Come Fly With Me

Over the next few weeks, Sparkle studied. When the day of her departure finally came, both of her parents were glad they wouldn't have to hear anymore airport codes. Trisha rode with them to see her best friend off and indulged her with one last airport code quiz as they exited from the highway to get to the airport. Connor pulled up to the curb on the departures level and helped take Sparkle's luggage from the trunk.

Sparkle fought back tears as she hugged her parents and her best friend; the only person missing was Hassan but she couldn't blame him for not showing up. The gold band on her right ring finger suddenly felt heavy but she had to press on. She cleared her throat and squared her shoulders, smiling at her family.

Mya wiped the corners of her eyes. "Call us as soon as you land. And again when you get to your hotel. Don't get in a cab, make sure it's the right hotel van. Don't forget there's pepper spray in your bag. And-"

"I got it, Mom," Sparkle said.

They all hugged one last time and Sparkle headed into the Hartsfield Jackson International Airport. Checking in and going through security, Sparkle managed to keep her cool. She was nervous, without a doubt, but she still had a full twenty four hours before class actually started.

She arrived at the appropriate gate and waited to be boarded. She took her seat quickly and took out her notes to review. A flight attendant standing in the aisle smiled knowingly at her and asked, "You're going for initial training?"

Sparkle smiled. "Yes, I am."

"You definitely look the part. You'll be just fine."

Running her fingers through her curled hair, Sparkle swelled with pride. "Thank you. That really means a lot to me."

The two passengers in the row in front of her turned around.

"We're going for initial training too!" said the woman. She had a small frame and wore her red hair in a sleek bob. She motioned to the light skinned man with glasses sitting beside her. "This is Brandon and I'm Kelly."

"I'm Sparkle. It's nice to meet you both."

"So, guys, this isn't a full flight and if you wanted to come to the back and chat with us after service, I know we'd be happy to answer any questions you have." The flight attendants name tag said Bea but Sparkle wanted to call her an angel. A talk with insiders would be invaluable!

Once Bea left to continue with her work, Sparkle moved to the row with Brandon and Kelly. "I don't know about you guys but I've been trying not to be a nervous wreck all morning."

Kelly laughed. "Same for me. This is gonna be my first airline but it'll be Brandon's second."

He smiled humbly. "I did three years with EveRy Airlines but I had to leave before my soul completely shriveled and died."

Sparkle gasped. "I got an offer from them and I was so close to accepting!"

"Honey, trust me when I say you dodged a bullet."

Sparkle sighed and sat back in her seat. She and Kelly listened with rapt attention while he told them horror stories. As promised, the flight attendants dragged the trio to the back galley and dished about the ins and outs of training and what it was really like "out on the line" as they called it. By the time they landed, Sparkle's head was swimming by the time she landed and it wasn't from the three Jack and gingers the crew had given her. The work rules, the rest rules, their union, the hotels, the cities she should avoid, the pilots she should avoid... it was all so much to remember! On the van to the hotel, they met two more trainees who came from Denver on a red-eye, Ramon and Winnie. They seemed nice enough to Sparkle and she was renewed in her purpose.

They checked into the hotel and Sparkle was so glad she didn't have to share a hotel room for the next seven weeks; Brandon mentioned having shared a room in his training with EveRy and how awful it was. Sparkle called her mom as she unpacked her things and assured her that everything was fine. Later on that day, she met up with the classmates from the van and they had dinner and talked about their expectations and past experiences with the airline industry. They were all pleasant company and certainly could've stayed in the hotel restaurant talking all night but eight o' clock rolled around and everyone decided to go to bed early to be refreshed.

The next morning, Sparkle woke up and showered while she brewed a cup of coffee in the small coffee maker. She played a Beyoncé-centric playlist from her phone as she got dressed; black wide-leg trousers, a white blouse with a giant bow on the collar, and a buttonless blue tweed blazer would be her first day outfit. Inside the beautiful black tote bag her mom bought for her, she put an empty notebook, an assortment of pens and highlighters, and the introduction packet she'd gotten in the mail. They would enjoy complimentary breakfast everyday at the hotel and take a Blue Skies shuttle at 7:30am to the training center.

Sparkle was too nervous to eat but she tucked away some fruit and a granola bar for a midday snack into her bag. She found Brandon, Kelly, Winnie, and Ramon already sitting down at a table. The dining room was full of other people, young and old, dressed in business casual clothes with nervous smiles. Sparkle chatted and smiled and nodded at her fellow trainees until the bus pulled up in front of the hotel.

"How did you sleep?" Winnie asked as they walked outside to the shuttle.

"Pretty well, actually," Sparkle said. "I decided not to look at my notes anymore until class. Don't wanna over study, ya know?"

Kelly pouted. "I should've done that. I woke up feeling like my brain was fried. And it's only the first day!"

Brandon put his arm around Kelly's shoulders. "You'll be fine! We're gonna get on this bus and do some breathing exercises."

Sparkle's followed Winnie onto the bus and sat beside her. Brandon and Kelly sat behind them and Ramon sat across from them. His seat mate introduced himself as Kyle. The bus driver did a quick headcount, thirty trainees in all, before putting the bus in gear and pulling away. Brandon was inhaling and exhaling deeply, trying to relax Kelly. She followed his lead.

The bus ride was a short fifteen minutes and everyone ogled at the massive training center as they pulled into the parking lot. It was large enough to pass for a community college, several brick buildings here and there, connected by manicured walkways. The trainees filed off the bus but Sparkle and her new acquaintances paused on the curb, taking it all in.

"I'm gonna be sick," Kelly said quietly. Winnie and Ramon held her hands to show solidarity and Sparkle was suddenly inspired to quote one of her favorite movies.

She took a step forward and turned to look at them all. "My brothers and sisters of the sword... I would rather fight beside you than any army of thousands! Let no man forget how menacing we are. We are lions!" she exclaimed, patting her chest. "Do you know what's waiting beyond that beach?" She pointed to the main entrance. "Immortality! Take it. It's yours!"

While Brandon started a slow clap, Kelly let out a hysterical laugh. Ramon joined the clapping and then Winnie. Kyle looked at them as if they had lost their minds.

"C'mon, Achilles," he said with an amused smile. "We don't want to be late."