Bound To you

Chapter 4

Friday had arrived, and as usual, it was a busy day at school. There were a lot of assignments being presented in geography class, and some others to deliver the next day in math class. ELI had been working well, trying to focus on everything and be a good student for herself. Though, during the whole day she had been a bit fidgety as she waited patiently for the most expected class of the day, that it was, indeed, Miss Mills’. 

When it was time for the last period, ELI could barely contain her excitement as she entered the history room. She settled with a smile onto her usual chair, finding Tinker already seated.

“Hi, Emms! How are you holding up?” The shorter blonde greeted.

“I’m good. Being a senior is not that hard.”

“Really? I’m doing great at the other classes, except for this one.” She huffed. “Miss Mills is a hard-ass, isn’t she?”

ELI sniggered. “I guess she is.”

“Huh, you know everything already, anyway.”

“Not everything, Tinker,” she said a smile, her eyes brightening instantly as the teacher walked into the room.

“Good morning, everyone!” Miss Mills greeted them with a smile. “Today we will talk about the Totalitarian Regimes,” she said as she placed her books on the desk and turned to face the whiteboard. She wrote the title of the topic neatly on the wall while the students remained in silence.

ELI felt anxious and slightly nervous as she wondered if Miss Mills was going to ask questions today. She had been studying more since their lesson at the library and now was ready to please. Though, as she looked around at her classmates, they also seemed very nervous, but probably because they didn’t know much and weren’t prepared in case the teacher decided to ask questions.

Miss Mills turned away from the board and stood straight in front of the students. She started, “Totalitarianism is a form of government in which the state controls every aspect of the individual’s life and all opposition is suppressed. The government is completely in control that nothing is above it.”

ELI was trying really hard to pay attention. She really liked this part of history, but as she watched Rika dominating the space around her and her students just by the tone of her voice caused ELI to daydream. She just couldn’t help it. Rika’s potential to teach was astronomical; she was so smart, so talented that any of the students couldn’t look anywhere but her. Just like ELI, they seemed to absorb everything she said; easily getting to learn from her like they never did before with the former teacher. Rika’s beauty was just an added bonus to her outstanding personality and qualities.

ELI remembered spending time at the library with Rika last night, and how good it felt to touch her back, hear her sighs of contentment... That memory made ELI desire to have more moments like that with her teacher. However, her conscience kept telling her that that was less likely to happen, and that thought made her sad.

What she felt for Rika was weird, and ELI knew that. Maybe Ruby was right, maybe it was just a crush. ELI had never had any crushes as the other girls had. Boys came after her, and she used them when it was given the chance, and they were the ones that left eventually and heartbroken. Now, ELI wondered if this unexpected and stupid crush she had on her history teacher would go on for longer, perhaps even grow into something more. 

God, she really hoped that didn’t happen. It couldn’t happen. ELI would definitely be screwed. Besides, Rika would never get involved with her, a student. No, she wouldn’t. ELI was getting deluded by the weird and foolish sensations her body provided her whenever she was close to Rika.

ELI faded away from her deluded bubble and looked around for a second, realizing that Ruby was staring at her intently. s**t. That would last forever. She should never have confessed her feelings for Rika to Ruby. Though it would have been pointless if she had tried to hide. No one can hide something from Ruby for too long. Especially not ELI.

The blonde noticed that her friend was doing a strange signal with her eyes. She seemed to indicate that ELI should look forward. And that's what she did: there stood Rika, staring at her intensely while she explained the Totalitarian Government.

ELI returned her gaze to Ruby and saw her brunette friend shaking her head negatively. ELI shrugged, clearly not understanding what her friend was saying and started to pay attention in class, but the bell rang right at the moment when her mind went back to focus on Rika.

Some of her fellow classmates packed their things quickly, probably thanking the gods for Miss Mills not asking questions that day. ELI and Ruby dawdled around, throwing glances at each other while they packed their things.

“Were you daydreaming?” Ruby whispered accusatively, seeming mad at ELI.

“No, I…” she sighed exhaustedly and decided to not answer Ruby. 

“You shouldn’t daydream during Miss Mills’ class. She looks at you all the time, you know?” Ruby winked suggestively at her and the blonde rolled her eyes. “You should talk to her.” She nudged ELI in the ribs but the blonde shrugged her off.

“Ruby, stop it!” ELI hissed, her voice sounding a little too high for a quiet conversation and that made Rika look at them curiously.

ELI felt a pinch at her side and looked behind with anger, wanting to rip her friend’s hair out of her head as she tried to push her towards their teacher.

