Unexpected Besties

Later that week, Nancy decided to see Amy. It had been a while anyway. She wore her clothes no matter how hard her heart would tell her to stay in pajamas.

Her clothing sense was top-tier, though she was lazy.

Nancy had already called Amy to the one café they always go to. They had a delicious pomegranate ice cream that Nancy couldn't miss now that summer was almost ending.

And the 'no ice cream in winter' rule was common for the Morgan household.

She quickly ran downstairs. She wanted to escape her mom's sight. Operation 'no bodyguard' was a go. She quickly reached for the main door making sure twice that her mom was busy reading a book. But, Nina caught her and like any other evil sibling, she called their mom diminishing the operation 'no bodyguard' completely.

"You're not moving until I call Samuel, young lady!" Laura said as she dialed Samuel's phone number.

"But mom!" Nancy protested. "He's going to be late, and Amy might be waiting for me!"

Her mom, of course, called him anyway.

Laura wasn't informed about the chip. Neither was she informed why Nancy needed a bodyguard. And she didn't ask questions either.

Knowing Roth, he must've gone for all methods to bring their daughter back to life. So, there must be a reason why she needed to have a bodyguard.

"He lives just a block away," Laura said.

"Wait, he doesn't live with Uncle Roth?" Nancy asked.

"No. He's 23. He moved out."

"Oh. But, why didn't I know about him?"

"Because he moved out to live in Australia. Besides, he is adopted."

Right. He looked nothing like Roth anyway. So, Nancy felt at ease a little now that she learned she was supposed to not know anything about him. He wasn't the 'forgotten relative' after all.

He showed up after exactly 5 minutes. Laura invited him inside for a drink, but Nancy pushed him outside. She thought her mom was too nice to him.

She hated that. But the thing she hated more was that he didn't object to her pushing him out on a nice drinking invitation. He was a strange person.

He drove her to the café where she thought the awkwardness would finally end… But apparently, Amy hadn't arrived yet. She had to sit alone once again with him.

It was so awkward that the tables around could smell the awkwardness. She knew he wouldn't talk unless she spoke but she didn't want to talk, however, she didn't want to stay in the awkward state either.

"So?" Nancy uttered finally, breaking the awkward silence because the robot-like person in front of her wouldn't say a word.

"So?..." Samuel asked politely. "Something seems to be troubling you, Miss?"

"Yeah. Drop the 'Miss'. Call me Nancy."

"Very well, Nancy."

"Are you AI? Why do you talk like that?"

"Is my way of speech unusual?" He asked as he physically oozed politeness.

"Uhh… It's way too formal... Weird." Nancy almost gagged. Though the man was handsome, what the hell was this conversation?

"If you do not like it, then I will not talk."

She could only look at him with a disgusted face. Only that.

"I think you should call your friend."

Maybe he felt awkward, too. Only Amy could save them now. And she did, by appearing half an hour later than their planned time.

"Yo, Nancy!" Amy said as she sat down beside Nancy. "Wait, who is this handsome guy? Is this your boyfriend?! Nancy! You didn't tell me." Amy released her extrovert energy on the spot.

"No, he's not. And you're blind if you think he's handsome." Nancy said as she looked away.

"Greetings. I am Nancy's bodyguard." Samuel said as politely as ever.

"Just replace the 'g' with 'f', and you'll be something else." Amy winked, trying to make a dry joke.

"Yeah. 'Bodyfuard' sounds nice." Nancy chuckled.

"No. 'Bodyfraud' is better." Samuel said.

Amy did release all her extroverted energy to the awkward fellows around her.

"But wait. Why do you have a bodyguard? I mean… Where did all the Martial Arts go?" Amy asked.

Nancy had been practicing Martial Arts ever since she was 7 years old. Furthermore, she was one of the 'better' ones in her club. So, it was normal for Amy to wonder about Samuel's use.

"It's just my dad being overprotective. He thinks I can't protect myself." Nancy said as she scoffed.

"He is not being overprotective. Knowing Martial Arts as a sport would certainly not protect you in a gunfight." Samuel explained.

"G-Gunfight? What's going on over here?" Amy asked as she was shocked to hear that, not knowing someone tried to abduct her the other day.

Nancy then explained to her about the event that occurred. It was weird to hear 'Sebastian' doing all of that.

Amy wondered why.

"Yup. You can't protect yourself." Amy said.

"Huh? I thought you were on my side." Nancy said as she rolled her eyes out of irritation.

"Dude! It's not even hand-to-hand combat anymore! It's weapons and science stuff now. What if he turns you into a monkey?" Amy exaggerated.

"I thought I had you but, turn her into a monkey? He would certainly not do that. Turning humans into monkeys does not make you successful, I believe." Samuel explained.

Amy was unaware of the chip, and so was Nancy. So, no matter how hard they thought, they could never find an answer.

"Wait, so you mean he wants her for success? That's weird. Why her?" Amy asked.

"Because I am pretty! Duh!" Nancy said.

"Huh? No. Not that. I certainly do not mean you are not pretty, but he is not a kid. However, I am not aware why he wants her. Maybe because she survived a life-threatening neurosurgery? And not to mention, he was present in the operation theater too. He must have found something of his interest." Samuel said.

"So, he's not going to turn her into a monkey?" Amy asked. Her voice sounded as if she was disappointed.

"You really want me to be a monkey, right?" Nancy narrowed her eyes.

"Please change the topic," Amy said, chuckling nervously.

They ordered the ice cream. Amy, being the nice one, told them that it would be her treat.

Samuel disagreed to even have ice cream. And his reason was like old people.

"The weather has been changing these days. Eating something as cold as an ice cream might hinder my duties, for which I cannot take the risk."

"You know, I don't give a shit. You should take the risk and get the flu and stay in bed so I can go out alone." Nancy said as she smirked.

Evil plans were already under work.

"I cannot do that."

But Samuel was a man of duty. And a firm one indeed.

He had coffee instead.

He got along with Amy sooner than expected. However, Nancy had her boundaries for the still stranger bodyguard.

"College on Monday then? Nancy?" Amy asked.

"Duh! I must. Ugh, college is boring as hell!" Nancy cried.

"Oh right. I have to join your college too." Samuel said.

"Wow. Are you going to transfer to college in the middle of the semester? I wish you luck with your studies." Amy said shockingly.

"I did not say I was going to transfer as a student."

Nancy and Amy stared at him for a solid minute.

"OH! As a sweeper?!" Nancy started to laugh hysterically as she spoke.

"Hey, Nancy! That's rude." Amy said, lightly slapping her shoulder.

"Sweeper would be nice, too, but it will make my job harder. If I keep sweeping the whole college, how will I look after you?" Samuel said. "A teacher sounds better." He added and sounded confident.

He was stared at for a solid minute all over again. Nancy couldn't stop laughing to the point her eyes started to cry.

"Are you serious?" Nancy almost teared up while laughing.

"I guess he's a prodigy like Professor Hertwig…" Amy said.

"Hertwig is a better prodigy. Besides, I am not a prodigy. I was just brought up that way." Samuel said.

Amy narrowed her eyes.

"You know Professor Hertwig?" Amy asked.

Nancy also narrowed her eyes. Who was this Samuel exactly, that he knew everyone close to Nancy?

"Yes. I know him. We are…" Samuel paused. "He calls us 'besties'. I do not know how I am supposed to comprehend this addressing manner."

"BESTIES?!"