Opposites Attract

Chapter 1

Chapter 1;

Kate p.o.v

"So, Kate. How's that boyfriend of yours?" Dad asked me.

We had gone out for lunch like we often did. He always payed for me, not accepting my money when I tried to offer.

Dad and Mum were some big shot lawyers and had been for years. We weren't loaded, just fairly well off. I suppose if you put both thier salaries together, we'd be considered rich but I hated it.

Ok, it did have it's advantages. I didn't have to work, but I choose to - it gives me a sense of normality in my life.

It also means that I'm earning my own money and don't have to rely on my parents.

"Dad, I've told you. We broke up but he won't accept it." I broke up with Josh (my ex) months and months ago and he's been pestering me ever since.

We'd been together for years but to be quite honest, I just didn't feel the same about him anymore and hadn't done for months - I thought it unkind to string him along.

I'd tried to be kind but it hadn't made it any easier to do - it had torn me apart, having to break up with him.

"Well, sweetheart, you were too good for him anyway." He smiled as he got up.

"Thanks, dad." I smiled back. "Are you going already?" It felt like we hadn't been here for long!

"Sorry, but work calls!" He laughed. "We'll see you tomorrow night though, won't we?"

"Of course, wouldn't miss it for the world." He gave me a quick peck as he walked past, placing some money on the table - for the bill, I'm assuming.

Sometimes I really hated his job - he was always missing stuff and rushing around.

I sighed and sat back in my seat, not bothering to leave just yet. I pulled out my phone to text my friend Ali when someone spoke to me. I looked up, surprised at who I saw.

"Hey, Kate. You here alone?" This is Eric Saade. We'd gone to school together and we get on well enough, but we definitely weren't the best of friends - we aren't 'allowed' to be.

Oh, I forgot to mention, my parents were obsessed with status and power and apparently, Eric wasn't good enough as he wasn't from a rich family or well respected. Urgh, that really annoyed me.

Well, I don't know the exact details of it all, but I think our parents all used to be friends and something had happened. His parents had to move back to Sweden and Eric had starting living with his friend J - they'd rented a flat together.

I had been told to keep away from Eric as he's 'not good enough'. I know in school he had been a ... well, a bit of a hot-head really. He was always getting into trouble and my parents seemed to have gone off that reputation.

He was always lovely to me, in fact, he was nice to everyone. We're 22 now and see each other quite regularly actually - we lived in the same town, so it was bound to happen.

When we were in school, we had a talent show and some of Eric's friends had persuaded him to sign up. He performed a few songs, and they had been pretty damn good. I knew he'd signed to a record label, but I couldn't remember which one.

I was well aware that he was quite well known in the UK and performed regularly in his concerts and various festivals.

"Um, no. I was here with dad." His eyes widened and he was about to say something, obviously worried. "Don't worry, he left for work - he's gone."

"Oh, ok." He relaxed again, smiling. He's good looking, I'm not going to lie. He's tanned, muscular, with dark, well styled hair and big brown eyes. Just because I'm not supposed to see him, doesn't mean I'm blind!

I'd thought this a few times but had had to stop myself. If I got involved - in any way - with Eric, dad would go bat shit.

"You here with J?" I asked. J was Eric's oldest friend - they had been inseparable since the first year of school.

"Yeah, he's," he turned around to look for him and trailed off. "... gone, apparently. Oh."

We laughed but my phone started ringing. I looked at the caller id and - oh crap!

"My mum, sorry." I told Eric as I awnsered. He mouthed a 'see you soon' with a smile and a small wave before walking off, probably to find J.

I had to remind myself that I couldn't get involved with him as I wiped the smile from my face.

"Hm? Sorry, mum. Yes, I'm listening. Yes, 6.30. No, I won't forget. No, he just left for work. Yes, he did pay - of course! Ok, see you tomorrow. Love you too." I placed my phone back in my pocket, forgetting that I was going to text Ali.

Mum had only phoned to make sure that I knew all the details of tomorrow night. My parents were holding some fancy dinner for, they said, thier clients but I'd overheard them planning to invite 'single, potential boyfriends' for me - Urgh.

With a sigh, I grabbed my bag and left, not looking forward to tomorrow night.

.......................................................

Eric p.o.v

"Dude, where have you been?" I asked as J met me at the table, sitting down opposite me.

"Eh, here and there." He was looking around the restaurant, obviously distracted.

"Really? You're checking women out already? Dude, we've been here 2 minutes!" I laughed in disbelief.

"Of course! But you can barely talk - I saw you chatting up Kate!"

"I wasn't!" I protested. "And anyway, even if I wanted to, I can't." I sighed.

I was more than aware of her parents dislike towards me - I had no idea why but they didn't think I was respectable or that I should be seen with Kate.

With her shoulder length brown hair, almost silver eyes and petite figure, Kate is beautiful. That's not what draws me to her though. We'd known each other for years, and that was enough time to know that she's funny, clever, kind and genuine - so much more so than any other girl I know.

"Oh, so you do want to?" J guffawed. I rolled my eyes at him.

"Doesn't matter. Her dad would happily kill me if I got within a mile of her." I sighed again.

Plus, I remember hearing that she'd recently broken up with her boyfriend, so I doubt a new relationship was on her mind right now. I mean, I'd not long broken up with my long term girlfreind, Molly, but she was the one who'd found someone else, insisted that she 'still loved me', but not in the right way and had moved on. If she could, why can't I seem to?

"Yeah, that's true. Plus she'd probably laugh at your accent!" he guffawed. I joined in, knowing full well he was joking. He teased me relentlessly about my slightly noticeable accent, even though I'd lived here for years - it just didn't want to dissappear. I just found it funny, not caring in the slightest.

There was a calm silence from both of us as we calmed down before I spoke. "Right, are we ordering or just looking?"

"Dude, I could eat the whole menu and still be hungry - we're ordering!" He laughed. I had zoned out again, I knew I had. "Earth to E!" laughed as he shoved me, trying to wake me.

"Huh? Sorry man, in my own world." I laughed. In reality, I couldn't stop thinking about Kate. When I usually zoned out, I was thinking about music - I do it a lot in my head and had often been called a daydreamer.

J just laughed at me as we ordered.