Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Marriages According To Jane Austen - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 738 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2019/05/29 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: Pride and Prejudice Essay Did you like this example? It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife, is a claim made by Jane Austen among the topic of marriage. In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen explores the differences between many types of marriages presented in the book. Throughout the nivel Austen presents the different kinds of marriages through social commentary in the book that characterizes them, and shows the effects of each of them on their community. Throughout the book the different kinds of marriages that take place have different effects on society around them. One of the marriages that take place in the book is between Mr. Collins and Charlotte. With Charlotte being the eldest of the Lucas children at 27 years old, she ends up with Collins not out of love but the only honourable provision for well-educated young women of small fortune. She believes out of wisdom that it is best for her to take what she can right now knowing good enough that it might be her last chance. This is seen as the most prudential marriage in the novel, but as different from Elizabeths view, marriage was seen more of a business for her. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Marriages According To Jane Austen" essay for you Create order This adds to the novel social commentary because it enforces Mrs. Bennets idea of needing to be married. Charlotte also knew that Mr. Collins had already proposed to Elizabeth before hand, but even knowing that she still precedes to accepting Mr. Collins proposal. Although being rejected from Elizabeth multiple times, Collins continuous pursuit of marrying and sharing his fortune with another person as an outcome of is arrogance and failure to see it. This marriage shows a more stereotypical marriage at the time. Another marriage that is on the complete opposite side of the spectrum is the one between Lydia and Mr. Wickham. The marriage between these two is of social acceptance. Both married based superficial things that eventually faded away due to time His affections for her soon sunk into indifference; hers lasted a little longer. Lydia enjoyed hearing others called Mrs. Wickham, and holding herself to a high standard compared to her other sisters. Compared similar to Mr and Mrs . Bennet, both seen to be married for the clout instead of the senamenal aspect. Both relationships not only end up being negative but because both relationships were self centered. The marriages in the book show the reader the effect on the social community around them, and why their marriages didnt work. Even through a majority of relationships went healthy overall, one relationship that was a thoughtful and meaningful was between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. In the beggangin Elizabeth look at Darcy as arrogant and to good for anyone there as he says She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me. At the beginning of their relationship both found each other very stubborn, but eventually attracting them together. Their relationship is very layered and throughout the book they start to impact those around them. Although Darcy was denied his first proposal to Elizabeth he kept pushing her and showed a higher love for her then did Collins. Mr. Darcy did not only pursue Lizzy after being denied he feel more and more in love with her party being attracted how intelligent and her high standards. This builds a stronger and longer lasting relationship because their relationship disregards money and focus more on each other. Their effect on society is of a great one because they dont only break the stereotype of what it was like back then, but they made it socially right to date out of your economic class but to actually marry for love. Out of all the marriages, Mr. Darcys complex relationship with Elizabeth ended up being the longest and most enjoyable. All in all in the course of the book many different kinds of marriages took place. Auston characterizes these marriages and shows the effect they have on their community. Through the course of the book we get to further understand the socially constructed and accepted rules that were explored and they ways they affected the relationships themselves. In the end though, the most in depth and loving relationship endured the most cruelty from society and ended up lasting the longest. No money nor power nor position can fill the gap of love, because for as long as we live, we will seek for our emotional gratification.

