Forced Enemies

Chapter Eleven

I didn't know when I fell asleep that night, but I knew it was hard, for the guy I most hated in the world was two doors down.

I don't remember when I woke up, my eyes adjusting to the darkness of the room.

I looked at the clock, and it read two in the morning.

A sudden movement from across the room made me jump, and I watched as Kye's body walked forward, bags underneath his eyes as he stared down at me.

"What the fuck are you doing here," I hissed out, careful to not move the covers any further to expose my very limited nightwear.

"I couldn't sleep," he muttered, running a hand through his hair.

"And? What am I supposed to do about it?"

"I-" he started, looking behind him towards the door and then back to me.

"I don't know." He finished.

I opened my mouth and then closed it, not knowing what to say.

Why did I feel bad?

I let out a deep sigh, taking off the covers.

His eyes dropped down the my legs, and then they travelled up to my chest, gulping as he watched me walk towards the door.

"Come on," I said, opening the door and walking out, his footsteps trailing behind me.

I turned on the kitchen light, signalling to him to sit down.

I went to the cupboards, and took out small herbs and ingredients and placed them on the counter.

I reached up to grab a mug, jumping to reach the top shelf.

Why are they so high?

A sudden warmth at my body told me Kye was right behind me, and I took a deep breath of his cologne when he reached above me, grabbing the mug for me.

"Thank you," I breathed out, and he didn't say anything as he sat back down.

The only sound was the kettle that was on the stove, and the cutting of the knife.

I put the herbs inside the cup, and then poured the hot water into it.

When I placed the kettle back down, I pushed the cup towards him, and he eyed it suspiciously.

"What's this?" He asked.

"It's a herbal tea, it will help you sleep." I told him.

"How do I know it's not poison?" He asked, picking up the cup and smelling it.

"I guess you'll find out," I shrugged.

He hummed at my comment, taking a small sip.

"Shit that's good," he muttered, gulping down more.

"Careful, it's a-" I started, but watched as he downed the whole cup. "sleeping tea," I finished.

His eye lids fluttered shut for a moment, and then he opened them again, standing from his spot.

"I'm gonna go-" he yawned, "to bed."

"Kye-" I said, but didn't finish as he stumbled away, yawning as he did.

"Shit," I whispered, catching up to him.

He was slumped against a wall, his eyes closed as he tried to fall asleep.

I grabbed ahold of his shoulder and put his arm around me, helping him up the stairs.

I brought him to his room, placing him on the bed as he groaned.

"Thank you," he whispered as I pulled the covers over him, and he grabbed my arm, pulling me towards him and embracing me.

"After everything- thank you."

My breath hitched as I felt him start to snore on my shoulder, and I pushed him off of me and back onto the bed.

I stepped out of the room and let out a deep breath, my eyes briefly closing as the door shut softly.

✥ ✥ ✥

"I hope you slept well last night," my mother asked Kye, plucking a strawberry from the table.

He glanced at me, his eyes meeting mine across from me.

"I did, thank you," he smiled.

"I hope you didn't hear Aliyah's snores," Claudia snorted, and I rolled my eyes.

I saw Kye's smile grow wider, eyeing me as I glanced angrily towards her.

"Actually," he chuckled, "I didn't hear a thing from her last night."

I looked up from my plate and at him, his eyes already on mine.

"Wow, I've never seen you two be nice to each other." She said, sucking a whipped cream strawberry and seductively looking at Dominic, who rolled his eyes.

"You were very competitive at Willford's academy," his father said.

"you two were always fighting ever since you came out of the womb," his mother finished.

What are they trying to make of this?

"I remember she would always come home upset or in a tiff because of Kye," my mother chuckled.

"Mom," I snapped, "I did not."

This time everyone laughed, expect Kye, who just smiled at me teasingly.

I gave him a look that said fuck off, but that only made him smile more.

"Well," my father said, glancing at Kye's parents, "let's talk in the sitting room."

We all walked towards the living room, both parents standing at the fire place, all of them holding a cup of coffee.

"What's this about?" I asked.

They went silent, and then Todd cleared his throat, giving a quick glance towards Kye.

"We don't know another way to say this, but-"

They went silent again, and then a smile widened on my fathers face.

"You're getting married Aliyah," he said.

I laughed at him, and when they didn't laugh back I stopped.

"You've got to be kidding me!" I said loudly, angrily clenching my fists on the chairs arm rests.

"I never agreed to this," I shouted once more.

"Aliyah please-" my father said.

"Please?! You can't marry me off!"

"If you could only listen," he said again, trying to get me to calm down.

"Who?" I asked, "who is this "man?"

They all looked at each other, and then Todd cleared his throat again.

"Kye, Aliyah. You're getting married to Kye."