Girl Next Door

CHAPTER 5

Tifa felt a hand wrap around her arm as she was about to step into the class. Before she could comprehend what was happening, she was dragged down the hallway and had her back pinned to a locker.

Next thing she knew, two muscular arms were pinned on either sides of her head, caging her.

"There's no way of escape now, Shawty" The owner of the arms said

She recognized the voice immediately: Tad Orson. It was just her second day at Regis High School and he was already stalking her. Was this how he behaved to other newbies, females to be precise? Or was he her bad omen? She thought, not daring to look him in the eye.

"My eyes are up here, Freckles" He said and when she didn't comply immediately, she used his index finger to tilt her chin upwards, her eyes meeting his

"Now I'd need to take this off so my words would sink in" He reached out and took her glasses off her eyes, having a better look of her steel gray eyes

"But-but th-those are mine" She stammered, holding her free hand out in a bid to have her glasses back while the other clutched her backpack tightly to her chest

"And I'd give 'em back when I'm done. Any further protest might make me crash 'em frames right under my foot. You'd like that?"

Tifa shook her head in disapproval.

"Then be still" He said and she swallowed hard, unsure of what he was about to do or say

"Interesting how you're the girl living next door" He began, a smirk following

"But you look nothing close to an elite. You sure these clothes you have on ain't lent to you?"

"They're mine, actually" She managed to reply

"Let's say I believe you. Now I'm wondering how you're able to afford that house you live in. And to think that it's even situated next to mine, tsk!" He said, scoffing right after

"I doubt you live alone. Your parents, guardian or whoever the hell you live with, what does he or she do?"

"I asked what he or she does" He repeated with gritted teeth, the thumb and four fingers of his left hand gripping tightly on her cheeks, squeezing them and making her lips stay in an awkward position for a minute

"My Mom" She wriggled under his hold

"My Mom's a real estate agent" She replied, praying that he wouldn't ask about her Dad

"That still wouldn't get you guys that much to even think of affording a house such as the one you live in. Maybe she's been saving for centuries"

"Scratch that!" He immediately said

"She's probably been pilfering wads and wads from the agency she's working in" He let go of her cheeks, his fingers leaving prints on either sides

"My Mom's no thief" She said, a frown finding its way to her face but at the same time grateful he didn't ask about her Dad

"I never accused her of being one. I only said there's a probability. Use your head, b***h. Thought you were a walking encyclopedia, turns out you're dumb as f**k!" He spat

"Before you show me how much of an advocate for your Mom you can be" He quickly added

"Let me say what I dragged you all the way here to say" He continued

"Now listen carefully. No one must ever find out you're the girl next door. No one. When I say no one, I mean even a baby who's been born this very moment as I speak"

"If anyone ever gets wind of the fact that we're next door neighbors, then be sure that you'll face my wrath for as long as I see your face. You're way out of my league and I can't even be living right next to you. Understood?"

"Yes, understood" Tifa replied, fright evident in her voice

"Good" He fixed her glasses back on her eyes, but in an upside-down manner.

"Now peel your back off my locker and run along" He took his hands off either sides of her head and watched her scamper away from him, her backpack still tightly clutched to her chest

"Hey, Freckles!" He called out few minutes later

"Yes" She turned around. Her glasses were now fixed on her eyes in the right way.

"You done your English assignment?"

For a second, she wondered why he asked if she had done her assignment. Then it clicked immediately. It was obvious that he wanted to copy from her assignment.

Well, she wasn't letting a boy who had not only belittled her minutes back but had also alleged her Mother a thief copy her answers.

"No I haven't" She finally replied

That was a lie, but she cared less.

"And it took you some minutes to respond. Your brain having issues processing questions or your hemispheres' damaged?"

"None of the above"

"Then it's obvious you're a no brainer. Wondering how you managed to get the answer to yesterday's question"

"Scram!" He added, not wanting to engage her in any further discussion and she couldn't be any happier because she quickly scurried away like a mouse running from a cat

"I wonder if it's a plank she sits with 'cause I ain't seen no ass there or any resemblance of one" Tad muttered under his breath as he watched her go, eyes fixated on her backside which was clad in a pair of boyfriend jeans

~

Tears clogged Tifa's eyes as she searched everywhere for her backpack. Taking her glasses off, she wiped a tear that had slipped down her left cheek.

Few minutes ago, she had her backpack stuck loosely in between her legs while she took out some books from her locker. When she was done taking out the books, she bent low to stuff them in her backpack only to find out that it was gone.

She had blinked back a thousand times to be sure that she was seeing right but her backpack was truly gone. From there, she had searched everywhere possible but her efforts to find her backpack proved futile.

Thinking of everything she would lose if she never saw her backpack, she began to cry. As she stood frustrated in the hallway, she decided to check the class for her backpack. Who knows? Whoever had taken it could have dropped it in the class.

Wiping her eyes once again, she walked to the class only to find the door closed. Hoping against hope that the door wasn't locked and that her backpack was at some corner of the class, she placed her hand on the door knob and twisted it.

To her happiness, the door gave way but her joy was short-lived when the moment she stepped into the class, she was met with a surprise.