X-Treme Measure by S. N. Garza, Stephanie Nicole Garza Page B

had to work in the morning. Another double.
    I took a capful of Quil and slipped my fuzzy socks on. They always helped make me sleep better. I got under the covers. My last thoughts were still of Daniel.
    Daniel was an enigma. One I should steer clear of. Baggage . I should remember that. Dad. He was a dad and I had a goal.
    But then, why was that not enough to keep me from thinking about him?
     
     

 
     
    The day of my birthday came by fast and I began noticing how much Ashley meant by Daniel watching me. Oh, not all the time and I didn’t feel like I was being stalked but whenever I found myself looking towards his apartment, he was outside with coffee. I thought he didn’t drink stuff like that with his health preferences. When I leave for work, he was just pulling up or walking out of his apartment. He has this stare that totally makes me forget what I’m doing. I feel like I’m falling into a dark abyss with no escape. So intense. It should scare me, but I loved it. It made me hot and antsy.
    He never smiles. This scowl comes over his face but it’s sexy as sin. Part animal, part man. And it’s like a growl is only seconds away.
    As far as I knew, Reighlyn spent a lot of time with Diana, since I only saw her in the early evenings. I needed to tell her about the hospital. She was excited when I first mentioned it to her. Knowing we could get all ponied-up was exciting for her. I loved volunteering at children’s hospitals. Sometimes at retirement/assistant living places. She’d have a blast.
    Since it was Saturday, and my birthday, I thought I’d go all out. I wanted to look good for once. I didn’t have much shopping sense, but I definitely wasn’t going to ask anyone for help. Besides, I didn’t even have good friends like that. How hard could it be?
    My mother’s been calling me; yelling and hollering about how I was messing up their lives by not coming home and taking care of them. How I was being ungrateful—her words, not mine. How selfish I was acting. I didn’t know what to do, so just like before, I let her calls go to voicemail and I left her texts unanswered. I didn’t know what to do about them. I didn’t want to hurt them, but I knew once I went back home and worked at the Chili’s out there, I wouldn’t have enough money for school. I wouldn’t be able to go back. Maybe that was just my lazy heritage showing, but I was so close to the end to give it all up now.
    BLEH!
    Bad and negative thoughts are not allowed on my day.
    Today was my day. Nothing was going to ruin this. I slept in after a late night at work last night. Looking over at the digital clock it was past eleven. Ugh. I’ve never slept in this late before. I threw the blankets off, sat up, and prayed tonight would be spectacular. Even though I took one last night, I got up to take another shower. After dressing into some shorts and a tank, I slid on my sandals and made my way towards the kitchen.
    “Morning Ashley.”
    He peered up at me behind his own cup of Joe and nodded. “Afternoon, Moriah. What’s in the plans for today?”
    “The girls from work are taking me out for a ‘girl’s night’ for my birthday.”
    “It’s your birthday today?”
    “Yup.”
    “You didn’t say anything. Happy birthday.”
    “Thank you and I don’t really advertise it. I don’t ever celebrate it.”
    “Why ever not?” He laid his newspaper down and looked at me like I was crazy.
    I just shrugged. “I normally don’t have anyone to spend it with. My parents don’t care enough to say anything and I usually work. I’m pretty sure the girls at work are only doing this so it’s an excuse to be off and go out drinking.”
    “So they aren’t your friends?”
    I sat down with my cup of coffee, and gestured with my hands. “I work with them. We don’t have slumber parties. I’ve never had many friends. College takes up a lot of my time if I want to graduate early, like I really want. I skipped a grade in high school and got it