The Arrangement

[.the slayer]

Hi! I found your writing really interested;
I was captivated since the start! I don't normally
take the time to read CS stories, but this one
was great. I really loved it!!! Please continue,
or I'll be really sad and mopey.

Your characters are great and realistic, they really
have their own personality and I can visualize them
easily. You really are very talented!

[Medusa72]

Hi! I found your writing really interested;
I was captivated since the start! I don't normally
take the time to read CS stories, but this one
was great. I really loved it!!! Please continue,
or I'll be really sad and mopey.

Your characters are great and realistic, they really
have their own personality and I can visualize them
easily. You really are very talented!

Oh my goodness, thank you for your kind words!
I'll definitely be writing more!

[Medusa72]

Chapter Six

Clara had finished straitening her hair and applying mascara. She was going to go on her date looking exactly the way she always looked, frizzy hair and no makeup. But Clara's mother insisted she fixed herself up. As a result, she was also wearing a dress. Clara liked wearing dresses, but rarely ever did, so this was a real treat. Her dress was blue, an expensive color, but Clara's favorite. After checking herself in the mirror, Clara walked into her living room where her mom was waiting with a camera. The camera flashed before Clara had even smiled, "Mom, this isn't that big of a deal."
"Oh sure it is! You only go on your first date once."
Clara rolled her eyes when she heard a knock on her door. Walking over to open it, Clara found Petey waiting with a small bouquet of flowers.
"Hello Clara."
"Hey Petey, I'll grab my jacket then we can go." Clara noticed how easy it was to say that. It was clear that he was nervous, so it seemed easy to Clara not to be nervous.
"Alright, let's get a picture you two!" Clara's mom said as soon as Clara had walked back, "Get together you two."
Clara hesitated but then walked over to Petey and stood next to him, she didn't touch him and he didn't reach out to touch her like at lunch yesterday.
Clara's mom looked up from her camera, "Come on you two, get a little closer."
Clara edged towards Petey so that their arms were touching. Clara's mom shot the picture, "Now put your arms around each others shoulders."
"It's time to go," said Clara, grabbing the sleeve of Petey's button up shirt and dragging him out the door before her mother got anymore crazy idea's, like making them kiss or something.
"Wendy is nice."
"Wendy?"
"Your mom."
"Oh, right," Clara had almost forgotten her mom's name was Wendy.
The city was easy to navigate so Clara and Petey quickly and silently walked to the outdoor movie. Other couples were there, as well some young kids.
"Is right here okay?" Petey had led her to a spot up front.
"You reserved a spot in the front for us?"
Petey swallowed, "Yeah, I mean, the seats in the back are too crowded."
That was true, but it was near impossible to reserve seats only the day before the movie.
"But how?"
"I know the people who run this place."
"Oh, cool." Clara moved to sit down into one of the two lawn chairs, she saw out of the corner of her eye that Petey smiled, happy that she was impressed.
They sat next to each other without talking, without touching, and for the first time, without frustration.
Petey laughed easily at the movie. He laughed like a child, with his mouth open, it was infectious. Clara laughed with her mouth closed, it was more of a smirk than an actual laugh.
Clara still wasn't sure what to think of Petey. In a way, she liked how innocent he seemed, but then she was embarrassed for the exact same reason.
Clara pondered the entire situation as the movie ended, as Petey walked her home, and then as she fell asleep that night.

[Medusa72]