Monday, December 23, 2019

What Makes an Effective Writer and Learner - 810 Words

This essay will describe and analyse my prior experiences during the course, related with what I have learnt about myself as a writer and learner. The thoughts I had before the beginning of the course where different from what they are now, but the important issue is to explain how they evolve throughout the last three months. Throughout the four assignments done in the course, I identified fundamental requirements I need to do an effective writing and an effective learning. Firstly, I have identified the ideal environment I need for doing my essays. Secondly, I discovered that day and night affect tremendously the quality of my works and why it’s easier to me to learn in the mornings. Finally, I have identified the best way for me to†¦show more content†¦ Clark D, â€Å"developing the ability to concentrate, maintaining motivation and exercising will power and self-discipline are all factors in getting work done. Despite all efforts, however, a ‘writing blockà ¢â‚¬â„¢ may occur, and at such a time, knowledge of the creative process may help you to explore the meaning of the block and lead to its release† (1998, p. 128). The activities that take place during the daytime make me to lose concentration thinking on what was happening outside my room. Is simple, when people are around me I prefer to socialize and have fun, but when I could actually focus on my goals through a more rational manner I always felt more comfortable doing my essays. This has happen all the time in my life. It has been a constant in my life that during morning classes my brain is more capable to retain information and I realized that until now after my university experience. Now that I have the difference of nine a.m. and three p.m. classes, I could feel a better attitude of my brain to accept new information in earlier classes. The best example to illustrate this is the grade I have in microeconomic related to my grades in Academic English Skills class. Microeconomics is the earliest class I have on the term, at nine a.m., and my current grade is an A, while the latest class I have is Academic English Skills, at one p.m., and my grade is right now less than a B. The analysis that came out from this experience is that, since before university, all theShow MoreRelatedThe Stages And Principles Of Writing1483 Words   |  6 Pagesand that is why it is a complex activity. The principal goal of the process approach is to assist learners following these procedures and build their own writing structure in order to create a piece of work. The teacher’s role is more like a supporter or facilitator: giving students’ time to generate ideas and feedback on the work of what they write in their drafts. Instead of teaching the writing skills, guiding them step by step till the students can learn the whole process. I will explain moreRead MorePeer Review : Draft Of Literature1485 Words   |  6 Pagescomponents, some of which learners have partially mastered or lack completely (Bulger, 2006). Writing has been characterized as one of the most challenging area of literacy (Castek, Hartman, Leu, Coiro, Henry Zawilinski, 2007). Literacy and writing are interchangeable. According to the 2014 report by the National Council of Teachers, literacy requirements of our society are increasing and expected to continue to increase. Many researchers estimate by 2020, learners will need powerful abilitiesRead MoreTeaching And Learning English As A Foreign Language774 Words   |  4 Pagesobviously an opportunity for master students not only to review what they have learned but also to have an in-depth insight of issues related to teaching and learning English as a foreign language. Two-third of a nine-session course passed and it is time for course learners to take a look back on what they have experienced via a reflection paper. From a very personal perspective, in the one hand, this paper is going to summarize what have been presented and discussed throughout six weeks; andRead MoreThe Effects Of Explicit Writing Instruction On The English Language Classroom1368 Words   |  6 PagesExplicit writing instruction combined with providing detailed and effective feedback is the driving force English language students need to be successful writers. Educators agree that written feedback is needed and should be applied with the intent of improving student’s writing skills. Unfortunately, educators and researchers often disagree on what wri tten feedback method should be used, when students should be corrected and how often. In an effort to establish a widespread view on the subject,Read MoreThe Professional Journal : Theory Into Practice1663 Words   |  7 Pagesrebuilding their curriculum. In addition, I have students in my classroom that are diverse that could benefit from my new