1.1 | daunting medleys

eighteen | how enchanting

Tabitha threw Oliver off balance.

He'd planned everything he would say as soon as he saw Tabitha, but everything he had planned flew out the door when her dark eyes met his. She looked troubled, so disturbed and then he saw the orange bottle that sat atop her books. Oliver's heart trembled, he couldn't possibly fathom how she must have lived all the time she thought she had a heart disease, only for the situation to change.

He watched Tabitha unashamedly as they walked to his locker to get his phone. Her dark brown eyes seemed to melt through the ray of sunlight that escaped the clouds. She hadn't dropped the brownies since he handed it to her, and it had already been exhausted, judging by how she pressed the bag in her hands and threw it in the bin. Her lips curled in a victorious grin, and Oliver lost his footing. An expression so cocky, or otherwise naturally beautiful seemed to lighten her entire face.

Tabitha's hand darted out to catch him and Oliver caught her hand. With a soft gasp, she stabled him with her hand, his clasped in hers.

She shuffled close to him. "Are you okay?" Oliver didn't answer, because Tabitha was evidently closer to him than she had ever been. Her eyes were dark and glossy, as they searched his face. He sucked in a gentle breath, his gaze firmly fixated on her eyes. Perhaps he was drunk, or slightly losing his mind but he almost reached out to stroke her face. Almost. Oliver regained his bearings when what he was thinking slammed into him, Tabitha didn't seem like she was looking for whatever the aftermath of his thoughts were.

Oliver replied with burning cheeks. "I'm... I'm fine."

Tabitha hummed softly in affirmation, then began to walk again. They reached his locker and he twisted the lock open, he pulled out his notes and handed them to her. She flipped them open, he cringed at the look of his messy writing scrawled on the book. Tabitha didn't seem to mind, she just flipped the pages open, unaware of how enchanting she was.

"Do you still want her number now? I could just text it to you. I can also help you study for the quiz since we've got atleast 30 minutes  before class starts." He offered.

She nodded, the notebook firm in her grasp. "We could go to the library, I'm usually there all the time. It's always quiet this early in the morning."

Oliver took the books he needed, following closely behind her to get her locker to get her books and to the library.

**********

Tabitha was currently focused on the set of examples that Oliver had given her, there were ten questions and she had answered eight questions correctly. The library was illuminated by the fluorescent lights as the sky darkened with intent to rain. They occupied a table that was a tad secluded from the rest, they were whispers when they walked in but they seized when Tabitha and Ollie pulled out their books.

"Done." She said with a proud gleam in her eyes. "I'm not so sure about the last one but I'm confident of the rest." Oliver took the notepad, his expression changed quickly when he double-checked the answers and the methods used to solve them.

"These are all correct." He chuckled at her. "I don't think there's any need for me to help you. I think you need to help me." She giggled, amusement tugging at her lips. Oliver looked back at the book to avoid being transfixed by her. Tabitha didn't care, just stared at him. She wanted to reply but a voice cut into whatever she wanted to say with frantic yet loud whispers.

"Yeah. He showed up with flowers for her and was so sweet about it but she brutally rejected him before everyone in the parking lot. It was so sad because he threw the flowers on the floor before storming off. I heard he was crying."