Chapter 2: Hate

Foren stood at the corner, trying her best to not glance at Adam. There was a smile on her lips as if she could understand what her classmates were talking about when in reality, all her senses were focused on the man behind her.

  

She could feel his stares piercing through the back of her head. If they were still in high school, she would have probably snapped at him already for staring—or maybe ‘glaring’ at her and they would start another fight. But it had been years and they were already old enough for some childish bickerings. 

Yes. There's no way Foren would embarrass herself in front of everyone.

“I still remember the day when Forestia and Adamson fight in the middle of a debate activity!” laughed by one of their classmates, Jerome, who was known as the clown of the class. “Man! There was no day I saw those two talking to each other calmly–ow!”

Jerome groaned when Rissa slapped his arm and secretly pointed to Foren. His eyes blinked rapidly as his lips formed a small circle, and soon smiled shyly while scratching the back of his head. 

“Um, sorry…”

Foren only smiled. What would she say? ‘Nah, it's fine…’ when it's not fine at all? She could feel her cheeks burning in embarrassment. Now that she had matured, she realized how childish and a spoiled brat she was back in the days. 

Seriously? She had no calm conversation with Adam? As she tried searching for any memory, she concluded that she really didn't have any. 

Did they hate each other that much? 

“So how's modeling, Foren?” Nica asked, one of their classmates, thankfully changing the topic. 

“Hmm, it's fine, I guess? Well, I earn enough and I really love what I'm doing so I don't feel tired or bored of it,” she smiled at them and it's as if everyone got blinded by her beauty. 

“Erm,” another guy cleared his throat just behind her. Their attention turned to him. It was Joseph who currently had his arm around Adam's shoulder. “What about you Adam? I heard you're already running Rockwell's Empire on your own, eh?”

The wide grin on his lips slowly faded as Adam gave him a sideward glance, his narrowed eyes threatening him to get his hand off of him or he'd lose it without knowing it. Gulping, Joseph quickly stepped back with his hands in the air. 

“Whoa, chill.”

Foren made a face. She was worried that she would ruin the atmosphere in this reunion, but it seemed somebody else was doing the job for her. 

‘This guy is really arrogant and annoying!’

As tension formed in the air, all of them heaved out a sigh of relief when their service bus finally arrived. They entered the vehicle with their ‘partners in seat’ as what they call it, while Foren stood in front as her eyes roamed for a vacant seat. 

“Rissa! Where are you?”

“Here, bestie!” Rissa raised her hand, sitting in one of the middle rows. “Oh, sorry! But Nica asked me first to sit with her!”

“What? I'm your bestie, though!” Foren felt betrayed, but her best friend only stuck her tongue out to her teasingly. 

“Can you get out of the way?” A baritone voice sounded behind her, causing goosebumps run to her nape. 

Foren turned around and was faced to a man's chest. She looked up to see his face, only for her to gasp when she realized who it was. It's Adam! Not only that, what he said had finally registered to her mind that made her eyebrows furrow. 

“Excuse me?”

  

“I said you're blocking my way. Have you gone deaf?”

What the hell did he just say?

Everyone remained silent as if they're watching a live drama in front of them. 

Without saying anything, Foren rolled her eyes at him and turned away to go to the remaining seats. She chose the one next to a window and sat comfortably after putting her luggage above her. But then, she couldn't help but gasp in shock when Adam appeared and attempted to sit next to her. 

“Wait! W-What are you doing here?” She asked with her hands blocking his seat, heart beating wild. 

“What the hell is wrong with you?” he asked back with a glare. 

“Can't you sit somewhere else?”

Foren knew she was acting immature right now, but she didn't care anymore. She was more worried about the harsh pounding of her heart as though she was running for miles. The thought that they would be sitting next to each other for the next ten hours of travel was ruining her system. 

“If I could, I would,” he raised an eyebrow before flashing his famous smirk that never failed to get into her nerves. “So stop acting like a baby and let me have my seat.”

A blush forming in her cheeks, Foren slowly pulled back her hands as their classmates' giggles filled her ears. Why did she feel like this was planned by them? No matter how much she hated the thought, it's not like she could do anything about her situation. 

Foren sank on her seat, eyes looking out of the window as Adam's perfume attacked her nose. It smelled so good and she wouldn't even deny it. 

