Mind Static by Jen Naumann
Publication date: August 2013
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult
Publication date: August 2013
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult
Keyanna Sanders is about to get everything she could ever wish for
on her 18th birthday: a hot guy who’s really into her, the sports car
she’s always dreamed of owning, and the party of a lifetime that no one
will forget any time soon.
But before long, she’ll understand these wishes are more than a coincidence, and that they come at a steep price. Keyanna is more than just an average high school senior, her best friend is more than the innocent boy next door, and her sudden good fortune isn’t just by chance. When her estranged father suddenly re-enters her life, she’ll have to decide who to trust, and whether or not the man she loves has become the enemy.
But before long, she’ll understand these wishes are more than a coincidence, and that they come at a steep price. Keyanna is more than just an average high school senior, her best friend is more than the innocent boy next door, and her sudden good fortune isn’t just by chance. When her estranged father suddenly re-enters her life, she’ll have to decide who to trust, and whether or not the man she loves has become the enemy.
The smell of burning leaves mixed with
the usual stench of the big city drifts through the cooler air when I step
outside. Nestled on the edge of residential homes, our school starts just
blocks from where chain businesses like tanning salons and women’s boutiques
begin. The large oak trees lining the busy street have just begun to turn a
bright orange, bringing color to the otherwise dull grassy courtyard. I’ve
always loved this time of year, although it may just be because of my birthday.
Nora waits for me in the half-full
parking lot, leaning against the BMW with her arms crossed. Although it’s
halfway mild for a Minnesota fall, she almost looks ridiculous in a miniskirt
short enough to fail the school’s somewhat loose dress code. The skinny jeans
and knee-high boots I wear are more my style. I’m thankful for them when a cool
wind throws strands of wet hair across my face.
When I’m a few strides away, Nora
scowls. “Took you long enough. Didn’t you have to come outside for the fire
drill? And why are you wet?”
“It was no drill.” I walk around to open
the passenger’s door, wringing out my hair in the process. “It was the real
deal. There was an actual fire in my class.”
With her eyes wide, Nora opens her own
door and slides in next to me. “What do you mean? Did you have something to do
with it? I always knew you had a dark side to you, but pyromania is taking it a
bit far.”
I shut my door. “I didn’t start it.”
Then I stop a minute and add, “Well, not technically.”
“What in the hell is that supposed to
mean?” Nora sighs dramatically when shutting her own door. “Either you started
it, or you didn’t.”
“You know that thing that happened in
chem earlier? It happened again. I wished the new guy would come over and talk
to me—”
Her jaw drops, and she punches my
shoulder. Hard. “You totally hooked up with him!”
Rubbing my tender shoulder, I frown.
“Right. We did it right in the middle of communications class with everyone
watching. It was magical.”
“That’s never stopped me before.” A smug
smile crosses her lips, as if she would really do such a thing.
I click on my seatbelt, giving her a
sideway sneer. “Yeah well I’m not like you. I have boundaries and a little
thing I like to call morals.”
“Yeah, well, you’re just jealous.” She
pulls down the visor to check herself out in the mirror. “You should totally
try it some time.”
“Are you going to let me finish?” I
cross my arms.
Nora waves her hand in a whatever motion
before flipping the visor back and starting the car. “Talk fast, because we
have a lot to do before the party.”
Just the mention of the party brings
butterflies to my stomach. The feeling that this night will get out of control
has multiplied throughout the day. “Anyway, Lock came over and—”
Mid-backing out of the stall, Nora slams
on the breaks and we both jolt in our seats. “Wait! His name is Lock? What kind
of name is that? Lock and Key? Are you jerking my chain?” She begins to giggle
manically.
“I think it’s British or something.
Seriously, Nor. You’re killing me here.”
She stops giggling and squints, her lips
pushed out. “What? I can’t ask any questions?”
“Not until I’m done. Are you going to
let me talk now?”
A few cars honk at us. It’s no
wonder—we’re sitting at an angle in the middle of the parking lot. Nora rolls
down the window to flash them her middle finger before driving forward.
“You’re right. That hand signal was
totally called for, ‘cause they’re the idiot,” I mumble.
