Everlance Academy

Chapter 12

I try to open the door to the chemistry lab as silently as possible, but when I close it, the whole class is looking at me.
Shit.

"I'm really sorry," I say to Ms. Evans. "My coach saw me in the hallway and wanted to talk to me about some stuff regarding the sports festival. It won't happen again!" I hurry to my seat, plumping down next to Nikolai, who grins at me shamelessly.

"No worries, June. Happens to the best of us.", Ms. Evans gives me a warm smile and then turns to the board, continuing her lesson.

I love Ms. Evans, and she loves me. Chemistry is my favorite subject ever, and she caught up on that soon. She is well liked by everyone, actually.

The people in this school listen to one person and one person only: Amy, the secretary. If she likes you, you're fine. And she has approved of Ms. Evans by inviting her to sit at her table in the dining hall, so everybody treats her with respect.

Mr. Smith sits alone after what happened, by the way. I don't know if he was banned from the teacher's table or if he's just on his emo trip, but he's on his own now. I even heard rumors that Mrs. Everlance wants to fire him.

"That happened two times too often already. Be careful, or you'll ruin your picture-perfect girl reputation," Nikolai whispers somewhat close to my ear.

"Oh? So I have a reputation?", I reply, propping my chin on my hand, "do you have one too?"

"To quote one of the greatest minds alive, reputation precedes me. I'm the mysterious bad boy with a motorcycle, duh."

"You tell yourself that. And you don't own a motorcycle."

"As far as you know", he grins mischievously, and I can't help but smile back. Friends with a weird starting point is going great.

"Alright guys!", Ms. Evans claps her hands together and says, "Let's talk about that big, scary assignment of yours that I already told you about. I want to show you that with all the stuff you learn here, you can actually build cool things. But to make it interesting, it's a competition."

I lean forward, immediately interested, and Nikolai chuckles to himself.
"What are you laughing at?", I whisper-shout.

"Nothing. You're just so overly competitive. It's cute."

I grimace at him and then turn my attention to Ms. Evans once again, who says, "Your task will be to create invisible ink. Most of the ingredients you need we have here, but whatever you can't find, you'll have to get from the lab in town. I talked to the headmaster, and she allows you to leave the school property to get whatever you need. Do your research on how to create it, in a week, I expect two working pens from each team. Whoever's pens work best wins."

"Just so you know", I lean over to Nikolai and whisper, "we are going to make the greatest pens of your life. I'm going to win this shit."

"I have no doubt that you will," he replies, smiling to himself. "Does that mean we're going shopping together?"

***

"Oh, look at this. Isn't it just adorable?", Noah picks up a yellow neon pair of glasses that are obviously very much not his style and holds them in front of his face. "I should get them."

"It was a mistake to take him," Nikolai mutters in my ear.

"They are 60 euros? What, do they think I poop money?", I hear Noah's offended voice from behind me and can't stifle a smile. Sure, he's a bit... over the top sometimes, but I love that about him.

And if I'm completely honest, I'm using him as a shield. I have not been alone in a room with Nikolai since that pool meeting four days ago. I don't know why I'm avoiding it.