Chapter Eleven: The Joys Of Tutelage

A'isha had wallowed in her misery for another hour or so, hoping the sheets muffled most of her sobs and sniffles. The last thing she wanted was her family hearing her pitiful whimpers.

Aside from the harmonious bird song beyond her window, all was still and silent. Until the click of a door seized her attention, followed by footsteps she recognised as Uncle Ahad's. Thanks to his long legs, the pause between each step was slightly longer than Aunt Elissa's or Amara's. Sadly, the sound only served to remind her of her father's footfalls, which were much the same.

Heaving a resolute sigh, A'isha refused to feel sorry for herself for another minute. As much as she wanted to. The idea of dragging herself out of bed to tackle another day was absolutely daunting, to say the least. All she wanted to do was curl up in her bed and stay there forever, warm and peaceful... kind of.

But I need my timetable and locker combo, A'isha reminded herself, throwing the sheets off her slender frame. She winced as the cool morning air nipped at her skin. Rushing over to her closet, she quickly nabbed her navy blue dressing gown, throwing it around her slightly shivering frame before making headway for the exit. And if I want my timetable and locker combo, I'm going to need to beat Marik to school.

Ish barely stifled a groan at the thought of the jerk, and at the fact she'd have to deal with him all day, aside from in Mathematics, when he thankfully had a free period...though he'd probably still talk to her with his weird telepathic mind link or whatever it was. She refused to mull on the fact he'd seemed almost...nice to her earlier this morning. Though she did briefly wonder why the heck he'd been up at just after four in the morning. Hopefully not to go to school early...

Shaking her head, she willed herself to focus on the task at hand. She trekked down the stairs, two steps at a time, and through the archway that led to the kitchen, where she could hear the coffee maker moaning and hissing.

Marik will only do whatever he did yesterday to make the office lady think my timetable and locker combo aren't in the school's system. She knew Ahad left early for work, and the police station he was based at wasn't too far from Alexandria High School. He's my chance at regaining at least a little control from that mind reading freak!

A'isha didn't miss the surprise that crossed Ahad's countenance as she entered the room. She briefly noted he was already in his police uniform, complete with a hat. She also noted how much like her father he looked; being identical twins, the only real difference was that Ahad's hair was shorter and his face was free of stubble. It was almost painful to see, like a cruel imitation of her father coming back from the dead.

"You're up early, A'isha!" he merrily stated from his place beside the coffee machine. "Feeling a bit better, are you?"

"Uhh...Yeah!" She offered a rather sheepish smile, feeling like she was lying after the morning she'd had so far. But at least she'd gotten it out of her system. For now, at least. "Hey, Uncle Ahad?"

He turned to face her with an ebony coffee mug in his right hand. "Yeah, Ish?" he said, flashing a smile that seemed almost sympathetic. She found herself wondering if he'd heard her crying.

God, I hope not! She almost cringed at the thought. "I was just wondering...I assume you're going to work early today?"

"I sure am." The sympathetic twist to his smile vanished with his next words. "Did you want a lift?"

"Yes please. I, uhh, wanted to study a bit before class today and I prefer studying in the library rather than at home." A'isha considered herself a pretty good liar, to those who didn't know her tells at least. But she felt a little off her game today, which was probably the reason for the second long skeptical look her uncle wore, before his smile returned.

"As long as you're ready in half an hour."

"Shouldn't be a problem."

Ahad gave a curt nod. "Alright." He gestured towards the fridge. "Elissa made pancakes for dessert last night and I took the liberty of dishing out a plate for you." He sipped his coffee before continuing, "Thought you might enjoy it for breakfast."

To A'isha's surprise, her smile was genuine. Something that seemed to be rare these days. "Thanks, Uncle Ahad." Her smile grew. "I think you just made my morning."

Ahad grinned back. "And I think you just made mine."

A'isha had managed to get ready with a minute to spare. After scoffing down breakfast and brushing her teeth, she'd double checked her bag had everything she'd need for the day ahead. After which she'd showered, taking a mere five minutes. She hadn't bothered to wash her hair, though she had wet it purely because she planned on shaking things up a little by wearing it down today; she loved the way it air dried into black, beachy curls.

Today's get up consisted of a loose-fitting, vibrant orange shirt made of silk, which she had slightly tucked into a pair of navy blue three quarter jeans. A silver charm bracelet and black ballerina flats completed the ensemble. She'd applied her daily make up look: a thin layer of foundation, a dusting of blush and a light coat of mascara. She had also decided to apply some strawberry scented lip balm with a slight red tint, as her lips had felt a little dry. Finally, she had covered the bruise on her forehead with some concealer, and shoved it in her bag in case she needed to touch up at school.

