Caesar
A bit of a silly one this week, for week 3 of brigits_flame. I got really stuck on the prompt for this week, "Caesar", had no idea what to write, so I drummed up this. I don't pretend it's very good, but I had to write something! Hope it at least entertains.
Caesar
Michelle tossed back her head and gave a derisory snort which made several fellow restaurant-goers turn and stare. She couldn't help but snigger as she choked out:
"This has got to be the most dreadful break-up in history!" She erupted into peals of uncontrollable giggles. "Sorry, sorry, explain to me again, you're like who?"
"I'm like Caesar, Michelle, I-"
Michelle put her hands over her face and basically screamed with laughter, her black hair spilling down over her fingers. People were really staring now, soft murmurs of annoyance and incredulity around them. As Michelle banged her fist on the table, Peter shifted uncomfortably in his seat, making little noises of embarrassment.
"Come on, Michelle, people are looking, stop it..."
Michelle came up for air, tears of amusement in her eyes, her cheeks red. She gave a few pants and few half-giggles, and a hiccup as she used her napkin to dab at her eyes.
"Sorry, sorry, it's just so...sorry. Ahem. Yes, go on, you were saying, you're like..." she gritted her teeth against another wave of laughter, "...Caesar." Peter shifted in his seat again, red in the face himself, although in his case with embarrassment.
"I just meant, I prefer to have control in relationships, I want to have the power. I think a relationship should be like a dictatorship. None of this, equality. I don't like equality. There's classes, you know, different people..."
He went on. Michelle couldn't even summon the energy to be angry at this worm. She could only look at him with a mixture of amusement and pity. She'd thought this guy was pretty cool, quite open and progressive in his thinking. Now he was spouting gender inequality at her. She could barely be bothered. She cut him off mid-sentence, barely raising her voice.
"Peter, just shut up." Peter's mouth closed instantly. Michelle leaned forward slightly. "You're a pig. Your views appall me. I can't believe you're sitting there in front of me, telling me that you like to be the Emperor in a relationship. It's pathetic. You're telling me that you like to be the dominant one in the relationship - sure, some people like that, but when it's on the basis of gender, I have absolutely no respect for that." Peter looked aghast.
"How can you speak to me like-" With a sneer, Michelle interjected.
"I'll speak to you however the hell I want to speak to you. This is not even a case of you are a man, and I am a woman. It is simply that I am powerful, independent and strong of mind, and you are frightened, bigoted and entirely unconvincing. I have no further time for you."
And with that, she held out her straightened arm, thumb parallel to the ground...then slowly turned it down.
The restaurant exploded into applause. Peter, mortified, scrambled out of his chair and slumped out of the restaurant with as much self-respect as he could muster. The applause died down slowly, fading to excited whispers and assorted laughter. Michelle felt her face heat for the first time that evening. Suddenly feeling hungry, she looked down at the salad in front of her. She reached for the dressing. Shaking it over her shoulder like a trophy, she smiled. "Caesar", indeed.
Caesar
Michelle tossed back her head and gave a derisory snort which made several fellow restaurant-goers turn and stare. She couldn't help but snigger as she choked out:
"This has got to be the most dreadful break-up in history!" She erupted into peals of uncontrollable giggles. "Sorry, sorry, explain to me again, you're like who?"
"I'm like Caesar, Michelle, I-"
Michelle put her hands over her face and basically screamed with laughter, her black hair spilling down over her fingers. People were really staring now, soft murmurs of annoyance and incredulity around them. As Michelle banged her fist on the table, Peter shifted uncomfortably in his seat, making little noises of embarrassment.
"Come on, Michelle, people are looking, stop it..."
Michelle came up for air, tears of amusement in her eyes, her cheeks red. She gave a few pants and few half-giggles, and a hiccup as she used her napkin to dab at her eyes.
"Sorry, sorry, it's just so...sorry. Ahem. Yes, go on, you were saying, you're like..." she gritted her teeth against another wave of laughter, "...Caesar." Peter shifted in his seat again, red in the face himself, although in his case with embarrassment.
"I just meant, I prefer to have control in relationships, I want to have the power. I think a relationship should be like a dictatorship. None of this, equality. I don't like equality. There's classes, you know, different people..."
He went on. Michelle couldn't even summon the energy to be angry at this worm. She could only look at him with a mixture of amusement and pity. She'd thought this guy was pretty cool, quite open and progressive in his thinking. Now he was spouting gender inequality at her. She could barely be bothered. She cut him off mid-sentence, barely raising her voice.
"Peter, just shut up." Peter's mouth closed instantly. Michelle leaned forward slightly. "You're a pig. Your views appall me. I can't believe you're sitting there in front of me, telling me that you like to be the Emperor in a relationship. It's pathetic. You're telling me that you like to be the dominant one in the relationship - sure, some people like that, but when it's on the basis of gender, I have absolutely no respect for that." Peter looked aghast.
"How can you speak to me like-" With a sneer, Michelle interjected.
"I'll speak to you however the hell I want to speak to you. This is not even a case of you are a man, and I am a woman. It is simply that I am powerful, independent and strong of mind, and you are frightened, bigoted and entirely unconvincing. I have no further time for you."
And with that, she held out her straightened arm, thumb parallel to the ground...then slowly turned it down.
The restaurant exploded into applause. Peter, mortified, scrambled out of his chair and slumped out of the restaurant with as much self-respect as he could muster. The applause died down slowly, fading to excited whispers and assorted laughter. Michelle felt her face heat for the first time that evening. Suddenly feeling hungry, she looked down at the salad in front of her. She reached for the dressing. Shaking it over her shoulder like a trophy, she smiled. "Caesar", indeed.