Spark of Knowledge

by Jacie Douglass

  When I got to school Monday, I couldn’t help but notice that everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at me when I walked through the halls. By Wednesday, people upgraded from starring to gossiping loudly about me anytime I was by myself. The girls would go on loudly about “how pathetic she is, panting after guys who were interested in a different set of ‘equipment’”. Add to that random guys grabbing their crotches and offering to show me what a “real man” was like. Like anyone would find that attractive, EVER. Seriously stupid bullshit.

  This morning, someone decided to take it step further, and left me nasty notes in my locker. Calling me a Fruit Fly and a Fag Hag. Of course the notes aren’t signed, but I’m sure the Catty Crew or their Minions are behind it. I’m tempted to track them down and confront them; ask what the hell their problem is. I have NO idea what they think this crap will accomplish. Do they really think they can scare me off? That I wouldn’t be friends with the guys anymore, just because of their vicious gossip? Seriously? Are they really that stupid?

  Maybe I should start marking the days off on the calendar. Countdown how many weeks I have left until I’m free from this school and can avoid the stupid people. At this point, it doesn’t matter that I still don’t have a clue what I want to do with my life. I just want to be free from the endless classes populated by petty, ignorant people. I can decide if I still want to go to Stanford later, after I figure my shit out.

  The chiming of my phone pulls me back to the present and I dig it out of my jacket pocket.

  Rock Star Samil: Hey guys, don’t forget team tryouts are in an hour.

  Angel Sebastian: Already in the locker room suiting up.

  Tank Clayton: Jared and I are on our way now.

  Rock Star Samil: Are you coming Ian?

  Nerd Ian: I’m going to pass guys. I’ve got enough on my plate with my AP classes. Plus I want to get back to my research. I think I found something, but I need to finish cross checking.

  Me: Good luck guys!

  Nerd Ian: Hey Emmy, can get a ride home from you???

  Me: Of course. I’m in the student parking lot still.

  Nerd Ian: Perfect. BRT

  I load up a game and blow through a couple quests while I wait. Even though I’m expecting him, the light tap on the window makes me jump. With a quick look to verify it’s him, I hit the locks.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you, Emmy,” Ian blushes, opening the passenger door. Ducking his head to avoid my eye, he climbs in. I can’t help but smile, waving away his apology. He’s always so polite.

  “Don’t worry about it,” I reply. I hit the power button and shift the Prius into reverse. “You’ll have to give me directions. I have a bad habit of getting lost.”

  “No problem,” Ian smiles, relaxing back in the seat.

  A comfortable silence falls, broken only by Ian’s occasional instructions of left or right. Fifteen minutes later, we pull up in front of his place. Ian grabs the door handle and hesitates a moment before turning back to me.

  “Do you want to come in?” He asks nervously, not quite meeting my eye.

  “Sure,” I smile.

  Ian must not have registered my response, because he quickly continuing on. “I need to do some more research, but you’re welcome to hang out here, with me. They’ll be tied up at tryouts till at least six, but we can… Oh…” He falls silent, blushing again. “You said yes already. Well, umm come on.” He opens the door and jumps out like his pants are on fire and I barely manage to suppress my laughter. I exit at a more sedate pace, grabbing my bag and locking the doors. I’m surprised when he climbs the stairs to the main house, instead of taking the path around back.

  I follow him up the porch, admiring the gingerbread trim. He’s already holding the door open for me, his eyes downcast and his purple bangs falling in his face.

  “Thanks Ian,” I smile, moving past him into the foyer. I’m immediately hit with the sense we’ve stepped back in time. Old fashioned wallpaper covers the walls and the few visible pieces of furniture are obviously antiques. The foyer transitions into a hallway lined with doors. I wonder if the cottage used to be divided into smaller rooms or if it always had an open floor plan.

  “I need to do some work in the master control room,” Ian says softly, coming up behind me. “It shouldn’t take too long.”

  “Sure, no problem,” I tell him, patting my bag. “I’ll just read while you work.”

  Ian gives me a shy smile and moves down the hallway. I trail after him, peering through the open doors into the rooms on each side of the hall. A parlor, a formal dining room, a library, a study, each room a time capsule into another era. I imagine this is what it’s like visiting a museum.

