Chapter 2-
"It's getting late, pal. We have Path within five minutes," The blonde hurriedly skidded across the corridor after taking his books and socks, rushing to the lecture hall. The blunette nodded, not seeming much affected by his friend's words. He stared inside his locker which was just below his comfortable level; he had to crouch down all the times to get his things in and out.
"I'm coming!" He rolled his eyes and rummaged through the contents of his locker which were haphazardly arranged,
"Bud, hurry up!" Kane patted him on shoulder as he rushed across him towards the hall.
"Yeah yeah," he muttered. He was looking for a musical note that his brother has given him a week back which he wanted to try on his guitar today but the lights were dimming out and so was the time not helping him out. He scowled and shut the locker sharply with a thud.
"What's up?" Ray ambled in the hall and rolled his keys.
"Not going to the class, Ray?" Tyson frowned.
"Not today, Mariah needs help with her lab work. I promised I'd be there, so was just heading up to Dissection lab," Ray blinked noticing the little confident smirk at the corner of his friend's lips.
"Cool, gotta hurry too." He looked at his watch, "Crap."
"Better hurry up. I think Miss Brown was just heading-"
"One second, that reminds me to ask you something," The guitarist grinned boldly, his eyes flashing confident rays, "What was the name of that girl whom you said has a crush on me?"
"It's Hilary," Ray sighed, "Why though?"
"Just asking." He winked with a simple smile, "Just for some fun,"
"Tys no ragging!" Ray shouted in warning but he was already dashing off with a brilliant speed, knocking few peers in the way. Nonetheless Ray spotted him reaching the lecture hall just before Miss Brown was about to step in.
"Should we start the class?" Miss Brown glared at Tyson, who was peacefully seated with his mussed up apron wrapped around him prettily, notes splayed on the table and pen stuck behind his ear and… guitar slumped on his shoulder.
"Sure, Miss Brown, I've rushed with the speed of lightning to your class just to hear your lecture," he grins sheepishly.
"Tyson, your guitar," Max nudges him silently.
"Oops," he keeps back his guitar carefully under the desk and grins sheepishly. The lecturer sighs helplessly and begins the lecture. Pathology is Tyson's favorite subject, because he anyway despises all the other subjects of 2nd year. His mind doesn't do much of nerve-wrecking for studying this subject. Like now, he's thinking deep; multi thinking. He's jotting down every point in his notes she's saying, answering her questions a couple of times, recalling Hilary's name so that he doesn't forget and finds out who exactly his admirer is. Max glances at him silently. His chin is softly making moments, singing in its chic at some soft music, he knows that. It's the new song he would be trying tonight. He has a football match too against 3rd years. He's the most important player of their team along with Max, Ray and Zeo.
"We've the match tonight, Tysie," Zeo whispers surreptitiously from his left.
"Oh yea," Max whispers from his right.
"I know." Tyson gives a slow nod and smiles back at Miss Brown who's distracted for a second.
When the lecture ends, he quickly slams his book inside his bag pack and takes his precious guitar in one swift.
"Woah woah buddy, you look too much in hurry, what's up?" Max takes his bag pack.
"Come with me before Miss Danielle comes!" Tyson doesn't give any explanation and drags Max out.
"What's up?"Zeo blinks but he anyway darts out of the hall, barreling and shouldering through the benches and peers, "Sorry, uh, umm, one second,"
"Where are we going?" Max pants amid their running session through the upstairs.
"To meet Hilary," Tyson smirks brightly. Zeo shakes his head but follows the duo nonetheless.
He reaches the dissection lab and peeps inside. The lab is empty and students are just packing their stuff, washing the hands, discarding the gloves and talking. There is Ray and Mariah over the naked corpse, talking about its eye from his guess.
"Who's Hilary among these girls?" Tyson asks scrutinizing over every girl inside the lab.
Max points out, "She, the one who's standing by that window and talking to that guy,"
Tyson rubs his eyes and looks at her with better focus. He gasps for a second. Not possible!
"The one with brown hair…?" he says incredulously, stare-stuck at her momentarily.
"Yeah," Zeo nods, "How's she? According to you,"
Tyson calms down and quells down his face which looked like amazement ball. He looks at every detail of her with full natural focus- The way her lips straighten to give the slightest smile, her hair naturally curling to adjust on her shoulder and when she turns, he sees she has large ruby eyes. 'Red wine like eyes...' his mind fully takes into her eyes which seem to be taken straight from a purest wine yard. She removes her apron, revealing a light teal colored Jean's and magenta colored full sleeved and collared shirt.
