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Chemical Games
Chapter One – New Town, New School
Mellbrook High School was a three-story monstrosity of brick, mortar, and single-pained square windows, and nothing like Kaylie Jacob’s old high school in North Carolina. The aged brown bricks were covered with creeping ivy vines, which did make the building less ominous than she had previously thought, but still not completely welcoming. It was still too big for Kaylie’s liking, and she wasn’t looking forward to starting the first day of fall classes of her senior year there.
The wheels of her father’s gray minivan slowed just in front of the main walkway that led from the front parking lot to the double doors of the main building. She stared at a group of girls passing by, sneering at her direction while pointing and giggling, probably at the rust spots on the minivan. Kaylie wasn’t ashamed of her father’s transportation; they had never been a family to really care about the flashy things. They would rather spend money on science equipments and chemistry sets—things they got pleasure from.
“Now, you’re supposed to go straight to the office,” Melvin Jacob said as he patted his daughter’s shoulder lovingly. Kaylie turned to look at her father, and smiled at his slightly bushy eyebrows, which seemed to tremble when he was in deep thought or uncomfortable. “You’ll probably meet the principal, or the registrar, she’ll give you your schedule. I think we figured out the credit issue—you’ll have to take that math course again, honey.” Kaylie sighed and nodded and glanced back at her new school. Her eyes fell to the science wing on one side of the main building and then to the gymnasium and pool on the other side.
“Don’t be scarred,” Melvin laughed. Kaylie turned back to him and leaned over in her seat so she was closer. He bent and kissed her forehead. “Just go on up, introduce yourself to all of those kids as Kaylie May Jacob, the cutest and smartest budding scientist in the entire world!”
“Daddy!” Kaylie laughed brushing his soft knobby-knuckled fingers from her cheek where he had gently caressed her. “Stop it.”
“Do you have your lunch?” Melvin asked as he tugged at his faded blue tie in irritation. Kaylie leaned over to straighten the knot for him, knowing full well that it would become twisted and off center the moment he was alone to tug at it as much as he desired. He had spent five extra minutes dressing that morning because he wanted to look “spiffy” for his students. It was his first day of school too. Well, not really his first day, as they had moved from North Carolina that summer after he received an offer from the Department of Science at Mellbrook College to be a full professor with his own lab; so Melvin had been working all summer to prepare his classes and set up his lab. And this wasn’t technically Kaylie’s first day at school either. She rode her bike past the campus more than once during the summer. At the time, the vacant the building looked okay, not as scary, but with hundreds of kids looming about, glaring and laughing it her, it was frightening.
“I have my lunch,” she murmured before kissing her father’s cheek. “Will you pick me up after school?”
“Of course, I’ll be here around four-thirty,” he smiled. “Have a good day, and remember to go to the office first, don’t get side tracked by cute boys!” He laughed and snorted at the same time. Kaylie rolled her eyes and pushed open the door to the minivan. She grabbed her backpack and closed the door waving before she headed up the large ramped walkway.
As she walked slowly through groups of students hanging of the walkway’s metal railings, Kaylie compared her old school to this one. She supposed students were the same everywhere, they formed cliques, they teased and bickered, they judged and laughed, and you were either in or out. Since Kaylie had been “out” for most of her life, she had learned to just keep to herself. It would be the same here too, she thought as she walked past the same group of giggling girls that were eyeing her with something that felt a lot like hate; especially the pretty blond who stood at the center of attention in the middle of the group. Not wanting to draw unnecessary attention her first day of school, Kaylie quickened her steps and hurried toward the double doors of the main building.
As she swept into the big building, two fingers poked deeply into the soft muscle of Kaylie’s shoulder, “Excuse me?”
Kaylie turned around and reached back to rub the throbbing spot and found herself staring at the blond who had just been glaring at her and laughing at her dad’s minivan. “Hi, I’m Ashley Prescott, head cheerleader. You’re new this year … do you cheer?”
