Falling for my Enemy's Brother-Chapter 32: Date time disaster

Craig’s locker door slammed shut with a satisfying thud. A silent, victorious laugh rumbled in his chest, the kind that came from knowing things were falling into place exactly as he planned. He’d been waiting for this moment, when Merlina found out he was going to be her student tutor.

He could already picture her face, the shock, the frustration, and maybe, just maybe, a bit of that sharp, fiery energy she always seemed to have when her world was upended. She hated him, and that was just perfect. The chaos that was about to unfold? Spectacular.

Leaning back against the cool metal, his thoughts drifted back to the moment the Dean had approached him. He hadn’t been expecting it. Hell, he hadn’t even been remotely interested. But there he was, sitting across from Dean Halbridge, the older man practically begging him to take on the role of student tutor.

"Craig, I need you to help us this year," the Dean had pleaded, his voice carrying a sense of urgency that Craig couldn’t relate to. "We need someone who not only understands the system but knows how to succeed in it. Someone like you. You’ve excelled here, and now it’s your turn to pass it on."

Craig had straightened in his chair, his arms crossed over his chest, resisting the pull of the conversation. "I’m good, thanks. I don’t need to play the hero here. I’ve got my own stuff to do."

The Dean had pushed harder. "I know it’s not your thing, but you’re one of the top students, Craig. You’re perfect for this. Some of these Freshers need a helping hand, and you’re the kind of person they’ll listen to. You’ve got a responsibility now."

Craig had been ready to shoot him down again when the Dean slid a piece of paper across the desk. It hit the wood with a sharp sound, and Craig’s gaze flicked down to the list. Just names. Nothing special.

Craig had glanced at the list, not expecting much. The names were a blur, all unfamiliar faces in the sea of freshmen. But then, his eyes had frozen on one name. His pulse had quickened, just for a moment.

Merlina Sanchez. There it was, bold and undeniable. Her name, nestled among the rest. The same name that had been a source of so much chaos in his mind, the one he couldn’t escape. A reluctant smile had tugged at the corner of his lips.

"Her," Craig had said, his voice low, but laced with something else, something sharper than mere casual interest. "I want her."

The Dean had blinked, surprised. "You... want her?" he had repeated, as if the idea of personally choosing a student wasn’t something that happened every day. "You want someone assigned specifically to you?"

Craig had nodded, still staring at the name. "Yeah. If I’m gonna do this, I want her. Merlina Sanchez."

The Dean had looked at him, hesitation in his eyes. "Are you sure?" he asked, clearly taken aback by Craig’s sudden shift. "You will?"

Craig’s smile had been quiet, promising. "Yeah, absolutely. I’ll make sure she gets back on track."

Back in the present, Craig’s fingers twitched, a self-satisfied smile curling his lips. The moment she found out? The arguments, the stubborn resistance... He could already hear her sharp words. But deep down, she knew she needed this. She might fight him, but this was her shot.

Running a hand through his hair, Craig felt the thrill of anticipation flood his veins. This wasn’t just tutoring. It was going to be fun. Medlin’s was the kind of challenge he craved—headstrong, defiant, and completely different from the students who usually followed his lead. That made her all the more tempting.

Her name on that list had been a spark, and now, he was about to light the fire.

The sharp click of his locker door snapping shut snapped him back to the present. He wasn’t just going to tutor her. He was going to make sure she remembered exactly who he was. And maybe—just maybe—they’d both learn something along the way.

Footsteps echoed behind him, and he turned just in time to see Keith approach, raising an eyebrow at the grin stretched across Craig’s face.

"What’s with the smile?" Keith asked, his tone skeptical.

Craig shrugged, shoving his keys into his pocket. "Nothing. Just a joke I remembered." No need to dive deeper. Keith wasn’t a bad guy, but sometimes his mouth moved faster than his brain. With Keith dating Merlina’s roommate, Craig wasn’t taking any chances.

Keith didn’t press, just nodded. "Ready to bounce? Get off campus for a bit?"

"Hell yeah." Craig’s grin only deepened as the excitement of what was coming surged through him.

Merlina sat cross-legged on her bed, one foot propped up on the other knee, painting her toenails the perfect shade of lavender.

"I ran into Louis at school," Merlina said, casually, as if she wasn’t about to drop a bomb. "We’re kinda having a date at Barsea tonight."

