Skye is the Limit by Phenomenal Pen (best time to read books txt) 📕

When wearing her personal assistant hat, Athena would use cues such as her name to activate. She had also learned to tell, when some Omni Systems employees spoke to themselves, when she was needed and when they were just “thinking out loud”. In fact, she was more than capable of reading context, timing, pauses and other verbal cues; everything that a human converser needed except eye movements because she didn’t have a physical form for people to focus on.

“Subject # 5: Jayla… What role did you have in mind for her?”

<Subject # 5: Jayla Griffiths a.k.a. Jayla a.k.a. Fra-Jayla. She is intended to play the role of younger sister. Disarmament. Figurative speech, naturally.>

****

 “Look, guys,” Luiz was saying, “I know how you feel. You’re both independent players, lone wolves in your own domains. I respect that, I truly do. And I just wanna tell you right off that it’s all right. You can do your own thing and you can do your own thing.

“I know you’re both afraid because we all are. And that’s fine too. So go ahead and doubt or trash talk each other as much as you want. But you gotta promise us that once you’re done, once you’ve gotten it all out your system, you’ll shake on it. Because we need you. Both of you. Chul-Moo with your gaming skills. Zacharie with your traversing skills. We can’t do this without you, guys. Please?”

No response from either of the two.

“Just think of Jayla,” Ayodele pressed, referring to the silent fifth member who was sitting on her wheelchair and gazing at them with a poker face. “She’s probably disappointed at us right now. We’re not exactly acting like grownups.”    

<She is not a child,> Zacharie said. <She is twenty-two.>   

“How do you know?” Ayodele said. “How do you know how she feels? Although people on the spectrum have intellectual ages that are far advanced, they have a reduced emotional age, typically two-thirds of the chronological age.” 

Zacharie looked at Jayla and then back at the others. He had the expression of someone cornered. Chul-Moo was slouched on his seat with his chin on his chest, the fringe of his razor cut hairstyle hanging over his left eye. His long hair was black with blonde streaks.      

“It seems we got off on the wrong foot,” Luiz said, testing the waters, “so let’s start over. Just forget everything that’s been said, all right? Here. I’ll go first.”

Luiz stood up and in his vintage Adidas tracksuit, he towered. But it was not so much his height of 5 feet 7 inches, which was second only to Zacharie’s (a couple of inches higher), it was his presence that dominated the room. His magnetic personality. He had an olive skin tone, dark wavy hair and amber eyes.   

“Hi guys. I’m Luiz Costa e Silva. Just call me Lu.”

Ayodele couldn’t help but smile at the thought of introducing themselves to one another. Although she did a lot of that in university, it also reminded her of support groups. The fact that the meeting room had no table heightened the impression. Chul-Moo tittered and Zacharie groaned.    

 “I took up Sports Medicine in university and now I’m a fitness motivator and I also coach a youth soccer team in my city Sao Paolo. Both my parents were school teachers so I also have the passion to teach. But make it physical education for me.  

“In my free time, I like to dance the sertanejo and do extreme sports. I’ve tried BASE jumping, bodyboarding, sandboarding…”

Ayodele finally giggled out loud and started a rapid but noiseless clap.

“… whitewater canoeing, motocross, skateboarding…”

It sounded as though Lu was mentally ticking off sports on a bucket list.

“… hang-gliding, rock climbing, um… yeah, I guess that’s about it.”

He flashed a boyish grin.

Chul-Moo gave him a slow clap and shouted: <Yeah, man! I like surfing myself.>

“Good for you,” Lu said.

<Yeah, web surfing.>

Ayodele laughed and Zacharie sniggered.

 <Seriously though,> Chul-Moo straightened from his slouch and placed the soles of his immaculate basketball sneakers flat on the floor, <I think we should make Lu our team leader. Shall we put it to the vote?>

The pro gamer raised his hand and said: <He’s got my vote> before turning to the others.

Ayodele hesitantly raised her hand.

<Why does he get to be the leader?> Zacharie asked.

<Duh,> Chul-Moo said. <For one, he can speak fluent English unlike us, who cannot communicate without insta-translation.>

<Speak for yourself,> Zacharie replied. <I can speak English as well as him. I just choose not to.>

<Why not?> Chul-Moo challenged.

<I have my reasons.>

<I am sure you do,> Chul-Moo said flatly. <In my country, young people respect their elders. Lu is the oldest of us. That makes him leader.>