learning from the information in this article. Part B: Summary of Content Luke, Woods, and Dooley start the article by describing what comprehension is. They identify comprehension as, â€Å"a cognitive, but also social and intellectual, phenomenon, and that narrow understandings of comprehension are insufficient for literacy education for diverse and marginalized students† (Luke, WoodsRead More My Philosophy of Education Essay767 Words   |  4 Pagesare empowered through their educational experience revolve around the student-centered, interactive approach to instruction and learning. My goal as an educator is to create a learner-focused environment that promotes the basic literacy skills - reading, writing, listening, speaking and thinking. Children are readers, writers, and thinkers who need language to question and understand. They become members of literate communities using language in real ways for real purposes. Through my own classroomRead MoreMini-Lessons and Teaching779 Words   |  3 Pageswill also be extremely beneficial to them as English Language Learners. †¢ Teaching moves Ms. Rodriguez makes to support her multilingual students: She begins with a narrative story about yesterday’s work, She uses a visual cue to remind students of the writing she demonstrated yesterday, She provides a verbal demonstration for her students, modeling English syntax, Her tone is inclusive, and she talks to her students like fellow writers, She writes about a Spanish-language television show that mostRead MoreLearning English as a Foreign Language1298 Words   |  5 Pagessadness, wishes, all of things in our mind and heart, etc. Language also can be a bridge to connect one information to the others. We can use it in every session, it means that language is very important. According to Wardhaugh (2006: 1), â€Å"A language is what the members of a particular society speak†. There are many languages in this world, one of them is English. It is also as an international language. Brumfit (1981:1) says that â€Å"English is an international language and the most widespread medium ofRead MoreTeaching Writing : Balancing Process And Product Essay1380 Words   |  6 PagesIn my opinion, these writing strategies are especially important for young writers, due to the fact that the process in extremely important when beginning to write. Tompkins supports this belief what she writes, â€Å"Even the youngest writers can learn to apply writing strategies† (2012, p. 34). These strategies help writers monitor what they are doing in order to ensure that the final product has been completed to the writers’ best ability. At a first and second grade level, however, some strategiesRead MoreQuestions On Teaching Adolescent Writers903 Words   |  4 Pages According to Kelly Gallagher (2006) assigning writing is easy; teaching the actual skills of writing poses far more challenge. In the book, Teaching Adolescent Writers (2012) Gallagher suggests several strate gies that would improve students writing and motivate them to write. One strategy would be â€Å"Funneling a Writing Territory†. Within this unit, students must write a narrative to develop real or imagined experiences. Furthermore, using funneling writing territory students will be able to narrow

Saturday, December 14, 2019

The Indigo Spell Chapter Fourteen Free Essays

SUNDAY ROLLED AROUND, and the day started off quietly. We were nearing the point when Veronica might strike again, and my stomach was in knots over what her next step would be . . We will write a custom essay sample on The Indigo Spell Chapter Fourteen or any similar topic only for you Order Now . and how stuck we were on how to stop her. Then I received help from an unexpected source when my phone rang with an unknown number on the display. Normally, I wouldn’t answer something like that, but my life was hardly normal these days. Besides, it was a Los Angeles area code. â€Å"Hello?† â€Å"Hi! Is this Taylor?† It took me a moment to remember my secret identity. I did not, however, recall giving my actual number to any of the girls we’d warned about Veronica. â€Å"Yes,† I said warily. â€Å"This is Alicia, from Old World Bed-and-Breakfast.† â€Å"Hi,† I said, still puzzled as to why and how she’d be calling me. Her voice was as cheery and bright as when we’d met her. â€Å"I wanted to know if you’d thought any more about getting a room for your anniversary.† â€Å"Oh, well . . . that. We’re still deciding. But, uh, probably we’re going to go with something closer to the coast. You know, romantic beach walks and all that.† â€Å"I can totally understand,† she said, though she sounded disappointed at the loss of a sale. â€Å"If you change your mind, just let me know. We’re running a special this month, so you could get the Bunny Suite at a really good price. I remember you saying it reminded you of your pet rabbit. What was his name?