Chapter 2- Property of Thomas Cavanaugh

I stared down at the mangled mess of noodles in the pot I was stirring. They looked kind of funny. I’d never been one for cooking, so I wasn’t sure if they were supposed to look like this, but they did not look very appetizing. I was hoping this class would improve my cooking skills a little, but now I’m starting to think it’s a lost cause. Maybe when I add the sauce it will help it some.

Thomas was being no help whatsoever. The only thing he had done was fill the pot with water. I was the one having to attend to it. He didn’t even offer to help when I made the meatballs, and I was not so keen on the smell of raw meat. I was borderline vegetarian. I could tolerate chicken but that’s about all. Anything else only tested out my gag reflex.

“Is something burning?” Thomas asked looking up from his phone for the first time since this lab began.

I panicked. Oh crap, the meatballs. I grabbed the oven mitt from the counter and threw open the oven door. Smoke came rolling out of the oven making me cough on the fumes. I took a step back to get some fresh air when I noticed the surrounding kitchen’s looking at us…or well, me.

I flushed red. Great.

“When are these things supposed to be done?” I asked examining the burnt, crisp lumps of meant on the pan.

“I’m gonna guess and say about ten minutes before they look like that,” he smirked.

I groaned furiously and grabbed the pot of noodles off the stove and placed them on the counter. They had turned out better than the meatballs but that wasn’t saying much. It was only a small victory. They still looked a little dry. Perhaps it was the lack of water I put them in.

I mean seriously! What idiot can’t boil noodles? It looks so easy on TV.

After the remaining water was drained from the pot I placed it back on the stove top. Just as I reached for the jar of sauce it was already swiped away by a certain smug person’s hand.

“I’ll take that,” I snapped reaching for the jar but he quickly jerked it away from me before I could grasp it.

He only increased my annoyance.

“I’m helping,”he said twisting the lid and opening it.

I quickly picked up on what he was trying to do and stopped him.

“Oh no,” I protested. “If you think you’re just gonna swoop in here at the end and open jar of sauce and call that helping, you’re very wrong mister. This isn’t going to be an easy A!”

He chuckled at me as if I’d just said something humorous. “Mister?” he repeated.

“Your right,” I smiled sweetly. “I’m sure I could think of more fitting endearments for you.”

“Name one,” he challenged.

“Pig headed, arrogant, overconfident jerk…”

He looked amused. “Did you come up with all of those on your own?” he teased. “And I thought that confidence was a virtue.”

“Normally, yes,” I agreed. “In you? No…no it’s not.”

He seemed to ponder on that for a moment before smiling and turning towards the spaghetti pot. He lifted the jar up to the pot and started to pour it in.

“I’ll do that!” I successfully grabbed the jar, but he refused to give in and let go. We were actually standing here playing a game of tug of war in the middle of the kitchen with all eyes on us. He was being disruptive to the class.

I gave him my best intimidating glare and tugged. Why did he annoy me so much? I don’t usually let people get to me like this, but he was playing on my last nerve. Maybe it’s because I’m going on my period. I always tend to get very irritated during that time. My emotions are all over the place.

“Give it to me!” I threatened. “Or I’ll…”

I came up blank. Great, Olivia. Or I’ll what? At least think it through before you go making unless threats.

“Or you’ll what?” he challenged with a smirk.

“I’ll…I’ll…dropkick you right here!” Even I almost laughed when I said it. I’m such an idiot. I’ve never drop kicked anyone in my entire life. I’ve never needed to. This time excluded.

I really shouldn’t watch pro wrestling with my dad anymore. I think it’s giving me wild ideas about my capabilities.

Just as I suspected, he let out a loud and humorous laugh gaining much more unwanted attention to us. I wanted to die from embarrassment.

Dropkick, really? He’ll never let me live that down. I swear, if I have to learn it just to prove him wrong, then I will.

“That’s great,” he said as he tried to catch his breath. “I don’t think I’ve laughed this hard in a long time. Quick, threaten me again.”

I groaned in irritation and while he was busy recomposing himself and I quickly swiped the jar from his hands. Maybe just a little too quickly actually. The sauce came flying out of the jar and before I knew it, I was covered in it.

I stood shocked while everyone else around stared in shocked. Thomas was almost on the floor in hysterics. I, however, wanted to cry. My new shirt was stained, probably beyond repair, and my perfectly styled blonde hair was now matted with red tomato puree. That will be a fun trying to get out. I would have to wash it at least three times.

With the continued stairs and whispers of my classmates I was suddenly feeling like Carrie White standing on display in front of everyone while I was humiliated. Only instead of pig’s blood I was drenched in, it was spaghetti sauce. Where was our teacher during all of this? Wasn’t it her job to be overseeing us while we were cooking?

I placed the glass container on the counter in front of me and raced from the room as fast as my legs would carry me. I felt the tears spilling form my eyes before I even reached the bathroom. I was internally thankful I didn’t pass anyone in the deserted hallways on my way in.

The smell of lemon cleaner hit my nose as soon as I entered. It made my empty stomach feel queasy. I carefully look in my appearance in the mirror that hung above the row of sinks and pulled out my shirt to get a closer look at it.

