PITCHSLAM 6. Young Adult Contemporary: A COMPLEX SOLUTION

Title: A Complex Solution

Genre: YA Contemporary

Word Count: 82,000

If my main character could be any character she would choose Han Solo. Here’s why: Han is a carefree spirit who lives life to the fullest.  He has a great sense of adventure and doesn’t worry about others’ opinions of him. My main character worries about everything, especially what others think of her and it’s ruining her life. A little Han Solo would be good for her.

35-word pitch: Lonely sixteen-year-old who cuts herself learns her deceased parents secretly solved a famous math theorem. She must get her addiction under control if she’s to find the research and preserve her parents’ legacy.

First 250 Words:

The last sounds died away as the doors thudded shut. I glanced down the empty, unfamiliar school hallway, my pulse racing. My head spun as I shuffled along the tiled floor, my legs wobbling with each step. I needed to do this. Quickly. I slipped a hand inside my jeans pocket and pushed open the girls’ bathroom door with the other. My heart stopped. 

Two girls leaned over the sinks. “Shouldn’t you be in class?” asked one of the girls, touching up her mascara. She turned and looked me up and down. “You must be new here,” she said, before screwing up her face. “Geesh, how tall are you, like, six feet?”

I froze, clutching the penknife in my pocket, and glanced away. Just leave me alone.

“C’mon, Jess, let’s go,” said the girl’s friend, smacking her freshly glossed lips together.

“Right.”

They whirled around and headed out the door, their laughter echoing down the hallway.

I tucked into the last stall and shut the door, tears stinging the back of my throat. Just one cut. Enough to silence the feelings of loneliness and despair that had me in a panic. It was worse here than home, all the stares and whispers. I couldn’t even make it to first period.

Pushing my sleeve up, I drew the knife out and looked for a fresh square of skin. I pushed the blade in and dragged it through. My heart raced as the blood bubbled out, streaming down my arm.