Against All Odds

by Alexia Vella Deguara

  “Hey Luc. Where have you been?”I asked.

  “Oh I'm sorry Cas but Ms Jones wanted to explain some things and she kept me in during the break. So how was Art? Everything OK with Mr Spencer?” She asked looking at me.

  “Hey wait a minute... let me just take a look at you!" she said as she took another good look at my bright face.

  " You're glowing and what's that grin on your face? I have never seen you like this before. So? What happened? Seems you have something interesting to tell me,” she said with excitement. I could never hide anything from her she knew me so well.

  “Not now. Wait for me after school so we can walk home together,”I said happily.

  “What? But that is 3 hours away. I can't wait 3 hours to know what's going on. It's not fair,” she said with a sulky face.

  “I'm sorry but you'll have to. Wait for me at the exit. Now I have to go I have Geography with Mr Soler,” I said and I left without waiting for her reply. I knew she would keep insisting.

  “No,wait Cas!”she said but I just waved at her.

  I arrived late for Geography and Mr Soler wasn't happy. He looked at me with disapproval and began his never-ending monologue about punctuality blah blah blah. I wasn't hearing a word.

  I was dreaming. I was far away in the arms of my prince. Oh God I could still feel his lips on mine, his tongue caressing the inner of my lips. I felt butterflies in my tummy just at the thought of it. I was in heaven. I kept smiling at Mr Soler like an idiot. He could have called me a slut and I would still have smiled. Mr Soler looked at me confused, trying to figure out if I was making fun of him. But then he sent me to my seat and told me to be punctual next time. I day dreamed during the lesson and didn't really know what the lesson was about. The same happened with the following two lessons. When the bell rang, I run out of class and arrived near the exit breathless. Lucy was there waiting for me.

  “Oh Finally! I’m all ears,so what's going on?” She asked as soon as she saw me.

  “Not yet. I want to be sure that we're out of school first and alone,” I said quietly.

  “Oh,how cautious. So it must be very serious,” she said curiosity eating her up.

  Lucy followed me and as soon as I was sure no one was listening.

  “So?” Lucy demanded impatiently.

  “I discovered the identity of Chris,” I said with a grin on my face.

  “You did?" She shouted startled. "So it was him? And how did you do that?”

  “Well,by touching his face again and by kissing him passionately.”I told her happy.

  Her eyes widened in astonishment as her hands rose to her cover her mouth.

  “What!? oh my God! You kissed Mr Spencer?! Oh Cas.. but how? I mean this morning he was furious."

  “Well, we argued when I went to the Art room. Then he admitted being jealous of Julian and I told him I knew his secret,that he's Chris. He tried to deny but I didn't give up until he admitted that he's in love with me.”

  Lucy jumped around me and clapped her hands.

  “Oh I can't believe it. Oh My God. Cas! So you're a couple now?” She shouted.

  “Yes!” I screamed with happiness.

  “How was the kiss?”

  “Amazing, and when he lifted me up and pushed me against the wall. I thought I would die. It was so hot. Oh I am burning just by thinking about it. I'm over the moon Luc,” I said hugging myself as I relived the scene in my head.

  “Oh Cas. I'm so happy for you. Finally you got what you wanted. I never imagined this could be possible.”

  “Luc.. listen to me please" I told her then with a serious tone. "Swear to me you won't say anything to anyone. Please Luc. He is taking a very big risk in violating all the rules. He could go to prison if this story comes out. "I said concerned.

  “I know that and I promise I won't tell anyone. You have my word,” she reassured me.“ Mrs Cassidy Spencer, it sounds good,” she said giggling as she gave me a playful punch on the arm.

  “Hey take it easy,you're already thinking about marriage? I said laughing.

  “How are you going to meet now? she asked. "I mean you can't just go out like other couples do,” she said.

  “Well I don't know yet but he assured me he will find a way.”

  When I arrived home I found my mother waiting for me with a strange look on her face.

  “Hi Mum,” I said whilst I put my bag down. “Something wrong?” I asked while she was still looking at me silently.

  “Can you sit down a minute honey,I need to talk to you,”she said then.

  It seemed serious. I sat down and I waited for her to speak.

  “I've been to school today,” she said.

  My heart missed a beat and my blood froze in my veins. Why would she come to school?Did anyone see us? No,it couldn't be. We were alone in the art room.

  “Why?” I asked anxiously.

  “One of your teachers called me, he wanted to see me.”

