You Are The Only Exception {Teacher/Student Relationship}

You Are The Only Exception:Ch 20 {Teacher/Student Relationship}

~You Are The Only Exception: {Teacher/Student Relationship}~


Chapter 20

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I heard the door bell ring, and ran down stairs. I took a deep breath and opened the door, only to find a grinning Riley. I blinked at him, and noticed he had several things in his hands.

"Uh, come in."

"Alright, " he smiled, and stepped inside. " and I thought you would slam the door in my face, and leave me in the cold."

"No." I laughed.

"It's really freezing outside." he stated.

"So, what's with the suit pants, jacket, white button-up shirt, socks, and dress shoes?" I questioned.

"Oh, well I hope you don't mind if I change here."

"Uh, no. You can put all that in the guest room, and I'll make you some noodles."

"Sounds good." and he walked quickly up the stairs.

I went to the kitchen, and opened the cabinet door. I stood there staring at the variety of soups we had, and not knowing which one he would like.

"This one looks good." I heard him say from behind me, and he reached passed me, and pulled down a instant soup. "I like teriyaki flavor."

I grabbed the soup from him. I pulled the lid half way down, and added one cup of water. "Four minutes in the microwave." I opened the microwave door, placed the bowl inside, and put four minutes on the timer.

"So, are you ready for tonight?" he questioned.

"No, but how did we get an invitation?"

He shrugged. "She must have went through Everett's address book, and yours must have been in there."

I sighed. "I can't believe this."

"Your Mom's making you go, huh."

"Yeah."

"Michelle,..." he started, but stopped when his phone began ringing. He frowned once he noticed the caller. "Hello?" he started.

I heard the microwave begin to beep. I opened the door, and pulled out the plastic soup bowl carefully. I tore the rest of the lid off.

"Yeah, alright man." I heard Riley say.

I pours the seasoning over the noodles, and stirred the noodle, until the seasoning was well mixed. I grabbed a paper towel, and set the bowl in front of him.

"I"ll see you tonight man." and with that he ended the call.

I sat down in the chair in front of him, and placed my forehead on the table.

"Is it lunch time already?" he asked.

I shrugged my shoulders, and pointed at the clock above the door way. "There."

"Oh, it is..." he said, and slurped his soup.

I looked up, and gave him a disgusted face. "Did you just slurp?"

"Yep." he said, and grinned, and I laughed.


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In a few hours, Riley was sprawled out on the couch asleep. I sat on the recliner flipping through the channels, when I heard a car outside my house. I stood up, and went to opened the front door, and saw Rikki's mustang parked out there. His door opened, and he smiled when he saw me. I sat down on the porch steps, he walked over, and did the same.

"So, what brings you here?" I asked.

"I brought your homework." and he reached into his back pocket, and pulled out some folded papers, and handed them to me.

I grabbed them. "Folded. Just how I like it." I joked, then laughed.

He didn't laugh, and I turned towards him. He was looking at the sky. “Your going tonight?" he said, and turned to smile at me.

"I have to." I whispered.

"Your Mom, huh?" he questioned, still looking at me, and I nodded my head. "Michelle, your about to see the person, you probably have the most feelings for... tonight,... with his 'soon-to-be wife' and you look, like, your totally fine."

I turned towards him. "But I'm not Rikki. I'm torn apart inside." I turned away from him, and looked up at the sky. I sighed heavily. "I have this huge ache inside my gut, the size of Texas."

I saw out of the corner of my eye that he was still looking at me. He let out a huge sigh. "Michelle-" he started.

I heard a huge yawn from behind us, and I turned around to see Riley stretching. I smiled, and stood up. "Hey sleepy head."

"Hey!" he said, and grinned, and then turned to look at Rikki. "Hey dude." he smiled, and gave a small wave.

"Rikki! " I exclaimed, and he turned to look at me. "Why don't you come with me to the party?" I questioned.

His eyes widened the slightest. He laughed. "Michelle, I-"

"Please." I begged.

