Her friends were now silent, their eyes darting from Sasha to Tommy expecting Tamara to say something.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Zayne muttered. "He never sits there."
"Why is he even talking to her?" Misha whispered.
Tamara sat stiff for a second, watching Tommy and Sasha like she was frozen. She held her spoon in the air, but then, just as Zayne turned to look at her, she snapped into action. A bright, fake smile slid across her face.
"Oh, relax," she said, waving her hand like it was nothing. "Tommy just wanted help with that poem he's been working on. He actually asked me first." She glanced around the table, letting the lie come out smooth and easy. "But I told him, 'Why not ask Sasha? She's basically a poetry genius.' So… that's why he's over there."
The confusion around the table loosened almost instantly. Zayne leaned back into her chair. Misha let out a soft laugh and rolled her eyes.
"Ohhh, that makes sense," Misha said. "I thought maybe he was switching sides."
Tamara let out a little chuckle and finally picked up her spoon. "Please. Tommy's mine."
She started eating, acting like she hadn't just been seconds away from snapping. Her calmness made the others relax too, and it was working.
"She's too good to be true," Zayne said, still looking over at Sasha. "Always acting perfect. But we know she's hiding something."
"She is hiding something," Tamara said with a small smirk, and her voice became serious. "And soon, everyone will know. She'll be out of this school before the semester ends."
That made them all laugh. Misha even slapped the table lightly with the back of her hand. "Imagine her being dragged out during prep!"
They giggled like kids sharing a nasty secret. Between bites of food, they kept stealing glances toward Sasha's table. Tommy said something that made Sasha smile, and Ayanna laughed too. From where Tamara sat, it looked like a scene that was going to snap soon.
But her face changed, she didn't like what she was seeing, but still, she kept smiling. She had planted her lie, and now she just needed to water it… and wait.
At Sasha's table, the mood was really easy. Tommy sat across from her, his heart beating a little faster than usual. He wanted to say something or anything to let her know how he felt. But with Ayanna and Kelly there, he kept it all locked inside.
Instead, he leaned forward and asked normally, "So… why did you leave the library earlier with Tamara?"
Sasha looked up from her plate and smiled. "Oh, it wasn't her idea. Mr. Davis sent for me. He said he wanted me to speak to the class tomorrow about Villanelle poems…on his behalf."
Tommy's eyes lit up. "Seriously? That's awesome!" he said, sitting up straighter. "Villanelles are my favorite kind of poetry. I can't wait to hear what you say."
Ayanna grinned. "Villanelles are kinda cool. They sound like songs sometimes."
Kelly nodded. "Yeah, I love how the lines repeat. It's like they stick in your head."
Sasha smiled at them all, then she glanced down at her tray. "We have exams coming up soon, though. I just hope I'm ready. And after that… graduation." Her voice grew a little quieter. "It's all happening so fast."
Tommy looked at her for a long moment, his spoon forgotten in his hand. "Yeah," he said softly. "After we graduate, I think I'll miss this place."
His eyes stayed on Sasha just a little longer than they should have.
"I think I'll miss some people a lot."
Ayanna's fork stopped halfway to her mouth. She noticed the way Tommy was looking at Sasha; like she was the only one in the room. Her eyes flicked to Sasha, who hadn't even realized.
A slow smile crept on Ayanna's lips. "Anyway!" she said, changing the subject before it got awkward. "Tommy, I've been wondering… are you really Tommy Safali?"
Tommy blinked. "Uh… yeah. That's me."
Ayanna leaned in, taking a little breath. "Are you related to Richardson Safali? The business mogul in town? The guy with like, ten companies?"
Tommy froze, just for a second. His fingers curled slightly around his cup. He had always kept that part of his life private. He didn't want anyone at school to know who his father was.
He forced a confused laugh. "Richardson who? I mean… sometimes I ask myself that too. Like, who even is that guy?"
Kelly chuckled quickly. "They're not related. I've known Tommy for a while now. Trust me, if he was rich, he'd be riding to school in a private jet."
Sasha giggled. "Fair point. I guess not all last names mean something."
Tommy gave her a small, thankful smile.
But Ayanna tilted her head slightly, like she wasn't fully convinced. "Hmm… I guess you're right. Just curious, that's all."
Tommy picked up his cup and took a long sip, hiding his face for a second.
He knew he had just dodged something big.
