Chapter 5

Finally, I finished washing the last bottle.

My wrists were sore, and my feet were numb from standing so long.

I staggered to turn off the lab lights and locked the door.

My phone had a few missed calls. It were all from the restaurant, probably wondering when we'd show up.

I checked the time. It was already so late, the restaurant must've closed by now. No point in calling back to explain.

The lab building was completely empty. Normally, I'd be clinging to Alex, scared out of my wits, making him give me that helpless, amused smile.

"Ghosts? Come on, we're chemists. We both know all that spooky stuff is just chemicals mixing together and playing tricks on you," he'd say.

"Looks like you're the only scaredy-cat here. Come on, don't be afraid," he'd tease.

But now, I felt strangely calm, dragging my exhausted self step by step out of the dark, empty building.

It wasn't until I got to the entrance that I noticed a tall, familiar figure waiting by the doorway.

I couldn't tell if he'd just come down or if he'd been standing there for a long time.

When he saw me, he automatically reached out to take my bag from me.

"You must be starving. Come on, let's go get something to eat," Alex said.

He seemed like a completely different person from the one in the lab earlier. He looked at me was full of warmth now.

But I instinctively pulled away, taking a step back.

"Chloe and the others already ordered takeout. I'll just join them for dinner," I said. "The reagent bottles are all washed. If there's nothing else, I'll be going now."

He paused, his eyes shining in the darkness, his gaze fixed on the wrist I'd just pulled away from him.

He seemed taken aback, as if he couldn't believe I'd really pulled away from him.

I didn't want to stick around. I was exhausted, and all I wanted was to get back to my dorm, grab something to eat, and crash for the night.

Just then, Amanda messaged me, saying the takeout had arrived and asking why I wasn't back yet.

I replied to Amanda as I headed out: [I'm done here. Heading back now.]

But just as I tried to walk past him, Alex suddenly grabbed my wrist and pulled me into his arms.

"Emily, are you still mad at me?" he asked.

He held me close, his voice full of sadness.

Amanda and the others weren't wrong. What they saw that time was Alex trying to comfort me.

Every time we fought, even if he acted all cold in public, he'd always come find me later and try to coax me when no one was around.

That one time, things got really intense. I refused to listen to anything he said, so he just pulled me into a dark corner and kissed me like crazy, and before I knew it, my anger just melted away.

When I turned my head away, refusing to look at him, Alex's eyes lingered on my lips and he started to lean in for a kiss.

But this time, I shoved him away.

I looked at him with nothing but disgust. "Alex, keep your hands to yourself."

My tone caught him off guard, and he faltered for a beat.

Alex assumed I was still mad about what happened in the lab, so for a change, he actually tried to explain himself in a softer voice.

He said, "Didn't we agree to keep work and our relationship separate? I wasn't singling you out today. Those chemicals are dangerous, and I just didn't want you to forget and end up getting hurt."

He sounded so earnest, as if everything he did today was really for my own good.

I stared at him, listening to all his supposed concern, and finally asked, "Alex, can you really keep work and feelings apart?"

If he could really keep things professional, why didn't it bother him when Sophie screwed everything up? She skipped class, and he didn't bat an eye. He still gave her the highest semester score.

He knew that score decided who got to stay. He knew how badly I wanted to be here, how much I wanted to be near him. And he still chose her.

Our eyes locked in the dim light, and Alex instantly froze when he heard my words.

He was quick. He immediately picked up on what I was really getting at.

"Did you see that grading sheet in the group chat?" he asked.

I didn't bother hiding anything. I just asked him straight out.

"Alex, can you honestly say you don't feel even a little bit guilty about that grading sheet?"

Alex paused, his brows furrowed deeply in irritation.

He said, "Emily Lane, can you not be so twisted? There's nothing between me and Sophie.

"She practically lives in the lab, unlike you. You're always got your mind on dating. So why shouldn't she get a high grade?

"If you've got a problem with the grades, take it up with the professor. Don't go around making up dirty gossip about her. You're making her life hell!"

He called me by my full name like I was a stranger, his face twisted in anger, and the way he went off on me, every bit of it just screamed he was defending Sophie.

In that moment, I could barely tell which one of us was actually his girlfriend, me or Sophie.

I smirked sarcastically, then gave a small, resigned nod.

"Alex, let's break up," I said.