Chapter 4: An Uncontrollable Explosion

Maya's POV:

This time, it'll work for sure!

I put the popcorn into the microwave and pressed the button, then waited patiently as it counted down. Hearing a knock on my door, I step out for a moment.

"Hi, can I- CHASE?" I squeal.

"Maya?" he asks, face-palming. "Great, I live next to an unstable science experiment."

I laugh it off; Chase has never been one to bless with compliments.

"So what's up?" I ask him.

"I just wanted to greet you," he says. "Hey, what's that smell?"

"Huh?"

"You've been cooking?" he asks, somewhat on edge.

"Oh yea, nothing that big though, just pop-"

A loud BANG is heard and I run to the microwave, Chase close behind.

"NOT AGAIN!" I yell in desperation. Smoke is pouring out of my microwave and the popcorn is burnt to a crisp.

"What did you DO?" he asks.

"Nothing," I say. "It said cook for 8 minutes, see?"

"MAYA THAT'S A THREE!"

"What? Man they really have to fix that."

"MAYA YOU HAVE TO FAN THIS OUT OR THE SMOKE ALARMS ARE GOING TO GO OFF!" Chase says.

"Oh! Right. I've got it!"

I run off to grab a glass of water, then spray it on the microwave. The smoke had dispersed.

"What did you think water would do to clear up smoke?" Chase asks.

"Huh? Oh…I thought it was on fire or something. Because of the smoke…"

"No, you burned the popcorn, so that created the smoke! God, you haven't changed at all."

I sink back into myself, unplugging the microwave. It was like I was a child being reprimanded.

"You two do realize these walls are paper thin and I can hear you right?" Gill asks, standing in our doorway. "Chase, good to see you. I'm sure the cuisine will suit you. Maya why are you here?"

"Huh what? I came for the cuisine too! I've been here since last year, same as you!"

He rolls his eyes. "I know, but I don't know why you bothered to come back here."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, after what happened last year I thought you'd be too ashamed to come back. I'd have been. But of course you don't have much of a family name to hold up," Gill says, laughing coldly.

Last year there was an accident. I'd messed up a recipe in Home Economics and burned down part of the building. They'd fixed everything up during the summer, and my family had to pay for it. They'd all been disappointed in me, but my teacher had covered for me, blaming most of the equipment, so I'd been allowed to stay.

"That was an accident," I say.

"Everything's an accident with you," Gill says, rolling his eyes.

"What's wrong with that? Everyone makes mistakes!" I protest.

He laughs. "That only works when people learn from their mistakes. You can't even read a three on a popcorn bag and you're in high school? I think you should just go back home. There's nothing here for you."

Gill leaves, leaving me and Chase in the room.

"I won't say I side with everything that he said," Chase says looking at me with pity in his eyes. "But you have to admit, you shouldn't really be here."

"Get out," I whisper.

"Sorry what?"

"GET OUT. Who cares if I made a mistake? All any of you do is judge me for what I've done in the past! I'm still here, and there's a reason for that. THEY LET ME STAY FOR A REASON! So what if I suck? I'm good at school, it's just home economics! I'm still here trying, and you have no right to say that I shouldn't be here! Get out!"

I'd never stood up to Chase before. Up until this point I'd found him cool, I'd thought he could be the best cook in town. He had been, but now all I saw was an insecure brat who liked to bully me. He and Gill could be the perfect pair.