And Ayanna was still watching him closer than ever. She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at Tommy. "So, Tommy… do you have any siblings?"
Tommy smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I do. I have an older sister, Cassandra. She's graduating from university soon."
"Oh wow," Sasha said, raising her brows. "What's she like?"
"She's... super responsible," Tommy said, his voice was now a little gentle. "Like, always making lists, always planning. She even sends me reminders for things I forget…like drinking water," he added with a grin.
They all laughed.
Then Tommy turned to Sasha. "What about you, Sasha? Got any siblings?"
Sasha sighed playfully and rolled her eyes. "I have two siblings, Timothy and Kendall. They're small… and wild."
Kelly chuckled. "Wild how?"
"Like... untamable!" Sasha said, throwing her hands in the air. "They climb on everything, always fighting over the TV. I already know my days at home will be chaotic once we're back."
Tommy laughed harder this time. Not just at her words, but at the way she said them, so full of energy and helplessness. He loved how expressive she was.
Ayanna smiled. "That's how kids are. It's their job to give you a tough time."
Just as Sasha was about to say something back, a bell rang, and it echoed through the hall.
"Time to go," Ayanna said, standing up and brushing crumbs off her skirt.
Around them, chairs scraped back. Students started leaving in groups, heading for the dorms.
Sasha stood too, picking up her tray. "Well… goodnight, Tommy. Goodnight, Kelly."
Tommy looked up at her, wishing the night could stretch just a little longer. "Goodnight," he said, and his voice was softer than usual. "Sleep well, Sasha."
Kelly stood and nudged Tommy's shoulder. "Man, you've got it bad," he whispered with a grin.
Tommy smiled but said nothing.
As they headed in the opposite direction, Tommy's eyes followed Sasha until she disappeared through the door with Ayanna.
At the far side of the dining hall, Tamara stood with her tray in hand; her friends were still beside her. She didn't speak, and she was just watching Tommy…watching how he walked, how his head tilted slightly back like he was thinking about something or someone.
Tamara's lips curled into a small smile, she knew she had to wait patiently to have Tommy for herself, but now he was just destructed with something she had to get rid of.
The night air outside the dining hall was cooler now, brushing softly against Sasha's skin as she walked with Ayanna toward the dorm building. Her mind4 lingered on the dinner conversation; Tommy's smile, his laugh, the way he'd said goodnight, but it wasn't enough to get herself destructed.
Just as she reached the corner near the pathway to the girls' dorm, a voice called from behind.
"Sasha!"
Sasha turned.
Tamara stood a few steps away, walking quickly toward her. She wore a sweet smile, but something about it felt too perfect to be real.
"Oh, hey Tamara," Sasha said politely.
Tamara tilted her head, her voice was soft and sweet. "Just wanted to say goodnight. And don't forget tomorrow, okay? Extra lessons with Mr. Davis. I know you're busy, but don't let it slip your mind."
"I won't forget," Sasha said. "I'll be there."
Tamara gave another smile, but only for a moment. "That's great. I'll be looking forward to it too. I'm sure my grades will improve soon." She touched Sasha's arm lightly. "Sleep tight, okay? See you in class."
"Goodnight, Tamara," Sasha said, watching her walk away.
Sasha's smile faded slowly as she turned back toward the dorms. Something about Tamara always left a strange feeling in her chest; like a puzzle she had tried for years to solve.
Tamara, on the other hand, walked with ease; her steps were light as she headed back toward her group of friends. She joined them, chatting like nothing had happened. But when they reached the dorms, she gave them a quick wave and slipped off on her own.
Inside her room, she shut the door quietly behind her and dropped her bag on the floor. The smile she'd worn earlier returned, wider now, curling at the corners of her lips.
She walked over to her bed and threw herself onto it, stretching her arms and legs across the mattress like a queen claiming her throne.
"This is going to work," she whispered to herself.
Her fingers played with the edge of her pillow as she imagined the moment: Sasha with Mr. Davis, maybe standing too close, maybe laughing. All Tamara had to do was snap the pictures… and with a few clever edits, the story would write itself.
She sat up, changed into her nightdress, and crawled under her covers. A satisfied sigh slipped from her lips.
"Tomorrow that's when her story ends."
With that, Tamara's eyes slowly closed as she drifted off to sleep.
