Twix Marshall Has A Hard Time

Inside an almost empty semi-detached home lived a vivacious young boy with his father. He wasn't much like other kids his age, in fact he wasn't like the other kids at all. You see his was a case different than the rest for he was not a human but an Android. As for his name, it was more peculiar than he. 

 Twix Marshall was the first of his kind, created by the very man who fathered him. He was created a teenager, hence he never really had a childhood. He was never born like the other kids. He didn't live in a womb and he certainly didn't feel the warmth of his mother's bosom, for there was no mother who's bosom he could rest upon. When asked why he named him what he had named him, his father told him his favorite chocolate bar was called Twix. To this, Twix smiled and carried on with his day. He liked to smile, it was something he had picked up from his dad. His programming was such that he could learn from his surroundings. His mind was created as a tabula rasa, into which information could be fed.

 Twix had a remarkable memory too. His father had provided him with the knowledge only few men possessed. He knew all the words in the English language and was fluent in all the languages, including ASL, Morse code and even Valyrian. Dr. Marshall was an avid reader of George R. R. Martin's book series and he would be a fool not to. Despite his being the most well equipped individual both mentally and physically, Twix's father was reluctant to send him to school, for he knew the dangers of the pubescent world all too well. His son would be a misfit among the Homo sapiens.

As expected, Twix found himself knee deep in a puddle of problems. Sarcasm was a fairly new concept for him and he still couldn't tell when someone was joking. Unfortunately for him, humans indulged in sarcastic remarks all the time. He didn't anticipate how big of a problem it would be until one day someone said, "I'm dying." It was history class and the teacher was narrating an important event in time when he stood up with a jerk and shouted. "He's dying!" He was rather confused when he realized that the boy wasn't in fact dying. Then occurred another incident which left him even more perplexed than ever. This time it was math class and a girl in front of him ravenously ate peanuts until she started coughing. At first it was mild but soon it escalated into a violent cough. The girl clutched her throat and whispered, "I can't breathe." Twix took this to be a joke and started laughing. Turned out, the girl had a peanut stuck in her trachea. 

After a long week of humiliation, he thought he would finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, but instead, everyday was like the one before it; an utter turmoil. 

"Are you a boy?" A girl inquired as they stood in the hallway.

"Yes." Twix scratched the nape of his neck; something he had seen his friends do. 

The girl's eyes moved down to where his groin was. "Do you have a...?" 

"No." He was glad he couldn't blush. He had seen people go red with embarrassment. 

"Then how are you a boy?" The girl seemed concerned. 

"I am programmed as one, but without the male genitals."

"That's my point. You don't have a, you know," she pointed at his groin. Twix felt exposed at this constant mention of his non-existent groin and clutched his hands over it.

"The thing is, I don't need one."

She scoffed. "Everyone needs one."

"I beg to differ, actually. I don't need one because it serves me no purpose. I don't have a urinary system and -"

"Okay, smarty pants." She cut him off with the most vile expression and left. He stood there dumbfounded as he placed his books in the locker. The haunting shadow of that conversation followed him everywhere after that. He was afraid to change his clothes in front of the other boys in the locker-room because of it and so consequentially he got even weirder looks thrown at him.

"Dad, all the boys have it."

"Of course they do. They're humans. They need it. You don't." His father placed the bowl of salad on the table.

"So I'll never have kids?"

"If you want, you will."

"But how?"

"I'll make them for you. It's not hard."

"Well, that's reassuring. What if you're not around by the time I'm grown up?"

"Hm." His father pondered while he stuffed his mouth with lettuce.

"Will I grow up?" Twix voiced his concern.

"Yes. It'll take a year for me to remodel everything but yes."

"Can I get a six-pack?"

His father smiled. "Of course."

"What about bigger biceps? They call me Twix the Twig. It's not very pleasant."

"I can give you bigger biceps within a month, maybe two. But look, don't feel bad about what some kids say. They're just jealous of you."

"Can you make me look more like a human?"

Dr. Marshall stopped eating. "Why would you want to look more human, Twix? Does a lion want to look like a tiger? or a tiger like a lion? Let me tell you the answer. No they don't. Look, you're an android and the first one to live among humans at that. You don't have to be like them for them to accept you. They just don't understand you and you them. Give it some time, son. And remember to always be yourself. Got it?"

Twix nodded. "Thanks, dad."

His father waved it off.

"Be yourself. Be yourself. Be yourself." These were the words on Twix's lips as he made his way towards the cafeteria. He didn't eat anything because he couldn't but he still went there routinely, mainly because of his friends.

Nick and Julie were waiting for him. "Twix!" Nick motioned him to come over. He sat down with them and watched them eat.

"Do you ever wonder what food tastes like?" Julie inquired mid bite.

"I do."

"Do you ever just want to try something?" She held her slice of pizza up. "Like pizza for example."

"No, not really, because I don't have an appetite."

"How impressive." She smirked. "I have a problem. I eat too much sometimes. Must be fun to not have an appetite."

"It's because I don't have a hypothalamus, which you humans do. It triggers appetites."

"Ah." She tilted her head in amusement. "You should tutor me in Biology. I am in dire need of help."

"You're lucky to have all this knowledge programmed into you. I'd kill to be like you." Nick said as he gulped down water.

