Debra Mauldin: B is for Bashful Betsy

Hello to all my fellow A-Z Challenge Bloggers!

This was my first A to Z Blogging Challenge and I was determined to finish. I kept my pace slow and steady, as I only did one A-Z post a day and took Sunday’s off to recuperate. That seemed to have worked well for me.

“Hats off” to the encouraging A to Z Team. They were available, if needed, to answer questions.

I didn’t get to visit as much as I would have liked, even participating in the A to Z Road Trip. I will participate in the A to Z Challenge in 2014 and I encourage you to participate, also.

Fellow Challenge Bloggers were very encouraging and supportive. I loved getting their feedback and comments.

I would like to share a short story with you that I got a lot of feedback on:

B is for Bashful Betsy

April 2, 2013 by D. B. Mauldin

Betsy had been dreading college. She was very bashful. She did not enjoy meeting new people. She had argued with her father to go to Breman’s College. Betsy had chosen Breman because it was the farthest college, away from home, her father would agree to. She was, also, trying to overcome her bashfulness and clumsiness. Being clumsy and bashful was not good. Her clumsiness always put her in bashful situations.

Finally, the big day came. Betsy’s father and mother drove her to the campus and helped her get settled in. There were lots of hugs, lots of reminders, more hugs, and then Betsy found herself alone in her new dorm room. She sat down on the bed and wondered what her roommate would be like.

Betsy fit right into college life on the big campus. She was able to blend in, learn, and observe. Her grades were good and she had time to write every day. It was near the end of the 1st semester of her 2nd year of college and her thoughts were full of final exams. With her mind full of thoughts and her natural clumsiness, Betsy ran into the corner wall leading to the staircase. She blushed with embarrassment as her books fell to the floor and scattered. Betsy felt a stab of fear pierce her stomach as she saw Roland walking toward her with the purpose of helping her recover her strewn books.

She had developed a huge crush on Roland the first day she had seen him. It was her first year of college, second semester, and one of her classes was World History. She had spotted him going into the door of the class just ahead of her.

He looked up at her from the scattered books on the floor, his large blue eyes locking with hers. She felt an ache in her heart. Her bashfulness caused her to blush even more.

“Here you go”, Roland said as he handed the books to her. Betsy managed to mumble, “Thank you”, as she quickly turned and fled up the stairs. Betsy bit down on her bottom lip, upset with herself for acting so bashful. She feared her bashfulness would never go away.

Betsy was rushing to her last class of the day when she noticed Roland up ahead. She slowed her pace so that she wouldn’t run into him. Roland went up the steps of the building ahead of hers and Betsy hurried on to her building.

After class, Betsy headed to her dormitory room, but heard someone calling her name before she got there. She stopped and turned to see who it was, then froze in fear as Roland jogged toward her. “Hey! How are you doing?” Roland asked. Betsy stared into Roland’s blue eyes and became dizzy as she was consumed with bashfulness. Roland reached out a hand to help steady here and asked, “Are you okay”?

The touch of his hand on her arm stabilized her. She was no longer dizzy, she just felt bashful. “I guess it was the cold” she said while shaking her head up and down.

“Well, let’s get you out of the cold first and then talk” Roland said as he placed his arm around her protectively and led her up the steps of her dormitory house.

Once inside, Betsy shrugged out of Roland’s arm and with her back toward him began to take off her coat and gloves. “What do you wish to talk about?” she asked bashfully over her shoulder.

“Well, for starters, let me introduce myself” said Roland. Betsy turned around and took Roland’s extended hand into her own. “My name is Roland Barrett and I’m a senior majoring in English.”

Betsy gave him a bashful smile. “I’m Betsy Robertson, a sophomore majoring in English” she said.

“Well, imagine that, two ships pass in the dark, both majoring in English. What do you plan on doing with your major, Miss Robertson?”

Betsy didn’t have to think twice. “I’m going to be a writer. Maybe teach some high school English and write on the side. What about you?”

“I want to be an English teacher and write on the side” Roland replied grinning.

That grin brought Betsy’s attention to his mouth. What a beautiful mouth, she thought. Before her thoughts could go on to how kissable that beautiful mouth looked, Betsy roused herself.

“Seriously?” she asked.

“Seriously” Roland responded. They stood for a moment, both feeling that they had just met their soul mate. Roland broke the reverie.

“I know we have just met, but I have watched you often from afar. I feel like we are old friends. Anyway, I wanted to ask if you had a date for the Valentine’s Dance yet.”

“No” Betsy replied as she felt a blush rising to her cheeks.

“Well then, I would like to ask you to be my date” said Roland.

“Yes. Yes I will.” Betsy said bashfully.

“Great! I will pick you up here at 7:00 pm. Until then, I will see you around.” Roland left before Betsy had a chance to reply back.

Betsy sat down in the lobby of her dorm house. “A dance,” Betsy groaned, “How will I ever make through a dance with my bashfulness and clumsiness?”

***

I am a professional writer, aspiring to publication. Wife; Mother to 3 beautiful daughters; Grandmother to 5 (soon to be 6, and just found out a 7 is on the way!). My grandchildren are my world! I’m a Certified Aromatherapist with an Associate’s Degree in Human Services.  Writing has always been a part of my life. My passions are writing, reading, helping others, gardening, nature, and spending time with my grandchildren.  My blog is Mama Bear Musings.