“Just talk to her, Emms,” Ruby whispered one last time before leading ELI forward and then stepping away to leave the classroom.

ELI’s legs took her slowly forward while her mind kept telling her to back off, to stop being so foolish for wanting to start a small conversation with her teacher. Though, as if unbothered, she kept moving. When she got close enough to Rika’s desk, the latter’s eyes lifted up to meet hers. ELI was about to open her mouth to speak when Killian appeared by Rika’s side, instantly getting the teacher’s attention all to him, causing ELI to narrow her eyes. She shot him a glare, which he readily ignored, and watched as he started chatting with Miss Mills.

“I'm struggling to understand the new topic you were explaining today, Miss Mills,” he said, trying to sound charming at the same time he tried to look like a wounded puppy. “I was thinking-”

ELI cleared her throat on purpose, her goal being achieved when Killian stopped talking and turned to return her glare. “Swan,” he growled. “Class is over.”

“Oh yeah, that's right,” she growled back and crossed her arms over her chest, preventing herself from doing anything with her sudden formed fists. “Why are you still here then?” She provoked, challenging him with her eyes. 

“I’m trying to talk with Miss Mills privately,” he said through gritted teeth. He was very angry about being interrupted, and that made ELI smile in victory.

“Well, do it quick then because I also have to talk to her.”

“Right now it's my turn, Swan,” he said sharply and then turned to Rika again, his angry expression transforming into one that he deemed to be charming. “Don’t mind her.” He gestured at ELI who scoffed at him. Miss Mills arched her perfect eyebrows and waited for him to continue, “Back to what I was saying — Miss Mills, I’d like to study with you in another place someday, where we can be more comfortable. What do you think?” Rika flashed him a small smile, her forefinger reaching to touch her own plump lips pensively. Besides all that, she looked slightly amused. 

ELI swallowed and waited with batted breath as Rika stared at Killian. ELI desperately wanted Rika to refuse his bold request. She really hoped that she was the only one having private lessons with their new teacher.

“You'll have to forgive me, Mr. Jones. I've been too busy lately to provide private tuition.” His smile withered and ELI’s lips formed one. “But I still have another solution for you.” She sought for something inside her bag and handed it to Killian. “This is the card of one of my friends who’s a history teacher. He is very good and I think you’ll love studying with him,” Killian snorted at the card being offered and left, stomping out of the room while puffing out his anger. How rude.

The blonde let out a muffled laugh and Rika joined her briefly. “That was intense,” ELI commented casually, watching as the teacher put the card back inside her bag. 

“Agreed. Well, Miss Swan, what questions do you have for me?” The teacher asked, looking at the blonde with amusement in her deep brown orbs.

“Oh, I… actually, there were no questions. I just wanted to get rid of Killian for you. I know how importunate he can be sometimes.” She shrugged nonchalantly and Rika chuckled throatily.

“Thank you, Miss Swan. That was very helpful.” She put her handbag straps on her shoulders and sighed in content.

ELI smiled at the beautiful brunette in front of her, and all of a sudden, she started feeling nervous again. Damn, she didn't know what to do now. Actually, she wanted to ask when their next private lesson would be because the last one was… well, fantastic. However… she shouldn't. Maybe Rika was indeed too busy to give ELI another private lesson. They’d probably ever have another one.

“Oh, okay! Um… I’ll see you around then, Miss Mills.” ELI waved goodbye and left the classroom practically stumbling on her nervous feet.

When she got outside, she let out the nervous breath she had been holding.

xXx

ELI was going home, and this time she decided to go walking around the streets of Boston. She thought the whole time about Rika and her wonderful smile. ELI really would like to stop thinking about that woman, but it seemed that nothing was going to stop her from that. When she opened the door of her house, she smelt something delicious cooking in the kitchen. However, Ruby wasn’t home to cook anything so it had to be someone else. Suddenly, ELI started to feel worried. She swallowed hard before entering the house with precision and walked straight to the kitchen. She stopped at the door frame and sighed with relief when she saw Eugenia Lucas by the stove.

“Granny?” The old woman turned around and grinned, seeming happy to see ELI.

“ELI, my dear! I’ve missed you so much!” Granny pulled the blonde into a tight embrace. “Where is Ruby?” She peered around searching for her granddaughter.

“Uh, Ruby is...” ELI scratched her head while thinking about something. She couldn't say where Ruby was because she didn't know where her friend was! “Ruby's at school, Granny. She had to do some extra activities for the math test tomorrow.”

