Real Love

What do I consider real love?
Real love is the mother who hugs her crying child.
Real love is the husband who realizes that his wife is exhausted and puts the kids to bed for her.
Real love is the sister who gets the last cookie but gives it to her little sister instead.
Real love is the dad who uses voices when he reads his daughter a bed time story.
Real love is the couple who sit side by side watching a movie with their kids sprawled across them.
Real love is the son who visits his mom and still kisses her in her old age.
Real love is the parents who plays with their child even though there's something else they want to do.
Real love is the brother who lets his brother beat him in the game that they're playing.
Real love is the daughter who does what her mom asks without having to be asked twice.
Real love is the brother who gives his sister a ride to her friend's house.
Real love is the wife who cleans the house so her husband can come home to work and feel happy.
Real love is the grandmother who makes her grandkids treats.
Real love is the family.

TV Show Idea 1: Rutherford's Boys

This is a TV show idea. I would love to be a TV writer but I would never get hired because I'm not as dirty as other TV writers and I'm not very good or funny either. Plus, I'd have to work with other people. Ugh. Anyway, this show which right now is called Rutherford's Boys (okay it's the dumbest title ever, but it's all I could come up with)is about five boys, their friendship, and their band. It's total fluff, not a lot of depth, and mostly just meant to be funny. There's a few morals, a few twists, and stuff like that. I feel like I'm just rambling so I'll get to the point. I'm going to introduce the setting, the characters, and maybe start writing the first episode.

It takes place in modern times at Hayes Boarding School (that where Rutherford comes from). The band is called "Rutherford's Boys", unless I can think of a better name.

The Boys of Rutherford's Boys:

Dick Drescher: (Lead Singer)
Hair Color: dirty blond
Eye Color: blue
Height: 6'2
Dick Drescher or Drescher as everyone calls him is your stereotypical football player. Well, he would be if he wasn't failing math. He does like football though, that and girls, oh, and food. He's considered a little dense by his peers. He's also the lead singer for the Rutherford's Boys. Nobody expected him to have "the voice of an angel," so when he auditioned everyone was surprised. His best friend is Andee.

Andee Walton: (Drummer)
Hair Color: Blonde
Eye Color: Blue
Height: 5'9
Andee is the one of the new students to Hayes Boarding School. He came with his political beliefs and his drumsticks. Andee beliefs in equality. Not that everyone should have the same amount of things but that everyone should get an equal chance for everything. And he's willing to fight for it. As well as being politically active he's also an amazing drummer. He made fast friends with Drescher which no one really understands since the two of them are complete opposites.

Tomas Ito: (Guitar)
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Very Dark Brown
Height: 5'4
Tomas Ito is, like most students, at Hayes thanks to the help of a scholarship aid. He's here on a fullride academic scholarship. He's not only smart but he also has mean guitar skills. He's also sure that Rutherford's Boys will look good on college applications. Tomas can be considered a little stuck up at times but he's a good friend.

Cody Walker: (Keyboard)
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Brown
Height: 5'10
Cody is the leader of the Rutherford's Boys. It was his idea to start the band, and with the help of his best friend Stephen, he did it. Cody and Stephen have been playing together for years. Cody's a computer whiz, which definitely helped him with the keyboard and the sound of the band. He's sympathetic and a dreamer. Cody knows what he wants and he goes for it. He writes all the songs for the Rutherford's Boys. He's also really good friends with all the band members.

Stephen Hawking: (Bass)
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Green
Height: 5'10
Stephen acts tough but he's a lot softer then he seems. Stephen who has known Cody his whole life has always looked out for him. The two of them are best friends. So one day, when Cody and him were playing together, he was all for Cody's idea of starting a band. Besides Cody, Stephen doesn't really get along with other band members. Especially Andee who has no problem telling Stephen off. But he tolerates them, and even if he doesn't get along with them his bass gets along with their instruments.

Okay, so I put the characters in a weird order. I should have put them in the order that I'm planning on them being introduced: Cody, Stephen, Andee, Drescher, and Tomas. But I put them in the order that I thought of the names.

Hope

Hope is my engine and my gas;
It's what keeps me moving;
Without it I would be lost.

I only have one person to thank for my hope;
My God;
He gives me the hope I need.

No matter what sins I commit;
No matter what happens to me;
My Lord, my God will stand by me.

