Eniola braced herself and sucked in a large breath, daring to look up. “Mom, Dad. I have something to tell you.”

“I know you guys have had dreams of me being a doctor because that’s in our family. And I know you came here because you wanted the best for me and I know you came here for better opportunities and because you wanted the best for me. But I’ve been thinking, and I don’t think being a doctor is the path I’m meant to follow.”

“I know what you’re thinking, but just hear me out,” She paused, then continued squirming in her seat. “To make a long story short, I’m a gamer. I play SCOPE, and I love it. It’s not a dangerous game. It’s very safe. It’s an amazing way to connect virtually and make money. I pour my heart and soul into it, and now it’s a part of me. In what you called a useless hobby and a waste of time, I see opportunity and a wide range of possibilities where the only limit is my imagination. And therefore, I want to pursue a career as a professional gamer and not a doctor. And I know, I know, you have questions and are shocked, but I assure you, this is what I want to do and I’m not about to waste my life on a career I don’t love. I already make money from playing games, and if I had even more opportunities, I could even make more money. You don’t need to be a doctor to be successful. All I want is your love and support because I love you.”

Sniffles suddenly trickled into the room like someone was crying or trying to figure out what a certain smell was. Eniola snapped her gaze away from her glowing mirror to find her younger brother, Kol, standing in her doorway, obnoxiously fake crying to her practice speech. He was dressed in a bright blue dashiki bursting with red patterns that seemed weird to wear on a regular Saturday.

“That-that just moved me,” he mocked, wiping away fake tears. “Thank you for sharing your story.”

Eniola snatched a pillow off her bed and hurled it at Kol, who playfully took the hit as it thudded against him.

“Go away,” she snapped at him. “I don’t have time for you right now. I need to get ready.”

“Why can’t you just tell mom and dad straight up and ditch the fancy words: Hey Mom, hey Dad, I don’t want to be a doctor and instead I want to play SCOPE, which is actually not a game for useless people who don’t function in society. It sounds like you’re reading off of something.” He quoted her parents’ exact words when a game streamed on the holo-boards in the city.

He said it so casually that it almost made her forget how strict her parents were. “And have they spontaneously combust on us? No, thank you.” Kol was the only one who knew her secret: she was a semi-famous SCOPE player. She kept on the low for a solid year until Kol caught her sneaking out to go to a game when he busted into her room one night. Kol, being the precocious eleven-year-old he was at the time, used this to his advantage. They made a truce as long as Eniola helped him with his homework. And by “helping”, she meant doing it for him. He was thirteen now and still the same bargainer. But it worked. He kept her secret, and she kept his grades afloat.

“I mean, eventually they’re going to find out, so you might as well cut to the chase and get it done with,” he said nonchalantly. “It’s like eating spicy food. It’s better to shove it down all at once than getting slightly burned each time you take a bite.” Eniola simply raised an eyebrow at his metaphor.

“How are they going to tell all their friends and the circle of aunties that their beloved daughter has gone into the career of gaming?” she responded. “I might as well wear shoes too big and a red nose and run away with the circus.”

“Is that what you’re wearing today?” Kol said as he pointed down at her outfit with a surprised expression on his face. She was in a tight black shirt, some shorts with a thigh cuff and chunky sneakers. “I think that’s a bit too casual. You know what I mean.”

She looked at him weirdly in response. “I have a game tonight. I always wear casual clothes. What’s the big deal this time?”

“Have you forgotten?” He looked at her, shocked. “Eni, today is the going-away party.”

Oh crap.

Quickly, she grabbed her cellphone, putting a fingerprint on the clear long piece of glass before the screen glowed to life.

July 24, it read. She raised her eyebrow. Eniola was like an android and she had randomly short-circuited and needed to be rebooted. She bounced up from her chair and paced around her room.

“I have a game tonight!” she exclaimed, raising her hands nervously in the air. “Why didn’t anyone tell me about this?”

