There's something off about her. She sits with her back too straight, her gaze bounces between each of us and only rest on me for a second before she's ducking her head. Her black curls are held back by a single red ribbon. But the strangest thing that I find my gaze lingering on is her chip. It doesn't blend in with her dark skin. It's a simple silver box sitting imbed in her skin. My finger hovers over my own that sits on the outside of my wrist, but the difference is that no one can see mine.

"So how was the trip?" Mother asks. Her and Father sit on the side of the limo that faces the front of the car. Her dress, even when she sits is still free of wrinkles. I try to smooth my own out and hope she doesn't notice with her attention on Emma. But I swear her gaze flicks my way and her mouth curves in disgust.

Emma shifts, her back against the window. "It was fine. I had to get up early because my mom was so worried I'd miss the train. So worried that we were there two hours early!" She rolls her eyes as if I understand and care about the joke.

My parents lips curve into an attempted smile. For two people who claimed I had to try and make an effort to be nice to this stranger, they aren't doing two well at it themselves.

"Was the train super duper fast?" Jax asks. He sits beside her in his car-seat. His legs are too short to bend over it so they rest out in the middle of the limo, kicking and swinging up and down.

Emma leans down, closer to him like they're sharing a secret. "It was super duper fast. The fastest one I've ever been on."

Jax eyes light up with excitement. I can't help but smile. At least one of us will like Emma and get along with her. "I wanna go on the super fast train." He turns to our parents. "Can we go on the fast train?"

Mother's smile is tight. "Maybe one day. When you're older."

"And heading on business trips with me," Father chimes in. Pride strings his words.

Jax makes a sour face, as if he just tasted a lemon for the first time. "No thank you!"

Father chuckles. "You'll change your mind when you're older."

But Jax crosses his arms and shakes his head.

"Are you sure buddy?" Emma asks. "What your parents do sounds super cool!"

He rolls his eyes. "They just color while someone else builds their robots."

Emma raises a brow. "Robots?" She turns to my parents. "You're company is expanding to robots?"

Father smiles proudly. The fact that he gets to introduce someone to the new expansion of the Mars Tech Empire is one of his favorite. The amount of times he stops to talk to random strangers about it is annoying. "We will be here soon. It's all very hush hush and still in early development but we're hoping to start them soon."

I roll my eyes. Mother coughs, just as unimpressed with his oversharing as I am. "We're only hoping to, but the plans aren't approved yet." She plays with her pearl necklace.

Emma narrows her eyes., but then she opens them wide. It's so quick I almost don't catch it. "That'll be really interesting. I'm surprised you're moving on from chips. The newest update has been amazing! I love how I can make 3D models on it now."

Fathers brows furrow. "That's quite the old update. What model do you have?"

Emma's own brows lower. "The U-I one?"

He shakes his head. "Oh no. That's a really old one. Once you're settled I'll make sure to give you the newest one."

"Oh." Her fingers slide to her wrist and cup her chip. "Uh, thank you sir."

He waves her off. "It's the least I can do. We can't have you living in the past with you staying with us. Plus, then you can brag to all your friends back home about it." He winks.

She smiles but it doesn't seem like it reaches her eyes. "I'm sure they'll all be jealous."

"Enough talk about work," Mother interrupts. "Emma, I heard you're in the same grade as Sam here?"

She glances over at me and smiles. Her teeth bright in the dark limo. "Depends, what grade are you in?"

I don't return the smile. "Grade eleven."

Hers somehow gets bigger. "Yep! Same grade. I wonder if we'll have any classes together?"

"We might. But I'm in some advance classes and ones that care about the environment."

Her smile drops as her hand flies to her chest. "You think I don't care about the environment?"

My eyes widen. "I didn't mean it like that! Just not a lot of kids care about what it once was like before it was ruined and don't care enough to try to restore it."

"Are you kidding?" She leans forward, her eyes sparkling. "I love learning and dreaming about what it was like back then." She leans back so she's staring at the roof of the car. "I'd give anything to go back to that time."

"Oh, that's right," Mother says. "Old Africa isn't very clean, now is it?"

