Chapter 3 – Don't Know Much About Biology

Seth sat on one of the luxurious leather sofas in the lavishly decorated school library that seemed more like a trendy bohemian coffee shop than place of study. Seth couldn't get Nick Banford out of his mind. He took a sip of his mocha Grande Americano and wondered what Summer had meant when she said she wasn't interested in his words. He really shouldn't do this to himself, he thought. It can't be healthy. He should be thinking about his biology test. What sort of teacher has a test in the first week of school? He wondered if Summer would ask him to help her study. God, he was becoming delusional. He needed a break. He picked up his latest copy of Teutonic Man. There is no way that muscle-bound embodiment of manhood would lose out to Nick Banford. He would probably crush him like a tiny little bug. That would be cool.

Ryan entered the library; well, he thought it was the library. He couldn't tell in this school. Nothing looked as it should. He took a sip of his cinnamon latte. At least they made good coffee. He saw Seth sitting on what looked like an extremely comfortable leather sofa. How anyone got any work done around here Ryan didn't know. Seth's head peeked out over a comic book with a broad maniacal grin covering his face. He loved comic books a little too much, thought Ryan.

"Hey." Ryan said as he slumped down in the sofa beside Seth.

Seth carefully placed his comic book on the table in front of him and turned to Ryan with his two index fingers pressed together in a triangle shape. "So, what are we going to do?"

Ryan looked at him quizzically. "About the biology test? Study for it?"

Seth closed his eyes for a second as if in mental mediation. "No. Not the biology. Nick Banford. What are we going to do about Nick Banford?"

Ryan shrugged his shoulders and opened his biology book. "What do you mean we?"

Seth exploded in a twitching activity-fest. "I mean we. You and I. Us. The two amigos. Lennon and McCartney. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Sonny and Cher."

Ryan looked up from his book and fixed his eyes on Seth. "Well, Cher, I don't see what we can do. Nick Banford is a water polo player…"

Seth interrupted him with vigor. "No, he isn't. He's afraid of the water. Big wuss."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Something happened to him as a kid. Don't know what. It's deliciously ironic." Seth's eyes lit up upon saying the last sentence.

Ryan returned to his biology book. "Well, anyway, he's in the water polo group and you…" Ryan paused as he thought of choice of words.

Seth decided to complete his sentence for him. "And I'm so not."

"And you have barely said two words to Summer. If you want to get Summer forget about Nick Banford and start talking to her. Girls generally like that."

Seth folded his arms like a petulant child. "Yeah, and what's makes you so good with the ladies?"

Just as Seth was finishing his question Marissa made her way into the library. She hopefully scanned the faces of the students until she happened upon Seth and Ryan on a light brown suede sofa. They looked in intense conversation, well, Seth looked in intense conversation. She debated whether she should go over to them. Before she could make her mind she felt her feet moving her in their direction and before long she was standing beside them.

She beamed a welcoming smile at them. "Got room for one more?"

Ryan quickly got up but upon standing did not quite know what he should do with himself. Seth simply glanced up, nodded, and returned to his book.

Marissa nervously maneuvered herself around Ryan and sat in-between him and Seth. As they passed each other their glaze met in a spark of human reaction. Upon sitting Marissa took a sip of her Frappacino and placed in on the table. The three of them sat in uncomfortable silence. Well, Marissa and Ryan sat in uncomfortable silence. Seth was secretly reading his comic book hiding it in the centre of his biology book. Marissa glanced over and saw the biology book and turned back again and saw Ryan's biology book. "Ah, I see you're studying for the test. What sort of teacher has a test in the first week of school?"

Ryan smiled at her. "Either a very good one or a very bad one."

"Or a very annoying one." Seth chipped in without looking up from book.

Marissa turned to Ryan. "So, how are you finding your first day of school?"

Ryan looked down at his feet. "Good."

An uncomfortable silence descended between the two.

Again without looking up Seth broke the silence. "Hey, Ryan, why don't you tell Marissa about that charity drinks thing?"

Ryan shot Seth a dark look but Seth was oblivious to it.

Marissa smiled timidly at Ryan. "What drinks thing?"

Ryan leaned back in the sofa. "Well, Kirsten is throwing this party for a homeless charity. I'm sure it would be, you know, okay if you came."

Marissa disappointingly looked down before composing herself and returning his glaze to Ryan. "We have homeless people in Newport?"

Ryan shifted his weight. "Apparently."

Marissa glanced at her watch. "Oh, look at the time. I should be going. Class and all. Um, yeah, my mom would probably drag me to that charity thing. So, I'll see you there."

Ryan tried to act nonchalant. "Ok. Cool."

Marissa hesitated for a moment before making her way out of the library.

As soon as she was out of sight Ryan turned to Seth and landed a fierce punch on his left arm. Seth cried out in pain. "Dude. What was that for?"

"Hey, Ryan, why don't you tell Marissa about that charity drinks thing?" Ryan mimicked.

"What? I was just trying to help you out." Seth protested.

"I don't need your help."

"I'm sure it would be, you know, okay if you came." Seth mimicked. "Smooth, man. Real smooth."

Ryan uncomfortably moved in his seat. "Yeah, well, she has a boyfriend, remember? I can't just go asking her out."

"Why not? I hear girls generally like that."

Ryan picked up his books and stood up. "I don't need your advice and I don't need your help. Okay?" Ryan stormed off without waiting for an answer.

Seth was left alone on the lavish comfy brown sofa. He took a sip of his coffee. "I bet Teutonic Man would have handled that better."