On Moving Up - An II Fanfic

2 - Slightly Less Anxiety

Lightbulb sat there patiently as Test Tube went on to pull up several pet care websites and explained how to properly take care of a hermit crab. Paintbrush, however, was the one mentally taking notes, knowing Lightbulb would probably forget half of it in five minutes flat. 

"Alright, you got that? I can go over it again, if you want!" Test Tube asked cheerfully. 

"No prob, Tube. I got this," Lightbulb assured her, giving Test Tube the 'double pistols and a wink' pose with a click of her tongue.

Paintbrush casually glanced at their phone. It was almost dinner time already. "Hey, Test Tube. Me and Lightbulb are gonna go and bring back a pizza. You want anything specific?"

"Oh! Golly, uh- I prefer just regular cheese. Maybe mushrooms?"

"Is extra cheese okay?" 

"Sure!" Test Tube wasn't going to say 'no' to free food, so long as it was edible.

"Oooh, Painty!" Lightbulb looked at Paintbrush with stars in her eyes. "Can we get a cookie pizza, too?"

Paintbrush sighed, before smiling. "Yes, we can get a cookie pizza." 

"Yes!" Lightbulb threw her hands in the air, jumping like an excited kid. 

"Alright, alright- c'mon, before you accidentally shatter yourself again. I don't want another trip to the nurse's office," Paintbrush teased as they linked an arm with hers. 

Test Tube smiled, watching the two leave. It must be nice being friends like that with someone...

She walked back to her room. Sigh. Well, maybe she'd get to become best friends with them, at least. Test Tube was already feeling much more comfortable about being here with those two around. This year was going to be a cinch. Why was she even anxious before? Of course college wouldn't be anything like high school. Clearly everyone here was a lot cooler. Clearly.

Test Tube was in the middle of arranging the books on her shelf, before she heard her door open.

She turned to see a red hand fan, staring at her in surprise, one hand on a suitcase handle. 

"Can I... Help you?" Test Tube asked, slowly. 

"I-" the fan's eyes widened for a second- "Oh, this is- this is your room, I'm sorry- I was just- looking for-" he backed up a little, motioning to the other, empty room.

Oh! This must be the other apartmentmate. 

"Hey, hey! It's okay, don't worry about it," Test Tube said, trying to laugh it all off while waving a hand. 

"Right..." The fan did the same, before clearing his throat. "Sorry again, I just- I wasn't paying attention, eheh." 

No use in avoiding it, Test Tube decided. Awkwardness was going to happen. "Well, uh- my name's Test Tube," she said, walking forward and offering a hand. 

"Fan! I mean- that's my name! Don't wear it out," he replied, shaking her hand nervously. 

"You uh... You okay, there?" Test Tube tilted slightly, looking at Fan with concern. 

"It's fine! I'm fine!" he replied, a little too quickly. "I'm just not good at this whole, interacting thing, y'know?"

"Oh! I'm not either!" she assured him, "I'm the queen of social un-interaction, huyah huyah..." There she was. Making weird noises again. Test Tube mentally wished she could stop for once. "I'll, uh- let you get settled in, and all that good stuff, now." 

Fan smiled. "Yeah, thanks. You too!" 

Test Tube slowly closed the door, before turning around and looking back to her room. 

Alright. More things to think about. Which meant- time to pace around the room. Fan might have been a new addition to this equation, but he also seemed like a pretty nice dude, in the whole ten seconds Test Tube had known him for. After all- they were both socially awkward, and he did look like a nerdy sort of guy himself. 

Which meant that this was a problem that didn't require a solution. As in, it wasn't a problem at all. Maybe. It might've been too early to come to a real conclusion on the matter. Not enough data to analyze...

Test Tube realized she was staring blankly at her bookshelf, and shook herself out of her trance, turning back around. 

"I don't have anything to worry about. I'm just getting worried for no reason! Right?" she picked up a small, plush isopod on her bed. 

"Right, Test Tube! You're overthinking it a little, don't you think? You've been doing that a lot, lately!"  she said in a slightly higher pitched voice, gently shaking the stuffed animal around like it was swimming through the air. 

"Well, I understand your concern, but thinking about things is what I do best, you know!"

"And that's a-okay good buddy o' pal o' mine! But you gotta save that energy for your school work, or you'll be in big trouble, little lady!"

"Hey. I'll have you know I can take on whatever school dishes out at me. I didn't graduate high school with straight A's and full advanced classes for nothing!" Test Tube boasted.

"Straight A's except for gym class."

"Hey, everyone knows gym class doesn't count as a real class," she replied defensively. "Calc? Statistics? Physics? Chemistry? Child's play."

"What about art?"

"Wh- What about art?" She stared at the plush, taking it in both hands. "I could totally knock your little socks off at artsy stuff if I wanted to. I just... Don't want to. Yeah."

"Okaaaaay, keep telling yourself that." Her hands wiggled the stuffed animal.

"Hmph." Test Tube smirked knowingly. "You're just trying to get a rise out of me... Well it's not going to work, you jeebweezer!" she exclaimed, reeling her arm back like she was about to launch the plush at full speed- only to stop last-second and gently plop it back onto her bed.

"..."

She stood there, taking another glance around the room.

"... I hope Fan didn't hear any of that."