FEBRUARY, 1988, SEATTLE, WA
DALTON'S LAW OF definite proportions. A chemical reaction always proceeds according to the ratio defined by the balanced chemical equation.
These were the words pounding through Lindy's head as she walked to her first test chemistry exam of the new semester, clutching her backpack and recounting in her head all the information she had studied the week before.
As she walked the campus through hundreds of milling students, she recalled the previous night, when Kurt had helped her study with homemade flash cards.
"Okay, this one," he'd said, holding it up to her face.
Lindy squeezed her eyes shut, trying to remember her pages of notes from lecture.
"Okay, that's definitely the molecule for sodium chlorite."
"How the hell did you know that?" Kurt asked in wonder, flipping the card over and looking at it for himself.
"Practice," Lindy had sighed, exhaustion rushing over her, heavy and fast.
That felt like it had happened ages ago. Now, Lindy was meeting her fate as she pushed open the downstairs door to her building, entering the first lecture classroom and taking a seat.
As she unpacked her pencil and a loose leaf sheet of paper, a voice whispered across the next seat over from her.
"Hey, it's Lindy, right?"
Lindy looked up abruptly, staring into the face another young student. He looked to be maybe a year or two older than her, with light brown eyes and and a kind smile.
"Yeah it is. Hi," she offered, though she returned quickly to digging through her bag, trying to find a better eraser than the nubby one on her pencil.
"This is kind of random, but my name is Daniel and I was wondering if you'd want to do that upcoming project with me for this class. My other friend Candice is in my group as well, but we need one more person."
Lindy laughed a little nervously. "Uh, sure. But I can't promise I'll be much of help. Chemistry isn't really my strong suit."
"I doubt it," the boy smiled back, his eyes shining at her in a way that made it plainly obvious what was going on — he was hitting on her, and he was hitting on her hard.
Lindy smiled back politely, but turned back to her desk supplies and began to organize them neatly. It was flattering, having someone look at her like she was actually worth staring at, but it did not matter.
She had Kurt. Her heart and mind were consumed by him, and it didn't matter how many men looked her away with a yearning interest to catch her eye. She didn't feel anything towards them. For her, there was only Kurt. Every other guy had melted into the background of her life, never to be taken notice of.
Once the test was over, Lindy prepared to leave feeling way more confident than she did coming in. There was no way she had gotten anything below a B.
As she walked out, Daniel called for her again.
"We're meeting up this Thursday night at my apartment, seven p.m sharp. I'll have wine there, too," he grinned, as if this might have sealed the deal for her.
Lindy only laughed. "Okay. Thanks."
She strode out of the building, not looking back at her new admirer. In her opinion, he ought to give up on her now before he became truly disappointed.
No one, not a single person in the world, would ever compare to the beautiful human waiting for her to return from class at that very moment.
