Authors: M.A Casey
“Hardly,” I said rolling my eyes at him. “No-one
mentioned you were staying the night.” I look at his bag but direct the
question to my father.
“Oh, I hope you don’t mind Professor. We thought
it'd be easier to get our project done this way. There's a fair bit of
work to do, and we would like your suggestions on a few things.” Zeke
smiles innocently at my father winning him over instantly – not that he had
too.
“Of course Zeke, you know you’re always welcome here,
we have more than enough room anyway, don’t we Hayl’s?”
“Sure,” I grunt as they all sit their smiling at each
other.
I dished up the pasta and sat at the table with the
boys who were already totally engrossed about some project they’re doing in
their engineering class. Both Emin and Zeke never lost their passion for
motorbikes and engine’s. And after high school they got accepted into a
mechanical engineering college. I tried to recall as I watched them
eating and talking when was the last time that I saw them like this. I
realize it was probably at least six months ago. It was never unusual for
the three of them to be up to something when Emin came over, especially as he
rarely went anywhere without Zeke. But it must be at least six months
because Zeke looks a little different than I remember, maybe he is taller or
something?
He is remarkably handsome actually, in a rugged sort
of way, although I would never let him hear me say that. He was always
popular at school with the girls and was never shy about his looks. He is
just a little taller than Emin and me with dark hair that is always just a
little too long, hanging over his green eyes. With all the time, he has
spent over the years with heavy machinery he is also quite muscular. Add
to this his beaming smile and most girls can’t resist him when he is
around. Something I don’t have to worry about as he always seems to be
making fun of me every chance he gets. Just as I think this to myself, he
catches my eye.
“This is pretty good Hayl’s, just another thing we can
add to your great list of achievements,” he says, smiling one of those smiles
that melt most girls immediately.
But then he does something entirely new, he winks at
me and then continues to eat. Dad and Emin don’t even look up, still
talking about the project, and I'm left to wonder what the hell that was
about? Then he joins back into the conversation smiling to himself.
I clean up the empty plates and put them in the sink,
telling Emin that he should clean up since I cooked, but not even sure if any
of them heard me. I make my way up to my bedroom, and decide to finish
some more homework before I go to bed. I have my headphones on which is
why when Emin came into the room I had no idea he was there. He put his
hand on my shoulder, and I nearly jump right out of my seat.
“Don’t do that,” I yell at him, still feeling my heart
beat outside my chest.
“I did knock you know, I wasn’t trying to scare you,
although I did do a pretty good job didn’t I.” He sounds amused.
He smiles waiting for my response but then starts
talking before I can. “You nearly finished, it’s pretty late?”
I look at the clock, I hadn’t noticed the time.
“Yeah, I think the rest can wait for later,” I start packing my books
up.
“You got any plans tomorrow night? Zeke and I
thought we might get a movie and some pizza - your choice.”
That’s unexpected I think to myself. It was
exactly what I was after, a chance to catch up and be normal again, even if
Zeke was there, but then I remembered Tyler and the band.
“Actually, I promised Tyler I would go see some band
play tomorrow night at the Sweat Room.”
“Oh, okay maybe later then. I'll see you in the
morning Hayl’s and thanks for dinner,” he smiles at me not sounding too
disappointed.
“Night Emin, see you tomorrow.”
A yawn escapes me, and all of a sudden I do feel
exhausted so I pad to the bathroom to clean up for bed. On my way back to
my room, I notice my father’s study lamp still on, and I go in to say goodnight
to him, but he isn’t there. I lean over to turn the lamp off when I notice
his old research folders on his desk. The ones from when he had his old lab.
Stuck on the front of the folder were some times scribbled in pencil, and
I wonder if this has anything to do with the visit he received from his old
colleague today. Just then I am startled by someone coughing in the
doorway, trying to get my attention. It is Zeke, still with that same
smile on his face. I turn off the lamp and walk to the door.
“Do you need anything Ezekiel?” I ask, knowing calling
him his full name will annoy him.
“No, just wondering what you are doing sneaking around
your father’s office late at night?” He said mimicking the tone I had just
used.
“I’m not sneaking; I just came to turn the light
off. What are you doing up anyway?”
“I’m just on my way to brush my teeth. You know
it takes a fair bit of work to keep this smile so dazzling,” he said waving his
toothbrush in front of me.
I step around him and start walking back to my room;
he follows me as he heads to the bathroom in the same direction.
“So Hayln, do you have any boyfriends your brother and
I need to know about yet?”
I looked at him waiting for the punch line, but he
looks right back at me, his green eyes wide open just waiting for my
response.
“No,” I said, embarrassed that I couldn’t come up with
much more. I find myself confused again about his behavior tonight.
“Well, it sounds as like you’ll be joining us for
pizza tomorrow night then”.
Now I get it, I think to myself. He's just
trying to find out whether he will have to put up with me and my choice of
movies.
“No actually, I’m going out tomorrow night to the
Sweat Room to see a band, something I'm sure you’ll be very disappointed
about,” I said sarcastically. But as I faced him again he did seem
strangely disappointed.
“The Sweat Room? With who?” He said, sounding
like an overprotective brother.
“Well, not that it’s any of your business, but Tyler
is taking me.” Again he is quick to respond with more questions.
“I thought you said you didn’t have a boyfriend, and
since when do you hang out at the Sweat Room?”
I tried to sound calm as I responded, “this will be
the first time and Tyler is my
friend
. What’s the interrogation
about anyway, I thought you would be happy Emin’s little sister wouldn’t be
hanging around to annoy you.”