A'isha had just climbed into Ahad's burly four wheel drive, satisfied after noticing Marik's bedroom curtains were still closed and both his car and bike were still sitting on the driveway. But I won't get my hopes up just yet, she reasoned, despite the cautious optimism. He could've walked to school, gotten a lift or something and maybe just didn't bother to open his curtains today.

Staring out the passenger window, she heard Ahad jump into the driver's seat, followed by the click of the door. "Alrighty," the man murmured, more to himself, as he tossed something into the back seat. Probably his duffle bag stuffed with gym gear. Elissa had mentioned that he often worked out at the police station's gym after his shift.

Ish perceived the jingling of keys and, after a moment, the engine rumbled to life, beeping as it reversed down the driveway and onto the road. The car rolled into motion a second later, en route for Alexandria High.

A few minutes into their drive, A'isha couldn't help but feel a little awkward at the silence, save for the Arabic tunes that floated through the car radio. She felt this odd vibe as she stared out the window, like her uncle had something on his mind; something he wanted to say but simply couldn't put into words. Another minute passed before he confirmed her suspicions.

"I miss them."

A'isha stiffened. It was simple. She knew that wasn't exactly what he'd been hoping to say, but it was probably a start.

Another minute ticked by.

"So do I..."

Thirty seconds later.

"You have her smile." Ahad laughed, though there was no real joy to the sound. "And his pensive expression." He gave a long sigh. "Ish...I know we've barely seen each other these last few days, what with me working and you at school, off with Amara and all that." His grim tone had her biting back tears. "But I...can't help but feel like I've seen that second expression a lot more than the first since you got here." He cleared his throat. "Granted that's to be expected but I..." Another more defeated sigh passed his lips. "I just want you to know that I'm here for you if you need me." His voice cracked with his next words. "Because I...I lost my brother that day...my twin..."

A'isha knew what was to come as soon as Ahad pulled over to the side of the road. Merely a second after doing so, a sob shook his shoulders. And A'isha finally lost it, as tears flooded down her cheeks.

"Almahdi was my best friend... And I'd known your mother since I was eighteen." His left hand met his temple, while his right settled on her shoulder; a semi-successful attempt at consoling his niece. "I miss them both so much." Another sob. "And I can't even begin to imagine how you must feel."

A'isha couldn't help the pang of guilt that wriggled its way into the back of her brain. If she hadn't called them... "Thank you, Ahad," she quietly drawled, resting her hand atop the one he'd set on her shoulder. "That means a lot to me." And although she suddenly felt nauseous by the emotions and the memories that flooded through her, she wasn't lying. His empathy really did mean a lot. The fact he'd expressed it, even more so.

Sniffing for what must have been the millionth time that morning, A'isha withdrew a pack of tissues from a side pocket of her leather back pack. She held them out to her uncle, who graciously accepted one. Then she took one for herself, carefully dabbing around her eyes while silently thanking whoever invented waterproof mascara.

A'isha glimpsed Ahad tucking the used tissue into his back pocket. Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply, then exhaled slowly. A'isha knew her uncle had regained his composure when he flicked on the indicator, and he merged back into the early morning traffic soon after. "Just remember, Ish," he gently said. "I'm always here if you need someone to talk to."

A'isha forced a small smile. He deserved that much, even if the simple action somehow left her exhausted. "I know you are."

"Yes!" A'isha basically sung, victoriously holding her timetable up high as she left the administration office. "A'isha, one; Marik, zero!" Well...not exactly, but let's not get into the logistics of it all.

Her triumphant grin wavered as she noticed a pair of brown eyes on her. They belonged to an understandably perplexed girl who currently watched her from a nearby indoor bench, an open textbook firmly within her grasp. She looked to be around fourteen or fifteen.

Clearing her throat, A'isha lowered the timetable to hip level, sheepishly shuffling past the girl. She didn't need to spare another glance the younger girl's way to know those brown eyes were still on her.

Only when she rounded a corner and out of sight, did A'isha slip her timetable, complete with her locker combo, into her left bra cup. The folded up paper pricked her boob a little, but Marik sure as heck wasn't about to find it there. Worth it, she thought, chuckling quietly to herself. She finally felt like she was regaining at least a little control over her life...and it felt great!

A'isha had also grabbed a map from the counter of the admin office, having quietly chimed, "Self proclaimed tour guide, you have officially been replaced!" She currently used this to navigate the rather empty corridors to her Maths class. It was still early, so she figured she'd be waiting a while before class started, but she'd rather sit in an empty classroom than fall victim to the many stares of curious or gossiping students, after her run in with Amarillo yesterday.

As she made her way to class, A'isha minutely recalled the admin lady's confusion over how her colleague had been unable to locate her timetable and locker combo yesterday.

