Definitely not my bed

The bus pulled away behind her, and for the first time all day, Tia noticed how quiet everything felt.

She’d imagined this moment a hundred times – walking home for the last time, papers in hand, school finally behind her. But now that it was real, it felt… distant.

The graduation ceremony replayed in her mind: awkward speeches, half-hearted applause, teachers grinning too wide as they said, Now your real life begins!
Except nothing had begun. It just felt empty.

What am I even supposed to do now?

She hugged the envelope tighter, the paper crinkling beneath her grip. Her sneaker hit the crosswalk.

A horn split the air. Tires screamed.

The truck came out of nowhere.

One second Tia was thinking about life, the next she was staring at a wall of chrome and headlights barreling straight at her.

She stumbled backward, heart detonating in her chest.

“DUDE! SERIOUSLY!?” She shouted after it, voice cracking. “You trying to kill me?!”

The truck didn’t answer.

Her voice disappeared into the hum of passing traffic.

Tia stood frozen in the crosswalk, clutching her knees, breath ragged.
Great. Graduate high school, then die in traffic. Real classy.

She scooped up the papers, crammed them into her jacket, and tried to shake off the adrenaline buzzing in her veins.

The world around her slowed back to normal, but irritation lingered, prickling under her skin.

She kept walking, eyes landing on the old playground at the corner—rusted bars, chipped paint, swings creaking in the breeze.
God, how many bruises did I get from that place?
Good times, she thought, though the laughter felt like it belonged to someone else.

A row of familiar houses came into view. Home wasn’t far now. She shook her head, trying to clear the fog creeping in.
First things first. Get home. Tell Mom and Dad.

She stopped at the door, fishing her keys out of her worn-out pocket – and missed the lock.

It scraped uselessly against the shiny metal, a small spark of frustration flaring in her chest.
She tried again.

This time the lock finally gave in with a click she knew by heart.

The hallway looked exactly the same. Smelled the same.
Before she even stepped inside, a voice called out:

“Welcome home, Celestia~”

She nudged the door snugly back into place.

The scent of home – worn wood, something warm cooking – eased her mind, just a bit.

“Hey~, I’m back”, she said back, voice softer than usual. Maybe a little lighter

Her mom stepped out from the kitchen. Her dad leaned back on the couch with a smile. Across the room, her little sister gave a lazy wave, eyes still locked on the TV.

“Food’s almost done! Come take a seat – we wanna see your results!” her mom sang from the stove.

Tia kicked off her shoes. “Was almost run over by some car.”, she muttered. “So yeah, dinner can wait a sec while I recover from my near-death experience, ‘kay?”

“What– Celestia? What do you mean almost run over??-”.
Her mom’s voice trailed off as Tia slipped into her room.

Clothes littered the floor – over the chair, half on the bed, tucked into the wardrobe like they’d lost the will to live.

Her desk was cluttered with trinkets: old keys, half-eaten candy, her favorite T-Rex plush.

Curtains hung heavy over the windows, shielding her from sunlight and strangers alike.

Like always, she tossed her bag into the same corner and collapsed onto the bed with a sigh.
Phone out. More messages. More red dots.

She scrolled.
Unread.
Unread.
Unread.
I’ll answer later. Right now I just wanna chill~.

Then a pop-up blinked across her screen:
“Job Destinator: Take a five-minute quiz and find out what career you’re made for!”

Weird. Never heard of that site.

Why is it messaging me?

…Meh, might as well check it out.

With surgical precision, her finger tapped the link.

Of course, the site took its sweet time to load, no matter how fast she poked at it..

She spun her phone in her hands, fiddling with the edge of her colorful case.

Then – exploding onto the screen in blinding white, flashbanging her retinas like the fridge light during a midnight snack raid.

Sudden, blinding, and somehow always catching her off-guard.

“Aargh– fucking light mode.”

Squinting, she turned down the brightness, then hit ‘Start quiz’.

“Welcome to the career compass personality test.” Blah blah, Cookies? sure.
Disclaimer?, whatever.

“the following 50 questions…”
Fifty?! Five minutes, my ass.

Tia sighed. Dinner could wait.

