The hate between us

Chapter 12: Caleb's Point of View

It was quiet upstairs when I heard the doorbell ring. My head jerked up at the sound, a wave of irritation immediately settling over me. I didn't need to guess who it was. Ella had mentioned earlier that she had plans today—a date, to be exact.

I couldn't explain why it bothered me so much. All I knew was that the idea of some guy picking her up, spending the day with her, didn't sit right with me. It made me restless, and without thinking, I was already on my way downstairs.

As soon as I opened my door, Ella did the same. She was right behind me, looking just as determined to get to the door first. Her footsteps quickened as she followed me down the stairs, pushing at my back. "Move," she said, her voice full of annoyance. "I'm going to open it."

I could feel her hands pressing against me, trying to get around, but I wasn't about to let her.

"Not a chance," I muttered, picking up my pace.

As we reached the front door, an idea popped into my head, and before I could stop myself, I acted on it. With a quick move, I opened the closet door for the jackets, grabbed Ella by the arm, and gently but firmly pushed her inside, closing the door before she had a chance to react.

"Caleb!" she hissed from behind the door, banging on it from the inside. "Let me out!"

I stifled a laugh as I turned to the front door, trying to look composed. When I opened it, just as I suspected, it was Ella's date—a guy about my height, holding a bouquet of flowers, looking confused when he saw me standing there.

"Hey," I said, leaning casually against the doorframe. "You must be here for Ella. Unfortunately, she left already."

The guy blinked, clearly taken aback. "Left? She told me I was supposed to pick her up."

I shot him a fake apologetic smile, thinking fast. "Yeah, she got caught up with something and decided to meet you there instead. Here's the address." I quickly pulled out my phone, found a random address on Google Maps, and showed him.

He frowned, still unsure, but after a few seconds, he nodded. "Alright, I'll head there then. Thanks."

I waited until he was gone, watching him drive off down the street before turning back to the closet door.

This was going to be fun.

---

I opened the door, and before I could say anything, Ella came storming out, her eyes blazing with fury. "What the *hell* is wrong with you?" she snapped, slapping her hands against my chest. "You freaked me out!"

I grinned, stepping back to give her space. "Relax, I was just saving you from a boring date."

Her hands dropped to her sides, fists clenched, and for a moment, she just glared at me, breathing heavily. "You can't just—" She stopped, biting her lip as if she didn't know whether to yell at me or laugh. "Why do you care, Caleb?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but something about the way she looked at me, the frustration mixing with something deeper in her eyes, made me pause. There was tension between us, sure, but it wasn't just the usual rivalry anymore.

"Because..." I hesitated, the teasing edge fading from my voice. "I don't know. I just do."

Ella's brow furrowed, clearly not expecting that answer. She crossed her arms over her chest, her expression softening slightly, though she still looked annoyed. "You have no right to mess with my plans like that," she said, but there was less venom in her words now. "And stop looking at me like that."

I blinked, realizing I had been staring a little too long. She had changed into something casual—a tank top and shorts—but the way she stood there, hair still damp from the shower, made it hard to look away.