by Jason Vasha
Olta felt apprehensive as she realized that Daniel probably hung out under this tree. "Let's drop the formalities shall we. Seeing as my brother didn't bother to introduce us we might as well do it ourselves. I'm DanielFoy."
Olta heard the same amusement in his voice as she had heard in Niall's but it was traced with something else, something far less amusing. A new born smirk appeared in her face.
She certainly did not want to get of on the wrong foot with this guy, so she politely stretched out her hand.
"OltaMehmeti, nice to meet you Mr… I mean Daniel." Well that didn't come out without a sarcastic undertone, why couldn't she just hold her tongue. Daniel didn't seem to notice however; instead he looked down at her outstretched hand. He took, shook it and looked at Olta as if he was indulging her latest whim. He then turned to his two friends and introduced them.
"Jason Pettles." Daniel said pointing at a tall blonde guy on his right. "And Chris George." He said pointing at the black haired guy on his left. Both stepped forward to meet her hand, without any amusement or pleasure on their faces. After a short shake they both fell back to the spot where they had been standing.
"Friends or Dobermans?" Olta heard herself say jokingly. She slapped herself mentally. Daniel's expression changed instantly to an icy glare.
"Funny." He said, his voice devoid of any emotion and now held a true sinister undertone. The uncomfortable glint in his eyes had now filled them. It was a cold and truly menacing look. So much for getting on his good side, Olta thought.
Daniel took a step forward and Olta intuitively moved backwards, only to feel herself back into the tree. Daniel took another step and leaned forward, putting his left hand next to Olta's face for support.
"Now I know Niall is supposed to show around and all, but I assure you that hanging around with me would be much better for your social life..and you." He almost whispered into her ear. Olta had to suppress the urge to bark at him, indicating a fake obedience to his order. What did expect her to do, follow him around like some bitch? Ok, she had to stop the canine metaphors.
Daniel leaned in a bit further and she felt his hipbone pressing against her left hand. The cut in her index finger began to throb heavily. She tried to withdraw her hand but as she did she felt the pressure of Daniel's hip increasing. He was pinning her against the tree, she realized, in manner nobody looking at them would notice. Daniel was seriously starting to freak her out. Turning her head she saw that his appearance had softened. The amusement was back, but the malevolence lingered.
"I'm sorry, but I assure you I really think that is not such a good idea and Niall has been doing fine so far, so I think I'll stick with him for now." She had trouble with keeping her voice steady and sound cool and collected. Daniel's face slipped back to his icy demeanour. Olta started to tremble as he moved even closer to say something else.
But before Daniel could say anything she heard Niall calling.
"Mehmeti, finally." Looking away from Daniel, Olta saw Niall coming towards him.
"Fuck girl! I've been looking all over for you. Not the way I like to spend my lunch break. Understand!" He was speaking loudly and there was true anger and menace in his voice. But contrary to Daniel, Niall didn't manage to be truly threatening.
"Niall." Olta exclaimed almost enthusiastically, but successfully managed to curb it into a more submissive tone of voice. "Yeah sorry about that. I got lost. Look I told you I need a map or something." She jerked herself away from Daniel and walked over to Niall as quickly as she could without breaking into an actual sprint. When she was a couple of yards away from Niall he turned away and stalked of towards the entrance.
"We'll talk later Mehmeti." Daniel called after her, with the same icy voice.
"Hope you're rightFoy." Olta called back over her shoulder.
She quickly followed Niall inside. She knew she had done something very stupid by turning Daniel down the way she had but she couldn't help but feel proud of herself. Twice today she had withstood intimidation. God, if she found anything more to take pride in she was going to need bigger shoes.
She only caught up with Niall as she arrived at their lockers. He was busy getting something out of his so she decided to put her lunch things back in. She almost bumped her head as she heard and felt Niall slamming his locker shut. She felt him leaning over her.
"What the fuck did you think you were doing there Tirana?" She heard the question, but what caught her attention were the residual anger and the traces of despair and defeat in his voice. She knew she had fucked up.
“Alright, you know what… Stop acting like a goddamn dick.” Olta roared. She couldn't believe she swore on the first day of school.
Niall leaned back against his locker as Olta slowly closed her locker. "Fucking bastard." Niall yelled silently at both himself and his brother. "Why did you have lunch on her own? She knows nothing, nothing about the way things work in this school. Stupid, stupid, stupid." Well, Daniel had definitely noticed her now.
Olta had turned to face him and he looked at her expectantly. As he looked into her eyes he felt the need to wrap his arms around her and just to hold her.She had that same deeply insecure look in her eyes, but there was also insight. It was as if she knew. As if she knew everything about him, his deepest fears and secrets. He had to swallow deeply.
