1.1 | daunting medleys

eight | malicious intent

Tabitha couldn't concentrate, not when she could feel Aiden breathing down her neck. Miss Garcia rambled on about a book she had found and wanted them to read with passion in her eyes and Tabitha would have read it, if she was paying attention enough to listen to the name.

"And even though he was wrong, he strived to make things right again because he loved her. He fought for her forgiveness and made everything right again and I hope that when you read the book, you take notes of the power of love and how it correlates with forgiveness."

Tabitha felt the universe was against her. All the eyes on her definitely made it seem like so, suggestive glanced were passed to her and Aiden. The eyes definitely said that she should forgive him, that she could take him back and forget everything he did to her. She groaned and slid down her seat, pursing her lips as she doodled in her book. She didn't need to look up from her book to see that even Miss Garcia was looking at her but Tabitha didn't know why she was looking at her. She obviously knew nothing about their relationship so why did her eyes shift back to Tabitha every now and then.

The bell rang, the shrill sound cutting through their teacher's excited ramble about the book, she looked too excited about the book and it was almost contagious.

"Alright then class. Once again, the name of the book is Falling Hearts by Raina G. It should be in the library as the school ordered alot of copies and they've arrived. We will be talking about the book tomorrow so I expect everyone to read it. No exceptions." Miss Garcia said, pining everyone with a stern look before moving to her seat. Tabitha sluggishly put her book and her pen in her bag. She sat in her seat, waving at Ariana and giving Oliver a wave - one that he returned before leaving class. Aiden seemed to drag his feet, sparing her a forlorn look yet his vigor seemed renewed, and that scared her, more than she would have liked to assume. She waited for everyone to leave before sauntering to her teacher's desk.

"You asked to see me?"

Fixing a piece of paper before answering Tabitha, the older woman sighed. "Are you okay, Miss Daniels?"

Tabitha seemed to freeze before relaxing. "I'm fine."

"Uh-huh." Miss Garcia replied in disbelief. "I sincerely hope you are fine. You seemed distracted in class today and I wanted to be sure that you are okay."

Tabitha nodded stiffly. "I'm fine. Just some things at home but I'm fine." She wasn't.

"I sincerely hope so."

"If that's all, I should be leaving now." Tabitha excused herself and walked out, each breath heavier to inhale and exhale than the last. Walking to the next class which was calculus, Tabitha was joined by Ariana who was lingering at the door. Aiden was ahead, leaning against one of the lockers whilst talking to Natasha who looked at him like he was above them, and from the smile he gave her, he thrived on it too. Natasha's true nature showed when another girl passed by him and giggled at the wink he shot at her before the poor girl was frightened away by the piercing glare that she received from pretty green eyes.

Aiden's eyes met hers and he smiled tentatively at her, like he was suddenly shy to see her in the halls. Tabitha tore her gaze from his, so she would breathe, not before seeing Natasha finally realize her presence. Her hands trailed up his biceps and effectively distracted Aiden's attention from her. Her eyes went back to Tabitha, as if to stake her claim, but met Tabitha's blank stare.

"Hey, I've got PE right now. So I'll see you during lunch, if I can fake a stomachache and avoid any thing that would make me sweat, then we'll talk about everything." Ariana giggled and opened the door to the gym as other students that filed in.

"Have fun." She teased Ariana's retreating figure.

Tabitha was walking to calculus when she was stopped by the sound of her name being called with a very loud shrill. "Tabitha!" She flinched, then turned to see Natasha walking towards her, Aiden not in sight. Her black wavy hair bounced with every excited step she took, her hands were busy as one tugged on her skirt and the other holding onto books that obscured the sight of her pretty pink top.

"Hi." She chirped. "You have calculus too right? I was wondering if you would walk to class with me." Natasha linked their arms together, while she seemed to bounce on her toes. The excitement she radiated threw Tabitha off. Natasha wasn't nice, she didn't do nice things. Everyone knew that she always got what she got and made friends to destroy whatever was in her way. Her poisoned smile made Tabitha's crawl. She let out a harsh breath, before peeling Natasha's fingers off her.

Tabitha sighed, moving away from her and her flowery perfume. "What do you want Natalie?"

She frowned. "It's Natasha."

"Okay, what do you want Natasha?"

Giggling, she fell in step with Tabitha and gave a dazzling smile to the boy who passed them and shot a flirtatious smirk at Natasha. "I just wanted to talk to you and make sure that you don't have any dreams of getting back together with Aiden." She drawled, the doe eyed look in her eyes being replaced with malicious intent.

Tabitha wasn't. She knew she wasn't, yet she wanted to see where this is going. "And if I am?"

"I'd hate to have to do something to you. I like you, but I like him more. Hope you understand." Natasha ended with squeezing Tabitha's forearm like friends would before gesturing to leave.

"Natasha, I want absolutely nothing to do with him, and even less to do with you, so I'll throw in some advice so you can finally be with him. You should focus less on threatening people and more on getting him to like you. It's an old trick but it works perfectly. I don't like being threatened, Natasha, hope we never do this again." She tilted her head, and smiled before turning to walk to her class, not aware of the malice that Natasha's eyes held for Tabitha.

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