Notebook.ai

Outside (O/O closed, stalkers welcome :)

@basil_ forum 314 comments schedule
@basil_

He's never been outside. Or at least, that's what you've assumed for the past 11 years. Ever since you moved in next door when you were eight, all you've ever seen of him was glimpses of his face from time to time. You're parents always changed the subject when you tried asking about him, so you've learned to not to.
You still wonder about him occasionally, but he's not one of the top things you need to worry about, that is until you run into someone on the sidewalk, and it has to be him, right? How could you not recognize the face you've been looking for for 11 years?

Sorry, this plot is cringy. But yeah, this could be a friendship, romance, whatever you want. If the plot is unclear, I'll explain once someone joins.
If anyone does join this, please don't let it die in a week. Please have a least a bit of proper grammar when writing.

@Purple_Sunglow

(I am interested)

@basil_

(Cool, would you like me to explain the plot a bit more or not?)

@Purple_Sunglow

(Hmm I’ve got a pretty clear idea of it, you don’t have to explain it more unless there’s another major plot point needed to start it :) )

@basil_

(Okay, Great! I’ll just explain a few details because I don’t expect you to read my mind or anything.
(my character) his name is Grayson. Both our characters will be around high school age. Grayson lives with his dad. The rest will eventually be revealed in the future, and I think I thats it :)

Here’s a template:
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Sexuality:
Apparence:
Personality traits:
Likes:
Dislikes:

Also one more question, do you want this to be a romance, or just a friendship?

@Purple_Sunglow

Ok cool! And hmm let’s do friendship first and then if their personalities work well together it could turn romantic?

@basil_

Sounds good! I’ll get my character up in a couple minutes

@basil_

Name: Grayson Alexander
Age: 17
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Not really sure yet but is attracted to both genders.
Appearance: Black hair, parted down the right and slightly covering his left eye. Dark, but vibrant blue eyes. Short scar next to his left eye, that's why he keeps his hair covering that eye. About 5'6 with pale skin and pretty thin for his age. Usually wears dark colors and things that won't let on how small he is, i.e hoodies most of the time. Doesn't smile much but when he does, it's really cute.
Personality traits: Quiet, doesn't mind meeting people though. Major trust issues. If he does eventually grow to trust you he is very loving and will do anything to protect you. Doesn't trust easily. Doesn't look to help himself. Pushes all his feelings and past away inside himself.
Likes: Reading, taking walks (preferably at night), white chocolate, black coffee.
Dislikes: When people talk down to him, the summer, the rain.

@Purple_Sunglow

( Cool! I like him )

Name: Jasmine Castillo
Age: 16
Gender: female
Sexuality: Straight
Apparence: wavy black hair to her mid back—dyed red at the top and natural black near the bottom, wears glasses with black rectangle frames, dark brown eyes, olive skin tone, usually wears flannel shirts or leather jackets, sharp jawline
Personality traits: generally cheerful, enjoys meeting people, she can talk to anyone about anything really
Likes: photography, charcoal drawing, makeup (mostly eyeliner mascara and lipstick)
Dislikes: her biological mom (she lives with her dad and stepmom), messy rooms, thunderstorms

@basil_

(She looks awesome!
I’ll start in just a minute)

@Purple_Sunglow

Oke doke!)

@basil_

A thought occurred to Grayson just now as he slipped silently down the stairs, the socks on his feet providing good cover in case his dad had for some reason, come home early.
What if I just..opened the door?
He poked his head around the corner, finding no brief case laying on the table, no dark shiny shoes sitting on the mat. His dad wasn’t home yet. Why would he be anyway? It’s only three pm, his dad got home at seven.
Grayson laughed softly, wondering why this thought hadn’t occurred to him before. If he just opened the door a bit, just a taste of the outside world, that wouldn’t hurt.
So with much caution, he slowly turned the doorknob and stuck his head outside, immediately panicking and retreating back inside and slamming the door.

(Sorry, ill have him actually come outside soon, I just realized that it probably wouldn’t be immediate while writing this)

@Purple_Sunglow

Ahh ok!)

