so i curated a brief playlist that follows the storyline of the novel i've been writing for almost a year. the vibe is sweet heartbreak and gay angst, so if you're ever feeling similarly... this is pretty on point.
"Let's make each other a promise." Agustina whispered and Charlie nodded timidly. "No one will know about us. We won't write to each other after we both go back home," The latina proposed. "but we will enjoy our time together to the fullest. I promise you, while we stay in this house, on this beach, while we are alone, this is a safe place. I'll be your safe place if you will be mine."
For the first time, Charlie knew exactly what she wanted to say and the words came easily to her.
"I'll be your safe place."
Knowing Charlie Kingsley, in any capacity, is already something to be proud of. No one that has met her lead the same lifestyle they did before she came into their life. Even long after she's gone. That's the beauty of her, I suppose. She bursts through you like lightning, with the power to either kill you or bring you back to life, and only to those lucky enough to be struck by her.
🎸 happiness, because this song is my spirit animal lol
And if you'd like you could do these too, I'm super indecisive so I couldn't shortlist oops. You don't have to do them all, I'm just horrible at choosing:
🌕 across our great divide, there is a glorious sunrise
📖 +📜 I'm curious
Congratulations on 700!!
u gave me a reason to go back and review some of what i already wrote for this novel which comes in really handy the day before camp nano starts SOO thank you so much ily <3 i dont have my guitar with me rn so i cant do the cover just yet, im sorry, BUT i can do this:
here’s a lil snippet of my work in progress “Swing By The Lake”. I’m really proud of how this scene turned out even though i put off writing it for the longest time because i hate writing sex scenes. it’s not an actual sex scene, but it pretty clearly leads to that. kindda weird that this is the first thing that you’re gonna read from me because i NEVER write sex scenes but whatever it’s actually pretty significant to the plot because it’s the start of Charlie realizing how much she actually cares for Agustina which is just... *sigh* perfect
things u should probably know before this: charlie is a 17 y/o girl who’s vacationing in this beach town where she met Agustina, a 21 y/o photographer from Argentina who is also on a trip in this beach town. they’ve been hanging out at the cliff of the hill that separates each other’s houses for most of the summer, both at sunrise and sunset because that’s just what people do in the argentine provinces and its also romantic af. it also kindda fits the feeling of your writing prompt so its a win win! i hope you enjoy this :)
~ i’m celebrating reaching 700 followers!! so if u want to, you can send me some of these and ill do my best to create something cool for you! ~
Charlie opened her eyes after what felt like a few seconds. The room was still dark, but she was restless. Looking out the window, the moon shined full and bright over the still ocean. In a split second decision, she grabbed a sweater before heading down to the beach.
With her shoes on her hand, she walked along the shore. The water ran up to her calf sometimes, a bit too cold when mixed with the fog that filled her lungs. Charlie wondered whether it was too late or too early to be out by herself, but there was no better hour to sort things out in one’s mind.
If it was truly Noemi who had seen Charlie and Agustina together at the beach, why hadn’t she come to tell her parents already? Was she really going to keep the secret for Charlie without her even asking? It was hard to believe. Noemi must be up to something, waiting for the right time and way to say it. Or to gather evidence. But, why? Was there really a chance for Charlie to deny her accusations and get away with it?
As all the possible—and impossible—scenarios came to her, Charlie collected pebbles from the shore, her long nightgown served as a great bag to store them momentarily. She came to realize that it was near impossible to be anxious or fearful in such a calm atmosphere. Alone in the beach, under the stars and surrounded by mist, touching the water while collecting stones. Silence only being interrupted by the ocean against her freezing legs. It was as if God tried to comfort her with nature.
As she kept walking, there were more and more stones underneath her feet. So much so, that by the time she came to the end of East-Watch beach, it hurt to walk barefoot. Charlie got away from shore and sat on a stone at the bottom of the hill. The same one where she’d had breakfast with Agustina almost 24 hours prior. She put on her sandals and made a split second decision.
