Chapter 9.1: Transgression

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From Gaia's diary

Rowan: Please, be responsible.

Juno: And for whatever problem, call us straight away!

Gaia: I know, I know, you don't need to repeat it again...

Dear diary, I guess you're wondering why my parents seem so worried. In short, my 18th birthday has arrived, I'll finally be an adult! And, like many of my friends, I decided to organize a nice birthday party in some cool place in the city centre. Party to which, obviously, my parents were not invited. 

It took me forever to convince them, and only after a thousand recommendations they let me rush to the city centre, just in time to welcome my friends to the party!

Matt: Happy birthday again, it's a great party!

Gaia: Thanks!

Matt has been so nice to me tonight, he even showed up with a flower as a present!

Gaia: It's beautiful, thanks!

Matt: My pleasure. By the way, what's the deal with that friend of yours over there? Is he jealous?

Gaia: (turning around) Who are you talking about?

I turned, annoyed, and as predicted I saw a very grumpy Tommy staring at us. 

Gaia: What are you doing, Tommy? You're ruining the mood!

Thomas: At this point I don't even care to be unpolite, this is getting crazy... Do you at least realise this is barely legal?

Gaia: How so?

Thomas: But — 

Gaia: Listen, Tommy, I'm really not in the mood to be lectured even by you! I'm not a kid, I'm perfectly capable of deciding who I want to spend my time with, is that clear?

Thomas: (resigned) Have fun, then.

This said, he shook his head and moved away. Thinking about it, I didn't see him again for the rest of the night, I suspect he just left without saying goodbye to anyone. Oh well, that's not a big deal, I had someone else in mind anyway.

Matt: Is it all right?

Gaia: Absolutely!

It was so easy to be with him, I couldn't wait to make my intentions clear and move forwards. And from the way he was looking at me I was sure he wanted it too, what could have gone wrong this time?

Matt: Have I told you already you're gorgeous tonight?

Gaia: Just a few times. 

Gaia: (whispering) You're no joke either, you know?

He may be a bit older than me, and others don't seem to have a very good opinion about him, but I don't care. Actually, do the others really need to know about this? In a certain sense, keeping it secret would just add more excitement to the situation. Yes, I actually think I like the idea, you know, my dear diary?

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The next morning...

Rowan: Gaia came back really late last night, I hope everything went fine…

Juno: C'mon, it was her birthday! I really hope she had fun, the 18th birthday is supposed to be memorable, isn't it?

Rowan: Bah…

Juno: Oh, good morning darling! Are you ready for your first day at work?

Gaia: (yawning) I would have liked to sleep a little longer, but never mind...

So I quickly grabbed something to eat for breakfast, while mum and dad were talking about houses in Sulani. By now they have both written down a retirement request form, and they can't wait to move to that tropical archipelago.

Well, good for them, I always thought they worked way too much.

Still eating my toast, I took the bike to reach Tommy at Evergreen Harbor. Mom managed to acquire a rather large piece of land here in the area, just behind that hill, while Tommy's parents contacted the engineers of New Sixam to build Sim City's first star core power plant.

The inhabitants of the area, worried about the possible effects of "such a threatening structure being built next to their houses" (their words, not mine), have demanded the complete redevelopment of the area as compensation for the inconveniences they expect to suffer, and that's where my work starts. 

Tommy has been working on the project for a year already, and when I graduated I was proposed to join too. It wasn't hard to convince me, the redevelopment part of the plan will require to use the matter recomposer a lot, I can't wait! 

Thomas: Every time I teleport here, this place looks a bit worse...

Gaia: C'mon, I think it has its charm instead! I was almost thinking of moving there, you know?

Thomas: What? Are you serious?

Gaia: Why not? Here houses are cheap, but there is a lot of potential. Also, people here are way freer than in the city!

Thomas: (shaking his head) It's really impossible to understand you, you know?

Gaia: Look at all this stuff! For sure there is something we can still use!

Thomas: Hurry up with that thing, we have to go back to the store for the matter recomposer!

Gaia: I know, who did you take me for?

I know by myself that we have to hurry and get back to the shop as soon as possible, does he think I'm an idiot?

Thomas: Oh, good morning Mr and Mrs Miller... (Annoyed) But how many days of internship does that other guy still have left?

Juno: A few months, minimum. (Joking) It mostly depends on whether Rowan decides to let him graduate, that's it!

Rowan: That's indeed what I planned to talk about...

Rowan: (serious) The internship is going well, but in order to graduate you also have to finish writing your thesis on time. You should have delivered at least two chapters by last week, is there any problem?

Matt: Professor, you know how it is, my schedule is always quite packed...

Dad always complains about Matt as a thesis student, he says he's a real slacker and that he always has to remind him of his deadlines. Actually, Matt seems to have quite some nerve to stand up to dad, he seems like a rather severe teacher... And I have to stop myself from laughing every time I see them together.

Meanwhile, I was busy finishing assembling a bookcase. I just had to paint it red and…

Ugh, again! We should work on the colouring system a bit, it breaks way too often!

Noticing that dad had just finished lecturing Matt, I hurried out onto the terrace, making a discreet gesture to tell him to follow me. I didn't want mum and dad to notice anything, but after yesterday's party I at least wanted to talk a bit with him (not being covered in paint would have been preferable, but whatever). 

