Post by citizenmike on Jul 31, 2009 8:59:58 GMT -5
"Good Evening Veronica Keuhl," were the first words Freddie Stinson said to her that night.
Waiting for a cup of coffee and a chesseburger to arrive, Freddie sat on the booth; right arm stretched out.
Freddie kept his eyes on the window; figured it was the only way he could look at Veronica without being obvious. He wondered, then, if Veronica could have caught his reflection on the window; a glimpse, just a quick glimpse, man, of him staring at her reflection. Then she'd know he was looking, or as Freiddie saw it now, he knew that she knew he was looking. Freddie turned away from the window and caught Veronica looking at the window.
"Hey," Veronica said as she turned to him.
"Yeah..." Freddie murmured.
"Are you just gonna sit there? You've been oftley quiet tonight."
"I've got nothing to say really. I'm just waiting for my food, that's all."
"Sure you were..." She smirked softly. "But I think you have something to say."
"If I did have something to say, then how'd you guess I have something to say?"
"I don't know," Veronica said as she chewed her waffles. She sipped her iced-tea, swallowed and said, "But I'd think it was on account of the way you were looking outside the window. I mean, at this time of night, there's really not much to look at outside this diner."
"Maybe there is something on my mind."
"And what pray tell Mr. Stinson might that be?"
Freddie chuckled as he eased his leg down to lean forward; getting himself closer to her green eyes and head of red curls.
Veronica sipped her iced-tea and said, "Come on Freddie, I'm waiting."
Freddie kept himself where he was and smiled.
"Okay," Veronica said as she rose from the booth. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom, and when I come back, I want to know everything about whatever it was you were thinking about."
Freddie looked up at her and said, "Sure."
"Come on Freddie, its only me..."
"Exactly."
Veronica walked past him; Freddie turning his head her way for a look at her.
Sitting there as the waitress placed his food before him, Freddie wondered if he had said too much.
"Is there anything else you need?" the waitress asked.
"No thank you, I'm good" Freddie replied.
Freddie held the cheeseburger in his hand; thinking, he quietly said, "It's too late now."
Freddie bit into his cheeseburger wishing he was someone else; figured it'd be easier that way. Freddie looked back out the window and stared at Veronica's empty booth... It was his fault, looking back at it now. The man played it safe; he took his time. Seeing, waiting, and praying for this girl to like him, or some sign of it. Eventually, Freddie had to accept that all he would ever amount to Veronica Keulh was just a friend and nothing more.
Fuck.
Freddie turned back; Veronica was still in the bathroom.
He had time.
Freddie decided that he was gonna be someone new. When Veronica comes out, she wouldn't be talking to Freddie Stinson, she was going to be talking to someone new.
<**>
Freddie was gone by the time Veronica came out of the bathroom. Coming towards their booth, she looked outside, to see if there was any sign of her friend out by the parking luck.
Nothing; Veronica shrugged.
A man in a grey suit with wavy brown hair sat in their booth. He pulled the cigarette away from his lips as he turned her way.
"Hey there..." he said to her.
"Who are you, and what have you done with my Freddie?"
"Freddie?" he shrugged. "This table was empty when I got here; I have the slightest clue of you are talking about."
The man put the cigarette down on the side of his plate and reached out for his half-eaten cheeseburger.
"How long?" Veronica asked.
"How long what?"
"How long have you been sitting in that table there?"
"Long enough for me to have ordered this burger, smoke a couple cigarettes" He lifted the burger and said, "And turn this burger into what you see right now!"
The man took another bite before he put the burger back down.
"I wasn't even in that bathroom for two minutes."
"Maybe you're in the wrong table, or maybe your boyfriend stood you up."
"Freddie isn't my boyfriend."
"Who is he then?"
"What do you care?"
"I care because I was rudely interrupted as I was in the middle of eating my burger, and I'm intrigued."
"Why?"
"Because I just found out your single."
"You don't know that."
"Maybe. But I have a hunch."
The wavy haired man stood up and approached Veronica.
"Care to join me?"
Veronica licked her lips, nonchalantly, as she turned her head back towards the door; nothing, no Freddie there.
"Sure, why not." Veronica shrugged. "I've got time to kill."
The wavy haired man reached his hand out and said, "I don't think I've gotten your name."
