Ten

After picking up all the mess of papers they made on her bed and typing on the laptop the story Ashley had chosen, she printed it and placed it next to her important papers. She was planning to read it again and see if a sparkle of imagination crossed her mind and lighted her with an idea for a title. When nothing came up Jeanie went to bed exhausted and almost depressed about her bad management of names. The sound of an unread message woke her up almost too early the next morning.

- Who do you miss without a reason? – Ashley´s question had been hanging there since the last day.

- I knew it was weird you hadn´t ask! – Jeanie answered mocking at her – I really don´t remember when I wrote that, so I can´t know who was I missing at the moment – she lied because she didn´t know how to explain there was a platonic older guy somewhere in her thoughts. She didn´t quite understand it for herself as to explain it to someone else.

- I´ll be at your place in an hour – Ashley announced – What about “Ageless”?

- I think that could work! – an enthusiastic Jeanie answered – Hanna told me she would be here in a while as well. See you then.

She put her phone on the night table and went around the possible title for a while until someone knocked at her door. Jeanie flew downstairs knowing Hanna was the one arriving.

- Hello – her friend smiled at her and went in without expecting an invitation – I need coffee!

- You always need coffee! – Jeanie laughed and made a sign for Hanna to follow her into the kitchen – I´m so happy we can do this!

- Me too! It´s been a while since we did something together.

- I know. School absorbs me!

- Just school? – Hanna inquired – That sounds extremely boring!

- Well… - Jeanie wasn´t sure if telling her about Reid was a good idea – There´s this awesome writing contest someone convinced me to sign in.

- Someone? – Hanna was now staring at her with a question mark on her expressive eyes.

- Yes… - she avoid the explanation in her own mind – I´m still not so sure about it. Here you go – she said handling Hanna a cup of coffee.

- Now that I´m a person again – Hanna smiled after the first sip of the dark brew – Let me see that story you´re not sure about.

- Ashley is completely sure that´s the one – Jeanie explained giving her the printed paper – But without a good title… I don´t know how will it even make it.

- That´s why I´m here! To help you! We´ll find the perfect title to this story and when you win the prize you´ll share it with me – she joked.

- With you and Ashley – Jeanie rectified – She is coming in a while. I think brain storming is a good idea.

- It actually is! – Hanna said together with Ashley´s knock on the door.

- Speaking of the devil – Jeanie announced and went away to come back with Ashley in a few seconds.

- Hi Hanna – Ashley greeted her – So I´ve been told we´ll receive a prize? – she joked looking at Jeanie.

- If we manage to find a perfect title, half of Jeanie´s prize should be ours. Don´t you think?

- Oh! I´m totally agree with that!

- You´re just a pair of ravens! – Jeanie complained – You´ll hang on my fame!

- We´ll be a huge part of that fame! – her friends mocked at her – You can´t even find a good title without us!

- That´s one in a million stories! And Ashley was the one who had a crush on it! – she objected.

- I also had a crush on it! I think we´ll need to discuss that – Hanna smiled to Ashley.

- I can share – she smiled back and then looked at Jeanie – See? We can share our crush! You can share your fame! – she mocked at her.

- Ok, ok – Jeanie gave up – Let´s just try to find the right title and then I´ll happily call you to be my famous children´s godmothers.

After lunch, the girls went to Jeanie´s studio and the three of them took pens and papers to start writing ideas. Things like “A matter of age”, “Aging”, “Timeless” and “Love does not age” flew around as possible ones. Jeanie liked them, but also wasn´t sure about any of them. If she could only ask him. Nothing good came out of her mind. That date which wasn´t a date was the only thing she could think about. She wanted another one! But she had decided to stay away for a while. The obvious reason: not being a little stalker hit her face every time she wanted to write to him.

- So… What do you think? – Hanna interrupted her thoughts making her notice she had got lost in the conversation.

- I don´t know – she answered trying to win time – What does Ashley thinks?

- I already said what I thought! – Ashley jumped – Are you paying attention to us?

- I´m sorry. I´m a little distracted.

- Can we know why?

- Not even I know!

- It´s just the contest. You´re nervous about it and the pressure of finding the right title is driving you crazy – Ashley solved – We´ll do it without you.

- Are you sure about that? – Hanna hesitated – After all, it´s her story. I think she should have something to say about it.

- Girls – Jeanie interrupted them trying to avoid a future fight – There´s no possible title to a story that tells itself! I was thinking about sending it without it!

- Are you crazy? – both of her friends were about to lose their eyes – Isn´t a title like the most important requirement?

- It is! The title is what engages people. You read things when you like the title. But… what about if we choose an awful title and no one reads it? That would be a sad fate to such story!

- So… - Jeanie´s logic was really confusing her friends – You´ll just submit it to the contest without a name?

- I will – she decided – Thanks for your help anyway. You had great ideas and I know next time I get stuck with a title, I can call you.

- You can always call us – Hanna smiled – But please don´t make us burn our few neurons in vane!

- I´m so sorry! – Jeanie felt really bad about her friends´ waste of time, but she was completely sure about her determination – I´ll make you dinner and then we can have a pajama’s party – she offered instead.

- Fine for me – Ashley smiled.

- Ok then – Hanna agreed – Anyway, it´s good to spend some quality time with you before you leave us again.