Scientific Crescendo - Book 2: The Genetics Project 🪼✔

9 - And What Do You Want To Be?

"It's over."
I looked up from my computer a month later from the party and saw Sansr standing there with a look on her face.
"What?"
"You heard me. I said it's over between us."
"Alright... What do you want me to do?"
Sansr growled. "That's what I'm talking about. You act like there was nothing already... God, I can't believe I had sex with you."
"Neither can I..." I said, not feeling well. "If you're going to leave then do so, you're interrupting my work."
Sansr scoffed and left the lab as I kneaded my forehead. In all honesty she was a good riddance because she was interfering with my work with her needs and she was bossy. I felt like I had been run over by a mac truck and so I closed the computer down, grabbing my stuff so that I could go back to my dorm and take a nap. I zipped up my backpack and headed up to my room. I haven't felt right ever since Sansr woke up next to me in the dorm and things have been a bit awkward between us since then. Tayla was right in that she drops guys after she has sex with them and damn those beers for lowering my defenses...
They were good beers though...
"Sim!"
I turned as Jai ran up to me and stopped short.
"Hey, what are you doing here?"
"Our class is taking a field trip of the university to see if there are things we want to major in. We have to write a report on what we learned and stuff so we have to pay attention to what they say..."
"It's boring as Hell." Bay said, striding up next to him. "The only good thing is that the college girls here are really hot."
"You're here too?"
"Ichor's here too but he's being a nerd and listening to whatever the guide says." Bay said with a thumb to the group of younger teens. "He's such a dweeb sometimes."
"I'm sorry us intellects aren't as wild as you. You have a thing about smart people."
"My dad's an ichthyologist/theorist, Dexter is an ichthyologist and Miller is a gynecologist. And you're some sort of... whatever and this weirdy wants to become a geneticist."
"Do you?" I said, turning to Jai.
He nodded. "Yeah. I like learning about genes and what makes people up. I think it's cool that such small things make up people and other organisms."
"Well that's good that you have a path you want to go on."
"You didn't forget my project next weekend, right?"
"Of course not." I lied, knowing full well that I did not remember it. "What day is it again?"
"Friday at 6:30. You can bring Tayla too cuz it's the big thing we have for the last day before Winter Break."
"I'll see if she wants to come."
"What about Sansr? Won't she be mad if you bring Light Brite with you?"
"She broke up with me. What should I care what she thinks?"
Bay and Jai looked at each other and Ichor sauntered over.
"Bay, can you get Kalij for me? He's got himself stuffed in a trashcan again and those guys won't listen to me."
Bay rolled his dark green eyes. "I'll be back."
I made a face. "Ichor, does this happen often?"
"At school? Yeah, he gets shoved into lockers and all sorts of things. They don't like him because he's good at math and stuff." He said with a shrug.
"I see..."
"Have you gained a little weight or something?"
"Have I?"
"You just look like you might have gained a few pounds."
"You're thrilling as always, little brother..." I said with a rustle to his hair.
Bay came back with Kalij as he brushed trash off his shoulder.
"Thanks, Bay."
"Yeah."
"Hi, Sim! Guess what?"
"What?"
"I got voted to be captain in the upcoming Math-A-Tron competition! It was a landslide vote."
"It was you or a sock puppet." Bay snapped.
"No it wasn't! It we between me and Sanders Grave but he messed up his addition on the competition math question so I won! That means that I get to go to Math-A-Tron. Will you come watch me?"
"Where is it at?"
"Boston, but we get to stay for free. The families of the contestants get benefits and stuff so Dad said that if I won captain, he'd let me go this year."
"I'll have to see what's going on then. When is it?"
"In like four months."
"Yeah, I don't know what I'll be doing but if I have time, I'll come watch you. So we have a mathematician," I said, pointing to Kalij. "and a geneticist. What have you decided on, Ichor?"
"I was thinking maybe an engineer or something... like for the space station?"
"That's a good goal to have... Bay? Do you have anything?"
"You guys are a bunch of nerds." He said, leaving the four of us.
Ichor sighed. "He's been moody."
"Yeah. Anyway, we should leave and get back. You're coming back home for Winter Break, right?"
"Don't I always?"
"I just needed to tell Dad so they can get the room ready again."
I nodded and they all left, waving. I sighed and shook my head, dreading but yearning for the day when I could tell them that they were all brothers.
"They are a handsome bunch of kids."
I turned as Tayla smiled, watching them all go with the group.
"Yeah..." I looked at her for a moment. "Did you get taller?"
"I guess so. I've had a lot of people ask me that today. I don't feel any different than before."
"Well, Ichor said I looked like I gained weight."
"You do."
I frowned. "You didn't have to agree so quickly."
"Let's just say that you look a little thicker than usual. Probably from sitting there all the time and eating midnight pizza and crap like that."
"Maybe... Should I hit the gym or something?"
"Up to you... So, rumor has it that you're a free man now." She said with a smirk.
"I didn't spend enough time with her apparently." I said, starting to walk.
"So I've heard. You neglected her, she says."
"Oh well... she was a spoiled brat anyway."
"Why were you with her again?"
"She was bold enough to ask me out. It was not something I was used to."
"Ah, I see..."
"How is that? You get asked out every week."
"Doesn't mean I trust them. You and your family are the only men that I trust."
Someone walked by with a chili dog from the hotdog stand that was outside of the school. The back-waft of the dog came back into my mouth and nose I felt my stomach lurch. I threw my hand over my mouth.
"Sim?"
I found the nearest door to the outside and then threw up into the bushes. The smell just stuck into my nose and I vomited two more times. Tayla was there, rubbing my back gently in a comforting manner.
"Did you catch something?"
"That hotdog... God, that thing stunk so bad!"
"It wasn't that bad."
"All I know is that it hit me hard. I feel sluggish so I'm going back to my dorm to take a little nap."
"Okay. I hope you're alright."
"I should be."
She nodded and I left to back to my dorm, hoping I didn't pass another hotdog on the way.
When I got in, I brushed my teeth and fell onto the bed.

