by A. Yber
Cami led the group to two large tables, in a back corner. Customers were glaring, as Pam and Mila’s high-pitched giggling was making it hard to hear anything else in the diner.
“Wow, they are like Cy-Bots – following their master’s bidding,” Ayla sent a dirty look in their direction.
I tried not to look, but I couldn’t help myself. Cami still had her hand on X’s arm. Like it was glued there, or something. As I turned away, I could feel X’s eyes burning into the back of my head.
“Mel, I got this,” Ayla eyed me meaningfully, and walked over to their table.
I turned away from them, determined to keep busy. Thank goodness, the front half of the diner was starting to fill up, giving me an excuse to avoid their table.
I stayed busy, for the next hour, and was waiting on one of my tables, when Cami’s group got up, to leave. I saw X making his way toward me, but Cami pulled his arm in the direction of the door. Like she didn’t want him near me.
In relief, I watched them file out. All waving to me, and saying goodbye. And yes…more giggling.
Whew.
They were gone. I took a deep breath, and picked up my tray of drinks. The diner was still full, and I was too busy to give them another thought.
Until the door chime jingled again. And I turned, my heart sinking. I knew it had been too good to be true.
Cami sashayed back into the diner, making sure to swing her hips, ever so slightly. God, can’t she just walk normal, for once?
She stopped in the aisle, blocking my way. Leering at me, with one hand on her jutting hip.
“I heard you left the dance early, last night. Poor X was all alone. Don’t worry, I kept him warm for you! I never understood what his fascination was with you, anyway. Scrawny pale-faced bitch, without two cents to your name.”
My jaw dropped. I should have known something like this was coming.
I wanted to wipe that smug smile off her face. But wanting and doing were two different things, so I stayed silent. I had to keep this job. And we were attracting attention.
“Cami, I’ve got work to do,” I bit out.
She laughed, not making any effort to move out of my way.
Instead, she came closer, leaning in, until she was mere inches from my face.
“Take note:” she said in clipped tones, “I’ve decided X is going to be with me at graduation, and through the summer,” she was jabbing her finger at me, as if to enunciate every word, “so, it’s time for you to step down – soon - if you know what’s good for you, Me – lame - ie.”
With a sneer, she grabbed a chocolate shake off my tray. The imbalance of weight making the other drinks slide dangerously toward the floor.
I righted the tray, just as she threw the shake in my face.
Chapter Four
I closed my eyes, as the cold sticky liquid hit me. Running down my shirt. Making its way into my bra.
My hair.
Oh my God, I think there is shake in my hair!
Cami threw back her head, and let out her trademark cackle. Piercing everyone’s eardrums, if they weren’t already deaf. And then proudly marched out the door.
My burning eyes, couldn’t see, but I was pretty sure every customer in the restaurant was staring. Including the table of sophomores, from my school.
I vaguely heard one of them comment, “Did you get it?” Probably live streaming it on their S-Pod… and of course, my name tag is right there like a badge, in case anyone was wondering, who just got shake-faced.
Ayla ran to me, with a towel. “Are you okay?”
I managed a nod, as she dabbed at my eyes.
She spouted off, “That entitled…!” Ayla looked so angry, she couldn’t finish the sentence. Then yelled, loud enough for the already fully attentive diner to hear, “A whole new level of bitch, she is. Somebody needs to take her down!”
I managed to mumble, “Who orders a chocolate shake for breakfast, anyway?”
It was an idiotic thing to say, but I was too dumbfounded, really, to be able to come back with a witty response. I just couldn’t believe what she had done. Cami had always been rather nasty, but usually reserved her wrath for those “beneath” her, and her “tribe”.
“Mel, give me your tray, and go wash off. I’ve got your tables.”
I all but ran, toward the bathrooms. They seemed so far away, and I could feel a panic attack coming. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to hold it together, much longer.
I can’t go back out there. I can’t face anyone.
I was almost to the bathroom, but veered toward the kitchen, instead.
Carl’s head was down, cooking something on the grill. Clueless to the spectacle in the dining room
Easing by him, I grabbed my purse off its hook, and headed toward the back door. Carl looked up in surprise, as I tore past him.
“Hey, it’s not break time!”
I ignored him, and kept going. Feeling the anxiety calming, now that I was out in the fresh air.
I beelined straight for my AV.
I was leaving. No question about it.
The guilt set in, as I got behind the wheel. “I’m being irresponsible. I could lose my job, and Ayla will have to cover my tables for the rest of the shift. I’m being selfish.” But, in all honesty, I just couldn’t care, at that moment.
