Hard Crush by Andrea Crisp

Author:Andrea Crisp
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: YA, Young Adult, Romance, coming of age, Hard Crush, Andrea Crisp, Eternal Press, 9781629291192, crush, high school, love, family problems
Publisher: Damnation Books LLC
Published: 2014-06-14T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Joshua stood still and quiet—a strange contrast to the objects and people rushing around him. He flicked his gaze idly to each servant, studying their creased brows and grimaces.

“What a perfect home.” He felt hands on his shoulders. “Isn’t it a perfect home?”

He glanced down at his sister’s face, clammy with perspiration but infused with enormous pleasure…

“How’s it going?” Chris asked.

I put down my pencil. He sat next to me at the lunch table, watching me with his magic eyes.

“Good, so far. I’m still on the first page.” I frowned. “Hope you’re not bored.”

“I think you’re boring,” Aaron piped in helpfully from the other side of the table.

I gave her my banana. “Here. Fruit is interesting, right?”

She grabbed it. “Yeah, really interesting.” She started peeling.

“Nah, I’m not bored,” Chris said, flashing Aaron a disinterested glance before regarding me. “You look cute when you write.”

I laughed. “Really?”

“You look so serious, and your little lips get all tight and pressed together. It’s adorable.” Chris flashed his amazing teeth and took a bite of his cafeteria-bought cheeseburger. “What’s your story about?”

I considered. “Wealth, greed, love, longing, destruction, loss, magic…”

Chris arched his eyebrows. “Gonna let me read it when it’s done?”

“If you like.” I smiled at him and then frowned at the sloppy writing scrawled halfway down the page. Was this any good? I wondered. Was it good enough to win? I wasn’t sure.

“We’ll have to celebrate when you get published,” Chris said. “I’ll take you to an even nicer restaurant this time.”

“You don’t have to take me to nice restaurants. We can just go for a walk somewhere to celebrate, or grab some ice cream. I get to pick the flavor.” I tapped my pencil against my cheek thoughtfully. “Butterscotch.”

Chris made a face. “I hate butterscotch.”

“Do you?” I feigned surprise. “That’s a shame. More for me, I guess.”

“Come here.” He grabbed me and kissed me quickly. “We’ll go to an amazing place and have an awesome meal. You’ll wear another beautiful dress, like that red one you had on the other week.” He ran his fingers through my hair. “You looked so incredible.”

I smiled a little, trying to hide my unease. One of these days, I would tell him more about my home situation. I would explain to him that I had no money, and talk about my mother and father. One of these days, I would finally invite him inside my apartment.

One of these days…

I headed down the hall toward my science class, my mind moving through scenes in my story, struggling to paint a picture of a listless gentleman falling in love with a mysterious servant girl.

I have to make this story better, I thought with mounting anxiety. Everything needs to be perfect. That’s the only way I can win.

“Hey, Angela?”

I knew that stuttering voice. I stopped by the door to class and waited for Stuart to reach me. He plodded down the hall in a rush, causing body fat in various areas to ripple slightly.

“Hi, Stuart.” I held my books to my chest and gave him a puzzled look.

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