"Veronica," she said as she took his hand and shook it.
Veronica sat down on the booth and turned her head to the window again.
"Still waiting for Freddie?"
"Yeah," She said as she turned to him. "He'll be here."
"So, this guy... Freddie, who is he?"
"A friend."
"What kind of friend?"
"What do you care?
The wavy haired man raised his eyebrows and smiled; saying, "I think its obvious why I care."
Veronica crossed her arms and smiled at the man. He kept his smile. Having her smile back at him as he smiled at her felt good. It felt warm. It was like standing outside in the middle of the afternoon with your arms spread open taking in everything... Beneath the table, he was getting hard.
"Tell me, Mr. Wavy Haired Man, who are you?"
"Who am I?"
"Yeah, who are you?"
"I am..." he was thinking. "Me. I am me."
"Do you want to get to know me?" she said as she leaned in close to him.
"I do."
"If you wanna know me, you have to give me a lot more than that. If you wanna know me, Mr. Wavy Haired Man, you're gonna have to tell me your name."
The wavy haired man to sipped his coke. His heart was beating, beating fast. He didn't know what to answer he; didn't know what to tell her. What the fuck, he didn't even know his own name.
He looked into her eyes; thinking, he said "I am Justin."
He closed his eyes.
Damn, that was a stupid name.
"Justin" she said smiling, nodding.
"That's my name."
"Is there anything more?"
"Anything more? Like what?"
"I don't know, a last name?"
"Yeah, I have a last name."
"What is it?"
"Tolerable. Justin Tolerable."
"Justin Tolerable..."
"That's my name."
"Justin Tolerable... Just-in-tolerable?"
"Yeah." He said smiling; he fucked up. Fucked up good.
Veronica was laughing.
"I'm sorry." Veronica said, covering her mouth laughing.
"It's fine."
"No, I'm sorry... You're name..."
"I was born with it. Right after chopping off the tip of my penis, my mother gave me that name to spite my bastard of a father."
Veronica laughed harder.
Freddie... No, the wavy haired man- No, Justin. Justin was happy he was making her laugh.
"Now I understand." Veronica said, composing herself.
"Understand what?"
"Why you're acting the way you are. The suit, the hair... It all makes sense to me."
"What does that mean?" He said as he looked down at his burger.
"It means...."
FREDDIE!
<**>
Veronica's hand hit the table; banging.
Freddie turned away from his burger and looked up at Veronica, sitting across him.
"Hey..." Freddie closed his eyes and turned his head.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I was thinking, that's all."
"What about?"
"You" was the word Freddie wanted to tell her, but he held himself and instead said, "Tonight." Freddie sipped his coke and asked, "Are you ready?"
Veronica nodded and replied, "Yeah, I am. Let's do this?"
Freddie got up and said, "Yeah, let's do it."
Veronica rose from her seat, and Freddie and Veronica headed out the door.
<***>
Good Evening, Veronica Keulh
by Mike Litton
<***>
"THIS IS A ROBBERY! EVERYBODY BE FUCKING COOL AND NOBODY GETS HURT!"
Covered in his old Mexican lucha libre mask, Freddie fired a shot in the air; shooting out the light above him in doing so.
<**>
Eric was flipping through an old issue of People, when the masked and armed robbers stormed into the 7/11. They were two; one man and a woman. The man fired a shot into the air, when the woman strolled into the store after him. Eric ducked beneath the magazine stand at the back. From where he was, he counted six others in the store with him, including the clerk.
<**>
Veronica walked in after Freddie shot into the air. Freddie had his piece aimed at the clerk, as Veronica walked past him, headed inside the back room, and shot out the surveillance recorders.
She figured that with the lack of cars driving at the time of the night and the store's isolation from everything else, the robbery would be pretty quick... Get in, take the money and get out. That was the plan.
Veronica turned back towards the store and stopped. "Oh, my God!" She murmured softly. She couldn't believe she was actually right there, doing it. Not thinking of anything else, but doing it. It scared her, for a moment there; it was almost like she was meditating, her mind had never been so clear... Oh, my God...
Veronica took a deep breath and walked over to Freddie.
"Shot them out?" Freddie asked.
"Mangled beyond recognition."
