The afternoon sun cast its golden glow over the school, its heat pressing down on the students as they moved sluggishly across the campus. Despite the warmth, there was a certain excitement in the air. A combined chemistry practical class was about to take place, bringing together all third-year students.
Each grade in the school had four classes: A, B, C, and D, and today, for the first time in a while, students from all four classes would be in the laboratory together.
For the teachers, it was an opportunity for students to engage in a larger, more interactive learning experience.
For the students? It was just another excuse to socialize.
The laboratory was massive, easily large enough to accommodate the combined classes, with high windows that let in natural light and long black tables neatly arranged for group experiments. The air carried a faint chemical scent, a mix of alcohol, ammonia, and various other substances that had likely been spilled during previous practicals.
Faith, as the class representative of Third-Year Class B, was already at her seat, flipping through the lab manual. She had no expectations that this practical session would go smoothly.
And she was right.
As soon as students settled in, the noise level skyrocketed.
Laughter, whispered conversations, and lighthearted bickering filled the room, drowning out the teacher's initial attempts at instruction.
Most students had already abandoned the idea of working with their assigned partners, rearranging themselves to sit with friends from other classes. The once-orderly seating plan now looked like a chaotic mix of different groups merging into one another.
At one of the back rows, Cole sat with his usual friends Abdullah and Ben leaning lazily against the counter as they talked.
"You saw today's soccer lineup, right?" Ben groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Tell me I wasn't the only one who noticed how terrible it was."
Abdullah scoffed, crossing his arms. "They keep putting guys in forward positions who have no business being there. It's painful to watch."
Cole, however, wasn't really listening. His gaze drifted across the room, casually observing.
His attention was caught by a group of girls from Class D sitting a few rows ahead, their heads huddled together as they giggled amongst themselves.
Abdullah followed Cole's gaze and smirked. "You know them?"
Cole shrugged. "No clue."
Ben, as usual, grinned. "At least they're good-looking."
But Cole wasn't paying attention to them he was more interested in who they were laughing at.
His eyes followed their gaze to a petite girl with brown skin and long, curly hair that cascaded over her shoulders.
She was sitting alone, completely focused on her experiment.
Unlike the rest of the students, who were using this as an excuse to chat, she was actually working.
But something was off.
Her movements were tense, her hands trembling slightly as she measured the chemicals, as if she wasn't entirely at ease.
The Class D girls continued to giggle and whisper, casting quick glances in her direction before turning back to one another.
It didn't take Cole long to figure it out.
They were mocking her.
He wasn't sure whether it was bullying or something else but it was obvious their laughter was directed at her.
The girl, however, pretended not to notice.
Even so, Cole could tell she was bothered.
She shifted uncomfortably in her seat but kept her focus on her task, trying to ignore them.
Still, her clumsiness increased.
She moved to take notes in her book, but as she placed her notebook back down, her elbow accidentally knocked over a beaker.
The moment played out in slow motion.
The beaker tilted, then slid off the counter.
Before she could catch it
It tumbled to the floor.
For a brief second, it looked like it might survive the fall as it bounced once, rolling toward Cole's feet.
But then it broke!
The sharp sound of shattering glass echoed through the room.
Everything went silent.
All conversations ceased.
All heads turned.
Every student in the lab was now staring at the girl, their faces filled with amusement, curiosity, and indifference.
Faith, who had been flipping through her manual, looked up sharply.
The teacher, who had stepped out for a brief moment, returned just in time to see the aftermath.
"What just happened?" he asked, his voice stern.
The girl's face went pale.
Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out. She froze, her hands clenched into fists as she stared at the broken pieces scattered on the floor.
Cole, still seated, looked down at the shattered glass near his feet.
He felt mildly irritated not because of the mess, but because of the way everyone was looking at her.
No one actually cared about the accident itself.
They just enjoyed the drama.
The girls from Class D, who had been laughing earlier, suddenly put on expressions of fake concern, acting as though they had nothing to do with it.
Some students whispered among themselves, while others simply watched in silence, waiting to see how the teacher would react.
The girl lowered her gaze, her fingers still trembling slightly.
Faith, observing from across the room, felt a twinge of discomfort.
She wasn't sure what had happened, but the girl's expression made it clear she wasn't having a good time.
Cole let out a small sigh.
This was going to be interesting.