Teaser Tuesday: Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

$11.46 (Amazon.com)

“You flick that band on your wrist a lot,” he says. “Some guy give it to you?”

“Yep. Some guy.” I flick it. “It’s my dad’s lucky band. Lucky things happen to anyone wearing this band.”

“So how’s his luck since he gave it to you?”

I think of him sitting on the deck chair outside the shed. “His luck’s okay. You know, you can leave. If you want.”

“That’s twice you’ve told me that,” he says. “What if I don’t want to go?”

The heat rising from the takeaway place nearby makes the air look like satin, like I could touch it if I wanted, and I concentrate on that instead of looking at Ed.

“Where do you think Shadow is is right now?” I ask, because I can’t make my mouth say that it’s okay if Ed doesn’t want to leave.

“Waiting for you to come and do it with him,” Ed says, and I don’t have to look to know that he’s smiling again.

“It’s not like I’m searching for the tooth fairy or something.” I get on the bike.

“Shadow exists. And I don’t know that he’ll like me, but I just want to meet one guy, one guy, who thinks art is cool. Am I asking too much to meet someone who can talk and who paints and who has a brain?”

He gives me his standard eyebrow action.

“What?”

“He’ll only be all those things until you meet him. Then he’ll be like every other guy. And your for information, a lot of guys have brains.”

—

A few scenes later:

I walk over to Lucy. She’s spun a coin in the air,  so I catch it and put it on the back of my hand. “What are you doing?”

“Asking the universe questions.”

“The universe just dumped you over the side of a steep hill. You really want to ask it questions?”

She doesn’t laugh. I follow my instinct and cover my [spoiler omitted].

“I can’t ask you,” she says. “You’re a liar.”

“Okay, elbows in and stay calm.”

“It’s not funny, mister.”

“What do you care if I’m not going out with Beth? You’re on an all-night adventure to find Shadow so you can do it with him.”

“Lie down,” she says. “I want to get my bike and finish the job.”

Let me know what you think! I hope you enjoyed these two teasers! If you missed it check out my preview of my review of this book!