Six (Open)

[ALYSSA COLLINS]

Six years. It had been six years now and Alyssa still had butterflies in her stomach. Four of those years had been spent obtaining her bachelor's degree, which had actually been quite easy. Not only was Greenwolfe University one of the best universities, but it also allowed students to learn and study at their own pace. Then came the harder part: getting her MD. Alyssa wasn't worried about failing; she, along with everyone else, knew that was very unlikely. What she was worried about was being imperfect. What if she wasn't the top student? What if she didn't score above ninety percent on the exams? To most people, this would come off as annoying. But to Alyssa, this was all that mattered.

She had managed to complete one year of medical school, which had both been easy and terrifying. Her eidetic memory was quite useful but it didn't quell the fears that were being built up within her mind. Alyssa had started her second year of medical school, which was her sixth year at Greenwolfe University, five months ago. It's Faculty of Medicine was nothing short of impressive and she had initially been surprised. What didn't surprise her, however, was that she was the youngest student in all her classes. It was to be expected, of course. Not every twenty-one year old had the mind of Einstein and Newton combined. Alyssa had never bragged about her intelligence before, but she could sometimes be conceited. It was something she had to work on.

Alyssa had once again stationed herself at the same table. It was a exactly fifteen feet from the main doors--she had counted--and was in a location where the sunlight couldn't burn her. She made daily trips to the library and had strategically befriended the librarian. Whenever Alyssa had to leave her table to find a book or go to the washroom, the librarian would always keep her eye on the table. Never once had Alyssa returned to find any of her belongings stolen. Today, she had been studying for five hours. There was never a time limit; some days it was five hours and other days it was eight hours. If the library never closed, Alyssa would have studied for twenty four hours. Closing the medical dictionary--she had finally found one that described arteriovenous malformation with more than a sentence--Alyssa rubbed her eyes and began to mentally recite all the information. She had the next two days off; there would be no time for breaks.

[HUNTER BLACKTHORNE]

It was the damn library. Again. Hunter hated going to the library. He hated to study. But with an ultimatum from his folks he knew he had two choices: bring his grades up and figure out a career choice or find another way to pay for all of his useless classes. Well what real choice did he have? If they stopped paying for his tuition then he would be forced to leave the dorms (not that he’d mind getting away from his roommate Evan), find himself someplace else to live and get a real job. Not that slinging dope wasn’t a good enough job. Hell, it wasn’t even really dope. He didn’t know what to call it, but it was all natural herbal concoctions that he dealt. It paid well enough to keep him well supplied and put food on the table. And by food it meant McDonald’s.

But today he wouldn’t be out selling the illicit drugs to his fellow students. Today he was just another student at the library trying to study for courses that he hardly ever showed up for in the first place. What was he taking this semester? Algebra? History? He was pretty sure he signed up for a sculpting class for no reason other than because it sounded like an easy course. He had his course schedule and a list of recommended books for each of the courses stuffed deep into the pocket of his jeans which he had to take out several times to try and remember what classes he had exactly. After nearly forty frustrating minutes of trying to find the damn books he needed he finally settled in at one of the tables near the back of the library. He wanted to be left alone, not to mention he didn’t need anyone to see him there. Last thing he wanted was for someone he knew to spot him sitting inside the library.

Studying definitely wasn’t Hunter’s thing. He had a knack for certain things and this wasn’t one of them. The thought seriously crossed his mind to just light the book on fire for a little bit of entertainment, but he didn’t need to get in trouble with the police. Not today anyway. And when they realized there was no lighter on him it would only make them more suspicious. He’d hardly glanced inside The American Promise, Volume I when he banged his head against the center folds of the book and groaned internally. American History. Who the hell needed to know this stuff?! He didn’t care how many presidents there were or how many people died during the civil war. He knew there were presidents and that the civil war happened. Did he really need to know exact numbers? How would that help him? He wasn’t going to join a career in politics so it really was a waste of time.

There was no way he was going to sit there and study. At least if he went back to the dorms he could blast some music and be able to concentrate. It was too quiet there, and when it was quiet he thought too much and never about the things he needed to think about. His thoughts were too loud. Scooping up the small stack of books he headed toward the front of the library again, passing a little stand near one of the aisles that advertised the forms to getting a library card. But it didn’t process that he would need one of those cards in order to check the books out until after he’d already passed it and was closer to the front. He turned back around sharply, not even realizing just how close he was to one of the long tables and the books that were tucked against his side knocked into the corner, jerking the table and sending the books loudly to the floor. He let out a noise of annoyance before he crouched down to start picking them up. It was then that he caught sight of the girl who had been sitting at the table who he didn’t notice before. “A little help?” He called to her, getting a few looks from a couple who walked by right at that moment. He was being pretty loud for a library.

