"Do you want to try and call your mom?" Ryan asked me holding out his phone.
For a second, I couldn't remember her number. Normally I just called up MOM on my phone and it dialed her number. I couldn't remember the last time I'd punched in her numbers. Somehow, I dragged the sequence out of some buried part of my brain and dialed her number.
My palms began to sweat as I waited for her to answer. What if the phones back east weren't fixed, yet. What if she'd already run down her battery or had her phone turned off to save her battery?
I swallowed hard and held my breath. The third ring was interrupted with a soft click and the beautiful sound of my mom's voice, "Hello?"
"Mom, it's me, Hailey," I blurted.
"Hailey! Are you okay honey? How'd you get through? Whose phone are you on? Where are you at? "
I sighed with relief. It felt so good to hear her voice. If she was asking questions, demanding answers, then things were all right. I explained the whole Ryan and Amanda situation.
Overall, the conversation went way better than I thought it would. My aunt Susan was doing better, but she wasn't out of the woods, yet. They had power, but a lot of the towns around them were down. We talked for a few more minutes, making sure each other was all right.
"I've got to go, I don't want to use up Ryan's battery."
"Okay honey," Mom said. There was a long pause as neither of us wanted to end the connection. Finally taking a deep breath, I started to hang up when I heard "Hailey ... Hailey, are you still there?"
"Yes Mom, I'm still here, but I've got to go."
"I know, I know. I just wanted to say, I love you."
My heart melted. "I love you too, Mom. Everything is going to be fine. Tell Nana I love her, too."
"Bye, bye honey."
I handed Ryan his phone back and stepped into the kitchen for a moment. Just when you thought you understood the world it had to screw it all up by having your mom be nice to you.
Chapter Seven
Hailey
I could feel the approaching darkness and sent up a silent prayer of thanks that Ryan and Amanda had taken me in. It looked like another night without power. Talking to my mom earlier had taken off the edge of worry and pulled me back from the brink of crazy vile.
I was helping put the Monopoly things away, Ryan had been right, they were competitive as hell. Amanda had won and been relentless in her smack talk. Both boys took it well and let her have her moment.
Ryan had announced that we were having steaks for dinner, saying that we may as well eat the good stuff before it all spoiled. He and Mark had gone out to the deck to start the coals for the grill.
"Can I ask you something," Amanda said with a worried look.
"Sure," I answered.
"Um ... What does Mark look like?"
Wow, where did that come from? I glanced at her. Pink face, quickly turning even redder. Clasped hands, and terrified expression. She was scared. I didn't know if it was because of what I might say or because of what I might think. Interesting.
"It's just that I've known him my whole life," she continued. "I don't really have a reference point, you know? Mom and Ryan I know. I've felt their faces. I can imagine what they look like. But, Mark, I've never felt his face."
"Why don't you ask him? I'm sure he'd be okay with it."
"No. No way." Her face had turned even redder. "Never mind. Don't worry about it. It's not a big deal."
I looked at the young girl and realized she was petrified I would say something to Mark. What must it be like to go through life without being able to use your own eyes? Having to rely on others for basic information.
I decided to ignore her last statement, that it wasn't a big deal, and looked into the back yard. It was strange. I'd known Mark since second grade, but couldn't really have described him. Both he and Ryan had always just been there, on the outside. Not really part of my world
"Well. He's about average height, not tall like your brother, but average. Four or five inches taller than you." Amanda's eyebrows rose in curiosity, her eyes begging for more information. Boy, she had it bad.
"Let's see," I continued. "He has brown hair, medium dark. A little too long, he needs a haircut. Just like your brother does."
Amanda nodded her head in understandings.
"He's thick, not fat, but the solid type." I continued. "Um, his nose is straight, not too long, but distinguished sort of. His eyes are brown, soft, but with an intelligent look. He's a little pale, not pasty, but he could use some more time out in the sun."
