Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 83760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
“Yes, thank you for reminding me.” I lean forward to lock my office door.
“Well then, see you tonight.” She reaches up to tap my nose, and before I can even respond, she’s walking down the hall toward the exit.
What the fuck is happening today? Christ, I shake my head as I walk in the other direction toward the stairs, taking them two at a time.
Skylar has made us way more than we ever were. Visions of plump lips, a sassy brown ponytail, and an ass that makes me want to bite and suck on it invade my thoughts. The scent of coconut wraps around us as I jerk her hair back so I can come on her face…
Yeah, she needs to go. She’s already occupied way too much of my thoughts as I enter my lab.
“Dean Powers, I was just texting you. Professor Weston from Stanford has called three times…” Josh, my top student and aide, can’t help but hide his glee at this.
“Is everything ready for the eleven o’clock meeting with New York?” I demand, going to work, pushing all thoughts of Alexandrea and anything but my job out of my head.
ALEXANDREA
I’ve never wanted a day to be over more than this one. Not that it was all bad. In fact, if my first class hadn’t been so mortifying, I’d actually be excited. As it is, I’m exhausted and want to crawl into bed, listen to some music, and figure out what the hell I’m doing.
But first, I need to get home. The thought of calling another Uber and wasting more money that I don’t have makes my anxiety go up a notch.
Heaving my backpack to my other shoulder, I watch a couple of guys get off those electric scooters. These particular ones I’ve seen all over campus, are called Lime…
“Hey, excuse me.” I walk over to the guys who stop talking to stare at me.
“Are these things easy to use?” I point at the scooter thing, looking at the handles that kind of remind me of a motorcycle. Not that I’ve ever been on one, but it looks more difficult than I originally thought.
“Yeah, all you need to do is download the app,” the taller of the two guys says.
“Okay.” I look at the scooter. This might be my answer. I mean, Santa Monica is just down PCH. How hard can this be?
“And you can just take it everywhere?” I pull out my phone and scan the barcode for the app.
“Well, you can’t go on the freeway, but yeah, cheap as shit. You need help?” He smiles and moves closer as I type, creating an account.
“No, I’ve got it, but thanks.” I smile, only to frown when he moves closer and his friend snickers and walks away.
“What’s your name?” The guy gets so close I can smell that he had garlic for lunch. And I’m done with all men today.
“Look, I don’t want to be rude, but all I asked was if these things were easy to use,” I snap, then feel like a complete ass when his smile fades, and he holds up his hands like I have a gun pointed at him.
“Wow, I was just trying to help.” He shoves the scooter at me. “Bitch,” he mumbles, and I almost drop my phone to catch it since it’s heavier than expected. The jerk runs after his friend.
On a deep inhale, I close my eyes and exhale slowly. I’m letting all this stress get to me.
“You can do this, Alex,” I say under my breath, looking at the many scooters parked in a row.
Again, a wave of homesickness floods over me. I miss my brother. He’d be making me laugh, saying this is not a good idea, but supporting my decision anyway.
Stop lying, Alex.
Okay, he’d freak and say I’m going to break my neck and to take an Uber. Then I’d suck it up and call our dad.
My teeth gently nip at my lower lip, and I look back at this scooter thing. Come on, this has to be a piece of cake. Everyone rides one.
I’m doing this.
I’m not calling my dad. And I’m also not getting bullied into dropping a class. Dean Powers will have to deal with me not being an engineering major.
There. All my anxiety is taken care of. I finish creating my account, then watch a quick video on how to ride it. Looks simple enough.
Clearing my throat, I walk over to a different e-scooter than the one the jerk shoved at me, scan the QR code, and like magic, it unlocks.
This has to be like skateboarding, only easier, I assure myself, trying not to remember the reason I stopped skateboarding. I’m still traumatized at the memory of having my dislocated shoulder popped back into place.
Puffing out some air, I put the other arm strap on so my backpack is ready and sweep the kickstand like the cartoon character did on the video… and nothing.