Chapter 3: Unfamiliar Feelings

“Why don't you go back to sleep?” Adam whispered, his hot breath hitting her ear that made her almost jump on her seat. 

They were back on the bus and continued driving to their destination far from the City. It was already past one o'clock in the morning and they were the only ones on the passengers who remained awake. 

“What the—” Foren pressed herself further into the vehicle's window as she glared at him, her hand covering her ear. “You're too close! Move—hmp!”

Adam quickly brought his hand over her mouth, his eyebrows were furrowed as he pushed himself much closer to her. Foren's eyes widened. 

She had always known that Adam was attractive. Even with her hatred towards him, she was aware and she acknowledged his ‘assets’. Not only was he rich and smart, he was also extremely handsome and carrying that presence that demanded attention. So she understood why every girl in the campus admired him so much, even including Rissa although she said it was just a simple crush. 

Foren stared at his green eyes that always appeared weary and cold, finding herself getting hypnotized. His long eyelashes and thick eyebrows made it look much deeper and dark. Her gaze then traveled down to his nose that had a perfect angle, and to his soft lips that were always pressed together whenever the two of them got into an argument and he was trying to control his temper.

“Shh! Don't be so loud! Everyone is already asleep!” he whispered, tilting his head as he looked over his shoulder to see if someone had woken up because of Foren's loud voice. 

But she ignored it, her attention was on his jaw. It was sharp. Sometimes she couldn't help herself but watch it whenever it moved as he gritted his teeth to suppress his anger. She was always satisfied every time it happened since she knew she was getting him pissed.

Her eyes then narrowed into slits when she noticed a scar on it. Her fingers twitched, wanting to touch it but she stopped herself. 

She suddenly realized what she was thinking.

‘What the hell?’

There's no way she's thinking those things towards Adam! Her rival and enemy! What's happening with her? What's this feeling? She had been feeling weird since they met in the park! 

“Now tone down your voice,” Adam slowly removed his hand from her mouth, oblivious to the chaos he had caused her. “If you're sleepy, then sleep. It's not like you'll die if you'd sleep on my shoulder, no?”

He gave her a smirk. Foren gritted her teeth as she tried calming down her heart. 

“I'd rather die than touch you.”

She witnessed how his smirk faded, his expression turning blank and cold. His eyes darkened, hiding a storm that brought chills running down her spine. She knew he was offended, but she chose to not care. Why would she? When this situation wasn't new to them at all. 

They had hated each other since then. 

Looking away, Foren leaned her head against the window and closed her eyes. Right. They should remain this way... 

*** 

“We're finally here!”

Everyone excitedly walked out of the bus as soon as they reached the resort. The sun was yet to rise, but their energy was already beaming despite the long and exhausting ride.

Well, except to Foren who hadn't had a decent sleep. 

Her eyes were heavy as they walked to the hotel, ignoring Rissa's blabber while she clung to her arm.

“Omg! I'm so excited to play on the beach! It's been what? Almost a year since I went on an outing! I've always been busy with work!”

“Yeah…” was Foren's only response.

“Anyways!” Rissa giggled before giving her a teasing look. She looked around first before whispering to Foren. “How's the trip with Adam next to you? Gosh. He's still so hot!”

Foren rolled her eyes before giving her best friend a glare. “You planned it!” She accused her.

Rissa's lips formed a circle as she rapidly shook her head. “Of course, not! I've told you, no one knew he's coming. If you're talking about the seating arrangement, it's just that everyone already planned who they would be seating with even before you arrived last night at the meeting place. We didn't expect that you'd end up with Adam!”

“It should be obvious from the get-go that I'd be with you! But you chose Nica over me!”

“Oh come on, my beautiful Foren!” Rissa gave her a cute smile that Foren knew she would never resist. “I was so busy calling you that I didn't hear what Nica was saying and just nodded to whatever it was. It's already too late when I realized that she's talking about sitting with me!”