“Are you kidding me?” Kol said, baffled. “Mom and Dad have been going on about this for weeks. You must’ve been deaf if you didn’t know.”

“I haven’t heard a thing,” she told him, and he looked down at her with a pitiful grin. Despite being 3 years younger than her, he became a staggering five inches taller than her suddenly when he shot up with a growth spurt last summer, and his pants came down at his ankles. He was now an awkward, skinny thirteen-year-old that loomed over her. She would be ninety and still holding onto some faith that she’d grow taller. But when you stood at barely five feet, you could only hold so much faith.

“Can’t you just skip?” he suggested. “It’s just one game.”

“It’s not just any game,” she shouted up at him, which Kol held back a laugh. “It’s a qualifier. The championships are in a week. I will not miss this for anything.”

The laughter kept on bubbling out of his mouth until it came out loud and proud. Eniola raised an eyebrow. “Is this funny to you?”

“You look like a little elf,” he laughed as her face dropped into an annoyed frown. The downsides of being small. No one took her seriously because they can’t tell if you’re a teen or just an enormous child. Eniola’s parents always told her she’d eventually grow one day and gain weight and it posed no real threat. Sometimes Eniola wished her parents weren’t doctors.

Eniola crossed her arms. “I’m having a crisis here, Kol! Understand that! What should I do?”

“I don’t know,” he said, shrugging.

“So much for being helpful,” Eniola muttered.

“Hey,” he replied with a smug grin on his face. “I never said I was trying to be helpful in the first place.” She rolled her eyes.

Her bedroom doors slid open, and immediately their house-droid Bola travelled in on her singular wheel. Bola’s body was a white cylinder with a screen, and at the top was a small glass dome with an eye floating in on it.

“Eniola, Kolapo,” she says their names in her crisp AI voice. “Your mother has called you downstairs. Be there in two minutes.” She’s gone almost as quickly as she came, rolling away on her singular wheel out of the room. Eniola ran to her closet bordered for the clear doors, before pressing the button beside it, making it slide open.

She quickly glanced at Kol, who was still in the doorway. “Leave,” she hissed, and he quickly dashed out of the room.

Eniola practically tore off her clothes and pulled on the new dress her mom had picked for her, exploding with red and yellow patterned prints that outlined her minuscule curves.

Eniola went downstairs and since it was just a half-hour ago when she had last been there, her vast dining and living rooms had been transformed into a lively party, bustling with faces, some familiar, but mostly unfamiliar. Bola was wheeling around handing out delicacies like puff puff and meat pies with her pronged metal fingers as music played in the background.

Eniola descended the stairs and was immediately accosted by relatives. She began giving the respectful kneels to aunties and uncles, some of whom she barely recognized and had to look to remember. Some claimed they met her as a baby, but despite her mental gymnastics, her memory was blank.

Eniola would’ve been excited, but she had to leave for the arena tonight. Rogue was counting on her.

The floating clock on the wall rotated at the time “8:30 pm.” Eniola had an hour and a half before the race. An hour and a half for an excuse. She kept subtle, in case anyone questioned why her gaze was going lopsided most of the time.

“Eniola,” a thickly coated accent called out to her. Auntie Ifedun, jewelry bouncing and rattling with each motion. Her face split into a grin, revealing a perfect gap between her front teeth. She was Eniola’s dad’s older sister and was a successful neurosurgeon. And so was everyone. Eniola might have not gotten names, but she could pinpoint that at least 5 people in this room were doctors.

“E nle ma,” Hello. She said, kneeling before getting dragged into an engulfing hug, smothering her with heavy perfume. “It’s so great to see you.”

“My, my,” she grabbed Eniola’s arm in her hand. “Are you sure you’re getting fed? Your arm is so small.” A chorus of laughter trailed behind her, and Eniola felt immense heat surge into her cheeks. She suddenly wanted to be swallowed up by the earth.

