Heart-Bound ✅

Chapter Nine

One month later...

The formula for the reaction was perfect as they could make it. Tomie held her breath to keep her hands steady around the tongs. Clutched in the tongs was a test tube filled with the base for their reaction. Inside the lab hood was their conical flask filled with their compound. If their calculations were correct, then the mixture would hiss and fizzle immediately upon contact. If it wasn't, they would fail the project.

We did it right. I know we did.

Georg was facing Dr. Strobes and the rest of the lab explaining the theoretical reaction, how they came to the formula, and what the expected reaction was to be. Then he looked at Tomie and smiled. "Tomie?"

Tomie nodded, and quickly emptied the test tube into the flask. The moment the two liquids came in contact, they hissed and fizzled.

"And there you have it!" Georg announced, and the class erupted into applause. Tomie couldn't help but laugh in delight as relief flooded her body.

"Excellent work, Michery and Lange," Dr. Strobes said, his usual stoicism replaced with a small smile. "Hand in your worksheets and clean up your tools. We'll start the next presentation in five minutes."

The pair who was next audibly groaned, but Tomie didn't notice.  Georg held up a hand for a hi-five. "Good job, partner."

Tomie slapped his hi-five and clasped his hand. "Good job."

*

"I hope that projected gets us an A for this class," Tomie sighed, shaking her head. They were walking side by side towards the parking lot. The weather was good for October and neither of them had a class upcoming. Georg didn't seem to be in a hurry to be on his way, which pleased Tomie immensely

"Our demonstration was the only one who got an "excellent work" compliment from the professor so there's that," Georg said. "We should celebrate, Tomie."

"Really?" Tomie immediately perked up upon hearing this. "Like, get coffee somewhere?"

"Not exactly," Georg said. He paused, and Tomie stopped as well to face him. "We went and got coffee during the entire time we worked on this project. Why not do a change of scenery?"

Tomie felt her heart skip a beat. She tried to keep a nonchalant demeanor though and tilted her head to the side and smiled. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well..." Georg stepped a little closer. He was tall, and she had to raise her chin to meet his gaze. "I was thinking of a something a little more formal. Like dinner, perhaps?" He grinned toothily. "It would inflate my ego to have a lovely woman like you on a date."

His tall frame was inviting to her. And even with the jacket and long-sleeved shirt he always wore she could tell that he had a muscular frame. It was easy to feel an attraction to his looks, but he was also highly intelligent and had a kind personality. In the month that they had worked on their project Tomie couldn't help but be...drawn to Georg. And she was thrilled that he wanted to continue to spend time with her.

"I have tonight off," Georg said, leaning in slightly. "Are you available this evening for dinner?"

"Absolutely," Tomie blurted out. "It's a date!"