It almost didn’t come as a surprise when she found Agustina sitting on the cliff, just like the time they were both there for the first time. The foreigner couldn’t see her, but she was most certainly aware of her— the stones bounced on one another as she walked. Charlie sucked in a breath and walked slowly closer to Agustina. She wasn’t sure if what she was doing was right, it was a much wiser decision to just leave and never talk to her again. Deny everything Noemi might claim once they were back home and forget that whole summer even happened. It was a wiser and safer choice. Yet there she was, hand over the lady’s shoulder, almost touching.
“Why are you here?” She said without turning around. Her voice was cold, colder than the fog or the ocean. This one froze Charlie inside out.
Silence.
“If you are not going to say anything, you should just leave.”
Charlie breathed in to speak, but her mouth didn't obey. She remembered the last time they were together and how abruptly she'd run away. Agustina had nothing to do with Noemi, she didn’t know how terrifying it was to see her at that beach. And to top it all, Charlie avoided her when she walked, probably the entire way, to The Saltbox Inn just to see her. What was there to say after hurting her in such a way?
"I'm sorry doesn't cover it." She finally spoke, sitting down and leaving the stones just behind Agustina.
She didn't turn, but her breathing was louder. Faltering. Charlie hadn't noticed from afar, but Agustina went there to cry.
"Oh, Agus." She said as she sat down behind her and embraced her into a hug that wasn’t reciprocated. "I'm so sorry."
"Why are you here?" Agustina's voice was weak, it broke Charlie to hear such a light-hearted lady like Agustina be in such pain. And it was because of her.
"I couldn't sleep."
"Why?"
Charlie took in a deep breath.
"The other day, I thought someone from my town was there and saw us." Charlie said, she rested her forehead against Agustina's hair. She meant to go for a kiss on the cheek, but she was turned away.
"So you naturally pushed me and ran off." Agustina scoffed. Charlie was speechless. She hadn't really been thinking at the time. Hell, she barely even remembered what actually happened. "And
then you never came back or called. And then when I walked the entire way to your place… you saw me, and ran away as fast as possible. Again. Of course I'm sorry doesn't cover it."
"But I am sorry, Agus, please tell me what can I do to make it better?" Charlie's own voice cracked a little. She felt awful for hurting the girl beside her, she'd done nothing but given her the best summer she'd had in years.
"Charlie." Agustina sighted and covered her face with her hands, shaking herself away from Charlie's hug.
They were still side by side at the cliff’s end, their legs lightly brushing against one another as they swung with the wind. But to Charlie, not hugging Agustina felt like they were miles apart. She sat back before speaking.
"Come here, please." Charlie begged.
Agustina lightly turned her head, giving Charlie a chance to catch those slightly swollen green eyes. In an attempt to lighten the situation, she grabbed one stone and threw it over the cliff. It bounced off of a stone and then made it to the calm ocean, which brought a hint of a smile to Agustina’s face.
"Please." She offered another stone out to the Latina, who grabbed it and sat back and rested her back on Charlie.
Charlie pulled her closer, just enough so she could hold her with both arms around her waist. The sun must have been rising at that moment, because Agustina's face lit up in all the shades of blue. She threw the stone over the cliff, but Charlie didn’t hear whether or not it reached the ocean. She was too hung up on how Agustina’s lips looked especially soft from the side, glistening with what remained of her tears. Charlie brushed her thumb over the lower lip as softly as possible.
"I'm sorry." She whispered before going for a quick kiss barely on the side of her mouth. "I'm sorry." She repeated and leaned closer, asking for permission.
Agustina slightly turned and that was enough.
Unlike any other kiss they had shared before, this one felt like they were both savoring every second. They were both so depraved of the other that every moment, every move was sacred.
"I'm sorry." Charlie whispered as she moved from Agustina's lips to her jaw, drying the new tears with her own lips.
She kept apologizing in between her approaches. All she wanted was to make Agustina feel better. She did everything she could think off to comfort her. Charlie kept kissing every inch of Agustina’s exposed skin, staring into her eyes before going further— silently asking if it was okay to do so.
