Love to Hate You

Chapter Four

“This better not be gross!” I warn Justin behind closed lids.

“No promises.” He says simply and lets out a rough chuckle.

My eyes snap open but he quickly reaches across the table and puts a hand over my eyes to cover them again.

“No peaking!” he insists, “Now open up.”

“I really don’t think this is a good id—“

Without warning he pushes the food into my mouth and removes his hand from my eyes, moving it down to my mouth while his other hand pinches my nose shut. Smiling, he watches me chew cautiously and not meeting my eyes as they glare at him.

“Swallow.” He urges, raising his eyebrows in anticipation.

I shake my head. Whatever he just made me eat is sweet and light. I wonder for a second if he’s trying to poison me with some dessert since a slightly tart juice is running down my throat.

He scowls at me, his face inches from mine as he orders me to swallow, this time not so nicely. I growl in the back of my throat and almost choke on what he fed me, but I do end up swallowing.

“Good girl!” he smiles cheerily, removing his hands from my face and sitting back down.

Now, I can see the plate filled with the mystery food he just forced down my throat. To my surprise, it’s nothing strange or nasty at all. On the plate sits three more miniature strawberry cheesecakes. I narrow my eyes at him as he pops one in his mouth and leans back in a multicolored chair belonging to The Lunch Box.

“Cheesecake. That’s what you wanted me to try?” I say in disbelief, scoffing at him and crossing my arms.

He finishes chewing and swallows thickly before sitting up straight again and leaning in closer to me.

“Not just any cheesecake. Tiny cheesecakes.” He says matter-of-factly while waving his finger in my face.

I quirk an eyebrow and can’t help the giggle that escapes my lips.

“You’re pathetic.”

He shrugs and throws me a cheeky grin.

“I like to think of it as being completely adorable.” He replies.

I laugh at this, “Adorable? I don’t think so.”

“Cute?”

“No.”

“Sexy?”

“Are we talking about the same person?”

“Irresistible.”

“Sean? I know.”

At this, his playful smirk drops and his face contorts into one of confusion.

“Sean? You like him?”

I rest my arms on the table in front of me, running a tongue along the inside of my cheeks as I study his face.  One might find his expression slightly tortured, questioning the seriousness of my answer. I purse my lips and tilt my head, finding joy in his discomfort.

“Yup.” I reply smoothly, popping the p.

His face mirrors shock, but he swiftly replaces it with a casual, downcast look as he reaches over for another cheesecake. I watch as he clears his throat, his foot tapping the ground nervously.

A sly smirk crosses my lips when he finally mumbles, “Oh.”

The table is silent for a while. My eyes stay on the boy sitting beside me. His leg bouncing and his anxious finger twiddling is a sure give-away of his feelings. It both surprises me, and excites me at the same time.