Ten

ALEXANDER

After telling the school who I wanted, I couldn’t help but smile. I knew I’d made things difficult for her, and I loved it. I wanted to her break to the point where she had to come to me begging for help, where she had to rely on me to keep her safe from the ladies who wanted me.

I set the timer, hoping she’d barge in through the door where I usually hung out to ask for my help, but she didn’t. She was acting tough. That was one hell of a competition, but I enjoyed it. I wondered how long it would take her to snap.

Throughout the rest of the class, she was my sole focus. My gaze never left her. I observed her scribbling on her notes and attentively listening to the lecturer. Every one of her moves was cute, and they made me smile. I wanted her. There was something about her that stood out from the other girls I'd met. She was one-of-a-kind and carried herself with elegance. Even though she didn’t dress classy or expose her body like the other ladies, she looked elegant in her dress.

She fascinated me, and I couldn’t help but want to get closer to her, to get to know her and understand what she is capable of, and why she isolates herself from others.

The last bell rang, signaling the end of class, but she was already leaving the school before I could approach her. I called after her, but she ignored me, which made me laugh. This was the first time I’d ever been ignored and rejected by a lady, and it made me want her even more. I was going to see how far she would go to maintain her attitude before I won her over.

The buzzing sound of my phone brought me back to reality, and when I checked the caller ID, it was the agent I had contacted after my encounter with her. I wondered if he had followed all of my instructions. That should be the only reason he’s calling.

“Did you get everything in order?” I asked him as soon as I answered his phone call. There was no time to waste; I needed answers to the questions I had assigned to him.

“Yes, sir, the apartment is ready, but there was a minor complication,” he replied.

“What is it? I hope it has nothing to do with the apartment because it took me all day to find someone who knew where she lived, I’m not going to let you ruin it for me.”

“The tenant in there is a little stubborn. He is unwilling to leave for the price you have offered. He wants double.”

“Then double the amount! Make sure the place is clean and that my belongings are moved in before the end of the day. I don’t want any excuses, and I want my things to be in order. No excuses, I need that room!” I yelled, ignoring the people who were staring at me.

“Yes sir, I will get it done and call you soon to update you on the movement,” he said before hanging up the phone. I cracked a smile.

I remembered calling my mother and telling her that I wanted to move out and have a quiet place away from home where I wouldn’t have to watch them argue over unimportant things. After all, they were rarely at home to check on me or even know I existed, so my absence would be insignificant to them.

She was initially opposed, but after Dad rebuked her, she had no choice but to accept and send me the amount required to rent and move my stuff out. I was also relocating to the same building where Katherine had rented.

It had only taken my announcement for people to crowd around my private space, giving me information about her and promising to keep an eye out for her. Knowing her house and living next door was my goal, and everything was going as planned.

I didn’t understand why I was so interested in her and going to such lengths to get her, but I knew it would all work out in the end.

“Having trouble?” I shook my head in response to Aaren's question. “Are you sure about that, mate? I heard you yelling at someone. Seems like trouble to me,” he said, and the others agreed by nodding their heads.

“Just some issues with my agent, nothing I can’t handle,” I explained.

“You have an agent? Why do you need one?” Nathan queried.

“I just bought a building, no, an apartment,” I clarified.

“What?” the three of them exclaimed in unison.

“Why are you guys surprised? I told you I was leaving home soon because I was exhausted.”

“You did, but you didn't tell us you were house hunting,” this time Beckham spoke.

“I didn’t plan it, it just happened,” I admitted honestly.

“Nothing just happened like that, so you must have thought about it before getting the apartment,” Nathan pointed out.

I scoffed as Aaren added, “I thought we were friends.”

“Calm down, guys. Jeez… I got the apartment because Katherine is currently living there and I want to be close by,” I explained.

“The geek girl?” Beckham asked, and I nodded. “Are you serious about her, or is she just one of your toys?”

“My toy, nothing else,” I replied.

“I have my doubts, Alexander. You’re putting in way too much effort to win this one. You didn’t rent an apartment to be close to your previous toys, but you’re doing it for... this is something different, and you’re aware of it,” Nathan explained.

“She’s just different,” I explained, trying to justify myself.

“Different? How? Is it because she wears glasses and doesn’t wear makeup, or because she doesn’t expose her body? Is that what differentiates her?” I shook my head and asked Beckham.

“No… you all are getting it wrong,” I said, nearly losing my mind.

“Then explain to us,” Aaren said.

“She’s the first girl who isn’t interested in me. She doesn’t care about me, even though I told her she’d be mine. She wasn’t thrilled, and she didn’t run into my hands. I expected her to run over to me after the announcement, but she didn’t and even ignored my call. She told me directly that she wasn’t interested in me or anything related to me. I’m going to have to make her mine one way or another.”

“Why? She isn’t that special.” Nathan pointed out how she wasn’t special like the other girls I’d been with, but I knew I wanted something different from the start. I’ve always wanted competition, and she was going to give it to me. I wasn’t going to miss it for the world.

“It’s the competition that I'm after, nothing else. Are we going to the spot or will we just stand here and talk about Katherine?” I asked them, and I was relieved when they decided it was time to head to the spot.

I felt my phone buzz and took it out to see a message from one of the students on the lookout for Katherine. ‘She is just outside her friend’s door and just about to head to her apartment.’

I smiled as I read the message, but I was annoyed that I couldn’t give her the perfect surprise. Announcing my arrival at her apartment and informing her that she would be seeing my face often because I was her new neighbor. Just then, the agent called to tell me that the apartment had been secured but that my things were not yet ready.

I waved goodbye to my friends as I dashed to the school parking lot and got into my car. I hummed to my favorite song playing on the car stereo as I drove to my new apartment.

With the information from the student, I arrived at my apartment and was relieved she hadn’t returned. I walked in, entering the passcode the agent had given me, excited to get the room opposite hers. I didn’t close the door so I could hear her walk in while I spoke on the phone with the agent about the things I needed to change in the apartment before my things were brought over.

If I had to live here until I got the girl, I needed the painting done to my liking and some things changed and installed for my benefit.

I heard footsteps and when the footsteps stopped in front of her door and I hurried outside.

She turned around and I could see the shock on her face which made me smile. “Hello, neighbor. I’m guessing we’ll see more of each starting now. Please look after me,” I told her, with a smirk on my face, then I walked into my apartment, closing the door behind me.

I laughed out loud as I watched her through the pinhole and saw how frustrated she looked.

“This is just the beginning, you will have no choice but to accept me.”