{"id":3581,"date":"2010-10-29T09:31:38","date_gmt":"2010-10-29T09:31:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.alertnerd.com\/?p=3581"},"modified":"2010-10-28T23:26:48","modified_gmt":"2010-10-28T23:26:48","slug":"with-violet-light-part-iv","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.alertnerd.com\/?p=3581","title":{"rendered":"With Violet Light, Part IV"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Okay, folks\u00e2\u20ac\u201dthis is the last part of our saga<\/a>. The end!<\/p>\n

But is it…(dun dun DUN)…THE END?! As in, the ultimate fate of these characters? The period on their unwieldy, reference-laden sentence?!<\/p>\n

The answer is simple: I don’t know. This does feel a bit like a natural stopping place, but sometimes random things (like the phrase “male Star Sapphire”) make me think of other<\/em> random things and then it leads to writing words down and suddenly I’m asking Paul<\/a> if he can draw Julie in a Green Lantern outfit.<\/p>\n

So. We’ll see. Enjoy the final installment of this little story, and please come back next Friday\u00e2\u20ac\u201d I’ll have a special behind-the-scenes extra to share!<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u201dSarah Kuhn<\/em><\/p>\n

**<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153There is something\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6sort of funny about all this.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Layla and I are sitting on the Comics Bee\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s slightly grotty carpet, propped up against the counter, my head leaning on her shoulder for support. All the other customers have long fled. Braidbeard and Evan are having a hushed-but-spirited debate about Ghost World<\/em> over in the indie corner, a soft chorus of passionate whispers and the occasional \u00e2\u20ac\u0153actually<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d wafting through the shop.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Oh?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I snuffle pathetically into a crumpled tissue. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Why don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t you enlighten me?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

She smiles at me, zen-like. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Well. Tonight we learned you and Jack have yet another thing in common: really bad gaydar.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Oh, shut up,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I say, but there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s no heat behind it.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Just teasing,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she says. She squeezes my shoulder. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll come back.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Maybe,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I say, frowning into space. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153He turned his phone off, so I have no idea where he is. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve just\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6never seen him blow up like that.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Layla nods and we sit there for a second in contemplative silence. My eyes zero in on a Witchblade<\/em> poster plastered to the wall above us. There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s something almost soothing about scrutinizing the ridiculous, anatomically impossible lines of her form, something that turns my brain off and keeps me from thinking. I trace my gaze over her mostly-naked ass. <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Listen\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6Jules.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Layla\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s voice cuts through my borderline pervy thoughts. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I know our matchmaking plan didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t exactly work out like we thought it would, but I gotta say: it was really fun hanging out with you? Like, in a girly way? Maybe we could do it more often?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Eh?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I sit up straight and shoot her a puzzled look. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We do hang out. Like, all the time.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I know, but I mean\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6just us. Without the boys. And maybe we could do girly stuff, like, um\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6get our nails done? Get cocktails\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6with little umbrellas in them?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I finish, cocking a bemused eyebrow. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You really do want us to be like Sex and the City<\/em>, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t you?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

She nods eagerly. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I think we could pull it off. And I get a little sick of all the comics-and-action-movies talk.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

I laugh. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Okay,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I say. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You are, honestly, the first real girlfriend I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve had. And I couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t ask for a better one.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Hold that thought,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she murmurs, her eyes fixating on something over my shoulder. I turn, following her gaze to the Comics Bee entrance. And there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Jack, looking exhausted, sheepish, and just a little bit lost.<\/p>\n

He crosses over to us, and I stand, trying to prepare what I want to say to him. But before I can open my mouth, Layla\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s positioned herself in front of me, hands on her hips. <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Listen, you,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she says, jabbing her pointy index finger into Jack\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s chest. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Jules is my girl<\/em> and I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not gonna let anyone stomp all over her. So you better be ready to explain yourself, or I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll kick you<\/em>. In a not nice place! Cause that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s what girlfriends do for each other!!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Jack holds up his hands in surrender, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I have a really good apology prepared,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he says. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Awards-worthy.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Well\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6okay.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Layla steps to the side, still frowning at him, then turns and lays a hand on my arm. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153How was that?!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she asks anxiously. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Super Charlotte-y?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153More like Samantha,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I say, patting her hand. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Beautifully done. A-plus.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yes<\/em>!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she exclaims, pumping her fist in the air as she trots off toward the indie section.<\/p>\n

Jack stuffs his hands in his pockets, his gaze shifting from side to side and finally meeting mine. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153So. I overreacted.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

I cock an eyebrow and look at him expectantly. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Uh-huh\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What I said, the way I acted, that was\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6incredibly dumb. Almost He-Man grunty, in an energy drink-chugging, Maxim<\/em>-reading kind of way. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m an idiot.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

I reach over and gently tug one of his hands out of his pocket, threading my fingers through his. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Lucky for you, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re a cute<\/em> idiot.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

He gapes at me. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re gonna forgive me just like that?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

I shrug. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Usually it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s me flying off the handle and acting like a demented wildebeest. I guess you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re allowed a turn?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I squeeze his hand. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153And I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m sorry, too. Bringing you here and ignoring you like that was really shitty.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I bite my lip, trying to put the words together. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I just got so\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6preoccupied. Trying to help Layla. And Braidbeard, even. But you have to know: you could never<\/em> be an afterthought. Not to me. You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re, like\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6the opposite of that.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

He regards me thoughtfully, then takes my other hand and pulls me close. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I love you,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he says, those blue eyes piercing right through me. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You know that, right?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Tears prick my eyes and I nod quickly, not trusting myself to speak.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t do this long distance thing anymore,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he says slowly, reaching down to brush my hair off my face. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I, um, hate it. Like, really<\/em> hate it. A lot.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Me, too! A lot!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I squawk. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153But I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to freak out on you by saying\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6that. I was trying to act, you know, like a normal person.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

He shakes his head at me, exasperated. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Since when have you ever done anything<\/em> like a normal person?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

I give him a look.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Sorry, that came out wrong.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He exhales slowly. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153When I saw you with Evan, my brain sort of\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6spiraled. I realized he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s someone you could hang out with every day, just because you share a city. You could get comics every Wednesday and fall asleep together every night and\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6and\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6do all the little things. Like grocery shopping. And laundry.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

I frown. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Those are<\/em> little things,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I say. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Kind of stupid little things.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Stupid little things I<\/em> want to do with you<\/em>,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he says.<\/p>\n

I stop breathing for a minute, my heart crumbling like a three-day-old cookie. I realize, suddenly, that I want to do laundry with him, too. Desperately. If someone handed me a basket of dirty clothes right now, I would sort the shit out of the lights and darks.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s move in together,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I blurt out.<\/p>\n

He opens his mouth, closes it. And gives me a somewhat peevish look. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153That was supposed to be my<\/em> line,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he says. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Are you ever gonna let me do anything like a real manly man?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Probably not.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I give him a tentative smile. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Can you, um\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6live with that? So to speak?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

His gentle hands cup my face, his eyes taking in every inch of me. He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the only person I know who looks at me so intently, so earnestly. Always seeing me for what I really am. <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Hell yes,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he says softly. <\/p>\n

I throw my arms around his neck, drawing him closer, our bodies fitting together like they always do.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Oh, hey,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he says, pulling back and rummaging around in his pocket. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153This was supposed to be for you.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He pulls out the ridiculously pink Star Sapphire ring.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Me?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I laugh, holding out my hand. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Since when?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

He tries fitting it on each of my fingers, but the plastic loop is way too big\u00e2\u20ac\u201ddesigned for more fanboyish hands. He finally slips it onto my thumb.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Perfect,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he says, bringing my fingertips to his lips. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153And I really think you ascended to Star Sapphireness just now. By proposing the whole \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcmoving in together\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 thing.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153But you had the same idea!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I protest.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t matter. Come on, say it: \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcfor hearts long lost and full of fright, for those alone in blackest night\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u2122\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

I shut him up with a kiss. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s probably a Star Sapphire-y thing to do, but damn\u00e2\u20ac\u201dit sure is effective.<\/p>\n

**<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Wow, that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s really<\/em> pink.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I narrow my eyes suspiciously at the perky concoction Layla\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s set in front of me. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re sitting in a too-loud bar, wearing too-short dresses, trying for something resembling a conversation over all the noise.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a cosmo<\/em>,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she admonishes, gleefully piling tiny umbrellas in the glass. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s supposed to be pink!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yikes.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I snatch the fruity thing away from her before she can attack it with yet another umbrella. <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Here\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s to us!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she cries, clinking her glass against mine. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m having sex again and you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re on the verge of cohabitation!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

We both take healthy guzzles.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Speaking of,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I say, as the vile pink stuff burns my throat, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153we finally made a decision: I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m moving to L.A. And I need you to help me figure out how to break it to the guys.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

She freezes for a moment, frothy glass halfway to her lips, and her eyes get very bright. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re telling me first<\/em>?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she asks, her voice tremulous.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Well\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6yeah.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I give her a little half-smile. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I was also thinking you could help me drive everything down\u00e2\u20ac\u201dyou know, road trip-style. Like Sex and the City<\/em>-type girlfriends do? Or so I hear?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Oh, Jules!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d She throws her arms around me, splashing alcohol all over my stupid dress in the process. I hug her back, trying to ignore the sticky feeling of the flimsy fabric clinging to me.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Hey, I have to show you something.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I whip out my iPhone and tap the Facebook icon. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Check out Braidbeard\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s new avatar,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I say, gesturing to the screen.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ohmygosh!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she exclaims. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What an adorable shot of him and Evan!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Mmm,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I agree. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153And it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the first documented instance of B using a photo\u00e2\u20ac\u201drather than a comic book image\u00e2\u20ac\u201das his icon.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

She smiles at me: a sweet Layla smile, full of optimism and fucking sunflowers. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Was I right or what?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she beams. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Love for all: anti-social misanthropes included.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

I twirl a tiny umbrella through my fingers. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You said it, Charlotte.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Okay, folks\u00e2\u20ac\u201dthis is the last part of our saga. The end! But is it…(dun dun DUN)…THE END?! As in, the ultimate fate of these characters? The period on their unwieldy, reference-laden sentence?! The answer is simple: I don’t know. This does feel a bit like a natural stopping place, but sometimes random things (like the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[403],"class_list":["post-3581","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-with-violet-light"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.alertnerd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3581","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.alertnerd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.alertnerd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.alertnerd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.alertnerd.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3581"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.alertnerd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3581\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.alertnerd.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3581"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.alertnerd.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3581"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.alertnerd.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3581"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}