"Good day to you, lady. But would you be kind enough to stop following me?" Bolt finally said. He noticed her following him when he finally got down from the coach on the way back to his house.
The lady shot him a coy smile, her eyes determined, her chest beating wildly. "Mister Bolt Makerman, good day! Uh, I—I am Dart, your number one fan. And… Can I have your autograph please?" She said in a quick and loud enough voice to jerk the heads of the passersby, making it awkward for Bolt.
"I'm afraid you must've mistaken me for somebody else, lady. Have a great day." He told her as he turned his back. Not making it obvious he was silently freaking out on the inside. He hoped she hadn't noticed, and the people too. He continued to walk away as he struggled to keep a straight face.
"No, Mister Bolt! For I am certain it is you. The one and only Bolt Makerman who invented the laser gun for last year's competition. And the talking robot dog the previous year. And ah! The hyper realistic robot companion too! Please know I've been a fan of yours for a very very very long time." She said that all in one breath. But sadly, the person she admired didn't bother to listen to her. He just kept going.
And when he stopped to get the key from his breast pocket, the determined young lady blocked his way.
"What are you doing, young lady? Can't you feel the gaze of my neighbors?" Asked Bolt. And this was also when he got a clear view of her face. She had orange hair, thick brows and lashes, deep green eyes, and lots and lots of freckles. Instead of a skirt she wore pants. Button down shirt instead of a blouse and a pair of dirty brown boots.
"I've decided, Mister Bolt. Please make me your apprentice."
The stunned Bolt couldn't speak for a while. He was speechless. He never encountered such a weird creature before. Her enthusiasm was frighteningly blinding. But of course, Bolt wasn't someone to be moved just cause you're more enthusiastic than average. So in the flattest of all responses, he told her, "I don't accept apprentices. Go away." And with his free hand, he gently shoved her to the side.
"Then you don't have to teach me anything, Mister Bolt. Just let me observe you. I won't bother you, I swear."
"I'm no Ricky Pimp. There is nothing to see. You're wasting your time." Was all he said before he finally opened his door with a click. One thing the young lady didn't know, or probably something nobody knows aside from his father, Bolt messes up his job whenever somebody is watching him. He performed better alone.
And depending on who's watching him, he would sometimes find it hard to breathe and it felt like the people around him were drilling holes through his body, silently judging him of how awful he was.
That wasn't the case in reality, however.
"I promise it won't be a waste, Mister Bolt." The young lady said. "Like I said, I've been a fan of yours for a very long time. I've seen you participate in the competition since I was just a girl. Year after year, you never miss even if you suffer from high fever or other sickness. Year after year, I look forward to your participation and the new invention you came up with and you never disappoint. You inspire me, Mister Bolt. I strive to be like you." Then she bowed. He could feel her sincerity.
"Boooooooooo!" Then suddenly, the man across the street threw a coin in Bolt's direction. It landed near his boots. A gesture in Tarniville to mock someone. He seemed to be drunk. "Just take the girl! You ain't got no apprentice and you ain't even that good. You never won once so what're you trynna hard to get for?"
Annoyed, and a little hurt, Bolt picked up the coin and threw it back to the man, a little more aggressively. "Shut up, old man." And he turned his back and opened the door and marched inside.
The young lady's face turned crestfallen with this action but it was soon replaced with a disbelieving grin when she heard what Bolt had to say.
"I don't like nosy people while I work so I'd rather you don't hover around me and ask me questions. Now get to work, young lady. Buy me some chicken feet. Slightly burnt and definitely not spicy."