CRUEL SUMMER

“Oh. I’m sorry about that, honestly. At least you still have your mom though, that’s the main thing. That’s insane. I’m so jealous, that must come in so handy all the time. Some of them? So I’m guessing you’re one of the nice ones then?“

“I’ve gotten used to it, despite the fact that he died when I was young. His suicide sort of shook our small town -- tragic. There’s really nothing to be jealous of. Sometimes, having a giant brain usually leads to people thinking that you think you’re better than them -- idiots. I don’t know, I try to be.”

Adrian was honestly taken a bit aback when he mentioned bashing of heads. Taking a second she finally replied. ‘That’s a bit too far…but it always works to still be kind. It helps me most of the time. You’re talking to the valedictorian of her class with the highest grades in her school by far. I’m sure I can take a whack at it, or try to learn what I can. Thank you!’

“They were? Do they leave you alone now that you’ve officially been deemed a genius with your college degree and all? Eidetic memory? What’s that? Are you one of those assholes that only have to look at a page once and then you remember it forever? God, you guys are the worst, making the rest of us look like complete idiots.”

“Yeah, they both left Egypt when they were young. I mean, my mom calls, but no much on my dad’s side. He’s.. not around as much anymore. An eidetic memory is basically where you’re able to remember things after only reading, seeing, or listening to them once. Technically, yes and my apologies. Some of them are real dicks though.”

‘–I’ve learned to stick one finger in the air and tell people fuck you. Usually works.’

‘–What even?’

‘–First I’m sorry about some people in this world. Second…teach me what you know, I can always brush up on my math skills…other than that I’m planning for my wedding.’

“Well college is a time for keggers, being entitled and feeling superior and thinking you know everything to most college kids so it makes sense.”

“It’s so frustrating. Most of them are just entitled little assholes who had their parents donate money to the school in order to get in. I hate those little chicken shits.”

“That sucks so much. Parents shouldn’t do that, I’m sorry. If you were in college though… couldn’t you have just told them to leave you alone and let you make your own decisions? But that really is something to brag about, god. That’s kind of amazing, actually. You must have worked so hard.”

“My parents are full-blood Egyptians. Failure to them is like the financial crisis of 2008 -- it should have never happened. They were always in my life, no matter how much I tried to distance myself. I went to school in Illinois and they lived in Colorado, but it never changed. I never really know what it’s like to actually have to work towards anything -- it’s the eidetic memory.”

“I feel you. They should learn to sit down and stay in their lane.”

“Sometimes I wonder how many of them actually even know what we’re talking about in class. I teach at Stanford and some of them are just pure dip shits.”

“Okay…”

“It’s amazing really. Twenty-five and I have my Master’s. I hate all of them.”

“Wow. High school parties were pretty crap most of the time, to be honest. But they were kind of like a right of passage, I guess. Baseball is so boring! I think I’d rather paint my nails and watch them dry instead of watching it. Physics professor? Holy shit, you must be smart. Not going to parties paid off for you.”

“I always felt like I was missing out on something, but my parents were usually the ones telling me that I couldn’t go. They were always on my case. My brother used to play baseball, but I never went to any of the games -- I didn’t want to be bored for two hours. Oh yeah, um.. I graduated as valedictorian from my high school and Northwestern. It’s really nothing to brag about.”

“Seriously? What, so you studied the whole time and that’s it? Wasn’t that… boring? I’m not very good at sports either. I’m good at my job though, I’d say. What do you do? 

“I mean, that was all my parents wanted me to focus on. I didn’t even go to parties in high school, but sports sort of suck anyways. Baseball is way too boring to be America’s past time. Uh, I’m a Quantum Physics professor at Stanford.”

ope. I kind of wish I went to college for the parties though. But I, uh, I don’t think I’m really the type? I mean, I’m not a very academic person I guess. I don’t think I’d fit in with these… intellects.”

“I never went to a college party, as insane as that may sound. They were just never really my thing, but I heard that they were pretty good. Everyone is always good at something, sports, academics... it’s whatever you have the most interest in. Some of them aren’t that smart. They’re just here because their parents pay their way through everything.”

“I- uh… Um. I’m sorry, I’m the worst person to complain to about students and physics. I barely graduated high school and I’ve never even stepped foot on a college campus.”

“You’ve never stepped foot on a college campus.. like ever? I mean, I’m not forcing you to, but it’s pretty nice to be surrounded by other intellects, but not those who take their intellect to become passive aggressive assholes.”