A Silent Nightmare

[Tayssi]

Shouldering her bag, Evelyn, or Eve for short, shut the door behind her as quietly behind her so she didn't wake her father. Walking to the sidewalk, she lifted her left foot and fixed her shoe, where the back had bent in and dug into her ankle. Sighing, she walked down the street just as her phone buzzed. She reached into the pocket over her left breast and pulled out her phone; a simple samsung flip phone. Not one of those touch screens. She couldn't stand them. And they were more expensive. With the little money she was given for an allowance, she didn't waste it on unnecessary items. Instead, she was putting most of her money aside and saving. Glancing down at the screen as the message popped up, she saw it was from a friend, Nora, asking if she wanted a lift. Sending a No thank you in reply, she shut her phone and put it back into her pocket as she made it onto the main street towards her school. It was only a 2km walk, it wasn't that far. Looking at the cars that drove past her, probably students going towards school, the girl shook her head and just kept on going. The sooner she got to school, the better. Running hand partially through her hand before pulling a few strands over her shoulder and toyed with the ends as she walked. She had chestnut brown hair that fell just below her ribcage in waves. Should it be straightened, it would easily reach her waist. Dropping her hair as the school came into view, Eve sighed in relief and dropped her hands to her side, squaring her shoulders and stepping onto school grounds.

The gates alone were enough to intimidate someone. Made of metal and the fence line made of brick, it was either made to keep people out or to trap the students inside during the day. And then there was the school building.. Or, well, school mansion. It was 2 stories high and was painted blue and white. Unless they knew the place, anyone driving by would think it was some insanely rich guy's home. As she looked around, she saw the people dressed in high class clothing made by expensive designers. Shaking her head, she glanced down at her own outfit. It wasn't of poor quality but it didn't reach anywhere near the other students' standards. She wore a blue skirt which went half way down her thighs, with black leggings underneath and a simple white blouse along with a comfortable pair of runners she always wore to school.

People passed her and waved or greeted her and Eve smiled and waved back. She paused for a moment, staring at her slightly tanned skin before she pushed opened the doors and stepped into building as the bell went off for class. People smiled at her and she returned the gesture each time as she made her way to class. Passing through the doorway, into the room, she was almost bowled over as someone pounced on her, flinging their arms around her neck and practically hanging off of her for a moment until their feet hit the ground. "Hello to you too, Nora," Eve said with a light chuckle. The girl pulled herself from around her and smiled up her. Nora was a short girl at only 5'0'' and had a pale complexion, with dirty blonde bobbed hair and blue eyes, with a mottle of freckles across her cheeks. At first glance, you'd picture her as the quiet type sitting in the corner reading a book. However, that was far from the truth. In fact, Nora was very loud and quite the busy body, always nosing about the latest bit of juicy gossip. With her by her side, Eve never missed out on any interesting news from around the school, that was for sure.

Scurrying to their seats as the teacher entered the room, she could barely hear Nora whispering the girl on her other side, facing away from Eve. But she didn't care. Pulling out her note book and pen, Eve paid close attention to the teacher, even if she knew everything he was talking and often felt the itch to correct him on his mistakes. Two classes past quietly and lunch soon came. Standing from her desk, shoving everything into her bag, she went to the washroom. No one was there, luckily. Hands on either side of the sink, Eve leaned forward and took a deep breath before she looked up at her reflection. She had a side fringe which just missed from covering her left eye. Her eyes were a dark blue with light flecks of an almost golden colouring. She had no blemish upon her sun kissed skin. But if she looked close enough, she could see the fading bruise beneath her jaw, under her ear. Shaking her head, Eve straightened to her full 5'6'' before she clenched her jaw for a brief moment. Relaxing herself, she spun on her heel, she strode from the washroom and went tot he cafeteria where she simply grabbed a few strawberries and a bottle of water. She saw her friends wave her over and Eve smiled at them before weaving through the tables and sitting between Nora and a mousy girl called Hilary. Joining in on the fun, she entered the conversation as her friends spoke and told jokes. Laughing lightly, Eve looked around the cafeteria for a quick moment, scanning the faces before focusing on her friends once more.

The day passed quickly after that and before she knew it, it was the end of school for the day and time to go home. Shaking her head, Eve turned the opposite way from the direction of her home and started walking. Her friends all called to her and she called back to them. Eve wandered the streets and parks in the areas, joining in on some sports the kids played, only turning back at around 7 at night. She made her way slowly, making detours and only coming into her street at 9pm. Her blue eyes stared at the silent street and noticed lights in most houses were off. Shuddering, Eve could only hope her father was asleep as well. However, when she approached and her house came into view, she saw the lights on through the windows. Her eyes widened, shocked. He usually wouldn't wait up for her. Slowing her pace drastically, she slowly made it to her front door and her hand rested on the door knob for a long while. However, the door swung open and she stumbled backwards, staring at her father. He stood at 6'1'' with greying brown hair and hazel eyes. His brow was furrowed and eyes ablaze in rage as he stared down at his daughter.

Eve stared up at him for a moment before she ducked her head and tried to scurry past him, but his large hand gripped her arm and he threw her back, causing her trip over her feet, falling to the ground. She quietly got to her feet, lowering her gaze to the ground as he growled "How dare you come home so late?!" her eyes widened slightly as she glanced up at him, opening her mouth to speak but the man raised a hand and brought it down upon her cheek, backhanding her, unbalancing her and she had to take a step to the side to catch herself from falling again. "Don't you try to back chat me!" he snarled at her as she brought a hand up to tenderly cover her stinging cheek, head bowed and shoulders hunched to try to appear smaller. He glared down at her before he gripped her upper arm so tightly, his finger nails cutting into her skin, she knew it was going to bruise. He leaned down until they were eye level, his foul breath fanning over her face as he said, "Do not come back so late ever again, you hear me?!" and she gave a quick nod of acknowledgement before he dragged her back inside the house and up the stairs, throwing her into her room before he slammed the door shut. Eve sat up before she looked at her arm which was red and already starting to bruise and small beads of blood appeared from where his nails had dug into her. Sighing, she stood and got dressed into her pyjamas after having a shower and then went to bed. It was always like this. Ever since her mother's accident, her father had started to abuse her. It wasn't pleasant, that's for sure, but she had learnt how to deal with it and hide it from others.



