Teaser Chapter from Whisper- Book #2

Posted by Stacey on January 26, 2013 in books, excerpts, life, writing | 2 comments

Well I’m laming out on you readers this week. I have been submerged in an ocean of edits and thought I would actually share with you the first chapter of Whisper, book two in the Lakeview series. Whisper is the story of enemies that come together to solve a hundred year old mystery after finding a haunted journal that hints at a lost school treasure. This story involves Leigh, Blakely’s good friend, and Halle, Blakely’s little sister who has finally started school at Lakeview Academy.

Remember though, this is still being edited, so don’t look too hard for mistakes, they will be there. I’ve also included two different cover options, a fun process I will blog about later. Hope you enjoy, and please let me know what you think!

Whisper

A Lakeview Academy Novel

By Stacey R. Campbell

Chapter 1

“See you guys later,” Leigh yelled to her teammates, picking up her dirty field hockey stick. Where did the morning go? She wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand. Had they really been playing for over two hours? No time to think of that now. The walk across campus to her dorm, where she promised to meet Halle usually took ten minutes, five if she ran. She would have to fly.

The SPF 30 she needed to apply every hour dripped into her eyes, making it difficult to see. Streaks of grass stained her dusty legs. “Great,” she puffed, looking at her arms “burnt again,” sometimes being a red head sucked.

According to emails, Halle Henry and her parents would be arriving on campus at noon. The alarm on her sports watch beeped twice, “Crap, I’m late.” She moaned, “I hate being late.”

Leigh dug into the Lakeview Lions practice bag and grabbed her cell phone.

Where are you?  She texted, scanning the long tree-lined drive for any thing resembling a rental car. What are you driving?

Leigh stumbled on the uneven grass, she always stumbled, she would never be one of those people others called graceful. Someday she should start paying attention to her surroundings. At least she didn’t fall. Falling was always embarrassing, especially when you did as often as she did.  After three years of ballet she shouldn’t be so clumsy.

Still looking at the screen in front of her Leigh reached out to steady herself. “Sorry!” She said, feeling skin beneath her fingertips. She hoped she had run into a light post and not a person, but it didn’t feel like it. This really wasn’t her day.

“You should watch where you’re going,” the taunt torso growled.

Low slung khaki shorts hung from narrow hips. “Oh god,” Leigh said, pushing the hair from her eyes. “I didn’t see you. I swear.”

Calum glanced down at his bare chest where Leigh’s fingertips were pressing into his tanned skin. “Really? It doesn’t look that way to me.”

Calum Stewart was the best looking boy on campus, but he knew it. He was Six foot one inches of six packed perfection, with eyes the color of freshly brewed espresso and sandy blond hair people would kill for.

“Believe it or not Calum, unlike most of the female population at school, I’m not dying to bend over and kiss your ass.”  Leigh wiped the hand that had touched him on the back of her dirty sports shorts.

For four years Calum and Leigh successfully avoided each other. They were oil and water, but over the summer her roommate, Christy, started dating his best friend, David, and when Leigh arrived on campus she stupidly promised Christy that she would try to get a long with Calum, for her sake. To bad she sucked at it. Something about him made her common sense fly out the window.

“Maybe you should think about getting glasses, or at the very least keeping your hands to yourself.”

“I see you’re as arrogant as ever. Glad to know some things never change.” She and Calum had actually gotten along once, a long time ago.

The iPhone in Leigh’s other hand lit up. At the stop sign in the village, black Chevy Envoy.

Calum moved closer to Leigh, invading her personal space. He smelled like coconuts and sunscreen, he must have been down at the lake. “Sorry Calum I don’t have time for this right now.” Leigh said, stepping to the side. “I’ve got more important things then you to attend to.”

Calum dragged his wide callused hand through his messy loose curls. “Whatever,” he growled watching Leigh disappear.