The following morning, the sun peeked through the tall windows of the classroom, spreading long lines of light across the desks. Students chatted in low voices, some yawning, others flipping through their notebooks or writing something on the corners of their pages. The room was filled with soft laughter and whispers as everyone was waiting for the first lesson to begin.
Tamara sat near the window, her hands folded on her desk, and her eyes weren't on her books; they were fixed on Tommy.
He sat a few rows ahead, turned slightly in his seat, talking with Kelly. He looked focused, and his eyebrows were slightly raised as he spoke. Kelly leaned in, nodding, his hand gesturing as if explaining something serious.
Tamara narrowed her eyes.
What are they talking about? she wondered. And why does he look so serious?
She kept watching for a moment, biting her lower lip, until the sound of the classroom door creaking open made her turn.
Mr. Williams walked in, holding a brown leather folder under one arm and a mug of black coffee in his other hand. He wore his usual checkered shirt that was tucked into his high-waisted gray pants and a pair of brightly polished black shoes. His glasses were rested on the edge of his nose, and his hair, black with some mix of gray was neatly combed to the side.
"Good morning, class," he said in a deep, tired voice.
"Good morning, sir," the students replied, their voices blending together.
Mr. Williams walked to the front of the class and placed his coffee mug on the desk. He opened the folder and pulled out a thick pile of printed notes.
"Today," he said, adjusting his glasses, "we continue with sequences and series. Open your textbooks to page eighty-six."
A few groans were heard through the class, but most students opened their books. Some scribbled notes from yesterday's lesson while others leaned back, looking half-awake.
Tommy flipped his book open with a light sigh and glanced sideways at Kelly, who smirked at the sound of another student already asking, "Sir, are we solving those long formulas again?"
Tamara turned to her book too, but her eyes drifted now and then, still curious about Tommy, still wondering what had made his morning so serious.
Meanwhile, Mr. Williams began writing numbers on the chalkboard and the screeching sound of chalk filled the room.
Outside the classroom, birds chirped loudly, but inside, all focus slowly turned to Mr. Williams' voice and the patterns of numbers that filled the board. After he finished writing a long equation on the board, he stepped back, dusting his fingers against his trousers, and turned to face the class.
"Tamara Leon," he called without hesitation. "Come and solve this."
Tamara's heart skipped a beat. She slowly pushed her chair back and stood up. She tried to look calm, not letting the nerves she was feeling inside betray her.
Shanice, seated near the middle row, quietly slid her math book over her water bottle. While pretending to flip a page, she grabbed a pen and quickly scribbled the full solution onto the bottle's label. Her hand moved fast, careful not to attract any attention. Everyone else was focused on Tamara, not noticing a thing.
Tamara walked to the front, her steps were slow and she swallowed hard. She stood before the board, her eyes locked on the equation.
It was hard.
Even Sasha, sitting near the window, leaned forward with a frown. Her fingers tapped her chin as she tried to figure it out. If she had to solve it, she would need time to think. But Tamara? Everyone knew she wasn't strong in math.
A few students whispered and giggled behind their hands. Someone even muttered, "She's doomed."
Tamara gritted her teeth, but she said nothing.
Just then, Shanice raised her hand and said sweetly, "Tamara, you forgot your bottle."
Without waiting for a reply, Shanice stood up and walked to the front. She handed Tamara the bottle normally, flashing a small smile like she was just being helpful.
Mr. Williams narrowed his eyes slightly. He didn't say a word, but his stare followed Shanice as she walked back to her seat. It was the kind of look that said, Don't try that again.
Tamara already knew what was going on. She took the bottle, nodded a silent thanks, and pretended to unscrew the cap. She took a slow sip, then she looked up at the board. Her hand lifted the chalk, and she began to solve the equation.
Every now and then, she took another sip from the bottle, her eyes flicking down for a split second, just enough to read the next part. Her writing on the board was smooth, like she'd known the answer all along.
Whispers started to fade, even the giggles stopped. Sasha watched, she raised her eyebrows in surprise.
Finally, Tamara dropped the chalk and turned to Mr. Williams.
She smiled.
"What do you think, sir?"
Mr. Williams stared at the board. He folded his arms and looked at Tamara. A small smirk was tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"That must be some magical water you're drinking," he said, nodding toward the bottle in her hand. "Can I have a look at that?"
Tamara's heart jumped, it was something she wasn't expecting.