Teaser Tuesday - A LITTLE TOO LATE

So, I'm actually posting. My life is about to settle out (no weekly commitments) and I hope to blog more and especially write more. I want ALTL finished by the end of June. Wow, 40K in a month. Hmmm, maybe I should just say end of July, yeah, that's doable. Then I'll finish Judgement and finally query my beautiful dystopian. Okay, maybe I'll query my dystopian while I finish Judgement. That sounds better. Anyway, here is a scene from ALTL. I must say, I love this group of friends so much. They constantly amaze me.


By lunch time my pregnancy and break-up with Adam was all over the school. People stared at me in the halls, several guys made lewd comments and offered their bedroom skills and Elijah was being wonderful. I still couldn’t believe he protected me against Adam.

An audible hush fell over the lunchroom. I know that sounds like an oxymoron but the silence was audible, I could hear and feel it. I grabbed a tray and joined my friends at their table.

“How are you?” Sanjay asked, his face scrunched up.

Keisha plopped down across from him. “How do you think, Sanj? Haven’t you heard all the gossip in the halls? This is the biggest news at the school since Clayton got caught in the janitor’s closet with the vacuum,” she said turning to me. “Did you really stick the pregnancy test down his pants?”

My cheeks heated. “No, actually I threw it at his face.”

“What is this about a vacuum cleaner,” Elijah asked as he sat beside me.

Keisha looked at me and then him. “You can find out about the vacuum anytime, stop trying to change the subject, Elijah, and why are you still hanging around with us?” she asked with a snarky tone.

Leave it to Keisha to speak her mind. She’d been like that as long as I’d known her and I admired the ease in which she shared her mind, even if it was uncomfortable some of the time.

Elijah put his fork down and leaned back in his seat. “Cause you remind me of my African Safari,” he said with a straight face. Sanjay fist bumped him.

“You so did not just go there, white boy,” Keisha leaned forward and scowled, her beads clicking together.

Cassie rolled her eyes, “Down, Keisha, down. You went to Africa, Elijah? That’s so awesome!” she exclaimed.

Elijah looked around the table. I decided to help him out.

“She’s really gullible. Believes everything you tell her,” I said. Keisha looked like she was trying to figure out if she should be offended.

We always joked around with each other but Elijah hadn’t been around long enough for us to be comfortable with him making jokes, at least not when it came to something as serious as race.

Keisha picked up a fry and tossed in at Elijah. It hit him and bounced into my plate. “So Jew-boy, should I be offended by your comment? You’ve only been around us for four days.”

Elijah raised his eyebrows and said, “I guess a more apt question would be should I be offended with your Jew boy comment. So do you have a problem with Jews?”

“Apt? What kind of person actually uses apt in a sentence?” Keisha asked, avoiding the question.

“Someone with brains,” Elijah smiled. “I’ve no problem with you, in fact I think your braids are sexy.” He winked as he slung his arm around the back of my chair.

Keisha looked from Elijah to me and then back again to Elijah. “You can just go on thinking parts of me are sexy but I’m spoken for. And my boyfriend will kick your ass,” she said with a smile.

“I wouldn’t risk it, Keisha,” I said. “After what Elijah did to Adam this morning, I think I’d stay on his good side.”

Elijah reached up and put his hand in my hair. “Your boyfriend has nothing to worry about, Keisha,” he said and I felt his gaze on my face. Part of me was thrilled while another part of me was scared out of my mind.