"Really?" she had said, arching a brow. "That's strange... Everything's right here. I don't know why the woman couldn't find it for you."

Because of Creeper McCreeperson, she bitterly thought, near positive Marik's abilities didn't just gift him with telepathy. But how could mind control exist? Was he a hypnotist or something? She had no clue, but after what she'd been through these past few days, courtesy of Mister High and Mighty, A'isha knew better than to rule out such strange notions.

"A'isha!" a deep voice called. Rushed footfalls upon the hard floor followed.

Quirking an eyebrow, she turned to find none other than Dani dashing towards her. A wide grin lit up his whole face. It must have been contagious, she realised, for she was now smiling too.

He stopped before her a few seconds later, absently shrugging his shoulders in order to adjust his bag straps. They must have shifted while he was running. She couldn't help but notice that even his sky blue eyes somehow seemed to be smiling at her. "Good morning, Ish!" he practically sung. "Thanks for accepting my friend request."

A'isha shrugged, smile never wavering. "Well thanks for sending it!" Her tone grew playful as she continued, "Nice profile picture by the way."

Dani blinked. A second later, his cheeks were flushed. "Oh- The cross dressing?" He sheepishly laughed. "Yeaaah. We came across a picture of our friend, Aiden, in a dress. Gave him grief about it, so he bet that we couldn't pull it off... We were hoping to prove him wrong buuuuut..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Unfortunately, we proved him ridiculously right."

A'isha briefly wondered how Dani had convinced Marik to throw on a dress. He didn't exactly seem like the type to do so willingly. Not that she knew the guy very well. He must have won the affections of the student body somehow...aside from taking advantage of his freaky powers.

Dismissing her dubiousness, A'isha registered the name of the friend who had placed the bet, having seen that very name on Julie's Facebook profile yesterday. "Aiden as in Julie Hughes' boyfriend?"

"That's right!" A nod accompanied his words. "You know them?"

"I haven't met Aiden, but Julie came to visit me at the sickbay yesterday and added me on Facebook last night."

"Oh gosh!" Dani suddenly cried, face twisting with horror. "I heard about the fight! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" She really wasn't in the mood for sympathy after her cry in the car with Ahad. "Really, I am."

He smiled, though she suspected he wasn't quite buying her reassurances. "I'd offer to redeem you, but one-" He held up his index finger. "I'm a walking, talking teddy bear and two-" His middle finger joined the first. "I don't hit girls...even Amarillo." His smile faded. "As tempting as the thought of showing that girl a thing or two is..."

A second later, cheerful realisation flashed through his eyes. "Hey! I'm having a Halloween party this Saturday night!" A grin had returned to grace his handsome features. "Why don't you come along? Marik's going!"

A'isha frowned as she perceived the hope swimming within her company's blue irises. She hoped he hadn't caught her second-long look of revulsion. Her last party hadn't exactly panned out well, and if Marik was attending this one, she doubted she'd enjoy herself. Though oddly, he was a little less of a jerk to her that morning. But that doesn't mean he'll stay that way.

She recalled her cheerful conversation with Dani yesterday before French class...and Marik's intentional implications that they were dating. Her eyes narrowed at the latter. She certainly didn't want Dani to be under the impression that her and Marik were a thing, but she also didn't want to tell him she was single and have him think she was doing so for...obvious reasons...so she decided against mentioning that right now. Hopefully Julie and her "peeps" really did spread word of her single status like wildfire, so she wouldn't have to do a thing.

"I'll...think about it."

"Think about what?" came an all too familiar female's voice. Grinning, A'isha spun on her heel to find Julie a few steps away.

"Hey Jules!" A'isha and Dani chirped almost simultaneously.

"Hey Dani-kins, Ishy Poo-" She came to a standstill beside A'isha, sending a smirk her way. "That's your name now, Missy."

A'isha shrugged quite nonchalantly, despite the sly smile that lit up her features. "I guess I'll just have to start calling you Julie Wulie."

"So where's my nickname, Ish?" Dani spoke up. She was near certain his tone possessed a faintly flirty edge. Maybe Julie had already told him that the 'dating Marik' rumour was nonsense. That or he didn't care that Marik had told him that she was 'off limits'. She hoped it wasn't the second, purely because he had been given the impression that she and Marik were a couple and she wasn't exactly a fan of anyone who would betray their friends...even if the friend they were betraying was a complete and utter jerkwad.

"Your nickname can be Dani Devito," A'isha countered with a sly smirk. "You're welcome."

"Well I'd like to think that I'm slightly cuter than Danny Devito."

Julie snorted. "Y'know, somehow I think Danny Devito would pull off that black dress a heck of a lot better than you did."

