Princess of AMBER

*Bonus chapter 2*

        I am almost ready to go, the last thing is to get some courage to get out of my house. My outfit is nothing special, just a dark red strapless dress, reaching only to my knees. My dark blond wavy hair are taken up in a bun and my curls are weaved around it. I did not pick anything extravagant in hopes to avoid any attention drawn from others.

A doorbell rang and my heart jumped, not from a sudden sound, but of thought, who might be behind these doors, who is going to be my partner for tonight. I take a deep breath and open a door.

I see a young man in the same outfit my father bought. He is taller than me, with short coal black hair. He is not skinny, nor too muscly, a fine and lean body type. Right now, he is not facing me, as he is taking a look around the corridor in this apartment house. I notice an odd thing on him. His right hand is made of black metal, while his other one is completely human like. He is a police officer, must have had an accident somewhere in his life, I think, observing his artificial arm.

He turns around and from a shocking sight, I almost loose my balance. He.... he is....it is a robot. His upper face is human like, with some ridges of his facial plates, but his lower jaw is made of the same metal as his right arm? His eyes..... green and dead looking. Is this some kind of joke? He must be coming for someone else. There is no way my dad would send a robot for me.

"Alison Solace, we have to go to arrive in time." he says bluntly.

He is after me, as I hear him say my name. I feel little bit hesitant, he looks very intimidating from front view. We stay in corridor for couple of silent minutes until he grabs my upper arm and starts to drag me to the exit of apartment building. I barely managed to close a door from his sudden move. His hold was strong on me, too strong for my comfort. We stopped in front of car and I was glad to see it as ordinary one. I was thinking we will be going in police service vehicle, as everything seemed out of place right now, a recipe for a disaster.

"Owwww, you are hurting me. Can't you be more gentle to a lady?" I said frustrated.

He let go of my arm and pushed me towards a car, indicating me to get in. I did as he wished.

I could not sit still, without knowing anything about him.

"Who are you?" I asked him with my hands crossed on my chest.

"I am Sergeant M-89. Name - Cole." he said monotony, while watching on a road ahead.

"A.... a sergeant? How is that possible for a robot to be a sergeant?"

"I am in charge of robots in our police department."

I was sitting and thinking about a ball and everyone's reactions towards my partner. It was even worse, than having a regular policemen as companion. He will be no fun. I know, what robots are like. Just job, job, job. There is nothing else in their heads. I can see my classmates making fun of me.

"Cole? Drop me here."

"Why?"

"I am not attending ball and you can be free to go." I said confidently.

"No." he replied straight away.

"Just let me go! I am not going there with you!" I started to get agitated.

"You will. It is said by school rules."

"Who cares! I will not be going to dance with a machine!"

"Why not?" came his ever calm voice.

"Because...... it is embarrassing......"

Why was he so persistent and unwilling to cooperate? There was no gain for him to this event. What am I thinking. He is a robot. He does what he is programmed to and he has no personal need, as we humans do.

I will have to face a hell of a night.

As we stop near my school, I already see lots of students in beautiful gowns with human partners. Not like me..... with a machine and stubborn one.

Cole comes straight out and opens door for me, just to drag me forcefully out. What's his problem? He is so rough. Does he not know, how to handle people?

"I am going!" I raised my hands annoyed. " You don't need to drag me across the floor. Don't touch me, OK?"

I was fuming with anger more, as minutes passed and more time I spent with Cole. So much, that I fully forgot about the harassment coming my way from my classmates.

"Alison? Is this your boyfriend or something else you brought here?" I heard Monica's sweet voice.

I turned around and was glad to see, she was alone, without her boyfriend.

"I am her partner for tonight, Ms Hark." Cole came in with his answer.

"Oh... I see you have told him about me. He knows my name. I did not know, you care about me so much." Monica 'sang' sweetly. "I will see you around. I just hope, you will not ruin all the fun THIS year."

I felt like she have trampled me over. From others perspective, her words were nothing much. But for me.... her they dug deep in my heart. Like always, she made fun of me....

As I walked around the school hall, I could feel all eyes on me and 'my' robot. I hope he will stay calm and not say or do unnecessary things to embarrass me. Music started and we were said to take our partners and join on the dance floor with others. I did not want to go. It would be great to find some quiet spot and sit out the night.

My arm was forcefully grabbed again and saw Cole drag me on the dance floor.

"What's up with you? Are you always so brutal?" I could not hold in my thoughts.

"That is a lightest force I can work with. They did not made me weaker, as my subjects, would escape my hold."

"Subjects?"

"I chase and immobilize criminals. That is my job."

Before I could answer, he grabbed me whole and pushed towards his hard chest and started a slow dance. I was so close to him, I was barely able to breath from a hard pressure put on my back by his hand.

"You are killing me, please, don't hold me so tight. Please." I whispered and hoped he will hear me.

Cole's hand released me a bit, to have some space for me to breath.

"How is it, you can perform a dance and not be able to control your power?"

"Detective Solace installed me some dance moves, before I came. It is not a requirement for me to be able to perform such tasks."

Over Cole's shoulder I noticed Monica with her boyfriend coming my way. I knew, what this is coming to. He wants to embarrass me in front of everyone. I will not allow it to happen.

I pushed Cole's form away from me and turned other way. I was glad, that he was not fast enough to get a hold of me again and I run to the opposite side of dance floor and out the hall to escape my tormentors gazes.

They will not make fun of me in front of EVERYONE.