I peeled out of the parking lot, milkshake drying on my face, and drove toward home. The Sun was lighting up the sky, with a brilliant orange and pink sunrise. But even that couldn’t cheer me up. I just wanted to get away from life. From everyone and everything.
It was still only 6:30 in the morning, as I pulled into the driveway. Nora was most likely, still in bed.
I snuck into the house, shutting the door quietly, behind me.
I knew what I must look like, sticky face and hair plastered in stiff peaks of dried ice cream. I was so depressed, in that moment, I didn’t even care what Zach was going to think. And I always cared what Zach thought. Ridiculous, or not, I couldn’t help myself. I’m sure a Cy-Bot had no interest, in whether I was rocking the latest hairstyle, or not. Even though I labored over it, many times, hoping he would notice!
I was just stupid.
Stupid, overall, apparently.
Lame.
Me – lame - ie.
I felt a sense of desperation. Like I was spiraling. Maybe if Zach saw my train-wreck of a hairdo, he would notice something was wrong. Out of place. Out of control. Someone would see the real me, for once, instead of “popular” Melanie, the cheerleader.
I had never felt so lost. Not even when Dad left. Tears started to spill down my cheeks. I had managed to hold them off the entire drive home, but now I just cried, right where I stood. Still standing by the front door, the whole scene at the diner, washing over me.
I supposed there were worse things than a milkshake in the face. Things like having to face Cami at school again, or being in the same room with X. I was dreading tomorrow.
I just need Dad right now. To tell me that I’m his girl. That everything is going to be okay.
I sobbed even harder, and tears were literally blurring my vision. I needed to quiet down. I was going to wake Mom and Nora up, with this pity party. And Nora would only want to kick someone’s ass, for what had happened to me, today. She must be sleeping like the dead up th-…
I jumped in surprise, as I felt arms go around me, from behind.
I looked down, seeing tan muscular forearms.
Zach!
He was…what? Hugging me?
I was so shocked, I actually stopped crying. Obviously, Cy-Bots weren’t programmed to hug! Much less initiate a hug…although, I had heard about the occasional human pervert, who tried to get around the rules…make them do more than hug.
It was more strange behavior on his part, but abnormal, or not, I didn’t argue.
He didn’t speak. Just held me.
Seriously, a hug shouldn’t feel this good!
I inched my back even closer, against Zach’s
chest. His arms were like a place of safety, in a world full of Camis and Xs…without judgement. Not wanting anything from me. I can’t remember when I had felt so protected, but I did in that moment, so I didn’t question it. I was too afraid he would let me go.
The tears welled up again, and I let them flow, sobbing out the rest of what I had held in, bottled up for years, my body jerking with the force of my grief. It was all coming out.
I turned in his arms, and continued to cry, on the shoulder of this robot, for the loss of my father, and its impact on Mom. For the responsibilities put on me and Nora, at such a young age. For the pressures from school, X becoming the Antichrist, and being humiliated in front of the entire diner today.
God, what a list! I was really feeling sorry for myself, but I didn’t care.
My bout of self-pity, finally came to an ugly end. I realized I had most likely gotten chocolate shake residue, eye makeup and who knew what else, all over Zach’s shirt.
I lifted my head, to look at him, expecting to see…I don’t know…what? Disgust?
My emotions flipped like a light switch. Mind fantasies in the driver’s seat, again.
Here’s hoping for an expression of melting desire. An “I can’t live without you” look.
Oh wait…that was my face.
But he was looking at me, strangely.
My teary eyes locked on his green gaze, and I felt a sensation of swimming in unknown depths. Inciting fear and awe. His eyes took my breath away, and I sensed they held secrets. Of what, I could never hope to guess.
But I swear, he almost looked like…he cared? About my feelings.
My heart jumped.
No, it can’t be.
I started to question my own sanity, and for about the fiftieth time, I wondered if maybe Zach was malfunctioning. Like, should I report it? Let me think about that for a moment……ok, hell no! They are not taking him away!
But this look, and him throwing X across the room. And the hug. Definitely not “staying out of human affairs”. Malfunction, or not, I was too exhausted to push him for answers. I wanted anything he was able to give me – sympathy, understanding, attention. Even if it was not real, or just a badly needed adjustment to his bolts and screws…the fact was… I needed this!
I needed this beautiful, dangerous, thrilling “man”, hugging me.
“Let’s just go with this ‘new’ Zach,” I said to myself.
Chapter Five
Zach
“Melanie, why were you crying? Tell me what is wrong, so I can help you.”
I was still holding her in my arms, and I felt like kicking myself.
