Chemistry

"She's beautiful." 

I jump with a start at the sound of your voice - hovering so close to my ear - and nearly spill the blue liquid in the test tube I'm holding. You're standing next to me, hands poised on the granite table. It's obvious that you're talking to me - but your eyes are gazing into the distance.

"She's beautiful." You repeat. I turn to see what you're watching. My heart sinks.

"Of course she is." I quickly regain my composure, fake a smile and turn back to the experiment. 

You swivel around to face me. Grabbing my shoulders, you fix your soulful green eyes into mine. My insides turn to goo and my knees buckle, almost falling to the ground. 

"You're the only one who knows. You didn't tell anyone, did you?" 

"What?" I'm so mesmerized, I couldn't quite catch the question. I blink a few times. 

"What?" You mimick in a high-pitched voice. You inch towards me again, this time narrowing your eyes to stare suspiciously at me.

I can smell the faint scent of sunshine lingering on your gingham checkered shirt. I inhale. Mmm. 

You look at me, expecting an answer. 

"Of course I didn't!" I laugh awkwardly. "Why would I?"

Yeah. Of course I didn't. I was too busy sobbing into my pillow in the middle of the night. 

"How should I know?" You smirk. I try to concentrate on finishing the chemistry experiment, but I can't; I'm twitching nervously at every tingle that you leave on my arm when you brush past me to reach for the test tubes. Why do you have to stand so close to me? I cry. You're making meteors shoot through my stomach. I think I'm going to throw up. 

A calm silence settles over us. We mind our own business for a while - tipping liquids into tubes and putting them over the bensen lamp. I glance at you out of the corner of my eye. You're squinting as you pop the cork into the mouth of the test tube. 

"I'm gonna ask her out." You whisper to me. I freeze for a moment, thoughts running through my head. What? When? No. No. Nonono. No. Oh My God no. NO.

But I plaster a grin onto my face and ask sweetly, "That's cool. When?" 

"Right after class!" You exclaim triumphantly. I work everything out silently in my head. Right after class. After class. Chemistry. Which is...

Just then the bell rings. You jump out of your seat and quickly tip the contents of the test tubes into the sink. I arrange the beakers and tubs into their former places. "Go. I'll clear this up."

"Really?" A smile spreads over your face. "Awesome! Thanks, Char. You're the best. See ya!" You hike your backpack up on one shoulder and shoot out of the chemistry lab, running after the posse of cheerleaders already headed out.

Right after class. Ask her out. Beautiful. Didn't tell anyone. I'm the only one who knows. Beautiful. Beautiful. Ask her out. Beautiful.

I absent-mindedly wipe the granite surface with a wet rag and stride out the door as well. You're leaning against a bank of lockers, your dimple etched deep into your cheek as you smile sweetly down at her. I glance towards you, just in time to see her nod and lean up on tippy toes - I recoil in horror, my brain screaming Don't watchhhh!, but I can't bear to close my eyes.

Her lips touch yours - gently, soft as feathers, delicate as a lily, as if afraid to trespass upon forbidden land. You soften and lift a hand up to cup her face, the other curling around her waist, pulling her closer, engulfing her. After what seems like forever, you break apart, staring lovingly into each other's eyes. Her hand is resting on your chest, while the other fingers the point of your chin daintily. A smile curls at the end of your lip. You lean in once more - and this time, I spin around on my heels and trudge off in the opposite direction.