Let’s Hurt Tonight: “Bring The Pain” Writing
“Tell me all of the things that you couldn’t before
Don’t walk away, don’t roll your eyes
They say love is pain, well darling, let’s hurt tonight…”— One Republic: “Let’s Hurt Tonight”
Every time I hear this song, I think of my Book 2 main characters Darren and Luisa.
My beta readers already know the scene I’m talking about!!!
It happens about midway through their full story — when they each come to their explosive point and all the trauma of their relationship — all the elephants in the room, all the pain of the last four years, rise up as they finally TALK to each other.
In any marriage, in any relationship, communication is key.
This “Pandora’s Poison” of their marriage became that way because they didn’t talk to each other.
Darren had suspicions but no proof, and waited too long to confront her.
Luisa left her lover in the lurch, the moment it seemed like it was too much for her. She crawled back to her husband, begging him not to turn her away.
But he didn’t ask questions then. He didn’t want to know.
Now, he does.
The Truth is a Monster…
Darren didn’t leave her after her affair, but it took a heavy toll on him to do so.
Luisa never got her head sorted out, about what she felt for Gianni, when she left him and went back to Darren.
Darren can’t understand why his wife became this different person, with her lover, that she never was with him.
Luisa is positive she wasn’t the only one with a wandering eye, in their marriage.
Darren hates the fact that she betrayed him, worse than he even thought she did.
Luisa despises the fact that she loves her husband.
Darren has gambled everything for love — which Luisa doesn’t know — and he’s determined to get her to speak.
Luisa wants to walk away and just leave — but he won’t let her, until he knows the truth.
The truth is a monster, sitting in the room with them, finally unleashed.
My characters wrote this scene…
They are at their absolute worst.
They’re loud. They’re angry. They’re upset.
It’s… intense. It’s… WOW.
I’ve rewritten this scene so many times, and cried so many times!
Yes! My characters whispered me this scene, over and over, changing which way it went, lengthening it, changing the ending, adding in pieces… WHEW!
They were so adamant about it being precise. They did a good job.
I didn’t write that scene. They did. It’s my best piece of writing, ever, I think — but THEY wrote it.
Phew! I can’t wait to share that scene, with my readers.
“Let’s Hurt Tonight” — yep, that’s pretty accurate.
I’m so freaking excited for their story! *Eek*
In the meanwhile, I’ll go back to singing their theme song…
“Tell me all of the things that you couldn’t before
Don’t walk away, don’t roll your eyes
They say love is pain, well darling, let’s hurt tonight…”
