Marriage of convenience

Chapter 10

There was only one more day to the party and I wished I was kidnapped just for that day. I tried feigning sickness, but Ray and Hunter were quick to catch up on my lying. Ray also quoted, "Hungry dogs like you don't fall sick easily." Hunter didn't exactly agree with that, but was somewhere on the lines of nodding along with him. I sighed in despair every time Marilyn came up with the topic of the party. She seemed to be shopping with Ray and he didn't bother inviting me or at least buying me a dress. Looks like he forgot all the sweet talk about buying me a dress and teaching me to walk without falling face first.

"Are you coming or not? I'm gonna leave without you," Ray yelled, all dressed up to go to college. I was still struggling to put my head into my shirt while trying to tame my wild and frizzy locks.

"Coming!" I ran out, with my bag slung to one shoulder. "You should really give a girl her time to get ready, you know?" I huffed, getting into his car.

"I would, if you really got ready," he gave me an once over. "You look like you came right out from your bed."

"You are just jealous that I look all this fabulous," I shrugged and he rolled his eyes.

"You wish, Angela."

I giggled. "Anyway, why are we leaving so early? Do you have an extra class or something?"

"I have an appointment with someone," he said with a smirk. I didn't like how his smirk was all mysterious and that gave me goose bumps. Whom could he possibly have an appointment with? I mean, he did have his girlfriend and if he were to meet with her, he would definitely say so. Is he having an affair? Is he two timing with her? Oh wait, the whole two timing thing shouldn't be brought into the topic as he is married to me. He has a wife and he has a perfect love life. I wondered if anyone else could be so lucky as he was. Sadly for me, nothing went right. I got married to a rich guy who wouldn't even look at me, got shipped out and away from my family and friends and nor did I have a love life.

I sighed heavily.

"What happened?" He asked as we drove. "You don't seem to be in high spirits."

"Ah, nothing really," I looked out of the window. Maybe I should start being independent, starting from using the public transport.

"There can't be nothing when you are sighing like it is the end of the world. What happened?" We stopped at a signal. When I didn't reply, his voice grew stern. "Look at me."

I snapped my head towards him. How dare he raise his voice at me? "Well, I was just hoping that one day even I could find happiness! After all, I got dragged away to some place which I don't even know and I get home to a husband who is not really mine. Not a pretty scene, is it?" I sneered and looked away. He looked baffled, totally not expecting an outburst from my side. Moments passed by and there was tense silence in the car. Obviously, he didn't know what he could possibly say to me and I am not blaming him. This outburst was actually uncalled for. But then, bottling up your emotions for too long could lead to things like this. "Sorry," I mumbled. "I didn't mean to yell. It just came out of nowhere. I actually miss home, that's all." I slowly looked at him and he seemed to nod in understanding.

"It is okay. I understand. After all, even I don't treat you well. It is obvious that you feel this way. I am sorry too," he said. "But then, even I got married to a girl I didn't know, even though I have someone whom I love and was ready to marry. Even I come home to a wife who doesn't love me and every time I see you, I feel like I am cheating on Marilyn. It is kind of hard for me to accept you."

I nodded, "we are two people travelling in the same boat, huh?"

"Indeed."

There was a stretched silence between us. Not tense, but not comfortable either. We were lost deep in our thoughts about each other and our present situation. This was the first time I heard how Ray actually felt about this entire ordeal. Just because he didn't directly tell what he felt didn't mean that he was indifferent to this entire situation. Even he was a human being and a human who was in love with another person. I felt sorry for him. Sorry for being there as a burden to him and invading his private life. I really needed to do something so that we can find a loop hole to get out of this mess and let him live happily with the one he loved.