Arranged Marriage

Chapter 9

We didn't start getting ready till an hour after Patrick had left. I wasn't taking any chances to be told that I wasn't allowed out. I had turned a new leaf. Yes, I was married, but my life wasn't over. I was only twenty-one. This was my time to have some fun.

"I don't really have any party dresses," I admitted to Zoey as she curled my hair.

She gasped, "it's like you don't know me at all."

I frowned, looking at her through the mirror, "what are you talking about?"

Cupping my shoulders, she leaned in and whispered in my ear, "Who do you think stocked up your wardrobe?"

"Really?" I asked, freezing.

She hummed a yes, "I added a few things. A few slutty things."

When I opened my mouth to protest, she added, "don't worry, their very classy slutty."

I scoffed, trying to hide my thanks. She always knew me well.

"Besides, your trying to catch a new fish, aren't you?" she asked me.

"Not a new fish," I corrected, "I just want my old fish to take notice."

"Oh well," Zoey shrugged, "there's nothing wrong with putting some bait on a hook but not catching anything."

I snorted, "We really need to work on our metaphors."

Zoey laughed, "Yeah. But we already knew that. Okay, your hairs done."

"Thanks," I said, touching up my makeup as Zoey moved over to my wardrobe.

"Hey, Lizzy –," the door opened to a confused and frozen Nickola who was looking me up and down, "What are you doing?"

"Lizzy and I are going out," Zoey told him before I could.

His eyes immediately widened, "What? You can't do that. Patrick said that you had to stay here."

"Excuse me. Does Patrick rule her life?" Zoey argued.

"No but –."

"Good. Then there's nothing stopping her from going out tonight," Zoey buttered in, going back to looking through my wardrobe for clothes.

"Lizzy, please don't go out," Nickola begged me, stepping closer to me.

I knew that I probably shouldn't but I had already made up my mind. If Patrick wasn't going to take me seriously, then I was going to make him.

"I'm sorry, Nickola. But I'm going with or without you," I told him.

He groaned, rubbing his forehead, "No, no, if you're leaving this house than I'm going with you. But just think, please, Patrick can be...well, ruthless when he wants to be. And you going against his orders will send him through the roof."

"At this point, I couldn't care less. Patrick clearly doesn't want me here, he hasn't tried to get to know me, I mean he hates me."

"No, God no. He doesn't hate you, he just doesn't know how – oh crap, please just stay here. Put on a movie, chill out, have girl talk and stuff."

"Excuse me, I spent half n hour on her hair. We're going out tonight," Zoey scoffed, as I stood from the stool.

"I'm going out, Nickola," I told him, "And no one's stopping me."

"I'll call Patrick," he called out just before I got to the bathroom.

"No, you fricking won't," I warned him, narrowing my eyes at him, "You promised that whatever I said to you would be in the strictest confidence."