Q: The stage is yours, my friend.
J: Life is short. Sometimes more than we know. And you can’t prepare for that shit. Even if you could you still wouldn’t be prepared. So . . . listen, the best thing you can do is get yourself a good-ass friend. Like this man right here. He’s not just my friend. He’s my brother.
Q: J.
J: So, yeah, that’s all I gotta say about that. Should we . . . let’s do what we set out to do.
Q: We got something for y’all.
J: Get ready.
Q: Spoiler alert, it’s a . . .
J: No, don’t tell ’em.
Q: Can I just say what it’s not? I feel like they may think it’s an epic poem or a three-act play if we don’t at least do that.
J: Okay, fine.
Q: Guys, it’s a . . .
J: Wait, you said you were gonna say what it wasn’t.
Q: . . . special edition of JAUNNNNCCCYYYYY!
J: Damn, you told ’em.
Q: I mean, they were about to find out in like ten seconds, so.
CUT TO: busy metropolitan sidewalk
Q: Guys, boy, do we have an awesome treat for you today! Because this episode of Jauncy is coming at you from the mean streets of . . .
*Camera zooms out to include Jamal in the frame, standing to Q’s right*
J: New. York. City.
Q: That’s right! Jauncy’s international!
J: I mean, we’re still in the US so technically . . .
*Zoom in on Q’s face, mad embarrassed*
Q: True, true, but you know, NYC’s got that melting-pot flavor going on.
*Zoom in on Jamal’s face, rubbing his chin, eyebrows raised*
Q: Damn, you know what? I actually meant to say intercontinental . . .
*Zoom in closer on Jamal’s face, rubbing his chin and arching his eyebrows even more vigorously*
Q: Intercontinental is the same thing as international, isn’t it?
J: I think this might be a good time to shout out our lovely camera person, who, incidentally, is also this guy’s girlfriend. Say hi to the people, babe.
*Camera turns around and is far too close to Autumn’s face*
A: Hey, everybody. In case you were confused. My name is actually Autumn, not babe, so cool.
Q: Well, okay, now that I’ve thoroughly embarrassed myself and Autumn’s been introduced, I think it’s time Jauncy . . .
Q and J: TAKE IT TO THE STREEEEEEETS!
CUT TO: the subway train platform
Q: Yep, you can ask one of us, or all three of us, any one question and we have to answer it truthfully, no matter what.
Lady in Pajamas: I wanna know, who was your first kiss?
Q: Okay, who are you asking?
Lady in Pajamas: All three.
Q: Okay, let’s see. Molly Robinson.
J: Ohmigod, what the hell?! Molly Robinson!?
Autumn: Who’s Molly Robinson?
J: One of the cafeteria ladies!
Q (shrugging): She was like nineteen.
Jamal: Whatever. I guess purple meat loaf wasn’t the only thing they were serving.
*Jamal winks hard at the camera*
CUT TO: the sidewalk in front of a pharmacy
Quincy: What do you think of the legislation passed earlier this month preventing people over the age of eighty from purchasing prescription medications?
Dude with Huge Beard: I mean . . . it sucks, for sure . . . but uh . . . frankly, there’s a lot of people in this country and, like, would it be that bad if, like, you know . . .
Q: I’m not sure I follow.
Huge Beard (shrugging): If you’re eighty, I mean, you’ve lived a pretty long life already . . .
Q: So you’re suggesting we let old people . . . die?
Huge Beard: We’re not going to physically kill them or anything like that.
Q: Just, like, take their life-saving medications away?
Huge Beard (snapping his fingers): Exactly. Like, how many rent-controlled apartments you think are gonna open up now?
Q: I . . . I don’t even know what to say.
Huge Beard: You know what they say, time’s up!
Q: That’s not at all what that phrase is referring to . . .
Huge Beard (rubbing his chin): It’s a good time to be an estate lawyer, damn.
Man Pushing Stroller: When I heard about it, I just shook my head. That’s the world we live in, though.
Q: How do you think this is gonna affect people eighty years old and up?
Man Pushing Stroller: Honestly? They’ll find a way to get the medicine. Probably buy it off the streets.
Q: People sell blood pressure pills on the street?
Man Pushing Stroller: Man, this is New York City, people sell actual blood on the street.
*A chime plays and CORRECT flashes on the screen*
CUT TO: promenade along the river
Jamal: Which of the three of us is cuter?
*Jamal smiles brightly*
Lady in Beret: The girl holding the camera.
Turtleneck Teen: Her. Definitely. Those eyes, ohmigod. She single?
Jogger 1: She’s cute. But I gotta go with this dude. How tall are you?
Quincy: Six two.
Jogger 1: Bet you’ve screwed in lots of bulbs.
*Zoom in on Q’s face, perplexed*
Jogger 2: I think she and the tall kid are tied.
Jamal (winking to the camera): For second place?
Jogger 2: No, that’s you.
Jamal: I think it’s the lighting where I’m standing. It doesn’t really accentuate my best features.
*A buzzer sounds and WRONG flashes on the screen*
CUT TO: a park bench
Chess Player: Okay, umm, would you rather live forever and be liked but never loved or live for a short time but be really, truly loved?
Whit: Hella love, easy.
