Inappropriate: Three Short Stories

By Charles Jay Harwood

Three short stories about irrational emotions between two people.

The first story, Deadline, relates on mature student, Andrea, about to bag the ideal boyfriend. Only her tutor Mr. Linton and her late thesis stand in the way.

The second story, Outside, enters the disturbed mind of Deke, an ex convict doing community service outside the home of single mother, Elaine. Only trouble is, he doesn't want to leave.

And Nice follows the life of Durante, a grant assessor, suspicious of his young girlfriend, Kate, who keeps getting texts from a secret admirer.

Three reads to fill spare moments, but leaving a lasting impression.

The stories themselves are collectively 10,500 words.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Charles Jay Harwood
• Release date: Aug 28, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310257889

Charles Jay Harwood

Writes psychological thrillers on the human condition pushed to murky realms. Themes to be found include abduction, gambling, alcoholism, insomnia, voyeurism, psychosis, neuroses, peer pressure and narcissism. Author’s works include The Shuttered Room, Falling Awake, A Hard Lesson and Nora. Writes screenplays and a blog, Writers’ Remedies.

Book preview

Inappropriate

Three Short Stories

Charles Jay Harwood

First Published in 2014 by Charles Jay Harwood

Available in audiobook

All rights reserved ISBN: 9781310257889

This edition 24 May 2017. All rights reserved. The Right of Charles Jay Harwood to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 Section 77 and 78.

Author’s Thrillers

To my parents

Contents

Deadline

Outside

Nice

Author’s thrillers

Deadline

I BUNGEE JUMP the Forth Bridge every time his eyes latch onto mine. I feel seasick when he walks into the room. I want to run a mile but my legs turn to stone. My tongue gets twisted and I feel an idiot.

I couldn’t believe my luck when Kieran Moseley took an interest in me a few months ago. All my friends fell spellbound to his cerulean eyes and stupidly, I suffered a crush on him at school. Luck shone on Kieran; a mop of raven hair, a dimpled chin and a smile as generous as the bonnet of his restored Cadillac. Yes he rebuilds classic cars, his lap-time at Brunhills Loop remains unbeaten and his guitar-riffs for his band Headliner leaves the ears a-spin. Some say he single-handedly improved Colby’s economy. His perk? To watch any film for free at the local Pegasus Cinema. But there are only so many hours in the day for one with precocious talent, popularity and striking good looks.

Me, I guess I became the envied interest of Kieran, a twenty-something mature student of theatre studies, I would seem to complement this great pragmatist. In fact, I’m not that imaginative. What use is a diploma in such a creative pursuit to an industrial hub like Colby? I had a placement at Elmtree Theatre – admin, and suspected my certificate would remain unfulfilled. I guess I was just living the dream. My curvy proportions and reputation for being a laugh might have more to do with Kieran’s attraction to me. He calls me vivacious, in truth I can be quite a bitch.

‘Andrea,’ my flatmate Lily chortled, ‘what’s that on your neck?’

I giggled through a feeling that I should rather than wanting to. ‘Nothing,’ I replied.

‘Don’t play coy with me, Andie, I know only one person who does little hickies like that.’ And she tugged the neckline of my T-shirt to take a closer look. ‘Thought so,’ she chuffed. ‘He gave me one last year.’

‘Get off,’ I laughed but didn’t retreat.

At that time, Kieran and I weren’t a couple as such. He just liked to administer love hickies to girls he thought fun. A week later, Kieran took me to the Pegasus to see Hut of Love, a comic romp like American Pie. At that time, I wished I hadn’t embarked my course in Theatre Studies, not because it had little use in Colby, but because of what awaited me if I was late for Film Education. Since hanging around with Kieran, my assignment had floundered.

Mr. Linton’s voice caressed me from behind after class. ‘Which character have you chosen to evaluate for narcissism in film?’ he asked.

He knew I hadn’t even begun