Chapter 4:
2205 Words
Mira's pov ...
Blinking rapidly, I pinched myself a couple of times.
“she didn’t just say that. You’re just having a bad dream” I said in my head.
I nodded in affirmation, none of this was real. My mind was simply playing a cruel joke on me, that’s all.
“What would I do with her?” I heard James ask, his eyes roaming up and down my body like he was seeing me for the first time.
“Anything you wish” mother replied briskly.
OMG!!!
IT. WASN’T. A. DREAM
The person who is supposed to love me more than anything had just offered me up as collateral.
I suddenly felt light-headed, I gripped on to the balcony rail, so tightly my knuckles turned white as I gasped for air.
Her words seemed to have punched the air, taking away all the oxygen with it.
“Water" I croaked,
I needed water, I thought as I slowly let go of the balcony, putting one unsteady foot in front of the other as I approached the table holding the liquid. I helped myself to a bottle of water, with shaking hands that held on too tightly to the bottle, causing the water to spill out from the sides of my mouth onto my neck and my dress.
I placed the near empty bottle of water back on the table and scoffed as I took a turn and walked to the other side where my parents were busy giving me away.
I stopped by and arc that made the spot look like an entrance and laughed hysterically.
I laughed so hard tears were streaming down my eyes. Then I turned to face my birth-givers. It was one thing to know that I wasn’t loved but to see it play out like this with an audience for confirmation, is another.
The pain I felt as I stared at them was astronomical.
“She might not look it but she’s really smart” mother continued to speak like I wasn't there.
“I’m sure she’ll come in handy” father joined in.
I shut my eyes, almost unable to bear the stinging pain. I watched James whisper into the ears of a security guard and watched as the place began to clear out. Leaving just my family (If I could even call them that) and the Winston family.
Jeremy 's father James strolled to where I was standing and stopped directly in front of me. He placed a finger underneath my chin and slowly turned my face from side to side, as if trying to see if I was fit or not.
I fought the urge to spit in his face.
Apparently he was satisfied with what he saw as he casually let go, making a show of wiping the finger that had touched my face with a handkerchief and discarding it immediately. He put his hands in his pocket, leaned back and said “how about a wife for Jeremy?”
He asked and I actually snorted.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jeremy stiffen and his eyes almost bulge out of its sockets.
His mom who’d been observing as the scenario played out, stepped up and grabbed her husband’s hand.
“Enough James.”
“Come on now, don’t be a party pooper” he cooed, patting her hair lovingly.
“You’ve had enough fun James cut it out” she tried again through gritted teeth.
“Oh please, the fun has just began” he said with a flippant wave of his arm.
“You can have fun all you want but don’t drag my child into this” she warned him in a serious tone.
I watched their exchange in amusement.
If I wasn’t saddled with my current predicament, I’d have been awed at how protective she was being.
She freaking shared the same tan skin, long legs and pretty hair feature with my female birth giver (My mother), but she clearly had compassion and a heart as opposed to the black hole the latter had in her chest when it comes to me.
“He’s my child too” James clarified, his tone turning serious.
“I’ll do what I deem fit with my child.” He declared
“But…”
“No buts” he said, cutting his wife off and signaling the end of the conversation.
He suddenly clasped his hands together, and said “I guess, we have a wedding to plan.”
Excitement evident in his tone.
“Oh Come on Dad, you can’t just do this” Jeremy squeaked out, barely keeping his anger at bay.
“At least think this through.” He thundered at his father.
" So to you, I don't think?" His father asked in a dangerous tone.
"That's not what I meant and you know it dad."
Jeremy stressed
“Well, I'll have you know that I’ve done all the thinking that’s required.
Jeremy, say hello to your new bride.”
His father announced.
If looks could kill, I know that I'd be gone, long gone.
Dead and buried as the lasers from Jeremy’s eyes would have torn my and my soul into shreds, before anyone could blink.
I looked away from his gaze and my eyes unfortunately fell to his clenched fists then back to his face.
The amount of hatred on his face was clear and evident for everyone to see.
Obviously, his thoughts for me were of wickedness and pure evil.
Just this afternoon he’d decorated me in Spaghetti and now I am to be his wife ?
The situation was almost comical.
I could just about hear our classmates having a fit over this. Jeremy was probably thinking of all the ways he can torture me it kill me.
His mysterious bad boy persona would definitely slip through his fingers like fine grain. I almost felt sorry for him but I quickly reminded myself that I was the victim here and if I was to marry this twisted wicked boy, they’d have to drag my dead body to the altar.
“Come on Jeremy, don’t look so stunned, I’m a business man so trust my judgement” His father declared, catching everyone’s attention again and scattering my thoughts.
Jeremy took a good look at his father, my parents and then speared me a hateful one. “You, you and you.
You’ve all ruined my life and I hope it haunts you all at night!” he shouted and then stormed off.
