Drowning In The Crowd~ A short Drander Fanfic~

Chapter 4

Drowning In The Crowd
Part 4

~Drander~

...

_Why did he choose me?_

Zander's mind was racing of possibilities flooding his head. _He could have chosen Liam... I don't get it._

_Wait... could it be?_

Zander turns his head to look at Drew, who was trying to put on his goggles without ruining his hair. _No..there's no way.. he hates me._

"You okay there?"

It took Zander a moment to realise he was staring. He embarrassed himself and it hadn't even been 10 minutes into working with his enemy. Or, well maybe former enemy. Zander still didn't know what that moment they had in the bathroom together meant. It wouldn't have meant anything, right? They would just go back to normal. _But then why did Drew choose Zander to be lab partners?_

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Alright."

The two boys turn back to their science teacher to hear what they had to do next, but our periwinkle couldn't stop sneaking quick glances at the boy next to him.

...
Drew POV:

"So once you're done putting the magnesium in the calcium sulphate, step back a bit. But remember, remember to only put in a small amount. And the francium is only there for observing. Do not do anything with the francium, for it could cause an explosion."

I'm listening to the teacher, but I'm not really focusing. I still can't get over the fact that Zander is my lab partner.

He keeps looking at me, almost as if he's expecting me to do something. I don't mind it, in fact. Occasionally, I would flick my eyes towards him and back to the front.

Finally, the teacher lets us begin. That's right when Zander asks me a question.

"So, why did you pick me to be your partner?"

Unable to search for the correct words to answer, I just drum my fingers on the table, so he would get the impression that I was probably thinking of a response. I find myself lengthening the silence between us, so I begin to improvise.

"That's an answer for me to know, and you to find out."

Why, oh why, out of all things would I say that? Now he would think I have a crush on him. Not that that's so bad...Wait, no, it is, I can't have a crush on Zander! People would think I ditched Zoey for him. And I'm also straight. Maybe.

I look up at Zander and I see him fiddling with his front hair. Then, Elliot in front of him grabs his attention and they start talking. Why is he talking to Zander? Isn't he partners with Milly already?

...I shouldn't be thinking like this. That's when I feel a finger poke my shoulder. I spin around and Liam's there with Daisy as a partner.

"What the heck, dude?" He begins to speak, "Why did you tear apart my prank like that? We would have totally gotten him good!"

The sternness in Liam's voice is one I've never heard before. So I decide to withhold the truth, how I feel about everything.

"Listen, Liam, we should just lay off of Zander for now, okay?"

I regret the words as soon as they leave my mouth when I hear Liam scoff.

"For now? What's that supposed to mean?" He tugs on his short sleeves as his talks.

"Oh...I get it.. you have a little crush on him, don't you?"

What did he just say?

"What was that, Liam?"

He chuckled and acted as if I should know what he means.
"You heard me."

I've never flipped out on Liam before. But now I was about to. I faced him fully with my body, and got ready to be violent just because of him teasing me, when I realised everyone was looking at me again.

I've already felt enough embarrassment today, so why is more being forced on me? I held myself back and tried not to let Liam get to me, when I felt a light touch on my shoulder, not nearly as aggressive as the poke I felt from Liam earlier.

I turn to my left and Zander's looking straight at me. He shakes his head and says, "Let it slide."

I suppose he didn't want another fight starting with him being the centre. Or maybe he sees that I'm going through emotional pain that I didn't want to be triggered. But I doubt it. Zander doesn't care about me. He hates me. Just like everyone else. Jake's already moved on and hardly has time to talk to me anymore. Liam's being stupid, Henry's developed his own crush (and it's not Lia), and I've grown apart from Zoey too. No one likes me anymore. But why was Zander being nice to me all of a sudden? No, don't get ahead of yourself, he's just being polite.

I sit back down and use the tong-like things to pick up the magnesium and drop it into the liquid, hoping to get this class over with. But I must have picked up the wrong thing because it made a small explosion.

...

No one's POV:

Zander instinctively pulls Drew towards him, as he was quite close to the small explosion he had created. The science teacher hadn't seen the person to make the mistake, but she does hear the noise. Drew staggers backwards and wipes his goggles.

"What do you two think you're doing!? I said specifically that the francium was for observing only!" She yells at them.

There was mess everywhere. Zander hated mess. People would call him a neat freak, but he hated mess anyway. He speed-walked to a nearby towel and began to clean from the floor.

"Zander! Get up from there! You two will be cleaning this after school during your own time so no need to start now!"

The periwinkle stands up, but begins to speak,
"It was my fault. I put the francium in the copper sulphate. You don't have to make Drew stay."

In reality, this was because of Zander's need to clean, but Drew didn't have to know that.

...

Drew POV:

He's covering for me?

Could he..like me?

I consider the possibility to a great extent as I leave the classroom at the end of the lesson. That would explain most of his actions.

But no, I can't assume.

He has to stay after school to clean up a mess now, and it's my fault. I feel like I'm screwing everything up for everyone. My own reputation dived last Saturday, and now I'm dragging Zander down with me.
I never realised how much of a terrible person I am.

. . .

I should help him, right? Then I won't feel like such a loser. Then the crowd surrounding me won't feel as tight as it is now.