Tiana's POV

I stayed in my usual corner in the library, away from the judging eyes of classmates and juniors alike. As much as the who fiasco about me has died down, people still had me in mind. It was annoying but as usual, I put up a hard girl facade,  held my head up high with my nose and chin in the air and walked around like I owned the place.

Typical defense mechanism.

If I wasn't in class, I was in the library and if I wasn't in the library, I was in the the stadium. All on my own. I would have loved to hang out with people and by people, I mean Tyler. He was the only one that seemed not to judge me at all and as much as I hated to admit it, several thoughts have occupied my mind lately.

It seemed so surreal that sometimes, I think he was put up by his friends to do something to me. I don't know, maybe as a spy or something or maybe to mess me up a little. Although he seemed so genuine, I've been around people long enough to know that they always want something in return when they are being too nice.

Ciara's Principle #4.

"Hey." An unfamiliar voice pierced through my reverie and I looked up to see two guys right in front of me, smirking. I didn't recognize them so I figured they were probably in another discipline or juniors. One was tall and dark skinned while the other was a little short and had a hint of albinism.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" I asked them trying to sound as stern as I could. The taller one of the boys suddenly took the space beside me while the albino kept standing, the smirk not leaving their faces.

Okay, what is going on?

"Of course you can help us." The tall one beside me said, sliding closer to me and placing his palm on my exposed thigh. I sucked in a breath and moved away from his grasp, immediately getting an idea of what they were here for.

"We heard you give good blow jobs." The albino started as well and I gasped, scrunching my face up in disgust. "Maybe you could help us ease the tension, down there." He made a suggestive gesture to his lower torso.

The fuck!

"Excuse me." I began to pack my books hurried, wanting nothing more but to get out of the library. I made to side pass him but he wouldn't let me. Instead he moved even closer to me and the albino guy blocked my part from the other side so I was trapped between the two guys. I began to fidget.

"Where are you going, baby girl." Albino guy purred, brushing his lips my ear and I cringed, shuddering.

"We were just getting started." The tall one whispered. I squirmed, trying nothing more than to get away from them, tears welling up in my eyes.

"Please let me go." I said, trying to let my voice sound stern but it came out shaky and quivering.

"What's doing you gan?" The tall one who was to my left spoke in vanacular. "Were you not the one fücking Corper Efosa? Why are you acting all prude now?" He snapped at me and I shook, cowering.

Suddenly, I felt a hand grope my bare butt and I gasped, jumping immediately while they burst in laughter, mocking me. I had no idea when his hand went into my skirt. It was the Albino guy that had groped me.

"Wow! You ass is a real Killer. I am already imagining it riding my dïck." He said, that sardonic smirk playing still playing on his lips. I wanted to slap the two idiots but I couldn't, knowing fully well that I deserved the way they were treating me.

Mortified, I dashed past them, leaving my things on the table and surprisingly they didn't stop me, they just kept laughing and mocking me. Tears fell from my eyes as I made my way out of the library and almost bumped into someone who held either side of my arm to steady. A familiar scent of cologne filled my nostrils and I looked up, my watery eyes meeting Tyler's.

"Tiana, what's wrong?" He asked, concern laced in his voice but I didn't say anything, only sniffing and sobbing. He peered at me with those piercing gaze of his that seemed to look deep into my soul.

"Are you crying?" He asked rhetorically and that caused my sobs to increase. "Who did this? Tell me!" He demanded and I pointed into the library. He peered over my shoulder and definitely his eyes caught the two assholes laughing because when he looked back at me, he was seething.

"What did they do? Did they touch you?" He asked me again, frantically and I nodded, suddenly unable to get coherent words out of my mouth.

"Wait here." He told me gently but his face screamed anger and rage.

He bypassed and strode towards the guys. I watched him, hands wrapped around myself. They were backing him so they didn't see him coming. I was expecting Tyler to talk to them, yell at them or something. I definitely didn't see what happened next coming.

"Hey." Tyler tapped the albino on the shoulder and immediately he turned around to look at who was calling him, Tyler swung a deadly punch to his jaw, sent him flying. I gasped.

Blood of Jesus.

The tall guy ran to meet his friend who wouldn't stop cussing, blood running from his busted lip. After helping the one on the floor up, the two of them faced Tyler, who by his stance, seemed ready for them. They both lunged at Tyler knocking him against a shelf of books, gaining the attention of every student present at the Library.

"Tyler!" I screamed, but not daring to move away from my spot. I saw Tyler wince as he struggled to free himself from the two guys who had him sorta trapped. I looked at the student in the Library as they watched the fight like it was some sort of WWE match.

Can't someone stop them?

"You guys should be stopping them." I yelled but no one paid me no heed. The library had suddenly become crowded, mainly because it was located in the SS3 block.

Jesus! Someone should stop them.

Tyler succeeded in collecting himself, swinging his free fist into the face of the tall guy, who fell off him, giving Tyler the opportunity to wrestle the albino off, throwing him over to a book rack. Tyler, now having the upper hand grabbed a fistful of the tall guy's shirt, yanking him upwards and striking him on the hard floor, causing the guy to groan in excruciating pain. I swear, I heard a crack. The albino guy wanted to attack Tyler from behind but go a punch to the nose.

"Ah!" He wailed in agony and Tyler blindsided him again by slamming his face to the nearby table, sending more blood reeling from his nose, I almost screamed.

