Vela's ability to discern what was going on would depend largely on her level of familiarity with the periodic table of elements. He was working on two problems simultaneously, one seemed to be an engineering problem the other one of chemistry. The entire blackboard a jumbled puzzle that, if one knew enough about both subjects, was all dedicated to the creation of a new fire suppression system that would pump a fire suppressing foam into a house when it was ablaze.

Edward doesn't even look at her when she addresses him but he doesn't ignore her. "Hello Miss Rosewine, what can I do for you?" The way he speaks makes it clear that his mind was only barely on her. He was staring at a drawn representation of a chemical compound that was only half complete.