"Well," Dani began, "speaking of dressing up, did Aiden tell you about my party?"

"Are you kidding?" Julie scoffed. "Aiden has the memory of a goldfish. That boy doesn't tell me anything!"

"That is true," he said, chuckling. "Well, I'm having a Halloween Party on Saturday night. You should come!"

"What time does it start?"

"Eight."

Julie groaned. "I would...but I have an early shift on Sunday morning and it's a long one, so I'd rather not be exhausted for it."

Dani grinned. "Firas is babysitting his little bro on the night of the party, and I know he's saving up for a guitar." He gave a casual shrug. "I bet he'd be happy to take that long shift off your hands so you can go."

Julie beamed over at the boy. "Really?" She jumped for joy. "Fingers crossed 'cause that'd be awesome!"

"I'll ask him. I'm actually meant to meet up with him in-" Dani glanced at the thick digital watch wrapped around his wrist. His eyes bulged. "Now!" He winced, sucking in air through clenched teeth. "Shoot!" His eyes shot up to Julie, then to A'isha. "Sorry guys but I've gotta go! Firas is gonna kill me!"

"Hop to it then, Dani-kins," Julie teased.

"I'm hoppin'!" Dani insisted, before spinning on his heel, sprinting down the hallway and out of sight, but not before shouting out over his shoulder, "Saturday night! Think about it, Ishy Poo!"

A'isha couldn't resist another smile. Hanging out with Dani and Julie at this party would almost combat the torture that will no doubt result from Marik's company... Almost.

"So," Julie's clucky tone stole A'isha's attention, "what's your first class of the day?"

"Maths with Miss Tiller." Thank the heavens for her new timetable. Even if she sucked at the subject.

Julie's face lit up. "You're kidding?!"

"You too?" she asked, hope laced through her words.

"Yes!"

Relief rushed through her; she finally had a friend in one of her classes, not to mention this class was creep-free! "Oh thank goodness!"

"I'd say! Maths is the only class that I'm a loner in." She leaned in close, her next words no more than a whisper. "And I swear I drew the short straw and got the super gossipy girl group in my Maths class this grade, so you have no idea how relieved I am to have a friend to go absolutely insane with." She snickered. "We'll probably become the annoying girls ourselves."

A'isha chuckled. "Well hopefully not that far...though I'm just going to warn you now that I have a super loud laugh."

"Oh, you shouldn't have told me that! I'm going to humiliate you in class." Upon receiving an unimpressed look from A'isha, Julie giggled into her hand. "I mean...not on purpose, I swear!"

"Well it'll definitely be nice to have a friend in one of my classes."

"You bet!" Julie enthused, nodding in agreement. Her expression grew pensive with her next words. "Say..." She withdrew a smart phone from her pocket, glanced at the screen, then returned it to its forming resting place. "We've still got half an hour before class starts. Do you wanna meet some of my friends? Before school they like to hang out in one of the Music classrooms. I was just on my way to meet them when I ran into you and Dani-kins."

A'isha's grin was wider than ever. "I'd love to!"

"Great!" Julie continued down the hallway, motioning for her to follow. "This way, Ishy Poo!"

For the first time in a while, A'isha truly felt at ease. Finally, things seemed to be going her way. Or at least, they were starting to.

"Oh my gosh!" A'isha raved, all smiles as Julie led her to their Maths class. "Aiden is hilarious!"

Julie sighed almost dreamily. "Isn't he just?"

"And Karissa is the sweetest!" Ish giggled. "Here I was thinking you were sweet." She smirked. "You're not, by the way. You're freaking crazy."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Sarcasm was heavy in the brunette's voice.

A'isha snickered. But the expression didn't last long, for a few seconds later, her smile wavered as she noticed the many eyes of passers by were set on her; some trailing in groups through the school halls to their first class of the day, while others huddled beside classroom doors, anticipating their teacher's arrival.

One girl was frantically searching through her locker, no doubt freaking she'd forgotten a textbook or something. Upon walking past her, A'isha realised the girl's locker door was littered with pictures of Mister High and Mighty. I thought that only happened in the movies! She was unable to resist an eye roll. Little does she know she's obsessed with a psychopathic freak show. The girl threw a textbook into her already unzipped bag, crouched down to re-zip it up, then simultaneously threw her bag over her shoulder and slammed her locker door shut. "Gonna be laaate. Gonna be late!" the girl was murmuring to herself.