“She is sure getting fed,” she heard her mom’s voice say from behind. Eniola didn’t even notice her yet. Her mom stood tall, with red gele or head wrap adorning her hair. Her skin was dark and soft, and her cheekbones were raised, crinkling the skin under her big eyes. Take out the staggering height of 6 feet, and Eniola and she bore an astounding resemblance.

“You should see her, she practically inhales food. It’s there one minute and then it’s gone.” Her mom snapped her fingers to make a point as everyone continued to laugh. Eniola thought her mom was exaggerating.

Maybe.

Eniola forced out a laugh that seemed to come naturally to everyone as she endured more comments from nosy relatives about her appearance. All she could do was laugh them off, even the ones that seemed like more than just “harmless” jokes. Eniola tried to pry herself away, knowing it wasn’t worth it to speak up. After all, who could forget the last time? “We’re your relatives,” they’d said. “Don’t be so serious.”

“Bola, extend the table,” her dad called out, and Eniola sighed in relief that the attention was now off her. Bola’s processing whirred and then the chrome table flipped out and extended over itself, flipping out circular chairs. They all took a seat, Kol sitting next to Eniola across from their parents, who like them, had a staggering height difference. Her father nearly dwarfed her mother in size. He had a rounder face and a wide nose on his bearded face and a short cut of hair on his head.

“Bola,” her mom commanded the house-droid. “Start serving the food.” Bola’s body split in two, revealing stacks of plates in her interior, before a conveyor belt full of food emerged and looped onto the table, passing everyone food with her right hand as her parents had customized her to. The sweet smell of food tickled her nose as she recognized the sweet smell of jollof rice, which got her mouth to flood. Once the food was out, Bola’s conveyor belt retracted and she wheeled away. Eniola dug in immediately.

Well, until her mom slapped her hand, and Eniola realized she was the only one eating. Of course. Say grace first.

Her dad halted the conversation. “Join hands in prayer.” She grabbed onto Kol’s hand and then Auntie Ifedun’s and bowed her head.

And they stayed there for 7 minutes straight as her dad blessed the food as one eye dared to open, lingering on the steaming plate of jollof rice and then alternating to the clock, which her mom noticed and glared her back into focus. At this rate, she’d miss her race, which she could not do. It was at that moment her dad concluded and a chorus of “amens” filled the room and began digging in.

“I would just like to thank everyone for coming,” her dad proudly announced. “Before making the move, we wanted to do one last gathering.”

“California has been our home,” her mom said solemnly. “But after Bayode was promoted in New York, it turns out it would’ve been better for the family.”

“My sister, you must come and visit,” Auntie Ifedun told them. “But while you are in New York, you might even see Jeremiah. He just got accepted into Harvard for engineering because he was the top of his class, and sometimes comes to New York.”

Approving hums went around. Of course, she just had to throw out there that Jeremiah got into Harvard. Eniola knew it was anything but casual conversation. Then, everyone went around the table, talking about the achievements of their perfect kids. Somebody was always getting married, having a baby, going to the top universities, and of course taking over the world. Well, maybe not that last one.

“So Eniola,” a loud voice boomed at her. She looked up, Jollof still in her mouth, to see one of her uncles waiting for her to recognize him.

“Eniola answers him,” her mom reminded her.

“Yes, uncle?” Eniola said, swallowing.

“What are you planning to study in university?” he asked. It was time for her parents to brag about her. None of her cousins cared that much. Neither did Eniola. It was just for parents to look good.

“Uh,” she stammered, not knowing how to answer. “I guess—”

“She will be a doctor!” her dad immediately exclaimed proudly, and everyone began humming in approval. Kol met her gaze, and through his eyes, he prodded her to tell them about SCOPE. She would not take that risk. At least not now in front of all these prying relatives.

“What school?” Auntie Ifedun asked curiously.

“When we move in 3 months, Eniola will attend NYU,” he said proudly, while she wanted to squirm away.

