Categories > Original > Romance > The Understudy
The Understudy
0 reviewsOriginally called Substitute on my old account, this is a story about two women who both realize a solution by swapping lives.
0Unrated
A/N: Hey there--this is a new novel idea that came to me in a dream fancy that. Each chapter should change between the two women, they have their own style for their chapter. Jocelin as you'll see below is a web designer so thats why I've included the html. Please let me know what you think!
*Note* reposted from my old account.
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[title]How Not to Start the Day[/title]
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Normally any ordinary person of the age 26 would be able to manage her own life accordingly as to what had been laid before her. Oddly enough I have yet again forgotten to set my alarm after an albeit rough night. My life does not take this little infliction well--it becomes a tumbling swirling vortex in which every other aspect is sucked within its depths. Today will not be a good day.
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Bursts of light broke through the tiny cracks in my newly bought bamboo blinds, grimacing I pulled the blankets above my head along with my pillow. Much to my dissatisfaction my cell phone buzzed and fettered with the generic Toccata and Fugue tone chiming away. My pasty over worked hand peeked out from my lair slowly finding the bedside table then the phone.
Before I could even answer an all to familiar voice chirped happily in my ear: "Jocelin? Don't tell me you had one of those nights again..." I cursed leaving my cellphone on before I collapsed on my bed--come to think of it I don't remember what I had done before that.
"What ever do you mean?" I managed to muster out, mostly sounding like a caveman who had failed to create fire once again. I propped myself up on my mound of down feather pillows. I yawned loudly not trying to hide the fact that she had woken me up once again.
"Do you really want to lose your job?" Lauren always knew how to make me feel guilty about wallowing in my own self pity--she's one of those worshipers of 'The Secret', by her side always. I sighed my free hand pulling back some of the auburn strands out of my pale face.
"Lauren, it's one day off without notice--they won't terminate me!" I lied through my teeth, I was hoping that we would both forget about the important meeting that will commence in just under an hour. I could hear her absent minded laugh in the background, she no doubt being a keener was adding final touches to her pitch.
"Well too bad because I sent Nathan to pick you up." Lauren said calmly, I could picture the sly smile upon her face, she knew I would be leaping from my bed.
"Why did you do that!?" I almost screamed into the phone throwing my worn slippers on my cold feet as I scrambled into the bathroom. I really did loathe Lauren, "Why couldn't you have come instead!" I scrounged through my draw for my tooth brush and ran the water haphazardly as it splashed everywhere.
"He offered to," she said the clacking of her keyboard in the background a faint snicker escaping her lips as she heard the rustling on my end, "It's getting you to move isn't it?"
"You could have at least gave me a warning!" I mumbled through a mouthful of toothpaste. I spat loudly as to make her grimace, with a smirk of my own I put the phone on speaker as dove into my closet throwing clothes out of my way that didn't match. "He will be here any minute and I'm not even dressed and he can't see me like this!" I whimpered and I scrounged further with not much luck from what was clean within my closet.
"You should of thought of that before you decided to wallow." Lauren said, what a smart ass she was some days. "Besides you know you're only going to make yourself feel worse if you keep giving into that--"
"Save me the optimism lecture Lauren, I can't even find anything decent to wear to the meeting!" Finally I found a green dress shirt that wasn't more wrinkled than a pug. "What if Nathan comes to the door and I'm in my underwear, that'll be just a great situation." I groaned as I slung it over my pale shoulders, I watched myself in the mirror as I did up my buttons fixing the collar I admired how the colour contrasted my hair.
"Oh who cares," Lauren said her voice was muffled it sounded like she was eating a muffin, I only hated her more my stomach growled in protest to what I had last night. I spotted out of the corner of my eye my dark brown dress pants, hastily I hopped on one leg pulling them up to my waist. "You and Nathan have been friends since high-school I wouldn't be surprised if he's seen more than just your underwear!"
"Yeah well sorry, I don't sleep with best friends," I smirked to myself that would definitely make her quiet, I returned to the bathroom fixing my hair I placed two bobby pins on either side pulling the hair from my face I let a few bangs fall free. I heard the doorbell in the background and I barked my final words to Lauren, "There's the doorbell must be him, remind me to kill you later." I hung up the phone and slid it into my blazer pocket and I put it on running to the door.
I hung onto the railing as I hopped down the stairs on one foot interchanging trying to put my heels on, I had become very good at this doing it a handful of times. I snatched my keys off the hook and took a deep breath, I opened the door to see Nathan standing with a goofy grin on his face holding two coffees.
"Wow Joce," he said handing me my usual vanilla bean latte, "I expected you to be still asleep, and snoring too." I glared at him as he sounded almost disappointed that he couldn't catch me off guard.
