Love Isn't A Overnight Thing

Surprise?

"Yeah. I've just finished packing what about you?" I asked my friend Riley.

"Oh gosh, I knew I should've packed last night. Damn Avengers and Robert Downey Jr."

"From your tone, I guess you haven't finished," I said playfully.

"Nah, I still have to finish packing. Hold on a moment, yes mom…………….. Sorry Lyn but I have to go mom's calling me for lunch and you know how she gets when I have her waiting for me to start eating"

"Ha ha but at least we know who you get it from"

"No way! That woman loves food way less than I do, anyway talk to you later"

"Yeah watev laters"

I zipped up my navy blue suitcase and placed it by my bedroom door before heading downstairs for lunch with my family as well. Oh the joy of spending an hour with my parents please take me out of my misery.

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I should introduce myself, so my full name is Caitlyn Annalisa Wilson but my friends call me Lyn, I'm 19 years and finally graduated from that hellhole called high school. My parents are Catherine Wilson whose one of the world most recognised fashion designer, I mean the woman designed clothes for the royal family already! And my dad's also recognised on a worldwide scale but he's a lawyer, I know what a weird pair. To my dear mother's disappointment, I'm following in my dad's footsteps; I swore that the woman was going to disown me when I told her that I wanted to become a homicide detective. What can I say, NCIS and CSI had some pretty convincing points in the debate on my future career. Anyway, my friends and I are leaving for England tomorrow where we will go wild and wake up in the middle of nowhere forgetting who we are and everything that happened………………………………...

Just kidding, my friends Riley and Avery are going to be staying with me in England as we accomplish our goals and hopefully make something good out of ourselves….. I hope? We have all grown up together but we weren't really that close until the incident. Riley's determined to get her masters in Neuroscience, I'm doing Criminology while Avery still doesn't know what she's doing with the mess that she calls life :). So here's our story hope you enjoy!

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"What's for lunch?" I asked my mother as I helped set the table.

"Um...rice, baked chicken, beans and a green salad." my mother replied placing the dishes onto the table. She then sat at the head of the table and my dad sat opposite her while I sat on one of the four seats to the side but closer to my dad.

"So dear did you finish packing?" my mother inquired.

"Yep and my flight is at 6:00 am tomorrow."

"Well, Jake will drop you off at the airport as I have to work late tomorrow and your mother is leaving for Milan tonight." said my dad.

"No probs"

"So hun we have something to tell you," said my dad as he looked at me then shot my mother a nervous glance.

"Dear do you remember grandma Sandra and grandpa Rick, your father's parents?" asked my mother.

"Yeah next month will make it five years since the crash." I reminded her.

"Well.."

"Go on" I urged.

"Um.."

"Hun, what your mother is trying to tell you is that..you're kinda.."

"Kinda what?"

"You're engaged." confessed both of my parents at the same time.

"What?" I asked with a laugh, they were joking, right?

"I'm not joking. Do you remember Alexander Bower?" asked my mom.

"Who?"

"The boy who used to live next door to us before we moved, you were both great friends."

Alexander Bower...why does that name sound so familiar?  Then it hits me like a tsunami, the smile, the eyes, the hair, the accent. Zander and I were best friends from birth as our grandparents had known each other since high school and were pretty close. We had moved to Miami when I was seven and that was the last time I had ever said a word to him.

"Yeah, what does me being engaged have to do with douchbags?"

"You know 12 years is enough to forgive him." commented my mother.

"Please stop straying from the topic," I groaned

"Right, well you know how my parents and his dad's parents were really close." said my dad.

"Yeah"

" Well apparently they had an agreement that their first children will get married but as you know Liam and I are the only two children to our parents, so they altered the agreement when you were born and changed it to their grandchildren which happens to be you and Alexander." my dad explained.

"But that can't happen. Can't you cancel it I mean you're one of the best lawyers? It's impossible, we're in the 21st century! We don't even get along ! Getting married will only cause World War  Three!" I stuttered loudly, raising from my seat.

"Hun please sit back down," my dad instructed, " we have tried everything in our power but your grandparents knew what they were doing. There isn't a single loophole only Ted and Elizabeth, Alexander's grandparents could cancel it or if both parents which are Liam, Pricilla, your mother and I all agree on cancelling the agreement."

"Then why can't you ask Uncle Ted and Aunt Liz to cancel it?"

"Uncle Ted passed away from cancer three years ago and Liz followed not to long after," my dad said with a shadowed look in his eyes.

"Okay but you don’t want me to get married and I'm sure Uncle Liam and Auntie Pricilla want Zander to fall in love and not be forced into a marriage where he'll be unhappy." I reasoned.

"We tried but Liam and Pricilla want you two to get married." interjected my mum.

"Why?"

"Well, you know how uncle Liam is the owner of Bower's Enterprises which has shares in almost all industries worldwide from hotels to fashion." I nodded my head urging her to continue, "It seems to be that little Alexander has grown up to be quite a lady's man and it is reflecting badly on the development of the company as people are questioning the stability of Bower's Enterprises due to the future heir's behaviour. So, they thought that a stable relationship will be healthy for Alexander and better his image and reputation plus, make him more responsible."

"But why me?"

"Well for one he can't get married to any other girl because by law he is betrothed to you. Also girls are only after him for his fortune and Liam and Pricilla already know and love you, plus you could put Alexander in his place unlike other suitors."

"When do we have to get married?" I said giving in.

"You will still go to university in England and finish your courses and pursue your future career, the only exception is that you will be married."

"Okay"

"You have one week in England before you have dinner with Liam and Pricilla, after that you and Liam will be engaged for a year until the wedding, if you both desire to be wed before then so be it." clarified my dad.

"So I have on week of freedom before being tied down for the rest of my life?"

"Basically, yes."

"I'm going to bed. Laters."I rose from my seat, went up the stairs and entered my bedroom. I closed the door behind me and flopped myself onto my bed. Marriage? Am I even ready? I burst into sobs replaying the conversation with my parents over and over in my head. I have to find a way out of this situation, I'm not going to be tied down to a jerk.