Until the day I die I will have hope.

My Brother, Cupid Part 18

"Haley," I said trying to catch her. Unfortunately I failed in this quest and she landed with a plunk on the floor. I grabbed her shoulders and tried to carry her to the couch. Chase was just sitting there flying. "Dude, you think that you can turn back to normal and help me."
"I can't just change back and forth whenever I want," he said. Then he tried to grab her legs and carry them. But it was pretty pathetic considering he had the arms of a two-year-old and he was trying to fly.
"I'll do it by myself," I said. And I dragged her onto the couch. I sat on the arm next to her head and Chase flew above her.
She started to stir. "Umph . . ." she groaned. Then she saw me. "Todd? What happened? I thought I saw your brother-" That's when she actually did see him. Her eyes started to roll up in her head.
"Woah. Don't faint on us again," I said.
"Right, sorry," she said catching herself. She then turned her attention back to Chase and she held out her hands. "Are you real?"
Chase flew over to her grabbing her hands. But she pulled him in and grabbed him and started feeling his wings. "This is so weird," she said. "Your wings feel so real." She kept on touching them.
"Ouch," he said. "Gentle."
"You really are real, aren't you? So are the one who gave me my crush on Hank?" she asked letting him go.
"No, it doesn't work that way. I mainly only shoot my arrows on Valentines Day," he said.
"Except when he shot it at me," I said.

Full Story

My Brother, Cupid Part 17

Sorry the last part was so short. I was doing it at school and the bell rang and I don't like drafts, I don't typically ever finish them, so anyway I just hurried and published it.

I wasn't sure what he was planning on doing, so I wasn't sure if I was going to see a baby with wings or a grown man. Haley was looking upstairs. It was obvious by the look on her face she didn't want to be anywhere near me. Finally he came downstairs. He eyebrows scrunched and he looked confused. He doesn't have a very good memory.
"Chase, this is Haley. Haley, Chase," I said.
"Is the girl you were talking about?" Chase asked. Haley shot me a disturbed look. Like a guy can't talk about the girl he likes.
"Yeah, this is her," I said.
"Haley, is it?" he said. She nodded. "Haley, I need to show you something that you need to know."
"Uh, I just barely met you," she said.
"Right. I'm doing this for my brother," he said.
She looked at me. "Um, okay."
"What I'm about to show you might shock you. The only other person who knows my secret is Todd. But we're about to let you into the circle," he said.
She just looked at him. I think he was only making her more confused.
"Ready?" he asked.
"Yeah," she said.
A white mist full of tiny hearts, red, pink, and white; tiny arrows; and tiny cupids started to form around him starting at his ankles in a circular motion. The higher it got the bigger the hearts and other symbols got. Until he was completely covered and you couldn't even see him then the mist started to float a little. It got about a half a foot off the ground and it started to shrink from both sides. As soon as it got pretty close to the middle it just all disappeared like a wind had blown it away. In Chase's place was Cupid.
"The reason Todd loves you is because I'm Cupid," he said.
She fainted.

Full Story

My Brother, Cupid Part 16

This is the chapter where we find out where Todd's mom is, if you were curious.

Haley and I walked to my house after school. I had overheard her talking to her friends about it. One of them had said, "If he creeps you out, why are you going over there?"
"You should of seen the look he gave me. He looked so . . . so helpless," she said.
That's when I interrupted her and asked her if she was ready to go.
"I guess," she said.
The whole time we were walking she didn't make eye contact or talk to me at all. I didn't attempt to get her to do either. That was until we reached my front door. When I saw the rose wreath I remembered why I never invited anyone over. My house was a doll house with only two guys living in it. I never understood it until Chase explained that it was a Venus design. Venus, in Roman mythology, is the mother of Cupid. But still, it was weird, and I didn't want my friends to see it. But maybe this time I would actually add to my story. Either that or make Haley think that I was even creepier.
I decided it was worth it. "This way," I said, leading her in not exactly knowing what to expect.
She lingered a few minutes at the door frame, "Um, is your mom home?" she asked.
"No. My mom's in Africa serving the hungry and the sick. I live with my brother," I said with a sigh.
"Really?" she asked. I could see that she doubted this story. "Then is your brother home?"
"Should be," I said. Then I yelled, "Chase! Chase!"

