A time in Sydney

Chapter 1

Upon disembarking the plane, I was caught off guard by a sudden downpour. If the plane had slowed down a bit, I can't imagine how chaotic it would have been in the air.

This is just how aviation works; as long as the plane doesn't crash, everything's fine up in the sky.

Sofia Pais collected her two large suitcases from the baggage carousel, maneuvered through the green corridor, purchased a temporary phone card worth twenty dollars at the card counter, and dialed a number from her chat log.

The man she had known in the game for three years and had been her best teammate for the same duration was of Brazilian descent and currently residing in Sydney. Upon hearing that Sofia was coming to Sydney for university, he offered to pick her up.

The call was promptly answered, and Sofia asked, "Hello, is this Gabriel?"

"Uh, you're here?" responded the deep, mellow voice on the other end, reaching Sofia's ears.

"Yeah, I'm in the lobby. I'll probably be in the parking lot in about a minute," Sofia replied. "I'm wearing a light green trench coat.""Come on over," he said.

This was the first time Sofia had heard his voice. They had only communicated through typing before, and she had expected him to be a teenager, but he sounded like a mature man.

She felt a bit nervous, but she reminded herself that even though they had only met in the game, they had formed a bond through their shared experiences and couldn't be bad people.

Still, she sent a WhatsApp message to her friend in China, asking them to check in on her in half an hour.

The parking lot formed a half-circle, with raindrops the size of beans crackling on the ground and rooftops. The rain created a hazy mist, giving the city a smoky and damp smell of wet dust.Sofia was just about to make another phone call when she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. As she did, she noticed a tall figure approaching through the rain mist. His gray shirt was slightly wet, clinging to his body and highlighting his strong yet lean physique. His features had distinct edges and corners. "Sofia?" he spoke, his voice matching the one on the phone.

"Yeah," Sofia replied.

He effortlessly took hold of Sofia's two large suitcases that were slipping around in her hands. He placed them in a gray car that had pulled up nearby. Opening the passenger door for Sofia, she climbed in while he returned to the driver's seat.

It was August, the Australian winter, and the car had the heat turned on. As they drove away, the windshield wipers swayed from side to side, clearing the raindrops that splattered against the glass. Once the door was closed, it seemed to create a barrier between the outside downpour and the cozy space inside the car.The weather was chilly and sluggish outside, but the car was nice and warm.

He drove in silence, his thin hands skillfully gripping the steering wheel, and the car was devoid of any decorations, giving it a clean appearance.

This man had an indescribable presence that made Sofia feel less inclined to speak up.

Sofia glanced at the Google map on her phone, relieved to see that he was following the route.

He had been laid-back and funny in their online conversations, so Sofia tried her best to recreate that relaxed feeling while chatting with him in person. "I really appreciate you braving this heavy rain to come pick me up," she said.

He simply replied, "No problem."

Chapter 2

I imagined you differently. I pictured you as one of those teenagers with long hair who enjoys wearing a ducktail hat and gliding through the streets on rollerblades." Sofia took out a tissue from her bag and wiped off the water drops from her hair.

"Well, you hit the nail on the head.""Right as the stoplight approached, he tilted his head and glanced at her with penetrating eyes, accentuated by his prominent brow bones. "I used to resemble that," he remarked.

"And what about me? Is this how you pictured me to appear?"

As the light changed, the car resumed its speed on the wet highway. He observed Sofia's reflection in the windshield and commented, "It's even more beautiful than I had anticipated."

Sofia chuckled, "And do you genuinely think I'm a hefty 220 pounds of fat?""I couldn't believe it," he remarked.

In actuality, he appeared just as hesitant to start a conversation in person as he was talkative online. If Sofia remained silent, they drove in silence, with only the sound of rain tapping against the car window.Winter darkness comes early, as the sky slowly dims. Sofia gazes out of the car window, observing the ceaseless flow of vehicles, their flashing lights, and the towering buildings. In her mind, she finds no significant difference compared to her home country.

"I'm Sofia Pais, what's your name?" Sofia inquires.

"Gabriel Borges," he responds.Sofia repeated what she said, and upon hearing it, he paused and gripped the steering wheel before responding with a quiet "Hmm."

It took a little over thirty minutes to reach the dormitory area at Sydney University. By this time, the rain had subsided considerably, so he assisted Sofia in carrying her suitcase. After she took it from him, she expressed her gratitude and asked, "Thanks, will I see you later then?"

He stood in the night, offering a gentle smile and replied, "Until next time."

Just as Sofia was about to turn around and approach the dormitory service desk, she heard him say, "I won't be playing the game anymore."Sofia spun around, taken aback. "What's the reason?"

The game was still thriving, and they had always made a great team.

He didn't offer an explanation, simply dismissing her with a wave before getting into his car, which quickly drove away.

The damp ground shimmered under the streetlights, with one section bright and the other section dark. Cars continued to pass by without fully stopping, while a few students lugged their suitcases towards the front of the service area. Sofia observed the car as it receded into the distance before finally turning her gaze back.After Sofia snapped back to reality, she observed the car driving off. Shortly after, the man parked in front of a bar in Hurstville, stepped out, and casually lit a cigarette as he entered.

