While in Verona

Chapter Thirteen: Playground Bullies

Tabitha's alarm rang out through Alister's room. She could hear him from the floor. "Shut it off," he groaned.

Tabitha huffed and shut off the alarm. "It's six, time to go to school."

He made an acknowledging sound and turned back over. "Great. It's still not time to get up."

She sighed, "maybe for you. I have to cross the city in order to get to school. Since I don't have a driver anymore, I have to take the train to get there. Which could take forever for all I know."

She lifted herself off the bed and stepped over him, grabbing her school uniform. As she was heading for the bathroom, she heard him muttering to himself and groaning.

As she got dressed, she wondered if she would have time for breakfast. Tying her tie, she was walking into the bedroom to squeal like a schoolgirl and turn away.
She heard a chuckle behind her. "Relax, Sunshine. It's not like you saw me in my tidy whites."

Placing her hands on her hips, and refusing to take any grief from him, she replied, "so you admit to wearing them."

She could hear the grin in his voice. "I guess one day you'll have to find out."

She scoffed and spun around to face him to see a shirt now on him as he tied his standard red tie. "Doubt it."

He raised an eyebrow at her as he finished, "are you saying you don't want to have a piece of all this?" He asked unbelievably, gesturing to himself.

She laughed. "You can keep all that. I'll just be over here minding my own business while you do whatever it is you do. Speaking of minding my own business, I'm going to get your sister up."

"No need," he answered her as he walked past her toward the kitchen. Rounding the corner, Tabitha saw Sophie making a bowl of cereal on the floor. He looked back at her with a grin, "she's usually up before I am." He picked up her bowl, ignoring her complaints and insults, to pour the milk in her cereal and hands it to her after taking a spoonful.

"See?" He asked after swallowing the mouthful of cereal. "She's already awake."

Sophie lifted her shoe and stepped on Alister's toes. He grimaced at the pain and gave a dry grin at Tabitha. "Deserved that."

Sophie took her cereal and went to go sit on the couch, yelling back, "yeah, you did!"

Tabitha stood frozen as she watched that happen. Until Alister gave her a dry smile, she was fine. Then she wasn't. She burst into laughter. Bending over with tears running down her face.

After a minute or two she began to sober, covering her mouth with her hand. Glancing up at Alister, she saw he was smiling. "What?" She chuckled, her glee dwindling to confusion.

He shook his head, "nothing."

She gave him a wry look. "Something, what is it?"

Still staring at her with that wonderment look about him. "You just have an amazing laugh." She could feel her cheeks growing redder than what they already were. His smile grew wider, "and you're blush isn't half bad either."

Before she could possibly turn redder than she already was, she turned away and grabbed her bag, and reached to open the front door. "I'll see you at the cafe."

"Wait!" He exclaimed, slamming the door shut with his hand. His sandalwood scent surrounded her as he caged her against the door unwittingly. He was breathing hard, as though he noticed the slim distance between them. "I'll-" he steadied his breathing. "I'll walk you. We just have to drop Bean off and then we'll go."