Freddie drew himself close to Veronica and whispered, "I'm gonna make a go for it, keep an eye out."
"Alright Freddie, Got it." She whispered back.
<**>
Freddie was nervous, man. His heart had been beating way too fast since the night began, and he couldn't tell if he liked it.
Freddie turned back towards the clerk; the poor kid was sweating. He wanted it to end. Freddie could tell, because he wanted it to end too. He wanted to take the money and get the fuck out with Veronica, and on the ride back, he wanted to hold her, and tell her how everything was going to be alright, and how what was done was done.
Freddie jumped over the counter and drew the gun back at the clerk.
"Get out!" Freddie shouted.
The kid was shaking.
"Look", Freddie said sternly, "I want to end this as soon as I can and I don't wanna hurt anybody, so right now, I need you to work with me. Ok?"
The kid nodded.
"Good. Now, do what I did, and jump over the counter. Ok?"
The kid nodded again, but he kept still.
Veronica motioned over and aimed the gun at the kid and said, "Don't try anything stupid, got it?"
Freddie opened the register, reached for a paper bag, and emptied out the register. Freddie took the baggie and hopped over the counter, just as the clerk ducked down and hit the alarm.
<**>
The robbers, the man and the woman, were scrambling towards the door. Breathing deeply, Eric knew this was his chance.
Eric crouched charged towards the man.
<***>
Veronica saw the blonde guy coming towards Freddie fast. He had the money and he was too close to the window.
Quickly, Veronica jumped ahead of Freddie and took the tackle of the charging man.
<***>
Fuck, the woman got in the way.
Eric had to shove the thought to the left side of his head as he mounted the woman and held her down; wrestling the handgun off her grasp.
“LET HER GO!”, The man demanded.
He was straight right over Eric with his gun pointed to close too his eyes.
“No.” Eric said calmly as he took the gun off her hand. “Drop your gun and the money...You make the slightest move and I'll shoot her.”
<***>
Freddie dropped his gun and the bag full of money as he said, “Let her go.”
The man pushed Veronica off him and Freddie caught her in his arms.
“You ok?”, Freddie whispered.
Shaking, Veronica replied, “Let's go home.”
Freddie held her in his arms as he pushed the door open and walked out.
Waiting for a cup of coffee and a chesseburger to arrive, Freddie sat on the booth; right arm stretched out.
Freddie kept his eyes on the window; figured it was the only way he could look at Veronica without being obvious. He wondered, then, if Veronica could have caught his reflection on the window; a glimpse, just a quick glimpse, man, of him staring at her reflection. Then she'd know he was looking, or as Freiddie saw it now, he knew that she knew he was looking. Freddie turned away from the window and caught Veronica looking at the window.
"Hey," Veronica said as she turned to him.
"Yeah..." Freddie murmured.
"Are you just gonna sit there? You've been oftley quiet tonight."
"I've got nothing to say really. I'm just waiting for my food, that's all."
"Sure you were..." She smirked softly. "But I think you have something to say."
"If I did have something to say, then how'd you guess I have something to say?"
"I don't know," Veronica said as she chewed her waffles. She sipped her iced-tea, swallowed and said, "But I'd think it was on account of the way you were looking outside the window. I mean, at this time of night, there's really not much to look at outside this diner."
"Maybe there is something on my mind."
"And what pray tell Mr. Stinson might that be?"
Freddie chuckled as he eased his leg down to lean forward; getting himself closer to her green eyes and head of red curls.
Veronica sipped her iced-tea and said, "Come on Freddie, I'm waiting."
Freddie kept himself where he was and smiled.
"Okay," Veronica said as she rose from the booth. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom, and when I come back, I want to know everything about whatever it was you were thinking about."
Freddie looked up at her and said, "Sure."
"Come on Freddie, its only me..."
"Exactly."
Veronica walked past him; Freddie turning his head her way for a look at her.
Sitting there as the waitress placed his food before him, Freddie wondered if he had said too much.
"Is there anything else you need?" the waitress asked.
"No thank you, I'm good" Freddie replied.
Freddie held the cheeseburger in his hand; thinking, he quietly said, "It's too late now."
