I groaned loudly as I slammed my hand on my biology textbook. The thud was loud but others in the student lounge ignored my frustrated noise. I took in a deep breath, trying to ignore the familiar buzz of noise around. Okay, back to DNA replication and enzymes. I leaned back on the couch as I took another breath. I started to read the chapter:
"Although the polymerase reaction that is involved in DNA replication is the same, mechanistically, as the one that we saw in the transcription of structural genes on DNA onto complementary mRNA strands, the overall process of DNA replication is much more complicated. We will look first at replication in prokaryotes and then at replication in eukaryotes. Then, we will look at DNA modifications that occur in cellular organisms, namely methylation reactions. There's a lot of interesting chemistry here! (1)"
"Interesting," I chuckled. A wave of realization hit me and I skimmed it again. "What does that even mean?" I groaned to myself. I stared at the ceiling for a minute, as if the understanding of the material would come to me. My eyelids felt heavy and were drooping, and soon fluttered shut.
"WAKE UP!" someone shouted in a panicked voice. I shrieked and looked at the source. A familiar blond-haired face looked at me with a smirk, stifling laughs.
"Freak…" I muttered. Just then, I realized I was asleep. What time was it? I looked at the clock on the wall of the student lounge. It read 12:56. "Shit…" I cursed quietly. I only had about half an hour to study for my biology pop quiz (it was no use trying to surprise students about this), and then another fifteen minutes before the exam that I was supposed to be cramming for.
Meanwhile, Eddie jumped onto my couch from behind, landing his butt on the seat of the cushion. I was a pretty cool jump, and displayed a rather nice view of him. Not that I saw his butt or anything. Please.
"Whatcha doing?" Eddie asked, leaning over to my textbook. I tried not to realize my heart was trying to do some jumping jacks or something. I felt a (what I hoped was a light) blush spread on my cheeks.
"Biology," I answered, feeling haughty. "Why do you care?"
"I don't. I'm just asking, Yacker," Eddie replied smiling to himself.
"Well then, if you don't mind, I'd like to finish cramming for the exam…" I told him, eyes narrowing.
He chuckled and shrugged. "Whatever you say. I guess you won't want my help…" he trailed off.
"Help with what?" I inquired suspiciously.
"I happen to be the best student in all sciences back in the U.S.," he bragged nonchalantly. Eddie put his arms back and rested his head on his hands, like he was on a beach chair. "At my old school," he added.
Maybe it was the part of me that loved his company, or possibly the fact that I needed all help I could get at this point. But I agreed.
Eddie turned and faced me on the couch, and I did the same back to him. We both used the arms of the couch as back rests and spread our feet across the couch (mine to the right, his to the left). His feet were right next to my thigh.
Eddie took the text book and skimmed over the chapter that I was going to be tested on.
"Easy," he said, after he finished. "What do you need help with?" he asked, a genuine expression on his face.
"I get the transcription and translation… just the actual replication of DNA is confusing to me," I explained. "I get the enzymes all mixed up. You know, substrate binding protein, helicase, ligase...?" I trailed off.
"Okay. Let's take it step by step?" he asked, looking at me with his serious eyes.
I gave him a horrified look and he laughed and said, "Just try it. Please."
I took a deep breath and signaled for him to start asking the questions. "First off, enzymes are proteins that lower the activation energy of a reaction. They sometimes need what to function?"
"A coenzyme," I answered easily. He nodded.
"Okay, so first, the DNA is copied in which phase?" he asked.
I racked my brain for answer… and of course, nothing came. I blushed slightly and shrugged.
"Don't worry about it," he said, noticing my nervousness. "DNA is replicated during the ssstart," Eddie said, saying the's' like a snake.
"S phase?" I asked, a small smile appear on my face.
He nodded with a grin and then said, "Little tricks like that make all the difference in the world."
Eddie then proceeded to teach me about the replication bubble and fork, and then the dreaded enzymes. He taught me some handy expressions that they used in his American class, and soon enough, I was the only saying…
"… and DNA polymerase makes the new DNA strand. Okazaki fragments are formed and lastly ligase seals the sugar phosphate backbone together, especially on the lagging strand," I finished proudly. I was beaming and Eddie mirrored my ecstatic smile.
I looked at the watch and realized I had to get to class in five minutes.
I unwillingly got up from the couch and put my book in my tote bag, and then turning to Eddie. He sat still leaning on the arm of the couch, smiling at me.
"Um… thanks," I said, trying not to make things awkward.
"No prob, Yacker," Eddie replied smoothly, getting up to stand face to face. He gently took my bag off my shoulder.
"I'll walk with you," he explained, and I let him take the bag. My heart was beating a little too fast. I nodded.
We walked to the biology room, which was only down the hall. I thanked him again as we reached the door.
"Anytime you need a tutor," he shrugged like it was no big deal. He put on his usual dazzling smirk and said, "You might need a little good luck, though."
He handed me my bag and before I could asked him what he meant, Eddie leaned close to me and kissed my cheek lightly. Before I could process what happened, he left down the hall, out of sight.
"Well, come on then, Miss Williamson," Sweety said while looking at me expectantly.
"Sure thing," I replied, not feeling like myself. As I entered, the rest of the class was preparing for the exam.
"I am so nervous, Ellie. The enzymes are so confusing!" a classmate said to another. I rolled my eyes. I have Eddie, I thought giddily.
I sat in my seat and got out the textbook to read over one last time. As I flipped to the chapter, a simply post-it note caught my eye on the exact page I was looking for. In boyish handwriting, it said:
Yacker-
You are my coenzyme.
A smile broke out onto my face and I sighed, stuffing the note into my pocket and sliding the book back into my bag. I got out a pen and watched as Sweety passed out the exam. I was going to ace this.
It's kind of short, I know. But thanks for reading! Be sure to review. I may or may not post another Peddie fic tomorrow, so be on the look out! And I apologize for the uploading trouble.
Credit to: rpi . edu /dept/bcbp/molbiochem/BiochSci/sbello/dna_replicn% for the information on DNA replication.
Oh, and also in the review, please answer:
What would you rather have posted tomorrow?
The Anubis gang visit America (multi-chap story).
Patricia and Eddie go to a wedding (two-shot, most likely).
The gang visits the beach/carnival (one-shot).