The Experiment (Draft)

Brains

Owen:

I make lunch to use an as excuse to not read that book. I don't know why I can't stand the thought of reading that thing, I'm sure it's actually a good book. I just ate reading. Luke's the stuffy- reading- school-kind of guy. Plus, he would do just do about anything to impress Lydia after what I did.

I call for dinner, and they walk down discussing something about cigarettes and metaphors. They don't say a word to me, only talking of some therapy group. I think I might have to go to a therapy group if they don't shut up...Uh, Lydia is looking at me.

"What?" I ask, an edge to my voice.

"Exactly." She snickers, Luke smiling at whatever she was making fun of me about.

"What?" I command, a little more forcefully, standing up. Lydia's eyes flicker with an emotion I don't recognize, somewhere between fright, confusion, and anger.

"I was just asking if you had read at all yet.." Her voice trails off, she sinks lower in her chair.

"Um, let's see," I say in mock confusion,"Have I read some book I have no interest in, nor will I ever? I'd rather not."

"You know, girls like boys with bigger brains than biceps. Girls who have brains themselves care only for the size of your metaphorical heart and brain."

"You know what Lid, maybe the only type of girl that is attracted to me is the type of girl with no brain." I remember Hailey, my girlfriend in freshman year. She could always somehow keep her grade passing, but she never excelled. She always thought I was the funniest, most smart person in the world, and I guess I liked that she worshipped me.

 All the girls who were attracted to me had less common sense than a telephone pole. I liked being smarter than them, even though I was a C+ student, not quite good enough to be average. I liked that even though they never got my jokes, they laughed. Hailey and I only talked for probably two hours the week that we dated. It was that I was either lifting or we were kissing. She didn't have a life outside of me, and I liked that devotion, knowing that she didn't know better than me. Until she found a guy a little taller with bigger muscles. 

Lydia's eyes pool with tears, and I don't know why. Is she offended? Is she disappointed? I don't have much time to think about it before my eyes are centimeters away from Luke's nose. I feel his anger radiating off him, but why?

"Whoah, whoah." I say, backing away from him, but I only get a few steps before I hit the wall behind me. "What did I say?"

"You know exactly what you said." A tiny fleck of Luke's spit land on my cheek, and I repress the urge to wipe it away. I look over his shoulder to see Lid with her head in hands, her back heaving in sob's. It clicks.

Lydia is mad because she think's I was talking about her. You know what Lid, maybe the only type of girl that is attracted to me is the type of girl with no brain. No wonder she is upset. Lydia thought I was calling her stupid. Lydia wasn't the smartest girl in our school, but she was by no means stupid.

"Lid, that wasn't what I meant." My voice strained as Luke inches closer. He wants a fight.

"Lydia, would you please go upstairs." His voice softens, but the fire in his eyes doesn't. She does what she is told, her mascara running down her red cheeks.

"Luke, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to come out that way, I swear. Let me explain." I thought of who would win a fight between us, and I thought it would be me, but now I'm not so sure. I guess we will have to see. I want a fight now. I have to get in his head, and I know just the spot.

"Just like you were an accident made by your mother, that was an accident that came from my mouth." I smile, just before Luke's fist makes contact with my jaw, and I hit my head on the tile floor, and all goes black.