Story; Dreams of Normality (Arianna Cromwell)

[graceviolet]

 I kinda like this...but then I kinda don't. There was just SO much that I wanted to have happen in it, that I kinda rushed it & I don't think I portrayed all the emotion I wanted to. And I wrote this in first person (Arianna's POV), since while I was writing this in my Fiction Writing tutoring class, my tutor felt (& I agreed) that I would convey a lot more emotion in first person...so yep, I tried my best to capture Arianna's voice.

Let me know what you think.

I peered at my reflection in the floor length mirror in my room. I was currently inspecting my outfit for tonight’s festivities. Tonight was the big Homecoming Dance and for once in my life, I finally had a date this year. I was going with the beautiful, Lily Collins. 

I smiled at the thought of Lily. Lily with her soft, straight, blonde hair, sky blue eyes, and fantastic physique. Somehow I knew Lily was the one for me; my soul mate. I also knew tonight was going to be perfect.

I quickly put on the finishing touches to my ensemble for the night. Tonight, I was wearing a long, classy, red dress with intricate details such as clear sequins going straight down the dress. I also made sure my high heels and earrings matched perfectly with the scarlet red color of the dress. 

Red meant passion and power, which is exactly how I felt right now. I knew nothing was going to get in my way, not even stupid remarks that I knew was going to be heard throughout the entire night. I knew the high risk of coming out as a lesbian couple at a school dance, but I wasn’t afraid anymore. 

Screw the haters, I encouragingly thought to myself I’m not afraid.

But at this exact moment, I thought of a time when I was afraid about my sexuality and my feelings about girls. While it was way back in 5th grade, I could still see the horrid memories as if they happened yesterday.

***

I looked out at my fellow classmates playing on the monkey bars, swinging on the swings and having a great time. I quickly noticed my friends hanging out where hopscotch is normally played. I look at all of my friends: Julia, Rachel, Melissa, and Quinn. It all looks like they’re having so much fun. Quinn notices me staring at them, so she smiled at me. I smiled back.

I take this as an invitation to join them, after all, they are my friends, right?

The second I approached them, the four girls stop their hopscotch game.

“Hi guys.” A bright and cheerful smile was on my face.

My friends on the other hand quickly changed their expressions to annoyance.

“Can I join you?” I ask, rather cautiously. I found my friends recent change in attitude peculiar.

Julia Simmons broke the awkward silence. “Sure! We were just about to start a game of jump rope, weren’t we, Melissa?” Julia glanced at Melissa. Clearly something odd was going on.

“Oh yeah. You can join us if you want/” Melissa said.

I looked at Julia’s appearance. She had on a bright pink t-shirt covered in different rhinestones and jewels. She also wore a denim skirt that for an eleven year old looked rather scandalous.

Julia Simmons was the leader of the group, the other girls practically bowed down to her.

“What are we just standing here for? Let’s jump some rope!” Julia yelled to her little coven of bitches. “Quinn, Arianna, go and get the ropes.”

“Um, okay.” I stuttered. I looked at Quinn who had her hand out, ready for me to grab it. I do so. The second I touched Quinn’s soft hands, a warm, tingly feeling rushes through me. Something about it felt so right.

“Don’t be gay, Quinn!” Julia yelled at the two of them.

Gay. I have heard that word quite a few times, and knew it meant something bad. I always heard my Mom saying how it wasn’t right and how it’s a sin. I knew it was one thing I didn’t want to be.

Once Quinn and I retrieved the jump rope, a bright neon pink color, the jump rope competition had begun.

At first the jump rope competition was harmless fun, I was jumping in the middle while both Julia and Melissa were throwing the jump rope back and forth. I was actually surprised at how good I was at jump rope. The moment I saw the jump rope coming towards my ankles, I jumped. My jumping became a rhythm, and I was totally getting the hang of it.

But suddenly, I felt the jump rope graze my ankles before I was even going to jump. I glance in Julia’s direction.

“Sorry. My bad,” she says, a fake smile plastered on her face.

I continue to jump rope as if nothing had happened.

The same thing had occurred, this time from Melissa. I was beginning to think that they were doing it on purpose.

At this time, I really didn’t want to be there. So I got out of the jump rope, said, “I’m sorry, but I should go. I don’t want to play jump rope anymore.” I knew this was a lie, and a terrible one at that.

“But we were having so much fun!” Julia exclaimed at me. “You really don’t want to leave, do you?”

I didn’t even reply to her, I just started to make my way over to the jungle gym.

“Hey, I’m talking to you!” Julia yelled at me.

I just didn’t care anymore, I didn’t want to be a part of Julia’s coven of bitches. 

“Come back here!” Julia continued to yell. 

