Chapter Five

“Hey, you okay?”

Dom turned—Chance had approached, leaning against the lockers with a quizzical expression he found unnerving. “I… Yeah,” Dom shrugged. “Why?”

Chance had known Dom since kindergarten—the act wouldn’t work. Dom had been weird all day, and he wasn’t about to let that slide. “You’re out of it.”

Dom shut the locker, looking to his friend with confident eyes, even as unease slid into his gut. “I…” He almost said—I’m going to talk to Damion because I like him, and I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing, but I can’t stop thinking about him and I want to kiss him again and— “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Christine slipped out of the flow of people, startling him. Why did she have to show up now?

“Hey, Chris,” he greeted.

“Hey,” she smiled, slipping her hand into his. “You coming Spanish Club after school today?”

He smile apologetically. “Can’t, sorry. I have plans.”

Chance challenged, “Plans?”

A hiatus ensued during which Christine and the jock awaited an answer and Dom fought to find an excuse. “Uh… yeah…” He really didn’t want to lie more than necessary. He also didn’t want them to know who and what his plans entailed for fear of the reaction. “I just… I gotta help James. He needs help with English.”

Chance obviously didn’t believe him.

Christine did. “Okay…” Brightening slightly, she tried, “I can’t wait for this weekend!”

“Why?”

“Oh, don’t play dumb with me.”

Truly confused, Dom looked to Chance, who shrugged. He turned back to her, shrugging too. “I’m supposed to be remembering something?”

“Silly goose,” she beamed, “It’s our six month anniversary on Saturday!”

Damn. “Of course—just testing you.”

She gave her boyfriend a knowing smile, squeezing his hand. “Sure you were.” Dom shifted uncomfortably—she looked so much like Damion, with her black hair and eyeliner. Only Damion was sexier, and an even better kisser. Dom wondered if Damion had ever kissed anyone besides him before.

The one minute bell rang.

“Oh gosh!” Christine jumped, “I’m gonna be late. Bye babe!” She kissed him quickly, then ran off down the hallway. Watching her go, seeing the swing of her hips and the cascade of ebony hair, Dom briefly wondered—when had she become so unappealing?

Chance saw the look of almost sorrow in Dom’s eyes and couldn’t help the indignation flaring in her chest—something was wrong, he knew Dom too well for the lies to work. Something was up, and Dom wouldn’t tell him; but he needed to get to class. “See you later, man.”

Dom seemed to snap out of something, glancing over. “Yeah. See ya.”

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Well, Mr. Flood, we have not met like this in a long time; and many a change has come to both of us.
-Mr. Flood’s Party
Edward Arlington Robinson

There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.

-W. Somerset Moaugham
“People can lose their lives in libraries. They ought to be warned.”

-Saul Bellow

It definitely belongs somewhere! I’m amazed at how vast the internet is anymore, and how many wonderful things are out there. Pinterest has quickly become one of my favorite sites because I can see all the things I and my friends find interesting laid out in a visual way. And if you see something you like, it’s just point-and-click: voila, it’s on your board! And easy for me is a plus. Facebook scares me away sometimes with its vortex of required user knowledge…

Pinterest is rather addicting, though, so be warned. I just lost an hour and half going down the rabbit hole, but my inspiration board is already covered with evocative paintings and quick quotes. It suites my creatively scatterbrained personality perfectly!

My Pinterest Boards: pinterest.com/amaranthmercy

That’s right! Drown, my “New Adult” romance, is finally finished. I’ve been working on it in spurts since 2005, but only got the motivation to do a final edit and rewrite of the first chapter at the encouragement of my wonderful fiance. I’m now working on query letters and publication research! It’s quite an adventure, but I’m excited to step into the publishing world. Honestly, after working on my manuscript that long… It’s was a bit of a sad feeling, finishing it. The characters have become my friends, but I know I won’t have to say goodbye to their creation just yet. I’ll get to spend lots of time in the editing process once it is accepted by a publisher! (Or, if I choose to self edit, once I send it off to a freelance editor!)

