Prove It

Chapter 26

                                                  ----------Tia--------

Tia walked out of her last class of the day, ecstatic the weekend was finally here. Her brain needed a serious vacation from all this learning. How did her teachers expect her to study for finals and still do homework at the same time?

What was up with all this mental slavery, for real? She should be getting a paycheck for all the work she was doing. The principal’s office was right down the hall, she should march down there right now and demand reparations. What made those power-hungry overseers think they can force people to come here everyday and use their brains for free? She was about to graduate anyway; maybe it was time to tell those sadistic administrators exactly what she thought about their education system.

Mind made up, Tia turned around to head to the front office and bumped right into a muscled chest. She looked up, furious, before she recognized who she ran into. Familiar coffee-brown eyes stared back at her. She groaned.

Tony raised an eyebrow. “Where are you going? Your locker is the other way.”

Tia rolled her eyes. “Yeah, smart ass, I know where my locker is.” She tried to slip past him, but he wouldn’t move. “Do you mind? I have something to do.”

He folded his arms across his chest, knowingly. “Who pissed you off this time?"

Tia took in his relaxed stance and placating smile and instantly became irritated. Here we go, she thought. She knew the signs when she saw them. He was managing her again.

“Don’t act like you know me.” She tried again to walk around him, but he continued to block her path. “Can you move?”

“I will. When you tell me what you’re up to,” he responded.

Tia pursed her lips in irritation. She wasn’t telling him shit. Tony had been all up in her business lately and it was really getting on her nerves. He seemed to think she needed a babysitter. What she really needed was space. Like damn, can she breathe?

Tony took in her expression and resolve showed on his face. “I can do this all night if you want to, but wouldn’t it be easier to just tell me?”

Tia’s mouth softened as a smile played at the corners of her lips, but she kept her mouth clamped shut. Of course it would be easier to give in. He probably wouldn’t even try to stop her if she told him what she’d planned to do.

But where was the fun in easy?

As much as she liked to do whatever she wanted, she loved it when Tony tried to change her mind. Sometimes he even succeeded.

His posture was stiff and his gaze inflexible. He seemed pretty determined to find out what she was up to. But there was something else underneath all that. There was a spark in his stare and a softness to his face that undermined his stern words. Tia knew this look very well because he wore it around her often.

Now this, she was willing to forget her plans for.

“Then I guess we’re staying here all night. Because the only way I’m telling you anything,” she sent him a look of pure challenge, “is if you make me.”

She really hoped he tried. She was almost looking forward to it.

He understood instantly. He placed a gentle hand on her chin and spoke softly. “You know I don’t mind doing things the hard way.”

Tia felt color rise to her cheeks. This never got old. He gave her butterflies every time. She bit her lip, but still didn’t say anything. She watched his head descend as he leaned in and kissed her full on the mouth. She raised her arms and locked them behind his neck.