Red Nova

Terra Firma

The waves of the ocean off Morocco’s Atlantic coast swayed as seagulls squawked across the sky. Dawn arrived, and the ocean sparkled as the sun shone down on it. The waves were calm and serene, provoked only by a whale that breached through the sea. The whale and seagulls, however, weren’t the only forms of life that enjoyed being out in the Atlantic.

Surfing on a thick tidal wave was Nesha Bisel, a French Moroccan girl wearing violet sportswear. Though she was technically surfing, the contemporary word in the twenty-seventh century was rifting. Nesha’s long, wet brown hair was swept by the wind while she performed a cutback with her prismatic-colored board. She slid down the wave in a crescent swipe—a sharp curving maneuver. A few seagulls were roaming around where Nesha rifted. It was as though they were following her.

She glided beside a swelling wave while looking at the sea, watching the whale return to its deep blue abode. The waves forming in Morocco’s shimmering ocean became wilder than the last, yet the teenage rifter glided on them gracefully. When the wave Nesha rifted on started to break, she leapt off it and performed a somersault. She used the wind tide to guide her—in midair—until she swooshed back onto the water. She rifted farther, veering herself toward Taghazout’s artificial reef. After a while, she saw the colorful reef. It also became brighter around her, the sun’s luminous glow radiating on her.

Strangely, the sun never burned her. In fact, she always felt revitalized whenever the sun shone on her, even if she was awake for twenty-four hours. It was a great feeling, she thought. But it wasn’t something she’d speak of to anyone, including her father—not that she’d want to tell him anyway. There was a lingering bitterness within her when she’d think of her father. Yet rifting always managed to calm her nerves, especially on such a bright day.

Upon reaching Taghazout’s artificial reef, she maneuvered her rift board onto one of the larger waves. Nesha balanced herself and stayed on it. When the massive wave reached twenty-two feet high, it began to break. It was about to swallow Nesha who then performed a late drop and rifted down, riding the killer wave without any sign of wiping.

After safely plummeting, she closed her eyes for a moment while breathing in the Atlantic’s salty, fresh air. She held out her arms as the wind blew against her, rifting swiftly between each approaching wave that formed. From aerials, cutbacks, to floaters—all of her maneuvers were graceful. It was as though she had become one with the waves, that each forming wave was a part of her traversing soul. And in that moment of unity, she felt she’d conquered the sea.

Taghazout’s artificial reef was far behind Nesha. The only thing surrounding her was the wild ocean. There was nothing around to distract her. The sea was empty. The sky was empty. Her mind was empty. It was a meditative experience to Nesha, and it helped her forget about the recurring nightmares she’d been getting for years.

No one she knew would believe her. Not even her own father believed her when she first told him that she’d been experiencing the same nightmare over and over again. Nesha tried to let go of her anger and resentment toward her father. She tried to let go of all her thoughts, to simply exist in the moment and be free. But it wasn’t easy. Though, after a few minutes, she managed to calm down and not think about her father or the fact that she couldn’t go on her school trip. Well, at least I’m allowed to be in the rifting tournament, she thought to herself.

She rifted farther where the waves were more chaotic. The fury of the killer waves made Nesha feel that they were due to a tsunami. They surrounded her and were beginning to collapse. The waves were endless. And yet the violent waves were what she had been waiting for all this time. With the exception of Nesha, the waves would have caused anyone to wipe and drown. She rifted from left to right with ease while the waves crashed down.

Reaching the top of a vicious wave, Nesha performed a snap dive, also known as sudden death; she leapt off the wave and dived straight down in a perilous but very smooth somersault. She landed onto the wild sea that nearly engulfed her. When her rift board splashed against the water, she maneuvered her prismatic rift board aside and avoided a king wave from consuming her. As the crushing wave fell, it rippled so harshly that it pushed her into another raging wave. Any other person would have shrieked, yet she didn’t because she loved being a daredevil—at least when it came to rifting. She smiled and spread her arms out again, racing the collapsing tide behind her.

Nesha continued to rift deep in the ocean for hours. It was as natural to her as a whale swimming under the sea. And before she knew it, the sun began to set. At this point the waves were beginning to calm, making it harder for her to rift; however, she didn’t mind since she watched the sunset while serenely gliding on the water. If anyone stayed true to the ancient motto—surfing from village to village—it was Nesha Bisel. She had rifted across the Atlantic, beginning at Taghazout’s Anchor Point, veering through Hash Point, and onto the beach break at Panorama. And to top it all off, she rifted all the way back to Safi, which wasn’t too far from her home.

The seagulls were long gone, and so were the whales. Nesha was completely alone now. She always valued her space. In fact, she loved both forms of space: the space of solitude and the space that existed beyond Earth. Nesha gazed up at the orange-red sky that glimmered with a few distant stars. Whenever she stargazed, she felt a strange nostalgic sensation throughout her body. She didn’t want to take her eyes off the stars. It made her feel as though she’d been homesick for years. Yet she was already home.

Nesha continued to float on her rift board until nightfall. The sea lay calm, not one wave forming. Her weekend practice for the rifting tournament had ended. She drifted off Safi’s coast, ready to return to her apartment. Morocco was far from her since she was still in the middle of the sea. But this was all right to her. That was the beauty of rifting since riding the waves was just one form of pleasure when using a rift board; another form was hovering. Nesha clicked her violet-colored UND, which was on her wrist. It glowed with the current date and time: Monday, April 18, 9:37pm.

When her UND’s interface opened, it created a holographic screen in the form of an oval panel. Its interface resembled an internet search engine, except there were two tabs to search: registered items and the universal network store itself. Aside from Nesha’s rift board, the UND was her favorite gadget. If she wanted food, she could either buy it from the universal store or materialize it via her registered items. If she wanted to read a novel, she could port it into her hands. If she wanted to call any of her friends, she could just dial into the panel and contact them via vidlink; the panel would morph into a video screen and expand if Nesha desired, especially if she wanted to watch a film or show. Virtually anything she wanted was within her grasp as long as she had her UND.

Nesha dialed into her registered items tab and selected her rift board, which showed a blinking red symbol that read: The R87’s hover engine approximately has three days of usage left. Please purchase a new rift board for your safety. Nesha sulked for the first time that day. She’d owned the R87 for a few years already and knew this day would come. She nevertheless had hoped it would at least last until the rifting tournament was finished. Nesha clicked a lower button on her UND that gleamed blue, unlocking her rift board’s hover feature. Upon activating it, the holographic panel disappeared. The rift board glowed on the dark water and then started to rise.

