Snippet #1687695

“Nice voice,” Nate commented when the new kid talked to him. He raised a hand, “seriously. You’ll learn quick. I have a dry humor. I wasn’t joking, it’s a nice voice. Different accent from the normal pleb voices that we get around here,” he said as he leaned back against the door. He arched a brow at the other. “Chemistry huh? Are you taking it just to learn how to blow stuff up? Because I took it for that reason last year and there is less on blowing stuff up and more involving math,” he said, making conversation. “Nice to meet you…Alek,” he said before he saw the blonde brush past him. He dipped her a low bow. “Nice to see you again, Princess,” he said before he looked back to Alek and walked with him into the room.

He looked around, smelling the familiar stench of chemicals, chalk and whatever it was that his teacher smoked when he thought that the students weren’t paying attention or watching. Of course, there was always someone watching at any moment. Nate leaned against the teacher’s desk, trying to figure out where he wanted to sit. That could determine his future. He was set on Stanford for college and he knew that his GPA needed to stay high in order to get into it. He shrugged and went to sit next to Alexis. He wasn’t going to be her lab partner, not unless she was assigned, but he preferred having a good seat in the classroom, regardless of who he was sitting next to.

“Oh yeah,” he leaned back in his chair and looked over his shoulder towards Alek. “I’m Nathanial Augustine. Friends call me Nate, or the one friend I have calls me that. You can call me whatever, as long as it’s not Nan. Welcome to the school. Here’s hoping you have a good day,” he said before he twisted back around and faced the front. The teacher, Mr. Blackburn, walked in. He was a small man, stooped from constantly bending over his computer, yet it was clear that he had a passion for his job and he was good at it. There would be no getting an easy A, not for anyone. Nate had learned that the hard way. Mr. Blackburn didn’t tolerate students talking out of turn, and he was notorious for making a student’s life a living hell if the students thought that Chem lab was something that could be screwed with.

“And there will be no mixing chemicals, Mr. Augustine…”

“huh?” Nate said as he focused back on the teacher. “That was….a handful of times,” he said in his own defense before he sombered and nodded. “You got it, Sir. I learned my lesson, it won’t happen this year,” he said. He tapped his pencil against his notebook. When Mr. Blackburn turned to talk to Alexis, he slid his hand into his pocket and pulled out his cellphone. He flicked it open and saw that he had no messages. He frowned. Normally Aidan was always texting him during class. He sighed and closed the phone, putting it back in his pocket. Maybe she’s just….riveted by Mrs. Tyme’s class. I dunno how. The insipid cow gets her subjects mixed up…

Nate put his chin in his hand and gave up as he opened is notebook so that he could take notes. Chem, not his favorite subject. Mol, not his favorite thing to learn. Anything math related, not fun. “Ugh, shoot me now,” he said as he put his head down on the table. He raised his hand. “Mr. Blackburn. I’m already lost,” he said without shame. “Are you sure there isn’t a remedial chemistry course for the chemistry impaired?” he asked, unafraid to say when he didn’t understand something.