My Choice

Chapter One

I am told that I am to write what I know. Well, I know that I am unlovable, my family hates me, and I am slowly dying everyday. But don't worry about me, I will die alone and I have accepted my fate. 

It wasn't always like this. I was lovable, I had a family who loved me, though I was slowly dying everyday. Aren't we all?

Well, I am getting ahead of myself. I am Sage. I am thirty years old, broke and living on my best friend Cory's couch. Not every girls dream, when you know your friend is getting married in a week and the fiance has always hated you. Well join the crowd Sally, I'm hated by my whole family so you are not all that important to me. 

Cory and I have been friends since we were six-years-old, we were both starting a new school the same day and have been inseparable since. We have been through a lot together, ten girlfriends on his part, seven boyfriends on my end, we even tried the whole dating and knew that it wasn't going to work. It was like kissing family, and you only kiss your family on their cheek, suffice it to say, not much happened between us. We've moved on and we have been there for each other since. 

Which is why I am on his couch a week before his wedding "hiding" from my family. They know that I am here, they couldn't give a damn though; in their eyes, I am nothing. Why? well, I finally stood up for myself and they don't like it at all. I said no to the man they wanted me to marry. They saw this man as getting rid of me because I was such a burden to them. 

I had my own job teaching middle school students, I paid my own bills, bought my own car, had my own apartment. How this could be a burden, I didn't understand. That was until I called the principal a witch, because that is what she is, and got fired for it. 

That same day my parents introduced me to Brad, a man that seemed like that answers to my prayers. He listened to me, he consoled me for months, I felt like he was my savor. I was back to living at my parents house because that was the only place that I had left to go, I had to sell everything to make ends meet. 

Well, my savor as it so seems was only hoping to get to my parents money, though they don't see it, granted I never told them. They only saw me reject his proposal at our favorite restaurant, and make them look bad. He definitely showed the hurt on his face well enough for the sake of our parents. His eyes told another story. They were raging mad. My parents disowned me right on the spot and said it was a good thing I said no, I am unlovable and worthless. Wow, great parents I have. I ran out of the restaurant and I ran to Cory's apartment and been here since.

That was three weeks ago.

"When are you going to get out of here?" The devil, as I like to call her says.

I choose not to answer her, the fight in not worth it and Cory doesn't like when I fight with Sally so I just leave her to her anger and turn around on the couch.

She leaves in a huff and goes to the kitchen to get her coffee and then goes out the door to work. I still don't even know where she works and I have known her for five years now. 

"You know, I am getting married in a week, Sage. You are not going to want to be here when we are officially married." Cory says calmly. Then continues "We had sex on the couch a few days before you started staying here"

I jump up as fast as I could shrieking at the thought of that.  "Ugh, I need a shower now!"

Cory looks at me and starts laughing like we used to do when we were kids. It must have taken him a full five minutes to actually stop laughing and even then his smile is so big. I truly miss his smile like this. His upcoming wedding is starting to weigh on him. I can tell, his eyes show anxiety.

I walk up to him and place my hand on his cheek and say "Everything will be fine Cory, you love her, she loves you, you have nothing to worry about. You will marry, take her on your honeymoon and will have your apartment to yourselves when you get back."

His smile doesn't reach his eyes. He takes a deep breath as I take my hand off and put my hands to my side. "It's not my wedding that I am worried about, it's you." He whispers.

"Me? Why are you worrying about me? You are the one that I should be worried about, you are the one actually getting married out of the two of us, wasn't it you that was saying you weren't going to get married?" I answered back with a smile on my face.

"This marriage will change everything, Sage. Now, go take a shower, you stink and you need to go look for a job." He sighs and points to the bathroom. 

I look at him and then turn around to go take a shower. As I enter the bathroom I sigh knowing that things will change in a week. I have a week to get my act together so Cory can go on his honeymoon in peace knowing that I am okay. And I will be okay, I need to be okay so I know he can enjoy his honeymoon.