Everything is Changed by Nova Weetman

watching me, ready to pounce. Of course she isn’t. She’s concentrating on the papers in front of her. Then I look along the team and see Jasmine blowing on the lenses in her glasses, and wiping a tissue around and around to clear the smears. She sees me watching and blows me a kiss.
    Nobody knows.

jake
    I have a new plan. This week is my ‘trying to forget’ week. This is my normal day. Where I’m just a kid at school learning about oxygen and barium and buying a day-old pie for lunch. I’ve even had a shower. And so far, so good. The two morning classes sped by without me feeling too far behind and now I’ve got a lunch meeting with Mr Cap. I’m hoping it means I’ve been accepted into the science program over the summer break that he told me to apply for. I’m glad Mum made me come to school today because it feels like it could be a good day after all. Ellie’s agreed to hang out and study together, so it’s looking up already.
    As I walk out of the cafeteria, I see Lucas and Tien watching something on a laptop. They’re huddled together so tightly their heads are touching. I can’t help it. I walk over.
    â€˜Howdy,’ I say. I get a half smile from one and nothing from the other. So I sit down really close to them and try to see what they’re looking at.
    But Lucas slams the screen of his laptop shut and glares at me. ‘Haven’t seen you in a while,’ he says.
    I frown. I don’t understand what I’ve done. ‘I’ve been sick.’
    â€˜Not what I heard. Heard you were wagging. Heard you’re this close,’ he holds his fingers together, ‘to being thrown out.’
    I roll my eyes. ‘As if.’
    Tien leans towards me. ‘I heard you were hanging out in the city trying to glimpse Alex in his fancy uniform.’
    This time I laugh and they loosen up a bit too. ‘I heard I was in jail,’ I say dryly.
    Lucas fixes me with a stare that he uses when he’s trying to work out who your current crush is. He’s been using it since year seven and it’s pretty pathetic. I glare back and he gives up and looks away.
    â€˜So I need to know what I’ve missed. Can I read your notes for maths?’
    Tien sighs like it’s all a drag. ‘Yeah. I guess. But stop cutting classes. I have no one to compete with in science if you aren’t around.’
    â€˜Okay. Deal,’ I say, holding out my hand to shake Tien’s. ‘You going to show me what you’re watching now?’
    Lucas smiles and opens his laptop. He hits a button and a flash of bodies appears on the screen. Porn? I look closer, realising it’s two bulked-up men in skimpy satin costumes.
    â€˜Wrestling?’ I say incredulously.
    They both laugh like it’s the funniest thing in the world. If only Alex was still here. I’d have someone to save me from this crap.
    â€˜I’ve got a meeting with Mr Cap. I’ll see you clowns later.’
    I can hear them yelling at the screen as I walk away.
    The science lab is in the new part of the school built a few years ago. It’s clean and white and impressive. Most of the other classes are in rooms in the old red brick building that has a smell no amount of cleaning products will ever remove. The science lab is my favourite part of our school. And Mr Cap is my favourite teacher. He’s taught me science for the last two years and I think it’s because of him I love science so much. He’s not interested in small talk or working out why you’re in a bad mood one day. He’s not one of those teachers who intrude in the name of wellbeing. He just teaches you stuff.
    The first class I had with him he asked if anyone knew any scientific principles that we thought would stand up to rigorous testing. Everyone was looking at their books, shuffling papers, and trying not to catch his eye. Normally I wouldn’t be the first to speak in a class, but