The sun was bright, and harsh, and woke me with no mercy. I awoke at the 28th hour, exactly twenty-eight hours after collapsing onto my waterbed, marvelling at the timeliness of the Korainian body clock. I gave myself a minute, waiting for my drowsiness to subside before I tried to move my body; and waiting even longer for my mind to catch up to my sudden consciousness.
 
Next door I could hear the sounds of my Mother’s feet, shuffling between the fibres of her thick fuzzy carpet, as she too slowly awoke from hibernation. Just like my Mother, each and every inhabitant of our planet would soon be bustling with their activities for the day. A day free from all traditions, initiations, and balls. Thank. The. Universe.
 
“Nykia?” My Mother called to me through my curtains.
 
“Yes…” I yelled lazily from my pillow.
 
“Are you decent?” she asked, barely waiting for a response before pushing aside my purple privacy drapes and parading into the room. Too worn-out to bother challenging her, I watched as she pulled my fluffy robe from the hook by the doorway. Guessing that she wasn’t impressed by my glittery sleeping attire, I grabbed my robe and went to change behind my room divider. “Morning, new-woman,” my Mother said as I returned to my bed; “have you given any more thought to signing up for The University?”
 
I took a deep breath at the anxiety-inducing questions my Mother had prepared, dreading it. I forced my mind to focus, readying myself for the debate that would arise once I finally told her. I would not be enrolling at The University. I had my reasons of course. Sensible reasons, connected to the very history of Korai Uji; and as I recalled my argument, I started with the simple Early Schooling song that best summarised the cycles of our history.
 

 
Korai, Korai Uji, once held nations that totalled three.
 
Mountu, Sandya, Volcanis, Mother isles separated.
 
In 211 Before Law, each isle was weathered like never before.
 
And so our ancestors took oar, and settled here on Uji’s shore.
 

 
The rhyme was a well known tale on Uji’s origin of how every Korainian on our planet, of every scale, had come to live in one place. However it was my Geography of Uji classes that had taught me The Colony Outlands, the first settlements on Uji, were divided into territories for each kind of scale. After the collaborative Tribe Tribunal between the settlements fell to territorial disputes, a Whitescale named Ino Taka brokered peace to end The War for Uji. His settlement declared the land they inhabited as neutral, and over hundreds of cycles that land became The Mainland we have today.
 
One of my less nap-inducing Law History lectures explained how The First Wave of Confirmation in 15AL, declared by Ino Taka’s descendent, Chief Taka III, was the start of our separation from the colonies. Over two more waves, The Mainland grew greatly in population. Today, in 267AL, The Mainland is split into three main regions; Lower, Upper, and Mid. Then into eight sub-regions; Lowest Lower, Mid Lower, Upper Lower, Lower Mid, Central Mid, Upper Mid, Upper, and City. Yet, despite the varied and diverse inhabitants of our land, the structure of our society remained as rigid as an Early Schooling rhyming pattern.
 
Things were incredibly regimented in The Mainland. There was a way to do things, and a handbook that went along with it. Lecturers often told my birth group that we all had an equal chance at any career once we completed intermediate schooling. However in reality, Uji’s job system was locked up tight.
 
The role of a neighbourhood’s baker, butcher, carpenter, tailor, clocksmith, and jewellery maker, were the types of trades upheld by families. Della’s own father was a baker, whereas my Uncle Raymond was a clocksmith. Which meant that by tradition, their children and grandchildren were expected to take on their professions upon adulthood.
 
Only, in Della’s Father’s case, Della had no interest in becoming a baker, her eldest sister Dena had moved out of the region, the second eldest Dora was becoming a law keeper, and the youngest Daya wasn’t old enough to declare a vocation. Thus, similarly to my Uncle Raymond, who was struggling to convince his twins that ‘clocks are fun’, Mr. Trist was in the predicament of finding himself an apprentice.
 
In those special instances, a young Korainian hoping for a change in family trade could become lucky enough to apply for an apprenticeship. Only, becoming an apprentice to anyone was a sought after role; and if a relative or family friend didn’t want the position, an open trial had to be held. Open trials were known to get really competitive. Still, an open trial was surely a necessary process for those whom didn’t have a family lineage to uphold or rely on; as outside of family trades, the options were sparse.
 
Many new-adults would end up working as fisherman. Specifically those from The Pits; the Lowest Lower Region that bordered the marshes separating The Mainland, from The Colony Outlands. If you were the seasick kind, you would most likely get a job on Uji’s farm, in the mines, or apply for a job at one of the corporate factories in the Factorylands; all of which were located in the Lower Region.
 
If none of that suited you, there were just two pathways left. Though available to any Korainian under the sun, the first path was as uncommon as a shooting star. You could wish for a departmental government job; like a housing agent, records keeper, environment caretaker or shuttle driver. Yet those roles were infamously hard to come by. If an opening miraculously became available, you had to have a reference from an existing government employee. Even then, the probationary process was four cycles long; meaning one mistake, could be the end of your Governmental career.
 
The unfairness of the system only continued to frustrate me when I considered it in comparison to the last possible career pathway. The concerns of upholding or abandoning a family practice, fighting over an open trial, being trapped in a region of low paying jobs, or wishing on a star for a public service role, were a far off thought for those lucky enough to enrol at The University. Stuffed as if a fat catfish with opportunity and industry connection, graduates from The University could have any position they applied for. They even had access to careers that no one else did.
 
You could become a Law Keeper, a Lecturer, a Columnist, a Programming-Box Producer, a Performer, or even a Government Head Planner. All that was necessary was paying the fees and passing the course-end exam. It had become clear to me, while assessing my so-called options over the last few eights, that The University was an institute created to justify the careers only available for Upper Region new-adults. Mostly because the application fee was so high, the majority of graduates from The University were wealthy Upper Regioners.
 
To be unnecessarily fair to the unfair institute, some Mid and Lower Region Korainians did attend The University. Mrs. Trist attended and graduated a Law Keeper. Della’s older sister Dora had even worked hard to follow in her mother’s footsteps. However, Mrs. Trist’s degree hadn’t appeared to be a very lucrative endeavour, since she had eventually given up the work to become a full-time parent; and from what Della had told me, Dora appeared to be spending more time clubbing and dating than studying.
 
It was obvious to me, lacklustre student that I was, enrolment surely wouldn’t do me any better than it had them. In spite of all that, my Mother was still adamant I go. Through the cycles she continued to wish that I would embody my father’s vision of me; that I would grow up to love the sciences and become a top-tier researcher like him. Unfortunately, I continued to disappoint her with every detention for falling asleep in lecture.
 
It wasn’t that I was unable to learn, I just found that I mostly didn’t care to. School had always felt like something I had to get through, and it seemed ridiculous I should go on to further education simply because my family happened to have the funds to send me. In fact, it was so ridiculous, I had made up my mind not to enrol at all.
 
I took in a deep breath, then I lowered my eyes to avoid my Mother’s penetrative peer. “Mother, I don’t think I should go…” I mumbled, instantly losing all my nerve as the words left my lips. I heard my Mother exhale heavily, though I kept my eyes set on my toes whilst she replied.
 
“Now Nykia, there’s no need to be hasty, you have a full eight until classes start.”
 
“It’s not hasty, Mother…” I replied in meek defiance. “I’m just not the schooling type.”
 
I lifted my head to peek at my Mother’s expression as she huffed through her nostrils; causing them to flare in what would have been a very comically satisfying way, were it not for the topic of conversation. “Nykia, you are a woman now,” my Mother firmly declared; “you are not a little girl, and so I must be straight with you. Something has got to give. You can not have everything your way, that’s not how life works.”
 
“I don’t think anything is going my way…” I mumbled.
 
“Really Nykia?” my Mother huffed, as she sat down besides me. “Alright, let’s talk adult to adult,” she began again. “I am not forcing you, like some parents would, to meet tens of suitors an eight. I am not pressing you to find a job and help pay for things about the house, though you must realise the quartz from your father’s bereavement pension isn’t enough to sustain two adults. All I’m asking is you go to The University, like your father wanted, and build a future for yourself.”
 
I sucked my gums at her words, as I was already aware my parents had saved the quartz for me to study at The University long before my father had passed. Yet still, it felt wrong to spend thousands on an education I didn’t want, and hadn’t earned, simply because I could. “But… what about all the other Korainians?” I finally gathered the courage to say. “There are so many new-adults in The Lower Region today, starting jobs on Uji’s farm… because they don’t have a choice…”
 
“Nykia, I’m not the mother of all the other Korainians,” my Mother countered. “I can’t be, and you shouldn’t feel guilty for the luck of your circumstances-”
 
“You’re wrong,” I interjected, by accident.
 
My Mother glared at me, deservedly, and I quickly mumbled an apology. “My stars, Nykia, you are so much like your father,” she suddenly sighed, shocking me. “He was always thinking of others. It was his job as a researcher, curing illness. Making the world better.” I smiled at my Mother’s likening, glad she was trying to understand me, at least until she continued on. “And the only way he was able to do something with his desire to help others, was by going to The University.”
 
I huffed a breath of frustration. “What good will enrolling do?” I said, forgetting myself again. “What would I even study? I’m bad at Sciences… I’m nothing like father.” My eyes caught my Mother’s expression as she flinched at my words, and I gulped guiltily as a twinge of sadness crossed her face.
 
“Study what you like,” my Mother finally said. “There are plenty courses available.”
 
“None I’m interested in…” I grumbled back.
 
“Nykia, you haven’t even been to an assessment day-”
 
“I don’t want to go…”
 
“Then what do you plan to do with your life, Nykia!” my Mother finally snapped. “How do you plan to live!”
 
“Stars! I… I don’t know yet!” I shrieked, the words ripping from my throat. “Universe help me, Mother! I do not know! I am barely an adult and everyone expects me to have a plan for my entire life! I don’t know yet! I just know I don’t want to go to a place where…. where Mid Regioners are frowned upon! Or pay a ridiculous amount of quartz to become a researcher for some new kind of lightwork, while Korainians in The Pits are stuck… stuck digging up soil for a living!”
 
I wiped my face furiously, attempting to calm my threatening tears; though all it seemed to do was aggravate my beckoning breakdown. Until, my Mother hugged me. There were no words for the healing power of that specifically well-timed embrace. I took a moment to regain composure whilst nested in her arms. Sighing deeply, I coughed away bubbles of choked air over her shoulder as she held me; anchoring me to a known place in the senseless world I was now an adult in. Nevertheless, after the long moment had passed, she pulled back and sighed my way.
 
“Don’t think this is over,” she said as she stood.
 
I sniffled at her words, rubbing at my nose as she left me with my thoughts and leaking nostrils. After a while I became disgusted at the state of my snotty condition, so I dragged myself into the bathroom and ran the deepest bath possible. I scrubbed away the cosmetics on my face until I recognised myself again. I went through the typical bathing motions. I wept a little, for the loss of my childhood; but once I reemerged from the bathroom, I felt newly determined to start the day afresh.
 
The first challenge of the new day was finding something to wear that wasn’t my old school uniform. It took me the better half of an hour to scavenge together a long-sleeved white top and a knitted yellow skirt. The top was so small it barely fit me, and the yellow knitted skirt was overstretched and frayed. The outfit seemed an odd pairing. It probably was. Yet since I didn’t have many options, fashion was pretty irrelevant.
 
I confronted my reflection, feeling strange in my own skin and unused to the cloth on my back. I took in a deep breath at the sight of myself. I didn’t feel any older, or suddenly more mature. Still, the beveled ‘A’ mark that sat on my forearm below my palm, singed through deepened tone of skin, made sure everyone around me knew what I was supposed to be. An adult.
 
“Whatever that means…” I mumbled under my breath. Frustrated, I pulled on my shrunken sleeves. Then I tugged at the hemline of my yellow knit skirt, huffing at the frayed edges. The yellow fibres seemed to tease me, mock me, remind me that I was forgetting something. Until I recalled. Like the heavy gush of a high tide, memories flushed my mind with images. And they burned.
 
Yellow reflective suits. Fluorescent searchlights. Iron canisters. The Cliff Edge of City Korai last night. My mind had suppressed it. Maybe it had even heeded Della’s orders to forget, even if it was just for the early hours of the morning. Only I had remembered it all now, and just like turning adult, there was no going back.
 
I took a stabilising breath as uncertainty swept me. I asked myself what I would do, who I would confide in, if I could confide in anyone at all; but in the end, I couldn’t settle on anything. There was already far too much complicating my life, let alone theories of secret government procedures. So I sucked my gums, tapped the sides of my thighs, and made the effort to ignore it all.
 
I had been standing before my mirror, eyes closed, suppressing my memories, when a delightful smell thankfully distracted me. I opened my eyes and turned away from my mirror in search of the fragrance. I followed my nose out into the hallway, turning left and ambling across the thickly piled orange carpet, before halting at the dining room table with a gasp.
 
“Saltfish and butter beans!” I exclaimed at the sight, childlike excitement thrusting me towards the fragrant steaming plate. I dropped myself into a dining room chair and dug in, scoffing at the beans as if they were sure to grow legs and run away. “Saltfish aren’t even in season… Where did you get it?”
 
“Well, I - went down to Mister Gad Khorban,” my Mother admitted, before jamming a spoonful of butter beans into her mouth.
 
I lifted a brow at my Mother’s reply, chewing my fish warily. Mostly because, Della was convinced Gad fancied my Mother. Her proof, if you could call it that, was one of the rare occasions Mister Khorban had delivered us some fish. Della and I happened to be watching a terrible Ovum-sponsored reality show in the front room that day, but we had taken a break to nosily observe Mister Khorban and my Mother’s interaction at the door.
 
Since then, Della had claimed the fisherman had a ‘sparkle in his eye’ when he spoke to my Mother. I believed her conclusions were romance-show-inspired nonsense. Still, Della always rebutted with the claim Mister Khorban regularly charged her Mother twice the quartz for the same amount of fish. At first, I thought it may have been out of pity; since my Mother was a single parent, a highly uncommon predicament on Uji. Yet, the more doorway deliveries I overheard, and the cheaper our fish got, the more I started to believe Della may have had a point.
 
