Nate Blackwall Part 5

{Part one, part two, part three, part four}

The rest of the week passed by in a blur of math tests and yo momma jokes. Finally, Friday night approached.

I was picking Anna-Christina up at her house at six, and we were going to walk to the ice cream place, and then spend the sunset by the pond at the park.
I would have preferred taking her to the beach, but you know, Wisconsin.

It was going to be a perfect evening. At approximately 5:30 pm, I started freaking out.

My mom was telling me to relax, my dad was saying it would be fine. But my brain was saying that pretty athletic girls and spotty nerds don't mix. That she probably only said yes on a dare. That she hated me.

At 5:50, I stepped out of my house and walked the three minutes between our suburban dream houses. Tentatively, I rang the doorbell.
A lady in her forties with auburn hair opened the door, peered at my glow in the dark Iron Man shirt with disgust, and yelled up the stairs.
"Annie! Your date's here!"
"COMING!"

She ran down the stairs. "Hi Nate."
The woman (who I assumed was her mom) scowled at me. "Don't stay out to late."
Anna-Christina smiled at her. "You know you don't have to worry about me maman."
The door closed.

"You look really nice," I said, a little breathless. She was wearing a pale blue tank top, with floaty cardigan over it, and a denim skirt. She was wearing her long red hair down, with a butterfly hair clip.
She beamed.
"Thanks. I like your shirt."

"What does your mom have against Iron Man?" I asked.
Anna-Christina laughed. "If you'd worn a Captain America shirt, she'd be convinced you were the greatest thing since the internet."

She linked her arm in mine "So Mr. Blackwall, where are you taking me this fine May evening?"
"I was think ice cream and a surprise."
"How wonderfully surprising."

We walked and chatted about random things on the way to John's Ice Cream Parl r (the "o" had been lost to time), where we ordered our ice creams, and started heading for the park.

"Did you know that you can tell a lot about a person from their ice cream selection?"
"oh really?" She cocked an eyebrow in mock suspicion. " And what does this tell you?" she held out her ice cream.
"Mexican chocolate in a cup with a cone on top? That's easy. You like classics with a twist, and you hate getting messy."
She giggled. "And what does your strawberry swirl with a sprinkle cone mean? Pray tell."
"That just means I'm awesome."

FInally we made it to the park. I reminded myself to thank Eleanor-from-LARPing for helping me get the calculations perfect.
The sun had just started to set over the horizon, reflected back into the pond at the park. The light danced through the flowering cherry trees beautifully.

Anna-Christina's jaw dropped. "It's like wonderland,"she whispered, her giant eyes shining. I reached for her hand, and she squeezed it.
She looked into my eyes, a smile playing on her lips.

Nate Blackwall Part 4

(Part 1, Part 2, Part 3)

The day was uneventful until Physics that afternoon. I should probably explain a little more about Mr. Smith.

Mr. Jonathan Smith (Yes, people actually name their kids Jon Smith. I don't know why.), age early-thirties, has been a physics teacher here at Memorial for three years. He's my favorite teacher, because he's really funny, smart, and if I get to class early, we have nerdy "yo momma" contests. Also, he has a goatee.

I walked into the classroom, where Mr. Smith was grading papers. I didn't think he'd seen me, but then I heard him say, "Yo momma's like an incandescent lightbulb- old, wasteful, and not that bright."
I chuckled.
"Yeah? Well, yo momma's so ugly, even fluorine doesn't want to bond with her."
He looked up.
"As a science teacher, I have to give you props for that one."
I bowed dramatically, and walked over to my seat. Only a couple of other people were here yet.
Just me, one of Anna-Christina's soccer teammates, and that OCD guy, who was sharpening his pencils until they were all the same height.
None of my friends have physics this period, except Gina's girlfriend Kate, who I don't know all that well, and my neighbor Jason who I don't get long with all that well.

