All That We Could Be

Chapter Forty Six

Chapter Forty Six

“Ms. Stevens!” Fallon was startled out of her thoughts. The professor was standing right in front of her. Uh oh…-Fallon thought. This couldn’t be good…how long had the professor been standing there, she wondered. Fallon looked around; the other students were watching her. Michael, who had been sitting next to her, looked away.

“Well Ms. Stevens, do you know the answer?” The professor asked. Fallon was confused. “Th-The answer?” She stuttered. The professor stood in front of her waiting. He crossed his arms. Fallon had no idea what he was going on about. Michael nudged her foot. She looked to where he was staring. She saw the question underlined. ‘What is a telechelic polymer?’ That’s what the professor was going on about.

“A telechelic polymer…isn’t that the one with two heads?” Fallon said, she remembered the diagram she had seen in the textbook. There was a little laughter bubbling around her. Fallon’s cheeks flamed. The professor sighed. “As happy as I am knowing that you can distinguish between the diagrams…next time Ms. Stevens…please try define it…using correct terms.” The professor said as he moved on.

“Now then, a telechelic polymer is a polymer carrying functionalised end groups.” The professor said as he moved back to the board again. “Hence the two ‘heads’…as Ms. Stevens put it.” He remarked. Fallon could have kicked herself. She knew better than to let her mind wander off during class…especially in such a small class. Fallon was sitting in her ‘Introduction to Polymer Chemistry’ class. Michael was sitting next to her, snickering quietly.

Fallon had been thinking of the masquerade ball once again. No matter what she did…it would keep popping into her thoughts.

After class ended, Fallon rounded on Michael. “You could have warned me he was coming!” She told him. Michael snickered. “I tried, but you were off into your own little world.” He told her. “Michael! You were supposed to make sure THAT didn’t happen!” She told him. “I elbowed you but you were so far off, you didn’t even wince.” Michael told her. “Great…well thanks for having the question. I thought I was done for.” Fallon said as she picked up her bag. “No problem. We’re still on for tomorrow, right?” Michael asked. They were going to start working on solid state reactions after researching some simple ones in the library. “Yea, of course.” She answered.

They walked out of the room together. Fallon waved good bye to him as they parted ways.

Fallon knew she would have to pay better attention. This wasn’t the first time she had been caught off guard.

A few days ago Cheryl had been talking to both her and Christopher. Fallon had stopped listening half way into the conversation. She had been trying to guess who the masked prince could be. It was when she heard her own name being called, that she snapped out of her daze. “Fallon!” Cheryl had said. “Hmm?” Fallon answered. “Are they coming?” Cheryl had asked. “Who?” Fallon had said in confusion. Both Christopher and Cheryl had given her annoyed looks. “Your family! Are they coming for the winter holidays?” Cheryl asked. “Oh! I don’t know actually. I’ll call them and ask.” She had told them, before quickly getting up to go to her room; where she could day dream in peace.

Recently, Christopher had also commented on her strange behaviour. “Earth to Fallon! Hello?” He had said, one day. Fallon had snapped out of her reverie. “What is it? Do you need something?” She had asked quickly reaching for a ratchet. She had come over to his house to help him change the brakes on his car. “No, but you seem to be a million miles away these days.” He told her. “Is it that obvious?” She asked him. “Would I be telling you if it wasn’t?” He said, rhetorically. “So what’s up? What’s on your mind?” He asked her. “Nothing. Just work and stuff.” She told him. He didn’t need to know what she was thinking about…or whom. “Really? Just stuff or is it that guy who danced with you on Halloween?” He asked her. His face was hidden from her. Fallon was shocked that he had noticed.