Beautiful Dichotomy

chapter 3

Time seemed to be flying by during their senior year. All the student's discussing who's going to what college or who's not going to college is just flying around. Stress seems to be high for most except for Samuel, he just seemed so calm about everything and unphased by it.

Rae hid it well but was excited to be the first person to go to school in her family. Anxious to see what grants and scholarships she may have won and which colleges accepted her.

In AP psychology, they conveniently were paired to work together on a project regarding Perception, more specifically the 5 senses. Considering in their small High School their AP Psych class only had 11 students in it. There were 4 pairs and 1 group of 3, because of this they got to pick out of a jar for which sense they must focus on.

After two pairs went and got Sight and Taste, Samuel secretly hoped with an anxious leg tap that they did not get Touch. "Okay Samuel or Rae, one of you come up to pick next," Mrs. Thompson said enthusiastically.

Rae already got up and started reaching in the jar, Samuel having no choice but to sweat. Watching intently as she smiled down at the paper and said "Touch!" waving it lightly. Mrs. Thompson clapping excitedly as Rae sat back down to show Samuel who was now seated in the seat directly behind her.

"I kinda wanted this one," her smile way too perfect as he barely smirked at her, "what about you?"

"Oh, yeah I mean- I didn't really care." He said in a non dismissive way while trying to hide the fact that he is terrified. The most emotion he's shown since Rae has known him.

"Well I think we got the easiest one to find some experiments on. Like I know there's one where you can use a fake hand to trick your mind into thinking it's your actual hand, or where you draw something on someone's back and they try to figure out what it is!" instead of turning on her own desk to write notes, she fully spun to face him and used the top of his desk to jot the two experiments she had in mind down.

Samuel couldn't stop the small laugh that escaped as he watched her write and so neatly. Looking up from the paper Rae realized how close their faces were and the small smile he wore. Samuel finally looking into her eyes when he felt her staring and the smile was gone only for her to barely notice his slight blushing.

They agreed together that after school today, they can go to her house. Samuel way too embarrassed of his parents to have her over, knowing he'd never hear the end of it. Also, knowing his parents can read him like a book.

The project was due by the end of that week, so they wanted to get a head start on things.

Kim is driving Samuel over, "you phone is charged?"

"Yes mom."

"You have everything you need right? Make sure it's charged."

"I'm 17," he reminded her, "and we're working on a project for psych."

She waved him off, still anxious as she never had the pleasure of dropping him off at any other kid his age's house. They pull up and both hop out simultaneously. Samuel takes in the small home and smirks, the garden out front landscaped beautifully, of course she'd have a pretty garden out front too.

Jamal opens the door, his giant frame and build filling the space as he greeted them warmly. His dark skin on display and straight white teeth shining. He welcomes them both inside, "please ignore the dogs and the cat. Damn kids always want some animal."

Kim lightly laughs, "we don't have any pets," she lets him know while shaking Gwen's hand, "lucky you! I'm Rae's mom and I wrote down both of our contact information for you here." Samuel noticed how relieved his mother got at them understanding how serious this was.

His gaze drifted to soak in his surroundings, begging himself not to lose it over being in her house. Where she lives and sleeps and eats. Making awkward eye contact with the different sized animals lined up staring at him. A large dog, a medium dog and a cat... their eyes piercing.

They were well trained, he gulped and looked up to see Rae excitedly waving from the entranceway.

"Hi! Nice to meet you, I'm Rae!" She beamed at Samuel's mother, even she squinted from the blinding light she radiated before shaking her hand and meeting her, "nice to meet you, I'm Kim, Sam's mom."

While the parents discussed drop off or pick up plans, Rae gently grabbed his hand and pulled him away. Yelling that they're getting started. She showed him around the house avoiding any closed doors where he assumed her other older siblings were at. She finally brings him into her room which at first, all you can see is pink, something he assumed to see.

Seeing all different types of posters on the wall and then noticing the gray half of the room and the two obvious twin size mattresses. Her one sister fully slouched in a sitting position in the middle of her bed. Layla, the infamous sister with the anger issues... Samuel gulped loudly.

"Hey Lay, we're working on a project, can you head out for a bit?" Rae asked politely and only got a dramatic sigh in response as her sister stomped out of their room, "she's not usually like that," she awkwardly laughed.

"It's okay," Samuel barely got out, way too nervous in this situation. Rae picking up on it immediately, "whatever you may have heard about her isn't true." Her words not helping him at all as he just nodded. "I'm sorry about her, did you want to sit?" She offered her bed trying to change the subject.

"Uh where?" He looked around the room for a desk or chair.

"My bed?" She nearly laughed before he just stared at it. "Are you okay Sam?" The nickname making his eyes land on her. He nodded to seem normal even though he was internally freaking out. Only his mom or dad called him Sam... and she's never either. Was she that comfortable with him? Could she feel what he always felt?

Calming himself down, he slowly sat on the farthest edge of her bed, while she sat down beside him comfortably talking through the first experiment. Explaining each step but his ear's were ringing.

He couldn't hear anything.

"Hold on, let me go find some random objects." She hurriedly ran out the room to find some, Samuel took the opportunity to look around. Trying to mentally give himself a pep talk to get it together.

Looking around helped as he laughed to himself about the random posters on the wall: some of olympic swimmers, a twilight poster, some bands or r&b artists, and some pictures of her with her friends that he's seen at school as well as her with her family. He genuinely smiled at how happy she seemed in all the photos. His eyes continued to wander around her room to learn more about her until he saw her intimidating dad staring into the room from the doorway. His arms propped up on either side as he examined the teenage boy in his daughter's room.

Shooting upright in the bed, he almost bent over to bow and beg for forgiveness which he hasn't done since he was a child with his maternal grandparents.

Thankfully Rae squeezed past him, "dad cut it out! I told you this is for our AP class!"

"Just checking on our guest," he said after clearing his throat loudly, "open door policy Rae."

"Why would I shut the door?" She asked confused before he smiled at her. Her innocence warming his heart as he dramatically placed a hand over his chest.

"My sweet girl, don't ever change."

Samuel finally breathed as Jamal finally walked off, Rae looking at him now confused. "Sorry about my family, I don't know why they're all being so weird. My mom kept smiling when I went to grab some stuff."

"I get it." He lied.

Before he looked over at her she lightly shoved his face away, "wait don't look! You have to guess these, I forgot to add that part." She chuckled making him almost laugh back.

She asked politely if it was okay to blindfold him with one of her bandanas and he nodded. She tied it gently behind his head, careful to not tangle his straightened hair.

"Okay, so I'm gonna put this object on you and you have to try to guess what it is. Sound good?"

"Wait, put it where? On- on me?"