Loving the Enemy

25

Xander

Hey I'm hungry for pancakes meet me at the diner. We'll talk there.

It had been five minutes since Dave had sent me that text yet I still sat on the bench by the punching bag. My knuckles were sore by how hard I had punched it for some stupid reason I decided it would be better to punch it bare knuckled.

"Idiot" I scolded myself massaging the red skin on my knuckles. I shouldn't punish myself like this I thought so a girl doesn't feel the same way about you it's not like it's the end of the world. I shook my head and went straight to the showers. Cause however much I wanted to convince myself it did feel like the end of the world. Somehow Aria had become my world.

I took a quick shower and dried my hair with one of the gym hairdryers the best I could cause Dave was texting me every other second.

I'm out of the gym don't get your panties in a bunch

I texted him back as exited the gym and made my way across the street. Sure enough as I entered the Diner, Dave was standing by the entrance waiting for me.

"Took your sweet time" Dave said as he greeted me.

"Well you should've ordered for yourself while you waited and had your usual seconds with me" I simply replied with a shrug.

"Already taken care of my second and thirds" he said waving a brown bag he picked up off the counter next to him "Ima head out"

"Head out! I called you over hear to talk.." I started to complain but Dave cut me off.

"Well I thought you'd prefer to talk to someone else" Dave gestured to a table in the corner where some girl with her back to us was seated but it wasn't just some girl. I could recognize the back of that head anywhere, her looking back towards us only confirmed it. My head automatically looked towards Dave on shock as if to ask if I really was seeing her.

"Hear her out okay" Dave said patting my shoulder "whatever happened she seems to feel really bad about it" and with that he left.

I stood there for about ten seconds contemplating should I leave the diner altogether or sit down with her. Choosing the later I moved towards the table and sat down, trying my best not to give her any attention. Easier said than done, as she was wearing one of those tops with the shoulders cut out in light blue, she had light makeup on which I felt really suited her better than the full make up look she had yesterday, and her hair was done up in a messy bun. In short she looked like heaven.

"Hey" I quipped quickly pulling out my phone trying to focus on something else.

"Hey" she breathed out almost like she was surprised when I spoke up.

"What's going on with you? Everything good" I asked casually flipping through my phone seeming unaffected.

"Umm.. I'm good" Aria replied fidgeting with her hands. It made me wonder why would she be nervous when she made her feelings clear yesterday.

"I ordered you the chocolate chip pancakes you liked" she added after a while "with both maple and chocolate syrup. It should be here any second now"

"Thanks but I'm not in the mood for pancakes. I was thinking I'd order some hash browns, and eggs with some bacon" I replied casually. Of course I was lying, I'm always in a mood for pancakes.

"Oh" Aria slumped her shoulders "then I'll have the pancakes no problem" but she still seemed dejected by my answer.

"Xander about yesterday..." Aria began but she went silent when she felt the presence of the waitress bringing the plate of pancakes. I gave the waitress my order and also asked for a cup of coffee with it.

"So you were saying" I said once the waitress left

"Yeah I feel like yesterday I shouldn't have handled the situation the way I did" Aria answered biting her lip nervously. I stared at her intently, so it was pity that brought her here. She's feeling sorry for me.

"What are you talking about?" I asked feigning confusion "what situation?"

I know I look like an idiot for asking, both of us clearly knew what she was talking about. I wanted to show her it wasn't a big deal to me, that I wasn't hurt and I didn't spend all of last night and this morning thinking about it. I wanted her to stop feeling sorry for me because as much as I truly did hurt right now, I was too prideful to accept her pity.

My attitude took her aback and her mouth slightly opened in shock but she recovered herself quickly looking away from me for a second.

"Last night, outside my house I mean" Aria answered.

"Oh that" I shrugged nonchalantly.

"Xander" Aria began to speak but it seemed like she was at a loss of words "I don't know how to say this, but.."

"Hey, you two!!!!" A voice squealed behind us and we both turned to look at the person whom it was coming from "funny to meet you love birds here" it was a girl named Chelsea from our school. She was on the school newspaper and one of those girls who had a habit of hearing other people's conversation and joined in without asking.

"Hey Chelsea" I greeted her with a huge smile. "Small world isn't it Aria?"

"Yeah real small" Aria quipped seeming not pleased with the interruption.

"Oh my god, the whole school is talking about you two and that sudden departure right before they announced you two as Relationship Ghouls has like catapulted you to the next it couple status" Chelsea said helping herself to the chair next to me.

"You don't say" Aria said her lips pursed into a thin line

"Yes it's all I'm hearing on all my social media" Chelsea added excitedly "You're like the couple to watch out for"

"Well too bad because we aren't a couple anymore" I said just as the waitress brought my order

"What?!" Chelsea's mouth hung open in shock and Aria looked equally shocked.

"Yeah, Aria dumped me" I answered taking a bite out of my hash browns.

"What?!" It seems for once that was the only word Chelsea could say.

"Yeah right after the party" I added

"He's joking, Chelsea" Aria hissed swatting my arm gesturing me to shut up.

"No I'm not" I said defiantly "you dumped me remember it was a prank all along and I lost"

"WHAT!!" Chelsea screamed startling a few people sitting nearby.

"Xander!"

"What? The truth has to come out some day might as well now" I said unknowingly cutting up some of her pancakes that were meant for me mixing it in with the eggs and a bite of bacon surprisingly it tasted good.

"Is this for real?" Chelsea asked looking at Aria accusingly who was looking at me furiously.

"Answer her, Aria" I said. Aria squinted her eyes at me angrily and in my years of being her enemy I knew well that look meant I was in danger but now I wasn't so sure what it meant but I was soon to find out.

"Sure" she said squarely before getting up,  grabbing the collar of my shirt and leaning down to crash her lips into mine.