Most of the questions that kids ask their parents have something to do with science.

Why is the sky blue? Are we the only life in the universe? And where do babies come from? Actually, that one's a different kind of science, but you get the picture.

My school mates, if you can call them that, don't really care about science like I do. They just want to collect troll dolls and baseball cards, get good enough grades and make some friends. But who needs friends anyway? They're just distractions from what really matters; science.

It's too bad, Father doesn't agree. When he can be bothered to talk with me. All he cares about is the slow growing economy and what it means for the company he's keeping the books for.

I told him it wasn't money that sent the first American into space. It was the scientists that did the math. Technically, money did buy the parts to make the rocket, but Father didn't like me being a smart ass, so he gave mine a beating with his belt. Now it hurts to sit on it.

My butt ached a little as I walked to school today. But at least I had science class today. I could forget about my worries and sore backside, there for a while.

"Noble gasses are a family of elements named after the fact that they are unreactive to other elements. Can anyone name them for me?" The teacher; Mrs. Fischer asked the class, who didn't look very interested in what she had to say.

"Emperon!" A kid from the class yelled out, without raising his hand, making the class laugh and annoying Mrs. Fischer.

"That's not an element, Tom. Can anyone else identify what the noble gasses are?"

"Argon, xenon, neon, krypton, oganesson, helium and radon!" I quickly recite, after the teacher gives me permission to answer. An easy trick since I memorized the periodic table.

"Very good, Rick." Mrs. Fischer praised me and talked for the rest of the class about the properties and applications of the noble gasses.

After class was over, I sat at an empty table at the back of the cafeteria where no one would bother me and sipped from my carton of milk. It didn't work entirely, because a girl from my science class called Nancy went up to my table and talked to me anyway. She's a nice girl and one of the few people who takes her studies seriously, so I was glad when she came.

"Hey Rick, are you going to Tom's party today? I heard he's going to play some tracks with his new record player." Nancy asked excitedly with a cute smile, putting me off guard.

"Uh…"

"Tom said he was inviting a bunch of people from school and I was wondering if I'd see you there." Nancy explained, pushing a strand of her wavy, blonde hair behind her ear, making my heart flutter.

"I didn't get an invitation." I break it to her. I'm not usually interested in parties, but now that she's told me, I suddenly am.

"Don't sweat it! You can come with me." Nancy reassured me, putting a grin on my face.

Thoughts of spending time with Nancy at the party stayed with me for the rest of the day, until the school day was over. We agreed to meet up at Tom's house, which is just a few blocks away from my house, after changing out of our school uniforms.

Once we were both there, my eyes couldn't help but be drawn towards Nancy. Red headband in her hair, pretty purple dress, she was a real beauty.

"You look… great." I tell her with a smile. My usually intelligent brain failing to come up with a better adjective to describe Nancy.

"Thanks, Rick!" She accepted my weak compliment (thankfully) and smiled back. We danced together to the beat of the music playing from Tom's record, until I got hungry and headed to the kitchen to help myself to some snacks provided on the kitchen table.

But before I could even grab a handful of chips, Tom's older brother Larry walked up to me and offered me a plate of delicious looking brownies.

"Don't have any of those snacks, have a brownie instead. I baked them myself."

"Thanks!" I took one and bit into it. It tasted really weird, but I felt grateful that Larry had shared something he had baked himself with me.

I lost track of Nancy after that and danced with some other people from my school, but after a while I started feeling nauseated and what I can only describe as 'floaty', like my mind was rising towards the ceiling. I looked across the room in a panic, trying to find anything that could anchor my thoughts and ground me in reality. I saw my mom standing by the pool in the backyard, waving at me. It made me feel all giddy inside. The thought of a warm hug from her, made me smile as I walked towards her.

As I walked across the yard, my footsteps felt heavy, like I was wearing shoes made of iron, but eventually I reached the spot where I thought I saw my mom, but she wasn't there anymore. I felt my feet tripping, sending me falling into the pool. Everything was cold, as the weight of the water made my body slowly sink. My head felt like it was going to burst, but I just couldn't find the strength to move my arms. I could feel someone pulling me up by my shirt. Were they taking me to heaven?

"What do you think you're doing, Sanchez?! This isn't a pool party!" Larry yelled at me, after dragging me out of the pool, as I coughed to expel the water from my lungs.

"But I-I was feeling bad..." I stuttered, as I wiped my eyes. Feeling grateful that Larry would think my eyes were irritated from the pool water and not from my own tears.

"You're a mess, Sanchez. Go home." Larry ordered me to leave.

Since I had no choice, I agreed quietly and went out the back door. Leaving without even saying goodbye to Nancy. Despite it being a warm summer's day, I shivered as I walked home.

I don't know what happened after that or if I even made it back home after I blacked out, but the next thing I remembered, I was in my own bed. Mom was looking at me with a concerned look on her face, she had been crying too.

"What happened to you, sweetie? When I came home, I found you asleep on the side of the road in front of our house. I was so worried about you!"

"Tom's big brother gave me a brownie and it made feel weird and then I fell in the pool." Mom stroked my hair softly, after I told her everything.

"I-I thought I was going to die, Mom." I choked on my words, as I realized how close I had come to death today.

"Shhh, shhh. It's okay, Rick. Mommy's here." Mom wiped the tears falling down my cheeks and pulled me into a tight hug.


After I drew teenage Rick (the story cover) the observations of Rick's bright, young teen self just spoke to me in my mind! Giving me the idea to write a chapter told through his perspective.

I'll be writing the second chapter in third person (this was an experiment), but in the meantime reviews would be appreciated.