The next morning, Eve woke up even earlier, got dressed for school, wearing a red skirt the same length as yesterday's with black leggings and a 3/4 sleeve white blouse. She checked the mirror, seeing her cheek wasn't red and she groaned in relief before she cleaned her teeth and brushed her hair. Walking quietly down stairs, she shoved on her shoes and left the house, walking to school again. Once she was there, she went to the cafeteria and bought a sandwich and coffee for her breakfast. Sitting down at a table in a corner, Eve enjoyed the quiet of the cafeteria whilst it would last.

 

[Xan]

Isaiah Macintosh was not thinking of school when he gathered his scattered school books from the floor. Instead, he was wondering if the naked girl sleeping on the bed was going to be as troublesome as the one from a week ago. That one had flooded his inbox with desperate messages, begging him to see her again, and telling him she was willing to do anything if only he would give her a chance. Had he been a complete asshole, he would have taken her up on her offer and used her as he saw fit without giving a rat's ass about her feelings.

If it was just sex she wanted —No— he automatically chided himself. It was the prestige she had been after; it was his name. The bitch had wanted everyone to know that she was going out with Ice Macintosh,and she had been willing to throw away every shred of her dignity just to be his girl. The pleas had eventually given way to threats, and Ice, at that point, had no choice but to act like a jerk. A quick reminder of the compromising photos he had taken of her with his phone had been enough to finally shut her up. He had not heard from her since then.

A quick beep from his phone brought him back to the present. Ice glanced at the screen, noting that he had already spent way more time in this room than he initially planned to. The homework the girl needed help with was still where it was when they entered her room — spread out on the table, the answer sheet as empty as her pretty, little head.

He picked up the last of his books and was getting ready to head out the door when the girl rolled to one side, her arm knocking off an alarm clock from her side table. Ice froze for a moment, armed with an excuse if she asked him to stay. He preferred his getaways quick and easy and hoped that this one wouldn't wake until after he made it out of her place. Blackmail left a bad taste in his mouth and he wanted no repeats of last week's encounter. He eyed the alarm clock — the digital read out blinked in large, red numbers, as if reminding him that he best leave now.

After carefully closing the door shut — so as not to make any noise — Ice stepped out of the girl's apartment and into the balmy air of the evening. Glancing at his watch (it was a little past eight in the evening) he made his way to where he parked his bike. The black Ducati Monster stood under a tree, awaiting his return. Swinging his leg over it, he flipped the kill switch on and prepared himself for the sweet rush of freedom that always came with the ride.There was nothing quite like the sting of the wind on his face. The weight of the world fell off when he was on the back of his girl,riding the wind.

With a quick check, a message to Ada that he was on his way home, and a last second glance at his watch, he was finally ready to go. Sharp gray eyes looked back at him from the side mirror. He gunned the engine and the bike roared down the quiet street, making leaves dance in its wake.

In half the time it took for him to get home, Ice had already forgotten about the girl he had fucked the entire afternoon. The conquest was done, and he had taken the prize. This was, to him, already routine. Slowing down as he approached the turn that would take him to his street, he wondered if he should attend class tomorrow. He had been absent for two days now. A third consecutive day would earn him a trip to the principal's office. Having been there not too long ago, he decided it best to play safe.

"How dare you come home so late?!"

A voice broke his thoughts, loud enough to be heard over the engine. Ice hit the break just after he made the turn. In the distance, he saw his neighbor — the widower, right? — towering over a girl who appeared to be sprawled on the ground. Slowing down to a stop behind a large RV, Ice killed the engine and peeked out, careful enough not to make his presence known.

Is that Eve?

He squinted. He didn't know why he stopped, or why he was, for that matter, eavesdropping. He didn't know the family well enough, didn't know Eve well enough even though they both went to the same school. They weren't friends, and they barely passed as acquaintances. They had nothing in common save the school they went to and the street they lived in.

A sharp crack broke the silence and Ice felt his breath catch in his throat as he watched the man's hand make contact with Eve's face. His chest tightened and he felt his face heat up. The ringing in his ears grew as he watched the scene unfold before him. Ice clenched his fist around the handlebars of his bike. Friend or not, he wanted nothing more than to rush in and hit her asshole of a father back and —

And then what?

He watched as she was dragged back inside, the door slamming shut like a gun resounding in the quiet of the night. Ice waited a few more minutes before gunning the engine home. His mind was in turmoil as he approached the largest house on the block. Slowing down his bike once more, he gave the guard who opened the gate a half-hearted wave before driving up a small hill leading to the back of the house where his family kept their cars and other expensive toys. He spied the latest addition — a Maserati Quattroporte — parked in the garage. His dad was home.

"Dad?" he called out as he pushed the big oak doors open. "Dad?" he called once more. He walked up the stairs, breaking into a half run the last few steps. He stopped when he saw that the light was on in his father's study. It leaked out from under the door, its faint, yellow glow giving the hallway a slightly eerie look.

"Your father has a business conference, Isaiah," a raspy, stern voice yelled out to him from somewhere down stairs. He rolled his eyes and let out a deep sigh. He had already expected as much. When his father went in that room, it meant he was not to be disturbed. He made his way down, the spring in his step gone, his footsteps echoing hollowly as he trudged towards the kitchen where a small, disgruntled woman waited for him.

"Where have you been? Do you know what time it is?" The barrage of questions flew out of the woman's mouth one after the other as she continued to chastise Ice, waving the spatula she held in her hand every now and then to emphasize her point. He knew she didn't expect him to answer her — they've done this too many times to count — but still, she carried on, her voice getting raspier the closer she got to the end of her tirade.

