“Hi, I’m Ashton. Ashton Cooper.”
No answer. Should he ask her name in return? Well, that was what he actually did with any pretty girl. However that one seemed different. Yet, he decided to go for it.
“Hmm…what’s your name?” he asked trying the direct approach.
The brunette whooshed round and stared at him with a measuring look. “Why do you wanna know?” she snapped haughtily.
What arrogance! Hell, what did she think of herself? His seventeen years old ego suffered a blow but still he offered her one of his dazzling smiles and cocked his eyebrows in a flirtatious manner.
“Why do you think a guy like me would ask a girl like you her name?” he drawled in his best macho voice.
At that, she laid down her pencil and sneered at him. “Oh, you think you are irresistible, don’t you?”
Taken aback, he frowned at her not knowing what to retort back for the first time in his life. It was usually the tactic that ticked the chicks off. Hell, no! Usually, he didn’t have much effort to do as the girls were just waiting to be asked out by him. What was the problem with that one?
“Well, lemme tell you that I’m not impressed and I don’t like this kind of behavior,” she continued on the same tone.
“Hey, take it easy. I was only trying to be your friend,” he said feeling offended now that she should reject him so openly.
“Oh yeah? I know your type only too well. So why don’t you leave me alone and try it with some other girl-of your type?” she added on a derisive tone that made Ashton feel infuriated.
That was exactly what he should have done. Leave her alone and move on to the next prey but Heavens knew what took over him. Whether it was the blunt rejection or her damned attitude he didn’t know but he really lost it that day.
“What do you mean ‘my type’?” he exploded. “Who do you think you are to judge me in the first place?”
She narrowed her eyes at him in that regal stance of hers and folded her arms calmly while he was fuming.
“Do you want me to spell it out?” she mocked in a detached manner as if she didn’t really give a damn.
“Why not? Let’s hear it,” he yelled, so furious that he didn’t notice the whole class staring at them both, enjoying the ugly scene they were creating-or more probably he was creating.
“The loose character type. The one who doesn’t spare anyone wearing skirts!!!”
“Oh,” Ashton exclaimed feeling the full impact of a blow at her words. “And you are the ‘touch me not’ kind, aren’t you? Think you are pretty special, don’t you? Well, let me tell you that you are not the only fish in the pond.”
”Exactly. That’s exactly what I am saying. So why don’t you leave me alone and shower your favors elsewhere?” she said in a voice dripped with so much sarcasm that it drove him speechless. It was the first time he had no words to retaliate. First time a girl had rejected him. First time he’d been humiliated so. First time he’d wanted to knock down a girl, no matter how pretty.
He clenched his jaws so tightly that he thought they would snap. Oh how he wanted to wipe that indifferent expression from her face. How dare she? She was new to town, to school and he had only been trying to be nice, well…among other things. But how dare she have such an attitude? Miss high and mighty! Touch me not princess! he thought nastily.
Get a grip, Cooper! he chided himself realizing suddenly that everyone was enjoying his discomfiture. Slowly, he relaxed his grip and tried to ease his tension. He even tried a casual shrug at the ‘touch me not queen’ who was not even looking at him.
From that day onwards, he, Ashton Jacob Cooper, swore that she was his enemy and that he would never ever say a nice word to her! Bloody ‘Princess Touch me not’!
FIVE YEARS LATER
“Well, well, well if it isn’t our high and mighty princess,” drawled a familiar voice behind Selena McKenzie.
Stunned, she whirled round and met the unmistakable sarcastic gaze of Ashton Cooper. Her worst nightmare! Oh God! What had she done to the Heavens to deserve that? Not again! To be sitting next to Ashton Cooper again five years later. Well, whoever had said that history repeats itself was downright right!
Technically, he was everything she hated in a guy. Handsome as sin, one of the over privileged geeks of this world and not to mention a hopeless flirt.
“Don’t tell me that you’ve been admitted to this university?” she asked in a baffled voice.
“No, of course not. I’m here only to have a nice chat with you!” he sneered.
Flustered, she bit her lip and did what she did best at around Ashton Cooper-ignore him. Their mutual dislike had begun five years ago when she had unknowingly hurt his ego so badly that apparently he couldn’t leave her alone anymore. Ever since that famous incident, Ashton had made it a point to humiliate her. She regretted it- not the fact that they were not friends but that they were enemies.
