The One

Four

André butch looks cool and almost human in a green hoodie and black jeans. And of course there's the usual sneakers that looks rich enough to pay my year's salary.

His grey eyes don't find me first, They're intensely focused on my dad.

I stand there shocked, with my feet planted to the ground.

Dad clears his throat and gestures to the office. "Harp..."

I blink. "Huh?"

André's eyes immediately snap to me. I watch him try to process why I am here... and end up blank.

"Why are you here?"

Straight to the point.

Immediately, I snap out of my daze and dart into dad's inner office.

The office is sound proof and repellent, so I can't even hear anything. I know this because I press my whole self against the door but still don't hear a thing.

With a frustrated huff I settle onto the little sofa and stare at the ceiling. Dad sets it to galaxy every Thursday for me so that I can stare at the galaxy for as long as I want whenever he has a lot of work.

After about an Hour, Dad knocks on the door and walks in. “He’s gone.”

I blink at him. “Huh?”

“My client.” He takes a seat on the ground and pop fruits from the cup into his mouth.

I gape at him in horror. “Dad your coat!!”

With a smile, he taps his chest. “As new head surgeon, I won’t have to worry about my coat getting dirty. I’ll have one for every day of the year.”

The remembrance of his promotion makes me smile so hard my cheeks feel like they’ll burst open at the seams. “I can’t wait...”

I can’t wait for the luxury of sleeping in... I’d like to get three more sneakers, if possible some female shoes, a bigger coat.

Dad lays on his back and stares at the galaxy. “What I’d really live is to take care of you and your mother. I want my Kid to not have to work at a deadbeat restaurant. I want you to have an allowance.”

I smile. “Dad.”

“I’d like for you to be free. Maybe have a boyfriend or two...” he turns his head to grin at me. “... when you’re fifty of course.”

“Daddd!!”

We laugh quietly together.

“I’d like that too...” I’d like the luxury of thinking of boys. Of having a boyfriend.

Speaking of which...

I sit up. “How come the owner of the hospital’s kid comes here? Isn’t he a robot?”

Dad’s thick dark brown raises in surprise. “How do you know that?”

“Uh... I’ve seen him around?”

He stares me down till he decides there’s nothing more to it, then proceeds. “Well, He’s kept his reasons personal and just asks me a bunch of questions on the human brain.”

Okay, that wasn’t even as juicy as I thought it’d be. I shrug and stand. “I’ll get going. I have to get going.”

“I’ve been summoned by the head of the hospital...” Dad trails off.

I pause to look at him. My heart is beating out of my chest. “Today?!”

Today!! Today everything is going to change for us.

Dad’s grin is so wide it has to hurt. “I might be home late. I’ll get a cake on my way. Chocolate.”

My palms get sweaty and tears sting my eyes. “I- are you... oh God...”

In an instant I’m cradled to his side. “It’s going to be okay now... it’s going to okay...”

Before going home, I stop at a local club. It’s one of the only clubs where they still use archaic disco lights and where humans tend the bar.

Settling in a seat by the bar, I order a coke, the only thing that is free, and pull out my phone to call André.

He picks up on the first ring.

“Hi.”

“I’m at Macs...”

A beat. “I’ll be right over.”

Corban -the bar tender, smiles at me as he polishes a glass. “You seem happy.”

“Yeah, I am.” My face feels numb from how much I’ve been smiling.

“You’ve never come here on the second Thursday in a month. Special occasion?” He’s been tending the bar for as long as I’ve been coming here, so he knows my schedule and exactly what I like.

I laugh and he freezes in surprise. “You could say that.”

With that, I take a huge gulp of the unhealthy soda and turn to watch people dance.

This place is full of humans. It’s why I come here. There’s barely any robots around because the heat and moist air isn’t good for them. They tend to only spend about half an hour, and then they have to go.

Just as I’m finishing my glass, I spot André pushing his way towards me.

I drop my glass and hop off the counter. “Thanks for the drink.”

“Don’t thank me, it’ll kill you quicker.” Corban laughs.

“Yay.” With a nod, I walk off to meet André.

When I get to him, I grab his arm and pull him back out of the club and into the little alley beside.

His golden hair glows against the lights from the club. The music makes the ground shake and I feel like I’ve been injected with c***k.

“In case you’re wondering, I’m super happy.” I tell him.

My hand is still on his arm and his back is against the wall.

His brows scrunches together and light lashes flutter against his cheeks. “Why?”

I laugh, a light breezy laugh and wrap my arms around him. “My life is going to get better...”

He reaches up to run a thumb over my cheek. His finger is cool to the touch. “Is that why you’re smiling so much?”

“Yes André. Smiling means I’m happy.” I shake my head at his cluelessness and grab his hand in mine. “My dad is getting promoted. This means that we’ll have more money. More money means a more comfortable life. At this point, I’d be more than happy with that.”

He opens his mouth to say something but I shush him. “Never mind that. When I’m happy I’m generous.”

With that I press him deeper into the wall and stand on my toes to kiss him.

When I was sixteen, I met André at Macs. He’d been standing at the door and staring into space. I’d been kind of drunk because I was so tired of how things were going.

In my drunken haze I’d hurled insults at him and then kissed him fiercely.

Four days later, he showed up to my workplace and offered this to me. We’d act like a couple by kissing and all that, and he’d pay me.

After finding out he wasn’t just a p*****t but a robot who couldn’t feel emotion and was trying to get his emotions back, I decided the extra cash was worth it.

“I’ve read that passion is the strongest emotion. I’d like to try whatever I can.” He’d said with a deadpan face that was almost impossible.

André’s hands find my waist and next thing I know, my back is against the wall and he’s pulling away. “Is your dad Doctor Chase?” He asks.

I blink at him. “Uh, yeah. I was at his office when you came in today.”

“I saw.” He frowns. “What do you mean promoted?”

I swallow. “He says the head surgeon is being transferred and he’s been promised a promotion.”

André shakes his head. “Dad says He’s gonna get a surgeon from Italy. A robot man.”

“What?!”