“No,” Kaylie answered. She felt the sudden urge to laugh. A cheerleader? Kaylie would rather be at the bottom of the food chain, lower than the lowest saprophyte, rather than cheer. She smiled at the image of herself helping rid Earth of all its waste matter. She would happily be a lower level of fungus than a twirling, jumping, yelling cheerleader.
Ashley was astounded by the fact that Kaylie didn’t want to cheer. The girl was the perfect looking and would round out Mellbrook’s competitive, award-winning cheer squad nicely. It was almost selfish of her not to join.
Ashley gave the girl her best puppy-dog, pleading-eye looks. “Ever thought about it?” she asked sweetly. “I mean you have the perfect body for cheer—I’m sure you’re athletic.”
Kaylie bristled. Why was it that people—namely cheerleaders—always assumed that she would make a good addition just because she was fit and maybe just a little pretty? She never be a pompom bunny, she’d rather die. Kaylie hated cheerleaders almost as much as she hated stupid jocks who smashed each other on the football field, fouled each other in basketball, and could barely count to two.
“Sorry, no, I haven’t thought about it,” Kaylie replied, making sure her voice showed her disinterest. “Hey, do you know if there’s a science club?”
The look of horror on Ashley’s face made Kaylie want to laugh. “You’d rather join the science club than the cheer squad?”
Kaylie nodded. “Do you know what teacher advises it?”
“No, I don’t pay attention to the loser, social-suicide organizations.” Ashley scanned Kaylie up and down and shook her head in disappointment. “What a waste. Have fun with your test tubes, new kid.” Ashley strolled back outside and ran to join her giggling friends. Kaylie watched the girls laugh and point in her direction.
Turning away from the doors, and not fazed in being called a loser, Kaylie approached the main office, pulled open the heavy glass door, and slipped inside. The office was humming with students, who had lined up to talk with the women behind the counter. Kaylie stepped into line and smiled at the girl in front of her and was pleasantly surprised when the girl smiled back. Kaylie was about to introduce herself when a woman behind the counter called her name. The plump secretary waved to her and then gestured her forward. Stepping out of line, Kaylie approached the woman hesitantly.
“Kaylie Jacob, right?” The woman had crooked yellowed teeth and smelled like cigarettes and a heavy floral musk perfume. Kaylie rubbed her nose subtly and nodded.
“Yes, is it so obvious that I’m new?” She asked with a sigh. She had hoped not to stand out, hoped to just sit back and pretend that she wasn’t new, that she’d been there for years.
“I saw you in church last Sunday,” the secretary smiled. “I’m Mrs. Potter, do you remember me? I lead children’s service.”
Church? Oh yes, Kaylie remembered, she had talked about Noah and the Ark to about ten fussing children, of whom three actually listened of how the animals came on in twos.
Kaylie and her father rarely went to service, and last Sunday had been the first visit to church since moving to Mellbrook, Indiana. A man devoted to science, Kaylie’s father had been an atheist for most of his life and said he never had time for religion. He never pushed his beliefs on her; he simply showed her science and left the religion part up to Kaylie’s mother. Her father’s beliefs had changed after her mother died four years ago from cancer. Melvin began to understand religion, or seemed to seek it whenever he wanted to speak with her mother, Katie, in Heaven. So when her father had come into her room just after eight in the morning last Sunday and asked her to get up and get ready to accompany him to church, Kaylie didn’t argue or complain she just went with him. She usually wanted to talk to her mom too, even though she could do that from her bed at home.
“Principal McClaire will be out in a moment and he’ll introduce you to your buddy,” Mrs. Potter said softly. She handed Kaylie a green folder and pointed to one of the hard-looking chairs along side the wall outside the principal’s closed door. “Have a seat.”
Her what? What had Mrs. Potter said? She was going to have a “buddy”? Confusion was stamped on Kaylie’s face as she sat down in one of the chairs and waited. She crossed her legs and glanced at the brown wood door to her left. Maybe the school was going to set her up with someone to show her around. That would be nice, Kaylie thought feeling a little less apprehensive about school, the building was so huge it would be helpful to have someone around to help her for the first few days.
