Stories Of Paper: Unwritten Love

Chapter-One-Katie

The tiniest bits of string. Scattered all over the house. This cat is going to be the death of me. Couch torn to shreds.

DELETE.

Pink elephants, pink elephants, pink elephants. Praying we can find just one more before the stores close today. It's freaking Christmas eve and all she wants in the world is this damn pink elephant that is all the rage.

DELETE.

Snufilifigans the smallest furry bear in Alaska, hunts dogs and is the most beloved amongst the natives.

DELETE.

Spread on the couch with her body on full display. My fingers itching to touch her. Lick every soultry inch. Then she starts convulsing.

DELETE.

Fu8ck this shouldn't be this hard. The worst case of writer's block I have ever had. Pulling my hair to the side, twisting it up into a pile on my head. Scooting away from my desk, taking my glasses off, pressure behind my eyes building. I rub them for the millionth time. Under normal circumstances I would have plenty of ideas to run with. Completely out of options. I make the call.

Nina will be here any minute. I grab a pen and a notebook and post up on the couch. Just as I switch the TV on, Nina rushes in. "Ok I've got wine, popcorn, a porno, condoms, and pizza rolls."

Always one for the dramatics. "A bit much, don't you think?" Giving her the side eye as the contents of her bag are poured all over my couch.

"Well how was I supposed to know, you only said CODE RED! I didn't have much time. I grabbed everything I could while running out the door." I'm laughing so hard right now. If I hadn't just emptied my bladder it would be on the floor.

"Ok, ok, thank you." I say as I try to compose myself.

"That's what you should have said to the best friend of the year." Nina pours us a glass of wine, joining me on the couch. "Show me what you've got." She says.

Code red can only mean one thing. Writer's block. The one thing that could end my career. I have been a romance writer for five years now, my publisher absolutely loves me. She is up against the wall right now and needs a new release in three weeks. She knows that I write pretty fast and have many projects lined up ready to go. She dropped this on me believing it would be great for both of us. Well not this time. I'm spent, no clue where to start.

"I've got nothing, not a damn thing to go off of. I need inspiration." Leaning my head in my hands, hunching over. "I've searched the depth of my mind for any morsel of a thought, one idea. I've either written it already or it's fuc8king ridiculous. Nina…." I wine out in dispiration.

"Ok, I got it. Yesterday an older woman was so excited about how her hair turned out that she leaped out of her chair. Her foot got caught in the foot rest and she went topeling to the floor. An older gentleman went rushing to her aid. When she opened her eyes she was so thrilled he came to her rescue she kissed him. Ha. Love at first sight." Did I forget to mention Nina is a cosmetologist and always has some sort of story to bring home to me. Her customers treat her as their own personal therapist. Some of the most interesting, disturbing, unbelievable stories that come out of that place are incredible.

"Good, but not the nail on the head." I heave, downing half of my wine.

"Ok, umm.. Oh, one of the girls had done this guy's hair and he apparently thought she was the best thing ever or something. The next day he brought her flowers to the shop. She swooned and accepted his date invitation." I deadpan.

We go on and on like this for hours. The bottle of wine is almost gone. I still have nothing written in my notebook. Nina continues telling me stories as she busies herself making popcorn, pizza rolls, and searching my pantry for more alcohol. She returns with her spread, finding a lone bottle of Disaronno. She pours us a glass. I will not be drinking that. My buzz is already zinging through my body. Feeling all warm and cozy, if I continue I definitely will not get anything comprehensible written.

As a last resort, Nina pops the porno in my DVD player. Nurse Hungar… what the fu8ck is she doing with that? It starts and the nurse is straddling the male patient in the hospital bed, he is unconscious. She starts rubbing herself all over him. He instantly wakes up and they start making out.

This is so ridiculous, this is not romance. I look over at Nina, she has taken a couple condoms out of the wrappers, cinched them down over her fingers. She is pulling on the latex, stretching it away and letting it go. Pop, pop, pop, snapping very loudly against her hand. Her eyes are glued to the screen, soaking in the s*x scene, like she's taking mental notes. My stomach is in a knot, I can't take it anymore. I grab the remote and turn it off, springing Nina from her trance. "What the hell Katie, it was just getting interesting." She’s looking at me with wild eyes.

Knowing she's trying to be helpful "I need fire, pizazz, spark. Something! Your stories are incredible, don't get me wrong. The porno was a nice nudge. I'm just not clicking. It has to be me. Something is broken. The ah ha moment isn't coming. It's useless. I'm just going to have to call my publisher. She is going to be devastated." I say as I throw myself against the backrest of the couch. Full pout on.

Nina rubs my back "You are not flying off the deep end. Always with the dramatics. I love that about you, but I think you need to find your own story. Get out there and find inspiration."

"How? Seriously, I don't have the time or energy to go stalking couples.” Disgusted look spread all over my face. I can feel it.

“That's not what I mean and you know it. You need to go out. Discover something new. Maybe take a class, get a hobby, do something different. You are stuffed away looking at the same walls every day. If that doesn't scream depressing I don't know what does? You are alone 24/7 trying to grasp at anything that can inspire you. It's impressive, don't get me wrong that you are able to come up with the masterpieces that you have been able to pull out of your ass. But what did you expect to happen if you continued on your path? You run out of ideas. Plain and simple.” Wow, way to lay it on me Nina. This is why she is my friend. She knows how to set me straight when I'm acting like a brat. I know she is right, I seclude myself. I don't have any hobbies anymore. I work way too much. The only people I really talk to are my parents, Nina, and my publisher.

She continues when I say nothing. She knows that look in my eye. Defeat. “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. You used to go out and enjoy life. It's like you have had all the fun then locked yourself away to use up all the inspiration in one shot. Now is the time to refuel.”

Damn do I hate when she points out the most obvious thing. I should have thought about that. With fire in my belly. Literally fire in it. The wine and Disaronno are fighting themselves in their way towards my digestive tract.

I admit my faults to Nina. She cheers, fuck8ing cheers. We go on to finish our drinks and watch a movie, forgetting the brainstorming session completely. At least for now. If I know anything about her she will be checking in on me on the daily from now until I have a project in the works.