MAXIM: A New Type of Human (Oddily Series #2) (16 page)

Paul spoke up and confirmed their plans. “Okay then, I’ll see you two after school.”

As soon as Paul and Oddily turned to walk away, Oddily could overhear the girl’s comparing notes over what they would wear for dinner.

“Hey, would you mind coming with me tonight? You know…so you can protect me from your friends?”

Paul’s invitation made Oddily giggle. “No thanks. I’m hoping to be with Maxim tonight.”

“Why, where is he?”

Oddily shrugged. “I don’t know. He wasn’t home when I woke up this morning.”

“Well, if you change your mind, call me.” Paul handed Oddily her phone. “You have my number now.”

Oddily’s smile began to fade. “Why did you lie to them back there?” Her comment was so straightforward Paul was startled. He wanted to come up with a clever answer, but nothing came to mind.

“What are you talking about?”

Oddily stopped and faced him. “Maxim didn’t ask you to pick me up last night because he didn’t know where I was.”

Paul shoved his hands into his pockets and gazed everywhere but at her.

“Darn it Paul! I’ve been wondering all morning how I got home from shopping last night. Then you come along and make up an excuse to my friends about the very thing that I’ve been wondering about. Am I supposed to believe this is a coincidence?”

“No…not at all.” Paul’s discomfort was beginning to show. “Come on, we better get to class.”

“No, wait!” Oddily stayed her ground. “Something weird is going on, and I’m beginning to think that you know what it is!”

Paul glanced at the demure questioning look in Oddily’s eyes. All this time, he thought she had been clueless, but he was wrong. And strangely enough this pleased him, but not enough to tell her the truth. “I’m sorry, Oddily. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Oddily began to shy away from him by taking a step back. “That’s okay. I guess I’ll see you after school then?”

“Yeah—I’ll be waiting.” Paul watched Oddily as she hurried off to class and became curious. Where was Maxim?

17

When she returned home from school, Oddily was disappointed when she found no one there except for Sweeper and Willa. She went ahead and carried her shopping bags up the stairs to Maxim’s room; and, was about to go through them when Willa entered the bedroom, with a curly blonde wig on her head.

“How do I look? Do you think I could pass as a human?” Willa didn’t need Oddily to answer her. The way in which Oddily gawked at her was an answer in itself so she changed the subject. “What did you buy?”

At first, Oddily wasn’t too sure if she wanted to carry on a conversation with this android. She knew how silly she would feel doing so, but she decided to try it anyway.

“I’ll show you my favorite things first, okay?”

“Yes, go ahead.”

Oddily had to push past her awkwardness in order for her to begin to search through the bags. “Here’s one.” Oddily pulled out a powder blue blouse and held it up.

“Lovely.”

“And here is one of the dresses Pepper picked out for me. She says it matches the pink in my cheeks when I blush.”

Knowing Oddily was already leery of her presence, Willa continued to give her simple answers in response. “Yes, it does.”

“And what do you think of these pants?” Oddily held a pair of jeans up for Willa to view, but then stopped and tossed them on Maxim’s bed. “What am I doing?”

“You are showing me your new clothes.” Willa volunteered.

“I know, but you’re a robot. You have artificial intelligence just like a computer. I’m talking to a programmed…I don’t know. I don’t know what to call you.”

“Call me Willa.”

Oddily flopped down on the bed. “Have you seen Maxim or Nexa today?”

“No.”

“Do you know where they are?”

“No.”

Oddily didn’t feel like talking to Willa anymore and asked it/her to leave with the excuse that she wanted to take a shower. When the coast was clear, Oddily began to snoop around.

Oddily did a quick jaunt down the corridor and discovered that the hallway she followed, circled back to Maxim’s room. She decided to walk the circle again, only this time she was going to stop and explore some of the rooms.

The first room Oddily came upon was Nexa’s bedroom. There was no need for her to enter because she already knew what was inside. The next room was a different story. Oddily saw a flash of light coming from the doorway. When she peered inside, she spotted a device on the floor like the ones Nexa and Maxim had used to create holograms on their bedroom walls. That meant that someone had activated this room. Oddily stepped inside and stared at her surroundings. A scene of an android in the process of being built inside of a laboratory filled the walls. Was that Nero wearing a lab coat working on the robot? It had to be! What other teenager was bald with bluish skin. He was giving lessons on the construction of a robot, but who was his student?

Suddenly, Oddily heard a clanking noise. It came from the shower room and when she tiptoed over and looked inside, she nearly fainted. A shiny metal robot, at least six feet tall, was leaning against one wall as if hiding from her. The male shaped machine appeared to be out of commission, so Oddily inched closer for a better view. Her newfound braveness surprised her as she reached up to touch the smoothness of the human-like face.

