Your Last Chance

Prolouge

Space's POV

I glanced around the plane, looking for the familiar brown locks that I had grown to love. Instead I was met with the face I was looking for, but bleach blonde hair atop it. I stifled a laugh and went over to the seat next her. Since Kara had claimed the window seat, I squeezed into the middle one, passing an elderly man that gave off a sweet vibe. Once I had sat down, I couldn't keep the grin off my face. Kara gave me a look that almost silenced it, but it wasn't enough; I burst out laughing.

"What possessed you to go blonde?" I ask Kara, still laughing.

"I don't want to talk about it, it was post-mental breakdown," Kara grumbles. "Also, this is the first time we've met in real life, and the very first thing you say to me is an insult?" 

"It represents our friendship well," I say back, down to only grinning now. I was worried out friendship would be weird in real life, since we had only talked on the internet, but it didn't seem to be working like that, we were acting like we had known each other our whole lives. 

The plane ride was just a layover from Indiana, so the flight was only half an hour. But that hour was filled with talks about the vacation to come. When my parents had let me come on this vacation, given the condition I worked up the money myself, I couldn't believe it, but now that it was approaching, I thought of if it was really worth it. Kara talking and us having a great time was certainly lending credence to the thought that it was, but I still want more reassurance. 

The plane landed after what felt like ten minutes, though my phone confirmed it to be the thirty it was supposed to be. As we sat in our seats, waiting to get off, the man next to me started coughing violently. His face, previously wrinkled and tanned, now seemed stretched and ashen gray; probably from the coughing, I suppose. He continued to cough violently, almost writhing, until a flight attendant came over to him and offered him water. He composed himself, and denied the water. The flight attendant insisted, but his sweet demeanor was gone. He started to talk quickly, but his speech was slurred. The flight attendant  quickly escorted him off the plane, hopefully to get an ambulance. As he left, his jacket, previously on his lap and filled with military pendants, whipped around and hit me in the face.

"Wow, what was that?" I ask, my worried face turning to Kara. Kara seemed completely unbothered though. 

"Well duh, he was purposely acting crazy to make it seem like he had to get off the plane first, I've seen people do it all the time," Kara says with a roll of her eyes. "Rude, right?"

"Yeah, uh, definitely," I say, Kara's explanation quelling my fears. "He's a good actor."

"Probably does this every time he's on a plane. Some people are so impolite," Kara says. I nod emphatically. While waiting for the plane to unload, we sit in a comfortable silence. 

Finally, it was our turn to exit; we both grab our overhead bags and head off the plane. Since we were near the back, there were only a few people trickling through the main row. While we were walking, something flashed on the aisle. I quickly bent down and picked it up. I inspected it and it looked like one of the pins on the man's coat. I didn't really have a need for it, but the satisfaction I felt from stealing from the old man was enough for me to shove it in my pocket. 

Once we exited the plane, I grab my luggage, which was surprisingly easy to find. Maybe because it was hot pink. Kara made fun of my hot pink bags, while I made fun of her Chemical Romance ones in return. 

We laugh and tease each other all the way off the boarding exit. Once we get to the end, where we were to be picked up, she and I looked around for a sign. I thought it was stupid, but Clara insisted on a car service, complete with a man in a suit with a sign. 

"SPACE! KARA! SPACE!" I hear a voice shouting me name from across the terminal. I nudge Kara and gesture to a jumping Clara, who's waving her arms around like a maniac. She was next to a bald man in a black suit, with a now useless sign that read "Cara and Space", probably courtesy of Clara.

We rush over to her. Kara and Clara embrace, while I awkwardly watch. Then, Clara looked at her hair and started cackling.

"It's... it's so blonde!" She collapses into a fit of giggles that cause me to start chuckling too. Clara notices Kara's red face and continues. "Don't worry, we can dye it at my house."

She looks at me next and decided against hugging me. Instead she punches me in the arm. I don't know why. "Don't worry, we can dye yours too."

"Um, I don't want to-"

"Nonsense, it looks terrible," Clara says brightly, turning away to leave. I decide not to be offended and follow her. The man, who I assumed to be the driver, also followed, though at a slow pace.

We make it to the pick up area, and the dull man guides us through the parking garage to a nice car. We all gather inside.

"So, how was your flight?" Clara asks, somewhat awkwardly.

"It was good until the end," I tell her.

"Yeah, there was this guy that started spasming and coughing, probably so he would get attention and get off the plane first," Kara explains. 

"Really? I've never seen anyone do that. That's so rude," Clara replies. She and Kara continue their conversation, but I was thinking about what Clara said. She had flown more than Kara or I, but she hadn't seen anyone do that, while Kara said she saw it every flight? Ohh, it was probably because Clara flew first class. (I don't btw) There's no point to someone doing that in first class, as they already got priority exiting. 

Realizing I was zoning out and thinking about airplanes, when I should be talking with my friends, I join in Kara and Clara's conversation, and don't give it another thought. 

Once we arrived at Clara's house, we loaded out the car. When we had gotten out, the man helped us with our bags. We had softened him up during the ride over, and he was smiling softly now, a shift from his dry personality earlier. 

Clara skips up her driveway, earning a judgmental look from Kara and a confused look from me. She gestures for us to follow her and, after our refusal, comes back and drags us to the door. 

"Tada! This is my house!" Clara says, opening her arms. As we enter, she helps me carry my bags. She leads us through a large foyer to a staircase on the opposite end. We file up the stairs and go to Clara's room. 

Clara does jazz hands, and I roll my eyes. She was really annoying sometimes. 

"I don't care who sleeps on the floor or bed. We can switch out, maybe. Or y'all could sleep on the bed together," she continues,winking.

"First off, you're disgusting. Second, you're annoying. Third, I'll take the floor, I don't care what y'all do," Kara says.

"I'll take the floor, too. Y'all are guests after all. Or you can take a bed in a different room. My parents took my siblings up to Cedar Point for the week so..." Clara offered. 

"I think we can deal with the floor, right Kara?" I ask. She nods.

"If you're sure." Clara says, uncertain. I could tell she wanted this vacation to be perfect for us. 

"We're good, promise," I assure her. 

"Welp, I like the prospect of keeping my bed then," Clara says, now bright. It occurs to me she's probably smart enough to have acted out all of that, but I decide not to dwell on that too much.

"I'm starving!" Kara suddenly interjects. Clara starts a monologue on all the local restaurants that we should support while Kara and I exchanged looks of tedium. 

Noticing our exchanged look, Clara cut herself off, "Or... we can go get Skyline." I nodded and smiled at her. "Welp, I'll drive!" Clara exclaims, her sheepish expression wiped off her face. 

I laugh at the mood change. Kara joins in as Clara, again, skips out of the room. "She's even crazier in real life," Kara says, already looking exhausted. I grin.

"That's what makes her fun."

With that, Kara and I link arms and go after Clara. Kara attempts to skip but I wouldn't let her, causing her to groan. As Clara laughs at Kara and I, and we go to have our first trip as friends, I realize there's no place I'd rather be.