“I thought you were so eager to talk to
me about something,” Nora volleys back.
“I’m trying to tell you that there are
way too many strange things happening to me today. Whenever I wish for
something, it happens. I don’t know if I’m going crazy, or if maybe there
really is some kind of birthday fairy, but something is going on and it’s
really starting to freak me out!”
Nora raises her hand. “Can I say
something now?”
I huff, waving my hand at her. “Go
ahead.”
“This totally sucks. Why hasn’t anyone
told us about this magical eighteenth birthday fairy thing before? Is it like
some secret adults are sworn to keep or what?” She bursts out in an evil laugh,
and slaps my arm. “Really? You think there’s more to this than just dumb luck?”
“You’re saying you don’t believe me?” It
suddenly strikes me how completely ludicrous this whole conversation sounds. Birthday
fairy? Magic? Yet there has got to be some kind of reasoning behind all of it.
“Fine, we’ll test it out some more. See if my ‘wishes’ are really coming true.”
Nora pulls alongside a semi on the
highway. After a beat her face lights up, and she claps her hands together with
a squeal. “I know!”
“Hands!” I yell, reaching for the
steering wheel.
She casually takes the wheel back. “You
should totally wish for the Imagine Dragons or some other awesome band to show
up for your party! It would be so epic!”
Although the thought of Dan Reynolds
showing up to wish me a happy birthday in person is so appealing I could die,
somehow I think my “wishes” have all been of coincidence or just “dumb luck” as
Nora suggested. “That seems a bit ambitious. Maybe I could wish for the most
epic party to end all parties, only we don’t get caught and no one steals
anything of value.”
Nora snorts, slapping the wheel as if
taking her aggression out on the car instead of me for once. “You are so lame!
That’s seriously what you’re going to wish for? What if you only have one
more?”
“I haven’t done this before!” I throw my
hands up to the roof. “I don’t know how it works! What if I only had a few and
I’ve already used them up?”
The whites of Nora’s orbs expand. “You
mean like a genie with the three wishes and shit?” She laughs in more of a
cackle, taking in gulping breaths until her face turns red. “You’re totally
making yourself believe in this crap, aren’t you?”
“Do you have a better explanation for
what’s going on?”
“Fine. I won’t laugh at you if you can
prove this is really happening. But you have to come up with a really good
wish. Something that we can see actual proof of. Something that would never
happen to you, like a guy getting down on one knee and asking you out on a date
or something.”
I cross my arms. “Remind me again why
we’re friends?”
“Because you love me.” Her dark lashes
flutter as she flashes a toothy smile.
Grumbling, I tap my fingers on my knees.
“Okay, fine. A good, plausible wish...hmmm...”
“Just make sure it’s not dumb. Wish for
something really good, like—”
Looking back at her, I yell, “Nor! Shut
up!”
The car becomes silent. Nora glances
between me and the road with her mouth held in a tight line. I groan loudly,
knowing she’s a good one for giving the silent treatment when I piss her off.
“I’m sorry!” I say. “You just never let me think.”
She shakes her head wildly, her eyes the
size of saucers.
“I said I’m sorry.” I huff deeply.
“What’s your problem?”
She continues shaking her head, her
expression filled with alarm. Panic, even. For a minute I worry she’s going to
either be sick or she’s having an adolescent heart attack.
I grab her arm. “Nor, are you okay?”
Just like that, it hits me. I totally made her shut up! I gasp. Even though
I’ll admit I get a little fangirlish about Harry Potter, I’m not an idiot. I
know magic is not real. But how do you explain this?
Jen Naumann grew up in southern Minnesota as an addict of such flicks as
Indiana Jones and The Goonies until she discovered John Hughes, and
spent her high school days locked away writing love stories with a
sci-fi twist. Married to a farmer in southern Minnesota, she tries to
follow the madness of her four active children while balancing an
imagination that never shuts down. As the author of CHEATING
DEATH, SHYMERS, AND PARANORMAL KEEPERS, she writes stories with strong
female leads who have a good sense of humor and tend to fall in love
despite their better judgment.
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