DARK CHEMISTRY
Recess was unusually bright that day, sunlight flooding the school courtyard as students scattered everywhere — laughing, shouting, running. For once, Lizzie wasn't sitting alone under a tree with a book.
Moana had dragged her into a game of tag.
"LIZZIE! I'm gonna get you!" Moana shrieked dramatically.
Lizzie squeaked and dashed across the courtyard, her long hair bouncing behind her, laughter bubbling out of her for the first time in days. Her shoes skidded as she swerved around a bench, then a group of boys, then a pillar.
"Moanaaa, don't!" she giggled breathlessly.
Moana was gaining on her.
Lizzie didn't look where she was going —
And bam.
She collided into something tall, solid, and warm.
Her breath whooshed out as she stumbled —
but the impact wasn't as harsh as it should've been, because the person she hit fell backward…
And she fell right on top of him.
Her palms planted beside his shoulders.
Her knees on either side of him.
Her hair falling like a curtain around their faces.
And the person she had bumped into —
Was Daniel Cegielski.
Her chemistry teacher.
Her secret comfort.
Her impossible crush.
His back hit the ground with a dull thud.
Lizzie landed on him, her tiny frame trembling in shock.
Their faces were impossibly close—
And then—
The slightest, unintentional, accidental brush.
Their lips.
Not a kiss.
Barely even a touch.
But enough to send a lightning bolt through both of them.
Lizzie's heart stopped.
Her breath froze.
Her entire body went hot then cold all at once.
Daniel's eyes widened — not with anger, but with something unreadable, something dark and stunned and breathless.
For a full second, they just stared at each other.
Then reality snapped back.
Lizzie scrambled up so fast she almost tripped again.
Her face flushed scarlet.
Her hands shook uncontrollably.
"I—I—I'm s-s-sorry!" she squeaked, her voice cracking, and then she turned and ran.
She didn't look back.
She didn't see how Daniel sat up slowly, touching the corner of his mouth in shock, his jaw tight, breath unsteady.
She didn't see the way he looked in the direction she fled —
concern, confusion, desire, and something dangerously protective swirling in his expression.
Lizzie skipped chemistry class.
She couldn't bear to walk in and see him again.
She didn't trust her face.
Or her voice.
Or her sanity.
She hid in the girls' bathroom until the bell rang.
And for the rest of the day, she avoided every hallway he might walk through.
Back home
Lizzie burst into her room and shut the door quietly but quickly. She pressed her back against it, sliding down to the floor, her heartbeat running wild.
Her face was still burning.
"Oh my god… oh my god… oh my god…" she whispered, covering her face with her hands.
She paced.
Then sat.
Then stood again.
Then paced more.
Her brain was a hurricane.
I landed on him. Our lips… touched. I didn't even say sorry properly! What if he's angry? What if he thinks I did it on purpose?! No, oh my god no. Why didn't I look where I was going?? Why was he THERE??
She tugged at her hair in panic.
And then the most terrifying thought hit her—
What if he thinks I'm weird? Or clumsy? Or stupid? Or—
She squeezed her eyes shut.
Her heart felt too full, too heavy, too fast.
She pressed her palm to her chest, trying to calm herself.
"I can never face him again… never…" she whispered dramatically to the ceiling.
Just then — her phone buzzed.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
She froze.
Slowly… very slowly… she picked her phone up with trembling hands.
The screen lit up.
It was a message.
From him.
Daniel C.
We need to talk.
Lizzie's breath stopped.
Her heart flipped, twisted, and fell all at once.
The next day at lunch break, Lizzie tried to escape the classroom before he even finished dismissing the students. Her plan was simple:
Run. Hide. Vanish.
Never show her face again.
But as she reached the door—
"Lizzie," Daniel's deep voice called.
She froze.
Her fingers tightened around her notebook. Her heartbeat thumped loud enough she was sure he could hear it.
She didn't turn around.
"Stay," he added.
The doorframe suddenly felt like it weighed a thousand kilos. Every possibility rushed into her head—
He's angry. He's disappointed. He thinks I'm childish. He thinks I'm disgusting. He's going to scold me. He's going to ask why I ran away. Oh god, oh god, oh god—
Her stomach twisted painfully.
Her throat felt dry.
Slowly, she turned around.
Daniel stood at his desk, arms crossed, gaze fixed on her. His expression wasn't angry. It wasn't cold. But it was unreadable enough to make her knees weak.
The last student slipped out of the room.
The door clicked shut.
Silence expanded like a living thing.
Lizzie lowered her eyes immediately.
Her fingers fiddled with the hem of her sleeve.
"I'm… I'm really sorry about yesterday," she whispered, voice trembling. "I didn't mean to bump into you… or—or fall on you… or touch your—"
She couldn't even finish the sentence. Her face burned violently.
Daniel walked toward her. Slow, deliberate steps.
Each one made her heart skip, then stutter, then speed up.
She backed up a little until her spine touched the wall near the windows.
He stopped a few inches away — close enough she felt his presence, his warmth, the faint scent of his cologne.
"Lizzie," he murmured.
She swallowed hard. "Y-yes?"
He studied her face, her trembling lashes, her flushed cheeks.
"You've been avoiding me," he said quietly.
She shrunk a little. "I—I was embarrassed."
"Why?"
She blinked, stunned.
"Why…? Because—because I fell on you! And—and our lips—"
She covered her face with both hands.
Daniel hesitated for a second, then gently pulled her hands away from her cheeks.
"Look at me."
She did, shyly, barely.
His eyes were darker than usual.
"What happened yesterday…" he said slowly, voice dropping to a low whisper.
"…you think I didn't like it?"
Lizzie nearly stopped breathing.
Her heart literally forgot its job.
"I—I thought you were mad," she said weakly.
