Story Saturdays - The Playbook

Here's a WIP (work in progress) called The Playbook. The story-line follows Skylar Jameson and Luke Rader and a bet. Here's an excerpt from the first chapter:

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EXCERPT:

     Chapter One

Luke bit his lip as his fists furled. Maddox was beginning to get on his nerves. It was taking every ounce of his self-control to keep from punching the punk's face in.

Also known as his best friend.

Which, at the moment, was getting difficult to remember.

Maddox put his hands up in a defensive, hey-calm-down gesture - something that just annoyed Luke even more. "Look, man. I'm not saying anything one way or the other. I'm just saying you got dumped - for the first time, I might add, and I just wanted to say you might be looking your touch."

Luke knew exactly what Maddox wanted to say, and it wasn't advice. It wasn't like he took the relationship seriously. Sure, he'd cared for Ashton, but his pride was more wounded than his feelings. If he was honest, he couldn't have really cared less, but Maddox' s goading was just pouring salt on the wound. "Bull," he spat, simply because he couldn't think of anything else to say at the moment. For a second his brain went blank. Then, it came back on with a vengeance. Was he losing his touch like Maddox said?

Maddox must have seen the inner conflict, because he smirked. "Really?" He cocked his head to the side in a silent challenge. "Then prove it."

Luke rolled his eyes. "Easy. I'll just pick out a random chick and smile and shell swoon." Now it was his turn to smirk. "I wrote the book on making girls fall in love."

"Perfect! That's genius!"

Maddox' s slow smile made Luke wary, then he realized what Maddox was planning and his wariness turned to annoyance and something akin to horror. "Dude! No. Way. You're insane!" Luke couldn't even believe Maddox had even remembered the Playbook, let alone have guts to bring it up. "Does your thick skull remember what happened the last time we used that piece of crap?"

Maddox laughed and Luke wondered how in the world his best friend could find anything humorous in this topic. "Best day of my life. So, whaddya say? Think you can do it?"

Luke glared at him. "Screw you. I don't need a stupid book to help me get a girl. You, on the other hand," he eyed Maddox up and down pointedly, "May need all the help you can get."

Maddox' s cocky stance became even more pronounced. "You're hysterical," he said dryly. "Look, thirty bucks says you can't get just any random girl even with the help of the book."

He smirks and Luke felt his finger nails biting into his palm. He really didn't have patience for this. "Dude, I'm saving your pockets. Keep your thirty bucks and don't waste my time." He was done with this pointless conversation. He turned to leave.

"Fifty bucks. First girl you cross paths with tomorrow. Woo her and use the book. I. Dare. You."

Luke stiffened in the hall between the showers and the lockers. He told himself that this was a bad idea. Stupid. Immature. Idiotic. He knew better than to take a dare. But, for some reason he couldn't explain, a part of him wanted to go for it. If for nothing else other than the cash. Maybe he needed a challenge, a distraction from the break up. Maybe it was because he knew that, if he agreed, it would get Maddox off his back. Maybe it was because he felt he needed to prove himself. Maybe it was because Maddox' s voice was so annoying, so cocky, that it grated on his nerve and refused to leave him alone. Whatever it was, it was enough to make him stop in the middle of the varsity locker room, turn around and say, "Deal."

So Sweet!

Here's a video I enjoyed watching. This is a high school student, Mike, who wrote a poem that won the Grand Slam Championship and went viral in two days (and you'll see why). This is a different type of poetry called Slam Poetry. It has a style all its own. It's all about expressing yourself. I hope you enjoy it!

Goodbye Summer!

