Tasha eyes was fixed on him. She didn't know what to do.
"And he's coming over" Lily whispered urgently.
"I can see that" she snapped.
"Hey" he said as he got to their table.
The whole hall gasped. Thank God. She thought she was actually dreaming. Gusty Manchester waved???, and he just spoke to her??, calmly??, not shoving her???
"Your mouth is wide open" he whispered. She blinked, shutting it instantly. He smiled, really smiled. What's happening????
"How are you feeling??" He asked again.
"I'm.... I'm....okay???" She answered breathless.
All eyes were on her and Gusty. People were shocked, it was all on their faces. Some were with phones, taking it all in.....wait. Was this another strategy??, a bullying scheme??
"Why are you here" Lily asked. Always the brave one.
Gusty eyes narrowed, frowning slightly. But just like it came, it vanished instantly. And he smiled.
"I came for her" he nodded towards Tasha. Everyone gasped again, covering their mouths.
Okay, show was over.
"Come with me" Tasha said abruptly as she stood up.
He cocked his head sideways, looking at her.
"Seriously " she tugged at his sleeves as she walked out. She tugged his sleeves???, and he didn't flinch??, he didn't snap???.
**
Gusty smiled as he stood outside. The weather was so....
"What are you doing??" She said from behind him. He turned towards her. She looked.....good. Really good. She was back to her normal self.
"I don't get?" He asked chuckling
"Thisss" she said waving her hands at him "all this. Look, I don't want any of your trouble, I'm so.....
"I just wanted to be sure you were alright" he cut her off.
She looked at him strangely. Like he had sprouted a branch on his head
"Seeing as you ran away from me??" He scratched his head.
"Of course I didn't run" Tasha replied "I just..... walked??"
"Walked indeed" he chuckled.
"Stop that" She laughed smacking his hand.
"Ouch" he murmured rubbing the arm playfully.
Then it dawned on her. She just...
"Sorry" she apologised, head bent down "I didn't mean to hit your arm"
"It's alright " he murmured.
Her head snapped up, and it happened again.
Eyes locked. And she felt that sensation deep in her belly. He looked at her, like really looked at her, and she felt shyyy?.
She bent her head down again.
"Don't " he whispered as he lifted her head up.
What was happening???
**
"Where the fuck were you???
"Don't use the F word on me" Sharon snapped.
"Whatever " Lucy rolled her eyes "you just missed something huge"
"Huge??" Sharon turned to her.
"Exactly what I said " Lucy moved to the mirror.
They were In the toilet. School toilet. It was cool, always cool, and Lucy found it strange. Was a toilet supposed to be this serene???
"What were you doing here anyway " Lucy asked, resting her arms on the sink.
"Reapplying my make up. It got smeared earlier " Sharon replied, applying lip gloss
"I think Gusty is into Tasha "
"What" Sharon whipped her head, "what are you talking about??"
Lucy sighed. Here it goes.
**
"On our next class, we'll continue with Why Karl Marx abhore capitalism" Mr Gideon the economics teacher said as the closing bell rang.
"Yes sir" the class erupted, packing their bags.
Mr Gideon shook his head smiling as he packed up his book.
"And" he began
The class groaned.
"Remember your assignment " he chuckled as he left.
"That man gives me the creeps" Lily shuddered
"Everybody gives you the creep" Tasha laughed as they left the class.
"Whateverrrrrr " Lily laughed
"So about you and Gusty"
"Hmmm?" Tasha frowned, raising her brows
"Don't give me that look" Lily pushed her "Gist meee"
**
"Huh???" They said simultaneously as they turned to him.
"Do I have to repeat myself?" Gusty yawned as they stood besides their cars.
"Yeah. So i don't have to blame my ears" Bose murmured
"Fine" Gusty groaned "I said, I'll walk home today"
"You've never walked home since you were born" Miles retorted.
"True" Zuba laughed "why now??"
"Or....you could have just said you wanted to be with Tasha" Munchy yawned pretentiously winking.
"No" Gusty snapped "well, maybe.....yes....look I don't know" he raked his hand through his head.
"You don't know if you want to walk with her???" Bose asked incredulous "you having brain issues??"
"Yoo" Miles slapped his back laughing.
"You know, you can't be doing this, you're not supposed to be close to the enemy" Zuba leered
"Enemy??, last time I checked, she has a name" Gusty snapped and walked away.
"What was that??" Miles asked Zuba, frowning.
"The truth" Zuba murmured as he got in his car
**
"It shouldn't be what I'm thinking" Lily muttered, smiling widely
"Please stop" Tasha groaned laughing "I do not want to know what you're thinking"
"Why" Lily pouted "I think good stuffs"
"Indeed" Tasha laughed "besides, you know we can actually take a bus" she added as they walked out of the school.
"And get home so fast without us gisting???, hell no" Like swung her hands in the air.
"You're so funny " Tasha shook her head "oh...and my Mom asked of you "
"Tell her I'll come see her on Saturday, and we'll have enough time to talk about HIM" Lily winked.
"There's no HIM" Tasha said, hands in the air, making the quote sign.
"Speaking of the devil "Lily murmured, nudging her.
She turned and saw him walking towards her?, wasn't he supposed to be home?
"Hey" he waved as he got to them.
"Where's Miles???" Lily asked
"Your boyfriend has gone home " Gusty answered
"He's not my boyfriend" Lily coloured "not....yet"
"Indeed" Gusty rolled his eyes at her.
"I'm calling a taxi " Lily said suddenly and stopped.
