I Hate to love you

CH- 9 - Warm Hugs

[Rachel's P.O.V] 

"All night?" I looked at him with a confused expression " Well you want an A, don't you?" "I do but- "Then we are gonna work all night." Something told me he wasn't playing around. We sat face to face on my desk and kept our books in the middle. Every time we needed something our hands brushed, and whenever they did my stomach started doing flip-flops, like I had done 25 cartwheels mid-air while para-gliding. I had never been so at peace with him before, as we fought all the time, but the way he handled Luca today made me melt. I couldn't help but warm up to that side of Keith. 

"Rachel? You there?" a voice woke me from my dilemma "Are you thinking about Luca?" he asked with a smug look on his face "No! I won't simp over a person I just met!" I lied. I do have a huge crush on Luca, but I wasn't particularly thinking about him. Keith just smirked and said "Well, were you thinking about me?" The hair on my neck stood up, and the look on my face must have been ridiculous because he started laughing "Of course not, you look uglier than a monkey's butt," "Have you seen one?" "I'm assuming," "That means, you assume I am ugly?" "No! I know you are! you look like you are stuck in the 70s! This is 21st century, wake up dummy!" Keith  stopped writing and looked at me, with his mesmerizing blue eyes shining in the dark. "You look like you just got dumped." "HEY!" The idiot laughed his bottom off while I chased after him.

We were running after each other when we suddenly heard a loud knock on the door. We looked at each other and thought of the same thing "HIDE KEITH! GO INSIDE THE BATHROOM!" I shoved him in and locked the door. I messed up my hair and loosened up to look like I was sleeping for the last two hours (and totally not pulling Keith's hair). I slowly twisted the knob and leisurely opened the door. I peeked outside to see who the heck was awake in the middle of the night, except us, of course. 

"Rachel, I really need your help!" a person walked into my room. The mysterious person had short red hair that hung till her shoulders and had alluring black eyes which almost blended in with the surroundings. She was way shorter than me and had elf ears, with tiny freckles on her nose. "Hello to you too Laura, why are you knocking at my door in the middle of the night?" "Well, you know how I am paired up with Sakura! I am just worried my phobia of speaking in front of people will show! You know that is my biggest secret!" "Trust me, you are gonna be just fine! You are amazing at giving speeches in front of large crowds! You are so good at hiding your fear, I genuinely forgot you had one! You are an amazing person, Laura! Nothing can change that." Even though I was panicking, my words were genuine. Laura is a very likeable person who is the ideal type of most dudes AND girls in my class, a small fear like this shouldn't stop her. I put my arms around her and embraced her "You will do just fine and you are gonna ace the presentation!" She looked up at me and smiled "You really think so?" she asked and I nodded. "Well, you are one of my best friends,  Rachel, I cherish our friendship. I better go now, see you tomorrow!" She rushed towards the door, winked at me and left. 

I took a deep breath in, fixed my hair and told Keith to come outside. "Took you long enough, I thought you were teaching her how to cook lasagna," "Oh shut up!" I was annoyed but couldn't help but smile at him and his silly words that made me laugh.

I looked up and squinted my eyes to see the time "It is half past one, we better get back to work," "Finally you said something sensible Keith! I never imagined you would be so smart!" I sarcastically replied. 

[Keith's P.O.V] 

I panted heavily as I thought of the bullet I just dodged. Thankfully it wasn't a teacher, just Laura.  "Well, you know how I am paired up with Sakura, I am just worried my phobia of speaking in front of people will show! You know that is my biggest secret!" I never knew *THE LAURA* the best public speaker in out class could have a phobia of giving speeches, it was ironic. "Trust me, you are gonna be just fine! You are amazing at giving speeches in front of large crowds! You are so good at hiding your fear, I genuinely forgot you had one! You are an amazing person, Laura! Nothing can change that." I listened carefully to her words and smiled. Rachel tries to act like this mean person who doesn't give a thing about you and your problems, but her kind side can make you melt within seconds. She has that kind of aura. "You will do just fine and you are gonna ace the project!" I felt nice hearing these words. Maybe this is how a real friendship is supposed to work. You really think so?" Laura asked her "Well, you are one of my best friends, Rachel, I cherish our friendship." she continued. 

I heard a 'click' of a door, and assumed that Laura left. "Keith, come out! She left!" I steadily came out and saw Rachel. She usually frowns when she sees me, but, today, she looked sad. She looked like one of her friends died because of her. "Took you long enough, I thought you were teaching her how to cook," I wanted to ease up the tension caused,  "Oh shut up!" She just rolled her eyes and gave me a smug look, after which she looked up to check the time "It is half past one, we better get back to work," I told her "Finally you said something sensible Keith! I never imagined you would be so smart!" 

Time skip: 3 A.M

We had been working for the past one and a half hours. Suddenly, the power went out and the room got dark. "K-K-Keith? w-w-where-"I am here Rachel, right behind you" She turned back and her head hit my chin. I winced in pain but held back the scream "D-dark, I-I-I-" "It is okay, I am here, nothing can get past me." She grabbed my hand hand hugged me tightly, I knew how to deal with fears to I hugged her back and brushed my hand against her head. "Ease up Rachel, it is okay," she breathed heavily and panted a lot. 

The lights flickered back on and our faces were inches apart. 

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Heyyy~ 

Our exams are here again! YAYYYYYY.... we will return AFTER 13th March officially but I think we may have 2 or 3 random uploads.

-Sammy and Lara. 

(Word Count- 1181)