Chapter 2

The whole next day, Chell had a sense that something was… off. She didn't have any panic attacks, thank the gods, but she just couldn't shake the feeling that there was something wrong. Colossally wrong.

That day in class, her attention kept drifting from the professor. She kept thinking about… other things. Just other things- like what she was going to do after class, when she was going to lunch. After snapping back to attention for what seemed like the 80th time, her friend Sarah (whom was sitting across from her) noticed.

"Chell. Is there something wrong?" she whispered worriedly. "You're never this spacey in class, like ever!" Chell shook her head. "You sure? Well… okay…" Her friend turned back towards the professor, leaving Chell to think.

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After class, Chell started to walk in the direction of her next class. Sarah caught up with her in the hallway, exclaiming "Chell! Wait up!"

As she fell into step with Chell, she once again asked if Chell was quite alright. Chell shrugged, and then nodded. Sarah seemed to be satisfied with this answer and was silent again.

But as they rounded the corner, Sarah gained a look of puzzlement on her face. "Chell… isn't your next class Home Ec.?" Chell nodded.

"Then… why are we going to Chemistry?" she asked. Chell froze and for the first time looked where she was going. They were, in fact, right outside the door to Chemistry.

"I thought you hated Chemistry!" Sarah said. Chell nodded furiously. She did hate Chemistry… but then why had she come here? She glanced up at the clock, and saw that there was no time to get to Home Ec. Heaving a resigned sigh, she opened the door and trudged in. She might as well sit in on it…

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There was never a more surprised person than Chell when she found out it was really interesting. And it was also pretty cool. But then why, she had asked herself, did she hate it so passionately the week before? And how did she just randomly begin to like it? She pondered this as she walked out of the school grounds with Sarah- and she almost fell face-first down the steps. She hadn't been looking where she was going, and had been about to walk two steps down.

"Chell. Are you absolutely sure that you're alright?" Sarah said even more worriedly than before. "You are never like this! Ever! I think you should go home and get some rest…" she said.

"Sarah… I'm fine…" Chell said quietly. She turned away and started slowly walking home.

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Chell walked inside her house and plopped down on the couch. She started thinking again about what had happened. Now how, in the name of all gods, did she end up walking to chemistry? It wasn't even on the same side of the school as her other classes. But she had walked there all the same. She vaguely remembered even wanting to go there for a few seconds… but…

Suddenly she sat straight up. She remembered where the hell she'd been in her nightmare. She'd… she'd…

She'd been at Aperture. In the Enrichment Centre. She was sure of it.

But, she thought, she didn't know the whole Enrichment Centre like the back of her hand. In fact, she was pretty sure that she only knew about 0.001% of it. So then…

Her breath caught in her throat. Of course. She didn't know every corridor by heart.

But someone else did.

Someone else did know the Enrichment Centre like the back of her metaphorical hand. Someone else didn't have blood, or muscles. Someone else hung upside down. Someone else had a perfectly good reason to be pissed as all hell at scientists in general.

Someone else loved chemistry and science.

And the more she thought about it, the more she convinced herself that she'd been dreaming as GLaDOS.

But... how?