"I don't think-"

"Please." I repeated.

"Alright." he laughed.

"Yes! Thank you so much!" and I jumped on him.

He lifted me off the ground, and hugged me. "I'll have to go home, and get some clothes though."

Rikki put me on the ground, and Riley clapped his hands together. "Well, alright then. This is really going to be fun now."

"I guess I'll go get ready then,... My Mom will be home soon." I smiled at both of them, and walked up the porch stairs, "Thanks for my homework." 

Rikki smiled, and nodded, and I slipped inside my house.


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"Hey Michelle, I'm leaving already."

I turned to see Riley descending the stairs in his suit, and he shouldered a small back pack. I gave him a small smile.

"You look very nice." I smiled.

"Thanks," he said, and grinned. " so I'll see you there?"

"Yep, I'll be there."

"Alright then. See you later." he smirked, and kissed my temple.

I sighed, when I heard the door close. I checked my phone to see I had about an two hours to get  ready. I sat down on the stair case, and started thinking of how to do my hair.

I heard the door opened again, and then my Mom yelled. "Riley left, but-"

I covered my ears. "Mom I'm right here." I stated, and then laughed.

"Oh sorry sweetie, Oh but Rikki just drove up." She laughed. "You better start getting ready, Michelle."

I nodded quickly, and ran up the rest of the stairs. I walked into my room, and went straight to my bathroom, and took off all my clothes. I took the hair tie out of my hair, and shook my hair. I turned on the water, and waited for the temperature of the water to be just right. I stepped inside, and stood under the shower head.

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I wrung my hair out before I reached for the towel to dry myself off. I wrapped it around my body, and stepped out into my room quickly to grab a black bra, and underwear. I walked quickly back into the restroom, and put them on.

I grabbed one of my perfumes, and sprayed some on my wrist, and rubbed them together, then sprayed on my neck, and chest. I capped my perfume bottle, and grabbed for my tooth brush, put a small amount of toothpaste on there, and began brushing my teeth.

I stepped into my room after I finished, and went to my closet to fish out my my dress. I took it off the rack, and placed it on my bed.

I went back into the bathroom, and started to blow dry my hair. I pulled out my curling iron, and plugged it in. I started combing through my hair, and unplugged my blow dryer. My hair was almost dry, except for a couple of places.

I began curling my hair when the iron reached the highest temperature.

After I finished curling my hair. I stepped inside my room again, and slipped into my dress. I zipped up the side zipper, and look at myself in the mirror.

"Beautiful."

I turned around to see Rikki smiling at me. I saw him wearing black, straight legged pant's, and a black long-sleeve button-up shirt.

"Thanks. You look good yourself too." I said gesturing towards him, while smiling back.

"Mhmm." he nodded, and went to sit on my bed. I noticed he was holding a shoe box.

"What's in there?"

"Shoes." he replied.

I sighed, and turned to walk to my closet to grab a pair of shoes. I crouched to see my shoe rack under my hanging clothes.

"What are you looking for?" he asked.

"Shoes." I replies, as bluntly as he did before.

I heard him laugh, and I straightened up, and turned to look at him. "Your Mom bought you some." he said, and gestured to the shoe box next to him.

I walked over to him, and looked inside the box to see some black high heels. I smiled, and then it faded when I saw how high the heel was. "That's a bit high."

"Looks about three or four inches. I think you can handle it." He pointed out.

"Ugh." I slipped them on anyway.

"Now your more beautiful."

"Are you guys ready? It's already five, and I don't want to leave at six." My Mom yelled.

I grabbed my small black jacket. "Yes." I yelled back.

"Let's go love." Rikki chuckled, and kissed my cheek, and began to walk away.

I grabbed his forearm, and Rikki looked back at me with a confused expression. I smiled at him, and looped my arm around his elbow.

"Are we going together, or are you going in your car?" I questioned.

"Your Mom told me to go with you two." he whispered.

