Slow and Speedy Win the Fight

32. In a Bubble

Sheldon

"Aw, is the little bunny wabbit scared?"

Haresa had a clear look of sheer panic on their face but they tried to keep their composure.

"What?" They spat out. "Are you going to cheat again?"

We stared at each other for some time and I noticed the crowd start to gather around us. Someone seemed to reach into their pocket to pull out a phone and that was my cue to leave. I quickly put down the shield and began to walk away.

"I don't have any plans to involve you. If you're still convinced that I do, then that's your prerogative."

I had to get out of here. I don't want my face plastered anywhere.

I touched the frame of my glasses and my vision slowly had a dark tint. That should obscure part of my face at least.

I made my way into a small alleyway and made sure there weren't any cameras there. I started to fiddle with my watch. I want to go home already.

My arm was yanked back, causing my watch to spin more than I would've liked. I scowled and looked at the culprit.

Haresa glared back at me with a new intensity in their eyes. Oh, the famous hero stare. How long has it been since I've seen that?

"Leave me the fuck alone." I pulled my arm away.

"I won't if I don't know why you're acting out. You show up the day before all sad and depressed, then I find out you're buddy-buddy with my best friend?" Their voice was so grating at this point, I was ready to fight.

"The fuck do you want?"

"I want to know that you're not actively out to hurt anyone!"

My face scrunched up and my whole body became tense. "Who the fuck said people aren't out to hurt me?"

That shut them up. There was a flash of concern on their face and I gritted my teeth. This back and forth of pity to suspicion and back to pity was just annoying.

"What is going on with you? Could you just... even explain what that outburst in class was?"

"Outburst?" It sounded like they thought I was having a tantrum.

"It wasn't connected to what happened the day, was it?"

"No, I just..." I sighed and leaned against the wall. "You won't get it."

"Try me."

I stared at them as I processed the situation. I don't tell them and they continue to pester me until I drop out. That would mean my actual plans would go to waste. I tell them and they get weird around me. Maybe it led to them having an upper hand via emotional manipulation.

They blinked at me and waited for my answer.

Should I use a half-truth? But they might pick up on it then it goes back to using emotional manipulation as well as pestering.

I let out another sigh. I can't believe I'm doing this.

"I find it demeaning that there's this emphasis on 'connecting with your roots' when I don't feel Asian," I shrugged.

"Don't feel Asian?" They echoed.

"Don't know if you forgot but I was made in a lab. Sure, I'm supposedly human but it doesn't feel like it."

They scratched their head. "I mean... you're talking to another lab-made baby here. I mean like... I feel like I'm very close to my dad's ethnic background. He raised me so he only did what he knew. Even if you didn't have that... didn't you ever get curious and... you know just searched things up?"

"I never felt connected to my creator so I never felt the need to research." I adjusted my turtleneck in an attempt to hide my face. "I'm nothing like other kids. They have parents. I have a creator."

"Wait," They scrunched their eyebrows together. "Didn't I meet your dad before?"

"No." My eyes darted towards them. Who the hell were they talking about? "The creator never left his office."

Their eyes met mine. "It was a man, he looked like he could've been your... creator."

Hung... It's been a long time since I last saw him.

I looked away. "It was probably someone else."

"Oh..." They seemed to hesitate before they spoke again. "It's just..."

They fumbled over their words before eventually falling silent.

I scoffed. "I bet you had it easier. Loving father, loving public, perfect image."

"I almost forgot about that." They cleared their throat. "But... there must have been some love there. Somewhere."

"I doubt it. I was trained to be a living weapon." I readjusted the strap of my bag.

Their expression dropped into one of extreme hurt and what seemed to be sympathy.

"Sheldon..."

"Not like I ever I was a good one," I laughed humourlessly. "My powers are just fast healing and a dumb shield. Anyways, are you done?"

They shifted from one foot to another. We probably had been standing in the alleyway for too long. "Do you think you'll be alright for the assignment?"

"I'll just... quickly slap together something," I said. "I hope it's just... Vietnamese enough."

"Hey... from one lab baby to another, I'm sure you'll do okay." They gave me a small smile.

"Like I need your reassurance."

I began to walk away again. I needed to find another place to go home.

How do I keep bumping into them? I thought I was supposed to be keeping interactions at zero.