Chapter 4
Leonard and Pris went out to buy dinner. Returning to the apartment, she explained the math behind good music.
"You're going to have to write that down for me." Leonard said. "We have lots of white boards."
"I'm boring you?" she asked.
"No. Pris. You're amazing. I can't believe I actually like someone I'm related to."
"It's good to talk to someone who understands half of what I say." She said and then threw her fingers over her lips. "That was mean. I just meant that I can't really talk to my mom about this stuff and my dad is hardly ever around, so… Oh, man, I suck."
"No, why?"
"This is surprisingly hard for me. I don't know how to… sibling."
"Of course you don't. You were raised alone." Leonard stopped at his door. "To be fair, I don't know how to sibling either, I didn't get along with my brother and sister growing up. But I guess it should just be like friends, right?"
"I can do that." Pris smiled. "I like people. I like you."
Leonard smiled and opened the door, motioning for her to walk in.
"Good. You've returned." Sheldon sat firmly in his spot with his laptop on the coffee table, the TV remote stuck to his wrist and a drink at his side.
Leonard took a few seconds to take in the image of Sheldon taped to his seat cushion but then decided it was better not to comment. Pris saw the tape and tried not to laugh.
"How do you plan on going to the bathroom in that?" she asked with a giggle slipping out.
"I don't have to go."
Leonard offered Pris his usual seat and sat down next to Sheldon.
"So how did you get into math?" Leonard asked Pris.
"Well, my first friend in kindergarten was a huge music buff. And she had this superpower for finding the best CD's. When she started drumming, I heard numbers instead of beats. The rhythm made sense, mathematically."
"Super power for finding CD's." Sheldon scoffed to himself.
"Everything we do boils down to math." She ignored Sheldon.
"How do you figure?" Sheldon asked her. It was actually a test.
"Everything we eat, equals the energy we put out. We measure life in numbers. Days, minutes, years. Music falls in a rhythm that equals a certain mood. And every stupid question you ask me in order to test me, is a wasted breath. The more wasted breaths you have, the shorter your life will be."
"Is that a threat?" Sheldon asked.
"No, Sheldon." Pris shook her head. "I don't want to waste my breath.
Leonard grinned. She was very clever.
"So tell me what is so fascinating about Fine Art?" Sheldon challenged her.
"You wouldn't understand." She stated. Leonard almost choked on his food.
Sheldon stoop up with the cushion stuck to his behind and it looked ridiculous.
"Leonard, I really don't like her. Make her leave." Sheldon whined.
Pris stood up and squared herself on her feet. She was shorter than Sheldon but somehow it looked like she was standing taller.
"I don't like you either Sheldon. But that's not your problem. I will deal with it." She stated and confused him.
"Are you saying that, me not liking you, shouldn't be your problem?" Sheldon tried to stare her down but she stood strong.
"Yes." She folded her arms. "But it bothers me."
"You hear that Sheldon?" Leonard tried not to smile. "She's upset." He had a tactic. "Sheldon, someone in your house is upset. What do you do if someone in your house is upset?"
"Make them a hot beverage." Sheldon moaned.
"Thank you, Sheldon, that would make me feel better." She smiled and sat down again. Sheldon shuffled towards the kitchen, growling all the way.
"He wouldn't spit in my drink, or poison me, would he?" she whispered to Leonard.
"Don't worry. He can't do that. His mother would be mortified if she ever found out."
"I'm making hot cocoa. With milk. I hope it kills you." Sheldon said loudly.
"Why would it kill me?" she asked.
"I'm lactose intolerant." Leonard informed her.
"Oh. No, I'm not."
"Is there anything wrong with you?" Leonard asked before he took another bite of his food.