Allyson Reed shapes her life to make her parents proud, but whenever she's with Daxson Winters, the star wide receiver with a troubled past, her perfectly-crafted existence crumbles at the seams.
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The sleet drove against the window, the sound of ice against glass creating a constant clicking noise in the quiet biology lab. I glanced up from my microscope to watch it bounce off the window and land on the ground below. The chilly weather outside seemed to leech through the walls of the science building, creating a meat-locker out of the lab. Puffs of my own breath swirled in the air as I changed specimens with a quiet sigh.
I'd been spending a lot of time in the lab assisting Dr. Pathak with new research he wanted to present at a microbiology convention in the spring, staying late to work three or four nights a week. I enjoyed the research because it kept my mind on something other than the stress of finals. My phone buzzed on the lab table for the hundredth time, dancing across the hard surface of the table.
Madison was one of the most persistent people I'd ever met. She still wanted me to go to the Children's Hospital Fundraiser with her and Camila despite the fact that he would be there. After the last message he'd sent me, I'd given up hope on any chance at an apology. It was clear he wanted nothing to do with me, and there was no need to torture either of us any further by hanging around each other. Since his presence at the event would be better for donations, I'd decided to just let him have that spotlight and spend my night at the lab, much to Madison's protest.
I clicked the end call button on my phone and pulled the sleeves of my hoodie over my hands. My fingers were numb from the cold, but I didn't want to stop working. If I stopped, I'd lose my best excuse to avoid attending the event. My phone vibrated against the table again. I grabbed it and tossed it into my bag on the floor beside my stool.
I wanted to support Madison because she put together a beautiful event for her community service project, but I just couldn't bring myself to see him again. Not after what he said. It had been nearly impossible for me to watch Alabama play in the SEC title game against Georgia the weekend after the Heisman ceremony. The sportscasters couldn't stop talking about the new trophy winner and future first round pick. He continued to make it the 'Daxson Show' when he pulled in two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter to secure the win, a victory that would send the Tide to its fourth consecutive national championship.
"Allyson? You're still here?" Dr. Pathak asked, pushing the door to the lab open.
I rotated the focus knob on the microscope. "Yes sir. I'm finishing up some of the last specimens. The colonies all grew in similar patterns like expected, except one."
Dr. Pathak rubbed his hands along his coat as he walked over to the thermostat. "I can't believe you're working in here. It's freezing." He fiddled with the thermostat before walking over closer. "Which one didn't grow as expected?"
I laughed as he approached my table. "I grew up in the southern heat, so I actually like when it gets a little chilly. If only it would snow." I ran my hand over my tray of slides and picked up the oddity. "This one. They grew inside the ring of antibiotic instead of away from it."
