Opposites Attract (Student/Teacher Romance-Arranged Marriage)

chapter 4

"We're here"  Mr. King sang.  I looked up and saw big iron gates opening up to a long arched driveway that disappeared behind some hedges and trees.  We drove down the driveway and soon a huge brick house came into view.  The driveway circled around a stone fountain surrounded by a bed of colorful flowers.   I was amazed by my surroundings...where I'd be living.  "Do you like it?"  He asked.

"It's....amazing." I answered.  It absolutely took my breath away.  He pulled the car up to the stone steps that led up to white double doors.  The windows of this house were arched and the very top windows were doors that lead out to iron balconies. 

"I knew you'd like it." He said with a smirk on his face.

"I still hate you though."

"Ouch" He said putting his hand over his  heart. "That hurts." He said sarcastically.

"The truth is painful, Mr. King"  I stated, emphasizing 'Mr. King'.

"I really wish you'd stop calling me that."

"Why? That's how a student is supposed to address a teacher."

"Just try to call me Jeff. Please."

"Please? Look who all of  a sudden has manners." I crossed me arms and leaned back.

MR. KING sighed and got out of the car.  I did the same.  He unlocked the front door of the house and allowed me to enter first.  Ok...now this was more than amazing.  The floors were white marble, the staircase was dark wood with an iron railing that matched the balconies outside, spacious and just plain...Wow.   "Come on." Mr. King said putting his hand on the small of my back.  "I'll give you the grand tour." 

I shoved away his hand and followed him through the first door.

"This is the living room."  The living room's walls were dark cherry wood panels. the same white marble floor, and the furniture was black leather couches surrounding a glass coffee table with a huge flat screen tv on the wall.  "And in here.." He said going through another door "...is the dining room."  The dining room matched the living room, only the floors were a lighter colored wood and there was a big glass chandelier hanging in the middle of the room right over the table.  It was elegant.    "And through here is the kitchen."   The kitchen had a white tiled floor, cherry wood cabinets, dark granite counter tops, and a table by the window. In the kitchen was also french doors that led out back.  Mr. King went through those doors next. "Out here is the pool, the gardens, and the patio."   I looked out the door and the backyard was huge!  The patio was stone with an outdoor table set, then steps that led down to an in-ground pool, and then more steps that led down to a beautiful garden shaped like a maze.  There was also a small pond in the middle of the maze. 

"Wow." I commented.

Mr. King smiled. "You can explore the grounds later.  That's it for the first floor.  On to the second floor" He said enthusiastically.  I followed him up he stairs to find that the entire second floor was a game room.

"You turned an entire floor into an arcade." I stated, impressed.

"Yep." I replied, popping the p.  "This is pretty much all of the the second floor.   There's a bathroom over there, another tv in that room, and a couple of closets...which are filled with more games. And in out on that balcony is the hot tub.  Next, the third floor."  He led me up another flight of stairs.  The third floor was filled with doors and matched the color scheme of the rest of the house. "All the bedrooms are on  this floor.  Down here..." He started, leading me around the corner and down the hall to the very last door. He opened the door revealing what looked like the master bedroom.  There was a king sized bed, a balcony overlooking the gardens, a bathroom  "...is our room."

I looked at him like he was crazy. "OUR room?"

"Mhm."

"I don't think so.  There's no way I'm sleeping in the same bed as you...let alone the same room!" I exclaimed.

"Scar, we're getting married and most normal couples sleep in the same room in the same bed."

"Well WE'RE NOT a normal couple, in case you forgot.  And just because we're getting married doesn't mean I'm ever going to sleep with you."

"You mean have sex with me."

"That too."

"You must be a little bit attracted to me, Scar.  I'm every girls' dream guy"  He said smirking

"Nope. Not mine.  You see Mr. King, I'm not like other girls. I'm not living in a fantasy like them.  All those girls say their in love with you. Right?  News flash! There's no such thing as love!  We're not in love.  Do you really think being forced into marrying someone you  barely know proves there is love in this world? I don't want this life Mr. King!  I don't want all of these things!  I don't want your money, I don't care about how grand this house is!  Nothing could ever make me love you!"

Mr. King was leaning against the doorway just listening to me. "I saw the look in your eyes when you first saw me, Scar.  You're convincing yourself there's no such thing as love because you don't know what it is.  So let me tell you what it is. It's what you felt when you first saw me.  It's what you feel when someone calls you Scar.  It's what you felt when your grandmother was around.  That's love."  He came up to me and wiped away my tears with his thumb.  "What love isn't is how your parents treated you, how people at school treat you, how the marriages in your family never last.  But your parents aren't here to hurt you anymore.  And our marriage is based on love...not money or lust or material things...it's love.  And the sooner you accept it, the sooner you'll be happy."

"How did I end up in all of this?" I said, crying.

"You ended up in this because of your parents greed for money.  But if I didn't love you, you would'nt be getting married to me.  You probably don't remember, but we me when we were little.  You were about 2 and I was 9.  We met at the park.  My parents saw how well we got along and my parents and your parent got to talking and they decided that we would get married.  There's a contract and everything. That day in the park, we just clicked.  The age difference seems big, but you were a little 2 year old girl who wouldn't leave my side the entire time at the park.  And to be honest, I didn't mind.  I thought you were a cute little girl.  And when I saw you again on the first day of school, I knew you were the same little girl I had met almost 15 years ago, only older and prettier.  You see Scar, I've loved you for 15 years and I'll love you even in death."

"But this is wrong.  You're my teacher."

"I'll be your husband in less than a month.  Don't think of me as your English teacher. Think of me as your soon to be husband."

"I-I can't"

"Try to." He said, trying to encourage me.  "Why don't you get some sleep.  Here."  He said taking to another room. "You can stay in here for now. Ok?  The movers will be here with your things shortly, but I'll have them put everything downstairs for now. We can unpack everything tomorrow after school. Oh, and make sure  you're ready by 6:15... like to stop for coffee before school starts."

"It takes you an hour to get coffee?"

He shrugged. "And pancakes" He said mumbled before walking out.

I chuckled and laid down on the bed and drifted off to sleep.