Chapter 10.3: Moving fast

<-- Previous Chapter

From Petra's diary 


Michael: Finally I managed to debug that script, it wouldn't run because I typed a tab instead of a space! How stupid is that?
Petra: Ouch, no wonder it took forever to find it!
Emma: ...
Michael: I hope you had a funnier afternoon than mine, that's for sure... 

I admit I was a bit distracted thinking about a certain someone, but it was hard not to notice how Emy's expression seemed even more sulky than Mike was. Did something happen to her?

Michael: Thinking about it... Didn't you go out for a date earlier, Emy?
Emma: Um, well...


Emma: I went out for a coffee with that classmate of mine, Damian. But I wouldn't say it went well, he's so... boring. (Frustrated) It's unfair, why is it so hard to find a boyfriend?
Michael: Is it a rhetorical question?
Emma: Of course it is, and sorry for the rant, really... It's just it wasn't a great day for me. 

She mulled over it some more moments, before deciding to change the topic, jokingly asking:

Emma: What about the two of you instead? Are you having any more luck than I am?
Michael: I'm not even trying, too much work. And you, Petra?
Petra: Uh...

I really could relate with Nico at that moment, it's indeed difficult to talk about certain topics. Generally, I don't consider myself shy, but when it comes to relationships I really forget how to speak like a normal person. In particular if it's about my first relationship, and it's still so early on I don't even know if I can really call it a relationship at all.


Petra(embarrassed)  I could have started seeing someone in the last few weeks, so to speak.
Emma: Oh, cool! Is it someone we know?
Petra: Well... I wouldn't say you know her well, no. And I wouldn't call it something serious, at least not yet.
Michael: I see. Good for you.
Emma: ...

Emy remained silent for quite a while, I have no clue what she thought during that time. Or, maybe, she was just taking in some breath, considering all the things she asked afterwards it would make sense.


Emma: I'm so happy for you, really! So that's why you're always away in the evening? How did you meet? Have you—
Petra: W-wait, I...

I know it's my best friends, but it's still so hard to answer such questions... I wouldn't be able to talk like this with anyone else, that's for sure.

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Some weeks passed since my last entry, lots of stuff to study, as you may imagine, my dear diary. It's Friday and tonight we're hosting a party at our dorm. I'm quite excited, as of course Sonia is showing up too.



Sonia: Go Tech Sixam!



It was a loud and fun party, practically all the people in the dorm and many of our friends had decided to participate. I couldn't wait to spend some time chatting and chatting with Sonia, maybe even giving her a few compliments, until…

Sonia: Hey, is there something wrong?
Petra(whispering) We're in front of everyone!
Sonia(perplexed) But I was barely holding your hand, it's— (Whispering) Don't tell me you want to keep it a secret!
Petra: ...

Did I overreact? Maybe... what I know, however, is that I don't feel comfortable being affectionate with someone in public, where everyone can see it. 
My friends and some of my classmates were also present, was I afraid of their judgment? Reasoning about it now, I don't think that Tech Sixam is the kind of place where I should be afraid of any of these things. My instinctive reaction was the irrational opposite instead, and I felt more and more uncomfortable as the seconds passed and I noticed more and more people turning towards us.

I couldn't stand there, at the centre of attention, and for a reason like that too. So, without being able to say anything anymore, I turned my back on a visibly confused and worried Sonia and then ran to hide in my room. 

It's not like me to act this way, I'm very ashamed of making such a scene. And it didn't even seem like the others wanted to give me time to clear my thoughts a bit, because I hadn't even had time to close my room's door when I realized that Emy had run after me throughout the dormitory.
She seemed tired from running up two flights of stairs, but also terribly worried at seeing me so upset. I know she meant well, but in that moment I felt like she was the last person I wanted to see me in that state of mind.

Emma(worried) Petra, are you okay?
Petra: … I'm just a little... bah, I don't know what to say either. I just didn't expect it, that's probably mostly it.

Emy could have thought so many different things. She could have been upset, because I didn't tell her sooner about Sonia and answer her questions in the last few weeks. She's always telling me and Mike all the details about her (bad) dates, after all. Or she could also have been perplexed by my reaction, and think that I had overreacted, that in the end that wasn't a valid reason to make such a scene and ruin everyone's party.

