Inevitable Detour Excerpts

Excerpt #1:

I stare at the computer screen. It's my last exam of spring semester, and there are only five questions left on the Strategic Management final before me.

My eyes are glued to words, forming a single question. I know the answer. Yes, I do. But then my vision blurs, and I think, ugh, whose idea was it for me to major in business?

Not mine.

The cursor on the screen blinks over answer choice B. Like I said, I know the correct answer, and it sure as hell isn't B.

What to do...what to do...

With a sly grin, I chooseB and hit next.

I am feeling particularly defiant today. My parents left me a voice mail this morning, telling me in no uncertain terms that any thoughts of heading up to New York City this summer with my best friend and roommate, Haven Shaw, are best put to rest. So much for thinking it'd be fun to hang out in the Big Apple with Haven while she worked on finding an agent, making acting contacts, and generally just doing whatever it is a person needs to do when preparing to land a part in a play someday.

And not just any play.

"Broadway, here I come," Haven said the other day when we were discussing her big-city dreams.

She's a bit theatrical, but that's to be expected. She's a theater major, after all. Her goal is to eventually make it as an actress on the Great White Way.

Conversely, my dreams are much smaller. My primary longing lately is for something-anything-to happen in my mundane life. I thought New York would be a promising start. Guess not. Thanks to my parents and their aversion to anything fun for Essa, there will be no excitement in my life this summer. Nope. Just like the two previous summers, I'll be lulling away the time here at OakwoodCollege. Excitement for me will consist of chilling in the coffee shop on the edge of the tiny Pennsylvania town my small college is located in. My after-class afternoons will include exciting activities like staring out at cows and farmland, sipping on a mocha, and wishing and hoping for something more.

And that's just not right.

I'm a damn straight-A student, for God's sake. I don't need to spend the summer at Oakwood, taking stupid summer classes. Unfortunately, my parents don't care about my wants and needs. They believe their only child should apply herself year-round. Forget that I'm already a model daughter.

Well, more or less. But that's neither here nor there.

Bottom line is that my parents will not, as they put it in their terse message, have me "veering off course."

Oh, really? So they think...

My defiance hits full throttle, and I purposely choose the wrong answers for the next four questions.

I hit submit and think, take that, Mr. and Mrs. Brant.

Excerpt #2:

I wake up with a blinding headache. "Oh, God," I mumble, wincing from the pain.

I assume it is morning, but when I roll toward the alarm clock on the table next to my bed, big red LED numbers inform me it's two in the afternoon.

"Shit."

I try to sit up, but everything around me wavers and tilts, forcing me to lie back down.

"Ugh," I mutter as the events of the evening rush back to me.

"Vincent?"

I glance around my room. Where is he?

Well, he's not in here, I conclude. I can't imagine he stayed long after I passed out. Just to be sure, I take a quick assessment of myself and my surroundings. The bed I'm lying on top of appears to have barely been slept in. I must have hardly moved from the position I passed out in. I rise up slightly. There's an indentation from one body only, mine. It's a relief to know I was not violated in any way last night. Because, let's face it, it was pretty stupid bringing home two strange men. Further indication Vincent did not touch me in any inappropriate way is that I still have the same clothes on.