All The Way

THE NIGHT AFTER

|9|

Was Thomas James Alarie waiting for Natasha Anne Jones at the school library in the middle of the night? Yes, indeed.

Ever since their encounter the previous night, all James could think was how different she acted when there was no one around or how she was always particularly snarky with him around. But he couldn't deny the fact that he had enjoyed their impromptu conversation up until she brought up his mom. Sure, it was unintentional, but the topic was still a sore spot for him.

James was always the academic scholar kind of kid. Too focused on trying to make his parents proud to engage in normal childhood activities. So, there were no friends in parks, nor were there any adventurous injuries on the gravel. But he was still loved, loved beyond measure.

Aurora Alarie was the sweetest lady one can imagine. With an ever-present smile and amiable personality, she was the soul of the Alarie household. Their villas were just brick walls without her laugh echoing through the hallways, and big family gatherings no one wanted to attend but secretly enjoyed. She was the only string that kept her husband grounded, the only person in the whole wide world who managed to change him for the better, and now worse. Without her presence by his side, Jake Alarie was just a man of despair. Once a father who swore to never be like his own dad, despondent and distant, he became what he feared the most. Someone with no love left to give.

With a melancholy seeded deep into their hearts, even a new start didn't much help. Thomas James Alarie was all but an 8-year-old kid, who wished for some happiness. Instead, he got daddy's-business buddies' kids for friends and monotonous galas for weekends.

Needless to say, Natasha Anne Jones was the only normal of his life. The only constant. Their banters brought him joy and excitement that expensive suits or costly cars could never bring. And when he saw the opportunity to use her so-called secret (which to be honest, James thought was childish, like how far can you go just to beat him), he didn't mind taking it up.

Will that make her super annoyed and irritated? Well, of course. But he didn't mind her cussing her brains out if it meant he could stay away from that big house that never felt like home to him.

James had a lot to prove. He had to show his dad that he didn't need his money to build himself the life and career he wanted. But maybe, just maybe for once, he can take the night off and go argue with his favorite person in this world.

♡

His POV:

Before realizing when I even decided to have another midnight drop-in at the school library, I was already seated at the large wooden table with my hands in my lap, patiently waiting for something to happen.

Patiently waiting for her to arrive. STUPID. This is the stupidest idea I've ever had. What was I even thinking, that she will come here again after the disappearing act I pulled yesterday? This is bloody awful.

I whisper under my breath while weaving my hand through my hair, "Well done, Tommy boy. Very well done."

The watch on my wrist points at 12.34 am. I've been sitting here for more than an hour and have absolutely no idea what I plan to do. Maybe I should leave. I should've never come here in the first place.

I pick up the keys to my bike and turn in my chair to get up.

There she stands, Natasha. With a grin plastered on her face, a backpack on her shoulder, and a black hydro flask in her hand. Relief floods through my veins with a tinge of glee, but all of it vanishes when she speaks,

"Were you waiting for me?" giggling like a small kid.

"Of course, I wasn't. Don't act bonkers". I turn around and put my feet on the table and fold my arms over my chest, just like last time. No way in hell will I let this girl believe that I was waiting for her, or that I'm even in the slightest enjoying where this conversation is going.

I hear her coming towards where I now sit until she comes and stands in front of me. Removing my feet off the table with a quick smack to my leg, she seats herself on the table with a quick jump.

"Since you're already here, not that I would want you here obviously-", she says rolling her eyes, "-let me make this very clear. I do not want you interfering with my business. I will be coming here every night and so it would be preferable for you to take your sorry ass somewhere else for whatever amusing purpose you come here for."

"Is that it?", I say putting my elbows over the wooden surface, mere inches away from where she is sitting.

"Yep, that was it." With this, she takes a swig out of her flask and sighs in contentment.

"Are you drunk? Is that why you're giving me this morality speech, not that it would be any different from what you'd usually say? Wait, did you practice the speech before", I add, as a chuckle escapes my mouth.

"Still keen on asking questions, I see. No, no, and no. And why would I practice that, you're not that important you know.", she tells me while squinting her eyes, no doubt trying to look menacing.

Raising my hands in surrender, I look into her eyes. "Alright, noted"

"Woah, Thomas James Alarie backing out of a fight, that's a first."

"Don't flatter yourself, you've just caught me in a good mood, that's all.", I say, shrugging my shoulders.

"Well, good for you, you've caught me in a good mood too. Now, I'm going to get some physics done, don't feel free to join in, or do. I don't care much." Saying this, she jumps off the table, dragging her bag along with her, and moves towards the study guides' shelf.

I watch her as she pulls out a book from the topmost shelf on her tiptoes, and then sits on the floor with her back to the bookshelf. Without thinking much, I walk towards where she is sitting, with a pen and notebook, and sit in front of her, putting my weight on the opposite bookshelf and stretching my legs.

She looks up from what she's doing with a baffled look on her face, "what are you doing?"

"Joining. And before you come up with another sly excuse, I would like to make it very clear that now you have an advantage at a subject we both suck at. So, let's make it fair, and then we'll see who wins."

She takes a minute to think about her response, looking equal parts shocked and annoyed, and then slowly nods her head. "Fair enough." Pointing towards the empty space next to her, she almost whispers, "I'm starting with electromagnetic waves, we can practice the numerical problems and then move on to the multiple-choice ones. Here, I've got an extra notebook and a few pens too."

Getting up from my position, I take the notebook from her outstretched hand and flop down next to her.

"Avocados?", I laugh, looking at the cover of the notebook she gave me.

"Shut up and study."

"Yes, ma'am"

♡

A/N: Do vote the story if you liked it, it would mean the world to me :))