What Love Craves

Chapter 4

Blake

  After class, on my way to the office, I saw Tabitha talking to none other than Ms. Curry. I knew right away that whatever was happening couldn't be good. Ms. Curry was known as "Dragon Lady" throughout the school because she loved harassing students. Whatever was going on between Tabitha and Ms. Curry couldn't be good. I didn't want to walk up on them, but I wanted to know what was happening. I ducted around the corner, peeking out from it enough to where they wouldn't notice me. Ms. Curry was a bitch, and I wanted to stay close in case Tabitha needed me.

  I stared at them, studying their body language, trying to see if I could figure out what they were saying to one another. Ms. Curry stood there with her arms crossed, tilting her head at Tabitha as if waiting to yell at her for something. I stood there watching and glancing over my shoulder every few seconds to make sure a teacher wasn't walking up behind me. When I thought Ms. Curry would start yelling at her, she dropped her hands, turned, and walked away as if in a daze. Tabitha stood there watching her for about a minute, then rushed out the door. I looked around and ran to the door, wondering why she raced out the door. I pushed the door open enough to see without having to stick my head out the door and risk getting caught. Some girl with light brown hair was walking up to Tabitha, blocking my view of her, so I couldn't really see what was going on. At the risk of getting caught, I eased the door against her book so she wouldn't know anyone had been spying on her. I peeked over my shoulder to make sure Ms. Curry wasn't rushing up on me. There was no one down the main hall or to the left coming from the office. I turned and walked down the main hall toward the cafeteria and waited for Tabitha. 

  "What are you doing?"

  I sighed, dropping my shoulders. "What do you want, Harper?" I turned to face her as she tried to approach me. I stepped back, trying to widen the space between us. "Where's your friends?" I glanced past her, realizing we were the only ones in the hall.

  "They're in the cafeteria already, waiting on me. I had to run to my locker to get something. What are you doing out here by yourself? I hope you aren't waiting for Tabitha." She twisted her mouth. "I saw her walk out the doors a few minutes ago. I'd give up on her." She shrugged, pressing her lips together. She stepped to the side, walking around me, tugging on the cafeteria door. 

  I sighed, turned, and opened the door to go find Elias, Hunter, and Asher. I knew they'd be at our usual table toward the back of the room, where the teachers were too lazy to walk back there. I walked past the counters, glancing at the lunch selections, deciding if I was brave enough to eat any of it. I found Elias and Hunter talking and eating their lunches at our table. Hunter spotted me first and waved at me to join them. I made sure to steer clear of Harper and her friends, sitting at a big round table to the right. I walked on the opposite side of the room, taking the long way to the table. I knew better than to glance in her direction, but I did it anyway, caught in an awkward stare with Harper. She smiled, leaning toward her friend and pointing in my direction, which made it even more uncomfortable on my part. Most of the guys in this school would give up their left nut to have these girls look their way. And here I was, getting their attention and not wanting it. 

  "Man, you've got it bad if you're not even acknowledging Harper and her hot friends," Asher said, popping a fry in his mouth. "I know a dozen guys who'd kill to have her look their way. She clearly wants to fuck your brains out, and you just ignore her advances." He shook his head in disbelief. Asher never shied away from calling me out on shit. He glanced over toward Harper and her friends, who were sitting there taking turns gazing our way. "I'd be over there in a second if I were you instead of drooling over some girl you haven't even talked to." Asher raised an eyebrow, pushing his tray away. 

  "You might want to take your comment back." Elias laughed, motioning his head to the right. I followed his gaze to the front of the tables, where Tabitha stood, staring in our direction. I stood there for a minute, completely mesmerized by her presence. Her long, wavy blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her ice-blue eyes held my gaze. 

  "Uh...I'll talk to you later." I grabbed my stuff and returned to the front of the tables where Tabitha was waiting. The closer I got, the more I could smell her intoxicating scent. Her perfume was like a drug, luring me in. "Hey. I was beginning to think you stood me up." I flashed her one of my crooked smiles. 

  "Uh...Sorry, I had to take care of something real quick. She motioned her thumb over her shoulder toward the doors with a shamefaced expression sweeping over her face. "Was I interrupting something?" She glanced back at Elias, Hunter, and Asher. 

  I glanced over my shoulder, glaring at them as they smiled and nodded approvingly. "No. Actually, you saved me." I turned back around to face her, awestruck by her beauty. Her skin was perfect as if I were staring at one of those porcelain dolls. "Should we go sit down somewhere?" 

  "We can go sit with your friends if you want." Tabitha started walking to the table, leaving me staring at the back of her head and twisting my mouth because she didn't give me time to respond. I shrugged and started walking after her. She was at the table within a few seconds, which would've been physically impossible. I stared at her with my mouth agape, then glanced over my shoulder at the distance, trying to figure out how she got to the table so fast. 

  "Hi, I'm Tabitha. Hope you don't mind that I join you." The guys gazed up at her as if they had been put under some kind of magical spell. Their eyes stayed fixated on Tabitha as she pulled out a chair to sit down. Not blinking or moving, they stared at her until I cleared my throat. They blinked and fumbled over their words, trying to apologize for being rude. 

  "Tabitha, these are my friends Elias, Hunter, and Asher." I pulled out the chair next to her. 

  "Thanks for letting me sit with you." She smiled. 

  "No problem."Asher tried flashing her one of his perfect smiles that I'd seen him use on beautiful girls before. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't relieved when I noticed it did not affect her like it had on girls in the past. He'd stolen girls from guys with that bright smile of his. He knew better than to try and steal girls from me. His smile faded within seconds when he realized she had turned her attention back to me. "Well, I'm going to go. Blake, I'll talk to you later. Tabitha, it was great meeting you," Asher said, getting up from his seat and grabbing his tray. 

  I glanced at Elias and Hunter, motioning my eyes to the right as if I were saying it was time for them to leave. "Huh...We should get going, too." Elias and Hunter both blurted out, scrambling to get up. All I could do was drop my head in disbelief at how they acted. They each said bye to Tabitha, then started walking to the front of the cafeteria. 

  "Sorry about them." I pinched the bridge of my nose, closing my eyes. 

  "Don't be sorry. They're harmless." Tabitha giggled, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "Again, I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner." 

  "No worries. I'm just glad you're here now." I turned, smiling at her, wanting to lean over and kiss her. I'd never been drawn to a girl like this, where I had no control over myself. It took every ounce of willpower in my body not to swoop her up in my arms.