And as my best friend came closer to me, something happened. Something changed. Something shifted.
For the first time since I’d started high school, I wanted as far away from Roy as I could get.
27
Raelynn
“Now, class, make sure you read the labels on your beakers and bottles carefully. I understand we have a shower in the back, but that doesn’t mean I want to use it today.”
The class let out a soft titter, but I kept my eyes trained on my hands. I wrung them in circles, taking deep breaths as I kept reliving that moment. The look on Michael’s face a few nights ago when he strolled up onto my porch during that thunderstorm. The anger in his eyes. The heat in his voice. The way he scoffed at me before stalking away, not giving me any time to craft any sort of a response.
Just an accusation and my guilty face staring back at him.
Allison nudged me “You listening?”
My head whipped up. “Sorry. Yeah.”
“If you’re listening, what did the teacher just say?”
“He doesn’t want to use the shower today.”
“That was seven statements ago. So you’re not listening. Good. At least I know now.”
“You know damn good and well why I’m not listening.”
The teacher cleared his throat. “There something you want to share with the class, ladies?”
Allison shook her head. “No, sir. Nothing.”
And when he looked at me, all I did was shake my head.
“Good. Now, one last thing. Once you document everything you see from your experiment, I want you to keep your notes with you until tomorrow’s class. We’re going to be taking three sets of notes and comparing them for grades at the end of the week. So make sure not to get any liquids on them.”
I sighed. “Great.”
Allison giggled. “I’ll help you out as much as I can. I know you’re not the cleanest person around.”
“Thanks? Maybe?”
“Hey, at least you were listening this time.”
I shot her a look, but all she did was giggle. Our teacher released us to the hounds, allowing us to conduct the experiment in front of us with very minimal instruction. I hated chemistry. Science had been the bane of my existence ever since middle school. But it was required, and if I took it now I wouldn’t have to take it in college.
Good for you, thinking about the future.
Allison and I worked in silence for a few minutes. We poured chemicals into beakers together and documented what we witnessed. We combined elements that made a sort of putty mixture before melting into a pile of goop. Which was weird and utterly unexpected. I was almost certain we’d done that particular facet wrong. But what really felt odd was standing with Allison in complete and utter silence.
So I took a leap of faith.
“You know, don’t you?”
She sighed. “It’s not hard to pinpoint. Especially since Michael didn’t want to walk with us this morning.”
“Has he talked with you about it?”
“No. He hasn’t so much as looked my way.”
I sighed. “I’m so sorry, Allison.”