Forget me lots (Completed)

20. River 🐝

There's one class I'm into—the one that answers my eternal question of how things work and that's Physics. I'm not brainy, but I have this passion for taking apart things and putting them back together.

When I was six, my dad, noticing how much of a car enthusiast his son was, came back from work with a 20-pack of Matchbox cars. We played for hours and he even helped me dismantle one as if we were mechanics. We couldn't assemble that one in particular, but it opened up a world of fun and possibilities. I'll always be grateful to him for that. When I turned eight, I was committed to engineering and robotics with my Rally Racer. This 159-piece set included an electric motor to provide propulsion for the finished product.

There's an unspoken certainty that comes when I figure out the mechanics of everything. It's something I can control, unlike my health, which has deteriorated considerably during these past weeks. The worst part is not being honest with Dawn about my heart condition or lying to my family about my meds. I thought I could handle the situation, but judging by the way my symptoms have increased, I'll have to confess, eventually.

It's not like I've been completely reckless, I've taken half the dosage, enough to handle the chest pains and still feel like a person, not a weak freak with a lame heart. I wanted to spend time with Dawn being me, not a drowsy, washed-up version of the boy she likes. Is that too much to ask? My eyes gloss over, daydreaming about my next date with her.

"River, can you tell me the highest point the ball reaches?"

"Uh?" I mumble, snapping back to reality. Unfortunately, that's not the answer to the question Mr.Ibarra is asking.

"That's not a numerical answer, Mr. Allen." The Professor leans back against the whiteboard and I hear her soft chuckles. I know she moved and flicked her hair because of the honey-scented trail that finds my nostrils a second after.

My gaze finds her three seats to my left. Concentrated on trying to hide her cellphone from our teacher. Her cheeks flushed from the fear of getting caught, yet she perseveres. I hope the message is meant for me. She's such an adorable dork, it takes all my willpower to remain seated and not dart over to where she is and kiss her in the middle of our class lesson. Screw Physics, my heart, logic and reason. I want her hands wrapped around my torso right now. I want to ride my bike with her and forget the world. The back pocket of my jeans vibrates, telling me my wish came true.