[ALYSSA COLLINS]

After a minute of reciting all the information--her eidetic memory was practically a superpower in itself--Alyssa opened the medical dictionary once again and flipped through the pages. Aneurysms had already been covered, along with hydrochephalus and injuries to the peripheral nerves. Cervical spinal stenosis was something that her professor had not thoroughly explained and Alyssa decided that would be her new focus. Perhaps she could even study Lumbar spinal stenosis at the same time.

Just as she was about to flip to the section on Cervical spinal stenosis, a loud voice caught her attention. Now who was talking in the library? It was a known fact that speaking loudly was forbidden in all libraries across the globe. However, Alyssa was intelligent enough to realize that this voice was being directed towards her. Sighing, she turned towards the source and watched him for several seconds. He had dropped his books and he wanted Alyssa to help him. She knew who he was; Alyssa had seen him several times in the smoke pit. His name was unknown to her but she had memorized his face and knew he was one of the more "imperfect" students. Perhaps she was not in any place to judge him, but Alyssa didn't really care about that.

She slowly got to her feet and walked over to the boy, crouching down and gathering the remaining books that were scattered on the floor. One of them, The American Promise, Volume I, caught her eye and she couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "You might as well check out the other volumes along with this one. I'm sure you're capable of memorizing the information in more than one book. Am I correct?" Was she being judgmental? Maybe a little. Okay, a lot. But that wasn't how she intended it to come out. Standing up with the books in her arms, Alyssa looked down at him and cocked her head to the side. "I've seen you around the University and you never seem to be in your classes. Do you struggle with the concepts and the studying material? Perhaps it's time you get a tutor."

[HUNTER BLACKTHORNE]

The girl came over and assisted him in scooping up his books. He glanced up at her and watched her stand up before he picked up the last of his books, watching her eyes roam over the title before she spoke. "You might as well check out the other volumes along with this one. I'm sure you're capable of memorizing the information in more than one book. Am I correct?" ...What? Hunter stared at her dumbfounded with a complete loss for words at that moment. The book was like six hundred pages long. He'd be lucky if he memorized a paragraph from the stupid book, and who spoke like that? Am I correct? Was she trying to be a smartass with him? She didn't even know him. That's when she spoke again and left him reeling to find words. "I've seen you around the University and you never seem to be in your classes. Do you struggle with the concepts and the studying material? Perhaps it's time you get a tutor."

Was this girl for real? He got up to his feet and just sort of stared at her for a moment before he remembered to blink, shaking his head and reaching to take his books from her. "I don't know why my course work is any of your business, but the first volume will tide me over until tomorrow." He nodded, his words dripping with sarcasm and annoyance. What a weirdo. Who just flat out said they'd seen you around campus and ask you about your schedule? Was she some kind of stalker? No. No, Hunter would definitely know if he had someone stalking him. Maybe she was just one of those really geeky kids who paid attention to what everyone else was doing. But he didn't think he'd seen her around before and knitted his brows up on his forehead like he was seriously trying to recall her face, nothing coming to mind.

Everything that the girl said seemed to bother him more than it probably should have. He didn't care if he skipped his classes. Hunter didn't take them seriously. But then again he had to think about his tuition.. his parents told him he had to get on the straight and narrow. Was this girl some sort of sign? She just happened to say something about him and his classes, practically challenging his intelligence, on the one day that he actually decided it was time to dedicate himself to the idea of trying to bring up his grades. It seemed like a weird coincidence. "I don't go because there's no point. Or... there wasn't a point. But what do you care? I don't even know you."

[ALYSSA COLLINS]

That "what the hell?" look was starting to get old. It had started with her family and eventually spread to her classmates and then complete strangers. Apparently, being intelligent was a social anomaly. Alyssa was well aware of the fact that most, if not all, people found her to be somewhat unnerving and strange. The entire Collins family was like that, especially the women. And she was a witch. Just like some of her ancestors who lived in Salem, though it was never confirmed if they actually were witches. Nevertheless, all of them were executed, with some being burned at the stake and others being crushed to death. She found it odd that when something could not be explained, the common conclusion that society came to was killing it. Even now, in the twenty-first century, the same thing occurred all over the world. Maybe that was why her parents forbid her from revealing her magic.

