Chapter Seven
1778 Words
Nuclear Fusions I
“What should I give her?” I muttered, picking the edge of my nose in irritation, eyes squinting while I was thinking of several things to give Grandma. “Would she like a new pair of sandals?” I asked out loud, hissing in hesitation. “But I already gave her sandals last Christmas.” I crossed my arms, furrowing my brows deeper as I glanced up to the ceiling, tapping the edge of my pen over my chin. “Purse? Dress? A necklace or a ring, maybe?”
“Gwynn Bartel.”
I flinched from my seat at the sound of Aiden’s voice so airy and so close to my ear. I slowly turned to his direction, annoyed that he was disrupting my thoughts.
“We’re in the middle of class. You’re talking too much. I can’t hear the teacher.” The way he spoke with his teeth gritting, and his lips barely opening just to hide the fact that he was talking during class, was hilarious. I would burst into laughter if we weren’t in a lecture.
I rolled my eyes, spinning my pen over my fingers, disregarding what Aiden just said. “We’re in the middle of class, you’re talking too much, I can’t hear the blah blah blah.” I mockingly repeated his words, leaning my head closer to him to annoy him more. “Forgive me, Mr. Summa c*m Laude, for interrupting your daily mass.” I whispered with a grin on my face.
“Shh!” He hissed.
“Shh,” I mimicked playfully, sighing as I tried to focus my attention on the lesson that was being lectured in the front. I rested my cheek over my palms in boredom. All I could think of was what to gift my grandma.
What is she saying? What coming of age? What Japanese occupation? What the crap is all this?
“Okay, bring out…”
What the holy crap. My heart raced. My arms and hands, and legs tensed up. My hands started sweating as everyone started to bring out their papers and whatnot. I gulped clueless, still praying that this isn’t a pop quiz while I was thinking and making fun of the lesson.
“Let’s have the quiz today because I won’t be here tomorrow.”
My fingers trembled as I crammed the information to register in my head which weren’t working – AT ALL. My palms were already sweating like a pig. I’m so screwed! I frantically turned to Aiden who looked like he’s been watching me going crazy for the sudden pop quiz this old hag had under her sleeve. The smug look on his face irritated me because I knew he was enjoying my suffering.
He shook his head, pulling out his pad of paper from his bag, acting like a know-it-all. “It’s time you realize why you actually attend school, Gwynn.”
I pouted, my tears on the verge of falling from my eyes. I literally don’t have any idea what the lecture was about, even. I can barely remember a word from the professor, and you expect me to take a pop quiz, head empty? Aiden was right, but even if he was right, I would never put it to heart.
He slid a piece of paper at my direction, knowing well I do not carry a pad paper with me to school. “Good luck taking this unit again next semester.”
I grunted miserably, but I grabbed the paper he gave me, still in hopes that somehow a miracle would happen for me. “Why is this happening today? I was just thinking of our dear, dear Grandma Minette. Is that so bad?”
“Don’t you dare use her for being inattentive during class.” Aiden squinted his eyes at me.
“I am so not!”
“Number one!”
Here goes nothing, I guess.
The number of questions just kept storming out of her mouth, and here I was, staring at my blank, clean paper in defeat. I felt so unarmed in this bloody war. At this point, I just want to get this over with, so I can accept that I failed and will promise to do better next time, but I won’t study for it at all.
I looked around anxiously. How is everyone answering every question without hesitation? Am I the only stupid one in this class? Oh god, that’s even worse. I buried my face over my palms, sobbing quietly, so the professor wouldn’t see how devastatingly defeated I was.
“Pass your papers. I’ll be posting the results online.”
My eyes widened. P-Posting the results?! I ran my fingers over my hair in disbelief. I’m going crazy. This can’t be worse than it already was the first time they decided to have this stupid pop quiz. I looked at my empty paper, laughing hysterically inside my head. I realized it wasn’t actually empty. She can give my drawing of a cute dinosaur a bonus for my effort. It’s better than letters. This is embarrassing.