"It's their break time, we are in Junior's building block," Zeo reminds.
"I know," he takes out his guitar and leans against the wall with a tired sigh and softly strums it, humming the new song he has been waiting to sing,
"You two can leave, I'll be fine." He says when they simply stare at him confusedly and doesn't budge.
"You sure?" Max sweatdrops,
"Yeah," Tyson nods and they shrug and leave.
His voice picks its charm and he serenades, "You make me feel the way I never knew, you take me to places that are unforgettable..."
The junior peers starts coming out of the lab and gathers around him after hearing him singing. They stare at him in admiration and amazement, smiles all in air.
"Let's walk down the sunset avvennue, every day I wanna chiiill with you," he strums the guitar loudly in beat, tapping his foot on the floor, his black sport shoes especially strong for that purpose. The peers whistle in reaction and rock their chins in the tune.
"All of our friends are here tonight, so turn your soul and let it light the night," he sings powerfully with an infectious grin. He smiles back at their support and instinctively spots the brunette whom he has been waiting to encounter. She's standing right in front of him but not too close. He notes her absolutely stunned and flushed pretty skin, staring at him without a single blink.
"Let it light the night!" He ends the song with a final swift beat and looks at them. They cheer at him and clap. "Thanks," he smiles, "Now y'all must rush for your next lab. Don't be late,"
"Yeah sir," they start leaving and Hilary reluctantly breaks her gaze from him, turning to leave.
"Not you, Hilary." He says sharply. Her feet freeze at his voice and how he said her name. 'How did he know me..' She turns to him in slow motion and stares at his feet which he was tapping few minutes back. The corridor's expanse is cleared. They are at the landing before the staircase with a window in the stair-side's wall.
Strangely no one's there to watch them or interrupt them except few simple non concerned passersby.
"Introduce yourself. What's your name?" He keeps the guitar on his side which leans confidently.
"Hilary Tachibana." Her voice is soft and breezy, yet it's so elegantly timid.
"Hmm," he folds the sleeves of his shirt, "More,"
"I'm nineteen and got here studying through scholarship. I'm from Kyoto." She answers in a mediocre speed while her heart and mind are rushing without any mutual synchrony.
"Hostler?"
"No, we've a house in the town- dad rented for me." She doesn't reveal she has a sister, Hikari.
"Cool," he smiles little amusingly and takes a step forward towards her, looking down at her legs which slightly quiver, "You can look at my face, I'm not scary I swear."
She squirms her nose and looks at him carefully slow and instinctively relaxes, the tension slightly leaving off her skin.
"Good." He smiles boldly, "Now you say, who am I?"
Her mind already has sent her the message to simply lie that she doesn't know him, but she says, "Tyson..."
"Sir. For you, dear." He tersely remarks, absolutely relishing how she colored.
"Tyson sir," she says with a little scowl.
He sighs mundanely and climbs recklessly at the ledge of window on side and sits there. She turns to walk on other side so that she could face him better.
"What do you think of me?" He asks,
She bits her lips and licks them, "You're my senior." She says the most plausible thing.
"That's formally. I'm asking personally," he laughs softly, light dimples forming. She skittishly smiles, not knowing what he's expecting her to answer exactly.
"Say," he retorts back.
"Um..." she muses, "You're a good singer,"
He sighs and dreamily look at her in sarcasm, "Come here," he says tiredly. She takes a step forward but there is around three feet distance between them.
"Come to me," he pushed confidently. Her heart is racing but she walks to him and is just in front of him, feeling his shadow on her entire figure. He slips his hand from shuffling his hair to the ledge's edge making a bare contact with her little finger's length. She flinches at his touch.
"I'm not going to touch you, take it easy," he rolls his eyes.
She nods, her skin burning now in redness. Yet her eyes are widely looking at him in eyes.
"1st years are ragged, that's obvious. I'm here for you, the same. But you've a choice. Truth or dare?" He holds his chin in his left palm and examines her.
'Don't take dare, Hilary! You can always lie a truth.' Her mind warns.
"Truth, sir." She says little courageously.
He smirked. He knew it! "Cool, now answer this very honestly." He softly jumps on her right and strolls behind her.
She turns to look at him. His face is serious. Playful. Dark. Amused. Excited.
She frowns tensely and tries to prepare herself.
"You've a crush on me, don't you?" She gasps at his unexpected question- as his face is suddenly too close and his warm whisper is echoing in her ears.
