“Well, you have to stay because I’m staying here,” Carlos said, rolling his eyes. “C’mon, it’ll be fun – there’s loads of activities here – I’m sure you’ll find something to like!”
“I have to sleep in a tent with no air conditioning and no tv and none of my friends!” She protested loudly. “I wanna go home!”
“Wow, am I not your friend?” Carlos asked. “Look, I promise that this will be fun! And I gotta stay to make money for school so I can’t take you home.”
“Well, you have to stay because I’m staying here,” Carlos said, rolling his eyes. “C’mon, it’ll be fun – there’s loads of activities here – I’m sure you’ll find something to like!”
Carlos was a bit surprised at that. It seemed
like a really random subject to be interested in, he thought. But a fascinating
one, none-the-less.He smiled at Daisy, hoping to encourage her
further. “Really? How is it? Do you find it interesting?”David had expected some kind of odd look for that, not really the encouragement Carlos offered him. A small, genuine smile found its place on his lips at that. “It’s– it’s pretty cool. There are some stories about unexplained events and how it’s portrayed in pop culture.”
Carlos nodded. “Like in Matilda?” he said with
a smile. “Sorry – I really liked that book. And the movie’s phenomenal.”
Carlos nodded and smiled. “Ah, I see,” he
said. “What is it you’re reading about? Is… is it okay if I ask?”Gently, Carlos told himself. Daisy seemed
pretty uncomfortable with talking, but Carlos hoped she would warm up to it. If
not… well, he’d go ahead and let the conversation taper off.Would Carlos think him weird? Maybe not. Lots of people had odd interests didn’t they? For some people it was comic books or old music or crime stories. Was telekinesis that odd?
“Yeah, it’s… it’s about telekinesis.” He smiled weakly. “And other powers of the mind.”
Carlos was a bit surprised at that. It seemed
like a really random subject to be interested in, he thought. But a fascinating
one, none-the-less.
He smiled at Daisy, hoping to encourage her
further. “Really? How is it? Do you find it interesting?”
Carlos was soon engrossed in his physics
homework, formulas and numbers running through his head as he worked on the
equations.However he did notice Daisy lift her head to
look at his book, and Carlos glanced up to look at her. He gave her yet another
kind smile before looking down again and writing in the answer for his current
equation.“Are you… taking a spirituality class?” he
asked suddenly. “Or… maybe a mythology class?”Was it better to lie? What could he really say about the truth though? David found himself shifting, trying to get more comfortable and find some kind of words.
“I– I um,” he swallowed. “I was just curious.” Well, that wasn’t the lie but it wasn’t the whole truth either. No one needed the whole truth anyway.
“It’s kind of interesting.” David shrugged.
Carlos nodded and smiled. “Ah, I see,” he
said. “What is it you’re reading about? Is… is it okay if I ask?”
Gently, Carlos told himself. Daisy seemed
pretty uncomfortable with talking, but Carlos hoped she would warm up to it. If
not… well, he’d go ahead and let the conversation taper off.
Carlos just smiled a bit wider and nodded his
head. He set down his physics book and slid into the seat. He arranged his
notebook next to the text book so he could write on it and he went back to
work, still smiling a bit.Yeah, it was a little awkward sitting across
from Daisy. She was obviously a little nervous. But Carlos wasn’t here to give
her a hard time, so she shouldn’t have to worry. A bit of companionship went a long way, sometimes.Of course there was an urge to ask why, to question any motives for him to do this but from what little David knew Carlos was a fairly nice person. Maybe it was just pity.
He fidgeted and tried to read again, too nervous to try to initiate a conversation. He didn’t want to say the wrong thing, didn’t want to push it. It never seemed to end well when he tried.
Eyes did wander from the page, curiously looking at the physics book before deciding it was probably best to mind his own business.
Carlos was soon engrossed in his physics
homework, formulas and numbers running through his head as he worked on the
equations.
However he did notice Daisy lift her head to
look at his book, and Carlos glanced up to look at her. He gave her yet another
kind smile before looking down again and writing in the answer for his current
equation.
“Are you… taking a spirituality class?” he
asked suddenly. “Or… maybe a mythology class?”
That looked like acknowledgement to Carlos.
