Wait!
Oxley College Saga #2
By Stacey Nash
Out April
20, 2015
Synopsis
Jordan Hays
knows just how precious life is; that’s why he has his own mapped out. He’ll
work to pay his way through university while he studies hard, regardless of the
constant distractions. Because when it comes to becoming a nurse, he’s deadly
serious. He won’t fail to save someone again.
But Hex Penton is way too similar to the sister he lost, and even though the only thing more fun than stupid dares is the crazy girl who sets them, Jordan needs to make a choice. Hex believes every moment is important; every opportunity must be taken, because you never know when the world will be yanked out from underneath you. With the foundations he’s based his life on shaken, Jordan must discover what’s more important: making sure Hex’s life isn’t wasted, or remembering how to live his.
But Hex Penton is way too similar to the sister he lost, and even though the only thing more fun than stupid dares is the crazy girl who sets them, Jordan needs to make a choice. Hex believes every moment is important; every opportunity must be taken, because you never know when the world will be yanked out from underneath you. With the foundations he’s based his life on shaken, Jordan must discover what’s more important: making sure Hex’s life isn’t wasted, or remembering how to live his.
It’s time to
play truth or dare.
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Excerpt
Admiring my
nails, which were longer than they’d ever been, I poured myself a liberal
splash of vodka and mixed it with lemonade. Liquid courage, that’s what this
was, and I’d only need one more then I’d be right to head downstairs to the
party that was happening tonight. I didn’t bother with the stupid
meet-and-greet the senior guy said I must to attend. Mum had only just left by
the time five rolled around and I’d wanted to catch a quick nap since we’d had
an early start.
From my
window, I could see people filling the courtyard. The music blared loudly, dead
opposite to the voices, I assumed. Everyone looked a little awkward, standing
around, cradling plastic cups as if they were scared of each other. It wasn’t
hard to pick out the seniors. They all rocked massive smiles and worked the
crowd.
I tipped my
head back and downed the drink in a single gulp. Well, only one way to make
this crap downstairs bearable. Eeesh. The drink practically stole my
breath. I must have made it a bit strong.
A quick look
in the mirror and everything was in place—my hair looked pretty decent, shorts
weren’t riding up my butt, and all the essentials were tucked away beneath my
tank top. Everyone had said it was going to be freaking freezing here in
Armidale, but so far it was like living in a sauna. The air felt thick and hot,
and that sun had one heck of a bite. Good thing it was sinking now, so my
shoulders wouldn’t burn. Again. They already stung from the rays they’d seen
while we lugged my stuff in from the car this afternoon.
Right. I
drew in a deep breath, and squared my shoulders. This would be a piece of cake.
I tucked my room key into my bra and snuck one last look out the window at the
courtyard below. People. Easy-peasy.
Before I
could over-think the whole thing, I yanked open the thick wooden door and
stumbled as it caught my heel on the way out. Good thing my Docs were solid.
Those fashionable strappy sandals everyone wore this summer wouldn’t have saved
my bony ankle from certain destruction.
All the doors
in the hall stood closed, marking my dorm floor as dead empty. I’d heard voices
earlier this afternoon, but whoever it was must be down there already. The
resident senior had said there were three first years on this floor. It was a
pity there was no way of telling which rooms were occupied. The other rooms
would fill up later in the week when the senior students returned—right now
only the resident seniors were here—so I’d find out who lived where soon
enough.
Good God, I
was still stalling—standing here, staring at closed doors like a freaking
lunatic. Before I could conjure any more time-wasting thoughts, I stepped out
of the hall and into the stairwell.
Music from
the courtyard echoed all the way up the structure, bouncing off the concrete
walls and tiled stairs as if they were made for this very purpose. The music
wasn’t too bad. Not top forty, but not golden oldies either. Good party tunes.
As I emerged
into the throng of it, I plastered on the friendliest smile I could muster. It
turned out I didn’t need to seek out someone to make me look less alone,
because my block senior, Jason Donagan, marched up to me with a mock scowl.
“Where were you?”
I shrugged.
“Sorry.”
“Well, you
missed out on meeting the other freshers in our block.” He waggled a finger in
a fake scold.
“Oops.”
“Looks like
you need a drink.”
“Ahh, yeah.
That’d be great, thanks.”
He
disappeared into the crowd, which wasn’t as thin as it had looked from my
window. People were scattered around in small groups, looking awkward. Some
girl caught my attention from over by a wooden picnic table. Dark hair that
almost reached her waist swished as she swayed to the music, seemingly without
notice, since her focus and smile were both set on me. Maybe she’d be a good
one to start with. Before I could make a move, another girl bounced in front of
me, grabbing my arm as if we were best buds.
“I’m-Amber-and-you-have-awesome-hair.”
