Genius

Chapter 22

"Morgaaannn!!" Tyler said in a singsong accent. He scanned the room from left to right looking for Morgan, unaware of my presence until his gaze finally stopped at where we were sitting on the window seat.

"There you are!... Oh and Claire?"
His gaze landed on me.

"Tyler" Morgan greeted him curtly with a smile, which I'm assuming is factitious cause it doesn't seem genuine at all. She dropped her smile and replaced it with a look of displeasure, affirming my previous thought, that she was not happy to see him at all.

Strange, I thought people who are in love obtain a burst of happiness and love whenever they see each other, I thought. I guess that romance novel I read this one time was inaccurate. But who am I to tell what love looks like? I only read a romance novel once and read a few poems about it.
Wait…Unless problems between them have arisen. Morgan and Tyler must have had some disagreements. Though Tyler seems unbothered, unlike Morgan who now apparently is annoyed because she has a scowl on her face.

"Hey man, you can't just barge in here and…" Brian entered the room,

Morgan grumbled in annoyance.
"These two get so annoying from time to time." She muttered.

"Here munch on some cookies, I need to talk to Tyler for a sec." She smiled at me while placing the plate of cookies in my hands. She stood up and rolled her eyes at Tyler.

"I need to talk to you" She grabbed Tyler by the arm and led him out of the room to talk.

I watched them as they exited the room and my gaze instantly went to Brian's. We locked eyes and then averted them as if we were afraid that if we stared any much longer we would fall into an endless void with just the two of us.

"Cookies?" I raised the plate towards him.

He sauntered towards the window seat and sat beside me at a 4 feet distance. I placed the plate in the space in between us so it can be of reach for both of us. I was still in the position before Tyler bursts into the room. Crossed legs whilst leaning slightly on the wall. Brian sat facing the rest of the room, sitting normally so I had a clear view of Brian's side profile.
He took a cookie and ate it, I also took one. There was a moment of silence, we were both consuming the delectable pastry. I stared at the view of the window, taking small bites of the cookie.

"Is your science fair project finished?" He asked after he completed eating. He faced me now, copying my sitting position.

"Manufacturing is complete, presentation needs minor changes though that won't take much time. Overall, development has been a success despite some setbacks in the past." I shared. I straightened my posture and continued consuming the rest of the cookie.

"Wow, you sound so…professional. Can I know what your project is?"

"No. Not yet, at least. You'll eventually know when the day of the science fair arrives."

"Okay, I'll respect that." He smiled.

"You're awfully secretive, you know that?" He announced. He had a playful smile that let me know he said it without the intention of being insulting.

"I think so too." I played along. Though no emotion made its way into my face. Despite it being playful, it was the truth. I do conceal a lot about myself.
There was another moment of silence until Morgan and Tyler entered the room. Both were smiling, issues must have been resolved. I wonder how they did that. They stopped Infront of us. Morgan sat on a chair near us and Tyler sat on the floor and grabbed a cookie from the plate and ate it.

"What were you guys doing before we barged in here?" Tyler asked in between eating. That's when it dawned on me, before they entered the room Morgan asked me a question that made me feel an unfamiliar feeling. The reaction was caused by the last question asked.

"We were just playing a game" Morgan glanced at me, smiling. A knowing look on her face.

I was startled when there was a vibration followed by a beeping sound on my left wrist. It was my watch, I rolled my sleeves a little to see the time. 5:30 pm. It's time to return to the orphanage.

"It is time for me to head back." I announced.

"Already?" Morgan pouted.

"Curfews at 6"

"Okay, I'll walk you out."

"Bye" Both Tyler and Brian waved goodbyes.

I waved back and Morgan and I walked out. When we reached the front door of their home, Morgan asked.

"So what do you think of him?"

"Who are you referring to?"

"B R I A N." She spelled his name.

"Well, I think that he's affable, kind, and charming." I answered what I really think about him. Though, not all. So many more words can be said of what I think about him. But those three will suffice Morgan's ever-curious mind.

"Goodbye Morgan" I said softly and left her standing there grinning like a cheshire cat.

____________________________

Students have homeroom every day as their first period. Usually to discuss announcements and attendance. I seldom attend Homeroom, I go only 2 or even once a week. During that period, I go to the library to do some work.

  Presently, our homeroom adviser is having a discussion concerning a time capsule. The term can be traced back to the 1939 World's Fair, the Westington Electric & Manufacturing Co. buried a box of common household items in Flushing Meadows, New York. It is meant to be opened again in the year 6939. That is if humans still dominated the earth by then or else this historical treasure will remain buried in the depths of the earth. I read about this time capsule in a newspaper article, it made me ponder how humans and the ways of life would evolve. The year 6939 is such a long way out into the future, we are still in the early 2000s, what would the earth look like by then? It is so exhilarating to think about the inevitable future.

"The school has granted us permission to bury a time capsule on the school grounds. Every senior homeroom is to participate in this activity. This means you get to fill in the capsule with stuff you want to put and 10 years from now you get to unearth it. Isn't that exciting?" our adviser said cheerily.

Surprisingly, the students matched our adviser's energy and the room erupted with excited voices. Exchanging ideas on what to put in the capsule.

"Settle down" Our adviser now has a serious look on her face, taking authority. The room quietened.

"This will be the first batch in our school to ever conduct a time capsule burial…Each of you will be given a box that is only 5 inches in length and 4 in height. You can put anything you like in there as long as it fits. The deadline is Wednesday because by Friday we will bury it. Any questions?"

The room was filled again with excited chatter. Apparently, no one has a question.

"This is so exciting, I already got an idea of what to put inside mine." Morgan faced me once our adviser was done talking.
I am with Morgan, Tyler, and Brian in homeroom.

I have the feeling that she wants me to ask what. Seeing as she seems to be absolutely excited. So I ask what she has in mind.

"I'm gonna put my early sketches of clothing and some pictures in mine. How cool would that be when we get to unearth it 10 years from now. And there would be like a class reunion, we all get to get together. I can't wait to see the future us. What about you Claire, what are you planning to put in yours?"

"I don't know yet"

"It's okay, you'll have plenty of time to think about what you would put in there."

I listened to the boys talk about the objects they would like to put in their boxes. They were in front of me and Morgan. They mentioned random objects to put in, from necklaces, compact discs, signatures, bracelets, letters, pictures, to even a strand of hair.
Though the items that are about to be put inside these boxes are not only random objects instead they hold a sentimental value to the one in possession.

I think I now know what to put in mine.