Part Two: Renaissance: Jewel’s Story
“Throw me out of the house. Damn Grandma…what’s the big deal? So I read your diary. It’s not like I didn’t know. I heard the gossip for a long time about Josh. I got it enough at school and around town, that “bastard kid of the bastard.” Mom kept quiet about it, said to let it go, but I knew. I really knew. Straight from the old biddy herself.”
Walking in the rain, Jewel was talking to herself. Parents all over told their kids to keep away from her, that that family was no good. Jewel was trouble, had been since she was little, a good one to be avoided. She had heard all of this second or third hand, and a few times right to her face, first hand usually followed by a slap, punch, pinch or a trip by an outstretched foot.
Jewel took her time, walking aimlessly around Renaissance. She was drenched and really did not care. Her long brown hair hung limp around her face, mascara running, and her shift of a dress clung to her. The rain let up for a few minutes, which made her cold. Then it started all over again, this time harder.
“Hey, you!” a call from a storefront with a recessed door. “Get over here.”
Swearing to herself, Jewel stood her ground. “What do you want, Ella? I am not in the mood.”
“Shut up. You look like crap, thought you’d be better off in here.” Ella opened the door to her parents shop, lights dim inside but lit enough to show off the dresses most of the girls at school hoped for. She went inside, leaving the door open. Jewel followed, closing the door a little too hard.
“Hey. You break it, you pay for it. Here.” She threw a towel at Jewel that she had gotten from the store’s bathroom.
“Thanks.”
“You’re dripping all over the place. Go in the bathroom. Here.” Ella shoved a dress at her and pushed her, gently, towards the bathroom.
Jewel went in and locked the door. She took off her dress and underwear and toweled off as best she could. Pat drying her panties and bra, she put them back on, then the dress. It was the blue one that she had looked at in the window, often. It fit really well. She unlocked the door and went out.
“You look good,” Ella said, after giving her the once over.
“Thanks, but why are you doing this? You’ve always hated me.”
Ella shrugged. “Not hate. Just…I don’t know. Your family and mine. Never was any good together.” That sat for a few moments, neither of them talking. Jewel wanted to know why, but really, she knew, like she had known what happened to her grandparents. Ella’s family downplayed Prissy the murderer, Prissy the suicide, and made Grandma Cara and her family out to be the bad ones, to drive the shame away. It was all there, in her diary.
Jewel went over to the store window, putting her hand on it as the rain hit the glass. Ella came to stand by her. They watched it pour until it was time to close up the store.
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Join Us In The Rule of Three Writers Challenge BlogFest!
During October 2011, venture into the shared world of Renaissance (information below). You will create three characters set in that world: any genre, any time period. During the course of four weekly postings you will craft your tale where your three characters interact, or not, winding up in one great cumulative story. Each Friday, you will be given a set of prompts to move you along until you reach your climax. There is the chance to discover new writers, see a different side of ones you already admire, and hopefully have tons of fun doing this: you might also win some prizes. Click on the link above or the badge itself for the guidelines.
<a href=”http://wp.me/P1mecg-bV”><img src=”http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z451/Jc_Martin/RuleofThreeshield.jpg” alt=”REN3″ width=”200″ height=”200″ /></a>
Grab this code for the badge created by the wonderful Portia Burton, Concept by the equally wonderful Lisa Vooght
The Rule of Three Writers Challenge is being c0-hosted by myself and:
Lisa Vooght Damyanti Biswas JC Martin
Please check them out.
Tale Spinning 
You are a great storyteller Stuart..every line you write takes me to a different world.
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Wow. Thank you so very much. I really do appreciate this. When we actually hit October, I have a very different story to tell in Renaissance.
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Secrets within the generations, old feuds – like it 🙂 Hmmm..is the blue dress significant? Don’t tell!
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thanks Li. Yeah, the blue dress has a meaning..but, won’t open it until either the next chapter or the culminating story. Just remember: everyone has a secret.
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