"Ada," he started, putting both his hands up in front of his face in an effort to stop the elderly housekeeper. "You're going to give yourself a heart attack one of these days."

"You're going to give me a heart attack one of these days," she said as she bopped the spatula on his forehead, her frail arms stretched out to reach his head. "I prepared your favorite dinner, expecting you to be home in time, and what do I get in return? A text — a text,"she repeated, spitting the word out as if it tasted vile. "Not even a phone call." She shook her head at him, one corner of her mouth pursed in what he knew to be disappointment.

Ice put on an apologetic face, which he hoped was enough to placate Ada. The old woman looked up at him, her black, beady eyes staring intently at his face as if trying to ferret out the real reason for his lack of punctuality. He offered a charming smile, wiggling his eyebrows up and down before sticking his tongue out. That trick never failed to work, he had noticed, as he saw the hint of a smile work its way in Ada's face, softening her harsh features. He knew he was already forgiven. Ice was used to Ada's occasional grouchiness. He had grown up experiencing more than his fair share of it. The old woman was one of the few people who refused to put up with his behavior, calling him out when she knew he was wrong, and never hesitating to give him a thrashing when he was younger. Now that he was older, she had settled for repeated bops on his head with whatever kitchen utensil she was using at the moment. Ice felt grateful that he had yet to walk in on one of Ada's moods while she was chopping carrots.

---

"Sit down. Eat," Ada said before shoving a plateful of fried chicken towards Isaiah's direction. The boy was still growing, and he was already as tall as his father. Gray eyes sparkled playfully under a disheveled bob of blue-black hair as Isaiah continued to make funny faces, finally eliciting a laugh from her. Pouring him a glass of cold apple juice — she knew it to be his favorite — she waited for the complaints about his father. She knew it was forthcoming. Isaiah always pointed out his father's lack of attention when it came to his only son's life.

"You always make the best fried chicken, Ada," the boy said between bites.

"It's much better when it's piping hot," she said.

"It's the best, no matter what," Isaiah said as he raised a drumstick in the air in mock salute. Ada raised an eyebrow in surprise. The flow of the conversation was certainly unusual, given that Isaiah already knew that Martin was home and had already locked himself up in his study.

She scrutinized Isaiah closely. It wasn't like him to eat in near silence. The boy reminded her of a younger Martin, every bit as wild and carefree as his father. Isaiah, however, was much more striking. His Scottish-Japanese ancestry had given him a face that no doubt had left a trail of broken hearts as wide as the Amazon river.

-----

Ice finished his dinner faster than usual. For the first time in years, he couldn't wait to go to school. He knew his reasons had nothing to do with wanting to learn and everything to do with seeing Eve. Was she going to be in school after what had happened last night? Ice tried to rack his brain for any sort of information about her, but the only thing he could remember was a funeral for her mother some years back. Sighing in frustration, he pushed the plate away as soon as he picked it clean. He thanked Ada for the food and made his way to his room before the housekeeper could ask him any more questions.

----

The morning couldn't come soon enough.

Ice rushed out of the house and drove his bike to school at a speed that was far from legal. He watched the school come to view as he rounded the bend, the tall brick walls of the imposing academy rising like a behemoth in the early fog of the morning. His damp hair had dried out during his mad rush to school, giving him a sexy, just-out-of-bed look.

Parking his bike in the farthest corner of the lot, Ice unzipped his leather jacket before taking it off and slinging it over his shoulder. He walked towards a tall tree in slow, deliberate steps before breaking into a run and scrambling up the nearest branch. This was his usual spot for scoping out the school. The leaves afforded him some privacy from those walking towards him, and the branch was wide enough should he decide to take a nap. He spent more time on this tree than he did in the classrooms. Today, however, he planned on going in, if only to know more about Eve.

It was still early — classes didn't start until after an hour — and the school was almost empty, save for the teachers and a few early birds. His mind drifted off to Eve when he spied her crossing the school grounds. He almost fell off his perch as he leaned forward to take a closer look.

Long legs appeared under a red skirt that was just an inch too long for his taste. She dressed somewhat conservatively and he found himself wishing she hadn't put on the black leggings that covered her legs. If this was how she usually dressed, it was no wonder she had flown under his radar for this long.

And she really shouldn't have — not with a body like that. Ice was suddenly grateful for the privacy of the tree as he was pretty sure he was openly gawking at her.

As soon as she had entered the building, Ice jumped down from his perch. He followed Eve a fair distance behind, keeping her in his sight, the graceful sway of her hips mesmerizing him as she made her way towards the cafeteria. He hadn't eaten, but breakfast was the furthest thing from his mind when he pushed the door open. The smell of freshly baked bread and brewed coffee hit him as soon as he stepped in, but he was single-minded in his pursuit, his steps already taking him to where Eve sat alone. Ice had no plan — he was not one for planning — but that didn't stop him from grabbing the empty chair across her. He didn't bother to check if she was going to protest nor did he ask for permission when he sat down without so much as an introduction.

He stared at her face, his eyes scanning her skin for tell-tale marks of what he had witnessed last night.
And holy shit, she was gorgeous as hell.

He felt compelled to reach out, his actions nowhere near his control as his finger tips lightly grazed her cheek.

"Does it still hurt?" he asked.

 

[Tayssi]

Mindlessly nibbling at her sandwich, Eve soon figured out she wasn't hungry at all. Putting it down, she pushed it away from her slightly and stared at the swirls of steam rising from the hot coffee. Picking up the cup, she took a sip and then scrunched up her nose, placing it back down on the table with a sigh. She absolutely hated coffee, so why did she even think to get it? Shaking her head, she groaned, just before her phone buzzed at her. Grabbing her phone, she checked the message, seeing it was from Nora. Like always. She scanned the message which said "You need a lift?" Eve stared at her phone for a moment before she replied Already at school, thanks! Sending the message, it didn't even take a minute before she a reply came through, "Okay then. See you there!" closing her phone with a chuckle, she put her phone back in to her pocket. Folding her arms on the table and resting her head in them for a moment. She closed her eyes and suddenly wished for class to start just so she didn't have to alone. She was a weird one. She enjoyed the quiet from time to time, but she didn't like being alone.

