Chemistry
"Can anyone tell me what Mexican General Santa Anna is known for doing 1838?" Mr. Malone looked around the room as he waited for a student to answer.
"He was exiled," Sam answered before anyone could even raise their hand.
"Incorrect. Would anybody else like to give it a shot?"
Sam fell back in his seat. What?
"He held a funeral with full military honors for his amputated leg," Kairi answered from behind him.
"Correct. Thank you, Kairi. Now, what was the purpose of the safety coffin?"
Sam raised his hand without thinking about it.
"Sam? Care to try again?"
Sam dropped his hand. "Um, it was…" Sam's eyebrows pinched together in thought. "I think it was…" his voice trailed off.
"Anyone else?"
"They allowed people who were accidentally buried alive to let others know that they weren't dead." Again, Kairi answered from behind Sam.
"Excellent."
Sam heard Fred snicker next to him. He shot him a glare, which only made Fred snicker more. Sam sighed and fell back into his seat. So he missed a few questions, it wasn't the end of the world. It certainly didn't require Fred to laugh at him.
Before their Unusual History teacher could ask another question, the bell rang. Without waiting for the teacher to officially dismiss them, the class hurriedly picked up their things and left.
"What's wrong, Sam? Upset that you don't know everything?" Fred stood up and put his arm around Kairi's shoulder.
"It's just a few history questions, Fred. It's not that big of a deal." He pushed his glasses back up. "How do you know so much obscure history anyway, Kairi? It's like you were there."
Kairi bit her bottom lip. "Just comes naturally to me I guess."
"Yea, but-"
"You're just jealous because I have a girlfriend who's smart, cute, and awesome. While Cade's just smart."
Sam shook his head and continued to walk to his locker. "Cade is not my girlfriend, Fred."
"She should be." Kairi spoke up. "Everyone already thinks you two are dating anyway. You guys would be so adorable together! Didn't you have fun with her at prom last year? I live with her. We talk all the time. You know she likes you, right?"
Sam blushed and hid his head in his locker. "Of course I enjoyed prom with her, but Cade's just a friend who I can actually talk to about science, history, and-"
"And other nerd stuff. We get it, but that's exactly why you should date her. Who else would put up with your geekiness? You need a girlfriend, dude. I have Kairi, Joe has Sydney, and even Anna is dating that Skyler guy. You're the only one left."
Sam rolled his eyes and tucked his AP Chemistry book under his arm. "We're just friends."
"Why are you so scared to ask her out? Don't act like you're not into her."
"I'm not scared. I just-"
Fred smirked. "Sure about that? Because here's your chance."
Sam felt Cade's presence next to him before he saw her. "Hey, Sam. Ready for chemistry?" Cade paused when she noticed that Sam was blushing, Fred was smirking, and Kairi was eagerly looking back and forth between them. "Is everything okay?"
"We were just talking about how Sam is the biggest scaredy-cat I know."
"I am not."
"In that case, I believe Sam had something to ask you Cade."
Cade eyed Sam. "You did?"
"No, I didn't. Fred's being stupid."
"You'd be so much happier in a relationship, Sam." Kairi sympathetically smiled at him.
"Relationship?" Cade tightened her grip on her textbook. "What is she talking about?" Cade eyed Kairi in a 'you-better-not-have-told-him-anything' sort of way.
The warning bell rang, reminding students to get to class soon. "Our lab partner relationship. Come on, we'd better get to class."
"Oh." Cade looked down, a mixture of relief and disappointment on her face.
Sam and Cade's hands brushed each other as they both reached for the chemical bottle.
"Sorry." Sam pulled his hand back and let Cade grab the bottle and add it to the mixture they were making. Stop acting so weird, Sam. Fred and Kairi were just messing with you.
"Did you hear about the red fox found in Yosemite?" Cade carefully measured out the chemical before adding it into the flask.
"The what?"
"A few researchers discovered a rare Sierra Nevada red fox at Yosemite. It's really interesting because a fox like that hasn't been seen there in almost a century."
