Chain Reaction (Prequel to Haunting Joy): Haunting Joy, #3

By Lena Goldfinch

When a "reveal your secret crush" chain letter goes awry, Joy gets caught in the middle--possibly with the help from her first haunting. A short, lighthearted contemporary romance for teens and young adults.

A SHORT STORY, Prequel to Haunting Joy.

Includes a sneak peek at Haunting Joy: Book 1.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Indigo Road Publishing
• Release date: Oct 29, 2016
• ISBN: 9781540158253

Lena Goldfinch

LENA GOLDFINCH writes heartwarming romance and romantic fantasy for adults and teens. She's a sucker for a good old-fashioned romance, whether it's a novel, novella, or short story, young adult or adult, fantasy or realistic, contemporary or historical. Elements of romance, fantasy, and mystery have a way of creeping into her writing, whether she's writing historicals or something light and contemporary. Her works include: * THE UNEXPECTED BRIDE (Sweet Historical Romance) -- Coming October 6, 2014, Now Available for Pre-Order! * THE LANGUAGE OF SOULS * AIRE * SONGSTONE * HAUNTING JOY * TAKE A PICTURE: A Novella * CHAIN REACTION: A Short Story (Prequel to HAUNTING JOY) Future works: HAUNTING MELODY (HAUNTING JOY : Part 2) "Danger, magic, romance, and royal intrigue, AIRE is a must read!" --NYT Bestselling Author JESSICA ANDERSEN "Looking for something fresh and new to read? Try Lena Goldfinch's AIRE." --SERENA CHASE, USA Today HEA "SONGSTONE sings with characters who come to life, a story full of magic, heart and adventure, and a world that lets you smell the sea air and feel the tropical sun on your back." --LISA GAIL GREEN, author of The Binding Stone "SONGSTONE...an original fantasy world inhabited by superstitious tribal nations and intriguingly developed characters." --SERENA CHASE, USA Today HEA "THE LANGUAGE OF SOULS...the perfect tiny romantic escape." --Tales of Whimsy Twitter: @lena_goldfinch FB: https://www.facebook.com/lenagoldfinch Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/lenagoldfinch Website: http://www.LenaGoldfinch.com

Book preview

Chain Reaction

Also by Lena Goldfinch

Haunting Joy

Haunting Joy: Book 1

Haunting Joy: Book 2

Chain Reaction (Prequel to Haunting Joy)

Haunting Joy: The Complete Series (Books 1 & 2 and Chain Reaction)

The Brides

The Unexpected Bride

Sleigh Bells & Mistletoe: A Short Story

The Bartered Bride

Only The Heart Knows

Standalone

The Find: A Short Story

Songstone

Sweet Briar Rose

Christmas Cake Kisses: Victorian Holiday Romance (A Short Story)

Aire

The Language of Souls

Chain Reaction

Prequel to Haunting Joy

Lena Goldfinch

Indigo Road Teen

Contents

Chain Reaction

Haunting Joy (Excerpt)

Also By Lena Goldfinch

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Chain Reaction

A Short Story

I was just getting the hang of high school,

when a chain letter revealing my secret crush

fell into the wrong hands.

Before the haunting, I guess there were a few things the old me should have picked up on that weren’t quite right.

I remember this one day way back in ninth grade, rushing to class, trying to beat the bell. It was February, and by then I could get to all my classes without getting lost. I knew all the halls and the side halls, and the stairs, and which water fountains had the coldest water—all that stuff. It was a big school too, with two floors, laid out in a big square donut. I knew when I had time to swing by my locker, and to be honest, I was finally starting to feel like I wasn’t about to die any second. That day, as I flew past the open double doors leading to the caf, I knew immediately we were having pizza for lunch, because it had that Italian, oregano-y smell in the air. Their pizza was pretty good too, so I was looking forward to lunch.

I was steps from the door to my Freshman Chemistry class when Sarah Lenard bumped me hard and shoved a folded paper into my hand.

"Joy," she hissed in my ear. I don’t know why she bothered to whisper my name. It wasn’t like she didn’t have my full attention after that body slam.

"Hey! What are you doing?" I rubbed my side.

Before lunch, she warned.

Before lunch, what? I asked, spooked by her super-secret whispery voice.

Maybe she didn’t hear, because she slipped into the mob of students, ninja style.

I hustled into class, still rubbing my side, and took my seat.

After checking to make sure no one was watching me, I unfolded the note and read the heading:

Secret Sweetheart

Chain Letter

A chain letter.

Ugh. I loved and hated chain letters. I thought they were fun sometimes, but mostly they were just plain annoying. And sometimes—on rare occasions, and you never knew when—they were downright dangerous. The crazy stuff they made you confess. I mean, really. And you had to give copies to like ten of your friends, and then they had to give copies of theirs to ten of their friends. Or else. Or else something terrible would happen to you. And your future children. Or your dog. Or something.

Not that I believed in bad luck.

Much.

I shivered and continued reading:

Write down your name and the name of your Secret Sweetheart.

---

Draw a heart around his name

I clenched the page.

No way was I ever going to do that. I’d actually never told anyone, not even my best friend, and I wasn’t about to write it down. On paper. Where anyone could find it and read it.

Um, no. Nope.

I should have just crumpled the stupid letter right then, but I kept reading. I couldn’t help myself. Curiosity, I guess.

Fold the paper into a football and write:

(Insert name of most trusted friend)

IF YOU ARE MY TRUE FRIEND

DON’T OPEN THIS!

Um, yeah, right. Disaster waiting to happen.

I checked around for Emily, the only person in the world I’d call my most trusted friend, and saw her hurrying in, her new pink UGGs slip-sliding across the