Bullies? Mean teachers? High school bites... and so do SPIDERS! #YA #Romance

Spider Brains

by Susan Wingate

ONE - SPEIDER: The E is Silent

Me?
Super human kid by night, regular high school teenager by day. I’m a junior. Well, next year.
My name is Susie Speider. The E is silent. My name is NOT pronounced speeder. For crying out loud. We are not a family of racers. Sheesh.
My problem? There are two major-stager problems in my life. My meds, for starters. They say I'm ADD. Yeah. Like, so, I concentrate on the moment du jour. What's wrong with that?
Then, there's the issue with my grades. They suck. And, my teacher, Ms. Morlson. She hates my guts! She holds my going or not going to the U in the palm of her cold calloused clammy hands.
(This is a pic of me. The QUEEN of dorks). But, with the new glasses my mom got me and my new meds, maybe I can improve over the next two years enough to bring my grades up to pass with something decent.
The problem? With these new glasses now I look like a short amorphous geeky version of the svelte coolamundo Morticia from the Addam’s Family but not in a good way and certainly not with her way cool clingy clothes. Plus, with my braces, Lord, I look like the empress of geeks on planet Nerd-O-1.

Can a future exist when all hope is lost? #Romance

Always There

by K T King


“Are you sure you don’t want a lift Kell?” Rachel asked as Mike and Laura clambered into her car.
“I’m sure. Jake said he’d pick me up after his meeting. He must be running late.” Kelly checked the road to see if she could spot his car, the wind hitting her face and threatening to knock her down.
“Try ringing him again. If he doesn’t answer I’m giving you a lift, I don’t want you hanging around in the dark on your own, especially not in this weather.”
“Ok. Hang on.” Kelly rang Jake’s mobile for the tenth time, it went straight to answer phone. She sat in the front seat of the car and cursed Jake, under her breath, for showing her up in front of her friends. Laura smirked to herself.
“It’s not a problem Kell. There’s bound to be a reasonable explanation. Jake never goes back on his word.” Mike reassured her.
“Yeah, you’re right.” Kelly replied as she seethed and gritted her teeth all the way home, thinking that no explanation would be reasonable enough for him to forget her.
“Thanks guys, it was great to catch up again. How about same time, same place next week?” Kelly asked climbing out of the car.
“Yeah, let’s do it. We don’t spend enough time with each other anymore. We’re starting to grow apart, and I for one, don’t like it. Oh and make sure Jake comes too, I could do with some decent eye candy!” Mike answered chuckling.

From "Not to Us" by Katherine Owen

Ellie has recently discovered the betrayal of her best friend Carrie (Michael's wife) with her husband Robert. Now, she's learning from Michael that she has breast cancer...

“This is a joke; right? You just didn’t tell me I have cancer, because, frankly, if we’re being honest, Michael.” My voice wavers. I try to smile again, but can’t quite make it work. “I’ve got enough shit going on right now.”

“No.”

I can’t find any solace in his tone. I shift in my chair and just look at him. We’ve known each other for almost twenty years, since the days at the University of Washington when all four of us had been sophomores in college. I’ve seen him naked a half dozen times, in those innocent moments, when we had all gone camping together, drank too much, and let strip poker go a little too far. He is my best friend Carrie’s husband. He is best friends with my husband, Robert. My friend even.

And, yet, in this moment, all I can think of is that there is worse news than this—worse news that I will eventually have to tell him. My resolve gives way. My eyes betray me first and fill with tears, not for myself, but for Michael.

From "Leaves of the Fall" by Violet Yates

“Hey, what’s going on with Trevor?” Rose asked.

“What do you mean?”

“He’s been acting weird, flying off the handle. And the other night, I found him down at The Donut Shoppe hanging with some girl.”

Ethan sighed into the phone, and from the popping sound in the background, Rose could tell he was opening a beer.

“I haven’t even talked to him outside of work lately. I don’t know what his deal is. Wish I did,” Ethan said. He paused for a moment and then he said, “Ahh. That hits the spot.”

“Ethan, do you think he’s messing around?”

“With that girl? I don’t know. Hey, wanna come over? Sherri’s not here and I got a few extra beers.”

“Uh, I don’t know.”

“C’mon, please? It’ll help you take your mind off Trevor.”

In her marriage bedroom, Rose stood before their disheveled blankets, staring into space, with the phone clutched tightly in her hand. She walked out into the kitchen and turned around in a circle, drinking in the silence. Trevor would have been done with work hours ago, yet he wasn’t here.

She went to the fridge, took the hamburger that she was supposed to make dinner with, and tossed it into the trash.