NOTE TO SELF: Chemistry tips should come from Chanyeol
Superiority Complex
"That's the fifth beaker you've dropped in three weeks!"
Taemin's a nice Chemistry teacher, really he is.
But he's totally got it in for me.
“Well then class, today we’ll be doing acid-base reactions, which involves a process called titration. Do any of you know about titration?”
Chanyeol raises a hand.
“What do we use titration for?”
Taemin’s eyes sweep the class, and he lets out a small smile as Chanyeol’s hand shoots straight back up into the air.
“You measure the molarity of a substance against a known substance. So, if we use sodium hydroxide as a base and we know the concentration of the sodium hydroxide, we figure out an equivalence point when the colour changes after we’ve added a specific amount of sodium hydroxide to an acidic substance, such as hydrochloric acid, and then we can figure out the concentration and molarity of the hydrochloric acid.”
Blah blah blah.
I did not understand a word of that.
“Good, good. The textbook has detailed instructions on what to do. And class, be careful when administering liquids, understood?”
Taemin looks specifically at me, and I feel my face redden.
I don't trust myself when getting out equipment.
Last time I had attempted to pull out a test tube I had been thinking about a certain blonde, and had bashed my head on my way back up on the bottom of the wooden lab bench and smashed yet another piece of glassware.
Despite this, Chemistry was quite fun.
Chanyeol's good at it so I don't have to work so hard.
Also, I'm sure I don't look as stupid as Chanyeol when I wear those safety goggles.
Sehun's partnered (quite unfortunately) with Luhan.
I'm sure Sehun only shows up for this class because if he left Luhan partner-less Luhan would fail the subject and blame Sehun for it, something which the latter did not particularly want.
The only problem with Chemistry is Kris, who sits behind me, partnered with that Chen guy that's decided he’ll spend his school life stalking me.
As if I wasn’t nervous enough already.
I'm quite sure half of the chemicals I've spilled on myself and most of the broken glassware on the ground is because of Kris staring at me, willing me to make a fool of himself.
Again.
“Tao, want to go out with me?” Chen breathes in my ear.
I shiver.
“Please just leave me alone.”
Like a savior, Kris drags his creepy classmate back to his desk.
“Come on Chen, you need to stick the acid in the pipette and measure it properly and stick that in the conical flask. I’ll organise the burette, OK?”
Again, I curse my bad luck.
I'm sure whatever all powerful being that's looking down on me thinks of my life as a complete joke.
A soap opera waiting to happen.
“Hey Tao, look!” Chanyeol snaps a finger in front of my face.
“What?”
“Looks like Sehun and Luhan are getting really chummy!” Chanyeol whacks my arm playfully.
“Oh.”
I keep an eye on the pair for the rest of the class, knowing Chanyeol won't even let me touch the glassware.
“We’re done!” Chanyeol tells Taemin, handing in our sheet.
All results recorded, all chemical calculations that I can't even begin to understand written neatly in the allocated boxes.
“What is the point called when reaction occurs?” Taemin asks me.
“Equivalence point!” Chanyeol says with a grin.
“Well done.”
Taemin is watching me warily, knowing that before him stood indeed one of the worst Asian students he had ever encountered.
“Well then, pack up. I’ll have to find something for you to do for the next half hour. Zitao, have you caught up on chapter 6 yet?”
I shrug.
“Chanyeol, you can tutor him or something.”
Chanyeol grins wildly, his white teeth shining.
“Sure Taemin!”
With that, we are left to our own devices. I keep staring at Luhan and Sehun.
What was going on over there?
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