Robert was sure to get it this time.
It took him three whole days to get the wardrobe together: a black suit with dark blue, plaid tie and a pair of black Oxfords. His own robo-butler, Charles, used his three multi-use arms to hem and size the fabric itself.
But he was far from finished; Robert had been waiting for this moment for at least three and a half years.
Even though it wasn't much, Robert's father was able to afford an older Corvega for rental. At least he could drive to the prom.
Too bad Robert had competition.
Almost three months ahead of him, Josh DeLoria had his jacket-covered arms around Robert's biggest crush.
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Oh God… thought Ceilena. Her face was being smothered by Josh's attempt to kiss her. For the past ninety days, the school bully had been her lousy excuse for a boyfriend.
Ceilena was a pretty girl, with a body that was nicely toned, but not gorgeous. She was, however, rich. Josephine Enderson, Ceilena's forgetful mother, was one of the most successful lawyers in the D.C. Judicial Court System. Her step-father, Brigadier William Autumn, was a high ranking official in the U.S. Enclave Army, mainly in charge of the Robotics division. Because of him, Ceilena usually had no privacy with Protectrons as security bots in school and at her home.
Her real father had been killed in an accident involving the Ford Nucleon prototype engine. John Campton was searching for a way to make the engine of the marker of the Atomic Age more efficient.
The cylinders keeping the structure of the fusion reactor from collapsing and creating a meltdown fell out of their sockets, clanging to the ground as her father used his own arms to hold the radioactive death trap in place. As a result, John couldn't begin to fathom the amount of pain felt throughout his body. The radiation had an entire amount of 15 minutes to enter the body. 15 minutes for a bunch of lazy co-workers to slip into safety gear to "save" her father. 15 minutes to take the man's life away.
John fell, suddenly relieved of the pressure when the inattentive man finally inserted the necessary tubing into the correct sockets, taking two extra minutes to give an OK for John to even let go. Through the Radiation Suit, this man witnessed Ceilena's father's death.
John's back arched upward as he screamed, pushing air out of him and feeling the uranium burrow through his tissue and brain. He suddenly fell silent, eyes wide open and on the edge of bursting in tears, realizing that his daughter would have no real dad, before collapsing into a lifeless heap of flesh and bone. The unfocused eyes stared at the metallic ceiling as a black plastic bag enclosed him when the forensics team arrived.
"C'mon…" whispered Josh, trying to sound, but failing at being, remotely seductive. "I won't bite…"
Ceilena shivered as his hand moved down onto her buttocks.
"Josh, stop. We're gonna be late." Josh's hand pulled back from her body, his hand slowly moving back to the driver's wheel of the Hot Rod red Corvega.
Josh sneered as he pulled out of the parking lot. "Damn, you're a stuck-up one, aren't ya?" His leather jacket crinkled as he flexed his muscles. The Chryslus was only twenty minutes away from John Henry Eden High School's 15th Annual Prom.
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The suit already felt sweaty on him. Robert was sitting by himself in the corner or the very large, very cheesily decorated gymnasium-turned-ball room of the school.
One empty Nuka-Cola vending machine stood there, used as a table for a radio that was hooked up to the PA system of the entire gym. Some students danced as Roy Brown's "Mighty Mighty Man" boomed throughout the speakers.
If only Robert felt like a mighty man.
Well, today was the day. October 23rd was, for better or worse, going to be the day he finally opened up his shell.
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The parking lot was very quiet; Ceilena wanted to get out of the car before-
"Too late, Sugar." Josh already had his arms around her, pushing her lengthy brunette hair from her face as his lips pressed against hers. She felt uncomfortable as Josh placed his hand over her breast.
Ceilena pushed against the muscular senior's chest, trying to break free of his grip on her. "Please… just… get off…" she muzzled out through kisses.
"C'mon, your dumb ass of a dad didn't move when he was holding that fu-" Josh's statement abruptly ended when Ceilena brought up her knee into his groin. He grabbed down at his genitals before she opened the door and left Josh to moan in pain.
Fuck him, her mind screamed. He's just a fucking prick after the money. She walked through the back doors of the building, only to be greeted by another senior and a large poster reading "CLASS OF '78!!!"
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Robert was just about to get up and leave when a familiar face poked its head around the corner.
Her emerald-green dress exemplified her curves, showing all her years on the varsity track team and how they paid off. Her dark, caramel skin gave her a beautiful look. The brown hair coming down slightly past her shoulders gave Ceilena an elegant look, even though it was scrutinized by the wretched look on her face.
Robert waved his hand, which got no reaction. However, she did end up sitting in the seat directly next to him. They shared a volley of quick glances before giving each other a quietly ushered "hello".
He placed a sympathetic hand on her lap, her eyes fluttering up to stare up at his. "What happened?" was his response after a few seconds.
Awkwardly, Ceilena laid her head into his chest, crying into the cotton of his suit while deeply embracing him. All Robert could fathom was returning the gesture (albeit no crying) and bringing the two closer together.
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As Robert calmed her nerves with a caring hug, the sirens sounded.
"ALL CIVILIANS, PLEASE COMMENCE TOWARDS THE VAULTS. COMMUNIST MISSILES ARE IMPENDING TO STRIKE AMERICAN SOIL. REPEAT; SEEK OUT VAULT SHELTER…ALL CIVILIANS-"
The message, running in the voice of a Mr. Gutsy robot, just continued to loop. Oh, my God… he knew… Today had been exceptionally weird. Her mother had called her using the Mendelton Mr. Handy, earlier that day, saying they wouldn't be home for a week or so.
Also, her father had a "very important" meeting earlier that day at the heavily defended Adams Air Force Base, which should be of no importance to a Brigadier in charge of robobrains and protectrons.
"Run!" screamed Robert, who reached out and pulled her towards the line of many cars heading toward the only vault in the vicinity: 101.
When they finally reached the vault, via an angry and sweaty Josh who threatened to leave them behind, the three made a mad dash for the giant spinning door that was slowly filling.
While running towards the vault, Ceilena tripped over a large rock. The fall caused Ceilena to twist her ankle, immobilizing her.
Even as the dilemma occurred, Robert stayed to aid her as Josh continued to run for the door.
"Hey, HEY!" Robert shouted as he struggled to his feet with Ceilena supported. "Help me!"
Josh turned around, revealing the true, fearful man behind the leather and tattoos. "Oh, fuck that," he hollered. "I'm living!"
By the time the duo reached the door, it was barely a slit, inside a group of strangely compacted, visibly scared people wondering if they would see their planet again.
The damp tunnel was now vacated of life, except for the two seniors.
"Well…" Ceilena wrapped her slender arms around Robert's shoulders, pushing the two of them together. "We're screwed, huh?"
Robert, focused on her eyes and face, let out a brief chuckle, before turning to see a small black dot dropping down from the horizon. His body started to tremble as tremors shook the earth with deafening thuds. But when his eyes returned to meet her gaze, Ceilena's lips were very close to touching his.
Robert didn't notice as his skin started to burn, flakes beginning to fall off. He didn't notice that flesh was sizzling off and bone was becoming brittle.
All he noticed was her.