Their arms brushed when he settled next to her as he had a huge frame and it was like one seat wasn't enough for him. He dominated even her space. Since she was sitting next to the window, she felt small and trapped by a predator. 

“Please move away a bit, Adam!” She whispered. The man stared at her, his green eyes remained cold. “It's cramped here and you're already invading my personal space!”

“Why don't we just change seats?”

“No way!”

“Then bear with it,” he said with finality before wearing his ear bud.

Foren's jaw dropped, watching him in disbelief as he closed his eyes. Feeling the bus start departing, she just let out an exasperated sigh as she leaned against the back of her seat. 

She closed her eyes, knowing full well that her next three days wouldn't be so funny. 

*** 

It was the second week since the school year started when they met, eight years ago. They were in 9th grade when Foren looked up from her biology book and found a guy standing in front with their homeroom teacher. 

“He is your new classmate. Please introduce yourself.”

“I'm Adamson Rockwell. Sixteen.”

And that was all. Everyone felt intimidated by his cold voice, expressionless face, and his family name. He was a Rockwell. The only Heir of one of the most powerful families of the country. 

However, that fact didn't faze Foren as her attention was on his age. He was sixteen? That meant he was two years older than her and most of them. Why? It's either he was dumb and had to repeat years or he was just really a spoiled brat who was forced to attend school as he believed that he didn't have to study for he could live his whole life without working at all. Rockwells were that wealthy. 

Foren frowned at the thought. 

“A-Alright. Please sit on that vacant chair behind Forestia Frost.”

Adam silently approached the seat behind Foren without looking at anyone. Although her eyes remained on him, she was shocked when he looked back at her, especially when his lips formed a small smirk that screamed arrogance. 

That was the start. At first, Foren convinced herself that she was just imagining things or maybe he didn't mean to give her that look and cheeky attitude, but she slowly confirmed that he was indeed looking down on her as it always happened whenever their eyes met. 

It only worsened when Adam topped all of their subjects, kicking her out of her throne and putting her down to second place. 

He wasn't dumb. In fact, he was so intelligent that even if he paid no attention to class, he could still ace his exams. He was just simply gifted, and that fact pissed Foren off. 

All her life, she had been giving her hardest to remain reigning and on top. Her achievements came from her hard work but despite all of it, she still couldn't get her parents' attention. 

Yet this new guy, he dominated the class and the whole campus effortlessly. Not just in academics, but even in sports. 

He was her rival. He took all the things that could help her get her parents' recognition. She hated him. 

But what made her hate him more was the fact that he didn't see her the same way. She felt like he only saw her as one of those people who wasn't at his level, someone lower than him. She hated it so much that she had cried about it for days. 

Since then, they had a bad blood towards each other. Adam being sarcastic towards their every interaction, and Foren being a short-tempered girl who couldn't take his overflowing arrogance. They became that duo. A pair who couldn't be in the same room or it meant disaster. 

“Foren…” she felt a soft tap on her cheek. “Wake up.”

She groaned, remaining her eyes closed.

The man chuckled. “Come on. Wake up, sleepyhead. Aren't you hungry?”

Finally, the sound of that familiar voice registered in her head. Her eyes snapped open as she sat straight. Blinking, she stared at Adam in shock before she looked around the bus. No one's there but the two of them! 

As if reading her thoughts, Adam answered her question. 

“Everyone takes a break. We've stopped in a restaurant to eat, though I told them to go first since it seemed like you're having a nice dream,” he smirked at her. 

Nice dream? She considered it a nightmare at all! Of all the possible dreams, why did she have to dream of how she met this guy and how their relationship got worse each day?! 

“You should have just woken me up!”

“How could I do that when you're too comfortable sleeping on my shoulder?”

Foren gritted her teeth, her cheeks burning in embarrassment and annoyance. Huffing, she brushed her hair and stood up while throwing him a glare. 

“Asshole!”

And she walked away, hearing his insulting chuckles. No, there was nothing to be grateful for because he was enjoying pissing her off. If she had known she would end up leaning on his shoulder, she shouldn't have let herself get even a wink of sleep! 

But the most frustrating thing was, in contrast to her annoyance, her heart was beating rapidly and was like wanting to jump out of her chest. 

She hated him. She had always hated him so she shouldn't feel this way... 

Right?