Synopsis: After suffering a great loss, Emma is ready to get her life back to normal. She is spending her summer, before her junior year, with her new boyfriend Court. They are both working at Fairland Park alongside her best friend Britney. Emma is spending all her time with Court and is really falling for him. But things change when she meets Nash. She begins to question her feelings for Court. Is Court the right choice? Or is Nash the right choice? Emma will fall in love this summer. But will it lead her to happiness or a broken heart? It will be a summer full of romance, music, and moments Emma will never forget.
~Tease~
1
HANGING BY A MOMENT
It has been six days since Court and I shared an incredible kiss at Laura Burn’s party. For six days, I’ve waited for Court to call me, but he never did. For six days, I’ve waited for Court to talk to me, but he never did. And for six days, I have felt really guilty for kissing someone who was not Jason.
Now, after six long days, he finally wants to talk to me. He probably wants to tell me he regrets kissing me, I already know he’ll use the “I was so wasted” excuse. Well, I don’t care! I don’t even like him. In fact, as of a month ago, I hated him. If I hadn’t been forced to work with him on our economics project, I would have never even spoken to him.
Now, here I sit in history class trying to listen to Mrs. Levy explain the events that lead to the Korean War, but I haven’t really heard a word she’s said, instead I keep watching the clock on the wall. What is going on with it? Every other day the seconds seem to take minutes, but today the minutes seem to take seconds.
My stomach spins as the bell gets ready to ring. Somehow, I need to get to my car before Court even has a chance to look for me. RRIIINNNNGGGGG! I grab my bag and rush down the hallway, I don’t even stop at my locker to wait for Britney, like I always do. She’ll understand when I explain the whole situation to her. She thinks Court is a dick for dissing me after kissing me. Ohmigod, did I just rhyme? I’m such a dork when I’m nervous.
I push open the glass doors, step outside, and absorb the hot sun. It’s mid May but feels more like mid July. The high school parking lot is already full of teenagers eager to escape the walls that have held them captive for the last seven hours.
I make my way to my car focusing on the black steaming pavement, believing if I
keep my eyes down, Court will not be able to find me. I know it’s a little egocentric of
me. Unfortunately, staring at the ground doesn’t allow me to see where I parked my
mom’s car. I quickly look up and feel all the air escape my body—Court is speaking to
Adam in front of my silver Toyota, right in front of the driver’s side. Damn him!
I try to move, but can’t. Air refuses to re-enter my lungs, I try to breathe again,
but it doesn’t work, I need this air to stop my heart from racing. Come on Emma, you
don’t really care about what he has to say, I tell myself. Who am I kidding? In a few
seconds the wrong words can easily shatter my heart.
For the last six days, all I’ve thought about has been that stupid kiss, trust me I’ve tried hard not to. After Jason, I never thought anyone else would invade my mind like this again.
It’s all that damn project’s fault. For two weeks straight I’ve worked closely with Court on it. At first I thought I would have to do all of the work, but I was wrong. Court ended up being incredibly smart and an awesome person, he was not at all the rich spoiled brat I always made him out to be.
He began to talk to me outside of class, and even sat with me at lunch, which in Cypress Oak High School society is a huge deal when you’re not in each other’s social circles. We were actually becoming friends—until that kiss. That damn kiss! I didn’t even want to go to that stupid party, but Britney insisted I’d go with her.
She dragged me to Laura Burn’s house, which happens to be on the wealthy side of Cypress Oak, uninvited. The last time I had gone to a party was with Jason by my side. It was awkward walking into that enormous house by myself, especially since it was surrounded by the people I once wanted to be like, but now could hardly tolerate.
Britney left my side two minutes after we arrived to find Derek Peterson, her new conquest, and the only reason we had gone to that stupid party. She hated these people as much as I did.
I was hoping to become invisible and blend in with the unadorned eggshell walls, as hip-hop music blared out of the speakers. The beautiful people were all packed in drinking, dancing, hooking up, and making me sick. I didn’t belong, and the truth was I didn’t want to.
For the last six days, all I’ve thought about has been that stupid kiss, trust me I’ve tried hard not to. After Jason, I never thought anyone else would invade my mind like this again.
It’s all that damn project’s fault. For two weeks straight I’ve worked closely with Court on it. At first I thought I would have to do all of the work, but I was wrong. Court ended up being incredibly smart and an awesome person, he was not at all the rich spoiled brat I always made him out to be.
He began to talk to me outside of class, and even sat with me at lunch, which in Cypress Oak High School society is a huge deal when you’re not in each other’s social circles. We were actually becoming friends—until that kiss. That damn kiss! I didn’t even want to go to that stupid party, but Britney insisted I’d go with her.
