igorthewriter

[igorthewriter]

After the Rain Comes the Sun - Chapter 50

"Excellent!" The teacher said, happy that even three students from her class decided to join. At that moment, the bell rang for the end of the class. Students started rushing out of the classroom one after the other. Just when Fran, Mateo and Pero wanted to go out, the teacher stopped them. "Wait, you have to sign the application forms for the Reader's Club."

Fran, Mateo, and Pero groaned and exchanged glances.

While Fran and Mateo signed their forms, Pero felt a little hesitant about joining the club. Like Fran and Mateo, he didn't like to read at all. He only joined because Vlado wanted it that way. He had no idea what Vlado was up to this time, but he knew that if he wanted to remain his friend, he had better join.

Fran and Mateo left the class after they had signed their forms, and Pero took one more look at his form, before he started to sign it too.

"There, signed." He said and sighed in relief, happy to finally be able to go.As soon as he left the classroom, Pero was grabbed by his right shoulder. When he turned to see who it was, he saw Vlado."Hey, did you enroll?" Vlado asked him. Pero nodded, "I did.""Great!" Vlado exclaimed. "Everything is going as planned.""If I may know, what are you planning this time?" Pero asked, curious as to what his friend was up to. Vlado grinned mischievously and replied, "Let's just say that the Readers' Club is going to have a lot more excitement this year than just reading books."

Pero raised an eyebrow, "I don't know if I like the sound of that, Vlado. What kind of excitement are you talking about?"Vlado just laughed and patted his friend on the back. "Don't worry, Pero. It's going to be fun. Just trust me on this one."Pero wasn't entirely convinced, but he decided to go along with it for now. He couldn't help but wonder what kind of trouble Vlado was planning to get them into.

[igorthewriter]

Who is the thief - Chapter 4

Lingo and Flare looked at each other in confusion before turning back to Maria, who was now giving them a serious look.

"Are you sure you saw it right? He stormed off angrily after seeing me and Laura dancing?” Flare asked Maria, hoping for more details. Maria nodded. "Yes, I'm sure. I know what I saw."

Flare and Lingo exchanged another brief glance, then thanked Maria and left her house.

As they walked away from her house in silence, Flare's mind kept going back to what Maria had said about Jared. He couldn't believe that Jared would be so upset to see him and Laura dancing together. They had been friends for years and Jared had never shown any signs of liking Laura. Except maybe once when he commented on her appearance during school break, but Flare had brushed it off as a harmless comment. Is it possible that he really likes Laura? That was the question that kept ringing in Flare's head.

Lingo decided to break the silence, asking his friend, "What are we going to do now?"

Flare was lost in thought for a moment before replying, "I think we should talk to Jared and find out what's going on. It may not be what it seems. Maybe he was upset for some other reason."

Lingo nodded in agreement and the two headed towards Jared's house. All the way, Flare was trying to figure out how to approach Jared without accusing him of anything. He didn't want to jump to conclusions like he did with Maria. And as if reading his thoughts, Lingo advised him, "And please, when we get to him, don't immediately attack him like Maria. Let's talk to him calmly and give him a chance to explain."

"I know, I know, that was really stupid. I hope Maria will forgive me.” Flare said and let out a deep sigh. Lingo smiled slightly and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Don't worry, man. We'll figure this out. And as for Maria, just apologize to her and give her some time. She'll forgive you, I'm sure of it."

Flare nodded, deeply hoping that Lingo was right, though his words didn't help him feel any better.

(Read the rest of the story on Neovel)

[igorthewriter]

After the Rain Comes the Sun - Chapter 49

On the day when classes started again, Fran was scowling towards the school, when he heard someone's voice behind him. He turned and saw Mateo waving and running towards him with a smile. Fran immediately cheered up. Mateo was panting as he reached Fran. When he managed to catch some air, he looked cheerfully at his friend and said, "Finally we meet again."

