The dining table was alive with the clinking of silverware and the soft hum of conversation. The rich aroma of spice and slow-cooked meat filled the air, mingling with the occasional burst of laughter.
"This is absolutely delicious! Way better than my cooking," Laura praised, dabbing her lips with a napkin.
Felicia beamed. "Oh, you're too kind, Laura. I'm just glad you're enjoying it."
"My mom is an excellent cook, Mrs. Chibuike," Xavier added, his voice smooth as he shot a quick glance at Kamsi.
Kamsi met his eyes for the briefest moment, then quickly looked away, pretending to focus on her food. But her grip on her fork tightened ever so slightly.
Ruby, who had been silently stirring her rice, finally spoke up, her tone clipped. "Hm. It's...bearable."
Laura shot her daughter a warning look, and Ruby, with a dramatic sigh, corrected herself. "I mean—yes, I'm enjoying my meal, Mrs. Chibuike."
Felicia chuckled good-naturedly, but Kamsi wasn't paying attention anymore. A slow warmth was creeping up her legs, an unfamiliar sensation sending a ripple of tension up her spine.
Then she felt it.
A gentle brush against her ankle. Light. Teasing.
Her heart stuttered.
Her eyes flicked up, and there he was—Xavier, his expression completely neutral as he cut into his food like he wasn't *playing a dangerous game under the table.*
Kamsi narrowed her eyes, a silent warning. Don't start. Xavier.
But his foot nudged hers again, this time deliberate.
She sucked in a sharp breath and straightened, forcing herself to focus on the conversation. Ignore him. Pretend that nothing is happening.
Felicia, ever observant, glanced at her daughter. "Honey, are you okay?"
Kamsi stiffened. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just a bit of pepper."
Xavier's lips twitched, barely holding back a smirk. He knew exactly what he was doing.
"Mom, can you pass the water?" Kamsi asked, her voice a little too high-pitched.
Felicia handed her the glass, and Kamsi gulped down the water like it could somehow cool the heat spreading up her neck—not from the food, but from *him.*
Xavier raised an eyebrow, amusement dancing in his eyes.
Kamsi was not going to let him win this silent war.
She shifted slightly, lifting her foot just enough to accidentally press against his shin. Just for a second. Just enough to make him think she was playing along.
Xavier's jaw twitched. His smirk faltered—only for a moment, but she saw it.
A slow satisfaction unfurled in her chest. That's right. Two can play the game.
Ruby, seated across from them, looked between them suspiciously, her gaze darting from Kamsi to Xavier.
"You guys are acting weird," she muttered.
Kamsi quickly pulled away, feigning innocence as she reached for another spoonful of rice. Xavier, however, leaned back in his chair, looking far too smug.
She shot him a glare.
He winked.
Kamsi nearly choked on her food.
"This boy is going to be the death of me," she thought, gripping her glass tighter, her pulse hammering against her throat.
Just then, her mother's voice cut through the tension like a blade.
"Kamsi, darling, are you feeling okay?"
She forced a bright smile. "Perfectly fine, Mom."
Xavier chuckled under his breath, and Kamsi knew—this was for from over.
The soft clinking of silverware filled the dining room, but Kamsi barely heard it. Her heart pounded against her ribs as an unwelcome sensation crept up her leg—Xavier's foot, trailing slowly from her knee to her thigh. Heat flared in her chest. She tightened her grip on her fork, willing herself to stay composed.
She turned slightly, shooting him a sharp warning glance beneath her lashes. His lips curled into a smirk, a flicker of amusement dancing in his eyes.
Oblivious to the silent war beneath the table, Laura smiled warmly. "Kamsi, how are you settling in at Washington DC International Academy?"
Kamsi forced a polite smile. "I'm settling in quite well, thank you."
But her mind was anything but calm. Xavier's foot hadn't moved away. Instead, it inched higher, teasingly slow.
Laura's face brightened. "Did you know my son Xavier also attended the school?"
