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8 : Nerds

The bell rang, which meant recess was over.

"Zayn, will you be alright ?" I asked.

"I...I'll try...have to." He said in a low voice.

"Just forget about it. You need to stop thinking about all that. Everything will automatically stop. "I said.

"How do you KNOW that?" He asked.

"Come on guys. We've got two hours of chemistry practicals next." Louis said.

We rushed back to our classes, grabbed our manuals.

"Guys.Lab coat. Chemistry !" Liam said.

"I didn't notice the timetable...uhh !" Harry said.

"Chillax guys, this is our first day. They won't let us do anything dangerous." Louis said.

We took about ten minutes to find the lab. Apparently, we were not late. A lot of others were also late trying to find the lab.

The lab was well lit. Neat and tidy. There were several shelves with acids and salts. A white board and markers towards the center of the lab. We took our places towards the extreme corner of the lab. Zayn was still a bit upset.

"Good afternoon class. I am professor Gibbs, and I will be teaching you chemistry. I will also handle your practical classes. Since this is your first class, you may use the lab coats that are hung near the door of the lab." He paused, waited for everyone to put them on, and continued.

"We won't be doing much today. I just want to know how much you all know about the subject."

"What did he mean by that?" Louis whispered to me." If we aren't doing much today, why are we wearing the coats?"

"How am I supposed to know?" I replied.

"You all know the basics, right? How to wash apparatuses, use them, heat them, dilute acids-..." His speech didn't seem to end. I didn't pay attention for the next fifteen minutes.

"Now, can someone give me examples for corrosive acids?" Professor Gibbs asked. Elsa's hand went straight up, before anyone else.

"Hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide-..."

"Excellent." Professor exclaimed.

"Sodium hydroxide is a base... NERD! Not an acid." Louis whispered to Elsa.

"As long as he didn't notice it, it's okay." She said.

"Okay, I need you guys to do a small IDENTIFY THE GIVEN SALT experiment." Professor said.

"Uhh...damn.I hate this." Liam said.

"Shhh. It'll be easy. First class." I said.

"Okay, you'll have to form groups of four or three. One student from each group come to collect your salts from me, and you can start as soon as you get them." He paused again. "Are you sure no one needs the procedure?"

"No." Everyone said together.

"Okay then. Come and collect your salts from me." He said, and started giving them in small beakers. Me, Niall and Harry one group, and the other four another group.

Harry went to get the salt from our group.

"Oh, just a reminder. The concentrated acids are in the shelves near the white board, and the normal ones are on the other shelves." Professor announced.

Harry bought the salt back.

"Ooh. I know this." I said happily.

"What?" Niall asked.