All proceeds for the novel will go the the Amanda Todd charity to aid in the fight against bullying. Look for it releasing September 2013!
ROCK THE BEGINNING: Where it all began:
**CAUTION*UNEDITED* SUPER ROUGH*
Rock the Beginning
LANE
Chapter 1
So this is it?
Freshman year. I stand in the hallway next to my best friend Cassandra Lutz as
we survey the same faces we see year after year. Nothing in this town ever
changes. I was hoping that I would be wowed in high school—dramatically swept
off my feet on my first day by a dashing upper-classmen—living the dream of going
to the prom as a freshman. Well, at least it’s mine.
But sadly, I’m
disappointed yet again.
I sigh heavily and
lean my back against the locker and squeeze my books tighter against my chest.
I can’t wait to get out of here and run off to a big city where I can make
something out of myself.
“Just once I’d
love to have some fresh meat in this place,” Cassandra says. “I hate knowing
everything about these guys. None of them do anything surprising.”
I nod in total
agreement. “Where are all the guys I read about in books—the ones that know
exactly what to say? The first day of school is practically over and nothing
remotely exciting has happened yet.”
The moment the
words leave my mouth, a crash against the lockers a few feet to my right draws
my attention. I suddenly feel the urge to take back the last thing I said. This
is not exactly the kind of excitement I was hoping for.
All the kids in
the hallway stop dead in their tracks in unison and stare at the scene playing
out before us like a bad teen sitcom. Roger Robertson, the guy we all know as
the school bully, grips Wendell McFarland, a kid in my grade, by the collar of
his shirt. Roger’s large arms twist as he repositions his wrists in order to
get a batter grip, while he wears a sickening smile on his red, pimple-covered
face. Roger isn’t the kind of guy you want to mess with. His temper is about as
red-hot as the flaming color of his hair and we all know he’s been held back to
the freshman level three times now. If Roger walks down the hallway, you get
out of his way or duck for cover. His reputation of assholism precedes him.
I instantly feel
sorry for Wendell. His tiny, pencil-like frame is no match for the likes of
Roger. “Give it up, you fucking pussy.” I flinch as Roger yanks Wendell forward
and slams him back even harder. “Don’t make me tell you again. I know your
parents are loaded. Cough up the dough.”
Wendell gasps for
air as Roger shoves his knuckles into his throat. “I don’t have any money.”
Another slam and
Wendell’s glasses slip down the bridge of his nose. “Cough it up you little
shit stain.”
My mouth gapes
open and my eyes grow wide. It’s painfully hard to watch. Someone has to stop
this.
I glance around. No
one is making a move to stop this outright appalling display of human behavior.
This makes me sick. What’s wrong with these people?
Before I even
realize what I’m doing I take a couple quick steps and open my mouth. “Stop it.
Leave him alone.”
It’s like a movie
when a hush falls over the crowd. I know this isn’t the smartest move, but I
just can’t stand by and do nothing to stop this.
Cassandra grabs my
arm. “Are you crazy? Lanie, what are you doing?”
I pull my arm from
her grip. “Someone has to stop this, Cass.”
Roger gaze darts
from me to Wendell. His eyes are so brown they almost appear black and the pure
venom in them causes my legs to shake. A deep laugh bursts out of his mouth and
hold me in place. “What do we have here? Is this your little girlfriend,
four-eyes? Is she here to save you?”
“N—no,” Wendell
stutters.
No one should be
able to get away with treating people like this. “Stop it, Roger!”
Roger flings his
gaze at me. “Or what, Shirley Temple? You going to make me?”
I stare down at
the sun dress I’m wearing. While very cute for my first day of school, it
doesn’t exactly scream badass, but this guy doesn’t know what I’m capable of.
“I might. Now, leave him alone.”
Roger opens his
large hands and makes a show of letting Wendell go. As soon as he’s free, he
takes off running.
Thanks for the
back-up, Wendell.
The bully turns to
me and taps his lip. “Happy now, Shirley? I let him go. There’s only one small
problem now.”
I lift my chin as
Roger stalks towards me. “What’s that?”
“Someone is going
to have to pay me. I need money for a new tire and since you chased my little
buddy off who was about to pay for it, I guess that leaves you.” He grins at me
in a way a serial killer would right before he murdered his victim.
I grip my books
tighter. If he comes at me this Geometry book is going to make one hell of a
weapon. “Fat chance. I’m not giving you any money.”
He shakes his head
as he steps in front of me. “That’s where you’re wrong. Guy, girl…doesn’t
matter to me. I’ll still beat you into submission in order to get what I need,
and what I need from you is money. You’re going to get that for me.”
I narrow my eyes.
“No, I’m not.”
Roger slaps the
books from my hands and leans into me like he’s about to attack me, but a voice
stops him.
“Pick those up.”
My neighbor and childhood friend, Noel Falcon pushes his way through the crowd.
“Pick those up, or I swear to God you’ll pay.”
....full story will be found in STORIES FOR AMANDA.
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