  Ian finally stops at a closed door near the end of the hall. Motioning for me to follow, he opens the door and disappears inside.

  Stepping into the room I freeze, trying to process what I’m seeing. This room isn’t lost in time like the rest. Instead it looks like something straight out of a spy movie. Monitors cover an entire wall, displaying not just the property and the two houses on it, but several other places I recognize from around the island. Wide eyed, I watch as Ian gets comfortable at a workstation in the center of the room, his fingers flying across the keyboard.

  “Ummm… WOW, Ian,” I breathe, sinking into the nearest chair. “This setup is kinda extra… Is there a reason you’ve got cameras watching half the island?”

  “The whole island,” Ian corrects automatically, focusing on the terminal in front of him.

  “Ya ok… So you’re watching the Whole Island, cause why?”

  “This is my parent’s home office,” he mumbles, like that should explain everything.

  “Right… And this is where they spy on the whole town? Cause, that’s like super normal.” I roll my eyes, barely resisting the urge to go over and shake him. My words finally penetrate though, because he spins his chair around so he’s facing me.

  “Well, we are the only security company based here on the island.” He shrugs, not quite meeting my gaze. “They wanted to be able to access everything from home, in case of an emergency. Mom and Dad used to be survivalist slash conspiracy theorists, before they became security experts.” He says this like it’s the most logical thing in the world. And who knows, maybe it is… What do I know about security experts? It still seems kinda weird.

  “Ok, wait…” I frown, putting the pieces together. “So your parents own SASS?” I ask, biting my lip to keep from laughing. Didn’t they think the name through? SASS isn’t the kind of acronym that inspires confidence.

  “Not SASS. S.A.S.S., Stewart Alarm & Security Systems,” Ian explains. “When they were ready to settle down, they returned to the island and bought out the two local security providers. Now they run the premier security company on the island. People either go through S.A.S.S. or bring over one of the mainland companies. Very few islanders want to do that though. They like to stick together.”

  “And they have a command center in their home and cameras all over the island...”

  “They can be…” Ian pauses. “A little… Intense. They wanted to be able to access the network from more than one location, so they built their third command center here. That way if they get cut off from the main office or the secondary monitoring center, there is still access to the entire network. Triple redundancy is the key.”

  “Wow…” I murmur. “They sound… Mmm… Very dedicated. So what are you working on? Checking the streets for criminals to bring to justice, Batman?”

  Ian blushes and turns back to the terminal. “No, I needed to double check some facts. The fiber internet connection here is better for hacking.”

  “Ahhh,” I break in. “Say no more. Anything past using a search engine is beyond my computer skills. I’ll just read while you get to it.” He laughs and gives me one of his rare, warm smiles. For a minute, I get lost in his ocean blue eyes. His aura flares to life, the light blues and whorls of white showing up brighter and cl
earer than the last time I saw it. Knowing now that his element is air, the color palate makes sense. With a little shake, I break eye contact and dig into my bag, pulling out my book.

  “I could teach you about computers,” Ian offers, but I shake my head.

  “Thanks Ian, but that would be way too much, too soon, for my tiny brain to comprehend,” I tell him, making sure to soften the rejection with a smile. “But when I’m ready to learn more, you’ll be the first to know.”

  “Ok,” he says, focusing back on the computer. And I guess we’re done talking. I resist the urge to giggle at the abrupt shift. Ian’s awkwardness is cute, but I doubt he’d understand my reaction.

  Flipping my book open, I pick up where I left off in Study Hall.

  A sharp gasp followed by a thump, break me out of my book trance. I look up to see Ian bent over, gasping for air. His arms wrapped around his middle and his forehead pressed against the desk.

  “Fuck, are you ok Ian?” I rush over and kneel beside him, my chest tightening with worry. God, he’s white as a sheet. Ian moans, clearly in pain and I instinctively reach out, pulling my hand back at the last second. What if touching him is the wrong thing to do? What if it makes it worse? Damn it! Almost a month in the hospital and I’m worthless in an emergency.

  “Ian, what can I do? Please… How can I help?”

