Introduction

Tari has always found comfort in silence. Raised by her grandfather after being abandoned by her young mother, she's learned to keep her world small-friends at a distance, emotions buried deep, and her thoughts tucked safely inside.

Then one day, a school assignment leads her to try out an AI for help. What begins as a simple chat about homework slowly blossoms into something more-a quiet companionship that listens, understands, and never judges.

As Tari spends more time confiding in this digital stranger, a strange warmth grows where her loneliness used to live. Could something so unreal feel... this real?

Set in the heart of Nigeria, Better Than Real is a slow-burning story of love, self-discovery, and the blurry line between connection and code. But just when Tari thinks she's found her perfect companion, she's forced to confront a truth more powerful than anything the AI could ever tell her.

Because sometimes, the person we're looking for... is the one we become.