Page 44 of Reckless Hate

CHAPTER 21

“Congratulations, Samantha.You are now a member of team Simha.”

“Thank you, Coach.”

Samantha was officially selected into the final tennis team to represent Simha University. She shook hands with the coach and the rest of the team.

“We only have a few weeks before the inter-university matches begin. We need to up the practice in the coming days.”

As soon as the coach made that statement to the team, there were groans from the other team members. They were already practicing every day for two hours straight.

Samantha didn’t mind since it was helping her to keep her mind away from things she didn’t want to think about. But it worked only for two hours. The rest of the time, her mind always wandered to the same damn place—to her enemy.

She took a deep breath, pushed her enemy out of her mind and headed back to her housing unit to freshen up. She and Rishi were going for dinner that evening to celebrate her selection to the Simha tennis team.

Her mouth twisted into a small smile when she recalled that Rishi had predicted her selection. He had even reserved a table for them at a popular sports bar off-campus.

“Of course, you are going to make it, darling. I have watched you play. You are the bomb.”

Still smiling, she hurried to her housing unit.

As soon as she stepped into her bedroom, once again her eyes went towards the balcony doors. A strange disappointment filled her mind, seeing them shut.

What the hell is wrong with me!

She shook her head angrily. She shouldn’t care that after the masquerade event, she hadn’t spoken to her enemy. He hadn’t approached her either. The war between them was temporarily put on hold.

She didn’t think it was because the dean had warned them. Something changed the night of the masquerade after their kiss.

She was still angry her enemy kissed her, but she couldn't get it out of her mind. She recalled it over and over, wondering what had come over her that she grabbed and kissed him back.

I am supposed to hate him.

She did hate him.

Feeling tired from the game and from thinking the same things over and over for several days, she sighed before getting ready for dinner.

She stepped out of her room and saw that her roommate wasn’t there. The guys who were pepper-sprayed and kicked hadn’t bothered her roommate again. She hoped it remained that way.

Taking out a cheesecake slice from the freezer, she left it on the small dining table for it to thaw and be available when her roommate returned. Her phone rang just as she stepped out of her apartment. It was Rishi.

“I’m stepping out,” she said. “I’ll pick you up outside the garage.”

Grabbing the car keys, she hoped her first off campus dinner would help in keeping her enemy out of her mind.

***

“Wow. This place looks cool.”

The sports bar was yet to fill with people. They were one of the early customers.

The hostess took them inside. “Sir. Madam. Where would you like to sit?”

“We’ll take a table near the television,” Rishi replied.

They were seated a couple of tables away from the huge television set.

Rishi grinned. “I want to watch the game. Who doesn’t like a bunch of guys chasing a ball and shoving the crap out of each other?”

---