![\"Red](\"http:\/\/ladyjessop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/wlEmoticon-redheart.png\")
<\/p>\nEvery few months my favorite author Meg Cabot has a short story contest on her fan forums. Every time she announces a new contest I check it out and think, that sounds like fun, I should participate. And then I never do because I talk myself out of it using excuses like, I won\u2019t be able to come up with a good idea or this is supposed to be for teens, I\u2019m too old, dumb, busy etc.<\/p>\n
This time I put my excuses on hold and decided to accept Meg Cabot\u2019s challenge to write a short short story (1000 words or less) on the theme of Valentine\u2019s Day. I told myself I was working on a \u201cspecial project\u201d assigned by Meg Cabot that I HAD to finish. It\u2019s screwed-up weird-ass fan-girl logic but at least it worked.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the story of a girl named Marissa told through online chats she has with her best friend, Brandon and two other boys from her school. It may be dumb, it may fall flat and it is virtually buried by tons of fabulous short shorts written by talented teenagers on the Meg Cabot fan forums, but writing it was the most fun I\u2019ve had in a long time:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
hi_its_issa<\/p>\n
I hate Valentine\u2019s Day.<\/p>\n
bran_man<\/p>\n
Hi Marissa. Lemme guess. This has something to do with the rose you found in your locker.<\/p>\n
hi_its_issa<\/p>\n
You know me so well Brandon.<\/p>\n
bran_man<\/p>\n
Being friends since kindergarten has that affect on me. What\u2019s wrong with the rose anyway? I thought girls went for that stuff.<\/p>\n
hi_its_issa<\/p>\n
Roses are fine I guess. But it\u2019s one of those roses the cheerleaders were selling for their monthly fundraiser. I hate the idea of supporting those rah-rahs.<\/p>\n
bran_man<\/p>\n
Aw come on, can\u2019t the rah-rahs have a little fun?<\/p>\n
hi_its_issa<\/p>\n
OK you\u2019re right, it\u2019s not really that. My problem is the card has some message on it and isn\u2019t signed. I\u2019ve been going crazy all day trying to figure out who sent it.<\/p>\n
bran_man<\/p>\n
A secret admirer!<\/p>\n
hi_its_issa<\/p>\n
I was thinking maybe it was Brian. He\u2019d want to buy a rose right? You know, to support the cheerleaders?<\/p>\n
bran_man<\/p>\n
That jock? Getting a Valentine\u2019s rose for you?<\/p>\n
hi_its_issa<\/p>\n
Gee thanks.<\/p>\n
bran_man<\/p>\n
Nothing against you of course. It\u2019s just that\u2026I didn\u2019t think he\u2019d be your type is all.<\/p>\n
hi_its_issa<\/p>\n
Brandon, he\u2019s HOT! Have you SEEN his butt in those tight football pants?<\/p>\n
bran_man<\/p>\n
I gotta go.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
hi_its_issa<\/p>\n
Hi Brian, you there?<\/p>\n
bribo<\/p>\n
Hey Marissa! What\u2019s up?<\/p>\n
hi_its_issa<\/p>\n
Oh nothing. Just wondering if you saw anyone near my locker this afternoon. You know\u2026with a rose?<\/p>\n
bribo<\/p>\n
Nope. Hey did you see that running play today at practice where I took the snap and fake trap to the fullback?<\/p>\n
hi_it_issa<\/p>\n
Um, no can\u2019t say I did.<\/p>\n
bribo<\/p>\n
Oh. Well I\u2019ve been chatting with Dave about it all afternoon. He was pretty impressed. I can\u2019t wait for our game tomorrow night. You coming?<\/p>\n
hi_its_issa<\/p>\n
Not sure yet. Probably. Oh hey I hear my mom calling. Gotta go! Talk to you later!<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
hi_its_isssa<\/p>\n
Brandon, you there? You\u2019re right. Brian is so not my type.<\/p>\n
bran_man<\/p>\n
hahahahaha!<\/p>\n
hi_its_issa<\/p>\n
Maybe it was Dave who left the rose?<\/p>\n
bran_man<\/p>\n
That guy who hangs out with Brian?<\/p>\n
hi_its_issa<\/p>\n
Yeah, he\u2019s pretty cute!<\/p>\n
bran_man<\/p>\n
Again, nothing against you, but I never saw him with you. Or any girl for that matter.<\/p>\n
hi_its_issa<\/p>\n
Why not? He\u2019s really nice and thoughtful and all the girls love to hang out with him. I feel totally comfortable asking him.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
hi_its_issa<\/p>\n
Hey Dave!<\/p>\n
daver<\/p>\n
Hi Marissa! OMG, I loved that sweater you wore to school today. Totally cute! Where did you get it?<\/p>\n
hi_its_issa<\/p>\n
