It started with arranged marriage

Chapter 5

        - Eric William Miller - 

After mother left me with shocking and speechless news on Christmas eve day, I was still frozen in the staircase. Meanwhile, someone came and tapped my shoulder from the back. It was Lily and Steve, “Is everything okay?” Steve asked. I didn’t hear anything he was saying, I was still lost with the thought of marriage. “Are you Okay___ Eric!” he asked me again, tapping my shoulder hard this time. Because of that I came back to reality. “Yeah,yeah___ I’m fine. Thanks for asking,” I said. When I looked up, I saw Lily. I just gave her a fierce and disgusted look. She looked confused about my action. 

I just ignored them and quickly walked into my room. I know I shouldn’t have looked that way to her but I was angry and needed to blame someone. I calmed down myself and then thought about what to do next in order to escape from this ridiculous situation. Normally I should have asked advice or help from Nick but now I couldn’t do that too. I was stuck with my own thoughts. I knew my mom wouldn’t give up easily in this matter. 

The loud phone ringing sound woke me up from my thoughts. I picked up the phone,it was Sophia. I got one idea that I can escape from my mother's plan and also I could live happily with my girlfriend. 

“Sophia, let’s get married when I get back from holiday,” I asked excitedly. “Are you crazy Eric! You didn’t pick up my phone in the last two days and now you ask me to marry you. Are you out of your mind?” I got an unexpected response from the other side. “No! Sophia, I’m perfectly fine__ I’m serious about marrying you. I know this is not the right way to purpose you. But the situation made me do it now,” I said. 

“Listen carefully Eric! The reason I call you is I cannot be with you anymore. I got a big leading role in Steven Spielberg's upcoming movie. This is a big opportunity for me. I cannot lose it,” she said. I was hit with another unexpected news. I knew that our relationship had been on and off. We broke up many times, everytime she was the one who broke up with me first and she was the one who came back to me. But I was expecting she would say Yes.  

“Are you breaking up with me again?” I asked. It hurt my pride every time she did it to me. But I was too much in love with her and didn’t find any fault in her. She knew that and she always took advantage of that too. That was the main reason why the people who cared about me like my parents,Nick and some of my friends didn’t like her.

“Yes! I’m breaking up with you. I cannot take a risk for my upcoming big role,” she said. I was really disappointed and angry. “Sophia, if you leave me this time again, there is no turning back this time. You will lose me forever,” I said. “Are you sure you don’t regret your decision?” I asked her. 

“I’m sure with my decision. I don’t want to spend my whole life with you as your wife. Also never think about it too. I want to be more famous and now my bright future is waiting for me,” she said. I was so disheartened with her and I don’t want to talk to her anymore. “Goodbye Sophia, I hope you well,” I said and hung up the phone. 

Now what? My last escape plan was gone. I was sitting with my blank mind and didn't know what to do next. Moreover I had unfinished gift wrapping plus I need to go to the town chief Christmas Eve party. I decided to put aside all that problems for a while and focus on what needed to be done first. 

My stomach was asking for food. I hadn’t had anything since I woke up and now already past 12. I decided to grab something to eat. I walked down to the kitchen with a heavy footsteps. At the living room dad,mom, Mary and Nick’s grandma were there chatting. Nick was making coffee in the kitchen. “Can you make one cup of coffee for me too,” I asked Nick while I was taking out egg, milk and bacon from the fridge and started cooking. 

After I finished making food, I grabbed the food plate and went to the balcony. I was wondering where Lily was? I wanted to talk to her and asked her about the arrangement too. In that moment, Nick also showed up at the balcony while holding his coffee cup. I didn’t notice he showed up. I was lost in my own thoughts. 

“Are you okay man? You don’t look good and you skip breakfast too?” Nick asked. “I’m fine,” I sighed and answered him. I sighed and told him “actually I’m not okay. I’ll explain it to you later. Now let’s go and prepare for the party.”

I entered the house with Nick, Lily was putting her gifts under the Christmas tree. “Your gift wrapping is so pretty, sweetie,” mother praised Lily. “Kids don’t forget to place your gift under the tree,” dad said, glancing with reminding glance that I was the only one who hadn’t put the present yet. 

“Okay____,” I said as I walked away from them. 

“Eric, did you iron your suit already?” mom shouted from a distance. “It’s already done, mom,” and quickly went to my room. I wanted to avoid her as much as I can right now. I don’t want to face her yet due to this morning's unexpected event.  

I was going to change my suit, dad came in. “Your mom asked you to drive Lily to the party,” dad said. “Why me? How about her two brothers,” I asked in an annoying tone. “Steve and Nick are already on the way to the party with their grandma,” dad said. I knew it was mom’s plot. Before dad walked out he said “ohh___ your mom also said to be a gentleman and leave a good impression on Lily.” I just groaned at him and he laughed and looked at me amusingly. 

I was annoyed by the fact that we need to ride in one car forced by my beloved mother. Everyone was gone to the party, only me and her were left alone at the mansion. I was ready 15 minutes ago and was waiting for her. I ran out of patients and I was about to go to her room to check. 

“Where’s everyone?” she asked, wearing a really simple plain black mini dress with a pair of pearl earrings while coming down from the stairs holding her coat. She didn’t put any extra accessories, she dressed in a really simple way with light makeup and letting her long hairs rest on the right side of her shoulder. 

I was mesmerized by her beauty for a while without even realizing I was staring at her. “Is something wrong? Do I look weird?” she asked. That made me catch my sense back. “You look weird not because of the dress but because of the look,” he snapped at her unexpectedly. 

Actually, I lied a while ago, she looked perfect. I just didn’t want to be nice to her and blamed her. “Thanks for the feedback but I don’t concern how you think. I know how I look. I just ask you out of politeness,” she snapped me back. “Where is everyone though?” she asked again. 

“Already went to the party, mom instructed me to wait for you and take you to the party,” I said. She made a really unwanted and uncomfortable face. After I saw her expression, “don’t assume that I want to do this,” I said. 

She didn’t say anything back and hopped into the car back seat. “I’m not your driver, sit at the front,” I said in an annoying tone. The car ride was really silent, she asked “why are you so rude?” she cutted me when I was about to ask something to her. 

“It’s none of your business. By the way I need to ask you something,” I said. She was shocked by the fact about my behaviors. I just ignored and shooted with my questions. “Did you hear something from your mom?” I asked. “Something like what?” she asked me back. “Like unexpected or shocking news,” I said. “No, nothing at all,” she answered. 

I was shocked by the fact that she didn’t know about the arranged marriage plan yet. I was conflicted about whether I should tell her or not. While I was conflicting, we arrived at the party venue. She was about to walk inside without waiting for me. I stopped her on the half way, “wait for me. My mother asked me to escort you inside the venue.” She waited for me and we walked in together to the party.