Hello everyone! So we wanted to do a short little interview for you to get to know us! We are also adding some little short stories that we have written just for fun! If you have an questions about us let us know! Don't forget to follow us on social media and listen to our podcast!
Next we have two short stories written by both Hayley and I (Ariel)! These are just little excerpts if you want to read more then go follow Hayley’s personal blog athousandlives16.wordpress.com and My (Ariel) 20Lines account! (20lines is a short story writing app/website you can find me under the name Ariel Bernt!)
Ariel:
*buzz buzz buzz*
My phone vibrates next to my head signaling me it's time to wake up. " Today's the day" I whisper to myself. I sit up in bed and stare down at the numbers counting down on my wrist. Only 8 hours left. My stomach knots as I get out of bed and get ready for my first day of college. We are prepared our whole lives for the day that our numbers stop counting down but I can't help to feel scared. No amount of coaching can help me through today. Today is the day I meet my soulmate. They say the second you meet them you just know and you instantly fall in love, but what if I don't like him, what if he's not what I imagined? I've been dreaming about him for years. What if he can't handle me or doesn't like the way I look? These thoughts fly through my mind as I try to tame my hair. I know I'm supposed to dress up on a day as special as today but I don't want to. I don't even want to leave my dorm room. I want to lie around in sweat pants all day but it would be terrible to miss my first day. After a lot of procrastination I decide I won't dress up and I slide into my skinny jeans and shrug on a black T-shirt. Why should I try to make a good impression he should just see how I normally am. Soon I am out my door heading to my first class. I can't pay attention I just keep staring at my wrist. Hours pass and my classes go by in a blur. It's almost time. Just one more hour. I call my mom almost on the verge of tears. She answers in very excited tone,
" hi mom" I choke out
" hi baby how are you holding up? Are you excited?"
" no I'm not excited and I'm barely holding it together can I just ignore the numbers and hide in bed?"
" no sweetie you have to do this. It's part of growing up. But it will be alright no matter how it goes. I promise." I sigh. It has to be alright.
" alright mom. I love you, talk to you later."
The thing about the numbers is you don't know anything but a time you don't know how or where it will happen, you don't even know what will happen. Like I said before almost everyone falls in love right away but there has been a few horror stories where people turned out to hate their soul mates. And I'm afraid that the will be what happens to me. I get up and head to the cafeteria it's 5 pm and I have 5 minutes left, it's also dinner time. I try to ignore the numbers on my wrist as I get my meal and sit down alone at a table. I don't look at them but I can still see the numbers in my head. 5... 4... 3... 2... 1.... 0. I look around to see if anyone can notices me. Nothing happens no one comes up to me or even glances in my direction I'm invisible. I stand up and throw my leftovers away and grab my backpack. As I'm looking down I notice my wrist. My numbers have reset. The now read 5 days 6 hours and 42 minutes. What is going on no one's ever had this happen before. Panicked I run into the bathroom and call my mom. " hi baby!" She answered excited to hear about my meeting.
" mom something's wrongs."
Hayley:
Today was supposed to be the most perfect day of my life; I was going to marry my best friend, the man of my dreams. But that was before Michael decided to run in and publicly declare his undying love for me; that he can’t live without me, even though he’s been just fine without me for the last three years, and even before that, when he found another girl to “love” in my house, and my bed. I was devastated then, but shortly after, I met Nathan, who pulled me up from rock bottom and continued to lift my spirit. He proposed after two bumpy years, and after everything with Michael, I couldn’t see myself with anyone else.
Here we are, facing each other hand in hand, in front of our family and friends. I felt myself glowing with pure happiness and love and light, as Nathan did the same, beaming down at me as we waited to start our lives as husband and wife. Mostly, I was excited to tell him that we’ll be parents by the end of the year. I had only recently found out, and I had not shown any signs or anything yet other than being late, and I had planned on telling him on the first night of our honeymoon.
The preacher asked if anyone had any objections to the marriage, and as he took a breath in, a familiar voice rang out from the back of the church. “I do,” he hollered, “Cassie, you can’t marry this guy!” He stood and quickly made his way up the aisle, as my smile faltered and Nathan dropped my hands.
“You’ve got to be kidding me, Cassie,” Nathan muttered. “How did he even know? Did you know about this?”
“No, I didn’t know! Nathan, please don’t be like this,” I pleaded. No, no no no! My mind screamed, This is just a dream, this isn’t really happening…
“Cassie, I still love you!” Michael declared. I looked away from him and Nathan, who stood in front of me, over to my parents, who both shook their heads. They never approved of Michael, and were ecstatic when I accepted Nathan’s proposal, as they should have been. Nathan was truly good for me, and brought out the best in me. “It’s always been you and me,” he took a step closer as Nathan blocked his path to get to me.