Which leads me to my next major change: I’m officially a freelance editor myself! I started with a gig on Fiverr back in November, and since then I’ve edited several creative fiction pieces, and lots of web content. I’m not making enough money to quite my day job, but at least it pays the utility bill, right? Check out my new editing blog, Amaranth Editing. It’s still in the newly created stage, but I hope to eventually have lots of book reviews, writing tips, and weekly vocab posts. I’m so excited to be able to use my experience in writing to help other writers grow, and learn from them as well!

I mentioned my fiance… He has been busy, too! He’s recently begun developing an online store to sell his artwork through Zazzle.com. Pirate Crown is for the swashbucklers out there (I have my eye on the Pirate Lord travel mug!) and Atlantean Arts is his latest project, art developed around the idea of antiquity and the magic of the ancient world. His beautiful first design for Atlantean Arts is INVICTUS, or “unconquerable” in Latin. The colors are breathtaking.

I’m so proud of him, I had to share!

And so, 2011 went out with bang. I’m excited for what the new year will bring. I’m hoping to be back on my usual post schedule of one a week–or more!–and continue developing my editing blog and work on my next project: finishing Shadow & Flame. Because that’s what’s wonderful about writing: when one story ends, there’s always another one to tell!

Many regards,

Amaranth

“Attention, class,” Mr. Vito spoke up, “Let’s get started.” Things quieted down, and the snarling voices of Damion’s headphones ended abruptly. “Now you all know we’re starting our Roman unit—an important chapter in history.” He retrieved a large folder from his desk, opening it and producing a paper. “The first thing is to assign you new unit comrades. Every activity that requires a partner will be done with your comrade. And no trading,” he added, glancing at several previous offenders. “The point of this is to expand your horizons and build teamwork. I’ve already made the list, so don’t even bother requesting a change.”

Same old story, Damion knew. They’d gotten this speech before, and people still tried to switch partners. There was no use fighting it—last time Damion got stuck with Joey Hays, the brain. He mostly ignored Damion and did all the work himself, which was fine as far as the goth was concerned.

“Brad Bell and James West,” Vito began. “Ashley Baker and Jessica Stanford.” Vito always assigned it boy-boy girl-girl to avoid drama. Damion found it amusing.

“Dom Sal and Damion Adrik.”

Damn, Damion thought. Now he was stuck with pretty-boy hero. Fantastic. Freaking fantastic.

Mr. Vito finished reading the list, then replaced the paper in favor of his class. “Remember, the point of comrades is to learn more about someone you might not otherwise interact with. Right now I want you to find your partner and get to know them. By the end of ten minutes you should be able to tell me their full name, favorite band, color, ice cream, and…”

“If they’re single or not,” offered James. He obviously wanted a chance to use one of his infamous pick-up lines on the blonds a row over.

Vito didn’t notice. “Why not? So that’s band, color, ice cream, and if they have a significant other. Ten minutes—go.” James rose, smacking Damion up the backside of his head before leaving, smirking confidently to himself.

Damion grunted angrily before turning with reluctance to find Dom with that heart-winning smile plastered across his face. “Start talking.”

Dom winced at the anger in Damion’s voice, but only paused momentarily. “Well, my favorite band would have to be Switchfoot. Color… red or blue… Cookie dough ice cream, and I have a girlfriend, Christine.”

He had a girlfriend, Damion scoffed. Of course he would. “Marilyn Manson, black, vanilla, single,” he rattled off.

“Marilyn Manson?”

‘Marilyn Mason,” he snapped. “Got a problem with that?”

“No…”

Damion said nothing further. Dom tried again. “I’ve heard Good Charlotte on the radio sometimes. I liked it.”

“You would.”

“…Do you like just heavy metal, or…”

“Yes.”

“Oh…” He considered mentioning activities—church, football, pep rallies, clubs, anything. Then he realized Damion didn’t do any of those. In fact, he didn’t really do much of anything, at least that Dom knew of. Reverting to the only option left, he asked, “What’s the design, on the back of your neck?”

Damion’s gaze turned to ice, but he did not respond.

