STRANGER EMOTIONS

Present Day,

Falkur quickly drew up a one-year contract binding Zeda as Kamaz's maid.

Even though it wasn't his intention, as he didn't want her to be what she was to him in the days of her first life, somehow, history was repeating itself.

The morning was far spent with the back-and-forth rules included in the contract between Falkur and Zeda that by the time they were done, it could have been considered sheer foolishness of Zeda to think of going to school.

The next day, however, she rose early and helped out Nanny Greta in the kitchen. When Nanny Greta was done, she prepared the dining table for Lord Kamaz's breakfast.

“Where is he?" Zeda asked Falkur after some impatient minutes of not seeing Kamaz come down from his room.

“He has asked that you eat well. He won't be coming down for breakfast." Falkur responded.

Zeda could not believe her ears. While she was chopping the vegetables that were used in preparing breakfast, she had almost chopped off one of her fingers. She had put in so much work and heart that she couldn't believe it was all for naught.

“What do you mean Sir?

Just as he wanted, I have made his meal. So why won't he have it?” Zeda asked.

Falkur said nothing in response as he maintained a poised upright butler frame that made him seem like a statue.

“Never mind. I'll just take it up to him" Zeda said as she turned around.

“No, you can't," Falkur half-shouted. When he realized his slip-up, he wanted to face-palm himself.

Zeda looked at him like he was getting crazy by the second.

"I meant to say that he is having his bath and won't be disposed to attend to you. It is best that you forgo the idea,” Falkur clarified, and Zeda nodded her head, even though she couldn't make out his reaction.

Kamaz did not come down till it was a minute before the scheduled time Zeda was to go to school. Zeda's patience was already losing its essence by the time he graced everyone with his presence.

Everyone downstairs greeted him, acknowledging his presence as they bowed deeply. Well everyone except Zeda. She only bowed her head and not her back and she was the first to look back up at him.

“Alright, let's get going," Falkur said as he slapped his hands twice.

Kamaz's eyes were on Zeda as he appreciated the dress she was in. A dark green colored gown that stopped an inch above her knees with white low sneakers.

In Kamaz's eyes, she looked too cute to just be attending a lecture. He was already hating whoever was going to spare two stares at her today.

There were two SUVs lined up at the front of the house. Zeda was ushered into one, and she thought that was the one Kamaz was going to enter, but to her surprise, Kamaz went to the second car with two other guards.

As she sat at the back of the car, she could not help but think.

‘Of course, our relationship is now one between a master and his maid. What was I expecting?

Hold up, why am I even expecting anything?

Yes, he has been nothing but good, but I have always wanted to be on my own. What is this change?

Why do I not want him to put a distance between us?’

Immediately, the gate of her school came into view; she tapped the shoulder of the driver.

“I'll stop here, thank you," She said.

He did as she said, and she snatched her bag, strapped it behind her, and walked into school without sparing a glance at the car that was directly behind her.

She could not understand her reason for hating the situation. In the beginning, Lord Kamaz always wanted to stay around her, and she literally had to leave clear hints that called for him to leave her space, but now, he keeps a gap between them.

Even when they are in the same house.

*********************

In class…

“I'm so grateful Mr Baldwin had that accident last semester," One of the girls sitting directly behind Zeda said.

“Jeez Jess! That's a very terrible thing to say" Her friend said to her.

“I'm sure you will take back your words when you get to see his replacement.

That's the reason I decided to come this early and also spend a quarter of my savings on a blouse as gorgeous as this one” The first girl said, pointing to her blouse.

Zeda could not help but turn back to take a look at the girl. She was on a lilac-colored blouse that had a V-cut… a deep cut, to be precise, that exposed cleavage enough for the whole school.

Students were exchanging pleasantries and catching up on each other's lives and so the auditorium was noisy.

“Stop talking. He’s here!" The first girl said briskly as she adjusted her blouse and pressed herself forward on her table.

Zeda saw that as her cue to look ahead. Their lecturer was in class.

As she turned, her eyes fell on the first man she thought to be beautiful before she met Lord Kamaz.

They had met in a museum, a month before she tried to kill herself and they had somehow ended up seeing and talking about most of the art pieces they came across together.

The girl had not been exaggerating. Indeed, he was a sight to behold.

“Oh, dear heavens! I think this semester is going to be the best one in my whole life. Damn!" The second girl exclaimed.

He was in a grey coat, a white shirt, and a pair of black trousers. His wolf haircut fit him perfectly and seemed to have been invented because of him.

He dropped the single jacket of files he was with on the podium before he came forward to address the students.

“Acheron Acheron is my name. Weird right?" He asked with a small smile, and like a magnet, he attracted the attention of everyone in the room.

It was like a quiet command of silence was issued and not one disruptive sound was made.

He crossed his hands behind his back as his eyes roamed on the faces of everyone in the room.

He continued. “Acheron is my surname and my father also named me Acheron. I'm a professor of Music History, and I'll be taking over from Mr Baldwin, who was in an unfortunate accident last semester.

You can call me Acheron” He finished as his eyes settled on the person he was looking for.

Zeda returned the smile out of courtesy as he stared at her. He had told her that he had a feeling they were going to meet again, and he was right.