Esperança 》B. Blake

1.00

[P R O L O G U E]
Study Habits

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September 12, 2149, 9:53 p.m.
The Night Before.

ROSELINE WAS READY TO close her book in frustration. After three hours of reading, the words had finally started to jumble together, forming words that even she didn't know. Yet stubbornly, she continued to try and comprehend the impossible lines of text.

Her mother had given her the book, The Marvelous Marvels of Planet Earth to her after dinner, saying that there was information to help her with the placement exam the next day. Roseline had tried asking which parts of the five-hundred page book contained the information she needed but her mother shrugged it off, saying that it would be good to just read the whole thing. Roseline had sighed in agreement and did as she was told.

The placement exam held a special place in Roseline's heart. It was the test that determined if she was qualified to be an Earth scientist, like her parents. For as long as she could remember, Roseline strived to study the concepts of Earth and how it was put together. Every once in a while, her father would give her a folder or a book filled with facts that enticed her curiosity even more for the radiated planet. And though the constant reading and studying was tedious, Roseline was still determined to absorb every piece of information she could get her hands on.

With only three-hundred and fifteen pages completed, Roseline contemplated whether or not she should stay up and continue the book. Most of the material had more to do with the plants and animals on Earth than the science and biology behind the world itself. She already knew most of the things in it, but every so often, she would find a fact that caused her to highlight it in her favorite green pen.

Before if she could decide on going to bed or not, her parents, Katie and Conner Taylor, knocked twice and creaked her door open, giving her half grins.

"Hey, Rosebud," Conner greeted as the couple walked in. Roseline turned around from her chair and smiled back, setting her highlighter into her book before closing it.

"What's up?" she asked the pair. Katie and Conner both took a seat on her bed, leaving a space between them.

"We just wanted to know how our favorite daughter was doing," Conner joked, a twinkle in his deep brown eyes. Rosleine laughed lightly.

"Well, I'm trying to finish this book, but it's not as interesting as I'd hoped."

"But the stuff in that book is useful, you're going to need it tomorrow," Katie reminded her, giving her a knowing eye. Her daughter playfully rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I know. But some of this stuff doesn't seem like it'll even be in the test. Shouldn't I be focusing on the radiation portion? I mean, that is the main part of the job, isn't it?"

Katie sighed. "Yes, but it's also very important that you know the organisms on Earth too."

Conner took notice of his wife's desperate eyes and nudged her arm with a small smile.

"You're going to be okay, alright? Don't worry too much," Conner assured Roseline. She gave him a thankful smile, getting up and sitting in the open spot between them.

"I love you, guys," she said, wrapping an arm around each parent. Katie and Conner smiled, hugging the girl back.

"We love you, too," Conner murmured against Roseline's crown of wavy hair.

"So, so much, Roseline," Katie added, planting a kiss on her cheek. Roseline scrunched her nose and got up, giggling.

"Alright, I'm gonna go to bed. I'm gonna need all the sleep I can get for this exam!" she declared, ushering her parents out the door. Before Katie left the room, she took a sharp inhale.

"Goodnight, Roseline," she breathed out. Roseline grinned, slowly closing the door in on her mother.

"'Night, mom," she replied, shutting the door all the way.

After putting on her pajamas, she crawled into her stiff bed, curling up into her blanket. Slowly but surely, Roseline fell asleep, jittery for the test she planned to take tomorrow.

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A/N: the first chapter! i know it's not much, but bear with me, i swear it'll get better! anywho, happy reading!
- kate