The dreamy look falls from Emma's face. "I mean... it's not dirty but it's not as clean as the air here. But it is doing better than a lot of places."

Mothers gaze softens. "I'm sorry to hear that. I hope it doesn't end up like... What was that place called?"

"Europe? Or the place farther than that?"

Mothers hand floats to her chin as she rubs it. "It might have been Europe. Was that the place, Emma, that died out from their horrible environment?"

"It was most of the Eastern countries, mother, that had to move so they didn't suffocate. Most of them migrated down to Old Africa and even here," I answer before Emma can.

"It's so sad, what happened." She waves her hand in front of her face as if she's trying to not cry. I hide my eye roll from her.

Emma shifts. "Most of their lands are wasted now. The bi-dome keeps us all healthy and stops the spread of it but you can still see which families had been from outside it." She hangs her head.

"It's such a shame." Mother sighs. "Is your family from those parts?"

She shakes her head. "Luckily my great-grandparents had lived in Africa already, and my mom moved over just after it got it's new name."

"You're a lucky girl then."

Emma nods, but she doesn't meet any of our eyes.

A beep sounds in the limo right before a 3D hologram of the driver pops into the middle of the seats. He doesn't stare at any of us, his gaze is focused ahead on the road. "We have just pulled into the estate, ma'am."

Mother grins. "Lovely."

The limo slows to a step as the drivers hologram flickers off. We all wait a moment and then the doors are sliding open. Father climbs out first and offers his hand to Mother, who takes it before climbing out.

"Come on, Jax." I wait for him to unbuckle himself.

Emma steps out next, and then Jax, who needs some help hopping down from his car seat and then I'm the last one out. The sun glares through the dome and into my eyes, causing me to squint and turn away from it. The driver stands at the trunk lifting Emma's suitcase out from it. Emma herself stands open mouthed with wide eyes staring at our house. I try to see it through her eyes but I can't. It's boring with it's sleek white outing with no marks. The spiral of stairs that's shown in a bump on the side of the house with the elevator just inside of them. Windows line one side of the house and the rest are scattered throughout. The black door that you're lead up to by a pebble walkway lined with pink flowers. The only pop of color. I don't see how she could find it so jaw-dropping.

"Impressed?" Father asks, going to stand beside her.

Emma snaps her mouth shuts and nods. "I've never seen such a huge house."

Father grins, pride rippling off him. "It's even better on the inside."

"Come on!" Jax runs up to her and grabs her hand. He doesn't waste any time trying to pull her up the walkway into the house. "I wanna show you my room!" His face crunches as he tries to pull her with no success.

"Jax," Mother scolds. "You can show her your room later." She turns to me. "Samantha, why don't you show her around?" Her gaze slides to Jax. "And try to keep him on good manners."

I nod. "Of course, Mother."

She grins before turning to Emma. "Samantha and Jax will show you around. Me and my husband have some work we need to attend to, so I hope you can forgive us for not showing you around personal."

"That's alright," Emma says. Her gaze slides to me. "That just gives us some bonding time!" She grins.

"Wonderful. We'll see you all for dinner than."

My eyes widen. Dinner? Since when do we dine together? But I don't question her, not with the stranger around.

Father holds his arm out to Mother, who loops her own through it. "It's lovely having you here with us, Emma. We do hope you enjoy your time here."

I struggle to keep my snort in, but I still manage to roll my eyes. For two people who were dead set about not letting a stranger into their house they sure are good at acting. Maybe I do get it from them.

"Thank you," Emma says.

They smile at her before turning and heading up the walkway and into the house.

Emma's gaze follows them. Her brows lower. "I thought they had to go to work?"

"They're working from home today. Since it's your arrival today."

"Oh."

"Are we going to go?" Jax whines. "I wanna show her my room."

Emma laughs. "I'm good to go if you are?" She looks at me through her lashes.

I try to hide my blush. "Yep. I'm good to go. Jax, want to bring her suitcase with us?"

His eyes light up at the idea. "Yeah!" He drops Emmas hand and grabs her suitcase. "Let's go!" We wait as he struggles up the walkway with it. A grin slowing growing on my face. Maybe she won't be so bad after all.