After briefly debating my opinion on my Mother’s dating life, I realised there was no harm in asking her directly. “Della thinks Mister Gad Khorban likes you…” I said through a mouth full of fish. My Mother coughed as she choked on her beans, her eyes avoiding mine whilst she pretended not to hear my remark. I raised my brows at her continued silence. “Your mouth is full of butter beans, Mother, not your ears…” I said under my breath.
 
“Nykia!” my Mother spluttered, losing a few butter beans.
 
“What?” I shrugged. “Della says that’s why he saves you all the good stuff…”
 
“Nykia! That is not the reason!” my Mother snapped, suddenly serious. “The vendors in the Mid Region market charge an arm and a leg for preserved saltfish! I wanted to make a special break-fast for my daughter on her first full day as an adult, without spending half of our food budget! Gad is a fair man, he charges the in-season price! It’s purely business! Stars, I hope you’re not going around gossiping about my shopping practices!”
 
“No, definitely not, Mother!” I quickly replied, defending myself from an ear nagging.
 
“Well, good,” she firmly returned, resuming her break-fast.
 
I sighed in relief as I went on chewing, still considering my only parent’s dating life. These days, my Mother spent most of her time cooking and cleaning, or teaching me to cook and instructing me to clean. The time she spent nagging and watching me could surely be better used; and invigorated by the possibility of having a preoccupied Mother, I cautiously pressed on with the suggestion.
 
“It’s just…” I began again; “I remember Della being here when Mister Khorban delivered snapper to the house a cycle ago… and she said her mother had to pay twice what you did so she thought he must like you…”
 
“Nykia, no,” my Mother firmly interrupted; “your Father was the only man for me.”
 
“Alright, yes… of course, Mother,” I apologised, hurrying along her lecture, since I already knew how much of a believer in The Soulmate Law she was. She had never told me much about what her life was like before my father, but I gathered it had improved leaps and bounds once they found each other. In fact it affected her so deeply, that she now strictly believed everyone received the Soulmate they deserved.
 
She took Soulmates so seriously, that she saw engaging in a fling as a betrayal of my father’s memory. Even so, it was entirely socially acceptable for those that tragically loose their Soulmates to seek comfort in a fling. Even Aunt Naomi had once suggested Mother date again. Unfortunately, that had resulted in an argument that left my Aunt having to apologise for the suggestion. Now, fourteen cycles later, my Mother remained a single parent; adamant in her belief that The Universe didn’t give second chances at love.
 
“You get one,” she continued, with rehearsed diction. “You get one Soulmate. And once you find them, you will want all the time you can get. Trust me-”
 
“Trust you… I know,” I said over her in unison.
 
“You don’t know Nykia,” my Mother returned; “but you will, one day soon likely, since you’re an adult now.” My Mother quietened then, pushing aside her plate as she changed the topic. “Speaking of dear, about this morning,” she carefully restarted, clearly referring to my mental breakdown. I twisted my lips at the memory, lowering my eyes as she continued to speak. “I really don’t like to see you that way, dear. I want to help, and whenever I’m confused I ask The Universe to guide my path. So I thought, why not help you define some of those paths?”
 
“Um, sure…” I mumbled back, my nose twitching as I became distracted by the pots of break-fast before me.
 
“Great!” my Mother affirmed, unaware of my divided attention. “Since there isn’t much time before some of those paths close, I thought eight days should be enough time to choose one.”
 
“Eight days, yeah…” I echoed in mumbles, still eyeing the steaming bowl of saltfish in the middle of the table. My Mother slammed the lid of the pot firmly over the fragrant fish, the jolt of iron against iron startling me into paying attention. “Wait…” I said, remembering the conversation; “eight days for what?”
 
“To decide on a path for your life,” she replied.
 
“Hmm, what?” I blinked.
 
“Say pardon, Nykia,” my Mother lamented.
 
“Hmm… pardon?” I sarcastically corrected.
 
“Nykia Nykia!” my Mother warned; causing me to nod a brief apology, before she continued with a sigh. “The University sign up ends for an entire cycle a few days from today. A lot can happen in a cycle. That’s eighty-eight days. It’s eleven eights. So if you don’t have a job, a Soulmate, or an explicit plan in eight days time, you’re going to The University. I don’t care what you study for now. But you will not be wasting your time at home, Nykia.”
 
“But, what are the chances of me finding my Soulmate… in eight days!” I argued.
 
“Then you can get a job,” my Mother rebuffed.
 
“But… you were just talking about finding a Soulmate!”
 
“And you will, but no one wants to try their luck with an unemployed Korainian.”
 
“Mother…” I groaned; “this is so sudden!”
 
“Oh, stop. The University has been the plan since you were a baby, Nykia!”
 
“But I’m not a baby anymore!” I whined. “I’m an adult now! I can think for myself and I have my own opinions and… and I don’t think I agree with The University’s… enrolment criteria!”
 
“And whatever does that mean?” my Mother huffed.
 
“Well, they’re really… elitist!”
 
“Oh, Nykia!” my Mother tutted. “You sound like my Grandfather with that nonsense!”
 
“But he’s right this time, Mother!” I yelled. “Look at Mrs. Trist! She graduated from The University and it’s done nothing for her career! And… and Dora! Della’s second oldest sister! She’s struggling so much in that place! Probably because she’s trying to fit in as a Mid Regioner! Is that what you want for me?”
 
“Nykia, you are not Della’s sister.”
 
“Exactly! There’s no way I could manage-”
 
“Stars, Nykia, stop it!” my Mother exhaled, cutting off my sentence and eyeing me harshly as she did. “I am your mother,” she said, pointing a finger at me; “and even though you are now legally an adult, you are still my child. You will do as I say!” My Mother concluded her stern words and began forcefully stacking plates. I glared at her, frustrated by the ultimatum; and with all the anger my Mother’s condescending words had invoked within me, my Aunt Naomi’s calm demeanour suddenly sprung to mind.
 
“Aunt Naomi would never do anything like this,” I mumbled under my breath.
 
My Mother dropped the plates on the table. “And what is that supposed to mean?” she said, though I averted my gaze at the question. “Nykia! Look at me!” my Mother yelled, and I flinched at the sound and obeyed; since my Mother rarely ever raised her voice to such a height. “Are you suggesting your Aunt, would do a better job raising you?” she challenged, her tone now hushed.
 
I swallowed my anger and relaxed my expression. Only, before I could reply, my Mother stood and collected the rest of the plates. I remained unmoved in my chair, unsure of what was safe to do, even as she tidied the kitchen, wiped down the dining room table, took out the compost, and retired to her bedroom. I sat, stewing in silence, simmering in frustration; but once my anger had bubbled away, I finally came to recognise the fault in my words.
 
I knew my Mother had raised me, by herself, with little to no assistance from anyone else. She had even supported my Aunt after my father died. My Mother was a strong individual. She had always been, even if I didn’t recognise it at most times. Shaking my head at my failure to see beyond my own point of view, I pushed myself to my feet and shuffled over to my Mother’s bedroom.
 
“Sorry, Mother…” I apologised through her curtains, though I heard absolutely nothing in response. A sigh left me at the mess I had made, seconds passing as the silence stretched on. Then, just as I began to walk away, my Mother at last called to me. I spun towards her doorway, gently pulled back the curtains, and stuck my head into the circular room to find her sat on the edge of her orange and red waterbed.
 
“If you want to live under this roof,” she began quietly; “you need to either get a job or go to The University. That is final.”
 
“Yes Mother,” I replied without question.
 
My Mother nodded at my response and sighed, before reaching into the top drawer of her bedside table and recovering a thin red envelope. “This is your birth-day gift,” she announced, holding it towards me; “I’d forgotten about it after all the excitement last night. You can have it now.”
 
Prompted by my Mother’s outstretched arm, I ventured into the room to take the red envelope from between her fingertips. I furrowed my brow at the strange gift, wondering what on Uji it could have been. I held the flap open, shook it, and a small square of thick woven paper floated out of the envelop. My eyes focused on the square, discovering it to be the painted image of a Korainian. I glanced to my Mother, looking for an explanation of what it was.
 
“It’s your father, Nykia,” my Mother said. Instantly, my brows raised, and I swiftly returned my eyes to the image in my grasp. “I’m not sure where it’s from,” she explained; “but I found it in his old research papers. It looks as if it’s been cut from a larger canvas, perhaps? Either way, I thought you should have it.”
 
I stared into the image of the Redscale man before me. Just looking at it. For a long while. “Thank you, Mother…” I at last said, my eyes still locked on the image before me. I didn’t know what I hoped to find within it, as to me the Korainian on the canvas appeared only a stranger. The feeling I felt was not particularly a feeling, but the absence of one. Which left me unsure of what I was feeling at all.
 
“Nykia,” my Mother then called, and I muttered some affirmation of my listening. “It’s about your birth-day trust,” she added, and my eyes slowly lifted to meet her steady peer. “Nykia, we’re living pension to pension, and the only savings we have are for your degree. Perhaps you won’t enrol, but I’m not spending a single quartz of those funds until I’m sure your future is secured. Which means, you don’t have a birth-day trust. Of course, I’ll continue to deposit funds into your account like I’ve done before. But please, do not squander it on aqua clubs and restaurants.”
 
I nodded quietly, before returning my focus to the image in my hands. I was aware of what my Mother had said. However, at the moment, I felt too ambivalent to care. “I know it must be strange for you,” my Mother suddenly went on. I glanced her way, finding her head tilted as she smiled at me with the saddest sort of smile. “I’m sorry you didn’t get to know him. I think you would’ve really gotten along, Nykia.”
 
I twisted my lips. “It’s… fine…” I replied, a strong desire to change the topic washing over me. I gently pushed the little square, the only image of my father I had, back into the red envelope. “Please keep it safe…” I said, as I handed it back to my Mother; “I’m worried I’ll… lose it, or something.” My Mother nodded as she returned the envelope to her bedside table. She gave me a strong, short hug; then I quietly excused myself from her room.
 
I spent the remaining morning hours distracting my mind from any serious thoughts, skimming columns, and searching through the job sections in the last few copies of The Mid Region This Eight. After a few hours had passed, my Mother transferred from her bedroom to the front room and began watching one of the tens of Ovum-sponsored shows on the programming box at full volume. An advertising break eventually blurted through the house; and though I managed to ignore the sounds before, the ironically well-timed ringing of dutiful harps drew the attention of my ears.
 

 
Feeling unsure of where your future is headed? Wishing for clarity in your life? What could be more clear than guiding fellow Korainians! Visit your local Law Enforcer Base this eight to become a Law Enforcer! Give back to Uji, Guide fellow Korainians!
 

 
The sounds of harps rounded out the programming box advertisement to a close, and with a dramatic scoff I turned over in bed and pulled the sheets over my head. The one career pathway I had completely left out of consideration was the post of Law Enforcer; as even with my dire circumstances, I was not that desperate. There was no career in mindlessly enforcing Law. In fact, there was no need. The Mainland was an incredibly peaceful place. Yet for some reason, something we always seemed to need more of on Uji were Enforcers.
 
Just the thought of the light grey overalls made me nauseas. Then, I realised why. The Cliff Edge. The memory was brief, but its impact struck me. Hard and unexpectedly. Images of yellow mining suits and iron canisters flooded my mind. Feeling overwhelmed, I pushed myself out from underneath my bedsheets and wiped at my face. I took deep breaths, and closed my eyes. Yet, despite my best efforts to calm myself, I eventually came to accept I desperately needed counsel.
 
At first, I considered my oldest friend. However, despite genuinely wanting to talk to Della about everything we had seen the previous night, I knew for certain I couldn’t ask; thanks to her instructions to forget the very events I was struggling to ignore. With one age mate out of the running, I thought of contacting my best friend. Only when I remembered Tedi’s uncannily quiet departure from the shuttle, and his odd words at the start of The Maturity Ball, I came to the strange conclusion I wasn’t in the mood to speak to him.
 
Hoping to distract myself from why I felt unwilling to spend time with my closest friends, I resigned to figuring out other arrangements; and as I did, I remembered Teo. Having been an adult for a full cycle longer than me, with no intention of applying to The University and no plans to begin working, he surely had knowledge of surviving life as an adult. Even as I recalled our conversation atop The Bowl, and what Teo had mentioned about The Soulmate Law, I felt myself becoming, almost, hopeful.
 
With the troubled waters of my mind momentarily settled by the new prospect, I hurried to slip on my sandals, call a quick goodbye to my Mother, and bolt from my home. Hoping to release the pressures of last night and the days to follow onto someone that might understand, I made my way towards the nearest Information Box. Which, annoyingly, was a necessary journey to contact Teo; since we no longer attended school together, I didn’t know his land lot number by heart, and my Mother was too stingy to purchase a smart dial home phone.
 
Stepping through the eerily-empty midday streets, I fiddled with the hem of my skirt, the cuff of my shirt and the bevel of my new-adult-mark. I began to ponder about my new-womanhood along my journey, considering my lack of knowledge in the realm of adulthood and becoming frustrated by my twelve cycles of schooling. Sure, I knew the names of the first ten Chiefs of The Mainland; but I had no idea about things actually pertinent to my adult life. Like, for example, how Government taxes worked.
 
With each step I took towards meeting Teo, I began to feel more assured; knowing that any opinions, even if they were from someone just a cycle and a day older than me, would certainly be helpful. Refreshed by my aim, I walked speedily towards Mid Region Central. Until I halted, mid-thought and mid-step, and recalled the day.
 
Yesterday had been the 76th day; and being day 76th born, my birth group and I had celebrated our fifteenth birth-day. However the day before yesterday, was the 75th day. Which meant, amidst the last days of school exams and my own coming of age, I had entirely forgotten Teo’s birth-day.
 
My eyes widened. “Fishsticks!” I said, slapping my hands to my head. Immediately, I recognised I had some friendship to make up for; even if it was strange that Teo had neglected to remind me of his sixteenth when we met atop The Bowl the previous night. Either way, I soon thought better of my judgment. Teo’s lack of offence was likely just the type of mature thinking I hoped to learn from him. Still, with the guilt of my poor show of friendship bothering me, I found myself veering away from the nearby Information Box and heading in another direction.
 
A half hour later, I arrived at The Central Mid Region Market. Roaming the gift aisles, I searched for a token of friendship to offer Teo. Nothing I saw suited anything I thought Teo might like; though when being honest with myself, I wasn’t quite sure what that was. Eventually, I abandoned the gift stands entirely and found my way to the fruit vendors; and having a weakness for the tiny bursts of flavour, I picked out a bunch of blackberries.
 
