Myocardium

Part 21

Despite my nightly excursion with Rafael, I wake up feeling less tired than estimated. The bit of sleepiness I do feel is certainly noticeable, but the amazing conversation we've had do more than enough to make up for it. Rafael is a wise young man, he's already given me better advice than most people in my life. Plus, waking up to a message from him reading "Hey, it was really nice talking to you", makes me feel even more energetic to begin with. 

After stretching out my limbs and rubbing my eyes, I type "Glad to know you feel the same :)" and make my way to wake up my siblings one by one. This single message from him actually gives me the motivation to put a bit more love and effort into our breakfast today. It's those simple acts of seeing that someone gives a shit about me that make my days a bit easier.

At school, I know how to hide myself behind the fabric of my grey hoodie. I hate Wednesdays, we have lab studies that day every week, that mostly means group assignments. Luckily it's the last lecture of the day, but still, I hate having to do anything that could make people pay attention to me. And, unfortunately, group work always comes with me having to hold the attention of at least one other person.

The lesson before lab, Rafael keeps us company. His subject is interesting for all of us, he's talking about alcohol, drugs and addiction, how fitting. However, it's important to go through stuff like this with people our age, I know that. In fascination, I gaze at him as he talks about the AA and when you should get help and the whole ordeal. Wow, he's so smart. 

Not that I've ever had any doubt in that, but it's impressive every time he brings up facts and advice. It's almost pitiful when he has to leave and we have to get ready to switch rooms. It's such a tedious process every time, since our lab class is the only course we take in the almost abandoned part of the building, in the far-end corner of the third floor. I'm saying that this part of the college seems abandoned because rarely any courses take place there. The only relevant rooms on that floor are the exam rooms and one or two labs that are used more frequently, but apart from that, it's almost certain we won't run into another class in that section of the hallway.

Almost in a coherent group, our class proceeds to the biology laboratory, where we are already welcomed by our kind of cool bio-lab teacher. I like Mrs. Audrey's working attitude. She holds her lectures for those who make the efforts of paying attention, the others need to figure out how to pass her course on their own. If they don't care, she doesn't either. For me, that's exactly what makes her classes so engaging, I always make sure to be on top of my studies and research.

All of us receive a white lab coat as per usual, today's topic is cellular respiration. Again. How boring. We've been talking about this topic for two lessons already, and it is starting to become annoying. I've always been more interested in working on things that are bigger than microscopical. Even though I have to admit that dissecting frogs is not going to be included in my top-ten pastime activities, it sure is more interesting than theorizing about cells...eating and breathing.

Well, the silver lining I have is that the lesson might pass a bit faster because we're doing an experiment. We are required to work in pairs and I do get paired up with one of the girls I prefer not to get involved with, but at least we're physically doing something. Since she doesn't bother to help me all that much and prefers to horse around with the two guys partnering up on the working station next to ours, I can at least get away with minding my own business.

So, after a more or less uneventful biolab class, I make my way to one of the water fountains on the hallway to have some water. My bottle is empty and I won't bother to refill it since I'll be going home now anyway. As I strut along the now empty hallway not far from our lab, I run into Ben and two of his friends, who must be waiting for the right moment to ambush me. It doesn't sit quite right with me, how they are lurking on both sides of the hallway, looking around as if they're checking the perimeter for potential witnesses.