She draws my attention again and I understand. She is dangerous.

  It's hard to tell where her influence ends and mine begins. As always though, it's part of the charm.

  She starts walking toward the exit of the space. I follow her.

  She looks back at me for a moment and smirks. The charm is working.

  I retract my power. I don't have the stamina to use it all the time, and I've already surrendered myself to her.

  I sigh.

  I'm free, that is why I am lost. Never thought I'd understand Kafka as I do now.

  We navigate the weary hallways without sharing many words. Then Maya repeats the same sequence of actions and splits another wall.

  We enter the opening to find my skycar centered in a room that can house only itself. The room follows the same aesthetics as the hallway.

  Maya stands still as I enter the vehicle and enable the necessary modes.

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  She enters the car after I ask her to.

  She has this strange habit of staring voraciously at me, especially at my eyes.

  "What?" Some agitation leaks through me.

  She just shrugs, confusion laced across her face.

  "Hmmm?"

  Lost cause. I digress.

  "Honey," I say warmly.

  "Yes love?" She reciprocates.

  She looks away.

  At the same time, the ground below the vehicle shifts. The skycar allows faint vibrations to reach us.

  "How long have you been working under her?"

  "Let's see… how long have I been working under her?"

  She pauses for a moment to think, or lie.

  "A year."

  "That long?"

  "That long," she asserts.

  "You did not get tested since?"

  "My work is sensitive."

  "So, why now?"

  "Especially because my work is sensitive."

  "Ever so mysterious."

  The morning sky comes into view. The Sun has not fully established its presence yet. Faint hues of yellow and orange stretch across a canvas of blue.

  We sit in silence for the rest of the car ride, going through a normal channel. The silence is comfortable rather than awkward.

  Two of my objectives have been completed: celebration and getting a license. Getting more used to my power has been a problem. I haven't had access to a controlled environment to truly understand it.

  Arriving at the location pulls me out of my thoughts.

  While approaching the classroom complex, Maya asks me dully, "You free this weekend?"

  I reply, "Not sure."

  She suddenly wraps her hands around me and exclaims, "Yayyy, it's a date then."

  Then she pecks me on the lips and leaves abruptly while I stand there confused.

  To add to that, I feel many eyes on me. This development is going to spread like wildfire.

  It's an interesting thought.

  Was she marking her territory?