Sola Flair!

There I stood, on an unfamiliar road that was yet another reminder of my failure. Frigid air brushed past my knees, chilling the skin exposed by the myriad of tears in my jeans. The air’s tendrils curled up and around my legs, giving rise to a wave of goosebumps that reached the narrow points of my shoulder. I shrugged off the cold and waited patiently for her return. I had no right to complain.

At the sound of the door behind me opening, I turned to face a lady slightly shorter than I was. The red accents of her boa gave her a radiance that was unmistakable, even on a starless night like this. Her shine seemed to envelop my body in an insurmountable darkness. On her waist sat a belt with the words “Sola Flair!” inscribed on the buckle. She carried my bag of graffiti supplies and comic books depicting various superheroes over her shoulder. I looked down towards the ground, unable to bring myself to face her. She hurried toward me and rambled, “Goodness, is it cold! What are you doing out here? Get your butt in the car, baby sis!”

She stepped quickly toward a blood red luxury car and tapped on its window. The chauffeur inside nodded and began to fiddle with the radio. She opened the door to the backseat and waved me over. I sank into the rich mahogany cushions, and my ears perked up as they caught the melody of one of my favorite songs. My toe poked out of a hole in my shoe and rubbed across the delightfully soft rug. With a light chuckle, my frozen lips melted into a grin. As I was getting settled into the warmth of the car, a black heel plopped onto my lap. Before I could turn to look where it came from, another bounced off my head as my sister began to explode with laughter.

“Onta, love, you’ve always had such a lovely sense of humor!” my sister howled.

“Jeez, Cora. You’re gonna wake the whole block!” I said, hiding my face.

“Oh? I’m gonna wake the whole block?” she said with a devious smile. “I don’t think you’re giving yourself enough credit!” Cora leapt towards me, her tiny fingers curled into attack position. She went straight for my stomach and began tickling me relentlessly. She peppered her fingers across all of my weak spots, leaving me helpless to her assault.

“Cora! Stop, please! Mercy, mercy! You win!” I pleaded, jabbing her sides lightly. She sat up triumphantly, and I could have sworn I heard a trumpet blare out from the radio. “That’s for never calling home!” Cora jested.

I caught my breath and shifted in my seat. “I’ve just been busy is all.”

She raised an eyebrow at me. “Is that so?”

“Thanks again for getting me out of the slammer, but I can handle myself,” I replied, trying to change the subject.

“Dad always said ‘Us Solas stick together!’ remember?”

“How is he, by the way?” My voice cracked a bit.

“He misses you. You know there’s always a spot for you back at my company, right? Didn’t you used to love dressing up? Maybe you could be our top model with them long legs!”

“I know, I just…” “I get it.” Cora said with a warm smile. Her eyes glanced to my bag. “Just be careful trying to change the world, my little hero.”

I gazed out the window and noticed a lonely star appear before me in the night sky. “Hey, how long til we reach Dad’s place?”

Story by Derek Pena

Design by Soumya Kona