Instead she told me, with her usual caring expression:

Emma: I’m sorry Sonia rushed you.
Petra: … Uh.

I don't know how she does it, but her words often hit me hard, they manage to make me feel understood even when I fall into the trap of feeling inadequate to the situation.

Then, with an encouraging smile, she added:

Emma: And I don't think you have to worry about the others either, tomorrow they'll forget about it already. Everything will be better after a good sleep!


What the heck... Despite all the time I spent with Sonia, the one I really like is still my childhood best friend...

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The next morning I did my best to follow the lessons and catch up on my homework, but I have to admit it was hard to focus on any of it. It was obvious that I had to find Sonia as soon as possible to clarify the situation, but how could I explain to her what was going through my head when everything seemed so confusing to me too?


Despite this, I asked her to meet me in the late afternoon. It was surprisingly warm for late December, and I'm quite sure I heard insects buzzing around almost as if it were summer. Or maybe it was just my stress that was making my ears ring, I have to admit that the anticipation of that conversation was making me feel quite worried…



Sonia: I'm sorry for making you feel uncomfortable, I really am, but I really didn't expect you to react like that!
Petra: You actually caught me off guard, I felt embarrassed.

A rather long and unpleasant silence followed, even a chatterbox like her had trouble finding the right words, perhaps. After a while, she finally decided to say, with a resigned sigh:

Sonia: I had actually heard that you people from the Sim Nation are more, how to say... old-fashioned. But here we are almost all from sixamians, for a week now everyone has seen me glow every time I was around you, I didn't think there was anything to keep secret...

I don't know if with those words she meant to spur me on or what else, but she had simply managed to have the opposite effect.


Petra: Well, even if that were the case, didn't you consider I might prefer to take things a little more slowly, instead?
Sonia: I see...


Sonia: Well, maybe this whole story wasn't such a great idea, after all. "Taking things slowly" certainly isn't my thing, I don't think it could work.
Petra: ...

Let me say this isn't the kind of cultural clash I would have expected to experience, before moving here.

We decided to end the relationship before we could really say it had really started. Sonia said goodbye, mentioning that she hoped to see me again at some party or on Wednesdays at the café, I think she wants to at least remain friends.

I don't know what I will do yet, and maybe it's not even wise to make a decision now, on the spur of the moment.

Time will tell, but in the meantime, I have to admit that I already feel much more relieved than I did this morning. Sonia is pretty, funny and smart, I enjoyed a lot spending time with her, but I can't say I ever felt anything deeper for her.
 Just one more indication that this relationship wasn't meant to be, probably.

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So a new weekend arrived, which this time also coincided with the New Year's Eve celebrations. I wasn't in the mood to go out and attend one of the big parties around campus, and Emy and Mike didn't protest. So, without thinking too much, we ended up participating in the little party organized in our dorm.

New year, new life, that's what they say, right?

Who knows what surprises the new year will have in store for us, I'm really curious to find out...



Michael and Emma: Happy New Year!


Emma: Are you okay, Petra?
Petra: Yeah, just some headache...

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§HermioneSims§ corner

Hi everyone! This time I want to take this little space to briefly explain how this chapter exactly came to be the way it ended up being, and in particular all the drama with Sonia.

You have to know that (for once) none of this drama was originally planned, but that during the gameplay a non-negligible percentage of the interactions between Petra and Sonia failed, in particular the autonomous ones. So I was sort of obliged to take this route, and close their relationship before it had any chance to turn serious. I feel really guilty this time, writing a chapter on what happened while playing ended up being quite harsh on my characters this time. And the generation has just started...

Chapter 10.2: Interlude

 <-- Previous Chapter

From Petra's diary

Sonia: Why is there a chick in this dorm?

I'm spending quite a lot of time with the people I met at the café on Wednesday nights, and with Sonia in particular. She knows about all parties going on all over the campus, it's impossible to not have fun when she's involved.


