Page 37 of Reluctant Chemistry

His day had been difficult, leaving him angry and sad in equal measure. Now his lack of sleep the night before reflected in his mood. And that afternoon, as she’d walked past him in her summer school uniform—white shirt, navy blue pleated skirt, and sandals—she’d looked so young.

Much too young.

A knock at his front door startled him. As he stepped into the short hallway, Luka could see CeCe through the blind slats, and when he opened the door, she entered without invitation.

He followed her into the living space. “What are you doing here?”

“You wanted to see me.”

“Yes, at school, not here.”

“Sorry, but I was in no mood to stay after the way you treated me. What happened when you stepped into that classroom? Did you decide to be a bully because my last text bruised your ego a tad? Is this what it’s going to be like from now on?”

Luka shook his head. Lowered his voice. “Until a week ago, I thought we had an understanding. So excuse me, but this new normal is going to take some getting used to. And if you want to get ahead in my class, do the work and learn the basics.”

“Fine, but I don’t understand bond energies and systems in equilibrium and stupid periodic trends in behavior. It’s way over my head, and I’ve no idea what to do about it.”

“Yes, well, that’s your first hurdle. If you think it’s all stupid, how will you ever respect the learning process?” He sighed heavily. “Have you considered dropping chemistry and taking something else?”

Anger flared in CeCe’s expression. “Why? So you can forget I ever existed?”

“Let’s get one thing straight—I will never forget that you exist, understand? But you can’t just rock up at my home uninvited like I still owe you my time. I’ve no doubt you can do well if you apply yourself, but you won’t get far with that attitude. And another thing, why are you taking level three chemistry when you haven’t even done level two?”

“Because Mrs. Jones thought I could handle it. And you know what? We’re always told we can be whatever we want, but that’s just another lie loaded with pressure. We can only be what our brains allow us to be. I couldn’t be a neurosurgeon no matter how hard I tried. I don’t have what it takes. But I want to do chemistry.”

“But why? What’s driving you to take up a subject you’ve never studied before? Because let’s face it, chemistry’s no walk in the park. It’s hard work.”

He noticed her hesitation. Most likely, she had no idea what her goal or motivation was. Maybe she hadn’t even thought about it.

“I want to have my own cosmetics business one day. My skin’s sensitive, and I can never find skincare that suits me. Other people are doing it, but I think I can do it just as well if not better.”

Surprised by her reply, Luka held her gaze. He would never have pinned her for the ambitious, entrepreneurial type. But then, the carefree woman she’d presented to him when they were lovers differed vastly from the girl standing before him now. “Well then, maybe you’ll have to try a little harder.”

She didn’t miss a beat. “Maybe you need to teacha littlebetter. I can only learn what you teach me.”

“That’s bullshit, and you know it.” Luka pulled out a stool from the island and she surprised him by taking it. He leaned his butt on the counter, arms folded. “I’m guessing your father refused to move you?”

“He did. So unless you resign, you’re stuck with me.”

“And you didn’t think to give me a heads-up? I asked you to text me.”

“I figured you’d see my name on the roll, so—”

“Well, I saw a Sydney Dobson and assumed it was you. I never knew CeCe was a nickname. Something else you didn’t think to tell me. And you’re repeating the year, but you can’t recite the first few elements of the periodic table?”

He watched her inhale, exhale, trying to keep her reaction in check perhaps. “I told you that I haven’t studied chemistry before.”

CeCe was right. He’d been a bully by singling her out in class, and he was still being one now. “Does your father know about us?”

“No, and since thereisno us anymore, it’s a moot point.”

They stayed on opposite sides of the island, CeCe seated, Luka standing. “Look, I’m sorry. But that ‘roll on Easter’ text really pissed me off. It’s like suddenly you can’t wait to see the back of me.”

“That’s why I hate texting. Messages can be misconstrued.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. As far as he was concerned, there had been no misconstruction.She’d made herself perfectly clear. “I’m running Thursday morning tutorials for a few students from my other class, starting next week. Be there by seven thirty, and you can join us.”

“I can’t come to school early.”

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