◈A D R I A N◈

This is awkward, I thought silently as I sneaked a glance to my left.

Kelly had her head hung low and was scribbling furiously on her notebook. Meanwhile, Mr. Chan was still oblivious to the intense drama as he explained about dilution while squeezing distilled water into the test tubes at the laboratory table up front.

I was starting to second guess my decision to attend school when I felt the throbbing in my head slowly intensified. The thrumming was starting to make me feel queasy as if someone attached guitar strings to my head and started to strum.

I would have been able to avoid all these if I stayed home, I groaned as my eyes shifted between Kelly and Amanda. The rest of the class pretended as if World War III hadn't erupted just minutes ago. Even Amanda returned to her chirpy self, asking irrelevant questions to Mr. Chan.

I looked at Kelly again. Silent tears continued rolling down involuntarily down her cheeks and fell on the pages. Guess we were the only ones still affected.

"And that's how you do it," Mr. Chan concluded and passed out the report sheets to us. "This experiment needs to be done in pairs so grab your partners quick and finish it before the bell rings. Let the games begin!" he ended it with an exaggerated bow.

The minute after Mr. Chan returned to his seat, a crash was heard from the back row. Dozens of head swiveled simultaneously to the source of the sound and Mr. Chan hurried to the back with a first aid kit.

He stopped before the broken pieces of a volumetric flask and glared at the perpetrator. Dylan, the class clown looked sheepishly at Mr. Chan and lowered his gaze, feigning guilt.

"I've told you all many, many times to handle the solutions with care. Even if this is diluted acid, it is still corrosive and you can be burned from contact," Mr. Chan reprimanded harshly. "Nobody touches anything while I get Miss Mathers to clean this mess," he shot a stern glare at Dylan once more before leaving the room to get the lab assistant.

Dylan chuckled soon after Mr. Chan got out of earshot and his friends slapped his back playfully at his stunt.

Amanda turned in her seat and leaned over the table to look at the mess. "Who knew diluted acid could do so much harm," she clicked her tongue. With a smirk, she shot a dirty look at Kelly and said, "Consider yourself lucky, Montgomery."

Kelly hunched her back even more and ignored the threat. A sudden, unfamiliar anger welled in me, making me scrunch up the report sheets subconsciously.

I turned to face her and opened my mouth. Before I could stop myself, the words left my lips and I knew I would regret it sooner or later.

"How do you feel about shepherd's pie after school?"

✴

I let out a breath of relief when the 'closed' sign greeted us as we stood in front of Average Joe's Pizza parlour. As much as I craved for a taste of that savoury pie, I was glad that this place remained untainted by a third party.

This place shall remain as his and mine.

I shoved my hands into my pockets and looked guiltily at Kelly. "So, umm... coffee, then?" I asked lamely.

Kelly gave me a blank look and merely shrugged. I looked around the streets for any decent coffee shop. Starbucks was shit so I ruled that out. I scanned the row of shops across the road and found a quirky shop.

"Let's go," I urged and crossed the road without looking behind me. It wasn't until a car honked that I turned around only to find Kelly standing in the middle of the road.

I rushed to her side, ignoring the middle finger as the offended man drove passed us.

"What are you doing?!" I yelled and pulled her along without waiting for her response. She just followed my steps quietly as I pushed open the glass door and entered the shop.

I led her to the nearest table by the window and asked, "What do you want?"

She looked up and whispered, "Hot cocoa."

I grunted in response and stood in line while squinting at the menu board nailed to the wall behind the counter.

Since I was never a coffee fan, I hardly went to any coffee shop. Scratch that, I hardly went to any shop per se to fill my stomach. 7-11 got me covered in that department.

"Next."

I trudged forward, looked at the menu placed on the counter and ordered slowly, hoping I wouldn't trip on my words. "One hot cocoa and one Earl Grey."

"Hey, we meet again," a male voice called out.

My first instinct was to look behind me, only to find air staring back at me before realizing that greeting was meant for me. I turned my head back to the barista and saw familiar eyes staring back at me.

Lucas.

"Lucas, if that serves any memory," he waved limply as I remained muted.

"Right, I remember you." Who wouldn't when you're licking someone's yogurt off your thumb, I thought dryly.

"It's nice seeing you again. I've never gotten to see you around after that time," he replied with a beaming smile.

Can't say I feel the same.

"So, um...hot cocoa and Earl Grey," I reminded him again since he was showing no sign of making the drinks.

His cheeks flushed bright and he stammered, "Y-yeah. One hot cocoa and Earl Grey coming right up!"

I stepped aside at the waiting counter and shifted my weight back and forth on my toes and heels. His eagerness to see me again was starting to make me feel uncomfortable and the throbbing in my head returned.

Fucking great.

I glanced over my shoulder to check on Kelly, making sure she wasn't doing anything stupid like banging her head against the window. Instead, she just stared outside as the sky started to weep again. Raindrops started racing down the glass panels, slightly fogging up the windows.

"Adrian."

Jerking my head back, I saw Boy Toy settling down my drinks on a tray. I muttered my thanks and hurriedly retrieved my drinks.

Boy Toy cleared his throat before I could leave. "There's something I need to tell you."

I groaned internally as my feet itched to escape.

"Your mom and I... We-we broke up," he continued.

I frowned, unsure of why this news concerned me and why he felt the need to explain.

He opened his mouth again only to close it back as if he was having second thoughts.

Whatever words he wanted to say, he swallowed it down and waved, "I'll see you around then."

I grunted and left.

Guess I can't call him Boy Toy anymore.

✈

Author's note

Is it weird that I write better and faster when I'm angry or sad? My progress is slower than the slowest snail now because I've been feeling neutral these days. W(H)elp...

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you liked it, please consider clicking on the little star to vote :)

{Song: Uncomfortable by Wallows}