Dark Paradise

Chapter 16: Breakaways~

Chapter 16: Breakaways~

I was shoved into my room, and the dress Lee-Ann left in my possession was ripped off of my body and burned. I screamed the whole time, trying to break away from the maid's iron grips. "Please relax, miss." one of the maids requested. "Your party must be fun and led by a degnified young woman."

I calmed down enough for them to dress me in a white gown with lace straps and small white heels with white roses of the front of them. My tiara was whisked into place, along with a black choker necklace, just as one of the maids finished up a smoky eye makeup job. When they were all done, I stood up and made my way to the door of my bedroom. I had to go out and face these people with a dignified look plastered upon my face.

It was the only thing to do.

I made my way out of the room and down the grand staircase. fitz was waiting for me at the bottom of the staircase. Fitz was waiting for me at the bottom of the staircase, and it reminded me of how Jack waited for Rose in Titanic. I took his arm, and he walked us ever so slowly into the ballroom. When people saw us, they all stopped and stared. I felt the pressure, and immediately tensed up. Fitz hovered over my ear and whispered, "Sh, you'll be fine. It's our night. Enjoy it."

I stared at him, confusion clouding my eyes. "Our night?" I asked him. He looked at me. His eyebrows furrowed. "Your mother didn't tell you?" he asked me. I shook my head, and he continued with a smile. "Why, Chasity, it's out wedding night."

I stared Fitz down. "Wedding?" I asked incredulously.

"Wedding." he confirmed.

"Fitz, I-"

"Don't be nervous."

"I'm not!" I defended. "I just-"

"You look beautiful."

"Thank you, Fitz." I said calmly. "Why are we doing this now?"

"Doing what?" he asked. I almost choked on my words when I responded, "Marrying now? Tonight? Why?"

"Oh, Chasity." Fitz said, pulling me up on a platform. "Your mother argued this with me. She said she wanted us to marry as soon as you came home. She said if you were fit to leave home on your own, you were fit to be married." He looked at me sadly. "I never wanted this. I wanted you to fall for me like I fell for you before we married."

"I would never fall for a wimp like you." I said quietly.

"Pardon?" Fitz asked me. My words hurt him, I could tell. But we stood on the stage, and I separated my arm from his before announcing, "You heard me. You're a wimp. Pathetic. A spineless coward. I would rather die from my socially unacceptable sexuality than marry the likes of you, Fitz."

I regretted it as soon as the words left my lips.

By now, everyone had ceased their pre-wedding activities and just stared blankly at us. Fitz leaned in closely to me, but it looked like he wouldn't dare touch me. "You're attracted to women?" he asked me. I gulped, but nodded, standing up to him.

"Not only that," I continued. "but back where I'm from, I have a woman waiting for me." There were no regrets. I was probably going to die for this.

Fitz stared at me. The prince looked dead inside. I hated making people feel this way. He looked broken. A man looked torn up inside. Broken and helpless and beyond the point of returning and loving again. "If I hadn't been so blind..." he muttered. I looked out over our audience. My face felt flushed and I began to panic. "I, uh... I have to go." I bolted offstage, into the hallway, up the stairs, and landed in my room, locking my door behind me.