How to Be a Teenager

Chapter Five

I set my purse down beside my chair as I take my science textbook for the last class of the day.Other people take the seats anywhere but where I'm sitting.I sigh."Better get used to it,I guess."I grumble to myself,anxiously awaiting the teacher's arrival.
"Hello,everyone,"a young woman with dark frizzy hair greets as she picks up a stick of chalk."My name is Ms.Lauren.For those of you who-"
"Sorry!So sorry I'm late!"a girl with long brown hair and a white fedora enters the room,lugging a pile of books in her arms along into the room,and on the lab table,settling in by me."Okay,Terri,calm down.So glad you could join us again this year."Ms.Lauren says.
"Okay,class,I think you are old enough to make some of your own decisions,so I will let you each pick out a partner to study with and do experiments with this year.Now hop to it,we have work to do!"
I wearily glance around the room, hoping Samuel is just hidden somewhere in the groups of people around me. Terri looks around with a lonely look on her face. "Terri, right?" I ask. She smiles and laughs. "Yeah! What's your name?" she grins.
"Independent." I whisper. She blinks. "What?" "Nicole, my name is Nicole." I correct myself quickly. "Well, Nicole, would you be my lab partner? Everyone else seems to be taken."
I nod."Yeah, why not." She smiles excitedly. "Now, class,... I have set a soda bottle and mentos on the tables in front of you. With your partners, I would like you to-"
"Hey, guys look at this!" one of the boys shouts, shaking the mentos and the soda together. "Oh, no..." I say to myself. Then, he looks around, until his eyes land on me. Me. "Volcano!!!" he shouts before pointing the opening towards me,and unscrewing the cap.