Planned Path

Chapter 1

Beep, beep, beep. The annoying sound of my alarm waking me up for another day. I groan and get up from the warmth of my bed. Starting my everyday routine. Waking up at four in the morning, taking a shower, praying, and then making breakfast and lunch for my dad. I look over at the clock its 5 am and my dad should be coming down any minute. Working my hands faster to make his toast and coffee. Right as I set his breakfast on the table, I see him make his way to the kitchen table. 

"Good morning honey," my dad greets.

"Morning Daddy"  

He eats breakfast as I pack his lunch. Giving me a kiss on the cheek he leaves for work. One down, two more to go. Ayden is the popular boy in school. All the girls swoon over him but he only has his eyes one girl in school. He is my fraternal twin, the only difference between us is that he is a boy and I am a girl. Him and I are really close, we tell each other everything. Karan on the other hand is the quite keep-to-himself guy. The 10 year old doesn't need anyone to be happy. He entertains himself. Both of them come down ready for school.  We all sit and eat breakfast. 

"Were is mom?" Karan asked

"She is still sleeping sweetie" I answer his question

"Hurry up Karan, I have to drop you off at school. I don't want to be late like yesterday." Ayden nagged Karan. I have to be home schooled since I am a girl. Here if a girl is even seen with a boy that is not her father or brother it is considered a disgrace to our family. Along with learning everything Ayden is learning in school, I have to learn to cook, clean and take care of a family in order for me to get a good husband. I seriously think it is easier to be a boy. Boys could stay out of the house all night and nobody would say anything. If a girl is seen out after the sun has set, everyone automatically think she has been rapped. 

"Good morning," my mom breaks me from my thoughts. "Did all the boys leave?"

"Morning mom, and yes dad left early again so Ayden dropped Karan off at school before going to his own school." I explained 

"Oh did your dad mention anything about his friend's son?" she asked. 

"No he didn't."

"Okay well, you remember that dinner your father and I attended on Saturday?"

"Yes," I answer confused of where she is going with this.

"It was at your dad's friend's house. They have a son who is little older than you and... I don't know any other way to say this then to be forward with you. Your getting married" mother smiled

"What? You already found a guy for me, but I'm only sixteen mom I can't get married. I am too young."

"No your not and you are getting married. In fact your getting married in a month." She says as she goes to grab her phone that was going off. I stayed quite as my mom talked on the phone. Something I was taught  to do since I was three. 

"That was your aunt, we are going shopping for all the dresses you are going to wear for the wedding. She'll be here in five minutes so go get ready. We'll eat out today." I smile and go upstairs to change into a pair of jeans and t-shirt. Leaving my hair down, I head back down stairs.

I can't help but have a goofy grin on my face. I always find myself daydreaming about the day I will get married. All the celebrations, people dressing in fancy dresses, and the parties all for me. Yea, I know I am only sixteen but people used to get their daughters married when they turned fifteen. The car came to a stop and I noticed mom parked beside an Indian Bridal Boutique. I guess we're getting the wedding dress first. As we stepped into the store a petite lady that looked a little older than my mom came rushing towards us.

"Hello and welcome to 'The Bridal Boutique.' My name is Kiran I will be your assistant for today."

"Hi, I am looking for a wedding lehenga for my daughter Aman" My mom points to me. I just give a shy smile and let my mom do all the talking.

"Do you have a price range?" Kiran asked.

"No, I want Aman to pick out whatever she likes without any restrictions." Mom says. I was surprised Kiran didn't make a comment of my age. She just simply looked at me and moved to the right side of the store.

"These lehengas here look more modern and something Aman might like." Kiran pointed towards the whole wall. Oh. My. God. There are so many lehenga. I was still in awe of the many dresses hanged neatly on the wall while my mother and aunt started looking through. Every once and a while I would hear them ask "what about this" or "look at this" while hold out a dress for me to look at, but all the ones they grabbed didn't look too good. After me rejecting a fourth of the dresses on the wall, my mom and aunt started picking out the dresses they liked the most and made me try them on. Let me just tell you this now, these lehengas are not easy to put on and they are definitely not the lightest. Stepping out of the change room I look at my mother's reaction. Without her even saying anything, I can tell she doesn't particularly like this dress on me. I feel like she is waiting for me to say something before she does. Looking down at the dress again.

"I don't really like it," I state. 

"Okay, then go another one on," my aunt says. Walking back into the change room, I nearly got stuck try to take the lehenga off.

After trying on fourteen lehengas, I find one that was absolutely beautiful on me. This is it. The red lehenga filled with silver embroidery is what I always dreamed I would wear at my wedding. Its perfect! I step out once again to show my aunt and mother. My aunt let out a gasp.

"You look so beautiful in that," my mother comments.

"Thank you, I think this is the one I like best"

"You have to get this one. You look stunning in that," my aunt says.

After paying for the lehenga, we go home. I am so tired from trying on so many dresses.

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N/A

A 'lehenga' is one of the many styles of Indian clothing.