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Post by april rhodes on Oct 24, 2010 8:32:05 GMT -5
 * all the world's a stage, [/b][/font] and all the men and women merely players- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - [/center] It was a quiet night at the bowling alley. There were only a few groups of people hitting the lanes tonight and most of them were still in junior high. Consequently, the parking lot was pretty much deserted apart from the bartender Barry's car. And then, cutting the silence of the night came a bright pink Cadillac, music blasting (the Chicago soundtrack), swerving haphazardly across the empty car park. It pulled up near to Barry's car, although parked diagonally across three spaces, and then the engine died alongside the music. The door opened and out stepped April Rhodes, town alcoholic turned millionaire, another case that proved money couldn't buy sense. She trotted along to the open doors, staggering a little in her sky scraping heels, and pranced inside. She would have made an inconspicuous entrance if she hadn't hit the bar beforehand, but she had. Luckily for her, there wasn't much of an audience when she got her ankles in a twist and went falling forwards faster than you could say gin and tonic. She laughed it off though, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder and pushing herself back to her feet, walking at a slower pace over to the counter and leaning against it, making eye contact with the greasy college student who was working the shift.
"I want me some shoes." she said, raising an eyebrow in an expression that could have been likened to a cowboy in an old western film. The boy, for he couldn't really be described as a man, tried to keep a straight face and then shot back at her "What size, ma'am?" April bit her lip. She would have told him, if she could remember. But right now she couldn't even remember what she had had for breakfast (bacon and pancakes). "Oo I don't know. Surprise me." she said with a wink and a show stopping smile. The boy could tell she was drunk, and so didn't pressure her further. Instead, he walked over to the shelves and brought her a pair of sevens. "It's five dollars for a game tonight. Do you have that? Because if you don't I'm afraid I can't let you play." he told her, hands still on the shoes he had brought over. She rolled her eyes, delving her hand into her purse and bringing out a ten dollar note, thrusting it at him. "Have all the money you want! I'm April Rhodes!" she told him, as if it was an explanation for not just the generous amounts of cash but also for the crazy. For the state she was in. He nodded and let her have the shoes, and with another wink, she was off again, this time heading for an empty lane.
I shouldn't be here. she thought to herself, I'm drunk. Look at all these kids, they're embarrassed for me! But I'm April Rhodes. I don't let people say what I can and can't do. Who are they to define what I do with my life? They're just a bunch of kids. They have no right to be judging me. They don't know what I've been through. They never will do. They have trust funds and loving parents who won't let them turn out like me. And with a shake of her head, she pulled off her stilettos and replaced them with the bowling shoes. They were too big, of course. She remembered she was a size six now. But she couldn't bring herself to go back to that college kid and ask for another pair, so she put up with it. And if she sent the shoe flying down the lane with the ball then... at least it would be some light entertainment for the children. With another toss of her flawless, blonde, Barbie-like hair, she stuck her fingers into the green bowling ball and steadied herself. It was one thing to send the shoe down the alley, it was another to send herself. Once she was confident she wasn't going to fall down with an almighty crash, she brought her hand back and rolled the ball straight down the centre to the middle of the pins, bringing them all down at once. She might be a washed-up alcoholic, but she was also an amazing bowler. And she hadn't lost her touch. A few of the other kids applauded her, and she looked at them, winking and giving a thumbs up. They laughed, and she found herself giggling too. If she joined in, they weren't laughing at her, they were laughing with her. [/blockquote] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * the pen is mightier than the sword [/color] 792 words* such stuff as dreams are made on[/color] using quotes from william shakespeare* get thee to a nunnery![/color] open is/are tagged* what's in a name?[/color] template made by LAURIE?! of CAUTION 2.0[/size][/blockquote] |
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Post by lorelai anchors on Oct 24, 2010 14:27:26 GMT -5
 Lorelai Anchors enjoyed working. It was a necessity; within the year she'd be kicked out of her house and she needed the money acquired from the endless hours behind the refreshment stand at the bowling alley to survive out on her own. Not only that, but it was the closest she ever felt to fitting in. She was working, of course. Required to be there. But everyone from school went to the bowling alley, she found. She was amongst her peers in a lively social situation unrivaled by anything else. They were laughing, enjoying themselves, and she was there, witnessing the action first hand. The only difference was she was serving people simultaneously, which she didn't mind because that gave her the opportunity to communicate directly with them. For once, she was speaking to someone from school and not saying "I'm sorry"; she was, instead, holding a variety of conversations that consisted of a wide array of words. "What can I get for you?" "That will be 3.50." "Would you like ketchup on your hot dog?"
It was marvelous. Working at the bowling alley made her feel alive. But that feeling alone was enough to remind her just how pathetic she really was.
She'd just finished giving three orders of nachos to a group of rather loud Sophomores when the door opened and in stumbled a familiar face. April Rhodes was certainly no stranger to the bowling alley, but Lorelai was a stranger to her. April was lively and always drunk but never afraid to be herself, whereas Lore was sober and afraid to even be visible. But no matter. They were on opposite ends of the spectrum and April was, for lack of a better word, intimidating. Lorelai supposed that it was difficult to feel small next to someone who was so ridiculously short (she estimated below five foot) but, alas, it was hard for her to feel big at all. Not to mention that there was always the smell of alcohol on the blond's breath, which reminded her of nothing but unfortunate memories.
