She felt a warm hand on her shoulders, shaking her vigorously back and forth. "Five more minutes," she murmured, still half asleep. Shaking her a bit harder, a familiar voice boomed inside her ear. "Thalia... THALIA...wake up, please. We are going to be late."
Thalia opened one eye slowly to see her annoying little brother, Theo, standing over her bed. She quickly shut her eyes and turned over, pulling the blanket over her head.
"I saw that," Theo said in an amused tone. "Wake up, Thalia, before I get a bucket," Theo snickered.
His green eyes glimmered with amusement. Thalia sprung up from the bed and, in one swift movement, grabbed Theo's neck with one hand. She wrapped her legs around his leg and pressed all her weight down, causing them both to fall onto the bed.
Theo gasped for air and tapped his hand against the bed. "I give up; you win! Let me go." Thalia flashed her bright white teeth. "I don't know; you seem like you still have a little fight in you!" she said.
Theo's muscles tensed, and Thalia's grip loosened as her little brother lifted them both from the bed. "Okay, okay, I was just playing, little bro. There is no need to get so serious." Thalia snorted, her feet now kicking, hovering above the ground.
"You have seemed to forget I am a man now," Theo said, "you can't just bully me like we're still kids!"
"Whatever," Thalia replied as her brother slowly placed her back on her bed.
What time was it anyway? She thought. Theo wouldn't have woken her up, knowing she hated being disturbed. Today must be graduation day. If it weren't for that, Thalia would still be in her favorite spot on this hellhole they call a planet. Thalia's bed was the only place she could feel relaxed and at home.
"Hurry up, get ready to go before we miss the rail," Theo said before leaving her room.
The siblings lived in a mid-sized luxury condominium within District City 12, which was run solely around the prestigious Apex Institute. The school required everyone within District 12 to be either students, staff, or teachers. Theo and Thalia happen to fall into the student category. However, their housing was a bit different from that of the typical student.
Students were meant to reside in the dormitories in the Institute's east wing. Condominiums are reserved for teachers and staff. However, the two siblings stood out as they lived with their Tia.
Thalia's room was the smallest in the condo, but it was the only room in the whole house with a walk-in closet. She walked into the closet, clapped her hands, and the light flickered. This revealed a closet filled with dozens of dresses, skirts, blouses, and skinny jeans of all colors hanging on large racks. All of them were color-coded and organized by season according to the weather. Thalia was a little OCD.
Nevertheless, she loved fashion. Her motto was, "Just because the planet is devoid of color and style does not mean she has to be."
After standing in her oversized burlesque mirror for what seemed like forever, she finally decided on an outfit that would be perfect for today's festivities. Thalia had the most difficulty picking out outfits due to her disproportionate figure. She had a tiny waist and large thighs. So, it was hard to find pants that fit her waist and pull over her thighs. The kids in school used to always make fun of her because she typically wore skirts or dresses.
After all, they were more comfortable. Thalia was Afro-Latin but spoke minimal Spanish. She just turned 21 in April. Her Tia would always comfort her by reminding her how much she would appreciate her features in the future.
Even now that Thalia was an adult, she still loved a good skirt. Call it a force of habit, but she pulled out her favorite zip-up black skirt from the top drawer next to her mirror. And right next to the skirt was her institute regulation black button-up blouse. The blouse had a green "A" embroidered over the right breast pocket, symbolizing the Apex Institute. Every female student had to wear a school-regulated blouse.
Although it was a stuffy rule, at least they didn't care what kind of pants or accessories they wore with the uniform. Thalia quickly zipped up her skirt and stuffed her blouse into it, running her finger along the sides to smooth the blouse.
Now came the tricky part. The shoes, she thought. She Clicked the button on the dresser. It flipped around, showing a shoe rack with at least 15 shoes on each level of the 4-layer rack. After staring at her collection for a few minutes, she grabbed her favorite pair of black reinforced steel-heeled boots.
Thalia's shoes seamlessly blend functionality with style, making heel boots the obvious pick. The zip-up design allows for effortless wear, and with a heel height of just an inch and a half, they strike an ideal balance between fashion and function. Thalia can run comfortably in them, and the reinforced heel and tip ensure her safety. Plus, they complement her outfit perfectly.
"Thalia," Theo's voice echoed behind her, "we're going to be late; let's go!"
Thalia ran back into the closet and grabbed her silver identification bracelet. Barreling down the stairs, Theo was impatiently waiting, dressed in his institute-regulated black shirt, some Khaki pants, and white tennis shoes. My brother lacked style, Thalia thought; however, he still managed to be what girls would find cute. That is supposing you are into the nerdy type anyway.
Theo was 5"10 with light caramel brown skin, short, greasy brown hair, and dull, faint green eyes. He was a bit small for guys his age; he just turned 17. Theo would be much more popular at school if it weren't for his reserved and timid nature.
"Okay, I'm ready," Thalia said.
"What took you so long?" Theo replied irritatedly.
"Don't you know never to rush a lady?" Thalia replied, pushing her long brunette hair from her face.
He smiled. "What, lady?" Theo replied, looking left and right with his left hand over his eyes. She smacked him on the head. "Let's go, dummy," Thalia said.
The siblings step outside and take in the fresh air. Their condominium was in the upper west section of District City 12, the only section that has been restored and redeveloped completely. After the war, most buildings still stood when their ancestors returned to the surface. The only thing that stood the test of time was the buildings. Almost everything else was decimated by bombs, wildlife, and time.
A loud whistle came from a couple of blocks down the street, followed by a woman's automated voice. "Monorail Blue pulling into station 1216. Be ready with your identification band; boarding will begin in 3 minutes."
The monorail was held up by huge steel poles towering as high as the walls that divided New Roark. The monorail was the greatest invention of 3070, and its creation revolutionized and connected all 12 district cities. It was one of the inventions recovered from the remnants of data left by their distant ancestors.
They started running towards the signs that said, "Monorail blue this way." After running up the stairs for what felt like minutes, they rounded the corner to see a blue 50-foot train zipping through the air. The siblings approached the white line that said, "Wait here."
A dark-haired woman with a small, petite frame, dressed in an institute-regulated black and green uniform, glanced over the rail. It must have been her first time riding the monorail because she was shaking as she gripped the guard rail. The platform was about 50 feet in the air.
Thalia walked over and placed her hand on the girl's shoulder, attempting to calm her down. "Are you okay, Chiquita?" Thalia asked in a gentle, low tone.
The girl jumped and stumbled backward awkwardly, startled by the sudden touch. "I'm sorry," she said, taking another step back without relaxing.
The girl accidentally stepped back over the white safety line. Concerned, Thalia reached out her hand. "It's okay; I didn't mean to scare you."
The girl takes Thalia's hand. "I am so embarrassed. My name is Juniper Wildly," the girl said, flashing an awkward smile.
The monorail whistled once again. The strong wind from the approaching train knocked Juniper off her feet, sending her tumbling backward and falling off the edge. Thalia attempted to grab her while turning around and reaching for her brother's hand. Theo didn't waste a second running over to them but was too slow. The girls fell through the tracks and began plummeting towards the ground.