The tell tale sound of the cafeteria door being pushed open roused her from her thoughts and she shifted slightly to peek over her arms. When she saw Isaiah Macintosh, she blinked in surprise and lifted her head, dropping her arms to her side as she watched him weave around the tables, staring at her and coming straight towards her. Her brows furrowed slightly as he came closer to her, pulling out the chair across from her. She started to open her mouth to speak, but before she could say anything, he sat down without even asking her. She stared at him for a moment, having no clue what to say. After all, he was labelled the 'Bad Boy' of the school and he was notorious for his Play Boy ways. That very thought made her squirm slightly in her seat. What was he doing here, sitting across from her? They didn't even know each other and she doubted he even knew her name.

However, when she looked at him, she noticed that he was looking her intently, like he was trying to find something. Playing with the ends of her hair, her eyes widened slightly as she saw his hand extend towards her, but she had no idea what he was doing. A moment later, his warm fingers grazed her cheek - the very cheek her father had hit last night - and a soft gasp escaped her lips, absolutely confused as to what he was trying to do. But then words that she had never expected - or wanted - to hear came from his mouth. 'Does is still hurt?' Her eyes widened as she processed his words, trying to figure out whether he had really said that. A moment later, her brows furrowed and she said nothing for a long while. But a minute later, she leaned back, away from his touch, suddenly feeling trapped "I have no idea what you're talking about," she lied, her heart racing as panic start to set in. Did he really see what happened? Or was he trying to suggest something else? Suddenly the door was opened once again and she took her chance when Nora appeared in the door. "I've got to go," Eve said in a panic as she quickly stood up, chair sliding across the floor before she grabbed her coffee and sandwich and quickly hurried off without another word to Isaiah.

Throwing the drink and food in the bin as she walked over to Nora, who had a huge smile on her face. "Hey Nora," she said, forcing a smile on her face as they walked from the cafeteria. She glanced back at Ice, watching him for a short moment before the door shut. Placing a hand on her chest above her heart she took a calming breath. Was her secret about to be revealed to everyone? She was terrified of what would happen to her if her father found out someone knew. Squeezing her eyes shut tightly for a moment, she hurried to her class as the bell went. Unfortunately, if Ice decided he was going to class, he might be in with her. She knew he was in a couple of her classes, but had no clue what ones as he barely ever came to school. Groaning at the thought, she took a seat, greeting her class mates with a smile.

 

[Xan]

So that's how it's going to be.

Ice stared at Eve's retreating form as she hurriedly pushed away from the table, away from him. That was certainly a first. He wasn't used to girls rebuffing his advances.

And what the fuck did he just ask? Seriously?

"I have no idea what you're talking about,"

The words echoed in his head. So, she denied it. He probably would have too, if he had been in her place. He certainly had no right digging into her affairs and the way he had approached her must have rubbed her off the wrong way. He couldn't fault her. What kind of an idiot goes around asking about family problems and touching strangers' faces?

The bell rang and Ice reluctantly pulled his body out of the chair. He couldn't believe he was heading in the direction of the classrooms. He'd much rather spend today playing billiards with the guys from the bar, and yet here he was, walking down the halls of the academy, basking in the stares and whispers of his fellow students.

If he wasn't mistaken, he had chemistry lab today. He wasn't sure if Eve was in it, but he could always skip it if she wasn't. Sauntering inside the room just as the class started, he easily located her — already seated and ready for class.

He walked towards her, several of his classmates giving way to him as he took the closest unoccupied seat a couple of rows behind her. He sat down, stretched his legs, and stared up at the ceiling, waiting for class to start.

 

[Tayssi]

Eve smiled at her classmates, but it faltered slightly when she saw Ice enter the room. Many quiet whispers swept through the room as they all noticed him. She watched tensely as he made his way towards her. However, when he walked past her, she immediately relaxed and she let out a sigh of relief. Beside her, Nora leaned towards her with a smirk on her face. "What now, Nora?" she asked gently and the girl put a mock hurt expression upon her face before grinning again. "I heard that Ice came from some slut's apartment last night," she whispered and glanced back at him. Eve glanced back at the guy and his relaxed posture as he stared at ceiling before she looked back at her friend. "Doesn't surprise me," she sighed before looking at the front of the room as the teacher came into the room. Class was fairly easy today, it was just theory. About half way into the class someone whisper yelled, "Eve!" and she glanced to the other side of the room at a guy with pale skin, red hair and brown eyes. She cocked her head to the side in question and he waved her over. She glanced at the teacher who was preoccupied helping another student and she quietly pushed herself from her seat and walked over to him. "What's wrong, Corey?" she asked with a smile. "Explain this to me.. Please?" he said with a grin. She chuckled lightly and leaned forward, foot lightly tapping the ground as she studied the question before she helped him through the question, explaining how to come to that conclusion. She was used to helping the students and last year she had tutored a few of her classmates in all different subjects. To be honest, she enjoyed teaching people. It kept her occupied and gave her a reason to get out of the house.

When she was finished with Corey, she gave him a smile, clasping his shoulder and giving him a gentle squeeze before she wove her way back through the desks and sat back down at her seat with a sigh before getting back to work. Hearing a sound behind her, she straightened slightly and glanced behind her, looking for what ever made the sound, pausing on Ice for second before she looked back at her work. Class ended soon after that and she sighed in relief, putting her pen down and packing her stuff away. Standing, she smoothed down her skirt and pulled at her blouse sleeves, not wanting the sleeves to ride up. As she had expected, her arm had bruised where her father had grabbed her. Shaking her head, she left the room, Nora tailing after her like a lost puppy. "Eat outside?" Nora suggested and Eve shrugged. "Sure, I'll meet you out there," she told her as she veered off to her locker, Nora skipping off to grab some food at the cafeteria. Putting her things away in her locker, she wandered to the cafeteria.

