Girl Next Door

CHAPTER 17

"Howdy Freckles" Came that familiar voice she was used to: Tad Orson. He was in the company of Nolan.

"You know, it's been centuries, since I last saw you"

"Up close" He immediately added.

"Did you miss me? Please tell me you did. It would be such a pleasure to know you did"

"Tad, please, what do you want?" Tifa muttered, a look of appeal in her eyes.

"Oh! You just cut to the chase, which in other words means that you didn't even miss me. It's such a shame" Tad said, placing a hand on his left eye and shaking his head.

"Dude!" Nolan laughed.

"Stop being dramatic. You ain't no sissy" He added.

"But of course I'm being truthful," Tad laughed.

Turning to Tifa, he said, "You know I actually did miss you, because if I didn't, then why the hell would I expend the last energy in me to pull you in here to be with me?" Tifa could sense the sarcasm in his sentence and knew that he didn't mean a bit of what he had just said.

"Tad, please let me go," Tifa begged.

"Not until I'm done with why I brought you here"

"What do you want, Tad?"

"You" Tad replied, coming closer, making Tifa wish that there was more space and no wall so she could move backwards.

"Like I said earlier I have missed you so badly" Tad said, placing both hands on the wall, on either side of Tifa's head, caging Tifa.

Tifa's palms suddenly grew sweaty and nervousness washed through her. She clutched tightly onto the books in her hand and leaned closer into the wall.

"What exactly are you trying to hide?" Tad asked when be noticed how tightly she clutched onto DARBI's books

"Peanuts?" He asked, sarcasm lacing his voice.

Nolan, who understood what Tad meant, burst out laughing causing Tad to laugh out loud as well. Tifa who also understood what Tad said as well as the reason why they laughed felt hurt.

Tad had just referred to her breasts as peanuts, making her wonder if she really did have small breasts. She made a mental note to examine her breasts in the mirror when she got home.

"I asked what exactly you were hiding" Tad probed further and when Tifa didn't reply, he continued talking.

"You know, I love the fact that you're intimidated whenever you're around me. The fact that I make you nervous trips me. There's something it does to me. Should I say, it boosts my morale? I'm not so sure"

"Tad—" Tifa was saying but Tad cut her short.

"And the way you call my name too. It's sexy"

"f**k you, Tad. You're gonna get this girl wet" Nolan chuckled.

"That's the aim, so I could use my fingers," Tad said, eyes not leaving Tifa.

Tifa got the message and immediately, fear glistened in her eyes. If Tad meant what he had just said, then she was not having any of it. Making out with someone she did not love, worse still, the very bully that tormented her life non stop, was something she did not appreciate.

Without thinking, tired of thinking, she lowered her head and made to run out from underneath Tad's arm, but the latter was fast enough to see her move and grab her by the arm before putting her back in place against the wall.

"Look who wants to escape," Tad laughed.

"Look at me," Tad said, but Tifa did not respond. Next, he used his index finger to raise her chin up so their eyes were now meeting.

"Did you really think I was gonna stick my fingers down there? A pit which reeks of grime?"

Nolan couldn't help but explode into guffaws.

That was the height of Tad's insult. This last one had really gotten to her and made tears clog in her eyes. It took the last courage in her to prevent the tears from falling.

"So much for beating about the bush" Tad withdrew his finger from under her chin.

"I'll just hit the nail on the head. I need you to do C-TENN's biology assignment"

"You're not saying anything? You're not gonna argue, protest or do something?" Tad asked, chuckling at the same time, as he was clearly surprised at Tifa's quietness.

And just when Tifa was about to open her mouth and say something, Tad shut her up by speaking.

"Nolan, our biology practical books" He stretched his hand out to Nolan who dropped all five books in his hand.

"There you go. I need them to be ready a day before the deadline" Tad stretched the books out to her.

"But Tad, the deadline is just in two days and today's dusk has already arrived," Tifa said, hesitant to collect the books.

"Which means I need the assignments ready by tomorrow, since we will be submitting it the day after tomorrow"

"By the way, Brandy and her girls have already tasked me with theirs. Can you please get someone else to do the assignment or can you and your squad at least do it by yourselves?" Tifa pleaded.

"You should consider it an honor that my girlfriend and her crew have considered you fit enough to do their assignments, you know" Tad said, making Tifa wonder if truly Brandy was his girlfriend.

Well, if she was, then she wasn't surprised as they both complemented each other. Theirs was a perfect definition of the popular idiomatic expression, ‘two birds of the same feather flock together’.

"When it comes to anything about them, you don't come close" Tad added

"Well, that's true, because they're dummies and I ain't" Tifa wanted to say but restrained herself.

"But Tad, I already explained that I would be doing Brandy's assignment as well as that of her friends" Tifa protested.

"Do I look like I give a monkey? I don't, honey. I need those assignments ready by tomorrow and that's final"

"You don't wanna know right now, what's gonna happen if you don't do them. I don't care how you're gonna do it. Burn the midnight candle to do it or turn into some robot and complete it in minutes, I don't know. All I care about is the fact that those assignments will be ready by tomorrow. Am I clear?"

"I asked if I'm clear" Tad repeated going closer to Tifa, leaving just a few inches between them so they were now sharing the same breath, when she didn't reply.

"Y—yes, you're clear," Tifa stuttered.

"Here" Tad stretched the books out again to her.

Reluctantly, Tifa reached out and collected the books, adding them to the pile that was already in her hands.

"Good girl. Now run along, little thing" Tad said, moving backwards, giving room for her to walk away.

As Tifa walked away, she wondered how she was going to complete eleven assignments—hers inclusive—in two days, when she was only human and not a robot and definitely had other things to do.

"Damn you, Mom and Dad for divorcing and making me move. Damn Regis High School for admitting Tad and the likes of him. Damn every f*****g thing!" Tifa cussed again and again on the inside of her.

"Arrgggh!" She finally yelled out, leaning her back on a wall, before slowly sliding down the wall till her bottom came in contact with the cold floor, her knees curled up to her chin, the ten books, a pillow for her chin.