     Ahhh… summer is officially over. As the cold weather sets in, I thank God for the opportunity to experience another warm and delightful summer. But, I also am thankful for the change of weather.
     I was looking through my summer pictures that I had either downloaded or taken, and found this picture. This beautifully created photograph reminded me of the fact that God has the universe in his hand, much like this young girl is holding this sandstone in her hand. It makes my own problems and worries seem so insignificant. Like they can't possibly be important enough to contingencies our Father. And yet, he asks us to - encourages us even. Our Heavenly Father wants to have a relationship with his children. He doesn't want to be the father that is absent from his children's lives, he's the father who wants the best for his children. He loves us and wants what's best for us. Consequently, this means God does what is best for his kingdom - him receiving the glory. Everything that the LORD does is to put his glory on display for the world. And, as his children, we are ambassadors for Christ. We are examples to show the world who Jesus is. This is something I've been struggling with. Not necessarily the part about bringing God glory, but how to bring him glory. Because, sometimes God asks us to do something, to serve him some way that we are afraid to serve him. Yet, we forget that our whole purpose is to bring God glory. It is to love and serve him, to be the sand and let him mold us in his hand until we are useable. John Piper said, "God is most glorified in us when we are moat satisfied him." I believe this white my whole heart. We can try to fill that "God-sized vacuum" in our heart with everything we can think of, but we will never be satisfied until we choose to follow Christ. Until we decide to sacrifice our lives - lives that aren't eve ours; they are the Lord's. And, when that happens - when we relenquish everything in us: our hopes, dreams, friends, family, our stuff - you will be amazed at what God can do.

Over the Fence

     Finn was from New York. He hated small towns. And the town of Carthage, Missouri is about as small as they come. The last thing he wanted to do was spend his summer cooped up in a small own for the summer.
     Until the day he climbs the fence and sees a girl jumping on her trampoline with the sprinkler system going.
     And she's wearing a bikini.
     Suddenly, this summer doesn't seem so bad...

     Finn hated ten things in this world and being stuck in a town the size of his backyard was at the top. "Mom! I'm bored!"
     His mom gave him a disapproving look. One that, In all honesty, made him feel even worse than he already did. Whining definitely wasn't his forte.
     "Griffin Adam Dilpot! You're nearly eighteen years old! Find something to do, or I'll see if your father can get you a job working for Mr. Allan."
     Finn hung his head, ashamed of actually resorting to that low of a tactic. Yet, the burning desire to do something just wouldn't go away. "Fine," he mumbled. "I'm going outside."
     When he opened the door, however, it wasn't the warm breeze that hit him. No, what hit him square in the forehead was hard and left a nasty bruise. Finn let out a shout of surprise as the flying object hit him, bouncing to the ground, and looked angrily around his years for his assailant. Then, he realized that the ball must've come from the neighbor's house. Storming to the dividing gate, he climbed up, preparing the dimwitted numbskull that had dared hit him with the blasted ball a talking to...
     Finn swallowed and all thoughts of the ball or his attacker or what he was even going to say flew from his brain as he swallowed his tongue and looked at his next door neighbor jumping on the trampoline.
     And he found that this summer might not be the waste he thought it would be after all. Because, there on the trampoline, was a girl his age, sun-kissed skin and light brown hair waving in the air as she jumped with abandon and eyes closed. And she was in a bikini.

New Book!

   It's been four years. Four, long years full of love and heartache. Four years since he happened and ruined Natalie Brennen's life. Four years since she learned that love happens despite the circumstances. And three months since he left her life forever, leaving a gaping hole in her heart. 
     Natalie never thought having her life shaken and returned destroyed at the age of fifteen would change her life so drastically four years later. And yet, it does. But, she doesn't talk about it. Ever. Not to her parents, who were her only means of support throughout that those years of terror and trials, even though she was condemned by everyone else, her friends, her family. And yet, she wants to talk about what happened. Why it happened. But they don't. Which makes her wonder, is there anyone she can turn to?

    Quinn killed his parents.
     And now he has to deal with the aftermath. He has to contend with the stares, the whispers, the judgement. Then, he meets Natalie. She's the first person who doesn't ask, doesn't pry. She treats him the same way any normal person would a fellow human being. And for the first time, he's truly happy. He can be himself without worrying about being judged, being made to talk about that day.

     But, he knows something is hurting Natalie deeply. The same kind of pain his secrets cause. And, for the first time in his life he asks himself, should the things nobody talks about actually be talked about?

     And who is Ronan?