Bringing him back

Chemistry

Autumn sits in her third period class, Parenting, wishing that time would slow down. She concentrates on her worksheet over the different types of families, such as blended, nuclear and mixed. It was a simple worksheet with many fill-in-the-blanks, vocabulary definitions and List three examples of how children make react to step-parents... Yada, yada, yada. Autumn didn't mind these types of worksheets, even though the other students detested the quiet, boring manner of them. Unlike Autumn, they didn't appreciate how simple and easy it was to complete without the help of others.

Autumn writes the answers slowly, as if the time will move as slow as her fingers gliding across the paper. To her dismay, the bell rings out and the girls of the classroom get up and leave, happy to do something more fun and loud. Autumn takes her time though, neatly slipping the worksheet into her homework folder, slowly zipping up her bag and gracefully sliding on her backpack. Once she gets out into the chaotic hallways her steps are slow and careful- she was really in no hurry to see James and Lindsey flirt with each other.

She makes it to her locker on the top floor and carefully spins the combination lock to make sure she landed on the numbers perfectly. With a satisfying click, the locker opens and Autumn places her book on the top shelf and takes the hefty Chemistry book and binder in turn. The minute bell rings, letting them know they have one more minute to get to class.

"Crap." Autumn mumbles under her breath as she kicks the locker door shut. Along with many other students who liked to dwell in the hallways until last minute she scrambles to be on time to their next class. Autumn makes it in her Chemistry classroom just a second before the final bell rang. She flops down on her seat, panting slightly.

"You're almost late again, Autumn." Mrs. Hanson begins to lecture her, "Five minutes is more than enough time to arrive to class early." Autumn turns a deep shade of red as she looks down at her feet.

"Alright class, today we will be watching a video on safety in the lab."

"Is it Bill Nye?" asks a kid, and the classroom rings with laughter.

"No it isn't - " Mrs. Hanson is cut off by the many 'Awww's' from the students.

"However, it is made by a teacher and it tries to be funny." It's quiet as Mrs. Hanson puts in the DVD and turn off the light. Autumn props up her head on her hands and tries to pay attention to the video. After about forty-five minutes of attempted humor, they are put out of their misery and it ends.

"Alright, one last thing before you guys leave...Pop quiz! This should be easy if you guys were paying attention to the movie." The class groans as the teacher hands out a little half sheet full of questions. The bell rings just as Autumn finishes hers up. She hands it in, feeling confident about her answers. Autumn goes back to her seat to grab her binder and Chemistry book and starts walking out the door when she realizes she's not walking with Marie. Autumn turns around quickly to see if she can spot her but her foot she clumsily tripped over her own feet as she spun around and she falls onto the ground and papers that were loosely tucked into her binder spill out across the floor.

Kids laugh rudely at her and Autumn's eyes sting with tears as she tries to pick up all her papers before they get trampled on by other students. With her eyes pointed to the ground in embarrassment, she doesn't realize someone else is helping her until he shoves the papers roughly towards her.

"James?" she asks in amazement. However, he doesn't respond; as soon as the papers are in Autumn's hands and safely off the ground James stands up and disappears into the wave of her peers.