Hi there! Sorry for the month-long gaps between updates. I have no real excuse, for I have wasted most of my summer doing nothing extraordinarily productive in any sense. A bit of reading and playing Final Fantasy XIII. The sin of sloth finds me easy prey.
As indicated by the title I STILL haven't figured out that one post for ECA. Instead, I have the beginning of a small project that I intended to finish over spring break but never really did. I have been not very consistently working on it over the past quarter and only finally recently finished writing the first draft ( >_<)
The idea came from a short rpg called "Spring Ball Trouble" which I found on the Doll Divine website about Eileen (the player) who is looking for a date to the school ball. [link here] Basically I just took the dialogue presented in-game and converted it into a story format, though I added a lot of new characters and twisted things around to provide a bit more complete of a story.
About this Arc:
After working on this "little" project for so long though, I grew increasingly tired and frustrated with it. I felt like I was deviating too far from the presented storyline and was not completely sure my interpretations of the characters were, well, in-character. Furthermore, I can see my own bias in the way the ending plays out. By the time I finished writing the first draft, I just wanted to be finished with it. I had been stuck on the ending (which I wanted to extend beyond the game's ending) for so long and the only reason I had finished in the first place was because I felt it would be a terrible and pitiful waste if I had written so much of it and just scrapped it when I was so close to finishing. I must admit I do like some parts, but at other parts I feel like I'm digressing too much. Overall, I am just tired of it but went ahead and edited it a little anyways. Thus, this is poor work, but hopefully it provides some decent amusement. The initial writing was mostly just me writing whatever I thought flowed while loosely following the conversations from the game transcript (I had taken the effort initially to go through every option in the game to find out the possible responses).
However, I do remember a little bit of my thoughts from the beginning: I had been excited to work on something that could be vaguely considered fanfiction. I was also applying some of my class knowledge to my writing, regarding audience. I had found the game on a doll-generator games site and thus figured that the audience would be primarily female, who enjoyed putting together clothes designs of their own. I wanted to use one of my OCs to vaguely fill Eileen's position so I chose Enlaika (the E initial letter is a happy coincidence) a character that was a fashion designer and artist; someone who would been keen on noticing clothes. Furthermore, I had planned from the start to post it on this blog and my original character idea fit the readerly type as well (and keeping to that original idea is the sole reason I'm still doing so now). Since Enlaika (my character) was also mentioned to have the ability to change her appearance, this random side-trip could also fit in a little into her life at some point. I made up characters and focused a lot more on the book the game mentions (that one of the character's writes) also because I figured people who were reading would want to know more about the story within the story (within the game XD). At the time, I was immensely pleased with the way all that turned out.
But after actually writing it I don't know how impressed I really am. I'm obviously not thrilled about my story very much, but I do like the development on Enlaika. From now on though, I think I'll stick more to writing shorter stories/ scenes about a few characters and less on writing larger stories/ backstories. I was very insistent on writing a full long story for my sixteen "favorite" characters' backstories but this one has shown me that doing that will be overly time-consuming and not even a lot of fun. This episode an interesting development I think, in my journey as a writer. Particularly, I've had to confront and pull away from the idea of writing a 50K novel for every tiny, random little plot bunny that nibbles on the grass on the edge of my little plot of mindspace: It's not going to work. At first I thought I was being forced to combine these ideas or let them go, but I realize I could just write the little scenes I get. That is, I don't need to think of an entire timeline for every bunny that hops through my mind--I need only write down the little carrot- snippet they bring. For now at least, I need not draw the entire bird; let me start with the feathers and maybe the occasional wing or other limb. Eventually the bird and its sky will be drawn into words.
Enough rambling. Without further ado, part 1/7 of the Spring Ball Trouble short story/ fanfiction: Monday.
. . .
Twenty-four minutes. That’s how long it took for my life to turn upside town.
“Move, piggytails! You’re in my way!”
Some girl pushed by me in the nearly-deserted hallway after school and shoved as she stepped on my foot, sending me sprawling. I dropped my school bag and my stuff flew everywhere. What was wrong with her? Hadn’t she smiled at me earlier in class? What did I do wrong?
“Better be careful,” the girl warned, folding her arms across her pink jacket-styled blouse. “This is my school. Don’t try any tricks at the ball or else someone might get hurt!”
With that ominous greeting, she turned and strolled away, her cherry-blonde ponytail and matching pink earrings bobbing along after her. “Excuse me,” I murmured after her, reaching for my books. “What was that--something about a ball?”
