Space Tails

Chapter 1: Introductions

        Slightly dull looking backpacks, brightly colored lunchboxes, and new clothes filled the Chicago City Spaceport.  I didn’t have to be a genius to know it was time for school again.  Here I was a mother to a 12 month old boy without nose ring to prove my resentment.  I was still dressed in black, the one color that actually matched my insides.

          “Aria!” I would’ve known that voice anywhere.

          Aria Jane Blake’s my name.  I’m smart, friendly, kind, active, and I used to be easily led.  That was before things changed.  Now I’d describe myself as still kind, smart, friendly, and active (a lot more than I would like to be at 14), but I’m also headstrong, stubborn, and more of a leader.  Then again, it’s easy to be a leader whenever you have loyal friends and followers who will support you in your decisions.

          I whirled around to see the French beauty queen.  The last time I had seen Kara Penelope Lewis was Rusty’s, my boyfriend and pack leader, funeral last September.  She looked as gorgeous as the last time I’d seen her.  She had also turned 16.  Her red hair was shiny and healthy, but her hazel eyes told a different story.  She looked skinnier, but it could’ve just been the trick of the light.  She was wearing a pair of dark skinny jeans, brown boots, and a pink cotton tank with pink lace ruffles.  She was kind, friendly, fashion forward, loyal, and incredibly smart.

          “Hey, Kara,” I greeted her with a tight smile.

          Instead of bring up Rusty, she brought up the topic of the past summer.  Hers had to be better than mine.  She hadn’t had the fun of waking up at odd hours to tend to a sweet baby boy.  She told me of the exotic places she went with her three older sisters, younger brother, and parents.  She briefly touched on what her mother was designing in fashion for winter.

          Normally, this would’ve raised alarms in my head.  Kara hardly talked about her past.  Unfortunately, I was so wrapped up in feeling bad for myself, that I barely heard a word she was saying.  I tried to act like I was listening, but eventually Kara caught on.

          “Aria, where are you?” Kara asked, then smiled going for a joke.  “We aren’t even in space yet.”

          I weakly smiled.  “I was just thinking about the full moon ritual.”

          “Adding blood this year?” she joked again trying to keep the mood light.

          Blood had nothing to do with werewolves.  It was strictly a vampire thing and, therefore, partially reserved for the Men in Black.  Yes, those exist along with demons and zombies, but only the zombies are completely evil.  Actually, I lied.  The creatures involved in the organization titled Mythical Immortal Beings (M.I.B. or Men in Black) are bad, but I kind of get the sense that they were once good.

          “No.”  Now I was really smiling.  “I was planning on revisiting some of those textbooks that Mama Addie gave us.”

          Mama Addie was the best kept secret aboard the Advanced Education in Space Program (AEISP).  She lived in the basement with her complicated past and was the “grown up” leader.  She kept us in line and basically covered our butts when needed.  Simply put, she looked really good in the MIB paperwork database.