One person's misfortune makes another person's happiness

Carbon 14 dating

The chemistry room is rectangular. The tables can accommodate 4 students seated side by side. Enid, seated at the back of the room, is drawing. On her left, Ajax is playing with a pencil while Kent, next to her, is attentively looking at the board.

- Damn! Dude, stop it with that.

Ajax glances at him before turning completely.

- Oh! Do you want to listen to this gibberish...

- How do you expect me to help you!

- Oh! I've annoyed mister.

- ...

Kent returns his attention to the class.

His friend chuckles, turning his head toward the board. The numbers on it confuse him. He turns his head to the right. A pencil moves rapidly across a sheet of paper. Enid is leaning to the right, resting her forearm against her ear.

- What?

- You've been listening... for... 15 minutes. You should think about changing the topic.

The student raises her pencil and turns her gaze toward the interrupter. He straightens up and looks at her sketch, which she hides. Their eyes meet coldly.

- One must showcase their art to exist.

- To the right people, yes.

The young man crosses his arms over his chest.

- Indeed, thanks for recognizing that talent.

Kent orders them to be quiet.

Enid apologizes in a whisper while Ajax responds:

- I've never seen you so focused.

- And I've never seen your sketch.

- ...

Enid returns to her sketch and puts back her earphone.

Ajax grumbles:

- You guys are annoying.

5 minutes pass.

The door opens silently, letting Eugène in. The teacher greets him and resumes the class. Enid places her bag on the floor. The latecomer sits beside her.

-Hey guys.

-Hey, man! Ajax raises his arm and winks.

Enid raises her face and smiles at him before continuing her drawing. Kent remains focused on the class. Eugene takes out his notebooks, looks at the board for 2 seconds, and then focuses on Enid.

-You're continuing the dress?

Enid lifts her earphone, sits up straight, and removes her arm that was preventing her from speaking.

-Yes, I've rearranged the padding here and there.

Eugène looks at the sketch.

-Mmm, not bad. Did you add a ribbon here?

-Yes, it helps lighten the neutral color.

-That's well thought out.

-Thank you.

Ajax tries to look at the sketch, but Enid's back blocks his view.

-But... I want to see too.

Her two friends talk without considering him. This angers him.

-Why does this guy get to see?!

Eugène smiles awkwardly at him.

Enid closes her drawing and hands it to Kent. He's captivated by the class but receives the sketchbook. He avoids Ajax's arm and discreetly opens the notebook, which blocks his neighbor's view.

-It's too cool. I can't wait to see her wear this.

He holds the sketchbook under Ajax's nose, which Enid takes back.

-You're all awful.

They laugh softly.

At the end of the lesson, they pack up and walk in the hallway.

-I didn't retain anything from the class.

Kent's arms hang limply as he sighs. Ajax on his right pats his back.

-It's okay, dude, you'll never need that formula.

Kent doesn't reply. Enid walks ahead of them and backward, her bag held behind her back. She proudly announces:

-You know, I can explain the formula to you.

Kent lifts his head and smiles slightly.

-MMMM... I'll never understand it. But mer...

The teenager interrupts him:

-Nah Nah, being pessimistic won't help you get it.

She looks at him determinedly.

-If I can remember a bit, then you can too.

Kent smiles, straightens up, and raises a fist in front of him.

-Okay, I can do it.

-That's what I like to hear! This afternoon, we'll meet at the BDE.

-I'll bring honey biscuits.

-Oh! Count me in too!

[Some hours later]

Hyruli arranges levitating books on a shelf near the entrance.

The door opens, and the four friends enter the room.

They greet the head student and move determinedly into the revision room. A few students are working alone or in groups at various spots along the long tables. Kent and Enid sit next to each other, Ajax and Eugène sit across from them. Hyruli arrives at their level. Books float behind her.

-Planning to work in a group, I suppose.

-Yep!

The student raises a hand, and a transparent cage forms around them, made of swirling air.

-It's still so cool!

Ajax touches the wall; his fingers pass through easily. The air bends around his fingers.

Enid thanks her. Hyruli goes to hand the textbooks to the other students in the room.

-So...

Eugene takes out a manual. Enid touches the transparent wall; her hand disappears and reappears holding a measuring object:

-The most memorable way to learn is through practice.

They spend an hour explaining. Kent's mood changes frequently between joy, sadness, and astonishment.

Ajax finally listens and assists Eugène in practice.

— — —

Author's Note:

Don't hesitate to comment if you don't have understand something of the story or whatever. That help me a lot to improved the storyline.

Thanks for reading this chapter, feel free to like (if you like it of course).

Peace ✌️