LUMINIS BOOKS
Published by Luminis Books
1950 East Greyhound Pass, #18, PMB 280,
Carmel, Indiana, 46033, U.S.A.
Copyright © Jennifer Walkup, 2015
PUBLISHER’S NOTICE
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
ISBN: 978-1-941311-88-2
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
For Owen,
My favorite superhero
Early praise for This Ordinary Life:
“The relationship between Jasmine and her little brother, Danny, will break your heart and put it back together again.”
—Rachael Allen, author of 17 First Kisses and The Revenge Playbook
“This Ordinary Life rises well above the ordinary; while the romance is swoon-worthy, it is the love between Jasmine and her little brother that makes the book so vibrant and harrowingly real.”
—Tracy Banghart, author of the Rebel Wing series
“I adore This Ordinary Life! It has so much heart and soul, it’s like I walked into Jasmine’s life and left on the last page knowing her. The radio show premise is new and fresh. This book has everything: a main character to root for, a little brother you want to take into your arms and hug, and a romance that’s swoon-worthy. If ever there was a boy in a YA book I’d want my own daughter to date, it’s Wes!”
—Jaime Blair, author of Leap of Faith and Lost to Me
Praise for Second Verse:
“Deliciously creepy and hauntingly beautiful, Second Verse satisfied my urge for both thrills and romance, all in one exciting package. Just be warned: extreme fear of the dark—and barns—might occur as a result of reading.”
—Debra Driza, author of MILA 2.0
“A supernatural murder mystery with a love interest rooted in the past and present … A fast-paced thriller best read with the lights on.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“A beautifully written story of love and loss that weaves past and present into a haunting tale that will keep you guessing until the final pages.”
—Dawn Rae Miller, author of the Sensitives Trilogy and Crushed
“Part mysterious ghost story and part thriller, Second Verse’s twists will keep you riveted. The intense connection between Lange and Vaughn is electric. A truly original debut.”
—Cindy Pon, author of Silver Phoenix and Fury of the Phoenix
1
THE SHOWER IS no help this morning.
I try all the tricks that normally jump start my thoughts. Long, relaxing shower, really hot water. I wash my hair slowly and condition it twice. I even use the back brush as an impromptu microphone. But even still, the right words don’t come.
“Hi, I’m Jasmine Torres, and I am super happy to meet you!”
Super happy? Ugh.
I squirt more body wash into my palm.
“Hey there, Jasmine Torres here. And you are…”
Amateur.
“Hi. I’m Jasmine Torres, radio host at Easton High. I am really glad to be here.”
Not bad.
I say it again as I step out of the shower. Wrapping a towel around me, I grab my phone from the counter and type the words into my notes section. Lame? Maybe. But I can read and reread it, and practice on the bus.
Going on this field trip is nothing like being on the air. When I’m on the radio show, words come naturally. Broadcasting is like breathing, really.
But on a day like today, when the Easton High radio show students are going on a field trip, to WYN60, one of the biggest radio stations in New York City? When we’ll be talking about doing possible summer internships with them? Well, on days like today, I can hardly string two words together and even with my shower monologue practice, my words and ideas are still all tangled, like tangled worse than my ridiculously curly hair on a windy beach day.
And now I’m running late. Crap. Way to waste time, Jasmine.
I’m twenty minutes behind schedule by the time I dry off. I shoot across the hall to my room, sliding into the carefully chosen and planned outfit for today’s trip. It’s still school-ish, my absolute favorite shirt, a cute yellow cotton top that ties around the waist, but the black pants make it professional enough to make me look serious and mature.
At least I hope.
I’m dressed in no time, hair scrunched with product and curls somewhat tamed, before I make a mad dash to the kitchen.
On my way through the living room, I tug mom’s hair, naturally curly and frizzy like mine. Hopefully it’s the only thing I’ve inherited from her. “Wake up, wake up.”
