[ U N D E R T H E B L E A C H E R S ]
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It was the next day; Brandon waited for Tasha outside of her fourth period class a minute before the lunch bell rang. Once the boisterous sound echoed throughout the hallway, students began piling out of the classrooms and towards the cafeteria. Brandon would've lost Tasha in the large crowd if he hadn't been standing next to the door. The moment the girl stepped out, Brandon instinctively grabbed her hand to pull her towards him. Tasha looked up at him in panic before she relaxed.
"Oh my gosh, you scared me." To Brandon's surprise, Tasha didn't step away even after she noticed how close they were to each other. Brandon doesn't even try to lie to himself: he likes it, their closeness, for it made it easier for him to observe her. Her slick-n-gelled waves smelled like green apples, she had on mascara and lipgloss that shimmered, and the top she was wearing clung very nicely to her chest—
"You ready to head to the library?" Tasha asks, interrupting his thoughts. The quarterback chuckles, shaking his head.
"Nah, I got a better idea."
With their hands still intertwined, Brandon leads Tasha to a remote spot of the school campus, ignoring all the eyes in the hallway that shifted to them. Near the football field stood a tall tree that had more than enough branches and leaves to shade away the Californian sun, and the tree's trunk was wide enough for the both of them to lean their backs against it. Tasha smiles for reasons she doesn't want to admit. They sit down on the soft green grass and start getting comfortable as they crack open their books, and the brief silence that occured between them surprisingly wasn't awkward.
"Not that I don't like it, but why here to study instead of the library?" Tasha inquires, looking to the quarterback in curiosity.
Brandon shrugs, but not because he doesn't have an answer. "There's just less eyes here, if you get what I mean."
Tasha tries not to take Brandon's words in the wrong way, but Brandon caught on to the slight disappointment that briefly registered on her face before it quickly disappeared.
"No, wait. I didn't mean it like that, I," Brandon pauses as he tries to find the right words. "Lately, people have been stickin' their noses into my business and I ain't fond of it. We're here so we can be together in peace, trust me, I'm not embarrassed to be seen with you or anything like that."
Tasha and Brandon stare into each other's eyes for what feels like forever. But Tasha looks away the moment Brandon's eyes flicker down to something else. To lighten the tension, Tasha laughs.
"And to think we couldn't stand each other at the beginning of this. I think we're both gettin' soft."
"That's not a bad thing though, right? That we can sorta get along now?"
Tasha smiles despite herself. "We should get back to studying. We've got lots of work to do before grades come out on Monday."
"Aye, don't make it sound like that! I'm almost at a C now."
"How many times do I gotta tell you, Walsh? We're aiming for an A."
"Not in three days, we're not. Friday is the last day teachers are accepting any grades!"
"Anything is possible—now shut up and listen!"
"Make me."
"I will tie you up to this tree."
"Oou, kinky."
Brandon got slapped upside the head for that.
About fifteen minutes into reviewing their Postwar Reconstruction homework, it began to rain. When the first drop hit her, Tasha's entire body tensed. "Oh my gosh, is it raining?"
Brandon turns his head to stare at her confusedly.
"I don't feel anything."
When another raindrop hits her, Tasha hurriedly begins to pack her stuff. "Nope! It's gonna rain and this hairstyle took fifteen minutes to do!"
Immediately, Brandon followed Tasha's lead and began to pack his things too. Not even ten seconds later did the rain begin to pour. "Follow me!" Brandon yells before they both make a run for it. The two of them sprint to the nearby football field with their hearts threatening to beat out of their chests. They eventually find shelter underneath the bleachers, both of them taking in heavy sighs. Tasha moves her backpack off her head and feels her hair for any signs of wetness or misplacement, and when she felt none, she blew out a thankful breath. "Woo, God is good."
Brandon ran a hand through his wet hair as he watched the rain pour down. "Fuck. We're gonna have to run through this rain again soon, 'cause this shit don't look like it's gonna get better."
Tasha began to shiver at the cold feel of her soaked clothes. "That's California weather for ya." Tasha mumbles. Brandon turns to face the girl behind him, only to have his breath get caught in his throat. As if Tasha's wardrobe choice wasn't already body-hugging, the wetness further allowed the ensemble to cling onto her skin, accentuating every dip and curve of her body. Brandon couldn't help but stare. In vice versa, Tasha found herself gazing at Brandon too. The white dri-fit t-shirt he wore, which also got wet in the rain, pronounced just how muscular he was; his arms, chest, and abdominal area each looked like they were made out of steel. Tasha couldn't help but stare.
After a little while, Brandon lets out an airy chuckle, meeting Tasha's eyes again. "I guess we maybe should've studied in the library today."
Tasha, even though nervous, laughs too. "Oh, ya think?" She questions jokingly, offering a playful grin. "I'm always right, if you haven't figured it out yet." She adds, crossing her arms.
"That so?" Brandon takes enough steps so that he's right in front of her. Tasha stands her ground and looks Brandon straight in the eye. "Sho' 'nuff."
"Were you right when you dumped the smoothie on my head?" Letting out a gasp, Tasha strikes him in the chest playfully, making the boy laugh again.
"Hell yeah I was right for that! You were purposely bein' disrespectful! Don't think I ain't noticed that!"
"You're adorable." Brandon comments.
"You're a jackass." Tasha counters.
Brandon chuckles again, revealing his handsome smile. Tasha momentarily feels her knees grow weak at the sight. Are you actually fallin' for this guy?
Scared to answer her own question, Tasha looks away from Brandon and instead focuses her attention back to the rain. "We should start headin' back inside." Before Tasha can bend down to grab her backpack, Brandon takes a light hold of her wrist. "Wait."
Tasha stares up at him again with her undivided attention, which only had Brandon's heart beating faster than it already was.
"I'm genuinely sorry...for being such an asshole to you in the beginning."
"Eh, don't beat yourself up too much. You're a boy. Being an asshole's in your nature."
Tasha starts cackling, to which Brandon rolls his eyes as another grin presents itself on his lips.
"Would it kill ya to take me seriously at least once?"
"Yes, I wholeheartedly believe it would."
The look Brandon gave her at that comment only made her laugh harder.
Brandon rolls his eyes again. "Does all this laughing you're doing mean that I'm forgiven, ma'am?"
Tasha bites down on her bottom lip. "Aw. You really want me to forgive you, Walsh?"
"Oh, we're not leaving this spot until you do."
Tasha scoffs at his bold declaration. "Uh, speak for yoself, bruh. You gon' be here alone."
The teasing look in Brandon's eyes changed then. In a matter of seconds, Tasha was thrown over his shoulder, and despite the girl's yelling, punching, and kicking, Brandon ignored her and started heading in the direction of the rain. Tasha's entire body seizes in realization. "Walsh? Walsh! Why are you walking towards the rain?! Walsh! BITCH IF YOU GET MY HAIR WET, I'M KILLIN' YOU!" Brandon stops right before the rain could touch them, only an inch away from what was sure to be Tasha's doom.
"I'm only lookin' for forgiveness." Brandon says innocently. "Sigh. If only a certain someone would just stop being stubborn and forgive me." Brandon grips Tasha tighter as she tries to wrestle out of his hold. "Well, in that case, I guess it's time to get wet!" Before Brandon could even take another step, Tasha gave in.
"Fine, Walsh, fine! I fucking forgive you. Happy?"
"Wholeheartedly so."
Brandon finally lets Tasha down, and the moment he does, he earns a rather light smack across the face. Feigning hurt, Brandon pouts in spite of Tasha's fierce glare. "You always hurt my feelings."
"I hate you." Tasha claims.
"True. But you're hating me a little less everyday."