Love Hate Relationship

The last of the portrait was of a young man who should be at least two years older than her age, he has a pitch black hair that was relaxed on his head, shiny and wet like as if he had just stepped out of the shower, his crystal blue eyes seems to burning into hers as if the portrait was alive and he was looking at her. He had a chiseled jaw and his nose was perfectly pointed, there was a thin, sexy pink line on where his lips should have been. He looked so familiar and when it finally dawned on her, she gasped, after all, one never forgets their first love.

Sasha found herself staring intently at the portrait, could it really be him or has she wished on seeing him again so much that she thinks this person is him? She stared at the man in the portrait next to his and remembers she sees that face a lot, especially in the news, he look so much like Joseph Brown, she looked at the woman in portrait, if he is Joseph Brown, then she is Vanessa Brown and that will make him, she looked at the young man portrait before her, Michael Brown.

She had a sharp intake of breath and looked around her, does this mean she is in the household of the Brown's? The multi billionaire family? She thought about it, of course, only the Brown's can get her the Jack and Jones contract. She turned to face the woman who is chatting so freely with her parents, is she getting married to Michael? She felt her heart beat increasing, she found herself dying to meet this fiancé of hers, can he really be the one? But, it was known then in school that he is gay, that was also the reason she never went after him.

"Joseph will be here any moment now, he is just going through some papers in his study" the woman she has realized as Vanessa told her parents. Sasha's heart was increasingly beating, she really want to ask about him, she wants to be sure he is the one. It will be heartbreaking to have her hope rise for nothing.

"That's okay, we can wait" her mother was saying "what about Michael?"

"Oh he will be here soon, don't worry. I'm pretty sure he is looking forward to seeing his fiancée" Vanessa looked at Sasha with a smile "now I see why he chose her at first glance, she is a beauty."

"Oh please, don't flatter us" Angelica said but with a proud smile evident on her face as she looked at her daughter.

Michael, she said Michael, Sasha's mind kept repeating, can it be a different Michael? Is she mistaken? She can't believe how they were so busy chatting casually when she is about to have a breakdown. Why didn't her parents tell her so that she could mentally prepare herself? She had already concluded within herself that she will never meet him again in this life time of hers and here she is, about to marry him?

Her legs went weak and she sat on the available sofa closest to her, she needs to get her emotion under control, she always deny it but she knows he was the reason she hadn't settle with anybody because she always expect to see his qualities in them and when they don't have it, she get angry and breaks up with them. She wants him, badly but there is always something chasing her away, the fact that he is gay.

The last time she saw him was two years ago when she had traveled to Canada for a meeting. She had seen him as usual in the circle of his male friends or business partners? She can't tell. She had went to the restaurant in her hotel to have a drink and had seen him, she had been shocked out of her wits, he was the last person she had expected to see and as usual, he didn't even notice her and she had stayed in the restaurant stealing glances at him. He had stayed there for nearly three hours, but not once did he glance at her table.

A man greeting her father brought her back from her thoughts, she looked up to see the exact same man she had seen in the portrait, nothing was out of place "welcome" he said.

Nicholas shook hands with him and he turned to look at her "you must Sasha."

She nodded before smiling "yes, nice meeting you."

The man smiled "you are welcome to my home Sasha, I hope you will enjoy us as we hope to enjoy you."

What an easy going man, she thought, despite his wealth "I hope so too."

Joseph smiled before sitting beside his wife and started a discussion with her parents which she was oblivious too, she can't get her mind to stop thinking about her fiancé or the man she believe is her fiancé.

After a good hour of chatting with the Brown's, a tall man stepped into the sitting room, he was wearing a dark blue suit that match with his eyes, a white shirt with two or three buttons open. His hair was plastered on his head and shiny. His chest was broad and he walked elegantly to his parents. Sasha couldn't get her eyes off him, he was just as he was, two years ago, cool and handsome.

He greeted her parents with a nod and only glanced at her briefly, it was just as if he didn't see her there. She swallowed and waited for the introduction which she knows will be coming soon.

"Michael, it's been a long time" Nicolas and the young man only slightly raised the corner of his lips in a faint smile as a response.

At that, he looked at her and his crystal blue eyes burned into hers, for the first time for as long as she can remember, he looked at her for as long as fifteen seconds. He only nodded later and looked away from her. She let out a low sigh, step by step, she told herself, after all, he chose her himself.

The family shared a few small talks later before settling for dinner and not for once did her so called fiancé, said a single word to her. The family seemed oblivious to the matter but it burned her, she was really dying to talk to him, he hadn't said a single word since coming in. When talked to, all he did was nod or lift the corner of his lips in a faint smile. She really wants to hear his voice, it's been so long.

She wanted to ask about him, his life, why he chose to marry her and if he still prefer men to women. She just really want to hear him talk and had to force herself to eat, telling herself maybe he will single her out after the dinner, after all, they are about to wed, they need to talk to each other right? Get to know each other, even if they had known each other for thirteen years now, from middle school to high school, they were hardly friends.

She could remember then in school, the only words she can say to him were 'hi, hello and goodbye" which he always, always respond with a nod. He hardly speak in class or anywhere in school, so his attitude tonight is not much of a surprise. Back then in school, one can only see him talking to his male friends, never for once had he been seen speaking to a girl and then one day, a junior student saw him in the bathroom with another male junior who had his pants down, that was how it was concluded that he was gay and not for once did he step out to deny it.

After dinner, the family settled to talk about the wedding, they want them married as soon as possible. Sasha stared at him, wanting to know if he will object to anything or choose to add any, but he just sat there as a statue, not saying a single thing. She tried to catch his eyes a few times in order to single him out but after looking at her when his mother introduced her, he has not glanced her way again, and for a brief moment, Sasha wondered if she was doing the right thing, but nothing, nothing will make her happy as she would be, being his wife.

His phone rang and he excused himself to answer it outside, the discussion continued without him and after some minutes, a servant walked in to announce that he was gone. Just like that? Sasha thought, she looked at his parents but they only nodded at the maid and continued with what they were saying, they didn't seem surprise at his attitude and she guessed this might not be the first time and then again, that tiny voice asked her again, if she was doing the right thing, she sighed and asked herself, is she?