A Dream Within A Dream: Five Feet Apart Blog Tour: Excerpt

Five Feet Apart
Author: Rachael Lippincott
Genre: YA Contemporary
Release Date: November 20, 2018
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Description:

Soon to be a major motion picture starring Cole Sprouse and Haley Lu Richardson in March 2019!

In this moving story that’s perfect for fans of John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, two teens fall in love with just one minor complication—they can’t get within a few feet of each other without risking their lives.

Can you love someone you can never touch?

Stella Grant likes to be in control—even though her totally out of control lungs have sent her in and out of the hospital most of her life. At this point, what Stella needs to control most is keeping herself away from anyone or anything that might pass along an infection and jeopardize the possibility of a lung transplant. Six feet apart. No exceptions.

The only thing Will Newman wants to be in control of is getting out of this hospital. He couldn’t care less about his treatments, or a fancy new clinical drug trial. Soon, he’ll turn eighteen and then he’ll be able to unplug all these machines and actually go see the world, not just its hospitals.

Will’s exactly what Stella needs to stay away from. If he so much as breathes on Stella she could lose her spot on the transplant list. Either one of them could die. The only way to stay alive is to stay apart. But suddenly six feet doesn’t feel like safety. It feels like punishment.

What if they could steal back just a little bit of the space their broken lungs have stolen from them? Would five feet apart really be so dangerous if it stops their hearts from breaking too?

WILL

Pushing open the door and sliding inside the dimly lit hallway, I smile as I watch Converse girl for a second. I can’t help but stare at her reflection, everything beyond the glass blurring as I look at her. She’s prettier close up, with her long eyelashes and her full eyebrows. She even makes a face mask look good. I watch as she brushes her wavy, sandy-brown hair out of her eyes, staring at the baby through the glass with a determined focus.

I clear my throat, getting her attention. “And here I thought this was gonna be another lame hospital filled with lame sickies. But then you show up. Lucky me.”

Her eyes meet mine in the reflection of the glass, surprise filling them at first, and then almost immediately changing to something resembling disgust. She looks away, back at the baby, staying silent.

Well, that’s always a promising sign. Nothing like actual repulsion to start off on the right foot.

“I saw you moving into your room. Gonna be here awhile?”

She doesn’t say anything. If it wasn’t for the grimace, I’d think she didn’t even hear me.

“Oh, I get it. I’m so good looking you can’t even string a sentence together.”

That annoys her enough to get a response.

“Shouldn’t you be procuring rooms for your ‘guests’?” she snaps, turning to face me as she angrily pulls her face mask off.

She takes me off guard for a second, and I laugh, surprised by how up-front she is.

That really pisses her off.

“You rent by the hour, or what?” she asks, her dark eyes narrowing.

“Ha! It was you lurking in the hall.”

“I don’t lurk,” she fires back. “You followed me here.”

It’s a valid point. But she definitely lurked first. I pretend to be taken aback and hold up my hands in mock defeat. “With the intent of introducing myself, but with that attitude—”

“Let me guess,” she says, cutting me off. “You consider yourself a rebel. Ignoring the rules because it somehow makes you feel in control. Am I right?”

“You’re not wrong,” I shoot back before leaning against the wall casually.

“You think it’s cute?”

I grin at her. “I mean, you must think it’s pretty adorable. You stood in the hallway an awfully long time staring.”

She rolls her eyes, clearly not entertained by me. “You letting your friends borrow your room for sex isn’t cute.”

Ah, so she’s a real goody two shoes.

“Sex? Oh, heavens no. They told me they would be holding a slightly rowdy book club meeting in there for the better part of an hour.”

She glares at me, definitely not amused by my sarcasm.

“Ah. So that’s what this is about,” I say, crossing my arms over my chest. “You have something against sex.”

“Of course not! I’ve had sex,” she says, her eyes widening as the words tumble out of her mouth. “It’s fine—”

That is the biggest lie I’ve heard all year, and I’m practically surrounded by people who sugarcoat the fact that I’m dying.

I laugh. “‘Fine’ isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement, but I’ll take common ground where I can get it.”

Her thick eyebrows form a frown. “We have nothing in common.”

I wink, having way too much fun pissing her off. “Cold. I like it.”

The door bangs open and Barb busts through, making both of us jump in surprise at the sudden noise. “Will Newman! What are you doing up here? You’re not supposed to leave the third floor after that stunt you pulled last week!”

I look back at the girl. “There you go. A name to go with your little psych profile. And you are?”

She glowers at me, quickly pulling her face mask back over her mouth before Barb notices. “Ignoring you.”

Good one. Ms. Goody Two Shoes has some spunk.

“And clearly the teacher’s pet, too.”

“Six feet at all times! You both know the rules!” I realize I’m too close and take a step back as Barb reaches us, coming into the space and the tension between us. She turns to look at me, her eyes narrowing. “What do you think you’re doing up here?”

“Uh,” I say, pointing at the viewing window. “Looking at babies?”

She’s clearly not amused. “Get back to your room. Where is your face mask?” I reach up to touch my maskless face. “Stella, thank you for keeping your mask on.”

“She didn’t five seconds ago,” I mutter. Stella glares at me over Barb’s head, and I give her back a big smile.

Stella.

Her name is Stella.

I can see Barb’s about to really ream me out, so I decide to make my exit. I’ve had more than enough lecturing for the moment.

“Lighten up, Stella,” I say, sauntering to the door. “It’s just life. It’ll be over before we know it.”

Rachael Lippincott was born in Philadelphia and raised in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. She holds a BA in English writing from the University of Pittsburgh. She currently resides in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, splitting her time between writing and running a food truck with her partner.

Blog Tour Schedule:

November 12 – That Artsy Reader Girl

November 13 – Vivacious Bibliophile

November 14 – A Gingerly Review

November 15 – Life of a Simple Reader

November 16 – A Glass of Wine

November 17 – Book is Glee

November 19 – Bumbles and Fairytales

November 20 – Adventures of a Book Junkie

November 21 – Jen Ryland Reviews

November 22 – Joyous Reads

November 23 – Chasing Faerytales