Friday, March 22, 2013

Chapter 1.46

Chapter 1.46- There Is No Forever




            Two phone calls that morning left Layla with a stomach nervous enough that she had turned down breakfast. One ensured her future was ready and waiting for her. The other would force her to cut the final link to her past.
            Watching the students pilot the boat on the day Phedra had aged up and left herself had left an impression on Layla. And while she wished she had actually listened to her sister, she thought it might be the right place to talk to Anthony.


            Unfortunately, the boat isn’t out today. Instead she stares at where the river bends, winding between the hills beyond. Her berth on the same ship that sailed away with Phedra will take her away too that night.
            “It’s nice out here,” Anthony’s stomach must be as nervous as Layla’s, he keeps rubbing it. “Why didn’t we ever come here before?”
            “It’s one of the last places I saw Phedra,” said Layla. “I still miss her terribly. And being here makes it worse.”


            “Maybe you just need to make some happy memories here,” said Anthony. “Then it wouldn’t be so bad for you.”
            “It’s never going to erase my time here with Phedra,” Layla shot back, annoyed slightly. “I was stupid that day and didn’t listen very well to what she had to tell me. I’d give anything to go back and hear her.”


            “I take it that’s your hint to me to listen to you? Or is how you’re telling me that there won’t be any happy memories made here?”
            ‘Damn him,’ Layla hadn’t wanted to start this out with any hostility. She didn’t want it to end with hostility either.
            “It’s my hint to you to please actually listen to what I have to say.”
            “I’d listen to you forever if you’d only give me the chance.”


            “Anthony there is no forever,” sighed Layla. “I’m leaving tonight.”
            In a reversal, this time Anthony was the one to nod. Though since Layla had her back to him she couldn’t see it.
            “When we first made our agreement, that was really what I wanted. Just someone to get Galen off my back. And really, I should never have said I’d do that. Phedra had already warned me that doing something like that meant someone would get hurt.”


            “And for a really long while I had every intention of breaking the whole thing off. I wish you could know just how angry I was with you when you kissed me. And I should have known just how deep this would all get then.
            “I’m so sorry Anthony. I’m so sorry that I might have led you on for my own purpose. I’m sorry that I might have given you false hope. I’m so, so sorry that I can’t feel for you what you feel for me.”


            “Can’t?” Anthony burst out. “Why is it 'can’t?' Have you tried? Have you even thought about trying? Considered it? Actually done it? How many times have you told me what a great guy I am? Were you just saying it to say it? What about all those conversations? The long walks? The time and effort I put in with you by my side? Were you even really there?”
            And as she opened her mouth to give an angry retort he dropped to his knees beside her.


“What'll you do when you get lonely
 And nobody's waiting by your side?
 You've been running and hiding much too long.
 You know it's just your foolish pride.

Layla, you've got me on my knees.
 Layla, I'm begging you darling please.
 Layla, darling won't you please ease my worried mind.”

            Horrified, Layla covered her ears. What the hell?!?


“Let's make the best of the situation
 Before I finally go insane.
 Please don't say we'll never find a way
 And tell me all my love's in vain.

Layla, you've got me on my knees.
 Layla, I'm begging you darling please.
 Layla, darling won't you please ease my worried mind.”

            “Oh my PlumbBob, Anthony. I’m begging you please cut that out!”

            “Only if you’ll stay here and marry me. Or let me go with you. Just say you’ll be mine and I’ll stop.”


            “Have you listened to me at all?”
            Her outburst startled Anthony, who settled back on his heels. He’d never witnessed her get angry before.
            “Anthony you are a great guy. A Great guy! But you’re not the guy for me. And honestly, your pushing on this tells me I’m not the one for you either. This isn’t what I want! I don’t want here. I don’t want to live with high school for my entire life! I want to see who else might be out there for me! And before that I want a chance to live! To live as myself and on my own.”


            Turning to Anthony, Layla sighed. Judging by the look on his face he still didn’t hear her.
            “Anthony,” her voice more controlled this time. “Anthony, do you even know my thoughts on kids? On careers? On what makes a home?”
            Unanswering, unflinching, Anthony sat still as a stone.
            “Ok, I’ll start with my thoughts on 9 to 5’s. Hate ‘em. I think they’re stupid. Neither of my parents worked regular jobs and I loved that. They were home more with us. And it made us a closer family. On kids. Maybe I’ll have a baby or two one day, but I’m in no rush. And even then I’m not sure kids are in my cards, ever. And this is all just a taster. I’m sorry Anthony. Really, really sorry. But it really isn’t me you want.”


