Slow and Speedy Win the Fight

60. Evening

Sheldon

Giving into Rudra's peer pressure wasn't the first mistake I ever made in my life.

The first one was letting Reynard into it in the first place.

I swirled the tube of blue liquid before setting it down into a holder and leaning back into the wheely chair. I hadn't asked to use the laboratory but I made an internal promise to leave it cleaner than when I had used it. Mr. Saenin probably wouldn't mind especially since Haresa got to play with it as a child.

I stared at the giant machine that sat across the room while I waited for the liquid to react to the metal bits I had found at my old apartment.

I think back to what Haresa said about the landlord and I laughed to myself. As if I would leave behind so much evidence if I were to break in. I was able to pick the lock to this lab without any trace of scratches.

Whatever Reynard was up to at my apartment, it was apparent that he was unsatisfied with our last talk. I just needed to confirm it was him before I wasted my time.

"Sheldon!" I heard Haresa's voice ring out through the empty hallways. "Are you in your room?"

My hand grasped the ladder above me and it lifted me up towards the trap door. I climbed into my room and shut the trap door behind me.

There was a knock at my door and I let out a reluctant grunt. The door opened a crack to let their eyes peep inside and opened the door wide open when they saw I was just sitting down.

"How do you get home before me? I swear you're only able to create forcefields," they muttered.

"With my brain power. If you used yours, you too could actually win a race," I said.

"We don't race home," Haresa said in annoyance. "You just make it one."

"You know what they say, slow and steady wins the steak or something like that."

"Absolutely no one says that." Haresa riffled through their bag before taking out some papers. "Anyways, if you're still joining the show off there are papers and contracts you got to sign."

I sighed. "Seriously? You couldn't wait a day?"

"I have to worry about what the hell I'm going to say at the damn event. Getting your papers signed and sent off to the damn company. Don't act like I'm doing this because I like it either."

The silence was suffocating as I watched them lay the papers on my desk. I grabbed a pen from my pencil case and began to read through the papers. There was so much legal jargon and bullshit that I couldn't even understand what the contract was trying to even say.

"Has it changed much from that time?" I asked.

"There are some changes. But nothing... you know." They waved their hands.

It seemed they lacked the words to explain further, and I reluctantly sighed before signing the papers.

"Are you sure you want to do this, though?" They asked suddenly.

My hand fumbled over the pen and it left an unsightly line on the page. "Rudra wanted to watch a show off and I can provide seats for him now."

"I could've done that for him, he didn't have to bug you about it."

"Well, he asked me," I said. "It's just a one-time thing anyways."

Haresa pursed their lips and hesitantly held out their hand. I stared at it in confusion and they cleared their throat.

"The papers, Sheldon."

"Oh, right."

I gave them the papers and they gave a small nod.

"If you aren't changing your mind, then I guess I'll be seeing you at the show off. Do you know when you should be there or...?"

I gave a reluctant half-smile. "Yep. I read the papers."

It wasn't a lie that I read them. Luckily, they didn't ask me to explain what was written.

They gave me a skeptical look before deflating with a sigh. "Okay, cool. I'll come back for what you want the host to say about you and stuff once I send these out." They paused. "Have a good evening, I guess."

They meekly stepped out of my room and I made sure to lock the door the moment they left. I stood up and opened the trap door to then climb back down into the lab.

My eyes focused on the vial and saw that it had begun to let out small bubbles.

Maybe I'll be closer to some answers.