1.1 | daunting medleys

twenty-two | so mind numbingly gentle

Tabitha was dizzy.

And not because the wind in her hair had ceased abruptly, but because she'd just gotten down from Oliver's motorcycle and her legs felt like jelly. The aforementioned boy came from his bike and held out his hand for her, she looked up at him and at his hands again. His hair was unruly from the wind, tousled and a curly strand fell on his forehead. He grinned largely at her, as if to ease her and she couldn't fight the smile on her face. Tabitha took his hand and got off, almost falling on her face in the process. She ignored how warm his hands were, or how he tightened his fingers around hers, just avoided his eyes and looked at the building behind there.

When her legs had regained feeling in them, she let a sigh of relief. Oliver let go of her hands and started fumbling with the strap of the helmet. He was naturally taller than her, so she looked up and her cheeks burned. His finger grazed her chin, as he took off the helmet for her the second time and her cheeks heated unnaturally. Her insides quivered, and her fingers twitched. His actions were always gentle, and that was all he radiated, gentleness and charm. It sometimes unnerved Tabitha, as how anyone - or boy - could be this perfect, it made her seem unworthy at times because she feared she would stain him but he didn't seem to mind, he touched her without any care in the world and was so mind numbingly gentle.

"Wait a second, why didn't you wear a helmet?" She'd asked when she realized that his hair was very messy from the wind.

Oliver shrugged nonchalantly as he led her past the gate. "Your hair looked really pretty, and it'd be a shame if it was ruined by the wind." Tabitha blinked multiple times, she wanted to retort but nothing came to mind.

Tabitha could only say really softly. "But your hair's really messy."

He only glanced at her, smiled and shrugged. "Then that's my hair's going to be. It got messy to save a pretty girl's hair. It's okay, really. Now come on, I can't wait to introduce you to everyone."

Tabitha bit her lips as she stopped, Oliver continued walking because he hadn't looked back at her to see her dazed expression. He finally stopped, only to find her wringing her fingers, something she did when she was nervous. Oliver unnerved her, he confused her a lot and God, she didn't want to stay away. The cold ate away at her cheeks and he tilted his head, as if perplexed.

"Are you okay?"

Tabitha didn't answer, just walked to him, languidly and started fixing his hair. Her fingers trembled when his soft curls caressed her palm softly. He looked suprised, yet there was no hiding the passion, it was grey and curled like smoke among black irises. He looked even wilder, untamed like rain or thunderstorms the colour of his eyes.

"There." She breathed and his eyes shifted, until they were soft and blazing until Tabitha was scared she would burn under the intensity of his look.

She turned to look at the house, as she was basically falling apart under his eyes. The house was large, and if Tabitha had no idea that it was the orphanage, she would have mistaken it for a hotel or five-star resort. The gravel crunched under her feet and that was the only noise that resonated between them, it made Tabitha pick at her fingernails. She wondered if he was repulsed by her touch, or maybe it didn't jumble his thoughts and his insides the way it did her. Perhaps she was stupid in thinking Oliver wasn't utterly disgusted by her touch. She was just being foolish.

She shifted her attention from Oliver and the dark thoughts filling her head to the building. There were palm trees flanking the beautiful house, and as she neared the house, the smell of roses filled her nostrils. The building was like a nostalgic dream for anyone that would walk in and it seemed really loving.

Oliver didn't bother knocking, just walked in straight, Tabitha by his side and following after him. Cool air rushed at her, and children's paintings littered the wall, visual innocence was so present it was glaring. Roses and sunflowers were in vases on tables by the door. White walls contrasted with the bright colors of the flowers and she almost gasped aloud at how homely the house was.