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Romantic Friday Writers
Vincent hated Emily. What she was and did repulsed him, yet sight of her made his heart skip a beat and took his mind to places it never would have gone if he hadn't met her.
Walking into what she called work was difficult. Vincent dreamed of the day he would never have to return to this place, it drove him as he painted and sold his artwork to the highest bidder, warring endlessly to become a renowned artist and be able to charge big money prices for his work. Soon he would be able to support them both and live a normal life.
The room was dimly lit except for a few stages placed around the room. Dancing on one of these was Emily. His heart rushed as he saw her, baring herself and moving with such entrancing form that the room may as well be empty but for her. She was his vision of perfection, a work of art within herself.
The music stopped, waking Vincent from his transfixed state. Emily left the stage and walked to him. "Hi Vince darling. Come on I'll be five minutes." Taking him backstage whilst she got ready.
"Do you enjoy your job?" Vincent asked as she dressed herself in the backstage room.
"Of course not."
"Why'd you do it then?"
Emily sighed. She must have answered this question a thousand times by now. "It pays well and I'm good at it. That's all there is to it."
"You look like you're enjoying yourself while you dance."
"That's part of my job Vincent. What would you have me do?"
"I don't know.Not this.."
"You want me to yourself." She smiled lovingly. "Rich men come here and part with a lot of money to see me dance. They see me as entertainment, not a person, that's what bothers you, isn't it?"
"I don't want to share you."
"I dance That's all. I don't do more than that. I'm not a hooker selling my body. I sell the right to watch me dance, that's all. They will never know me as you do. Nobody ever will. I am yours alone."
Vincent held her close. "And I am yours." He kissed her with such passion he thought he could never allow them to be pried from each other. He wanted nothing more than to make this moment their present and their future. Their forever.
This is a good battle for glamour. If she was already a dancer when they met, then he can't complain. He's asking for high bids too, isn't he? It seems that, for a while, they both have to sell their souls for financial gain.
ReplyDeleteI too am in agreement with Margo.
ReplyDeleteI have some questions:-
Q: Was Emily previouusly a dancer, or what led her into this line of work in the first place?
Q: Did Vincent meet her at her place of work?
Vincent loves Emily and I think she has a measure of affection for him too. Vincent wants to make money from his art so he can build a better family life with Emily.
I don't think Emily is ready to settle down with Vincent. She obviously likes the attention and money she gets from her adoring "clients".
There's a twinge of sadness here. I can almost see this relationship not lasting.
Overall, you did well with a challenging theme.
"Walking into what she called work was difficult. Vincent dreamed" Afgfter re-reading this a few times, I realized it was NOT a POV shift - but I had to read it a few times, which means it took me out of the story. Could be smoothed over a bit, IMO.
ReplyDeleteDon't know if this is a piece of something bigger (or with plans to be.) What would increase the conflict is if Emily is supporting him him right now - by selling "herself," as it were, and he wants to support her by selling "himself," at least, his work. I totally "got" Vincent's conflicted feelings for Emily - just hope they don't turn even more bitter than "Vincent hated Emily."
I can identity with this character. A short but rawly honest piece about a difficult but way too often glamourized occupation.
ReplyDelete~Ms. Queenly
Awww....I can understand exactly how he feel and why he feels that way. The ending of course, contrasts with the beginning of the story.
ReplyDeleteYou've dealt with a theme that is an all to common story I guess when there is a conflict in occupations. I'm not sure why he hated Emily at the beginning...if he loved her so much by the end.
ReplyDeleteDenise<3
Just to answer a few pwoples questions - he hatesemily at the beginning but the sight of her entrances him so it is instananeous hate to love by sight.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI get Vincent's inner conflict, and yeah he despises what she is and what she does in her place of work, and, that until he can support both he's pissed at himself as much as her. In some respects he has a point, she's selling her body to eyes, but if he paints an image of a model wearing little or a nude portrait, he'd be pimping a body for eyes! ;)
best
F