† â€Å"Hopper,† I said flatly. â€Å"Hopper! That’s right. Such a sweet name.† â€Å"Yeah, awesome.† I tried to think of a polite way to phrase my next question but simply chose directness. â€Å"Look, Alicia, how did you get this number?† â€Å"Oh, Jet gave it to me.† â€Å"He did?† â€Å"Yup.† She’d apparently gotten over her disappointment and now sounded bright and chirpy again. â€Å"He filled out an info card while you guys were here and put down your number.† I nearly groaned. Typical. â€Å"Good to know,† I said. I wondered how often Adrian gave my number out. â€Å"Thanks for following up.† â€Å"Happy to. Oh!† She giggled. â€Å"I nearly forgot. Your friend is back.† I froze. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Veronica. She checked back in yesterday.† My first reaction was excitement. My second one was panic. â€Å"Did you tell her we were asking about her?† â€Å"Oh, no. I remembered you saying you wanted to surprise her.† I nearly sank in relief. â€Å"Thank you. We, uh, wouldn’t to ruin that. We’ll have to stop by and visit – but don’t tell her.† â€Å"You can count on me!† We disconnected, and I stared at the phone. Veronica was back. Just when we thought we’d lost all leads on her. I immediately called Ms. Terwilliger but was sent to voice mail. I left a message and then followed up with a text, saying I had urgent news. My phone rang again, just as I was about to call Adrian. I almost hoped Alicia had more to tell me, but then I saw that it was Stanton’s number. After first taking a deep breath, I tried to answer in as calm a way as possible. â€Å"Miss Sage,† she said. â€Å"I received your message yesterday.† â€Å"Yes, ma’am. Thank you for calling me back.† I’d called her yesterday, just before meeting up with Adrian. Ms. Terwilliger’s magical training had taken priority at the time, but I hadn’t forgotten my deal with Marcus. â€Å"I have a, um, favor to ask,† I continued. Stanton, who was rarely surprised, was clearly surprised now. â€Å"You’re certainly entitled to ask . . . but you’re just not usually the type who does.† â€Å"I know, and I feel bad. So, if you have to say no, I understand.† In truth, if she said no, I would have a number of problems on my hands, but it was best not to sound too eager. â€Å"Well, I’ve been thinking about how I have to spend Christmas here – with the Moroi. And I definitely understand that, ma’am. It’s part of the mission, but . . . well, I’d be lying if I said that didn’t bother me. So, I was wondering if there’s any way at all I’d be allowed to go to one of the big holiday services. It would make me feel . . . oh, I don’t know. More connected. Purified, even. I’m just always surrounded by them here, by that taint, you know? I feel like I can’t even breathe half the time. That probably sounds ridiculous.† I cut my rambling off. When Marcus had first suggested taking advantage of knowing someone in St. Louis, I’d immediately thought of Ian. Then I realized that wasn’t enough. Alchemists on assignment couldn’t just ask for casual time off to visit friends. Time off for something more spiritual and group-oriented – say, the Alchemists’ annual holiday services – was a different matter. Lots of Alchemists were given clearance to travel and attend those services. They were tied to our faith and group unity. In fact, Ian had even brought it up at the wedding in the hopes of luring me to visit him. Little had he known his trick would pay off. Kind of. â€Å"It doesn’t sound that ridiculous,† Stanton said. That was promising, and I tried to unclench my fist and relax. â€Å"I was thinking maybe I could go before we’re out for winter break,† I added. â€Å"Jill can stay within the confines of the school, so there shouldn’t be too much risk. And Eddie and Angeline are always with her. I could just hop over to St. Louis for a quick weekend trip.† â€Å"St. Louis?† I could almost see her frown through the phone. â€Å"There are services in Phoenix as well. That would be much closer.† â€Å"I know, ma’am. It’s just. . . .† I hoped being genuinely nervous would help me sound convincing. â€Å"I, uh, was hoping I could also see Ian again.† â€Å"Ah. I see.† There was a long pause. â€Å"I find that more surprising than you wanting to attend services. From what I saw at the wedding, you didn’t seem to be that charmed by Mr. Jansen.† So. I’d been right that Stanton had noticed his crush on me. However, she’d also noticed I didn’t return his affection. She was observant, even to little details, which brought Marcus’s warnings back to me, about how the Alchemists paid attention to everything we did. I started to understand his fears and why he pulled his recruits out of the Alchemists so quickly Was I already attracting attention? Were all the little things I did – even asking for this – slowly building a case against me? Again, I hoped my anxiety simply made me sound like a flustered, love-struck girl, one Stanton would feel sorry for and shake her head over. St. Louis wasn’t that much farther away by plane, and the end result was the same. â€Å"Well, that was business, ma’am. I didn’t want to get distracted from our goal.