Walking a fine line✔️

14. Sun safe

"Do you have eleven protons?" Griffin asked as I cleared away my titration equipment. 

 I looked over at him. "What?"

He paused for a moment before replying, "You're looking sodium good today."

I rolled my eyes and put the last flask away. "Wow."

"Good work today class," Mrs Miller began. "I saw some fantastic titrations take place and I know it's gonna be close between who wins."

My stomach turned. While my titration had gone without a hitch, I'd noticed that Griffin too had been looking pretty pleased with his results. I had to hope my calculations were accurate.

"Speaking of closeness." Mrs Miller smiled. "I'm pleasantly surprised to say that instead of having three winners of yesterday's test, we actually have four."

"I wonder which people are tied." I glanced at Griffin and he looked equally curious.

"In third place we have Jordan Holmes from Dartington."

"Go Jordan!" I whooped and turned round, giving him a high five. That was five points more points to our school. He grinned and we turned our attention back to Mrs Miller. 

"In second place is Bethany Whitlock from Hillcrest."

My palms grew sweaty. Our school needed the points. 

"And tied in first is Rory Cooper from Dartington and Griffin Carter Beckfall."

My eyes widened and I looked at Griffin. "Well done." I croaked, still processing the fact that we'd come first. 

"You too," he replied, a slightly strange look on his face.

Mrs Miller pushed her glasses further up her nose. "Have a good rest of your afternoon. It's a lovely day and I hear the scavenger hunt is taking place this afternoon."

I grabbed my bag and began heading towards the door, 

"Are you taking part in it?" Griffin asked following behind me. 

I paused. I was taking part in it, but would it be a good idea to tell him? Then again, he'd find out anyway. "Of course. I wouldn't miss a chance to beat your school just like we beat you yesterday in hockey."

Griffin's expression darkened slightly. "They played dirty."

I tucked a loose strand of my blonde hair behind my ear. "Funny, that's what my brother said about you last year."

"Your brother's on the hockey team?" he asked, eyes narrowing.

I ignored him, I didn't want Jack to become a target. I pulled open the building doors and we walked through. "Are you doing the scavenger hunt?"

Griffin looked at something on his phone, distracted. "Hmm?"

"Are you doing the scavenger hunt?" I repeated.

He held the phone up and leaned in closer to me. "Smile."

Without thinking I smiled and he snapped a photo of us. 

"Why did you do that?" I frowned, coming to my senses and stepping quickly away from him.

"Number five, take a photo with a scavenger hunt competitor from another school." He grinned. "Yes princess, I am participating."

~~~

"Noah's on his way," June told me as I approached her and Ruben who were sitting on a bench in the sunshine.