Welcome to the Fifteen Minute Novel. Each morning I spend fifteen minutes writing on a singular story line. Each morning starts with the last line of the previous day. The goal is to get a (very) rough draft out of the simple story idea and to avoid letting the story idea languish in limbo forever, actually writing it out. This is the third year I have done this writing experiment and each year I learn just a little bit about myself and the way I write as well as creating a framework for the story. But without further ado…
Day 184: To her surprise there was not just one, but two cars parked in her driveway.
To her surprise there was not just one, but two cars parked in her driveway. Gwen recognized them immediately. One was Toby’s car and the other belonged to Lisa. ‘
‘well won’t this be fun,’ Gwen thought. She parked on the street in front of the house, not wanting to block either of them in. As soon as she pulled to a stop, the doors on both car’s opened. Toby and Lisa each opted to wait in their own cars for her.
Gwen took her keys out of the ignition and sat in the car for a moment. There was a spark of anger at the thought of dealing with them but at the moment, it really just made her tired. She no longer felt the anger she had before, she just was tired of dealing with them. She sighed and since they were both standing next to their vehicles and not moving, Gwen got out of hers.
As she closed her car door, they both started talking at the same time, overlapping their words and trying to out do each other. With each word the volume got louder.
“I can’t believe she is here,” Toby said.
“You can’t trust this lying cheater,” Lisa added.
“You know she only wants you to set things up for the fall,” Toby said.
“He just wants you because his father thinks you’re more competent than me,” Lisa added.
The words ran together but Gwen was pretty sure she was able to split them apart. They were however practically yelling.
“Stop,” Gwen said.
“But he,” Lisa said.
“She said,” Toby added.
“Stop both of you.” Gwen said. You are yelling in my front yard. Do you know how embarrassing that is?”
While she talked, Gwen moved away from her car and towards them so she didn’t have to yell. She made sure to stay on the opposite side of the cars so the vehicles were between her and them.
“Both of you need to go,” Gwen said.
“But we are going to the barbeque,” Toby said. “I told you last night.”
“He just wants you there because of his father,” Lisa said. “His dad realized Toby’s incompetent and you were his only hope of the business not failing.”
“That’s not true,” Toby said. His voice lacked conviction. “He just…likes Gwen.”
“He doesn’t like me,” Gwen said. “And I am not going. I am not going to spend my life helping you out. Tell your father I have a life of my own and you are never going to be a part of it.”
“See I told you she wouldn’t take you back,” Lisa said. She gave Toby a smug grin.
“I want you gone too,” Gwen said.
“But I’m your best friend,” Lisa said.
“She has no other friends,” Toby said. “No one will talk to her and she thinks people will like her again if you are her roommate.”
“I do so have other friends,” Lisa shot back. “And of course Gwen will be my roommate. It’s what we always planned.”
Ten til Midnight 