"Is he good looking?" she asked with a hopeful sound to her voice.
What should I say? This was Mark Johnson we were talking about. There wasn't a girl in my school who would have called him good looking. I could see that it was important to Amanda though. "I guess, sort of. In a geeky kind of way." Amanda seemed to relax.
"Like your brother, he could use a change of wardrobe."
"What's wrong with Ryan's clothes?" she asked defensively.
Now I had stepped into it. I sighed to myself internally, then realized that maybe I could use Amanda in my quest to improve Ryan's social standing. "Your brother dresses as if he doesn't care what people think about him."
"What's wrong with that?"
"Everything. If you want to get in with the right groups. To be accepted, you need to dress like you belong."
"Ryan and Mark don't belong?” Amanda asked. “Aren't part of the 'Good Group'? I know they've got a ton of friends. People are always coming over to talk to Ryan. Are you saying because they don't belong to the right group they are worthless as people? That they are less than successful in life?" Her brow had narrowed in genuine confusion.
My stomach turned over when I thought about what I had just said. Was I really that shallow?
"No, of course not," I answered quickly. "It is just that high school is so different. Everybody is so judgmental. You don't know what it's like being judged all the time. Everything you wear, everything you say."
Amanda snorted, bringing her hand to her mouth to try and hide her smile.
"You're joking, right? You don't think I know what it is like to be judged? To know that everyone is waiting for you to fail, to trip over your own two feet. To be denied the chance to try new things because you might hurt yourself or others. To always be thought of as ‘Blind’ Amanda, never ‘pretty’ Amanda, never ‘smart’ Amanda, never ‘just’ Amanda.”
I gulped. Boy, when I step into it I go all the way up to my knee. "I'm sorry, of course, you understand."
"No, that's okay."
A quiet pause settled over us for a moment when she said, "I get a little protective when it comes to those two. Ryan and Mark are the only people that have ever treated me as semi-normal. I swear there are times that Mark forgets I'm blind."
She paused for a moment to push her hair behind her ears. "He'll be eating dinner with us and he'll ask me to pass the salt or ask me if I'd seen the latest cute kitten sensation on the internet. When we play games he always tries to win. In fact, he will even cheat and seems disappointed in me if I don't catch him at it."
I nodded my head in understanding, then realized she couldn't see me and smiled to myself. "I understand. That would be pretty important."
"Ryan is my brother. He has to be nice to me. Mark's nice just because that's who he is."
Again, we experienced a quiet moment. I didn't really know where to go from here.
"To answer your question. Yes, he is good looking. But, I still say they would look even better in the right clothes. At least something from this century."
Amanda smiled. "So what about my brother, is he good looking?"
My heart stopped for a moment. "I, uh, think we need to finish putting this game away, then get started on dinner. Those coals will be ready soon."
Amanda simply smiled.
.o0o.
Ryan
The coals were starting to get that orange glow and to lose that lighter fluid smell I hate
d. My stomach rumbled thinking about the steaks I was going to cook. Mom had been saving them for a special meal, but I figured it was better than letting them spoil.
Amanda and Hailey were still inside talking. I wondered what that was all about. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good.
"So, Ryan Hardy is cooking dinner for Hailey Martin," Mark said. "Not a sentence I thought I'd ever say. Hey, if you want, Amanda and I can go for a walk or something. Leave you two guys alone. You know so you can make your move."
"Shut up," I hissed. "Go back to reading your comics."
He laughed and turned the page. "Hey, you should ask her out."
"Mark, if you don't shut up I swear I'm going to burn your steak."
"No. I'm serious," he said. "Think about it. It's a perfect opportunity. She's got to feel all guilty and stuff, eating your food, hanging out here all day. Plus, she can't exactly say, ‘No’. It would be all uncomfortable for everyone and she wouldn't have anywhere to go except back to that cold dark house of her grandmother's. Like I said, the perfect chance. If you can't guilt her into it, maybe you could scare her into going out with you."