Chapter Seven

Roger picked a flower from his mothers small garden. She would maim him if she found out, but Roger wanted to give something to Irene. Roger was in lower-class, it didn't bother him very much but before he had met Irene, he was afraid of not being able to make his future arranged partner happy. It still made him uncomfortable that Irene was in upper-class. Thankfully Irene didn't see him for his money and she was content to be middle-class, as they would become after their marriage.
He saw her sitting at the restaurant table, her chin in her hand. Irene. The kind and beautiful woman who had his heart. He really didn't deserve her.
"Hi," he said putting his hands on her shoulders, surprising her with a smile.
Irene's cheeks widened with her smile, "Hey!" She got up and hugged him. They rocked back and forth momentarily before pulling back to kiss each other. Roger then gave Irene the flower he picked.
"Aww, thank you!"
"Anytime," Roger smiled leaning in to kiss her on the cheek.
They both sat down as Irene broke the stem on the flower and put it in her hair. She looked absolutely stunning.
"So, how are you?" Irene asked.
"I'm good, my dad found more work."
"That's great!"
"Yeah, it's put my mom in a better mood."
"That more money is coming in?"
"No, that my dad is gone more."
Irene rolled her eye's while chuckling. Roger was joking of course, his parents loved each other.
"Did I tell you about Clara's date?" Irene said excitedly.
"Oh yeah, with mustache man?"
"Yeah, they went to that movie last night, he got her a front row seat."
"How'd he do that?"
"You remember who was one of the original founders of the theater was?"
"Old man Butterman?"
"His name is on the sign, but another guy helped him."
"Let me guess, his last name was Jennings?"
"Yep, one of Petey's ancestors was an upper-class."
"Interesting."
"Yeah, Petey's got connections."
Their waiter came and the couple ordered their food and continued to chat with each other until the day was over.

(I decided it might be refreshing if I wrote about someone besides Clara, so here you are! On a side note, I imagined Irene to have ancestry from India and Roger have ancestry from Spain, if you can put that into perspective for what they look like.)

[Medusa72]

((I've been working on Chapter Eight, so it should be a good one, and hopefully longer than the others have been.)) It should be here within a few days, the weekend at the latest.

[Medusa72]

Chapter Eight

*Ping*
Clara groaned, who could be messaging her on her cell this early in the morning?
Hello (:
Who? What? Where? When? Why?
There were five minutes left before her alarm would go off, even though it wasn't a school day.
Who is this?
Whoever it was better have a good explanation of why they woke her up so early.
It's Petey. (:
Petey? What's the matter with you?!
How did you get this number?
Dang it, she should have pretended it wasn't her.
Your file has all of your contact information in it.
Oh, right. Clara was suddenly embarrassed again at how miniscule her file was.
Is that how you knew how to get to my house too?
No, we actually live on the same street, so I already knew you lived there.
They lived on the same street? Wait, he knew Clara lived there already? Weird.
Oh.
Clara wasn't sure how to respond.
What are you doing? (:
Still trying to wake up.
I'm so sorry! Did I wake you? ):
Yeah, but it's okay.
What? It's okay? If Irene had messaged her awake, Clara would have made sure she regret it. Of course, Irene would have told Clara to suck it up.
Let me make it up to you. (:
Okay?
Would you like to go to the museum? (:
Ugh, the museum? Is there a more boring place?
Sure.
Clara, of course, didn't want to go. But she knew she should explore his interests.
I can be at your house in two minutes. (:
Uh no. I need a shower. Big time. Give me an hour.
Oh, sorry. Sure, I'll be there in an hour.
Clara thought about asking if she could just meet him at his house after she was ready, but she didn't think she could handle it.
After showering, dressing, eating breakfast, and informing her mother of her plans for the day, Clara stood outside and found that Petey was walking out of a door about five houses down and across the street. Who knew they lived so close? Apparently Petey did.
Clara met Petey halfway and greeted him. This time, Clara didn't look fancy, her hair was still wet but already forming loose curls. Her clothes were well worn and she didn't wear makeup.
"Your eye's are brighter in the sunlight," Petey said as his ears turned red.
"Uh, thanks," Clara said without much sincerity. It's not that she disliked the compliment, she just didn't like how he was trying so hard.
They walked side by side in the direction of the museum. Actually, Clara was a half a step ahead of Petey. How odd, Clara found, that he doesn't try leading like most guys do. Clara enjoyed being in charge, but when it came to a relationship, shouldn't the boy take the lead? Clara supposed it was Petey who asked her out rather than the opposite, but Clara wished he would try guiding her with confidence. Petey still hunched his shoulders, but Clara found that it motivated her not to hunch hers.
The "couple" entered the museum where Clara saw what bored her so much. It was a couple of documents, a lot of written history, and very few items. For once, Petey was the one who led her. He walked to the first written paragraph on the wall. Clara tried reading the piece, but kept losing her focus, she instead examined a piece of dirt on her shoes. She didn't even notice that Petey was walking away until he was almost to the end of the large room. She ran to catch up with him, "Where are you going?"
"To the next section."
"The next section?"
Petey motioned to a door that Clara had never noticed before.
"Did you think the museum was just these documents?" He asked with an amused smile.
"No," Clara said defensively, "Well... Yes."
He laughed and opened the door for her. What she saw inside the room she had just walked into took her breath away.
Such color.
Such vibrant color.
Paintings and sculptures occupied the entire space.
"Wow," Clara breathed. She didn't notice Petey looking at her with a smile on his face.
"Isn't it beautiful?"
Clara nodded, her mouth was hanging open.
Who knew?
Who knew such things could exist?

