If We Were Heroes | ONC2022

chapter seven

chapter seven: so call me maybe?

Sebastian was measuring out the chemicals for about the eighth time and I was getting bored. He was squinting, staring as close as he could to the beaker, perfect to the nearest micrometer.

To be honest, I just let him be. It wasn't like I could do any better. In fact, I'd probably somehow blow the place up. Like that time I had tried to build an electric motor and had short-circuited it. I ended up with an electrifying fail on my report card.

'Do you want to pour it in?' he asked, being surprisingly nice instead of giving me the stink eye. Our conversation last night seemed to have broken down some invisible walls of tension between us.

I poured it in as carefully as I could, trying to impress Sebastian as best as I could, while he flagged down the teacher to light the Bunsen burner.

Mr. Fieldings, the chemistry teacher, who I'd learnt consistently acted like he couldn't wait to leave, sighing every three seconds. But then again, he looked like he had taught Chemistry for around 700 years so I couldn't exactly blame him.

'This is the most boring thing ever,' I said, watching the blue solution bubble, as Sebastian frowned and took notes. I couldn't understand what he was taking notes on, as literally nothing was happening.

'We're ready,' Sebastian called, just as Mr Fieldings snapped his fingers. With a mild pop, the solution began to clump together and make several small, blue crystals.

I blinked. 'What just happened?'

'Mr Fieldings can speed up reactions,' Sebastian explained. 'Though in this case he was simply moleculising the—'

'That's the lamest power ever,' I said, zoning out as soon as Sebastian began using numbers. Was everybody in this school some kind of superhuman?

'Anyway,' Sebastian continued. 'You wanted to call your parents, right?'

'Yeah,' I said, waking up slightly. There was nothing like a good science lesson to guarantee sending me right to sleep. Even while standing up and supposedly doing an experiment.

'Come on, then.'

Sebastian led me straight out of Chemistry, nobody stopping us. I briefly wondered if this was normal, or if it was just Sebastian. I had noticed people had a sort of nervous respect for my werewolf roommate.

We waited outside the office, slowly gazing over the brightly coloured posters hastily glued onto the beige wall. I wondered briefly if Madame Lefevre did it.

Sighing, I began to tug on my hair, which was creeping into my eyes. The person inside seemed to be taking forever.

'What on Earth are you doing, Olive?' Sebastian asked, a critical teacher-like tone coming into his voice. I stopped, suddenly self conscious.

'It's too long,' I said, holding up the strand of hair I had been tugging at.

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. 'You should grow it out.'

'Grow it out?' I repeated. 'Like long?'

'No, like pink. Yes, like long, dummy.'

I shrugged. 'I'm not sure my mom would let me.'

Sebastian gave me a disappointed sigh. 'Well your mother isn't here now, is she? You can do what you like.'

'Do you think it'll look okay?'

Sebastian nodded, a short sharp motion, as he pulled out a book and starting reading it.

We waited until a short woman came out, followed by a small blonde child, maybe six or seven years old. What they did to end up here so young, I didn't want to know. The woman showed her out telling me I could call my parents now.