Post by ALEX FAYE CHIU on Aug 25, 2016 20:59:24 GMT -8
documents and daisies
Alex didn’t notice how much time had passed or how many people were staring.
The incessant sound of shuffling papers kept her absorbed. She would have blended right in if sparks didn’t seem to practically fly from the nib of her pen. Her head hung low in concentration and she blocked out the layers of whispers that came from adjacent tables. A can of cold beer stood beside her. The secretary flicked through the next document in the folder: a parent-student handbook for Masquerade Academy. Detailed guidelines to maintaining a successful life at the school. She went through the index, underlining all the significant subjects. “More homework for tonight,” she murmured to the paper. Setting down her pen, Alex reached for her drink and swirled the contents before bringing it closer to her lips. Cheers. She slightly winced as the cold tingle passed through her throat. The girl couldn’t deny that cold alcohol was quite the refreshment in the afternoon.
The sky had pretty hues of violet and it was accompanied by a tranquil breeze. Mild sunlight filtered through green leaves, granting her—and most of the park—much welcomed warmth. The park itself had been frequented by Alex several times after her job had concluded. It was her favorite location solely because of its lush environment. In fact, it resembled more of a public garden than a park. Blossomed daisies and lilies added a needed splash of color to the scenery, dark green spattered with bright whites and yellows. Nowhere else had come as close to appealing to Alex as much as the park did and she tried it all: libraries, malls, community centers and even bars.
Bars. She shuddered at the thought of it.
Sticky counters and atrocious margaritas. Bored servers who obsessively checked away at their phones. Rude strangers who couldn’t take a damn hint. Not to mention the frequent spills that were half-heartedly wiped away by staff—who had obviously been tired of her face, of the sugared drinks, of the stupid uniforms and of the horrendous personalities that found themselves there…
Her musing abruptly ended as she heard the cries of children running around the fields. Great, she sighed as she snatched up her pen. The secretary began to scribble notes onto the paper in front of her before sighing profusely once more.
She didn’t need to, but Alex chose to finish up the work she was given that day instead of letting it spill over to the next. She’d planned to make something out of her weekend: travel to places she’d never been, taste deserts she’d never tasted and get out of the shell she made during her time at Brookings. Maybe she would even dress prettily (compared to the gray sweater and blue jeans she had worn today) as well.
After a few more minutes of writing, Alex stowed away the documents into the folder. She left the table—can in one hand, folder in another—and wandered around in a daze, exhausted from the extra work. Her day had almost been over, but the girl predicted a long night ahead of her. She almost considered going straight home until she stumbled across a blue swing set, which she had fancied quite a bit. It didn’t take long before she found herself on a swing, absentmindedly moving back and forth as her low-heeled shoes slid across the soil beneath her. It was definitely going to be a long night, but that didn’t mean she was barred from having a little bit of rest and relaxation.
The incessant sound of shuffling papers kept her absorbed. She would have blended right in if sparks didn’t seem to practically fly from the nib of her pen. Her head hung low in concentration and she blocked out the layers of whispers that came from adjacent tables. A can of cold beer stood beside her. The secretary flicked through the next document in the folder: a parent-student handbook for Masquerade Academy. Detailed guidelines to maintaining a successful life at the school. She went through the index, underlining all the significant subjects. “More homework for tonight,” she murmured to the paper. Setting down her pen, Alex reached for her drink and swirled the contents before bringing it closer to her lips. Cheers. She slightly winced as the cold tingle passed through her throat. The girl couldn’t deny that cold alcohol was quite the refreshment in the afternoon.
The sky had pretty hues of violet and it was accompanied by a tranquil breeze. Mild sunlight filtered through green leaves, granting her—and most of the park—much welcomed warmth. The park itself had been frequented by Alex several times after her job had concluded. It was her favorite location solely because of its lush environment. In fact, it resembled more of a public garden than a park. Blossomed daisies and lilies added a needed splash of color to the scenery, dark green spattered with bright whites and yellows. Nowhere else had come as close to appealing to Alex as much as the park did and she tried it all: libraries, malls, community centers and even bars.
Bars. She shuddered at the thought of it.
Sticky counters and atrocious margaritas. Bored servers who obsessively checked away at their phones. Rude strangers who couldn’t take a damn hint. Not to mention the frequent spills that were half-heartedly wiped away by staff—who had obviously been tired of her face, of the sugared drinks, of the stupid uniforms and of the horrendous personalities that found themselves there…
Her musing abruptly ended as she heard the cries of children running around the fields. Great, she sighed as she snatched up her pen. The secretary began to scribble notes onto the paper in front of her before sighing profusely once more.
She didn’t need to, but Alex chose to finish up the work she was given that day instead of letting it spill over to the next. She’d planned to make something out of her weekend: travel to places she’d never been, taste deserts she’d never tasted and get out of the shell she made during her time at Brookings. Maybe she would even dress prettily (compared to the gray sweater and blue jeans she had worn today) as well.
After a few more minutes of writing, Alex stowed away the documents into the folder. She left the table—can in one hand, folder in another—and wandered around in a daze, exhausted from the extra work. Her day had almost been over, but the girl predicted a long night ahead of her. She almost considered going straight home until she stumbled across a blue swing set, which she had fancied quite a bit. It didn’t take long before she found herself on a swing, absentmindedly moving back and forth as her low-heeled shoes slid across the soil beneath her. It was definitely going to be a long night, but that didn’t mean she was barred from having a little bit of rest and relaxation.
tags @open | 584 words | notes: meep!
MADE BY STOAT
