Truth & Lie

Chapter 4

The next day Huey went to his monthly woodchuck meeting. He took a seat next to Boyd and Violet. They talked about random things until the meeting actually started. Launchpad began by hitting a gavel onto a table. All the woodchucks went silent and listened.

The pilot slash troop leader looked down at some note cards. "First order of business is congratulating Violet on becoming a senior woodchuck." All the woodchucks clapped for her except for Huey. When he noticed he wasn't, he forced himself to. Violet blushed a bit from all the attention. "Come on, it was nothing," she said humbly. For some reason that comment upset Huey. Nothing? That badge was everything to me! He stopped his thoughts and smiled for her.

"Violet! Tell us how you beat that other kid!" a woodchuck shouted from somewhere. She hesitated a bit and turned to Huey. "You don't mind if I tell them, do you Hubert?" she said. He nodded, hiding his real thoughts. "Well, the first part was kind of just running, so I sort of out ran him to the first pole," she started. She looked back at Huey. "Why don't you tell them how you made that cool compass?" she said. Huey's mood picked up. "Okay, so first I-" "Ugh! We don't want to hear boring Hue-bot!" a beagle called. Huey's face turned red.

A few kids snickered at the nickname. "Heh, Hue-bot." Huey looked down at his lap. Violet moved to comfort Huey, but the other woodchucks stopped her. "Violet! Violet! Violet!" they cheered. She looked around nervously. "What happened next Vi!" a woodchuck bugged. She looked back to where Huey was only to find he was gone. She was just able to see the door to the meeting room close. Violet frowned and glanced at Boyd, who understood. The robot got up and went after Huey. "What happened next?" the woodchucks pressed on.

...

Boyd searched for Huey. He soon found him after searching with a thermal scan. He was by the lake, sitting down on a log. He took a seat next to the red duckling. Huey didn't bother to look up at him. "Huey!" Boyd said. Huey still didn't look up at him. "Huey, your heart rate and blood pressure are up while your dopamine levels are low. Is something bothering you?" he asked.

Huey now glanced up at him. "I'm fine, alright," Huey said. "It doesn't take a robot to know something is in fact bugging you," Boyd countered. Huey stood up and picked up a small stone from the beach. He skipped it across the lake. "After researching several sources, the best way to deal with your feelings is to talk about them," the robot said. Huey skipped another stone. "Well, maybe I don't want to talk about them," he said. "Why not?" Boyd asked curiously.

Huey sighed and chucked another rock. "A robot like you wouldn't understand." He clenched his hand into a fist. Even though he couldn't technically feel emotion, Boyd was still offended. "Huey, I do understand." Huey spun around to face Boyd. "No you don't!" he snapped. "You have everything handed to you. You don't have to work for anything because you already know it all. Even the knowledge of your creation," he said. Boyd could see Huey's eyes starting to water. "But I work my hardest, hoping I'll be noticed by someone, but no one cares. No one cares because that's just Huey's nerd stuff. You had the truth about your past handed to you while I spent the first ten years of my life having no clue what happened to my mom. Or if she even cared."

Boyd opened his mouth to say something. Huey waited for him. "Huey, you are enough. Is this because Violet won the senior woo-" "Will everyone just shut up about that!" Huey shouted. Boyd clamed up. "Look! My family doesn't love me!" Huey burst into tears. "Huey, how can you say that? They love you more than Akita, or Mark Beaks, or even the Drakes love me," he said. "They don't! They put up with me. There's a difference," Huey cried.

Huey went silent. Why did I say that? I didn't mean to say that. I don't believe that. Right?

He sat back down on the log. He sighed exasperated. Sadly, he pulled the FOWL card out of his pocket. Boyd took a seat next to him. "What's that?" he asked. Huey thought of how to word it. "I was offered a job," he said simply. Huey hated himself for ever even listening to that hologram. They were the ones putting these thoughts in his head. Huey hated himself for, he wouldn't admit it, but believing this thoughts. And now Boyd knew it too. He didn't want Boyd to know.

Huey turned to the robot boy. "Hey, you got something in your hair," he said. He stood up and walked behind Boyd. "I'll get it for you." Huey messed around with Boyd's hair. "Huey, I don't think that's-" Boyd went quiet. Huey bit his beak and closed one of Boyd's circuits.

After a moment, Boyd spoke again. "Hi, I'm Boyd, a definitely real boy!" He hesitated a minute. "Huey? What are we doing in the woods? Violet wanted me to check on you," he said. Huey kicked at a rock with his foot. "I just needed some fresh air, that's all," Huey said. He didn't make eye contact with Boyd. Huey walked past Boyd. "Well, I guess we better get back to the meeting before Launchpad starts to worry." Boyd watched after Huey then turned back to the lake. After a minute, he looked back at Huey and followed him. Had he missed something?

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