"I don't know why my course work is any of your business, but the first volume will tide me over until tomorrow." Well, that was rude. Just because she wasn't in any of his classes didn't mean that Alyssa couldn't worry about him. Yes, she was completely oblivious to the sarcasm. Her family had finally grown accustomed to this, especially Natalia. She was the queen of sarcasm. "That may be the case, but would it not be wise to take another volume in case you finish the first tonight? There is never any harm in being prepared." Alyssa brushed a strand of brown hair from her face as he knitted his brows. Was he trying to recall something? Alyssa knew it would be better if she didn't say anything. One should always let someone come to a conclusion on their own.

His next statement almost made her laugh. "I don't go because there's no point. Or... there wasn't a point. Now that wasn't true. There was always a point in attending your classes. If there wasn't, they would not be available to the youth of today. But what do you care? I don't even know you." She opened her mouth to speak but was distracted by a sudden wrinkle that had appeared in her jeans. Taking several moments to smooth it out and then inspect the other leg, Alyssa looked back up at him. "It is not a matter of being familiar with one another. I am merely voicing my concern for your lack of responsibility. Anyways, you seemed to have an issue with blinking a few moments ago. Your orbicularis oculi may have a minor injury or you could be developing Parkinson's. Whatever it is, I'd suggest you consult your doctor." Alyssa glanced back at her table before turning back towards this strange boy. "Would you like anything else? I really should get back to studying."

[HUNTER BLACKTHORNE]

"That may be the case, but would it not be wise to take another volume in case you finish the first tonight? There is never any harm in being prepared." Hunter couldn't believe it. This girl actually thought he was being serious. He found himself trying hard not to let the corners of his lips curve up into a smile but they did anyway and he began chuckling softly, concealing his mouth with his free hand until he settled down and dropped his hand back down again.

"It is not a matter of being familiar with one another. I am merely voicing my concern for your lack of responsibility. Anyways, you seemed to have an issue with blinking a few moments ago. Your orbicularis oculi may have a minor injury or you could be developing Parkinson's. Whatever it is, I'd suggest you consult your doctor." What. The. Hell. He wasn't even sure what the hell she was talking about. His blinking and his orbi-what-y?! He definitely didn't have Parkinson's, but what made her even say that? He was all sorts of confused at this point and his brow arched up curiously. There was a part of him that was annoyed, another part that was mildly curious to ask her what she was talking about.

"Would you like anything else? I really should get back to studying." She spoke as if she'd just done him some sort of favor, telling him that he might have a disease and to see a doctor. Not to mention to grab another book in case he finished the other overnight. "Look, it was just a joke about the book. I'll probably get through a chapter tonight if I'm lucky," he explained to her trying not to take offense or look at her too weirdly for the strange things that she had said.

"You've got to be a med student with big words like that. I don't know what an orbi-whatever is but you talk like a med student." He'd seen a few med students at the university and a few of them bought some of the product he pushed and they said the weirdest things. That's how he knew they were in the medical programs, they all spoke the same.

[ALYSSA COLLINS]

"Look, it was just a joke about the book. I'll probably get through a chapter tonight if I'm lucky." A joke? That was his idea of a joke? Alyssa was confused and her facial expressions showed it. Her confusion increased when he put his hand over his mouth. Was he trying to stifle a laugh? It wasn't that she didn't know what a joke was; even a child could figure that out. The problem was that Alyssa didn't exactly understand jokes. Even as a child, when her parents would say something they thought was funny, Alyssa would simply stare at them before walking away. Her mother said it was because of her intelligence while her father said it was because of her lack of social skills. Alyssa knew it was most likely the latter but she had never truly acknowledged this before. Until now.

"A...a joke? Your sense of humor confuses me; a joke is for one's personal amusement, yes? How exactly is this amusing?" she asked, glancing at the older woman behind the desk. She was staring at the two of them and Alyssa knew the librarian was becoming irritated. "Perhaps we should move this conversation elsewhere. That is, if you plan on staying here." Alyssa had never been a social butterfly and she was unable to keep a conversation alive, but this was different. This had some intellectual component to it, even if it was shrouded by what he believed to be a 'joke.' "As for the book, I have already read it. If you'd like, I can tell you everything you need to know." Now this would truly be an intellectual conversation and Alyssa knew she would enjoy it.

"You've got to be a med student with big words like that. I don't know what an orbi-whatever is but you talk like a med student." She nodded, finding herself to be smiling a little. "I'm in my second year of medical school, studying to become a neurosurgeon. And it's pronounced orbicularis oculi. It is a muscle that closes the eyelids. When the entire orbicularis oculi is used, it can result in the colloquial "crow's feet." It gave her a warm feeling inside to be able to educate someone. Is this what her professors felt after each lecture? Alyssa was certain they felt it, too. It was just hidden under all that stress and rage and caffeine.

