Little White Lies

Chapter 12

"Alright, if you are sitting on the left side of the lab table, look in front of you. Do you see that slip of paper? Write your name on it, bring it up here, and drop it in the bowl. Today we are picking new lab partners!" Mr. Witt, our A.P. Chemistry teacher says, attempting to sound excited.

Maybe today is my lucky day, I think as I watch Andy walk up to drop his name in the bowl; maybe I'll draw his name. But when it's my turn to pick a name instead of Andy Masters I pull out Autumn Story. But by some stroke of luck the guy at the table behind me, Justin, did pull Andy's name.

As Andy walks past me to his new seat he runs his index finger along my arm where it lays on the lab table. He carefully drops a folded piece of paper right into my lap. Autumn noticed of course, everyone else was too busy moving tables.

"What's it say?" she whispers as I hold the note tightly in my fist. I turn and look over my shoulder at Andy who shakes his head ever so slightly.

"Not sure," I whisper back. Autumn and I have had a couple of classes together since she moved here last year, but we've never really gotten to know each other.

"Yeah, of course you don't," Autumn rolls her blue eyes at me, "you have to read it first," she smiles at me in a friendly open way.

"Not in here I'm not," I say. "Mr. Witt would be reading it to the whole class in seconds." Mr. Witt was a good teacher but he's a little intense and is known for his strict classroom rules. I reach down and drop the note in my bag as I take out my notebook.

"You have way more self restraint than me. I'd be tearing that thing open," Autumn says leaning closer. "It's not every day that Andy Masters passes a girl a note. Wish he'd give me a note," she says glancing over her shoulder at Andy. "He's really cute..."

Autumn chats quietly about the enigma that is Andy as we get to work on the worksheet Mr. Witt has passed around about atomic structure. It's so odd to me to hear girls talk about Andy like this. To me he's Andy, my friend, my maybe more? We haven't had much time to talk since the weekend. But; it's when I look up from the fourth question that something she's saying actually grabs my attention.

"Wait? He did what?" I ask her.

"He asked Rachel to homecoming. She jumped at that, of course. Not that I blame her," Autumn says.

"Wait, sorry what? When did that happen?" I whisper, glancing over my shoulder to see him working away, he looks up and smiles at me.

"Weren't you listening?" she raises an eyebrow at me. "I was just saying Rachel said he called her last night and asked her. It's weird though, because don't even know each other. But she's really excited. I can't blame her one bit. I've never seen him even talk to her, but then again, he doesn't talk to anyone. But I think that's part of what make him so sexy. All mysterious and what not," Autumn leans in and copies down the answers I've already found before passing me the paper so I can copy the ones she looked up.

The bell rang just as I was finishing, I throw my things in my bag. I have to get out of here. I'm at Mr. Witt's desk dropping our papers on his desk before most people have even stood up. I'm rounding the corner heading to my next class when Andy catches up with me. I sigh as he stops me.

"Are you okay?" he asks quietly pulling me to the side of the busy hallway.

"I'm fine. I just need to get to class," I lie. I'm not even able to meet his eyes. I feel like I might cry. I turn to leave, but he catches my hand and pulls me back.

"Look at the note," he tells me. He glances around then kisses my cheek before turning and heading in the opposite direction.