Claudia

Chapter 7

Brett's POV

Math class is boring. All you do is either take notes, take tests or quizzes, and spend maybe one or two classes preparing for said tests or quizzes. It can get pretty hard at times and I often find myself wondering if I'm really going to use this stuff later in life. 

Then you have English class. More specifically, AP Literature. You have to do so much writing, and sometimes in such a small window. My right hand is always killing me by the end of class. We also have to read the most boring books that seem to drag on FOREVER. It's a million times worse when you have to look up what a word means every now and then.

Fortunately, they're both done and I'm now in chemistry. Don't get me wrong, chemistry isn't that great either. It's only better than math and English because the labs are pretty cool. It also doesn't hurt that Amber is in the same class as me.

"I totally forgot we had a lab today," some girl with pink hair whined. Welcome to the club.

Normally Mrs. Hendrick randomizes the list of groups the night before and posts it up on the smartboard as we walk into class. However, we all walked in to find that the smartboard wasn't even turned on, let alone had our lab partners on it.

Even she forgot about today's lab.

Mrs. Hendrick arrived about a minute or so after the bell. She had a coffee in one hand and a Target bag in the other. 

"We will still be doing the lab today. You just get to choose your partners this time since I forgot to randomize the list of names last night," she announced before placing her things on her EXTREMELY messy desk.

After she explained what we were doing for today's lab, everyone scattered around the room trying to find a lab partner. 

Now is finally my chance! I could ask Amber to be my partner. That would give me an hour and a half or so to get to know her better while doing the lab. Who knows? Maybe if we really hit things off, I could ask her out on a date. Then I would win that bet I made with Ricky. I really couldn't lose!

Or at least that was the plan. 

Before I could even get her attention, Brodie walked right up to me and dragged me to the nearest table. "We're lab partners, yeah?" No, we're not! I wanted to say. But there wasn't really much I could do. It looked like everyone else was already paired up. I could see Amber walking to the other side of the room with Nathan's ex, Clara, from the corner of my eye.

The last time I worked with Brodie was terrible. We spent half the lab getting barely anything done and the other half rushing to finish everything. Our lab area was an absolute mess and Mrs. Hendrick apparently had a meeting so one of the other students had to stay behind and clean up. It didn't help that one of the cheerleaders joined us since she had to make up the lab after getting the flu. And it REALLY didn't help that she seemed to have a thing for Brodie and I. Long story short, we almost failed the lab.

Determined not to repeat what happened last time, I put on my apron and safety goggles and got ready to work. 

"Again, George?!" The entire class looked to see Mrs. Hendrick getting onto George Simmons for wearing Birkenstocks to class. "Basic lab safety rules, no open toe shoes!"

"What do I do?" George frantically asked.

"Leave class," she sighed.

"What?"

"Get out!" Mrs. Hendrick yelled, pointing at the door. George sighed and left the room, his head hung low in shame. 

Yikes.