Freddie bit into his cheeseburger wishing he was someone else; figured it'd be easier that way. Freddie looked back out the window and stared at Veronica's empty booth... It was his fault, looking back at it now. The man played it safe; he took his time. Seeing, waiting, and praying for this girl to like him, or some sign of it. Eventually, Freddie had to accept that all he would ever amount to Veronica Keulh was just a friend and nothing more.
Fuck.
Freddie turned back; Veronica was still in the bathroom.
He had time.
Freddie decided that he was gonna be someone new. When Veronica comes out, she wouldn't be talking to Freddie Stinson, she was going to be talking to someone new.
<**>
Freddie was gone by the time Veronica came out of the bathroom. Coming towards their booth, she looked outside, to see if there was any sign of her friend out by the parking luck.
Nothing; Veronica shrugged.
A man in a grey suit with wavy brown hair sat in their booth. He pulled the cigarette away from his lips as he turned her way.
"Hey there..." he said to her.
"Who are you, and what have you done with my Freddie?"
"Freddie?" he shrugged. "This table was empty when I got here; I have the slightest clue of you are talking about."
The man put the cigarette down on the side of his plate and reached out for his half-eaten cheeseburger.
"How long?" Veronica asked.
"How long what?"
"How long have you been sitting in that table there?"
"Long enough for me to have ordered this burger, smoke a couple cigarettes" He lifted the burger and said, "And turn this burger into what you see right now!"
The man took another bite before he put the burger back down.
"I wasn't even in that bathroom for two minutes."
"Maybe you're in the wrong table, or maybe your boyfriend stood you up."
"Freddie isn't my boyfriend."
"Who is he then?"
"What do you care?"
"I care because I was rudely interrupted as I was in the middle of eating my burger, and I'm intrigued."
"Why?"
"Because I just found out your single."
"You don't know that."
"Maybe. But I have a hunch."
The wavy haired man stood up and approached Veronica.
"Care to join me?"
Veronica licked her lips, nonchalantly, as she turned her head back towards the door; nothing, no Freddie there.
"Sure, why not." Veronica shrugged. "I've got time to kill."
The wavy haired man reached his hand out and said, "I don't think I've gotten your name."
"Veronica," she said as she took his hand and shook it.
Veronica sat down on the booth and turned her head to the window again.
"Still waiting for Freddie?"
"Yeah," She said as she turned to him. "He'll be here."
"So, this guy... Freddie, who is he?"
"A friend."
"What kind of friend?"
"What do you care?
The wavy haired man raised his eyebrows and smiled; saying, "I think its obvious why I care."
Veronica crossed her arms and smiled at the man. He kept his smile. Having her smile back at him as he smiled at her felt good. It felt warm. It was like standing outside in the middle of the afternoon with your arms spread open taking in everything... Beneath the table, he was getting hard.
"Tell me, Mr. Wavy Haired Man, who are you?"
"Who am I?"
"Yeah, who are you?"
"I am..." he was thinking. "Me. I am me."
"Do you want to get to know me?" she said as she leaned in close to him.
"I do."
"If you wanna know me, you have to give me a lot more than that. If you wanna know me, Mr. Wavy Haired Man, you're gonna have to tell me your name."
The wavy haired man to sipped his coke. His heart was beating, beating fast. He didn't know what to answer he; didn't know what to tell her. What the fuck, he didn't even know his own name.
He looked into her eyes; thinking, he said "I am Justin."
He closed his eyes.
Damn, that was a stupid name.
"Justin" she said smiling, nodding.
"That's my name."
"Is there anything more?"
"Anything more? Like what?"
"I don't know, a last name?"
"Yeah, I have a last name."
"What is it?"
"Tolerable. Justin Tolerable."
"Justin Tolerable..."
"That's my name."
"Justin Tolerable... Just-in-tolerable?"
"Yeah." He said smiling; he fucked up. Fucked up good.
Veronica was laughing.
"I'm sorry." Veronica said, covering her mouth laughing.
"It's fine."
"No, I'm sorry... You're name..."
"I was born with it. Right after chopping off the tip of my penis, my mother gave me that name to spite my bastard of a father."
Veronica laughed harder.
Freddie... No, the wavy haired man- No, Justin. Justin was happy he was making her laugh.
"Now I understand." Veronica said, composing herself.
"Understand what?"
