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 185: “I do so have other friends,” Lisa shot back. “And of course Gwen will be my roommate. It’s what we always planned.”
“I do so have other friends,” Lisa shot back. “And of course Gwen will be my roommate. It’s what we always planned.”
Gwen took in a deep breath. The rain that prevented her from running that morning stopped while she was shopping, but she could hear the thunder rumbling and suspected it would soon be returning.
“I am not going to be your roommate,” Gwen said.
“Told you,” Toby said smugly.
“Shut up,” Lisa snapped at him. She looked to Gwen. “Look you can’t be mad at me forever because of HIM. We have to get things together so that we will be ready when classes start. And I need you to help me pick out my classes so we are taking as many of the same ones as possible. I won’t be taking the weird ones you were taking, but I’m sure some of the others are the same. And because you took those lame classes you know your way around so you can help me.”
“I am only in town to pack my things and then I am leaving. Completely leaving,” Gwen said.
“Like another town?” Lisa said. “Cool I am so down for that. It would be so nice to get out of Westport for a while. I can’t believe you rented an apartment for us out of town. What a great surprise.”
“You aren’t coming,” Gwen said. “I am packing, I am moving. There is no apartment to share. I will be living with my grandparents while I go to school.”
“And then you are moving back after you finish your book keeping thing,” Toby said. He nodded. “See I listen, I know they aren’t just weird classes,” he said mockingly to Lisa.
Lisa made faces at him.
“I am not taking book keeping classes. I am leaving and if I come back it will be to visit my dad,” Gwen said. “I am not helping you with your father’s business and I am not helping you get an apartment and sign up for classes. I am not taking either of you with me. And now you both need to leave so that I can pack and get ready for the real estate folks to come and stage the house so my dad can sell it.”
Both of them looked at Gwen as though she sprouted a second head.
“You know you are coming back,” Toby said. He looked nervous. “I mean why would you leave when I need you.”
“Because I don’t need you,” Gwen said.
“Yeah she doesn’t need you,” Lisa said.
“I don’t need you either,” Gwen said.
“Please. You have no other friends and you are always too busy doing stupid things to make any on your own,” Lisa said.
Gwen thought of the others she talked to the night before and realized that she always had other friends besides Lisa. There were people she hung out with a lot when Lisa was off doing things on her own and when there were groups, she talked and spent time with others even though Lisa only talked to her boyfriend Sam and Toby.
“I have other friends,” Gwen said. “I have always had other friends and now I am making new ones.” She shook her head. “And I happen to like those stupid things. Just because you don’t like them doesn’t make them stupid. Both of you need to leave. Do whatever you are going to do with yourselves but from now on, it doesn’t involve me.”
Lisa opened her mouth but shut it again when she couldn’t find the right words.
“I don’t know what has gotten into you,” Toby said.
Ten til Midnight 