Lab Partners (Wattpad Books Edition)

CONCUSSION

It had been a miracle when I was able to get out of taking gym my freshman year. My schedule hadn't quite worked out because I was in an advanced math class that conflicted with the gym time slot. Now I was starting to think it was a curse. Unfortunately, I still needed a gym credit to graduate, and instead of being stuck with all the freshmen for a class, I was stuck with all the athletic students in my year who needed to fill a credit hour and decided just to take another gym class.

Needless to say, I had some hardcore regrets.

I changed quickly, ignoring everyone around me in the change room and shoving my clothes and backpack into one of the lockers. Someone had stolen my lock last week, and I had forgotten to pick up a new one, so I had no choice but to leave my things there and hope nobody messed with them.

I smoothed down my shirt and entered the gym. A few guys were playing with a basketball they'd found laying around while others in the class just sat around talking. Seeing as the teacher hadn't arrived yet, I walked over to the bleachers and sat patiently. I'd gone to school with most of these kids since kindergarten, but there were a few newer faces among them. Jamie Carlson, a girl with long, straight brown hair and freckles, had come here during freshman year. Now she was super into the volleyball scene and had lots of friends. Kaitlyn Fisher had curly blond hair and was pretty involved in our school's chapter of the National Honor Society, as well as being the founder of an afterschool book club. She'd started here at the beginning of last year.

Jordan was the newest student. He had dark-brown, neatly styled hair, and seemed to have a bright smile on his face every time I saw him. He stood off to one side of the gymnasium, engaged in conversation with Penelope Dunn, a small red-headed girl I'd shared classes with since preschool. I watched them interact for a little bit. From what I could tell, he seemed pretty friendly—hopefully he would be an all right lab partner.

Mr. Mason walked in. The man had only been teaching here for about six years. He was on the younger side, as far as staff went, and was pretty much here to take over for Coach Hanover once he actually decided to retire fully. Hanover had been the gym teacher and a coach at Pinecrest for several decades. In recent years he had started handing off some of his duties to other people. Mr. Mason was now the gym teacher as well as the coach for girls' varsity and junior varsity volleyball. He was younger, fitter, and friendlier than Coach Hanover, and for that, I was thankful. One year with Hanover as a gym teacher was enough to make you feel like you'd just gone through boot camp for the military.

Mr. Mason walked toward the center of the gymnasium with a soccer ball under his arm and whistled loudly, signaling us to stop what we were doing and gather around for instructions. I pushed myself up off the bleachers and jogged across to where everyone was accumulating.

"All right, kids," he began, his voice booming through the gym. "It's pretty nice out, so we're going to be having soccer tournaments outside today. Head out to the field. I'll split you into groups there."

Most of the class swarmed the doors leading outside. A few of us, however, decided to walk at a more leisurely pace to avoid the chaos. Mr. Mason studied his clipboard as he followed. By the time I reached the exit, most of the class was already outside. I was surprised when Jordan, just in front of me, paused to hold the door for me.

"Thanks," I said.

"No problem." He gave a friendly smile and, once I had my hand on the door, went jogging to catch up with some of our other classmates and continue the conversation they'd been having. I held the door open for the people behind me as well.

He was definitely a nice person. Chemistry shouldn't be too bad.

As we reached the middle of the soccer field, Mr. Mason started reading off pairs of names. "Oh boy," I muttered to myself when I heard my name paired with Cole Decker's. This was going to be an interesting class.