Lab Rats

Just A Burden

Chapter 2

Luckily for Chase, he was able to make it to his first period class with his completed project before Adam, Bree, and Leo arrived. And Principal Perry hadn't bothered him while he was completing his project, enough he was the first student at school. She left him to work alone. Apparently he was a burden to her as well. Nothing new then.

His day went normally. He progressed through each of his classes as usual, at least the first half. During his lunch break, he found himself seated in the lobby, on top of the circular bench in the center of the floor. His fingers were entwined through each other and his elbows rested on his slightly separated knees. His head tipped forward and he looked down, studying his shoes and their molecular make up – again. Chase often found himself doing this activity – though it was not very enjoyable – because there was nothing else to do but listen to teachers lecture on and on about topics he already knew forwards, backwards, upside-down, and inside-out.

He found himself visualizing the laces in particular today – how each thread looped over and under another creating a complex cylindrical form that could expand and tighten or compress and loosen. He was just beginning to dive into what the thread was composed he heard a familiar voice call out his name.

"Chase?" It was Adam.

The contemplating genius immediately stopped his thought process and stood, making his way to any place that Adam was not.

"Chase, wait!" Adam called out. "Chase, look. I –"

Chase cut him off and turned to look back at his older brother. "Adam, I don't want to hear it. You ruined my chances with the only girl who has ever even looked at me – and you did it on purpose. You ruined my social life forever!"

"Chase, to be fair, you kind of have to have a social life for me to ruin it," Adam smiled, obviously thinking he was making a good joke.

Before Adam could begin speaking again, Chase spat, "You think you're so funny, don't you? Making fun of your little brother, the nerd. Don't you?! Well, I've got news for you. I don't. It's not funny. Did you ever even consider how this would make me feel? Did you think about haw this would hurt my feelings? Did you ever even care at all?" Chase closed his mouth before the oncoming sobs could escape. Tears were already escaping from the corners of his eyes.

"What? No, Chase, I –"

Adam tried to defend himself, but Chase cut him off again. "No, save it. I know you never cared. All I've ever been to you, and Bree, and Leo, and everyone is a burden. Just another thing you have to deal with for a little while before you can get away and move on with your life! None of you ever cared about me," The tears were coming quite steadily now and Chase's voice was beginning to shake. "All you have ever cared about is the soonest time you can get rid of me or the next time you can tease me about my height, my hair, my intelligence…

"I've had enough! I'm not going to do this anymore! I won't put up with the teasing and being left out!" Chase brought up his hand to wipe away his tears and growled, "If you don't want me, fine. I'm gone."

Throwing his hands down, Chase ripped the doors to the cafeteria open and walked in. Anger and hurt dripped from his countenance and the room grew silent as the students took notice of him. Some dared to continue their stare while others looked for moments and nervously returned their gaze to back to their food resting on the tables. Flo, the lunch lady behind the counter look up and noticed his attitude, rolling her eyes at yet another emotional teenager.

Bree and Leo, who were seated at their usual table, stood. Bree made a few steps toward Chase. "Chase? Where have you been? You weren't at breakfast this morning." Noticing his attitude she changed her question. "Are you okay? What happened?"

Chase glared at her and Leo before making his way to another table at the far side of the cafeteria. The table was empty and Chase pulled out the nearest seat and planted himself in it. His hands kneaded into his hair and his elbows rested on the cool plastic table. He closed his eyes and tried to shut out the world around him. Before he could completely cut himself off, he heard the cafeteria doors slam open.

"Chase, just listen to me!" Adam called out from the door way, "Let me explain."

Chase stood up and turned to face his older brother who was making his way through the crowd of teenagers toward him. "There's nothing to explain, Adam. Now, will you please leave me alone?" His voice dropped to a whisper with his last words. He pushed his chair out of the way and trudged to the door leading back into the lobby. When he passed his siblings he sighed, "You don't need to pretend you care anymore…"

Chase found himself stumbling into the bathroom a few moments later. He sank against the cool cinder-block wall and pressed his palms into his eyes. He found himself in position very often recently – or positions very similar to it anyway. He found that it helped him not to cry and calm down. However, his breathing was shaky. It was evident that he was about to burst into tears again.

Deep breaths, Chase. Deep breaths. He thought. In… out. In… out. After a few minutes, he heard the bell ring, signaling that lunch was over. It was time for him to go to his next class.

Chemistry. With Sabrina.

Crap.

Chase had previously dropped all of his things in the Chemistry lab before he went to lunch. When he walked in, he found his seat with his backpack beside it and the molecule project on top and slouched into it. People began trickling in behind him. Most people ignored him when they walked in – like usual – but when Sabrina walked in with her friends close behind, she paused and stared at him. The two stared into each other's eyes for a few seconds. Chase smiled weakly, and immediately Sabrina turned around and began whispering to her friends while they stepped into their desks. When Sabrina stopped, her two friends turned their heads to look at Chase. One glared at him and the other looked a bit frightened. Chase's smiled dissipated. He turned to face the front of the class and fingered the bits of the molecule sitting on the desk in front of him.

Suddenly, he heard Sabrina's friends protesting something and Sabrina appeared in front of his vision of the whiteboard in front. Chase smiled, thinking that she wasn't afraid of him opened her mouth and closed it again. She paused, and opened her mouth again – this time she spoke. "Okay, this is what's going to happen. We're going to present our molecule project. We are going to turn it in. We will return to our seats and then, it's over. Nothing else. Got it?"

Chase's smile disappeared again. "Oh, uh, yeah. Got it." He looked back down at their project, mentally sighing. Any hopes of being with Sabrina drifted out the door. Adam had ruined everything. To him, Chase was worthless and deserved nothing but unhappiness and a daily reminder of just how worthless he was. It was clear to Chase now. Nothing could change his mind and nothing could repair the damage done to it.

