1.1 | daunting medleys

eleven | fragility

Tabitha didn't think Oliver knew how much he helped her. The cacophony of fastly thumping hearts and the sound of the blood rushing to her ears had been blocked by his gentle playing. As she sat in her last class for the day, with a teensy smile on her face, she realized that she hadn't even thought of Aiden and the troubles that came with him, she was undeterred by his proclamation of wanting a second chance.

The bell rang, the shrill sound ringing through the school, signifying freedom from school and the tendency of sadness it brought. The teacher sighed, before dismissing them with a flick of his wrist. Not that he was teaching anything, he was a substitute and was clueless about geometry. The pangs of hunger that ravaged her belly brought back her attention from dissecting the pudgy teacher. Since she had nothing for lunch and spent it crying - which always took her energy - she was starving.

Tabitha always left the class last, since she liked to wait out the crowd of students that flooded the halls but with how hungry she was, she didn't think about waiting. She was going into the battlefield to get to her car and leave for the nearest diner or maybe her house. Hurriedly pulling her notebook and her pitiful pen ravaged with bite marks, she slung her bag over her shoulder and left the classroom.

She left the class, only to be stopped by the crowd of people that moved across the halls. The loud yells seemed to physically push Tabitha back, she pursed her lips and stepped back into the class. She went back to the seat closest to the window and gazed out of it, with a dazed expression on her face.

Tabitha chewed on her bottom lip as she thought about what she would eat when she arrived at the diner closest to her school. Her actions almost seized when she saw Natasha and Aiden together again, he looked angry and she looked scared out of her wits. Rage thundered on his face and Natasha then regained the courage she lost when she began poking his chest with a mocking smile on her face. They seemed to be in the bubble of rage and depreciation they unknowingly formed, unaware of the attention they had received, from Tabitha and the rest of the school body.

She waited for the familiar prick of jealousy that she felt whenever she saw Aiden with another girl to arrive, but it didn't show. All that was left in her heart for him was disgust at the absolute idiot that was her first boyfriend. They finally seemed to be aware of the attention they garnered and flushed in embarrassment. Eyes gravitated between the three of them, like they expected something to happen. Maybe they wanted an explosion from Tabitha or a face filled with sadness from the aforementioned girl but all she did was dig out her phone and push her headphones in her ears.

Talia, somehow, pushed into the class. Her face brightened when she saw Tabitha sitting at the window. "Come on. Let's go." She said, cocking her head to the side. She pulled the headphones out of her ears and looked at her sister who looked out if breath, she was most likely tired from the time it took to push through the people outside.

Tabitha let her eyes skip over the multitudes of people before looking back at her sister. "Yeah no. I don't plan on entering that crowd." She retorted with a snort.

"Okay fine. I'll just stay here with you then." Then plopped on the seat beside her before digging out a textbook that Tabitha couldn't see because of her thighs obscuring the cover, as she placed her legging clad legs on the table. Tabitha snorted in amusement, and placed her attention back to the crowd.

***********

Oliver did not mean to watch Tabitha. He'd walked to one of the classrooms he thought were empty to see if he would get inspiration for a new song, then he saw her. Tabitha smiled at him, when he had walked in, and his heart thumped almost painfully in his chest as the brightness of her smile. He smiled back and went to the back of the classroom that was mostly unoccupied, save for the few people by the window.

Whilst searching for his notebook in his bag, his fingers grazed the book that Tabitha asked him to read, then a tiny smile pulled at his lips. He glanced back at her again, and she had her eyes closed and was most likely lost in the song she was listening to. Her head was tipped back, leaving the sunlight to shine on her beautiful face.

She always had the air of mysterious around yet with a fragility that called him to her. Tabitha carried herself gracefully, in a way that placed her above everyone else's rowdiness. Then she broke before him, in a mess of reddened eyes and heart wrenching sobs. He hated it. Oliver hated seeing her crumpled, he liked seeing her with deep brown eyes that often gazed into the distance, perhaps as she thought. He loved wondering what Tabitha thought about, and what she liked to do, he didn't like seeing her crying. He hated sadness in her eyes because it didn't belong, it had no place amongst mysterious eyes filled with wonders and secrets he craved to know.

Oliver pulled out his notebook, sneaking a glance back at Tabitha and stifled a chuckle when he saw her chatting animatedly with her sister, then he stared deeply at the blue lines that contrasted against the pale white background of the paper, an idea came to mind and he scribbled away.

When the crowd had eventually cleared, Oliver looked up and saw Tabitha walking to the table that he occupied. She smiled softly, and the action made her look even more precious, like a painting that showed what gracefulness was personified. "I'm about to leave to go get lunch, I was wondering if you'd let me buy you lunch as a thank you for helping me today."

Oliver already had lunch but he wasn't sure of if he had the strength to resist Tabitha Daniels and her charm so he nodded. "I'd love to." And her smile grew, causing his cheeks to burn. Something he knew he had to get accustomed to because whatever Tabitha had that turned him into whatever he was at the moment, he knew that he would grow weaker to it with every moment that passed.

***********

Tabitha twirled the spoon in her hands. A tiny pout forming on her face as she tried to crack the layer of melted, hardened sugar on her creme brulee. She hadn't ordered anything heavy, neither did he. Oliver glanced down at his salad that he'd ordered. Tabitha had suggested with a serenity that calmed him, to order the salad but he hated the kidney beans. It did look appetizing but he hated beans. He picked apart the beans with his spoon and began eating.

"You don't like beans?" Tabitha asked, tilting her head to the side. She did say that the restaurant was amazing and everything they served was delicious, and the closeness she had with the warm cafe was seen from the affectionate welcome she was given as she walked in.

Oliver shook his head. "Nope. They are weird."

Then she let out the purest laughter he had ever heard, asides from the his sister's of course. "I'm sorry. I'll ask them to change it for you. Mildred." She called out to the redhead that was coincidentally passing them.

The grey streaks in her hair contrasted greatly, and her elderly charm was lightened by her smile. "Yes sweetheart."

"My friend doesn't like beans, and I was wondering if you'd please change it. I'll pay for both meals."

The older woman waved her hand. "Like I'd ever allow you to pay. I did say that all your meals are free. So no. I'll get your new salad right away," She turned to Oliver who was watching Tabitha's almost shy expression with a grin but before Mildred could say anything, Tabitha's eyes fluttered shut and she swayed a little before passing out with a slump.