The Enemy in Love

Chapter 7: Tove's Interlude

Tove

I stared at my computer screen blankly, waiting for Sigrid to come into her room. I only had this one hour free and I didn't want to waste a minute doing anything else than admiring her. She's so close to me. Just two days, and she will be in the same place as me. Abel says I'm obsessed. Well, if this is what obsession is, let it be. I smiled to myself.

I saw her enter her room with a book. It's the guide book we made for humans. She doesn't look that happy. Just for a while, honey.

She sat on the book for half an hour as I stared at her. Mesmerizing as always. But she was disturbed. Reynold.

He sat too close to her. But that is how Reynold is, and how most Ivans are. Physical touch to an extent is etiquette. But what I saw after five minutes didn't seem like etiquette to me. She was holding on to his cheek. Cheek? And pressed herself against him?

She knew I was watching. I smirked as my eyes burned in rage. I tried to control it so hard. I see what she's doing here.

Always playing dirty, my Sigrid.

"Oooh", Abel entered the room, amused.

I shot him a glare.

"You know Tove, I actually wonder how she would react if she knew what you did to Aileen", he said.

"Are you wishing for death?", I muttered. He calmly shook his head.

"She's doing this on purpose. It's gonna be fun when she gets here", I said, suddenly smiling.

Reynold left the room and she slumped on the bed. I looked at her as she was in deep thought staring at the ceiling.

"She would hate me", I said, replying to his previous question. "And bring it up everytime she thinks of it just to torture me. But I'd still want to be with her. That's all I need, her presence in my life", I said.

No one could ever understand the intensity between us. It was built on every other emotion ever known to the universe.

"Okay, the government will hate you now if you don't get back to your schedule", Abel said. He is one of my closest friends and my secretary.

"Yeah. Lets go", I said, closing the application.

At this point, everybody in Iwan knows I am in love with Sigrid, and probably the fact that she hates me too.

Thanks to Aileen yelling at me in public for tricking her, breaking her heart and bringing Sigrid up. She made a mess. And of course, the word spread. "She'd never want you", she said.

Maybe. But I know she feels for me. I just do.

"What's next?", I asked.

"Meeting with the sector heads", he sighed.

"Amazing", I chuckled as we walked to the meeting halls wing of the facility.

By the time I arrived in the hall, everybody was seated, patiently waiting for me to begin.

It's an etiquette for the Lead to arrive five minutes after all the subjects do. It's a sign of respect to the Lead.

I am not yet the Lead. I am a Lead candidate.

Every 500 years, three Lead candidates are announced at the sacred Iwan tree. It's the most powerful entity of our community, and the way our planet communicates with us. We believe that our planet has life. It chooses what happens on it. So does it choose the Lead.

The Lead candidates are picked before the previous Lead retires. They help in the transition of the planet to a new government. Everyone else in power in the government retires after a year.

We have come past it and the new officials have already been chosen. These people are also decided by the sacred Iwan tree.

Watching the selection ritual is an event every Iwan looks forward to. It's mesmerizing.

The candidates this year for the Lead include me, Reynold and Aeris.

On the first day of next year, which is eight months from now, the Lead will be announced at the sacred Iwan tree.

"Good evening all. I know I called in for this meeting at the last moment but, we have to get it over by today", I said.

The server robot handed in sheets to all the members of the meeting at cue.

"These are the details of all the Earth beings that will visit us in two days", I announced, as the room erupted into tiny gasps and faces of impressed shock.

"Which is a week earlier than originally planned", I added.

"Reynold never fails to impress, does he?", Aphra commented.

"Yes", I chuckled.

"The accommodation and arrangements are all ready. What we would like to request from you, is to cooperate with the mission though we have pre-poned it", I said.

"We were always ready", Elijah said, bringing a smile to my face. The rest of the room also looked delighted.

They were waiting for this day.

Sigrid, you have no idea what you are up for.