WRITING PRACTICE 10.19

Writing Practice for Creative Writing Class. Prompt: Two Romance Scenes and Character Profiles.

The outside was nearly black. The storm raged against the windows, whipping dust and anything else it could at the glass. Ruthie should have left hours ago, but she always has a good time with Terry. Her sister must be worried sick. 

“There’s no way I’m letting you go home in this,” Terry said. 

Ruthie didn’t object. She bit her lip, held her tongue, and hoped that God had a miracle up his sleeve. Terry Burnham could sense Ruthie’s unease, but he himself was quite happy. Terry Burnham, as everyone in their little Kansas town knew, was so madly in love with Ruthie that he was ready to propose any minute. The only problem was that Ruthie didn’t know and Terry had no idea about her own feelings. Ruthie was sweet to everyone, always laughing and bubbling. He had no clue if her giggles and sentiments were sincere, or simply a courtesy. 

“You can stay the night here. I’ll sleep on the floor. I have some extra blankets. You can go home in the morning if the storm has calmed down.”

“Terry,” Ruthie said, “I am not letting you sleep on the floor.” 

Of course, she would argue with him on this. Ruthie O’Connell, the nicest and most beautiful girl in all of America was not going to go down without a fight. She always puts people before herself, but for once, Terry needed her to go first. 

“Ruth, I don’t mind. You’re a guest in here; guests get the bed.” 

She frowned at that, her brow furrowed. He could tell she was thinking, but chivalry was too burned into Terry’s bones. This was going to have to be a brawl of words if Ruthie wanted to win. She knew she couldn’t. With a sigh, she walked over to the bed, dramatically flopping onto it. It squeaked in protest. The storm raged on outside, filling the silence between the two. She messed with her lip, biting at it. She sat up with a look on her face that Terry couldn’t decide if he liked or not. 

“What if we share? The bed is plenty big, it’s alright.” 

Terry’s mind went blank. Is she insane? Do you know how upset her sister will be when she finds out that Ruthie spent the night in his bed? As if she read his mind, Ruthie continued. 

“It’s just for the night. This isn’t a normal situation and I don’t feel comfortable with you sleeping on the floor and you won’t let me sleep anywhere else. Here is a compromise.”

And what a compromise it was. Terry’s heart was beating faster than the horses at the races he watched with his parents. He was thankful for the storm for once that night, knowing that it masked the sound. He had to clear his throat before saying:

“Alright.”

He’s an idiot. He should have argued again and told her about how good boys and good girls don’t share beds. He should tell her how intimate that is, how it’s not what normal people do. Only couples share beds, married people. But she looked so sweet, so earnest. Her smiling was blinding at the response and Terry could feel his heart give out. 

He gave her some pajamas, left over from his sister who visits every once in a while. He let her have her privacy but knew upon entering that he had made a grave mistake. She had undone her hair and the red locks cascaded down her back and over her shoulders. She looked so gentle here, the candlelight doing nothing to help. Terry took a breath. He’d have to burn those clothes after tonight. There’s no way he’d be able to see them again without picturing Ruthie here, right now, in this moment. 

“I know, my hair is a mess,” she said, fiddling with it. He must have stared for too long. He didn’t mean to make her insecure. He loved it, wanted to run his hands through it, and wondered how soft it truly was. 

“No, I’ve just never seen it down. It’s nice, you look beautiful.” 

Her face turned red at that and she looked to the ground. It was too far, dammit. She was going to yell at him and tell him that he’s disgusting and yell until Terry can’t take it anymore and-

“Thank you,” she said. 

Oh. 

Terry nodded, not trusting his voice at this moment. He slowly came forward, grabbed his own clothing for the night, and left the room. When he returned, Ruthie was already nestled into bed, into his bed. It was a sight he knew he could never forget. This was it—true bliss. He knew he loved Ruthie but right now, it was like he fell all over again. It burst at the seams and he wanted to grab her hand and shout to the high heavens about how much. 

But she looked at him, a kind smile on her face, and he knew she was too good for him. He joined her, gently pulling back the covers, as if not to spook, and settled in. 

“Goodnight, Terry. Thank you,” she said. 

“Goodnight, Ruthie. Sleep tight,” he returned. 

She blew out the light. He stared at the ceiling until his eyes adjusted and her breathing evened. Then, he allowed himself to look at her. The red hair pooled on the pillow around her. She slept on her side, almost curled into herself. He wanted to hold her, wanted to guard her from more than the storm outside. He wanted to keep her and ensure that the life she gets is what she deserves. 

