The Chemistry of Us

Chapter 4: Breaking Down the Walls

Evelyn's morning started like any other. The smell of burnt toast drifted up from the kitchen as her mom fumbled through making breakfast before heading out for her shift at the hospital. She stared at herself in the bathroom mirror, brushing her hair with quick strokes, trying to quell the nervous energy that had taken root in her chest.

The tutoring sessions with Derek had been going well—better than she could've imagined. But something had shifted during their last meeting. It wasn't just about chemistry anymore, and it wasn't just about helping him pass his classes. There was something unspoken between them, something that made her heart race every time he smiled at her. And that terrified her.

"You're going to be late, Evelyn!" her mom's voice echoed from downstairs.

"Coming!" Evelyn called, grabbing her backpack and making her way downstairs. She snatched a piece of toast from the kitchen counter, giving her mom a quick kiss on the cheek as she rushed toward the door.

"Are you sure you don't want a ride?" her mom asked, her voice tinged with concern. "It's getting colder out."

"I'm fine, Mom," Evelyn said, already halfway out the door. "See you later!"

The cold October air hit her as she stepped outside, a sharp reminder that winter was just around the corner. She wrapped her arms around herself, tucking her hands into the sleeves of her hoodie as she began the walk to school. Her mind wandered back to Derek, to the easy way he'd invited her to his football game, to the smile that had made her stomach flip when he said he'd save her a seat.

She hadn't gone, of course. She'd spent the weekend curled up on the couch with Britney, binge-watching a new series on Netflix and trying not to think about Derek, or the possibility of seeing him in a different light. But no matter how hard she tried, he kept creeping into her thoughts.

As she approached the school, Evelyn spotted Britney waiting by their usual spot, a large oak tree near the entrance. Britney was chatting animatedly with Sarah, another girl from their chemistry class, but her eyes lit up when she saw Evelyn.

"There she is!" Britney called out, waving her over. "Finally! I thought you were gonna ditch me."

"Never," Evelyn said, smiling as she joined them. "Sorry, my mom was running late."

Britney gave her a knowing look. "So, how's tutoring the football star going? Any new developments?"

Evelyn rolled her eyes, trying to brush off the question even though she could feel her cheeks warming. "It's fine. We're just studying. That's all."

"Uh-huh," Britney said, raising an eyebrow. "Studying, right. So, you didn't think about going to his game on Friday?"

"I already told you, Brit, I'm not into football."

Britney sighed dramatically, throwing her hands in the air. "You don't have to be into football to be into Derek. You know that, right? Guys like him don't come around every day, Evelyn. He's hot, he's popular, and apparently, he's smart enough to know when he needs help."

Sarah, who had been quiet up until now, nodded in agreement. "Britney's right. If he's asking you for help, he probably likes you."

"He doesn't like me," Evelyn protested, though her voice lacked conviction. "He just needs to pass chemistry. That's it."

Britney gave her a skeptical look but didn't press the issue. Instead, she linked her arm through Evelyn's and started pulling her toward the school entrance. "Well, whether he likes you or not, we've got to get through another day of classes. And guess what? We've got gym first period."