How To Rule Your High School

Chapter 26: The Lab Partner Debacle

"Pass the graduated cylinder," I said stiffly, trying to sit as far away from my lab partner as I could.

"Make sure to mark the time," Tyler said, glancing over to where I was drawing doodles on my scrap paper. I tried to ignore the looks he'd been giving me all while glaring daggers at Ethan's back.

I hadn't told Ethan about the beach for fear of being labeled a total psycho, but he did call me later that Saturday and ask me out to see a movie. Whatever it was we watched was probably decent, but I hadn't bothered paying attention because all Ethan seemed interested in was kissing me. He'd invited me back to his place again, but I stuck to my guns and insisted he take me home so I didn't flirt with missing my curfew twice in a row. Resisting those slate gray eyes was getting harder and harder, despite the little thrill of worry I got every time he brought me home. I was entirely sure that Brett would beat him up if he ever saw the two of us making out in Ethan's car in the driveway.

When Monday morning rolled around, I'd planned on cornering Ethan before he got to the chemistry lab to force him to switch partners with me. It hadn't gone as planned.

"Switch partners with me," I'd said, jogging up to his locker the second I'd seen him arrive. He looked down at me with a lopsided grin.

"But you hate Dakota," Ethan said, closing his locker to lean against it, that amused grin still on his face. I gave his arm a smack.

"No, I want you to be my partner," I said, annoyed that I had to spell it out for him. His eyes left mine as his smile died.

"Dakota doesn't like Tyler at all," he said, pushing off the locker.

"So what?" I practically screamed, "I hate him!"

"Hate's a bit of a strong word, no?" Ethan asked, shooting me a sidelong look as we walked to class.

"Let me get this straight, you're picking Dakota over me?" I asked, jogging around to plant myself in his way. Ethan sighed, resting his hands on my shoulders.

"Just try it out, okay? I'm sure it won't be that bad."

Flash forward to the misery that was my chemistry lab station. Here I was stuck with Tyler, while Ethan got to laugh it up with Dakota. Every time she reached over him to write something on their lab sheet, my insides seethed.

"You don't have to watch over my shoulder, you know. I'm not an idiot, I know what I'm doing," I snapped at Tyler, ripping my eyes away from Ethan and Dakota. All I got in response was a sigh.

"Why do we have to fight?" Tyler asked finally, as I jotted the time down on my lab sheet. Only half an hour more until I was free of this contemptuous situation.

"I really don't feel like getting into this right now," I said, pinching the spot between my nose and forehead with a wince if only to avoid looking at Tyler.

"I know you don't," Tyler said, a hint of annoyance in his voice, "You never do. So am I just supposed to expect to be blown off for the rest of my life? Come on, we used to be friends Madison,"

"Whatever," I muttered, looking away as Dakota moved closer to Ethan to reach for something. Tyler ran a hand through his hair, bringing it down in a fist on the lab table.

"Fine, don't talk to me," he muttered, "But don't say I didn't try."

I glanced sidelong at him, but he was absorbed in filling out his lab sheet, his shoulders decidedly angled away from me. I felt like I wanted to throw up. Between having to watch Ethan smile down at Dakota as she laughed and Tyler, the guy I'd once considered a best friend and crush of the century, brooding next to me, I was pretty sure I'd found my own personal version of hell.