Inside the bar, red lights illuminated the scene while a jazz band performed on stage. The patrons appeared disoriented, their glasses trembling as they moved with the rhythm, seemingly under the influence of some psychedelic drug."Hey Miguel, you're back?" A guy with long, curly hair who was casually leaning on the counter gave him a curious look and asked, "So, how's that girl your brother has been seeing?"

Miguel Borges poured himself a glass of wine and replied, "She's doing better than his own artwork."

The man with long, curly hair handed him a white paper bag and said, "This just arrived, it's thirty percent pure. Much better than the low-quality stuff they sell in Vietnam, you know?"

Miguel took the bag, opened it, and took a whiff, asking, "Who sent this shipment?"

Chapter 3

There's this concept known as having a sense of proportion when it comes to dealing with people.

See, everyone has their own personal space, and when you cross that boundary, it shows that you lack an understanding of boundaries.

As Sofia was growing up, she became highly attuned to people's emotions. She senses that Gabriel doesn't desire close interactions with her in real life.

Otherwise, if he were more open to her, being a local, he would have eagerly suggested places to visit in Sydney, recommended good restaurants, and even offered to accompany her next time.If he had wanted to have a deeper conversation, he could have asked her about her major, if she would feel concerned about coming alone, and if there was anything he could assist her with in the future. However, he didn't do any of that.

This indicated that he believed their interaction beyond the game should end with this pickup. Perhaps it was a way for him to ceremoniously exit the game and meet up with his old teammate of three years.

As a result, Sofia decided not to approach him again.

Life itself was too hectic, and the three years of being teammates, witnessing his heart skip a beat as he entered out of the rain, was overshadowed by the long and busy nature of life. It seemed insignificant, like a tiny stone tossed into the ocean that doesn't even cause a splash.It had been a month since she registered, moved into her dorm, attended a freshman meeting, and chatted with new friends on WhatsApp. She had also gotten to know her Singaporean neighbor, figured out her class schedule, and familiarized herself with the campus buildings.

Checking her card balance on her phone, Sofia realized that she needed to find a part-time job. But what kind of job could a young girl who just started college abroad do?

Well, it's mostly serving dishes at restaurants, cleaning floors at hotels, or working as a cashier in supermarkets.

Someone mentioned that after a year of school, if her grades were good enough, she could apply for part-time jobs on campus, like being a teaching assistant or something similar. These jobs were supposedly easy, respectable, well-paying, and definitely better than working as a laborer at a supermarket.However, during the first year, it was not possible to avoid serving dishes.

She carefully browsed through the website, one page at a time, looking for job descriptions. Some positions required working long hours or seemed unreliable. After searching for a while, she finally found a slightly suitable position as a weekend supermarket cashier.

Today, she studied the directions provided above the bus stop. The location, Pyrmont, was conveniently accessible by public transportation, so the commute wouldn't be too difficult.

She dialed the phone number listed and a woman in her forties answered, saying "Hello?"

"Hi, I saw on your website that you are in need of female cashiers, and I would like to apply for the position."Sure," Sofia replied.

"Oh, so you're looking for a job, huh? How old are you? Are you still in school?"

"I'm eighteen and I'm a freshman at Sydney University."

"Alright, then when can you come to the store? Let's meet up," the woman named Linda said. "By the way, what's your name, young lady?"

"I'm Sofia. I have free time tomorrow afternoon, would that work for you?"

"Perfect, I'll be at the store this afternoon, so I'll see you then."

"Okay, see you later."Sofia found it surprisingly simple, as they say getting scammed is the easiest thing when you're abroad. She easily located this supermarket on Google, just as depicted in the film. The shelves were organized, offering a wide variety of products, and it had a four-star rating. The phone number listed matched the one she called.

As she scrolled through the comments, she noticed people praising the boss's wife for her kindness and the discounts offered on weekdays, which made her feel a bit more at ease.

Chapter 4

The following day, she hopped on the bus and once she got off, she observed the neighborhood. The streets were covered in graffiti spray paint, and there weren't as many people as there were near her school. The streets appeared to be a bit more worn down.

However, considering that Sydney University was close to the CBD, it wouldn't be fair to compare other places to it without caution.

She followed the map and within another minute of walking, she arrived at the supermarket. It was easily identifiable by the red sign hanging above it.

As Sofia leaned in, the glass doors opened automatically, allowing her to enter. She made her way to the checkout counter, where an average-looking woman in her forties, wearing a cardigan and pulling her hair back, greeted her with a smile, asking, "Can I assist you?"

"My name is Sofia, and I'm here to apply for a part-time job," Sofia replied.

The woman moved away from the counter, saying, "Well, hello there. I didn't expect such a lovely young girl. Do you have any prior work experience?"

"Not yet, but I am a quick learner," Sofia stated. "If you're willing to guide me, I believe I can handle this job."

"Great."Linda approached Sofia and informed her, "The previous part-time worker who was here on the weekends has returned to her home country. I just found out yesterday, so you're now the next person to join. In a few minutes, someone will update you on the work environment and tasks."

"Alright."

