This is awkward.

If only this wasn't an AP class, I would've gotten myself a hall pass and bailed. Too bad the cards weren't in my favor today.

"You can ask for an exchange."

I glanced at the girl beside me. She fiddled with the edge of the table. Her red hair fell on her shoulders, shielding her face from my view. I wasn't used to seeing her this shy. To be honest, I kinda missed the strong-willed girl who wasn't afraid of anything.

Guess I'm not the only one who got broken that night.

I sighed.

"Let's just get this over with," I said, grabbing the box of cornstarch from her side of the table and pouring everything into the glass bowl.

We were doing a lab experiment today for AP Chemistry. Despite the unfortunate fact that Snow was also taking this subject, I never had a problem with this class.

Until of course, I got partnered up with her.

Fate just fucking loves making my life thrilling.

"Get that water," I ordered, as I put aside the now empty box.

"Still bossy as ever," muttered Snow, picking up the glass of water.

"Who, me?" I replied automatically.

I noticed her crack a tiny little smile, before draining the glass to the bowl. I suddenly remembered that first time I made her smile in the library. My smug bastard ego very much liked that I could still do it – that I still had an effect on her.

Shaking my head, I dipped my hands in the bowl and began mixing them.

After a minute, I was already getting bored. I looked around to see how everybody else was doing because really, there was nothing else better to do than check out my classmates with their wincing faces and their gooey hands.

But instead, I caught Finn McKinley looking in our direction with a disapproving look from across the room. Aw, how sweet of him to waste time staring at me with such loving eyes. I grinned and waved a slime-filled hand at him.

With a glare, he looked away and turned his back on me.

"Don't provoke him," Snow told me.

I snorted. "Like I care."

She met my eyes, her expression stern.

"You should," she started, "unless you want a meaningless brawl in the middle of class and end up getting kicked out of AP Chem."

I hated it when she had a point, especially when she knew how high I liked to keep my grades. Damn. She almost always managed to keep me in line even back then.

Almost. I still hated taking orders from anyone.

"Way to take the fun out of it," I muttered.

Her jaw dropped. "Hey, I'm fun," she protested.

"Yeah, and I'm ugly." I shrugged nonchalantly. "Some things just aren't true."

"I played Scrabbles with you," she confidently reminded me.

My eyes widened in mock. "Wow, that's so fun it blew me the fuck away."

"I beat you in Call Of Duty."

"That was fun for you, not for me."

"You just don't like getting beaten by a girl."

I scoffed. "That was once."

"Oh, yeah? What's your excuse for losing in every wrestling match we had then, huh?" she asked, with a raised eyebrow and a hand on her hip.

"Easy," I smirked. "You were my girlfriend." I ignored the twist in my stomach at the mention of that word. "I had to let you win, otherwise you would've bitched about it."

And I wouldn't have gotten laid.

She stared at me in disbelief, and I faintly wondered if I said that last part out loud. Probably not, though. Or I would've had a burning red hand print on my face right now.

But honestly – back then, seeing her beaming (gloating) triumphant smile afterwards made it worth losing every time. That was some sappy shit, but it was true.

I turned my attention back to the goo fest, just as Snow added the green food coloring. Each pair was assigned a color, and we got dark green. I watched it become a blob of crap. It kinda reminded me of a snot. And I was kneading it. Gotta love Chemistry.

"This is gross," I winced.

"Ugh, it looks like something that came out of a troll's nose," remarked Snow, making a face as she leaned closer to study it.

I couldn't help but let out a chuckle at the visual of that.

"Remember that troll in the Sorcerer's Stone?" she gasped, turning to me. "Oh, my God. Did you stick your hands up his nose? Yuck, Oz. You fisted him!"

I laughed. "Jealous?"

She opened her mouth to retort but got cut off.

"Is there something funny?" asked Mr. Kelly, suddenly in front of us.

"No, sir," answered Snow quickly.

I innocently shook my head for added effect.

But Mr. Kelly was carefully studying me, before switching his scrutinizing eyes on her. His hands were inside his white lab coat pockets, watching us through his frameless specs.

"May I remind you that you are in a laboratory?"

It was hard to concentrate when his shiny bald head reflected the ceiling lights. It hit my eyes like a flashlight. Did he wax it or something?

Snow nudged me.

Oh, right.

I nodded at Mr. Kelly, trying to appear like a good little boy I was totally not. He stared at us for a moment more. When he decided we got the message, he walked off. I waited 'til he turned around, before I smeared the green goo on Snow's left cheek.

"Oh, look," I smirked. "The troll sneezed on your face. That's too bad."

She kept her composure as she pushed back her hair behind her shoulders. She then pulled her chin up, cleared her throat, and leaned over the table to slowly dip her fingers in the bowl of green goo.

I immediately stepped away.

"You wouldn't."

"Guess you don't know me that well," she shrugged, with a smirk.

I stood my ground, watching her.

"You're bluffing," I said.

She lunged forward and wiped goo all over my favorite shirt. She laughed, as I looked down on the stain. Shit. When I looked at her, I had a serious expression on my face.

"This is war," I declared.

"Bring it on," she replied smugly.

Well, you could imagine how that went. We chased each other around the table, trying our best to get the other covered in troll's snot. It was messy as fucking hell. And fun.

Never in a bazillion years would I have ever imagined laughing my ass off with Snow Crimson again. But it happened. I forgot how broad her smile was when she was happy. Or how her nose slightly wrinkled when she was laughing.

It had been so long that I've forgotten she snorted when she laughed too much, which she was currently doing now. It caused me to burst out laughing, too.

Until the teacher caught us.

"What is going on here?" demanded Mr. Kelly, his sharp eyes scanning our faces and clothes. His voice was so loud, it caught the attention of the entire class – if they weren't staring already earlier.

We instantly stopped and stood up straight like kids being caught redhanded. I bet we didn't seem too appealing looking like a green blob of mess either.

Mr. Kelly huffed, turning his eyes to our work table. He didn't look that much satisfied at the fact that we finished faster than everybody else despite us goofing off.

"Detention," he deadpanned. "Both of you."

I groaned. "I have football practice."

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Then, you should've behaved more fittingly in my class." He looked at Snow. "I'm disappointed in you, Miss Crimson."

Snow bowed her head. "Sorry, Mr. Kelly."

"Go clean yourselves up."

When Mr. Kelly stomped away, Snow and I exchanged looks. We tried not to smile, but failed and ended up muffling our laughters.

As I grinned at her freckled face, I realized something.

Strange enough, I noticed the pain was no longer un-fucking-bearable. It didn't hurt as much when I looked at her now than it used to be. It didn't feel that heavy anymore. I didn't have to block everything with numbness like I've always done for the past year.

I was healing.

And then, I remembered I was supposed to teach Halo how to spike today after school.

Well, fuck.

_____________

Don't hate me! XD

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