Gentleman ( The Boyfriend Shop )

Slowly, Arin ’s eyes fluttered open. She shifted around to be able to face the man that had made her so happy the evening before. She was glimmering with happiness, she felt calm and serene, but most importantly she felt loved. He made sure to show her he loved her when tracing her skin with his fingers, his lips sent shivers down her spine and every sound she produced was forced out of her in the moment of pure euphoria.

Her brows knitted in confusion when she didn’t find him next to her and she just wanted to enjoy his company at that moment. She couldn’t hide the fact she was disappointed, so used to him being perfect and doing exactly what she needed when she needed it. Her heart sunk when he wasn’t there to hold her in his arms and convince her it had been real and not just a dream or a fantasy.

Slowly, she put some comfortable clothes on and headed out of the bedroom to find him somewhere. Frankly, she was worried. But, a small smile formed on her lips when she caught a glimpse of him in the kitchen section cutting some fruit. On her tiptoes, she approached and wrapped her arms around his waist, giving him a back hug full of love. Though, she couldn’t help but notice how stiff he was. She kissed his broad shoulders gently to help him relax a little, but she could tell he was still tense.

“ Good morning ~ “ she hummed softly, deciding to ignore it and just think of it as a natural posture of a robot. She’d somewhat stopped considering him so, but the fact was still lingering around. She leaned her head on his back, “ How did you sleep ? “

Dennis didn’t answer. Instead he broke the hug and turned around, his posture harsh and his eyes peering down at her strictly. Arin was taken aback by his actions, looking up at him with wide eyes.

“ We’ve made a mistake. “

A moment of silence grew into two moments of silence before Arin spoke up, “ What are you talking about ? “

“ Last night. We shouldn’t have done it. You weren’t ready, “ he explained, his voice matching his blank emotionless expression.

“ What are you saying, of course I was ready … I’m feeling great today, I’m having no regrets - “ she started, trying to take ahold of him that he swiftly avoided. “ - .. Are you ? You’re regretting it, aren’t you ? “

Another moment of silence. Dennis wasn’t answering nor was Arin questioning further. She didn’t need to, his silence was speaking instead.

A tear built up in her eye. She looked down so he didn’t see it, although he wouldn’t be able to since he was looking down too.

That was so unlike him ! He’d never been so heartless with her, so blank and emotionless. What had gotten into him ? She just couldn’t wrap her mind around it. How could one change in just one night, what could have happened to make him turn from that loving gentle robot into someone as ruthless as … Daniel ! As if his robot side had melted away and the monster parts stayed. Only the most human like traits were visible and that was what was breaking her the most, he reminded her of her abuser !

“ Get out, “ she muttered silently, the tears burning her eyes, indicating she’d soon be crying. Not in front of him, though !

He didn’t move, not one single inch, he just continued looking at the ground like a guilty dog.

“ Get out ! “ she ordered and pushed him towards the door.

Still silence. Not a word left his lips, the same lips that had been kissing her just a few hours before, the same lips that had told her they loved her over and over again just the evening before.

“ I don’t want you here ! How dare you ruin my life now that I fixed it again ?! I hate you and your creator ! Tell him to fuck off ! You too, fuck off, I don’t ever want to see you or him again ! “ she lashed out, pushing him towards the door until he was fully out when she slammed the door shut right in front of his face.

He didn’t struggle much nor did he try to do something to stop her, he knew he deserved it. He continued standing in front of the closed door, his eyes on the ground still, like a puppy thrown away after he’d done something wrong and he knew he had had.

Her words stung. He never thought he’d be able to feel something like that. If he had a heart, he could safely say it’d broken in half, but no, that was the sound of her heart breaking into a thousand little pieces.

As soon as he was out, she started crying like never before. Not even when Daniel hurt her, and he’d hurt her more than she could count, both physically and mentally, had she cried that way. She couldn’t help herself, though. Just as she thought she’d been given something perfect, something that’d make her happy, it just broke her more than anyone else ever had.

It was hard to bear, she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to or if she even wanted to.

But, after a few hours of crying her mindset changed. Or course she could and of course she would - for she’d gone through hell already, why wouldn’t she be able to go through a mere heaven ?

She got up and went on her phone to find a job. She’d managed to fix her life once, she’d be able to do it the second time too, maybe even more successfully than the first time after having gathered some valuable experience - she now knew better than to trust anyone !

And indeed, by the end of the day, she managed to find a job near her home - she’d be working as a bartender at a nightclub. It wasn’t the best, but it was a good start and it was the optimism she needed at that moment.

In the meantime, Dennis arrived to his ultimate destination. A huge white building rose in front of his eyes. He sighed at the sight, it was the building he knew oh so well, a building where he’d spent most of his days and would now end his too short life. With a heavy heart he entered ; he didn’t want to die, he wanted to live a little more .. With Arin. But it was impossible after what he’d done and he knew it was time for him to be unplugged and his metal frame to be destroyed together with all the artificial intelligence it carried around, meaning his whole existence was about to be wiped off from the face of the world. As if he’d never been there at all.

He didn’t even know the reason why he’d hurt her like that. It was greater than him and he just couldn’t fight back the urge to say what he had said. A force inside him told him it was the right thing to do, to lie when he felt the exact opposite. He regretted nothing, he loved her just like he’d shown her the night before, as impossible as it sounded.

A part of him wanted to run back to her, apologize and hope she’d forgive him and take him back. But, there was another part of him that was fighting the urge, that new part of him was telling him it was for the best to die, to let her live happily. He hated it, but the voice was too loud to resist listening to it.

After some time of wandering around the white halls, he entered the familiar room. His eyes scanned around, capsules with robots that haven’t gotten the chance to live yet connected to that one computer in the center of the room triggered memories. He sighed and turned to the man sitting at the computer, monitoring - “ Is Mr. White here ? “