Sitting, legs crossed, eyes closed and head hung low, I nap contently. The black chair I’m sitting in is so comfortable that I’ve managed to fall asleep just seconds after sitting down. That may just be because I’m tired, though. The bright, cheerful sun greets me with a smile. The night before I’d finally finished unpacking; it was a stressful night. Moving to a new school, a new place, a new city--how could I not be anxious? The unpacking itself wasn’t that much work, really, but I fatigue easily, and last night was more emotionally trying than it was physically. I suppose it’s inevitable that I fall asleep early--I tend to take naps around this time anyway.

I curl up into a ball on the soft, cloud-like seat, bringing my knees closer to my chest than I’d like them to be, but I’m already half-asleep. I lay there peacefully for a few minutes or a few hours, (it’s hard to tell, honestly), completely sound of mind and body. Sleep is a time where no one expects anything of me, and I can escape my thoughts and feelings. Sure, they may form into dreams, but more often than not they’re pleasant ones. As I lay there, seconds from drifting into calm slumber, an obnoxious beeping tone causes me to jolt awake. I groan audibly, rubbing my eyes viciously while uncurling my legs. I slump down in the chair, with my feet resting lazily on the light gray carpet.

A clear screen materializes, directly centered on my face, making minute adjustments as I move my head. The screen displays a picture of a young teenager with sandy-blonde hair making a peace sign with their fingers. They’re winking playfully, sticking their tongue out in a manner of jest known as Sonny. The icon pulses to the beat of the ringtone, playing unwelcomely, forcing me to answer the call. Not that I have anything against Sonny, but why would she be calling at this hour, whatever hour this is? (I know the screen displays the time, but I don’t bother to check in an absence of energy.)
“Hello?? Is this Maya??!” a high-pitched voice yells, echoing the question around the room. She goes in closer to her side of the screen, giving me a personal view of her mouth. “Yes, it is. What do you want, Sonny?” I reply, displeased with the fact that I’d been woken up earlier than I’d anticipated. Sonny doesn’t hesitate even a millisecond before reacting.

“Have you been SLEEPING all this time?? We were supposed to meet today!!!” That’s right, I was supposed to see her today. I knew there was something I’d been forgetting. “Well, s***. Sorry, Sonny. I totally forgot about that…” I apologize, knowing fully well she’ll forgive me in a heartbeat. Sonny just smiles, shaking her head before her reply, “It’s okay! Just hurry up and change!! You can’t go for a walk in your pajamas, silly!” she giggles. I look down, realizing she’s right about the pajamas. I don’t think the whole city needs to see my puppy pants. “Err… I’ll do that,” I promise. Sonny nods before hanging up, giving a general “see you soon” and a wave. I slip down the chair, closing in on the floor. I don’t want to get up... I’d much rather just lay there forever. But I suppose I should go since I have someone waiting for me.

I sluggishly creep up, trying to get a hold on the leg of the bed next to me. Once I’m nearly standing, I lean against the bed, hesitating to move again. “Can’t I just stay home? It’d be so much easier,” I think, considering not even moving from this spot. Another voice in my head suggests otherwise, releasing another groan; a low grumble crawling out of my throat, dragging its weak, slithering body out of the pit of despair.
I recall the holographic computer I’d used minutes earlier; the home menu streams in from the side, and I tap the icon for appearance. I scroll past hundreds of different shirts, pants, sweaters, and any other form of clothing possible. I grow tired of looking through the vast database, and instead search outfits I’ve preconstructed. I select a simple outfit; the top is a light blue collared shirt, tucked into navy blue button-up shorts. A weaved white sweater lays over my shoulders, reaching far past the length of the short-shorts and nears my knees. My legs are otherwise covered by white thigh highs, with a single black stripe at the top. The shoes are high tops, but folded over, strung together by tight black shoelaces. I click the icon for the outfit, creating a bright cocoon of light surrounding me. In a flash and the blink of an eye, my baggy, comfortable puppy pajamas are gone, replaced by clothes much more suitable for public viewing. I sigh discontentedly, but I fake a smile in the hope of not upsetting Sonny.

As I exit my dorm room, I notice someone out in the hallway: Sonny. She’s wearing a white and blue striped shirt, with light blue overalls. The bottom half of the overalls are shorts, only reaching about halfway down her thighs. Her feet are protected by black converse with light-yellow socks folded over the top. The general feeling of the outfit is cheery and bright, perfectly mirroring her personality.
Sonny waves to me from the entrance door a few feet away. I smile at her, trying to hide my reluctance to leave. She doesn’t seem to notice, and my nerves ease a little. “You ready?” she asks, already knowing the answer. I nod, and she giggles.

