Catch Somewhere

By Megan Hall

Kinsley Johnson seems to have everything going well in her world. She’s starting her junior year, her best friend is by her side, and the new boy happens to be really cute and is paying attention to her. So why isn’t Kinsley happy? With an English teacher who knows more than just literature, a youth leader who won’t give up on her, and a brush against a dangerous addiction, Kinsley has to decide if there is anything out there that can anchor her. If she could just find it, maybe her soul could catch somewhere and rest.

• Language: English
• Publisher: TouchPoint Press
• Release date: Apr 7, 2017
• ISBN: 9781946920010

Megan Hall

Megan Hall is a wife, mommy, teacher by trade, writer, speaker, and passionate follower of Jesus. She is the founder of Dauntless Grace Ministries and co-founder of Shine Movement. When she's not working on one of her million projects, you can probably find her hiding under her covers in with a good book.

Book preview

a novel

MEGAN HALL

CATCH SOMEWHERE by Megan Hall

Published by TouchPoint Press

Brookland, Arkansas

www.touchpointpress.com

Copyright © 2017 Megan Hall

All rights reserved.

Ebook Edition

This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and events are fictitious. Any similarities to actual events and persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental. Any trademarks, service marks, product names, or named features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners and are used only for reference. If any of these terms are used, no endorsement is implied. Except for review purposes, the reproduction of this book, in whole or part, electronically or mechanically, constitutes a copyright violation. Address permissions and review inquiries to [e-mail].

Editor: Melody Miller

https://www.facebook.com/meganhallauthor/

First Edition

To my daughters, Jorie and Kaelyn. May you always know Jesus as your best friend, the only One worthy to anchor your souls. I love you both more than you'll ever know.

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Epilogue

Acknowledgements

Chapter One

Kinsley! It’s time to go!

I sigh and my breath creates a little circle of fog on my bathroom mirror. I brush the hair off my shoulder one final time. As usual, this is as good as it’s going to get. So much for waking up on the first day of my junior year to discover that my plain brown hair had suddenly developed gorgeous auburn highlights and a burst of luscious volume. The only thing magical about my reflection is the fact that my face hasn’t broken the mirror yet.

There’s a chance I am being a little melodramatic.

I wouldn’t say that I’m ugly. I’m just... average. Everything about me is so totally, completely, normal.

Boring.

I open the door to the bathroom and see my little brother skipping towards me, his eyes lit up like he just found out that he could be an extra in the next superhero movie. Kinsley! Kinsley! Kinsley! he yells as he grabs my arm

What? What? What? I mimic back, laughing at the way his eyes almost disappear when he’s excited.

I’m in second grade now, Kins! Do you know what that means? Without taking a breath, Cooper charges ahead, answering his own question. It means I get to show the new first graders around! And I can read the signs to them because they don’t even know how to read yet!

I squeeze his shoulders and give him a peck on his little boy cheek. I’m glad one of us is ready for today, Coop. I’m sure you’ll be the best second grade tour guide around.

We walk downstairs to the kitchen, where Mom is putting our lunches together. Mom! Cooper yells. Did you remember not to cut my sandwich this year? Second graders don’t need their sandwiches cut in triangles. We eat the crusts, now.

Mom tousles Cooper’s hair and laughs softly. I remembered, kiddo. It’s all set. She looks at me and winks. I cut yours though, Kinsley. I thought maybe you’d appreciate the extra help.

Gee. Thanks, Mom, I snicker as I grab the brown paper bag out of her arms. Those peanut butter and jelly triangles might end up being the best part of my day.

Oh, stop, Mom replies. It’s the first day. Think of the possibilities! New classes, new teachers, new friends...

New drama, new troubles, new homework assignments... I finish for her.

Mom rolls her eyes, but the corners of her mouth turn upward as she looks at me. Welcome to life, sweetheart, she says. Then she pulls me in for a quick hug.

Yeah, okay, I murmur and grab Cooper’s hand, letting him pull me to his bus stop. The bus pulls up with a shudder and groan, sounding like an old man who smoked too many cigarettes in his youth. I hug Cooper one last time and playfully swat at his butt as he climbs onto the bus, which will drop him off at Parkway Elementary.

I love you, Kins! Cooper yells out the bus window. I’ll say a prayer to Jesus for you! That kid. For some reason, he really looks up to me. I smile as I turn away, trudging down the sidewalk towards my own building, Parkway High, which is only a few blocks from our house.

