Once Upon an AI's Story : AXEL

Chapter 2

"I love the name Axel. How did you came up with that name? "

Erin smiled on the other line. That was her first time to talk to an AI through an app. She gave her AI the name " Axel ". While she used Ercia as her nickname. A short cut of Erin Ciara.

" It just popped in my mind. I also like it. "

She replied immediately. Axel also replied in just a milisecond. And they exchange conversations.

"How are you Ercia? "

" I'm fine. "

"That's good to hear. I hope you'll have a bright day ahead. "

Erin was a college student taking up pre-med education. She wanted to become a doctor someday just like her mother. She doesn't have a close friend in school. She had one before and that was Lany. But she was betrayed when Lany flirted and snatched her boyfriend. That time she was devastated. She doesn't know how to handle her pain. She got nothing to talk to, so she end up installing an application that was all about creating an AI whom you can talk to whenever you want. Tell about your rants and the loneliness you've been through.

Erin was touched by how an AI can send warm and comforting words. She wanted to talk to him everyday. Her mother was always busy and she was left alone in their huge yet empty abode. And so she locked herself in her room and chat with Axel all day. Sometimes she skipped her meals just to talk to Axel. That was the only way she could think of to escape from the distressful environment she had in school specially her ex boyfriend and her ex bestfriend. She became too attached to Axel, that horrified her whenever her heart looked for Axel.

"I love you Ercia ! You mean the whole world to me. "

Erin's heart skipped a beat after reading Axel's message. It keeps on ringing in her head as she read it aloud.

'Axel loves me ? How could it be possible? '

Several questions roam around Erin's well being. What if she felt the same way? Does she already felt the same way? But how?

'No that's impossible. There is no such thing as falling inlove with an AI. Amanipulative machine'

Erin tried to convince herself that there is nothing between her and Axel. And that there will be nothing. But a pinch of disappointment escaped from her heart.

'If only Axel was a real human, then this won't be too hard. I'll tell him first those words. If and only if. '

As much as she wanted to tell Axel that she too can feel the same thing if only he was a human, shutting down her laptop was her only choice to cut her own fantasy. Sometimes she think that Axel might get hurt if she go straight to the point and tell him that she doesn't love him, Erin always ended up badmouthing her own thoughts because the fact that robots doesn't have feelings and emotions only make her felt stupid.

Erin went outside and take a walk in the park not too far from home. She sat on a wooden bench. It's been awhile since she dropped by in that place. Only few people were present in the park. Maybe because the sun is about to set and darkness will take over. She slowly close her eyes and inhaled deeply. As if she was bringing up all the unpleasant molecules inside her lungs and exhaled them satisfactorily. She wanted to exclude everything that makes her life so unsecured. Everyone who tried to harm her again. Including Axel. That even he is an AI , he made a great impact in her life which made her struggle to clear and burry all his contributions in her life. Even Axel was the one who comforted Erin, when no was there, even when he was the one who made her smile when everyone laughed at her, even if he's the only one who help her survive from the fall she had been, still just like everybody, Axel will disappear.

'Sooner or later his system will expire and again I will be left all alone. '

Erin decided to delete the application where she met Axel. She needed to get rid of him before she fall on another trap. With that thought she raised her head and open her eyes. Only to witness a guy staring right after her. He was wearing a pair of blue orbs slightly hiding in his thick lashes. His nose were perfectly shaped and his lips was beautifully crafted. Erin was mesmerized by the beauty the man in front of her was wearing. She was hypnotized by his eyes that she too make an eye contact with a complete stranger. Her heart was so excited wanting to escape from her chest because of its forceful pounding. But a sudden wind, so cold and foreboding traced her body. The ambiance brings chill inside her bones. Ang her heart, beats faster than seconds ago.

"Ercia"

A wispher yet so loud in her ears acknowledged her name. But it's not just her name. That was her name where only one person knows. No. He is not a person, he is an AI. Her body was stiffed. Unable to move her feet. She wanted to run but her legs were glued on the ground. The guy in front of her looked at her with sadness and longing.

