• THALIA •
The teacher leans against the wall with his arms crossed. "Welcome to my form group, Thalia. I'm Mr Adams."
I nod my head awkwardly.
"Come to me if you need any help, yeah?" He looks into my eyes intensely, but his gaze flits a little lower for a second and I have the sudden urge to cross my arms over my chest.
I nod, "thanks."
He pats me on the upper arm, "could you send Tiffany out, please?"
"Yep." I offer a small smile just to be polite and I walk back into the classroom.
One of Tiffany's friends - I can't remember their names - is sat on my desk. I sort of hover awkwardly. I tell Tiffany the teachers wants to speak and as she leaves she tells me to take her seat.
I do and I feel super uncomfortable. Her friends are giving me the death glare and I shift awkwardly under their gaze.
"Hey, new girl." The blonde one says, chewing unnecessarily aggressively on her chewing gum.
"Hi?"
"You and Warren? What'd you do to him?"
"What do you mean?"
She rolls her eyes, "quit the acting oblivious. How'd you bag him?"
" I didn't "bag" anyone."
She sighs and slumps back in her seat, crossing her arms.
The other friend leans over, "heard you're Doms sister. That true?"
"Mhm."
It looks like something clicks in her head and a big smile erupts on her face. "I love your jeans."
I have to force myself not to roll my eyes. I'm not dumb enough to not realise her game.
I just nod my head and focus my gaze on the wall in front of me.
Tiffany walks back into the classroom, everyone involuntarily watching her. She has that effect on people, it seems.
She sits on my desk - well her desk - and her cheeks are tinted pink. She looks..embarrassed?
"Hey, are you okay?"
"Yep. Fine!" She says, sounding like she's rehearsed that answer over and over in her head.
"Tiff," the brunette friend says, stealing her attention away, "this is Doms sister."
"Yeah, i know."
Her friends gives her a "what the fuck" look.
Tiffany's friends are treating me like a fly on the wall. I'm not completely mad about it. I'd rather be ignored than bullied.
When the two mean girls start talking about god knows what, Tiffany leans in, "hey, ignore them."
I nod my head, "I'll try."
Easier said than done
——————————————————
"How was your first lesson?" Warren asks, slinging an arm round my shoulder.
"It was hell." First lesson was drama. Oh my god, I hate it so much it's not even funny.
Warren laughs and I slap him on the arm, "hey, don't laugh at my pain you sicko."
He holds his hands up in surrender before putting an arm round me again. "Make any friends?"
"Not really. I sat with Tiffany, she's nice, her friends not so much."
Warrens eyebrows shoot up.
"What?"
He shakes his head, "it's just, Tiff will be friendly with everyone. But not friends with them. She's closed off as hell, I'm just surprised she let you sit with her."
"Wow, she doesn't strike me off closed off."
"Yeah, you'd never guess it."
"If she wants to have a small circle of friends, she should at least get nice ones. It doesn't even seem like her friends care about her."
Warren nods, "take this to the grave, but... she likes that. She doesn't want mates that care because that means she has to care."
My mouth forms into an O shape. "That's...sad."
Warren nods his head, "moving on, the yearly school...dance? Ball? Party? I don't know, but it's coming up. Would you do me the pleasure of being my date?"
I smile. "Why of course."
"Good, I was terrified you'd say no." He says sarcastically and I push him.
"Don't let your ego get too big, might have to humble you soon." I lift my shoulders with a shrug.
"Yes ma'am." He salutes and then tugs me into a room. "You're gonna love this."
I swivel around a take in the room.
Oh my god
It's the most magical looking library I've ever seen. With floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and French windows, this is the type of library I thought only existed in peoples imaginations. "Holy fuck."
"Mad, isn't it."
"I might just ditch lessons and hole up in here."
"Count me in, T."
Warren leads me further into the library, each row of books impressing the fuck out of me.
Warren pushes me into the bookshelf and puts a finger to my lips. "Shhh."
"What?" I exhaled, confused.
"Some people are arguing."
I laugh silently, "and?"
"And it's fun to listen."
"Never took you for an eaves dropper, Warren Rico."
"I'm full of surprises," he winks.
"C'mon babe, you know how I feel about you talking to other guys." The person said from the other side of the bookshelves.
"We're broken up, get that through your sick skull." A girl replies. It's Tiffany.
"Who's she talking to?" I whisper to Warren.
"Darren Buswell," Warren tells me, rolling his eyes. Not even attempting to mask his dislike.
"I'm guessing he's a dick."
"He's the biggest dick of all dicks."
We continue listening to their conversation like we're in year 7.
"Oh, come on, Tiff. We're not actually broken up."
"Yes. We are. When I said, 'we're breaking up'. I meant, were breaking up. It's not hard to understand that, Darren." Tiffany retorts back, I can hear how fed up she is with this dude in her voice.
"No one knows you better than I do, Tiff." Darren tone turns softer, but also more lethal in a way. Like he's a predator closing in on his prey. "I know what you need. You need someone who gets you, I get you."
Tiffany doesn't respond, Darren carry's on running his big mouth. "Take me back, baby."
"No."
"Tiffany, grow up. C'mon."
"I said no, arsehole."
Darren scoffs, "when you change your mind - which will be in 5 minutes - I'm not taking you back."
"Good."
Darren storms off, his loud footsteps quietening.
I didn't relaise how close me and Warren are until now.
"Were you two eavesdropping?!"