"I'll sit in the back with you." I whispered back.

I heard him chuckle, and I let go of his him, and walked down the stairs, and out the door to the car. I sat in the back with Rikki.

"How long until we get there?" I asked my Mom.

"It's a few towns over. So I'm not quite sure."

"A few towns?"

"Yep." Rikki chimed in.

"I'm guessing about an hour, no more than two." My Mom stated, and turned up the volume on the radio.

I moved to the middle seat, rested my head on Rikki's shoulder. "I'm tired." I mumbled.

Rikki must have heard me. "Then go to sleep love." he whispered in my ear.

"Okay." I mumbled again.

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I woke up, and noticed Rikki was resting his cheek on the top of my head. I looked around saw we were in a parking lot of a huge hotel. "Are we here?" I yawned, and stretched my arms.

"Yep." Rikki yawned.

"Did you fall asleep too?"

"No." he replied quickly, and looked out the window.

"You both fell asleep, and snored." My Mom chuckled, and parked the car.

I noticed the parking lot, which looked too full to actually be people staying in the hotel.

"This looks like a big party." I sighed, when my Mom climbed out of the car.

Rikki climbed out, but offered me a hand, and I grabbed it. "You never know."

I grabbed his forearm, and held it. He look down at me, and smiled. "Come on you two." My Mom urged.

We started towards the entrance, and I thought this hotel would looked like any other hotel, you would go into. A hotel welcoming you as if you were coming home. This one somehow seemed different.

"How many stars does this have?" I whispered to Rikki.

"Five." he whispered back.

"That's why." I sighed. I stared at the huge fountain in the middle of the lobby, and there was also a pair of escalators going up and down to the second level. I saw a bar, and a flat screen television on one side of the huge lobby floor. There were also many entrances, the side one we came into, the main entrance, and the one that was for the guest.

"Here were are." My Mom stated.

I looked in the direction she was looking at, and I knew we were there when I saw Jesse standing at the entrance door with Riley. She was smiling at the guest that were entering the room. I looked above the double door way to see it was named 'Ballroom 1'.

"Oh, Hi." Jesse said.

"Hi there, " My Mom started. "this is my daughter-"

"Michelle, nice to see you again." Jess smiled at me.

"Yes, " My Mom laughed, "and her friend Rikki."

"Hi." he said.

"Hello, and okay there should be a some empty tables somewhere in here." she gestured towards the ballroom. "Oh, and please enjoy all the food, and drinks." she smiled, and started talking to the guest behind us.

"I'll go find a table." My Mom smiled at us, then look behind me, and her smile grew.

"Hi, I see you guys made it!" I turned to see Riley grinning. "You look beautiful as ever Michelle."

I laughed. "Thanks."

"You do too, " he gestured to My Mom, and she laughed. " and so do you Rikki." he finished, and his grinned widened.

"That has to be the gayest compliment I ever received." Rikki responded.

"Be quiet Rikki." My Mom laughed.

"Oh well I have a table. If you three don't mind sitting with me." Riley offered.

"Thank you, come on you two." and my Mom began following Riley inside.

I finally looked inside the ballroom, only to stand outside the doors in awed silence. Tables almost covered the whole floor, except for a large space in front of the stage, probably the dance floor,  where the band was. I saw a long table of snacks, fruits, and desserts filled a long table on one side of the room, and the caterer on the same side.

There were two crystal chandeliers on either side of the room. On a few of the tables a vase, standing about a foot tall, was centered on the table holding a beautiful bouquet of red, and white roses. The rest of the tables had smaller vases, and bouquets in the center of them. A few candles were lite on the table. I looked around the room to see the walls were covered in a warm beige color, and the tables were covered in a cream color. The chairs were also covered in the same cream color.

The atmosphere was quite bright, and happy. Butterflies filled my stomach, and I felt my palms starting to get clammy. I took a deep breath, and Rikki finally nudged my arm, pulling me from my thoughts.