Jasmine looked up from her drawing when she heard the door slam at her neighbor’s house. Was it Boo? She had affectionately nicknamed her house-bound neighbor Boo as a reference to Boo Radley from To Kill A Mockingbird, who was also chained to his house. She would call him that until she learned his real name, she reasoned. She pushed her foot against the concrete to rock the porch swing she’d claimed as her outdoor art seat. Her eyes stayed glued to that mysterious house in hopes that Boo would open his door again.

@basil_

(IM LITERALLY SCREAMING)
(YOU CAUGHT MY REFERENCE)

@Purple_Sunglow

(AAA i thought of Boo Radley when I read your prompt! I love that book)

@basil_

Grayson smiled and leaned his back against the closed door, his heart beating wildly. He wanted more than just that glimpse. It didn’t look dangerous outside, far from it actually. The quick breath of cool spring air was refreshing, calming as well.
I’ll just sit on the porch. I won’t even leave the property.
Grayson nodded, agreeing with his simple solution. He slowly opened the door again but before he could step out, something else brushed against his leg and slipped through the open door. Grayson smiled and followed the small gray cat onto the porch. He sat down with his legs crossed and began to stroke the cat gently as it settled down in his lap. “Isn’t this exciting Lee?” The boy remarked, his voice quiet and slightly raspy. “You’re probably used to this though.” The cat, Lee, showed no response, just nuzzled his head against Grayson’s leg fondly.

@basil_

(AAA i thought of Boo Radley when I read your prompt! I love that book)

(Me toooo
I just had to write an essay about Atticus so I’m kinda still thinking about it. It’s honestly one of my favorite books of all time lol)

@Purple_Sunglow

Jasmine’s smile widened when she saw Boo step out onto the porch. She silently debated on calling out to him our not, should she? Or would it scare him away? She bit her lip nervously until she decided to stay quiet and turn to a new page in her sketchbook instead. With a pencil, she began outlining the lines of his house, how intriguing! she pushed the swing to rock a tad higher.

@basil_

Grayson began looking around at the view from the front of the house that he was so accustomed to. Except, now it was different. He could feel the cool breeze blowing his hair across his face and the occasional sounds of cars passing by. There was also a slight creaking noise coming from somewhere. Grayson glanced to his left, just some trees, and then to his right there was-
Oh. There’s a girl. The same girl that walks past his house everyday on her way to school.
She doesn’t seem to be any threat.
“What do you think Lee?” He asked, glancing from the girl, back down to the cat. Again, no response, just a big yawn from Lee as he made himself comfortable.
“You are absolutely no help.” Grayson sighed, looking back up at the girl curiously.

@Purple_Sunglow

Jasmine alternated her glances from his house to her sketchbook, sure, she technically could just take a picture of it when the boy went back inside to draw, but where was the fun in that? And anyhow, she wanted to draw the boy sitting there too—not to be creepy or anything. He was just highly interesting, more than intriguing. Why did he never go to school? Her thoughts ran away into a train that could go on forever until she realized her hand was sweating onto her sketch paper.
Jasmine cursed, lifting her hand away from the paper. Upon examination, her hand had smudged the graphite in a messy blotch, “Damn..” she sighed. Ah well, this was fine. She could just cover it with charcoal later.

@basil_

Grayson soon grew bored of just sitting on the porch, but he wouldn’t leave the property, not yet anyway. It was a little after five now and he wouldn’t risk his dad coming home to find him gone. Instead, he picked up Lee and went inside, returning a minute later with a well worn journal and a pencil. He began to write, pacing back and forth and stopping occasionally to scribble something down.

@Purple_Sunglow

His neighbor’s attention piqued again when she saw him move. She stood from the porch swing and rested her hands on the fence, what was he writing?

“Jass, it’s getting time for dinner.” Her father opened the front door, one hand on the doorknob.

Jasmine looked back to her dad, “Okay, I’ll be in in a minute.”

Satisfied with the assurance, her father dipped back inside.

