Writing Inspiration #1

I always love to browse through pictures and find one that truly inspires me to write an intriguing story. This is a writing activity you can do too. This not only challenges you to write on the spot but makes you think outside of the box.

What does this picture make you think of? For me it invoked the images of romance and new beginnings, thus this story arose.I hope you enjoy. Comment below and share your writing inspiration.

A New Day for Love

By: Aneva Walker

A tear slid down a honey-colored cheek and a dainty hand swiftly brushed the moisture aside. She wasn’t going to do this again. Even as the thought entered her mind she knew she had no power to stop it. Evan was getting married…to another woman. Six years they had been together, six beautiful, wonderful years, only to find out that he really didn’t love her. A sob caught in her throat and she turned her head away from the scene outside her window. Evan’s tall, broad frame was striding away from her apartment and heading to his new fiancé’s place. How long had he been going behind her back? A tinge of anger muddled the overwhelming sadness and she was grateful for the distraction. The no good cheating bastard! Who needed men anyway!

A cry of anguish split the air and she realized it had come from her. No matter how much she wanted to hate him, she found that she couldn’t. No matter how much she wanted to blame him for leaving her, she couldn’t help but wonder if she did something to push him away. At the sound of her front door creaking open, she jerked her head up to see if Evan had returned, hoping he came to his senses. Her momentary excitement faded, when she saw her neighbor Jessie standing there instead.

“V, are you okay?” He asked moving toward her.

Jessie wanted to slap himself for asking such a stupid question. Of course she wasn’t okay. He heard her crying from his living-room and when he saw her boyfriend heading toward his fancy Lexus, he knew something was wrong. Jessie knew that she was expecting a proposal. They had become friends since her move to Oakwood Apartments three years ago. He always hated her boyfriend Evan Stanton, but that could also be because he had a thing for his girlfriend. Evan didn’t deserve her. Staring down at the crumpled woman on the floor, he wondered how a man could do this to a woman. Why be with her for six years only to leave her? Jessie bent down beside her and brushed back her hair from her face.

“Viola.” Jessie whispered.

Viola looked up into Jessie’s imploring hazel eyes and felt exposed. Evan hated seeing her cry, it made him uncomfortable. Jessie had never seen her cry. She turned her face away.

“I’m sorry, you shouldn’t see me like this.”

Jessie frowned, “You’re right, I shouldn’t. I should see you happy and smiling and I hate the fact that he hurt you.”

Viola glanced at him and was surprised to see anger in those eyes. She touched his hand and he caught her gaze.

“I don’t expect you to understand. I don’t even understand. Maybe I was too clingy. I had begun increasingly dropping hints about proposing; I never thought.” Viola’s voice caught.

“You never thought what?”

“I never thought that every time I mentioned marriage, he had another woman in mind.” And on those words, Viola broke into a gut-wrenching sob.

If there was ever a time Jessie wanted to bash some heads together it was now. He despised guys who wanted to have their cake and eat it too. He could never understand men who lived double lives either, did they not know what the effect of their lies would do to the women that loved them. Jessie placed an arm around her and drew her close. He didn’t know how long he held her there, it felt like an eternity. Each time she cried he felt his heart squeeze, he never wanted to see her like this again. He couldn’t bare it. It tore him apart. Viola should only have good things, but he knew that life didn’t always work that way.

“It’s going to be okay, you’re going to get through this.” Without thinking Jessie kissed her forehead and stroked her hair.

Slowly Viola sobs dissipated and she sighed, “Thanks for coming to my aid.”

“No problem, what are neighbors for.” Jessie said, looking down at her.

 “They're mostly there for borrowing sugar, not handling distraught, brokenhearted women.” Viola chuckled.

“Maybe for some neighbors, but not me. I care about you V; I consider you a good friend.”

Viola smiled and snuggled deeper into his embrace. “I consider you a friend too. I don’t know what I would have done if you didn’t come by.”

“Well, I did, so let’s not think about the ifs.”

“Jessie?” Viola whispered.

“Yeah.”

Viola tilted her head up and stared into Jessie’s eyes. He had really nice eyes. She never noticed that before. Her eyes moved to his mouth. He had a very nice mouth too. Viola found herself leaning into him, moving her mouth toward his. Reality struck, when Jessie jerked away and stood abruptly.

