Day 25
The speed and chain of thoughts of two or more individuals must be in the same range, so they'd be able to tolerate one another easily. I very much believe in this statement.
Back in grade school, the first two years, I used to get annoyed if someone didn't understand a topic halfway through our teacher's explanation. Even in the advanced classes I took part in, the other kids that were slower than me -almost everyone- irritated me to the extent where one day I lashed out. By lashing out I mean I called the entire class stupid, in front of our teacher, and since it wasn't enough, I told our teacher she talks the way a hundred-year-old turtle would talk.
I also got suspended for it, kind of.
The school contacted my parents and ironically they both showed up, meaning I was in tremendous trouble, but deep inside I was overjoyed for getting so much attention from both of them at the same time. Only in the principle's office, Mom and Dad looked happy. Too happy. Dad even seemed proud.
I don't remember their words. Too occupied and astonished by my dad's reaction, ready to jump and fly with excitement.
That was my last day at school in my second grade.
We reached home, Mom and Dad skipped their own work schedules, something they'd never done before, and began making calls. Three days later I had five tutors for different subjects. They wanted to test my limits.
I enjoyed the spotlight. The sense of being special for Mom and Dad felt fantastic.
I became my parents' glimmering only child prodigy, the shining trophy.
They kept pushing, and I continued consuming. Up to the point where my parents readied themselves to send me off to MIT or Harvard at ten, to pursue an engineering degree, and then move on to medical science or something like that.
But my grandparents put a full stop to that plan. In fact, grandpa convinced Dad what they were doing might have negative feedback. And they should let me live as a child and should send me back to school. And that's what they did. That's when the bullying started.
From the glowing star that I was in my home, I dropped to an absolute zero; I guess it was too extreme for an eight-year-old kid.
On the bright side, consumed by cancer, grandpa passed away believing his youngest grandchild is a child prodigy. He didn't see how my life went downhill.
Throughout these years, I've come across two people who can put up with my speed of thoughts, my functioning process, and solve problems. The first, a guy -Timothy, who insisted that I call him Tim- in an international Math summer camp before junior year of high school. Eventually, Tim and I solved all our questions together, or tried to, I had to slow down sometimes which was a challenge.
The second is Adrien, which I found out and became certain back in college, two weeks after his breakup with Jennifer. In high school, I tried my best to stay clear of his path, even in the competitions we were teammates. However, at Stanford when we were studying for our midterms, I was trying to keep my agility in check but he was easily keeping up. So I started solving the problems with my usual way; it took him a few hours to get used to it -mostly to my unreadable handwriting- and then kept up with ease.
That's why it's easy to hang out with him for studying, or now that we're editing and fixing up Arianna's videos.
Throughout these years it has been proven to me I have a battery in my head. Not literally, but I'm sure there is a part acting similar to it. One of the sole reasons that led me to this messed up life, I call it the social battery.
With people such as Adrien or Timothy, I can stick around them for hours before the battery loses its charge at a slow pace. On the other hand, being around people with different mindsets and speed and chain of thoughts, the battery survives for an hour, to be optimistic, ninety minutes. When it reaches twenty percent the compulsion to lock myself away in my room for days takes over, making it impossible to be nearby anyone. Until this social battery recharges and I gain the capability of social interaction.
In some cases, the charge runs out faster. For example, near this group.
I scan the backyard, Arianna busy pouring a drink in her glass while chatting with Jacob. Dylan, standing on the other side of the pool, talks to Amanda. As she giggles and pushes her brown locks out of her face from time to time.
Sophia is sitting on Adrien's lap, pushing her golden hair behind her ear as she leans down, whispering something in his ear.
It would have been interesting if Adrien was ticklish.
I glance at Calvin and Rebecca talking to a guy I've never met, or don't remember meeting.
Olivia and Tina are occupied preparing snacks, while Will and James are carrying new bottles of booze.
Sophia stands up and walks towards the table full of beer and whiskey.
"Eleanor!" Calvin's voice startles me. He stops in front of me, I crane my neck to look up to him. "You haven't changed a bit," he notes with a smirk.
I force a small smile and push myself to my feet. Resisting the urge to wipe my sweaty palms against my pants.
I wonder if I'm supposed to reply to his comment.
I could point out how much he has changed. With his shaved head and ink-covered arms and pumped up biceps. But I doubt that would be an appropriate answer, instead I shrug.
"Here, brought you drinks," Rebecca presents as she and Olivia approach us, each holding two cups.
"Thanks babe," Calvin says before pressing his lips to her for a peck.
So they're the only ones who haven't broken up since high school. That's an interesting amount of prolonged commitment, made by two hormone-driven teenagers.
Olivia offers me one of the drinks and I decline her as politely as I can.
My heart thundering in my chest, I try my best not to fidget with my fingers and stand tall.
"There you are," Arianna's cheerful voice comes before she places herself next to me.
The shaking of my insides reduce at a significant rate.
"Is the house about to blow up? The hell are you all circling here?" She asks takes a sip from her drink, then extends a glass full of what seems to be apple juice to me.
Grateful that my hands have something to do I accept it. Not to mention my mouth has gone too dry.
Calvin laughs, before he gets the chance to reply Rebecca answers, "We just wanted to be sure she'll play, up for a game Arianna?" she displays a sweet smile, tilting her head to left, blue eyes glinting.
"Yeah, as always," Arianna shrugs.
Calvin turns around and shouts, "Hey, Adi, up for a game?"
