It took me a long time to manage my way through the perilous intricate complex passageways filled with many obstreperous obstacles known as the school hallways to find the library that the girl was referring to in her note. If it weren’t for the countless signs guiding me I don’t think I could make it anywhere without the help of Mr. Mordecai Revere Sir. Afterall the entrance to the library itself wasn’t actually labeled and the doors looked almost identical to the cafeteria that I dreaded for life in. Not to mention everything looked nearly the same if it weren’t for those directional signs I would have assumed I had been tracing myself in circles a long time ago.
The library managed to be an even worse maze with the shelves of books arranged in almost identical fashion and each table set up with a nearly identical set of chairs to match each. The same three colors etched endlessly across the wall and carpet, red, green and blue, I’m not sure I liked any of those colors. She has to be hidden somewhere within this maze I just needed to find her, but of course there was always that possibility that the note was just a ruse. In that case I would not be entirely surprised either. Still I was hopeful that I would find her, someone who was willing to reach out to me.
Eventually I saw a girl whose face was shrouded in a book with only her ears and hair protruding from the sides. She seemed ever so focused but I was sure that by the rest of her delicate frame that was her, without any doubt. Well at the very least this proves that the note wasn’t a prank. Summoning as much courage as I can and remembering what Nika had told me the previous night I start towards her table. As I make my way towards her, each of my limbs feel awkward, I don’t know exactly what to do with them and I am conscious of my expression, things I can rarely feel.
Her face previously shrouded in mystery arises from the book for just a brief moment. Still the glance of her eyes filled with a sorrow I cannot comprehend becomes a moment that is trapped in my mind. It feels as though my limbs go numb and everything suddenly melts away as the sorrow pierces straight through me. Then they are submerged again moments later within the book and I’m sure whatever I saw moments ago had already dissipated to never be seen again.
“Hi, um you wrote that note about wanting to meet me here. Sorry was I not actually supposed to read it or.” Cautious with every breath I take my seat next to hers or maybe I should have taken it across from hers, maybe that was stupid and evasive. Please forgive me. She looks up at me in the same way she looks during class, the sorrow replaced with hostility.
“What is your purpose for being here? You decide to randomly show up and then embarrass yourself in front of the class on the first day. Especially with Phenix, the son of the principal, that’s pretty much unheard of.” Hearing her voice instantly catches me off guard, with such hostile eyes I assumed that it would be awhile until she spoke to me. It wasn’t that different from what I expected the average teenage girl to sound yet it was so confident, something I did not expect. She did reveal the entirety of her face by smacking the book down onto the wood of the table.
“Um well I’ve spent most of my life in complete solitude with my adoptive parents because they couldn’t have children of their own for a while. Well that was until about seven years ago now, they ended up having a kid and we moved to the city. Which you might have already heard when I embarrassed myself in front of Phenix, the principal’s son, which I didn’t know he was until just now. It wasn’t until recently I noticed how lonely I actually was, I didn’t really ask for this but my guardians know me too well to not notice that something was wrong.” I explain to her, it feels as if I have been explaining this nonstop ever since I first walked through the school doors.
“Oh, I like you” I catch undertones of a grin within her nearly blank expression.
“You do? You mean this in a sincere way and not that I am a joke to you right? Am I correct or incorrect?”Not knowing what to do with my hands either, I find myself scraping the extra layer of varnish from the bottom of the wood table. It’s not noticeable vandalism as the table has already been thoroughly scratched by a past student.
“Humans are so insufferably complicated. I can tell you the type to wear your emotions on your sleeve and I think a virtue like that is honorable not to mention how persistent you are. I always thought the only thing I could ever make friends with was a robot but oh yep I can trust you for sure. I mean you are adorable, how can I not?” The entire time she speaks, refusing to break eye contact. Her words catch me completely off guard, never has another fellow human being interacted with me in this kind of way. It's so baffling, it leaves me vexed yet also thoroughly excited . How would Nika respond to something like this? He'd know for sure. I say the only thing I'm good at say
"Thank you, I don't know if being called robotic is a compliment but I will accept it.”
"So I want to make a deal with you. Listen, you're not the only one who's new at this table. That's right I came here just a week before you and I say if we don't want to get eaten alive, we stick together. What do you say? We can either suffer in loneliness for the rest of our lives or we can thrive." She’s clearly emerged deep in the conversation, she frantically projects each of her motions with such vigor and confidence.
"I guess that would make it a deal then." At this moment I reach out my hand, anticipating a handshake, a tradition I’ve only seen in movies and have wanted to reenact for a while. She reaches her left hand over to reach my hand. I wait for a little bit but quickly realize that she is hesitant just as every noise that has gone silent
"Nononono, this is not a gameshow, we are not guessing here. You put your foot down and answer me with complete certainty. I'm not putting my trust in someone who doesn't trust their own judgment." She leans over the table towards me making it impossible to avoid eye contact.
"It's a deal, I'm certain about it." Without a moment's delay or hesitation she aggressively snatches my hand away from my side and begins to ferociously shake it. I eagerly clutch the table feeling as though she'll rip my hand off if I don't. Even so there is a rush that overwhelms me, it is that of excitement. For the first time in seven years there is finally someone new in my life that I can value. From so many books and movies I have been taught that our connections are what matter most in life. Yes this marks the end of my old life. I am free to make friends as I please and I am the only obstacle. "By the way,"
"What is it?" She's eager to answer my question and even more eager to listen to what I have to say. I think I'd get used to having someone like her around very quickly
"Well I know for sure that you know my name, but I don't really recall ever hearing yours."
"Well Ambrose, my name is Lennox, even though no one has had that name for centuries now." Lennox let's out a small passionate giggle yet I don't spend long thinking about it. Lennox, there is so much value in knowing someone's name it begins to wield the connection I was searching for. Still nothing excites me more than the fact I now get to tell Troy and Nika that I finally made a friend all on my own, and it was only my second day of school.
YOU ARE READING
The Cure To All Disease
Science FictionLiving by the sea he could never touch Ambrose has spent his entire life in complete solitude perfectly satisfied . Adopted by a young couple who could not have children. Suddenly all of that changes when his adoptive mother becomes pregnant. Ambro...
