Disclaimer and notes in the Prologue.
------
Chapter 20D - Finale
I rubbed the back of my neck tiredly as I exited the building.
"You work tomorrow?" Rick, my coworker and one of my best friends, asked as he locked Pizza Hut's door.
"Nope." I shook my head. "You?"
Rick pocketed the keys. "Thankfully no. Going to spend the day watching Season 2 Buffy with Nic. What are you doing?"
"Avoiding Eric and his need to drag me to every party he can find." I rolled my eyes.
We started for the parking lot out back. "Well you have to give him credit, I mean, he's at least trying to cheer you up."
"Who says I need cheering up?"
Rick sighed, "Come on, Lacey, you know full well you've been odd the past few months. It's like one day you just decided to turn off the 'fun and insane' switch and revert to.. Well.." He waved a hand a me. "This."
My hands fell to my hips. "Excuse me? Is that an insult?"
"Of course not, It's just.. What happened? Nic says you don't say anything and James says the same thing. Everyone is worried about you."
I debated on snapping at him, but instead I put on my soft but believable faux smile. "It's a phase. Single gal blues. You know? I'll get over it, just need to focus on something new."
"New?" Rick shook his head. "Lacey, all you've done for the past three months is take a bunch of night classes."
"Not night classes." I said defensively. "Okay, there are, but they're self defense. I mean, it doesn't hurt to take those. Keep in shape, learn martial arts, it's neat."
"The fencing class?"
"It's not just fencing." I muttered. "It teaches all sorts of sword play."
"Uh huh. The Tolkien classes at school?"
"Embracing my inner fangirl."
We stared at each other before snickering.
"That sounded.."
".. More wrong then it was meant to." I finished.
He shook his head. "Look, I'll drop it for now, but I'm warning you, Alsie and Nic are planning an intervention. Aims and Mav are even plotting to kidnap Orlando Bloom for it too."
I grinned. "Nu-uh. Aims is planning to kidnap Orlando for herself and we all know it."
"She's willing to share to snap you out of your funk." Rick laughed. "Do you need a ride home?"
I pointed to my raggedy jeep in the lot. "Got it covered tonight. Picked my car up yesterday." I shoved him lightly. "Look, I'm fine. I will be fine. Tell everyone not to worry, okay? And tell Aims she better get pirate gear for Orlando before the intervention."
Rick shook his head as he headed for his car, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter.
With a smile for a effect, I turned around to my own car with an inward sigh.
Yeah. I'm fine.
----------
I threw myself onto my bed after I finished cleaning up. I'd been home for a couple months. Still had my ring.. It mocked me when I looked at it.
God I was depressed.
I admit it, it's my own fault, really. I could have just thrown myself into making myself happy, and in a way, I've tried. Taking all those classes may cause me to go broke and kill what little free time I have, but I do enjoy them.
Problem is, I know I'm partly doing it.. Just in case.
In case of what?
A repeat Mary Sue event.
Oh, I know it won't happen, but a part of me wishes it did.
Another part hopes never to go through it again. Of course that part is usually hit over the head with a Buick and then locked in a trunk and buried fifty feet under the ground with a skyscraper built on top of it.
Yeah, even my subconscious is violent. You should see what happens when I think about Legolas. It's definitely not pretty.
None the less, I'm making myself miserable. But what no one realizes, is that I'm putting that to good use.
With the very last of free time I have, I write. Or rather, been writing. Not just letting my story ideas float in my head, but putting them down, editing them, everything.
I'm surprised I still sleep.
I revised an old short story of mine.. Sent it to a local magazine. Start the rejection out small.
Instead, I was surprised to get a bite. Nice. It's slow going, but it does give me a bit of hope.
Everything made me realize, everyone has a story to live. A story to tell. Whether it's theirs or some one else's, it doesn't matter. You're a character in one massive story, and everyone's part matters, even the ones such as the nameless guy on the corner who sits on the bench and mutters in German.
Life is a never ending story. Rotating characters yes, but it never ends. It's an infinite loop and the best thing to do about it is to play your part how you want to.
Depresso girl I may be, but I'm still doing what I want.
At least.. Until I get this ring to work again.
I grinned at that silly thought.
Tomorrow is another day. I may not have Middle Earth, an Elf, a King, or a Dwarf with me, but I had the best thing of all.
Working plumbing.
******************
Ooh, more Author notes! Yup!
This ending was to just give Lacey a touch of closure in a way, after being home. Her life hasn't changed dramatically, maybe her outlook has, slightly, and her drive, but her life is virtually the same as always, with just an added bonus of a pretty ring and story she can't share.
In that end, as far I know, unless the plot bunnies deem otherwise, is the end of Lacey's story here.
