The Fifteen Minute Novel is an attempt to take a single prompt and use the last sentence written each day as a start for the next day. This year I had several prompts circling around a similar story, so I have combined them. However, the story starts the same way each day, with the last line from the day before and a timer set for fifteen minutes. The hope is to end up with a complete, if very rough draft by the end of the year. Some stories are better than others, but I always learn a whole lot about my own writing when I do this so for me it is not only a nice way to work out a story, but it is a tool for helping my writing get better. And so, we continue this story for 2024 with…
Day 139: They stepped outside and Sophie’s heart sunk as she saw Ryan and Kristen in the parking lot.
They stepped outside and Sophie’s heart sunk as she saw Ryan and Kristen in the parking lot. Kristen was gesturing and Ryan tuned towards their small group. “You,” he said looking towards them and pointing at Sophie. She blinked as he walked over.
“What did you tell my wife?” he asked. He stopped a few feet in front of her and glared. “Kristen said you told her I was having an affair.”
“I don’t know your wife,” Sophie said.
“And everyone knows you are having affairs,” Petra added.
Ryan snorted and looked at her. “You’re one to talk,” he said before looking back to Sophie. “You spoke to Kelly at lunch, Kristen saw you, don’t try to deny it.”
“I spoke to my neighbor Kevin at lunch and he introduced me to his coworker who is named Kelly,” Sophie said. “I told her hi and nice to meet you.”
“In that whole conversation that’s all you said?” Ryan demanded, his tone mocking.
“Whole conversation?” Sophie replied. “I was coming back with lunch or the office and spoke to them in passing. It took only a minute at best.”
Ryan blinked and he looked back to Kristen who rolled her eyes.
“Whatever,” Kristen said. “I know what I saw.”
“She wasn’t out of the office that long,” Linda said. “I know, I was kind of hungry and watching the clock.”
“Yeah,” Petra added.
Ryan looked from Kristen to the ladies from HR and accounts and then to Sophie. He looked uncertain. “You didn’t tell Kelly I was sleeping with Kristen?”
“No,” Sophie said.
“I’m pretty sure she figured it out when Kristen gave Kelly a flat tire,” Linda said. “That was about a year ago.”
“I just met her today,” Sophie added.
“Oh,” Ryan said. “Wait, Kristen punctured the tire?”
Sophie shrugged when he looked at her. ‘No idea,” she said even though the rest of the ladies nodded.
“Right,” Ryan said. He cleared his throat. “Sorry about the yelling bit then.”
“Can we leave now?” Sophie asked. She gestured to Ryan and he realized he was standing in the middle of the sidewalk blocking them from the parking lot.
“Oh, right, Sorry,” he stepped to the side. Sophie, followed by the others walked passed and headed towards their cars. In a huff, Kisten stalked off to her vehicle and drove of without a word. Sophie got into her car and deliberately kept her mind blank until she was well away from the office.
“Oh my god,” she said as she drove home. Confrontation was not her favorite thing, in fact she usually avoided it.
Ten til Midnight 