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21
Dani
I groaned as I rolled over. My arm fell over my eyes as I tried to shield myself from the light. I felt the morning sun against my body as it slowly woke me from the temporary death I called ‘sleep.’
Get up. You’ve got class.
I sighed as my arm fell away from my face. I had plenty of time to get to class. Especially since they weren’t until the afternoon, anyway. I wasn’t worried about that. But it did tickle my funny bone that I’d woken up in the same position I fell asleep in last night.
“Must’ve been tired,” I murmured.
I pushed myself up in bed and stretched out my arms. Slipping off my leather jacket, I hung it up on the post of my bed and slid to my feet, making my way over to the small coffee maker in the corner. After pouring some of that hot honey in the bottom of my mug, I slid it onto the small platform.
“Come to mama,” I whispered.
I pressed the ‘brew’ button before it started blinking at me. Right. My roommate hated me. Usually, after she used the coffee maker, she’d leave it prepped for me. And vice versa, if I was the first one up. I stumbled around, trying to prepare the small device. I poured a bit of the coffee grounds onto the floor at my feet and cursed underneath my breath. I needed this coffee more than I could stand. Especially if I wanted to get some last-minute studying completed.
And get this paper touched up.
“Thank fuck for groveling,” I murmured.
After practically begging my professor, he’d given me an extension on the paper. It wasn’t the best thing to do to try and build rapport with my professors, but at least it gave me some breathing room. I didn’t want to take advantage of the man’s time, either. I wanted to get this paper done, succinct, and perfect well before the end of the extension date.
But, when my eyes found the digital clock on Hannah’s desk, they bulged.
“It’s already one-thirty!?”
Holy shit. If I didn’t hustle, I’d be late for class. For my afternoon classes, of all things! I took a few hot sips of my coffee and drew in a deep breath. I looked down at my outfit and groaned to myself. My clothes were wrinkled. But at least I had them on. All I had to do was wipe my face down, gurgle some mouthwash, and I’d be ready to go.
Get to it. Class is in half an hour.
I scooped up my shower caddy and made a break for the bathroom. I washed my face and brushed my teeth, deciding to take my coffee with me. I slid back into the dorm room with only twenty minutes to go. I dumped my coffee into a thermos my father had bought me during my freshman year, then gathered my things. I put my laptop in my backpack and picked up my books. I rushed out the door, almost forgetting to close it. I locked it up so Hannah didn’t have anything to bitch about, then I ran down the hallway.
With only ten minutes to get to class.
Even though I felt like a badass since running with Max, that didn’t mean I wanted to flunk out of all my classes. School was still important to me. Even if something else had also become important. And as I booked it to class, a terrifying scenario crossed my mind. One that had me clinging to my things for dear life.
“All right, class. Today’s lecture in on--”
“Yes! I made it!”
I walked through the doorway and every head in the classroom turned to face me. My jaw fell open as my professor looked at me down his nose. Beyond his glasses. Completely unimpressed with my outburst.
“Or maybe not?” I asked softly.
“Are you going to take a seat? Or do you want to give the lecture today?” he asked.
I was so wrapped up in my biggest fear coming to light that I wasn’t paying attention. I leapt up the steps two at a time and slammed my shoulder into the door of the school building. I needed a clock. I searched the walls for a clock. I couldn't be late. The universe had to have mercy on me at some point in time.
And in the process of searching for a clock, I walked around the corner, running straight into someone before my things went tumbling from my arms.
Including my coffee.
“Shit, shit, shit, shit. I’m so sorry. That was totally me.”
“You’re right. It was totally you.”
I slowly looked up from my crouched position and watched Benji’s face come into view. Every muscle in my body locked up as he grinned down at me. My eyes rolled down his body. I saw the coffee that had splattered all over his pants. His boots. There were even a few speckles on his leather jacket.