After school I met up with Kevin, Gina, and Kate next to the statue of Lily Willow Marie Caldridge, and we walked home. Well, Kevin and Kate split off to go to there neighborhoods, but Gina and I live on the street.
We talked about girls the whole way, until we reached my house and she waved goodbye.

I stepped through the door, and saw my dad with his leg propped up on the coffee table, the TV playing commercials. I don't think he even knew what was on.
"Dad? What are you doing home?"
He looked up from his phone. "Oh, I sprained my ankle," he said nonchalantly.
I nodded, as if this was all normal. "So where's Mom?"
"Had to work late. Her client got arrested."

My mom's a public defender, but she looks like a model from the 1940's. In fact, my parents met because she was doing pinup modeling on the side of law school, and my dad's a photographer. They were doing a shoot on a beach at night, and my mom couldn't stop laughing at my dad.
He didn't realize until after the shoot that a seagull had pooped on his head. She helped him clean bird crap out of his hair, and two years later they got married.

Nate Blackwall part 3

Okay, I can do it, I told myself. Three minutes to class. I can't blow it this time.

"Anna-Christina Gould," I started, as red as Gina's hair last semester, "Go on a date with me on friday night."

She beamed. 

"I don't see why not!"

I let myself breathe again. "Great, I'll pick you up at your house at six," I said, sound way more confident than I actually was.

"Magnifique!" Anna-Christina often spoke French randomly. It was one of those little quirks that made me so enthralled by her.

"I'll see you in math, Nate," she said as she ran back over to her friends. I walked into the school, and dazedly found my way to room 207 for English with Ms. Green, who most people agree is the coolest teacher ever, except perhaps our crazy awesome nerdy physics teacher Mr. Smith. 

I plonked down in my desk between Kevin and Gina's. 

"So? How'd it go?" Gina said, leaning on her desk for dramatic effect. Half of the things Gina did were for dramatic effect.

"I'm taking her on a date on friday," I sputtered. Gina's jaw dropped, as did the arm on her desk (dramatic effect).

Kevin looked up from the picture he was doodling in his textbook."What? Who?"

"AC Gould," Gina whispered. "My god, you actually did it."

"Let me get this straight," Kevin said shocked. "You- Nate Blackwall, Nerd, failing math, person who understands particle physics, are going on a date with AC Gould- gorgeous, soccer playing, smart, went to France over the summer with her insanely wealthy godfather, AC Gould." He paused to throw up his arms in amazement. 

"Nathan Russell Blackwall, you are the luckiest guy at this school."

"Ahem." We looked up at Ms. Green. "I'm very pleased that Nate finally got up the courage to ask out miss Gould, but class is starting."

{What do you guys think so far? I'll have more craziness next week on Anna-Christina and Nate's date. Hope you enjoyed, because Nate's story is really fun to write!

Lady E}

Nate Blackwall part 2

(ps I'm writing this post in Las Vegas)

As Gina and I walked into school on Monday morning, I saw the only part of Pinnacle that I properly appreciate:
Anna-Christina Gould.

Her long amber hair was tied back in a ponytail, and she was biting her blue fingernails. My God, Anna-Christina could even make fingernail biting gorgeous.
Gina elbowed me.
"Yes Nate, Anna-Christina is hot. I don't want to be late for the only class Kate and I have together, so either ask her out or go inside."

I sighed dreamily. Only Anna-Christina could make me feel like a total idiot.
The only problem in plans to ask her out, was the simple fact that I'm a total wuss.

I don't exactly have a great track record with girls. The last time I told a girl that I liked her, she beamed and told me that I was a great friend and she liked me too. Yeah.

The worst part is that Gina is determined to get me and Kevin girlfriends by the end of the year.
Before I could stop her, she yelled out,
"Hey AC!"
Anna-Christina immediately headed over towards us.
"Hi Gina, hey Nate! What's up?
"Uh, hi Anna-Christina," I stammered out.
She giggled. "Nate, you can call me AC. Everyone does."
"I think you're name is beautiful," I squeaked.
Anna-Christina blushed.
I cleared my throat. "That's not the only thing about you that's beautiful either."
Her jaw dropped. "Nate..."

