Gradually, Slowly

"Aish.. you also have injuries on you face and and legs, you did not tell me that," Taaliyah said looking shocked the moment she she set his eyes on him in school. She pulled his hands and dragged him out of the class. Everyone watched in astonishment. She dragged towards the library building and went behind it. She made him sit on the steps and and stood before him. She took his face in her hands. Keeping her palms on either side of his face looked closer. "Why? How could this happen?" she looked worried.

Taaliyah eyes were like a melting ice chocolate ice cream with the morning sunlight hitting her face. He smiled. She cares. That's what he thought. She cares a lot. And this is what I want. My best friend.

"Am fine Taaliyah," he said touching her hand and looking at her. 'Am fine," he assured her.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yes," he kept smiling.

She then came back to her senses and immediately took her hands off. "Oh sorry," she said. And she held on to her skirt right.

He inserted his left hand into his pocket and took out her favourite nut chocolate. He took her hand pulling her towards him and handed it to her, placing it himself. And he looked up at her. Her checking were a little pink.

"Careful," she said and helped him stand up. "Dont carry the bag or books to class, and we will take the notes as copies and pin it your notebook, I will bring lunch for you don't carry it and also..." but Taaliyah was stopped by Derek.

"Relax," he said. "I have got everything under control, don't worry like this,"

"I know I know I got it," she said and walked away. He stood speaking with somebody else.

When Taaliyah got back to class everyone was eagerly waiting for the two. "Where is Derek?" girls asked her.

"On his way,"

"How soon will he come?" someone else asked her from behind.

"Min Ah," Taaliyah said and turned around. "Go back to your class,"

"It's none of your business," She snapped at Taaliyah.

"It is my business if you stand my classroom," Taaliyah replied boldly. Min Ah fumed with anger.

"Calm down," Bhoomi told Taaliyah and pulled her back to her desk.

"Isn't she meddling with our class a little too much." Taaliyah commented. But Min Ah heard it.

"Yes I will as long as I can get him," she said openly.

"You leech," Taaliyah called her.

"Am not a product on same to get," Derek said and walked inside the classroom.

"Derek my god look at you, my handsome face is injured, hands broken, you should have been careful," Min Ah walked behind him and towards his desk close to Taaliyah. She stood with her back faced Taaliyah. Taaliyah shook her head and dropped the books on the desk and it landed with a loud thud making Min Ah jump a little.

"Am fine, it's nothing," Derek said to Min Ah.

"Wait, I have an idea, I can pick and droo you while coming with my driver," she suggested.

"No no am fine, I can travel alone," he refused.

"No it's not, the buses are heck crowded and you definitely can't cycle alone and I know well your mother cannot drive to come pick you up, leave it to me," she said in a way it sounded like a very good idea to him and the whole class except Taaliyah. But she remained silent.

"You think?" Derek asked.

"Yes, I will pick you and drop you after school," she said proudly and set the deal with him. She smiled and glanced at Taaliyah who was busy talking with the girls ignoring her presence. Min Ah then took a pen and write in his cast. "Get well soon my singer," she wrote and she left. Derek shook his head and looked at Taaliyah. The moment Min Ah exited someone else entered.

"Danny what are you doing here?" Derek asked.

"Am here to meet my girl,' he said looking at the direction of Taaliyah. "Does she not look cute?" he asked Derek. And Derek looked at Taaliyah. He smiled. But soon came back to his sense. "She is an ugly duckling," he said. "Get out," he said.

"Your girlfriend can visit you whenever but I cannot come see my girlfriend huh?" Danny asked.

"Taaliyah is not your girlfriend," Derek said back.

"I will ask her out soon, am building the foundation for us now," he said.

"You don't have to, she will not say yes to you," Derek said confidently.

"And why are you sure about that?" Danny turned serious quickly. "Does she like anyone else?"

Derek said nothing. "I will tell her soon," Danny said. "Hey Taaliyah," he called her walked towards her. Derek tried to stop him with his one hand but he failed.

"Taaliyah," he called again and she finally noticed him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked back.

"Your best friend said that you like someone is that true?" Danny asked her.

"What?" she asked feeling ridiculous and looked at Derek who stood scratching his head.

"Did he?" Taaliyah laughed out loud. "No of course not," she said. "Why would u put myself in trouble?"

"Then get ready, be prepared to fall very soon," Danny said to her. He took out a mango drink from his pocket and placed on her desk. And the chocolate Taaliyah had on her desk she was about to eat, Danny took them. "I will consider this as your treat," and he smiled.

"Hey," Taaliyah tired to stop him. But he opened them and took a bite. Derek got irritated watching it.

"What?" Taaliyah was confused seeing the way Danny looked at her.

"Take care, bye," he tousled her hair and left the class. She ducked and looked at Derek instantly. She pretended like nothing happened. Derek walked towards her and grabbed the bottle from her hand. "I an drinking this, am thirsty, I need energy to watch more dramas like this," he said rudely.

"Huh? Drama?" Taaliyah asked. And at that moment, home room teacher Dalia walked in holding the time table for the final exams. Everyone was exhausted. The day went just like that. Busy whining about exams to with everyone and wondering how a year had passed in a snap. But Derek could not stop thinking about what had happened in the morning.

Opening the door and walking out of the room, he saw his father hugging his mother. He immediately walked back without interrupting them. "So they know to do this too, but choose not to," he thought. He was embarrassed to death about him jumping put of the running car. But he could not forget what his mother shouted out.

Min Ah called him at the right time.

"Come out," she said. The bell had rung. Taaliyah looked at Derek. He smiled back. He got up and left with Min Ah. She offered to carry his bag but he did not let her. Taaliyah stood in front of their class outside the door and watched then leave together. She did not know what she was feeling. For the first time, she wished she is rich.

"Taaliyah," a hoarse voice called her. "Were you waiting?"