~Special Event~

"Which one would look better on me?" I held up two dresses, "Black... or red?" Taking turns with each one, I spun around attempting to demonstrate their differences more obviously.

Looking over at him, I came to an abrupt halt, "Leo?"

"Huh, yeah? What?" He lifted his attention from a script he was currently studying.

"Are you even listening to me?"

"Oh sorry," He smiled, "I am now."

"Okay," I repeated my question, "I said, 'which one would look better on me?" I held up the first, "Black?" and then the second, "...Or red?"

"Umm," He rubbed his chin, considering the question as if it was a life threatening decision, "Does it matter?"

"Yes! The whole entire world is going to see me! Don't you want me to at least try to look like a model when you take me to this event with you?"

"Why would I want you to look like a model for the world? ...The world's not the one who has to date you." He winked at me, making sure I caught his joke, before burying himself back into his script.

"I know, I know," I sighed in desperation as I crash landed into the couch beside him, "Your right, but still..." I lifted the dresses in question from my lap, "I can't go in jeans. It's a fancy, special event thing, where everyone has to dress super nice. Plus, you and I both know I'm not a fan of wearing dresses, and I need an outsiders opinion. Sooo...!" I perked up and faced him, "P-l-e-a-s-e!?! Which one would  you like better on me?"

"Ugh! fine, I need a break from this anyway," Leaning back against couch, Leo closed the script. After having been studying it's tedious pages for hours, he had grown frustrated with it. He ran his fingers through his messy hair as he took a deep exasperated breath. Surrendering his full blown honest attention on me, he lifted his eyes to mine before he continued, "Alright, let me see."

"Yay!" I leaped up, bursting with excitement, "Okay..." I put on my best show girl act, "Black or red?"

   

Written By~Ally Elaine, Edited By~Madge   

~He Loves Me... Not~

"He loves me," I plucked a petal, "He loves me not," I pulled the second.

"I don't think you'll like the outcome."

I looked up and saw Leo standing in front of me, "Why not?"
"Because," He smiled, "These flowers have six petals... and you started with 'he loves me'." He paused smirking down at me, "Do the math."

I turned back to the flower, "He loves me..." the third petal fell from my fingers as I glanced back up at Leo, "He loves me not..." That was the fourth petal.

Kneeling down next to me, he plucked the fifth petal, "She loves me."

There was one more, a sixth petal.

I sighed realizing the horrible truth, he's right, the outcome was not going to be at all what I had hoped for.

But still he smiled and  pulled the sixth one, "I love her more."

Written By~Ally Elaine

~The Dream~

On our knees, we embraced. In this strange world of snow white trees and golden leaves, I wanted nothing else. But he whispered something I couldn't hear, and in that moment, I knew everything felt very wrong. He pulled away, and our embrace was broken. Like wind, he was gone. I tried to call for him, but my voice sounded strange and unfamiliar. It echoed quietly, barely leaving the surface of my lips. The leaves, painted in golden embers, blurred around me, and a new color, red, mixed into the world. Frightened, I tried to stand, calling for him again. But still, my voice was weak, and he did not answer. A ghostly movement up ahead sparked a glimmer of hope. I ran. The wind picked up my dress and my hair, cutting it into streaming ribbons of gold and red. His voice sounded from behind me, I stopped to look back. Scanning deep into the confusing world around me, I couldn't find him. I panicked. My voice echoed once more through the dancing trees. The only response I got, was from the waving leaves of this surreal world. Their vibrant colors burned brighter till they caught fire and drifted wistfully to the ground. Smoke billowed up as they continued to fall and disintegrate into piles of  hot ash. Soon the leaves had revealed a sky above, dark, and depressing. It felt as if he had abandoned me, in a decaying world, a world trying to pull me into its dark prison. I sank to my knees and cried. I was alone. Soon, the flames from the leaves crawled closer to catch fire on my dress. There was no escaping it, I was going to die. He had left me, he didn't love me. My heart was so broken in pain, I didn't try to stop the fire as it threatened to burn my skin. Through my tears, I whispered for him one more time. A hand touched my shoulder...

"Leo!" I opened my eyes and sat up in bed with a jolt. Shaking off the nightmare, it slowly faded into the walls of a dark room. Glancing to my side, I realized, Leo had been the one to wake me from my dreams' prison.

"What's wrong?" he asked me.

I covered my eyes and almost cried, relieved beyond words to see that the man of my dreams had been laying right there beside me.

"Oh Leo, it was terrible!" Tears swelled up and I sniffled, "Why did you leave me? I thought I was going to die! Why didn't you come back for me?"

"What?" He asked again as he shoved his blanks off, so he could come and sit up next to me, "What are you talking about? I'm right here!" I felt him place his hands on my shoulders attempting to comfort me.

"But I saw you! And then you were gone, and everything was on fire!"

