Thanks everyone for your comments, feedback and encouragement.
I have replied to all of you, some through emails.  Still learning all this blogging stuff.
Raelene

Romantic Friday Writers Challenge 'Oh, how I hated my beautiful friend.'

With no door to slam, I pushed a chair into the desk with the full force of my anger.  It crashed to attention, bounced back and slammed into my thigh.  Now I was injured and embarrassed and my jealousy was compounded by humiliation.  Lola stood grinning like an insane Cheshire cat.  As much as I wanted her to melt away as that iconic cat, I knew that like that cat, she would only reappear to surprise me.  Oh, how I hated my beautiful friend with her sleek hair bobbed under her ears framing her delicate features and her large dark eyes watching my reaction to her promotion.  It was always Lola.  Eighth grade spelling test: Lola; gymnastics prize: Lola; hit song by the Kinks in 1970:  L.O.L.A. Lola.

‘Be happy for me Maxine’, she simpered.

My salutation was false and tasted bitter.  ‘Congratulations, Lola.’

Satisfied we were companionable, Lola turned on her high heels and left through the sliding glass doors.  They parted reverently for her and judged me as they closed on my pettiness.  The bruise on my leg matched the one on my pride and there was a hole in my stocking.  I thumped the desk.  With each smack I was crushing Lola’s being, squishing that pretty face, grinding her to nothing.  I thumped until it was me I was squishing, me I was pounding to nothing.  That’s how Blake found me that evening, crumpled to nothing in the corner of our kitchen floor, jealousy and rage and a shredded school year book lying all about me.

‘Lola got it didn’t she.’

‘Like she always gets everything.’

‘Not me,’ he cooed, ‘Not tonight.’

As I melted into his chest, I knew he was right.

Tonight and forever I had the one thing Lola would never have.

Oh, I pitied my beautiful friend.

Word count:  304

You will find my response to our latest writing assignment here:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/11fLGZkL-fiUnvKuRWC2yXOGsUGN_kkxcJNWhpKCWMdg/edit

I should have kissed you.

THE PRE – NUP.

‘I should have kissed you.’

‘What?’

‘I’m sorry did I say that out loud?’

‘Yes.  When should you have kissed me, Dave?

‘Before today. Before all this.’  Dave indicated the decorated church and the guests seated patiently in murmuring rows.

‘Kiss me now Dave.’

‘I can’t. Not like I want to.’

‘Then kiss me like I want you to.’

‘How’s that?’

‘Like a friend wishing me well on my wedding day.’

‘I know you would have kissed me back.’

‘No, Dave. It’s always been Brian.’

As she moved to meet his cheek, he turned his head and met her lips with his own.  Cupping her face he held it close.  All the years of friendship were now something else.  She pulled away from him with her hands pressed to her cheeks. 

‘I knew you’d kiss me back.’  He grinned.

‘All this time and I never knew.  Today of all days, you make me choose.’

‘There’s no choice, Lisa.  You will marry Brian.’

‘What about us?’

‘There was never any us.  It’s always been Brian, as you said.’

Dave turned away.   

‘Don’t leave me Dave.’

At the sound of her voice, he came close again.

‘I am leaving you Lisa.  I leave you and your faithless heart to the man you deserve.’

‘I don’t understand.’

‘It hasn’t always been Brian, has it?  I just proved a point.’

‘So you kissed her like that to prove a point?’  Brian entered the vestry.

‘Brian, don’t…’

‘It’s okay Lisa.  What point, Dave?’

‘You are both as fickle as each other.  And you… you…’  Dave punctuated the sentence with his index finger.

‘Ignore him, Lisa. Come on.’  They turned to enter the church.  Dave followed.

‘Hey, Brian, perhaps I should have kissed you!’

‘You slimy bastard.’  Brian turned and leapt. He landed in the aisle with Dave beneath him.

‘You take that back.’   His heavy fist found its mark.

‘Get off me Brian.’   Dave tasted blood in his mouth.

‘Do you yield?’ It was a question that carried their childhood and all their years of friendship with it.  During the pause that followed, Dave searched Brian’s face for truth.   Brian’s gaze remained steady and Dave had his answer.  Brian would be faithful.  Lisa was forgiven.

‘I yield.  Now get off me so we can get on with this wedding.’

The congregation once again in its place, Dave moved to his position at the front of the church speaking through his cut lip.    ‘Dear friends we are gathered here today...’