Holy God!!

I could hear the murmurs of everyone.

I had no idea Tyler could fight like this o...

Please, what caused the fight?

This guys must have really done something to warrant Tyler's wrath because Tyler doesn't fight.

Wait, What?! He doesn't fight?

Every student inside the library were alert, watching the brawl with most rooting for Tyler. Tyler also got a fair share of punches in his face, earning a back eye and a bursted lip but that was nothing close to the permanent injury he was giving those guys,

All because of me.

Tyler successfully knocked the albino guy out and was still straddled on the taller guy, throwing punches to his face. Obviously the guy was already week because he wasn't even fighting back but Tyler kept throwing punches. I became incredibly scared and so did the crowd because they had begun to shout for Tyler to stop.

"Tyler stop!"

"He's already weak, Tyler."

He still didn't stop. He kept punching the guy. I knew I had to do something.

"Tyler!" It took me a moment before I realised it was actually my voice that just screamed that. Everywhere stood in standstill. Everyone turned to look at me and Tyler's fist was suspended in the air. I ignored the looks the crowd was giving me and moved closer to Tyler.

"Tyler, please stop." I whispered, my voice pleading. Tyler took a deep breath and  stood up from the weak body of the asshole. He didn't turn to face me yet, he was looking at the weak guy on the floor with utter disgust.

"Never in your godforsaken life, touch a girl without her permission." Tyler spat out, his voice echoing through the room. "Try it again and I'd break both your hands. That's a promise." He concluded and just that moment, his friends rushed into the room, their expression giving away their shock at the sight before them.

"Tyler, what the fück did you do?!" Joel yelled, looking at Tyler in Shock.

"What needed to be done." Tyler simply replied before he walked up to me, grabbed my hand in his and led me out of the room, the gaze of everyone in the library drilling holes to my back.

****

"Thank you ma." I told the nurse, collecting the tray that had cotton wool, methylated spirit and plaster in it before walking over to where Tyler sat on the bed. I pulled a chair in front of him and sat down, getting his attention. He looked up from his phone and to me and I grimaced at the sight of him.

"Do I look that bad?" He asked, noticing the way I looked. His bursted lip turned in a sly smirk that was very contagious and I had to giggle.

"Stay still, let me help you clean that up." I told him and he moved an inch closer to me. I took a deep breath, soaking the cotton wool in methylated spirit before dabbing the bruise on his forehead gently. He winced.

"I'm sorry." I quickly apologized, being a little more gentle. From my peripheral vision, I could see that he was watching me and in as much as I acted like I had no idea, his looks made me feel self conscious.

"You shouldn't have done that, you know." I started, trying to fight through the prolonged silence.

"Done what?" He asked, feigning ignorance. I stopping cleaning his bruise and leaned away to look at him clearly.

"Fighting because of me. I really didn't expect that. You look bruised and battered because of me and if school finds out, you might get into trouble and loose your post as a prefect." I lamented.

"If they get to know why I did it then they might just let me off with a warning." He told me. "Those assholes deserve what they got." He added with a scowl and I sighed.

I brought this upon myself. I asked for it. A who're like me should never be defended the way Tyler defended me.

"Hey!" I felt Tyler's hand on mine, jerking me out of my reverie. I looked at him and my eyes met his intense gaze. The kind that sent sweet sweet shivers down your spine. I ran the tip of my tongue through my suddenly dry lips.

"Whatever is going on through your mind, please stop thinking it." He said calmly, as if he knew what was going on through my mind. "Don't blame yourself for what those assholes did to you. No one should touch a lady like that." He said, his tone articulate and firm, like he wanted me to believe every word he was saying.

"No one should touch you like that, Tiana." He said in a more gentle voice this time that caused fluttering in my tummy. His eyes didn't leave mine when he said that and I could swear there was something deeper to his words.

Oh God...

"I've never had someone take a punch for me before." I told him, my voice coming out in hushed tones.

"Thank you." I told him, my voice almost cracky and husky with all the emotions I was feeling. He smiled back, nodding. I noticed my hand was still on his and he didn't seem like he was going to let it go. So, I just left it there, enjoying the feeling of hand his thumb caress the back of my palm absent mindedly.

"Tyler, thank God you are..." A familiar male voice came from behind us and I turned having an idea of who it was. Joel, Zaria, Lyla, Charles, Ada and Kelvin. They stopped short when they saw me beside their friend. I saw Ada notice our linked hands and I quickly pulled away.

"I didn't expect you guys to come." Was what Tyler said.

"We also didn't expect you to have company." Zaria replied, a frown evident on her face and her arms folded across her chest. I noticed the kind of look I was getting and I immediately got the memo.

I wasn't welcomed.

"Tyler, I should go. We'll talk later." I stood up, trying to ignore the lasers burning on my back. He looked away from his friends and to me, a look of concern on his face.

"Are you sure? You can stay, it doesn't..." He started but I stopped him.

"It's fine. You need some time with your friends anyway." I gave him a reassuring smile before walking past the mob of possibly angry friends.

"What was she doing here?" I heard Joel ask and then voices following after. I closed my ears to every word and made my way out of the sick bay, only one person's image on my mind.

Tyler Adebiyi-Williams. I felt my lips turn up in a smile.

Where has this guy being all my life?