“Back off man,” Nathan warned. “Let’s not forget who messed up here. You cheated on her, and she left you! You had your chance, and you blew it. Now, step back, and let a real man treat her as the queen that she is!” He bellowed. Nathan’s face was red hot with anger, and Michael began backing away, like a dog with his tail between his legs. As he turned around, I stopped him.
“Why, Michael?” I whispered. He stopped in his tracks. When he didn’t answer, I snapped. “Why would you do this? And on my wedding day, of all days!” I shrieked. “You have no right to be here, no right to do this to me, after I found you in my bed with your intern!”
“I still loved you then, as I do now! People make mist-”
“People make mistakes, but this is unforgivable.” I interrupted. “Nathan would never do this to me, and he will never do this to me.” I paused, ready to drop the news in front of everyone. “He won’t ever betray me and our child the way you did.”
At once, we heard a choir of gasps, and saw everyone’s jaws drop at once. Nathan stiffened, then quickly turned to face me. “What did you just say?” He looked as shocked as everyone else did. Happy tears slid down my face, as I released the rest of the news.
“Nathan, I’m having your child. Our child,” I said breathlessly, “I wanted to surprise you tomorrow night on our honeymoon but honestly, I’m glad you know now. I’ve wanted to tell you all week.” He picked me up in a giant hug and spun me around, and kissed me over and over again. The preacher stopped us, to ask if we were to continue the ceremony or if we would postpone. Before I could answer, Nathan took the floor and spoke for the both of us.
“We’re going to go elope in Vegas, and go on a vacation to celebrate our marriage and our child together,” he yelled. “The ceremony is over, but all of you can have fun at the reception. There will be dinner, drinks, and an open bar-”
“Oh, hell.” I interrupted. “There’s no ceremony or reception. Go have dinner and drinks at the bar around the corner, we’ll think of you all when we board the plane to Vegas. Thanks for coming!” I looked at Nathan again, and his full, beautiful smile was back again. He beamed at me once more as he laced his fingers through mine, and we ran down the aisle, past Michael, who reeked of alcohol. Past all of our friends and family, who looked surprised and annoyed that they dressed up and came to church for nothing. We flopped down in the limo. “To the airport!” I giggled.
Nathan and I were ready to fly into our future, our new life together, even if we weren’t married just yet.
AWARD QUESTIONS
1. A book you started but never finished…but want to finish. What stopped you from continuing to read it?
Ariel: One book I started but never finished is Linger by Maggie Stiefvater. I read the first book Shiver in one day and I absolutely loved it. Shiver is honestly one of the best books I've ever read. When I picked up Linger I thought I would tear through that as well and I never did which surprised me immensely. One thing I have a hard time with is when books switch character perspectives each chapter. The first book shiver did not, then second, Linger, how ever did. To me I want to know what's happening in the main story and that's it. I have a very hard time caring for the other characters. How terrible am I?! Well even though it has the perspective changes I've tried multiple times to pick this book and read it, and I just can't. This makes me sad just thinking about it.
Hayley: There have been quite a few over the years that I’ve picked up and put back down, and never finished. One that I do hope to finish sometime this year (or sooner) is Perfect by Ellen Hopkins, which is the sequel to Impulse. I absolutely LOVED Impulse and the ending left me heartbroken and in tears, but when I picked up perfect, it didn’t hit with me right away the way Impulse did.. This was years ago, but I’m unsure if I was just super busy and didn’t focus enough, or if I found something else and cheated on Perfect (Sorry, Ellen Hopkins!). But, as I said before, I really REALLY hope to pick Perfect back up again and read it all the way through.
- What elements attract you to a book, which makes you need to read it?
Ariel: I'm super crazy when it comes to choosing books. Just kidding! I actually am easily swayed when it comes to books. If I think the cover is pretty normally that's what draws me in. After I find a cool looking book I'll read the description if that little excerpt of the book can make me go “oh shit” then that's what gets me. I'm really into horror, fantasy, romance, and stuff along those lines. Anything supernatural will also make me pick it up.
Hayley: I agree with Ariel, I am a sucker for a beautiful cover! I know, I know… “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” But how can you not?! Anyways, attractive covers can draw me in, at least to see what the book is about. I totally picked up two of the Unearthly books by Cynthia Hand a few weeks ago because, HAVE YOU SEEN THOSE COVERS?! They’re gorgeous! Anyways, I really love realistic fiction, and some paranormal/supernatural books. I also am drawn to literally any books by my favorite authors, no matter what the cover looks like, I just wanna see what the books are about!
