Marriage Proposal from a Princess

Chapter 2

Janie and I are currently at our house. Yes, we live together. We're best friends, it only seemed right. Anyways, before we left Jeremy's office, Janie grabbed the files on the men that I'm supposed to meet tomorrow. There's three of them.

The first one is Daniel McCarthy; he sounds familiar. He's 25 and good looking. Daniel has been working for a smaller label on the outskirts of town. He's apparently really good at what he does. I don't really care though.

The next one is Aaron Roberts. Aaron is 24 and not as good looking as Daniel. He's been trying to run his own label company, but hasn't had much luck. Every time he gets his company up, he makes a bad marketing call and loses most of his business. Why would I want to marry someone who can't run his own business? I don't want him coming and ruining my company.

The final one is Hugh Jackman. Just kidding. His name is Kyle Black. He's 30 and better looking than Aaron, but not quite as good looking as Daniel. He's actually been second in command to the guy running the rival company to my label. I guess Kyle is just waiting do his big break.

Even though Daniel and Kyle have pretty good reputations, these files tell me nothing about their personalities or characters. I can't just agree to marry one of them without knowing who they are as a person.

"So, which one are you going to marry?"

"I honestly don't know. I know nothing about who they really are. They could be the rudest men on Earth for all I know."

"I hear you. If I were you, though, I'd choose Daniel. He's just so damn sexy."

"I know, but I can't just choose him because he's he sexiest one of them all. What if he's some kind of psycho?"

"He'd be a sexy psycho."

"Maybe you can take my place and marry Daniel."

"That'd be awesome."

This girl kills me sometimes. "I could go for a nigh out. What about you, Janie?"

"Hell yeah! It's been too long."

"Let's do it then."

We go our separate ways to get ready. Being that it's already 7:15, I decide to take a quick shower. Once I'm done, I decide to put on a pair of ripped skinny jeans and a tank top that reads 'hot.' I put on just enough make-up to make my eyes pop.

When I'm satisfied, I go downstairs to find Janie talking to Grayson. "You guys can't go out tonight."

Now he's gonna try to run my life.

"Why the hell not?"

Janie and Grayson turn to look at me. They stare for a second.

"Because you have to be ready to meet those guys tomorrow."

"So."

"You can't go get drunk and then meet them with a hangover."

"That's not your problem."

"Yes it is. It's my job to make sure you don't do anything stupid. This definitely counts."

"You've never stopped me before. Why now?"

"Because I don't want you to throw your life away."

"What life? Everyone thinks they know best. They all want to tell me how to live my life. I've never been able to make my own decisions, and it's about damn time that I do. There's nothin you can, because I'm going out tonight."

"No you're not."

"Yes I am. If you don't like it, too bad. I need to do something for myself." I turn to Janie. "You ready?"

"Yeah."

I go to walk around Grayson, but he grabs my arm. "Grayson, damn it, let me go."

"No. This is for your own good. I'm not letting you go out tonight to do something stupid."

"Why?"

"It's my job to watch you."

"You've never tried this hard before. Why do you care so much now?"

"I just do."

"That's not a good enough answer."

I get my arm free and walk out the door. Janie is right behind me. We head to the taxi that Janie must have called. We get in and head to our favorite bar.

When we reach the bar, it's really packed. I guess we shouldn't have come on open mic tonight, but oh well. Nothing can ruin my night. "Lacey Michelle Stevens!" Except that.

I turn to see Grayson glaring at me. "Did you really follow us?"

"No. I just happened to come to this bar on open mic night. Of course I followed you, damn it."

"Why? Afraid I'll get too drunk?"

"Why the hell do you insist on defying me? Your parents put me in charge of you. Do you really want to go against your parents' wishes?"

"Do not play the f**king parent card with me. You know damn well that I always listened to them. I never went against what they wanted. I just want one final night to be me, before I have to sign over my future to some asshole."

"How do you know he's an asshole?"

"Because he's going to be taking over MY company. The company that I was sure I was going to run."

"You're still going to run the label, Lacey."

"No, I'm not. I have to marry some douche bag in order to even have anything to do with the label, and I doubt I'll even be able to do anything then."

"Lacey, it'll be okay."

"You don't know that. You can't speak for those men. Neither one of us know any of them, so we don't know how'll they treat me. Now, if you excuse me, I came here to let loose. That's exactly what I'm going to do."

I turn away from Grayson to order a whiskey and coke. I'm about to take a drink when my glass is snatched from my hands.

"What the hell, Grayson? Give me back my drink."

"No. I can't let you drink tonight."

"Fine. Keep it. I can always order another."

"Fine. Be this way. Here's your drink. Just know that I'm trying to help you not ruin your future."

"Sorry, buddy, but my future was ruined the day I was born. My parents decided that they were going to decide my entire life. There's nothing you can do to change what my parents already decided."

"Whatever, I'm leaving. Goodbye, princess." He's smirking.

He did not just call me princess. "I'm not a damn princess. Why the f**k does everyone call me that? I'm tired of being treated like a damn little kid. It's time I took my life into my own hands. I'm leaving and there's nothing you can do about it."

"Lacey, you can't leave."

"Why not?"

He comes closer to me. Before I can process what's happening, he kisses me. It's over way too quickly. "That's why." He walks off before what he says registers in my mind.

"Lacey, what the hell? Why did Grayson just kiss you?"

"I wish I knew, Janie. I really wish I knew."