a Lesson of Lumine

Chapter Three: Chemistry for Dummies

After reading the note, Xiao shoved the note in his locker before slamming the door. Whatever it was, it wasn't that important if she hadn't come to him personally. He walked to his next class: Chemistry, Missus Lisa Room 119. Hopefully that class would be alright. He couldn't deal with more of Aethers's minor meddling. Little did he know, it wouldn't be who he expected to be in that class. Let's be real - you already know.

Lumine walked into Miss Lisa's classroom and sat down. She didn't want to be bothered by anyone. Again, it was the first day! She didn't want to do anything crazy right now, or even ever! Eventually she ended up sitting down at a table that had her name gently inscribed on the desk in blue-and-white calligraphy. It had to have been Miss Lisa's doing. Chucking to herself, Lumine glanced at the name beside her. The tables were those long ones, meant for two people (in school your tablemate would be your partner in assignments). On the table beside her the name was in black and teal, with decorations of small music notes flying around. In the center was the name you all were suspecting: Xiao. Lumine appeared to be remaining calm but inside she was about as relaxed as Klee going fish blasting. And it didn't help that Xiao walked in to the classroom at that very moment. He instantly made his way to his desk and didn't even glance at Lumine. "Hello!" She greeted. "Hmph."
"...Are you alright?"
"Oh, did you say something?" Xiao grumbled, still not making eye contact.
"Yes...I thought I would say hello...Hi!"
"Hey," He continued to look through his notebooks. Why was he acting so rude? They didn't fight at all over the first day, right? Whatever it was, Lumine had to find it out. "Did something happen? You seem a little upset," she asked.
"I'm fine. It's none of your business either."
"Are you sure? You wouldn't be acting so angry if you were alright."
"Again, it's none of your business. Just get through the class without having an argument. Alright?"
"I'd stop asking if you would just tell me!"
"Did you not here me? It's none of your-"
"Welcome to class everyone!~" Miss Lisa interrupted, clapping her hands together like an elementary teacher, "Take your seats and we can begin our class!" Everyone rushed to their desk, half of the students staring dreamily at their teachers....eyes. Thankfully Lisa took this to her heart gently and merely laughed it off, "I hate to ruin your fantasies, but I am in close relations to your printable and I would love to have a little talk with you all in the office. Now, let us begin!" The students who were staring at Lisa were now all sitting upright and neatly. Some of their fellow peers snickered, but Lumine remained content. Xiao was stone cold as ever.

Lisa began to explain everything that the other teachers had explained - the plan for the year, dates for tests, but not before adding another small detail. "To finish off this short lecture, let's discuss your seating. According to your final grades from the previous year, I've sat you next to someone who is either helpful or going to be helpful in turning those D's to B's in no time! I will re-arrange if needed, but you will be doing most of the work in the class with your desk partner as well as helping each other achieve higher grades. While I don't concern myself too much with grades, Principle Gunhilder thinks otherwise. Does that make sense to everyone?"
"Yes ma'am!"
"Lovely. I'll let the remaining minutes of your class period be for your socializing. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to come ask me!"
Lisa sat at her desk just as an eruption of student voices exploded. Lumine and Xiao on the other hand were practically silent. "Did you at least get my note?" She asked.
"I did."
"Did you read it?"
"I did."
"Then...why are you being so stubborn!?"
"If it was important, you would have came to see me personally."
"Not everything is always of extreme importance! Mister Albedo asked me to do a favor, and I wanted to know if you wanted to help me to earn some extra cash later this week!"
"And what might that be?"
"Mister Albedo has to write out lesson plans, so there will be nobody to watch his little sister, Klee. Would you be willing to help?"
"I'll see."
"Does that mean you have to check if you're busy or you have to check if you want to go?"
"I'll leave that for you to decide," Xiao grumbled once more before grabbing his things and heading straight out the door. As Lumine walked, she just barely saw him walk away. While she made her way to the next class (Language Arts, again with Miss Lisa though in a different room), Lumine couldn't help but think about the seating arrangements for chemistry. If it was a 'good' student by a 'bad' student, why was Xiao sitting next to her? Surely he wasn't failing any classes, right?

Despite Lumine's best wishes, Xiao was already falling nearly every class. He wouldn't have made it to school this year if it wasn't for the final paper, which he crammed into thirty minutes flat. Not to mention he had gotten a C+ in Math, Language arts, and even PE. The only classes he hadn't failed were Music, Art and History. He hated talking about his grades, especially with his father. Zhongli, as already mentioned, was the geology teacher at the school. That meant he could easily access Xiao's classroom behavior, work, grades, all of it. It did slightly sour their relationship now and then, but it was handy now and then. Half of Xiao's childhood was learning addition at the dining table with Zhongli, who taught him step by step. Now he was growing up... to some degree. As fate would have it, Geology was Xiao's next class. Hopefully that wouldn't be a train wreck - he secretly wanted to succeed in the class just out of pure spite. Maybe that spite had something to do with Zhongli. Whatever it was, it felt good to see a familiar face as he walked into the classroom.

(Hey hey hey - back again with a small message! I've been exposed to COVID-19, and am basically helping a close family member recover. Chapters will likely take longer to come out, which I apologize for. I've tested negative and am all good! Thank you all!)