(Derek's P.O.V)
In the small amount of time that I'd known Lila and even the guys, a reaction this strong wasn't something I expected of them.
"–being friends with Smith here isn't just social suicide, it's like literally equal to death." Veronica didn't look so pretty to me in that moment as she trash talked Lila. "Stay away from this freak unless you wanna, like, end up dead, Derek. I'm saying this for your benefit."
I noted how everyone had gone quiet and Lila was still like a painting that could be breathed life into by a few good strokes of the painter. But until then, it was still life. I was more than a little puzzled to say the least.
Despite Veronica's starting trash-talk, it was easy to gauge that things went downhill when death was mentioned. Curiosity burned within me but I also knew that now wasn't the time to quench that thirst.
I watched as Warren stood up and always smiling Michael's look hardened. Nora bit her lip hard in nervous energy. I couldn't keep the frown from marring my features at how things were turning out to be. Still, I silently let things happen.
It seemed like every gaze was now fixed on Lila. On how she would respond, as if that would seal Veronica's fate. When Kitkat finally, calmly stood up, I kept my attention on the steel-eyed girl who refused to meet anyone's gaze.
"Well then I guess you better not get on my bad side either, hmm? Wouldn't want you ending up dead." Her words were sharp, like a thorn. Something subtle and small hidden in the beauty that was Lila Smith. "Oh wait–"
Kitkat's eyes locked onto Veronica's dark ones and even I could sense the palpable tension radiating off of the mahogany haired girl. Yet, her eyes were something akin to a grey flecked with black stormy sky and steel so molten and sharp that it could probably cut. Veronica even stumbled back a step and into Rebecca.
I hadn't seen this side of her. But Lila's never been a fan of sowing expressions. It was not because she'd been drilled with that or she wants to act alone or remain in solitude. It was just because that's who she was and she found it too much work.
I'm surprised I even deduced all this about her in the over-two-week span of time we've spent in each other's company. But to justify myself, I have pretty much spent every waking moment - school or otherwise at home - trying to frustrate her and talking to her. It's easy to pick up on.
She was a different kind of reserved person.
But this harsher side of her that I was glimpsing right now told me there was more to Lila Smith than what I'd uncovered so far. It only attracted me even more. Like I was a blank paper and she was the pen I was waiting for to fill my empty life with her ink.
"–You already are." I only tuned back to hear the ends of Lila's three sentence response to the bitchy attitude of the redhead cheer captain. "Lookout, Bitch. It'll serve you good to do that. Trust me."
Again, it's not like I haven't heard Kitkat curse, but this time the word 'bitch' just rang true and harsh.
When Kitkat made her way out, right on cue as the bell ending lunch rang, it was as good as any movie scene. But I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off.
I didn't follow her instantly, too captured in the silent stand-off my friends and Veronica were having. The cafeteria emptied out quickly and hushed words were exchanged but no one moved from our table's position.
My eyes flitted towards Veronica and she looked uneasy as well but she kept mum.
If I was to be getting any answers, this is my chance. Emotion overload lets some things slip sometimes.
I stood up.
Warren's playful aura had evaporated into thin air as he shot Veronica a sneer, his tone venom laced: "That was really low, even for you. Make no mistake, Veronica. Next time really won't be this calm."
"Oh, please. Lila is pathetic–"
"Not any more than you if that's the case." Nora skittered away nervously - her words quietly cutting–before shooting a look of trepidation and hurt towards Veronica who dismissed it. "It had nothing to do with her." Then the five foot blonde turned away and Michael followed her but not before knocking into Veronica's shoulder in a pure show of hostility.
"Ugh, what is it with you all? Mellisa wasn't that special. We all know–"
Rebecca tugged on Veronica's arm, urging her to leave. "Let's go, Ver. Please." She cut off her best friend and I took a minute to look the short-haired blonde over. Her jaw was clenched and her brown eyes a shade darker.. I hadn't thought Rebecca to be someone who'd silently support bullying.
For some reason, I really hadn't.
But I guess some reputations can be contradictory to personalities and maintaining them is draining. I should know. Maybe she was in the same boat.
"Fine, let's go." Veronica snapped at her friend who let out a breath and without another glance, they rushed out too.
Then it was just me and Warren. The chestnut haired guy had his eyes closed and breathing heavy, his fists clenched and un-clenched. I quietly observed, wondering how I hadn't said one word since this debacle started.
Man, this is new.
"You alright, War?" My words made his snap his eyes open. It looked like he had forgotten I was here.
Jeez, thanks for forgetting me. I feel so loved.
Warren cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable before he gave me a nod and ran a hand through his hair. "Sorry. Just..."
"Who's Mellisa? And what happened?" I fired my questions right off the bat. No use beating around the bush.
Warren looked really off-kilter by my questions and refused to look me in the eyes. "Look, it's not...my story to tell. Just, um."
I was pretty sure the whole town knew this story. That's how small towns like Ladenhill worked. Secrets were hard to keep but that didn't mean they were non-existent either.
I guess I could understand where he was coming from. He didn't want to speak of it and also felt like evading my questions came with the bonus of pushing me back for now.
He wanted me to approach Lila directly and knowing her, she'd be as hard as an un-crackable nut to crack.
Yup. You got that right.
I exhaled slowly. "I see."
Warren, in the meantime, seemed to have gathered his bearings. "Well, you wanna head to class?"
