Bravado - Snapshot Reveal

I had so many different ideas with this week's writing prompt. I made doubly sure not to read any one else's submission so I could sort through my own first. (So I'll be making rounds today to see what everyone has come up with so far.)

I finally settled on this scene below. My sister and I used to walk the streets as teens. It was what made us close, just walking and talking. Then we would go home and play Tetris for hours ....

So, this scene isn't an exact copy, but the inspiration is there, along with Tena's chosen photo and the 5 words (in bold).

If you want to join in, be sure to link your story to the prompt post. Also, don't forget we're looking for photos, drawings, any kind of original image to help inspire our stories. Information on that is a few posts back.

345 words.

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Bravado

Emily walked down the street, peering at the girl next to her without being obvious. Janelle was watching her feet, scuffing the toes of her sneakers with each step. Her arms were crossed tightly over her lower belly.

Head rising suddenly, Janelle looked around at the quiet scenery with judging eyes.

"Do you think you could live here forever?" she asked.

"I hope not," Emily answered.

"No, not at your parents house. Here. With the quiet streets, the perfect lawns. The clean cars in all the driveways. Counterfeit paintings on the wall and plastic gems in the safe."

"I don't know. I guess."

"It's not for me. I'm not the yard and kids type. I would take too much devotion, you know? I think I would like an apartment in the city. Maybe a small dog I can hire someone to walk."

"So you can avoid the crazy people on the streets who would heckle you?" Emily teased.

"I could handle it. It wouldn't be personal."

Emily's chest ached for her friend. Janelle had never talked like this.

"Really?" she asked quietly. "Is that really what you want?" Janelle looked up at the sky.

"It's better than being here."

"I would miss you too much. Who would do karaoke with me?"

"Come with me. There will be bars in the city to do that. No more video game crap."

Janelle had always loved that video game crap.

"If you want to move to the city, we can," Emily promised. "As soon as we graduate."

The lump in Emily's throat was painful, but she knew it wasn't as bad as Janelle's pain. If Janelle could only hold out a few more months they could be gone, lost in anonymity where no one would care. They would go somewhere no one would know about Janelle and the boy who had pretended to love her just so he could take everything away.

"Yeah," Janelle choked, reaching up to wipe her face, leaving a wet smear across her cheek. "Thanks."

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Where you wanted to escape to just out of High School if you could have gone anywhere and done anything?

I always thought I wanted that loft apartment in the city complete with a claw foot tub and a big cat that came in and out through the fire escape while I sat at my desk and wrote all day. Looking back, I'm not sure I would have enjoyed the reality, but I am still drawn to the romantic image of it.