Sonia: Hey, are you leaving already?
Petra: Sorry, but this time I planned to spend the afternoon with my family.
Sonia: Oh, I see. Have fun then, and see you soon!

Spending the afternoon with her would have probably been memorable, but I planned this afternoon with my family weeks ago and I really didn't want to miss it. 


Petra: Hi mom, how are you?
Gaia: Not much has happened here, you know how it is… What about you, instead? Tell us everything!


Actually, the ones who had the most to say were my little brothers. Since the last time I saw them they've grown a lot, they're both much taller than me now, no wonder they're about to graduate from high school. It also seems like they're slowly finding their way, even if Nico seems much more confident than Alec about their perspectives.

Alec: (bored) We're going every other day to Henford-on-Bagley because Nico has decided to take part in a school project at a farm over there.
Nico: Hey, no one forced you to come, you know? And then I like it!
Alec: Are you sure it's not Diya you like, instead?
Nico: Um, well, it's a, um...

At that point mom and I exchanged a curious look, we certainly weren't going to settle for that little hint only.

Gaia: This is new to me too... Who's Diya?
Nico: But, well, it's not like, you know...

Nico was blushing up to his ears and was stammering so much that it was hard to understand what he was saying. I was about to go to his rescue, if it's still too embarrassing for him to talk to us about it, I don't think it was right to force him. But I wasn't quick enough and Alec, perhaps as revenge for having been repeatedly dragged to plant potatoes in Henford-on-Bagley when he could have been playing football, seemed to be of a different opinion, and started spilling his twin's beans.


A few days earlier, Henford-on-Bagley


Alec: And it's also raining now...


Alec: C'mon, it's raining too much! We should go back home!
Nico: Hold on, I'm almost done!
Diya: Wow, have you already planted the whole basket?


Alec: Okay, the potatoes are over, shall we go now? Hello? (To himself) Bah, they don't even listen to me anymore...



Nico: ...

Maybe Nico was too embarrassed to talk about it, but on the other hand he also seemed happy with the situation. Good for him: he's always been shy and has always struggled to make friends without the help of his brother, I'm happy to see that he's found someone who understands him and shares his interests.


Shortly after I said goodbye to everyone with a hug, before teleporting back to campus.

It was dark outside already, and the soccer game had probably just ended because I was greeted by the roar of fireworks.


For sure Sonia was somewhere around there making good use of that lobster costume... But enough chit-chat, I really didn't have the time to join them, it was time to do some homework. The second semester exams would be much more complicated than the previous ones, I had to focus.


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The next day, dorm TV room


News: “ … the invasion of numerous tropical insects is spreading more and more over New Sixam, paired with the first outbreaks of diseases such as the Selvadorian fever. “If you experienced unusual symptoms, such as chronic fatigue, fever and headache, you are strongly encouraged to get evaluated by your doctor for an accurate diagnosis”, medical experts say, alarmed by what they now define as the first signs of a new epidemic. But now let's move on to sports…”

Michael: … As if we needed any more problems. (Resigned) Rather, I'm better off finishing that assignment...


The lastest news is indeed quite alarming, the whole campus is talking about it. There are those who point out all the mosquitoes they see, those who show off and say they don't fear any bugs-vectored disease, and those who, on the contrary, lock themselves in their rooms and refuse to go out.

And yet all of this was predictable, with the climate changes in progress it was obvious that sooner or later the habitat of those infamous insects would move a bit further north. But it's also true that no contagion has been officially registered on campus (as for now), so we prefer not to let this news interfere too much with our plans. We usually study like crazy during the day and then go out to have some fun around dinner time, and today was no exception.


Emy had gone out with some classmates, Mike was tutoring some freshmen hoping to earn some money out of it, while I had decided to attend the pre-game party organized by the students council. Of course Sonia would be there too, it would be fun, I told myself.

And, in fact, I wasn't mistaken at all.


We had arranged to meet a little before the official party, so as to chat a bit before she had to put on her Laurine the Lobster costume.

Sonia is always very spontaneous and enterprising, I know her by now, but in that pre-game she really surprised me.


Petra: (amused) Do you always keep mistletoe in your pocket?
Sonia: You know how it is, you never know when it might come in handy.