Mama B: Better to have love, even for a short while.
Autumn: Love, hands down.
Jamal: I mean, love is always the answer.
*Zoom in slowly on Q’s face*
Q: Yo, if I got the choice to lead the life I’ve led, or start over and live forever but even slightly differently? Honestly? I’d choose this. Knowing everything I know now, I’d still choose this life. Exactly the same. Every time.
Chess Player: You must have an awesome life, young man.
*A chime plays and CORRECT flashes on the screen*
Q: Well, that’s our time, guys.
J: It’s been hella fun.
Q: A wild ride.
J: Super rad.
Q: You forgot how we wrap the episode, didn’t you?
J: Umm, nooo.
Q: Yeah, you did.
J: Yeah, I did.
*Jamal cracks up*
Q (also laughing): You’re supposed to say we hope you enjoyed this special edition of . . .
J: Then we say Jauncy in the Streets, right?
*Q applauds, both Jamal and Q laughing into the camera*
Q: There he is, ladies and gentlemen. The Jamal we know and kinda love sometimes. Welcome back, man. So, you got it now? You ready to finish this thing?
J: I got it, man. I’m ready.
Q: Okay, let’s try it again. This time together.
J: Again, but this time together. I got you.
*Fade to black*
Acknowledgments
Writing is often a solitary endeavor, but truly this book isn’t in your hands without an abundance of contributors, most of whom I addressed in OOA’s hella long acknowledgements. So, this time we’ll keep it short and sweet—
Educators, librarians, teachers, I can’t thank you enough for your enthusiastic support. Growing up in an educator-librarian household, I understand the power of placing the right book in the right hands. Thank you for helping my stories find great new homes.
Thank you to my incredible family, near and far, but especially Kennedy, Brooklyn, Pam, Mama, Ally, Pops, and Grey. Thank you for forever ho
lding me down, especially in the ways I don’t always see, but most definitely feel. I love you all.
Thank you to a few of my oldest and wisest friends and family: Scales, Ariana, Aunt Sheila, Aunt Dana, TJ, Tosha, Michael and Melanie G., Pam H., Tanya W., Carolyn Z., Esther H., Joyce S., Terry K., Rob B., Drew O., Amma O., Jesse M., Khadijah J., Karen M., Becky L., Michelle S., Alechia P., Bailey C., and Jillian G. You are some of the rock-steadiest people I have the privilege of knowing.
A special shout-out goes to my creative family: Ashley W., Tiffany J., Angie T., Nic S., Dhonielle C., Mark O., Jalissa C., Saraciea F., Patrice C., Kwame M., Dana D., Bri C., and Natasha D.—I can’t begin to thank you all enough for accepting me as I am, showing me the ropes, and making me believe I have the chops to keep pulling this off.
Thank you to my exceptional agent, Beth, for your unwavering confidence, hella jokes, and ridiculous hustle; and to my amazing editor, Ben, for rolling up your sleeves and helping me excavate the best version of these stories.
Thank you to my beyond awesome US publisher, Katherine, and her imprint Katherine Tegen Books, my great UK editor, Rachel, and UK publisher Macmillan, the outstanding cover designer, David, and gifted artist, Stephanie, my stellar publicist, Aubrey, all of the brilliant marketing minds, every diligent assistant (Tanu!), and the entire hardworking, uber-dedicated team. I’m so very fortunate to have each of you by my side on this dream of a journey.
Thank you to the great people at Gallt and Zacker, who are as good of humans as they are agents. The same goes for Gemma and Victoria at Bent; thanks for being the best advocates.
Thank you to the Beoples. To Mojo’s for the best coffee and better vibes. And to Cleveland, my home no matter where I live, for still rocking.
Truly, the list of people deserving of my gratitude is easily longer than this book’s first draft, ha.
So, to YOU I say:
I hope WE live forever, but if not, I want YOU to know I’d travel back in time to save YOU, or dive headfirst into any situation were there the slightest chance to pull YOU out.
Thank YOU for your encouragement, for your kicks-in-the-butt, for the laughs, for the caffeine, for the chocolate, for the supportive texts and savage emails, for rolling your eyes, for your unreserved smile, for loaning me your belief, for bugging me, for reminding me, for your ear, for giving me space, for your honesty, and for your love, always.
YOU are the heartbeat within these pages. I hope you hear it.
All my love,
justin
About the Author
Courtesy Justin A. Reynolds
JUSTIN A. REYNOLDS has always wanted to be a writer. Opposite of Always, his debut novel, was an Indies Introduce selection and a School Library Journal Best Book, has been translated into seventeen languages, and is being developed for film with Paramount Players. He lives in northeast Ohio with his family. You can find him at www.justinareynolds.com.
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Books by Justin A. Reynolds
Opposite of Always
Early Departures
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Copyright
Katherine Tegen Books is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
EARLY DEPARTURES. Copyright © 2020 by This Just In LLC. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
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Cover art © 2020 by Stephanie Singleton
Cover design by David DeWitt
* * *
Digital Edition SEPTEMBER 2020 ISBN: 978-0-06-274842-3
Print ISBN: 978-0-06-274840-9
* * *
2021222324PC/LSCH10987654321
FIRST EDITION
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Early Departures Page 27