Only when she turned to head down the corridor did A'isha catch her face; her auburn locks flowed in waves over her dainty shoulders, complemented by caramel highlights. Her hair served to bring out the teal green hue of her almond eyes. Ish recalled the profile picture she'd briefly glimpsed of that Atia girl; it looked a lot like her... The girl glanced Ish's way, before her olive skin flushed scarlet, emphasised furthermore by the red of her hair, and she quickened her pace down the hallway, heading the same way as her and Julie. At least, until she ducked into a side hall with a sign overhead that bore the generic female restroom symbol.

"Hey," came a curious whisper, the single word lined with amusement. She looked right to find Julie stifling back a smirk as she leaned in close. "That was the girl that asked how well-equipped Marik is, right?"

"Yeah, I think so..." No wonder the red-head was embarrassed upon seeing her. She probably hadn't thought through that rather ballsy question when she'd messaged her last night. "Her name was Atia?"

"Yep, that's her." Julie shook her head slowly. "She's a nice girl, really... But a little shameless around her friends." She couldn't bite back a laugh at that. "A girl after my own heart, if I'm honest. Minus the Marik obsession... I mean, he's drop dead gorgeous, sure. But I've got my own beau and-" She paused, looking pensive. "I don't know," she drawled a moment later. "There's something almost...mysterious about him." She shrugged. "Maybe it's just me, but I prefer my guy being an open book. It's easier to trust him that way. Especially considering Blondie has quite the following. It'd be more than enough to make a girlfriend jealous and even that is an understatement."

"He's certainly something else," A'isha muttered, surprised that she hadn't seen him yet. Maybe he really had decided to give her some space after the...not so lovely start to her day. Well...she could dream. "Are you and Marik friends? I mean, you did just call him Blondie so..."

"Well," Julie droned, scrunching up her face as if to say 'kinda, kinda not'. "He's friends with Aiden and Dani and they're my friends. Him... I suppose he's a friend, but that whole mysterious thing kind of makes me keep my distance a little. He's been nothing but nice to me since I met him and even yesterday, he was super sweet to you too, carrying you to the sickbay and all that." She pursed her lips, stopping outside a door that A'isha presumed led to their Maths class. "But there's just something about him that makes me a little uneasy."

And here I thought I couldn't like Jules any more in such a short space of time, A'isha surmised with a smile.

Julie twisted the handle, slowly easing the door open to step inside their first class of the day. "Again, maybe that's just me-"

"It's not just you," Ish quickly assured her, following close behind her new friend. "He's-"

A familiar head of hair instantly caught her eye. She froze. Despair sliced through her. Their topic of conversation was casually leaning over the teacher's desk, listening intently to whatever the woman was saying. What the hell is Mister High and Mighty doing here?

A'isha caught his creepy voice a second later, but sadly – or perhaps thankfully? – missed whatever it was that he'd told their teacher. The giggle that followed his words suggested that whatever he'd said, it was apparently hilarious. Or vomit-inducing, she sourly thought, deciding she was glad she hadn't heard whatever it was that he'd said.

She glared daggers at his blond head of hair. That is, until he spun half a circle to face her and Julie, briefly adjusting the bag slung over his right shoulder. She noted the pretty young woman that must have been Miss Tiller, and the way she smiled up at him. Of course, even a teacher seemed to have a crush on him. Granted she was probably in her mid-twenties, but still... he was, what, fifteen or sixteen? She hadn't bothered to stalk his Facebook beyond observing that humiliating excuse for a profile picture, so she didn't know his exact age.

Miss Tiller's attention returned to the sheet of paper they must have been going over. Meanwhile, Marik's settled on her, his lavender orbs searing into hers, only heightening her unease.

"Blondie," Julie broke the silence. "What are you doing here? Don't you have a free period because you're such a Maths whizz?"

A'isha dreaded his answer. Please tell me he's just having a student-teacher fling with Miss Tiller and was just leaving!

Marik feigned disappointment, though A'isha could see straight through it, which only strengthened her scowl at the blond. "Actually, Mister Vallis advised that free periods are unfortunately not permitted for students in our grade." The glee in his next words...she knew that was very real. "So he's assigned me as a Teacher Aid for this class."

"Really?" Julie's brows knitted together. "But we're in the middle tier as far as our proficiency in Maths is concerned. Why wouldn't he assign you to a lower tier class?"

Marik shrugged. "Maybe some students are falling behind?" he suggested, his voice seemingly innocent and sickly sweet.

Julie glanced at five girls gathered in a group in the back-right corner of the class. "Like them?" she quietly said, smirking.

Marik's eyes followed hers. He revealed a dashing smile when a few of the girls waved his way; then they huddled closer, giggling among themselves. Probably over how the "hottest guy in school" had acknowledged their existence. Marik looked back at Ish and Jules. "Probably," he agreed, snorting in clear amusement.