And so, he watched her sleep, making sure no nightmares came. He watched the rise and fall of her chest. He watched how she curled the blanket under her chin. She shifted once in the night, inching closer to Terry and he held his breath, scared that his rapid heart would wake her. But it didn’t. She slept on. 

Terry didn’t sleep a single wink. 

***

There is a rare kind of euphoria that one experiences at the highest point of happiness as if you extend across multiple planes of existence at once. It’s the feeling that comes when you exit the theater after a really good movie, bubbling with excitement and emerging from the world that you had just spent the past two hours existing in. It comes with the Fourth of July fireworks, having everyone around you in a hivemind of awe and contentedness. You’ll feel it when you’re driving down long roads at night, seemingly alone beside the occasional car and your best friend in your passenger seat, both of you screaming lyrics that you barely remember to songs that you used to know by heart. 

He first saw her when she was walking home from classes, walking slow enough for her sister to keep up. Ruthie smiled at Terry, shifting her books to one arm to give a small wave. It was nothing, just a common courtesy, but it ignited something within me. Marilyn just stared, her gaze cold and unforgiving, as if she knew what her sister had done to him. 

Terry rode my bike home as fast as he could, thighs shaking from exertion. He nearly wiped out on the steps in his hurry to get to his tree. He climbed up the worn-down ladder, not caring about the creaks and moans of the old wood. Terry grabbed his journal, the one he reserved for Momma. She had left a long time ago, but he wrote her every day, just in case she came back and he was too excited to remember what he needed to tell her about. 

She had the prettiest eyes I’ve ever seen, Momma.

She had me smiling, just thinking about it. 

You would love her, Momma. You’d say, “Now that’s a good one, Terry. You better not lose that one, Terry.” And I won’t Momma, I won’t. I swear it. You’ll come back one day and you’ll have some grandkids to come home to. And they’ll have her eyes. Her blue eyes. 

It took me three days to find out her name. 

“That’s Ruthie,” a kid who went by Hoggs said, “She’s the pretty one. Marilyn’s her sister. She’s scary.”

And boy, was he right. Ruthie glowed, her curly red hair bouncing in the sunlight. Her freckles stood out upon her rosy cheeks and her blue eyes twinkled like they do in the fancy movies. Marilyn just scowled, her pale skin and brown hair dull. She stayed in her sister’s shadow and looked like she belonged there too, with no life to her at all. But, wherever Ruthie went, Marilyn wasn’t far behind. It reminded me of the Peter Pan story my Momma used to read to me, but his shadow seemed to be nice and fun. Marilyn was just a pain. 

He managed to ask Ruthie out for milkshakes after twenty-six days. 

We’re getting milkshakes, Momma. I asked her and she said she’d meet me at the shop. I offered to let her ride on my handlebars and have me pick her up like a gentleman, but Marilyn didn’t like that idea. So we’re meeting there instead. Marilyn is staying at home for once, which I am more than pleased about. I hope we share a milkshake-like they do in the movies. 

They didn’t end up sharing a shake, but it was worth it. Ruthie giggled at all of Terry’s stutters, her voice sounding like an angel’s in his head. The price of two shakes was worth it. He’d gladly heft up some extra coins for her strawberry shake if he gets to sit next to her, all alone, for another hour or two. She even looked cute when she had a brain freeze. The shopkeeper advised her to stick her tongue to the roof of her mouth and Terry may have died a little inside; her cute scrunched-up face was the nail in the coffin. 

She had left him with a kiss on the cheek. Terry nearly had a heart attack. 

She loves me! I just know it, Momma. She kissed my cheek. She hasn’t said it yet, but I could see it. I could feel it when she kissed me. It was all there like you used to talk about. The love! True love! It’s there. It’s real, Momma. I found it.

CHARACTER PROFILES

Ruthie O’Connell

Ruthie O’Connell is the most beautiful girl you’ll ever set your eyes on. She may be the prettiest in the small town in Kansas, but she’s the most gorgeous girl you’ll find in the state too. She’s always smiling, full and bright, with perfect teeth and a shimmer in her eyes. She has bouncy and perfect red hair, the type that you only see in famous movie stars like Rita Hayworth. She’s as bubbly as can be, always positive and acting like the sun shines out her very soul. Every man falls for her, though she’s too naive and kind to commit to anything. She’s the epitome of a dream woman, caring, compassionate, determined, smart, and stunning. She’s the true package, a gem found in the dirt of Oberlin, Kansas. Though she is so beautiful, she doesn’t ever see herself that way. She was an ugly duckling, quite ugly as a child, and the town wouldn’t let her forget it. She was bullied and made fun of for her freckles and red hair. She was too loud, too happy, and laughed too loud. She was an odd one out. With her hair, she stuck out like a sore thumb. But then, puberty came and she blossomed and every man forgot about how she was and instead wanted her as she is now.  She tries to be nice because she is desperate for good attention. She believes people flock to her because she is nice. Marilyn is her best friend, one who fiercely protects her sister. While Ruthie can pretend to forget the past and move on, Marilyn cannot ignore how her sister was treated and always watches over her to make sure that she doesn’t get taken advantage of. Ruthie, stuck in her world, doesn’t often notice how much Marilyn protects her. 