Rifting back home above the calm water, she could see the panorama of old Morocco, yet she didn’t rift toward it. Instead she rifted higher and higher into the evening sky until she could see Corselos, a replication of Morocco that floated among the clouds.

Nesha saw a spacecraft flying toward the hovering city of glittery skyscrapers. Shortly after it descended, she realized that the vessel belonged to the UEC. It was the Seventh Fleet’s flagship: Sucellos. Nesha rolled her eyes at the sight of the ship because, once again, it reminded her of her father. Then again, the Seventh Fleet, as she recalled, focused solely on investigations of crimes, and she’d never heard of a crime here. So, seeing Sucellos made her think twice.

“That’s strange,” she said, speaking aloud to herself. “I can’t remember the last time the military traveled to Corselos. Well, not counting dad.”

Rifting closer, she used her UND as a telescope to zoom in, yet there was nothing much happening in the starport. She then spotted Detective Renfred exit the vessel with several officers. He spoke to them with a grim expression on his face. Nesha, however, couldn’t hear him since she was too far.

“Whoa, that’s Malcolm Renfred,” she said aloud. “Why is the UEC’s greatest detective here?” Nesha wanted to rift closer to hear them, but she realized that if she were to advance any farther someone would probably notice her. “Oh well, it’s not my business.”

She gestured a shaka sign at Detective Renfred and rifted home. She eventually stopped thinking of the UEC, traveling to her neighborhood. Upon passing numerous skyscrapers and holographic billboards displaying various commercials for make-up and education, Nesha descended onto the balcony of her apartment, which was on the thirty-ninth floor. Clicking a button on her UND, she momentarily disabled her home’s security system and unlocked the balcony’s doors.

When she stepped inside, the lights dimmed on. She ported her rift board away and then clicked another button that made her clothes change from sportswear to a nightgown. Not one second later, the apartment’s security system reactivated, and the balcony’s doors automatically locked. Nesha got on her queen-size bed, yawning as she stared at the ceiling.

She felt so drained after rifting all day long. Nesha thought it was weird how she didn’t feel tired when the sun had shone on her; yet as soon as she came back home she felt as though she could sleep for two whole days. Closing her eyes, Nesha took advantage of her soft warm bed and fell into a deep slumber.

Several hours later, Nesha woke up. She felt rejuvenated and thought that things were never better. Graduation was only days away, as was the rifting tournament. She was excited about the championship and hoped to get first place. Nesha had a big smile on her face while lying on her bed. She stretched and pulled the bed’s ivory sheets over her while thinking about her life. The only thing missing was her father’s approval for the senior trip.

“Why does dad have to be so strict?” she said, yawning.

Smoke suddenly crept into Nesha’s bedroom from underneath the door. Nesha smelled the smoke and then saw it. She swiftly got off her bed and attempted to activate the sprinkler system via her UND but realized she’d already taken the device off before going to sleep. The bedroom’s temperature kept getting warmer. Oh my God, there’s a fire in here, she thought. Nesha touched her door’s sensory panel and shrieked due to the heat.

“This can’t be happening,” she said, backing away.

Nesha leaned against the doors leading to her sealed balcony, ready to leave; however, she lived on the thirty-ninth floor and couldn’t escape without her rift board. She desperately needed her UND. Yet it was out of her sight. The door to her bedroom abruptly broke into pieces, flame surging to the ceiling and walls.

“Help me!” she screamed. “Somebody help me!”

“Nobody can save you.”

The voice that Nesha heard was monstrous. A burning figure appeared near the doorway. The figure looked deformed, yet it resembled a human. No, thought Nesha, it wasn’t human. Its citrine eyes glistened like a fe’lorian’s, and its hands looked like claws.

“Not even Mother can save you,” said Liagon.

His demonic-sounding voice echoed deep into Nesha’s mind. She screamed again while the flames engulfed her. And when the flames consumed her, Liagon thrust his sharp fingers into her stomach.

At that precise moment, Nesha awoke. Gasping, she held her chest and tried to regain her composure.

“It felt so real,” she said, panting. “Just like my other dreams.”

Getting out of bed, Nesha rushed over to the balcony. She wore the same gown within her nightmare, feeling as if she’d been suffocating even though there wasn’t any smoke. Everything seemed to be all right. She waved her hand by a console embedded in the wall, which opened the balcony’s doors. Stepping outside, she stared at the midnight view of Morocco’s hovering city. The vast throughway shimmered with lights, appearing full of life despite the fact that there were hardly any cars on the streets.

The stars and city lights made Nesha feel depressed. She remembered how her mother always loved looking at them. Perhaps she felt the same nostalgic sensation her mother had felt when she was alive. The bitterness Nesha had toward her father increased. Not once did her father ever explain how her mother died. Though her mother had always been strict, she loved her more than anyone. Her mother was the only person who’d ever believed her when she spoke of her nightmares.

“Mom, I wish you were still here,” she said, feeling lonely.

Nesha could practically see the entire city from her balcony. Corselos was divided into sectors, connected by the superhighway’s elongated bridges that glimmered with blue lights. The dome-shaped skyscrapers were coated white, making the city look heavenly. After observing the metropolis, Nesha gazed at the stars, wondering about her nightmare.

“What does my dream mean?”

She eventually calmed down. Nesha no longer wanted to think about her dreams. Instead she wondered about different things: her two best friends, her boyfriend, the rifting tournament, Higher Education, and also her father’s ridiculous wish for her to join the military. She thought to herself, There’s no way I’d ever join the UEC, even if there was a gun pointed at my head. Nesha wasn’t exactly sure what she wanted to study at the UEC state-size campus of Higher Education, but she definitely knew she wanted to be champion of the rifting tournament. She returned to her bedroom, sealed the balcony’s doors, and lay on her bed. Finally, after a few minutes, she was able to fall back to sleep.

When morning came, Nesha woke up extra early and decided to take a shower. While bathing, she listened to Gina, her tiny maid probe. The automaton was hovering near the ceiling of the bathroom, tuned to a newscast.

“And back to you, Jordy,” said a female anchor from Gina’s speakers.

“Thanks, Sarah,” said Jordy. “Yes, today’s another beautiful day, folks. It’s a bit breezy, but we have ourselves a clear sky here with beautiful sunshine. It’s currently sixty-three degrees with the temperature rising to a high eighty-five. So, kids, get those rift boards out and have fun gliding through Al-Safi Park.”

Nesha, still showering, heard her UND vibrate. The steam in the stall was so dense that she could only see her hair and petite body. Upon hearing the UND, she frowned since it was so early in the morning.

“Gina,” called out Nesha. “Can you activate my vidlink?”