† â€Å"Of course.† Her next pause was only a few seconds long, but it felt like an hour. â€Å"Well, I see no reason why you can’t go. You’ve done an admirable job in your work, and – from a personal point of view – I can understand why you’d want to be with familiar faces again. You’ve spent more time with the Moroi than many Alchemists ever will in their lives, and you didn’t hesitate when that Ivashkov pushed himself onto you at the wedding.† I didn’t really hesitate when he pushed himself onto me at the sorority, either. Or did I push myself on him? â€Å"Thank you, ma’am.† She authorized me to go next weekend and said I could use Alchemist funds to book my travel arrangements. When we got off the phone, I contemplated calling Ian but then decided on a more impersonal approach. I jotted out a quick email telling him that I’d be in town and that I hoped we could meet up. After a few moments of thought, I then texted Marcus: Arrangements made. Lunchtime came around, and Eddie texted to ask if I could meet Jill and him in my dorm’s cafeteria. I headed downstairs at the appropriate time and found a glum Eddie sitting by himself at a table. I wondered where Angeline was and noted he hadn’t mentioned her in his text. Rather than bring that up, I focused on who he had mentioned. â€Å"Where’s Jill?† He nodded toward the opposite side of the cafeteria. I followed his gaze and saw Jill standing near a table, laughing and talking. She held a tray and looked as though she’d been stopped on her way back from the food line. Micah and some other guys were at the table, and I was happy to see he did indeed seem comfortable with being her friend again. â€Å"That’s nice,† I said, turning back to my own food. â€Å"I’m glad she’s getting along with everyone.† Eddie stared at me in amazement. â€Å"Don’t you see what’s going on?† I’d been about to bite into an apple and stopped. I hated these kinds of loaded questions. They meant I’d missed out on some social subtlety – something that wasn’t my strong suit. Glancing back at Jill, I tried to make my best guess. â€Å"Is Micah trying to get back together with her?† â€Å"Of course not,† said Eddie, like I should’ve known. â€Å"He’s going out with Claire Cipriano now.† â€Å"Sorry. I can’t keep track of everyone’s dating lives. I’ll add it to my to-do list after, you know, busting Alchemist conspiracies and finding out whether the Warriors are after Jill.† Eddie’s gaze was locked on Jill, and he nodded, making me think he hadn’t actually heard a word I’d said. â€Å"Travis and Juan want to ask her out.† â€Å"So? She learned her lesson about human and vampire dating.† I wished I had. â€Å"She’ll tell them no.† â€Å"They still shouldn’t be bothering her,† he growled. Jill didn’t seem to be particularly bothered by their attention. In fact, I liked seeing her bright and smiling for a change. Confidence suited her and emphasized her royal status, and she clearly was enjoying whatever banter was going on. One thing I’d learned in my social education was that flirting wasn’t the same thing as going out with someone. My friend Julia was an expert at the difference. If it made Jill happy, I certainly had no problems with it. Honestly, it looked like the person who was most bothered by Jill’s suitors was Eddie. He theoretically had the excuse of wanting to protect her, but this seemed pretty personal. I decided to bring him back to his own romantic life, the one he should actually be concerned about. â€Å"Where’s Angeline?† Jill began walking toward us. Looking relieved, Eddie turned back to me. â€Å"Well, that’s what we wanted to talk to you about.† Whenever anyone wanted to talk to me, it meant something weird was about to happen. Actual emergency issues were never given an introduction. They were just delivered immediately. This premeditated stuff was a wild card. â€Å"What’s going on?† I asked once Jill sat down. â€Å"With Angeline?† She exchanged a knowing glance with Eddie. â€Å"We think Angeline’s up to something,† she said. A moment later, she clarified, â€Å"Something bad.† Not this again. I turned to Eddie. â€Å"Is she still being distant?† â€Å"Yeah. She had lunch with us yesterday.† He frowned. â€Å"But she was acting weird. She wouldn’t explain why she’s been so busy.† Jill concurred. â€Å"She actually got really upset the more we kept questioning her. It was strange. I think she’s in some kind of trouble.† I leaned back in my chair. â€Å"The kind of trouble Angeline gets into is usually spontaneous and unexpected. You’re talking like she’s masterminding something in secret. That’s not her style. At worst, she’s harboring an illicit wardrobe.