"Yes, sir." I turned around and followed the lines in the floor, hoping to avoid the red and white sneakers to my right.
"Hey, little nigger," Jason said as I walked by.
I moved faster into the crowd of people. They caught up and stepped on the back of my shoes. One of them pressed his hand under my butt and squeezed. They laughed. I walked faster.
“Got any friends? Want to make an Oreo?" Sean whispered in my ear as I pushed through the crowded hallway. "Oreo's suck without cream, you know."
Something jabbed into the back of my head and stung. I didn't rub my head even though I wanted to.
"Your dad dead yet?" Jason laughed.
I pushed through a bunch of people, getting all kinds of nasty comments, but none as bad as Jason and Sean. Thankfully I lost them and made it to Algebra before anyone else.
I sat down in my assigned seat at the back of the class, a row where no one else happened to sit. Mrs. Paley was black like me, but more white. She didn't like me though. I don't know why. She was my only teacher with somewhat brown skin, and she avoided me like everyone else.
I opened my notebook and pretended to do the drill on the board, but instead I wrote this:
It's hard being a freshman in a new town and a new school, but it's even harder when you are black and most kids are white, and even harder when your dad is on death row and everyone knows him as the guy who murdered a bunch of kids. Never mind that he's innocent, or at least Mom says so. But why does Dad say he's guilty? Mom said he's doing something admirable. But did he think of me before he did this? Did he think maybe it could also be admirable to stay home and love me?
I put my pencil down and waited for class to start, knowing that it didn't matter. I was forgotten, alone in the back, like nothing more than a black shadow behind all the white people.
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Your Questions Answered
Q: Do you really write all of your novels on your iPhone?
A: Yes, actually I do. Where Love Finds You was written on the computer, but now I write on the go. I think I have written around 225,000 words on my phone so far. I know it sounds crazy, but it works. The only negative to if is there are more autocorrect typo issues, but we do our best to catch as many as possible during the editing. I'm sure my editor hates that part about it. :)
Q: I read the sneak peek to A Starless Midnight and it seems pretty heavy. Will this one still have romance like the other stories?
A: It will have some aspects of a romance, but I definitely don't consider any of my books romance books, although I know they are classified as romance pretty often. I consider them "life laced with romance." Maybe it's just me, but I think they're about more than just "boy meets girl and happily every after." I hope they are, at least! So for Starless it is probably going to seem a little heavier and darker than the others because of the absue and racism issues going on there, but you'll still feel like it's part of the series.
Q: I wanted to see Sarah's wedding! And Miranda and Derek ... will we get to see those too?
A: I have a special little booklet coming out between When the City Sleeps and A Starless Midnight. I don't consider it an actual book within the series. More like a bonus book that includes little glimpses of what's going on in all of your favorite character's lives. Since Starless jumps ahead almost a decade and is told from Mwenye's daughter's perspective, I figured I'd give some special little bonus chapters in a small booklet sometime this Fall. Keep an eye out for it. Join my newsletter for info!
Q: What's the benefit to joining your street team?
A: You get special gifts and packages with each release. Every book in the series is on your doorstep for free and I like to make the packages extra special for each of my street team members. I have been crazy busy lately, but I have some other little surprises in store for them too!
Q: So the series will end with Ella and Gavin?
A: Yes, kinda. It will be told from Adelaide's perspective. :) I'm excited for that one.
Q: Any movies?? I want to see these turn into movies!
A: Take that up with Dreamworks! I haven't been offered any movie deals lately, but I would love to see these books on the screen as well!
Thank you to all of my readers for your support and love. The best thing about you is that you get my stories. I love that we can relate and understand each other in that way. If you love these books, we'd be amazing friends. Shoot me an email sometime! I love hearing about your experiences with The Unspoken Series! [email protected].
Love,
Marilyn
Marilyn Grey - [Unspoken 06] Page 22