This weeks #ThrowbackThursday excerpt is from a book in my recent past. In this scene, nerdy astronomy geek Marsha shares a deep, dark secret with her new friend, high school quarterback Rigel Stuart. STARSTRUCK is the first in my YA series and available here --> amzn.to/ZGcPU7 Rigel? I said, my embarrassment forgotten in my concern for him. Are you okay? He blinked, shook his head like he was dazed, then stuck the trays in the slot. Yeah, yeah, sorry. Um-- He glanced over his shoulder at the giggling gaggle of cheerleaders on their way out of the cafeteria. What…did she mean by that? It was almost like he was forcing his voice to sound normal, like he wanted to shout or something. I couldnt imagine why, though. You mean the Marsha the Martian thing? I tried for a little self-deprecating laugh, but it came out more like a hysterical titter. Just something they used to tease me about in elementary school. The lunchroom was emptying, but he stayed where he was, just out of the way of the last few people dropping off their trays, frowning down at me. But…why? Why would they call you that? His intensity was unnerving, making me hesitate. Abruptly, he seemed to realize he was overreacting. He gave a little laugh that sounded as forced as mine had and finally started walking. I mean, was it just because Marsha sounds kind of like Martian? I know little kids do stuff like that. Tempting as it was to say thats all it was, I told him the truth. No, it was mostly my own fault. I had kind of a…vivid imagination when I was younger. Back in second grade, I went through a phase where I told everybody I was really a Martian princess in disguise, and that someday my royal parents would come claim me and Id go back to Mars to marry my prince. Just silly kid stuff, but I got teased a lot for a while. He was still looking at me kind of strangely. Wow, that is…vivid, as you said. Why do you think you, um, made up something like that? I shrugged, trying really hard to make light of it, though I was still unsettled by his reaction. Why do kids make up anything? I guess I wanted to feel…important or something. Special. And since I didnt know who my parents really were, it was fun to imagine they might be special, too. I laughed. Really, really special. Now his laugh sounded more natural. Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Its still kind of embarrassing, I said as we reached class, trying not to sound giddy from relief, now that Id confessed what was probably my darkest secret and Rigel was still speaking to me.
Posted on: Thu, 16 Oct 2014 13:11:58 +0000
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