The hate between us

Chapter 14: Ella's Point of View

We pulled up to one of my favorite restaurants, a quiet spot with soft lighting and comfortable booths tucked away in the corner of town. Normally, I'd be excited to eat here—it was my go-to when I needed comfort food. But tonight, I felt a strange heaviness hanging over me, mostly because of Caleb. Ever since we left the house, there had been this strange undercurrent between us, like we were walking a tightrope and neither of us knew what was waiting on the other side.

We walked inside, and Dad and Caleb's mom, Sarah, led the way. Caleb and I followed, and I could feel his presence close behind me. It was like he was always there, just out of reach, but somehow still managing to get under my skin without even trying.

We sat down at a four-person table, Dad and Sarah on one side, and Caleb and I across from each other. I picked up the menu even though I already knew what I was going to order. I always got the same thing—something simple, vegetarian. Meanwhile, Caleb glanced at the menu but didn't bother much. He already knew he was going for bourbon first, as always.

The waiter came over, pouring water into my glass. Caleb waved him over and ordered his usual—bourbon, neat. As I sipped my water, the conversation started to flow naturally. Sarah and Dad were talking about work, and Caleb and I kept mostly quiet, but it wasn't long before the inevitable topic of school came up.

"So, Caleb," Dad said, looking at him proudly, "still thinking about your master's after taking some time off work?"

I clenched my jaw, already knowing where this was going. Caleb had graduated at the top of his class, managing to finish his degree in record time—two and a half years for what most people, including me, needed four years to complete. He was the kind of annoyingly brilliant that made everyone around him feel like they were falling behind.

"Yeah," Caleb said, his tone casual, like it wasn't a big deal. "I'm still deciding, but probably starting my master's soon. I figured I'd take a break and enjoy some downtime before jumping back in."

Of course, he would. I glared at him from across the table. While he was breezing through school, I was still struggling to finish my bachelor's degree. It wasn't that I wasn't smart—I worked hard—but Caleb made everything look effortless, and I hated him for it. For the ease, for the natural intelligence that had always come so easily to him.

"Sounds smart," Sarah chimed in, giving him a proud smile. "You've earned it, finishing so fast."

My stomach twisted, and I focused on my water, trying to ignore the small pang of jealousy that hit me every time someone brought up how much he had accomplished. It wasn't fair—he had this natural talent, this ability to absorb information like a sponge, while I was constantly grinding away just to stay afloat.

We placed our orders, and I made sure to specify my usual—something vegetarian. I didn't eat meat, hadn't for years, but it wasn't something I talked about much. As the conversation continued, I found myself drifting into my thoughts, still stewing over Caleb and how easy he seemed to have it.

A little while later, the food arrived. Plates were set in front of us, but when I looked down at mine, my stomach dropped. They had brought me the wrong dish—something with chicken on it.

I opened my mouth to say something, ready to call the waiter back, but before I could get a word out, Caleb spoke up from across the table.

"She doesn't eat meat," he said, his voice steady and confident. "You brought her the wrong order."

The waiter, wide-eyed, quickly apologized, taking the plate back and promising to bring the correct dish. I blinked, stunned, and glanced across the table at Caleb, who was already leaning back in his chair, taking a sip of his bourbon like it was nothing.

He remembered.

Of all the things that Caleb did or didn't pay attention to, this was something I didn't expect him to notice—let alone remember. We rarely talked about anything personal, let alone my food preferences. And yet, there he was, correcting the waiter for me, like it was second nature.

I stared at him, surprised and a little thrown off. Our eyes met across the table, and for a moment, everything else faded into the background. There was something there—something I couldn't quite place. A flicker of something softer, beneath all the banter and rivalry that had defined us for so long.

He held my gaze, his expression unreadable, but I could feel the weight of it. The unspoken words. The tension that had been building between us, slow and steady, now seemed to hum just beneath the surface.

I quickly looked away, breaking the connection before it could settle in too deeply. I didn't know what to make of it—of him—and the last thing I needed was to get tangled up in whatever was happening between us.

But one thing was clear: Caleb wasn't as easy to figure out as I thought.

We finished dinner, the usual small talk filling the space between bites. I tried to keep the conversation light, but my mind was already elsewhere. There was a party I had planned on going to that night, and after sitting across from Caleb through the entire meal, I needed a break from whatever strange tension had been lingering between us.

As we all got up to leave, I grabbed my bag and turned to Dad. "I've got a party tonight, so I need to go," I said casually. "Don't worry, I'll take an Uber. No need to take me home."

Dad looked at me, then glanced at Caleb, who was finishing off his bourbon with a lazy grin on his face. "Why don't you take Caleb with you?" Dad suggested. "He's been studying in another town for so long, he doesn't know many people here anymore."

I almost rolled my eyes. The last thing I needed was Caleb tagging along to a party. But I could feel Caleb's eyes on me, and I knew there was no escaping it. I wasn't going to let him get under my skin without a fight.

"I don't know if he wants to come," I said, glancing at Caleb, who was still seated, looking way too smug for my liking. "He's too intellectual for this party. It's not exactly a debate club."

I expected him to take the jab in stride, maybe even decline the offer. Instead, Caleb raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a smirk.

"You'd be surprised, Ella," he said, standing up and adjusting his jacket. "I've been known to have fun on occasion. But thanks for worrying about my social life." His voice was dripping with sarcasm, and though I wanted to hate it, I had to admit it was kind of funny.

*Of course he'd find a way to make this more difficult.*

"Great," I muttered, standing up and grabbing my things. "Then let's go."

I said my goodbyes to Dad and Sarah, and Caleb followed me out, but not before finishing the last sip of bourbon in his glass. I could hear the clink of the empty glass as it hit the table, and I resisted the urge to sigh.

As we walked out of the restaurant, I passed by the bar and saw an unattended bottle of alcohol sitting there, and without thinking too much, I casually grabbed a drink. I wasn't planning on making a scene, just a quick sip to loosen up before the party.

I thought I was being discreet, but apparently, I wasn't sneaky enough.

Behind me, Caleb burst out laughing. "Really, Ella?" he said, pushing me gently toward the exit. "You couldn't even wait until we got to the party?"

"No one noticed," I said quickly, trying to brush it off, though my heart was racing a little faster now.

"Oh, they noticed," he said, still chuckling. "Trust me, they just chose not to care." He gave me a playful shove, urging me out the door faster, making sure I didn't get caught by anyone after that little stunt. "Come on, before you embarrass yourself more."

I shot him a look, my face heating up slightly as we stepped into the cool night air. "You're the one making it a big deal," I muttered, pulling my jacket tighter around me.

"Hey, just looking out for you," he said, still grinning as he followed me out to the curb. "Don't want you kicked out before we even get to the party."

I couldn't help but laugh a little, despite myself. Caleb had always had this way of irritating me beyond belief, but tonight, there was something different. There was a playful edge to his teasing, and as much as I hated to admit it, it was disarming.

Maybe this party wouldn't be so bad with him after all.