“Good, then let’s go! We’re meeting Rio over by our dorm room,” Sonny explains.

“Wait, why didn’t they just come with you? You guys do share a dorm, right?” I recall, finding the lack of Rio confusing. Sonny’s mood drops and her eyes fix on her feet as we walk.

“I wasn’t at the dorm. I stay at my parents’ house on the weekends, since it’s too far from the school normally,” she sighs, looking down at the floor.

I only know so much about her parents, despite talking to her for years online. She never gave me any specific details, only small things like “my dad was mean today,” or “they wouldn’t let me go to this event.” Nothing but vague clues about what was going on. I suppose Rio was the one she told these things to. They talk every day--it’d have to come up at some point. I don’t ask her about it, thinking she’d tell me when she was ready. Pushing it probably wouldn’t do any good, anyway.

We continue down the elevator, heading into the first-floor lobby. I’d only vaguely recollected passing the lobby up to my dorm the night before, and it’s far fancier than I’d remembered. The walls are a sleek, shining white with a blue horizontal stripe through the center. The carpeting is a darker gray, a few shades darker than the carpet in my room. Smooth black loveseats line the walls, with one coffee table for every two chairs. I don’t see a light source besides the large floor-to-ceiling windows at the front of the lobby, but I notice a small indent lining the bottom and top of the walls. Inside is a strip of light, dimmed as the daylight provides suitable brightness. There is no doorman or desk, simply an automatic door. I’d assume it has a built-in scanner, checking our account information as we entered or exited. Everything in the room is smooth and shiny, definitely the epitome of futuristic tech.
Predicting the future is impossible, yet humans back in the early 2000’s must’ve looked far ahead and somehow guessed how it would be hundreds of years later. They definitely got it right for the most part. Almost everything these days is automatic, running through a government-sanctioned system, and it certainly looks a lot like they thought it would. Back home--Earth--doesn’t have all these high-tech upgrades. At least not the city I lived in, anyway.

The door opens with a whoosh of air, and Sonny grabs my hand, pulling us both through the agape doorway. I laugh half-heartedly, and she looks back at me, grinning widely. Her smile is like the sun, I think. It lights up a room far better than the slim strips of light do. It spreads a feeling of safety and warmth that I doubt I could ever convey. Yet for once I feel happy, even if it’s only for a solitary moment. Moving to the dome may be better than I’d initially thought. At least I have Sonny, right?

We finally approach the door of the block D dorms. It looks exactly the same as block A--where my dorm is. Once again the small, full-of-energy teen rushes ahead, dragging me behind. I suppose I don’t mind it, even if my arm feels like it’s going to break off.

Entering the halls of block D, we scan the rooms looking for Sonny and Rio’s room. I don’t see anything, but Sonny bursts with excitement and races off down the right hallway. I chuckle, just happy I have someone with me. Sonny specifically, however, is a bonus.

A door opens with a light gush of air, and a tall dark-skinned figure steps out in front of us. The first thing I notice is their slim, perfectly-constructed face. Cheekbones high and expertly placed, with a large, softly curved nose and thin, slanted emerald-green eyes. Their hair is a shiny black, tied in a high ponytail, with clean-cut bangs hanging down on the front of their face. They smile at us, turning their gaze over to Sonny.

“Hey, Sonny. Took you long enough,“ they laugh, their voice smooth as caramel and just as enticing, standing with one arm and leg bent to the side. Their outfit is much simpler than mine, consisted of a red varsity jacket over a white cropped turtleneck, a good amount of stomach showing before matching red-and-black-striped athletic shorts cover their thick, curvy thighs. Their legs are long and chiseled, covered in bandages and bruises. Their thick calves seep into large, slender feet, coated with folded fabric high tops, similar to mine, but instead matching their own outfit. I stare at them for what seems to be far too long. When I get back up to their eyes, they’re glaring right at me; confusion littered in their beautiful, rich jade spheres. I flinch and shake my head, waking myself up and causing Sonny to fix her gaze on me as well.

“Are you alright?” Rio inquires, their voice riddled with a calm worry--the kind for someone you’ve just met. I blink cluelessly, trying desperately not give Rio a bad first impression. The usual anxiety to be liked turns up five notches with this mysterious, beautiful person, and I have absolutely no idea why. Sonny grabs me from behind with a gauging, anxious laugh, distracting Rio from my obvious lack of control. “This is Maya! You remember her, right?” she asks, shaking me slightly as she speaks. Rio calmly returns their gaze to me, scanning me intently. I feel a drop of sweat drip down my forehead as they inspect me, my fists clenching and my shoulders tightening against my torso.