[HUNTER BLACKTHORNE]

”A...a joke? Your sense of humor confuses me; a joke is for one’s personal amusement, yes? How exactly is this amusing?” Well it wasn’t anymore. The smile was wiped clear off his face and he just stared at her like she was some kind of alien. It was sarcasm more than it was a joke but that was beside the point. “No sense of humor apparently,” he muttered deep under his breath and shook his head, not noticing that she wasn’t even looking at him but past him. ”Perhaps we should move this conversation elsewhere. That is, if you plan on staying here.” What conversation? He didn’t really think of this as a conversation, and he didn’t feel like explaining to her what a sense of humor was. But then she said something that made him actually want to stick around and talk to her. ”As for the book, I have already read it. If you’d like, I can tell you everything you need to know.”

The topic changed to her being a med student he realized that she intended to keep talking to him. Or rather, she decided to explain to him what that orbi-what-y was. ”I’m in my second year of medical school, studying to become a neurosurgeon. And it’s pronounced orbicularis oculi. It is a muscle that closes the eyelids.” She went on to explain the function of an eyelid to him, something that he found to be a pretty dull conversation. But he stood there and pretended to listen while his tongue moved along the front of his teeth and realizing that he was jonesing for some nicotine.

When she was through explaining the medical term he heard someone clearing their throat in an obnoxious manner and glanced over his shoulder to see the librarian eyeing them, looking less than happy. “Uh.. look can we take this outside? She’s giving us weird looks,” he jabbed a thumb in the librarian’s direction, “and to be honest libraries are just too quiet. You can tell me all about this book and save me the time of actually reading it.” He gave the girl a crooked grin and set the book down on the table. If she was going to explain it to him then he wouldn’t need to take the book after all. Maybe he could just whip out his phone and record everything she said so he could take notes later. He knew there was a recorder app somewhere on his phone. He was getting ready to head toward the exit when he realized that she still had books there at her table and stopped. Also, he still had no idea who the hell she was. “What was your name? I’m Hunter.”

[ALYSSA COLLINS]

“Uh.. look can we take this outside? She’s giving us weird looks, and to be honest libraries are just too quiet." Did he even realize what he was saying? That libraries were too quiet? Alyssa was reminded of the phrase Natalia constantly repeated as a child: No shit, Captain Obvious! But he was correct about the librarian. It was even more embarrassing because never once had Alyssa received such a look. She was always the quiet one, the respectful one. The one who even breathed silently. "The rule of silence is actually quite important. It is much easier to read or study when distractions, such as sounds and noises, are scarce or completely unavailable." She sounded just like the woman behind the desk, the only difference being that her voice wasn't dipped in venom.

He repeated what she said and Alyssa simply nodded. "You can tell me all about this book and save me the time of actually reading it.” The grin that followed, however, was a bit startling. Was he expecting this to be a form of cheating? The very thought was blasphemous and it made Alyssa want to berate such a human being. But she didn't. Instead, she said, "Please remember that I am helping you learn, not cheat." There. That seemed better. Alyssa walked towards her table and quickly began to stack all the books in alphabetical order. The fact that they were already placed on the table in such a manner made this much easier and faster. Her stack was only five books high, but the books were so thick that it seemed like eight or nine books. Alyssa had already checked them out earlier and placed three in her bag, choosing to carry the other two in her arms.

“What was your name? I’m Hunter.” Just as she was about to respond, Alyssa noticed him. The homeless man wandering around outside. He was covered in filth and she could already imagine the overpowering scent of urine and drugs that wafted off of him. "It's Alys-" She immediately stopped and dropped the books, her eyes bulging to the point where they would possibly pop out of their sockets. Her eyes began to flicker from the homeless man to the benches and then to the bus stops. They were all germ-ridden and it made her want to curl up into a ball and weep for hours. Alyssa began to back away from the doors, ignoring the strange looks she received from the other people in the library. She was even oblivious to the shushing from the librarian. "It's dirty!" Alyssa finally exclaimed. "All of it! It's all dirty and contaminated! We can't go out there! We can't!" By now, Alyssa was shaking and her breathing had become rapid, with her chest rising and falling at an unnatural rate. The panic attack was all too familiar, yet her mind couldn't accept that she was being unrealistic. And it wouldn't. It never did.