Lorelai watched as April spoke to the other employee on duty and acquired her shoes prior to moving to the only other empty lane. Not wanting to be a nuisance, the teenager returned to work, serving a few extra teenagers before her boss approached with a bottle of water. "Lorelai!" he called, arousing her attention. She glanced up, cocking her head slightly in curiosity. "What do you need, Barry?"
The man, balding and plump, held out the unopened container rather nonchalantly. "Can you do me a favor and give this to April?" he asked, automatically assuming that everyone knew who the regular patron was. "She's drunk, and... I don't know. She's always drunk, but let's see if we can't sober her up any. She's making a fool of herself."
Lorelai nodded and took the beverage, deciding not to comment on his words. April was being rather loud, but on the other hand, she seemed to like the detention. With a sigh, the brunette braced herself for conversation -- give her the water, return to the counter. It didn't seem like such a complicated process, did it? No, not really. Nervously, she made her way past crowds of patrons until she reached April, and she softly rested a hand on the woman's shoulder to try and grab her attention. "Uhm, excuse me, Miss Rhodes?" she began, her voice quiet, "Barry asked me to give this to you."
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Post by april rhodes on Oct 25, 2010 12:06:08 GMT -5
* all the world's a stage, [/b][/font] and all the men and women merely players- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - [/center] April spent a ridiculous amount of time at this bowling alley, whether it be at the bar soaking up the booze, on the stage giving a new twist on an old classic, or on the lanes, making everyone feel inferior with their bowling abilities. You'd think by now she would have made friends with a few of the regulars, or even with the staff. But there was something about her that kept them a safe distance away. They knew who she was, but they never approached her. And she kind of wished they did. She might be a little crazy, but it wasn't anything to be afraid of. She loved talking to people, and as she stood there, watching the pins fall down again, she made a decision. The next person who talked to her, or even came near her, would be her friend by the end of the night whether they wanted to or not. She grabbed her ball again when it returned, taking another go and clapping slightly when she got a strike once more. Why she wasn't a professional bowler, she didn't know. Maybe because she'd probably get eliminated the moment her drug test results came back. Running a hand through her blonde hair, she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She spun round to face whoever it was, grinning when she recognised her.
She didn't know her name, but she was never very good with names. "Oh hey sugar! Barry asked you to give this to me did he?" she said, repeating Lorelai's question with raised eyebrows before leaning in to whisper something to her. "Does it have alcohol in it? I can already feel myself sobering up and that's not the way I roll, honey!" she laughed slightly but took the bottle anyway, unscrewing the cap and taking a sip, pulling a face when she realised it was just water and putting it down on the small table on her lane. "You wanna bowl with me?" she asked after a few moments of awkward silence. If this girl was going to be her friend, they had to talk. And to talk, April was going to have to get her out of her shell. And to do that, the girl had to realise April was a nice person. Sensing her reluctance, April grabbed Lorelai's wrist gently. "Oh come on baby, it's fun! Don't worry if I beat you though, I beat everyone. It's just the way the cookie crumbles!" she said with another large smile, before turning back to the balls and finding a small one for Lore to try, turning back to the girl and thrusting it into her arms. "You gotta get a feel for the ball. Know where it's gonna go. Hey, whatcha say your name was sweetie? I have so much information stored up in this old thing it's hard to remember little details." April said, tapping her temple with her forefinger and leading Lorelai towards the lane, stumbling and grabbing the table for security.
She's younger than I am. Much younger. It was kind of ironic how clear the voice in April's head was, when that was what should have been affected the most by the excessive amount of alcohol and narcotics. Yet she's taller, that's hardly fair. Oh well, I guess how that's the good lord made me, short and spirited. I feel sorry for her, in some ways. She looks like she's seen a ghost. Ah, she just doesn't know what she's missing. A few hours with me and we'll be bosom buddies, ain't that right? She wasn't really talking to anyone, but yet she couldn't help feeling slightly disappointed when she didn't receive an answer. Some of her best conversations had been held in her head. Maybe that was because it only said what she wanted to hear, or maybe because she was the only person who could put up with herself for long periods of times. With an inaudible sigh, April turned her attention back to the helpless young brunette who would be, sooner or later, her new best friend. She was very young though. Maybe she went to that here McKinley school. One of Will's kids. I don't remember her, but then again, the only thing I can remember is my bra size. She turned back to Lorelai, eyeing her up and down, trying to find a place for her in her memory, but when the attempts failed, April decided to be forward. "Hey, honeypot. You don't happ'n to be in that there New Directions do you?" she asked, putting one hand on her hip, if only to give her a bit more stability on her feet. [/blockquote] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * the pen is mightier than the sword [/color] 813 words* such stuff as dreams are made on[/color] using quotes from william shakespeare* get thee to a nunnery![/color] open is/are tagged* what's in a name?[/color] template made by LAURIE?! of CAUTION 2.0[/size][/blockquote] |
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