Chapter 83: 83 Knowledge

Arnold finished reading the third book of advanced biology and closed it. His mind was filled with all of the new knowledge he had gained and he sat there and stared at the cover of the book as he let the information intermix with what he already knew. For the first time in his life, he was surprised at the sheer lack of information he had gained over the years. He had thought he was learning everything he needed to know and all he learned was the surface of the true depths of what Biology meant.

The first book had shown him the principals and processes of biology and its role in the world. The second book showed him the purpose of biological structure and its function in both animals and humans. The last delved into the health field and the many applications with biotechnology, applied genetics and ecology.

It was quite the trip for his orderly mind.

Arnold sat there for quite some time. He didn't keep track of it and it didn't impact his thoughts at all... until the alarm went off. He stood up and took off his pants and suit coat that he had worn all night, hung them up, and went to the bathroom. He took a shower and dried off, went to the kitchenette and had a bowl of cereal with milk, that he now knew was an essential part of a person's diet.

He thought back over everything that he had eaten all week and it didn't quite have all of the balanced nutrients the average body needed for full functionality. Of course, he knew he couldn't just get them from food, since some were byproducts of his own body's functions when processing other things, like his skin converting sunlight to give him Vitamin D.

Arnold finished his cereal and dressed in another suit, picked up the three books, and left his dorm room. After he locked his door, he was met with the same scene as always, except this time he saw something different. Unlike all the other times he had walked through the hallway with half naked young women, he now knew the biological and psychological reasons why they acted the way they did towards him.

They were looking for a mate.

Arnold started with Emily, who was right there next to his door. “I'm sorry. I can't be with you.” He said as he took her hand. “I have a girlfriend.”

Emily opened her mouth slightly in surprise and didn't respond. Arnold let her hand go and stopped at each and every girl in the hallway and took their hands and told them the same thing. Most of them were just as shocked as Emily was, except for Daisy.

“What if you didn't have a girlfriend?” Daisy asked, even though she was very touched that he was apologizing.

“I wouldn't be exclusive with her and I wouldn't have a no kissing rule.” Arnold said.

“I'll keep that in mind.” Daisy said and leaned in and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for telling me.”

Arnold went to the elevator and pushed the button. He waited for it and stepped inside when it arrived. When he turned around to push the button to go to the ground floor, all of the girls were looking at him. He gave them a wave as the doors shut and he rode the elevator to the ground floor. He stepped out and saw a few people were standing around and talking.

“Good morning, Arnold.” Doris waved. “Have a good day at work.”

Arnold walked over and leaned over the shelf to whisper. “I can't kiss you in front of everyone because you might be embarrassed.”

Doris reached up and pat his hand. “Thank you for being so considerate.” She whispered back. “I'll call and order some food, so come back here for lunch and we'll eat in the back room.”

“Okay.” Arnold said and left the dorm room to go to work.

*

“Did that just happen?” One of the girls in the hallway asked. “Did he just tell every single one of us that he couldn't be with us?”

“Yeah.” Her roommate said and leaned against the wall. “He's got guts, I'll give him that.”

“Guts?” Janet asked. “He literally told us all the very same thing and we all heard and saw that.” She said. “That was the most egotistical thing I have ever seen.”

“You didn't say anything when he told you, too.” Her friend said.

“I was too stunned!” Janet said. “God, what a piece of work he is!”

“Yeah, he is. He treats us like people and not sexual objects, took a bunch of us for lunch and paid for it all, then spent time with some of us and relaxed.” Her friend laughed. “What an asshole.”

Janet knew she was being sarcastic and sighed. “Don't you see? He treated us all the same. We could have been anyone, anyone at all, and he would have said the same thing.”

“I sincerely doubt he's going to every girl in the whole building to apologize that he can't be with them.” Her friend laughed.

“How do you know that?” Janet asked.

“Because I've talked to them.” Her friend said. “A few have seen him in the lobby and in the cafeteria, and that's it. He doesn't talk to them or really interacts with them at all, unless they are in the biology lab class and he helps them.”

“What? But... that means...”

“Yep. Only us.” Her friend said. “He came to each and every one of us and made sure he apologized for not being able to be with us.” She looked at her friend. “I've got no problem with being treated exactly the same as Cynthia.”

“Hey!” The girl next door said. She was the one with the huge television on her wall.

“Daddy's little girl gets a free ride on her daddy's money to go to college and I'm working two part time jobs just to afford to stay here... and yet, Arnold said the same thing to her as he did to me.” Janet's friend said. “If he sees the two of us as the same, I'm perfectly fine with that.”

“But...”

“Now, if he treated us all like crap, then I'd have an issue with him.” Her friend said and motioned at everyone. “We all would, wouldn't we?”

“Yes.” A chorus of voices responded.

“He's been nothing but nice and hasn't ignored us, even though he very easily could. He is even considerate of our feelings and apologized that he's taken. Who does that?”

“Don't forget traipsing around naked!” Someone said and a few of them laughed.

“That's another thing.” Janet said. “He's an exhibitionist.”

Her friend laughed, as did most of the others.

