LJ Idol: Week 9: Keep calm and end this meme

[flipflop_diva]

She was always the one who felt out of place.

When the others all had iPhones, she still had a phone you had to flip open. When the others were all on Snapchat, she was still trying to figure out how Facebook worked. When the others were hailing hydra on every picture they saw, she had finally just figured out who Grumpy Cat was.

It was the story of her life. Always a step — or ten — behind.

It wasn’t that she hadn’t tried. For a while, she had. When she was young, she had asked her mom to take her shopping. She went to school the next day in her new sneakers and pink jeans and her hair done in curls, but her shoes weren’t the right brand and her pants weren’t the right color and the other girls were all wearing ponytails, and once again she seemed to have missed the memo.

She thought high school would be better. Or maybe college.

They weren’t. They were worse.

She was still always a step behind, always wearing the wrong clothes and saying the wrong things and listening to the wrong music and crushing on the wrong stars. Her car wasn’t fast enough and her computer had to be plugged in and she always got to the party just when the others were leaving.

And then one day she met her.

Lucy was tall and blonde and she didn’t care what anyone thought. She dressed how she wanted and talked how she wanted and she didn’t blink an eye when other people snickered at her.

And Lucy liked her and she liked Lucy, but the others gave them looks and told them they didn’t belong, and once again she was doing things wrong.

But Lucy squeezed her hand and told her it didn’t matter and said if she trusted her, it would all be okay.

•••

Now it’s ten years later and she is still a step behind. People mention TV shows and she stares at them in confusion. Her clothes are outdated and so is her hair.

But she has Lucy. And they have their daughter.

And it finally doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.



Dislaimer: The above is all fiction and I hope it makes some sense with the prompt.

Comments

[kagomeshuko.livejournal.com]

I'm always behind with technology, but I don't mind that. I don't have to have all the up-to-date stuff.

[i-17bingo.livejournal.com]

Sounds to me like she's ahead of the curve.

[eternal-ot.livejournal.com]

Yes... i would second that comment..i would call her ahead of the curve..:)

[icaruslived.livejournal.com]

A classic story, but executed beautifully. Thank you!

[whipchick.livejournal.com]

This is really nice - the way you use language to describe the protagonist's experiences - "her computer had to be plugged in and she always got to the party just when the others were leaving" - makes this a very original take on a universal narrative. Well done!

[halfshellvenus.livejournal.com]

That was the exact detail I liked-- and it's a feeling that I think a lot of people share, at least in abstract.

None of the 'out-of-step' issues really matter if you find the right person to be with. They all become irrelevant. :)

[improper-me.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed this.

[roina-arwen.livejournal.com]

Things are just things, and clothes are just clothes, but if you have someone who loves you, you've got it all. :)

[tonithegreat.livejournal.com]

Ah, this is a sweet short snappy take on the prompt. Nicely done!

[lrig-rorrim.livejournal.com]

This was adorable, and I really enjoyed it.

[eternal-ot.livejournal.com]

Lovely piece...a realistic world that..there surely are people like that. A good take on the prompt. Liked it!

[jem0000000.livejournal.com]

Awww. :) People that love you are better than cool clothes or things.

[rayaso.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed your descriptions of the various "failings" and the feelings of wanting to belong but not being able to get it right by other people's standards. This ended so well!

[unmowngrass.livejournal.com]

"She thought high school would be better. Or maybe college.

They weren’t. They were worse."

I hear ya! Haven't we all felt like that at times, eh?

[cheshire23.livejournal.com]

I'm glad she has Lucy. And their daughter. That makes me happy.

[solstice-singer.livejournal.com]

Parts of this really resonated with me. I often feel out-of-sync with society. Thank you for writing this.

[talon.livejournal.com]

:D