NaNoWriMo short story entry

Chris Terry was a shy fourteen year old girl of average height and weight with brown hair and hazel eyes. She had a small circle of friends and a stable home with a mother and father, Tom and Maria, both successful private investigators. Chris was an average student with dreams of writing, orchestrating and directing musicals.

“There is so much more to musicals than just singing and dancing.” Dreamily, she had told her father, “It involves all the costumes, backdrops, lighting, sound systems…”

Tom chuckled. “I know, I know…”

Still, Chris was not without problems. Like all other high schools, there were groups people avoided. For Chris and her friends, it was Ciara Blair and her posy. They were always searching for dirt to use as leverage on other students and even teachers to get their way. Ciara was the daughter of Max Blair who owned the local bank. Because of his money and their gossip dirt, Ciara was used to getting whatever she wanted. Only, their tactics would not work on Chris and her friends as they knew her father could easily expose Ciara’s operation. So, like other bullies, they resorted to basic intimidation instead.

“Let them make their move, don’t give them anything to use against you.” Serious, Tom had told her. “So far, all they have are taunts which can be mostly ignored.”

“Do not forget, she knows or should know to be careful.” Calmly, Maria added. “Her father owns the local bank; any scandal could be bad for business.”


With that in mind, Chris advised her three close friends to simply ignore the taunts of the ‘popular’ group and let them make the wrong move. That way, their downfall would be of their own doing. It seemed to work, for the most part but there were days that Chris returned home in tears. Words can cut like a knife and even though most of what the popular group said was not true, it still hurt.

“All it takes is one anonymous call to lead those your mommy and daddy put away to their doorstep.” Ciara had once whispered.

Upon telling her father, Tom gave a hint of a smile. “That is an empty threat, pumpkin. All those whom we had helped to lock away know who we are and we are not hard to find.”

“We received similar threats from those very people.” Smiling as well, Maria said. “Our family has more friends and contacts than you might imagine.”

Chris raised an eyebrow. “Really…?”

Tom gave a bemused grin. “A tale for another time, pumpkin.”

Chris could only shake her head. Her parents could be just as mysterious as the very mysteries they were known to solve. In a way, it inspired her to solve mysteries herself. Still, her first love was for the performing arts. All in all, she had a happy life with a bright future ahead of her.

Still, anything and everything can and will happen. One can only hope they can handle what comes their way.