Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
My class rolled by slower than a feather falling within arm’s length. I couldn’t wait for my next class and it was obvious why although I did a good job about hiding my emotions. When the bell rang for the next class I nearly tripped on the door because I was racing to my Anatomy class. I must have ran too fast because I felt myself running into someone. “Sorry…” I mumbled without looking up due to embarrassment.
“I never knew you liked Anatomy so much.”
I stopped and turn around only to face Lance, I gave him a quick smile “Sorry, I didn’t see you there.”
“That’s okay.” He said happily and took his seat at one of the lab tables in the corner.
I took my seat across the room from him. That was my permanent seat, I cursed the teacher for splitting us up so far to begin with. I sat down with my other lab partners as they giggled and mingled with each other. My head was up in the clouds when the teacher came in. She greeted everyone and announced that we would be starting our big project next, dissecting the cat. I almost winced at the announcement because I was afraid of cats and not to mention I would have to touch a dead one for the next two months. I could feel my stomach turning in circles.
Maybe I was too worried about touching the dead cat that I didn’t hear my teacher saying that she would chose different lab groups for this project. Suddenly, she had my full attention, I hoped that I would get Lance for my group. I silently wished and prayed and when she picked the people at random I was grateful that his name and mine were not called yet, just two groups left. “I’m trying to pick people that have not been in the same group, so if any of you guys see someone in your group that you already worked with, please let me know.”
‘Hurry up and call out the last two groups already’ I silently rushed. My heart stopped when I heard her call my name and Lance’s name together. I didn’t hear anyone else’s name, just mine and his. When she directed everyone to join their groups, I saw Lance at the corner of my eyes, waving to me. He was waving me over to his lab desk, which was shaped like a square with four seats at the desk. I smiled and walked over to his group.
“We get the smart girl in the group!” He exclaimed to everyone else.
I giggled and shook my head “Not really. I don’t think I’ll help that much in this project.”
“That’s right, you’re afraid of cats!” He said with shock. I was even more shocked that he remembered, I told him a while back but never imagined that he would actually remember.
“Well, you can take notes and we’ll do the dirty work.” He offered looking around at the other two group members. They nodded in agreement. I secretly thanked my lucky stars that he was so sweet, I smiled at him and he gave me a quick wink as a welcome.
My class went by too quickly as before I knew it, it was time to go home. I did my usual routine to call my mom to come and pick me up. Unfortunately, no one picked up at my house. I didn’t live that far but my mom always insisted on picking me up from school because she didn’t think a girl should have to take a bus. I walked to where my friends were with an obvious sad look “What’s wrong Niki?” Ginny asked me with pure concern.
“My mom’s not home. I wonder where she is?” I said quietly.
“You need a ride home, Niki?” Lance must have heard me talk.
I looked up and shook my head “It’s okay, I’ll take the bus.” I didn’t want to bother him.
“Don’t be silly, what if something happens to you? No, I won’t hear of it, I’m taking you home!” he insisted.
“It’s okay Lance, I’ll take her home. You live too far from Niki, I live up the street by her.” Marvin offered.
I wanted to smack the guy for offering, but I had to bite my tongue and stay calm. “Yeah, I guess. Wouldn’t want you to go out of your way.” I declined Lance’s offer.
He shrugged “Okay, as long as you get a ride home, it doesn’t matter who takes you home. Anyways, I’m going first. Bye guys.”
“Bye…” everyone said randomly.
“Shall we go, my dear?” Marvin smiled happily as he pointed to the parking lot. I gave him a weak smiled but followed him slowly.
The ride home was a bit awkward for me since it was my first time in a car with a guy alone. “Thanks Marv.” I muttered enough for him to hear it.
“No problem!” He said brightly. When he came to stop light he turned to me with a smile “Hey, can I ask you something?”
I was looking out the window “Sure, anything.”
“Have you ever been to the movies?”
I turned to him with a strange look “Yeah, with my aunt and one time with my family.”
“I meant with a guy, alone.” He said slowly.
“….No….” I said slowly wondering what he was up to.
“Well…I was wondering, if you wanted to go to the movies with me.” He asked straightforwardly.
I didn’t know how to decline him so I thought up an excuse “Uh…I really don’t like going to the movies.”
“Well, how about dinner?” he tried again.
“No…I have to eat at home.” It was lame but I was desperate, I only saw him as a good friend and nothing more. I was bad at rejecting guys since I never had to before. It was the most uncomfortable thing that anyone had to do.
“Can I tell you something?”
This time I turned to him and seeing that he was blushing profusely, I knew I had to put a stop to it “Marv, you know we’re good friends and I like us to stay that way…”
He nodded slowly understanding what I wanted to say “I understand…hey, do you have a date for prom yet?”
I was stumped, I didn’t and there was no reason to lie to him “Not yet.”
“Do you have anyone in mind? I’ll help you out if you want.” He was just the nicest guy. I just rejected him and here he is offering to help me get a date.
“No, no one in mind.” I lied. “I’ll just go dutch if I have to .”
“Well, I’m here if you can’t decide on a date.” He was willing to be my backup.
“That’s very sweet, Marv. Thanks…well, here’s my house.” He pulled up the driveway and I got out. I waved to him as he pulled out. I let out a small sigh and entered the house.
*************
The next month, our lab group worked hard to do the project correctly. It seemed like they were fighting to cut the cat while I stood in the back taking notes glad not to be involved in such a disgusting act. At the end of the second month our teacher gave us a little pop quiz. She dropped by each table and asked us questions about the name of each muscle on the cat’s back. We were the last group that she visited as she thought up a hard question for us “Where is the back muscle that allows a cat to jump?” she looked directly at me. I looked at my group members for help but that was not allowed “You should know this if you took notes Niki.” My teacher said with a touch of annoyance in her voice.
I blinked slowly and tried to remember but my mind was blank. I looked down at the skinned cat and took my pen as I pointed to one of the back muscles. “This one.” I guessed.
I knew I was right when the teacher gave me a big smile and nodded her head approvingly. “Good job, Niki. Now Lance, where on the human’s body is that muscle?”
He smiled brightly at the teacher and I knew that he knew exactly where it was. “Let me borrow your back.” He nodded to me. I turned around as he pulled my hair to one side and directed his pen in a triangle shape on one side of my back.
The teacher smiled with obvious happiness since she was grateful that we learned something in the class “Good job.” She nodded and walked back to the front of the class and proceeded to grade everyone.
I breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Lance who smiled at me “Thanks.”
“No problem.” I pushed my head downward as my eyes wandered around. Suddenly it stopped at his hands, he had a few blisters on the palm of his hands “What happened?” I pointed to his fingers.
He followed my eyes and shrugged carelessly “I was playing basketball and I jumped up to make a slam dunk, I hung onto the rim and it cut my palm. Just a few blisters.”
“Well, put a bandage on it before it gets infected.” I scolded like a mother but it was too late to stop myself.
“I don’t have any.” He said a matter of fact.
I rolled my eyes and pulled out some bandages from my purse “Ever tried asking?” I said with sarcasm. I forgot that the other group members were still there as they stared at me tending to his wounds. After I finished the second bandage I got up to toss the trash away.
“Thanks.” He smiled thankfully as he showed me his bandaged hand.
“Anytime.” I shrugged, making it look almost natural.
One of the girls from our group looked at us with a small smile but she didn’t say anything. I was about to clear the air when our teacher started talking again.