Thursday, April 1, 2021

A is Possibly for Assignation #atozchallenge #ShortStory

#AtoZChallenge 2021 April Blogging from A to Z Challenge letter A


My theme for 2021 is a Young Adult short story. A double-date in the 1990s. An established teen couple sets up their best friends with each other, but it doesn't go well.


Today's word count is approximately: 540 words

A is Possibly for Assignation

My fingers hesitate on the dial as I turn down Name by the Goo Goo Dolls to give directions. "Left at the intersection."

Lance, my boyfriend, nods as he flips on the turn signal. Yohann keeps singing along from the backseat. He has a great voice. No one outside of this car will ever know it. "It's the house on the corner there. Park behind the red convertible."

Yohann clams up. I swear I can hear his nervous swallowing. It's not entirely unwarranted. Madelyn's parents are dicks. This is going to be her first date, and she has to be a double or not go at all. Plus, we had to wait until Lance had his license for a year before she could be in his car. Otherwise, it'd be her mom's minivan with both her parents tagging along. No thank you very much. 

Her dad steps out of the garage with his yellow towel thing. He runs it along the historic convertible. "Riley." 

"Hi!" I say in my friendliest voice as I get out of the car. So weird! He never says hi or hello or asks how anyone is. Just says their name. Congrats on correctly identifying me for the millionth time. Whatever.

I see Madelyn peeking out from the living room curtains. She's freaking. I can imagine her debating if she should wait until we get to the door and knock, play it cool like she hasn't been watching the street for the last twenty minutes? Or should she run out here? 

"So this is my boyfriend, Lance. And this is his best friend, Yohann. Guys, this is Madelyn's dad."

They wave and say hello. Lance puts his hand on my shoulder. If her dad wasn't watching, he'd have his arms around my waist and his lips locked to mine. 

"Lance. Yohann." Madelyn's dad rubs a spot on the hood of the car. 

"Is that a '53?" Yohann asks.

"No. A '54." Madelyn's dad replies as he polishes the door.

Some conversation about cars passes between them. I lean my head against Lance's chest, inhaling his cologne. He smells like the forest on a warm day. I imagine sun rays sneaking between the green leaves as we lean against an oak, our lips locked and hands exploring.

Pain breaks the daydream. I open my eyes as Madelyn pinches the top of my arm.

"Are you guys coming inside?" She asks with a smile, but her eyes are about to jump out of her head and slaughter me. 

"Yeah, totally. Yohann was just talking to your dad about his car." I look over at Yohann. The color leaves his face. I'm pretty sure I hear brakes squealing as his heart stops beating. Okay, it's probably the train stopping at the warehouse not far from here. Then again, Yohann does look like he's going to die. I grab his wrist.

"Come on, I'm sure Madelyn has something for you to drink. You were saying you were thirsty on the way over." He still has a pulse. "Oh, and Yohann, this is Madelyn. Obviously. Madelyn, Yohann. Okay, inside."

Yohann goes from pale to brighter red than the convertible. It's going to be a long night.







Thank you for reading! 
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Please let me know who you are on the Master List if you're doing a to z-- I'd like to visit you too!
Have a puuuurfect day. 🐈

32 comments:

  1. "He never says hi or hello or asks how anyone is. Just says their name. Congrats on correctly identifying me for the millionth time. " Lol!! I have seen a few people like that! ha ha

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    Replies
    1. Yes. I based the dad on an actual person. 😆

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  2. Rooting for Yohann and Madelyn. I can't wait to read more of this story.
    https://diaryofthesundayvisitor.blogspot.com

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  3. Getting in with the dad with some car chat is definitely a good start! :-)
    https://iainkellywriting.com/2021/04/01/the-state-trilogy-a-z-guide-a/

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  4. You capture a truly awkward event!

    Beth
    https://bethlapinsatozblog.wordpress.com/

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  5. Hm... "possible" assignation. Interesting.

    Anne from annehiga.com

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  6. Great intro! I can't wait to read more.

    Stopping by from A to Z!
    https://jrvincente.com/a-to-z-2021/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! You'll enjoy it more in the later letters.

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  7. Good start to the story. I like that it's a little shorter than others.

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    Replies
    1. There's a word count every day. I know it's a big hop. I wanted to be reasonable about time.

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  8. Great writing! I want to read more of your posts.

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  9. Woo! Looking forward to seeing how this date goes! Or doesn't, if Yohann is as nervous as he's projecting.

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    Replies
    1. There's definitely something going on with him. Yup.

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  10. Interesting start to the story, can't wait to read more. I'm doing AtoZ again this year with a new website, writing about my recent move from MN to FL, hope you stop by!

    Jamie Lyn Weigt | St. Paul 2 St. Pete | AtoZ 2021: A is for Apartment Hunting

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    Replies
    1. Ooh, another Jamie! Hi!
      I immediately wonder about the climate change. Yikes.

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  11. Oh this will be fun. Looking forward to seeing what you do all month!

    --
    Tim Brannan, 2021: The A to Z of Monsters

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  12. Interesting start for sure. I like the build up of pressure surrounding Madelyn's parents.

    A to Z, Writing Words: https://writingiscommunication.wordpress.com/2021/04/01/a-author/#comment-4703

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    Replies
    1. Thanks! I hope you'll stick around and catch the contrast between parents of the teens.

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  13. I love this short story - used to go to a writing group and the creative burst of 20 minutes writing was such a buzz. In a way, the finished piece, when read by someone else, is like a prompt in itself - offering tendrils in all sorts of directions... Now I am trying to complete a novel during the Challenge
    https://how-would-you-know.blogspot.com/2021/03/a-is-for-arctane.html

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  14. I had a friend whose dad wouldn't even say that much. In ten years of going to their house, I think I only heard him speak twice.

    Visiting from A to Z
    Blogging at Transformed Nonconformist

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    Replies
    1. My best friend, her wedding was the first time that I and three bridesmaids ever met her dad.

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  15. Oh the nerve-wracking awkwardness of it all. Great start.

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  16. Those are the days. Good write. Visiting from A to Z.

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  17. My husband recommended this story and advised me to start at A. tbh, writing in present tense distracts me from the story. I made it through one book written that way, though, so I'll keep going. It's interesting!

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