HATE FALL LOVE

Chapter 11

[Kent's POV]

The first thing that caught my eye was the tall figure of that guy from Friday night, standing near a table in the middle of the cafeteria. Looking so smug and arrogant, although his face was still covered by injuries, I was quite startled to find him here, showing up like he owned the place or something. But right after I saw him, I also noticed the people who were sitting at the same table he was looming over and realized that they were Brianna and her friend.

She looked frightened and alarmed, and I felt my adrenaline pumping as I instinctively marched down the path towards them.

This was what I was trying to avoid. That guy really doesn't know where to stop and his ego must have been extremely crushed that he now wanted to get back from it. I was already planning to meet with him after classes just so we could settle our feud, but somehow, he just had to find a way to further add damage to the injury. I felt aggravated.

Stopping right beside him, he didn't have to take that long to sense that I was there as he turned and met my eyes. He looked pissed, but I was even more pissed. What was he doing this time? If he had any problems, he should come to me. I would take him anyway. He didn't need to pursue Brianna like this. Not right in front of everybody else. This was unfair.

"Knight," he simply remarked, displaying contempt and hatred on his face, and I didn't even flinch as I step forward and stared him down. I didn't like people who think they're far too superior to anybody when it's very clear they were not even half as human as they were in terms of being fair. I hated it.

"Get away from her," I threatened him at once, narrowing my eyes at him, making my voice louder than needed just so he could get the point. But instead of backing down, the bastard still had the audacity to laugh right in front of my face, smirking back at me.

"You think you could just tell me what to do here?" The guy spat back, crossing his arms over his chest as he stood straighter and daringly stared back at me. "You should be the one leaving, Knight. This is not your business."

"It's my business, you fu***** di**wa*. She's not even interested in you, so why are you still going for her?" I angrily snarled. My temper was now rising. Sensing the tension building up between us, a few of the bastard's peers come approaching the scene, obviously outnumbering me. But I didn't care. I could see Ian from my peripheral vision, just looking from me and to the guy with a calculating expression on his face. He didn't like that I was starting up the argument in the middle of the crowd, but I knew he won't abandon me if something happens.

So I just stood my ground and stared harder.

The bastard, on the other hand, let out a bitter chuckle, scoffing back at me as he said, "You're not a boss around here, Kent Knight. Don't think I won't get back at you for what you did last time."

"Huh," I smirked, raising a brow, "It's not like you didn't deserve it. But it's obviously not teaching you enough lesson to know you can't ever beat me down."

Feeling that he had enough, the bastard suddenly pushed me on the chest, slightly staggering me back as I kept my footing. Then he sneered and said, "Do you want to fight, huh? You're just lucky I was drunk last time. Let's go out there and see who's better now."

"Why not?" I dared back, grinning wider, taunting him even more. Then he grabbed me by the collar, seething, "I will destroy you, Kent Knight. I'll make sure you'd never see the end of the day for shaming me."

"How exciting," I slyly retorted with a bored expression, then provokingly told him, "Just make sure this time, you'd really land a punch on my face."

And just with that, I saw his arm slinging back to blow a punch towards my direction and I was just really lucky I have fast reflexes to quickly turn the situation around by moving out of his hold and tackling him forward until we both landed on the ground, trying to outwit each other. Some people started yelling in the background, some were even cheering for the fight, but all I could think about was making sure this bastard would realize his mistake.

Then from the corner of my eye, one of the bastard's friends came charging towards me and I was knocked back as I slid across the floor and felt somebody hit me on the side of the head. Then Ian Wade came to my defense, trying to block anyone who was trying to attack me. People started huddling around us and a few of them tried to stop the fight by holding me and the bastard back and keeping us apart.

And in the midst of the chaos, I saw Brianna, teary-eyed and looking extremely disappointed, entering the scene as she stopped right in front of me, shooting me a hurtful glare as she yelled.

"STOP IT!"

Her voice came out so loud, overwhelming the noises around us, abruptly silencing the rest. And I slowly felt my body calming down as I panted heavily and just stared at her. She sobbed softly and she turned her back on me and looked in the direction of the bastard.

"I'm sorry for what happened," She told him defiantly, her voice trembling, "But please, just stop fighting."

"It's not me, you know," the bastard still said defensively, making me scoff as I glared at him, "Tell that to that stupid as***** behind you. I don't even know what it is about you, are you his bit**?"

OH, NO HE JUST DIDN'T!

"You mo****fu****!!" I found myself snarling and shouting at him after hearing what he just called her. But because I was being held back, I failed to come close to him just so I could shut him up. And since it was hopeless, I only came back with a shocking revelation by shouting, "YOU DON'T HAVE A RIGHT TO CALL HER THAT! She's my girlfriend, you mo****fu***ng i***t!"

