Awake | Wattys Winner!

TWO: chemistry

graphic: oceanwaved

   After our psychology lecture, we sought out a study area in one of the central halls. I trailed beside Isobel, feeling extremely sensitive to Isaac's presence. He was tall, much taller than he'd seemed sitting down, and it made me feel strangely intimidated.

   We found a nook hidden behind a set of stairs which held a large wooden desk and a low sofa lounge, a hidden little booth which hadn't yet been claimed by the swarms of people around campus.

   "So, Aspen, what do you think of everyone?" Isobel asked me as we shuffled into the desk. I was left on the outer edge with barely enough room to squeeze in next to her.

   "Hmm," I pondered, my mind struggling to comprehend much with everyone's attention on me. With his attention on me. It had me flustered. "You all seem great."

   "Oh, come on," said a boy with a wide grin and styled red hair. "I'm sure Bel and Gia have told you enough stories for you to be weirded out by us. It'd explain why you're so quiet."

   I didn't mean to be quiet. I just sucked at finding the right moments to join in on conversations.

   "No, you guys are great." I looked towards my two best friends innocently. "And Bel and Gia have said nothing but nice things."

   The red head snorted in a very unflattering way before diverting his attention back to the girls. As if my brain had suddenly decided to work again now that I was out of the spotlight, I recalled his name to be Evan.

   The time came for me to leave the group to find my way to the chemistry labs for my next class. I gave the group a small smile, clasping Gia's hand beside me in farewell. When I stood up, I wasn't alone.

   As if the universe wanted him to notice me, a pencil, which I had shoved into my pocket at some point earlier in the morning, fell from my pocket, slapping onto the tiled ground and rolling in a perfect arc towards his feet. Towards Isaac's feet.

    Without hesitating he folded his tall frame, picking it up and holding it out to me, his eyes fixed on mine in a way which I was sure would stop my heart from beating.

    "Thanks," I stammered, hoping the others were oblivious to how flustered I was.

    "No problem. Where are you heading?" he asked, his thumb running under the strap of his bag.

    "Um." I reached into my pocket to retrieve my printed timetable which had been folded over too many times me. "Greenview labs. The west side of campus."

    "Me too," he said. "Not the labs, but the west side. Want to walk?"

    "Sure," I said, my voice tight and my fingers trembling to put the timetable away.

    "I'm Isaac, by the way, if you've forgotten already," he said as we left the group and headed outside of the central building. "I know it can be hard remembering names when you're meeting so many new people at once."

   "No, I think I remembered you," I said. Then I realised how weird that sounded and mentally kicked myself.

    "It's nice to know I made an impression then," he said, a broad smile lifting onto his lips that was so radiant it made my breath catch in my throat. I risked a look up at him, his hair was brushed out of his face in the breeze and his shoulders were broad under the black shirt he was wearing.