Turning ✔️

Chapter 4. Chemistry

Argh, why does this keep happening?

We slowly make eye contact from across the table before both of us rose from our seats at a snail's pace. Neither one of us wanted for lunch to be over, but I knew that at any moment I would slip and say something stupid. Before I was able to speak, his expression darkened for a moment, making me question why I even agreed to eat with him at all.

"Bye." He grunted out and zipped out of the lunchroom before I could even reply.

What is his problem? One moment he wants to know all about me and then he acts like that? What did I do?

As I gathered my thoughts, I wandered over to the trash can and discarded my plate and pushed out into the hallway. Before lingering too much thought into Will, I shook my head slightly and headed to my locker, grabbing my books for my final class.

I headed to class and when I walked in I saw Dr. Kaplan standing in front of his desk which had an assortment of beakers and flasks sprawled out on it. My eyes hungrily took in the view as I sat in my seat in the front row of the class. The bell sounded as I took my seat and the rest of the class soon filed in. Some students were happy today was a lab day, others groaned in protest.

In my peripheral vision, I saw a movement that made me turn my head to the doorway. When I looked, there was nothing there. No movement whatsoever, but I felt uneasy. I felt like eyes were watching me causing my skin to rise in goosebumps. I turned back to Dr. Kaplan with a slight shudder.

"Good afternoon, class." Dr. Kaplan began, as he always started his lecture off with. "Today is a lab day, and today we will be creating what I like to call elephant toothpaste. You will be working in pairs of your choice. I will be expecting all of you to be using the scientific method and give me a full written lab report by Monday. We will be conducting the experiment in class today, so the weekend should be a sufficient amount of time for you all to get it completed. Now, let's begin." He concluded with a smile hidden behind his silver bushy mustache.

The class exploded with everyone rushing to find a partner, while I stayed in my seat. Someone else would be stranded without a partner, and they would be stuck with me. I didn't mind, I got along with almost everyone.

Finally, everyone found partners when a small, mousy girl with fiery auburn hair named Aubrie approached me nervously.

"Well, I guess this means we will be working together." She breathed out quietly.

"Guess so," I stated with a smirk and gestured for her take the open seat to my left. She quickly sat and grabbed the instructions for the experiment from the middle of us.

Aubrie Nichols was a quiet, tiny girl. I knew that she was in the choir and that she also did all of the musicals for the school. She was an impressive singer, especially for her size. She was a few inches shorter than me, and I'm pretty short as it is. We have had a few classes together, but we never really talked before.

Once she was through reading the instructions, she handed the paper over to me. I skimmed through the directions quickly and made a mental note of what we need. I stood up and walked over to the closet. I gathered the different things we would need and headed back to where Aubrie sat waiting for my return.

Once we both had our safety goggle and aprons on, we began to conduct our experiment. We made some small talk while doing so and

soon we had completed the lab portion. We had made a magnificent blue foam that we both had smiled tremendously at. Once she and I had cleaned everything up, we compared all of the notes so we could begin to outline our lab reports.

We had just finished outlining when the bell for the end of the day finally tolled. Aubrie and I had actually had a great time being lab partners today. I was surprised at her sassy attitude with the way she had first approached me. It made for a fun class with both of us laughing for a majority of the time.

"Hey Aubrie," I stopped her before she could leave. She pushed her curly, auburn hair from her face as she turned back towards me. "Would you want to hang out sometime with me?"

"I'd love to. My friend Stephanie and I were thinking of going up to Canada for the day this Sunday. Would you want to come?" She practically sang.

We lived super close to the border, so one could easily go to Canada for the day and it was a very common thing to do with the teens in our town. I bit my lip nervously, considering her offer.

"I don't have my passport," I said with a frown. "Maybe some other time?"

"Of course! Here give me your phone and I'll enter my number in. Text me anytime!" She held out her hand expectantly while I shoveled my hand into my pocket. I handed over my phone and she speedily entered her number in and handed it back. "I've gotta get running though, I've got rehearsals and they'll have my head if I'm late again." She smiled before turning on her heel, waving goodbye as she scurried off.

I followed her out the door before losing sight of her red hair in between all of the students crowding the hallway. I parted my way through the hordes of teenagers and made my way to my locker. I quickly opened it up and piled all of my homework in my backpack when I heard a voice from the other side of the locker door.

"Hey."

I cautiously lifted my head and peered around the door to find Will smirking at me.

"Hi Will," I said with a slightly annoyed tone.

"I was wondering if you wanted a ride home. I saw you getting off the bus this morning and figured you might want a ride."

My breath stopped in my lips for a moment before my body forced me to inhale. I felt a pink hue arrive on my cheeks from just thinking of being alone in a car with him.

"That's really nice of you. I don't want to bother you like that though. I'd feel bad making you go out of your way." I stuttered out.

"No, stop. I asked you if you wanted a ride, clearly, I don't mind doing it. Simple as that. Now, yes or no?" He said with a dominant tone and crossing his arms in front of him, flexing his large biceps slightly.

Woah. I had never seen him like this before. It was so hot.

"Okay. Yes. I would like a ride." I said looking down at my phone. I texted Eleanor that I'd meet her at home. She quickly sent back a question mark, but I put my phone in my pocket and shut my locker.

"Alright," he said gruffly. "Follow me then."