Blurb:
Just a week is not enough time to fall in love, but Fate
doesn’t care. Seth’s carefully crafted plan for how his life will go doesn’t include
falling in love with a guy in his horrible hometown. He wants to start a new
life anywhere but at home. Until Maddox storms in with his multi-colored hair
and carefree attitude.
Long distance relationships don’t work and Seth isn’t into
gambling with his future. But the more time he spends with Maddox, the more
he’s willing to throw caution to the wind. Now his plan for the rest of his
life has been turned upside down and seems to include things Seth never thought
possible, including a lifetime of happiness in his hometown.
Excerpt:
I headed out the door and grabbed the book I started a few
days ago out of my car. In high school I would always go to the park and read
when it was nice out. My parents were happy knowing I got fresh air, and I was
happy just to get lost in the world of whatever book had captured my attention.
I found my usual bench unoccupied. Thank goodness. It sat
underneath a giant oak tree that provided a good amount of shade. About a
hundred feet away sat a set of playground equipment for kids. Since it was
Sunday evening, there weren’t many kids around.
The screech and clicks of skateboards on metal had me
looking around like I’d just entered a parallel universe. What the hell?
Where there used to be old basketball hoops with raggedy
nets, there now stood a half-pipe and other random obstacles used for
skateboarding tricks. A half dozen teenagers and young adults whizzed around
each other. Some on boards, others on rollerblades. All of them moving at high
speed.
There was a lot of laughing, and every so often someone
shouted, “Check this out,” before trying some stunt on the rail, usually
resulting in a fall or stumble.
Squealing kids on a swing set I could drown out. But this, I
wasn’t so sure about. It was new. And distracting.
One young man in particular stood out. Mostly because he had
bright orange hair that spiked in every direction, possibly looking like it
could impale a person if they were to touch it. Like a cactus. He also looked a
bit older than the teenagers that surrounded him, which might explain why they
all seemed to look up to him like he was a god.
He wore a black zip-up sweatshirt, though it was warm enough
to go without, and jeans that were skintight.
Once I started watching him, I noticed that the other
skaters watched him too. He had talent. He kept his balance well, and his moves
seemed effortless. While the other skaters floundered and wobbled as they
zoomed around, he kept calm and collected.
I didn’t understand the appeal of skateboarding, especially
on a half-pipe. What was the purpose of putting yourself in harm’s way like
that? Might as well throw myself down a flight of stairs if I wanted to break a
bone.
Orange-haired Guy stood on the deck of the half-pipe. He
stared down the slope below, his face unreadable. He didn’t call the others to
gather around and watch, though I had a feeling they would anyway.
He took a deep breath and hopped on his board.
I held my breath, like I was the one up there. I watched in
wonder as he gained momentum, back and forth, up and down the half-pipe. Once
he had enough speed he began his flips. It looked amazing to me. Him flipping
in the air, his feet staying on the board as he spun, then landing perfectly to
do it all over again. I guess I had never bothered to watch any skateboarding
before. Maybe I would have if they had looked like this skateboarder.
My nose pressed against the chain-link fence that surrounded
the skate park before I even realized I had walked closer. At least I started
breathing again.
He stopped just as quickly as he started. Landing back on
the deck of the half-pipe, like he hadn’t just done something incredible. And
maybe it wasn’t to him; maybe that was just another day in the life. To me it
was pretty cool.
The other skaters around cheered and gave him high fives as
he made his way through the park. Just like that, he left. He hit the sidewalk
and hopped back on to his board, flying down the street like it was made for
him.
I snapped out of it. What the hell just happened? I don’t
gawk. I never gawk.
I rushed back to my regular bench, picked up my book, and
headed home, no longer in the mood to read. At least not outside. At home
inside my room there wouldn’t be any distractions. Visions of the orange-haired
guy floated through my head, and I couldn’t shake them. I blamed the jet lag.
Never mind the fact that I didn’t fly home. Nor did I go
through any time zones. Traveling had tired me out, and I wasn’t thinking
straight.
Just a week. Then I would be back
where I belonged and where things were normal. Routine. The way I liked it.
Bio:
Jena Wade began writing in January of 2013 as a New Year's
resolution and so far she has stuck to it.
Jena lives in Michigan with her husband, two dogs, and one brand new baby boy. By day she works as a web developer and at night she writes. She was born and raised on a farm and spends most of her free time outdoors, playing in the garden or tending to her landscaping.
Jena lives in Michigan with her husband, two dogs, and one brand new baby boy. By day she works as a web developer and at night she writes. She was born and raised on a farm and spends most of her free time outdoors, playing in the garden or tending to her landscaping.
Links:
The Jena Wade: www.thejenawade.com
Twitter: thejenawade.twitter.com
