Scandalous Wedding

Prologue Part 1

Elijah kept his face blank through the entire class, but even his blank expression couldn't hide the nerves he was feeling. It was the first chemistry practical class and the lecturer was explaining the procedure. But that wasn't what was making him nervous. It was the "pairing lab partner's" process that is going to take place at the end of the class.

The one thing which Elijah took very seriously is his grades. He needed good grades to get into a good university, which was necessary for him to take over his father's business. Being the only son of McCoy's, he would obviously inherit everything, but that's not what he wanted. He wanted to deserve what was rightfully his.

And for all this to happen, he needed to ace his exams both theory and practical. So, here comes the crucial question, who would be his lab partner. Until the previous year, it was upto the students to chose their partners but the rules have changed. Now the teacher randomly picks students and pairs them up.

Elijah took a silent deep breath. He could not afford to have a dumb partner and fail in the exam. He wanted, no needed a smart hardworking student. His eyes caught a moment towards his left and his eyes caught Natalie Reed twirling a strand of her hair with her index finger and sending him a sly smirk. A grin formed on his lips and he smirked back at her.

He knew half of the girls in his class were pinning to be paired up with him for two reasons, one he was excellent in academics and two, he was extremely hot.

His brown eyes reminded them of chocolate which all girls swoon over and his dirty blonde hair just makes him all the more irresistible. He enjoyed the attention that girls showed towards him, but being paired up with one would be a huge 'NO'.

No matter how much attention they gave him, he didn't want them to be his lab partner. He wanted a smarter one. Someone like....

"Elijah McCoy", Teachers voice snapped his attention. He raised his hand from the last bench where he usually sits, "Your partner will be...", and that was the moment Elijah lost his mind.

*****

"Sangavi de Silva", the teacher announced the name and a head shot up from the first row.

"Was she sleeping?" "Damn! She is dead!" whispers and mutterings arose in the silent chemistry lab.

"Yes maam", Sang squeaked out, her voice laced in fear.

"Were you sleeping in my class?" Mrs. Naomi Salvatore asked narrowing her eyes menacingly at her.

"I was tired", Sang muttered. Her brain was telling her to deny but she listened to her heart which suggested to go with the truth.

"Doing what?" the teacher snapped placing her fists on her hips. She was glowering over Sang who was still seated with her eyes wide in fear.

"Last night I hadn't slept at all. I can't sleep when it's raining thunders. And last night..." she trailed off looking at the angry teacher.

After a minute of menacing silence, the teacher spoke, "You will be the lab partner of Mr. Elijah McCoy" and with that she walked back to reading the names of other partners.

There were groans and squeals with each name that was being announced. But Sang wasn't listening to any of it. Her mind was on something completely different. She is going to be the lab partner of Elijah McCoy? Like the Eliijah McCoy?

Her head turned slowly to a complete 180 degrees and her eyes met with a glaring chocolate brown one's. In the last bench, with his fists clenched tightly sat Elijah, shooting daggers her way.

She gulped loudly and turned back to face the black board.

No. No. No. This can't be happening. Anyone, and she means anyone but him. She seriously can't be paired up with her mortal arch-enemy. No way. And the loud voice booming from the back of the class seconded her thoughts.

****

He couldn't believe his luck. Seriously! If this was his lab partner, then he would probably flunk his test this semester.

It's not that she wasn't smart. Sangavi de Silva, short for Sang was one of the top ten students of the class. But she was nothing compared to him. And to top it off, she hated him. And there is also the fact that they both belonged to rival families.

"I don't want her as my lab partner", he didn't even realize it was he who spoke those words. He blinked when it dawned on him that he practically yelled it out loud. The entire class was pin drop silent and all heads were turned towards him, all but one. And almost forty pairs of eyes were staring at him. The teacher looked up with a bored look, as if she was now very habituated with such arguments.

"Do you have anything to say Mr. McCoy?" she asked in a bored tone.

Elijah got up to his feet slowly and rubbed his sweaty hands on his pants. "She... We..don't get along well. I think you should pair up Ms. De Silva with someone else", he gritted his teeth to keep from snapping at his teacher.

One thing he resented most, is his school. Since he was the only son of the business magnate Mr. McCoy, he was sent to this private school where Etiquette was a subject included in the curriculum.

They were expected to speak properly, dress properly, and address each other with respect. There was no chance of swearing, no calling the person of opposite s*x by their first names. And the worst, they had to wear uniforms. This is why he resented this school so much.