She broke their gaze and leaned back against her locker.
"I just figured that it be a nice day to lunch outside. I wandered around for a bit and saw that beautiful spot. No one was there so I just sat down and ate my lunch. That was the only fucking thing I was doing there. Ok?" She glanced at Niall, biting her lower lip.
Niall noticed the strain her voice and he thought she looked a little pale. Olta stared at the clock again.
"And?"
Again she turned her eyes to him before lowering them to the ground this time.
"And as I had just finished eating my lunch. Which, by the way, was very good, thank you for asking." She interjected herself. Her reluctance made Niall suddenly fear for what had played between Olta and Daniel. Olta picked up again.
"And out of nowhere there was Daniel, asking me if was lost. So I say no and get up. He makes a big deal about you not having properly introduced us so we get that out of way."
Niall looked at her intently as she started to ramble.
"Then I comment on his friends being Dobermans and he didn't like that. He backs me into to tree. Or actually I backed myself into tree but he leans over and whispers that he assures me that it be better for my social life and me personally if started hanging out with him. He looks his most charming self as pins me to the tree with his hipbone. I reply that I assure him that is not such a good idea and that you'd do just fine. And then you entered with your drama act." She sighed deeply as she finished her ramblings and looked up at Niall with that same insecure and knowledgeable look.
"I fucked up, didn't I?" Niall looked down at her and he felt relieved that he had stepped in when he did. But that didn't answer her question.
"Yeah, I'm afraid so." He said losing himself in her eyes again.
"I'm sorry." She said softly and a voice full of guilt. Niall frowned and shook his head, a minute smile touching his lips.
"Don't you apologize." He said berating her softly and he really couldn't restrain himself any longer.
He turned towards her and traced her jaw line with his hand. He saw the knowledge leave her eyes and they became filled with insecurity as she started to tremble. She straightened herself and moved passed him.
"Pain. finger." He heard her mutter just as she all but fled to the girl's bathroom.
He looked after her in utter confusion. He hadn't meant to scare her; he just wanted to comfort her.
"Find her?" He heard Peter ask behind him.
"Yeah, she just went to the bathroom. She'll be right back."
“ So anything happened to your sex salve?" He heard another familiar voice say. As he turned he looked and nodded at Bailey.
&nbs
p; "Yeah, she was had lunch under the tree." He saw the unpleasantly surprised looks on his friend's faces. "And Daniel formally invited her and she declined, not al together respectfully."
His friends nodded in understanding of the gravity of the situation. Alice joined them and before she could say anything Peter whispered her up to speed. A small "Oh" escaped her lips.
"But I do make a mean lunch if I do say so myself." Niall almost jumped as did his friends as they heard Olta's voice behind them. Niall turned around and tried to catch her eye, as she clearly knew she had been the topic. Her eyes met his for a fraction of second before she looked at the others.
"Hi, I'm Olta." She said stretching her hand out once again.
“Bailey." Bailey said quickly shaking her hand.
For a moment it was as if nothing had happened and the group dispersed to their respective classes. Niall and Olta were the only ones in the same class for the next double period. Even though he still felt an overwhelming need to take her into his arms Niall decided that it would probably be better to keep his hands to himself for the time being.
"Niall, is Daniel more popular than you?" Olta asked as the walked towards Geography. Niall looked at her and she met and kept his gaze.
"He isn't more popular per say, but he is more powerful. He likes to wield power."
"That I noticed" Olta said with a slight grin.
"You really do need to explain the power structure here works, before I make matters worse than already are." Niall nodded.
"Let me give you a ride home, and I'll start explaining." Olta nodded her consent as they walked into the geography class.
“Geography, the worst class.” Niall said in horror.
“You'll be lucky if you find the Pacific Ocean.” Olta said with a smirk on her face.
Chapter Six
The first period of Geography left Olta contemplating the latest events in her new school life; prompted by the fact that Daniel and Jason were in this class as well.
As Mrs. Anila had introduced her to the class she had noticed Daniel looking at her with a look that was meant to convey complete boredom. Only it didn't.
She knew she had fucked up alright but she wasn't all too sure of what or how or why she had fucked up exactly.
Sucking on her finger cut she understood she knew she had fucked her new life in her new school. She knew she had done so by getting on Daniel's bad side. And she knew she had done that because she had disliked him from the moment she laid eyes on him. What bothered her was that she didn't understand Daniel's motives.