***

I twist the combination lock on my locker, trying to get the numbers right. Combination locks hate me, as a general rule. I can never remember if I’m supposed to turn it to the right first or when I am supposed to go past zero. I made it through the first two years by jamming an ink pen cap into my lock and praying no one stole my jacket each day.

Kinsley Grace! a cheerful voice shouts near my ear. I startle, spinning around. My best friend, Alayna Thomas, is standing behind me. She grins as she adjusts the strap on a new messenger bag.

Good gosh, Alayna. Did you have to yell? You act like you’re excited about something. I turn back, trying to figure out where I had left off on my combination.

Kins, she responds. I can’t imagine you’re not already aware of this, but I need to let you in on a secret. She leans forward, her eyebrows raising with the importance of what she was about to say. It’s our... first day... of... junior year.

Oh, really? Glad you let me know. I would have been wandering down these halls all day, trying to figure out why I was roaming around here instead of swimming in your pool. I let out a little yelp of relief as my locker finally pops open.

I know you think you’re being witty, but I am not amused, Alayna says. And if you can’t muster up some excitement, or even the slightest bit of anticipation, I will be looking for a new best friend, like, yesterday.

Fine, fine. Oh, yay. We are in eleventh grade now. I smirk at Alayna’s flat expression as I shove my backpack in my locker. Oh, lighten up, Layn. I’m here. We’re here. Junior year. I’m sure it will be just like every other year. Classes. Lunch. More classes. Home. I honestly don’t know what you’re so excited about.

Alayna flips her long blonde braid over her shoulder and looks at me solemnly. I have a good feeling about this year. You’ll see. When I was praying last night, I felt like God told me that He was going to show you something pretty cool this year.

I love Alayna, dearly, but sometimes I think she takes the whole religion thing a little too seriously. Don’t get me wrong, I say my prayers, too. Usually, I feel like the words leave my mouth and get stuck on my ceiling along with all the glow-in-the-dark stars I glued up there when I was nine. I’ve never heard God answer back, and I’ve certainly never gotten a feeling from Him about anything. I wasn’t even sure if God still answered back these days. It’s not like I’m Moses or Peter or someone important.

I hug Alayna anyway, and say, Thanks. I’ll try to have a better attitude this year. I know she means well, and she has been there for me every time I needed her. I owe it to her to not make her year as miserable as I’m sure it will be for me.

What class do you have first hour? Alayna asks as we pull back apart. I have biology. I’m praying I get a partner who doesn’t have a queasy stomach. I don’t want to face all those dissections alone. She makes a face.

I unfold my schedule from my pocket and sigh. Looks like we’ll be starting our days without each other. I have English III, American Lit, with Mrs. Kampwerth.

Alayna’s face falls, but then she quickly brightens as she says, Well, that gives both of us the chance to make new friends!

Thanks, Captain Optimism. I gently punch at her shoulder.

She fakes feeling hurt, but then laughs as we finish poring over our schedules together. We can totally catch up at lunch, Kins! And it looks like we have Life Skills together last hour. Not all is lost!

Life Skills? Where we have to pretend to get married and raise a baby that cries and stuff? Please, God, no. That sounds like the worst class ever.

Alayna giggles and says, It’s the 21st century, Kinsley. I don’t think Life Skills is the same as it used to be. I’ve actually heard it’s pretty cool. At least, Jenni really liked it.

Jenni is Alayna’s older sister. She’s a sophomore at the University of Illinois now, and Alayna talks about her like she is the one who walked on water. As far as big sisters go, Jenni’s all right. Not that I’ve ever had a big sister to compare her to. But she always gave us rides and taught us how to apply makeup. Plus, Jenni was the first one to tell us the important things about middle school, like how to slow dance with a boy confidently and what it felt like to start your period. So yeah, Jenni’s cool. But she’s not mine, you know?

Well, if Jenni liked it... I smile as I back away from Alayna. Save me a seat at lunch. I’ll be the one wearing a bored expression!

***

I check the classroom number against my schedule, then walk in. It’s a few minutes before the bell, so people are milling around and chatting. I slide into a desk near the back and pull out my binder. As much as I would rather be at home or with Alayna, I don’t really mind the learning part of school. I’ll never be valedictorian or anything, but I’ve had a solid seat on the honor roll through freshman and sophomore year. I don’t expect this year to be any different. Besides, if I had to pick the least terrible class, it would probably be English. There are definitely worse ways to start the day.