"Well," A'isha drawled, a smirk finding its way across her lips as her arms twisted across her chest. "I agree that there must be something wrong with them."

The mirth on Marik's face dropped for a split second. She was near certain she caught Julie stifling laughter. And she was dead certain Marik had noticed too, based on the second long glare he sent the brunette's way...and then it was gone, while Julie was oblivious to its existence in the first place.

"By the way, Marik," Julie said with a sly smile, "I'm still a little sore about you raiding my closet." Her smile grew. "I swear you stretched by favourite little red dress."

An innocent laugh shook his shoulders. "Sorry about that, Jules. How about I buy you another?"

"Naaaa." She waved her hand dismissively. "The photos were payment enough...even if it was my favourite dress." She turned to A'isha, away from Marik. "Anyway, where should we sit? Back left corner of the class?"

"Sounds good to me." She noticed that spot was alongside the window that looked out over the school pool. "Though do me a favour; don't let me stare out the window. I'm a terrible day dreamer."

"Noted."

A'isha thanked her friend, shuffling along behind her to claim a seat at the back of the room. Julie took the one closest to the window, leaving her to occupy the seat beside the walkway they'd used to get there. All desks in the class were arranged into rows of two, though the group of girls at the back right corner of the class had re-arranged their desks into a group of six, with two desks set opposite each other and the third desk positioned at one end of the first two. Those five giggling girls currently occupied that makeshift table, chatting animatedly among themselves.

Ish threw her bag on her desk, rummaging through it for her equipment for today's lesson; a thick textbook, an exercise book lined with tiny grids, and her pencil case. Then she dumped the bag against the wall behind them, only a metre and a half away from her seat, before slumping into said seat with a groan of self pity.

Other students had also piled into the class, some sparing nosy glances A'isha's way before taking their seats. Some even leaned in close to whisper something in a friend's ear after looking at her. No doubt gossiping that I'm the girl who had her lights knocked out by Tamarillo.

A'isha's cerulean eyes narrowed on the arrogant blond who had resorted to scanning over some sheet of paper that probably had something to do with his new TA role. This had better be his horrendously terrible idea of a joke.

"Sadly not, Dear A'isha."

She straightened in shock as he glanced up from the sheet of paper to meet her gaze. She narrowly avoided planting her head against her desk, having grown accustomed to having her thoughts to herself all morning.

Instead, her eyes narrowed to slits on the jerk. I hate you. So much. Her eyes fell to her desk, where she glared at her poor textbook. It was full of headache inducing Maths equations, so who could really blame her? Nice comeback, Ish. 'I hate you'. Genius.

A chuckle within her head was his only response. She growled almost audibly, cursing her inner-blondness at the fact she'd thought something so stupid when he would obviously be listening. She bitterly concluded that the jerk must've bestowed a few stupid brain cells upon her amidst all the mind reading.

The only thing that was even remotely positive at this point was that she hadn't banged her leg against her desk when he'd talked to her via his weird mind link thing, like she had to his dining table over dinner on Sunday night...and perhaps another positive was that Julie was here too. Though, really, was that a good thing? What if she lost her cool or accidentally hissed something out loud, intending for it to be said to Marik alone within the confinements of her mind? Julie might think she's crazy and avoid the heck out of her. Then bye bye friends.

"Why thank you for the rather tempting ideas." Another creepy chuckle in her head. "I didn't foresee you actually making a friend-" That comment had her wanting nothing more than to punch him square in the face "-though perhaps your new friend will only make this all the more amusing."

He wasn't smirking, probably because the class was nearly packed with students and the teacher was also right there...but he didn't need to anyway. His sneer seemed to be burned into her short term memory, rearing its infuriating head her way at the worst possible moment. Like now, when she couldn't scream at him out loud. Doing it in her head wasn't nearly as satisfying.

A'isha's eyes had somehow drifted to the window to her right. She had been deep in thought, so that wasn't really surprisingly. You want something amusing? Go jump out that damn window. She narrowly avoided a sweet smile, lest someone see it and think her crazy. It'll certainly have me laughing.

For once, timing seemed to be on her side, for the blare of the bell bounced off the walls before Marik could respond; it signalled that class commenced in five minutes. That odd tingling feeling vanished from her head as the teacher turned to Blondie, saying something Ish was too far away to hear. Aaand he was back to smiling innocently, sheepishly rubbing his neck at whatever the teacher had said, laughing away... then saying something that made the woman laugh. It was disgusting.

"Are you sure you don't fancy him?" Julie's teasing tone lurched her from her brooding. "You've been staring at him for going on a minute now."

