ELLIE JONES

I stir in my sleep, not wishing to ever wake up, until I hear a sound that doesn't quite resemble my alarm.

"Morning"

I wake up and rub my eyes, shifting around in the chair. I check my phone and immediately jump up when I see how late it is.

"Shit!" I yell out. I had already missed my first class at 9, and I'm still here in yesterday's clothes looking so disarrayed. I scramble out of the chair I had been sleeping on and hand him his jacket. I only just realise that his jacket was covering me, but I have absolutely no time to dwell on these things.

"Again, don't overthink it" he says. I instantly gather my things and tie my hair into the neatest ponytail I can before shuffling around for my keys.

"Where the hell are my keys?" I yell out in frustration. I look into my bag, all over the floor, and under the sofas and chairs.

"Aha!" I spot the key under one of the chairs and reach under to grab it. Holding it in front of my face, I notice just how dusty it was.

"I have to-"I try to tell him that I have to leave but am cut off by myself sneezing. How could I forget, I am allergic to dust. He walks over and asks if I'm okay when he sees me rub my nose and scratch my arm. Stupid allergies. I tell him that I'm fine and grapple with my set of keys to find the right one.

"It was nice meeting you again but I really have to go" I shout as I unlock the door and retrieve my bike that is parked outside the store. I ride as quickly as possible in the direction of my house until I hear him shout at me that I've forgotten to lock the doors again. My memory seems to be declining with turning 19. I brake abruptly and leave my bike to fall onto the floor and run back to lock up, making sure that it is really locked this time.

"Okay, I really have to go now" I run off to my bike and head home as promptly as I can. Well, as quick as a rusty bike can go at least. When I finally reach the entrance of my house, I practically leap off my bike and sprint inside. I rush into the bathroom to wash my face, brush my teeth, and comb my extremely messy and tangled hair. When I'm done, I am only left with 15 minutes until my next class. I run up to my room to grab my notebook and head to campus without even bothering to keep the notebook in my bag.

I had no time to take the bus or even ride my bike to campus, so I flag a taxi. I rarely take taxis as I feel that they were a waste of money. However, having already missed a class and being so tired from the lack of sleep last night, this taxi ride felt like the best purchase I've ever made.

"Thank you so much!" I thank the driver and hop out. I am already late, so I am just trying not to be late enough where the professor would notice. I run towards the block and thank god it isn't too far from the entrance,  climb to the second floor, and bolt towards the room.

"Miss Jones, how nice of you to finally decide to grace us with your presence." The professor says. I look around and notice that not only am I the only one late, but everyone is staring right at me. I have never been late before, Mum would have never allow it, so this is definitely a new and embarrassing situation for me. I just want to melt, let myself mix with the cemented ground, and disappear for good.

"I'm sorry I'm late" I apologize before taking a seat right at the back. He completely ignores my sincere apology and continues the class. I am so doomed. I just know that he's going to give me the hardest time out of everyone for the next two hours.

"Okay class, please turn in last weeks assignment" he instructs. I am internally relived that I had finished the assignment. I turn around and reach for my bag to get the assignment only to find that it isn't zipped up. I must have been in such a hurry this morning that I forgot to zip it up. I ignore the bag situation for now, and take the clear file out to hand the professor the assignment.  He makes a snide remark about how he is so glad that I still have the ability to remember things which I think quite unnecessary. I roll my eyes as he walks past me and take my pen and book out from my bag. It was only at that moment that I notice two things.

One, my book, My Beaux, is no longer in my bag and Two, Isaiah has just walked into my class. Wonderful.