By the time she got there, the line was gone so she could swiftly grab an apple and a bottle of water before she ventured outside. However, she couldn't find her group anywhere and a moment later, she felt her phone buzz. Holding her water and apple in one hand, she fished out her phone and read the message. "Sorry, Eve, we decided to leave early," it said. Groaning softly, she replied Alright, it's don't, don't worry about it, and then she went and sat down at a bench beneath a tree and took a bite of her apple, wondering what she was going to do during break now. And for the rest of the day, for that matter. Her mind, however, soon trailed to Isaiah and she wondered if and when he was going to tell everyone what he had seen. What would happen to her? Or maybe he'd use it as bribery against her? She had no clue and she kind of dreaded the outcome of him witnessing the scene last night.

 

[Xan]

The bastard was flirting with her.

Ice pretended not to notice, but the guy who called out to Eve was irritating the hell out of him. He cursed his curiosity and the events that had led him to stay in this suffocating classroom. He watched Eve out of the corner of his eye, watched her act as if nothing was wrong. She looked normal. Always smiling. Always helpful.

He wondered if last night had been just an aberration. Perhaps she had done something awful to deserve it, perhaps that was her father's form of discipline. He thought back to Ada and how she had beaten him with a wooden spatula when he was younger.

But she had never once hit his face. And though the spatula had hurt, it had never been strong enough to break him.

He sighed and decided to make himself somewhat scarce, leaving the room before class ended. Roaming the halls of the academy aimlessly, he wandered around, pausing only when he saw Eve outside, eating what appeared to be an apple.

Eve is eating an apple. He chuckled at the sudden biblical reference and studied her for several minutes before realizing that her friends were not joining her. Walking around so that he came up from behind her, he wondered if she would run away again if he joined her under the tree.

He shrugged. He liked risks. And this was one he was willing to take.

He approached her from behind. Without saying anything, he sat crossed-leg on the ground, the hard edge of the bench pressed against his back, his elbows resting on the seat. He smiled as he tilted his head back to look at her.

"Have dinner with me," he said.

 

[Tayssi]

Eve finished her apple within a few minutes and she placed the core on the table, deciding to put it in the bin when she got up next. Opening the bottle of water, she took a quick drink before she placed it back on the bench with a sigh. Her eyes shut for a short moment as she thought about what class she had next. As far as she could remember it was English. Opening her eyes, she heard quiet steps from behind her, but she wasn't curious enough to turn to look at who it was. Pulling out her phone, she idly checked if she had any messages, but she didn't have any. Pursing her lips for a moment, she put her phone back into her pocket just before she heard someone sit what she thought was nearby, not right next to her. However, when she saw someone's arms on the seat, she almost jumped out of her skin. She gave a light gasp of surprise and looked at the person, only to see it was Isaiah. The girl sighed and picked up her water, taking another drink, becoming very tempted to tip it on his head. She didn't know why she wanted to do it. She just did. But she resisted and put the bottle back down.

The guy soon tilted his head back, looking up at her with a smile. She watched him, raising a brow in question. but then he asked her to have dinner with him and her eyes widened slightly before her brows furrowed in confusion. Her blue and gold flecked eyes studied him, trying to figure out whether he was joking or not. However, she could detect no humour to suggest he was joking. She groaned quietly and looked up at the tree, her chestnut brown hair falling down her back in waves. She stared into the trees for a moment before she straightened and looked back down at Isaiah. "And why would I do that?" she asked him, not really refusing him, but not saying yes, either as a smirk tugged on her lips. To be honest, Eve would be lying if she said she'd never thought of going out with the boy before. He was definitely attractive, but the rumors about him kept her from ever thinking about that more than once. She had crushed those thoughts almost as quickly they had surfaced, never to resurface again.

She ran a hand lightly through her hair as she watched for his reaction. But then her mind wandered back to his words this morning and her hand instantly tugged her sleeve down, making sure it didn't ride up. She didn't want him - or any one for that matter - seeing the bruise which had formed. If he did see, she'd have to be extra careful around him and hopefully trick him into thinking he had imagined what had happened.

 

[Xan]

"And why would I do that?"

Her words sounded sharp, but her response was not an outright refusal.

Progress.

He paused for a moment before responding with as much seriousness as he could muster.

"Because you find me irresistible."

He glanced up at her, waiting to see how she would react. He wiggled his eyebrows at her, the smile on his face breaking into a wide, playful grin. What he said was said without conceit and was more to inject some levity into the somewhat tense situation. Ice knew that Eve didn't want him prying into her private life, but having witnessed what he had last night, he just couldn't let the situation go.

 

[Tayssi]

Eve watched with a raised brow as he watched his expression go from amused and slightly hopeful - or something like that - to as serious as he could possibly muster, though the corners of his lips twitched as he tried not to smile as he spoke. "Because you find me irresistible," she simply stared at the boy like he had lost his mind. He looked up at her and her eyes narrowed slightly as he wiggled his eyebrows, a smile spreading into a playful grin. She studied him for a short moment before she rolled her eyes at him with a huff. "You wish, Macintosh," she said lightly before she paused. "Do you even know my name, Mr. Bad Boy?" she asked with a smirk. Why would he know her name? Until today, they had never even spoken before. Why would he know it? She wasn't the type of person he'd chase after or try to have sex with. He went for girls who showed a heap of skin, unlike her. She dressed conservatively. Ice wasn't the boy who went for conservative. He went for the bold. From what she had heard and seen, anyway.