She groans, and nestles further into the couch’s threadbare fabric. A scratching noise from the old record player scrapes, the needle turning against nothing. She must have fallen asleep playing old albums again. I roll my eyes. I wish she’d get rid of that stupid thing.
“Not today, Mom. You need to get up now.” I shuffle everything in the fridge, hoping we didn’t run out of applesauce. There was a decent amount left yesterday, but if someone got in here…
“Mom,” I yell. “Get up! You have Danny’s IEP meeting at 10:30 and I have to leave, like, now. Get up, get up!”
Score. The glass applesauce container sits behind a mostly empty bottle of wine. I pull it out, grabbing a medicine cup and the collection of meds Danny takes three times a day. The silverware drawer is empty. With a sigh, I pick through the sink of last night’s dinner dishes and bottles of mom’s apparently one person liquid-only after dinner party.
I wash the spoon and grab two plastic syringes, quickly measuring out two of the liquid meds. Caps on, reshelf. Crack open two capsules and empty in the concoction, then finally crush the last pill. Mix it all together and viola, time to wake my brother. I rush down the hall, opening the door with my hip.
“Wake up, Danny,” I say in a soft, sing song voice. Waking Danny nicely always bodes well for all our mornings.
“Dan-ny.” I snap up the shades. My seven year old brother rolls over and groans, but he smiles at me.
“Jazzy!” he sits up, rubbing his eyes, his hair going in every direction. With his eyes closed, he opens his mouth, like a baby bird, while I spoon the medicine in. Five scoops and done.
“Get yourself ready. I’ll leave a bagel on the counter. I gotta run. Make sure she gets up and gets you there.”
Danny blinks rapidly. I’ve given him way too much information before he’s barely awake. But I do have to get going. I kiss his head, and run back to my room, slip on shoes and scrunch my fingers in my hair to calm it as much as I can in about two minutes. Makeup takes another three and I’m done. I grab a glass of cold water from the bathroom and dump it on Mom’s head as I pass the couch again.
She screams, her voice threatening. “Jasmine, get your ass back here!”
She’s on her feet, bleary-eyed from the look of her, but coming through the kitchen. I smile as I close the door behind me. At least she’s up.
And me? I’ve got ten minutes to get to school.
I stop at the end of my driveway, where the weeds reach almost to my knees around our mailbox. The driveway is empty. The street too. Sebastian is nowhere to be found, though he should have been here to pick me up at least ten minutes ago. I blow breath into my bangs, fanning myself in the already too-warm morning.
Come on Sebastian. Of all days to be late?
I have three options. Hoof it all the way across town to school—not optimal as it will take way too long and I’ll be sweating like crazy and frantic by the time I g
et there. Or, I could go back in my house and attempt to make my no doubt pissed off mom actually drive me to school. I take a step toward the back door, actually considering it, but no amount of begging would convince her after that water stunt I pulled. I look at the faded blue paint of our small house, and the flower beds overgrown with years’ of weeds and ivy. I sigh. Getting her to cooperate is as hopeless as this place.
Last option? I can make the five block trek to Sebastian’s and hope he just overslept and is still there.
I hike my backpack up on my shoulders and turn toward Sebastian’s, shaking my head as I kick a rock that’s in my way as I rush down the street. My boyfriend is late at least ninety percent of the time. He’s lucky I like him as much as I do.
The sun presses on me like a heavy blanket as I rush down the block. I quickly pull my hair up, tying it loosely enough so it won’t leave a ponytail mark. I’ve been an alternate radio personality for Easton High’s station since I was a freshman. And with today’s trip, our radio crew is not only going to the station and learning about the internships (internships!), but will also be observing WYN60’s Get Up and Go show as well as the changeover to their afternoon team. If I miss this trip… I can’t. It’s WYN60. In New York City. The Get Up and Go show! Just being in that building will be a dream come true. And if I actually do get a chance at that internship it will mean a much bigger hope when it comes time for college applications, maybe even scoring some much needed scholarship money if I can prove myself.
