Friday, August 5, 2011

Sweet Saturday Samples 08/06/2011

Sweet Sample, I decided to go with the football game from Immortal Embrace, I hope you all enjoy and don't forget Sunday is VOTING day for Immortal Embrace, just follow the big, red poster/button to the right. It will take you right to the sight for voting. Thanks for your support, can't wait to read all your comments.

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At the game, we score some great seats in the first few rows at centerfield, right behind the home team bench. We all enjoy football; it is a great contact sport. The excitement of attending my first high school game is building up in me, or maybe it’s just the excitement of seeing Nathanial again. We join the crowd as they jump to their feet and cheer while the team runs on the field, ripping through a big paper banner the cheerleaders have made for them with markers and poster paints. The entire team is hungry for the first win of the season, and the excited and screaming crowd is pumping the energy they need right their way. Nathanial leads the team to centerfield, and once again, he astounds me.
Feeling a dull poke in my side, I turn to find Danika elbowing me. “What?”
“He’s looking through the crowd for you. God I wish it were me he was looking for.”
Ignoring her later statement I look up at him, and then, out of nowhere, he stops and drops his helmet right in front of me. His mouth is hanging open like a Saint Bernard staring at a steak. I don’t know how else to react so I just smile and wave, as my heart nearly leaps out of my chest.
He smiles back and mouths, “This one is for you, gorgeous!”
I can hear him breathing the words ever so softly above the crowd’s cheers. Keeping him at a distance is going to be harder than I ever expected. I am experiencing feelings I have never had before. I feel giddy about Nathanial’s reaction to me tonight and excited to watch him do what he is so passionate about, what he loves. I have such a feeling of confidence and pride, and it seems Wenham is giving me a sense of security that I haven’t felt in decades.  I even feel like it may be okay to let Nathanial in, at least a little. That way, I can keep an eye on him and make sure he remains safe. I am overly protective of him, even though I cannot explain it. Can it be true? Could he be the one? We only met last month. Is that what they mean about love at first sight? About finding your soul mate? No, it couldn’t be. I do not want him to be a part of this. I want nothing more for him than a long and happy life, free from danger, secrets, and drama. Why does he confuse me so much? I have never experienced such conflict within myself before.
Constance whispers, “It’s meant to be, my dear. If you fight it, things will just be worse. This is what he wants as well.”
Once again, Alexander shares my thoughts with the others. “How can he want this? He does not even know what this is!” I reply.
“He will,” she confirms.
“I see it, too, Sophia. Your souls match perfectly, like no match I have ever seen before” Matilda adds.
I sigh and turn to watch the game, but in spite of all the action on the field, the sidelines and in the stands, I mostly watch Nathanial. I can’t help wondering if my family could be right, if Nathanial really is my soul mate. Are we meant to be together? I just can’t understand how he could ever want this. I would not wish this kind of existence on anyone–and that’s all it is...an existence and not any kind of life.
“The game is going great,” Isaac observes.
Everyone is excited as the halftime whistle blows. The halftime show begins, and in the backdrop behind the band and the cheerleaders, the bright orange numbers on the scoreboard shows that our team is up by fourteen points.
“Wow! Those cheerleaders are really good,” Alexander says with a sadistic smile.
“Are you kidding me?” Matilda smacks him upside the head.
We all chuckle and Alexander jokes, “Come on, darling. We have been together over a hundred years, and you still get jealous. How cute.”
“My love, there is a difference between jealous and annoyed,” she smirks. “It is a thin line of course, but it may be a line you want to avoid walking on.”
Florence shakes her head. “I don’t know about you two, but can we please just enjoy the rest of the game?”
In less than an hour, the game ends, and our team is victorious by thirty points. This is just what Wenham High needs for its morale.
“I can’t believe Nathanial made five touchdowns! He was on fire tonight!” I exclaim, bursting with unbridled excitement and pride.
The entire crowd starts chanting his name, “Nate! Nate! Nate is great!” as the other players parade him around on their shoulders. The local newspapers are snapping pictures and preparing for interviews.
I am so happy for him and the team. He looks even better than he usually does, if that is even possible. Nathanial is so happy and excited, and his eyes are sparkling with joy. I never imagined they could shine so brightly, but as he looks at me, his eyes light up like bright blue shooting stars dancing across the sky. I stand next to my family as we all watch this magnificent man who is hailed a hero by his teammates and the onlookers. But I can’t let him in, and this is going to be one of the hardest things I have ever faced.
“And we will all be here with you, sis.” Alexander wraps his arm around my shoulder. 
The team parades in front of us. Nathanial pats the shoulders of his teammates to put him down. I watch as he pushes his way through the crowd and runs up to me. He wraps his arms around my waist and swings me around. I melt into his strong sweaty arms.
When he finally places my feet ever so gently back on the ground he kisses my forehead and with his index finger lifts my chin up ever so slightly so I am looking right at him, right into him, and he into me.  “You are my lucky charm, you know. Now I can never let you go.” He smiles.
“I doubt that,” I reply.
“I gotta hit the showers. Will you wait for me?”
“I wish I could but I have plans with my family tonight, and they’re kinda important. I’m so sorry, Nathanial. I wish I could help celebrate your victory.” I pout, knowing once again I am not being fully honest. We need to be clear headed for tomorrow, so I do not want to cloud myself with Nathanial.
“No worries gorgeous. It won’t be the same without you there, but maybe we can catch up on Monday,” he suggests.
“Until Monday then...and congrats. You were amazing out there tonight.”
“Aw, it was nothing. I was just showing off for a pretty girl.” We both chuckle, and he gives me another hug and runs off to the dressing room to take of his pads.
This is it. Every time I see him, I let him in a little more. I can’t fight it much longer. 


6 comments:

  1. I enjoyed the enegergy and atmosphere in this scene, and the woven conflict has me wanting more.

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  2. Thank you Sherry, I appreciate your feed back.

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  3. Nice details about the excitement - I remembered watching school football games from this post! :-)

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  4. I voted for you. :D
    Good luck. x

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  5. Thank you Meg, where I grew up football is no big deal and the towns don't support high school sports like in the US. I wrote this scene based on what I thought it would be like in the US, so your comment reassures me that I did okay :)

    Becky, thanks for the vote...and I will e-mail you soon.:)

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  6. I'm amazed that you have no experience of high school football games in the U.S., because this was spot on! Thanks for sharing it.

    Marsha Ward
    Writer in the Pines

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