Free The Apollo Academy by Kimberly P. Chase

While she stood there not knowing what to do, Kaylana had mischievously devised a plan. Using an eight-foot long snake, a reconnaissance vehicle her dad built for the military, to get rid of them.
    Aurora smiled at the memory. She should be used to such negative reactions, but now they were really starting to piss her off. Aurora decided she’d rather go down publicly in a giant ball of flames than sit on the sidelines, watching and wondering what if. “Thanks for sticking up for me, but you won’t have to anymore.”
    Kaylana looked surprised. “That girl, Hailen, is completely—
    “I think I should start sticking up for myself.” Aurora paused. “And I’m not going to hide anymore.” She refused to live the rest of her life in the shadow of her father. And hadn’t she decided earlier that she was going to live the life she wanted? She couldn’t do that if she was too afraid to come out of the shell she had built around herself.
    Kaylana grabbed onto this piece of news like it was a lifeline. “I think that’s nova!” She nodded emphatically. “I know people will just loooove you once they get to know you.”
    Aurora smiled and watched as Kaylana focused her excessive energy on unpacking.
    “Where should we hang these?”
    Aurora looked at the virtual photos in Kaylana’s hands. There were a few of Kaylana’s mom and dad, but most were of the two of them from various stages growing up.
    “Here.” Aurora pointed to the wall between their two beds. “Love the one of your mom and dad.”
    Aurora turned her attention to her overloaded bag. When she unlocked it, it exploded in a cloud of clothes, shoes, and books.
    Kaylana laughed when she heaved an armful of books out of her bag and began to place them on shelves. “No wonder your bag was so heavy.”
    “Yeah, well, I couldn’t leave them behind.” Not many people understood her passion for the old leather-bound books that smelled of history long forgotten.
    They spent the rest of the evening in hushed chatter. Aurora already knew her area of concentration, so they talked about what Kaylana’s would be. Kaylana wanted to be placed in the medical AOC, and Aurora was sure that’s where she would be. It was nice giving Kaylana the same kind of pep talk that she always seemed to need.
    Before they realized it, it was past midnight. Aurora’s last thought before drifting to sleep was if Zane would like the new her.

 

    AURORA
    A urora awoke to a beeping noise. She looked around. What was that incessant sound?
    Beep. Beep.
    The noise was coming from her techiwatch. She tried to turn the stupid warning off but then remembered where she was. She had set her alarm early because training began today. Aurora jumped out of bed and noticed Kaylana sprawled out on the bed opposite hers, passed out and drooling on her nice pillows. There was no way Kaylana would believe her when she told her she drooled.
    With a snort, she turned her watch toward Kaylana and snapped a picture for future blackmail.
    She pulled herself off the bed and focused on her techiwatch.
    0900 swim training
    Aurora went to their shared closet to find the Apollo Academy physical training clothes that she and Kaylana had put away the evening before. She rifled through all of the clothing stacked in the closet, trying to find the swimsuit she’d seen last night. There were white T-shirts, polos, khaki shorts, and skirts that all included the swirling Apollo Academy logo somewhere on them. She yelled in triumph when she found the standard white swimsuit at the bottom.
    Aurora covered her mouth and looked at Kaylana, but she was still in the same position. The girl was so not a morning person.
    “Kay, babe, it’s time to get up.” Aurora shook her shoulder lightly.
    “Hmmpf.” Kaylana groaned and rolled over.
    Aurora knew from experience that this would require more drastic measures, so she shook her again and yelled, “Kaylana!”
    Kaylana barely opened her eyes. “Huh? What is