I ground my teeth. Ignore him, he'll shut up eventually. My mind, however, had other ideas. It started to evaluate what he said. Could I ask her out? This would be a perfect opportunity. A chance I was never going to get again, that was for sure.
An unbreakable rule. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. No risk no reward. My heart began to race at the idea of asking Hailey Martin out. Where would I take her? A movie? Dinner? Both?
Then reality sat back in. This was Hailey Martin we were talking about. Her friends would forget they ever knew her. Not only that. What if she said, ‘No’? She'd leave and I'd never see her again. Even worse, it would make her feel bad.
The thought of making her unhappy was like a splash of cold water on a hot day. It cooled off my racing ambitions.
"Why do you hate her?" I asked him. "She's been nice, helping out. Treating everyone right."
"I don't hate her. I don't even dislike her. She's a nice person."
"Then what is it? Why?"
He sighed heavily. "She's going to tear your heart out and leave it laying on the floor. She won't mean to. It won't be intentional, but it's going to happen. I'll end up having to clean up the pieces."
"I'm a big boy, I can handle it."
"Yea, right," he scoffed. "You'll bury yourself in your computer programs up to your eyebrows and not come up for air for a month. You'll probably invent something that makes a million dollars, but you'll be miserable doing it."
"If you think all that, then why tell me to ask her out?"
"Because, you've never followed my advice. I'm pretty sure you're not going to start now," he said with a weak smile.
"You know that reverse psychology only works if the person doesn't know you're doing it?"
"Unless it's reverse reverse psychology," he said with that smirk of his.
"Jesus, you're hopeless."
"That's my goal in life," he answered before returning to his comic book.
Could I ask Hailey out? The thought of it sent shivers up and down my spine and not in a good way. Maybe in a group? Yeah right. The only things my friends did were an occasional D & D game and our annual foray to Comic Con in Seattle.
That'd go over like a lead balloon.
The thought of Hailey and my friends mixing together made me shudder. She'd be miserable and they'd be confused. I could see it now. 'So Hailey, do you want to go over to Howard's house for a game of Dungeons and Dragons?' When she stopped laughing, she'd say, ‘NO’ so hard it'd sound like a hammer hitting an anvil. Most definitely, the last time I would ever get to talk to her.
My internal angst was interrupted by the sliding glass door. The goddess of my dreams stepped onto the deck with a platter of uncooked steaks.
"Are the coals ready?" she asked. It was a brief domestic moment that turned my insides to mush.
A vision flashed through my mind.
A dinner party twenty years from now. Surrounded by our friends. Hailey looking as fantastic as ever in a pink and white sundress and me wondering how I had ever gotten so lucky. My business associates looking at me and wondering the same thing. Two or three kids chasing each other in the back yard. Yelling with laughter. She looked at me and gave me a secret smile. The vision was so real I could even smell the meat cooking on the grill and hear the tinkle of ice in my glass of bourbon.
Our present day eyes locked as she stood in the doorway. We continued to stare at each other, lost. Her eyes widened in surprise and for a just a moment I thought she might have seen the same vision.
"If they're not, they soon will be," Mark said as he got up, reached around Hailey and guided Amanda to a chair. All the time looking between Hailey and myself, shaking his head.
I was finally able to bring myself back to the here and now relieving Hailey of our dinner.
"How does everyone like their steak?" I asked.
.o0o.
"That was good. Thanks, man," Mark said as he finished his dinner, setting his paper plate on a side table, and leaning back in his chair.
"Yes, it was. Thank you. The grilled squash was a nice touch," Hailey said, giving me a smile that looked sweeter than cotton candy dipped in chocolate. A guy could sink into that smile and never come out.
A quiet settled over us as we each looked out into the early evening. The sun had settled behind Mt. Simpson leaving the sky a shady dark blue and purple, preparing to turn dark.