Just a little lift of the hand… but it was something. Though she still seemed
to really be shy though.Carlos wondered if anyone had given Daisy any
trouble since what happened in the locker room. Probably, he thought – this was high school.An idea struck Carlos. He decided to use the minor social
opening Daisy had given him, so he grabbed his books and moved to the spot
across from her on the table.Carlos smiled at her pleasantly. “Hey. Mind if I sit?” he
asked her.David read over a paragraph in the book, or his eyes scanned the page but he didn’t feel like he had absorbed it. Something about how telekinesis was gaining some popularity in fiction.
Well, fiction didn’t help him anyway.
Green eyes glanced up as the boy took a seat, curiosity coming to his features though he didn’t say anything, not yet. Not until Carlos spoke first.
David shook his head, slowly finding his voice. “Go ahead.” It wasn’t what he expected to hear. People didn’t usually willingly want to be near him, not without a less than friendly motive but Carlos had never outright contributed to anything. Not that he was aware of, anyway.
Carlos just smiled a bit wider and nodded his
head. He set down his physics book and slid into the seat. He arranged his
notebook next to the text book so he could write on it and he went back to
work, still smiling a bit.
Yeah, it was a little awkward sitting across
from Daisy. She was obviously a little nervous. But Carlos wasn’t here to give
her a hard time, so she shouldn’t have to worry. A bit of companionship went a long way, sometimes.
Just about everyone in school had heard what
happened to Daisy. Carlos, upon hearing about it, was shocked. What sort of
girls did things like that to a kid, just to embarrass her as much as possible?It was a coincidence, really, that Carlos came
to the library only to see Daisy sitting at a table reading. It was some kind
of spirituality book or something, from what Carlos gathered of the cover. He
had to get some of his homework done so he went in and sat at a table a little
bit away from Daisy. Though, she was still in his line of sight.He couldn’t help looking up at her every so
often – just… sort of trying to gauge how she was feeling.However, he was a little surprised when she
lifted her head and started looking around. When her eyes finally fell on him
he just smiled at her and gave a friendly wave.He nearly looked away once he briefly made eye contact with Carlos, surprise by the smile and wave. There was an immediate wave of suspicion though he couldn’t see why something so simple would have ulterior motives. David felt guilty for feeling that way, it wasn’t nice.
Slowly, he raised his hand slightly, fingers extending but quickly letting his hand fall back to the table. The wave was for him, he knew it was for him, but what if it wasn’t? What if there was someone behind him? What if it was just pity? Or somehow some kind of joke like he had thought? Too many bad possibilities.
He looked back down at his book, biting at his lip. David should mind his own business, just keep reading. Just try to get through the day until he could go home.
Then again, what was there to really look forward to at home either? Isolation in his room he supposed. At least no one would bother him there.
That looked like acknowledgement to Carlos.
Just a little lift of the hand… but it was something. Though she still seemed
to really be shy though.
Carlos wondered if anyone had given Daisy any
trouble since what happened in the locker room. Probably, he thought – this was high school.
An idea struck Carlos. He decided to use the minor social
opening Daisy had given him, so he grabbed his books and moved to the spot
across from her on the table.
Carlos smiled at her pleasantly. “Hey. Mind if I sit?” he
asked her.
He had been reading up on the ability since the incident in the locker room, preferring to busy himself in the library and read all he could about telekinesis than bother with homework– that could always wait until later. Besides, he would rather not have Cameron asking him questions about this new interest, it was safer to read in his study hall than to try to hide them in his room.
David took a seat in a quiet corner of the library, reading though he couldn’t shake the feeling that people were looking at him. They had been since the incident but this time felt different. He hesitantly looked up from his book and glanced around, searching for a possible source of the feeling or perhaps it was just paranoia.
Just about everyone in school had heard what
happened to Daisy. Carlos, upon hearing about it, was shocked. What sort of
girls did things like that to a kid, just to embarrass her as much as possible?
It was a coincidence, really, that Carlos came
to the library only to see Daisy sitting at a table reading. It was some kind
of spirituality book or something, from what Carlos gathered of the cover. He
had to get some of his homework done so he went in and sat at a table a little
bit away from Daisy. Though, she was still in his line of sight.
He couldn’t help looking up at her every so
often – just… sort of trying to gauge how she was feeling.
However, he was a little surprised when she
lifted her head and started looking around. When her eyes finally fell on him
he just smiled at her and gave a friendly wave.
The Perfect Scientist 