Newbie

23: Hey Skylar

" Alright, pair up and go back to the tables" Mr. Reynolds instructed.

I looked around the room and saw people walking over to their friends. Thomas was the only person I had a conversation with, but we didn't exactly get along. Besides, he had already paired up with another guy from the football team. I usually paired up with this girl named Millie, but that depended on whether she showed up or not and today was a not.

I made my way to the back, hoping someone would sit next to me. I looked around the room, fidgeting with my fingers, seeing everyone in perfect pairs of two. I glanced at Mr. Reynolds, hoping he would give me the all-clear to work by myself; but he was lost in conversation with none other than Luca.

I debated walking over and joining a random group of girls. I had seen them in the halls a couple times and I couldn't remember them ever snickering at me, so they seemed like my best bet.

I took a deep breath, trying to gather enough confidence as talking to new people at this school still intimidated me. When I scooted the wooden stool out from the counter to stand up, it let out a loud screech, turning all attention towards me. I mentally cursed my self and looked up to see that Mr. Reynolds had finally figured out my predicament and that Luca was wearing a slight smirk.

" Mr. Reid," Mr. Reynolds said, "why don't you help out Ms. Rowan, we have an odd number today."

Luca slowly got up from his seat that he had been lounging in, and shoved his phone in his pocket. His smirk only grew on his face has he noticed most of the girls in the glass sneaking lustful glances but I, on the other hand, still had a red face from the embarrassing moment just a few seconds ago. He turned his back and said something to Mr. Reynolds that made him laugh, but I couldn't make out what was said. Once he got to my table, he pulled out a stool of his own-with no squeak- and plopped down.

"So, what are we doing?" he asked, clearly bored.

I stared at him for a few seconds trying to figure him out. We literally woke up in the same bed together, I get it was just sleeping, but how can he act so casual about it. Trying my best to seem indifferent towards him and our situation, I picked up our datasheet and quickly explained the experiment. I didn't go into much detail because I assumed he already knew what to do since he took the class last year.

" Easy" he said after glancing at the paper himself.

" Great" I mumbled, turning away from him to set up the necessary supplies "Then we shouldn't have any problems"

After being given the instructions, we got to work. Luca and I worked surprisingly well together. We both had a good understanding of the material, so we flew through the lab. Even though I was perfectly capable of doing the lab myself, it was nice to work with a partner that I didn't have to explain everything to. With Millie, or anyone else in the class,  it would have taken twice as long.

I turned to Luca and watched him boringly scroll through his phone. I shifted in my seat uncomfortably, trying to think of a conversation that didn't involve my house.  

" So, what did your parents think when you came home the next morning?" I asked "My parents would have killed me". I cringed at myself, doing exactly the opposite of what I intended, and doing it in the most obvious way. However, I did want the answer and I refused to take back the question.

Luca and I hadn't spoken since he left my house Saturday and I was itching to know how his parents responded. They had to have thought it was weird that he spent the night with the girl who he put in a hospital.

"They didn't even know I wasn't there. Dad was working at the office and mom was at the hospital." he shrugged, not looking up from his phone.

"Oh my gosh! Is she ok?" I asked.