Date: January 03, 2130
Time: 8:30
Location: Montréal, QC, CAN
In the bustling streets of Montréal, a young woman by the name Aria Guérisson just graduated from Rosa’s Medical School’. She was gifted for her age, but decided to go for higher. Keep reading, and you’ll find out why.
“Mom! Dad!” Aria shouted as she ran to the kitchen, “I did it! I graduated from Medical School! Aren’t you proud?”
She looked around the kitchen, her eyes gleaming bright. The kitchen was decorated in the finest clothes, the sink shone bright, and there was a sweet aroma that flooded the room.
“That sounds amazing sweetie!” Aria's mom exclaimed, “You got straight As?”
Aria nodded gleefully as she turned to her dad, “Dad! I graduated with honors! Aren't you proud?”
Her dad looked up from his newspaper, his cold, stern look struck Aria's confidence, “That's your definition of amazing?” He scoffed, “I was decades younger than you and I entered Harvard.”
Aria raised a look of confusion, “Isn't Harvard abandoned?”
Her father scoffed again, “That's how good I am.” Aria's mother chuckled to herself at the poor attempt of a lie, “ Honey,” she giggled, “I don't think you do well with lies.”
He glared back at her, a bit offended, “You think of me in that way? How funny.”
She sighed once more, and continued cooking. Aria looked a bit disappointed. She knew her father was harsh, but her optimism whispered good things to her. She knew her father wasn't that mean, or at least that was what she thought.
“Dad,” she muttered, “Are you sure you don't want to see it?”
Her dad looked back, his anger subsiding, “Sure honey,” he said, “I'd like to.”
She handed him the graduation papers, waiting for a good opinion, but the moment the papers were in his hands, his facade faded. He shredded her graduation papers and started to yell at her.
The words from her father were like bullets, piercing her confidence brutally. Her optimism, however, stayed strong, knowing there's good in everyone, but all that was racing around in her mind was a way of escape; escape from this toxic environment.
“You know what, Dad?” she shouted, “I'm so tired of your toxicity and I'm willing enough to leave this dump. I can survive out in the world, but not in this wasteland.”
Her father huffed, mouthing the words, ‘Fine by me’. Her mother was a different story, she ran over to her daughter, her tears dripping from her face. Aria started to cry along with her, but goodbyes aren’t always goodbyes.
………
“Alright,” Aria mumbled, “I guess I'm living on the streets now. I'm so stupid to say all of that, but if I go back, I don't think I'll hear the end of it from him. Aah! Why is it so hard to make decisions especially when you're not in a good mood.”
She kept mumbling to herself while she strutted through the bright street. Eventually, she came to stop at the local café.
She opened the doors to reveal a quaint, yet old fashion styled coffee shop. “One Cappuccino Lattice please Julia.”
A woman came by, dressed in all pink, with a pair of headphones wrapped around her neck, “Course Aria.” Julia replied.
Aria slouched over to a nearby couch, “Thanks.” she grumbled as Julia prepared a drink.
“You don’t look okay,” Julia said pointing at the mascara running from her eyes, “did I miss something?” Aria looked down at the table and gestured to sit next to her.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
………
“Wow,” Julia exclaimed, “you just left your house for another life? Is this really the Aria I know? Aria, who has been a doormat since she was seven?”
Aria started to sob again. She didn't want to be reminded of things of her past that bothered her for a long time. Yet, it was true. Ever since she was little, she couldn't stand up for herself. She was bullied constantly by strangers, friends, even her own father, but now she's got guts.
“Hey,” Julia sighed, “I didn't mean any of that stuff.” Aria looked up at her ever supportive friend. She took a sip of her cappuccino, and her tears started to fade. “All I wanted to do was prove that I wasn't a pushover. I wanted to show everyone that I was capable of whatever I was handed, and that ended up in the wrong direction.”
“Hey,” Julia replied, “I heard that they have an available spot for a doctor over there.” She pointed to the tall, glass building just across the street, “They're willing to pay big money for whoever works there and does their work successfully.”
Aria stood up in a flash. Her optimism started to shine again, “Maybe I should.” she exclaimed, “I'm going to prove to everyone! My parents, my friends, Brady.”
Julia giggled, “Yeah,” she replied, “Brady was such a jerk to you.”
“But I will prove them all wrong!” Aria shouted, attracting the attention of other customers.
“You show them!” Julia shouted louder. Aria left her suitcases with Julia, “Look after these for me will you?” Julia gave Aria a knowing look and a thumbs up.
“Alright!” Aria stood proud, “I'm off to get a job, wish me luck.” She looked back to see Julia with a supportive smile on her face. Aria ran out of the building with hope in her mind. “Julia!” a gruff voice bellowed from afar, “You better not be slacking off again!”
………
“Alright,” Lee scrambled, “Are we at Montréal yet? David?” He turned to see his compadre fumbling with the controls.
“We're here.” David announced, “I just need to find a landing spot.”