Jane shook her head at her husband
" You're pathetic!" She shouted as she went after her son.
“We’re done here” James said addressing my birth givers.
“I’ll need to call my family to order” he said with a tick in his Jaw “but rest assured that this marriage will happen.” he said and sauntered off, but not before turning back to add that he’ll have our heads if we decided to play games with him.
My birth givers on the other hand just nodded at every thing that was being said.
Trying their best to thread carefully.
I wanted to yell, to scream at the top of voice until it was hoarse. I needed to know why I had such horrible horrible luck in life.
I wasn’t very religious but I almost got on my knees, begging that a savior come and put me out of this misery. I did none of this though, I just followed after my birth givers who didn’t care to spare me a word as they headed for the exit. I followed some paces behind quietly.
The ride home was silent and I sobbed silently all the way back home.
****
As soon as Zoe’s father stopped the car, I ran out, leaving my door ajar.
I stomped all the way to the slightly modern bungalow I’d lived in for as long as I remembered, thankful for the first time that my room stood at the far end of the house, away from everyone else's.
Slamming the door shut, I dropped down to the floor in the middle of the room and let the tears come with full force. I heard the front door shut and then the bedroom door of my birth givers a few minutes later.
“Of course” I thought to myself.
They weren’t going to offer an apology because with me, anything goes and they can't even be bothered to hide it.
I reached for the earphones on my bed and put them in my ears, letting Beyonce’s I Care take me far away. I was still cradled on the floor in a fetal position when Zoe found me.
“Mira, get off the floor this instance!” she yelled.
Apparently she’d been knocking for a while.
“Mum, told me what happened.” Zoe said as soon as she got in, and joined me on the floor.
“Did you now?” I queried, my voice hoarse from all the crying. I noticed the slight crease in her forehead as she took in the miserable state I was in, but I couldn’t bring myself to care.
“I know you’re hurt and upset but surely there is a reason for this, look on the bright side.”
“What bright side Zoe?” I asked cutting her off.
“For starters, Dad wouldn’t have to grovel to that man again.”
“So it's my job to pay for his mistakes?” I asked, unable to believe what she was saying.
“Tell me something Zo, is it okay for me to grovel in his stead, would you like that?”
I asked.
“You’re twisting my words Mira” Zoe sighed in frustration. I sighed out as well and asked, staring her right in the eye.
“Must you always take their side?’
“For once, can’t you just be on my side?”
“Don’t put it like that Mira, it’s not you versus them”she said
“Yes it is!” I pointed out, my voice going an octave higher.
“it’s always been me against them Zoe and the sooner you realize it, the better for us all”
I added.
“All I’m saying is that you should understand where our parents are coming from” Zoe continued, clearly not getting the message.
“Our parents? No ooo this is where you're completely wrong Zo, We have different parents, they’ve always treated you better, differently than they treat me." I complained.
“Don’t do that Mira, I’m not making excuses for them.”she emphasized
“Really? Because it sounds like that’s all you ever do” I knew I was being hard on her.
But I couldn’t help it.
I couldn't take it, watching her sit here and defend those people was upsetting.
The entire situation was.
Silence reigned for a brief moment, but Zoe broke it.
“Listen –” she began.
“No! you listen to me,” I interrupted .
“All my life, for as long as I can remember, I’ve laid low. I never asked for anything special, never wished for more than day and night.”l
All I have ever craved was a bit of normalcy, nothing spectacular. All of that nonsense about something grand, beautiful,huge, spectacular, love happening to me? I didn’t want it, never craved it.
Because I know my place and I don't ever trespass.” I stated bitterly, paused then continued.
“To me, such reality is too far-fetched so I never bothered.”
I shook my head and placed my hands on the floor, trying to control my labored breathing.
“But in the end, this is what I get in return, for not daring to dream?
Open your eyes Zoe, the parents you know are not the ones I know!”
I bellowed lowly and sucked in a breath
Zoe opened her mouth to say something but I didn't allow her, I kept going.
My voice dropped several octaves as I continued with a bitter chuckle “I realize, that I don’t have anything special. I have always known that life doesn't have anything special in store for me.” I took in a breath,
“And I’m okay with that.
“The only thing I want is peace.” I finished and got up, suddenly too tired to do anything else.
“Turn off the light on your way out” I said to Zoe, signaling the end of the conversation.
“Goodnight, I’m sorry that this is happening to you and I love you.”
Zoe whispered as she left, tears or anger , I couldn’t tell which was evident in her voice as she s**t the door behind her, leaving me to my own thoughts.
I climbed into bed with a sigh, I’d just fought with the one person who remotely had any interest in my side of the story.
Even if she wasn't exactly fighting for me, she at least listened to me grumblings.
I sighed out as a fresh new wave of tears threatened to spill and I let it.
- Writer
