Day 208 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Let “New Rules” by Dua Lipa inspire you.

Shannon: My phone lit up, and I’ll admit I still felt a jolt of excitement, thinking it might be him. I wanted to answer as soon as I saw his name flash across the screen, but I stopped myself. It’s your choice I reminded myself. Why should I jump every time he decided he missed me? The phone stopped ringing, and I determined it was for the best.

I saw the message icon appear and again I decided it could wait. I got up to get my mind off of the interruption, but the phone was ringing before I could leave the room. I checked the screen and found his name again. What if he needs me? I jumped to the worst-case scenario and almost picked up.

NO my mind restrained me and I flipped the phone over. That wasn’t our relationship anymore. If I wanted him to stop, and if I wanted to stop loving him, then I had to stop being there for him. I had to disappear from his world, no matter how hard that would be.

Erin: “We can still be friends,” my ex suggested. I took it as his way of lightening the blow.

“Yeah. No thanks,” I nearly chuckled.

“Wait why not,” he tried to make me sound like the delusional one.

“I have no interest in you keeping me on the line and slowing my healing process,” I got up to start that growth immediately.

“I’m not going to string you along, I still love you. We could still be great friends,” if I wasn’t there for the beginning I would think I had just dumped him.

“Nope sorry. I’m a love all of me or none of my type of person,” I began to walk away. “Lose my contact information,” I shouted back without looking. I could feel he had taken a few steps in my direction. I wasn’t going to break until he was out of sight though. Once I closed the door behind me I dropped the strong act and started weeping.

How is your character going to get over their last partner?

Day 206 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about the impact a character left behind.

Shannon: She believed in me, and I guess I didn’t realize how valuable her faith in me was until I discovered she was the first one to set me on this path. If she hadn’t been in my life, I wonder if the same things would still matter so much to me these days. Would I have the same dreams, or would I have given up long ago? They were a few simple words on her end, but they meant the world to me, and I just hope she knew.

Erin: “Why do I feel like I can’t do anything right in this position?”

The new girl looked at me with such concern. “Because you’re Jade and not Tanner.”

“Excuse me,” she leaned on my cubical wall.

“Your boss had the biggest man crush on Tanner,” I chuckled as I pressed sort on my spreadsheet. “Even if you were ten times better than him, your boss doesn’t want to see it.”

“So, you are saying I’m doomed,” I questioned with a raised brow.

“No, you’re like fifty billion times better then Tanner. Your amazingness is going to slap him across the face one of these days and he’ll come to his senses,” and I believed that whole heartedly and she would prove me right.

Even when your character is gone they are not fully gone.

Day 204 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about swimming.

Shannon: He pulled me under the water and I attempted to slip past his side, but his arms engulfed me and drew me into him for weightless kiss. If only I could live in that moment a little longer, but I needed air. I broke his hold and kicked my way to the surface, which might as well have been a different world. I immediately wanted to go back down to him, but he’d be up soon too, and that was where I really wanted to be, in whichever world contained him.

Erin: Swimming was one of my favorite things to do. The constant sensation of the water on my skin made me fully aware of my existence at every moment. My weightlessness was freeing. The waves rocked me back and forth. When I was under the water I couldn’t think of a place I would rather be.

Put your character in the water.

Day 202 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Share some items on your character’s bucket list.

Shannon:

1. Fall in love.
2. Swim with dolphins.
3. Compete in a game show.
4. Publish a book.
5. Create something beautiful.
6. Take a risk.
7. See the Northern Lights.
8. Help a stranger.

Erin: Scuba dive

Sew a full outfit

Dye my hair a crazy color

Go on a road trip with my best friends

Climb a mountain

Help us understand your character’s dreams better.

Day 200 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Start this story with three horses.

Shannon: “Three horses stand before you. Each will determine your next destination, as well as your future. Please choose wisely,” the women gestured for me to step into the pen.

I examined each one, all of them beautiful in different ways. One was white, another black, and the last one was a mix of black and white spots. I considered the common expression, “not everything is black and white”. However, I didn’t know if that was the lesson here. Maybe it was about making a clear choice, because you can’t always have both.

Which one did I want? After some thought I realized I’d be happy with any of them, and from what I was observing none of them stood out as any more capable of leading to something great. What really mattered was which horse wanted me.

After some more review, my choice revealed himself. I picked the black one.

Erin: “Pick your partner,” my friend sneered.

“It’s not fair you know which one in fastest,” I argued.

“A poor carpenter blames their tools,” she chuckled.

“Whatever,” I rolled my eyes. She went to grab her riding gear. “Which one of you is going to help me out here?” I scanned the three horses as I whispered. One turned her head away. She was out. The second one kicked his back leg which scared me. I looked deep into shadows eyes. She seemed like a winner. “She’s my girl,” the fear in my friend’s eyes proved I had picked correctly.

Three horses to start, how are you going to finish.