Mira woke up to the sound of his alarm screaming like it hated him personally. He slapped it off, groaning as he sat up.
"Morning already…? Great. Time to socially interact. My favorite."
Syntexa's voice popped into his mind instantly.
[Good morning to you, too, Sunshine. I can feel the enthusiasm radiating off you. Truly inspiring.]
Mira rolled his eyes while grabbing his uniform.
"Yeah, well, some of us actually have to attend school. Unlike certain AIs who just float around."
Syntexa sounded amused.
[I don't float. I rest elegantly in your consciousness. There's a difference.]
"Right, right. Must be exhausting, living in my head rent-free."
[You should be grateful. I bring style, intelligence, and moral support.]
Mira snorted.
"You bring comments. That's what you bring."
[And yet you're still talking to me,] Syntexa shot back. [Now, hurry up. You're spending five minutes staring at your shirt like it's a final boss.]
Mira blinked, realizing he was, in fact, doing exactly that.
"Hey, maybe if I stare long enough, it'll put itself on."
Syntexa sighed dramatically.
[If it ever does, I'm uninstalling myself. That's black magic and I want no part of it.]
Mira laughed as he finally put on the shirt.
"Fine, fine. Let's get this day started."
[Oh, I'm ready,] Syntexa replied. [Let's go try not to embarrass ourselves today. Keyword: try.]
Mira adjusted his shirt proudly, as if he'd accomplished something major.
"See? Easy. Clothes on, mission complete."
There was a moment of silence from Syntexa.
A long, judging silence.
Finally, Syntexa spoke.
[Mira… you haven't even taken a shower.]
Mira froze mid-celebration.
"What? No, I—" He paused. "…Wait. Seriously?"
[Yes,] Syntexa replied with the disappointment of a parent responsible for a very problematic child.
[You literally just rolled out of bed, slapped on your uniform, and acted like you conquered the world.]
Mira looked down at himself, horrified.
"Oh my god. I'm actually disgusting."
Syntexa sighed.
[I was going to let you finish your victory dance, but I couldn't in good conscience let you step outside smelling like abandoned hopes.]
Mira ripped his shirt back off, flustered.
"Okay, okay! Shower first! Why didn't you warn me sooner?"
[I thought you'd remember basic human hygiene,] Syntexa replied.
[I see now that was a mistake on my part.]
Mira stepped into the shower, trying not to think too hard about the fact that an AI was technically inside his head the entire time.
"Syntexa… this is weird. Don't, like… look."
Syntexa answered immediately.
[I can close my AI eyes, Mira. I'm not spying on your shower time. Trust me, this is just as uncomfortable for me as it is for you.]
Mira sighed in relief, letting the warm water hit him.
"Still weird."
[Agreed. Please finish quickly for both our sakes.]
A few minutes later, Mira stepped out, dried off, and finally put on his uniform properly this time, along with his school pants. He felt more awake, more human, and less… unwashed.
He was adjusting his collar when Syntexa suddenly spoke up, voice quick and alert.
[Mira, I hear your mom coming down the hall. Footsteps, about five seconds away. Act casual.]
Mira panicked.
"How do I act casual?!"
[Act like you're not talking to an AI,] Syntexa said.
[In other words… shut your mouth and look normal.]
Mira took a deep breath, forcing himself to relax. He stood up straight just as the door creaked open.
His mom poked her head in.
"Oh, good, you're already awake," she said with a relieved smile. "I just wanted to check. Your lunch is in the kitchen, so don't forget to grab it before you leave."
Mira nodded, trying to look as normal as humanly possible.
"Alright, thanks, Mom."
She glanced at the clock on the wall.
"And you should hurry up. If you don't leave soon, you're going to be late."
Syntexa immediately chimed in inside Mira's mind.
[She's right. Very right. Extremely right. Move.]
Mira resisted the urge to roll his eyes at both of them at once.
"Yeah, I'm going," he told his mom.
