Amara's second morning began when she woke before her alarm, tapped at the snooze button out of habit anyway, then sat up straight with a gasp because, right, she had a more prestigious job now. With people and schedules and an absurdly handsome boss who looked at her like he could read wired thoughts straight from her skull.
"Come on day two. No disasters," she muttered to herself as she pulled her hair into something that might've been a ponytail or possibly a hostage situation. Hard to tell.
She left early. The sun was already up, warm and bright, and she remembered thinking that it fit her mood, cautious but hopeful. She'd timed everything down to the breath. If she hurried, she could reach the bus stop before…
A pair of headlights cut across the parking lot like a spotlight catching a thief.
Amara froze.
No. No way. Absolutely not.
