Prom Night at Finley High
(2015)(The first book in the Finley High series)
A novel by Keith Thomas Walker
Serena is no stranger to hardship. With a father in prison and a mother who acts like she barely cares, she made it to her senior year at Finley High knowing she can only depend on herself. As prom season approaches, she expects to be left out in the cold, but an unexpected date offer changes everything. Jamar, founder of the school’s bible club, is Serena’s opposite in so many ways. She can’t believe he’s willing to take a chance on her. She knows he’ll run for the hills when he finds out she’s pregnant.
●●●●● Excerpt ●●●●●
She stepped out of the dressing room grinning from ear to ear. Aunt Mary’s face lit up as well.
“Oh, wow, Serena! That dress is gorgeous!”
“I know,” Serena said, and she did a little twirl. “I love it!”
Her aunt stepped closer to scrutinize the outfit more closely. She slipped a finger under the waistband and said, “This size might be too perfect. I don’t know how comfortable you’ll be, after you eat dinner that night. Your belly’s getting a little pudgy.”
Serena blushed, and her smile retreated for a moment. She felt like her aunt could feel the tiny, new life growing beneath the dress’ waistband.
“I’m just a little bloated,” she said. “You know how it is…”
“Oh, well I’m sure it’ll be fine, then,” Mary said.
Serena’s smile was back, but her face burned, and she felt perspiration accumulating on her forehead. She knew her aunt thought she was referring to her menstrual cycle. That lie would definitely come back to haunt her. When Serena finally told the truth, Aunt Mary would wonder how she got so far along in her pregnancy, if she was still menstruating when they shopped for her prom dress.
But the lie was out now, and there was no way to take it back. Serena sucked her stomach in a little until her aunt completed her inspection.
“Looks like this is the one,” Mary told the clerk. “How much is it?”
Serena was surprised to hear the question. She thought her aunt would’ve made sure they could afford it before she let her try it on.
“Three-fifty,” the clerk said right away.
Serena’s heart squeezed uncomfortably. She looked down at her feet in embarrassment.
But Aunt Mary said, “We’ll take it,” and her heart was light again.
●●●●●
© Keith Thomas Walker
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
●●●●● Excerpt ●●●●●
She stepped out of the dressing room grinning from ear to ear. Aunt Mary’s face lit up as well.
“Oh, wow, Serena! That dress is gorgeous!”
“I know,” Serena said, and she did a little twirl. “I love it!”
Her aunt stepped closer to scrutinize the outfit more closely. She slipped a finger under the waistband and said, “This size might be too perfect. I don’t know how comfortable you’ll be, after you eat dinner that night. Your belly’s getting a little pudgy.”
Serena blushed, and her smile retreated for a moment. She felt like her aunt could feel the tiny, new life growing beneath the dress’ waistband.
“I’m just a little bloated,” she said. “You know how it is…”
“Oh, well I’m sure it’ll be fine, then,” Mary said.
Serena’s smile was back, but her face burned, and she felt perspiration accumulating on her forehead. She knew her aunt thought she was referring to her menstrual cycle. That lie would definitely come back to haunt her. When Serena finally told the truth, Aunt Mary would wonder how she got so far along in her pregnancy, if she was still menstruating when they shopped for her prom dress.
But the lie was out now, and there was no way to take it back. Serena sucked her stomach in a little until her aunt completed her inspection.
“Looks like this is the one,” Mary told the clerk. “How much is it?”
Serena was surprised to hear the question. She thought her aunt would’ve made sure they could afford it before she let her try it on.
“Three-fifty,” the clerk said right away.
Serena’s heart squeezed uncomfortably. She looked down at her feet in embarrassment.
But Aunt Mary said, “We’ll take it,” and her heart was light again.
●●●●●
© Keith Thomas Walker
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Used availability for Keith Walker's Prom Night at Finley High