For two weeks, Reed had been taking out Johnny's car when he wasn't around. He would drive around the city, win races, and a few times, he flirted with beautiful women.
"Wow. I didn't think a super genius like you would be into street races," said an attractive woman with long, brown hair and bright green eyes. She was sitting next to Reed in the passanger's seat.
"Well it just going to show you, Kayla, that there's more to people then what you see," said Reed, smiling.
He leaned in and kissed her lips.
"Call me," said Kayla, exitting the car.
Reed watched her enter her apartment. Once she was inside, he drove off.
He heard his comlink beep, so he put it over his left ear.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Dr. Richards," said H.E.R.B.I.E., cheerfully.
"Oh, hi, H.E.R.B.I.E."
"Who was that young lady that was with you? She seemed very pretty. Is she your girlfriend?"
"That was Kayla. I meet her today after I won another race. And no, she's not a girlfriend. But I do plan on taking her out. Now, was there something you wanted?"
"Yes. First, I tolled up all your winnings. You've been in and won over four-hundred and sixty-eight races!"
"Yesssssss!" said Reed, delighted. "I am the race car king!"
"You can say that again! You're so fast! You can't lose! I watched every race from the lab and was amazed by every single one! You sure know how to race, Dr. Richards!"
"Ah ha, well, I may have had to teach a punk in a camarra a little lesson when the light turned green."
"Oh, and second, Benjamin was complaining that we ran out of a few groceries. So, since you're already out, could you do some shopping?"
"Yeah, sure."
Reed went to park the car over by the curb. He opened the door a little to see is he was okay.
"Oh wait, it's not close enough." He closed the door and backed up.
"Be careful," said H.E.R.B.I.E.
"Will you stop telling me to be careful," said Reed, annoyed. "For the past two weeks we've been telling me to be carefull. It's getting on my nerves."
Crash! Boom! Bang!
Reed stiffened. He had just backed into a mailbox, which was now ripped from the sidewalk and on it's side.
"Please tell me I hit a dog."
"..."
"How bad is it?" asked Reed.
"Oh I don't think it even made a-OH GOOD LORD! IT'S RIGHT THERE!"
Reed quickly bolted out of the car to look.
"AHHHH!"
There on the back left was a huge scratch.
"What are we gonna do?"
"We? We weren't driving! You were!"
"You distracted me!" snapped Reed.
"Me?"
"Yes, you! If you weren't telling me to be careful, I wouldn't've hit that mailbox! I was doing just fine until you told me to becareful when I was! I was being careful until you went all "Be careful, Dr. Richards." on me and made me hit that mailbox! You made me ruin Johnny's car! It's your fault, you stupid machine!"
If H.E.R.B.I.E. could cry for real, he would right now. But he was still able to make crying noises.
"I c-can't believe y-you s-said that t-to m-m-me, Dr. Richards. I thought you c-cared about me. After e-everthing I d-d-d-did f-for you. I k-k-kept your s-secret from Jonathan and th-the o-others for s-so long. I m-made s-sure you d-didn't g-g-get c-caught. W-why do you h-hate me n-now?" H.E.R.B.I.E. spoke with a sobbing tone.
Reed's face sofened and he calmed down. He felt guilt build up in his heart for how he treated H.E.R.B.I.E.
"I'm sorry, H.E.R.B.I.E. Please don't cry. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you. I just panicked. I know it wasn't your fault. It's all mine. I should've been more careful. I should've listened to you before and not taken Johnny's care car. It was stupid. I'm so sorry for yelling at you. Forgive me?"
H.E.R.B.I.E. made a sniff noise. "Of course, Dr. Richards. I'd forgive you for anything. Except if you replaced me with a new super computer."
"I'd never do that."
"Good."
"Okay. Now I'm going to head back to the lab so I can think of a way to fix the car before Johnny sees it."
Reed quickly entered the car and drove home.