"I don't snore." I snapped as I slammed my door and shoved my key in turning it counterclockwise.
"Little miss sunshine this morning I can see," he shook his head at me and returned to his silver corolla, I followed behind not wanting to small talk. I buckled myself in and settled against the cushy seat, I really loved these new cars. I moved the small fan in my direction, I smiled as the ac cooled my skin and blew my hair lightly.
"I didn't mean to snap at you," I said guiltily sipping my latte, I sighed at the sensation of the vanilla coating my mouth. I watched as we reeled towards a clustered main street, this dampened my oncoming good mood. We suddenly turned off to a side street then another, and finally an alley, I turned in his direction, was he out of his mind? "Where the hell are you going?!"
"Do you really want to be late for that meeting--we have half an hour." He turned another corner and there we were on the main street again ahead of all the traffic. I looked at him in awe, then I realized where this spurt of genius came from and I laughed out loud. "What are you laughing at?" he said sipping his black coffee. I never understood how he drank that.
"You google mapped this didn't you?" I was now laughing uncontrollably on the verge of snorting much to my dismay I crinkled my nose trying to stop it as I leaned over my head almost between my legs. I could tell his eyes were on me as he shook his head we turned one last corner. "You Nathan really need a new hobby," I said composing myself once more gathering my things as we parallel parked near our office building.
Nathan always had a gift for finding the perfect spots so near to wherever he wished to go, luckily, not owning my own car I was often with him. He smiled at me as I unbuckled my seat belt and opened the door he to got out, I smiled at him as we both stood looking over the car.
He was genuinely in a good mood today, I really couldn't understand why after the past week, he of all people should be in the worst mood. But that was always like Nathan other people first always and forever, and if he was bothered he would never give you the slightest hint that there was anything at all. We walked down the newly paved side walk to the glass business building, I took in a deep breath as we entered.
"Jocelin, you'll be fine," Nathan said retrieving my empty coffee cup and throwing both into the recycling bin near the elevator, "You are always prepared and managed to pull yourself out of any mess." He pressed the 4th floor button. We stood in silence as I tried to hide the smile that festered upon my face, he always knew the right thing to say.
We were greeted fitfully by none other than Lauren who basically shoved my illustration board into my arms along with other papers. "The meeting commences in ten minutes she said, just enough time for you to scan over what you have and come up with something--" she trailed off trying to cover her bold remark, "Feasible." she finished with a meek smile.
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*Note* reposted from my old account.
[html]
[title]How Not to Start the Day[/title]
[head]
Normally any ordinary person of the age 26 would be able to manage her own life accordingly as to what had been laid before her. Oddly enough I have yet again forgotten to set my alarm after an albeit rough night. My life does not take this little infliction well--it becomes a tumbling swirling vortex in which every other aspect is sucked within its depths. Today will not be a good day.
[/head]
[body]
Bursts of light broke through the tiny cracks in my newly bought bamboo blinds, grimacing I pulled the blankets above my head along with my pillow. Much to my dissatisfaction my cell phone buzzed and fettered with the generic Toccata and Fugue tone chiming away. My pasty over worked hand peeked out from my lair slowly finding the bedside table then the phone.
Before I could even answer an all to familiar voice chirped happily in my ear: "Jocelin? Don't tell me you had one of those nights again..." I cursed leaving my cellphone on before I collapsed on my bed--come to think of it I don't remember what I had done before that.
"What ever do you mean?" I managed to muster out, mostly sounding like a caveman who had failed to create fire once again. I propped myself up on my mound of down feather pillows. I yawned loudly not trying to hide the fact that she had woken me up once again.
"Do you really want to lose your job?" Lauren always knew how to make me feel guilty about wallowing in my own self pity--she's one of those worshipers of 'The Secret', by her side always. I sighed my free hand pulling back some of the auburn strands out of my pale face.
"Lauren, it's one day off without notice--they won't terminate me!" I lied through my teeth, I was hoping that we would both forget about the important meeting that will commence in just under an hour. I could hear her absent minded laugh in the background, she no doubt being a keener was adding final touches to her pitch.
"Well too bad because I sent Nathan to pick you up." Lauren said calmly, I could picture the sly smile upon her face, she knew I would be leaping from my bed.
"Why did you do that!?" I almost screamed into the phone throwing my worn slippers on my cold feet as I scrambled into the bathroom. I really did loathe Lauren, "Why couldn't you have come instead!" I scrounged through my draw for my tooth brush and ran the water haphazardly as it splashed everywhere.