I wouldn't say I didn't expect her to make a move on me, but if I have to be totally honest I sort of hoped for it. But I certainly didn't expect her to kiss me like that, out of the blue, before putting on her costume and running off to cheer on the game with the biggest smile ever.

She made my heart beat faster than ever before, I can't wait to see her again!


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§HermioneSims§ corner

Hello! This time I'm here just to say that, if the chapter feels as if I closed it too soon, it's because I've indeed decided to split a longer chapter into two parts upon translation. Also, this seemed like a quite cute point where to close it, isn't it? 

Chapter 10.1: Tech Sixam University

 <-- Summary of Generation 9

<-- Previous Chapter

From Petra's diary

Those weeks before moving to college were pretty chaotic, between paperwork, boxes and phone calls we didn't have any free time. But in the end we made it, here we are at the Tech Sixam University!


Nico: Good luck, Petra!
Petra: Thanks! And, if you need any help with your homework, write to me, okay?

Gaia: C'mon, don't worry about us! I'm sure we'll manage, you should focus on yourself now!
Petra: But…
Gaia: And have some fun too, please!
Petra: Okay, okay…

Mom, my brothers and Techna helped me bring all the suitcases and boxes I'll need here. In a way, it was reassuring to have them here for the first few hours, after all living on my own is going to be a big change. The line between being reassuring and embarrassing was very thin, however, and I think they realized it too, because they soon preferred to wish me good luck once more before definitively saying goodbye.

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So Emy, Mike and I ended up living together in one of the dorms at Tech Sixam University. Emy and I share a room, while Mike took one of the beds in the one next door.

Michael: Hey, is that a chick?
Petra: So it looks like... 
Michael: Where may it be from?
Petra: No clue about it.

The change in pace compared to high school is obvious. We always wake up early in the morning to go to class and then we have to study until the evening to finish the homework, presentations and essays that we have to hand in day after day.




So, all things considered, most of the free time we get is in the evening.

Emma: What's good for dinner?
Cook: Pasta with tomato sauce, roast chicken, curry rice... What do you prefer?
Petra: Is the pasta good for everyone?
Michael: Yes, it's also the cheapest.

Emma: You're not wrong, it's way more expensive than I expected. Even eating the campus canteen and picking the cheapest option, we paid more than 10§ each!
Michael: Prices are rising everywhere, they say that cereals production in Newcrest and Riverblossom Hills has been poorer than usual. I guess we can only hope that the next season will turn out to be normal instead.
Petra: Um…

I also heard about it from Techna, it seems that a long-lasting drought has reduced food production in the very regions that used to grow cereals for most of our continent. Many people here are complaining about the rising prices, without realizing that there are many people who are doing much worse than us. In many Countries people aren't able to afford food at this price anymore, and this could easily lead to famines. And I'm sure Mike and Emy know it just as well as I do, they just don't want to talk once more about unfair problems completely out of our reach. So, when Emy suggested:

Emma: Why don't we go play something instead? I don't know about you, but after today's lessons I can't concentrate on anything serious anymore, I need to unwind a bit…

… we couldn't help but shrug and follow her to the games room in the students' common area.


Petra: Well, for the sake of balance, this should be the safest one to move…

Petra: Or maybe it wasn't.
Emma: Wow, we won!

A little later, objectively a little more relaxed than a few hours earlier, we returned to the dorms for the night.

I don't think I've ever been so tired in my life… But I've also learned so many new things, I really think that going to college was the right choice for us.

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Soon the first weekend arrived, finally giving us a few days to really explore the campus. On Saturdays there is always a little party in the central square where older students dance and have fun, so we decided to give it a look.

Emma: Hey, there's music over there!

We ended up having a lot of fun. There were ping pong tables, barrels of juice to share, soccer balls, and lots of jokes and friendly people.

Petra: Hey, that's a cool costume! Are you the mascot?
???: Oh oh oh, thank you, you puny vertebrate! I'm Laurine the Lobster, and I'm indeed our university's mascot!

She was talking with such a cartoonish high-pitched voice that it was too hilarious to answer back without a laugh.