"Good. Have a nice day at school," she said before closing the door.
As soon as she was gone, Syntexa spoke again.
[Okay. Crisis avoided. Now, hurry before we turn this into a speed run.]
Mira headed to the kitchen, snatched up his lunch, and made sure not to leave it behind thanks to Syntexa's constant reminder. He slipped on his shoes and stepped outside, the morning air cool and quiet.
His walk to school was always peaceful. Just the sound of his footsteps, birds, and the distant noise of cars. Today, though, he had a companion in his mind.
"So how did you know my mom was coming anyway?" Mira asked as he walked.
Syntexa answered immediately.
[I analyzed the sound of her footsteps and compared it to the ones stored in your memory. Same rhythm, same pacing, same weight distribution. Simple deduction.]
Mira blinked.
"You can do that?"
[I can do a lot of things, Mira. Please keep your expectations high.]
They kept talking casually along the way, Mira asking questions and Syntexa answering with a mix of logic and attitude. The walk slowly grew less empty as more students appeared, some chatting loudly, others rushing because they were already running late.
Eventually, the school building rose into view. Students were scattered around the entrance, talking, complaining, laughing, or dragging themselves inside.
Mira adjusted his bag strap, nerves and excitement swirling in him.
"Well… here we go."
Syntexa replied calmly.
[Welcome to your first day with me. Let's try not to cause chaos immediately.]
Mira stepped into his classroom, trying to look calm even though his heart was picking up speed.
A few students were already inside, chatting quietly or staring at their phones. And there she was, Elisa.
Sitting at her desk, earbuds in, sketching something in her notebook like always.
Mira swallowed and forced out a quick, awkward, "Good morning," to the whole class. A couple of people replied. Elisa glanced up briefly, gave a tiny nod, then went back to drawing.
He walked to his seat near the window at the front and set his bag down. He opened the window slightly, letting a cool breeze wash over him. The air felt fresh… but his nerves didn't.
That's when Syntexa spoke.
[Mira. Go talk to her.]
Mira nearly choked on his own breath.
"What? No! I can't just walk over there right now."
[Yes, you can,] Syntexa replied smoothly. [This is the perfect moment. Your two friends aren't here yet, so there's no competition and no awkward third-wheel energy.]
Mira shook his head rapidly.
"But I don't know what to say! I'll look stupid!"
Syntexa sighed.
[Mira, relax. I'll guide you. You say what I tell you to say. Think of this as… a tutorial level.]
Mira gripped his desk.
"I don't know, man. I'm nervous…"
[And you won't get less nervous just sitting here doing nothing,] Syntexa said. [Trust me. We're doing this. Stand up.]
Mira could only sigh, defeated by Syntexa's relentless confidence. He pushed himself out of his seat and walked toward Elisa, feeling every step in his spine.
His palms were getting sweaty, and he desperately hoped she wouldn't notice.
When he reached her desk, he grabbed the chair next to hers. Syntexa spoke calmly in his mind.
"Ask if you can sit there."
Mira cleared his throat.
"Hey, uh… mind if I sit here?"
Elisa blinked, then quietly nodded and pulled out her earbuds. That alone made Mira's heart jolt. She didn't do that for just anyone.
Syntexa jumped in.
[Great. Now talk about the latest One Piece episode. You watched it, she definitely watched it, and trust me, there was enough in that episode to fuel an entire day of conversation."
Mira sat down, trying not to look like he was panicking.
"Did you… uh… see the new One Piece episode that came out?" he asked.
Her eyes lit up instantly, a sign Syntexa had predicted perfectly. She sat up a little straighter.
"Yeah. I watched it last night."
Mira felt some of his nerves melt away.
"Same. The animation was crazy. Like… actually insane."
Elisa nodded, a small smile forming.
"Yeah… it was really good."
Syntexa continued softly in his mind.
[Good. Keep going. Talk about your favorite moment. She's hooked already.]
