🅹🆄🅳🆈
The hotel lobby is full of new guests that just arrived, right in time for dinner. Their suitcases are scattered everywhere and I have to concentrate in order not to trip over them. My next performance starts in less than two hours, a sprained ankle is really the last thing I need right now.
Once I'm past the reception I can finally breathe again and consider resting on one of the armchairs for a minute. I'm done for today.
"JUDY!"
My head shoots around and I can see Isabella running towards me, her face riddled with fear. She grabs my shoulders.
"Are you okay? Where is Jasper?"
She holds my face, then looks me up and down, checking for something.
"Of course I'm okay. Jasper is at the hospital."
"What? What did you do?"
Her eyes are wide, her breathing short and flat.
"Me? Nothing! Well...I gave him peanuts to eat, I didn't know he was allergic. I brought him to the hospital and they cut a hole into his throat, he'll be in there for a few more days."
Isabella just stares at me, tears forming in her eyes. Then she pulls me into a hug.
"I thought I had lost you."
She starts crying into my shoulder and I'm perplexed. I've never seen her this vulnerable before and even though I'm incredibly angry, I hold her close.
Once Isabella has calmed down a bit, she whispers into my ear, scared someone might hear her.
"Jasper came to kill me. I didn't know that, I thought this was over. And I was so dumb to leave you alone with him. I'm so sorry, Judy. I can't-"
"Wait, he wanted to kill you? Why? Because of Afterlife?"
Isabella pulls back, she looks shocked. "H-how do you-" "Jasper told me everything. About the machine and how you're just a robot and Jordan being stuck inside of you. The whole story."
"And you believe it now?"
I shake my head. "I don't know. Either you guys are playing with me because you are psychopaths. Or I'm dating a robot. Surprisingly, I don't like either of those options."
She nods. "Yeah." The woman wants to take my hands but I pull back. I can see the hurt in Isabella's eyes but she seems to understand.
"My body is a robot, yes. But everything inside is real, I'm a real person. I know it sounds crazy but…" Her face lights up. "Wait, I can prove it to you!"
"Okay?"
She grabs my arm and pulls me behind her to the next bathroom. Isabella pushes the door open and checks for any potential guests but luckily it's empty. She swirls around to me.
"Okay, I will activate his voice but you can't hear him, he communicates over thoughts with me. And then you can ask him something and I'll tell you his answer, okay?"
I look into Isabella's eyes but she doesn't seem to be joking. She is dead serious.
"Okay."
She lets go of my arm and takes a step back. Then she closes her eyes, her head rolls over until it faces the ground. Next thing I know a mechanical voice is leaving her mouth, reciting binary code.
"01000001 01100011 01110100 01101001 01110110 01100001 01110100 01100101 00100000 01110011 01110000 01100101 01100101 01100011 01101000"
The way she speaks, so chopped and fast - this is definitely not the voice of a human and my stomach turns into a knot.
Then she opens her eyes again and looks at me.
"Okay, ask him something."
I hesitate for a second, trying to understand what just happened but I can't wrap my head around it.
Am I really talking to a robot?
"I don't...really know him. He disappeared the same day I started working here. Let me think...oh!"
I clap my hands. "Okay, what's the password to the employee lounge?"
In case Isabella is just playing a game, that is definitely not something she can know. But Jordan would. I mean Parker.
The blonde stays silent for a second, then she grins. "He says there is no password. You guys have a key but you hardly need it because the door is always unlocked anyway."
"Dude..." I take a step back.
"What's his favorite food?"
"Tiramisu."
My mouth falls open, I cover it with my hand.
"Do you believe me now?"
I lean against the next sink, trying to organize my thoughts.
Oh my god.
"I thought I had finally found a girlfriend. Turns out she is a robot."
I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry.
"So…" Isabella scratches her arm. "It's over?"
She looks right into my eyes but I turn away, unable to see her crying.
'Yes' is what my brain is telling me but let's be real here. I have already fallen in love. And I can't help but think: 'What if it doesn't matter? What if this actually works out?' 'What if we can be happy together?'
God, what is happening to me?
"I don't know, I need time to think and process this. Sorry."
"No, don't apologize." She slowly walks over to me. "Take as much time as you need, I just don't know when we'll see each other again. I'll be taking the first flight to Austin tomorrow and I don't know what's going to happen, to be honest. I'm sorry that I pulled you into this mess, I was completely egotistical and selfish. I should have never talked to you."
I look at her for a while, studying her tired face and recalling everything that has happened these last few days. Every single detail.
The romantic dates. The funny hangouts. The indescribable sex. My mind has already made a decision but now it's time for my heart to speak.
"How about, before you leave, we go on one more date? We won't talk about any of this and act like nothing happened. And after that, our ways will seperate."
Isabella seems unsure. "Why would you want that?"
"I'm not ready to say goodbye just yet."
Isabella watches me as I step closer and put my arms around her neck. Then I pull her into a kiss.
Just one kiss.
She hesitates and for a second I'm afraid she'll push me away but then she grabs my waist, holding it gently.
Her lips are soft, her movements tender, as if she is scared of messing up.
No robot could kiss like this.
Drowning in this sensation, my heart starts beating faster and my legs get weak. Luckily Isabella's warm hands are there to keep me from falling.
Her grip is secure.
And I feel safe.