Forbidden

Everyday Of Our Lives

It was still dark out when my alarm blared to life at four o'clock in the morning. I groaned as I rolled over to hit the snooze button. No matter how long I'd been waking up at that hour, I still didn't enjoy it. I fell back onto my pillow and stretched like a cat after being curled up in the same position for too long. Slowly I opened my eyes and allowed them to adjust to the darkness. I didn't want to get out of bed after my late night of studying, but I did. But first I decided to go for a run.

I was running for what seemed like longer than it should have taken to get back to the parking lot but I figured it was because I wanted to get back so fast. A distinct old dead tree came up on the path that meant that I should be able to see my car around the next bend. Forcing my legs to push harder I kept my sprint, anticipating the relief of driving away from here. I rounded the bend in the path and came to an abrupt halt. My breathing hitched in my throat making my already screaming lungs just about burst...

My heart pounded to the beat of my feet racing over the hard ground. Sweat beaded my forehead, causing my hair to cling to it as my throat ached for air, more air. The delicious rush of wind past my face thrilled me. My muscles stretched, pushed harder. My pace evened out and my legs made the track fly under me. I surrendered myself to the miraculous beat of my feet against the ground. The angry pitter-patter of the soles of my shoes hitting the track. It was the way I always released my energy, and that's exactly what was happening now. I was elated, my soul at it's summit, I was running and I was free.

"I bolted..."

*out of breath*

"I sprinted..."

"I took off..."

I ran, stumbling over the rocks that littered my path. I ran, the damp grass brushing against my legs, the puddles soaking my feet. I quickly ran home so I can take a warm shower, and get some coffee in my system.

After the lukewarm shower I took to wake myself up, I tossed my long hair tresses up in a messy bun; I donned a loose pair of black yoga pants and a black polo shirt. I avoided the other approved colors, white and khaki, because no matter what I did, coffee stains never could be removed from those colors. Spills and accidents were a guarantee with the amount of liquids I handled on a daily basis.

I poured them into a cup, added a couple of pumps of vanilla and a bit of cold milk, and downed the drink in one gulp. Even with the added ingredients the richness of the coffee hit my palate in all the right places. It was bold but smooth and lingered in the back of my mouth. The drink was glorious, and I completely understood why everyone was irrationally obsessed with our coffee. It was just that delicious.

The drive was quick and easy; I loved the opening shift because I never had to deal with the absurdly offensive traffic, not to mention the crazy lunatics who were always in a hurry to sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the 405 or the 101. It was a breezy, cool morning and I had the stereo blasting Katy Perry FM the whole way, bopping along to the top forties for the short ride to college.

Libraries have become rather strange places—inhabited ghost towns, of sorts. To those who do not see the beauty behind books, they have become obsolete. And why not? With the fast pace at which information changes and grows, a book could become outdated the day after its first print.

It was time for exam prep, and every single study cubicle was occupied. It took him a while, but he finally spotted me in one of the smaller study areas. He hugged my from behind and placed a soft kiss on my neck. He noticed it was strained with tension. "What's wrong, sweetheart?"

I barely took a breath before starting my rant. "It's just... It's just... I just don't get this concept! I've been trying and trying for hours on end, and it's just not sinking in! And I just know that this is going to be in the final, and it'll probably be about 20% of the grade and I'm..." I would have continued if it hadn't been for Edward's hand covering my mouth. I could feel my own erratic breath rebounding from his skin.