            “Please don’t leave me! Please, please don’t leave me!”
            Anthony had nearly thrown her off balance as he grabbed onto her wrist pulling her closer.
            Pity welling up, she stroked his hair, trying to calm him a little.
            “I’m so, so sorry, Anthony.”


            Tugging her hand out of his grasp, Layla turned from him walking off.
            Not having the will to fight her any longer, Anthony’s shoulders slumped, knees wet from the moist grass beneath him.
            Knowing more than seeing his dejection, every step Layla took was fresh torture for her. Until she finally realized she hadn’t said what needed to be said most.


            Turning to see him still kneeling, eyes closed made her hate herself further. Steeling herself for the possibility a new onslaught of tender declarations from him she hesitantly walked back.


            “Anthony?”
            He made no response to his softly spoken name.
            “Anthony,” she sighed. “Anthony please you’ve got to understand that it was never me you fell for. It was only the idea of a girl like me. You’re such an amazing sim. And maybe, maybe one day you’ll wake up and you’ll find you’ve moved on. And there is another sim much more wonderful than I am standing in front of you waiting. Maybe she’s been waiting for me to make way for her all along. You’re going to find someone so much better than I am one day. I can only hope that when that sim shows up you’ll look past your memory of me.”


            Pausing for a moment to take a breath, Layla carefully thought through everything she could to make sure she said the right words to east his grieving.
            “I’ll always regret that I couldn’t be the person you needed me to be, but it’s time for you to forget me. It’s time for you to start your life without me by your side. And I’ll even bet that you’ll be spectacular at it.”
            Feeling his shoulders begin to shake beneath her hands, Layla stopped speaking.
            “Goodbye.”


            Tears finally slipped beneath Anthony’s closed lids as she turned to walk away.
            One step farther away from him.
            The next step her resolve strengthened.
            Another step for Cyrus, whom she was determined to find.
            And each step she took was heavier, harder and more freeing.
            One day, she hoped to wake up and find her own regret dissolved and forgotten. One day…


End Generation 1.


Bonobo- Stay the Same Feat. Andreya Triana

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

            All hail the conquering Heeero!!!!! DA daduduDa duduDA! I finished the first generation! Finally! I got WAY too into the story. Teehee.
            Alrighty, some wonderful wrap up notes:
            Anthony was begging Layla with the lyrics to “Layla” by Derek and the Dominos. (here) Written, of course, by Eric Clapton to his (then) unrequited love Pattie Boyd. If you look at a history of the song, it was heavily influenced by the tale “Layla and Majnun” a story of Persian origin recounting the story of Layla, a Moon Princess, and Majnun, who was in love with her. However, Layla’s father gave her in marriage to another man and Majnun eventually went insane pining over her. So I believe there's plenty of justification for breaking into song with her name. lol.

            However, Layla was not originally named for this song, and her story as a teen was not intended as a parallel. Also, originally I intended to spell her name more traditionally, Leila. But I changed it in order to use the lyrics later on a little more literally. But most importantly here, Layla’s name had very particular meaning compared to her siblings and Helen’s name. Specifically, the definition is opposite the definition of Helen, Cyrus, Phedra, and even Galen. Their names all have meanings related to “light,” Layla (i.e. Leila) means “Dark as Night.” 
            Curious over Generation 2 yet?



            MwuaHahahahaha! Stay tuned. ;)

28 comments:

  1. Anthony is an idiot and it would serve him right if he spent the rest of his days pining over Layla. I'm looking forward to seeing Layla's generation and how things work out for her.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lol! I'm really hoping he'll move on, but maybe he does pine over her until he's lost his mind, too. I'm looking forward to it, too!mit should be interesting.

      Delete
  2. <3 < /3 <3 </3
    I don't know what to think!
    Poor Ant, but yay for Lay!

    Anthony was really desperate, wasn't he? Begging on his knees, literally! And Layla was cold as ice, she had to be, there was real danger of her just going along with what Anthony said, just because it was painful otherwise.

    Oh, Layla. I have a feeling you're gunna wish you'd kept your options open with Anthony. I know, I know, that's wrong, but... Ah, no, it's too mean, I know.

    LOVE your little triumphant 'speech' at the bottom! And no, I wasn't watching, waiting for you to update. By chance I finished writing my chapter and went to check my dashbard and you'd literally just posted this (it said '3 minutes ago')

    Of course I'm gunna stay tuned!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Those were my requests poses. Just for him. Just for that scene. Lol. Beg boy, beg! Down on your knees and beg! Lol.

