Elements of Earth: The Element Trials

Chapter 2b, Rio, 2020, Estrellita: The Girl Who Was Late

"Estrellita." A voice called through my bedroom door.

"Uhn..." I groaned, arms pulling my pillow close to snuggle against my face.

"Estrellita." The voice grew louder but not closer.

"I'm up, I'm up..." I rolled over with a groan.

"No, you're not. That's your evil, groggy subconscious lying to both of us so it can go back to sleep." The voice sounded familiar in a distant sort of way.

"No." I yawned. "I'm getting out of bed right now." I pulled up the covers. "For realzies..."

"Estrellita," The disembodied voice continued, stern and exasperated. Which made it so familiar. I could almost see a face. It was like... right... on the tip of my... brain? "Open your eyes and check the time."

"Why would I do that?" I grumbled. Grudgingly, I turned my head to where my nightstand would be if I was still in bed. "My internal rhythm has perfect- timing?!" I had finally opened my eyes releasing a surprised squeak that cursed digital clocks everywhere. A squeak outraged enough that you'd think I wouldn't have to curse. You'd be wrong. "Shit, shit, shit!" I said as I erupted out my door.

"Language young lady. Wash your mouth out at the sink." She was joking. And also not. Since I woke up literally thirty seconds ago, I hadn't brushed my teeth. Vivian had left a cup of mouthwash by the kitchen sink.

"Sorry. Vivian." I gargled and spat.

"You aren't seriously going to class in your pajamas, are you?"

"It's fine. It technically doesn't violate Ms. V's dress code."

"I am certain that will change after today." Vivian rolled her eyes.

"Besides." I grinned. "I'm sure there are normal kids who come to school in their pajamas."

"How do you know?"

"Movies?" I shrugged. Then I smiled as I raced out the door and down the stairs.

There are too many freaking stairs here. It's fine when I'm not in a hurry but now I'm late and I rolled my ankle twice. I look back up through the circular gap of the spiral staircase. "Only three floors?!" I have ten more to go. "I'm going to be really late." I groaned. You'd think with that since daddy built the school only thirteen floors under my apartment, I could get to class in a reasonable amount of time. Then a thought occurred. I slid my hand over the smooth railing. It wouldn't technically be breaking the rules. Just stupid and dangerous as all get out. But it would be fast. I looked around. The stairwell is empty. But that didn't mean I wouldn't be seen. I could spot five security cameras, a few the systems daddy insisted be installed, for my protection. The only question was whether anyone was watching. Well, another question was, 'is it safe?' But that was a physics calculation I could quantify and I think all the variables are within reasonable parameters. Screw it. I leaned my upper body over the rail, keeping my center mass over the center of the rail. I bent my knees, raising my feet off the stairs. "Here goes-" as soon as my feet left the ground I sped up much faster than I'd expected. I passed one floor, then two, and I knew, with certainty, that any attempt to use my hands to slow myself down would cause a wobble in my centrifugal force, throw off my center of mass in a way I can't quantify and probably drop me down the ten floors I was too lazy to run. Attempting to use my legs to slow myself down would probably do the same thing. I am, officially, a runaway train. My stomach curdled when I realized I could only turn left. A race car with a stuck steering wheel, no brakes, and all Nitrous Oxide. I had no control, but still, I had to concentrate. Count the floors. Four, three, two... I shot my hand out and grabbed the rail where it ended with a little launch, changing some of my forward momentum into, well, spinning. So, way, too GD much spinning. I beybladed, trying my damnedest not to hit a wall. I ended up falling onto the floor though. Couldn't tell when I slowed down, but I did eventually re-orient myself by finding the stair rail I'd launched from, and with it the realization that this was the basement workshop floor. My classroom is two floors up.