Here is the second chapter! Hope you enjoy! Review!
2
Los Angeles, CA
LAX Private Jet Tarmac
Monday, August 23
10:30 P.M.
"And you'll be sure to call home at least every other day. Or write us. Oh, that would be, so, how do you kids say it, cool?" Nat rolled her eyes.
"Yes mother, it's cool. I'll be fine, alright?" The big day had come, for Natalie to leave for EPI. The location of EPI was so secured, a private plane had to take her.
Nat acted blasé on the outside, but inside she was jumping with joy and excitement.
Natalie had invited Paige, Heather, and Arianna to come see her off, but Paige refused. "Who cares that you're going to EPI to hang out with some dumpy old lady? Heather, Arianna and I will be sun tanning in the Caribbean. Far better than some island!" Paige had said, and Natalie had stomped her foot.
"You guys! If you don't come, I won't see you all for a YEAR! Come on, please?" But Paige just opened her TeenPeople and flipped her auburn tresses. "Just text us, Nat. God. You're over reacting."
But the look in her eyes told Natalie she was crazed with jealousy. So only her mother, father, and Isobel came.
"Oh, little sis, I can't believe I won't see you for a YEAR. By the time you're back, you'll be married! Ha-ha, just joking. AND we'll be in Australia!" Isobel squeezed Natalie, and her black hair covered Natalie's face.
Natalie turned to her father. "Oh, my baby. My Nat-ster. My Nattie. My Nat a-tat-tat. My…" "Okay, dad. I get it."
Michael smiled. "I'm just…going to miss you." He kissed her forehead.
"Dad…are you…CRYING?" Isobel noted. "Uh, no!" He swiped at his eyes. Nat giggled. Giselle embraced her younger daughter and rested her chin on top of her head.
"Sweetie. I know you'll go far. Be careful and safe, okay? I love you so much. Never forget that. And stay true to who you are."
She rubbed Nat's back until the door to the Jet opened. Making sure no tears were visible, Natalie slid her Prada hobo bag on her arm, and walked to the plane. Once she got to the doorway, she turned around and waved to her family. They waved back.
The inside of the jet was amazing. Everything was "back-to-the-future style," While also being eco-friendly.
There were 4 plush seats that looked like glitter had been sprinkled over them, which "were made from entirely recycled car parts/rubber tires." A voice informed them. A monitor was secured to the wall for every two seats, and MTV was on mute.
A stack of magazines was on a table that rose from the floor, and a cozy blanket was draped over each chair, a down-filled pillow strapped to the headrest. A wall of mirrors separated the front where the pilot's flew the plane, and 2 bathrooms were at the very back. Turn a left at the bathrooms and there was a "green room" where you could purchase eco-friendly EPI products from the 'Green Cart'.
Natalie collapsed into a chair at the front that faced the plane. She looked out the window.
Isobel was chatting with her mother, and her father was staring into the distance. Then the door opened and a girl with dyed brown hair came in. She had chocolate brown eyes and a cute smile.
Taking her time, she finally selected a seat across from Natalie. "My name is Mariah Billings. What's yours?" She bubbled. A couple of bangles jingled on her wrist.
"Um…Natalie. Natalie McGuire." She replied. Mariah grinned.
"Hi Natalie! Oh, aren't you just SO excited for EPI? I am! I never expected an acceptance letter to come, but, oh well, it did! Oh, Eloise sounds so extravagant, don't you think? Well, I just can't wait to meet her…"
Natalie tuned Mariah out. Instead, she focused on the 1 other girl that walked in.
She had raven hair and bright blue eyes, and was talking on a cell phone. "Where? Oh, the front? Yes, okay, there are still a couple spots open up there. There are only two other people. Yeah. Kay."
The girl snapped the phone shut and threw it into her large blue purse, than placed a piece of paper on a chair across from Nat. She taped it to the pillow on the headrest. It said: RESERVED.
She plopped down in the seat across from it.
Nat's eyebrows crinkled. Who reserves a seat for someone?
Once every girl was there, (Except for the girl who's seat was reserved) a voice came on, spilling over them like warm caramel. "Welcome, FLEAs or First Level Elite Alphas," It said in a clear voice.
"We will be taking off in 1 minute 30 seconds. So, please, fasten your seatbelts. If you need anything, on the right armrest is a small button. Push that, and we will come and assist you."
A minute later, the door burst open. A girl stood in the doorway, grinning at her loud entrance. She had dark burgundy un-natural colored hair that fell in soft waves down her back, and green eyes with flecks of gold in them. She had a small purple nose stud, and it looked sassy instead of repulsive. And she was giving Nat total outfit envy.
The girl had on a violet ruffled tank top, a micro mini jean skirt, and platform Gucci pumps. A quilted white purse hung on her shoulder, and her fingernails were painted deep orange. A cluster of necklaces hung on her neck, weighing her neck down a little.
