The instruction for Day 5 of the 30-Day challenge reads:
[ Brief: Your character has a date but decides not to show up. Your character believes
he has a very good reason for this decision (you decide the reason). But
your character's date is furious and decides to make your character sorry… ]
Wednesday 8:30pm
Ben and Cynthia had a date for Friday night. They pre-arranged to meet at the northern entrance of the local football stadium for the game between the home team the Golden Arrows and the Silver Aces from the next-door province which was due to start at 8:30
“Cynthia,” Ben had chanted over the phone on Wednesday evening, “I am so grateful that you are also keen to go to the match. It is billed as the match of the season, not to be missed. It really means a lot to me that you will accompany me. I’ll get the tickets after work and then meet you not later than 7:30 at Gate number 7 on the northern side of the stadium near the station, Ok? Oh, and be sure to wear something warm and woolly, the forecast is for clear but very cold weather.”
Cynthia so desperately missed the words of endearment that any girl would like to hear. A darling, or something about love, a precious, anything other than grateful, or meaning a lot, or accompany me. Nevertheless, this was an opportunity to get out into the social circle, especially as her date Ben was well-liked by the guys and popular with the girls.
* * * * * * *
Saturday 5:00pm
Ben has just climbed out of the shower and preparing to get ready for the football match to-night. This will be a swell occasion, especially considering that he’d managed to get complimentary tickets to the team hospitality suite. Real special, as Ben knew many of the team members and reserves. Real special, as this date would really impress the Cynthia bird, and she could be a huge publicity agent for him among the girls on the social scene.
Ben lies flat on his back on the bed in his bachelor pad, looking out over the bay. He really was a lucky guy, he thought to himself. But, he mused, he was worth it.
The telephone rings. Probably that Cynthia bird, with some sort of damn-fool question again. He rolls over the bed and retrieves the latest mobile from the bedside table, “Ellooow, Ben here.”
“Hi Ben, darling,” the sweetest voice he’d heard for many a day, “You won’t know me, but my name is Celeste. My older brother is Hiram Graham who plays for the Golden Arrows. You know him, not so?”
“Naturally, Celeste, I know most of the regular boys on the team,” Ben exaggerated. He recalled that Hiram had been the fellow who had organised his complementary tickets.
“Well, Ben darling, I was just wondering…. I was just wondering whether we couldn’t perhaps go to tonight’s game together… as a… you know… as a couple.”
It was coming back clearly to him now. Celeste was the blonde number who’d been junior drum majorette leader, and had subsequently won a string of beauty and personality contest. She had also graduate from college a few years earlier cum laude. She was more than a pretty lass, she could do intelligent conversation as well.
“Celeste, just hold on a moment. I need to turn the telly down, so’s I can hear you properly,” Ben desperately needed to buy some time at a discount from the wholesalers, as he muted the phone. Cynthia or Celeste? Celeste or Cynthia? Both were pretty girls, both… But was Cynthia capable of stringing more than three words together? He had never yet had any intelligent discussion with her.
He un-muted the phone, “Hi Celeste, that’s better, now I can hear, thanks. What were you saying before the line broke up?”
“I was wondering whether we might go to the game together to-night?”
Celeste or Cynthia. He had already made the date with Cynthia. Could he simply just drop her for this blonde bombshell, the sister of a key player and hero in the local football team? Think quickly, Ben chided himself for indecision. It’s now or never.
“Sure, it’ll be my pleasure, I’d love to, Celeste. Shall I pick you up at… say around 7:30? That will give us tons of time to settle in before the game. Oh, and wear something warm and woolly… although we’ll be in the hospitality suite for most of the night…” Ben faltered a bit, his mind racing ahead, “so 7:30 at your place?”
Ben lay back, pleased at his “catch.” Cynthia? Hell he should do something about Cynthia.
* * * * * * *
Saturday 7:20pm
Outside Gate number 7 at the stadium, Cynthia stood waiting, watching the groups of people and couples, going through the turnstiles for the game. She kept her eyes peeled, looking down towards the car-park, where she would see her date arriving in the next few minutes. The gate was fairly wide, so that she needed to pay careful attention to the folk passing that line.
She was starting to feel a bit embarrassed at her alone-ness, but nevertheless keep looking out. Then her mobile started ringing.
“Hi Cynthia, darling, “Ben’s voice croaked over the phone. “Man, I’ve been down heavy with the flu since Wednesday morning. I’m still running a high temperature and the doctor says I should stay in bed until Monday or Tuesday.”
“So, our date’s off? I shouldn’t go to the stadium, then?”
“I’m afraid there’s no way I can even go outside, with this dose of flu, but I’ll make it up to you next time, perhaps. Ok, bye for now.”
Cynthia’s voice choked as she accepted the stand-up, “Yeah.”
She stood against the wall, her head a bit dizzy with anger. She tried to keep up the appearance of someone waiting for her date, rather than walking against the tide of oncoming spectators. She just waited and waited.
On the far side of the gate entrance, something strange caught Cynthia’s eye. A couple arriving from the car park, the guy wearing a distinctive red jacket and hood. She knew that outfit. It was… no, surely not, she struggled to accept the obvious.
On Ben’s left arm, was a shapely young woman with beautiful long blonde hair, “So, that’s what your flu looks like, Mr Smarty, you lying beast,” Cynthia said out aloud to herself. She struggled to fight back the tears from welling up in the corners of her little eyes.
She watched as the bright couple walked towards the turnstiles, entering at the point marked “Home Team Suite.” Then she recalled the name of the blonde on Ben’s arm, that was Celeste Graham, the celebrity drum majorette leader, or something.
As the couple disappeared into the stadium, Cynthia bit her lip had, fumbled for some cash in her purse and was in the stadium with enough time to spare for the start of the game. She really wanted to see the game, and had agreed to accompany Ben as a secondary aim. She wouldn’t let this two-timing liar spoil the match of the season for her.
As she stood up to stretch her long shapely legs at the half-time intermission break, a plan suddenly dawned on her. As many of the spectators were rushing down to the hamburger and drinks stands below, she scooted across the rows of seat and up to the VIP promotion suites, until she arrived at the staircase marked “Golden Arrows Promotions.”
Up the dozen or so stairs, and Cynthia reached the unguarded door. It was open. She strolled in and look at the few groups of VIP spectators sitting with their snacks and drinks. A waiter came over, to enquire if he could help.
“Won’t you please ask that gent in the red suit over their, next to Miss Celeste Graham, that I’m here to see him. Please, I’d appreciate it.”
Moments later, Ben strolled across to the door, with all eyes in the room on him.
Cynthia had made up her mind. She had decided that, despite the fact that others may disagree with her methods. She stood firmly in the doorway, spoke firmly without faltering in a clear loud voice, “So this is what the flu looks like, Ben?”
“This is the terrible condition,” walking across top a point near Celeste’s chair, “that caused you to have to lie to me as to why you were breaking off our date?”
She smiled briefly at Celeste, “Good luck with his lies, Celeste. Just take care.”
She walked carefully back to the door, turned around and addressed all present, “I am really sorry if I disturbed anyone. I trust you all will enjoy the second half of the match, as much as I will. Bye for now”
[ 1,485 words ]
[The brief for Day 6 of the 30-Day writing challenge reads: Write a story that includes: twins, a 12-layer cake, a house that seems to be haunted but isn't…]
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