Eniola skipped the fifth grade bumping her right into the shadowy depths they called middle school. That’s why she was 16 and going to university for pre-med. It wasn’t like Eniola didn’t want to go to university. She did, but something inside her wanted more. She always pushed the idea of being a doctor out of her head and hoped that when she became older her parents would understand, but here she was. She was going right to university. There were no expectations to push back anymore.

“The idea of being rich is a mindset, not a physical thing. By Lia Malkovich.” The quote echoed through the air in a neutral voice.

“Someone is at your door,” Bola announced monotonously, wheeling away from the table. Eniola’s parents used a variety of quotes from rich people who lived long ago as doorbells, to instill in their heads the idea to be successful. Right now it was Lia Malkovich, the creator of androids. “Would you like to see?”

“Everyone is already here,” her dad said questioningly. “Who is it?”

Her mom looked at Eniola, and from her gaze, Eniola knew she should go around and check. She opened the camera on Bola’s body screen, showing the front porch where the guest would be. Eniola looked at the camera, and then quickly closed it as quickly as it opened.

“What are you waiting for? Go and greet the guests,” her dad instructed. She hopped up from the chair and made her way nervously down the wide hallway that opened into their living room. Bola followed and then wheeled in front of her and pressed her hand to the screen locks. The doors immediately slid open, revealing the guest.

“Eni!” Before she could register, something wrapped her in a warm and tight embrace.

She pulled away, staring into the face of her brother Olu.

She blinked repeatedly and refocused. Still Olu. So her eyes weren’t just playing tricks on her. Olu was here. In the flesh. Olu. Here. Now. He looked different, yet so similar. His wide afro was now cut short into a fade, he was taller and fuller with muscles that grew on such a skinny guy. He had even started growing a mustache, which he had always so desperately longed for.

Eniola reached forward, touching his shoulder. So this wasn’t a hologram and someone wasn’t going to pop out of the bushes telling her that she just got pranked and that there were tons of hidden cameras everywhere.

“Olu,” Eniola replied finally when her vocal cords and other bodily functions started working again. “What are you doing here? It’s been so long.”

“I’ve been on my own,” Olu replied. “But I’ve missed you, Eni. So much.”

“I missed you too!” she replied, still shocked and excited to see Olu. Eniola had envisioned running into him on the street or randomly meeting him, but she’d never expected he’d come back. Willingly. Or maybe he left something and wanted it back, even though her parents did a clean sweep of his room and threw away what they didn’t want.

“Eniola!” a feminine voice called to her. Before she could identify them, she was drawn into another hug, and something bounced against her stomach. When she pulled away, she was met with a familiar yet unfamiliar face.

“May?” she exclaims. He brought May too? What was wrong?

“Former opponent, welcome,” she says jokingly, with a smile.

May hadn’t changed. The last time her hair was in braids, but now it was in a full afro. Other than that, she looked the same. Same heart-shaped face and gap in her teeth. She was probably still amazing at Rise of Shadows. Except for one thing.

As Eniola studies her, her eyes widen at something she hadn’t noticed. A huge round bump poked from under her shirt.

“You’re…” Eniola started.

“Pregnant!” they both say, finishing for her. And it registers. May is having a baby? Pregnant? Baby? This is happening?

“When did this happen?” she asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

“Real fast, right after we got married we were surprised yet again,” Olu says, pointing at the baby bump as May cradles it into her hand.

“Hold on, married?” Eniola shouts again. Then she notices another thing. Fat rings glisten on both their ring fingers.

“We eloped a year ago,” Olu exclaims. “And in just 6 weeks, our child will come into this world. And business is booming. ENTITY Clothing has just opened.”

“What’s that?” Eniola asked.

“My new fashion company,” he announced, and if Eniola thought it wasn’t her jaw hangs open more.

“How are you doing that on top of med school?” she dares to ask. “You must be so busy.”

He goes silent for a while. “I’m not in med school anymore.” He drops it like a bomb.