“Right away, Ms. Bisel,” said the probe, turning off the newscast.

“Nesha?” said Hannah Fandel, a young nerdy-looking girl on the UND’s vidlink screen. “Did I catch you at a bad time?”

“Sorry, Hannah,” said Nesha. “I’m trying to get ready as quick as I can.”

“All right,” said Hannah. “Well, at least you’re up. We really need to get that museum project out of the way. Sexy T is going to pick me up first. Then we’ll head over to get you.”

“You mean she’s finally going to help us?” asked Nesha.

“If helping means driving us to the museum, then yes,” said Hannah, chuckling.

Nesha sighed. “Okay,” she said. “I’m almost ready.”

“Great, see you soon,” said Hannah.

Gina turned off the vidlink. “Shall I prepare breakfast for you, Ms. Bisel?”

“Yes, that would be wonderful,” said Nesha.

The sphere-shaped probe zoomed through the apartment—releasing its metal limbs from its hidden compartments—and hovered beside the kitchen stove, turning it on. She attempted to grab two eggs from the refrigerator but none were left. Gina clicked the refrigerator’s console and ordered two eggs via the universal network’s food market. The eggs teleported next to her, and then she started to make scrambled eggs with toast.

Nesha entered the kitchen in her favorite nutmeg sandals, blue ankle-zipped jeans, and shirred kimono shirt. When she entered the kitchen she pulled out a clip to lift her hair up and then sat at the dining table where Gina served breakfast.

“Here is some orange juice for you, Ms. Bisel,” said the automaton.

“Thanks, Gina,” said Nesha.

She grabbed the cup of orange juice and took a sip. She ate her eggs and then drank the rest of her juice while looking at the front entrance, which gave view to Earth’s blue sky as well as her porch. Nesha didn’t feel completely rested until she looked at the sun. Upon looking at it, she no longer felt the need to sleep. In fact, she didn’t even have to squint. Gaping directly into the sun, she gleamed. In the meantime, Gina hovered over to Nesha and refilled the empty cup with more orange juice.

“I will begin cleaning now,” said Gina. “Please send a transmission if you need my assistance.”

“Okay, thanks so much.”

Nesha dialed a series of numbers on her UND, logging on to the galactic terminal. When she logged on she clicked the “email” tab in the GT’s interface, which brought her to a personal mail center.

“You have one unread message,” said a feminine, digital voice.

It was a message marked urgent from her father. Nesha rolled her eyes, on the verge of deleting the message. Before doing so, however, she saw an attachment beside the email. She opened it and decided to glance at the attachment, which happened to be a consent slip for her senior trip.

“Oh…my…gawd!” she said, never more excited. Nesha immediately forwarded the attachment to her school and then clicked her UND, establishing a vidlink connection with Hannah.

“Don’t worry,” said Hannah. “We’re almost there.”

“Make that three seats for our trip,” said Nesha.

“Shut up!” said Hannah in disbelief. She screamed through the vidlink as though the consent was for her. “I can’t believe it. Your dad actually said yes?”

“He said more than yes,” replied Nesha. “He gave me a permission slip.”

“This is great! Rick’s going to be really happy,” said Hannah, winking.

“No, don’t tell him,” said Nesha, blushing. “I want it to be a surprise.”

“Oh, T says you should just dump him and find a bunch of guys at Nirvana with her,” said Hannah.

“Not in this life,” said Nesha, smiling.

Just then, a burgundy NZ-4 car drove onto the building’s elevated roadway and pulled over in front of Nesha’s porch, beeping.

“Sexy T never fails to keep it under a hundred,” said Hannah.

“She’s too much,” said Nesha, chuckling. “I’m coming out now.” She ended the vidlink session with Hannah and yelled out to her maid probe, “Gina, I’m going to the museum with my girlfriends!”

The front door’s intercom activated. “Have a nice day with your friends, Ms. Bisel,” said Gina.

“Thanks,” said Nesha. “I’ll see you tonight.”

Locking the door behind her, Nesha jogged over to the car. Hannah got out and rushed toward her. She was as petite as Nesha except she looked nerdy what with her wearing glasses instead of sight implants. They eagerly hugged each other, jumping up and down for joy.

“I can’t wait! We’re going to have so much fun!” said Nesha ecstatically.

“I know!” said Hannah. “Your dad finally came through for you.”

“Yeah, it’s about time,” said Nesha. The NZ-4’s rear door lifted up while she continued, “I forgot to send him a reply, but I’ll send it later tonight.” She got into the car and waved at her other friend. “Hi, Tali.”

Talia Yilfrah—also known as Tali, Sexy T, or just T—was comfortably slouched in the driver’s seat with shades on. She wasn’t Corselos’ typical Moroccan Jew. Talia wore a black tank top and had her short black hair dyed with purple highlights. She also had tattoos all over her arms, as well as several piercings on her ears and nose.

“What’s up, girl,” said Talia. “I heard your father finally let up.”

“Yeap,” she said. “And this is a secret, okay? I want to surprise Rick.”

“Secrets die hard with me, girl,” said Talia.

The platform of Nesha’s driveway rotated in a semicircle. Shortly after, Talia drove down the building’s built-in road.

“I’ll never get used to this,” said Hannah in a panicky tone.

“Oh, it’s not so bad,” said Nesha, waving her hand. “It’s kind of like those roller coasters in Marrakech.”

“Exactly,” muttered Hannah, looking nauseous.

Talia slowed down when she reached the bottom of the apartment building. Upon the car connecting to Corselos’ rail-like road, Talia shifted her gears to go faster. She had one hand on the wheel while smoking with her other. Her ponytail swayed with the wind as she sped her car onto the parkway.

“So what do you have in mind, Hannah?” asked Nesha.

“I think we should focus on environmental issues,” said Hannah.

“That’s too boring,” said Talia, puffing out smoke. “We can just move to another planet if Earth gets fucked.”

“Well, I don’t see you coming up with any ideas,” said Hannah, pouting.

“How about Zen’s therapeutic relation to psychology?” suggested Nesha. “We can go to the Japanese wing to find some images and statues there. Then we can document all of them into our UND.”

“That’s brilliant!” said Hannah.

Talia rolled her eyes. “I thought you hated psychology.”

“I don’t hate it,” said Nesha. “I just don’t want it to be my career, that’s all.”

“Well, that’ll all change once we’re in Higher Education,” said Hannah. “All of our classes will be related to our major. Besides, you’ve got nothing to worry about, Nesha. You always get an S on everything. I’m lucky just getting an A.”

