Chapter Five:

Todd vs. Kent

Fianna had no intention of going into the cafeteria one day. Any affection she'd ever had for Todd was gone and she was back to hating him again. He didn't pay any attention to her anymore either and that was just fine with her.

As she was going down the hallway a few days later, she heard someone playing the piano in the music room. She went inside and paused when she saw who it was, Todd Ryan. The music he was playing was beautiful. She had no idea he could play this well.

She stayed silent until he was finished hypnotized by his music. He stopped playing and she spoke. "Todd?"

He turned around. "What's up bitch?"

She ignored the insult and came over to him standing a few feet away from him. "That was really good. What song was it?"

"I wrote it," he replied with a smirk.

"Really?" she said surprised.

He nodded. "I've written a bunch of songs. I was supposed to be working on my first album right now but my parents sent me here," he said rolling his eyes at the thought of his cruel parents.

Fianna leaned against the piano. "They won't let you work on it?"

He shook his head. "They won't let me work on my album, my show; they basically cut me off from everything that means a lot to me." He played a few annoyed notes as he spoke.

"That's harsh," Fianna said actually feeling sympathy for him. "Why did they do that?"

The real reason Todd's parents cut him off from his real life and sent him here was to teach him "humility and respect for others". But Fianna already hated him because he lacked those things. Why would he tell her the reason his parents had treated him so cruelly? He just shrugged in response.

"I had no idea you could play like this. I mean, I thought when you played on McRyan High…I didn't think it was real."

Todd smirked. "I have more talent than just getting on a stage and saying some lines written out for me." Fianna blushed when he said that. "So you watch McRyan High?" He was surprised she'd even bothered to watch it since she hated him so much.

"Yeah, I watch it all the time. Kent is the best."

He snickered. "So you don't hate me after all huh?"

Fianna shook her head. "I still hate you. But I don't hate Kent."

Todd studied her for a moment and glared at her. "What's the difference between me and Kent?"

"Well, Kent is nice he cares for others, he's helpful…" She looked at him thinking back on how she'd felt about him a few days ago. A part of her kind of wanted that back. In his show, Kent and Danielle were like soul mates. She thought of herself in her place. "And...he cares for Danielle and doesn't yell at her or call her a bitch."

Todd thought about that for a moment. He looked back at the piano and played a few random notes as he thought. She way she said it, did she want him to care for her the way Kent cared for Danielle? He started to feel strange…was this guilt that he was feeling? Fianna had intrigued him ever since they'd met; he could stand to at least treat her a little better, couldn't he? "Fianna, sit down," he said without looking up.

Fianna stared at him for a moment surprised. That was the first time he'd actually called her by her name in days. Her mind came back to her and she sat next to him. They sat in an uncomfortable silence for a moment. Then he started to play another song and she recognized the tune.

"Is this 1+1?" she asked.

He nodded but didn't look up from the piano keys. "Yeah."

She watched as his hands moved across the keyboard more graceful than she ever thought Todd Ryan could be. She sang the lyrics of the song to herself in her head; she didn't trust her singing voice enough to say them out loud.

"If I ain't got nothing, I got you,

If I ain't got something, I don't give a damn

Cuz I got it with you,

Cause I got it with you,
I don't know much about about algebra, but I know
1+1, is 2
And it's me, and you…"

He'd learned to play the song when it first came out purely out of boredom. Truthfully he was playing this to her as an apology whether she realized it or not and since she apparently knew the song it was serving its purpose. He didn't know why he couldn't just come out and say these things. He never had to before either out of not having the need to at all or just pride.

After he was done they didn't dare look at each other but both of them were blushing. He took the dare and looked at her. She was still looking away from him with her face growing redder knowing he was looking at her. "Look, I'm…sorry I yelled at you the other day. And called you a bitch." He looked away as soon as he said it. Had he really just said the "s" word? He couldn't remember the last time he'd let it pass through his lips and sort of felt embarrassed by it.

Fianna finally looked at him. Todd was actually apologizing to her? She was truly surprised by it, she never expected him to actually come out and apologize. Her face started to burn from the blush. "It's okay. I'm sorry too." She put her hand down and found that it landed on Todd's. He held it for a moment and they looked at each other but quickly pulled away realizing what they were doing.

They bell rang and Todd quickly stood up. "I'll see you later."

"See ya," Fianna said watching him go. What just happened? She found herself asking that question a lot with him.

Short and sweet chapter. "1+1" is by Beyonce from her album 4