UNLOCKED

THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM

“Isaac.. Isaac! ISAAC!!!” Lilly yelled.

I didn’t notice her because once again, I had lost focus and couldn’t sense what was happening around me. It took her removing my headphones for me to finally snap out of it.

“What the hell!”. I snapped

She looked at me with a frown, making me realise she must have been trying to get my attention.

“I’m sorry. Didn’t hear you,” I muttered to her.

Her frown disappeared slightly. “Yeah, I figured. You know, this place is a lot more organised, you can actually not block your ears for the sake of those who actually want to communicate with you,” she said while waving a finger around to indicate that our lecture theatre was less noisy than a busy street.

“Yeah, but, you’re the only one that actually talks to me though,” I replied.

I saw her sigh. She was probably fed up with my ‘don’t care’ attitude by now. God knows what was giving her the extra strength to still want to persevere.

“Why would anyone want to talk to a weirdo that walks around like a programmed robot wearing headphones all the time!” She exclaimed.

I shrugged. It wasn’t really a big deal for me.

“I know, right... I really don’t have many friends, even back at my place. So, not many social interactions are needed. Besides that takes up quite the energy,” I replied lazily.

I watched Lilly smack herself on the forehead. Guess I’ve discovered a new way to frustrate her attempt to push me to become more social.

“How the f**k is this guy going to get himself a girlfriend at this rate?!” she cursed.

“Girlfriend? Everyone already thinks we are dating,” I replied.

Lilly growled at me. Unlike her usual ladylike character. I guess I really did unlock a new way.

“I would not be caught dead in bed with you!” she stated.

My brows furrowed.

“That’s is really a harsh way to say no to a guy,” I said.

“Yeah?” Lilly asked with a smirk.

“Yeah... but good to know you were thinking about being in bed with me,” I replied.

With the way her mouth hung open, it was pretty clear that that had caught her off guard. She must have thought about it more clearly.

I only pointed to the fact that people thought we were dating because we were mostly seen together on campus and sometimes, outside campus which included few movies, outings, her place, my place and the fact that we’ve actually been together on each other’s beds several times but on an innocent level. So her saying, she wouldn’t be caught dead in bed with me was suggesting being caught in a not so innocent way which also meant that she was thinking about it.

The result....

“You know what! I only came here cause I heard there was an accident on your street! I’m leaving!” she said in a loud voice. A usual sign that she was embarrassed.

“I know, I was there,” I muttered while looking at her.

She had paused for a bit, calculating whether to stay for the gist or just leave. She gave my plain expressionless face a look and decided she was too embarrassed to stay and talk at the moment so she walked away quickly.

I sighed with a small smile playing on my lips.

Lilly has been a long time, should I say friend, yeah, friend. Although we were closer than just normal friends with the occasional tensions here and there, we really were just cool with each other. I’m not one to snub but she was the one person who thought about sticking around long enough to actually figure a few things about me.

Graduated high school and picked the same college. Eight long years already. She already earned the special place in my life given that there weren’t many people there.

Lectures were a bit more boring than usual today but I paid attention anyways or I thought I did. I was already in limbo before I even realised it. Making up cool scenarios in my head and possible looking so far off from the world with the serious look on my face.

“Hey man, lectures are over,”. The guy seated beside me said while tapping me.

“Shoot,”. I muttered.

Seeing him shake his head as he grabbed his books, he must think I am very weird.

Walking back home, I let my mind soak in the beat of the song I was listening to. Lyrics didn’t catch my attention about a song as fast as beats do. If the symphony hits right, it feels like my brain was getting an extra boost which helps since keeping my senses opened and sharp all the time took too much energy from my brain.

The house was empty same way I left it this morning. This might be every twenty-one year old’s dream. A big four bedroom apartment with a pool at the backyard, fully furnished and fully stocked along with a fat bank account which I barely even touch safe for few things I needed and a few online investments I got myself into.

You might be wondering why. Well, here’s the thing.

I just, all of a sudden, woke up here when I was like, four or five. The years before then, I do not seem to recall properly. Every time I try to remember what was before age five, I end up with memory glitches, blank spots, faces I don’t seem to recall seeing and places I am sure I have never been to. Two faces I remember that felt oddly familiar were tagged my parents by my aunt who was the first person I saw when I woke up.

Smiling face, bright eyes and holding a fluffy stuffed bunny toy in my face. When I had asked who she was, her face showed surprise and confusion like it was weird that I asked that.

The next day, after she was convinced that I wasn’t faking it, was filled with medical check ups in a lab and after many tests and scans, they determined that I had some how had amnesia.

So from there, my aunt explained everything again from when I was a baby and so on. Turns out my parents were top tier scientists and they got the greens, tons of it hence the reasons for this lavish setting.

At age seventeen, my aunt said she had been called upon by the military for a top secret mission. Yeah, she was in active service all this while. She said she would check in and she did until my eighteenth birthday when she told me she was going deep cover and wouldn’t be able to contact me anymore for sometime but I shouldn’t worry and just take care of myself and use whatever resources I needed.

So, that’s pretty much my life in a nutshell. I could take care of myself properly right from fifteen, it wasn’t big deal for me. And there was Lily also, so things were pretty normal in my own eyes.

Speaking of Lily. The doorbell was ringing like crazy.

“Hey, hey, hey! I could hear you at first ring you know,” I said as soon as I open the door.

Lily shrugged as she walked in like she owned the place. Well, she was the only one outside family who had actually been in here so she was already quite comfortable walking around with ease.

“Uhm.... so what sup. You didn’t just come here to have a look around, did you?” I asked.

It didn’t bother me much. She was free to come around but most times she would call or text before coming to hangout.

“What? You’re up to something you don’t want me to see? Or you’re hiding a girl in here?” Lily said with a fake gasped.

I rolled my eyes. She was patronising me.

“If I did have one in here, why would I be hiding her from you,” I said.

Lily held up a hand to her chest with a faked hurt look.

“What! You’re going to bring in another girl and still shove her right in my face. Geez, talk about being a jerk,” she rolled her eyes.

I chuckled.

“Very funny, very funny Lily,” I said.

She stared at me for a few seconds, her eyes never leaving mine. I watched them trail down to my lips, she held them there before looking away.

“I wanted to tell you about a party tonight. I just found out and it’s definitely something worth going,” she announced, quickly switching back to her cherry state.

“You know I don’t do parties,” I said with a small smile.

Lily got up. She sighed and looked at me.

“Well Isaac, you’re just going to have to do this one for me. Besides, you have been in this house for like what? Four days? if not for lectures, I'm sure you wouldn't even come out at all. Time to get yourself outdoors,” she said.

I watch her start to head to the door.

“Wait, where are you off to?” I quickly asked.

“Aww! I did get the impression you wanted me to stay from the start, but I’ve got friends that I need to tell about the party also,” she replied.

I opened the door for her, which made her smile and then watch her walk over to her car.

I went back and crashed into one of the couches in the living room.

“A party and inviting more friends huh” I muttered.

‘Friends’, that word rang in my head more than the party itself.