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“Amy, didn’t you hear the bell? Lunch is over,” Sarah’s words snap me out of my trance. Sarah smiles and rolls her eyes at me. “You’re hopeless.”
Busted again, I wince. “I can’t help myself.” Lunchtime is my favorite part of the day. “Dustin drool time,” I call it. I watch him from across the cafeteria, wishing I had the nerve to talk to him. His dimples and sapphire eyes are so hot. We’ve been in the same biology class all semester, but he doesn’t even know my name. I am the shy, science nerd in the back row. Dustin is Mr. Popular who sits in the middle row, surrounded by adoring fans.
Sarah and I grab our stuff and say goodbye. I rush to third period, my second favorite time of day--biology with Dustin.
Ten minutes later, our biology teacher, Mr. Turner, distributes the newest lab-partner assignments. My mouth goes dry as I stare at the list, “Amy/Dustin-Station 4.” As everyone heads for the lab stations, my stomach flips. Half way to Station 4, my legs turn to Jell-O. I slowly ease up onto the stool. I look down so Dustin won’t see my face turning bright red.
I open my lab manual and say a quick prayer that I don’t do anything stupid, like knock over the microscope. Dustin reaches for the box of slides without saying a word. He sets the first slide onto the mount and adjusts the ocular. We alternate looking through the lens and jot down our findings. My palms are sweaty and the pencil keeps slipping. It’s so hard to concentrate. We work in silence. When the bell rings, Dustin grabs his books and hurries out the door. I let out a deep sigh as I collect my things.
The next day, Sarah and I plop down at our usual lunch table and I prepare for my daily drool time. My eyes quickly find Dustin sitting with his friends across the cafeteria. While I quietly eat my sandwich and drool, Sarah complains about her algebra homework. I don’t mention my new lab partner. Not yet. I’m still trying to figure out yesterday.
The bell rings and we’re off to third period.
My heart starts pounding as I walk into the classroom. I perch on my lab stool next to Dustin again. He’s drumming his pencil to a song in his head. My hands are shaking and I hope he doesn’t notice. I don’t know what to say to him so I start doodling in my notebook. I watch Dustin out of the corner of my eye. The drumming stops.
Mr. Taylor explains today’s assignment, genetic traits. “Diagram chromosome pairs for your hair color and eye color. Branch that out to include your siblings, parents and grandparents. Then, determine which are the dominant and which are the recessive genes. For those of you with blue hair, I mean your natural hair color.” He thinks he is a stand up comedian. I roll my eyes, my dominant brown eyes, to be genetically correct.
I begin my family tree of eye color. Dustin glances at my diagram. My cheeks are hot again. I bend my neck so my hair falls forward and hides my face. The tension is thick between us, almost tangible. This is so awkward. Like yesterday, we finish in silence. Like yesterday, the bell rings and he dashes off. I feel like an idiot.
The next morning drags on forever. Finally, it’s lunchtime again. I sit across from Sarah and scan for Dustin. When our eyes connect, he is glaring at me. My cheeks instantly burn. I dart my eyes back to Sarah, hoping she is doesn’t notice. I recognize her expression and brace myself.
Sarah starts grilling me for details, barely pausing to take a breath. “I heard Dustin’s your new lab partner! Why didn’t you tell me? Tell me everything. What did he say?”
“Nothing. He didn’t even look at me. I think he hates me,” I mumble.
“Why would he hate you? Last week, he didn’t even know you.” Sarah has a good point. I shrug and begin my story. Sarah hangs on every word until suddenly she looks up and her eyes widen. She leans in towards me, “Don’t look now, but Dustin is coming over here.”
I freeze.
“Hey, Amy? Can I talk to you a sec?” Dustin looks at Sarah, jerks his head to the side and adds, “Alone.” He clenches his jaw and glares at me again.
Sarah looks from Dustin to me and then back to him. Without a word, she picks up her tray and leaves. Dustin slides into her spot across the table. I just know my cheeks are tomato red now. Did he really say my name?
“About biology… what’s your problem?” He sounds so harsh that I flinch.
“Huh? My problem?” Did I hear him right?
“Yeah, your problem. You won’t speak or even look at me. Are you mad because the science brainiac has to partner with the science idiot?” His hands are balled into fists.
His words ricochet through my mind. How can he say that? He finally speaks to me and this is what he says? Think, Amy…say something, I tell myself. I take a deep breath.
“No! Are you serious?” Now, I’m mad. “Umm, you didn’t speak to me either. Are you too popular to be partnered with the science nerd?” I snap back.
He looks shocked, like I just slapped him or something. His eyes begin to narrow. I wait, holding my breath and wonder what he’s thinking. His fists slowly release. His jaw relaxes and he stares at me. Breathe, I remind myself. Then, he smiles. I try not to drool.
“Amy, you’re not the science nerd. You’re the science brainiac. The whole school knows that. That’s why I asked Mr. Turner if we could be partners.” His voice is calm now.
I raise my eyebrows. “You did? Then why didn’t you talk to me?”
He looks away and I think I actually see him blush. He shrugs and speaks so low that I strain to hear him, “I didn’t know what to say. I was afraid of saying something stupid.”
I grin with relief. He starts to look angry again. I quickly explain, “No, wait. I can’t believe this. I didn’t say anything either… because I was afraid of saying something stupid.”
“You’re kidding? The science brainiac say something stupid?” Now, it’s his turn to look surprised.
“I was too nervous to talk to you. You’re Mr. Popular. Actually, until now, I didn’t even think that you knew my name,” I finally admit.
Dustin pauses a moment, thinking that over, I guess. He shakes his head and shrugs, “I knew your name. I just didn’t know how to talk to you.” His cheeks are pink.
I know how that feels. “I just assumed you---” I started to say.
“I sorta assumed---” he said at the same time.
We both started laughing. “There’s a saying about assuming,” I tell him.
“Yeah, I’ve heard it. I guess it fits,” he says. He pauses again like he is deciding something and then smiles. “Let’s start over.” He holds out his right hand. “Hi, I’m Dustin, your new lab partner.”
“Hi, I’m Amy.” I shake his hand and smile back. “It’s nice to meet to you.”
The bell rings, making me jump in my seat. My cheeks burn again. He gives me a huge grin and says, “C’mon partner, it’s time for class.”
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