ELI let out a breath of relief when Granny smiled at her, seeming to believe her lie. ELI was sure that when Ruby came back, she’d force her friend to tell her all her dirty little secrets. It wasn't fair only as she knew ELI’s.

“I thought you were going to come back next week, Granny.” ELI sat on the stool in front of the counter and watched while her grandmother prepared pasta.

“Oh, I’ve missed my granddaughters so much and they didn't even bother to call me to ask how I was!” The lady spoke with disappointment in her voice, and ELI chuckled dryly, not knowing exactly what to say besides apologizing.

“Sorry, Granny. We've been very busy with school lately. You know, with the beginning of the semester, meeting new friends and teachers.”

“I understand, honey,” the grey-haired woman said with a sigh. “It doesn't matter, though, because I'm back now. So, how are you, darling?” She asked with a fond smile and ELI wanted to hide so she wouldn't have to lie to Granny about her feelings. She didn't want to lie to the woman who helped her when she needed the most.

ELI smiled remembering the moments she spent together with Granny and Ruby. She was very lucky to have such wonderful people in her life like them. She suddenly stood up from the stool and approached Granny, hugging her side while the grey-haired lady stirred the food in the pan.

“I love you, Granny and I’ve missed you too.” She placed a kiss on her cheek.

“I love you too, honey.”

xXx

After lunch, ELI decided to lie down and nap for a little while. Her body was tired and she needed more sleep, but her mind wouldn’t let her, again. ELI kept thinking about what Rika would be doing right now. Was she still at school? Was she marking the student’s worksheets again? Or wasn't she doing anything? Was she bored?

She rolled on the bed and laid in another position. She couldn't even close her eyes without the stunningly beautiful brunette running through her thoughts with that bright smile of hers. She knew that the only way to stop thinking about Rika right now was if she went to school to see her.

ELI Swan couldn't control herself. She'd have to see Rika, even if it was only a few minutes, she was going to see her today.

xXx

“You're lucky nobody ever watches you, otherwise you would have been fired a long time ago.” The brunette raised her head from the table and expressed relief when she recognized it was just ELI standing in front of her, smirking mischievously.

“ELI!” The brunette exclaimed. “You really scared me.”

“You thought you were being fired, Miss Mills?” She joked with a sarcastic tone.

“For a moment, I thought I was in trouble, not being fired. I’m not doing anything wrong.” The brunette smiled, switching positions in her chair while ELI walked over to sit on the chair in front of the teacher’s desk.

“You were sleeping at school, Rika,” the blonde said dryly.

The teacher rolled her eyes. “It was minutes at the most. I just got too tired from marking all these worksheets. You, students, fall asleep in classes all the time! You can't judge me.”

ELI laughed. “Seriously, I am not judging you. It’s just… funny.”

Rika smiled again. “Yes, I guess it is a little bit funny. Though I’m glad it's you, ELI. Actually, what are you doing here?” She crossed her arms over her chest as she gazed curiously at the blonde.

ELI walked over to the table and took a few steps towards Rika. “Well, Miss Mills, once again I came to save you from the boredom that this school emanates.” She said seriously, causing Rika to laugh.

“I think I'd better switch to a profession that has less boredom, then.”

ELI promptly shook her head. “Never do that. You are extremely good at what you do, Rika.” The brunette’s smile widened with the compliment. 

Oh God, that smile was irresistible, ELI just wanted to kiss her.

Fuck. Now she was thinking about kissing her history teacher? For f**k’s sake!

ELI swallowed hard, trying to send away those thoughts. 

“Thank you for saying that, ELI. I really appreciate your compliments.”

“You’re very welcome.”

They kept staring at each other for a while, both with small smiles on their faces. ELI couldn’t stop observing every single inch of that beautiful face. Rika’s hair was slightly out of place, and the blonde had never seen her that way before. In class, Miss Mills was always put together. Today it looked like she was already tired. Maybe she had been working too hard.

Without thinking twice, ELI leaned in over the table and slowly raised her hand towards Rika’s face. The teacher’s eyes followed the movement of ELI’s hands with batted breath, as the blonde caressed her silky, soft locks and put it behind her ear.

“Your hair is kind of a mess,” ELI said with a playful smirk, reluctantly retracting her fingers from the strands of hair before she crossed another line.

“Well, thank you, Miss Swan. You're my saviour from boredom and messy hair.”

“I love the title,” she replied shyly and watched as Rika leaned her back against the chair. 

“You woke me up from the weirdest dream, ELI,” the teacher commented with a frown.