I made my way to pay, convincing myself Teo would appreciate the birth-day gesture, so long as I didn’t eat them all before he could. A tired looking Redscale behind the wooden counter halfheartedly greeted me as I dumped the berries into the bronze weighing bowl. Once the counterbalance evened out, I turned to the young man for clarification.
 
“That’ll be 30 quartz,” he announced.
 
“30? But it was 25 last time…” I challenged, but the man remained unbothered. Unhappy being swindled, but dying for some berries, I sucked my gums and presented my palm. The tired young man pressed a cool metal plate against my skin with one hand, whilst holding the digital terminal connected by a thick-coiled wire in the other. After a prolonged series of beeps and clicks, the man sighed and looked to me indifferently.
 
“It says it can’t locate your funds,” he stated.
 
“What?” I immediately scoffed. My cheeks warmed in embarrassment as I recalled my Mother’s warning regarding our lack of funds. I hurriedly counted back my purchases over the last few days; and after calculating I must have had enough to pay for some berries, I lifted my chin in feigned confidence. “Its probably your shoddy equipment, looks like it’s from The Second Wave of confirmation…” I grumbled, holding out my palm once more. “Run it again, please…” I said, whilst my knees secretly wobbled.
 
The man at the stall huffed and pressed my palm to the metal slab once again. I waited in tentative silence as the biometrics ran their course, staring intently at my hand upon the beeping quartz terminal all the while. My eyes dropped to my feet and glared at my toes. Then, suddenly, the beeping stopped. My head snapped up to meet the young man’s tired peer.
 
“Lucky for you, it was the equipment,” he murmured.
 
“So it went through?” I breathed, relieved.
 
“Yes,” he monotonously replied.
 
I grinned as the man flapped open a paper bag and wordlessly placed the berries inside. Whilst he packaged the snack, I mused over the intensity of the last few minutes; suddenly inspired to ask another question. “You wouldn’t happen to have any jobs going… would you?” I asked, quietly, repeating myself a little louder a second time when I realised the man hadn’t heard me. The tired Redscale he held out the bag of berries, tilted his head, and then laughed at me. Loudly.
 
I humbly retrieved my bag of goods and scuttled off whilst his cackles echoed through the market. As his laughter chased me away, I continued towards the Information Box I had set out to find in the first place. Information Boxes offered anything one could need; maps and directions, weather forecasts, dials, and in today’s case a necessary record of all the land lots of Uji’s mainland.
 
Once I had located the box I was looking for, I pressed my palm to the cool translucent surface. The door swung open, and I stepped inside. “Morning - Nykia Nykia,” bellowed a clear voice. “How may I assist you today?”
 
Hoping to avoid another humiliating instance, I first decided to tackle the mystery of my finances. “Account balance, please!” I said aloud, speaking to the box as the glass door swung shut behind me. Within seconds, my account balance appeared on the bulbous radial screen. I exhaled at the total, 770 quartz, huffing at my Mother’s careful planning when I recognised she had deposited just enough funds to sustain me until the end of her deadline.
 
“Are you finished with the Information Box?”
 
“Apparently not…” I muttered to myself, before replying to the glass walls. “Dial to Lower Mid Regions, land lot 04240!”
 
“Dialling to - Lower Mid Regions land lot 04240 - Tabulating - Dialling to - The Nykia household.” I tapped my knuckles as the Information Box attempted to establish a connection, preparing myself for a debate. After a few more rings a line connection registered, and my Mother’s voice came over the Information Box.
 
“Hello?” she said.
 
“Mother!” I called out, abandoning all tact.
 
“Nykia are you dialling from an Information Box? Those things are expensive.”
 
“I had to come!” I argued. “I don’t know my friend’s land lot by heart… and you wouldn’t upgrade the phone at home to a smart dial with all the land lot records pre-installed!”
 
“We have a Land Lot Book, Nykia,” my Mother sighed, and with reason, since it truly hadn’t occurred to me to look up Teo’s land lot in our copy of The Book of Mainland Households. Though, in my defence, we mainly used it to prop up our wobbly bookcase. “This is what I meant about wasting your funds,” my Mother lectured on; “I already said I don’t want you wasting funds on silly things! I’ll deposit some more quartz once you’ve enrolled at The University!”
 
“But I don’t wanna go to The University…”
 
“So get a job.”
 
“I won’t need quartz from you then…”
 
“Well, if you don’t want my quartz I can take them back-”
 
“Wait no…” I cried, defeated. “Fine, Mother! I’ll get a job.”
 
“Good!” my Mother chirped. “Though I would prefer if you went to The Uni-”
 
“I’ll get a job,” I repeated, interrupting her there.
 
“Alright then,” she replied, in a way that sounded like she was grinning to herself. “Have a good day, dear!”
 
My Mother ended the connection with a condescending kissing noise. I stood inside the glass box, frowning into the bulbous display. Leaking frustration. “Are you finished with the Information Box?” the box asked. I stopped myself from snapping at the glass walls, since it wasn’t the Information Box’s fault my Mother was a miser. Taking a deep breath in, I allowed waves of frustration to wash over me until the tides subdued; and with a fresh bout of forced positivity, I continued on with the task at hand.
 
“Search for the… Umi Household…” I said aloud, briefly struggling to recall Teo’s family name as I did. The Information Box did its regular tabulation. Once it had, I scrolled through the list presented on the display, which I assumed to be Teo’s relatives, before selecting the land lot I assumed to be his. The box once again tabulated, registered a connection, and rang until an older female’s voice answered the dial in a familiar melodic tone.
 
“Hello,” she said; “this is the Umi household.”
 
“Hi Mrs. Umi… it’s Nykia,” I replied, immediately recognising Teo’s Mother’s voice. Although I had only met the Redscale woman at the swim events for the diving club Teo and I were once a part of, she had a graceful way about her that had instantly agreed with me. “I hope I’m not disturbing you…” I said, honestly hoping I wasn’t.
 
“Nykia! Hello!” she chuckled softly in response, the glass around me vibrating as she did. “How is adult life suiting you?” she asked; and when she did, I couldn’t help but allow a small grin to stretch across my face, as it was quite a compliment to have Mrs. Umi remember my birth-day among the many important dates I was sure were in her calendar. Especially since she was a very busy, and very in-demand, Mid Region housing agent.
 
“Good so far, thank you so much for asking,” I grinned. “How are you and Mr. Umi?”
 
“Mr. Umi and I are just fine, you’re so sweet for asking,” the box echoed. Though it was surely impossible, I smiled even larger than I already had been. So large in fact, I needed a moment to compose myself. Unaware of my social ineptitude, Mrs. Umi sighed over the sounds of rustling papers. “Sorry Nykia, excuse my divided attention,” she called; “I have some housing deadlines and I’m working from home. Did you want to speak to Teo?”
 
“Um, no, that’s alright!” I rushed, noticing the quartz ticker as it hit triple digits. “No need to get him on the phone! Teo can just… meet me at The Bowl!”
 
“Of course Nykia, when?”
 
“If he’s not busy, now would be great…”
 
“Oh darling,” Mrs. Umi chuckled in response; “the young man has all the time in the world. I’ll let him know, but promise to visit soon! We haven’t seen you since Teo graduated from school, it would be so nice to see how that adult-mark is fairing!”
 
“I suppose so…” I giggled, entirely losing my composure.
 
“All good, then,” Mrs. Umi laughed. “Until next time, Nykia. Universe guide you!”
 
“Universe guide you!” I returned, ending the connection as I did. I smiled to myself, my energy restored; all thanks to Teo’s wonderful mother. The few times I had met her, she had always been extraordinarily kind to me. I suspected it may have been because her son spoke favourably of me in my absence, though of course Teo would never openly admit he had.
 
“Are you finished with the Information Box?” the walls suddenly asked.
 
“Yes! Let me out!” I yelped, gasping at the 120 quartz total.
 
“Universe guide you,” the Information Box cheerily replied, while an animated image of the funds being sucked from my account played on the holographic display. Mocking me. As soon as the glass door swung open, I jumped out and landed in the brilliant Korainian sun. Tutting at my frivolous spending habits, I sighed away my worries and popped a taut berry into my mouth, encouraging myself to believe that adult life wasn’t so bad; as it was rather easy to, in simpler moments like these.
 
The Bowl was swarming with fellow age mates when I finally arrived. Which made sense. It was still quite a while before the end of school at the 58th hour, which left us aimless new-adults with plenty of free time. I spent some of my newly freed-up day hiking up the sloped rock, and noticed the crowds dwindling the higher I climbed. Even so, when I reached the top of the waterfall, and witnessed the scenic view around me, I happily thought to myself that their loss was my gain.
 
“You’re late,” said a familiar voice.
 
I spun to find Teo perched atop a boulder, blocking the sun.“You’re early…” I replied, whilst he jumped down and smiled mischievously. “How on Uji did you get here before me?” I quizzed him, honestly stumped by his timeliness. Teo smirked and took an arrogant breath as he opened his mouth. “You were already here…” I answered for him, noticing the sun-soaked quality of his skin.
 
“Maybe,” he shrugged, seeming displeased by my deduction.
 
“Nothing better to do but hang about the new-adults… huh?” I chuckled, amused by his well-hidden embarrassment; though he did nothing further to break his composed demeanour.
 
“Its nice here,” Teo shrugged on; “there’s nature, and stuff.”
 
“Nature?” I echoed, unimpressed by his explanation.
 
“Yeah,” he said. “Naturally, I predicted you’d end up at The Bowl. So, looks like I win.”
 
“Stars, we’re not always competing in a diving contest, you know…” I scoffed, pretending I wasn’t devising a way to score next. “Your mother thinks you’re at home, you know,” I eventually countered, though Teo simply sent me a smug shrug in reply. “Oh, so you just… come and go as you please?” I teased, obviously jealous; “Must be nice, having all that freedom…”
 
While I grumbled to myself, Teo went on with arranging our usual set up; unrolling the blanket he had brought with him to The Bowl and spreading it across the rock beneath us. Once he had smoothed out the edges I laid myself down from one end as he did the same from the other, our feet facing opposite directions whilst our heads lay aligned. “Your mother just needs some time to adjust,” Teo huffed, settling into place.
 
“I don’t think so…” I sighed.
 
“I do,” Teo returned.
 
“And you know best?”
 
“Yes.”
 
“Because you know everything…”
 
“Yes.”
 
“I was being sarcastic, you fish…” I scoffed, nudging his shoulder with mine. I turned my attentions to the sky and grinned at the sun. After a period of cloud-watching, I recalled the bag of berries I had in the grip of my left hand; remembering I had intended to offer them as a belated birth-day gift. A close second-thought later, I agreed with my better self and offered the bag to Teo as planned. “Berry?” I asked, dangling the brown bag over his face.
 
Teo noised a vague affirmation and reached upwards. However, just as he did, I instinctively pulled the bag out of his grasp. I gasped at my involuntary movement. “Stars, that was an accident!” I apologised. “Here take it…” I said, lowering the bag again, before yanking it from his reach as he grasped air. This time, purposefully.
 
A cackle broke free from my lungs as Teo sat up and looked back at me. I snickered at him, sitting upwards too, and tauntingly popped the berries into my mouth one by one. Teo glared at me, entirely unimpressed. Then he surged towards the bag. I reeled backwards with a squeal, my head hitting the mountain ground hard. Despite the confusion I remained entirely focused on holding the berries out of Teo’s reach. So far in fact, that Teo actually had to climb on top of me to reach it.
 
I snorted when he finally seized the bag and shoved a mouthful of berries in through his teeth, laughing at his terrible lack of etiquette. Until, I noticed him. Pressed against me. My brow lifted at the unusual closeness. Coming to the same realisation, Teo quickly pushed himself away; helping me to sit upwards as he did.
 
We sat in silence for a while. At least, until I reached for the berry bag. My hand touched rock just as Teo yanked the brown bag away. “They’re mine now,” he said sternly; causing me to raise my hands in mock surrender, before we both cracked into a sporadic series of short chuckles.
 
As the laughter lessened, we took to the content quiet we often shared. I turned to gaze at the beauty of Uji, whilst Teo thought of whatever it was he usually did. Looking over the edge of the waterfall, I watched my fellow age mates frolic in the Korainian sun. In that moment, I was reminded of The Maturity Ball; of dancing the night away, intoxicated by the lemongrass wine I had probably consumed too much of. Yet as quickly as that hopeful reminder came, it swiftly faded away.
 
The settled mind I had tried my hardest to maintain since the morning, since first remembering, gradually waved. Swelled. I had tried to keep the memories at the back of my mind. The day had been mildly eventful, so it hadn’t been hard to do. But now, amidst the serene mountainside, recollections of The Cliff Edge began to rise to the surface; pieces and fragments littering my consciousness with their burdensome connotations. Pushing me to remember. Pulling me into panic.
 
“I want to tell you about last night…” I began.
 
“So tell me,” Teo answered.
 
“Alright…” I said, my tongue halting there.
 
My throat tightened as I attempted to form words, the skin on my knuckles beginning to itch with unease. It felt as if a ball of air was blocking sounds from leaving me, as if my mind was numb to half the words I knew. Though I tried to speak, or even move, just a little, I couldn’t. I sat soundless, with my eyes wide and my heart beating; faster, each time I took a breath to speak.
 
“Nykia?” I heard Teo say, though I couldn’t manage to connect to the part of my mind that wanted to respond. I searched for anything my mind would allow. Anything. I dove deep into my thoughts for words that would ease me into conversation; and as I considered some of the more trivial happenings of the previous night, my mind gradually unclenched.
 
“Della said, some mean things…” I finally croaked.
 
“Bet she said something about you acting differently,” Teo replied, near instantly.
 
I looked Teo’s way in surprise. “Uh, yeah… sort of…” I started in stutters, his guess pushing me to question; “but… how did you know?”
 
“New-women like her say things when they’re threatened-”
 
“Her?” I interjected. “Her name is Della… Teo.”
 
Teo glanced my way. “Sure,” he said, ending his reply there.
 
