PROLOGUE

“Hi, I’m Ashton. Ashton Cooper.”

No answer. Should he ask her name in return? Well, that was what he actually did with any pretty girl. However that one seemed different. Yet, he decided to go for it.

“Hmm…what’s your name?” he asked trying the direct approach.

The brunette whooshed round and stared at him with a measuring look. “Why do you wanna know?” she snapped haughtily.

What arrogance! Hell, what did she think of herself? His seventeen years old ego suffered a blow but still he offered her one of his dazzling smiles and cocked his eyebrows in a flirtatious manner.

“Why do you think a guy like me would ask a girl like you her name?” he drawled in his best macho voice.

At that, she laid down her pencil and sneered at him. “Oh, you think you are irresistible, don’t you?”

Taken aback, he frowned at her not knowing what to retort back for the first time in his life. It was usually the tactic that ticked the chicks off. Hell, no! Usually, he didn’t have much effort to do as the girls were just waiting to be asked out by him. What was the problem with that one?

“Well, lemme tell you that I’m not impressed and I don’t like this kind of behavior,” she continued on the same tone.

“Hey, take it easy. I was only trying to be your friend,” he said feeling offended now that she should reject him so openly.

“Oh yeah? I know your type only too well. So why don’t you leave me alone and try it with some other girl-of your type?” she added on a derisive tone that made Ashton feel infuriated.

That was exactly what he should have done. Leave her alone and move on to the next prey but Heavens knew what took over him. Whether it was the blunt rejection or her damned attitude he didn’t know but he really lost it that day.

“What do you mean ‘my type’?” he exploded. “Who do you think you are to judge me in the first place?”

She narrowed her eyes at him in that regal stance of hers and folded her arms calmly while he was fuming.

“Do you want me to spell it out?” she mocked in a detached manner as if she didn’t really give a damn. 

“Why not? Let’s hear it,” he yelled, so furious that he didn’t notice the whole class staring at them both, enjoying the ugly scene they were creating-or more probably he was creating.  

“The loose character type. The one who doesn’t spare anyone wearing skirts!!!”

“Oh,” Ashton exclaimed feeling the full impact of a blow at her words. “And you are the ‘touch me not’ kind, aren’t you? Think you are pretty special, don’t you? Well, let me tell you that you are not the only fish in the pond.”

”Exactly. That’s exactly what I am saying. So why don’t you leave me alone and shower your favors elsewhere?” she said in a voice dripped with so much sarcasm that it drove him speechless. It was the first time he had no words to retaliate. First time a girl had rejected him. First time he’d been humiliated so. First time he’d wanted to knock down a girl, no matter how pretty.

He clenched his jaws so tightly that he thought they would snap. Oh how he wanted to wipe that indifferent expression from her face. How dare she? She was new to town, to school and he had only been trying to be nice, well…among other things.  But how dare she have such an attitude? Miss high and mighty! Touch me not princess! he thought nastily.

Get a grip, Cooper! he chided himself realizing suddenly that everyone was enjoying his discomfiture. Slowly, he relaxed his grip and tried to ease his tension. He even tried a casual shrug at the ‘touch me not queen’ who was not even looking at him.

From that day onwards, he, Ashton Jacob Cooper, swore that she was his enemy and that he would never ever say a nice word to her! Bloody ‘Princess Touch me not’!

FIVE YEARS LATER

“Well, well, well if it isn’t our high and mighty princess,” drawled a familiar voice behind Selena McKenzie.

Stunned, she whirled round and met the unmistakable sarcastic gaze of Ashton Cooper. Her worst nightmare! Oh God! What had she done to the Heavens to deserve that? Not again! To be sitting next to Ashton Cooper again five years later. Well, whoever had said that history repeats itself was downright right!

Technically, he was everything she hated in a guy. Handsome as sin, one of the over privileged geeks of this world and not to mention a hopeless flirt.

“Don’t tell me that you’ve been admitted to this university?” she asked in a baffled voice.

“No, of course not. I’m here only to have a nice chat with you!” he sneered.

Flustered, she bit her lip and did what she did best at around Ashton Cooper-ignore him. Their mutual dislike had begun five years ago when she had unknowingly hurt his ego so badly that apparently he couldn’t leave her alone anymore. Ever since that famous incident, Ashton had made it a point to humiliate her. She regretted it- not the fact that they were not friends but that they were enemies.

 Well, of course it was too good to hope that he would leave her alone.

“Lucky, aren’t we? To be in the same university,” he drawled.

“Lucky?” she echoed stupidly playing the game despite herself.

“Yeah,” he bent closer and smiled wickedly when Selena flinched backwards. “Lucky to perpetuate our five years old feud my dear ‘Princess Touch me not’.”

“Cut that out Ashton. Listen why don’t we just ignore each other, hmm?”

With that, she turned her back and looked everywhere except in his direction.

 “Oh, getting cold feet already?”

“Aw, come on Ashton, grow up!” she scolded.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw him grin casually and turned his attention to the blonde sitting behind them. Fuming, she watched as he flirted outrageously with the bimbo who actually appeared flattered.

Disgusted, she turned and smiled sweetly at the empty headed lass and said, “Don’t feel sooo flattered, girlie. He gets excited every time he sees a skirt around!” she snarled and could have bit her tongue as soon as the words were out.

What in the holy name of God had taken over her to say such a thing? It was unacceptable! What was wrong with her? What did it matter to her if he flirted shamelessly with every girl he came across? Oh bloody shit! How she wished she could take back her words.

Ashton stared at her appearing stunned at her outburst-no flabbergasted would be a better word, and then slowly a naughty grin formed on his lips.

Incensed, she decided that whatever he did she would simply ignore him this time. She knew that he was deliberately trying to bait her but she would not respond this time.

“Just ignore her, sweetheart,” he said loudly enough for the whole class to hear. “You know how jealous ex-girlfriends can get?”

“You…” she cried out indignantly but Ashton ignored her, which infuriated her even more.

Unfortunately, he’d said it loud enough for everyone in the class to hear him. No matter how much she was trying to deny it, all she got was pitiful knowing looks from the girls and lecherous ones from every male.

From that day onwards, she Selena Rose McKenzie swore that he was her enemy and that she would never ever say a nice word to him. Bloody ‘Casanova’!