August 4, 2010 Marybeth

I’ve been working hard trying to finish my manuscript made of awesome lately, Taming the Crazies, and totally ignoring my website. That’s just not fair is it?

SO to hold you over a tad, I decided to tease you with a little excerpt.

Things you need to know…

Annabelle – MC

Blake – Her brother, he has bipolar disorder

Tyler -Annabelle’s ex

The rest you’ll just have to wait for 😉

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Blake is sitting at the table in a somber mood. The repercussions of Mom and Dad’s lecture from last night have gone into effect and he’s gone into the ‘I’m a failure’ mode. So not my favorite.

“Want a ride to school?” I ask him.

He looks up at me with glassy eyes. “Huh?”

I can tell he didn’t sleep a wink. I smile, trying to brighten his mood. “The Neon is requesting the pleasure of your presence this morning. She thinks it’s been far too long since she’s felt your ass cheeks against her tattered upholstery.”

He cracks a quarter of a smile. “I’m not sure my glutes are in the mood for her vicious bouncing a la no shocks.”

“Oh come on, if I have to go to school and face him, you do too.”

“Who, Tyler? I don’t care what he thinks. I’m just not in the mood to be around people.”

I sigh. “Blake, don’t do this.”

His head repeatedly bangs against the table. If it hurts, he doesn’t show it. “Mom and Dad hate me. They think I’m a failure.”

These words flow from Blake’s mouth on at least a biweekly basis. Sometimes there are variations. “You hate me.” Or “Everybody hates me.” But it’s not worth the trouble of trying to convince him otherwise. Sending him into a rage is the last thing I want to do this morning.

“So, have you figured out how you’re going to get back on the track team?” I ask. Changing the subject is always the best way to handle a Blake low.

“That’s not going to happen. Coach Lenny is sick of my mood swings.”

“Did he actually say that?”

“Well, no, but…”

“Coach Lenny is aware of your condition, I’m sure once things settle down he’ll reconsider his decision.”

“And besides, he didn’t make the decision. Mom and Dad did.”

Not good. Not good at all. Mom and Dad rarely go back on their punishments. They like to practice consistency. With Blake it’s quite necessary.

“Mom and Dad? I would’ve thought the school would have taken action, not them.”

“It didn’t happen on school grounds. There was nothing Delray could do about it. Unfortunately that did not satisfy the parents.”

Delray is our Principal, an overweight old lady who is due to retire – and/or die – any time now. Still, I’d rather endure one of her punishments over one of my parents’. “Then how did they even find out?”

He looks at me in way that insinuates I should already know the answer and I’m ashamed to admit that I do. “Tyler’s mom?”

“It wouldn’t be Tyler if he didn’t run home to mommy and cry about it.”

I shake my head. Tyler doesn’t cry to his mom because he wants attention. He does it because he knows she’ll retaliate on whoever hurts her precious son. I suppose it’s easier for him than actually dealing with his own problems. After our most recent argument, I’m pretty convinced he doesn’t know how to handle problems by himself anyway.

“We’ll find a way to change their minds,” I say. I’m not sure how the hell we’ll do this, or if it’s even possible, but I’m determined to make it happen. “Now come get cozy in the Neon. I don’t want to have to explain to her that you think your ass is too good for her lack of seat padding.”

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