Reality 001

I woke up. Rubbing my eyes, I rolled around on my bed, trying to defeat the sleep monster in my head. Eventually, I put my foot on the floor and dragged myself out of my room, almost hitting my head to the door.

On my way to the bathroom, I heard some sounds from the kitchen - the sort of sounds which would usually help me wake and sober up. It was indeed working just as well as before.

I got in front of the sink, turned on the tap and washed my face. I got a good look at my own face in the mirror and left the bathroom.

In the corridor, I saw my aunt coming out of the kitchen.

"You are up early." I said.

"Am I now?" she said.

"Anyway, good morning."

"Good morning, good morning." she replied. "I had breakfast just now, I wasn't expecting you to get up at this hour. You just help yourself with what's left, I will go take a shower."

"Okay, sure."

I stepped into the kitchen and glanced at the table. I wasn't really feeling like eating right now, but if I didn't eat anything, I would definitely get hungry before lunch.

What changed my mind was the tiny tower of pancakes at the far edge of the table.

"Wow." I said. "My favorite! I wish she made pancakes more often..."

While taking one and munching on it, I took a look at the clock. It was a bit past five in the morning.

"Early indeed." I said. "I would never get up this early, and neither would she. A good surprise, nonetheless."

Having eaten just enough to not feel hungry until lunch, I looked at my lesson plan.

"Oh no!" I said. "We had a morning lecture today, didn't we?"

If I was remembering correctly, this would mean that I would have to leave home early to attend to the lecture; something which definitely would make me unhappy. However, despite my clear memory, I couldn't see the lecture in my lesson plan.

"I probably forgot to note it down." I said. "Anyway, I will have to go... I wish it was Sunday so I could just stay at home the whole day."

I changed my clothes, took my books and stuff, and called my aunt from the bathroom's door.

"I am leaving! Early morning lecture again."

"It is going to rain today, take your umbrella! Have fun!" she replied from the shower.

"Have fun, sure." I murmured silently.

I got out of the apartment to take my bike and get underway. Everything was very well... I was travelling to the university campus, dreaming of a sunday morning during which I wouldn't have to be in such a rush. When I was about halfway to the university, things started turning worse. I felt a few drops of rain on my face.

"God damn." I said. I had not taken my umbrella with me, knowing that there was no way I could use it while I was riding my bike the way I do. "Faster, Ender, all power to pedals!"

Apparently, I was trying a bit too hard. In a short time, I've reached a speed I could never reach with my bike before.

"You are not tired, you will make it to the lecture all dry!" I tried to encourage myself further.

With an immediate acceleration, I've acquired a velocity many bikers couldn't even dream of - with this speed, I could compete against old automobiles. If I didn't hold the handlebar very well, the air drag was strong enough to separate me from the bike and launch me backwards.

With that speed, I found myself in the campus in no time. Hardly coming to a safe stop, I hurried into an engineering faculty building to protect myself from the rain.

I had made it to the university quickly, but I still couldn't believe what I had just done.

"This could've been a world record or something!" I said. "Only if I had a speedometer..."

After resting for a bit, my thoughts changed a little bit.

"Dreaming, aren't you, Ender?" I mocked myself. "You always dream of speeding. My imagination combined with drowsiness... You are daydreaming at dangerous times, Ender. If it was real, at least people around would react to it in some way."

I sighed.

"Okay, Ender, new rule: No riding the bike again when you are sleepy."

Having solved an internal conflict in my mind, I finally had a chance to look around.

It was unusually silent in the building. Only, near the enterance, I was hearing some footsteps. Looking at that direction, I saw a girl walking towards the main door. I couldn't help but think... she was beautiful. I could...

No, I couldn't. I couldn't have fallen into love - especially not at first sight.

She noticed me just standing there, looking confused. Suddenly changing her way, she decided to come by me. I wasn't expecting that, I was a bit nervous now.

"Hey." she said.

"He-Hello."

"Uhm... Were you looking for the art gallery, mister, by any chance?" she asked me.

"The art... No." I said, then somehow changed my mind. "Yes, actually!"

That lie was only a result of the blinding love effect. Undoubtedly, she was involved with the art gallery, and going there, I could get to know her. However...

"Uh, I meant no." I said, and tried to giggle. Because my correct logic circuits had kicked in just afterwards, I knew that I couldn't miss the lecture I was so stressed about.

The girl looked into my eyes and smiled.

"You are a funny guy." she said.

"Really?" I asked.

"Oh, okay, so... What exactly are you-"

"I came to attend to my lecture." I said. "Sorry, I was just... puzzled a bit."

"Lecture?" she asked, a bit surprised. "Here?"

"Well, yeah?" I said with little confidence left inside me.

"Profs usually would avoid putting lectures on Sundays, and even when they did, they wouldn't make them this early in the morning... Well, maybe the end is near." she said.

"This is... sunday?" I asked. She paused for several seconds and just looked at me in silence.

"It... isn't?"

"Is it?" I asked one more time. She grabbed her phone and took a quick look at the date.

"According to my phone, it is." she said. Like I didn't believe her, I took out my phone and had a look myself.

"Yeah, mine too." I said.

An even awkward silence took over the already awkward conversation.

"I am such an airhead, am I not?" I said, audibly. The girl laughed.

"Sure you are. So, it seems like you've got a few things wrong."

"Yeah." I said.

"What you gonna do, now that you are already here?" she was talking in a more informal and relaxed way now.

"I guess I will sit at the library for a while, or just simply go home. There is nothing for me to do here today." I said.

"In that case, why don't you visit the art gallery?" she asked.

"The art gallery?"

"Yeah. I am sure you will like it. We are showing off masterpieces!"

Now that I knew it was sunday (which meant I was wrong and there was no lecture today), I could use my time getting to know her.

"Well, sure, why not?"