The chemistry teacher, Miss Gotschaw, walked into the room and set her things down on her desk by the door. With a smile, she stepped to the front of the room. "Alright, as you know, we will be presenting your projects today. I will be selecting which group will go first. You will describe your molecule, explain where it is found, and what it is used for. Remember, whoever has the best model will earn extra credit points and be exempt from their next major assignment. Good luck."

Chase did not need the extra points nor did he need the exemption from the next big grade, but he wanted them anyway. Sure, he had nearly a perfect grade in the class but he still wanted the perks nonetheless. They would keep his GPA up and get him into the best college he could find. And maybe – just maybe – they could get him into good graces with Sabrina again.

Gosh, she's gorgeous. Chase thought. He was smitten. And before the incident last night, he thought that she felt the same toward him. But his feelings remained the same. She was beautiful, smart, honest, funny, sweet. She's perfect. He hoped that having the best model and receiving the benefits that came with it would better his relationship with her.

Before she said she wanted to work with him, he hadn't really cared. But, when she came and spoke to him about it, he was so excited. She was interested in him and not just for his smarts! But, after Spike reared his head, his hopes had been crushed. When he remembered what having the best project could do for him that morning, he wanted to make it better than ever – just for Sabrina. Maybe she would give him another chance.

The class was nearly over. Chase and Sabrina were the last to go. The partners floated to the front of the room. Chase set the model on the table and looked to Sabrina, asking if she was ready. She nodded and turned away.

"Alright, Chase. Sabrina. Take it away." Miss Gotschaw said, a large grin on her face.

Sabrina stood with her lips clamped shut. Chase took this as his cue. He began explaining his project, trying not to sound too much like a nerd. While explaining, he gestured with his hands and pointed to specific points of their model. He showed off important bonds and elements that were crucial to the compound. He began to get excited. He spoke faster and faster. He almost forgot where he was. He explained so many things and wandered around the molecule, an enormous grin split his face. The third time he rounded the table, Sabrina stopped him with a hand on his arm. An electric shot zipped up his bones into his skull. He stopped mid-sentence.

"Thanks, Chase," she dropped he grip and turned back to her classmates. "Any questions?"

One boy in the back of the classroom raised his hand. "I got one, for Chase. Were you born a nerd or did you have to train?" The boy sat back in his seat and smirked. The remaining students laughed.

Chase frowned. He grabbed the model off of the table and slunk to his teacher's desk. He set the model down and Miss Gotschaw stood. "Alright, that's enough. Preston, shame on you. I have told you time and time again, I will not tolerate bullying in my classroom. Detention for the rest of the week. Report right after school. I will give you your assignment then." She turned to Chase. "I'm sorry, Chase. Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine." He smiled, though it never reached his eyes. "Don't worry about it." He turned his back and returned to his seat. People were still giggling at him. Except Sabrina. She looked kind of scared. She probably was recalling what happened last night when she had laughed at him and was hoping it would not happen again.

Chase tore his eyes away from her. He crossed his arms across his desk and rested his forehead against them. He did not look up again for ten minutes when Miss Gotschaw called out to him and Sabrina. He looked up and got out of his seat. He arrived at the large wooden desk, Sabrina close behind him.

"Congratulations, you two. Your project just got you extra credit and the exemption from your next big assignment. Great work!" She smiled.

Chase's expression changed slightly. He smiled a little realizing that his hopes may have just become a reality. But Preston's teasing was still fresh in his mind. He returned to his seat for the third time and slumped down, returning to his previous position. Very soon afterwards, the bell rang signaling that it was class change. He rose out of his seat and sluggishly lifted his backpack, swinging it around onto his back. He was one of the last to leave the room. When he finally got to the door, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned and saw Sabrina looking at him, her arms crossed in front of her.

"Sabrina?" Chase was confused. "I thought you said –"

"Never mind what I said." She stopped him. "Thanks, Chase, for getting us such a good grade. This is going to help my grade a lot. I was failing but now, I can bring my grade up."

"Oh, well, you're welcome, I guess." He responded, unsure of what to say to her.

"But don't think this changes anything. I know what you really are, you monster." She glared at him and walked away.

Chase was speechless. Sabrina's words cut like knives. They knocked the breath right out him. Monster? Is that what she really thinks? Chase thought, horrified that he was that frightening. Hot tears began pouring down his cheeks, again. Sooner or later, he would run out of them. He had cried so many times in the pasts two days; he was surprised that there were any tears left at all. His tears nearly blinding him, he made his way to his next and final class before his free period at the end of the day.

At the end of the day, he migrated from the cafeteria where his free period was to the lobby of the school so he could head home. Adam was waiting for him on the steps.

"Chase!" He called out when he saw him. He took the steps up to his younger brother two at a time.

"I don't want to talk to you, Adam. I thought I already told you that," Chase didn't stop or look up at his brother.

"Chase, please just let me explain," Adam huffed and followed his brother down.

"There's nothing to explain!" Chase had finally reached the bottom of the stair and turned around, glaring with teary eyes at his brother. "I know what you did and you know what you did. There's nothing else to talk about."

"Chase, I only need a minute to defend myself! Please, just give me a chance! Please, Chasey…" He trailed off.

Chase was not swayed. "No. I'm going home. There's nothing that you can say that will persuade me that you actually care about me. You want to know why? Because I know that you don't and I'm positive that you know that too," Chase told him. He turned and began walking away again. "Just leave me alone. Like you usually do, whenever you're not degrading me."

Adam was silent for a minute. From behind him, Chase heard him call out after a moment, "Chase! Come back! CHASE!"

Chase broke out into a sprint, but the tears had finally run out.