Chemistry

Chapter 2

The next day in class, Professor comes to view what little we have done in one day.

I show him my chemical work. He glances over it. The others show blueprints and models.

I pull off my glasses and chew on the arm contemplatively. Then I grab two chemicals and carefully combine them.

The result is a grainy substance, somewhat familiar...

I look at the chemicals and groan.

Sodium and chlorine.

I made sodium chloride.

In other words, table salt.

I carry the beaker to the sink and wash it.

The residue takes a bit of elbow grease to get it out.

Back at my table, I organise the chemicals.

Then, with a sudden spark of self identified brilliance, I remember a chemical formula I made when I was twelve.

I set to work, combining chemicals and distilling.

Then, I pour the final contents of my beaker onto the floor. It spreads out in a foamy mess, quickly solidifying. I drop a weight on it, and it bounces back up.

I catch it and smile.

The rest of the class I spend writing down every bit of the formula and its instructions, and its reaction to the weight dropped on it.

When Professor Calaghan comes around to check my progress, he reads the entry in my science journal. He seems fascinated by the foam.

Then he moves on.

Wasabi drops one of his tools.

It rebounds from the foam and lands on his table, disturbing all of the other tools.

But he only stares at the foamy substance.

I laugh and rattle off the chemical name.

He shakes his head slightly and turns back to his station, organising the disturbed tools.

At the end of the day, I clean up my station. The foam comes up with a quick pull. The chemicals on the table, however, are more difficult.

Almost everyone else is gone when I finish.

I stick my head into Professor Callaghan's office to tell him that I'm leaving.

He grunts slightly and waves me off, while tinkering with something.

I almost run into someone as I turn around.

It's Tadashi.

"Hey. Honey Lemon, right?" he asks.

"Yes, that's me. You're Tadashi, if I remember correctly."

He grins. "You do. I was just about to leave. Do you need a ride home?"

I think. I have trolley fare, but the stop is a decent walk from my apartment.

"Sure, that would be fine," I say.

We walk out into the parking lot. He stops by a motorbike.

I shift feet.

He notices my nervousness.

"Ever been on one?" Tadashi asks.

I shake my head "no."

He puts his helmet on my head and buttons the straps.

"Is it tight enough?"

I wobble my head around to test it. He reaches around the back of my head to adjust something.

"Usually I have another helmet, for my brother Hiro, but I didn't think I'd need it." he says, "let's just hope I'm not ticketed."

I start to remove the helmet, fumbling with the buckle. "I have money for the trolley-" I start.

He laughs, cutting me off. "It's fine!"

He climbs onto his bike, turning his hat around so it won't fly off. I climb on behind him, awkwardly holding onto the back of the motorbike.

"Hold onto my waist, so you won't fall off." he says, grabbing the handle bars.

I release my hold on the back and wrap my arms around his waist, grabbing my own hand.

"Ready?" he asks.

I nod, then realise he can't see me behind him. "Yeah."

He turns on the bike and kicks off.

We begin to hurtle down the street. Right at the edge of the campus, he stops.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"Well, nothing. Except I forgot to ask where I am taking you."

I laugh. "157 Bay Street. Apartment F."

He starts the bike again, and this time, we are off.

I don't need to give him any instructions, he seems to know the way. We ride down a long hill, past lights and signs, the sounds changing every second as we whip by.

I don't want this ride to end.

I want it to go on.

But then, there we are.

157 Bay Street.

I let go, and realize that I am shaking from adrenaline.

I slide off and start to try to take off the helmet. My hands slip, too shaky to get a good grip.

Tadashi laughs. "Come here."

I'm standing close to the steep stairs. I step forward and he takes off the helmet deftly.

He tries to put it on.

"You've got a small head," he comments, taking it off and adjusting it.

"Yeah. See you tomorrow," I say.

"Bye," Tadashi replies.

I jog up the stairs and unlock the door, quickly climbing the stairs to apartment F.