“Don’t scratch!” Mrs. Macintire chided in a teasing tone. “Goodness, you’re gonna give yourself a rash, or somethin.’”
“I-I wasn’t scratching!” Tabitha protested with a giddy smile. “I was rubbing.”
They had checked in at Springton General Hospital’s front desk twenty minutes ago and were still seated in the waiting area. Once again Mrs. Macintire had grabbed them both magazi...
2025-05-21 17:40:51 +0000 UTC View PostAs per the usual with late night get togethers at Aunt Mattie’s, Emily and those of the group who were still drinking without restraint—they dubbed themselves silly squadron—grew increasingly boisterous, loud, and unhinged as the hours wore on. Discourse there on that side of the fire wasn’t so much a conversation as it was a constant barrage of in-jokes, interrupting innuendo, arguments, and insults that continuously increased in volume.
&...
2025-05-15 23:10:33 +0000 UTC View PostIn splendid awkward fashion, Rebecca seemed to arrive at the turn-off to Aunt Mattie’s driveway just behind Will’s rusty old van as it was pulling in. So she slowed, unsure whether or not she should give him a friendly beep of recognition, and then followed him on down the long path, pulling in beside him as he parked. She wasn’t particularly close to William or Michael, but she did remember them and Tanya going to the last Bear Valley Renn Fair...
2025-05-15 18:48:55 +0000 UTC View Post“So uh, where do you work?” Candace asked Brian. “I don’t think Stephanie mentioned?”
“Well—that’s kind of a long story,” Brian let out an uneasy laugh. “Thing is—”
Seeing that Brian and Candace were beginning to engage in the more tedious processes of getting to know one another, Kelly began to tune their conversation out. Although she had dressed to the nines tonight and inte...
2025-05-15 14:51:08 +0000 UTC View PostCandace led with her contribution—a cardboard carrypack with six bottles of Condor Lite. Following this outstretched offering was a tidy-looking woman with dark brunette hair who seemed to look across the gathering around the fire and immediately put on a sheepish smile, as if realizing she was overdressed for the occasion. Her outfit was cute and professional in a sporty way; a blue short-sleeve women’s golf polo buttoned the whole way up, paired with a w...
2025-05-15 11:24:01 +0000 UTC View PostPheewwww… Rebecca rolled a stiff shoulder and then stretched out both arms.
It had taken several hours and the sun was down already, but she’d finally made it home. Her hatchback was pulled into its usual space in the wide driveway just beside her grandfather’s truck, and now she was standing beside the open door to her vehicle, trying to shake off that frazzled sort of lethargy that came with long drives. Rather than drop S...
2025-04-28 16:00:01 +0000 UTC View Post“Chloe,” Monique hissed under her breath. “Are you literally going to let that dumb bitch just, just—walk all over you like that?!”
While everyone else was explaining what they wanted for Tanya to thumb into her phone as an order, Monique had pulled one of the lawn chairs over closer to Chloe so that they could speak with one another in low voices and not be overheard.
“She’s go...
2025-04-15 21:30:26 +0000 UTC View PostTabitha was on the edge of the passenger seat of Sandra’s Acura and fidgeting with anticipation as they pulled into the strip mall plaza attached to Springton’s Food Lion. Although they would be returning to Springton General Hospital later to get X-rays taken of her skull and evaluated for physical activity again, the Macintires had arranged for her cast to be removed here, at a nearby orthopedic clinic that shared a parking lot with the grocery store.&nb...
2025-04-05 16:50:56 +0000 UTC View PostThe Macintire household happened to be the closest from Springton High and so Tabitha was dropped off first—she thanked Casey for the ride and hopped out of the Jimmy, waving goodbye to everyone. Although it had been another long day of high school, Art Club had her in pretty high spirits, so Tabitha wore a small smile as she unlocked the door and stepped inside. There was a bit of homework to take care of, but nothing too tedious, and after that she planned ...