She stood up and grabbed her apple core. She went and threw it in a nearby bin before she cast him a sidelong glance and then went back over to the bench and sat on the seat, this time facing the same way Isaiah sat. She looked down at him, pursing her lips slightly as she thought for a moment, blue eyes darting up to the leaves of the tree before they focused on Ice again. "Alright." she said and held up a single finger, "but! You need to come to the next classes.. And not skip any of them. Or fall asleep. If you can do that, I will go to dinner with you," she challenged him with a raise of her eye brow. The class bell went soon after and she stood up, brushing off her skirt before she looked down at Ice for a second before she strode off into the building and found her English class room. Walking inside, she found a seat, noticing she was the first one here. Like usual. It wasn't a surprise. Eve wasn't like the other people in this school after all. She was on scholarship, even if most people didn't know. People soon filed into the class and she noticed Nora hadn't come back so she guessed they hadn't just left for break, but was leaving for the rest of the day. Oh well. It wasn't like it was the end of the world. Nora did it quite often, to be honest.

 

[Xan]

She didn't even wait for him to respond before she walked away. Again. Ice had encountered few girls who tried to play hard to get. And he liked it. It made the chase more challenging. He may be used to the world being handed to him on a silver platter, he even enjoyed the perks his name afforded him, but even people like him needed more than that.

He got up, stretched his arms to the heavens, and then headed to the direction of his next classroom.

It was full by the time he made it inside. He scanned the faces briefly, his gaze lighting on Eve just a tad longer.

She's here.

She was seated at the front of the class — as always. He surveyed the room and noticed the few empty seats. Making his way toward an empty chair by the window, Ice nodded his greeting to those nice enough to say hello. Propping his elbow on the desk, he rested his chin on his palm, his gaze straying outside the window.

It was such a nice day outside and here he was stuck in school. He didn't notice the teacher come in — didn't notice when the class started.

"You wish, Macintosh. Do you even know my name, Mr. Bad Boy?"

Ah, my reputation precedes me. Ice chuckled, thinking of how very old-fashioned that sounded. He almost imagined himself as a dapper young prince flirting with a blushing commoner. Except this one seemed feisty and remained unimpressed with his name.

"Something funny, Mr. Macintosh?"

Ice looked at the teacher, somewhat surprised that she was already calling him out. He heard his classmates giggle, saw them turn and stare at him.

"No, Ma'am," he said as he straightened up in his seat. "Sorry," he followed with an apology.

He watched the teacher raised her eyebrows. Wearing a somewhat incredulous look on her face, Ice knew she was probably wondering if he was being sarcastic or sincere. He stared at the board in front, making out a list of words. English?

The teacher gave him a piercing look — a warning — and Ice tried his best to pay attention. To be honest, he couldn't care less. He could walk out right now and hang out at a bar, but that was getting incredibly old. He tried to focus on what was written, but his thoughts kept going back to Eve. Those eyes alone…and that hair. Ice had a thing for girls with long hair and Eve —

Why do I know her name?

That was what she had asked him earlier when they were under the tree. He looked around the room. He could identify a little under half the class. He may be a delinquent, but he wasn't a complete moron. Why wouldn't he remember some names? If she was hoping he'd say something romantic like he remembered because she was someone special, then she was going to be sorely disappointed. She was lucky he even remembered it.

Ice frowned, slightly irritated now at the direction of his thoughts. His expression got darker by the second. He hadn't agreed to Eve's terms about dinner. Was he really going to subject himself to this torture? Just for dinner?

He let out a long, loud sigh.

 

[Tayssi]

Eve glanced up as Isaiah came into the room and noticed as he scanned the students in the room, his gaze lingering on her for a moment longer. She watched as he took a seat next to a window just before the teacher came in. She faced forward again and a couple minutes later, she heard Ice chuckle and then the teacher asked if something was funny. She twisted in her seat and looked at the guy who apologised to the teacher before straightening in his seat. Chuckling softly, she watched him for a short moment before she turned back around in her seat, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. Glancing to her side, she saw the boy from chemistry, Corey, was sitting next to her. She hadn't even noticed him, he had been so quiet. She gave him a light smile and he grinned sheepishly at her, "Help?" he asked with a hand up in a pleading gesture. She rolled her eyes, "Sure. What's wrong?" she asked, leaning towards him slightly and looking at the question he had written in his book, which he had copied from the board. "Better?" she asked a couple minutes later after she had helped explain it. "Much," he replied, bumping his shoulder against hers. She smiled and then went back to her own work.

She heard a long, loud sigh a moment later and she glanced back at the source and her eyes landed upon Ice. She tilted her head slightly, wondering what was upsetting him and she noticed the dark look on his face. Her brows furrowed slightly in confusion and she wondered if she should go up to him and asked what was wrong. However when she glanced up and saw the teacher's sour expression towards the boy, she decided against it. Sighing quietly, she flashed Ice a quick smile before she went back to her work. However, her thoughts wandered back to Ice and she wondered what was wrong with him. She groaned softly and a while later class finally ended. She packed up her things, flashed a smile at Corey before she walked over to Ice. "What's wrong?" she asked him lightly. "You alright? There's only 2 classes left. Think you can make it?"

A moment later she heard Corey call, "Eve! See you in maths," he said with a grin. She looked over at him and gave a smile and a small wave before she focused on Ice again.

 

[Xan]

He couldn't tell whether she was being sarcastic or just being nice. To Ice, her question sounded more like a challenge. He was about to answer when a voice yelled out.

"Eve! See you in maths."

Ice watched as Eve turned around. What was his name again? Corey? He studied her closer, watching the smile form on her lips as she gave Corey a slight wave.

Doesn't even know she's encouraging him.

Ice cracked his knuckles and swung his right arm in a circle. His muscles felt tense and he longed for the day to end.

He stared at her — they were the only ones remaining in the classroom, the others having already moved to the next one. 2 more?

He could make it.

"Come," he said, just as Eve focused her attention back at him. Ice got out of the chair and started to reach out for Eve's hand.

Easy. Don't scare her away.

He stopped halfway and withdrew his hand. He blew air out of his mouth in a huff and headed toward the next classroom.