My fingertips tapped the rock beneath me as I went over Teo’s reply. Although I wasn’t sure what he meant, I did wonder if the answer he believed he had was linked to why Della requested we forget the events of the previous night. Regardless, I came to accept I probably would never know what Teo thought on the topic. As for some reason, every time I attempted to consider uttering the words ‘mining suits’ or ‘iron canisters’, a sick feeling flushed me and totally immobilised my senses.
 
“So about the berry thing,” Teo said, what felt like suddenly; though with my current mental state, minutes could have gone by in the time we had last spoken. “I, uh, didn’t mean to get on top of you. I was reaching, I didn’t notice-”
 
“It’s fine,” I said, closing the topic.
 
“Deep then,” Teo replied, nodding once.
 
Strangely, I noticed an awkwardness then seep into the air between Teo and I; an occurrence that rarely ever happened in our company. “Um…. happy late birth-day!” I said, anxious to fill the quiet. I pointed at Teo’s grip on the brown market bag. “The berries were actually, for you…” I admitted with a weak smile.
 
“These ones?” Teo asked, baffled; holding up the bag with one hand, and pointing to it with the other. I nodded shortly, expecting a snide comment on my poor attempt at gift giving. However, instead, I received a warm and full chuckle. “Thanks, Nykia,” Teo laughed; “even if you did eat half of them.”
 
“They were tasty…” I mumbled.
 
“Still are,” he grinned, popping a few more into his mouth.
 
I scowled at him and rolled my eyes. “So, uh… how was your sixteenth birth-day? You haven’t said much about it?” I probed, purposefully drawing attention to his quiet on the subject matter. I watched Teo as he shifted beside me and glanced my way.
 
“It was your time,” he said, simply, no elaboration.
 
“Uh, alright…” I scoffed, still prying. “So what did you do?”
 
“Nothing much.”
 
“Who did you celebrate with?”
 
“Some of my birth group.”
 
“Where?” I pressed, annoyed by his minimal replies.
 
“The east side of The Cliff Edge,” Teo finally answered. Immediately, the short reminder of The Cliff Edge and its events distracted me from his response. I swallowed hard and turned my head. Meanwhile, oblivious to my shift in demeanour, Teo, in an uncanny case of voluntary information, went on to explain himself. “The place is called Aroma Wave,” he said with a small shrug; “it’s new, but I’m sure you’ve heard of it.”
 
Nodding at Teo’s statement whilst I fought to subdue my panic, I suddenly felt at a loss. Having no idea what Aroma Wave was, I hid the embarrassment from my expression and kept on nodding. “Uh, yeah… it’s that new place on the east side…” I replied, regurgitating his words with false confidence; while Teo nodded back, fooled for the moment.
 
“It’s a newer aqua club,” he said. “You’d like the music.”
 
“Uh, sure…” I nodded, relieved to finally know what the place he was referring to was. Even so, I barely knew anything of aqua clubs. In fact, the only teacher I’d ever had in those types of things was Della’s second older sister; because despite being enrolled at The University in a Law course, Dora was known to be a professional club-hopper. In the past Dora had lavished Della and I with tales of the late night attractions. Which meant, the details I had been holding onto for cycles were at last useful. “Do they have… uh, vapour there?” I said, no idea what I was saying.
 
“Yeah, they do,” Teo smiled, seeming impressed.
 
“Sounds… fun…” I went on, impersonating someone older.
 
“I’m going tonight,” Teo then announced, looking up into the sun as he spoke.
 
“Fun…” I said again, really struggling to find another word.
 
Teo glanced my way then. “What are you doing later?”
 
“Later?” I said, stupidly adding; “I don’t know… I try to flow, like a… water clock.”
 
“Deep, I get that,” Teo nodded, unfazed as he continued; “so Aroma Wave, wanna go?”
 
“Uh, sure…” I replied, confused; “didn’t I already say?”
 
“Yeah but I meant do you want to go like, tonight? You know, I mean, with me I guess?”
 
I furrowed my brows, and then gasped. “Oh… Oh! Yes, of course I wanna go with you!” I gasped again; relieved as I realised Teo wasn’t testing my knowledge of adult life, but attempting to introduce me to it. Recognising the invitation, my smile became enthusiastic. “That would be so fun! Della and Tedi will be so excited! Though, Yacob would probably have to come too as Tedi’s alibi… but I don’t really want him around, he’s an actual fish… you wouldn’t believe what he said to me last night… I suppose I’ll deal with it if Tedi needs him there. But how will we all get into-”
 
“Sure, bring the whole group,” Teo said, cutting me off. In my eagerness, I almost missed a momentary flash of annoyance cross Teo’s face. However I quickly dismissed the expression, as the earnest smile Teo gave me when I looked his way convinced me I was likely reading into things. I grinned back at him, excited by the prospect, until I recalled my current clothing predicament.
 
“Fishsticks…” I mumbled; “I have nothing to wear…”
 
“Woah, cheer up,” Teo chuckled, responding to my private grumbles. “You’ll look good in anything. As for the entry fee, let me worry about that. I know a guy. Just be outside Aroma Wave at the 81st hour.”
 
“Alright, I can do that…” I replied, attempting to remain positive as I made a plan. “I’m gonna have to sneak out…” I started, accounting for my Mother’s new rules on aqua clubs and restaurants; “and I should probably warn you too… I’m sort of quartz-less right now.”
 
“How?” Teo replied with a lifted brow. “Haven’t you gotten your birth-day trust?”
 
“Well, my Mother is… holding monetary support hostage until I get a job, or enrol at The University. So it looks like I’ll be counting quartz for the foreseeable future…”
 
“Harsh,” Teo laughed, digging into his birth-day gift for a few more berries. “Your mother is smarter than my parents combined. My Mother was fine with me taking my time. But my Father, he kept trying to push me into a chef’s apprenticeship at The Red Kitchen. You know, that restaurant he’s head chef at? He gave up on the whole job thing though, after I threatened to become a fisherman and move down to the Lower Region.”
 
A healthy laugh escaped me at Teo’s recollection, and as it did I committed the small portion of his history to memory. “Wish I had thought of that…” I sighed, my laughter subsiding soon after. “I have eight days…” I quietly went on, speaking mostly to myself; “eight days… to decide on the rest of my life…”
 
“The rest of your life?” I heard Teo ask, mildly intrigued.
 
“Yeah…” I started, glancing his way whilst I explained; “according to my Mother, my life only has three paths. Go to The University, get a job, or find a Soulmate. I’m swimming in choices! Should be easy!”
 
“The Soulmate thing might not be so difficult,” Teo softly replied; so softly in fact, I hardly heard him. Giving me no time at all to question his comment, Teo abruptly took to his feet. “I’ve got to go,” he said; “my parents probably want an update on my existence. I’ll see you later tonight.” Teo spun and waved goodbye, disappearing from sight as he quickly moved down the mountainside. Leaving me alone, and thoroughly baffled.
 
“That went well…” I said to no one, disheartened by Teo’s rapid exit and sure it had something to do with my pathetic attempt at adult conversation. I looked around myself in search of my brown bag of tasty treats, anticipating the uncomplicated relief from the tiny spurts of tang. Yet, to my utter despair, I discovered the berry bag was nowhere to be found. I turned my glare to the rocky trail Teo had suspiciously descended in haste; scoffing aloud to myself as I realised, Teo had taken all the berries with him.
 
Since the berry thief had conveniently forgotten his blanket, I took to lying in the sun for a while; doing my best to salvage the day with a lounge. Once a few hours had passed, I decided it was finally time to face life. I pushed myself to sit upwards, planning to think of what was next. Namely, attending my first ever aqua club. The upcoming night was an opportunity to turn the tides in my so-far problematic stint as an adult, so I knew it had to go well. I needed it to go well. Which meant that, although Teo didn’t think so, having nothing to wear was a real problem.
 
Luckily for me, such particular brands of crisis were the sorts my oldest friend could easily remedy. So I folded Teo’s blanket into a neat square, tucked it under my arm, and embarked on the journey to Della’s house for a fashion emergency. It didn’t take too long for me to walk the few miles distance, and when I arrived at The Trist household, I issued four rhythmic knocks on the metal pane. Della’s little sister Daya appeared as the door slid aside, too invested in her conversation to even notice me.
 
“You’re the one that left them there! If you cared about the boots soooo much you would’ve put them away!” Daya scoffed to end, then faced me. “Oh my stars, Nykia! Hey!” she exclaimed.
 
“Hi Daya,” I chuckled. “I’m looking for Della, is she here?”
 
“She’s out with Mother right now,” Daya scoffed again, rolling her eyes. “Apparently they’re having - adult bonding time.”
 
“Sounds horrible…” I jokingly replied.
 
“Yeah, can you imagine? I hope Mother isn’t that cringe when I turn adult!”
 
“Oh, stars forbid!” I nodded in agreement, thoroughly entertained. I grinned at the kid Korainian that shared features with my oldest friend; their same scale clearly evident in her black hair and eyes, rosy cheeks, and pale skin. Still somehow, though she was only eleven cycles old, the young Korainian managed to always be in fashion.
 
As of the latest trends, she had been wearing her thick black hair bone straight; falling from a dead-center middle parting that she then pinned with surgical accuracy behind both ears. Despite her enrolment at The Mid Region Academy, the intermediate school both Della and I used to attend, I rarely ever saw her in the orange uniform. Being the appearance-conscious young Korainian she was, Daya seized every opportunity to make a costume change. Today, she wore a white smock paired with a grey patterned dress; putting my pathetic attempt at co-ordinating clothing to shame.
 
After a moment of admiring her meticulous self-styling, I cracked a short laugh and sighed. “Sounds, uh… very cringe?” I awkwardly went on, laughing at my own expense as Daya snorted and waved me inside. I swung my legs to follow Daya into the front room. However, unbeknownst to us both, the second oldest sister of the four, Dora, had been lying in wait by the archway in a plot against the youngest.
 
Before I could even cognise the flurry of movement, Daya and Dora were viciously clawing at each other’s hair. I stood with my brows raised, watching the madness unfold before my eyes; my neck turning to the connected kitchen archway just as Della’s father poked his head into the front room. Mr. Trist grunted at the sight and hurdled towards his daughters to stand as a barrier between them.
 
“Heya, Nykia,” he sighed once he noticed my presence.
 
“Hi, Mr. Trist…” I nodded in amusement; “how are you?”
 
“Well it’s, uh, the usual,” Della’s father said, nodding towards his second oldest Dora, and his youngest Daya, as they both reached and slapped around him. I chuckled at his response, finding the sight of Mr. Trist’s round belly, bouncing against Dora in aims of keeping her manicured talons away from Daya, severely amusing. “Here for Della?” Mr. Trist then asked.
 
“Uh huh,” I replied. “Do you know when she’ll be back?”
 
“I imagine any minute about now. The Mrs said they’d be home after school.”
 
“Oh, yeah…” I said, glancing at a fist-swinging Daya; as I recognised her presence at home, and not school, to be an obvious indication of the time. Twisting my lips, I took to my fingers and began counting. “It’s… after the 58th hour already?” I mumbled to myself; recalculating to ensure I hadn’t lost another large set of hours, like I had yesterday after The Orientation Centre.
 
After allocating today’s tasks to the passage of time, I felt myself relax. I settled into the grey corner sofa of the Trist front room, folded blanket in hand, and began quietly waiting for Della; spectating the ongoing sisterly brawl all the while. Once the sibling dispute had waned, the sisters separated and Mr. Trist returned to the kitchen. Dora waved a brief hello to me as she headed through the front room’s archway towards her bedroom; whilst little Daya sauntered over to the sofa and plunked herself down beside me.
 
“So, Nykia,” Daya abruptly began; “did you really meet Jonah Leifssan?”
 
“Uh… what?” I guffawed, startled by the name. My fingers immediately took to picking at the quilted texture of Teo’s blanket whilst I avoided Daya’s eager peer. After a moment of quiet I looked up to find Dora, lingering by the front room archway, slowly edging back into the room. I gulped at her presence at the surprise interrogation, since Dora took her rank as a senior sibling at the Trist familial home seriously; especially since Dena, the actual eldest, had moved out to live with her Soulmate.
 
Dora maintained her title as most-mature over Della and Daya by keeping her distance; her Law degree by day, and clubbing by night, leaving no time for bonding. In fact, I had hardly spoken to her since she turned adult three cycles ago; but it wasn’t always that way. When Dora first turned adult she shared her every adventure with me and Della. Yet as eights went by, and the separation between our age groups grew apparent, she became far more interested in spending time with those her own age.
 
These days, Della preferred to distance herself from her sister’s club-hopping reputation. Even so, it was hard to ignore their similarities. Dora also wore a fringe, much like Della’s. However, Dora’s fringe was cut diagonally and highlighted with a white-blonde streak. They often argued about who did it first, but at this point only the stars knew. Personally, I suspected they copied each other.
 
Today, Dora’s outfit was a bolder version of something Della might fashion. A blue cropped tunic, paired with a hip-hugging pleated skirt that left her well-defined stomach on display. It looked really, really good on her. Admittedly, much better than it would have on Della.
 
“Stars, we’ve all seen Dora’s midriff before!” Daya droned.
 
“I… wasn’t…” I stuttered, embarrassed I had been caught ogling. “Sorry, Dora,” I finally said, awkwardly averting my eyes.
 
“No worries, Nykia,” Dora casually replied. “You look nice in yellow,” she went on, as I looked her way in surprise. I snorted at the compliment, taken off-guard as she quickly followed up with a question. “So, did you meet Jonah Leifssan, or not?”
 
Dora ended there and peered at me. Closely. Nevertheless, having been exposed to the Trist sisters’ blunt demeanour for many cycles, I quickly recognised the combined efforts to sift me for information on their sister. So I zipped my lips shut. “Oh, come on Nykia!” little Daya whined, before switching her tone to something suspiciously sweet. “To be real, I just wanna know if Della was fibbing about her Maturity Ball! She’ll never find out you spilled, I’ll keep it a secret!”
 
I dramatically unzipped my lips, ready to rebuff; until my stomach suddenly grumbled. Distracted from the conversation, I grunted at my demanding digestive system. “The walk here must have taken more energy than I thought…” I sighed to myself.
 
