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“No, I’m sorry for my attitude,” I say softly, offering her a small smile. “You’re just trying to help, and I appreciate that.”
“You know I’ll always have your back,” Rylee says. She turns to look at the alarm clock on her bedside table, her eyes widening slightly. “And having your back means I must tell you you’re running late for class.”
My eyes widen when I see the time on my phone. 9:45 a.m. Shit, my class starts in fifteen minutes and the building I’m in is a good twenty-minute walk from the sorority house. Without wasting any time, I jump out of bed and rush toward my chest of drawers next to Rylee’s and pull out a pair of black linen shorts and a white tank top. I may be in a rush, but the weather outside is no joke. If I’m going to be running to class in this heat, I need to make sure I’m dressed appropriately.
Rylee watches from her bed as I quickly get dressed, throw my long hair into a bun on the top of my head, slip on my Nike shoes, and rush out the door with my tote bag flying behind me. I don’t stop to say hello to the girls I pass on the staircase for fear that it’ll only make me later for class, but I’ll be sure to tell them the reason when I get home tonight. They’ve seen me do this enough times that I’m sure they don’t even bat an eye now. It’s just part of living in a sorority house.
Once on the sidewalk, running as fast as my tired legs will allow me, I make my way toward the science buildings. The sun is beaming down on my skin, the heat reminding me that I forgot to apply sunscreen before running out the front door like a bat out of hell. Sweat is already pouring down my temples and the back of my neck, sliding down my back.
I’m not one to normally sleep past my alarm, but the nightmares take a lot of my energy and somehow cause me to sleep through the multiple alarms I set on my phone.
Those damn nightmares.
With the science buildings in sight, I can breathe a sigh of relief. As I slow to a walk out the front of the building where my lecture is being held, I glance down at my phone. 10:01 a.m.
Oh, thank God. I’m not as late as I thought I was going to be.
Cool air blasts against my skin when I enter the building, instantly cooling me down as I rush to class which is thankfully being held on the first floor. I don’t think I would have the energy to climb multiple staircases in my condition of no breakfast and no coffee. Waiting for the elevator would take too much time.
Yeah, I’m a mess.
Thankfully, I manage to slip into the room without anyone noticing me just as the professor starts the lecture. I snag a seat in the back row, sink low into it, and open my laptop. My energy battery is low for both my laptop and my body. I’m not surprised by that in the slightest. I tend to always forget to put my laptop on charge before crashing for the night. It’s a habit I’m trying hard to break.
As the professor begins discussing the topic for the weak, I ignore the low battery symbol flashing on the screen, open the folder titled ‘physical health’, and pull up a blank page, ready to take notes. Although I don’t know how much I’ll be able to retain without coffee coursing through my body, my mind is still focused on the nightmare I had.
My education is important to me, but all I can think about is who killed my parents and why the person—or people—responsible were never caught.
***
A sigh of relief escapes my lips when the professor announces the end of the lecture and I’m able to leave and rush down the street to my favorite coffee shop—Bluebird Co. Now that I’m not in a rush as I was this morning, I’m able to enjoy the sunshine on my skin as I walk among other students heading to their classes or getting food like I am.
The University of Washington campus is stunning. Everywhere I look there are lush trees and an abundance of flowers in the multiple garden beds in front of the sandstone buildings. What drew me to this campus was the main courtyard at the center of the campus which is lined by what feels like endless rows of cherry blossom trees. The few weeks in March and April they’re in season make attending WSU worth it.
I don’t waste any time grabbing an iced vanilla latte and a slice of smashed avocado on toast before leaving the shop. Not wanting to feel cooped up in a small space, I decided to find a shady spot to sit on one of the many lawns across campus. Thankfully, there are many trees around, so it doesn’t take me long to find one with no one under it, sit down to drink my coffee, and finally get some food in me after a two-hour lecture.
The first sip of coffee is enough to instantly wake me up, putting me in a much better mood. It’s almost as if I can feel the caffeine coursing through my veins. I lean against the thick base of the tree, pull my phone out of my pocket to scroll through my messages, and take a bite of the avocado toast. I click on the first unread message, which happens to be from my brother.
Miles: Sis, are you going to be home tonight?
I want to stop by and check in on you. Feels like forever since I’ve seen you.
Evie: I saw you three days ago when I went to one of your games.
But, yes, I’ll be home tonight. I’ll see you then.
Biting into the toast, I continue to scroll through my phone, enjoying the quiet time to myself. My college classes have been ramping up lately with the content and assessments, so that has been time-consuming and hurts my brain. On top of that, I have to deal with my over-protective brother, who I swear is always keeping tabs on me no matter what I’m doing. But I still love him despite this and understand his concerns.
All of this is enough to make me want to scream into a pillow, so I cherish these moments when I don’t have to think too much or worry. It’s just me and Mother Nature co-existing quietly.
Unfortunately, the peace doesn’t last long.
A twig snapping nearby forces my eyes away from my phone to see where the noise came from. When I see the person walking toward me, I can’t help but audibly groan and roll my eyes. I should’ve fucking known he would find me here.
“Evie, what a pleasure to see you on this fine day,” Roman greets, flashing a smile.
I roll my eyes and put down the half-eaten slice of toast. “I wish I could say the same, but you just ruined my day, so thanks for that.”
Roman’s brows turn down into a frown as he stands over me. His height should make him appear intimidating, but all I feel is annoyed by his unwanted presence. Ever since we broke up a few weeks ago, this man has been on a war path to win me back, but he doesn’t know how to take no for an answer.