“I can’t, not like this.” Jessie said, backing away.

At the hurt look in her eyes Jessie felt the need to explain. “It’s not that I don’t want to kiss you, you don’t have a clue how much I want to kiss you, but I can’t. You’re hurting and I’m here. I get that. I just want our first kiss to be because you really want it, not to soothe your broken heart. I’m sorry that sounded harsh. I didn’t mean it that way.” Jessie said quickly.

“No, it didn’t. You’re right. Thanks again Jessie, you’re the best.” Viola smiled wanly, feeling a little foolish.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” Jessie asked, hoping he didn’t sever their relationship by rejecting her advances.

“That sounds great.”

Jessie had to get out of there quickly before he changed his mind about the kiss. As soon as he made it back to his apartment he let out a long sigh. His wiped his sweaty palms against his jean clad legs and tried to steady his breathing. His whole body felt hot and achy and it was all because of Viola. The image of her chocolate eyes going slightly out of focus as she leaned closer to him, kept replaying in his mind. Did he imagine the slight parting of her lips, or the warm breath that caressed his lips? It took every ounce of control he had to keep himself from going back over there and taking the kiss and anything else she offered. But even as that thought entered his mind he knew it was wrong. He cared too much about her to use her. She had been used enough. He hoped he could help her heal and maybe, maybe finally she would see him…really see him.

*****

Viola stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel off the rack. She wrapped herself in it and made her way toward her bed. She felt a whole lot better and she owed a lot of that to Jessie. He was right, it wasn’t her fault. Evan could have left her a long time ago if things were so bad, but he didn’t. Evan had played her. A knock on the front door had Viola jumping. She wanted to ignore it, but when it came more forcefully, she sighed and went to her closet to grab her tattered robe. She placed on the robe as she walked toward the door. She glanced in the peep hole and smiled. She didn’t need the man on the other side to even look up. She’d know that rumpled raven’s wig anywhere. Viola opened the door.

“Hey, you’re back.”

“I am, thought you could use something to eat. I didn’t think you would want to cook-considering.” Jessie smiled shyly and shoved the Progressive soup cans into her empty hands.

“Thanks, that’s really sweet of you. In fact, I am pretty hungry. Would you like to join me, I think I have enough for the both of us.”

Jessie’s eyes scanned the knee-length tattered robe and the wet curly hair. She looked amazing. Jessie made an incoherent sound and once again had to reel in his self-control. Apparently, opening her door to him clothed only in her robe, was a normal thing for her. Did she realized how incredibly sexy she looked right now? Viola was watching him and when he didn’t answer, she sighed.

“Is it the kiss thing again?” Viola asked.

Jessie shook himself, if he said yes, she would think he regretted her advance. Then he’d have to explain and that, that would be more than a little uncomfortable.

“I’m sorry, no it’s not about the kiss. I already ate, but as I was eating I thought about you and how you probably wouldn’t want to cook. So I came by with food.” Jessie said.

His explanation seemed to appease her and she smiled. “It’s really sweet. Are you still coming by tomorrow?”

Viola mentally kicked herself. What was wrong with her? First she tried to kiss him, next she offered him to eat dinner with her even though she was half naked and now she was asking if he was coming by tomorrow. Viola didn’t understand. She stared at him and really took him in for the first time. She had worn blinders for the duration of her relationship with Evan. It was only earlier today when those blinders had been ripped from her eyes. The way Jessie looked at her made her feel things she never felt with Evan and that was really confusing. Evan had an elegant beauty about him, he was strong, athletic and positively gorgeous. Jessie was all hard planes, dark and mysterious. Jessie looked dangerous, but the paradox was that he was the total opposite. The kindness and care he had shone her over the past three years proved that. And that mouth…Viola realized that he was speaking.

“Huh?’

Jessie’s crocked smile flashed suddenly, “I said it was a sure thing, me coming over tomorrow.”

“Good, I mean, it will be nice to have some company.” Viola said quickly.

“Good night V.” Jessie said softly.

“Night.”

Viola watched him walk away and enter his apartment beside hers. She closed the door and locked it. She studied the labels on the cans and found herself smiling when her eyes saw the words Clam Chowder. Every single one of them was Clam Chowder-her favorite.

