Take a Picture

Chapter One

September 22, 20XX

The rain slowly tumbled down the windowsill at a local starbucks. It was busy as usual, but the environment brought comfort to Azen as she flipped through pages of her textbook.

"You need help?" She heard a familiar voice say to her.

She looked up from her textbook and saw her best friend, "If you could reteach this to me for my test in biotech, that'd be great."

Adrien leaned over her trying to look at the pages on her textbook, "Stoichiometry? Really?"

Azen sipped at her coffee putting her pencil down. "It's not my fault I don't remember. I took chemistry sophomore year." she paused for a brief moment. "It's been two years since that?"

Adrien put his coffee and book bag down. He took a seat across from her, "And you don't remember a single thing?" Azen shook her head. "You have to remember something." He took a look at the problems on the page. He pointed at one, "Try that one, it should be pretty simple."

Azen read the problem and already she was confused by the wording, but she didn't want to look like a complete idiot in front of him. She pretended to do work for the problem.

Adrien looked at her paper and already noticed how she had no clue what she was doing. "You're doing it wrong." He tried saying as politely as possible.

Azen laughed nervously, "Am I?" She erased what she had and tried redoing it. But still managed to do it incorrectly.

Adrien sighed, "Do you even know what the problem is asking?"

Azen laughed nervously again, "Of course I do." She picked up her coffee again and drank from it.

Adrien eyed her suspiciously, "Then what is it?" Azen went blank for a moment, finding herself rereading the question over and over again. Adrien turned the textbook to face him and reread the problem himself. "You have to use a conversion between grams and moles for this one."

"What?"

"You know, a conversion factor, like how many grams are in a mole?" Adrien asked, looking at her confused face he knew this would be harder than he thought. Azen went to reach for her coffee again but it was swiped away by Adrien.

"Hey!" She whined trying to reach for her coffee.

Adrien moved the coffee out of her reach, "You can have this back once you've learned this."

Azen leaned back on her chair grumpily. "That's going to take forever," she whined glaring slightly at Adrien. "I want coffee now."

"Then maybe you should start working."

"It'll be cold by then." Azen muttered, picking up her pencil.

Adrien took her pencil from her hand and her notebook. "Let me explain the concept for you." He started drawing very simplistic shapes on the page. "Let's say you had a recipe that makes a dozen cookies. It needs two cups of flour, three eggs, and one cup of chocolate chips-"

"Don't think that's realistic."

He frowned at her but continued with his example problem, "You have six cups of flour, twelve eggs, and two cups of chocolate chips. How many cookies can you make?"

"Whoa, slow down. Too many words. I don't remember any of that. Write it down for me, please?" She smiled sweetly.

Adrien reluctantly added to his little drawing. "Okay, here. Now try to figure that out." He handed her back her notebook and pencil.

She took a look at the problem. She thought about it for a moment, "Uh....two right? 'Cause there's less chocolate chips and when those run out, you can't make any more?"

"Now apply that with moles of an atom. The conversion factor is right here." He pointed at the conversation on the page. He looked at the textbook problems for a bit longer. "Do number six for me."

Azen focused her attention back onto the problem she tried doing earlier. She seemed to understand it better after Adrien had simplified the process for her. "There! I'm done!" She said excitedly and handed him the notebook so he could evaluate the problem.

He took a closer look at the problem. He was rather impressed at how fast she caught on to the process. "Wow, you actually got it right."

Azen smiled about to speak, but Adrien was still skeptical if she really did learn the concept or if luck was on her side. "Do a few more of these and I think you might actually be ready for that test."

Azen pressed her lips together in annoyance. "Give me my coffee back."

He looked at her for a brief moment as if assessing what his next move would be. He got up and put his book bag on, pushed in his chair and walked away with both coffees in his hands.

Azen didn't react quick enough in order to stop him. "Adrien, where are you going? Hey! Come back here!" As fast as she could she shoved her stuff inside her bag. "That idiot." she muttered, rushing outside the coffee shop.

Once she stepped outside she looked at one side of the street trying to spot him. Nothing. She looked the other way and spotted him already down the block. "Adrien!"

She menovered her way around the people walking on the street as quickly as she could, trying not to lose sight of Adrien. Until she bumped into someone stopping her in her pursuit.

"Oh hey boss," the voice she bumped into said.

Azen looked up at him, "Aidan!" She smiled.

"What are you doing out right now? I thought you were studying?" He asked.

She took a glance behind Aidan, but could no longer see Adrien, "I was, but Adrien took off with my coffee."

Aidan looked at her confused, "Adrien? Where is he? He shouldn't have left without you."

Azen looked around again, "I dunno, but when I get my hands on him I'm going to-"

"You're going to what?" Adrien asked, almost appearing out of nowhere. He took a long sip of his coffee as he looked at the two of them.

"Beat you to a pulp." Azen glared at him and took back her coffee. She grumpily drank it as Adrien laughed.

Aidan smiled putting his hand on Adrien's back, "I didn't know you were tutoring now Adrien. You should help me out with English."

"Do your own work." Adrien playfully pushed Aidan away from him.

Azen looked at Aidan, "Where were you going? I thought you were supposed to be at an emergency practice."

"I was, I'm on my way home now." Aidan crossed his arms, acting as if he was offended by Azen's words.

"Dude walk her home with me." Adrien pointed at Azen. He was hoping Aidan would agree, he thought it would be nice if all three of them went on a walk together.

"What? Scared of the dark Adrien?" Aidan said teasingly, subconsciously leaning towards Adrien.

Adrien scoffed, "Of course not," He looked at Azen who was still giving him a death stare. He gulped nervously, "but I'm scared she'll actually kill me."

Azen smirked evilly, "Yeah, fear me." She then looked at Aidan sweetly. "Carry my stuff for me, please? Thank you." She handed her bag to Aidan who took it without thinking. She started walking away before he could say anything.

When it clicked in what Azen did Aidan started complaining. "Why do I have to carry it?"

Adrien chuckled and walked after Azen leaving Aidan behind.

"Guys, wait up." Aidan put on Azen's book bag as he hurried to catch up to them.

As soon as he caught up to the other two he put his arms around both of them and grinned. He thought about how much he loved his two best friends and how he wouldn't trade what they have for anything in the world. But he didn't know how soon his world would change again.