† Eddie looked like he wanted to smile but couldn’t quite manage it. â€Å"True.† Jill apparently wasn’t convinced. â€Å"You have to talk to her. Find out what’s going on.† â€Å"Can’t you talk to her?† I asked, looking between their faces. â€Å"You live with her.† â€Å"We tried,† protested Jill. â€Å"I told you. She just got mad the more we talked.† â€Å"Well, I can understand that,† I snapped. â€Å"Look, I’m sorry something weird is going on with her. And I don’t want her in trouble, believe me. But there’s only so much hand-holding I can do with her. I fixed her math problem. My job is to make sure she stays in school and doesn’t blow your cover. Everything else is extraneous, and I just don’t have time for that. And if she wouldn’t talk to you, why on earth do you think she’d talk to me?† I’d spoken a bit more harshly than I intended. I really did care about them all. I also didn’t want trouble in the group. Nonetheless, it was always a little frustrating when they came to me with dramas like this, as though I were their mother. They were some of the smartest, most competent people I knew. They didn’t need me, and Angeline was no criminal genius. Figuring out her motives couldn’t be that difficult. Neither one of them had an immediate response for me. â€Å"You just always seem to get through to people,† Jill said at last. â€Å"You’re good at communication.† That certainly wasn’t a compliment I heard very often. â€Å"I don’t do anything special. I’m just persistent. Keep trying, and maybe you’ll get through.† Seeing Jill start to protest, I added, â€Å"Please. Don’t ask me to do this right now. You both know I’ve got a lot going on.† I gave each of them a meaningful look. Both knew about Marcus, and Jill also knew about Ms. Terwilliger’s sister. After a few moments, that knowledge set in, and they both looked a little embarrassed. Eddie gave Jill a gentle nudge. â€Å"She’s right. We should keep working on Angeline ourselves.† â€Å"Okay,† said Jill. My relief was short-lived. â€Å"We’ll try a little more. Then, if it still doesn’t work, Sydney can step in.† I groaned. When I parted ways from them later, I couldn’t help but think again about Marcus’s comments in San Bernardino about how Alchemists got caught up in menial tasks. I tried to reassure myself that Jill and Eddie would take care of this on their own, meaning I wouldn’t actually have to intervene. Presuming, of course, Angeline really wasn’t planning something catastrophic. Unfortunately, those doubts were soon shaken when I got on the shuttle that would take me to main campus. On weekends, there was only one bus that looped between all buildings, and this one had just picked up at the boys’ dorm. I found Trey sitting in it, staring out the window with a happy expression. When he saw me, his smile vanished. â€Å"Hey,† I said, taking a seat beside him. He actually looked nervous. â€Å"Off to study?† â€Å"Meeting with Angeline, actually.† There was no escaping her today, but at least if she was working on math, it seemed unlikely she’d be staging a coup or committing arson. His troubled expression concerned me, though. â€Å"She . . . she didn’t hit you again?† I didn’t see any noticeable marks, but with her, you could never tell. â€Å"Huh? No, no. Not recently.† He hesitated before speaking again. â€Å"Melbourne, how long are you going to need me to do this?† â€Å"I don’t know.† Mostly I’d been focusing on getting her through the present, not the future. One thing at a time. â€Å"She’ll have her final coming up before break. If she passes, then I guess you’re home free. Unless you want to keep up with it after break – I mean, provided she doesn’t wear you out.† This startled him a lot more than I would have expected. â€Å"Okay. Good to know.† He looked so forlorn when he left to go to the library that I wondered if those chemistry answers had really been worth it. I liked Trey. I’d never thought inflicting Angeline on him would so radically alter his life. I guessed that was just the kind of effect she had on the world. I watched him walk away for a few more seconds and then turned toward the science building. One of the teachers, Ms. Whittaker, was an amateur botanist who was always happy to supply Ms. Terwilliger with various plants and herbs. She thought Ms. Terwilliger used them for home craft projects, like potpourri and candles, and I frequently had to pick up the latest supplies. When I walked into her classroom today, Ms. Whittaker was grading exams at her desk. â€Å"Hi, Sydney,† she said, barely looking up. â€Å"I set it all over there, on the far counter.† â€Å"Thanks, ma’am.† I walked over and was surprised to practically find a spice cabinet. Ms. Terwilliger had requested all sorts of leaves, stems, and clippings. It was the most I’d ever had to pick up for her. â€Å"She sure had a big order this time,† Ms. Whittaker remarked, as though sensing my thoughts. â€Å"Is she really using garlic in potpourri?