Liam's muscles ached with the satisfying soreness that came after a long hike. A backpack slung over his shoulder.
Today was much warmer than it had been all week, hitting around 50°F. No need for layers, just the thrill of the hike and beads of sweat to mark the trail of his adventure.
Stepping into the elevator, his mind replayed the night with the gorgeous little humanoid, pondering why she had vanished into thin air this morning.
As the elevator ascended, Liam's gaze fixated on the flickering overhead lights. Once free from hiking, the man found himself back in the grip of Rose-related ponderings.
"I should just give up hopes on Rose and find myself a real girlfriend. Damn... I must have really liked her."
His embarrassed smile turned into a smirk on his handsome face as a wicked thought darted through his mind.
"She might've vanished on me this morning, but if I ever find her back, I'm locking her down. I'll make sure she's not getting to set a step outside my apartment. "
The next second, the man shook his head, a self-deprecating laugh escaping him. Of course, he knew he wouldn't really like to lock her down. He would just need to keep a better watch on her. Liam had to admit there's something about Rose that's got him hooked. He couldn't just easily get her out of his head.
Determined to shake those thoughts off, the man decided to switch gears, planning to hit up a local sports bar soon. There, he'd dive into the excitement of watching his favorite football team in action.
The elevator doors opened and Liam turned the corner of the hallway, his focus shifting from the hiking trails to the prospect of unlocking his apartment door. However, what he didn't expect was some kind of miracle awaiting him.
There, before his door, was a sight that made Liam involuntarily hold his breath. Rose sat on the floor leaning against the wall, almost as if she had materialized from his thoughts, wearing his clothes like a delicate echo of the night before.
His white shirt and black pants hung on her frame, oversized and swallowing her form. The hems cascaded over her fingers and concealed the tips of her toes, accentuating her vulnerability. She seemed like a portrait of fragility, perched in front of his door, looking both weak and dizzy.
"Where were you this morning?"
Rose looked up, her eyes reflecting a trace of surprise, then changing into the blend of vulnerability and a hint of shame. Clad in the clothes she had stolen from him, she seemed like a lost puzzle piece searching for its place. As their eyes met, Liam's initial surprise melted into a softer gaze, noticing how pale Rose seemed.
" I was out to get groceries to cook you breakfast. But my location sensor suddenly malfunctioned.... and I ended up totally lost. I'm sorry, Liam."
A wave of relief swept through Rose to finally see Liam as she anxiously uttered the lie she had meticulously rehearsed for hours. Just moments before his arrival, the young woman had been immersed in tears, consumed by worry, contemplating the unknown fate that would have awaited her had the man not returned tonight.
But why, against all reason, would Rose ever choose to return to Liam's doorstep after escaping from him this morning like her very existence depended on it?
Rose harbored a different kind of query of her own which might probably just be the perfect answer to this previous question.
Why had no one bothered to mention that she had essentially become a living electric doll, probably would be rendered immobile and breathless if her battery were to run out?
A swift glance at her wrist band screen revealed a mere 7% battery. The lower it dropped, the more feeble Rose became. Curiosity tugged at her, wondering what would unfold at zero battery. Yet, the fear of unveiling that unknown kept her from finding out.
Even so, she was actually too close to finding it out if only Liam were to be late for another hour.
Ultimately, her morning escape seemed futile. Yet, there was at least a silver lining. Her optimism clung to the fact that she had at least succeeded in delivering Emily her own blood samples and a handful of hair strands and some tissue samples for testing.
Rose subconsciously glanced down as Liam approached her closer, his scrutinizing gaze penetrating her. The young woman sensed his unspoken question—had she cried?
Rose had actually given in to tears this morning while explaining back to her best friend Emily about all she knew what had happened to herself so far. She now understood why the unknown was even more fearsome than the real thing. She hadn't known what she had become. and she actually had been scared to get a real answer to it.
From all the crying, Rose's eyes now bore a subtle puffiness, her cheeks tinged with a flush. As for her once-soft lips, they had lost a bit of their pink charm, now turning vaguely chapped. In a delayed realization, the young woman wondered how she must appear to Liam. But it was already too late. he had already caught on to the fact that she had cried.
Can robots also produce artificial tears or what? But why would they even do that?
Liam pondered silently as he tapped in his code to unlock the door, ensuring Rose remained unaware of the sequence.
"So you didn't find any grocery stores either?"
"I actually did. But they won't let me get any. They said I need to exchange those with something called... money."
"I thought humanoids at least know about this kind of basic stuff. "
A trace of suspicion troubled Liam's mind as he held the door opened for Rose.
"Get inside. We need to talk."
As a soldier, Liam grappled with the realization that he couldn't allow Rose free rein in and out of his apartment as she wished. Was his brother trying to keep tabs on him through her? But what's the point? How would it even benefit him?
Yet, there was also this nagging feeling inside him, telling Liam that this beautiful humanoid had secrets way more mysterious than he could grasp. Regardless, for the moment, Liam just decided to play the fool and pretend that he had bought into her excuse.