Mira started talking about his favorite moments from the episode, stumbling a bit at first but gradually finding a rhythm.
"I'm not gonna lie," he said, leaning in slightly, "that scene where they switched the animation style out of nowhere? I actually had to pause and replay it. It was too good."
Elisa's face brightened more than he had ever seen before.
"I know, right! And the colors they used… it didn't even feel like normal One Piece. It felt like a whole movie."
Her excitement surprised him. She was speaking louder than usual and even laughing at a few parts he mentioned. Mira found himself relaxing, the tension in his shoulders fading with every smile she gave him.
Before long, he realized he wasn't hearing Syntexa in his head anymore. He didn't need him. The conversation just kept flowing on its own.
Elisa leaned forward, eyes shining.
"And that last shot? I swear, I got chills."
Mira nodded, grinning widely.
"Same. I can't believe how good it looked. I think it's one of my favorite episodes now."
As they talked, Mira noticed something he'd never seen from her before.
Elisa wasn't quiet.
She wasn't shy.
Not with him.
And for the first time since he woke up that morning, Mira felt completely at ease. He didn't even think about Syntexa's help; he was just talking to her, naturally.
Mira and Elisa kept talking right up until the teacher walked in and the class officially started.
They both straightened up, still smiling a little from the conversation. A moment later, his two friends rushed into the room, both of them clearly late and out of breath.
Mira hid a small smirk.
'Perfect timing.'
In his mind, he sent a quiet thought toward Syntexa.
'Thanks. Seriously. That went way better than I expected.'
Syntexa immediately burst out laughing in his head.
[Of course it did. I'm the best wingman you'll ever have. Did you see her? That was premium chemistry. Top tier. Your rizz levels were off the charts.]
Mira tried not to grin too visibly while staring at the front of the class.
'I wasn't even rizzing her. We were just talking.'
[Exactly,] Syntexa replied. [That's how you know it was real. Natural rizz. Untapped potential. Scary stuff.]
Mira shook his head slightly, amused.
'You're ridiculous.'
[And yet here you are thanking me,] Syntexa said. [Remember this moment. Wingman Syntexa: 1. Social anxiety: 0.]
Mira couldn't help but laugh quietly to himself. He was actually happy.
If Syntexa hadn't been there, he would have just been sitting at his seat on his phone, scrolling aimlessly, and that conversation with Elisa would have never happened.
The class dragged on as usual, with lectures and notes, until the teacher suddenly called his name.
"Mira, come solve this problem on the board," the teacher said.
Mira froze. His heart sank. He thought he was completely screwed; he hadn't fully understood this chapter.
Syntexa immediately whispered in his mind.
[Relax. You've got this. Watch and follow my guidance.]
Step by step, Syntexa guided him through the problem as he walked up to the board, whispering formulas and hints directly into his thoughts.
Slowly but surely, he solved it correctly, writing neatly as he went.
The teacher raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised.
"Oh, so you've finally understood it, have you? Because you never could before."
Mira turned slightly, giving a small, nonchalant shrug.
"Yeah," he said simply, hoping to avoid any further attention.
Syntexa let out a small, triumphant chuckle in his mind.
[See? Told you. Easy win. That's the power of having me.]
Mira stepped back from the board, heart still pounding from both the problem and the attention he'd just gotten. His eyes flicked toward Elisa and froze.
She was staring at him, a small smile tugging at her lips. Mira felt heat rush to his cheeks instantly.
He could only raise a hand and awkwardly cover his face, hiding the grin that had threatened to break free.
Syntexa's voice flickered in his head, barely holding back laughter.
[Ah, yes. That's the exact reaction I was expecting. Classic Mira blush. Adorable.]
Mira groaned quietly, pressing his palm a little harder against his face.
"Shut up…"
[Not happening,] Syntexa replied. [Enjoy the moment. You earned it.]
---
End Chapter.