“I don’t think I will ever be in love” snippet from “Charmeine” the First Novel in “The Light-Bearer Series”

School (1) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

(Author Note:   Charleen doesn’t know that she is Charmeine… yet!)

Charleen was trying to keep two boys from fighting when she heard a crash in the back of the Hiawatha Elementary classroom in Long Island.  One of the little girls in her class had knocked over the Lego bin and there were pieces flown everywhere on the floor.
Ignoring the mess, Charleen sat the boys down on the floor matt and sternly said, “I want everyone to get along here.  If you don’t, you’ll make Miss Davis very unhappy.”  Charleen looked at them with her big brown eyes and a sweet look which melted the boys.  Very sweetly she said, “Now, please say you are sorry to each other, shake hands and we will all go to recess, okay?”  The boys bobbed their heads up and down and shook hands.

A pile of Lego blocks, of assorted colours and sizes. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Yelling over the children’s shrieks and confusion, Charleen said “Now everyone grab the Lego pieces on the floor and put them back in the bin.”  With a clap of her hands they were all scooping the pieces and making the floor clean again.  “Okay now, let’s go outside and play, shall we?”  All of the children walked hastily out into the hallway.  When they got to the outside door, they stopped to let their teacher, Charleen, to open it.  Once Charleen opened it, the children immediately started yelling and screaming as soon as their little feet hit the steps to go to the playground.
Working at summer school helped with the bills, but summer was Charleen’s favorite time of year.  Charleen stood in the hot August sun watching the children play.  She loved the sun.  Charleen loved to feel the rays of sunlight beating down on her bare arms and face.
Like a snake in the grass to stalk his prey, Mr. Waverly started to make his way over to talk to Charleen.  She was thinking to herself there was nothing she hated more than a guy trying to come on to her.  Even worse, a guy coming on to her at work made her even more disgusted.
Mr. Waverly said, “Oh Charleen?”
She thought about running into the school, but she was assigned recess duty this week, so there was no retreat.  Charleen grimaced, crossed her arms and replied, “Mr. Waverly?”
Mr. Waverly stood too close to her invading her personal space.  His breath smelled like he hadn’t brushed his teeth in three years and it looked like it too.  Waverly wasn’t overweight but he wasn’t thin.  He had a little paunch belly and wore too tight pants which accentuated his shortcomings.   His hair was greasy and combed into a pompadour.
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“Lenny and the Squigtones”-1979 LP cover (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

She thought of Mr. Waverly as a combination of Lenny and Squiggy of “The Laverne and Shirley Show.”  Charleen chucked thinking, ‘Dating them would be better than dating this moron!’
Sidling up to her Waverly said, “Hey baby, come to the Billy Joel Concert with me tomorrow night at Jones Beach.”
Charleen had to keep from laughing and rolling her eyes.  She had to give Waverly credit, at least he didn’t try to hang on her or touch her which was his usual Modus Operandi.

Billy Joel performing in Jacksonville, Florida, United States (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

She replied, “Mr. Waverly, thank you, but no.  I already have a date for the Billy Joel Concert tomorrow.  I’m really looking forward to it.  Maybe I will see you there!”
Charleen scurried off to the other side of the school yard on the pretense of helping a girl go down the slide.  She knew the filthy minded Mr. Waverly was watching her with his lurid eyes picturing her down to her skivvies.
Charleen hated it when men saw her as a sexual object.  She had taken years of lessons in Judo.  Charleen wanted to make sure she would never be a victim.  She hated feeling helpless and knowing Judo and self-defense made her feel confident in almost all situations.
With a big sigh, Charleen turned her face to the sun and thought, ‘I don’t think I will ever be in love.’  Charleen had never dated anyone seriously.  All the men she had accepted to go out on dates with were duds; she wasn’t really attracted to them.  Charleen didn’t know why and really didn’t care.  However, Charleen tried to convince herself she was happy being alone, even though deep down she felt empty, void and extremely lonely.  Nevertheless, Charleen had her standards and wasn’t going to compromise, especially with Waverly; she thought, ‘Waverly is about as skuzzy as they come.’

A Day At Smith Point Beach (Photo credit: spyffe)

As if a cue to get Charleen’s mind off an unpleasant thought, she felt the sun warm her.  She started to think about the ocean.  Charleen felt so good at the beach with the soft rays of the sun beating down on her.  She was thanking God summer session was over today.  She had worked hard all summer.
Charleen had one week of vacation until school prep days for the fall semester started.  The concert with Billy Joel at Jones Beach was the beginning of her week of sun and beach fun.  Charleen had bought a new bathing suit and a brand new beach bag just for her upcoming ‘stay-cation’.  She wasn’t rich by any means; however, Charleen relished and cherished the time she had at the beach like it was the most extravagant thing in the world to her.
When Charleen drove to Smith Point on the south shore of the Island, she didn’t care if it was 90 degrees or 50 degrees, she just liked to go and watch the waves go in and out with the tide.  She felt peaceful and blissful at the beach.

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“I want my life back…” heart-wrenching excerpt from “CHARMEINE” the First Novel in “The Light-Bearer Series” (emilyguido.com)
Author’s Favorite Scene of “Charmeine” the First Novel in “The Light-Bearer Series” (emilyguido.com)


Filed under: Paranormal Romance, Snippet, Uncategorized Tagged: Angel, Angels, attraction, Beach, Charmeine, Desire, Emily Guido, Independent, Independent Author, light bearer, Long Island, longing, Love, Need, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Self-Defense, Self-Published, The Light-Bearer Series, Vampire, Vampires, want, Woman-Power