The Disparate One

Chapter 25 - Azalea

Ray was silent for a long period after knowing that the girl is Oxford's daughter. The robot was laughing while going back to the sofa when Oxford said it. Ray didn't know if he should be embarrassed or scared from the father. Oxford didn't say a thing before walking back into his bedroom. Ray guessed that he is angry at him.

"I should've said no.", said Ray as he was washing the dishes when the robot approached him from his right side with a huge smile on his face. "God, and they will be here soon...", he added.

The robot rested his left hand on the man's left shoulder with a smile still on his face.

"I have no idea that you can be this funny.", said the robot.

"You want me to destroy your eye again?", said Ray to the robot, he shook his head no.

After he washed the dished he went to his bedroom and hid with the blanket, like a burrito. The robot followed him and stood in the doorway with his arms crossed.

"Why are you scared then?", questioned the robot before walking into the room and sat on the side of the bed where Ray is.

"Because she is her daughter.", answered the man.

"Come on... I have never seen Oxford angry.", said the robot.

"Well, it'll be your first time soon.", said Ray as he peaked his head out of the blanket.

"Ray... sometimes you shouldn't focus on the negatives.", murmured the robot.

Ray removed the blanket and sat up while looking at the robot. The robot kept a plain face when Ray rested his head on his left shoulder.

"Where are you going to hide?", questioned the man.

"You'll know.", replied the robot before standing up and walking out of the room, leaving the man alone in his bedroom.

Ray sat there on the bed quietly as he waited for the time to pass by. He was thinking to join the robot, hiding from the visitors, so that his daughter wouldn't see him. He was also thinking to change his appearance, by changing his clothes, the color of his eyes and his hair, but then he quickly shuts down that idea when he realized that the white uniform is his only clothes, probably for now. He has two choices, hide or meet. He walked out of his bedroom, closing the door behind him, and started to search for the robot to hide with him.

He was in the laboratory room when he heard someone knocking on the front door. His eyes both widened when he peaked his head out on the hallway and saw Oxford walking towards the door to answer it. Oxford caught his head peeking into the narrow hallway as he wrapped his right hand around the knob. Oxford's face has a mad-is look on it before he turned the knob. When the door opened and a lady walked in, his face changed to greet the lady that appears to Ray to be his wife. He then pulled his head out from the hallway when he saw a girl walked in. The girl that he is in love with is in the penthouse, nowhere to go.

He was in a panic mode as he stayed inside the laboratory, he was standing in the middle of the room when he turned around and saw Oxford standing in the doorway, looking at him with a plain face. Ray gulped as he moved his shaking hands behind his back as he stared at the man.

"We both have no choice but to introduce you to my family.", said the man.

Ray approached the man slowly while making quick glances to Oxford who stepped aside for Ray to exit the room.

"Honey, I'd like you to meet my friend.", Oxford walked towards the lady who was enjoying the view of the city in the living room. "Ray meet my wife, Zinnia. Zinnia, meet Ray.", the lady turned around while Ray was approaching the lady, and shook hands with her with a smile.

"Azalea, meet Ray, my friend. Ray, meet Azalea, my... daughter.", said Oxford. Ray noticed that while he was shaking her hands, Oxford's look was plain, but when he introduced her daughter to Ray, everything changed. Ray smiled as he shook the girl's right hand.

"You look familiar.", said Azalea while she was shaking his hand.

"Oh really?!", Oxford said with a sarcasm look when he faced Ray with a smile.

"Who do I look like?", Ray questioned, thinking that he might escape the moment.

"I saw you yesterday on the balcony right? You were smiling at me.", said Azalea when he glanced at his father, Oxford.

"Oohh.", cooed the mother.

Ray let out a smile when he was looking at Azalea but when he looked at Oxford, it immediately disappeared. Azalea walked away and sat on the sofa with his mother while Ray and Oxford were standing with a small distance between them. Ray couldn't think of his next move.

"Ray aren't you supposed to be doing something?", Oxford looked at Ray.

"Y-Yes. I'll be leaving you three.", said Ray to the two women before walking away from the living room and back into his bedroom, gently closing the door behind.

He let out a sighed as he sat on the bed while rubbing his forehead. He then laid flat on the bed, trying his best to calm down from what just happened. He hovered his hands above his face, looking at them shake.