Yes, this was definitely ruined. I quickly let the fabric lose and cringed at how hideous I looked. No doubt, that by tomorrow, I’d be the laughing stock of the school. Word tends to travel fast around here.

I allowed myself to sob for a few minutes for the death of my sheer top shirt and the unavoidable embarrassment I was sure to face tomorrow, and then I tried to suck it up. I refused to let anyone see me like this. Especially the one I hated the most right now, Thomas.

So perhaps that most of this was my fault, but he should have just left well enough alone and let me finish what I started. How hard could that have possible been? He had done it so perfectly before until the end.

Once the last of my tears were dried I thought about pulling off the top, but it would still reveal the stain on my cami underneath so I decided to just leave it on. Thank God I only had one more class left after this and I could go home and change. I wasn’t about to let this incident ruin my perfect attendance record I worked so hard for this year.

With the perfect combination of vitamins, and a very good health record, nothing had prevented me from being here and my clumsiness in the kitchen definitely wouldn’t.

I gave up on cleaning my shirt once there was nothing left behind except a stain where the sauce used to be. Yuck! I don’t think I’ll ever eat spaghetti again. Not that I did much before.

This had to be one of the worst days of school I’ve endured since I had my braces put on in the sixth grade. That was humiliating. I got a piece of broccoli stuck in them on my first day. I’ll never forget the laughs I received from that. I was called broccoli teeth for months after that. Thank God that was over.

Once I was sure I was composed enough to leave the bathroom I pushed open the door and ran into something hard yet again. I way am I so accident prone today? This makes the second time I’ve ran into something. At this rate I’m gonna wind up hurt before the day is over.

I steadied myself by using the wall beside me for support before allowing myself to look up at the person I had hit.

I groaned internally. No. No. No! Certainly life couldn’t be this cruel. Had he came here just to humiliate me some more?

“What do you want?”

He didn’t answer my question. Instead he pushed me back inside the bathroom with great force causing me to yelp from the surprise. The door closed quickly behind him. I was trapped in the girl’s bathroom with the devil himself.

“Are you insane?” I screeched. “Boys are not allowed in here. It’s girls only.”

He gave me a bored look and glanced around the empty bathroom before focusing back on me. “I don’t see anyone else in here do you?”

“That’s beside the point. It’s still the rule!”

“Calm down, I’m only here to help you.”

Him, help me? That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard all day. Why on earth would he do that unless he had an ulterior motive? Or, the little voice inside me said. He might just feel really bad about what happened.

I almost laughed. Not likely.

I gasped in fake horror, playing up as much as I could. “You help me? Why? What do you want? I’m not signing over my soul to you.”

He looked very un-amused by my display. I silently hoped I was getting on his nerves. It was the least I could do after what he caused to happen to me earlier.

Take that Thomas! If he thinks I’m that naïve then he has another thing coming. I’m on to him. I refused to be fooled by this sudden troublemaker that has walked into my life.

“Don’t worry,” he smiled slightly bordering on creepy. It worried me. He took a step closer to me and extended his hand before the lights flickered off. “I just want to drink your blood.”

We are not amused. Unfazed by his scare tactics, I spoke. “It’s a little for Halloween isn’t it?”

I was not so easily scared. You have to get up pretty early in the morning to scare me.

I waited patiently for the light to come back on, and when it didn’t I grew annoyed again.

“Just turn the lights on already,” I said.

I was only greeted with silence.

“If you’re trying to scare me it’s not going to wor- Ah.” I wailed loudly when a hand grabbed the top of my head. I begin flailing my arms around like a crazy person trying to shake off whatever had touched me whilst continuing to scream.

I was only seconds away from screaming for help when the lights cut back on and Thomas was in fits of laughter holding the switch between his fingers.

How cruel.

I seethed at him. “If you’re not going to help then get out. I knew you weren’t done with me yet!”

I don’t know what part of my words had caused the hilarity to stop, but it did. His face drew up into a smirk that I immediately knew was not good for me. He stepped forth and grabbed a strand of clean blond hair and twirled it around on his finger. I swallowed nervously at his sudden closeness and debated on whether I should be putting some distance between us.

“Sweetheart, I’m far from done with you. Let that be a fair warning to you.”

Was that meant to be a threat?

I swallowed nervously when no part of my body would move an inch. It was like his intense eyes were holding me there and dared me to try it. Now I was seeing why he intimidated so many people. His stare didn’t exactly give you warm fuzzy feeling inside. It frightened the hell out of me.

Did he just claim me?

I swear I thought he could hear my heart beating rapidly in my chest.

He seemed to enjoy the reaction I was giving him as he looked particularly pleased. He dropped his hand from my face and took a step back giving me some breathing room. I couldn’t have been more thankful. I didn’t like being within such close proximity of a bad boy; this one in particular. I hated the way he made me feel. Revolted, was one word among many. Some I wouldn’t even dare admit to myself. It was unsettling.

I pushed those thoughts from my mind enough to get a few –what I hoped was coherent- words out. “I-I have t-to go.”