You can always look at the brighter side of things, right? This is my coping mechanism of failing this class. I don’t have any regrets even if Aiden would make fun of me later.
I was about to turn my paper over to the front when Aiden stopped me by the arms. I arched a brow at him and let him snatch my empty test paper. “What?! Laugh all you want! I’m proud of it.”
He sighed. “You’re not actually handing this to the teacher are you?”
I blinked in embarrassment. “W-What’s so wrong about my drawing? It’s a masterpiece, you know.” I shrugged, raising my chin up confidently.
“Are you trying to get a point for this masterpiece of yours?”
I bit my lip in frustration and shame. “Yes.” He scoffed before he crumpled my paper, leaving me in awe. “Hey! What am I supposed to pass now?! Are you crazy?! Why did you do that?!”
“Nothing changes if you pass that or not so better not pass it so you can save yourself from the embarrassment of trying to snatch a point for a poorly drawn art of yours.”
I guess he’s right. I leaned back to my chair like I lost all my energy I had when I was just coming in this morning. This pop quiz just sucked it off like a filthy leech. I feel like the odds are doing this to me on purpose – telling me it’s karma for all the hearts I’ve broken. No odd can ever make me change, though. I’m thicker than oil.
“You can scheme your way to different guys, but you can’t even do a simple pop quiz.”
“Hey.” I stopped him from talking, glaring back at him with a frown. “This is not the same case.”
“Mhm, sure. How convincing.” Aiden raised a brow.
“You know I don’t do well in pop quizzes.”
He laughed. “Yeah, you only attend school to score some guys. I get that already.”
I tapped him by the shoulder, grinning. “You’re so smart. I’m almost falling for you.”
He shove my hand off his shoulder to bend down for his bag. When he got back up, he turned to face me again with an unimpressed look. “I’ll see you after class. I’ll come by your room if I finish early.”
Science was my next class. I didn’t particularly like the subject but then again, I never really liked school so that goes with every unit I take. Our professor for the class went out today, but left a very crucial task. I wouldn’t work hard if I know it was due days later but it’s due the same freaking day and I hate it.
What with me and deadlines today?
I headed to the library like everyone, as per instruction by our teacher. Of course, I went stomping my feet like a mad horse. How am I supposed to start this freaking essay? Why is nuclear fusion always just out of reach? Will it ever become a useful technology? I should go look for books related to this before everyone tries to get it and I’m left with absolutely nothing.
And potentially fail another class for being a stubborn b***h.
It should be under physics right? I’m not that dumb. I scoffed at my own thoughts. “Okay.” I mumbled to myself, tracing my finger over the books I was passing by. Nuclear… “Found i—”
“I’m so sorry.”
I looked up and saw the guy who was about to get the same book I was trying to get. He didn’t look like he came from my class, so I assume he’s just a studious student who was picking on every book to read every after class. He looks fine though.
“You can have it. I’ll just…”
“No, it’s okay.” Oh god, Achelois. You have a freaking essay due in an hour and a half, and all you think about is boys and how to please them. “You can have it. I’m sure there are other books I can find that are similar to this.”
His expression softened. “Maybe I can help. If you don’t mind me asking, what are you looking for?”
I shook my head, shrugging uninterestedly. “Nuclear fusion.”
He tilted his head as if he just figured something out. “Are you from Mr. Gerald’s science class? Year 2?”
Oh? “Yes?” Why do I sound unsure? Maybe it’s more of like I was unsure of what he was gonna do with that information he got from me.
He bobbed his head, letting out a small chuckle. “He makes his students do the same essays every year. How consistent of him.” So he’s been to our teacher’s class then. “I can suggest you a book I used as a reference before if you like.”
My eyes lit up. How lucky I am, really. Help with essay and with a guy. The odds may be against me graduating with no failed remarks, but no way it’s going against me getting the boys.
I flashed him a sweet smile. The type I knew boys would immediately fall for, hopefully it would work with him too. “That’d be really helpful, thank you.”
- Writer
