Late Luck

It's a dreary British afternoon, the air chilly, the trees whispering to the wind.

I sit, a vial in my hand, look to the sky, my stupid practical work taking far longer than I've expected, and wish to be anywhere else but now.

The long walk home, alone. My classmates already disappeared after this hopeless afternoon. My spirits are low as I arrive at school and drop off my equipment, no one else in sight.

But wait - who are those people, chatting ahead of me?

I run, I dash across the stones and say hello.

She catches my eye, conversation bubbles up and suddenly we have split from the rest of the group. Just me and her. Where are you from? What's your name? Where are you going to?

We split our separate ways with a smile and a wave and an exchange of numbers that tumbles over to the next few days and weeks and maybe months and years, and all of a sudden, I'm no longer so upset about that stupid practical that took me so long to complete.