The sun is scorching that afternoon. Its rays bathed the wilderness of California. In the background is a massive campus surrounded by hundreds of tall and colossal sequoias. Situated at the heart of the university grounds is the contemporary building of SIMTech Academy. The structure is truly an architectural masterpiece. On its façade are humongous glass walls that are integrated with solar panels which collect solar energy to run the whole infrastructure.

A brand-new Ford Mustang moved slowly on the intricate road of the campus and stopped at the administration building. Through the traffic was bad, the girl in the driving seat did not show any sight of impatience. In skimpy tattered shorts and sleeveless shirt, she was quite excited, because this was the first day that she came to SIMTech Academy, her dream school that accepted her application and offered a scholarship.

Annika decided to park her car near a bush on the east wing. As she slowly maneuvered it to her desired area, a bike suddenly cuts her off.

“What the f…k!” shouted Annika. “You almost hit me!”

The guy on the bike didn’t even look at her. It’s as if nothing happened.

He alighted from his bike and gradually removed the helmet from his head. His long blonde hair was blown by the wind, showing his gorgeous face.

John stared at Annika with a sheepish smile.

“Sorry Miss. I guess you were just too slow parking your car.”

This remark made Annika even more furious. Her face blushed and she lunged at John with her fists clenched. Before her fist fell on the pretty face of John, she tumbled and quickly grabbed John’s sleeves to keep balance. Unfortunately, it did not work. Both of them fell down with Annika on top of John.

Embarrassed and stunned, the two stared at each other and did not know what to do.

Annika can smell the leathery scent of John, that manly smell that can get any girl go gaga and go to bed with them, but she can't let her guard down that easily. She is there for one thing and one thing only... to be the best scientist in the world!

John gazed at the green eyes of Annika; He was captivated by the narrow red lips and the brunette hair that touched his face. He can even smell the sweetness of her breath.

The two suddenly realized what transpired and quickly got up, but neither of them dared to look at each other. Seeing this, Anna approached her friend and with all her might pulled her up. Charlie did the same.

“Hi there!”John broke the awkward silence with a soft tone.

“Hello…” answered Annika with a bit of hesitation in her voice.

“Are you new here?” John asked Annika.

“Yes I am. I just passed the scholarship exam and I am here to confirm my enrolment.”

“How about you?” inquired Annika

“I just got here too! Like you I’m also qualified for the scholarship.”

“Really? Does this mean we’re gonna be classmates?,” Anna excitedly said.

“I guess so…” John uttered while shrugging his shoulder.

The two talked while making their way to the Administration Office.

“Good morning Mam!,” Annika and John articulated in unison.

“We’re here to confirm our enrolment for next semester and to submit our credentials.”

The middle-aged lady with spectacles extended her hand to receive the envelopes from John and Annika. She was seated on an antique swivel chair that seems to have been there since the second-world war. Behind her is a rusty file cabinet overflowing with papers.

“Sit there by the benches while I go over your documents,” uttered the lady as she gestured the two to the waiting area.

Unlike the office of the lady, the waiting was modern. On the eastern wall is a flat-screened television showing a video about the school. In a corner was a small cooler that contains bottled spring water.

John and Annika went and grabbed some bottled water from the cooler.

“John Andersen… Annika Rose!” blurted the speaker on the wall.

“Please get your enrolment forms and proceed to the College of Engineering.”

They followed the instructions continued their way to the College building which is located on the northern side of the campus.

Situated on a hill surrounded by large trees, the college is a masterpiece. The structure has glass walls and the roof is lined with solar panels just like the Administration building. Although unlike the Admin, the college has state of the art facilities and equipment.

They reached the main door. John opened it for Annika.

Inside the college, the four got a glimpse of the future. The main corridor has walls with an array of monitors just like the ones you see on science fiction movies. Around the corridor are kiosks where you can inquire where to go and what to do next.

John approached one of the kiosks for information. He inquired where the College Registrar’s Office is.

“Here we go! Room 240,” John said.

The two looked for the nearest staircase so they can go to the second floor; all they saw was an odd looking contraption that seems to be a modernized escalator. Instead of steps that move though all it has is a small kiosk and an arch.

Annika took her turn on the kiosk. She read the instruction on how to use the mechanism. Then he gestured for the three to go near her.

“Stand by that metal plate below that arch,” she remarked.

They stood on the plate and Annika pushed some buttons on the kiosk. In seconds, the arch was flooded with strange looking lights and suddenly in a blink of an eye they disappeared.

Strange as it may seem, they got transported to Room 240 and submitted their enrolment forms. They were told to wait at the nearby lounge as their enrolment was processed by the clerk who talked to them.

After a few minutes, their names were called on the speaker.

John and Annika are now students of SIMTech Academy!