“I can get you something to eat!” little Daya yelped, surprising me with her concern. She leapt to her feet and disappeared into the kitchen, the buttery scent of freshly baked pastries drifting into the front room moments before she strolled back in with a platter of warm bread. “Hungry?” she asked as she retook her seat. Immediately, I reached for the thickest slice on the plate; and then gasped as Daya snatched the bready goodness away. “Na-uh-uh!” she taunted. “If you want a slice of my fathers’ del-ish nutty syrup oat loaf, then spill!”
 
I scoffed at the extortion, looking over to Dora by the archway for assistance. “I’m in agreement with the proposal,” Dora stated in response, strolling into the room and leisurely taking a seat on the padded cushion between me and Daya. I watched the two settle themselves into comfortable positions, both of them grinning as they began to taunt me with the sweet bread roll.
 
“Mr. Trist… made that?” I asked, my mouth watering.
 
“Just this morning,” Daya tauntingly replied through her sticky chews. “The rest was sent over to the bakery, but as usual it’s probably sold out by now!”
 
I swallowed my saliva in sullen silence, as I knew Mr. Trist’s baked goods were always prepared to lip-smacking perfection. Which wasn’t surprising, as he did hail from a long line of expert bakers. The Trist Bakery was so renowned in the Central Mid regions, the pastries kept the quartz rolling in cycle after cycle; like little sugar-coated loaves of gold.
 
I snatched a slice, stuffed it into my mouth and felt my resolve disintegrate with every flavour-infused chew. Successfully bribed, I filled Dora and Daya in on the previous evening. I explained the nights events in vague detail, leaving out all mention of anything incriminating; cliff-edge-related events included. In the end, our post-Maturity Ball activities came across like a boring tour around The City. Daya and Dora took my word for it, gratefully requesting no further clarifications. However, when it came to Jonah Leifssan, they demanded every single detail I had.
 
“Is it true he’s over six foot?” Daya asked whimsically.
 
“I, uh, maybe…” I said, realising how little attention I had given the new-man. “I guess he’s not someone I would be interested in dating, so I didn’t really look at him that way.”
 
“Jonah Leifssan is not someone you’d be interested in dating?” Daya quizzed, elongating each word as she did. Daya looked to her older sister for affirmation of my madness; and in agreement, they both turned to shake their heads at me.
 
“Perhaps Nykia doesn’t like Blackscale men,” Dora stated.
 
Awkwardness swiftly seeped into our small circle. “Uh, it’s not that…” I hurried to say, feeling guilty for something I had never thought. Even so, Dora’s concerns were understandable. Unfortunately, there remained individuals like Tedi’s family friend Yacob whom harboured such mindsets. In fact, the first time I had confronted such backwards beliefs had been during a birth group party on my twelfth birth-day; hosted by none other than the pouty and uppity Astoria.
 
For some petty reason, her parents felt it necessary to advertise their newfound wealth; and so instead of the usual peer-to-peer random gift swap, Astoria’s parents had purchased every single child in our class a gift. The gift turned out to be a box containing a pair of plastic iris lenses, the sort designed to temporarily change a Korainian’s natural eye colour. However the inscription was the real low blow, as the lid of the gift box had insultingly said: ‘from The Calcites, wishing you Universe guidance and beauty’.
 
Even as a kid, I knew the gift was offensive. I had told Della as much the next day at school, urging her not to compare herself to Astoria as she often did at that time. I reminded Della she was beautiful, gorgeous and special in her own way, and that Astoria was a mirror-hugging fish that needed to get over herself. Cycles later, I still wholeheartedly believed those words; as it was clear to me that the appearance of each Korainian held unique merits, and that every scale was uniquely beautiful in its own right.
 
Measuring one Korainian against another was like comparing the blue and yellow skin of the ribbon eel, to the neon-scales of the parrotfish; as although both resided in the seas surrounding Uji, neither could be judged the same. Similarly, all Korainians on Uji, of varying skin tones, hair textures, and iris pigmentation, lived as one proud species. Just as how the term ‘fish’ allowed the ribbon eel and the parrotfish to live harmoniously in the water.
 
To clump us all together, and then attempt to evaluate the so-called best-looking, was too much to consider, yet not enough to consider, all at once. So instead, what I had done for all my life was look at the actions, the character, the heart, underneath the scale. Then it was simple. You were either a pouty and uppity fish, or a beautiful individual inside and out.
 
Despite that, as I considered the Trist’s, particularly the trend-chasing youngest Daya, I couldn’t help but notice how the planet-wide standard of beauty may have caused them to doubt themselves. I had grown up with Della, watched Dora turn adult, and I was even present for Daya’s first day at school. The Trist’s were like family to me, and I to them. I didn’t at all share the beliefs that suggested they were less-than simply due to their scale; and needing them to know where I stood on the matter, I met Dora’s searching peer and declared my allegiances right then.
 
“You know me…” I said. “I don’t, and would never, haven’t ever, thought like that.” I concluded there, and Dora held my gaze for a long moment; a thick silence occupying the air while she did.
 
“I know Nykia,” she finally said; “I know.”
 
I sighed in relief, and Dora’s lips twitched upwards in a short-lived smile. Meanwhile, an impatient Daya let out a groan. “Uh, so what I was saying…” I went on, explaining my comments on the new-man in question; “is that I don’t really know who I’m interested in dating. I’m new to… all this… but for me, it’s never about scale. Or appearance. What’s underneath is most important-”
 
“Barf,” Daya interjected; her childish interruptions causing us all to break out into laughter. “Who carrrrres, he’s rich and handsome!” the littlest Trist cheered on.
 
“I second that,” Dora clapped in solid confirmation.
 
“How could you not swooooon?” Daya sang, toppling onto the floor as I too became swept up in the excitement.
 
“Your sister did!” I blurted; quickly realising my mistake when Daya and Dora both snapped their heads my way. Panicked, I stuffed the entirety of the last bread slice into my mouth in aims of avoiding the sudden gush of questions.
 
“What, as in literally?” Dora probed.
 
“Della swooned?” Daya gasped. “Ha! Della swooned!”
 
“She said she barely noticed him,” Dora mused aloud; “she is getting a thorough interrogation from me when she gets home.”
 
“What was she like?” Daya asked for the tenth time. “I bet she was all over him!”
 
“I think I’ve said enough…” I mumbled through my bread, hoping it would end the conversation. Unfortunately, the sisters were not letting it go. “Della would drown me if I told you!” I persisted, as I was well aware of the punishments Della could issue my way. Like her infamous silent treatment. “No thanks,” I scoffed through bread; “you two are getting nothing else from me…”
 
“Stars, she has you trained well,” Dora tutted.
 
“Maybe that’s true…” I mumbled, swallowing; “or maybe she’s just scarier than the two of you…”
 
“Please! As if!” Daya exclaimed. “You should remember who has your back, Nykia! We don’t want Della finding out who broke her favourite detangling-brush! Do we?”
 
Daya concluded with a raised brow, her pointed words implying intimidation. However, since I had no involvement with the brush she had mentioned, the threat didn’t land. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Daya…” I said, confused and amused by the accusation. The littlest Trist eyed me with suspicion, for a long while, and then slowly turned her attention to her questionably noiseless older sister.
 
“Ah!” Daya exclaimed. “So it was you!”
 
“I’m not sure what you’re referring to,” Dora rebutted.
 
“And you let me think it was Nykia all this time! Wow, I am so telling Della now!”
 
“I would advise against such action,” Dora countered.
 
“Ha! Please!” Daya cried out. “Don’t make me laugh! You can’t intimidate me with your Law-course glossary! It’s about as convincing as your fake blonde streak!”
 
“Go on and dig, Daya, you’re not getting to me today,” she shrugged; while Daya huffed and clenched her hips, obviously taking her sister’s nonchalance as a challenge. Sensing the brewing tension, I scooted into the far corner of the sofa and started tapping my knuckles; readying myself for the oncoming wave.
 
“Is that so?” Daya began again. “Seems to be the only thing not getting to you.”
 
“Oh no…” I whispered under my breath.
 
“Fling jokes aren’t funny, Daya,” Dora warned.
 
“Really?” Daya goaded, continuing to speculate; “I can’t help but laugh about it! Because, Dena didn’t date enough - but you date way too much. So it’s kind of ironic. No?”
 
I stayed silent as Daya chipped away at Dora’s composure, knowing it wasn’t my place to get involved. Fights between the Trist sisters weren’t uncommon; and despite being the youngest, little Daya most definitely had the sharpest tongue of all. Yet, in this case, her words may have been too low a blow. We all knew Dora’s reputation with flings was a subject advised against touching. Although, even I wasn’t entirely sure why.
 
What I had learned from my many innocence-shielding lectures at school, was that in 200AL, a Government Elder under Chief Kor, ‘the chief that championed flings’, petitioned to add the casual arrangement into Law. A fling was officially defined as anyone, prospective Soulmate or late night mistake, that turned out to be a no-glow. All it took was a verbal agreement between the unfortunate pair to continue their companionship while they went on searching for their Soulmates.
 
It seemed clear enough, but outside of the classroom I’d noticed Korainians had a lot of mixed feelings on the topic. My Mother had always told me flings were a waste of time, because it ‘added extra steps’ to finding the one. I assumed that was related to the rules of fling conduct, which stated an individual within a fling could only engage in formal dating. Meaning, if you met someone you wanted to test your luck with, you were expected to first inform your fling of the possible end to your arrangement.
 
Still, I remained confused why anyone felt it was their business whom another Korainian was in a fling with. If you weren’t hurting anybody, or being untruthful, that is. However it was believed, by those who gossiped of such things, that Dora was known to carelessly hop between flings; leaving behind blurred lines, a poor reputation, and a body count.
 
Della hadn’t ever confronted her sister about her reputation, gaining her information from the standard source on Uji. The rumour mill. I hadn’t ever asked Dora about her dating life either, but I assumed Dora had her reasons. Just as Daya speculated, I had guessed Dora’s dating practices were an attempt to avoid the same fate as her older sibling. Because Dena, the eldest of the Trist sisters, had only one fling before finding her Soulmate; and that relationship, felt anything other than temporary.
 
Della and I had just started Intermediate school when it happened; but to this day, I can still recall Dena’s gut-wrenching cries when her parents forced her to end the fling. Her tears went on for eights. Eventually, Mrs. Trist took to arranging dates on her daughter’s behalf, all of which ended with a no-glow. When rumours started to spread that the eldest Trist sister was an Incomplete, her parents became desperate. They widened Dena’s dating pool; and after another cycle or so, Dena finally discovered Rojas, a fisherman from the Mid Lower Regions, to be her Soulmate.
 
They were quickly committed in ceremony and were now in the process of applying for insemination. Della believed Dena to be the happiest she’d been in a long time; despite the evident change in her sister’s demeanour from lively and talkative, to demure and succinct. Still, Dena’s search for her Soulmate took a little too long by our society’s standards. Adding to that the unimpressive social standing of her eventual Soulmate, and it was declared by gossiping mouths that Dena Trist was ‘tragically unlucky in love’.
 
Considering the history behind the courtship of the Trist sisters, it was easy to understand why Daya’s taunts had perhaps pushed Dora too far. Aware of the context, I hoped Daya’s comments wouldn’t cause any upset; but regardless of my hopes, I bore unwilling witness as Dora’s careful composure unravelled before my eyes. She inhaled sharply, then unleashed a hideous grunt closer befitting a bottom-feeding sea creature than a poised woman.
 
“You little maggot!” she shrieked. “How dare you!”
 
“You’re the daring one!” Daya yelled back. “It takes a whole lot of guts to become Uji’s most frequent fling!”
 
“WHAT!?” Dora screeched; “YOU BLOWHOLE!”
 
“YOU DID NOT JUST CALL ME THAT!” Daya howled.
 
Mr. Trist charged in then, catching Daya mid-air as she leapt for Dora; though he was entirely powerless to stop Dora from ferociously gripping and twisting an ample chunk of her little sister’s hair. Daya screamed, flailing and kicking her arms until she managed to thud Dora square on the head with a balled fist. Dora released her deathly grip on Daya to hold her head tightly, whilst the littlest Trist flailed, escaped, and slipped into hiding besides the front room archway.
 
I widened my eyes at everything, unfolding at rapid speed. Then, genuinely unable to stop myself, I laughed. It was a short laugh, but the infectious chortle seemed to catch on; since Mr. Trist was the first to look my way. “I suppose me grappling my grown daughters does look silly!” he chuckled, relaxing his belly as he softly patted Dora on the head. “You’ll be fine Dor-Dor. You know, your sister’s punches are like salt in sweet dough.”
 
“Just a pinch, so it’s barely noticeable,” Dora finished, smiling at her father so brightly you could have thought her a child.
 
I turned my head to the archway as my eyes caught a flicker of movement; the movement proving to be Daya, slowly venturing out of her hiding space wearing her most apologetic expression. “Sorry, Dora,” she eventually muttered; whilst my head nodded in relief at her apology. “I shouldn’t have said those things,” she muttered on; “you’re just really - urgh - sometimes. You know?”
 
“Not really,” Dora huffed; “but just wait until you need something, then we’ll see if I know.”
 
The sisters eyed each other, intensely. I squirmed in place as the seconds stretched, and stretched. Until, the pair burst out into syncopated sisterly cackles. My brows raised at the abrupt cheer; a moment of bewilderment passing over me, before I too gave in to the insane transition of emotion. Behind our laughter, I heard a swoosh as the front door slid open. I sighed to myself whilst Mr. Trist slapped his chest, and Daya and Dora returned to their seats as if the previous fishing-line-tight-tension hadn’t ever existed.
 
“Good day girls,” Mrs. Trist announced, revealing herself as she strolled into the front room with an assortment of shopping bags. I watched Della’s mother transfer the bundle of bags into her Soulmate’s arms and direct him down the hall, before she waved a comfortable hello my way. “Did my ears deceive me,” she went on speaking to her daughters; “or did I just hear laughter?”
 
“Yes Mother,” Daya chimed in response; “Dora and I have been getting along today.”
 
“Is that so?” Mrs. Trist questioned, eying her youngest.
 
“It’s my consensus,” Dora added, backing her little sister.
 
“Well, at least you’re getting along now,” Mrs. Trist sighed, letting it slide as she slid into her armchair.
 
