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When it’s time for my math class, I want to cry because it means I’ll have to go out in the snow. Biting back the tears because they’ll freeze, I pack up my things and trudge outside to my next class. Students who are wearing way more than I am, brave the outdoors for their education, and it’s hard to hold my jealousy in check. This is my choice though, no one is forcing me to go to school here, so I just have to suck it up.

Devouring every word my teacher says in class, I write detailed notes so I can go over them afterward to determine if I need to meet with the teacher's aide for extra help. While I love math, I’m not too proud to seek out extra instruction if needed.

“Thanks for a great class, guys,” Dr. Justice says with a smile. I can tell numbers are his passion because he lights up while teaching. “If anything isn’t clear, please come see Teagan or I during our office hours.”

Biting my lip, I make sure that I have their hours written down. My hands shake slightly as I do, and I realize I need to head to the cafeteria after this to eat. I've been so distracted, I haven’t eaten at all today.

Fuck, between my boss and Cooper, they’ve thrown off my entire schedule.

Packing up my things, I leave the warmth of the building for the frigid weather of Minnesota. When I was researching this area, I swear I read that snow would hold off for at least another month, but the cold front is laughing at me right now.

Trudging across campus, I breathe a sigh of relief as I walk into the cafeteria and scan my student identification card. Loading up on food, I check my bank account to figure out if I should buy a winter coat or not. I never thought this is what I would be agonizing over, but this is my life now.

Eating my grilled chicken salad as I check my bank, I frown at the two-hundred dollars currently in it. I won’t work againuntil the weekend, though that’s if my boss decides to open the bar. Is it really worth the comfort a winter coat will bring?

Checking the weather app next, I sigh as I see that it’s going to be twenty degrees tonight. Freezing to death is not on my bingo card for this year, so I’m going to buy the damn jacket. I’ll just have to hope I don’t have any emergencies pop up.

You’d think less of those would happen, but I’ve seen a few people get into accidents driving to school because of the snow. One person in particular exploded her tire because it hit a hidden curb gutter.

Shit happens.

Sullenly determined, I polish off my salad and then treat myself to a huge piece of chocolate cake. My mother can’t complain about my diet anymore. I also walk a million miles on this damn campus every day. I need every one of these calories.

Happy in my decision to mentally tell my mother to fuck off, I check the time. The sun is already going down, and the day is gone. I have just enough time to buy a coat, spend as long as I possibly can at the library until I have to leave, and then find a safe place to spend the night in my car.

Eighteen isn’t half as fun as I thought it would be.

Four

Ethan

Ican't get the girl with the odd colored eyes out of my head. The outer rim of her eyes were blue while it lightened to green toward the middle. I was too distracted to notice much else outside of her multicolored hair. Seeing her again threw me off balance. There’s only one other person that I’ve ever met with eyes like that and I doubt I’ll ever see her again.

My step-sister always seemed to live inside of her head, and spent a lot of time outside when her mother wasn’t hunting her down.

“Proper young ladies don’t climb trees, Nina.”

I can hear Vivian’s voice now, and the answering snarl at my thoughts as I walk across campus to my car makes several undergraduate students look away and give me a wide berth.

Dad is going to yell at me for scaring people again if he sees me like this. Stretching my neck to release some of the tension, I think about how unprepared for this weather that girl was. Everyone around me is bundled up in coats and warm clothes, while she was in ripped jeans and a hooded sweatshirt.

It’s none of my business, but many of the studentshere have money, so it’s unusual for me to see someone like that. I want to ask Dad about her, because if she’s a scholarship student, I want to ask him what the school’s programs are like.

I don’t want to add another project to my plate, but maybe I can talk to Dad about donating a stipend scholarship for the school.

Frowning as I think, I walk to the parking lot. I typically only do things lately because it’ll either be good for my career or I’m bored, and I’m not sure where this fits in. I see a girl who is clearly struggling and then decide to create an entire new scholarship so this won’t happen again?

Fuck, that’s not like me at all.

Checking my phone, I see that Dad texted me.

Dad:

I’m stuck at the office. I have one more student and then need to do some research on something. I’ll see you at home later.

Hmm. Smirking, as I look down at the phone, I wonder how red his poor assistant’s ass will be after this “research.”

Me: