Jack Spicer was seven years old and had no friends, unlike everyone else in school. He knew it was because of his ghostly skin, red hair and eyes, and "nerdy" interests. His mother had told him that that was nonsense, but when Jack had given those nerdy things up, the still ignored him.

Jack liked to take things apart, just so he could put them back together. By the time his parents noticed a missing electronic appliance, he'd already taken it apart, studied the pieces and fixed it back together, good as new.

Around this time, he started collecting his allowance money, having the idea for his own lab. Jack didn't realize how desperate for human contact he was until one fateful day.

He found his father in his office, typing away at his laptop. The man didn't seem to notice Jack until the boy spoke.

"Dad… I was wondering if you wanted to play a video game with me." Jack asked, half hopeful, but half already prepared for disappointment.

"Sorry son, I half to get this work done." The clacking of the keys didn't stop. Jack left, and it was as if he'd never been there.

Jack wished he hadn't felt so hopeful.

He found his mom in the living room. She was reading a book and the TV was on. When Jack's shadow blocked her light, she looked up.

"Oh hi Jackie. Did you need something? If you're hungry, the cook can fix you something. You know, you should call one of your buddies over to play!" Jack barely had time to answer.

"Um, actually I was wondering if you'd teach me how to cook…"

"Cook? What for, when we have our own chef?" She paused a moment in confusion before adding,

"I think you need a hobby, Jackie." She patted him on the head, made a shooing notion and went back to her book. Jack stared at her sadly then went back to his room.

The TV, which he'd left on, was on some movie. Not feeling in the mood for noise, he grabbed the remote to turn it off. Just as he was about to press the button, he heard a sentence that caught his attention.

"I'm glad I made you. You're my best friend…" A boy mumbled into the torso of a robot figure, which had its arm's clasped around the boy's shoulders.

Jack watched the rest of the movie avidly, ideas and plans forming in his mind. He'd build that lab after all.