I got it on sale at Forever 21. I don\u2019t think they sell guys clothes there though.<\/p>\n
daver<\/p>\n
Oh too bad.<\/p>\n
hi_its_issa<\/p>\n
So how\u2019s your Valentines Day going so far?<\/p>\n
daver<\/p>\n
Great! You know those roses the cheerleaders were selling?<\/p>\n
hi_its-issa<\/p>\n
You bet I do!<\/p>\n
daver<\/p>\n
Well, I bought one for someone and left it in their locker.<\/p>\n
hi_its-issa<\/p>\n
REALLY??? And who\u2019s locker might that be???<\/p>\n
daver<\/p>\n
Well\u2026.I\u2019m kinda shy about this\u2026.but I guess you\u2019ll find out about it eventually.<\/p>\n
hi_its_issa<\/p>\n
Oh Dave. I already know. You\u2019re SO SWEET!<\/p>\n
daver<\/p>\n
Aw! Who told you? What did he think?<\/p>\n
hi_its_issa<\/p>\n
He? Wait\u2026what are you talking about? Didn\u2019t you leave a rose in my locker?<\/p>\n
daver<\/p>\n
YOUR locker? Um no. Sorry Marissa I think you\u2019re really nice and all but you\u2019re not really my type. I left a rose for Brian. Didn\u2019t you know that we\u2019re both\u2026.well\u2026not really into girls?<\/p>\n
hi_its_issa<\/p>\n
Oh\u2026yes\u2026of course I knew. I think it\u2019s great! I\u2019m sure you and Brian will make a cute couple.<\/p>\n
daver<\/p>\n
There he is now! Gotta go!<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
hi_its_issa<\/p>\n
OK, I totally know it wasn\u2019t Dave now. OR Brian. That\u2019s confirmed.<\/p>\n
bran_man<\/p>\n
hahahaha! I tried to tell you.<\/p>\n
hi_its_issa<\/p>\n
I just wish I knew who gave this to me. Did I mention the note attached? It\u2019s red but looks like kind of a blob, not heart shaped at all.<\/p>\n
bran_man<\/p>\n
Well, around Valentine\u2019s Day it\u2019s easy to remember that the heart is actually shaped like a fist.<\/p>\n
hi_its_issa<\/p>\n
Hey, that\u2019s what it says on the card! Wait a minute\u2026Brandon was it you???<\/p>\n
bran_man<\/p>\n
Happy Valentine\u2019s Day Marissa! I know we\u2019ve been friends for a long time but lately I\u2019ve notice that my hands form a fist when you start talking about other guys.<\/p>\n
hi_its_issa<\/p>\n
Brandon I had no idea! And I\u2019m so glad! The only reason why I talk about other guys is because I thought you didn\u2019t have romantic feelings for me either. Maybe we should get off IM and see what happens between us in person?<\/p>\n
bran_man<\/p>\n
Sounds like a great idea! See you in a few minutes.<\/p>\n
hi_its_issa<\/p>\n
[Account signed off. Auto reply from hi_its_issa: Sorry I can\u2019t chat right now. I\u2019m busy celebrating Valentine\u2019s Day!]<\/i><\/p>\n
bran_man<\/p>\n
[Account signed off. Auto reply from bran_man: Do not disturb. MAKE OUT TIME!]<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Every few months my favorite author Meg Cabot has a short story contest on her fan forums. Every time she announces a new contest I check it out and think, that sounds like fun, I should participate. And then I never do because I talk myself out of it using excuses like, I won\u2019t be […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[18,19],"class_list":["post-356","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-meg-cabot","tag-writing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/ladyjessop.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/356","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/ladyjessop.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/ladyjessop.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ladyjessop.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ladyjessop.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=356"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/ladyjessop.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/356\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":473,"href":"http:\/\/ladyjessop.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/356\/revisions\/473"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/ladyjessop.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=356"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ladyjessop.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=356"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ladyjessop.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=356"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}