JERK, CALIFORNIA - Coming 09.04.2008 from Puffin
Listen to an Audio Clip read by Jonathan
Listen to Jerk, California Music
Sam Carrier is one confused kid. The high-school senior has Tourette's Syndrome messing with his body, Naomi Archer messing with his heart, and a dead dad messing with his mind. Sam takes off on a road-trip to California looking for some peace. Each stop brings Sam and Naomi (yep, she comes along) closer to a truth Sam doesn't want to face, but can't run from anymore. It's the adventure of a lifetime, and his last chance to find out whose he really is.
Please. Be. Still.
"What are you grinning about?" Naomi asks.
Words come easy now. "You. Me. Here."
"Yeah." She nods, and shifts in her seat. "Here."
She looks at me for three hours straight. There's no hiding in this truck, and as we roll into Iowa, she pops the question.
"Tell me about the moving."
"See that sign? We're in Iowa. Ever been here before?"
I glance at her beautiful browns. She waits.
I sigh. "The jerking—it's called Tourette's."
"Why do you do it?"
"Why do you breathe?"
Naomi turns and faces the front. "You can't, like, stop it at all?"
"For a little while. Minutes. When I really think about it."
She makes a gentle thinking noise, but her face shows nothing. I don't want sympathy, but I want something. A nod. A smile. All I get is a perfect face that doesn't move a muscle. I'm an idiot for sharing. Why should a perfect person understand? Outside of the twitchy club, few do. And I hate talking to anyone who has it—hate the me I see in them.
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