"Oh. Thanks for letting me know about your differences Mr. McCoy. I will keep that in mind for the next semester", she said dismissively and stared back into the list in her hands.

"But this is the last semester", he cried out

"Oh is it? How forgetful of me. I am afraid I can't do anything about it other than suggesting to sort out your differences with Ms. De Silva", her voice was laced with sarcasm as she went back to her paper.

"But.." Elijah trailed off dumbfound.

***

Sang sat silently in her seat with her head bent low as she heard the entire conversation that happened between the teacher and that arrogant McCoy. She was embarrassed. Mortified actually. How dare he insult her like this.

"Why does he hate her so much?" she heard a girly voice whisper from behind her,

"Why do you think? Just look at her. She is just so plain, any guy would hate to be paired up with her. And this is Elijah we are talking about. He is like the hottest guy in our school and 'this' had to happen to him", the other voice spoke out loud not really caring about keeping her voice down.

"Hm... I'm sure she repels him", the first voice also increased her tone an octave.

Sang clenched her fists. She was never been so embarrassed before. True they belonged to enemy families, and she hated him but it had nothing to do with the prior reason. She hated him for his character, which was down right cheap.

Elijah was a player known for his score. And by score she doesn't mean cricket score, but the girls he screwed over the last one year. Guys worshiped him and girls swooned over him for the reason she was still unaware of. She never figured it out, what was so irresistible about him.

She hated him. She hated him for using her friends and breaking their hearts. She warned them, her friends, to not give into his charms, 'cause they were all fake. But they weren't immune to his god like looks like her, so they ended up in his bed and then out of his dorm room in the same night.

They knew it was never more than a one night stand, but of course it hurt. And being the jerk, Elijah never once talked to them again or spared them a glance after sleeping with them. She hated him, with every fiber of her being.

And she had to bear him for the entire next semester, and that single thought derailed her from her train of thoughts.

She and Elijah McCoy, her archenemy! She slowly turned her head to glance at the said lab partner and her gaze locked with his.

****

Elijah cursed himself in his mind. Why the hell did he make such a huge scene in front of the whole class? He had no idea. Yes, he didn't like her at all, but he didn't have to make it a huge deal. Half of the class is unsatisfied with their partners, but none of them said a word, unlike him.

He mentally smacked his head for acting like a baby. He glanced to the front where his future, actually present lab partner sat. She sat in the same position, didn't even flinch. Not even then when he declared his resentment towards her in front of the whole class.

He literally flinched at the thought. Resentment? Did he resent her? No. His heart and mind yelled together. He didn't resent her. Not even a little.

Sure they were from rival families, but that never came in between them. In fact, he had no idea what her problem with him was. She hated him, since as long as he could remember and he had no clue why.

He learnt the height of her hatred towards him, when he overheard her talking to a group of girls. She wasn't even talking, she was warning them all to stay away from me. Her words spoke as if he was the worst thing in the entire world. He didn't understand why she hated him so much. He never did her any wrong.

Hell, he never even flirted with her. He wanted to, back then but never did because.... He had no idea, why he didn't.

She was beautiful. Her tanned olive skin, gave away her Indian origin, but that American accent was so seductive. And the fact that she was oblivious to the effect she had on all the boys in the school just doubled her beauty. And then her eyes, the way they lowered every time she felt uncomfortable and shy... anyone could simply get lost staring at those doe shaped eyes. And then her lips... his thoughts came to a halt as Sang slowly turned in her seat.

His breath caught in his throat as he waited in anticipation. As she turned fully, her eyes were lowered, just like they were most of the time and slowly she raised her eyes.

For a moment, their eyes locked. Green orbs staring into chocolate brown ones. All thoughts of grades flew out of his mind as he saw her looking at him with... what? Somehow he couldn't understand the meaning behind her look. He always gloated on the fact that he could read girls like the back of his hand, but this girl..he had no clue what she was made of.

They stared for a few more minutes until the bell rang and broke their gaze. Sang quickly realized that she was staring at her arch enemy openly and scurried out of the class with her bag hanging low on her shoulder.

Elijah sighed softly. He had no idea how he was going to survive this semester. If a few minutes of staring was this intense, then how will the rest of the semester will be?

He let out a humorless chuckle, this will be fun, he thought sarcastically. Sangavi de Sliva and him, lab partners.