So could the awkward questions waiting outside that door.

First question:

“What is your highest degree?”

She glanced at the papers on the floor, a small swell of pride warming her chest.

Top-level general ed, baby.

Anyways-

“Would you consider yourself more creative or analytic?”

Uh… depends? Slightly more creative, maybe.

Okay, next one.

“Do you like working in groups or alone?”

If it’s the right kind of people, sure. But alone’s fine too. Eh, let’s go with “doesn’t matter”.

Question after question, she answered instinctively. Always leaning toward the middle. Never the extremes.

How was she supposed to say if she was 100% introvert or extrovert?

Whether money was everything or nothing?

She didn’t know.

How could she?

By the end, her answers looked like the kind of half-committed guessing you’d do on a multiple-choice test – enough to maybe pass, but not enough to feel confident.

But this wasn’t school anymore.
This was supposed to be about her future.
Or at least... killing time.

She lay sprawled across her bed, phone on her chest, idly thumbing the little dino charm tied to the case.

Classic trick – if you don’t look at the screen, it’ll load faster.

The silence crept back in.
Only her own breathing, and the faint murmur of voices beyond the bedroom door.

Every time her screen dimmed, seconds before sleep mode, she tapped it.
Waiting.

Then finally – results.

Bars. Charts. Graphs.
A shiny button appeared:
“Tap to reveal your dream job!”

She tapped.

A sparkly animation. Golden numbers.
Compatibility: 69%.

Tia snorted. “Nice.”
Then blinked. “Wait, that’s the highest one?”

“Life Path Facilitator”

She blinked again.

“You’re great at helping others see their strengths and explore possibilities. You always ask the right questions – even if you don’t know the answers”

She scoffed.
“Pure irony.”
Though… she did agree with that last part.

Next on the list:

63% – Pet Food Tester…?

What- Which answers led to that? Is this even a real job?

59% – Children’s Book Illustrator.

Sure, doodling was fun.

That one time she drew a T-rex and it got a few likes.

58% – Urban Gardener.

She did help her parents in the garden now and then. When it wasn’t too hot. And there were no bugs.

55% – Archeologist. Huh.. I do like dinosaurs.
And maybe spending more time outside wouldn’t be the worst.

51% – Voice Actor. Hearing my own voice that much? No thanks.

51% – Mathematician… “Oh hell no.” Absolutely not.

She sighed.
Yet another quiz promising clarity, leaving her with nothing but… weirdly specific job titles and a vague sense of disappointment.

She scrolled further.

“Though these suggestions may not be the perfect fit, remember: there’s no shame in changing paths. Wait for the right moment, or just live life. You only live once, right? So make the best of it ;)”

God, she hated that smiley

She stared. Then exhaled.

“...Kinda wish Mom told me that.”

More scrolling. More options.
A bingo card of maybe-lives.

None of them felt right.
None of them felt hers.

Her fingers curled slightly around the phone.
She wasn’t even sure what she wanted to see.
Something impressive?
Something easy?
Something that just… clicked?

The screen faded to black.

She let her hand drop to the side.
Eyes on the ceiling.

A sharp knock rattled the door.

“Tiaaa~ food’s ready!” her mom called in a sing-song voice.

She groaned, rolling onto her side like a dying cat.

“Yeeaah… I’m coming.”

Dragging herself out of bed like a freshly-raised zombie, Tia shuffled to the kitchen and flopped into her chair

A neatly plated dinner waited for her — rigatoni with veggies and tomato sauce. One eerie green stood out. The infamous broccoli.

Terror of all children.

Though honestly, it was fine. She kind of liked it now.

Just as she shoveled the first forkful into her mouth, the first question landed.

“And? What’s your grade? Are you happy with it?”

Her dad of course. That confident smirk, already expecting good news.

Why ask if you already know?

Tia smiled, just a little.

“I got a 2.2 average, nothing too crazy, but… I'm proud of it”

Her mom lit up. “That’s great, honey. We’re so proud of you too!”

“Respectable,” her dad nodded. “The most important thing is, you're happy with it. That’s something no one can take from you.”

Tia didn’t say anything.

She just glanced sideways – at her little sister.

