Beneficial | ANTHONY VAUGHN

016

The video played over and over again.

"Can we please stop watching this" Tori pleaded Quinni, not wanting to have to relive Malakai's pain. Over the weekend the video Amerie had posted from the slayball had been copied and posted by other students. Tori had been able to avoid it, most of her energy going to try and comfort Amerie, so when Quinni showed it to her as soon as she walked into the school gates she was heartbroken.

The girl put her phone away. "It started circulating over the weekend." "Who made it?" Amerie asked, looking just as devastated as Tori felt.

"We don't know."

"Do you think he's seen it?" Quinni just shrugged at Amerie's question. Darren seemed to be scanning the crowd for someone "He's already in the hall." Tori told Darren, knowing that they would be looking for Cash. That seemed to make Darren smile slightly.

"Oh, yeah, how's that going? Getting matching mullets soon?" Amerie teased. "Amerie," Quinni told her off while Darren pretended to laugh. "Sorry. I just have feelings about Darren dating the most probbo person in our school."

Amerie explained. "Oh, okay, he's not probbo. Sure, he deals drugs, but who doesn't?" Darren defended, and Tori slowly began to raise her hand.

"It was rhetorical!"

---

Tori stood at her locker, trying to search for a pack of gum she knew she had been hiding in there.

"Hey," She turned to see Ant smiling at her. "Hey," she spoke quickly, expecting him to keep walking. Instead, he moved up closer. Tori let out a sound of recognition. "Oh, you want benefits, cause I actually-"

"No actually" Ant spoke, before thinking over his words "Well I mean now you mention it I would love to, but I just saw you and thought maybe you would want to walk to assembly together."

"Oh," Tori spoke surprised, though Ant's smile didn't waver. He was always good at giving the girl time to think over information, not getting offended by the lack of an initial reaction. "Just give me a sec I'm looking for some gum"

"Oh here" Ant spat the piece of gum he was chewing and held it out for Tori to take. "It's still got some flavour left" Tori gave him an unimpressed look "You're joking right?" Ant looked confused. "That's disgusting"

"I mean it's not like we haven't shared spit before" Ant lowered his voice for that part and Tori shoved him lightly. "I'll pass, I'd rather have bad breath" Tori closed her locker, turning to start walking. "Suit yourself" Ant shrugged, throwing the gum back into his mouth.

"So how was the rest of your weekend?" Ant asked as he fell into step with Tori. "It was fine" she shrugged "Spent most of the time hanging out with my brother."

"You have a brother?" Ant questioned and Tori nodded. "Yeah, a younger one. His name's Neil"

"Sick man, I always wished I had siblings" Ant spoke almost dreamily. "You being an only child weirdly makes sense to me," Tori thought. "I feel like I should be offended by that" Ant teased and Tori just shrugged.

As the pair walked, Tori realised it was the first real conversation she had ever had with the boy. Not just about benefits, or whatever drama was going on. Just some time to get to know each other.

The two entered from the back of the hall, meaning luckily none of their friends saw them enter together. "Well, I'll see you around then" Ant gave her one last smile.

"Yep," Tori spoke almost awkwardly. She quickly moved to take a seat next to Darren. "There you are girl, I thought you were ditching" Darren complained while Quinni gave Tori a small wave. "Yeah sorry, I just got distracted".