A'isha would've recoiled in disgust, had she been standing. Instead, she settled on fake-gagging. "Definitely not!" she shrieked a little louder than she'd planned. Luckily her classmates were too enthralled in their own conversations to notice her sickened shriek. "I mean, you heard me basically dis him about those girls not being in their right mind to fawn over him." She groaned at the mere thought of his fangirls, still unable to grasp how such a creeper could have so many. "I was just watching him flirting with the teacher and was wondering if he's sleeping with her." She snorted, smirking. "Maybe that's why he's "aced" every level of Maths." She emphasised 'aced' in air quotes.

Julie snickered. "I would be inclined to agree with you...if Dani and Aiden hadn't told me he's never even kissed a girl."

A'isha was thankful she wasn't drinking. She surely would've spit taked. "Wait-" she began in a hushed voice. "He basically has a mob of horny teenage girls obsessing over him and he hasn't even had his first kiss?!"

Julie sent a look her way, as if to say 'Crazy, right?' Then she said, "I didn't believe it either, but Aiden said this came from Marik himself...on a rare occasion where Blondie had one beer too many. And Aiden wouldn't make this up." She grinned as she continued to whisper, "Aiden once told me that he wonders if Marik's gay. Apparently Dani wonders too." Her voice became a notch quieter again. "Because he never talks about having a crush on a girl and back in their first year of High School, when puberty-cursed guys are meant to get an awkward boner at the mere sight of a girl, he didn't even seem interested in joining their talks over hot girls back then."

A'isha glanced across the room at the blond boy, who had returned to reading that sheet of paper. She couldn't quite see from this distance, but he looked to be gripping the paper perhaps a little too tightly.

"Hey," Julie drawled, stealing Ish's attention as she lightly nudged her shoulder with one hand, while her other gently rubbed her head. "Have you ever head pins and needles in your head or is something wrong with me?"

A'isha went rigid. Her eyes snapped back to Marik, and she was met by fierce lavender irises. They returned to the sheet in his hand a moment later.

"Huh..." Her sights returned to Julie, who appeared more than a little befuddled. "That's weird... My head feels fine now."

"Yeah..." A'isha swallowed hard, wanting nothing more than to tell her new friend that Marik had just been reading her mind, no doubt to eavesdrop on their freaking conversation...which had been about his sexuality. Oh great. But Julie would probably just think she was crazy. "That's really weird," she finally said, furrowing her brows in a mixture of fear and frustration. Fear for her friend, after they'd gossiped about something that clearly had him fuming, and frustration at the fact she could do nothing about it. Only accept it. And now infuriation joined that cocktail of emotions, as her hands curled into fists upon her desk.

The bell blared once more. Miss Tiller swept from her desk to stand to Marik's right, between him and the door, and right in front of the desks that lined the centre row of the room. Her hazel eyes scanned the class as she offered a small smile. "Good morning, everyone." Her voice, like her posture, was very composed. "Before we start, I have an announcement to-"

"I'M NOT LATE!" a desperate voice suddenly panted, as a familiar red-head gracelessly skidded through the door and into the classroom. "Well," Atia drawled, wincing as the teacher sent an unimpressed look her way. "I'm like fifteen seconds late but I did run here and I hate running and when you've gotta go you've gotta-" She stilled, her gasp slicing across the hushed classroom as Marik peered around Miss Tiller. "Holy shit." She threw her hands to her lips, her teal eyes bulging while her face put tomatoes to shame. "I- I mean... Jeepers creepers! Holy guacomole! What the juice box! Anything but holy shi...oot." She laughed awkwardly, the sound like dread. "Pleasedon'tgivemedetention!"

"Miss Henton," Miss Tiller muttered, seeming to be far too familiar with Atia's overzealous ways. "Take your seat."

"With pleasure," Atia squeaked in clear humiliation. With her head down, she scrambled to the back of the class. "And maybe then I'll jump out the window, plunging to my untimely death," she mumbled as she collapsed in the sixth chair, among the girls at the back right corner of the class. "I'm dying of humiliation right now anyway." A groan escaped the girl's lips as her head met the desk. "I hate my life."

"Miss Henton," Miss Tiller all but growled. Atia straightened, her eyes shooting up to her teacher. She immediately sunk into her seat as she perceived the irritated woman's gaze. "If you continue to disrupt my class, you will be given detention. For the rest of the week."

"S-Sorry, Miss Tiller," Atia meekly stuttered, resorting to quietly withdrawing her stationary from her back pack.

A'isha had observed the whole scene, stifling back laughter at Atia's obvious obsession with Marik. It was embarrassing to even watch the poor girl.

"Did I forget to mention that Atia's absolutely hilarious too?" Julie whispered. "Part of me wonders if she does it on purpose... I mean, it's one way to get Marik's attention. He gets giggles and hellos all day." A'isha merely flashed a small smile at her friend, seeing as the teacher clearly had something to say. Knowing her luck, Miss Tiller would notice them whispering and growl at her next.