"You'll be late if you don't hurry," he said as he waved without turning around to face Eve.

 

[Tayssi]

Eve heard Ice as he cracked his knuckles and she glanced back at him as he swung his arm in a circle and she wondered what exactly he was thinking. The action made her think he wanted to hit someone, but figured that that wasn't the reason he had done it. When she looked back at him properly and he told her to come. He gracefully stood from his chair and she glanced down when she noticed his hand move and she had no clue what he was trying to do. 'Is he going to try to touch me again?' she thought to herself and she tensed at the thought. However, the man stopped what ever it was he had been planning to do and withdrew his hand back to his side. Looking back at his face as he gave a rather loud exhale, she blinked in surprise when he walked right past her and out the classroom door before he spoke again, saying she'll be late.

She gave a light gasp before she jogged to catch up with him before she slowed to walk beside him with a light smile. "Think you'll make it through the next two classes?" she challenged with a smirk just before they stepped into the class room. She sat down at her usual desk and looked over at Ice. For some reason, she thought he'd probably leave class half way through this one. After all, barely any one liked maths. And with Ice's record for ditching classes, to be honest, she had little faith he'd stay. But then again, she hoped she'd be surprised and he'd stay. Grinning at him, she faced the board as the teacher came into the room and she quickly grabbed her book and a pen, quick to copy down notes and figure out equations he wrote on the board for the students.

Running a hand through her hair as she waited for the other students to finish the questions so the teacher could move on, she absentmindedly drew small Gardenias in her book. They had always been her favourite flowers. She thought they were gorgeous. Sighing softly, she glanced up at the board as the teacher finally wrote up more questions, which Eve swiftly finished. Before long, the bell for the next class went off and she stood up and stretched, scanning the class for Ice, to see whether he had stayed.

 

[Xan]

Ice looked at the board, the numbers lighting up in his head with such clarity that it took him only a few seconds to solve all the equations the teacher had given them. He was bored out of his skull. The afternoon had dragged, and math, by far, was the most boring of them all. Ice felt like he was back in grade school, being asked to explain why one plus one equals two.

When the bell rang, he was the first to get up and leave.

Finally.

He headed toward his next class which was on the third floor. He didn't even bother waiting for Eve. The deal was that he'd not skip class and he was making good on the bargain. At the end of the day, he'd have her pay up.

His phone beeped. Stopping in front of the doorway, he fished his iPhone from his jacket and glanced at the display. A soft thud made him turn around before he could read the message.

"Hey, watch i — oh, sorry!" the girl said, the expression on her face changing from irritation to surprise.

"I should be the one apologizing," he said, giving the girl an impish grin as he pocketed his phone. "Didn't mean to be standing around like an idiot." He gave her a once over and watched her blush. "Ladies first," he said as he stepped aside and gestured toward the door. She giggled slightly before entering the room. Ice followed the girl, taking the empty seat to her right as they waited for class to start. He watched her take a book out and flip a page open. The name Katelyn Anderson was penned out in big, bold letters. She glanced at him and gave him a dazzling smile.

"Hey, do you really go to Jacob's Ladder?" she asked.

"Sometimes," he shrugged. Jacob's Ladder was a high end clubhouse doubling as a bar in the west side of town. The place looked modern on the outside, but the interior screamed old money. Ice knew where this was going. The girl was asking for an invite. "You?" he asked.

"The wait list is a mile long," she sighed as she flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder.

Definitely asking for an invite.

Normally, he'd be quick to offer one. He was free this evening too, if it weren't for that dinner with Eve.
He glanced at the clock and sighed.

Just a few more minutes.

 

[Tayssi]

Eve only saw the back of Ice's head a he vanished through the doorway and her eyes widened in surprise. 'So he hadn't left' she thought to herself and gave a light smile before she followed the rest of the students from the classroom. She ran a hand through her hair as she ascended the stairs, glancing at Ice as a girl bumped into him. She watched him for a moment longer before she walked past him and walked into the class. It was History. Probably her least liked subject in the school. She pulled out her books and a pen, glancing up when she saw Ice and that girl walk into the classroom and sit next to each other. She could see them talking to each other and she cocked her head to the side for a moment before she looked forward at the board. She didn't care what Ice did. If he decided to take her home tonight, it just meant she wouldn't have to go to dinner with him. She wasn't sure what she thought about going to dinner with Isaiah Macintosh. If she did, it'd be a first for her, that was for sure.

Concentrating on class, she copied down the notes written on the board before she gave a heavy sigh. History honestly bored her. At times it was interesting, but normally it was just mundane things that she could care less about. The bell for school to end finally ended and she groaned in relief before she stood up, gathering her things as quickly as possible and vanishing from the room, going down the stairs and going to her locker. Putting her things into her locker before she shut it, she pulled out her phone to see if she had any messages. None. 'Good.' She walked out of the school building and looked over at the school gates as students got lifts from their parents or got into their own cars. Straightening her skirt and tugging at her sleeves, she exited the school grounds and turned to walk in the direction of her home. She could imagine her father's reaction if he found out she was going to dinner with Isaiah Macintosh. He'd probably be thrilled at the thought of the amount of money the kid's parents had. But she wasn't going to tell him. She'd just say she was going over Nora's lace to study. If he was even home. She could only hope he was at work.

She looked at the cars driving past and honestly, she couldn't figure out if she hoped he had taken that girl out or not.. Or possibly forgotten about their deal. Eve didn't even know why he wanted to go to dinner with her. She wasn't up to his standards.

 

[Xan]

Ice tried to keep Eve in sight as they both headed out the school grounds, but Katelyn chattering beside him and half-dragging him where her friends were was making it impossible. Any other time and Ice would have welcomed the attention.

"So…do you think we can all go?" Katelyn said, her hands clinging on to his arm. He looked at the group of expectant girls and tried not to think of where Eve was. He didn't even know where to find her.

"'course," he said with a shrug and a smile. "I'll let ya all know when I go."