{And more will be revealed next week! Muhahahahaha! I'm not actually trying to cliff hang you, Jayne's trying to get me to unpack.}

Nate Blackwall and the Quest for the Painting (Part one)

Some guy painted a picture of my town once.

It’s Pinnacle Wisconsin’s proudest moment as a town. It’s pretty pathetic, saying as nobody’s seen the painting.

I guess the artist specialized in boring towns, and never bothered learning their names. But we’re pretty sure one of them is of Pinnacle.

If the guy was still alive, he would most definitely still recognize our stupid little town. Honestly, the only thing that's changed is the name of the high school.

It used to be called Pinnacle High School, but in the eighties they renamed it after a girl that died. This is why I go to Lily Willow Marie Caldridge Memorial High School. I'd rather just go to Pinnacle High, but C'est la vie.

I think those few paragraphs are all the interesting things about Pinnacle, so I might as well tell you about myself. 

My name is Nathan Blackwall, but my parents and my irritating math teacher Mrs. Feldman are the only ones who call me that. Everybody else calls me Nate. Or Nerd. 

I keep telling them I'd prefer "Intellectual Badass", or at least "Mr. Nerd." Oh well.

My best friend is named Gina, and she got a girlfriend before me. I try not to let it bug me that girls find her more attractive than me, but at least since she and Kate got together, she isn't competition. My other best friend is Kevin. He'd rather I call him my "Epic Bro," but there's only so far I'll go with that one.

Gina, Kevin, a girl named Eleanor, a broom handle, and occasionally me when I'm bored, make up Pinnacle's only (and lamest) LARP club. Don't get me wrong- I'm totally into this stuff. The problem is just that there's four of us, and Kevin spends the whole time flirting with Eleanor. I try to go as often as possible, if only so Gina doesn't get bored.

Love. (An excerpt from my book)

I feel so awful. I swear I really do MEAN to post....

Anyway, here's this little piece. (If you want to read more, I post stuff occasionally on my personal blog)

They walked along the many hallways of the inn in silence until they came to a room marked number 49. Adelie pulled out a key and unlocked the door. She handed the key to Sara and said, “Sleep well. Miss Lydia’s across the hall, but I wouldn’t bother her while she’s in one of her moods. Aunt Luelle serves everyone breakfast at seven sharp. If you’re late, you’ll be eating scraps out of the bin.”

Sara stepped into her room.

It was kind of small, but it was clean (except for a dark spot on the wall that Sara did not want to think about), and the bed was comfortable. So comfortable that she fell asleep quickly, despite the loud noises from the tavern below.

Adelie, however, did not fall asleep quickly. She didn’t even get into bed.

She looked out the window and saw Eil standing in the alley, up against the brick wall.

She opened the window and climbed out onto the scrawny apple tree outside her bedroom. It was tricky, since the tree was rather scraggly, in fact the first time Adelie had climbed out, she had promptly fallen, but she was rather experienced at climbing up and down this tree, and made it down without so much as scraping her knee.

She had known that she loved Eil Eda the moment her hazel ayes met his amaranthine ones.

Maybe it was crazy to think of true love at fifteen. Maybe it was crazy to think of love at all for a guard and a serving girl.

That didn’t matter.

They were perfect for each other, no matter what.

And as they kissed again on the cloudless summer night, Adelie knew it was true.

“I love you forever my violet eyed angel.”

“I love you always my faery girl. Always”

Three a.m, and Lydia Winnoway is crying on her bed.

She’s crying because she’s afraid.

She’s afraid that the King’s Guards, those silk cloaked little bastards, will catch James. She’s afraid that one day, he’ll be late, because he’s not coming home. That’s why she yelled at him. Because she didn’t know where he was.

