Jabali's parents looked to be in their late thirties according to my assessment though in this world, looks could be deceiving. Their faces still appeared to be youthful so it hard to be sure about their exact age.
"Look at you, all grown up," Jabali's mother said, her smile warm. "So, when were you planning to visit me if it weren't for Jabali's birth day?"
Looking at her, my brain obviously didn't have any recollection of her.
"I am sorry Aunt," I politely replied "I was caught up with my studies so I couldn't get time,"
"That is true, but don't be always caught up in academics," She said " So where are you planning to go for your studies?"
"I haven't decided yet," I replied honestly. My knowledge of the local schools and their locations was still frustratingly limited.
"That's alright. It might be best to stay in Region D; we have some of the finest historical schools in all of Aetheris," she offered.
"Mom, why are you encouraging her?" Jabali cut in, a mocking smirk on his face. I'd thought he would have left after leading the way here, but he seemed determined to linger. "It's obvious she's just being rebellious. Everyone knows she's always wanted to take the science route."
I turned to my left to see him smirking at me mockingly. I had thought he would have left after leading me here but nope, he just had to stay.
"Don't mind him," Jabali's father interjected, giving his son a dismissive wave. "Uncle supports whatever path you choose."
"Thank you," I replied, seizing the opportunity. "Actually, I could use some guidance. Choosing a new major so abruptly has left me a little lost."
"Don't you worry," his mother said. "I'll send you a comprehensive folder of the best schools from every region in Aetheris."
Jabali snorted before he left.
After talking some more with Jabali's parents. I found them to be nice and easy to talk to. Not forgetting, I was in my thirties before so the conversation went smoothly due to common understanding.
Jabali's parents left not before promising to help me out in choosing schools later. I met up with Amani and her friends who were now busy drinking their guts away.
I joined them and we played games, drunk, some youths went swimming others were playing virtual video games while others were singing as they took on holographic stage performances Infront of their friends. The party was booming and I had some fun which I hadn't had for a very long time. My first party in this place wasn't bad.
By the time we left, it was past midnight. I first sent Amani's friends home but Amani would speed the night at my house since she was completely wasted and kept pleading to me not to send her home or her parents would skin her alive. Even in her drunken state, she knew not to mess with her parents-it seemed aunt and uncle weren't simple in discipline.
Her parents later called and inquired about her whereabouts but after knowing that she would be sleeping over at my place, they didn't ask any further questions, only wishing us a good night-it seemed they trusted 'Zahara' very much.
My head was killing me early in the morning. I shouldn't have drunk so much yesterday. I stumbled my way downstairs as Povi constantly remained me to take hungover tablets.
Sporting Amani, her situation wasn't any better.
"Cousin, please give me hungover tablets, my head is killing me!" Amani pleaded.
I walked towards the infirmary and inserted in hungover tablets in the machine which quickly slid open, four tablets appearing before me. I took two as prescribed and gave the rest to Amani.
Within thirty minutes, I was stunned to find my headache and nausea had completely vanished. These weren't just tablets; they were miracles.
Amani then called her parents and informed them that she would be staying over at my place. Her parents, after making sure that I was okay with her stay allowed her to remain at my home before hanging up the call.
"They really still think I'm sneaking around," she complained after hanging up, joining me in the lounge. "I'm nineteen, not one!" She marched to a blank section of the wall, input a code, and a smooth, large screen appeared before my eyes. With her movements, it could be seen that these were common actions.
Although I had been living in this house for some time now, there are some things I hadn't learnt in connection with the highly advanced technological setting in this place, for example, what Amani had just activated. Obviously, this looked like a Projection but not quite like because the surface of the wall was smooth and their was no projector around. All I knew was that it resembled any streaming channel from my original world where to watch shows just like the TV.
"Let me watch some clips of my idol to put my mind to rest," Amani said as she scrolled on her terminal before a music video started playing on the projection like TV. I had now somewhat connected the dots. One's terminal could connect to it just like it was in my time.
Listening to the flow of music, I could hear the combination of afro-beats and other African beats. This was nice and soothing to the mind.
"Who is the musician?" I asked.
"What! How can't you know Bami.F! he is everyone's idol!" Amani exclaimed in astonishment at my question.
"My bad. I was always focused on my studies," I replied.
"Are you calling me a bad student for knowing him?" Amani questioned as she looked at me with a sharp and stern look.
"Well...that's not what I meant," I replied.
"Haaa… you are so easy to tease." She burst into laughter, her attention returning to the screen as she stood up to dance around the room.
I turned on my own terminal, intending to research the screen technology, but paused when I saw a cluster of notifications. I started with the first;
@Everyone'sman: Hi! Why did you leave my party without telling me?
Looking at this message, the sender couldn't be more clear so I immediately changed his user name in my terminal before replying.
Too @walnuthead: Are you the one who brought me there? Focus on serious issues like your academics, don't let aunt down.
The next notification was from Noah who was asking about my safety and if I arrived home safe.
@Noah: Thank you for asking. I arrived safe. Have a nice day. I replied before opening the other notification.
The final notification was from Jabali's mother. True to her word, she had sent a detailed list of prestigious historical schools across Aetheris. I sent a message of heartfelt thanks and wished her a good day.
It seemed I hadn't come away from the party empty-handed. Now, the real work of screening them could begin.
"What are you looking at so intently?" Amani inquired, plopping down beside me, breathless and glistening with sweat from her dancing.
"Jabali's mother sent me a list of schools to choose from," I said, turning my terminal for her to see clearly.
"You really are taking the history route?" Amani inquired as she looked at me.
"Yes. It's what I like," I replied " I can't waste my life away in some place that isn't in tunes with my spirit,"
"A lot of people must be disappointed then," Amani replied.
"Why do you say so?" I inquired.
"Because Region D has always boasted about producing the best scientific geniuses—the ones who even developed a painless birth machine. When your parents emerged and started working on the Aetherium facility, a place ordinary scientists can't even access, this region was over the moon. With your superb grades, everyone just assumed you'd follow in their footsteps."
"Oh. Do you also think I am making a mistake?" I inquired.
"No," Amani said without hesitation "You don't have to be pressured by anyone to do what you don't want, I feel like formally, you were so caught up in all this pressure, you seemed closed off, never noticing people around you,"
I silently took in Amani's words and tried to imagine how the former Zahara was. I knew what family and peer pressure were. Before wars wedged by the alliance started. People lived ordinary lives and children were always burdened to follow their parents arrangements. Given it were Africa, the pressure to be like some family's best child was rampant.
Zahara might not have been different from the ordinary child. I wonder if her spirit was at rest.
"Now...you seem like a whole new person," Amani continued "Though still with a rigid life style, you somewhat feel more approachable and open, I wish you stay that way,"
I wanted to tell Amani that her dear cousin was no more but I couldn't get myself to do so. I was an alien in this place. With the advanced technology of Aetheris, I couldn't imagine what could happen if it was found that a thousand year old soul from the past was among them.