- Which books do you prefer, e-copy or hard copy?
Ariel: Normally I will prefer paperback copies of books. I love reading anyway I can but if I have a choice it would definitely be a paperback book. Hard copies to me are to difficult for me to hold and get comfortable with. A paperback I can bend a little bit more to how I'm wanting to sit or lay which is the main reason I'm team paperback all the way. I do also have copious amounts of Ebooks. I have a kindle and a nook which I absolutely love. I enjoy Ebook because I can have any book I want right away which is my favorite when I am not okay with waiting. Even though I absolutely love Ebooks nothing will ever take place of the feeling and smell of having a book hard and solid in your hands!
Hayley: I will read pretty much anything, but I do prefer a paperback. I think it’s just the fact that you get to hold the physical copy, and can hug it to your chest when you’re crying about character deaths, etc… Might be a little odd to hug your tablets, but hey, you do you!
What book are you currently reading or going to read next?
Ariel: I am currently reading Revealed by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast. This is the 11th book in the House of Night series. I am in love with these books and we are reviewing the series two books at a time on our podcast (links to the podcast on our site). Aside from the House of Night series I am planning to read several other books including the Sookie Stackhouse series.
Hayley: Right now, I’m reading Destined by PC and Kristin Cast, the ninth book in the series. So close to the end of this monster series, yet so far.. I have a whole shelf full of books (and then some) that I plan to read, but a few I’m excited about are Defending Taylor by Miranda Kenneally, Unearthly by Cynthia Hand, and Phantom of the Opera by Gaston LeRoux.
- Is it fair to judge a book by its film?
Ariel: I think that judging a book by it’s film is an awful thing to do! Film adaptations never closely follow books. Things have to change when making a book into a movie that is how things are. I have seen books become a movie and have it be the best crossover ever. I have also seen the opposite where it's absolutely god awful. So no it's not fair.
Hayley: Ohmygod, it’s so completely unfair to judge a book based on the movie. I purposely make myself read the books before the movie, so I know and love the story before going in to see a movie, and it potentially being a disaster. That being said, not all movie adaptations of books are terrible, but there were some that were close to my heart (I’m looking at you, directors of Beautiful Creatures! Shame on you!) that the movie was absolutely awful. As I mentioned, with Beautiful Creatures the movie was completely inaccurate, wrong, and I was so infuriated that I cried. My sister went with me and she agreed, as we both love the books. Ever since, I have not read past the first book of the Beautiful Creatures series.
- What book did you badly judge by its cover and ended up loving?
Hayley: There have been a few on my Kindle that I’ve read with weird covers and that I loved, but a physical book would have been Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally. I kicked myself for this one, as this was an impulse buy, and I just thought it would pass the time. Boy, was I wrong, and I am seriously so glad about that. I love Miranda’s writing, and have loved her other books she’s written.
Ariel: There is one book in particular that comes to mind and it’s the first book in the Vampire Diaries series by L.J. Smith. I picked up the book at a garage sale my freshman year of highschool (which was 7 years ago? Don’t quote me on that!) I picked it up because I had read her other books including the Night world series so I thought it would be good. Well that was the time where the Vampire Diaries became a show and was blowing up everywhere. For some reason this book now that it was a show and it looked very cheesy and corny I honestly wanted nothing to do with it. I wouldn’t read the book or watch the show everyone was having a hay day over. Fast forward seven years (still don’t quote me on the time frame) I decided that I was going to watch the show. Well that fucking show sucked me in and I completely binged watched it and I am now completely obsessed. So I finally caught up with the newest season and I didn’t get enough of The Vampire diaries. I finally pulled out this book and read it. Let me tell you the books are amazing! The books and the show do not follow each other what so ever and honestly I am glad they don’t because now I get my favorite character doing stuff other than what the show has them doing!
7. Which book character have you felt the most kin with and able to relate with?
Hayley: Honestly, as weird as it sounds, I related a lot with Lydia, from Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter. She’s like twenty years older than I am, but her personality is similar to mine, which made the book enjoyable. She’s sarcastic, hilarious, and swears like a sailor, like me, and is also very loving and protective of her family.
Ariel: This is a hard question to answer. I have read so much lately that it is awfully hard to pick one character! I think if I had to chose a character I most relate to would probably be Stacey from the Blue is for Nightmares series. She is super strong minded, and willed. I love Stacey because she is put in some deep scary ass shit and she sits and cries about it for a bit then toughs up and keeps trugging on and fighting. Especially right now I have been going through some hard times and I feel like I know how Stacey feels.
