[center][color=dodgerblue][h2]Alyssa Wells[/h2][/color]

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Oh, of all days that she had to run late.

There were many reasons why Alyssa's heart beat fast during the day. Too many people, a public bathroom, groups of girls so much as glancing over at her. However, this morning, it was due to the fact that she was running. Her parents left early for work, and unfortunately her alarm hadn't gone off. She'd awoken ten minutes later than she'd wanted (after having tossed and turned all night) and the shower had been cold. Then, she'd misplaced one of her textbooks (it had been in her bag all along) as well as her house keys (unfortunately, she'd had to leave the door unlocked). 

Alyssa was nervous. She'd wanted this to be a good start, a fresh start, a [i]surreptitious[/i] start. Now she was going to be that awkward new late kid. Would it earn her another cruel nickname? Nausea washed over her like a fog, and she had to stop for a moment to recollect herself. Slightly hunched over, puffing with exertion, the backpack hanging down from her shoulders looking heavier than she was. Her hands balled into fists to just hold on, to not scream or start crying. When she eventually relaxed her hands again, dark red crescent marks were inlaid in the skin of her palms. 

With a sigh, she started walking again. Great - she was getting sweaty too. Fantastic. Alyssa wanted to cry. Either super late, or sweaty. She didn't know what was worse. Cars zoomed by, and she looked at the back of them wistfully. How she wished that she could drive and have a car. In that momentary lapse of concentration, she didn't hear the car close behind or realise how she was drifting toward the road. A moment later, she was splashed as the car zoomed by. 

Stopping straight in her tracks, she stared down at herself - sadly dripping a bit of water - and the fight seemed to drain out of her. Alyssa felt like she was either going to cry, scream or just die right here on this very pavement.