Carly's Sheldon

Comic Book Night

Chapter 3: Comic Book Night

Carly had changed into some more comfortable clothes after getting home from the library and styled her long brown hair differently for the night out with the guys. Jeans were casual enough but she thought she should put on a dressier shirt. She chose a white tank top with a criss cross backing. Thanks to Penny, she had a bit more modern wardrobe. Until then, she hadn't really thought about attire before. She had always favored comfort over style.

As she stood in front of the mirror, examining herself, she remembered Bernadette's words the other night. Did Sheldon really think her skin looked nice? She frowned at a couple blemishes across her cheeks with scrutiny. Whatever he saw, she didn't see - but was thankful that he saw it anyways.

After deciding there was nothing else she could do in order to make herself look better - not that she truly understood all of her reasonings as to why she cared - she left for the apartment two floors above her.

Carly rose her hand to knock on the door, but was stopped just before her knuckles could touch by her name being whispered loudly behind her. Turning, she saw Penny waving her over from her apartment doorway with a grin.

"Hey! I heard you were going with the guys to the comic book store tonight. I love what you did with your hair!" Penny said excitedly, closing her door behind her as she approached the brunette.

Carly blushed with a flattered smile, grabbing onto the ends of her brown hair that she had waved a bit with a curling iron. She shifted in her blue flip flops. "Thanks," she mumbled.

"May I ask why you decided to dress up a bit?" Penny asked with a mischevious glint in her eyes.

Carly's blush got darker and she fought with herself. "Sheldon asked me to go."

Penny couldn't contain her knowing grin, crossing her arms over her chest. "Details!"

Carly bit the inside of her cheek, glancing backwards at the closed door to Sheldon's apartment. Suddenly feeling the urge to blab to Penny about her insecurites, Carly exhaled a deep breath.

"I'm worried that this is all being over looked and he is just being friendly," she explained in a rush.

Penny shook her head seriously. "Trust me honey, Sheldon has never acted like this before."

Carly frowned, looking up at her friend curiously. "What do you mean? Bernadette said something similar."

Penny let out a breath and shifted on her feet. "Okay, well since I met Sheldon, he has been uninterested in women. We all thought he might not be human, honestly," she stated off hand, thoughtfully. "But once you showed up a couple weeks ago, he has been... different."

Carly titled her head curiously. "Different?"

Penny nodded, squinting her eyes as she thought about the past couple weeks. "Sheldon hasn't been so.... what's the word I am looking for... um... well, completely egotistical."

Carly furrowed her eyebrows in confusion and Penny realize she wasn't making any sense.

"Okay let me explain this," Penny started. "He hates meeting new people and he almost never has been considerate over someone else's feelings. He is the kind of person who thinks he is smarter than everyone else and he won't hesitate to let them know. As you have witnessed that first night you hung out with us," Penny said and Carly nodded, remembering. "But ever since he apologized to you and if someone brings up your profession, in a good way of course, he doesn't make a condescending remark about it. He almost always does about me working at the Cheesecake Factory and rags on Howard and Leonard all the time. But never you."