I hope I find some inspiration for a new short story for young ladies today, I want to try and do 100 before I go back to writing romantic horror novels.
An excerpt from another of the Short Stories For Young Ladies
LOVE
IS TERRIFYING
As soon
as Becca left for university at the age of 21 Ellen had the rest of
her life planned out. She had no intention of sitting back and
watching the rest of her life slip by. The past 21 years had been the
best 21 years a mother could have. A perfect daughter, intelligent,
beautiful, respectful, Ellen was so proud of her, she had made
Ellen’s life complete up to the day she moved out, but then it was
time for Ellen to complete her journey.
Ellen was
a fitness freak, and danced every spare moment she got, she was good
at it too. When Becca left for university Ellen put a band together,
’40 somethings having fun’, had entered a talent competition,
came second, but somehow it had launched their career and now they
were embarking on a world tour. Dex, her cohort, best friend, band
founder, all round good guy had been there right the way along.
They had
done well in Asia, and planned several dates in the major cities. It
had always surprised Ellen, Becca who knew nothing of her heritage
had a natural affinity with anything Asian. Music, food, art, and
being a DJ had strengthened this with K-Pop, Korean pop culture.
Becca had been instrumental in getting Asian bands music aired
firstly on university radio and then with the onset of Gangnam style,
onto main stream UK play lists.
Dex &
Ellen had 40 something’s bands ‘people’ call Becca's favourite
bands people ‘Bad Boyz’ and they had agreed to do a set with 40
Something’s. Stage one of Ellen’s plan complete, and she had also
been able to get Becca to agree to come in and do some backing. Becca
wouldn’t like her interfering which is why she had got Dex to do
it, but would thank them in the long run. What Ellen had to ask
herself now, was would they be safe in Seoul?
07:00
a.m Monday London 22:00 p.m Friday Seoul. Becca & Jung-jun
“You
have called me to say good morning?” Becca looked at her tablet
with blurry eyes, then remembered she needed to speak in Korean
“Yes”
Jung-jun smiled, realising it was probably a little early to be
calling her, but he wanted to speak to her before he went to bed. He
was flying back to Seoul on the 04:00 flight after his break on Jindo
island.
“I look
awful” she said, “You could have given me some warning. ”
“You’re
still coming?” his face had become serious, and over skype she
wasn’t sure she could effectively read his expression.
“Yes,
do you not want me to? ” he laughed then...
“Just
don’t forget your manners. ” this was how they had taken to
conversing, although she spoke Korean well and he English, it was
always their own language first followed by the other persons.
17:45
p.m. Tuesday. Jung-jun
Jung-jun
knelt at the photo of his mother “Omma she will be here
tomorrow, this girl I have never met, this girl who lives on the
other side of the world. This girl who takes up my every thought. Why
am I so terrified without reason?”
15:30
p.m. Wednesday. Ellen, Dex & Becca
As they
stepped off the plane at Seouls Gimpo international airport the first
thing that hit them was the cold. Becca switched her phone on as soon
as the plane had come to a stop and it looked like she had been
bitterly disappointed. Ellen knew better than to ask, Becca would
just accuse her of being over bearing and butting her nose in where
it didn’t belong, as was usually the case, so Ellen kept her own
counsel. Dex noticed it too but had a feeling he knew why Becca could
be so disappointed. Dex had always been like a father to Becca, her
own father had abandoned her and Ellen when he had found out Ellen
was pregnant, and had apparently died not long after. Dex had never
had any children of his own, it was always something he had intended
to do, but never found the right woman to do so with, he loved Ellen
like a sister, but he knew there would never be anything between
them, Ellen had no room in her life for a man. She had gone from
doting on Becca to doting on 40 something and nothing else mattered.
His eyes
went from Becca to Ellen and back, Becca was the prettiest little
thing in the world, and if he had a daughter, he would have loved for
her to be just like Becca. She had the most amazing eyes, not quite
almond shaped, with a slight hooded slant that gave an Asian
appearance, and they were aqua marine, he had never before or since
seen anything like the colour of her eyes, and he had known Becca
since she was two years old she was now twenty four and in the year
since she had left university become quite a famous Disc Jockey.
Ellen had
thankfully not put on her trademark platforms, and she wore a hat to
cover her blonde hair with large dark sunglasses, Ellen was
unrecognisable. Which was odd, as she generally coveted notoriety.
Dex said nothing, and they rushed through the airport to an awaiting
car. Both women were acting out of character, Becca never let
anything get to her, and Ellen didn’t like not being recognised.
17:12
p.m. Wednesday. Ellen, Dex, Becca & Jung-jun
The car
pulled up outside the hotel Tria after over an hour and a half drive
from the airport in heavy traffic at least the hotel wasn’t far
from the venue. The car stopped, Ellen pulled Becca from the car and
ran into the hotel, looking round furtively. Dex followed quickly
wondering what the hell had got into Ellen.
As they
got to the desk Becca stopped dead in her tracks and Ellen took her
sunglasses off, there stood leaning against a wall was Kim Jung-jun,
looking like the living embodiment of a God. He smiled as he saw her,
pushed off from the wall and made his way to her. Dex booked himself
Becca and Ellen in.
“You’re
here” Becca said, feeling stupid stating the obvious, and
looking down, then remembering her manners she bowed, as did
Jung-jun.
“mueos-inga
ij-eossda
nu”
Jung-jun said smiling at her.
“No
oppa I have not forgot my manners”
she replied in English, bowed again, “I
am glad to see you oppa Jung-jun”
at which he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles.
Ellen
stood stiffly at the side of them. What was this? She had no idea
Becca was so informal with Jung-jun as to call him Oppa! Becca turned
to introduce them and seeing the thunderous look on her mother’s
face wondered if now wasn’t such a good time. Jung-jun introduced
himself without hesitation and held out his hand to shake Ellen’s
hand, she took it stiffly and let go quickly, then remembering that
all this trouble she had gone to was to get Becca close to this guy
she relaxed a little.
“Excuse
my manners also, I have had a long flight and am suffering fatigue.
Thank you for coming to greet my daughter, now if you will excuse me
I wish to rest.” Then
at the blank look on Jung-jun’s face she repeated in Korean.
Dex watched the exchange with interest, Ellen was acting like a diva,
which although she loved being famous, was something she most
certainly wasn’t. She had once even gone so far as to invite fans
into a venue out of the cold, she was warm and caring, it appeared
Korea disagreed with her. Or maybe it was as she had said, the long
flight, but this was the boy that Becca had the crush on, the one
Ellen had intended Becca should meet and if Ellen had her way, fall
in love with and marry. Becca was no stranger to him, and Ellen knew
none of this, it must have come as quite a shock. Not so to Dex.
Ellen turned to Dex and led him to the lift by his elbow, leaving
Becca and Jung-jun at the check in desk..
17:30
p.m. Wednesday. Ellen & Dex
“Want
to tell me what’s going on?”
No comments:
Post a Comment