"Oh, sweetie, I would never do that," He pulled me into his arms, "It was just a bad dream."

I wrapped myself around him, and climbed into his lap. Still frightened by the images that replayed in my head, I breathed in a shaky breath, and broke down into more sobs.

"Shhhh..." He ran his fingers through my hair, "If you were ever left alone in a scary situation, I would do anything to get you out of it."

"Really?" I pulled away slightly to look him in the eyes.

"Whoever was in your dream, wasn't me."

"It wasn't?" I reached up, and wiped away a tear that had streaked down my cheek.

"No. It wasn't." He leaned in and kissed my forehead, "Now, it's still very late. Why don't you try to lay back down, close your eyes, and think about good thoughts..." Gently, he laid me back down into the soft sheets of our bed.

I held back another sob, still not quite sure if I was ready to go back to sleep again.

"...Okay?" though he was asking me, it felt like a command, "Go back to sleep."

Then to my disappointment, he detached himself from me to lay down on his side of the bed. Making sure to cover us both with the blankets, he rolled over, turning his back to me.

In the darkness of our room, the dream replayed around me. Fire, smoke, abandonment. I struggled to close my eyes and think about something else, but my mind was permanently scarred. 

"Leo?" I whispered.

"Hmmm..." He mumbled half asleep.

"I can't sleep. What if... " I hesitated, "What if I have another bad dream?"

Rolling over to face me, Leo opened up his arms and smiled warmly, tempting me to approach closer.

Without hesitation, I accepted the invitation and snuggled deep inside his embrace. This time, the embrace was real, not a re-creation inside a nightmare.

"Is that any better?"

I nodded as his heat spread over me, it was much better. Satisfied to pieces beyond fear, I sighed as my eyes closed once more.

Giving me another kiss, he whispered, "Goodnight."

Written By~Ally Elaine, Edited By~Madge  

~The Scene~

I raised the gun, aiming carefully for the unsuspecting man who has been trying to hunt me down.

My hands shook with fear.

"Do it!" My partner whispered behind me, "Do it now!"

I suddenly felt even more unsure of what I was about to do, "But I've never killed anyone before!"

"Are you gonna let that stop you?" He urged me further, "This may be your last chance, if you don't kill him now, he's gonna kill you first."

"But I..."

"Do it!"

My fingers started to sweat, making the trigger slippery. I licked my lips nervously.

"What are you waiting for?!? Shoot NOW!"

Crying out, I finally pulled the trigger. The shotgun kicked as the bullet flew for its target. I tumbled back from the impact and fell into Leo's arms.

"CUT!!!" The director shouted from his seat of observation. "That was brilliant!"

Trying to get out of our awkward position, I smiled shyly at Leo.

Smiling back at me, he nodded, knowing I couldn't have done anything to prevent the situation.

"...But my Dear," The director continued, "You're not quite convincing enough. I need more from your eyes! Give me more of your eyes!"

Obviously, by the sound of things...we're going to be stuck doing this over and over again.

 "You're about to take a human life! Be struggling with yourself. I want to see you fight with your soul." He brought his fists up to his chest and attempted a frightened stare to demonstrate an internal struggle.

Finally able to gather myself to a stand, I brushed the dirt from my clothes and accepted the advice, "Yes sir."

"I know you can do it sweetheart. That's why I cast you," He smiled at me, "And you!" He pointed to my co-star, Leonardo DiCaprio, who had just managed to get himself back up on his feet, "That was good too, but I want to see you put your hands on her, be urging, but at the same time, comforting. You want to make her feel comfortable with what she's about to do. Cuz if she doesn't act fast, she's gonna die... in fact you BOTH might die."

"I understand what you're trying to say," Leo spoke up, "but... if you don't mind my suggesting, why doesn't my character just take the gun away from her and shot the guy himself?"

"Because, then it's not as dramatic!" Grinning from ear to ear, our director swung his arms out significantly and continued to exit off the set, "Take a lunch break kids!"

The spot lights overhead were turned off, and people carrying walkie-talkies and clipboards scattered about on various tasks.

"Ugh!" Leo ran his hands through his hair, "That guy is starting to get on my nervous. By the way, I actually thought you did a great job, considering this is your first day and all."

"Thanks." I smiled at him, "I wasn't sure my acting would look so good next to you, 'cuz you're like a professionally famous movie star," I glanced away embarrassed, "and I'm... you know, not."

"Yeah well, we all have to start somewhere, and practice makes perfect."

"Yeah, I guess."

"But practicing will have to wait, I'm starving, will you join me to eat lunch?"

"Are you kidding? Look who's asking me!"

He laughed and took my hand, "Come on then, we need to get in line before the crew does."

Overjoyed with my new friend, I screamed on the inside. This was going to be the best experience of my life EVER!

 

Written By~Ally Elaine, Edited By~Madge