A Collection of Short Stories and Poems

Hybrid Romance - SciFi Challenge 28

Jimmy stood infront of the mirror for minutes tying and retying his tie over and over again to make sure it was perfect. "How does this look?" He asked the stranger next to him washing his hands.

"Good," the man replied without taking the time to glimpse up at him.

"Thanks," Jimmy went his hands under the tap and slick his dark hair back making sure it was as neat as possible. He then straightened his black suit, making sure it fitted perfectly on his body. It was crisp and fresh, like he had just got it this morning – because he actually did. Jimmy washed his hands and went back to his seat in the restaurant.

He kept moving his legs up and down, tapping his feet and hands on the table.

"Can I get you anything?" The waitress asked.

"No, thank you. I'm waiting for my date." He stared at the door way looking at every lady that came in. A pretty round face girl, with long brown hair. ' A white dress with roses printed,' is what she said she would be wearing. He looked at the picture again to make sure he got the right person, in case she changed outfits at the last minute or there was another girl with brown hair and a white flowery dress. Elizabeth was her name.

It had been over two years since Jim had been on a date and six months since he signed up for Matchme.com, a dating website, until he got his first date. All his other friends did it and in less than one month, they had girlfriends. But what was wrong with him?. Was it his pale slim face, and slender body? Or his weird interests? He couldn't figure it out. Then one day Elizabeth showed up in his notifications. 'We found you a match!' They said. They immediately started chatting and set up a date – this date.

Forty five minutes had past and Elizabeth still hadn't showed up yet. Jimmy was beginning to think he had gotten stood up. Then suddenly she appeared, just like her picture, in the outfit she described. She's beautiful, he thought.

"Hey, Jimmy?"

"Hi, Elizabeth." He stood up, his palms were sweaty, knees weak and arms heavy. His cheeks flushed red when she smiled faintly at him. He dabbed his hands on his trousers before shaking her hands.

Weirdo, she thought. "Aren't you a little dressed up?"

"I heard that girls thought men looked handsome in suits."

"Okaaaay then. I see." Why me? They both took their seats. Elizabeth took up her menu and systematically started going through it. I feel like seafood. The turned to the seafood menu. I want fish. She looked at the fish section. Salmon! She then looked up to see Jimmy staring at her. Oh god..I should say something to him. She stared back at him awkwardly.

I should say something to her, Jimmy thought. What do I say? "Do you like pick-"

"Are you guys ready to order?" The waitress interrupted.

"Yes thanks." Thank goodness, they both thought simultaneously. "I'll have the salmon."

"And I'll have stake. Well done. And rice." Jimmy made his order.

"Today you both get two glasses of red wine free!"

"Nice!" They both exclaimed. The waitress then took their menus.

"You're not the usual type of guy I usually get set up with on Matchme," said Elizabeth, trying to make light conversation.

"Oh, well....you're actually my first."

"How long ago did you sign up?"

"Six month ago and you're the first person the set me up with."

I wonder why. "I see. Me – three months ago."

Soon after the waitress arrived with their food. The salmon wasn't as big as compared to Jimmy's stake. He worried that it was too little bit of food for her. One slice of fish and a salad. How can she survive on that?! Is she on a diet? "Is that enough for you?" He asked.

"I'm fine, I don't eat much." She took her knife and folk and gently started cutting into the salad. Jimmy kept looking at her and admiring her flawless dining technique. He picked up his knife and tried to replicate her actions. She looked up at him at started laughing. "What are you doing?" She said. "You're holding the folk all wrong." She then turned the folk around and tried to guide his hands. "Like this," she said.

Jimmy started sweating, his palms were sweaty again. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"I'm fine." He replied. "How did you learn to do this so perfectly?"

"It's programmed into me. It's not that hard. Do what I do."

It had been a long time since Jimmy had been around a woman. He mainly just hung out with his guy friends. That's until they all got girlfriends and left his behind. Her hands felt a bit chilly on his hands, probably the air conditioning. But they were soft and and gentle. Jimmy suffered for what to say next. He tried to hide his nervous by trying to keep a straight face. Say something idiot.

"It's like...my fingers are retarded or something." They both laughed.

Elizabeth had just gotten out of a relationship about three months ago. Her friends then encouraged her to sign up for a dating website. Since then she had been on like twelve different dates with twelve different guys. And they were all terrible, they weren't sophisticated enough for her and she thought all they wanted was a fling. There was no one she felt a connection with and she decided this was the last date before she deactivated her account. However she had taken a liking to Jimmy, his nervousness amused her. It had been a while since a guy acted that way around her, plus she thought he was kind of funny. The pre-assumptions she came to the date with was evaporating from her mind one by one the more he spoke.

Soon the dinner was over and the waitress came over. "Do I take you home?"

"No, it's ok. I drove." They were both smiling. Jimmy took her hand and walked her to the car. "I had a great time tonight, thank you for coming."

"Me too." She fiddled with her keys a little then smiled a bit. I let him hold my hand. I'm giving him the signal. Why doesn't he kiss me? She thought,

What am I supposed to do now? Why is she looking at me like that.

Why are boys so stupid? . "I should get going now." She said.

"Wait!" Jimmy panicked and grabbed her hand. He then leaned over a kissed her. Her lips like her hands felt chili against him. But like her hands they were also soft and gentle. He put his arms around her waist pulling her closer to him.

Elizabeth's cheeks flushed pink. She could feel her heart pounding harder and harder. Finally. She moved her hands up against his chest and widen her eyes. Elizabeth pushed Jimmy away from her, jamming herself on the side of her car. "You have no heartbeat. You're a synthetic." Of course, there is no perfect human being out there for me. I'm so stupid. Who still names their kid Jimmy?

"I am...aren't you?"

"No." She replied. Of course, I wouldn't find a match with someone of my kind. I'm not as put together as the others.

They were both still in shock. Humans and androids dating each other, it was unheard of. There was a reason why humans only dated humans and androids only dated androids. They only ever interacted with each other on a professional level. That's what the androids were originally made for – to carry out tasks human beings didn't want to do or couldn't do well enough. However as time progressed they started to learn about feelings and would try to replicated them to make themselves as human as possible. They wanted to start families and build synthetic children from parts. Eventually they did. There was a reason humans only dated humans and androids only dated androids but apparently there was a glitch on Matchme.com that matched humans with non-humans.

Jimmy and Elizabeth stared at each other in the carpark for several minutes before one of the spoke.