“Here, take this,” he said pulling off a white shirt that was slung over his shoulder and tossing it to me. “And you’re welcome.”

Why didn’t I notice that there?

I held up the too large shirt and examined it briefly before losing it again. “I am not wearing this!”

“Fine,” he shrugged. “Then go around looking like food threw up on you. You’re the one who has to live with it.”

I hated when he was right. Darn him.

“Aright, I’ll wear it. But let me make something very clear. We are not friends.”

Not by any means.

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he chuckled. “You can give it back to me at your earliest convenience.”

With that being his last words to me he left out the door. I was now alone with my thoughts and a very disturbing shirt. I grimaced when read it again; Property of Thomas Cavanaugh. It was in large black letters.

Kill me now.

I hesitated momentarily before I replayed his throw up comment in my head and ultimately gave in. As soon as I placed the shirt on my body I was engulfed in his scent. It stunned me temporarily while I took it in. He smelled so good. My eyes widened when I realized what I was doing and I mentally scolded myself.

No, Olivia, no.

So what if he smells like a walking advertisement for men’s cologne, that gave me no right to sniff his clothes. I can’t let that happen again.

I did my best to force him from my mind before I made my way out of the bathroom and back to class. My light jacket was still inside the room and I would not be caught dead without it. If the material would have been able to cover up the food odor along with my appearance, I never would have agreed to be Property of Thomas Cavanaugh.

I gained everyone’s attention the moment I entered. It was like they were waiting for me. Thomas sill wasn’t back yet. I was not the least bit surprised.

There were a few whispers from some of the girls and surprised looks from some of the guys as I went for my things. All of them were looking at my attire, or more specifically, my shirt. I wanted to die. Why couldn’t a hole just open up and swallow me at this very moment? I couldn’t be so lucky.

The teacher still wasn’t back yet and that I was thankful for. I quickly did my best to clean up my kitchen before she got back-despite the stares I was receiving- and made my disappearance. No one dared ask me what happened.

I zipped up my jacket to hide my newest label and hid my face from by passers as I continued my journey to the lockers.

Just one more class Olivia, just one. You can do this. You don’t chicken out remember?

I nodded to myself and sighed. Right, I don’t. This would not define me. I looked down at my shirt. Well after today anyway.

I dropped my books from my view and held my head high. I was Olivia Harris, I could handle anything. Boy boy’s included. It’s not like this day could possibly get any worse.

Little did I know, I couldn’t have been more wrong. My monthly visitor decided to show up an hour later.

Grace stared across the room at me with unspoken concern. She had been doing since we had gotten home two hours ago. I sat curled up on my couch with the TV on trying to distract myself from what happened today. I silently debated if I would show my face at that school again ever again.

“Are you sure you’re ok?” she asked.

“Perfectly,” I lied.

“Because you could tell me if you aren’t,” she urged.

I replied to her monotone. “I’m fine.”

She nodded her and didn’t press it further thank goodness. I’m not sure I could handle retelling the story. It was embarrassing enough being stuck with the horrid memories of it. I guess on the upside no one noticed what happened.

One of the most humiliating things that can occur in high school is starting your monthly curse during gym class. Oh did I mention I had a male teacher? I’m still trying to forget when I explained to him why I couldn’t finish running laps today.

During a Snickers commercial I really started craving some chocolate. It didn’t matter what kind, I just wanted some. Did we even have any? Who cares? I’ll drive out and get some myself if I have to. It’s funny. I can almost swear that I smell chocolate.

The crunching of a candy wrapper from my best friend quickly caught my attention. I did smell chocolate!

“Is that Rolos?” I asked her.

“Yeah, I didn’t get to finish them at lunch. Want one?”

No I want them all, but I couldn’t do that to her. She’s my friend. I’ll just get my own….from all the way in town. It’s only a twenty minute drive.

I quickly lunged at her. “Give them to me.”

She honestly looked sacred of me when I came running in her direction. She quickly threw them to me without much of a fight.

“Jeez. I’m starting see what’s wrong with you today.”

I calmed when the chocolate covered caramels entered my mouth. I moaned at the goodness. So good, I thought.

“Should I be worried that you attacked that candy like it was it was the last human in a room full of hungry vampires?”

I froze when she mentioned vampire. All my thoughts went back to the girl’s bathroom today. So much for forgetting him. He always seems to show up out of nowhere. My mind included. I have got to get him out of my head.

“I’ll replace them, I promise,” I mumbled.

She shrugged. “No worries. I have more.”

Her words were like music to my ears. “There’s more?”

She ginned widely with amusement. “I’ll tell you, if you tell me why you were wearing a different shirt than you were this morning. Don’t think I didn’t notice it handing down from your jacket today.”

I laughed nervously. “Oh that.”

She nodded. “Yes that. Now who’s was it?”

Well this will be awkward. For a minute I debated on telling her, but in the end I knew I could trust her with this. It’s not like she would go running to tell the first person she could. She didn’t gossip. It was one of the many things I liked about her. At that realization I bit my lip nervously and confessed everything .

Well everything except his warning today. That I didn’t want to tell anyone. If I didn’t then maybe it will just go away. Here’s to hoping anyway.

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