Whispers With Nothing To Say
By MITCHELL HARGREAVES
Author’s note: I am not a girl. I simply pretend to be one in this gender twisted story.
The hot water calmed my heart, slightly, for a moment, before I began to think again. My nerves were so tightly coiled that they were apt to snap. My stomach fluttered so violently that dinner was sure to visit the bathroom floor. My heart pumped full. Full of self-love. Full of certainty in my date. My heart pumped empty. Empty of confidence. Empty of any hope for the evening.
I climbed from the shower, beads of water clinging to my soft skin. My body was naked and free of any artificial beauty. Raising my head, I looked down into the mirror, through my stubbornly short eyelashes. Nothing a quick fix of mascara couldn’t remedy. My hair lay limply like an octopus draped over a pier’s post. Hair, hair, hair. Again, the hair. Its straightness was depressing. I wanted to look alive for the night-for Him. Curls screamed ‘playfulness’ and I craved an evening of play. Seriously straight hair would weigh me down.
As the curling iron heated, so, too, did my anxiety. Everything that could possibly go wrong visited my thoughts, whispered in my ears-
What will I say…? What can we talk about…? Do I smell okay…? Will he smell okay…? Oh, my god-what if he doesn’t show up…?
As my mind raced so did my hands, for before my prophetic visions had quieted, I was ready to take on my date.
And so I lay atop my bed, waiting for Mister Charming to ring the door.
I imagined that night’s friendly encounter. Would his glassy eyes leer at me, causing me to shrink away? Or would his gentle gaze draw me into his vast arms, his tender embrace?
Soon, the doorbell rang and its ringer was greeted by my mother. Enchanted, nice to meet you, miss, how do you do… Then I strolled down the stairs as though he were nothing new.
And after a moment he said “you are beautiful” and I smiled. And then, whether or not his words were spoken true, I no longer needed to worry about how we’d do.
Posted 19 NOV 04 in Fantastic Fiction
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