Page 12 of Wild

“Shit, shit, shit,fuck.”

I dash around my room, yanking on jeans and nearly falling over. My alarm chosenotto go off this morning and now I’m going to be late for my first class. I won’t have time for breakfast either, and I turn into a hangry bitch when I don’t eat.

I yank on a tank top, since the September weather has been unseasonably warm, but grab a jacket since some of the classrooms are as cold as the Arctic.

I struggle into a pair of Vans and grab my yellow backpack off the floor.

There was no time for makeup and I barely managed to brush my hair or teeth, so I’m looking like a hot mess.

I take the stairs two at a time, call out a “Bye Mom,” and I’m gone.

Outside I climb into my red Audi TTS Coupe. If there’s anything my dad will splurge on, it’s cars.

The engine purrs to life and hums as I gun it down the long driveway and onto the windy private road.

I reach the gate a mile away and push the garage button that opens the huge wrought iron monstrosity.

My dad takes safety very seriously after I was kidnapped by my ‘real’ dad when I was three. I don’t even remember the guy and never think of him as my father—only my sperm donor. Joshua Hayes ismydad. He chose me and I chose him.

If I’ve learned anything in my short twenty-two years it’s the people you choose to love are as important as the blood relations. I love my immediate family and I love the ‘cousins’ I have in the kids of my dad’s bandmates. I look at all of those guys as my uncles and their wives my aunts.

I turn onto route seven heading toward my university. I keep eyeing the time and cringing. Being late is my biggest pet peeve. I know when I arrive to the lecture hall all eyes will turn in my direction. At least most of my classes don’t have many students … but maybe that makes it worse, because then there’s no being discreet. Ugh.

I drive as fast as I safely can and as I approach Winchester my chest grows even tighter. Class starts in five minutes and I know there’s no chance I’ll ever make it, but maybe I’ll only be a few minutes late.

Luck is not on my side however as traffic grows heavier as I reach the town. In fact, it crawls at a damn snail’s pace.

My fingers tighten around the steering wheel.

Finally, I resolve myself to my fate and some of the tension leaves.

As I reach the university, I gun it into the parking lot.

It’s full.

I drive around and around before I finally find a place to park—at least a mile from my lecture hall. Silently cursing my stupid alarm, I grab my backpack and begin the trek across campus.

My stomach rumbles and my lips pout with grumpiness. I need food and I need coffee. Neither of which are attainable at the moment.

I speed walk through campus and finally make it to the classroom. I can hear Professor Jameson droning on and on.

I’m a good student, an excellent student, but he doesn’t like me for some reason. If I had to be late for class, why did it have to be this one?

I pause outside the door, taking a deep steadying breath before I reluctantly grip the handle on the door and pull it open.

Eight sets of eyes, including those of the professor, turn to me.

I don’t say a word as I find my seat and sit down.

Silence.

Professor Jameson clears his throat. “Tardiness is unacceptable, Miss Hayes. I don’t care who your father is I will have to deduct marks for today.”

My teeth grind together. His issues with me become clear. My father is successful and famous, and someone like Jameson is envious of it, so he takes it out on me. Never mind this man had no hopes of ever making it big, ending up a professor instead.

I smile despite my irritation. The picture of ease and he bristles. “Understood, Professor. It won’t be happening again.”

If I have to set my alarm for five in the morning so I’m never late to this class again, I will.