I shook my head as we both walked out of the cafeteria. "Not if Lila won't be there." I glanced at him. "Will she cut class?"
He shrugged, "She's probably already walking around. Definitely going to skip class. She's not a saint. Just....average."
Even now, hearing the word average associated with Lila Adele Smith made me do a double take internally. She was anything but.
I skipped the chase, "I'll see you tomorrow then. I'm gonna catch her."
Warren stopped walking and gave me an assessing look that ended with his eyes on mine. I didn't back down. Finally seemingly satisfied, he nodded.
"She won't be in the best mood but you're free to try."
•♤•
It took me around ten minutes to leave school premises and ten more to spot the mahogany haired girl taking a turn right around the corner and vanishing from my sights altogether.
At least I knew the direction she took.
I jogged along the same cobblestone path, observing the calm townspeople milling about and the shops open and ready to adhere to any customers.
I would have called or texted Lila to wait up for me but I sensed that she wouldn't exactly be in an answering mood.
I mean she ignores me on a daily basis, what says she'd answer me when she's already in a foul mood?
Yeah.
Twenty minutes of jogging with her just slipping past the turns with earphones on, I eventually caught up to Lila.
I'd actually had enough time to decide what approach I'd use and now it was time to put it in play.
I slowed down right besides her.
Not looking at her, I kept pace and aside from a slight falter in her steps initially, she did well to ignore my presence.
But that didn't mean I didn't catch the tormented rage in her eyes that gradually changed into painful misery. It called to me. Not like a kindred soul, but with another kind of magnetism that ignited a burning fire within me, pouring into me an unfamiliar sort of molten need.
Silence ensued and I could see that Lila was still trying to regulate her breathing. Not the kind she would have because of speed-wlaking but the one she'd garnered after her confrontation with Veronica.
Her open red cardigan and loose t-shirt couldn't hide the rise and fall of her ample chest. The straight fit jeans Lila favoured didn't highlight her legs or ass the way that first day tight set of jeans had.
But since I knew what was underneath, I let her ludicrous hiding-my-body behaviour go.
Lila didn't even spare me a glance. At least not for the first ten minutes as she gradually slowed her pace. It was like she was still alone.
I took the time to watch around Ladenhill and was tempted to comment on how Lila had just given me a kind of tour of her town.
But the key right now was to let her settle and then talk to me first. Until then I was happy to just be walking besides her. Despite it having been almost over an hour, the time seemed to fly with Kitkat besides me.
Hands casually in my jeans pocket, I basked in the knowledge of how much power I wielded over Lila by just my mere annoying presence.
I saw her sneaking a glance at me from the corner of her eyes five minutes ago. It shouldn't be long now.
I'd say there was tension in the air between us, but it was a strange kind. One where it didn't ask for our words to fill the silence just yet.
And then finally Kitkat cracked after five more minutes. "What are you doing here, Derek?" Her tone was flat.
But I grinned at her in response. "So you're finally ready to acknowledge my presence?"
"Yes. The same way I'd acknowledge a bug crawling up my arm. Then I'd either get rid of it or let it meet its end." She slid me a steely glance, "Would you like to meet your untimely end too?"
I scrunched my brows and looked at Kitkat. "Is that a threat, Kitkat?" I gasped.
"No. It's just an innocent offer." She flippantly replied but the ends of her lips twitched up slightly.
And that was victory enough for me.
Never thought hearing a chick say I was as good as a bug she'd like to kill would make me happy.
Fuck, what's wrong with me?
I rolled my shoulders and scoffed. "You wound me so much, Kitkat."
"An arrow through that non-existing heart would be better." Was her bleak response as she slowly moved her head probably in sync to the beats of whatever song she was listening to.
I speared her with a narrow eyed gaze in answer. "This heart beats for only you and you dare say something like that?"
She snickered.
I realized something in that moment though. Despite my initial intentions of approaching her all the way here, i.e getting some answers surrounding this Mellisa girl, death and Lila........
I couldn't bring myself to ask any of that. Instead, unbeknownst to me myself, I'd put in calculated moves in order to cheer her up. I didn't want any look in her eyes other than the snark and fire and blunt honesty. I was willing to take my chances just so Kitkat's steely eyes would lose their cutting edge and return to a thing of beauty.
It was a scary realization that made me swallow thickly.
Shaking my head, I looked around again and saw Black & Blue up ahead as Lila's steps slowed down.
Was this her destination or had she been aimlessly walking around?
Either way, I knew this was an opportunity. I had to come here in the evening anyways. What would be the big deal if I came in a bit early? Besides, like I said earlier, I wanted to tell or maybe surprise Lila. Even now I knew if I'd tell anyone about the new identity I was ready to take on then it'd be Lila Smith.
I turned to Lila and smirked as her eyebrow rose subtly.
"Wanna head in?"
But I didn't exactly give her a choice or chance to speak or protest when I grabbed onto her wrist and dragged her to Blue.
I'd certainly like her as a sparring partner but that seemed to be a fantasy. Maybe Kitkat could use some punching time too even if she'd be no good at it.
•♤•
A/N
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and it gave some insight into Derek. It's a slow burn like I said lol. Please don't forget to vote and comment! I'd really appreciate it!
Sorry for the late update, it's a very busy schedule! I'll look forward to your feedback though! Till next time then!
[Fully Edited and Revised.]
~Skyler