[center][img]https://i.pinimg.com/564x/a2/c6/ed/a2c6ed17f552a11fa80871dc48d3c0bd.jpg[/img][/center]

Adonna chuckled, reminiscing about her own first year of university. Even though it'd been her idea to enroll and turn her life around, she didn't adapt easily to the structure at first. She had to fight the very fiber of her being not to push against and question the system. And it worked, she had a lot to show for it now in her third year. 

[color=6047eb][b]"She's probably feeling confident knowing that you're on campus, and you'll have her back,"[/b][/color] Adonna mused, just in time to process Cara's question. [color=6047eb][b]"I'd planned to keep things mellow, of course that means what happened was--"[/b][/color] 

[i]Bzz, bzz[/i]

Again? Part of her was annoyed for the repeat interruption, but still her stomach poised to flip. Could it really only be aggressive telemarketers? 

[color=6047eb][b]"Sorry, Cara, go on ahead? I'll catch up."[/b][/color]

She gave the shorter student a half-smile in apology before stealing away around the bend. Another look at her phone showed [i]Unknown.[/i] At this rate, she was going to be late. But... better safe than sorry, she decided.

Finally, she picked up. She waited, but there was only silence. Relenting, [color=6047eb][b]"Hello?"[/b][/color] she said. Nothing. Irritating. She took the phone away from her ear, about to hang up. But there was no red phone symbol. Just her colorful apps happily staring back at her. 

[color=6047eb][i]Damnit,[/i][/color] she'd waited too long, she hadn't actually picked up the call. And how was she supposed to even call "Unknown" back? Well, she couldn't, but... she picked a contact out of her speed-dial list and brought the phone to her ear. Yep, she was definitely going to be late now. 

He picked up fast. [color=6047eb][b]"Hey cuz, did you call me?"[/b][/color]

"No," he sounded grim, her stomach tightened. "But, uhm... Look, I know you have class today... but, I don't wanna talk about this over the phone. I'm heading out from work, will you meet me at home?" 

Her stomach was practicing for Cirque-du-Soleil. [color=6047eb][b]"Yeah."[/b][/color] She hung up, and raced to the parking lot.

[hr]
Between traffic, distance, and luck (or lack thereof), it was evening by the time Adonna made it back. She'd used the time in the car to send out near-similar emails addressing her absence and extending her apology. Normally, she'd have been in knots over the implications of missing class, but right now she was doing everything she could not to bounce off the walls. She was much more comfortable with action, and even though the car was moving to its destination, her legs and arms tingled as though electric. 

She raced up to the apartment the moment the car parked. This time, she allowed herself the stairs to get the sparks out of her limbs. Whether she made it up there sooner or later than the elevator proved to be a moot point when she went inside and found the apartment still dark. 

A quick text, an even quicker response, [i]Almost there.[/i]

Now all she could do was wait.