It’s been rough lately for Lydia. Her aunt Muriel is won’t stand for Lydia even being around James- and not because he’s a thief. If she knew what Lydia has been hiding from her-and James-she would be beyond furious.

Lydia is almost sure she's pregnant. 

Aunt Muriel isn’t the only person who would hate a half clockface baby, even a blood relation. Lydia has seen babies left on the steps of houses. Even left at the inn.

No child can grow up at the inn. Not surrounded by people like her and James.  She knows this from experience. 

The door creaks open.

“Lydia? Are you awake?”

It’s James.

“Yeah,” Lydia whispers.

James sits on the bed next to her and wraps his arm around her shoulders. She brushes his cheek, her fingers glancing across his hour hand.

“I’m sorry I yelled at you, I was just worried.”

“I deserved it, Love. But I don’t think the whole bar needed to know.”

Lydia laughed and wiped away her tears. “Next time I’ll yell at you in private then.”

“Agreed.”

Lydia chuckles at that.

James loves her so much. Every time he looks at her, he wonders what she’s doing with a wanted  clockface criminal when she could have kings and gods bowing down to her. 

He’s been in love before, sure, but never the way he loves Lydia. 

She reminds him of the fairytales his Cousin Meghan used to tell him. Stories about a princess who ran away to slay a dragon, and never brushed her raven black hair.

Sure, there may be a lot less dragons around the inn then on the floating kingdom of Frisk, and Lydia’s locks may be a tangle of sandy curls, but the fierce look in her eye, and her easy laugh are things James never thought he would find anywhere besides stories.


ALSO: Because I feel so bad, here's a drawing of James and Lydia :)

Yes. He's a clock.

Hugs and Poems! Lady E.

Lady Elisabeth Presents: Flashlight Mystery Night

"Goodnight Lily," her parents said, tucking her into bed.
"Goodnight Mom. Goodnight Dad. I'll see you tomorrow," She said back as the door closed behind them.
She closed her eyes and smiled as their steps faded away down the stairs. Soon she could hear the tv sounds floating up from the living room.
She couldn't tell what they were watching, but that wasn't important.
Lily had a murder to solve.

She snatched up her flashlight and flicked it on.
She reached under her pillow and pulled out the book. She ran her hands along the cover lovingly. It was so special.
Lily flipped it open to the page where she'd left off, somewhat nervously. They had been stuck in quite the situation last night,  and Lily was excited to see what happened next.

She started reading, devouring the pages, eagerly running through the night alongside Holmes and Watson, trying her hardest to follow along. She never could.
That was fine though, neither did Watson (although he was always more surprised than Lily when he found Holmes in such strange places).

She flipped the next page, reading furiously, and before she knew it, she screamed out, "RUN! It's the murderer!"

Lily clapped her hands over her mouth. All was quiet. Silently, she slid the book back under her pillow, clicked her flashlight off, and snuggled up into her soft, warm blanket. She closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep, dreaming the whole night through about her next flashlight mystery night.

on a late saturday night

I must admit, I can't wait until he shows up.
xx,
jocee

Talking to boys. An awkward poem by Lady Elisabeth

Hey there.

I like your... 

Everything

Hey-

I wanted to tell you

That you smell like coconuts

I like coconuts.

Do you think maybe...

Never mind.

Did you know that I still have a baby tooth?

Yeah...

Um..

So where do you go to school?

Oh cool.

Me? No, I'm homeschooled.

Yes, really...

Hey do you watch Doctor Who?

Oh. Why not?

Hey...

Do you...

I mean, will you...

Can we...

There's this dance...

And maybe do you want to come with me?

