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    Apples to Oranges
    Apples to Oranges
    Apples to Oranges
    Ebook84 pages1 hour

    Apples to Oranges

    By Xondra Day

    ()

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    About this ebook

    When bad boy, Brandon, moves to eighteen year old Jace's small-town, Jace’s life is suddenly turned upside down.

    During the last year, Jace has experienced a lot of loss. His dad's untimely death in Afghanistan and his mom's subsequent nervous breakdown have left a lasting impact on him, and meeting Brandon gives him hope for the future. Jace is ready to make big changes in his otherwise mundane life. He's at a pinnacle and can’t help but think what it would be like to come out.

    Brandon's life has been nothing but chaos from day one. That is until he meets straight-laced Jace. Jace stirs feelings within him that are new and exciting. And after a hot unexpected night together, he’s left with questions that desperately need answering.

    As their feelings grow for each another, they come to a bridge that must be crossed. Is their love enough to keep them together or will their differences tear them apart?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherEvernight Publishing
    Release dateJul 6, 2012
    ISBN9781771300582
    Apples to Oranges

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      Book preview

      Apples to Oranges - Xondra Day

      Published by Evernight Publishing at Smashwords

      www.evernightpublishing.com

      Copyright© 2012 Xondra Day

      ISBN: 978-1-77130-058-2

      Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs

      Editor: JC Chute

      ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

      WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

      This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

      DEDICATION

      This one if for my readers. You keep me writing.

      XD

      APPLES TO ORANGES

      Xondra Day

      Copyright © 2012

      Chapter One

      Jace eyed the new guy with peculiar interest from where he sat, underneath a large oak in the schoolyard. He bit into an apple and chewed, slowing as he traced the dude’s form up and down, trying to figure him out.

      Mike, his cousin sat next to him and motioned with his head towards the new guy who leaned back onto the trunk of the tree. This is Brandon, Mike said. He transferred here last week. Brandon, this is my cousin, Jace.

      Hey, Brandon said, his eyes a deep blue looked to the area surrounding them, as if seeking something as he spoke. So, what do you all do around here for fun? His gaze connected with Jace’s for a second before be turned his head away quickly.

      Fun? Mike asked. You gots to be kidding. He removed a sandwich from a brown paper bag and winced. Freaking tuna again. He tossed the sandwich back in the bag. This is about as exciting as it gets around here, in this hole of a town. Right, Jace?

      Jace nodded in agreement. Can’t say that much of anything goes on around here. This was his first time meeting Brandon, but Jace had noticed him, during the few classes they shared together.

      Brandon shrugged indifferently. I figured as much. This place sure as hell ain’t the city.

      Population four thousand and counting, Mike added. It must have been fantastic to live in a place with so much happening.

      Yeah, man, it was great. There was always something on the go. I miss it like you wouldn’t believe. I left a shitload of friends behind when we moved here. I blame my dad. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have to be here. Brandon narrowed his eyes and looked up at the bright sky. He screwed around on my mom.

      They’re separated? Jace asked, wanting to know more about Brandon.

      Divorced, Brandon corrected. He cheated on her with some bimbo from work. They did try to work it out, but it was a no go.

      That sucks, man, Mike replied. My parents split up when I was ten. It was mutual for them. They fell out of love, or so my mom says. She remarried two years after, and my stepdad is pretty cool.

      It’s nice to hear that someone’s family isn’t as fucked up as mine. What about your parents, Jace? Are they still together or splitsville? Brandon questioned, eyeing him.

      My dad was killed in Afghanistan last year, he explained. Jace spotted a large spider scurrying across the grass near his foot. It was a big assed spider. He placed his hand on the ground palm side up and watched as the spider wobbled across it. A landmine got him. There wasn’t much left to send home. He glanced up as he finished and raised his hand to block the sun’s rays from his vision. There wasn’t anything else to tell about his dad’s story.

      Jesus. Brandon shook his head and looked towards Mike. Is that true? Is he for real?

      Yup. Uncle Rick was awesome, too. You would have liked him. Everyone did. He was that type of guy. He was more like a friend than some parental. He fought and did his duty and we’re all proud of him.

      Sorry about your dad. He sounds like one hell of a guy. I can respect that…the whole fighting for your county thing, I mean. If it wasn’t for guys like him, where would this country be, right? Brandon said.

      Jace nodded. He totally agreed. That’s how I see it, and I tell myself that practically every day since his death. He had, too. It was the only way he managed to get through the grief that had overwhelmed him in the first few months. It hurt like nothing else ever had, and his mom still wasn’t past it. She had days where she simply didn’t function. Anyway, it’s time to get back. Class is about to start. Jace listened to the school’s bell ringing in the near distance. And there it is.

      ****

      He was an absolute asshole. How could he complain about his life when this guy, Jace had lost his dad like that, blown up in that terrible war? Brandon could have smacked himself for being so stupid and thoughtless.

      Now, Mr. Garcia, his history teacher, said, I’d like for you to read section two and complete the set of questions at the end. A loud moan escaped from the class. Quiet down, everyone. It’s only ten questions, Mr. Garcia continued. If you need any help, raise your hand.

      Brandon flicked through the pages of the history book and started to read. Fuck, it was enough to put him to sleep. Thank God it was his senior year and he only had a couple of months to go before graduation. He’d leave this shit town and head back to the city where he belonged.

      Brandon looked to his right. Jace sat two rows over from him. He wondered what it must have been like for Jace to lose his dad like that. Every week more and more soldiers were falling in the line of duty. It scared the crap out

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