Chapter eight

Tulips, the famous cafe students from Holloway High went to after school. Except for them. Darin stood outside, the roof shading him from the bright light of the setting sun. His shoulder leaned against the wall of the white painted building as he waited patiently for her to come out. It had been almost ten minutes since he arrived, and she was taking her sweet time. He flashed a smile. He knew she was trying to test him. The doors swung open and he saw her walk foreward, her hands on her hips as she scanned the area for him. He gave her a few seconds of searching before, "Shawna." He called her name, pushing himself off the wall. She turned to face him with a frown, obviously upset he didn't call her attention earlier. But he replied with a sharp smirk. "Shawna."

"Darin. It's a surprise to see you anywhere near here." She stated, her face turning impassive.

"Obviously I needed to see you. I need you to do something for me." He went straight to the point.

"What do you want?" She asked folding her arms. Shawna was almost the female version of him. The girls feared her as did some boys. But where he left threats that made his point, she took action with her fists, especially in trivial things that shouldn't matter. In short she was a hot head who cared too much and had quite the friends, where he was calm and didn't care.

"I need you to keep an eye on Abby."

Her eyes widened. "That Abby?"

"Yeah. That Abby." Asking her to 'keep an eye on' any girl meant watching the girl he had a thing for.

"Really? You and I, including your friends, know that you never go after a girl who's drooling over some other guy. And that Abby is drenching Tom Wade and you know it." She kept her expression impassive.

She was getting jealous, and that was what he wanted. She always got jealous when he talked about another girl. And it always made her go crazy. He'd never thought anything of it until she got him to break up with Toni. Even then he thought it wasn't true until he noticed the dread on the face of every girl she knew about after that. But he kept her close. He obeyed the rule just as his sister did. Keeping his enemy close. "I'm graduating in two months, I want to try something new." He leaned back on the wall. "So I want her." He smirked.

"So you want her?" She tried to sound calm. "But I can be something new."

His expression didn't waver, he kept smirking, he took out his phone once it began to vibrate in his pocket, "keep an eye on her for me would you?" He ignored her last words. And with that he stood straight and walked past her, headed towards his car, his eyes focused on his phone was he moved.

"I don't want to Darin." She said clearly, getting back his attention.

He frowned as he turned back to her. "I know. But you will, because I want you to." He turned back again, a sly smile forming on his lips. He knew it would make her more angry and jealous. But that was what he wanted, because it was his turn. Marvin had done it for him. And now he had to do it for Lacey.

She was right to be startled. And the question added shock too. But she was smiling, she should not be smiling but she was, she couldn't help it. She reached for the door handle again and stepped out hoping to get away before he flooded her with questions about her expression. She liked the way he asked her. Straight to the point with no speech whatsoever, it was perfect. To her at least.

He didn't expect it, the smile on her face, it most definitely did not match her answer one bit. "Wait, what? Why?" He asked once he realised she was getting out the car. He shook his head and rushed out the car. Walking quickly to her he grabbed her arm before she could open the gate. "Why not?"

She chuckled as she answered, "Because, Abby already blames me for you breaking up with her. Imagine what would happen if she sees us together, what everyone would think."

"So you care about what people think?" He let go of her hand

"Of course not. It's what they'll do. What Abby would do, and I'm sure you're very aware of what she does, she was your girlfriend." She gripped her books tightly. "And there's the fact that you are you." She pointed at him. "I just want everyone to forget about me and the whole thing with Dennis, I want to go unnoticed. Dennis is like here" She stretched her hand out as if measuring his height, her hand raised slightly above her head. "And you're here" she raised her hand a little higher above her head. "When it comes to popularity and I don't want any of that. If I did I would have let everyone know who I am." The smile vanished, replacing it was a need for him to understand.

"So you think keeping your identity a secret would keep eyes of you?" She nodded. "How?"

"My older brother was quite the guy, he got every girl he wanted when he was there, Darin is dark. And if they knew who I am they would expect me to either be like Darin or like Marvin. They'll keep comparing me to them and I'm neither of them."

He nodded in understanding. "Then keep your secret. But Lacey I like you." He reached for her hand but she hid it behind her back.

"I can't. All eyes would be on us and I don't want that. I already suffered through one look, I don't want to go through it again. I just want to be invisible until I leave. And even if those weren't issues to me, what girl would say yes to a guy who barely knows her? Or what is it you think you know hmm? My real name, my brothers, the real reason behind all the rumours? What else? That I keep my whole life a secret? What else? The only thing I know about you is what everyone knows." A very successful way of not bringing in the loses. "Tom it's not reasonable. And I don't want Abby trying to ruin my life like she did that Misty girl's. Neither do I want people looking at me and calling me 'the witch who took Tom Wade from Abby, or the girl who Tom Wade dumped Abby for. Or that other Atkins girl.' I don't want people to know me and watch me. I just want to be left alone and unseen and away from all the gossip." She sighed, satisfied with her speech. "So I can't." She turned to the left and found Becket waiting for her, she'd almost forgot he was there.

