Willow shook her head at the crush swarming Mr. Beasley’s desk before glancing back at Rune. He was watching her, smiling when he caught her gaze. “Well, at least we’re not doing another worksheet or just listening to a lecture.”
She pulled her lips into a smile, trying to ignore the prickle of her nerves. “Yeah, but I wish we were using something else. I hate onions. They always make my eyes water.”
“At last, I’ve found your kryptonite!” Rune said, chuckling. “But seriously, if you want to get our microscope set up, I’ll grab the onion. If we limit your exposure to it, you might be okay.”
Willow opened her mouth, then closed it, nodding. She didn’t give Rune a chance to say anything else, grabbing the instruction sheet and standing, before she hurried over to their assigned spot. A few other groups had had the same idea, while the first people to get their onions were already starting.
She concentrated on setting up the microscope properly and not on how nervous she felt. It was like her brain was taking revenge for all the last minute cramming sessions she’d done, by constantly bringing up the memories of Rune’s words. She felt awkward and out of place. Trying to act natural had her thinking about every word, causing silences to stretch into the territory of uncomfortable. She hoped Rune hadn’t noticed.
Carefully setting aside the two slides and their covers, she snagged a bottle of iodine from the end of their work bench. Leaving that beside the microscope, she dug out the tweezers, glass beaker, and eyedropper. She’d barely closed the drawer when Rune came to stand beside her, dropping a hunk of white plant material onto the wood.
He grinned. “You ready to see some cells? I know it’s always been my greatest ambition.”
Willow had to smile at that. “It could be worse. We could be building more cell or molecule models.”
Rune wrinkled his nose, lowering his voice to say “Yeah, and have her highness, Nicole, glaring at us whenever we don’t use the kits.”
She hesitated for a moment, then said. “We never used the kits, except that once.”
“Exactly.”
Willow’s lips twitched. “Would you mind pulling the onion skin out? I’d hate to tear up so much I can’t see our fabulous cells.”
Rune sighed dramatically. “You always make me do all the work. I should change my name to Cinders.”
“Don’t you mean Cinderella?”
“I happen to be a man.”
Willow couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped her, earning her a sharp look from Nicole, who was watching them as always.
“Don’t look now,” Rune said, his own eyes on the bit of onion he had the tweezers gently teasing a slice off of. “But I do believe you’ve attracted the attention of the famed Brown-Nosed Merwood. Stay quiet and observe it in its natural habitat, the classroom.”
She covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking as she fought the laughter down. Willow knew that Nicole would call Mr. Beasley over if she laughed outright, if he didn’t hear it himself. And they’d been down to the principal’s office enough already.
Rune didn’t make things easy. “The Brown-Nosed Merwood is an incredibly passive-aggressive species, as well as being vindictive. Its natural enemies include people smarter than it, people who do not admit to its believed superiority, and of course, people who attempt to have fun in class. If you attract the attention of this harpy-like creature, it is best to remain as still as possible. Any movement can be interpreted by the Brown-Nosed Merwood as an attack. If threatened, it will sound its alarm call, drawing down the attention of the nearest figure of authority.”
Willow waved her free hand at Rune, her other still busy keeping her laughter contained. Except now she had her fist half-stuffed into her mouth, her teeth leaving deep impressions in her skin as she convulsed with repressed amusement.
He grinned at her, gently laying down the nearly transparent patch of onion skin onto the slide. “There is no known defense against the Brown-Nosed Merwood. But being above reproach in the eyes of authority figures as well as ignoring it can help, though this can also aggravate the creature further. The only true method of removal is graduation, with the hope that you do not enter the same university as the Brown-Nosed Merwood.”
It took Willow several minutes before she could speak without laughing. When she finally pulled her hand out of her mouth, she saw the clear imprints of her teeth. She faced the still grinning Rune and shook her head. “You’re awful. You won’t be satisfied until you get us both into trouble.”
“I told you it was my job.”
Her lips twitched again, before she turned her attention to pouring the iodine. “Well, I should do my part, I suppose. Want to bet how long it’ll take us to finish the report?”
“Not long enough to satisfy the Brown-Nosed Merwood.”
Willow laughed. True to form, Nicole glared at them, which only made Rune chuckle as well. “We need to find that girl a hobby or a boyfriend or something. Anything to give her somewhere else to focus her energy and attention.”
She shook her head as she filled the dropper. “I believe it has been attempted. The last one ended with a break-up so bad, that the Brown-Nosed Merwood has sworn off all mates as unnecessary distractions.”
This time it was Rune who choked on his laughter while Willow smiled. She carefully squeezed out a few drops of iodine onto the onion as both of them turned their full attention to the experiment. This had less to do with Nicole’s continued stares and more to do with the fact that Mr. Beasley was quickly approaching their area. Still, all either of them had to do was look at each other or at Nicole and the other one would start to grin.
YOU ARE READING
Silver Bound Girl
FantasyWillow's a Byron and they aren't just your average family. Not just because there are so many of them, but because they have secrets and traditions far outside the norm. Like spending as much time outside as in, and doing everything to keep rumours...