Twix fell silent.

"He won't actually kill for it. It's just a way of expressing how much you want something." Julie clarified.

Twix smiled in relief. "A few more seconds and I would've got it, but thanks."

"Hey, so there's a party this weekend." Nick leaned in.

Julie shook her head. "It's a pool party, Twix. You'll get wet."

"I don't think I am invited."

"No one gets invited. Everyone just goes on their own."

"That's odd."

"You'll get used to it."

"Are you and Julie going?"

"Yes."

"When is it?"

Twix's father was in the basement working on new arms and legs for him. He poked his head through the door. "Dad!"

"Yes?"

"Can I go to a party?"

Silence. Then there were sounds of footsteps walking up the stairs. Dr. Marshall stood before him.

"Which party?" And so Twix told him all about the party, where it was held, who was hosting and when it would be.

"Twix, it's a pool party. I'm sorry but you can't go."

"All my friends are going, dad."

"It's a pool party. There will be water and wet people and even drunk people and hence more watery wetness. So, no."

"Alright," he said demurely.

"You'll get hurt alright? Water will ruin your system. I'll let you go to some other party. Next time."

"Yes."

His father patted his cheek and turned around to leave.

"Dad."

"Yes?"

"Nick said he would kill to be like me." He was beaming.

"That's amazing. See what happens when you be yourself?"

Twix had a bed, even though he didn't sleep, and got into it. He picked up a book called "To Kill a Mockingbird" and started reading it. When he reached page five, something hit his window. He put the book on his lap and listened. There was no sound. Perhaps it's a leaf, he thought. He picked the book back up and just as he started reading, something hit the window again, this time louder. He got out of bed and pushed the curtains aside to reveal Nick sitting on the tree branch outside his window. He looked down and saw Julie in his front lawn. He opened the window.

"Why are you sitting on a tree outside my window?"

"We've come to take you to the party."

Twix instantly retreated. "Oh, no. My father told me not to go."

"Come on, we didn't come this far for you not to come with us. Let's go."

"I can not."

"Twix. I won't leave without you."

"Dad -"

"Is sleeping in the basement. I saw him. Now let's go. Come downstairs."

Twenty minutes later, they were at the party. It was indeed a pool party with an enormous pool. People were jumping into it and coming out of it. Something flashed in front of Twix, it was the guy who was hosting the party. His name was Ramone and he took a picture of him.

"A robot at my party! This has never happened before! Amazing!"

This made Twix happy.

"He's an android." Julie corrected matter-of-factly. "Let's go, guys. Inside."

"Wait I need to dip my feet into the water real quick." Nick started walking towards the pool.

Julie followed him reluctantly, followed by Twix.

Nick sat down next to the pool and put his feet in the water. "Ooh."

"Be quick, Nick." She turned to Twix and said, "Stay back, Twix."

Nick absent-mindedly threw a handful of water at Julie and some of it splashed on Twix, who fell back in shock.

"Oh my God, Nick!" Julie started wiping him with the hem of her dress.

"No, it's fine. It didn't get into my system."

"How do you know?"

"Because I am still functioning."

Nick came over, clearly guilty. "I am so sorry. You alright?"

"Yes."

"I think we should just go home," Julie pitched in.

"What? no! He's fine! You're fine, right Twix?"

"Yeah. We should stay." He did want to stay.

Julie looked at the both of them with disbelief. "Alright." But things would not be alright, in fact they would be more than alright. That night, Twix sat with his friends and listened to them talk while himself talking less. Then his friends simmered down and he found himself talking the most. Soon, people started gathering around him, and next thing he knew, there were groups of people huddled together on the sofas and ground and wherever they found a spot empty. That night, there in that lounge, as more and more people kept showing up, Twix noticed admiration for himself in everyone's eyes. As he talked rather matter-of-factly about how his father didn't let him come to the party but he still did, he found himself growing as a person, because for the first time since the beginning of high school, he wasn't ashamed of himself. He understood that he didn't need to be taller or more muscular to be considered "grown", instead it was to grow as a person, or android in his case, that really mattered. He talked about his struggles and everyone sympathized. He joked and everyone laughed. He smiled and everyone smiled back. When the night came to an end, he was closer to everyone there.

"Love you, man!" Someone fist-bumped him. He didn't even know who it was.

Nick and Julie hugged him and that too for the first time. "You were a star tonight."

Twix nodded in acceptance of the compliment. "I'm glad I came."

Then he received several pats on his back and even a few high fives. It was exhilarating. It was magnificent. It was better than alright.

Dr. Marshall woke up when he heard the front door open. He sped up and out of the basement to bump into a very happy looking Twix.

"Where were you?"

Instead of an answer, he got a tight hug. "I love you, dad."

"What's going on?"

"I had the best time."

"You went?"

"I'm sorry."

"No. You're fine and that's all that matters." He was more than fine.

"Sorry I woke you up."

"No problemo. You should go to bed now. School tomorrow, remember?"

"Of course. And dad?"

"Yes?"

"I think I am fine with the way my arms are."

"Well, that's wonderful, Twix. Only I spent the whole night working on those biceps for you." Twix shrugged and made the expression he thought he couldn't make. Both father and son laughed in unison and the almost-empty home now filled with its sound.

Twix Marshall didn't have such a hard time after all.