Still growing. In every way possible.

Tia dreaded the day she’d lose the last edge she had: height.

Just then, with her mouth stuffed with pasta and sauce and no sense of timing, her sister mumbled,

“I got a 1.4 on my last math exam.”

Of course you did.

Tia didn’t say it.

She just took a long, slow sip of water.

“Really? That’s amazing!” her mom beamed.

Her shoulders tensed.

Don’t say it, Dad. Don’t–

“So, Tia…”
He reached for another helping of pasta.

There it was.
She let herself exhale. She’d been bracing for it.

“Did you apply anywhere, now that you’re finished?”

She loved her family.

She really did.

But moments like this made her want to disappear.

Somewhere far enough that even phone calls wouldn’t reach.

“No... not really,” she said. “I thought I’d… take a little time to look around.”

A pause. Heavy and thick in the air.

“Have you thought more about what you want to do next?” her mom asked gently.

Tia stabbed a broccoli floret with more force than necessary.

“Sorta”

“I’m thinking of doing dual studies at that startup I mentioned,” her sister piped up.

“They said I could maybe visit their office during the holidays!”

“Sounds exciting,” her dad said. “They’re lucky to have someone so motivated.”

Tia twirled a lone noodle in her soup.

That thing was on an adventure.

“Do you want help looking through some options together, Tia?” he offered.

“Pick a career and stick to it. Whatever you’re chasing – money, fame, happiness – it’ll come with time. Just get good at what you do.”

“Yeah.. it’s just.. a lot”, she said. Not defensive, but trying not to sound defeated.

“Of course, sweetie,” her mom said, softer now.

The conversation shifted to lighter topics. Vacation plans. The neighbour's dog. Something funny that happened at work.

But the weight didn’t leave Tia’s chest.

Something deep inside her had curled in on itself. Tight.

She pushed the last broccoli around her plate without ever eating it.

“I’m full. Imma go lay down probably. Kinda.. eventful day today”

That’s when her mom perked up.

“Wait – Tia! What did you mean earlier? About almost being run over?”

Her dad nearly choked on his mouthful.

Tia sighed. “Ah, just some asshole speeding. I survived, so~ yeah.”

Her parents exchanged a look. Quiet. Uncertain.

“I-if you say so. Rest well then”, her dad said. Gentle. Still unsure, even after all these years.

“Have a good night Celestia~!”, her mom sang.

Tia nodded, already halfway down the hall.

Their soft chatter resumed behind her – but she didn’t look back.

She collapsed onto her bed.

The ceiling met her eyes like an old friend she never really liked.

Her phone buzzed – a stream of notifications lit up before she could even unlock the screen.

Whacky memes. Inside jokes. Someone broke up. Again. Messy. Complicated. Loud.

The usual.

She typed out a message:

“hey~ anyone up for hanging out this week? just chilling and such”

Sent.

She waited. Watching.

A few left her on read.

The rest hadn’t even opened it yet.

Tia exhaled.

“Cool, whatever”

Still in her school clothes, Tia curled up on the sheets and hugged a plush T-rex to her chest.

Her phone lay just next to her pillow, screen glowing in the dark.

She thought.

And thought.

But her head was empty none the less.

Why not check that quiz site again?

Maybe there was... something more.

There wasn’t.

Same screen. Same result.

That sparkly golden 69% still sitting at the top like a bad joke.

She snorted softly, tossed the phone back down, and stared at the blank wall she always meant to decorate.

She wished the world would pause for a day. Just one.

Her eyes burned.

Not from crying. Not just from extensive screen time.

Just… tired.

Her body stayed still, curled tight, the plush dinosaur pressed against her chest.
The last thing she saw was the glow of her phone dimming to black.

Then – nothing.

…Except light.

Not the warm kind, the kind that slips through curtains like a gentle morning hug.

No – this was fridge light. Cold. Sterile.

The kind that makes your eyes scream at 2am.

Tia blinked.

The ceiling was gone. So were her sheets, her bed, her room – even that familiar ache in her chest.

All of it replaced by a vast, empty white space.

“Huh.. lucid dreaming?”, she muttered, rubbing her eyes.