He nodded, but he wasn't listening, he'd only heard the last few words. He zoned out after she said his name the first time, and it was the first time she had said it at least he was sure it was the first time, it was strange to hear her say it, yet sweet. And she said it two more times, including his last name. He lost track of her words but he knew she still rejected him. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, digging his hands into his pockets. "Okay." His disappointment echoed in his voice. "I'll be going now." He bent his head and started to walk to his car. He hoped she would say something else but till he had his hands on the wheel she did nothing. "See you in school." He looked at her as the engine revved up, her eye on him, her brows were furrowed and her hands folded across her books. She still said nothing. He let out a deep sigh and drove off.

She walked over to Becket, a small smile on her lips, her heart beating fast for some reason. "Sorry Becket. I wasted your time." He only smiled back. "Let's take the car okay, I have to grab something big and it won't fit on the bike." He nodded. "I promise none of this would happen again."

"Last time it got me the afternoon off so no rush." He winked. "I'll pull the car around baby lady."

She nodded and giggled at the nickname the workers gave her because of her height, it always made her feel cute and happy. She pat herself on the back for clearly making her point made to Tom, she didn't think she could do it for some reason but she did. At least now he would really leave her alone, no one wants to hang around the girl who rejected them.

The sound of the squeal echoed round the hall causing Lacey to jolt and lose her footing while trying to walk into the house with her giant way passed live size teddy bear. The bear dropped to the floor and she followed it, the soft stuffed animal cushioning her fall. Sadey's tiny feet ran towards her still squealing. She frowned at her own fear and hissed. "Sadey! There is no need to do that, look what you made me do. You're lucky it's not white."

"Its here, you brought it here!" She squealed while her older sister was talking.

"Okay shush!" She spat as she got up. "Or I will make you take it upstairs and we both know you can't lift this thing with those tiny arms. Sadey pressed her lips into a thin line and held her index finger against it. "Good. Close the door for me please." Sadey nodded, Her arms still over her mouth as she did what she was told.

Walking down the hallway, Darin caught a glimpse of the laptop screen, the smiling face he saw in it made him stop and lean against Lacey's open room door. "He won't do anything Lacey, you get so paranoid sometimes. You gave your reasons and he said okay? So okay."

Lacey sighed at the screen. "If it turns out to not be okay Toni I would lose it."

It was who he thought it was, Toni, the ex girlfriend who wouldn't say a word to him. The girl he had dated that was ruined by Shawna. The girl with the prettiest smile. She still kept her hair curly as he always liked it. He was over her but he couldn't help feeling guilty for the way things ended. Lacey and her were freshmen when he had to leave in his sophomore year. Shawna had convinced him that his Toni already started hanging out with other guys. She'd said he wouldn't be gone long before she found someone else. "Pretty Toni could get any guy she wants, why do you think she'll wait for you?" Shawna had said. It made him doubt the promise Toni made about being there when he got back. And of course it didn't help that he found boys around her. Seeing them with her and having Shawna's words play in his head made him jealous and angry. He'd yelled at her, said she was incapable of waiting, called her names he couldn't remember. He'd watched her cry as he yelled but he didn't care, he kept yelling. And when he was done she just walked away. He hadn't seen her since then. Lacey tried to make him see what had happened but he didn't buy it. He only saw what she meant when he got back. And by then Toni was gone. Her family left town and only Lacey was lucky enough to see her. He was gripped by guilt, but she wouldn't see him or talk to him. All he could do was ask of her when he got the chance. He had no feelings for her anymore, he just needed to apologize.

"Get a hold of yourself Lacey. Anyway how is he?" She cleared her throat. "Darin."

"Marvin's fine as well if you care to know." Lacey chuckled.

"Don't be stupid Lacey, he was just as much my friend as you are so I'm allowed to ask."

"I know. But ask him yourself one of these days would you? Putting me in the middle won't help. He knows what happened and for the millionth time he feels bad." He shook his head with a smile and walked away. He'd have thanked her for taking his side. He took the stairs as quickly as he could, his show was on and eavesdropping always got boring when you have to stand in one spot for too long. He was still left in the dark about the part where Toni made a decision to wait for him to prove he was wrong about everything. But she never got the chance, since she moved before he got back. And that hurt her even more.

"But Lacey I feel bad too. And you know that."