Lee grumbled as he strutted over to see the view. The bright streets of Montréal illuminated the cultural diversity of the city. “Right there.” Lee pointed at the helicopter landing pad a couple hundred feet below them.
“Okay, Lieutenant.” David smirked as he pulled the steering wheel gently. “I told you to stop calling me Lieutenant.” Lee grumbled, “Call me Lee. I like formality when it comes to interviews, just not all the time.”
David chuckled as the ship grew closer to the ground, “Sure buddy, sure.”
Lee noticed there was a café not too far from their location, “You wanna get somethin’?” Lee asked. David smirked and gave him a thumbs up, “Fine with me.”
………
“And don't come back here again, Guérisson!” a gruff sounding voice yelled out.ff voice yelled out. Aria was thrown out of the door in a haste. She landed flat on her face as the doors were slammed shut on her. She dusted herself off and dragged herself back to the café.
She walked for what felt like an eternity, and with what just happened recently, she wasn’t paying much attention to her surroundings. Soon enough she bumps into someone. With a crash, everything in her arms came crashing down onto the cold hard pavement. “Oops,” the guy said, “let me help you with that.” She grinned a little as she looked up and saw a tall, strong guy with a strange piece of tech attached to his ear.
“Sorry,” Aria muttered, “I wasn’t looking where I was going.” The guy looked at her with a friendly smile, “No worries,” he replied, handing her the papers she dropped, “I wasn’t in a hurry today.” Aria apologized once more and continued on back to the café.
She turned to see the guy who had what seemed to be a friend next to him. His friend looked a bit frustrated with him and showed him a hologram with… “Wait,” she thought, “that’s me.” But she wasn’t bothered with that as of now, she had no job and no home to go back to. She had one chance and she failed.
………
“She was right there!” Lee yelled at David, “Right in front of us!”. “Look,” David mumbled, “I was focused on the sweet treats you could find at a café, so leave me be for now and let’s get a treat.”
Lee sighed, calming himself down, “Know what,” he sighed, “you’re right.” They continued down the cold streets of Montréal until David mumbled once more, “Side note,” David shivered, “we should’ve gotten jackets from the SEHQ. It’s freezing here.” Lee smirked and clicked a button in his hand. In a flash of light, they were wrapped in thick, comfy jackets.
“How did you do that?” David stood amazed. “Read the manual, my comrade.” Lee chuckled, “Do you think we should get some coffee?” David shrugged, “I don’t know it’s your day, Lieutenant.” he smirked. Lee’s face crinkled up a bit at the sound of ‘Lieutenant’, but he didn’t have time for frustration; he had a mission to complete.
They entered the café and David ran up to the counter asking for the things he wanted, while Lee stood off at the sidelines, looking for Aria, the Medic. He looked around the nearby tables and found her sitting on a chair, drinking her woes away with a friend of hers.
“Um,” Lee whispered, “are you Aria Guérisson?” Aria looked up at the sound of her name and wondered why some random weirdo would want to know who she was. “Yes,” she mumbled, “why so?”
Lee pulled up a hologram with the SEHQ logo on it, “The reason why we’ve come to retrieve you is because you signed up as a Medic for the SEHQ. You came up for this role as a way to help your parents, correct.”
“It was the reason,” she muttered, “before. I have a lot more issues with my parents now.” she pointed to her suitcases, “I just wish I hadn’t said such stupid things. Now I’m homeless and jobless.”
Tears started to swell up in her eyes as she looked over at her friend, but Lee continued, “If you’re not going to do this for your parents,” he replied, “then do this for yourself. You’re clearly lacking a job and a home, so why not come with us?”
“You really mean it?” Aria sobbed, “I can join you guys?” Lee nodded as she ran over to hug him. Her friend, Julia, raised up her hand ready to ask something, “Yeah,” Julia uttered, “I get why you came to get her, but you kept mentioning us, so who did you come with?”
Lee opened his mouth ready to say something, only to be interrupted by David who stumbled his way over to him, “Lee!” he shouted, “I can’t believe I found you! Where have you been! I’ve been looking all over the café for you! Tell me, who’s this? Why are we here? Aaaaahhhh!”
David fell flat on the floor as an employee walked over to Lee, “Yeah,” she said, “He’s on his eleventh cup of coffee. That much caffeine would probably put him out for at least a day. Better get a medic.”
Lee looked over at Aria who grabbed her medical supplies, “Where do I start?”
………
Lee looked over at his sleeping friend, occasionally stirring from the excess caffeine. “Thanks for, you know.” Lee whispered. Aria went over and tapped his nose, “Don’t think of it.” she said with a grin, “You know, this ship is pretty comfy. Spacious, relaxing and even has a medical bay!” Lee nodded, “You know,” Lee continued, “we haven’t come up with a name for it yet.” Aria tapped his shoulder, “We’ll think about it later, don’t we have some people to pick up?”
Lee nodded once more and headed over to the cockpit. “Are you ready for another adventure?” Aria nodded enthusiastically, “Where to?” she wondered aloud. The screen in front of her flashed ghoulish blue light reading only one word, ‘France’.