The Truth About Lucy Abbot part one

I think he's handsome. I bet he's gorgeous, but I don't think I'll ever really know for sure what he looks like.
He doesn't know what I look like either. I don't think he'd like me if he did. I told him I'm blonde and curvy. He said looks ain't important. I hope he was telling the truth there, cause I lied. I got plain brown hair and a flat chest
I lie to much.
I told him I'm an only child. He said he's got an older sister with cancer. I got three little brothers named Joey, Tony and Jay. I guess their good kids but everyone knows  pretty girls are only kids.
I suppose pretty girls ain't supposed to lie either.
My name's Lucy. I told him its Katie. He said Katie's his sisters name. His name's Danny.
I told him I live in California, near Los Angeles.
I don't. I live in a little place called Calvin. We have a little house on a great big lot that used to be a farm in the 19th century, but now it's all overgrown and brown. There's this little shady spot all covered in brush and things. In the summer, I sit there all day and think or read. The lot's so big that I don't think anyone else even knows where I go, but my folks don't worry.
A lot of the time I sneak out at night and watch the stars in the backyard.


Danny's my Internet pen pal. He's real smart, even though he don't go to school.  The government thinks his daddy teaches him, but he says his dad's a real drunk. Danny teaches himself, and he makes sure his dad's alright. He passes all the tests they throw at him.
I really like Danny.
I wish I cold untangle all the lies I've told him without him knowing I lied to him for two years.


I talk to Danny on my computer that I got for my birthday last year. It was a real great gift, cause now I don't have to share a computer with my brothers.
We met on one of those chat rooms, and hit it off fast.
I like to think that one day, Danny and I can properly meet and maybe he could be my real life boyfriend instead of my online one. But that would involve admitting to him that I lied.
I'm scared to do that.


What if Danny doesn't like the real me? But in all honesty I'm more afraid that he'll be disgusted with me.


He said once that every time you lie, a little piece of your soul chips away. The only way to fix it, he says, is to admit to your lies.
Then God forgives you. But a lot of people don't.


I'm a Christian I guess. I believe in God, and I go to church, but I'm not good at following God's rules.
I also think that God stopped fixing people's problems, because theres obviously a lot of them on the world.


Some people might say that's our punishment for sinning so much and for all the people who ain't Christian, but doesn't Jesus love everybody?
At least, that's what I was told.


But I was talking about Danny.
He wants to have a video chat with me. I lied and said I don't have a webcam.  He said he'd get me one for Christmas if I told him my address. I said it was ok, I could buy one.
I keep "forgetting".


He really does make me feel beautiful. But then he'll say something about how honest I am, and I feel awful.
I wonder what he thinks about "Katy". Doubt I'll ever know that either.


I think I'm probably going to hell.

wanderlust - by jocee

flowing, whispering, haunting, growing

waiting, belittling, wanting, knowing 

secrets that are held beneath the clouds

oh how i want to find them now. 

sitting, thinking, fiddling, singing

looking, feeling, standing, ringing

the sounds that i hear and the sights that i see

could one of them be only for me?

in this small town with my old carpet bag

and my blue good dress and my brown straw hat

waiting for a train to take me away

anywhere, anyone, to let the time fade away

rustling, chatting, clinking, fearing

bumping, skimming, milling, nearing

imagining on a boat that takes me far into the sea

with no one else, just i, myself and me

eating, drinking, dancing, sleeping

laughing, acting, sighing, weeping 

imagining my life if i wasn't here

maybe on the streets of paris

london, athens, montreal, tokyo

new york, beijing, rio, moscow

traveling the world, along the seven seas

being who i was intended to be

a traveler, a sightseer, a dancer, an artist

with my incurable case of wanderlust 

anything but this small town that i'm in

and by golly i won't know where to begin

just hop on a train that'll take me away

where i'll forget the time of the day

i'll venture and roam around the world

with my incurable case of wanderlust. 