I stopped, my hand on my sketchbook, remembering. That’s right. The spring ball. I’d totally forgotten about it. I’d missed the one at my old school when moving places. I was just lucky my brother and his roommates volunteered to clean out their work room for me so I didn’t have to stay in a foster home. In the short hour I had to pack, I’d completely forgotten about the school dance I’d never be able to attend.
But now as I sat in the deserted hallway of my new school, I felt a bit of sadness creep into me. I’d really been looking forward to that dance. I’d really wanted to see everyone in their best clothes and take notes many new designs would be showcased there. I’d even made a few of my friends’ dresses. Disappointment settled over me as I realized I’d never be able to see them on the dance floor now. At least least back at my old school there would friends to hang out with. Here, I had nobody. I sighed.
“Why the sad face, new girl? Are you alright?”
I glanced up to see a girl with bright orange hair and startling green eyes watching me concernedly. She was dressed entirely in blue: blue shirtdress, blue leggings, and blue sandals and the outfit struck me as familiar. I must have seen her sometime earlier today; What was her name?
“Yea, I’m fine,” I replied. “I’ve just realized the spring ball is on Friday. I guess I’ll spend the evening at home, unpacking stuff. Thanks.”
She handed me the last two of my books with a wide smile. “Are you crazy? It’s Monday!” She spread her arms as though the day was the week was supposed to make be feel tons better. “You still have, like, nearly a week to meet your dream ball mate!”
I almost blushed and tucked my books away. “I”m afraid that’s impossible…I don’t know anybody here.” At her incredulous look, I added, “Besides, I think I’m too shy for that.”
Her smile brightened and she put one hand on her hip. “Don’t worry! Let me help you!”
“Huh? How?”
She laughed. “You sure are new here if you don’t know me.” She extended her hand: “Nice to meet you, I’m Wendy Lidwien and I know everyone at this school.”
Wendy—that was it! The english teacher had singled out her essay as an example for the class today and I saw her in my homeroom class. Both times she had glanced interestedly at me while I spoke, once to answer a question in english and then to introduce myself in homeroom, though she hadn’t introduced herself yet. I shook hands with the fellow language-lover eagerly. “Really? That’s a lot of people! Ah- Sorry. My name’s Eileen. Eileen Hieron.”
“Eileen? Cute! So Eileen. Do you want me to help you? It’s completely free of charge for new clients” she winked amicably.
I had half a mind to tell her I’d really just wanted to unpack my stuff and watch the fashion channel on Friday, but I realized this was the perfect opportunity to make a friend. I didn’t want to be completely alone, watching my brother and his roommates play video games for the next few months and—who knows?—maybe Wendy really could help me find a date.
“Yes, please..help me meet someone nice!”
Her elation was immediately apparent. “Can we meet somewhere tonight then? I’ll tell you the names of the hottest guys at school that are single.”
I grinned. “Woo-hoo! Sounds great! If you wish, come over to my place. My brother’s house is like, five minutes from here. Is six o’clock fine?”
“Your brother would be Casayo Hieron? My boyfriend shares the apartment with him. Absolutely. Six it is then.”
That’s how I met Wendy. Was she going to become my best friend? Either way, she was the first person to have taken the initiative to get to know me. But we’ll see.
The rest of the day passed in a flurry after that. At some points I was concerned over what I had done—I wasn’t the dating type of girl! I didn’t want a boyfriend or anything; I would be (hopefully) returning home in a few months and I didn’t want a long distance relationship. Besides, I was firmly set on going to college.
After my last class at 3:30 I wanted to go for a walk to clear my mind, but I had homework: a lot of it to catch up with after transferring schools. Besides, Wendy would surely have more work for me when she came over in a few hours. As I walked speedily back to the house, it struck me that all three of the boys that shared the apartment were all in their college sophomore year or older. Which one was her boyfriend?
“Hey, Eileen. Good to see you found your way back ok.”
I laughed as he let me in. “Nice one… You’re…Louis, right? Louis Warden.’
“Call me Lou,” he said with a casual grin as he picked up his can of soda and strolled back to over to the tv. “Casayo and Nick have class until 5, so you’re stuck with Jason and me until they get back from the college.”
“That’s fine. You guys are good company,” I said with a comfortable smile.
“Hi Eileen,” Jason said, strolling into view from the kitchen area. A year older than my brother’s year, Jason was in his fourth year of college yet the most soft-spoken of the group. Last night I had learned he was a great cook.
“Hullo!”