“What? Why?” she asked.

“Every day I went to class, I was so miserable and unhappy, and then I thought, why am I still here? Why am I still studying for a job in a school that makes me depressed when I walk in instead of following what I want? I realized I only did it because I wanted Mom and Dad to still accept me, but I was so depressed. Oh yeah, and it was hella expensive. So I dropped out, and now I have my fashion line.”

He just dropped out? Like that. As he shared more of his life in the three years since she’d seen him, Eniola realized how fulfilling his life was now that he had created a new life away from the family. Soon he was going to have his child, for crying out loud. Her mom and dad thought that when they rejected him because of May, he’d soon come crawling back and do whatever they wanted him to do. But three years passed, and he built an entire life for himself.

It shouldn’t have been a big deal that he was with May, who was the inciting incident for his disownment Eniola was still confused about to this day. May was studying to be a lawyer, came from a good Yoruba family, and was a nice and respectable girl. She was like a walking, talking checklist of Eniola’s parents’ wishes for their ideal daughter-in-law. Except for one minor detail.

“So, are mom and dad home?” he asked, bringing her out of her thoughts. “I came to speak with them. Tell them the good news. I thought it was about time I talked to them again.”

“Uh…” Eniola stumbled. “We have our relatives over. Today’s our going away party.”

“Going away?” he asked, looking confused. “To where?”

“Oh yeah,” she began. “We’re moving to New York at the end of summer. Didn’t you know?”

“Mom and Dad haven’t spoken to me in three years,” he says. “This is the first time I’m hearing of New York. And why are you guys even moving away from Los Angeles?”

“Dad got this huge promotion to one of the biggest hospitals there,” Eniola explains. “That’s why we’re moving. I’m going to NYU too.”

“Oh,” he said. “What are you studying?”

“Pre-med,” Eniola told him, and his mouth dipped, but not enough for a frown.

“Why that?” Olu asked. “You want to be a doctor?”

“Well…” Eniola began. “It’s complicated. I just want to make them proud and being a doctor is good for me in the long run, so I’d say, yeah.”

“What about you, though?” May asked, breaking her period of silence.

“Eniola, who’s here?” Kol said walking down the hallway, cutting into their conversation. He came to the door, before freezing in time at the sight of Olu. It only took a split second before Kol came running towards Olu and crashed into his arms. When they pulled away, Eniola noticed that Kol had grown taller than Olu in the three years he had been gone.

“Buddy!” Olu exclaimed, ruffling a fist into his hair. “It’s been so long! How are you?”

“I’m good!” Kol replied. “Eni, why didn’t you tell me Olu was here?” She just shrugged her shoulders at him. Kol grabbed his arm and pulled him into the house, eyes shining with excitement even though the reaction that would soon follow would be nerve-wracking. Eniola and May followed soon after.

Eniola walked faster because May was pregnant and also she needed to see what would go down. The photos on the family wall became more noticeable, as there were only four people and not five. Her parents had taken those photos down after Olu was gone, but she noticed the moving photos that had him edited or cut out. May noticed them too, and they exchanged a glance.

They all emerged into the kitchen and it took a while for everyone’s eyes to land on them. But once they did, a veil of silence fell over the room.

Olu cleared his throat loudly. “Mom. Dad.” It seemed like an eternity was compressed into mere seconds because her parents both wore steel expressions on their faces that she couldn’t read. Her dad’s jaw tightened and her mom’s eyes went wide. The last encounter between them ended with screaming and arguing and a loudly slammed door. Memories of that day came black to Eniola flooding all at once.

“Mom, Dad,” Olu said again for the first time in three years. “It’s me.”

“Why are you in my house, Olufemi?” her dad asked quietly first.

“I just wanted to talk,” he tried to say.

“Mr. and Mrs. Adeyemi,” May began, but Eniola’s dad slammed his fist on the table, sending shock rippling through the quiet tension.