It took me a
second to make out what she was saying, she spoke so fast. I fingered the blue
tips of my shoulder-length brown hair. The colour had been freshly applied this
morning. “Thanks.”
With her arm
hooked through mine, she piloted me toward the largest group of people, which
held the dark haired girl. She gave me a massive smile; her and Amber must
already be friends.
“Hey
everyone,” Amber cooed, “meet my new friend …”
“Hex,” I
answered.
“Hex,” she
mimicked. “Where are you from?”
“Umm …” It
wasn’t a trick question, so why was I stumbling? “North.”
“Ahh, a
coastie.”
“Not quite,
it’s more inland—”
The other
girl extended a slender hand. “McKenzie. Second year applied science. I’m on
the social committee, so I could crash o-week.”
Jason
reappeared and passed me one of the plastic cups everyone else seemed to have.
I shot him a grateful smile and swallowed its contents in two gulps.
Jason
whooped. “Looks like you’ve been here before, Hex.”
The evening
wore on much the same, meeting new face after new face. With so many names I’d
be lucky to remember two or three come morning. Amber remained glued to my
side, and after only an hour in her company I was certain we’d wind up good
friends. The girl sure was fun and seemed to draw in a crowd with her bubbly
voice.
The drinks
flowed steadily, but there wasn’t so much that people got plastered. The music
lulled and a song I knew well blared to life. I grabbed Amber’s hand and pulled
her up onto one of the long wooden picnic tables in a corner of the courtyard.
She squealed the second she realised what I was up to, and in three seconds
flat had her hands above her head, her eyes closed, as she shimmied her body
like a pro. I’d definitely found a new friend. Someone wolf whistled below us,
but I drowned them all out with my singing.
When the
music ended a chant filled the air.
He-ex.
He-ex. He-ex.
I grinned as
I took a plastic cup some guy held up to me. Amber joined in the chant and it
was obvious they wanted me to drink. I yelled, “Bottom’s up,” and tipped the
entire contents of the cup into my mouth. Amber’s name came next and she
followed my lead, giving the people what they wanted.
My legs felt
the effects of my earlier drinks, but it was all good. Until Amber decided it
was time to climb down. She stumbled to the side, and we both grabbed hold of
each other at the same moment, me saving her from falling. She laughed as if it
were the funniest thing ever. A laugh that was the most contagious I’d ever
come across. I burst into a fit of giggles as we both stood there, clutching
each other by the arms.
Another cup
of beer appeared in front of me. The hand holding it, attached to a random guy
I hadn’t met. I accepted the drink with thanks, a giggling Amber still clinging
to my side.
It took a
good few minutes before we finally pulled ourselves together. Sucking back a
lungful of hysterical laughter-stopping air, I stepped down off the table and
right into the personal space of a six-foot-odd hunk of solid muscle. My drink
splashed out of the cup, its cool liquid trickling down my arm. Blue eyes
regarded me with a deadly seriousness that shouldn’t be seen in a face that
handsome.
I held his
stare for a long minute.
There was no
way I would back down to a guy. His jaw clenched and my god, it was as
chiselled as any A-grade movie star’s. A peppering of jet-black stubble gave
him a rugged edge, or maybe that came from his shaggy hair. But boy, he needed
to give it up already. He continued to stare as if he were waiting for me to
apologise. God only knew how I’d offended him. A quick check proved my feet
weren’t stomping his toes, nor had my drink landed on his shirt. He wore
low-slung jeans and a plain grey T-shirt, both of which fitted his toned body
perfectly.
I raised my
right eyebrow.
That made
both of his dip.
I held out
my free hand and he took it. “I’m Hex.”
“Hex?” His
nose screwed up.
“Yes, Hex.”
“Weird
name.”
“No weirder
than your attitude.”
“You should
slow down.”
“Excuse me?”
He dipped
his head toward my almost-empty plastic cup. “With the drink. You should slow
down.”
“And you
should piss off.”
Who did this
guy think he was? Probably some member of the anti-fun brigade, and that was
too bad, because damn, his whole look was amazing.
A laugh
burst from him so suddenly, I flinched, and realised our hands were still
clasped. “Jordan,” he said, as if he’d remembered he hadn’t given me his name.
“Well, the
pleasure was all yours, Jordan.” I retracted my hand. “Don’t party too hard,
now.”
Meet
the Author
Stacey Nash
writes adventure filled stories for Young Adults in the Science Fiction and
Fantasy genres. She loves to read and write books that have a lot of adventure,
a good dose of danger, a smattering of romance, and KISSING! Hailing from the
Hunter Valley in New South Wales, she loves nothing more than immersing herself
in the beauty and culture of the local area.
Author of
the Collective Series and the Oxley College Saga.
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