She wipes her palm on her mouth and takes a step back, "NO." She blurts.
"You're lying. You're not supposed to lie, Hilary." He frowns.
"No no! I don't! I'm getting late for my lab!" She stutters as she fidgets and hurriedly runs downstairs before he could stop her.
He laughed out, but not too loud. Picking his guitar, he called out loudly, "By the way, you're pretty slim!" He looked around and laughed again. The way she almost slipped through the stairway and yet ran as fast as she could was very amusing for him to watch.
He pulled out his phone, loosening a button of his shirt and sighing out under the scorching sunlight. Swiping it he read, 'Come for practicing, T man! We're waiting!'
It was from Zeo. "Oh shit! It's almost time! Miss Danielle must have stormed out the lecture fast today," He quickly tugged in his phone in pocket, adjusting his belt and darting out of the building with a speed of lightning, leaving dust behind to rise.
Kai, Kane and Tala were in the third years' playing gang who would be fighting against them. Even though they were best friends but he never gave them a chance to win. Kane was the fiercest opponent. He easily dealt and knocked off Kai and Tala but Kane was just proving harder these days.
He reached the practice ground within ten minutes, which was a kilometer away from 1st year block. Their campus was pretty large, with a hospital, four buildings for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th years respectively, two hostel buildings, another for holding extra curricular activities. There was a large music hall, Stereo Hearts personally were allotted it, a dance hall, a large auditorium on 3rd floor and so on. The rest of the campus had multiple gardens, sports grounds, a football stadium and large roads for cars to pass by. The gate pass was the big hurdle for bunking. They didn't get it easy, save interns and so... save Stereo hearts because on Tyson's constant petulant requests, Hiro would get seven tickets for them. But not too frequently.
He gawks at his teammates, panting hard with heated face and labored breathing as he reaches the ground.
"You're late," Kai frowns and kicks the ball to Kane which Max chases hastily.
"Your team is gonna lose this evening," Tala snidely comments.
"In your dreams, Taliya," Tyson snickers before keeping his bag and guitar on a safe spot on the counter and neatly folding his jeans hem till knees, because there's no time for changing into sports attire.
Tala shoots him a glare but rolls his eyes. The fierce practice begins immediately and there is couple of other peers from 2nd and 3rd years as well. Tyson is panting hard, because he has skipped today's lunch. He was with Hiro who kept him waiting because of patients for much time and finally gave the music note Tyson was waiting for. So now, his stomach is growling.
The practice doesn't end on a good note from 2nd years side, or precisely Tyson is not very satisfied. He could have played more better but still the 6 o'clock match is left. His skin is hot from the work out and is glowing under the sun as he run, sweating gloriously. There are other peers who are cheering for them from the borders, at the rows of flowers growing there. That's their confinement point; they can't step in till the boys' practice is going on.
"I'm wet!" He complains swiping his head. Kane pats him from back with a smile.
"Don't worry, it's just a match." Kai shrugs and takes a tee out from his bag and tosses to him.
"How was Hilary?" Max nudges him with narrow playful eyes. Zeo joins him and wags his eyebrows as well.
"Wait. You met her?" Kane also surrounds him.
Tyson just softly grins and removes his shirt off, tossing it over his bag at a distance. His well worked lean athletic build is in view but the cheering girls can't completely see it since he's surrounded by his friends. They block the sight so that he's not seen.
"Yeah, just before I came here," Tyson snakes himself into the grey tee Kai has passed him, which feels cooler.
"Ooooo!" Zeo and Tala smirks at him.
"How's she?" Kai asks, handing him another tissue to wipe of the overflowing sweat. Before he could answer, his eyes spots Hilary who's standing amongst the cheering girls, far at a distance and clearly looking at him.
"See it for yourself, there she's." He beckons them at her with moments of his eyes.
They all look at her and she realizes that she's noticed. Blushing furiously, she runs off.
"Wait that was Mariah!" Ray spots her, "Oh yeah, that's because they're always together, "
"I think Hilary is still there?" Kai squints his eyes and they all gasp because once again the brunette seems to be standing there amid the crowded peers- and this time around Salima. As they rub their eyes to look once again, the brunette turns and walks back. She's gone.
"For a moment I almost thought there existed two Hilarys!" Max laughed,
"I bet the same," Zeo said.
"So, she came to see you basically?" Ray asked as they all walked out of the ground to their building block. The sun was all over above, scorching in its might.
"Of course, what do you think?" He chuckled, surrounded by equal number of his friends on either side.