Talia exited the superhighway and merged onto the bridge that connected to their school. She stopped at a red light, waiting for it to turn blue. Not a moment later, another car sped over to Talia’s right side, heavy metal music blasting. The driver would have probably been mistaken for being Morocco’s prince if his hair wasn’t a backcombed deathhawk.

“It’s Grober,” said Talia, blowing smoke out of her mouth.

“Not again,” said Hannah, sighing.

“What’s wrong, T?” called out Grober, grinning at Talia. “Did you already forget how fast a man’s car can go?”

“Ditch that sexist jerk,” said Nesha.

Talia slammed on her NZ-4’s thruster and zoomed past the red light, crossing the bridge. Grober followed Talia and tried to gain on her, but not even he was brave enough to drive two hundred miles an hour. Talia swerved her car to the right and drove across another bridge that led to a different expressway. She then merged left onto a ramp that took her though a tunnel. She eventually exited the thruway on the far right, where the museum was located.

“That idiot couldn’t find us if his life depended on it,” said Talia, still driving two hundred miles an hour.

“Nice going, Tali,” said Nesha.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” mumbled Hannah.

“Put a sock in it,” said Talia playfully.

Nesha and Talia laughed at Hannah because they knew how scared she always got when Talia drove faster than a hundred miles an hour. Upon reaching the museum, Talia slowed down and parked across the street.

“Check it out,” said Talia, looking at the entrance.

“Police?” said Hannah, surprised.

“And look,” said Nesha, pointing at an officer wearing a black trench coat and a fedora. “It’s Malcolm Renfred. I saw him land last night while rifting home.”

“Wicked,” said Talia.

“I wonder what happened,” said Hannah.

“Only one way to find out,” said Talia, throwing her cigarette out the window and exiting her car.

“I guess we should follow her,” said Nesha.

The duo stepped out of the NZ-4 and joined Talia, approaching the museum. Each wing was white and dome-shaped. Most noticeable to the trio was its entrance, which had a massive stairway with several waterfalls and statues of ancient gods from old religions, such as Ganesha. The entrance, however, was jam-packed with UEC police officers and IGF journalists; and amid both groups stood Detective Malcolm Renfred.

“That will be all for now,” said Renfred, speaking to the journalists. He turned away and rushed down the stairs but stopped when he saw Nesha and her girlfriends approaching. “Sorry, ladies, the museum is closed for the da—wait a minute, aren’t you Admiral Bisel’s daughter?”

“Yes, that’s right,” said Nesha. “What happened here?”

“Someone stole an extremely valuable relic in this museum,” said Renfred. “It’s a two-thousand-year-old Japanese tsurugi sword. And we unfortunately haven’t been able to find any suspects.”

“That can’t be right,” said Hannah. “I mean, no one’s stolen anything since the twenty-fifth century.”

Malcolm Renfred glanced at Hannah. “That’s right,” he said, impressed. “At least you’ve done your homework. However, things have changed.” He looked back at Nesha. “Say, have you heard from your father recently?”

“No,” said Nesha, dismissing her father’s email. “Why?”

Renfred stared at her suspiciously and then shrugged. “No reason,” he said. Continuing to descend the stairs, he added, “But if you do hear from him, please tell him that Detective Renfred said hello.”

“Okay,” said Nesha, raising an eyebrow.

Hannah sighed. “Well, that’s just great. Now we can’t finish our project,” she said.

“So what?” said Talia in an indifferent tone. She ported out a new cigarette via her UND while she went on, “It’s not like Mrs. Burrito is gonna punish us.”

“She’s not that fat,” said Nesha, chuckling.

“Um, hello?” said Hannah. “Don’t you realize that someone has stolen something from a museum?”

“I gotta admit, that’s pretty crazy,” said Talia. “With all the security we have these days, I’d think only an AI could pull that off.”

“Don’t be silly,” said Hannah. “They’re illegal unless integrated with a ship.”

Nesha looked at Malcolm Renfred and watched him drive away. She suddenly started to wonder about her father. Thinking of him normally irritated her, but something about the news she’d just heard gave her a negative vibe. Nesha had no reason to feel distressed, and yet she felt worried, as though something had happened to her father. She thought, Maybe this feeling I have is a coincidence?

“Hey,” said Talia, poking Nesha. “You okay, girl?”

“Sorry,” said Nesha, no longer daydreaming. “Yeah, that’s really weird. Anyway, do you want to take a look at the rift store since we don’t have to worry about the project? I still need a new board for the tournament.”

“I’m up for anything that involves rifting,” said Talia.

“Hey, I was supposed to say that,” said Hannah playfully.

“All right,” said Nesha, smiling. “Let’s go.”

They got back into the NZ-4 vehicle. Talia drove through the city at a speed that Hannah considered normal and eventually reached an outdoor mall, parking across the street from a store called Rifting Above Stars. The trio stepped out of the car and excitedly went inside the store, rushing over to the back.

“Look at that,” said Hannah, squealing next to Nesha. “It’s an actual R91.” She dashed over to the latest rift board and gawked at it. The maroon-colored rift board hung on the far end of the wall. It had three hover jets: two along its substructure and one on its rear. “This is the first time the R-Series has two lower propulsions,” added Hannah in an ecstatic tone. “It means they can rift even higher than before!”

“Try not to let your nipples get hard,” said Talia.

Nesha laughed. “It’s very pretty.”

“But expensive,” said Talia, sulking.

“Nesha, you have to get it!” said Hannah.

“No,” said Talia, “she doesn’t.”

Nesha kept looking at the R91 with a big smile on her face. But then she looked at the price—eight thousand credits—and hesitated. She suddenly felt the urge to glance at other rift boards.

“It’s the R91,” said Hannah. “And it has three jets! Maneuvering it must be the sweetest feeling ever. How can anyone say no to this?”

“The R88 is great too,” said Talia. “Plus you’d only be paying two thousand.”

“Oh, but her dad’s an admiral,” said Hannah. “He has his own fleet and gets paid tons of money, right, Nesha?”

Slightly embarrassed, Nesha gave a faint nod. Glancing at the R91 again, she answered, “Hmmm, well, dad did give me more money than usual since he said he’d be gone longer than usual.”

Talia laughed. “How much cash did he give you?” she asked.

“He gave me enough,” said Nesha, winking.

Hannah squealed while she said, “You’ve gotta get it!”

“Hey, if you’ve got the credits, then I say go for it,” said Talia. “Having an R91 will definitely give us an edge in the tournament.”

Nesha stared at the R91 one more time. She crossed her arms, thinking about this for a moment. “Okay, it’s mine!”

“You go, girl,” said Talia.

Hannah stared at the new R91 with shiny eyes. “I’ve got to see this in action,” she said anxiously.