Della appeared in the archway then, also carrying several colourful shopping bags and wearing an expression made of pure exhaustion. “Nykia?” she said with a tone of surprise, her eyes immediately darting to her Mother; which prompted me to notice Mrs. Trist’s watchful peer. Gathering that Della’s late arrival from The Maturity Ball last night had garnered some suspicion, I immediately assumed the guilty party.
 
“Uh, hi Della…” I started. “I just came by to… apologise… for… keeping you so late-”
 
“Don’t worry about it,” Della jumped in. “I already explained to Mother we got lost in The City neighbourhoods.”
 
“Oh, yeah… of course,” I nodded, just as relieved as Della was that we had chosen a similar mistruth. Unfortunately however, our reprieve didn’t last; as perfectly equipped to ruin the moment, little Daya chimed in.
 
“Nykia told us all about your escapades!” she taunted, turning to Dora for backup; though the second eldest refused.
 
“I literally have no idea what you’re referring to,” Dora said.
 
“B-But,” Daya stuttered; “what about Della’s new friend?”
 
“Didn’t make any,” Della shrugged.
 
“Oh my stars, you both know who I’m talking about!” Daya snapped, frustrated by the sudden shift in sisterly allegiances. “Nykia told us you were swooning over Jonah Leifssan all night-”
 
“Jonah Leifssan!” Mrs. Trist exclaimed, her neck twisting to look back at Della as she near wailed; “you didn’t tell me you’d met a Leifssan!”
 
The room went quiet then. Suddenly, and unnervingly so. I sucked my gums at the silence, my eyes shifting to Daya as I lowered my brows at her in disappointment. The littlest Trist shrugged in apology as she shrunk into the sofa, her small head disappearing behind Dora, whilst we all sat observing the scene from our awkward font-row seats.
 
“Well, Della?” Mrs. Trist sternly prompted.
 
“I didn’t see the point, Mother,” Della replied. “He didn’t care much for me-”
 
“Didn’t care much for you?” Mrs. Trist gasped, practically ejecting herself from her armchair in sheer disbelief. “Impossible! Anoka guaranteed your styling was sure to make you undeniably desirable to any new-man!”
 
“A… Anoka…?” I quietly queried.
 
“It’s her stylist,” Dora whispered back.
 
I blinked. “Since when does Della have a… stylist?”
 
“Mother arranged it when she turned adult,” Dora answered.
 
“But… I don’t remember you or Dena having one?”
 
“Exactly,” Dora hissed. “I assume Mother didn’t see worth in the investment for us.”
 
“Oh…” I lamely replied, triggering a moment of silence.
 
“I still might get one,” Daya muttered from her sunken seat; earning her a vicious glance from her older sister.
 
I turned my eyes from the pair whilst they glared at each other, preoccupied by my thoughts. Though I had noticed how polished Della looked the previous night, her hair and make-up in perfect tune with her stunning dress, I hadn’t at all suspected the transformation was thanks to a professional by the name of ‘Anoka’. Della’s remarks from that day about the effort it would take her to prepare for the ball replayed in my mind; and as they did, I slowly came to the realisation she hadn’t at all been joking.
 
“Nykia?”
 
“Hmm?” I mumbled, unprepared for Mrs. Trist’s stern tone.
 
“Since you seem the go-to source for information regarding what’s happening in my daughter’s life, please tell me - to what extent did Jonah Leifssan play in last night’s events?” Once Mrs. Trist had concluded her query, I looked to Della for instructions on what to do next. Yet, when I did, Mrs. Trist blocked my line of sight with a waving hand. “Eyes here, Nykia,” she cautioned, tapping her high cheekbones with her manicured finger. I hesitated for a moment. Then, I swiftly lost all composure.
 
“He was with us from after The Maturity Ball until we got a shuttle home!” I blurted.
 
The entire household gasped. Della groaned at me, clearly disappointed in my lack of resolve. I frowned her way, though I didn’t at all regret my admittance; since I had already experienced enough scrutiny from my own Mother, let alone Della’s too. Mrs. Trist nodded to me, and then turned to face her daughter. “The Maturity Ball ends at the 84th hour, you were practically home at the 88th - the night shuttle home couldn’t have possibly taken more than an hour. Meaning, you were with Jonah Leifssan for three whole hours. What progress did you make in that time?”
 
“Uh, Mrs. Trist…” I started to interrupt, attempting to undo what I had done. “Della and I were just having fun last night so-”
 
“Please, Nykia. I am speaking to my daughter.”
 
“Sorry…” I whimpered, thoroughly put in my place.
 
The room went quiet as we all looked to Della. “Mother, I apologise for not mentioning it,” Della began; “but I got to know his character, and - I don’t think he’s a potential I’m interested in.”
 
“Not an option,” Mrs. Trist firmly stated, without hesitance.
 
Della nodded her head, slowly at first, and then quickly. “Understood, Mother,” she said, smiling shortly as she did. At the words, I looked over to the other Trists on the sofa besides me; attempting to gauge what my reaction to the tense situation should have been. Even so, I didn’t attain any insight. Just like me, they both wore their expressions as neutral as possible; besides, of course, the widened eyes we all had trained on the interaction.
 
“Della, you will speak to Jonah Leifssan again,” Mrs. Trist ordered. “That new-man is of a pedigree we cannot afford to let slip through our fingers - just the association, just the whispers of him being with you in any way-” Mrs. Trist nodded fervently. “This will make you,” she went on; “this will make us all.”
 
The head Trist exited the room swiftly, disappearing behind the opaque curtains to the master bedroom, a collective release of held breaths gradually filling the front room once she was gone.“Nykia - a word please,” Della immediately hissed, before clomping into her room with her shopping bags.
 
“Hey! That’s my room too!” Daya called, unheard; as I abandoned Teo’s blanket on the sofa to help Della gather the spoils of her new-adult-shopping-trip. Once I had hauled the remainder of the bags onto the last patch of bedsheet visible, I sighed out a short breath. With my arms now free, I ambled over to the large water tank at Della’s bedside and issued her pet-catfish Wooba a salute; keeping up the habit I had held since the blubbery bluish-grey catfish had joined the Trist family cycles ago.
 
Della closed her bedroom curtain behind herself as she threw the last shopping bag into the room and slid to the floor by the foot of her bed. “So Mother is being, like, really serious about my Soulmates,” she puffed. “I guess that’s what happens when your oldest sister takes eight cycles to find her Soulmate - and your other older sister has a new fling every eight days.”
 
I tapped the knuckles of my right hand with the fingertips of my left, awkwardly standing over the bed, until Della scoffed at my guilt-ridden hesitation. “Pff - sit down, Nykia,” she said, prompting me to shuffle over and collapse besides her. Della grabbed my hand and squeezed it tightly, drawing my attention as she peered deeply into my eyes. “This adult thing is hard, huh?” she suddenly said.
 
“Uh, yeah…” I whispered, barely getting out the words.
 
“You were right in the water, after The Jump,” she revealed, speaking softly. “It is intense. And it’s been like that since. Like we never got out. Kinda like - I’m back in the pool at school, barely keeping my head above my own splashes. You know?”
 
“Hmmm…” I hummed, a small smile lifting the edges of my mouth at Della’s memories of our compulsory swim lessons. Memories from a simpler time. My smile faded as a single tear rolled down my cheek, my eyes lifting to Della to find her wiping the back of her hand across her own face. “Are you… alright?” I finally asked; remembering her pressures again, and just how foolish I had been to ever overlook them.
 
“As alright as I’m gonna be,” Della replied in full, ending any deeper discussion. She sniffled and chewed her lip, and I sucked my gums whilst we sat in a stilted silence. “So have you gone to see Teo yet?” I heard Della ask; my head turning back to face her as she changed the topic to something a lot less weighing.
 
“Uh, um yeah…” I stuttered in return, surprised by the question; “why do you ask?”
 
“Just wondering when you would,” she began to reply, glancing at my confused expression before she huffed; “forget it.” Della sighed aloud and redirected her attention to stretching her limbs; reaching for her knees, and then her toes. I watched her for a moment, bewildered by the abrupt end to her question. Still, remembering the purpose of my visit, I pushed on.
 
“Speaking of, Teo… I came to tell you. He invited us out.”
 
“Really?” Della grunted, stretching for her toes. “I haven’t heard a thing from Teo Umi in the last cycle, why on Uji is he inviting me places?”
 
“Well…” I defended; “he’s been busy with adult stuff…”
 
“Sure, that’s what he said,” she grunted through her stretch.
 
I raised my brow at Della’s strange reply, taking a moment to consider her opinion of Teo before I went on. “I, um… know you didn’t spend a lot of time with him, back when we used to meet up with Tedi after clubs, but it would be really nice for us all to go out together… as adults.” I hesitated at the lack of persuasion in my proposal, searching my mind for something to appeal to Della’s sensibilities. “Teo said he can get us in to that new Aqua Club…” I began; “the one called Aroma Splash-”
 
Della snapped upwards. “You mean - Aroma Wave?”
 
“Uh, yeah…” I mumbled, taken aback; “didn’t I say that?”
 
“You said Aroma Splash.”
 
“Oh, um… sorry?”
 
“Aroma Wave is supposed to be amazing!” Della rushed on, a grin growing across her face. “This is soooo deep!” she squealed, momentarily glancing back at her curtains in search of listening sisters. Della nodded as she turned to face me again. “I like this idea,” she whispered; “like - I love it. It’s needed.”
 
“So… you’ll come?” I perked up, a smile lifting my cheeks.
 
“Duh, of course I will!” Della yelped. “And - I have just what we need in the fashions department!” Della leapt to her feet and jumped onto her bed, pushing through shopping bags as she did. “Yellow iridescent bag Nykia, look for a yellow iridescent bag!”
 
Unsure of where to start, I clambered to my feet and looked over the pile of bags atop Della’s bed. There were two I could see that fit the yellow description, though I had absolutely no idea as to which one classified as iridescent. Settling on a guess, I picked one and pointed to it. “That’s holographic, Nykia!” Della grunted, as if it were obvious; which it may have been to anyone but me. “Plus that’s way too small,” she went on, still pushing bag from bag; “you’re looking for like, a medium - never mind, found it!”
 
“What… is it?” I asked, peeking into the shiny black bundle.
 
“Nope - na uh!” Della chimed, quickly stuffing the bag under her pillow. “Let it be a surprise for tonight! Come back at the 78th hour and we’ll get ready together! It’ll be fun!”
 
I eyed Della with trepidation, and then gave up in a shrug. “Alright, sure…” I said, gradually growing excited for my first club outing in The City; until a pang of remembrance hit me. Seared me. Memories from the previous night, the last time Della and I had been out in City Korai, waved my mind. I looked to my friend as she took to organising the bags atop her bed, the overwhelming desire to release my pressures overcoming me. “Della…” I began, my conscience heavy; “I’ve been thinking about last night…”
 
“Nykia don’t,” Della instantly interrupted, her hands immediately halting their tidying motions. She looked over to me, shook her head, and placed a hand on her hip. “Don’t start, Nykia,” she asserted; “it’s for the best, I promise. I even thought about it more today - I really did. But nothing’s changed.”
 
“But Della…”
 
“I said no!” Della snapped; losing her temper, and gasping in realisation after she had. “Sorry, I - I’m sorry,” she apologised, whilst I stood by in shock. “Sorry, Nykia, but just - deep it, alright? We don’t even know what - it - was. So, there’s no point in getting upset. We just need to move on and forget it. Like I said.”
 
“But, Della…” I began again, opening my mouth to protest. At least, until I recalled the panic that had consumed me at The Bowl mere hours ago. Fearful of the panicked feeling resurfacing, I stopped myself. “Fine…” I eventually said, not really fine at all. “I’ll, forget it…” I affirmed, to both of us; sentencing whatever we had seen at The Cliff Edge, to a lifetime as a suppressed memory.
 
After that, Della and I talked about our upcoming outing at the aqua club; Della even promising me, in her exact words, ‘a transformation like I wouldn’t believe’. Unfortunately, the heavy air that had hung about since my recollection of the memories she wanted to forget made all our interactions awkward. So much so, I decided to go home and deal with my disgruntlement alone.
 
Saying a brief goodbye to Wooba, the Trist sisters, and Della’s parents as the pair stood huddled around their home phone, I retrieved Teo’s blanket before I let myself out; beginning the loneliest walk home I had ever taken. I kicked a loose pebble all the while, for no other reason than to feel in control of something in my life. However the illusion faded the second I opened my front door, and found my Aunt and Uncle sitting in my front room.
 
“Um, hi… everyone?” I called out.
 
“Hey, Nykia!” my Aunt cheered, quickly standing to her feet and walking herself into my arms. I smiled as she hugged me tightly, her herbal smell filling my nose as her curly red hair brushed my face.
 
“So… what are you and Uncle Raymond doing here?” I began, leaning out of my Aunt’s embrace as I added; “I thought the next family dinner was days away?”
 
“Well, isn’t it obvious!” Uncle Raymond called out. “I’ve come to eat all your saltfish!”
 
My Uncle snorted and chuckled at his own joke, though I took him seriously when I noticed the empty plate in his lap. “Actually, we’re here to tell your mother about the promotion,” my Aunt continued, pulling my attention away from the suspiciously saltfish-stained plate. “Raymond said he’d mentioned it at your birth-day dinner, so I wanted to come and speak to your mother about it properly. She’s just in the kitchen preparing some food.”
 
“Oh…” I said, unsurprised my Mother had fled to the kitchen.
 
“We can’t stay,” my Aunt pressed on; “we’ve got to get the twins from Raymond’s Mother, but I’d like to have a chat first? Woman to new-woman? In my room, maybe?”
 
I furrowed my brows, detecting a weighty conversation on the horizon, until I finally noticed my Aunt’s sly wording. “Hey! It’s my room now Auntie!” I countered, a deep chuckle escaping her as she shuffled me along. I glanced over my shoulder a last time; my eyes widening in horror when I saw my Mother, hurrying down the hallway carrying a plate of saltfish sandwiches for my Uncle Raymond to snack on. I gasped as I crossed into my bedroom, hoping to the stars my Mother had saved some for the second helping I hadn’t yet eaten.
 
