Chapter 5.6: The last semester

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From Venus's Diary

This could be the funniest last day of vacation we ever had. You are probably wondering what could have happened, isn't it so my dear diary?

Well, it's simple, it snowed all last night and now the whole campus is covered in loads of snow!

Steve: Hey, you weren't joking when saying you've never seen snow before!

Cassy: We lived in the south part of New Sixam, in old Strangerville. It's a hot desert in the middle of a canyon, you know how it is...

Venus: Does it snow often in here instead? That's so cool!

Cassy and I couldn't help but catapult ourselves out and play like little girls, after all we have never had a chance to play with snow back home. Steve, on the other hand, seemed too amused observing us to join the game. He was born nearby and thus he's quite used to this weather.

Cassy: A few more details and...

Cassy: ... here it is!

Steve: All very funny, but you'd be better not to forget...

Cassy: Ouch!
Venus: It isn't very different from water balloons, just cooler. Take this!

I never thought it was possible to have so much fun even when being half frozen, snow is the best!

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From Cassy's diary

Snow or not snow, we soon had to refocus on studying. It's the last semester, and we can finally choose to focus on the subjects we want to specialise in and on our thesis project! It's so thrilling, there are so many interesting things we could be focusing on!

Of course, Steve is working on the construction of some robot, he says that once this is finished he should be able to keep a whole house clean by itself.

Instead, I've chosen a thesis on the physics of teleport and space travells, and Venus one on the construction of space shuttle engines.

We all have to work a lot, but tiredness doesn't feel as bad when working on something we like. Or, at least, that's my opinion on the matter.

Steve: (vague) Venus introduced you to that friend of hers, right? What was his name again...

Cassy: Do you mean Jacob? I don't remember exactly his name either, we spoke for less than half an hour.

Steve: Was he really that bad?

Cassy: He kept repeating how good Venus is, how nice she is... And after five minutes I couldn't stand it anymore!

Steve: ... oh.

Steve: Well, perhaps it was to be expected, all the soccer team and fans adore her, isn't it?

That said, Steve went back to work on his robot with a thoughtful expression.

Cassy: What's with that face, are you okay?

Steve: ... what face?

Cassy: You seem worried out of nowhere, did I say something wrong?

Steve: No big deal, I was just thinking about how to combine these two gears...

Even if he dismissed my perplexity, I still had the clear impression I said something too much... I'm just not good with this kind of thing. 

But I didn't have the time to think about it at that moment, my next point on my timetable was waiting for me.

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From Cassy's diary

To become an astronaut knowing the principles of physics is not enough, I also need to maintain good shape and stamina.

Venus won't have any problems with this, she already trains every day with her soccer team. I, on the other hand, have to start spending my spare time at the campus gym trying to catch up.

I started to spend time at the gym a few weeks ago, by now I can say to know the other people frequenting this place. There are a lot of people from the sports teams, and a few students who just like doing some exercise in their free time. However, if there was one person that I never expected to find in the gym, that was...

Cassy: Hey Steve, what are you doing here?

Steve: Oh, you're here. Well, I'm, ehm...

Steve seemed hesitant as I've never seen him, it took a while before he managed to reply:

Steve: I had a free hour, and I thought I'd try to do some exercise once in a while, you know...

Cassy: (sceptical) Seriously?

Steve: Uh.

The matter was getting weirder and weirder, what was going on?

Cassy: But you have a lot of other stuff to do, why are you wasting your time in here?

Steve: Well...

???: Everyone in here is wondering the same, you know?

Cassy: Just like everyone else is wondering what are you still doing in college, you know Jacob?

At that point what was going in Steve's head was so obvious to be evident even to me. Shaking my head, I then dragged him out of the gym, I had a little speech to give him.

Cassy: Where did you get such a stupid idea from? Venus has never taken into consideration any guy who was all muscles and no brains like those at the gym!

Steve: ... well, a lot of people say it here on campus. Thinking about it, Venus is one of the most popular people here, many wonders why she's with someone like me, who... Well, I'm just the opposite.

Cassy: Well, if they really say anything like that, it's just because they're envious of you. You don't have any reason to listen to those rumours. 

Steve: ...

Cassy: You know that Venus tells me everything, right?

Steve: ... she says that sometimes you even read her mind, because you say that she isn't telling you enough details.

Cassy: Yes, it's true. But, in all this time, I've never heard her say anything bad about you. Not even once!

Steve: ... seriously?

Cassy: I swear! So stop being paranoid for no reason, okay?

Steve had hesitated a moment longer, before adding:

Steve: Since you tell each other everything, could you at least keep this conversation to yourself?

Cassy: Exceptionally, yes. But only this time.

I was starting to worry about what was going on in Steve's mind, knowing what my sister was planning I knew it was a very bad moment for such worries. Luckily, I managed to calm him down just before Venus broke into the pub with her usual grand entrance.

Venus: Go Foxbury!

We just exchanged a look, and I knew it was time for me to slip away. 

From Venus' diary

The soccer practice was great, so I managed to reach to the usual pub to meet Steve quite early.

I had asked Cassy to leave us on our own for a while, I had something important to ask Steve, so she hadn't thought twice about slipping away with the excuse of some homework to finish.

Venus: Cassy and I are going home next weekend to see Mum and Dad.

Steve: Oh, have a good trip then!

Venus: Well, I was actually wondering if you'd like to come with us. We've talked a lot to them about you, and they'd really like to meet you in person!

I know that introducing your boyfriend to the family is an important step, but Steve seemed much more amazed at that request than I ever expected.

I didn't quite understand why, but he also seemed a little relieved to hear that proposal.

Steve: Sure, I would be very happy to meet them too!

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From Venus's diary

Thus, the following weekend the three of us took the teleportation maschine and went to our old home.

Steve seemed a bit nervous at that moment. On the one hand he was hoping to make a good impression on my parents, but on the other he seemed a little intimidated by our family. After all, everyone knows the books dad wrote by now, and many people also knew the fact that our grandmother was the first president of New Sixam. Thinking about it, our family was often involved in the front lines of the founding of New Sixam, sooner or later I'll have to find the time to tell him the whole story properly...

Venus: ... and he's Steve.

Misty: it's a pleasure to finally meet you in person, the girls kept talking about you!

Steve: My pleasure, Ms Miller.

Cassy and Dad had snuck off early to play a little chess, leaving us alone with Mum.

Misty: So you're majoring in robotics... You have something that reminds me of an old uncle of Luke, you know?

Venus: Do you mean uncle Silas? If I remember Dad's stories correctly, he was one of those who saved Strangerville from the giant plant!

Steve: (perplexed) What giant plant?

Misty: Why don't you just go and ask Luke to tell you the story directly, he surely knows more details than us!

Luke: Ha ha, what do you think to do now?

In response, Cassy had turned towards me and Steve, who had just joined them, and commented in a defiant tone:

Cassy: Did you come to see me beat someone else?

Venus: Also. But we also wanted to ask Dad about the giant plant in Strangerville, the one that...

Luke: Oh, that's a complex story. You must know that it all began when...

Cassy: To tell this story you will need all your concentration though, so... Checkmate!

Luke: Wait, how did you do?

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From Venus's diary

Steve: Your family is really cool! And they also have a lot of stories to tell...

Venus: It's impossible to stop Dad when he starts to tell any story!

Venus: (whispering) However, do you know what my favorite story of all is?

The more time passes, the more I am convinced that Steve is really a special guy. I really feel lucky to be with him, I really hope that our story will last forever!

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