"You said we should walk" Tasha turned to her confused.
"I've changed my mind" she said as a taxi was seen driving to their direction. She flaged it down as it screeched to a stop.
"Oh....and I'm the only one getting on" She winked as she got in, smiling knowingly
"You slut" Tasha whispered beneath her breath, as the taxi drove away. But she was smiling too.
"So?" Gusty said.
Gusty. She totally forgot he was here. Oh boy, what again???
"Why you here??" She turned to him
"Isn't it obvious?" He asked.
She raised her brows at him questioningly.
"To walk you home" he groaned. Her eyes widen and he smiled.
"Walk me home?. You?" Tasha asked shocked
"Just to make sure you don't faint on the way" he said, that was the only reasonable thing that came to his head. Besides, what was he supposed to say??, that he loved her smile??, loved talking to her???, loves the way her eyes lit up when she's laughing???. He would rather gouge his eyes out before saying any of those.
"Hmmm" she narrowed her eyes "okay then".
**
"Now, that's not a word" Gusty chuckled
"I know right" Tasha laughed "it's just something I made up to give it that distinct meaning"
"You could have come up with something.. sophisticated" Gusty winked.
"Show off" She laughed "you try then"
"Nahh. Not going to show how good I am in coming up with words" He shook his head sideways
"See. Meaning you can't" Tasha laughed
"Fine" Gusty said "let's see ... beautisom??"
Tasha burst out laughing.
"What??" Gusty frowned jokingly "my grandpa would be so proud "
"Stop" Tasha laughed harder "that's the worst make up word I've ever heard"
"Hey" he murmured "I did better than you"
"Mine was wayyyy better." She said as she wiped a tear away
"Beautifuller was way better?" he said laughing
"Yep. Through and through " she laughed, wiping a tear again
"Do you always do that??" He asked suddenly.
"Make up words??"
"Not that" he chuckled "I mean the tear"
"Yeah. It's when I laugh hard though " she said as she cleaned her eyes.
"I like it" He said smiling.
And something flickered in her chest, butterflies????.
And something changed. The air became charged with something else. He looked at her like, like –nope, not going there.
She sighed gratefully as she saw her house up front.
"I think this is how far you can go" she sighed as she stopped.
"Here??" He asked looking at her strangely, like he didn't want the walk to end.
"Yep "
"Okay." He said moving close to her "guess I'll see you tomorrow "
Their eyes locked as he stood in front of her.
"Bye beautifuller " he whispered softly, as his eyes roamed her face
"Bye beautisome" She smiled.
He touched her cheek lightly and stepped away. He looked like he wanted to do more than touch her cheek. It was so obvious with the way he was looking at her.
She blushed, turned away from him, and began walking home.
**
"I'm serious." Tasha laughed
"You know, it's so hard to believe it. If not for the fact that I saw him with my own eyes, I would never believe" Lily said over the phone
"Me too" Tasha whispered as she remembered the walk home. It was fun, he was....
"You there???" Lily asked
"Yeah"
"No" Lily screamed "you're thinking about him"
"Of course not" Tasha said hotly "I'm just surprised that's all. It's so unlike him"
"True. Maybe he's trying to make amends" Lily said slowly
"Oh stop. You're saying this cause of Miles right???" Tasha raised an eyebrow, even if Lily couldn't see her.
"Of course not" it was Lily's turn to reply hotly "whateverrrrrrr"
"But, if I'm being honest, he was actually fun to be with" Tasha smiled
"Gotcha" Lily snapped and Tasha burst into laughter
"Be serious for once Lily"
"Whateverrrrrr" Lily drawled
"What if he's pretending???, what if he has some evil schemes. You know someone doesn't just change in a day. Besides, what even made him want to be nice to me?"Tasha asked thoughtfully after a while.
"Heck. You're right. I don't think he would, Miles said he wouldn't hurt you again " Lily whispered, not so sure
"Indeed " Tasha harrumphed "he hates me Lily, you know, I know it, the whole school knows it. And his friends are not an exception "
*****
"Bae I'm serious. I don't think he's ever going to hurt her"
"You can't be so sure, you're not in his head" Lily replied
"But I'm his friend" Miles said sighing over the phone
"What about the rest of you???, are you guys still in it??" Lily asked
"Honestly, I'm tired of it all, and I think Gusty is too. Seeing how miserable Gusty was when she was comatosed changed everything" Miles said "But for the rest of my friends, I'm not so sure"
"Baby, I don't want the bullying anymore. Especially if we're to pursue this thing we have, she's my friend" Lily said softly
"I know baby, and I'll keep on apologizing to you for all we put you guys through" Miles murmured apologetically.
"It's Tasha you're supposed to apologize to" Lily said sighing
"That's kinda hard" Miles chuckled sadly
"What do you think about the both of them??. Cause Gusty actually escorted her home, without doing her any harm" Lily said
"I'm as shocked as you are. Since I've known him, he's never done this before. Something's changed" Miles said thoughtfully.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Lily asked smiling
"Why do I have the feeling that you're actually smiling " Miles murmured
"Cause I actually am" Lily laughed
"I miss you" Miles said sadly "I want to see you "
"Chill mate " Lily chided, but was still smiling "you'll see me tomorrow. But first, are you thinking what I'm thinking??"
"Which is???"
"I think he may be into her" She replied like she just solved a puzzle.
"Nahhh" Miles coughed "he's denying it. He's blaming it on guilt "
"Guilt my ass" Lily rolled her eyes.