I move quickly beneath the unseasonably hot sun, wiping a layer of sweat off the back of my neck, my favorite bangle bracelets clanking against each other on my wrist. I fan my face and curse Sebastian under my breath. Why couldn’t he have just been on time?
But when I turn onto his block, the anger falls away. Seeing him will calm my nerves and help me deal with the pressure of today. The thought of his smile and newly cropped hair makes my stomach swirl. I imagine him coming out of his house, fresh out of the shower, smelling like shampoo and aftershave and pulling me against his chest into one of his awesome, tight hugs. He always kisses the top of my head, then my forehead, before moving on to my lips. I have to admit, it’s a routine I’ve enjoyed over the last eleven months.
Sebastian is an unorganized mess and can be a real pain in my butt, but he is always there for me. My family is chock full of issues, and honestly, without my BFF Frankie and Sebastian to constantly listen to me and be there to pick up the pieces when things fall apart? Not sure how I’d deal with it.
There’s only five blocks between my house and Sebastian’s but it feels like another world. My neighborhood isn’t rough, exactly, we have grass in the yard and we have driveways, but we don’t have two story homes and neat curbs and sprawling porches like this street. Sebastian’s house sits at the end of the cul-de-sac. His car, a Range Rover—but used, so less obnoxious (eye roll)—is still in his driveway. I huff.
I skip around to the side of the house, buoyed by the idea of seeing him. Life sucks sometimes, but when Sebastian pulls me into that warm hug, the whole stress of the morning will melt away faster than a Popsicle in summer.
The gate is propped open. I frown, hoping Misha didn’t get out. The Pomeranian is a four year old princess of a dog and if the gate is ever left open, we get an earful from Seb’s mom. I mean, she loves that dog almost as much as she loves Sebastian and his brothers—which is to say, they’re all spoiled as anything, including the dog. And since Sebastian’s older brothers are away at college, she’s gotten even worse about catering to her youngest son and the adorable little hairball.
I pull the gate closed. The pool glistens in the morning sun and silence envelopes the huge yard. Not even a bird flaps in the marble birdbath. I stare for a minute too long, remembering that night, last summer, the first time Seb and I went swimming in the pool alone. My eyes flick to the hot tub, remembering his lips on mine that night. I shiver despite the heat. Man, he can push my buttons, even when he’s not around. With a huge smile, I walk toward the lower back door—Sebastian’s private entrance. Like I said, he’s hugely spoiled, and practically has his own apartment on the basement level. The sliding glass door is open slightly, the sheer curtains sucking in and out of the space with the breeze.
Odd. I step through the opening carefully. The living room area is a mess. Cups on the table, pillows on the floor. Okay, this is weird. Sebastian is a bona fide neat freak, as in doesn’t even let me drink a soda on his leather couch. There is no way he would ever leave his place like this.
“Hello?” I call out, walking toward the bedroom. A rustling stops me in my tracks. A slamming door beyond the bedroom. What the hell? Did someone break in here? Are they still here? I fumble for my phone. Should I call someone?
“Ohmygod, Seb, you are too much.”
The voice is syrupy sweet. Teasing.
Female.
Before I even think about it, I stalk across his living room, through the small kitchenette and open the door so hard I half expect it to come off its hinges. I’m greeted by my boyfriend’s bare back as he leans over his bed, jeans so low on his waist that the gray band of his underwear stands out against his olive skin. Beneath him, skinny fake-tan legs poke out, a mini skirt riding up to practically expose her underwear.
My phone vibrates in my hand. I glance at it quickly, barely able to tear my eyes off my soon to be ex-boyfriend. I push it to silent. Why does my mom choose now to call?
“So I guess this explains why you’re always late!”
Sebastian jumps up so fast it’s like he’s been shot by a slingshot.