Fran smiled back at him, and Mateo's face suddenly became serious. "I was a little worried when you told me you had to get rid of your cell phone. What was that?"

"It's a long story." Fran answered and waved his hand with a slight smile. He didn't feel like explaining everything to Mateo.

"Alright, no problem," Mateo said, shrugging it off. "So now you don't have a cell phone anymore?" He asked, looking at him sympathetically. Fran took a deep breath and replied, "Yes, unfortunately. But it doesn't matter, let's not talk about it now. Let's go so we won't be late for school." Mateo nodded in agreement and the two friends started walking towards the school gates. As they walked, Mateo couldn't help but notice that Fran seemed distracted and down.

He knew what was bothering him. Returning to school for Fran means facing problems from last semester. And there is Vlado, who will surely try to make his life miserable again. Mateo felt sad and helpless because he didn't know what to say or do to cheer Fran up, and it was hard for him to see him like that.

At school, in the second class, Fran and Mateo had Croatian. Mateo listened attentively to what the teacher was explaining while Fran stared out the window and thoughtfully counted the cars passing by on the road.

"I forgot to tell you, I have an announcement for you my dear students!" The teacher said loudly. The students stopped what they were doing and looked her way, even Fran, though he still had a disinterested look on his face. The teacher cleared her throat, and then with a smile on her face she began to speak, "Starting tomorrow, we are introducing a new extracurricular activity, the 'Reader's Club'. All of you who like to read can join. Those who join, will get an A for commitment!"

There was a murmur in the class. The students murmured enthusiastically among themselves, seriously considering joining the Readers' Club. Mateo was one of them.

"Did you hear that Fran? We'll get an A if we join. I don't know about you, but that seems like a great opportunity to get a good grade without the effort." Mateo whispered in Fran's ear.

(Read the rest of the chapter on Neovel)

[igorthewriter]

Who is the thief - Chapter 3

Flare looked around the room, trying to locate Lingo. He was talking to a friend on the side with a smile on his face. Flare walked up to them and interrupted their conversation.

"Hey Lingo, you have my necklace, right?" Flare asked, trying to keep his tone calm. Lingo's smile faded, and he looked at Flare with confusion.

"No, it's over there on the dresser where you left it."

Flare's heart sank. "No, it's not there, Lingo. Please tell me you're kidding me. You have it, don't you?”

Lingo's expression turned serious as he realized the gravity of the situation.

"I told you to keep an eye on it Lingo!" Flare spoke with tears in his eyes.

Lingo's friend saw the tension and awkwardly excused himself from the conversation.

"I'm so sorry, Flare. I was looking after the necklace, but then Steven needed me for something. I went over and talked to him and I completely forgot about the necklace. I'm sorry." Lingo tried to justify himself, visibly upset by the situation.

He felt guilty for betraying his friend's trust, and Flare's judgmental look made him feel even worse.

"We'll find the necklace, don't worry." He tried to reassure his friend, trying to lighten his mood at least a little. "Just calm down."

Flare took Lingo's advice and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He looked around, the room was almost empty. Almost all the guests had already left, leaving only him, Lingo, Steven, Ryan, and Laura, who was just about to go home.

"Guys I have to go! See you!" She waved at Flare and Lingo as she hurried towards the door.

Flare's mind was racing. He couldn't believe that the necklace was missing. Ryan, noticing Flare's distress, asked, "What's going on, man? Is everything okay?"

"Nothing is okay. Someone stole my necklace." Flare answered, his voice trembling with emotion. Ryan's face grew serious, his expression giving the impression that he knew something.

"Did you see anyone suspicious around the necklace or the dresser?" Lingo asked him, noticing his expression.

"No, no, I didn't." Ryan said in an uncertain voice, refusing to make eye contact. Lingo and Flare looked at each other.

"If you saw anything, please tell me. That necklace means a lot to me." Flare pleaded, trying to keep his voice steady.

Ryan hesitated for a moment, then finally spoke up.