"I do. And that's why I choose to stay out of this. You think he's pissed, he thinks you're pissed and you're both too stubborn to do anything. It's a good thing it's over between you two." They both laughed. And changed the subject and soon it was like the topic was never brought up.

Obviously someone was talking, Anita of course, but the thumping of her heart in her ears stopped all things from being processed. They walked through the double doors doing their best to avoid bumping into others who trooped in, the bell was yet to go off so they still had some time before the first class of the day started. Lacey took in silent deep breaths. She could do it, avoid him like she had been doing so far, it won't be hard, she wouldn't have to see the hurt in his blue eyes and feel guilty. She could just avoid him till he took Abby back or found someone else he liked. It made sense, he would stop noticing the girl he only noticed because of detention. Toni had assured her that just because she rejected him he wouldn't go around telling people who she really was. She still hoped for her sake that Toni was right. She held her bag tightly and did her best to listen to whatever it was Anita was on about, but it was hard to, not when he could appear out of nowhere.

As if on cue to her thoughts, he indeed appeared out of a crowd of people, Tate walking beside him. The look she was trying to avoid found her. His unexpected yet expected presence made her feel like she was being shoved to the ground, the thumping growing louder, and faster once he looked her way. Sharply she turned to Anita and smiled before bending her head down. It had only been a few seconds but his gaze managed to hold her's, letting her know he was just as upset now as he was the day before. So what if he was upset? This was for her and herself not for him. She needed to take care of herself and not worry about him. Of course she could avoid him. He would be over it soon.

The remaining weekdays flew by and it was easy to keep the rule unbroken. She kept her head straight in class and only looked down, or at the wall, she backed his table in the lunch bar, she did her best to keep busy in gym class, she didn't spend an extra minute in school when she had no extra classes. And even if she did... Well luck was on her side. Until it wasn't.

A week and a half since she rejected him. Lacey walked into the lunch bar and found her vantage point taken. But it had to be okay, he wouldn't look at her anymore, not that she would know since she wasn't looking at him. But thinking was a thing of its own. Unable to ask for the sitting position without raising any questions from the other girls she took the open space, a direct line to where he sat. She bent her head over her tray and shaded her eyes with her hands. The girls were talking and laughing, where she thought necessary she raised her head and spoke. But just like candy and it's sweetness sometimes you just might take it before you realise it's bad for you. She should have skipped the lunch bar. "Lacey whats with the silent routine?" Bethany asked.

With a weak smile she looked up, "A headache." Came her answer before she bent her head again. "I woke up with it."

Jody placed her hand on Lacey's arm. "Sorry. Did you take anything for it?"

"I'll get some sleep after school." She chuckled. That was when she looked up. She most definitely should have skipped the lunch bar. His eyes were on her. She felt her heart beat pick up. Looking away became hard. He wasn't meant to be looking at her and she didn't mean to look up. He didn't look away, but she had to. Once the will came back she dropped her eyes with a sigh and a promise that it wouldn't happen again. But it did, the candy was in her head.

Tom looked, shook his head once and dropped it once she looked away. With his feet tapping the floor lightly he looked round the table. And then at the far corner of the hall he spotted the brother. He took a deep breath, looked at his watch and got to his feet, twelve minutes till classes started again. This was his plan and he had to do it. With shoulders squared and head high, he followed Darin who was leaving the lunch bar, alone like he had hoped sometime soon he would. Briskly he followed after him. Once they were outside the hall he jogged up to him. "Darin." He called out placing his hand on Darin's shoulder. Without stopping, Darin looked down at the hand then at the face, his expression impassive. "Can we talk please?"

"What?" He asked without stopping, only slowing down.

Tom cleared his throat, taking his hand off of Darin's shoulder. "I guess you know that I know about umm... your sister." Deciding leaving her name out was a good option. They kept walking.

"Mm hmm" was Darin's reply.

"I asked her to be my girlfriend." He blurted. And waited for a facial expression that never appeared, followed by words that were never spoken. He expected one or both but not neither. His face remained impassive, and it made him worry. He wasn't called the Devil for no reason. "She said no."

"What do you want from me?" Darin finally stopped and turned to face the boy.

"I uhh..." He didn't know how to proceed, Darin was a very intimidating person to be around. "I uhh..." He flashd a smile. "I like her and uhh..." Where were the words?

"You want me to tell you how to get her to say yes." He stated. Still no expression. "I'm not in her head. I can't do that."

Tom nodded. "Okay." He ran his hand through his black hair. His plan didn't even help at all. "Did she tell you though, that I asked her?" Darin shook his head. "Wow!" He stepped back. "I thought she did, you know, since you seem rather unmoved by it. No facial expression whatsoever."

"Expression?" Darin nodded and looked ahead.

The impact had Tom bending over.