“Did you want to eat or watch tv? Lou’s been hogging it since Nick left even though he could just play it on his computer.
“I can’t beat this Jessorrikamon boss! I’ll get off once I beat this level!”
“That’s what he said two levels ago,” Jason muttered loud enough for Louis to hear. I smiled.
“No, that’s ok. I was just going to do my homework. I have a friend coming over at six, if that’s ok?”
“Wendy and Fiana are coming at six too,” Louis called. “Wendy called at lunch.”
“Fiana, as you met last night, is Casayo’s girlfriend. Wendy’s Lou’s girlfriend. She should be your age.” He had an expression that asked whether my friend and Louis’s girlfriend were the same person.
“Oh!” I nodded. “She’s in my english and homeroom classes.”
“I see. Anyways, you can work here if you don’t want to work in your room,” he said gesturing the four desks they had moved to the living room.
“It’s ok. I like working on my bed,” I said with a smile. “Thanks for everything!”
As I expected, even with two hours of dedicated work was only enough to finish with the homework that would have been due for a normal student. I still had the catch-up work to work on.
“Eileen?”
“Oh hi, Wendy! You’re early!” I looked up from the new AP Biology handout to greet her. She had a blue bag and jacket now, and danced into my makeshift room.
“Only by five minutes,” she said, looking around the workroom-made-bedroom. “Nice room! You really transformed this place!” She tapped dog poster. “This yours? What’s his name?”
“Thanks,” I said with a smile. “Lucky’s my mom’s.”
“Lucky, huh.”
“She told me she was going to name the dog Casayo but decided he looked more like a Lucky. My dad likes to say their names were switched.”
“Your brother doesn’t look like a Lucky,” Wendy laughed. I laughed too, mostly because I thought Wendy was getting an extraordinary lot of amusement out of this little story. And I thought he was quite lucky to be with someone as sweet, even-tempered and caring as Fiana.
Wendy snapped out of her laughing and turned to me. “To work: I took some notes that can help,” Wendy said, handing me a little notepad opened to a page written in blue ink. “Here, it’s the list of the coolest boys that seem to be single at the moment.”
“Let’s see.” I read off the sheet: “Curtis: He’s the captain of the football club and a true football fan. A real talent, he’s tall and fit.”
“Did I say he loves football?” She pulled a few sheets of paper from the bag and set them on a pillow.
“I-I’m not too familiar with sports,” I admitted. I had really only gone to games to see the uniforms and help out with ticket sales and snack booth, after all. Luckily for me, I did watch most of the football games due to my good friend Samantha’s fervent interest in it. “I know the basics though.”
“That’s ok. I brought you some articles about football printed from Wikipedia. Better read them carefully!”
Next: “Alan: He’s a quiet and timid guy but he’s recently become very popular.” I looked up. “Why?”
“You may have heard about it; he wrote a sci-fi novel.”—I guessed it a moment before she said it: “The Tales of the Darkest Star or something like that.” She revealed another item from the bag: “Here, I brought you a copy of it. My sis bought it last month.”
She set the book on another pillow and indicated for me to proceed. “Kenneth: he’s from our homeroom class. He’s been taking guitar lessons since he was four and is really good now. He’s the lead guitarist of the ‘super Soundwaves,’ a local band.”
“Rrrreally good,” Wendy emphasized. “I downloaded some of their songs from their Myspace for you. If you don’t mind, I’ll send you the MP3 links now as you read the last one.”
I nodded and continued as she opened my laptop: “Norbert: He seemed to be just another geek, but besides being the best student in his class, he’s also good-looking and well-mannered. He is mad about computer and video games and is playing even at school.”
“Right now he’s playing that monster fighting online fantasy game. I borrowed a copy of it from my boyfriend; check it out.”
She turned the computer around and I almost smiled; it was the Legacy of Lords game that my brother and his friends were playing; the very game that Wendy’s boyfriend had been playing the entire day. Instead, I just sighed happily.
“Wow…that’s a lot of investigation. You do enjoy knowing a lot about people, don’t you?”
She giggled. “I’m gonna be a journalist one day!”
I grinned and indicated the layout of information she had gathered. “Thanks a lot Wendy! I have only one night to prepare myself..but I feel a lot more optimistic now. You’re great! Any final tips?”
She nodded and sat up straight on the bed. “Just be yourself. Remember to be kind and smile a lot. I’m sure you’ll succeed! I wouldn’t be helping you otherwise!”
“Thank you Wendy! Keep your fingers crossed!”
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