“You dare come in and talk to me?” her dad yelled. “You ruined my family!”

“She didn’t ruin anything!” Olu shot back a little too loud. “All we want to do is talk.”

“Do not raise your voice at us,” her mom joined in. Her eyes furiously observed him until she spotted May’s very obvious baby bump. Her mom’s expression softened for a bit. “What is that?”

“May’s pregnant,” Olu boldly said, gesturing to May. “See!”

“How can you have a child?” her mom said, and Eniola couldn’t tell if her expression was angry or confused.

“It just happened,” Olu said. “But I came to show you and tell you guys are getting a grandchild. See, you finally got what you want! May’s having a child now and you guys will get to fulfill your dreams of being grandparents.”

Her parents don’t even seem happy. “You got your girlfriend pregnant?”

“Wife,” he corrects, and the room goes silent. “Why don’t you look happy? May is pregnant, and I’m married. You all got what you want, so can you just hear me out?”

“You dare interrupt our going away party,” her dad asks then curses, then turns to May. Her dad then widened his eyes and pointed to the door. “Leave.”

“All I wanted to do was talk,” Olu sighed. “No argument. But if you’re not going to listen, then we’ll leave.”

He and May turned out from the door, then faced her and Kol. “Bye guys. Maybe next time.” And then they walked down the hallway and out the door.

Eniola sighed. Olu didn’t do something to get disowned like that. All he ever did was choose May over them. May who couldn’t get pregnant.

🎮

Eniola’s parents finally closed the door on the last relatives to go, after having a lengthy discussion near it for twenty minutes after saying it was time to go. Nigerians never actually left when they were supposed to. They’d talk for a long time, then finally go. Eniola never took the “we have to go” thing seriously anymore.

It was scary how everyone acted like Olu’s interruption was just a minor distraction or hadn’t even happened. It was like he meant nothing to them. Kol was pretty shaken up too. It had been three years since he had seen him too, and he left as quickly as he came. Kol practically idolized Olu when he was still around, mimicking his every move and aspiring to be like him. They were close despite the staggering twelve-year difference and Olu coming and then leaving was all like he did three years ago.

She refocused back on the holo-clock. Eniola was dangerously close to missing her race. It was a miracle she hadn’t missed the race with the way everything has been going so slowly. She turned and hurried up the stairs.

“Eniola, come and bring the dishes to the sink,” her mom instructed her, stopping in the middle of the stairs. She began unwrapping the gele away from her head, revealing slightly matted cornrows.

“Can’t Bola do it?” she said, and her mom’s eyes perked up.

“Just because we have a house-droid doesn’t mean you have an excuse to be lazy,” she snapped. Gesturing, she hissed. “Bring the dishes to the sink.”

“Can I ask you something, mom?” Eniola spoke up, and her mom made the ‘mph’ sound that meant she agreed.

“Aren’t you happy for Olu?” she asked timidly. Her mom stopped mid-way and clenched her jaw. “In six weeks you guys are going to be grandparents. Aren’t you excited?”

“He betrayed us by choosing that girl,” she snaps.

“But you’re getting what you want,” Eniola further said. “She’s pregnant and having a child.”

“Just do the dishes,” her mom told her. “Olu isn’t my concern anymore. All I want is to focus on you and our future as a family. and then turns away, making this conversation officially over. Eniola continued to scrub the dishes at warp speed.

“What’s the rush?” her mom said, annoyed. “If you do not wash these dishes clean, I will make you do them again.” Eniola groaned and began scrubbing slower. Eventually, she finished and ran back upstairs.

Eniola quickly pulled off her dress, slipped on her clothes from earlier, and turned her focus to her hair in the mirror. She twisted two strands of hair together before drawing them back into two puffs.

Her phone vibrated on her desk. She picked it up and looked at the Discord message notifications that began filling the lock screen. Eniola swiped the screen up from the phone and it transferred to hovering in the air and then extended it with 2 fingers.