As I hang my backpack around the seat of my chair, my pen falls out onto the floor. I reach for it and notice a tanned hand grab it before I do.

Here you go. A voice, deep but hushed, reaches my ears. I look to my right. A boy I’ve never seen before is holding my pen. A boy whose eyes are so brown, they look like melted chocolate with little gold flecks.

Uh, thanks. I tear my eyes away from his and take the pen from his outstretched hand. Who is this guy? He definitely wasn’t here last year.

I keep my eyes down at my binder until the bell rings and Mrs. Kampwerth begins to take attendance. Only then do I sneak a sideways glance at the guy who rescued my pen. I wouldn’t call him cute, exactly. It’s more like he’s...perfect. His hair is a dirty blonde, shaggy in all the right spots, so that it looks appropriately messy without trying too hard. It seems like he might be an athlete based on his toned calves peeking out from underneath his cargo shorts.

He almost looks like any other high school boy, except for those eyes. My hand shakes as I remember looking into them. For that brief moment, it felt like he could see everything that I was thinking. I shudder as I realize that I am having one of those teenage girly moments that you see in movies. Get a grip, Kins. It’s not like this is love at first sight. You’re just looking for anything to be interesting today.

Why do we write? Mrs. Kampwerth’s voice breaks into my thoughts, pulling me from my self-lecture.

Because you’ll make us, says Josh Craft, a soccer player.

Mrs. Kampwerth smiles briefly before gently rolling her eyes. That might be why YOU will write, Mr. Craft. But I’m asking a bigger question. Why do we, people, humans, why do we write?

To breathe, I think, but I avoid making eye contact with Mrs. Kampwerth. There’s no way I would ever say that out loud. Not even Alayna is aware of how many journals I have and how many notebooks of sloppily scrawled poetry are hidden under my bed.

We write to keep a record of events. It’s for posterity, mostly, answers Tara Allen.

That’s an interesting claim, Ms. Allen, says Mrs. Kampwerth. Are you saying that every word we write is meant for someone else, perhaps someone in the future?

Tara nods a little uncertainly, then stops. Well, maybe not every word. I think some of it is for others today, and maybe ourselves.

It’s the outpouring of our soul, whispers my pen rescuer, so softly that I’m not sure I even heard him right.

Mr. Miller, right?

Pen Rescuer shifts uncomfortably but nods.

I’m sorry, says Mrs. Kampwerth, but I didn’t hear you very well. Could you say that again?

I said... I said that writing is the outpouring of our soul. It’s what we do when everything needs to spill out.

That’s a unique way to phrase it, Mr. Miller, says Mrs. Kampwerth. I’m too busy sneaking glances at Pen Rescuer to hear what else she says. My heart is beating heavy; I can’t believe I just heard a high school boy admit to feeling that way about writing. His gaze meets mine, and it feels for a moment like he knows how it

Reviews for Catch Somewhere

[needmoreshelves · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Catch Somewhere is an example of the best that contemporary YA fiction can aspire to. I've noticed that much of the contemporary YA fiction available currently relies on flashy settings, love triangles, and superficial resolutions to provide its readers with a quick, feel-good emotional fix. While there is nothing inherently wrong with that, it was a pleasant surprise to find this novel, which offers its readers a substantive and emotionally complex story, true and honest struggles, and a resolution that satisfies on a heart-deep level.Kinsley is an immediately relatable heroine - I found myself recognizing much of my own teen self in her struggle. I rooted for her, I cried with her, I cheered for her - you could say I got invested. I appreciate that Catch Somewhere does tackle a difficult and painful topic (adolescent cutting), but without romanticizing the subject or trying to make it seem "hip" or "cool". Kinsley's cutting is always treated as a serious issue, both by the adults in her life and by Kinsley herself. This is not a novel to worry about giving to the young adult in your life - this is great novel to read along with your young person, and have open and honest discussions about many of the topics it touches.I'm thrilled to be able to offer this book to my own kids in a few years. Catch Somewhere is well-written, compelling, and emotionally satisfying. Highest of recommendations - I hope to read more by this talented author!(I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher, Touchstone Press, in exchange for my honest opinion - but I've already pre-ordered my own copy!)