The Chemistry of Us

Chapter 1: The Beginning of Everything

Britney Winters was always the loud one, the bold one, the one who could fill a room with laughter just by stepping into it. But that wasn't why Evelyn Parker loved her. It wasn't why, at 17, Evelyn couldn't imagine her life without her best friend. It was because Britney saw her. Not just the quiet, studious girl everyone else saw, but the real Evelyn. The one who secretly loved sunflowers more than roses, who played the piano at night when she couldn't sleep, and who—although she'd never admit it—was scared of change.

On that particular Wednesday, Britney and Evelyn were sitting on the cracked stone steps of Creekside High, the only high school in their small North Carolina town. The smell of freshly cut grass from the football field nearby filled the humid afternoon air, and the occasional buzz of cicadas added to the background noise of their conversation.

"I'm telling you, Ev, senior year is going to be our year," Britney said, popping a bright pink bubblegum bubble as she leaned back on her elbows, her long legs stretched out in front of her. Her blonde hair shimmered in the afternoon sun, giving her an almost otherworldly glow.

Evelyn smiled softly, fiddling with the straps of her old leather backpack. "You say that every year."

"I mean it this time! We're going to do all the things we've always talked about—go to parties, get dates to prom, ace all our classes—well, you'll ace them. I'll...try not to fail," Britney laughed.

"You're not going to fail," Evelyn said, bumping her shoulder playfully. "And prom? Really? Do people still care about that?"

Britney rolled her eyes dramatically. "Of course people care! It's, like, the biggest event of high school life. Come on, Ev, live a little. You and I are going to rock this year."

But Evelyn wasn't so sure. She was more comfortable in the library than at parties, more interested in books than boys. Not that she was shy, but she just didn't fit into the typical high school mold, and that was fine by her. Well, mostly fine.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of someone she hadn't expected to see—Derek Jacobs. He was tall, with tousled brown hair that always looked like he'd just rolled out of bed. He played on the football team, though he wasn't the typical jock. He had an easy, laid-back smile and the kind of charisma that made people gravitate towards him, whether they wanted to or not.

"Hey, Britney. Hey, Evelyn," he greeted, walking up to them with his hands in his pockets.

"Derek," Britney said with a raised brow, "to what do we owe the honor?"

He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was actually wondering if Evelyn could help me out with something."

Britney immediately straightened, her curiosity piqued. "Oh? What's this about?"

Evelyn blinked, surprised that he was even talking to her. "What kind of help?" she asked cautiously.

Derek shuffled his feet, looking uncharacteristically nervous. "So, uh, I'm kind of failing chemistry, and I heard you're really good at it. Do you think...maybe you could tutor me? I'll totally pay you, of course."

Britney's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Evelyn, the tutor to the football stars? Now this I have to see."

Evelyn felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her. Tutoring wasn't a big deal, but the fact that Derek Jacobs, of all people, was asking her was something else entirely. She'd never really spoken to him much before, though she'd seen him around. He was popular—friendly, but not someone who usually ran in her circles.

"I—I guess I could help," she said hesitantly. "I mean, you don't have to pay me or anything."

Derek's face lit up. "Really? That'd be awesome. Thank you so much."

"No problem," Evelyn replied, trying to sound nonchalant, though the butterflies in her stomach were anything but calm.

Britney shot her a knowing look but said nothing, her grin mischievous. "Well, if you need any help with football stats, I'm your girl," she added playfully, causing Derek to laugh.

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," he said before heading off to join his teammates.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Britney whirled on Evelyn. "Okay, spill. What was that?"

"What was what?" Evelyn asked, though she already knew where this was going.

"Derek Jacobs, asking you for tutoring? Come on, Ev, that's basically code for 'I want to spend time with you.'"

Evelyn shook her head, rolling her eyes. "Don't be ridiculous. He's just failing chemistry."

"Uh-huh. Sure," Britney said, her grin widening. "Whatever helps you sleep at night."

Evelyn tried to laugh it off, but there was no denying the small, strange feeling growing inside her. She'd never really thought of Derek in that way, but the way he had smiled at her today—it had been...different.

Britney, of course, couldn't let it go. For the rest of the afternoon, she kept dropping hints, teasing Evelyn about her "new admirer" as they walked back to Evelyn's house. They lived just two blocks apart, and since the beginning of high school, they'd made it a habit to walk home together almost every day.

The small town of Green Hollow wasn't anything special, but it had a kind of charm that grew on you. There was a Main Street lined with little shops and cafés, a park with a big fountain where kids would toss pennies and make wishes, and, of course, Creekside High sitting at the edge of town, surrounded by tall oak trees.

Evelyn lived in a modest, two-story house that her family had moved into when she was twelve. It had creaky wooden floors, a wide front porch, and a backyard filled with wildflowers. Her room, on the second floor, overlooked the backyard, and it was her sanctuary—the one place where she felt like she could truly be herself.

"So," Britney said as they reached Evelyn's front door, "are you going to tutor him?"

Evelyn shrugged, pulling her keys out of her pocket. "I said I would."

"Yeah, but do you want to?"

"I don't know. It's just tutoring, Brit. Don't make it into something it's not."

Britney sighed dramatically. "Fine, fine. But just remember—you deserve to have fun too, you know? Don't be afraid to put yourself out there."

Evelyn smiled softly. "I'll think about it."

As Britney waved goodbye and headed home, Evelyn made her way inside. The house was quiet, as it always was at this time of day. Her parents both worked long hours, and her older brother, Sam, had gone off to college last year, leaving her alone for most of the afternoons.

She dropped her bag by the stairs and made her way up to her room. Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting a warm, golden glow over her bed and the bookshelves that lined one wall. She sat down at her desk, opening her chemistry textbook, but her mind kept drifting back to Derek.

It wasn't that she had a crush on him—at least, not that she was aware of. But there was something about him that intrigued her. Maybe it was the fact that he wasn't like most of the other popular kids. He wasn't arrogant or full of himself. He seemed...genuine.

Still, Evelyn wasn't sure what to make of it. Maybe Britney was right. Maybe there was more to Derek's request than just needing help with chemistry. But even if that were true, what did that mean for her? She'd never been the type of girl guys like Derek noticed. And she wasn't sure she wanted to be.

As the sun dipped lower in the sky, painting the horizon in shades of pink and orange, Evelyn sighed, resting her chin in her hand. It was only the beginning of senior year, and already things were starting to feel different.

Change had always scared her, but maybe—just maybe—it was time to embrace it.