“Here you go, Kaylie.” Mrs. Potter called waving a slip of paper with Kaylie’s schedule on it. Kaylie returned to the counter to take the slip of paper. She scanned it quickly and saw that her first class was math, Calculus I. She had had Calculus I at her school in North Carolina, but it had been the only credit not to transfer. At least it would be an easy A, unless calculus was different here than at home—Kaylie doubted it. Like science, math came pretty easy to her. Sensing that she was being watched, Kaylie glanced up. Sure enough, two boys wearing green Cougar letterman jackets were watching her with curiosity.
The larger of the two was an African American guy that was nearly bald save for the very thin layer of fuzz shaved tightly against his scalp. Kaylie got the impression that the kid knew he was good looking, and she hated boys like that. He seemed to stare at her with this cocky little smile that showed most of his straight pearly white teeth.
“So, it’s Kaylie, huh?” He asked. As he turned toward her, Kaylie noticed that his jacket had football and basketball varsity patches. Instantly on guard, Kaylie nodded. He moved toward her and instantly crowding her space. Just like a jock to intrude upon personal space, Kaylie thought as she stepped back keeping a relatively safe distance from him.
“New girl… I like that,” he all but growled, closing the distance. “Names Marcus… Marcus Kingston… running back, all-star football team. Lead point maker, for our basketball team—been to state several times. Has anyone told you, Kaylie Jacob, how insanely fine you are?” Marcus was the expert on “fine” women. He had a reputation of dating only pretty girls, and Kaylie Jacob was damn fine. She did look a little dumpy in that big t-shirt and slightly baggy jeans, but a little fashion help from Monique and she’d be fine enough to be on Marcus’ arm.
Kaylie shifted uncomfortably and looked at Mrs. Potter hoping that the woman would come to her rescue, but she didn’t. Mrs. Potter nodded encouragingly and mouthed that Marcus Kingston was a great catch. To Kaylie however, all jocks were a bad thing. Luckily the principal’s door opened and a bald man with a robust belly stepped into the doorway and bellowed her name. Turning away from Marcus, Kaylie hurried into the office past Principal McClaire’s big belly. Grateful to be away from Marcus’ leering eyes, Kaylie moved deeper into the room and noticed that she and the principal were not alone. In one of the two chairs in front of the large industrialized desk was a brown-haired boy who seemed to stare at her with excitement.
The kid smiled awkwardly and waved. Kaylie smiled back, wondering if he new also. He was thin and looked incredibly small in his baggy clothes, which consisted of khaki pants, ratty Nikes, and t-shirt with “Super D” stamped across the chest, just beneath it in smaller lettering were the words: “State Champions 2006.” He would have been handsome had it not been for his unfortunate acne problem and the big thick glasses that balanced on the end of his nose and made his blue eyes bug out unnaturally.
“Have a seat, Miss Jacob,” Principal McClaire said as he closed the door. Kaylie slipped between the two seats and sat down in the empty chair. “This is Tommy Gnuts.”
Tommy Nuts? Kaylie thought. She was horrified for him and his unfortunate last name; he was no doubt the subject of a lot of teasing by guys like Marcus Kingston.
Tommy leaned forward, “It’s spelled G-N-U-T-S… kinda bad right? I’d like to go by my middle name, Samuel, but the school won’t let me.”
“I suppose it makes you unique,” Kaylie said softly. Tommy smiled. He was going to like this girl. Sure he had been a little shocked by how pretty she was—for an smart egg head like himself—but looks didn’t matter.
“Well, welcome to Mellbrook High, Kaylie.” Principal McClaire said as he rummaged around his cluttered desk for something Kaylie supposed was pretty important since the man was growing red in the face, either from exertion or frustration. Perhaps if he cleaned up? Kaylie thought. “Tommy will be your ‘buddy’ this week. He’ll take you to your classes, help you figure out the floor plan, and show you the ropes as far as lunch and the cafeteria. Do you have a lunch card?” He finally gave up searching his desk and then turned to his computer.
“Um, no, I…” Kaylie began starting to tell him about her packed lunch, but he went on quickly.