“Ditto,” said Talia.

“Why not,” said Nesha. “I’ll use it through the park and race you to school. That is, if you think you can get there quicker,” she said, grinning.

“Hah, you’ve got yourself a race,” said Talia.

Nesha waved her UND by the R91’s display and clicked the interface to confirm the purchase. A brand new R91 appeared on the customer shelf. Nesha gently grabbed the box and stared at it as though it were the most precious thing to her. She then clicked her UND, which made a beeping sound.

“Darn,” said Nesha. “My UND’s memory is getting full. Tali, would you mind holding the box for me until after class?”

“Sure,” said Talia. “I’ll keep it in the car.”

“Thanks.”

They stepped out of the rifting store and walked across the street while someone rifted above them, hovering toward a park across the street from the outdoor mall. Removing her R91 from the box, Nesha linked it to her UND. It automatically activated and hovered slightly above the ground.

“That is so awesome,” said Hannah.

“It’s about time you got a new one,” said Talia.

“I know,” said Nesha. “Now the three of us can rift together in style.”

“So, ready to race me?” asked Talia.

“Anytime, T,” said Nesha.

“See you at school,” said Hannah, waving.

Talia got in her NZ-4 with Hannah and drove off. Nesha waved at them, boarded her R91, and then rifted through Al-Safi Park. She felt a cool breeze while she hovered and flew by several couples. Nesha eventually saw a statue of Mustafa Ali Boussadin, the first Sufi-Buddhist mystic to become a Buddha. His beard reached down to his chest. A turban had been sculpted over his head, and he wore a robe with Islamic calligraphy embroidered along its sleeves. Most elegant of all, thought Nesha, was that he’d been seated in lotus position.

Even though Mustafa Ali Boussadin had passed away two centuries ago, Nesha always thought of him as her role model. He lived in an era when the calisians made themselves known to humanity, which stirred a decade-long movement known as the Great Awakening. That was when most people lost their faith and followed science, befriending the calisians. But there were a few people who’d brought science and mysticism together, holding on to their beliefs. One such person was Mustafa Ali Boussadin. Although he’d been Muslim, particularly a Sufi mystic, he had adopted the old teachings of Shakyamuni—the historical Buddha—and brought the Buddhist teaching to Morocco.

Nesha always loved visiting the serene statue of Mustafa. She didn’t care that most humans in the universe were atheistic. No matter what, she’d remain steadfast, like Mustafa, and always believe in God. She didn’t care if having faith was a weakness or if it made her naive. This belief wasn’t a crutch, she conceded. No, it was something more. Nesha felt with all her heart and soul that the cosmos had to have been created by someone. Humans didn’t have to be the center of attention. Each person in the universe was special, she thought. Nesha wanted to explore the galaxy on her rift board and see everything God made. To her this wasn’t faith. And she knew that her mother would always watch over her no matter where she’d be.

Smiling, she flew over the bronze statue and traveled past the park’s trees to a small pond where families rented canoes. Swans glided beside her as if escorting her, at least until she rifted higher toward the sky.

“This is freedom,” she said, closing her eyes for a moment.

Nesha now glided above the entire park. Flying past Al-Safi, she rifted over Corselos’ superhighway. Finally spotting Talia’s car, she passed it while gesturing with a shaka sign. No matter how fast Talia drove, she was no match for a rifter. Nesha suddenly dived all the way down to where the street lights were and then veered sideways. The wind tide allowed her to perform a windwheel, which was identical to a cartwheel’s motion but used with the wind tide. She looped around a bridge and flew skyward again in an arc.

Upon performing her latest stunt, Nesha spotted a police vehicle hovering above her. The hovercar descended, following her from a distance.

“Did you check out the Grommet?” asked the driving officer.

“Yeah, she has a license,” said the other officer.

The police vehicle disengaged and glided downward while Nesha continued rifting to school. She eventually performed a snap dive between two bridges and veered into her school’s indoor parking lot. When she got inside, she rifted past the parked cars and flew to the top where she waited for her friends. Talia drove to the upper level and parked her NZ-4 next to Nesha who smiled, leaning on a wall with her R91. Talia took her time getting out, but Hannah got out of the car right away and eagerly rushed over to Nesha.

“That was amazing!” said Hannah, nearly dropping her books. “You’re going to get us first place in the tournament!”

“Maybe,” said Nesha, blushing.

“Sweet moves, girl,” said Talia. “But all this driving around has gotten me a bit moody. I think I’m gonna skip class today.”

“Aw, come on,” said Hannah. “We only have Reasoning in Psychology.”

“Yeah,” said Nesha. “It shouldn’t be too bad.”

Talia sighed. “All right, fine,” she said. “But I’m gonna be cranky after class.”

“Oh, don’t worry so much,” said Hannah. “It’ll be over before you know it. Then we can practice our rifting stunts together. And we’ll still have plenty of time to get some rest for the tournament tomorrow.”

“Rest?” said Talia, pouting. “Knowing that Driss is on our team?”

“Driss or not, as long as we win I’m happy,” said Nesha.

“Now that’s the spirit!” said Hannah.

“Oh wait, my psychology book,” said Nesha, clicking her UND. She ported her rift board into her UND’s memory bank. Moments later, her notepad and psychology hardback ported into her hands. “Okay, let’s go.”

The school they entered was called Hassan Ali’s University of Enlightenment. It was a campus for students planning to attend Higher Education. Its interior design had Moroccan art on carpets, vases, and paintings with Sufi calligraphy. The walls and floor were geometric, Mosaic-like tiles. Nesha and her girlfriends stuck together, passing a crowd of loud students. They went to the fourth floor and swiftly slipped into a class already in session; lucky for them, the entrance was in the back.

Mrs. Rozilio, the psychology teacher of the class, glanced at Nesha and her friends but didn’t say anything to them. She was a plumb, innocent-looking lady who wore a floral hijab. Mrs. Rozilio continued speaking as Nesha and her company quietly sat in their seats.

“Once you’re finally out there,” began Mrs. Rozilio, “whether it’s Higher Education, the UEC, or the Intergalactic Federation, you’ll realize just how important psychology and behavior are. In life, we always have to work together with others. And a significant part of working together involves being able to understand ourselves, as well as to those whom we deal with in everyday life.”

“Even the vels?” asked Rick Assuraf, one of the students.

“Especially them,” said Mrs. Rozilio. “And try not to use that term, Mr. Assuraf. It’s an abbreviation from the UEC. They started using it during the war out of fear. That was about two decades ago. Now we’re at peace with each other, which gives us no excuse to call them vels. It’s more appropriate to refer to them as vel’pheasians.”

