Xerxes hasn't known kindness his whole life. He was teased as a kid because of his features that made him stand out. He was an utter genius that was denied individuality, and he lived alone. His life was a complete wreck as he was abused by his parents and persecuted by his classmates and teachers.

If you really thought about it, he didn't really fit. in fact, he wasn't living alone, he was dying alone.

"Xerxes Townsley." a teacher called. Xerxes raised his hand, sighing depressingly. The majority of the class giggled at his name as the teacher adjusted her glasses.

"Kirsten Tucker." the teacher said. Xerxes perked up at her name as Kirsten was one of the few people who actually tolerated Xerxes. She was this girl in his fourth grade class that was the ideal girl.

And what made her ideal? Her imperfection. She had flaws. She wasn't that incredibly molded into the perfect woman by an author. She as imperfect. and her imperfection was what made her ideal. She knew it, accepted, and kept moving forward.

And that's why he liked her.

"Now, please, form pairs of two while we go to the computer room." the teacher stated. Various chairs screeched as kids in the class paired with their friends and argued over the five-minute partnership. Xerxes sighed as he expected to be paired with the teacher once again, as he always has in PE and English and Science. Xerxes stuffed his hands in his pockets and stared out of the classroom window, seeing his future unfold as a regular guy with a regular job living a regular life. If only some way he could change that, or, at least, adjust it to his liking.

"What are you doing, Xerxes?" Kirsten asked behind him. Xerxes turned around to see a brown-haired, hazel-eyed, smiling girl. She had on this blue buttoned-up shirt with a tie that was too long for her on. She held a tomboy look, but when she had it, it seemed like she did it a generation too quick, and that she should be doing something else.

"The assignment." Xerxes answered. Kirsten looked at him from his left side as Xerxes slowly made his way to the classroom's exit.

"You need a partner?" she asked. Xerxes paused for a moment, right before grabbing the doorknob. He eased up, then opened the door.

"Yeah," Xerxes answered, "I guess I do."

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"And that's how I fell in love with her." Xerxes explained.

"Wow. That's a good story." Cherilyn said, embracing Xerxes's arm. Xerxes sighed as he leaned on the railing overlooking San Fransokyo Bay. Xerxes was now seventeen, more accepted, but still struggling.

"Yeah, you like my stories, Cherilyn." Xerxes said, sighing. A gust of wind blew through them as the day was coming to a close. The view of the sunset in the west was extraordinary, almost undescribable. The sky burns red, the rest a deep, dark blue. It felt like looking at a painting-everything looked so magical.

"And I'm lucky to know you." Xerxes said. Cherilyn looked up at him, blushing, then stared back at the sunset.

"Yeah, me too." Cherilyn said. Xerxes had grown up, using his knowledge and applying it wisely. He had graduated Michigan Tech University (yup, MIT) at the age of fifteen, and had developed a complex artificial intelligence that could mature three years that a human brain would do in two. It was in a league of its own, and Xerxes was the mastermind behind it.

"Cherilyn, you want to sit down?" Xerxes asked, referring to the small bench about ten feet behind them.

"No, Xerxes. I really like it here." Cherilyn smiled, leaning her head on Xerxes's arm. Xerxes tensed up slightly, but relaxed quickly.

"Umm...Cherilyn?" he asked.

"What is it, Xerxes?" she asked him, her eyes closed, enjoying his company.

"There's another story I need to tell you." Xerxes said. Cherilyn looked up at Xerxes, who was staring out into the bay. The various boats made their was across the water, dome returning to shore, others setting out to sea. It was bustling in an efficient way, like a five-way stop that didn't have any long red lights or short pedestrian crossing periods. Everything seemed to fit into place and click perfectly, like a well-oiled machine.

"Alright, Xerxes, I'm listening." Cherilyn said. Xerxes took a deep breath, and then began.

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"So...that artificial intelligence thingy...it's yours?" Kirsten asked, staring at the three-monitored computer.

"Yup. And it's just like a human on how it converses. You can try it. Ask it anything." Xerxes said, quickly typing coding on the keyboard to the far left monitor.

"Alright. So, computer, how are you today?" Kirsten asked. The computer beeped once, then lit up with a simple two eyes and mouth animation.

"I'M DOING FINE. AND, YOU ARE KIRSTEN, NO? XERXES HAS INPUTED YOUR VOICE RECOGNITION AND FACIAL RECOGNITION SOFTWARE. AND, HOW ARE YOU THIS FINE DAY?"

"I'm great! Xerxes, this is amazing!" Kirsten shouted.

"Yeah, it is. Go ahead. I need to test it out anyway." Xerxes said.