2 weeks later

Viola signed out of her Facebook account and brushed away the tears that tumbled down her cheeks. She should have deleted Evan from her friend list when he broke up with her but she had been avoiding that task, hoping, she guessed. But all hope she might have had, crashed and burned. Evan and his wife Windy was the first thing Viola saw when she logged onto her account. The embarrassment and pain that overtook her was beyond words. She did delete him then, with tears in her eyes, she deleted the man who crushed her heart. He’s not worth it. It was odd that Jessie’s voice seemed to resonate in her mind every time she got low like this. His words always uplifted her. You’re too beautiful to be worried, any man in their right mind would grab you up in a second. Jessie said she was beautiful a lot. Even two weeks after Evan left her, Viola still hadn’t figured out the feelings she was having toward Jessie. She wasn’t the type to do the rebound thing, but there was something...

Yesterday, Jessie had come by for a movie night. Jessie had brushed her shoulder with his hand and Viola literally had to catch her breath. She felt silly. It wasn’t even like he was trying to make a pass, he was simply reaching behind her trying to grab the remote. Then it was the time when Jessie had insisted she get out the house and took her to the local carnival. They were watching a show, when he leaned in and whispered in her ear. Viola had gotten the strong urge to kiss him, not like a friendly peck on the cheek, but a full blown passionate kiss. And when she looked at him, it was like he knew exactly what she was thinking. He had winked at her. She had hoped he would kiss her, but he hadn’t. Viola wondered if Evan saw something between Jessie and herself that she didn’t see. If he did, he never let on. Maybe he even thought that she was cheating on him. Viola had to think back to her encounters with Jessie, each time was perfectly innocent.

At the knock at the door, Viola’s heart sped up. She got up and headed toward the front door, checking the peep hole. Her stomach seemed to fill with overzealous butterflies as she opened the door.

“Hey, you’re early.” Viola said, looking back at the kitchen clock.

“I know, but I couldn’t wait, that movie you’ve been saying you wanted to see. I found it.” Jessie held up the DVD box and watched as Viola’s eyes widened.

“Ohmygosh, Torn! I’ve been wanting to see this forever, but they were always out of stock. How?” Viola asked, reaching for the DVD.

“I have my connections.” Jessie said, wiggling his eyebrows.

Viola laughed and made her way to the living-room. By the time Jessie was closing the front door, Viola had already popped the movie into the DVD player and had curled up on the sofa. Jessie found himself staring at her. She looked happy and even if she didn’t realize it, she looked at him differently. When she had been with Evan it was almost as if she looked through him rather than at him. She didn’t do it on purpose, almost as if she conditioned herself not to see anyone but Evan. He almost wanted to thank the bastard for leaving her because now she didn’t wear blinders. She saw him and the way she looked at him, he could even say, she liked him.

“Well, are you just going to stand there are you going to get the popcorn and join me.”

Jessie grinned. “Popcorn, I’m on it.”

The commercials were over by the time Jessie sat next to her. He was so close that his hip almost touched hers and there went that feeling again. This time it was a lot more intense. Viola was determined to ignore it. Besides, Jessie hadn’t tried to kiss her or even mention her failed attempt two weeks earlier. Maybe he really did just see her as a friend. And why did she care anyway?

By the second scene in the movie, Viola was hooked. She was pretty sure she had eaten more popcorn than her share, never taking her gaze away from the screen.

“I can’t believe it, two amazing men. How can she choose between them? Henry is so passionate and daring and Luke he’s so sweet and romantic.”

Viola reached her hand into the popcorn bowl only to find a few buttery kernels. She looked at Jessie as if to say, what happened to the popcorn? He grinned at her.

“I’ll go pop some more.” Jessie said, getting up.

Viola watched him head toward the kitchen. She studied his long, powerful stride. She took in the girth of his shoulders and chest. He was definitely a Henry, all rough and rumpled. Then again, he was also a Luke, sweet and romantic. Evan never watched romantic movies with her, he always said, those movies are for when you’re with your girlfriends. Yet, it was okay for them to watch football together. The more she compared Evan to Jessie, the more she realized, how not so lovely Evan had been. Viola watched as Jessie stretched; she stared as the corner of his shirt rose to expose pale skin. Jessie turned back to glance at the television when he heard yelling. Viola quickly whipped back around, but not soon enough to miss the quizzical eyebrow raise.