"Why you're acting the way you are. The suit, the hair... It all makes sense to me."
"What does that mean?" He said as he looked down at his burger.
"It means...."
FREDDIE!
<**>
Veronica's hand hit the table; banging.
Freddie turned away from his burger and looked up at Veronica, sitting across him.
"Hey..." Freddie closed his eyes and turned his head.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I was thinking, that's all."
"What about?"
"You" was the word Freddie wanted to tell her, but he held himself and instead said, "Tonight." Freddie sipped his coke and asked, "Are you ready?"
Veronica nodded and replied, "Yeah, I am. Let's do this?"
Freddie got up and said, "Yeah, let's do it."
Veronica rose from her seat, and Freddie and Veronica headed out the door.
<***>
Good Evening, Veronica Keulh
by Mike Litton
<***>
"THIS IS A ROBBERY! EVERYBODY BE FUCKING COOL AND NOBODY GETS HURT!"
Covered in his old Mexican lucha libre mask, Freddie fired a shot in the air; shooting out the light above him in doing so.
<**>
Eric was flipping through an old issue of People, when the masked and armed robbers stormed into the 7/11. They were two; one man and a woman. The man fired a shot into the air, when the woman strolled into the store after him. Eric ducked beneath the magazine stand at the back. From where he was, he counted six others in the store with him, including the clerk.
<**>
Veronica walked in after Freddie shot into the air. Freddie had his piece aimed at the clerk, as Veronica walked past him, headed inside the back room, and shot out the surveillance recorders.
She figured that with the lack of cars driving at the time of the night and the store's isolation from everything else, the robbery would be pretty quick... Get in, take the money and get out. That was the plan.
Veronica turned back towards the store and stopped. "Oh, my God!" She murmured softly. She couldn't believe she was actually right there, doing it. Not thinking of anything else, but doing it. It scared her, for a moment there; it was almost like she was meditating, her mind had never been so clear... Oh, my God...
Veronica took a deep breath and walked over to Freddie.
"Shot them out?" Freddie asked.
"Mangled beyond recognition."
Freddie drew himself close to Veronica and whispered, "I'm gonna make a go for it, keep an eye out."
"Alright Freddie, Got it." She whispered back.
<**>
Freddie was nervous, man. His heart had been beating way too fast since the night began, and he couldn't tell if he liked it.
Freddie turned back towards the clerk; the poor kid was sweating. He wanted it to end. Freddie could tell, because he wanted it to end too. He wanted to take the money and get the fuck out with Veronica, and on the ride back, he wanted to hold her, and tell her how everything was going to be alright, and how what was done was done.
Freddie jumped over the counter and drew the gun back at the clerk.
"Get out!" Freddie shouted.
The kid was shaking.
"Look", Freddie said sternly, "I want to end this as soon as I can and I don't wanna hurt anybody, so right now, I need you to work with me. Ok?"
The kid nodded.
"Good. Now, do what I did, and jump over the counter. Ok?"
The kid nodded again, but he kept still.
Veronica motioned over and aimed the gun at the kid and said, "Don't try anything stupid, got it?"
Freddie opened the register, reached for a paper bag, and emptied out the register. Freddie took the baggie and hopped over the counter, just as the clerk ducked down and hit the alarm.
<**>
The robbers, the man and the woman, were scrambling towards the door. Breathing deeply, Eric knew this was his chance.
Eric crouched charged towards the man.
<***>
Veronica saw the blonde guy coming towards Freddie fast. He had the money and he was too close to the window.
Quickly, Veronica jumped ahead of Freddie and took the tackle of the charging man.
<***>
Fuck, the woman got in the way.
Eric had to shove the thought to the left side of his head as he mounted the woman and held her down; wrestling the handgun off her grasp.
“LET HER GO!”, The man demanded.
He was straight right over Eric with his gun pointed to close too his eyes.
“No.” Eric said calmly as he took the gun off her hand. “Drop your gun and the money...You make the slightest move and I'll shoot her.”
<***>
Freddie dropped his gun and the bag full of money as he said, “Let her go.”
The man pushed Veronica off him and Freddie caught her in his arms.
“You ok?”, Freddie whispered.
Shaking, Veronica replied, “Let's go home.”
Freddie held her in his arms as he pushed the door open and walked out.