"Are we going to go inside soon?" Rikki whispered.

"Uh, yeah, sorry." I laughed sheepishly.

"Well it looks like you were right, there are a lot of people here. Probably close to two-hundred."

"I knew it." and I sighed. I began to follow Rikki since he was actually looking to see where my Mom, and Riley went to.

We sat down at a table that was only a few feet away from the dance floor. I was amazed by the small bouquet of flowers that were centered at our table.

"This is so beautiful, don't you think so?" I turned to see my Mom was talking to me.

"Oh, yes, very beautiful" I said, and gave a small smile. Riley sat to my left, and Rikki on my right, while my Mom sat on the other side of Riley.

"Okay, attention everyone." I heard someone say into a microphone. I looked towards the stage to see Jesse making her ways towards the center. On the other side of the stage, I saw familiar long brown hair. The person gave a big smile.

"Are you okay?" Riley whispered in my ear.

"I thought I could do this, but maybe I was wrong." I whispered back, and started to stand up.

"Wait, just listen." he rushed out, and started smirking.

I gave him a quizzical look, and looked back towards the stage, and waited for them to continue.

"I would like to thank everyone for coming tonight." My eyes widened the slightest when I focused on his face. I swallowed hard, and waited for him to continue. "We actually have something to tell everyone, but if you already know, then that's great." he finished, and laughed.

I felt my hands beginning to sweat. I looked at Riley out of the corner of my eye to see he was still smirking. Why?

"We are not getting engaged. It turns out that we don't have the same feelings for each other, as we use to." Jesse announced with a smile.

My eyes had widened, and I noticed Rikki, and Riley had both glanced at me to see my reaction.

"I did send another invitation out this week about celebrating a couple of anniversaries though." She continued. "It turns out my parents, have their anniversary today, and Everett's are on Sunday. So I thought it would be great to celebrate that today, and not waste this beautiful room, and again we thank you for coming."

The piano began playing, followed by the violins, guitars, and the small brass section.

"I'm just going to,... go for a walk around the lobby." I said, and gave a small smile to everyone. I made my way out the door, and into the lobby.

"Hey, Michelle."

I turned around to see Jesse, walking quickly towards me. She smiled when she stood in front of me. "Hi." I said, and gave her a small smile.

"I need to talk to you." she said, and grabbed my hand, and pulled me up the escalators. We were on the next level, and pulled me towards a bench, and I sat down, why she was still standing. She finally sat down next to me, and she looked towards me, and sadness crossed her eyes. "That night you saw him, and me together in bed,... you thought we were naked right?"

My eyes widened the slightest, and I looked down at the carpet.

"I can promise you we weren't... I'm still a virgin." she finished and laughed. "He cares about you so much Michelle, more than you think. I think he thinks about you everyday." she said, and smiled at me.

"So,..."

"It was a huge misunderstanding... I fell asleep with Everett, but we kept our space, and the next thing I know Riley is snoring next to me. "

"But his arm was..."

"That must have been Riley, he's a hugger. I think Everett was sleeping on the couch. I'm actually positive that he slept on the couch. He just waited until I fell asleep. The whole room smelled, thanks to Riley." she trailed off.

"Yeah, he is a hugger." I said, awkwardly.

I felt guilty for accusing him, and yet I don't think I could face him again.

"He doesn't know that your here actually, Everett, but when he finally sees you, I think he's going to be... well I don't know."

"But he's my teache-" I started.

"Teacher." she finished. "Michelle, love is love no matter who you find it with. " she stood up, kiss the top of my head, and whispered. "El te ama"

A small gasp left my lips, but she was already heading down the escalator. I sighed, and put my head in my hands.

"Hey."

I looked up to see a smiling Riley. "Hey." I replied, and gave him back a smile.

"So are you going to go see him?"

"I-I don't know... probably not." I whispered.

Riley crouched down in front of me. "I thought you might say that, and so did Everett, I guess that's why he gave this to me." he pulled out a white envelope from his suit jacket, and handed it to me. "I'll see you back at the table." and he kissed my forehead.