(Read the whole chapter on Neovel)

[igorthewriter]

Who is the Thief - Chapter 2

"What happened?" Flare asked her worriedly.

"I just realized I don't have anything nice to wear to the party." She said dejectedly. Lingo burst out laughing, "Come on. Whatever, wear anything."

Clara shot him an angry look that froze Lingo's blood in his veins.

"Okay, okay, I got it." He said and raised his hands in the air defensively, showing his palms. Clara turned her gaze to Flare and said, "There's a nice dress in the boutique, but I can't afford it, it's expensive."

She looked at the floor and Flare smiled and told her encouragingly, "Don't be mad, but like Lingo said, what does it matter. You'll be beautiful no matter what you wear."

A small smile appeared on Clara's face, she was glad that Flare had told her that, but still, she was still sad.

"The thing is, my folks don't really have any money right now, and I, I really like that dress. My cousin's birthday is coming up soon and she's having a big party. There's going to be a lot of guys there and I can't come in anything." She spoke, looking at the floor. "I swear, I would do anything to get that dress."

"Is that dress gold or what?" Lingo joked again, but Clara didn't even look at him. Instead, she stared at Flare's gold necklace around his neck.

"Is that the necklace Henry gave you?" She asked, turning serious. Everyone turned their eyes to Flare and he looked at his necklace.

"Yes, that's all I have left of him." He said thoughtfully.

"It sure is valuable, huh?" Chris asked curiously.

"Yes, it is golden. But its value is not only in that, it is a memory. And I wouldn't give it for anything."

There was silence, which was broken by the sound of a mobile phone. It was Chris's cell phone. He took it out of his pocket and looked at the screen, when his face suddenly became serious. His friends looked at him in surprise, but before they could ask him anything, he said, "I'm sorry," and then walked away from them. Chris walked quite a distance, so no one could hear what or who he was talking about on the cell phone. They could only look at him expectantly and guess.

"Who is he talking to?" Clara wondered and the others just shrugged, knowing as much as she did.

(Read the rest of the story on Neovel)

[igorthewriter]

Part of the 1st chapter of "Who is the thief", the story I'm writing for Neovel contest🙂:

A dark-skinned teenager with long straight black hair was lying in bed, looking at a golden necklace he wore around his neck. It's the only thing he has left from Henry, his old friend. Before he left, Henry gave him that necklace as a gift and it means more than anything to him.

He got out of bed and went to the kitchen to pour himself some water, but he stopped halfway. In the living room, which is located before the kitchen, his mom and dad were sitting and looking sadly at the floor.

"Did they fight?" It's the first thought that came to his mind. He carefully walked towards them and asked them with a worried look on his face, "Mom, Dad, is everything okay?"

They looked up from the floor and looked at him sadly.

"No son. No." Father said, holding back tears.

"What happened?" Boy asked, now seriously worried.

"Dad...Dad got fired." Mom told him in a trembling voice and then burst into tears. Boy's heart broke when he saw her like that.

"Well, it's not that bad, he'll find a job somewhere else." He tried to comfort her, but unfortunately without success.

"Yes, but you know I've been out of work for a long time. And now that your dad has lost his job, we're in a very difficult situation. We have no way to pay the bills for this month." Mom explained to him, sobbing. Now it was clearer to him why they were both so depressed.

"Maybe… maybe you could help us." Mom suggested to him. He looked at her confused, having no idea what she was alluding to.

"What do you mean?"

"That necklace of yours-" She started to speak, but the boy immediately cut her off, "Don't even think about it!"

"I know that chain means a lot to you, but the situation is alarming. We could sell it well and that would help us for a while, and then we would think of something." The father spoke up, trying to help his wife persuade him.

"It's out of the question! It's a memory of my friend! What don't you understand?" The boy snapped a bit angry and frustrated. "I understand everything, and that the situation is alarming and that we have no money, but surely there is another way! There must be another way!" He said and stormed angrily into the room without another word, and mom and dad looked at each other sadly.