Megan paused mid-scroll, her eyes shooting up like she’d just heard something scandalous. "A date? With Louis? Merlina, are you into my brother? Like, are you really into him?" She asked, practically vibrating with curiosity. Oh, here it comes. I knew this was coming, but I still wasn’t ready.

"Yes, I like Louis," Merlina replied, tossing in a playful giggle for good measure. "He’s a great guy, and he’s been super helpful."

Megan narrowed her eyes. "Be serious."

"I am serious," Merlina shot back, rolling her eyes and setting the nail polish down before she accidentally ruined it.

Phoebe, who had been mysteriously silent up until this point, popped her head up from behind her phone. "Whoa, wait, you and Louis?" She blinked twice. "Did not see that one coming."

Merlina smirked. "You’re acting like we’re getting married or something." She playfully tossed a pillow at Phoebe’s head.

"Well, if you’re gonna date him, at least make sure to bring me back some fried chicken and Caesar salad from Barsea," Megan deadpanned, already plotting her dinner order.

"Yes, Milady," Merlina replied with a mock bow, smiling wide. It felt so... normal, talking about this with Megan. She wasn’t weirded out. Thank God for her. Some people would be super uncomfortable with this whole situation, but Megan was chill.

Phoebe’s grin widened like a Cheshire cat. "Actually, I have the perfect idea," she announced, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "What if we all went on a double date tonight? You, Louis, me, and Keith. That way, you two can finally start being nice to each other."

Merlina blinked, feeling like the room had just gone 10 degrees hotter. "Didn’t I just say I wanted tonight to be about me and Louis?" She could feel the first date nerves creeping in already, and Phoebe was about to ruin it.

Phoebe just waved it off like it was nothing. "Oh, come on! It’ll be so fun! Plus, you know I’ve been saying you need to get closer to Keith. This is your chance."

Merlina’s stomach sank. She had no choice. If she turned it down, Phoebe would be mad at her again. They’d just had that huge argument over Keith, and the last thing Merlina needed was more drama.

"I guess... fine, we could make it work," Merlina sighed, rolling her eyes. "But don’t you think Keith might be busy tonight?"

Phoebe laughed. "Busy with what? He’s got nothing better to do. Trust me." She pulled out her phone, grinning. "Alright, you text Louis, and I’ll call Keith. I’m not staying in tonight."

Merlina hesitated, texting Louis with her fingers crossed that he would reject the idea. He didn’t. Of course he didn’t.

’Yeah, sure, sounds good,’ Louis replied.

Merlina sighed. He was too perfect. Too nice. Her stomach twisted in a mix of frustration and disappointment. She wanted this night to be hers, to be special, but Louis was just too agreeable.

Phoebe, oblivious to the storm inside Merlina, was already dialing Keith with a giant grin. "Hey babe, what’s up? Why is it so loud over there?" She raised an eyebrow.

Keith’s voice crackled through the line. "Hey babe... Craig’s the one making all the noise. What’s going on?"

Phoebe smirked. "So, here’s the deal, I need you to come with me for a double date tonight with Merlina and Louis at Barsea. Be there at 8:30?"

Keith hesitated, clearly not thrilled by the idea. "Tonight? Merlina and Louis? You know I can’t—"

Phoebe cut him off, her tone lowering to a near whisper as she took a step back from the others, clearly trying to keep the conversation private. "Don’t finish that sentence. You told me yourself it’s Conor who doesn’t get along with Louis, not you. So, stop acting like a little boy and step up."

Keith grumbled. "Fine. See you at 8:30."

"I love you, bye!" Phoebe chirped, hanging up with a smile like she’d just conquered the world. She turned to Merlina. "Keith’s in. We’re all set for 8:30 at Barsea."

Megan, still lounging on the couch with a grin, chimed in, "Guess I’m gonna be all alone on a Monday night... Maybe I should get myself a boyfriend."

Merlina laughed, feeling the weight of the situation but trying to shrug it off. "Yeah, sure, why not? No big deal," she said, but inside, she was already freaking out.

As they rummaged through their wardrobes, Merlina’s phone buzzed again. Unknown number.

"Hello?" she answered, her voice a little too distracted.

"You," came the crisp, unmistakable voice on the other end. "Get ready. Your first tutorial session starts tonight at 8:25, at the Philosophy study room. Don’t be late."

Merlina’s stomach dropped. Of course. The timing couldn’t have been worse. She froze, the phone suddenly heavy in her hand. Every nerve buzzed with disbelief. "Craig?"