She strutted to her seat and sat down. She flung her legs over the armrest, being sure to cross her legs as she kicked off her heels.
The girl across from her just chuckled and shook her head.
"Wow. Just wow. Your so dramatic!" Sign-girl said.
Late-girl just popped a piece of gum in her mouth. "Shut up Mari. You are the dramatic one, not me."
Nat was in silent awe. Even Mariah had stopped babbling on and on. Who was this confident, sassy, un-predictable girl?
Late-girl shifted uncomfortably. She lifted her butt and pulled the RESERVED sign out. Crumpling it, she tossed it at Sign girl, who ducked and squealed.
Late-girl caught Nat staring and swiveled her head to her. She arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow, like Yessss?
"Uh…my name…. is…uh…Natalie McGuire. What's yours?" She asked, stealing Mariah's line. "Kat Lovett. This is my friend Mari. Well, really it's Marcella, but she likes Mari."
So, Late-girl=Kat, and Sign-girl=Mari. Nat thought. Mariah grinned. "Oh, isn't the FYI-Pod just so cool? I had never seen anything like it!"
Kat rolled her eyes. "Well, like, 10 years ago there was this thing called the aPod, but…. this is way cooler. I mean, also lip-gloss? that was a surprise."
When Kat looked away, Nat studied her FY-Pod. She pressed a tiny button, and the top clicked and slid open to reveal a small case of pink gloss. She had never noticed that before, and quickly hid her surprise.
Kat snapped her gum, than got a disgusted look on her face. She pulled it out. "Hey, lady. Can I get a trashcan? And some new gum? This one lost its flavor!" A trash can rolled up to her, and she chucked the chewed gum in the *Green*Elite* trashcan.
A compartment in her armrest revealed itself and there were 6 packs of gum in there. "Cool. You guys did some research on me." She popped a new piece in her mouth.
The soothing voice came on again. "Of course. We know the ins and outs of you: Your likes, dislikes, favorite designer, even down to every piece of clothing you packed have in your closet."
Mari picked up a Teen Vogue and started flipping through it. Nat looked out her plexi-glass window. They were flying over Seattle, Washington, and Nat could see the sky needle. It seemed to reach for the sky, trying to get a ride to EPI Island.
Suddenly, the plane veered left, and Kat, who didn't put on her seatbelt, fell out of her chair. "Agghhh!" she screamed. "Ms. Lovett, I will kindly ask you again; please put on your seatbelt."
Kat blushed and snapped it on quickly. She looked at Mariah. "So, what are you?" Mariah, puzzled, said, "What do you mean?"
"What ARE you? I'm a gymnast. Mari is…" Mari cut her off. "I'M a fashion designer." Nat, confused, said, "I didn't know they offered design."
"Well, for figure skating. That's how I got in. Eloise said as long as I actually made the outfits, I was in. I draw 24-7. In fact," she pulled out a sketchbook from her purse. "I'm working on something right now."
A tall woman had on a tight pale blue dress with a sweetheart neckline that cut off mid thigh, then puffed out with tulle.
"It's gorgeous," Nat said. Mari smiled.
"I'm…well, I WANT to be a writer. I've only published 4 picture books, though." Mariah told them, picking at a lose thread on her cardigan.
"I'm an actress. I live for the stage!" Nat burst. "We will be entering a No-Communication Zone in exactly 2 minutes. Please shut off all cell phones, computers, or any other devices." The soothing voice instructed.
"WHAT? NO CELL PHONES?" Nat complained. "Uh-v course, Nat. We can't just risk letting people know where EPI is." Kat said in a "duh" voice.
"Oh,sorry." Nat looked out of the window again to hide her flushed face. She quickly texted Paige:
Natalie: P, we cant hav phones on the island
Paige: Told ya it was sucky! C ya in a year
Natalie: Wait! I'll write u guys
Paige: Don't worry bout it. I don't even kno our address in the Caribbean n-e-wayz. bye chica
Nat stared her phone. 'How could Paige just not care she probably wouldn't see me for years?' Looking out, Nat saw a large island covered in willow trees, probably to keep hidden by lost planes and paparazzi. It was the shape of a star. A few stucco buildings peeked out, but that was it.
"We are now in a communication free zone." Nat's screen went black. "You can only use your FYI-Pod to communicate with people on the island. Now, please put on your uniforms. We will be arriving at EPI momentarily."
Curtains swiveled around each girl, hiding them from view, and screens came down on the windows. On a wire, a uniform on a hanger zipped to Nat and stopped above her.
"EPI, here I come." she muttered.
Yeah...second chapter. I felt that the Elites needed people to talk to on their flights so I gave four to a plane. Yeah yeah yeah...REVIEW!