“We did it first... well, we are still doing it.” She said. “Are any of you planning on changing your morning and evening routines, just because Arnold is here?”

“I was tempted to, until he said what he did to Lacey.” Someone else said.

“Hey!” Lacey responded.

“When she tried to flaunt herself with the open shirt the other day, he called her on it, so he clearly knows us being like this isn't us trying to seduce him.” Lacey's roommate said. “Otherwise, he would have said it to all of us.”

“I...” Janet let out a sigh. “I guess you're right.”

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“It's okay.” Janet's roommate said. “You're like that evil little voice in our heads that's always trying to warn us of danger, even when we don't need it.”

“Thanks a lot.” Janet said sarcastically and everyone laughed.

“We better get dressed and head to class.” A girl down the hallway said and almost as one, they cleared out of the hallway and went back into their rooms to get ready for their day. They were all just a little bit happier about it, too.

*

Arnold stepped into Professor Hamil Crenslav's office and put the three large books on the desk.

“Arnold?” Hamil looked up from a biology periodical. “You don't have to bring them back each day. You can keep them until you're done with them.”

“I am done with them.” Arnold said.

Hamil stared at him. “Excuse me?”

“I read them last night.”

“You read them.” Hamil looked at the thickness of the books and estimated how long it would take to read them through once. “Did you sleep at all?”

“No.” Arnold said.

“Can you remember anything about them?”

“Yes, sir.” Arnold said.

“What's the essential element to biology?”

“Proteins. Without them, a biological organism can't exist.” Arnold said.

“What's the chemical formula for cholesterol?” Hamil asked and Arnold recited it. He thought about what else to ask, and nodded. “Is cloning a viable action to save a declining species from extinction?”

“It depends on the genetic diversity.” Arnold said. “If there are only a few specimens, then no. There's not enough variance in the DNA to let them live past a generation or two.” Arnold said. “Unless they are rabbits. Their built in genetic modifiers let them breed with each other. If you didn't witness them being born from the same rabbit, genetically, they are different.”

Hamil sat there and stared at Arnold. He couldn't quite accept that he had read all three books. The process and procedure one he could readily accept, since Arnold had so much practical experience and had picked most of it up already. The second book, he assumed Arnold would struggle a little with, because it would have expanded his limited specimen base to include all of the higher orders of animals in the kingdom, including human biology.

He knew for a fact that Arnold had no background in it whatsoever and his sole focus had been dissection. The third book... he had actually been hesitant in loaning that one. Advanced biology was no laughing matter. Since Arnold only had a small knowledge base to start with, reading about bioengineering and genetic manipulation must have been like a grade school child reading about rocket science.

But Arnold had read it. In one night.

By itself, the book was a slog to get through and Hamil himself had a difficult time wrapping his head around some of the concepts and ideas that the book introduced. It was one of the more comprehensive texts out there and had everything compiled in it, which was why it was in his private library.

“How do you feel after reading them?” Hamil asked.

“Smarter.” Arnold said.

Hamil sat there and kept staring at the young man in front of him. “I'll loan you more books and some periodicals over the next few weeks; but for now, set up the lab and let your new knowledge settle.”

“Yes, sir.” Arnold said and went to the lab. He set it up for the next morning class and was quite a bit quicker about it, because just like always, he finished just as Amy and the lab workers came in. This time, Cissily was with them.

“Damn, Arnold.” Cissily said with a laugh and walked over to him. “You're making the rest of us look like we're here just because we're eye candy!”

The lab workers laughed and Amy sighed loudly.

“That wasn't an insult.” Cissily said to her as she briefly hugged Arnold, then she looked at the other girls. “We're all gorgeous bitches, ain't we?”

“I'd say so.” Dianne said with a smile. “I'm only agreeing with the gorgeous part, though.”

“Hey, don't deny your true talents.” Cissily said and that made the other girls laugh.

“You weren't here yesterday.” Arnold said.

“Yeah, I had the day off. I occasionally don't have classes in the afternoon and the arrogant little prick likes me enough to give me the morning off, too.”

The lab door opened and Professor Hamil Crenslav came in.

“Speak of the devil.” Cissily said with a smile. “Thanks for yesterday, professor.”

Hamil waved her thanks away. “You're lucky no one else complains that you get special treatment.”

“Are you kidding? She'd kill us if she found out we did!” One of the others said and they all laughed again.

“I wouldn't kill you.” Cissily smiled sweetly. “Maim? More than likely.”

“We also don't have the same schedules.” Dianne said. “We know if any of us had the whole afternoon off and nothing important was going on, you would give us the morning off, too.”

“Well, I can't deny trying to be nice.” Hamil said with a smile. “Places, everyone. We have another full morning of work to do.”

They took their places and performed the class, then the next and the next, and the morning was over. They cleaned up and the professor dismissed them for the day, even Arnold.

“Come eat with us again.” Cissily said and took his hand.

“I'm sorry. I have lunch plans.” Arnold said.

“Aww, okay.” Cissily said and let his hand go. “Maybe tomorrow.”

Arnold didn't agree or nod his head and left Building F to head back to the dorm building.

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