"Don't even think about mentioning what happened back in the store," Rachael muttered, her eyes locked onto her cup of tea. She stirred it absently, her voice carrying an edge of frustration. "I don't wanna hear a word about it."
Rose, sitting across from her, nodded meekly. "I won't," she promised, sipping her avocado smoothie. The thick, green mixture slid down her throat, the taste familiar, comforting. Just her favorite.
But as she stole a glance at Rachael, she saw through something—something that wasn't quite fitting the calm facade Rachael was trying to wear. Beneath the indifference, there was sadness. It lingered in the corners of her eyes, like a shadow she couldn't shake.
Finally after several minutes, Rachael broke the silence. She set her tea down with a sharp clink and eyed Rose's drink suspiciously. "Can you really eat that?" Her tone was casual, but there was a flicker of genuine curiosity. It was a small crack in the wall between them, but Rose was relieved. At least they were talking.
"I think so," Rose replied, unsure.
Rachael raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "You think so? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"Well…" Rose hesitated, feeling heat rise in her cheeks. Embarrassed, she decided it was easier to show than explain. Without moving a muscle, she popped a hologram up from her wristband—a sleek ad materialized in the air between them.
The familiar jingle of Syntho-Digest Technology played, accompanied by visuals of a model-perfect love bot seductively consuming a gourmet meal, not to let her partner feel alone even during meals, before flashing to a clip of her sitting in an elegant lounge, still flawless, as the ad touted the advanced digestive tech designed to replicate real human biology.
Rachael's expression twisted into a grimace. "Okay, okay... I get it. Close it already. "
As the hologram disappeared, Rachael reached for her cheesecake, stabbing it with her fork in annoyance. She took a bite, still frowning. "So… where does all that go after it goes in, huh?"
Without missing a beat, Rose answered, her voice innocent but deadpan. "Out of the anus?"
The words hung in the air for a second before Rachael nearly choked on her cheesecake, bursting into laughter. "What the fuck?! Out of the anus? She wheezed, wiping at her eyes. "I thought that was just for decoration on…" She leaned in, voice dropping to a whisper, "...love bots."
"No, it really works," Rose said earnestly, trying to explain. "At least, for my model."
Rachael couldn't help but laugh harder, slapping the table lightly. "Oh my god. You're too much. Anus and all." She shook her head, still chuckling. "I swear, you're gonna kill me one of these days."
But as Rachael's laughter faded, Rose's gaze drifted across the restaurant. She hadn't been paying attention to her surroundings—until now. That's when she saw them.
William. Emily.
They were sitting at a table just across the room, close enough for their familiar faces to make her heart skip a beat. William's eyes were locked onto her like a hawk, never wavering, intense and unreadable. Emily sat with her back toward Rose, her posture stiff, her head turning every so often toward Rose's table as if she couldn't decide whether to get up and walk over or pretend she hadn't seen her at all.
Have they come here to see me?
It was a surreal feeling—after so long of being trapped in this artificial existence, seeing real people she knew. She wanted to rush to their table, throw her arms around both of them, and hold on tight. It had been so long since she felt that sense of familiarity, of being human.
She had spent so long pretending to be something else, something alien. Acting like a love bot, performing like one, trying to please people in ways she didn't fully understand. It was an exhausting, terrifying masquerade.
But seeing William and Emily… it made everything feel real again, just for a moment.
"Hey… can I go to the toilet for a bit, Rachael?" Rose asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
"Toilet? Ew…," Rachael muttered, scrunching her nose. "Are you really gonna… like, get that out after what you told me? Ugh. Go, go—don't make me think about it anymore."
"Thank you."
Rose nodded, forcing a smile before standing. She took a large gulp of her smoothie, hoping it would calm the whirlpool in her stomach. Her sundress swayed lightly as she walked, but her mind was racing. William and Emily were following her, she could feel it. The weight of William's gaze never left her back.
She stepped into the toilet, her reflection in the mirror staring back at her—a girl in a sundress, her features softened by the sterile white lights overhead. But she felt far from soft. Her chest was tight, her breaths shallow.
