~Story based around a bunch of different songs. If you recognize the characters from the books. Well then their not mine but are instead JE's. A Few of my own characters thrown in the mix as well. Enjoy and let me know what you think. Remember its always nice to hear feed back. :)~
I needed a plan. That was the first step to finding me again. I decided a good nights sleep before making this plan would be the best way to go. So I went to bed in hopes that morning will bring with it a ray of sunshine to lead me in the right direction.
I woke up the next morning to sun shining thru my windows and my finger tips feeling like someone took sandpaper to them. I had forgotten how brutal guitar strings can be when you haven't played in forever.
After I had gotten home with my new guitar, I spent some time tuning it and then remembering how to play. Its just like riding a bike. Once you learn you never really forget. I had a blast! It was the first time in a very, very long time that I was truly happy. I made a promise to myself while going thru all the songs I used to love to play that I would never again give up playing for anyone.
After taking care of natures call I was in need of caffeine in order to pull off this whole planning thing. I've never been one for planning anything. I've always been more of a fly by the seat of my pants type of gal.
Once the coffee was brewing I searched for a pen and some paper. If I was going to make a plan I better right it down otherwise I might forget something along the way.
Armed with coffee, pen and paper I sat at my table and started to write out some questions I thought would help me make my plan of attack.
Do I like my job? Yes
What do I need to do to get better at my job? Self defense classes, use of my gun, and exercise... eww!
Do I want to stay here? Yes and no! Yes because I like it here for the most part. There are some people I don't want to leave. No because I will forever be harped on by those who just want to either change me or laugh at everything I do.
Do I have money if I decide to move? Nope sure don't.
Should I tell anyone about my plan? Yes, Ranger. He deserves to know and might have some helpful tips.
With those few questions out of the way I started to make up my to do list for today. First I need to try and get a hold of JJ. Then I would head to the office and see if there were any skips for me today. If there were none then I'll head up to one of my old favorite spots with my guitar and play for a bit.
In Point Pleasant there's cliff that sits off the ocean a little bit. I used to love to go up there and just play for hours. It was always so relaxing. To sit up there, playing my music while the ocean waves lightly crashed against the rocks below me, was my version of heaven. I have only ever taken two people up there with me, Mary Lou and JJ. I didn't want anyone else to know because then I wouldn't be able to just disappear for awhile. They would be able to find me if they knew.
With a rough idea of what my day will be like I decided it was time to see if JJ was around.
The phone rang twice and then was picked up.
"Martin here."
I was in a slight state of shock over hearing his voice after all these years that I had a moment where I forgot how to speak. I was broken from my shock when he said "Hello?"
"Josh?"
"Yes, who is this?"
"Its Stephanie."
Nothing. There was dead silence over the phone. I was pretty sure he must have forgotten the sound of my voice on the phone so I tried again.
"Stephanie Plum."
Still silence. Well damn! I recognized his voice right away. How could he forget mine?
"You don't remember me do you?" I tentatively asked.
The answer I get in return, he starts laughing. Well crap I thought. Even he's laughing at me. I was starting to get pissed when he stopped laughing and said "You really thought I could forget your sweet voice? I had you fooled though didn't I? Thinking I had no clue who you were. Man its been so long Steph. How the hell are you? Where are you? When are you going to come visit me? You better be coming to visit me sometime soon! I know you talked to Poppa in order to get my number."
I started laughing. Just like he always was. Get him excited and he talks a mile a minute. Throwing question after question at you.
Once I got myself under control I managed to answer his questions. We ended up chatting on the phone for an hour and a half before he had to get to work.
During our conversation I skimmed over everything that has happened since we split ways. Everything from the joke of a marriage to Dickie to what I've been thinking about over the last 24 hours. He told me about how his time in the Navy is going. That he's still single and that he's thinking its time for a change of pace. Said he's getting to old for the b.s and it was time for the "nubs" to take over. I figured "nubs" must have meant the new young recruits.
He said if I was serious about getting away from Trenton for awhile the I better be coming to see him. That he would teach me everything I told him I wanted to learn to be better at my job and the only payment he would accept would be in the form of me singing and playing my guitar whenever he asked for it. I said I would think about it and that it was a very tempting offer.
After our phone call I felt... happy. Hmm I think I'll take this as a sign that I'm doing the right thing. I haven't felt like this in a long time. Its a good feeling and I had forgotten what it was like. With that thought it was time for me to get ready to head to the office and see about those skips. Hopefully there won't be any today. I know I need the money but the call of the ocean has a stronger pull.
As I turned to head towards the shower I noticed my guitar leaning against the wall where I left it lastnight. Well I'll be! There is that ray of sunshine I had hoped for lastnight streaming thru the window shining directly on the guitar. Yep, something is definitely going in the right direction!