Viola had been watching him. Jessie couldn’t stop the satisfied smile from spreading across his face. Although, she could have been seeing what was taking him so long with the popcorn, Jessie amended. That thought brought him down a notch. When he reached the couch he sat back down and handed her the popcorn bowl. With a grumbled thanks, Viola dug in.

“Choose me Blaire, I can give you what you need. I love you.” Henry said as he grabbed Blaire and tugged her closer.

“I can do things that Luke could never do.”

“Henry.”

Henry kissed her, and Viola’s eyes was glued to the screen, her hand frozen over the popcorn bowl. Jessie reached his hand into the bowl and touched hers. Their gaze found each others and Viola quickly slipped her hand from under his.

“Sorry, you can have the rest if you like.” Viola said, surprised by how breathless she sounded.

“Uh, thanks.”

 Jessie took the bowl, but after that moment he couldn’t taste any of it. His eyes kept going back to Viola, to her mouth. He ran one hand over his hair and wanted to kick himself for bringing a romance movie over to watch tonight. Viola loved action, why didn’t he pick up the Terminator or something?

Suddenly, Viola turned to him, startling him out of his thoughts.

“Jessie?”

“Yeah?” He looked down at the empty bowl of popcorn and wondered if she wanted him to go make a third batch.

“Do you think I’m attractive?” As the words left her mouth, Viola almost regretted it.

“Of course, you’re extremely beautiful.” Jessie said. “You know that.”

“Evan got married today, I saw the picture of him and his wife online.”

Jessie was taken aback by the sudden change in subject. He had thought she was enjoying the movie, maybe she was simply trying to distract herself from the heartache.

“Well, good for him. He didn’t deserve you anyway.”Jessie said angrily.

Viola smiled. “I realized something, funny really, that this movie would give me a huge revelation.”

“What’s that?” Jessie asked.

“That I’m just like Blaire. I actually had two great guys in my life, one who wasn’t right for me and the other who I’m beginning to believe just might be.”

Jessie felt his heart skip.

“Who are those guys?” Jessie asked.

“Evan and you. I know Evan was a jerk at times and what he did was horrible and painful, but I remember the times when things were simply perfect between us. And then there’s you, I never even realized how great a guy you were until recently. You’re so sweet and I think.”

“You think what?”

“I think Evan saw something between us that I was too blind to see. I kept asking myself why I felt so odd around you. I kept wondering why I never felt those feelings with Evan. Maybe it was because I was like Blaire.”

Viola turned back to the film as if she had explained everything coherently.

“I’m still lost.” Jessie said sheepishly. “How are you like Blaire?”

“Blaire wants both guys because they both have something the other doesn’t. She keeps comparing both of them, therefore she can never be satisfied with either of them. Not until she realizes what she really wants. I didn’t realize that since I met you, I have been mentally comparing you with Evan. On my birthday you always got me the best presents, you always remembered exactly what I wanted and liked. Evan, even after being with me for so long, still had trouble with getting me the right gifts. At first I thought it was cute, my forgetful boo; I use to call him. But when I met you, I started getting angry with him. Asking him how couldn’t he remember I liked tea over coffee after all these years. I would have never been satisfied with Evan, because he simply didn’t care that much about me. But you do, don’t you?” Viola said taking his hand.

Jessie was stunned, by her confession. He had thought this whole time, he had been invisible. They had talked and he even played third wheel sometimes but he never thought she had doubts about her relationship with Evan.

“I do care about you V,” Jessie said. “You’re an amazing woman.”

Viola smiled brightly. “Good, so you won’t feel terribly awkward if I try for that kiss again.”

Jessie grinned back. “Not at all.”

When Jessie’s lips touched hers, every cell in her body ignited. The taste of him flooded her senses and she felt drunk on him. Her head was swimming and her heart pounding. She held onto him, trying to steady herself, but feeling herself falling deeper into him. Why had she settled for sparklers when fireworks had been in her midst the whole time? She smiled.

“Jessie you’re intoxicating.”

Jessie laughed. “How about we finish this movie a little later after a little more therapy.”

Viola giggled. “Therapy sounds good, can you fix it doc?”

Jessie grinned. “Bet on it.” And he kissed her.