Chemistry (Sam x Colby)

Sam - Side Walk

The wind blew past my ears, and it sounded like I was running through a tornado. Colby was trying to say something to me, but I couldn't hear it because of the air current. My arm began to hurt, and I could see a red mark growing from below where Colby's hand was gripping me, but as soon as we left the doors of the school, he let go. "Did you say something to me?" We stood outside of the building on the side walk, cars speeding by, as I rubbed my fore-arm to try to ease the pain. Colby was about say something, but then looked down at my arm and his eyes widened.

"Oh shit, did I do that? I'm so sorry! I underestimated my strength sometimes, I didn't mean to!" He moved his hands closer to my arm, and ended up holding it gently. The hand that I was rubbing my arm with, fell to my side. It felt like all accidental pain inflicted disappeared. I looked up at him for the millionth time, once again sharing that glance. "I'm... I'm fine, don't worry about it," I looked at, and shuffled his hands gently off of the healing mark, "so, are we going to your house?"
"Yup!"

We started strolling along the side walk, dodging bird crap, and talking. "So, Colby, I looked through some of your old Instagram photos, and when I say some of  them, I mean all of them." He stopped, pausing our gradually speeding, almost-jog. "So, does that mean you saw the last one? Or is it the first one? Doesn't matter, did you see it?"

"Yeah," he kicked a rock, not out of frustration, almost just as a means to stall the conversation, "y-your parents look really sweet, though. I see where you get your... looks from." He laughed through his nose, and started walking again, finishing that segment of conversation.

*

"Are you... avoiding the cracks in the concrete?" Colby's words broke the silence, as he noticed my peculiar walking patterns. I hadn't really noticed it, but I had been jumping over even the tiniest of gaps. I stared at my feet and watched them for a moment; it was like they had a mind of their own as they skipped and hopped, only walking 'normally' when on the unbroken concrete. "Oh, I guess I am, whoopsie-daisys!" I looked forward and controlled my legs a bit better, forcing them to walk like a normal human being. "I'm sorry, what did you just say?"

"What? 'I guess I am'?"

"No, you said 'whoopsie daisys'."

"Oh, please don't tell me this is going to end up in a conversation surrounding Notting Hill."

"Well, we're already halfway there, and it's not the worst movie to be stuck talking about."

"Wait, you've seen it? I would never, ever had of guessed that."

"Why? Do I not strike you as the type of person who watches British Rom-Coms about hot celebrities?" He said sarcastically, waving his arms either side of him to emphasise the grungy style he had.

I laughed, "Not quite. But, when you said hot celebrities, you meant Hugh Grant, right?"

"Of course."

I couldn't tell whether he was being sarcastic or not.

(Sincerest apologies for the lack of consistency with the posting of chapters. I can count on one hand the amount left 🫡)