Chapter 9: A Day of New Paths and Unexpected Surprises

The morning arrived slowly. Rays of sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting faint golden patterns onto the walls. I lay in bed, her eyes open but unfocused, staring blankly at the ceiling. The events of the past few days whirled in her mind—the conversations with Ava, the late-night discussions with her family, the overwhelming amount of information I had gathered about studying abroad. Yet, despite all the progress, I felt an unfamiliar weight settle over her.

What now?

The thought clung to me, stubborn and unyielding. There was excitement in moving forward, but also uncertainty. I had so much research, so many details—but was it enough? How would I present everything to her parents in a way that didn't just inform them but truly reassured them? Should I start drafting the final proposal today? Should I reach out to mentors or university representatives? Or should I just take a break and let everything settle first?

My mind was stuck in a loop, trapped between action and hesitation, between determination and a gnawing feeling of doubt. The ceiling above offered no answers, but I continued staring, lost in my own spiral of thoughts.

Suddenly, I felt hands shake her shoulders, jolting her out of her daze.

"Meher! Earth to Meher! I have been knocking on this door for centuries! You wouldn't have heard me if I used a megaphone, would you?"

I flinched, sucking in a sharp breath as she whipped her head to the side to find her brother, Ilyas, standing beside her bed with an exaggerated frown.

"Are you insane? You scared the life out of me! And for the record, you're supposed to knock before entering someone's room, not just barge in like some chaos gremlin!"

Ilyas crossed his arms, his expression set into mock indignation.

"Oh, please. Even if I knocked, sent an email, AND telepathically messaged you, you'd still be lying here staring at the ceiling like it holds the meaning of life."

I narrowed my eyes before rolling them. He's not wrong, she thought, before breaking into a fit of laughter.

I accepted, "Alright, alright, maybe I was a little lost in thought. But that doesn't excuse your dramatic entrance!"

Ilyas grinned, pleased that his antics had worked to shake her from her trance.

"Well, now that you've rejoined us mortals, I need your help."

I sat up and stretched her arms above her head before eyeing him curiously.

"Help with what?"

Ilyas plopped down onto the edge of her bed and sighed.

"I have this upcoming college semester project. You know, I'm majoring in Game Designing and AI, and I need to come up with something brilliant. A concept that's fresh but also grounded in smart mechanics. And since you're, well, *you*, I figured you'd be the best person to brainstorm with."

I tilted her head in thought.

"So basically, you want me to dig through layers of research with you and make sure your project is award-winning material?"

Ilyas shot her finger guns.

"Exactly."

Meher snorted before shaking her head.

"Fine, fine. I love a challenge. Let's head to the city library. We can go through research papers, study existing designs, and figure out how to innovate something new. But be warned—I'm thorough."

Ilyas smirked.

"That's exactly why I asked you."

Just as they were about to leave, their youngest brother, Darius, popped his head into the room with wide eyes and a grin.

"Where are you guys going?"

I sighed. Darius. Always arriving with boundless energy.

"Library. Helping Ilyas with his project."

Darius perked up instantly.

"Library? Ohh, I want to come too! I need a new book anyway!"

Ilyas groaned but Meher chuckled.

"Why do you always invite yourself to things?"

Darius replied pulling his best puppy dog look, "Because I'm adorable and you love me?"

I rolled her eyes before throwing an arm over his shoulders.

"Fine, you can come along. But if you start running through the aisles pulling random books off shelves, I will personally make you put them all back."

Darius saluted playfully.

"Yes, ma'am!"

With their lively sibling banter setting the tone for the outing, they made their way to the city library, their chatter filling the streets as they walked.

The moment they stepped into the grand city library, I inhaled deeply, taking in the familiar scent of old books and polished wood. There was a quiet hum of hushed conversations, the soft sound of pages turning, and the occasional tap-tap of fingers against laptop keyboards.

"Alright, team, here's the plan—Ilyas, you focus on researching existing game mechanics. Darius, find your book and try not to get lost. I'll scout for more advanced AI integration research and innovation strategies for your project."

Ilyas and Darius nodded in agreement before heading off.

As I made her way toward the librarian's desk to inquire about resources, her eyes landed on a stack of flyers neatly arranged beside a pile of returned books. Curiously, she picked up one and scanned the bold letters:

STUDY ABROAD MEETUPS

- Webinars on foreign university admissions

- One-on-one interaction sessions with global program representatives

- Tips on scholarships and financial aid

My heart skipped a beat. I quickly gathered a few copies of each flyer and tucked them into her notebook. This could be invaluable information, I thought, feeling a surge of motivation.

After gathering all the necessary documents, the siblings decided to visit a few private libraries for additional resources.

"Before we finalize my project, we need real-world inspiration. Let's analyze different themes, mechanics, and storytelling techniques from various game genres."

"Agreed. If we research thoroughly, we can design a concept that stands out while remaining logically sound."

"Also, I found a really interesting book! It's about fantasy lore and mythical world-building! Do you think that could help?"

"Hmm… actually, that's not a bad idea. A game built on complex lore can add depth. Let's integrate some of these concepts."

After hours of research and gathering materials, they left the library with their notebooks full, arms weighed down with books, and minds buzzing with ideas.

As they walked back home, their conversations shifted to lunch.

Darius the hungry ghost of our sibling troop said, "I hope Mom's made something delicious. All this reading made me hungry."

I giggled, "Same. And we've earned it—this was one productive trip."

But when they entered the house, they were met with an unexpected surprise.

Standing in the living room, waiting there was a chaotic scene, something none of them had expected to see today.

I asked my eyes widening in disbelief, "Wait… what is going on here?"

The day had started as a mission for research, but it seemed something unexpected has happened

And just like that, a new set of drama unfolded.