I watched him go down the escalators, then he disappeared. I stared down at the envelope, took a deep breath, and opened it. I gasped when the necklace Everett had given to me slid out of the envelope, and onto my lap. I picked it up, and then memories of that day came flooding back to me. I smiled, and noticed that it would go great with the dress I was wearing. I put it on, and clutched the pendant.

I threw the envelope in the trash next to me, and went down the escalator. I saw my Mom talking to Jesse in the front of the double doors. My Mom gestured for me to go stand next to her, and I did so. The band, or maybe it was a DJ, but they were playing a song I knew. "Enchanted".

"There I was again tonight, forcing laughter, faking smiles, same old tired, lonely place." I sang along. "Walls of insincerity, shifting eyes and vacancy, vanished when I saw your face. All I can say is it was enchanting to meet you."

"Oh my god,... you can sing." Jesse stared at me shocked.

"Not at all, I sound awful." I replied, and looked at the carpet shyly.

"She always sounds beautiful." My Mom claimed.

"I can tell! Come on I want you up on stage singing this, and maybe another song of your choice." she replied excitedly, and started pulling me in the direction of the stage. We jostled our way through the people who were standing.

"Oh no, I can't!" I protested.

"Please, for my parents." she pleaded.

I bit my lip, a microphone was forced in my hands, and found myself being pushed up the stairs that lead to the stage. I stumbled onto the stage, and turned to look at Jesse. She nodded, and gestured for me to keep singing. I noticed I was very nervous, my hands were sweaty, and I took a deep breath before I started to continue.

"Your eyes whispered have we met?, Cross the room your silhouette, starts to make its way to me." I looked around the room to see all eyes were on me. I swallowed the lump in my throat knowing he would see me now. "The playful conversation starts, counter all your quick remarks, like passing notes in secrecy. And it was enchanting to meet you." The other guitar player started playing, and I smiled at him. "All I can say is I was enchanted to meet you."

I was just going to keep this short, and sing the last verse next. I looked around the room again, and noticed Riley was grinning at me, and Rikki who was standing next to him, was smiling at me. I looked at the center of the room and saw my Mom standing there looking proud. I saw out of the corner of my eye that someone had came into the room, and seem to stand in the direction Riley was standing.

"This night is sparkling, don't you let it go, I'm wonder-struck, blushing all the way home, I'll spend forever wondering if you knew." I smiled, as I sang the rest of the words. "This night is flawless, don't you let it go, I'mwonder-struck , dancing round all alone, I'll spend forever wondering if you knew, I was enchanted to meet you." I looked in Riley direction to see Everett standing next to him, his eyes were wide, and he was staring straight at me.

"Please don't be in love with someone else, please don't have somebody waiting on you." I whispered the last of the word, and the hand with themicrophone in it dropped to me side.

Clapping, and cheering sounded all around me. I turned to face the band, and clapped for them, and nodded my head to the band. I turned back towards the party, "Thank you." I said, into themicrophone, and waved. I went down the stairs were I was forced up, and saw a smiling Jesse.
I smiled, and waved.

"Amazing." she beamed at me.

She took the microphone out of my hands. She made her way on stage. "And that was the lovely Michelle everyone." She walked quickly off stage, and towards me. "I promise I'll pay you, how does two hundred sound."

"You don't have to."

"Oh yes I do."

"Okay." I smiled.

"Michelle that was amazing!" I turned to see my Mom smiling at me, and she hugged me.

I saw Rikki behind her, and he came to hug me next. "Beautiful." he whispered, and I felt my face heat up.

I smiled at them, and then went to go sit down next to Riley. "You might want to think about doing another song." he grinned at me.

"Uh, no." I laughed.

