All the Ripples

I was halfway home before I remembered Harry. I should probably go back, I thought. He’s my ride. I had rushed out of the gym in such a panic that I wasn’t thinking clearly. I slipped off the shoes and ran like the wind. My mind was such a jumble of thoughts and feelings that I didn’t actually notice my feet slapping the pavement until I saw the creek path up ahead in the moonlight. I leaned into the turn and felt the earth under my heels. And then I started laughing. I couldn’t believe I was wearing a dress—at full speed! I glanced up the creek,...

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Cancer Sucks

Jeff and I talked as we danced, catching up as quickly as if it had been weeks, not years, since we’d been as sweet on each other as peanut butter and chocolate. “I heard about your dad,” he said. “Cancer sucks.” We flirted, suddenly feeling like grownups. I worried about Nevada with her stomach flu, who everyone thought would be Jeff's queen tonight—was I intruding? Jeff said they were just friends, but had been wondering if something might happen with her tonight, which put me off a bit. But he was so much happier it was me. He reminded...

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The Fairytale Catfight Waltz

As Jeff and I melted into each others’ arms, only half-aware that we were becoming legendary ourselves, Harry sauntered up to the shell-shocked Sylvia. “My presence didn’t cheer her up much,” Harry told me later, after he tracked me down back at the house. “Of course, I came in all smooth, all ‘Sylvia darling, you’re looking trim…ish. Swellegant party. Shall we dance? I can lead OR follow.’ At first she didn’t recognize me. Thought I was some PTA mom, maybe we had worked together on some committee. I said no, we had only met a few times; mostly...

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What’s A Girl To Do?

As the crowd cheered, the most incredible thing happened: Jeff looked straight at me. He was glancing all around the room, making eye contact with his adoring fans, and when his eyes lit on me, they came back. It was like “oh, it’s you, hi,” And then, “what? Woah!” And then he was just smiling at me, his teeth like shooting stars in the changing light, his mouth open, his eyes puzzled, his eyes happy, and me just grinning like an Elmo doll. Then everyone on stage was staring at me. Then everyone in the crowd was staring at me. Then I felt my cheeks...

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In the Style of Democracy

We got to the high school at about ten thirty, and cruised around the parking lot looking for a space. Harry slowed to a crawl as we passed by an occupied car with steamed-up windows, which seemed to perplex Harry. He peered through his eyelashes and stroked his chin, smiling and frowning in quick succession, then glanced over at me. “What?” I asked. “Nothing,” he said, shaking his head. “You look so beautiful.” He licked his finger and patted down a lock of my hair. He pulled up in front of a crowd of kids that were hanging out in front of...

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Zombie Ballet

From: Ashley <ash-prince03@gmail.com> To: FTR <info@fairytalereality.com>, crankingitout@gmail.com Date: Monday, Tuesday, 24 May 2011 13:21:12 Subject: Harriet as Aunt Donna I’m glad things are moving along so well with the musical. Unfortunately, Harriet likes “The Big Bitch” so much it’s causing issues in rehearsal. (They’re performing Cinderella on Friday—remember, she plays a stepsister?) The teacher just called me. Maybe I can get her to sing “If the Shoe Fits” instead.... Ashley -------- From:  crankingitout@gmail.com> To:...

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My Fairy Godwhatever

"But Harry," I argued, "What if I ruin the shoes? Or the dress?" I sighed, and Harry read my sigh correctly to mean, “What if I don't know how to stand, how to act, what to say? Would I fit in, wearing this old dress? Would anyone talk to me?” He pulled me to his lap. “Look, Ashley, I happen to know that you have found yourself in a position that takes advantage of your sweet nature. You give and give and give. What would you think of doing some take?” “Take? Like what?” “Take some initiative. Take a chance. Take a look around you at how you...

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The Foot of A Mortal

"Harry," I said, "you're sharing your shoes with me?" I turned my head and looked into his eyes—her eyes, noticing how much she was blinking. False eyelashes fanning the air between us, eyelids shimmering in the late afternoon light. I shook my head and he was Harry in a wig again.  "I... I thought I should come in regalia," he said, reaching a finger to the corner of his eye, "but maybe... maybe I didn't think through the makeup." Tears started squeezing through the thatch of his lashes, and he sniffed. "No, I'm okay." He took a...

