THE FEUD

Derrick's eyes remained fixed on Jordan for a long moment, scanning the competition before him from head to toe. Anna was his prey, the girl he had taken interest in. He wanted nothing but to have her. The mere thought of another man beating him to the game was arousing his demons. 

He could not envision another man having the girl he was after. And looking at the duo at the moment, with Jordan's hair dripping wet, looking so raw from the shower, Derrick's head throbbed with assorted sentiments. 

Who was the man? Why were they together? And in a room? What had they done that he needed to freshen up? Had she given herself to the man? Derrick's anger rose, breaking the awkward lull that had been engulfing them.

"Who the hell are you, if I may ask? What is your name, and what are you doing with her? What family do you come from? What do you…" 

"Enough, Derrick!" Anna yelled at him, cutting him off.

She found his vetting unfounded and contemptuous. They were not together, and she had not promised to give him a chance. She was not even considering that. If Jordan had not come out, she would have already spoken her mind to Derrick and sent him away from there. He had no right to be envious. And the manner in which he spoke to Jordan and the way he was bombarding him with questions enraged her the most.

She spoke to Derrick unwaveringly but with squelched anger. "What business do you have in knowing his name, Derrick? Why are you even bothered?" Anna queried.

Her words stroked Derrick's ego. He felt offended that Anna was disrespecting him in front of Jordan, so he spoke with fury.

"I am daunted because nobody deserves you more than me, Anna! Not even this rascal that you are defending. I am the only one who can give you the love and the kind of life that you deserve." He fumed, flaring with anger and pride that got Jordan curious.

'What is with these well-heeled people, huh? The high-handedness, the discourtesy. Is it in their nature to feel like the gods of the world? Superiority complex will kill them, I say.' Jordan thought inwardly, staring at the egotistical jerk. He found him so nettlesome and full of himself.

He wanted to say something, but Anna raised a hand to his face, stopping him. Her face lit up with a smile as he spoke to him.

"Don't worry, Jordan. He is not worth your trouble. I can handle him." Anna said, and Jordan did not see the need to argue.

He had seen her defend herself earlier. He had no doubt she could handle herself. But in case the jerk went overboard, he was there for all the help she could need. She turned to Derrick, who seemed like he was watching the most disgusting scene of the century.

"I still want to know who this jerk is, Anna. Who is she, and why are you defending him so much?" Derrick spoke before Anna could.

"He is my boyfriend. Got any problem with that?" She asked, and Derrick's jaw dropped to the floor for a minute.

"He is what? He… this man cannot be your boyfriend. You are just saying that to spite me, right?" Derrick said, his loathing for Jordan rising tenfold.

"Unfortunately for you, no, Derrick. He is my boyfriend, and I hope you know and respect what this means. Let this be the last time you bother me again." Anna said.

Derrick shook his head, emitting a bitter smirk of defeat.

"Since when? You knew I was into you." Derrick implored.

"It is not about when or what you wanted, Jordan. It is the fact that I never liked you, and I was always honest. Not once did I ever show any interest in what you wanted. I never gave you false hopes. So, just leave me alone." Anna expressed herself with boldness and pride, and whatever sounded humorous in her words, she didn't know, as Derrick smirked.

It was a bitter smirk whose meaning Anna could not decipher, leaving her puzzled.

His eyes exuded fire as he glued them to Jordan. He was battling with conflicting feelings. He was torn between believing Anna and contending her words.

The man seemed like a dark mystery to Derrick. He knew Anna very well, or so he thought. Their family was so ambient. He knew almost everyone in her circle. But the man before him, he seemed like a puzzle that Derrick needed to crack. And that too, ASAP!

Their picture as they stood side by side infuriated him to the core, erupting a fire that started to burn the thin thread that tied his cool and sanity. He felt suffocated, mocked, and insulted. "You think you've won?" He flared at Jordan.

He felt like punching his face and reclaiming what he was snatching from him. But the identity of the girl in question stopped him. He could not mess with them. To make the matter worse, he was standing in one of their territories. He knew better than to let his anger get the better of him.

He broke the stare challenge he had been holding with Jordan for a decade with his last words. "Don't even think of celebrating yet, dude, because I am not the kind to give up!" With that, he didn't spare the duo another glance as he marched away, but deep inside, he knew it was not the last time he was seeing the duo.

He was never a failure, and he would not start by losing to some jerk he knew nothing about. In his heart, he still wanted the girl, more so now to prove to that jerk that he does not lose to anyone. He would get her one way or the other. By hook or crook.

Jordan was lost in escorting the arrogant jerk with his eyes even after he had disappeared from their sight. He was still pondering on how these rich people act like they are gods and the rest of the people below their standards are mere trash or the dirt they walk on.

"Are you okay?" Anna's angelic voice summoned his eyes to her.

But the moment they locked eyes, Anna averted his gaze. The blush on her face was easily noticeable. She had just called him her boyfriend minutes ago in front of Jordan. She wanted a way out to keep the foolish guy off her back. Jordan happened to be there at the most right time. She felt bad for using him, and she wondered what he was thinking of her now.

"I am. Are you?" Jordan asked in his normal tone.

Anna thought that he was not angry with her, so she looked back at him.

"I am sorry. I had to lie about us having a thing to chase that fool away." She sincerely apologized.