It was close to Winter Break and I was getting over whatever sickness I had not very well. I would feel nauseas in the morning but I'd be fine by the afternoon unless someone passed by with certain foods and then I'd have to throw up.
I was a little miffed this morning because my favorite pair of jeans seemed to not be fitting right. Actually, nothing had been fitting right. Everything just felt all wrong and I sat in the computer chair, thinking about what I could have. As soon as I sat down I had to pee. I scoffed and went to the bathroom to think. As I did my business, I thought about having a milkshake on the way home, craved it actually. I never really cared for strawberry but all of sudden they sounded the best thing since air and I made it my resolve to stop by and get one on the way back home for Winter Break.
I stopped washing my hands for a minute and just stared at them. Cravings, aversions, throwing up, peeing, and my pants on fitting... Could it be...
"Couldn't be. Nothing has indicated that that could happen."
I shrugged and continued my business, packing the last of it in my bag. I picked up a pair of jeans and tried to get them on again and I looked down at my stomach with a frown, just wanting to cry. In fact, I almost did but kept myself from doing so because Tayla was on her way. She'd think I was having another bout. I decided to just wear the pants but not button them and zipped the bag up.
There was a knock at the door and I opened it.
"Hey, ready to go back home?"
"Yeah. Let me go to the bathroom first and we'll get on our way. Oh, and I want a milkshake before we go."
"Okay... why?"
"Sounds yummy." I said coming from the bathroom.
I finished up and then headed out.
"Sim, you really need to lay off the sweets. You can't even button your pants?"
"Let's just shout it out to the world."
"Sorry but I mean, it's kind of obvious against your shirt."
I looked down and fought the urge to cry again.
"All my pants don't fit me. I'll have to go shopping when I get home. Right now, there is a strawberry milkshake with my name on it."
"Strawberry? You hate strawberries."
"Now I don't."
Sheesh, can't my taste buds change if they like?