Two of a Kind

1

Liliana walked out of a tall building. Her sneakers stepped on the ground hard as she ran away from the building, waving away. "I'll be back tomorrow!" She yelled inside. Her lab coat fluttered in the wind as she ran, exposing parts of her pink t-shirt and shorts. Her blue eyes kept staring at the ground in front of her as she ran. Her long blonde haired waved in time with her coat. Her backpack kept the coat around her for the most part.

As she ran down the street, she noticed a few people walking around late at night. She didn't pay them any mind as she quickly turned down a street. When she did, she fell over, with her bag opening due to the impact. Her hands immediately went up to her face, checking to make sure she wasn't bleeding.

Once she finished checking herself, she looked up to see a black haired boy looking at her. His brown eyes pierced through her like a knife. His sweater and jeans covered the rest of his body as if he was disguised. She quickly got up and ran past him. "SORRY!" She yelled as she ran off.

The black haired man looked at her curiously. He watched her run for a few seconds before checking the ground. When he did, he saw a glass ball still intact on the concrete. He picked it up and examined it. The ball was perfectly circular with wires inside it. He found a switch on the outside of the ball.

Once he pressed it, an image of a bottom of a foot appeared in front of him. His was shocked to see the foot and immediately looked to see a way to change it. However, no matter where he looked, the image followed him. It eventually got to the point where he began to swipe it to move it away.

Instead of moving away, he heard a small bit of giggling from behind him. He quickly turned around to see Liliana kneeling on the sidewalk with her bag on the ground. Her hands covered her mouth with a few pens and pencils scattered on the ground.

"Why are you still here?" The boy asked as she kept swiping the glass ball.

Liliana was giggling into her hands in a rhythmic fashion as she turned around. Her eyes widened as she saw the glass ball in his hands. "STOP!" She yelled before going into a fit of giggles.

"What's up with you?" The boy asked as he put the ball in his sweater pocket. He stopped his swiping as he attempted to hide the ball.

"I need that. I'm working on that." Liliana said as she quickly gathered up the rest of her belongings.

"I don't know what you're talking about." The boy said before turning around and walking away.

Liliana stood up and ran after him. "Hey! I'm not done testing that!" She yelled while following him.

"So? I'm sure someone would pay for the spare parts." The boy retorted.

"But I worked so hard on that. Plus, my friend would be disappointed if I lost it now." Liliana pleaded.

"Oh well. Guess you need to tell her the news." The boy said sarcastically as he turned down a dark ally.

Liliana followed him as she kept an eye out for others. "Please. I don't care what you say to anyone else, just give it back." She pleaded.

"Fine, then tell me what this is about." The boy said as he took out the glass ball. It still showed them the image of the bottom of a foot.

Liliana blushed as she saw the image. "It's a...um....a machine used to tickle a person...." she explained.

The boy sighed as he held the ball out to her. "Why would you make a machine like this? Are you part of those tickle freaks from the academy?" He said.

"N-no. I'm just a part of a research group." She said as her face grew hotter. "Just please give it back and don't tell anyone."

"Fine." The boy said as he walked up to her and gave her the ball. "May I ask why it was connected to you?" He asked.

"I was the test subject for it. That's why." She explained as she took the glass ball and turned it off. Once it was off, she secured it in her backpack. "Thanks for keeping it a secret. If there's anything I can do to repay you, I will."

"If that's an offer, then I'll take it. I do want a better look at the situation though. Let me come with you next time." He requested.

"O-of course. May I have your name and info so I can set it up?" Liliana requested.

"It's Brian. Here's my info." The boy said as he showed her his number and email on his phone.

Liliana wrote the data into hers before putting it away. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow." She said while blushing. "Name's Liliana by the way."

"Guess I'll call you Lili for short." Brian said before walking down the ally. Lili stifled a giggle before leaving the way she came, heading back home.