"You'll have to intern for two weekends initially, and then we'll decide if we want to keep you or not. During the internship, you'll be paid thirteen dollars per hour, and if you become an official employee, it will be twenty dollars per hour. You'll work from nine in the morning to six in the evening on weekends, and we'll take care of your meals. Is that a price you're willing to accept?"

Sofia quickly did the calculations in her head and found the offer to be reasonable. She responded, "I accept."

A couple of customers approached the checkout with their baskets, so Linda returned to the register and called out, "Roy, come here for a moment."

As Linda continued with the checkout process, a tall, thin, and well-groomed boy emerged from behind the register. He asked, "What's going on?"

"Linda introduced Sofia, pointing towards her, and said, "This young girl is new. Show her around and help her get acquainted."

The boy extended a friendly hand towards Sofia and introduced himself, "Hi, I'm Roy.""Hey, I'm Sofia," she introduced herself.

He went into detail about the workflow, explaining how to stock the store, operate the cash register, handle unlabeled items, and mentioned that if there weren't enough staff, she would also need to assist with stocking.

Sofia attentively listened and took notes on her phone.

It took about an hour for him to teach her everything, and they exchanged WhatsApp numbers, with him saying, "Feel free to reach out if you have any questions."

"Alright, thank you for today," Sofia expressed her gratitude with a big smile.

Feeling a bit embarrassed by her gaze, Roy scratched his head and responded, "No problem, we'll be working together in the future, so when the time comes, we'll have each other's backs."Linda mentioned that she would be able to attend her induction towards the end of the week. After bidding farewell to Linda, Sofia returned to the bus stop to wait for her bus. As she glanced at the street name, it started to look more and more familiar to her. It felt as if she had come across it before in public tweets and news reports.

Once she boarded the bus, Sofia decided to search for more information and indeed found it. Not too long ago, a gang shootout had taken place on that very street, resulting in a shooting and several fatalities. The incident had occurred not far from a convenience store.

Right at that moment, Roy sent her a message.

"By the way, I forgot to mention earlier, there was a shooting here some time ago, and occasionally people from that area come here to make purchases. So, remember to be polite."

Chapter 5

Sofia felt a bit unsure at this point.

Even though the security in the country is average, when you travel abroad without family and friends, it's important to still be cautious about your own safety.

As she rode the bus, Sofia pondered whether she should continue her part-time job here.

She did some research online and found that the number of average people who die in a shooting in Australia each year is very low, similar to the rarity of airplane crashes. Remembering Linda's soothing voice and Roy's thorough introduction, she ultimately didn't want to give up this part-time job.

Well, don't freak yourself out.Upon returning, she went to the communal coffee machine in the small kitchen of the dormitory hallway to make a cup of coffee. On a whim, she picked some flowers and brought them back to her room.

While sipping her coffee, she wrote out a weekly schedule on a piece of paper based on her course timetable. She then organized her belongings for the following week and stuck the schedule to the wall.

At that moment, she received a video call. Sofia tapped on it and Zona's face appeared on her cellphone screen. Zona was Sofia's hairdresser, and their families had always been close, so the younger children grew up together in the same neighborhood.

"Hey baby, how's it going?" Zona asked.

"Not too bad, but the teacher in my class has an Australian accent, and my previous knowledge of American English doesn't sound very good," Sofia replied.

"It improves over time.Zona asked, "I heard you ran into that teammate of yours from three years ago. Is he good-looking?"

Sofia's thoughts immediately went back to that moment in the car, the cozy and dimly lit space, and his attractive profile. It made her heart tighten.

However, she maintained her composure and replied, "Yes, he's very handsome."

Zona's eyes suddenly became mysterious as he said, "Oh, so you're interested in pursuing something with him?"

Sofia took a sip of her coffee and calmly responded, "It was just a casual meeting, what are you thinking?""You and your dad still haven't reconciled, huh?"

"No." Sofia shrugged, "I suppose I really angered him this time."

Zona let out a deep sigh, "Your dad can be challenging at times, asking if we've been in contact with you, so it's better to make amends."

"No." Sofia firmly declined.

The two continued their conversation casually, and Sofia ended the call after showing Zona the arrangement of her dorm room.Sofia and Gabriel excelled in Redwood, a highly competitive game.

Most of their friends were also playing the game, and whenever Sofia and Gabriel teamed up, they dominated the opposing side effortlessly.

They took turns attacking and providing support, and their understanding was so strong that they could anticipate each other's thoughts without even communicating.

This is why all of Sofia's friends are aware of her incredible teammate.

Sofia clicked on a group chat she had created with friends she had recently met at a party and sent a message.

Sofia: [I work part-time at a grocery store on weekends, so if any of you need anything, feel free to let me know and I can pick it up for you.]Bertha: [Thanks, sweetheart.]

Todd: [Sure.

When you're out on your own, it's always a good idea to make new friends. That way, you can hang out and have a good time during weekdays when you're alone.

Wherever there are people, there will be social groups.

The week went by quickly, even though she could only attend four classes per semester. However, this still gave her the opportunity to explore different school buildings every day.

Every now and then, a boy she encountered would approach her and start a conversation, but she usually turned them down.

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