There are twenty different smiles I have. Understanding what they all mean will let you know what I'm feeling. I'm not good with words, Steph, I can't say what I feel as easily as you.




Okay, so I figured my short story is going to be a split story. Half of it is going to be about my main character Claire, and the other half is going to be about Stephanie. I don't know how I'll work them together and maybe they'll end up being two different stories drawn together by one common theme---love.

I'm excited and I've got a lot of material to work with. I'm going to have to start compiling it really soon.

Ah, I love my desktop. It looks like I have a Mac or something, huh? Nope, I just went ahead and downloaded a dock so that it would just look like I had a Mac.

There's so much less clutter this way. I like things nice and simple.

Nate put the toothpick back into his mouth and swished it around with his tongue for a couple of seconds before he spoke, "Clare, you're being silly."

"I'm not being silly. I don't know what I know or what I want or what I need anymore, Nate!" She sighed heavily and continued, "You don't get it, what if it was meant to be?"

"God, Clare! You believe in that shit?"

She glared at him, "Maybe, but so what?"

"Well if you're going to believe in all of that then..." She cut him off, "Then WHAT?" He could tell she wanted his true opinion, but he couldn't resist. "If you believe in that whole, 'If you let them go and they come back' bullshit, then.... if you love someone you should kick them in the teeth. If they leave than they never loved you. If they come back on a Thursday, then they like you."

"You're a jerk. You're a motherfucking jerk."

"But I made you smile, right?"

"Are you going to let your life slip by and not recognize what's in front of you?" He looked at her hopeful that he could reach her this one time. He wanted to get through to her; to make her realize.

"I-I don't know." She looked down at her hands, a little exasperated at his question. She didn't want to deal with his questioning their relationship anymore. She wanted him to leave her alone forever, but at the same time she couldn't see her life without her best friend by her side. He questioned her again,"What do you know?"

She got up from the kitchen table and said, "I have to go."

"You're always running away from your problems, Clare. Always." She slammed the door behind her hoping the breeze from the slam would blow away the tears from her eyes.