ROB-BIE: Robotic Boyfriend Incorporated Enterprise

Chapter 3

Thank goodness my parents hadn’t arrived home from work when the mail man delivered the huge square crate with my name on it. I was shocked that it had arrived so quickly, the website had said it may take up to three weeks, but it had only been a couple of days.

“Miss is there somewhere specific you would like me to put this?” I smiled and nodded. That was sweet; he wanted to help because it was obviously heavy. I led him to my room (not like that. Oh God I can hear Billy laughing now). I had him place the crate on the far side of my bed so if my parents decided to barge in it wouldn't be the first thing they would see.

“Thank you so much,” I said handing the boy a tip, he deserved it! He smiled and just as he was to say something else, I closed my front door and went up to my room.

I stared at the box for what seemed like hours. The wooden crate had a beautiful oak scent and on its light brown surface was written Rob-BIE™. I wanted to open it. I got off my bed and walked over to the box. I lifted my hand ready to pop it open.

BANG!

The front door shut. I grabbed a blanket that I had left lying around on the floor and covered the crate.

“Sam dear, are you home?” I heard my mother’s voice through the sound of clunking keys.

“Yeah mom!” I called adjusting the blanket so that not even a glimpse of the crate was visible through the blanket. What would my parents think if they found a Robotic Boyfriend in my room? They would put in a home without a doubt.

“Hun! Can you come here? I can’t hear you.” I rolled my eyes. Why is it when she can’t hear me I have to walk to the other side of the house and when I can’t hear her, I still have to walk to the other side of the house. And with that said, I stomped down the stairs to the kitchen where my mother was already beginning supper as usual as I left the mysterious box left untouched in my bedroom.  Another time, I told myself as I entered.

*             *           *          

I sat by the windowsill ogling out at the street, hoping to get even a small sight of Leo running or walking or biking even, anything so I didn’t spend my time on the computer scrutinising his photos like a weirdo and wishing I were in them.

Finally feeling restless, I got up and walked to the cabana outside our house where I kept my bike. I needed some fresh air, sometime to decide what I was going to do with the stupid box. I got on the metallic blue bike and sped down the long block and headed towards Prince View Lake.

As I rode, I looked at the houses. They mostly all looked the same with their perfectly cut grass and the specially placed flower beds that helped you differ one from the other.  It was a long ride, a good twenty minutes even at my speed but I finally got to the lake. I rode down to the dock and saw Leo sitting there feet in the water gazing out into the wilderness.

“Hey,” I said getting off my bike and rolling it onto the dock. “Can I join you?” Leo turned his head towards me, his bouncy curls catching in the light breeze and spread his lips into a full grin nodding. I put down my bike so that it lay safely on the old wooden floating floor, slipped off my shoes, rolled up my jeans to my knees and sat next to him, letting my feet flop into the icy-cold water. “Oh my god!” I exclaimed. “It’s freezing!”

Leo laughed; his eyes caught the reflection of the water making my chest swell. “It was colder during our swimming lessons.”

I shook my head. “No way! The water was disgustingly warm at the community center.” I nudged him lightly with my shoulder.

“No!” he nudged me back, “I remember you coming out of the water with lips as blue as your bike.” He nodded towards the bike that lay behind us.

“Maybe,” I said, because, let’s be honest, I couldn’t really remember any detail of those days, but the fact that I spent those days with Leo. “But, I’m still faster.”

He lifted his brow. “You think?

“Think?” I laughed. “I know.”

Leo then stood up and pulled off his shirt and kicked off his jeans. I looked up at him, the light beat down on his naked chest, his black boxer shorts hugged his skin perfectly emphasising on his butt and –

I tried not to stare. I looked up at him and giggled. “What are you doing?”

He hadn’t heard me. He was jumping into the lake at the same moment. His head bobbed out of the water, his curls falling onto his wet chiseled shoulders.

He swam towards me splashing a little water in my face.

“What are you doing?” I repeated wiping the water out of my face, regretting my question instantly. A wide grin played on his lips, as if this were the opening he had been waiting for; and it was.

“Proving you wrong.”

His strong hands grabbed my legs and I was suddenly surrounded by water.