I am participating in A. F. Stewart's Bloody Valentine Horror Hop with another sneak peek from my stalker series.
Talk about perfect timing!
So as I have mentioned previously, this is based on my real experiences with a stalker in high school and the way that experience has shaped my life. Here is an excerpt from the first book.
All the other girls were giddy about Valentine's day, but Sam didn't really care. Despite April's desperate attempts to pair her off with one of the guys, Sam was adamant that she wasn't allowed to date until she was 16. It was a great excuse and she wasn't giving it up just to get a silly card.
Mike joined her walking into school. "What's up, buttercup?"
Sam sighed at the silly nickname. "Not looking forward to today," She muttered, brushing a stray hair out of her face.
Mike laughed. "Aren't you supposed to be excited? It's Valentine's day!"
Sam rolled her eyes. "Seriously, do you not know me better by now?"
He grinned. "Fair enough. I'll give this to you now, so we don't have to make a big deal about it later." He fished something out of his coat pocket and handed it over.
"What is this?"
"Nothing special. I get Valentine's for all my friends." His ears turned pink and he coughed. "Don't make a big deal out of it. I gotta run," and he loped off leaving Sam with the odd-shaped envelope in her hand. She opened the envelope and pulled out a small stone. It was a tiger's eye. She slipped the stone into her pocket and pulled out the accompanying card. There were buttercups on the front with frilly writing "Happy Valentine's Day". She opened the card. In sprawling writing, Mike said. "This card reminds me of you, sweet and sunshiny like buttercups, and the tiger's eye reminds me that you are like a tiger when defending your friends. Happy Valentine's day!"
Sam couldn't help but smile. It was really sweet.
She slipped the card into her back pack and looked around for Mike, but he was long gone. Walking into school, Sam was overwhelmed by all the giggling giddy girls reminding her why she hated this holiday. Spotting Misty and Ben, she maneuvered her way over.
"Hi," Misty said a little breathlessly. "look what Ben got me for Valentine's day!" she blurted out, holding up a complete works of Shakespeare.
Sam smiled. "How sweet." She resisted the urge to point out that Ben had probably never read any of it. Clearly he had made an effort and she begrudgingly respected it.
"Yeah," he drawled. "I hear he's really romantic." He nuzzled Misty's neck, and Sam turned away. His constant PDA really bugged her.
"Where is everyone?" Sam asked.
"Um, April and Clint got roped into helping hand out the Valentin'es day Grams during first period."
"Clint? Oh, because of Football?" Sam sighed. "But how did April get roped in?"
"I think she volunteered," Misty chuckled.
Great. Sam was not looking forward to first period. The bell rang and they headed toward class. The giggling and chatter was more obnoxious than usual and Misty and Ben were a little absorbed in each other so Sam waved goodbye and moved along quickly.
Slipping into her desk, Sam pulled out her book and began reading. She figured that courtesy of the stupid grams, nothing productive was going to happen. There was so much chatter after the bell that Sam almost missed her name being called for attendance. Even after attendance the room didn't settle down. Ms. Smith tried to call the class down, but to no avail. Then there was a knock at the door.
In walked Wes and another football player with a cart full of candy grams. Sam groaned. Wes spotted her and waved. Sam gave a half-hearted wave back.
"Alright, alright students!" Ms. Smith demanded. "We will not hand out any candy grams until you all settle down!" The room went from a loud roar to whispers and giggles. "Alright gentlemen," Ms. Smith nodded to Wes and the other football player. The other guy grinned and walked up to the front of the room.
"On behalf of the football team and cheerleaders, we thank all of you who participated, or who had a loved one participate, in this year's candy grams. Thanks to your generosity we have raised enough money to get new uniforms and to pay for bus trips all the way to Championships. Guess we have a lot to live up to!" The classroom cheered and he smiled. "Be sure to return the generosity!" He added as a last comment.
Ms. Smith shot him a dirty look and Wes stepped up with a basket full of candy grams. "Alright, let's get these handed out. Kendra Jackson?"
Kendra ran up eagerly and grabbed the basket.
"Kendra received four candy grams," the other guy announced.
Sam sighed. This was going to take forever! She pulled her book out and went back to reading, drowning out the hoots and hollers of her excited classmates. Sam was just getting into an intense battle sequence when the room went quiet.
"Sam..." Sam glanced up and saw Wes almost in front of her. She felt a blush of embarrassment. What was he doing? "Sam, these are for you." He had a couple candy grams and a rose in his hand. She stared up at him dumbfounded.
"Wha...." He set them on her desk and smiled. "Don't look so surprised," he whispered, giving her a thumbs up before moving back to the front of the room.
Jenna scooted over next to her. "Oh my God, you got a red rose!!" she whispered excitedly. Sam stared at her blankly. "Who is it from? That means he loves you!!"
Numbly Sam reached out for the rose and read the note attached. From your secret admirer. The world went to white noise as Sam stared at that horrible, horrible pidgeon scratch. She grabbed one of the candy grams, a handful of chocolate kisses. The note, "How I wish to sprinkle you with kisses." She recoiled in horror, dropping the candy on the desk.
He was back.
She felt hot and cold all at once. Jumping up she ran for the bathroom, sure she was going to be sick.
She barely registered the surprised look on Wes' face as she pushed past him into the hall and ran for the bathroom. The hall was spinning and she didn't think she would make it.
Slamming into the first stall, she knelt in front of the toilet waiting for the nausea and spinning to pass. Tears sprung to her eyes and she squeezed them shut. Why, why, why wouldn't he leave her alone!
Leaning against the cold steel stall wall she took several deep breaths, trying to steady her stomach. The terror and dread left a cold lump in her stomach, but the rage was building and she fanned the flames. How dare this stupid freak send her such trash! How dare he think she was the kind of girl who would welcome a complete stranger sprinkling her in kisses! How dare he imply that he loved her when he didn't have the guts to let her know who he was, let alone talk to her! What sick weirdo could consider such a shallow obsession love?!
Thanks for joining. What do you think of this sneak peek? Let me know in the comments below.
Then go check the rest of the bloggers participating in The Bloody Valentine Hop
Until next time,
Keep Reading!
A great excerpt.
ReplyDeleteWow!
ReplyDeleteThat was disturbing in its realism. Great excerpt.
ReplyDeleteWow! That left me wanting to know more. Poor girl.
ReplyDeleteI am surprised they give out candy in school! The stalker stuff is horrific!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great excerpt, it left me wanting to read more!
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the wonderful comments. Glad you all enjoyed it!
ReplyDelete