She dragged me to Laura Burn’s house, which happens to be on the wealthy side of Cypress Oak, uninvited. The last time I had gone to a party was with Jason by my side. It was awkward walking into that enormous house by myself, especially since it was surrounded by the people I once wanted to be like, but now could hardly tolerate.
Britney left my side two minutes after we arrived to find Derek Peterson, her new conquest, and the only reason we had gone to that stupid party. She hated these people as much as I did.
I was hoping to become invisible and blend in with the unadorned eggshell walls, as hip-hop music blared out of the speakers. The beautiful people were all packed in drinking, dancing, hooking up, and making me sick. I didn’t belong, and the truth was I didn’t want to.
Hold on Tight Maria E. Monteiro
I stood against the wall missing Jason, and trying not to make eye contact with
anyone, but I soon learned that was unavoidable. Christy LeVandal was glaring at me
from across the room, with pure hatred in her cold sapphire eyes. She sent me violent
messages as she twirled around her fake blond hair.
She hated me, but because of what happened with Jason, she had stopped making her nasty comments towards me. I knew she wanted to attack me for being at that stupid party, but I also knew she wouldn’t, so I smiled and waved hello. Before she could respond someone blocked my view, and tried to share my personal space. Court was standing right in front of me, offering me a drink. He looked so good in his green Hollister T-shirt and blue jeans,
“Thanks,” I said, taking a small sip of beer. I held the cup in my hand and wished it was water, I hate alcohol.
“No problem. I’m glad you’re here.” He formed his perfect smile.
“I wish I wasn’t.”
“What, you’re not having a good time?”
I lowered my voice and with a sly grin I said, “Well, this is not my scene. I can’t
stand these people, and you’re the worst of them all.” He started laughing, as he stood next to me.
Court and I started talking about the books we are reading, the latest episode of Shameless, and about the obsession people have with collecting friends on social networks and letting them know what they are thinking or doing every minute of the day. Court admitted he was guilty of this obsession. He, himself has over two hundred and fifty friends, and minutes earlier had updated his status by writing “Ready to drink 1 too many at Laura’s party.”
I couldn’t stop laughing when he told me. At first he looked upset I was laughing at him, but seconds later he began laughing too. He stepped in front of me with his perfect smile and said, “I love that about you.”
“What?” I asked, trying to breathe.
“That you make me laugh, but most of all that you make me think.”Court’s electrifying baby blue eyes were swallowing me up. Before I knew it his light pink lips began to come closer, making my heart pound even harder.
She hated me, but because of what happened with Jason, she had stopped making her nasty comments towards me. I knew she wanted to attack me for being at that stupid party, but I also knew she wouldn’t, so I smiled and waved hello. Before she could respond someone blocked my view, and tried to share my personal space. Court was standing right in front of me, offering me a drink. He looked so good in his green Hollister T-shirt and blue jeans,
“Thanks,” I said, taking a small sip of beer. I held the cup in my hand and wished it was water, I hate alcohol.
“No problem. I’m glad you’re here.” He formed his perfect smile.
“I wish I wasn’t.”
“What, you’re not having a good time?”
I lowered my voice and with a sly grin I said, “Well, this is not my scene. I can’t
stand these people, and you’re the worst of them all.” He started laughing, as he stood next to me.
Court and I started talking about the books we are reading, the latest episode of Shameless, and about the obsession people have with collecting friends on social networks and letting them know what they are thinking or doing every minute of the day. Court admitted he was guilty of this obsession. He, himself has over two hundred and fifty friends, and minutes earlier had updated his status by writing “Ready to drink 1 too many at Laura’s party.”
I couldn’t stop laughing when he told me. At first he looked upset I was laughing at him, but seconds later he began laughing too. He stepped in front of me with his perfect smile and said, “I love that about you.”
“What?” I asked, trying to breathe.
“That you make me laugh, but most of all that you make me think.”Court’s electrifying baby blue eyes were swallowing me up. Before I knew it his light pink lips began to come closer, making my heart pound even harder.
{End of Tease}
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About the Author
I was born in Chile and moved to America when I was only three years old. I was raised in Sleepy Hollow NY. No I've never run ito the Headless Horseman. Growing up all I've known is I wanted to write. I got my BA in English and my Masters in Literacy. I became a preschool teacher, and though it's been fun, it has never been my dream to teach. I have always wanted to write.
When I moved to the Catskills, I became inspired in a different way. Music became very important in my life; I think it's because I only live 10 miles from the grounds of the 1969 Woodstock festival. Yes sometimes I like to think I'm a hippie from the 1960's. I really think I was born in the wrong decade. My surroundings helped and inspired Hold on Tight, my debut YA novel.
Watching my dream become a reality has been a lot of hard work, but I have enjoyed every minute of it. Right now I'm working on my third book Austin-n-Jade. I hope to write for the rest of life, only taking breaks to rock out at concerts and dance around my house.
~Maria
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