Chapter 7.2: Goals

 <-- Previous Chapter

From Alba's diary

Sirio: Good morning everyone!

We were all having breakfast together, even if this table is a bit too small of us all we do it every morning. 

Dad was the last to arrive today. He looked attentively at me for a moment and then commented, in a cheerful voice:

Sirio: Did you have fun yesterday night, Alba? You have a beautiful pink aura this morning!

Those words also enlightened mom, who immediately asked:

Maki: Oh, that's why you look so happy this morning! Tell us everything, did you go out with someone you like?

Alba: Um, well...

And so I told them everything about the previous night, about what was going on in my head after that little date with Olivier and everything. Helios immediately got bored and went to do some homework with Techna, while I talked so much with mom and dad that I even risked arriving late at school.

But there's little that can be done, I feel really happy this morning and I want to talk about it with everyone!

--------------------------------------------------------

Olivier and I continued to share a lot of messages on Social Bunny and shyly greeted each other when we met in the school corridors all over the following week, and we decided to plan for a second date the next weekend. This time he invited me to the restaurant owned by his family, he had asked me to wear something elegant but I admit that I wasn't expecting such a chic place!

Olivier: Nice dress.
Alba: Do you like it?
Olivier: Yes, it's very... er... festive.

In general I'm always quite good at noticing when someone is sincere or is lying, and when the answer is a "yes" or a "not" I'm almost never wrong. And that time I was quite sure he didn't really mean what he said.

There's nothing wrong with disliking an outfit, judging by what he's wearing I think he likes a more modern style. But it's also true that today I put on my favourite dress on purpose, the one I always wear on Winterfest. It left me a bit disappointed, that's it.

Olivier: The food here looks a little strange sometimes, but I assure you that it's good!

Alba: I had no doubts about this, it smells delicious!

And so we started talking about everything and more again. He told me that she is studying a lot to get good marks on the final high school exams next month, and then enter a good economy course and then find a good job. He already started a few scholarship demands as well.

He's really a guy with clear ideas about his future, certainly much clearer than what my future plans are. I mean, the best I was able to say was: "I haven't yet decided exactly what job I'd like to do, actually." And it was absolutely true.

We couldn't occupy a table for the whole evening, so when we finished eating Olivier took me to a quieter corner of the restaurant. He clearly knows the building very well, who knows how much time he spent in there...

Alba: You sing really well, you might even think about doing it as a work!

Olivier: Oh, thanks. I've actually always seen it more as a hobby, but I've never really had the time to dedicate myself to it. The days sometimes seem so short, there never is enough time for doing everything I would like to do... Don't you think so too?

Alba: Yes, sometimes a little yes.

Olivier: I'm really happy to be with you tonight, Alba.

Alba: ...

Olivier: (whispering) Would you like to become my girlfriend?

And how could I tell him no?

And so the weeks went by, both Olivier and I had to study a lot for the final high school exams but we did everything we could to spend time together anyway.

My birthday falls right after my final exam, so it just seemed like the perfect time to finally celebrate the end of school and the gained freedom!

Mom's birthday was a few days after mine, so we decided to have a big family party and celebrate together.

Maki: Hello everyone!

Trix: Hello, and best wishes to you both, girls!

Maki: Bah, I think it's quite odd to keep calling me girl, you know?

Trix: Nonsense! C'mon young ladies, where is the cake you promised us?

It was a noisy and chaotic party, as always at our place, but I think everyone had fun. And then it was a good opportunity to introduce Olivier to everyone else, I think he gave a good impression.

Matt: Hey, hello Alba, best wishes!

Drew: Have you seen Helios?

Alba: Um... I think he went to the garden, try looking there.

I didn't have the time to finish my sentence that the twin left to go chat with Helios, completely forgetting about the rest of us.

When we were children we were always playing all together, but the more time passes the more Helios, Matt and Drew look like a very clone kin group of friends. I really don't know what they're up to and, even if I don't understand why, sometimes they also make me worry a little...

Why should I think this, though? Probably it's just a silly impression, and I should focus on the rest of the party instead. 

Where is my guitar? It's clearly time for some music!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few weeks later

From Sirio's diary

Time flies, would you ever believe that Techna is graduating today? They were studying so hard to take one year less than most other students did, which actually also caused some complaints among the other students Many were saying that "it wasn't valid to have a robot studying computer science", but I'm sure they didn't see how hard they had to work to pass each of those exams before making such judgements. After all, Techna uses an AI that needs to learn everything from experience, just like we do.

It's a shame that robots aren't given robes or hats like other students, but that didn't make them any less proud during the proclamation ceremony. They also reached top marks, confirming to be one of the best students of their year. Oh, and of course we couldn't miss the celebration, could we, my dear diary?

Sirio: You did great, congratulations!

Techna: (satisfied) Thanks!

Maki: So, what now?

Techna: Yes, we have organized a little party together at the departmental recreation centre, it will be fun!

Sirio: What are we waiting for then?

I'm quite sure that Techna, even if people never seem to think about them in those terms, is really growing a lot. I remember like it was yesterday when we decided to go to Sim City together, when they said they felt aimless and wanted to find their way in this world. 

Well, seeing them today makes me so proud. They finally seem to have learnt a lot about who they are and what they want for their future, isn't it, my dear diary?

Unlike us, Techna doesn't show any sign of degradation, for sure they will continue to function for many other years, and I really wish them to continue to walk along this path.

Next Chapter -->

---------------------------------------------------------

§HermioneSims§ corner

There would be a lot of things I would like to comment, but they would all be spoilers of what comes next... So my concluding remark this time will be a funny picture. Do you know what the graduation portrait looks like for robots?

Apparently, each robot is linked to a "fictitious" human sim, as if they were an obscure form of some occult sim, and the face in the portrait is that of the hidden sim. Hidden-Techna looks even more nerd like this though XD