“Man, even my imagination’s got bad taste.”

She brought her fingers to her temples, like a knockoff psychic, and tried to summon… a couch. A door. Hell, a beanbag. Anything.

Nothing.

She pinched her arm.

No jolt. No shift.

“Huh. Thought that’s how lucid dreams work…”

She glanced around again.

Still nothing. Still white.

“Didn’t expect my head to be this empty.”

With a sigh, she reached for her phone out of habit.

Empty pocket.

“God, can I at least have my phone to kill some time?”

Then, a voice rang out – young, amused, and just smug enough to not be reassuring.

“Yeah, who called? A god at your disposal~”

It didn’t echo. Just settled into space, like it belonged.

Tia winced.

Urgh, what’s that brat doing in my dreams now

“Wow. Rude. And here I was gonna grant you a wish.”

She spun around. Nothing behind her. Still white. Still empty.

“Okay seriously – Who even are you? And where? I can’t see shit in here”

“Think of me as your personal godly guide. Otherworldly so to say. You clicked ‘Start’, remember?”

Tia’s brow furrowed.

“What? Where? ...That whacky job quiz?”

“Hey! It’s not whacky!... Anyways–”

With a snap, her phone materialized midair, floated for a second, then dropped.

Tia lunged, caught it just before it hit the floor – and held it close to her chest.

“I saw you got a 69%,” the voice said, entirely too pleased with itself. “Lowest I’ve ever seen.”

Tia, bedazzled, looked up into the blinding white.

Am I going crazy? What is this dream trying to tell me–

“Hehe~ I have a special card I’d like to show you,” the voice chimed, too cheerful. “It’s the job we gods would recommend you.”

Oh cool, she thought, a magical dream message telling me what I actually wanna do with my life. Neat.

From the empty air, a glowing card took shape, hovering just above eye level. It pulsed gently – just bright enough to make her squint.

She frowned.

“And if I don’t want that job? What then?”

“Pfft. Too late. You already agreed. Remember? You scrolled the terms and clicked ‘Agree’.”

“You can’t just—ugh.”

She rubbed the base of her nose with two fingers.

“Why am I even arguing with dream-brat-god?”

“Look, I never said I wanted to–”

“–be in another place where people don’t have to choose a career?”

“Would be quite relieving, right? No more stressing for job interviews~ no family that pressures you to ‘hurry up’~”

Tia shoved her hands into her jacket pockets from its gaze that wasn’t there.

Silence.

“...Go on.”

She hesitated, then reached out.

Her fingers curled around the glowing card. It felt like her school ID — just a little rougher.

Since when can you feel textures in dreams? Weird.

The glow slowly faded, revealing—

Blank.

“…Oh come on. Even my own dreams won’t give me a break with this crap.”

She threw her hands up.
“Subconscious me, why? Why can’t I just have a normal dream, wake up, preferably somewhere that doesn’t obsess over future plans every. fucking. second.”

“Hm…” the voice mused. “That’s a little vague. Could you elaborate on this ‘somewhere else’?”

Tia turned away and chucked the blank card to the ground.

She stomped on it like it owed her money.

“I don’t want to think about this anymore,” she muttered.

“Can’t I just wake up somewhere no one cares about careers or expectations or any of that crap?”

There was a pause.

“Ehh, that’s a grey area.

Meh. Suffices~”

A soft snap.

The white fractured.

Light cracked and shattered into a thousand glimmering shards.
Rainbow slivers carved through the void.

The world bent inward.

Tia’s breath caught–
She dropped.

No sound.
Just the feeling of falling.

And then–

Nothing.

Cold.

Mud clung to her back.

Rain hammered her face in a steady, merciless rhythm.

She stirred with a groan, eyes barely squinting against the downpour.

The sky above was torn wide open – seething black, clawed apart by jagged veins of violet lightning.

Each flash split the night like a wound.

And for one brief second –

A colossal silhouette appeared overhead.

A perfect arch of light, towering and alien.

Then: thunder.

A deep, bone-rattling crack that shook the ground and echoed straight through her chest.

Tia blinked up at the storm.

Yeah.

This definitely wasn’t her bed anymore.