COMPATIBLE INDIFFERENCE

Chapter 5

The day of the scholastic decathlon arrived and everyone was nervous. Our parents and friends came and the teachers were a walking stress ball. I have never thought that this would be a big deal like basketball or football. All of the staff even wore their best self during the competition days. I was a little skittish, myself.

Three schools were left for the finals and luckily Walter High was among them. Our team represented the final event as our forte was picked during the last subject selection. We have to demonstrate how the Bicarbonate Buffer works to the panel. It's a good thing that we have included this on our practice experiment weeks before.

The bell rang and we started. It seemed like I was concocting a potion and my favorite part of the competition. I glanced at my girlfriends for support but what surprised me was the astonished look on their faces as they were staring back at us.

We would sneak and play with various chemicals during our sophomore year in the laboratory, so this is nothing new. I wonder if they're shocked with my improved potion-brewing skills. I shrugged my query when I heard Kathy murmuring to herself that the temperature of the boiling flask might be too hot.

Everyone clapped their hands when the time was up. Our group finished a little bit earlier than I expected. I was worried because I think we need a little more time but Kathy said everything is perfect. She tapped both of our backs proudly.

Our team was quieter than the other finalists. It's almost deafening. With me and Tom not speaking to each other and there was Kathy, our middleman, we represented the mime community. It was a challenge but fun altogether. When the winner was announced, everyone was applauding like mad. I, for once almost beamed at Tom out of pure joy but I quickly remember that we both don't share that kind of friendliness. So I gave him a mild snicker which was returned by a mere languor.

After giving Kathy a hearty hug, I went to Principal Jacobs and thanked her. She took my hands and said, "You didn't regret it, didn't you?" I gave her a wink, and she gave me a warm hug. A mother hen, indeed.

After my parents had their fill of pictures, Jam pulled me into a corner, her honey-brown hair flying followed by an excited Louise. "What is wrong with you guys, you're both acting weird? You look petrified or something earlier." Jam gave me the widest of grins. Louise shook my shoulders and murmured, "Are you both okay now?"

"Who?" I asked in the context of asking. "You and Tom. We saw you working along just fine earlier. No, not just fine; it was like you were not even enemies." Jam interjected.

Lou grabbed my hands and continued. "He was like giving you the white liquid-filled flask and you received it. Then he was like writing something on the board and you were like, giving him a paper with some markings. He would read and copy it and Kathy was just sitting on the chair looking at the boiling flask, daydreaming while you two work." Yes, she is fond of fillers nowadays. I shrugged my shoulders casually.

"Exactly. You both ignore each other but you were great. Like an old married couple- in sync but bored." Jam added with excitement. Then, they both clapped their hands like two insane teenagers whose crush had just scored a goal in football. I stared at their faces ridiculously and threw a big sigh of relief.

"We're more like 'divorced couples' if you want to go that route. It's actually exhausting. Working and ignoring someone at the same time for three months is an epitome of hell. I'm so relieved that it's all finished. I can go back and breathe normally again."

They looked at me and saw the relief flashed on my face. Letting go of their wild imagination, they hugged me in comfort instead and promised a trip to our favorite ice cream parlor that night. It's great to have friends who know what could perk you up.

That was the only time that Tom and I had a very close encounter. After the competition, we went back to how we normally are. We stayed out of each others' way and we both liked it. No problems. No complications. Scratch that motto of mine because it is convoluted enough.