Petra: Cool! Can we take a picture?
Laurine the Lobster: Oh oh, of course, that's why I'm here!

The girl in the lobster costume then walked away singing a song that was hard to catch, apart from the frequent: “Go Tech Sixam!” lines, before going off to cheer up some other students. We met many weirdos that week, but she was definitely the funniest.

Reluctantly, we left the party around lunchtime. Being the nerds that we are, we decided to use the time to get some studying done also today.


We found a really nice café with a large library where we could study. The cappuccino is great, and there are a lot of books that are hard to find elsewhere. I don’t know why my classmates don't like this place, it just seems really nice to me.


While students coming from abroad like us aren’t uncommon, the locals and most of the students around campus are obviously sixamians. Many of them are surprised when I tell them I grew up in Evergreen Harbor, but they don’t seem to care that much.

They're much more tech-savvy than the average people in the Sim Nation, but for the rest they seem just like everyone else.

Petra: I know we're here to study... But do you have any idea about what to do tonight?
Emma: Sorry, I have already some plans! My classmates organised a dinner together, and I just couldn't say no!
Petra: Oh, okay.

I was a little sad, obviously. But I couldn't be upset if Emy already had a commitment with her classmates, right?

Petra: What about you, Mike?
Michael: Sorry, but I have to study tonight. I'm already late on that C+ script I have to turn in on Monday.
Petra: C'mon, it's Saturday night!


For a moment I was about to decide to stay in the dorm too and work on my assignments. But, hey, it was our first Saturday night in college! We already studied all afternoon, I don't want to miss all the fun and then maybe regret it later!

So, after thinking about it for a bit, I got on my bike and headed back to that café on my own.


I sat down at one of the tables, sipping a cappuccino and thinking about what to do, when I saw a girl run in and put a colourful poster on the wall. She looked around to say hello to a few people, and noticing me sitting alone at the table, she waved cheerfully, saying:

???: Hey, hi, you were at the party this morning, right?
Petra: (Cautiously) I'm sorry, but I don't think to remember you instead...
???: (Joking) I wonder why people never recognize me…

With that, the girl cleared her throat dramatically, and then said:

???: Oh oh oh, go Tech Sixam!

… making me burst out laughing. That high-pitched cartoon voice was unmistakable. 

Petra: (laughing) No way, are you Laurine the Lobster?
???: That's just my stage name, when I'm in civilian clothes you can call me Sonia.
Petra: Well, Sonia, nice to meet you,. I'm Petra.
Sonia: Nice to meet you too.


I think Sonia was just planning to quickly say hello, but we ended up talking for I don't know how long.

She said she is a sophomore and that she started playing the iconic Laurine the Lobster last spring, that she is majoring in Chemistry, that she is an only child, and that she likes pink and metal music. I talked a lot too, but I don't even remember exactly what I said. She's really friendly, I don't think it's possible not to get along with her.

It was late in the evening when she said goodbye, adding:

Sonia: Well, the soccer team's party will start soon, Laurine the Lobster can't miss it! But it was fun meeting you, Petra.

After which she got up happily and ran off to her party. Only then I really noticed the poster she hung near the entrance when she arrived, probably I didn't see it earlier because she covered my view while sitting at my table. It said:


Girls just wanna have fun  

🌈

Join the board game evening, 

every Wednesday at this cafe!


clearly showing a couple of flags I learnt to recognise from the internet. 

I'd say that was... unexpected. In many ways. 

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That poster at the café kept buzzing in my head for days.

Meeting other girls who like girls is not easy at all, so the rational part of my head is saying it's probably a good idea to try. On the other hand, though, I really didn't know how to behave in such an environment. What if I did something wrong? No, it would be too embarrassing… And then, would keep going to that café make everyone on campus understand I'm queer? But would that matter? And— 

Michael: Hey Petra, are you okay?
Petra: Wha… Yes, of course, I just focusing on this exercise!
Michael: (perplexed) Are you sure? Because you seemed to be just staring into space.
Petra: It's a very hard exercise, okay?