“Wow, I miss this room!” my Aunt laughed, as she took an exaggerated seat on my bed and rolled backwards to look up at the bulbous ceiling. I sighed deeply as I settled beside her, having nothing to say; and after a long moment of quiet, my Aunt sat upwards and looked to me with a risen brow. “I take it you’re not too pleased about us moving?” she asked.
 
“It’s not my favourite thing…” I replied, my sarcasm more than clear. “I mean, why do you even want to live up there?” I couldn’t stop myself from questioning. “Auntie, it’s practically The City! You lived in City Korai cycles ago… and you hated it!”
 
“Nykia, come on, the Upper Mid Region isn’t The City-”
 
“It’s close enough…” I huffed back.
 
My Aunt took a moment, thinking deeply before she responded. “Have you ever been to the Upper Mid Region, Nykia?” she queried, calmly, with genuine interest in my response. I sucked my gums at her question and then shook my head, whilst my Aunt nodded knowingly in reply. “Well, it’s really not that different from around here,” she promised; “the houses are just, a bit bigger-”
 
“And the Korainians are just a bit poutier…” I interjected, drawing from my own Astoria-based experience. I watched my Aunt as she tilted her head at me, running her slender fingers through her long red hair and twisting her curls as she did.
 
“Would you prefer I stayed a few streets away?” she asked.
 
“Yes, Auntie,” I nodded in relief; “of course I would.”
 
“Alright then,” she began, before going on in jest; “would you also like me to move back into your mother’s house and reclaim my room?”
 
“No, Auntie!” I laughed, playfully leaning into her shoulder.
 
“I do miss the food,” my Aunt wistfully sighed on. “Really, your mother used to feed me well, my belly was as wobbly as this waterbed!” she said, bouncing on the watery mattress beneath us while we both giggled. “So, where will Uncle Raymond and the twins stay?” she jokingly proposed. “Raymond is easy, he’d be happy moving into our old water clock in the dining room!”
 
“He does like clocks…” I chuckled in reply.
 
“Stars, that would be quite the adjustment!” my Aunt guffawed, her laughter soon fading into a large huff. “Well, as fun as it is to imagine, it’s hardly practical Nykia, is it?”
 
“No…” I said after a long pause, saddened by the reality.
 
My Aunt exhaled heavily and reached an arm around my shoulder. “I know you’re worried about things changing, Nykia, but you can still visit. Whenever you want.” My Aunt concluded with a smile, and I nodded slightly. Still, I remained unmoved. I knew that time would stretch on, the distance would widen, and my Aunt and Uncle would gradually become a pair of distant relatives. “This is a good thing,” my Aunt attempted to convince me. “Your Uncle is being recognised by The Clocksmith’s Association. As his Soulmate, I need to support that. I hope you understand.”
 
“But… the twins…” I contested in mumbles; “what if the Upper Mid Region… changes them?”
 
“The twins will be fine, Nykia,” my Aunt concluded, aware of my attempts to shift focus. “Besides, they have you,” she went on to smile, her hand gripping my shoulder as she said; “and you, Nykia, are a great example to follow.” Aunt Naomi nodded to me, and I nodded back; genuinely wanting to believe she was the one that knew better, but struggling to do so. “Now, I have some other news,” she began anew; “but first, how are you doing Nykia?”
 
I blinked at the query. “Uh… me?” I guffawed; my Aunt’s question so simple, so unassuming, that the words put together in such an honest way made me suddenly aware of how not-fine I was. My lips twisted as I tapped my knuckles, fighting to suppress my waving thoughts. The Cliff Edge. Della’s orders to forget. My Mother’s deadlines, Teo’s suggestions to disobey them. Tedi’s unusual behaviour. Everything about my newfound Adulthood so much to consider, that it was far too much for me to explain.
 
“I’m fine…” I lied, quickly wiping away a tear. Knowing I didn’t have the strength to keep my emotions concealed for much longer, I hopped to my feet and hurried over to my bedroom archway. “My Mother gave me a birth-day gift…” I rushed, completely changing the subject; “do you wanna see it?”
 
“Oh, uh, of course,” my Aunt stuttered, bewildered.
 
I nodded and took myself into the hallway, hurrying into my Mother’s bedroom to retrieve the thin red envelope inside her bedside table. I ran back past the front room, briefly spotting my Uncle and Mother chatting away as they gleefully consumed my saltfish, before returning to my bedroom to sit besides my Aunt. I held the gift out, rather unceremoniously, and my Aunt cautiously took the envelope. I watched her turn it over in her hands, before pulling out the small painted image within. Then, she gasped.
 
“Where is this from?” she whispered.
 
“I’m not sure…” I replied. “Mother said she found it in old research papers. She said it looks like it’s been cut from a larger canvas, or something…”
 
“I’ve never seen this image,” my Aunt breathed, before turning to me and smiling widely. “Your Mother gives such thoughtful gifts,” she sighed, tears welling in her eyes while she did; “now my gift looks sucky in comparison!”
 
“You… got me a gift?” I said, utterly surprised. “Whatever it is, I’ll be glad for it!”
 
“Alright then,” she smiled to me, placing the photograph back into its envelope before retrieving something from her jacket pocket. I watched her keenly as she pulled out a flat shiny disk neatly wrapped in a transparent wallet. “This is like a back-up,” she announced, presenting it to me; “it’s used in the Upper Region a lot, mostly for Korainians under eleven that don’t have their own deposit accounts yet.”
 
“Uh, right…” I said, taking the white reflective disc from her fingertips and studying its form. “I’m grateful, Aunt Naomi, thank you…” I thanked, despite my confusion.
 
“Nykia, it’s funds!” my Aunt explained.
 
“Funds?” I queried.
 
“The disc itself,” she said; “it’s pre-loaded with quartz-”
 
“Wait… there are quartz on this!” I guffawed.
 
“Yes, it’s quite the invention!” my Aunt chuckled in reply. “Quartz discs are everywhere in the Upper Region! City Korainians use them for, I’ll say, discrete purchases. Or, if they want to give their kids some quartz to spend. It holds up to 8,000 quartz.”
 
“What does a kid do with 8,000 quartz?” I gasped.
 
“I know, it’s so ridiculous,” Aunt Naomi scoffed in agreement; “the City can feel like a different world at times.” My Aunt paused to sigh and shake her head, her commentary seeming to hint to a past life only she knew. “Either way, it’s a very handy device,” she said, turning to grin at me whilst she added; “and more importantly, a really good gift, huh?”
 
“Yes, Auntie, thank you!” I cheered and chuckled.
 
“You’re welcome, Nykia,” she replied with a satisfied sigh, before exhaling into a more serious tone. “I heard about your lack of a birth-day trust, and your mother also spoke to me about the timescale she had in mind. Which, by the way, you should respect! Though, there’s no reason you can’t have some new-adult fun in the meantime! So, this disk is for your fifteenth birth-day. Just hold it to a terminal, like you would your palm, and you can use it for anything. I’ve pre-loaded it with 4,000 quartz-”
 
“4,000 quartz!” I gasped. “For anything?”
 
“Yes, Nykia, anything!” my Aunt laughed.
 
“Anything?” I repeated. “Even, aqua clubs and restaurants?”
 
“Yes, including aqua clubs and restaurants!” my Aunt giggled. “Waste it on all the aqua clubs and restaurants you want! But, Nykia, I didn’t exactly run this by your mother. So can we keep this between us for now?”
 
“Of course!” I assured, pulling my Aunt into a quick hug.
 
My Aunt leaned out of my enthusiastic grip with a grin, taking to her feet as she handed me the red envelope. “Look after this, alright?” she prompted, her tone serious. “Sure, having quartz is nice. But that there, Nykia? That, is truly a gift. You’re lucky your mother has given you something that captures the life of someone, so special. Cherish it.”
 
“I will, Auntie,” I said, as my fingertips tapped the white disc and red envelope in my hand.
 
My Aunt looked down to my tapping, and smiled. “You should probably go put those away,” she softly suggested, and I instantly heeded her words. I stored the funds disc in my bedside table, before following my Aunt out of my room and sneaking into my Mother’s to return the red envelope to the drawer I had borrowed it from.
 
“So, we have other news!” I heard my Aunt announce as I rejoined my family.
 
“What… news?” I said, as my Mother hurried passed me.
 
“We need more food!” she yelped as she disappeared down the hallway into the kitchen.
 
“It’s alright, Malaika!” Aunt Naomi called back; apparently unheard, as the sounds of kitchen cupboards were soon slamming in the distance. “I’ll just speak loudly then,” my Aunt sighed. “Raymond’s promotion comes with some happy changes!” she went on, shouting. “He’ll be needing an apprentice! The opportunity will only be available for a limited time!”
 
“Hmm, a limited time at the clocksmiths…” I snickered.
 
“Yes! It’s quite a rare occasion!” my Uncle joined in; so unaware of my sarcasm, I actually felt a little guilty for it. “It would be so wonderful, Nykia, to have you there!” my Uncle said, causing my brows to instantly lift in response.
 
“Uh… sorry,” I started, laughing shortly as I admitted; “for a second I thought you were offering… me… the apprenticeship…”
 
“And I am!” my Uncle revealed; my eyes widening as he did. “You’re as sure to get the position as a tide is to coming in! Especially after the recommendation I gave about you to the Association Head!”
 
“Alright Raymond, relax,” my Aunt chimed in; “Nykia hasn’t agreed to anything yet.”
 
I looked from my Uncle to my Aunt with an open-mouthed gape, feeling utterly ambushed. Tapping my knuckles, I sat quietly as I gave myself a moment to adjust to the unexpected offer. “Do you… need an answer now?” I mumbled to them both. “I mean, the twins will be adults in about five cycles, maybe you should wait to… give one of them the position?”
 
“Sadly, the twins aren’t too interested in the family trade,” Uncle Raymond sighed.
 
“But… don’t you think the apprenticeship should go to someone qualified?” I countered.
 
“Qualifications are more often than not overshadowed by hard work!” he sensibly rebutted. “Anyhow it’s an entry level position, you’ll learn on the job! That’s how I got my start in my father’s repair shop! And it’s tradition to give someone in the family a chance to get in on the opportunity first!”
 
My Uncle grinned to conclude, and I gave him a lacklustre smile before dropping my eyes. I took to playing with the strands of the thick orange carpet beneath my toes. Giving myself time to think. Even so, it didn’t take much thought to discover the cause behind my lack of enthusiasm. Although the notion did cross my mind, I knew my hesitance wasn’t because of my objections to Uji’s job-system; it was because I didn’t believe I could enjoy working on clocks, for twenty hours a day, the rest of my working life.
 
Regardless, no matter how tedious my Uncle’s vocation seemed to me, I knew I had to be thankful. The idea that he had considered my adulthood as something he was partially responsible for flushed me with a wave of emotion. A sense of real familial support. “Alright…” I replied after a long while, recognising how lucky I was to have the option; “I suppose I’ll think about it…”
 
“You most definitely will,” I heard my Mother say; my eyes lifting to see her, swinging into the room with a platter of palm-sized food. “She is very grateful Raymond, thanks for offering and she’ll let you know within eight days,” she concluded on my behalf.
 
“Ah, no! Please don’t rush the decision on my accord!” Uncle Raymond earnestly returned. “The position won’t open for at least a few eights. We’ll have to move and get settled in first!”
 
“Hear that, Mother? A few eights…” I grinned in defiance.
 
My Mother shook her head at me as my Aunt stood to her feet with a clap. “So it’s settled, Nykia will think about it!” she announced, nodding to me and then turning to my Mother. “Right, Malaika, we have to get going, Raymond’s mother is an older Korainian and the twins are - the twins.” My Aunt stepped over to Uncle Raymond and snatched a saltfish sandwich out of his hands. “You’ve had enough today,” she cautioned, tapping his slightly rounded tummy as he too took to his feet.
 
“You’re probably right, Naomi love!” he beamed, before stepping out into the hallway. I waved my Uncle’s way as he pulled on his matching patch-woven-jacket and hat, then turned my attention to my Mother and Aunt as they hugged tightly. Moments later, Aunt Naomi and Uncle Raymond were calling their goodbyes. I smiled sadly as the door slid shut behind them, leaving my Mother and I alone in our home. Again. Just like usual.
 
My Mother soon abandoned me for her bed, though not before listing a hefty set of chores that required my attention. Hours after washing the dishes and hanging the clothes, and mopping the floors and vacuuming the carpets, I found myself in my bedroom. Staring petulantly at my purple decor. Vaguely aware I had forgotten something. I rolled myself off my bed and ambled into the hallway to peek at the dining room water clock. The hands read the 67th hour, which thankfully wasn’t a surprise. Nevertheless, I couldn’t escape the feeling I was missing something, or someone, important.
 
“Tedi!” I gasped in sudden remembrance. I spun and ran into the front room, frantically searching for the home phone. “Mother! Do you have the dialler?” I yelled out.
 
“Can it wait?” she called back. “I’m busy talking to your Aunt right now.”
 
“But Auntie was just here!” I yelled, ambling over to her bedroom archway. After a few murmurs, and a click, my Mother emerged gripping the phone by its rounded keypad podium. I snatched it by the thick metal stem that connected its oval display screen, mumbling my gratitude as I ran to my room dialling the necessary land lot from memory. I shook my head while I waited with the dial tone; embarrassed and appalled I had nearly forgotten to invite Tedi, my best friend, to our first outing at an aqua club.
 
“Evening, Universe guide you,” a quick voice answered.
 
“Uh… is… this the Kedar household?” I queried, unsure of how to begin.
 
“Yes it is. May I ask who’s speaking?”
 
“Um… I’m, Nykia Nykia…”
 
“Nykia?” the quick voice repeated, before swiftly gasping. “Ah, Nykia! Yes! The Redscale girl, Tedi’s mentioned you! Apologies for the formalities, Mr. Kedar speaking.”
 
“Oh… Mr. Kedar… hello…’” I stuttered awkwardly, trying to remember the last time I had seen Mr. Kedar; as his job was some demanding government department role that kept him busy.
 

 
I did, however, remember Tedi once saying;
 
He keeps all the records of every Korainian ever born.
 
