Some Day

16: The Flies

Chapter Sixteen

"Okay, here's the game plan," Bennett says, looking at the three of us with an intensity in his eyes that I've never seen before. "Lily can put them to sleep, and then James can-"

"Why do I have to be the one to put them to sleep?" I question, interrupting.

"Because," he retorts lamely, before continuing. "Then James can use the paint brush and get them all out. Then Carly and I will put them under the microscope and look at them."

I grab the small tube from off the desk, looking at the ten fruit flies inside as James says, "I'm going to accidentally kill them."

"Don't do that," Carly replies quickly. "They need to be alive for the experiment."

It's Thursday afternoon, and I'm sitting in biology with James, Bennett, and Carly. Today we're starting an experiment on fruit flies.

Honestly, I'm not completely sure what the point of the experiment is, something about genetics I think, but today is just figuring out their gender. Each group of four has ten fruit flies under their care, and I feel terrible for our fruit flies; they're going to have to listen to us bicker at each other nonstop.

"Well I can't help it if it's an accident," James states. "That's how accidents work."

"I really don't need your sass," Carly tells him.

"Both of you need to calm your sasses down," Bennett orders, before chuckling lightly to himself. "Do you guys get it? Like asses but sasses."

"You're an idiot." Carly rolls her eyes, but I don't miss the hint of a smile on her lips.

"No, I'm not!" He exclaims. "I think I'm actually the smartest one at this table. Do you guys even know anything about this experiment?"

"I know that I'm going to accidentally kill some of them," James says again.

"Shut up," Bennett comments. "You're not going to kill any of them."

"You don't know that," James retorts, pouting.

"Guys, let's just start," Carly cuts them off, turning to me. "You can put them to sleep now."

I sigh, looking at our fruit fly babies in the tube. "I'm so sorry," I whisper to them.

"They're flies," Bennett mocks.

"They're still living creatures," I reply.

"Just put them to sleep," he sighs, rubbing his forehead.

I suck in a deep breath, before going through the procedure to put the flies to sleep. Luckily, I do my job properly, and I immediately feel relieved.

"Poor babies," I say quietly, looking at the now unconscious flies.

"Okay James, your turn," Bennett says, sliding the petri dish and paint brush over to James.

James glances up at me, before taking the tube of flies and removing the lid. He sets it down on its side and grabs the paint brush, slowly starting to push the flies out. It takes him a couple minutes, but eventually all ten fruit flies are sitting on the petri dish.

Bennett takes them then, setting them down underneath the microscope. Him and Carly take turns looking at the flies and trying to determine their gender, while James and I sit there doing nothing.

"So, are we actually going to work out at the gym?" I ask him.

"Yeah," he replies, a smirk lining his lips. "You're going to lift."