Something Special

Chapter 7

Tara Lincoln usually ate lunch alone, do when a tray was put in the space opposite her she was a little more the surprised. Especially when she saw who's tray it was. "Alex." she hisses. Looking round to see if anyone was watching him. She was greeted by a see if eyes, all staring at her. "You have to go!" she says. The alarm evident in her voice.

"Hey chill. It's fine. I sit with girls all the time." He says sliding into the chair opposite her.

" Yeh, but I'm not one of them." she says, making to stand up. His warm hand cover her cold one and she freezes. "Stay." he says. "Please." It was the please that got her. Also, the emotion in his voice.

Slowly she sits back into her chair and meets his eyes. "Thank you." He says. Taking it away and for a second Tara wished he'd put it back. But only for a second. "What are you doing here Alex?" she says tiredly, all the fight leaving her at once. Making her feel like a deflated ballon.

"I'n making sure my favourite lab partners ok. What are you doing?". Tara heart surges when he says his favourite lab partner before sinking again. She was his only lab partner.

Then she remembers he'd asked her a question and she shook herself slightly. "I'm eating pasta with you. Is that ok?" she responds, looking at him from under her lashes.

"No. It's not ok because it's pretty obvious you're upset, and I don't want you to be upset." The sincerity in his voice leaves Tara feeling slightly breathless. "So Tara. Pray do tell what it is that's making you upset?"

'Oh you know the usual. Homework, school, getting beaten up in my own home for breathing too loud. Just the usual!' she thinks but instead she just shrugs, I gnoring the twinge of pain in her ribs. "I'm fine. Honest!"

He tilts his head to the side and sighs. "Why?" he says simply.

"Why what?" she says, her voice betraying how nervous she was.

"Why is such a pretty face so full of pain and nervousness?" he says, his voice heavy with sorrow. "It hurts to see." For a minute, Tara didn't breath. When she finally did her breaths were shallow and fragile. "I've had a long week."

"It's only Tuesday." he says, mater of factly.

"Then I had a stressful weekend." He looks at her before heaving a deep sigh.

"How did you get those bruises?" Alex asks finally, gesturing towards her wrists with his fork. She sits still for a second before unconsciously rubbing at her wrists. When she didn't respond he touched her face softly with his long fingers, ignoring the way she flinches at his touch. "Hey." He says, his voice gentle. "I won't tell anyone. I promise." And once again, Tara was touched at the sincerity in his voice. Glancing round to make sure no-one was looking she pulled her right arm sleeve up to her elbow. The bruises start just above where a watch would start and end just at the crook of her elbow. The ugly splodgy marks made her stomach clench but Alex traced his fingers over them gently.

Suddenly what she was doing hit her and she hurriedly pulls her sleeve down. She was horrified. She'd only know this guy for a day an already she was showing him her arms. Might as well give him a front row ticket to the next time her dad drinks. "I'm sorry." She mutters after a while. "You didn't need to see that. I've probably put you off your food now. Ugh!" she puts her head in her hands and groans "I'm a mess."

"Thank you." He says. His voice serious. "For showing me but I have to ask. What happened?" Tara quickly uses one of the lies she'd told whenever people asked her when they saw an injury. "I'm a waitress and the other day I fell. The cook grabbed me so I didn't hit my head but they left a nasty reminder." Alex loomed at her and for a while Tara though he was going to question her but in the end he just shakes his head mutely.

"What?" she says. Trying to see a flaw in her plan.

"You are so clumsy! First you walk into a lamppost, then you fall down waitressing. What are we going to do with you?!" Relief blossomed in her chest. He believe me her. And wasn't grossed out by her bruises!! She sat her table for a while after he left. Touching her face where he had. It had been... nice. 'Well,' she thinks clearing her tray 'that's new!'

................................................................

Alex was confused. Tara. The usually frosty yet devastatingly gorgeous had shown him a chunk in her