Love Thy Enemy

Chapter 5: Lust

"What do you think you're doing?" I ask bewildered and glancing nervously at Alessio who is now unconscious on the ground. Until now Valentino was just a myth, a bad dream, a creature of the night. Only I had seen him, therefore he only existed to me and for me. Seeing him in daylight, in front of all these people feels odd, out of place. It's like finding a lion out of the zoo.

"You mean him?" He points casually to Alessio's limp body. I've never seen Alessio beat, no one ever has. Alessio is larger than most guys in school, if not the largest. The only people who aren't afraid of him are Tommaso, Marco and I. When Alessio makes a low grunt, showing that he is still alive, I take Valentino's hand in mine and drag him behind the school, out of the prying eyes of my fellow students.

"Yes. No. I mean what are you doing in front of my school?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Valentino extends his arms and raises an eyebrow. I look at him for a clue, but he doesn't offer me any. What's so obvious about this whole situation?

"No. It's not" putting my hands on my hips I wait for him to explain but he doesn't. When I continue to stare at him, he breaks eye contact as though embarrassed. Apparently it isn't obvious to him either. "Valentino, I have to go."

"Wait" he demands just as I am about to leave. Exasperated with his failure to communicate, I stay.

"What?"

"Is that guy your boyfriend?" his question startles me. Valentino takes a step forwards, coming so close he is all I see, feel, smell. I force myself not to become distracted by any part of him. I have to remain focused, detached.

"Alessio? No!" I reply, confused. Why would he ask me that?

"Do you have a boyfriend?" I roll my eyes at the question, it seems such a childish query considering the situation. When I don't answer, he wraps an arm around me, drawing me in.

"I asked you a question, Ana" I shake my head.

"No. I do not have a boyfriend." I snap back. He grins, satisfied.

"Good, because the only man allowed to touch you is me" he states, making it almost sound like a threat.

"And what if I don't want you to touch me?" I ask, sticking my chin up to meet his gaze. He looks down at me with scruitinity, assessing my heavy breathing, my racing heart beat, the way my chest rises and falls at an infrequent and unsteady rhythm.

"You do" he answers, almost insulted by the question and the obviousness of the answer. Kissing my cheek, he lets me go, making his way back to the beautiful Harley parked on the sidewalk. The sudden loss of his warmth causes me to stumble in my steps. Quickly, I regain my composure.

"Where do you think you are going?" I demand, chasing after him. This will not be one of those typical teenage romances where the man leaves the girl wanting more, and she is just supposed to live with it. He turns around, amusement written all over his face.

"I thought you were upset I punched your little friend over there" he points in Alessio's general direction.

"I am! But you can't just say those things to me, and then touch me like that, and-- and smell like you do-- and then just walk away like nothing happened." I stutter and shout, frustrated by the way he is able to affect me.

"Why not?" because I want you, goddamn it!

"Because... it's rude."

"Don't you think we are past that, beautiful?" I ignore the nickname but I see his point.

"Well, why didn't you kiss me?" I ask, confidently. I think I really have lost my mind because I have no clue what I'd do if he really did decide to come back and kiss me.