Glitch (boyxboy/android)

Chapter 1: Happy Birthday!

"And what am I supposed to do with a robotic man?"
☆

"Ok...keep your eyes closed, no peeking." His mother says, as she slowly guides Leo into the living room. He shuffles tiny steps towards the centre of the room, where a tall cardboard box, wrapped in endless shiny blue paper stood, with a garish red bow stuck to the top.

His 15 year old brother Enzo and his father were sitting on the adjacent sofa, watching in anticipation at the reaction Leo was going to give, when he opened his birthday gift.

"Tada!" His mother finally says, pulling her hands away from Leo's face. It takes a minute for him to adjust to the light in his eyes. He now focuses on the large gift in front of him.
"Happy 18th Birthday!" She choruses, with happy birthdays echoing around the room.

"What is this?" Leo says, mouth dropping open slightly at the sheer size of the gift.

"Open it you idiot." Enzo calls, half laughing at Leo's shocked reaction. He begins to tear at the paper, to reveal a brown box, with words and letters stamped across the front.

"PT-148 edition ...what is this mum?" Leo looks confused at the box. "Is it a games console?"

"No silly." She says, hurrying to the kitchen to grab some scissors, cutting away the plastic tape and scoring down the front of the box. She then pulls the flaps of the box apart, to reveal the birthday gift in its entirety.

"Meet your new personalised tutor, the PT-148!" She says, standing back looking overly impressed at the life size figure of a male. Dark brown hair, side parting, black glasses, wearing a black jacket with matching bow tie, grey trousers and black lace up shoes.

"PT-148?" Leo questions. "What does that mean?" He frowns, standing back from the box to take in what was in front of him.

"It has an IQ of 148. Even I know that!" Enzo pipes up, earning a know it all glare from Leo.

"And what am I supposed to do with a robotic man?" He asks unimpressed that this was even his birthday present.

"You are taking your exams this year. You know you need top marks to get into medical school." His mother answers.

Leo takes a very vocal sigh. "Aahh not this again. Mum I told you, I want to be an actor. I don't need the bot 3000 or whatever this is. If you really wanted to get me something useful, you could have gotten me a full length mirror...Ow!"

The last comment earns Leo a smack around the head from his mother. "Do you know how much this cost?" She shouts, placing her hands on her hips. Leo goes quiet, side eyeing the mannequin doll looking expressionless in the box. He shakes his head.

"Well... a lot." She says, "It's for your education. You will use it as recommended and you will be a doctor."

"Yes mum." Leo says, now looking down at his own feet. This was the worst birthday present ever!"

***

Later that evening, after a few huffs and puffs, of the box being hauled up the stairs, the PT-148 was now standing in the corner of Leo's room. Leo looks at the vacant expression on its face through the plastic. "What are you looking at?" He says with annoyance, with the life sized figure staring back.

Leo begins to undo the corner of the box to reveal the figure more clearly. Soon the cardboard is in a pile on the floor, with the PT completely unboxed. He picks up the instruction manual and goes to rest on the bed to leaf through it. The first page shows an image of his tutor, with some information underneath.

Thank you for selecting your personal tutor, the PT-148. Your tutor will help your student with the required specialist subjects to achieve the top grades, knowledge base and skills or your money back.

A quick start card then falls from the manual onto Leo's legs. He begins to read step 1. "So...you need charging." He huffs, rummaging for the charger it came with, in the pile of cardboard and locating the charging port on the base on the PT's spine.

Leo jumps back in surprise as the eyes of the PT suddenly light up orange, indicating that it was charging. "Jesus...you're freaky." He utters under his breath, before being distracted by 'pitter patters' at his window.

He clambers onto his bed to see his friends Yan and Harley standing on his lawn. Leo opens the window wide.

"Hey, It's your birthday. Why aren't you coming out?" Yan whispers and shouts up at the opened window.

"I can't...I gotta set something up, parents orders." Leo says, rolling his eyes.

"Set what up?" Yan questions.

"They bought me a tutor." Leo says, a little embarrassed to be admitting it to his friends, who are now unashamedly laughing at him.

"You got a tutor?" Harley laughs out loud. "That's just so embarrassing."

"Shut up." Leo hisees back..."

"So does this mean you're not coming out tonight? It's your birthday, I have beer." Harley holds up a bag to show Leo.

Leo looks back at the PT, eyes still glowing orange. He wouldn't be able to do anything until it was fully charged. "Ok, I'm on my way."