Well, of course it was too good to hope that he would leave her alone.
“Lucky, aren’t we? To be in the same university,” he drawled.
“Lucky?” she echoed stupidly playing the game despite herself.
“Yeah,” he bent closer and smiled wickedly when Selena flinched backwards. “Lucky to perpetuate our five years old feud my dear ‘Princess Touch me not’.”
“Cut that out Ashton. Listen why don’t we just ignore each other, hmm?”
With that, she turned her back and looked everywhere except in his direction.
“Oh, getting cold feet already?”
“Aw, come on Ashton, grow up!” she scolded.
Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw him grin casually and turned his attention to the blonde sitting behind them. Fuming, she watched as he flirted outrageously with the bimbo who actually appeared flattered.
Disgusted, she turned and smiled sweetly at the empty headed lass and said, “Don’t feel sooo flattered, girlie. He gets excited every time he sees a skirt around!” she snarled and could have bit her tongue as soon as the words were out.
What in the holy name of God had taken over her to say such a thing? It was unacceptable! What was wrong with her? What did it matter to her if he flirted shamelessly with every girl he came across? Oh bloody shit! How she wished she could take back her words.
Ashton stared at her appearing stunned at her outburst-no flabbergasted would be a better word, and then slowly a naughty grin formed on his lips.
Incensed, she decided that whatever he did she would simply ignore him this time. She knew that he was deliberately trying to bait her but she would not respond this time.
“Just ignore her, sweetheart,” he said loudly enough for the whole class to hear. “You know how jealous ex-girlfriends can get?”
“You…” she cried out indignantly but Ashton ignored her, which infuriated her even more.
Unfortunately, he’d said it loud enough for everyone in the class to hear him. No matter how much she was trying to deny it, all she got was pitiful knowing looks from the girls and lecherous ones from every male.
From that day onwards, she Selena Rose McKenzie swore that he was her enemy and that she would never ever say a nice word to him. Bloody ‘Casanova’!
ANOTHER FIVE YEARS LATER...“Why is it that when you are trying to avoid someone you always find yourself meeting that very person at every occasion?” muttered Selena McKenzie loudly enough for the ‘someone’ to hear.“And of course I can’t understand why anyone would want to avoid me unless I have some kind of effect on her!” came the usual instantaneous retort.Selena scowled fiercely at her neighbor and old time enemy, Ashton Cooper. She couldn’t stand that guy but destiny always had a plausible reason to bring them together. Could it be because their mothers were best friends? Or was it the fact that Ashton lived next door to her apartment? Or more probably because her sister was married to Jake Crighton, the best friend of Ashton? Whatever the reason or reasons may be, she knew she could never shrug him out of her life the way she wanted to. A pity!“Don’t look at me like that, my ‘Touch me not princess’. You know I can’t resist you for long,” sneered Ashton giving her a sweet smi
Five weeks later, Ashton scowled at his computer screen for several minutes and when it didn’t respond, his scowl got even deeper. Computers could be so stupid sometimes. Being a computer engineer himself, he knew how dumb they could be. Couldn’t do anything properly until precisely programmed. He scowled again at his secretary who was peeping in his office. Humans could be so stupid sometimes. Being a human himself, he could easily sense how foolish some people were. Couldn’t do anything properly until precisely tuned. Again he sighed. Or maybe it was one of those days when he was simply in a bad mood. Happened too many times lately however. Maybe it was because of the gloomy weather. Or maybe of the routine work. He was simply bored. Had been feeling that way for far too long a time now. Maybe he should just take a break, go away for a long holiday. Problem was that he had done exactly that some months back and it had not helped at all! Tabbing the top of his pen on and off and tr
Selena sat peacefully in the living room of the Crightons watching her sister hyperventilating. For the past half an hour she was in a horrible state and Selena was getting worried.“What’s wrong Rach?” she asked her sister for the umpteenth time while she sat there looking stunned, no make that dumbstruck.“He’ll…he’ll… be late,” she stammered staring at her as if she’d just seen a ghost.“Is it Jake? Has something happened to him?” she asked sensing that something was deeply bothering her. In response to her question, Rachel began to babble several words at the same time and she could only make out that somehow Ashton was involved.“Why don’t you calm down and start over?” she suggested in a gentle voice, determined not to get angry because Rachel was so upset.“Honey, I swear I had no idea…” she delivered in a small voice and looked at her pitifully.Oh-oh. She already had a premonition that it was all about; she wasn’t going to like it. “No idea? About what?”“About Ashton coming
