Loving the Enemy

21

Xander

I slammed my palm on the top of my steering wheel in anger. This whole thing with Aria was really starting to get to me. I slammed my head back on the head rest pinching the bridge of my nose.

"Pathetic" I muttered to myself.

An entire week, seven days, I had tried to deny to myself that I felt nothing for Aria but now it was clear as day, I had fallen for Aria Rockwell.

It should've been clear that day I got annoyed when Aria said I should discuss the subject with a future girlfriend outside the boutique. The fact that she was suggesting I'd have a girlfriend after all this when I couldn't picture her with anyone else just made my blood boil. Then that day when I saw her with Kim, I just got consumed in a fire of jealousy. How dare he make her laugh!

I took an uneasy breath, the car suddenly feeling too hot I opened the door and decided to stand outside for a while. I had to admit it hurt. It hurt that Aria didn't feel the same way. Here I was consumed with her thoughts while she was too busy to even answer my texts.

"I actually lost to a Rockwell" I laughed bitterly to myself.

As far as I was concerned, Aria had won I was done with this feud all together. What's the use of keeping up a feud when you no longer hated your enemy. Even if I tried no fiber of my being could hate Aria.

I found myself walking towards the salon, when I reached the door I just stood by a pole waiting for her to come out. I had already texted her four times to tell her I was waiting for her in the parking lot but they all went unseen. I started thinking over what to say to her when all of this was over, should I tell her how I feel or ignore it and move on? My best option was ignoring it as I had no idea how she felt plus there was the fact that both our families were mortal enemies. That was it, I was going to ignore I ever had feelings for Aria. We only had a few more months of school then we'd head off to different colleges and forget about this whole ordeal.

I had just made up my mind when I heard the door open to the salon and...

For a moment there it was like the world didn't exist, all I could see was this beautiful girl in front of me. I tried to swallow but my mouth had dried up. Looking down towards the gown, that day in the boutique it had blown me away but today it was like it had been made for Aria it hugged her figure showing off all her wonderful curves. My eyes traveled up to her face and I felt like the wind was knocked out of my body. Usually I didn't like too much make up on girls but this look suited Aria well she looked like a seductress and all I wanted to do was submit to her. As our eyes connected, I knew. There was no turning back. Xander my boy, you have fallen for Aria Rockwell.

"Hey" Aria said first her voice almost shaky

"Hey" I said moving towards her unknowingly "you look great"

"Thanks" she replied with a smile looking away as a blush crept on her face. I tried to read her face this was a new side of Aria I wasn't quiet understanding.

"You look good too" she said after a while "I like the crown and armor"

"My mom ordered them online she said they were necessary to complete the look" I answered

"Great" Aria said meekly hugging herself like she was cold

"Great" I repeated.

Aria broke out into a nervous laugh and I couldn't help but join her seeing her smile. As our eyes connected again, it was like neither of us could pull our gaze away or that we didn't want to.

"Oh you two still here" Angela suddenly said appearing from the doorway of the salon.

"Umm we were just leaving" Aria said uneasily.

"Alright I'll see both of you at the ball then" Angela said

"Do you need a ride?" I offered

"No no" Angela waved her hand "that's my Uber right there. Thanks anyway" and with that she walked away towards her Uber.

"This way" I gestured towards the parking lot and we both began walking to my car. Aria's phone buzzed just as we entered the parking lot, she looked down at her phone and quickly began typing a text back.

"Sure when I text you, you take ages to reply" I muttered under my breath

"What?" Aria asked

"What?" I said back

"Did you say something? I didn't hear you"

"No I was just asking is it something important?" I said

"It's our driver Edgar, he's here to take my car home" she replied. Sure enough a middle-aged man was standing by her red Mercedes. Aria walked up to the man and handed him the keys, he eyed me wearily and seemed to be asking Aria something but I wasn't near enough to hear them. He was still eyeing me suspiciously when Aria walked back.

"Edgar doesn't seem to like me" I told her

"Can you blame him?" She laughed "he's just worried for me but I assured him everything is fine"

"I don't think that was assurance enough" I said as I watched Edgar drive away without taking his eyes off me.

I chose to ignore him and continued walking to my car with Aria. I opened the passenger side of the door for her so Aria could get in. Expecting a remark of some sort I was surprised when she just gave me a small smile and sat down in the car.

"Buckle up" I said as I sat in the driver's side. Buckle up, that's just pathetic my inner voice scolded.

"Have you thought of how we're going to enter the ball?" Aria asked "you know everyone will be shocked to see us together"

"Well I guess there's no tip toeing around it" I said "plus as they say it's not an entrance if isn't a grand entrance"

"Who has ever said that?" Aria remarked rolling her eyes. There's the Aria I know.

"I have alright plus rules dictate that I'm the boss when it comes to how we present ourselves to the public" I retorted

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard"

"Hey argue with your future boyfriend about it" I couldn't help but get even with her for that one and boy did it feel good.

"I'll keep a reminder" she replied dryly.

"Don't bother you'll probably win that argument as always anyway" I said as we neared the school entrance

"What do you mean by that?" Aria asked

"We're here" I announced ignoring her question altogether. As I turned towards the valet parking sign.

The photography club had a stall outside to get pictures of everyone who entered and I could see Aria eyeing them nervously.

"You ready?"

"As ready as I will ever be"