Writer's POV:
Ivy pressed the side of her watch and sighed. 4:27 a.m. The sky outside her apartment window was still a shade of navy—the kind of blue that promised secrets and silence. She was already dressed in her Altura Air uniform: a sleek navy-blue skirt suit, a pristine white blouse, and a pair of comfortable yet polished black pumps. Her waist-length red curls were twisted into a neat updo that barely grazed the collar of her jacket. No earrings, no distractions. Just a badge clipped to her chest and a flight bag that weighed slightly less than her ambitions.
In the kitchen, her roommate Marcie was up, as always, elbows-deep in a swirl of flour and chaos. Marcie's hair, unlike Ivy's, was jet black, wildly curly, and just as long. It spilled past her waist in a tangle of flour-dusted waves, which she flipped out of her face as she kneaded dough.
"You're up early," Ivy said, grabbing a paper towel to dab at the corner of her mouth where her lipstick had smudged. She glanced at herself through her phone's camera.Marcie grinned. "You're one to talk, Miss First-Flight-of-the-Day. I packed you something. Don't cry. It's just a turkey sandwich and a granola bar. And I only burned one of them."Ivy squinted at her in disbelief. They both chuckled.
"Oh. That's why I don't regret having you as a roommate," Ivy muttered sarcastically, taking the brown paper bag with a small smile and patting Marcie on the shoulder.
Marcie rolled her eyes, still smirking.
Ivy double-checked her skirt, her stockings, her ID badge. Everything about her screamed ready. It was her first official shift since graduating from flight attendant training two weeks ago, and she was determined to arrive early, follow protocol, and—above all—not trip over her own suitcase in front of the captain.
She kissed Marcie on the cheek, snagged her travel mug, and darted out the door."Hope you didn't forget your extra stockings!" Marcie shouted after her."I ticked off every item on your checklist, Mum!" Ivy yelled back as she closed the door behind her and jogged toward the waiting taxi.