The Tragedies of Chemistry

Chapter 2- When The Room Went Quiet

"Why don't you just come out of the closet already And?" I asked sincerely as we approached the school parking lot. She looked at me with that 'Is your middle name stupid? No? Well it should be.' look. "You know I can't do that Charlie." she murmured quietly as her eyes moved back in front of her.

"Do I?" I asked. "I've known you since middle school. We're seniors now Andy. When is it going to be time?"

She shrugged, "I don't know Charlie, I really don't. But when I know, you'll know." She looked helpless, struggling to keep a smile and yet when she left the car, she still wore it like a new top. And that's why she was my bestfriend. Even if she was the school's slut.

We walked side by side into the front gates when suddenly she gasped loudly, "Shit! That's what I forgot!"

"Did you leave something in the car?" I asked.

"No! He's back!" Her hand was combing her hair back, something she only did when she was frustrated.

"Who's back? Andy calm down and tell me." She was getting too excited now as her eyes searched the front of the school in the crowd of students.  'What a fucking dimwit I am! He's back today!" She said.

"Where? Back from where? Who are you even taking about?" My head was spinning by the amount of oxygen that I had to inhale to calm even myself down.

"From Europe! He's back from Europe! We gotta go find him!" She grabbed my arm and hurried me inside the building. I yelled at her asking who was back from Europe and where was she taking me but all she said before dragging me through the halls was, "You have to meet him. He's my bestfriend." Ouch. As if that made me any more excited about meeting the guy. Suddenly we ran inside a classroom and I couldn't be any more out of breath. "There he is," she whispered. I looked up and saw a swarm of students crowding around the back of the class as they talked amongst each other in eagerness around God knows what or who. What the hell was going on?

"I can't see anything Andy. Just a bunch of weird kids huddled together like some kind of weird orgy wolf pack. Are you sure he's even in here-"

"Noah!" Andy shouted. And I mean shouted. She definitely has a pair of lungs on her. But suddenly, the room went quiet and everyone's eyes were on Andy now. Correction, us now. Andy smirked her classic smirk, the one she wears when flirting with guys or when she's gonna say something really important. And I had a feeling this smirk was for both reasons. 

"Andy?" A voice called back to her, hidden behind the pool of teenagers. A voice that was deep, soothing, and.. innocent. It even sent a shiver through my body.

She smirked, "Hey Lockwood, it's been a long time hasn't it?"

A boy shuffled through the bodies and stepped out in front. That was it. That's when I truly couldn't breathe. Or feel my lips for some reason.

I don't know who he was but, to start, beautiful would be an understatement. I'm not going to go into full detail about how clear and silver looking his eyes were, or how the dent in the middle of his chin suited him, or how two dimples popped out from both sides of his gorgeous smile, or how much he resembled to a greek god, or how I got the faintest idea that I've seen him before. But I will say this: beautiful wasn't definitely an understatement.

"It's been too long, Miss Andrea Black." He smiled widely, making my feet feel a little too heavy. But I wasn't the only one staring. The weird orgy wold pack behind him were also watching the two of them like famous movie stars in a scene and I was just the background. 

Andy squealed before flinging herself into his arms, his muscular tan arms, causing a few gasps to be heard from the back of the room. Even I couldn't help but avert my eyes as they embraced in a hug. I mean it's not like they were kissing or anything but the way Andy's shirt riled up to her belly button and his lips touching the skin of her shoulder, I couldn't look. It was too intimate. But the weird orgy wolf pack didn't seem to mind.  After he finally placed her on the floor, Andy smile reached from ear to ear. I haven't seen her this happy since she worked her butt off to pay for her cherry red truck. 

"How was the whole Europe-studying abroad-trip?" She asked. As soon as the words left her mouth, the people in the back just completely ate that up. Their voices were filled with amazement and eagerness as to who this beautiful boy from Europe was doing here in a high school in Minnesota. Andy didn't seem to mind the dawdling pigeons behind them but on the other hand, Noah looked a little uncomfortable. A strange look too see on a face like his. I sighed and decided to bark at the googly eyed cats, "Alright guys this is a classroom, not a movie set. The bell is gonna ring and the teacher is gonna be here in any minute. For the people who don't actually have this Pre-Cal class but rather came to stare at the model like greek god statue boy, I suggest you make your way out the door." This seemed to amuse Noah as he stared at me as students snickered and sneered at me as half of them left the room. Did I care? No. The other half went to minding their own business.

"Thank you," he murmured, "they've been following me ever since I took a step on campus. I didn't quite catch your name-"

"Noah!" Andy snapped, bringing his eyes back to her. "Your Europe trip?" Andy really is an impatient one but I didn't mind. She looked like she really missed him.

"Oh right," he grinned, "you know, same old Europe. France, Belgium, Barcelona, Venice and Mulan, Amsterdam-" This boy really went to places.

"What made your parents change their mind? I actually thought they'd keep moving you from place to place to stop you from asking to come back here." She said in a more quieter voice as if they were now talking about top secret stuff that could change the fate of mankind if anyone heard. I even had to move closer to them to hear. The smile disappeared from his face and it was like all light was drained from him. And it made me sad. It made me want to find something to make him happy again. To see those dimples..

"After JJ, it's like they wanted to keep me from here. But I couldn't focus in those cities. Being homeschooled was boring. I wanted to come back and have a normal teenage life. So I begged my dad-"

"Your dad?" She gasped. He gave her a knowing look but I just stood there clueless as ever. But I couldn't ask any questions, not yet. "He let you?"

"He didn't even hesitate Andy." He said, "I moved back into our old house. And it feels unreal. It's like he was never gone." Something about they way he said JJ, plus the way he looked, it was as if I knew who he was talking about but had no idea whatsoever at the same time. Did I know a JJ? I was almost sure I did. Did I?

"When do I get to see Mr. and Mrs. Lockwood again?" She asked excitedly. He chuckled in response, "They're both back in Amsterdam. Only I moved back here."

My jaw almost dropped. What a leash those parents have on their kid. Andy gasped, "They're just letting you stay in that huge house by yourself? Do you know what this means? Par-" I covered her mouth before she could even finish the 'ty'. Her laugh vibrated against the skin of my hand before she shoved it away.

"Don't get any ideas Andy. My mom's going to be visiting every month to check up on me. But besides that, yeah, it really does look like I'm going to be staying." He smiled. Andy squealed again before turning to me. "Well come on girl before we're late to Chemistry. I have big plans for this year." And just like that she dragged me out of the room before I could even say goodbye to the beautiful boy named Noah Lockwood.

..

Benjamin Bowers as Noah Lockwood.