The Six Month Contract

It's All An Act

I stare at the ring on my finger. This could possibly be the biggest diamond I have ever seen. The ring is delicate, just the way I like it, but definitely not small. It's a contradiction just like Rocky himself.

Rocky's hand rests on my thigh as he lifts his coffee cup to his lips. I attempt to smack his hand away but he grabs it instead and leans forward. "I wouldn't try that if I was you," he says tilting my chin to the left slightly. "The paparazzi are watching."

Taking a deep breath I smile at Rocky. It's fake and he knows it but that's all I can muster.

I feel like several flashes go off behind us. "Do they know we're married?" I ask.

"With the rings on our fingers, I think they'll figure it out," he replies.

I still don't get this. A six month marriage is ridiculous but exactly something I should have expected from Rocky.

His hand moves up my thigh and shiver runs down my spine. By the way Rocky smirks, I can tell he senses it. I hate how weak he makes me. When his hand cups my cheek, he leans in and kisses me, frozen I don't know how to react.

He smiles. "You've got to act the part," he whispers into my ear as he places a kiss by the side of my neck.

I take a deep breath. "You brought us out here to this coffee shop because you knew the paparazzi would follow, didn't you?" I tell him. "So you could do whatever you wanted and I'd have no choice but to play along."

Rocky smirks. "Without a doubt," he says. "And I'm not even going to deny it."

Frowning I look down at my hands. "How about you go fix your sexual frustrations and sleep with whoever and I'll keep my mouth shut about it. That way you don't have to bother me."

Rocky lifts an eyebrow. "Now why would I be crazy to do that. If I have a gorgeous wife in front of me, why would I want to sleep with someone else."

I blink. I don't know what he's playing at but the idea makes me sick. So incredibly sick.

"So kiss me, will you," Rocky says.

When his lips touch mine, all I can think about is the paparazzi. So I kiss him back. I even let his hand squeeze my thigh.

--------------------

I flip through the magazine and sigh. I'm bored and everything here is boring. I want to go back to my own place but I'm stuck here for six months.

Slamming the magazine hard against the table, I stand up. It bounces off the table and lands on the floor.

"Don't think the table deserved that," a voice says behind me.

I turn to see Rocky watching me. "Do you not have anything better to do?" I ask. "Perhaps running your business."

"That's what I pay people to do," he says as he steps closer to me. He picks the magazine up from the floor and places it back on the table. What a prick.

"I'd rather spend this time with my wife instead."

Grunting, I push myself past him. "And I'd rather spend it alone," I say straightforwardly. When there's distance between us, I turn to face him and say, "I know you're playing at something, but I'll figure it out."

He smiles but doesn't follow me and that is so much worse. I can tell he won, he always does.

I storm into his bedroom...our bedroom, or whatever you want to call it. My throat tightens. My phone chimes in the corner and I freeze. Please don't be my parents.

Of course it is though. I've never had that much good luck. They've sent me a picture of Rocky and I at the cafe. How on earth could that have spread that quickly? Their texts are followed by a bunch of question marks and then that article on Systematics Corp.

I sigh as I lean against the wall, my knees buckle and I drop to the ground. This is a disaster.

"I can call them if you want," Rocky's voice goes off behind me.

Anger consumes and I stand up. Storming over to him, I push him against the wall. "This is all your damn fault," I yell, slamming my hands into his chest again.

"Sky, that's not how it is," he says. "And even you know that."

Tears fall down my face and I hate that Rocky gets to see me like this, all weak and powerless. Knowing him, he'll find a way to use it against me.

"Couldn't you make it simple. As bloody friends in high school, couldn't you help me out if you knew Systematics Corp was in the wrong," I shout. "Why the damn marriage contract?"

Rocky watches me as I slam the palm of my hand against his chest again. He takes a step back from the impact and his back hits the wall.

"Happy now," he says. "Are you calm? Or do you want to shove me some more?"

I frown and then slam my feet hard against the ground. "Bloody hell, Ro..." but before I can say more, Rocky's lips are on mine and he's kissing me.

It calms me for a second as my hands drop beside me. Rocky twists my body so it's no longer his back against the wall but mine. His hand wraps around my hip and he presses himself against me. A subtle moan escapes my lips before I blink registering what has just happened.

I pull back and stare at him. "Can't believe you just did that!"

Rocky smiles. "It calmed you down."

My phone chimes and I turn to face it. I wipe the last of the tears and grab it. Another text from my parents demanding an answer. I wish it was simple.

"My offer is still on the table," he says behind me. "I can still talk to them."

I frown. "I'm kinda in the middle of dealing with one of your other offers at the moment. Don't want to be trapped in two."

He nods and heads for the door.

"Why just six months?" I ask. "I mean does it mean something?"

Rocky stops by the door. "Someone once told me six months would be enough to change someone's life forever," he says seriously. "I've always believed that."

Without uttering another word, he leaves. I feel like I cannot breath. When we were in high school, I was bullied by a bunch of school girls, it was the last six months of school. I was crying in the girls bathroom and Rocky had walked in. He didn't care that he could very much get in trouble, he was trying to calm me down. Of course back then he was a complete flirt. I had told him to get stuffed but he hadn't.
He said he wanted to help. I told him it didn't matter, only six months were left. I told him I'd prove all the bullies wrong, that six months would be enough to change someone's life forever. I was going to prove everyone wrong.
Rocky had told me he believed me, that he'd visit me one day when that happened.

He never did visit but what he just told me shook me to my bones. Did he actually pay attention enough to remember?

I play with the ring on my finger. This time though, six months will change nothing. What can this fake contract achieve? How can anything get better? I already feel like I'm in hell.