The girls squealed then started talking about what kind of outfit they were going to wear, lost once more in their incessant chatter about fashion and beauty tips. He left moments later despite the girls' protests and headed toward his locker where he kept his helmet. Usually, he rode without one, but he didn't retrieve the helmet for himself. He had a passenger tonight, after all.

Fifteen minutes later, he was seated on his bike, one foot still on the ground as he checked his phone. He had forgotten all about the message from earlier, having been distracted by Katelyn. He replied to it now, declining the invitation to hang out from the girl he slept with yesterday. He hadn't given her his number, but he wasn't surprised that she had gotten it anyway.

Having taken care of that, he set out to find Eve.

He rode around the campus slowly, just in case she was still in the school grounds. He knew she had already left the building as he saw her step outside before he let Katelyn drag him off, but she may be hanging out in one of the gardens.

Not here.

Taking the turn that would take him outside the gates, Ice headed toward home. If he couldn't find her, then he'll wait for her on their street. He wondered if she often came home late. That was around nine in the evening when he saw her and —

There.

She was walking alone down the side of the road, chestnut hair blowing in the wind. He slowed down until he caught up with her, letting the engine idle as he pulled up beside her.

"I'm here to collect," he said with a grin.

 

[Tayssi]

Watching the cars drive by her for a few minutes before her thoughts wandered back to Ice and the girl from earlier. If she was correct, her name was Katelyn and though they'd never spoken to each other before, Eve had certainly heard her before. She wasn't exactly quiet, always with her group of friends, talking about clothes and makeup or squealing about a cute boy that happened to walk past them. Eve had never had the desire to talk to people like that. Katelyn and posse were narrow minded and had no real future ahead of them. Only to live off their parents' money or marry some rich boy. Shaking her head, she tore her gaze away from the road and looked straight ahead. As usual, she was the only one walking home. She hadn't ever seen another person walk home from school. Not that it was her business. And she didn't even care. It was their lives. Sighing, she ran a hand up her arm, tentively grazing over the bruise under the material of her sleeve. She drew her hand up to her face as a wind blew and she pushed her hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear just as she heard something slowing down and approaching her. But she just kept on walking.

Soon, however, she heard it stop and then a familiar voice said, "I'm here to collect," she stopped walking and turned to look at Ice, an eyebrow raised. She looked at him, noting the grin on his face and she simply stared at him for a moment before she gave a heavy sigh, like it physically pained her to go with him before she flashed him a smile. Then she thought of something and she tilted her head slightly. "I would have thought you'd have taken Katelyn with you," she said honestly. She had thought he would have taken Katelyn, as she was more his type. Even if she was narrow minded, she was pretty and openly interested in him. Eve was certain that if Ice asked had asked her to come home with him she would have jumped into his arms with a smile. That thought disgusted her.

Shaking away those slightly disturbing thoughts, she looked back at Ice before she glanced down at his bike and gave an inward groan. Yay. A bike. She had nothing against people riding them but she didn't find the idea of riding one very inviting. But then again, she hadn't ever been on one before. Looking back up at Ice, she saw he had a helmet with him, but he wasn't wearing one. Safe. Sighing softly, she said after a minute, "So what have you got planned, then? If you're so keen on having me going to dinner with you," she asked and absentmindedly ran a hand through the ends of her hair. A habit she seemed to have.

 

[Xan]

"Here," he said, holding the helmet out to Eve as he slid forward to make more room. He ignored her question about his dinner plans and the comment about Katelyn. "Put this on."

Ice had thought of taking her to Jacob's Ladder, but he knew it was no place for a conversation. He hadn't forgotten the reason why he had approached her in the first place. He wanted to ask if everything was all right with her — like with her home life — but judging from her reactions earlier, he knew she didn't — wouldn't — appreciate the intrusion.

He had decided not to bring up what he saw last night, at least, not until he got her talking. The entire day, Eve had acted like everything was okay and last night had never happened. Maybe everything was okay. Maybe nothing was wrong. Maybe he was overthinking things.

He sighed. Maybe he shouldn't be on this side of the road, offering her a ride. There were other things — better things — he could be doing.

Like Katelyn.

Before he could dwell some more on the missed opportunity of the day, he cocked his head toward his back, indicating that she get on the bike. He lifted the helmet in his hand and waited for her decision, something he rarely did with a girl.

 

[Tayssi]

Eve shook her head slightly when Ice didn't answer her and she looked at the helmet he held out to her. Should she? She could just walk away and refuse him. And yet, she had challenged him earlier and he had kept his side of the bargain. She would have to as well. What could be so bad about going to dinner with Ice? 'He could pry into your life!' a little voice in the back of her mind screamed at her. It was true. He could ask her about her life at home. Obviously, he had witnessed what had happened last night and that thought still frightened her, but at least he wasn't telling anybody about it. Maybe he wasn't such a bad guy as everybody made him out to be. Or maybe she was just trying to convince herself of that. 'He doesn't really like you, he's only interested in what happened last night," she thought to herself bitterly. That thought really made her want to turn and leave him behind. She knew it was the truth, though. He hadn't ever spoken to her before, and if he hadn't seen last night, he never would have. She could have been left alone, not having to worry about whether or not this boy was going to tell someone.

Eve looked at the boy for a short while before he cocked his head towards the back of the bike and then lifted the helmet towards her. She stared at the helmet and then the back of the bike before she groaned and took the helmet. "Fine," she muttered and shoved the helmet on, doing it up as she got on the bike behind him. "But only because I made a deal with you," she pointed out. She glanced down, before she gave a quiet sigh of defeat and wrapped her arms around his waist, not exactly wanting to fall off when the bike started to move. "Do you want to tell me where we're going, now?" she asked, though she didn't really expect him to answer.

 

[Xan]

"You'll find out later," he said as he started to kick off. He felt her arms wrap around his waist and he glanced down briefly. Clutching the handlebars tightly, he turned around and asked, "You okay back there?"