"Now as I was saying, I have an announcement to make." Miss Tiller gestured to the blond beside her. A'isha noted he must have been roughly half a head taller than the young teacher. "As some of you may know, Marik has completed all Mathematics courses that this school has on offer." She smiled at Marik; no doubt she adored a student who excelled at what was most likely her favourite subject...maybe even her passion. "Due to this, Mister Vallis has assigned him as a Teacher Aid for this class."

Immediately, a loud thump shot through the room, followed by a pained whimper. All eyes fell on Atia, who blushed all over again. "Sorry, Miss Tiller," she cried, terrified by the fed up look the woman was sending her way. She swiftly scooped her textbook off the floor to dump it on her desk. "I just...dropped my book...on my foot." She cleared her throat. "Carry on."

"Miss Dahar." A'isha straightened slightly when the teacher looked her way. "We're already half way through Probability and Statistics, so I'd like to assign Marik to work with you for the first half of the lesson." She smiled at her new student. "I believe some one-on-one tutoring will be very beneficial to you." Her smile stretched. "With Marik's help, you'll be up to speed in no time, I'm sure."

Ish was shocked by the fact the woman's voice sounded normal. No weird, creepy grate. Nothing. She was just...saying this. Marik must love this woman, she concluded.

"Without a doubt, Miss Tiller," Marik coolly stated. He gripped the back of a nearby empty seat, effortlessly lifting it over his head with one hand to carry it down the walkway to her and Julie.

And the probability of me jumping out the window to my untimely death is now certain, she sourly thought, hating the warm and seemingly innocent smile her new 'tutor' gave her. This was just so typical! The one class she didn't share with Creeper McCreeperson...and now he was her tutor. He basically had an excuse to be right up in her face, and she knew he'd used his crazy mind powers to make this happen. The freaking jerk! She minutely considered flunking Maths purely to make him look bad...but that didn't exactly do her any favours in the long run, as amusing as it would be.

The sickly sweet smile he revealed as he set his seat down beside her only made her want to strangle him... though really, when didn't she want to throttle that jewellery clad neck of his? Never, she silently answered, narrowly resisting the urge to glare as he suavely slid into his seat, placing his bag at his feet.

"It would be rude not to thank dear Miss Tiller for considering your education, would it not?" A chuckle bounced through her brain. "After all...we know how much you hate being rude."

A'isha loathed the truth his words held. She did hate being rude...to anyone but him, that is. She clenched her fists. "Thank you, Miss Tiller," she slowly said, carefully masking the agitation that almost had her trembling.

Asshole.

Another laugh in her head.

"That's quite alright, Miss Dahar." Miss Tiller smiled warmly, before continuing with her lesson. "Now, class. Please turn to page sixty three of your textbooks and work on the revision exercises one through six." The flicking of paper as students searched their books filled the class, while Miss Tiller retrieved what A'isha quickly realised was a marker from her desk drawer, then stepped over to the whiteboard. "In fifteen minutes, we'll start our next activity."

"Hey Ishy Poo?" Julie spoke up, leaning against her desk to glance between her friend and Marik. "Wanna share a textbook? We'll take up less desk space that way." She gestured to her own desk; her two Maths books, a thick pencil case with 'I'm A Bad Beach' written into it, and delicate glasses rested upon it. "'Cause these things are tiny."

"Sure." She turned to face Marik, smiling sweetly. "Marik... Can you please do me a favour and put my textbook by my bag?" Her smile grew. "Not in it though... Lady stuff; I'm sure you understand."

To her dismay, Marik didn't seem the least bit frustrated, if the mirth in his eyes was any indication. "Actually, I'll use it if that's alright with you, Ish?" He glanced at Julie's textbook, which she'd laid out between them on the correct page. "Unless you want me to lean over you to read Julie's textbook?"

"Take it," she said a little too quickly, her voice drier than two week old toast.

Marik happily obliged, sprawling it across his lap. He found page sixty three on his first go. Of course.

A'isha watched in clear confusion as her tutor read the exercises. Why was he even bothering? Or was he just faking it? It's not like he'd actually help her excel at Maths! So far, he seemed so damn hell bent on making her suck in all of her classes.

"So, Ish..." He finally looked at her, wearing that same infuriatingly sweet smile. "Tell me what you know about Probability and Statistics."

I really enjoy writing the school scenes. The next chapter should be mostly Marik and A'isha (and some other students will be thrown in there, like Julie and Atia...because they are way too fun to write), though I may think up some additional scenes that don't involve Marik, but right now it's mostly him and Ish :)