My Only Exception by Erika Trevathan Page B

Alex‘s reassurance that this was what I was supposed to be feeling. But my eyes were so heavy that I couldn’t open them and my lips were too weak to speak. I began to feel my now weak grasp on life slip away and I felt a moment of pure terror-- and then nothing.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
               
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER 1
     
                The sun was setting behind the enormous stone grey building that rose high into the quickly darkening sky above me. My stomach fluttered precariously as I took one step away from the relative comfort of the sleek black audi I had parked on the curb in front of my new home. Home… I was having a hard time imagining this place as a home. How this huge concrete building would ever feel comfortably like home, I had no idea. I glanced back at my car. I hoped it wouldn’t get dinged or scratched by any of the other cars whizzing in and out of traffic or squeezing into the tight parking spots that lined the street. It had been my one splurge after graduating college and landing this new job in Charlotte. The run down Honda my aunt and uncle had scraped together the funds for when I started driving was now a thing of the past.
                People walked with quick determination on the sidewalk in front of me. Most barely glancing my way as they talked or text on their phones. I wasn’t used to such anonymity. In the small town I was from you were expected to smile and wave at just about everyone you encountered. That obviously wouldn’t be expected here. But then again, that was the point of moving to Charlotte. Leaving behind all the expectations of living in a small town felt like a lead weight off my shoulders. I took a calming breath, deciding I had better stop staring and move out of these people’s way before I was trampled. I glanced down at my soft brown cowboy boots and aqua blue sundress and then to the people walking hurriedly by. Yep, there was a kaliedescope of styles going on. I was relieved I didn’t stand out. I had worried that it would be clear to everyone who walked by that I was completely out of my element. Goosebumps were popping up on my arms in the cooling night air and I wished that I had thrown on a cardigan before setting out.
                Seeing a break in the traffic I hurried up the stone stairs and into the building. A doorman whisked open the front door and I hurried in. As I stepped into the entryway I took in the dark cherry hardwoods that covered the long corridor. It was lined with rows of white doors that were elegantly adorned with shiny brass hardware. Wow, it was beautiful in here. The floors sparkled, the railings gleamed, and I could see a state of the art gym to the right just off the entrance. I was definitely not used to this kind of luxury. Life with my aunt and uncle hadn’t afforded many luxuries and the only luxury I could possibly have looked forward to back home was a small house with my long time boyfriend, Brad. He hadn’t shared my passion for moving somewhere with a population bigger than 10,000, so we had amicably parted ways just before I left. Suprisingly, as long as we’d been together it wasn’t very hard to end things. Our relationship had always been a little too comfortable, without the sparks and fire that people sometimes describe. He had acted pretty upset, but I was sure in a few months he would move on and find someone who’s vision of the future included staying right where they had always been.
                Once I had made the decision to leave, no amount of pleading could deter me and I had set about looking for a place to live in Charlotte, NC. I lucked out when I saw a post on a social network from Anna, a friend of mine from high school. Her roommate had recently moved out and she was looking for a replacement. We had always gotten along really well in school, and though it had been four years, I was looking forward to renewing our friendship.