Free Fast-Tracked by Tracy Rozzlynn Page B

building, and the sight was fantastic. The college was the only building in sight that was above four stories. On my right the park spanned out as far as my eyes could see. To the left of me must have been the residential section that Avery mentioned. Elegantly adorned buildings were surrounded by pristinely maintained yards that were protected by wrought iron fences with such intricate details that they became works of art.
    Avery wished me good luck as he pushed me into the elevator and disappeared from my sight. Taking a deep calming breath, I told myself everything would be fine and pressed the button for floor eight: student housing.

 
    Chapter 6
     
    Sure enough Mrs. Glabough was waiting. She had an extremely impatient look about her. Two girls stood on her right side, and two girls stood on her left. All of them looked uncomfortable and nervous.
    “Well it’s about time,” she huffed.
    I looked down at the watch. It was only a minute past eight o’clock. “The letter said to report at eight,” I foolishly responded.
    “Well you should have followed those directions. Between you and the yet-to-be-found girl, our whole day will be behind schedule.” She walked forward and began circling around me. Her beady little eyes squinted above her hooked nose as she scrutinized me. The way her stiffly sculpted blonde hair jutted out from her head reminded me of ruffled bird feathers. If she were to raise her arms out like wings she might have been able to take flight.
    I jumped back as she thrust her face into mine, pulled my mouth open and began inspecting my teeth.
    “Well at least you attempted to look halfway decent, but much too kitsch. We’ll definitely need to do something about that. But at least the starting material is decent.”She prattled on, talking to herself as if I wasn’t even there, brazenly running her hands as she did along my arms, back, and waist as if I weren’t a person but a prize racehorse.
    When she cupped my butt and squeezed, commenting on its firmness, I had had enough. “Do you mind?” I snarled in a tone that unexpectedly sounded haughty.
    My response for some reason seemed to excite her. Raising her eyebrows up at me and giving me what I think was supposed to be a smile, she said, “Well, well. I might finally have a girl with real fast-track potential.” She continued smiling at me while her hips and the rest of her body started wagging back in forth in a weird sort of way. “You’re Alexandria, right?”
    “Yes, ma’am,” I said in a tone that I meant to be polite, but the previous haughtiness bled through a little.
    “Well the name is the first thing that will have to go. Too much of a mouthful. Maybe Alex?” I crumpled my face in disgust. “No, much too masculine. Maybe Andria?”
    Not any happier with Andria, I interjected, “My closest friends call me Lexi .”
    “Oh no. Definitely not. Much too cutesy. Oooh -ooh, I got it. Zandria .” She stood back and smugly scrutinized me. I cringed just imagining what she would try to change next on me. I was about to suggest using my middle name Paige, but I never got the chance. The elevator doors opened and deposited the disheveled and winded sixth member of our group.
    “I’m sorry I’m late. I got lost. It’s my first time being in a city,” the girl explained between panting breaths. The poor thing must have run the entire way here: she was sweating and her clothes were all askew.
    Mrs. Glabough somehow managed to give her a more disdainful look than I had received. Her face crumpled up as if someone had just placed a pile of poop under it.
    “Well at least we can finally begin.” She turned her back on the frightened looking girl and addressed the rest of us. “For those of you that don’t already know, I’m Mrs. Glabough . I am the supervisor for new female fast-trackers. I have been given the challenging job of molding the six of you into presentable ladies deserving of the fast-tracker honor with which you