The Tides That Bind Us [AfroFuturism]

Like I GAF

"I can't believe you ate that whole goat pepper." Pharah bumped shoulders with Zaharah as they left the Biodome. The clock had struck two, which meant Chore Day was over. Residents were filing out the building and saying their goodbyes before disappearing down the pathways.

Zaharah walked around the building with Pharah and Roddi to the patch of cocoplum bushes where they'd parked the buggy after lunch.

"Are you okay?" Pharah asked with a small smile.

Zaharah shrugged. A lingering tingle still sat in the back of her throat, but the churning in her stomach had stopped. Roddi's stupid cat had bet her a hundred sand dollars she couldn't stomach one.

"Your weak human body would crumple," Shala had said.

Jokes on him. Zaharah had choked back way more intense shit than a goat pepper. A stupid skill, Jade had called it, but joke's on her too. Her pockets weren't a hundred dollars fatter.

"I'm fine for now," Zaharah said. "Can't speak for a couple hours from no though." With great power came horrible indigestion. She should stop for some scented candles at Whiley's before she went home.

"Well met human," Shala said, narrowing his eyes at her. "I underestimated you. You've earned my respect."

"Thanks?" Respect from a mechpet wasn't her most shining achievement, but she'd take it.

Pharah tossed her bag on the seat of her buggy. "You live in Southside right? I can give you a ride home if you want."

"Nah. I'm riding over to the lab before. It's not far from here." Zaharah set her board down, holding it with her foot so it wouldn't roll away.

"Ah." She bit her lip and looked away, sticking her hands in the pockets of her skirt. "Could I... maybe text you sometime?"

Oh, be still my beating heart. Pharahdox the DJ with leagues of screaming fans was being coy with her. Zaharah arched a brow. "You'll have to, if you still want me to help with your logo. You can send me some ideas and inspiration tomorrow."

"Right. I'll do that. Tomorrow." She slid in the driver's seat. "Uh. Take care. Say hello to Jade for me."

"Sure." Zaharah waved them off and ollied her long board down the ramp. The west path took her in the direction of the lab, and she glanced over her shoulder in time to catch Pharah's buggy disappearing around the Biodome.

"What do you think Skorpi? Is she into me?"

Skorpi answered with a few disjointed beeps, barely heard over the whir of her wheels on the pavement.

"Yeah, you're right. She was just being nice. I mean... She was nice to Jade last night, gave her that wooden crown thing, and she's probably like that with all her fans. Yeah... I'm reading into this way too much." She exhaled a sigh, her breath hot with embarrassment. At least she'd kept her comments light and fun didn't push too hard, but it would be safer to keep their interactions more professional.

Otherwise Jade would throw monkey tamarind in her bed, and she'd be itching for days.

Zaharah made it halfway up the ramp to the lab before her board lost momentum. She kicked it up to her waiting hand and walked the rest of the way. Buggies took up the small parking lot and even the path leading up to the door.

A full building meant the situation was even more serious than she thought. On a normal day, only a few members of Dwight's tech development team were needed at a time. They shared this building with Aquacell, Denden's cell service provider, who used most of the upstairs space.