He laughed at me, kissed my forehead, and told me he was going to go stuff his face real quick. I was the only one sitting at the table, and I sighed. I stared at the candle on the table, and watched the flame flicker. 'There is no way I could face Everett, it would be tooembarrassing . I feel real bad. He probably doesn't even like me anymore, but Jesse said he did, probably not anymore. He probably thinks I'm an immature. What am I suppose to say?... Sorry I accused you.' A slow song started to play, I looked up to see that people started dancing, and I sighed heavily.

I stared down at the candle again, and suddenly a hand came into my view. I turned to see him standing there. He wore a black long-sleeve button-up, and some black slacks. A small smile was on his lips. I looked away, and I felt my face heat up. He gently grabbed my hand that was on the table, and pulled me to stand up, and then pulled me towards the dance floor.

He put my left hand on his shoulder, and held my other hand with his, and I felt his free hand on my lower back. He pulled me closer to him, and we only had inches between us, and we began swaying. If a blush wasn't on my face yet, I would be surprised. I stared anywhere except for his face, but I could tell he was looking at me. He started humming the song, and I started to listen. I sighed inwardly when I knew the song that was playing. "Dreaming of You".

"Late at night when all the word is sleeping, I stay up and think of you." I sang quietly. "And I still can't believe that you came up to me, And said..." he pulled me closer.

"I love you." He sang quietly, while looking down at me, and I knew what the next part was 'I love you too' I sang to myself. I feltembarrassed, and pulled away. He pulled me back towards him, and now there was only a paper thin line separating us. "You look beautiful." he whispered in my ear. I looked up at him, and he smiled. His eyes shined with happiness, and he began to sing the rest of the song. "and there's nowhere in the world I'd rather be, then here in my room, Dreaming of you endlessly."

I dropped both of my hands, and I began to feel awkward, and started to walk off the dance floor. I felt him grab my hand, and pull me to the entrance of the ballroom. When we reached the lobby, he pulled me towards the escalator, and we started walking up the moving steps. I pulled my hand from his, and sat down on the bench. He leaned against the wall not far from me.

"So, your wearing the necklace." he asked.

I blushed. "Yes." I said, quietly. "I-I, I'm..." I took a deep breath, and closed my eyes.

I opened them, and saw him crouching in front of me. My eyes widened in surprise, and I backed up a little. "It's okay."he stated, and smiled.

I felt me hands curl into fists. How could he say that? "No, no it's not. I feel awful."

"Michelle-"

"You probably hate me." I whispered.

He grabbed my face, and kissed me gently,but pulled away before I could protest. "I could never hate you. Michelle,... Angel, I lo-"

My internal temperature must have sky rocketed, and I inwardly thanked Riley for his perfect timing. I don't know what I would have said, or done.

"Hey there you two are." I turned to see Riley grinning at us from the escalators.

"I'm going to kill him." Everett groaned.

Riley walked over to us. "Did I interrupt something?"

"You never do Riley." Everett stood up.

"Did I sense some sarcasm in that sentence?" I looked up at Everett just in time to see him roll his eyes. "Very mature, well anyway, the cake is about to be served."

"Alright, thanks Riley." I stood up, and I watched as he went back down stairs.

Everett also stood up, and grabbed my hand, and brushed his thumb over my knuckles. I looked up at him, and saw him smiling down at me.

'I really think,... I love him, but I'm afraid.' I thought, and smiled back.



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First of all this might be too long,... let me know if it is :)
Second, I like to thank everyone who voted & commented!

A/N: So someone put that they are 'Team Rikki/Riley'.... Yay! I think your
the first person to actually 'Team' someone! Thank you so much!
Okay... so I think after this chapter I would love to know whose 'Team' you
are on please! :)

And I got over 1,000 votes!! Ahhh! Now if only everyone commented.... *Sigh*
 :)

Anyway.

I also think I got the hang of this 'Writing' thing. My first chapter were a bit,
i don't know... amateur-ish lol, but I really think I got ten times better at this.
Especially since I get some comments saying "I'm a good writer.'... but I still
think I’m not too/that good =/


Comment.

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