Wait...Talking with Emily is fine. But how am I supposed to see William in here?
But before she could fully process it, the door flew open.
William stormed in, his face flushed with an intensity Rose wasn't prepared for. Emily was right behind him, her voice frantic as she tried to pull him back. "William, stop! You can't just—"
But William didn't care. He was already by Rose's side, pulling her into his arms with a force that made her gasp. His embrace was overwhelming, his breath warm against her neck as he buried his face in her hair, breathing her in like she was something he had lost and only just found again.
"I've been missing you so much," he murmured, his voice deep and hoarse with emotion. Rose stood there, stunned, unsure how to react. This was too much—too close. She wasn't used to this level of intimacy, not with William. Not with anyone except maybe Liam, and even then…
"I must have worried you so much," Rose finally said, her voice quiet as she gently tried to ease out of his suffocating grip. "Thank you for checking on me."
William didn't let go. His hold only tightened, like if he loosened his arms for even a second, she might disappear. Rose's chest tightened with anxiety. This wasn't the William she remembered—this was something more desperate, more fragile. She must have really worried him a lot.
Emily rushed in behind him, her eyes wide with shock at the scene unfolding in front of her. Without hesitation, she grabbed a book from her bag and swung it at William's head. It wasn't a gentle tap either—it was a solid, satisfying thwack.
"Get out of here!" she snapped. "If anyone sees you in here, you'll be dead meat. Sexual harassment charges, you idiot!"
"Ow, that hurt!" William rubbed the back of his head, but the intensity in his eyes didn't wane.
Emily ignored his complaint, her gaze flicking around the bathroom nervously. She checked the stalls one by one, relief washing over her as she realized they were alone. She turned back to Rose, her expression softening.
"Hey… you look gorgeous," Emily said gently, her voice tinged with surprise and relief as she looked at Rose. Liam must have been treating her friend well... well, although he must have also been taking advantage of Rose in a way Emily wouldn't be happy with ofc.
"We came to tell you about the test results," Emily said, glancing at William, who had stepped back but still hovered nearby.
Rose blinked, her heart racing. Test results? She's been waiting for the answers to her current situation forever. Now seemed to be finally that time. But, she's a bit scared.
William stepped closer, his gaze intense. "Rose, we can help you. Whatever's wrong, we can fix it."
Rose's anxiety spiked. "What exactly is wrong with me?"
"Well, there's…there's something I need to tell you," he said, carefully choosing his words. "The samples we've been analyzing… they're showing some unexpected changes."
Rose's stomach tightened at his words, her pulse quickening. "What kind of changes?"
William hesitated for a moment, as if he didn't want to burden her with the truth. But then he continued, his voice soft, reassuring. "Nothing we can't handle. The organic cells are merging with some strange synthetic material in ways we didn't anticipate. It's complex, but we'll figure it out. We just need more time."
Rose frowned, trying to make sense of what he was saying. "But… what does that mean?"
William gently squeezed her hands. "It means we need to do more tests. I'll be heading to the national lab in the capital. It's the only place that has the equipment we need to really understand what's going on. It'll take about a week, but I'm confident we'll get the answers we need."
Rose's breath caught in her throat. The anxiety she had been trying to push down surged to the surface. "What are you going to find there?"
William glanced briefly at Emily, who nodded, urging him on. He took a deep breath. "We just need to make sure the fusion isn't affecting your neural pathways or your cognitive functions. It's still early, so there's a good chance we can stop it before it becomes a problem."
Neural pathways. Cognitive functions. The words sent a shiver down Rose's spine. Her mind raced, filling in the blanks of what William wasn't saying. If they didn't fix this… if they couldn't stop it…
What am I turning into?
But before she could spiral into full-blown panic, William's voice cut through her thoughts, calm and steady. "Rose, look at me. We've got this. I promise you, we're not going to let this take over. You're still you, and we're going to keep it that way."
Rose looked up into his eyes, searching for any hint of doubt, but there was none. For the first time in days, she felt a flicker of hope. Maybe, just maybe, she wouldn't lose herself after all.