      Delete
    2. Other than that, she's got to learn to hold her own in the world or she'll get run over! Stupid iPad made me reply twice. Lol. Sorry about that.

      Delete
    3. I thought they might be!
      Lol get run over! Uh, ok, not that funny... But yes, she has to learn to stick up for herself.

      Also, CRINGE! Just tried to imagine having someone fall to their knees and beg you in song-form not to leave them. Most awkward moment ever...

      Delete
    4. Terribly awkward. lol. I'm just glad it wasn't me.

      Delete
  3. I'm still very sad for Anthony, but I'm looking forward to seeing what fires Layla will light in her path through life ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL!
      I'm sorry. Just lol. *ahem*

      Delete
    2. Me, too! And moving forward in encumbered is very important to her. Oooooooh Gemly! Lol

      Delete
    3. Sorry, just a funny turn of phrase... Lighting fires, lol. Fires aren't a good thing to have on your path through life, it makes the road dangerous! :p

      Delete
    4. She could use some fire, that's for sure. We got a glimpse of it there though.

      Delete
  4. He totally should have sang Sunshine of Your Love instead.
    I loved that you put so much thought into your name symbolism. I do that a lot too, but rarely if ever mention it.
    Great chapter! I do think Anthony got a little too cliby at the end. For me, that would have made breaking up easier. I feel sorry for both of them, that their original plans didn't quite go as intended and they both got hurt. But, hopefully Anthony will get over it. I'm sure Layla will. =D
    I'm looking forward to Layla's generation.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, those poses were your request?
      I love them.

      Delete
    2. Lol! I hadn't even thought of that one. It would have worked quite well also. But I think he was with me in going the totally literal "Layla" route. ;)
      It did make it easier for her, I think. She has very definate bounderies and he really crossed a line with that.
      Yup! Those are my Bliss requests. I even think she called the ones where Anthony was singing "I'm begging, Please!" in reference to the song. I love them, too. =D

      Delete
  5. Awww--poor Anthony, he totally did a song routine and everything! Though, I have to say, if I were Layla, I would have died laughing, because that sort of thing makes me laugh, lol So she probably handled it better!

    I really like your last pic/paragraph. Very poetic, loved it. :)

    I'm looking forward to Layla's next adventure~

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm with you. I'd have laughed my head off had something like that happened to me.
      Thank you. I almost did the last pic in sepia instead, but in the end I think the black and white works just as well.
      Boy, I am too! It should be quite a ride!

      Delete
  6. !! So curious about Layla's generation! THIS is going to be interesting. GAH so much suspense!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lol! Her generation is a big switch from Helen and Buck for sure. Hopefully we'll start seeing it later this week. Still working in getting it all in writing, though. But we'll see soon! I promise!

      Delete
  7. Okay, so I'm finally done with reading the first generation! I think I can safely tell you now that I'm officially addicted to this legacy :-D. I love the way you transform all that Sims "silliness" into something truly meaningful. Argh, I wish I could express myself better, I'm afraid that's all you'll get from me, LOL. In any case, I love it! :-D

    And now, on to the next generation...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, I forgot to add I loved all those trivia bits you gave. I do that name symbolism too, well at least I've done with ONE character ;-).

      Delete
    2. Woot! Congrats! And yay! I'm glad you're enjoying it. I love the Sims silliness and I can't resist it can I? lol. So glad you love it. I love my characters and their stories too. They've come a very long way.

      Lol. I wondered if you might have. ;)

      Delete
  8. Somehow, I don't think Anthony will ever get over her, but maybe that's just me.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Seeing as that particular save is still perfectly intact (it's the only place with the entire 10 generations of that family in it, family tree intact and graves in one place) he never will. lol.

    Not so literally, in my head he eventually was depressed enough that his roomie convinced him to get some therapy. After finally being able to stop beating himself up for everything in his life that wasn't in his control he joined online dating where he met a young lady who used to have horrible acne, but whose skin now glows like the morning sun. They have no kids but their Non-Profit, No Kill Cat Rescue regularly makes headlines for all the good it does not just in Riverview, but around SimNation.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I freaking love it!
      Oh I keep forgetting to mention I got a screenie of 65000 hits on the nail. I don't know, but I'm nutty about getting screenshots with exact hit numbers like that. I can put it on photobucket if you want. :) If not, no prob. Just saw it and thought I'd push the button on my iPad.

      Delete
    2. http://i1055.photobucket.com/albums/s519/egmomma/image.png
      Okay. I hope that works as in you can see it because just about all my albums are set to private.

      Delete
    3. I can see it! Thank you!!! It's about to go up under the bloopers tab. =D

      Delete