I heard gasps echoing as soon as I let those words out. I didn't even have the time to process what just came out of my mouth. But when Brianna turned to stare at me with terror in her eyes, I gradually felt even more confident as I repeated what I said.

"She's my girlfriend," I said in a firmer and louder voice, making sure that everyone in that place will hear it very clear, "Lay a finger on her and I'll make sure I'll break every bone you have in your body. Don't test me."

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[BRIANNA's POV]

He didn't really say that.

Kent Knight didn't really just shout right in front of everyone that I was his girlfriend. His girlfriend! For the love of... why would he suddenly say that? And I felt extremely embarrassed, shocked, flattered, and intensely horrified after hearing that lie coming out of his lips, adding up to the boisterous and overwhelming shouts and cheers of the crowd gathered around us. He just did. He really claimed that I was his girlfriend in front of everybody at school, and I still didn't know how to respond to that.

I wanted to disprove the revelation and make it clear that it wasn't true, but I couldn't even speak as the surrounding students jumped around and continued to shout, completely reversing the scene into a riot. I wanted to get out of there so I found myself turning around, trying to look for the best way to escape but when I got trapped by some people trying to hoard around me, I felt someone pulling my arm to the side and I was immediately dragged away from that suffocating spot that I had been standing on.

I soon then realized that it was, again, Kent Knight who got hold of me as he successfully got us out of the noises and the chaos, until he brought me out of the school building and to the deserted parking lot. I was still a little disoriented as I tried to catch my breath, aware that I was alone with Kent Knight again. This was the second time today, and yet I still didn't try to get away from him.

"Are you okay?" I heard him suddenly asking me this with worry in his voice and I slowly looked up to him, squinting my eyes against the bright sunlight over us, and exhaled loudly.

"Your girlfriend?" I frowned at him, harshly pulling my arm off of his grip, scowling as I felt my emotions mixing up inside my chest. Should I be happy now? Wasn't this what I used to wish ever since two years ago? He just told everybody that I was his girlfriend and didn't even try to take it back, and now it seemed like we have to play the part just to support his claims.

I didn't want to do that, however. Because no matter how much I would have wanted that to be the real thing, I knew this was all just a lie he had to come up at the moment after being riled up by that senior. It was just an excuse so Kent could ward the enemy off from me, and I really hated that. I didn't want this to happen like this.

"Why not?" Kent retorted back, even sounding like it didn't bother him that much and he was totally okay with all of this. And I felt rather appalled to actually hear that. So he really was going to continue this ridiculous lie and pretend that we were dating?! What a total douche!

"You just lied, Kent. I'm not your girlfriend and we both know that!" I tried to press on, emphasizing my words so he could clearly see that I was extremely against the idea, but Kenth just shrugged back at me. He didn't even bat an eye. I was totally distraught. I started shaking my head, gently laughing bitterly as I scoffed at him.

"I don't see what's wrong about saying you're my girlfriend, Brianna," he said back, stepping closer towards me until I felt him looming over, filling me in with his familiar scent and presence. "Why don't we just do it?"

I felt cornered and for some reason, those words tempted me to say yes. I knew that this was just going to complicate things even more and make it worse for me in the end, yet I still couldn't refuse. Why? Why was I always too weak when it comes to him? What's wrong with me? I can't force myself to say no, why can't I say no?

This was so difficult.

When I didn't say anything, Kent leaned his head down until we both could feel our breathing, his eyes captivating mine and imprisoning my attention. I couldn't look away, my heart started pounding, my body tingling at the feeling of his chest barely touching mine. Then he softly said, "Be my girlfriend. I'll keep those guys away from you and I'll make sure no one will hurt you again."

But he would hurt me, instead. I wanted to tell that to him, but my lips quivered and I felt more nervous. Even if I wanted to reject what I said, I couldn't say it outright because it felt like nothing would even come out of mouth. So I just stared back at him, looking too dumbstruck as I licked my lips worriedly.

"Tell me you would do it, please?"

His sweet words hit me so deeply, I could no longer resist as I briefly closed my eyes. What the hell was this? It didn't even feel like a proposal. He was only offering to be my boyfriend to "keep those guys away" as he said. So why was I feeling so flattered and emotional? Why did it make me feel giddy inside? I should say no, but I didn't have enough courage to voice that out loud. And before I could even open my mouth just to utter anything instead of keeping quiet the entire time, I was halfway opening my eyes again when suddenly Kent leaned in.

He started kissing me... AGAIN.

And somehow, I didn't resist. AGAIN. And I found myself falling deeper into the feeling of his fingers brushing over my cheeks and his lips nibbling over mine until I eventually forgot all the reasons why I had to say no to him. Because whether I admit it or not, I was a fool.

And I knew that I can never push him away, now that he was the one initiating the kiss—much to my utter surprise. Yep. I was definitely a fool... Because, even with the strong warning signs flashing in my mind, I still started kissing him back. Passionately.