The Big Bang

Memory Lane

"Bye!" I call out to Keefe as I shut the door behind him. I turn to see Bianca standing behind me, arms crossed and eyes glaring. 'Uh, oh,' I thought.

"What in the world is going on with you?" she asks.

"Huh?"

"What's going on between you two?"

"What?"

"Between you and Keefe! There has to be something going on!"

I took a step back in surprise, giving a nervous chuckle, "There is nothing 'going on between us'. We're just friends. Why do you ask?"

"'Cause you don't seem to have any time for your other friends anymore!"

I mimic Bianca, crossing my arms and taking a defensive position, "That is so not true! Fitz and Dex practically live with us, and I'm all caught up in work and school." 

She gives an exasperated laugh, pointing at the door that Keefe just left through, "And Keefe! He's been here three times in the past two days!"

"Well, that's just because he left his sketchbook here - "

"And why did he bring his sketchpad?"

She sounded so accusatory, I couldn't help but blush and shy away a bit, "Becuase he wanted to draw me."

"Couldn't he just use his photographic memory?"

"I- I don't know."

"Whatever, I say that you need to spend more time with your other friends because I think that he is slowly corrupting you."

"I hang out with you every night and morning. I live with you." 

"I know, that's why I'm kicking you out. And you can not go find Keefe. Tam and Linh are visiting their old stomping grounds, so that leaves Dex and Fitz. You and be sociable."

With that, she pushed me out of the door and shuts it in my face. 

"But you have my-"I look down to see my phone and wallet slide out from under the door, "Thanks."

~~~

I lay on Dex's bed as Fitz spins in his swivel chair, "So she just kicked you out?"

"Yup," I say, picking up one of the discarded projects on the bed, toying with it. "I'm sorta used to it now. During the testing season, when I got too stressed out she would kick me out until I walked outside for a while and took a breather." 

He gives a snort of a laugh, "Sorry that my sister is so weird." 

"Oh, that isn't even the best part. She would track me on my phone to make sure that I was actually walking around and not sitting down the hall. I don't doubt that she's watching us now."

"That creep! How I lived with her for so long is still a wonder." 

I laugh, slowly dying off into a comfortable silence.  I like what I have with Fitz, it's comfortable and something more than friends, but not romantic. We can practically read each other's mind, and we know each other on almost a spiritual and metaphysical level.  I look at his wall, blank and clean, except for one lone picture hanging up. It is a picture of all of us, our friends and our families. It was at one of the towns holiday festivals, and we all look so goofy, dressed up in crazy outfits, with outrageous hats on our heads. There was a competition to see who has the most outlandish hat, and I think it was one of the triplets that won.  It was one of the happiest days of my life, I was so lost in memories that I didn't realize that Fitz was calling my name.

"Sophie. Soooophiieeee. Hey, Sophie. Earth to Sophie. Come in Sophie. SOPHIE!"

"Huh? What? Sorry!" 

He laughs and rolls his eyes, "So what do you have on your mind?"

"Just remembering how crazy our families are." 

"Ha. You have that right. Like the back to school festival."

I groan and hide behind my hands, shaking my head. "Oh god. Ugh, they were always the worst during that." 

"Remember when the class tried to do square dancing and you fell right in the middle of everyone?" 

"Ahh! Yes! I think Elwin still has a picture of that somewhere in his office."  

We laugh at the ridiculousness of our childhoods, but then something seemed to harden in Fitz's eyes, "Are you sure that you're ok?"

I give a nervous laugh. What does he mean, 'am I ok?'Is my nose bleeding? Did I grow another eye?, "What do you mean? Of course I'm ok....right?" 

He took a moment to gather his thoughts, "Well, I mean... I was just thinking that you haven't really been yourself lately- And it's a good thing! You've seemed to come out of your shell a bit more."

What? I mean, I know I've been a bit reserved, and I have some walls, but just - what? he must have seen the confusion written across my face because he hurriedly explained, "You just seem more open to what the world has to offer, you know? Ever since Keefe came, it's like the burden of the weight of the world has been lifted off of your shoulders. You just seem to smile more freely and are more willing to do things that the old you wouldn't dream of doing."

Well sh- "You know about the walls?"

"Keefe's my best friend-"

"Hey!"

"Ok, one of my best friends. Of course, I know." 

He gave a sudden laugh, that I couldn't help to join with a smile. "You're not mad? 'Cause Bianca thinks that he's 'corrupting me' or whatever."

"No, he's corrupting you, but my sis is just being a bit dramatic. I think it's for the best."

"Ok. Cool. By chance do you know if he has any more of his 'surprises' for me?"

"If I do, I can't tell you."

"Why not," I whine.

He just gives a small chuckle, thinking of an inside joke that I had no part of. Ugh, it's so not funny when someone is laughing, and you can't tell what at. Is it about me? Were they discussing me? What evil thing does Keefe have in store for me? "You're so evil."

He gives his best maniacal laugh, which was lacking in so many aspects, and then is a 'Dracula' accent he says, "But tat is vhy you uve me." 

"You are ridiculous." 

"You're welcome. Also while you're here, I have two questions for you."

"Depends. What types of questions?"

"The first is academic, and the other is personal." 

I understood why he would ask for academic help, but to ask a personal question, Fitz is the type of person who would just blatantly ask someone.  This made me a bit nervous, but nevertheless, I let him ask.

"Can you help me understand this thing in economics, it's driving me crazy."

"That depends, what's the thing?"

"You know, the thing with the thing, and together they make the ultimate thingy?"

He waves his arms around with explaining, creating elaborate motions that I seemed to get, "Yeah, ok. I think I know what you're talking about, so sure."

 "Awesome, thanks. And second, Do you like Keefe?"