With a sour-faced reflection staring back at me, I fixed a few flyaway strands of my chestnut brown hair. After this four-hour shift, I had to put in at least two hours of studying for my programming test the following day. At this rate, I didn’t see why it mattered. If I couldn’t come up with a way to pay for my final year, I’d be done with school come April.

Having half a bachelor’s degree was useless. What the hell was I going to do with half a degree? I had one stupid year left. One. That was it. Then I’d graduate and at least have something to show for it. It wasn’t my end goal. I’d wanted to keep going, get my master’s, maybe even a doctorate, but that wasn’t happening anytime soon.

The haze of gasoline was thick today. Bringing a fistful of my shirt to my nose, I sniffed, gagging on the odor. I scowled at my reflection. There had to be a way to fix this whole mess. I couldn’t work at a gas station for the rest of my life. I didn’t want to flip burgers at McDonald’s either. Not that those weren’t important jobs, but they weren’t for me. I was supposed to be developing state-of-the-art software programs that would launch us into a new generation of computer science, not sharing living quarters with daddy longlegs and half a zoo’s worth of children.

Why did I have to cave and offer to suck Ryan Vector’s dick? And in the game room of all places. Asher was right. I was such a slut. If I could turn back time, I’d have locked the door. No, not that. If I could turn back time, I’d have suggested going to my bedroom where there was a smidgen more privacy. Ryan wasn’t even worth losing everything. Besides, the minute the shit hit the fan, he’d tucked tail and run without looking back. Coward.

“Stupid gay genes had to go to me.” But God I loved dick. It was hard to wish something like that away. The alternative gave me goose bumps.

My hazel eyes reflected my bruised feelings and sullen attitude. If Asher could see me now, he’d tell me I was sulking and to grow some fucking balls and get over it. Which was fine and dandy, except it wasn’t him suffering.

I checked the time and groaned. If I didn’t leave now, I’d be late for work.