The smell of grilled meat knocked up against Hailey's faint lavender. The night wind began to bring us the sharp scent of the pines. My stomach was full and life was great. I leaned back and closed my eyes, enjoying the moment.
"So tell me this story about the University of Washington," Hailey said.
My eyes sprang opened as I sat forward, shooting Mark a look that warned him to back off.
"What?" he said to me. "It's not bad, it was a good thing. Why can't I tell her?"
"Yes, why can't he tell me?" Hailey asked looking back and forth between Mark and myself. Her brow narrowed in curiosity.
"Ryan, stop being silly," Amanda said. "Go ahead, Mark."
My insides began to tumble around. I hated being the center of attention, especially in front of Hailey. Mark and Amanda didn't think it was that big a deal. They didn't understand.
"Well, it seems our boy here," Mark said pointing towards me. He paused, making sure he had everyone's attention. I sighed in resignation. Mark loved telling tales. This was going to be the full- blown version.
"Like I was saying," he continued, "for those who don't know, Ryan likes computers. I don't mean he likes to use them. No, not our hero. He must know everything about them. This is a man who can program in four different languages. Can repair a motherboard in his sleep. Can tell you the pros and cons of a Cisco router compared to a Juniper router."
"Come on, hurry up," I said trying to move things along. The sooner it was over, the quicker I could move on with my night.
Hailey glanced my way and gave me an encouraging smile. I think she saw my discomfort.
"Well, anyway," Mark continued, "because Ryan likes computers so much he spends his free time researching, testing. Playing around, he calls it.
So, one night he's buried deep in the Window's operating system and finds a little flaw. A possible security problem. He follows it, plays around with it, and discovers a major flaw. The kind of thing that could open up a server to full exposure. It's like someone left the door unlocked at Fort Knox."
"It's not all that uncommon. That's why they come up with updates every month," I said.
"Not big honking holes like this one," Mark said. "So what does Ryan do? Does he go on the web and tell the world? Hey look at me, look at what I found. No, not our hero. He would have been a sensation. A legend. No, not him.
“Does he sell it to the Russian mob for fifty thousand? Again, no.
“Does he grab that money and buy
a car in which he could arrive at school every day, the envy of every dirt bag in that hell hole? No, not him. Even though it meant his best friend could have tagged along."
"Maybe his best friend should get his own car and give me a ride."
"Is it true that you could have sold it to criminals?"
"In a heartbeat, sweetheart,” Mark said. “I checked it out. No fuss, foreign account. He could have gotten away with it." Mark said shaking his head in disbelief at my failings.
"Anyway," he continued, "our boy doesn't do any of those things. Instead, he quietly sends an Email to Microsoft telling them about their problem. Not only that. He shows them how they can fix it."
"If I went public, people would have exploited it before Microsoft could get a fix out." Mark was dragging this out too long and making it way bigger than it was.
"What does this have to do with the UW."
"I'm getting to that. A couple of weeks later he gets an Email reply from Microsoft thanking him and offering him a job interview. They're interested in having him come work in their Information Assurance Division. Imagine their surprise when they found out he was only seventeen and getting ready to start his senior year in high school."
"Wow," Hailey exclaimed, her eyes growing big in surprise.
"Oh, it gets even better, after Ryan gently turned Microsoft down."
"I didn't turn them down. I agreed to talk to them again in a few years."
"Anyway. A couple of days after that, two men show up on the front porch. Both in Air Force uniforms. Ryan about crapped his pants. He'd been playing around in some places he shouldn't be. Not doing any damage, but looking around. He figured they were there to take him to Leavenworth for a couple of decades."
"I did not. I never snoop in Department of Defense sites. Those guys are too good."
"Anyway, they were there to recruit him. You should have seen them. Stiff backs, hats tucked under their arms. One of the guys had a chest full of ribbons. He'd come back from Afghanistan as some kind of frontline air traffic controller.
Unbreakable Rules (Too Many Rules Book 3) Page 6