Loving the Enemy by Nevi Bernard (life changing books to read .TXT) 📕

"The closest I can get is Kristal Hoffman. She's the school chairman's daughter."

"Now that you've mentioned it I could have sworn I saw her dashing down the hall about that time. "

"Weren't they like...enemies."

"Well I have history with them both and I over heard Leeward saying that Vincent should be her tutor."

"I wonder if something happened between them. I mean its quite clichéd but its very natural that they could start going out. All that private tutoring does mean a lot of alone time together."

At the mention of history, I remembered I would be totally late for Mr Leewards class if I didn't get out of here soon. Glancing at my watch I saw I only had six more minutes before our class would begin.

The girls were so deep in there conversation that I doubted that they heard the shuffling of my bag as I removed the compact mirror and small makeup kit. Luckily I hadn't been crying much so it was an easy task to conceal the slight puffiness and using a little bit blush to hide the flush of my skin. taking one last look at myself I saw that I was just half way ready. It seemed like a very good idea to use a bit of eyeliner around the edges of my lids along with a bit of mascara to bring out the pop of my eyes and I couldn't help but smile as I gazed at my reflection. It was hard to tell that I'd been crying just minutes ago.

Taking a deep breath I let it out quietly as I stood and opened the door. All three eyes stared at me from the mirror with their eyes  bulging and their mouths agape. Washing my hands then drying, I walked from the room with as much confidence as I could muster. As soon as I was out I sprinted down the halls and around the corner, praying that I wouldn't be stopped along the way. I made it with five seconds to spare with my hair looking a bit wild and my face feeling a bit flushed.

Hundreds of eyes stared back at me but I tried not to blush as I hurried to my seat. I sat trying to get a breather when Vincent's face came into view. Why was he here?

"In case you have noticed Ms. Hoffman but I did a little switcheroo." came Mr. Leeward's voice from the other side of the room.

 I hadn't even noticed that I had spoken out loud. Oh how wonderful.Could my day get any worst.

"We gotta talk." Vincent's voice broke through my thoughts.

"Great just what I need." I grumbled to myself.

Before either of us could say another word, we were given our test paper and all talking ceased as each person took in the torture at hand.

Vincent’s POV

I had been trying my very best to ignore the fact that I was caught in a very sticky situation this morning. That Lily really knew how to put a guy in trouble. I think she likes trouble.
The thought had me smiling for just a moment, then reality kicked in once again. I had to find Kristal, but it was a though she’d totally evaporated from the school and she hadn’t answer her phone either.
Just about then I spotted Leya who seemed lost in thought. It was rather stranger not to see her and Kristal together since ever since he’d known them they seemed to be joint by the hip like Siamese twins.
“Hey Leya, have you seen…?”
“Kristal? I’ve been looking for her myself. And since when have you guys become so chummy?”
I was totally speechless for a moment as I tried to come up with the best excuse. I knew enough about Kristal to know she would rather to tell her friend anything in her own time and since Leya appeared to be completely clueless it really would be best to keep my mouth closed on the subject.
“I’m tutoring her history, which I supposed she told you.” Good answer
“Oh right. Well I haven’t seen her since she dashed down the hall. I have no idea what she saw but she seemed totally out…” Leya’s pause had me puzzled as she tapped her pointer against her lower lip. “She was looking at you!”
“Really was all I could manage.”
“Did you scare her about her history test today? I mean that would be the only reason she’d been entirely out of it this morning.”
Ok. Good she’s only thinking that this had something to do with her tutoring and nothing else awesome. I sighed with relief. That was a close one.
Glancing at my watch I realized I didn’t have much time to chat for much longer. “Hey, um – Leya, I got to go. Class starts in just a few…” I tapped my watch to emphasize on my urgency.
“Yeah, ok. You go on. I guess that’s where she went anyway.”
“Huh?”
“Kristal. She might have run off to class.”
With that thought in mind I ran to class, opening the door with a bang. All eyes turned to stare at me before returning to their original task. But none of those eyes belonged to Kristal. She was inside the class either. Where could she be?
I started to leave to find her but Mr. Leeward’s voice stopped me in my tracks. “Mr. Coke, you leave this class and you will not be able to re-enter when the test begins. Anyway I have done a little seat change. I have placed you next to Ms. Hoffman, as I hoped it would have been a motivation.”
I couldn’t help staring at him before obediently making my way to the seat he’d suggested. I had just taken my seat, while hoping that Kristal wouldn’t skip out on class, when the door opened and in walked Kristal looking a bit flushed and breathing a heavily. I didn’t hear anything Mr. Leeward said to her as she made her way to her seat. Our eyes connected for just a moment before she completely ignored me.
I just couldn’t concentrate during the test, I was awful company at lunch nor was I hungry and once I listened to my coach’s advice I knew that I had to work, fast. So now here I was dragging her out the door with both her and Coach Reynolds screaming at me. I had no idea where I was headed but it had to be somewhere quiet and private. The cool air hit my face as I stepped outside heading towards the tracks with a quiet and pouting Kristal. She had finally quietened down and hadn’t done or said much since.
I took a seat among the bleachers and watched as Kristal fight with the idea to sit next to me or far away. Finally she settled for sitting next to me with two feet of space between us. I so badly wanted her to be next to me, in my arms even but I guess I would have to settle for arms length.
“Look, I know what you saw must be questioning and you have all the right to believe that this was all intentional and…” I sighed.
Who was I kidding? How was it possible that she saw everything when he’d only saw her retreating back running down the hall?
“I’m sorry for what happened. I assure you, I was not trying to mess with your head. My life is confusing as it is and I am not seeking to make it any worst.” It made no sense to me now that I sat next to her to string her with a long line of excuses no matter how true they were. Girls like these were never the ones to take it. So in defeat I got up and started making my way back.
It was he soft hands that wrapped themselves around my wrist that had me stopping in my tracks. I didn’t dare look. I was too afraid of what I would see.
“Was it true that you didn’t want her?”
The question caught me by surprise and I turned then to look at Kristal. Her head was bowed as she stared at her feet. I had never seen her like this. The tears that had ceased began to roll down her cheeks and once again I felt like the worst man alive. Pulling her into my arms, I rested my chin on her head while stroking her back. She stood rigid and tense as though not sure what to do.
“I didn’t want her, never wanted her and never will. I meant it when I said I liked you Kristy.” She looked up into my eyes then and the whole world seems to stop. I could only see her and that was I knew I wanted to see. Her soft palms caressed my cheek before pulling my face towards hers. I never thought of resisting, I was done holding back. Slipping my hand in her hair I placed small, soft kiss on her lips. She eagerly pushed herself closer, gripping my hair in the process. It was such a turn on and I had to remind myself that I was still on the track field.
“Kristy we need to get back to class.”
I hated saying those words but if I didn’t I could get in trouble for my next act. She nodded from where she’d hidden her face in my chest. Is she blushing?
“Are you blushing?” I couldn’t help but smile. She had never seemed like a girl to blush over something that others would count as nothing. But I was glad that I had been the one to see it. She could be a firecracker but she also had insecurities. She was real.

Text: Nevi Bernard
Images: Nevi Bernard
Editing: Nevi Bernard
Publication Date: 10-05-2016

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