Stacey Wallace Benefiel - Glimpse

Praise for Glimpse (Zellie Wells Book One)

Zellie and Avery were wonderfully drawn characters, and I couldnt help but feel their yearning. The paranormal aspect (which I loved) was a bit different than what Id encountered before. Im not going to give it away, but it wasnt what Id expected it to be, and thats always fun. Amanda Hocking, author of the My Blood Approves series and the Trylle trilogy.

When I started to read this book I wasnt sure what to expect. What started out as an unassuming, though enjoyable, YA romance with a light clairvoyant theme suddenly took me by surprise (and kept doing so throughout the book) and ended up being quite an engaging read. Michelle, http://indieparanormalbookreviews.blogspot.com

I found this YA novel to be very engrossing and I enjoyed getting to know Zellie on such a personal level. My heart went out to her because not only was it hard enough trying to be a normal teenager whos now in love for the first time, but also she has to learn what these visions are all about and how to deal with them. This would all be overwhelming for any sixteen-year-old and I felt that Ms. Wallace-Benefiel did a remarkable job steering Zellie through the many obstacles that were presented to her. Diana, http://NightOwlReviews.com

Glimpse

By Stacey Wallace Benefiel

Published by Stacey Wallace Benefiel

Copyright 2010 Stacey Wallace Benefiel

All rights reserved.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Chapter One

I stared at the back of Avery Adams head, imagining what it would feel like to press my face into his wavy brown hair. I longed to experience the exhilaration of running my fingertips over his broad shoulders and down his chest, of standing that close to him, feeling the heat coming off of his golden skin.

He was two people ahead of me in the line to take communion. I tried to focus on the smell of his shampoo. Unfortunately, the two people between us were my mom, and his dad. With them blocking the way, all I could smell was tea rose perfume and extra strength drain cleaner. Not a pleasant combination.

The line moved forward. The woman behind me, Mrs. Hobby, stepped on the back of my heel, scraping it with the pointy toe of her white patent leather flat.

Ouch! I said, way too loudly. The congregants of my white bread Lutheran church were not prone to exclamation of any kind. I flushed my usual shade of flame as everyone looked at me, including Avery. Mortified, I wheeled around, facing Mrs. Hobby, accidentally knocking off her massive white Easter hat. I caught it mid-air and jammed it back on her head. Sorry! I was spacing out, I whispered, like the whole church couldnt hear what I was saying.

Zellie! Mom hissed at me from the front of the church.

Uh, here we go, our turn at bat. I ran up to the altar and knelt down, bowing my head, touching my chin to my chest.

Someone in the back of the church snorted a laugh. It sounded like Claire. A giggle shimmied up my throat. Claire was my best friend and a frequent witness to my extreme dorkiness. She could also make me get the giggles at the most inappropriate moments.

I raised my head and took the communion wafer that my dad, Pastor Paul, offered, clamping my mouth shut before the giggles could escape and embarrass me even further. I glanced down the altar, wishing that the elder would hurry up with my tiny plastic cup of wine. I always seemed to get the communion wafer stuck to the roof of my mouth and then had to engage in some major tonguing in order to get it loose.

Avery leaned forward, taking his wafer from my dad. He swallowed it in one smooth gulp and then gave me a confused grin.

Oh, God, he must think Im looking at him! I immediately stopped trying to pry the wafer loose with my tongue and put my chin to my chest again. What could I have looked like? I tried to float above myself, picture my face. What I conjured was not a flattering image. I had one eye closed, nostrils flaring, my tongue flicking back and forth. What the hell was my problem? I looked like a cat coughing up a fur ball. Ugh.

When everyone was served communion, I got up, avoiding my dads bemused look and went back to the second pew where me, my mom and my sister Melody always sit.

Melody shook her head and flicked me on the back of my arm as I stepped past her and sat down in the pew. Way to make a butt of yourself, Zel, she whispered into my ear.

Whatever, hose beast. I flicked her on the knee and scooted away from her, closer to Mom.

She rolled her eyes at me. Like I even know what that means.

Dad stepped up to the pulpit and shuffled his notes around in his hands. He was old school, writing his sermons in longhand on yellow legal pad paper. Assistant Pastor Morris wrote his on a computer and then downloaded it onto his BlackBerry, like someone from this century.

The sermon was my favorite part of the church service, not because my dad was such a charismatic speaker or anything, but because I could get in some good Avery daydreaming time. And, since he didnt know I was alive, daydream time was the only quality time I got to spend with him.

I leaned forward and put my forehead against the pew in front of me, rubbing my temples as though I had a headache. Turning my head the smallest increment to the side, I looked past my mom across the aisle to where Avery sat.

He was so beautiful it kinda hurt my heart to look at him. Ah well, I was in church after all, let the self flagellation commence!

I began at his feet. Polished black dress shoes, black socks slouching at the ankles, a glimpse of beautiful calf, his khaki pants hiked up just a little.

Moving up, I lingered on his hand resting atop his knee, his long, thin fingers spread out. I took a deep breath and envisioned reaching out my hand and intertwining my fingers with his. Running my thumb across the top of his hand from wrist to knuckle, brushing my fingertips up his forearm.

In my imagination I was sitting next to him, pressing the side of my thigh against his, then elbow to elbow, shoulder to shoulder. My lips grazed the bend of his neck, the line of his jaw, the corner of his mouth, across his lips. Then we were forehead to forehead, my hands in his hair, I inhaled him in

Ow! I sat up straight, smarting from the sharp elbow to the ribs Melody had given me.

Its time to sing! She yanked me up and thrust an open hymnal into my hands.

On pastors daughter autopilot, I sang, Christ our Lord is risen today, haaaaaa-le-loo-oo-yah!

Hazel Grace Wells, you are going to burn a hole in the back of Averys head as hard as you were staring at him. Mom turned from the drivers seat of our navy blue minivan, which was only six months younger than me. Dont think I couldnt feel you looking, and in church of all places! How would you feel if your father had noticed you concentrating more on Avery than on God? He would not have appreciated it, young

Mom, youre about to drive into Mrs. Woodburys mailbox.

She whipped her head back around, swerving away from the Woodburys fiberglass mailbox.

Dang it! She pulled the minivan off of the gravel shoulder and back onto the black top.

Gee, Mom, I said, a smirk spreading across my mouth, what would Dad think of you concentrating on me concentrating on Avery while youre driving? I dont think he would appreciate it very much.

Zip it, Zellie.

I caught Moms eyes in the rearview mirror and locked on a reflection so much like my own it was freaky. We have the same long auburn hair and green eyes, the same hot pink flush across our cheeks.