On the verge of entering the kitchen for a glass of water, Ashton almost did a double take at the sight of the forlorn figure at the dining table. Selena Rose McKenzie was crying?! Not crying but pouring? He would be damned! All thoughts of thirst disappearing at the opportunity in front of him For all the fourteen years he had known her, he had never seen her have a moment of weakness. Her job must mean a lot to her for her to break down like that.He couldn’t help himself. He grinned. Wickedly. Who was he to contest fate anyway? He would take pleasure in torturing her and knew he would win this battle since she was not in her tigress mood. Then suddenly, he remembered what Jake had asked of him and faltered for several minutes before starting in her direction.As soon as she saw him, she turned her head in the opposite direction to hide her tears most probably. He grinned again. Someone was going to have a hell of a good time here.“Are you pouring? Can you believe I’ve seen you cry
Saturday came sooner than it was supposed to. Selena re-read her list of conditions hundred times over and could not find anything else to add. She was finally satisfied with the result and hoped that Ash would be ready to cooperate.Unable to take a decision even after midnight, she had done what she always did before taking a decision at work. She had drawn a pros and cons chart and rated the benefits versus the drawbacks. She would not only get back her job but a far better one than she had aspired for the first five years of her career. Plus she would be able to pay off her apartment and keep the rest to buy herself a fancy car; something she had always wanted. And finally, she would be spared the humiliation of having her apartment seized from her at the inability to pay off her debts.The real challenge was to bear Ashton for a duration of five whole months. And not only tolerate but pretend to be in love with him. Talk about an ordeal! That was why she had drawn up the list; it
The first week at work was hectic for Ashton; he had to meet his client to explain why his company could not deliver the website as planned. On a short notice, he had to fly to New Jersey to meet up with the quite angry customer who had been expecting to launch the website by the end of the week.Unsuccessful to convince him to reconsider the deadline, the client had backed out and he had lost one of his major clients. He had to admit that his software company was on the verge of turning into a fiasco and if not properly managed, he would have to close it down. It didn’t matter much to him as he was already a major shareholder in GEMS enterprise and had ample money.He was worried about his employees. How the hell would he break the news that he was deciding to mitigate his losses and was therefore considering going for a turnover? It was going to be hell. And to top it all, he had just appointed an executive assistant who would be as lost as he was in managing the operations since sh
Selena was not thinking about the kiss. Not at all. It was already Sunday; Ashton was supposed to pick her up for the birthday party and she was a useless pack of nerves. Last week had been busy and she had done her best to avoid Ashton at work, not that it had been difficult. It would seem that the effort was mutual and he too wanted to avoid any interaction with her.After his attitude last Monday, she had given up any hope that Ashton would ever change or become human. Initially, when she had joined his company, she had found out that Ashton was away due to some problems in delivering the work and she had been surprised to see that it was in complete chaos. Something she had not been expecting because she had always been under the impression that Ashton was a successful businessman. Greener grass outside and all.So, when she had discovered that the company needed her, she had felt important and since she found herself in her element knowing what to do, she had done her level best
Despite himself, Ashton felt his eyes wander in her direction once again to see if she was still having that damned forced smile on her face. Thankfully ever since he had “proposed’ to her, her face was glowing and she was smiling genuinely showing off her ring to everyone.Ashton felt happy that she was happy. It was as simple as that. He could not explain it but he was not feeling too comfortable seeing her so forlorn. He knew it was difficult for her to dupe everyone else but they had gone too far to retreat now. And it was all for the best anyway.The look on Uncle Devin’s face had been worthwhile; he had looked as if someone had snatched away his favourite gift. The sense of satisfaction that had settled within him had been worth all the risks and the lies. He had felt bad for Kyra though; not that there had been anything between them but he all he knew was that he was glad it was not the other way round and Kyra had not found someone else first. To compensate for that, he had sa