CHAPTER FOUR !
" let the teasing competition begin"

🎸 .  .  .  . Lana Delacour/ Alderidge High

LANA hated having chemistry in the first period, especially when she had to sit right in front of Rory, the guy who just loved getting on her nerves. The chemistry lab was a mix of polished countertops and glassware, with the faint smell of chemicals lingering in the air. As she walked into the classroom, she could already see Rory lounging at his desk, a mischievous grin on his face, his dark hair falling slightly into his eyes.

"Good morning, Lana," Rory drawled as she took her seat in front of him. "Ready to blow up the lab today?"

Lana rolled her eyes, trying to suppress a smile. "Only if you provide the explosives, Rory."

He chuckled, leaning forward. "Oh, I've got plenty of ideas."

Mr. Harris, the chemistry teacher, called the class to order, his voice cutting through the chatter. He was a tall, thin man with spectacles perched precariously on the end of his nose, always looking as if he were about to solve the mystery of the universe. Lana turned her attention to the front, determined to focus despite Rory's constant presence behind her. They began with a lecture on chemical reactions, and as Mr. Harris droned on, Lana felt a poke on her shoulder.

She turned slightly to see Rory holding out a folded note. With a sigh, she took it and unfolded it under her desk.

Want to partner up for the lab?

Lana glanced back at Rory, who waggled his eyebrows suggestively. She shook her head but couldn't help but write back.

As long as you promise not to set anything on fire.

Rory read her response and stifled a laugh. He quickly scribbled something else and handed it back to her.

No promises. But I'll try my best.

Lana bit her lip to keep from smiling. Despite his teasing, there was something endearing about Rory's playful nature. As much as he annoyed her, she couldn't deny that their banter made the class more bearable.

When the time came for the lab portion of the class, Mr. Harris assigned them to partners, and as luck would have it, Lana was paired with Rory. She shot him a mock glare as they moved to their lab station, which was stocked with all the necessary materials for their experiment.

"Looks like we're stuck together," she said, trying to sound exasperated.

Rory grinned. "You know you love it."

They set to work on the experiment, a simple reaction between baking soda and vinegar. The fizzing and bubbling were standard, but Rory's running commentary was anything but.

"Are you sure you know how to measure that correctly?" he asked, peering over her shoulder as she carefully measured out the vinegar.

Lana nudged him with her elbow. "I could do this in my sleep, Rory. Watch and learn."

She expertly combined the ingredients, and they watched as the mixture fizzed and bubbled. Rory pretended to be impressed, clapping his hands slowly.

"Bravo, Lana. You've managed not to blow us up. I'm genuinely amazed."

She rolled her eyes again but couldn't help the small laugh that escaped her lips. "Just try to keep up, okay?"

As they cleaned up their station, Rory leaned in closer, his tone more sincere. "You know, you make this class a lot more fun."

Lana glanced at him, surprised by the sudden shift in his demeanor. "Thanks, Rory. You do too, in your own annoying way."

He smiled, and for a moment, there was a hint of something deeper in his eyes. But before she could dwell on it, Mr. Harris announced the end of the period, and the spell was broken.

She picked up her books and headed for the rest of her classes, which werent necessary the most bright ones.

After AP ENglish, Lana found herself in the bustling cafeteria, where students chattered and laughed over their lunches. She spotted Emmy and made her way over, tray in hand.

"Hey, Emmy," Lana greeted, sliding into the seat across from her friend.

"Hey, Lana," Emmy replied, her eyes flicking up from her book. "How was the first day?"

Lana groaned but couldn't hide her smile. "Oh, you know, the usual. Started the day with Rory being his annoying self." Emmy smirked. "You two have such an interesting dynamic."

"Interesting isn't the word I'd use," Lana muttered, taking a bite of her sandwich. "But he does make the class more... lively."

Emmy laughed. "Sounds like there's more to it than that."

Before Lana could respond, Cazz , Mercy and Rory joined them at the table. Rory plopped down next to Lana, his presence immediately filling the space. "Talking about me, are we?" Rory asked, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

Lana shot him a look. "Don't flatter yourself."

Cazz shook his head with a chuckle. "You two need to get a room. Any who, Emmaline, we have to start planning our strategy for the competition." Cazz was talking to Emmy but she wasnt paying attention, and Lana knew damn well something was off. 

Hey, Emmy," Cazz began, but her words seemed to trail off as Emmy continued to be engrossed in whatever—or whoever—she was looking at. "Emmy?" Cazz tried again, waving a hand in front of her friend's face.

"Huh?" Emmy blinked, snapping back to the present. "Oh, sorry, Cazz. What's up?"

Cazz exchanged a curious glance with Lana before shaking her head. "I was just saying how we need to work on our plans."

After finishing their lunch, Lana couldn't shake her curiosity about Emmy's distraction. As they were leaving the cafeteria, she gently pulled Emmy aside.

"Hey, Emmy," Lana said, lowering her voice. "What's going on with you today? You seemed really distracted during lunch."

Emmy looked away, her cheeks flushing slightly. "I don't know what you're talking about, Lana."

Lana raised an eyebrow. "Really? Because it looked like you were more interested in something—or someone—across the room than in our conversation. Who is it?"

"Who is who?" Emmy said very confused.

"The lucky guy." Lana said putting her hands on her hips. "I know that face you made during lunch. Only happens when you have a crush."

Emmy raised her eyebrow. "And you know that how? I have literally only liked 2 people during my life and one was when i was literally 6."

Lana wasn't convinced but decided to let it slide for now. "Okay, if you say so. Just know I'm here if you need to talk."

Emmy nodded, offering a small smile. "Thanks, Lana. I appreciate it."

The final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Lana packed up her books and headed toward the music room, where she had agreed to meet Emmy for a quick jam session. As she walked down the hallway, she heard footsteps behind her and turned to see Rory jogging to catch up.

"Hey, Lana," he called out, falling into step beside her. "Heading to the music room?"

"Yeah," she replied, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. "We have to start working on our performance."

Rory's eyes lit up with interest. "Mind if I tag along? I could use some inspiration."

Lana raised an eyebrow. "As long as you don't distract us too much."

He gave her a mock salute. "I'll be on my best behavior, I promise."

As they entered the music room, Emmy was already setting up her guitar, strumming a few chords to get warmed up. She looked up and smiled when she saw Rory with Lana.

"Decided to join us, Rory?" Emmy asked, her fingers dancing over the strings.

"Couldn't resist," he replied, grabbing a nearby stool and sitting down. "I need to see if Lana is as good at music as she is at chemistry."

Lana rolled her eyes but couldn't help the grin that spread across her face. "Prepare to be amazed."

As they started playing, the room filled with the sound of music, their notes blending together in perfect harmony. For a while, all the teasing and banter fell away, leaving only the shared joy of creating something beautiful together. And in that moment, Lana realized that maybe, just maybe, having Rory around wasn't so bad after all.

EJONA SPEAKS !!

I just love Lana x Rory relationship aghhh!!!!

thoughts on this chapter ?