Matt: (laughing) Hey, little squirrel, did you trip over the paint cans?

Gaia: More or less.

Matt: (softly) I'll finish my shift in an hour, and I certainly won't start writing whatever your dad asked me to, the day has just started! What about a trip to the cliffs instead, it will be fun!

I didn't know the place, but I didn't think twice about saying yes.

So I took a shower to wash off my paint, took my bike and headed towards the cliffs. I had never been there myself, but I had always heard good things about it and I was looking forward to having some fun.

Gaia: I didn't expect to see one over there, is that a lake?

Matt: More or less, actually it looks more like a very old swimming pool. That's actually what people usually come here for. Do you know how to swim, right?

I didn't answer immediately, I'd never really liked being soaked. But my parents had forced me to learn to swim, so it wasn't really a big deal after all. So I replied to him:

Gaia: Who did you take me for? Of course I know how to swim!

Matt: Good, I couldn't wait to do a diving competition from the springboard!

Diving, on the other hand, has never been my strong point, but I was too proud to admit it. So instead I told him:

Gaia: I'll win for sure, stay assured!

Splash!

Ouch ouch, that didn't go exactly according to plans... But I still managed to stay afloat, so I swam towards the edge trying not to complain too much.

Matt: ... Are you all right?

Gaia: Of course, that was nothing!

Matt: You seem to be made of rubber sometimes, you know, little squirrel?

Luckily the diving competition ended early, we had more interesting things to do.

All in all, I had even more fun than at yesterday's party, and I can't wait to see each other again. We have actually planned the next trip already, I can't wait!

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The following weekend, breakfast

Rowan: What, Gaia is going out again?

Juno: I don't want you to worry, but I'm really starting to suspect she's dating someone...

Rowan: What?

Juno: C'mon, it's normal at her age, right? She looks happy, let's let her have some fun!

Rowan: Uhm...

When I reached mum and dad they were already talking, as usual, while I was already finishing the preparations for the day.

Gaia: Hi! I grab a quick toast and then run away, I have to teleport in ten minutes!

Juno: Why are you up so early?

Gaia: Today we are planning a trip to the mountains, I can't wait!

Juno: (suspicious) We? Why, are you going with someone?

Gaia: (caught out) What? Well, I'm going with my friends, isn't it obvious?

Juno: Ha ha... Have fun with your friends, then.

Damn it, I'm quite sure mom is starting to suspect something. I'm pretty sure she doesn't think it's about Matt, at least. 

Well, whatever, I have more urgent things to do today!

Gaia: Why did you choose to come skiing so far away from Sim City? With the teleporter we get there in an instant, but the time zone...

Matt: I came there as a child with my parents, and as soon as I bought a teleporter I wanted to go back! It's beautiful, isn't it?

Sure enough, it was one of the most beautiful places I had ever seen. I haven't ever seen so much snow at once, it's great!

Matt: So, what do you want to do? Skiing, snowboarding, climbing the mountain to the top…

Gaia: I want to try everything!

Matt: (laughing) I was kind of expecting this answer, you know?

Matt: It's very easy, you see?

It was my first time skiing, and looking at him it actually didn't seem that difficult. What was the big deal? Gravity was doing most of the work, anyway.

So I checked the ski binding again, reached the start of the slope, and without thinking too much I followed him.

Wow, it was so difficult to maintain the equilibrium! Why was it so difficult to even just stand, I wonder?

Gaia: Ouch!

I'm not even surprised anymore, why do I always end up falling like an idiot?

Matt: Hey, are you okay? That was quite a fall!

Gaia: ... Nothing broken, at least.

I was really a bit down, a group of kids was still laughing at me for falling like that. And for sure my expression said it all, because he hurried up to propose:

Matt: You know what's even funnier than skiing? The sled! Why don't we try that instead?

Well, I didn't think I could fall badly while sitting on a sled. He was right, it could be fun.

Matt: Hold on tight!

Gaia: Wow! 

Matt: I think we beat my record, that was fast!

Gaia: What do we do now? Shall we climb the mountain?

Matt: It's a bit too late now, it takes the whole day for that. I think we'll have to postpone it until the next trip. But we can still hike.

Gaia: (sullenly) Ugh.

Matt: (winking at her) C'mon, we'll surely find a way to make even a boring excursion a little more fun, right?

Actually, he wasn't entirely wrong, so I followed him without further protest.

Gaia: Have I already told you I love snow?

Matt: (laughing) Just about ten times!

Matt: Do you think it is possible to walk on that log?

Gaia: Uhm, maybe with a little less ice...

Gaia: Uhm, I think we've arrived in the wrong place...

Matt: Not bad, there's a nice view here too, right?

Gaia: Hey, look over there!

Matt: (laughing) Hey, it was very cold! 

Gaia: Can't you think of any way to warm up a bit?

My heart was beating so fast, I felt like I'd never been this happy in my life. Matt takes life as it comes and always tries to see the positive side of whatever happens to him. And he also likes to have fun and take some risks, for sure. I like this lifestyle, and I find it so easy to be together. It feels like one of those book chapters where everything wraps together nicely, what else could I ask for, my dear diary?

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