The Mechanical Lover

I didn't know much about Sasha before she decided that I was good enough to take home. Her facial structure and symmetry was text book definition of attractive. I assumed perhaps her choosing me, as opposed to a human for mate, was solely companionship.

Seeing beyond the monochromatic, white walls of where I had come from was exciting. I had studied the city, how people looked, interacted with one another, but nothing really prepared me for real life. Real life was so vivid, and big compared to pictures and movies.

I looked around, mouth agape and I felt as if my eyes couldn't take enough of the city in. Sasha sat beside me on her phone, a cool expression on her face.

"Let's take a selfie." She said, awkwardly holding out her phone. Her wrist, bent at an odd angle, she rested her face onto mine. I took note of her controlled, photogenic smile, and mimiced it as best I could. The camera timer went down to one, and the shutter sound clicked. Sasha pulled away from me and her smile dropped back to that same cool, unphased expression.

I watched as she opened an app and began tweaking her face to a more desirable look.

"Will you do mine too?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"You can't perfect perfection." She said, looking up to smile at me.

I made a note of it in my memory bank.

We arrived at a building that was so tall, that I couldn't even see where it ended.

"What's here?" I asked.

"Where we live." Sasha said.

I made another note.

We took an elevator that seemed to shoot straight up like a bullet. Through the elevator I could see the city, as we rose above the buildings, and above the city skyline. We reached the top floor, and I could see past the cityscape, and I believe I may have seen the entire world below my feet.

Sasha stepped off the elevator to the hallway. I followed behind, peaking over my shoulder for one last look at the earth.

Sasha's heels clicked down the marble floor, as she stopped at a door and unlocked it with a card. We stepped inside and I scanned the room. The ceilings were high, and made way for tall furniture that had sloping arm rests, gold accents and a mixture of paisley patterned antiques. Upon closer inspection, there were details carved in the accents.

"What do you think?" Sasha asked.

"This is home." I said, remembering from my memory notes.

"Yes." Sasha said, smiling. "This is our home. And I love you."

"I love you too." I replied, automatically. Another note in my memory.

"You are so lovely." I said, realizing my romantic function had been switched on. I looked at Sasha, who was now more attractive than before. My eyes caught a heart shaped locket, she was wearing. I focused upon it and grabbed the locket gently, caressing it between my fingers. It was smooth, and rose gold.

"I like this." I said, genuinely admiring the necklace.

"Thanks." Sasha replied, smiling.

Sasha's phone vibrated and she unlocked it, and looked at it curiously. She had a studying look to her face.

"What is it my love?" I asked, still in romantic mode.

"Just a video." She said, casually. "Just some live streams of a war that's going on overseas. I think we're winning."

"Can I see?" I asked curiously.

Sasha turned her screen towards me and what I saw I couldn't quite explain. It was bodies and faces twisted and contorted in a manner that made me confused. Something in my memory recognized it as "distress." Sasha was fine. Completely fine, at least, I think she was fine? But what she showed me was people in distress. And they weren't fine.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"Am I okay?" I questioned back, not sure what response to give Sasha. I was stuck between trying to give a satisfactory response to Sasha, and having my empathy response switched on without an ability to control it.

"Defective." She said, scoffing. "I was so looking forward to you. Now I have to wait for another one."

"No." I said, remembering what happened to the defectives that would get sent back to where I came from.

"You aren't acting the way I wanted you to." Sasha said, sterbly.

My brain tried to reassess the moment. I wasn't exactly sure how to interact with people outside of a controlled setting. All I knew was that I'd get to stay home if I acted how Sasha wanted.

"I love you." I began. "This is our home. And I don't care about those suffering people on the screen of your phone."

Sasha smiled, sighing in relief.

"Thank God." My last one like you was defective and just kept crying. I'm so glad I get to keep you." Sasha said, kissing me on the cheek.