Divided

- Chapter Sixteen -

It had been two weeks since the year group got back from their camp at Billabong roadhouse. With the hype that the camp had slowly going down, Tia and Hannah were looking for something fun to do.

Hannah suggested that the girls attend the upcoming football game that was happening in a couple of weeks.

Tia was ecstatic at the idea, she had never been to a game before. From what Hannah had told her, it was totally different than watching it on the television.

Hannah was examining the ticket purchasing website, "Tickets drop during Uniready." She informed to Tia.

"Mrs. Lackfem won't have an issue with us buying them surely!" Tia retorted.

The day passed by until last period, Uniready.

Hannah and Tia made their way to their seats. Watching as different classmates entered the room. Tia quickly went up to Mrs Lackfem's desk to request purchasing the tickets and the girl's teacher allowed them as long as they did not distract the class.

Tobias and James eventually made their way into the class and towards the girls' desk.

"Hey!" Tobias exclaimed, waving at Tia and Hannah.

"Hey Tobias!" Hannah replied, "We are so stressed right now!" She continued, dramatizing her tone.

"Why's that?" Tobias queried, pulling over a seat from an empty desk and sitting down. James continued to awkwardly stand adjacent to Tobias.

"We're buying football tickets and Hannah cannot grasp the website." Tia chimed in, answering Tobias' question.

"What, and you can grasp the website?" Tobias teased before his demeanour changing, "Don't stress Hannah, I'll help you book the tickets, but I'm coming with!"

Tia and Hannah both turned their gaze to Tobias, confused as to why he was inviting himself, why would he want to go with them?

"What?" Tobias asked, taken aback by their shocked expressions.

"Didn't expect you to want to come with us!" Tia exclaimed, half sarcastically, and half not.

The trio chuckled for a moment before their joy was interrupted by James, who was still standing there stiffly.

"Can I come?" If the girls weren't confused by Tobias wanting to come, they were definitely confused now. Even Tobias had to do a double take of James when he asked.

"It'll be fun" James shrugged after his question being met with silence.

"You were literally rude..." Hannah sighed.

"I'm sorry Hannah, I shouldn't have done that!" He admitted, "And I'm sorry Tia. I was a total asshole."

Tia was surprised he had apologised.

Hannah turned to Tia, and whispered something into her ear. "It's your call..."

Tia thought about it for a quick minute, she was tempted to hold a grudge against James, after shaming her in the camping store. In contrast to that thought, she gave Tobias a chance and that turned out well.

"Fine, but you can't invite any of your eshay cult" Tia sassed.

James grinned, he was happy Tia allowed him to attend, and although he wasn't her biggest fan, he really appreciated her for that decision.

James then pulled a seat from another empty desk and sat down next to Tobias, opposite of the girls.

Once it was time, Hannah pulled out her phone and placed it on the desk, getting everyones input as they purchased the tickets.

Once the tickets were bought, the group had a quick celebration before the boys returned to their desks and the lesson continued on.

"I can't believe we got them!" Hannah exclaimed as the girls walked out of the class.

"Yes, exciting stuff!" Tia replied.

Usually Hannah and Tia would either hang out after school or walk home together, sometimes in the company of Tobias, James or Dekree. On this particular day though, Tia was planning on visiting her aunt who was a short walk in the opposite direction. Tia was a bit disappointed to not be walking with her friends, but maybe a change of pace was for the better?

Tia set off after saying bye to Hannah, she wasn't really close with anyone who walked this way and she felt slightly lonesome in this direction.

She turned around, and saw a semi familiar face. It was a boy who was in a couple of her classes. They never really spoke to each other so Tia assumed there was no bad blood between them.

The boy looked up, and noticed she was waiting for him to catch up.

"What are you doing?" He asked, his tone sassy, Tia had trouble deciphering if he was serious or not.

"Can I not wait for a fellow class mate?" Tia retorted, she felt bold with her response.

"Mhm" The boy said, looking Tia up and down, as if it were an intimidation tactic.

"Bro, what are you doing?" Tia sighed, she was worried this guy was yet another one of the eshays disciples who was trying to pull the piss out of her.

"Woah, allow it!" The boy chuckled.

At this point Tia could tell his intentions weren't malicious.

"I'm Tia!" She said, pulling a hand out to shake.

He looked at her hand, then back at her. "Mhm, I'm Moe, and I do NOT allow it!"

Tia rolled her eyes at his refusal to shake her hand.

"Where are you going?" Tia asked

"Home." Moe replied, obviousness in his voice as if Tia should have assumed that.

"Oh okay then."

They walked together for awhile, in an awkward silence but funnily enough, Tia did not feel uncomfortable. It was a good kind of awkward, the kind that felt like the start of a friendship; that phase where neither know what to say. Tia was sure by this part that she was overanalysing it, all that Moe had said to her was something about 'allowing it'?

Moe had no ill thoughts by Tia walking with him either, and the two walked together quietly until Tia arrived at her relatives house, leaving Moe to continue his walk home.