Chapter 6: Anytime

At the break of dawn, Jacob and Emi arrived at a sprawling park brimming with greenery to film for Emi’s university project. The morning air carried a crisp chill as Emi retrieved an advanced camera from her bag and began setting up. The harmony between nature and technology was palpable in the park’s expansive spaces. Jacob took a deep breath, letting his gaze sweep over the serene landscape.

“Alright, Jacob, let’s get started. We’ll begin with an introduction,” Emi said, pointing the camera at him. “Come on, who are you and where are you from?”

Jacob stuffed his hands into his pockets and smirked faintly. “I’m Nigerian, with some Chinese heritage on my father’s side,” he said, trying to appear serious.

Emi immediately caught the playful undertone in his voice and frowned from behind the camera. “Jacob, please be serious. This is an official project for my university.”

Jacob shrugged and chuckled. “Alright, alright. I was born in America, so I’m American.”

Dissatisfied, Emi stepped closer. “I’m asking about your family. Where are they from?”

Jacob’s demeanor shifted, his face growing somber. He stared off into the distance. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “All I know is that I grew up in an orphanage. I don’t have any information about them.”

Caught off guard, Emi lowered the camera and looked at him with sympathy. “I’m sorry,” she said softly. “Your record didn’t mention any of this.”

Jacob turned to her with a faint smile. “It’s fine. Let’s move on to the next question. No need to dwell on it.”

Nodding, Emi lifted the camera again. “Alright,” she said. “My next question is…” Before she could finish, a group of teenagers zooming through the park on hoverboards caught her attention. Jacob’s eyes lit up with fascination, and Emi instinctively turned the camera toward them.

The teenagers moved gracefully, their high-tech hoverboards gliding silently a meter above the ground. Adorned with colorful lights, the boards were a blend of speed and aesthetic brilliance. Jacob watched them like an excited child.

“That’s incredible,” Jacob said, suddenly moving toward the group. “I have to talk to them!”

“Jacob, wait!” Emi called out, rushing after him with the camera in hand. “We haven’t finished the recording! This is for my project!”

But Jacob had already approached the teenagers. One of them stepped off their hoverboard, giving him a cold look. “What do you want?” the teenager asked, his tone laced with sarcasm.

Jacob’s gaze fixated on the hoverboard. “This thing is amazing! How does it work so quietly? How do you control the speed? Can I try it?” he asked, his voice brimming with curiosity.

The teenagers exchanged amused glances before one of them scoffed. “An old-timer like you couldn’t handle it,” he said dismissively.

Unfazed by the remark, Jacob smirked and gave the teenager a challenging look. “What’s the matter? Scared I might be better at it than you?”

The teenager’s eyes narrowed in annoyance. “What did you say?”

Jacob spread his arms in a mock challenge. “Here’s a deal. Let me borrow your hoverboard, and we’ll race to the northern lights over there. If you win, you can have whatever you want from me. But if I win, the hoverboard is mine.”

The teenager appeared to consider the offer before stepping closer. “What are you putting on the line?” he asked.

Jacob turned to Emi, motioning toward her camera. “If I lose, you get the camera,” he said.

Emi’s face twisted in shock. “Jacob, no! That camera is crucial for my project. You can’t!”

The teenager accepted the challenge with a cool nod. “Alright. Let’s do this.”

Before stepping onto the hoverboard, Jacob turned to Emi and held out his hand. “Come on, let’s do this together,” he said, his eyes glinting with both courage and mischief. As Emi hesitated, he added, “You’re not going to leave me hanging, are you? We’re better as a team, right?”

Emi stepped back, protesting. “Jacob, this is dangerous. I can’t.”

Jacob grinned. “That’s what makes it fun. Trust me; we’ve got this.”

After a moment of hesitation, Emi took his hand and climbed onto the hoverboard behind him, her heart racing. Jacob pressed a button to activate the board, and the race began.

At first, controlling the hoverboard was a challenge. Jacob leaned forward and backward to balance, struggling to keep steady as the board’s sudden maneuvers threw him off. A few close calls nearly sent them tumbling, but he managed to regain control each time. His breathing quickened, his hands gripping the edges of the board tightly. Gradually, he found his rhythm, and as the wind rushed past his face, he felt a surge of exhilaration.

“I think I’ve got the hang of it!” he shouted back to Emi, his voice a mix of relief and excitement. As the cool breeze whipped around them, they sped past the teenagers, moving with increasing confidence. Emi, torn between fear and thrill, clung tightly to Jacob.

“This is incredible!” Emi yelled, her laughter bubbling up. “I haven’t had this much fun in ages!”

Jacob glanced back at her with a wide grin. “Stick with me, and the fun never stops,” he said, accelerating further.

As they approached the final stretch, Jacob maneuvered sharply, taking the last turn with precision and crossing the finish line beneath the shimmering northern lights first. The teenagers arrived moments later, outpaced and astonished. Throwing his hands into the air triumphantly, Jacob celebrated their victory.

After dismounting, Emi, still breathless, threw her arms around Jacob in a spontaneous hug. Her heart pounded, and a huge smile lit up her face. In that moment, she felt a rare sense of freedom, a break from the monotony she hadn’t realized she’d been stuck in. “I forgot how much I’ve missed doing things like this,” she thought.

“How did you pull that off?” she asked, still catching her breath.

Jacob shrugged casually. “I’m just naturally talented,” he joked.

One of the teenagers handed over the hoverboard, head lowered. “Alright, you win,” he muttered.

Jacob took the hoverboard and turned to Emi with a triumphant smile. “See? You’ve got to take risks to have fun.” Emi reflected on his words, a small smile forming. Jacob’s perspective was so different from the structured life she was used to, yet it intrigued her. “Maybe taking risks really does make life more exciting,” she thought.

“I guess I’m learning that from you,” Emi said with a grin.

As they made their way back through the park, the day gradually gave way to the coolness of evening. Emi turned to Jacob, her smile soft. “We didn’t get to finish the recording, but today was the most fun I’ve had in a long time. Thank you.”

Jacob returned her smile with a slight nod. “Anytime,” he said.