Can't Ever

Prologue

Prologue

Samantha

The feeling of my stomach dropping at the sound of the door opening seemed well matched to the chill that came with the house. I had hoped that they would not be returning until an hour that I could fake sleeping. Yet they had come home well before nine in the evening. The fact that they had returned from one of their fancy-smancy dinner parties this early could not bode well for me. Although I could not hear their footsteps on the stairs I knew that was where they were. They were nothing else if not consistent and predictable. I could count the exact time it takes them to get from the front door to my room and it would be the same every time.

As the doorknob turned I straightened my back at the desk and made sure that all my papers and books were arranged neatly. I could feel their glares as they entered my room.

“What were you thinking Samantha?” snarked my mother. I resisted the urge to sigh as I slowly stood. I knew I had to present myself correctly: feet together, back straight, head slightly lowered and hands clasped behind my back.

“I am sorry mother. Please tell me how to better myself. I want to be a better daughter and to make you proud of me, instead of the disappointment that I am. My actions were unacceptable and I will not repeat them. I understand that my actions warrant punishment and I will accept whatever type of punishment you choose,” I gave the monologue that I knew was a requirement even if I did not know what I had done. I had this memorized due to use. It seemed silly to me but if it pleased my parents then I was more than willing to repeat it until I was blue in the face.

“You turned down Walter Charles Montgomery III when he asked you out on Wednesday and then failed to tell us of your shortcoming. We were forced to discover this betrayal at our dinner party and we were thoroughly embarrassed. Why would you turn that well-bred young man down?” questioned my mother. Her face never changed expressions but the inflection in her voice told of her anger.

“I turned him down because you had informed me that I was not to date. I am sorry that I failed you once again. I will call him, apologize and ask if he will still be willing to take me out,” I answered as politely and grammatically correct as I could. I knew I had made a mistake when I saw the vein in my father’s neck bulge.

“Samantha you are a high class lady and we expect you to act and speak as one. The correct phrasing would have been ‘I am sorry mother that I have failed you once again. I know that I should have accepted Walter’s offer. I will call him and apologize. If I am lucky enough he will overlook my lack of manners and still take me out.’ That would have been the only acceptable answer. Now try it again,” my father corrected.

I took a deep breath and repeated- hopefully word for word. “I am sorry mother that I have failed you. I know that I should have accepted Walter’s offer of a date. I will call him and apologize. If I am lucky enough he will overlook my lack of manners and still be willing to take me out.”

“That is exactly what you will do. You will also get very use to see Walter often. Your father and I have talked to The Montgomery’s and you will be marrying Walter after you both are eighteen and have graduated from high school,” my mother announced as she turn in her stilettos and left the room, my father right behind her. This cannot be right. I can’t be marrying anyone much less Walter Charles Montgomery III. That was not the plan. I was supposed to get out. College was supposed to be my chance to get away but as the door clicked shut on their bedroom door I could feel the hope extinguish inside my soul. I had to get away. One fact weighed on my heart- it was now or never; it had to be now.

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This is my new story.  Hope you all enjoy it.