Nest Pitch DM 6: CHEMICALS COLLIDE

Category/Genre: YA/Contemporary

Word Count: 75,000

Pitch: Sixteen-year-old Sara keeps her home and life immaculate for her spiraling OCD mother, without asking for help. But between failing grades and her gritty Speedway boyfriend, the facade will fall apart if her control slips.

Egg: Sara would be a plain dairy milk Easter Egg because she appreciates the simple things in life.

Excerpt:

Getting ready was exhausting. 

An acidic stench filled the air and I struggled not to gag as I scoured the bottom of the shower. My wet hair dangled in the suds as I leaned forward as far as possible without actually entering the stall. The bathroom was already immaculate but if I left without removing the watermarks, my mother would panic and spend the rest of the afternoon doing a job I could do in five minutes.

My phone buzzed to life on the counter and I reached out to grab it. “Hello?”

“You’re late, Sara.”

I closed my eyes and cursed under my breath. “The ice-cream store… I’m sorry Tahina, I completely forgot.”

“I can see that. So lay it on me, what’s your excuse?”  

“Um…” I glanced around the bathroom. How could I even begin to explain that I was wrapped in a towel, up to my elbows in suds, and not even close to being ready?

“Actually,” Tahina interrupted. “I don’t even want to know. You can make it up to me by coming to the Speedway tonight.”

My mouth dropped. “What? No. Tahina, I hate the Speedway.”

“You’ve never even been,” she reminded me.

“I know, but…” All that dirt, all that dust, my mother would have a fit.

“But nothing,” Tahina interrupted. “I’ll pick you up in fifteen minutes, and you better be ready; you’ve blown me off twice this week.”

“But–”

I didn’t get the chance to complain because a dial tone was already beeping in my ear. I rubbed my nose with the crook of my arm; I’d deal with the fallout of attending the Speedway later, right now I needed to get out of this bathroom before the smell of disinfectant killed me. I washed down the shower with cold water and dried the entire area with a towel before checking the tiles for stray auburn hairs.