I suddenly felt a sharp sting graze my back, and the next thing I knew I was on the ground of the concrete blacktop, facedown .

Julia and her friends ran over to me, I assumed for concern.

I tried to get up, but Julia whipped the jump rope at me. That’s what had hit my back, the jump rope.

The second strike of the jump rope this time had left a burning sensation on my upper back.

I didn’t even have time to react until the next blow came. This time the jump rope hit me harder and the sound of the jump rope hitting me was louder.

“We know what you are, Ari-anna,” Julia said, enunciating my name in two syllables. “You’re gay!” 

The rest was all a blur. All I remember the horrid pink jump rope hitting me everywhere, my back, my legs. The girls had even managed to turn me over so my face was facing upwards. They had stuck my face so hard, I giant red mark was on my face for the next few days.

After the beating was over, the girls had quickly dispersed , leaving me all alone on the cold hard blacktop. I couldn’t even get up, it hurt to much.

This was my first smack down for being gay, but it certainly wouldn’t be my last.

 

****

I looked out at the playground and saw the usual scene. Girls playfully chasing the boys around or vice versa, kids climbing on the monkey bars, boys playing basketball, etc.

Then I saw them; the girls that ever since yesterday with the jump rope incident, I’ve feared. I just hoped nothing would happen today.

I was so afraid of them, I was practically cowering in fear. I didn’t even approach them, I just went further back into the playground, near the swings. I grabbed the swing furthest away from everyone and sat on it. I then began to move my legs forwards and backwards in a continued motion, causing the swing to go higher and higher.

As I got higher and higher and moved my legs faster and faster, I closed my eyes. I felt like I could be anywhere, could be anybody. It felt like I was flying through the air, away from everybody. I would have spread my arms further apart as if I was a bird, but I didn’t want to fall on my butt or risk a serious head injury.

Suddenly, I felt someone press their hands on my back while I still had my eyes closed. This caused for me to go flying off my seat and onto the rough, hard ground of the woodchips on the playground.

I went face first into the pile of woodchips. Woodchips landed in my hair and even my mouth. I didn’t even bother getting up, I just rolled over on my back and opened my eyes.

The second I opened them I was greeted by the sight of Quinn, Rachel, Meliss and the leader of the bitches, Julia.

“That was some nasty fall.” Julia said, the smile on her face just seemed to represent pure venom.

All I remember from this encounter was Julia and her girls kicking me hard, everywhere and anywhere. I had blacked out from the constant abuse.

When I had awoken, I found myself to be alone again. I tried to get up, but I knew it was impossible. I hurt everywhere. 

All I could do was just lay there and cry, and so I did. 

****

I shuddered at the memories. All those painful emotions, all those terrifying images. And they were currently the center of my attention right now. I couldn’t even think about the dance at this time. Now feelings of my horrible year in fifth grade was all that I was consuming. The fear, the rage, the terror, all of it was rushing to the surface. At least  I was fortunate enough to attend a private boarding school for my middle school and majority of my high school career (an all girls boarding school I might add). But here I was, attending North Valley High my senior year; the school I would originally be attending had I of stayed in public schooling. 

What if Julia, Rachel, Melissa and Quinn are there? I thought to myself. What if they pick right back where they left off and taunt and tease me again? 

I took a inhaled and exhaled a deep breath and started to give myself a rather motivating speech. “Get a hold of yourself, Annie. You’re Arianna Cromwell, you’re tough now. Those girls have nothing you you!” The more I said these encouraging words to myself, the less nervous I became.

I’m ready. I’m ready for whatever shit, Julia’s coven throws my way.

Comments

[taeyeons]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[taeyeons]

okay so i like that this (kind of?) already works with established canon BUT DO THEY HAVE HOMECOMING IN AUSTRALIA IDEK.

also the group dynamic!!! and ARIANNNNAAA BB.
okay i will be back with more coherent thoughts later it's late and I'm starved.

[graceviolet]

Yeah, that's kinda what I was going for. Originally I was going to have Lily come into Arianna's room at the end & they would have adoreable Arianna/Lily moments...but I was running out of time. :/

I'm not sure if Australia has homecoming...I know they have some sort of senior formal/prom (at least they do in Home & Away), but not sure about homecoming. We could always change it to prom, since that will (I would assume anyway, since the seniors are graduating in the end of F&F2 right?) occur near the end of F&F2.

Glad you like that! :) And if you must know, Quinn was highly inspired by the lovely Dianna Agron (I like to ship Arianna with blondes okay?!).

And like I said, I will most definitely add more to this. It also depends on if my tutor likes this or not. Last semester, my old tutor absolutely adored "The Secret River" & insisted that I write another story about them (which eventually became multiple stories). So, we'll see.

And go & eat, mindtwin! I know how hungry you are!