[Woogwoo Wren]

Cool story! Keep it up!

[Medusa72]

Cool story! Keep it up!

Thank you! I'm working on the next chapter now!

[Medusa72]

I'd love any ideas I can get, so PM me if you have any good ones!

[Medusa72]

Chapter Nine

The school day's had begun again and Clara awoke before her alarm. She immediately checked her cell. She felt a pleasant tingling sensation near the small of her back when she saw a message from Petey.
Would you like to walk to school together?
The message was sent nearly half an hour ago.
Sure.
Clara got herself ready before finding that Petey was already in her living room, chatting with her mother.
"Oh, when did you get here?"
"A couple seconds ago."
"Well, I'm ready."
Clara couldn't believe that she was actually happy to see Petey, but somehow the way she felt about him changed when he showed her the room of art.

Clara had taken the time to look at every piece and Petey had patiently followed as she examined them all.
"This one's my favorite," Petey said as they stopped in front of a large painting.
"Why's that?"
"It's painted with the form of impressionism, you can see it. Small brushstrokes, the paint isn't completely mixed."
"But why's it your favorite?"
"Um, I like the color I guess. I like how you can't tell what it is up close but you can see what it is from further away."
They both had stepped forward then back again to emphasize his point.
"Nobody paints much anymore," Clara said when the conversation had gone cold.
"Painting in itself is almost a lost talent."
Clara then had a mad idea. A mad and crazy idea, "We should paint something!"
Petey hesitated, "I don't know, I'm not very good."
"You've tried?"
"And failed, horribly."
"You can't be that bad."
"But I am, you might be good at it though."
"Say's who? I've never even touched a... um... whatever they use to paint."
"Say's me, and it's called a paintbrush."
"Well I don't agree."
Clara didn't know why she had so hard to disagree with him, she had no idea if she was good or bad at painting.

"Shall we be on our way then?"
Clara gave a small smile, but on the inside she was still trying to deny this boy, so the smile dissipated quickly.
"Why were you up so early?" Clara asked while they walked.
"Oh, I like to get to school early."
Clara shook her head.
"What?"
"Nothing," she didn't want to disappoint him with how unintelligent she was, as she suspected she already had.
"Come on tell me," he prodded.
"You're just... so much smarter than m-... most people."
"That's not true."
"Of course it is, do you know how thick your file is?"
"My file?"
"The one from the arrangement hall."
"Who cares about the size of a file?"
"Well, I do." Clara felt like she had slapped herself. Like her own hand had betrayed her. She felt as though she had done something wrong.
"Well I don't, you're probably a lot smarter than me. I'm not anything special."
"You're wrong, I'm not book-smart, I'm just another regular."
"Listen," he stopped her in the middle of a road, "You are smart, you're logical, you're beautiful."
Clara stared in shock. He didn't even look embarrassed. Petey had looked Clara in the eye and gave her a compliment only one other man had given her. She didn't believe him of course. Girls like her don't believe many things said about them that's flattering. Clara realized her mouth was hanging open so she snapped it shut and continued on walking to school, Petey tripping over himself to keep up with her.

((Sorry it's been a while! I lost some inspiration because real life Clara and Petey aren't currently speaking to each other, which I find ridiculous because neither of them even did anything wrong. Fun fact: I based Irene off of myself and Roger off of a good friend of mine who I consider a brother. In real life we'd never date, but this isn't real life. Lol.))