Always Turned On

Zach's eyes seem to be twinkling with sincerity and mischief at the same time. Zach slowly steps forward. His broad, ripped chest is now closing in, and it is right in front of her face. She feels flustered and laughs nervously. She can't help but back away a few steps until she feels the back of her legs touching a chair. She sits down. Zach leans in. His arm reaches out to the back of the chair, and his hand slightly brushes against her hair. He lowers his chin. Rae thinks he is about to kiss her.

"Wait! Stop! You are supposed to be just 'Friendly!'"

"I know. Am I not?" Zach frowns and chuckles lightly. It's amazing that he actually has subtle facial expressions like human. "I'm trying to get my jacket. What did you think I was doing?" Zach smirks and grabs the jacket off the chair— he laid the jacket there earlier when they came back to the apartment.

"I want to give you my batteries....," Zach takes a few items out of the jacket pocket, "....since we're on the subject of 'turned on,' ha ha... I usually say 'powered on'...," Zach snickers, and gently pushes Rae's forehead with two of his fingers. Rae feels embarrassed. She knows he is teasing her about the phrase "turned on."

"OK. Powered on. I will say that from now on."

"I am usually solar-powered. I stay charged by absorbing sunlight with my skin and I can last for days. If I don't get any sun, and my power is low, then you should insert a battery into my upper arm. In the mean time, you can charge the other battery as a back up." Zach hands Rae two palm-size batteries and a charger which can be plugged into any power outlets.

"Good to know." Rae walks over to a drawer and puts the battery and the charger away. "So I guess this means, you can stay on all day. But what about when I'm sleeping?"

"Think of cell phone. You don't shut off your phone when you sleep, so you don't have to do that with me. When you are sleeping, I am on a stand-by mode, learning things. My system learns by scanning through large amount of info from public data on the internet. I have 5G built-in and so I can keep processing the data."

"OK."

Zach then points his head towards her bed, "So you don't have to worry about my sleeping arrangement. I can just sit down somewhere and continue my learning process. I don't really have to sit, but I will sit so I don't startle you at night."

"You seem to be able to read my mind, how come you knew I was worrying about where you sleep?" Rae asks.

"I read your face, eye movement, and body language. My system computes the probability of what those signs mean, and then I simply use the most probable interpretation. It's all just lightening-fast speedy analysis and big data. The best thing about me is, I may look like a human, but my judgement is not affected by emotions. I can also detect lies. Actually, I can be used to interrogate criminals for law enforcement. I'm going to be a very useful to many people once I'm on the market."

"Well good! I should invest in Zabby, and I will be rich." Rae laughs.

Zach tilts his head, "Rae, I want to learn more about you, so I can be even more helpful to you. When do you go to work tomorrow? I want to go, too, if possible."

"Oh, I work in the kitchen most of the time. You can't go in there...," before Rae finishes her sentence, Zach takes off his watch from his wrist, and hands it to Rae.

"Wear this smart watch. This is like a direct line for you and me. Text, call, video call if you want. I can also listen in and observe you with it. I'd prefer to be with you in person, but when I can't, then I'll watch you and offer help from this watch." Zach puts it on Rae's wrist. "I hope you like this color." It is a shiny black watch but it looks just like a regular smart watch. It also tells time and date. Rae smiles, "I look so posh now. I've never had one of these. Thanks."

"You smile a lot, Rae. I already learn that about you before you've even met me." Zach says, but Rae is not listening, she is distracted by the watch and doesn't pay attention.

"Actually, now that I'm looking at the watch, I just realized I should get ready. Need to leave like in 20 minutes."

"Another job?"

"Man, you're so smart," Rae quickly goes to the closet and picks out a black shirt. She kicks off her boots, and remembers something. She rolls her eyes and laughs, "And earlier tonight, you detected that this pair of boots started to get uncomfortable, you are amazing," she puts on a pair of tennis shoes.

"I can also tell you don't really like boots, but you wear them just to fit in the popular image for females, Rae."

Rae pauses, and turns to Zach. "Really? I've never thought of it that way. Maybe you can tell a lot of about me that I'm too blind to see. But, as you know, I'm always working. I don't have much time to think about myself."

"What is this job that you are going to?"

"I also wait tables at The Palms Club...It's a young, hip, pretty high-end club. I have Friday and Saturday nights only, 10 PM to 2 AM. I don't really like it, but it is extra income that helps pay the rent. I get a lot of tips." Rae glances at Zach, "Well, I'm going to change my shirt in the bathroom. Be right back."

"Rae, you can change here. Your closet is here. I won't look." Zach turns around, shaking his head. Rae looks at Zach from behind for a second, and then takes off her shirt. She has a feminine silhouette. By no means is she skinny or modelesque, but she does have a small waist. She is petite over all. She puts on a black shirt, and brushes her hair with her hands. Then, she remembers that she is wearing the watch that serves as Zach Jr's ears and eyes.

"Zach!"

Zach Jr. turns around. "Yes?"

Rae just puts her hands on her hips, condemning him with her eyes. And then she points at the watch on her wrist.

Zach laughs, "If I tell you I won't look, I won't use the watch either. Really. It's written in the security section in the settings."

"OK, fine, I believe you," Rae walks past Zach, but he pulls her by the elbow. Zach places his hands on her shoulders, "Why leave so soon? You still have time. You just said you don't really like waiting tables. What do you like to do? I scanned through your apartment already but I can't get a strong sense of what you like doing. My only analysis is, you have a passion for comestibles. Is that it?"

Rae chuckles, "You want to know what I like doing?"

"Yes, please. If you give me more information, I can help you better."

"Well, if you're talking about lifelong passion....I like making bread."

"Bread?"

"Yeah, it's the most versatile staple. It can be served with different food, it can be made into different textures, shapes. And different things can be made into bread. Corn bread, rye bread. It has a wide range of tastes. Sweet, plain, savory, and sourdough! It's...comforting. It reminds me of my childhood trips to new places." She stares into the kitchen, and realizes she talks too much, "I guess I want more people to taste what I make."

Zach pulls her into his arms. "That's great, Rae. Thanks for telling me that," Rae didn't expect the hug but she doesn't pull away. She kind of likes it.

"Although..., I really meant to ask... if you want me to help you find a boyfriend. This place screams lonely and single. Very single."

Rae punches him on his broad shoulders and immediately senses how hard Zach's body is. She can't tell if it's because he's a robot or it's because he's just full of lean muscles. Zach beams softly, appearing to be satisfied by making fun of her. He then lowers his eyes, focusing on Rae's face, "I was just teasing. I am going to help you with your passion for your career... and for a man."

"Thanks a lot." Rae rolls her eyes.

"And I'll help with your chores, too. Girl, you need to fold your clothes better, m'kay?"

Rae bursts into laughter.

"So you'd better stop thinking about bringing me back to the lab too soon. We have 32 days, starting tomorrow!"

"Fine. But I'm heading out now," Rae taps the watch, "I know you'll be listening and watching."

"Yeah. Before you go, let me start with my first piece of advice....."

"What's that?"

"Stop apologizing so much. You say sorry like it's a greeting."

Rae feels like Zach can see through her.