Rio looks me in the eyes and replies, “Yeah, she looks just like her picture,” they smile, reaching out to grab my hand, “Hi, I’m Rio, nice to meet you.” They greet me with a shake; a soft, warm hand holding mine, and I find myself lost in the emerald sea of their eyes, forgetting to let go. I gasp lightly, and Rio looks at me, slightly confused. I quickly slip out of their grip, ruffling my hair with the other hand.

“I’m Maya Koralo!” I try my best to sound excited, but it comes out more garbled and stuttered than I’d imagined in my head. Rio just laughs softly, and Sonny jumps between us. “Ooookay! Let’s go, guys!” Her sudden movement breaks the spell Rio cast on me. I shake my head again, then smile at my acquaintances. “Yeah, let’s get going!” This time, my words are cleaner, and I giggle to really sell it. Rio grins in relief, and Sonny grabs us both, pulling us towards the bright world outside.

We leave the entrapment of the school grounds, unsure of where exactly to go but still holding a vague idea. I recall a flyer I’d read just before leaving Earth. It seemed useless at the time, but now I’m glad I’d read it. “Port Crescent Station: a beautiful, brand-new city built on the moon! A strong glass dome covers the city, keeping in the oxygen needed for breathing. This dome gives the impression of a real sky, tricking your eyes with different angles and illusions to really sell it,” It goes on the explain how the dome works and the city’s power source, but that isn’t what I was trying to remember. “The city has five districts-- Residence, Commercial, Nature, Scientific, and the School Grounds. There are many places to go in Port Crescent Station, including the release of a virtual reality MMO at the Game Corner, sponsored by the NOVA Corporation. Stop by our headquarters in the Commercial district for more information!” Virtual reality--seems like a good idea, so I ask Sonny and Rio about it. We agree that it sounds like an exciting plan, and a fine way to start off my first day.

After a short while of traversing the streets of Port Crescent Station, Sonny suddenly gets a seemingly random burst of energy. “Whoa, are those…?!” she yells, pointing to a something across the street, barely visible through the thrush of trees lining the park. “What…?” I mumble, unable to recognize what’s she trying to point out to us. Rio taps my shoulder, catching my attention. “Look, there’s a patch of sunflowers over there.” I turn towards the direction Sonny had pointed, and I manage to make out a large group of them.

“Why don’t we check it out?” they suggest. Their smile is enough to make me melt inside, and I find myself pulling on my sweater sleeve, luckily without the other two noticing. “I really need to get back in control, this is getting out of hand,” I remind myself. Something about Rio makes me freeze up, even with the adorable Sonny warming me with her cheeriness. I ignore the feeling and mirror the small blonde in a largely wild gesture by grabbing both Rio and Sonny’s hands, heading for the flowers.

As we approach the crowd of bright yellow flowers, Sonny, beaming with admiration, dashes past Rio and I. She grabs the underside of one of the sunflowers, pulling it in closer to her face. She breathes in deeply, taking in the sweet aroma of the plants and sighing. Turning towards us, the flower still in her hands, she remarks, “Sunflowers are beautiful, don’t you think?” I smile, replying with conviction, “Definitely.” Rio chimes in, adding, “Of course they are. They’re bright and happy, like you.” I look at Rio, finding their words comforting and true. These flowers really did remind me of Sonny, in every single way imaginable. Sonny is a walking sunflower, opening her petals and letting herself shine to others. She takes the sunflower off its stem and pins it onto the side of her hair. It fits right in with the rest of her outfit. Sonny then reaches in and hugs us, and we hug her back. They’re so warm… and it makes me feel safe. Why have I never felt this way before? Or… why can’t I remember it?

The rest of our day, despite sweating it out playing a physically-stimulating online game, is relaxing. I feel at home with these two even though I’ve only just met them. They give me a feeling of security and acceptance that I’ve never really known. But as the station slows into a dim lighting, a reproduced sunset glows on the sky of the dome; reds, oranges, pinks and blues mixing together in a big melting pot of color.

“Do you want to head home?” I inquire, noticing Sonny yawning and rubbing her eyes. Rio doesn’t look completely awake, either, so it feels best to return. Sonny, frowning like a child, tries to make herself appear awake.
“No! I don’t want to… to go… yet…” she trails off, slipping into another yawn. “Sonny, don’t even try. We’re going home,” Rio states, determined to get both of us back despite their own drowsiness. Sonny doesn’t have enough energy to argue, leaving her in the arms of Rio and I.

