Too Bad For Her Own Good

day 1 : morning

It's a crisp 6:00 a.m.

I've been up for a good half an hour, but I still press the snooze button on my phone for those precious five more minutes. There is a beautiful bliss in the first few minutes of consciousness; something raw that cannot be found at any other part of the day. I reveled in the clarity that strung my brain for those precious, worthwhile, simple, five minutes.

I stumble out of my bed and make my way to my closet, filled to the brim with designer handbags and sparkly dresses -- courtesy of my wealthy family. Like the stereotypical, ridiculous wealthy mother, mine insists that I attempt to "mimic the style of someone of my prestige". In other words, she wants me to wear well-tailored dresses in my daily life, not just to corporate dinner parties.

Instead, I make my way to the back of the closet where a stack of neatly folded clothes-- without sequins-- forms a seemingly ridiculous contrast to the rest of the sparkled interior.

I change quickly, throwing my large mass of dark curls into a high pony tail before grabbing my bag and jogging down the extensive twists and turns of my staircase.

I look around my empty kitchen, "Have a good day sweetie!" I say out loud to myself, sarcasm drenching my words. My mother and father were both at work. Such was of the ordinary. Am I ridiculous? Yes. Am I over dramatic? That's possible. But should my parents be here more? Definitely.

With a roll of my eyes, I grab a banana off of the counter before walking outside and making sure to lock the door behind me. I begin my journey to the bus stop, the air holding a damp feel from the rain last night. I have a car, I'm 17 with well off parents and my car is sitting right in my garage. But my car is a little too flashy for a quick drive to school, a car showing my family's pride. Granted, I enjoyed the complicated mechanics of the combustion engine -- I wasn't going to endure the wrath of high school attention.

For me, it's easier to take the bus and not have to explain to the masses of students why a girl like Katherine Emerald has a car nicer than anyone else at the school. It's not that my wealth is a secret, I wouldn't lie to anyone who asked. But besides my friends, no one has cared enough to ask. Make that friend.

Walking to the corner of Maple and Chestnut, I spot Alice texting away on her cell phone.

"Hey, K!" Enthusiasm laces Alice's voice as she greets me, joy radiating from the smile covering her face. I fake a cringe at the horrible nickname she's seemed to have given me.

She laughs at my reaction, forcing me to chuckle back. Alice and I have been best friends since the third grade. A stable friend she is, and I'm overjoyed to have her. To an outsider, we probably appear as polar opposites. She's bubbly and loud, while I'm more shy and quiet. I care about school, which is very clear, and for her not as prominent. But we are both seemingly confident, both happy people overall. You could say we compliment each other nicely. That's what her mother says anyway.

"I don't want go to calculus today" She complains, and I laugh.

"Math is very important Ms. Alice Montgomery, integration will be used in everyday life." I mimic our math teacher Mr. Aloe to the best of my ability and she laughs along with me, the treachery of calculus something almost everyone can laugh about.

"Good morning ladies!" Oh, his voice. I smile at the granular sound, a blush covering my cheeks at the mere idea of being near him. Ladies and gentlemen; Hunter Adams. He played on the schools soccer team, and had the good looks to match his reputation. His blonde hair was shorter, his blue eyes bright and welcoming, almost as welcoming as the boyish and young smile covering his face.

"Morning Hunter!" I curse myself internally at my awkward speech. My awkward everything. Everything about me was awkward when I spoke to kids my age. It was horrible and terribly inconvenient in a social aspect. My grandmother used to tell me I was just more mature, but I think I'm really just an alien who forgot she was an alien.

I look back at Alice, who like every other morning is wiggling her eyebrows at me. She's a horrible friend. (That's a lie.) Always making fun of me for the massive crush I've had on Hunter. Hunter was just that type of person, beautiful inside and out, creating the largest appeal to girls like me. It's almost disappointing that I'm so infatuated with him. Maybe playing hard to get would have been a better plan. Screw you, Katherine. (That's me.)

While I'm scowling at Alice, the bus pulls up. Hunter went on first and made his way to the back of the bus where all the "cool" kids sit. Cue the bad (but good) 80's movie please. The throwing of paper balls at the heads of the poor band players in the front sadly wasn't a fad that left with leg-warmers and lime green. Alice and I sat in our usual spot in the middle. The back of the bus is so loud: rambunctious teenagers in their natural habitat. The front consisting of talented and musically inclined peers and the quieter ones, quieter than me. I'm not joking, this one kid (Scott) plays his keyboard almost every morning. Usually quietly, but a keyboard nonetheless.

It's easier to pretend that the boy you've been nearly in love with since freshman year isn't a major jerk, so I ignore the way he calls the boy named Elliot, Smelliot. Not only is it rude, but overused and not very clever at all. I groan, closing my eyes and putting my headphones in.

When I opens eyes again we had made it to the school. I grab my bag and exit the bus, I look back and slow my pace down so I walk next to Alice.

"So did you hear about Adam and Cassidy..." Her gossip begins. Boy, it's hard to keep up.

_________________________________

Alice and I had just made our way into calculus, which had the pleasure of being our first class of the day. We were just sitting down -- again, comfortably in the middle (I hope you're catching on by now)-- when our teacher Mr. Aloe walked in. He looked really distraught and beyond a little confused. He turned on the projector and a message popped up on the board.

"Today students, there has been a new law passed." There was still chattering among the students. No one cared about this new law. Politics Shomolitics, am I right? But I started listening, accidentally zoning Alice into background noise. Well, maybe not accidentally. The girl could talk.

"There has been a new marriage law instated. Seeing as all of you are over the age of 16, you may want to listen because this concerns you." The noise level in the room then dropped drastically. All eyes were on Mr. Aloe.

"It states here that all persons over the age of 16 are to be wedded immediately to another in the same age group. This couple will be chosen by the state, and there shall be no changes unless the safety of one member of the union is at risk. Your spouse will be chosen for you tomorrow at the start of school. " The class was silent. A few jaws dropped. I raised my hand. Of course, I did. Mr. Aloe nodded towards me, a little in shock himself.

"So, you're saying that we are going to married to someone, not of our choice, and we cannot change that? Even though we are all about 17?" I said, a little sarcastically. Knowing this had to be a practical joke or something.

"Yes Ms. Emerald," Mr Aloe said in a serious tone. "In fact, that is exactly what I'm saying".