Resistance

Chapter 3

After ten minutes Aiden walks in "Hey left the concert early" he asked. I wasn't sure if I wanted to still be here. I was a freak to these people but still, something told me to stay. I blankly stared at the wall trying to hide what emotions I could feel. "Hey Marcus, what's going on with you?" Aiden asked. Honestly, Veronica said feeling emotions was the key to my life but being an emotional wreck was bad "I'm fine" I lied. "I know you're not," Aiden pointed out. "I don't know dude emotions are harder than I thought" I tried to steer the conversion but Aiden asked "How so" I looked at him. "It just is," I said, trying to hide again. "Not letting me know what's on your mind won't you feel bad," He said "Besides, emotions are valid here even if you are a train wreck on wheels," he joked. I nervously laughed. "Have you ever just dealt with someone who can't change?" I asked. "I learned an expression: you're beating a dead horse, don't listen to them, don't bother with them. Besides, I'm sure this isn't the first time you've dealt with this. The whole resistborgs are dead horses being beaten worse than a scrambled egg." Aiden lightheartedly said

I smiled but then frowned. "What if it was my roommate?" I asked. "Sheesh wow, a handful I could switch roommates," he said I look at him and grinned. "Thanks, dude," I said. Aiden shows me a fist. "Brofist," he said as he guided my hand "Fist bump dude like that," He said. I laughed at how silly it was but it felt good. "Hey by the way-shower time if you'd like," Aiden said "How does a cyborg take a shower," I asked. "Well um, I don't know what kind of metal you are," He asked "stainless steel" I replied. "Well you're technically water-resistant but we can figure out how to help in case you rust," he said I walk into the shower room then get undressed putting my clothing in a lock. I stand under a faucet. Aiden puts his hand on the nob. "Change the temperature," he said. I didn't have a say in temperature back at the resistborg compound. "I remember we never had a choice, well now we do," he said. I turn it on cold. It felt like freezing. I yelp at the feeling of fresh cold water. "Hey turn it up red hot," Aiden said I turned it all the way. My skin boils. I turned it down a little. "You'll get the hang of it," Aiden said, punching me in the arm. Aiden splashes me with his cold water. "Hey," I said. "Come on splashback" Aiden giggled. I take the water and splash him back. We keep splashing. Veronica glares at us "Like children" she said. I tried to ignore her but Aiden splashes my eye "OUCH" I pull back and hold it. "Sorry I got soap in your eye." he said "WHY THE FUCK WOULD YOU SPLASH ME WITH SOAPY WATER" I yelled. "Hehe accident," Aiden replied. "I didn't think I'd hit your eye I'm sorry" Aiden apologized I sigh. "It's fine," I responded. We remain quiet for the rest of the time then we go dry ourselves off. "Come follow me," Aiden said.

I put on my clothes and follow him to his room. "What's this about?" I asked Aiden to pull an anti-rust spray. "Hold still," he said, spraying my teeth and eyes. He takes a rag and rubs it in. "Consider this personal hygiene," Aiden said. "How often should I do this?" I asked "Maybe every other day," Aiden said "I'm not a scientist" He went on. I smile "Thanks, you're a good friend," I said smiling with my teeth out. "Let's go get a snack Marcus you can try coffee," he said I nod yes. We head back to the cafeteria. "I just discovered this coffee thing," Aiden said "I like only sugar" He kept talking. "You seem like a cream guy" "Hey one cream and sugar one, only sugar" he ordered. The same man in white nods "Want some food" He asked. Aiden looked at me "Hungry?" He asked if my stomach left fine but I wanted to try food really bad. "Don't force yourself?" Aiden said I smiled "Yeah I'm good" I replied. "Ice or hot?" the chef asked. "Well hot or cold," He asked, It was a lot of deciduous. "Cold I guess," I said, unsure of myself. "I put mocha in it because it seems like you like chocolate," the chef said as I picked up the iced drink and sipped it. "Woah," I said. "Try mine," Aiden said. I tried the hot coffee. It was bitter. I gag. "I knew you had a creamy filling," Aiden jokes."I've been drinking coffee for a few days now, it brings me energy," Aiden said. A few days ago I passed out for a few days. I take another sip of the liquid. We sit down and drink our coffee. "You know at first I didn't like you because you were just like everyone else but you're different in a good way and I'm proud I got to know a cyborg," Aiden said. It was the nicest thing anyone had said to me since I got here. "Thank you, Aiden," I replied. Suddenly without warning, he said "I'm going to get a lot of hate for this but" then he kissed me. It felt awkward and gross. I push him off and choke. "First kiss I take it," he asked. It felt sloppy and wet. I kept choking.

I nod yes feeling flustered by the whole thing. "Well thoughts," Aiden asked "That's weird I don't like that" I gagged. "Hey you tried it, that's what matters dude," Aiden said. Aiden smiles as I keep gagging. "Calm down it's just a kiss" he eased "I'd ask if I was sloppy but uh you don't know," Aiden said as I kept gagging. I finally stop and take a sip of coffee. "Wow, you didn't like that did you?" Aiden lightheartedly said I just remember feeling that hairy lip and how it itched my nose. I shiver. We keep drinking coffee quietly. No words, no sound. We walk out of the dining room and stand there for a moment. "Hey want coffee again as friends this time," Aiden said I didn't realize that was a date. "THAT WAS A DATE" I replied in shock. I'd only heard of dates from my schooling but I couldn't help feeling strange dates were a good thing weren't they? Aiden walks away. I was so confused. I walk back into my dorm and sit on the bed. I see a book on Veronica's bed and I pick it up. They were obituaries; all the people in the book died from other cyborgs. "Died in honor, killed by true man's worst enemy," one said. "I didn't want you seeing that," Veronica said. "Then don't leave it out in the open," I remarked. I knew I was an enemy but how could I prove I wasn't. "I'm shocked you haven't run away by now," Veronica said I did want to leave but it was dangerous knowing I could be killed. "Maybe I could prove you wrong," I said, slightly scared. Veronica gets a smile. "Fine one week this compound longest we've had was 3 days prove me a wrong cyborg," Veronica said."Fine but there should be an um wager if I win what do I get," I asked "If you win you start trusting me and if you lose," Veronica asked "You get to end me you don't like me make it my last breath," I said Veronica smiled "with pleasure Cyborg" "it's Marcus" I replied. "Sure" Veronica teased. I smile as she walks away "Good luck cyborg" Veronica said. Like that, I knew I had to try.