(Read the rest of the story on Neovel)

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[igorthewriter]

Although these days I mostly wrote the story for the competition and worked on one of my games in gdevelop, I also found some time to write a new chapter for "After the rain comes the sun". Will Marica stop being angry with Emil? Read the full chapter on Neovel and find out😃

[igorthewriter]

These days I've been struggling a lot with writer's block, so writing the first chapter for the competition has been much harder and slower than expected. But today my inspiration finally started again and the first chapter is almost finished😊. Today I made a cover for a story in Bookbrush and came up with a title for it. It will be called, "Who is the thief?" because I couldn't think of anything better😅, I hope the title is good anyway.

Story's blurb:

Flare is a black-haired teenager who will soon celebrate his 17th birthday. He is not even aware that on that birthday someone will steal his gold necklace, which is worth more to him than anything else. But who will do it? Who is the thief?

[igorthewriter]

From the 47th chapter of my novel "After the rain comes the sun":

Stanko nodded his head and said shamelessly, pointing his finger at Fran, "Your son stole my cell phone!"

Katarina's eyes widened and she immediately turned to Fran. She looked at him and asked, "Is that true?"

"He's lying! Of course it's not true!" Fran assured her, but Katarina continued to look at him suspiciously.

"I don't really know, maybe you got angry when I took your cell phone and that's why you stole it from him, because you didn't want to be without it."

"And when I 'stole' it from him?" Fran asked with a sarcastic look on his face, imitating quotation marks with his fingers.

"Maybe when we were at Šime's. You were home alone then."

Fran looked away to avoid eye contact. Katarina was partially right, it happened that day, but not nearly as much as Stanko says. Fran sighed deeply and looked back at his mother.

"Do you really think I would steal his cell phone?" He asked her with sadness in his eyes. His face was full of disbelief and hurt. "Mom, I would never do something like that. And you know that too."

Katarina looked at her son with a deep expression of concern. Stanko then spoke up, "If that's the case, then you don't mind us searching your stuff, do you?"

A flashback of the moment when Vlado stole his wallet appeared in Fran's head for a moment. Fran then said those same words. This made him feel like he was becoming the same as Vlado, but he immediately jerked away and dismissed those thoughts. Vlado is a thief, and Fran honestly won the cell phone in a bet. There is a big difference between the two.

Fran's thoughts were interrupted by Katarina's voice that brought him back to reality, "Fran?"

[igorthewriter]

Hi, I'm Igor, a 21-year old writer and game dev from Croatia. Here is a part of the shorty story "Mermaid Carla and the Stolen Necklace" i wrote on Neovel.

Part 1

Many consider them monsters, they have heard various stories about mermaids, how they lure people into a trap and kill them bloodthirsty. But not all mermaids are like that, there are also good ones. But because of fear and prejudice, they hide deep in the depths of the sea. They are afraid to come close to the surface.

A knock is heard. Someone rings the doorbell of Carla's tiny little room at the bottom of the sea. Her father had it made for her shortly before she was born.

"He's probably knocking now. Or… my little sister." Carla thought and opened the door. Yes, she was right. Her younger sister Christine was standing in front of her.

"Carla, can you do me a little favor?" Christine asked her, looking sweetly at her with her tiny eyes.

"Say, I'm listening. What is it this time?" Carla asked, taking a deep breath.

"You know that little necklace of mine. The one, my favorite..."

"Yes? What about it?"

"Carlos took it from me." Christine said and looked sadly at the floor.

"That mischief! He'll see me already! Don't worry, I'll make him give you back your necklace!" Carla said and rushed out of the room.

She swam along the bottom of the sea, furious as a fury and soon found herself at his door. She knocked, but no one opened the door, and Carla knew he was inside.

"Carlos, I know you're in there! Open the door!" She shouted, knocking again.

(Read the rest on Neovel)