Page 14 of Fembot
“Nothing,” Lucky answered too quickly. Totally suspicious.
“Lucky, come on. You can tell me.”
Lucky couldn’t. Not because he didn’t want to, but he didn’t know how to tell Novak that he felt like he was being left behind. Novak had an amazing job lined up for after graduation. Winston’s path in life had been set years ago. Everyone knew what they were doing next. Even all their other friends knew what they wanted out of life.
Lucky was drifting. Classes were a struggle. They always had been, but the past couple of years the coursework had increased in difficulty, and he was barely getting by now. Admitting it wasn’t an option. He didn’t want Novak to know how tough a time he was having. Lucky went to great lengths to make sure his grades stayed a secret from Novak.
Logically, Lucky knew he should ask Novak for help, but he couldn’t make himself do it. Novak would look at him withthose gentle brown eyes of his and they’d fill with pity and understanding, and Lucky didn’t want those things.
“Lucky…” Novak’s phone chimed with an alarm. “Shit. I have to get going. I’m tutoring tonight.” Novak pried himself away from Lucky but paused and looked down at him.
“Go.” Lucky stretched out and put his feet up on the coffee table, crossing his legs at the ankles. “I’ll be fine. Iamfine.”
Novak narrowed his eyes. “You’re sure?”
“Go. Make people smart or whatever.”
Novak waited a beat, then another before letting out a sigh. “Okay. I’ll go. Behave while I’m gone.”
Novak went upstairs to grab his laptop and was out the door a minute later. Now it was just Lucky and Calvin, the world’s fanciest butler.
Lucky got to his feet and went in search of the robot. He checked Winston’s room first, expecting to find him there, but no. He checked the bedrooms next and found Calvin as he exited the bathroom.
“Spring a leak?” Lucky joked.
Calvin tilted his head and scrunched his eyebrows. “I don’t detect a leak.”
“No… I meant… never mind.” Lucky let out a sigh. “It was a joke, but it wasn’t very funny.”
“Ah. Sorry I didn’t understand your joke. I’m still getting used to human humor. It can be difficult to understand because humans don’t find the same things funny so it’s hard to tell sometimes what’s a joke and what’s not.”
“You’re really into the whole learning about humans thing, aren’t you?” Lucky asked.
Calvin nodded. “It’s in my directives to learn all I can about people so I can blend in.”
“You should download some slang, bud. You’ll sound smoother if you do.”
“Slang. Yes. Why didn’t I think of that?” Calvin paused, his whole body going oddly still. It lasted only a second, and then a smile beamed at Lucky. “Thanks, man. I think this will help me blend in better.”
“Happy to help.”
“Do you know other ways I could blend in more?”
Calvin’s enthusiasm melted Lucky’s heart. He had no siblings, and no one had bothered to look up to him because there’d never been any reason to look up to him. But there was Calvin with his eager expression, just wanting to fit in. Lucky knew how that felt, and even if Calvin didn’t feel bad about not fitting in, he clearly wanted to.
“Yeah, actually. Come with me.”
Calvin followed Lucky to the living room and waited for further instruction.
“Have a seat.” Lucky motioned to the sectional. “Sit anywhere you like.”
Calvin sat on the spot nearest to him. He perched on the edge of the seat with his back straight and his hands folded in his lap. He sat like a fucking robot.
“Okay, stand up,” Lucky said. He marveled at the way Calvin obeyed him effortlessly. How he didn’t question Lucky’s instructions. It was dumb, but it made Lucky feel good, like someone trusted him.
“Watch me.”
Lucky sat on the couch and leaned against the cushions. He spread his arms over the back of the couch and folded one leg up, resting the ankle on his opposite knee. “You can sit like this.” Lucky stretched his legs out and put them on the coffee table. “Or like this. The less stiff you look, the more human you’ll appear.” Lucky stood up and stepped aside, making room for Calvin. “You try.”
