Chapter Eighteen

Keanu's head moved away from hers and her face shot away from him in the blink of an eye. She straightened her back as the awkwardness hit both of them, and she covered her mouth with one hand as her breathing grew ragged.

That was close. Way too close.

She willed her breath to return to normal as she saw his body tense up from the corner of her eyes. He ran his fingers through his hair and stared into empty space. She wiped the wetness on her cheeks away and blinked rapidly.

"I think it's time for you to go. My parents should be coming home soon," she said to him.

He jumped a little. Then he looked at her squarely. "You're right," he said, getting to his feet. "Will you be alright on your own?"

"I'll be fine. I had a good talk with you," she said.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"You've done a lot already. I owe you so much."

"You owe me nothing, Alice. You're worth more than anything I can think of, and there's nothing I wouldn't do for you."

She dropped her eyes to the ground as her body burned with the words that left his mouth. She felt it in her bones and he froze at the sight of her.

"I mean, you're practically my best friend," he said, clarifying.

"I think of you as a best friend too. Thank you for everything, really. Have a good rest."

"I will," he said, his body tense as he moved awkwardly towards the front door. She unlocked it for him and watched him get into his car, driving off before she closed the door and returned to her room. She showered with the heat on the highest setting, but the water was cold to the touch. If only she could burn the scar of his affection from her existence! It was as if she was drowning in a lake of ashes.

No, she told herself. You're only infatuated with him. You don't actually have feelings for him. You can't! He's off limits and you know it. You could have anyone, anyone really! Anyone but him! Keanu is off limits! Don't even think about it! No, it's alright, it's okay, Alice. Your feelings will disappear before you even realise it. It was just plain old infatuation. Every young woman goes through moments like these, where her hormones are on overdrive. You're just hormonal. Everything will be fine. You won't feel this way ever again.

Then February came.

The party at her home was in full swing when Keanu arrived and everyone was mingling around, having the time of their lives. But she might as well have been alone in the room with him. He stood by the door, chatting with Mike's friends with a cup of champagne in his hands. She stared hard at him, and didn't bother with the fact that her glaring had caught his eyes several times. She felt like she was about to burst, and hell if she cared that she was staring too hard at him.

He laughed at something Mike's friend said and replied with a line that caused the other person to erupt into laughter. He gestured in the air before them and continued to joke, but as the words left his mouth, he glanced at her again and this time, she saw the look in his eyes hardening. He continued chatting away with them and she rested her head back onto her armchair and let out a groan of frustration. When she lifted her head again, Keanu was alone and returning her glare evenly. He sipped onto his glass and held her gaze for a solid few minutes before he disappeared into the kitchen.

She let out another yell of frustration and sprang off her seat. Walking over to the television, she put on her brightest smile and said hello to everyone. Most of them were other tennis players that Keanu and Mike knew.

"Hello," they said to her.

"What are you guys playing?"

"We're trying out tennis on Xbox!"

"Whoa, you guys have no chill, don't you?" Alice joked.

"That's what I've been saying," one of them said to another. "Put on the darts, seriously. That Xbox game is fake tennis."

"Fine, fine. I was just checking it out," the woman said and she switched to the library of games. She flipped through them. "I can't find the darts."

"Oh," Mike said, coming in from the side. "We don't have that. Just put on tennis already. Don't act like you guys don't actually want to play that."

"That guy is the one who told me to put the darts on!"

"Ah, who cares. Just play tennis, then!"

"Alice," the woman said. "Do you want to try?"

"What?" Alice said, dumbfounded.

"Try it!"

"Uhh, okay," she said. They handed the Xbox remote to her and stood behind her. "I don't know how to do this."

"Keanu, why don't you teach her?" the woman said.

Alice's head snapped to look behind her. He was standing right behind her, his gaze cold. "I don't think so," he said.

"But you're the best teacher out of all of us."

"Yeah, just do it."

"Isn't she your best friend's daughter? You guys must be close. Don't be shy."

"Fine, fine," Keanu said, stepping up to her side. "Just swing the racket and hit the ball."

"That's all you're going to say?" Alice asked, worried.

"It's what you're supposed to do," Keanu said to her.

She started the match and the bot sent a ball her way. She swiped hard at the screen with the remote in her hand but missed the ball. "Shoot."

"Just watch the ball with your eyes and follow it, then hit it with the racket."

She tried again and this time, the remote almost left her hand. It hung below her hand, dangling by the string around her wrist.

"It's okay, try again."

"I don't know how to - " she began to complain but he reached out with his hand and wrapped it over hers on the remote. The warmth from his hand enveloped hers and her entire body stilled. "What are you - "

His arm was around her back and touching her forearms to his. He guided her hand backwards and swung it towards the screen, and she made her first serve.

"What's wrong?" the woman asked.

Keanu's hand drew away from her and he wiped his face with one hand. "I don't know, I think I've had too much to drink."

"Why don't you rest in my room for a while, then," Mike suggested.

"I'll do that," Keanu said, heading in that direction.

Too much to drink? She was staring at him the entire party and that was a load of bullshit. He only had one glass and she knew he was no lightweight. Something else was up, and she wanted to find out what. So she waited until the crowd dispersed.

Then she made her way to the room Keanu was in.