Hello everyone and welcome to my blog! For the ENTIRE month of December, we'll be seeing content like this from both myself, and from the Featured Authors (going all the way back to the beginning!). Along with each of us sharing first chapters from our novels (all on, or soon to be on, Wattpad!), we'll also be getting an inside look into everyone's writing process, book reviews, and even better - getting to know the contestants trying for Featured Author of The Year 2019! Stick around for the fun!
Now over to Caroline:
Hey everyone! I’m Caroline (or you can call me Drennie), and I’m a 14 year old fanfiction author from Cornland, aka boring old Iowa. I have two sisters and a brother and I’ve been on Wattpad since April of 2015 (damn it sounds like a long time when you say it like that)!
I was featured author back in November of 2016 and have done a lot of stuff with Shay and featured author since then- I’m glad to say I’m lucky enough to see Shay as a writing mentor (and a v close internet friend of mine). I’m most proud of my book Put Another X On The Calendar, but I’ve actually recently grown quite proud of a book that I’m currently working on that isn’t on my page yet called State Of The Art. I’m excited for everyone to see it when I’m finished with it! I’m going to keep my introduction short as I think I’ve crossed paths with most of the other featured authors before, but I’m very excited to be helping out with the Get Together!
I’m going to be sharing said unreleased book since I wanted some opinions on it before posting it! I trust all of you to give me good feedback on it as my fellow featured authors and readers XD
I hope you enjoy it, and now here’s State Of The Art!
© vicesgerard. All Rights Reserved.
State of Art
Chapter 1
His fingers flew across the ivory keys his voice melodic and steady. I can’t recall the name of the song now as the haunting tune gracefully winds itself around the room. I sat next to him, quietly harmonizing. He laughs as I mess up the words, stopping playing. “I love you, idiot.”
I smile, looking at my feet. “I love you too, dumbass.” He leans in to kiss me and-
I wake up. I always wake up at this moment, about to kiss him. I can’t put a face on him- I definitely forgot it in the crash. I turn on my phone to look at the time. 3:45. It’s always the same scene, the same moment, even the same time. My head falls back down onto my pillow as I let out a sigh. My guitar across the room seems to call out to me, but I know better than that. It’s too early to get up and play, I can’t have my dad hearing. If I was at Mom’s house she wouldn’t care but I don’t want to risk waking him.
God knows that wouldn’t be a pretty scene. It would end up with several bruises and me trembling in my room while my dad grumbles about, “That damn kid. Waking me up at 4 AM by playing that dumb instrument.” I look out my window as the moonlight seems to shift. My brain won’t seem to slow down as I try to breathe. In, out, Jack, in, out. I grab my phone off my bedside table, fumbling with the on button.
I slowly text my best friend as my hands shake.
Jack Barakat: ri, i had the dream again. you awake?
I hold my breath as I lie in bed staring at my ceiling. My phone buzzes, and I quickly grab it. Please be a response. I sigh as his name pops up on my screen.
Rian Dawson: I am now. Just breathe, kid, okay? Grab your guitar and meet me at the treehouse. Be careful, alright? You’ll be okay, just keep breathing
I try to follow his advice, inhaling and exhaling.
Jack Barakat: i’ll be right there
I sigh, sitting up in bed as the blood rushes to my head. I get dizzy as I stand up, grabbing my guitar and walking over to the window. I shove it open before climbing out and dragging my guitar behind me. I slowly climb across the top of my roof as my head spins. If I were to fall from this height I’d be dead in an instant. I hold on tight to the drainage pipe as I slowly slide down trying not to drop my guitar in the process. I shouldn’t be nervous anymore, I’ve done this so many times, but it still worries me. If I were to break it by dropping it my mom wouldn’t be able to afford a new one- and my dad would know I’m sneaking out. As I land funny I let out a sharp squeak of anguish as I fall on my elbow. My dad’s open bedroom window is within five feet of me. I hold my breath to see if I woke him, but when I’m met with quiet I let out a long sigh of air. Thank god.
I silently run across my backyard before dashing into the woods behind the house. I inhale a tight breath as I hear my dad call my name through my open bedroom window. “Jackson, get your ass back here!” It echoes through the open night as my speed picks up and I curse myself for not wearing shoes. The twigs poke into my feet as I rush through the thick forest area.
The secret treehouse Rian and I built when we were little comes into view and as my lungs burn from running for so long I sigh as I call through the night sounds. “Rian!” He pokes his head out from the window, shaking his head and laughing as he climbs down the ladder and jogs over to me. He takes my guitar from me, placing it on the pulley system we hooked up to the window before hoisting it up to the window sill. He quickly climbs back up the ladder before appearing for a second before grabbing the guitar and disappearing back in the treehouse.
I’m not as fast to climb up. I slowly place one foot on each foothold, tightening my grip with each slab of wood nailed to the tree. I finally poke my head through the hole in the floor, grabbing onto the carpeting we lay down for support. I flop down onto the floor next to where Rian is sitting. “Jay, you alright?” I sit up as Rian speaks for the first time. I shake my head as I breathe heavily.
“My dad knows I’m sneaking out. I fell, and he woke up. He’s probably on his way here.” Rian curses under his breath as he stands up and starts to pull on strings hanging from the windows. When we set this up we made it so you could let down curtains to block the treehouse from view. It doesn’t make the ladder any less visible, but it’s better than nothing and blends the actual house into the tree.
“Dammit, Jack, really? I told you to be careful!” I sigh letting my head fall into my hands. “You know that he’s already on thin ice with legal issues having you in the house, if he finds out then that’ll be the final straw. You’ll move in with your mom full time- and then I’ll barely see you anymore.”
“I know, I know! It was an accident, ok?” Rian slowly picks up my guitar, plucking a string just to listen to the note ringing through the quiet dark night. I don’t know how long we sit there in silence, but I must have fallen asleep as when I open my eyes I wake to the early morning noises of birds chirping and Rian tapping his fingers against the floor in sporadic patterns.
“How long was I asleep?” Rian shrugs, taking a sip of a water bottle that he must have gotten while I was asleep.
“I don’t know. Your dad never showed up though, so it doesn’t really matter.” I shudder thinking about how I’ll have to face him when I get home. I pick up my guitar from where Rian had set it down, slowly strumming chords to a song I can’t remember the words to. A past memory. Like the harmonies and accompaniment of a past life. The melodies are on the edge of my tongue but they’re just out of reach. Like when you’re a young child chasing after a butterfly but you can never quite reach it.
Because that butterfly flew too far forward and then got snapped shut. Snapped shut in a locked box that I don’t have the key to.
And then I’m alone with just my chords.
Crescendo.
Decrescendo.
Fine.
Let's give a round of applause to Caroline! She's been one of the Featured Author's that I've had the privilege of keeping close with over the years. She's also my writing men-tee :D So much love heading your way my darling! <3
We'll be seeing more from her throughout the month of December!
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