Falling for the Enemy

Unplanned moments

Episode 3: Unplanned moments

Anastasia had to admit it—working with Neo wasn’t as disastrous as she had feared. After their first study session, she realized that, when he put his mind to it, Neo was more capable than she’d expected. Still, that didn’t mean she liked him. At least, that’s what she told herself.

Their project meetings became routine. They met up in the library, in the campus café, or wherever they could find a quiet spot. At first, they exchanged words only about the assignment, but slowly, the barriers between them began to c***k.

One afternoon, as they sat outside on the campus lawn, Neo stretched lazily and glanced over at her. “You ever do anything besides study, Anastasia?”

She didn’t look up from her laptop. “You ever do anything besides talk?”

Neo chuckled. “Ouch. Seriously though, what do you do for fun? You can't be working all the time.”

Anastasia hesitated for a moment before replying. “I don’t have time for ‘fun,’ Neo. Some of us don’t have the luxury of slacking off.”

“Come on,” he said, nudging her arm gently. “I’m not asking for your life story. Just… something. What do you do to relax?”

She sighed, reluctantly meeting his eyes. “Fine. I like reading. Fiction. Romance, mostly. Happy now?”

Neo blinked, surprised. “Romance? Really? I didn’t take you for the type.”

Anastasia flushed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing!” He raised his hands defensively. “Just… interesting. You’re full of surprises.”

She didn’t respond, but she felt the shift between them. It was the first time they’d shared something personal. Before she could think too much about it, Neo leaned back, changing the subject.

“I’ve got a game later. You should come.”

Anastasia blinked. “A game?”

“Yeah, I play for the college basketball team. You’d probably love it,” he said, flashing that cocky smile that always irritated her. “It’s fun. You know, fun?”

“I know what fun is, Neo,” she said, rolling her eyes. “But I have better things to do.”

“Suit yourself. But if you come, maybe you’ll understand why everyone thinks I’m more than just a pretty face.”

---

Later that evening, as Anastasia packed up her books to head home, she couldn’t stop thinking about Neo’s words. Why did he care if she came to his game? It wasn’t like they were friends. Yet something tugged at her curiosity.

Against her better judgment, she found herself walking toward the gym. The sounds of cheering echoed through the halls, and as she slipped into the crowded stands, she spotted Neo on the court. He was in his element, weaving through players with effortless grace. The crowd roared when he scored a point, and she felt a strange sense of pride she couldn’t explain.

But when the game ended, Anastasia slipped out before Neo could see her. She wasn’t ready to confront whatever was happening between them. Not yet.

---

The next day, Neo met her in the library with a grin.

“So… what’d you think of the game?”

Anastasia froze. “I didn’t go.”

“Oh really?” Neo leaned in, his smile widening. “Because I could’ve sworn I saw you sneaking out after the final whistle.”

She flushed. “I wasn’t—fine, maybe I was there. But it doesn’t mean anything.”

Neo’s grin softened into something more genuine. “It means more than you think, Anastasia.”

She didn’t know how to respond, so she didn’t. Instead, she dove into their work, avoiding his gaze. But Neo’s words lingered, making her heart race in a way that was becoming harder to ignore.