Charlie let her body take over without giving much thought to her actions. They were soon enough throwing their clothes aside, condemning everything that dared come in between them. There was nothing Charlie wanted— needed— more than to be closer to Agustina. As close as humanly possible. She needed to take the pain she caused away.
“Charlie.” Agustina sighed when Charlie reached her stomach. She used a tone Charlie had never heard before. It reminded her of the prayers sung at Church, delicate and desperate with a hint of fear. Charlie froze.
“Is this okay?”
Agustina let out an audible sight, caressing Charlie’s cheek with her fingers, softly guiding her to look up. Agustina’s eyes were still a bit red, but they were also a slightly darker shade of green.
“I-” She looked for the right words to speak. “You don’t have to do this.”
“But I want to.” Charlie answered without missing a beat. She smiled shyly at the older girl, looking down as she soon realized what she had just said and what was about to happen. “But… I don’t know how…” She trailed off, resting her forehead on Agustina’s belly.
“It’s okay,” She whispered. “I’ll guide you.”
ooohhhh okay so this one’s fun!! thank you so much for asking! i’ve wanted to write from Eddie’s perspective since i came up with him, but i just know it doesn’t do anything for the plot. still, this is a pretty important moment for him as a character so here we go!
sorry it took me so long :P
ask me about my work in progress <3
let’s remember this isn’t edited but oh god here we go
“It’s not my fault you’ve never been in love, you dish.” I joked.
My head was buried in the engine of a Lincoln Ford 40 while Dough, the mechanic's son — the one who actually worked the cars with me — was washing his hands not far from me. His laughter echoed in the garage.
"I have been in love, mind you," He answered and squatted on the side of the car to meet my stare. "and that's why you should do as I say."
"It's all done." I rolled out from under the car and stood up.
"As I said."
He might have ben nearly a decade older than me at the time, but he was as stubborn as a little boy. Most times, I'd let him think he was right. Not that day, though. I'd told him my plans to make Charlie my wife. I told him about my mother's ring and everything. About how it was the last gift she gave to me before she passed. Yet he was still not on board.
"You're not gonna bring me down with that negativity of yours, Dough." I said, getting the oil out of my hands. "Today's the day, may God be my witness."
"And may he take pity off you if she says yes."
I pushed him playfully, which opened a wrestle that he would've probably won. But as I was soon to find out, we can never know for certain what will happen in the future. Even if that future is mere minutes away.
Dough's father came in the garage with two other men, they were all in their best attire. He was wearing a striped blue suit with a silk shirt as white as the clouded sky that day. The other two men wore badges and medals on their military uniforms.
Both me and Dough stood up straight and shook their hands. My blood leaving my head as fast as possible. My pessimistic friend was just as pale as me. There was only one reason for soldiers to come into a place like this, and we both knew it very well.
"Good evening, gentlemen." One of them said, smile all too charming for a man of war. "What would you say if the Queen herself asked for your service at this very moment?"
I remained silent during the whole conversation. My mind was too busy reading back all the newspapers I'd read for the past few months. All the flyers that looked just like the ones these soldiers — although it'd be more proper to call them sales men — gave to us.
"The homeland needs you." Was one of the slogans in display. A beaver wearing a military helmet was standing proud alongside a lion, both staring beyond. What they were supposed to be looking at was thousands of men fighting for humanity. The were about to join the fight against the devil himself, and if any of the recent headlines were correct, they were too short of fighting men.
I didn't need to speak up to sign in my name and write my contact information. The train was to leave the next weekend, enough time to tell Charlie and my father. But, when I saw the other set flyers under the inscription sheets, I couldn't contain myself.
"What're those for, sir?" Even I was surprised by the roughness of my voice. I feared it'd crack just from the thought.
"We're looking for nurses too, young man." He said.
"Someone's got to take care of the wounded." The other said. "There's too many."
"Here, take one." The first soldier handed it to me. "In case you know a brave young lady who might want to join you. Who knows? Maybe you'll serve together."
