Zeus (The God Chronicles #1)

Chapter Five

A loud beeping sound ripped me from my uneasy slumber. I sat up in alarm, trying to blink the sleep from my eyes. Confused, I looked around until I finally realized the ringing was coming from my alarm clock. A groan escaped my lips and I flopped back, burying my head under the pillow. I guessed the pounding headache marching through my brain was probably what a hangover felt like, since I'd never had much alcohol. It felt like a million horses were galloping from one ear to the other and each annoying call from the nightstand felt like a dagger plunging clear through my skull. Finally, fumbling around without emerging, I managed to shut off the annoyance. Gingerly, I came up for fresh air and sat up. My feelings of disgust had lasted through the night, disrupting my sleep. I felt a little better this morning but was still trying to let everything go.

Jessie was still sleeping, a slight snore coming from under her pillow. It was only the first day of school and already I was regretting signing up for an early class.

Throwing the blankets to the side, I placed my feet on the floor and yawned, scratching my head. I stood and shuffled towards the bathroom, still stewing over having to wake up. I closed both doors softly and turned to my reflection. Last night's makeup had turned into this morning's black eye and my hair stuck up like the bride of Frankenstein. I remembered why it was so important for me to wash my face and put my hair up every night before bed. I rubbed the makeup off the best I could, ran a brush through my tangles, and went to eat.

My mom made a hot breakfast almost every morning of my life. Sundays were usually the only day I would wake up and not smell something delicious wafting through the halls. Now that I was on my own, it was becoming clearer I would not be making pancakes every morning. Luckily, I liked cold cereal. I pulled a bowl out of the cupboard and poured myself the first thing I grabbed.

As I ate, I studied my recently begun painting. It was ready for the next layer, and I made a mental note to save time for painting that night. After rinsing my bowl and putting it in the dishwasher, I trudged back to the bathroom to get ready for the day.

Jessie finally woke up as I was sliding my last notebook into my backpack. She wore the same disheveled look I had. Wishing her a good morning, I slung my bag over my shoulder. She mumbled something in return, and I laughed to myself as I stepped out the door.

The college was only a few blocks away, in between the apartment and the Strip. I probably lived close enough to walk, but it was so hot. Now that I'd been hired to work in the library, I wasn't as worried about money. The air conditioning was now officially my best friend.

The campus was a mixture of architectures; each building was made to suit the department it housed. The physics building confused me the most—I didn't get why it was shaped like a wave and had a variety of multi-colored banners in the windows. It wasn't a big deal, though; I wasn't there to study the buildings. The grounds were fantastic also, combining local desert and grassy areas to enjoy. It had a nice feeling, like most scholarly places, and was relaxing as well.

I had signed up to attend full time, knowing I would be taking more classes focusing on art since I already had my associate's degree. Thankfully, it worked out that I would only be spending the morning at classes three times a week. After my classes I would go to work and get off around five. It made for long days, but I liked that I had a day off between everything.

I parked my car next to the art building and started towards my first class. I'd met the teacher and was excited to finally start the next step in my education. As I entered the room, I smiled at my fellow classmates. They were all different types—different races, sizes, and personalities—and I liked that. It made for an interesting class. I chose a seat in the middle and settled down for a good first day.