Mixing It Up: A Plain Jane Romance Series, #4

By P E Murdock

Rebecca Jones is a quirky chemistry teacher who joins the prestigious Washington High School faculty in the city. She stands out with her unconventional teaching methods and bold fashion, which excites her students but draws criticism from traditional educators like history teacher Mark Davis. After clashing over their polar opposite styles, Rebecca and Mark are forced to collaborate on the school's marquee science expo demo. Can these ideological rivals find common ground, or will their chemistry cause combustion? Sparks fly as the mismatched pair tries to merge Mark's by-the-book approach with Rebecca's explosive creativity for one unforgettable experiment. Through late nights filled with bickering and laughing, takeout dinners, and inside jokes, an unexpected romance begins to blossom. But when a classroom mishap threatens Rebecca's career, Mark must choose between playing it safe or proving how far he'll go for the colleague who's brought color into his regimented world. Will the formula for love be as elusive as the philosophers' stone, or can this teacher succeed both in the classroom and the heart?

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Paul Murdock
• Release date: Nov 3, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223179382

P E Murdock

Born on January 28, 1961, Paul Ernest Murdock discovered his love for writing later in life. With a career in warehousing and an academic background in Accounting, his real-world experiences add a gritty realism to his favorite genres, crime mysteries, and thrillers. Paul's work is a thrilling blend of suspenseful plots and complex characters. When not writing, he enjoys the tranquility of outdoor activities such as bowling, camping, and fishing. Despite his late start, Paul's passion and dedication to writing demonstrate that it's never too late to pursue your passion.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Rebecca Jones bounced on the balls of her feet as she surveyed her classroom, grinning from ear to ear. Today was the first day of classes at Washington High School, and Rebecca could barely contain her excitement. After spending the past three years teaching chemistry at a sleepy suburban high school, Rebecca was thrilled to have landed a job at the prestigious Washington.

High in the city's heart. She had specially selected her outfit for the occasion - a bright red circle skirt and a white blouse decorated with a print of atomic symbols. Her curly auburn hair was pulled up in a perky ponytail, kept out of her freckled face with a thick black headband. With her cat-eye glasses perched on her nose, Rebecca looked every bit the quirky science nerd she was.

The first bell rang, and students began shuffling into the classroom. They were equally subdued, summer dreams not yet displaced by the reality of school. Rebecca allowed herself an inner squee of delight as they took their seats at the sleek black lab tables, their eyes cautiously taking in the eccentric new teacher in funny attire amidst the sterile classroom.

Rebecca clasped her hands, aquamarine-painted nails glinting under the harsh fluorescent lights. Good morning, chemists! I'm Ms. Jones and this is Honors Chemistry. I hope you're ready to make things explode!

A few uncertain smiles. Good enough for now, she thought.

Let's start with some mimosas, shall we? Rebecca said breezily, strolling over to a cabinet and removing a bottle of champagne and orange juice.

The students' eyes widened in alarm before Rebecca let out a cackle. Just kidding! That's just to get your attention and remind you chemistry can be dangerous! She replaced the bottles. Safety first in my classroom. Now, let's dive right into chemical reactions!

Rebecca spent the next twenty minutes lecturing briefly on reactivity, acids, and bases. As the room glazed over, she decided it was time to liven things up.

Alright, enough boring theory. Let's see some stuff react! Rebecca grabbed a rack of test tubes and brought them to each table, distributing them amongst the students along with safety goggles. She then placed a variety of powders and solutions at stations around the room.

We're going to get messy today! I want you to go around the stations and build reactions using the ingredients provided. Combine, shake it up, and observe what happens. Wear your goggles and be careful - some of these substances can irritate your skin. The goal is to produce the most interesting reactions you can using what's available. Creativity counts!

The students exchanged eager glances, safety warnings heeded, but the excitement was palpable at this unorthodox first-day activity. They dispersed to the stations, gathering ingredients like kids turned loose in a candy store.

Rebecca circulated through the controlled chaos, asking questions and guiding students through proper lab techniques. What color change did you observe when you added the copper sulfate, Kayla? Nice fizzing reaction, Evan! She made sure to use their names, having memorized the class roster. The classroom soon filled with oohs and ahhs as vivid reactions occurred before the impressed students' eyes. Bursts of smoke here, color changes there. Rebecca noted that they all carefully followed safety protocols like wearing goggles.

Alright, let's gather back up front and share what you've discovered! Rebecca instructed after about fifteen minutes, herding the students back to their seats. One by one, they described the chemical combinations they had tried, explaining their observations. Rebecca praised each student, drawing out the critical chemical principles their experiments demonstrated. By the end, they were all chattering excitedly.

Just then, the dismissal bell rang, accompanied by groans. That's all the time we have today, but great work everyone! I want you to write up your experimental observations tonight to turn in next class. The future Nobel Prize chemists in this room have shown me we're going to have an awesome semester together!

The students filed out the door, debating the chemical theories they wanted to test in the next class. Rebecca grinned, gathering up abandoned goggles and wiping down tables. She loved awakening that thirst for science in her students. Sure, the admin probably would disapprove of letting them mix chemicals unsupervised on day one. Still, Rebecca pushed boundaries if it meant engaging young minds. Teaching should stick to more than neatly outlined lesson plans. After all, life and science weren't predictable.

The exhilaration of her first class fueling her, Rebecca floated down to the teacher's lounge for a quick coffee before her planning period. She hummed gently, fixing her cup just how she liked it with plenty of cream and sugar. Turning, she nearly collided with a tall figure in a crisp button-down and tie, standing firmly in her path.

Oops, sorry about that! Rebecca said. Looking up, she was met with sharp hazel eyes on a handsome but stern face.

You must be one of the new hires. I'm Rebecca, the new Honors Chem teacher, she introduced herself brightly, sticking out a hand.

The man regarded it coolly before shaking briefly. Mark Davis. I teach AP History and lead the chess club, he replied in a baritone voice.

Nice to meet you! Rebecca said warmly. It's so exciting to be here at Washington High. I just finished my first class and it went amazingly well. The students were so engaged with our chemical reactions lab.

Mark raised an eyebrow critically. On their first day you had students mixing chemicals unsupervised?

Rebecca waved a hand. Oh, they followed all the safety rules, I made sure of it. And it got them really jazzed about chemistry, which is the whole goal, right?

Mark frowned. That seems like an unnecessary risk. Students should not handle potentially dangerous substances without proper training.

Rebecca pursed her lips, her smile fading. "I appreciate your concern, but I know what I'm doing. My students learned valuable skills today in a