Navigating 2030: Larissa and Niklas' Unlikely Friendship

"Am I the only one that doesn't understand this?" The man sitting next to Larissa at a bar in Athens, Greece had turned from his beer and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Of course not." Larissa assured him. "Not everyone understands the new educational system. We're not all geniuses." She took a sip of her drink. Her ex-boyfriend was telling her yesterday that she was too smart for her own good, which was why he broke up with her. He would have been right if Larissa wasn't so incredibly bored with everything.

Niklas smiled and pointed towards the TV at the bar with his empty bottle while paying their tab. "My brother worked hard to earn his degree in Political Science, but now he's flipping burgers because his major wasn't right for the job market." Niklas shuddered as they walked out of the bar and started walking down the street. "He has huge student loans and can't afford to go to school again."

Larissa nodded, "I see what you mean." She didn't see what Niklas meant, but she wanted him to like her so she just pretended she did. They walked past a statue of a Greek goddess when Niklas pulled out his phone to look at it - he looked genuinely concerned about something for once.

"Oh no!" He said dramatically. "I missed an interview for an internship in Belgium! I should have known... I've got to get back to my apartment and send them an email!"

Larissa looked at her phone, then back up at Niklas, and smiled reassuringly, "Don't worry! I'll take you there!" Larissa's dad owned a helicopter company and she had access to pretty much any helicopter he owned - including one that could reach Niklas' apartment faster than driving or taking a train ever could. She saw Niklas hesitate for just barely a second before accepting the offer immediately.