What if I ain't no violinist?

45. Twoset Teachers VII

"Okay, so I'd like you to all first practice just lighting a match. See how I'm standing right in front of the sink? If you get scared of your match, just drop it into sink like this, okay?"

Mr Chen demonstrated a few times. He held the match with his long fingers and struck it along the side of the matchbox and ignited the match in just one go. He made it look so easy.

He held the match stick at different angles to show how you have to tilt it at an angle to keep the flame going without burning your fingers.

"Just have a bit of a play around with the angles. And remember, if the flame gets too big, just hold it upright like this, or you can drop the match stick in the sink like this."

Brettany thought it was very grown-up to light a match like that.

She didn't get to do any science experiments in primary school so she was looking forward to doing experiments in her high school science classes. But she was still very nervous lighting a match on her own.

She paired up with Edwina, who was her new friend she made in high school. She was tall and looked very grown-up compared to Brettany.

"So Brettany, would you like to go first ?"

"Um... why don't you show me Edwina? I'd like to watch first."

"Okay. So I'm just going to light this match...."

Edwina struck the match along the matchbox and the match ignited.

Brettany recoiled. Unlike the demonstration Mr Chen did at the front of the class, Edwina was standing right next to Brettany and the flame felt awfully close.

Edwina held the match stick in different angles to control the size of her little flame, then blew out her match.

"Done. Too easy. Your turn Brettany."

Edwina handed Brettany the box of matches. Brettany's hands were trembling when she received them. Edwina raised an eyebrow.

"Brettany? Are you okay?"

Brettany shrugged.

"I've never lit a match before."

"Oh"

"Have you, Edwina?"

Edwina gave a cheeky grin.

"Yeah my brother taught me how when I was like 7."

"Oh"

"It's okay, just give it a go."

Brettany slowly took a matchstick out of the box, then tried striking it against the side of the matchbox. The match snapped in two.

"Oh no....!"

"It's okay Brettany. That happens all the time. Just try another one."

Brettany took out another match. This time she was being more gentle, which meant that she didn't build up enough friction to ignite the match. She was striking the match 4, 5, 6 times... On her 7th strike, the match ignited.

Brettany held the matchstick pointing it downwards and the flame quickly travelled up the stick towards her fingers. She panicked, screamed and instead of dropping the matchstick into the sink in front of her, she flicked it over the laboratory bench and it fell on the floor on the other side. Edwina yelled out;

"Oh my god!!"

"Hey, what's going on over there ??"

Brettany heard Mr Chen's sharp voice and everyone in the laboratory went silent.