High school is a period when many young adults discover who they are and what they want to do with their lives. But for some this path is longer and takes more unexpected turns than others. Thomas Swan is about to embark on just such a journey as he...
"You know, Chloe, you could always read the textbook. Might help," Thomas whispered to his best friend, hoping his chemistry teacher wouldn't notice the editorial.
Chloe rolled her eyes at him. "But it's so boring," she replied, running her hands through her short, colorful hair before returning to her ongoing struggle of taking notes. Thomas snickered.
"Mr. Swan," Ms. Francesca called out. "Would you like to answer this question for me and the class?" Thomas froze, and this time Chloe snickered. Sighing, he slowly rose from his chair, flicking his black hair out of his eyes, and walked up to the board. Ms. Francesca was a new teacher to the school, and therefore was quite keen on laying down rules for her students to follow. Taking the chalk from Ms. Francesca's outstretched hand, he glanced over the equations on the board and quickly balanced them. Looking behind him, he saw her smiling.
"Nice job, Thomas. But do try to keep the talking to a minimum, okay?" Thomas nodded and quickly returned to his seat, trying to avoid making eye contact with anyone.
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"Just because you solved a problem on the board doesn't make you a chem whiz," Chloe grumbled.
"You're right. But reading the textbook gets me pretty darn close," he replied with more than a little bit of smugness, and Chloe lightly punched him in the arm in response. He was about to open his mouth to say something else, but a sharp look from the teacher silenced any further conversation.
Once class let out, Thomas packed his ratty old bag methodically to make sure he didn't forget anything. Once finished, he slung it onto his shoulders and looked to Chloe who was standing by the doorway, her eyes on her phone.
"Whatcha looking at?" He inquired, standing on tiptoes to see her phone before she could pull away. He burst out laughing as they walked out the doorway, Chloe blushing profusely.
"Looking at pictures of that cosplayer again?"
"Shut up," Chloe shot back, clutching her phone to her chest. "She's just so beautiful."
"And... hot? That's what you meant, right?" Thomas teased. Chloe glumly nodded her head in agreement.
"The hottest. I'd give anything to date her." Her glumness lasted for only a moment before she let out a giggle.
"What's so funny?" Thomas asked in a confused tone. Chloe just grinned and looked at him out of the corner of her eye.
"You might be a whiz in the Chem classroom, but now it's time for gym!" she declared confidently, a teasing grin on her face as he groaned in realization, and lead the way as the two worked through the crowds of the hallway. Despite the clumsiness that seemed to come to Chloe at all other times, she had become adept at dodging the hustle and bustle between periods. Thomas on the other hand was usually the recipient of several shoulder checks, dropped books, and the spillage of food or drink onto his person by another student. As they turned off into a side hallway leading to the gym the crowds thinned out, and Thomas was able to catch up and walk at Chloe's side.