† â€Å"Oh, that’s for some, um, cooking she’s doing. You know, holidays and all.† She nodded and returned to her work. One thing that often helped in Alchemist affairs (and witch ones) was that people rarely expected supernatural reasons for weird behaviors and phenomena. I almost considered visiting Trey and Angeline at the library, just to assess her behavior myself, but decided it’d be better to not get involved. Eddie and Jill would handle it. With nothing else to do, I dared to hope I might actually just be able to stay inside and read today. But, when I returned to my dorm, I was greeted with the astonishing sight of Marcus sitting outside on a bench, playing an acoustic guitar. A group of four girls stood around, listening in awe. I walked up to the circle, my arms crossed over my chest. â€Å"Really?† I asked. Marcus glanced up and shot me a grin. One of the girls actually cooed. â€Å"Hey, Sydney.† Four sets of eyes turned to me, displaying a mix of both disbelief and jealousy. â€Å"Hey,† I said. â€Å"You’re the last person I expected to see here.† â€Å"I never do what’s predictable.† He tossed his hair back and started to put his guitar back in its case. â€Å"Sorry, girls. Sydney and I have to talk.† I got more of those stares, which kind of annoyed me. Was it really that unbelievable that a good-looking guy would want to talk to me? His followers dispersed reluctantly, and Marcus and I strolled around the grounds. â€Å"Aren’t you supposed to be in hiding?† I asked. â€Å"Not panhandling with your guitar?† â€Å"I never asked them for money. Besides, I’m incognito today.† He tapped his cheek, and I noticed the tattoo was barely noticeable. â€Å"Are you wearing makeup?† I asked. â€Å"Don’t judge,† he said. â€Å"It lets me move around more freely. Sabrina helped color match me.† We came to a halt in a relatively private copse of trees. â€Å"So why are you here? Why didn’t you call or text?† â€Å"Because I have a delivery.† He reached into his shirt pocket and handed me a folded piece of paper that looked like it had traveled around the world before reaching me. When I opened it and managed to smooth it out, I saw several painstakingly drawn diagrams. I jerked my gaze back to him. â€Å"Wade’s floor plans.† â€Å"As promised.† A little of that self-satisfaction faded, and he actually looked impressed. â€Å"You’ve really got a way to get to St. Louis?† â€Å"Sanctioned and everything,† I said. â€Å"I mean, aside from the part where I break into their servers. But I’ve got a few ideas on how to pull that off.† He laughed. â€Å"Of course you do. I won’t bother asking. Every girl’s got her secrets. Maybe someday you’ll share yours.† From the tone of his voice, he might have been talking about non-professional secrets. â€Å"Once this is all over.† â€Å"Is it ever over?† I asked. I meant it as a joke, but it came out sounding a bit more melancholy than I would’ve liked. He gave me a long, level look. â€Å"No, not really. But getting the tattoo sealed in Mexico is kind of fun. I hope you’ll go with us. At the very least, we can take in some beaches and margaritas while undoing insidious magic. Do you own a bikini?† â€Å"No. And I don’t drink.† â€Å"Well, maybe one of these days we could go out for coffee. I know you drink that.† â€Å"I’m pretty busy,† I said, thinking of everything weighing on me. â€Å"And you know, I also haven’t decided if I’m going to do the first phase of tattoo breaking.† â€Å"You should, Sydney.† He was all business again and tapped my cheek. â€Å"If nothing else, do that. Don’t let them have any more control over you than they have to. I know you think we’re a little out there, but this is one thing we’re absolutely serious about.† â€Å"Hi, Sydney.† I glanced over and saw my friend Julia Cavendish carrying a huge stack of books. A couple seconds later, Marcus looked up at her too. Her eyes went wide, and she stumbled and dropped everything she was carrying. She flushed. â€Å"Oh, God. I’m such an idiot.† I started to help her, but Marcus was by her side in a flash, his movie star grin firmly in place. â€Å"Happens to the best of us. I’m Dave.† â€Å"J-Julia,† she said. In all the time I’d known her, I’d never seen her flustered around a guy. She usually ate them for breakfast. â€Å"There we are.† He handed her the books, all neatly stacked. â€Å"Thank you. Thank you so much. You didn’t have to do that. I mean, it was my own fault. I’m not usually that clumsy. And I’m sure you’re busy. You must have lots to do. Obviously.† I’d also never heard Julia ramble. Marcus patted her on the back, and I thought she might pass out. â€Å"Always happy to help a beautiful damsel in distress.† He nodded in my direction. â€Å"I’ve got to go. Sydney, I’ll be in touch.† I nodded back. As soon as he walked away, Julia dropped the books again and hurried over to me. â€Å"Sydney, you have to tell me who that is.