A few days passed and nothing still happened.
Daniel was still being stubborn and Tara wasn't ready to bridge the gap between them.
"Y'all are fighting because of something like that?" Leyla asked Tara.
"It isn't my fault he's so stubborn"
"I knew your relationship was weird" Leyla muttered as they sat for their first class.
"Well,it isn't my fault" Tara murmured as she glanced at Daniel.
"Good morning class,as you all know,the test is coming up"
A deep groan filled the class as students' faces twisted in dissatisfaction.
"Groan all you want. It still doesn't change the fact that the test is in two weeks."
"That's too soon" Leyla voiced.
"That's too bad" The teacher said with a smirk.
"Sad old man" Leyla murmured.
Because of the fast approaching tests and the ongoing fight with Tara, Daniel decided to become withdrawn,to go back into his shell.
During lunch breaks,he didn't go to the cafeteria,and immediately the closing bell rung,he headed home.
"Worried?" Leyla asked.
"Me? No!" Tara said,quickly averting her gaze from Daniel's retreating figure."Shouldn't you be heading home?"
"Yeah,I'm waiting for Maxim. We're studying at my place,wanna come?"
"Are your parents home?" Tara asked.
"Yes and no"
"What?" Tara raised an eyebrow.
"Well,they're home but not home. Mum's in her home office till 10pm everyday while dad is at work"
"Are you fine?" Tara asked.
"Yeah,I'm doing great"
"No,I mean with your parents working long hours"
"Yeah,I mean it isn't the greatest thing ever,but I've learnt to deal with it" Leyla said with a sad smile.
"It's gonna be alright" Tara said, abruptly hugging her.
"What will I do without you? thank you so much" Leyla sniffled,hugging Tara back.
The test day finally came ,and Daniel looked like a shell of himself. He looked thin and deprived of happiness.
"You gotta talk to him" Leyla said as he walked into the class.
"After the test" Tara said, looking worriedly at him."Did something bad happen? I hope he's alright"
The test was constructed with all subjects in mind. It had 240 questions to be properly answered in four hours while the theory part had eight questions,one from each subject,and that part took two hours, totalling six hours for the entire test. However,there was a two hours break before the essay part started.
The entire school fell into a hush for the first four hours ,but when the bell rang,everyone started talking as they went out for lunch break.
"Shessh! That test was bloody" one said
"Man,did you attempt number 230?" Another asked.
"My mind was blank on that one,so I left it"
"How was yours?" Leyla asked,walking towards Maxim.
"It was okay,though the questions could have been tougher"
"Are you alien? Everyone's complaining ,and you are saying it should be harder"
"You asked for my opinion,leyla"
"And now I regret it. Come on,let's go for lunch" Leyla said,dragging Maxim by the arm. She winked at Tara before leaving the room.
"Hey" Tara said to Daniel.
"Hey"
"Is everything okay? You don't look well"
"Yeah,I have a slight fever" Daniel said, coughing.
"Why didn't you tell me? Have you seen the nurse?"
"Yeah,I got some drugs" Daniel said.
Tara placed her hand on Daniel's forehead and immediately withdrew it."Daniel,this isn't a slight fever.Your temperature's like a 1000 degrees"
"I'm okay" He said.
"No,tell me what's wrong? Where did the saving stuff come up? Why are you acting strange"
"Someone told me that I need to man up and then you'd follow my lead. You know so we can finally put a name on what this is ,so you can like me to the point of dating me if at all it isn't love"
"But this isn't you. You are perfectly okay the way you are. Yes,I want you to man up more ,but if you don't,it doesn't mean I'll leave you or stop liking you. You may not know it ,but you've actually grown since I met you."
"I have?"
"Yes,you've become bolder,more manly" Tara laughed."So are we good?"
"Yes,I'm sorry for how I treated you earlier" Daniel said,bowing his head. He felt really stupid that he thought of something like that ,and he jeopardized his relationship with Tara.
"It's okay. I should have been more observant to notice something like that was on your mind"
"It's okay"
"Have you eaten?"
"Nah,I don't really have an appetite"
"Get up!" Tara said.
"Why?"
"You're not dying on my watch. Let's go get something for you to eat"
"But I have to read else I'll fail"
"And you have to eat else you'll die" Tara said,staring at him.
"Fine" Daniel surrendered as they headed to the cafeteria. He remembered the time he got hurt and visited the nurse's office. How sad he felt because no one cared and no one was there to support him ,but now, things had changed drastically.
"This is nice" He muttered as Tara spoonfed him.
Julian watched them with hurt. Not too long ago, everything was going fine,and now, he could only just watch from a distance.
"Hey?" Cassandra walked up to him.
"Hey"
"I thought you've gotten over her"
"I have" He said,averting his eyes.
However,Cassandra wasn't buying it. She knew how he felt.
"Come on,let's go study for the essay section"
"I never thought I'd hear you say that"
"Say what?"
"Study?" Julian smiled.
Cassandra laughed fakely as she tugged his arm." Cute"
Days passed before Daniel started to realize how lucky he was. Tara came to check on him on weekends and even prepared meals on some occasions.
"I don't care about you. My mom just said I should give you" She would say ,but Daniel knew she was lying.
On one day,Tara decided to go to Daniel's house to watch a movie on Netflix.
"Why can't you watch it in your house?"
"It's rated 18 ,and my mum's home"
"Can't you watch it on your phone?"
"Nah,it won't have the same vibe" Tara said after she switched on the television."Aren't you watching?"
"I'll be right back" He said,dashing to his room."Okay Daniel,this stuff is rated 18 ,so control your stuff. Do not move" Daniel muttered, pointing to his crouch. He went back into the living room and sat on another couch.
"Here" Tara barked,pointing to the spot beside her.
"Uhm,I'm alright here"
"Well,okay" Tara said as she rose and sat next to him.
"This is gonna be a a long movie" Daniel muttered as a kissing scene came up in the opening twenty seconds. After that scene,the movie continued normally until another kissing scene came up ,and this was more passionate.
"Uhm,mind tossing the throw pillow?" Daniel asked.
"Too far" Tara said,staring at the television intently as she leaned back to place her head on Daniel's laps.
"Uhm,why?"
"I'm more comfortable this way" Tara said as the scene continued.After some time,she noticed something strange."Is it me or are your jeans moving?"
"It's definitely you" Daniel said nervously.
Tara shrugged it off but as the next kissing scene came up. She felt it again.
"Busted" She smirked as she turned to face him. Her eyes widened as she glanced down.