“Okay,” said Rick. “Thanks, Professor.”

Mrs. Rozilio nodded at him with a smile. “Speaking of the vel’pheasians,” she said, “it is extremely important to recognize their culture and show them respect, which can begin with their greeting: For the Yak-Shur!” She raised her head, slamming one of her hands against her chest. “This tells them that you respect their strength and world.”

“Miss,” called out Fatima Sarfati, another student, “why is the name of their planet so important?”

“Because the Yak-Shur is much more than just a name, Ms. Sarfati,” said Mrs. Rozilio. She started pacing back and forth as she added, “You see, their ancestors once believed, similar to us, in a higher power—”

“What?” interjected Driss Grober, almost speechless. “They believed in gods? What a bunch of dumbasses.”

“Watch it, Driss,” said Nesha. “I still believe in God.”

Grober snickered loudly. “Then allow me to direct you to the nearest mental institution,” he said. Many of the students laughed, Nesha never feeling more insulted. Talia glared at Grober who frowned and added, “Sorry, your Highness.”

“That’s enough, Mr. Grober,” intervened Mrs. Rozilio. “You’re here to learn, not insult your fellow colleagues. And no, they did not believe in numerous gods. Much like us, they once had faith in a single god. But their interpretation of ‘God’ was rather different from most of our religions. They believed that their god was the planet itself. They called it Yak-Shur.”

“So that’s why it sounds like a proper noun!” said Hannah spiritedly.

“Yes...very good, Hannah,” said Mrs. Rozilio. “It was the name of their god. But, as centuries passed, they emerged into the stars and learned that their planet was simply one of trillions. Their ancient religion eventually faded away, like many of ours. The vel’pheasians, however, still hold on to their traditions. So when or if you hear them say For the Yak-Shur, they’re actually referring to their cultural code.”

Hannah looked a bit troubled, raising her hand.

“Yes, Hannah?”

“Mrs. Rozilio, what happened to our religions?”

“Some of them are still around,” responded Mrs. Rozilio. “Religion hasn’t been the same since our contact with other alien species. The calisians signaled a new age of enlightenment—The Great Awakening—which was when our ancestors realized they were no longer alone in the universe. Humanity wasn’t the most important species anymore because the calisians were, and still are, superior to us. Lucky for us, they’re a peaceful race. As a matter of fact, they have their own universal belief. Believe it or not, it significantly resembles Buddhism, which is still held in high esteem.”

“What about before?” asked Rick.

“Before?” responded Mrs. Rozilio. “Well, before the calisians arrived there were many scientists, philosophers, and skeptics who challenged the primeval scriptures of the testament religions: the Jewish Tanaka, the Christian Kainē Diathēkē, the Islamic Qur’an, and the Baha’i Kitáb-i-Aqdas. Here’s an example—if God was all-knowing and perfect as every testament claimed, then why would God change his perfect mind and create a newer law if the antecedent was already perfect? This was a question, out of hundreds, that plagued our ancestors’ minds. Though, at that time, such a question was practically considered heresy. But I’m fairly certain everybody would now agree that it was a perfectly legitimate question to ask.”

Nesha started drifting away in thought from the discussion, wondering about what the fe’lorians believed. She let go of Grober’s insult, but only because her chest constricted while she contemplated about the fe’lorians. A strange feeling of nostalgia overwhelmed her when she thought of the florescent female-like race. She took a deep breath and raised her hand.

“Yes, Nesha?”

“Mrs. Rozilio,” began Nesha, “you’ve told us about every race except the fe’lorians. Can you tell us about their belief too?”

“Ah, the fe’lorians,” said Mrs. Rozilio. She paused for a moment as if in deep thought. “Ironically they never had a religion despite how mystical they appear. It’s not that they are atheists. They simply never pondered or debated about such concepts. Funny thing is, the story about how they came into existence seems highly supernatural; though, if I were you, I’d never say that to any of them or they may be insulted.”

“What do you mean?” asked Nesha.

“Well, the most important person to them is—or rather was—Mother Fe’lora,” replied Mrs. Rozilio. “Fe’lorians say that she was born from an old star after it turned into a supernova. When the great Mother Fe’lora became sentient, she searched through hundreds of star clusters until she found a blue gem; that blue gem is now the fe’lorian homeworld, located in the Zortega system. And till this day fe’lorians refer to it as Fe’lora, in honor of Mother.”

“Sounds like religious bullshit to me,” said Grober.

“Watch your language, Mr. Grober,” reproached Mrs. Rozilio. “But yes, under normal circumstances, most people might agree; however, scientists have acknowledged that fe’lorians, with the exception of stars, are composed of more energy than anything in the universe. In fact, they have fusion power for blood. Mind you, they mostly communicate mentally and have a collective consciousness, sharing thoughts, as well as dreams, with one another.”

Nesha considered her repeating nightmare when Mrs. Rozilio mentioned that fe’lorians share dreams together. Yet she refused to tell her classmates about her nightmares, fearing that Rick would agree with Grober in regard to her needing to go to a mental institution.

“I think they’d be amazing psychologists,” said Hannah.

“You read my mind, Hannah,” said Mrs. Rozilio gleefully.

“If that isn’t mystical, then I don’t know what is,” said Fatima.

“Never say that to them, Ms. Sarfati,” said Mrs. Rozilio. “They consider their origin to be scientific, nothing more. But enough. We need to return to psychology.”

Hannah, once again, raised her hand.

“All right…last question, Hannah.”

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Rozilio,” she said with a troubled expression. “I was just wondering about our project.”

“Well, it seems the museum will be closed for a day or two,” said Mrs. Rozilio, pacing again. Many of the students listened intently as their teacher spoke. Nesha, Hannah, and Talia crossed their fingers, glancing at one another. “And I know most of you are looking forward to tomorrow’s tournament,” she added. “I suppose since many of you worked hard this semester that I can waive the science project.”

The students cheered, especially Talia. Even Grober, the laziest student in the class, raised his head and exchanged fist bumps with his gang of boys.

“But,” continued Mrs. Rozilio, “I’d still like each of you to do something after the senior trip.” Several students sighed and sulked. “All I want is for each of you to write a paper about your experience here in school. And I’ll even throw in some extra credit if you go into detail about your hopes and aspirations for attending Higher Education.” To no one’s surprise, Hannah raised her hand. “Yes, Hannah?”

“How long should it be?” she asked.

“It doesn’t have to be too long,” said Mrs. Rozilio. “About four pages.”

“That’s bullshit,” said Grober.