Full Story

My Brother, Cupid Part 15

"Wait. What? Are you serious? Why?" I said.
"Because you were really upset about it. And that's what brothers do for each other," he said.
Here was making another sacrifice for me. "No. You could loose your place on the Council of Holidays. I can't let you do that," I said. "They weren't to happy when you told me, and they were only okay with it because they agreed that if I lived with you then you'd probably have a hard time hiding it from me."
"It's worth it," he said. "For you."
"No, it's not," I said.
"Todd, invite her over tomorrow. Tell her that you have a secret that she needs to know. Trust me, everything will be okay," he said.
"No. I get to do things for you too," I said.
"What are you talking about? Do this for me," he said.

"Haley! Haley!" I called. She was pretending that she couldn't hear me. I didn't actually get her attention until we were in class. "Haley!"
"Um, didn't I ask you to leave me alone?" she said.
"Listen, Haley, I have something I need to show you. It's about my brother," I said.
"Huh?"
"I know you think I'm a creep. But just hear me out. There's a reason that I'm acting like this. But I have to show you. I need you to come over to my house to see it," I said.
"When?"
"After school today."
"I don't know," she said frowning in an adorable way.
"C'mon Haley, please, if you come over to my house and just see what I have to show you. I swear I'll leave you alone," I said.
"I don't know."
I just then just looked at her for a couple of seconds. I guess I should have thought of a way to convince her to come over instead of just assuming she'd give in.
"Oh, okay," she said. "But just for a few minutes."
A smile the size of Texas must have appeared on my face. Not only because I had won and now maybe she wouldn't think I was that creepy but because she, the girl of my dreams, was coming over to my house.

Full Story

My Brother, Cupid Part 14

This was a lot to take in. My mind went back to the day when Chase first told me that he was Cupid, he seemed so sure of himself. He must of used the word love a thousand time. He had told me he didn't even want to take me in because he was worried that he might loose his job. It had been pretty obvious that he loved being Cupid more then me. But now I wasn't so sure.
"You have to understand what's like to be a Holiday, Todd. It's hard. There's no normalcy. Everyday to us is the holiday that we represent. You've seen your brother's house," Lucky the Leprechaun said.
"Besides Santa and New Year we all started as normal people. We had to give up a lot when we became Holidays," Mother Day said.
"Even Tom and I have human forms," said the Easter Bunny.
"Your brother, like the rest of us, is controlled by the Holiday. His holiday is all about love. No, not love, infatuation. He's controlled by the force of infatuation, is it any wonder that he wants you involved in his life," Father Day said.
They all started talking at once about how hard it was to be a holiday. Something along the lines of how New Year could never make any friends because he always matured way faster then them and how Dracula could never give out enough candy at Halloween and how Father Day never seemed to do enough to make Mother Day happy. If I was confused before, I was even more confused now.
"Enough!" I yelled. "I understand. I just need to think for a couple of minutes to think about this."
They nodded their heads and I left. I went and sat down on one of Dewey's couches. I started to think. I went back to when I was six and Chase was twelve:
"Didn't mom tell you not to climb on the banister?" Chase asked me giving me a tissue for my bloody nose.
"Are you going to tell her?" I asked still crying. My mom had gone to some sort of charity thing and had left Chase in charge.
"Even if I didn't your nose might give her the hint," he said helping adjust the tissue.
I started to cry even louder.
"Okay. Okay. Listen, we'll just tell mom that you fell of your bike and hit your nose, okay?" he said.
"Really? You'd lie for me?" I said.
"If you really needed me to, I'd do anything for you, Todd. That's what brothers do," he said.
He was always doing things for me. That's when I realized something. He never told on me but I was always telling on him. He was a pest, but I could be a pest at times too. He had even taken me in to live with him when I had no where else to go, he didn't have to do that. He was a true brother. And I was just the ungrateful kid who lived with him.
I knew at that point I had to go back to him and tell him how I really felt.

