The Bus Stop

12: Chemistry

I was yanked a little too forcefully out of my deep slumber by the horrendous sound of the school siren. Jolting up right in my desk, I reluctantly opened my eyes to see the thirty-one students that once made this chemistry class, sprinting out of the classroom to head off and start their winter break.

As soon as my gaze landed on the chemistry teacher at the front of the classroom, I let a heavy sigh escape my lips.

Miss McCloud already hated my guts enough, I really didn't need the lecture about falling asleep in class from her today—or any day for that matter. It wasn't my fault that my mind was incapable of shutting off at night, it was Max's. Ever since I had fully admitted my feelings about Max to not only myself, but someone else, sleep had been impossible due to the many thoughts of him that consumed my mind.

I took a brief note of the small death glare Miss McCloud was currently giving me and tried to ignore the stares that came from the few students who hadn't abandoned the classroom yet.  I wasn't in the mood for a fight with the worse teacher in the world today, not when my body was deprived of sleep.

I hastily snatched up my bag, wiped off a line of drool from my left cheek and was about to escape when I was cut off by the sound of a voice.

"Miss Anderson?"

Crap. I didn't have time for this, nor did I hold the tolerance. I just wanted to go home, lie down on my bed and sleep for as long as my body would let me. Whatever was bound to come out of Miss McCloud's mouth was not going to help the pounding headache that was beginning to form.

I kept walking, hoping she would let me off the hook if I pretended not to hear her menacing voice.

"Miss Anderson!"  My chemistry teacher repeated loudly, the warning in her tone becoming much more prominent.

I let a dramatic sigh escape my mouth as I soon pressed my lips into a thin line. I turned around slowly as the class began to file out of the room.  Biting my lip, I tried to keep the frustration in my voice to a bare minimal.  "Yes?"

"I need to talk with you."

Oh crap. "Of course," I nodded.

Miss McCloud made he way over to her desk, taking a seat on her swivel chair and beckoning for me to come over. I closed my eyes for a moment as I let out a breath of annoyance. I heard the door of the classroom slam shut and knew too well that I was now alone with one of the many people I despised. Despite the fact that Miss McCloud had a free opportunity to kill me, I opened my eyes and reluctantly made my way over to her desk.

"Uh..." I said, clearing my throat. Hesitantly I met her eyes. "So, um...what did you want to talk to me about?"

Miss McCloud sent me a forced smile, her hazel eyes lingering with a deadly taste of pure evilness.  She then proceeded to place one arm on the wooden desk, leaning her body forwards as she took the first paper off the top of a pile. Averting my eyes from her evil ones, I let my gaze drop down to the sheet she was holding.  Immediately I recognized the crumpled sheet of paper that was covered in red ink and led pencil as last weeks chemistry quiz.

I stared at it, unable to comprehend where this whole thing was going.  Chemistry came easily to me, therefore  I really didn't suspect that I had failed the test she held in her hand or in anyway altered my mark from the usual. My results proved that I was one of the highest ranking students in this A-Level chemistry class and the thought of flunking a test was foreign, for I studied my ass off for every quiz.