Day 40 of 42

Their social experiment had run its course, a course rockier than Sheldon and Amy imagined but the waters were much calmer now. They no longer struggled to stay afloat but drifted gently to the end of their journey. Occasionally they hit a couple rough spots, hidden under the disguise of Mona Wright. The other thick necked jocks had forgotten about the prom fiasco and her meltdown in class but Mona was relentless in her torment. Almost always Amy would hear their sickening nickname, Dogfight, whispered when she entered the room. Almost always it was Mona's sickening face snickering her direction. She'd intentionally bump her in the halls or glare at Amy until she was so uncomfortable she was forced to leave. Surprisingly, her episodes with Mona didn't stir her that much. She was used to battling petty hatred from petty girls, what unsettled her most was the indifference from Christian. After prom he became a ghost. He never apologized, not that she expected him to, or teased her or spoke to her to even look at her. Had he even thought of her as a person when he was attempting to ruin her life?

She never let those thoughts eat at her mind too long before she felt uncomfortable in her own skin or with her own thoughts. But she always had a retreat when she felt like this; Sheldon. They had a spot now, the third lunch table from the back. So when she felt smacked around by Mona or outcasted by Christian she always had a base to run to.

"There you go," Sheldon said ripping the last strip of crust from his bread and handing it to Amy. He calculatedly wiped the fallen crumbs from the lunch table and watched Amy nibble on the strips of dry bread.

"You know," Amy started, sopping the discarded crust in her leftover peanut butter "You should actually start eating these, they're pretty good."

"I didn't realize you were a comedian."

"What are you talking about" She held a And over her mouth trying not to expose her mouthful of food while she giggled at Sheldon insinuation.

"That joke you just made about me eating the crust of bread, it was hilarious. You, little lady, should get a tiny yellow car because you are a clown!"

"I'm serious Sheldon you're just wasting food." It was no surprise he was a thin at he was, his criteria on how his food was prepared, plated, or packaged made him picker than a panda. No bread crusts, no mixed nuts, he could eat the nuts if they were individually packaged but once they are mingling with other nuts it becomes a "club of nuts" and that sounds disgusting. No honey buns if they had too much honey and not enough bun. And under no circumstance would he ever eat, look at, or touch anything close to relish. The sound it made falling from the bottle, the slimy texture, the name! The list goes on.

"That's why you're here you help me where I can't and I do the same for you."

"Such as?"

"This past Monday, when you couldn't reach the beaker on the top shelf in the physics lab, I graciously helped you where you couldn't."

Amy scoffed at what Sheldon considered a chivalrous act. "You gave me a lecture on how natural selection would have killed me for being so short had we been living in prehistoric times. And how your genetic makeup of being tall would breed superior offspring out of nature's deadly path."

"Exactly! Pick up where you can't. You're welcome." Amy picked up a strip of crust and tossed it into her mouth.

"How's the food, dogfight?" That word. That unsettling, sickening name snaked its way up her spine holding her in place. She didn't want to turn around, she couldn't turn around. The laugh behind her gave away the culprit of the remark; Mona Wright.

"Excuse me" Sheldon said, his demeanor became focused and pointed like a dog on alert. He set his sandwich down and began to stand up.

"Sheldon, just ignore them." Amy placed a hand on his trying to bear him down.

"No! I believe you owe her an apology." He was well in Mona's face, towering over her petite body. Christian stood behind her flexing his muscles to scare Sheldon away but he didn't budge."Well, go on."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Mona played coy.

"Apology: a regretful acknowledgement of an offense or failure. Here's an example: The Galveston City School System owes you an apology for failure teach you simple vocabulary."

"Whatever." She started to walk off but Sheldon stepped in her path. His eyes widened at her like he was trying to set her on fire with his gaze. His focus was so piercing it looked like his nose was going to bleed.

"What are you doing?" Mona said pulling into herself, she actually look frightened.

"I am using Kohlinar to put an evil hex on you. One that unties your shoes when you're not noticing and loses the pages in the books you're reading. You'll rue the day you ever messed with Amy Farrah Fowler when you're in your last chapter of a good book and you no longer remember where you left off. Shame! Shame!" Amy tucked her head in her sweater a little embarrassed at the 'help' Sheldon was giving.

"And you" he turned to Christian, "you're the worst offender of them all. I hope you know what kind of person you pulled that awful prank on. The possible valedictorian of our class, a kind, generous, young lady who eats the crust from my bread and knows how to probably crack the spine of a book. You deserve a hex worse than hers, I hope the world sees you as the coward you are. Be gone"

Who was this mad man before her? He looked like Sheldon but he was anything but. His voice was low when he spoke not shrill like it often was, he even puffed out his chest to take up as much space as Christian did. He really was a lordly gentleman ready to sweep her off of her feet.

The pair left, probably more confused than frightened but that didn't matter.

"Thank you."Amy said, her eyes followed him until he was seated.

"They deserves it."

"Yes, but thank you anyway." The conversation fell, only the clamor of the lunch room sat between them. "I'm going to miss this." She said softly, so soft it was almost eaten by the background noise.

Sheldon looked confused at her admission.

"Lunch?"

"This." She shrugged at everything. "Lunch, or talks, you standing up for me…"

You.

It stood on the edge of her lips wanting to spill out but she bit it back.

"Why?" Sheldon said.

"The experiment ends in two days, I'll just...miss it. That's all."

"I must mention that standing up for you is not a clause written in the contract. I just do it because...I...I...care about you." The food in her mouth almost fell out. She tried to close her wide mouth but her jaw had fallen to the floor at his confession. "B-because you eat the crust from my bread and if I didn't have you than who would I get to do it? The lunch lady?"

"I care about you too Sheldon. Because of the bread crust, obviously"

"Obviously."

"It's really been a fun six weeks, I'm sad to see it end so soon."

"We do still have a weekend activity that we never used, if you're willing we can plan something Saturday night. At the university perhaps?" Sheldon suggested, fidgeting more than usual.

"Oh, I don't know, I'd have to ask my mom."

"So?"

"I haven't actually spoken to her since our last fight. We haven't been in the same room or even looked at each other since. I don't think she'd let me go, I don't think she'd answer me."

"Oh"

"Yea"

"Well, I'll ask her."

"You want to talk to my mother?"

"Well I don't want to, but I will. I think our final outing will be a great button to a successful experiment. And if there's one thing I will fight tooth and nail for is closure. So, I'll talk to her."

He said nonchalantly like talking to her mother was like talking to Santa Claus.

"Thank you, Sheldon. You said the experiment was successful, you really believe that?"

"Of course, I believe it. We proved to be an excellent pair, I'm glad we participated in it."

"You know what happens to successful experiments? The results must be replicated to be sure, are you interested in conducting a second trial?"

"Hm, that is accurate. How about this, since we know we can manage a friendship agreement how about we take it to the next level?" His eyes gave away his suggestive statement.

"A relationship agreement?" Amy nearly lost her mind. He was gonna be her boyfriend! Sheldon Cooper was going to be her boyfriend!

"A best friends agreement silly!" She put her hand on top of his and looked him in his eyes.

"I'd love that."