“Excuses…” Foren mumbled, pouting her lips. The group already entered the building and two of them were coordinating on the front desk about their reservation. 

“Then how about this: I'll treat you in a Japanese Restaurant once we get back home?”

“Deal,” Foren grinned. 

“So, you didn't answer my first question,” Rissa teasing smirk came back. “How is it being with Adam?”

“Hell.” Foren rolled her eyes. 

“I know, right. Because he's too hot,” Rissa giggled like a teenager. “I can't believe a billionaire is here with us and joined our cheap vacation. Don't you think he's humble?”

Foren frowned at her friend, looking at her as if she had said something about the end of the world. 

“Words ‘humble’ and ‘Adam’ in a single complimentary phrase will never match.”

“Wow, how cold.”

She just ignored Rissa's teasing. As if someone was whispering to her to do so, Foren glanced at Adam's direction and had her eyes squinting in disbelief when she found him talking to one of their female classmates with a smile on his lips. Her eyebrow raised. 

‘Since when did he learn to converse with that polite facade?’

She couldn't believe it. 

Foren pressed her lips together in a grim line when she realized that it was Bella he was talking to, someone known as the most beautiful woman of their batch. Truthfully, there were a lot of pretty girls in their class. Even Foren herself was considered as one of the most beautiful. But Bella's beauty just stood out for many because of her angelic and innocent features, as well as her pristine aura. 

She was the exact embodiment of prim and proper. 

While Foren, she was wild. Foren was a sports girl when she was in high school. She got her hourglass and toned body from all the physical activities she had gone through. It was obvious in one look that she wasn't someone who would be called a prim princess. 

Instead, she was a gorgeous knightmaiden. 

“Okay, guys! Please take your cards for your rooms. Three people per room, and one person will go solo,” announced by their Class President. 

“Let's just give the solo to Adam. Is it okay with you?” asked their Vice President. 

“Of course,” he nodded. Foren clicked her tongue in annoyance when he went back talking to Bella. 

What were they talking about? 

Wait. Why did she even care anyway? 

Taking a gasp, Foren just shook her head and let Rissa drag her to the elevator to their room. 

She tried getting him out of her mind by distracting herself, fixing her stuff on the closet upon arriving at their room, and didn't even have the chance to appreciate the view as she had already fallen into a deep slumber as soon as she laid on her bed. 

It was eight in the morning when she woke up. Rissa was still asleep next to her, while their other roommate, Nica, was on her own bed and still sleeping. Foren stood up and did some stretching before her eyes found the veranda. 

She took a heavy breath when she went out, smiling at the feel of the salty morning breeze that blew on her face and the warm rays of the morning sun. Her stomach then grumbled, reminding her of breakfast. She looked back on their room, realizing that most of them would probably be up late and she's already hungry, so she guessed she would be having her breakfast alone in a restaurant. 

After fixing herself in the bathroom and changing into a simple white summer dress, Foren silently went out of their room and went directly to the elevator. Humming a random tune to herself, she waited for it to open and when it did, her eyes blinked after seeing the person inside. 

“Good morning,” Adam greeted, leaning against the wall of the elevator with his hands both shoved in the pocket of his khaki shorts. 

“G-Good morning…”

Swallowing hard, Foren stepped inside the elevator and watched it close as silence enveloped them. Why? Why did fate always bring them together? Foren didn't know. All she knew was a part of her hated it, but another part of her was mysteriously celebrating. 

“Where are you going this early?” he suddenly asked. 

“Uh, to the restaurant…” If it was a normal day, Foren would answer him sarcastically or she would ignore him. But because of her confusing feelings, she didn't have enough energy to have a morning argument with him. 

“For breakfast?”

“Yes.”

 

“Let's go together, then,” he casually said. Her heart hammered as she stared at him with wide eyes. 

She cursed in her head. 

‘Just what are these unfamiliar feelings?!’