------
Chapter 20D - Finale
I rubbed the back of my neck tiredly as I exited the building.
"You work tomorrow?" Rick, my coworker and one of my best friends, asked as he locked Pizza Hut's door.
"Nope." I shook my head. "You?"
Rick pocketed the keys. "Thankfully no. Going to spend the day watching Season 2 Buffy with Nic. What are you doing?"
"Avoiding Eric and his need to drag me to every party he can find." I rolled my eyes.
We started for the parking lot out back. "Well you have to give him credit, I mean, he's at least trying to cheer you up."
"Who says I need cheering up?"
Rick sighed, "Come on, Lacey, you know full well you've been odd the past few months. It's like one day you just decided to turn off the 'fun and insane' switch and revert to.. Well.." He waved a hand a me. "This."
My hands fell to my hips. "Excuse me? Is that an insult?"
"Of course not, It's just.. What happened? Nic says you don't say anything and James says the same thing. Everyone is worried about you."
I debated on snapping at him, but instead I put on my soft but believable faux smile. "It's a phase. Single gal blues. You know? I'll get over it, just need to focus on something new."
"New?" Rick shook his head. "Lacey, all you've done for the past three months is take a bunch of night classes."
"Not night classes." I said defensively. "Okay, there are, but they're self defense. I mean, it doesn't hurt to take those. Keep in shape, learn martial arts, it's neat."
"The fencing class?"
"It's not just fencing." I muttered. "It teaches all sorts of sword play."
"Uh huh. The Tolkien classes at school?"
"Embracing my inner fangirl."
We stared at each other before snickering.
"That sounded.."
".. More wrong then it was meant to." I finished.
He shook his head. "Look, I'll drop it for now, but I'm warning you, Alsie and Nic are planning an intervention. Aims and Mav are even plotting to kidnap Orlando Bloom for it too."
I grinned. "Nu-uh. Aims is planning to kidnap Orlando for herself and we all know it."
"She's willing to share to snap you out of your funk." Rick laughed. "Do you need a ride home?"
I pointed to my raggedy jeep in the lot. "Got it covered tonight. Picked my car up yesterday." I shoved him lightly. "Look, I'm fine. I will be fine. Tell everyone not to worry, okay? And tell Aims she better get pirate gear for Orlando before the intervention."
Rick shook his head as he headed for his car, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter.
With a smile for a effect, I turned around to my own car with an inward sigh.
Yeah. I'm fine.
----------
I threw myself onto my bed after I finished cleaning up. I'd been home for a couple months. Still had my ring.. It mocked me when I looked at it.
God I was depressed.
I admit it, it's my own fault, really. I could have just thrown myself into making myself happy, and in a way, I've tried. Taking all those classes may cause me to go broke and kill what little free time I have, but I do enjoy them.
Problem is, I know I'm partly doing it.. Just in case.
In case of what?
A repeat Mary Sue event.
Oh, I know it won't happen, but a part of me wishes it did.
Another part hopes never to go through it again. Of course that part is usually hit over the head with a Buick and then locked in a trunk and buried fifty feet under the ground with a skyscraper built on top of it.
Yeah, even my subconscious is violent. You should see what happens when I think about Legolas. It's definitely not pretty.
None the less, I'm making myself miserable. But what no one realizes, is that I'm putting that to good use.
With the very last of free time I have, I write. Or rather, been writing. Not just letting my story ideas float in my head, but putting them down, editing them, everything.
I'm surprised I still sleep.
I revised an old short story of mine.. Sent it to a local magazine. Start the rejection out small.
Instead, I was surprised to get a bite. Nice. It's slow going, but it does give me a bit of hope.
Everything made me realize, everyone has a story to live. A story to tell. Whether it's theirs or some one else's, it doesn't matter. You're a character in one massive story, and everyone's part matters, even the ones such as the nameless guy on the corner who sits on the bench and mutters in German.
Life is a never ending story. Rotating characters yes, but it never ends. It's an infinite loop and the best thing to do about it is to play your part how you want to.
Depresso girl I may be, but I'm still doing what I want.
At least.. Until I get this ring to work again.
I grinned at that silly thought.
Tomorrow is another day. I may not have Middle Earth, an Elf, a King, or a Dwarf with me, but I had the best thing of all.
Working plumbing.
******************
Ooh, more Author notes! Yup!
This ending was to just give Lacey a touch of closure in a way, after being home. Her life hasn't changed dramatically, maybe her outlook has, slightly, and her drive, but her life is virtually the same as always, with just an added bonus of a pretty ring and story she can't share.
In that end, as far I know, unless the plot bunnies deem otherwise, is the end of Lacey's story here.