MEETING THE STUDENT

Alexis

Always been an early bird in my life, and always watched the peace and silence of the morning to be glorious. However, this place doesn't seem to sleep at all. When I woke up in the morning, I went out to breathe in fresh air. I stayed near the room because I didn't want to get lost in this labyrinth. I found most of the workers running and working even before dawn. It was surprising to my eyes. 

Of course, this place is huge and requires clean maintenance, that's why the human resources are huge in numbers. The Porsche ambience of the castle was screaming luxury and I was afraid of being a part of it. I might be staying in a palace but I wasn't the queen.

After a short walk, I headed back to the room and went to take a bath. Today, it will be an important day for me as I, as a teacher, am going to teach and train the royal heir. A part of me was scared but the other one was excited as hell. I shouldn't think much about it, everything will be good.

I dressed up in black trousers and white jeans with black pumps. I tied my hair in a neat bun. A teacher should appear properly disciplined before making an attempt to teach one. It was time and there was a knock on the door. I assume it to be Karl since he was the only person I have interacted with so far and he was my guide too.

"Good morning, Miss Martin! I hope you had a relaxing experience here." He greeted me and then asked indirectly something that I can't even explain. 

I smiled at him and greeted him back, "I am good, Karl! Let's get started." 

He eyed me and scanned me from head to toe. His observation wasn't harassing but it wasn't comfortable at all. His expressions changed and he frowned deeply.

"Is something wrong with my outfit?" I asked politely from him.

He nodded his head and went inside my apartment. Then he went to the bedroom and opened the wardrobe. He was going through my clothes and picked out a bodycon dress. That dress wasn't mine but I guessed it was offered by the authorities. It seemed revealing to me since I always used to wear comfortable clothes rather than fitted ones. Karl took out a pair of high heels and placed them on the bed.

"Change into them…" he pointed at the dress.

My jsw hung open and I stared at him in disbelief.

"Don't waste time… change that outfit, right now." He raised his voice.

"What is wrong with my outfit? Is there a dress code that wasn't informed to me earlier?" I asked him while glaring at him.

"Can you please change first? I don't want to lose this job." He was annoyed.

I sighed and rushed to change into the dress he picked for me. It was really awkward. I was like, why did he frown so deeply at my outfit? It wasn't that bad. Anyway, I changed that dress but I was really uncomfortable in that revealing dress. My legs hurt when I took a few steps in the heeled shoes. 

"Now you look better. Follow me…" he commanded and didn't bother to answer my query. 

I wanted to know why he asked me to change but we were getting late and I can't afford to lose the job either. We reached the conference hall and waited outside. Then, Karl entered and asked me to wait. My legs were aching and I felt standing on the sharp edges of the blade. I don't remember how long I waited outside but each passing second was like hell to me.

"Sorry for keeping you waiting, please, come inside." Karl appeared out of nowhere and asked me politely to enter the conference hall. It was bipolar to him, switching moods like that.

I sighed and entered. My gaze fell on the most handsome man I have ever seen in my whole life. Dark brown hairs combed back with a gel style, golden watch on his wrist hung like a jewel. His blazing hazel eyes and olive skin was drool worthy, over the top, watching him wearing an expensive suit with a dangerous aura around him. Why did he give me the look of the most wanted but toxic man?

"Meet, Mr Stefan Donovan. He is your student." Karl informed me.

My eyes popped out in shock. That man, that grown ass man is my student? What exactly is he studying for? It was so unexpected that I felt my heart break. It felt like cheating somehow but I smiled and concealed my overwhelming emotions.

He approached me and scanned me from Head to toe, "I think you are not comfortable in those shoes?" He asked me.

My gaze averted to Karl who looked at me with his annoyed look, again.

"It's fine. Mr Donovan, I thought I was going to teach a child." I stammered in my words.

He frowned and asked me, "was it mentioned in the agreement that you are going to teach a child?" He asked in a voice coated with sarcasm.

I shook my head and replied to him, "No but I assumed that because when I was selected to teach the heir of the royal family, I thought it was going to be a child. Anyway, it doesn't matter. A student is a student, I apologize for my mistake."

"Fine." His gaze darted at Karl.

Karl left the room immediately like he was waiting to escape from here.

"May I ask you something?" I wanted a few things to be clear so no confusion would be left.

"Ask…" he said with this authoritative time and it hit my nerves. 

I faked a smile and asked him, "what exactly do you want me to teach?" 

He looked blankly at me and suddenly, he started laughing loudly. The whole room was filled with his egoistic laughter. I pretended not to be annoyed by his actions.

"What exactly do teachers do? They make their students study and help them pass the exam. That's what you have to do. Understood?" He gritted his teeth and I felt like crying.

No one has treated me like that before. Even in my former school, my students appreciated my teaching and I got awarded several times for being the most hardworking teacher of the year. But today, this person disrespected me and my profession. 

"What is happening here?" A loud voice alerted us and Stefan looked pale.

I turned around and saw a woman in her late fifties approaching us. She wore a classy maddie dress with matching ballerinas and her smile as charming as she was.

"Did he harass you?" She asked me.

I stayed silent, not sure what to say.

She glared at Stefan and he shrugged his shoulders. "I don't need to know anything, I know what you did. When will you learn, Stefan? Respect your elders and your teachers." She yelled at her.

"Sweetheart! Don't you worry. My grandson is a spoiled brat but now you are here, I know you will turn him into a responsible man." She took my hand and held it for a while.

The way she looked at me, I was deeply concerned but I was afraid of their expectations. It was clear that they appointed me not just as a teacher. Still, being a professional, I will behave like a teacher.

"Ma'am, may I know what I have to teach him?" I asked her politely.

She looked blankly at me, "oh! I thought he must have told you about it." Then turned to glare at Stefan.

"Anyway, he is pursuing his post graduation and this is his last year but a crucial one. He is careless and never studied well. But he needs to pass. That's why we appointed you as a tutor for him, " she explained to me.

I nodded my head and smiled.

"I understand. Let me handle it from here." I said.

"What? She will be my tutor? A girl who is younger than me, do you really think she has something to teach me?" Stefan was pissed.

"Yes! She has better grades and qualifications than you, Stefan. She has been selected from the interview, of course she is not any girl. She is perfect and I can see that." Said the old woman while smiling at me.

"Ah! My bad, I forgot to introduce myself, I am Anna Marie Donovan. I hope you will take this from here." 

I nodded my head in understatement. Stefan was rolling his eyes and I let him do it.

"Now excuse me, I have work to do." She excused herself and left us alone.

There was utter silence after she left, then I decided to break it. "Can I have your syllabus and your books? I need to go through it." I asked him, gently.

"Do you think you can do it?" He was more than pissed.

"Didn't your grandmother explain everything to you?" I rebuked him.

"How dare you yell at me?" He hissed at me.

"Listen, Stefan Donovan! I don't care who and what you are but when it's morning, you are my student and I will do everything to teach you well." I glared at him.

He was dumbfounded to see my bold version. Suddenly, there was a smirk on his face which was literally scary for me.