“Driss Grober, I heard that,” said Mrs. Rozilio. “Just because you’re in the official rifting league doesn’t mean you can say or do whatever you like.”

“It’s only four pages, Grober,” said Talia. “Can’t you do anything besides rift?”

“I can bang your mom,” he said.

Mrs. Rozilio gasped. “Mr. Grober!”

The majority of the students sniggered at Grober’s perverted comment. Talia simply rolled her eyes.

“You’re lucky you’re in the tournament,” said Talia, scowling.

“One more remark and I’ll be forced to punish the two of you!” exclaimed Mrs. Rozilio.

“Oh, did I hurt Sexy T’s feelings?” said Grober. “Trust me, you’re the one who’s lucky I’m on the team because without me you’d all wipe with a zero score. Besides, shouldn’t you be pissed off that you have to write a diary? I mean, you may be a decent rifter, but your writing sucks balls.”

Grober’s friends chortled loudly at Talia. Even Mrs. Rozilio couldn’t object to that statement.

“At least my nose isn’t as big as my boyfriend’s dick,” said Talia.

Some students hooted while others laughed.

“That’s enough!” shouted Mrs. Rozilio. “Both of you: outside! Now!”

“You have a boyfriend?” asked Hannah, looking at Talia.

Talia sighed while getting up from her desk. She followed Mrs. Rozilio outside, along with Grober.

“How come she never told us?” inquired Hannah, looking at Nesha.

“Maybe she pretended just to get back at Grober,” said Nesha, shrugging.

“Oh yeah,” said Hannah, chuckling. “But darn, she has detention now.”

Just then, Nesha noticed Rick staring at her from the corner of her eye. He smiled at her, causing her to blush. Nesha smiled back at him and mouthed the words “I love you” to Rick. He mouthed the same words to Nesha, making her giggle. She suddenly wished for Rick to take her virginity. Nesha knew Rick couldn’t come to her apartment since her maid probe would instantly alert her father. The senior trip would be the best opportunity, she thought. Still blushing, Nesha turned her attention back to the front with a dreamy expression.

Hannah witnessed their exchange, playfully shaking her head.

After the bell rang, Nesha and Hannah went outside, ported out their rift boards, and started to practice rifting above the school grounds. A placid sunset with an orange-red sky formed, glimmering while the sun shone above the cumulus clouds. The duo rifted together side by side. Meanwhile, several students on the school’s twelfth-floor balcony watched them with excitement. Others around the school park gathered too, such as Rick and four of his friends. They were in awe of their school’s rifting team, especially Rick. They were, however, mostly astonished by Nesha’s stunts.

“You’re doing great, babe!” shouted Rick, cheering Nesha on.

Rick wanted to ask her if they could have some time alone tonight, but then he spotted a UEC hovercar patrolling the school’s premise, which made him tense. Rick hoped that the men inside the vehicle were only police and not military personnel. And if they were in fact military soldiers, then he hoped that Nesha’s father wasn’t in the car.

In the meantime, Nesha and Hannah continued to rift.

“Those two are hopeless,” said Hannah, sighing.

“Even Tali?” asked Nesha, performing a cutback.

“Especially her,” replied Hannah. “How could she let such a loser get to her like that?” Hannah rode her R88 upward and performed a high fade, which was a vanishing technique. She then executed a snap dive, zooming back down to where Nesha rifted. “Now she has detention and can’t practice with us.”

“That’s Sexy T for you,” said Nesha, chuckling. She spun her new R91 in a one-hundred-eighty-degree movement and then performed a somersault. The wind tide was strong, allowing her to do a windwheel. The students around the premise applauded Nesha as though they were watching the tournament now. “Hannah, do you think we’re ready?”

“Are we ready?” said Hannah, raising an eyebrow. “I think you are. Give me a book and I’ll do great. But rifting is another story. As much as I love it, I’m just not as good as you.”

“Of course you are, silly,” said Nesha, following Hannah skyward. The duo started to glide far away, so they curved while using the wind tide to cast themselves in a crescent swipe, rifting back to their school. Upon balancing herself, Nesha went on, “That’s why you made it—why we made it. We reached the championship together.”

“Thank you, Nesha,” said Hannah, smiling. “I suppose I am ready. Maybe it’s as simple as me getting some sleep. But first I’ll think about what to write for homework.”

That instant, they landed in the parking lot beside Talia’s car.

“Not me,” said Nesha. “I mean, I’d really love to write an essay as quickly as you, but I’ll probably end up putting it off till the last minute.”

Hannah giggled. “Well, good luck,” she said. “I’m going to wait for T to bring me home since I don’t have a rifting license like someone else I know.”

“Oh, I was lucky,” said Nesha, slightly blushing.

“I’m just teasing,” said Hannah, hugging her. “See you tomorrow. We’re gonna rock!”

“Like stars!” responded Nesha, waving while leaving.

She gracefully rifted back home and decided to relax for a few hours before attempting to complete her homework. Watching reality shows on her UND’s vidlink screen was her guilty pleasure. But when nighttime arrived she closed the screen and ported her micro computer on a table next to her balcony. With the exception of the bedroom, Nesha turned the lights off in her apartment. She then sat down and opened one of her computer’s programs: Pro-Writing.

Staring at a blank page, she wondered whether she could finish her homework before the senior trip. She felt her goal was unrealistic; after all, the senior trip was set for one hour after the rifting tournament. Yet she still wanted the assignment to be finished before the trip so she could be stress-free with Rick.

“Four pages isn’t so bad,” she said. “I can do it.”

When she placed her hands on the computer’s keypad, the screen’s light dimmed, as did the lights in her room. Then everything shut off. Nesha hesitated for a moment, looking around. She glanced at her UND’s clock, which read: 11:37pm. Nesha thought, if this blackout was due to a power outage, then it was bad timing because Gina had already deactivated for maintenance, and most people in her building were probably sleeping.

“Does this have to happen tonight?” she said to herself, sulking.

At that exact moment, she noticed a light activate from the corner of her eye. She turned to look and saw that the light was coming from her bathroom.

“I thought I already turned that light off,” she muttered.

Standing up, she walked into the hallway. As she reached the bathroom, steam came out of her shower stall. Yet the water wasn’t even on.

“I’ve never seen—”

She heard footsteps creaking from her living room. Nesha quickly turned around and saw the shadow of a woman; however, it vanished the moment she saw it.

“Who’s there?” she asked in a panicky tone. “I’m going to call the police!”

Her bathroom light abruptly turned off. Nesha heard footsteps again. This time they came from the hallway. Her heart pounded when the light went out.

A voice unexpectedly whispered in her ear, “Where is Mother?”

