Short Stories in the Across the Globe Universe

Lab Rat [Nico]

~Nico~

[This story takes place after Sam and Nico do the lab rat dissection and Sam runs away, too shocked about what she has just seen]

The dissection we did today was one of the most interesting ones we have done all semester, but as I pack my things slowly, I can't help but feel a little concerned about Sam. She was being so odd today... Well, not like she's been really herself this term. She never talked much about what happened with her ex-partner, and I only know that their relationship ended at some point during summer break... Well, I'm not even certain about that now that I contemplate it.

I wish she would've told me they were having issues. I would've listened.

"See ya tomorrow, Nico!" Andrés says as he walks past.

"See ya!" I yell back.

Maybe she was occupied today and had some other business she needed to attend to. She's always busy, studying, working, doing who knows what. She doesn't really spend much of her free time on the university grounds like the rest of us do. I mean, I feel like I board here, and I only return home due to the fact that there are no beds at uni.

Well, I've actually snoozed in the library a few times.... but I don't think I've ever seen Sam in there.

Come to think of it, she's actually the only one I don't run into at the library.

"Hey, Nico," Mónica says as she pats me on the shoulder. "Do you want to go to the library? I need some help with calculus if you're available."

"Yeah, sure," I state as I put my remaining belongings away and hang my knapsack over my shoulder. "I was planning on solving some of the exercises today, and I have an hour and a half before my next class anyway."

"You're the best!" She says as we start walking out of the laboratory together.

And albeit I don't want to admit it, there's a fragment in me that wishes Sam would ask for my assistance too, or ask me to hang out outside of classes. Even when we have to write assignments together, she manages to get it mostly done online without us ever meeting in person.... Perhaps I should just ask her.

Perhaps I should just... forget about it.

It's none of my business, and if she doesn't want to spend any of her spare time at uni, she might have her reasons for it.

Letting the subjects drop, I let my attention drift back to Mónica.

"Lab was amazing today, wasn't it?" She asks me excitedly.

"It was, indeed. I wasn't expecting to analyze the brain too," I say, the excitement so obvious in my voice.

"Same! It was epic!"  

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Note: I know this was super short, and some of these little POVs are going to be just this, little snippets of secondary characters and their thought revolving around Sam's life. 

I'd love any feedback and ideas on what you want to read about here! Thanks so much for popping in!

Would you like to read some cut scenes from the original story too? Or versions of the story that didn't make it into the book??