STARS OATH, leo valdez ¹

CHAPTER ONE

                                                       
LEENA WINS FIRST PLACE IN UNDER
SIXTEEN OPEN AIR BAREBACK RACING

✦ ⭒ ☤ ➶ ✰

LEENA WAS HAVING A REGULAR TUESDAY MORNING. She woke up at the freezing crack of dawn to work her six o'clock open at the gas station like usual. Storm clouds kept the sky grey so time seemed to drag. She sold Bum Crack Jack his usual eight pack of booze at seven o'clock. By eight, she'd had a person ditch and drive, been cursed at twice, and served her english teacher — as well as her gym teacher. Of who were definitely avoiding eye contact at all costs. Leena was sure Mr Cullen was married, and she was confident it wasn't to Mr Richard's.

So yeah! A pretty classic morning!

That was until a winged horse landed on top of the Audi R8 of the prick Leena was serving.

Staring out the window, she couldn't believe what she was seeing. Dancing about on top of the car like a cat kneading a bed, clopped (pranced?) a slick black stallion, with massive wings the same colour as its coat.

Leena darted her eyes between the car and the customer, wondering how he wasn't noticing the horse shaped issue. Noticing her strange behaviour, the guy turned to look out the window. Leena winced in preparation of an outburst in anger, confusion, fear— but it never came.

It never did.

Leena was used to feeling crazy. She saw things that others seemed to ignore. As a child she learnt to keep her mouth shut about her 'visions' (as the counsellor called it). Kids could be cruel she had discovered.

'Admiring my ride,' the customer smirked, showing off his yellowing teeth. 'I better get out there to clear those pesky birds.'

Birds? Leena took another look out of window. Nope. Definitely still looked like a winged horse to her.

'I would offer to take you for a spin after you clock off, doll... but i'm afraid I have meeting to attend to.' The customer proposed her, leaning over the counter flicking dirt out from underneath his wide filthy nails. She tried to avoid looking at him at all cost. He was the stock standard corporate guys that would come to the gas station. Acting as if being 'young' in the business world is means their head was any less balding. He spoke as if she should be so lucky to ride shotgun next to the greaseball. She felt like screaming, I'm fifteen! (as if it would stop his advances regardless).

Leena plastered on a sugar coated, 'How unfortunate.' Before bidding the greasy pig farewell.

The minute she stepped out the store she looked down at the glinting watch she'd swiped from his arm. Just by looking at it she could tell that although it was a fake, it was definitely worth something. She smirked to herself thinking, they make it too easy.

The borrowed goods made shaking the off the heebie jeebies from the customer a lot easier. But then Leena became reminded of the bigger issue at hand. There was a pegasus outside the shop. Why was there a pegasus outside the shop.

Luckily, the nine o'clock turn around had just occurred. Mumbling a thank you to her coworker— who also seemed oblivious to the flying horse just outside— she slipped out the back door.

She stepped into the break area taking a deep breath to calm her mind.

What did mum always say, She thought. a still mind makes room for a clear mind.

She took a few deep breaths, her eyes tightly closed. She took in the scent of her surroundings, gas, uplifted gravel, and the neighbouring wood. She pulled her jumper closer around her, the wind suddenly had a bite to it. She listened to the wind whistling through the branches, maybe it was the high intensity situation that played a trick on her mind, but she could swear she heard voices. As if the wind was chattering.