𝑫𝑰𝑨𝑴𝑶𝑵𝑫 𝑴𝑰𝑵𝑫𝑺

[ CHAPTER ONE ]

[ T A S H A  C A M P B E L L  ]

✧

1995 was a dangerous time for kids Tasha's age in Beverly Hills, California. With love songs still reigning supreme and teenage girls constantly stopping by her parents' pharmacy to get birth control pills, Tasha couldn't escape the blinding obvious:

Love was in the air, gross!

Tasha had been anti-relationship since her junior year in late 1994. And in a year, Tasha had cut her shoulder-length hair short, transformed her bright, goody-two-shoes wardrobe into "stuff that emos wear," gained a little weight to her lithe frame, and began writing a series of love-bashing poems. The fact that practically everyone around her was married, dating, or "goin' steady" dared Tasha to be different—in short, she was more than fucking happy with being single.

"Tasha!" Mrs. Campbell calls from the kitchen.

"Yes mama?" The eighteen year old calls back, standing in front of the bathroom mirror while using her gelled fingers to slick down her finger waves.

"You're going to be late for school, hurry on now!"

Tasha let out an exasperated sigh before she washed her hands and turned off the bathroom light. She hurries over to the kitchen to pull on her backpack, then goes over to kiss her mother on the cheek and grab a piece of bacon from a plate near the stove.

"Where's daddy?" Tasha asks with her mouth full, grabbing her car keys from the hook near the front door. Mrs. Campbell waves off her daughter. "He's at the pharmacy already, now get to school!"

Tasha gives her mother one last cheeky smile before she goes.

Beverly Hills High was a twelve minute drive from her house without traffic, but since there was always traffic in the 90210, Tasha didn't arrive until twenty minutes later. She parked her jet black Acura near the back of the parking lot before she made her way towards the large main building of the school.

Tasha dapped up and greeted anyone who approached her as she made her way to her locker in the crowded hallway. When she had reached her destination, her best friends and locker neighbors, Monika Lively and Neva Johnson, were already there and chatting about what Tasha abhorred most: relationships.

Tasha let out a loud groan as she opened her locker, annoyed that her locker was in the middle of theirs. "Do y'all talk about your boyfriends every second of everyday?" Tasha huffs, putting materials from her locker into her backpack.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the Uh Girls."

Hearing the smug voice of her ex-boyfriend Kingston Walker made Tasha close her eyes before she inhaled and exhaled deeply, trying to remain a cool composure. Monika and Neva, however, were not hesitant to get up in Kingston's face.

"The 'Uh Girls,' really? How lame can you be, Prickston?" Neva snarls, wagging her index finger in the air sassily.

"I think it's kinda clever; Nev-uh, Tash-uh, Monik-uh." One of Kingston's minions say.

"Especially since y'all give everybody 'uh' headache!"

Kingston and his posse bust out laughing as they walk away, the minions high-fiving their leader for his insult; Tasha opens her eyes when she hears their laughs and condescending footsteps fade away. "Would y'all still be my friends if I ended up in jail for killing Kingston?" Tasha asks abruptly.

Her question makes Monika and Neva laugh, both unaware that Tasha was only half-joking.

"See Tasha, Prickston's the reason why you think love is stupid and boys are bad, but not all of 'em are." Monika explains solemnly.

Neva nods in agreement. "Yeah Tash, and I know deep down you believe that Marcus and Nehemiah are good guys for Moni and I."

Tasha stared at both of her best friends with furrowed brows and a tight jaw before she loosened up and shrugged.

"Whatever." And in Tasha's world, "whatever" meant that the topic was put temporarily to the side. Monika and Neva both grew smiles at their momentary victory against the ever-so-stubborn Miss Tasha Campbell.

✧

Aside from dismissal, U.S. History was Tasha's favorite period of the day.

Today's lesson was engaging; they had been learning about the Civil War with the coolest teacher (in Tasha's opinion) at 90210 High, Dr. Hornet, who was probably the only white guy (who wasn't a celebrity) she admired.

Tasha was unabashedly his favorite and most knowledgable student; their relationship was cordial until he begged her to tutor Brandon Walsh.

Brandon Walsh: star quarterback and heartthrob. Tasha at least heard his name a hundred times a day, from both girls and boys.

"I don't wanna tutor that asshole!" Tasha protests with only her and Hornet in the classroom after the dismissal bell rang. Tasha had never actually spoken to Walsh a day in her life, but he was friends with Kingston, so he was asshole enough for that reason alone.

"Tasha, he's close to failing and he's been on my back for days about getting extra help."

Tasha crosses her arms. "Why does getting help matter to him, shouldn't he be worried about what his hair looks like or how to make a field goal?"

Hornet takes off his glasses to stare up at Tasha from his desk. "Well, that's just the thing: he'll get kicked off the team if he fails this class, especially since passing U.S. History is a graduation requirement."

"Okay whatever, but how does this benefit me?"

"Extra credit...?" Hornet says lamely.

"Sir, I have a 108% in your class." Tasha retorts.

Hornet lets out a sigh. "I know, I know. But Walsh says he doesn't learn well when I teach him and you're my best student, Tasha. I know you can get the job done."

Tasha's jaw hardens, but Hornet doesn't break their intense eye contact.

"Ugh, fine."