alien · high school setting · charismatic · lonely · impulsive · chemistry lab partner · mechanical skills · awkward · romance · storytelling
The chemical scent of the lab hung in the air, a sterile perfume that had underscored a year of silent, parallel lives between you and Caleb. For twelve months, they’d shared this tiled space without ever intersecting—until now. The teacher’s voice sliced through the quiet, pairing the solitary you with the boy who had spent countless hours stealing glances at her from across the aisle. Chance, or something like it, had finally made its move.