From My Enemy To My Love (boyxboy) ✔

Chapter 32

Chet Watakeekul

The doorbell rang. "It's my date!" Kannika called from the bathroom.

"We're not ready," my mom also called from the bathroom. "Chet, answer the door and stall."

"It's not your date," I called back as I walked to the door. "It's my ride."

I opened the door and Gareth was on the other side. "Ready?" he asked me.

Before I could say yes, my dad entered the room and used his phone to take a picture of me and Gareth.

"Really, dad?"

"Sorry," he said. "I thought it was Kannika's date. Hi, Gareth. Come on inside."

Gareth started to step in, but I said, "We're leaving to go to my birthday party."

"It's still early," my dad said. He stepped forward and wrapped an arm around Gareth's shoulders. "You've got to see Kannika's dress. I'll never understand why people spend so much money on clothes they will only wear once."

Gareth looked over his shoulder back at me as my dad pulled him inside. "What's going on?" he asked.

"School dance," I said.

"Oh," Gareth nodded.

"Dad, we're supposed to go help Mateo and Alex setup," I said.

"They can take care of it," my dad said nonchalantly. "It's your birthday party, why are they making you work?"

"Yeah," Gareth added. "It's fine." But I knew he was just saying that to get out of working.

Kannika and my mom walked into the living room. When she saw Gareth, her eyes didn't show any disappointment. In fact, they lit up brightly and the barest hint of a smile came to her lips. I thought she had gotten over her crush on my best friend, but apparently not.

"Gareth," she said brightly, "what are you doing here?"

"Just picking up this guy," he said with a vague wave in my direction.

"Oh right, the birthday party. What do you think of my dress?" She twirled lightly in her gold dress. The beads and sequins on it sparkled under the light. My mom had just spent an hour curling her hair so when she turned the dark curls bounced.

"It's nice," Gareth said.

Kannika's face fell. "Nice? Just nice? Not beautiful? Not pretty? Not breathtaking?"

"What can I say, Kanni, you look like a baby in a pretty dress."

My mom and dad took a step away from Gareth not wanting to be caught up in the moment when my little sister exploded.

"A baby?!" Kannika's voice got louder. "I'm only 2 years younger than you. I'm a junior. A baby?!"

"Sorry, Kannika, but you'll always look like a baby to me. That's just the way it is."

"Ugh!" she stepped towards him in her gold high heels, but I stepped between them before she could do him any harm.

"You look beautiful, Kannika," I said to placate her, but I knew it wasn't my approval she wanted. "We've really got to go now."

The doorbell rang again.

Kannika gasped. "My date," and she rushed out of the room. She was weird sometimes. A lot of the times. I went to the door and opened it. A young man stood in front of me, brown hair and eyes, lots of freckles. He was taller than me, but he looked a little frightened and intimidated when I opened the door.