I shut the door to my house. I have to admit after spending a week in a haunted house that coming back to my brother's romantic house was a bit of a relief. But when I looked around the house wasn't up to Chase's normal standards. In fact it was quite messy.
"Who's there?" I heard Chase yell.
"It's me, Todd," I said. I turned around to put my shoes away when I got hit by a 21-year-old romantic.
"I've been worried sick about you. Where have you been?" he said.
I was going to answer. I was, honestly, but I got distracted. "I was . . . Aw, Man, you look awful." And he did. His normally curly cherub hair was stick straight and all out of place. His blue eyes were in company with huge bags right under them. He was still wearing a pair of heart pajamas even though it past noon. And he stunk.
"I've been worried about you," he said. "That's not important now. I figured it out."
"What? What did you figure out?"
"How to make things right between you and Haley," he said.
"What?" I said.
"That's why you were mad right? Well I figured it out. A way to solve your problem with Haley without using love magic," he said.
"I'm listening."
"You need to tell her the truth."
"You mean -"
"You need to tell her that I'm Cupid."

Full Story

List of Holidays

I think we're far enough in My Brother, Cupid to introduce the council of the holidays:
Holiday - Council Member's Holiday Name - First Name
New Year's Eve - New Year - Nigel
Valentines Day - Cupid!!! - Chase
St. Patrick's Day - Lucky - Lucky
April Fools Day - April Fool - Andy
Easter - Easter Bunny - Eddie
Mother's Day - Mother Day - Mary
Father's Day - Father Day - Frank
Halloween - Dracula - Dewey
Thanksgiving - Tom the Turkey - Tom
Christmas - Santa Claus - Santa
I didn't include holidays such as Independence Day, Earth Day, Columbus Day, Etc. because I didn't want the council too big and I'm not creative enough to come up with symbols for each of them.

My Brother, Cupid Part 13

If you're wondering where part 12 is, it's in May 2010 even though I just posted it yesterday. I started on part 12 in May though but I got a horrible case of writer's block and so I just saved it as a draft and didn't work on it until, well, November. Anyway here's part 13:

All the Holidays rushed over to me.
"Todd, have you been here all week?" New Year asked me.
"Yeah. I've been staying with Dewey," I said.
"Dracula! What kind of Holiday are you? You've had Cupid's brother here the whole time?!? Have you just been ignoring him?" Mother Day yelled.
"His mother knew vere his vas, so I vasn't worried. Todd asked for my help avoiding his brother virst," Dracula responded.
"So this whole week when Cupid wouldn't stop emailing us or calling us you just said . . ." April Fool said.
"I don't know vere your brother is," Dracula said.
None of the Holidays looked to happy at this response. "Of course you did," Santa said. "While the rest of us were looking for Todd you were busy lying. Listen, Todd, you need to go back to your house."
"Your brother has been worried sick about you," Father Day said.
"He's been calling us and emailing us nonstop," the Easter Bunny said sounding a little annoyed.
"He said he'd be willing to do anything to get you back to the house," Mother Day said.
"Even give up being Cupid," Tom said.
"He said that he would give up being Cupid . . . for me? But he loves being a Holiday. He loves being Cupid," I said.
"Not as much as he loves you," Santa Claus said.

Full Story

Another Time, Another Place Ch. 1

Susan Green wasn't your typical lady. For one thing she was sixteen years old but acted like a little child. Another thing, she wasn't afraid of anyone or anything, or so she told everyone. She loved everyone: her schoolmates, her parents, her friends, her grandparents, even the slaves on her father's plantation. She never wanted to hurt anyone. In fact, unlike most Southerners, she believed that all men should be free. But she never told anyone that in fear that she would be judged by her parents and her peers.

The most peculiar thing about Susan was her crush on one of the slave boys: Willy. This, she knew, wasn't something even the Northerners who supported abolition would approve of. She was so worried about people finding out she didn't even write it in her diary.

Despite her fear of people disproving of her thoughts she made no effort to hide her friendship with all her father's slaves. No body cared though or criticized her for socializing with the slaves. One reason was that she would talk with anyone, she was incredibly friendly. Another reason was because her father was known for his high tolerance for his slaves. He treated his slaves a lot better then a lot of his neighbors did their slaves.

"I've heard rumors if that black-loving, awful man Lincoln gets elected president then us Southerners will declare our independence just like when our ancestors declared independence towards Britain," Mr. Wilhite said to Mr. Green.

"Really? Interesting," Mr. Green responded.

"Mr. Wilhite, do you really have such little faith in the loyalty of our country that you think we would just leave if we didn't like the president?" Susan asked.

