The bell signaling the start of class rang throughout the locker room. I slung my backpack over my shoulder and followed Beth to the second-floor chemistry lab. We quickly settled into our seats before they were all taken. Fortunately, I was able to sit near the window again today.
"Hey, Sean, put on your lab coat!"
Beth approached the table and handed me a long white coat. I accepted it and nodded.
"Thanks."
Following that, the class flew by. Teacher Joline, as Elizabeth mentioned, was the one who replaced the old teacher of my class one day. Chemistry is taught very differently in Vietnam and the United States.
If at my old rural school, all I learned was boring theory that was difficult to imagine because it was rarely practiced, high schools in the United States combine both elements in teaching. That is why I am interested in chemistry, even though I do not always understand what the local teachers say due to the language barrier.
Fortunately, Beth also took the time to assist me in teaching the lesson in class.
I carefully wrote down all of the theory on the board before proceeding to the section to divide practice groups. The class was divided into four groups of four people today to conduct the experiment. Beth and I were chosen to write the lab report.
Today's lesson is relatively light and interesting; we'll see the reaction between milk and water, combined with food coloring, and there are a few other mixtures, but I'm not going to go into detail. notice. Because the most intriguing aspect of the experiment is still the outcome.
I stood to one side, notebook in hand, watching my classmate slowly pour a few drops of white liquid into a glass bottle, completing the final step. After three seconds, the bottle had transformed from red to black to a brilliant rainbow color!
"Oh! It worked!"
Beth exclaimed, rushing to write down the results on the report, when the pencil nib snapped "click!" one.
"Please take my pen!"
I patted Beth's shoulder and was about to lend her a pen when I realized my pencil had also vanished...
Oh, I must have dropped it by accident while watching my friends conduct experiments...
I quickly crouched beneath the table, searching for a moment; fortunately, I also discovered the pencil, helplessly lying in the corner of the table above where I stood. When I reached down to pick it up, a foot in branded athletic shoes appeared in front of me.
My heart skipped a beat, and my body was as still as a robot with a dead battery. As my eyes met the silver strands of hair, a cold hand gently touched the back of my hand, and my throat fell silent. Eliot was the person in question. He pushed the pencil into my hand calmly. The tone of the voice is tender:
"You dropped this pencil."
"..."
It took me a few moments to regain my composure. I gripped the pen tightly and returned to my seat without looking him in the eyes. The heartbeat in the chest is pulled up by mental tension.
"..."
It took me a few moments to regain my composure. I gripped the pen tightly and returned to my seat without looking him in the eyes. The heartbeat in the chest is pulled up by mental tension. I shook my head, trying to concentrate on putting the chemical experimentation tools and bottles back where they belonged.
"How do you feel?"
Beth tugged at my sleeve, her worried expression visible. I smile, attempting to appear normal:
"Nothing…"
Keep your distance from Eliot; don't get too close to him!
With this in mind, I decided to ignore his presence in class because displaying fear would only draw Eliot's attention to me...
Don't look at him, just keep distance; it's crowded here, and he can't hurt me! Don't be afraid!
I took a deep breath, mumbling a mantra to boost my courage, and looked straight up at the long whiteboard inscribed with chemistry theories to dispel the bad illusions in my head. The first class period came to an end, and I dragged Elizabeth out of the chemistry lab and to the playground to buy a drink for a break. Outside, the bright sunlight bathed the tiled courtyard and the golden grass on campus. The summer weather is a little hot, but it's better than sitting in the classroom with Eliot. I inserted a few coins into the vending machine and waited for two soda cans to roll down to the counter before handing it over to Beth.
I immediately invited Beth for a drink with lunch as a reward for repeating her chemistry teacher's lecture. The girl is laid-back, so she readily agrees. We sat on the stone benches in the shade of the campus, sipping drinks and chatting before moving on to the next lessons.
But why do I have the feeling I'm being watched…?
I unintentionally turned my head, looked around, and saw nothing suspicious. I'm unusually sensitive, which is probably due to my insecurities. But, no matter how I felt, the bell signaling the start of a new school day rang consistently.
My busy schedule with classwork allows me to temporarily forget about my invisible fear. The afternoon passed, giving way to the end of the day, with the physical class that would mark the end of a long school day…
The whistle of the gym teacher echoed across the vast jogging track. My class and I had to run all three laps of the yard.
"Yeah!!! Eliot is fighting!!"
In the audience, the girls cheered loudly, with Elizabeth being the most enthusiastic.
Eliot, the consummate genius, is always the first to cross the finish line...
I tried to breathe evenly to avoid being out of breath, striding forward at the right pace to avoid falling behind. Although my height is the shortest in the fraternity in America, I am not lacking in physical strength… Eliot's tall and tall silhouette has crossed the finish line in front of my eyes, leaving a few distances ahead of the rest of us.
There! Nothing unusual! Understand that!
I clicked my tongue and dashed for the finish line. The heat from the field caused my cheeks to flush, and sweat soaked my gym clothes. This afternoon was hot and humid, with no breeze. Because the teacher knew we were all tired, he told us to leave early.
Phew! I can finally go home, but first I must shower!
I excitedly followed my male classmates inside to change. The American side is very open-minded; upon entering this area, the lively "birds of all sizes" smacked it in the face! I haven't had time to adjust to the collective bathing culture here because I've only been in school for a week... Especially when I have to watch a bunch of naked male students act like monkeys!
People are changing their clothes and hurrying out. I was left alone with the cold dressing counters in the middle of the room. A bad feeling suddenly arose in me for some reason.
Don't think of miscellaneous!
I knocked on my own head, turned the key to open the door, and my right cheek turned cold...
"Waaaaa!!!"
I turned around, startled, to see Eliot half-naked standing in front of me, holding two cans of coke, one of which was held out to me...
"I'm sorry if I scared you."