Novels by Taylor Centner

My life hasn’t been the same since returning from Anchorage. I can’t sleep unless I take the edge off. I feel guarded. Brian and Martin stay good on their promise to protect me and keep the blood off my hands. My Conscience eats at me but I’ve learned I can make that little voice shut up with a few opiates. I take a pill to focus, keep my head busy. I take a pill to sleep, to drown the demons. There’s a party in full swing and I’m treated like a king. “Hey Surge.” A girl named Lexi swings her hips in my direction making me bite my lip. I pull her into my lap, as her lips lock with mine I notice Lisa in the arms of yet another guy. Only this time to make matters worse she has Ezekiel strapped to her chest. Blunts and smoke pass all around her. I push Lexi off my lap and make my way over to Lisa. “Are you fucking kidding me Lisa.” I jerk her away from the guy she was kissing. “Bringing him to a party. Are you really that fucking irresponsible?” Tears swell up in the corners of her eyes.

February “I don’t wanna Be your favoriteI wanna beYour only.”-Reyna Biddy“Drugs may kill you,But they’ll neverBreak your heart.”“Happy one month anniversary baby.” Mike kisses me softly on the forehead while wrapping his arm around my shoulder. We walk out of the movie theater and run into Surge and another girl. Surge smiles when our eyes lock, “Hey Kat.” Surge jogs over and pulls me into a hug, “How have you been?” Mike tightens his grip around my shoulders, “We’re good.” Mike cuts me off and starts to pull me away. “See you around Kat.” Mike doesn’t say a word the entire car trip back to his and Tim’s two bedroom apartment. He leaves me in the car and stomps off inside.There's a party already in full swing by the time I walk in. Mike is sitting on the couch with a bottle of Jack Daniels in his hand. His eyes shoot daggers at me as I walk into the kitchen. Somewhere around 12 shots and 15 minutes later my head is buzzing, my body feels numb and I feel fine. Mike on the oth

I pull away from the school after making a few bucks. A cop pulls up behind me, “Shit.” i pull over and the cop follows suit. I shuffle to have my license, registration and insurance ready. I roll down the window as the cop approaches. I hold out my paper information and he just smirks and walks back to his car. He walks back slowly with his hand on his gun, “Can you please step out of the vehicle and place your hands behind your head. Do you have any concealed firearms?” I nod my head, “Yes, it’s on my hip.” i interlock my fingers behind my head. The cop pins me to the hood of my SUV and pats me down. He puts my gun on the hood. “Is that registered to you?” he digs through my pockets and pulls out a wad of cash. “Thats a lot of cash to be carrying, you selling drugs boy.” “No sir, rent is due.” he places the money next to my gun. Next he pulls out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. He sighs and sets that next to everything. “You can go. You have a back tail light out.” i grab my st

Inside my room I sit on my bed propped against the wall when Rachel walks in, “there's a party tonight at Buddy's cabin are you in?” A party at Buddy's means extra time with Surge, “sure, uh what kind of party.” She smiles and laughs, “a fun one. Be sure to dress cute and we'll pregame before our ride gets here.” I get up slowly and start to dig through my bag. My cousin starts blaring music from her room that the walls between us barely muffle it. I find a short skin tight black dress, this will have to do. I slip into my dress and start to pull my hair into a bun when my cousin comes back in wearing a similar dress with a jean jacket and beat up black chucks, “well don't you look hot, let me do your makeup. Right as she finishes my left eye my uncle yells up the stairs, “Rach your friends are here.” She flashes a devilish grin, “ok send them up.” Footsteps beat against the step from at least three people. Her bedroom door opens and then closes again and the music gets turned back on

Rachel's eyes burn into me as she stares down at me from her bedroom window. The sound of the passenger side door opening draws my attention from the window. I clear my throat and smile, pushing away any memory of Rachel. “Good Morning.” She smiles lightly, sadness lurks in her eyes. “The best way to start the day is with coffee.” I put the SUV in drive and we head to one of the best coffee stands in town, “Ok, so you live on what we call the loop. It’ll take you from one side of town to the other.” She sits quietly with her hands folded nicely in her lap. As I approach the stoplight it turns red, “So this is WestSide, hippie/college students/rich people.” I pull into the coffee hut and push my sleeves up. “What kind of coffee do you like?” this cracks a smile onto her face, “White Chocolate Mocha with marshmallows.” I flash a flirty smile at the barista, “I need an americano, a white mocha with marshmallows, and two bagels,” the barista bats her eyes, “sure thing.” I look at K

When the washer is finally done. I shove all my clothes into a cart with wheels and head off in search of a dryer. After finding two dryers and getting all my clothes in them a voice appears behind me, “Make sure you temp test those.” I turn facing the boy from earlier with the same grin plastered on his face while checking his dryer. “who are you? The dryer police?” This makes him laugh out loud. “Just trying to help a friend.” I fold my arms across my chest, “We're not friends, I don't even know you.” He smiled and takes a step closer extending his hand, “People around here call me Surge.” “Surge?” I raise my eyebrow and place my hand in his. His hand is rough, calloused from hard work. My heart skips a beat, “I'm Katherine.” He smiles, “Katherine. Now we're friends. You're not from around here huh?” I shake my head and jerk my hand from his once I realized he was still holding it. “Where you from Kat?” He leans across the table getting closer to me. “Katherine, I am from Ca