Liz - unfinished - draft

Those who didn’t know Eliza Glass would see a girl who was somewhat ordinary, and of moderate beauty. They’d notice her soft brown locks that shaped her sweet-heart shaped face and well proportioned button nose. What might have stood out, if someone was looking were her sea green eyes that could tell stories as deep as the ocean. However, Liz, as Eliza liked to be called, was often left to fits of fancy and only people who truly knew her were fortunate enough to comprehend her depth.

Perhaps this is what starts such a unique and noteworthy tale; a young girl seeking affection and a young man who didn’t know he would find love in an unexpected way. Liz was bright, even a person who wouldn’t have recognized her quietly striking looks would have noticed that. From a young age she’d watch quiz shows or indulge in matches of trivial pursuit. She was the captain of her high school academic decathlon team and went on to a prestigious university. So when she decided to try her luck with jeopardy no one was surprised.

It was a whimsical idea at first, quite a random act of playful “what if” that led Liz to even notice that they were scouting in her small town. “What do I have to lose?” Liz mused to her best friend Robin.

“Absolutely nothing, but what are the odds that you will actually get on?” Robin broke into to Liz’s moment.

“I got the audition, right? So what is there to lose?” Liz had a one track mind and so she left work early that day in May and went to the local convention center where the auditions were being held.

The room was meager and almost empty when Liz arrived. There was a heavy-set woman sitting behind a desk by the entrance of the room. “May I help you?” the woman wearing the nametag Kathy inquired.

“Yessss. I’m here for the jeopardy audition?” Liz was confused, but continued to stare at the woman’s weird shaped head.

“Take this paper and a pen and have a seat inside. You are one of the first to arrive. So sit back and try to relax.” The rotund woman said in a jovial manner.

“One of the first to arrive? How many people are coming?”

“There’s usually enough to fill the room.”

“Oh, okay.” Liz stammered through the small doors that opened into the much larger ballroom set up like the high school gym during testing week. There was a giant screen standing in front of the room with an LCD projector waiting to share some news. Right in front of the projector was a large rectangular table with nothing on it which made Liz wonder. Do they single people out and make them sit in the front? That couldn’t be it, but it’s strange what the mind thinks in times of uncertainty.

Moments later the room began to fill and Liz sat patiently in her strategically selected seat. Not too close to the screen, but not too far in the back. Close enough to the aisle for a fast escape and near to the door. The people looked much older than she, much more like they belonged. That didn’t discourage her, however, only made her more curious.

After about 10 minutes, the room was full and although Liz wanted to chat no one else in the room seemed interested in idle conversation. Until there were about 3 chairs remaining when he walked through the small doors. I hope he sits next to me, Liz thought. His striking blue eyes led Liz’s eyes, masking the fact that he was much shorter than the guys Liz usually noticed. He was blond and had a muscular physique. Wonder what a guy like that is doing here? I can’t believe I just thought that. I always hate when people judge me because of the way I look.

“Excuse me, is this seat taken?” The young man startled Liz out of her head.

“No, it’s not. It’s all yours.” Liz was taken and was glad that this young man didn’t seem like the rest of the people there. He was eagerly writing his name on the paper, large enough for Liz to lean over and see. “So you are Michael,” she said and smiled.

“And you are Liza?” He did the same following her lead.

“Yes, but everyone calls me Liz. It’s nice that you sat here, I was wondering what or who, I mean would fill the seat next to me. I was beginning to think that I smell or something.” After the last words were trailing her lips, Liz’s trademark nervous giggle fell out of her mouth. “Sorry, I always do that when I’m nervous.”

“It was cute. Don’t worry about it. So are you from around here?”

Liz almost let out a loud laugh this time, as if a person who wasn’t from around here would end up at this small site! “Yes, I’ve lived here my whole life.”