Both men frowned at Susan who was standing at the door of men's parlor. "Can we help you, Susan?" Mr. Green asked her.

"No, Sir, I was just on my way outside when I overheard what you were speaking about," Susan said.

"It's almost sunset, you're going out now?" Mr. Wilhite asked.

"Yes, sir. Now is the best time, right before the stars come out. I'm going to make a wish on the first star I see tonight," she said.

"Very well then, Susan. Go ahead," Mr. Green said.

"Thank you, Sir. Goodbye," she said as she turned and left.

"You need to control that girl, she should know better then to interrupt like that," Mr. Wilhite said.

"Don't tell me how to raise my daughter. Besides Susan is like a fire, if you try to control her she'll burn you. If you let her be she'll give you light and warmth. Susan is a smart young lady, she knows what's important and what she wants. I couldn't say that for most of the girls in this city," Mr. Green said.

Susan bounded out of the door her thick dark brown hair bouncing behind her. She paused as she observed her father's plantation. Mostly all the slaves were still out working. That's when she picked him out. She immediately started running towards him.

"Evenin' Miss Green," one of the slave ladies yelled as she ran past.

"Evenin' Charlotte," she yelled back. She paused for a few seconds and decided to go back to talk to her. "How's Davie?"

Charlotte mouth turned into a frown. "I'm afraid Davie's sick," she said.

"Oh, no. What does he have? I'll get medicine for him. I will," Susan said.

"Oh, thank you, Miss Green, but I think the best thing for Davie right now is to get some rest and that's impossible," she said with a sigh, "This is a busy season and Mr. Green needs all of us working."

"That's ridiculous. Davie's six, how much help can he be? Listen, I'll talk my father. I'll get him to let Davie take some time off," Susan said.

"I don't think . . . thank you, Miss Green," Charlotte said.

Susan probably would have stayed longer but she noticed that her target was leaving. She started to run away, "I'll talk to him, Charlotte. I will." She ran until she was close to him "Willy!" she yelled.

"Evenin' Miss Green," he said taking off his hat.

"Are you done with your work, Willy?" she asked, smiling.

"Just barely finished, Miss Green," he said.

"I want to go to my favorite spot on this whole plantation, Willy. Will you come with me to go see it?" she asked innocently. Inside, though, she was burning up. This was the bravest thing she had ever done, she had been planning this for weeks though.

"'Course I will, Miss Green," he said.

And with that Susan took off again only pausing a few seconds to turn around and say, "C'mon Willy, this way." She led him through cotton plants over to what she called the star watching wall. It was a stone wall, no more then three feet high. She jumped up on it and patted the spot next to her.

Willy thought Susan Green was the most peculiar girl he knew. He didn't really understand her, but then again neither did anyone else. He'd been to the conversations where his fellow slaves would talk about her. They all loved her, of course, it was impossible to hate someone as sweet as Susan. But all of them agreed that Susan was quite odd and impossible to predict.

What the slaves said about Susan was a lot better then what the whites had to say about Susan. Every slave had heard what they had to say about her. They used every insult they could think of. But, then again, most whites couldn't handle anything different and Susan was the very definition of different.

Willy jumped onto the wall with her. Susan smiled at him and said, "This is the perfect spot to watch the stars. Do you ever make a wish on the stars?"

"No, Miss Green, I don't reckon I have," he said.

"Do you want to make a wish? It's real simple. All you have to do is when we see the first star we close our eyes and wish for anything, anything in the world, nothing is too ridiculous," she said.

Willy wasn't taking this seriously but he said anyway, "Will it come true?"

"Don't be silly, everyone knows that stars can't actually grant wishes. We make wishes on stars because it gives us hope. And hope is such a good feeling," she said. "Oh, look, there it is. The first star in the night sky."

She closed her eyes and silently thought her wish, I wish that Willy and I were somewhere that we could be together.

Willy thought this whole thing was quite stupid but Susan eyes were glued shut and he couldn't see the harm so he too closed his eyes and made his wish. I wish that I was a free man.

After a few seconds, Susan opened her eyes and sighed. Making wishes always made her happy. She scooted over a few inches to the right and fell off the wall. The reason why: besides the part Willy and she had been sitting on the entire wall had disappeared. And that's not all that had disappeared. The entire plantation was gone.

Chapter 2