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No Such Thing As A Shoe

“There is no such thing as a shoe! Don’t believe me? Let me prove it to you. When I say ‘shoes,’ what do you think of? Maybe you think of your dad’s tennies, or of high-heeled boots that could minimize your feet. Me, I think of my favorites, my fabulous 1940s Carmen Miranda dancing shoes with the painted wooden cherries dangling from the ankle straps—cha cha cha—they’re in here somewhere. So what is a shoe? Shoes are an idea. An ideal. An ethereal concept that we attach to any variety of...of thing we attach to our feet. Shoes don’t have to cover...

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A Familiar Embrace

A loud HONK from outside nearly startled me out of my chair. I looked out the window and couldn’t believe my eyes. A shiny gold Cadillac convertible with white-walled tires, gleaming orange in the sunset, was pulling into the driveway. A large woman with gigantic hair waved at me from the front seat, reminding me of these commercials for the Konvertible King that we all used to see as kids. The lady parked, checked her lipstick in the mirror, got out and adjusted her skirt, pulled a few suitcases out of the back seat, and turned again to wave...

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The Vines of Doom

From:  Ashley <ash-prince03@gmail.com> To: FTR <info@fairytalereality.com>, crankingitout@gmail.com Date: Monday, 2 May 2011 15:25:29 Subject: Re: Barbie Doll Drama Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! It's soooo good! Harriet, Jeff and I cried laughing! (The younger kids were not allowed to watch). I love that I got to be Gabrielle! The Barbies were perfect! Ok to forward to Harry...and everyone? ________________________________ Another beloved feature of my room was an antique sewing machine, which had been a present to...

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Wannabe Prom Queens

The next day, while Sylvia bustled The Girls around, I tried to keep a low profile, since every time I walked by one of them they’d ask me to do something. I was moody; I kept feeling flashes of anger, but I noticed how good I was at not saying anything. The injustice of it all kept bothering me, in a way it never had before my “bitch session” with Harry. My head was full of questions. Where had things gone so wrong? Why couldn’t I just stand up for myself? Why did I care so much about those coffee cup rings on the furniture? But mostly: Do...

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A Beautiful Unicorn

I quickly folded the smooth parts of the girdle over the scorched parts, and opened the laundry room door just as Sylvia reached the bottom of the stairs. “Oh,” I said, feigning surprise. “I was just going to bring you this.” She was dressed up to go out, wearing a very low-cut Chanel blouse, in a pattern that reminded me of the time I threw up French fries and a chocolate milkshake on my dad’s plaid flannel shirt when I was six. “Thank you, dear,” she purred, handing me her shiny Prada bag to hold, and then as she pulled the girdle on under her...

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A Capital 'L'

From: FTR <info@fairytalereality.com> To: crankingitout@gmail.com Date: Wednesday, 13 April 2011 09:23:43 Subject: Re: The Big Bitch Squeeee!!! I love it, Michael! We have our first song! This is a revolutionary Cinderella... when has the mythical ash-girl ever been allowed to express feelings of frustration? She's always been such a dainty and goodhearted thing. Here's proof you can be dainty and goodhearted and still be human. Good on Harry. K ------------- Now, I know what you’re thinking: No foot in the kingdom could fit...

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Vintage Silk Taffeta

From: FTR <info@fairytalereality.com> To: crankingitout@gmail.comCc:Date: Monday, 11 April 2011 09:32:19Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Ashley Hey M ~ Are you devouring this? Are you hearing this? What a great story teller. I guess it must be true what they say, that “suffering builds character.” She’s got character! I’ve got a really funny, maybe kind of bad idea for the song in progress...K---------------------------- I finally confessed to Harry my darkest thoughts from my darkest hours, when I’d go to bed exhausted, fingering the...

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Bitch is a Verb

“Girlfriend, NO. Get INTO it! You’ve got a right to your feelings.” I leaned my head against the fogged-up window, focusing on the cold spot on my forehead, and struggled with this idea. No one had ever said that to me before. Inside, my well-folded stacks of emotions were suddenly feeling like piles of dirty laundry. “Ashley, give it a try. It doesn’t have to be a big deal. Take two minutes, by the clock. Just get it out, don’t keep it inside! Go ahead and bitch your heart out.” I laughed out loud. “Harry! I’m not that kind of girl!” Harry...

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