Terry Burnham

Terry Burnham has been in love with Ruthie since he can remember. As a dorky and lanky dude, he never saw himself as fit for a girl like Ruthie. He tripped over his feet on a good day and can’t ever get himself together enough to truly make a move. He thinks she’s perfect, almost obsessive over her. He keeps telling himself that he’ll act on his feelings one day when he’s older and hopefully fills into his height and has a successful job to afford the life she deserves. He wants what he can’t have, but then, those who wait too long will lose the opportunity. Terry comes from an odd family, one that provides for him enough to sustain him but doesn’t offer the other things needed to thrive (such as love and affection). He is on his own a lot, staying at school and the convenience store until he has to go home. His mother died when he was young, but he believes she’s still alive, just waiting to come back home. He writes to her and keeps up a rapport so that if she does come back, he’ll know exactly what to tell her and not forget a single thing. He likes to hang around Norman, the Sheriff. Norman loves him, begrudgingly, and treats him like his own son since he has none. Norman is the one who teaches Terry to “be a man” and offers what his father cannot. It is because of this that Terry grows up to join the police force, wanting to be a positive influence on others like Norman was to him. 

Marilyn O’Connell 

Marilyn is Ruthie’s older sister, only by a year. She always lingered behind Ruthie, acting almost like her shadow. Her pale skin was different than her sister’s rosy complexion. Her hair was dull and brown, straight and lifeless, unlike her sister’s. She was incredibly smart and observant. She kept her sister in line, not allowing anyone to use her kindness against her. They were best friends, but complete opposites. Marilyn was quiet and reserved, often overshadowed by her boisterous sister. If any boy was rude to Marilyn, it was over between them and Ruthie. Marilyn is Ruthie’s priority. Due to how Ruthie was treated when they were younger, Marilyn is fiercely protective of her sister. She has always been there for her, ever since they can remember, and nothing is going to stop, even though the dynamic has changed. Marilyn loves Ruthie because Ruthie brings light to her life. Marilyn is very pessimistic, hates the world, and doesn’t like people. Ruthie helps her to branch out, to make friends, and to see the good in the world. They have a completely symbiotic relationship, an almost scary codependency. Their happiness will fall apart if one leaves. Their parents are hard-working, but because of this, it’s often just the girls. They are each other’s best friends, their partners in crime. Marilyn behaves more as a mother to Ruthie than their own mother, teaching her and helping her learn basic things. Marilyn behaves much older than she is, acting like she is ten years older than Ruthie, rather than just two years. 

Julian Ianso

Julian Ianso is a dreamboat. He is the perfect man, quaffed and smart like any sweet girl would dream of. He’s from the city, having only come for the summer to visit family when he met and fell in love with Ruthie (almost like the Notebook). After that, he came every summer, much to Terry’s chagrin. Ruthie fell for him hard and fast, and he did too. There was no denying that these two were perfect for each other and so madly in love. They got engaged young when Julian graduated, right before he went off to college in the big city. Ruthie, still seventeen at the time, enjoyed flaunting her ring to all the girls at her school. Terry hated this and wanted Ruthie all to himself. 

Norman 

Norman is the Police Chief of Oberlin. He is like a surrogate father to Terry and his friends. When they grow up, they join the force and become his right-hand men. He was always the one to bust the kids when they were out boozing. They’d just get a scolding and an escort home. In a small town, he knows everyone and is such a kind, middle-aged man, that everyone loves him back. Norman never got married. He never had kids. He was too devoted to his job to allow anything in, or so he says. He is a broken man who thinks that by saving this town, he can make up for his bad past. He will never think he is a good person, no matter how hard he tries. The kids all adore him, and so does the town, but he will never see it like that. He won’t let himself. He doesn’t drink anymore, swore it off years ago. He lives alone with a dog-- a German Shepherd named Millie. She comes to work with him too and sleeps under his desk. She is the only true happiness for him. Norman doesn’t mind the boys that come in and hang out, but will never allow himself to see him as the father figure that they do. He tries to see the best in people, but will never do it to himself.