He is the one to pause now to calm himself.
“Actually, I was… I mean WE were looking forward to catching up with you.
It’s been ages since the three of us have hung out, and I know Emin is
excited about it. Besides, after months of not seeing me, I thought you'd be
especially excited to spend some time together?”
Now I’m confused again, and I can’t help but ask,
“What’s going on with you tonight? You’re acting so…. so strange”
“Nothing. I just know your brother would like to
spend some time with you,” he said sounding defensive.
“Well he didn’t seem too disappointed when I told him
about it before.”
He just smirks a half smile. “We’ll see.
You better get to bed if you’ve got a hot date tomorrow – night Hayln, sweet
dreams.” And with that he saunters off to the bathroom and closes the
door.
Completely frustrated I go into my room and slam the
door, pull down the covers, and get into bed. I tug at the sheets trying
to get comfortable, but it’s no use, I’m annoyed with Zeke. I decided to
try and think about it rationally, to try and make sense of his strange
behavior, but it was no use. Then I hear the bathroom door open again as
he heads back to the spare room, whistling as he goes past my door, just to
annoy me I suspect. I throw my head under my pillow to block him out, and
after a while I eventually go to sleep.
When I wake the next day, I feel as if I've hardly
slept. I remember waking up during the night from broken dreams, most of
which strangely included Zeke. Obviously my subconscious was just as
confused as I was last night. I pull myself out of bed and head to the
kitchen where everyone is eating breakfast.
“What happened to you Hayl’s – you’re a mess?” Emin
comments as I enter the room.
I look towards some glass in the cabinets and catch a
glimpse of myself and am embarrassed to see he is right, my hair is
everywhere. I try pointlessly to make it look a little better before Zeke
speaks up.
“She must have had some really good dreams.”
I turn to glare at him. “More like nightmare’s,”
I respond.
Dad and Emin glance at each other, not knowing what to
make of our exchange, but they don’t ask questions.
“Dad didn’t sleep well either,” Emin adds.
“Really, did that have something to do with the old
friend you saw yesterday?” I ask.
“What old friend?” Emin said between mouthfuls,
although you could tell he was barely interested.
“Oh just someone I bumped into yesterday, but no, I
must just be worried about the benefit on Tuesday night I guess,” Dad said
clearly not wanting to get into it. I knew it had nothing to do with the
benefit – he loved going to those things.
“So what are you kids up to tonight?” He
continued.
I hadn’t told him about my plans with Tyler yet, so I
decided now was as good a time as any. “Tyler and I are going to see a
band,” I said.
He nodded, “sounds like fun, anyone else going?”
I was just about to answer when Emin butted in.
“Actually Dad, Zeke and I thought we might go too. Since it is
Hayl’s first time at the Sweat Room, we’ve got some friends who will be there
anyway.”
“What?” I exclaimed. “You never said anything
about that to me last night. I don’t need baby sitters you know.”
“We won’t bother you Hayl’s. I just thought as your
older brother I should be around though, just in case you do need me, not that
I think you will,” Emin said sounding so caring.
“Sounds good to me too Hayl’s,” Dad chimed in.
They weren’t fooling me though; I know who instigated
this – Zeke. He was the one interrogating me last night, even though Emin
was okay when I told him what I was doing. And didn’t he say ‘
We’ll
see’
after I told him Emin didn’t care about my plans? No, my bet is
he suggested this interference just to annoy me. I let him know it too as
I stared at him across the breakfast table where he sat eating his toast.
He said nothing, just smiled that winning smile and kept eating.
“Well I suppose you may as well make yourselves useful
and take me there too – at least it will save me a bus trip,” I complain.
“What time are you meeting your boyfriend?” Emin asked
innocently.
Now I knew with certainty that it was Zeke who is
messing with me.
“Eight o’clock and – He. Is. Not. My. Boyfriend.” I
said as I grabbed the last bit of toast before Zeke could, and then stormed
back to my room. I threw on some clothes and headed to the basement
before I had to speak to any of them again.
My father had converted the basement into a lab a few
years before I was born, so he could spend more time at home with my
mother. Now it’s mostly full of my research. It was the perfect
place to escape today, no one would bother me here.
I went over my last few journal entries. The
research I am doing here at home is purely my own, not for school or my classes
at the University. I suppose I am trying to find out whether I'm as smart
as everyone tells me. My father tells me not to put pressure on myself,
and that at my age; he would have been struggling with the findings I have
already made.
My research subject is the human mind, or to be more
specific, the section of the brain involved with our memories. I chose
this subject because three of my four grandparents had already passed away
before I was born and the one left, Mimi, my mother’s mother, developed
dementia when I was about seven. She passed away not recognizing any of
us by the time I was ten.
Even though my relationship with my mother has been
strained over the years, it was torture to watch her take care of Mimi when she
had no idea who she was. Mimi would often scream at us because she was
scared when we came to see her, and if the nurses couldn’t calm her down we
often had to leave. I could see what this was doing to my family but
especially my mum. She was a nurse when she met my father, so she
understood what was happening, but it made it no easier to deal with.
So this is how my research began, and who knows if I
will achieve anything significant. Although I suppose I already have, not
that I have told anyone, not even my father or Tyler. It would only be
more unnecessary attention, and I would like to finish it on my own before I
show the world. But a few months ago I was able to restimulate dead brain
cells - just not permanently. And I have also been able access areas of the
brain where certain memories are stored. But, like I said, nothing that
would restore a person’s memory permanently – not yet anyway.