@basil_

Grayson stopped when he saw the girl talking to someone. He carelessly flipped through the journal. It was just conversations, eleven years worth of writing to people he could never talk to. There was one for the mailman, the dad walking down the sidewalk holding a little girls hand, the old woman walking her dog.
Yes, it does sound creepy.
Grayson realized,
But how else am I supposed to have conversations if I can’t actually talk to them?
He nodded and turned back to the half composed dialogue.
To the girl next door,
If I ever met you, this is how it would go…
I would first introduce myself, then you would as well. I would ask you what you were drawing, and mention that I like to draw as well. I wonder if you know who I am? Or even what my name is. We share a lot of common interests I think. Maybe we’d even become friends…

Grayson stopped writing, a soft sigh escaping his lips as he gazed down at the perfect cursive handwriting filling the page.
But you live your life, and I live mine. Maybe I’ll work up the courage to leave someday. And I’ll get to ask you what you were drawing.

(Wow sorry that was kinda depressing/creepy)

@Purple_Sunglow

Nahh it’s okay )

Jasmine took one more look at the house and the boy sitting on the porch before she drew a long sigh and headed inside. At the table, she noticed her step-mom filling plates already, “Mom..? Can I ask you a question maybe?”

Her dad entered the kitchen and gave his wife a kiss to the cheek, “What kind of question, Jass?”

“About…” did she dare to utter the topic, “The neighbor boy.”

@basil_

“Grayson?!”
Shit.
He had lost track of time and didn’t even hear his dad pull up. Grayson turned around slowly as his dad rushed up the steps and shooed him back inside.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing out there?!”
“I was just..I just wanted to go out onto the porch dad..I didn’t leave, I swear.” Grayson explained nervously, feeling his stomach drop.
“People could have seen you Grayson. Do you even realize what you could have done?” His dad started pacing angrily his hand resting on his hip. “My entire reputation is at stake here. Only the neighbors know about you and that’s it. Do you understand?“
“But I-“ Grayson received a harsh slap across the face and his Dad’s finger pointing straight at him.
“Do you understand?”
Grayson nodded quickly, taking a couple steps back.
“Good. You can make your own dinner, I already ate,” his dad replied, turning away and retreating back to his room.

@Purple_Sunglow

(Oh no!)

Jasmine’s family looked at her with a twinge of offense and surprise. They didn’t say anything about it, however, and changed the subject, “I made you favorite meal, hon.” Her stepmom went over to kiss her head, “Let’s not talk about the boy over supper, this is family time.”

“Okay..” Jasmine looked down to her plate, “After supper I might go take some photos outside.”

@basil_

(Oh yes)

Grayson didn’t bother eating anything, his appetite was lost after what had just happened. He went upstairs to find Lee curled up on the window seat, pawing at the occasional bird that would fly past. “Do you think I should leave this place?” Grayson asked, closing and locking the door. He climbed up next to Lee and opened the window, setting Lee on his stomach and letting his arm dangle out the window. “I could bring you with me. It would be okay..we’d be okay.”

@Purple_Sunglow

After eating supper, Jasmine went upstairs to go get her camera, then run back downstairs, “I’m going to the park!” She called, “Don’t worry I have my phone.” She tapped her pocket to show her parents.

“Oh, okay, sweetie. Be home by nine!” Her stepmother called when Jasmine was on her way out.

“Will do!” She called just before she closed the door. Once outside, Jass took a breath of relief once she was outside.

@basil_

Grayson looked down towards the sidewalk, twirling a pencil absentmindedly between his fingers. He began humming to himself and closed his eyes, which gave Lee the perfect opportunity to knock the pencil out of his hand where it slowly rolled down the roof. “No no no nonono!” Grayson dove down onto the roof, his foot latched onto the window ledge to keep him from falling. He grabbed the pencil just in time to keep it from falling down directly in front of his dads office window. But now he was laying on a roof, and right next to him was that girl.

@Purple_Sunglow

Jasmine looked over at Boo from her porch, blinking at his strange situation. She held onto the camera with the lanyard hanging around her neck, “You good?” She called in hopes of an answer.