The Forced Marriage (SHORT STORY)

Marriage Proposal

"Grace can you come down here!" My father and mother said from downstairs. I paused my movie and got out of the warmth of my bed and walked down stairs to see my parents standing at the bottom of the stairs.

Had I done something wrong? They only do this when I'm in trouble.

"Yes Mama, Papa?" I asked walking down the stairs and eyeballing them.

"Honey. We need to talk?" My mother said grabbing my elbow and leading me to the dinning room.

Were we loosing the house? What was happening? My father had recently lost his job at this big time company, we were living by my mothers once a month paycheck as a teacher at my high school. I tried to give my parents my pay checks I got from working at a nearby cupcake shop. It wasn't much but it could help a little bit. But, my parents refused the money saying they would work it out and that I should spend that money on myself.

"Honey?" My father said looking at me putting his hand on top of mine. "We are doing this for your well being. We want you to be taken care of, we don't want to have to worry about if we will even be able feed you."

"Mom... Dad. What is this? I can pay for it myself I can use my pay checks."

"But you shouldn't have to Grace... You should spend that money on a new outfit. Not for your dinner." My parents were crying know worrying me even more.

"Mom. Dad. Just tell me it's fine." I said. I understood there troubles at the moment and I knew that they were only wanting to do the best for me.

"Do you remember the Dawson's?"

"Yea the boss who laid you off! Who we thought was your friend!"

"Yes. He had no choice it was not his doing and you know it. But do you remember his son Finley?"

Our parents were friends and me and him used to spend summers together and most of our weekends. We stopped after he turned fifteen which is my age know. He had always been very attracted with his dirty blonde hair and piercing blue eyes and he had always been well built. He had also been a sweet boy until the last two years. He had became a rude boy that only cared about looks in girls. Which is why we stopped talking in the first place. I had felt uncomfortable. But at the beginning of our last summer together it became more than friendship. He had been my first kiss the only boy I kissed, and my first time my only time.

"Yes what about him?" I asked.

"Well we had agreed... we and his parents agreed to arrange a marriage between you two." I was dumbfounded. What? "He has to be married for the company and we need you to be taken care of."

I stood up and walked out of the dinning room. "MY MARRIAGE IM SUPPOSED TO BE THE ONE TO MAKE THE CHOICE! NOT MY PARENTS BECAUSE YOUR TO OLD AND STUPID TO GET A JOB AND TAKE CARE OF YOUR FAMILY!!!" I yelled immediately regretting it after I said it. But it came out like word vomit and I couldn't stop. "You sure do care for my best state! No you two just want to get rid of your responsibilities!" I yelled marching up the stairs and slamming my door as hard as I could making pictures fall off of the walls in my room, the hall, and down the stairs. I took a spin slowly and looked at my pictures and seen a picture of me and Finley at age twelve and seventeen smiling one the edge of our families boat. I grabbed it and threw it across the room and it smashing against the wall. I began to cry and could not stopped. I went to the picture and picked it up screaming as loud as I could.

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Finley's POV

"I AM A TWENTY YEAR OLD MAN! I can make my own choices! Especially this one!" I screamed at my father.

"Sweetheart..." My mother whispered.

"Oh shut up you no good excuse for a parent." My parents were taken aback by what I had said.

"Finley do not speak to your mother like that! Know if you want this company then you need to marry that girl and you must treat her with respect and she needs a life her parents are going through a tuff time and this is the best for both of you!" My father said.

"Oh screw you!" I yelled, "maybe you shouldn't have laid her father off. Maybe I could marry someone I actually love! Not some little girl!" I screamed stomping out of my parents house.

I had been in love with Grace whenever we were kids and then the last summer I seen her we had a amazing time. But, then she just didn't want to see me after that and it crushed me. Know I have to marry her and I have no idea if I still feel the same way or if she feels anything for me at all. I will have to spend my life with her. A fifteen year old girl. How could I do that? I had no idea what to do and then I couldn't deny if I wanted my rightful business.