Tuesday's Tempting Teaser

Okay, don't know how "tempting" it is, but Teaser Tuesday and Tuesday's Teaser are such common titles that I had to change mine up a bit lol.

If you haven't read chapter 1, you can read it here. And feel free to leave a comment or feedback if you'd like :-). Or you can click on the link at the top of the page that says WIP chapter 1.

So, this is my first teaser that shows something that's not part of chapter 1. The only people who have seen anything other than chapter 1 are my BETA readers so this is extremely nerve racking for me! Okay so this is the opening scene from Chapter 2. It takes place in the cafeteria of Alina Lodge, which is a facility for troubled teenage POPs (Person of Powers). These kids aren't necessarily mentally unstable. They are there because they have "issues" or have gotten into some trouble with the law (usually for using their powers for illegal means). Also, if you haven't read chapter 1, you should know that when Sam (Samantha) and Josh are talking in italics, they are talking telepathically.

            My eyes scan the cafeteria. Everyone looks familiar. The new girl isn’t here. Searching for the most isolated table, I head toward the back of the room, tray in one hand, waistband of my pajama pants in the other. They keep falling down.

The food here sucks.

I must have lost at least four pounds. Like I need to lose any weight. I’m withering away to nothing and my 5’10" height is making me look like a gangly string bean. At least that was the comment some bitch threw at me last week—a comment that landed a tray of food in her lap and me several extra hours of laundry duty. 

It was worth it.

"You’re in a better mood." Josh comments from behind me.

"Don’t worry, it’s only temporary." I peer back over my shoulder with a cheesy grin. "Apparently my sister sprained her ankle during soccer this morning so my mom had to cancel. She’s coming next week instead."

Josh nudges me toward a table. We sit down.

He stares at me for a moment, reading my face. "You look tired. Another crappy night?"

"If they would just give me my damn iPod I’d sleep like baby." Knowing this discussion will take me to a dark place, I rapidly change the topic. So tell me about the newbie. Who is she? What’s her deal?

I ask him this telepathically because Sarah, aka, Dumbo, is here. She doesn’t have big ears, but she does have supersonic hearing. I don’t like having people in my business.

             She’s nice. Quiet. Seems a bit shy. She’s right up your alley. I’m sure you guys will become the best of friends.

I pick up one of my grapes and throw it at him. He catches it, tosses it in his mouth, and grins. "Thanks," he says.

So what’s her deal? I ask again. Did you find out what she did to get in here? What her powers are?

He’s focused on his food, adding salt and pepper then mixing it around with the fork. Actually, I was in the lobby reading a book last night when she was being checked in.

And?

And…her name’s Marina, she’s our age, comes from a wealthy family, lives in the upper-East side of Manhattan, attends private school, blah, blah, blah.

Great, so she’s a seventeen year old, snooty rich bitch.

Hey, take out the rich and she’s not much different than you.

He’s failing miserably to suppress a laugh. He knows how to get to me. I show him an upside down middle finger. "Can you hear it?" I ask.

No, but I betcha Dumbo can. "Better keep it turned down," he retorts with a wink.

I roll my eyes and snort a laugh. He can always go to battle with me. I like that about him.

"So you still haven’t told me what she did to get in here. What are her powers?" I realize there’s no point in keeping this between us. Everyone eventually knows why we’re here and what our powers are.

Josh has shoveled a glop of food in his mouth. It’s supposed to be some kind of pasta dish—alfredo, I think—but it looks and smells like a plate of cat puke. It’s killing my already limited appetite. I wait for him to swallow and watch as his face scrunches up.

"This food tastes like crap," he finally says.

"Ya think?"

"Let me go see what else they have to eat. I’ll be right back." He gets up with his tray and walks off.

With Josh away from the table, I munch on some fruit and pick at my peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but I’m quickly bored.