“You can use cash to pay,” he said. “But make sure to get a lunch card, it just makes things quicker and easier in the cafeteria. Today is sloppy joe day. Okay, Tommy, you can go ahead and start showing Kaylie around. Remember what we talked about.” Tommy nodded and stood, gesturing for Kaylie to follow him. She wondered what they had talked about and if it had anything to do with her.
“So, did you have a decathlon team at your old school?” Tommy asked as they approached the door. “I’m captain of the Super D team here, and I’d love to talk to you about it. It’s full of seniors and juniors, so you’ll fit in nicely.”
“Oh,” Kaylie said, her eyes falling to his shirt. So that’s what that meant, she thought. “Well, I wasn’t really involved with the decathlon team at home, just the science club and science fair.”
“Great!” Tommy exclaimed. “I’m the secretary for the Science Club, we meet every day after school… you should come to our meeting tonight.” He pulled open the principal’s door and elegantly bowed, gesturing for her to pass. Kaylie laughed and headed out of the office, she turned to walk backwards.
“Do you do science fair too?” She asked him feeling excitement pulsing in her system. She was excited to have a fellow science enthusiast showing her around the school.
“God yes,” Tommy said with just as much excitement. “I have a reoccurring project on the incubation patterns of Calliphora vicina, or flesh flies. Did it last year and the year before that—won two years in a row! I’m curious to know if Calliphora vicinaprefer different types of rotting matter to lay their eggs and if the rate of maggot growth correlates to sunlight exposure. I’m hoping to get a few pieces of cadaver flesh this year—I’m a senior so I think they’ll allow it. It’s fascinating. I hope to go to college for entomology and forensics. CSI: Las Vegas is my favorite TV show and—oh, watch out Kaylie!”
As he spoke, Kaylie collided with a solid form. She gasped and spun around to apologize for her clumsiness, but was at a lost for words and felt like she had been punched in the stomach the moment her eyes lifted to see who she had run into. She felt flustered and awkward suddenly and shrank back toward Tommy.
The boy she had run into was tall, much taller than Tommy, who was actually a little shorter that Kaylie, and athletically built. Kaylie decided that he was around six feet, if not more. He was wearing blue jeans that hung off his hips just right, black boots, and a gray hooded jacket from Old Navy left open over a green Cougar’s t-shirt. His eyes were ice gray and seemed to sparkle as he stared down at her with interest and humor. He was probably the most handsome boy she had ever seen. He looked like one of the college students she had seen that summer at Mellbrook College while she was helping her father. He certainly didn’t look like a high student. Maybe he was a senior?
“Sorry, my fault,” he said kindly, his voice deep and soft. He scratched at his soft-looking black hair, which he wore sort of long, maybe about two inches or so, and then ran his fingers through it. It sort of flipped against his forehead, making Kaylie’s heart flop in a way that made her feel absolutely silly. She had never been so taken with a boy in her entire life. Really, Kaylie… he’s just a boy, she chastised herself. A very… VERY… cute one, she amended.
“Sometimes I don’t know where I’m going, I daydream a lot,” he said with a little chuckle and a cute shrug of his shoulders. “Didn’t mean to run into you.”
The blood rushed to her cheeks, she wanted to say that it was her fault for walking backwards, for not being smarter about it, but a bell rang causing her mind to go completely blank.
“That’s the first bell; two more until you’ll be considered tardy, come on.” Tommy said as he took her by the arm and pulled her away from the cute boy with amazing gray eyes. Kaylie stumbled on her feet as Tommy pulled her from the office. The boy she had run into slowly moved to the window to watch them leave. He smiled and lifted his hand in a little wave. Kaylie’s heart jumped again. Feeling even sillier, and slightly smitten, she turned to Tommy.
“Who was that?” she whispered as he pulled her through the thickening crowd of students on their way to their first period.
“That, Kaylie Jacob,” Tommy said dramatically as he snatched her schedule to look at it, “is absolute trouble.”
Kaylie frowned. Why did trouble have to be so darn cute?
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