Five more minutes

Since they had 24 virtual hours of time to spend, after practicing with the Rocket Boots for an hour, they decided to explore the rest of the map. Nyco always thought that the biggest selling point of a 5-S and all the other virtual reality experiences, is that 24 hours inside the virtual world equates to 1 hour in the real world. You could do so much in those extra 24 hours. It’s a shame that you could only use it once a day in order to prevent any possible side effects. Studies said that being too long in the virtual world could damage a person’s perception of time in the real world. If not, Nyco would certainly use it at least 6 times a day.

After hours of exploring the map, they predicted that they were somewhere in Scotland due to its huge jaw dropping cliffs near the ocean. When they were enjoying a long beautiful walk, Emma decided to tell Nyco the last thing he wanted to hear.

-Since you have two exams next week, I took the liberty of inputting into the game your history and chemistry book-, she announced.

-... You’re joking, right?-, he asked in disbelief.

-You wish! We still have 20 hours here, you should spend some time studying.

-Oh, come on!. Can’t you just give me the 5-S one hour before the test. With that I can study everything in one sitting.

-No way! If you do that, as soon as you finish your exam you’ll forget everything-, Emma debated. -Learning that way is pointless. You have to study every single day so the information stays in your brain and doesn’t fall off your ears.

-Who cares about what the people in the year 2000 did!? Those people are Homo-Old news!

-No arguing!-, she sentenced. Emma could command this experience in the 5-S just by thinking what she wanted. She thought about where she wanted the virtual book she had scanned and a pink history book appeared right on top of Nyco’s lap. -I’ll come back in an hour or so and ask about what you’ve read-, she indicated. -You'll study chemistry tomorrow.

-What a draaaag-, he complained.

Emma went on a long walk to think of a way to ask him how he felt about AI-Juliet. Since the day Nyco and the AI met, they hadn’t talked about it. The reason being that Yve was always present at the hospital. Emma didn’t think it was something to talk about with someone else in the room.

When she finally came back from her walk, she sat down beside him. After asking Nyco a few questions to make sure he had studied for the exam, Emma brought the subject out.

-So… How did you feel about the AI?-, Emma asked. The sudden change of tone took Nyco by surprise.

-... Honestly… It did make me feel better. It was quite weird… Well… It still is... But I think the AI told me exactly what Julie would have told me. I felt safe around her just like… Just like I did with your mom-, the boy explained. -But… I feel kind of guilty too. I want to keep talking and seeing it, but I don’t want to forget the real Julie… I don’t want to pretend like she’s gone…

-I get it… I feel like that too… -, Emma agreed.

-I asked her, I mean… I asked IT if the real Julie would like for us to talk to this AI-, he voiced.

-... And what did it say?...

-It said that all her data indicates that the real Julie wouldn’t mind as long as it made us happy. And then the AI said that she itself would want us to get another AI if it stopped working… So Julie probably would want the same since she is based on her… We can’t be 100% certain but…

-It’s probably true-, Emma answered, completing his sentence. -When I was like… 14, Mom once told me that the only thing that scared her about leaving this world, is that she wouldn’t be able to be with us… to help us… So it’s probably telling the truth-, she agreed.

-I don’t know how to feel about this AI yet, but I know it cares about us. It may just be a combination of calculated responses based on our interactions but… It seems… real.

-I can give you her contact code later if you want. That way you can talk on the E-Cube when you want-, she offered.

-Thanks. I would like that, yes-, Nyco said. -And thank you for everything you do for me, Em. I really appreciate it. Ever since we met on that beach when we were young I just… My life is a lot better thanks to you. I… can’t imagine how my life would have been if I hadn’t met you-. He looked her right in the eyes as he talked from his heart. He thought about his loneliness in the orphanage and how that changed thanks to Emma. It’s thanks to her that he even made that bond with Julie. If it weren’t for Emma, he wouldn’t have known love. They boy thought about all of this as he looked at her emerald green eyes. The poor girl felt a little embarrassed, but hearing his words made her want to thank him too.

-You don’t need to thank me, Nyco. I… My life would be so much different without you too… I don’t know how I could have dealt with my mom’s passing if it weren’t for you. You held me when I was at my weakest. You have this… energy that always lights me up… The day we met was a… a blessing.

Sitting down on the grass in that beautiful landscape, the two teenagers looked at eachother. They always knew they were special for one another, but hearing it so directly felt… breathtaking. Emma looked at his beautiful blue eyes and his mouth. She stopped hearing the background noise. She couldn't even see beyond Nyco’s eyes. All the world around her became background noise as a warm feeling filled her heart. Nyco felt it too. There was something telling him that this was the right moment.

It was just the two of them in that virtual world. Everything in that world was fake, it was just a combination of ones and zeros. Only their genuine and timid love was real.

Nyco leaned closer to Emma and lightly touched her hand. She didn’t move away, signaling the boy that this was indeed the right time.

Nyco could not pinpoint a specific moment where he started having feelings for Emma, but they were too real to be ignored anymore. Separated from the real world as they were, away from all the problems. When Nyco looked at her eyes… He felt his guts telling him “kiss her”.

He put his hand on top of hers just to feel her more. Their hearts started racing as they looked at each other in silence. All they could think about was each other. They closed their eyes as they got closer to one another. Unfortunately, destiny had other plans for that evening, as a sudden voice called for him.

-Nyco!!-, called Yve through the 5-S speaker. The sudden noise made them both fall back in surprise. -Someone is here to see you so I’m taking you out-, she announced.

Emma watched perplexed as Nyco suddenly disappeared right in front of her eyes. That special moment they shared was now gone forever.
For the first time ever, Emma hated the real world with all her heart. “Couldn’t they have waited for five more minutes!!!” she screamed on the inside.

Nyco woke up with rage in his eyes. He was about to kiss the girl he loved and Yve just ruined that moment. He took his helmet off and started complaining.

-What the hell, Yve?!-, he moaned. -Do you know what you… just…

His words got lost as he looked at a man wearing a white military uniform with a black badge that had a “P” with a big yellow ring surrounding it. Nyco was left speechless as he looked at the man.

-Hi. Sorry to bother you. I’m from the Planet-Gazer’s recruitment team. My name is Alan. Nice to meet you-, the man said as he held out his hand in order to shake Nyco’s. 

The boy wasn’t sure he heard him right. “He is from the recruitment team? Why is he in my room?”, he wondered confused as he shook his hand.