"We're going to die!"

Those were the last words Clarita cried out to Carl before an autonomous semi swept past them on the right side of the road. Her head flung back as the left side mirror shattered and bits of glass flew across their windshield.

Clarita thought that any second the airbag would burst and suffocate her, but Carl managed to veer right, knocking her left, and drive them onto the off ramp to the exit.

The screaming coming out from between Clarita's ears ceased when the blasting noise of cars faded. Darkness enveloped them in a single sweep, and only the sound of their breathing could be heard.

They were in a tunnel of sorts. No lights.

"Where are we?" Asked Clarita.

Catching his breath, Carl said, "This—is what I wanted to show you."

Clarita felt the car turn and streak of moonlight crossed around a bending wall. They elevated and came out of the tunnel--

The amazing thing was once they exited the tunnel, the car kept going. The road continued. Carl had driven them onto an old highway above ground. Clarita's eyes popped as she looked on both sides at the city skyline to the left and right over a field of trees. The highway must have been ages old!

Almost speechless, Clarita turned to Carl who she found smiling at her with a rhye look of wonder.

"Where are we?"

"Amazing isn't it?"

"What is this?"

"An old highway."

"What's a highway."

"This is. A road above ground."

"But this isn't a road," said Clarita, looking left, right, up and down the road. "I see no rails for skates."

"This road is so old there never were skates. People used to drive at a snail's pace to get to where they needed to go. Unassisted cars drove at a speed limit at 65 mph."

"That's pathetic."

Carl nodded.

Clarita examined the road all around her come out of the speeding blur as Carl stopped the Car next to a gate through which the Malibu beach could be seen. The stars and moon glistened and the smell of their two bodies suddenly became apparent.

Carl drew his fingers to his lips, watching her with an amused smile.

"What is it?"

"You're so in awe," he said. "It's endearing."

"Of course I'm in awe. I've never seen anything like this before."

He laid his head back drew his eyes on her with a level of admiration like she was a cute panda bear at the zoo he was seeing for the first time. "What's it like to be human?" He asked.

What's it like to be human? That's a strange question, wasn't it.

"I don't know. I've never thought about that before. It's kind of like asking me what it's like to be a girl. I've never had the experience of anything else to compare it to."

Carl nodded, his smiling growing. "Interesting."

Wow, was that smile something. Dimples measured the sides of his cheeks. His breathing slowed as it seemed like just the sight of Clarita relaxed him to the point that he was totally in the moment.

What were we doing here?

"Carl?"

"Hmm," he said.

"What are we doing here?"

He smiled and just, ever so slowly, shook his head. Never taking his big brown eyes off her. "Just sitting in a car."

"Yes... Don't you want to go to the party?"

He waited a moment, his eyes glistening in the silver moonlight, as the sound of crickets rained down on them from the starry sky. "Not really," he said.

I never noticed how perfect his face looked. His nose was just the right size. His hair leafing down to touch the top of his forehead softly in a single strand. His face was a wondrous creation.

And his eyes were glued to hers.

"Why are you looking at me that way, Carl?"

He basked and waited before the words surfaced through the calm waves of his blissful state. "Because I can't look anywhere else."

If this were any other man, she might have felt uncomfortable. But this was Carl. He was not even human, not really. Or was that too backwards of her to think?

"You look like you're in love or something, Carl."

"Maybe I am," he said.

That's a good one. If he were a man, he'd be the first. She laughed.

"What's so funny?" Carl said.

It took a moment for her to catch her breath. It was just too ridiculous. "You're not in love with me, Carl."

Carl's face changed. "Why do you say that?" he said.

Her body grew hot and heavy, and she laid back in her chair. Her head rolled toward Carl the way his rolled toward hers.

Why don't I think you could love me, Carl? For starters, no one ever has. I'm not even noticed at school. I am a mere ghost to the boys I admire and I have no courage in my bones to even smile at anyone in passing. Looking at you, with your face and your body type, if you were human you would be one of the most popular boys in school. And you would be a powerful athlete. It would be sad for me to think any human like you could fall in love with me by just one look. Or even a day of knowing me.

She reached her hand up to her forehead. It was hot like the oven. She had fever, and a knot tied in her throat.

The stars and moon and city skyline all sparkled across Carl's face. He was a sight for sore eyes.

"What is it?" Carl said.

The saliva came down her hot throat in a single gulp. She shook her head. She said in a coarse whisper, "I only bought you today."

"Clarita, why does that matter?" Said Carl.

Her tongue wetted her lips as Carl's eyes passed over them.

"You're just a robot, Carl. You can't love me. And if you were a human, it would be even more impossible."

Carl shook his head, looking angry about the idea. "That's ignorant of you to say," he said.

"It's true, Carl."

"No, it's not," he said.

But she nodded. "Me owning you is such a game on my heart. I know it will break."

But Carl breathed a sigh and his head lowered. "You have nothing to fear with me," he said.

His voice is so deeply beautiful to me. "That's what I'm afraid of." Her eyes turned blurry. But only for an instant once the tears washed through and cleared her vision.

"Clarita," said Carl, before his face came into hers. He leaned forward, and Carl's warm lips pressed on her own. It was the just the right amount of pressure.