The Separation Between Us

A Big Fat Crush

"Last lesson James wore a cologne that smelled so...fresh. Fresh but charismatic. Bergamot, cardamom, lavender and orange maybe something else too. A smell that I can only describe as James. I try to shove myself away from him but can't help but dig deeper into him." The lingering smell of James's cologne was still dancing inside Jenna's nostrils. Jenna rubbed her palms against her bare arms, trying to create friction as the wind whipped inside the chemistry classroom because some idiot left the window open "What is it about him that I like so much? The problem is that I can name so many. When the flaw creating the distance is only one."

"Joseph!" Layla creeperd from behind him. Breaking Jenna's thoughts and snapping her back into reality.

"What?" He narrowed his dark brown eyes, giving her a dull look.

"What are you doing?" She asked, while resting both of her elbows on the wooden desk.

"What does it look like." He said sounding dead. It was so obvious that he pouring chemicals in the test tubes with Jenna.

A moment of silence took over until Layla spoke again. Layla shifted her body closer to Joseph this time asking "So I was wondering if you would ever like to-"

"No." He sounded cold while his eyes still layed on the chemicals resting on their desk.

Layla's face dropped while her eyebrows drew together "But-"

"My answer would always be no." He still didn't look into her eyes. While Jenna just stood there awkwardly, holding tubes of chemicals on her hand.

Layla's head slid side to side, thinking of something to say. "That's a universal indicate right?" She tried to change the subject.

"Waoh!" Joseph exclaimed, widening his eyes while changing his mouth into the shape of an "o" and giving her a sarcastic clap.

"Jenna! I wanna talk to you" she said it so loud that she nearly dropped the glass tube from her hand. Jenna just stared blankly at her afterwards as Layla pulled her aside. "He's such a bully." Layla whispered. Causing Jenna to draw both of her eyebrows together while folding her arms across her chest. "What? Say something." Layla ordered impatiently. Jenna swore that she saw steams of smoke flowing out of Layla's nostrils.

"Trust me, I've delt with bullies before. Joseph is just feeling annoyed right now." Jenna simply explained.

Layla's eyes narrowed, indicating that this wasn't the response she wanted. "But why would he be annoyed?" Layla snapped.

"You can't be serious!" Jenna exclaimed in her head. "Okay...I've got to work on my practical. Bye!" Jenna raced away from Layla and towards Joseph's desk.

"Let me guess... You guys were talking about me." Joseph assumed While adding a few drops of universal indicator to a quarter full of hydrochloric acid in the test tube. It was no surprise since he knew what Layla was like.

"Yup." Jenna replied as the solution turned red.

"Does she talk about me in your other lessons too?" He asked.

"Yup." She repeated. "And the entire male population in Canada"

"Okay this is it for today's lesson. You may leave" The teacher's voice echoed through the class while everyone jostled out into the large corridor.

Jenna spotted Janis through the massive crowd if anything that stood out in particular were her oversized glasses that floated amongst others. "Hey, Janis!" Jenna waved from a distance but didn't seem to catch her attention. "Janis!" She yelled again rushing towards her. "Janis?" Jenna thought that she was probably deaf at this point since she was right behind her but Janis didn't look back so she decided to tap her shoulder. Janis responded with a flinch then rotated her head towards Jenna with a relief. "Goodness, Jenna! You scarred me." She expressed releasing a deep breath while strucking her hands against her chest.