Page 5 of Perfect Chemistry

Staring at the calendar on my phone, I realized it was already March. Three months left until graduation.

“Happy birthday,” Kai whispered from behind me.

I turned to find him standing there in the hall, a small gift bag held at eye level. “What did you get me?” I asked him, knowing that my smile betrayed me and smeared itself from ear to ear.

Kai always got me the most ridiculous birthday gifts. Last year was a ”hot for Bevis” t-shirt that I refused to wear because Bradley was Bevis. The year before that it was a key chain with a small black cat dangling from it. They were corny gifts but they always made me laugh.

In return, I would give him some outrageously girlie gift on his birthdays, like a pink unicorn keychain or a hello kitty pencil bag.

I started to open the bag, but he stopped me.

“NO!” Kai almost shouted at me before he composed himself. He looked around the hall at the strum of students passing us. “Not now. Just wait to open it. Like when you get home. Ok?” he smiled at me, and I found myself nodding and agreed to whatever he said.

“Can you tell me what it is? Is it something I can wear to school and show off?” I asked, looking at the pretty gift bag. I was so busy staring at the bag, I almost missed the crimson hue that covered Kai’s face.

“Yes. You should wear it to school tomorrow. If you like it,” Kai told me. His eyes danced with mischief. Whatever this was, it had to be good.

I couldn’t wait to see what he bought for me, and peeked inside the bag on my way to class. He had wrapped everything up and attached a note that read, ‘No Peeking!’

I laughed abruptly, startling several people walking near me. “Sorry,” I apologized, biting my lips. I carried that gift bag around the rest of the day like it was a prized possession. I could have opened the gift during lunch or study hall, but after the warning message, I decided to just wait. It was the longest wait of my life.

I ran straight up to my room when I got home and dropped everything but the gift bag on the floor. I sat on my bed and stared at the bag for a solid ten minutes before opening it.

What the hell was this?

Chapter 2

Kai’s Point of View

First day of school senior year. This was my last chance.

“Dude, are you going to actually make a move this year or what?” Bradley, my best friend, asked, hitting me in the chest as we took our seats in chem. He was tired of listening to my whining about the same thing year after year.

I was about to answer him, but I looked up to see her walking into the classroom.

Kat “My Goddess” Preston.

She was gorgeous. She had this amazingly easy personality, and could talk to anyone. I didn’t know a single person in our senior class who disliked her. To the contrary. I couldn’t count the number of guys who had the hots for her, myself included. Unfortunately, for me, Kat had zero interest in me outside of friendship. She had no idea how bad I had it for her.

In fact, I had spent the last seven years of school fantasizing about her. But to her, I was just one of the many guys surrounding her and she never gave me a second glance. The guys that she liked were all older. I knew, because she would tell me about them. Jocks. Tall, pretty boys.

Then there was me. I wasn’t much taller than Katie. I wasn’t built like a brick shit house, and the only thing I had in common with her type was being a jock. Fuck. She was even older than me by like a month, a fact she made a point to note every year since the eighth grade. I didn’t know who was more pathetic: her gaggle of would-be’s or me? Fuck, I hated those guys flocking around her. Every. Single. One. I hated them all.

I looked over to lock eyes with Bradly, and quietly shook my head. I had to be content with another year of smelling her perfume and leaving class with blue balls. I’d admit it. I’d listened to her stories and pretended that I was a friend when I told her all of the dirt, rumors, and bullshit, I could dig up on every guy she liked. FUCK!

“Hey, Kai. I didn’t know you and Bradley had Chemistry, too.” Kat winked and smiled as she took the seat in front of me like always. Sometimes, I played with her hair when it fell back on my desk in the few classes we shared over the years. She smelled like vanilla and strawberries. Her smile always lit up her whole face. You couldn’t help but want to smile with her. Then there were her eyes. I couldn’t look at another girl with brown eyes and not think of her.

Bradley leaned toward Kat and shamelessly flirted, “Are you interested in some experimentation….”

Kat leaned toward him. “Only if you’re taking notes…” she purred.

Bradley went to comment further but Mr Tinneson closed the door loudly and interrupted their weird flirting. He eyed Bradley and Kat, and then shook his head like he wanted to unhear everything they just said.

“Kiki, your lab partner will be Bradley. Help him pass so I don’t have to see him ever again,” Mr. Tinneson mumbled under his breath as he walked around passing out the class syllabus and assignment packets.

“Katie, your lab results were excellent, if I recall. I have paired you with Kai. Hopefully, between the two of you, you’ll pass and be gone as well,” he continued.

“Mr. Tinneson, did someone steal your parking spot or something?” Bradley asked.

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