“Chiamaka,” Ms. Brown starts when I get to her desk, her voice low and serious. “I’m only going to ask you once. Did you take the materials?”
I feel offended she’d even ask something like that.
“No, and I didn’t leave the storeroom unlocked either.”
Ms. Brown nods, but, like Jamie, she looks at me as if I’m some crook.
“You of all people know how serious this is. I’ve had a word with some of the other teachers, and they think it’s best that you give the key back,” Ms. Brown says.
“But I didn’t—”
“I’ve heard you. But unfortunately, we just can’t let a careless mistake like this fly. Some of those materials, if found in the wrong hands or in the wrong place, would be a real health and safety issue for the school. I’ll still give you your reference for Yale, but I think it’s best we find someone else to take over managing the resources storeroom. I’m sorry.”
I bet she is.
I nod, not wanting to draw any more attention to myself by arguing back.
“I understand,” I say.
“Good. Drop the key off before the end of the day. I’ll either be in here or the science library.”
Why not now if I’m the criminal they claim I am?
She tells me to go back to my group, and so I turn, trying to make my face as expressionless as possible despite wanting to scream.
“Are you okay? Your face is red…,” Belle says when I sit back down.
I look at her pretty heart-shaped face and kind eyes and then I look away, grabbing the instructions and focusing on them.
Jamie starts telling a bad joke and Belle laughs, and I really want to hit something.
She isn’t even meant to behere. Jamie is my lab partner, but of course, given my luck so far these past few days, Belle was conveniently transferred to this class. Her old teacher is on sabbatical for the semester, so the students in that class got divided up.
“Oxygen and potassium went on a date…”
Oh god, make it stop.
“Ask me how it went?”
“How?” Belle asks.
He told this same joke at my sixteenth. No one laughed.
“It went… OK.” And then he’s laughing and she’s smiling, giving me a side-glance.
I look down at my notebook, tracing over the words written on the experiment instructions sheet. I don’t want to share mocking looks. I don’t want to be friends. I already have a best friend.
I’m just waiting for them to break up, like I predict they will. I’m not sure how but it will happen, I’m certain. Belle is beautiful, but she’s not me. She doesn’t know Jamie like I do. He needs me just as much as I need him.
Their flirting continues for most of the class, and it’s like being slowly tortured to death. I’m relieved when the clock shows that it’s almost time for the bell, as I’ve reached the end of my tether at this point.
“Jamie, are we taking your car or walking to my place later?” I ask, despite not really needing to. I just want it—them—to stop. “For our Marvel binge.” Every second Wednesday of the month, we go over to each other’s house, eat junk food, and watch superhero films.
Belle frowns. “I thought we were hanging out today.”
I squint at her.
Jamie looks between the two of us, a torn expression on his face.