“You’re a big boy!” Oddily whispered. She couldn’t help but wonder what this android would look like when activated. Would she become frightened like she was when the spiders had come to artificial life?

Oddily turned to leave, but caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Did the robot just move its head? No…it was the eyes! They had been looking straight ahead, but now they were angled to one side. Was this robot playing possum with her? There was only one way to find out.

Oddily ran over to the control panel to turn on the water; but right before she did, the robot sprang into motion and moved out of the way. Did she mention this android was six feet tall? Try seven or eight feet by the time the android came to its full height.

Oddily gasped and jumped under the water, remaining there for her protection while she screamed.

Willa showed up, sidestepping the tall android, and stopped just inches from the water. “What happened?”

“That’s what’s happened!” Oddily pointed to the robot.

“Oh, this is Tinley. Haven’t you two meet before?”

Tinley spoke up for Oddily’s sake. “Not yet. Maxim wanted to be the one to introduce us; so when I overheard movement in the hallway, I removed myself from view.”

Willa tried to reason with Oddily. “Please turn off the water and dry yourself.”

“No…just leave me alone!”

“I apologize for the fright I caused you.” Tinley spoke directly to Oddily.

“Go away!” she shouted with an unkind voice.

Oddily’s unexpected outburst was surprising because she had never yelled at someone before. But then again, this was no ordinary situation! It was as if someone had thrown her into a fanciful world of daydreams and she couldn’t seem to wake up.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound cruel.”

“We will give you your space.” Willa backed away. “Come Tinley.”

After the androids left, Oddily went ahead and turned off the shower. Thankfully, her cell phone didn’t get too wet because she wanted to try, one more time, to contact Maxim or Nexa. When they still didn’t answer, Oddily called the third number that was added to her phone list. “Paul? This is Oddily. Is it still okay if I join you guys for dinner? Okay, I’ll meet you there.”

* * * * * *

Oddily succeeded in driving herself to The Woodland Cuisine. She was having trouble parking her vehicle when Paul jogged up. He opened the car door and asked Oddily to climb out so he could park it for her.

“You only need one parking space,” he laughed at her.

“I was trying!” She grinned. “Are Pepper and Carrie here yet?”

“Yeah, they’re waiting for us in the lobby.”

After Paul parked Oddily’s car, Oddily glanced around as they headed for the restaurant. “How did you get here?”

“I drove my car,” he said while nodding to some guests.

“I didn’t know that you own a car.”

Paul smirked. “No one does, and I usually prefer it that way.

“Then why are you telling me?”

“I trust that you won’t say anything.”

Oddily lowered her lashes not knowing how to respond.

“I mean it Oddily.”

“So which vehicle is yours?”

“It’s that bright yellow Hummer over there.”

Oddily looked to where Paul pointed. “Wow!” If the kids at school knew you owned a car like that, you would be more popular than you are now.”

“That’s my point Oddily! I would be liked for the wrong reasons.”

“Hmmm, I like the way you think.”

“Hey, I’m so glad you came!” Carrie and Pepper stood up when they saw Oddily enter the restaurant.

Paul went to the front desk to confirm their reservation while Oddily joined the girls. Both of them were dressed to impress and they seemed to notice something different about Oddily.

Pepper was the first to make a comment. “Hey girl, don’t you bite your fingernails?”

Carrie glanced at Oddily’s hands. “Come on, she had fake nails put on! Where did you have them done?”

“No, they’re mine, I swear! I noticed them this morning when I was brushing my teeth.”

“That’s so weird!” Both girls spoke as one.

“What are you guys talking about?” Paul had snuck up behind Oddily.

When Pepper saw how nervous Oddily became, she gave her redheaded friend a reassuring wink. “We were talking about the school prom. Do you know who you’re going to ask?”

After watching Pepper nudge Carrie with her elbow, he realized that the girls hadn’t been talking about the upcoming prom at all. Nevertheless, Paul played along with their game. “I have someone in mind. What about you guys?”

Carrie was the first to answer. “I haven’t been asked yet, but I’m going to go even if my cousin has to take me.”

“We still have time to be invited.” Pepper added. “Oddily, do you and Maxim plan on going?”

Oddily glanced at the ground and mumbled, “I’m not sure.”

The awkward silence that followed was broken when they heard, “Paulsen Bentley, your table is ready.”

“Hey, do you have any connections to
Bentley
Castle
?” Carrie asked Paul as they followed the host to a private room.

Paul didn’t have to answer because Carrie kept on rambling. “Wait a minute…this is the VIP room! Is this where we’re going to eat?”

Paul nodded as the four sat down at their table, Paul claiming the seat next to Oddily.