10:09 pm

luciawouldn’twannabeya: @Theonewiththebraincell Where are you?

luciawouldn’twannabeya: You have like 10 minutes!

luciawouldn’twannabeya: If you don’t come out, they will disqualify Rogue!

luciawouldn’twannabeya: Anyway, come! Now! Don’t make me come here!

bluecyborg: Bloom has already rolled out and they’re announcing her.

theonewiththebraincell: Hold on. Bloom? She’s like one of the best players there.

luciawouldn’twannabeya: I was shocked too! You need to come here now if you want to even stand a chance against team Inferno.

tuxedomanstie: They’re about to announce you. I’d say you have about 10 minutes before you get disqualified.

killswitch: You guys have been blowing up my phone! What’s the tea?

Eniola wasted no time in rolling her eyes all the way to the back of her head.

theonewiththebraincell: That term is outdated and who asked?

killswitch: Y’all already know you want me. ;)

theonewiththebraincell: Remind me why he’s in our chat?

tuxedomanstie: He games with us. Like he has been for the last 3 years.

theonewiththebraincell: That’s it?

theonewiththebraincell: Like how do we know you aren’t some 40-year-old guy named Chuck living in his mom’s basement.

theonewiththebraincell: Who even are you?

killswitch: That’s for me to know and you to find out. I’m not a mystery, but an open book. You just need to read.

theonewiththebraincell: How deep. I’m going to go now.

killswitch: Pleasure doing business with you.

She rolled her eyes. Somehow, three years ago, this random ‘killswitch’ player decided he was going to be friends with them and game with them. He was annoying but was easy competition and maybe a decent gamer. She put the phone down. All Eniola knew about him was that maybe he was around their age. He never showed his face or revealed his face. It was extremely sketchy. She tolerated him only because everyone else liked him.

Eniola reached into her closet and spotted the chrome white mannequin she had bought from a department going out of business. It was bigger than her, so she had to haul it out. She untucked the covers of her bed and pushed it in so it was lying on its side. She brought out her phone and brought it close until it glowed blue for a second.

Eniola swiped up her finger before pixels started forming around the mannequin, and then a projected image took its place. The mannequin began moving in time with her recorded sleep. It was the same way virtual models advertised their clothes. She’d been doing this for the last three years, and so far it had worked.

Eniola pressed the button below her window, and the glass panels slid open, letting in a draft of cool night San Francisco air. She couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt as she put one foot out. She felt like every time she stepped out of this window; she was betraying her parents and severing their trust. Eniola would eventually have to come clean and tell them. But today would not be that day.

Eniola hopped out of her window and grabbed onto the window ledge instantly, hanging off of it, with legs dangling. Once she got a firm grip, she scaled her way down the side of the house and then, when she was low enough, jumped onto her lawn. She learned from her first mistake that you don’t jump right from your window. Unless you want to sacrifice your ankles, don’t do it.

Eniola crossed into the empty street, watching the glow of house addresses rotate in the night. She ran down the streets, passing by the symmetrically and asymmetrically shaped houses, and diving through lines of auto-cars that seemed to be more common around this part of the city. The synthetic trees and bushes were placed nicely in rows, slightly behind the glossy sidewalks.

Eniola waited until she was confident that she was far enough away from her house, and then dug into her pocket. Emerging from it in her fingers was a cool black metal orb that held her motorcycle. At once she hurled it onto the ground, a sleek black motorcycle folded out like a pop-up storybook. It had two gigantic wheels held together by a sleek body and was glowing with yellow lights peeking through the black exterior. She jumped on, the bike’s engine revving to life as she looked up and saw the faint outline of San Francisco downtown, the glow of the neon nightscape muddling in dark colours. If she looked far enough, she could see the Golden Gate Bridge glimmer in red hues. Eniola checked her phone again. 10 minutes.

And that’s when she drove away into the San Francisco night.