Here we go! Offering to help her, again.
I knew better, but I just couldn’t seem to stop myself. My orders were, to keep a low profile, observe, and pretend to actually like doing housework. Caring for her, was not in the plan. Can’t seem to look away from those eyes of hers, either.
Melanie answered me, her voice seeming calm, but her face registered an expression I was trained to recognize – as a human under duress.
“With my life? Well, you already know my Mom drinks too much, and disappears a lot. When I was twelve, before you came to live here, I was diagnosed with leukemia. They tried a B-Cell Gene Therapy, and an experimental drug, which made all my hair fall out. After I finished treatment, Dad rewarded me with Rosie, a black and white kitten – you remember her.”
“Yes, I do remember her,” a vision of a rambunctious kitten fired in my memory bank.
Anyway, petting Rosie, always made me feel like everything was going to be all right. After Dad left, we found out Rosie had leukemia, like me. The feline version, that is. Of course, I would be the sick kid, who gets a sick kitten.”
“You had cancer?”
“Yes, but it is in remission. We don’t talk about it.”
“And your father still left you?”
“Maybe it was the medical bills, or he just couldn’t handle me being sick. I don’t really know. I’m sure he had his reasons. Nora says he went ‘where all loser dads go’. All I want is for him to come home. Anyway, Rosie died two years later, but then, you remember that part.”
“I’m really sorry all that happened. What can I do?”
“Nothing, Zach. I’m okay now, thank you. I think I just needed to get it out. And sorry about messing up your shirt!”
“No big deal!”
Melanie had been through a lot. I admired her strength. And had been fighting that admiration for some time, now.
“So, Melanie, I’ve been wanting to ask…since you walked in the door, that is...”
“What do you want to know?” Her hands were tightly clasped, and I sensed her agitation.
I gave a smile, attempting to calm her.
“I was wondering…what is all over your face?”
She laughed.
The sound of it stirred me.
“Oh ya, that. Well, to put it in a nutshell, Cami, the self-appointed ‘leader’ of our girl clique, attacked me in front of the entire diner, throwing a chocolate shake in my face.”
My fists clenched. I was ready to snap necks.
Nobody throws a shake in Melanie’s face.
Seething, I forced myself to keep quiet, and let her finish.
“She threatened to do worse, if I don’t break off my relationship with X.”
Breaking it off with X. Now I wanted to smile.
I shouldn’t smile.
“And, I might have lost my job. I walked out.”
“Do you want to break it off? With X, I mean?”
“I would like nothing better, but that would require me having to actually talk to him, again.”
“I can help, if you’ll let me,” I offered.
“No, thanks, Zach. You have done enough for me, already. I am flunking Algebra, and I have a test tomorrow. I really need to study. Being off work today, will give me some extra time to prepare.”
“Math is my specialty. I will help you study.”
Wow. I couldn’t leave well enough, alone. First, I’m wanting to defend her, and now I can’t seem to stand the thought, of not being in her presence. Who in their right mind could resist, though? She is beautifully made.
I looked at her, feeling the familiar ache in my chest.
I need to keep my mouth shut, and stick to the “assignment”, before someone at headquarters, finds out I’m going way off program. Well, maybe just helping her a little bit more…no one will know…
“Okay, I guess so…” She seemed reluctant, but then her face broke into a big smile, “I’m going to shower off this mess, eat something, and then we can start.”
While she showered, I made her a snack. She came downstairs, and we sat at the kitchen table, ready to do math.
I tried to keep my focus, as I began to point out the simplicities of Algebra. I could tell she was beginning to understand. She nodded her head, and even cracked a grin, as she scratched a pencil into her notebook.
Her smile lit up my world.
When she wasn’t looking, I watched her. The morning sun making her hair glow, as it highlighted the perfection of her profile. The inconvenient sensations in my chest, continued, and it was becoming hard to breathe.
I leaned in close, helping with the next math problem. The perfume of her hair was making me light-headed. Melanie always smelled amazing. Like cinnamon and honey.
I reached over to point out an error she was making, and my hand brushed hers. And okay, so maybe my hand deliberately lingered there.
I wanted her to notice. To respond. Maybe we could have a chance together. But that was illogical. How could she have feelings for me, a Cy-Bot? She has her life, I have mine.
As if I could go forward, like I had never known her. Not seeing her again, didn’t compute for me.
Let’s face it. I was screwed.
The only thing that could fix the problem, at this point, would be to schedule a total brain re-circuit, or memory wipe.
I struggled again, t
o bury my feelings, “This is not why I am here. I need to focus on the job.”
