The Glitch in the World

Aiden rolled out of bed, the morning sun sneaking through a gap in the curtains and landing right on his face. He squinted at the clock. "Seven a.m.? Ugh, too early," he mumbled, but excitement quickly kicked the sleepiness away. Today was his first full day at the Code Guild, and he didn't want to be late.

He threw on some clothes and grabbed his notebook, stuffing it into his backpack. As he headed out, he nearly collided with Maya in the hallway.

"Whoa! Easy there," she laughed. "Someone's in a hurry."

"Sorry! Just pumped for the first class," Aiden grinned.

"Me too. Let's grab breakfast before we dive into code world?" she suggested.

"Definitely. I'm starving."

They made their way to the dining hall, the buzz of chatter filling the air. The spread was impressive—fresh fruit, pastries, eggs, and more. Aiden piled his plate high.

As they sat down, a guy with messy brown hair plopped next to them. "Mind if I join?" he asked.

"Not at all," Maya said. "Aiden, this is Leo. He's been here a bit longer than us."

"Hey, man," Leo said, extending a hand.

"Hey," Aiden replied, shaking it.

"So, you guys ready for Helena's class?" Leo asked, taking a bite of toast.

"I've heard she's tough but fair," Maya said.

"Yeah, she'll keep you on your toes," Leo chuckled. "Just don't fall asleep, or she'll call you out in front of everyone."

Aiden smirked. "Noted."

After breakfast, they headed to the lecture hall. The place was buzzing with energy. Aiden found a seat between Maya and Leo. Helena, a stern-looking woman with sharp eyes, walked in and the room immediately quieted down.

"Good morning, everyone," she began. "Welcome to Fundamentals of Environmental Code Manipulation. Today, we'll start with the basics. Pay attention—you'll need this foundation for everything else."

She launched into the lesson, covering variables that influence weather patterns, how to read code structures, and the ethics of manipulation. Aiden scribbled notes furiously, his brain soaking up information like a sponge.

"Now, pair up and try adjusting this basic weather algorithm," Helena instructed. "Remember, subtlety is key."

Aiden and Maya teamed up. They leaned over the console, lines of code hovering above the screen.

"Okay, if we tweak the humidity variable here..." Maya pointed.

"...and adjust the temperature gradient there, we should get a light drizzle," Aiden finished.

They input the changes, and the simulation showed clouds forming and a gentle rain starting.

"Nice work," Helena said as she passed by. "You two have a knack for this."

Aiden felt a burst of pride. He exchanged a satisfied grin with Maya.

The rest of the day flew by. They dove into defensive coding with Instructor Hao, practiced building protective barriers, and even got a crash course in code ethics.

By late afternoon, Aiden's head was swimming, but in a good way.

"Man, my brain hurts," he admitted as they walked out of the last class.

"Tell me about it," Maya agreed, stretching her arms above her head. "But it's kinda awesome, right?"

"Totally," Aiden said. "I didn't think learning could be this... fun?"

Leo caught up with them. "You get used to the overload. Your mind expands or something," he joked.

As they headed toward the dorms, Aiden's phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen—Jake had sent a photo of himself in some kind of lab, goggles on and grinning like a fool.

> Jake: Check it out! I'm science-ing!

Aiden laughed out loud.

"What's so funny?" Maya asked.

"Jake," he replied, showing her the picture. "Looks like he's loving the tech division."

"That's great," she said.

"Hey, we're grabbing dinner later if you wanna join," Leo offered.

"Yeah, sounds good," Aiden nodded.

They spent the evening chatting and joking around the dining hall, the stress of the day melting away. Aiden felt more at home than ever.

Back in his room later, he flopped onto the bed, scrolling through messages on his phone. He realized he had missed a text from his mom earlier.

> Mom: Hope everything's going well, sweetheart. Call me when you can.

Guilt tugged at him.

He dialed her number, and she picked up on the second ring.

"Aiden! I've been thinking about you. How's the... project?" she asked.

"It's good, Mom. Really good," he said. "Sorry I haven't called sooner. Things have been kinda nonstop."

"I figured. As long as you're happy and safe," she said warmly.

"I am," he assured her. "I'll try to keep in touch more."

"That would be nice. Your dad says hi, by the way."

"Tell him hi back. Love you, Mom."

"Love you too, honey."

After hanging up, Aiden felt a bit more balanced. He opened his notebook, jotting down some thoughts about the day's lessons and ideas for future projects.

A knock at the door broke his focus. "Come in," he called.

Maya poked her head in. "Hey, a bunch of us are gonna watch a movie in the common room. You in?"

"Depends—is it a good movie?" he teased.

"Terrible, actually. But that's part of the fun."

He laughed. "Alright, count me in."

They spent the next couple of hours laughing at cheesy dialogue and over-the-top special effects. It was exactly what he needed to unwind.

As the movie ended and people started dispersing, Aiden sat back, a content smile on his face.

"Glad you joined," Maya said, nudging him.

"Me too," he replied.

Heading back to his room, Aiden felt a wave of gratitude. He had friends, exciting challenges, and a purpose. Sure, things were complicated, but life was good.

Tomorrow would bring new lessons and probably more mind-bending concepts, but he was ready.

Climbing into bed, he decided not to set an alarm. For once, he'd let himself sleep in a bit. With that thought, he drifted off, not to code patterns or worries, but to simple, blissful sleep.