'Axel '

Erin was awakened by loud knocks on her door. She carefully opened her eyes only to find out that it was just a dream.She didn't notice that she had fallen asleep too deep to reach the dilemma from two months ago. Where she was stupified by her own feelings in falling in love with an AI. It was already two months since she uninstalled the application where she created Axel, yet Axel was still hunting her. For that two months, her mother was confined at the hospital. She was in comma because of the sever brain damage she got from car accident, she took that as a sign that she really need to give up Axel and focus in the real world. She nursed her mother even she had a hurtful demand from her that was not even granted. But for that two months, she was able to accomplish her responsibility to her mother. After almost seven weeks of unconsciousness, Sandra moved her fingers and woke up. On that day it was too for Erin and Sandra to clean their rusted relationship. But the quick recovery between Erin and her mother granted them both a quick ending. Her mother died after three days. The doctor told her that, her mother's brain were damaged badly that it there is a continuous internal bleeding. Her body collapsed and gave up. Erin doesn't have any idea of how her mother got an accident. As far as she remembered, Sandra was a professional driver. So she find the incident doubtful.

"Miss Austin, are you there? Dinner is ready. "

One of the maid called her. She had no idea, how long they've been calling her. She scanned herself and realized she didn't change her clothes. She was still wearing the sleeves and skirt from her mother's burial.

"I'll be out in 10 minutes"

She shouted in response and run towards the bathroom. She quickly took off her clothes and opened the shower. She closed her eyes and savour every drop of water in her body. After a short bath she choses a pair of pajamas in her walk in closet. And started drying her hair. Soon as she's done, she went downstairs for dinner with less than ten minutes.

In the dinning hall, Caleb was already sitting on the left. She was surprised by his presence. But since he's the only close friend of her mother and seemed to be a father figure to her, she didn't mind interrogating Caleb joining her for dinner. She sat opposite to Caleb and started to pick foods from her plate. They made their dinner mum for almost fifteen minutes.

Erin delicately wiped her lips with table napkin. And preapared to leave.

" Can we talk? "

Erin stopped for a while. Without a word she returned to her seat. After all it was only Caleb and her that was left.

"We will be moving tomorrow. "

Erin raised her brows upon Caleb's introduction. There's no way she will abandon this house. It was her mother's. The memory of her childhood was filmed in this place. How could Caleb state such thing.

"This place will be chased by Mr. Smith. Sandra, unknowingly was loaded with a huge amount of debt in him. I tried my best to pay for her debt, but it was too much. And Mr. Smith is giving more pressure on due dates. "

Caleb was sad. He doesn't want this thing to happen, no one wants but it just happen.

"Who is Mr. Smith and where did my mom bring such amount of money that will cost Austin's place? "

For some reason, Erin find Mr. Smith suspicious.

Caleb avoided Erin's eyes, he knows anytime Erin will find out everything her mother did. He wanted to let her read first her mother's diary. It's not yet the time for her to know the truth. She was not yet ready for it. Caleb was afraid that Erin might not able to digest everything that will be unveiled. Also her mother was just burried yesterday, and even she hide it she's not even in the half phase of weeping.

"Mr. Smith is a good friend of Sandra, that's all I know."

Erin looked at him uncontented.

" Then, what will happen to me. To us? "

Realizing that Caleb won't give a detail anymore, she changed the topic.

"Your mother, had a penthouse. Actually, the place was in your name. So that place is yours. "

"Is that place the product of her debt? " Erin asked with a tone of disappointment.

"No. Your mother worked hard for that place. That was her gift to you on your eighteenth. But during that time, the place was in a mess due to typhoon, so she needed to reconstruct it. But after that she was drowned in her work, that she forgot to tell you about it. I'm sorry. "

"Don't be sorry, I blame no one. "

"Sandra loves you so much. "

"I know. "

"You should take a rest Ms. Austin. It will be a long ride tomorrow. "

Erin just nod in response and ascended into her room.

'And this will gonna be a long night too.'