“You slept so much that you got to dream, Miss Mills? I can’t believe it!” ELI exclaimed dramatically.

The teacher huffed. “Let's face it. I haven't been sleeping well for days, and when I can, I'm interrupted.”

ELI offered her tight-lipped sympathetic smile and added, “What were you dreaming about?”

The brunette pressed her lips together and said, “My mother.”

ELI shuddered at the moment she heard the word ‘mother’. She swallowed the lump in her throat and asked, “Why was your dream weird?”

“Because, in the dream, I wasn’t my mother’s daughter… I lived in an orphanage. My life appeared in flashes showing me the difficulty I had in the orphanage... It was so very strange.”

ELI swallowed hard once more but forced herself to keep asking questions as if nothing of that conversation was affecting her. “Why was it so strange?”

“Because I have lived with my mother and I have a good relationship with her. And I don't understand why I had that dream, I've never experienced anything like that.”

ELI suddenly became pale. Her heart started beating so fast that it was giving her fatigue. She wanted to run away and stick her head in a pillow to cry all night. It had been a long time since she had thought about her past life in the orphanage. Remembering that was too painful now.

“ELI,” Rika called her with a worried tone because the blonde was looking down absently with a vague look on her face. “You're okay?”

ELI lifted her head and smiled weakly, soon lowering her head again. Rika immediately got worried. ELI could hear it in the tone of her voice. “ELI, did I say something wrong?” The blonde shook her head negatively without gazing at Rika, but the way her body language changed, it inescapably displayed how bad she was feeling right now. 

“ELI, look at me.” The blonde denied her an answer and watched silently as Rika got off her chair and walked towards ELI with a desperate look on her face. She commanded, “ELI Swan, look at me right now!” ELI quickly lifted her head and could feel her eyes watering and her face blushing with embarrassment. “ELI!” Rika said sadly, already grabbing the blonde’s hand and pulling her from the chair. The teacher grasped ELI’s face with both hands and stared intently into her green eyes, seeming to look for answers. “What did I do?” 

ELI bit her lower lip and stared into the piercing chocolate eyes, smiling sheepishly, and then pulled away from those warm hands, looking away to wipe her stupid wet eyes. “It’s just a bad memory,” she murmured barely audible enough.

The blonde could feel Rika moving behind her, her warmth bringing shivers to ELI’s body. However, she didn’t touch ELI again. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“You don't want to know, Rika. And I don't want you pitying me after if I tell you.”

“ELI, regardless of what it is, I'm not going to do that. Sometimes it's better to vent than to keep it to yourself.” ELI nodded, finally turning to face the teacher again, and saw her smiling tenderly. “Come here,” Rika said, extending her hand for ELI to take it. When the blonde reluctantly did so, the brunette guided her to the two-seater sofa near the door and sat down with ELI by her side.

The blonde sat quietly for a while until Rika leaned closer to her, resting her arm around the sofa and reaching the other end of ELI’s shoulder. When she felt the warm comforting touch of the teacher on her shoulder, ELI did not hesitate to start speaking, “I have always been an orphan, Rika, ever since I was a baby. I’ve lived in foster homes, all my life. I was never adopted by any family and I’ve never had the chance to meet my birth parents.” She paused for a moment to take a deep breath. “And I don't know if you know the reality of the orphanages and most group homes.” Rika shook her head and ELI fixed her eyes on the brunette’s.

ELI was thinking that Rika should already have that disgusting pitying look on her face, but all the brunette showed was seriousness. She seemed to hear everything carefully.

“When the kids grow up, the organizers stop caring and everything becomes more difficult than it was before. While I lived there, I ran away several times, but I always got caught. Once, I was able to get to the border of another city. I travelled very far away, but still, it wasn't enough. I think they searched so thoroughly for me because they thought I was a thug, that I would steal or do something unthinkably worse,” in painful disbelief she quietly adds, “that I was dangerous for the society and the orphanage’s reputation.”

“In the foster homes you lived in, were there many children like you?” ELI shook her head.