“Jazz! It’s not what you think,” he says, having the nerve to stand there half naked with some girl looking alternately bug-eyed terrified of me, and yet still reaching her hand out toward his.
Tears burn behind my eyes like fire, but I will not cry. My phone buzzes again and once again I click it to silent mode.
“Whatever,” I say smoothly, trying so hard to keep my voice even. “I’m sure you and your, um, friend will get to school whenever you’re done here.” I nod toward the girl on the bed, who has at least had the decency to pull the sheet over her legs. Her face is bright red and she looks like she could die from embarrassment. If only.
My phone buzzes again and I shove it into my back pocket and turn to leave.
“Jazz wait.”
I take a deep breath, looking into the kitchen. Having my back to them helps the storm raging inside me settle but Sebastian’s deep voice tries to weasel its way into that place in my heart that is his. Screw that. None of me is his.
I turn back to him, the flame inside igniting as if doused with gasoline.
“I wait for no one, Sebastian, not even you.” And I turn on my heel for real this time, making my way out of the room. The tears threaten to dump out of me. I have to get out of here. He follows me through the living room.
“You can’t go.”
I spin around. “Really? And what would you propose if I stay here? We sit down and have a chat with her?”
“It’s not like that.”
I cock my head, wondering what in God’s name he could possibly come up with to explain this. No one is that smooth. “Red freaking handed, Seb. Red freaking handed. How could you do this?” I choke on a sob, my traitor tears leaking from the corners of my eyes.
Sebastian looks over his shoulder and then back at me. “Just give me a minute,” he whispers. “We can talk this out.”
“Whispering? Are you freaking whispering? As if I’m the other woman?” I shake my head, disgusted. And then a thought slaps me across the face. “Am I the other woman?”
“Of course not, listen.”
“No need.” I wave him off. “I am done. D. O. N. E. Done with you.”
The wall phone rings. After four rings, it stops. Sebastian just stares at me. I don’t let myself get pulled into the dark sea of his eyes. I can’t.
The phone starts to ring again. “Do you need to get that? Maybe it’s the girl be
hind door number three?”
My cell rings again and I whip it from my pocket. Mom again. Jesus, her timing is horrendous.
“What?” I practically scream into the phone. “I’m in the middle of something, can you stop calling? Sorry about the water thing this morning, but this isn’t—”
“I’ve been trying you everywhere.” She’s breathless, her voice an empty shell of itself. Not like Mom at all.
My stomach drops like a sack of flour, heavy and splitting open.
“It’s Danny,” she says. “Ambulance is on the way. It’s… bad. I don’t know. You’re usually here and, I wasn’t sure what to do… what I was supposed to do.”
“I’ll be there in two seconds.” I click the call off and rush for the door.
“I’ll drive you.” Sebastian says, already beside me, keys jingling in hand. I nod. The last thing I want is for him to do anything for me. But I have to get home to my family. I have to get to my brother as fast as I can.
2
THE AMBULANCE, TWO police cars and an EMT truck are already at the curb when Sebastian turns onto my street. I open the door and jump out before the car is fully stopped.
“Jazz, do you want me to—”
“Just go.” I wave a hand at him. I dart across my lawn as if shot from a cannon. My hands shake as I push the back door open. It’s chaos incarnate in my living room with uniforms all over the place and police radios beeping and spitting walky talkie voices.
I rush to Danny, settling into the only small space available, at his feet. He lies on his side, eyes closed. Beside him, the EMTs take his vitals, blood pressure cuff on his right arm. Beneath the plastic oxygen mask, his small lips are nearly purple and stuck in a pursed position as if to give a goodnight kiss.
I pull his hand into mine. He’s totally limp.
“How long?” I say bending to kiss his little fingers. His skin is still baby soft.
Mom stands behind the couch huddled with two police officers. Tears stream down her cheeks, dragging streaks of last night’s eyeliner with them. Anger flares in me, wondering if she even saw the seizure start or if she was busy doing her own thing.
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