Arranged Marriage

ii

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camila cabello — july 30th, 8:20 a.m.

Bags and boxes lined my room, and frames were tilting and lifted off my wall. It was already the 30th of July, and I was moving out of my house. I didn't want to, obviously, because it was thirty miles away from Shawn's apartment. Never thinking about it or doubting, I hated him. With all my heart—I hated that hazel-eyed demon. I stepped aback from my dresser, and fell onto my bed.

My hands found their way to my face and I sighed, feeling the coldness of the skin pressing onto my warm cheeks. A quiet knock was thumping on my door, so I looked up and saw Shawn looking at me with cold eyes. I (mentally, or else he would say a remark about my gesture) rolled my eyes at the sight of him.

"What are you doing here? You were supposed to come at-"

"I know, I know." He said, cutting me off. "I just thought that I would get to know you first. And I'm sorry that I got a little off a few days ago, I was just so mad. I didn't want a future like this; my music was what I was looking forward to."

He sat down on my bed as I crawled up to the top, my hair hitting the headboard. My knees were against my chest, and he sat there with the plead written on him. I didn't want to forgive him, but I knew there would be no use in fighting. "It's okay, all right. I may have gone a little far too," my cheeks flushed with embarrassment. I didn't feel like saying what I wanted, probably because I only knew him for a such a short time. "I guess that's what I would have said if I were in your position. It just feels so weird and cliché to me, yeah? An arranged marriage isn't what I wanted too."

His eyes were drawn onto my hands, I mean it did cause a lot of attention. I fumbled with words, causing my fingers to loop to distract him. "But. . we can work it out, right? I want to be happy, and if i'm going to get married with you—I want you to be happy too."

And in that moment, I promise you that I saw him smile.

•••

I sat in the car, huffing as my mother closed the door. Shawn was right next to me, his left hand on the wheel and his right on his thigh. I closed my eyes as Lauren ran to me, hugging me tightly before I let her go. "I'll miss you. Ugh, it's so weird. My best friend is getting married in like, a year." She shook her head at my parents, rolling her eyes. I laughed, and kissed her cheek.

"I'll miss you. Don't forget about our bracelets, okay? Send them to me by mail!" I yelled, as Shawn drove. I waved goodbye, and slumped back into the seat. I tried to tie my hair from the wind, but I didn't find my hairband. The hairband on my wrist fell off somewhere in the car, probably.

"Hey Shawn?" I called, making him turn. His sunglasses shaded his eyes, so I didn't know the expression he was giving me. He mumbled an, "mhm?" and turned his focus  back to the road. "Do you have a hairtie I could use?"

He looked like he was thinking for a moment, before shaking his head. "No, not that I know of. Why?"

"Because I need to tie my hair."

"Don't."

"Why?"

"You look beautiful with your hair down."