"Of course she came to see him," Kai piped in honestly.
"Hehe..." Tyson sheepishly said, "She's cute."
"Our sister in law!" Kane nudged him, who is standing immediately on his right.
"What?" Tyson skittishly gasps, "That's too much of you guys-"
"No problem Tysie, there is our another sister in law!" Zeo points out at Salima who's walking with Mariam licking the strawberry ice cream ball fervently. Kane cluelessly looks on the direction and bites his lips in size of shock.
"Sister in law!" Tala, Max, Zeo and Tyson calls out loudly causing all the passerby to look at them in weird and amused looks. Salima blushes beet at their remark. Throwing dry glares, she turns on her heels and walks off.
Kane slams his forehead, "What was that guys!"
"Sorry. We didn't know she would be upset." Max shoves off the air,
"So how is Hilary, Tyson?" Kane asks with a cough,
They reaches their block and walks to their private room for relaxation. Tyson mentally notes that there's his match in few hours and he needs some rest.
"She's fun." He sighs and launches himself on the floor keeping his bag under his head.
"Means?" Tala settles on the bench beside Max, followed by Zeo and Ray. Kane and Kai takes chairs settling near Tyson's feet.
"She's pretty timid and shy. I like her attitude, she's not rude. And she blushes a lot, like really she does." He says, folding his arms under his head,
"Mariah said that," Ray nods.
"She lied to me when I asked her of her crush right away," he giggles and closes his eyes,
"I'm going to meet her tomorrow again. Maybe she would be lil more comfortable if I talk carefully. As a junior, she's hell of scared; as a lover, she's bold enough to bear me and meet me anytime." He brags jauntily and breezily sighs.
"Umm guys..." Zeo opens his laptop and checks, "There's a notification. We are called for a concert this Friday."
"Where?" Kai asks,
"Street dancers, west to Tala's house, that one."
"Cool, let's give them a show and sparkle our charms, Stereo hearts!" Tyson gets up with full of energy, getting off his guitar and softly strumming it. Everyone smiles at him as he numbly mumbles and closes his eyes in calm bliss.
"Remembering Hilary huh?" Tala teases, and Kai instantly smirks.
"No!" He blurts with a scowl.
"C'mon admit it, you like her!" Kane pushes, Kai nods.
"Why would you meet her if she wasn't your dream girl?" Ray rolls his eyes.
"She's your dream girl?" Tala asks with eyes widened.
"No like-"
"Yes," Kai answers with a great smirk, "She has the same hair, eyes and everything that this baka has been dreaming of since years,"
"Cool!" Max and Zeo claps.
"Before that, we have some serious problem to sort out." Kane says in a pissed off manner, glaring at Tala.
"What?" The redhead blinks,
"Your crush, our senior? Julia retarded Fernanded, who doesn't allow us to play and sing in the canteen when no one on the entire campus has a problem, so what's her bloody problem!" Kane tittered,
Tala glared at him, "No one's going to protest her. She's our senior. That's it."
"Someone's too swooned over someone," Tyson giggled,
"It's not like she always come to the canteen, she rarely does," Tala muttered before picking up his bag,
There was a knock on the door,
"Oh Hiro," Tyson struggled to lazily get up,
"Time up guys, leave now." Hiro smiles at them, picking Tyson's heavy bag and caressing his head lovingly, "Let's go lil champ,"
Tyson yawns and walks tiredly off with his brother, "Goodbye guys, see y'all at six."
Others start to leave as well; heading to their bikes to ride a long way to their home. Tyson gets into Hiro's car on the backseat and removes his shirt, pulling down the window panes, taking a spare bed sheet from under the seat and covering his body and thumping down to sleep through the fifteen minutes' drive to his home as Hiro drives.
"You want to eat something?" Hiro asks,
Tyson's already snoring in his slumber. Hiro sighs but nonetheless asks again louder, "Tyson? I said you want to pick some snack midway and eat something?"
"Mhmmm.." he whispers in the sleep,
"What?" Hiro asks louder, "What you wanna eat?"
"Hilary..."
Hilary runs her fingers through her long brunette damp hair, walking to her study-table whilst scrolling phone. She's in her loose night wear, feeling cool and sedated due to the warm bath. She smiles at the screen and grins surreptitiously cutely.
