Chapter 13 - Broken Glass, New Friend

Vera's POV

I looked at him, confused. "Stop what?"

"Whatever this is between us."

"Why should we, all of a sudden?"

"We almost got caught. And we're step siblings."

"But we didn't get caught, and I already agreed to keep us being step siblings a secret." I raised my hand to touch his chest, but he stepped backward, putting space between us.

"I'm serious. You should head back to class."

He turned his back and started to leave, his shoulders stiff…. but I couldn't help but ask, then he stopped mid-step.

"What were you and Sarah talking about this morning? Is that why you suddenly want this to stop?"

His hands curled into fists at his sides and he said in a controlled voice like he was holding something heavy behind his teeth.

"We had a deal. Make sure you keep to your end of it."

I watched him walk away until he disappeared around the corner.

"Damn it." I dragged a hand down my face.

Liam was such a dickhead, even though I liked him. One minute we were tangled up in each other, breathless and reckless, and the next he flipped like a switch, cold and distant, like none of it had happened.

I closed my eyes, leaning back against the cool shelf behind me, already knowing I had work to do to get his attention back.

I could feel it, the way he looked at me, the way his hands lingered too long when he touched me. He wanted me. He just wouldn't admit it out loud.

‘Don't fret, Vera. Liam is just overthinking. He wants you just as you want him.’

‘Or maybe you want him more.’ that small voice in my head crept in.

I forced the thought of him overthinking to stick, straightening my spine, refusing to let him pushing me away sting for longer than it needed to.

"I'm going to have you, Liam Hayworth." A slow smile tugging at the edge of my lips. "I'll make you want me so badly you'll never say stop again."

I straightened my shirt properly and walked back toward class, like the conversation hadn't shaken me at all.

***

"Yes! 4:00 pm."

DING.

The last bell rang, ending Mr. Brooks' class. I let out a breath of relief. Today's lesson was on titration, and he'd decided to run a live demonstration instead of just talking through it.

Half my classmates leaned forward in their seats, fascinated. I sat there tapping my pen against my notebook, bored out of my mind.

I had already packed my books in my bag before the bell even rang, so I stood up immediately ready to leave the class..I was about to take a step when I stopped in my track as I heard my name.

"Vera, come carry these apparatus back to the lab."

Just wow. I stood there a second with bag still on my shoulder, staring at his back.

Mr. Brooks walked out of the classroom carrying the container of acid and base himself, like my answer didn't matter. I figured the chemicals had to be diluted for him to even bring them into a regular classroom as such practicals like this were supposed to stay in the lab.

I let out a sigh and fixed my bag properly at my back, and walked to the front desk where a tripod stand, a beaker, and a pipette sat waiting under the light.

I picked them up carefully, one by one, balancing them in my arms, the beaker cold against my wrist. I turned to head out of the class when Andrea stepped right in front of me, blocking my path, his hands half-raised like he meant to take something from my arms.

“Let me help you with those while I show you to the Chemistry Lab.” He looked at me hoping I would agree.

"Thanks, but no." I tried to walk past him but he stood in my front again, blocking my path and then I stopped in my track.

"I just want to help. You look like you could use it."

"I told you, I need space, Andrea." My voice came out sharper than I meant it to.

I turned the other way to avoid him completely but…

Crash!

I collided straight into someone. The apparatus slipped from my arms all at once, glass hitting the tile floor. I managed to save only the tripod stand, clutching it hard against my chest as everything else shattered around my feet in pieces.

"Oh shit. I'm in trouble." I stared down at the mess in panic.

I heard gasps from few students lingering near the door as most of the students had left the classroom.

"The new girl is toast," someone muttered behind me. "Mr. Brooks doesn't play around when apparatus breaks."

I crouched down fast, gathering the broken glass piece by piece with shaking fingers, when a soft voice spoke just above me filled with apology.

"I'm so sorry. It was my fault… I wasn't looking."

The girl I had crashed into knelt down beside me without hesitation, she joined me to pick up the shards scattered across the floor.

"No, it wasn't," I said, letting out a nervous laugh despite the panic rising in my chest. "I'm about to get scolded by Mr. Brooks regardless."

I gathered what I could into my palm, stood up slowly, and turned to Andrea, who wore a stunned, guilty look on his face.

"This is your fault. Kindly clean up the rest." I said to him in a low voice.

I walked out without waiting for a response, my feet moving fast against the floor. I hadn't gone far when I heard footsteps rushing up behind me.

"Vera, wait up!"

It was the girl I had collided into. Now I looked at her well she had a pretty face with nice long hair that moved side by side as she ran to catch up with me.

She stopped in from of me trying to catch her breath.

"I should come with you," she said, chest rising and falling. "So we can get scolded together."

I let out a small laugh, looking at her in amazement and she looked at me with a small awkward smile on her face wondering why I was laughing so bad.

"I'm pretty thick-skinned," I said, shaking my head. "But if you insist on coming, I don't mind. It's no fun scolded alone."

This time we laughed together, the tension in my shoulders easing slightly as we started walking to the lab together.

We stood in front of the chemistry laboratory, then we looked at each other and I knocked on the door before opening it.

I entered first then she followed.

"Great. Just put them…" Mr. Brooks stopped mid-sentence, his eyes landing on my empty hands and the absence of half the equipment. His expression shifted with his brows lifting in shock.

"It was a mistake, sir. I'm sorry," I said, voice dipping with genuine remorse, eyes lowered to the floor.

He took a slow breath, rubbing the bridge of his nose, then spoke in the calmest tone I'd ever heard a teacher use after something broke.

"Just throw the broken glass in the trash bin there, and place the tripod stand on that table carefully."

I moved fast, doing exactly as told before he could change his mind, setting the tripod down like it was made of paper. I turned back and I caught Queen still frozen near the entrance, mouth slightly open in disbelief.

Then turned to Mr. Brooks and bowed my head. "I apologize again."

He simply waved a hand toward the door, dismissing us both without another word.

We turned and left, the door closing shut softly behind us.

"Mr. Brooks didn't scold us for broken apparatus? That's new," she said the second we were outside, still wide-eyed, glancing back at the closed door.

"Guess we got lucky."

"Yeah, we did." She said in agreement and then continued with her hand outstretched towards me. “Oh yeah. I'm Queen.”

“Nice to meet you Queen.” I said taking her hands in mine giving her a shake.

Then my phone chimed in my bag, I opened my bag to take my phone and check who sent me a message me.

It was Liam.

I opened the message, it read.

[Where in heaven’s name are you?]

I quickly replied. [I'm coming, had to do something.]

I looked back at Queen and said to her. “I have to run along. Bye.]

I turned and started walking away immediately not waiting to hear her say goodbye too.

[Meet me at the spot away from school or you will trek all the way home.]

I stopoed In my track in sudden realization.

“Wait. What the heck?”