U of M Series: The Chemistry Poet

Chapter 2: Piper

We had to stay twenty minutes late to catch up on everything, but we managed to finish our day's tasks.

More importantly, he somehow manages to not notice my obsessive need to count everything four times. At least for now.

I am not looking forward to the semester. How will I get a good grade? As we say our good byes we exchange phone numbers.

"Well looks like we got everything cleaned up. Shall we?" Sawyer asks standing up.

I remain on the stool. "Actually, I need to talk Dr. Saunders about something real quick. You go on ahead without me."

Something flickers in his sapphire-colored eyes. "Oh I get it. This is the part where you go complain to the professor begging for a new partner because you don't want to be stuck with the stupid jock, right?"

He has an almost sad, lost puppy look. 

Guilt churns in me. It is exactly what I had planned. "Umm. No. I... Dr. Saunders is my advisor, I had a question for her about grad schools is all."

He sits back down. "You're a terrible liar Kitty." I scoff at the nick name. "Look, I get it, Piper. But I need this class for sports medicine. I suck at chemistry but I'll try my best. I'm told you're the one to beat. I need you as my lab partner."

I sigh. "If you're planning on being a dead weight, I can't let you carry me down. I am taking bio three hundred this year too. I am great at chemistry, but biology is not my thing. I can't help you and me both. To speak your lingo, I need to keep my head in the game."

Chemistry I understand. It is all around us, you can see it in action. Biology—not so much. Pure memorization of facts and I can't see it around me to understand.

"I got an A in that class last year. I had the highest grade of the final." 

I give him a look of disbelief. 

"I swear. We can go ask the professor right now if you don't believe me. I'll help you with bio if you help me with chem."

I groan. My heart speeds up at the idea of spending more time with him, but he's nothing but a male pig. Not sure I want to deal with him. I don't have room in my schedule for guys right now, and especially not the love them and leave them kind like him.

He eyes me. "What?"

"If I agree to this, there will be some ground rules."

"Rules?" He leans back into the stool and crosses his arms. "What kind of rules are we talking here?"

"First, you leave your toxic masculinity at the door."

A brow arches on his face. "My what?"

"Toxic masculinity. You know, boys club, locker room talk, boys will be boys attitude. You only want sex from women and then as soon as you get it you call the girl easy or a slut. You must drive big masculine vehicles and god forbid you cry or show emotion because you're a macho man."

He furrows his brows together, and the blue of his eyes darken. "You don't even know me Kitty-Cat. I don't have toxic masculinity. And for the record, I cried during The Notebook." 

I arch a brow at his admission, surprised. 

"If you ever tell anyone that, I'll deny it. And I've never called a girl a slut, I understand women like sex like we do. It's the 21st century after all."

Suuure. "Whatever. Second rule, you are here on time every day. And final rule, you help me study for bio at least once a week and I'll help you study for chem once a week."

He nods. "Done."

I groan again. "You better not make me regret this Sawyer. But fine, you have a deal."

His god damn mouthwatering smile reappears. "Thank you, Kitty." 

He boops my nose before getting up to leave. Even though it is something you'd do to a child, at the contact my whole body sizzles.

"I do actually have to talk to Dr. Saunders, she is my advisor, that part wasn't a lie."

"Alright, catch you later, Piper."

I approach Dr. Saunder's desk. Her brown straight hair is speckled with gray and she's pouring over lab reports. "Umm. Dr. Saunders, sorry to disturb you, but—"

She glances at me from behind her cat-ear style glasses. "Piper I can't change your lab partner. Besides, I heard you putting him in his place over toxic masculinity, you might be good for him."

I laugh. "That's not what I came here to say. It's just that, I'll be applying to med schools soon and I need letters of rec and I was hoping you'd write one for me."

She places the reports down on her desk. "I'd love to." She pauses and adjusts her glasses. "I know you have your heart set on med school but... you have a knack for chemistry. We need more female scientists in the field. I also know you think your OCD is an problem and gets in the way, but in a field like chemistry, that type of attention to detail could actually be beneficial. How are you handling it lately, by the way?"

I toe my white Chucks on the tile floor. "Good. I am still in therapy for my anxiety. But I also decided to start medicine. It seems to be helping."

She gives me a small smile. "Glad to hear it. I'll definitely write you a letter of recommendation. But do think about other options besides medical school. You have a lot of avenues open to you."

After discussing the year with my professor, I grab my bag and make my way out of the classroom. A black and white speckled composition book by the door catches my eye. Someone probably dropped their notes for class. I pick it up and open the cover. No name. I turn the page and find a hand written poem, not chemistry notes on the inside.

Velvety smooth skin brushes under my fingertips

Warmth like the spring suns burns in my core

Every stroke of my tongue she tightens her grip

I do everything I can to make her scream for more

Not just a poem. A sex poem. Whoa. I fan myself, not just because I am hot in this oversized jersey. I flip through the pages. Poems, quotes, and short stories cover the pages. Romantic emotional confessions. The notebook is full. Not a name in sight. I have no way of finding the rightful owner. I suppose I could leave it here in the room but it seems private. 

Hmm. I bite my lip. And if I'm completely honest with myself, I want to read more.

This is something I'd imagine you'd find in the language arts building, maybe even the theater, but not chemistry. One of the chem nerds couldn't have written this. Right? It does seem like it's from the male perspective, or a lesbian. 

Doesn't narrow it down much since the whole class is dudes.

What to do with it? Well, finders keepers I guess. I slip it into my bag.