14 Chapter 13

I don’t say anything, just study his eyes. They really are beautiful. He smiles and winks at me then starts paying attention to the teacher who has been going over the instructions for the lab. She finishes up and lets us choose our partners then begin working.

“Please tell me you know what we’re doing,” I tell Riley as he pours different stuff together.

He smirks as he continues pouring different chemicals together. “Don’t worry, I’ve got it handled. Turn the Bunsen burner on high,” he directs me, nodding to it.

I do as I’m told, then watch as he starts to hold the chemical over the Bunsen burner. My gaze locks on the fire. I’m just about to withdraw into my head into another memory when Riley nudges me with his elbow.

“Can you hand me that?” he asks, nodding his head to another chemical, still holding the mixed chemicals over the burner.

I hand it to him and he pours some in and shakes the flask. He then holds it back over the burner. A minute later, it starts bubbling and rainbow-colored smoke starts rising up. I suck in a breath in wonder.

“Cool, isn’t it?” he asks, smiling down at me, his eyes taking me in. I nod and keep watching the smoke.

The teacher comes over to our table and admires our work. “Great job, Riley and Natalie. Take their teamwork as an example, class. They followed the directions, worked well together, and got it done flawlessly,” she says to everyone.

I swear I feel my face get bright red. I’m not used to this attention and I don’t particularly like it. She smiles at us once more then goes to another table where the student’s flask started making popping sounds. I look up at Riley who smiles and winks at me. “See? It’s all about trust.”

“So, you’re smart too. Is there anything wrong with you? You can’t be perfect and perfect at everything,” I grumble.

His smile dims a little but doesn’t go away. He shrugs and recovers quickly. “Happy to see that you think so highly of me.”

I shove him playfully and his full watt smile returns completely. We start cleaning up our table since we’re done. After we’ve finished, I look around to see how everyone else is coming along. Not as well as us. Well, maybe one group. The bell rings and I gather up my stuff. Riley and I walk out into the hallway to find Andrea waiting on him. Why is she waiting on him? I mentally facepalm myself for the stupid question. He turns to me, adjusting his bookbag.

“I’m gonna walk with her, okay?”

I nod, feeling disappointment settle in my chest. He pulls me into a one-arm hug then releases me.

“I’ll see you later,” he says, then walks away, leaving me standing alone.

I watch them walk off together, smiling and laughing. I start in the direction of my next class, study hall. Unfortunately, Colton has it with me. As soon as I get to the library, I find a secluded corner hidden away from the view of others.

*************************

Study hall passes by fairly quickly. Now my stomach is tossing and turning at the thought of going to English. There, I can’t avoid Colton. There, I would have to get over yesterday and my anger and frustration not only directed at him but at myself as well. I walk out into the hallway and, to my surprise, see the boy from the diner. He’s wearing black, ripped jeans with a black hoodie. A black beanie is on his head, his black hair hanging over his grey eyes. Snakebites catch my attention from the light that catches and glints off of them. Woah. I let out a breath that I just realized I’ve been holding since spotting him. Does he go here? I’ve never seen him here before today. He’s leaning against the wall carelessly casual next to the office. He looks up from the ground and his eyes land on me, seeming to pierce through me. As if he could see through to my soul. He stands up from leaning against the wall and my breath catches. Is he coming over here? Why can’t I move? And what does it matter if he is coming over here? He’s just some random diner waiter. No big deal. Yet still, I can’t catch my breath, make my feet move, or draw my eyes away from his piercing grey ones.

“Natalie!”

Riley’s voice snaps me out of whatever daze he had on me. What was his name again? Collin? No, Connor! That’s it.

“Are you okay?” Riley asks, coming up beside me.

I let out a breath and clear my throat awkwardly. “Yeah,” I answer, my eyes not leaving Connor.

“What are you doing?” he asks me quizzically, his face scrunched up with confusion.

I watch as Connor starts to walk in my direction but is stopped by the guidance counselor gently touching his shoulder, grabbing his attention. She smiles a soft, sad smile. He turns to her, forgetting me. I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Again. And finally, look at Riley. His brows are creased with confusion and I watch as his eyes scan the room and finally find where the focus of my attention had been. He looks at me, his eyebrows now raised. No humor or normal happiness or smiles anywhere to be found on his face. I shake my head, trying to clear it.

“Nothing. What’s up?” I ask him, not even remembering his last words to me.

He shrugs and looks in the direction that Connor was standing. He and Mrs. Wendy are walking in the direction of her office now. “Know him?”

I shake my head. “Does he go here?”

“I’ve never seen him before.”

If anyone would have noticed him before then it would have been the all-friendly and sociable Riley. So that confirms it for me. What is he doing here? Is he transferring? I bite my lip while my thoughts race and spin at a hundred miles an hour. All centered around the mysteriously dark Connor. Riley gives me an odd look and shakes his head at me.

“What?” I ask, sounding way too defensive for my comfort.

“Nothing at all,” he says shortly as we start walking to English. I study him and realize how pale he looks.

“Are you okay?” I ask him, suddenly worried.

“I’m fine,” he answers curtly.

“Are you sure? You look really pale.”

“I think I’m getting a cold or something. I’ll be fine,” he says, shrugging off my concerns.

I give him a look and bite my lip. He doesn’t look fine at all.

“Why, Natalie? Are you worried?” he asks dramatically, smiling and seeming to go back to his normal demeanor and self. I roll my eyes at him and walk to my desk. He follows and sits on top of it. “I mean, it’s okay if you are. It would only mean the end of the world as we know it,” he continues, dramatically joking and smiling.

“I’m serious," I firmly say.

The smile leaves his face and he gets serious. “I’m fine. Common cold at the most.”

I nod and decide to drop it. He slides off my desk and goes to his as the bell rings and Colton sits in the seat that Riley was just blocking. He looks straight ahead, his jaws clenched so tight it looks like it hurts. I pretend not to notice. Mr. Cooper comes in carrying a glass fishbowl filled with folded white slips of paper. He sits it down at the front of his desk. He clears his throat to get the student’s attention. Everyone quiets down and focuses on him.

“As you’ve probably noticed, I have a bowl filled with paper. Each couple will come up and grab a slip of paper out. On the paper, you will find out how many babies you potentially have and the genders of them. After you’ve found that out, you will come to me and I will give you your electronic baby or babies.”

An electronic baby? He’s really going all out for this. The thought of having to carry around an electronic baby is not only mortifying but also annoying. It’s not really at the top of my list of things I want to do.

“You will have to take care of it together and figure out your own methods. Okay, first up is Mia and Corey,” he continues.

I let out a huff at the same time as Colton. This causes us to look at each other and our eyes lock together. I could tell we were both thinking and feeling the same way about this baby situation. Mia and Corey walk up and draw a slip of paper, then get their baby. A few more couples are called. Then, “Colton and Natalie.”

I sigh and get up from our desk. I walk to the front of the room with Colton and stop when we reach the dreaded bowl.