Jason sat at his desk, quietly tapping his pen against the table as Mr. Jenkins, their chemistry teacher, scrawled something on the whiteboard. The hum of the classroom buzzed around him, but his focus was solely on the looming presentation he and Alex had to give.
It wasn't the presentation itself that bothered him — it was the fact that it was with Alex. After yesterday's talk, things felt different. Not awkward… but heavier. Like they both knew there was something deeper brewing but neither of them wanted to touch it.
"Alright, class," Mr. Jenkins finally said, turning around. "I hope you all had a productive weekend because today you'll be presenting your chemistry projects." His eyes swept across the room before landing on his list. "First up — Carter and Dunphy."
Jason tensed slightly. Great. No pressure.
Alex, however, stood up with her usual unflappable demeanor, gathering their materials. She looked over at Jason. "Come on."
He let out a slow breath before rising, grabbing the small chemistry experiment they'd built — a model designed to demonstrate exothermic reactions. They approached the front of the class, and immediately the hushed whispers started.
"That's the guy from the fight…"
"No way, he's her partner?"
"I heard he knocked a guy out with one punch."
Jason gritted his teeth. Focus. Just focus.
Alex, to her credit, shot the class a sharp glare. "Are you all done gossiping, or should we wait?"
Silence.
"Thought so," she muttered.
Jason couldn't help but smirk. She's fierce.
---
The Presentation
Alex began, her voice clear and confident. "Our project is based on exothermic reactions — specifically, how the transfer of energy works during chemical reactions." She gestured to the small setup of chemicals and materials. "We'll start by showing you a reaction caused by combining hydrogen peroxide and potassium iodide."
Jason took over, his voice steady despite the attention on him. "When combined, the hydrogen peroxide decomposes, releasing oxygen gas. The potassium iodide acts as a catalyst, speeding up the reaction." He adjusted the tubes carefully, his precise movements reflecting a skill most wouldn't expect from him.
Alex raised a brow, impressed. "The reaction releases heat, which is why it's considered exothermic. You'll see a foamy substance form, which is often called 'elephant toothpaste.'"
Jason smirked slightly. "Ready for the fun part?"
Alex grinned. "Go for it."
Jason poured the catalyst in, and within seconds, a violent reaction erupted. Thick, foamy columns of gas and liquid burst from the container, the heat palpable even from a few feet away. The class collectively gasped.
"Whoa!"
"That's insane!"
"Dude, did you see how fast he did that?"
Jason ignored the whispers, focusing solely on their experiment. "The rapid release of oxygen gas combined with the soap creates the foam. The heat produced is a direct result of the energy being released."
Alex nodded approvingly. "And that's the core of an exothermic reaction. Energy released outward, rather than absorbed."
Silence followed as the class digested what they'd just seen. Then — applause.
Jason blinked. Applause?
Alex looked over and smiled. "Nice work, partner."
"…You too," he muttered, a little stunned.
Mr. Jenkins stood, visibly impressed. "That was very well-executed, Carter and Dunphy. Excellent teamwork, clear presentation, and a very bold demonstration." He checked his notes. "I'll have your grades posted by the end of the day, but expect something very high."
As they gathered their materials to return to their seats, Jason heard a few classmates murmur:
"Okay… he's smart and he fights like that?"
"…Kinda unfair, don't you think?"
"Dunphy's definitely into him."
Jason swallowed hard and kept his gaze forward, determined to ignore it.
---
After Class
"Alright, that was actually pretty cool," Jason admitted as they left the classroom.
Alex grinned. "Told you we'd nail it."
He smirked. "You know, you could've done that whole thing without me."
"Probably," she said cheekily. "But I needed someone to pour the catalyst dramatically."
Jason chuckled. "Fair enough."
As they walked down the hall, Jason couldn't help but notice how natural it felt being around Alex. Despite everything — the fight, the rumors, the baggage — she didn't look at him like everyone else did. She didn't treat him like a monster.
"…Hey," Alex suddenly spoke.
"Yeah?"
She hesitated for a moment, then softened. "About the stuff we talked about yesterday… you doing okay?"
Jason paused, taken aback. "…Yeah. I mean, still a little weirded out by how everyone's looking at me, but I'll manage."
Alex bit her lip. "Well, just… don't shut down, okay? You can't control what people think — but you can control how you respond to it."
Jason blinked. "…That's pretty good advice."
"Yeah, I'm kinda a genius," she teased.
Jason laughed. "Yeah, no kidding."
As they walked down the hall, something felt different — warmer. Maybe this chemistry project wasn't such a bad thing after all.
And maybe, Jason thought, he wouldn't mind partnering with Alex again.