The voice dissipated, and then all the lights turned on. Nesha, on the verge of a panic attack, ran into her bedroom, slammed the door, and locked it. Afterwards, she activated her UND and attempted to establish a vidlink connection with Talia.

In the meantime, Talia was having sex with Grober against a wall in his studio. Not a minute later, her UND vibrated.

“Oh my God,” she said, moaning. “Harder!”

Grober penetrated her as hard and fast as he could. She had her feet wrapped around his waist, her breasts flapping against his chest. Talia kept moaning louder and louder, pressing her fingers on Grober’s shoulders.

“Hurry,” she said. “Cum inside me!” Seconds later, Grober groaned and jolted. He then put her down, panting as much as she. “Oh my God,” she whispered. “I love it when you pop in me. It feels like you’ve been waiting a year to fuck me.” Her UND was still vibrating. “Who the hell is trying to contact me?”

“Ignore it,” he said, licking her breasts. “Better yet, shut it off.”

“I just want to see who it is.”

She broke away from Grober and noticed that it was Nesha. Talia signaled Grober to hide and keep quiet. She put her shirt on and attached her UND, accepting the vidlink. As soon as her screen activated, she saw Nesha crying hysterically.

“What’s wrong, girl?” asked Talia. “Why are you crying?”

“Tali, I need you to come over,” she said. “Something happened here. I can’t explain it now. Please, please, come and spend the night. I don’t want to be alone tonight.”

“Why can’t Rick go?” inquired Talia. “I’m sure he’d be more than happy to.”

“Gina’s programmed to activate if anyone other than a woman comes here,” said Nesha, still crying. “And my dad…he’d be notified. Please?”

“Okay,” said Talia, sighing. “I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

As soon as Talia ended the vidlink, Grober came out.

“What the hell was that about?”

“I don’t know,” said Talia, shaking her head. “But she’s my girl. I can’t let her down, especially on the night before the tournament.” She tongue kissed Grober and added, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Hey,” called out Grober. “How long do we have to keep this game up?”

Talia sighed again. “Babe, you know how I feel about this.”

“How about during the trip?” he asked.

“That’s prime time with the girls; you know that more than they do,” she said. “Look, maybe sometime after we graduate.” Talia tongue kissed him one more time. “Rift with you tomorrow.”

She left Grober’s apartment and entered her car, zooming down the building. As always, Talia drove above a hundred miles an hour and approached a highway in seconds. She crossed a bridge that connected to the Doukkala-Abda sector of apartment buildings, where Nesha lived. Talia then exited the superhighway and passed a red light. Luckily for her, no vehicles passed by on the other sides of the intersection.

She eventually reached Nesha’s residence and connected her NZ-4 to the building’s car railing, driving up thirty-nine flights. Nesha’s porch light was already on when Talia arrived. She parked and got out of her car, noticing that the door to Nesha’s apartment was open.

“Nesha?”

The apartment was pitch-black. Talia ported a small knife into her hand, entering Nesha’s home. She continued to walk slowly, checking to see if someone had broken in. Yet it seemed to be vacant. Then she saw a light outlining the door to Nesha’s bedroom.

“Nesha?” called out Talia. “Are you in there? It’s me, girl. It’s T.”

She knocked on the door. Then it opened. Nesha’s makeup had smudged since she’d been crying. Her eyes were also completely red.

“Nesha,” muttered Talia, hugging her tight. “What happened?”

“I didn’t tell you or Hannah because I know how much you both think it’s crazy,” said Nesha, sniffing. “But last night, I had that dream again.”

Talia rolled her eyes. “The one with that male fe’lorian?”

“Yes,” she said.

“Nesha, there’s no such thing as a male fe’lorian,” said Talia.

“That’s not all,” went on Nesha. “I was all right after the nightmare. I didn’t need to talk about it. But an hour ago, when I was about to work on the school paper, something happened.”

“What?”

Nesha broke away from Talia and pointed at the bathroom. “A light in there went on even though it was off,” she said. “When I tried to turn it off I heard footsteps behind me and the voice of a girl whispering about my mother or something. Then everything returned to normal as if nothing ever happened.”

“Nesha,” began Talia, “I know how much you miss your mom. But maybe it was just a really vivid dream.”

“No, Tali,” she said in an irritated tone. “It was real. I called you by the door right after locking it. I didn’t call you on my bed, and I wasn’t wearing my nightgown either.”

“You still sleep with your clothes on?”

“Tali!” cried out Nesha.

Talia sighed. “Girl, what do you want me to say? Okay, I admit that it was interesting the first time you told us about the dream. But it’s been a year now, and it’s always the same story you tell me and Hannah. No one has the same exact dream every month.”

“Well, I do.”

“Listen, girl, you know how much I love you,” said Talia. “I’d do just about anything for you. But what you’re telling me isn’t normal. Honestly, I think you should see a therapist.”

“Damn it, Tali,” said Nesha, sniffing. “I don’t need to see a therapist! Can’t you just trust me? Why would I lie?”

“I never said you lied,” said Talia. “I’m just—” She took a deep breath. “Look, I came after all, right? Let’s just forget about what happened tonight. We have a bad ass tournament tomorrow, and we both need some rest.”

“Okay, so you’ll sleep on the bed with me?” asked Nesha.

“As long as you don’t seduce me.”

“Oh, please,” said Nesha, chuckling.

“So…Rick doesn’t know?”

“Nope,” said Nesha, blushing. She started to fix her queen-size bed as she added, “I know which hotel and room he’s staying in, so I’m going to surprise him. And then we’ll spend the trip together.”

“As long as we have some girl time, I’m happy,” said Talia, taking her skirt and tank top off. She then reached down for her panties but wasn’t wearing any. Her eyes widened, realizing that she’d left them in Grober’s home.

Nesha turned around and began, “I’m going to give Rick my vir—” She noticed Talia had no underwear. “Ill! You went to school with no panties?”

Talia laughed. “No, silly. I just left my apartment in a rush. I thought something terrible happe—” She cut herself short and thought for a moment. “Sorry, I know that it was awful for you. It’s just a little hard for me to understand.”

“It’s all right,” said Nesha, feeling more relieved. “Thanks for coming over. It really means a lot to me.”

“It’s cool,” she said, waving a hand. “Anything for a sister rifter.”

“You’re the best, Tali.”

“I know,” said Talia.

Nesha kissed her on the cheek and then lay on the bed. Talia, startled, smiled and closed her eyes on her side of the bed.

“Tomorrow we’re gonna kick ass and win the cup,” added Talia.

“You bet,” whispered Nesha, falling asleep.