A Strange Bubble

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1)

A friend is what the heart needs all the time.

-Henry Van Dyke

________

"Be careful! Otherwise it will..." I couldn't finish my sentence. The mixture started to boil extremely fast and the violet liquid spurted, out of the round-bottomed flask, in a high spout on to the working bench. "Sh*t... Chemistry hates me." I started to smile. "Don't swear. Chemistry doesn't hate you. It is more like in Navel's case. He never had been a bad soccer, just the wrong wand." I said with an even brighter smile on my lips and an inner fight not to laugh loud. "Errr, I am sorry."-"Never mind, only a bad joke. I'll help you cleaning this mess up. We should hurry or the colour will stick in the bench for ever."-"No, are you serious? F**k that can't be..."-"Just hurry up a bit and it'll be fine. It had happened to me before too." It was a lie, but the boy seemed to be very upset and angry about himself, perhaps this calmed down.

"Oh dear, oh dear the first day here and the boy tries either to dye his hair violet or paint the room new. In both cases: not the wisest choice, buddy. This should fix it." Our teacher gave him a bottle and some gloves. "I am sorry, Sir, but are you sure you should hand me the hydrochloric acid over?"-"I trust my students not to mess up twice a day. I usually regret this attitude later, but I have a good feeling here, so just do it." This teacher is hilarious: a haircut like a poodle, a voice like SpongeBob and the attitude of an elf. He walked away. I asked the boy if I should clean it up, so he couldn't dye his clothes. He frowns: "But then yours will be dirty."-"Don't worry they are already stained, a bit more won't hurt."-"Thank you." He smiled weakly in embarrassment. After some seconds his eyes flashed: "Hey, what happened if you dip this on paper?" He pointed onto the acid. My look must have been a bit sceptical because he blushed in a shade of lemonade pink. "I hope nothing, or else I have got a problem," I held up my hand:" 'Cause that's a paper towel with acid on it. So maybe over a long term something will happen, but when you use sulphuric acid it will work better." His smile returned, it is nice to make people smile.

After cleaning there was an awkward silence filling the room. I didn't know what to say so I just went on working, noting some numbers and figures down. My mind drifted away quickly. But school isn't the place to be when you want to dream.

The bell woke me up. When my mind was back on track, I packed my stuff. Almost everybody had already left the room. Including the boy I worked with. It kinda bothered me. I didn't really talk to him or something. He just seemed to be a funny guy to me; overtaxed but funny. Anyways, I didn't even know his name as well as my teacher doesn't, I guess. I walked quickly to my next class. It hasn't started yet of curse but I have not interested in meeting Kanii again. He already has beaten me up twice this week. So, no need for me to meet him again.

"Hey, wait a second." I turned around, clearly a mistake. "The bloody stupid freak again, what a miracle." He smiled extremely wide. His teeth are shown. They have a slight shadow of yellow, probably too much coffee or cigarettes, and the look of piranha teeth. "Oh, hey Kanii," I started to slowly spin around and walking. I wanted to escape from this guy, he is gross. "Not so fast FREAK. First you have to do me a favour." One of his teeth reflected a ray of light from the florescent tubes. "What?" I asked, hesitating, but with pronounced. "I have an essay on history. You will write it for me. I am in a need of an A. So better make it on." He got closer to me: "and when I don't do it?" I asked maybe a bit more scared now. "If not?" hHe giggled: "You are going to pay for it."-"What do I earn from it?"-"No harm, at least for now."-"Sounds faire but I don't want to. I am sorry I have to leave." I hoped I sound brave. He knew me better than this, unfortunately. He stepped closer and closer and I stepped back and back until I felt one of the lockers in my back. "I swear you will bleed."