Hate To Love You

chapter four

"he can't be serious though. Or was he?"

Dominique asked once Rita gave her feedback on what happened in Cooper's office.

Just as Rita had predicted, Cooper didn't bring good news.

Granted, she was failing a core class, and she needed help. However, working with Russell was her biggest nightmare. He was one to judge, and he would most certainly judge her for being a slow-learner.

There had to be something else she could do to take herself off this mess. But she already thought of every possibility. She was stuck. There was no way out. She just had to deal with this. For now, at least.

"I don't know" Rita replies in despair "he certainly wasn't joking either"

Tucking the braids falling over her face to the back of her ear, Dominique continued seriously

"that's utterly absurd. I was present when you told Mr. Cooper that lie. You never mentioned Russell as your tutor. You only said he helped you with your homework. You said it like it was just that one time"

With a shrug, Rita said "clearly, Russell told him exaggerated stories. "

"what are you going to do now? Let Russell get away with it?"

Rita scoffed and rolled her eyes. It was clear that she was exshausted by that situation "I don't know. It's not like I have options here"

Instinctively, Dominique wheels her chair closer to Rita. So, she could whisper. They were in the classroom and people could probably listen so she had to take precautions

"well you could call him out on his bullshit. He's evidently taking advantage of Cooper's dislike for you to prove something. Are you kidding me?"

Shaking her head through Dom's statement, Rita whispered back "I can't do that. It's my word against his and you know Cooper will believe him"

"I know and that's why I said call him out. Let him know you are not dippy" Dominique stated fiercely

"You are not listening Dominique. I am at the bottom in that class and if I don't pass, I'll have to retake it. So maybe this---" she said, referring to she and Nate studying together "isn't a great situation but I can't deny the benefits"

Realizing where Rita's head was at, Dominique sighs "so that's it then. Let him tutor you. Keep feeding his ego with your silence and let him take advantage of you again and again and again."

"Trust me, I hate him" and it was true. Right at that moment, she did "a lot. I will make him pay for every lie he has told about me to Cooper just to make me appear stupid. But not now. Once I get what I want from him? He'll get his pay back in folds"

Dom wears an inquisitive look. She was the observant one in the group "why do you think he is doing this though? Why does he want your company so bad that he made that boloney up in the first place?"

Rita knew where Dom was going. It did cross her mind that Nate might like her. Just yesterday, he had called her pretty and had felt embarrassed by it. A smile creeps across her face. But it was brief. Dom mustn't notice that the thought of Nate Russell liking her made her smile.

Even though he was a giant asshole, she couldn't deny how much his presence made her warm with comfort. What was not to like about him anyway? He was tall, dark and handsome. He was a fuddy duddy but still very handsome. And the way he kept grinning at her? That was a perfect picture.

But then again, this same guy called her dumb. This same guy made it clear that he never liked her. And he also created a subterfuge to sabotage her. On a second thought, maybe she didn't like him. Maybe she hated him with every piece of bone in her body.

"I think he does things just because he can" she concluded

"why you?"

"He hates me" For some reasons, she wanted to believe that he did. She needed reasons to quench this feeling that was slowly breeding itself within her "and best believe that I hate him too just as much as he does me"

Their conversation ended.
------------------------------------------

School was over but Rita needed one thing before she left. She hadn't seen him all day. Why did he have to disappear this one time that she needed him?

She had known Nate since fourth grade but they have never been friends all through those years. Fate never permitted. The few times they did have conversations, it ended up in an argument which as Rita claimed, was his fault.

Despite the fact that they go way back, they still acted like strangers around each other. For the most part.

After waiting five minutes in the library for his show-up, she finally decided to leave.

However, she crashed into him at the exit. He was holding a ton of books which scattered on the floor as they bumped into each other

"my bad" she said blithely without even attempting to help him pack the books. Deep down inside she had meant serves you!

"You don't seem sorry" he retorted "what are you doing here anyway? I've never seen you in the hall on my way to the library before. Are you late for something?" he glared at her for a fraction of a second before he continued picking the books.

"believe what you like. None of your business and No I am not" she replied stubbornly to each of his statements respectively

"Just because I haven't a ton of friends doesn't mean I can't read social cues" Nate couldn't help but notice her conflicting body language "I apologize again about what happened yesterday at lunch" he sighed as he rose "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some studying to do"

Then, he walked around her towards the library.

"Russell" Rita called out just before he stepped inside.

Nate turned around and shot her a quizzical look "yeah?"

She had a completely different intention coming to the library but seeing him, in some ways, made her feel uncomfortable. In a not so great way.

He aroused those feelings again. Those one's that made her imagine how it would feel, being wrapped securely in his lean arms.

He was piercing at her and she knew she had to say something. Anything that wouldn't make her appear silly or needy.

Maybe it would help if she called him out...? Perhaps then she could mask her actual feelings.

"I'd like you to know that if I had any other choice that doesn't involve you and I being study mates, I'd take it, anytime"

"Why do I feel as though I'm not speaking the same language as you? -enlighten me"

"and there he goes again. Pretending to be not guilty" she gesticulated quite irritated "Cut it out Russell. I talked to Cooper and I know now that you are a pathological liar and also full of..."

"what did I do?" he asked amid a seemingly confused grin.

"forget it" she gave up. He was a bad liar and she could see right through him "Cooper demands a schedule. Apparently, you are my tutor now"

It was at that moment Nate realized he screwed up "that's bad. I didn't expect Cooper would take it seriously. But you do need my help, don't you? I don't understand how being confrontational with me does you any good"

"I already told you. I detest you so much that if I had another choice, I'd take it. So, stop feeling unnecessarily significant"

He faced her squarely. Piercing dark eyes and all "you do have a choice Rita" he said and she could sense a note of authenticity in his deep raspy voice "You could walk away now and never talk to me again while I take all responsibilities by telling Cooper he misunderstood and this was all my fault."

Would he really? Actually, the question now was---did she really want him to?