The pair remained in an awkward silence while the groups around them chattered on. The girls in the next row guffawed at each other’s ex-boyfriends, giggling and gawking. Damion hated women, and it showed; for the first time, Dom pondered this—no one else in all of Marcella High seemed so disinterested in the opposite sex. The jock made a mental note to check around and see who he hung out with. Damion was too attractive and dark not to have some sort of admirer. Maybe not a girlfriend, but definitely an admirer.

“Alright everyone! Quiet down!” Vito called. “Time for your first comrade assignment.” The classroom went reasonably silent. “You and your partner are to watch a movie based on the happenings in ancient Rome. I have already selected your movies, and also have the copies from the school library. Your movie must be watched by next Wednesday.”

A chorus of “What?” “That’s less than a week!” and “Hell, no!” resounded. Mr. Vito smiled in turn.

“I know it’s less than a week, but I am fully confidant you’ll find time—I’m giving you a weekend.” He moved to a stack of movies. “Every movie has a list of questions, synopsis and analysis. You must watch the movie with your comrade, because on Wednesday I’ll have a quiz drawn up of the exact same questions—you’ll have to answer with what you and your partner discussed. If your answers don’t match up, points will be docked.” This caused dissension, but the graying teacher simply began passing out the movies. “You have another five minutes to discuss logistics with your comrades.”

Eventually Mr. Vito reached the pair of boys, handing over Julius Caesar along with the promised list of questions. Inscribed on a sticky note attached to the case were the words, Adrik, do well on this—one more F and you’re gone, in Vito’s concise print.

Damn—now he couldn’t blow it off. As much as this class sucked, he needed the credit to graduate. And the thought of another year in this hell made his stomach turn. Turning to Dom, he stated dryly, “I’m free whenever.”

Dom nodded. “I’m really only free tonight, with the pep rally tomorrow and the game on Saturday, then church on Sunday and—”

“Tonight’s fine.” Damion wondered what it was like to be that busy; he didn’t ever really do anything. “We could do it at my place. There’s a TV in my room, with surround.”

Dom agreed, wondering what it was like to be that rich; he didn’t even own a DVD player.  “Um… I don’t have a car. Do you think you could pick me up?”

Damion paused. It was a twenty minute drive from his house into town, and the extra distance to the Charity Housing would make it a forty minute drive both ways. “Come with me right after school. It’s easier.”

“Sure. I’m not doing anything. Coach gave us the night off.” And Dom knew his parents wouldn’t even notice the absence. “Where should I meet you?”

“Out back. It’ll save your reputation.” Damion didn’t try to stave his sarcasm.

Dom’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“Do you really want to be seen getting a ride anywhere with the cocksucking Freak?”

“Look, I’m sorry—”

“Front or back?” he insisted. He wanted no apology, especially from Dom.

And the jock knew it. “Fine—front.”

With a snarl, Damion conceded, “Hell, it’s your reputation.”

But the artist, and in particular the novelist, in his essence wishes neither to explain nor control nor understand the universe. He wants to make one of his own, and may even aspire to make it more orderly, meaningful, beautiful and interesting that the one God turned out. What’s more, in the opinion of many readers of literature, he sometimes succeeds. -John Barth

Where is human nature as weak as in a bookstore?  -Beecher

Peter Jackson definitely has his finger on the pulse of Middle Earth. With every new release, I fall deeper in love with his vision of the Professor’s world.

The Hobbit – New Line Cinema

Books, like proverbs, receive their chief value from the stamp and esteem of the ages through which they have passed.
-Sir W. Temple

English usage is sometimes more than mere taste, judgement, and education–sometimes it’s sheer luck, like getting across the street.
-E.B. White

Excerpt from Masquerade, NaNoWriMo 2011

His companion came to stand beside him, eyes turned towards the pattering rain on concrete. “Do you really believe that?” the other asks. “That the world can know?”

He turned slightly; his companion’s skin looked pale in the grey light. “Absolutely. Where else would the secrets be kept?”

An excerpt from Masquerade, NaNoWriMo 2011