“There were a few children, and among those few, I suffered the most. The majority were younger boys who liked to annoy girls, especially me. I’ve never had any friends there, just enemies.” She paused for some seconds. “But after so much insistence on my part, they let me study at an elementary school, just like all the other children. Everything got better after that because I spent a lot of time at school and fewer hours at the orphanage. I met several people and finally had some friends. Among those was Ruby.” Rika smile was small, but she didn't dodge looking at ELI. “She was always such a lovely girl. She made me laugh all the time and we had fun, too. She was the only one who knew I was an orphan. One day, Ruby took me to her house for lunch after school and I met Eugenia, her grandmother, or for shorter — Granny. She is a sweet and affectionate lady who’s always worried about her granddaughter. She liked me right away, so I went there almost every day after school for dinner at Ruby’s house. After a few weeks, while we were having dinner, Ruby had an idea that she said it would change my life completely. And she was right, it really changed. They adopted me the next day, leaving everyone in the orphanage surprised and happy to get rid of me and of my imaginary crimes,” she said wryly. “So, since then, I have lived with Ruby and Granny since I was 14, and I’ve been very happy ever since,” ELI smiled openly and turned to look at Rika, who returned a bright blinding smile.

In an unexpected gesture, Rika suddenly hugged her tightly. The blonde became paralyzed from head to toe. She felt the strong scent of apple entering her nostrils as well as Rika’s form pressing deliciously against her own. She desired to never let go of this amazing woman. She wanted to hold her forever.

“ELI, I didn't realize you had suffered so much. I always see you smiling happily, I never imagined that you had been through all of that. I'm sorry for bringing that up. I was really intrigued and curious about my dream… I'm sorry, ELI.”

The blonde shook her head and smiled tenderly at the teacher. “You have nothing to apologize for. I know you didn't intend to and you certainly didn't know my story.” Rika flashed her a huge grin and ELI was surprised by that gesture. “What is it?”

“I have an idea.” ELI arched her eyebrows with slight curiosity as the brunette continued, “I’m going to take you to a very special place as my apology.” She rose and pulled ELI with her.

xXx

“Rika! I can't believe you brought me to…” She stopped to see the huge structure in front of her. “Oh, wow!”

Before she could exclaim something else, Rika pulled her into the Harvard Museum of Natural History.

“Rika, I…” She stopped again. She couldn't believe she was in one of the most renowned museums in the country. And the most well-known University in the world. “This is a dream come true!” The brunette smiled at her and continued pulling her inside with excitement.

“It has everything here. But I want to show you the Peaboy Museum, where there are objects from the early civilizations of the Americas. I know you like history as much as I do, and I really want you to cheer up since I was responsible for making you sad.”

ELI shrugged, still smiling. “Couldn't ask for anything better.”

They started to walk inside and Rika began to explain several things to ELI as if it was a class in the museum. The blonde felt increasingly fascinated with the way Rika explained. They laughed and learned together everything they could. When they finished visiting that part of the museum, Rika realized that it was already 6 pm.

“Wow, it's late already. ELI, I stole all your time, I’m so sorry!”

The blonde giggled happily and shook her head. “Of course you didn’t. I had a lot of fun here with you.”

“Oh, I’m glad because that was my purpose.”

“But what about now?” ELI asked, instinctively leaning in closer to Rika. She felt the brunette get tense and her own heart beat three times faster. “I think there's still something we need to do to complete all this fun.”

“And what is that?” Rika asked, her voice a bit husky.

“Food, of course,” ELI said innocently. “I'm very hungry.” The blonde stroked her grumbling stomach to prove a point and Rika laughed out loud.

ELI was seriously impressed with everything that was going on. She could never imagine that she would behave so civilly near Rika; the woman who made her feel the strangest of sensations; the female-crush of her life. She didn't know what she exactly felt about Rika, she only knew that she couldn't stop thinking about her.

“So I'm going to take you to dinner at Harvard Square. Come with me.” 

“Okay.”

The brunette took the blonde’s hand and started walking, holding hands with her. Neither of them was bothered by it, and even with the crowded restaurants and bistros in Harvard Square, nobody cared enough to think it was something else.

Soon they were accommodated in a table in a more private corner of the restaurant. They were ready to order when ELI's cellphone rang. She viewed on the screen that it was Graham and canceled it quickly. When she looked forward, she realized that Rika was gazing intently at her phone. When ELI smiled at her, the only expression she received back was a fake smile that Rika had never given her before.

“So, ELI Swan, what are you having to kill your hunger?” The brunette asked while looking at the menu meticulously.

“I want a burger, of course. Nothing will satisfy my hunger better.”

“I assumed.”

“You assumed I would order a burger? Why?”

“Teenagers only eat junk food, ELI.”

“Teenagers? Are you calling me a teenager, Miss Mills?” ELI put the menu on the table and stared at Rika with a frown.

“What’s the problem, Miss Swan? Are you going to tell me that you’re a grown-up woman?” The teacher asked dryly.