  My breath caught in my throat as I looked at her with wide eyes. “What? Which teacher?” I asked.

  "Cas.. what's going on? You used to be a brilliant student and you always got good marks. How come you got a D in English?” She asked.

  I looked at her astonished. In English? So it was Tyler. Did he call her? Why? I was already feeling anger towards him.

  “Mum,it's …”

  “He's a very kind teacher and really took interest in you. He said that he thinks you could do much better if only you had a little help,” she continued.

  “A little help? Mum you talked to Mr Spencer?” I asked her with my mouth open.

  “Yes,he's a very good-looking guy. Shame he's not a little bit older. I bet you girls are all in love with him.”She joked.

  I knew he was good looking and he was all

  mine I wanted to tell her.

  “Listen, after talking with him we came to the conclusion that some private lessons will surely help you. This is a very important year for you Cas and English is a very important subject. So you'll go to private lessons.”

  “What? Mum I don't-”

  “Cassidy I knew you were going to argue so I accepted the offer he made me,” she said interrupting me.

  “Offer?” I looked at her astonished.

  “Yes, he offered to give you the private lessons you need and with really little payment. He's really a gentleman. You'll have private lessons twice a week after school. He gave me his address,you shall be going to his home,” she informed me.

  My jaw nearly dropped. His home?

  “Stop looking at me like that. It's for your own good. I know this will reduce your free time and probably you won't be seeing Lucy so often but it's something you need to do,” she said walking to the kitchen. I tried not to laugh out loud when she left. My God,he said he would invent something but this was a wicked plan. I would never have thought of it.

  “Cas, come here and eat something and take a shower. At 5.00 you have your first lesson with him and it's already 4.00,” she shouted from the kitchen.

  I jumped up from the sofa. I felt so happy,within an hour I will be in his arms again. Oh Tyler we shall be alone finally and can kiss as much as we like and maybe who knows go a little beyond that. I shivered at the thought.

  CHAPTER 24

  I was ready. I looked at my reflection in the mirror and was satisfied with what I saw. The red dress hugged my body like a second layer of skin emphasizing my curves. I wanted to be sexy for him. I put on a little lip gloss and put my jacket on and went downstairs where mum was waiting for me.

  “I'm ready mum we can go,” I said trying to hide my excitement. She looked at me with narrowed eyes.

  “No your are not, go and get changed!”

  “What, why?” I asked looking blankly at her. What was wrong with me?

  “Cassidy you are going to a private lesson and not to the disco. Do you think that dress is adequate? Are you trying to give poor Mr Spencer a heart attack by any chance?” she said half serious half joking.


  “You think I exaggerated?" I asked feeling my face getting warmer and probably redder.

  “Think so, come on go and get changed. We have to go it's getting late,” she said again still looking at me in a strange way. I had to be more careful. I didn't want my mum to suspect but probably she already realized I have a crush on him. I went hurriedly upstairs again and put on a pair of white trousers and a red shirt and went down. My mother looked at me with approval.

  “Oh that's much better, now let's go,” she said smiling.

  I stayed quite during the car drive. I was really nervous like it was the first time that I was going to meet him,it was strange, maybe because now things are different. I was returning to his place but this time as his lover. I tried to hide how anxious I was. My mum continued to look at me from the corner of her eye. I had to calm down but I couldn't, just the thought of what was expecting me made me shiver. I tapped my fingers nervously on my knees.

  “Honey what's wrong?” My Mother asked.

  I stopped tapping and looked at her.

  “Nothing mum, why?”

  “You're nervous, is everything OK with this teacher?You don't have any problems with him do you?”

  Problems? Oh sure I had one big problem, I was totally in love with him and all I could imagine right now is being in his arms while he taught me things I never experienced before. My heart pounded in my chest as I remembered the way he had kissed me. I had to stop this, my mum was still looking at me.

  “No mum no problems. He's OK but strict,” I said, which wasn't entirely a lie.

  “Oh.”My mum laughed, “So you're afraid of him, that's a good sign.”

  Oh I was surely afraid,afraid to cry with happiness. To not be able to hide the feelings I had inside. My heart raced when I saw the familiar street and my knees weakened when we stopped in front of his apartment. I opened the door and nearly fell down. I was trembling.

  “Are you OK honey? She asked looking narrowly at me.

  “Yes I'm fine," I said as I walked hurriedly towards Tyler's door.

  My mum looked at me startled.“Cassidy,how do you know that's the right door?”

  My God I had gone so instinctively to the door that I forgot I wasn't suppose to know where he lived.

