Loving the Enemy

8

Aria

"You should've seen his face, Angela" I laughed wiping away a tear.

"Oh my god! You got him good" Angela said taking a bite from her fried chicken.

I was already in her neighbourhood so I called her over to our favourite soul food restaurant in town, Aunty Jo's. I remember in sixth grade Angela brought me here and immediately fell in love with the food the gravy alone was to die for.

"Thank your brother for me by the way helping me pull this off last minute" I told her munching away on my chicken and waffles.

"Don't worry about it he was looking for a way to spice up his method class anyway" she waved it off.

"Good thing I realised they were following me" I said "for a moment I just brushed it off thinking it was just Dave's mom but then I caught a glimpse of Dave and after looking closely in the rearview mirror saw Xander too"

"Your little hacker friend got lucky too" Angela shook her head "I can't even imagine what Xander would do him"

"Like I would let Xander come anywhere near Sammy, he's too valuable" I asserted

"Did he try to follow you here?" Angela asked

"He left before I did" I shrugged "plus he's not stupid to try that again" to which Angela just nodded and then a sneaky smile appeared on her face.

"What is it?" I inquired raising my eyebrow, knowing her too well something was definitely cooking in that brain of hers.

"Well that was a semi compliment if you think of it" Angela said placing her arms folded on the table wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"Angela! Seriously not that again!" I pleaded. Why did she always had to bring this up?

"Aria I don't know how the two of you could just brush off such a big incident, you literally.."

"Enough! I told you it was a mistake now please let me enjoy my food in peace" I interrupted her before she could say anything more. Just the thought of that night sent shivers down my spine.

"Ok, ok don't have a cow" Angela said rolling her eyes.

Angela changed the subject to school after that and we talked till we finished our lunch. I offered to give her a ride home once I gave the bill but she refused saying that she needed to go to the store to get something for her mom. Once in the car I connected my phone to the car speaker and placed a call to Sammy.

"Hey buddy" I said once he picked up the phone.

"Aria! How could you give the device to such an incompetent fool he was holding it from its charger for God's sake" Sammy yelled

"I had no choice Sammy, I was on the way to drop it off when I noticed Xander following me so I turned around and went to Jerome's house and requested that he take the device to you" I explained

"Yes your fool of a friend explained the situation but please next time I'm not giving you any of my equipment and I also think for a while we should stop seeing each other" he added.

"Aww Sammy are you breaking up with me" I sulked sarcastically

"Aria I'm serious" he said monotonously "I don't want to get in the Montgomery's bad books I have a future to think of"

"I know. I was thinking the same today was a close call so let's not meet up for a few days just text me any new info if it comes your way"

"Ok then I guess I'll contact you when the need arises" he said awkwardly

"Bye Sammy, don't miss me too much" I laughed ending the call.

It was already dark when I was driving towards home and I was somewhat lost in my thoughts. I stopped the car at an intersection when the traffic light hit red and my eyes fell upon the large sign to my left.

"Damnit" I muttered under my breath. I had finally managed to forget everything, locking it away some place in the back of my head but Angela just had to remind me of it and now the country club sign where it all happened. I bumped my head on the steering wheel a couple of times calling myself stupid a couple times.

Taking a deep breath I tried to compose myself.

"We've moved passed this. It never happened so no need to fret over nothing" I told myself as the light hit green. But there was still a voice in the back of my head saying, was it really nothing?

Xander

"Stop the car" I told Dave. I rubbing my finger over my temples feeling a headache coming on.

"But your house is just ten minutes away" Dave told me.

"Dave will you stop the car or I will inflict you with all the rage I'm feeling all because of your stupidity" I said angrily "be thankful I have a headache otherwise you'd definitely have a body part or two broken by now"

"Alright alright I'm stopping" he said pulling the car over "have a nice walk"

I got out the car but not before flipping him the finger. I didn't even bother looking back as he drove off I was so angry. Although some of it was towards Dave and Aria but the bulk of it was focused on me. What the hell is wrong with me? I'm becoming weak. My pranks lately are subpar at best it's like my heart isn't in this whole revenge thing anymore.

"No! No!" I shook my head trying to shake the thought "You hate her. She is a Rockwell and you are a Montgomery you can't let her win"

After a while, I found myself at the communal garden in the playground where Aria and I had our first fight. I sat down on one of the swings which were of course now too small for me so I was more squatting than sitting. I don't know why but my mind wandered to that night at the country club. I told myself it was nothing but was it really nothing?