The Adventures Of Rocket Car

{1}

Vesilisa woke up with a start.
Today was a big day.
She stroked the picture of her mother on her bedside table and got out of bed.
She got dressed into her formal Venus attire, which consisted of a tight lycra top and leggings, with a thick ring belt, shoulder pads and knee length boots.
It looked quite strange, but this was standard for special occasions, and everyone else would be wearing one.

1 year ago Vesilisa submitted her application for Venus Space School, she got in, and here she was.
It had been her dream to follow in her mothers footsteps, to join a Spaceship.
Her father and older brothers had been somewhat against it, Venus was a big planet, she could stay there and work in the city like them, but Vesilisa refused.
She had the brains and the skill to go to space, and she would get there.

Vesilisa walked into the kitchen and began making herself a power shake, she was going to need one today.
Her older brother, Kilas greeted her with a hug.
"You'll do great today,"
He whispered, "You'll prove them all wrong."
Vesilisa nodded and hugged him tighter, before letting go and running out the door.

Vesilisa repeated Kilas' words in his head as she walked up the steps to the school.
It was an enormous tall building made of mirror glass, and it made Vesilisa feel like a tiny speck of dust.
The grounds were bursting with students, all in outfits similar to Vesilisas's.
A girl with short ginger hair and freckles approached her.
"E - excuse me?" she asked.
"yes?" Vesilisa replied, looking at the girl.
"Im new - and I don't know where to go," the girl said.
"I'm new too, how about we go in together," Vesilisa suggested, and off they went into the school.

Vesilisa learnt that the girl was called Twila, and she was taking the same course as her, so they had all their lessons together, which was a relief.
Their first lesson was orientation, where they had to listen to a two hour lecture about the school.
After a quick break they went to their second lesson, which was an exam to see how much they knew.
Twila seemed to struggle but Vesilisa found it easy.
When the exam was over the two girls went to the canteen for lunch, and they couldn't believe their eyes.
In front of them stood a massive food court, with different stalls that sold different things, there were robots that came and cleaned the tables when students were done with them, students of all ages were grouped together, chatting and studying and eating.
Twila immediately dragged her over to a desert buffet, and she began stuffing her face with cake and puddings.
Vesilisa wasn't as keen on the deserts, and instead she went to a salad bar and purchased some pasta spinach.

When she found Twila, whose plate was stocked with chocolate, they sat down at an empty table and talked over what had happened so far.
"That exam was soooo hard!" Twila complained, "I'm sure I've failed it!"
"Nonsense, it wasn't that hard, you just have to not overcomplicate the questions, it's normally a simple answer, but everyone thinks it's some really difficult workings," Vesilisa replied.
Twila just stared at her, bewildered.

After lunch they had a free period, and since they hadn't been set any actual work yet they decided to get to know each other better.
" Um well I'm from Cinata, its a couple of hours away from here, so I'm renting a student house," Twila stated,
"My dad works in the capitol as a politician, so that's how I'm paying for this, but he's never at home, and my mum stays at home with my siblings, I have 2 older sisters and 4 little brothers.
My dad wants me to become famous, or well known so I can represent our family in the space sector."

" Well my mother died when I was 2, so I don't remember her that much, but she gave me this necklace, "
Vesilisa showed Twila the chain around her neck, at the end of it was a beautiful silver bird, with tiny jems for eyes. It was engraved with the words 'Be True'
" Its all I have left of her - she used to work on Rocket Car, that's why I want to study here, so I can be like my mother."
Twila looked like she was about to cry.
"I'm sorry you had to go through that! Oh I can't imagine life without Mummy! You must feel so lonely!"
Twila threw her arms around Vesilisa and hugged the living daylight out of her.
Vesilisa just smiled, she had found the bestest friend ever.