Before leaving my apartment, I grabbed my guitar, some sheet music I printed off lastnight, and my Ipod. While browsing for songs I wanted to learn to play I came across one song that struck me just as hard as the one yesterday in the mall did. I knew instantly I had to learn it. So I made sure I had the guitar tablature for it as well as the song on my Ipod. I made sure to download the acoustic version though otherwise it would sound funny playing an electric guitar version on an acoustic guitar. Its do-able but still sounds funny.
When I walked into the office Connie looked up from the magazine she was reading.
"Morning Steph."
"Hey Connie, got anything for me today?"
"Sorry Steph I don't right now. Something might come in later though."
"Alright, I'm heading down to Point Pleasant today. Call me if you get anything in."
I wave bye to Connie on my way out the door. I jump in my current vehicle, a midnight blue 2000 Dodge Dakota four door. It's in pretty good condition, for now anyways. God knows I'm hard on vehicles but its not like its my fault, most of the time. I bought it from one of the guys down at the TPD. I got a good deal on it. He wanted to get a new pickup but his wife said not until it was sold. And that my friends is how I became the proud owner of it!
I made pretty good time getting down to my spot. The traffic was minimal considering it's mid-morning on a weekday.
Parking the pickup, I jump out and grab all my stuff to bring with me. I left my purse in the vehicle but grabbed my cell phone and can you believe it my gun as well. I figured that since one of the things I had listed was to be better with my gun, that means I better start bringing it with me. I strapped my holster the Ranger had given me a few months back onto my belt with the gun inside it. Grabbed my guitar case, music and ipod and started the short hike up the trail that leads to the spot on the cliff.
Once I got to the cliff I set down my case and just looked around. It's still just as beautiful here as I remember. The sun shining bright in the sky, waves lightly crashing against the rocks below me, seagulls singing their own songs up in the air. There's just a slight breeze today. Just enough to make it so you don't over heat under the sun. I took a deep breath and released it slowly. Ahhhh the fresh smell of the ocean! Nothing better in the world to me.
I sit down next to my case and open it up. Pulling it out I set if off to the side. I put my gun in the guitar case that way its not in direct sight but easy to get to if I should need it. I grab the tabs I printed off and started to read over them. Making the finger changes on the neck of the guitar while I got over the tabs. Just to get a feel for it.
I mess around with it for about an hour before I happen to glance at my watch and notice its just after 11 am. I wonder if Ranger is busy for lunch today. I need to talk to him. Maybe I can get him to come out here. I would love to share this place with him. With that decided I set the guitar down and grabbed my phone.
"Yo"
"Yo yourself Batman"
"Babe"
"You busy Ranger?"
"Whatcha need?"
"Well... there's some things I wanted to talk to you about but I'm not in Trenton right now."
"Where are you?"
"What? The mighty Ranger, who places a million trackers on me doesn't know where I'm at? I'm shocked Ranger! Are you slipping in your old age?" I laughed out. I couldn't help it. I'm in a good mood and have to pick on him a little bit.
"Babe." I hear the amusement in his voice. Its amazing what you can get from just one word from him.
And then there was dial tone. Well damn him! One of these days I will hang up on him first. Wait that might not be a good idea. I remember how cranky he can get when I've done that before. Hmm might have to think on this later.
I know he'll show up since I pretty much challenged him with the comment about him not knowing where I was at. It's like he can never pass up the opportunity when I challenge him. I figure he'll probably be here in about a half hour to 45 mins. It takes almost an hour for the normal driver to get here. However, Batman tends to have a led foot sometimes. So I say 45 mins tops.
With that in mind, I figure I'll continue practicing this new song that I've fallen in love with. The guitar music to it just talks to me. Begging me to follow it. The lyrics make me think about my life and the point in which I'm standing now. The lead singer may be a guy but its sung in a high enough note that I can manage to match with by dropping down a little bit.
Before I was just practicing it with the music playing on my ipod. I've got it down enough that I think its time to do it by myself. This is how I would learn new songs. Practice with the actual song playing in the background and then when I felt I had it down I would practice it without the music.
I've been thinking of everything
I used to want to be
I've been thinking of everything
Of me, of you and me
This is the story of my life
(These are the lies I have created)
This is the story of my life
(These are the lies I have created)
I'm in the middle of nothing
And its where I want to be
I'm at the bottom of everything
And I finally start to leave
This is the story of my life
(These are the lies I have created)
This is the story of my life
(these are the lies I have created)
(i've created...)
And I swear to god
I'll find myself
In the end
(The story by 30 Seconds to Mars, acoustic version)