† â€Å"He already did. Dave.† â€Å"Yes, but who is he?† She gripped my arm and seemed on the verge of shaking answers out of me. â€Å"Just a guy I know.† I thought about it more. â€Å"A friend, I guess.† Her breath caught. â€Å"You guys aren’t – I mean – â€Å" â€Å"What? No! Why would you think that?† â€Å"Well, he’s gorgeous,† she said, as though that were enough to make us soul mates. â€Å"Don’t you want to just rip his clothes off?† â€Å"Whoa, no way.† â€Å"Really?† She scrutinized me, like I might be joking. â€Å"Not even a little?† â€Å"Nope.† She stepped back and started picking up her books. â€Å"Jeez, Syd. I don’t know what to think of you sometimes. I mean, I’m glad he’s available – he is available, right? – but I’d be all over that if I were you.† Jill’s words came back to me, about how he was human and had â€Å"that rebel Alchemist† thing going for him. Maybe I should start considering him or another ex-Alchemist as a romantic option. Having someone who wasn’t a forbidden vampire in my life would make things a lot easier. I tried to dredge up the same reaction other girls had around Marcus, but nothing happened. No matter how hard I tried, I just didn’t have that same attraction. His hair was too blond, I decided. And his eyes needed a little more green. â€Å"Sorry,† I told Julia. â€Å"Just not feeling it.† â€Å"If you say so. I still think you’re crazy. That’s the kind of guy you’d follow to hell and back.† All romantic musings disappeared, and I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach as we slowly headed back toward the dorm. Hell was a good analogy for what I would be walking into. â€Å"You actually might be closer to the truth on that than you realize.† She brightened. â€Å"See? I knew you couldn’t resist.† How to cite The Indigo Spell Chapter Fourteen, Essay examples

Friday, December 6, 2019

Kathy free essay sample

Whenshe smiled at me I felt my muscles begin to relax, and I let out a sigh as Ismiled back. Kathy was one of the first waitresses I met when I started workingat Luigis, a small Italian restaurant. What was supposed to be a summer jobturned into two of the most valuable years of my life. Walking intoLuigis that first night, I was thrust into the real world. I didnt know anyone,and my co-workers gave me no special treatment when they saw I was a shy15-year-old. My managers did not help me, they just told me what to do and I didit. Allison, these customers are impatient. You need to clear thattable faster, set it up, and dont forget the menus this time. Those ordersare still clear in my mind from that first night as a busgirl. I stumbled aroundthe restaurant and dropped some dishes within my first few hours. We will write a custom essay sample on Kathy or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I wasfrustrated and tense until I saw Kathy. Kathys warm expressioninstantly put me at ease. She smiled and shook my hand without hesitation.So youre Allison. Thats a pretty name. If you need anything, just askme, she offered. Eventually the night slowed. The last customersfinished their meals, and I started cleaning. My legs hurt and my head was stillspinning when Kathy quietly approached. You were fantastic,Allison. I know it is so hard at first, but youll get used to it. Youllsee, she reassured me. I smiled and nodded. Suddenly, she hugged me. I hadjust met my new best friend, and as odd as it seems, she is a 55-year-oldwoman. Kathy is more than just a friend, though. She is my second mom.Kathy embodies everything that I want to be. She is kind and gentle, and, at thesame time, strong and wise. Kathy works two waitressing jobs. She servesothers all day long, but at the end of every night, she never fails to offer ahelping hand to those who are cleaning. Kathy is the best listener I know, andshe doesnt leave until she has helped solve your problem. During thepast two years I have worked with Kathy, I have grown into a young woman. Thattime has been filled with heartbreaks and many fights with friends. The instant Ifeel tears coming, I drive down to Luigis to see Kathy. She sits me down at abooth and we talk. I just dont understand why he doesnt like me;why cant he just give me a chance? I spill all my feelings onto the table.Kathy takes my hand, reassures me that there will be other boys, and holds meuntil I stop crying. Kathy shares in my happiness as well. She loveshearing about school, and over spaghetti and meatballs we chat about where I willgo to college, how much money she made in tips that night, and how my friends aredoing. The 38-year difference in our age does not come between the giggles andsympathetic hugs. I dont know if I would have gotten through that first summerwithout Kathy, nor do I know if I would be the young woman I am today withouther. Kathy will always be my friend, my mentor, and my second mom.