Adrien stands up and adjusts his shirt before accepting the glass in Sophia's hand and fixing his gaze on Calvin. With Narrowed eyes, he hesitates, "Sure," and sips from it, scrunching up his face.
Is getting drunk really that good to make the horrible taste of alcohol worth it?
Soon, a few feet away from the pool, the fourteen of us, including the new guy, sit in a circle with bottles of vodka and tequila in the center.
Sitting between Arianna and Tina, I glance at Adrien who looks comically lanky being so close to the other guys. It suggests they've spent the past four years in gyms, even slept there, with their muscles puffed out. I wonder what other girls find in these bundles of muscles attractive. It's not.
Also, this whole situation reminds me of those series about a bunch of high school kids, with all the actors aging over twenty-one, at minimum, and have no similarities to a younger than eighteen-year-old. Well, at least Adrien looks like the under the eighteen one in here, comparing to his friends.
Dylan puts his palm on Amanda's bare knee, receiving a coy smile from her. Rebecca glances at them sideways before leaning into Calvin and putting more space between herself and Dylan.
Sophia scoots closer to Adrien, Olivia shifts in her place, between Will and the new guy, leaving a comfortable spot for James in the middle of them.
Calvin sitting on Arianna's other side suggests, "Truth or dare?"
"That's boring," Dylan replies in a dismissive tone.
Tina jumps, making me shift with discomfort, and enthuses, "Let's play something we've never played before,"
Jacob, seated on her other side, smiles at her.
I can't wait for this night to be over.
"Never have I ever?" Olivia proposes.
Everyone nods and I try to rack my memory to find how this game works, but nothing comes out.
Arianna leans into me and whispers, "Just drink if you've done that thing,"
Was it that obvious I had no clue what's the game about?
"It's childish," Adrien states, sounding bored.
"But we've never played it," Rebecca argues and he shrugs.
"I'll start, never have I ever," Will pauses and looks around. His electric blue eyes land on me, a corner of his mouth lifts up, "slept with a guy,"
As expected Jacob and every girl present in the circle drink, except me. I thought we've grown out of shaming someone for not having sex yet, guess I was wrong.
"Never have I ever slept with my friends' girl," Dylan says as he raises his glass up, smiling with triumph.
Will and James drink, all the while glaring at him. I catch a small smile curling Arianna's lips.
The game goes on as they down shot after shot; the statements getting wilder. Including a heated kissing session of Arianna and Tina in the middle of the circle after Sophia said she hasn't kissed a girl. Both girls claiming to watch and learn, and got into it, earning wild whistles from all the guys except Adrien, and the new guy.
At one point Arianna leans into me and whispers, "Watch and learn," before straightening herself and saying, "Never have I ever cheated on my partner,"
Sophia's smile dies out as Rebecca nervously glances between them. Adrien's widened eyes shoot a warning look at Arianna before fixing it on the now empty vodka bottle.
"How about some music?" Amanda offers and without waiting for a reply jumps up and makes her way to the speakers.
The intensity of Sophia's gaze might've set Arianna on fire, but thanks to the laws of science, nothing happens. She takes her time for sipping from her drink, not breaking her stare.
Loud electric music starts playing, Sophia's mouth arches into a smile, "Never have I ever fallen in love with my best friend,"
Adrien shakes his head, and now it's Arianna's turn to glare at her. I wonder what she means. Not that it's any of my business, but it sure looks like they've had their fair share of drama in the past.
"Let's dance," Olivia announces, putting an end to the staring competition between Arianna and Sophia.
Everyone obliges, getting up and make their way to the area between the entrance door of the backyard and the pool.
I get to my feet and take a few steps back, settling on standing next to the trees in the corner. A glance at my watch confirms that the night is still young and it won't be over anytime soon.
"I don't think they've introduced us," The new guy startles me. I shift uncomfortably as he takes one last step before placing himself in front of me. "Jeffry, James' older brother," he offers his hand to me, a smile playing on his features. His brown eyes looking black in this light, his dark hair neatly combed back.
Accepting it, I shake hands with him, "Eleanor," I reply.
"I'm aware, you're Theodor and Avery Evans' younger sister," he answers.
Unable to hide my surprise, I look at him with raised eyebrows.
He holds back his chuckle, and speaks, "I was a junior when Theodor was a senior,"
My mouth forms into an O, not knowing what to say. I speculate there isn't anyone who has attended our school and doesn't know Theodor. Teachers compared me to him; I wonder if the students compared me to him or Avery.
"You're an engineer?" he asks, drawing me out of my thoughts.
I part my lips to decline but stop myself as the realization of being graduated dawns on me. It's my first time being referred to as an engineer. It feels unreal.
I nod with hesitance, "Electrical engineering,"
His eyes widen and then a grin breaks out on his face, "So James wasn't exaggerating. I was in Harvard's business school, I guess that's why I never saw you around,"
"I didn't go to Harvard,"
"O-oh my bad, I just-" he stammers, and his voice trails down, cheeks turning bright pink.
I interrupt him by saying, "It's okay, you're not the first,"
And it's the truth, because Theodor was in Law and Avery in art schools of Harvard, everyone assumes that I've studied there too.
Hopefully, next year, this statement will be true too.
Our conversation carries on. Maybe the night won't take forever to end.
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((Thank you so much for reading this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it.
Tell me what you think about it =)) What are your thoughts on these new characters?
Also, three of these newly introduced/mentioned characters are going to play BIG role in the story, can you guess who? I hope I wasn't too obvious about it =D
Thanks again^^ ))