How To Not Love Your Enemy

1: Do Not Get In An Arranged Marriage With Them

Cheryl couldn't be angrier. Right now she was in the Gala Hotel. Sitting next to her mother- who she was in no mood to see right now. And waiting for her soon-to-be husband. How did she get here? Well Cheryl remembers this same morning, getting ready for a recording session with AYANA, one of the biggest musicians off her time. Fast forward to the afternoon, she was sitting comfortably behind her studio equipment and guiding AYANA as she sang the lyrics to her new song. And then she received a call from her mother, saying it was urgent and she had to hurry. So she left the studio and rushed here - where she is now.

She couldn't help but curse under her breath. She was on a tight schedule and the song had to be released next week. There were a lot of things she had to do. But instead she was here - waiting to meet the man she was going to marry. The man she gave no consent to marrying.

Mrs. Reid sat next to her daughter with a smile on her face. Cheryl was nearly 26, but she hadn't showed any signs  or interest in dating, let alone wanting to get married which worried her mother. So she did the only thing she could do - arrange countless blind dates which Cheryl adamantly refused to go to. She was giving up hope when one of her friends contacted her with the same problem. They got to talking really soon and without the consent of both their children - decided an arranged marriage. Mrs. Reid knew Mrs. Park - Rodriguez's son, Austin. He was a programmer and had his own company - qwrty. So she felt like he would be a good match for her daughter. She liked him, so Cheryl had to like him too.

Mrs. Reid smiled as she saw Mrs. Park come up to the table with her son following closely behind. In the photos she had seen of him- he looked handsome. And he managed to look better in real life. She was sure Cheryl was gonna like him now.
"Shit". Cheryl said. She had spotted the all-too familiar face coming up to their table.
"What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to meet my fiancee if you must know." Austin retorted as he sat.
"Well she's not here. You can hurry along, I'm sure there are other people that will be less irritated by your presence than I am".
"Hell no. I'm not going anywhere. I literally had to drive two hours to get here"
"You can drive the two hours back. Bye-bye "

"Do you think I have time to waste like you? I literally have a company to run. I already wasted time by getting here- I'm not gonna waste anymore".
" I see your Ego's still as big as your ass. Last I remember you had a big one".
Austin glanced behind him to stare at the mentioned place. His cheeks reddened. His ass wasn't really that big, but the way Cheryl said it made it seem huge.
"At least I have an ass".

That was it. Cheryl was ready to kill him now.
She reached across the table to where he was sitting, hands outstretched to strangle him. Cheryl loomed in, about to grasp his neck when her mother slapped her hand away.

She blinked- now realizing she was in the presence of her own mother and Austin's. She sat down and her face heated in embarrassment. At that point she was grateful she wasn't light-skinned otherwise it would've been obvious.
"You two.. know each other?" Mrs. Park asked, still baffled from what had just gone on.

"Yes" Austin said, the same time Cheryl let out a "No".
The two mothers looked on confused. Austin continued - "We met each other in highschool. We weren't exactly friendly at the time. Cheryl here was jealous of me for... obvious reasons, which started a rivalry between us."
Mrs. Reid let out a low laugh. "So he was the one you always talked about ripping his head off"

"Excuse me?" Austin was not surprised that Cheryl talked about ripping his head off - but to her mother?!
Cheryl coughed. "Yeah"
An air of awkwardness settled around the table. Austin and Cheryl were surprisingly quiet, tired of insulting each other. The silence was only disrupted by a cough here and there, or sound from the nearby tables.

Mrs. Park broke the silence. " So..we all know why we're here. Since Cheryl and Austin already seem to... know each other" she motioned at the two with her hands and continued. "Let's get straight to the point. Phoebe and I really think you two are perfect for each other. You're both so accomplished, well-mannered and good looking- it would be a shame if you don't get together".
Mrs. Reid nodded in agreement.

"We've already gotten the contract and everything else. All we need are your signatures. It's only for six months if you don't like it after the six months you can end it and we won't bother you again ".
The two mothers looked at their children with pleading looks.
Cheryl sighed- the only sound she had made in a while.
"Will we have to live together?" she figured it would be easier to go along with this for the six months and have her mother leave her alone afterwards.

"Yes." Mrs. Park responded. "Phoebe and I already bought you guys a villa to live in. Think of it as an addition to the six months agreement. If you guys break up after, you can sell the it or do whatever you want to do with it".
"Yes dear." Mrs. Reid looked over at Cheryl. "We got so tired of seeing you both living in apartments and we wanted you to settle down together. Even if it's only for six months ".

"Okay. I agree". Cheryl said, shocking everyone at the table.
The two women wasted no time in providing the contract for Cheryl to sign. All the while Austin looked on. "What do you mean you agree? No one even asked my opinion yet?" he whined from across the table.

"Just sign the contract dumbass, it'll make things easier for both of us , even though seeing your face for the next six months is going to be unbearable for me".
Austin huffed as he finally signed the contract.

Mrs. Park and Reid clapped in excitement. " Yay. You're married now. We just need to take this to the court and everything will be finalized. I'm so happy for you two."
The people she was talking to, however, were not happy.
They both know why they agreed to this marriage. It wasn't for their parents,no. But within the next six months, they were going to make life unbearable for each other. Their sly grins said it all.