Here is a sample of my novel, Out of Orbit.
“I
don’t…get compliments a lot. Thank you…L-Leslie.”
“No. Okay, we need to straighten
that out.”
I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.
"Don’t call me Leslie.” She made a
face, like she had bit a lemon. “It’s an awful name. I don’t know what my
parents were thinking.”
“W-what’s wrong with it?”
“What would you call me for short?”
“I…don’t k-know. Les, I guess.”
“Les.” Her bottom lip stuck out.
“Like the word ‘less’, the opposite of more. That’s not at all flattering, is
it?”
I wanted to tell her I didn’t have
to call her Les, but I wasn’t given the opportunity. Leslie twirled around so
she was walking backwards, facing me, and extended her hand. “I’m Pluto.”
“Pluto,” I repeated slowly,
uncertainly. Was she joking? People didn’t just pick whatever name they wanted,
did they?
“Yes, Pluto. The planet.” She waved
her hand slightly in the air, stretching it out even more, and I hoped she
didn’t hate how sticky my hand would be from nervous sweat. I reached for her,
fingers slipping along her palm. She was warm and soft. I withdrew within
seconds.
“Um… H-how did you…? Why…?”
“Pardon?” she said politely.
“Why d-did you choose that name?”
“Oh!” Leslie smiled. “I was reading
about the planets, and it just seemed to fit me—small and dark and it’s the
reject planet. It got voted out of the special planet circle.”