2025-03-31 13:51:07 +0000 UTC View Post/// The complete chapter 62. For those followin
2025-03-29 14:09:15 +0000 UTC View PostIt wasn’t until Kelly spared a glance behind her to gauge Brian’s reaction to all of this that strings of anxiety tightened in her tummy. Would she find annoyance written across his features? Disappointment, or exasperation? There was this careful balancing act of how much of her true self she should reveal to others—the bold, provocative Kelly who never shied away from acting on her impulses—and the restraint she should probably be showing here, instead. Did s...
2025-03-28 17:45:20 +0000 UTC View PostWith a new member here in the Art Club today, the half hour that followed after the meeting proper was mostly spent socializing and showing off. Alicia and William both took up stools near Tabitha, opened up their sketch books, and went through them page by page so that they could flaunt all of their cool drawings to Tabitha. Alicia’s work was dozens upon dozens of partial sketches of realistic human figures—mostly female, with a lot of focus on different angles an...
2025-03-08 18:02:24 +0000 UTC View PostGiddiness and concern sloshed against one another in opposition as Emily took Kelly by the hand and they followed Michael and Brian up towards the house. Emily felt almost uninhibited at the thrill of being back here to a bonfire with Brian finally, of reuniting with their local gang here. But also, she needed to be more careful with how she presented herself. It was too easy to fall back into the familiar back and forth bickering with these losers on the periphery of their friend...
2025-03-05 17:30:14 +0000 UTC View PostTo her surprise, Mrs. Hart followed them back through the store room and into Mr. Peterson’s art room, because she had something to announce. As this seemed to be related to the agenda of today’s Art Club meeting, Tabitha hurried back to sit near Alicia, who gave her appearance in the shirt an appreciative look and a silent pair of thumbs up.
“Ladies, gentlemen—boys and girls…” Mrs. Hart clasped her hands together for their att...
2025-02-25 16:32:30 +0000 UTC View PostTable six remained quiet today once everyone realized that their first assignment here was almost due. Everyone busied themselves with their drawings of the wine bottles and champagne flutes, occasionally taking silent glances upwards to double-check the pieces in the center of the table. A few rather discreet looks around the others’ work revealed quite a bit of disparity—Vanessa somehow didn’t even have the full silhouette outlines drawn even after several days...
2025-02-24 19:18:05 +0000 UTC View PostOut on the edges of town, the strip malls and shopping centers rolling by their windows dwindled and became infrequent, and then the neat lines of curbs and sidewalks alongside them gave way to sprawling stretches of gravel and grass. In no time at all, Brian and the girls left the streetlights behind, the four lanes became two, and the roadside an untidy shoulder sporting thickets of growth. The moon still painted a canvas of light across the clouds in a strip overhea...
2025-02-23 18:03:10 +0000 UTC View Post“Moooom—!” Emily called as she opened the door of the Rivera residence for the first time in what felt like ages. “I’m home.”
“Emily?!” Mrs. Rivera exclaimed from the living room. “Is everything okay?”
“Uhh, yeah?” Emily kicked off her shoes and padded across the foyer in her socks. “Why wouldn’t it be?!”
It felt strange to be back here,...
2025-01-27 16:12:59 +0000 UTC View PostTabitha crossed the bustling back quad and then entered the art room. Her detour speaking with Jake hadn’t made her too late, but to her dismay Amber had already arrived and was waiting. The barstools in this class made it easy for her to sit the other way watching the door, and Amber’s grin widened as she laid eyes on Tabitha and she held up a hand and wiggled her fingers in mocking way.
“Ta-bi-tha~!” 2025-01-21 16:09:37 +0000 UTC View Post
Moving now with a purpose, Brian led the girls out of the apartment and into the night air. It was cool out but not quite chilly, and although the sun had set the moon was out and it was bright, a white mostly-complete circle painting silver definition across the clouds. To his surprise, he was really looking forward to tonight. Reuniting with the local group here was long overdue, and it felt like this more than anything else was a real return home. The ...