It was the first time we’d ever met, during our first lesson at The Mid Region Academy. Show and tell. Della and I, already friends from early schooling, had sat besides each other watching age mates introduce themselves one after the other; until Tedi, wearing the most adorable mini-tie and holding a faux scroll, had stood up to tell the class about his family. The class had laughed at his tie, but then everyone had laughed at my double name. So as it happened, we had gotten along just fine from the very beginning.
 

 
“Hello?” the quick voice called, interrupting the memory.
 
“Hi, uh… still here…” I said, clearing my throat and continuing on. “Sorry, Mr. Kedar… I was just dialling to ask if Tedi wanted to come-” I stopped there, unsure if I should be truthful about the night’s plans. Growing flustered as the silence stretched on, and desperately wanting the dial to end, I hurried on to say the first thing that came to mind. “I was dialling to ask if Tedi, wanted to… come to my house…” I ended, clumsily and vaguely.
 
“You would like Tedi to come, to your home?” Mr. Kedar asked, sounding skeptical. “What, for?”
 
“Uh, well, for… for… for dinner, of course!” I stuttered. “My Mother cooked saltfish…” I added when the phone remained silent, shaking my head at my own unconvincing lies.
 
“How brilliant!” Mr. Kedar abruptly exclaimed. “So what time should we all be there?”
 
My Mother was not happy with me when I returned the phone. Understandably, since I had accidentally set up a dinner with the Kedar’s promising saltfish we no longer had. After berating me, for honestly more time than we had to spare, my Mother shot out of the house on errands; likely to Mister Gad Khorban for more discounted fish and flirting.
 
Luckily I had already cleaned the house from top to bottom earlier that day, which meant my Mother only made me clean it twice more. By the time she returned I had finished, but not for long; as she then had me soaking fish, peeling radishes and chopping tear-jerking onions. I had only just pulled on a patterned white sundress I had forgotten I owned when the doorbell rung its cheerily foreboding tone.
 
I peeked my head out of my doorway, just as my Mother did the same. “They’re here…” she whispered, before waving me back into my room. “Fix your hair!” she quietly exclaimed, before patting down her loose pink tunic and easing towards the front door. As soon as my Mother slapped the release button, I hid in my room; delaying Uji’s most uncomfortable dinner a little longer.
 
I checked myself in my mirror and flicked a loose red lock away from my forehead, before finally forcing my hands to my sides. I had no reason to be nervous around Tedi. In fact, it was incredibly unusual that I was. Though I was still unsettled by his wordless departure the night before, amongst other things, Tedi remained my best friend. Which meant our impending meeting was sure to be as comfortable as our friendship had always been, regardless of his elusive father and menacing mother.
 
Shuffling out of my room, I crossed the hallway to peek at my Mother, Tedi, and his parents, all sitting in the front room in sullen silence. Intimidated by the awkwardness, I began to back away. However, just as I initiated my retreat, Tedi noticed me. “Nykia?” he called, prompting everyone to turn my way. I halted my steps as Tedi stood out of his seat beside my Mother, wearing a cream linen shirt and pants that seemed far too formal, and handed me something bushy I was too anxious to take note of.
 
“Water, Nykia,” my Mother suddenly said; causing me to look her way in confusion.
 
“Um, no thanks, Mother… I’m not thirsty,” I mumbled.
 
“The water is for the flowers, Nykia,” my Mother sighed deeply, gesturing to my hands. I looked down, finding a plentiful bouquet of thinly-stemmed tiny white flowers within my grasp. My brows raised as I looked to Tedi, who looked back at me with a small smile; until my Mother raised her voice to move things along. “Are you ready to eat, dear?” she pressed.
 
“Um, yes…” I said, stuttering, before turning to lead the way to the dining room.
 
My Mother sat at the head of the table while Tedi and I sat next to each other; his mother and father across the table from us, his flowers positioned as a centrepiece. The saltfish and vegetables sat steaming in a mouthwatering spread, smelling delicious and looking even better. I glanced to my Mother in anticipation of the food, but she shook her head at me sternly; clearly warning me not to touch a thing. Mr. Kedar tapped his glass with his spoon then, drawing all of our attentions when he did.
 
“If you don’t mind Miss Nykia,” he began to say as he stood; “I’d like to start the evening off with a short tribute.”
 
“Please, do!” my Mother nodded, obviously relieved she wouldn’t have to herself.
 
“Perfect,” Mr. Kedar went on in his quick tones. “Firstly, I wish to thank Nykia and her Mother for hosting us. It is very gracious, yes, and also of great timing! You see, I don’t get to see my son very often. But today I come home to my new-man, and he tells me he wishes to pursue my line of work. As a father, this brought me much pride, and I felt like this dinner, of parents and children, was of quite fitting company to share such news!”
 
Mrs. Kedar took to an abrupt round of applause, which my Mother and I joined in with. After the applause subsided my Mother reached for a serving spoon, ready to begin dinner, until Mr. Kedar suddenly continued with his unfinished tribute. “There’s an old axiom that goes well with this announcement!” he went on. “A son who takes on his father’s boat is a son that admires what his father has caught. Now, I’m no fishermen! I actually get quite seasick! And I’m aware a records keeper is not an exciting job to a young Korainian. But, to hear my son wishes to do as I do, makes me feel as though I’ve done well. So to that, I offer my tribute!”
 
I glanced to Tedi then, and caught him smiling up at his father. For a moment, I was reminded of the little Korainian he was at eleven cycles; in a mini-tie, with a fake scroll, on the first day of intermediate school. I smiled and nudged his shoulder, proud he was becoming the ‘Ted’ he had planned to be. He quickly turned to smile back, the lifting of his matured cheekbones reminding me just how much he had grown. In fact, though Tedi had always acted more mature than most, something felt different now; as if he wasn’t acting mature, but simply being it.
 
“Furthermore, my son,” Mr. Kedar continued to announce; “I wish you success in all of your endeavours. Follow wherever The Universe guides you. It led me to your mother, and every morning I wake up with her beside me, I thank the stars for it.”
 
I took a moment to suck my gums at Mr. Kedar’s remarks on his Soulmate, since I couldn’t imagine a drop of warm blood coursed through Mrs. Kedar’s thin veins, but I clapped with everyone else all the same. Surprised the speech had actually come to an end, my head turned to my Mother as she let out a sigh. “That was, lovely,” she nodded, a little too stiffly; “you have such a way with words, Mr. Kedar.”
 
“Please, call me Marten,” Mr. Kedar countered with a smile.
 
“Well, alright then,” my Mother smiled back; “feel free to call me Malaika!”
 
“Ah, Malaika,” Tedi’s father began as he retook his seat; “such a beautiful name! Redscales have such interesting names, I’ve noticed in my time as a records keeper!”
 
I cocked a brow and looked to Tedi, unnerved by his father’s scale-specific statement. Tedi nodded his head at me reassuringly, which helped me to gather his father at least hadn’t intended to be condescending. Turning to my Mother, I subtly waved my hand; wordlessly translating my conclusion, as she slowly nodded back in understanding. “Well, thank you,” my Mother went on to reply, doing her best to remain agreeable as she explained; “I’m named after a flower from the Redscale mother isle of Sandya-”
 
“Huh? I didn’t know that…” I interrupted, loudly and without tact. My Mother glanced at me with a look of disappointment, which I probably deserved for my social ineptitude.
 
“Nykia means clan of victory,” Tedi thankfully chimed in; and I smiled at him as he did, grateful for his expert tension defuse.
 
“How did you know that, Tedi?” my Mother asked, sounding pleasantly surprised.
 
“I still remember it from the first day Nykia and I met,” Tedi beamed. “It was show and tell day, and she explained to the class why her first name was her last name-”
 
“And my last name was my first name, yeah!” I gasped, finishing his sentence for him. “I’d forgotten that’s how I’d phrased it,” I chuckled to myself. “That’s so funny, I was only just thinking about our first day of intermediate school…”
 
“I’ve been thinking about it too!” Tedi grinned, inspiring another memory as he prompted; “Remember what Della talked about? She brought pastries from her father’s bakery and told everyone if you were her friend, you got free fruit bread!”
 
“Stars, she did… didn’t she!” I said, snorting along with him.
 
A sudden clap cut through our laughter. “I think we should all eat now,” Mrs. Kedar, the clapper, firmly declared.
 
With no one inclined to challenge, cutlery began clattering. The conversation eventually started to flow; and though it was a weak stream, it was at the very least continuous. Between the topics of conversation Tedi and I were included in, we had started our own. We reminisced about the first day of intermediate school, the meet ups at his house after my diving club and his ‘Map-makers of Uji’ club, and all our most favourite childhood moments, before I finally got around to explaining my botched dial with his father.
 
“So the dinner arrangement was - accidental?” Tedi clarified.
 
“Yeah…” I replied, speaking in hushed tones. “I wasn’t sure your parents would let you go to an aqua club… so I made something up! Still, it could’ve gone a lot worse!”
 
“I think it worked out well, actually!” Tedi grinned.
 
I nodded back enthusiastically, inching closer as I scooted on my chair towards him and lowered my voice. “So you’re coming then? To the Aqua club? Tonight, at the 81st hour you’ll be at… Aroma Pond?”
 
“Yes, Nykia,” Tedi quietly chuckled; “I’ll get Yacob to say I’m going to his.”
 
“Great!” I yelped, as loudly as a whisper would allow. “So no Yacob, and just us… just you, me, Della and Teo-”
 
“Hold on, Teo’s coming too?” Tedi interrupted.
 
“Yeah, of course he is…” I replied. “It was his idea?”
 
“Was it, now?” Tedi shortly retorted. “Huh - alright then.”
 
I scrunched my brow at Tedi’s strange tone; frowning, as his persisting silence caused an awkward air to manifest. Searching for something to fill the quiet, my mind recalled Tedi’s uncanny actions the night before. “Yesterday, you left without saying goodbye…” I announced; wanting to move the conversation along, but weighing it down instead. Tedi nodded to me briefly before averting his eyes, giving no other response than that. Which was, in the same way as his departure the previous night, incredibly unlike him.
 
“Tedi…” I began again, before cautiously going on; “was it because of… you know… what we saw?”
 
Tedi’s head snapped up at my words, his mouth opening to reply; just as Mr. Kedar cleared his throat. “What are you two talking about!” Tedi’s father interjected, as our heads spun to find him smiling widely at us both. “You’ve been chattering between yourselves for quite a while! Why not let us in on the debate!”
 
“Uh,” Tedi stuttered; “we were just, just-”
 
“Talking about the Government…” I finished for him.
 
“Well, stars,” Mr. Kedar huffed, as Tedi and I awaited his verdict on our stilted reply. “I think that’s wonderful!” he suddenly exclaimed; “I do believe young Korainians don’t converse enough on such topics! Speaking of, I’m sure you’ll all agree, Chief Ieday is certainly one of the best Chiefs we’ve ever had!”
 
The dinner concluded shortly after then; Mr. Kedar’s strong statement having spurred a tense discussion on politics and policies, one that my Mother took a surprisingly active part in. Although my Mother and I had prepared dessert, she remained suspiciously mute regarding the additional course. In fact, she allowed Tedi’s mother and father to clear their plates, finish their drinks, and take to the hallway to pull on their coats without mentioning it.
 
“Thank you for having us Malaika!” Mr. Kedar cheered.
 
“My pleasure,” my Mother replied through gritted teeth.
 
“It was, quite the night. We’ll have to do it again-”
 
“We’re all very busy, Marten,” Mrs. Kedar snapped, interrupting her Soulmate to rush him into his coat.
 
“Nonsense, we’ll make time!” Mr. Kedar chuckled. “I do enjoy a good debate! Though next time I insist we go out to eat! Not that I didn’t enjoy your cooking Malaika, I’m sure it was incredibly authentic to Redscale culture! Only next time, it would be nice to dine on some more traditional Ujian food.”
 
My Mother nodded with a tight smile, clearly too exhausted by the dinner politics to comment on Mr. Kedar’s accidentally ignorant statement. Whilst our parents awkwardly exchanged goodbyes, Tedi and I shared an awkward exchange of our own. As I lifted my arm to wave to Tedi, he leaned in for a hug; which led to me practically slapping him on the face.
 
“Sorry, Tedi!” I said, though he waved my apology off.
 
“No worries - I’ll, see you in a few hours,” he whispered. I grinned in reply as he waved goodbye to my Mother, his father and mother briefly doing the same, before stepping out into the setting sun and allowing the front door to slide shut behind them.
 
“Nykia,” my Mother said as soon as we were alone; “don’t ever do that again.”
 
“Yes mother,” I easily replied; “I’ll be sure not to…”
 
“Thank The Universe,” she immediately huffed.
 
My Mother dragged her feet into the front room and collapsed onto the sofa. I quietly embarked on the after-dinner cleanup without her; feeling responsible for the mess, but more so aware my Mother wouldn’t let me leave for Della’s until I had. In two hours I had everything spotless again, dining room table and kitchen countertop included, just in time to make it to Della’s for the 78th hour.
 
Enacting my escape plan, I shuffled into the front room and took the seat beside my Mother on the sofa. I allowed her a few minutes of staring at the programming box, hoping the dulcet tones of whatever romance show she was watching would relax her, before I finally risked voicing my request. “Can I… go hang out at Della’s house?” I quickly said, wanting to be over with the lie before she noticed it was one.
 
“Have you done the dishes?” she asked.
 
“Yes. And cleared the dining room, and swept the kitchen…”
 
“Alright Nykia, go enjoy yourself,” she sighed, her eyes never leaving the screen. I yelped my thanks and ran back into my room to assemble everything I needed into my favourite backpack. Finally, I reached into my bedside table, retrieved my Aunt’s gift, and stuffed the shiny disc inside. I pulled the pack onto my back and whizzed out of my room; but I stopped when my Mother called out to me. Reluctantly, I halted and retraced my steps. I stood by the front room archway, tapping the sides of my thighs in fear my Mother had discovered my real plans for the evening.
 
“Tedi’s a good young man, Nykia,” my Mother said.
 
“Um… alright?” I mumbled, bewildered. “I know that, he’s my best friend…”
 
My Mother nodded at my response, and then returned her attention to the programming box. “Have a nice time, at Della’s,” she finished in a yawn, waving me off. I furrowed my brows at her, then I shrugged away any and all troublesome thoughts. With a grin on my face, I slapped the door’s release button and stepped out; finally ready to begin my real first night out, as an adult.

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