Spotlight: The Lives We Lead, Plus Giveaway

Chapter 1

Welcome To King’s Stand

Perfection does not exist. This is a fact that has been proven time and time again. Even in the most perfect of places, imperfections hide. Look, for instance, at King’s Stand.

King’s Stand, or K.S., as it was more commonly known, was the country’s most exclusive private school. Nestled deep in the forest, far away from the nearest town and accessible only by a hidden road, this was not just any school. What exactly made this place so special? Maybe it was the facilities, maybe it was the academics, or maybe it was the athletics. Nobody knew for sure. There was just something about it that people were drawn to. The right kind of people, the headmistress, Ms. Hillcrest, hoped. She wanted to preserve K.S.’s stunning reputation at any cost.

Ms. Hillcrest was very committed to her job, which is exactly the reason she had fought against the three strikes rule, but she had been overruled. Ms. Hillcrest wanted the ability to expel students at the first sign of trouble, to protect the school’s excellent reputation. The rest of the faculty voted instead to allow students three chances, a policy Ms. Hillcrest grudgingly agreed to. Ms. Hillcrest was an amazing educator and headmistress; although the faculty respected her highly, they all agreed that the one strike rule was too strict.

“Larissa, I don’t care what you have to do to fix it, just make sure you do! I want everything to be perfect, and I will not have a dead patch of grass on our fields on the first day of the year!” Ms. Hillcrest screamed at her assistant.

“Yes, of course, Ms. Hillcrest,” her assistant Larissa answered quickly, her voice shaking.

Ms. Hillcrest felt bad for having to be so stern. This day was always an exception to her usually caring (but, when need be, strict) demeanor. She would be on edge all day, because it was the first day of the new school year.

She was expecting six hundred students to arrive this evening. She looked at the newly manicured lawn as the sun started to set. Under her patient watch, the students began to arrive. It was so beautiful. The sunlight slowly faded from the leaves of the surrounding trees, falling upon Sterling Pond and making the small, calm body of water look magical. It was magical, Ms. Hillcrest thought, something special I’ve never quite been able to articulate. There was a knock at her door. Who it was didn’t really matter to Ms. Hillcrest; what the knock signified was more important. It meant that it was time for her annual welcome speech. She looked out at the sunset one last time before heading out the door. Showtime!

■

As her parents searched for the hidden driveway to her new school, Madison bristled with excitement. She had been shocked to receive an acceptance letter to K.S. in the mail a few short months ago. Since then, her life had been a whirlwind as she prepared for the first day. Now here she was, one of two new students in the grade eleven class.

Madi had read the information package over and over. Every time she had looked at it, she had fallen in love again with the perfectly green grass, the beautiful creek, the basketball courts, and the library. What she’d loved most of all was the idea of actually attending this

magnificent school. Now that the moment she had been dreaming about for months had arrived, she was nervous, unsure she had made the right decision. Am I ready for it? She questioned herself silently. She looked down at the heart drawn on her hand, a reminder that she needed to be courageous and relaxed. She hoped that nobody would recognize her from the interviews she had done in support of her dad. He was known to many as the best college basketball coach to grace the scene, but, to Madi, he was just Daddy. It also didn’t help that her parents were looked upon as a power couple, with her mother being a bestselling novelist. She was used to people sucking up to her, in hopes that they might meet her parents and be invited to watch a game, or get their book signed. She’d applied to K.S. in hopes of leaving behind her old school and her fake friends.

Here at K.S., she hoped that no one would know who she was. This was her chance for a fresh start, Madi thought, a chance to just be herself away from the chaos of her parents’ legacy. As her parents came closer to dropping her off at the end of the long driveway, and she saw the school for the first time, she finally had her answer. She was as ready as she would ever be. Madi hugged her parents goodbye before walking slowly and gracefully towards the quad. When she reached it, she thought, dreams do actually come true. She stepped forward to meet her new classmates, hundreds of them milling about. One girl stood out among the crowd, on the edge of the quad. She looks gorgeous, Madi thought, as her eyes fixed on the tall, beautiful girl. She was not very skinny, but her shapely figure complimented her face. She had green eyes, arched eyebrows, long eyelashes, and a wonderfully wide smile. Her hair was very long, dark, and thick. Suddenly, the girl turned around and walked off, disappearing into the crowd. 

The Lives We Lead

By: Alexandra Egi

Release Date: November 3, 2015 

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Three winners will receive a copy of this book, plus a $10 gift card (US & Canada only).

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