58

Jenny’s POV

Classes were extra boring and torturous today. It sucked. And I had made sure I blamed Sophia for it. She had see my texts but hadn’t replied. That didn’t stop me from sending another series of texts.

But at the same time, even with the fact that I found class boring and extremely long today, I was still determined to focus and get early to class.

I slipped into the chemistry lab a few minutes before class started, picking a seat near the middle of the room. It was the perfect spot—close enough to the front so I wouldn’t get distracted, but far enough back to observe without drawing too much attention. As I settled into my seat, I pulled out my notebook and pen, ready to take notes. The familiar smell of chemicals and freshly wiped surfaces lingered in the air, mixing with the low hum of conversations around me.

Dr. Hughes entered the room with his usual brisk energy, immediately commanding attention. He was one of those professors who made even the most complicated concepts feel approachable, and I appreciated that. Chemistry fascinated me, but it could be so intimidating—there were just so many equations and reactions to memorize. But Dr. Hughes has a way of breaking things down that usually makes them click, at least most of the time.

“Good morning, everyone!” Dr. Hughes greeted us, his voice cutting through the low buzz of chatter. “Today, we’re diving into reaction kinetics. This is where chemistry really starts to come alive, so I hope you’re ready.”

The fact that he didn’t waste time asking how our holidays went or talking about the last semester made me smile. It was like that wasn’t any of his business at all and he just wanted to do his work and get through his day. Like me.

I flipped to a fresh page in my notebook, writing the date in the top right corner. Reaction kinetics, I thought, staring at the title I had just written. I remembered reading about it in the textbook last semester, but the details were kind of fuzzy. Something about reaction rates and how fast or slow they happen.

“As you know,” Dr. Hughes continued, “reaction kinetics is the study of the speed of chemical reactions and the factors that influence this speed. This is crucial because, in real-world applications, the rate at which a reaction occurs can determine its usefulness.”

I nodded, my pen moving quickly across the page. ~Reaction kinetics: study of the speed of chemical reactions + influencing factors. Real-world importance~ —I summarized the key points, trying to keep my notes concise. I’ve learned that paraphrasing helps me understand the material better. Plus, it makes things easier to review later.

Dr. Hughes clicked a button on his remote, and the first slide of the day appeared on the screen: ‘Collision Theory’. I squinted at the screen, trying to focus. This sounded familiar, maybe something from high school chemistry?

“To understand reaction rates,” Dr. Hughes explained, “we start with the Collision Theory. This theory states that for a reaction to occur, reactant particles must collide. However, not all collisions result in a reaction. For a successful reaction, the particles must collide with the correct orientation and sufficient energy, known as the activation energy.”

I scribbled down as quickly as I could: ~Collision Theory: Reactants must collide. Requirements—Correct orientation + sufficient energy (activation energy).~

As Dr. Hughes delved deeper into the concept, I found myself nodding along. This made sense to me—the idea that not every collision would lead to a reaction was logical, especially when thinking about why some reactions took longer than others. It was like trying to fit puzzle pieces together; not every attempt would work, but when it did, everything would fall into place.

“Now, let’s talk about factors that affect the rate of reaction,” Dr. Hughes said, moving to the next slide. “There are several key factors: concentration, temperature, surface area, and catalysts.”

I quickly wrote down the list, leaving some space under each item for details. I liked how Dr. Hughes broke things into manageable chunks—it made the information easier to digest.

“Concentration,” Dr. Hughes began, “refers to the amount of reactant present in a solution. The higher the concentration, the more particles there are in a given volume, which increases the likelihood of collisions. Essentially, more particles mean more opportunities for successful collisions.”

~Concentration: More reactants = more collisions = faster reaction rate~—I condensed the explanation into a single line, drawing an arrow to emphasize the cause-and-effect relationship.

“Temperature is another crucial factor,” Dr. Hughes continued. “Increasing the temperature of the reactants increases the kinetic energy of the particles. This not only makes them move faster but also increases the energy with which they collide. So, a higher temperature can lead to more successful collisions and a faster reaction rate.”

I jotted down, ~Temperature: Higher temp = more kinetic energy = faster, more energetic collisions = faster reaction rate~. I paused for a moment, thinking about the implications. Temperature was something I could easily relate to—I’d seen it in action when cooking, like how sugar dissolves faster in hot water than in cold. That practical connection helped me really grasp the concept.

“Next, surface area,” Dr. Hughes said, moving on. “This applies mostly to solid reactants. By increasing the surface area—say, by grinding a solid into a powder—you expose more of the reactant to possible collisions. This also increases the reaction rate.”

I wrote, ~Surface area: More exposed surface = more collisions = faster reaction rate~. This one was easy to visualize too—like the difference between a large chunk of ice and crushed ice melting on a hot day. The powdered form was always faster because there was more of it in contact with the heat.

Finally, Dr. Hughes came to the last factor: catalysts. “Catalysts are substances that speed up a reaction without being consumed in the process. They work by lowering the activation energy required for the reaction, which increases the number of successful collisions. Enzymes in your body are a perfect example—they help speed up the biochemical reactions that keep you alive.”

I underlined ~Catalysts~ before adding, ~Lower activation energy = more successful collisions = faster reaction rate~. I’ve always found this fascinating—the idea that something could speed up a reaction without being changed itself seemed almost magical, like a secret ingredient working behind the scenes.

As Dr. Hughes continued, I felt myself getting more engaged with the material. Reaction kinetics, something I had approached with caution, was starting to come together in my mind. It felt like piecing together a puzzle, where each new concept added clarity to the bigger picture. I could almost see the particles colliding, the temperature making them bounce around faster, the surface area giving them more opportunities to meet, and the catalyst quietly lowering the energy barrier like some behind-the-scenes director.

The lecture flowed on, covering equations that described reaction rates and the graphs that represented them. My hand moved steadily, capturing key points while leaving enough space for notes later on. By the time Dr. Hughes wrapped up the lecture, I felt a sense of relaxed. My notebook was filled with neat, organized notes that I knew would be invaluable when it came time to study.

As everyone started packing up, I slipped my notebook into my bag, my mind already replaying the key concepts. Reaction kinetics had gone from being a daunting chapter in my textbook to something I could actually grasp and find exciting.

The moment I stepped out of the lab, I felt a sudden sense f awareness in my surroundings. I gulped, looking around. I didn’t know why but I felt conscious all of a sudden.

Quickly I walked to the cafeteria and ordered food to eat. I knew Sophia was still in classes by this time if not I’d have called her to join me. And I could leave all on my own. Low-key, I was scared of being alone

I couldn’t handle it. I had it at the back of my mind that someone could just jump out of nowhere and attack me.

I sat and began to eat when I noticed something. Or rather, someone standing in the far end of the cafeteria, almost unnoticeable, staring at me.

I went cold all over, dropping the spoon instantly. I gulped, holding his eyes as I got up slowly, grabbing my bag without breaking eye contact and then sprinting out of the café.

I didn’t know where to go, so I stayed around the campus, staying in a place where there were a lot of people. I picked my phone and scrolled through my contact. The first person I called was Jacob and the call went straight to voicemail. I dropped my message anyways. “There’s someone watching me. There’s someone watching me here and—and I’m scared. Please get back to me the moment you get this please. I’m scared. They’re coming for me.”