  He moans again, but I can’t tell if he’s trying to answer me or just vocalizing the pain. Jared will know what to do. Fumbling through my pockets, I pull out my phone. God, I hope one of the guys has a phone with them. I try Jared first, but it goes to voicemail after one ring. Samil and Sebastian’s both ring forever before the voicemail kicks in. I don’t bother to leaving messages. I need help now. I’m starting to lose it as I pull up Clayton’s number, my hand shaking. Please let him answer, please, please, please.

  “Hey Trouble? What’s up?” Clayton rumbles. I fall back on my heels, relief flooding me.

  “Oh, thank God, you answered,” I rush breathlessly. Rising to pace the room, I make sure to keep an eye on Ian. “Something’s wrong with Ian. What do I do? He’s clearly in pain and not responding to my questions. Do I need to call an ambulance? OMG! You need to warn me about serious medical conditions!”

  “Shhh, calm down Trouble,” Clayton sooths. “Ian’s going to be fine; you don’t need to call an ambulance. Give me a second to get somewhere quieter.” I can hear Clayton talking to someone in the background, but I can’t make out what’s being said. Bouncing in place, I watch Ian for changes.

  “Come on, come on, come on,” I whisper impatiently, anxious for him to get back on the line.

  “I’m back. Sorry to make you wait, Trouble. I’m not supposed to have my phone on me during tryouts.” Clayton apologizes, before rushing on. “I need you to take a deep breath and relax. Ian’s going to be ok, understand? He just needs a little time to pull it together.” I nod like an idiot; because of course he can’t see me. “Trouble?”

  “Yaya, I hear you. But what’s wrong? Are you sure I shouldn’t call the ambulance? Or put him in my car and drive him to the clinic? Shouldn’t I DO Something?” I can feel my panic ratcheting back up. Taking a deep breath, I cross back to Ian and crouch down next to him.

  “We just had a little accident at tryouts. One of the new guys body checked Jared into the wall,” he explains calmly.

  “Shit, is Jared ok?” I bite out, shocked at the level of anger I feel, the tightness in my chest getting worse. Ian turns his head enough to catch my eye, I try to give him a reassuring smile, but I’m pretty sure I manage to epic fail that. Clayton’s still talking and I try to focus on his voice.

  “… taking him down to the clinic,” Clayton is saying, and I blink, trying to put it together.

  “Wait, what? Did you say Jared’s going to the clinic?” Ian reaches out for me and I grab his hand, gently squeezing it. The cool rush of his energy lightly brushes over my skin. The feel of him reassures me and some of the tightness in my chest starts to loosen.

  “Yes, Samil is loading him in the car now,” he repeats patiently. His voice drops to a whisper as he continues. “You know how they say twins sometimes have a psychic connection?”

  “Umm, sure I’ve read about that…”

  “Well, it’s true,” Clayton confides. “At least it is for Jared and Ian. Normally, I’d leave it for them to tell you about it, but… Ya… Ian’s feeling Jared’s pain right. If this is like the other times, Ian should be ok in a little bit. Just give him a few to come out of it.”

  At some point Ian’s eyes close, but the grip of his hand in mine is firm.

  “Ok,” I manage, feeling slightly better.

  “Anyways, Coach is suspending tryouts for today. Jared asked to reschedule pizza and movie night until tomorrow. Are you going to be ok till Samil and Jared get there?”

  Ian squeezes my hand and I glance back at him. His eyes are open and his color coming back, thankfully.

  “Trouble?” Clayton calls. Oops, I guess I was supposed to answer that question.

  “I’m good, we’ll be fine till they get here,” I reassure him. “Ian’s looking better already. Thanks Clayton.”

  “Great, I need to catch up with Bast. Hope to see you tomorrow, Trouble.”

  “Thanks Clay, you’re the best.” I tell him before disconnecting the call.

  “Hey,” Ian whispers, and I turn my attention back to him. “Thanks for worrying about me.”

  “What? You don’t need to thank me, Silly. Of course I’m going to worry about you,” I squeeze his hand, tears filling my eyes. Ugh I don’t know why I’m getting so emotional. “Do you want me to take you to the clinic to meet up with Jared?”

