1.1 | daunting medleys

seventeen | bouquet of carnations

Winters in St Broughton were harsh and unforgiving.

As the year ended without the littlest warning, the cold pushed with brutal strength with intent to freeze. Tabitha put the windows up and patted her chilly cheeks to generate heat into it, she pulled her sweater up to her fingers and let it cover her pale, glittery fingernails.

The houses blurred past Tabitha in a muddle of grey and blue, as Talia sped towards the school in the distance. The low rumble of the car's engine almost lulled Tabitha to sleep, and the silence of the people in the car wasn't helping anyway. No one had said anything but Tabitha knew that Talia was annoyed, and perhaps sad at her unwillingness to talk about it. She played with the handle of the empty cup, unable to face Talia.

She almost wanted to say something but she didn't know what to say, Tabitha hadn't made sense of what she was feeling. As she filtered through her messy thoughts, Talia pulled into their school. The gathering of multiple people in the parking lot didn't faze Tabitha, she was used to the crowd of people that attended the same school with her. However, what she wasn't used to was Aiden standing by the area where Talia preferred to park her car.

Tabitha froze, then regained her bearings before lowering her lashes to look at the cup in her hands.

"The fuck?" Talia whispered under her breath, but ended up being loud enough for Tabitha to hear her. Perhaps because she saw Aiden by Jenny Parks car - right beside the nearest open spot - or maybe it was the bouquet of carnations in his hands.

They parked the car, and Tabitha got down. Aiden walked over to her side, his cheeks flushed and a bashful look in his eyes. "These are for you." Then he pushed the flowers into her hands without her response. "I know you were in the hospital and I just wanted to, uh, welcome you back to school with your favorite flowers."

Tabitha didn't answer, just glanced at the flowers in her hands and the white bow used to tie it together. "These aren't my favorites. I like white roses." She handed them back to him, hating the sound of the crinkle of the plastic wrap on it and the smell of his perfume. The sun was hidden behind grey clouds, making the weather cold and resolute.

She wasn't sure of what Aiden was going for. Tabitha didn't know what he wanted from her, why he chose to make a scene or confront her with crowds around. Did he want her sympathy or the sympathy of the rest of their classmates? She didn't know what he wanted, and it was slowly driving her crazy.

"Oh." He took them back from her, paused and handed them back to her. "I don't care. You can put them in your hair because they would look great with your eyes. You can just take them from me, please." His lower lashes held a tear with gripping conviction, looking extremely pitiable. She almost snorted at the faux sadness he exhibited, he was a very convincing actor. The cold bit at her exposed fingers, and the chill spread up her spine.

Tabitha glanced around the parking lot, and the people that surrounded them, she caught the rapt attention they had, she looked at Talia and saw the displeasure in her eyes. She looked back at him and caught the smug look in his eyes before his expression shifted quickly, back to the kicked puppy look plastered on his face. "No." She said, her lips curled in a distant smile, her fists balled before storming past the group of people that gathered.

She walked into school, angrier than ever. The walk to her locker wasn't that long, seeing that her strides were long and hurried. The hallway was fairly empty, most people were outside or hadn't arrived, seeing as it was atleast 45 minutes before school would start.

Aiden didn't follow after her, and she couldn't bare to see him. He was confusing her, Tabitha didn't want to be confused. She knew she hated him, their breakup was messy and involved tears and pleading. There was no chance of an amicable relationship if he ever did come back, yet it seemed like he had forgotten how they had broken up. It scared her, it confused her and she didn't want any of that. She didn't want him to confuse her while she was still processing the new direction her life had taken.

The surface of her locker was chilly and she frowned when her fingertips made contact with it. She fumbled with the lock before pulling her locker open with intent to push her books and her bag in, then she saw the orange prescription bottle sitted on her journal that she never used.

An undescribable gleam flickered through her eyes, and her lashes fluttered slowly as her gaze lowered. Her fists balled into her hand and her nails pushed half moons into her palms, she almost grabbed the bottle and crushed it. Tabitha wanted to crush the tiny container, she didn't want to see it and be reminded of it. She shook softly, so softly almost no one would notice her trembling.

She almost reached out to grab it when a voice called behind her. "Tabitha?" She whirled to see Oliver standing behind her, with a smile on his face. Her heart thumped almost painfully. He was wearing the same thing as everyone, a sweater and pants yet he seemed more otherworldly than anyone. He carried a presence that made everyone around him feel welcome, a pureness that would make anyone shy yet a mysteriousness that kept him at arm's length.

Tabitha unfurled her fists and pulled her sweater up to her fingertips again. "Morning Oliver." She greeted with a lopsided grin.

"Ollie." He corrected. "My friends call me Ollie, and I'd like to think we're friends, unless you don't want to be friends then I apologise. I'd also like to ask you to be my friend."

She looked up at him, wondering why his eyes seemed lighter or why she couldn't seem to answer him while he waited expectantly. Tabitha didn't have many friends, and the ones she had, she could trust. Oliver seemed too perfect to be muddled with her, even as friends but she couldn't say no, not when his eyes bore holes into hers.

"I... I'm your friend, Ollie." She chewed on her lower lip. His smile increased, and Tabitha fought the urge to rub her fingertips on his freckled cheeks to see if the glow that clung to him would transfer to her. Perhaps she wanted a piece of him, perhaps she was slowly losing her mind, Tabitha really couldn't tell.

He handed a paper bag to her. "My mum made double chocolate brownies and she wanted me to give you some."

Tabitha was shocked, the brief encounter with the older woman wasn't anything special. Asides from the fact that she was the bearer of life tilting news, that was it. So that fact that she remembered her, and even thought of giving her goodies made Tabitha slightly emotional.

"Wow. I... Tell your mum thank you on my behalf. Or better still, why don't you give me her number and I call her." The awkwardness didn't help the corner of her lips from quirking up in a grin. She took it from him and opened the bag immediately, Tabitha picked one, the rich smell of chocolate assaulting her senses. There were white and dark chocolate chips that littered the top, she instantly took a bite. If it wasn't obvious, Tabitha didn't have homemade baked goods often so this warmed her heart, and her stomach.

"Ohmygod. These are amazing." Tabitha gushed.

When a slight wind blew and brought the smell of Oliver, no Ollie's, perfume to her attention, Tabitha realized that she wasn't alone. Ollie looked at her amused. He was fighting to hide his amusement, judging by how his eyes glinted humorously.

"I'm glad you like them." Oliver smiled. He had laugh lines that showed when he showed any sign of glee, they lightened his face. Tabitha didn't know what to do, especially as a ray of sunlight shone. He obstructed the ray with his body, making his head even lighter and softer. His cheeks were slowly flushing, perhaps he was sweating - despite the cold.

"I'll give you my mum's number, but my phone's in my locker. My calculus notes are also there if you'd still like them."

"Yes I would. Thank you."

He shook his head, a bashful grin lingering on his face. "It's no problem." Her heart skipped a beat, and her cheeks burned.

Being friends with Oliver was going to be a lot harder than Tabitha thought.