Lessons

Gemma proved very hard to teach indeed. She had no musical experience whatsoever, plus she was stubborn and easily irritable.

Actually, she was rather like myself.

"Gemma, did you practice this at all?" I asked her two week in to our lessons.

"No," She said unapologetically, "I was going to, but then I had to go to a dress fitting,"

"A dress fitting?" I said angrily, "Gemma do you think that I have nothing better to do with my time than teach you how to play the piano?"

"Now that you mention it, what else do you have to do other than this?" Gemma shot back, "Do you have a lot of friends I do not know about that you are neglecting?"

I glared at her, "I have had enough of you Gemma," I stood from the piano, "You want results but you do not want to work for it…I am leaving you in this room and you are not coming out until you can play this scale backward and forewords with your eyes closed!"

I stalked from the room and shut the large double doors. I braced them so that she was stuck in there.

"Erik!" She banged on the doors, "Erik you let me out of here this minute! Erik!"

Nadir approached me, "What do you think you are doing?" He asked.

"Teaching," I said simply.

Eventually Gemma stopped banging on the door. It took awhile, but I heard music coming from the room. The notes were off at first, but slowly she improved. It was around one in the morning by this time.

I listened to her play for another hour or so. However, all of a sudden I noticed that the music had stopped. I decided she had been punished long enough.

Opening the doors I entered the room. I expected to see Gemma sitting at the bench, but she was not there.

Instead she was lying on my sofa. A pillow rested under her head and her perfect blond hair fanned out across it. She lay on her back, one arm above her head and the other flat on her stomach.

God she looked beautiful.

I suddenly felt like quite the jerk for locking her in that room. I had only wanted her to be better; I wanted her to be as good as I knew she could be. Why did that wish for her make me do such crazy things?

Gently I shook her awake. To my surprise she was not angry.

"I think I did better!" She said excitedly, sitting up after I woke her, "I even tried it once with my eyes closed!"

I smiled at her and nodded, "It sounded perfect,"

She yawned, "What time is it?"

"Nearly two in the morning," I said, "I will take you home,"

Gemma had stopped bringing her carriage here. Instead she road a horse, something I did not like because it meant that she road in and out of town alone at night.

I planned on us both riding her horse in to her house and then I would walk the three miles back. However, Gemma had a different idea.

"I know it is not proper, but it is so late Erik and my father trusts you, would you mind if I just slept here?" Gemma asked.

"O-of course," I stuttered, the idea of her spending the night was very exciting, "I am afraid that I do not have a guest room for you to use," I did have another room but it was covered in dust, "But you are welcome to mine,"

"Oh no that is alright," Gemma shook her head, "I am so tired, I can just sleep here," she motioned to the sofa.

I laughed, "The famous Gemma Chevalier sleeping on a sofa? I think not…we both know you would prefer a bed so just take mine,"

Gemma smiled, "If you insist…but where will you sleep?"

"Don't worry about me," I said, taking her hands and pulling her up from the sofa.

Gemma followed me up to my room. I could not help but realize that I was taking her to my bed.

"Here," I opened the door, "Sleep well,"

"Thank you," She said, stopping in the doorway and turning toward me.

"Well I was not about to allow a guest to sleep on the sofa," I said.

"No," Gemma smiled at me and took a step closer, "I mean thank you for everything, for teaching me and being so patient, I know I am not a good student," She leaned forward and kissed my cheek.

My heart stopped and my legs weakened. I knew it was foolish to let she have such an effect on me but I could not help it. And now, now that we stood in the dark doorway to my bed room…

As though she understood what might happen if she did not act quickly, Gemma stepped back and shut the door.

I retired to the living room, sprawling out on the sofa were Gemma had lain moments before. I was tired, but thoughts of Gemma kept me awake. She was in my bed. Her perfect body was now resting between the sheets where I usually slept. It was maddening.

It was a rough night on the sofa. The piece of furniture was not big enough for my body and I could not find a comfortable position. However, waking up the next morning was completely worth it.

I opened my eyes to see a bright blue eye and a bright green eye staring at me.

"Oh! I didn't mean to wake you," Gemma said, she was standing in the living room, the morning light hitting her perfectly and her hair a bit tasseled from sleep. I had not even known a woman could look so stunning.

Then it occurred to me that I was not wearing my mask. Of course I had taken it off to sleep and I had not had the chance to put it back on.

My hand shot to my face but Gemma caught it, "Erik,"

We stared at each other for a few minutes without speaking. How could she do it? How could she stand to look at me? I noticed she did not look directly at me, but she let her gaze flick across my face from moment to moment. It looked as though she were trying to get used to my appearance.

I did not want her to have to do that. I did not want her to look at me with sadness or pity and have to try hard not to look away.

Again I reached for the mask and this time Gemma did not stop me.

"How did you sleep?" I asked her, trying to pretend as if the last moment between us had not happened.

"Fine," Gemma smiled, "Your bed is very comfortable,"

I tried to hide the fact that her words made me blush.

"Did you sleep in the sofa all night?" Gemma asked me.

"Yes," I nodded.

"You are too big for it," Gemma said, looking me up and down and then looking to the sofa, "You could not have been comfortable,"

"I was fine," I said lightly.

Nadir was surprised to see Gemma enter the kitchen that morning.

"I—oh," He said, starting to talk to me and then seeing Gemma behind me.

"Late lesson," Gemma offered an explanation.

"But…won't people think…" Nadir stuttered.

"Let them have their thoughts," Gemma said carelessly, sitting on a stool in the kitchen, "It does not matter to me,"

I laughed. Clearly Nadir did not understand Gemma's position in society as well as Gemma did. No one would scoff at what she did because everyone wanted to be just like her.

However as I reached for a cupboard door, I stopped laughing as a pain shot through my shoulder.

"Erik? Are you alright?" Gemma asked.

"My shoulders are a bit tight," I admitted, "The sofa does not seem to agree with me,"

"Come," Gemma got off her stool and motioned for me to sit down, "I can help,"

I sat down on the stool and she stood behind me. I had no idea what she would do until I felt her hands on my shoulders, massaging the knots out of my stiff upper back.

My eyes widened in surprise and then slid closed as I focused on how good this felt.

"If anyone was nervous before a show there was this girl from Sweden who would give massages," Gemma explained, "She taught me how to do it,"

"You were nervous once?" I teased her. My reward was a hard pinch, "Ah!"

Gemma stopped and drew her hands away, "Does that feel better?"

"No," I lied, "You had better keep going,"

"You are a terrible liar Erik,"

Gemma stayed for breakfast and then left, promising to see me later at the site and then after for another lesson.

When she was gone Nadir let his feelings on the subject of Gemma become known.

"Erik…what are you doing with this girl?" He asked me, "She comes over late at night…she sleeps here…this is not proper,"

"I know it isn't," I said, "But I am not doing anything to her…she chooses to come and go as she pleases,"

"And you do not…you never want to…" Nadir remembered how I had been with Christine, how badly I had wanted her.

"Of course I want to," I said bitterly, "Every time I see her I just…" I sighed. I wanted to make love to her, but more importantly I wanted to keep her with me, forever. I wanted her to belong to me.