WIP Wednesday

Thanks to A Keyboard and an Open Mind for hosting the WIPet Wednesdays. It’s a great way for bloggers to connect.

I have another excerpt from Chapter 2 this time, of Waters of Peace. I thought about posting 250 words but the excerpt would’ve been a bit incomplete. So I chose a longer section. 25 paragraphs for the 25th of November.

“Something wrong?” Joel asked as he approached, trying to remain as casual as possible, she noted. Fear flashed through Jessica like lightning as she glanced at Joel, and then over at Chris’ cold, suspicious glare.

***

“Do you know him?” The burly man in the truck glared accusingly at Jessica, and then whipped his gaze over to Joel with piercing blue eyes.

“No—look, nothing is wrong,” Jessica assured, eyeing Joel seriously.

Lacey appeared beside Joel. “Hey, Jess, want to walk to class together?” She nodded, but Joel thought he could see reluctance written all over her beautiful face.

“I’ll text you between classes, okay Chris?” she assured him as she turned away to walk with Lacey. Joel stepped up to the spot where Jessica had stood.

“What is your problem?” Chris glared at him viciously from the driver’s seat. “Don’t you know how to mind your own business?”

“Don’t you know how to talk more respectfully toward women?” he challenged, his voice hard. Chris got out of the truck and slammed his door loudly. Despite a spike of fear that shot through his body, Joel stood firmly in his spot as Chris rounded the hood of the massive truck. He stood taller than Joel’s six feet by two inches, clad in a white and red plaid collared shirt and heavy blue jeans. He rolled his head across his broad shoulders as he stepped up to Joel, inches from his face.

“You think you’re so much better than me, in your fancy shirt and tie, in your shiny dress shoes…” he snarled. “You don’t even know me. Stay out of my business and stay away from my girl.”

Joel’s phone began to ring, and as he dug it from his pocket, for once he was relieved to see his supervisor’s name on the caller I.D.

“Hello?” He threw one last glare over his shoulder and then forced himself to walk calmly back to his car as if the entire situation meant nothing to him. He could hear Chris slam the front passenger door harder than necessary before walking around to the driver’s side.

“Hey, where are you at? Your shift starts at eight,”

“I’m on my way,” he assured his super. “I had to take care of something…”

Once inside his car, he rolled up the windows, put the gear in drive and pulled out in a hurry. As he skirted the truck to his right, he could see cold, livid eyes glaring back at him through his rearview mirror. Another bolt of cold fear shot straight to his heart. No wonder Lacey thinks he’s a creep.

“You’re never late. I hope it was important.” Me too, he thought, wondering if he’d overstepped his bounds.

“I’ll explain when I get there,” he promised as he drove.

***

Jessica couldn’t quell the fear that enveloped her as she walked with Lacey toward their class. Like cold water running through her veins—an icy chill. She gripped her backpack straps fiercely to keep from shaking. I can’t believe how furious he looked. Thank God, he’s never met Joel in his life. He hates the guy friends I have already. The last thing I need is for him to think I’m cheating on him or something. I would never, ever.

He’d woken up in a bad mood, she had to admit. Everyone wakes up in a bad mood sometimes. She told herself. That was life. He’s not used to taking me to school. She reasoned. It was out of his way to do so. I’m sure he’ll get over it all by the time I get home.

“What was that all about?” Lacey asked her after several minutes. She turned a glance at her friend briefly. “All that shouting back there?”

“What shouting?”

“He was shouting at you, Jess.” Lacey’s eyes, tinged with concern, searched Jessica’s.

“Oh, no, it’s okay. I forgot to tell him that I was getting off early from work last Saturday. He was reminding me to let him know when I get off.”

“Why is he dropping you off anyway? Something wrong with your car?”

“The clutch isn’t working right,” she lied. “It’s in the shop right now.”  It’s not really lying. She reasoned. It really was in the shop before the accident… “I hope to get it back soon,”

Well, that was a lie…