Niall popped into her head. She felt his hand tracing her jaw again and remembered the way he had looked at her; so intently, so sympathetic. She had never been touched by a guy like that before. She felt her face turn red again and started to suck harder on her finger causing it to throb even more.
The only non-familiar male affections she had known were the not so affectionate pulls and pushes from bullies and the occasional drunken kisses from guys who figured her for an easy target. And she wasn't easy, never had been and never would be. Although if Niall kept this up, she couldn't vouch for herself. But she knew he wouldn't. It had just been a friendly pat and she had freaked on him. And now he pretended not to know her. Ah well what you reap is what you sow, Olta thought.
Daniel's icy glare popped back into her head and she heard Niall's voice calling out for her again. She felt Niall grabbing her arm when she was staring at her timetable to avoid Daniel's eyes after History class and she remembered Niall ignoring during the first double period.
Slowly it dawned on Olta. Niall, Daniel; Daniel, Niall; she had herself gotten mixed up in some sibling rivalry thing.
Niall had spent the first hour of Geography trying to focus on Mrs. Anila's teachings. He had failed miserable. Occasionally he glanced at Olta. She was sucking on her finger and it was quite a nice picture; most enthralling actually. Tomas tried to keep his glances to a minimum however as he was convinced that Daniel and Jason were observing them. He had caught Daniel's expression as Mrs. Anila had introduced Olta to the class. The look on his brother's face had seemed disinterested enough. But Niall knew the shimmer that was prevalent in his eyes. It was only there when Daniel was confronted with 'special cases' as he liked to refer to them. Olta really had managed to rub him the wrong way.
Niall couldn't help but smile at the thought though. In his head he replayed fragments of Olta's rambled retelling. She had called Vasha and George Dobermans, which was funny but not smart. She had rejected Daniel's invitation, which was simply unheard of and then she had proceeded to favourNiall over him, which was really, really nice, even it was a tad suicidal. He heard his brother's voice calling after Olta again. It was a tone Niall knew only too well.
He had never known anybody to decline an invitation by Daniel. It was considered an honour; it meant finally getting somewhere in the world. And those who truly didn't care about it, well they usually didn't get invited. But Olta didn't know about all of that, now did she. He silently cursed Mrs. Rume for the baby-sitting assignment. There was a good reason for letting the geeks and other social out-casts do those things. They could explain the inner workings of the system whilst observing it from the outside. New students had some time to adjust before deciding which path to follow. Olta's path had already been chosen for her in the first fifteen minutes. Antagonizing the most powerful guy in school had only blocked any other direction of even further.
As much as Niall hated to admit it Daniel was higher up the social ladder. Daniel was the reigning King and Niall was, well, the brother of the king. Daniel held a tight grip on school life. He was a star player in the basketball team, president of student council and had started to date the captain of the cheerleading squad, Sarah; even though she was a senior and he a mere sophomore.
Niall didn't do anything in particular to maintain his status. It simply was. He had tried dating high ranking cheerleaders and popular girls though. The wonderful Altea had been one of them but he had tired of her rather quickly. If only she had brought something more substantial to the table than being easy. Unfortunately she seemed to think that their fates were sealed because he had spent some nights in her bed.
"NiallFoy, did you catch what I was saying?" Mrs. Anila harshly called Niall's attention back to the lesson. He shook his head at her, smiling his sweetest smile. The teacher was unimpressed and came walking over to his table.
"Honestly boy, sometimes I do wander where you head is at. I've just explained the group assignment for the second period. Now, seeing as it is Olta's first day here I think it best that you paired up with her. Your country will be Belgium." She turned to Olta.
"I don't want to make you first day too difficult, but not too easy either."
"I think we'll be fine with Belgium ma'am. Thank you." Olta said politely, giving Mrs. Anila a small nod. She had stopped sucking her finger Niall noticed.
"So, what are we supposed to be doing?" Niall asked as he moved his chair over to Olta's table. He felt rather embarrassed about having to ask her.
"Don't know exactly. Something about discussing about a country, write down everything you know about it and handing it in." Olta said shrugging her shoulders.
"Ah yes, of course it's Monday. It's 'how much do you know of world' period. Next class will be spent on discussing just how little we know of the world. Nobody takes it seriously." Niall explained as he sat down beside her. He probably could have created a bit more distance between them than the current foot or so but he didn't really want to. Niall noticed Olta was writing down facts about Belgium already. Without looking up at him she asked something that left Niall feel completely gutted.
"Did I get mixed up in some sibling rivalry thing between you and your brother?" Olta's tone was rather flaccid and Niall wanted to look at her face to see just how she had intended that question. She however kept her herself directed at her writing. His mind raced as he tried to think of a suitable answer.