Kamsi stiffened. The next bite of food nearly betrayed her, and she swallowed hard.
"Yes, I do. We've… crossed paths a couple of times."
Xavier shifted beside her. A subtle move, but Kamsi knew better.
"Huh?" Felicia lifted her head, narrowing her eyes slightly.
Xavier leaned back with an easy, confident smile. "I mean, I'm the captain of the basketball team, and Kamsi's a cheerleader. It's only natural we run into each other now and then."
Both parents nodded in understanding, but Laura's gaze lingered on them for a second longer.
"That's so nice to hear, Kam," she said, her tone light but curious. "So that means you'll be cheering for my son at the upcoming games?"
Kamsi bit the inside of her cheek. She felt Xavier's stare burning into her, challenging her to respond.
She forced a small, nervous chuckle. "Yeah… maybe."
"So, Xavier, what year are you in?" she asked, desperate to change the subject.
"My final year," Xavier answered smoothly, bringing a breadstick to his lips, his fingers deliberately slow as he broke off a piece.
Felicia's eyes lit up. "Wow, that's pretty impressive."
Laura beamed with motherly pride. "Well, if it's not too much to ask, could you help Kamsi with her studies? She struggles a bit in math."
Kamsi's stomach twisted. Mortification crept up her spine.
"Well, that isn't a surprise, is it?" Ruby muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes.
Her mother nudged her lightly. "Ruby, be nice."
Xavier chuckled but masked it quickly. "I'll see what I can do."
But in his mind, he was already certain. Oh, I'll do it gladly.
Kamsi's mother sensed the tension. "I think Xavier has enough on his plate with his final year and the upcoming games."
Xavier tilted his head slightly, his smirk growing. "No, not at all. I'd be glad to help." His gaze flicked to Kamsi, dark with amusement.
Her glare was sharp.You're impossible.
But then, she felt it again—his foot pressing teasingly against hers. A slow burn of irritation—and something else—spread through her. Without breaking eye contact, she pressed her foot back against his. Hard.
Xavier's smirk faltered. His eyes widened just a fraction as a sharp inhale betrayed him.
Victory.
The rest of the dinner passed with the parents engaged in conversation while Ruby impatiently tapped her nails against the table, eager to leave. Xavier, however, kept stealing glances at Kamsi.
Each time their eyes met, it was a silent challenge. A game neither was willing to lose.
After dinner, Kamsi rose from the table, gathering plates. She welcomed the excuse to put some distance between herself and Xavier.
"I'll help," Xavier announced, pushing back his chair.
Felicia and Ruby turned in surprise.
"Oh no, darling, you don't have to. You're a guest," Felicia said, waving him off.
Xavier rolled up his sleeves, unfazed. "Cathy says when you get a free meal, you help with the dishes. I insist."
Felicia shared a look with Laura.
"Well, that's very well-mannered of you," Felicia said, smiling.
Laura, however, studied her son carefully, something unreadable flickering in her expression.
In the kitchen, the air felt heavier. Quieter.
Kamsi focused on the plates, the running water, anything but the fact that Xavier was standing a little too close.
She exhaled sharply. "Are you here to help with the dishes or just to stare at me?"
Xavier leaned against the counter, drying a plate with slow, deliberate motions. "Who says I can't do both?"
Her hands stilled for a moment before she scoffed. "Xavier, stop. What if someone sees?"
He took a step closer, his voice a low murmur. "You look breathtaking."
Her breath caught.
Then, before she could even process it, his lips were on hers.
Her first instinct was to push him away, but something in the way he kissed her—teasing, controlled, yet undeniably wanting—made her falter.
Her hands found their way to his neck, pulling him closer. Xavier deepened the kiss, his grip firm yet gentle.
A voice shattered the moment.
"Two glasses coming right up!"
They broke apart instantly, eyes wide, breaths uneven.
Kamsi turned sharply, her heart dropping.