"What is it?" Hikari suddenly jumps from back and peeps on the screen. Hilary jumps away, swiftly hiding off her phone, "Hikyyy! How many times I said ya not to peep while-"
"Not to peep while I'm watching Tyson's hot half-shirtless pictures on his Instagram page!" Hikari smirks and winks easily, "Also your joys are loudly dancing on your face for your beloved Tyson and his team who has won the football match,"
Hilary scoffs, "Whatever yeah, he won the match because he just can. It's easy for him. And sorry, your beloved Kai couldn't win it," Hilary sarcastically regrets, "Sadly,"
Hikari scoffs, "Doesn't matter, the way he played is just enough for me."
"Your crush..." Hilary giggles, "Was crushed by him in the match!"
Hikari fumes, "Don't say a word more about Kai! Did I ever lay a finger against Tyson?"
"Whatever," Hilary sighs, keeping her phone aside and settling on her desk, opening her anatomy reader. The match has been just over an hour back and her seniors has clicked so many pictures of their match, posted in their Insta accounts with praising and loud comments on trend. She has cropped all his pictures and saved them, feeling absolutely blissful to know that he has won. He was in red tee and grey shorts, his pony tied into a bun, looking just awesome in her eyes. The kicks, gasping, running, thumbs up to his teammates, angst, sweat- she was staring at all of it.
"And what with that him? Can't you say his name out loud for real?" Hikari teased, noting how her sister's cheeks have slightly flushed.
"I can! Don't nag me, Hiky." Hilary warns with a pout, leans forward past the table and closes balcony door.
"I'm going to sleep now." Hikari yawns,
Hilary smiles and get up from chair, patting her sister, "You know you should, your fever is just a tad lower than the morning. You'd be resting."
"I don't want to miss college," Hikari dramatically whines but Hilary ushers her out, leading to her room.
"Take rest, and call me if you need anything," Hilary covers her in a soft blanket, keeping the emergency medications, water and her phone nearby on bedside table.
"Thanks," Hikari warmly smiles.
"Goodnight," Hilary turns to leave, but a palm grips on her wrist,
"Talk with me for some time, you can study a lil later, Hils."
Hilary nods, agreeing with her sister's genuine request. The twins share their personal talks,
"Tell me what happened today?" Hikari urges,
Hilary rolls her eyes, "Not much, he found out about me."
"Me... like what?" Hikari attempts to get up, as curious as she's, but Hilary's firm glare stops her,
"He found out Hiky... that..." she whispers, "That I like him."
"Rumors they're, darn them."
"Maybe, but now he knows and he asked me straight, and I obviously lied." She says with slight stutter because she's not comfortable with the feeling that's it accompanied with.
"What did he ask!" Hikari yelps,
"Do you have a crush on me?" Hilary mimicked his tone and laughed in mundane, "And his face was so close, I could practically..." Hilary gulped, "smell his skin and mouth breath. His eyes shone differently, they were dark and not...good, really."
Hikari was angry and baffled for a moment, "He dared to do this?" Her voice shook in seethe,
"Yes." Hilary softly explained, "But you're not going to do anything against him, not even a terse word."
"And why!" Hikari protested,
"Because I said so. I don't mind him, no matter what he does next, it's between me and him and even if he'll be a prick, I don't want anyone to interfere,"
"What'll you do?" Hikary frowned daringly
"Absolutely take it all, I swear by God." Hilary sweetly smiled, her eyes filled with courage and pure love for him.
"It hurts," Hikari snapped,
"I'm not hurt-"
"You're lying, but anyways I can't help you," Hikari rolled her eyes jadedly and turned to sleep,
"It's okay for me!" Hilary growled and got up, sighing softly, "I love him...really. And it doesn't matter what he does to me. I'm sure he's a good guy." She was almost talking to herself in low whispers, "I'm polite and respectful to him, how can and for how long could he be rude? He's not a bad soul, he's just fine."
"Your thoughts." Hikari muttered, "Babe don't keep your love too unconditional for him, he owes you at least-"
"It is unconditional, with all of my heart." Hilary cuts her off.
"I need the credit card," Hilary told her and opened her personal drawer and took it,
"Why?" Hikari peeped at her through blanket,
"Because we've to buy a small bench area in canteen which Stereo heart could owe and use it for singing and put shows. I don't like Julia ma'am shouting at them rudely every now and then." Hilary closed the door, leaving a flabbergasted Hikari who couldn't even reply back.
A/N: Thanks so much to all those who read and reviewed, that's really so much appreciated! Sam loved your responses as well. Me too, yeah. XD
Hope you enjoyed the TyHil conversation, interaction and the rest of it!