“Experiment”
Mar
'08
Eve sat on the loveseat. Her long legs hung over the armrest while her back rested on the opposite end. It wasn’t uncomfortable but rather unusual as she didn’t even have a loveseat in her own apartment. A pad of paper rested on her thighs and with pen to her lips she stared at the opposing wall in thought.
She had on the paper in perfect lettering, I don’t usually do this. It seemed like a good start when she wrote it, but now that she’d stopped to think about it, it actually seemed like an unacceptably lame start. She wouldn’t draw any interest by stating she didn’t normally write. In any case, she wrote things all the time, especially letters, so it would be dishonest to say right off the bat that she “didn’t normally do this.”
It was true, nonetheless. The letters she normally wrote were to friends and family, enclosed in birthday cards or thank you notes. They were merely meant to catch up with long lost ties, not to introduce herself as a potential lover. She didn’t normally do this, just as she didn’t normally sit on loveseats. It was a day for abnormality.
The pen left her mouth and found its way to the paper and before she could stop it, it had already started scribbling out the words. It began again.
It’s March 20, which makes today the start of Spring. I’ve always loved this time of year; all the cliches are true. Things begin to bloom, life starts anew, and the world just seems so fresh. It’s as though Mother Earth just got out of the shower after playing in the mud, or she’s just woken up after a long, good night’s rest, or perhaps she simply has developed a unique perspective on life and now sees everything in a different way. It’s beautiful. It’s perfection. It’s love.
She stopped. Where was she going with this? She couldn’t bring herself to wipe it away. Despite all her talk of new beginnings, this one still seemed to fit. Her hands wouldn’t move to the next page.
I’ve always loved your eyes, but what drew me to you so fully that evening was your laugh. It’s hearty and gruff, but it fits your strong arms, your beautiful broken nose, and your stature. When I initially heard it, you were in a different room; I had to seek it out, I had to find who was making that jovial noise. I don’t want to be so cheesy as to say that I fell in love with you immediately, but I’m starting to think I may have. I haven’t been able to think of anything but you since then.
Too personal. She crossed it out. He didn’t want to hear about his laugh; he heard it all the time. And why would he want to receive a letter from a woman who he’d just met that said she couldn’t stop thinking about him? Don’t men shy away from that, thinking them neurotic?
She grabbed a honey roasted, sugared peanut from the dish on the coffee table in front of her. Her mother kept such an awful collection of treats in the house that Eve tried desperately to keep from visiting. After a while, though, all mothers become suspicious, and likewise offended. It was okay to dive into heavily sugared peanuts once or twice a month, right? She wouldn’t have to worry about losing her figure. She exercised once every day, ate proper portions with proper nutrients, and was ever on guard from chocolate and other sweets hidden at outings with friends and family. Though she wasn’t actively keeping her size down, she ended up with a shape that at least attracted the most beautiful man she’d ever seen.
Part of her knew it would be better to forget about him, but the rest of her felt that if they were at a mutual friend’s party, presumably that mutual friend would be able to get them in the same place again. Jackie wasn’t her best friend, but they got along well enough and she knew how badly Eve’s last boyfriend had treated her, so she wouldn’t deny the pleasure of seeing this man again.
Of course, there’s that problem that’s nitpicking me, she started again. You jokingly refused to tell me your name and when I thought you’d let up after we’d made passionate, amazing love to each other, you instead fell asleep. I haven’t been to many parties, but I was under the impression that the unwritten rule stated one did not fall asleep in their host’s parents’ bedroom. I broke the rule to be closer to you. I watched your chest rise and fall, rise and fall, rise and fall… Until it soothed me to sleep. I can’t tell you how amazing that sleep was. You were even there when I woke up!
That last line will have to go.
Waking up next to you was divine. I’d like to do it every day. Jackie was immeasurably pissed at both of us, but you still held my hand as we walked down to our cars. I didn’t think to ask your name until you were already gone. I’m sure you just forgot to tell me, because the loving, attentive kiss you gave me before you departed didn’t suggest you never wanted to see me again.
When her mother waltzed in with the vaccum, Eve quickly tucked the page away. It crumpled, but it was only a draft. In front of her was a clean slate, and her mother smiled. Eve wondered if she should have been more ashamed of writing the letter or keeping it a secret from the woman she trusted most.
“Can’t think of anything, dear?” her mother shouted over the machine. She shook her head no with a smile. Her mother acknowledged the need for privacy and left just as smoothly as she had come in. Eve had told her she was writing a recommendation for a former employee.
Maybe she was being too dramatic. Maybe she should start over and just say, I’ve asked Jackie to give you this note. Enclosed is my name, number, and email address. Use it any time you like, but I hope soon! Looking down at the paper though, this small note seemed insignificant. The words seemed like microscopic scratches etched into a wall so large that they’d go unnoticed. It should be bigger, fuller, she decided. She should cleverly pour out her heart without actually giving anything away; he’d be left breathless and wouldn’t be able to refuse her. As she wouldn’t leave her number or email address, he’d contact Jackie right away to get in touch with this beautiful woman who he couldn’t get off his mind.
If you couldn’t get me off your mind, she began, then why has it already been a week? Why have you not contacted me through Jackie yet? She pondered. His life was busy, she knew that. He was an architect with many projects, he’d said, but when he said it to her it sounded apologetic. He clearly wanted to make time for her. Perhaps Jackie was unresponsive. Perhaps she should write a letter to her friend explaining that she was interested, that if he made any motion to get in touch, Jackie should jump on the opportunity and relay the message immediately.
You are the love of my life, she wrote, then put the original now crumpled letter on top of the pad. Her words about spring and their meeting seemed unnecessary now. Her experiment failed but from it blossomed a new idea. Instead of writing an involved note about how he touched her, she’d instead wait until he contacted her.
She ripped the top two pages away in a hurry and wrote on a new page.
Jackie,
If the man you caught me sleeping with contacts you for my number, give it to him. Thanks!
Eve
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great story…
Mar
'08
Ooh I like this Michelle. I’ll be back tomorrow with a better comment.
Mar
'08
Awesome, Michelle. I really, really enjoyed this. Are you going to take it further??
Mar
'08
Very interesting, Michelle. You have a wonderful writer’s style. The story was very interesting and I wanted it to continue. Very well written.
Mar
'08
Guys, yes, I am going to take it further. I’m going to start building on this character “Eve” with the Sunday Scribblings meme. So check back next Sunday for more.
Mar
'08
Lol that’s awesome.
Mmm, M’s gravatar is making me hungry!
Mar
'08