Chapter 16 - Strangers

I thought he hated me because he did. Because we were strangers. But now, I feel like we're still strangers, but he doesn't hate me....

It's weird.  That only a week ago he would have actively shunned me, giving me stares in the hallway and in our classes. But now he is walking into my door In the morning and giving me a hug.

I lay in the bed eating a salad and some French fries, dipping the French fries in ketchup of course. Listening to music on Kingston's phone that he left at my side so that I could listen.

He said he's going and getting something, what he's getting I don't know but it's something. I haven't had food this good in a while, though River's spaghetti was the best thing I have ever put in my mouth.

I cross my legs in my lap and eat the food, listening to the music that softly plays in my ears. I hum the background music until I hear the faint knock on my door.

I take one earbud out and look at the door, "Come in!" I say and Kingston walks in with messed up hair and swollen lips, a box wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper in his arms.

"Oh so you didn't get something you got some." I joke and he shakes his head chuckling. He shrugs and I give him a knowing look. He just pushes his lips into a tight line and places the medium sized box on the chair.

"Who's that for, River?" I ask looking at the box and he looks me in the eyes. "Nope, You." He says and I look at him wide eyed.

"Nononono, I haven't gotten you anything and I'm not taking that." I say and he shakes his head. "Darling, I'm rich. Let me get you this one thing." He says and I look at the box.

"Was it expensive?" I ask like a child, pulling out my best concerned puppy dog eyes. He chuckles and grabs my hand. "It's fine, Summer." He says and I bite my lip. Unsure of how fine it is.

"Okay... King?" I ask shyly as I ravel his earbuds up and give him his phone. "Yes?" He asks and I look at my food, pushing the salad around on my plate.

"What do you love, we basically know barely anything about each other?" I say, he looks at the ground before scooting his chair closer to me and staring into my eyes.

"Well, I love the colors baby blue and gold, they're beautiful colors, but I also just like yellow. I don't really have a favorite food I'm just a monster and eat everything."

"I- I, uh, don't really have a favorite color, I love spaghetti though. The spaghetti you fed me was delicious, I hadn't eaten in a couple days." I say and he smiles

"It is River's mom's recipe, El made it though. El is his maid." He says and I nod, "She sounds like a good cook, I love cooking. I also love music of you couldn't tell." I say and he nods.

"I like that about you." He says and I blush, people don't compliment me. "Oh this is to easy." He chuckles before getting up, running his fingers through my hair. "I am going to go to the bathroom, I'll be back." He says and I nod.

But I want to get him a Christmas present so I need to get a job. He can't get me something and I don't get him anything.

I decide to apply for a job the next time I see my mom, hopefully using her laptop. I put the tv on as he comes back in, he checks his phone and smirks before turning to me.

"You have to wait to open your present." He says and I sigh.

"I'm getting a job anyway so I'm getting you a present. Or I'll make you something like a toddler." I say and he sighs, "You know you compare yourself to a toddler a lot."

"What?! It's accurate." I say chuckling a bit at my own joke, and he shakes his head.

"I think I am laughing at it because it is true." He says and I wiggle my finger at him, "I'm allowed to make fun of myself you're not." I say and he walks up to me until his face is inches from mine, his hands resting on my waist.

"Toddler." He taunts and I squint my eyes, "Asshole." I say. He smirks at me, "Baby." He says and I lean in closer. "Player." I say pushing a French fry into his mouth before resting back in my bed.

"You always seem to have no feelings. But I am going to get to them, for you or for me. You will see." He says and I shake my head.

"Nobody knows what I'm feeling, it's a good thing." I say, if people don't know what's happening in my mind you have a secret they can't use against you. "I couldn't disagree more." He says.

I'd bet on that.

He has more emotion in his eyes everyday, in his smile even, than what anybody could expect.