2025-01-18 13:05:59 +0000 UTC View Post“Hey, Tabby,” Gary’s loud friend from the bus called. “Wait up a minute.”
Fifth period Biology class had basically concluded, and now all of the students were either talking quietly or staring off out the row of windows, disassociating as they waited for the bell to release them to head to sixth period. Gary’s friend from the bus had rounded the aisle of desks and walked over towards where Tabitha sat, and Tabitha...
2025-01-14 19:54:03 +0000 UTC View Post“Worried about the party?” Brian asked.
It was awkward sitting back against the bathroom counter and having Christine staring at his face from just inches away, and he felt the need to make conversation. In the brighter light in here, Christine looked especially dazzling with her new silver hair, and having nowhere else to look he couldn’t help but admire her. She didn’t have Chloe’s cold spite within her, but it was hard for him...
2025-01-10 18:46:56 +0000 UTC View PostAs invigorating as it had been to get Manager John in trouble for his scheduling shenanigans on Tuesday afternoon, and see both Tracy and Manager Bob practically lining up to kick the man when he was down—that incident wasn’t without its consequences. On Thursday morning after having enjoyed an entire Wednesday off, Mrs. Moore clocked into work at Food Lion to discover a stony-faced Manager John… who had decided not to put her on register today.
... 2025-01-06 14:47:53 +0000 UTC View Post“Well,” Brian said with a long slow sigh. “We’re back.”
With one final turn he maneuvered into their section of Altamonte Apartments, and then simply eased his car into his normal parking spot in front of his place. The complex was a row of two-story townhouses, though each unit was only single-story and back then he’d been lucky enough to get a ground floor one that didn’t require him to trudge up and down one of the sets of...
2025-01-06 14:35:00 +0000 UTC View Post/// The complete chapter 61.
Deb and
2025-01-01 18:48:51 +0000 UTC View PostThe atmosphere was subdued for their long trip back to Seneca. Once again in the driver’s seat, Brian had plenty to think about, but found his train of thought was a bit scattered and concentration was elusive right now. Beside him in the passenger’s side, Christine sat with stiff posture staring forward, her hands settled upon her knees as if she was unable to let herself rest back and relax. Kelly’s mood appeared to continue to dive and occasional sips at her c...
2024-12-31 20:03:53 +0000 UTC View Post/// A direct continuation from where we left off in After AnimeCon, and will be appending these sections to end of the After AnimeCon page for now.
“What if, and, hear me out, here…” Emily cleared her throat and then allowed for a dramatic pause. “What if the real har...
2024-12-27 18:02:51 +0000 UTC View Post/// Much longer bit today! Rather than one teaser, this one's more like three teasers trying to disguise themselves in the same trenchcoat to sneak into a theater.
“But the lack thereof would leave me empty inside~!” Tabitha sang.
“Swallow my doubt! Turn it inside OUT!” Bobby cried out, headbanging to music only they could hear.
““Find nothin’ but FAITH IN NO...
2024-12-21 17:40:15 +0000 UTC View PostTabitha’s good mood couldn’t be repressed, and the bounce didn’t leave her step even after stepping down off the bus to discover the two cheerleaders from yesterday were waiting for her. Or, perhaps there were three of them, now—it was hard to tell who was standing with who in the crowded front commons with everyone milling about or looking to find their friends fresh off of the buses. The third girl standing near the cheerleaders had darkish-blon...
2024-12-11 15:09:10 +0000 UTC View Post“Wake! Up! Kids!” Tabitha sang in a quiet voice. “~We’ve got the dreamers disease!”
Unlike yesterday, this bright Thursday morning Tabitha woke up with an energetic smile and lyrics on her lips. The problems from the day prior seemed distant and unimportant now, ephemeral, like shadow and frost vanishing as brilliant new sunshine beamed across the suburban yards. After all, how could she n...
2024-12-07 16:40:39 +0000 UTC View Post