1.1 | daunting medleys

ten | back together

"I'm sorry." Were the first words Aiden uttered. "For everything." He added as an afterthought. Little strands of sunlight escaped the barriers of leaves from the tree they stood under. Tabitha laughed mockingly, perhaps at herself or at Aiden for thinking she was as gullible as she was before.

She leaned against the tree, looking at the faux saddened expression Aiden carried. "And what is everything exactly?" Their voices never surpassed a whisper, like the past they shared physically restrained them from raising them to a normal volume.

Reeling back physically with shock, Aiden stuttered. "For everything. For leaving. For cheating. For being an ass." He said somberly.

"If I do forgive you - which I don't think I will - will you leave me alone?" She asked, the throng of students that passed them with interest emboldened in their eyes almost amusing her.

He shook his head, his blond hair flapping with the motion. "No. I can't leave you. I'm apologizing because I wanted to let you know that I came back for you. I want to try this again, on your terms." Aiden muttered, avoiding her eyes as he shuffled his feet on the ground. Tabitha took a step back, almost tripping herself on a root. She almost fell for it. She almost thought he was sincere but there was something else murking, aside from the shame in his eyes, something sinister. Her fists tightened behind her back, the pain in her chest was becoming overbearing.

"You must think I'm a fool right? You must think that you would leave and come back and find me the same vulnerable fool you left, right?" She bit out mockingly. The familiar burn of tears in her eyes almost blinded the vision of his shameful figure. "You dated me because you wanted to make your ex girlfriend jealous, then cheated on me with her because I refused to have sex with you. You humiliated me, and you left. Even after I begged you to stay and you think that I can just walk away from that and jump back into your arms." Tabitha hissed, hating herself for reacting to him. The cold draft of air against her cheeks informed her that she was crying. She didn't want to cry. She wanted to walk away. She didn't want to stay here. "You must be more despicable than I thought you were. Stay away from me."

Aiden look suprised at her outburst. He also looked ashamed at himself. Yet she didn't stay to see what other expressions he had. Tabitha walked away because she felt faint, the adrenaline rush that came with telling him what she felt about him had vanished, leaving pure exhaustion.

"Just leave me alone Aiden. We are never doing this again." She whispered tiredly. "And if I wasn't clear enough, we are never getting back together." The painful beating of her chest almost deviating her attention from him and the broken look in his eyes.

Tabitha walked back inside the school. She couldn't stay there anymore, not when the memories of their relationship seemed to pull at her throat and pull until she couldn't breathe. She couldn't breathe. Tabitha knew she probably looked like a very interesting sight, she had tears running down her face and her nostrils failed because she couldn't breathe.

The school's interior was mostly empty, everyone was most likely in the lunchroom and she just needed to get to the bathroom, where she would cry her heart out. Yet the one thing she didn't expect, and particularly by the one person who was always unexpected was Oliver grabbing her forearm to stop her. He looked concerned, like he was worried about her.

"Are you okay?" Tabitha shook her head in response. She hadn't always noticed but Oliver's eyes were exceptionally expressive, so the anger blazing in his eyes was clearly seen by her but the recipient confused her. But she whirled and saw Aiden. Like a beacon, tears welled in her eyes again and she looked away from him to see Oliver staring daggers at him.

He held Tabitha's hand and pulled her till they got to the music room. If she stiffened - which she did - then he didn't seem to notice. His warm hand did nothing to comfort her, just made her more tense and made her heart race -which in hindsight - wasn't good for her. The doors opened, and the sunlight burned her sensitive eyes, she winced and closed them.

Oliver led her to the piano bench and made her sit beside him. He smelled familiar, maybe a scent that had passed her nostrils and maybe she liked it but she didn't know where she had smelt it. Everything about him seemed familiar, like she knew it from somewhere. They sat in silence, Oliver staring at the keys intently and Tabitha avoiding any form of contact with the piano. He handed her a handkerchief from his bag, the smell of sandalwood and vanilla a very odd but interesting combination.

"I can play something for you. If you want." He offered.

Staring at the keys before sparing him a glance. "What would you play?" Tabitha inquired softly.

"What do you want me to play?"

"Are you always going to answer my question with a question?" Tabitha let out a weird noise that sounded like a cross between a snort and a giggle.

"Maybe." Then Oliver began playing, his fingers nimble on the keys. The beginning of the school was ourightly familiar, and she instantly knew what it was. The melody filled the room, there was a reason why the school picked this room to hold all the instruments, because it had the best acoustics in the entire building.

A giggle snorted out, and she started laughing. The song he was playing wasn't some exceptional piece that leave anyone speechless, it was twinkle, twinkle little star. When the song ended, the tears on her face had dried and the beating in her heart had lessened to the calm thump that she was acquainted with.

"Did you really play twinkle twinkle little star?"

He shrugged, a chuckle coming out. "My sister loves the song, and I didn't know what to play." Oliver suddenly looked at the time on his watch. "Crap. I've got class in about five minutes and I've got to get my books from my locker. It was nice doing this with you Tabitha. I'll see you later." He rushed out, the smile on his face adorably comforting. She waved at him before turning to look at the piano, her hands sliding over the keys before leaving. She was okay. She had to be.