Checking the time, I stood to head towards my next class, and everyone else followed suit, other than Zach. Apparently, we have the following class together too. Waving before they broke off to go to their classes, the show choir smiled and told me to enjoy my brutal schedule. I smiled at my feet, my cheeks warm, albeit I made eye contact with each member of this group I now belonged to. God, to have friends, I considered that a pipe dream for most of my life.
I made it to honors chemistry unscathed, albeit I felt Kyler’s furious glare before I ducked and weaved between students so he couldn’t see me. Riff offered to walk me to class, but he had English next and would have to make it to the opposite side of the school. I told him that perhaps if we head towards my class earlier tomorrow, then he can. He agreed with a slight frown, kissing my forehead before he went his way.
Zach grinned when we walked into chemistry, indicating the teacher, Mrs. Decker, who told me to sit wherever I liked. Taking a seat in the middle row, but at the front desk, I smiled shyly when Zach sat to my right. Soon the class filled, but I relaxed upon discovering I didn’t recognize any of the students. Still, several girls gave me death glares, and I stared at my desk with a sense of unease. Chemistry was dangerous, all the chemicals and such. I didn’t want to be the victim of a well-planned accident.
This class was way behind my previous one, and I shook my head with a rueful frown. Mrs. Decker noticed and called me out on it while looking down her nose at me. Ah. Not going to like me, are we? So, this teacher is team Kyler. Got it. Smiling sweetly, I answered every question on the screen. Instead of using books, she projected the pages to teach us. Her frown deepened into a dark scowl, and I sighed. When she asked how I did that, I explained that my previous school studied this, and her brow cleared.
She asked if I would tutor those who had a tough time with this topic, and I blinked at her sudden sweetness. Swallowing nervously, I nodded, and she gave me a bright smile. Just like that, I became her student assistant and stared at Zach with shocked horror while he grinned with a shrug. She asked me how well I understood chemistry and I shrugged, informing my teacher that it came easy to me. I enjoyed math and science, so with chemistry being their love child, it was one of my favorite academic classes. I received a delighted smile for calling her class a love child, and my cheeks burned.
Shooing us towards the lab, Mrs. Decker had me help the students set up, and I did so, still dazed. Several students called me a suck-up under their breath. At least until a girl who gave me the nastiest glare I ever received, turned that same glare upon the class after I approached her table with shaking fingers. The chemicals we used today were particularly nasty if they came in contact with human skin.
As soon as I stood beside her, her eyes widened before her jaw clenched so tight, I heard her teeth grinding. Then she glared at everyone, and they stared at her in shock. “I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I was lied to, sweetheart, please forgive me. I won’t hurt you. Nor will I let anyone in this class do so either.”
Nodding, I explained the chemicals to her, and she listened intently while I described the reaction Mrs. Decker was looking for, and how she would know it happened. While I explained the importance of not getting any of the transparent liquid in the glass beaker on her skin, another student asked for help. With a slight smile, I turned around only to freeze with a harsh exhalation.
With a sweet smile, albeit her eyes were as cold as rocks in the winter, the taller brunette tipped her full beaker above my head. Shock that someone who knew nothing about me would kill me so horribly kept me rooted to the spot. Fingers wrapped around her wrist, jerking her back and twisting so not one drop spilled on me, and relief had me sighing heavily. Tears stung my eyes while I eyed the furious Zach, who confiscated the beaker before he glanced between it and the girl. “Marissa?” He asked with a slight sneer, and the girl I helped wrapped her arms around me from behind before resting her chin on my head. Fear danced along my spine and rooted me to the spot. I didn’t understand why, but I sensed a dangerous predator behind me.
“Angel says it’s hazardous, that it eats through anything organic it touches. At the very least, it would have covered Angel in chemical burns, and destroyed her eyes. More likely, from what she said, it would have killed her before we could get the stuff to counter it to her,” she mused with a playful coldness. I shuddered in response, thankful I couldn’t see her eyes.
“Do unto others what you would to yourself?” Zach questioned with a quirked brow, and my breath caught in my throat. No! They can’t! That’s murder! My eyes flicked to Zach’s, and his jaw clenched while his expression became angrier.
“Please don’t,” I pleaded with a soft sob. Marissa’s arms moved before her hands on my hips turned me around, and she pulled me into a hug. I didn’t think of my back when I tried to push away, but somehow, she knew about it because she ensured no pressure touched my spine. Oddly enough, I sensed something within Marissa shift. A gentle calmness replaced whatever gave me the feeling she was a predator. It was as if she focused on soothing my fear instead of exacting revenge.
“It can’t