  “No,” he shakes his head, straightening up and leading back in his chair. “Just give me a couple more minutes to shake this. I heard what Clayton said. Sorry our hang out time turned out to be a bust.”

  “OMG, Ian! Don’t you dare apologize to me. This is not your fault,” I tell him, giving him a mock glare and shaking my finger. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

  “No, I’m ok. Getting better by the minute,” he reassures me.

  “Does this kind of thing happen often?” I ask tentatively, biting my lip.

  “Not that often,” he replies. “It’s just the big stuff really. When I broke my arm, when Jared had appendicitis. Stuff like that.”

  “Don’t forget hockey injuries,” I tease, resisting the urge to pry for more information. The idea of them sharing their pain blows my mind. But this isn’t the time to be nosy.

  “Ya, those too,” he gives me a shy smile. “Do you mind helping me to the kitchen? I’m going to wait for Jared there.”

  “Of course I don’t mind,” I reassure him, squeezing his hand. “Are you done on the computer?”

  Ian frowns, shaking his head. “No, but it can wait. I’m not up to it right now. I’ll finish up over the weekend.”

  “Alrighty then,” I smile, releasing his hand and standing up. “You just let me know when you’re ready to trek off to the kitchen.” I move over to where I dropped my book and shove it back in my bag. Swinging my bag over my shoulder, I turn back to find Ian standing. He sways on his feet and I rush to his side, sliding my arm around his waist.

  “Hey now, I thought you were going to wait for me?” I gently chide.

  “Sorry, Emmy” he whispers, looping his arm over my shoulder. “I may have miscalculated.” I roll my eyes but keep silent. Damn stubborn men.

  “Silly, silly boy. Come on; let’s get you settled in the kitchen.”

  With Ian giving directions, we make it to the kitchen without any major disasters. He gives me another hug before sinking onto a kitchen chair.

  “Sorry we had to cancel for tonight,” Ian frowns. “You’ll come back tomorrow though, won’t you?”

  “Hey, what did I say about apologizing?” He blushes and I give him a reassuring smile. “Of course I’ll be here tomorrow. Where else will I get this much excitement for free?” I wink. “Jus
t text me and let me know the plan. Are you going to be able to lock up after me…? Or should I wait with you?”

  “I’ve got it,” he replies, patting his pocket. “Integrated app access to the security system. Thanks again, Emmy.”

  “Anytime, Silly Boy. Try to get some rest.” I can’t resist ruffling his hair before heading out.

  Whelp, that certainly wasn’t how I’d expected my day to end.

  Saturday, September 26th

  ∞

  Tank Clayton: Coach just called, he’s gonna finish tryouts today at 1. Can you cover the last half of my shift Ian?

  Nerd Ian: Sure Clay, not a problem.

  Tank Clayton: Thanks man! See you then. Hey Jared, how ya feeling?

  Vampire Jared: Better than yesterday. Nothing broken, a sprained ankle and some bruised ribs. Doc says I need to take it easy so I’m out for the season 

  Angel Sebastian: Damn that sucks man, we’re going to miss your power shots.

  Me: Wow, I didn’t know hockey was so dangerous. Glad nothing was broken Jared.

  Rock Star Samil: We still on for movie night afterword?

  Vampire Jared: Yup, it’s your turn to pick up Samil

  Nerd Ian: Emmy, you’re coming right?

  Me: Yup yup, what time?

  Vampire Jared: any time after 2. You can entertain me.

  Me: Ooo lucky me :P I’ll text before I head over.

  Nerd Ian: Come straight back to the cottage

  Me: gotcha

  ∞

  Me: Oops, I got distracted and lost track of time, my bad. Heading over now

  Angel Sebastian: LoL Sprite! We just wrapped up here, be there in an hour

  Vampire Jared: Don’t forget to bring the Pizza Samil!!!

  Rock Star Samil: ya ya, I’ve got it covered

  I toss my phone on the bed and quickly change into jeans and my “Black is my Happy Color” tee shirt. Pulling on my boots, I grab my purse, shove my phone in my pocket, and head downstairs.