MDCF

21

Although Siana knew they were meaningless words uttered only for consolation, she was grateful for Alan's kindness.

"Thanks, really. I know you are trying to comfort me. You're a good friend."

"I am not just saying that to comfort you. It's the truth."

"Alright," she said, but she didn't look like she believed him. "I am far from the standard of beauty the society fawns over. But I can't rip my face and fix it."

Alan listened to her every word. "My chances of meeting someone worthy is close to nonexistent. The only choice I have is to lower my standard or I might not even be able to marry someone." Siana went wide-eyed. "Wait, this is serious. What if I am well into my adulthood and I don't find anyone and can't get married?"

"Do you absolutely have to get married?" Alan asked, "Can't you just live alone doing what you like?"

"That only applies to guys you know," she said, "Guys can do anything they like. But if a girl is well in her twenties and unmarried, we are treated like defective objects."

Alan frowned. "That's unfair," he said.

"Is this the first time you're hearing this?" she asked.

"Well, yes," he said.

"Lucky you," she said, "We girls, we are always worried about this. Since it doesn't affect you, being a guy and all, maybe it's not important for you to talk about." Siana continued, "The older you get, the more society frowns upon you, if you are a woman. They get blamed for a whole lot of things, infertility, ugliness, bad attitude even if they haven't done anything wrong."

Alan frowned more, thinking about what she said. "Some families treat their daughters as pests leeching them off their fortunes if she is old and unmarried. Most people rush and force their daughters into marriages they might not want."

"That is horrible," said Alan.

"It is, isn't it?" said Siana, "But that is the reality for most women. Maybe it will be my reality as well.

"I don't think your father will do that," said Alan, "he loves you."

"Of course," she said, "But you never know what the future might bring."

Alan bit his lips as though he had no words to give her anymore. Siana clenched her fists raging at the unfairness of it all. "So, we are all raised that way. Girls. We are taught to sit straight and smile and please people. Only one goal, that is to find a suitor before twenty."

Siana felt tired. Maybe her life would be different. Maybe, by some miracle, everything would turn out to be alright. She was going to fall back on bed when Alan looked at her.

"Hey," he said gently, "If you don't have anyone by the time we are twenty, then marry me if you are so worried."

"What?!" exclaimed Siana. It was utterly unexpected from Alan.

"You don't want to?" asked Alan.

"It's not that...," stammered Siana, staring at him to see if he was just playing a prank on her and would burst out laughing. But he seemed very serious. Siana didn't think too much about it. Alan probably said that to make her feel better. It was touching that he wanted to help her in his own way. Siana decided to humor him.

"Alright," she said, "If we both are unmarried and beyond our twenties, then we marry each other. Pinky promise." She held out her pinky finger and hooked it with Alan's.

*

The sun's rays spilt into the room through the curtains and hit her eyes to wake her. The past was just a dream and an old memory. She opened her eyes.