So here’s the second weekend and I finally broke into 20,000 words. I want to reach 25k before I sleep tonight, but as luck would have it, I have some other writing assignments that I need to finish. I have 12 reflections due for Didache 2010 next week, and to be honest, I wanted to write them all this weekend but it was impossible. I was too distracted. :( I’d rather write my novel, you know? But I must finish this.

So now I’m alternating between writing those reflections and my novel. You know when both is equally important?

I think it might be my last year for Didache. I don’t know. I haven’t really thought about it. Or prayed about it. >_>

Anyway, writing the novel has been really fun. Week 2’s coming, but it’s supposed to be the hard week, but so far I’m not seeing any hard writing days yet. I want to start fleshing out the subplot with Ruth’s sister, but it’s not rearing its head, so I will go continue where my characters want me to go. Ruth’s gone speed dating and met Matt, reconnected with Ian and now she’s about to find out something about Glenn. And finally, Ruth is going on dates! I will finally make her go on a date with the guy who will ask her to buy term life insurance! I feel like I rambled for the first six chapters, but it feels just right to build up to her forced dating spree. Whee. This is the fastest progress I’ve had so far. :D I might just reach 60k. :D

I better get back to writing my reflections. :D And before I go, here’s an excerpt from Chapter 5:

The two guides flashed a thumbs-up sign at Abby who smiled. “Okay, ladies and gentlemen, the game starts…now!” She rang the bell and the guys hurriedly took their places around the circle.

Lord, I’m doing this for Mitchie, but please make it easy on me too, I prayed as a young man in a long sleeve polo shirt and a very loud tie approached my table with a timid smile on his face. He looked really young, and I felt my maternal instinct suddenly kick into gear. I shook it away mentally.

“Hi,” he said shyly, trying to climb up on the chair. It was then I noticed that he’s really short. As in really. I’m not that tall, but I could reach the chair just fine but he was having a hard time just climbing up to sit down. I watched him struggle for a while, wondering how he would manage to get up and realized after a moment that I was probably being mean by just watching him, so I spoke up.

“Look…I don’t think it would matter if you sat down…you can just stand up,” I said. His cheeks turned redder and he mumbled something which I assumed was “Thanks.”

At least he could reach the table, I thought and then chastised myself for being mean again. He fumbled with his kit, and I saw that his hands were shaking. I felt bad for him. I know that if he didn’t have a good start, it would probably end up bad for the entire event, so I decided to step in and start talking.

“Hi, I’m Ruth,” I said, extending my hand to him. He looked up from his kit, and I thought I saw a flash of relief from his red face.

“Hi,” he said again. “I’m Daniel.”

“Nice to meet you, Daniel,” I said, shaking his hand. It was clammy, but at least it wasn’t sweaty. “So…where are you from?”

“I’m from Laguna.”

I smiled at his nervousness. “No, I mean, what sub do you work for?” I clarified.

“Oh,” he said. “I’m from Accounting.”

“Ah, okay,” I said. “I’m from Street Team.”

“Okay.”

Silence. I could see he was really, really nervous and I felt really bad for him. He looked so young and like a fish out of the water. This must be one of the most horrifying afternoon in his life.

“Don’t be nervous,” I said gently. “Relax. This isn’t so bad.”

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, eyes on the table. “I just got hired last week and my teammates told me they’d all be joining this, but it turns out they’re not.”

Aw, he was caught in a new hire initiation thing. Sometimes the oldies can be so cruel

“It’s okay,” I said, reaching over to pat his hand. “If it’s any comfort, my friend pressured me to join this thing too.”

“Really?” he said, looking up at me. Gosh, he is short.

“Yeah,” I said. “You wouldn’t believe how I got here anyway. And I’d really rather go back to my table and work, but since I promised, I can’t get out of this.”

“My teammates must be laughing at what I’m going through right now,” he said. Daniel sounded like a little boy who unluckily became the butt of all jokes.

“Well, show them you’re not to be laughed at!”

“How will I do that?”

I smiled at him again. “Enjoy yourself this afternoon. Smile, don’t be nervous, relax. This is your time to meet different people, and they’re willing to meet you too,” I paused before adding. “Who knows, you might find the girl of your dreams here.” I cringed internally at what I said. That sounded like something Carol would say.

“But I already have a girlfriend.”

Okay. That was unexpected. I forced my smile to stay on my face. “Well, then be open to meet new friends. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“I have everything I need in my girlfriend.” Daniel was actually serious.

Before I could say anything, the bell rang and it was time for Daniel to move to the next table. I said goodbye, and he scuttled to the next table, still in mumbling about the unfairness of his situation. I sighed. Well that went well. I looked at the first card in front of me, scribbled Daniel’s name on top, guessed on some of the items below, and answered No on the last question.

The next guy, whose name was Mike, was the complete opposite of Daniel. If Daniel was shy, timid, young and taken, Mike was loud, has been single for the longest time and acts a little too close for comfort. Oh, and he’s old.

“So what do you think, babe?” he asked, breaking into my reverie. I blinked. He had started rambling about his previous escapades that were a bit too scandalous for me. I think my mind started wandering off when he told me how many women he’d had in his life. I looked at him and he was looking back at me expectantly with a grin on his face.

I opened my mouth to say something, but the bell rang before I could speak, so I just smiled at Mike and shook his hand one more time. To my surprise and utter horror, he pulled me closer and pecked me on the cheek. He left for the next table before I could do anything else. I shuddered, reached for a piece of tissue beside the pile of snacks on the table and rubbed the cheek he kissed. Ugh.

The next few guys weren’t as bad as Mike, but they weren’t my type either. One of them was a chain smoker, whose breath I could smell from my seat, another tried to eat all the snacks on my plate and talked too much about food. There was this goth-looking guy who I had no idea how he got to join until he told me it was his way of starting a conversation. He even thought of cross dressing just for kicks, but it wasn’t allowed in office policies. There was this guy who seemed to be more well-groomed than I am, and he actually told me his morning and night regimen that keeps his skin the way it is. I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes.

With every guy that passed, I kept on marking “No” on the last question. They’re just not interesting. At all. I was already getting fed up with the entire thing after marking “No” on the ninteenth guy when the next one who sat on the opposite chair took me totally by surprise.

“Ruth Garcia, what a surprise.”

That scene was so fun to write. :D

Happy Sunday everyone. And Happy ML appreciation day! :)