Mike just shrugged, his perplexity was evident, before taking his stuff and preparing to leave. His next class was starting soon.

Well, thinking about it, Mike would definitely spend the rest of the day studying in his room, while Emy had once again said yes to a night out with her classmates. The med students group seemed pretty united, certainly more so than ours in engineering. And it was also pretty clear that now that we were no longer classmates, my friends and I were spending less and less time together, and more and more often we had completely different plans for the day.

And that only made the little voice in my head grow louder: it's Wednesday, why don't you go to the café? And if I didn't enjoy the company, I could always turn on my heels and go back to my room to study.

Yes, that's probably what I would have done…


Petra: (hesitantly) G-good evening!
Sonia: Hey, hi Petra! We're about to start playing Monopoly, wanna join?
Petra: Sure!


Sonia was really helpful again, she introduced me to a lot of people without me even asking. And I wasn't the only newcomer either, with the beginning of the academic year that's probably something I could have predicted.
In the end, we played Monopoly together all evening, chatting about the victory of the local team in the last soccer match, or about the last movie of Venessa Jeong and how pretty she is in that role, and about the adventurous vacation Jenny and Rachel recently had in Selvadorada. 

I was probably worrying about nothing, the company in this café is really great. It may sound silly, my dear diary, but it would feel so weird talking about a lot of these same topics with Mike and Emy. This evening instead ended up being very refreshing for me. 

I think I'll go back, who cares about what others will think. But I'll probably be back after the exam session, I really can't afford to slack off in the next few weeks...

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Studying, homework, essays, lessons, exams, lab practice… In those weeks we barely had time to sleep, but at least the results were clearly visible.


Curiously, the semester ended exactly on Winterfest, preventing us from returning home to our families to celebrate. I really missed decorating the tree with my siblings and eating three of Diego's cakes, but even here we ensured to have everything we needed to have fun.

We had the tree…


... nice gifts...


... and the joke ones...


… and even a great dinner, kindly offered by the campus canteen. By now I have almost completely stopped eating meat, its industry is way too polluting, so I am pleasantly surprised by what the menu offered.



Petra: I didn't expect to find a tofu turkey also in here!
Emma: It actually doesn't taste bad either.
Michael: And then it's free!

It's been a while since the three of us spent an evening together like that, peaceful and without the stress of looming exams. We talked, played and had fun like we hadn't had in a long time.


Petra: (waving her arms) Hey, that's Sonia!


Emma: (A little confused) Um… I think you know each other, right?
Petra: Yes, her name is Sonia, she's my friend.
Emma: Oh. Well, nice to meet you, I'm Emma.
Sonia: Oh oh, what are those long faces? Tonight we're P-A-R-T-Y-I-N-G! Go Tech Sixam!


Sonia beat us all at juice pong even in her mascot costume, I have no idea how she manages to see anything while wearing it… And even more obscure to me is how she manages to always be so smiley and brighten up everyone's day. As they say, you can't judge a book from its cover: I'm really happy to have met her, she's really cool.

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§HermioneSims§ corner

Hello everyone! I know the chapter was very long already, but I have a few comments to make as well :P 

First, I want to explain why a chick appeared in the middle of the dorm: simply, it was hidden in Petra's inventory when she moved out, and I didn't have any better place where to drop it. So the little chick remained in the dorm as a sort of experiment: I'd rather not anticipate how it ended, but I'd advise you against repeating it. -.-

^ find the chick

You can also notice that I'm using the Foxbury neighbourhood again, the same I used for the college years in Gen 5. To not make it seem like everything has remained immobile for five generations, however, this time I decided to replace the buildings with others that I found by browsing the gallery, namely:


^ this is actually a pair of building, one for each dorm tower


Also notice that in the picture of this chapter the glass roofs are oddly showing as completely transparent. This was actually a temporary bug that lasted a few weeks exactly when I played this part (how lucky...) and that will resolve by itself soon.

For the rest, you can see that the chapter is very long already, as usual with the college chapters there is a lot going on because I try to make (more or less) one chapter per semester. Thus, you can expect more long chapters and a lot more going on in the next few chapters. This time the ride will be particularly... complicated.