Welcome Surprises
Sequel to Paintball
He was sitting at his desk when he heard knocking. He glanced up with a frown. "Come in." The door opened and Raj Kothrappaili slipped inside. He has plucking at the bottom of his sweater vest and kept darting glances at a very surprised Sheldon.
He quirked an eye, and waited to see what would happen next. After several minutes, Raj jerked his body into a respectful bow. "I am sorry, Sheldon." Raj raised back up. "I cannot even begin to make amends for what I did. I have no excuse. I understand you are angry, and I know you may never forgive me, dude. I just want you to know that I am sorry. I would take it back if I could."
Sheldon was surprised. Truthfully he had not expected Raj to be the first to really apologize. Well, actually he had not expected a real apology from any of them. Raj followed wherever Howard went. Yet here he was. Sheldon took a deep breath. He fought the urge to accept just to try to go back to the way things had been. Back to what was familiar.
Instead he pictured Penny, and he stood tall. "I do not know if I can ever forgive you either. Although I am grateful for the apology, I find I no longer trust any of you. I am also not certain that I ever will. If it had just been a prank on me, I could overlook it, but you have damaged everything I ever worked for. Everything I say or do is now regarded with suspicion. I will have to think about what you have said. Please leave now. I have work to do."
Raj nodded quickly and hurried out. Once he reached the safety of his office he took a shaky breath. He was sincere in his attempt to apologize. He could only hope Sheldon someday forgave him.
When Penny worked in the evenings, he would get a ride from Kripke or take the bus. He was suspicious the first time Kripke offered him a ride. When he asked what the reason was behind it Barry had shrugged and said "I down't wike you Coopah, but I weally hate sabotweurs."
Today though he had a second surprise. He was walking from the campus toward the bus stop when he heard his name being called. He looked around and saw Bernadette waving to him from across the parking lot. He made his way over to her.
"Hello, Sheldon. I've come to give you a ride home." She was smiling perkily.
"I have my bus pants," he said in confusion. "Penny is working so I'm taking the bus."
Bernadette had been warned by Penny, so she just shook her head. "Not anymore, sweetie. I've just gotten a position at the pharmaceutical company down the street, and Penny and I thought that since my schedule now coincided with yours maybe I could pick you up in the afternoons." She opened the car door for him and sighed when he hesitated.
"Sheldon, Penny told me to tell you a few things. One, my car gets regular maintenance. Two, my driving record is spotless. Three, she had me bring a box of sterilizing wipes you can use before we go anywhere. Four, if you don't get in the car, she'll personally come down here and go junior rodeo on you."
Quick as a bunny, Sheldon scooted into the car. He glared at Bernadette for a moment before giving her a small smile and nod. "Thank you, Bernadette. I am grateful for the ride."
She skipped around to the driver's side and smiled. "I'm your friend too, Sheldon. Now straight home or do I drop you at the Cheesecake Factory?"
Sheldon's eyes lit up for only a second. "It is Monday, Bernadette. I go to the Cheesecake Factory on Tuesdays."
She giggled and started the car. "Home it is then." Neither of them noticed the three stunned faces watching them a few cars away.
Leonard, Howard and Raj climbed the steps to the forth floor slowly. They could hear music and loud laughter coming from above them. Obviously Penny was having some sort of party. Leonard felt that same jealousy rear up. He wondered where Sheldon was. Something strange was definitely going on. Every day since Monday they have seen him slide into the passenger seat of a pretty blonde's car. A blonde who wasn't Penny. Other than brief glimpses at work, none of them had seen much of him in days. He often didn't return to the apartment until long after Leonard was asleep. They reached the landing and looked into Penny's open door. There were about 8 people inside, and they all seemed to be drunk. Everyone was stumbling and bumping into one another.
Leonard's eyes bugged out when Sheldon stumbled past the door, bumping into the arm of a very pretty red head. They edged closer and looked inside. Penny was standing just inside her bedroom and was spinning the blonde Sheldon had been riding with in small circles. After a few moments she stopped and handed the woman a blue foam ball.
"Begin!" Penny yelled.
The blond took a few stumbling steps forward and quickly veered to the right as she tried to maintain her equilibrium. On an easel was a large poster of the universe. In place of the planets and moons there were various balls of differing colors and sizes. Leonard began to move forward again, but his way was suddenly blocked. He looked up into the wary face of Sheldon.
"Is there something you need, Leonard?"
Leonard tried to bluster. "What is going on here?"
"It is Amanda's birthday. We are playing pin the planet on the solar system."
Just then the pretty red head walked over and lightly touched Sheldon's arm. Leonard noticed he only twitched slightly. "Yo, Shel-dude! Yummies time! Let's go before someone else calls dibs on the candied Hellboy you've been eyeing."
"Now, if you will excuse us, it would appear to be time to cut the cake." Sheldon closed the door on them without a second glance.
An hour and a half later Leonard heard people leaving. He watched the door from the corner of his eye as he fiddled with his laptop. It was another hour before the door opened and Sheldon stepped inside. He spared a glance at Leonard and began to walk back to his room.
"Since when do you go to parties with strangers," Leonard asked sourly.
Sheldon sighed softly before turning to look at Leonard. "I don't. The only stranger there tonight was Gina's sister. The other guests are known to me."
Leonard stood and tried to draw himself up to a formidable height. "What are you talking about, Sheldon? You don't make friends."
Sheldon shook his head. "Wrong. I have never made friends easily. But Penny introduced me to several people who I have a similar interest or two with. It has been surprisingly easy to adjust."
Leonard's shoulders drooped. "Penny's never introduced me to her friends."
"Maybe because the only interest you expressed in Penny was carnal," Sheldon replied.
Leonard grew angry again. "Oh and what's your interest, Sheldon? Do you suddenly have a deal?" His voice was mocking.
Sheldon looked at Leonard with pity. "Penny is my friend, first and foremost. Any other feelings I may or may not have can only stem from that. Goodnight Leonard."
It wasn't until a few days later that Leonard realized Sheldon had not really answered the question.