We carry her a fair distance to the train station, hoping to get home before it becomes dark. The train is packed tightly, hundreds of various people on their Personal Holographic Mediary Devices, (or PHMD for lack of a simpler name), chatting away about board meetings or how college is going so far. A certain complaint gets Sonny’s groggy attention.
“I can’t believe they keep butting into my business! They always want to know exactly what I’m doing, when I’m doing it, with who, and where. Why do parents have to be so nosy, Erica?!” a young girl, no older than Rio, Sonny, or myself, laments in a tone none other than disgust. Her voice is sharp and filled with anger. It’s quite obvious to everyone on the train that she despises her parents’ actions. At the mention of parents, Sonny perks up in her seat, previously leaning against me contently. The sunflower pinned in her hair rustles from the unexpected movement.

“Sonny?” I blink, perplexed as to why she’d suddenly bolt up after being half asleep. She squints, staring at nothing but obviously thinking about something. Rio, fast asleep on my shoulder, snores noisily, reminding me not to move. They’re pretty cute when they’re asleep, even if they are snoring louder than the majority of chatting passengers. I look at them, their head resting on my side; smooth, black hair flowing down their torso after they’d taken their hair tie out. They just look so cute and peaceful and content and I can’t stop staring and smiling and--

--Sonny. I’d been so distracted by a sleeping Rio that I forgot about her. “Some friend I am,” I criticize myself mentally. Sonny’s facing down, looking at her still feet on the floor of the train. Tears are welling up in her eyes, and she sniffs, wipes her nose, and whimpers.

“How can they talk about their parents like that?” Sonny's voice quivers, choking on the words. “How could they have so much hate for parents that are just worried about them? Parents that care about their kids?” she mumbles, her voice cracking and rising in volume as it goes on. “Sonny....” I whisper, cautiously reaching my arm out to her.

“Maya... my parents don’t accept me. I’m just a disappointment to them,” she pauses, her voice trembling viciously. “Especially my dad. He disapproves of me in so many ways that I doubt there is a part of me does accept.” By the end of the sentence, she’s sobbing, barely able to release the words from the thick web of her throat. I’m speechless, unable to utter any words of encourage or comfort due to my own lack of a supporting family. A petal from the sunflower she grabbed earlier flutters to the floor of the subway.

“He’s so caught up in family traditions and religious beliefs that he just looks past me. I’m not as important as those things to him. I’m just a small smudge on the window that he wants to wipe off,” she croaks. The words are heavy with affliction, fresh from the mind and uttered to no soul. I open my mouth to say something, but I have nothing to tell her. I have no experience with this sort of thing--with family.

“Sometimes I feel like so much of a burden that I doubt they even want me at all. I’m just a hinderance that they have no choice but to keep caring for. I don’t know if they actually love me anymore. I don’t even know if they ever did! Maybe they’d be better off with just my brother,” she continues. I recall a picture of her brother, Luca, that she’d shown me in our chats online. He looked exactly like her, despite having dyed orange hair and being slightly shorter. Sonny has always implied to love her brother, but in this moment it almost seems like she’s jealous of him.  I can’t imagine how she feels.

Relying on the power of friendship and affectionate contact, I lean over to hug her. She looks up at me with a miserable smile drawled across her face. Tears linger at the edge of her eye, desperate to fall, but Sonny holds them back. She stays silent, leaning in against me, holding me tight. I feel another set of arms wrap around Sonny and me, both of us surprised to find Rio awake.

“We’re your family,” Rio whispers with a voice like silk, releasing Sonny’s tension. She starts to sob much louder than before, but I can tell they aren’t all tears of sorrow. I’m shocked to hear Rio say that--not because I doubt their love of Sonny- but because they think highly of me so soon. Am I really that trustworthy that someone like Rio could have such faith in me after only meeting me today? Or are they just a person who’s quick to trust others? Grasping their nature is almost as difficult as it is for me to trust others. I’m left confused, but still a lingering warmth resides in my mind as we lay there. Other passengers stare with curiosity as well as judgment, but we don’t care. We don’t care at all. In other normal situations I’d definitely feel embarrassed--anxious, even--but Rio and Sonny give me a strength I’ve never really felt before. Not one I can remember, anyway. I can’t remember trusting someone this much.

I lean over to pick up the fallen flower petal, staring at it lay in my palm without a care in the world. I clench my fist slowly, smiling with a feeling of security. Soft, smooth tears roll down my cheek, creeping between the gaps in my fingers, leaving small dark spots on the bright yellow petal. I close my eyes, letting myself relax with the two still holding me.

“That’s right, Sonny. We’re your family, and nothing can change that.”