Chapter 1

9th July 2022.

It was quiet dark, in a study room a young boy sat on a mat, while a man faced him from a chair, a ceremonial candle, can be found on the bench, which light the study. The man looks amiably at the young boy as he advice;

"Today you now a year older," he said as he sighs quietly.

The young boy lightly nodded his head, the man continued

"You got to know you now stand at the cusp of a transformative period in your life. it is a time when seeds are sown, and choices you make would shape your future". The man paused as he looks at the boy sitting. who was paying attention attentively

"You ought to know, life have been quiet fun, before now, but that's not for long. Its serious out there, and you have to prepare. You have to take life more seriously, now you have to cultivate discipline, set goals and hone your skills. You have to take your studies more serious, explore your passions with dedication and surround yourself with likeminded friends who would inspire and challenge you. And most importantly trust in God and enjoy the process, because it would be a long challenge, tiring, fills with lots of ups and down"" He paused again, looking at the young man sitting in front of him, as he quietly digests this. he continued

"Don't bring shame to this household". The man added harshly which changes the original serene mood of the room as he stared intently at the young boy, then he continued.

"I won't bring shame to this family" the boy lightly added.

"You still have some couple of months, before college. You still have to use it wisely, learn a skill or do something; you can't just sit at home all day." The man said

"Okay, Dad, I would surely make use of my time well, Thanks dad. I promise I won't let you down," the young boy said calmly, as his father granted him permission to depart.

The young boy's name is Adam, the eldest child of the Mansur family, turned 17 today. Having completed his O levels, he is now looking ahead for college. His younger sibling, Mariyah, is four years his junior and still attends school. With Mariyah and parent away at work and Adam being an introvert. he would end up, playing video games or reading novels all day. The Mansur family places great emphasis on advice and disciplinary actions, ensuring that as Adam enters this new phase of his life, he definitely had to be reminded his priority.

….

Adam left the study, as he adjusts his eyes to the light from the bulb, he asked under his breath why would dad insist on reading with candle or lantern, he sighs as he headed to the sitting room to join his mother and sister who were watching a movie. It was a Bollywood series, seeing he had nothing to do with them here and wasn't a type, who enjoy such movie. He said his goodnight and left for his room.

He started to tidy up the room and make his bed, his friends came over today, and it was a mess. He wouldn't want his mum to complain, when he was finally done, he jumped onto his bed, grabbed his phone, logged into his WhatsApp, and started chatting with his best friend Yusuf.

Yusuf: How did your talk with your dad go? Did he promise to buy you the bicycle you've always wanted?

Adam: It was cool. At least he wasn't strict today. I wasn't able to convince him, though. He mentioned things like bad driving and dangerous roads that could cause accidents.

Yusuf: I told you it would be hard to convince him. So, what did you end up doing today?

Adam: Nothing much, just downloaded a new novel to try out. I hope it won't disappoint. My dad advised me to learn a skill. Do you have any suggestions? I'm not interested in the usual basic skills, at the least.

Yusuf: Well, it sounds good. At least you'll have something productive to do. But I'm not planning to start any new skill myself, so I can't really suggest anything specific.

Adam: I have no idea on what to learn .And Tailoring, barbering, shoemaking, and fashion are not my interests. Carpentry is definitely not for me either. None of these skills align with my taste.

Yusuf: That's just you. Well, you can also forget about it and just go out and have fun if you are not to stay at home. He probably won't mind if you're not doing anything.

Adam: Nope, if only wishes were horses. I don't really have any place in mind, and if I don't come up with a skill, he'll force me into something else. It's more like a command than advice. I can't escape it.

Yusuf: Then you really need to think hard about it. As for me, I don't have to worry about that. I'll have my fun. You know, you can also get yourself a girlfriend. Life won't be so boring.

Adam: Let me be, till tomorrow. I still have some chapters to read, and I need to sleep earlier because of chores in the morning.

Yusuf: Goodnight, bro. You chose a novel over your bro.

Adam: Haha, that's just how it is. You chose Jasmine over me too.

Adam logged out and opened his Wattpad app, where he read his novel for about an hour. Later, Mariyah knocked on his door, bidding him goodnight. Seeing that it was already 11 PM, he decided to plug in his phone and go to sleep.

Adam reflected, "Everything is just the same. I'll live my life as it goes."