Metal Heart

Chapter Six

"Rexer!" Katrina yelled, sprinting to me as I walked down the hallway with books for my next class. I turned to her and she stopped infront of me, bending on her knees while trying to catch her breath.

I looked at her perplexed. Why do humans have to bend over their knees to catch their breath? Don't their inside organ that helps them breath perform better when they stand?

A minute has passed and she was still catching her breath. She was holding out her hand to me, all her fingers were flexed. I'm pretty sure it means that I should touch it since I've seen the human boys do that to their friends.

So I did touch it with my hand, in the same manner as she held it out to me, except I put a little force on it. She looked up and raised an eyebrow at me. I was confused, did I do something wrong?

"Did you just do a high-five at me?" she asked, standing upright and stared at me.

I stood there frozen, thinking what I will answer to that question. "Yes. I did a high-five," I answered, hoping it sounded right.

She smiled and gave a small laugh. "Well that was unexpected! I was only telling you to wait for a while, but instead you gave me a high-five!"

I remained standing there while looking at her smile. She's a complicated being. I mentally noted the high-five in my brain, processing it so I would know the next time it happens.

She stopped and said, "Oh right, Rexer, I need your help."

"Help?"

"Yes. It's about the homecoming, again. I know I'm asking too much of you, but you're the only one I can count on," she says it in a way that is considered as begging. She's begging for my help? I'm the only one she can count on?

"Plus the sign that you helped me on the other day was absolutely wonderful! I mean, I didn't know you can copy precisely how it looks like!" she added and smiled brightly at me.

"Thank you," I answered. She seems to be jumping from one topic to another. Are humans really this...confusing?

"Katrina, about the help," I said, trying to get her to say it before the next class begins.

"Oh right! I'm sorry. Jeez, I'm getting all hyper today. Mind if you help me out?"

I blinked. "You asked me twice."

"Well you didn't answer back. Well will you?"

"Of course." I smiled, if it's for Katrina, I'll help.

"Thank you!" She squealed and hugged me. I was surprised by the sudden contact that I didn't hug her back, when I was thinking of doing it because it would seem rude to not do it, she let go before I had the chance to.

She looked at me for a moment. "Anyway, no need to go to the next class. The teacher said when I find my partner; we'll be exempted from the next class! So come on, we need to do more work!"

She grabbed my wrist and ran to the other side of the hallway. I adjusted my legs to run according to her pace so that she wouldn't be tired from pulling my weight as she runs forward. I'm also not risking her to know that as a cyborg, I weigh a bit more than a normal human being my size.

I glanced at her back figure. Her brown hair flowing smoothly with the wind, her peachy colored legs putting enough force to make her run, and her soft hand closely wrapped around my larger wrist. Then my thoughts went to her enthusiastic demeanor and her bright smiles.

I find this human being particularly intriguing. Even with my slightly advanced brain from the teachings back at Robotron, she's a complicated equation that I can't find a solution to.

We entered the gym where the materials were scattered everywhere. It was a mess. I stood there watching it like it's a battle field, except that the battle may have been done by people with paint brushes and papers.

I looked at Katrina and she was smiling sheepishly at the site while hitting her forehead. Was there something in her forehead that she needs to hit?

"Are you okay?" I asked. I don't think hitting your forehead is a normal habit for a human.

She nodded. "Okay, let's clean up this mess first and start working after."

I watched her starting to pick up some pieces of paper. That would seem rather tiring to do and I figured we had more work to do. Even though I can't seem to get tired, Katrina would and that's not good at all.

Then I had a plan. I silently and quickly placed some paint on her face using my anti-gravity system on my shoes to float and move. Then I went back to the place I was standing a moment ago to appear like I didn't move at all.

"Hey Katrina," I called out. She stopped picking up papers and looked at me. "I think there's something on your face."

"There is?" I pointed to my cheek to tell her where it is. She touched it and looked back at her hand which was wet with black paint. Her eyes widened and her face started to turn pink. Humans can change the color of their face?

"Oh my god! I-I-I-I'm going to wash this off!" She ran out of the gym immediately. I smiled to myself as I watch her disappear through the doors.

Once the door closed, I looked from side to side with my scanner to check if anyone is present. My sensors say there were no humans in sight. So I started to readjust my body, getting it to work full time in full speed.

I dislodged my left hand and it walked towards the storeroom while my right hand became a vacuum and sucked all the little pieces of papers; dumping them into the trash bin.

My left hand came crawling back to me with a scrub and it climbed on top of a pail that I got; drenching the scrub and then off to do some work, wiping the paint of the floor.

It continued for a good five minutes and then I was scraping a very persistent paint blob on the floor as my left hand went to get more soap. I heard footsteps coming, by my highly enhanced hearing as a precaution to make sure no one comes in unexpected.

I looked over to my left hand which was still a few meters away. With time running way too fast, I ran to my left hand as soon as the door opened. My whole body fell on the floor; quickly attaching my left hand and I turned to see a panting Katrina who looked at me with a confused expression.

Then before she could say anything, a message popped into my system. It was from home; from Robotron. It's from my father.