✓ IT ALL STARTED WITH A PSYCHO

❝Challenge Accepted❞

I entered the large dining hall where we had preciously been earlier, to find it was empty. The tables were covered in white sheets and the chairs were leaning against them. It looked like no one had been here in years, I could have sworn we were here this morning.

"Zendaya" A voice sounded out in the silence from behind me. I turned around to see Tom, leaning against the doorway with a smile on his face. I waved shyly. What the fuck. A wave? Seriously?

"Oh, uh.. Hey? Laura said you wanted me?" I asked with an awkward smile perking at my lips. He nodded gently. Walking towards me, he slipped out a small piece of paper. I tilted my head to the side, easily confused.

"There's a party tonight, the rest of us are going and I was wondering if you wanted to join us?" he smiled, shoving his hands back down into his pockets. I shrugged, opening the piece of paper.

"Ok.. Ill see what i'm doing, and this is?.."

"My number"

"Your... Number?"

"Yes.. My phone number?" he looked confused as to why I was so confused.

"Yes Tom I get that, but why do I need it?" I asked.

He rolled his eyes in a playful manner. "We all have each others numbers and you were the only one who didn't have mine, so.."

"Oh.. Right" I giggled. Wow this couldn't be more awkward. I slipped the piece of paper into my pocket.

"I'll text you mine later?"

"Sure" he smiled. From there I didn't really know where to go, it was awkward and I think we both knew it. I pulled up a chair from a nearby table and took a seat, gesturing for Tom to sit next to me as I did so. He pulled down one of the chairs and took a seat.

We spoke for a while. Some might say get to know each other a little better. Like we hadn't been doing that all day.

"Your wearing your necklace" Tom smiled as he pointed towards my neck. I smiled, caressing the dolphin between my fingers gently.

"Yeah, of course" I smiled.

"It looks good on you." I looked up to see him almost staring at the small crystal between my fingers as I balanced it from either side. My hands began to clam a little and my hairs stood on end.

"Are you flirting with me, Holland?" I smirked. He backed up a little, a face of embarrassment to match his rosy cheeks.

"Of course not" he said with confidence, yet a glimmer of the devil lay fresh in his eyes.

"Right" I giggled, shaking my head at the so believable comment. There was a moment of peaceful silence as we just stared at each other. I never knew Tom well enough to have an opinion on him before, but now... I was seeing something completely different.

"So, what are you up to?" I asked, placing my phone back down into my pocket and leaning over the table slightly.

"Uh... Nothing. Why?"

"Well, i'm starving and there's a starbucks down the road. Care to join?" I asked as I stood and began walking towards the doorway. Tom shrugged gently and followed me. I informed Laura over text that me and Tom were going to grab some drinks, and, of course Laura insisted she wanted something too, making me smile.

☆

"So wait, you thought because I was a Disney kid I'd be like this brat?" I spluttered as my cheeks began to sting from the laughing. Tom held his hands up defence as he took a sip of his drink.

"You aren't completely wrong though. Half the kids on their expect someone to tell them which is left and right before they walk it" I sighed as I calmed down a little, thinking back to the old Disney days. They were fun, and not as pressurising at this, a lot less work and... Well I barely got to connect with anyone.

"Yeah, I've worked with people like that before. Gotta admit though, this is a game changer" Tom smiled as he fiddled with the straw in his cup. I nodded, biting the inside of my lip. "Excited for tonight?" Tom asked as his eyes averted back up to my own. I shrugged lightly.

"Honestly, i'm not much of a party girl"

"You don't say" Tom quipped making me smile. I know I look like one, and I've had my fair share of the party environment, but that was in the past and it's nothing that needed to be brought up. Like, EVER again.

Tom could see that there was something else inside Zendaya. She stood out from the others and in all honesty, there were no feelings involved, just that Tom wanted to get to know Zendaya. He nodded as she said that, feeling free not to judge.

"Ok, but hold up. What if I set you a little challenge?"

"Excuse me?" I said a little baffled.

"It's a Holland thing. Anyways, I challenge you to be the opposite of yourself for rest of prep" he smirked, that devilish look in his eyes.

I thought about it for a while. But what did it really consist of?

"Ok.. Gonna pretend that's not weird at all, and your not gonna like my opposite" I tilted my eye brow as I took another sip of my drink.

Tom shrugged, he seemed pretty confident.

"Starting tonight, Holland, your gonna wish you never made this deal with me" I reached my hand out for Tom to shake. He knitted his eye brows together, slowly taking my hand and sealing the deal.

"We'll see about that"