-jocee <3

Supernova Part Two: The Sorrows of a Young Lady Named Sophie Grace as She Boards an Aeroplane (A Poem in Two parts By Lady Elisabeth

Oh my love
Can I truly bear this?
To be so far away?
They say London is vast and exciting
Some say its beautiful
But I don't care a whit for cities

Isaac my love
If I close my eyes
I can see your sparkling blue ones
I can almost hear your last words to me
Don't go
I need you Sophie Grace


No! I cry out
The wheels start turning
The frame of this metal bird lifts off
Any other day, I would stare out the window
Laughing at the world

But today, my Love?
I look out the window
Tears in my eyes
Longing to be again
On the ground

I think I can almost see you Isaac
Down in Mr. Hiller's cornfield
Staring back up at me
Are you crying for me as well?
But that's just a fantasy I suppose
But I'll whisper your name once more
I'll let the angels bring my words down to you
Are you there Isaac?
Are you there?

Supernova Part One: The Wish of a Boy Named Isaac Upon a Single Star ( A Poem in two parts byLady Elisabeth)

I made a wish

on a star

For you to be mine forever 

I wished for us

to be happy 

Together

In fields of dragonflies

and magic

Time would stand still            

The world would be ours

When we kissed

We would be one

And the world would dissolve

Into oblivion

But it wouldn't matter

It would be our supernova

Chaos in its purest form

Love deep and guttural

Perfection in a single embrace

We were naught but consciousness

Drifting together through the cosmos

Not caring about the consequences 

The only sounds we would know

Are the echos of the Universe

And the whisper call of your name

Throughout the galaxies

Sophie Grace

Sophie Grace

Sophie Grace

As our falling star traced its way

Past the bright full moon

I saw that it was not a star

But an aeroplane

Carrying you far away from me

But still I cry out

Sophie Grace!

Sophie Grace!

once upon a time - by jocee

there was a boy

who lived in a village

and his only friend was his fishing pole 

he'd go down by the pond

and sit the sun

and tell the pole all his troubles

there was a girl

who lived in big house

and her only friend was the girl in her mirror

she'd sit in her room

and brush her hair

and tell the girl in the mirror all her troubles

the boy grew up and his hair turned gray

his fishing pole is gone, his only friend

but he doesn't mind, because he has another pole

and lots of other friends 

the girl grew up and her hair turned gray

her mirror is broken, her only friend

but she doesn't mind, because she has another mirror

and lots of other friends

the boy had married and had children

and built a house by the pond

and his children had children

of whom he's more than fond

the girl had married and had children

and moved into a house by the pond

and her children had children

of whom she's more than fond

and every night his grandchildren come to the house

and sit excitedly in a circle

and they beg to hear the story

that he's already told them so many times

about how he met a girl whose only friend was the girl she saw in the mirror

and every night her grandchildren come to the house

and sit excitedly in a circle

and they bed to hear the story

that she's already told them so many times

about how she met a boy whose only friend was his fishing pole

how they laughed and cried and hugged and fought

how hey skipped and ran and cantered and trotted

and their mirror and fishing pole was long since forgotten

and so they tell their story night after night

and each begin their tale with "once upon a time" 

they smile at their grandchildren's faces

and continue after those four simple words

and dear reader, as you read this poem

i am sure that you can guess

that like the pairing of love and lace

the rest of the story fell right into place

~grab your pen and scribble down some words. you never know what might happen.~

Jocee <3

A Boy and A Girl (A poem by Lady Elisabeth)

I knew a girl

With dark diamond eyes

And a smile

As sweet as the rain

She knew a boy

With clouds in his past

And his eyes

Were full of such pain

She took his hand

And taught him of love

But his gaze

Was still ever so sad

So she held him tight

And whisked him away

To places

So perfect and grand

He loved her so true

But it never could be

Whispered

Voices inside of his ears

He'd rather be dead

Than be without her

But he left

Taking only his fears

If you see a man

With nothing to lose

And eyes

That are full of regret

He can't find a woman

With dark diamond eyes

Her heart torn

By invisible threats