"He offered to," she said the clacking of her keyboard in the background a faint snicker escaping her lips as she heard the rustling on my end, "It's getting you to move isn't it?"
"You could have at least gave me a warning!" I mumbled through a mouthful of toothpaste. I spat loudly as to make her grimace, with a smirk of my own I put the phone on speaker as dove into my closet throwing clothes out of my way that didn't match. "He will be here any minute and I'm not even dressed and he can't see me like this!" I whimpered and I scrounged further with not much luck from what was clean within my closet.
"You should of thought of that before you decided to wallow." Lauren said, what a smart ass she was some days. "Besides you know you're only going to make yourself feel worse if you keep giving into that--"
"Save me the optimism lecture Lauren, I can't even find anything decent to wear to the meeting!" Finally I found a green dress shirt that wasn't more wrinkled than a pug. "What if Nathan comes to the door and I'm in my underwear, that'll be just a great situation." I groaned as I slung it over my pale shoulders, I watched myself in the mirror as I did up my buttons fixing the collar I admired how the colour contrasted my hair.
"Oh who cares," Lauren said her voice was muffled it sounded like she was eating a muffin, I only hated her more my stomach growled in protest to what I had last night. I spotted out of the corner of my eye my dark brown dress pants, hastily I hopped on one leg pulling them up to my waist. "You and Nathan have been friends since high-school I wouldn't be surprised if he's seen more than just your underwear!"
"Yeah well sorry, I don't sleep with best friends," I smirked to myself that would definitely make her quiet, I returned to the bathroom fixing my hair I placed two bobby pins on either side pulling the hair from my face I let a few bangs fall free. I heard the doorbell in the background and I barked my final words to Lauren, "There's the doorbell must be him, remind me to kill you later." I hung up the phone and slid it into my blazer pocket and I put it on running to the door.
I hung onto the railing as I hopped down the stairs on one foot interchanging trying to put my heels on, I had become very good at this doing it a handful of times. I snatched my keys off the hook and took a deep breath, I opened the door to see Nathan standing with a goofy grin on his face holding two coffees.
"Wow Joce," he said handing me my usual vanilla bean latte, "I expected you to be still asleep, and snoring too." I glared at him as he sounded almost disappointed that he couldn't catch me off guard.
"I don't snore." I snapped as I slammed my door and shoved my key in turning it counterclockwise.
"Little miss sunshine this morning I can see," he shook his head at me and returned to his silver corolla, I followed behind not wanting to small talk. I buckled myself in and settled against the cushy seat, I really loved these new cars. I moved the small fan in my direction, I smiled as the ac cooled my skin and blew my hair lightly.
"I didn't mean to snap at you," I said guiltily sipping my latte, I sighed at the sensation of the vanilla coating my mouth. I watched as we reeled towards a clustered main street, this dampened my oncoming good mood. We suddenly turned off to a side street then another, and finally an alley, I turned in his direction, was he out of his mind? "Where the hell are you going?!"
"Do you really want to be late for that meeting--we have half an hour." He turned another corner and there we were on the main street again ahead of all the traffic. I looked at him in awe, then I realized where this spurt of genius came from and I laughed out loud. "What are you laughing at?" he said sipping his black coffee. I never understood how he drank that.
"You google mapped this didn't you?" I was now laughing uncontrollably on the verge of snorting much to my dismay I crinkled my nose trying to stop it as I leaned over my head almost between my legs. I could tell his eyes were on me as he shook his head we turned one last corner. "You Nathan really need a new hobby," I said composing myself once more gathering my things as we parallel parked near our office building.
Nathan always had a gift for finding the perfect spots so near to wherever he wished to go, luckily, not owning my own car I was often with him. He smiled at me as I unbuckled my seat belt and opened the door he to got out, I smiled at him as we both stood looking over the car.
He was genuinely in a good mood today, I really couldn't understand why after the past week, he of all people should be in the worst mood. But that was always like Nathan other people first always and forever, and if he was bothered he would never give you the slightest hint that there was anything at all. We walked down the newly paved side walk to the glass business building, I took in a deep breath as we entered.
"Jocelin, you'll be fine," Nathan said retrieving my empty coffee cup and throwing both into the recycling bin near the elevator, "You are always prepared and managed to pull yourself out of any mess." He pressed the 4th floor button. We stood in silence as I tried to hide the smile that festered upon my face, he always knew the right thing to say.
We were greeted fitfully by none other than Lauren who basically shoved my illustration board into my arms along with other papers. "The meeting commences in ten minutes she said, just enough time for you to scan over what you have and come up with something--" she trailed off trying to cover her bold remark, "Feasible." she finished with a meek smile.
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