"Oh, really?" Cade had this fascination with animals. She was planning to study zoology in college and hopefully work with a zoo or research team in the future. She had this way with animals that Sam thought was unnatural, but still fascinating. Growing up in wild Australia had probably helped her a little bit.
"Mhmm. They hope that this means that there are more out there. They're on the endangered species list right now. It'd be great if they could find more though."
Cade's eyes dazzled like they did whenever she got talking about something science related. Sam's lips turn upwards. He loved that Cade cared about knowledge. Joe and Fred were his best friends, and he liked hanging out with them, but it was so nice to be with Cade and talk about this kind of stuff. He needed someone like that in his life.
You know she likes you, right?
Sam shook his head. Kairi was just talking too much like she always did. No way had Cade actually felt that way towards him. They were smart people. They could think through their emotions… right?
"-acid?"
Sam started. "What?"
Cade tilted her head and gave him a puzzled look. "I said, can you hand me the hydrofluoric acid? We need it for the next step."
"Oh, right. Sorry." Sam measured out the acid and handed it to her. She added it to the clear solution.
"Where were you?" Cade smirked at him. "It's not safe to zone-out while working with chemicals, you know."
"I was just thinking about something Kairi said to me earlier."
"What came out of that busy mouth of hers this time?"
"Nothing really. She and Fred were just teasing me about us like usual, and Kairi said that you liked me." Sam laughed to himself. "Crazy, right?"
Cade almost dropped the beaker she was holding. "She did?" Cade turned her face away to hide her blush. "That is crazy. Just Kairi talking too much like always I guess."
"That's what I thought. I mean, you could never like me in that way. You and I are smart enough to think about things and not just respond to our hormones."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, all our friends dove into their relationships headfirst. They didn't think about anything. They just did it."
Cade chuckled. "That's how love works, Sam. It makes you do insane things like that. Not everything has to be thought through or boiled down to a science." Cade grinned at him. "You really need to learn to take a risk or two sometime."
Sam thought about how Cade jumped on any chance she got to explore or learn something new. She never seemed to put much thought into it. She trusted her instincts and went for it. Sam was about to respond, but then he realized that Cade had never officially denied Kairi's claim. "So, Kairi was telling the truth then? You do like me?"
"I didn't say that." Cade kept her face focused on the experimental mixture. She added a few more chemicals. The mixture was now a soft pink colour.
"But you didn't not say it."
"You think too much."
"I just want to understand what's going on with us."
"What us?" Cade studied him. "No offense, Sam, but you don't really seem like you are capable of liking someone that way." She shrugged. "You put too much thought into things instead of just acting. A good relationship requires some spontaneity, which you don't have."
"I can be spontaneous."
Cade shook her head. "No, you can't."
"Yes, I can."
"No-"
Sam kissed Cade zealously on the lips. Cade fell back, stunned.
Sam went wide-eyed and turned away. "See? I can be spontaneous."
Cade remained silent and still.
Sam started to panic. "Oh, jeez. Cade, I'm sorry. I don't know where that came from. Don't be mad." Sam could feel himself hyperventilating.
"Kairi was right."
"What?"
"Kairi was right. I do like you, and if this spontaneous side of you comes out more often, maybe you are capable of falling in love with another person."
"Of course I am. I have emotions and it's not like I don't have hormones. I am an eighteen-year-old boy."
Cade grabbed the last acid to pour in, trying to keep herself busy and not focused on Sam. "So, what does this mean then?"
"Uh…" Sam hadn't thought that far. He hadn't thought at all. It felt… nice. He smiled to himself. "I guess I could use a girlfriend, and you seem like a good choice."
Their solution had now turned hot pink, matching the colour of Cade's cheeks. "Oh." She was speechless. This was not how she had expected chemistry class to go.
"So, um, yeah. Cade, do you want to be my… girlfriend?" Those were words Sam never thought he'd say.
Cade set the hot pink solution down. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to hear those words."
A/N - and now all my couples are officially together. I can't to write more about them and show off the different dynamics of their relationships. I'm probably going to post a few chapters of them going on dates to show that. But next comes weddings and kids! ;) If you enjoyed a favourite and a review would be very much loved! Thanks for reading!