Genius

Life in the Lab

My home is probably the most unusual home to ever exist, especially considering its a lab...... under the ocean. Lab isn't really the best word for it though, it's more like a mini college campus. The bathrooms with stalls, the kitchen set up like a small, yet fancy cafeteria, and let's not forget the big gymnasium that is used for basic defense training. The bulk of our time is spent in the actual lab portion of the building. It's where we learn about life, purpose, and our future.

It's a little like a space camp I suppose, except more permanent. Of course, we have learned and seen the outside world, but it's only for a short week every 6 months to visit our parents. During that time, we absorb as much of the world as we can with the help from our parents. At lot of people raise their eyebrows at this because it seems like we are "locked away" but  it doesn't feel that way, when you've been raised to accept the lab as your home. During the week "off" we are encouraged to meet new people, but because of the drastic differences between teens above, and us, it's difficult. However, I was lucky enough to find someone on the outside.

My best friend, Nash Waderman, is an incredible guy who would've totally been smart enough to be in our "group", but his parents were in a crash right after he was born, which is the time before he would go to the lab. His grandfather ended up taking him in and wouldn't agree to letting him go to the lab. Nash is the one I learn the most about the world from. He would take me on little sightseeing adventures while my parents worked half the day. I met him in a weird situation actually. I was taking a walk around the city I was born in, I guess my hometown, and as I was looking at a plane in the sky I ran into him. You'd think I'd be smart enough to watch where I'm going, but that's actually not something that comes up in a physics lecture.

"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry." were the first words that came out of my mouth. All that I got from him was something like a mix between a gasp and a choking noise and he had an expression full of confusion maybe? recognition? I wasn't used to people staring at me so I just kind of stood there until I realized I should probably just keep walking.

Before I took two steps he said"Gwendolyn?" I stopped in my tracks and looked at him slightly confused and a little bit terrified because one, normally people call me Gwen and two, I had no clue who this was. 

"I'm sorry, you must be confused." I replied dumbly.

"No I don't think so, I mean you look older than last time I saw you......." he said quickly, then realized he probably needed to elaborate, "I live next door to your parents. Your mom is friends with my grandfather She talks about you a lot. I only saw you a couple times though so I assumed you lived with someone else because of their work or something."

All I could do was stare at him searching my brain for his face... Oh right! He came over once.... what was his name...... "Nash?" I said questionably.

He grinned and said, "Yep, I came over once to play board games. You beat me at every game....except chess." he winked. 

Oh yeah that't right, I hadn't figured out how to truly master a checkmate unlike him. I returned a smile awkwardly due to the lack of such a thing, "Oh yeah I remember now! I didn't recognize you after all these years. It was nice seeing you again." I smiled as I tried to break off the conversation and started walking again.

He didn't give up that easily apparently, within seconds he was by my side trying to stop me again. Realizing I was going to keep moving, he started talking again.

"Where are ya headed?"

I attempted ignoring him, but again he didn't give up easily.

"Don't be like this please. I know it's been what 8 years? but I probably know this town better than you."