Hey." Betty giggled. "What's crazy?" “This is year six that we've been coming here alone." Ally pointed out. "No way! Are we really that old? It feels like only yesterday that we were calling our parents every day with another question about these trips." Betty sat in shock. "We are 26 and 27 this year. So yep, it's been that long." Alley smiled and took a nice long sip. Gus brought out their lunch."Have a good visit girls; I know it will be too short. Don't forget, my wife and I are just a few doors down if ya need anything." He smiled and walked away. "So, what should we do in our few short days together?" Betty asked starting into her salad. "We could go for a walk?" They always went for walks, sometimes on the beach, some days in the big garden, other times to the little garden. "And it might not be a bad idea to get that in today; it might rain tomorrow or the next day. "Oh, then we can curl up and read.” Betty clapped her hands. "Ya like we didn’t see that coming!” Ally teased. With lunch done, the two girls headed out, stopping by the cabin to drop off Betty's bags. They decided to walk through the garden and then go to the beach for a bit. Ally had brought her newest jean picnic blanket, which they sat on to enjoy the sounds of the beach. They caught up on life, soaking in every moment they could. The next day it did in fact rain, so the two girls curled up on opposite ends of the couch, enjoying their books. After a while, they switched to their different stitching projects; Ally quilted and Betty embroidered. Finally, they each made a warm drink of choice, and just existed together. Soon evening rolled in and the rain stopped, so the girls went for a stroll to watch the sunset. They both liked sunrises more, but sunsets were easier to see when they were going to spend the night chatting anyway. "Hey Betty, let's walk this way." Ally led her friend down a familiar path. "Hey! Isn't this where our parents rented cabins when we were kids?" Betty started trying to find the old cabins. "Ya, before somebody bought too many of them. But that's not why I brought you here." Ally stopped in front of one cabin. "Remember this one?" Betty stared hard at the cabin. "This is that sweet storybook-lady cabin isn’t it?" When the girls were young, there had been an older lady who lived at the campground most of the year and made her home seem like a fairytale. Looking at it now, the place had faded, but the right people could bring it back to the girls’ childhood memory. "Yep, this is the one. The lady passed away last year and her son had to sell it." Ally explained. "Oh, how sad. She was such a sweetheart. And who knows if the new owners would keep her legacy alive." Betty sighed. "Well, maybe..." Ally pulled a set of keys out of her pocket. "You didn't?!" Betty couldn't believe it. "I did. I could afford it. He wanted the place gone so he gave me a good price. So, we have a vacation home to share if you wanna sign some papers. We won't have it till next year. He wanted one more summer with the cabin. So we have time to make arrangements. Come on, he gave me the keys so we could look it over while we’re together." Ally smiled so brightly she thought her face might break. "Ally, this is amazing! Of course, I'll own this with you. Then, we can always come back to this place every year, no matter what happens." Ally opened the door for her best friend and the new journey they were about to start. “That was my thought. No matter what, we can always come back to this same spot." Did you like what you read? Do you want to get notified when I post a new story before my Facebook or Instagram followers do? If you do, click the Login/Sign Up button at the top of the blog post and you will become a site member and get notified when I post a new story every Friday! Or you can follow me on Facebook or Instagram and get updates later on in the day!