Daniel leaned in just a fraction.
Not touching her.
But close enough that she felt heat bloom under her skin.
"I wasn't mad," he whispered.
Lizzie's knees actually trembled.
Her voice came out tiny. "Then…?"
He paused. His jaw flexed.
His next words came out quieter, almost forbidden.
"I… kinda enjoyed it."
Lizzie's brain short-circuited.
Her mouth fell open slightly.
Her face turned crimson.
Everything inside her flipped, twisted, melted.
"You… enjoyed it?" she repeated, stunned.
Daniel exhaled slowly, eyes flickering down for half a second — almost as if reliving the moment.
"It was unexpected," he admitted.
"You falling on me."
A pause.
"And the way your lips brushed mine…"
Another pause, longer.
"…even if it was accidental."
Lizzie felt like she was going to faint.
"I— I didn't even look where I was—"
"It's okay."
His voice was soothing now.
"Stop panicking."
She tried.
But failing.
His hand rose — slowly — until his fingertips brushed her cheek.
"Breathe," he whispered.
She inhaled shakily.
"Good girl," he murmured.
Her chest tightened at the words.
His thumb brushed her cheekbone again, gentle, comforting in a way that made her heart melt and race at the same time.
"You don't need to run from me," he said softly.
"I'm not going to hurt you over an accident."
Her eyes lifted, vulnerable.
"Then… why did you ask me to stay?"
Daniel's lips curved into the smallest, softest, most dangerous smirk.
"Because," he murmured, leaning just a little closer, "I like being the only one you run into."
Lizzie forgot how to exist for a full three seconds.
Her breath trembled.
Her hands fidgeted.
Her cheeks glowed pink.
And for the first time since the accident…
She didn't feel embarrassment.
She felt seen.
Wanted.
And a little bit claimed.
Lizzie's breath hitched.
The moment the words "I kinda enjoyed it" left Daniel's lips, the entire world around her dulled into a faint ringing. Her heart hammered so loudly it almost silenced his voice.
He didn't smirk.
He didn't tease.
He just said it… softly. Almost shyly.
And to Lizzie, that was worse.
Her brain exploded with overthinking.
He enjoyed what? The accidental brush? Was it even considered a kiss? Did he mean it platonically? Was he joking? Was he testing her? Was she in trouble? Was this a dream? Did her lips even touch his? WHAT WAS—
Her vision blurred.
Her knees buckled.
Daniel's eyes widened a split second before Lizzie's whole body slowly collapsed forward like a falling feather.
"Lizzie—!"
He lunged instantly, arms catching her just before her head hit the desk. Her glasses slid slightly down her nose, her eyelashes fluttering as she fainted right into his chest.
Daniel held her in stunned silence.
"…You actually fainted," he whispered, half shocked, half amused, wholly concerned.
He lifted her gently and sat down on the chair, settling her carefully on his lap, supporting her head against his shoulder. One hand brushed her bangs from her forehead, checking her temperature. She was warm. Too warm.
The stress had overwhelmed her.
"Lizzie…" his voice lowered, softened in a way he rarely let anyone hear, "you really thought I'd be angry?"
He sighed and looked away for a moment — he had never dealt with someone this delicate before. Someone who panicked just because he said something honest.
He felt… protective.
Her fingers twitched slightly, brushing weakly against his shirt. The smallest, unconscious gesture — like her body somehow recognized him even while she was out.
Daniel's throat tightened.
He held her closer.
"You can't do that," he murmured, almost scolding her but too soft to actually be one. "You can't just faint on me every time I say something real."
She remained limp, breathing softly.
He hesitated… then whispered near her ear:
"I wasn't angry. And I meant what I said."
His thumb brushed her cheek gently — gentler than he allowed himself to be.
"Just wake up… I'm not done talking to you."
Daniel shifted her carefully in his arms.
Lizzie's uniform collar was buttoned all the way up — too tight, restricting her breath.
He hesitated only for a second before murmuring,
"You're choking yourself with this, sweetheart…"
With gentle fingers, he loosened the top button of her collar and slightly adjusted the stiff tie so her breathing could ease. He didn't go any lower — just enough to stop the faintness from getting worse.
The moment the pressure lifted, Lizzie's breathing steadied.
And then—
Her eyelashes fluttered.
Her fingers twitched against his chest.
"Lizzie?" he whispered, leaning in.
Her eyes slowly, hazily opened… confused, unfocused… until she realized her head was resting against his shoulder, his arm supporting her, his other hand still near her collar.
Lizzie's face instantly ignited red.
"S-sir— I—I mean Dan— I mean—"
She tried to sit up, but her body was still weak and she wobbled.
Daniel's hand immediately slid to her back, steadying her.
"Slow down," he murmured, voice deeper than usual. "You fainted."
"I… did?" she whispered, horrified.
"Yes."
He raised an eyebrow. "Right after I said I enjoyed that accidental moment."
Her face burned hotter.
She covered her face with both hands.
"I-I'm so sorry— I didn't mean to fall on you— or faint on you— or— or—"
Daniel gently pulled her hands down from her face, just enough to see her eyes.
"Stop apologizing," he said softly.
Lizzie swallowed hard.
He held her chin lightly between two fingers — not forcefully, just enough to make her look at him.
"And before you spiral again," he continued, "I loosened your collar because you couldn't breathe properly. Nothing else."
Her eyes widened in relief… and then embarrassment all over again.
"I… thank you," she whispered.
Daniel's gaze softened.
He brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear, letting his fingertips linger for a second longer than necessary.
"Just tell me next time if you're scared," he said quietly. "Don't faint on me."
Lizzie blinked up at him, fragile and small in his arms.
"O-okay."
He exhaled — something like a small, hidden smile tugging at his lips.
"Good girl."
Her heart almost stopped again.