  “I... .I saw the number.“I stuttered.

  “Oh do you want me to come and speak to him?” She asked me.

  “No mum,do you want him to think I'm a baby?” I asked hoping she starts the engine and goes away ...

  “Of course not, have fun and try to do all he says OK.”

  “Sure.”

  I tried not laugh,do all he says that sounded really good. I waved at her and as soon as her car disappeared I knocked on his door. I waited for a while bouncing on my toes with excitement, then the door opened and as soon as I met his dark deep gaze,I shivered. Oh my he was so handsome, his eyes were so intense, hypnotizing I would say. I felt breathless while I drowned deep in their blueness. He smiled and then without saying anything he grabbed my wrist and pulled me in and slammed the door closed. He caressed my face and then he put his hands in my hair, palming my head. He looked at me and then brought his mouth down on mine. I felt my knees trembling weakly while he kissed me slowly and passionately. He tormented my lips in a way nobody ever did. I opened my mouth trying to deepen the kiss but he didn't let me. He just wanted to tease, to play with my mouth making my heart race and denying me the need to kiss him back. Why?My hands rose slowly until I reached his head. I tangled my fingers in his hair. I wanted to pull him more into me but his hands left my head and grabbed my waist instead and pulled me into him,melting my body to his. It was during this moment that I felt his arousal, it was pressing against my stomach. He pulled back for a moment. I was going to open my mouth to say something when his mouth crushed down on mine again. This time taking me by surprise kissing me so deep I thought I was going to suffocate. I pressed him to me, but then all of a sudden he pulled back abruptly. I stared at him.

  "I missed you,” he simply said his eyes burning with passion.

  “I .. I noticed,” I replied catching my breath.

  He laughed.

  “I'm sorry. I have exaggerated haven't I?”

  “No. I just need to sit down a little and breathe,” I said sitting on his sofa. This man was pure passion. He smiled at me while he went into the kitchen and pulled out two cans of coke.

  “Here,drink this,” he said while he sat down next to me. My eyes lingered over his body, only now I noticed what he was wearing and how sexy he looked. I loved the way his white shirt hugged his body and I loved the way his muscled thighs looked in the casual three quarters. His leg was brushing lightly against mine.

  “You're a liar, you're diabolic,you know that?”I said looking a him drinking his coke. My God even the way he held his cup was sexy. Could I get more obsessed about this man? Could I get enough of him? I wondered.

  “Well honey. I had to find a way to have you here and most of all with your mum's permission. You have to admit that this was really a good idea. In this way we avoid suspicion and you don't have to lie all the time. I know twice a week is not much but I couldn't possibly tell her that I wanted to give you lessons every day, could I?” He said taking another sip.

  “No probably not, you know she really likes you,” I paused. “ And thinks you're good looking.”

  He smiled. “Really?”

  “She said that probably all the girls at school are in love with you,” I added.

  He gazed at me.

  “And didn't you tell her that I'm in love with only one of them. Yes with the most beautiful girl in school,” he said while he caressed my face and looked at me with adoring eyes. I still can't believe

  it. I am here alone with him and we are lovers.

  "Ty,” I said. Oh how I loved to pronounce his name.

  “Hm.. what?” He asked while he played with my hair.

  “That night of the ball,was it planned?” I asked him. He relaxed and grabbed me from my waist pulling me closer to him.

  “Yes,well actually it was a last minute plan. I thought about it after you gave me that quick kiss in the car. For me it wasn't enough, I wanted a proper one but I couldn't just kiss you,” he said stroking my thigh.

  “Why? You could have when we were near the sea,” I replied.

  “No, I was still trying not to fall for you. You're my student. I tried to keep back, to ignore what I was feeling but I didn't manage so well. I know it was wrong to get involved with a student,which it still is but now I know you love me, whilst at that time I still thought it was just a crush." He paused and looked at me, his hands rose to cup my face. "And you had a boyfriend, I was afraid there was too much to lose for just lust. But now I know that this will go beyond lust.”

  He bent down and touched my lips lightly.

  “Cassy,I know you're young but I want a relationship not just an adventure. Something which will last a lifetime. I'm 25 years old and one day I would like to have a family,” he said taking me by surprise. I shivered as I looked at him open mouthed.

  “With me?” I managed to ask.

  He smiled.

  “Well if you will still want me. This won't happen tomorrow ,you still have a lot of things to do. Graduate, go to college, have a carrier. Maybe